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 The FSFS Newsletter is written by FSFS members covering everything Fantasy and Sci-Fi |
The "Fantasy and Science Fiction Society" welcomes you to  Welcome to the first ever edition of the FSFS Newsletter, brought to you by the members of the "Fantasy and Science Fiction Society" . Each month the Newsletter will bring you heaps of content covering all aspects of Fantasy and Science Fiction. Contents 1. Month Summary 2. Hall of Fame by Scifiwizard Retired   3. Characterization & World Building by Elfin Dragon-finally published 4. A Fan Never a Panelist - Capclave Day 3 by Highmage - D.H. Aire  5. The Winding Footpath to Publication by asymmetrical 6. Acquisitions Editing by KMH  7. Behind the Scenes - Creating a Video by Matt Bird MSci (Hons) AMRSC 8. Review of Dracula by Bram Stoker, by Uncommonspirit 9. Advertisements and Reminders 10. Newsletter Challenge  November saw the opening of the FSFS, and as of writing the group has 55 members.We are all at various points of their writing careers, with some just starting to write stories and others published with ever increasing sales. Regardless of where we are along the publishing road, we all love writing fantasy and science fiction. The FSFS has many forums, each with its own purpose. "The Hub" is the place where members can chat to each other and keep up with group news. The "Writing Forum" and "Mechanics Forum" are specialist pages dedicated to the creative and mechanical aspects of writing, respectively. Moving away from the process of writing we also have the "Publishing Forum" to discuss the publishing industry. Being November, many members of WdC have been participating in NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month. The aim is to write 50k in 30 days. I have never participated in NaNo, but I know many members who have. The FSFS hasn't really done much with regards to NaNo as it clashed with launch month. However, future NaNos will be celebrated by the group. Good luck to all those who are participating this month! They all say "You can be the greatest." They all say, "You can be the best." Still, words only get you so far. I struggled with writing for many years, trying to teach myself and put all of my childhood adventures on paper. Every child has adventures through the act of 'pretend', weaving incredible stories. Regrettably, many of these stories fall to the wayside and become forgotten, never to be told again. They forget the action, the adventure, the suspense, and the sheer thrill of these stories they had played out in their own back yard. I am among those who remember those adventures and yearn to put them to paper to share those stories with others. Many children play pretend then move on, forgetting what their young imaginations bring to life in their little corner of the world. Through this, I remained determined to write my stories; to share my childhood adventures of 'pretend' with others in hopes that it will spark memories of their own childhood adventures and share them in turn. For a while, even after discovering Writing.com, I thought that dream was too far in the distance for me to reach in my lifetime. Only this video returned that spark of determination as everyone's goals are born from childhood dreams. Whether it be ballet or boxing, as seen in the video, 'Hall of Fame' by Script, we can all be champions if we dedicate ourselves to our goals. It was due to this video that I started searching for ways to improve my writing to reach my goal of sharing my childhood stories with the world. Many of these childhood stories are in the form of the interactive stories on my portfolio. I found this to be the greatest form of sharing those stories as others can share in those adventures, creating more stories, keeping those childhood adventures alive. The greatest leap towards my goal was through P.E.N.C.I.L. on Writing.com. Their services opened my eyes to resources I did not know were out there to improve my writing and to better my stories. In closing, You can be the greatest, you can be the best. Dedicate yourself and you can find yourself in The Hall of Fame! Hall of Fame - Music Video "Hall of Fame" by Scifiwizard Retired  Reading the title of this article you may be wondering what one has to do with the other. During this month of NaNoWri we often put a lot of emphasis on how you build characters first. Worlds sometimes become secondary and some of us aren't sure how to build or describe the worlds our characters live in so we fall back on the world we live in or the mythology we're familiar with. A couple years ago I'd gone to a ComicCon where writers from all over the country were gathered to either be on panels to assist new and up-coming writers, or (like me) listen and ask question of those famous writers. Four writers had great tips on how characters are involved with world building. Those four writers were: 1) Sam Sykes (The Aeon’s Gate Series) 2) Jordan Summers (Dead World Series) 3) Michael A. Stackpole (Age of Discovery Series) 4) Peter S. Beagle (The Last Unicorn, The Innkeepers Song, Magician Coerces, Giants Bones, Alitavine & Private Place) They noted when creating a world from scratch or a modified version of reality, authors usually spend a lot of time defining their world. I know I've spent countless hours over my own world/universe with religion, history and other items. These authors offered three particular tips on how characters can be involved with world building 1. You can assume the reader is familiar with whatever the character is familiar with. 2. Characters can describe the world 3. Be flexible with names of your characters These three time saving tips can help in your world building and with your characters as well. Don't forget that not only your prime characters can be involved in describing your world. Minor characters can be involved as well whether it’s through dialogue, description or thought. The last thing to remember is in character building. Whether it's with your major or minor characters, clothing can also tell much about both your character(s) and the world they're in. Don't be afraid to be as descriptive with clothing as you are with the world. "Invalid Item" by A Guest Visitor  Last day of Capclave and I want to focus on learning more about Young Adult. There are two sessions in particular I want to go to, which, of course, are at the beginning and the end of the time I have at Capclave. So, I arrive early and attend "Writing Realistic Teen and Child Characters," with Holly Black (author of Spiderwick), who moderated, Annette Klause, Sarah Pinsker, Benjamin Rosenbaum, and Jon Skovron. The panelists discuss what makes believable and relatable teen characters, need to be seen as having poor impulse control, taking risks that no adult would (knowing the risks better). Kids "absorb" everything, while adults are more rigid and don't learn as quickly. Jon Skovron said that there's a tone to Young Adult fiction that can be elusive for adult writers to get just right. Sarah Pinsker added, there are important tropes like a teen needing to prove themselves on their own. "YA is so new and so transforming," Holly Black shared, so she doesn't worry about the genre being in flux. It's open to possibilities. As moderator, Holly posed the question, "So, what's the baseline sin?" Sarah replied, "Dialog that doesn't match the kid's character." Ben Rosenbaum answered, "Characters that are too much of any one thing like being a bully or super noble." Kids aren't all one thing. "The hubris of throwing out the slang," Jon Skovron offered, being considered that kids and teens don't like being pandered too. "Do you make choices that limit the story's life?" Holly asked. The use of clothing can turn a story that is contemporary into historical fiction fast, making wearing blue jeans which may be appropriate forever stay contemporary. Jon Skoron added that what he always liked about Buffy the Vampire Slayer, is that the writers chose slang they had invented themselves or was what folks were saying in Sunnydale. That kept the language true and extended that "life" for the audience. Honestly, the discussion grew real interesting for a while, which I feel best to consider in private about what else may limit the appeal of a YA book, or not. There was an interesting concluding exchange about teens forms "packs" and issues of family relationships that also create more relatable YA stories. Okay, now what to do that the first session's over? I really am only interested in that last session before I have to leave, "Young, Adult, or Both?" which Holly Black will again be moderating, with panelists of Paolo Bacigalupi, Will McIntosh, Annette Krause, and Diana Peterfreund. I go the Dealer's Room and buy those books I told myself I was not going to buy. I go to the Con Suite and network, okay, there goes ten minutes. I visit the aisle pushing upcoming Cons and introduce myself to the Chessiecon folks, who are happy to put a name to a face since I'm one of their guests this year, introducing me to that Con's chair a few minutes later. I walk back toward the Con Suite and there is Holly Black seated at what had been the Koffeeklatch Table in years' past, smoozing with just a couple of people. Now I've really wanted to meet Holly after hearing her on panels, but there hasn't been an opportunity. That the young ladies at the table are talking hair dying isn't exactly opportune. As I pause by the table, they talk about Holly's blue hair, when I can't help saying to Holly, "I thought your hair was aquamarine." Holly agrees, but likes calling her new hair color blue. I'm then invited to join in Holly's Klatch that Capclave apparently forgot to promote. Well, you've got to seize opportunity to learn from other authors any chance you can get... without being a pest. She apparently feels the same way, mentioning shortly thereafter while on a book tour she was in a book store and passing the long line of people, praise Charlene Harris' work, when Charlene Harris turns around in the line and thanks her. Holly shared it could have been worse, happier she was praising Charlene's work. The discussion's pretty great from that point and I ask about how Holly first got published. "I don't recommend this..." she starts, explaining that she shared her first book with a friend, who had several books published, and they were trying to figure out whether her book was Young Adult or not. So, her author friend passed her book to his editor and asked the editor for their opinion. "Definitely YA," and then sends her a contract. No agent, no submission process, "boom" sold. "I'd definitely get an agent first before signing that contract now, which I was delighted to get," she says. Following up on her comment from Friday's "Abusing the Authors" panel, I mention I'm a "pantser" versus a "plotter." She explains that she finds the writing process painful and asks me how many books I've sold. I tell her (yesterday was my best sales day ever). Her eyes light up and I guess that particular number didn't just look good to me. She asks me how the writing process is for me, and I admit I like writing first drafts and the editing process, enjoying it, which seems may be a rarity. Time flies and I go to that last session, "Adult, Teen, or Both?" which Holly Black moderates, with Paolo Bacigalupi, Annette Klause, Will McIntosh, and Diana Peterfreud. The session focused on how YA differs from Middle Grade and Adult books. What I found particularly enlightening is how easily you can get a book banned in libraries, or certain parts of the country, not for using bad language or having issues of sex, but inferring teens may be doing things they do - without your characters being involved. Writers need to consider their choices carefully. The fact that terrific amounts of violence seem to be considered not traumatizing to young readers while "other things" might be perhaps should be questioned more. European readers seem to feel violence is really traumatizing and "other things" are natural. That books can be moved in libraries from Children's to Young Adult as the subject matter moves into other areas is something I hadn't considered, but based on the discussion that day, certainly made sense. Interesting world we live in where categorizing a book as adult or teen can grow blurred - for both writers and readers. So, that ended my day. Being a fan at Capclave worked out pretty well. I've learned about a possible anthology opportunity, cut my cost for my book booth at Chessiecon, networked well over three days, had a wonderful time at a Koffeeklatch with Holly Black, and learned a lot about writing and the business of writing Young Adult these days, among a lot more. Perhaps next year, I will finally be an invited guest at my local con. Ah, the bench marks in the life of a writer. "A Fan Never a Panelist - Capclave Day 3" by Highmage - D.H. Aire The Winding Road to Publication by asymmetrical  It's traditional to start these kinds of articles with a disclaimer, so here's mine: I'm not Ken Liu. Editors don't see my name on the manuscript and place my stories at the top of their shortlist. I've had some luck with publication, and even made a bit of money off it, but to say I'm still learning is a massive understatement. So if Ken Liu tells you to do something different from what you read here, listen to Ken, not to me. This article is about working towards publication for speculative fiction short stories - that is, science fiction, fantasy, and horror, along with all their combinations and derivatives. A lot will hold true for literary fiction, poetry, and other types of writing, but some of the specifics will be different. And, of course, getting a novel published is a whole different kettle of fish. Step One: Answer this simple question: What are your favorite short fiction publications? Which ones do you open as soon as they come out? Where do you find the short stories that stick with you and influence your own writing? There is no wrong answer. Wait, there is one wrong answer: "I don't know." If you don't read enough speculative fiction short stories to come up with a sensible answer to this question, you'll need to fix that before you're ready to think about submitting your own stories. You need to know whether you prefer the lyrical flights of fancy found in Beneath Ceaseless Skies, or the short prose and strong concepts of Daily Science Fiction. Whether you find The Pedestal's experimental style intriguing or just baffling, and whether Asimov's is the proud bearer of tradition or is simply stuck in the mud. Not that your favorites are necessarily where you want to submit first, but having some gives you a long-term goal. I'm not saying you have to write a master's thesis on all this before you can even start submitting. Just take an hour to click around the internet, read a story or two, maybe subscribe to a mailing list. And plan to keep this practice up. At first this may merely seem like a way to learn about markets, but really, it's how you learn to write. Step Two: Where do you want to start? There are five tiers: - Pro-paying markets on the SFWA list: Publications that pay 5 cents a word or higher, and work towards qualification as an SFWA member. Here's a list of SFWA qualifying markets . (Note: the rate may be going up to 6 cents soon.) - Pro-paying markets not listed with SFWA: Any other publication that pays 5 cents a word or higher. - Semi-pro markets: Publications that pay by the word at a lower rate. - Markets that offer token payment: Publications that pay a flat fee for stories, or pay with royalties only. - Non-paying markets: Publications which don't pay in cash, but provide exposure, experience, and maybe a free copy of the edition with your piece in it. Some writers start at the top tier, with the idea that it can't hurt to try the more prestigious magazines and work their way down - or, with luck, get a big break on their first try. If you have confidence that your work is ready for the big time, this could work, but be prepared to get rejected a lot; it can be hard on the psyche. Others (like me) prefer to gain experience at the bottom before working their way up, building on small successes. Until this year, I've submitted mostly to free or token-paying markets. Either way is viable. Step 3: Stories you want to sell shouldn't be accessible to the public. They should never be visible through your WDC account, your website, or anywhere else. It's usually acceptable to set WDC items to "Registered Authors and Above," but "Group Only" or "Private" is safer. The only people who should have access to these stories are reviewers. Step 4: Join a submission-tracking site. I know of two good ones: Duotrope and The Grinder . For spec fiction story submissions, The Grinder is the better option. Duotrope membership costs $50 per year, whereas The Grinder is free. Plus, The Grinder has some helpful statistical tools Duotrope doesn't match. But The Grinder's membership is primarily Spec Fiction writers at this time, so their statistics lose meaning with any other category. So if you want to submit literary fiction, poetry, nonfiction, or just about anything else, a Duotrope membership will help. Both these sites exist primarily to let you keep track of your submissions, secondarily to help introduce you to fresh markets. Other sites, such as Ralan's , can help you find places to submit. Step 5: Have a look around. Find a few places to submit stories you've got ready. It's time-consuming, but sort of fun. There are several types of markets: - Print magazines - Online magazines, including fiction blogs - Contests - Anthologies, including themed anthologies A few things to keep in mind: - How new is the publication? Well-established publications may already get lots of subs, and brand-new markets may also get a rush when they first appear. A market in the sophomore stage may be a bit less competitive. - How prestigious is the publication? As well as being an SFWA-qualifying market, find out whether they've won or been nominated for prizes, especially Hugo and Nebula awards (which will be clearly marked on the Grinder). - What kind of turnaround do they have? Some markets will give you an answer within a few days, others can take half a year or more. The longer they take, the longer you have to wait before submitting your story somewhere else. - The most important thing, though, is to find markets where you like the vibe. If it's something you'd read, it's the kind of home you want for your story. Some markets, especially anthologies and contests, may have special themes, like "robot fiction" or "African-influenced fantasy." Step 6: Submit something. Every publication should have a website that will give you instructions on how to do this. Follow these instructions carefully. Keep a record of your submissions on the Grinder or Duotrope. I also have a private document in word processing for keeping track of what I'm doing. Step 7: While you're waiting to hear back, educate yourself. - Learn Standard Manuscript Format . Most semipro and pro markets want subs in the form of attachments formatted this way. (Lord only knows why, since nobody in their right mind would print a magazine in double-spaced Times New Roman, but it's a fact of life that they want their subs this way.) - Compare your own writing to what you see in your favorites publications. For example, look at paragraph length. If the publications you love are full of long, descriptive paragraphs, and your stories are more than half dialogue, that's something to work on. Other things to analyze are literary style, character development, voice, and perspective. This is writing school. - Almost every set of guidelines says something like, "We're not impressed by excessive sex, violence, or strong language." This seems to mean something completely different to everyone, so look at what they publish, not just what they say. - You'll often see references to "Simultaneous submissions" and "multiple submissions." A simultaneous submission means sending the same story to more than one publication at once. A multiple submission means sending more than one submission to the same publication at the same time. - Make a bio bank. Writing biographies is annoying, so it's nice to have a few ready. You'll need a short (1-3 sentence) and a long (one paragraph) version, both in first person and third person. You should also have an author photo. - Keep reading published stories and researching the market. It's an ongoing process. Step 8: Become famous and wealthy. Ha-ha, just kidding! But this is an atrociously difficult and competitive business, so it's a good idea to keep a sense of humor and some common-sense perspective close at hand. Rejections happen to everybody. Remember those stories about all the publishers who rejected Harry Potter? For a hard-edged idea of what it takes to be successful, check out The Race . It's not exactly encouraging, but it will give you an idea of how hard you need to work to make it in this business. But if you love reading and writing short fiction, this will all be worthwhile. "Invalid Item" by A Guest Visitor  When you think of the word “editor,” do you automatically imagine someone with three-inch-thick glasses huddling over a sheaf of paper, red pen in hand, correcting grammar, punctuation, and syntax? Do you picture a nit-picky scowl forever etched onto their sour-grapes face as they rip an otherwise artful work to nearly unrecognizable but straight-edged shreds? Did you know that that is not the only kind of editor there is? Matt has asked me to outline a type of editor that you may not be quite as familiar with. Today, I am going to tell you about the job of an acquisitions editor. An acquisitions editor rarely does much actual editing in the traditional sense of the word. This may not be true at some of the smaller houses (like at the one I work for, where we all do double duty), but at the larger ones, acquisitions editors are the busy sods who spend their days sorting through submitted manuscripts (either solicited or not; either prescreened by an intern or not) deciding which ones to acquire, and which ones to reject. You may think this is a lofty position, and in some ways it is, but in other, more realistic ways, the acquisitions editor has the entire reputation of the house they work for resting on their shoulders. It takes a certain degree of precognition to be a good acquisitions editor. One must learn to recognize trends, and have the ability to look into the future and know what will sell in a year (or however long they estimate the book will take to produce), and what will flop—an acquisitions editor’s job depends on this. A lot of time and resources go into producing a book, and it is up to the acquisitions editor to make sure those resources are well spent. When you query a publishing house, it is the acquisitions editor you need to reach. If they are impressed with your manuscript, they will act as its advocate at an acquisitions meeting, at which all the acquisitions editors of the house will get together with the publisher (or publishers) and pitch the likely candidates. They will have to recognize its strengths and weaknesses, know how to market the book (they will likely have to pitch it to the marketing department after the contract is signed), and be able to estimate the length of time and resources a book will take to produce. If the publisher votes in favour, the acquisitions editor will arrange for a contract to be sent (usually, someone else does the contract negotiations), and the manuscript will then be passed off to a substantive editor to scurry down the magic rabbit hole on its journey to publication. That is where the traditional editing work begins. My job partially consists of acquiring fiction novel manuscripts (I am the head cheese of the middle grade department of BookFish Books LLC. , though we also take young adult, and new adult work). I work for a very small house, which means that I am also the sole copyeditor. I do wear glasses when I work, but they are not three inches thick. Nowadays, most editing takes place electronically, though there are still some traditionalists who like to wield the red pen. Acquisitions editing can be a thrilling job, but it comes with great responsibility. If the house produces nothing but failures, it could (and likely will, if it’s a small house) go out of business. At the end, editors and writers want the same thing—to produce excellent books that sell well. So get writing, you word-nerds. Each month I would like to take you all behind the scenes of running the FSFS. This is for two reasons: a) some people think running a group doesn't take that much work and it all just happens, b) some people think running a group is a super-human effort. I want to show you all that running a group is actually somewhere in between. Whilst it isn't easy, it isn't a super power either! I am sure many of you will have seen the FSFS introduction video above. If you haven't then you can do so now. I'll wait... Creating a video is fairly time-consuming. That video probably took in the region of 7-10 hours to create. I didn't use any fancy video software. In fact some of the more computer savvy of you probably recognise the software as Microsoft PowerPoint 2013. I create the video using slide transitions and animation effects. Sometimes I use Windows Movie Maker (which is free), as I did for the Quill Awards video . Regardless of software, the process remains much the same. There are many aspects of video creation that are analogous to writing. The first step in both is exactly the same: coming up with a concept. For the FSFS Introduction video the concept was simple. I wanted inform WdC members that the CSFS was closing and being replaced by the FSFS. With the bare bones concept, I fleshed it out a bit more. As in writing this is where I decided on the style. In writing you might decide on PoV and tense. For the video I decided it would be almost entirely text-free. I wanted the video to tell the 'story' without having to explain it. At this point I had the idea of constructing the FSFS logo in front of the viewer. The next step could be compared to the research stage in writing. With the concept in mind, I had to gather the resources to create the video. I already had the FSFS logo as created by A E Willcox  . However it wasn't in a form I could easily deconstruct and then reconstruct. So I asked Amanda to send me the individual components of the logo. As is always the case when working with Amanda, she delivered quickly. The most important resource I still needed to find was the soundtrack. Over the past several years I have amassed a substantial collection of music from a variety of (all legal and free) sources. I subscribe to several email lists, and sometimes they will advertise offers where stock music providers will offer 7 days of free downloads. When these happen I sign up and collect as much music and sound effects as I can in a variety of categories (and make sure to cancel membership before my card is charged after the trial ends). I listened to about 10 different pieces of music in the cinematic category to find the one that worked for me.This next stage is almost like looking at the blank page before writing. I had my concept and all the resources I needed. Now I needed to put it all together. This process varies in length project to project. In general the longer the video the longer the creation, but this isn't always the case. This video, although short, required many components to work together. PowerPoint isn't really designed for video creation and as such lacks some of the tools of Movie Maker. One of the most useful tools PowerPoint lacks is a waveform for music. Without this I had to get out my stopwatch (well, smartphone) and time the music and then match the animations with it. For example the flash from the constructed logo to the actual logo was timed to coincide with the music. Sometimes, as with writing, I realised that I didn't have all the resources I needed. For example I came up with the idea for having a the CSFS logo shake later in the process, and so needed a sound effect to go with it and then a smashing sound. Luckily, I had all these sound effects in a folder on my computer. I just needed to listen to a load of them and pick one! When I needed the full title to fill the page, I used the same font that Amanda used for the logos, to create a bold and colourful image using stock images to colour them. Finally, after several hours of work I was almost done. The next process is similar to the editing phase in writing. I watched the video several times, tweaking and tinkering after each run. I exported to video and uploaded to YouTube. Only then did I realise that PowerPoint didn't export a transition sound. Googling gave me a semi-answer, so I devised my own solution to the problem and re-exported and uploaded. As with writing, you will always face problems and sometimes an improvised solution will be better than anything you find online. Creating a video is a rewarded process. If you have the technical know-how and the perseverance then you can create something that looks good and gets a point across. Watch my newsfeed for more videos over the next few years! "Invalid Item" by A Guest Visitor  Book Name: Dracula Author: Bram Stoker First Published: 1897 Bram Stoker was born on November 8, 1847 in Dublin, Ireland. He was a sickly boy but he fully recovered when he was seven. He had no other major health problems and even became an athlete at Trinity College, Dublin when he studied there from 1864-1870. He graduated with honors with a degree in Mathematics and became auditor of the College Historical Society and President of the University Philosophical Society. While he was a student, he became interested in the theater and later became a theater critic. He became known because of his good reviews even though theater critics were not highly respected those days. He gave a positive review of Henry Irving’s Hamlet, which resulted to Irving inviting him for dinner and the two becoming friends. In 1878, Bram Stoker and Florence Balcombe married. The couple moved to London and had a son in 1879. Stoker worked as manager of Irving’s Lyceum Theater for 27 years. By working for Irving, the position gave Stoker the opportunity to meet famous personalities and travel. It was during this time in his life that began writing his novels. In 1890, Stoker went to the English town of Whitby, where it is said he got some of his inspiration for the novel Dracula. He also met the Hungarian writer Armin Vámbéry, who told him scary stories about the Carpathian mountains. Stoker then studied European folklore and vampire stories for several years. It was not until 1897 that he published Dracula. Other inspirations for the novel include the Slains Castle in Aberdeenshire, the crypts of St. Michan’s Church in Dublin and Sheridan Le Fanu’s novella Carmilla. Stoker had several strokes and died on April 20, 1912. His cause of death is not definite – some say he died from tertiary syphilis while others claim it was due to overwork. He was cremated and his ashes were placed in an urn. When his son Irving Noel Stoker died in 1961, his ashes were also placed in the same urn. The ashes of Bram Stoker and Florence Stoker were supposed to be put together but when Florence died, her ashes were scattered at the Gardens of Rest. “There are darknesses in life and there are lights, and you are one of the lights, the light of all lights.” -Bram Stoker, Dracula In the late nineteenth century, a young British lawyer named Jonathan Harker goes to Castle Dracula in Transylvania to finalize a real estate transaction involving Count Dracula. On the way, he encounters superstitious villagers who become fearful upon hearing his destination. He continues despite their fears and is driven to the castle by a mysterious man. His accommodations are suitable, but he finds his host Count Dracula to be a strange thin and pale man. He discovers that the Count drinks human blood in order to survive but the latter escapes to England along with fifty boxes of earth. Harker is left at the castle sick and weak. In England, Jonathan’s fiancée Mina Murray is with her friend Lucy Westenra. Lucy has three suitors who have offered her marriage – Arthur Holmwood, Dr. John Seward, and Quincey Morris – and has begun to sleepwalk. Mina is worried about her friend and because she has not heard from Jonathan for a long time. A damaged ship carrying Count Dracula’s fifty boxes of earth arrives, but the ship’s crew is missing. Mina finds the sleepwalking Lucy near the graveyard, with a tall, thin figure nearby. The figure vanishes and Lucy does not remember anything when she awakens. Lucy is cold and has two tiny puncture wounds on her neck, but Mina thinks she has just accidentally pricked her friend with a pin. Over the next several weeks, Lucy’s health deteriorates but her former suitor Dr. Seward cannot determine what is making her sick. When Mina receives word about Jonathan, she goes to help him. Lucy’s condition worsens so Dr. Seward asks the help of Dr. Abraham Van Helsing. Van Helsing notices the spots on the girl’s neck and her blood loss. They give Lucy several blood transfusions, but the girl improves only temporarily. Van Helsing suspects that Lucy is being victimized by a vampire and puts garlic in her room and around her neck to protect her. However, the vampire is able to attack the girl again and Lucy dies. After her death, a beautiful lady begins attacking the children in the village. Disturbed, Van Helsing asks Dr. Seward to help him open Lucy’s coffin. He also gets to read Mina’s transcription of Jonathan’s diary about his trip to Transylvania. He gathers Lucy’s previous suitors and explains to them that Lucy has become a vampire and how they can save her soul and kill Count Dracula. Dracula is not a novel, that is a single tale woven as a movie might be, instead it is in epistolary form as a collection of journals, letters and papers. The many viewpoints through each journal entry serve to create the suspense which sets the tone of the novel. I will confess that Dracula is not my favorite book of all time. I have never been into horror novels and this one is the granddaddy of the horror genre. Still, it is a classic that has been a part of our literary history and part of our pop culture. It is well worth the time to go back and see the original tale by its creator. No Wasted Ink blog by Uncommonspirit
The November round of Three Prompts ends on 30 November. Each round presents a text, visual, and auditory prompt for you to use to create a story between 1000 and 3000 words in length. The first place prize changes each round. This round the winner will get a copy or substantive edit from Move to the Write for any writing up to 2500 words. If you wish to donate a first-place prize for a future round please contact me, Matt Bird MSci (Hons) AMRSC to discuss.
The FSFS Review Board is now open! All WdC members can view the list on the group homepage, "Fantasy and Science Fiction Society" (once review requests have been made). FSFS Members can view the list from the homepage, Review Board page and the Hub. To post on the board you need to review at least one other item on the list. This rule is wavered for the first 6 review requests!
If you are not already a member and are interested in fantasy and science fiction writing, please read through the group homepage and apply using the application form. The only pre-requisite is that you have a fantasy or science fiction item in your portfolio. If you want to advertise in the FSFS Newsletter please contact me, {usuer:mattab15}. Newsletter Challenge  Each month I will publish a Newsletter Challenge for you to complete before the next Newsletter. If you complete the challenge you will be entered into a draw for the chance to win an FSFS Merit Badge: Invalid Merit Badge #201075 This month I am providing two challenges. Challenge 1 (open to all of WdC): KMH wrote an article about her role as an acquisitions editor. I will be interviewing her for the next Newsletter, but have no idea what to ask! In the comments of the November edition of the Newsletter post any questions you want to ask. Everyone who poses a question will get an entry in the draw. Challenge 2 (FSFS members-only): You don't want to miss out on all the comings and goings of the group. Any item that it in your favourites will pop to the top of the right sidebar when it is updated (including when people post in forums). To complete this challenge add the following items to your favourite: "The Hub" , "Writing Forum" , "Publishing Forum" , and "Mechanics Forum" . Members who add all 4 items to their favourites will get an entry in the draw. If you complete both challenges you get 2 entries! This challenge will also reward those who have already favourited the items. Thank you to all the members who submitted articles to the Newsletter. If you submitted an article that wasn't included, don't be offended. I can only fit so much in the Newsletter. Please submit it again when I send the call out for articles. Please comment on this Newsletter if you enjoyed it, or if you have any suggestions for future editions. |
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