SciFi/Fantasy – December 29

“I went to Poe’s funeral yesterday. There was a minister, four mourners, and a grave digger. The grave digger called me a damned nigger and chased me off.”- Mason Algiers Reynolds, who on this date in Rudy Rucker’s 1836 entered the Hollow Earth aboard the Wasp. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist undertakes an adventure with his/her favorite historical character in the world...

SciFi/Fantasy – December 28

“I used to be embarrassed because I was just a comic-book writer while other people were building bridges or going on to medical careers.”- Stan Lee, born this date in 1922. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist describes the impact on him/herself of the person in the world you’ve created who is most recognized as a fantastic hero.

SciFi/Fantasy – December 27

“That is what we call the Darling house, but you may dump it down anywhere you like, and if you think it was your house you are very probably right.”- James Matthew Barrie, whose Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up was performed for the first time on this date in 1904. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which a myth or fairy tale in the world you’ve created manifests itself in...

SciFi/Fantasy – December 26

“On two occasions I have been asked, ‘Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?’ I am not able rightly to apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question.”- Charles Babbage, born this date in 1791. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which two wrongs make a third, bigger wrong for your protagonist.

SciFi/Fantasy – December 25

“I can calculate the motion of heavenly bodies, but not the madness of people.”- Isaac Newton, born this date in 1642. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your antagonist’s carefully considered analysis of another character’s likely course of action proves horribly mistaken.

SciFi/Fantasy – December 24

“The right to take a chance, the right to suffer. The right to be unwise, the right to die. These aims are hateful to the government, which values ever frightened mouse and falling sparrow as equal to a tiger burning bright.”- Fritz Leiber, born this date in 1910. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist discovers that an authority figure s/he thought was invested in your protagonist’s success...

SciFi/Fantasy – December 23

“Have you looked in the mirror lately?”- Anung Un Rama, summoned by Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin to East Bromwich on this date in 1944. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which a new acquaintance assumes the worst about your protagonist because of your protagonist’s physical appearance.

SciFi/Fantasy – December 22

“Roswell was a smoke screen — we’ve had half a dozen better salvage operations.”- Deep Throat, in an effort to reveal the truth that aliens were scheduled to begin colonizing Earth on this date in 2012. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist realizes that someone s/he considered a fellow member of her/his species is something else entirely.