Ravelling yarns (4) - A-Z | Just a man

Here is the repost I mentioned, of the series for the A to Z Blogging Challenge 2011.

The idea was to put up a post every day in April except Sundays, the theme of each inspired by a letter of the alphabet, from A on the first day to Z on the last. Mine were short fragments of a larger narrative adding to the ravelling yarns near future setting.

I've arranged them in order, with the duplication of linking lines gone, although there is still some repetition in the content, written in to make reading the serialisation easier.

*      *      *      *      *      *

Beyond A to Z

For most of us the A to Z Blogging Challenge is now over, or the last few entries are being polished and posted. A time for reflection. How did it go here?

In terms of numbers, not too badly. As far as I can recall without checking, 22 of the 26 were posted on the intended day, and of the four that were not, two were around a day late, one half a day or so, and one just a few minutes. Close enough. I'll take that.

In terms of content, I'm relatively happy. It began as planned, as one side of a dialogue dealing each day with an aspect of the ravelling yarns setting, whether an aspect seen previously or one entirely new. Then things got a little out of hand, and the narrator was killed and resurrected, running the narrative off onto another set of rails.

Ravelling yarns (3) - Ten thousand worlds

Another snippet in the 'ravelling yarns' series. The first is here, the second here, but there's nothing you need catch up on.

This time round the musical inspiration is a track I've linked to before, Dātura, which I labelled back then "for all the possible presents". Since that time, with all the thinking here on information, the discussion of portals and the attempt at the scope of fiction, I've seen 'present' is a very open idea. With this in mind the song is used now for a possible future.

As before, I do recommend listening before reading, and listening right the way through for the change in mood.

*      *      *      *      *      *

Ravelling yarns (2) - Find your kind

Today a strange story, the second in the 'ravelling yarns' series. The first is here.

It won't be to everyone's taste, but if you've not disliked the recent posts,
you might not dislike this.
It's tongue in cheek as ever, and based on lessons being learnt at the feet of the great ideasmiths in the blogrolls on the left-hand side.

I'll avoid infodumps, despite agreeing with Kim Stanley Robinson, quoted today at Strange Horizons.

The inspiration came especially from the discussion still running at Ecumenical Monday, Olaf Stapledon's Star Maker and a chance listening to Johnny Cash's cover of Redemption Day and Arcade Fire's Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains). I strongly recommend you listen to both of these before reading, and best of all in this order.

*      *      *      *      *      *

Ravelling yarns (1) - Plasma streaming

Something to start the whole thing off then. A near-future sci-fi snapshot complete with baffling but still largely comprehensible terminology, and a possible fantasy twist. It's a kind of pan-solar propaganda. Just for fun and hopefully inspiring in its reasonable wackiness. Questions, exclamations and criticism all more than welcome...

*      *      *      *      *      *