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A collection of snippets of the books I write and, occasionally, my life and the things that inspire my writing...

Saturday, September 28, 2019

WeWriWa: Sporulators 11


Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors, where we share snips and bits of amazing tales by talented authors and writers. Each week, participants sign up HERE at wewriwa.com then post 8 to 10 sentences of their work, published or unpublished (we like it all) on their own blog to go live by 9:00 AM each Sunday. Then we visit each other and read and comment, critique, encourage--all those things that do a solitary writer's heart good.
      Snippet Sunday group from facebook, not us, but many of our participants do both, is HERE

      This week's snippet is from a short story, 'Sporulators', more dystopian/scifi, than anything I've written to date.
      I'm throwing some science into this story. Everything I'm writing thus far about how the mentioned  fungi behave is correct. I work in the field. :-) Last week, the comments left me wondering how much is too much. (I'm still wondering) :-) My opinion is likely skewed, lol, because there's still never a day when I switch on that microscope and look at a slide, and I don't hear my inner voice say, "Wow..."
      I know. It can be so hard to transfer that passion onto the pages of a story. And this is a work in progress. Plenty of changes ahead. Please keep the crit coming. I do so appreciate it. :-)   
     Continuing the scene, Klars talking to Eastwold about the world they're approaching.

  Could be wonky punctuation to keep within the #wewriwa guidelines.
The last sentence last week was: "I guess a ship jockey might best understand it if I said they’re like roots on a green plant."
The snippet:
        His eyes squinted above pudgy cheeks and his laugh was an irritating snort before he added, “The workers—you know, the volunteers—still harbored old fears based on Earthly superstitions. They called that fungus the were-spores.  Get it? Were-spores, like ancient, shapeshifting predators. I admit, it’s not nice, but we did laugh at that. Poor souls, believing in such things.”

         Eastwold couldn’t hold back. “You laughed at them? Sometimes I wonder which ones really are the poor souls.”

 
 That's it for this week. Thanks for visiting! I am truly grateful for comments, suggestions, and for you taking the time to read it.

32 comments:

  1. This adds a nice touch of foreboding to the scene. And as I said last week, for hard sf the science content was fine.

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  2. Some interesting thoughts on people’s attitudes to change, Teresa, and how we view events in today’s world.

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  3. You knocked me right off my chair as I read. Super snipe, my friend. There is a reality that's frightening here.

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  4. I think the workers knew more of what was going on than the scientists. Great snippet!

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  5. I'm with Eastwold. And Klars is a condescending prick. Is someone going to slap him? Please tell me someone will slap him. ;)

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    1. lolol. Too funny, Fallon. Not sure about the slapping. What's coming might be worse. ;-) Thanks!

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  6. Klars might get chucked out the airlock if he keeps talking too much longer. I wonder how much more Eastwold can tolerate? Enjoyed the snippet!

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    1. Yeppers. Eastwold is not be trifled with. lol Thanks, Jean!

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  7. I think he shouldn't have scoffed at the workers. Sounds like they may be onto something.I'm really enjoying this story--even though I have very limited scientific knowledge! LOL

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    1. I hope I'm explaining enough...but not too much. lol. Whew. It is a fine line, huh? Thanks, Jenna!

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  8. I agree with Eastwold.
    Professionally, I'm an expert on enzyme structures - not directly applicable to SciFi.

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  9. Great snippet - especially that last line! And I thought the sciene in the last episode added to the authenticity.

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  10. I think Klars had better watch out, esp. with the workers. I'm really enjoying this.

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  11. Science humor, sigh. Though I do find the premise . . . fascinating.

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  12. Intriguing story. Were-fungi- definitely scary. lol
    I'm not sure that would be a laughing matter.

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    1. Not really,, lol, but still, we laugh. Fungi are voracious feeders, and we humans fight them every day of our lives. :-)Thanks, Karen. :-)

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  13. I guess one of the things about "how much is too much" depends on how much is needed to understand the story. If it's just there for the sake of it, then it's probably too much, but if some of those little nuggets are pivotal to later events then go for it! Right now, I'm getting a sense that this could easily stray into the sci-fi/horror realm with killer fungus preying on the colonists.

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    1. Maybe, huh? It does get a bit ugly before it's over. :-) Thanks, Ian.

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  14. I suspect you might be foreshadowing things to come, and that the workers are on to something here!

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    1. Yeppers. The guys in the trenches always have a bead on the nature of the war... Thanks, Emily!

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  15. I like the sort of person who stands up for the bullied. Eastwold is good with me!

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