Thursday, August 28, 2014

Short Question - Short Answer


This Short Question is from a reader interested to know more about my Super Secret project. She asks: "I know you can't say much, but is it fantasy? Or are you trying a new genre, like science fiction or, for heaven's sake, mystery?"

Well, I do hope you readers won't be disappointed to learn that the Super Secret project is still fantasy. I truly enjoy reading both science fiction and mysteries (recently went on a binge-read of Georgette Heyer's mystery novels and loved them all). But I don't think my brain works that way. I seem to be wired for dragons.


Detective Smart: "I have Discovered the Murderer!"

Sergent Silly: "Really, Detective Smart? Who could possibly have done it?"

Detective Smart: "It was . . . the butler!!!!"

Sergent Silly: "But . . . but Detective Smart, what about all the blackened and charred remains of the house?"

Detective Smart: "The butler . . . with a match!!!"

Sergent Silly: "But . . . but Detective Smart, what about the distinct odor of dragon fumes?"

Detective Smart: "The butler . . . with an expired deodorant!!!"

Sergent Silly: "But . . . but Detective Smart, what about the hoard we found in the nearby cave in which all the household jewels were hidden?"

Detective Smart: "Circumstantial!!!"

Sergent Silly: "What about the dragon scales littering the yard?"

Detective Smart: "Red herrings!!!"

Sergent Silly: "I don't know, Detective Smart. I really think the murderer might have been the drago--"

Detective Smart: "Sergent! Which of us is the brilliant detective?"

Sergent Silly: "You are, Detective Smart."

Detective Smart: "So who committed the murder?"

Sergent Silly: "The butler did, Detective Smart."

Detective Smart: "Right you are, my good lad. Never forget your proper Role in the Story!"

_______

Okay, so now you see why I don't write mysteries. As for science fiction . . . Yeah, I'm not even going to try that one.

19 comments:

Unknown said...

Hahaha! I wish we'd seen this before the Fanfiction contest! Just THINK what Detective Smart and Sergeant Silly might've inspired! But really, I'm glad you aren't leaving the fantasy genre. It would miss you terribly!

Sarah Pennington said...

Ha! That was hilarious. But I'm certainly not at all disappointed- I love fantasy, and you're one of my favorite authors.

Joy said...

I can't help giggling, Anne Elisabeth - this is so funny! :D :) I love your fantasy writing, - one of the few fantasy authors of modern fiction I love reading <3.

Blessings!

Hannah said...

So cute! And I'm not at all disappointed! Yay, fantasy! :D

Here's your science fiction--

"That's no moon. It's a space dragon!" ;)

Anne Elisabeth Stengl said...

Bwaaaahaa! Hannah, you made me guffaw and startle my beasts with that line. ;)

Gracie said...

LOL! Love your version of a mystery! Personally, I'm glad your not changing genre, I love fantasy more than anything else!

Hannah said...

@Anne Elisabeth: Good, you got it! Hehee, I wasn't sure if it wouldn't be too random!

ghost ryter said...

LOL! Glad you're staying with fantasy. Of course, I wouldn't really mind a murder mystery with a dragon.... :D

Clara said...

@Hannah: LOL!!!

Kira Thomas said...

A murder mystery with a dragon... That would be awesome. xD

Anonymous said...

That was amusing to say the least. Fantasy is the best genre, the only science fiction I've every understood was Star Wars.
But I agree with Athelas Hale and ghost ryter.
Jemma

Anonymous said...

I had a really good idea for fan fiction! Do you have to enter fan fiction in a contest?
Jemma

Meredith said...

Terrific! LOL! I love mystery novels, particularly older ones by authors such as Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers. Georgette Heyer is fantastic, too. I've tried my hand at writing mysteries, but they're abyssmal! Perhaps my poor arithmetic skills have something to do with it.

Glad your secret project will be a fantasy story.

Unknown said...

@Jemma- The deadline for the contest was the 25th, but you can still submit fan fiction to Dame Imraldera's library. There's a link to it on the left. You should try it!

Becky said...

Anne Elisabeth, you and all the imps put a smile on my face with these posts. God bless you all.

Tracey Dyck said...

This was positively hilarious!

If you're still open to questions, Anne Elisabeth, I have one to throw into the mix. Last year in Grade 12, I studied a fair bit of poetry, mostly romantic and Victorian. "Epitaph" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge caught my eye because of one phrase.

"...That he who many a year with toil of breath
Found death in life, may here find life in death!"

It reminded me of your characters Death-in-Life and Life-in-Death. Is the similarity merely coincidental, or did this poem inspire their names?

Anne Elisabeth Stengl said...

@Jemma--As Allison said, we do take submissions of Fan Fiction at Dame Imraldera's Library throughout the year. If you write up a cool story and want to submit it, just click the link to Dame Imraldera's Library on the left-hand side bar, and it will take you the website and all the directions. And, of course, I do hold these contests every year . . . so you can always write it and save it for NEXT year's contest too. :)

@Michelle -- I have saved your question into my list of questions! It will make for a fun blog post.

Tracey Dyck said...

Ooh, goody. :) Can't wait!

Anonymous said...

Here's a Short Question: do you recommend utilizing time jumps in your stories? If so, is there is limit that you set yourself to never cross, e.g. "I will never jump ahead more than 2 years"?