2018 Newsletter Halloween Challenge: Extreme Halloween

[Cia]

Can you believe it? Yes, it's nearly that time of year already!! Now, since there is so much going on, we're going to keep this simple, but fun, and a tad diabolical. It is themed... Halloween, after all! We all probably know someone who has a thing for going a tad overboard, shall we say, for holidays. Your story must include a character who starts their Halloween celebration on October 1st and keeps it going all month long.

The rules:
1. The Halloween-obsessed character does not have to be the main character, but they must be a primary character and their over-the-top Halloween celebrations a major component of the plot. 
2. Any length, any genre is okay. *Under 1k must be posted as part of a collection.
3. Can I do more than one story? Sure, once you have completed and posted a story, you can do more, but if you are doing 2 or more, only 1 story should be under 1k. Or microflash pieces can be done as 1 submission as its own collection. 
4. As always, keep some fun and mystery going and only share teasers about your story except with your beta/editing team, but please chat it up in the topic!

The twist: 
What would a story challenge by Cia be without a twist? How about a little story character or plot device inclusion based on some fun Halloween Trivia, first come first serve? Pick a trivia question below and answer it (in this GA forum topic) with the correct answer to get your themed device that you must include in your story somehow... so pick what you answer with care! And if you get it wrong, there just might be a penalty, so be doubly careful googling! *Cia will check your answer against her answers and instrument of torture master key, and reply with your plot device, so watch your notifications or follow the topic! 

The other details: 
1. Stories due: Friday, September 28th (that gives you 33 days!) 
2. How to post them: Unpublished, NOT post-dated, in GA Stories as a story.
3. Then what: Send Cia a link via PM for inclusion in the newsletter, chat it up in the forum topic, have fun waiting for all the other great stories.
4. When will they go live? Sunday, Sept. 30th, Sunday, Oct. 7, Oct. 14, Oct. 21, Oct. 28 (depending on number of stories, in order of submission to Cia)

 

 

 

Trivia:

 

 

1.   True or false. Europe’s Celtic people were some of the first to celebrate Halloween.

2.   European immigrants brought Halloween to the United States. Immigrants from which country really made the holiday popular in America during the 1800s?

3.   The modern conception of zombies originated in response to which African religion?

4.   Which classic monster is a corpse whose skin and dried flesh have been preserved by either intentional or accidental exposure to chemicals, extreme cold, very low humidity, or lack of air?

5.   True or false. Halloween is one of the oldest celebrations in the world, dating back to more than 2000 years ago.

6.   Traditional Halloween cake was baked with a what inside?

7.   Which classic monster is inflicted with a disease called lycanthropy?

8.   Which classic monster needs to drink blood in order to survive?

9.   True or False. The vampire bat was named after the monster.

10. Which spooky comedy features a cameo by a giant Marshmallow Man?

11. Which famous vampire movie stars Keanu Reeves and Winona Ryder?

12. What is the name of the young-adult vampire series that takes place in Forks, WA?

13. What is the name of the famous hit TV series staring Sarah Michelle Gellar about a teenage vampire slayer?

14. What is the substance called that ghosts leave behind?

15. What is a poltergeist?

16. Which monster fears garlic, sunlight, and crosses?

17. According to myth, what is the only to kill a werewolf?

18.  What is the combination to get into the Addam’s safe in the Addam’s Family Value’s?

19.  In what country was the first written account of children saying, “Trick or treat?” on Halloween?

20. What year will the next full moon occur during Halloween?

21.  Name the 3 Sanderson Sisters.

22.  A circle of what substance can protect someone/thing from supernatural creatures?

23.  Where did Mary Shelley get the idea for Frankenstein’s monster?

24. True or false. The Muppet vampire Count von Count from Sesame Street, is based on actual vampire myth.

25. What is the fear of Halloween called?

[Valkyrie]

7 minutes ago, Cia said:

10. Which spooky comedy features a cameo by a giant Marshmallow Man?

Who ya gonna call? GHOSTBUSTERS!   

 

*waits in trepidation for Cia's diabolical twist while being sure not to cross the streams*    

[CassieQ]

24.  True.  Vampires have a thing about counting.

[Dolores Esteban]

15.

A poltergeist is a type of ghost or spirit that is responsible for physical disturbances, such as loud noises and objects being moved or destroyed. 

[northie]

1 hour ago, Cia said:

4.   Which classic monster is a corpse whose skin and dried flesh have been preserved by either intentional or accidental exposure to chemicals, extreme cold, very low humidity, or lack of air?

A mummy, as in Egyptian or otherwise. Not entirely sure I've got time for this, but I'll see ...

[Brayon]

2 hours ago, Cia said:

1.   True or false. Europe’s Celtic people were some of the first to celebrate Halloween.

True...

 

*Hopes this means he can write about the TRUE Halloween, Samhain*

Edited August 26, 2018 by BHopper2

[Disjecta Membra]

2 hours ago, Cia said:

22.  A circle of what substance can protect someone/thing from supernatural creatures?

Salt.

[Cia]

@Valkyrie Correct!! Your twist: You must include a classic Halloween "fake food" treat that has gone wrong--the grosser the better. Bloody fingers? Worms in dirt? Mummy dogs?

 

@CassieQ Correct!! Your twist: You must include a character getting trapped by sunrise. 

 

@Dolores Esteban Correct!! Your twist: You must include a famous cemetery known to hold poltergeist(s) in the story. 

 

@northie Correct!! Your twist: You must include the discovery of a well-preserved body in an unexpected location. 

 

@BHopper2 Correct!! Your twist: You must include a bonfire meant to keep away the dark and creepy creatures of the night. 

 

@Disjecta Membra Correct!! Your twist: You must include a giant salt crystal carved into a circle and magically preserved to be unbreakable. 

 

 

Have fun writing but remember, everyone, there's no limit on the size of your first story. If you only have time to write a flash fiction scene, that's OK!! You do not have to write a full story unless you are inspired to write a full story. I just don't want authors choosing to do ton of different flash fiction scenes for the challenge because then I'd spend all month having to come up with trivia questions, answers, and twists, lol. Have mercy on me! 

 

[Cole Matthews]

6.   Traditional Halloween cake was baked with a what inside?

 

A ring is baked in a Barmback loaf.  I wanna play too!!!

[Cia]

@Cole Matthews Hmm... Tricky one to say yes or no to. Barmback loaf is actually a bread, though a lot of people call it 'Halloween Cake', and the actual cake tradition in the US is based on that Irish barmback. And a ring for good luck in love or a thimble for bad luck in love are both items, so either answer would work. Your twist: You must include a romantic proposal that has a dramatic outcome after someone bites into a metal keepsake Since your answer isn't exactly 'wrong' I won't impose the penalty for getting the answer wrong and make the response a negative. That's your call.

[Brayon]

How does one keep a Bonfire in Space? Hmm...

Is this a Trick or a Treat?

[Cole Matthews]

6 hours ago, Cia said:

@Cole Matthews Hmm... Tricky one to say yes or no to. Barmback loaf is actually a bread, though a lot of people call it 'Halloween Cake', and the actual cake tradition in the US is based on that Irish barmback. And a ring for good luck in love or a thimble for bad luck in love are both items, so either answer would work. Your twist: You must include a romantic proposal that has a dramatic outcome after someone bites into a metal keepsake Since your answer isn't exactly 'wrong' I won't impose the penalty for getting the answer wrong and make the response a negative. That's your call.

 

Hmm! So what’s the right answer? I’ll take the penalty. 

[CassieQ]

On 8/26/2018 at 2:25 PM, Cia said:

 

Have fun writing but remember, everyone, there's no limit on the size of your first story. If you only have time to write a flash fiction scene, that's OK!! You do not have to write a full story unless you are inspired to write a full story. I just don't want authors choosing to do ton of different flash fiction scenes for the challenge because then I'd spend all month having to come up with trivia questions, answers, and twists, lol. Have mercy on me! 

 

What is flash fiction?

[Brayon]

1 hour ago, CassieQ said:

What is flash fiction?

Less than 1000 words. We had a challenge last year that was a Flash Fiction piece of 500 words or less.

[northie]

Busily scribbling away at mine, in between other things. Certainly not as gory as last year's (Selfie).  

[Starrynight22]

12. What is the name of the young-adult vampire series that takes place in Forks, WA?

 

The Twilight series 

[Brayon]

1 hour ago, Starrynight22 said:

12. What is the name of the young-adult vampire series that takes place in Forks, WA?

 

The Twilight series 

I liked the spoof videos one gay porn studio did called, Twinklight.

[Brayon]

On 8/28/2018 at 11:25 PM, BHopper2 said:

How does one keep a Bonfire in Space? Hmm...

Is this a Trick or a Treat?

Hmm, space didn't work for a gritty Samhain.

[Starrynight22]

9 minutes ago, BHopper2 said:

I liked the spoof videos one gay porn studio did called, Twinklight.

And I'm off to google......

[comicfan]

On 8/26/2018 at 8:12 AM, Cia said:

. What is the name of the famous hit TV series staring Sarah Michelle Gellar about a teenage vampire slayer?

Buffy, The Vampire Slayer.

 

By the way so many easy questions. Almost did Hocus Pocus, but couldn't resist the Scoobies with Buffy.

Edited September 5, 2018 by comicfan
Greedy

[Cia]

5 hours ago, comicfan said:

By the way so many easy questions. Almost did Hocus Pocus, but couldn't resist the Scoobies with Buffy.

 

Yes, yes, I wasn't trying to make them hard! I was hoping most people wouldn't even have to pull out their google-fu to manage to play. and btw...

 

@comicfan: Correct! Your twist is to include a character named "Barb" with all the sarcasm, evil, annoyance, and yet secret occasional bumbling on the side of good traits of the TV series character, Spike. Oh, and the slicked-back blond hair with the widow's peak is a total cliched must as well! 

 

(Hee hee, you probably thought your extra theme prompt might be something cool and fun, like a vampire twist or demons or a high school cheerleader-y theme... oh no, not for you. You get a version of Spike, the vampire everyone is annoyed and wants to stake just to shut him up and make him go away. That's what you get for saying it's easy! ) 

[Starrynight22]

@Cia

Eagerly anticipating my twist! 

[comicfan]

 

On 9/6/2018 at 1:03 AM, Cia said:

Yes, yes, I wasn't trying to make them hard! I was hoping most people wouldn't even have to pull out their google-fu to manage to play. and btw...

 

@comicfan: Correct! Your twist is to include a character named "Barb" with all the sarcasm, evil, annoyance, and yet secret occasional bumbling on the side of good traits of the TV series character, Spike. Oh, and the slicked-back blond hair with the widow's peak is a total cliched must as well! 

 

(Hee hee, you probably thought your extra theme prompt might be something cool and fun, like a vampire twist or demons or a high school cheerleader-y theme... oh no, not for you. You get a version of Spike, the vampire everyone is annoyed and wants to stake just to shut him up and make him go away. That's what you get for saying it's easy! ) 

Ah, but Spike got a soul and loved Buffy. Lol. I can work with Barb. At least it wasn't Angelus. Lol

Edited September 8, 2018 by comicfan

[Cia]

On 9/3/2018 at 8:04 AM, Starrynight22 said:

12. What is the name of the young-adult vampire series that takes place in Forks, WA?

 

The Twilight series 

 

@Starrynight22 Correct!! Your twist: You must include a character that never sleeps and has red eyes. 

 

And I'm so sorry you didn't get your prompt in a timely fashion! I saw your second post and not the first one, completely missing that you'd answered a question! I hope you can still finish the story or flash fiction scene. Please let me know if you need some extra time at the end of the month, and I can grant you an extension since you were held up several days due to my mistake. 

[northie]

Just finished mine.   Now off to see if it scares my beta-reader ...