Triangulation Entry Post 1

Word count: up to 5000
Theme: Last Contact
Genre: speculative fiction (including science fiction, horror, fantasy, magic realism, alternate history)

I came up with five ideas off the top of my head as I mulled over what works for this submission call.

1. Mealte’s backstory – the last contact he had with his girlfriend and family
2. Piper of Shadows – the kid who finds out he’s a changeling
3. Blue Man on the Porch – last contact Bridget has with Earth
4. Something with black-eyed kids in it either a Piper of Shadows story or Steampunk
5. Steampunk short story mystery I had started

”Blue Man on the Porch” was out of the running after looking at my last draft, far too long and too much of it necessary to cut it to 5000.

I spent some time typing what I had jotted down of my Steampunk mystery, enough to figure out it wasn’t working. Not the story or the character voice I have so far, but it wasn’t gelling with “Last Contact.” Then I read Kait Nolan’s post To Trudge or Abandon last night. I’m not abandoning the steampunk mystery, but I’m putting it aside for a story I’m more passionate about for this submission. Hopefully this does not invoke the Fear Monger in all its crazy glory.

Mealte’s backstory is what I keep coming back to, only discovering it’s not Mealte’s story to tell but his girlfriend’s. I know what’s going on and nearly all the characters, but the framework to drape it over is still eluding me. Ironing out specifics of Mealte’s culture is something to look forward to. Mystery is out for considerations of my series, but it still has to be connected to mystery.
I still have some puzzling out to do, but this has the spark.