Give idea, get story (now with 20% more Haggis!) - Update: Hardback cover book

[Haggis]

Originally Posted by tbm1986

Very well done, once again. There was only one typo that I could find. Where you mention putting the hat back on his head, you say hat instead of head. That is all. One for the compendium, methinks.

Thanks! I just fixed the error. Being a non-native speaker, sometimes I get my homonyms mixed up when I'm not paying enough attention...

Is my story next? *leans forward*

Why, yes, it is. I'm looking forward to it myself as well, since it has Jewel Friedman (and thus will be featured in an anthology of its own). Speaking of which, if anyone has any story ideas for her, send them my way!

[WarpSpeed]

Great job with the Western of sorts!

I'm trying to think of a Jewel Friedman idea, but it's hard to think of something outrageous enough that hasn't already been done.

[tbm1986]

I've just realised how this thread could be justified as Telltale content - perhaps TT could make a Jewel Friedman Point-and-Click adventure!

[Haggis]

Originally Posted by WarpSpeed

I'm trying to think of a Jewel Friedman idea, but it's hard to think of something outrageous enough that hasn't already been done.

No worries - if you think of something, great! If not, don't force it. I'm already very grateful for all these lovely ideas you people are lobbing at me!

Originally Posted by tbm1986

I've just realised how this thread could be justified as Telltale content - perhaps TT could make a Jewel Friedman Point-and-Click adventure!

Where do I sign?

[ted12]

Originally Posted by Haggis

Where do I sign?

That would be totally fantastic on so many levels.

[Haggis]

Ladies and gentlepeople, I present to you... a new Jewel Friedman mystery!

http://bouffonbooks.com/2012/12/29/s...edman-mystery/

This is probably the last story I'll write this year, after which I'll compile the best Bouffon Stories into an anthology, and the 5 Jewel Friedman stories into a separate anthology of their own. Both e-books will be available for $ 0.99, but I'll make sure the people who contributed ideas will get a copy for free, if they want one.

Finally, thanks everyone for a lovely year of stories, I hope the next one will be even better!

[tbm1986]

Two rather fitting uses for the Metal anthem. Well written (reminded me too much of a rather topical dead man aftermath in the British media at the moment) but your seeming bunny-from-a-hat conclusions seem now to be following a pattern, to the point where they're predictable. You have no red herrings in your tales. I have no idea how this can be solved in short stories, though. I gave you 4 stars rather than the usual 5 because I did still think it very good.

[Haggis]

Originally Posted by tbm1986

your seeming bunny-from-a-hat conclusions seem now to be following a pattern, to the point where they're predictable. You have no red herrings in your tales. I have no idea how this can be solved in short stories, though. I gave you 4 stars rather than the usual 5 because I did still think it very good.

Thanks! I agree about the predictability, that's a bit of a problem... I think part of it is because I only have one plot twist (because the stories are so short). When you know the story isn't over yet, you just know that the apparent solution is actually not the real solution at all, because it's still a while before the end.

It's not a problem I have a simple solution to though. I also have it when reading detective novels, or when I watch an episode of Poirot or Monk, for instance. I hope that the comedic elements and the story itself can offset it a little - I don't want to throw in too many red herrings, since the stories are more in the cosy mystery genre than truly mind-boggling puzzles.

That said, another option would be a novel-length story, and that's something I definitely want to do after I finish writing my current book (the sequel to Struglend Tales). I could throw in some more red herrings and plot twists that way, as well as develop the characters better.

[Haggis]

If anyone still wants to donate/put in a pre-order for Mothered, do hurry, because there's less than a week left!

http://www.indiegogo.com/mothered

[Silverwolfpet]

Yeah, what he said!

[GaryCXJk]

That's what he said!

[ted12]

Originally Posted by GaryCXJk

That's what he said!

So. It has come to this.

[Haggis]

Sorry for taking forever, but I've been busy... the good news is though, that I've released a new collection of short stories: http://www.amazon.com/Bouffon-Storie...dp/B00BU4DAFC/

It's 99 cents, but if one of your stories is in there, you'll get a free copy. I already notified many of you by PM, but some people that got a story in there couldn't be reached in that way, so let me know if you want a copy of the e-book.

I hope to be able to return to writing stories again soon... I just think I'll skip the Britt and Ymke prompt though (sorry Gary, but I'm in danger of permanently damaging my IQ if I write a story featuring those two ).

[GaryCXJk]

Yeah, I was just going to say skip that one, I'll come up with a better suggestion :P

And now I've forgotten what that suggestion was.

EDIT: Remembered what it was.

Something Dutch.

This is a very open theme, as you can go in several directions, like, in a literary way (imitate Dutch literature in just a short story), or it could be a story that has a lot of Dutch culture references, even the writing style could be Dutch (as most Dutch novels have a distinct style of build-up). I don't know. You can make it as obvious or as subtle as you want even. It's a hard one, it will challenge your creativity, but it's also a very open one, and I'm really curious as to what you could do with that.

[Haggis]

Oooh, I like that one!

[supmandude85]

Thanks for the coupon, Haggis and thanks for using my prompt in it.

[Haggis]

You're welcome, and feel free to write a review!

[Haggis]

Whew... I finally made a new story. I decided to write Gary's story first, because I skipped his Britt and Ymke idea... it turned out to be rather long: http://bouffonbooks.com/2013/05/04/millerbaker/

Next up will be hangingwithmonkeys' story, which is also the last one in the queue for now.

[GaryCXJk]

Wow, that was actually pretty damn beautiful. And actually, that is exactly what Dutch literature is. Dutch literature always hangs in a sort of melancholy, the feeling of wanting to go back to how things were, yet on the other hand, it's all about change, and mostly also about fate, how it's unavoidable. Most Dutch literature also has a bittersweet end to it, never truly a happy one, if there even is one. Most of the times it presents itself as a happy ending, yet if one reads truly, there isn't really one.

[Haggis]

Thanks, glad you liked it. I do actually think that the bittersweetness is more of a universal thing - for this story I was actually partly inspired by Guy de Maupassant (who was of course French), whose stories I'm reading at the moment. I also found the same melancholia in a lot of Russian literature.