Several months ago, a thread in Open Discussions sparked an idea: a monthly writing challenge. And I, as if my mind had been taken over by evil aliens/demons/warlocks/government agents (pick your favorite according to personal taste), took it upon myself to administer over it.

Since then we have enjoyed the added exuberance of dozens of newbies who may be unfamiliar with the Rewrite Challenge. This post is an invitation to participate—both as WRITERS and READERS!

The rules go something like this:

1. READERS: All are invited to request Challenge submissions for their personal reading enjoyment. Comments and critiques of the stories are welcome but NOT REQUIRED!
*MAKE your request by emailing the writer directly.
*DO NOT post your request to read on this thread.
*DO NOT post comments of any kind on this thread.
*QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS may be posted in Open Discussion on the thread entitled "(WHATEVER THE CURRENT NUMBER) Rewrite Discussion Zone".

2. WRITERS: Re-Write the story (FILL IN STORY TITLE HERE—WHICH ARE GENERALLY LESS FAMILIAR FAIRY TALES OR LEGENDS). The following is a link to read and/or download a copy of the original story.

(LINK APPEARS HERE—YUP, RIGHT OUT OF NOWHERE )

The challenge is to rewrite this story in one, or a combination of, the following four ways:
*Twist the story to suit your own creative bent.
*Write the story in the style of another well-known author.
*Combine the tale with another tale of your choosing.
*Write a "What if…?" version—a prequel, sequel, or other, of the original tale.

3. Submit the first 13 lines of your final draft (at least 'final' as of the deadline) to this thread.
*PLEASE post pre-deadline requests for 'Process' critiques (critiques intended to help you prepare for the deadline) on your own thread.
*DO NOT post comments or questions on this thread.
*QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS may be posted in Open Discussions, on the thread entitled "(WHATEVER THE CURRENT NUMBER) Rewrite Discussion Zone", or by contacting Dakota directly by email.
*THE CHALLENGE is ever-evolving. Let me know how we can do it better.

4. Word limit: 5000

5. Deadline: Midnight EST, (DATE).

6. Please, for SPAM's sake, include the word "Hatrack" in the subject line of all correspondences.

That said, the current Challenge will be handled just a little differently.

Why?

*First, a whole bunch of people are participating in NaNoWriMo, and have requested that there be no Challenge during November for their sakes.
*Second, with the Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays, I thought it best to have a slightly longer Challenge period.
*Third, I love Christmas stories, which is why I've set the new Challenge as a Christmas related one. I'm leaving it open, but it has been suggested that I offer the 'Theme' as GIFTS. You may, however, do what you like.

So:

I hereby Challenge you, the venerable writers of Hatrack, to write a Christmas/or related story.

*THIS story may be entirely original, or a rewrite of another story.

*DEADLINE: Midnight EST, December 23, 2004.

*ALL other rules still apply.

The title is "Tatted Snowflakes", it's contemporary fantasy and it's about 5,000 words long (I can't seem to write anything shorter! Aaaargh!!)

***

I once dreaded Christmas at Grandmother’s house. I’m the only granddaughter she has, so I’m her only source for that whole grandmother/granddaughter connection thing. Passing down the traditions of yore and all that. I hated it back then. But since Grandmother has always been incredibly sweet, I never really minded much, even back when my path wasn’t as clear to me as it is now. The one exception was Christmas.

Christmas was torture.

Sorry. If you want to flay me alive and feed me to the sharks that'll be all right. But Please! Oh, Please, Brer Fox. Don't throw me in the briar patch!

First thirteen:

quote:

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Gudred stepped out into the bitter cold night to fetch more wood for Eofre's fire, and there it was; a brilliant point of light hovering like a goddess over the southern horizon.

He did not know how long he stood staring at it. It was the sting of the cold on his bare fingers and the bite of the rough bark on his arms that finally drew him out of his reverie. He hurried to Eofre's chamber, where he received a kick for taking so long, and stacked the wood beside the grate. Stirring the dimming fire back to life, the boy listened inattentively while Eofre cursed him and warned him that he'd best take better care of his duties or he'd get a good beating to remind him.

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quote:

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As mum and pops tucked us into bed, I couldn’t help but think of the day following. Christmas! It was always a most special day of the year, despite the troubles in the world. We were always happy, and everyone would come together on Christmas. So as I entered the world of dreams, it was no surprise that some of it’d be about the big day. . . .
#
“Hey, get up Viniece!” Slicer yelled into my ear. “’Tis the big day m’bro!” my brother spoke as did most people in the area these days, other than him, family excluded.
As I shook myself awake I began to take in my surroundings. . . . Wait a minute!

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Title: Greater than Gold
# of words: 2585 (plus historical notes)

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Mireia sat quietly as the Bishop finished saying the Sunday mass. The stone church was cold, but it wasn’t just the chill of December that made her shiver. The shiver came from the depths of her soul as the Bishop extolled Mary, the mother of God, and the need for women to lead virtuous lives.

That’s all well and good when you have money, Mireia thought. How am I supposed to lead a virtuous life when my father can barely afford food?

Mireia glanced over at her younger sisters. Even though they were dressed in the best clothes they owned, they looked shabby compared to the children of the wealthier townsfolk.

Idoya and Sarita were too young to remember, but Mireia knew there was a time when their clothes had been new. She remembered eating and being full. She remembered playing without worrying. She remembered having money.