Figured I'd post up here just in case that poor thread decides to vie with some of those one can sometimes see in the Poser forum. After all, it IS getting closer to Halloween. First of all, let me apologize for getting behind in comments. To be frank about it, when I click on my R'City link and I pass the 30-second limit before being greeted with my favorite colors...I click out. It gets me too upset that it takes so long. Especially with my cable link I got a few months ago. So, at the 30-second point, I give up these days. But, tonight, R'City is doing darn good! So, to briefly comment on a few of the stories in the original thread: "Coffee table...crashing through", "Spiral map and pulled inward" and finally, "Confederate dad": Pardon my "title morphs"--I can't get to the messages when I am here. All were good. All, though, seemed to me to be variations of something written before. "Coffee Table" got pretty far down before I started to see it. That was good. And a good ending! "Sixth Sense" movie popped into my mind. Same with "Spiral Map". But it had a good literary hand to it. I liked the imagery when the "web" was focused upon. But it reminded me of "Sixth Sense" and "Beetlejuice" (vaguely). "Confederate Dad" is a common theme. As soon as the door opened, I knew it was going to be from the otherworld. Kinda like the RR switchman story. I certainly don't want to disparage any of those stories so please contain any flaming. 'Cause I enjoyed reading each of them! I think all those stories were written well. Each contained a personal touch and unique authorship. The themes, though, have been used a lot of times and it's hard to improve upon them or surprise the readers. There was one story that held a bit more "uniqueness" than the others, though. Something I had never seen before. That one was the one about the people who followed after vampire activity. I'd have to say the most original. Only because I haven't seen it before. And, to me, being original, being able to completely surprise the readers is one of the hardest things to do in the "horror" genre. I am tempted to "add on" to this Halloween challenge by challenging any further additions to try something that's never been done before. Or an angle that hasn't been done before. Or even completely weird. But, there are contests to be attended to...hehe. Also, notice I didn't have the nerve to post a story on this one so one might expect I would have a lot of nerve! So call me chicken (grin). Anyway, I DID enjoy the stories!

Thanks Chuck. Yes I too realised that my coffee table story had a Sixth Sense feel to it. I think the unfortunate thing for us as writers is that whatever we write has been done before. Well most of it anyway.

Hi, Bella...I see you popped on just as I was going to supper...LOL I hope my remarks didn't offend anyone. As I tried to explain...horror is hard to do without the influence of what one has read or seen in the past. BTW, I went to your website LONG ago. If memory serves as it should, well, for an old man...hehe, I saw it in the Terragen forum. Please correct me if I am wrong.

Attached Link: http://www.thearete-lair.com

LOL sorry for interrupting your supper ;) it is morning here in Australia :). I wasn't offended. I admit that I have trouble being original. However, with my first story, I managed to be some what original (to my limited knowledge at least) by making my main vampire character female. Every vampire story and movie I had seen/read have the main vampire as a male. LOL I can't remember myself but more than likely. I had done a major overhaul of it in April and advertised it to every forum and egroup I was in at the time LOL Here is the link again just for the fun of it and make sure you read page 2 *very* carefully as it contains all the information the visitor needs :) Tip: There are no links in the side bookcases of the Den and the Cavern of Scrolls ;)

Attached Link: http://www.renderosity.com/messages.ez?ForumID=12436&Form.ShowMessage=855048&Start=1

Oh yes, mine was definately the genaric ghost story. I was not really trying to be all that original in concept though, just trying to do a short story. I tend to write long (novel or novella length) and have never been able to write short stories, so I found this to be a useful exercise to learn the value of economy of words. Great fun. I added the link to the orignial thread in case someone is just jumping in here and unaware of the other. jon

Bella: Well, that most certainly is one of the most unique ways of presenting a personal website! Lots of reading there, too.

Yeah, jstro, not sure how many of the threads you have gone back and read, but ONE of the reasons Cres thought this may be a good forum to have was to help people market their art or MP items. In that case, your proclivity to novella-length writing will undergo a test...grin. I wonder if Stephen King can set out and write to a pre-determined length.

Oh well, R'City is back to its "two-minute post time". See you guys some other time.

Thanks Chuck. My content is the same as others but I didn't want my site to look the same and that is what I came up with :). So now, I am using my skills in computer graphics and writing to enhance it :). I just need to find a way to make the mood darker. I am open to any and all suggestions. Just make sure that the suggestions stay in line with the current theme of the site please :)

Hopefully a little more orginal. 500 words, counting the title and my name. Hope you like it. jon It Pays To Do Research J. M. Strother The title search came back fine. But? Oh, nothing... really. He fumbled with some papers. It's just gone through a number of owners. What, is is haunted? He laughed at that. It's a good deal, Jack. You can't find a big Victorian at this price in this town. Now that's a fact. Anything else is just talk. I'll think about, Henry. I promised I'd get back to him. I went directly to the library. And there was always the local Historical Society. $145,000. That's my final offer. 145! Henry laughed out loud. But I knew I had him. That house is haunted, Henry. Now where'd you hear such stuff, Jack? I dropped the folder on his desk. The grin left his face as he flipped through the articles and coroner reports. Henry, you'd be lucky to give that house away. That's bull. This house is a steal at $175, and you know it. I collected my folder. 145, Henry. Call me if you change your mind. He called. It was a steal at 175, and even better for what I paid. But it certainly seemed to be haunted. There were lots of small unexplained annoyances. Still, I persisted, for I am not afraid of ghosts. One night I heard noises downstairs. I grabbed a heavy stave and crept to the stairs. Who's there? I've got a gun! I lied. There was a skittering sound. 'Probably just kids.' There were more skittering noises as I made my way towards the kitchen. If you kids don't scat, you'll be sorry! The basement door slammed as I entered. Okay! I warned you! I yanked open the door. The lights did not work. It figured. I gripped my cudgel and went down anyway. I was halfway across the basement when something started taking shape. Slowly, it took on the form of a man. You better get out of here! I brandished my club. He roared with laughter. I backed away, which embolden him. I was obviously not going to make it to the stairs. He suddenly rushed forward, hand reaching for me, intending to stop my heart. I dropped the staff and grabbed for his arm. His look of surprise was precious. He glared at his wrist, which I firmly held. What is this? he raged. It's time for you to go. The wail of his passing added to the rush that flowed into me. I only dimly aware that the Police had arrived. I ran up the stairs, disheveling my hair as I went. I gave them my best wide eyed look as I opened the door. We had a report of a scream from this house. I stepped aside as if to let them in. I saw a ghost! The lead officer gave his partner a knowing look. Anyone hurt? No. Sorry, buddy. We don't do ghosts. That's... that's okay. I stammered as they turned away. I closed the door and smiled. I do.

Why is it that I never see the typos until I post! Arrgh! jon

Cool story Jon and don't worry about the typos. I don't see mine until I post either :). I enjoyed that. Once again, I have nothing constructive to say because I think it is better than what I can do :)

Yep, cool story. Hard to believe it's only 500 words; it feels so spacious and unhurried.

What an excellent way to acquire cheap real estate (if you have the talent!). I prefer this one to your first story (although I enjoyed than one too) because it is more surprising.

~grumbling...draging my extremely short presentation from the old thread~ took about 10 minutes to rattle this out. barely 100 words. no title. She peers around the corner..looking along the darkened corridor..her heart pounding in her breast. She almost faints with releif when she sees the corridor is empty. Slipping around the corner and along the corridor, she pauses when she notices that one door is ajar. Sending her gaze flying to the ends of the corridor she relaxes minutely at seeing it unoccupied, then sidles up to the door and listens carefully to check if anyone is within. Hearing nothing from the chamber beyond the door she cautiously peers through the crack of the door. Her heart jumps into her throat, stifling her scream when she sees the blood encrusted racks filling the chamber

Ahhh, jstro, much better. Had me going there pretty much to the end. I figured SOMETHING would be a surprise but couldn't quite figure it out. For some reason, I was thinking the realtor would be down there killing the new owner. I think I'd add a blue flash of light or something when the "sucking" occurred. After all, but this time the "cat is out of the bag" anyway. The ending sentence was cute! Darn shame it has to be so short (imposed by the forum for brevity's sake). I'd guess about 2500 words would do it good justice. Tks for sharing, jstro!

It was 1300+ words at the end of the first draft. I had serious doubts I could cut it down to 500. Thanks for the kind words everyone. I now have an overwhelming urge to create the confrontation scene in Vue. :-) jon

Oooh, jstro, sounds interesting. Post us if you get a "round2it".