Somewhere today on Gather I read a comment regarding "cliche" scenes or moments in "fantasy" genre work. The comment said something to the effect that there are only five stories in the world and those five stories are simply retold . . .

Somewhere today on Gather I read a comment regarding "cliche" scenes or moments in "fantasy" genre work. The comment said something to the effect that there are only five stories in the world and those five stories are simply retold over and over again. What I would like to have happen within Folklore, Tales, and Flash Epics is a place for stories and their creators to share ideas and polish their creations, to come up with imaginative ways to reinvent tales told through the generations in languages around the globe. Tales like The Three Bears, The Three Little Pigs, Red Riding Hood, plus so many others -- retold with modern figures in our contemporary world. Red Riding Hood could reappear in Folklore, Tales, and Flash Epics as a male in a navy-blue hoodie on his way to (you fill in the rest). OR create "new" lore with surreal figures in surreal worlds. The choices are as endless as all the stories already told. Create heros here, but they must have purpose; create anti-heroes, too, with no purpose whatsoever. Imagination is the key here, imagination and craft so that what is written the reader will, with honing and refining, believe.

Preferably stories of less than a thousand words and definitely no more than 2000. Less than 2000 often qualifies as short-short fiction; less than 1000 sometimes qualifies as flash, or sudden, fiction.

Think about it! We could reinvent "How" the world was born out of the cosmos, how it wasn't Prometheus that stole fire from the gods for man but some chick, some chick named Sally . . . Do you get the idea? Create new legends, sagas, etc.

Maybe someone will come up with a myth giving the character who opened the box filled with all the ills of the world a new name, like Howard . . .

I especially like short-short fiction and "flash" memoir pieces. And true tales, that is stories based upon true legend-producing incidents in your own experiences are welcome, too. 500-750 words is an ideal read for me. With longer pieces, consider separating them into parts to post, like the old magazine serial stories , , ,

I am sure this Group, Folklore, Tales, and Flash Epics will change as time goes along. I hope it creates some interest. That we will become shaman of modern legends . . .

Send questions and suggestions my way -- thanks! lynn