Take Three

From Friday night to Saturday afternoon I was a writing machine, turning out three quality science fiction stories back to back to back.  I felt like a short order cook slinging hotcakes, but with caviar topping.  All three of these stories were inside of me aching to get out . . . and once I had them in my mind, it was simply a matter of getting them written.

Total word count surpassed five thousand . . . but here is some personal back-history and synopsis of each (including enough mystery to preserve the endings).

"The Dowser"
     There is a history of "dowsing" in my family . . . and for those who don't know what this is, it is sometimes known as "water witching".  Take a willow fork, walk the earth, find water . . . .  I've been working on this story for years (shaping it in my mind) . . . and I finally managed to get 'er done.
     My story takes us to a colony on the moon, a company of fifty souls who no longer have enough water for survival.  But there is an old man, a "dowser", who claims he can find water in 1/8th gravity . . . .  You can guess what happens. Or can you?

"The Superannuated Man"
     I've been playing with this title for some years now, but finally got around to writing this story about a futuristic retirement party with a twist ending.  If Rod Serling were alive, he'd pick this one up in a heartbeat.  Not your average retirement plan.

"Wonderlord"
     More fantasy than science fiction, I tried to imagine a futuristic (or is it ancient?) society lorded over by a religious dictator (known as the Wonderlord).  But one boy dares to question the faith . . . .
     This story is written in a looping, poetic tone reminiscent of some ancient document.  It was difficult to sustain the language for this one--and I had to rewrite, rewrite, rewrite--but that's half the fun of working in words.  I hope my consistency and attention to detail paid off.

I don't know what will happen with these tales once editors get a look at them, but I enjoyed writing them.  And I've got dozens more on the burner.  But I'll have to let the next batch simmer.  I've got to get back to the books for now . . . .