Thursday, May 10, 2007

Passing Sentence

Let’s Write This Story Ourselves

Here’s an open invitation. Can 15 different sentences – written by different bloggers – make a good story? There’s only one way to find out.
I’m going to write the first sentence and I invite you to contribute the next sentence, in sequence. Just leave your sentence as a comment, and I’ll keep adding them here on this blogpost. Now you can see why I call this ``passing sentence''.
First, I want to see how long it takes to complete the task (so please don’t be reticent). And second, I am going to invite a guest judge – who is also a blogger – to critique our effort.
Here goes the first sentence ….

``It was a dark and stormy knight.’’

Time elapsed: 10 minutes. We have the second sentence already, from UK-based Carol Cooper of Shrink Wrapped Scream fame.

Carol's second sentence ...

``Sir Grabalot had lost his bride.''

Time elapsed: 22 minutes. We have the third sentence, from Canada-based Allan Cook of Web.Mac.Allan Cook fame.

Allan’s third sentence ...

``Curiously, young Stuhd Hawt, Sir Grabalot's trusted knave, was also missing.’’

Time elapsed: 1 minute. We have the fourth sentence (and a rhyme to boot!) from US-based Bart of Bartraeke fame.

Bart’s fourth sentence ...

``And with the loss of his bride, away also went his pride.’’

Time elapsed: 81 minutes. We have the fifth sentence (a quote from `Othello’, Act III Scene 3) from Portugal-based Terry Fletcher, the tech oracle who runs Terry’s Playpen.

Terry's fifth sentence ...

``He that is robb’d, not wanting what is stolen, let him not know ’t, and he’s not robb’d at all.’’

Time elapsed: 4 hours 15 minutes. We have the sixth sentence from India-based Cuckoo, who writes the blog One From The Cuckoo's Nest.

Cuckoo's sixth sentence ...

``He was quiet and sad.''

Time elapsed: 54 minutes. We have the seventh sentence from Utah, US-based Deborah Gamble, the brains behind the blog Uncommon Notions.

Debbie's seventh sentence ...

``Sir Grabalot's soul groaned in despair as he anguished over what his fellow knights would think about the misplaced beautiful bride and absent strapping knave.''

Time elapsed: 6 hours 46 minutes. We have the eighth sentence, from India-based Gautham Manohar, a photographer whose Flickr account can be viewed at I Hate Rush Hour.

Gautham's eighth sentence ...

``His thoughts were drawn to his nemesis, the evil Sir Needitall, who had long lusted after the fair maiden Gunsinrosis, and had often brawled with the loyal knave Stuhd Hawt at the Rolling Stone pub.''

Time elapsed: one hr 40 mins. We have the ninth sentence from Australian-born, US-based Marianne Plumridge, who has a couple of blogs, including Daub du Jour.

Marianne’s ninth sentence …

``Had it all been just a ruse - the fighting and the brawling - and the squire's allegiance now abided the evil Sir Needitall's cause?’’

Time elapsed: 28 minutes. We have the tenth sentence from Montreal, Canada-based Phaseout Girl, who writes the blog Dance With the Sun.

Phaseout Girl’s tenth sentence …

``While he was lost in his thoughts, one of his knights came rushing in, out of breath, in his hands a torn piece from his fair wife's cloak.’’

Time elapsed: 24 minutes. We have the eleventh sentence from Belgrade, Serbia-based Milan-zzz, who is the man behind the blog Zzz’s Creative Mess.

Milan-zzz’s eleventh sentence …

``Then he thought: `Darkness was always my ally so I’ll sneak in their dream and if I see that this torn cloak is just to fool me I’ll put reverse clock and the slow mirror in their bedroom, whose reflection will not show their lust but betray them and the clock will turn the time so there’ll be no future and the present for them’!”

Time elapsed: 4 hours 29 mins. We have the twelfth sentence, from Indian-born, US-based Sandip Madan, one of the finest graduates of St Joseph’s College, Darjeeling – and a man who shares his considerable intellect and wit on Things Blight and Beautiful.

Sandip’s twelfth sentence …

``But then Sir Grabalot's dark doubts faded like a flash of intelligence on GWB's face, when Stuhd Hawt staggered in, gasping that Needitall had indeed carried off the bride Gunsinrosis, after knocking her senseless with his atrocious music.’’

Time elapsed: 6 hours 18 minutes. We have the thirteenth contribution, from a Rowan Atkinson fan, Portugal-based Terry Fletcher, who shares his geek-free technical expertise with us at Terry’s Playpen.

Terry’s thirteenth segment …

"M'lord," said Stuhd Hawt, "I have a cunning plan."
"I seem to have heard that somewhere before." muttered Sir Grabalot. "You aren't related to that knave Ladbrick, the servant of Lord Back Ladder, by any chance?"
"Nay, m'lord," squirmed Ladbrick, "I am the original sayer of sayings. Do you wish to hear my cunning plan?"

Time elapsed: 6 hours 4 minutes. We have the fourteenth sentence, from UK-based BTBear, whose musings and advice can be seen at Bob's Diary.

BTBear's fourteenth sentence ...

"OK. But first, tell me, have you seen this great invention? They're called pants."

Time elapsed: 24 hours and 30 minutes. I've done the honourable thing and brought it to it conclusion. Jeez, that was a lot of fun.

The fifteenth and final sentence ...

``Pants?'' roared the director Flinton Sparrantino, bringing all action on the movie set to a shuddering halt, ``PANTS - we're shooting an Arthurian epic movie here and you can't remember your lines; we're supposed to do a long shot of Sir Needitall returning on his white steed, bringing the fair maiden Gunsinrosis back to the lovelorn Sir Grabalot because the Rolling Stone pub has run out of her favourite ale; and all you can think of is PANTS; this is the scene where Ladbrick's mistress, Sherry Blare, is supposed to appear with her husband, the beleaguered Stoney Blare, who in turn is supposed to deliver the final line: `On 27 June, as the sun sets in the west, I shall reveal that I am in truth Lord Darth Fader and I AM your father.''

34 comments:

Shrink Wrapped Scream said...

Sir Grabalot had lost his bride.

david mcmahon said...

Hi Carol,

VERY nice. I like his name, too!

Thank you for your co-operation.

David

Anonymous said...

Curiously, young Stuhd Hawt, Sir Grabalot's trusted knave, was also missing.

Bart said...

And with the lost of his bride, away also went his pride.

Fletch said...

He that is robb’d, not wanting what is stolen, let him not know ’t, and he’s not robb’d at all.

Othello. ACT III Scene 3.

Anonymous said...

I think that's cheating, Fletch...

david mcmahon said...

Hi Allan,

Many thanks for that swift response. Interesting geography so far .. Australia, UK, Canada.

Say hi to Tammy for me.

Cheers

David

david mcmahon said...

Aye, Bart

Rhyme and reason - and only 60 seconds after Allan left his sentence.

You're QUICK!

And the georgraphy so far is: Australia, UK, Canada, US.

Thanks for helping out here.

David

david mcmahon said...

Hi El Tel,

How very erudite of you. Thanks for taking part. How are things in Elsinore?

The geography of this trial is fascinating: Australia, UK, Canada, US and Portugal so far.

Cheers

David

david mcmahon said...

Hi Allan,

Let's see if Othello is followed by someone called Des The Moaner!

Cheers

David

mcglinch said...

shaping up nicely - finish yer story by friday (USA) and drop a request-a-doodle for a possible illustration

Cuckoo said...

He was quiet and sad.

Cuckoo said...

Btw, nice interesting game.. Learning new tricks from you.

Thanks & take care

Deborah Gamble said...

Sir Grabalot's soul groaned in despair as he anguished over what his fellow knights would think about the misplaced beautiful bride and absent strappling knave.

david mcmahon said...

Hi there Big Mac,

What a great idea. Thank you for the kind offer. Will do just that.

Take care

David

david mcmahon said...

Hi Cuckoo,

Thank you for taking part. It's turning out to be an interesting exercise in cross-national writing!

Cheers

David

david mcmahon said...

Hi Debbie,

Nice one. Now you've got me wishing I'd put a bit more effort into the first sentence.

I'll just go and sulk in a corner!

Keep smiling

David

Anonymous said...

His thoughts were drawn to his nemesis, the evil Sir Needitall, who had long lusted after the fair maiden Gunsinrosis, and had often brawled with the loyal knave Stuhd Hawt at the Rolling Stone pub.

david mcmahon said...

Hi Gautham,

You have out-Wodehoused PG Wodehouse himself.

The fair maiden Gunsinrosis! Sir, I wish I had written that line.

Great contribution. Thank you.

Cheers

David

david mcmahon said...

Thanks, everybody, for the gerat response.

We're just past the halfway mark - and it's not yet 14 hours since we started.

Great support from everybody. This project just gets more interesting ...

Merci, all

David

Marianne said...

Had it all been just a ruse - the fighting and the brawling - and the squire's allegience now abided the evil Sir Needitall's cause?

Am i too late? :-D
Marianne

Marianne said...

Recipe for a Dark and Stormy, courtesy of the www.nakedauthors.com website:

Goslings "Black Seal Rum" and Bartlett's "Ginger Beer".

Marianne

phaseoutgirl said...

While he was lost in his thoughts, one of his knights comes rushing in, out of breath, in his hands a torn piece from his fair wife's cloak.



PS. David...here;s my two cents worth, and this made me smile, thank you!

Milan-zzz said...

Then he thought: “Darkness was always my ally so I’ll sneak in their dream and if I see that this torn cloak is just to fool me I’ll put reverse clock and the slow mirror in their bedroom whose reflection will not show their lust but betray and the clock will turn the time so there’ll be no future and the present for them!”

SandipM said...

Twelfth sentence:

But then Sir Grabalot's dark doubts faded like a flash of intelligence on GWB's face, when Stuhd Hawt staggered in gasping that Needitall had indeed carried off the bride Gunsinrosis, after knocking her senseless with his atrocious music...

Fletch said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Fletch said...

"M'lord," said Stuhd Hawt, "I have a cunning plan."

"I seem to have heard that somewhere before." muttered Sir Grabalot. "You aren't related to that knave Ladbrick, the servant of Lord Back Ladder, by any chance?"

"Nay, m'lord," squirmed Ladbrick, "I am the original sayer of sayings. Do you wish to hear my cunning plan?"

david mcmahon said...

Ah, El Tel,

Black Adder himself would be so proud.

Many thanks

David

B.T.Bear (esq.) said...

"OK. But first, tell me, have you seen this great invention? They're called pants."

david mcmahon said...

Thanks, BTBear,

I always knew I could count on you.

Cheers

David

phaseoutgirl said...

David,

You are great!!! I love it!

Today I am off to cheer myself up, but this was a good start, a hearty laugh in the morning...

Cecilia

david mcmahon said...

My dear Cecilia,

You have no idea how happy I am to know it made you laugh. I hope you have a wonderful day and a great weekend.

You just keep a smile on your face, okay!

Much love and support

David

SandipM said...

I echo phaseoutgirl's sentiments. This conclusion was absolutely brilliant, funny / punny AND contextual (poor Tony Blair and his announcement.) I can see why you're a best-selling author. :-)

david mcmahon said...

Hi Sandip,

Thank you for your kind words. I wanted to address every turn and twist in the plot and still bring it together with a bit of contextual humour.

Very reassuring to see your comment and to know that it worked.

Take care and enjoy your weekend.

David