*hehe* I used that opening in one of my own short stories. Called “Throwing Up Sashes”, it occurs on Mars in the future. A father decides to read “The Night Before Christmas” to his two young children. The problem? While he and his wife are from Earth, their kids were born and raised on Mars. Here’s the link to the entire short story, if I may be so shameless: http://www.shardsuniverse.net/throwing_up_sashes.htm
Please do not copy this story. Tell others about it and point them to my site (which is about to undergo a revamp). Even better, go out and buy the anthology this story appeared in; either ebook or paperback.
My bud was asked by his young son for a Christmas story this week. Having never read ACC himself, he dove into that. Result? His kid yelled “I wanted a Christmas story – elves and stuff. This is TERRIBLE!” and ran off. I believe it was this same part – dead as a doornail.
“A Study in Scarlet” was first published as a Christmas story (in “Beeton’s Cjristmas Annnual”) For those not familiar with the story, it follows the investigation of a murder in which the victim was found in a room with the German word for vengenxe writ on the wall in blood…
By his own count, Charles Dickens read “A Christmas Carol” to audiences over 150 times. Though considered “improper” to read your books to people, both Dickens and his audiences enjoyed his renditions thoroughly.
What’s really interesting, though, is that Dickens says he never read it the same way twice. Ever. And he never read it word for word from the book, instead making on-the-fly edits and changes as he went.
Aaaaand… that’s enough linking for me on this note. It’s just that I find “A Christmas Carol” to be truly fascinating, but more as a phenomenon than as an actual story. My personal thoughts on the story itself would quickly get me branded as a Scrooge.
Yes, it’s true… CD loved Christmas.
There’s a place in Lebanon, Ohio, called the Golden Lamb. It was a stage stop on the way to Cincinati. Mr. Dickens visited this hotel/restaurant but it is noted, he was unhappy with his stay.
*hehe* I used that opening in one of my own short stories. Called “Throwing Up Sashes”, it occurs on Mars in the future. A father decides to read “The Night Before Christmas” to his two young children. The problem? While he and his wife are from Earth, their kids were born and raised on Mars. Here’s the link to the entire short story, if I may be so shameless:
http://www.shardsuniverse.net/throwing_up_sashes.htm
Please do not copy this story. Tell others about it and point them to my site (which is about to undergo a revamp). Even better, go out and buy the anthology this story appeared in; either ebook or paperback.
Here endeth the plug.
On the other hand, Randie, from here it can only get better! (“course, it does get a bit darker for a while first…)
My bud was asked by his young son for a Christmas story this week. Having never read ACC himself, he dove into that. Result? His kid yelled “I wanted a Christmas story – elves and stuff. This is TERRIBLE!” and ran off. I believe it was this same part – dead as a doornail.
It’s not Sponge Bob, that’s for sure.
Well… yeah it’s a downer, if you want to get to the happy part, skip to the end! XD
“A Study in Scarlet” was first published as a Christmas story (in “Beeton’s Cjristmas Annnual”) For those not familiar with the story, it follows the investigation of a murder in which the victim was found in a room with the German word for vengenxe writ on the wall in blood…
By his own count, Charles Dickens read “A Christmas Carol” to audiences over 150 times. Though considered “improper” to read your books to people, both Dickens and his audiences enjoyed his renditions thoroughly.
What’s really interesting, though, is that Dickens says he never read it the same way twice. Ever. And he never read it word for word from the book, instead making on-the-fly edits and changes as he went.
Here’s the NPR article: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=121096020
Aaaaand… that’s enough linking for me on this note. It’s just that I find “A Christmas Carol” to be truly fascinating, but more as a phenomenon than as an actual story. My personal thoughts on the story itself would quickly get me branded as a Scrooge.
Yes, it’s true… CD loved Christmas.
There’s a place in Lebanon, Ohio, called the Golden Lamb. It was a stage stop on the way to Cincinati. Mr. Dickens visited this hotel/restaurant but it is noted, he was unhappy with his stay.
But the food is oh so good, and the ambiance quaint. Miss you, Love Mom