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"Baby, It's Cold Outside" Challenge (2008-1) |
| "I really can't stay" - "But baby, it's cold outside" sang Frank Loesser and his wife in 1944, and just about everyone from Ella Fitzgerald, to Bing Crosby, to Ray Charles, to Tom Jones, to Sigourney Weaver, to the Bare Naked Ladies since. It describes a scene between two characters described in the score as "The Mouse" and "The Wolf". "The Mouse" is visiting "The Wolf", and as the weather gets colder outside, he tries to persuade her to stay a while (for whatever reason), and it's strongly implied that she really wouldn't mind. Typically the Mouse is the female voice, but whether it should remain so is up to you... So, during a winter following HBP, Harry and Ginny find themselves playing out that scenario. One ("The Mouse") is visiting the other ("The Wolf"); the Wolf wants the Mouse to stay, and the Mouse would be quite amenable to that were it not for something that makes them think it wouldn't be a very good idea ("there's bound to be talk tomorrow", for instance). The author’s challenge is to write a songfic to include: 1. How Harry and Ginny come to be holed up somewhere together. Remember that the place (house, tent, magic trunk, whatever) should a) fit in with the song, b) should provide some modicum of privacy, and c) allow for the possibility that one of them will intend to go home. 2. Describe the seduction of one by the other - whether it's successful or not, of course, is up to you... 3. Describe at least two delaying tactics used by "The Wolf". 4. The Mouse has to make up a plausible explanation to give the neighbors, friends, relatives, whatever. However, they don't necessarily need to use it. 5. The story should be based on the lyrics of "Baby It's Cold Outside", which can be found at ”Baby, It’s Cold Outside”. Rules: 1. All general submission rules apply. Huge stories over 10,000 words are discouraged but not prohibited. R-rated stories are allowed but discouraged. Judges are not required to read stories over 10,000 words or any R-rated stories. We have at least one young judge who will not read R-rated stories. 2. All entries must be submitted under Baby It's Cold Outside (2008-1) sub-category under SIYE Challenge and be submitted by midnight, February 29, 2008. 3. Multiple chapters are allowed as long as all the requirements are in the chapter(s) that are submitted by the deadline. 4. The categories for judging are Best Overall, Comedy, Romance, and Creative Adaptation. Bonus phrases for extra creativity are the following. Using any or all of them is not required. A good, creative story will always count much stronger than any bonus. · “I forgot to mention one little thing” · “Somebody was spreading rumors” · “There's nothing more dangerous than a boy with charm” · “Why was I humming, as if I knew...” · “There was dancing, and singing, and moving to the grooving” · “If you ever change your mind, about leaving... leaving me behind” · “Hit him, Ginny, one more time” PS: This Challenge is based on the suggestion of one of our staff members, Torak. |
| Sir Ollivander on 2008.02.01 - 07:18PM () |
Comments
Sir Ollivander came out of the woodwork on 2008.02.01 - 07:33PM to say:
Spenser - that's entirely up to you. You can highlight the song in various parts or use the lyrics in actual sentences, Or just a de facto scenario. All up to your creative, little mind (no pun intended).
carolquin came out of the woodwork on 2008.02.02 - 07:33AM to say:
i can not wait to read the stories that will be posted in this challenge!!
Miss Radcliffe came out of the woodwork on 2008.02.02 - 11:16AM to say:
I'm so excited! I love Frank Loesser and I've been in two shows he's written. I'm definitely going to try and get something submitted!
Ellery came out of the woodwork on 2008.02.02 - 08:55PM to say:
Hilarious! I might just include a similar scenario in one of my fics (along with dancing, singing, and moving to the grooving!) Can't wait to see what people write either.
jk_salmeier came out of the woodwork on 2008.02.02 - 09:27PM to say:
Is this challenge intended to disregard DH? Kind of like a "what if" moment between Harry and Ginny? Adding to Spencer's question are we required to use all the lyrics? Thanks
pokecharm came out of the woodwork on 2008.02.02 - 10:09PM to say:
This sounds really intriguing - I have one question though, 'the winter following HBP' - does that mean its taking place during DH? I just want to make sure I understand the timing. Thank you :)
Sir Ollivander came out of the woodwork on 2008.02.02 - 10:22PM to say:
Answers - This Challenge doesn't have a time frame so it doesn't ignore HBP or DH. It could be some time shortly before they get married. It's just an isolated, winter situation. As to whether you have to use the lyrics is up to you. You could use direct lines in your story, or use certain lines to set up your story, whatever. Maybe each line can start a new paragraph. There are no restrictions so you can do it however you want.
sanidad came out of the woodwork on 2008.02.03 - 12:21AM to say:
"This Challenge doesn't have a time frame...." Well, that opens it up.
When I read "So, during the winter following HBP, Harry and Ginny find themselves playing out that scenario" I assumed that all the entries were going to be AU or very cleverly written missing moments.
darkelf00 came out of the woodwork on 2008.02.03 - 04:03AM to say:
Does anyone think that Ginny is the wolf and Harry the mouse?
Torak came out of the woodwork on 2008.02.03 - 06:30AM to say:
Not traditionally, but the challenge definitely leaves that up to the writers. ;-)
Torak came out of the woodwork on 2008.02.03 - 09:47AM to say:
To clarify the timing issue, fics are to be set during any winter following HBP.
Or summer, I suppose, if you can figure out a reason for them to be snowed in in June...
Sir Ollivander came out of the woodwork on 2008.02.03 - 09:51AM to say:
Torak - in the southern hemispere, they have winter when us northerners have summer.
Torak came out of the woodwork on 2008.02.03 - 05:30PM to say:
I was trying not to be too obvious in giving them ideas... :-p
tangle elfwand came out of the woodwork on 2008.02.04 - 04:30AM to say:
Summer in June would be crazy. I like all the references to songs, I might try this challenge if I can get MS Word to work :)
werekitten came out of the woodwork on 2008.02.04 - 03:23PM to say:
Heh, this fits in perfectly with the little bit of my next fic that I'd started. I'm definitely entering! I love the scenario!
Miss Radcliffe came out of the woodwork on 2008.02.04 - 05:23PM to say:
Oh I can definitely see Ginny playing the "Wolf," especially after a certain scene in the Burrow in DH! Now that the time frame has been clarified I have tons of ideas and will have to choose one to enter. I hope I'll be able to finish it by the due date(my birthday!).
Ellery came out of the woodwork on 2008.02.04 - 07:38PM to say:
Mr Weasley gets a snow making machine and can't switch it off
Ellery came out of the woodwork on 2008.02.04 - 07:41PM to say:
Even in winter it's unlikely to snow in devon(if that's where the burrow is)
elaithin came out of the woodwork on 2008.02.06 - 10:51PM to say:
The ideas, they are percolating... good challenge!
Kezzabear came out of the woodwork on 2008.02.09 - 12:11AM to say:
Why goodness me ... looky here we have someone who likes to write about winter in June ... *twitches* *itches* *thinks* Hmmmmmmmmmmmm
Eres came out of the woodwork on 2008.02.19 - 10:39PM to say:
When's the last day to hand anything in?
Torak came out of the woodwork on 2008.02.23 - 11:43AM to say:
It says up there - 2. All entries must be submitted under Baby It's Cold Outside (2008-1) sub-category under SIYE Challenge and be submitted by midnight, February 29, 2008.
Spenser Hemmingway came out of the woodwork on 2008.02.01 - 07:29PM to say:
I've been waiting for this. One quick question; did you intend for us to include the song itself or just its scenario?