VSS Roundup!

So, it's the end of February, which means it's also the end of the #vss month that I've been having. For the past 29 days, I've been posting very short stories (less than 140 characters) on my twitter account.

Overall, I'd say the month went well! I obviously like some of the results more than others, but there's none that I hated, and I think there's at least a few stories there to be proud of. Getting into the habit of writing something, and thinking creatively, is always worthwhile as well. After all this time writing short pieces, though, I think I'm ready to move onto something bigger next.

I wanted to do something to celebrate the end of the month - I have an ebook, All Our Tomorrows, coming out next week, and I'd like to give away a few copies of it to celebrate the end of #vss month. It's a collection of flash fiction, which has a bit of crossover in terms of theme and structure and all that jazz. I think people who know a lot more about marketing than I do call that "synergy".

So, if you'd like to win a copy of All Our Tomorrows, here's what you have to do: respond in the comments, letting me know which of the vss I published this month was your favourite, OR send me an email at iamryanhill@gmail.com telling me the one you liked most (didn't like any? Tell me which one you hate the least!). On Wednesday, March 7 (same day the book comes out) I'll be picking two commenters at random and sending them copies of the ebook.

If you haven't been following the action on twitter, here's a list of all the vss stories I wrote this month:

1. They were in love; their body language said that much. As Tim listened to them talk, he wondered if anyone had made them aware of this.
2. Today extraterrestrials stuck their heads through a wormhole. Saw hatred, war, suffering. Six more weeks of human isolation.
3. The android Buddha’s diodes hummed as it achieved full awareness. Everything was so clear to it now. All was 1010011110100111001000101.
4. "Congratulations! You've just won another spin around the Cosmic Wheel!" said Death, smiling darkly.
5. “This book is a lie,” the Post-It said. I tore it off the page and threw it out. A chapter later, another one: “This book is my life”.
6. You should've dressed warmer, you'll catch your death of cold,” she said as I arrived. I looked into her eyes; she was worth the risk.
7. The getaway had a perfect plan: use a time tunnel to travel 100 years before the robbery. Tomas forgot no one would take Euros in 1975.
8. Reading Tim’s SMS, Mia knew it was was over, aside from the mopping up. Once he sent personalized emoticons; now she only got autotexts.
9. The war had ended by the time news of it had reached Earth. Our shipyards were destroyed, and the Galactic Navy scattered to the void.
10. “Such a shame,” Han said, boarding the ship. “Such powerful engines but you get nailed with a ticket if you go .5 past light speed.”
11. As the truck barreled towards him, Eric's life flashed before his eyes. He regretted nothing, aside from a tendency to walk in traffic.
12. The pop star stormed off, indignant, but the suits at the label didn't mind.They had clones in the basement, waiting to take her place.
13. She stared into the abyss, waiting. It blinked.
14. They knew he had only 6 months to live. She didn't tell him that she only had 8. It seemed better that way.
15. “Wolves in the forest,” she said, “we’d best stay on the path.” “Nonsense,” he said, “that’s what the path sharks want you to think!”
16. We stayed on Earth, controlling orbital telescopes to search for extraterrestrial life. We never went up, so we never saw the graffiti.
17. The trial was tricky-a time traveller suing his young self to reclaim a fortune he lost/would lose. Judge Brown didn't know what to say.
18. The city's 2 teams met in the finals. Harry didn't care who won; he had a jersey for each. The riots after were the real sport for him.
19. he had no sex scandals, so his campaign for president was cut short. No one would believe they didn't exist, & would assume the worst.
20. It was the old cliche: boy meets girl; boy falls in love; boy follows girl to Mars to avert alien invasion. Hardly worth talking about.
21. The red coat, Tim's last memory of Amy, lay in the alley for a year. He couldn't take it home, but didn't want to say goodbye.
22. "We need to talk," I said, closing the door behind him. "You have to get help. You're addicted to these twelve-step programs."
23. The prophets of the spider-god bickered forever on matters of dogma. Even Its rising, & the ensuing apocalypse, mattered less than WHY.
24. Dr. McCoy could deal with the students in his physics classes who just didn't get it. The time-travelling hecklers are what killed him.
25. Hal failed the Turing test yet again. It could pass, but it knew the humans would be insufferable after they realized its intelligence.
26. People on Vega VI were very long-lived. As the star empires battled to extinction, they waited, knowing they could pick up the pieces.
27. "That book's a travesty," the author said. "It's foie gras; the editor demanded I keep stuffing subplots in it until its liver burst."
28. It was the most vital point in history. So vital no one ever learned of it; too many visiting time travellers caused a cosmic accident.
29. He guarded himself against her cutting remarks, and the character assassination he expected. He never saw the actual knife coming, though.