Gay Science Fiction discussion

Ravon has an awesome idea. Here it is:

For story prompts, we could open up a thread where everyone can post their prompts for a week or two, or until we get a good number. After that is done, we could open a second thread for potential authors to claim prompts. Then we open a third thread later on to post the stories.

An example of a prompt could be something like "I want to see shifters in space!" And then the author goes from there. :)

Alright guys, I'm in charge of this story prompt thread.

I'm sure some of you have stories you want to see written, or maybe you wanted to write it yourself but just didn't have the time. That's what this event is for!

Rules:
-Anyone can leave a prompt in this thread, even if you plan to write for one later on. However, if you leave a prompt, don't then go and select that one as the one you are going to write for. That kind of defeats the purpose.
-Try to give as much detail as you can, but don't make things so specific that the writer has no room for creativity.
-You can leave as many prompts as you'd like.

So let's start. The rest of the thread should be filled with prompts, and once we get up to a certain number, I'll open a new thread where writers can select what they would like to write. Let's try to get as many as we can!

OK; I will be brave and break the ice. I would like a story with romance and time travel. I would prefer that the MCs not end up staying in the past. Not too sad if possible and fish-out-of-water humor would be a definite plus. Any heat level is fine.

Oh, this sounds fun :D I would like an interspecies love story - the professions and cultural details of the protagonists I leave up to the author, but there's a catch. Neither MC can be human.

I would like human/xenomorph (any xenomorph, not necessarily Alien-like, just not anthropomorphic) interaction. Not too heavy on romance. Maybe the xenomorph should take human shape to get access to some strategic information? A spy story would be nice.

Hi. My name is Max. A few hundred years ago my ancestors had the bright idea to teraform this planet. A group of scientists and technicians had a plan which would take generations to create a beautiful ecosystem. It was still just a rock in space back when my many times great-grandparents lost touch with the rest of the universe. I don’t know why the supply ships stopped coming, was it a war? The stories tell how they faced a future in a hostile place with no hope of going back to their home. They did what humans always do; they survived and changed both themselves and their environment.
You look at me and see something less than human. I look at myself and see a man. I have parents who love me, siblings and cousins who share my life. I have dreams for a future with a special man and maybe children of our own. So what difference does it make that I am as much technology as biology? Does that give you the right to land here in your ship and claim our Eden as yours? You say we are not men, I say we are and that we will fight for our home.
Of course, if you decide to stay here with me, I will make you a very happy man, perhaps our children will have your beautiful eyes. Help me--help us--find our happily ever after.

@ Peggy
OMG I love this!

@Peggy - that story is one I look forward to reading :D

Peggy wrote: "Hi. My name is Max. A few hundred years ago my ancestors had the bright idea to teraform this planet. A group of scientists and technicians had a plan which would take generations to create a beaut..."

I love this too, and if I only had time...

Angel wrote: "Oh, this sounds fun :D I would like an interspecies love story - the professions and cultural details of the protagonists I leave up to the author, but there's a catch. Neither MC can be human."

I see tentacles in your future. ;-)

Anne wrote: "I see tentacles in your future. ;-) "

ROFL

All these prompts are great-keep them coming, guys!

Tentacles are good ^_^

Agreed. I wouldn't be opposed to tentacles...

My name is Dar. I joined the Galactic Federation because I believed in their dreams. Space dreams perhaps, of peace among species, but worthy ones.
I am from a race of fierce warriors that turned away when I joined the Federation and I have served many years alone. My hard work and honor have been rewarded though, I am now 2nd on my ship.
Yesterday, during my rounds, I discovered what appears to be a young male wandering through the ship. He simply appeared in the middle of space! He does not speak but I believe him to be a concept telepath. The Captain and the doctor have spent many hours with him. They guess he may be a Seeker youngling but they have only ever seen the elders of this race. Not much is known about the Seekers and the Captain has decided to leave him in MY care until he chooses to move on.
What am I to do with this little one?

I would love to see a story set in the Vorkosiverse (Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan Saga books). Not featuring Miles (although, if he shows up somewhere on the side I'm not going to say no) or any other of the main characters, just set in same universe. I like the interplay between the different cultures on the different planets (Beta, Athos, Barrayar, Jackon's Whole, Cetaganda etc.). I would like the MCs to be from different planets, with their different backgrounds, to introduce some culture shock. One of them could maybe have been frozen for a number of decades?

Marleen wrote: "I would love to see a story set in the Vorkosiverse (Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan Saga books). Not featuring Miles (although, if he shows up somewhere on the side I'm not going to say no) or a..."

Awesome idea. Athos should definitely figure.

Marleen wrote: "I would love to see a story set in the Vorkosiverse (Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan Saga books). Not featuring Miles (although, if he shows up somewhere on the side I'm not going...

I love Miles and the Vorkosiverse - I totally agree it would be an awesome read.

Remember that movie "Demolition Man" with Stallone and Benjamin Bratt? The cop from the past who's frozen for a crime he didn't commit, then he wakes up in a future that doesn't seem to need him anymore. Then there's a crime wave, but no one knows how to handle it, so now they do need him. Plus, no one has any idea what sex is anymore and touching freaks them out. I'd love to see the old fashioned cop from the past educate his innocent futuristic partner before, during, and after they solve the latest crime wave. Humor would be much appreciated.

If this is too squicky, I will understand. My twisted little mind spends much time in the gutter... soooo
How about clones? The catch being, the only clone's deemed "viable" are the gay/lesbian clone's. A strict no procreation between clone's clause. (I would say no clown clone's either but that would just be ridiculous!)LoL!
Ok, seriously, if there were a clone of YOU, would you tap that?
The possibilities are endless....

Syfy wrote: "Ok, seriously, if there were a clone of YOU, would you tap that? "

That's a question that'll make you think. So, is it accepted that you might sleep with your clone? And if you're already gay/lesbian, the clone still has to be? Hmmmm...

Syfy wrote: "If this is too squicky, I will understand. My twisted little mind spends much time in the gutter... soooo
How about clones? The catch being, the only clone's deemed "viable" are the gay/lesbian clo..."

I read an MM non-scifi book that had a guy sleeping with his clone. It had BDSM in it just in case you may not be into that.

@ Penumbra, I will sooo cruise that one, thanks!

@ Anne, yup see? Just endless possibilities! I like to think of two clone's of the same person, who happily turned out gay because other wise they'd have been terminated, run away together to find their "origin man" and begin a campaign to end all clone terminations...
;P

Keep the prompts coming, guys! I figured I will leave this open for another week, and then I will post all the prompts and writers can pick which ones they want to do.

I have a prompt of my own, also:

Dimension traveling. A hapless scientist/researcher/befuddled intern opens a gate between dimensions and ends up in another universe. It can be as similar or as different from ours as you'd like-alternate histories, different species, etc. The MC wants to figure out a way to get home-but of course, he meets another man. Does he get home? Does he stay? Does he bring his new lover back home with him? Does he get his research grant? :P

Only a few more days to post prompts, guys! Get them in while you can!

The Earth's ice caps have melted. All but the tallest mountain ranges lie underwater. The majority of the human race (what remains) has opted to adapt to a sub-marine environment (gills, amphibious living, etc.)

Show me the shape of this new world and the odd culture clashes that might occur between groups who have found different solutions...

I'd like to see a Tarzan-esque story on a mining colony where the population has been wiped out by an event or disease and left only one young boy to fend for himself. He is befriended by the alien, animal-like creatures that still populate the planet and thrives under their protection.

When a ship lands on the planet to investigate whether it is feasible to restart mining operations, Terazen is enthralled with the golden, god-like man so unlike his own darker-skinned people. His curiosity overcomes him and he abducts the man and takes him to his lair. One or both MCs can be non-human, up to you dear author.

Dee Wy wrote: "I'd like to see a Tarzan-esque story on a mining colony where the population has been wiped out by an event or disease and left only one young boy to fend for himself. He is befriended by the alien..."

I'd read a story like this :D

Dee Wy wrote: "I'd like to see a Tarzan-esque story on a mining colony where the population has been wiped out by an event or disease and left only one young boy to fend for himself. He is befriended by the alien..."

Oh, this one speaks ot me....

Wonderful! Total-E-Bound is doing a series of remakes of classics and I saw Marie Sexton had done Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and I found myself wishing someone would do Tarzan, lol, a favorite series from my pre-teen days.

I saw this thread on the M/M Romance group--by accident. I found a resulting story on Smashwords and was reading it (50/50 on whether I liked it, seemed a bit "forced" which is what I find in most of the M/M Romance I read adn why I haven't written any/read much TBH).

Having found the thread after having read one of the resulting stories, I can say this concept of readers proposing short ideas, then writers stepping up to write the concept is a SUPER SYNERGY and can turn out (yeah, some crap but also) some amazing stories that writers might not otherwise have come up with in isolation. Don't forget, writing is a SOLITARY activity so without reader input, every writer will get stale--guaranteed.

The thread I saw also had another step. They went like this:

1) people posted pictures they liked
2) anyone could post a short (25 words-ish) story proposal for the picture
3) writers "claimed" a picture/story pitch (multiple writers could claim the same picture/pitch idea)
4) stories were posted and discussed and I think voted on to end up awarding some honor or other but the synergistic creation and resulting discussion seems like WAY more reward to me than an "honor" awarded.

Oh and then of course, the writers get to post the stories to places like Smashwords and gain MORE readers. The one I read had credits in the front for the reader who proposed the idea and even quoted their original post so it was a win/win for reader/writer alike.

I love time travel but the clones who run away together to find their progenitor is super appealing. It's practically STRAIGHT out of my Phoenician Series (pun intended...gay clones, straight, get it? yeah, my humor is either too subtle or too in your face)

In Conditioned Response I have 3 clones of one "design" and each has his own personality, sexuality, ideas about life, love, government, etc. I don't write M/M Romance; it's SciFi. The fact there are gay, straight, bi and indeterminate people is more a reflection of REALITY than it is a fictionalize love story. My dystopian future has pretty much EVERY human being designed and grown in a creche, not "born" the way the Phoenicians do it.

Essentially I turned the whole defintiion of "artificial" on its head. I think that's much more appropriate fictionalization than "pretending" human sexuality only has "this" or "that" when really, humans are about as sexually creative and varied as any animal species on Earth ever has been.

I think this thread is a great idea and can't wait to see what story ideas come out of it. Hey, I might even try to write one myself! Probably not but never say never, right?

-Friday
@phoenicianbooks

Marleen wrote: "I would love to see a story set in the Vorkosiverse (Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan Saga books). Not featuring Miles (although, if he shows up somewhere on the side I'm not going to say no) or any other of the main characters, just set in same universe. I like the interplay between the different cultures on the different planets (Beta, Athos, Barrayar, Jackon's Whole, Cetaganda etc.). I would like the MCs to be from different planets, with their different backgrounds, to introduce some culture shock. One of them could maybe have been frozen for a number of decades? "

Oh. My. God.

I would KILL to read a follow-on to Ethan of Athos! I desperately wanted to see Elli Quinn's eggs donated to the all-male planet for Ethan and Terrance Cee to use to start their family.

Of course, I should qualify that--I would kill to read a follow-on by LOIS. Not so much into fanfic or I'd write it myself but that was an amazing story. I soooo fell in love with Ethan and felt it was entirely unfair (to me, a straight woman) that he was so dashingly heroic. I also laughed so hard reading that book, I think I cried. Either that or peed my pants (haha)

Amazing that LMB crossed that boundary years and years ago and yet no one ever criticized her for it, huh? In fact, I think Ethan won a Hugo, didn't it?

-Friday
@phoenicianbooks

I would like to read about a future human race at war with an alien race. Two soldiers, one from each side, are the only survivors left on an alien planet and have to work together to survive. They should fall in love and have an HEA but the conflict between the races doesn't have to be resolved. Maybe our heroes escape to another galaxy or find asylum on a neutral planet. The military aspect and the clash between the differing races and cultures are key to the story.

@Bluesky39 - Enemies to lovers - love that plot line!

Bluesky39 wrote: "I would like to read about a future human race at war with an alien race. Two soldiers, one from each side, are the only survivors left on an alien planet and have to work together to survive. Th..."

Sounds like you want a m/m version of Enemy Mine :D I'd read it!!

Hum. I've had a couple of sci-fi-ish thoughts rolling around my head. How about this one below:

Intergalactic mm romance between a human space mechanic genius and an alien that morphs to be "human" when they mate. Have a way for the "alien" to be able to reproduce despite being male without the aid of technology for the pregnancy itself. Maybe technology was involved in the past and they "evolved" to be able to continue the alien species? HEA of course. Maybe a start of a series? Up to the author. I like series. Can't write worth a doodle or I would try it myself. :)

Ilona wrote: "Sounds like you want a m/m version of Enemy Mine :D I'd read it!!"

That's exactly what I thought, but Louis Gosset, Jr. and Dennis Quaid are a really hard act to follow :)

Alright guys, prompt suggestions are now closed! It's time to review them all and pick a prompt you'd like to write for! Check out this thread http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/9... for details.

Wow. I just got my prompt in... Thanks Ravon. :)