Help me uncover the secret history of the ‘Winter Guardians’ for a 25-Day Advent Challenge.
Friends and fellow travelers,
As we approach the Solstice, the ‘Strings’ that bind us grow tight. The nights get longer, the cold sets in, and history tells us that this is when help arrives.
We all know the myths. The red suit, the sleigh, the workshop. But in the world of The Strings of Us, myths are simply history we have forgotten.
To read ‘The Strings of Us’ Follow the link here for the prologue to discover more about how Rabbits and Humans have evolved alongside eachother.
This December, I am embarking on a 25-Day Writing Challenge: The Aurora Archives.
I will be publishing a daily ‘archived letter’, a piece of flash fiction in the form of a letter from a child (or adult) who experienced a miraculous, unexplained kindness during the darkest days of winter. These letters will hint at the true origins of the legend: a secretive, gravity-defying order of guardians who have watched over humanity for centuries.
But I cannot map history alone. I need you to be my eyes and ears.
I am not asking you to write a story (it’s December; we are all tired!) I am asking you to be the Muse.
The Mission
I need you to drop a comment below with a sighting coordinate. I will take your prompt and write the letter myself, crediting you as the historian who uncovered it.
Please provide just three things:
A Time: Any year in history (e.g., 1847, 1920, The Bronze Age, Last Tuesday).
A Place: A specific location, preferably one experiencing a “long winter” or a moment of need (e.g., A lighthouse off the coast of Scotland, A Dust Bowl farm in, A crowded tenement in New York, A Roman Temple to Bacchus).
A Witness: A name and a very brief situation (e.g., Thomas, age 8, who lost his favorite toy in the snow OR Annie, age 12, who is hungry and waiting for her father to return from sea).
That is it.
Give me the foundation, and I will build out the encounter. I will find the ‘Rabbit’ in the details.
Example Prompt:
1941. A basement in London during the Blitz. Sarah, age 6, who is scared of the noise.
Leave your “sighting” in the comments. Let’s see how far back this history goes. The Archives open on December 1st.
The signal is strong. Who is listening?
Neuschwanstein Castle, 1886
The heartbroken man tasked with locking up the unfinished castle upon the death of King Ludwig II, makes his final walkthrough of the massive creation, including the empty throne room that never got its throne.
This is so fun!
Herculaneum, early 79AD
Cassius, a 14 year old boy, son of a tavern owner, who dreams of one day setting sail on the open seas.