Keep Memory Alive, by Zdenka

[zdenka]

B2MeM Challenge: B2MeM 2012: "Rare Characters: Dís Daughter of Thráin" (N39) and "Landscape: Mountains" (B2).
Format: ficlet
Genre: gen
Rating: G
Warnings: none
Characters: Dís, Thorin, Fíli and Kíli mentioned
Pairings: none
Summary: Dís wishes to know her home and her enemy.

On AO3 or MPTT.

Thorns by Elwen

[elwenlj.livejournal.com]

B2MeM Challenge: Bingo card I28 Aeglos
Format: Scenelette
Genre: Angst
Rating: Gen
Warnings: N/A
Characters: Elrond
Pairings: N/A
Creators' Notes (optional): none
Summary: Elrond remembers


( Read more... )

Remembering 10 Years of Back to Middle-earth Month: Memories of 2007

[dreamflower]

Discussion post for 2007

In 2007 there_n_back once more spearheaded Back-to-Middle-earth Month with a fun challenge, which may be found here, which also included the first of the alphabetical title prompts.

Here is a list of the fun and unusual prompts they used:

A: Like an Antagonistic Arwen
B: Like a Bathing Boromir
C: Like Certain Circumstances in the Citadel
D: Like a Dirty Dragon
E: Like an Evil Elrond
F: Like a Fearful Faramir
G: Like a Gasping Galadriel
H: Like a Hale Halbarad
I: Like Inspiring Ilúvatar
J: Like Juggling the Jewels of Fëanor
K: Like Kissing the King of Númenor
L: Like a Legacy of Legolas
M: Like Marrying Merry
N: Like a Nimble Nimrodel
O: Like an Ornery Oromë
P: Like a Pink Pippin
Q: Like a Querulous Quickbeam
R: Like a Radiant Radagast
S: Like a Sordid Sauron
T: Like a Turgid Turgon
U: Like Unsavory Urges in Umbar
V: Like a Visiting Varda
W: Like a Wet Warg
X: Like Excruciating Exertions on the Way to That Crucial X on the Mouldering Map
Y: Like a Yawning Yavanna
Z: Like Zooming Around Zirakzigil
: the G-rune - like Gandalf is no goon
Ð - eth - like a thirsty Third Marshal on the Thrihyrne.
Þ - thorn - like Þoughtful Þéoden.
Æ - like Ælfwine came ærly.

There were several people who contributed to that challenge, some only doing part of the prompts, others doing all or almost all of them. Several of the participants later archived the stories elsewhere under an anthology name.

In addition, the Silmarillion Writer's Guild issued a challenge to its members:

March Is Back to Middle-earth Month

Once again, it is March! And March--as many of you know--is Back to Middle-earth Month.

Different groups and individuals have plans for Back to Middle-earth Month this year. Last year's meme asked Tolkien fans to choose a day of the week and make an effort to post something Tolkien-related to their blogs or journals on that day. Just like last year, those of you who will be using March as a time to remember and reflect upon your own discoveries of Middle-earth are welcome to share your entries here as well.

However, I can't help but to feel that the spirit of B2MeM is somewhat lost for many of us. After all, we continue to journey to Middle-earth through stories, artwork, and discussion every day. So going back to Middle-earth doesn't exactly describe the journey for many of us, who feel that we have never left.

And so when thinking about the best way for SWG to commemorate Back to Middle-earth Month, I was somewhat at a loss. After all, how do we go back when we're still there? And recalling the heyday of the movie trilogy does little to promote The Silmarillion, which is what this group is about. And then I started to think about my own relationship with Tolkien's world and how it compares to the purpose of B2MeM, and I realized how much my focus has narrowed since I read The Silmarillion for the first time three years ago. I used to devour any piece of writing that I could find that mentioned Tolkien's world. Now, I have my favorite characters and my preferred eras of history. Rarely do I venture outside of these bounds. Running SWG, writing my own stories, beta-reading, and researching means little time to take chances on new authors and new ideas.

Sound familiar?

For many of us, I think that it will.

And so for B2MeM 2007, I think of it not so much as going back to Middle-earth as trying to look anew at the world that has enriched our lives. Each day for the month of March, I offer a quote from The Silmarillion from a different "stop" along our journey through the history of Arda. What should you do with these quotes? Why, whatever you'd like! Perhaps they will inspire stories or drabbles or poems. Or maybe allow you to recall an old favorite story that you haven't read in years and wish to share with others. Or draw a picture. Or just read and remember the first time you went to Nan Elmoth or Alqualondë or Avallónë. If the quotes inspire something that you wish to share, of course, feel free to share it or a link to it on that day's post.

The journey begins with the creation of Arda and can be found here.

Did you participate in the 2007 there_n_back Alphabet Challenge or the SWG's Quote Challenge? Did you make posts or write stories for it? If you did, please share your experience with us here in the comments. Give us links, share your anecdotes and memories.

Did you miss out on it, but find yourself curious about it? Check out the comments and ask questions and join in the discussions! And if you check out previous works, be sure to let the creator know how you liked them.

Courage by Erulisse (onc L)

[engarian.livejournal.com]

B2MeM Challenge: 2013 Courage Day 3
Format: Triple Drabble
Genre: Narrative Drama
Rating: PG
Warnings: None
Characters: Glorfindel, Erestor
Pairings: None (yet)
Creators' Notes (optional): None
Summary: Sent to the refugee camp of Imladris by Ereinion, Glorfindel arrives and starts to settle in.


( Read more... )

Forty Years in the Wilderness by Dreamflower

[dreamflower]

B2MeM Challenge: 2016 Memories; 2012 BINGO, "Canon Couples", I-20
Format: Poetry, Dribble
Genre: Romance
Rating: G
Warnings: n/a
Characters: Aragorn, Arwen
Pairings: Aragorn/Arwen
Creators' Notes (optional): I began some of these dribbles for the "Canon Couples" card in 2012, and decided to see how many more of them I could complete this year.
Summary: Forty years is a long time for an engagement. Wedding day musings.

Forty Years in the Wilderness ( Read more... )

"Of Inventions and Regret" by Lyra

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

B2MeM Challenge: "Manhattan Project" on the Maglor in History 1 BINGO card, "Cold War" on the Maglor in History 2 BINGO card, "Pipeweed" on the Smells BINGO card

Format: Short story (~1500 words)

Genre: Crossover w/ Real World History

Rating: General

Warnings: Sloppy research

Characters: Maglor, J. Robert Oppenheimer

Pairings: none

Creators' Notes (optional): Started for B2MeM 2012, finished for B2MeM 2016...

Summary: Maglor and J. Robert Oppenheimer meet in a diner in the 1960s. They speak of television and the bomb, and in a way, of Silmarils.

"Of Inventions and Regret" on SWG

G.amgee C.riminal I.nvestigation S.ervice - by Elwen

[elwenlj.livejournal.com]

Can we post more than one per day? Hope so because I need to get rid of this one before it bends my mind too far.

B2MeM Challenge: Bingo – I16, B8, G57, I25, N42, G58, O71, B15, I27, G59. Cause Of Death
Format: Drabble
Genre: Silliness
Rating: Gen
Warnings: Spider (definitely dead)
Characters: Sam & Rosie's children
Pairings: n/a
Creators' Notes (optional): How many prompts can you fit in one drabble?
Summary: Children have the strangest imaginations


( Read more... )

The Horse Trainer by Erulisse (one L)

[engarian.livejournal.com]

B2MeM Challenge: 2013 D - Discovery, Day 4
Format: Triple Drabble
Genre: Narrative Drama
Rating: PG
Warnings: None
Characters: Glorfindel, Erestor
Pairings: None (yet)
Creators' Notes (optional): None
Summary: Sent to the refugee camp of Imladris by Ereinion, Glorfindel arrives and starts to settle in.


( Read more... )

March 8 Prompts

[independence1776]

Here are today’s prompts:

• In the "Tale of the Years" Tolkien tells us about what happens to certain characters each day of March 3019. We challenge you to write about the character(s) he does NOT mention: “Aragorn takes the ‘Paths of the Dead’ at daybreak; he reaches Erech at midnight. Frodo leaves Henneth Annûn."


• H: Like a hale Halbarad


• The Noldor came at last far into the north of Arda; and they saw the first teeth of the ice that floated in the sea, and knew that they were drawing nigh to the Helcaraxë. For between the land of Aman that in the north curved eastward, and the east-shores of Endor (which is Middle-earth) that bore westward, there was a narrow strait, through which the chill waters of the Encircling Sea and the waves of Belegaer flowed together, and there were vast fogs and mists of deathly cold, and the sea-streams were filled with clashing hills of ice and the grinding of ice deep-sunken. Such was the Helcaraxë, and there none yet had dared to tread save the Valar only and Ungoliant.


• Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Is it? And ugliness? Is it also relative? Write a story, poem or create an artwork where the contrast beauty/ugliness plays a central role.


• Write a story or poem or create a piece of artwork reflecting identification with or connection to one’s land, country or culture. Or write a story or poem or create a piece of artwork featuring kilts.


• N41


• “But if any will come with me, I say to them: Is sorrow foreboded to you? But in Aman we have seen it. In Aman we have come through bliss to woe. The other now we will try: through sorrow to find joy; or freedom, at the least.”


• “Then slowly a change came over the land, and the hearts of the Elf-friends were sorely troubled, and many fell away out of fear; and although those that remained still called themselves the Faithful, their enemies named them rebels.”


• "Not the man who used to make such particularly excellent fireworks! I remember those! Old Took used to have them on Midsummer's Eve. Splendid! They used to go up like great lilies and snapdragons and laburnums of fire and hang in the twilight all evening."

For more prompts, check out the 2016:prompts tag.