'You See Him When He's Sleeping' - picture courtesy of Chris Bishop.
To read all our Christmas stories online, CLICK HERE.
To access the Christmas Fan Art page, CLICK HERE.
CLICK HERE to check our Rating System Table.
You have a story to send us? Read our FAN FICTION SUBMISSION GUIDELINES.
UPDATE: JANUARY 22, 2024:
The Christmas Challenge is nearing the end of this year 2023/2024 edition!
This week, we have another brand new story. And since it is a Colonel White story, I've decided to make this an occasion for reposting a couple of other Colonel White stories, amongst which, a New Captain Scarlet one!
A SNOWSTORM WITH A SUNNY HEART
by Nadrac. A ficlet, in which Colonel White delves into some self-reflection. ff 760. Christmas Challenge.
by Marion Woods. When the 'old immoveable object' that is Colonel White encounters 'an irresistible force' that is willing to traverse afar to be with their loved ones, something's gotta give. Christmas Challenge. ff 565. Originally posted December 9, 2014.
by Isabelle Saucier. Charles' plan was simple: Attend the Global Heritage Foundation meeting, drive home to Greenslade Hall, and enjoy his holiday vacation from the Royal Marines. Of course, plans do not always go as intended... Christmas Challenge. ff 570. Originally posted January 14, 2015.
Although it seems unlikely there will be the posting of a new story before the end of January, it's still possible that a re-posting of an old story may occur. But hey, who knows, anything is possible! In any case, keep an eye on this space for the new few days, for the end of this edition of our Christmas Challenge!
UPDATE: JANUARY 8, 2024:
This is the first week of 2024. A Happy New Year to every Captain Scarlet fan around the world!
The Christmas Challenge continues today, with a brand new story for you to read.
by Shades. There are many ways to show someone that you care. Creative circumvention of regulations is one of them. ff 759. Christmas Challenge.
The Challenge will continue until the end of January. Check this space soon, for more posting!
For those who want to participate, there is still time enough to do so. You just need to send over your submission. For more information, you can check the rules below. If you write a story, send it via email to spectrum_hq@hotmail.com. Please allow enough time for beta-reading, should you require it.
UPDATE: DECEMBER 31st, 2023:
On this eve of the new year, the administration of Spectrum Headquarters is proud to offer you its traditionnal (albeit non-official) Captain Scarlet calendar for 2024!
Follow the link below to access the many format in which you can see and acquire the calendar, which include an online version, as well downloadable formats in PDF or Word, which could be printed if you wish it.
ANGELS AND AGENTS - SPECTRUM'S FINEST RENDERED IN WATERCOLOUR!
A Captain Scarlet calendar for 2024, by Caroline Smith, (montages, photo editing, backgrounds and captions), with collaboration from Chris Bishop (slideshow animation, web presentation and musical arrangement and Hazel Köhler (beta-reading). ff 758. Posted December 31st 2023.
UPDATE: DECEMBER 25, 2023: FIRST STORIES POSTED!
Merry Christmas everyone!
This is the first posting for the 2023 Edition of the Christmas Challenge. This week, we have a new story, as well as a reposted one.
by Marion Woods. When a little thoughtful kindness was worth more than any Christmas present. ff 757.
by Chris Bishop. A Spectrum officer is victim of a mysterious death and Spectrum must find out what killed him, while protecting the owner of a toyshop from the Mysterons. ff 394. Originally posted January 20, 2009.
UPDATE DECEMBER 1st, 2023:
CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE 2023/2024 EDITION NOW LAUNCHED!
Welcome all to this 2023/2024 launch of Spectrum HQ Christmas Challenge! Would you beleive this is our 21st year edition?!
The Spectrum Headquarters Christmas Challenge presents for fans all around the world an occasion to write Captain Scarlet Christmas and Holidays inspired stories, and to submit them to this site,for other fans like them to read and enjoy.
Whatever his of her age, any Captain Scarlet fan (either from the classic Supermarionation series or the computer animated series) from ANY corner of the World can participate to this Challenge. Each year, new writers answer the call and submit stories . We're hoping that this year will be the same! Of course, this Challenge is not exclusive to newcomers. Long-time collaborators, writers of experience, people who have come and gone and now wishes to return, EVERYONE is welcomed and can participate to this as well!
The Christmas Challenge is meant as a gift this website offers its visitors for the Holiday Season. We've been doing this for the past two decades, so clearly, it is our own Holiday tradition, here on the Spectrum Headquarters site.
So now's the time again to make a call to writers and artists. Once again, you are invited to participate in great number to this new edition of the challenge, with new stories that will prove as entertaining as those that have been submitted to us in the previous years. This year might prove a different Christmas for all of us, perhaps not as joyful as it should normally be with the state of the World as it is. And YET, maybe we can offer everyone a balm of some sort and make it JUST a little happier, despite it all! Doing our part to keep everyone's spirit up if you will!
If you are a regular visitor to this website, you already know what the Christmas Challenge is all about. But for those of you who are new to the site or the challenge, here's how it goes:
Christmas Day will be on us in about a month, and then, a week later, we'll be in 2024.
The main event of the Christmas Challenge is, of course, to write a Captain Scarlet and Christmas-based fan fiction story. But there is also a lesser event in which you might want to participate, by submitting other kind of projects, like drawings or montages. See the rules below for more on this subject.
Of course, this challenge is short notice, which is the reason why it always last well BEYOND Christmas Day. We'll start posting stories, if possible, on the first week of December and all through the month. Then, the Challenge will pursue all throughout the Holiday Season, and with a little chance, might end around the first or second week of February 2024.
In the previous years, during the Christmas Challenge, so many various stories, of very good quality, have been submitted to this site. And this is all the question: can YOU do the same this year, and answer the Challenge? Will you have the inspiration to write a Captain Scarlet/Christmas related-story, be it from the classic series, or based on the more recent CGI series? Will we discover new writers, as we did in previous years?
Answer the Challenge and find out - and see your story posted on this website during the Holidays Season!
Remember, the information you can find on the Spectrum Headquarters site is there to help you write your story with better accuracy of the Scarlet mythos and backgrounds (Classic or CGI series). Feel free to consult it!
So if you have a project for a Christmas story, that you're sure will be finished on time, contact the webmaster at scarlet1bishop@hotmail.com, or submit your story directly at spectrum_hq@hotmail.com. There is more then enough time!
Announcement and submissions of Christmas-related stories will appear on a list that you will find that you will find on this page. Consult it often to know what stories will be posted this year!
Also listed on the Christmas stories page are the stories submitted in the previous years. Feel free to check them out too for a good read... or to see what other writers offered already! Maybe that'll inspire you. These stories are available all year's long.
Read for rules and more information below.
To participate:
RULES AND CONDITIONS OF THE CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE:
As always, the same basic rules as any fan fiction challenge project apply:
FAN FICTION:
The story could be related to Christmas itself, New Year's Celebrations, or to one of the many subjects generally associated to them, or can simply be set during the Holidays Season. The story should keep true and faithful to the Captain Scarlet mythos, either from the Original Captain Scarlet series, or the New Captain Scarlet series.
The story could be as short as one page, or as long as you wish.
You can write your story alone, or team up with another writer.
You can illustrate your story if you wish.
Slash stories are acceptable, if presented in a tasteful manner. No porn allowed.
You can write one-shot stories, or multiparts. If more than one part, note that, to avoid an unfinished story, all the parts should be completed before posting. Contact the webmaster for more information or for special arrangements.
Check our Submission Guidelines before submitting your story. This document can provide you with wonderful tips that may help you for your writing and may facilitate the submitting process.
If you need the service of a beta-reader, and don't have one at your disposition, ask the webmaster for the possibility of finding one. Take note that the use of beta-reader is not required, but recommended. Please take beta-reading time into consideration when you submit your story!
Even if you don't use a beta-reader, your story will be read at least once, to insure that it meets the minimum quality requirements of this website.
The stories will only be accessible from December 1st onwards. The final deadline date for posting will be determined in January, but should be around February 3rd. As we found out these last years, it's rather difficult to impose a precise deadline to any annual challenge, so we have decided that we would keep our options open. Although we asked that stories to be sent to us at the latest on January 25, we will allow ourselves the time needed to prepare the late story for posting. Depending on how many stories are received, one or more stories will be posted each week. The stories will STILL be accessible after the ending of the challenge, and will remain so all year long.
PICTURES:
You can also submit other projects, like drawings or pictures - to be put with your story if you are a writer, or as a stand-alone artist rendition of a Christmas/Captain Scarlet scene. Your contribution would make a nice addition to the Christmas Challenge, and will be posted on the Christmas pictures page. There's already a few items from previous editions, so you can visit the page, if ever you want some inspiration or ideas to what you might send.
Accepted will be original drawings, paintings, pictures, montages, collages, comic strips, gif animations, etc. Just contact the webmaster and propose your project(s).
We hope a lot of you will be able to participate. Don'tt be shy, and contact us to inform us of your projects. You can use this site regular e-mail scarlet1bishop@hotmail.com, or the spectrum_hq@hotmail.com email.
Some of the pictures already posted may also inspire you to write your own story! So go ahead and check it out!
A SPECIAL NOTE: As always, we won't refuse multi-parts stories , or stories out of theme, that will come along during the time this Challenge will last. These stories will be posted as 'regular' Captain Scarlet stories, but they will not be considered part of the Christmas Challenge, and won't have a link through the Christmas page. Depending on the webmaster or this website's collaborators' availability, for beta-reading (if required), these stories might get posted only after the Christmas Challenge. The webmaster will contact you in case of delay. |
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