2017 Kerth SuperQuiz

I was able to create this SuperQuiz so that every author who wrote a story this year appears in the quiz once. The quiz is “open book” (well, “open internet”, anyway!). Feel free to look at the list of eligible Kerth stories to give you hints. That post has links to all of the eligible stories for easy review.

Scoring details are as follows: The quiz is divided into three sections. The first section is quotes: a single sentence or two taken from the story. Naming the story and its author from the quote is worth three points. The second section is excerpts: a paragraph from the same fic. Naming the story and its author from the excerpt is worth two points. The third section lists the story length category for which the story is eligible. If you use the hint in order to find the story and author, or if you use the help of a search engine, it is worth one point. It's important that you specify whether you got the fic from the quote or the excerpt in your reply. If you don't say anything, I’ll assume you earned one point. Don't worry about naming only a title, or just the author; half points can be quite common, and I don't mind having my math skills challenged.

Since it worked out well last year, the highest scorer, as calculated by me according to the rules above, will win a story written by me. You can give me 3 things you want and 3 things you don't want and I will give you whatever my muse whips up. PG-13 or smuttified for your reading pleasure - you choose! Now, isn't that worth playing for?

The DEADLINE for entries for this quiz is Thursday, March 9, 2017, by 11:59 p.m (Pacific Time Zone).

Please post your answers HERE. Good luck!

Susan (or Groobie, depending on where you want your story to end up!)

The Quotes

1. Lois stared at the manuscript, her head spinning. Only one more page left. She turned to it and began reading.

2. “I’m being blackmailed.”

3. Every time the tv cut to that image of the ball all lit up, Clark positively vibrated with excitement.

4. “Now, tell me, why you really come here tonight … er this morning? Faint traces of a smile touched his mouth, “Surely not to talk about The Queen’s Consort?”

5. Melody looked up from her paper long enough to call out to her boyfriend. “Hey, Barry, get in here! Ya gotta see this guy in the Daily Planet.”

6. Sunday spoke again. "I forgot to mention... you're utterly drunk."

7. ‘Dennis and Alice Scardino are pleased to announce the engagement of their son, Daniel, to Lois, daughter of Samuel and Ellen Lane. Wedding arrangements will be disclosed at a later date'

8. For Zara's sake, I hope Kal-El is a worthy husband. I hope he's kind and gentle. And, as much as it pains me, I hope Zara can learn to love him.

9. The Kryptonians are gone, but humanity remains.

10. Clark said quietly, "The apparent tie between my using my power and the temperature doesn't point to a leak. Someone is *controlling* this 'leak'."

11. He must face Doomsday again. Once and for all.

12. "Please, take care of our children. They are all that are left of a once great people. They are our gift to you. Love them, as we should have done."

13. Mary Frances was concerned about this man she didn't recognize.

14. That is, until he suddenly, unexpectedly sneezed. Super sneezed.

15. “If Bruce Wayne is the friend you don't love, then the man you have feelings for must be...?”

16. Could their child be out there somewhere?

17. If she had to, she’d consider plastic surgery.

18. “I wish I could read other people’s thoughts,” she finally said with a wicked smile.

19. One of the reasons that Hattie and Morgana had hit it off so well was Morgana’s interest in writing.

20. “It’s time, Mr. Luthor.”

21. The Republican Candidate for President was the LexCorp owner Lex Luthor, and the Candidate for the Democrats was the Bruce Wayne funded Jonathan Kent.

22. "I want you to give Clark Kent a big kiss on the lips. At least five seconds long!" Lucy ordered her sister.


The Excerpts

1.

He couldn't forgive her, but he couldn't leave her.

. . . Which meant that he couldn't leave Metropolis. Until his feelings settled one way or the other, he needed to stay and try to figure things out. But that did not mean being best friends with Lois Lane. Not yet. And until his powers came back, Superman couldn't mend or burn any bridges.

2.

Clark took hold of Linda’s hand and pulled her closer, setting his other hand on her waist. His fingers dipped into the large pocket of her jacket and extracted a manila envelope. Gazing over the top of his glasses, he glanced through the outer wrapping to confirm the contents: a photo of Lois dressed only in a negligee. Holding up the sealed envelope, he shook his head. “Linda,” he scolded. “How could you?”

3.

Clark turned them both around to look inside the warmly lit brownstone, watch as Jimmy refreshed all the adults’ wine glasses and the kids snuck some more candy. Lois grinned widely and spun around in his arms to face him. “We’ve done fantastic, Clark. That’s what I’m saying. This used to be such a hard day for me, and the fact that now we get to have this? It’s incredible. I just think I appreciate it more.”

4.

“I won’t have your life end up like Kaldar’s! Imagine leaving the love of your life to marry a woman who isn’t your equal in rank or personality! He and Loysa didn’t have a choice, but you do! That’s one dream - or rather nightmare – that had better not come true and ….!”

5.

“So he’s a magician. If he can pull a trick like that, he’ll become bigger ‘n Houdini. I wonder if there’s any money in being a famous magician’s look-alike? Think I’ll check out one of them — what-do-ya-call-ems? — doubles agencies. Could be big money here. Thanks for calling me in, babe. I owe ya one.”

6.

He was both amazed and also a little confused. Ever since he had developed his special vision, illusionists had not done much for him. It was just too easy to see through their tricks. This Baron Sunday obviously was the exception to the rule. Strangely that only made Clark all the more intent on learning his secret. Usually, that would be Lois part, but this time…

7.

Turning another page, she forced herself to read at least the first few lines of the travel section. It was an article on Nicaragua this week, she noted- a place that wouldn’t have been her first choice for a vacation. The first paragraph, however, was enough to make her sit bolt upright and put her coffee mug down. Laying the paper flat on her desk, she read the column through and then read it again. The by-line said Jerome King, but there was no denying it. The phrasing, the choice of words, the ability to draw the reader in, the way the writer painted a vivid picture in a relatively short piece…

It was Clark’s work.

8.

I want to give this mysterious Kal-El a chance. I want to find some way to learn to care for him. But I can't ever love him, not even a small fraction of the way that a husband and wife should love on another. Gone is my chance to find happiness with this stranger, if we ever locate him in this hopelessly endless universe.

9.

A statistic, a victim, a survivor. The innocent fireflies of my childhood buzzing in the fields before me, my unknowing parents in the previously happy home behind me, my blameless neighbors scattered in concentric circles around me, and the guilty party somewhere above me, threatening silently from the night sky.

10.

Finally, he spoke, "This theory relies on the idea that Superman is somehow *creating* energy whenever he uses his powers. Which makes *no* sense. Shouldn't he be drawing energy *out* of the system, if anything?" Friez's expression turned thoughtful. "Also, if using his powers is enough to raise the temperature this high in the *entire city* shouldn't it be like a bomb going off wherever he's *actually* using his powers?"

11.

“You’ll have to give Superman up,” her source had warned her when she finally agreed to his plan, after days of convincing. “And you’ll have to forget about Lex Luthor--he’s not important anymore. But overall, I can promise you that the sacrifices you make will be worth it. It will, after all, save world and make the future a…well, a utopia.”

12.

“His Kryptonian name is Ler-El. His birth certificate says Clark Joseph Kent, son of Clark Jerome Kent and Sarah Ray. The story Jimmy and I gave out at the Planet was that Sarah came to me a few months after Clark’s death, pregnant, looking for him. She had no family. I’d kept in touch with her, helped her out a little. Then she died a few days ago, an accident. Her roommate contacted me and here we are.”

“Hello CJ,” Martha crooned. The baby’s eyes locked onto her face and he smiled.

13.

"In early September, Sister Barbara and I were shopping downtown. We were crossing the street when a bus heading out of control towards pedestrians. As we reached the sidewalk, Sister Barbara turned to help an elderly woman next to her and I turned to look back at the bus. I saw a dark haired young man in a trench coat and business suit stop the bus with his bare hand. I'll never forget the look of fear on his face as he scanned the crowd before disappearing into it. And frankly, I never want to be the cause of that fear.”

14.

Lois walked inside her brownstone to the strangest sight. Her living room looked like hell, upside down. She wasn't sure exactly what had happened, except that Clark had probably had some sort of super-accident again.

She found him sitting on the floor, in the dining room, looking like the weight of the world was weighing down on him. He'd hiccuped, he explained, and it might have been funny, she thought, if her heart hadn't been breaking for him. The one thing he'd always been able to count on — his strength — had now become his greatest weakness.

15.

“Even if it was my secret to tell, Clark's been acting like a big baby about Bruce ever since he saw us dancing together at Luthor's White Orchid Ball. I get that he's jealous, but he had the gall to insinuate that I don't know my own friend as well as I think I do, just because he thinks the man acts a little suspicious.”

16.

Lois stared sadly at the empty space next to her. It had been eight weeks. Eight weeks since the attack on the Planet. Eight weeks since she had lost Jordan. She still refused to accept the fact that her child was gone. Her hand instinctively reached out to touch her abdomen; where she had last felt him growing inside her. Nothing.

17.

In contrast to Lois, it was obvious that he hadn’t aged. Even today, after nearly twenty years, he still didn’t look a day over thirty. They’d tried altering his wardrobe – wearing duller colors, less flamboyant ties and more tweeds. They’d contemplated using dye to grey his temples yet couldn’t figure out how that would play with being Superman. Spinning into the suit wouldn’t remove that type of makeup. Superman with grey hair could be construed as a sign of weakness. That wouldn’t be as effective for stopping crime.

18.

“I, uh, still have one wish left,” she said, her gaze turning toward his couch. “I was thinking that maybe the best thing to do would be to wish that I had never had any wishes to begin with.” She looked back toward him and continued, her tone businesslike. “I could wish away this whole thing, and go back to not knowing about your secret.”

19.

Morgana had lived in New York long enough to know what the weather could be like and had planned accordingly. Exiting the car in front of the hotel she made her way to the entrance. The snow swirled around her feet as she picked her way through a snow drift while wearing a white gown with a long removable train that doubled as a cape and low white leather boots. Her hair was pinned up in a chignon. The veil was fingertip length, but for the trip to the hotel it had been thrown back. Her bouquet, three White Calla Lilies done up in a blue silk ribbon a classic symbol of devotion and love cast their fragrance through the crisp winter air.

20.

I shout my discovery to the room but they don’t hear me. I take in a deep breath to shout louder but the gas is too thick and I begin to cough. My eyes are watering and all I can make out is Kent’s red glowing eyes and I can’t hold my head up and I think what cruel irony that I have learned my greatest enemy’s secret so late in the game too late to use it and now he’s won and I can’t catch my breath and I can’t think and I can’t feel my tongue and Superman isn’t coming to save me and I don’t want to die please don’t let—

21.

Lucy Lane turned off her TV, and pulled her boyfriend Jimmy closer. She knew she would be voting for Lex. He was charming and intelligent which was needed in a representive of the U.S. He was a good man, and she agreed with his ideas. It also didn’t hurt that he was hot. Okay, maybe best not to tell Jimmy about that last reason. Although she was sure that Jimmy would soon notice that every time she watched Luthor on TV, they made love afterwards, but hopefully he wouldn’t notice too soon………

22.

She suspected her sister had enjoyed losing that bet a little more than she would ever admit if asked directly. She also suspected that there might be more bets in their future with Lois on the losing end. And while her sister was usually extremely competitive, Lucy was very certain that Lois would be more than fine with being the loser of each and every one of these bets.


The Categories

1. long/epic

2. mid-length

3. short

4. mid-length

5. super-short

6. super-short

7. mid-length

8. short

9. short

10. short

11. long/epic

12. mid-length

13. short

14. short

15. super-short

16. long/epic

17. super-short

18. mid-length

19. long/epic

20. short

21. super-short

22. super-short


You can find my stories as Groobie on the nfic archives and Susan Young on the gfic archives. In other words, you know me as Groobie. wink