Discussion -- May 2011 Challenge

[Perpetual Man]

Re: DISCUSSION -- The 75 Word Challenge May 2011

It seems strange not to have any honourable mentions, or a short list, but one just stuck in my head from the word go, and I am going to vote for that one; which rather sidesteps the whole list thing.

As always it's worth saying that everyone has done something exemplary and deserves to take a hearty bow.

A few that seem to float around the old grey matter are Doz, Mouse, Chris, Nob S. Sr., Nixie ahhh I could go on and on...

But the vote goes to Teresa. Loved it.

 

[Hex]

Re: DISCUSSION -- The 75 Word Challenge May 2011

Brilliant entries this month too. I just couldn't do it - I wrote four different ones and they were all terrible. Friendship clearly something I'll need to work on.

My shortlist was:

The Rebels - HareBrain
Frank-Anne-Stein - Devil's Advocate (such a neat story)
To Life - Michelle Ann
The Breakfast Club - TDZ (brilliant)
Imperfect Day - reiver33
Parting is such sweet sorrow - Boneman (the end was so perfect)
One Night in Pandemonium - Teresa
With enemies like these - No One (so grim, in 75 words, I still can't get the feeling out of my head)
Quicksilver - Culhwch

I voted for Imperfect Day. It was such a neat and depressing story.

 

[chrispenycate]

Re: DISCUSSION -- The 75 Word Challenge May 2011

So many so good, and so different. Even rererereading doesn't make comparison fair. It could have been MoonBat, or Moaix, Talysia, JRiff or MsTral, but finally my vote went to Paranoid Marvin, for a redefinition of both "Urban" and "fantasy", both totally acceptable.

 

[nixie]

Re: DISCUSSION -- The 75 Word Challenge May 2011

Vote cast, went for Telford in the end. Some really brilliant entries this month. Not that they aren't every month but the standard keeps getting better and better.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Re: DISCUSSION -- The 75 Word Challenge May 2011

Many thanks to everyone who has voted for or mentioned my story. The praise makes me feel particularly grateful because I was really afraid for a while that I wouldn't have anything I could bring myself to post.

I now have a short list:

HareBrain
Allanon
moxaix
reiver33
digs
Culhwch

No clue as yet which one will get my vote, since they appeal to me in completely different ways.

 

[Grimbear]

Re: DISCUSSION -- The 75 Word Challenge May 2011

Brilliant entries this month too. I just couldn't do it - I wrote four different ones and they were all terrible. Friendship clearly something I'll need to work on.

My shortlist was:

The Rebels - HareBrain
Frank-Anne-Stein - Devil's Advocate (such a neat story)
To Life - Michelle Ann
The Breakfast Club - TDZ (brilliant)
Imperfect Day - reiver33
Parting is such sweet sorrow - Boneman (the end was so perfect)
One Night in Pandemonium - Teresa
With enemies like these - No One (so grim, in 75 words, I still can't get the feeling out of my head)
Quicksilver - Culhwch

I voted for Imperfect Day. It was such a neat and depressing story.

With Enemies like these...

That was my choice. The last sentence was the decider. Fantastic!

 

[paranoid marvin]

Re: DISCUSSION -- The 75 Word Challenge May 2011

Such a tough challenge this month , but it's undoubtedly brought the best out of some. I'm not usually one for shortlists , but on this occasion I have to say that High Eight's entry so nearly won if it hadn't been for TEIN's beautifully told story.

Re: my story, thankyou for the kind mentions and of course chrispencate's vote. I did wonder if it may be a little too cryptic for some, although of course you underestimate the intellectual prowess of SFF Chroniclers at your peril!

 

[Brev]

Re: DISCUSSION -- The 75 Word Challenge May 2011

Allanon, mosaix, J Riff all ran it close, but my vote goes to TDZ..

 

[No One]

Re: DISCUSSION -- The 75 Word Challenge May 2011

With thanks to Hex for the kind mention and to Grimbear for the vote! I probably say this a lot, but I really didn't expect mentions, let alone votes, seeing as I was indulging in a kind of in-joke (and now I might indulge in a loosely themed trilogy... ).

Perhaps you're a fellow *ahem* Spartan? If so, I salute you!

Anyway, I've wittled my initial shortlist down from a hefty 21 to 14 (it's a dirty job but someone - or, er, no one - has to do it!). In no particular order:

Harebrain - The Rebels
Mstral - Seeking Corporeal Encounter
Moonbat - Blob's Your Uncle (one of my faves and one of three finalists)
Chel - Never Trust Someone You Meet Online
Lucky Lola - Mirror in the Sky, What is Love?
Chrispenycate - Elf Discovery
Ursa M - Soul-searching For Beginners
Reiver33 - Imperfect Day (another of my finalists)
Mouse - What Rat Friends Do
Teresa E - One Night In Pandemonium... (my third finalist)
Psychotick - The Best of Friends
Culhwch - Quicksilver
Parson - Peace in Jerusalem
J-Riff - Only If You Say Pleiades

Bottom line: it's Teresa's heavenly, and hellish, tale that gets my vote.

 

[Mouse]

Re: DISCUSSION -- The 75 Word Challenge May 2011

Perp, No, thanks for the mentions! I'm surprised my extremely childish silliness is getting anything at all.

And I've still not voted, but I've got it down to TDZ, Cornelius and TJ.

 

[MstrTal]

Re: DISCUSSION -- The 75 Word Challenge May 2011

I am still floored by the vote I got not to mention the kind mentions. Though upon reflection I think they might be mistakes. Owing to people getting my name wrong.

 

[Grimbear]

Re: DISCUSSION -- The 75 Word Challenge May 2011

With thanks to Hex for the kind mention and to Grimbear for the vote! I probably say this a lot, but I really didn't expect mentions, let alone votes, seeing as I was indulging in a kind of in-joke (and now I might indulge in a loosely themed trilogy... ).

I am new here - so I took it at face value.
Grim

 

[Bob Senior]

Re: DISCUSSION -- The 75 Word Challenge May 2011

Perp Man,
I sure hope you made a typo ?

 

[No One]

Re: DISCUSSION -- The 75 Word Challenge May 2011

I am new here - so I took it at face value.
Grim

Hehe, glad to hear it!

@MstrTal - I must've checked your username a half dozen times and I still spelt it wrong! A mention for your story was definitely no mistake though.

 

[Aun Doorback]

Re: DISCUSSION -- The 75 Word Challenge May 2011

With Vampires, ghosts, angels, and kittens sprawling over themselves and superbly catching my eye, amongst the ruins and mayhem of our great cities, it required my other eye to scrutinise the urban landscape for a different take.

My vote therefore, goes to the emerging talent of Onebigpotato. Emerging from the murky waters just like a Japanese movie monster!

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

Re: DISCUSSION -- The 75 Word Challenge May 2011

Such a tough challenge this month , but it's undoubtedly brought the best out of some. I'm not usually one for shortlists , but on this occasion I have to say that High Eight's entry so nearly won if it hadn't been for TEIN's beautifully told story.

Re: my story, thankyou for the kind mentions and of course chrispencate's vote. I did wonder if it may be a little too cryptic for some, although of course you underestimate the intellectual prowess of SFF Chroniclers at your peril!

PM: At the risk falling foul of the Slap Police, I'm dumb struck by your kind words and even more so by your vote.

I am still floored by the vote I got not to mention the kind mentions. Though upon reflection I think they might be mistakes. Owing to people getting my name wrong.

No, I'm pretty sure I voted for Deranged Kitten.

 

[onebigpotato]

Re: DISCUSSION -- The 75 Word Challenge May 2011

Wow guys! 2 votes, this is gob smackingly-fantasticaroony. I had to make up a word just to say how great it is. Thanks Moonbat and Aun D .

FYI "gob smackingly-fantasticaroony" can now be used as one word in future competitions.


Hate to be a downer but AD voted for Golden Apples (and deservingly so!). My thanks though remain for commenting so vividly.

 

[Bob Senior]

Re: DISCUSSION -- The 75 Word Challenge May 2011

Howdy,
My vote went to Doz, had to vote for Woof Woof, I have a Pekinese, my neighbor has a wolf (wolf, dog mix, looks 100% wolf). The wolf's bark will scare anyone but my Pekinese has been known to make sounds like a demon from hell. Sometimes I expect her to transform into Something, don't know what!
Want to thank those that gave me a mention.
At the moment I have an identity crisis, am I Bob S.-----Nob S.----or I may even be Blob's Uncle?

 

[onebigpotato]

Re: DISCUSSION -- The 75 Word Challenge May 2011

Now, who's been moving and shaking, who's causing a stir in the 75 word world?

Psychotick - Good, almost too good...(said for effect, it was good) Doesn't mention an urban landscape which nudged it out for me. Being reminded of the games I did (and often do) play with my own shadow (name's Xavier), priceless. Thankyou!

Mosaix - Great, almost too, ah let's skip this bit. From having worked with people who are certifiably not all there, if one of them told me they were 760 years old I'd probably go along with it and say my age was similar. That's why I loved your story, not because I imagined they were that old. But rather because of the joys I'd have talking to someone like that.

TDZ - Ugh, did it have to be so, so.....wonderful? Now if that's the worst complaint you get, you're probably onto a good thing. Not much I can add to what everyone else has said. Though I might add that my neighbours don't do this for me.

Evelinn - Ahhh I get it. Which was which though? I don't actually want you to tell me, I want to get lost in wondering. Once again the not urbanness has possibly hurt you.

Hoopy - If I compared this to 'The Name of the Wind' it would be the biggest compliment I've ever paid someone and you'd end up slapping me for being presumptuous. Because although I can't list them in this forum, the things I would do anyone with a story like that are disgusting and confusing, trust me, I'm not that flexible. All that rambling aside, it's always fun to wonder, who is the person we're talking to? Where have they been? Our grandparents, our school teachers, all of them. And I like that. Though I wouldn't like anyone the less for not being a wizard.

So Mosaix and Hoopy, who's it going to be? I like them for similar reasons.

So unless I can vote for Mooopaixy. I have to go with Hoopy. Nice work.

 

[Parson]

Re: DISCUSSION -- The 75 Word Challenge May 2011

Once again a whole list of good stories, some very good stories, and three excellent stories.

Very good stories:
Paranoid Marvin: "Dear Diary"
Devil's Advocate: "Frank, Anne, Stein"
Moonbat: "Blob's your Uncle"
Mouse: "What Rat Friends Do"
MstrTal: "Seeking Corporal Encounter"
Telford: "Man's Best Friend"
The End Is Nigh: "Urban Meths"
Storm Feather: "Friends Forever"
The Judge: "Philiapolis" --- Proving she can write Urban Fantasy

Three Excellent Stories

Chrispenycate: "A Friend"
A. S. Behsam: "The Monster's Debt"
Teresa Edgerton: "One Night in Pandaemonium"

My vote goes for:

Teresa Edgerton -- Reason: I love stories with heroes who are willing to sacrifice for the ones in need, and there were three excellent ones here. But for me T.E.'s was just a cut above the rest.


NO ONE: Thanks for the mention I was hoping that someone would like the story. I thought it was pretty good but it hasn't seemed to be catching people.