Discussion -- August 2011 Challenge

[Culhwch]

Re: Discussion AUGUST 75 Word Writing Challenge

(Even Cul posted very early.)

Indeed, I was inspired almost from the get-go! I quite liked this theme and genre - we've really seen a diverse binch of entries this month.

 

[Bob Senior]

Re: Discussion AUGUST 75 Word Writing Challenge

Howdy,
A bit off topic but, I caught the last half hour of Gunga Din last night, great stuff. Wish I had seen it a while back, at least I would have known that Rudyard Kipling was short.
Also I was wondering if I can order one of thoseVictorian Steampunk Navajo Afghans on this site?

 

[Starbeast]

Re: Discussion AUGUST 75 Word Writing Challenge

Thanks Starbeast, I quite enjoy doing them. (Also have to say that I enjoy a lot of your threads - even if I don't comment on them)

Thanks for telling me you enjoy veiwing my threads.

I love pep's reviews always makes me feel better about my entry.

He has a great way of highlighting our tales (he made me feel good too). It's also a quick reference guide to each short story.

It might not have been a record-breaking subject but I, for one, had never considered horror before, so the exercise was interesting, if not conclusive.

A great first attempt. If this wasn't a family site, I wonder how extreme the stories would have been...that's spooky thought. We have a great anthology of horror stories here.

Indeed, I was inspired almost from the get-go! I quite liked this theme and genre - we've really seen a diverse binch of entries this month.

I had an idea right away and I had to enter it before anyone else had the same idea. It's going to be tough for me to choose which story to vote for.

 

[HoopyFrood]

Re: Discussion AUGUST 75 Word Writing Challenge

A great first attempt. If this wasn't a family site, I wonder how extreme the stories would have been...that's spooky thought.

But horror doesn't have to be overly extreme. I think, in fact, that that is the problem with Hollywood horror especially, these days. The desire to out-do each other with over the top deaths and more and more gorenography. It gives a cringe and a scare at the time, perhaps, but there's no real lasting effect. I believe that terror is far more effective -- things that are hinted at, kept hidden, lurking in the dark and peripheries. Things that make the fear grow inside the individual, causing their own imagination to fill in the gaps, which ultimately also makes it much more personal.

 

[Hex]

Re: Discussion AUGUST 75 Word Writing Challenge

I believe that terror is far more effective -- things that are hinted at, kept hidden, lurking in the dark and peripheries. Things that make the fear grow inside the individual, causing their own imagination to fill in the gaps, which ultimately also makes it much more personal.

True enough. I always had to start the LoTR during daylight -- that bit where Gandalf tells Frodo about the Ring Wraiths always terrified me. Not an ounce of gore-splatter.

Come on, you last minuters... the clock is ticking (tick tock tick).

 

[MstrTal]

Re: Discussion AUGUST 75 Word Writing Challenge

Ok so I posted. Not the story I wanted to post but its sort of a last minute, written in the Reply box, spur of the moment sort of story. I had a few Ideas but I ran out of time and didn't have a chance to develop any of them. Been a rough month what with school starting up this week and getting myself and the kids prepared and all. Not to mention I was going to devote yesterday to working on one when a close friend of the family and her kids where in a car accident so I spent the day helping them and looking after her little ones and her extended family.

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Re: Discussion AUGUST 75 Word Writing Challenge

Howdy,
A bit off topic but, I caught the last half hour of Gunga Din last night, great stuff. Wish I had seen it a while back, at least I would have known that Rudyard Kipling was short.
Also I was wondering if I can order one of thoseVictorian Steampunk Navajo Afghans on this site?

Ha! You'll have to get in line -- and the current wait time is probably a bit discouraging.

I saw that Gunga Din was on, but I didn't watch it. If the lineup on TV continues in the usual path, it'll be on again tomorrow ... and the next day ... and the day after that.... Because, you know, we all want to watch the same movie three or four days in a row.

 

[paranoid marvin]

Re: Discussion AUGUST 75 Word Writing Challenge

Ha! You'll have to get in line -- and the current wait time is probably a bit discouraging.

I saw that Gunga Din was on, but I didn't watch it. If the lineup on TV continues in the usual path, it'll be on again tomorrow ... and the next day ... and the day after that.... Because, you know, we all want to watch the same movie three or four days in a row.

As far as Kipling is concerned the film of the novel ' The Man Who Would Be King' starring Connery and Caine is an absolute must.

 

[The Judge]

Re: Discussion AUGUST 75 Word Writing Challenge

Well, that's another last minute effort -- but to paraphrase Samuel Johnson, when a woman knows the Challenge is to be closed in a few hours, it concentrates the mind wonderfully... (well, it concentrates the mind, anyway -- the wonderful part is pretty missing )


MstrTal -- it's always the case that something crops up when you've set your mind on doing something else! I hope your friend and her children are all OK, though.

 

[Ursa major]

Re: Discussion AUGUST 75 Word Writing Challenge

We've already reached 46 entries and there's still 118 minutes to go.


There's a reasonable chance that we'll have 50 or more entries again.

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Re: Discussion AUGUST 75 Word Writing Challenge

As far as Kipling is concerned the film of the novel ' The Man Who Would Be King' starring Connery and Caine is an absolute must.

Oh yes, one of my favorites!

Wow, time for the hard choice again, huh? Ok, well, I'm off tomorrow for the first day of school, so I'll take a look.

 

[MstrTal]

Re: Discussion AUGUST 75 Word Writing Challenge

MstrTal -- it's always the case that something crops up when you've set your mind on doing something else! I hope your friend and her children are all OK, though.

Thanks TJ.

My Friend. . . Hell to be honest she and her family (as in Mother, 3 sisters and all their assorted Children) are the family I never had and always wanted. Not counting my own wife and children. So it was damned near a Horror story playing out all day with waiting on the doctors and everything. She herself has a severely sprained clavicle and is bruised the entire length of her body. Her oldest son (8) has lacerations on his right inner thigh and left wrist and her youngest son (2) has mild whip lash. The baby girl (1) miraculously sustained no injuries what at all other than a current fear of her car seat. Needles to say I did not sleep much myself last night. None of us did.

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Re: Discussion AUGUST 75 Word Writing Challenge

Wow, they are all very lucky, albeit stiff and sore. Sounds like a carful of people wearing seatbelts! We've had several nasty crashes around here this summer where people weren't, which turned out tragically. Three kids (18, 19 and 21) blew a tire and were all killed. Ugh.

I hope you and they all get some rest soon!

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

Re: Discussion AUGUST 75 Word Writing Challenge

Honorable mentions to

Slack:
Alchemist:
Ursa:

Voted for Harebrain

 

[Ursa major]

Re: Discussion AUGUST 75 Word Writing Challenge

Thanks for the mention, TEIN.


And many, many thanks for the vote, Oskari.

 

[Hex]

Re: Discussion AUGUST 75 Word Writing Challenge

Uh I wrote a long list and pretty much everyone was on it. I thought the standard was really high this time-- I enjoyed all the stories (even the ones I didn't understand). So I have a short list.

HareBrain -- The Play's 'The Thing' -- loved this, even though I had no idea what 'The Thing' was (and then I looked it up).

Mosaix -- The Final Curtain -- this was so sinister, and I loved its circularity

Oskari -- The Puzzle Master -- the first entry that really frightened me. I also wondered how it would have been different if the person chopped to bits had been a man.

Aun Doorback -- I thought you should know -- I liked this a lot. It was also horrible.

Bedlamite -- The Theatrical Agent -- This was fantastic, especially the wonderful language. It was my favourite but then there was...

Mouse -- The Soul Man -- scary and funny. With a marvellous first line.

Brev -- On the Wrong Side -- the panic in this one was awful. The end still makes me shiver.

TDZ -- Keep 'er -- urgh. Pumpkins.

No One --Oscar's Invisible War -- so clever and powerful. What a great idea.

Ursa Major -- Shortening the Working Day -- marvellously sinister. I loved it.


I'm voting for Mouse -- as soon as I read The Soul Man I suspected I would.


Edited to say: !!!!! Thank you so much for the votes MstrTal and Star Girl.

Dance dance dance dancey dance dance.

 

[Ursa major]

Re: Discussion AUGUST 75 Word Writing Challenge

Thanks for the "marvellously sinister", Hex.

 

[Hex]

Re: Discussion AUGUST 75 Word Writing Challenge

Thanks for the "marvellously sinister", Hex.

My pleasure. I think you should know I am wearing shoes and have been since I read your story.

 

[Ursa major]

Re: Discussion AUGUST 75 Word Writing Challenge

If that's your sole defence, I think you should know that will only delay the inevitable....

 

[RJM Corbet]

Re: Discussion AUGUST 75 Word Writing Challenge

Sorry Slack, the mouse decided that Hex beat you by just a whisker ... brrrr!