Discussion -- 300 Word Challenge #3

[Ursa major]

Re: Discussion thread -- Three Hundred Word Writing Challenge #3

Well done, Chris. They are, indeed, the Harpies.


Because I'd left myself less than two hours to research, write and edit down the story, I relied on Wiki (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harpies), which states that in the tradition which that associates them with the Argonauts, there were three of them:

• Aello ("storm swift"), whose name my narrator misheard as Yellow;
• Celaeno ("the dark");
• and Ocypete ("the swift wing"), whose name was pronounced in the village in such a way that the narrator heard it as Aussie Pete.

 

[Hex]

Re: Discussion thread -- Three Hundred Word Writing Challenge #3

Thanks for the mention, TEIN!

And Ursa -- do you ever wonder if you're too clever for us? (I mean... I did wonder who Aussie Pete was, but I wouldn't have guessed the answer in a gazillion years).

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Re: Discussion thread -- Three Hundred Word Writing Challenge #3

With so many voters still to vote, it's practically anyone's race. There are a lot of twos and threes who could make their move on the home stretch.

As it stands now, every vote counts, so I hope everyone who entered a story will vote, and of course anyone who is reading through the stories whether they wrote one of them or not, your votes may be decisive, too.

 

[Ursa major]

Re: Discussion thread -- Three Hundred Word Writing Challenge #3

Thanks for the mention, TEIN!

And Ursa -- do you ever wonder if you're too clever for us?

I think the adjective you're looking for may be "obscure".

(I mean... I did wonder who Aussie Pete was, but I wouldn't have guessed the answer in a gazillion years).

The identity of the creatures wasn't really important to the story, other than to justify, to me, why a beautiful female being might have wings, be fond of food and have dangerous associates (sisters, in fact), and to give some sort of reason as to why the aforementioned creature was called Pete (and would have an affinity to an Australian tourist/visitor).

So best think of it is that it's like the world building that is never seen by the reader: a sort of logical framework that means the workings of the story aren't merely deus ex machina in action.

 

[Boneman]

Re: Discussion thread -- Three Hundred Word Writing Challenge #3

Just so difficult choosing... even with three votes!! My initial shortlist have 19 entries on it, so I agonised, whittled it down as best I could; took one off just because of a grammatical error, which seemed really mean... and still ended up with 14 excellent entries.

shortened shortlist and those that deserved to win.

Talysia
Karn
Rain
Phoenixthe writer
Spurring Platty
Southron sword
Harebrain
TDZ
Highlander
HoopyFrood
Alchemist
Parson
Moonbat
Mosaix

I truly wish I'd had five votes, but in the end, harder still, I chose TDZ, Highlander and Mosaix.

 

[mosaix]

Re: Discussion thread -- Three Hundred Word Writing Challenge #3

Thanks for the mention, Chris and thanks for the vote, Boneman!

 

[Parson]

Re: Discussion thread -- Three Hundred Word Writing Challenge #3

Boneman -- Thanks for the mention. Much appreciated.

 

[Moonbat]

Re: Discussion thread -- Three Hundred Word Writing Challenge #3

That was as tough as alligator meat.

Ok, my short list, and my votes


Abernovo
Talysia
Rain
Spurring platty
Paranoid Marvin
Hex
Harebrain
Highlander
Quokka
Chrispenycate
Okuporr
Alchemist
Boneman
Teresa Edgerton
Mosaix

some really good ones that didn't get my vote, I think for the first time I really did feel that 3 votes wasn't enough. Well done to eveyone for some brilliant ideas and well presetned stories.

 

[hopewrites]

Re: Discussion thread -- Three Hundred Word Writing Challenge #3

TEiN thank you for the vote
its fun reading through everyone's shortlists and comments on why they voted.

 

[Boneman]

Re: Discussion thread -- Three Hundred Word Writing Challenge #3

Thanks Moonbat - to get a mention with those stories is high praise indeed!

 

[Talysia]

Re: Discussion thread -- Three Hundred Word Writing Challenge #3

Wow - thanks for the honourable mentions, Boneman and Moonbat!

 

[Ökuþórr]

Re: Discussion thread -- Three Hundred Word Writing Challenge #3

Huge thanks to TheEndIsNigh and Moonbat for your votes.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Re: Discussion thread -- Three Hundred Word Writing Challenge #3

Wow three hours of the road to Stranraer wiped away thanks so much Glen, Southorn Sword, and Quokka. I'm amazed

Will get to reading them all over the weekend, and I promise to vote by Sunday TE

 

[Starbeast]

Re: Discussion thread -- Three Hundred Word Writing Challenge #3

Thank you Hopewrites for your vote.

I enjoyed reading just about every story, it took days to decide on three, but I cast my votes for........


Glen - The Graveyard

Southron Sword - A Soldiers Memory

Devil's Advocate - When Angels Deserve to Die

 

[alchemist]

Re: Discussion thread -- Three Hundred Word Writing Challenge #3

A heap of thanks to Moonbat and hopewrites for the votes, and TEiN and Boneman for the mentions. I've got 2 of my 3 votes decided; just need to find the other.

 

[Highlander]

Re: Discussion thread -- Three Hundred Word Writing Challenge #3

I must admit that I had hoped to get my first vote in the 300 challenge - and now I have two! Many thanks Chrispenycate and Boneman! Much appreciated!
Thanks too also to Moonbat for the hon mention.
I am having a short holiday break - back Sunday - and will read the stories then and vote. Wifi not wonderful here and am only using I-pod touch.

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Re: Discussion thread -- Three Hundred Word Writing Challenge #3

Wow, look at that! Many thanks to Boneman, Karn, Glen, Mith and Quokka for the votes! Looks like it's quite the battle shaping up here. I can feel the nipping at my heels.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Re: Discussion thread -- Three Hundred Word Writing Challenge #3

Oh, so hard, but my shortlist goes
Abernovo; a new take on the Grimm tales, but keeping the dark sense.
Karn; the poetic first line and the evocative language worked.
Glen; really well written, pacy, I liked this a lot
Spurring Platty; enough said, ardent arachnophobe here, so it sticks in the mind
Paranoid Marvin; lovely clear voice building a real history
Quokka; imagery here sticks with me, very eerily beautiful
Alchemist; clever tale, very well told
Mith; the last paragraph carried me along

so, I'm voting for spurring platy, Mith and Quokka.

BTW looking at my votes, can I have a visa to Australia? somewhere without spiders if possible?

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Re: Discussion thread -- Three Hundred Word Writing Challenge #3

Thank you, Perp, Mouse, and chris for the votes, and Moonbat for the mention. (If I've missed out on anyone else I should be thanking, blame it on the antihistamines I'm taking.)

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Re: Discussion thread -- Three Hundred Word Writing Challenge #3

Oh, Teresa, I can sympathize with that! I've had this blasted cold since last week, and it's only getting worse! I thought it had gone away, and now it's back in full force. I had to buy more Benadryl today. I'm not sure if it's safe to read the stories and make a list right now or not!