Discussion -- November 2011 Challenge

[hopewrites]

At least I logged on early enough this morning to see that short-lived "100%" next to my name. (Thanks, hopewrites!)

your welcome i had a tremendously long short list which i abandoned half way through reading because everyone seemed to be on it. so many stories to love for so many different reasons. After the 5th read through the whole lot i picked my vote then sat up haunting the "new posts" button waiting for the poll (and watching the old Journey to the Center of the Earth and crocheting my remnant blanket) so when it went up i pounced, reread one more time and voted before passing out.
well done everyone.

 

[Tecdavid]

My pleasure, Ursa. Perpetual's critique explains just why I voted for you; it was curious at first, but once you reached the end, then gave it another once-over, it turned out very clever and sly.

Oh, and if you're listening, Perpetual Man, thank you. I doubt I'll win this - In retrospect, I think mine was too much like the others - but it felt good to achieve it. I didn't think I could craft anything in just 75 words. The compliment means a lot to me.

 

[mosaix]

Thanks for the vote, Alchemist.

 

[Mith]

Yet again I struggled with the voting, but I manged to finally choose one!

Honourable mentions to:

Hopewrites
Phyrebrat
Glen
Chrispenycate
Nixie
Alchemist
Moonbat
Ursa Major

All worthy entries, but my winner is:

Stormfeather, I'm a dog lover and the ending to the story brought a smile to my face!

 

[Culhwch]

Thanks for the kind reviews, hope and Perp. I fear it's one of those months for me, and these may be the last mentions I garner. Still, I'm just happy I got something in and kept my attendance sheet perfect. There must be only a few of us left now....

 

[Chel]

Thanks for the kind reviews, hope and Perp. I fear it's one of those months for me, and these may be the last mentions I garner. Still, I'm just happy I got something in and kept my attendance sheet perfect. There must be only a few of us left now....

I had to give the 300-word challenge a pass last month, no matter how much I loved the photo of the angel. And I struggled for a long time to come up with anything in this challenge, so the moment I got my idea I just wrote it down and posted it. I do NOT want to miss a single 75-worder!

 

[Parson]

Thanks for the kind words Perp! I was very pleased to say "You loved it." I was not surprised that you were surprised by my approach. I surprised myself. I wanted to do something much nearer the Christian view of redemption, but every idea I came up with seemed to cheapen that ideal. I have a kind of story about an elf who sacrifices himself to save his lady love from a horrific arranged marriage. But the story didn't work for me.

And then when "Fantasy" is the format I feel I work at a serious disadvantage because of my SF bent.

Alchemist I am so pleased to be short listed. Usually I have a sense of whether anyone is really going to like my story or not. Not this time, so to make a short list is an unmitigated pleasure.

 

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

Yeah, it seems I won't be able to cast a vote this month, as I won't be able to go through each entry fairly, and I refuse to cast a vote until I know which one I like best out of all entries put up.


I'm sorry peeps. It has to do with this cold I have. It's not getting better and I get a headache from a bunch of text. And so many entries each month....*sigh*

 

[Droflet]

Another bumper crop this month. Boy, this is harder than writing. Anyhooo:

Honorable mentions:
Phyrebrat
Tisiphone
Abernovo
Chispy
Perp
Noak
Boneman

Finalist:
Alchemist
Parson
Mooonbat
Mosaix

For sheer audacity and originality (and for making it work where I and others couldn't) I had no other choice. Moonbat.

 

[Boneman]

For the first month ever, I didn't read any of the entries before I posted and I didn't read any of them until it closed. So it was a real pleasure to read them all in one sitting in order to work out my vote. Then it wasn't a real pleasure to choose one! I ruled out some great ones because I thought they didn't actually fit the bill as far as 'Redemption' went, and two because of spelling mistakes - cruel, I know, but with so many great stories, I seized upon any chance to whittle down the entries.

Here's my list, and my shortlist.

Glen
Starbeast
Aun Doorback
Chrispenycate
Dozmonic
Perpetual man
Sravaganti
Parson
Stormfeather
Ursa

Glen's story made me laugh out loud, a wonderful crafting of well-known ideas and idioms given a great twist. Starbeast, because the fall and the redemption came in one great telling, and I'd like to see it as a longer story. Chrispenycate's story sends a shiver down my spine every time I read it, which is a rarity. Parson's clever story of the writer struck a chord and I love the way he's brought the story to its conclusion - and in rhyme too! Ursa's fabulous take on redemption argued is brilliant, and I think I'll have to start going to classical concerts.

It's taken me ages to come up with a winner, and it was impossible to separate Glen and Ursa. I've re-read them four times, and it's only now struck me that they're both dialogue only... and both last lines made me laugh aloud, so maybe it's no wonder they've both come to the top of my pile. Can I have two votes please?

I've chickened out of choosing, and rolled a dice - even numbers for Ursa and odd for Glen - and it rolled a 3... But they truly both deserved to win. Can I give them half a vote each, please?

Well done to both and I'm truly sorry I had to separate them!

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Thanks for the mention, Alchemist.

 

[PolarityMan]

PolarityMan – This one flummoxed me for a while. I could not really make head nor tail of it, which I hate because it makes writing the comments so much harder. But... the trick here is that the first builder is building the bridge for himself. There is no reason, but get the feeling that it is some kind of cathartic exercise; the main character needs to redeem himself for belittling the other builder, or his lack of understanding of what the builder is doing, but his understanding and his desire to build his own bridge is what brings redemption.

I really struggled with the word count, I think another 30 words or so I could have got it across a lot more clearly. As it was I ended up using really short sentences just to get the bare bones in. It really is a difficult challenge!

The builder is supposed to be building a physical bridge as a result of some unspecified regret, almost like an act of penance. The narrator is supposed to have, eventually, learned from his mistake and redressed some previous thing he has regretted.

I'm glad I at least got a couple of mentions though!

Anyways, my vote when the The Spurring Platty this was just masterfully done. The dialog in particular was brilliant, my mind pretty much automatically filled in the blanks in that story.

It was a really tough call between that and Quokka's St George story though.

 

[Parson]

Telford and Boneman made my morning. Telford made me a finalist (Yea!!) and Boneman gave me a short listing. Thanks heaps!!

 

[Perpetual Man]

Thanks for the mention Boneman, I really did not expect anything this month, so it really made my day.

 

[alchemist]

Thanks for the vote, Chel, the mention, Mith, the shortlisting, telford and the review Perp.

Alchemist I am so pleased to be short listed. Usually I have a sense of whether anyone is really going to like my story or not. Not this time, so to make a short list is an unmitigated pleasure.

Like art, I know little about poetry but I know what I like. Yours brought me a smile and I loved the rhythm. It seemed effortless (but probably took a lot of effort).

 

[Parson]

Yeah, far from effortless, but the first couple of lines sort of fell into place and from there on I was committed (and often frustrated).

 

[Perpetual Man]

I've managed to put together a short list, but not much more than that at the moment.

hopewrites
Southron Sword
Chris
HareBrain
Alchemist
Parson
mosaix
Stormfeather
Ursa

 

[Bob Senior]

Howdy,
Voting was even harder than trying to put together a 75 word redemption story. Which I was unable to do, some stories just can't be told in 75 words.
I liked Perp Mans story, but after looking up a couple of words Parsons poem got my vote. Good work EVERYBODY.
Bob

 

[Parson]

Wow! A great note to head to bed on. A short list from Perp and a VOTE from Bob S. Sr. Thanks muchly guys. I'm going to have to block out some time and get my vote on.

 

[Perpetual Man]

Wow, thanks for the mention Bob!