Discussion - February 2011 - 75 Word Challenge

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Howdy,
I am, for the moment, speachless.

All I can say for now is, "you like me, you really, really like me"
 
Now, before the award for best story, let's review the individual category winners, who all have a chance at the top award:

springs1971 for The Nun's Walk; Gwyneth Paltrow, best female actor in a leading role *Gwyneth smiles angelically*

Scott R Forshaw for The Butcher of ol' Howfen; best catering. *Gwyneth appears pale at the clip of TBOOH. Or is she? Who can tell anymore?*

crystal haven for A heart of stone; best set design *Gwyneth cries, but is it real? Who can tell anymore?*

Glen for I second that emotion; best costumes *Richard Dreyfus (or is it?) takes a bow*

Kaladan for Consequences; best actor *John Travolta as Death, takes the applause. Yet another comeback, and after Battlefield Earth, who would have believed that?*

HareBrain for Woodwitch, best make-up. *Keanu Reeves as animate wood. Ironic, they said.

And the winner is: *drumroll; sound of Charlie Sheen being sick*

crystal haven for A heart of stone. *Gwyneth cries, Keanu impassive; but are they real? Who can tell anymore?*
Click to expand...


Thanks, Alc, I appreciate the nomination ... I think? :)

This made me choke with laughter. So much so, infact, that I have now been forced to use the desktop while the laptop dries out - it doesn't seem to agree with spat out coffee, too much. Neither do my burning nostrils, come to think of it. :D
 
I apologise for your laptop, Scott. :D

I have experience of laptops and liquids (children, y'know). It will dry out.



In time.
 
Yey. The pin has spoken. I have a short list! (I couldn't list everyone's, but I was tempted)

Honourable mentions:

HighEight
Aun Dorback
Phoenix
DEO
Springs
Glen
TSP
Kaladan
Johnnyjet


Short list:

Crystal haven
AMB
HareBrain
Slindeman
Cul
Boneman

Reduced (by simmering) to I-can't-decide-at-all-list:

AMB
HareBrain
Cul

(what I loved about these three was they seemed to conjure whole worlds, with backgrounds and identities so effectively. Reading them one after another was quite dizzying, to go from AMB's chattering monastery to HareBrain's magical celtic woodlands, to Cul's dark urban despair)

The pin speaks:

Cul

(not just the pin -- I thought the heavy sense of despair and horror was incredibly well done. I loved the language).
 
This has been terribly hard, but I have, at last, put together my shortlist. And my four favourites *.

TacticalLoco – Long Term Fidelity
HareBrain – Woodwitch
TheDustyZebra – Coup de Plume
Nixie – Man’s Best Friend
MemoryTale – The Seeker
Boneman – The Long Wait
Kaladan – Consequences
Moonbat – In loving memory of the spoken word
*Teresa Edgerton – The Dead Can Weep
*Slindeman – Hindsight is 20/20
*Scott R. Forshaw – The Butcher of ol’ Howfen
*Stormcrow – Why we seldom see fairies . . .

It came down to a choice between Scott R. Forshaw and Stormcrow.

My vote goes to Stormcrow – Why we seldom see fairies . . . I loved both the story and the style . . . very magical.


And thank you, Hex, for choosing my story for your shortlist.
 
I've fallen way behind responding to this thread. Thank you very much to everyone who mentioned my story. Special thanks to nixie, Talysia, and Warren Paul who voted for it.

It was particularly difficult this month coming up with a short list. There were so many stories that I liked and had to think very hard before not including them. However, after much thought ...

My short and shorter lists:
alchemist
stormcrow
Boneman
Glen
Parson
Aun Doorback
crystal haven
HoopyFrood
Vertigo
southron sword
TDZ
Phyrebrat (because I found your story irresistible from the beginning).
 
Thank you so much for your vote, Teresa; to get a vote from such a heavy hitter, and with such a lovely comment, is the highlight of my day!

Thanks also to those who shortlisted me; after the shameful ticking off I got last month, I am pleased to have climbed out the pen :)


Echoing what has been said already, I wanted to chime in and agree that the stories submitted this month really were good. As I read and read them again, the same five stick out, although I could add six more.


So, here are the faces of my Final Five;

Anyakimlin – Hiptastic
Phonenixthewriter – Collateral Damage
TacticalLoco – Long Term Fidelity
Slindemann – Hindsight is 20/20
Bob S. Sr – The Railroad Man

Which was whittled down to

Anyakimlin – Hiptastic
Phonenixthewriter – Collateral Damage
TacticalLoco – Long Term Fidelity
Slindemann – Hindsight is 20/20
Bob S. Sr – The Railroad Man

In other words I could not decide so I went for the one which gave me the most visceral response and so would like to cast (or ‘spellwrite’ ;) ) my vote for...

Bob S. Sr – The Railroad Man

pH
 
Sorry, I've fallen behind on responding, as well.

Many thanks to springs1971, MemoryTale and stormcrow for the votes, and to Abernovo and Moonbat for the almost-votes, and to johnnyjet, TacticalLoco, Perpetual Man, crystalhaven and Teresa for the honorable mentions. Quite appreciated!
 
Hex said:
The pin speaks:

Cul

(not just the pin -- I thought the heavy sense of despair and horror was incredibly well done. I loved the language).
Click to expand...

Thanks, Hex, much appreciated - and be sure to pass on my gratitude to the pin, as well! Thanks also to Grizz for the other vote, and to everyone who has mentioned, long-listed or short-listed my little story.
 
Kind of easy, kind of tough. Pottering about earlier, thinking that I really have to vote tonight, all unbidden, one story in particular popped into my head. I'd had a quick read-through yesterday, but not in depth enough I'd thought, to make a real impact.

Having read through tonight, my winner still stands, so that was the easy bit. As to giving credit to the many others who also deserve it - could be easy as it would be very lazy, but honest, to say everyone. However, as this is, I believe, a record breaking month entries-wise I am going to expand my short-list as my head is hurting trying to make it any smaller. So. . . .

All of the following really caught my imagination:

Scott R Forshaw
Abernovo
Alchemist
Reiver33
Stormcrow
Nixie
PolarityMan
Perpetual Man
Vertigo
HareBrain
Mosaix
Southron Sword
Bob S Sr
TDZ
Culhwch
The Judge

But, the one that I remembered, and the one that I found most haunting, was Crystal Haven - A Heart of Stone. Brilliant, and gave me a tingly shiver.

Thank you to Perp Man for your lovely review once again, and the mention. Also to TDZ for the listing, and finally to Vertigo for the vote - happy days :D:D:D
 
Shortlist:

Springs1971 - For slipping a dirty joke into what is still a very good story.
Pheonixthewriter - Great stuff. Very subtle and conveying as much story as something ten times the length.
Kaladan - Nasty!
Phyrebrat - We need more magic lollipop ladies!
Bob S Snr - What can I say? I just love folkloric stuff.
Culhwch - Creepy and packing a punch.

And my final choice - Lollipop Lady by Phyrebrat. Because I like the way it's written.
 
Thank you Crystal haven! Glad you enjoyed it.

Thanks also to Teresa and StormFeather, I appreciate the mentions.
 
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