Discussion 75 Word Challenge -- MARCH

[Luiglin]

Back on home PC. Very long day helping someone move house. So back to the stories.

Enjoyed all of them but the ones that tweaked me the most were ...

The Judge ... nice last line
Vertigo ... liked the conversation
Bowler1 ... just for the leprechaun
David Evil Overload ... Show and Tell > rofl

Vote went to Culhwch ... hackles raising

 

[juelz4sure]

This is my short listBowler1
nixie
Starbeast**
AlcubierreWarp*
Luiglin*
Moonbat*
Harebrain
Darkpoet

Can't wait til next month's challenge

 

[High Eight]

Springs
Crystal Haven
Paranoid Marvin.
DEO
Hopewrites
High Eight


Shortlist and the winner was Hopewrites for making me giggle when I needed it.

Ooh, a shortlisting! Thanks, Anya!

 

[crystal haven]

Thank you, Anya, for choosing my story for your shortlist.

 

[nixie]

Thanks for the short list juelz.

 

[alchemist]

A whole heap of thanks to choccoweeble and MemoryTale for the votes. They've put me in great form.

I've got my longlist of 12; just need to sharpen my axe.

 

[AlcubierreWarp]

Thanks for the shortlist Juelz!!! =D

 

[Bob Senior]

Howdy,
Thank you, Warren, Chocco and Tatical for the mentions and short listings.


Pyan, did you check in after I cast the first vote? you had 100%, very impressive.

 

[Warren_Paul]

Pyan, did you check in after I cast the first vote? you had 100%, very impressive.

I'd be worried if he didn't have 100% of one vote.

Would that be considered voting for more than one person?

 

[David Evil Overlord]

Thanks for the shortlisting, AnyaKimlin and Luiglin.

I'd be worried if he didn't have 100% of one vote.

Would that be considered voting for more than one person?

It would certainly be...uncanny.

Just looked at the votes -- we currently have a three-way tie between Alchemist, Pyan and Culhwch.

 

[juelz4sure]

Thanks for the shortlist Juelz!!! =D

Thanks for the short list juelz.

you two deserve it keep up the great writings

 

[alchemist]

Looking at your edit there, DEO, I don't have a semi-colon in me; I have two, making up one whole colon

 

[Glen]

Thanks to all - I enjoyed reading all those stories.

crystal caven - Like mother, like son
Loved the spare writing, pushing the story along with good evocative words to help build atmosphere in the 75 wd limit. Esp like cackled', and 'fantastic' (chosen for its double meaning?). Has the scary element of uncanny. This cave, wouldn't happen to be near where you live?

Scott R Forshaw - Witch Tea
Liked the good, clear story, and the contrast between the warm, cosy language and the outcome. Good witch or bad?

alchemist - The House On The Edge Of The Forest
Properly uncanny. Atmosphere, depth, human character, a comedic end. A story that has grabbed the double horns of the theme and genre and thrown the beast of a challenge to the ground. A tour de force.

Glen - Academic Face Off
I thought the challenge was difficult this month, with a fair bit of overlap between theme and genre, which suggested this academic squabble. Self-referential? Yes. A story? Maybe not. Should you laugh at your own jokes? No.

Nixie - The Soup Kitchen
Hmmmm, stew. Liked that this was magial realism working for good. Life-affirming. Reminds me of the Oirishman who got an endless bottle of Guinness for his first wish, and enjoyed it so much he asked for another for his second wish...(It's Ok, I'm Oirish, I'm allowed.)

HoopyFrood
Proper scary.

r j dando - The Price
Proper sad. (But funny avatar image).

pyan - Plain Brown Wrapper
lol. I liked this juxtaposition, with the fantasy stuff the norm. Liked the enthusiasm of the character: 'And this month's, too...'

slindeman - The Weeping Wall
Wow. I didn't understand this, but couldn't get past it. Had to read and re-read. A house burying itself, a troubled family...fascinating.

Culhwch - Make-Believe Wings
Properly uncanny, proper scary and proper sad.

Ursa Major - Lifting One’s Spirits
Tight writing, packing a lot in to those 75 wds. Another postive, life-affirming story.

My vote will go to alchemist.

PS Thanks to Warren Paul, Springs1971, Karn Maeshalanadae and Perpetual Man for the mentions and /or short-listing. Not enough mentions and short-listings, I fear, to get me anywhere near the top of the league this month, so it's back to the writing dungeon for me.

 

[Bob Senior]

I'd be worried if he didn't have 100% of one vote.

Would that be considered voting for more than one person?

Hey, if I were ever able to catch it with my story showing 100% of the votes I would print enough copies to paper one whole wall. A little doctoring of the print-outs might just be necessary.


Good luck Pyan


Bob

 

[David Evil Overlord]

Looking at your edit there, DEO, I don't have a semi-colon in me; I have two, making up one whole colon

The "L" and ";" keys on my keyboard are ever so close together, so you were known as "A;chemist" in the first, unedited draft...

 

[Perpetual Man]

Really, really busy this weekend - I have not forgotten the remaining comments, hopefully should have them done in the next few days and a short list and a vote!

 

[Olive Skye]

I didn't get to enter this time, but I'm going to try my hand at creating a shortlist.

This is the preliminary, I'll have to cut it down to three and then to one.

crystal haven - I found this humorous and creepy at the same time. Excellently done.
pyan - The essence of magical realism. Loved it.
mosaix - The scene is so perfectly set in just seventy-five words. I already felt connected to the character by the end. Fantastic.
slindeman - I felt a bit of confusion throughout the whole story, but that just helped fuel the growing unease and general uncanniness of it. Marvelous.
HareBrain - So normal until the end, when a shiver went down my spine. Uncanny magical realism indeed.
Culhwch - The little girl really touched my heart. I actually teared up at the ending. Masterful.
Aaron Stone - I have a special fear of those ugly birds. Irony and fate played well together here, and it really left me with that Twilight Zone feeling, which is exactly what I think "uncanny" should be.

 

[crystal haven]

Thank you Olive Skye, for including my story on your shortlist. And hello and a warm welcome, I don't think we've spoken before.

Glen - thank you for the mention. There is a place called Mother Shipton's Cave (there is a website) and this is where the idea for the story came from.

 

[Glen]

Mother Shipton's Cave

The story reminded me strongly of it. There can't be that many caves with petrified witches in them! I've been there, long time ago, and it must have left an impression that your story evoked very well.

Great story. Good luck with the voting!

 

[mosaix]

Grizz, Tactical, Olive - thanks for the mentions and short lists.