Discussion 75 Word Challenge -- MARCH

[David Evil Overlord]

Thanks for the shortlisting, Johnnyjet.

 

[Bowler1]

For those of you that have given me a mention thank you very much, I'm glad you liked my little 75 word entry. I'm sitting here, dressed in green all ready for next month, best described as a little bit keen...

I have to say thanks to Springs, as the idea popped right into my brain after reading Springs post.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

@Bowler Between you and DEO, I am getting a little depressed why I can't come up with my own stories from all the lovely ideas which circulate my brain
Glad to be of sevice, though!

Nice hat!

 

[David Evil Overlord]

I must post now, so Springs will be between Bowler and DEO.

 

[Perpetual Man]

Thanks to Tactical Loco and Warren for the Short-listings, and my short list:
Hex
Warren
Teresa
Karn
Alchemist
Nixie
Stormcrow
R J Dando
Starbeast
Tactical Loco
Chris
Pyan
Moonbat
James Coote
and Cul

Phew, off to have a little think and re-read on those and then a vote is in order.

 

[TacticalLoco]

Initial shortlist:

crystal haven
Teresa Edgerton
Alchemist
TacticalLoco
mosaix
TDZ
phyrebrat
The Judge

WoW! Thank you Aaron. Impressive company to be listed with.

 

[TacticalLoco]

Perp and Johnny,
Thanks to you as well.

 

[Aaron Stone]

After much thinking and coffee, and some shopping (which has nothing to do with this) my vote goes to:

The Judge - Face Value

First off, the subtlety of the magic is so well done, I didn't even realize I was reading a work of fiction until the last line. I think you're talking about one thing, and then that last line spins it into something completely different. So that's the Magical Realism being extremely well thought-out.

Now, for me, a faceless person, and the imagery that it brings along, kinda' scares the stuffing outta me. Just a blank, featureless oval of flat, fleshy skin, no expression, no eyes, mouth, nose, no holes of any kind, just soft tan skin stretching from forehead to chin. Like one of those faceless mannequins, but flesh instead of plastic. And it's a person. It really struck a chord in me - the Uncanny chord of Uncanniness Extreme. Well done TJ. Masterfully written.

 

[nixie]

Thanks for the mention High Eight and Pep, yes it was Dagda

 

[Jo Zebedee]

I think it might be one of those myths, Nixie, that crosses over several mythologies, which is great for this challenge. In Ireland, we have a similar legend about Bran the Blessed, which crosses over to one of the smaller Arthurian legends, too.

 

[stormcrow]

High Eight - thank you for your vote. I'd love to believe I could write that novel! At least the real elements are well documented.

Perp Man - thank you for the shortlisting.

 

[Perpetual Man]

I've been back through my short list and narrowed it down to four, so:

Karn,
Nixie,
Moonbat
and Cul.

Take a bow.

It has been harder again this month, but in the end there was just that something that made me choose by that hairs breadth.

My choice: Karn

 

[Mouse]

I was choosing between Pyan and TJ. I would've voted for both, if I could. As it was I went for Py, simply because I've voted for TJ before.

 

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

Hm...how very interesting. Thanks for the vote Perp. And thanks for the mentions from others.


To be perfectly honest, I would have freaked if there really was a lake like Crier's Lake along my state's coastal region. Devil's Lake has its own ancient legends, but it's nowhere near the setting that Crier's Lake was meant to be.

 

[Warren_Paul]

Thanks for the short-listing mention, Perp.

 

[r_j_dando]

Thanks to Choccoweeble, Slindeman and Perp for the short-listings - good to know I'm doing something right! Looking forward to next month already

 

[High Eight]

Thanks for the mentions and shortlists Abernovo, choccoweeble, Glen, and Olive Skye.

My Honorable Mentions:
Hex
Alchemist
HoopyFrood
High Eight
Ursa Major

Shorlist:
Bob S Sr.
r_j_dando
Phoenixthewriter
Culhwch

My vote went to Phyrebrat. It especially made me wonder what potentially dangerous things the young boy might unwittingly unleash with his set of Legos.

Thanks for the mention, Slindeman.

 

[High Eight]

My third time voting and again a very difficult decision. The quality again was very high and it took me a while to narrow down my favorites. But here it goes:

MY SHORT LIST:

1. Like mother, like son * crystal haven
2. Mrs. Johnson * Teresa Edgerton
3. Crier's Lake * Karn Maeshalanadae
4. Wooden Hearts * Bob S. Sr.
5. Fluffy Bunny * David Evil Overlord
6. The House On The Edge Of The Forest * alchemist
7. And I Will Try To Fix You * HoopyFrood
8. Bob * MemoryTale
9. Clunko the World’s Greatest Clown * Starbeast
10. The Show! * TacticalLoco
11. Down There in the Dark * High Eight
12. The Weeping Wall * slindeman
13. Legoboy * Phyrebrat
14. The Dancers * Luiglin
15. Make-Believe Wings * Culhwch


MY TOP FIVE:

1. Wooden Hearts * Bob S. Sr.
2. Bob * MemoryTale
3. Down There in the Dark * High Eight
4. Legoboy * Phyrebrat
5. Make-Believe Wings * Culhwch


AND FINALLY, AFTER MUCH RUMINATION, MY FAVORITE:

Wooden Hearts * Bob S. Sr.

Wooo, top five! Thanks, Johnny!

 

[Bob Senior]

Hey Slindeman, thanks for the shortlist mention.

And Johnnyjet, thankyou for the vote, I was worried for a while that I'd be riding high in Feb and shot down in Mar.

P.S.---this country boy had to look up Rumination (you can never be too careful)
Bob

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Thanks for the mentions, Warren Paul and Aaron Stone!

I'm sad to have chopped some really excellent stories that I just couldn't quite see fitting one or the other of theme/genre. It's a nebulous thing to hit this time, to be sure, so the lack could well be in my observation rather than in the stories.

Anyway, to the short list, the shorter list, and *the vote*:

crystal haven -- Like Mother, Like Son
Bob S. Sr -- Wooden Hearts
*alchemist -- The House on the Edge of the Forest*
HoopyFrood -- And I Will Try to Fix You
Aun Doorback -- The Summoners
hopewrites -- What Food Had to Say
Aaron Stone -- Forsooth, Foretold
Teresa Edgerton -- Mrs. Johnson
reiver33 -- A Life Not Lived
paranoid marvin -- Hi Honey, I'm Home!
slindeman -- The Weeping Wall
Phyrebrat -- Legoboy
The Judge -- Face Value
Karn Maeshalanadae -- Crier's Lake
Tisiphone -- The Tree Nymph