Discussion 75 Word Challenge -- MARCH

[Tisiphone]

Thanks DustyZebra, Moonbat and David Evil Overlord for the mentions!

Chrispenycate - havent forgotten to vote - will be re-reading them all this evening and casting my vote (have been out all weekend building tree houses and slides!)

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Thank you to all who short-listed my story!

I'm in a bit of a rush, so no time to post my (long) short list, so it will have to be the shorter list.

Karn
TacticalLoco
pyan
mosaix
Luiglin
Culhwch

And my vote goes to Karn.

 

[Tisiphone]

Stormcrow - WitchWoods? - Why Clapham Woods of course - quite eerie, definately haunted and so beautiful at this time of year with all the bluebells in full bloom. Thanks for the mention!

 

[HareBrain]

I once went "witch-hunting" in Clapham Woods after dark, with two drunken friends. From what I've since read about the group that used to operate there, I'm very glad we didn't find anything.

I've been very strict with my short-list, only including stories I thought matched my (perhaps too restrictive) idea of what Magical Realism should be. (There were plenty of excellent stories that didn't quite make it for that reason.) The very hard final choice ended up being between Teresa and slindeman, and slindeman (just) gets it.

 

[mosaix]

Thanks for the short list, Teresa.

 

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

A second vote? Wow. Two more than I expected. Many thanks, TE.

 

[The Judge]

Thanks for the votes and the short-listings, folks. Much appreciated.

I might as well copy HareBrain's post here. Like him, I had a very clear idea in my mind of what Magic Realism should entail, perhaps an overly-constrained idea, but as a result I've had to exclude a lot of good, well-written entries because they didn't to me fit the bill, being more ordinary fantasy or even ghost stories, which was a shame.

No short-list this time, just for me a clear winner, slindeman The Weeping Wall.

 

[Tisiphone]

Lots of brilliant entries

My Short List, My Shorter list, My Vote**

Warren Paul – The Observers

Karn – Criers Lake

Paranoid Marvin – Hi Honey – I’m Home!

Alchemist – The HouseOn The Edge Of The Forest

Aun Doorback – The Summoners

Stormcrow – Das Unheimliche

GrizzGreen 711 – The Long Arm of the Disturbed Law

Luiglan – The Dancers

Culhwch – Make-BelieveWings **

 

[HareBrain]

I might as well copy HareBrain's post here.

You've been witch-hunting in Clapham Woods too, eh? I doubt anyone's surprised.

 

[paranoid marvin]

A few shortlists this month, thankyou so much guys!

One clear winner, one clear , loved it and laughed!

But Culwch, that was so moving; I give you my vote gladly.

 

[HoopyFrood]

Managed to look back through the thread now and have seen that I've had a fair few shortlisting and even some shorter listings. Many thanks to everyone who has mentioned my story! Each is greatly appreciated.

HoopyFrood
Proper scary.

Considering my tastes and interests and my attempts at such in my own work, this may be the best feedback I've ever had! Thanks!

 

[Warren_Paul]

Thanks for the short-listing Tisiphone.

 

[Abernovo]

Thank you for the mention, Bob S Sr.

 

[Aaron Stone]

Thanks for the mention, Starbeast! Oh, and it was honorable!

 

[stormcrow]

DEO, Starbeast, Tisiphone - thank you for the listings.

Tisiphone & Harebrain - Local geography alert!

Uncannily, I used to work in Clapham Woods, & spent many good days & nights there . . .er . . . having fun. More uncannily, the view from my story's real location west over Munnery's Copse, is of . . . Clapham Woods.

Tingle.

 

[StormFeather]

Voted!

Cul got my vote this time. I read all the stories, cogitated for a while, and realised that the one that really stayed with me, and made me feel emotional, was 'Make-Believe Wings'. Beautiful.

Congratulations to all - brilliant stories all round again!

 

[HareBrain]

More uncannily, the view from my story's real location west over Munnery's Copse, is of . . . Clapham Woods.

Tingle.

I liked your story too, Stormcrow. I think I might even have heard about the plane during my time with the Sussex Downs Conservation Board. Anyway, it reminded me of a piece of art I have at home of a wrecked Stuka being slowly consumed by vegetation, and in which it has the feel almost of a dead dragon.

 

[stormcrow]

Thanks Harebrain - mutual interests, it seems!

Killer ending to your story - snoring indeed!

 

[Culhwch]

Cutting it fine with my vote this month. On my short list were Abernovo, Karn, reiver, Hoopy and Aun. It was a tough call, but after sleeping on it I went with Hoopy.

Shocked to find myself in the lead briefly this morning, but ever so grateful for the votes StormFeather, Tisiphone and paranoid Marvin!

 

[Ursa major]

While the standards are usually good, this month's crop of entries was outstanding. There are stories that just failed to get an Honourable Mention that might have been Runners Up in other challenges.

As usual, the entries are in date-of-posting order within each category:



Honourable Mentions:

• Crier's Lake by Karn Maeshalanadae
• The House On The Edge Of The Forest by alchemist
• And I Will Try To Fix You by HoopyFrood
• The Summoners by Aun Doorback

Runners Up:

• Pre-science by TheDustyZebra
• The Alchemist by DarkPoet
• A Simple Spell by Moonbat

Winner:

• Plain Brown Wrapper by pyan