Discussion -- 75 Word Challenge -- APRIL

[r_j_dando]

Aaah, silly formatting issues! There is a space between 'them' and 'closer', honest! (Two spaces, in fact...)

Love the theme and genre, and enjoying the entries so far

 

[allmywires]

My first go at this...nice little remedy for writer's block.

 

[Mouse]

Karn, cheers dude!

TJ, issues? Intriguing!

 

[Bowler1]

I have just seen what the April challenge is and already there are loads of posts. It's a nice theme, to be fair and I have something in mind already - now to make it fit 75 words.

Inspiration - I had it here a second ago, where did I put it this time?

 

[alchemist]

Thanks for the review Karn. Any proximity to Mouse's story was purely coincidental and bears no resemblance to other conspiracies, living or dead

 

[Phyrebrat]

So....reading all this excitement for the April challenge I guess I am the only one who is completely at sea with this genre? that's what I love about these challenges; they make me realise how cozy I am in my usual comfort zone....

Well I'll see what comes but don't hold yer breath

pH

 

[Jo Zebedee]

I agree Phyrebat. I found it hard to move past the miserable, and find any humour, which I like to see in some of the challenge stories.

 

[Ursa major]

What's miserable about someone who's recovered from the aftermath of an infection of the outer parts of the mouth?

 

[Christopher Lee]

This is a tough one this month; not my usual cup of tea. I do have a few ideas simmering, but nothing special.

 

[Bob Senior]

I just want it known that my own son did not vote for me in the Feb challenge (his vote would have given me the win), but I raised him right and he voted for the story that he thought was best.

I did have a little talk with him afterwards (just kidding), I'm proud that he is his own man.

Bob

 

[The Judge]

All credit to the two of you, Bob.

And just for the record, we're not going to be sitting down doing abstruse calculations and wondering if the fact that X voted for Y when last month Y voted for X implies some kind of collusion. We all have our favourite story-tellers because we like their style or humour or -- in the case of HB -- underpants, and that's understood by everyone. Just vote for the writer of the best story. Or me.

 

[Bowler1]

I'm in on day three, but there are already loads of good posts on - its going to be a tough one to win this month. Still I'm happy with my little 75 word idea.

 

[Vertigo]

Struggling to come up with something for this one but it's early days yet and I have an idea for the 300 so not all bad!

 

[stormcrow]

As ever, some truly imaginative and interesting entries posted already!

Good choice of material for our challenge this month Culhwch!

Now...where's my thinking cap (again)!?

 

[Bowler1]

I looked at the 300 word challange, but nothing came to mind - so far a blank there - or is that just normal for me!

 

[TacticalLoco]

So two full pages of entries already. Yikes!
And some very fine ones at that.
Very fine ones by new people even!
What's an old story teller to do?

Actually my submission almost typed itself after reading the terrific combination of theme and style. Thanks to Cul for the great choice.
I don't know that it a great story but it's a cautionary tale of a possible future. Better not say more.

So Karn is writing reviews now eh? Cool. That's a huge task and I'm grateful someone is keeping the tradition going.

I seem to be always saying how thankful I am for the Chrons and this virtual place. That's because I truly am!

Off to read the 300 word challenge now.

 

[Scott R. Forshaw]

Okay, my hat's in the ring - and I'm sure my towel will be by the end of the month, too. There's been some great entries, so far, and no doubt there will be many more to come, as well.

Karn, you're doing a fantastic job. Keep up the good work! As for Perp: we're all going to miss your wonderful observations this month; it won't be the same without you, buddy. Congratulations on the new addition to your family, though - and all the best for the future.

 

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

If I remember correctly, I had left off with Stormfeather, so, here goes.


Hex: Evolution, all over again. I get the feeling that within your story Earth seems to merely be a broken record. I feel it's rather neutral, emotionally, but a rather welcome treat to how dark this genre can be, and I have to say, hard to pull off with this theme, but I feel you've done it.


rj: These family-centered ones always seem to get to me, especially ones like this when the family gets separated. But just a little glimpse into the lives of zombie survivors, and at such a young age. The narrator must really be a little trooper. I applaude him/her.


allmywires: And the streets ran red with blood. Vampire, I'm guessing? It almost has some kind of last stand feel to it, a situation that I've always been very fond of, but one I know is never practical and almost never works out the way one usually would want them to. What I'm wondering is, what was she and her lover hiding from?


choccoweeble: I've asked this question before; in a post-apocalyptic setting, would the last shreds of humanity go into a band of brothers state of mind, or would we revert to our darker, more carnal natures? It seems with this one you've gone the latter, but not where the narrator was concerned. Emotional and quite sad. I only hope the narrator is able to keep that promise.


Bowler1: A title swiped from dystopian to post-apocalyptic, and works well with both settings. And really rather a classic setting during times of hard survival, I must say. Sons replacing their fathers, trying to grab hold of what little power there is, when power means survival. I guess it's up to us to figure out what he did to dear old daddy, though...


TacticalLoco: Reads like a conspiracy theory, this one. But one I could see easily happening under the right circumstances. A lot of movies and games have been done in such a similar fashion.


CH: They might consider themselves lucky now, but give them just two days. That's when I start guessing that those who aren't in that cave were the truly lucky ones. Whether or not the invasion lasts won't matter. How will they find what they need to survive? Join us next time on-well, you know.


Forshaw: I never imagined Famine as female. If anything, I might have more imagined Pestilence as female, if the horsemen could be really genderized. But I have to say, I absolutely love this one. Just that little whine for ice cream in such a dark and serious situation just makes me laugh. And it humanizes the doom heralds as well, in quite a clever way.

 

[Scott R. Forshaw]

Great stuff, Karn! I'm loving your interpretations. You really do have a knack for this, don't you.

I decided to go against the grain with my story. A lot of my writing tends to be quite dark, and given the fact that the theme was quite macabre this month, I thought I'd try something completely different. What the heck, eh?

 

[TheDustyZebra]

It's a testament to how very busy the first of the month has become: I was about to say, "I finally got an idea," and then I realized it's April 3rd. With 30 stories already posted, it seems like it must be far later in the month! We used to wonder if we were going to get 42, and now I'm thinking if I don't get this story written by tomorrow, I won't even make it in the first 42!