Discussion thread -- SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE June 2013

[Tywin]

Thanks for the shortlisting Moonbat, Boneman, Parson, Perpetual Man, Alchemist, Dusty Zebra, and ChrispenyCate!

 

[Perpetual Man]

You are welcome Tywin & DEO.

And a very big thanks to Craig for the vote, did not see that coming.

 

[Mr Orange]

thanks for including me on the shorter longlist (or is it the longer shortlist?) TDZ

it's a start! i will have to sharpen my electronic pencil for the next challenge..

 

[Parson]

Rushes up and hugs Parson - sorry reverend, it's a sort of continental hug, think of it as primitive Christian you noticed the "autobiographical" – I wasn't sure anybody would. (The removal truck passed yesterday taking all my goods and chattels west, toward the old country).

Hey Crispy, hugging is quite appropriate in evangelical circles, even guy hugs! You are welcome. I'll bet I wasn't the only one to notice, but I seem to have been the first to mention it. (Hugs back)

 

[ratsy]

Crispy, thanks for the mention.... to be noticed from a wordsmith such as yourself with your ever so difficult grading scale is an honor.

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Wow, thanks, chrispy! I thought you knew better than to vote for me, as well! You realize that vote just rocketed me into second place ... along with practically everyone else!

That's crazy -- 33 votes and the first-place tie is at 3. Tough month, indeed.

 

[Starbeast]

SB, thanks for the mention. Much appreciated

You are very welcomed Ratsy.

thankyou starbeast! almost didn't make it ...was stuck in the neighbours garden for four hours doing yardwork for a pensioner when i finished it was something like fifteen minutes before threadlock... (good thing she didn't have more weeds.)

You're a sweet person to help out a neighbor Jastius. But still, it's great you made it on time.

StarBeast -- Thanks for the short listing. I'm always thrilled when others see some merit in what I wrote.

You are divinely welcomed Parson. Keep the faith brother!

Thanks as well for shortlistings, Bowler, Starbeast, Moonbat and Ratsy -- boy, now there's a collection of people who know silly when they see it!

Heh heh, I love a person with a sense of humor. Keep up the good work TheDustyZebra.

Thank you for the vote, Starbeast.

I kept coming back to your tale, it plagued my mind in a good way. Well done BetaWolf.

Thanks for the short-listings Starbeast, RoninJedi84 and Boneman, and for the nice commentary Ronin. Always an honor to get a mention among such worthy talents.

You're mighty welcomed Johnnyjet.

Thank you(s) to Perp, StarBeast and Victoria for helpful, interesting insightful commentary.
And to johnnyjet, Starbeast, RoninJedi84, ratsy, for the short listings.

You are doublely welcomed TacticalLoco.

Fourteen on my shortlist this month! Starbeast

Thanks to Perp, SB, and Victoria for the comments. And thank you to johnny, SB, and Boneman for the mentions!

You are doublely welocomed Lenny. And thank you for the long-short listing. You made my day!

First, thanks you Starbeast, Victoria, and Perp for the kind words,
Thanks johnnyjet, Starbeast, Boneman, TacticalLoco for the mentions.

You are doublely welcomed The Spurring Platty.

I feel like a boxer, just call me Rocky!

Thank you, Perp - and a belated thanks to Starbeast.

"Your good Rocky. I see great things in ya.", said Micky

Thanks for the short-listing, stormcrow, Starbeast, Boneman and TacticalLoco.

You're very welcomed Ursa major.

Starbeast, many thanks for the loyal shortlist

It's not loyalty that draws me to your writing, it's the creativity. Stay awesome Chrispenycate.

 

[Phyrebrat]

Voting time….

This month has the most varied offering I’ve seen since I’ve been here. But, as usual, it has made me as envious of some of the concepts as it always does. I'm so short for time as I am off to Grenada for a week to teach <not as fun at it may sound> so I wanted to get this up before the poll closed and have not had time to post my comments on my shortlist reasons.

But, my shortlist is:

Alchemist
Reiver33
Mosaix
Venusian Broon
Anyakimlin
Alex Mason
Stormcrow
Sleepy Dormouse
MPorter
Betawolf
Boneman
JordanSC5
PhillipAEllis
Moonbat.
Culhwch

It comes down to Reiver33, Sleepy Dormouse and PhillipAEllis. It’s been hard to decide as each have some beautiful turns of phrases, but this month I'm going to break tradition (my predilection for misery, that is) and err on the side of optimism/beauty. So, my vote went to Sleepy Dormouse’s weaver of reality’s fabric.

Ever-grateful thanks to Starbeast and Perp for your empowering of my ego with your too-generous reviews , Anyakimlin, Johnnyjet, Stormcrow, Starbeast (for the shortlisting this time ), Ratsy (thanks for the ‘beautiful and touching’ comment!) & TacticalLoco.

pH

 

[alchemist]

Yikes, a second vote! Thanks, TDZ, and thanks to phyrebrat and Starbeast for the mentions.

 

[paranoid marvin]

Some nice comments on me and my work - thanks guys - and thanks to Bowler1, SleeyDormouse and Patty for the votes.

I really am overwhelmed. It was really tough after the loss of confidence last month when I wasn't able to come with an entry, but you guys make it all worthwhile.

Some awesome entries this month. I'm not one usually for shortlists, but I really enjoyed Boneman, Ursa (as - it seems - always) and crystal haven's.

Writersblock comes very close, but Culwch gets the vote with a most excellent entry.

 

[SleepyDormouse]

What lovely kind people you all are, I love how there is so much praise and supportive talk about the entries.. even to relative newbies like me. (though i have been around quite a while, just normally very quiet). It almost makes me feel brave enough to try a critique... almost!

Thank you firstly to Stormcrow (who I forgot to thank publicly) for the lovely comments, Lenny for the "not-as-longlist" and Perpetual Man and chrispenycate for the shortlist.

It comes down to Reiver33, Sleepy Dormouse and PhillipAEllis. It’s been hard to decide as each have some beautiful turns of phrases, but this month I'm going to break tradition (my predilection for misery, that is) and err on the side of optimism/beauty. So, my vote went to Sleepy Dormouse’s weaver of reality’s fabric.

Wow another vote! Thank you very much, and for the kind comments too.

 

[Ursa major]

Thanks for the mention, PM.

 

[David Evil Overlord]

Hmmm...looks like we're in for a three-way tie...

 

[Jo Zebedee]

So one chooses the theme, one the genre and the other gets the drinks?

Ty TDZ. and Alc for the mentions.

 

[Glen]

Wow. A difficult month to pick a favourite from. It was a great theme in so far as it generated so many differing interpretations. The stories I liked best, and which for me nailed the brief best were:

BigJ - lots of ends
Victoria Silverwolf - two crazy ends
AMB - one end a bit nearer
alchemist - "on the International Space Station, hiding in the toilet"
kromanjon - two restless ends
like the morningstar - movie endings
Alex Mason - crusty end
Tywin - Misunderstood end
JordanSC5 - end and beginning
Moonbat - Ah! Yes!

I took a long time choosing but in the end voted for JordanSC5. There was a clear sci-fi element meaning it matched the genre, and something in the matter of fact tone and the comedic self-deprecation that made for a striking and moving contrast with the background tone of the end of the world.

And what an immense pleasure to see I have a couple of votes for my story too. From Perpetual Man and Victoria Silverwolf no less. Thanks indeed to both of you for your kind words, and thanks to all who reviewed and offered some feedback. I am humbled, and a little puzzled that this story is probably my biggest success to date.

 

[crystal haven]

This is my short, or rather long, listing. So many brilliant stories this month has made it really difficult to choose.

BigJ – A Discussion on our Demise
Springs – Leave it to the kids
AMB – Coastal Erosion
Alchemist – Running To Stand Still
Stormcrow – Daughter of Creation
Glen – The ends of the earth
RoninJedi84 – A Promise Kept
Abernovo – The Last Gazette
CraigBoyes – The Edge
TacticalLoco – The End is Near
Parson – A Miserable Evangelist
Boneman – Starlight, Starbright...
Moonbat – The Last Place on Earth
AnyaKimlin – Two Sides to Every Story


And my vote goes to SleepyDormouse – The Needle worker. Beautiful and visual. I loved it.

And thank you to Brev, for placing my story as a runner up. I’m really pleased you enjoyed it.

And thank you Lenny, TheDustyZebra, and Paranoid Marvin, for the listings. There are so many wonderful stories, it’s great to be listed.

 

[Abernovo]

Thanks for the listing, crystal haven.

 

[alchemist]

Ooh, a four-way tie. Still plenty of time for it to turn into an eight-way tie.

And thanks to crystal and Glen for the mentions!

 

[Parson]

Crystal -- Thanks for the short listing. It is much appreciated.

 

[Bowler1]

Ooh, a four-way tie. Still plenty of time for it to turn into an eight-way tie.

And thanks to crystal and Glen for the mentions!

I thought it would be a spread of votes this month, a lot of very different ideas to appeal to everyone. It could be anyone's yet, and the chances of a 4 way tie look good and place your bets for an 8 way tie.