Discussion thread - SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE July 2013

[Tywin]

[FONT=&quot]Thanks for the mentions TDZ, Lenny, and Boneman![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]My shortlist:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Bowler – Undiscovered Secrets[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Starbeast - Dr Trillium's Discovery of the Herb from the Burb[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]MPorter – Discovery (My vote. Liked the story a lot.)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Overlord – The King is Dead[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]SDMouse – The Shed[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]TDZ – Genius Denied[/FONT]

 

[Abernovo]

Perp, do what you need to do. We'll be here whenever you get back.

 

[Glen]

Thanks to all who have commented on my story. Thanks for your feedback.

My favourites for this month:

• AMB - discovery of a flaw in map and a rollicking adventure into the bargain
• Tywin - I can't remember the word for this - tricking/forcing men into service onboard ship...it'll come to me...
• Hex - Twist in the tale. Discovery of the worth of self.
• Venusian Broom - sci-fi tantrum. hilarious. discovery of lost interest. "<banging noises>".
• Mike - Discovery of humanity and priorities. Very topical here in Aus.
• Moonbat - Discovery v Invention. I feel there is a bit of a gag I'm not quite getting.."A second introduction"...?
• [Incidentally, I'm reviewing these stories while waiting for Telstra 24x7 chat to get round to me. I started as 29 in the queue, and now I'm No. 10]
• SleepyDormouse - Discovery of inner character (and an ickle fairy)
• Phryebrat - KFC. Ba-boom, Tish!
• JordanSC5 - Earth as mother-planet. How far in the future - did something happen in our past?
• chrispenycate - introducing his poetry to a prose narrative. Discovery of the perp. "forensic shaman".

Good Stories this month, as always.

• More Sci-Fi and less hocus-pocus fantasy? Perhaps (as it should be).
• Immortality also a common theme.
• I think, and if it's true I condone it, fewer twist in the tale gruesome deaths this month?
• Some good comedy too.

Wow. I just remembered the word "Press-ganged", and at the exact same time got through to the Telstra chat. Hurrah!

Right. Random address on my phone bill corrected, who will I vote for? [For reality show lovers, you might like to imagine the short-listed authors standing on stage, in the spotlight, waiting for my verdict. Insert your own dramatic pauses.] I liked stories with comedy. I especially liked stories that had a couple of levels of discovery. I loved Hex's positive twist in the tale - that was a top finish. Wow! Hm. I loved Venusian Broom's black box clattering tantrum. Hilarious! Hm. chrispenycate's forensic shaman - wow. I think, hm, I think my favourite, hm...hm.., yes, my vote goes to....hm....hm....yes...my vote goes to....AMB! AMB, yes! A rip-roaring, rollicking adventure of discovery, action and more discovery. AMB! [Crowd goes wild].

 

[Bowler1]

Thanks for the shortlist, Tywin, I tell them to leave your mobile alone!

 

[ratsy]

Thanks Boneman and Perp for the mentions.

Perp I hope all is well and I just want to say thank you for all your past reviews. They have been much appreciated by all.

 

[Perpetual Man]

Thanks ratsy and Aber, the reviews have been in their own way a source of pleasure, despite the time they take, and as I have stated in the past they make choosing who I vote for a little easier.

The last few weeks have seen my father-in-law taken very seriously ill, followed by my mother-in-law. Obviously my time now has to be for my wife and kids.

And just to really dig the knife in an uncle of mine has been diagnosed with something that has devastated his family, and shocked us all, so that's going to have a bearing too.

The things to look forwards to as we get older eh?

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Thanks, Tywin!

Gosh, Perp, when it rains, it pours. Sorry to hear of all the troubles your family is facing, and I do hope things get turned around soon. Don't worry about us, we'll still be here. All of us. Right here. Probably snare ...err, I mean "welcome"... a few new ones before you get back, as well.

 

[Perpetual Man]

Thanks TDZ, I aim to be around, in the ghostly background sense.

And of course I'll do my best to enter the challenges each month...

 

[JordanSC5]

Thanks for the comments, Victoria, Perpetual Man, and Glen.

 

[Starbeast]

The vote goes to StarBeast for a fantastic conversation thread that left me grinning

Wow-zer! Thank you Luiglin, you made my afternoon.

Thanks for the summaries, Starbeast and Perp.

You're welcome Ursa Major.

Shortlist Starbeast, Lenny, RoninJedi84 &
The Judge

The votegetter

RoninJedi84

Thank you very much for the Short Listing Alchemist.

Thanks for the mention, alc, and thank you, as always, to the wonderful comments from Perp, SB, and Victoria!

You are very welcomed Lenny.

Starbeast, Victoria, Perpetual Man, thankyou, for the reviews! oh, my... so very sweet ones too. Electrifying, Starbeast?
Victoria Silverwolf, mysteriously evocative?
Perpetual Man, building a mythos of hope?
oh, my...like i mean, wow.. just wow... you guys are so very kind. seriously thankyou.

You are very welcomed Jastius. Keep up the good work.

Firstly: Starbeast and Perp - you always manage to make my stories sound so much better than I think they are, and I really look forward to your reviews.

Secondly: immutable thanks to ratsy for the vote - unexpected and extremely uplifting to get it, after a very sad day, so thank you twice!!

You are immensely welcomed Boneman. I hope you're feeling better.

I've got a shorter shortlist... These are they:

Springs: I've always wanted to turn the clock back, so this one resonated.

Tywin: What a way to be press-ganged!

Ratsy: The last line is brilliant.

Starbeast: Attitudes the inventor didn't see coming was incredibly well done in 75 words.

Abernovo: I want a longer story!

Reiver 33: more press-ganging, and I love the infererences.

Perpetual man: has to be read aloud, no other way.

Alchemist: I'm unsure if there was an affair going on here, but what a payoff...

Novazero: How does it end? You can't just stop there!

The Judge: writes horror? What has the world come to? Great title, as well.

There was virtually nothing to separate these stories, but there can be only one, and after a lot of agonising, I went for Alchemist, for the (at least to my interpretation) two stories in one.

Thank very much for the Short Listing, Boneman. Plus, you make a great reviewer too.

Nothing is certain yet but I may have to withdraw from the Chrons to some degree. I'm still going to look in and do my best to enter the challenges and do the book reviews I've been doing but the comments may well have to stop. I really enjoy doing them, but am more than happy that the will continue with Victoria and Starbeast who both do an excellent job in their own styles.

Sometimes the real world infringes a little too much.

Anyhoo, the shortlist:

Karn, Redman, Ratsy, Victoria, Starbeast, BigJ, Paranoid Marvin, Moonbat, DEO, NovaZero, Cul & BM

Your presence will be missed here Perpetual Man (important things first - understood). But I'm glad you'll pop by now-and-then. And thank you very much for the Short Lising.

[FONT=&quot]Thanks for the mentions TDZ, Lenny, and Boneman![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]My shortlist:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Bowler – Undiscovered Secrets[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Starbeast - Dr Trillium's Discovery of the Herb from the Burb[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]MPorter – Discovery (My vote. Liked the story a lot.)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Overlord – The King is Dead[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]SDMouse – The Shed[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]TDZ – Genius Denied[/FONT]

Thank you very much for the Short Listing, Tywin.

 

[Starbeast]

Thanks to all who have commented on my story. Thanks for your feedback.

Excellent post Glen, entertaining and fun. Now for another dose of good news, you've got my vote.

Your story What a find!, kept surfacing in my mind. I found it very eerie, and had a strong creepiness to it that haunted me like a good tale from a classic horror comic book. Or like a Rod Serling episode from The Twilight Zone.

It keeps getting tougher to reread every posted entry, over and over to determine one winner. My Short List was far to huge, so, I decided to post a.......

Runner's Up List​

Springs - CHILDHOOD RECLAIMED​

AMB - Journal of Charles Clerke, September1788​

Luiglin - High on a hill stood a lonely goatherd...​

Ratsy - Together Forever​

Venusian Broon - Black Box​

Victoria Silverwolf - Contamination​

BigJ - Over the Edge​

Paranoid Marvin - Love On The Rocks​

Reiver33 - One Step Ahead​

Phyrebrat - A Finger-Lickin Discovery​

Lenny - Fishing For Ideas​

TheDustyZebra - Genius Denied​

Boneman - Blank Canvas​

Chrispenycate - Crime investigation sorcery​

Ursa Major - Edward's Story​

 

[David Evil Overlord]

Thanks for the shortlistings, Tywin and Victoria

Wow, thanks for the vote, Perp!

 

[David Evil Overlord]

Okay, my shortlist has been ruthlessly pruned, like a field of zombies and a combine harvester...

Bowler1…Un-discovered Secrets…Inverting the theme, with robot evolution about to cause robot revolution.
Perpetual Man…What’s In The Box?...Probably wasn’t a Christmas present.
JohnnyJet…Sweet Stolen Waters…The Elixir of Eternal Life, read instructions carefully, please use only as directed, drink while still young.
Alchemist…Bad Day At The Office…So, if she weighs as much as a, ahem, duck…
Culwch…The Discovery Of A Lifetime…Another way immortality can go horribly wrong. By going horribly right.
TheDustyZebra…Genius Denied…When you treat your customers as idiots, you’re probably right.
Jastius…And To The Stars We Sang…Fleeing a tech-apocalypse to boldly go…

And the vote goes to...Alchemist...it's just a funny place to find a witch...

 

[Boneman]

Thank you all for the shortlists and mentions, so very much appreciated.

My day was sad due to something that happened to a student I was supposed to be examining for a final exam. She didn't turn up and I heard she'd been rushed to hospital and suffered a miscarriage - my co-examiner and I lost heart a bit after that, but continued with the other students. But I just received an email to say she's not in any danger, and will make a 100% recovery which is much better news.

Perp - real life can be crap, sometimes, and I know we'll all be thinking of you. Don't pressure yourself to do things here, either!

 

[Bowler1]

I'm glad I out ran the combine harvester, the sights, the gore, the screams will be with me for, oh... a minute or so! Thank you for letting me escape, DOE - I live to fight another day.

 

[Ursa major]

Thanks for the short-listing, Starbeast.

 

[Perpetual Man]

Thanks for the kind words BM and SB, I'll be keeping an eye of things, just trying to distract the kids a little more. As I already tell them epic stories about the Punning bear, an orange dragon, a beast from the stars and so many others, I'll just be adding to the tales!

And thanks for the shortlisting DEO.

 

[Moonbat]

Another great month, some crazy entries this month, here's my short list, shorter list and vote


AMB– Journal of Charles Clerke
Luiglin– high on a hill stood a lonely goatherd
Dreamwalker– learning curve
PhillipsAEllis– a sober discovery
VictoriaSilverwolf– contamination
DEO– the king is dead
Sleepydormouse– the shed
Lenny– fishing for ideas
Mosaix– survival of the fittest
Judge– t'riffic


Thank you to Abernovo, Lenny, Perp, Glen for the short listings and a massive thank you hug for Cab for the vote

ok, now to polish and post my 300 worder.

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Thanks for the mentions, Starbeast and DEO!

 

[AMB]

Uh, belated thanks to Starbeast for the review. I've been busy lately. Also thanks for the runner up listing.

Thanks to Bowler and Mosaix for the shortlistings.

And many, many thanks to Glen for the vote!