Discussion Thread -- SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE -- January 2014

[Glen]

Thanks for getting the gag Springs. Your vote went to a great story.

 

[Hex]

Thank you very much for the votes, hope, Tywin and springs. I am ridiculously proud of giving Tywin nightmares

And thank you for the shortlisting, Bowler and Glen!

I need to go and read all the stories again before I make my mind up. Fun for today!

 

[Perpetual Man]

Quick thank you to Tywin for the shortlisting, and I believe Bowler for making me a contender (I say guessing because it looks like Paranoid Marvin has missed the month - if not I might be really wrong on more than one count) which makes me the only PM around. Unless it's the afternoon.

A lot going on today, so my last comments should be in tonight sometime.

 

[Bowler1]

Quick thank you to Tywin for the shortlisting, and I believe Bowler for making me a contender (I say guessing because it looks like Paranoid Marvin has missed the month - if not I might be really wrong on more than one count) which makes me the only PM around. Unless it's the afternoon.

A lot going on today, so my last comments should be in tonight sometime.

In future I shall refer to you as Perp, or similar. Good punch line mate, it was a close run thing in my yellow head.


So we have two PM's, but do we have an AM?

 

[Mith]

To help me recover from my meeting with Inquisitor Glokta (The Dentist), I have read through all of this months brilliant tales and have now cast my vote for the most chilling.

So for the shortlist, the ones that gave me shivers:

Juliana ~ Blood runs cold
reiver33 ~ The Bridal Path
mosaix ~ Cold War
Remedy ~ The Boreal Grasp
chrispenycate ~ Eastern campaign
Parson ~ A Fearful Delivery
alchemist ~ Cold is my friend
HareBrain ~ H666N1
Ursa major ~ A Stark Warning Against Making a Howling Error

Well done one and all. But my vote this month can only go to...

Hex ~ Changeling. That is a powerful and chilling story and I have to admit, the first time I read, it gave me one hell of a creepy dream. Very well done!

 

[Ursa major]

Thanks for the shortlisting, Mith.

 

[Mith]

Thanks for the shortlisting, Mith.

You are quite welcome, that last line of your story was deliciously creepy

 

[SleepyDormouse]

oh, is it voting time already? I best get reading!

Thank you for the short listing Parson, Tywin and Bowler, much appreciated.

 

[chrispenycate]

In future I shall refer to you as Perp, or similar. Good punch line mate, it was a close run thing in my yellow head.


So we have two PM's, but do we have an AM?

Anne Martin has not contributed in almost a year, and we did (for one single month, admittedly) have a third PM, perpetual motion (although any fizzycist could tell you that couldn't last)

Thanks, Mith, for noticing my little contribution.

My spreadsheet is generated, (I've added a column 'memorability' in this month's) and I'm working on finding reasons why each entry is less than perfect.

 

[Bowler1]

My spreadsheet is generated, (I've added a column 'memorability' in this month's) and I'm working on finding reasons why each entry is less than perfect.

Just the one column? I think you might need to add a few more column's for me, or cut to the chase and just give me my own tab/sheet.

 

[SleepyDormouse]

My Shortlist:

Remedy
Tywin
Glen
AMB
Teresa Edgerton
The Judge

My contenders:

Hex
Jastius

Winning vote went to:
Victoria Silverwolf

 

[Tywin]

Hey, a short list! Thanks mouse!

 

[Abernovo]

Quick post, as I'm trying to get other things done, so no shortlist at the mo.
For me, it was a choice between Juliana and The Judge. Two very good storytellers, both of whom often figure in my shortlistings.

The Judge got my vote.

 

[ratsy]

Lots of good ones but I have whittled down to a short-short list

Hex - Changeling A truly creepy, cool entry

Parson - A Fearful Delivery A great, unexpected story from you! Reminded me a bit of Seven with Brad Pitt. Well done.

Teresa Edgerton - The White Queen - You came back with a great entry!

***The Judge - Hiding in Plain Sight - TJ, you come month after month with stories that make me wish I had written them. So for that you get my vote....again.

 

[Parson]

What a delight! To turn on the old laptop and boogy over to chrons.... Well where I else would I go anyway??? And then discover that I've been mentioned three times as a short lister.

Thanks so much to Bowler 1, Mith, and Ratsy. As Ratsy and earlier StarBeast mentioned this kind of story isn't my go to thought, but I am glad that you all enjoyed it!!

 

[Remedy]

First off, this was the best month I have seen since I joined in August last year. The quality was immense, so choosing my list was harder than before. I try to get 10 or below, but ended up with 11 and couldn't cut anymore.

Here is my list and vote (*** ***):

Juliana - Blood runs cold

Real characters, strong plot and a wicked last line.

Reiver33 - The Bridal Path

A brilliant use of dialogue to paint an icy picture

Boneman - Bitter Harvest

The Dark Fantasy and the cold married well in this excellent entry

teleford - Hall of Statues

Simplicity that lured me in and set up the twist perfectly

MrOrange - Cold Elves

Dark and cold, I felt like I was there - in fear of the Elves of Sirsk Tundra

SleepyDormouse - The Snow Dragon's Mother

Imagery you could serve for dinner and eat for weeks!

alchemist - Cold is my friend

Intimate and touching, great pacing.

TheDustyZebra - Rebearth

The concept really captured me. Solid execution.

Culhwch - The Last King

With the feeling of dark fantasy folk lore, the theme was delivered at the crucial point

HareBrain - H666N1

Reading that requires a hot water bottle. For me, this was the coldest.

*** TheJudge - Hiding in Plain Sight ***

This had everything (again). Genre and theme nailed. Atmosphere, plot and characters in equal strength. Then the TJ twist which never fails to impress.

____________________________________________

Special mention to Ursa, for making me laugh.

"There have always been Starkadders at Cold Comfort Farm"

 

[fitzchivalry]

Great selection of stories from everyone. Well done to you all. After reading through them all over and over I narrowed it down to between Judge and Teresa. Very close between the two but my vote went to Teresa.

 

[Hex]

Thank you for the vote, Mith, and for the short-listings, SleepyDormouse and Ratsy. So glad I frightened you -- I aim to freeze.

For me the story that made me feel wobbly and unwell won -- HareBrain's horrible H666N1. Truly eeevil.

I also really admired chrispy's Eastern Campaign, SleepyDormouse's The Snow Dragon's Mother, alc's Cold is My Friend and TJ's Hiding in Plain Sight.

Special mentions to two utterly fabulous first sentences: RichardWolanski and Cul.

 

[jastius]

thankyou for the listing sleepy dormouse!

 

[Starbeast]

I was called away (and could not break away - sorry), now I'm back to finish the reviews.

Cold/Dark Fantasy
(part eight)​

TheDustyZebra - Excellent tale of the Ice Dragons! I love the prophecy angle, and premise where people are not sure if they a benefit, or a hazard. Good stuf.

Petpetual Man - Heh heh. You have delighted us with a Ice Queen who is particular who she spends time with. I noticed some SFFC members names mentioned. Nice touch.

Culhwch - I really enjoy an ancient war story (without technology), and mighty battles are waged. This is a thilling tale that ends tradgically for those who oppose the Frost King.

HareBrain - A biological nightmare is unleashed on the world and people not only suffer from the wrath of the disease, but struggle against the biting cold. Pus ridden and frightful. Well done.

Ursa Major - Let it be said that no one should mess with anyone's favorite food, because there can be consequences, sometimes even deadly ones. I would love to hear more of this story.

The Judge - Brave and specialized soldiers hunt for a black-hearted old man, a sorcerer! I enjoy how this tale is carved out nicely, like a fierce looking ice sculpture. Good stuff.




I'll be back to finish.