DISCUSSION -- April 2014 75+5 Word Writing Challenge

[Droflet]

Thanks for the listing, Anya.

 

[Bowler1]

Winner

Bowler1

Shocked silence (silence - a first from me!).
Thank you very much.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Thanks for the mention, Telford!

 

[Remedy]

I have an enormous smile today A welcome surprise!

Thank you TitaniumTi, Victoria Silverwolf, Starbeast, springs, Bowler1, johnnyjet, A. Fare Wells and AnyaKimlin for granting my story access to your lists, long and short

BenSt, Cat’s Cradle, Khayos and Perp Man - Thank you so much for the votes... Never sure if my entries will connect, it has been a real pleasure to read your kind words. I'm overjoyed that you liked it!

I must find some time to give all the entries a focused read

 

[AnyaKimlin]

Shocked silence (silence - a first from me!).
Thank you very much.

I always go with the one that I am still thinking about after I have written the shortlist. Yours drew me in with a powerful first line, had my heart racing and then left me with a giggle.

Great story.

 

[Boneman]

Anya, thanks for the long listing - such good company to be in with!

 

[Perpetual Man]

Thanks for the mention Anya

 

[ratsy]

•Ratsy: Superb blend of Fantasy and Steampunk so very well done for sticking to the given style, I found it immensely hard. I love the use of the term: "Enveloped by dark water." It really sets he scene.

Thank you very much for the kind words and the long list

Thanks for the long-listing too Anya!

 

[mosaix]

TDZ gets my vote this month.

Some good entries but, for me, some of them seemed to miss the fantasy element.

 

[Starbeast]

In no particular order...honorable mentions to Boneman, Parson, Bob Senior, Azzagorn, kshRox, Tisiphone, Holland, Starbeast, Cat's Cradle, Remedy, Victoria Silverwolf, Khayos, johnnyjet, and Harebrain.

I forgot to thank you for the honorable mention. Thank yoooooooou! It's a pleasure to be among such great story tellers.

Have a great day A. Fare Wells

Thanks for the mention, Beasty.

Now for the task.
Honorable mentions:
Springs Sir Samuel Vines SB Glen Khayos Mosaix Tactical Loco HB KshRox Perp TDZ Boneman

Finalists: Cat's Cradle Aun Doorback Culhwch

Soooo many great stories but in the end I was touched by Cat's Cradle.

A big welcome to you Telford. And big thank you for the mention, great list.

I think I'll watch the movie, The Great Race again.

Yeah, same here. I'm full of sh*t.... Or maybe, I'm not!

Heh heh. "SB", sometimes reminds me of movies, when people say "Som-b**ch". But lately I'm reminded of, "School Bus". Because I see them in the morning while going to work, and marked on each one is, SB.

I have an enormous smile today A welcome surprise!

Thank you TitaniumTi, Victoria Silverwolf, Starbeast, springs, Bowler1, johnnyjet, A. Fare Wells and AnyaKimlin for granting my story access to your lists, long and short

BenSt, Cat’s Cradle, Khayos and Perp Man - Thank you so much for the votes... Never sure if my entries will connect, it has been a real pleasure to read your kind words. I'm overjoyed that you liked it!

I must find some time to give all the entries a focused read

You're very welcome Remedy. Good luck in the contest.

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Yikes, another one! Thanks, mosaix!

And thanks as well to telford, for the shortlisting!

I'm procrastinating on the read-through, because ...well, first because procrastinating is what I do best (ask Perp), but second because I have a nasty suspicion where my vote will end up and it could be a catastrophe.

 

[Parson]

Interesting month! Our stories were much less dark, and there were a lot of stories that went for the gag punchline. I smiled a lot.

This was an unusual genre. Is there even such a thing as Fantasy Steam Punk? Of course Fantasy is so broad, you might even call Steam Punk a kind of Fantasy, and it seems that a lot of our posters did just that. I approached the voting looking for a marriage of Steam Punk and more traditional Fantasy.

Short list:
Sir Samuel Vine: "The Kings of America" -- Clever idea
Still Learning: "Culture Clash" --- A fine marriage of genres
Bowler1: "A Slight Misunderstanding" --- Absolute Madcap fun
Perpetual Man: "Proud Mary" --- Fulton's Folly Anyone?
Justus: "The Flying Elvishes" --- Wonderfully naughty fun

Contenders:
Cat's Cradle: "The Coal Miners" --- A story with a lesson to teach. It did my Parson's heart good to read it.
TheDustyZebra: "but if you try sometimes you just might find" --- An all time classic line: "I am a machine."

Vote:
Cat's Cradle --- I loved the ending!

 

[TheDustyZebra]

I coulda been a contender ... wait, I was!

Thanks, Parson!

Is there even such a thing as Fantasy Steam Punk?

If there wasn't, there is now!

 

[Phyrebrat]

My Shortlist and favourites (*)

Remedy
SirSamuel Vimes
Stormcrow
*Cat’s Cradle
martin321
*johnnyjet
*TDZ

In the end I had to go with johnnyjet because I loved the image so much.

pH

 

[martin321]

Here is my shortlist:

David Evil Overlord - Dwarven Harry
Remedy - His Finest Creation
Juliana - Close Encounters of the K9 Kind
BigJ - ...making the whole world blind...
SirSamuelVimes - The Kings of America
Aun Doorback - The chemistry between us
Khayos - A Young Contraptor's Nightmare
AJB - Clockwork
johnnyjet - Steamhenge
kshRox - The Mechanic
Boneman - Regency Revival
The Judge - A Stark Encounter or Two

Vote goes to Aun Doorback.

 

[Perpetual Man]

Many thanks for the short-listing Parson, greatly appreciated.

 

[Cat's Cradle]

You're very welcome, springs and hopewrites, and Remedy! Very fine stories, all!

And thank you so much!!! to AFW and Khayos and Anya and Phyrebrat for the listings! Such a surprise, and I'm very grateful!

And Parson, I am so pleased the story appealed to you, and so very happy to have received your vote! I am in shock now, to have received two votes...my wife is enjoying the extra smiling I've been doing all day long. Thanks again for your kindess, CC

 

[johnnyjet]

Another vote! I am truly humbled. Thanks, Phyrebrat!

Also thanks A. Fare Wells, AnyaKimlin & martin321 for the listings. Much appreciated, especially among such a large number of excellent works.

 

[Juliana]

Thank you for the shortlisting, martin!

 

[Bowler1]

Thank you Parson.