DISCUSSION -- April 2014 75+5 Word Writing Challenge

[hopewrites]

Farntfar, thanks for the mention


Starbeast and Springs, you are more than welcome

 

[Starbeast]

What? There's over 28 hours left yet. That's more than half an hour to judge each story. Oodles of time. Enough, in fact, to engage in a thorough contemplation of the word "oodles".

Oops, sorry HareBrain. I took a quick trip in the TARDIS, and returned tomorrow, so I had to come back to today, but now I see it's already yesterday.

Starbeast - Professor Fate the Magnificent meets the Cahokia Tribe: Incredibly well written and clever story.

Thank you very much SirSamuelVimes. You made my night.

What a positive experience this contest has been...I feel so inspired to write, and am working on several stories now...I am just stunned this month, I didn't expect votes, thanks again!

This is very humbling, goodness!

Heh heh. Enjoy the thrill, and good luck Cat's Cradle.

 

[David Evil Overlord]

Thanks for the shortlisting, SirSamuel.

 

[Parson]

After a full Sunday I'm stealing some sleep time to drop in on Chrons. --- Right, that makes me a normal Chronaddic. Anyway....

Happy to go to sleep after hearing some kind words!!

Tywin: thanks for S-L-F-F-M-S-F-E listing

Farntfar: Thanks for the Shortlisting. I'm so happy to settle Steam Punk into an established genre.

SirSamuelVimes: Thanks for the shortlisting.

 

[Boneman]

Holy Schamoley, a vote!! Bob Senior, you are a man of discerning taste and impeccable knowledge... yet you voted for me, anyway!

Many many thanks, what a great way to start the week.



So, just in time for an edit, here are the results from the bone cart:
Shortlist, Finalists and *winner*

Karn
*Stormcrow*
Cornelius
Cat's Cradle
Aun Doorback
Khayos
Harebrain
Bob Senior
TDZ
Ursa Major

 

[chrispenycate]

Come now; twelve hours left, fifty entries and just thirty-three votes?

If I've got this right we're missing:- Abernovo, AJB, Azzagorn, BigJ, Cornelius, HareBrain, holland, jastius, Kiffinyjean, KshRox, Mr. Orange, paranoid marvin, SirGeoffrey, TacticalLoco, The Judge, Tisiphone and Ursa major, from the submittees, and all the lovely people from outside who don't write but opinion. (and thanks to Phyrebrat, who did)

And I've got three votes! Thank you hope for that; I only hope you don't regret it. And thank you Juliana for the mention.

And Ursa, have you read the Spider Robinson Callahan's place stories? I think you might appeal to them. I remember an internal story about the king of all the flowers having to have an over-enthusiastic subject put down (all she could think about was 'pollinate, pollinate, pollinate) where it was considered the king must be suffering from fuchsia shock - if I remember correctly, the punch line was 'A man may lead a whore to culture, a thousand cannot make her think.'

 

[Bowler1]

If I've got this right we're missing:- Abernovo, AJB, Azzagorn, BigJ, Cornelius, HareBrain, holland, jastius, Kiffinyjean, KshRox, Mr. Orange, paranoid marvin, SirGeoffrey, TacticalLoco, The Judge, Tisiphone and Ursa major

Woohoo - Targets.


Power packs on charge. Now... which RAY GUN will I use. I think I'll have the sonic gut tickler again, the results did bring a smile to my face, downwind of course. Quite a lot downwind....

 

[Remedy]

Thank you Phyrebrat, Martin321, TDZ, Chrispy, Aun Doorback, hopewrites, Tywin, stormcrow, farntfar and SirSamuelVimes for listing my story. Extra thanks to those who took a moment to comment on it - Really kind feedback much appreciated!


Shortlist:

springs - High drama and suspense captured expertly within every word.

BigJ - A showdown aboard a flying machine, a whole story oozing from the limited word-count.

TitaniumTi - Beatrix Potter meets Monty Python at the Robot Wars studio - great stuff!

Cat's Cradle - Tackling a subject not so distant from our own world, CC gives us heart and healing.

martin321 - Action and adventure explode from martin's visual seascape.

Aun Doorback - Poetic words that find all five of our senses. Beautiful crafting.

Khayos - A 3D character moulded fully in such a short space is a difficult achievement. Woven through an imaginative tale.

Chrispenycate - An unhindered rhythm and carefully chosen words make this story flow in the way that every poem should. The imagery is spellbinding.

Boneman - An intriguing and sinister beginning kept me guessing even after the morbid reveal - only to land a fantastic last line with perfect timing.

TheDustyZebra - Wonderful dialogue and astute descriptions formed a well rounded story, with a sense that there is more between the lines.

---------------------------------------

My vote goes to Chrispy, I love a clever poem!

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Thanks for the mention, Remedy. And for the stealth vote, Cul. happy me.

Now, sorry, this is getting serious. I wasn't around for the infamous Chrispy challenge month but I read the thread and it was painful. To all those who don't know it - Chrispy must not be allowed to win. I mean, I love him to bits but rules is rules.

 

[Perpetual Man]

Ahh yes, but if you truly want to be challenged, vote Chrispy!

 

[johnnyjet]

Yay! More short listings! A big thanks to TheDustyZebra and stormcrow!

 

[Remedy]

Now, sorry, this is getting serious. I wasn't around for the infamous Chrispy challenge month but I read the thread and it was painful. To all those who don't know it - Chrispy must not be allowed to win. I mean, I love him to bits but rules is rules.

I just did some digging springs, since I was not here either. I found a challenge Chrispy set for the 75 word challenge:

Theme: Nourishment
Genre: In the style of Rudyard Kipling



Is there a button which takes back a vote?

 

[Cat's Cradle]

Thank you for the shortlisting, and kind words Remedy!

 

[hopewrites]

Now now, if possible themes from the winner were allowed to influence votes

...



*mother hen clucking, but with a teasing twinkle in her eye*

 

[ratsy]

Alright Bowler, can you please stop pointing that over-sized Raygun at me? I have voted!!!

So I'll keep it short and sweet since it's crunch time.

Shortlist

Remedy - His first Creation. A great tale of an inventor and his mechanical child. The world just wouldn't understand his love of the boy. It's a steampunk Pinocchio at it's best

Cat's Cradle - The Coal Miners. I've seen your name mentioned a lot on the discussion but I've just read the story. What was the fuss all about?? Well it was about a story that in 75+5 words took our breath away. Such a fitting end; it truly was touching. Well done!

Aun Doorback - The Chemistry Between us. What a good story. Great phrasing and a fantastic ending. Cool stuff.

TDZ - ...but if you try sometimes, you just might find... Dusty does it again and gets boat-loads of comments and votes. Next month would you mind just posting with my name on your story? I'll send the cheque in the mail. Great story, with a nice laughable innuendo. (then it makes me think of the fresh prince episode where Uncle Phil says in his sleep.."damn it Vivian, I'm not a machine!"

In the end I had to go with my gut which is Cat's Cradle. Well done everyone!

 

[Bowler1]

I just did some digging springs, since I was not here either. I found a challenge Chrispy set for the 75 word challenge:

Theme: Nourishment
Genre: In the style of Rudyard Kipling



Is there a button which takes back a vote?

Ouch! Ouch again (I needed at least seven letters so I had to have ouch twice).

 

[chrispenycate]

Now, sorry, this is getting serious. I wasn't around for the infamous Chrispy challenge month but I read the thread and it was painful. To all those who don't know it - Chrispy must not be allowed to win. I mean, I love him to bits but rules is rules.

Looks mournful puppydog eyes across the Oirish sea.

T' be sure, it'd've been working on the colleens from down south, with a heart an all. Can't be blamin' me if the troubles have made them all hard shelled as an armodillo, like.

Is there a button which takes back a vote?

Naw, the 'undo, I've thought better of it' button doesn't seem to function. And there was me coming along to thank you,

Huggles hope en passant; always worth while.

But there's no real risk; we're expecting what, twenty more votes, and Cat's Cradle's got a comfortable lead…

 

[Remedy]

Just wanted to note that I would never actually take my vote away from you Chrispy - I like Dragontoy too much!

Thank you for the listing and comments ratsy, I'm glad my intentions came across to you in my story.

 

[Boneman]

Remedy, thank you for the shortlisting - I'm always happy to be considered in the company you listed!

 

[Cat's Cradle]

Thank you Ratsy, I worry sometimes that my name might be mentioned for other things here at the site (such as my obsession with making bad jokes at the Answers Before Questions, and limericks threads!). Your words were so kind, and very generous, and mean a lot to me. Thanks so much, and I am very pleased you liked the story, CC