DISCUSSION -- June 2014 75 Word Writing Challenge

[Droflet]

Wow, two mentions. Did not expect that. Many thanks to Ashleyne and Alc.

 

[David Evil Overlord]

Mosaix picked Fantasy, not too long ago.

I've never heard of Sword and Planet.

It's the genre where it appears to be a Sword and Sorcery story, but it's actually a technologically-regressed planet with human settlers who don't remember the spaceship that brought their ancestors to this world thousands of years ago.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

The hero may get there by astral projection or some such. Technology level can be mixed, with elements of the futuristic and the fairly primitive. Also, there are alien species, and usually a princess.

 

[Perpetual Man]

Anyone remember Chris's turn?

Who could forget? In retrospect, and to be honest I think at the time, I rather enjoyed Chris's challenge.

I'm not sure I will be saying the same about this one

 

[Cat's Cradle]

THANK YOU ANYA! (For the mention!!!) It's much appreciated!

ps--Hey Karn! The 75-worder in May was "Classic Science Fiction/Alien Invasion" for genre/theme. Alc won with a great little tale!

 

[Mr Orange]

thanks a lot for the honourable mention, serendipity!

 

[Hex]

When can we get back to basics?

We could go the other way and have something more specific. Space chicken erotica/ monkeys was mooted a little while back, I recall...

I found this month seriously tough, though I didn't expect to, but I like challenges that make me work (and I really enjoyed Tudorpunk!).

___

And thank you very much, Aun, for the vote!

And alchemist and Anya for the mentions.

 

[JonH]

Thanks for the mention, Hex.

Now it's time to read them all again. It takes longer to make my mind up with the vote than it does to write the story. Perhaps that's where I'm going wrong

 

[farntfar]

Good heavens.

Thanks for the shortlisting Anya. I'm all smiley now.

 

[Mr Orange]

right so have read through them all again and am beginning to think i need ot brush up on my history... there were a lot of stories whose place in history i didn't get, so they didn't get a mention below. also, for me, a twist on history was a real plus.

so my shortlist / honourable mentions:

HEADLINE GRABBER -- telford
One Small Step -- Victoria Silverwolf
Barbarossa -- alchemist
More Cunning Than A Fox... -- Perpetual Man
Eureka! -- chrispenycate
Divorced ... From Reality -- The Judge

in the end i cannot stop myself voting for the story that is so cunning you could put a tail on it and call it a weasel..

 

[Perpetual Man]

Huh, shows how much I know!

Many thanks for the vote Mr Orange, and for the comment...

 

[Parson]

Unlike so many of the other posters I did not find this challenge much more challenging than the other 75 word wonders. I really liked the constraint of having to deal with a true historical context. When you can't change the setting or the course of the events you must deal with motivations and subterfuge. I felt that I had to eliminate a lot of the otherwise wonderful stories because in my mind they were not "Historical Fiction," instead they were "Alternate History."

My short List:

Cat's Cradle: "Up in Front" --- A well thought out slice of life from the 50's and early 60's.
Big J: "A Lesson from a Lamb" --- I suppose as a Parson I should take offense, but this was a clever tale of subterfuge.
T. Edgerton: "A True Story" --- Is that a tale from your carney past?
Alchemist: "Barbarossa" --- Subterfuge at its finest, and just possible.
Chrystal Haven: "Raking Him In" --- A tale of revenge and much nobler than mine.

Vote:

The Judge: "Divorced from Reality" --- I've got to say that this was a "Cracker Jack" of an historical fiction. In fact one might wonder about the fiction half of the genre.

 

[Juliana]

After some hesitation between Bowler and Remedy, Bowler got my vote this month. But I did love Remedy's, too.

The rest of my shortlist: telford, Victoria, mosaix, alchemist, crystal haven, Glen, chrispenycate and Hex.

 

[Bowler1]

Thank you Juliana, vveeerrryyyy much.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Thank you for the mention, Parson!

(Though you seem to be over-estimating my advanced age.)

 

[Phyrebrat]

Some great entries! I am - as usual - envious.

My favourites were:

telford
Cat’s Cradle
Victoria Silverwolf
Alchemist
Remedy
Chrispenycate
David Evil Overlord

In the end I had to struggle between DEO (such a wonderful, witty, cynical and clever idea) and Remedy, coming down in favour of Remedy's for such evocative language. But it was much more coin-tossy a distinction, really. If I had two votes....

pH

 

[David Evil Overlord]

Thanks for the shortlisting and the almost-vote, Phyrebrat

 

[Jinxo]

My first shortlist was -

telford
springs
Karn Maeshalanadae
mosaix
Remedy
paranoid marvin
Ursa Major

My final three were -

telford
springs
mosaix

In the end, I chose Rats! - telford.

 

[Ursa major]

Thanks for the shortlisting, Jinxo.

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Err...Jinxo? Rats! was springs' story. Did you mean to choose springs or Telford?