DISCUSSION -- June 2014 75 Word Writing Challenge

[Parson]

Thank you for the mention, Parson!

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

No, I just seem to remember a tale about Tarot Cards and telling fortunes. But I'm as old as you so I might be going gray in the mind as well as the follicles.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

No, I just seem to remember a tale about Tarot Cards and telling fortunes. But I'm as old as you so I might be going gray in the mind as well as the follicles.

I did read Tarot cards and tell fortunes, but not at carnivals, and not between the two World Wars!

But it was my father who taught me how to read tea-leaves and he always said that he learned it from the gypsies during his carnival days. Now that I am older, I am not sure how many of the stories he told me were true, and how many were tall tales. He was born in the Ozarks and had an entertaining way of relating stories about himself and his brothers, so being a natural storyteller he may have embroidered some.

 

[Droflet]

Wow, more mentions. Thanks to Mr O, Juliana, Phyrebrat and Jinxo. You guys made my day. And by the way Jinxo, as much as I appreciate the mention your vote actually went to Springs.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Thanks for the vote, Jinxo. I hope it was mine. if not thanks for the shortlisting! And sorry to Telford.


Welcome to the Chrons!

 

[Parson]

I did read Tarot cards and tell fortunes, but not at carnivals, and not between the two World Wars!

But it was my father who taught me how to read tea-leaves and he always said that he learned it from the gypsies during his carnival days. Now that I am older, I am not sure how many of the stories he told me were true, and how many were tall tales. He was born in the Ozarks and had an entertaining way of relating stories about himself and his brothers, so being a natural storyteller he may have embroidered some.

When I made my comment I was thinking of the carny side of things, and not the first sentence, "between the 2 world wars." Even at our advanced age we didn't experience even the 2nd let alone the lull between the 2 great wars. Sorry. It was a good tale though, and thanks for sharing about your father. He sounds like he was (is?) an interesting man. I love a lot of the "hillbilly" stuff.

 

[MatterSack]

How is historical fiction fundamentally different to alternate history (evidently I misunderstood)?

Can somebody explain?

 

[Parson]

Basically historical fiction is true to the historical time line with fictionalized (some more, some less) characters and hidden agendas and actions.

Historical fiction - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

While Alternate history changes the events and the results of an historical event. IE, Having a Viking invasion of 10 century England repelled by a brilliant inventor of a cannon.

Alternate history - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[ratsy]

Well I guess that puts my story out to dry...unless it did really happen...who knows?

 

[Tywin]

Lots of fun entries this month. Here is my list and vote:

JonH – All the way back to the Illiad. I wonder how long thewar would have stretched on though…
Springs – Yay, been there and seen the castle andeverything!
Mr. Orange – Yep, would have been worse.
Teresa – Love the last line. Very human response thatcaptures the personality of the speaker.
Juliana – Made me chuckle.
David Evil Overlord – That is exactly what I see happeningat the discovery of time travel

And my vote went to Teresa. I felt like I got to know the personality of the speaker in her piece in multiple facets. A bit of a braggart and a drama queen, and with a very human cowardice that they try to brush off as practicality. Awesome that you could get that all out in 75.

 

[alchemist]

How is historical fiction fundamentally different to alternate history (evidently I misunderstood)?

Can somebody explain?

When I set the challenge, I was thinking of the Sharpe novels, or Master and Commander -- fictional characters in a real historical setting.

 

[MatterSack]

Basically historical fiction is true to the historical time line with fictionalized (some more, some less) characters and hidden agendas and actions.

Historical fiction - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

While Alternate history changes the events and the results of an historical event. IE, Having a Viking invasion of 10 century England repelled by a brilliant inventor of a cannon.

Alternate history - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

That's what I initially thought, but then I read entries like mosaix's (who don't get me wrong, had a great entry and has deservedly been shortlisted three times ) and figured there'd be a little extra wiggle room.

 

[Bowler1]

That's what I initially thought, but then I read entries like mosaix's (who don't get me wrong, had a great entry and has deservedly been shortlisted three times ) and figured there'd be a little extra wiggle room.

I wouldn't get too caught up in rules. If it's really good, I'll forgive going off-piste and vote for the entry regardless. However, if I'm stuck between two very good posts then sticking to theme and genre will decide it for me. However (again!), that's just me and others may not be so kind.

 

[Hex]

It kind of depends on how the person who is voting interprets the genre... I reckoned because it was 'Deception' and we don't actually know how some things happened (though we think we do), a loose interpretation works, but other people think differently. It's one of those fun aspects to the challenges

 

[David Evil Overlord]

Thanks for the shortlisting, Tywin.

 

[Juliana]

Tywin, thanks for the mention.

 

[The Storyteller]

Well I didn't get to writing in the challenge this month, but I took the time to read all the entries this morning and here is my verdict!


Long-Listing (all of these were very good, there is only the slightest difference in preference between my long-listing and my short-listing):
AnyaKimlin: Blood
Ashleyne. B. Watts: Queen Edward
Mr. Orange: Smoothing Over a Wrinkle
Bowler1: Your Country Needs You
A. Fare Wells: Vacationing at the World's Columbian Expense
Hex: 1937
The Judge: Divorced... From Reality
Cat's Cradle: Up in Front
Karn Maeshalanadae: The Fall of the Confederacy
Ursa Major: You Can't Run, But... (I quite enjoyed the word play here!)


Short-Listing:
BigJ: A Lesson From the Lamb- I liked the way the dialogue conveyed the story. Memorable and interesting!
Starbeast: Day or Reckoning in Tombstone- I liked the setting and execution of this story, and the way the theme of 'deception' was used.
crystal haven: raking him in- I liked the idea and the narrative for this. Well done!
Juliana: The Ballad of Mary Read- I loved the idea and the poetry used. The verses were well-written and humorous. Great idea, very well-written!
mosaix: Now you see it... - Very interesting idea, and I didn't catch what the deception was until the very last line! Between the idea and the execution, I loved this entry!


I was very hard-pressed choosing between mosaix and Juliana, but in the end mosaix one my vote with Juliana a close runner-up. Good job on all the great stories everyone!

 

[Ashleyne]

Thank you for the Long-listing, The Storyteller

 

[Ursa major]

Thanks for the long-listing, The Storyteller.

 

[Jinxo]

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

Doh! That just shows how close it was with my vote, I got myself in a kerfudle.

I did at least manage to click the correct vote on the poll page -

Rats! - springs.

Sorry for the confusion telford and springs, and thank you TheDustyZebra for being more 'on-the-ball' than me.

 

[AnyaKimlin]

Hey a second long listing - thanks Storyteller