DISCUSSION -- October 2014 300-word Writing Challenge (#15)

[Sancho]

Thank you for the vote Sancho!

You're welcome,

 

[Sancho]

Thanks for the stealth vote, Sancho.

You're welcome

 

[Sancho]

*mosaix quickly checks his own, recent, entry is still there.*

Whoever it was, commiserations.

,
Thanks,
It was me, the newbie. I wasn't aware of the various system's wordcount arbitrage.
I will make sure I don't sail quite so close to wind with the count next month

 

[Sancho]

I can't recall the last time I gave my fail-safe counting system for the 300s, but in case there's anyone who hasn't heard it already.

Copy and paste the final version into a new document and then divide it into paragraphs of just 25 words (ie ignore the actual paragraph and sentence structure) with a line's space between each, and you should end up with 12 or fewer paragraphs. If you've got more than 12, you've got too many! And to be on the safe side, unless you've specifically checked hyphenated words with one of us, count them as separate words.

If you're having difficulty counting the 25s, start at the end of the paragraph -- or print it out and turn the paper upside down -- so you're forced to look at each individual word rather than your eyes skim-reading what's there.

Wish I had read this before I submitted.
Will try it next time

 

[Ashleyne]

My shortlist is the same size as my vote list. They were, both, originally in order of appearance, but they became jumbled as I hmmd and ahhhd over which ones to vote for.
My shortlist:
The Girl, the Knight, and the Dragon by Culhwch
For One Knight Only by David Evil Overlord
House of Frankenstein by Starbeast

My votes went to:
Futility of the Innocent, Claudio della Inganno by Mr Orange
A Fairy Tale by Juliana
Graffiti Bridge by phrebrat


Thanks for the mention, Alchemist. And a gargantuan thanks for the vote, Starbeast.

 

[Juliana]

Thanks for the vote, Ashleyne!

 

[Kerrybuchanan]

The one that didn't make it, especially for @alchemist

My ipad broke and I have just got it back, so I missed the 300 (which I was very excited about and therefore deeply disappointed).

Here is the entry that never was:


“Who are you?” the little girl asked.


“I am the mighty Cù Chullain,” the warrior replied.


“Where are you going?”


“I ride to defend Ulster, by defeating the champions Queen Medb sends against me,” he said, voice tinged with exhaustion.


“Am I beautiful?” The child asked, her face wistful.


Cù Chullain smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he beheld the girl.


“Yes, mo chuisle,” he said. “You are beautiful.”


“Then take me to wife,” she said, her pretty chin raised, eyes flashing fire.


Cù Chullain laughed. “You are but a child,” he said. “Ask me again in ten years and perhaps my answer will be different.”


In front of his eyes, the child began to grow into the most beautiful woman Cù Chullain had ever seen, her auburn hair breaking loose from its braids and swirling around her head.


“Who are you?” He asked, voice hushed.


She smiled, perfect lips curving. Cù Chullain swallowed. His heart raced and the leather reins slipped in his hands as the horse tossed its head and danced, startled at the transformation.


“I am the daughter of a king,” she said, her voice musical and charming to his ear. “Do I please you now, Cù Chullain?”


“You do please me,” he said, “but there is only one woman in Ireland I wish to take for my wife, and she waits for me.”


At his words, clouds rolled in to cover the sun and it seemed to Cù Chullain the branches reached out to pull him from his horse. The wind howled, lifting the leaves and pine needles and hurling them at his face. Lightning flashed in a summer sky and suddenly he knew who the seductress was.


“Morrígan,” he said. “Do your worst.”

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Very lovely.

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Yes, that was a poetic and stylish myth.

 

[alchemist]

Excellent, kerry. I recognise it well, having stood on Queen Maeve's (Medb) cairn.

 

[chrispenycate]

My 'short' list contained:- Culhwch, Darkchrome, David Evil Overlord, Glen, Juliana, Karn Maeshalanadae, Talysia, telford and Void. Ultimately I voted for Glen, Juliana and Talysia.

Rushes off to hug Talysia, that couldn't do before voting.

 

[Juliana]

Thank you Chris!

And Kerry, very nice. Thanks for sharing. Looking forward to your next 300 entry.

 

[Talysia]

Aww, thanks Chris - you've made my night.

 

[Sancho]

You shouldn't be disappointed to produce a lovely story like that.
I enjoyed it.

 

[Droflet]

Thanks for the mention, Chris.

 

[Bowler1]

This could be anyone's yet, the voting it tight and light yet. I will be along soon to add my votes I promise.

 

[Darkchrome]

Thank you for the mention, chrispenycate

 

[Mr Orange]

thanks for the shortlistings johnnjet and martin321 and thank you very very much for the vote ashleyne! very unexpected and much appreciated

 

[Phyrebrat]

Thank you to @Karn Maeshalanadae and @Ashleyne. B. Watts for wasting a third of their votes on my nasty little tale, and to CC, johnnyjet & Alc for the shortlist.

My Shortlist
Springs
Alchemist
telford
Victoria
Harebrain
Mr Orange
mosaix
The Judge
TDZ

And my votes:

TDZ's headless horsemen
Victoria’ s Joannie
& Mosaix moving picture

Againagainagainagain!

pH

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

I had a very hard time deciding which stories went on which list, and there were so many I admired that just barely missed being on my long list. But here are my lists: long, short and **votes**

Void
Talysia
Mouse
telford
Victoria Silverwolf
Robert Mackay
johnnyjet
ratsy
Glen
Perpetual Man (this one I came very, very close to voting for)
Darkchrome
**springs**
**Remedy**
**Juliana**

(Kerry, there is a good chance I would have voted for your story had you posted it, though I would have had a hard time deciding which of the three I did vote for it would have replaced.)


_______

And thank you very much alchemist, Hex, Abernovo, springs, A. Fare Wells, and Cat's Cradle for the votes, some of which, I believe, came by stealth.