DISCUSSION -- October 2014 75 Word Challenge

[Darkchrome]

Congratulations, Hex - a very well-deserved win

I am truly chuffed as chips for my two votes, entirely unexpected given the standard of all the stories! A humble thank you to The Judge and Teresa, and also Ursa Major for my runner-up mention.

As to where my story came from – I have a bit of a fascination with the whole Caribbean/Southern States/swampy voodoo vibe (probably why I was attracted to The Boatman's Ball) and the long-legged phrase just triggered a picture into my head. Moko Jumbies aren’t really bad, but I like the suggested undercurrent of scary in loud, happy things (clowns, deserted theme parks etc.).

I’ve also learned a couple of important things with my second challenge. I was a bit daunted by doing a shortlist as I was really struggling to choose. However, I appreciate now that this is a very important part of the process and the ‘mentions’ are really positive feedback, so I'll definitely contribute next time.
The other thing is that Phyrebrat is obviously cooking up some sort of Matthew Hopkins-like plot. I’m off to plant a Rowan tree outside my door. Oh no…wait, that’ll just stop me getting back in the house…

 

[jastius]

rosemary lavendar and yarrow, darkchrome.. plant it by the garden gate..
..drives away dark forces, and census takers.

 

[johnnyjet]

Like others, my story ideas can come from many places. This time my story came about through a series of leaps: (1) "Ghoulies, ghosties, long-legged beasties" made me think of combining a ghost story with spiders; (2) then I remembered the old movie "Kiss of the Spider Woman"; (3) which led me to the idea "Kiss of the Arachnaphobe" (which is a cool title, but I couldn't come up with anything to fit it); (4) and then I ended up with "Curse of the Arachnaphobe" -- (5) which led me to the idea of a man afraid of spiders and not afraid of ghosts who ends up succumbing to the ghosts of spiders.

Strange where your mind leads you sometimes.

 

[The Judge]

I’ve also learned a couple of important things with my second challenge. I was a bit daunted by doing a shortlist as I was really struggling to choose. However, I appreciate now that this is a very important part of the process and the ‘mentions’ are really positive feedback, so I'll definitely contribute next time.

There's no obligation on anyone to provide a list, so don't worry if you don't have time or you feel intimidated by having to choose, and never feel you have to justify your choices. As to which re your post yesterday, don't worry about voting for someone who voted for you. We do have the Staff Room nisse run the gremlin-powered VotingCorrelationEngine from time to time, and interesting reading it would make, too, if any of us understood it. But invariably the style of some members' writing will appeal to you more than others, and you'll find yourself shortlisting and voting for many of the same people over the months. And by and large if you like their writing, chances are they'll appreciate your style.

As for Phyrebrat, if we're talking Witchfinder Matthew Hopkins, I disposed of him in a 75 worder ages ago, so you're safe. But if you're worried, you need tansy and houseleek. The latter stops lightning, too, which is always an advantage.

 

[Juliana]

rosemary lavendar and yarrow, darkchrome.. plant it by the garden gate..
..drives away dark forces, and census takers.

Also Sansevieria, 'Mother-in-law's tongue', which is known in Brazil as St. George's Sword. We plant it near the front door to ward the home from evil.

 

[holland]

I see that you guys are talking about origins of your stories.. I was actually sitting at my laptop in a dark room trying to write a story, and I imagined a ghost of a little girl standing in my room. And I can tell you, after half an hour of imagining her, it was like she was really there

 

[Remedy]

Ah, I see, I see. Thank you Phyrebrat and TDZ, I'm with you. I just wrote a snapshot really, it needed more plot - I must have fallen foul of creating the story and background in my head, then I only captured a single moment here... All good learning.

I wasted words trying to make it more horrible too

Thanks again

 

[Culhwch]

I see that you guys are talking about origins of your stories.. I was actually sitting at my laptop in a dark room trying to write a story, and I imagined a ghost of a little girl standing in my room. And I can tell you, after half an hour of imagining her, it was like she was really there

I liked your concept - it really stood out for me, and was definitely on my shortlist!

Many, many thanks for the votes, ratsy, Phyrebrat, A. Fare Wells! And thanks also to everyone who mentioned or listed my story! I honestly didn't think I'd do too well this month, especially after noticing the typo I left in there... But otherwsie there wasn't too much to my story. The 'long legged beasties' part of the theme snared my imagination, and it just kind of unfolded from there.

 

[TheDustyZebra]

I wasted words trying to make it more horrible too

I'm glad you didn't have any more words to use -- it was quite horrible enough!


My story is easy enough -- when I think of things that go bump in the night, it's generally involving people falling out of bed. You can blame James Thurber for that, but it would probably be more reasonable to blame my children. And then, because falling out of bed is not, in itself, a horror (though screaming may be involved at both ends of the house), I started thinking of long-leggedy beasties.

 

[Mr Orange]

Crikey, you forget to log in for a few days and everyone starts shortlisting!

Thanks to chrispy, Robert McKay, boneman and the judge.

And double crikey, I got a vote! Thank you very very much to tdz for that! Really wasn't expecting anything this month.

And congratulations to hex. A very worthy winner.

 

[HareBrain]

after noticing the typo I left in there... But otherwsie

Think you might have an infestation there, Cul.

 

[Mr Orange]

And the origins of my story are pretty simple. I had very little inspiration this month so decided to try and shoehorn every bit of the theme in. Things that go bump in the night made me think of one night stands. Originally I was thinking a ghost hunter or a ghost itself having a romantic liaison,but it ended up being Death. And then it was just a matter of squeezing long legged beasties, ghoulies and ghosts into the same literary bed.

 

[farntfar]

Well it's not exactly an origin, but Starbeast was right about the sinister whisper in his review back on page 5 of this discussion.

I wrote mine in the voice of Vincent Price.

 

[WinterLight]

@Quellist aha! because I thought it was just a child very much embracing the halloween night, but now I am picturing a hellbent creature thinking it will get a soul but gets a bunch of drumstick lollipops shoved into its claw! hehe even funnier!

My bit was loosely inspired by the film 'Mama' - the very first horror movie that really freaked the bejeezers out of me, for the fact that

Spoiler

the ghost in the movie is also insane

So my tale is one about a little girl who was strangled by her father - and, now as a ghost, carries out the same act on people, her immature mind believing that it is the thing to do, and a way to express love.
I tried to give her a 20th century style narration, I suppose because the idea of ghosts was more prevalent then, and just for a bit of flavour.

 

[Hex]

I love these stories!

Mine did what TJ's did and just turned up in my head, kind of based on that childhood experience I'm sure everyone has when they wake and know there's something in their room.

 

[Culhwch]

Think you might have an infestation there, Cul.

Oh m god , its spearding! Maek it sopt!

 

[mosaix]

Congratulations, Hex!

Thanks for the vote, Holland and thanks for the mentions / short lists Talysia, Hex, Farntfar, Chris, Johnnyjet, Phyrebrat, TDZ, Boneman, TJ and Teresa.

As for the origin of mine, well as is often the case I get an idea, start to write, modify and change things and end up with a story far removed from what I started out with. The original idea was horror / comedy along the lines of Scary Movie. The opening line I started out with was something like "Now, it's midnight on Halloween, should I go the long way round or take the short cut through the grave yard?"

 

[Cat's Cradle]

I agree, Hex, it's great hearing these histories of our stories!

 

[TheDustyZebra]

And the origins of my story are pretty simple. I had very little inspiration this month so decided to try and shoehorn every bit of the theme in. Things that go bump in the night made me think of one night stands. Originally I was thinking a ghost hunter or a ghost itself having a romantic liaison,but it ended up being Death. And then it was just a matter of squeezing long legged beasties, ghoulies and ghosts into the same literary bed.

I was actually going to add a comment to my list, about how you managed to get every element into your story.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Um, so for those who saw mine (it's in my blog). I knew people were wanting some of the old-fashioned hidden goodies stories, so I decided to try to hide something but I'm not smart that way with riddles and things. So I started to think of what I might hide and then I thought about names, specifically of spiders, hidden inside a story. After working to extend that idea for the last week or so I'm now thoroughly sick of the idea...