DISCUSSION -- December 2014 75 Word Writing Challenge

[Starbeast]

Loved the noir theme this month! Well done Phyrebrat!

Shortlist: Robert Mackay, willwallace, Juliana, Remedy, Alex, Starbeast, Kerry, johnnyjet

As always, best of luck to everyone in the voting! And Merry Christmas!

Thank you for the Short Listing Cat's Cradle. You made my day.

Thanks for the shorter-listing, CC. And thanks for the mini-review, Starbeast.

You're festively welcome Ursa Major.

Shortlist --

Will Wallace's "Elementary"
Teresa Edgarton's "One Way Ticket to Paradise"
Starbeast's "A Visit from an Injured Santa"
Mr. Orange's "Dept. Store Stakeout"

Good luck all and drink some spiced cider for me! Merry Christmas!

Thank you for the Short Listing A. Fare Wells. You made my day.

Starbeast's List: of the Naughty, Nice and Astonishing​

Ursa Major - Boneman - Culhwch - Perpetual Man - DG Jones - David Evil Overlord - Bob Senior

- BigJ - Tywin - Alchemist - StilLearning - Sancho - Mr Orange - The Bravest Newbie -

A. Fare Wells - TheDustyZebra - Mouse - Johnnyjet - Karn Maeshalanadae - Anne Martin -

Daystrom's Apprentice - Parson - Mosaix - Chrispenycate - Telford - Jastius - Abernovo

- The Judge - J.L. Borstlap - Reiver33 - Bowler1 - SciFine - Kerrybuchanan - Cat's Cradle

- Alex The G and T - Ratsy - Talysia - Farntfar - Teresa Edgerton - Glen - Springs - Remedy -

Juliana - Ashleyne B. Watts - Holland - Willwallace - Robert MacKay




Vote goes to:

Victoria Silverwolf for: "The Gift"​

 

[willwallace]

Thanks for the listings, Ms. Silverwolf and Talysia.

Shortlist --
Will Wallace's "Elementary"
Teresa Edgarton's "One Way Ticket to Paradise"
Starbeast's "A Visit from an Injured Santa"
Mr. Orange's "Dept. Store Stakeout"

Bronze -- Bob Senior's "Joy of Caring"
Silver -- Winterlight's "Humble Joe"
Gold -- Remedy's "Hunting Frost" as it captured the noir theme best for me which worked well with the legend of Jack Frost.

Good luck all and drink some spiced cider for me! Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, and thanks for the shortlist.

 

[Tywin]

Thank you for the listing, SB, I'll hope mine qualified for naughty.

 

[Abernovo]

Indeed. Thank you, Starbeast, for the listing. Hope you're having a good one, mate.

 

[alchemist]

And thank you from me too, SB. That's my target reached

*whistles as he walks into sunset*

 

[Starbeast]

Thank you for the listing, SB, I'll hope mine qualified for naughty.

Heh heh. Yours was definately a spicy treat. A merry welcome to you Tywin.

Indeed. Thank you, Starbeast, for the listing. Hope you're having a good one, mate.

A festive welcome to you Abernovo. Yep. I'm having a great day relaxing. I'm roaming sites on the pc, blasting music from the Norway rock band, Ufomammut (on another open window tab). And vaping clouds with newly arrived e-liquid (cherry, grape, camel cig - which tastes like baked pastry, and blackberry), along with a few new vape parts (drip tips and juice tanks).

And thank you from me too, SB. That's my target reached

*whistles as he walks into sunset*

You're very welcome Alchemist. Keep on being cool dude.

 

[Droflet]

Thanks for the mention, Beasty.

 

[Tywin]

A fun (and fairly bizarre) array of stories this month. I loved reading everyone's entries.

My Shortlist:
Juliana – I like the way you captured the genre.

Remedy – Hard boiled it is.

Victoria – Geez. Not sure how you made it so sad in 75 words without killing a little kid or something. Love it.

The Judge – Love the way that you blended the genre with the holidays without adding murder, adulterous affairs, vigilante justice… wait a minute, I actually love a story without that stuff?

TDZ – Nice interpretation of the old Scrooge

Alchemist – What could be more Christmassy than a sweet old grandmother?

DG Jones – I liked this take on the genre and theme.

WinterLight – I liked it. You got the genre without adding in murderous elves and things.

In the end, my vote went for The Judge.

 

[Sancho]

Hi
I just got back from merrymaking festivities and want to thank Will Wallace for your kind mention - Loved the poem
Also many thanks to Starbeast for the shortlisting.

There were so many great entries this month that I make no apologies for the length of my "Short"-list

Short-list:
DG Jones
David Evil Overlord
Alchemist
Johnny Jet
Chrispenycate
Kerrybuchanen
Starbeast
Talysia
Farntfar
Victoria Silverwood
Cat's Cradle
Teresa Edgerton
Glen
Juliana

The winner is Cat's Cradle's "A present for Joey"
I appreciated how you handled this emotionally charged issue with skill and subtlety while still projecting an appropriately dark light on this often neglected side of the festive season. The last heart-string plucking line clinched it for me.

 

[Phyrebrat]

My winner isn't listed in the poll, so I can't cast my vote yet.

Some amazing entries this month, thanks to everyone who posted a story; glad I chose the genre as it seems to have been largely popular

My favourites
Robert Mackay
Juliana
Teresa Edgerton
Alex the G and T
Reiver33
Victoria Silverwolf
The Judge
Mouse
Sancho
Alchemist
Big j
DG Jones
WinterLight

My shortlist
Juliana
Teresa Edgerton
The Judge
Big j
WinterLight

My vote is a fight between Juliana and WinterLight but I was so impressed with WinterLight's hopeful take on the genre, I went for that one. (But I can't find his/her name on the poll!)

pH

 

[HareBrain]

I was so impressed with WinterLight's hopeful take on the genre, I went for that one. (But I can't find his/her name on the poll!)

pH

Clearly something's gone wrong here. I don't know how to fix the poll myself but I'll flag it in the staff room. Hopefully you'll be able to vote for it soon!

 

[Starbeast]

Thanks for the mention, Beasty.

You're festively welcome Telford.

Hi
I just got back from merrymaking festivities and want to thank Will Wallace for your kind mention - Loved the poem
Also many thanks to Starbeast for the shortlisting.

There were so many great entries this month that I make no apologies for the length of my "Short"-list

Short-list:
DG Jones
David Evil Overlord
Alchemist
Johnny Jet
Chrispenycate
Kerrybuchanen
Starbeast
Talysia
Farntfar
Victoria Silverwood
Cat's Cradle
Teresa Edgerton
Glen
Juliana

The winner is Cat's Cradle's "A present for Joey"
I appreciated how you handled this emotionally charged issue with skill and subtlety while still projecting an appropriately dark light on this often neglected side of the festive season. The last heart-string plucking line clinched it for me.

You're merry welcome Sancho. And thank you for the Short Listing, you made my day.

 

[Talysia]

Many thanks for the shortlistings, Starbeast and Sancho.

 

[Starbeast]

You're festively welcome Talysia.

 

[The Judge]

Apologies to everyone, but most especially to WinterLight, but as Phyrebrat has discovered, we have a problem with the poll.

We found soon after we moved to nu-Chrons that there were problems when adding names to the polls in certain circumstances, since for some bizarre reason adding one name then results in at least one preceding name being removed, and it's likely that this is what has happened here. Unfortunately, this means that trying to add Winterlight's name to this poll will simply result in someone else's name being removed.

We're still discussing how best to proceed, but for the moment anyone who wants to vote for WinterLight please say so here in the Discussion thread -- and preferably in very large font so it isn't missed. When voting is over a post can be added in the poll thread itself collating all those votes so that they are evident there.

Once again apologies!

 

[Phyrebrat]

Clearly something's gone wrong here. I don't know how to fix the poll myself but I'll flag it in the staff room. Hopefully you'll be able to vote for it soon!

Thanks, HB

Apologies to everyone, but most especially to WinterLight, but as Phyrebrat has discovered, we have a problem with the poll.

We found soon after we moved to nu-Chrons that there were problems when adding names to the polls in certain circumstances, since for some bizarre reason adding one name then results in at least one preceding name being removed, and it's likely that this is what has happened here. Unfortunately, this means that trying to add Winterlight's name to this poll will simply result in someone else's name being removed.

We're still discussing how best to proceed, but for the moment anyone who wants to vote for WinterLight please say so here in the Discussion thread -- and preferably in very large font so it isn't missed. When voting is over a post can be added in the poll thread itself collating all those votes so that they are evident there.

Once again apologies!

Sorry, trust me, eh?

pH

 

[Cat's Cradle]

Thanks to everyone who has listed my story! It is greatly appreciated!

And Sancho! A vote! Thank you so much...what a wonderful surprise!

Finally, willwallace, I love your listing technique! It is a beautiful thing!

 

[Sancho]

You're very merrily welcome Talysia , SB and CC

 

[Starbeast]

I knew there was something missing. And yes, it was another very special and talented writer who belongs on my list.

This is the last time I copy names off of the Poll. Well, at least I spelled Ratsy's name right.

Starbeast's List: of the Naughty, Nice and Astonishing
(part two)

WinterLight​

 

[Juliana]

A big thanks for all the mentions from Springs, CC, Taly, SB, Tywin and Sancho. Phyre, thanks for listing me as a finalist; this was a tough month with a lot of amazing entries!

After a ridiculous amount of head scratching (no, not lice, just hard choices!), I finally cut my list down to top ten, including finalists and vote.

Remedy
Springs
Victoria Silverwolf
The Judge
DG Jones
Winterlight
Mouse
The Dusty Zebra
Mr Orange
Teresa Edgerton