DISCUSSION -- January 2015 75 Word Writing Challenge

[chrispenycate]

My shortlist ran to:- Bob Senior, Boneman, Bowler, Cascade, Luiglin, springs, The Bravest Newbie and Ursa major. Finally I went for Boneman.

Thank you very much Parson for enjoying mine despite its loss of comprehensibility with 'excess' words. And I was very happy to get the extra day.

 

[Sancho]

Thanks for the mention S.B.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Thanks for the tiny listing starbeast. My long list was everyone, my short list ended up being everyone minus two, who I felt I was dropping arbitrarily. I woke up this moirning still musing on Springs stroy, and realised that had left the biggest impression!

That made my day - thank you!

 

[holland]

Thanks for the mention Boneman!

 

[The Judge]

I had a few problems choosing this month as for me rather too many pieces weren't love stories as the genre, but simply used love as another theme. Anyway, I'm meant to be doing something else, so no shortlist, but a mention for Cascade and The Bravest Newbie for clever original pieces. And my vote goes to Phyrebrat for his poignant Lucky Six.


Sloppy kissy thanks for the shortlistings/mentions Juliana, Kerry,** Phyrebrat (thanks for the lovely praise), johnnyjet, willwallace,** crystal. Teresa, telford, TDZ, Starbeast, CC and Boneman.


** *makes plans (lovely loving plans, naturally) to nobble alc and Mr Orange for stealing my votes...*

 

[Ursa major]

The marriage of an unusual genre (unusual around these parts, that is) and a deceptively mainstream topic, and before they even got to the reception, lots of beautiful offspring appeared, making my choice one of the more difficult ones (to the extent that one of the runners-up was only just beaten to catching the bouquet. (They grow up fast, these 75-worders, don't they?)

So here are the results of the Ursa jury:

Honourable Mentions:

• Harry Lied by telford
• True Love (or last will and testament) by ratsy
• Loves Outcome by Boneman
• After Office Hours, the Moon & Bills Slush Pile by The Judge

Runners Up:

• The Unbroken Chain by Robert Mackay (the bridesmaid this time)
  
• And None Shall Weep by Reiver33
• Nights In? by mosaix

Winner:

• Saturday Afternoon at Bonnie's by Juliana

(In the above, each category is ordered by time of posting.)

 

[Juliana]

A vote! Thanks Ursa. Made my evening.

 

[Culhwch]

I had a few problems choosing this month as for me rather too many pieces weren't love stories as the genre, but simply used love as another theme.

I can see this - and I can definitely see that my story fell into this category. But I guess I saw things a little differently. I don't know that I consider 'love story' to necessarily be a specific genre, but more of the driving plot line in a story that could have been in any genre. If the given genre was 'romance', then I think that speaks more to certain genre conventions, although even then you could argue it's as broad a category as 'fantasy', or 'science fiction', with many sub genres like paranormal romance, historical romance, romantic fantasy, and so on.

What I looked for this month was not so much the genre, but that the story was a true 'love story' - that it had at its heart a story of the love of one person for another. For me, that ruled out stories that had love of an object at the forefront (although, like Parson's protagonist, I have deep and conflicting feelings for pastries as well). In the end I went with springs' story, which stuck with me from when I first read it, and really encapsulated a love story, with a choice to be made as its conflict.

 

[jastius]

there were thirty three stories on my short list.

the top runners included the usual suspects.. you know who you are..
the final beat down was a bang up between holland, cascade, revier, culhwch, deo, luigin, johnny jet, kerry and alchemist, glen and karn..
holland and deo made it into a toss up finish, and deo won it .. his story just had a bigger bite to it.t

 

[Ursa major]

The poll is now closed and we have a winner:

Congratulations, Springs!​

 

[Abernovo]

Well done, springs!

 

[Juliana]

Nice work Springs! It was a lovely, lovely story.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Eeeep. Didn't expect that... my 75ers have been so, um, challenging for a while, I'd kind of given up.

Thanks to Cul and Aber for the votes tonight (I was watching behind my hands ) and hard luck to Reiver. T'was close and I was sure I'd be wearing the bridesmaid dress (it's not your colour, Reiver. We need a new one....)

And then I remembered ten minutes ago about the theme choosing element. Ulp. So, shall I stretch you all? It's February, shall I make it the gushy pink hearts and puppy dogs? I'm open to bribes....

 

[Ursa major]

*Sends some Kipling cake to Springs*

Need I say more...?

 

[jastius]

Yay springs!! Oatmeal cookie?

 

[Bob Senior]

Howdy,
Congrats TO SPRINGS!

Perp Man----thanks for the short list
telford-----thanks for the honorable mention
TDZ-----thank you for the listing
Chrispenycate----thanks for the short listing
Starbeast----thank you for the place on your tiny list

Just going over my notes I realized that I had received some 13 listings most of which were short listings but no votes.
Some may have thought that conjoined twins were a little too much but on my planet they are the norm.

Great fun this month.

Bob

 

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

I don't know about getting one in next month, actually.


Certainly not at the start, not until I know what next week will be like. There's...issues...going on in my family right now...

 

[Juliana]

Hugs, Karn. Hope things work out okay.

 

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

Yes, well...


It's the sort of stuff that doesn't get resolved in a day or two without some form of divine intervention, and even then, it wouldn't be.

 

[ratsy]

Congrats Springs! Well done!

Thanks Ursa for the mention