Discussion Thread -- December 2015 75-word Writing Challenge

[J5V]

After my latest status entry, I've been directed to post here (knowing it's too late, won't count, but might provide entertainment). Mods feel free to remove.

Orchids

It was December, the trickiest time for orchids. After climbing the steps, he supported the insulated bell-jar as he knocked nervously on the door with his free hand. She should be impressed. He was shaking. He stepped back, waiting for the door to open.

Too far! He fell back over the edge of the steps, in horror as struts and cogs smashed out of his body. The sky and street rolled dizzily around him.
​

[I removed this until voting was finished. Now I am returning it! Nice one, J5V! Hex]

 

[Starbeast]

Thanks to those who mentioned my story, and excellent work by the reviewers. I hacked out a Short List, because the Long List included everyone.

SHORT LIST (Bold - Runner's Up & Red - Vote)

"Bowled Over" by Drof - A holiday blast

"That time of year again" by Luiglin - Explosive holiday tale

"The Boiling Man" by Ashleyne B. Watts - A million dollar story

"S***a Satan Claus" by Ratsy - Go get em' Krampus

"Never The Last Christmas" by Tim James - Arnold Schwarzenegger is, SANTA

"STAND" by Langadune - Nice to meet you. I love spiders

(untitled) by Cathbad - Nice to meet you. Hell of a tale

"The price of progress (and glue)" by Bowler1 - This story sticks, another excellent hit

"You've Got Mail" by Lenny - Reminded me of an elaborate device from a Warner Bros. cartoon

"And those who do...." by Farntfar - Tremendous last line that I didn't expect

"Krakasnower wakes" by Chrispenycate - Outstanding entry that goes ka-boom

"Paint & Powder" by Bob Senior - So she's mechanical. Ruff, ruff (howls) Hubba hubba.

"With Apologies To Blitzen" by Culhwch - Moral: Don't mess with an elf's pay check

"Lacquer Blue" by Hex - Fantastic, out of the blue tale

"Grate Expectations (An extract from Locomotives in Love)" by Ursa Major - You always have a way with words

"Fortune's Fool" by Mad Alice - Wild holiday ho ho horror

"Expect the Spanish inquisition" by StilLearning - Gratifying grizzly goodie

 

[chrispenycate]

Short list:- Alex the G & T
Bob Senior
Bowler1
Droflet
HareBrain
Juliana
And vote finished up with Bowler1

And thanks to Perp - um - Tim and hope for your commentaries. And for the snow globe - I suspect it'll be the only snow I see this year.

 

[Bob Senior]

Howdy,
I have to thank---Willwalace,Titanium Ti and Saharren for their votes, really, really appreciated.

Thanks to, Mr Orange, Tim James, Juliana, hopewrites, Droflet, Little Star and Starbeast for reviews, comments, listings and short listings. I'm glad so many liked my story, thanks again.

Thanks to all for the likes, congrats for baby Emeri Francis Ruth .......

I truly enjoyed this Christmas.

Bob

 

[Droflet]

Thanks to Beasty and Chris for the mentions. Never expected so always appreciated.

 

[TheDustyZebra]

A very festive collection! Many thanks to those who have mentioned my story. I managed to make up my mind, but if there's a tie-breaker I'll probably have a devil of a time deciding again, since the leaders are all on my short list.

Droflet -- Bowled Over
CC -- A Christmas "Repair All"...
HB -- Harbinger in the Smoking Room
RM-- Pa Rum Pum Pum Pum
Tim -- Never the Last Christmas
Bowler -- The Price of Progress (and glue!)
TitaniumTi -- Mysterious Ways
*Bob Senior -- Paint & Powder*
Jo -- Taken for a Ride
Hex -- Lacquer Blue
TJ -- Risk of Lost Profits...

 

[Droflet]

Thanks for the mention, Dusty.

 

[johnnyjet]

Herewith a list of my favorites:

1. The Boiling Man - Ashleyne. B. Watts
2. A Christmas ‘Repair All’ Ordered At S & M Steam Engine Shop - Cat's Cradle
3. Harbinger in the Smoking Room - HareBrain
4. Sea Change - Victoria Silverwolf
5. The Golem's Christmas Miracle - Gonk the Insane
6. Time Travails - Alex the G and T
7. A Time for Joy - HazelRah
8. The Price of Progress (and glue!) - Bowler1
9. Once Again, Light - Juliana
10. Santa Wears an Army Jacket - Starbeast
11. Krakasnower Wakes - chrispenycate
12. Mysterious Ways - TitaniumTi
13. PAINT & POWDER - Bob Senior
14. We Two Kings - Phyrebrat
15. TAKEN FOR A RIDE - Jo Zebedee
16. Fortune’s Fool - Mad Alice

And, after much consideration, my vote goes to HazelRah!

 

[Hex]

Thanks for the mention, TDZ.

And yey! Thank you for the votes, Gonk the Insane and Reiver

 

[Ursa major]

Given that the poll closes in less than fifteen hours, I'm expecting Bowler1's ray gun to be very busy in the not too distant future.

 

[HareBrain]

I thought this was a great month for entries. Though not as numerous as most months, they were all enjoyable to read.

My shortlist (after much culling):

Droflet
Reiver33
Alex The G & T
Bowler1
Lenny
Bob Senior
TheDustyZebra
Hex

And a near-impossible decision it would have been, except that I just couldn't resist Lenny's wonderful Heath Robinson-esque (or is it Wallace and Gromit-esque?) contraption, in all its glorious pointlessness.

Much thanks to TDZ, Hex, Cat's Cradle and Ensign Shah for the votes, and to various others for shortlistings.

 

[Droflet]

Thanks for the mention, HB.

 

[TitaniumTi]

Thank you for the mentions, Glen, HazelRah, TDZ and JohnnyJet.

 

[Zoe Mackay]

I'm not very good at these shortlist things:

I really liked The Judge's Risk of Lost Profits = Certainty of Lost Prophet, because the reversal was really neatly done, and there was a depth to the world that was impressive in 75 words, but I voted for Hex's Lacquer Blue, for its sexiness and its humour.

 

[chrispenycate]

Given that the poll closes in less than fifteen hours, I'm expecting Bowler1's ray gun to be very busy in the not too distant future.

The missing appear to be:- Ashleyne B. Watts, Cathbad, DG Jones, farntfar, hopewrites, Langadune, Lenny, Mad Alice, Parson, ratsy, The Judge and, of course, Ursa major, who can bearly tolerate being other than last.

But I'm sure Bowler has been presented with new christmas zap to try out…

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Given that the poll closes in less than fifteen hours, I'm expecting Bowler1's ray gun to be very busy in the not too distant future.

Isn't that a conflict of interest?

 

[Ursa major]

Not if I duck....

 

[farntfar]

First of all, thanks for the listings TitaniumTi, Glen, CC and SB.

I was particularly taken this month with the way that some stories gave such a depth of description in one line.

CC's "Fezziwig pressurised"
Tim's "One red eye gleamed from beneath torn skin"
Mosaix's "Not here darling, not here"
Bowler's "he had coal to spare but..."
Lenny. Well basically all of it
TDZ's conclusion

But I had to vote for Harebrain's "Hang on while I wind this."
I mean, given such a request, how could you do anything but oblige, and wait for him to wind it.

 

[The Judge]

No time for a proper short list, but when it came to a vote it was a three-way dance between Robert's Pa Rum Pum Pum Pum, HB's Harbinger in the Smoking Room, and Lenny's You've Got Mail, but HB took it by a steam-powered rabbit whisker.


I had no ideas at all for this one until the 11th hour and ended up rather cobbling something together in between cooking the mince pies and trying to get the cranberry sorbet to set for the ice cream bombe, so I'm pleased it found favour with some members -- so great steaming piston thanks for the shortlisting/mentions, Victoria, CC, TDZ and Robert!

 

[Ursa major]

Who could have thought that such a steaming pile (of stories) would have been so entertaining...? (I did, but saying so would go against this month's topic.) But which were the best? Read the decisions of the Ursa jury to find out:


Honourable Mentions:

• The Boiling Man by Ashleyne. B. Watts
• The Golem's Christmas Miracle by Gonk the Insane
• STAND by Langadune
• Expect the Spanish Inquisition by StilLearning

Runners Up:

• Bowled Over by droflet
• Santa Satan Claus by ratsy
• PAINT & POWDER by Bob Senior

Winner:

• Harbinger in the Smoking Room by HareBrain

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