DISCUSSION -- January 2016 300-word Writing Challenge (#20)

[Starbeast]

Congratulations Denise Tanaka​

And a Mega "Well Done" to:
@Victoria Silverwolf - @Jo Zebedee - @Robert Mackay - @The Judge - @Mr Orange - @Ursa major​

Congratulations, Denise! That must make you feel grand.

Thanks To Starbeast for the lovely review, and for the mentions; johnnyjet, Starbeast, crystal haven, Denise, Jo, LittleStar and DG Jones.

You are double-ly welcome Phyrebrat.




My story: When I stared at Mr Orange's excellent beach photo, I kept thinking about the last scene in the movie JAWS, an empty beach. And I thought, what if I added a few more minutes to the (already great) film. So--- I made it that Captain Quint would turn out to be the real killer.

Mu-ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!! (cough cough) Excuse me. Now I chalked up another horror story for myself.

 

[Denise Tanaka]

I'm feeling the many hugs from afar. You guys are great. As soon as I saw the picture, I just knew... I used the setting of my current WiP but not any of the novel's characters. I resisted the temptation to make it a slice of a larger piece. I focused on making this incident stand all on its own. Though it did make the 300-words a lot easier to write when I had the world building already done.

 

[Denise Tanaka]

And to my happy surprise, the Judge informed me that there's a tangible prize generously given to the winner - a book of my choice! I picked Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie. I've had my eye on this one for a while but, y'know, other things took priority.

 

[pambaddeley]

As ever lots of good stories, but I'm ashamed to say several I didn't understand even on multiple reads. Anyway, my short list:

DG Jones -- La Baise de la Mer
Jo - The Way of the Hunt
Juliana -- Fish Kids
Mr Orange -- Ashes to Ashes
pambaddeley -- Sole Survivor
Phyrebrat -- The Rime of the Brackish Mariner
reiver33 -- A Snapshot, With Commentary
Robert MacKay -- Like a You or a Me
Ursa -- Thank God it's Friday
Victoria -- Stranger on the Shore


The first two votes were easy. Phyrebrat's lyrical horror story had me at the very first reading, and though Victoria's hold on me wasn't quite as instant, the sheer brilliance of the jazzmen idea had me by the second read. Then it became difficult, and I wavered between two or three for the last vote. In the end Ursa's imaginative take on what I think is hell just pipped Robert's poignant tale.

Victoria also gets this quarter's prize for the perfect title. And CC gets a special award for an absolutely bonkers entry. (So what else is new...?)


I had to do some extensive pruning to get my story inside the 300 limit, and I was worried I'd tossed out so much it no longer made sense, so I'm glad my fears weren't wholly founded. So heart-rending, footprint-leaving thanks for the shortlists/mentions Droflet, johnnyjet, Shykra (contemplates changing rules to allow for 4 votes...), Alex, Starbeast, Juliana, DGJ, Phyrebrat and VB (contemplates changing rules to allow for 5 votes...), and mimosa-scented, Guarneri-playing mega-thanks for the wonderful votes pam, J5V (thank you so much for the kind words), Robert (ditto), crystal, Denise, LittleStar, HazelRah, Mr Orange, and for the stealth vote Chris p.

Thanks so much TJ for the shortlisting, and it was my pleasure regarding the vote.

 

[pambaddeley]

Well, Vaz's chagrin aside, I'm glad Mad Alice had a problem with her voting today, because I had forgotten this was the last day for voting and wouldn't have noticed it if it hadn't appeared in the staff room!

Special mention to J5V for seeing what I saw first in the picture, even if I never got around to writing anything. That dog is glaringly obvious, and we appear to be in a distinct minority (Robert Mackay may have been going off of that as well) of people who saw it. I thought "Neverending Story", actually, but lolloping spaniels work, too.

Rafellin -- Anything for a Quiet Walk
*Victoria -- Stranger on the Shore*
*Jo -- The Way of the Hunt*
*Denise Tanaka -- Looking Back*
Mr Orange -- Ashes to Ashes
pambaddeley -- Sole Survivor
johnnyjet -- Homeless
Robert Mackay -- Like a You or a Me
mosaix -- Everyone Likes a Day on the Beach
Ursa -- TGIF

Thanks for the shortlisting, DustyZebra. (I still can't see that dog though ... how can you zoom the picture?)

 

[pambaddeley]

Congratulations Denise! Loved your story.

 

[Ursa major]

how can you zoom the picture?

Because one's mind's eye has a wonderful zoom...?

 

[pambaddeley]

Maybe I misunderstood, but I thought DZ was saying there actually was a dog in the picture and I can't see one if that's the case. I know the picture was meant for inspiration, not to be taken literally.

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Maybe I misunderstood, but I thought DZ was saying there actually was a dog in the picture and I can't see one if that's the case. I know the picture was meant for inspiration, not to be taken literally.

No, sorry -- it's the piece of driftwood on the right side, past the fence. It looks like a dog lolloping across the sand toward the left side of the picture, with long ears sticking out to the sides.

 

[Zoe Mackay]

I didn't see the driftwood dog (though it's a lovely idea), but I did see tracks that looked like they might have come from an animal, and that was where the dog came from.

 

[pambaddeley]

No, sorry -- it's the piece of driftwood on the right side, past the fence. It looks like a dog lolloping across the sand toward the left side of the picture, with long ears sticking out to the sides.

Oh, I see. Must be my prosaic lack of imagination, because I looked at that and thought 'oh, an interesting bit of driftwood....'

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Well, now, to be fair, my mother made animals out of driftwood, so I'm probably predisposed to see what may be living in a piece of it. It's like the advice given by whatever master sculptor it is who is often quoted as saying that you just have to look at the stone and remove all the bits that aren't the horse, or whatever it is. Sorry, lazy memory, but you get the idea.

 

[Mr Orange]

Well, now, to be fair, my mother made animals out of driftwood, so I'm probably predisposed to see what may be living in a piece of it. It's like the advice given by whatever master sculptor it is who is often quoted as saying that you just have to look at the stone and remove all the bits that aren't the horse, or whatever it is. Sorry, lazy memory, but you get the idea.

i'm surprised you didn't see the zebra...

 

[J5V]

...Special mention to J5V for seeing what I saw first in the picture, even if I never got around to writing anything. That dog is glaringly obvious, and we appear to be in a distinct minority...

Entirely coincidental, or subversive subliminal suggestion; you choose! I suspect an ink blotch (Rorschach) test has been performed on us all

 

[Juliana]

Well, now, to be fair, my mother made animals out of driftwood, so I'm probably predisposed to see what may be living in a piece of it.

I suspect an ink blotch (Rorschach) test has been performed on us all

It's the well-known spirit test of the unhewn log...

 

[StilLearning]

Well done Denise Tanaka, well played. Thank you to those who honoured me with a vote or mention

 

[Cat's Cradle]

Okay...everyone realizes that we'll have the reveal of the inspiration picture for April's 300 worder in just 13 days, right??

ps - I'm guessing there will be a frog...anyone??

 

[Rafellin]

...I'm guessing there will be a frog...anyone??

Hmmmm. I'm not getting animal emanations. I'll go with: grass, on the right, and something chunky in the foreground on the left.