Discussion Thread -- February 2016 75-word Writing Challenge

[Droflet]

Many thanks to Alex, Alice and Ashlene for the mentions.

 

[J5V]

With the last grains now trickling through the hourglass, I thank those who mentioned my entry as worthy of being here.

Although the best part of writing is the writing itself, and hammering an idea into shape, there's an undeniable fragment of me that is allowed to leap when my story is regarded by someone as one of the top entries, among what (I'm told) is a very competent field of published (and nearly-published) authors.

These challenges are teaching me how to write, by the example of others. There's also a lesson, which I'm learning every time I make an entry: "I did it wrong"; the wish that I'd written the story differently for it to solidly strike the desired note. Among mine, this time, "your future" rather than "the future". I'm too eager to publish. New process: carve, leave outside to weather for a week, walk around it, chip away any rough bits, don't be afraid to start again from a new block, leave it outside again, then publish.

 

[Ursa major]

The poll is now closed.

Congratulations, Cat's Cradle!​

​

 

[crystal haven]

Well done, Cat's Cradle. Congratulations!

 

[Droflet]

Onya, CC.

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Many congratulations to Cat's Cradle on a stunning victory!

Congratulations also to Cascade and Ashleyne. B. Watts for very strong silver and bronze medals.

 

[pambaddeley]

Yay, Cat's Cradle!!

 

[Cat's Cradle]

Wow. Thank you everyone! It's such a rush to win one of these. I always go with the first story idea that pops into my head, and I guess I just got lucky with one that connected with a lot of people.
I think the challenges are so valuable for the site...I love the sense of community and shared purpose that just permeates the threads each month (not an uncommon purpose at all, eh drof?). And I've learned so much about writing, I think, by participating.
Well done Cascade - I was certain you'd catch me. And well done everyone on the terrific stories this month. Thank you so much to all who listed my story, and thank you to those who voted for it (and thank you again, Cascade, for your analysis...you were spot on, and that made me so happy). Terrific choices too, LittleStar!
As the Academy Awards will be given out tonight, the thought has struck me that by this point in my speech orchestral music would be swelling to tell me to shut up, and leave the stage. So a final thank you; I have an idea for the next challenge...if the moderators accept it, I hope it will prove fun for everyone, CC

edit, to J5V: I agree with you about waiting a spell before posting a story...I find I always improve my entry by not rushing to post. (Although the longest I can ever make myself wait is about 24 hours.)

 

[Cascade]

Congratulations CC. Great story.

Thanks to everyone who read, enjoyed, mentioned or considered my story worth of comment, and thanks very much to chrispenycate, mosaix, crystal haven, The Judge, Jo Zebedee, Venusian Broon, Juliana, and Shyrka for the votes.

 

[Starbeast]

Congratulations Cat's Cradle​

I need to get my skates on and read through all the stories and vote.

But first, a big thank you to Parson, Droflet, Robert Mackay, Farntfar, LittleStar, Mr Orange, Shyrka, Pambaddeley, Starbeast, DG Jones, and Juliana, for including my story on contender lists, shortlists, mentions, runners up lists, and even a bedtime scary list. It was more than I ever expected.

Heh heh. You did write quite a creepy tale, Crystal Haven. Keep em' flying.

Great theme this month and VERY difficult to narrow it down
Many thanks for the mentions and short lists: @J5V @Parson @Cat's Cradle @Starbeast /Tonto @Grimward - with the bar being set so high, it means a lot

You're very welcome Alex Darion.

Thank you for the reviews, Star beast and Victoria!
Thank you for the mentions Vaz, StarBeast, farnfar, Mr. Orange, Parson, and Grimward. And a vote from Grimward! Yay! Dances.
Oh my! DEO! You stealth voted me! Hurray! I feel an absolute piggy now, having more then one vote.
Whee! The luxury! I feel absolutely Khardashian, minus the spiffy wardrobe and angsty bits.

I am having issues with my tablet. Its not keeping a charge, so my apologies in advance, as this is going to be a bit rough and ready.

First off, I loved all your stories. So I had to be a bit savage about the cull.

So to get to it; FAVORITE FEBRUARY STORY Shortlist
Research Complete -- Starbeast

You're double-ly welcome Mad Alice for the review and mention. And a big thank you for you mentioning my tale in your terrific list.

Thanks Starbeast & Tonto and Alice for the honourable mentions

You're welcome Vaz. Tonto slept with lights on again last night. "You ok today, Tonto?"

"Are the invisible monsters gone yet?"

"Yes."

"I don't believe you."

"(sigh)"

Blood-soaked brain-fried thanks for the mentions/shortlistings Droflet, CC (I would usually say thank you for the kind words, but I'm not sure if "Eww!" counts...), Bowler, nixie, farntfar, Mr O, Shyrka, Starbeast, Grimward, Juliana, Alex and Mad Alice.

You're immensely welcome Judge.

First off, thank you, Parson, CC, Venusian Broon, Shyrka, Vaz, Starbeast, Grimward, Juliana, ratsy, The Judge and Crystal Haven for the mentions/ listings.

You're welcome Lady Ashleyne. Stay awesome.

 

[Parson]

Congratulations Cat's Cradle!! It truly was a wonderful story.

 

[TheDustyZebra]

I'm sorry to be running so late with my shortlist -- and sorry it's still not going to make it in right now, either. I did vote, for the inevitable CC and his tea and clover. Unfortunately, my computer has been on the fritz and I also don't have a couch to sit on today, due to getting a new one that won't be here until tomorrow and having given the old one away today, so it's just been impossible to go through the stories coherently to make a list and do formatting and stuff. I will get to it, albeit rather late and probably into the next month since February is so short -- even with an extra day.

Big thanks to all who mentioned my story, and hugs and thanks and virtual cookies to Robert Mackay and Phyrebrat for the lovely and unexpected votes!

 

[farntfar]

Congratulations CC.

And thanks for the listing Alice.

 

[Grimward]

Thanks for the mention, Crystal.

And congrats, Cat's. I'm not reading it again 'cuz I'd like to sleep tonight!

 

[Dan Jones]

Congrats, CC!

And thanks to all who mentioned my silly piece of gimmickry; I thought it was quite a fun thing to do

 

[Bowler1]

Well done Cat and a very good entry that I liked from the first.

Thank you Jo for dithering on my entry and I don't mind that I didn't get your vote in the end, being close is good enough.
Starbeast escapes for another month, no doubt with Tonto riding off into the sunset.

Roll on next month.

 

[LittleStar]

Congrats CC, a great story deserving of the win I thought. And it's always nice to vote for the winner, like a half-sneaky win for us too

I'm glad to see so many great stories for my choices and I look forward to next mi ths challenge!

As for my entry:-

My father was a great storyteller, ive got a few of his scribblings that ive read over and they are really good. Whenever we'd go camping my we'd always ask him to tell us scary stories, I only remember two of them (and only the titles at that) The Watcher in the Woods was one such story. I think it was a story about someone who was watching a group of unsuspecting campers or something along those lines, but it scared the milk out of me when I was one such camper listening to it.

He had written down the story i Remember, but that hard copy got lost over the years of moving house, and though I'm sure one of my siblings (the memory-keepers of the family) would know the actual story, I had to go from the title and create my story from there.

It was good fun to take a stab at horror, something I've never done before really. And a huge thanks to Parson for my vote and everyone who mentioned my story

 

[The Judge]

Congratulations, Cat's Cradle! Commiserations, Cascade!

(An alliterative first and second place!)

 

[Phyrebrat]

Well played CC. I shall post my shortlist etc later. I voted for TDZ last week. Her inspired take on depression was one that resounded with me.

pH

 

[Cat's Cradle]

Thank you, thank you! There are such nice people at the Chrons!

Great story, LittleStar! That's a wonderful memory of your father.