Discussion Thread -- April 2016 75-word Writing Challenge

[farntfar]

First of all, tons of thanks to Cat's, IHe, Chrispy, Johnnyjet, Starby and TDZ for the mentions and shortlistings which gave me so much pleasure.
Even more for the votes from Shyrka, Perp and Crystal Haven.

Wonderrful stories again everyone.
My shortlist included
Perp
Cat's
The Big Peat
Vaz
Bowler1
Starbeast
Blue Phoenix711
J5V
TDZ
and Ursa (I particularly love the title)

My votes go to Glen, Venusian Broon, and DG Jones.

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Is there any way mods can correct this? It'd be a pity for Mosaix and VB to lose out on a vote because of a technicality. Moooooooods.

PS: We should have a @mods tag, making us able to notify and direct all of them at once to particular threads that need their wisdom and reality-altering superpowers. I don't think anybody here would abuse this perk, so mods' "alerts" inbox wouldn't explode if we implemented it. Do we have anything like this in place?

Unfortunately, we have no way of altering votes when this happens. We do make every effort to draw the voting change to everyone's attention, but also unfortunately, habits die hard and we generally have someone every time who doesn't see it. They will have to be satisfied with the intent.

You could hit the "Report" button on a particular post, which would put it up for all of us to notice. That's essentially an "@mods" thing.

 

[Vaz]

Many thanks Starbeast, Farntfar, and Dusty for the finalist and shortlist Mentions

 

[Venusian Broon]

Is there any way mods can correct this? It'd be a pity for Mosaix and VB to lose out on a vote because of a technicality. Moooooooods.

Don't worry mate! Thank you very much for the intention. Unofficially I'm counting it as a vote

 

[Starbeast]

My shortlist:
Starbeast - Outsiders KEEP OUT Or I'll be mean to you.

Votes:
Farntfar – Legal Entry
Mosaix - Outsiders? For Now...
Ratsy - On the Wall

Thank you for placing me on your Short List. You made my morning.

apoogies for not finding time to do a list, but they were all entertaining, and often moving. OK, back to moving house.

Good morning StilLearning. Firstly, thank you for the "stealth vote". You made my morning shine bright. Wheeeeeeeeeeee!

And second, no worries about "lists". I completely understand the overwhelming job of moving, I've done it many times myself. I just don't think (right away) of all the crap that I don't need, that I keep, which makes it tough to collect and dump it into the new dwelling.

I hope your new home is awesome.

First of all, tons of thanks to Cat's, IHe, Chrispy, Johnnyjet, Starby and TDZ for the mentions and shortlistings which gave me so much pleasure. Even more for the votes from Shyrka, Perp and Crystal Haven.

Wonderrful stories again everyone. My shortlist included
Starbeast

My votes go to Glen, Venusian Broon, and DG Jones.

You're immensely welcome Farntfar. I enjoyed your story (tough to narrow down my GIANT Short List). And thank you for Short Listing me. You made my morning.

Many thanks Starbeast, Farntfar, and Dusty for the finalist and shortlist Mentions

You're very welcome Vaz. Keep up the excellent writing.



And a huge WELL DONE to everyone who entered this month's Challenge.

 

[nixie]

Thanks for mention Crystal, 2 shortlist and a vote, doing well this month.
Oh 2 votes, thank you Heijan Xavier for the stealth vote.

 

[Heijan Xavier]

Hello all,

This was an sobering Rookie challenge. Fortunately for me I'm too happy to have found SFFChronicles to be discouraged by the absence of votes.

I enjoy stories and art that mirror the realities of human nature and possibly major current events. I find, as consumer or producer, that Sci-Fi and Fantasy create a much more palatable means (than real life) to explore, understand, and overcome life's challenges.

The stories I voted for are most relevant to me in that way. My votes, therefore, are not objective; they are quite subjective. I don't think I'm qualified yet to give an objective analysis. Here they are though

Nixie-Your story reminds me of the Queensryche song "Silent Lucidity." I love the mixture of mundane and fantastic references the watcher shares. Maybe the watcher is the spirit of the deceased, maybe an loving parent, maybe a depressed person that just can't make the connections. This story is relevant to me and the human condition.

Mosaix- I may be playing king maker here. Quite simply, this story is happening now, as we speak, on many levels, in the supposed democracies of the west. I think it's non-fiction more than fiction. Oh...maybe you're out of genre...

Vaz- I am a high school teacher by trade. I know very well what it's like to love those who don't reciprocate, to do what's right despite objection. Many people in many trades feel the same way, devoting their lives to their own personal "cutting room." The world is better though, because of them.

I didn't have time to make a short list; lots going on as I'm sure we all do.

Thanks for being such a welcoming group of people though. Looking forward to the weeks and years to come.

 

[ratsy]

A tremendously, massive thanks to Culhwch, Crystal haven, reiver33, Starbeast, Mr Orange, sinsiter42 and Cascade for the votes, and to anyone kind enough to mention my little story.

I found a lot of good ones but my top are below, bolds are votes

Droflet
sinister42
Duttster
Bowler1
Culhwch
reiver33
TheDustyZebra

Still a few hours to get the votes in everyone!!!

 

[Dan Jones]

Your story reminds me of the Queensryche song "Silent Lucidity."

A Qüeensryche fan! Oh yeah \m/

 

[nixie]

I have never heard of the group or the song

 

[chrispenycate]

how some manage to come up with lists is beyond me.

But getting a mention, even if it's not a vote, is so encouraging.

Still a few hours to get the votes in everyone!!!

And it seems that:- Ashleyne. B. Watts, HazelRah, Highlander, J5V, Kerrybuchanan, LittleStar, Mad Alice, mosaix, Robert Mackay, SilentRoamer, Singers, The Judge and, of course, Ursa major have submitted without yet voting (all right, Singers had been overweight), while Grimward and crystal haven voted despite not having submitted (and big thanks for that).Well, I've probably got at least one wrong…

In addition to the mention of mentions when I voted, thanks to:- Cat's Cradle, Glen, johnnyjet, Venusian Broon and crystal haven for more mentions, and obviously Starbeast for the vote.

 

[Dan Jones]

and obviously Starbeast for the vote

Ahem, <cough cough>.

 

[Ashleyne]

Thanks for the mention, Glen!

My miniscule list:
Starbeast.

My three votes go to Perp, willwallace and farntfar.

 

[Vaz]

Thank you Heijan Xavier for the vote & short analysis

 

[Zoe Mackay]

I've voted! I voted for DG Jones, Calliopenjo, and TDZ, and Mosaix was really unlucky that I didn't have a fourth vote.

 

[Parson]

I suppose we might consider allowing three votes for the next seventh anniversary of the 75-word challenges....

Says Ursa, tongue planted firmly in his cheek.

 

[pambaddeley]

OK, voted for:
Droflet - The Freak
Victoria Silverwolf - View from a Height
Bowler1 - Duck and Cover

With hon mentions to mosaix - Outsiders?, Culhwch - Outsiders and Venusian Broon - tattarrattat.

 

[Ihe]

You could hit the "Report" button on a particular post, which would put it up for all of us to notice. That's essentially an "@mods" thing.

To be honest, I'd never consciously regarded the report button. It was like background. I'm seeing it for the first time, really, which is inexcusable because it's right below where we write . Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got other forums to make a fool of myself in.

 

[LittleStar]

Good stories this month everyone, a good spectrum of interesting takes on outsiders which is always nice to see

My shortlist this month is

Cathbad (I hope you're expanding this, sounds great )
Perp
Cascade
Starbeast
Phyre
J5V
Bob senior
TDZ

And my votes go to

Hazelrah
Cullwch
Robert McKay (it feels like I vote for you nearly every month!)

 

[Cathbad]

Thank you, @LittleStar , and others who mentioned my story!