Discussion Thread -- April 2016 75-word Writing Challenge

[Cat's Cradle]

This is a good month to have three votes! There are a lot of very nice stories (and I'm very fond of voting!).

So, my lists:

semi-finalists: chrispenycate, farntfar, Victoria, DG, Calliopenjo, Cascade, BluePhoenix711, Robert Mackay, VB, Parson, TJ

Votes:
Ihe - a very effective and chilling depiction of an individual in crisis.
mosaix - just amazing. A beautifully written and unspooling tale of invasion.
LittleStar - wonderful world building, and characterization, in only 75 words (wait, just counted...73 words, I think! Even more amazing.). I like Cali, and love the last line.

So, along with the groveling envy admiration of their peers, the winner will be receiving the terrific The Haunting of Lake Manor Hotel as their prize! That's very generous, ratsy! Best of luck everyone, in the voting, CC

 

[The Big Peat]

I voted for Ponyboy, Rank Outsiders and The Cutting Room, with The Depreciation of Ploughshares being the unlucky one out that just missed out.

 

[willwallace]

Three votes is quite nice. I went for :

On A Blood Red World- Perpetual Man
The Cutting Room-Vaz
No Angel Tonight-reiver33

 

[Vaz]

Short List:

Perp
Drof
Chrispy
Sinister
Phyre
Calli

Votes:

Kerry

Victoria

Reiver33

 

[Ihe]

Shortlist and vote:

cathbad
shyrka: Struck a chord with me, as an ex-gamer.
farntfar
hazelrah
bowler1: Oh, the poetic injustice.
mosaix
littlestar
starbeast
culhwch
venusian broon
phyrebrat
dustyzebra: Hilarious and "dirty".
ajid

 

[nixie]

After numerous rereads my votes go to

Pep
Cascade
Reiver33

 

[Ursa major]

Many thanks for the vote, The Big Peat.

 

[chrispenycate]

So my shortish list is:-

BluePhoenix711 The Lone Patron *
Bowler1 Duck and Cover *
Cathbad Superiority
DG Jones The Depreciation of Ploughshares
farntfar Legal entry
J5V Fulfilment
The Big Peat Untitled
TheDustyZebra The Life of Riley Crusoe *

And my thanks (enormous) to Vaz for the mention and, of course DG Jones for the vote.

 

[Vaz]

Thanks for the votes The Big Peat & WillWallace

 

[Phyrebrat]

I liked more than I anticipated I would, on second read-through which was peeving... There were a few that seemed to go over my head, and others that should have gone over my head, but didn't, so thanks to those for making me feel good...

Shortlist:
Luiglin
Kerrybuchanan
Shyrka
Perp
Victoria
DG Jones
Duttster
Bowler1
Culhwch
SilentRoamer
TJ

Votes:
Culhwch's I knew I'd vote for the moment I read it. It would have had my one vote if we'd not been blessed with three.
Duttster's I must have skipped when it was posted because when I re-read them all, I fell in love with the head lights and then the ending.
Perp's dead kids; gotta love dead kids (ask any teacher).

Thanks for the Vote, DG Jones. You dey mek I happy-o! Thanks for the mentions, too, fellow voters...

And special mention to Luiglin and Bowler1 - I like your serious stuff! Shyrka - I get it! I get it!

pH

 

[Perpetual Man]

I've felt a little off my game for the last couple of months (whether that is anything to do with the name change is a question for another time) but here we are, Perp again and I have two votes!

It also looks great to see Pep appear from nixie

Thanks to Vaz for the mention, and a huge cheesy grin to willwallace and nix for the votes.

And indeed to Phyrebrat who sneaked one in while I was typing this

 

[Calliopenjo]

I promised myself I would get this done this month, so here is the rest of them.

Cuttster-The story brings an air of mystery to this tale.
Vaz-A story mixed with horror of the paranormal.
willwallace-A battle at the ready to stop the invaders.
HazelRah-The sorrow of a mother with the consequences of an action.
johnnyjet-The dawn brings about a chance of change.
Cascade-A story of something different, but maybe not so different.
Bowler1-Locked away because of an expected danger, only to find nothing had changed.
mosaix-The planning of a possible take over.
LittleStar-A little question and answer session between mother and child.
Starbeast-Maybe A little surprise in this tale, between two people and a native being.
BluePhoenix711-Everybody is hungry for something.
Heijan Xavier-Visitors to a new place. Perhaps a bit of wariness would be wise here.
Culhwch-Someone is trying to break in.
Glen-It seems a bit of luck is needed to win the gamble of this race.
Robert MacKay-A spy fails in the attempt to observe without being seen.
Venusian Broon-Perhaps a tale of mystery with this one.
Parson- A bit of an adventure in this story.
reiver33-An old crime story with paper people.
Phyrebrat-A mother wanting to help her children.
SilentRoamer-An unknown visitor in outer space.
J5V-Perhpas the character needed a change of profession as fate decided a likely course.
Bob Senior-Two people found out their fate with a need for fun.
TheDustyZebra-A humorous tale about the next opportunity for employment.
Ursa Major-It seemed the perfect opportunity, except something unexpected happened.
The Judge-An interesting take on the beginnings of life.
ratsy-The life of a mirror, the one who see all.
Mad Alice-A wish for a loved one to return.
Ajid-A question about life.

 

[Calliopenjo]

Here is my short list. There were quite a few good stories that could be developed into larger ones. It was hard to choose.

Cathbad-Superiority
Droflet-The freak
Pepetual Man-On A Blood Red World
Cat's Cradle-Closing Time at the Everyone's Welcome Inn
Ihe-Selective Autism

 

[Parson]

Many good stories this month. Usually there are a few stories that I feel don't match genre or theme. I didn't feel that there were hardly any this month.

My Short list:

Luiglin --- White Room
Cathbad --- Superiority
Nixie --- Watcher
Perpetual Man --- On a Blood Red World
Venusian Broon --- Tattarrattat
J5V --- Fulfillment

Voted For:

Cascade --- What We Don't Understand --- I loved this study on racism.
Mosaix ---Outsiders for Now --- A study of evolution.
TheDustyZebra --- The Life of Riley Crusoe --- Just plain brilliant! A story that every struggling author would like to live.

 

[Cathbad]

My Votes: Culhwch, Bob Senior and TheDustyZebra. Droflet would have been my fourth. :/

So many good stories!

And thanks to those that mentioned mine.

 

[Bowler1]

Bowler1 - I like your serious stuff!

Thank you, but its a passing viral infection that should be long gone next month!

Woo Hoo - three votes, way to go. Much better all round I'd say.
1 - We get to vote three times.
2 - Picking a single winner is hard, so this helps.
3 - A vote spread should encourage more posts (I keep threatening to shoot people to get more involved, but with very little success to date (Not that I plan to stop shooting people, I like a mission in life (and I like RAY GUNS, in case I never mentioned this before!))).
4 - We get to vote three times!!!

Thank you Ihe and bluephoenix711 for votes. I have one from the MIGHTY CHRISPY too, which should count as a million votes or something (it does to me anyway).

 

[Luiglin]

Thank you, but its a passing viral infection that should be long gone next month!

You also caught that? I've been insufferable with it. I'm not that good at serious writing, then again some say I'm not that good at comedic writing. Maybe a romance a la Barbara Cartland?

 

[Glen]

Here's my favourites for this month, and I've enough votes to vote for half of 'em:

• Ashylene. B. Watts - scary unknown
• chrispenycate - garden epic
• Cat’s Cradle - weirdies
• mosaix - parity
• Venusian Broon - downside up
• Bob Senior - toast

 

[Bowler1]

Maybe a romance a la Barbara Cartland?

That's only allowed if you dress up in pink and nothing but pink. I'm sure you'll look wonderful!

 

[Luiglin]

That's only allowed if you dress up in pink and nothing but pink. I'm sure you'll look wonderful!

No problem, getting the purple rinse blonde wig to fit is another matter.