DISCUSSION -- October 2016 300-word Writing Challenge (#23)

[Dan Jones]

Cheers HB, I'd forgotten the taste of Vote. Much obliged, squire.

 

[Vaz]

Frighteningly good favourites.

Erik
Victoria
Cory
Ajid
Ratsy
Perp
Mr O
DGJ

Votes

Alice
Beasty
Drof

 

[Vaz]

And thanks to @Judderman for the kind stealth vote!

 

[Starbeast]

Aargh my story succumbed to the old erroneous Microsoft word count (and my lack of a personal check). I only went and foolishly linked words with ... without gaps inbetween. A lot of excellent stories this month though.

Oh man. Sorry to hear you couldn't join us this month, Judderman. You could have one of the mods do the word count for you. I don't have a "word counter", so I count each word in my story many times, until the paranoia ebbs from me.

Thank you sir for the Stealth Vote. I hope to see you on the next 300, my friend.

In the words of Doctor Smith, "Oh, the pain, the pain," of choosing only three entries. So anyhoo:
Honorable Mentions: Beasty, Erik, CC, Cathbad, Victoria, Shyrka, Her Honor, Mosaix, Dusty and Little Star.

Thank you for the mention, Droflet. You made my day. I'm a big Dr Smith fan too.

My Favorites:

Starbeast: Monster of Frankenstein in "Speak No Evil"
Droflet: Timeline
johnnyjet: Interview with the Gatekeeper
LittleStar: A Warrior’s Burden

Thank you for the mention, Cathbad. You made my day.

It was so difficult culling this challenge; Colette Halstead's photo inspired a really fun challenge. But here are my lists:

Shortlist:
Starbeast, Cory Swanson, Wruter, Ajid, Luiglin, Coast, farntfar, LittleStar, Robert Mackay, Mr. Orange, Mad Alice, TDZ (sorry, that's not short at all!).

Thanks for the mention, Cat's Cradle. You made my day.

Votes

Alice
Beasty
Drof

Thank you Vaz for the vote. You stunned me to the core. In a good way.



Honorable Mentions, *Finalists and "Votes"

@Droflet
@Heijan Xavier
@ErikB
@Calliopenjo
@Cat's Cradle
@Cathbad -*
@Victoria Silverwolf - "The Showdown" (Thank you for the reviews too - keep up the awesomeness)
@Cory Swanson
@Wruter
@Ajid
@Luiglin
@Coast
@ratsy - *
@Perpetual Man
@johnnyjet - *
@AstroZon - *
@farntfar - "On Living Flesh"
@Glen - *
@LittleStar - "A Warrior's Burden"
@Vaz
@Robert Mackay
@HazelRah
@Shyrka
@Mr Orange - *
@The Judge
@mosaix
@Mad Alice
@TheDustyZebra -*
@DG Jones - *
@Ursa major

 

[Droflet]

Many thanks to Vaz for the vote and Beasty for the mention.

 

[LittleStar]

Wow, thanks @Starbeast. I wasn't expecting any votes this time around, and I just woke up to this, so guess what?... You've just made my day

 

[Luiglin]

Straight into the votes.

@Droflet I'm sure that I've read this before or was it after?

@Cory Swanson just for the absurd weirdness, after all

@HazelRah loved the opening line, set it up perfectly

 

[Droflet]

Ha. Many thanks for the vote, Luiglin. Much appreciated.

 

[Cory Swanson]

Excited to have lots of mentions and a couple of votes. Now, if life would settle down so that I could get an hour or so to read through them all and vote.

 

[Wruter]

I only spotted 5 birds in The Judge's piece so I'm not going to become an ornithologist anytime soon.

All the pieces had merit and I had to be harsh in picking out these favorites:

Droflet
Heijan Xavier (the ending fell a bit short for me but the first half was very good)
Ajid (a lot of scope here, you should definitely expand this)
Vaz
Mad Alice
The Dusty Zebra

And my votes:

"The Showdown" by Victoria Silverwolf - deft, compelling, and the classic quality of the writing is a joy.
"The Pride of the French" by Cory Swanson - the clean, lucid prose makes this literary surrealism so effective.
"Dada Daddy-O" by DG Jones - abundant style, craftsmanship and frame of reference.

 

[Dan Jones]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Wruter wrules.

 

[HazelRah]

Wow, a very humbled thanks to Droflet, CC and Luiglin for the votes!
Now for my favourite choices...

Shortlisters:

TDZ
Mr Orange
Perp
Johnny jet
Mosaix

The almost vote was.... Luiglin

And the votes went to StarBeast, Farntfar and Littlestar

Well done everyone on a good month of stories

 

[Vaz]

Thanks to Beasty and Wruter for the mentions

 

[Mr Orange]

More mentions, shortlists and favouritings for moi!
Thanks to @Cat's Cradle, @Vaz, @Starbeast and @HazelRah!

 

[Starbeast]

Many thanks to Vaz for the vote and Beasty for the mention.

You're very welcome, Droflet.

Wow, thanks @Starbeast. I wasn't expecting any votes this time around, and I just woke up to this, so guess what?... You've just made my day

You are immensely welcome, LittleStar. Excellent story.

Wow, a very humbled thanks to Droflet, CC and Luiglin for the votes!
Now for my favourite choices...

And the votes went to StarBeast, Farntfar and Littlestar Well done everyone on a good month of stories

Thank you HazelRah for the vote. You made my day shine bright with delight.

Thanks to Beasty and Wruter for the mentions

You're mighty welcome, Vaz. Stay cool man.

More mentions, shortlists and favouritings for moi!
Thanks to @Cat's Cradle, @Vaz, @Starbeast and @HazelRah!

You are very welcome, Mr Orange. You were one of my Finalists.

 

[Ajid]

First off, thank you so much to Cathbad, I believe this is my first ever vote and there’s nothing else quite like your first.


Many thanks for the mentions from Cat’s Cradle, Vaz, Starbeast, and Wruter.


A wonderful picture that has led to some amazing stories. I have both enjoyed writing for this challenge and reading to vote. It was fantastic to see the emotion and common themes that united many of the stories and served as a wonderful view into our attitudes towards aging. Just in case it doesn’t come across I really enjoyed this challenge.


After a few days of trying, and struggling, just to get a shortlist together, I felt I simply had to give honourable mentions to the following:


Timeline – Droflet

LINGERING VISION. – ErikB

Close your eyes... – ratsy

The House Where Infinity Dwells – Perpetual Man

Of Matters Darke – Shyrka

In Two Minds? – mosaix

None but fools would keep – TheDustyZebra


And an extra special mention to LittleStar. I have a lovely little cat named Star and I can imagine her writing this. This was my almost vote.


And my heart led me to vote for:


The Watcher & The Night Walker – Vaz*

Detached - HazelRah *

Trapped… And Rescue’s Doubtful, I Suspect – Ursa major *



^not my cat but similar.

 

[Droflet]

Thanks for the mention, Ajid.

 

[Cory Swanson]

Short list and votes. Funny how so many hit on a similar idea. Some great ideas this month.

Droflet - Timeline
Cats cradle - The Dimensions Vary
Luiglin - Next, please
Johnnyjet - Interview with the Gatekeeper
Farntfar- On Living Flesh
The Judge - More Letters from Merlyn’s Mage School
Mad Alice - Teddy’s Magic Picnic
The Dusty Zeebra - None but Fools would Keep
DG Jones - Dada Daddy-o

 

[Droflet]

Thanks for the mention, Cory.

 

[johnnyjet]

My first long list was every story. I knew at that moment that this was not going to be easy! After much deliberation and regretful yet ruthless cutting, I ended up with the following (still rather long) Long List, Short List and **** Favorites ****:

Monster of Frankenstein in "Speak No Evil" – Starbeast
Timeline – Droflet
Sadness, and Sweet Nostalgia's Elusive Illusion - Heijan Xavier
**** The Showdown - Victoria Silverwolf ****
The Pride of the French - Cory Swanson
Warning Sign – Wruter
I Could Only Travel the One Road – Ajid
Close Your Eyes … - ratsy
On Living Flesh – farntfar
A Warrior's Burden – LittleStar
**** The Watcher & the Night Walker – Vaz ****
Between - Robert MacKay
Detached – HazelRah
**** Of Matters Darke – Shyrka ****
More Letters From Merlyn's Mage School - The Judge
In Two Minds? – mosaix
Teddy's Magic Picnic - Mad Alice
Dada Daddy-O - DG Jones