Discussion Thread -- August 2017 75-word Writing Challenge

I voted for @LittleStar - I thought the description was gorgeous. Close runner up was @The Judge - I do like innuendos and this gave me one. But then twisted it. Very clever. I also had a bunch more I really enjoyed, so in order of submission:

@Victoria Silverwolf - Beautiful pice
@Cat's Cradle - Nice turnaround here
@Joshua Jones - Shows steely resolve
@Perpetual Man - Bittersweet, heavy on the bitter
@Phyrebrat - Surprising and sweet
@Ursa major - Gave me a giggle

Also lots of child death this week. I guess it's better than cats? (Don't quote me on that!)
 
As someone has said upthread.... lots of dead children in this batch of stories. And goodness, were we dark or what? Hardly a breath of optimism in the set of stories. Do we really think that those are the stories that people want to read? Or are they simply easiest to draw an emotional response out of 75 words?


Anyway:

Shortlist:

@Ashleyne --- "RNB" --- a cautionary tale if ever there was one.

@Stable --- "The Little Boat that Could" --- I loved the little boat who did what it could and mourned what it could not.

@TitaniumTi --- "Tenderness" --- A really clever take on the theme and for once I was pleased with making money hand over fist.

@D.A. Xiaolin Spires --- "A Carnivore's Scramble" --- A lesson which shows that what matters depends upon your needs.

@WordWarrior --- "Make Me Numb or Else I Die" --- This made me think of the critical need for a mother's love.

The "Why can't we have three votes again" list:

@Teresa Edgerton --- "From Herr Drosselmeyer's Workshop" --- A masterpiece of the power and the fickleness of love.

@ratsy --- "Sacrifice" --- Every parent understands this story deep within their heart.

@The Judge --- "After the Laughter" --- A touching look at banality as opposed to what really matters.

--------

In the end I voted for Teresa Edgerton's mini masterpiece. Nothing is purer gold than a heart whose love lasts a lifetime.
 
Parson said:
As someone has said upthread.... lots of dead children in this batch of stories. And goodness, were we dark or what? Hardly a breath of optimism in the set of stories. Do we really think that those are the stories that people want to read? Or are they simply easiest to draw an emotional response out of 75 words?
Click to expand...

People like to try and get a twist in, the obvious twist for Tenderness is some form of destruction.
 
Parson said:
As someone has said upthread.... lots of dead children in this batch of stories. And goodness, were we dark or what? Hardly a breath of optimism in the set of stories. Do we really think that those are the stories that people want to read? Or are they simply easiest to draw an emotional response out of 75 words?


Anyway:

Shortlist:

@Ashleyne --- "RNB" --- a cautionary tale if ever there was one. (ps. corporation not corperation)

@Stable --- "The Little Boat that Could" --- I loved the little boat who did what it could and mourned what it could not.

@TitaniumTi --- "Tenderness" --- A really clever take on the theme and for once I was pleased with making money hand over fist.

@D.A. Xiaolin Spires --- "A Carnivore's Scramble" --- A lesson which shows that what matters depends upon your needs.

@WordWarrior --- "Make Me Numb or Else I Die" --- This made me think of the critical need for a mother's love.

The "Why can't we have three votes again" list:

@Teresa Edgerton --- "From Herr Drosselmeyer's Workshop" --- A masterpiece of the power and the fickleness of love.

@ratsy --- "Sacrifice" --- Every parent understands this story deep within their heart.

@The Judge --- "After the Laughter" --- A touching look at banality as opposed to what really matters.

--------

In the end I voted for Teresa Edgerton's mini masterpiece. Nothing is purer gold than a heart whose love lasts a lifetime.
Click to expand...
Now, I thought we established last month that we all had some rooted issues. We even went so far as to suggest that they were necessary to write speculative fiction. And, at least two of @Cathbad's personalities confirmed this as fact...
 
I dithered as per but in the end I had to go with Starbeast because, like, it's Blade Runner y'know. I mean what else could anybody do?
:)
 
Parson said:
As someone has said upthread.... lots of dead children in this batch of stories. And goodness, were we dark or what? Hardly a breath of optimism in the set of stories. Do we really think that those are the stories that people want to read? Or are they simply easiest to draw an emotional response out of 75 word's?
Click to expand...

My first few ideas were full of sentimental tosh that, while readable, I didn't think anyone would be bothered reading. The problem is with such a strong specific theme you had to go either for the obvious or for a twist. The problem is that a twist on tenderness leads automatically to darkness. In my humble noob opinion.

I'd wished I'd stayed with the tosh though (I'll post that one once voting is done). I'm currently getting quite frustrated with my output.
 
Heijan Xavier said:
@chrispenycate got my vote. I will admit I was hoping it was going to an Woody Guthrie, City of New Orleans, kind of place. But I found it clever and charming.
Click to expand...
Well, thank you very much. First post, first recorded vote - certainly unique for me.

But it wasn't Woody Guthrie whose train had the disappearing railroad blues, but his son, Arlo Guthrie (toured with him in '79), of Alice's restaurant fame. I personally feel the sentiment quite frequently when ther are London Chronventions - Southern Rail will do that to you.
 
My Long List, Short List, and ***** Favorite *****:

Tendering My Resignation – chrispenycate
Experience - Victoria Silverwolf
The Black Market - Cat's Cradle
Pieces From the Whole – Vaz
The Little Boat That Could – Stable
***** From Herr Drosselmeyer's Workshop - Teresa Edgerton *****
Forever - Perpetual Man
The Operation – cidetraq
To Be Beautiful – LittleStar
The Maker – HazelRah
Make Me Numb or Else I Die – WordWarrior
A Love Letter – Phyrebrat
THE CONTRAPTION - Bob Senior
I Believe That the Heart Does Go On - Dan Jones
The Rise of the Great Steam Empire – Parson
After the Laughter - The Judge
 
I've read through them all and it's one of those months where the quality is so good that I'm finding it hard to select anything because they all are so worthy.

Only a few days left for rumination!

A big thanks for the mentions I have had, more than in a long while and a massive thanks to Big Peat for the vote. Makes my cockles all nice and warm.
 
A good few now (I make it five) with two votes each, the clock is ticking, I like it when these end up as a close run thing
 
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