Discussion -- November 2017 -- 75 Word Challenge

[nixie]

Sorry meant to add starbeast as one of my favourites.

 

[Danny McG]

There doesn't seem many votes in yet. Only 15 (could be 16) so far.
To be fair, some people have a life and do stuff instead.

 

[TheDustyZebra]

To be fair, some people have a life and do stuff instead.

Do you have any corroborating evidence of that, or is it just the usual unfounded rumor?

 

[DragonAether]

People don't have a life, we are all in the matrix, a life like this doesn't worth and it's fake. Now sorry, I will go eat a big bloody steak as the one in the film. (actually I'm not, because now is 2.48 AM, but I would love a steak, I'm starving damn it.)

 

[TitaniumTi]

Listings
The Magic Spectacles
Where the Ugly Things Are
All Night Long
The Midnight Carnival
Gunslinging Gallants in the Wild Underwater West
Fashion Fortune
The Six Guns Shooter
Dead Shots and High Trails
Interview for The Stage newspaper (Deadwood Edition)


Shortlist
Fifty Dollars in Gold Per Head
Poor Draw Leads To Boot Hill.
The Fatal Attraction of Fast Food
Bill and Lill: the Night’s Takings


Vote
Ain’t No Way To Make A Living

 

[nixie]

Thanks to everyone who has mentioned mine and to @Cathbad for the stealth vote.

 

[Hugh]

Well, I may be more slow-witted than usual because although I enjoyed all the stories there were several that I did not “get”, despite their looking well-crafted.

In no particular order, these are the ones that caught my eye:

@Peter V : such a sad sweetness

@Mith : Billy the Squid made me smile

@Bob Senior : for the flea circus

@Victoria Silverwolf: I just always admire the easy flowing prose

@nixie: the tentacles took me by surprise

@Glen: for his enthusiastic use of psychedelics

@Pedro Del Mar: for the way the ending crept up on me

@The Judge: for Loitering Within Tent

@HazelRah: for use of “the ol’ switcheroo”.


@mosaix nearly got my vote for parsimony of words within that well read spread of Tarot cards.

However @Teresa Edgerton was my clear favourite for the sense of atmosphere created, and while I was unsure that I actually “got” the last line, it left me feeling distinctly uneasy.

I’d also like to mention William Gresham’s tale of carny folk and chicken geeks, “Nightmare Alley”, as by coincidence I sold my copy (Amazon, occasional seller to free shelf space) to someone in the UK during this month’s competition and I couldn’t help wondering if it was someone from chrons.

 

[Kerrybuchanan]

Longlist, Shortlist and Vote:

Ashleyne,
Cathbad
Nixie
Droflet
Hugh
Pedro Del Mar
Shyrka
Chrispy
Paranoid Marvin
Peter V
Suzanne Jackson
Perp
Teresa
Dan

And there has to be a special mention for the Judge. That was a killer last line.

Also thank you for all the lovely mentions, and especially to Pedro Del Mar for the vote.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Here are my long list, short list, and vote:

Talysia
mosaix
chrispenycate
paranoid marvin
HazelRah
nixie
Hugh
Suzanne Jackson
TheDustyZebra
and my vote goes to SPoots

 

[Starbeast]

Wow thanks for the honorable mention Starbeast!

And thanks to this forum for these crazy and cool challenges, where even such people as I can dare post poorly written fever dreams.

Firstly, nice to meet you, and you're very welcome for me listing you. And second, you did fine. Always remember, just relax, have fun with the challenge, and don't over-think it (let the story come to you). You can research for inspiration, or ask others for help, and you can read what other authors post to give you a rough idea on what a micro-story is like, and tips on construction.

By the way, my first challenge entry, was a train wreck.

Sorry meant to add starbeast as one of my favourites. Thanks to everyone who has mentioned mine and to @Cathbad for the stealth vote.

You're immensely welcome. No worries about the mistake, and thanks a bunch, Nixie. You made my day shine bright.

​

FREAK SHOW LEGENDS
(micro list)

@Victoria Silverwolf - Magical Spectacles
@Droflet - Living Dead
@Jo Zebedee - Alien Creature
@mosaix - Fortune Teller VOTE
@Ajid - Chronicle Beings
@paranoid marvin - Midnight Phenomenon
@DelActivisto - Mad Clown
@Dan Jones - Astounding Equine
@Abernovo - Shape Shifter
@HazelRah - Gun Slinging Clown

And a tremendous THANK YOU @Calliopenjo for the "stealth vote".

 

[Ursa major]

Thanks for the favouriting, nixie.

 

[Abernovo]

Thanks for the listing, @TitaniumTi, and the micro listing, @Starbeast!
Hugely honoured.

I will be voting shortly. Not tonight, though. Still reading the entries, but got to get some sleep. Work tomorrow -- pays the bills and all that.

 

[Calliopenjo]

I honestly couldn't come up with anything. I got about as far as: The flea... So what happens for next seventy-three words? lol. Anyway, I hope everybody had a good Thanksgiving. Family and friends and all of that good food. Until the next one.

 

[Parson]

I found this a very hard challenge to judge. The stories were good, but I was looking for both the Western and the Weird in the story, and perhaps I caught some of her Honor's persnickety, but it seemed to me that a lot of the stories were either Western or Weird and not both. Here is my list of contenders:

@Bashfull: “The Second Coming:” – A better explanation for Roswell than most.

@Cat's Cradle : “Fifty Dollars in Gold Per Head:” – Weird Western for sure.

@Droflet: “One Night in Dead End Nebraska: --- A truly original story.

@Perpetual Man: “The Cowboy and the Clown:” --- A nice surprise ending.

@Teresa Edgerton: “The Bargain (Out Past the Joshua Tree):” --- A truly atmospheric piece.

@The Judge: "Interview for The Stage newspaper (Deadwood Edition)" --- A good story and a truly epic pun.

@Ursa major: ”Bill & Lill: The Nights Takings:” --- The “Punslinger” one of the best characters ever. (I couldn't help but think that the Bear was after T.J.)

After a lot of consideration I finally cast my vote for Teresa Edgerton's moody gem.

 

[Pedro Del Mar]

Thank you Hugh and kerrybuchanan for mentioning mine, much appreciated

 

[crystal haven]

Wow! I have votes. Thank you so much Dan Jones and TitaniumTi, and a big thank you too to The Big Peat for the stealth vote.
Thank you to Starbeast for the honourable mention, Kerry for the Longlisting, Teresa for the shortlisting. It’s been great to receive them.

And since doing the challenge, I’ve started writing again after a period of not being able to, which is wonderful.

All the stories have been great to read. Well done, everyone.
Here is my shortlist, and vote.

Victoria Silverwolf – The Magic Spectacles
Where The Ugly Things Are – Ashleyne
Cathbad - Quick-Shot Challenge Carnival Game
Nixie - All the fun of the fair
D. A. Xiaolin Spires - Gunslinging Gallants in the Wild Underwater West
Droflet - One Night In Dead End, Nebraska.
SPoots – Untitled
Johnnyjet - The Wildest Wild West Show West of the Pecos
Mith - The Six Guns Shooter
Teresa Edgerton - The Bargain (Out Past Joshua Tree)
Abernovo - Dead Shots and High Trails
The Judge - Interview for The Stage newspaper (Deadwood Edition)
HazelRah - The Steal of the Show
TheDustyZebra - Go West, Young Man

Mosaix - Poor Draw Leads To Boot Hill.
(I loved Mosaix’s story from the moment I read it.)

 

[Shyrka]

The Bargain (Out Past Joshua Tree), @Teresa Edgerton – Out in the desert there are many secrets. When even the one responsible for their creation doesn’t know them, perhaps they're best left well alone.

INFESTATION, @Bob Senior – Taking a classic concept from our world and “making it real”, this is the story of a circus that has really gone to the dogs.

An Extract From The Memoirs of Mayor Manuel Garfias Pasadena: Lion Taming and City Wrangling, @Stable – Searching for a new home is tricky when they keep moving around. What kind of lasso would you use to bring down a rampaging city?

All You’ll Own Is Earth, @LittleStar – The coming of the circus heralds the end of something greater. The revellers may be in high spirits but there is one spirit who is lost to us forever.

Being For The Pleasurance and Beneficitude of the eminent Senator Imminent J. Craptitude of Wichita, There Will Be A Pree-zentation by “Captain” Porcupine J. Winchester of Pennsylvania of Jess, The Talkin’ Hoss! @Dan Jones – A plan to impress an important politician comes (literally) apart at the seams when a scuffle breaks out. Talk about a pain in the ass!

Dead Shots and High Trails, @Abernobo – The story of a showground gunslinger with an aim so accurate it borders on the supernatural. If only they knew...

 

[Shyrka]

Thanks for the shortlisting, Kerrybuchanan. Those italics are delicious!

 

[Hugh]

Truly wonderful! A mention from @Kerrybuchanan and a shortlisting from @Teresa Edgerton!

Many many thanks!

 

[johnnyjet]

After much research, review, & rumination, my Long List, Short List, and **** Favorite ****:

The Magic Spectacles - Victoria Silverwolf
WHERE THE UGLY THINGS ARE – Ashleyne
The Midnight Carnival – Talysia
All the fun of the fair – nixie
Gunslinging Gallants in the Wild Underwater West - D. A. Xiaolin Spires
Untitled – Spoots
Sister Agnes – Hugh
One of Our Own – Shyrka
Poor Draw Leads To Boot Hill – mosaix
Sideshow Sanctuary – Starbeast
Breaking the Chains - Joshua Jones
Angeni - Peter V
**** Ain't No Way To Make A Living - Suzanne Jackson ****
The Cowboy and the Clown - Perpetual Man
The Bargain (Out Past Joshua Tree) - Teresa Edgerton
INFESTATION - Bob Senior
All You'll Own is Earth – LittleStar
Interview for The Stage newspaper (Deadwood Edition) - The Judge
The Steal of the Show – HazelRah
Go West, Young Man – TheDustyZebra