DISCUSSION -- March 2018 -- 75 Word Story Challenge

[Mr Orange]

many thanks for the vote @Cathbad. and thanks for the mentions @nixie and @Hugh

 

[mosaix]

For those who are interested, there’s still time to enter the 100 word anon challenge over in the Workshop.

 

[Starbeast]

Final Battle Starbeast - I had to read this a couple of times to appreciate it fully but then realised how well it works and I really like the matter of fact nonchalance of the superhero protagonist.

Thank you Peter V. You made my night, shine bright. I was pretty sure I'd have the only superhero tale.

My favourites this month:

• Starbeast - Is it the end of Prof. A?

Thank you Glen. You made me grin. BTW, is any great comic book villain, truly gone forever?


@Calliopenjo - A gargantuan THANK YOU. Your "stealth vote" stunned me. Wheeeeeeee!




Short List of Steam Punk Legends

@Cat's Cradle
@Ashleyne
@Joshua Jones
@Parson - VOTE
@Victoria Silverwolf
@Cathbad
@chrispenycate
@Jo Zebedee
@Bob Senior
@Stable
@M. Robert Gibson
@Graymalkin
@Heijan Xavier
@Mr Orange
@TheDustyZebra
@The Judge
@paranoid marvin

 

[Heijan Xavier]

My favourites were:

@Joshua Jones
@chrispenycate
@M. Robert Gibson
@Shyrka
@TheDustyZebra

My vote went to
@Peter V

Thanks to
@Peter V and @Starbeast for the mentions!

 

[mosaix]

Shortlist: Peter V, Parson, Victoria and TDZ with TDZ getting the vote.

 

[johnnyjet]

A lot of interesting stories. Difficult to come up with a long list, since there would be so many.

However, I eventually came up with the following short list and *** winner ***:

Prior to the Warranty Claim - Cat's Cradle
The Conversion of Mech-organic Worms - D. A. Xiaolin Spires
The First Automaton on the Earth - Luiglin
*** Steam Punked - Parson ***
Population Problem - Victoria Silverwolf
Glasshouse in the Sky – chrispenycate
Gravity - LittleStar
A Captain's Duty - Shyrka

 

[Parson]

Oh, Happy Day! Two votes and a short listing! Really, really excited about this development.

@mosaix ... Thanks for the short listing.

@Starbeast and @johnnyjet .... The two of you have made this month the best in years for votes for me. Thanks so much!!

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Oh, Happy Day! Two votes and a short listing! Really, really excited about this development.

Err... you might want to take a look at that poll again.

 

[M. Robert Gibson]

My favourites were:

@Joshua Jones
@chrispenycate
@M. Robert Gibson
@Shyrka
@TheDustyZebra

My vote went to
@Peter V

Thanks to
@Peter V and @Starbeast for the mentions!

Oh wow! Someone liked it enough to mention it! Thanks @Heijan Xavier

 

[Parson]

Err... you might want to take a look at that poll again.

I did not say what I meant well. It should have read two additional votes. I was well aware of Victoria's first vote and remain humming along very pleased by it and them.

 

[Cat's Cradle]

I'm going to list a lot of stories. This was a tough one for me to judge...I thought there were tons of very good entries, and a nice handful of excellent ones, and I'm leaving stories I liked off my list so that it isn't novel-length. Well done, Bob Senior, on the genre/theme selections. So, here we go:

Honorables:
scarpelius, Stable, Graymalkin, Mr. Orange, Teresa Edgerton, Ursa major

Short list:
Parson, Bob Senior, LittleStar, M. Robert Gibson, Shyrka, The Judge

Finalists:
Luiglin: The First Automaton on the Earth - Very well written, and I thought this was a truly touching story.

Peter V: Judicial Enquiry into the Second Venusian Campaign (Aborted). Admiral Sir Archibald Chastain Commanding. - This is all dialogue, and I thought it worked very well. Effective pacing, with a very good denouement.

Victoria Silverwolf: Population Problem - Great world building, and a truly authentic feel. This did Verne proud.

TheDustyZebra: Per Aspera - Loved the title, loved the story. Again, this seemed very authentic to me, and that last line is killer.

AnyaKimlin: Transmission Slip - Just wonderful. And probably my favorite concluding line in the challenge. This makes me smile.

Vote: hold on a minute...let me re-read a few of these...

Vote: TDZ Terrific writing, very funny last line, and I love the feel of the piece. Well done, TDZ!

A big thanks for the shortlistings, Luiglin, Glen, Starbeast and johnnyjet! Looks as though it'll be another nail biter, good luck all, CC

 

[Shyrka]

After much deliberation, I compiled the following short(ish) list, favourites in bold:

Prior to the Warranty Claim, @Cat's Cradle
The First Automation on the Earth, @Luiglin
Gravity Calls, @Pedro Del Mar
Pretty When You Smile, @Joshua Jones
Judicial Enquiry... @Peter V
Population Problem, @Victoria Silverwolf
From Red to Blue, @mosaix
Gravity, @LittleStar
Sky Fall, @M. Robert Gibson
The Birthday Present, @Graymalkin
Apology Accepted, @Heijan Xavier
Untitled, @Mr Orange
Per Aspera, @TheDustyZebra
All At Sea, @The Judge
Dead Ahead, @paranoid marvin
The Bronze Legion, @ASleepyGiraffe

After much hand-wringing, I voted for Gravity, by @LittleStar - I just loved the melancholy beauty of this piece.

Thank you to everyone who's voted or mentioned my story. It's very much appreciated!

 

[AnyaKimlin]

Shortlist:
Cat's Cradle - for some reason it had me thinking of Cartimandua (no good reason!). This little piece had me gripped and sorry it ended so soon.
Starbeast - Fab opening line and it contains ice cream
Penny - there was no missing this was Steampunk!
Victoria Silverwolf - the names alone earned this mention, but the story was cool too.
Nixie - mechanical cats are a brilliant idea.

Winner is Cat's Cradle. Fantastic story and gripped.

 

[Joshua Jones]

First, thank you @Parson, @Hugh, @Peter V, @Starbeast, @Heijan Xavier, and @Shyrka for the mentions. Steampunk is not my strong suit, so it is great to see people enjoying my paltry offering amid the shiny brass mastery that characterized this month.

Voting was incredibly difficult this month, but ultimately, @Parson won out. Very close behind his offering was @The Judge, @TheDustyZebra, @Teresa Edgerton, and @ASleepyGiraffe.

Excellent job everyone!

 

[Cat's Cradle]

First, a special commendation to Starbeast and Shyrka, for their admirably long lists (I am not alone!!).

Thank you, Shyrka, for the listing, and AnyaKimlin for the vote and kind words!

 

[nixie]

DON'T FORGET TOO VOTE.

 

[scarpelius]

DON'T FORGET TOO VOTE.

or else Odysseus is going to take control March 2018 100 Word Anonymous Challenge

 

[Penny]

I enjoyed them all, Shortlist would have to be in no particular order.

Interstellar Travel - @Ursa major - I love foolish scientists
Steam Punked - @Parson - Steam camera >.> nuff said
Per Aspera - @TheDustyZebra - A gentleman is naked without his hat

loved many of the others I don't believe in long shortlists though ;P


- Sadly I fatfingered on my phone while looking at the poll and my vote went elsewhere >.>

 

[chrispenycate]

My shortlist this month consisted of: Bob Senior, Heijan Xavier, johnnyjet, Luiglin, Penny, The Judge and Victoria Silverwolf . Vote (after deliberation) went to Victoria Silverwolf.

Grattitude goes to: Glen, Heijan Xavier, johnnyjet and Starbeast for their mentions.

A difficult challenge, and breaking our life, the universe and everything consistency one challenge before our eight year chroniversary.

If I have got this right: Ashleyne, ASleepyGiraffe, CTRandall, D.A. Xiaolin Spires, Garfunkel, Jo Zebedee, LittleStar, Mr Orange, paranoid marvin, Teresa Edgerton, TheDustyZebra and Ursa major have not yet voted, despite having submitted, while Arden, dannymcg and Phyrebrat have voted despite not having a story in the poll.

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Whoops! Very glad of that reminder, as I forgot I was going to vote yesterday. Shortlist will have to come tonight, but my vote is duly registered for Mr O.