DISCUSSION — May 2018 75-Word Writing Challenge

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Sum Dude -- This eerie exercise in the surreal demonstrates how danger threatens from unexpected sources.

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

LittleStar -- The author creates a moody and poetic tale of mystery.

 

[Shyrka]

A Lifetime, @Perpetual Man – A bitter-sweet story of a life snatched away before its time. Thankfully – and unlike those that yearn for it – it is in good hands.

Sherlock Bones & Frankenstein’s Monster (a.k.a. Jim), @Starbeast – This delightful Holmesian mash-up gleefully takes its references from anywhere and everywhere. It’s Sherlock, Jim, but not as we know it.

When the Veil Was Lifted, @johnnyjet – Well-meaning researchers open a Pandora’s Box where they can hear everyone & everything’s complaints. Sounds like the YouTube comments section.

Heroes Are Manufactured And Sacrificed, @Heijan Xavier – A general attempts to extol his troops to new heights but they aren’t buying. Lions led by donkeys? Or, since there’s so much wool going around, sheep?

 

[Parson]

@LittleStar .... Rain .... Star gives us a sensitive story that let's us remember that there are things going on that we can't know in this life.

@Shyrka .... Seek Not, Lest You Draw Their Attention .... Shyrka points out that it's best to keep your head down when you time travel or you might understand Jacob's surprise much more intimately than you care to: "When morning came, there was Leah!"

Shyrka that story hits me at a visceral level. Really good job!

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Shyrka -- This classic tale of strange adventure has a surprise for the protagonist and reader.

Phyrebrat -- The author creates a haunting tale of an unexpected encounter.

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Bob Senior -- This highly original story manages to be both eerie and amusing.

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Culhwch -- This somber tale movingly reveals the internal conflicts of its narrator.

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

D3athw4lker -- A new author offers a mythic tale of an archetypal figure.

 

[D3athw4lker]

Just joined and couldn't resist attempting this challenge! Big thanks to whoever set it up, great idea!

Loved reading the other stories, such a varied mix and thoroughly entertaining.

Thanks also to @Victoria Silverwolf for the review!

 

[Parson]

@Phyrebrat .... The Jilted .... The Brat writes a tale about compulsion and pity and leaves us to worry about what it all might mean.

@Bob Senior .... Has Anyone Seen The New Guy? .... Bob reminds us that it was curiosity that killed the cat, and often humans as well.

@Culhwch .... Truly Monstrous .... Cul points me to a place I'd rather not visit.

 

[Parson]

@D3athw4lker ... The Crossing .... D3 writes a very eerie tale which reminds me of Jesus' parable of the wheat and the tares.

 

[Joshua Jones]

Just joined and couldn't resist attempting this challenge! Big thanks to whoever set it up, great idea!

Loved reading the other stories, such a varied mix and thoroughly entertaining.

Thanks also to @Victoria Silverwolf for the review!

Welcome to the little slice of the internet we call the Chrons, and what an entrance! Great story, great atmosphere; well done altogether. If you are up for it, there is concurrent challenge over in the workshop called the 100 Word Anonymous Challenge (May 100 Word Anon Challenge - Story Thread) which you may enjoy.

Again, welcome, and I look forward to your future involvement in the challenges!

 

[Shyrka]

Paparazzi, @Artoriarius – The ambition of an eager photographer leads them to stranger - if such a thing is possible - places than the world of celebrity.

Flying Rosebud, @Sum Dude – The hapless Mr. Sanchez suffers an alarming avian encounter on the way home. Somehow, I doubt Mrs. Sanchez will believe him…

Rain, @LittleStar – An anxious bride-to-be wrestles with her misgivings and the unknown husband that awaits her.

The Jilted, @Phyrebrat - Drawn inexorably to the weeping bride, the subject of this disturbing tale must now “face” the music.

 

[Heijan Xavier]

Thank you @Victoria Silverwolf @Parson and @Shyrka for the insightful reviews. And thank you again @Cat's Cradle for the very rare pre-voting compliment. Very inspiring support.

@Ursa major is everything alright? You've posted ridiculously early this month.

 

[Ursa major]

@Ursa major is everything alright? You've posted ridiculously early this month.

Everything is fine. I woke up early today and, not being used to having the extra time, I let my mind wander in the direction of this month's challenge.

The surprise is that it alighted on an idea so, if anything, things are better than all right. (This being better than all right won't last. For instance, I have been known to post on other than the last day, but that was quite a few years ago.)

 

[The Judge]

Well, I'm in. Eventually.

I was in two minds about giving this Challenge a miss, as I'm really not into weird or surrealism in any of its forms, and my overriding impulse is to create order out of chaos, not the other way round. Then seeing The Breadwinner last night brought veils, misogyny and nightmarish laws to mind, and I thought I could manage something Kafkaesque, which was the nearest I could get to weird. But even then in the first draft I put in a reason for what was happening to the victim, thereby making sense of it, and I had to force myself to take it out again to retain the bizarreness. Still not sure I've hit the genre though.

 

[Phyrebrat]

Mwuah, ha, ha... I was wondering if you'd post a story. I knew the dilemma you'd be having; not a fan of weird fiction vs entering every challenge. (Or, perhaps in this case, the Defendant should be 'not a fan of weird fiction' instead of the Plaintiff )

I was in two minds about giving this Challenge a miss, as I'm really not into weird or surrealism in any of its forms, and my overriding impulse is to create order out of chaos, not the other way round.

So, who's going to beta my SG? Is this a way of getting out of reading it?

Kafkaesque, which was the nearest I could get to weird

That'll do! Nothing wrong with a bit of traveling salesman-turned-insect.

But even then in the first draft I put in a reason for what was happening to the victim, thereby making sense of it, and I had to force myself to take it out again to retain the bizarreness. Still not sure I've hit the genre though.

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M R James - the man credited (arguably IMO) with creating Weird Fiction along with the likes of HP Lovecraft, Machen et al, has this to say on it:

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It is sometimes necessary to keep a loophole for a natural explanation, but I might add that this hole should be small enough to be unusable.1​

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So, there you go, you're allowed a rational explanation or cause, so long as it's teenyweeny, nobody will pay it any attention. Feel better now?

pH

1Gelder, K. (2002). The horror reader. London: Routledge.

ETA: This new forum software is horrible to format box text and quotes!

 

[TheDustyZebra]

I have no idea whether I hit the genre. I was lucky to hit the broad side of the story thread this time. I’ve had to brainstorm and write it all at work today in between phone calls.

 

[Mr Orange]

Well i managed to get something in for this. i do like having the extra 12 hours on GMT. it's good for last-minuting.

not sure if i hit the genre but hey ho.

 

[Ursa major]

The challenge is now closed to new entries.

Voting is now open at the link below:

POLL -- May 2018 75-Word Challenge -- READ FIRST POST!​

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