DISCUSSION THREAD- December 2018- 75 Word Writing Challenge :

[nixie]

Favourites
@elvet
@Culhwch
@Bob Senior
@Teresa Edgerton
@drmatteri
@Aun Doorback
@TheDustyZebra

Vote
@Mad Alice

 

[Ivy Moser]

It was so interesting to read all the different stories, to see all the creative ways everyone interpreted "reindeer." Really, really hard to pick just one!

Some of the stories that resonated with me were those with a futuristic twist indicating extinction (and/or replacement by technology) such as those by Victoria Silverwolf, Stevietee, elvet, Hugh, and Bob Senior.

I also (of course!) liked the stories with winter images and descriptive language of reindeer, such as those by stormcrow, nixie, Jondo, Mad Alice, Teresa Edgerton, Perpetual Man, and those with darker images, too, like the stories of Cat's Cradle and stormcrow.

And it was so fun to read the clever and humorous stories by Joshua Jones, M. Robert Gibson, Peter V, jonnyjet, RJM Corbet, Usa Major, and Luiglin. (I love the references to Poe and Kafka!)

After narrowing down favorites of Victoria Silverwolf, nixie, Mad Alice, Teresa Edgerton, and M. Robert Gibson, I finally decided on (do we really only get to pick one???)...

Vote: Mad Alice

(And thank you for the kind reviews/votes! Perpetual Man, Victoria Silverwolf, stormcrow, M. Robert Gibson, Cathbad, RJM Corbet, chrispenycate, and littlestar)

 

[Karn's Return]

Had to go with Luiglin, I'm just a sucker for Poe.

 

[Parson]

Ouch! Once again we've written a whole lot of dark stories. It seems that the more happy and upbeat the topic the darker we go.

Shortlist:
@elvet Rudolf's Legacy .... For giving us hope in the middle of despair.

@Karn's Return Rudolph The Protective Reindeer .... for a line I want to forget.

@drmatteri Rudolph of the Red Nose .... for a mythic poem in 75 words.

@stormcrow Natural History .... for a truly grim and dark story.

@Peter V Beware of Geeks Bearing Gifts .... for a grin and a wonderfully twisted classic

@LittleStar Why Change With The Seasons? .... For the best philosophical question of the month.

@Joshua Jones The Red and Green Eyed Monster .... For a perfect title and a new worry in home owning.


Vote getter:

@Teresa Edgerton Sometimes There’s Magic .... In my opinion this is a story without peer this month, and if TE has a bit of inclination this would be a wonderful beginning thought for a children's fantasy. It really sounds perfect for that to me. (I have made good calls on these things before.)

 

[Hugh]

How wonderful! I have a vote! Many thanks indeed @Graymalkin

 

[Graymalkin]

How wonderful! I have a vote! Many thanks indeed @Graymalkin

A hilarious blend of the deeply spiritual and sublimely ridiculous. Nice one.

 

[elvet]

@LittleStar Thank you for choosing my story.
@nixie , @Ivy Moser , @Parson Very grateful for the mentions.

 

[Luiglin]

Top three for me

@Tywin - sleigh-fi
@David Evil Overlord - dead fun
@Perpetual Man - you've got to have a prequel

And the eggnog goes to @David Evil Overlord.

 

[elvet]

My favourites:
@D.A. Xiaolin Spires Reindeer Need Gifts Too. The perfect antidote for all the horrible things our other stories did to them.
@subtletylost @Parson and @nixie for their stories that show that the season can bring healing to the spirit
@Hugh , @TheDustyZebra , and @Peter V for the stories that made me smile (twisty endings can do that)
My vote goes to @Teresa Edgerton Sometimes There’s Magic is the story I wanted to hear more of. It just encapsulated the wonder and excitement of what we celebrate.

 

[Parson]

Thanks for the mention!

I agree with this:

My vote goes to @Teresa Edgerton Sometimes There’s Magic is the story I wanted to hear more of. It just encapsulated the wonder and excitement of what we celebrate.

I jsut remembered that I hadn't actually voted. I went and voted and I was dumbstruck. ---- I have two votes! Thanks so much @Aun Doorback and @Dan Jones

 

[Daysman]

Took a different approach this time, had to assign scores and make long lists and everything to handle the bewildering variety of submissions!

Favourites:

• @elvet
• @Luiglin
• @mosaix
• @drmatteri
• @Mad Alice

Vote:
@Hugh

 

[Cathbad]

@Calliopenjo lost his mind!!

Thanks for the vote, dude!

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Thank you to RJM Corbet, chrispenycate, LIttleStar, nixie, and Ivy Moser for the mentions. And special thanks to Cathbad, Parson, and elvet for the votes!

(And for those who suggested it, I'm giving some thought to making it into a longer story.)

____
Now for my own list, I had a lot of trouble dividing my favorite stories into a long list and a short list, since they all touched me in different ways, and more than any other month that I can remember I wish I had more than one vote because my final decision was very, very close (though it would still have been hard deciding if it had been a three vote month).

elvet
mosaix
Parson (captures the spirit of the season)
Hugh
drmatteri
Ivy Moser
Ursa major (what a sneaky pun!)
D. A. Xiaolin Spires
Aun Doorback
Mad Alice

and Perpetual Man gets my vote.

 

[Perpetual Man]

Thanks Teresa, sometimes getting one vote from a great author is as good as winning!

 

[Scookey]

Have it on my to do list for tomorrow. Want to read every entry to be as fair as possible. Well done everyone for such amazing ideas!

 

[TheDustyZebra]

elvet -- Rudolph's Legacy
Luiglin -- The Reindeer
Ashleyne -- Christmas is Cancelled: Rudolph's Poorly
Teresa -- Sometimes There's Magic
Peter V -- Beware of Geeks Bearing Gifts
Joshua -- The Red and Green Eyed Monster
Mad Alice -- For in Cold We Wept
*Perp -- Origins*

Thanks to everyone who's mentioned my story, and hugs and cake to scarpelius for the lovely vote!

If anyone is amped up from voting and needs to do some more, head on over to the Kraxon Story of the Year Poll and read some more stories! Voting open through the 30th. Even better, you can vote for THREE stories there!

 

[Aun Doorback]

All great stories. All you guys are great too and i love this challenge.

 

[Cat's Cradle]

Fine month, everyone. Throwing 'Horror' into the genre pool opens things up a fair bit.

Lots of stories I liked, and here are my lists:

Honorables:
elvet, subtletylost, Teresa Edgerton, drmatteri, The Judge, Perpetual Man

Shortlist:
D.A. Xiaolin Spires, johnnyjet, Scookey

Finalists:
Peter V, Ivy Moser, Mad Alice

Vote:
Mad Alice for a beautiful tale, beautifully told.

Thank you, Ivy Moser, for mentioning my story.

 

[Hugh]

Took a different approach this time, had to assign scores and make long lists and everything to handle the bewildering variety of submissions!

Vote:
@Hugh

Much appreciated! Many thanks Daysman.

 

[Bob Senior]

As Sissy Space Chick said in Coal Miners Daughter " I'm not stupid, I'm ignorant ", the same can be said of Old Bob. My first read thru had me voting for Parson. His story which reminds us of the reason for the season was my favorite but I couldn't give it my vote because of the typos .
So many, many, many really good stories that I had to read em two more times, on my third read thru I stopped at Parson's story again and , wow it didn't say what I thought it did, Parson can spell after all.
Vote goes to Parson, atta boy !

Thanks to Ivy and Nixie for mention/listing .