DISCUSSION -- APRIL 2019 300-word Writing Challenge (#33)

[mosaix]

Congratulations, Jo!

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Oooooh, thanks everyone! I had to crash about an hour before the poll ended and was sure I was waking up to a tiebreak between Perp, Nixie, Peter V and Her Honour (commiserations to all ;()

This was a weird one. I looked at the picture when it went up and thought ‘that’s a person’. I wrote something a couple of weeks later and it was very short so I didn’t need to worry about wordcount. Next day, I typed it directly from the draft onto my phone (and then spent the editing hour fussing a few things around). I think it was just one of those stories that doesn’t like being overworked.

I also stole one aspect from my own town - a Buckygelder is born within sight and sound of the fisherman’s quay. I would have been one but got all complicated and ended up born on the Falls Rd in Belfast to the sound of gunfire instead of the sea!

 

[nixie]

Congratulations Jo,
I'm surprised mine was so well received, it really wasn't what I had in mind when I decided to enter. I was going to write about genies and lamps sat down to write and this took over.
I'm not putting myself down, I hadn't even mulled the idea over in my head before it was posted.

 

[Shyrka]

Congratulations to @Jo Zebedee on a fine win. I knew it was a strong entry when I first read it and it very nearly made my shortlist. Very evocative.

I'm always fascinated by the variance in people's votes and mentions. Thank you to everyone who shortlisted mine - I'm very happy with its performance considering how quickly I had to throw it together.

 

[Luiglin]

Congrats @Jo Zebedee .

Considering mine was a tale about someone not thinking clearly and jumping off a cliff, I was chuffed for the votes and mentions. Cheers @Ashleyne and @Hummus .

I need to get back to more light hearted stuff. These more serious pieces are doing my head in.

 

[The Judge]

Congratulations, Jo!

And colourfully harmonious stone-song thanks for the stupendous votes Teresa and Ursa!

. . . mine was a tale about someone not thinking clearly and jumping off a cliff

*hits head on keyboard!* Yours was one of those I really liked and would have shortlisted, but for the fact I couldn't work out what had happened! Now you've said "cliff" it makes complete sense and I'm annoyed I didn't figure it out for myself.

 

[Danny McG]

Well done Jo
Good standard

 

[Luiglin]

Congratulations, Jo!

And colourfully harmonious stone-song thanks for the stupendous votes Teresa and Ursa!


*hits head on keyboard!* Yours was one of those I really liked and would have shortlisted, but for the fact I couldn't work out what had happened! Now you've said "cliff" it makes complete sense and I'm annoyed I didn't figure it out for myself.

I mention the cliff in the tale but because I wanted the PoV of the first part to be an unreliable narrator I had to keep it subtle. The second PoV was the unfortunate finder of the body.

 

[Perpetual Man]

Congratulations Jo and well done to all the close run seconds and thirds.

I was completely caught out by the surge of votes at the end, so I must give thanks to: Teresa, Cul, elvet, TJ, PB, Mr Orange, Cathbad, Shyrka and The Big Peat for the votes.

And thanks too for the mentions I received.

I don't think mine needs too much explaining, and TJ hit the nail on the head when she referred to it as a Stone Age man building a memorial.

As always I do wish I could take part more in all the interactions on the Chrons and miss doing so. Every month (and three months) the challenges come up and I think I won't be able to take part this month and then some form of OCD kicks in and I realise I cannot possibly miss a month and break my run of always entering.

Thanks to all those who review the stories here every month, I should say it more often.

And that's it...

 

[Vaz]

Congrats, Jo. Fine win!

Thanks Cul for the stealth vote.

V

 

[Hummus]

Considering mine was a tale about someone not thinking clearly and jumping off a cliff, I was chuffed for the votes and mentions. Cheers @Ashleyne and @Hummus .

Haha is it weird that this concept appeals to me?

But seriously , I enjoyed your story and it deserved the vote

 

[Dan Jones]

Congratulations Jo, it was a fine story, to be sure, and it's always good to back a winner. But it didn't put me off my fish, so you'll have to try harder next time.

Sir Reggie Rigmarole sends great, porridge-splattered thanks to those who mentioned my foul story, but a great big, exploding bladder-full of gratitude must dribble down upon Vaz, Phyrebrat and Ashleyne for the votes! And if you think I'm potty for writing it, what the hell must that lot have been on to vote for it?

Sir Reginald Rigmarole will return... ONE LAST TIME!​

 

[Cat's Cradle]

Congratulations, Jo! And commiserations to everyone who is not Jo. STONE-BORN is a great story, and it was a very close race. See everyone back here for July's 300 worder, CC

 

[Luiglin]

Congratulations Jo, it was a fine story, to be sure, and it's always good to back a winner. But it didn't put me off my fish, so you'll have to try harder next time.

Sir Reggie Rigmarole sends great, porridge-splattered thanks to those who mentioned my foul story, but a great big, exploding bladder-full of gratitude must dribble down upon Vaz, Phyrebrat and Ashleyne for the votes! And if you think I'm potty for writing it, what the hell must that lot have been on to vote for it?

Sir Reginald Rigmarole will return... ONE LAST TIME!​

I'm almost tempted to have him story bomb in one of my Dark Lord tales

 

[johnnyjet]

Congratulations to Jo on the big win. Well deserved!

Thanks to Rafellin, elvet, Jo Zebedee, chrispenycate, Peter V, Starbeast, Shyrka, Dan Jones, Phyrebrat, Mad Alice, The Judge, and Ursa major for the listings and a special thank you to Victoria Silverwolf, Cat's Cradle, L.L.Lotte, and Teresa Edgerton for the actual votes. This was my best showing in a long time. Greatly appreciated.

 

[Daysman]

Just got in so a little late but anyhow congratulations @Jo Zebedee !

Oh and @The Judge thanks for the mention!

 

[M. Robert Gibson]

First off, well done @Jo Zebedee

Second off, big thanks for the short-listings and mentions and slightly bigger thanks for the votes @Starbeast @Pedro Del Mar @LittleStar

Third off, a bit of background to my effort, on the off-chance anyone cares
I've been reading a book of Scottish Folk Tales and a common theme is how there are three brothers/sisters. The eldest two go off and mistreat or insult 'the little folk' and end up getting killed or captured, but the youngest sibling is kind and generous and ends up rescuing the other two.

So I thought I'd try my hand at writing one. I knew I was in trouble when I hit 180 words and I was still with the first prince.

So I tried it with with two. Nope.

So I had to cut it down to just the one prince. Consequently I don't think it worked as well as I would have liked, otherwise I'm sure I would have been a runaway winner

This is the book that inspired me

Scottish Folk Tales

Scotland is a nation rich with traditional customs, sup…

www.goodreads.com

This ends tonight's broadcast.

Thank you for listening.

 

[Ashleyne]

Congratulations, Jo.

 

[scarpelius]

Congratulations Jo.

 

[Culhwch]

Congrats, Jo!!

Many thanks for the votes, TJ, Rafellin, Shyrka and Peat, and thanks also to those who mentioned or listed my story - very much appreciated! It's been a while since I put in a three hundred worder, so I was very pleased with a positive response. I don't know that I really pulled off what I'd intended, and I really probably needed more words to do so - but then, that's the challenge, isn't it!