DISCUSSION THREAD -- August 2019 -- 75-Word Writing Challenge

[johnnyjet]

The Long List was way too long! Just about everyone. Well done. However, here is my Short List and *** Favorite ***:

Killing Weeds - Victoria Silverwolf
Starry, Starry Night – dannymcg
The Border Reiver - Ursa major
The Gardens of England – Serendipity
It's a dirty job, but someone has to do it – Luiglin
The Swiss - Bruce MacLean
*** Everywhere the Devil Spits - M. Robert Gibson ***
The Gardener – Parson
A Philip Marrow Story - The Gardener Always Digs Twice - The Judge
Pretty-made – TheDustyZebra

 

[Parson]

@johnnyjet ..... Thanks for the mention!

 

[Bruce MacLean]

Great, I made a couple of shortlists - I feel like the actors at the Oscars pretending to be happy for the winner! Just kidding, there were some really clever and inventive stories and it was difficult to choose. I enjoyed being a part of it.

 

[Cat's Cradle]

First, thanks TJ for a cool, fun genre/theme combo. I really enjoyed writing for this one. Had a great time reading the stories this month; there were, though, several I really liked, but just couldn't quite see the genre strongly enough in them to list. So here is my shortlist, followed by my vote:

dannymcg, elvet, Hugh, M. Robert Gibson, Perpetual Man, HoopyFrood, The Judge.

Vote: Ashleyne's THE POLLINATOR. This one just grabbed me the first time I read it. I think it's a really effective, and creepy (in the good way), piece of writing. Well done, Ashleyne.

On a side note, I thought there were a lot of really clever titles this month, and I think my favorite was StilLearning's Cops and Gardeners.

Finally, thank you to Ian Fortytwo for the listing, and a big thanks to HoopyFrood for the vote.

 

[Pedro Del Mar]

My vote this month goes to @Peter V who I thought wrote beautifully and included so much in so few words.

My Shortlist: @Victoria Silverwolf who was a very close 2nd place, followed by great entries from @Luiglin and @Bruce MacLean

 

[elvet]

Thank you so much @Cat's Cradle for the mention. I was giving up hope of my story resonating with anyone this month.

 

[The Judge]

Well, I think every story more or less hit the theme this month, but some I simply didn't understand (undoubtedly my fault), and there were more than a few which for me didn't come within the genre, being simply SF or fantasy without noir or hard-boiled elements. Nonetheless, there were plenty of hard-nosed detectives and the like for me to have difficulty pruning down to a shortlist which is longer than usual as a result:

Artoriarius -- The Maltese Magnolias​

Bruce MacLean -- The Swiss​

Cat's Cradle -- Kill Me, Join Me​

elvet -- The Collector​

Hugh -- Turf Wars​

Luiglin -- It's a dirty job, but someone has to do it​

M. Robert Gibson -- Everywhere the devil spits​

Marvin -- The Gardener​

mosaix -- Gone To Ground​

reiver33 -- The Medium-Length Nap​

Stillearning -- Cops and Gardeners​

Getting the shortlist was hard, but voting wasn't, since as soon as I read it I knew I'd be voting for mosaix's perfect story.

I've not handed out special awards for a while, but this month there are three. The award for best punning title goes to reiver, and for best mention of a real plant, StilLearning for Dictamnus alba, aka dittany and fraxinella, which I once had but which sadly never ignited! And the award for sheer unexpectedness goes to Danny for his story the origins of which seem utterly un-noir, but which through clever dialogue/word use he brought wholly within the genre even by my strict definitions.

I guessed my allusion to Sonnet 94 would cause some furrowed brows -- though I trust TDZ gets it -- but all will be explained tomorrow. Meanwhile many green-fingered and sweet-smelling thanks for the mentions and shortlistings elvet, JCS, johnnyjet and CC!

 

[Marvin]

Very close second @Marvin The Gardener

You know what, I’m gonna count that as my first vote! Thanks @elvet
Also thanks to @Ian Fortytwo and
@The Judge for the mentions. Extra special when the person responsible for setting the task thinks you did a good job.

Honourable mention for:
@reiver33
@M. Robert Gibson
@mosaix

Vote goes to:
@dannymcg
Bitter sweet vote, as I felt after researching the genre(s) that humour was a no no, it was bleak all the way. But I loved this re-packaged scene. I would love to read more of the good book done in this style.

Good work everyone else. I wonder what @dannymcg has in store for next month.
Because short of a miracle worthy of the same book, he’s got this.

 

[Daysman]

Wow!

Completely missed the punning boat this month - need to do a lot more spade work in the future!

My favs & vote:

• @Peter V
• @Victoria Silverwolf (vote)
• @dannymcg
• @Luiglin
• @Tywin
• @Bruce MacLean
• @johnnyjet
• @Parson

It's all a comedy of eremurus...

 

[StilLearning]

Well, I think every story more or less hit the theme this month, but some I simply didn't understand (undoubtedly my fault), and there were more than a few which for me didn't come within the genre, being simply SF or fantasy without noir or hard-boiled elements. Nonetheless, there were plenty of hard-nosed detectives and the like for me to have difficulty pruning down to a shortlist which is longer than usual as a result:

Artoriarius -- The Maltese Magnolias​

Bruce MacLean -- The Swiss​

Cat's Cradle -- Kill Me, Join Me​

elvet -- The Collector​

Hugh -- Turf Wars​

Luiglin -- It's a dirty job, but someone has to do it​

M. Robert Gibson -- Everywhere the devil spits​

Marvin -- The Gardener​

mosaix -- Gone To Ground​

reiver33 -- The Medium-Length Nap​

Stillearning -- Cops and Gardeners​

Getting the shortlist was hard, but voting wasn't, since as soon as I read it I knew I'd be voting for mosaix's perfect story.

I've not handed out special awards for a while, but this month there are three. The award for best punning title goes to reiver, and for best mention of a real plant, StilLearning for Dictamnus alba, aka dittany and fraxinella, which I once had but which sadly never ignited! And the award for sheer unexpectedness goes to Danny for his story the origins of which seem utterly un-noir, but which through clever dialogue/word use he brought wholly within the genre even by my strict definitions.

I guessed my allusion to Sonnet 94 would cause some furrowed brows -- though I trust TDZ gets it -- but all will be explained tomorrow. Meanwhile many green-fingered and sweet-smelling thanks for the mentions and shortlistings elvet, JCS, johnnyjet and CC!

Thanks TJ, much appreciated

Edit: Honesty compels me to admit it was my wife that told me about the 'burning bush' - she works for Historic Environment Scotland and ran across a description of it while working out how to restore the gardens at castle Campbell.

 

[elvet]

You know what, I’m gonna count that as my first vote! Thanks @elvet
Also thanks to @Ian Fortytwo and
@The Judge for the mentions. Extra special when the person responsible for setting the task thinks you did a good job.

Definitely consider it a vote. It really was that close.
@The Judge So glad to have made your list too.
All this talk about the gas plant jogged my memory—I have it in my garden, the white variety. I did not realize you could light a puff of gas that the flower released. Cool! Here’s a picture from my garden album:

 

[Ursa major]

The Ursa jury, having weeded out an obvious plant, decided not to hedge its bets when coming to its final decision.

The following are in posting order within the categories:


Honourable Mentions:

• Killing Weeds by Victoria Silverwood
• Home Economics by Cathbad
• It’s a dirty job, but someone has to do it by Luiglin
• The Flower Whisperer by johnnyjet

Runners Up:

• Kill Me, Join Me by Cat's Cradle
• Urban Agri-Fantasy by Stable
• Everywhere the devil spits by M. Robert Gibson

Winner:

• Gone To Ground by mosaix

 

[Ursa major]

The poll has now closed and we have a winner:

Congratulations, dannymcg!​

​

 

[Vince W]

Congratulations @dannymcg! Very well deserved.

 

[elvet]

Congrats @dannymcg !!

 

[Cathbad]

Huzza, @dannymcg !

And thanks to those who mentioned my story - and a BIG one to @mosaix !

 

[Parson]

Congratulations @dannymcg that was a clever story indeed. I've got to admit to being a bit jealous I've redone a Bible Story or two over the years of this challenge and none were ever winners, but one did create a tie for first. ----- Parson sighs, of course none of my stories have ever won so there's nothing unusual about none of my Bible stories winning.

@Daysman .... Thanks immensely for the mention in this contest every mention is golden.

 

[Starbeast]

GARDENING/GARDENS/FLOWERS/PLANTS

HARDBOILED/NOIR​

@Peter V
@Victoria Silverwolf
@nixie
@chrispenycate - Runner Up
@Ashleyne - VOTE
@Ursa major
@Luiglin
@Artoriarius
@Hugh
@johnnyjet
@J.C. Scoberg
@mosaix - Runner Up
@M. Robert Gibson - Runner Up
@Culhwch
@Vince W
@StilLearning
@Perpetual Man
@The Judge

 

[Ian Fortytwo]

Congratulations @dannymcg . Again I voted for the winner.

 

[Starbeast]

Gosh! I almost forgot!

Congratulations Dannymcg
@dannymcg

and, @The Judge was also a Runner Up.





​

My Story: It was the NOIR, that got me motivated. Taking plants, gardens, hard boiled action, plus pulp magazines, then mix in a blender, and serve chilled, with a dollop of mirth, is how it all began. Next time I'll put the cover on the blender before I switch it on. Thar be glop on the walls, there be. Great. Now I'm speaking like a pirate. Arrrh.