DISCUSSION -- OCTOBER 2019 300-word Writing Challenge (#35)

[The Judge]

A very varied collection of stories this month, though for me there were one or two which I didn't think hit the genre, no matter how broadly I envisaged "speculative fiction" and as ever, there were more which I didn't fully understand, but that still left a whole crowd of good stories and pruning to a shortlist was hard.

And that shortlist is:

chrispenycate -- A Stage in our Progress​

Culhwch -- All The Stage, My World​

Daysman -- Ghost Wrangler​

elvet -- Shall We Dance?​

johnnyjet -- The Audience​

LittleStar -- Written and Performed by the Old Quarter Orphanage​

Mr Orange -- A Fool's Paradise​

Peter V -- A Toy Story​

Victoria Silverwolf -- Fade to White​

Voting was easier, as I was struck by all three of my vote-winners on the first read: the hope and love of Peter's disabled child, Cul's theatricals planning for a happy ending, and Mr O's Shakespeare In Chains.

Special mentions, though, to two stories that just missed out on the shortlist -- Perp for the poignancy and lyricism of his story, and mosaix for the clever way he showed us his psychopath's history.


Theatrical swagged plush thanks for the lovely mentions/shortlistings Peter (thanks, too, for the kind words), VB, MRG, Ian, Daysman, Starbeast, LittleStar and johnnyjet. And great gilt, glitz and glamour thanks for the wonderful votes Mouse, Elckerlyc, Dan, Aber and CC! And just as glitzy and plushy, but clearly shy with it, thanks for the ninja votes nixie, Shyrka, danny and scarpelius!!

 

[Phyrebrat]

Phew, just made it home in time...

Here are the notables and votables:

Elckerlyc
Peter V
Mosaix
Dan Jones
Mouse
Shyrka
Starbeast (I laughed out loud on the train when I saw the Tekelili... I was listening to a podcast ages ago where the presenters were doing impressions of the Shoggoth from ATMOM and it was hilarious, so when I saw your Tekelili I couldn't control my bladder - or maybe that's my age??)
Vénusienbroon
Little star
Johnnyjet
Perp
Ursa
M Robert Gibson
TJ

Many thanks to Starbeast, johnnyjet, Rafellin, Peter V and M. Robert Gibson for the lovely votes, and to all those who mentioned my story.

pH

 

[Ursa major]

The poll has closed and we have a tie. A tie-breaker poll will soon appear.

 

[Ursa major]

And here it is:

300-Word Challenge #35 - Tie-Breaker Poll.​

​

 

[mosaix]

Well done Victoria and Peter.

Victoria was one of my original three, so my vote goes there in the tie break.

Looks like I got another stealth vote. Thanks U.M.

 

[Ursa major]

You're welcome mosaix.


When it's more convenient**, I'll set the poll to close automatically.



** - The smallest unit of time supported by the poll time setting function is the hour, so to get the poll to close at one minute to midnight on the 20th, I have to do it at one minute to an hour (any hour will do), and I'm not staying up until one in the morning....

 

[Starbeast]

Congratulations @Victoria Silverwolf & @Peter V

Oh man. Two authors that voted for. PILLOW FIGHT!!! Just kidding. I voted for Peter V

@The Judge You're very welcome. Stay fantastic.

@Phyrebrat Glad to hear your comment. You put a smile on my face.

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Yikes! Another nail-biter! Good wishes to Peter V.

 

[olive]

Congratulations @Victoria Silverwolf and @Peter V !

Thanks so much @elvet and @Starbeast for my mentions. They are precious for being my first ever.

Thanks everyone for making the voting process so difficult. I realised that this is a good process to get to know myself as a reader, so here is a loving Ggrr too. Good job!

 

[Peter V]

Yikes! Another nail-biter! Good wishes to Peter V.

And to you too Victoria. I am both surprised and honoured to share this position with such distinguished company.

 

[Ursa major]

Here are the full results of the Ursa jury, with the stories in posting order within the categories:


Honourable Mentions:

• Shall We Dance? by Elvet
• The Travels Of Sir Reginald Rigmarole, Part 94! by Dan Jones
• The Peculiar Incident Experienced by Mr Nempnett Thrubwell by Mouse

Runners Up:

• Fade to White by Victoria Silverwolf
• Never Too Proud by Shyrka
• A Horseless Carriage by Phyrebrat

Winners:

• A Toy Story by Peter V
• … They Have Their Entrances and Their Exits ... by mosaix
• A Fool’s Paradise by Mr Orange

​

 

[Peter V]

Well, I must say I am somewhat at a loss for words after popping in and finding out I am sharing first place with Victoria.

I purposefully have not been around for a couple of weeks (including not entering the 75 for the first time since joining this lovely community) as I really needed to remove distractions from my more serious writing. I write for fun, not a living (unfortunately) and have a job which at times runs me ragged. This leaves little time for writing and I found myself increasingly ignoring my second novel - my muse decided not to get out of bed and join me some time ago (she is still there - I am thinking of taking her tea and toast as a bribe) and I find writing 75's and 300's far easier and more immediate. I used to lie in bed planning a chapter in my head but for the last year I find myself more often mentally writing a 75.

Anyway, you don't need to know why I have not been around, suffice to say I had a quick peep a couple of days into the 300 voting and had no votes or mentions so did not pay it any more attention until now. Please accept my apologies for a lack of response to much appreciated mentions and votes.

A big thank you for the mentions and listings to
@ D3athw4lker
@ Daysman
@ Dan Jones
@ johnnyjet
@ Phyrebat

And a huge thank you for the votes to

@ Elckerlyc
@ elvet
@ Starbeast
@ LittleStar
@ Cat's Cradle
@ The Judge
@ Perpetual Man
@ Ursa Major
@ Luiglin
@ Shyrka
@ J.C. Scoberg

I have a new PC and I seem unable to copy and paste so that peoples names get recognised, sorry.

I am glad so many people enjoyed my story, thank you. I honestly thought the standard of this 300 was outstanding, so it really means a lot.

Peter

 

[The Judge]

Ooh, a tie-break! Congrats to both Peter and Victoria! Both on my shortlist, but I voted for Peter and there my vote stays.


And Fonteyn-and-Nureyevian thanks for the shortlisting, Phyrebrat! I was fairly happy with my story this quarter, especially after my last lamentable performance in the 300s, so thanks to everyone again for the mentions and wonderful votes!

 

[Abernovo]

My tie-break vote goes to @Peter V's A Toy Story. Both entries are very well-written, but the nuance, and layers, in Peter's story won me over.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

I went for Victoria. Great ending and the noir style worked well for me. Well done to both!

 

[M. Robert Gibson]

Congratulations to both worthy winners.
As I'd already voted for Victoria, that's where my tie-break went as well

Currently it's 16-8 to Peter, but, assuming everyone who voted first time will vote again, there are still 14 votes to come, so I reckon it's going to be close, again.

 

[Elckerlyc]

A tie on a tie? Perhaps. There are enough voters (16?) who voted for neither of the 2. Enough to make a difference on the 2nd round.

I voted for Peter and have so again.

 

[elvet]

Thank you to @Ursa major and @The Judge for the additional shortlistings. Not only is the tie-breaker exciting enough, but the two additional mentions give me my highest ever showing. A grand total of 7 votes and 9 mentions! What a great way to celebrate my first year anniversary of participating in all these challenges.

Congratulations to both finalists for an exciting finish. My vote went to PeterV, as it did the first time round.

 

[LittleStar]

Congrats both. Two really strong stories.

From a purely selfish point of view I kinda wish I hadn’t voted for both as it would make the tie break decision a bit easier Alas, I have to choose one to come out on top, so I have to be very picky about the pieces. While Peter’s story has the heart and emotion I usually plump for, because there was also the use of a usually insignificant bugbear of mine. So I voted for Victoria.
Best of luck, both

 

[mosaix]

Thanks to:

@Victoria Silverwolf and @Peter V for the reviews,
@chrispenycate, @Venusian Broon, @Elckerlyc, @Starbeast, @Dan Jones, @johnnyjet, @Cat's Cradle, @The Judge and @Phyrebrat for the mentions,
and @Perpetual Man, @Ursa major, @D3athw4lker and @Daysman for the votes

I was pleased with my entry, and the four votes, but I'm interested to know if I got across my idea behind the story to the reader so I'm going to post in the 'improving 300' thread.