DISCUSSION THREAD -- February 2020 -- 75-Word Writing Challenge

[Teresa Edgerton]

What a pity that beautiful tree is gone! Sometimes the "gardeners" here (that is, the other adult family members in residence) rip something out for reasons that seem good to them but which don't always seem good to me. There was a gorgeous pyracantha, for instance, and two absolutely glorious blue dawn flower vines ... admittedly these were all invasive and taking over a lot of territory, but oh the colors!

 

[Danny McG]

Urgh! Flowers and bushes, get rid says I, sheds are much better.
We need sheds, not plantses.

 

[Parson]

Congratulations @Teresa Edgerton --- That was a Cracker Jack of a story. It is clear that you have a wonderfully insightful touch with fantasy as it applies to real life.

----

I was pretty happy with my story. I was more more happy until I read up thread that some of the "stories were about romance" rather than "romantic stories." Mine was solidly in the first rather than the second, so I now feel even more pleased that I got a lovely vote and a couple of mentions.

As usual, my best stories seem to come about when I've got a burr in my bonnet. And my burr this time was about people who think that symbolism is just meaningless tripe (and as someone who worked for a year in a packing plant that's a vivid metaphor for me). And of course, wedding rings are not even a weak guarantee about the direction of a life or the truth of the commitment behind the symbol. BUT, almost always, to eschew such a time honored symbol is a stronger and truer insight into the (perhaps yet unrecognized) feelings and commitment of an individual. For me, the story could have only one ending.

 

[StilLearning]

Congrats again Theresa, thank you Azoraa, Alex the G and T, Stable, Johnny jet, and Ursa major for the mentions, and to Mr Orange for the vote!

 

[Shyrka]

Congratulations Teresa. It was nice to have an easy decision when it came to voting for a change!

I was expecting to strike out completely this month but snagged a couple of mentions at the last which took me a little by surprise. Up until then I figured I'd missed the mark regarding genre but now I'm conflicted - clearly some folks liked it! The inspiration to my entry came from one of the common archetypes apparently associated with Romantic Fantasy:

A teenager, typically either from an overly strict or abusive family (or alternately from a family or a village that has been slain by bandits or monsters) runs away and discovers that they possess either magical or psychic powers and a glorious destiny. This destiny often involves saving a city, kingdom, or other large group from harm by a powerful villain or a dangerous monster.

That, in turn, put me in mind of David Eddings' Belgariad (which follows this pattern to some degree) and of a thought I'd had for a previous challenge about subverting the "chosen one" trope into something more insidious. The characters' names were direct nods to that series.

 

[Abernovo]

Congratulations, Teresa! A well-deserved win.

I fully intended to participate last moth, but life decided to intervene, and I managed to neither enter nor vote. Gah!

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Many congratulations on a smashing victory!

 

[olive]

Congratulations @Teresa Edgerton! Sorry, I was late to the thread.

This was a different experience in all. Now I'm thinking this theme might be the most difficult to do right. I wasn't aware of this before. On a personal note, I've also realised that I'm not capable of thinking about this theme from an independent point from social politics. I never thought about the distinction of "stories about romance" and "romantic stories". 'Romantic' is something completely different for me I guess.