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

[AMB]

@Luiglin It's the same as every month and even says it in the poll thread:

-- The poll will close at 11:59pm GMT on the 28th of MAY 2020 --​

 

[Luiglin]

@Luiglin It's the same as every month and even says it in the poll thread:

I'm aware of the following post (I am a Grandad but only like fried eggs, which I chew and not suck ;p) but rely on the time shown on the poll itself. I'm sure that said 24 hours until poll closes.

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Many congratulations to Hugh, and to Starbeast as well for a very strong second place.

 

[Parson]

Congratulations @Hugh every time I read your story I kept seeing Gollum and his "Precious."

 

[sule]

Congratulations, Hugh! Well deserved!

And a huge thanks to BT Jones, elvet, and StillLearning for the mentions.

 

[mosaix]

Congratulations @Hugh !

Commiserations @Starbeast.

 

[BigJ]

Congratulations Hugh!

Thanks for the mentions from BT Jones, Hugh, and StilLearning, and a vote (!) from Victoria.

For anyone unfamiliar, my 75 words was just a little twist on the song Spanish Train by Chris de Burgh. And to address Hugh's confusion:

@BigJ "Gambling for Your Soul", though I didn't understand why a violet haze needed to fall across the moon.

Strictly speaking it didn't need to happen, but that was the image the muse showed to me, perhaps as a means to show how and why that fellow in the suit belonged in that game.

 

[Daysman]

Congratulations @Hugh !

 

[Perpetual Man]

Congratulations Hugh, and a rowdy round of applause to SB for a well run race.

Weird Fiction is a really hard genre for me, and the definition I use is probably a little too restricting, not just for my writing but in my choice for voting.

It meant that I discounted too many well written and entertaining stories because I felt they were not (in my restricted opinion) not weird fiction.

The whole Night Owl theme inspired countless 'real' owl stories, (my original thought was of two such sitting on a branch recounting the fight with a particularly bit of prey that turned out to be - to the reader at least - one of Cthulhu's tentacles).

I was more interested in the other definition of night owl, people who seem to be happier or driven to be awake at night and my first attempt was nearly a thousand words long. Editing down was never going to work, so I just went with the gist of it and tried to do something we have not seen in a while.

Did anyone spot it?

Hint: Acrostic.

I had three stories on my shortlist in the end, two of them have just had a dramatic race for the prize, SB and Hugh, but I voted for Vince because I thought he used elements of Weird Fiction, but updated it in a thoroughly modern way.

 

[nixie]

Congratulations @Hugh

 

[Ian Fortytwo]

Congratulations @Hugh .

 

[Danny McG]

Well done @Hugh

Commiserations to the ones who came up blank this month, a few of them were outstanding IMO.

 

[Elckerlyc]

Congratulations @Hugh! Well deserved, for a story that was weird, funny and entertaining.

Many thanks to @BT Jones, @Starbeast, @M. Robert Gibson and @StilLearning for the mention of my story.
Alas, no votes (*sob*)

 

[Ursa major]

I'm sure that said 24 hours until poll closes.

It closed (automatically) at exactly the time it was meant and set to close and I saw it, at various times, reporting it would close in "in X hours" "in X minutes", "in a few moments" and the logically iffy "a few moments ago". (I think I've got the wording correct, but it was a long time ago...).

As it happens, with a short duration poll (such as the 75-worders' 5 days), the software gives both the date and the exact time (i.e. May 31, 2020 at 12:59 AM). (Note that the format changes to "Tomorrow at 12:59 AM" when it's the day of closing by GMT, but tomorrow by BST.)

The poll one has to watch out for are the 300-worder ones: with a length of 15 days, the software does not initially report the time, only the date (which could give the unwary the idea that they have more time than they have, albeit only when the poll closes when daylight saving is in place, and only until the software starts reporting the time as well**). Note that I (and other mods) can see both the time and date if I (we) use the poll edit mode, which is just as well, as it's best that I (not so much "we", as the other mods never get confused) don't get confused about what time I've (we've) set the poll to close.


All of the above relates to those of us in the UK and other places that may use (whatever they call) GMT and daylight saving in the Northern hemisphere, i.e. Ireland, Portugal (other then the Azores), the Canary Islands, the Faroe Islands. (Many other countries use (their version of) GMT but not daylight saving, e.g. Iceland, Mauritania, Togo). I have no idea what the software is displaying elsewhere.


** - It seems -- I've just been checking -- that the time is displayed when there are about*** 10 days to go but not 11 hours.

*** - It depends on the number of hours, but my brain is too frazzled at the moment to check and, more importantly, as I'm not checking this around midnight GMT (during saylight saving), I may be getting a false impression of how the software is working out what to display and when. Perhaps the next time I'm around waiting for a poll to close, and have little else to do (and I'm more than half-awake), I may re-open this investigation.

 

[Luiglin]

It closed (automatically) at exactly the time it was meant and set to close and I saw it, at various times, reporting it would close in "in X hours" "in X minutes", "in a few moments" and the logically iffy "a few moments ago". (I think I've got the wording correct, but it was a long time ago...).

As it happens, with a short duration poll (such as the 75-worders' 5 days), the software gives both the date and the exact time (i.e. May 31, 2020 at 12:59 AM). (Note that the format changes to "Tomorrow at 12:59 AM" when it's the day of closing by GMT, but tomorrow by BST.)

The poll one has to watch out for are the 300-worder ones: with a length of 15 days, the software does not initially report the time, only the date (which could give the unwary the idea that they have more time than they have, albeit only when the poll closes when daylight saving is in place, and only until the software starts reporting the time as well**). Note that I (and other mods) can see both the time and date if I (we) use the poll edit mode, which is just as well, as it's best that I (not so much "we", as the other mods never get confused) don't get confused about what time I've (we've) set the poll to close.


All of the above relates to those of us in the UK and other places that may use (whatever they call) GMT and daylight saving in the Northern hemisphere, i.e. Ireland, Portugal (other then the Azores), the Canary Islands, the Faroe Islands. (Many other countries use (their version of) GMT but not daylight saving, e.g. Iceland, Mauritania, Togo). I have no idea what the software is displaying elsewhere.


** - It seems -- I've just been checking -- that the time is displayed when there are about*** 10 days to go but not 11 hours.

*** - It depends on the number of hours, but my brain is too frazzled at the moment to check and, more importantly, as I'm not checking this around midnight GMT (during saylight saving), I may be getting a false impression of how the software is working out what to display and when. Perhaps the next time I'm around waiting for a poll to close, and have little else to do (and I'm more than half-awake), I may re-open this investigation.

Cheers @Ursa major. I'm more annoyed with myself for missing it. I've had a crappy week, got Friday off and planned to sit in the garden have a peruse and vote.

 

[Hugh]

Wow! Many thanks again to all those who voted for me or gave me a mention of some kind. And commiserations once more to the mighty @Starbeast

I've only ever got more than two votes once before (in a "one vote" contest) so this is quite something for me, and it's great to join the ever expanding hallowed ranks of first time winners.

Although I was fond of my story, I thought it too obscure to get more than a couple of mentions (I love mentions) at best, but once @Phyrebrat and @HareBrain gave very positive feedback (and votes!) early on I realised it must appeal to others and could even have some legs.

I wanted to convey the sense of "Sam and I" being happy-go-lucky and getting tremendous pleasure out of life. As I understand them, I do not think that they are intentionally or accidentally harmful - the worst that can happen from their immersion in one's dreams is that one wakes up feeling tired or off colour.

 

[HareBrain]

Congrats Hugh!

it's great to join the ever expanding hallowed ranks of first time winners.

Many first-time winners find themselves overwhelmed by the range of possible genres they can choose for the next challenge.

Merely in hope of making the process easier rather than influencing the decision, can I point out that Tudorpunk hasn't been used for many years, and dino-erotica has never been used at all?

 

[Hugh]

Merely in hope of making the process easier rather than influencing the decision, can I point out that Tudorpunk hasn't been used for many years, and dino-erotica has never been used at all?

hmmm!

 

[nixie]

Congrats Hugh!



Many first-time winners find themselves overwhelmed by the range of possible genres they can choose for the next challenge.

Merely in hope of making the process easier rather than influencing the decision, can I point out that Tudorpunk hasn't been used for many years, and dino-erotica has never been used at all?

I'd like to point out, the bunny of wonder rarely participates in challenges these days, any recommendations from said bunny should be taking with a pinch of salt followed by a lie down in a darkroom until any inclination towards his suggestion wears away.

 

[elvet]

Congratulations @Hugh for your fist time win!
Thank you @Daysman for my 6th mention. That was way more than I expected. I racked my brain for weird stories about different 'monsters' and could only thing of those spooky tales you tell when you are out camping. Frankly, everything is scary in the woods at night. Anyhow, I'm glad it resonated with a few of you.