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

[Ursa major]

A request for @Calliopenjo: please explain your story. I'm still scratching my head.

As long as @Calliopenjo doesn't explain it before the voting is over....

 

[Starbeast]

@Starbeast Thanks for your vote
You've given me a reason to enter the next 75.

Excellent. It wouldn't be the same without you. Happy to hear I was inspiring. Stay awesome.

I think every month every entry deserves to win. Brilliant bunch you lot are.
I'm cheering the great horde of you on from the sidelines right now.
Goes and bangs a few pot lids together.

You aren't kidding. I see a great deal of unique ideas every month too. My collective lists are usually huge. Sometimes they get too big, so I have to list only the runners up.

Join us anytime. I enjoy your funny posts in the Humor area too.

 

[Mad Alice]

Excellent. It wouldn't be the same without you. Happy to hear I was inspiring. Stay awesome.



You aren't kidding. I see a great deal of unique ideas every month too. My collective lists are usually huge. Sometimes they get too big, so I have to list only the runners up.

Join us anytime. I enjoy your funny posts in the Humor area too.

I will. I did write a challenge entry for this month however Internet lag kept it from posting. Thank you for reminding me of the excellent humour threads in this forum. I will have a look after my care phone shift.

 

[Mad Alice]

Just a heads up for anyone with itchy writing fingers finding difficultly in awaiting the next month's challenge.
The Secret Shut-in Santa Sign up for Secret Santa Story Requests is looking for a few good keyboards to participate in the writing-funganza.
All are welcome with any story request however silly or serious.

 

[scarpelius]

Voted @Calliopenjo "What am I". Intriguing and very well written. Before casting the vote I was sure I know what he/she/it was. Now I am not so sure.
„

 

[Parson]

I'm going to echo a sentiment expressed here a few times before. What a bunch of original stories! And they ranged from good to stunning making the whole idea of picking a story difficult for sure. I think the theme of "unusual" made the theme of "pastoral" easier than it might have been with a more limited theme.

Shortlisted

The Harvest by @Cat's Cradle because it reminds me of a great movie "Wall-E"

The Caretakers by @Victoria Silverwolf because it was beautiful and utterly terrifying at the same time.

What Am I by @Calliopenjo for the best riddle ever in the history of the 75.

At last by @Marvin for a story that feels like it's just too good to be true and that when the truth is revealed it will be worse than anyone imagines.

Grass Wars by @Vince W for a story that brings to mind classic S.F. like "The Forever War."

Out of Eden by @Bren G for a true parable of self discovery.

The Cat Whisperer by @elvet for a story that makes me smile every time I read it.

City Dream by @Maya13 for a very original concept.

Runner Up: The Cat Whisperer by @elvet

Voted: Grass Wars by @Vince W

 

[Calliopenjo]

I cast my vote and I found out Scarpelius voted for me. Yay! Thank you.

 

[elvet]

Another shortlist from @Hugh and a runner up from @Parson with a lovely comment. You made my day!

 

[Cat's Cradle]

As so many have mentioned, it was a fine month for stories. 'Pastoral' proved to be a highly inspiring genre, well done, Hugh; well done, all.

I struggled to keep my list down from 'everyone'. Maybe I shouldn't have struggled, and just gone with that. But I did shorten things just a bit, so here we are:

Honorable mentions:
Astro Pen, Guttersnipe, johnnyjet, mosaix, Ambrose, Calliopenjo, Bren G, Maya13

Shortlist:
BT Jones, Stable, Vince W, David Evil Lord

Finalists:
Victoria Silverwolf (wonderful, and this-close to a vote), Hugh, Peter V (loved this - great last line; bad robot!), The Judge (I adore the reveal, and am very interested in this alternative to mandrake!).

Vote:
Hugh. I thought this was the perfect response to this genre and theme. Hugh's story has a sweetness that I found irresistible, and refreshing. I usually go dark with my stories, and I am happy a sweet tale so attracted me. I wrote my story thinking of Clifford Simak, but I think Hugh's entry found the spirit of Simak much better than did mine.
I think I've voted for Hugh two months in a row, so I must say I think you're on a roll, Hugh.

The stories were so good this month that I didn't expect much of a reaction to my entry, so I want to thank @Stable, @BT Jones, @johnnyjet, @Daysman, @Vince W, @Marvin and @Parson for the lovely mentions. And I'm very grateful to @Hugh and @sule for the votes, merci!

Victoria has a big lead right now! Best of luck to all in the voting the rest of the way.

We're having a heat wave in Finland! Hope everyone else is cool and doing fine, CC

edit to add: a third vote, from @mosaix, thank you so much!

 

[M. Robert Gibson]

Ones I liked, for whatever reason:
The Harvest - Cat's Cradle
The Caretakers - Victoria Silverwolf
At last. - Marvin
Lamb Becomes the Tiger, inspired by William Blake - Avelino de Castro
Feeding the Sheep. - Ian Fortytwo
“The birds and the bees” - Parson
The Llanwelly Case - sule
Grass Wars - Vince W

And I Voted for
Unnatural - paranoid marvin

 

[Hugh]

Many thanks for your vote and comments @Cat's Cradle . My story was very much a surprise for me, and a really really pleasant surprise to get a vote.

I really like these months when the voting is very evenly spread with a fair number of us getting one or two votes. This always feels like an affirmative reflection of the quality of our stories and the diverse interests of us voters.

A number of the stories are still nagging away at me. One of these is yours @Starbeast "Eyes of the Shaman". I was really impressed with it, but the last line flummoxed me. When the votings done, could you clarify?

 

[paranoid marvin]

Woohoo, a vote! Thanks M.Robert Gibson!

 

[Vince W]

Thank you so much @Cat's Cradle and @M. Robert Gibson for the mentions and thank you so much for the vote @Parson! I am over the moon at this.

 

[Starbeast]

A number of the stories are still nagging away at me. One of these is yours @Starbeast "Eyes of the Shaman". I was really impressed with it, but the last line flummoxed me. When the votings done, could you clarify?

Certainly.

I found many stories with impressive endings, while other stories were written exceptionally well, be it rhyme, dialogue or description. But, there are tales that enchant me because they're expressing a captured moment that haunts my mind positively. I believe that everyone who enters a challenge, has that gift of writing, because they want to tell a story. With a challenge, the idea is planted, our imagination grows on it.


@Calliopenjo I just checked the Poll a moment ago and was stunned to see your vote for me. You made my afternoon shine bright. Thanks bro.

It was also good to see the votes have spread out. I smiled when I noticed you too have a vote. Well earned too. I included you on my long list. I try hard to keep my lists small as possible, because as in every month I enjoy reading everyone's contribution.

 

[Danny McG]

IMO it's a ghost crab

 

[Starbeast]

I thought Ghost Crabs were a myth credited to simple, mythidentification.

 

[Luiglin]

Top 3 for me...

• @dannymcg - millions of salad bowl choices
• @Ian Fortytwo - well done mains
• @sule - just dessert

The vote went to @dannymcg just 'cause I love my weird salad bowl of pineapple, shredded carrot, lettuce, bacon bits and croutons smothered in honey & mustard sauce.

 

[The Judge]

Just quickly, since as ever I'm meant to be doing something else, and I nearly forgot what day it was...

I've voted for The Harvest by Cat's Cradle, with Chris P's Non Pastorised and Peter V's Maintaining the Status Crow as close runners-up.


Many shrieking thanks for the mention, Chris P and Starbeast, and for the finalist position and lovely words CC!

Of course I know Mandrakes, an ancient supposed aphrodisiac which figures prominently in the Jacob/Israel saga. I assumed (without looking them all up) that they were all plants. Did my attempt at some humor go haywire? Sorry if that happened.

I think I misunderstood your comment as badly as I'd thought you'd misunderstood my story!

 

[AMB]

Honestly, I went down another path with the womanduck, @The Judge

Spoiler: click after voting ends

 

[Fogged_Creation]

When it comes to choosing a winner between these many different and excellent entries, it is so difficult for me to decide!
I shall put my vote out nonetheless, for what I personally felt strode in the given category of unusuality, noting the skill and funny irony that I thought counted most.
While the entry "a deep breath" was hilarious, I think I gotta give it to the first participant, "Harvest" from @Cat's Cradle , good work!
But nonetheless, a great job to the rest of you who had made an excellent entry this month, as much as I am proud of my poem, for a first-timer I found it fun to share what I'm able to do!

Good tidings, my one personal vote goes to Harvest.