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

[-K2-]

Well, I'm just glad I waited to post until I saw a few of your-alls. In my first attempt, I must have misunderstood the theme and genre a bit...

A Tisket, a Tasket, Trouble in a Basket:
——— A proverbial steamed-punk ———

“Look, I don’t care what your book says or how your mother prepares them. We’re not going to roast, boil, or fry him.
We’re going to steam him till he’s tender, that’s final!”

Caged in a rattan cocoon, Mister Lydon scowled, wishing he hadn’t shouted, “eat me,” at the cannibals.
Nevertheless, misunderstanding ‘one man’s meat is another man’s poison,’ he sneered, cocked his brow, snorted defiantly, and barked,
“Oi! This Johnny’s rotten to the core.”

K2

 

[nixie]

That would have got my vote,

 

[paranoid marvin]

Well done Bren G!


And thanks for the shortlistings M.Robert Gibson, Elvet, Ursa, sule, Cats Cradle, Daysman and CarBear

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Many congratulations!

 

[Danny McG]

For those who are unaware (the fantasy people, not the sci fi people)
My story The system goes online on August 4th is a line taken from The Terminator, when Skynet is activated.
I had to rush the story a bit to ensure I posted it on that date

 

[Bren G]

It is such a honour to be among so many great writers. The stories this month were, as usual, top notch and to be regarded by so many of you is amazing. Writing these stories has taught me, among many things, that finding 'that' story is difficult, and most perplexing, when you do, it isn't entirely clear to me where it came from. I hadn't intended to write it as posted at all and it sort of unfolded from the ether and the winds that carried it wisped away before I could bottle them. So, I'll hold on to this memory for the three days until the next one is released since one never knows when I'll find it again

Thanks to @Parson, @Marvin, @johnnyjet, @Ashleyne, @Hugh, @Astro Pen and @Cat's Cradle (who I must add was running a close second at the time.) and all the others who shortlisted me.

Lastly, thanks to everyone who writes these challenges as it makes it all so much fun!


BG

 

[chrispenycate]

I did vote - but my short list got scrambled (I've been spending too much time in Secret Santa mode, massively unproductively) too well for me to work out how I finally chose (Victoria).

Many thanks to Starbeast and your honour - I wasn't expecting votes.

(Grins) I had intended to explain how the Ladies' Internal Polo team failed in their competitive attempts due to their costume involving too many petticoats, as there's many a slip twixt the cup and the L.I.P., but couldn't get the rhythm to canter, so used a standby entry.

Oh, and my standing order of gratitude toward Parson and Victoria.

 

[-K2-]

Oh by the way @Hugh ; I wasn't lying about loving that last line in yours. It would be an incredible line in Dune, one I could see Stilgar or Duke Lito Atreides saying. In any case, I'm stealing your...uh, stuff for my current work which uses agricultural terminology. No, I won't plagiarize your line--tempting as it may be--but I've already made a few additions.

The government has always derogatorily referred to 'pastoral residents' as weeds (every other zone's residents are crops). They know minor rebellious individuals exist, even sending spies into the fields, but past that pay them so little mind they don't even refer to them by any name...Welp, now they have a name, worms, and I'll use worm associated slurs when they speak about them.

Oh yeah, you got my grinding gears a-turnin' with that one

K2

 

[Joshua Jones]

Congratulations @Bren G! A well deserved win. Now let's see what sadistic combination you come up with for us next month...

 

[Luiglin]

Congrats @Bren G.

Thanks for the vote @BT Jones and for the mentions folks

When I saw the theme, despite being non-religious, there was only one area I wanted to look. Proverbs in the Bible have some fantastic and thought provoking lines. The one I based my tale on was perfect.

Just a pity that I missed the mark and went for serious in a pun laden month

 

[Ian Fortytwo]

Congratulations @Bren G .

 

[Peter V]

I have narrowed it down to two... This is not proving easy because I really want to vote for both

First off, many congratulations to @ Bren G for winning with a worthy entry. It was on my shortlist but just missed the final cut between @ mosaix and @ Perpetual Man who's use of puns for the proverbial punchline were simply masterful. It was extremely hard to choose between the two and in the end Perp got the nod for using a great word (dilettante), although I must admit to being extremely partial to a Liquorice Allsort! (@ mosaix I wonder how many from outside of the UK simply did not get your story?)

 

[M. Robert Gibson]

Now, about my humble little entry
The first line hints at the name of a well known band. The prose following contains the titles of several of their tracks.

So, my little challenge is: can you identify the band and the tracks?

Whoever gets them all becomes Ruler of the Universe for half-an-hour

 

[nixie]

Whoever gets them all becomes Ruler of the Universe for half-an-hour

Did you ask my permission?

 

[chrispenycate]

Well it has to be LED Zed. I haven't seen them since the Palais des Sports, Lyon, in 1973, where I was on stage during the infamous riot.

Ten years gone, communications breakdown, Poor Tom, Dazed and Confused and it's nobody's fault but mine (though that I always considered a cover.

I send them a whole lotta love.

 

[Hugh]

Oh by the way @Hugh ; I wasn't lying about loving that last line in yours. It would be an incredible line in Dune, one I could see Stilgar or Duke Lito Atreides saying. In any case, I'm stealing your...uh, stuff for my current work which uses agricultural terminology. No, I won't plagiarize your line--tempting as it may be--but I've already made a few additions.

The government has always derogatorily referred to 'pastoral residents' as weeds (every other zone's residents are crops). They know minor rebellious individuals exist, even sending spies into the fields, but past that pay them so little mind they don't even refer to them by any name...Welp, now they have a name, worms, and I'll use worm associated slurs when they speak about them.

Oh yeah, you got my grinding gears a-turnin' with that one

K2

You're very welcome to use or not use as much as you like. Plagiarism is not an issue: it's just a delight for me that you connect with it. Many thanks for letting me in on your enthusiasm, and may your writing go ever so well!

 

[Ashleyne]

Congratulations, @Bren G . Your story was cute.

 

[Bren G]

Now, about my humble little entry
The first line hints at the name of a well known band. The prose following contains the titles of several of their tracks.

So, my little challenge is: can you identify the band and the tracks?

Whoever gets them all becomes Ruler of the Universe for half-an-hour

Oh! I am embarrassed that I missed it in reading but obvious now. If only there was a levee breaking in there..or a cottage named Bron-Yr-Aur!

 

[M. Robert Gibson]

Ten years gone, communications breakdown, Poor Tom, Dazed and Confused and it's nobody's fault but mine

So nearly master of the universe, but there are another couple in there

 

[Parson]

I found this challenge to be challenging. I am not a fan of Steampunk. And unlike @Luiglin I am religious, but did not want to use a Biblical Proverb.* I thought I would use a business proverb but instead went for a classic S.F. proverb. from Robert A. Heinlein.

After I wrote it I realized that I had been massively influenced by the social unrest here in the States.

*Proverbs for me is just about the hardest book in the Bible to preach from. Not because it doesn't have much to say, but, rather, I have to work really hard to help people realize that Proverbs is really composed of proverbs; things that are usually true, but not universally true. Proverbs is often quoted by preachers who have an axe to grind about personal behavior and therefore lead non-discerning listeners to believe the God "commands" such and so behavior.