Discussion Thread -- JANUARY 2021 -- 300 Word Writing Challenge #40!

[Peter V]

Good job CC. An excellent piece of work

 

[Wayne Mack]

Congratulations, @Cat's Cradle

 

[Luiglin]

Congrats @Cat's Cradle .

Thanks for the vote @Mad Alice and for the mentions folks.

The image reminded of the golden head at the start of Raiders. After that I went full on Easter egg mode. From Army of Darkness to Animal House to Revenge of the Nerds... couldn't quite get Monsters University or Porkies in though.

 

[Wayne Mack]

A quick thank you to @TheEndIsNigh and @Rafellin for the votes and to @M. Robert Gibson, @Bren G, @Cat's Cradle, and @The Judge for the mentions.

I had decided before the contest opened that I would try to write something humorous, which is not a normal style for me. Then I saw the picture that I was to write to!

 

[Jo Zebedee]

I was bullied as a kid. I survived by never letting them reach my core. And by putting a fictional character between them and me. His name was Kare.

 

[Ian Fortytwo]

Congratulations @Cat's Cradle .

 

[JS Wiig]

Congrats @Cat's Cradle! Since I voted for the winner, that clearly implies I have impeccable taste

Thanks to @M. Robert Gibson & @Cat's Cradle for the mentions. Thanks also to the wonderful reviewers.

First thing that came to mind with the pic was "robot mummy." Though my tale of adventure didn't fare too well in the challenge (I'll solicit feedback in the improvement thread), I really look forward to exploring further this Jada-Pinkett-Smith-ala-"The Matrix"-esqu-crazy-blue-Indiana-Jones-hat-wearing space pirate I stumbled upon.

 

[Rafellin]

Congratulations to @Cat's Cradle.

Huge thanks for honourable mentions to @BT Jones @Bren G @Daysman & @The Judge.

 

[Parson]

Congrats @Cat's Cradle .... Nicely done.

@The Judge " sundry swift but aukwardly contrived sentences."

Erm, Your Honor, that pun flies so far above a Parson's head it could really be a bird.

I don't believe we have any "swifts" in my part of the country so it didn't register as a bird, and "auk" looks like a typo for "awk" --- at least when I'm not thinking about it, and I had to Goggle it to discover it was a bird. When I knew it was a pun and before I looked it up, I assumed another word for something done quickly.

So my advice for anyone who deals in such esoteric and subtle twists of the Queen's English is that such wondrous subtlety isn't likely to get; or more importantly deserve, a Great Green Groan.

 

[Droflet]

Good going, CC and to all the other fine entrants.

 

[Lawrence Twiddy]

Congratulations @Cat's Cradle! Great work!

 

[BT Jones]

Top work, @Cat's Cradle. Truly inspired - and thankyou everyone for the short listings.

 

[farntfar]

Congratulations Cat's.

 

[Daysman]

Congrats to @Cat's Cradle!

 

[Edoc'sil]

Congratulations @Cat's Cradle you definitely deserved to win in my eyes.

 

[Cat's Cradle]

Such a thing as this will lift your spirits in a cold Nordic winter. I want to say first, congratulations to everyone for creating such a wonderful set of stories for the Challenge. It's always inspiring to me to see how diverse the inspirations/imaginations are of 30+ people considering the exact same Challenge image.

Also - and I don't mean to presume that I understand how other people feel after a Challenge - if anyone is feeling a bit down by the performance of their story this time, just hang in there and keep trying; don't give up on writing for, and entering these... I had 0 votes in October's 300 worder and 16 this time, so for anyone discouraged, it really can turn around in the blink of an eye (if that eye blinks once every three months).

Now - WOW! There were so many terrific entries I was sure I'd be surpassed in votes the last few days. I'm sincerely grateful to the folks who listed my story, or voted for it. It's truly rewarding to write something that reaches so many people. I was afraid it was a bit too bleak (I've been writing 'bleak' lately). But it amazes me for the story to have found such favor with so many people. Thanks, too, for all the kind words on my entry.

I'm very excited for the April 300 Worder... it's just around the corner. I'm a little worried I've peaked - I don't think I'll ever write a better ending than the one to The Dying Breaths... but it'll be fun to try. In the meantime, best of luck with your writing, everyone, and be well, CC

 

[The Judge]

Congratulations, CC! A well-deserved win!


No swifts in your area, Parson? How sad. They're a delight to see in the summer, darting all over the sky.

(If anyone is confused by my talk of hidden birds, Jack and J made their first appearance in a 300 Worder back in April 2016, and J's eccentric spelling allowed me to sneak bird names into the story, some more hidden than others eg "ruff vodkar" and "ternned ... on" and I challenged members to find them all, which provided some amusement for me, at least!)

 

[Perpetual Man]

First and foremost a big congratulations to CC on the win.

Secondly thanks to the votes from Chrispy and Marvin, greatly appreciated.

 

[Phyrebrat]

Hello,

Congratulations to @Cat's Cradle on a clear and decisive victory which seemed sure from day one of the voting!

Work's been so demanding lately - I've started so many new projects - that I'm only getting time now to type my shortlist and thank-yous!


Shortlist, Votes

Jo Zeb
Autodidact
Rafellin
CC
Guttersnipe
Mouse
Heijan Xavier
Therapist
Chrispy
IanFortyTwo
Marvin

Thank you for the shortlisting, especially to those who voted for me. I was pretty gobsmacked to have received so many votes for such a miserable tale, particularly from Her Hon., and Parson. I almost didn't post my story, and had half-decided to write a new one, partly because I felt bad for Parson having to do a review of mine which I knew (or, suspected, rather) he'd dislike because of its nihilism. When Her Hon voted for it, I nearly fell off my soapbox!

Anyway, wailing-humanfruit thanks to @nixie, @chrispenycate , @Mouse , @Parson, @The Judge , @Marvin, @Cat's Cradle, @M. Robert Gibson @Daysman, @sule and @Edoc'sil

pH

 

[Cat's Cradle]

Thank you, all!