DISCUSSION THREAD -- FEBRUARY 2022 -- 75 Word Writing Challenge

[Bren G]

First off, congratulations to @Peter V for a prompt that brought out incredible, and really different work. My "short" list is below, although my long list went REALLY long this round

@Starbeast a clever and easy to follow twist
@Justin Swanton Feels like the inverse of the story I presented, but with more emotional weight and authenticity than mine
@Bren G The world building here is fantastic. If you ever choose to write an expanded work in this space, I will enthusiastically offer to beta read
@BT Jones I changed my named char's name from John to Vladimir after reading this, if you want to see the degree to which it immediately impacted my writing
@johnnyjet a twist I didn't see coming, but somehow fully earned in 75 words. An "audacious" entry in the best possible way
@Ashleyne Such an ambitious story, but plausibly combines magic, tech, and politics in one space
@paranoid marvin a wonderful heartwarming tale, and creates a fantastic story without actually using magic
@reiver33 I got some real "Total Recall" vibes here
@Phyrebrat Somewhere a horror film student just got their thesis project
@M. Robert Gibson An idea about muses I'd never even thought about, and I literally taught mythology for a living
@The Judge Wonderful use of audience "knowledge" to take me in a surprising direction

And my vote goes to @Guttersnipe : I'm a sucker for metafictional worlds, and this story really scratched that itch

Thank you @WSDuffy for the kind words. I am working on one now so expect a call by the end of the year

 

[Christine Wheelwright]

Congrats @reiver33

And thanks to

@Hugh
@StilLearning
@Cat's Cradle
and @OuttaInc

for the mentions.

 

[mosaix]

Congratulations @reiver33!

 

[mosaix]

Congrats to @reiver33 on a well deserved victory.

Thanks to @mosaix for the stealth vote and for keeping me from pulling an oh-fer this month. My story was just a little riff on the brain in a vat thought experiment, which is a modern version of Rene Descartes evil demon thought experiment from the 1600s, Descartes being a French philosopher/mathematician known for the phrase cogito, ergo sum - I think, therefore I am.

My pleasure @BigJ. I’m surprised that it only attracted a single vote. As soon as I saw it I thought it was the hands down winner. A great idea.

 

[Hugh]

Many Congratulations @reiver33 . A lovely story and clear winner.

Congratulations also to @mosaix and @Victoria Silverwolf for at one point looking as if you’d make it a tie.

And many thanks @Cat's Cradle for the listing.

 

[reiver33]

My thanks to all for the votes and kind mentions!

The 'fakery' in this came from "He lies like an eye witness" (Russian proverb) as a commentary on the unreliable past, with a sideways glance at À la recherche du temps perdu by Proust (OK, the English translation) with its idea of involuntary memories. As I'm prone to scent triggers (that burnt oil smell from bike engines always brings back my father) I went for 'Suzanne' by Leonard Cohen, containing the line "...and she feeds you tea and oranges that come all the way from China..."

It all just slotted together in less than 10 minutes while at work.

 

[Luiglin]

Congrats @reiver33

My vote went to @Starbeast - just loved the feel of that tale. Apologies for not putting up a longer list but I've been completing a job application.

My tale needs no explanation. I love the British TV comedy, The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin starring the great Leonard Rossiter - the book is on my list of things to read. The theme gave me chance to bring back the Dark Lord after he, just like Reggie, faked his own death. OK, it was the Minion's idea but the Dark Lord has never let a fact get in his way in claiming the glory.

Edit: forgot to add thanks for the mentions folks

 

[The Judge]

Congrats, reiver!


I got many more mentions than I expected for my hastily written piece, so many thanks for the mentions/shortlistings Christine, johnnyjet, sule, farntfar, MRG, nixie, WSD, Phyrebrat, CC and Outtalnc and many, many thanks for the unexpected vote, Starbeast.

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Many congratulations to reiver33 on a fine victory!

Congratulations also to mosaix for winning the silver medal!

(I am honored to hold the bronze. Thank you to all who thought it worthy of mention.)

 

[AnRoinnUltra]

Well done @reiver33 -great fakery all round

I am working on one now so expect a call by the end of the year

Count me in too if ya need another set of eyes, great news

 

[Cat's Cradle]

Congrats, reiver33, and well done mosaix, Victoria and everyone. A very good theme choice from Peter V inspired a really good Challenge. Now for March! CC

 

[Starbeast]

Congratulations Reiver33
@reiver33



A huge WELL DONE @mosaix , @Victoria Silverwolf & @Guttersnipe


​

Congrats @reiver33

My vote went to @Starbeast - just loved the feel of that tale.

Thank you for the wonderful comment. For my story I went for an Outer Limits type tale, about a mediocre magician that got less appreciated with simple tricks. However, what was really fake about him was that he wasn't human. And for the proprietor who witnessed his reveal, she gasped in horror and sucked in her cigarette stub.

I got many more mentions than I expected for my hastily written piece, so many thanks for the mentions/shortlistings Christine, johnnyjet, sule, farntfar, MRG, nixie, WSD, Phyrebrat, CC and Outtalnc and many, many thanks for the unexpected vote, Starbeast.

Even though you admitted your story was written quickly, you got a big laugh out of me. After reading all of the stories a few times, I kept returning to yours. Everyone wrote a fine tale for February, but when I pictured the woodman dressed as little Red I cracked up. I noticed the wolf wanted to ask questions about Red's appearance too.

 

[Parson]

Wow, after being mostly away from my computer this weekend it was so wonderful to discover that I had more mentions.
@Phyrebrat and @Daysman and @Cat's Cradle --- Much appreciated.

And votes!!!
@JS Wiig and @Bowler1 --- Thank you so much!

Edit: Didn't push the Post button yesterday. Errrgh.

---------

Congrats @reiver33 -- Memorable story, you pointed to a time in which I never would want to live. Fake memories leads to fake life. I'll take my real one thank you.

 

[BigJ]

Fake memories leads to fake life. I'll take my real one thank you.

Would you know the difference? How can you be sure the memories you have now are real?

 

[M. Robert Gibson]

Well done @reiver33

---

As for my own 'Fake Muse' story, well, I cunningly hid four other bad 'Fake News' puns in there. Can anyone work them out?

"A pack of rampaging werewolves dressed as sheep?"
"A row of converted city stables that magically disappears as you enter the street."
"A window that conjures up any vista you desire.
Or lines of people at bus stops who are actually androids."

 

[Daysman]

Congrats @reiver33 !!!

 

[Christine Wheelwright]

Well done @reiver33

---

As for my own 'Fake Muse' story, well, I cunningly hid four other bad 'Fake News' puns in there. Can anyone work them out?

Fake ewes
Fake mews
Fake views
Fake queues

 

[Bren G]

Well done @reiver33 -great fakery all round

Count me in too if ya need another set of eyes, great news

That'd be grand @AnRoinnUltra ! Cheers!

 

[Parson]

Would you know the difference? How can you be sure the memories you have now are real?

How would anyone know the difference? If it's real to me, it's real to me, and therefore real, as far as I can know.

 

[BigJ]

How would anyone know the difference? If it's real to me, it's real to me, and therefore real, as far as I can know.

As much fun as it is sometimes trying to tie your brain in knots, ultimately, I'm with you. Until faced with compelling evidence that it's fake, I choose to live as though my lived experience is, in fact, real.