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

@Ursa major ..... On Reflection, Nothing Succeeds Like Succession .... Reminds us that patricide and regicide are both attainable without consequence when well planned.

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I think this is the record for the fewest entries in the 75. But that doesn't mean that there weren't any good stories. I found many of them quite good and interesting. ---- Voting later, maybe tomorrow.
 
Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It's off to vote I go.

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Shortlisted :
By Candlelight by @Christine Wheelwright because it seems like an almost perfect example of Gothic horror.
Walled Up by @paranoid marvin because the story sounds like something Poe would write.
It Isn’t Over Till The Fat Girl Bites by @Aknot because it gets inside a vampire's thoughts and motivations.

Parson shivers he's been among vampires, murderers, and other denizens of the night. Out of the many good stories he's read he decides to vote for Aknot's It Isn't Over Till the Fat Girl Bites, because of the original insight of the story and a main character that is usually a victim rather than the one with the power.
 
This never gets easier....

Favourites
@ Cat's Cradle - brings back (bad) memories of films and stories about being buried alive - with a twist of bad luck. Can there be much worse?
@ Christine Wheelwright long has there been a fascination with vampires. This one is beautiful and considerate but just as deadly
@ paranoid marvin see two places above - with a twist of revenge
@ Ian Fortytwo for the witty last line. Perhaps more garlic with the mushrooms?
@ Luiglin an eerie cat tale but a cat tale nonetheless and I am a cat man
@ Phyrebrat who could not be moved by such eloquent prose?
@ bedyak an amusing take on an unexpected deflowering
@ M. Robert Gibson someone has to do that job and boy is it hard, as we can see from this protagonists viewpoint
@ Dan Jones I am not really sure what our protagonist expects to dig up and dance with but very much hope he wont be disappointed
@ mosaix playing the devil at chess. And he has to stick to the rules - there's a first.
@ Hugh I can't help but feel our protagonist should be tracking on the app

I shall ruminate further because I am having difficulty on deciding where to stick my pin.

Peter
 
Really please to get a number of shortlistings, and some nice comments. Thanks THX1138, BT Jones, Parson, M.Robert Gibson and Peter V.

Some strong entries this month, my shortlist being:

M.Robert Gibson for an interesting build up and unexpected funny twist at the end.

johnnyjet for an intriguing mystery with a chilling ending.

VRlass for a beautifully presented and well written entry.

Dan Jones wins hands down though, with an impressive piece of writing that utilises powerful imagery to provoke a visual and aural feast for a very effective gothic style. I particularly loved the phrase 'regretful Havisham'. All that and a great story to boot.
 
Well there certainly were a lot of vampire stories this month weren't there? Good job you're a talented bunch of munchkins.
Here's my top ten for the month.

@Christine Wheelwright - a subtle entry that gilds its fangs with a faintly erotic tone
@Guttersnipe - A clever little ode to Swan Lake
@sule - wonderful imagery and use of language in this strange dreamscape
@Mon0Zer0 - a touching love story
@Parson - a pithily constructed song of darkness where the light wins out
@Phyrebrat - absolutely nails the Gothic theme. Strange, liminal imagery and a slight sense of displacement.
@Peter V - ok, a slightly hammy (or should that be Hammer?) ending, but lots of fun
@Starbeast - I literally have no idea what's going on here, and I thoroughly approve
@Jo Zebedee - simply beautiful imagery and wordcraft, filled with niches and symbols
@mosaix - fabulous localised symbolism used to convey an epic struggle of great stakes

Argh, why must I choose? It came down to Jo, mosaix and the Mean Bean. I decided to go for Jo - I really did think hers was the best entry, although she's making an annoying habit of winning every challenge before her at the moment! Grrr.
 
Dan Jones said:
Well there certainly were a lot of vampire stories this month weren't there? Good job you're a talented bunch of munchkins.


Argh, why must I choose? It came down to Jo, mosaix and the Mean Bean. I decided to go for Jo - I really did think hers was the best entry, although she's making an annoying habit of winning every challenge before her at the moment! Grrr.
Click to expand...
I wanted a laugh emoji and a like one, at the same time. Thank you to yourself and @Ian Fortytwo for the votes, and all who have mentioned. I've done one read through and love what everyone has done with the theme, especially those that played with lightness as well as darkness. :)
 
I love a bit of gothic and there were some fab entries, far too many to shortlist! In the end, in a close race I voted for @Dan Jones !
 
@Phyrebrat 's "Catching the Scythe" got my vote each time I read through. Original, evocative and well-written.

Runner-up
@Christine Wheelwright "By Candlelight". Wonderfully simple.

Others that caught my attention, in no significant order:
@Bren G
@JS Wiig
@Dan Jones
@Ordinator
@Victoria Silverwolf
@Daysman
@VRlass for the format used
@therapist

I must also recognise @M. Robert Gibson for using a similar vein of ending to myself.

I'm afraid I can't really judge whether people have hit the genre or not, not really knowing what Gothic is, other than the wikipedia definition.
 
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