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

[AnRoinnUltra]

Really liked:
The Flood by @Elckerlyc Thought it was a cautionary tale that created a world remarkably quickly.

Commanding the air by @sule I liked the physics defying metal world it conjured.

Drift by @Christine Wheelwright I thought it was a great micro story, and glad to see its got a shortlist already.

Lucy in the sea with plastic by @The Judge I thought it was near perfect prose. A tiny thing held it off getting the vote -the word 'so' in the last line. Not sure why, just seemed like GP1897ΔΣ wouldn't feel the need to explain.

Voted for:
Accidents Happen by @BigJ I thought it managed to condense Ray Bradbury's Kaleidoscope into 75 words, great stuff (if a little bleak for the season that's in it)

Well done all, and thanks again to the reviewers.

 

[Parson]

Almost meaningless football game (But I do have Denver picked on our football thread) on the TV. So I'll read and vote now.


Shortlisted

The Better Angels of Our Nature by @Cat's Cradle because of a response that rings true to Lincoln's legend while being adrift in time.

Served Cold by @reiver33 because it is a perfect illustration of oblivion drifting in unsuspected.

Drift by @Christine Wheelwright because I could feel the loss and determination in the story.

Faint Voices in the Dark by @Venusian Broon because of the nice turn on the idea of drift and a tone that made me think of Roman Legions.

Simply Drifting Apart by @Guttersnipe because of a story which should connect viscerally with any parent whose children seem to be drifting away.

The Flood by @Elckerlyc because of the drifting towards oblivion and whether to name it or not.

This list could have been much longer. Lots of stories here and as usual lots of despair. Hope seems to be a story that isn't often told. But for me the story which spoke to me was The Better Angels of Our Nature. Well done @Cat's Cradle.

*Special mention for @mosaix for a story which understands the heart of being called.

 

[THX1138]

Voted for:

@mosaix Finally, A purpose in Life (I know a few Padres who can relate)



Short List:

@BigJ Accidents Happen

@Yozh A Drift

@Victoria Silverwolf Boats Against Current

@Guttersnipe Simply Drifting Apart

@Elckerlyc The Flood

 

[BT Jones]

Thought you were joking in the original voting post ...of all the days for it to happen, safety first I suppose!
Safe travels, and best wishes to you and yours (gotta be a story in that

No, it was definitely no joke @AnRoinnUltra! We finally landed at 8AM local time Christmas Day. My irrepressible wife still managed to squeeze in cooking Christmas lunch for my family before we all passed out at about 7:30 pm!! Yes, there could well be a story in it, although I'm not sure that translates well to SFF!!! Maybe if the January 75 is on "Stranded' I will have a chance!

 

[Vince W]

Shortlist: @Victoria Silverwolf, @Parson, @Ursa major

Vote: @Cat's Cradle

 

[AnRoinnUltra]

Glad to hear ye got back in time -some trip home, that surely translates to SF ...faulty fire sensor ...stranded ...recovery mission

still managed to squeeze in cooking Christmas lunch for my family

Above and beyond the call of duty ...hope someone else did the wash up!

 

[Shyrka]

I'd completely forgotten about the challenges what with the whole "Christmas" whirlwind going on and to come back to a mention and a vote is a lovely surprise. Thank you!

 

[Shyrka]

Shortlist:

Accidents Happen - @BigJ
Served Cold - @reiver33
The Flood - @Elckerlyc

Vote:

Accidents Happen - @BigJ

 

[Cat's Cradle]

Glad that you were able to get home, @BT Jones! Happy Holidays, all.

I enjoyed reading the entries, and here's my list, and vote:

Shortlist (several of these were vote-contenders for me):
BigJ, Peter V (you voted for a fine story, Peter), Victoria Silverwolf, Starbeast (I LOLd at your last line, Starbeast),paranoid marvin, mosaix, Hugh, The Judge.

My vote went to Christine Wheelwright's story. I really appreciated the quality of the writing, and thought the world-building was deftly and effectively handled. Poignant endings often speak to me, well done.

Wow, three votes! Huge thanks to: Parson, Vince W, and Ian Fortytwo. I'm grateful to Victoria Silverwolf and sule for the listings. I feel as though I've done something right when I receive a listing or a vote from either of our fine reviewers, and this month I was mentioned by both reviewers, so - very cool! (Thanks for the kind words, Parson.)

It seems as though anyone could win this Challenge, so good luck all! CC

 

[Bren G]

Happy Holidays everyone!

I voted for @Shyrka's Panspermia. The theme of hope renewed seemed appropriate this time of year. Close runners-up were @Peter V who's tale also had hope at its core but also the theme of 'change' and perhaps even 'regret' mixed in. All good themes as we come closer to Jan 1. I liked @Aknot's Final Frontier too, no big theme here - just Douglas Adam's type silliness. Funny is good - anytime of year!

Cheers and Happy New Year to all!

BG

 

[Hugh]

I thought it an unusually interesting choice of theme and genre allowing for a wide spectrum of interpretation. Many thanks @AnRoinnUltra .
Surprisingly, I also thought I understood all the stories, but perhaps I'm just kidding myself there...

The problem for me in listing this month's stories is that so many are competent good stories that it's difficult to single individual ones out.
However, I thought these four all packed that extra emotional punch: those by @mosaix @paranoid marvin @Guttersnipe and @Victoria Silverwolf and in the end I voted for @mosaix

Others that stood out for me:
I thought the stories by @BigJ and @Mon0Zer0 were the best of the 'lost drifting in space' interpretations.
@Luiglin and @The Judge's were particularly original and well-written.
@Elckerlyc 's imagery was poignantly evocative.
And @Ashleyne 's buzzed with hilarious energy.

That's just listing ten though...

I also owe great thanks to @Iwroteathing for the fantastic vote. A wonderful shock.
And many thanks also to @Cat's Cradle and @BT Jones for your listings.
@BT Jones - I'm very glad you got back for Christmas Day. Was there anything that made staying in Baku worthwhile? I expect it was difficult to enjoy anything, given your focus must have been on hoping to get out of there.

 

[johnnyjet]

My Long List, Short List, and *** Favorite ***:

FIT AS A DODO – Ashleyne
Accidents Happen – BigJ
The Better Angels of Our Nature - Cat's Cradle
Served Cold - reiver33
Drift - Christine Wheelwright
Boats Against the Current - Victoria Silverwolf
Faint Voices in the Dark - Venusian Broon
*** Simply Drifting Apart – Guttersnipe ***
Ad Astra - paranoid marvin
Panspermia – Shyrka
There is No Greater Love - Bren G
The Flood – Elckerlyc
Lucy in the Sea with Plastic - The Judge

 

[Bowler1]

Abernovo – what happened next???

PM – a nice image at the end.

Mosaix – it feels like the entry Parson should have had, but it's your entry and vote.

Good luck all, with an extra dab of luck for me as I think I'll need it.

 

[VRlass]

From my side.
I lol’ed at @therapist ’s
i shortlist
@Bren G, @Astro Pen, @Parson , @sule
but my vote goes to @Daysman
I understood it at second read and it was rewarding

 

[paranoid marvin]

Thanks for the shortlistings Bowler1, CC, Hugh and johnnyjet.

 

[Wayne Mack]

A lot of interesting reads. I finally voted for:

To See the Unknown @Abernovo​

Others that really stood out for me are:

Good Boy! @Phyrebrat​

Simply Drifting Apart @Guttersnipe​

The Butterfly Effect @chrispenycate​

Parson and the Gospel Bus Dilemma @Parson​

Ad Astra @paranoid marvin​

Finally, A Purpose in Life @mosaix​

Breakdown @M. Robert Gibson​

 

[BT Jones]

I thought it an unusually interesting choice of theme and genre allowing for a wide spectrum of interpretation. Many thanks @AnRoinnUltra .
Surprisingly, I also thought I understood all the stories, but perhaps I'm just kidding myself there...

The problem for me in listing this month's stories is that so many are competent good stories that it's difficult to single individual ones out.
However, I thought these four all packed that extra emotional punch: those by @mosaix @paranoid marvin @Guttersnipe and @Victoria Silverwolf and in the end I voted for @mosaix

Others that stood out for me:
I thought the stories by @BigJ and @Mon0Zer0 were the best of the 'lost drifting in space' interpretations.
@Luiglin and @The Judge's were particularly original and well-written.
@Elckerlyc 's imagery was poignantly evocative.
And @Ashleyne 's buzzed with hilarious energy.

That's just listing ten though...

I also owe great thanks to @Iwroteathing for the fantastic vote. A wonderful shock.
And many thanks also to @Cat's Cradle and @BT Jones for your listings.
@BT Jones - I'm very glad you got back for Christmas Day. Was there anything that made staying in Baku worthwhile? I expect it was difficult to enjoy anything, given your focus must have been on hoping to get out of there.

Thanks @Hugh and @Cat's Cradle for the kind words. Yes, @Hugh, I found much to enjoy. (I am technically an Aussie now so, as a rule, we generally always try to stay upbeat).

Friday was frustrating - 11 hours in an airport - but Saturday was very enjoyable. We got to have a buffet lavish breakfast (courtesy of Qantas Airlines) with some very interesting dishes on it (curried chickpeas, persimmon, plus some kind of local cherry/olive hybrid fruit that I've still not been able to identify). Then we stepped outside onto the garden area outside and wandered down to the sea front. It was 8 degrees celsius, with a industrial tinge in the air from a nearby oil refinery (Azerbaijan's principle income is from energy exports).

From then, there were plenty of highlights: the deserted outer city streets (we walked 5km into town as taxis were scarce); the hooded crows (that looked like regular crows in grey body warmers); the attractive Azerbaijan flag (similar to the Turkish flag, just with a sky blue and green band either side - there was a strong Turkish essence to everything); going through a metal detector & security to get into a flash shopping mall; the Balklava & Turkish Delight (delightful); the old town (NOT the tour guides haunting it); and the friendly taxi driver that gave my son a strange fruit as a thankyou for tipping him; sitting in bathrobes for 3 hours in our room while our clothes were being express cleaned; and my son's constant eyerolls at us insisting he should enjoy 'the adventure.' Oh, and the splendid mobile phone towers disguised as pine trees with bird boxes on top!!

Going to sleep at 9:30 pm & setting an alarm for 12:30 AM to get the 1:30 AM bus to the airport... not so much fun!

(Apologies in advance to the moderators for matters of transit infecting the challenge discussion - but seeing as it covered drifting, alien cultures, AND time (zone) travel, it qualifies as SFF!! )

 

[Abernovo]

Abernovo – what happened next???

I did specify the unknown in the title. I hope the mods will allow this very mild mention of the title, in the spirit of one, gently winding up Bowler; and two, using it to evade explaining anything of the story.

he friendly taxi driver that gave my son a strange fruit

That looks like a quince, a relation of the apple. Don't eat it raw! They can be very tart. Brilliant made into puddings or marmalade, though. They were the original marmalade fruit. Also, greetings from just over the Black Sea.

A lot of interesting reads. I finally voted for:
To See the Unknown @Abernovo

A vote! Thank you, Wayne!

 

[Christine Wheelwright]

Thanks @Hugh and @Cat's Cradle for the kind words. Yes, @Hugh, I found much to enjoy. (I am technically an Aussie now so, as a rule, we generally always try to stay upbeat).

Friday was frustrating - 11 hours in an airport - but Saturday was very enjoyable. We got to have a buffet lavish breakfast (courtesy of Qantas Airlines) with some very interesting dishes on it (curried chickpeas, persimmon, plus some kind of local cherry/olive hybrid fruit that I've still not been able to identify). Then we stepped outside onto the garden area outside and wandered down to the sea front. It was 8 degrees celsius, with a industrial tinge in the air from a nearby oil refinery (Azerbaijan's principle income is from energy exports).

From then, there were plenty of highlights: the deserted outer city streets (we walked 5km into town as taxis were scarce); the hooded crows (that looked like regular crows in grey body warmers); the attractive Azerbaijan flag (similar to the Turkish flag, just with a sky blue and green band either side - there was a strong Turkish essence to everything); going through a metal detector & security to get into a flash shopping mall; the Balklava & Turkish Delight (delightful); the old town (NOT the tour guides haunting it); and the friendly taxi driver that gave my son a strange fruit as a thankyou for tipping him; sitting in bathrobes for 3 hours in our room while our clothes were being express cleaned; and my son's constant eyerolls at us insisting he should enjoy 'the adventure.' Oh, and the splendid mobile phone towers disguised as pine trees with bird boxes on top!!

Going to sleep at 9:30 pm & setting an alarm for 12:30 AM to get the 1:30 AM bus to the airport... not so much fun!

(Apologies in advance to the moderators for matters of transit infecting the challenge discussion - but seeing as it covered drifting, alien cultures, AND time (zone) travel, it qualifies as SFF!! )

As Borat would say....is niiice!

 

[Pyan]

No shortlist, I'm afraid, but for me @mosaix had the stand-out story.