DISCUSSION THREAD -- 300 Word Writing Challenge #48 (January 2023)

[Parson]

The image has not inspired any story for me. That's my shortcoming and lack of imagination, not that of the picture.
So, no story from me this time.

Remember that the story does not have to reflect the image. It's a story "inspired" by the image. That means that nearly anything is fair game after you've thought about the picture, the world it's located on, the people who worked there, it's relative importance to the society ..... well you get the picture. A lot of people go off on a severe tangent when writing about our 300 word inspiration.

 

[Cthulhu.Science]

Kajar and the Merchant of Khava -- Super fun story. This reads like a classic story that parents would tell children over the eons.

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Christine Wheelwright: A wistful and nostalgic bildungsroman which reminds us that the past is a foreign country.

M. Robert Gibson: A rollicking sword-and-sorcery adventure of matched wits and sudden danger.

 

[Luiglin]

Unless the muse strikes or time allows, looks like I'm going to miss this one.

Which is really annoying as the Chrons comps are the only writing I'm doing at the moment. As shown by the poor quality of my entries.

Not a happy bunny.

 

[JS Wiig]

Pretty thin this go around…

 

[The Judge]

I had an idea connected with the scandal of the Magdalene Laundries, but I've decided on another angle, so if it's of any use to someone else desperately searching, feel free.

 

[Luiglin]

Thank you to a certain song that popped up on my shuffle list. It helped me steer the car crash of a tale away from a looming brick wall of a nasty conclusion to a large bush, with maybe a ditch beyond it.

I didn't think I'd make it and have certainly not given it any real editing. So expect a special character enthused post later on past the edit hour mark.

 

[Elckerlyc]

Well, I managed to cobble a story together today after all. Haven't done that before, writing and posting on the same day. But hey, I'm in (with something.)

 

[Ursa major]

but I've decided on another angle

I've had, for well over a week, the thought of writing about a variety of Washingtons (from tons of washing) across the multiverse, ones where there was, or wasn't, a cherry tree, where a cherry tree was or wasn't cut down, where the culprit was or wasn't Washington and where Washington did or didn't lie (including where he'd claimed to have cut down a non-existent tree). As you might imagine, this was far too complicated and, worse, completely unproductive in terms of coming up with an actual story.

Luckily (allegedly), the idea I have used popped into my head this afternoon (for better or worse). And I've even prepared the poll thread well before I usually do... but I can still add new entries, so keep at it if you still want to enter the Challenge.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Have one to add. I meant to develop this more but I ran out of time. A little dark one.

 

[Ursa major]

​

The Challenge is now closed to new entries...

...and the voting is NOW open.

To cast your THREE votes, use the link below.

Please vote for your top THREE choices; note that all three votes must be cast AT THE SAME TIME to count.​

​

 

[JS Wiig]

Wow nice little rush there at the end!

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Axovan Sol: A mysteriously intriguing mixture of speculative elements.

The Judge: An imaginative use of an unusual narrator in a tale with a subtly shifting mood.

Perpetual Man: A grimly realistic portrayal of how civilization breaks down during crisis.

Luiglin: A moving depiction of the survival of hope in desperate circumstances.

Ursa major: A prophetic portrait of a very different future and how ethical behavior changes with time.

Elckerlyc: An evocative tale of secrets kept and revealed.

Jo Zebedee: A darkly poetic story of quiet horror.

Phyrebrat: A surreal vision of expectations and reality.

Swank: A suspenseful account of an unexpected threat and promise.

____________________________________________________________________________

A very tough one to judge. Votes go to:

THX1138

Cthulhu.Science

Christine Wheelwright

 

[Rafellin]

A tidy but somewhat fixated batch of tales this quarter. (I was surprised - I thought they'd be more/wilder tangential takes on the photo.)

Anyway, the noble collectors of my vote are -

Top o' the stack: @Cat's Cradle
Second: @johnnyjet
Third: @Jo Zebedee

With an honourable mention for @Guttersnipe

 

[johnnyjet]

Many excellent tales here. Difficult to narrow down. However, finally, my Long Short List and *** Top Three ***:

Data Wash - THX1138
*** The Hunt - Victoria Silverwolf ***
A Tale of Love and Laundry – Yozh
*** A Smile More than Memory - Cat's Cradle ***
Brilliant! – mosaix
The Flying Machines - Christine Wheelwright
*** The Shirt On Your Back - The Judge ***
THE JENNIES - Jo Zebedee
The Menace of Closure – Phyrebrat
Recombinant – Swank

 

[Christine Wheelwright]

My votes went to @Jo Zebedee , @Perpetual Man and @Yozh

A few honorable mentions:

@Victoria Silverwolf (as always, in the running for my vote)
@BigJ (always enjoy your prose, but I don't think I followed the story fully this time)
@Cat's Cradle
@johnnyjet
@The Judge
@mosaix (loved the story, but couldn't link it with the theme picture)
@Peter V
@Ursa major

 

[Ursa major]

(loved the story, but couldn't link it with the theme picture)

There is no obligation on the writer of a 300-word Challenge entry to produce a story that links in any way with the image (other than in their own mind, and then only as inspiration).

 

[Parson]

Okay you lot! Why do we have to have a third of the entries on the last day? I may have to do this in two swings.

---------

@Axovan Sol .... Never United ,,,, A. Sol explores what binds people together and how circumstances can tear them apart.

@The Judge .... The Shirt On Your Back .... As if we didn't have enough to worry about; The Judge goes and delivers a whole new category of things we didn't want to know about and sure don't want to experience..

@Perpetual Man .... Beneath The Surface .... P. M. writes us a subtle tale which reminds us that there is more to any condition than what meets the eye.

@Luiglin .... There is a spirit here that won't be broken .... Luiglin strikes a realistic and somber note to the human capacity to hope.

@Ursa major .... What a Mother Knows .... U. M. brings us to one of the eternal problems mother's have when dealing with their offspring.

@Elckerlyc .... There is more to laundry than meets the eye .... Elckerlyc writes a mystery which keeps getting more and more unusual.

@Jo Zebedee .... THE JENNIES .... J. Z. provides us a whole new mythology which is deep and dark, whose telling seems to bring it into being.

@Phyrebrat .... The Menace of Closure .... Phyrebrat writes a dark lyrical ode to another world and another ending.

@Swank .... Recombinant .... Swank weaves together an intriging spy narrative with just enough connection to the real world to make it terrifying.

 

[sule]

Shortlist:
The Hunt by Victoria Silverwolf
A Smile More than Memory by Cat's Cradle
Brilliant! by mosaix
There is a spirit here that won't be broken by Luiglin
THE JENNIES by Jo Zebedee

Votes:
The problem of Galluntium Bedanticle by AnRoinnUltra
The Shirt On Your Back by The Judge
Recombinant by Swank

 

[Swank]

Shortlist:
The Hunt by Victoria Silverwolf
A Smile More than Memory by Cat's Cradle
Brilliant! by mosaix
There is a spirit here that won't be broken by Luiglin
THE JENNIES by Jo Zebedee

Votes:
The problem of Galluntium Bedanticle by AnRoinnUltra
The Shirt On Your Back by The Judge
Recombinant by Swank

Super fantastic! Thanks!