DISCUSSION THREAD -- October 2023 -- 75 Word Writing Challenge

[Parson]

As long as I'm at this I may as well vote. I shall try to keep in mind the theme and the genre. With the help here I think I understand the genre a bit better but it still remains a little slippery to me.

Shortlisted
Last Gasp by @Astro Pen because it captures a horror which seems unstoppable.

Begotten by @Guttersnipe because it is cleverly plotted and it has an identifiable horror.

Anopheles by @genelewis because it shows the horror of unexpected consequences in an analytical tone.

The Baby Elder God by @nixie because it made me smile while adhering to the theme and genre.

Splinters by @Yozh because it describes the madness from the inside.

The Earthworm by @Perky because it transforms the common earthworm into a powerful god.

The Limitations of AI When Applied to Religious Rituals by @Christine Wheelwright because of its pure whimsy.


Wow this was hard! Sometimes I have a story or two that seems to me to be head and shoulders above the others, but not this month. In the end it came down to a choice between Anopheles and Splinters.

@Yozh and Splinters got the vote because it captured a feeling of helplessness by both the victim and the one who was the secondary sufferer.

 

[Ursa major]

We have a group of about twenty of them and use them in rotation.

It's a veritable Gatling gun of PMs....

 

[Astro Pen]

Shortlist:
@Yozh Creepy
@Christine Wheelwright Made me laugh as well as consider the veneration of artefacts.
@Ursa major Seemingly wrestling with the tricky question of omniscience vs relativity

Vote to @Swank Nothing more horrific than inevitability - and lots of time to think about it.
(A maze of Death PKD is a worthwhile read.)

 

[The Big Peat]

Will be pondering my vote a little longer, but the shortlist is Yozh, Starbeast, and emrosenagel

 

[Ursa major]

Many thanks for the shortlisting, Astro Pen.

 

[Yozh]

Shortlist:
@THX1138 A broken mirror shows true feelings
@BigJ One of the best at hitting the theme, maybe should have gotten my vote? Wish I had two..
@Luiglin almost a poem
@StilLearning I would watch this movie.
@emrosenagel we see the horror and it is us
@M. Robert Gibson approaching horror not in fear but in hope
@Parson an indifferent god

My vote to @genelewis for reminding us all we know not the consequence of meddling with nature. Also for riffing on a theme from my favorite Disney movie about a rampaging alien bent on destruction--Lilo and Stitch.

 

[Swank]

Vote to @Swank Nothing more horrific than inevitability - and lots of time to think about it.

Yay! Thanks!!!!

 

[mosaix]

I have a stealth vote!

Many thanks, @Artoriarius!

 

[M. Robert Gibson]

Runners-up
Last gasp - @Astro Pen
The Baby Elder God - @nixie
The Haunted Sky: - @StilLearning
By The Light of The Moon… - @mosaix

Vote
Anopheles - @genelewis

 

[paranoid marvin]

Sadly time and lack of a suitable ending left me storyless this month.

Some great entries this month for a tricky genre. Ursa and mosaix were (almost) inseperable, Ursa winning my vote by a whisker.

 

[Ursa major]

Many, many thanks, paranoid marvin.

 

[sule]

Honorable Mentions:
The Tomb by Victoria Silverwolf
Between Moments by Cat's Cradle
But they said it wouldn’t rip a hole in reality . . . by BigJ
By The Light of The Moon… by mosaix
Tāwhirimātea, the Storm God, and his Lesson by Parson

Vote:
The Haunted Sky: by StilLearning

 

[Lacedaemonian]

Shortlist:​

​

Peter V - best comedy story. ​

genelewis - best concept ​

emrosenagel - great imagery ​

​

Tough call but I voted for A Single Feather to Hold Up the Universe - quite sinister imagery just resonated with me the most. ​

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Pyan: Still waters run noisy.

Hugh: A day without sunshine is like night.

Perky: Home is where the hate is.

Bren G: New and unimproved.

Christine Wheelwright: Invention is a fine faith.

Parson: The gods hurt those who hurt themselves.

The Big Peat: As below, so above.

Ursa major: The whole is less than the parts.

_____________________________________________________________________

Vote goes to Luiglin.

 

[Swank]

@Victoria Silverwolf and @Lacedaemonian - on deck.

@AnRoinnUltra is up.

 

[Lacedaemonian]

Appreciate the mention, Swank.

 

[nixie]

Favourites @genelewis, @emrosenagel, @mosaix, @Pyan, @Ursa major.

Vote @genelewis.

 

[AnRoinnUltra]

A hard month to pick, ended up voting for:
Look through any window by @johnnyjet - the Bootes void, halfway between madness and sanity.

Almost voted for:
The god that failed by @JS Wiig - be carefull what ya wish for.
Reality's End by @Elckerlyc - Nice of them to let us know.
Anophelies by genelewis - every action has one.
Clutching at straws by @Luiglin - A story that made me think of this man (apologies, can't find a link to the doc itself, but the man was using fractions to solve for the universe

Thanks all for all the stories, and the reviewers and staff keeping the show on the road

 

[Phyrebrat]

Oi you lot.

Not read em yet, still trying to sort out a podcasting error which is taking my time.

However, I did have time to find and post these cartoons. Thought they might raise a smile.

 

[genelewis]

Shortlist:

@BigJ
@StilLearning
@johnnyjet
@emrosenagel
@Hugh

Vote to johnnyjet for bringing a strong character voice.

And thanks to @Phyrebrat for the great prompt!