DISCUSSION THREAD -- March 2024 -- 75-Word Writing Challenge

[Daysman]

Congrats @Victoria Silverwolf !!!

 

[Christine Wheelwright]

Congrats @Victoria Silverwolf !! And thanks to those that gave me a mention.

 

[Guttersnipe]

Congratulations, @Victoria Silverwolf!

To people who are wondering what "lencten" is, it's the Old English word for spring (the season). Eostre is a putative Anglo-Saxon goddess. Éastermónað was their name for April.

 

[Bren G]

Hmmm. When I set the Challenge I was hoping to get entries using real myths or legends or creating something akin to them, but I was prepared to extend the definition, but still for me a goodly number of stories missed the genre with however much latitude I gave it, though the theme was pretty much there every time.

Anyhow, my shortlist:

Bren G -- Bruinian Bargain​

Cat's Cradle -- The Fifth Season​

emrosenagel -- Eloma, Epitome of Life and Death and Life​

johnnyjet -- Spring Out! Spring Out!​

Phyrebrat -- Widow's Walk​

Victoria Silverwolf -- How Death Came to the Trees​

Yozh -- The Tears of the Sun​

No font of wisdom or seasoned intelligence allowed me to spring forth with my vote, as none of the seven sprang out at me as springing ahead of its rivals, so it was very much a long re-read of each and a good deal of deliberation, trying to decide which was the spring winner as they were all excellent. In the end, and by the narrowest of margins, I sprang for Bren G's tale as I loved the idea of snowdrops mourning the winter dead in the spring.

I really wasn't happy with my own tale this month, as I wrestled with what needed to be a far longer story, trying to get too much into it and be too clever, and as it got later and later I got more and more frustrated that I couldn't see how to make it work -- I don't think I've ever got so close to the deadline and it was only because I felt I had to take part, as I'd chosen the bloody theme and genre, that I posted at all.

So I'm doubly and triply chuffed at having got some very welcome mentions/shortlistings, so Springing Spring Thanks Bren G, nixie, johnnyjet, sule, Chris p and ARU!

Oh, crikey -- and Tomb-Splitting, Flower-Blooming Thanks for the wholly unexpected ninja vote, Yozh!



Tomorrow, when voting's over, those who want to compete for the Virtual Spring Cup can post giving details of numbers and uses/instances (with definitions to show they are different!) and we'll see who wins!

Thanks @The Judge. I wondered if many would make that connection. They're widespread in Europe and Asia and also resident to my province in Canada, but they are not widespread in the rest of North America, nor does it seem (as far as my Google skills go) resident to the UK. Or are they? I thought they'd be a great symbol but I suspected their relative obscurity would work against me. Curious as to how you knew?

 

[Bren G]

Congrats @Victoria Silverwolf. When I read your story, at once I realized it was the type of story I had wanted to write. I missed the mark but am now the better for your example.

Thanks to @Hugh , @emrosenagel for the mentions.

And a big thanks to the @The Judge for my solitary vote! That made my week!

Happy Easter all!

 

[Culhwch]

Just when it seemed like my story had sparked no interest, along came a vote - thank you kindly, @DaCrazyKat29!

Perhaps it was too grim having an embodiment of winter murder an embodiment of spring, but in my defence it's autumn here, and turning cooler, not warmer...

 

[The Judge]

Thanks @The Judge. I wondered if many would make that connection. They're widespread in Europe and Asia and also resident to my province in Canada, but they are not widespread in the rest of North America, nor does it seem (as far as my Google skills go) resident to the UK. Or are they? I thought they'd be a great symbol but I suspected their relative obscurity would work against me. Curious as to how you knew?

Snowdrops aren't native plants in the UK, but they've certainly been around for a few centuries, probably orginally as garden specimens which then "escaped" into the wild by the late C18th -- I can't recall seeing them mentioned in any novels I've read until Silas Marner by George Eliot, but I've got a gardening book that deals with the Georgian period somewhere and I might see if I can track it down and see if it mentions them. They're widespread in the wild and incredibly popular as garden plants nowadays -- many houses just in my street have some (we only had one come up this year which was disappointing) and a lot of stately homes and the like have special Snowdrop Days to make the most of them. The last two years we've been over to Chawton House (the "great house" once owned by Jane Austen's brother) as their grounds are full of them, mostly only the common variety, I think, but there are huge numbers of cultivars and a great many people who collect and show them. The idea that they're relative obscure completely floors me!!

For me your story really felt like folklore of how they came into being and I'm surprised it didn't get more notice.

 

[DaCrazyKat29]

Just when it seemed like my story had sparked no interest, along came a vote - thank you kindly, @DaCrazyKat29!

Perhaps it was too grim having an embodiment of winter murder an embodiment of spring, but in my defence it's autumn here, and turning cooler, not warmer..

Just when it seemed like my story had sparked no interest, along came a vote - thank you kindly, @DaCrazyKat29!

Perhaps it was too grim having an embodiment of winter murder an embodiment of spring, but in my defence it's autumn here, and turning cooler, not warmer...

I loved it… I’m all for that thing XD

 

[Phyrebrat]

A bit late but here is my shortlist, *favourites and vote:

Victoria
Graconius
Fox Astor
Thx1138
CC**
ARU
Mosaix
Johnnyjet
Christine Wheelwright
Daysman
Swank**
M Robert Gibson **

Many thanks to Victoria and AstroPen for voting of my ancient tale. There's an anachronistic reference in my entry...there weren't any citrus fruits in the Aegean until after Theseus et als' time. Anyway, I had the Ladybird books of Greek Myths as a kid and I was always bothered by Aegeus jumping into the Big Blue without a thought for his wife. So I decided to write the myth of the black sail from her perspective. Poor love.


Thank you for those who mentioned my story.