DISCUSSION THREAD -- APRIL 2024 75 WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

[Ursa major]

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The Challenge is now closed.

The poll is now open at the link below:

POLL -- April 2024 75-Word Challenge -- READ FIRST POST!​

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[Parson]

@paranoid marvin .... Presentation Is Everything .... A story that puts an exclamation point behind the phrase "Majoring on the minors."

@Ursa major .... The Messenger .... A story that is a surprise built on a surprise.

 

[THX1138]

Voted for:
@Troyzan787

Mentions:
@johnnyjet - Funny!
@Starbeast - Funny!
@emrosenagel
@M. Robert Gibson
@Peter V
@paranoid marvin

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Paul J. Menzies: A grim prophecy of oppression and rebellion.

M. Robert Gibson: A wry look at planned obsolescence and advertising.

nixie: An ironic examination of truth and falsehood.

holland: A chilling tale of time and identity.

Bren G: A sardonic account of communication and failure.

Phyrebrat: A futuristic allusion to horror and pop culture.

Elckerlyc: An intriguing prediction of selfhood and technology.

Parson: A biting satire of politics and misinformation.

paranoid marvin: A droll example of generosity and outdating.

Ursa major: A clever amalgam of achievement and wordplay.

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Vote to Cat's Cradle.

 

[paranoid marvin]

Thanks THX1138 for the shortlisting and to holland for your vote.

My shortlist:

holland - bizarre and compelling, even though I don't think I fully understood it.

Victoria Silverwolf - well written (as ever), and inventive. I of course read Doctor Johnson's words in the voice of Robbie Coltrane (BlackAdder III: Ink and Incapacity).

Starbeast - crazy, funny story

Winner is Astro Pen. It's nice to see AI in a positive light. Or is it really a good thing for AI to be manipulating our emotions and relationships?

 

[Provincial]

Hi folks, I voted for @Victoria Silverwolf because her story was a little golden nugget of perfection. However it was a close run thing with @paranoid marvin whose take on "The Day The Earth Stood Still" was my kind of observational humour.

Thanks for the entertainment, everyone! An excellent month's short-story reading!

 

[Provincial]

holland - bizarre and compelling, even though I don't think I fully understood it.

I didn't feel that I understood it either. Someone who blackmails their future self? Where's the future in that?!

 

[Christine Wheelwright]

Favorites:

@Victoria Silverwolf
@Cat's Cradle
@Troyzan787
@johnnyjet
@Peter V
@mosaix
@paranoid marvin

Vote goes to:

@Daysman

 

[Phyrebrat]

7

Voted for Victoria.


Shortlist
Astrojosh
Mosaix
Paul j Menzies
Holland
Parson

 

[Parson]

Thanks for the shortlist @Phyrebrat it was much appreciated.

 

[Phyrebrat]

Thanks for the shortlist @Phyrebrat it was much appreciated.

Most welcome. Very strong contender and I really wanna mention something I’m not allowed to

 

[chrispenycate]

My short list contained: Christine Wheelwright, M. Robert Gibson, mosaix, Parson, Peter V and Victoria Silverwolf, with mosaix getting the vote.

 

[mosaix]

My short list contained: Christine Wheelwright, M. Robert Gibson, mosaix, Parson, Peter V and Victoria Silverwolf, with mosaix getting the vote.

Many thanks @chrispenycate!

 

[Phyrebrat]

7

Voted for Victoria.


Shortlist
Astrojosh
Mosaix
Paul j Menzies
Holland
Parson

I see an errant 7 at the header of my post.

It’s driving the Chronnunity nuts as to what this means, so…

I add my favourite authors’ names to a list on my Notes app. It’s titled ‘75 votes’. When I copy/paste I must’ve forgotten to delete the ‘7’

Now there’s a modern myth for you!

 

[AnRoinnUltra]

I had one clear winner, Perspective by @Troyzan787 ...The future is bright, the future is overgrown.

After that it was very hard to pick, I really enjoyed:

Voices Not Forgotten by @Cat's Cradle The ultimate keepsake
The Median bears a massage by @chrispenycate Liked it for the wordplay
The Origin of Species by @BigJ ...it's all about the non-newtonian fluids
When Earth Cried Wolf by @emrosenagel Pesky AI, when will it ever learn
Picture not so perfect by @DaCrazyKat29 The Dimension is in the detail.
The Oort Witch Project by @Phyrebrat The Trans Neptunian Zone and a Witch in one story, happy days.

That typed the list is not exclusive so thanks all for the stories, and to the great work from review stalwarts @Victoria Silverwolf and @Parson -much appreciated

 

[Astro Pen]

Vote to @Culhwch
Not as far in the future as one might initially think. Phone mediated lives abound already...

 

[Parson]

Thank you for the shortlisting @chrispenycate twas great to see.

 

[Parson]

Okay it's off to vote. I hope to be finished in time to watch a baseball game. (Checks watch. Ouch I only have 25 minutes, looks dubious.)

Shortlist

Lost in the Noise by @THX1138 because of it's wonderful homage.
Earth Monthly Newspaper by @Starbeast because it was just so wild but somehow believable to some degree.
Numbered by @Daysman because it took the idea of media and made an interesting change in it.
What goes around comes around by @Luiglin because it is a bridge few stories have crossed.
Well, We Tried… by @mosaix because it's just too likely.
Ghosts of a Digital Past by @Bren G because life like media has a physical end.
What’s in a Life? by @Elckerlyc because it's a future too horrible to be imagined.

Voted for: Well, We Tried… by @mosaix

Drat! The game's already on.

 

[Cat's Cradle]

I voted for Victoria Silverwolf's excellent story. My shortlist was:

Troyzan787, Peter V , mosaix, holland

Thank you, Christine Wheelwright and AnRoinnUltra for the listings. Huge thanks to Victoria and Troyzan787 for the votes.

Good luck with the voting the rest of the way, all, CC

 

[mosaix]

@nixie many thanks for the stealth vote.