DISCUSSION THREAD -- 300 Word Writing Challenge #54 (July 2024)

[Starbeast]

The Muse accidentally gave me her grocery list a week ago. But stopped by today with an idea written on toasted bread.

 

[Cat's Cradle]

Ah, Starbeast - I am sure I speak for everyone when I say, 'I hope you never change!'

 

[THX1138]

Here here!

 

[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.​

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

The Judge: The fantasy content of this tale of retribution is truly unique, revealing great imagination. Images verging on surrealism become very real through the use of telling details.

Starbeast: The rollicking merriment of this madcap comedy is sure to raise a smile. Its slapstick antics are entirely benign, without a trace of cruelty.

chrispenycate: The calm, quiet, matter-of-fact narrative style of this tale of the extraordinary makes its wonders seem believable. What begins as a description of the specific ends as a meditation upon the general.

paranoid marvin: This chilling story of revenge draws the reader in with its memorable characters. Beyond its thrills, it also ponders the question of whether "an eye for an eye" is justifiable.

Mad Alice: The mixture of ancient and modern found in this work creates a true sense of timelessness. In such a setting, the most remarkable happenings seem plausible.

Ursa major: In the tradition of Socratic dialogues, this philosophical discussion raises many issues concerning the meaning of existence. Appropriately, there can be no final answers.

___________________________________________________________________________

Voting was tough. Suffice to say that I wound up choosing:

Astro Pen

THX1138

Parson

 

[Parson]

Wow a vote. What a pleasant surprise this morning. Thanks @Victoria Silverwolf.

--------

@The Judge ..... A Piece of Cake .... This is a story that makes the question "Which cake?" seem very relevant indeed.
****Thankfully this was not a wedding cake.
@Starbeast .... House of Books .... This story would make a wonderful scene for a Three Stooges movie. "Madcap Mayhem, and More!"
@chrispenycate .... Stately retirement .... This is a story which set me to thinking about a sequel to "Downton Abbey" which has none of the conflict but all of the charm.
@paranoid marvin .... Justice .... This is a story where we find Justice perverted and catastrophe averted, while reality is skirted.
@Mad Alice .... The Stairway of Forgotten Gods and Invisible Monsters .... This is a story that puts me in mind of a speculative fiction Greek Tragedy.
@Ursa major .... What Is This Life? .... This is a story that makes me glad that the saying "If walls could talk," remains in the realm of speculative fiction and not in any sense reality.

 

[Rafellin]

Well that was a reading tour with a pervasive air of melancholy. A difficult selection this quarter.

Top o' the stack: @Victoria Silverwolf
Second: @Peter V
Third: @Appello

 

[Parson]

There must have been something in that picture that made people think of ghosts and statues that were somehow alive. Since those two ideas were so prevalent in the stories. I did struggle to see the relevance to the picture in some entries, but I tried not to let that influence me too much because when you are writing something "inspired by the image" who's to say what might be in the mind of any of us Chronners.

I voted for:

Eternal Flight by @Astro Pen because of a truly original idea and a great execution. I even found the ending a bit of a surprise.

A Piece of Cake by @The Judge because it reads like a top flight fairy tale.

Justice by @paranoid marvin because justice was served even when it looked to be a dubious conclusion.


Runner-Up

Immobile by @RTGR because of a unique viewpoint. I never expected to feel sad for statue.

 

[Christine Wheelwright]

I was too busy to enter this month. But I look forward to reading the stories and voting.

 

[mosaix]

I have a stealth vote from @chrispenycate! Many thanks.

 

[paranoid marvin]

Thanks so much to Parson for your vote.

 

[mosaix]

I have a stealth vote from @chrispenycate! Many thanks.

And another, thank you @Peter V!

 

[THX1138]

Votes from @Victoria Silverwolf and @chrispenycate. Thank you very much!

 

[Astro Pen]

Delighted at the votes from @mosaix @Parson @Victoria Silverwolf and @THX1138 (and the positive reviews). Thanks everyone

 

[Christine Wheelwright]

Well, it was a busy few weeks so I missed out on this quarter's 300 word challenge (and the chance to make it three in a row!)

Anyway, my votes go to @Astro Pen , @Cat's Cradle and @THX1138 . There were a couple of others that I thought were quite good but I couldn't quite get the connection to the picture.

 

[Ursa major]

but I couldn't quite get the connection to the picture

There is no need for a 300-word challenge story to have anything to do with the picture. The image is there merely to provide inspiration to those writing an entry.

 

[THX1138]

Thanks for the vote @Christine Wheelwright!

 

[Starbeast]

300 Runners Up
@Astro Pen
@mosaix
@johnnyjet
@Parson
@paranoid marvin



Honorable Mentions
@Victoria Silverwolf
@Cat's Cradle
@THX1138
@Guttersnipe
@Rafellin
@RTGR
@Appello
@AnRoinnUltra
@Phyrebrat
@Luiglin
@Peter V
@Daysman
@Hugh
@The Judge
@chrispenycate
@Mad Alice
@Ursa major​

 

[paranoid marvin]

This Challenge, I shall mostly be voting for Parson, Ursa and Appello.

The Judge and Astro Pen made my shortlist.

Many thanks to StarBeast and Parson for your votes, and to Parson, Victoria and RTGR for your reviews.

 

[Ursa major]

Many many thanks for the vote, pm.