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

[Parson]

posted before I was ready.

 

[Parson]

This was a very unusual challenge. I'm not sure about others but I rarely give two thoughts about how a character is dressed or maybe more damaging, how someone I meet is dressed. It it's clear and at least fairly appropriate it passes muster for me. Perhaps because of this unusual turn I think we had more variety of stories than is usual. I would have liked to have had maybe 20 more, but you take what you get.

I also found a lot of the stories were pretty weak on the historical end of historical fiction. But perhaps some of that is my own fault for not knowing the history that was serving as the basis for the story.

Short list
The Bargain by @Victoria Silverwolf because I love to think of that soldier and what he might have thought years later if he lived that long.

Leather and Velvet by @Astro Pen because I loved the history lesson it taught. Fortunately I had a class in English History in college so at least it slotted for me.

Fight by @RTGR because I'm sure there were more than one of these fights in the day.

CONSECRATION OF SISTER BERTKEN (1426-1514), ANCHORITE OF THE BUURKERK, UTRECHT by @Far Stranger because it opened a window to a kind of life which I had known to be something that truly existed.

------------

In the end I voted for Leather and Velvet because it seemed to fit the theme best with a story to tell.

 

[Astro Pen]

Close!
I voted for @Victoria Silverwolf
Particularly as the Shroud of Turin has just been confirmed, forensically, as 2000 years old

Some excellent and thought provoking entries
@BigJ
(I did a bit of research. Actually "the all-black SS uniform was designed by SS members Karl Diebitsch (artist) and Walter Heck (graphic designer). The Hugo Boss company was one of the companies that produced these black uniforms for the SS.")
wiki
@johnnyjet
@mosaix
@Parson
@Far Stranger
@Ursa major

 

[Bren G]

I voted for @Cat's Cradle tale of a love unhindered by hardship and scarcity. It's one of few stories that wrapped a deeper message within it, and I'm a sucker for this one as it promotes resourcefulness, thoughtfulness and joy in a small but cheery package. Well done!

Close runner up was @paranoid marvin who's creative quotient is on full display in a genre I love - military history.

 

[Christine Wheelwright]

Mentions:

@paranoid marvin
@Culhwch
@AnRoinnUltra
@Astro Pen
@Ursa major

Vote goes to @The Judge (luckily I'd heard of John Dee)

 

[Hugh]

I thought the quality particularly high this month

My vote: really difficult to choose between @The Judge and @AnRoinnUltra . I'll decide when I've finished typing.

Others on shortlist (no order):
@Parson
@mosaix

Others that caught my eye (no order):
@Luiglin
@johnnyjet
@Victoria Silverwolf
@paranoid marvin
@BigJ
@Far Stranger

I'd like to have included more, but I have to stop somewhere.

Vote: still difficult. However, I've gone with the insanity rather than the occult.

 

[mosaix]

Voted for @Ashleyne. It was only on the third or fourth reading that the story became clear.

I must admit that there were some stories this month where I just couldn't get any connection to the theme.

 

[Provincial]

Voted for @Ashleyne. It was only on the third or fourth reading that the story became clear.

I must admit that there were some stories this month where I just couldn't get any connection to the theme.

It also took three or four readings of @Ashleyne's story before the bricks fell into place for me, but when they did I thought it was a really strong story. If it had actually used regular clothes in its plot, rather than the 'meat suit' concept, it would have made my vote even more difficult to decide on. But there were other stories as well this month which were excellent and yet didn't match well with either the theme or the genre, e.g. @AnRoinnUltra's, so I ended up excluded them from consideration because, ironically, the quality of entries was so extremely high this month, I had to find some way to thin out the shortlist!

 

[Ursa major]

Many, many thanks for the stealth vote, @RTGR.

 

[paranoid marvin]

Thanks for the vote, Artoriarius. And also to Hugh, Christine and Bren for your shortlistings.

 

[johnnyjet]

My Long List, Short List, and *** Favorite ***:

*** BLANCHE THE STRIPPER – Ashleyne ***
The Bargain - Victoria Silverwolf
To Be Reunited in Repurposed Gingham - Cat's Cradle
Leather and Velvet - Astro Pen
Helmet, One Size Fit All – BAYLOR
The True Story of St Martin - Christine Wheelwright
Run it again! (or, the struggle against one man’s nature) – BigJ
The Emperor's old clothes – Daysman
Clothes Maketh The Man? – mosaix
Clothes, Power, and Position – Parson
Heed the Fine Print - Bren G
Elizabethan Bequest, Edwardian Beneficiary - The Judge

 

[Parson]

Thanks for the mention @johnnyjet.

 

[AnRoinnUltra]

Tricky vote this time -ended up casting mine for 'Clothes Maketh the Man?' as I think it did a good job of showing how clothes can reflect a situation/ state of mind. Especially enjoyed a good few, and there were a few more that I'd have liked to see go on longer -'Clothes, Power, Position' was very interesting. The theme threw me a bit this month -I know little or nothing about clothes and rarely give any thought to them, so struggled (and probably failed) to keep my own scéal on target, which made it a usefull exercise.

Thanks all for all the stories, and thanks to the consistently top class reviewing team -great work, much appreciated.

Some half thoughts:

BLANCHE THE STRIPPER by @Ashleyne
The worms are up to more than composting.

The Bargain by @Victoria Silverwolf
Fit for a King

Give It Some Welly by @paranoid marvin
The origin of Welly throwing (almost voted for ...love welly tossing, an underrated sport

To Be Reunited in Repurposed Gingham by @Cat's Cradle
A 300 pound outfit.

Helmet ,One Size Fit All by @BAYLOR
Keeping your head while all around are losing theirs

The Life Behind the Smile by @THX1138
The hat makes the man.

Pockets make the Man by @chrispenycate
Tiny wearable bags for things you might need

The True Story of St Martin by @Christine Wheelwright
We only allow decent exposure around here.

My Hand In Yours by @Culhwch
A promise is a promise.

Boxer by @Provincial
Red means danger

The Tallow Candle by @Baeta
Hope dances eternal (almost voted for)

Fashion Trends at Yasgur's Farm by @johnnyjet
Mucky devils

The Roman Hair Plucker @Qaraq1001
Is there a spare toga in the house?

Fight by @RTGR
Hide your eyes, there be unclothed knees about.

Run it again! (or, the struggle against one man’s nature) by @BigJ
The nature of evil.

The Emperor's old clothes by @Daysman
The Emperor of Heavy Metal.

Clothes Maketh The Man? by @mosaix
(Vote) The situation of clothes.

Clothes, Power, and Position by @Parson
Bow to the cloth (Almost voted for)

Heed the Fine Print by @Bren G
The Gods must be crazy

CONSECRATION OF SISTER BERTKEN (1426-1514), ANCHORITE OF THE BUURKERK, UTRECHT by @Far Stranger
A loyal pet.

Ooh, fashion! by @Luiglin
It’s a timeless look (yeah, because it was never in fashion)

Elizabethan Bequest, Edwardian Beneficiary by @The Judge
Saved by the gloves (Almost voted for)

The Good Olde Days by @Ursa major
Times were tough.

 

[Cat's Cradle]

Terrific choices for genre and theme, TJ!
Big thanks to our reviewers for their hard work.

'Open Historical' really inspired a diverse collection of stories, well done all. I've been wondering if anyone knew the historical inspiration behind my entry, but will wait post-voting to explain it.

Okay, my lists:

Shortlist:
paranoid marvin
Bren G
BAYLOR
Culhwch
mosaix
Ursa major

Finalists:
Victoria Silverwolf
Baeta
AnRoinnUltra
The Judge

I had a very tough time choosing between these four, but I thought there was a beautifully delicate and unsettling essence flowing throughout Baeta's The Tallow Candle, and my vote went there. Excellent story, Baeta!

Thank you johnnyjet and AnRoinnUltra for the listings.
And huge thanks to Culhwch, Victoria Silverwolf and Bren G for your votes! Good luck the rest of the way in the voting, everyone, CC

 

[Parson]

Thanks to @AnRoinnUltra for the near miss listing.

 

[Ursa major]

the near miss listing.

I'm now imagining a torpedo exploding before it hits its target, but causing enough damage to make the ship take on water.

​

 

[paranoid marvin]

Thankyou AnRoinnUltra and CC for the shortlisting, and huge thanks to Luiglin for your vote.

 

[paranoid marvin]

I'm now imagining a torpedo exploding before it hits its target, but causing enough damage to make the ship take on water.

​

*Wonders if Parsons go down with the ship*

 

[chrispenycate]

Very difficult even to choose a short lis, but needs must, but…

Short List: The Judge, Far Stranger, Luiglin, Parson, & Guttersnipe, but vote for johnnyjet.

 

[The Judge]

I'm sad to say that this was another month when I felt a few stories, while good in themselves, didn't hit the genre, in that there was no connection with a real historical time and place, and being extra-picky as I am, to my mind not every story actually hit the theme.

Anyhow, my shortlist:

Astro Pen -- Leather and Velvet​

BigJ -- Run it again! (or the struggle against one man's nature)​

Cat's Cradle -- To Be Reunited in Repurposed Gingham​

mosaix -- Clothes Maketh The Man?​

paranoid marvin -- Give It Some Welly​

THX1138 -- The Life Behind the Smile​

Victoria Silverwolf -- The Bargain​

After a good deal of effort I ended up with three stories running for the vote, which I felt hit theme and genre perfectly -- pm's versifying on boots made me laugh, mosaix's study of garments throughout a poor man's life I found very affecting, but in the end I went with AP's be-garbed take on the civil war, with the Wrong but Wromantic -v- the Right but Repulsive.**

Many Embroidered Glove Thanks for the lovely mentions/shortlistings, Provincial, Hugh, johnnyjet, ARU, CC and Chris p! And Tremendous Occult Gold Transmuted Thanks for the glorious vote, Christine! And I've got two ninja votes -- Gold Occult Embroidery Thanks nixie and Far Stranger!


** not, alas, my coining, but from the Sellers and Yeatman 1066 And All That.