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Athelstone replied to the topic Monthly comp – July 2023 in the forum Monthly Competition 2 years, 9 months ago
Hi Janette – as discussed, it’s gone. Feel free to post again when ready.
Ath.
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Libby replied to the topic Monthly comp – July 2023 in the forum Monthly Competition 2 years, 9 months ago
Hi Janette – feel free to tidy up! I see no reason why software idiosyncrasies and confusions therefrom should affect anyone’s chances in the monthly comp.
I haven’t yet read your submission so I won’t know what you change. I think you can delete the original post if you wish.
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I just tried that, but it remains on the monthly comp thread. Typical Monday morning.
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@janette
Don’t worry. Post your tidied-up version and I’ll ignore your first submission.-
Thanks to Ath, I’ve been able to delete and try again. Sorry for the kerfuffle!
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Sandra replied to the topic Monthly comp – July 2023 in the forum Monthly Competition 2 years, 9 months ago
Right man for the job!
Half eight, overnight ice on the inside of the windows, me already double Aran-wrapped, my phone rang:
‘Missus Blake? Morpeth Builders. We’ve a cancellation. Can come and have a look at your chimney today.’
‘That’d be great. There’s some sort of, of … blockage. The boiler’s broke, so lighting a fire the only way to kee…[Read more] -
Alex replied to the topic Monthly comp – June 2023 in the forum Monthly Competition 2 years, 10 months ago
Congrats Libby!
I enjoyed all the entries.
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Thank you, @alex !
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Libby started the topic Monthly comp – July 2023 in the forum Monthly Competition 2 years, 10 months ago
For this month’s comp tell a story of some building work with some kind of mix up. The wrong site, the wrong builder – anything you like.
Deadline midnight 31st July.
300 words
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Libby replied to the topic Monthly comp – June 2023 in the forum Monthly Competition 2 years, 10 months ago
Thank you @Seagreen ! This is a lovely surprise. The standard of entries is so high – I loved all the stories.
Thank you too @Sandra for your congratulations.
Right, now I must try to think of a comp theme that will be as good as Seagreen’s …
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Sandra replied to the topic Monthly comp – June 2023 in the forum Monthly Competition 2 years, 10 months ago
Congratulations, Libby, and thank you Seagreen for such an enticing theme – I had a dozen possibilities in my head, and it was obvious others did too, strong voices all and I was glad not to have to do the judging.
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Seagreen replied to the topic Monthly comp – June 2023 in the forum Monthly Competition 2 years, 10 months ago
I knew from the minute I started reading these that judging would be a tricky business…
Thanks all for entering! I love that you each took a perfectly mundane experience – like sitting in traffic – and gave me a fabulous peek into the headspace of your characters.
Ath, straight in there with your character reference of the man in the siler GT. T…[Read more]
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Thank you, Sea, for such a good challenge. Congratulations @Libby – a worthy win.
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Seagreen replied to the topic Monthly comp – June 2023 in the forum Monthly Competition 2 years, 10 months ago
What is this? I turn my back for TWO days and I’m inundated!! ????
Please bear with me. Worked a fifteen hour shift today (with the same tomorrow). I promise to come back with a winner by Monday at the absolute latest x
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Athelstone replied to the topic Monthly comp – June 2023 in the forum Monthly Competition 2 years, 10 months ago
Car
Look at that bloke. Arm out of the window, cigarette in hand. Marks and Sparks polo shirt that his wife bought him. Revving the engine every five seconds; counting down the time until death. And he got the silver car, the GT model. He chose that. He calls it “my car”. But if anybody asks, “We chose it. Me and my lady.”
How old do you reckon?…[Read more]
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Janette replied to the topic Monthly comp – June 2023 in the forum Monthly Competition 2 years, 10 months ago
Hand Signals
Molly matched the testy huff coming from the seat to her left, though neither were on account of the tailback as school runs jostled with motorway traffic on the approach to the roundabout. ‘For God’s sake, Jake. You’ll appreciate one day why I put school first, holidays with your father second.’
She ignored his mouthed words;…[Read more]
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RichardB replied to the topic For Those in Peril… in the forum Blogs 2 years, 10 months ago
Since writing this blog I have put my money where my mouth is and become a paid-up RNLI supporter, paying a direct debit every month. One of the consequences of this is that I receive a quarterly magazine. In the latest edition, which came a few days ago, I read that the old Penlee lifeboat station has now been granted Grade II listed building status.
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Thanks, Richard. I hadn’t realised how small the station is. It’s good it’s now listed. I imagine it would be vulnerable to being left to fall apart without a team of dedicated voluteers.
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Yes, when i stumbled across the place two or three years ago, though the memorial garden was well maintained the actual building did look just a little sorry for itself.
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Janette posted an update 2 years, 10 months ago
Apologies for the absence. I have been writing and reading disturbingly little while I’ve wrestled with other things, mainly concerning health and other shit that saps far too much energy, not to mention confidence. Anyway, I had a gentle nudge (thanks, @sandradavies) to perhaps ease myself in with an entry into the Den comp. It’s been ages, so…[Read more]
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And great to see you here. Janette. Hope you are on the mend.
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It’s a long, varied road, but I feel I’m going the right way along it, thanks Ath. I’m learning that I need to keep in touch with the outside world.
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Lovely to read your story @janette . Good luck with your recovery <3
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Thank you, Libby. I loved your story too.
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Libby replied to the topic Monthly comp – June 2023 in the forum Monthly Competition 2 years, 10 months ago
398 words exc title
Content warning: threat of terminal illnes
The Road to the Hospital I’ll be Visiting Tomorrow
The old sports model is red and open-topped, a Noddy car for the middle-aged and young elderly. How sniping I am today. From my hatchback I criticise the driver’s grey hair sticking out from his baseball cap. The passenger wea…[Read more]
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Alex replied to the topic Monthly comp – June 2023 in the forum Monthly Competition 2 years, 10 months ago
The Road to Wishes
My cheeks hurt from smiling.
“I’ve never had a passenger be happy to go to this town,” said the driver.
“And I’ve never had a taxi driver dressed in a top hat and tuxedo.”
Although now he mentioned it, the cars around us were filled with weeping people. I had been preoccupied with the beautiful overcast sky and the…[Read more]
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John T posted an update 2 years, 10 months ago
Sorry for my prolonged absence from here. What with writing a new novel and proofreading two other, as well as all the drama and complications of choosing to self-publish, all my writing energy has been directed in less sociable pursuits. But, I have news. My first book should be published within a month or so, when the wonderful Leigh Forbes has…[Read more]
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Drama and complications, John? Nothing you won’t overcome, I’m sure. Great news about the books, and loving the website.
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Cheers, Athelstone. Since I wrote that, ‘a month or so’ now looks optimistic, at least for the ebook version. Amazon are giving Leigh less freedom to format the book, and what looks perfect on Apple Books or Kobo looks a mess on Kindle. We need two different ebook versions to work around the limited options they now give. The paperback version is…[Read more]
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Sandra replied to the topic Monthly comp – June 2023 in the forum Monthly Competition 2 years, 11 months ago
‘O dolce mano’ another opera
Coming out of the theatre, in the carpark, beeping the car unlocked, you say ‘If we’re dropping Judy off, she’d be best in the front –‘
Because it’s SO difficult to get out of the back seat? Nevertheless, I say nothing. It was Judy – a work colleague –that offered him the tickets. I bought the third on seeing the…[Read more] -
Daedalus started the topic HWA Dorothy Dunnett Short Story Competition in the forum Competitions, Open calls and Writing Opportunities 2 years, 11 months ago
The 2023 HWA Dorothy Dunnett Short Story Competition is now open for entries. Up to 3,500 words, set 35 or more years ago, exploring every aspect of historical fiction.
Deadline 1 July
Full details and how to enter: https://historicalwriters.org/awards/ddshwass-award-2023/
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Thanks, Daeds. I’m trying to get a story ready in time. Are you going to enter?
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I was thinking of entering one I’d already written, thought I’d missed the deadline but I haven’t, so I might go for it. How’s yours coming along?
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@daedalus
Mine is becoming a more interesting story than I’d thought it was but it needs more time so I’m not going to enter. Good luck with yours if you do enter.
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Seagreen started the topic Monthly comp – June 2023 in the forum Monthly Competition 2 years, 11 months ago
You’re sitting in traffic. Tell me about the car and the person (people) in the car next to you.
400 words
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Seagreen replied to the topic Monthly comp – May 2023 in the forum Monthly Competition 2 years, 11 months ago
Pleasantly surprised by this, especially given the company ☺️
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