Athelstone

  • Denizens, we have a fistful of entrants to the annual short story challenge. This year will be a cracker. This year will be special. Seriously. Some of the past entries to the challenge have changed the way I think about writing. That may not mean much, but some of them have had a similar effect on literary agents and competition judges. Relax…[Read more]

  • Hi everybody. Just a week left before the writing challenge “Coming Home” closes to new members. If you’re interested in taking part, head to the group, join, and follow the instructions regarding choices.

  • Athelstone replied to the topic Eagle! in the forum Blogs 4 years, 11 months ago

    What a beautiful bird and how evil to kill it. But then, I probably don’t understand “country ways”. Actually, my mother was born and bred in a tiny farming community in the heart of Somerset and my father was born into a tiger-murdering family in Kanpur (Cawnpore as was) Northern India. I’m quite familiar with country ways. Generally, country…[Read more]

  • Athelstone replied to the topic Eagle! in the forum Blogs 4 years, 11 months ago

    You were lucky. That sounds like a wonderful day. I know that some people oppose restorative activity, whether it’s re-wilding, re-introduction or even support for remaining wildlife poulations. We’re told it’s only nature. It’s natural for things to change and species to fail. My view is that it isn’t nature. We are not natural. We reason and…[Read more]

  • WooHOO! Well done Knicky. Absolutely smoking story. And thanks for the comp, Seagreen.

  • Athelstone replied to the topic Choices in the forum Group logo of Coming HomeComing Home 4 years, 11 months ago

    No problem, Clebs.

  • Athelstone replied to the topic Chit Chat in the forum Group logo of Coming HomeComing Home 4 years, 12 months ago

    Doing well so far. 14 choices made as of now and still a couple of weeks to go. I look forward to a bumper crop 🙂

  • Fox Wood

    When I was little, the two roads through Fox Wood were no more than undergrowth pressed flat by habitual footfall. Now I am old. The roads are asphalt paths. Fox Wood is a quarter of its previous size and instead of the roads emerging onto glorious open fields, they emerge onto Honeysuckle Drive and Rose Crescent, although there is…[Read more]

  • Athelstone replied to the topic Choices in the forum Group logo of Coming HomeComing Home 4 years, 12 months ago

    Courtesy of Jules who picked for me
    Bus
    Egg
    Carmen

  • Athelstone posted an update in the group Group logo of Coming HomeComing Home 5 years ago

    Re Choices, and especially @seagreen and @knickylaurelle who have posted choices. Sorry, I inadvertently put up an old version of the lists which omitted “animal” from choice 1.

    A reminder that everybody is free to change choices until the group closes.

  • Athelstone replied to the topic Chit Chat in the forum Group logo of Coming HomeComing Home 5 years ago

    Awards to Knicky and to Seagreen (who joined even before I’d finished setting up).

  • Athelstone started the topic Rules in the forum Coming Home 5 years ago

    Some Basic Story Rules and Guidelines

    The challenge is to produce a short story, so in the way that the term is usually understood, what is needed is a work of fiction. By all means stretch this definition as you like, to include, for example, an imaginative account of true events, but please avoid essays, reportage, political polemic,…[Read more]

  • Athelstone posted an update 5 years ago

    It’s that time again. There’s a new group in town. Head on over to “Coming Home” for details of the new Short Story Challenge.
    All are welcome.

  • Athelstone started the topic Voting in the forum Group logo of Coming HomeComing Home 5 years ago

    On the face of it, what you have to do is quite simple. However, those of you have been through this before in previous challenges will know that in fact it is extraordinarily tough.
    When the writing stage of the challenge closes on 7 February 2022 at 22:00 UK time, the voting stage begins. No doubt most of you will have read many of the entries…[Read more]

  • Athelstone started the topic Choices in the forum Group logo of Coming HomeComing Home 5 years ago

    Welcome all.

    <e>Home is where the heart is</e> according to Pliny the Elder and a thousand sentimental songs since his time. Pliny clearly had in mind a place where we love to be: where we were shaped. But maybe that doesn’t appeal to our writing souls. Perhaps it’s a place of dread, or contempt, or it’s so unfamiliar as to be unrec…[Read more]

  • Welcome all.

    Home is where the heart is according to Pliny the Elder and a thousand sentimental songs since his time. Pliny clearly had in mind a place where we love to be: where we were shaped. But maybe that doesn’t appeal to our writing souls. Perhaps it’s a place of dread, or contempt, or it’s so unfamiliar as to be unrecognised. We may n…[Read more]

  • Athelstone started the topic Q & A in the forum Group logo of Coming HomeComing Home 5 years ago

    Questions?

  • Athelstone started the topic Chit Chat in the forum Group logo of Coming HomeComing Home 5 years ago

    Please post all chit chat here!

  • Athelstone posted an update 5 years ago

    Things are afoot. Check back 🙂

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