@athelstone
Active 5 hours, 42 minutes ago-
Sandra replied to the topic January 2026 Monthly Competition in the forum Monthly Competition 5 months, 1 week ago
Well done Libby, like Terrie my mind was contorting to keep up; the wellies adding much to the scene. And thank you Terrie for a theme which was instantly fulfilled (and I’m still re-reading and finding further inspiration, except I can’t get my head around irony)
-
Terrie replied to the topic January 2026 Monthly Competition in the forum Monthly Competition 5 months, 1 week ago
Thank you Jill, Sandra and Libby for giving me totally engaging entries composed in three distinct voices. This monthly challenge is always a great showcase for the talents of the members of Den of Writers.
Jill:- Lots of new beginnings in this piece. New start new job new house new baby. A well-crafted thoughtful story with lots o…[Read more]
-
Libby replied to the topic January 2026 Monthly Competition in the forum Monthly Competition 5 months, 1 week ago
500 words
Jim’s ballet exercises weren’t about dancing, they were about muscle fitness, until he was bent over, clutching the Aga rail which was his barre, and the shooting pains in his back were a quiversful of landed arrows. Gasping for breath he thought of that painting of St Sebastian, a dreary affair in his view, inspirational of not…[Read more]
-
Terrie replied to the topic January 2026 Monthly Competition in the forum Monthly Competition 5 months, 2 weeks ago
Just a reminder that there is less that a week until the the January comp ends and there are only a couple of entries so far . If you have something you think will fit the fairly broad remit of the theme then do please submit it .
-
RichardB started the topic The Sweat of the Workers in the forum Blogs 5 months, 2 weeks ago
One early morning in 1989, about a year-and-a-half after I’d transferred out of the district bus office to become a bus driver, I arrived for work at the bus garage to find that overnight new logos had appeared on the buses. In fact the engineering staff – mechanics and maintenance workers – were still sticking the last ones on. They bore the wor…[Read more]
-
Bella posted an update 5 months, 3 weeks ago
I have just seen a message from the daughter of Mary Walker James on the YWP page on Facebook. Mary died in October. I have a feeling she was a member here although I cannot be sure of what name she went by. Mezz, possibly? )@mezz, sorry if I have got the wrong name.
-
John T replied to the topic Not a Disaster Story in the forum Blogs 5 months, 3 weeks ago
We must venture that way. We’re at the other side of Bannau Brycheiniog near Abergavenny.
-
RichardB replied to the topic Not a Disaster Story in the forum Blogs 5 months, 3 weeks ago
In the few months since I wrote this blog about ‘our’ pub, the Ancient Briton has won – count them – four awards:
Welsh Pub of the Year;
Welsh Eatery of the Year;
Welsh Gastropub of the Year;
First Place, Welsh Good Food Awards.
As I said before, it seems that the owners, Nils and Emma, are doing something right.
It so happens that we have a…[Read more]
-
John T posted an update 5 months, 3 weeks ago
Happy fairly-new-year, everyone! I’ve written very little in the last three months for health reasons, but I’m slowly winding back up again. I’ve found a (hopefully acceptable) way to take part in September Song, and I’m returning to blow the dust and cobwebs off my WIP.
-
Sandra replied to the topic January 2026 Monthly Competition in the forum Monthly Competition 6 months ago
Fingers crossed, yet another resolution
New book and a new – and very welcome – experience for me: a “How To” write book received as a birthday present which I found many times more compelling, educational; entertaining and personally useful than the many “How To” books on writing I own: a dozen on my bookshelves, and knowledge of one di…[Read more]
-
Janette posted an update 6 months, 1 week ago
Gosh, I almost forgot about the monthly comp, and a worthy winner you chose, Ath. Well done, Terrie, and thank you, Ath, for the prompt. I can’t promise anything in the coming weeks but will try my best in among the prep work for publishing.
-
Terrie started the topic January 2026 Monthly Competition in the forum Monthly Competition 6 months, 1 week ago
As January is the start of the New Year my obvious thought was New year – new beginnings – but then I thought let’s widen that theme of ‘New’, so write about anything new that motivates, or perhaps daunts, you, or the main character/s of your story.
Think….New Year resolution. New crime scene. New house. New relationship. New…[Read more]
-
Terrie replied to the topic Monthly Competition – December 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 6 months, 1 week ago
Well done Jill, Janette and Sandra , December comps always seem to be more of a challenge as most of us usually busy with other things.
Thank you for the chance to set the January comp Ath.
Sorry was busy yesterday and forgot to pop in to see the results . I will post the January challenge as soon as I come up with one . …[Read more]
-
Sandra replied to the topic Monthly Competition – December 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 6 months, 1 week ago
Well done Terrie, and everyone else who between them provided a kaleidoscope view of Christmas, and thank you Ath for prompting me into putting a long-held memory into words.
-
-
Terrie replied to the topic Monthly Competition – December 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 6 months, 1 week ago
Lord of Yule
Riann contemplated her decision of allowing the snow-covered stranger, now tending the fire, into her cottage. His ice-sprinkled cloak and hood hung at one side of the fire’s mantle, a puddle forming below it, while his boots and mittens lay close to the hearth.
He hadn’t actually set her senses tingling with alarm but there was a p…[Read more]
-
Terrie replied to the topic Monthly Competition – December 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 6 months, 2 weeks ago
Still a few days to go and i am on it, honestly , Ath.
After a hectic but lovely build up to xmas and a family orientated day yesterday I settled down about half an hour ago to try and finish my offering. ……. son was carrying a very large bucket of soapy wash water out to the drive to clean his motorbike when…[Read more]
-
Kate posted an update 6 months, 2 weeks ago
Happy Christmas for tomorrow to all you lovely Denizens. Xx
-
-
Libby started the topic Short story published in the forum Podium 6 months, 3 weeks ago
The story I wrote for the November comp. ‘I Lied When I Said My Daughter Lived Abroad’ has been published today:
https://www.cafelitmagazine.uk/
Thank you, Terrie @purplewitch for the prompt!
- Load More
