Athelstone

My thoughts… I agree that the format doesn’t help and I’d love to see it changed. Maybe to something that would encourage more idle chat. Something about the format makes me feel I need to have something particularly worthwhile to say in order to post. I think idle chat is important for keeping relationships going but I may be in a minority…[Read more]

First off, apologies. I am not as active on here as I was, and definitely not as active as I was on the Cloud. Partly, recently that’s been due to being swamped with book release stuff. Partly though it’s because of the format & the way the site kills off chat. Both in hiding replies and in it’s weird notifications limitations. I think that’s a…[Read more]

The Den’s been a lifeboat for my SE group. And I love the inspiration the winter writing challenge brings. It’s also lovely to be able to see the successes of people I met on the cloud.

But I wonder if, for the main page to be active, we need writers at different stages. I think we’ve all got a fair amount of experience on here, have writing…[Read more]

I don’t post here as often as I perhaps should, though I love knowing it’s here if I need it, or to celebrate good news with other peeps, and of course, to be challenged to write a short story every now and again.

Beyond that, I think because I’m published, working on new material, editing for other people, testing a writing course, I don’t have…[Read more]

Site was ‘murdered’ because owner decided to shut it down then did so, Telling no-one and refusing to answer all communications thereafter.

I do think we that were there were lucky, insofar as it was a chatty, supportive active group, probably at the peak of its activity, which made the death of it al the more tragic,

A quick run of thoughts apologies for typos. I came to the Cloud just before it collapsed so I do not have the same level of emotional investment as those who were floating there together for years and years. I discovered and came for my Random lovelies, and stayed for my Random lovelies. They are my only priority. I show up when they show up, and…[Read more]

Read this, Ath, and will ponder (not that I think I’ve any answers.) but a year in which to turn around is an excellent idea.
Another thought, along the lines of ‘if you pay for it you make sure you get your money’s worth; would be more convincing were this as lively and well-functioning as we’d like it to be.
But, The site I cut my writing teeth…[Read more]

Blimey, managed to write something and very pleased to be able to enter the comp. Was a bit concerned at managing to get to 250 words and wanting to post without having to DQ myself! Happily at 256 words including title. 🙂

This might be the day.

He hadn’t closed the curtains. The sunbeam found the bed at 6.37 and warmed his left foot at 6…[Read more]

Another fairy tale

Was it when, age three or maybe four and my mother, part way through their evening meal, seated at the table with husband, husband’s sister and husband’s parents, met my bad dream request for comfort with a withering ‘Why should I help you when this morning you said you didn’t love me?’. I knew then the rest of them didn’t…[Read more]

Sound Waves (470 words)

An aeroplane churns the sky but no siren has sounded, and behind the blackout fabric at my attic window there are no searchlights. The aircraft must be one of ours.

In my armchair I pick up today’s paper but find it hard to concentrate. We have all turned into experts in aircraft identification and the noise from this o…[Read more]

Thanks Gail, for your kind words and well done Ath! I had such high hopes of myself with this theme, having had several ancient, (I was 8 years old) nut-brown men in a Hertfordshire village to base a tale upon but strive as I might, (and I DID) it would not come right and each time I read it I knew that I’d missed the hoped-for essence.

Sorry!!
Hoping to get time this afternoon to read the entries and post results.

The Urban McGonagall [one expletive]

Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays. I’m a poet.
Not that many folk, to look at me, would know it.
(Part because they look but never see beyond the Council-issued uniform: pea-green.

Mostly I’m invisible. Indivisible, from barrow, brush and bucket. And yes of course, when drunks stumble, trip and tumble over my…[Read more]