@athelstone
Active 1 day, 2 hours ago-
John S Alty replied to the topic Monthy Comp – September 2020 in the forum Monthly Competition 5 years, 9 months ago
Well done, @seagreen, excellent story.
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Libby replied to the topic Monthy Comp – September 2020 in the forum Monthly Competition 5 years, 9 months ago
Congratulations @seagreen. I love the voice in your story.
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Janette replied to the topic Monthy Comp – September 2020 in the forum Monthly Competition 5 years, 9 months ago
Results
Six entries this month, each a real pleasure to read, but the strength of writing has made judging a tough order.John S Alty – Sunset
I thoroughly enjoyed this story of Frank and Sarah shipwrecked and stranded on an island. Loved the ‘knob of butter’ image of a sun setting, though felt the expression could have been strengthened if it…[Read more] -
Libby replied to the topic Monthy Comp – September 2020 in the forum Monthly Competition 5 years, 9 months ago
Untitled
And the theme for this evening is Armageddon. Car after car heads west into London under a roseate sky, a bursting bloom, seepage of orange and crimson, a lure like a turn-on.
I drive. We all drive.
Earlier today, Clare’s voice on the phone.
– Who is Emily?
Emily. Emily naked.
– Dunno. Why d’you ask?
– You left your…[Read more]
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Raine replied to the topic Monthy Comp – September 2020 in the forum Monthly Competition 5 years, 9 months ago
‘We have picnics at Stonehenge when we’re off-duty, it’s enormous fun.’
(400 words)
You lean back against the fallen stone, head tipped so that your horizon is the great circle of stones and a mosaic sky. Smoke from your cigarettes moves through the air like moths and the stone is cold against your arms, your hips. The others are laughing, but…[Read more]
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Janette replied to the topic Monthy Comp – September 2020 in the forum Monthly Competition 5 years, 9 months ago
Only 5 days to go for the September comp – and only 3 entries!
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*just* snuck an entry in. Yay me!
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Yay! I’m looking forward to reading them over.
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Barny replied to the topic Choices in the forum
Things that go bump 5 years, 9 months agoOh ok then Believer. Justin time 😉
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Clebs replied to the topic Choices in the forum
Things that go bump 5 years, 9 months agoHome
Believer
Vase -
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Barny replied to the topic Choices in the forum
Things that go bump 5 years, 9 months agoHome, Belieber, Spoon
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RichardB replied to the topic Choices in the forum
Things that go bump 5 years, 9 months agoAway
Unbeliever
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Raine posted an update 5 years, 9 months ago
So turns out all my submissions are made in the spirit of ‘This is the best I can get it right now, but I’m sure it’ll change again down the road’. Because this edit is an actual ‘This version will get published’ and it is VERY DIFFERENT. I am DAUNTED, people. Halp.
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Have faith in yourself, Raine. They accepted the ms because you’re good.
And maybe do some deep breathing and have a glass of something to steady the nerves, though not too much obvs 🙂 -
Daunt not, my dear. They liked what you sent. They think it’s more than good enough. They KNOW the world is waiting for it – as are we.
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Of course it’s the good stuff!
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It will be wonderful. And, of course, it is daunting but that is because you care about your writing and want it to be the best it can. Which is why it was so good in the first place!
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My lovely, I feel for you and know just what you mean!! It’s real, and it will be permanent, and that is full of daunt. But forget all that. You have to. You probably have an ideal reader when you write? Write for them. Make it good for THEM. And a work of art is never finished, merely abandoned. You will have to walk away at some point, but…[Read more]
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Janette replied to the topic Monthy Comp – September 2020 in the forum Monthly Competition 5 years, 10 months ago
How would you describe a breathtaking sunset? Why no come along to the monthly comp and put it into a short story? It’s already half way through the month, it would be great to get a few more entries.
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Kate replied to the topic Choices in the forum
Things that go bump 5 years, 10 months agoAway, unbeliever, ring
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Sandra replied to the topic Monthy Comp – September 2020 in the forum Monthly Competition 5 years, 10 months ago
The marking of a life, or two.
This the second funeral in six days and the mourning very different.
Last week’s was of a mother. Not his, not biologically, but one who had nevertheless mothered him. Had generously included him, enabled him to share in the love she gave her natural sons. Much needed when his own family had been hard and spiky, s…[Read more]
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JaneShuff posted an update 5 years, 10 months ago
Just wondering how you are all dealing with the Covid pandemic within your writing. I’m in the planning stages of a new novel and can’t decide. Do I set my novel pre-pandemic? Which feels like a bit of a cop-out. Do I ignore it completely? Same comment. Or do I try to set it in the current situation with the problems and concerns of the pandemic…[Read more]
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I think it depends how optimistic or pessimistic you are about the pandemic. Considering how long it takes between drafting a novel and seeing it in print (if it gets that far), if you take the optimistic view the whole thing will be over by then, it’ll no longer be a part of contemporary life, and nobody will worry much whether you’ve included it…[Read more]
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Not answering your question, exactly, but I’ve read a number of short stories which include reference to Covid and in general I find them offputting, a bit bandwagon, which might be because we’re in the middle of it. I think if your novel is set at the time, a passing reference to its restrictions might be enough. But the same (to include or…[Read more]
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Personally, I’d leave it out. So many people now must be writing pandemic stories, that the mention of it alone might put readers on guard. Also, optimistically speaking, by the time your novel comes out, life may have returned to normal and your story would be dated.
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Interesting. I wasn’t planning on writing a story about the pandemic but was thinking about whether the story I had planned to write should acknowledge the pandemic. For example there is quite a lot of travel in it and it feels weird to have someone just hop on a plane given what’s going on. Have to think a bit more.
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Best of luck!
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Yes, best of luck, Jane. FWIW, I don’t think ignoring the pandemic is anything of a cop-out. I’m choosing to ignore it in my next one for similar reasons to some remarks above, that a) it risks becoming band-wagon and, if it does (hopefully) pass, Covid might age the novel by the time it comes to print. Mostly b) that books are commonly escapism,…[Read more]
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I agree there’s a risk of bandwagon. I think it can be hard, too, to think of something interesting to say about a situation when we’re still in it. Hard for me, anyway.
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Yeah, its a tricky one isn’t it? To ignore it completely, or assume that a book based two years from now can still ignore it completely seems a bit unbelievable to me. This is a world changing event, ignoring it for present/near-future settings would be odd imo. BUT I have absolutely zero interest in novels *about* it. I do think the shifting,…[Read more]
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Thanks @raine. You expressed my quandary much better than I could. Still not sure which way to go!!
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I’m veering towards thinking that a contemporary book which ignores covid is going to date far faster than one which has it/its aftershocks in the background.
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I think I agree and, in any case, I’m finding hard to impossible to plan without the realities of Covid19 informing the action. It is the current reality.
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Now there’s a coincidence. Neither am I.
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Nor me! Although I am not good with those pictures!
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I sometimes think a robot would be better at identifying the traffic lights than I am. Hang on, maybe that’s the point…
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Those blasted traffic lights. I’m always relieved to get the fire hydrants. I think I’m becoming a fire hydrant fan.
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Good to mix things up with the occasional bit of fire hydrant. But where’s the other street furniture? Why can’t we identify some litter bins for a change, or bike stands or something?
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Dogs. I want to identify all the dalmatians in a field full of friesan cows.
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I once saw a dalmatian in a field full of daisies.
Re street furniture, it could be the tables and chairs a coffee shop blocks the pavement with in a town near me.
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Janette replied to the topic Cloudie short story challenge publication in the forum Podium 5 years, 10 months ago
Ooh, I remember Bathymetry well. Therefore not at all surprised at its success, but delighted nevertheless at your news Raine! You’re on a well-deserved roll.
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Sandra replied to the topic Cloudie short story challenge publication in the forum Podium 5 years, 10 months ago
You’re really on a roll, Raine … proving it’s not just buses. Brilliant news.
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Raine started the topic Cloudie short story challenge publication in the forum Podium 5 years, 10 months ago
Hi all, thought you’d be interested to know that ‘Bathymetry’, a short story which came out of a previous winter short story challenge is going to be published in Strange Horizons, which is a bit of a dream publication. Whoop whoop. I can’t actually remember which challenge but it was on the old Word Cloud – A Winter’s Tale perhaps?
So that’s 3…[Read more]
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Woooow, Strange Horizons is AMAZING Raine, WELL DONE! I’ve wanted to get a story in there forever, this is huge
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It’s great, isn’t it? I’m so delighted. They asked for an R&R a few months ago, so I had all my fingers and toes crossed, and now YAY! 🙂
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Fantastic, so pleased for you. Any idea when it might be published?
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Not till early next year apparently. Not sure when exactly.
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Great news, Raine. Congratulations! Let us know when it’s published.
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That’s not too long in the scheme of things (it being September already, aaargh!) – make sure you post a link in Podium when it appears 🙂
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Brilliant! Good for you x
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Brilliant! It was “Whispers and Glances” and I’ll accept all the thanks going, especially with alcohol attached. It’s your tale of Turkish boat-related doings, if I recall (and trying not to recall too much in print), and truly excellent it is.
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That’s the one @athelstone! And thank you. x
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Brilliant news, Raine. Congratulations 😊
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More great news! That’s fabulous.
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I remember that piece of brilliance very clearly – so well deserved @raine! I can’t tell you how delighted I am that your work is finally getting the plaudits it deserves!! Whoop whoop from down here xxx
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