@athelstone
Active 5 hours, 37 minutes ago-
Libby replied to the topic February 2026 Monthly Competition in the forum Monthly Competition 2 months, 3 weeks ago
The February comp has drawn a delightful selection of stories.
@jillsted Jill, you do an evocative encapsulation of Isabel’s memories of different kinds of love. Her memories are compelling, a sense of her moving through a full life. The ending has a twist, if I’ve read it correctly, that adds a shiver to the story, a question of whether Lydia’s…[Read more]
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Libby replied to the topic Monthly competition October 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 6 months, 3 weeks ago
What fabulous entries, all of them fantastical, brilliant and captivating. Halloween has prompted very good stories.
@jillsted – here was an enticing mystery with a comic touch. Told with great pacing and a strong atmosphere of folk tale, it hooked me from start to finish.
@purplewitch (Terrie) – what wonderful creepiness. I loved the rich lan…[Read more]
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Seagreen replied to the topic Monthly Competition – February 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 2 months ago
I was mooching around the bookstore with my daughter when I read the dedication in Onyx Storm, and it immediately brought to mind my eleven-year-old self – pink, NHS framed glasses, front teeth that I still had to grow into, and a passion for escaping into some book or other, looking for adventure. I posted the dedication as the monthly comp in…[Read more]
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Thank you for your kind comments, Sea. However I think such a subject would maybe better suited to @johnt3, or perhaps another Welsh writer whose genre is children’s stories.
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Knicks replied to the topic Monthly Comp – October 2024 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 6 months ago
Heya lovelies,
Apologies for the day-late decision making. I’ve been oout and aboout with my egg, enjoying our midterm break from work and school, and foolishly saved the reading until the final day of the month because I wanted to take in each piece at the same time, rather than read as submitted, and also to give everyone who could, a chance to…[Read more]
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Libby replied to the topic August 2024 monthly competition in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 8 months ago
There’s a fabulous selection of entries in the August comp, and again it’s hard to pick one winner!
@Seagreen: This very enjoyable story reveals the rich history of a relationship, shown with a clever use of Elizabeth English and rhythm. There’s a satisfyingly wide range of emotion, including the delicious LOL comedy of “Thine exuberance I shall…[Read more]
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Libby replied to the topic Monthly comp – June 2024 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 10 months ago
<p style=”background: white; margin: 0cm 0cm 21.0pt 0cm;”>These three pieces are all so interesting and satisfying, and such good uses of ‘electricity’ that, as usual, I’ve struggled to decide on a winner because the standard is so high. I’m intrigued by how something as impersonal and powerful as electricity has resulted in intimate pieces,…[Read more]
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Sandra replied to the topic Reorganization And Declutteration (have I created a new word) in the forum Blogs 2 years, 3 months ago
@ Terrie – I second Ath’s recommendation for hard drives: the one my thoughtful elder son bought for me, having listened to my moans, scrambled its contents when my laptop blew several gaskets.
@Athelstone – “gift lists for next year” not illegal, they masquerade as Amazon wish lists, ready to be re-written for handing to my local bookshop.
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Alex replied to the topic Monthly Competition – December 2023 in the forum Monthly Competition 2 years, 4 months ago
@athelstone, that was an enjoyable story. I liked how you interpreted the prompt. A deserving winner to end the year. Over to you.
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Libby replied to the topic Monthly comp – July 2023 in the forum Monthly Competition 2 years, 9 months ago
What terrific stories. So much horror too. I began to wonder if the topic of building work had raised deeply traumatic memories!
@clebs ‘Behind Closed Curtains’ is very atmospheric, rich in detail and perfectly titled. I felt a few words could be cut, such as the second mention of Jimmy’s bowl, and I wasn’t sure if I got the story’s message.…[Read more]
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Wow, Libby, and thank you, a big surprise, especially as I’d already identified winners 1,2 and 3 and, my laptop having died and been taken away, and only having my ancient, over-full and steaming one, I wasn’t checking as often as I have been. I’ll try and come up with something as interestingly challenging as the last few have been.
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Congratulations, Sandra. And thanks, Libby, for the challenge. Didn’t expect the critique too.
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Alex replied to the topic Monthly Comp – February 2023 in the forum Monthly Competition 3 years, 2 months ago
@Athelstone, I enjoyed the story. Loved the justification for why he does what he does.
@Seagreen, great prompt. I’m motivated to return to working on the story for that antagonist.
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Alex replied to the topic Monthly Competition – November 2022 in the forum Monthly Competition 3 years, 4 months ago
@athelstone One entry but a great story. I really enjoyed it. Loved the twist at the end and the setting description is amazing. I look forward to your prompt for this month.
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Alex replied to the topic Monthly Competition – November 2022 in the forum Monthly Competition 3 years, 5 months ago
@ Seagreen, me neither. It flew.
@Athelstone, I’m fine with that approach.
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Daedalus posted a new activity comment 3 years, 8 months ago
Even for a republican like me it does feel like the end of an era. Thinking about how as a Scout we had to make promises to do our duty to the Queen etc, and every time you see a post box or a coin, or hear The King, it feels strange. Very few people have known anything different – @athelstone that sounds like an incredibly trying day, was it all…[Read more]
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Yes, no harm done, thanks.
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Oh blimey, Ath…can imagine that being rather stressful.
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Busy here too, but yes, life seems to feel ‘on hold’ as we witness the end of an era. While not being an ardent Royalist, I did have a lot of respect for a queen who was the unwavering anchor for her family, showing how publicity could be done properly without scandalous revelations. I think I shall miss her.
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Knicks replied to the topic Monthly Competition- May 2022 in the forum Monthly Competition 3 years, 11 months ago
Awww, thanks @seagreen! I enjoyed writing this piece very much, and it is a very personal one to me. Just an anticipatory imagining of a band festival I attended quite recently, and how I wanted it to go. It went even better than what I wrote 🙂 haha
I too went on a Google search over @alex‘s piece, for the exact same reason 😄😄 It’s too funny you…[Read more]
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Libby posted a new activity comment 4 years ago
Thanks, Kate! @katemachon
And thanks, Ath! @athelstone -
Libby replied to the topic Monthly Comp – February 2022 in the forum Monthly Competition 4 years, 2 months ago
I love this story, Ath @athelstone. Congratulations!
Sandra and Knicks’ stories are fabulous too.
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Raine replied to the topic Monthly Comp – February 2022 in the forum Monthly Competition 4 years, 2 months ago
Thank you guys for entering! And for writing such fun pieces – they all have something special to them, I think.
@athelstone I love the details and voice of yours, the small touches that make each character so recognisable.
@sandradavies well, naked men wrestling, what more can anyone ask for really?? Love the balance of violence and tenderness…[Read more] -
Knicks replied to the topic Monthly Competition – January 2022 in the forum Monthly Competition 4 years, 3 months ago
Ohai, just had my read-through. January’s entries were really eclectic, both funny and relatable.
@quellomayo – Gripping and amusing in equal measure; this wasn’t one that I’d read normally but having done, I wanted to read more. Fun stuff.
@sandradavies – Definitely en route to overcoming an adversary we can all relate to being plague by in…[Read more]
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Raine replied to the topic The Future of the Den – Part 2 in the forum Blogs 4 years, 5 months ago
Hi @Athelstone, sorry – no I don’t think there is a delete option currently either, it was just that I could delete it off the main wall, but not in the forum which seemed like it might cause confusion. It would be good to be able to delete your own comments though, particularly for the monthly comps & publication rights issues, but it’s not critical.
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Raine replied to the topic The Future of the Den – Part 2 in the forum Blogs 4 years, 5 months ago
It does look much improved @athelstone. Thank you for all the hard work. I love that copy/pasting from word works better & that reply threads won’t vanish. Also love the chat – I commented in there that I almost didn’t spot it though – is there a way of making it more prominent? Or listed on the ‘Activity’ drop down menu at the top?
THe other…[Read more] - Load More
