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Kate posted an update 6 months, 1 week ago
Happy Christmas for tomorrow to all you lovely Denizens. Xx
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Libby started the topic Short story published in the forum Podium 6 months, 2 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!
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Well done, Libby. A really fine story and definitely worth another read.
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Thank you, Ath.
And Bella.
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Congratulations, Libby.
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Libby replied to the topic November 2025 monthly competition in the forum Monthly Competition 7 months ago
Thank you, Terrie! And congratulations on a truly creepy story, Ath. And Jill for a heart-warming, magical tale – exactly right for the time of year.
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Libby replied to the topic November 2025 monthly competition in the forum Monthly Competition 7 months, 1 week ago
You asked for a heart-warming tale, Terrie, but my story, after I started it and got stuck, became the opposite. You’re welcome to disqualify it or not read it at all.
Content warning: includes postnatal depression
499 words including title
I Lied When I Said My Daughter Lived Abroad
After that walk up and down a steep crag, I sat beside t…[Read more]
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Libby replied to the topic Monthly competition October 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 8 months 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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Libby replied to the topic Monthly competition October 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 8 months ago
A reminder for anyone who, like me, forget this month’s competition deadline is tonight: the October monthly comp deadline is midnight tonight! You might have a suitable WIP hiding away somewhere…
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Kate replied to the topic Choices in the forum
September Song 8 months, 1 week agoIce
The Last Kingdom
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Libby replied to the topic A scheme to show books written without AI in the forum Coffee Shop 8 months, 1 week ago
Thanks, Ath. Yes, I was thinking that writers might collect some AI produced fiction and do something with its tropes, sort of like Pop Art did. I’m vague about this. Am looking for reasons for optimism!
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Libby replied to the topic A scheme to show books written without AI in the forum Coffee Shop 8 months, 2 weeks ago
Hi Sandra, I saw your comment about self-pub authors but it has disappeared from the thread. As you say, it’s harder to see how authors could guarantee their own writing. I expect someone will think of something to address this, or try to address it.
I also think some readers will seek out AI novels because AI writing will be reliable. It will…[Read more]
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Daedalus replied to the topic Chit Chat in the forum
September Song 8 months, 2 weeks agoI finally managed to read Ulysses earlier this year after numerous failed attempts over several decades (Middlemarch likewise). So I’m going to make the most of it!
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Good to know that other Denizens have issues reading classic works. I remember the professor of philosophy at university remarking that there were a few books that every educated person should read. One of them was “The Magic Mountain” by Thomas Mann. Took me 40 years and 2 translations to become educated 😁
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Congratulations on finishing Ulysses. I’ve never even tried.
The thought of reading The Magic Mountain crosses my consciousness from time to time. But Ath, did the philosophy professor explain why it should be read?-
Not directly – or any of the other books on his list. I only remember a few. I suppose it was on his list because it gives an insight into how people think about life and death and some other major philosophical issues. My difficulty stems from myself, I think. I sometimes find it hard to read something that I’ve been told I ought to read. On…[Read more]
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I’m ashamed to say I hadn’t heard of it, but a lot of non English language literature is not on my radar. As far as Ulysses is concerned, I can see why it is important, and I enjoyed parts of it very much, but it was a tough read because with the style constantly changing, I couldn’t settle into it the way I generally can sooner or later. Middl…[Read more]
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Haha, Rosamund Vincy really is the worst! Even worse than the executives indeeed. But so memorable! I found the political bits in Middlemarch hard to get through personally, but yes the introspection can be pretty lengthy too.
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I read Middlemarch very quickly when I was 19 and still had the habit of reading 2 or 3 books every week. MM took me a whole week. I have no recollection of how I felt about it afterwards, because, in my usual way I was onto the next book. Parts of it have sort of emerged into my mind, and, if I’m honest my writing over the years. The book that…[Read more]
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I enjoyed Middlemarch when I read it some years ago. I like politics in novels – didn’t mind those parts. As for Rosamund Vincy: poor Lydgate. The mistakes we make.
The classic that’s had most impact recently is Wuthering Heights. I had to reread it for a book group or else wouldn’t have bothered. Teenage memories of a depressing story of a grim…[Read more]
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Merle Oberon wasn’t the finest Catherine either. But Larry, dear Larry, was hopelessly miscast.
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She did look as though she’d never been on a moor in her life.
Here’s Larry, wondering if he’s done the right thing
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wuthering_Heights_(1939_film)#/media/File:Laurence_Olivier_-_1939.jpg
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Daedalus replied to the topic Choices in the forum
September Song 8 months, 2 weeks agoSnow
Ulysses
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Libby started the topic A scheme to show books written without AI in the forum Coffee Shop 8 months, 2 weeks ago
As boundaries continue to blur between human creativity and AI, here’s a new kite-mark scheme to help readers distinguish. It will be interesting to see what happens from this small beginning.
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I wondered whether it included self-published books … then that it would be easy enough to self-apply the validation. Will be interested to see how this develops.
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Libby replied to the topic Chit Chat in the forum
September Song 8 months, 2 weeks agoGood idea, Ath. I’m always curious to know what people, especially fellow writers, are reading.
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Libby replied to the topic Monthly competition October 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 8 months, 2 weeks ago
Some great stories have already come in. We’re half way through the month – plenty of time for more entries.
A reminder of the details:
It’s October and I’m going for the obvious: Halloween. Or All Saints’ Eve or Hallowmas Eve or whatever you prefer. It doesn’t have to be ghostly, though if you can give us all the shivers that would be fun.
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Libby replied to the topic Chit Chat in the forum
September Song 8 months, 2 weeks agoSuch a brilliant range of novels in the Choices!
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Libby replied to the topic Choices in the forum
September Song 8 months, 3 weeks agoRain
The Hearing Trumpet
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And to you, Kate! A chilly start to Christmas morning here in West Sussex. Off to see our daughter start the festivities with a 5K Park Run soon. Then home for breakfast and dividing up the spoils 🙂