Debi Alper

Bringing a gun into a house changes it. You can’t help it, of course. The trick is not letting on to everyone else that you’ve changed it. Keeping everything looking exactly the same, so all the neighbours, passersby, any visitors have no idea what you’ve done.

It’s a specific kind of visitor we have in mind. The kind that bulldozes in mob-han…[Read more]

Bringing a gun into a house changes it. I move from hallway to sitting room. Little Kev is trying to hide behind a chair. Bang! I shoot him through it. This isn’t the house where Kev lives anymore. His mum stands on the stairs, screaming. Screams of shock and denial I suppose. Bang! Screamy house one minute, quiet house the next. I step over her b…[Read more]

Hey, Baz – REALLY good to see you – and yes, it has been too long!

Here’s my entry, which contains mental health issues in a character under military duress. First line plus 200 words.

Bringing a gun into the house changes it.

Edward came home on leave. He was given embraces by Mother, pats on the shoulder by Father, and – foolishly, I now think – a salute by me, his brother. He laid his cap and service rev…[Read more]

ZAnd it’s a vote for ‘improbable’ from me too.

Thanks, again, for all the good advice and reasoning, too.

Nice. Might have a go as I’m in between edits…

“A Lyttle Goes a Long Way”
The Improbable Life of an Ulster Storyteller
gets my vote.

Improbable tale feeds into the stereotype of Irish blarney. That title tells the reader before they’ve turned the cover that what follows is not to be believed, so why bother buying the book?

Improbable life suggests a life fully lived, a life of intrigue and…[Read more]

My vote goes to:

“A Lyttle Goes a Long Way”
The Improbable Life of an Ulster Storyteller

I’m intrigued by the idea of an improbable life! Improbable tales abound, but an improbable life really piques my interest.

That’s my tuppence worth, anyway 🙂

Thanks again for all the advice, guys.
It’s clear I should stick with “A Lyttle Goes a Long Way”.

But the subtitle:
The Improbable Tale of an Ulster Storyteller
The Improbable Life of an Ulster Storyteller

The Remarkable Tale… or Life…
The Extraordinary Tale… or Life…

or some other type of Tale… or Life…?

This deadline will make me get my act together 🙂

I agree, keep the subtitle in. I especially like GippsGirl’s suggestion of ‘improbable’. More interesting than ‘extraordinary’ IMO, and for the reasons she states.

Great idea for the competition – specially as I had an entry all ready to go and didn’t need to do any actual work…

Congrats, Sandra. I’m only glad I didn’t have to do the judging.

I, too, think a subtitle (strapline?) works, though I’m rather partial to Kaz’s suggestion of ‘improbable’ which suggests an especially rollicking good story from an Ulster Storyteller.

Congratulations @sandra! And well done @raine, I’m sorry I didn’t join in as I somehow missed this new version of a comp (great idea btw)…but my fault entirely. I will read all these with relish 🙂 x

Works for me! And with the subtitle, too…