@debi
Active 6 years, 7 months ago-
Sandra replied to the topic Monthly comp – October 2020 in the forum Monthly Competition 6 years ago
0815 Wednesday 12 December (350 words, 1 an expletive)
I assumed … God help me, I assumed McCallan had come with news of arrests, of mitigation. Or at least reassurance of progress
Instead –
Instead – Rob.
Robbie my son, my first-born.
Dead.
Dead in her car.
She the driver. No blame … no blame for Robbie, McCallan said.Robbie, who Moira r…[Read more]
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Sandra replied to the topic Monthy Comp – September 2020 in the forum Monthly Competition 6 years ago
Well done, Sea – and also for the theme of next month’s competition.
Thanks Janette, for an opportunity to rehearse a scene, and for feedback. -
Athelstone replied to the topic Monthy Comp – September 2020 in the forum Monthly Competition 6 years ago
Great stuff @seagreen. Super story.
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Libby replied to the topic Monthy Comp – September 2020 in the forum Monthly Competition 6 years 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 6 years 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 6 years 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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Athelstone replied to the topic Monthy Comp – September 2020 in the forum Monthly Competition 6 years ago
Red Sun
Sunsets are very different here. Everything is different, but it was the sunset that I was staring at last night. Or rather, the absence of a sunset.
OK. No sunset. Tell you what, there aren’t any asthmatics here on Grissom’s planet either. I’m not blaming anybody; when a 300-mile-wide asteroid drew a bead on Earth at twenty-five miles…[Read more]
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Janette replied to the topic Monthy Comp – September 2020 in the forum Monthly Competition 6 years 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 6 years agoOh ok then Believer. Justin time 😉
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Barny replied to the topic Choices in the forum
Things that go bump 6 years agoHome, Belieber, Spoon
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RichardB replied to the topic Choices in the forum
Things that go bump 6 years agoAway
Unbeliever
Book -
Athelstone posted an update 6 years ago
OK – at the risk of badgering people, three and a bit days left to enter “Things that go bump”. Also – 18 members at present, but only 16 sets of choices. If you’re intending to take part, don’t forget!
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Janette replied to the topic Monthy Comp – September 2020 in the forum Monthly Competition 6 years 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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Sandra replied to the topic Monthy Comp – September 2020 in the forum Monthly Competition 6 years 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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Athelstone posted an update 6 years ago
“I don’t care where you’ve been, You ain’t been nowhere till you’ve been in – the Things that go Bump writing challenge.”
Find the group. Join. Enjoy.
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JaneShuff posted an update 6 years 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 6 years, 1 month 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 6 years, 1 month ago
You’re really on a roll, Raine … proving it’s not just buses. Brilliant news.
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KazG replied to the topic Choices in the forum
Things that go bump 6 years, 1 month agoHome
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