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Sandra posted an update 6 years, 8 months ago
Probably everyone knew this already, but I’ve just discovered George on my new laptop: he reads my novel aloud for me! Gets the names wrong but shows me where commas could be usefully inserted.
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Barny replied to the topic Monthly Comp – November 2019 in the forum Monthly Competition 6 years, 8 months ago
Captive No More
Immovable behind a wide table, the five children sat strangely motionless. From tallest on the right to smallest on the left, they patiently faced an audience seated on ten rows of scarlet-topped hotel ballroom chairs.
The tallest child spoke first. “My name is One,” he said quietly, but loud enough. “I am the oldest. I am…[Read more]
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Sandra replied to the topic Craft Seminar Class 2: Character 1 – Outer Worlds in the forum
Andrew Wille's DIY MA course 6 years, 8 months agoHa! Thanks @Squidge for the Julie Cohen notes, and I see I commented on your blog back in 2013,
(tho’ never went to one of her workshops) But immediately, with this, I see the beginnings of a character emerge. Admittedly, built onto the murderer I was groping for with the various questionnaires, but certainly growing. -
Sandra replied to the topic Monthly Comp – November 2019 in the forum Monthly Competition 6 years, 8 months ago
Patience undoubtedly a virtue (308 words)
In the same way that Christmas cards seem each year to embrace a different theme – last year it was robins, the year before gold-embossed letters and musical notes – this year’s trend in ‘In sympathy’ cards appeared to be fallen leaves. Drifts of them, beneath trees, along kerb edges, gold and yellow sc…[Read more]
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Athelstone replied to the topic Monthly Comp – November 2019 in the forum Monthly Competition 6 years, 8 months ago
Steps of passing ghosts
‘Trees are at their best when they’re turned into timber,’ said Norman as he picked the large golden leaf from his decking, crushing it in his hand. He had searched for ages to find this house with no trees in sight. There had been a spruce in the garden when he moved in, that the previous owner said had been a Chris…[Read more]
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Sandra replied to the topic Craft Seminar Class 2: Character 1 – Outer Worlds in the forum
Andrew Wille's DIY MA course 6 years, 8 months ago@JaneShuff – I haven’t even started the book yet, just 300 words of random scenes … but glad to hear it works for you.
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Sandra replied to the topic Craft Seminar Class 2: Character 1 – Outer Worlds in the forum
Andrew Wille's DIY MA course 6 years, 8 months agoLike Squidge, this is an alien way of working for me, but … I need a murderer. One who isn’t immediately identified as such. (And while I know the (probable) victim I don’t know why or how) so I’ll be attempting to discover him (probably him) with this approach.
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Raine replied to the topic Craft Seminar Class 2: Character 1 – Outer Worlds in the forum
Andrew Wille's DIY MA course 6 years, 8 months agoJust getting to this today & realised after reading this thread that I was reading the beginning of the chapter too! In my defence, it’s interesting!
I might try the exercises on my winter challenge story being as I’ve only got the vaguest idea about my characters in that… wish me luck!! -
Janette replied to the topic Monthly Comp – November 2019 in the forum Monthly Competition 6 years, 8 months ago
A Coat of Many Colours
Her debut frock had been remarkable enough. Clouds upon clouds of fragrant petals laced together with birdsong; an ode to spring. Dressed for the occasion, she rose from her slumbers to a reveille of golden trumpets, gathered in bands around her heels, and coloured the air with fragrance … though the show soon moved on.…[Read more]
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Janette replied to the topic Monthly comp – October 2019 in the forum Monthly Competition 6 years, 8 months ago
Congrats John and HMs, and thanks Ath, for the challenge and kind feedback.
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John S Alty started the topic Monthly Comp – November 2019 in the forum Monthly Competition 6 years, 8 months ago
OK, I realise there is other stuff going on to occupy you, so let’s keep this simple, and seasonal:
About 400 words on “Falling Leaves”
Have fun! -
John S Alty replied to the topic Monthly comp – October 2019 in the forum Monthly Competition 6 years, 8 months ago
Well, there’s a pleasant surprise for a Sunday morning! Thanks, Ath, and thank you fellow Denizens.
I’ll ponder a new prompt and put it up later today. -
Barny replied to the topic Monthly comp – October 2019 in the forum Monthly Competition 6 years, 8 months ago
Well done, John. And thanks Ath!
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Sandra replied to the topic Monthly comp – October 2019 in the forum Monthly Competition 6 years, 8 months ago
Well done, John, and the Honourables, and thanks Ath for the prompting of a memory.
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Athelstone replied to the topic Monthly comp – October 2019 in the forum Monthly Competition 6 years, 8 months ago
Oops! Sorry all – got my days mixed up, but anyway, super quality this month.
Sandra – Time to play
Yes! That’s exactly the feeling: that unexpected memory. There’s a lot in these few words. Oddly enough I was thinking about the ‘play’ that’s so often missing from writing, quite recently. So easy to assume that a reverential approach will produc…[Read more] -
Sandra replied to the topic Feedback on the Course in the forum
Andrew Wille's DIY MA course 6 years, 9 months agoI’m a bit of a sleeping partner in this; not fully committed, so will dip in and out, attempting to keep to time structure and maybe lax in commenting.
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Hilary replied to the topic Feedback on the Course in the forum
Andrew Wille's DIY MA course 6 years, 9 months agoHappy so far, but I’m aware there’s a lot more I could be doing – and will be doing…
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Hilary replied to the topic Class 1 – Writing exercise, Kaz in the forum
Andrew Wille's DIY MA course 6 years, 9 months agoGorgeousness: My favourite bits were ‘afternoons draped in honey’ and ‘as cleanly as she peeled old skin from a white potato.’ I have been told I overwrite too sometimes. But what does it really mean?
I liked your I remember, too. Many of us chose to capture a single incident, or linked series, in our I remembers. I’ve also done it with…[Read more]
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Raine replied to the topic Feedback on the Course in the forum
Andrew Wille's DIY MA course 6 years, 9 months agoYeah, timings are good for me too. As @kazg says – enough time that I can fit it in without feeling like it’s taking away from other stuff.
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RichardB posted an update 6 years, 9 months ago
Some people will tell you that mice will never come into a house where there’s a cat. They obviously don’t know our cat. I have just seen her sitting and watching with mild interest while, less than a foot from her nose, a mouse nipped out of the woodwork and nicked a piece of food from her bowl. I ask you…
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Cats are marvellous and varied. My son’s two cats will hunt down every fly and spider with a total absence of mercy. Others take a far more philosophical approach and yours sounds wonderful.
Many years ago I rented a house which came with a resident cat named Mittens. Mittens was mainly a lethargic house-cat, mooching around from sunny spot to…[Read more]
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Yes, our pussy is a gentle, affectionate creature with an almost total lack of the predatory instinct, which makes her a useless mouser but a lovely companion. Our friends who stayed with us weekend before last fell so in love with her they threatened to take her home with them.
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One of our cats is a complete softie too. He recently spent a whole weekend lying with/on a very poorly wee girl who, whilst cuddling him, laughed for the first time in months.
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Love my cat – until he decides he’s hungry at 4.30am. Or climbs into my lap while I’m knitting/writing/reading. Or brings in a bird. He’s very tolerant, too – Mr Squidge often plays Cataroo! (like Buckaroo but with a cat, not a donkey. And it’s me who gets the catty evils, as though it’s all my fault when cat moves and everything falls off.))
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I love my George too. Shows up all my silly spelling mistakes.
Will I have one? I have an old Mac. Or is there an Apple equivalent?
Don’t know – it’s Windows 10 I’ve just acquired.
I love my read-aloud facility, and can change readers and reading speeds. I do have a giggle at the mispronunciations, but it really does highlight the little faults often missed.