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Sandra replied to the topic Monthly competition October 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 5 months, 3 weeks ago
This the result of apending 5 days writing with a gathering of Self-Edit participants.
Games people play
Monday morning’s plumping of the pillows of our marital bed effortful, thanks to both sleep and sex absent as snow in August throughout the weekend. Similarly,  energy enough to dissipate the sourness of my reaction when I noticed the wor…[Read more]
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Athelstone posted an update 5 months, 3 weeks ago
HURRY, HURRY, HURRY! The September Song short story challenge goes private at 10:00. If you’ve joined you must make your choices by then. If you haven’t joined, today is your last chance.
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Athelstone posted an update 5 months, 3 weeks ago
Barter Books in Alnwick is a terrible place for an impoverished reader to be…
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Kate replied to the topic Choices in the forum
September Song 5 months, 3 weeks agoIce
The Last Kingdom
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Athelstone replied to the topic A scheme to show books written without AI in the forum Coffee Shop 5 months, 3 weeks ago
Incidentally, Sandra’s comment is still there but she replied to the update on the activity page rather than directly to the thread
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Athelstone replied to the topic A scheme to show books written without AI in the forum Coffee Shop 5 months, 3 weeks ago
I think you’re right.
Of course, AI writing is effectively a sampling of other authors’ work, albeit with some sophisticated algorithms that hide the truth away. An author may say that they are using AI to produce something original, but AI simply won’t work with just small samples such as from one author. It needs a “large language model” as…[Read more]
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Sandra replied to the topic Chit Chat in the forum
September Song 6 months agoI pulled half a dozen titles from my shelves, in the hope they’d inspire me with characters and plot. In the end the one I chose hung around longest; re-reading it reminded me why it felt so memorable.
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Athelstone posted an update 6 months ago
OK, I just pushed through a batch of updates on the Den. I had already tested them on the Den’s testing site and they seemed to be fine. If anybody finds something not working please let me know. Thanks.
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RichardB replied to the topic Chit Chat in the forum
September Song 6 months agoI dunno about are reading: I haven’t read Catch-22 for years. But it is a book that sticks in the mind.
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Athelstone replied to the topic Chit Chat in the forum
September Song 6 months agoMy sneaky way of finding what people are reading. And yes, an extraordinary range.
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Athelstone posted an update 6 months ago
Welcome to a new member Silver. Some may remember her as Catasshe back in the Wordcloud days
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As in CAS Short Story Competition? Obviously I’m going to welcome you, Silver.
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That’s me Richard, nice to meet you! How’s the writing going?
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Hello my old SE buddy! Lovely to see you here.
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Hello Kate! How are you doing? The writing is flourishing I see!
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Having fun writing and publishing. The marketing… less so. But a necessity!
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Actually we have met virtually before. If you haven’t made the connection, my story came second in that competition, and we had a brief exchange of e-mails afterwards. Nice to see you here.
After two novels were greeted with deafening apathy by the trade, I decided that at my time of life I had better things to do than putting myself through the…[Read more]-
Hi Richard, oh yes, I wasn’t clear in my message but I did remember you from our email exchange – clicked it was you by reading the posts in the Podium section on here where you were posting about the competition. Still remember your story well – a fantastic one. I’m sorry to hear you’ve given up ‘serious’ writing. I empathize as I had a similar…[Read more]
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Welcome back, CAS. Great another Cloudie has found their way here.
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Thank you Janette! Yes, if only all the Cloudies would come! Great this is still going though.
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Hi CAS/Silver, good to hear from you again!
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Hi Libby! Nice to see you on here. I hope you’re well
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I’m fine, thanks. Trundling on 🙂
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Athelstone replied to the topic Choices in the forum
September Song 6 months agoBecause I know what the consequences of each choice are, mine have been made for me, very kindly, by Jules.
Sunshine
The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida
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Yikes! That book title is ‘kind’?
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Absolutely. The Sri Lankan civil war, which the west often overlooked as uninteresting, was a terrible but facinating period. I don’t think Jules knew that I was particularly drawn to its history, but if not it’s a lucky accident. The book is a fantasy applying themes from mythology to create a story from the time. It was the Booker prize winner in 2022.
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I’m relieved to hear it, and look forward to your entry. Mine is coming on nicely, but I’m nervous as to what strictures the 25th will bring
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I’ve tried to make the consequences easy to negotiate.
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I chose my title for its inspiration and flexibility; it’s a bonus I’ve already written 286 words.
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Sandra replied to the topic Choices in the forum
September Song 6 months, 1 week agoRain
The missing shade of blue
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Athelstone posted an update 6 months, 1 week ago
Sometimes when life is busy, important occasions are overlooked.
It’s that time again. In fact, it is way past that time, so I’d better get this party started. There’s a new group in town. Head on over to “September Song” for details of the new Short Story Challenge.
All are welcome. - Load More
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