@katemachon
Active 1 day, 14 hours ago-
Athelstone replied to the topic Monthly competition October 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 5 months, 2 weeks ago
Well done Terrie. A truly ghastly tale.
-
Libby replied to the topic Monthly competition October 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 5 months, 2 weeks 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]
-
Libby replied to the topic Monthly competition October 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 5 months, 2 weeks 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…
-
Athelstone replied to the topic Monthly competition October 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 5 months, 2 weeks ago
The Estate Agent’s Appointment
I arrived at the house in pouring rain. The light was fading on a day that was already dark with cloud. I didn’t want to go in. I wanted to get in my car, drive home, shower, and settle down with a Scotch and whatever delicious microwave meal was next in the fridge. I had no choice. This old house wasn’t going to…[Read more]
-
John T posted an update 5 months, 2 weeks ago
Ooh, I missed the challenge. My fault for not looking in. But honestly, I have a busy time ahead locally, both writing and storytelling events. And there’s THAT first draft that isn’t yet complete. So, good luck everybody and I’ll sit this one out.
-
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]
-
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.
-
Athelstone posted an update 5 months, 3 weeks ago
Barter Books in Alnwick is a terrible place for an impoverished reader to be…
-
Libby replied to the topic A scheme to show books written without AI in the forum Coffee Shop 5 months, 3 weeks 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!
-
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
-
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]
-
Libby replied to the topic A scheme to show books written without AI in the forum Coffee Shop 5 months, 4 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]
-
Daedalus replied to the topic Chit Chat in the forum
September Song 5 months, 4 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!
-
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 😁
-
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]
-
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]
-
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.
-
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]
-
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]
-
-
-
-
-
Merle Oberon wasn’t the finest Catherine either. But Larry, dear Larry, was hopelessly miscast.
-
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
-
-
-
Daedalus replied to the topic Choices in the forum
September Song 5 months, 4 weeks agoSnow
Ulysses
-
-
Libby started the topic A scheme to show books written without AI in the forum Coffee Shop 5 months, 4 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.
-
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.
-
Libby replied to the topic Chit Chat in the forum
September Song 6 months agoGood idea, Ath. I’m always curious to know what people, especially fellow writers, are reading.
-
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.
-
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.
- Load More
