@knickylaurelle
Active 4 months ago-
RichardB started the topic The Sweat of the Workers in the forum Blogs 3 months ago
One early morning in 1989, about a year-and-a-half after I’d transferred out of the district bus office to become a bus driver, I arrived for work at the bus garage to find that overnight new logos had appeared on the buses. In fact the engineering staff – mechanics and maintenance workers – were still sticking the last ones on. They bore the wor…[Read more]
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Bella posted an update 3 months ago
I have just seen a message from the daughter of Mary Walker James on the YWP page on Facebook. Mary died in October. I have a feeling she was a member here although I cannot be sure of what name she went by. Mezz, possibly? )@mezz, sorry if I have got the wrong name.
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Hi Bella, I’ve been away for a few days and only just saw your note. Still away and a bit tied up with things, but I’ll see if I can check our member details. Sadly, no guarantee of being certain because names and email addresses often don’t match directly.
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John T replied to the topic Not a Disaster Story in the forum Blogs 3 months ago
We must venture that way. We’re at the other side of Bannau Brycheiniog near Abergavenny.
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RichardB replied to the topic Not a Disaster Story in the forum Blogs 3 months ago
In the few months since I wrote this blog about ‘our’ pub, the Ancient Briton has won – count them – four awards:
Welsh Pub of the Year;
Welsh Eatery of the Year;
Welsh Gastropub of the Year;
First Place, Welsh Good Food Awards.
As I said before, it seems that the owners, Nils and Emma, are doing something right.
It so happens that we have a…[Read more]
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John T posted an update 3 months, 1 week ago
Happy fairly-new-year, everyone! I’ve written very little in the last three months for health reasons, but I’m slowly winding back up again. I’ve found a (hopefully acceptable) way to take part in September Song, and I’m returning to blow the dust and cobwebs off my WIP.
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Good to hear you’re feeling stronger, John. Still battling with my September Song entry – good to hear you’re onto it too.
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Sandra replied to the topic January 2026 Monthly Competition in the forum Monthly Competition 3 months, 2 weeks ago
Fingers crossed, yet another resolution
New book and a new – and very welcome – experience for me: a “How To” write book received as a birthday present which I found many times more compelling, educational; entertaining and personally useful than the many “How To” books on writing I own: a dozen on my bookshelves, and knowledge of one di…[Read more]
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Janette posted an update 3 months, 2 weeks ago
Gosh, I almost forgot about the monthly comp, and a worthy winner you chose, Ath. Well done, Terrie, and thank you, Ath, for the prompt. I can’t promise anything in the coming weeks but will try my best in among the prep work for publishing.
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Sandra replied to the topic Monthly Competition – December 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 3 months, 2 weeks ago
Well done Terrie, and everyone else who between them provided a kaleidoscope view of Christmas, and thank you Ath for prompting me into putting a long-held memory into words.
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Athelstone replied to the topic Monthly Competition – December 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 3 months, 2 weeks ago
Right, here we go.
Is there anybody who hasn’t had at least a small part in the production of a nativity play? Jill, that’s just how they go. A perfect evocation. And your story has a Christmas miracle as well – or was it a mischievous young actor?
Janette, I was there in that supermarket. No, really, I was actually there I think, barging past…[Read more]
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Athelstone replied to the topic Monthly Competition – December 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 3 months, 2 weeks ago
OK, it’s a fraction after midnight so 2026. I’ve read them all. They’re annoyingly good. So sorry, you can all wait until tomorrow is well and truly underway. Happy New Year!
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Athelstone replied to the topic Monthly Competition – December 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 3 months, 3 weeks ago
Wouldn’t be Christmas without the occasional disaster.
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Kate posted an update 3 months, 3 weeks ago
Happy Christmas for tomorrow to all you lovely Denizens. Xx
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And to you, Kate! A chilly start to Christmas morning here in West Sussex. Off to see our daughter start the festivities with a 5K Park Run soon. Then home for breakfast and dividing up the spoils 🙂
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Sandra replied to the topic Monthly Competition – December 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 4 months ago
A never-forgotten Christmas
The telegram sent by my new-made grandfather, telling my father of my safe arrival, at five minutes to midnight on the twentieth December (and, according to my great-grandfather’s fish scales, weighing 6lbs 4 ozs) is explanation enough of why I don’t remember my first Christmas. To establish whether it was my sec…[Read more]
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Janette posted an update 4 months ago
Would you know? A cancellation gave me space to knock out a story for December. That’s it though until next year.
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Janette replied to the topic Monthly Competition – December 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 4 months ago
Running the Christmas Gauntlet
Brace yourself, girl. Everywhere is going to be madness today. Most of the throng will be feeling much the same way … which means shouting and kids screaming; means shoving and pushing … but take a deep breath. Concentrate on the list. You’ve successfully run the Christmas shopping gauntlet before.
The veget…[Read more]
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Athelstone posted an update 4 months ago
Christmas is coming, The Goose is getting fat, please to put a penny in the old man’s hat, If you haven’t got a penny, a ha’penny will do, If you haven’t got a ha’penny then enter the December monthly comp. Ten days to go.
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I’ll try my best but the diary is pretty full at the moment.
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Janette posted an update 4 months, 1 week ago
So sorry for my absences. I have made the decision to self-publish my books after careful consideration, reading how some trad friends have fared, and revisiting notes from my last (self-publishing) workshop in York. I’m very wet behind the ears regarding publishing, especially self-publishing, so I am deep into swatting about it before I make any…[Read more]
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Good luck. Please let us know how you get on. I’d like to piggy-back on your request for tips. I am part of a group currently ready to publish a non-fiction book. We’re trying a few pitches via the traditional route just in case it lands but it’s quite likely we may end up self-publishing because we don’t want the book to languish, unpublished, for ages.
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Hi Bella. So far I’m deep into reading the Writers and Artists Guide to Self Publishing, which is very ‘involved’ though gives lots of advice. I have also signed up to David Gaughran’s free self-publishing course (on his website). I also found this: https://justpublishingadvice.com/publishing-companies-to-avoid-and-nasty-new-author-scams/
I’ll let…[Read more]-
Janette (and Bella), one tip I didn’t mention earlier is that it makes very good sense to set your page size for composing to Blurb’s trade book size. Makes it, in my opinion, a lot easier to read on screen too. Blurb’s page size is 13.02cm x 20.95cm. Select mirror margins , set top margin 2 cm, bottom 2.25 cm, inside 1.75cm, outside, 1.75 cm…[Read more]
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Hi Janette, I’ve never self-published but am in contact with editors and proofreaders who work with self-pub authors. This tip usually doesn’t apply to experienced writers so I just add it as a general comment. When self-pub authors approach editors for a proofread or copy edit, often what’s needed is a more substantial developmental or…[Read more]
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Thank you, Sandra and Libby. All taken on board, but the novel has had three beta readers so far, plus an agent’s when she almost took it on. Better luck this time, eh?
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You are well prepared, Janette! Good luck with the self pub.
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Athelstone started the topic Monthly Competition – December 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 4 months, 2 weeks ago
Christmas is coming, The goose is getting fat! For the December competition, I would love a Christmas story. The theme is Christmas in any way, shape, or form. Make it sad, make it happy, naughty or nice. Make it ghostly if that tickles your fancy. Make it commercial or spiritual. Feel free.
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Athelstone replied to the topic November 2025 monthly competition in the forum Monthly Competition 4 months, 2 weeks ago
Ah, thank you Terrie. After reading the others I feel very lucky! I’m a bit late arriving – so apologies. I’ll get right to the December comp.
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