Den of Writers | Mad Iguana | Activity https://www.denofwriters.com/members/madiguana/activity/ Activity feed for Mad Iguana. Sat, 25 Apr 2026 12:53:00 +0000 https://buddypress.org/?v= en-GB 30 hourly 2 a66d8430d73c6064af894d503fdf9939 Mad Iguana posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/16118/#acomment-16128 Thu, 24 Dec 2020 00:56:13 +0000 Don’t tempt me. I could be making up puns for the rest of the year.

In reply to - Mad Iguana replied to the topic Indie publishing deal in the forum Podium I’ve said it elsewhere, but I think it’s OK to congratulate a person more than once, isn’t it? Congratulations Jane! Over the (edge) (of […] ]]> 4a74b98ec1909ba9b2b78a8446d2edcb Mad Iguana replied to the topic Indie publishing deal in the forum Podium https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/indie-publishing-deal-2/#post-9346 Tue, 22 Dec 2020 16:49:28 +0000 I’ve said it elsewhere, but I think it’s OK to congratulate a person more than once, isn’t it?
Congratulations Jane! Over the (edge) (of the) moon for you, if that’s not too tortured an attempted pun (I know it is).
Can’t wait to read your published work.

]]> 2 c2cfe1b363b5d1c15c2ca7d112d2679f Mad Iguana replied to the topic The $2,000,000 Guitar in the forum Blogs https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/the-2000000-guitar/#post-8587 Sat, 25 Jul 2020 23:50:23 +0000 I saw that and thought of your post, and your memories.

]]> 0 0d6b98ff4136be0f0e773fa16d30ee9e Mad Iguana replied to the topic Fantasy Anthology in the forum Podium https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/fantasy-anthology/#post-8410 Fri, 12 Jun 2020 22:39:28 +0000 Great news Kate – well done!!

]]> 0 45c0b9b4d1766e2b49eff307b497c9bb Mad Iguana replied to the topic That old enemy, Perfectionism in the forum The Writers' Lifeboat https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/that-old-enemy-perfectionism/#post-8409 Fri, 12 Jun 2020 22:39:03 +0000 Perfectionism is a curse. But the desire for perfection is necessary, if we’re ever to get to be as good as we can be.
Every time I re-read anything I’ve ever written, I find myself changing a word here, a phrase there. A sentence can be cut completely and rewritten, and in the next rewrite, it comes back again.
I found comfort in the quote from…[Read more]

]]> 0 d9d4c2f84aa90cc6f97a0473b806f41b Mad Iguana replied to the topic Sorry not sorry in the forum Blogs https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/sorry-not-sorry/#post-8359 Tue, 02 Jun 2020 13:08:04 +0000 Beautifully written, but so infuriating!

]]> 2 d4c16ff365c4dc53f9004b60152071ae Mad Iguana replied to the topic Good news this time - finally! in the forum Podium https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/good-news-this-time-finally/#post-8018 Sat, 21 Mar 2020 16:53:27 +0000 Wowee Wowee Wowee Janette! Well done you!! Absolutely amazing news.

]]> 0 3e056720516e3fff9ee4abecb0a4ce5a Mad Iguana replied to the topic The $2,000,000 Guitar in the forum Blogs https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/the-2000000-guitar/#post-7936 Thu, 12 Mar 2020 10:01:54 +0000 That’s a brilliant story, Richard. Absolutely love it!!

]]> 0 882876948dea402146bd1d0261620bb2 Mad Iguana replied to the topic Short story in Barren magazine in the forum Podium https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/short-story-in-barren-magazine/#post-7935 Thu, 12 Mar 2020 09:57:05 +0000 Great stuff Daeds! Well done!!

]]> 0 f5febc83fd39afb64bc68010ac3ef35c Mad Iguana joined the group DONATIONS https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/13686/ Thu, 12 Mar 2020 09:56:15 +0000 0 86222f4246f8938e06530340d5c1eba0 Mad Iguana replied to the topic Very Serious Consequences: Harrow and Wealdstone, 1952 in the forum Blogs https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/very-serious-consequences-harrow-and-wealdstone-1952/#post-7873 Mon, 09 Mar 2020 11:40:34 +0000 Jeez that’s some incident. I did not know about this at all – thanks for telling the story so vividly, Richard!
It just shows that human nature – our inability to foresee and avert disaster until something truly catastrophic has happened – is unchanged over the years/decades/centuries.

]]> 0 f583cdf1c6e5671d4fef7586e643a2a3 Mad Iguana replied to the topic Recent agent experience in the forum Blogs https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/recent-agent-experience/#post-7824 Sun, 01 Mar 2020 23:35:59 +0000 Jeez that’s shocking behaviour. Both from your agent @Hilary and @janette.
I’ve never got that close – I mean, I’ve had full requests but no more than that – but I’d have thought you could at least rely on agents to be honest.
We’ve all been blanked on a submission – which is par for the course, even if I don’t particularly like it. But to bring…[Read more]

]]> 0 3c7c21d5702f96707ac4bb1229326f03 Mad Iguana replied to the topic What if I'm a bad human being? in the forum Blogs https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/what-if-im-a-bad-human-being/#post-7745 Tue, 25 Feb 2020 14:38:22 +0000 I’m late to this debate, but it’s a very interesting one, so I hope no-one minds me resurrecting it.

My view on this is very utilitarian (I think), in that I always – consciously or unconsciously – try to work out whether the value of the book/music/art/movie/whatever is greater to me than the cost of reading/listening/watching it.

And the…[Read more]

]]> 0 016adb6d34ead9945c1d9df2ac0c216b Mad Iguana posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/13389/#acomment-13415 Tue, 25 Feb 2020 14:05:20 +0000 That’s gorgeous!

In reply to - JaneShuff posted an update If anyone wants to see where I live, it’s in todays’s Guardian! https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2020/feb/22/five-lesser-known-holiday-destinations-in-france ]]> 66bb7e797e4b2017ca148a721925c1bf Mad Iguana replied to the topic Book Two - Out Now in the forum Podium https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/book-two-out-now/#post-5775 Tue, 06 Aug 2019 23:57:17 +0000 Super stuff Jules!! Haven’t read the first one yet – bought it, but haven’t read it. I’ll get the 2nd anyway, so it’s ready for when I am.

]]> 0 0a297e289ea5ac6dfa161f42c8696beb Mad Iguana replied to the topic From Bloom to Blizzard in the forum Podium https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/from-bloom-to-blizzard/#post-5774 Tue, 06 Aug 2019 23:54:24 +0000 Great news!! Congrats Squidge!!

]]> 0 a8362c80275455eebec5098f2a9d24d5 Mad Iguana posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/4503/#acomment-4536 Tue, 16 Oct 2018 14:24:47 +0000 Hi Barry. Personally, I’m mad_iguana on twitter. The Den account is denofwriters.

In reply to - Barry Walsh posted an update @madiguana Can’t find you on Twitter. Is your Twitter name different? Best wishes, Barry ]]> e54b1751ffe0cd812c7216493a06f43f Mad Iguana and Andrew Wille are now friends https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/4077/ Tue, 02 Oct 2018 09:15:04 +0000 0 7421ab260501efcfcd7015bfae9ac520 Mad Iguana replied to the topic My failure in the forum Podium https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/my-failure/page/2/#post-1862 Thu, 27 Sep 2018 13:22:21 +0000 I’ve entered the Bath Novel Award four times and been longlisted twice, but no further than that. It’s a good award, and well worth entering – there’s an excellent community around it if you have the time to engage.
Alan, it is judged completely blind, so there’s no favouritism going on, but it’s unavoidable that the judges of any award will…[Read more]

]]> 0 fa6bb5c49ed3e890b7b73a139bc0ca74 Mad Iguana replied to the topic My failure in the forum Podium https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/my-failure/#post-1828 Wed, 26 Sep 2018 11:27:10 +0000 To be honest, Alan, that the very act of having written something complete enough to be able to send it out to comps is a success, so I’d start off by saying Congratulations on that massive success before worrying about the relatively small “failures” that followed.
That said… It’s far easier to say these things than do them/feel them. My…[Read more]

]]> 0 4e0eb64cc415586604ea2fc5fd674694 Mad Iguana posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/3643/#acomment-3686 Tue, 25 Sep 2018 08:20:19 +0000 {looks around guiltily}
No idea.

In reply to - Barny posted an update We’ve hit 90 members! ]]> 7acc5a93c02b6ef786f3b479cc1e24cb Mad Iguana and Bella are now friends https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/3458/ Fri, 21 Sep 2018 13:25:16 +0000 0 c5b365165eebc4fa3106c1770eac61cb Mad Iguana and Julia are now friends https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/3280/ Wed, 19 Sep 2018 17:20:27 +0000 0 8e8d205c71d6e9e0acc1478a304a27ca Mad Iguana and EmmaD are now friends https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/3082/ Mon, 17 Sep 2018 16:06:27 +0000 0 6f09cbb10eefe9cd98d0f925d0a0251d Mad Iguana posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/3062/#acomment-3079 Mon, 17 Sep 2018 16:04:38 +0000 Almonds, Raine – healthy of course.
And honey, which is healthy because it is bee-puke, which is about as natural (and therefore healthy) as anything can be.
And there’s chocolate, which is made of milk – naturally, this is healthy because cows are healthy and these are Swiss cows so they eat Swiss grass and the Swiss are very healthy because of…[Read more]

In reply to - Raine posted an update Am trying to convince myself that toblerone counts as a healthy snack because almonds. ]]> 27147ab0fc3a74c249ce43b6cf370f51 Mad Iguana and Alan Rain are now friends https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/3016/ Mon, 17 Sep 2018 10:10:27 +0000 0 9a7a62b7c72153ff5e99aaa987ac9d05 Mad Iguana replied to the topic Festival Dreams in the forum Blogs https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/festival-dreams/#post-1431 Mon, 17 Sep 2018 09:22:35 +0000 Well done Skylark. So delighted for you! Like everyone else, I wish I’d been there for your speech. But it’s great to see lovely people and wonderful writers getting the good stuff that they deserve, regardless of how long it takes.
Congratulations!!

]]> 0 7dcb0bcd5efc34fd6e0555c4100093b6 Mad Iguana replied to the topic As an opening... in the forum Critiques https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/as-an-opening/page/2/#post-1430 Mon, 17 Sep 2018 09:15:00 +0000 This is great, Squidge. Way more immediate and intense – can really feel Tilda’s relationship with the magic and her power. I’d agree with Philippa’s points, but I think it’s great and tight and engaging. I guess from here the question is around how much more exposition you want in this passage and how much should come later.

]]> 0 e5bd7aa158025a66d4172901f3cc64e0 Mad Iguana replied to the topic Hello All in the forum Coffee Shop https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/hello-all/page/8/#post-1428 Mon, 17 Sep 2018 08:28:40 +0000 No worries, @Squidge. Great to see people finding the site from wherever they come.
And Hi Alan!

]]> 0 f8efe66be62cfe5db091156b20f5e9d8 Mad Iguana posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/2797/#acomment-2819 Fri, 14 Sep 2018 11:17:48 +0000 You can have a new beginning that will inevitably lead to a dismal ending. Just take out the ending.
i.e. “She fell in love with him the moment she saw him singing along during Mamma Mia 2.”

In reply to - Raine posted an update Mulling monthly comp ideas and realising that I’m better at dismal endings than I am hopeful beginnings… ]]> 04bba25c7dca494842c822c9aa0f8334 Mad Iguana replied to the topic Den monthly competition September 2018 in the forum Competitions, Open calls and Writing Opportunities https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/den-monthly-competition-september-2018/#post-1308 Fri, 14 Sep 2018 09:48:42 +0000 OK. Would you mind if an Admin made a small edit to the warning (have a look at your DMs if you want)?

]]> 0 356b738d9624166e74382c6653d083e1 Mad Iguana replied to the topic Den monthly competition September 2018 in the forum Competitions, Open calls and Writing Opportunities https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/den-monthly-competition-september-2018/#post-1305 Fri, 14 Sep 2018 09:41:12 +0000 It would be helpful to add a little more detail in the warning, Tony, just so people can be prepared for what they are about to read.
This is not an issue with the story itself; but I think it might serve as a courtesy to others to let them know what they are about to read.

]]> 0 aae9a847b8750d72136bdb2c30ed3521 Mad Iguana posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/2705/#acomment-2775 Fri, 14 Sep 2018 09:16:48 +0000 You should turn that into a book.

In reply to - Daedalus posted an update Started out writing a blog about the sorry tale of my first novel, disappointing publishing experience, imploding publisher and legal battle to recover my rights. Has turned into a […] ]]> 977620fcec8a9bcedc389422856d84ff Mad Iguana and Terrie are now friends https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/2694/ Thu, 13 Sep 2018 19:21:45 +0000 0 9a8074773c0d7404029b7fba2f142676 Mad Iguana and Chrissy are now friends https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/2686/ Thu, 13 Sep 2018 18:04:52 +0000 0 d01c8fb89c7492a3c34f2160bb6690c2 Mad Iguana replied to the topic Writing Advice in the forum The Writers' Lifeboat https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/writing-advice/page/2/#post-1211 Thu, 13 Sep 2018 15:02:15 +0000 You mean this one?
Schedule

]]> 0 36158a007d43eb40a44c3278afb89c79 Mad Iguana posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/2624/#acomment-2639 Thu, 13 Sep 2018 13:48:12 +0000 Welcome to the Den, Van.

In reply to - Van Demal became a registered member ]]> 27891787752936eb2c7ec05743a1ee14 Mad Iguana replied to the topic Contract finally sorted! in the forum Podium https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/contract-finally-sorted/#post-1170 Thu, 13 Sep 2018 12:31:56 +0000 Fantastic news CJ. Can’t wait to read!!

]]> 0 480206848d45cc30fdd9f9bc463b16fe Mad Iguana and Newbie are now friends https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/2594/ Thu, 13 Sep 2018 10:24:04 +0000 0 4badd9e97757915a5ce642c9b5760842 Mad Iguana and Claire Waller are now friends https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/2574/ Thu, 13 Sep 2018 08:06:27 +0000 0 b81c49612488991fbf0028f05317f568 Mad Iguana and GippsGirl are now friends https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/2560/ Thu, 13 Sep 2018 06:02:59 +0000 0 c067a02c5a683adebcf32aa7bbd15df6 Mad Iguana replied to the topic Writing Advice in the forum The Writers' Lifeboat https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/writing-advice/#post-1143 Wed, 12 Sep 2018 21:55:39 +0000 Excellent. Will use these. If you have a twitter handle, I’ll credit ye – otherwise anonymity will have to suffice.

]]> 0 7f1ae11a370a2e98487bf9393da34853 Mad Iguana replied to the topic As an opening... in the forum Critiques https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/as-an-opening/#post-1127 Wed, 12 Sep 2018 13:31:42 +0000 Yep, that was the thinking. The rest of it is quite close 3rd person, so it’s sort of cheating to know that she’s going to succeed this time. But, that presupposes something (on my part) about the rest of the book and the audience, I think.

]]> 0 666075e8556ef38447fddb2e29cfb416 Mad Iguana replied to the topic As an opening... in the forum Critiques https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/as-an-opening/#post-1125 Wed, 12 Sep 2018 13:25:21 +0000 That’s very true, Squidge. TBH, I’d say I’d re-write it about fifty times before I got anywhere and then probably end up with the first version in the end.
I think, given your focus, your approach is accurate. What I was trying to do was remove the certainty of her having succeeded on the 27th go.

]]> 0 afe70e087d4e9247431f51a0a3e4c9a8 Mad Iguana and Elle are now friends https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/2527/ Wed, 12 Sep 2018 13:09:51 +0000 0 951aed49ebc0dc65de67ed06af040195 Mad Iguana replied to the topic As an opening... in the forum Critiques https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/as-an-opening/#post-1121 Wed, 12 Sep 2018 12:57:40 +0000 It’s great, Squidge! My personal taste would have been to start with:
“By Tilda’s twenty-sixth attempt to produce an illuminorb, Silviu’s patience…”
But I can’t say that would be better (in fact, it’s grammatically very awkward… so probably worse); it’s just how I would have done it. Otherwise, a cracking piece with a ton of world-building and…[Read more]

]]> 0 fe0dcf81b4ceb1bb36a9bc8ee5abaa4a Mad Iguana and HELEN KAMPFNER are now friends https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/2522/ Wed, 12 Sep 2018 12:39:45 +0000 0 379036babb2a7956ebf24dd11eed7deb Mad Iguana and Kate are now friends https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/2520/ Wed, 12 Sep 2018 12:36:18 +0000 0 0920042a9ae42a54d3cef2581d481c22 Mad Iguana replied to the topic Writing Advice in the forum The Writers' Lifeboat https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/writing-advice/#post-1117 Wed, 12 Sep 2018 12:34:47 +0000 Just noticed that people may not realise that by “I” in the post above, I mean the “@denofwriters” twitter account, which I’m currently curating.
I don’t mean my own personal twitter account, which tends to be less polite and helpful.

]]> 0 580b16da225afd7bd98037508aaf3647 Mad Iguana started the topic Writing Advice in the forum The Writers' Lifeboat https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/writing-advice/ Wed, 12 Sep 2018 12:28:44 +0000 Anyone who’s been on Twitter may have noticed that I’m tweeting out some small nuggets of writing advice that I’ve found helpful.

I’m hoping to continue to do this on a semi-regular basis, but…
As I only have a limited number that are any use (if I had lots, I’d be a better writer than I am!), I wondered if any of the Denizens here had any that…[Read more]

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