Martini Rosso

What a great crucible of an idea. I can see it as a film too.

Here is the link to the Corrugated Sky Urban Fantasy book my short story Changing Gabe is included in. Some of you will have come across it in Athelstone’s Room with a View writing challenge at the beginning of the year.

The theme for the anthology was Sass and Magic. If that tickles your fancy, I hope you will go and take a look.

It feels a bit…[Read more]

Lost and Found and Lost

Arthur was rooting through a drawer in the garage, the one reserved for plumbing parts, searching for a tap washer. His gnarled hands scrabbled through off-cuts of plastic water pipe, white nylon fittings, a flushing mechanism still in its packaging, old tobacco tins holding copper olives, bolts, nuts and split pins. No…[Read more]

I very much like your story, Ath, exactly because of the problems you comment on. The twist worked really well for me, and I often don’t really enjoy such stories because the twist feels tacked on. This one, though, feels integral to what’s gone before. I also enjoyed it as a horror story but that was secondary for me. I could be over analysing…[Read more]

Fabulous Elle – well done.

‘Step do Grave’ was definitely after the distillery! 🙂

Thanks everyone. I’m still floating around in the clouds. Hopefully at the end of the month I will be able to put up a link so you can take a look. 🙂

Yippee! Brilliant! Fab! I’m so pleased.

Brilliant, Kate. Well done!

What a fun idea. Who’d have thought there were so many weird and wonderful names for beige. I shall get my thinking cap on.

Thanks Kate, good comp.

Congratulations, Squidge. What a powerful story. And congratulations also to Baz and John.

Many thanks, Kate, for setting the competition. It pushed me hard, and I think from some of the comments I wasn’t the only one racking my brain in an enjoyable way!

Thanks everyone for taking part. These were all such great pieces its been incredibly hard to decide on a winner, so a few brief thoughts on them:

Baz – This one gave me a real prickle. Loved the feel those open ended questions gave it, and the ending is as if you’re slamming a door.

John – Bravo. Love the message in the last line of the first…[Read more]

I’ve read them all and am completely stumped as to which to choose. Will have to sleep on it. Being as I’m having so much trouble, I am open to bribes… 😬

A last reminder to anyone who wants to take part.