Melanie Fraser

Congratulations @janeshuff, I too loved your story, and Ath’s, and Sandra’s which completely hooked me. I hope we hear more about Lucy.

Untitled, 300 words

Tilty Weston opened a tin of smoked mackerel and put half on his plate. Good for your heart, was mackerel, though his trouble was a limp and a few creaky joints. A tomato was next on the plate, and the frilled leaves of a Webb’s lettuce. A fine thing, a Webb’s. A sight of summer here in the half dark, though no surprise the…[Read more]

And thank you Ath for setting the competition and giving us all helpful feedback. Apologies for not mentioning this before.

Congratulations, John. I loved your yo-yo story. And thanks for organising, Ath.

Well done, John, and well deserved. And to everyone else too. I’m glad I didn’t have to judge between such good entries.

First day

The first day of school was always like this – nervous parents clutching little ones’ hands, milling in a crowd of growing frenzy. The sooner they were decoupled and the parents moved firmly on their way, the better it would be for everyone. But first reassurance was needed.

I moved through the group, cutting apron strings when no one…[Read more]

498 words including title

Photographs

Kirsty wasn’t interested in the marriage album but there was a folder of other wedding photos. She tipped the glossy prints out over the kitchen table: all those relatives and friends, held in their best outfits for decades.

It was fine to look at them now. The old emotions didn’t snag any longer. Her…[Read more]

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]

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.

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.

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]