Sandra

Occasional rough language

Prat’s Key Wood

Prat’s Key Wood was as old as the hills. No, really.

Well, seeing as the hills are billions of years old and forged in the countless aeons before organic life, that’s a stretch. But, I mean 1) it was ancient to the max and 2) it took Jacko and a team of ten, and a bulldozer, and chainsaws, just one…[Read more]

Well done Libby. Excellent entries from all.
Happy New Year!

Thank you for the comp and the positive comments, Ath. And well done Libby – nice work.

Sorry, Ath. I confess that when I finally got round to pulling something together for the December comp (last night, about two hours before the deadline), I had it in my head that the theme was ‘opening’ so that’s what I wrote 😁
As it turns out, writing it reminded of something I’d lost sight of, so thank you.

Congratulations, Libby, and tha…[Read more]

A very happy new year to all Denizens! The advent competition didn’t have 25 entries as I hoped, but by way of compensation, those that were submitted are all gems that I would be happy to find behind a calendar window.

Janette: A New Opening
A truly positive response to the Covid restrictions. This was beautifully written with a powerful feeling…[Read more]

(Randomly generated words from Chocolat by Joanne Harris)

The Gingerbread House

A gesture, armoured with indifference
And an almost-smile of white chocolate politeness
In the darkness of his eyes
A kaleidoscope of dreams

It’s hot and stuffy in the apartment. The air is still and she struggles to breathe. Her bangs are pasted to her forehead. She’d moved to Tuscany for inspiration, but was only getting perspiration. She thinks she hears a downpour outside even though she sees the sun bleaching the curtains hot white through open windows. Wishful thinking. There isn…[Read more]

@dougk if you’d like an alternative to a sedative, you can read the exhaustive cautionary tale of my small press experience here https://airandseastories.com/2019/01/30/my-publishing-nightmare-the-story-of-a-book-deal-gone-bad-part-1/

Thanks Doug! Yes I do feel lucky 😊

Good article @dougk.

For anyone looking to submit to Indie Presses in the UK and Ireland, the Indie Press Guide produced by Mslexia is a good place to start. Also, if you don’t have an agent to check a contract for you, the Society of Authors in the UK will check it at no charge. I’ve found them VERY thorough!

Hi Doug, @raine and @janeshuff have both given you great feedback and I agree with them both (though Jane’s reply keeps vanishing! It’s like a hall of mirrors in here sometimes).

Thought I would jump in and give my ha’penny’s worth – I was lucky enough to be signed up by an agent and get a deal with a trad publisher (Penguin Random House) which…[Read more]

It’s SO brilliant @janeshuff and its heartening to see these indie presses opening the field up to interesting, less mainstream and more diverse work. The publishing field could do with some opening up and its good to see it happening here. So happy your work has found a good home! See you out there in 2021! 👏🍾