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	<title>Den of Writers | Sandra | Friends Activity</title>
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				<title>Athelstone replied to the topic Monthly Comp - September 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/monthly-comp-september-2026/#post-18001</link>
				<pubDate>Wed, 30 Sep 2026 16:49:21 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>Body of evidence</strong>.</p>
<p>It’s not as though this is the first body I’ve seen, and it’s not as though this is the first person I’ve killed. As a death it was unremarkable: quick, expected, and I imagine she knew nothing about it. A clean shot through the back of the head in mid-conversation. Only a few of my targets have been so lucky, but my intenti&hellip;<span class="activity-read-more" id="activity-read-more-26052"><a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/monthly-comp-september-2026/#post-18001" rel="nofollow ugc">[Read more]</a></span></p>
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				<title>Athelstone posted a new activity comment</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/26009/#acomment-26017</link>
				<pubDate>Wed, 16 Sep 2026 15:16:15 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Thanks for the link, Libby. I was pleased to see that although they accept donations, which is brilliant, the videos are available for free. Since I suspect the principal audience is likely to be writers this reflects an understanding of just how low the median income from our beloved interest really is. Latest figures show a median income for&hellip;<span class="activity-read-more" id="activity-read-more-26017"><a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/26009/#acomment-26017" rel="nofollow ugc">[Read more]</a></span></p>
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				<a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/members/libby/" rel="nofollow ugc">Libby</a> started the topic <a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/edinburgh-book-festival-2026-videos/" rel="nofollow ugc">Edinburgh Book Festival 2026 videos</a> in the forum <a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/forum/den-of-writers/coffee-shop/" rel="nofollow ugc">Coffee Shop</a> Videos of author talks at this year&#8217;s Edinburgh International Book Festival are available on [&hellip;]			]]></content:encoded>
				
				
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				<title>John T posted a new activity comment</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/26006/#acomment-26013</link>
				<pubDate>Tue, 15 Sep 2026 11:45:05 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Thank you, Kate!</p>
				<strong>In reply to</strong> -
				<a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/members/johnt3/" rel="nofollow ugc">John T</a> posted an update Hello all. I hope you&#8217;ve all survived the summer heat. Sorry for the prolongued absence. While battling the heatwaves, I&#8217;ve been deep in editing. Some of you might remember a short story of [&hellip;]			]]></content:encoded>
				
				
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				<title>Kate posted a new activity comment</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/26006/#acomment-26010</link>
				<pubDate>Tue, 15 Sep 2026 11:27:35 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>It&#8217;s great that you&#8217;ve managed to blow off the dust and recycle an old manuscript. I hope it&#8217;s well received.</p>
				<strong>In reply to</strong> -
				<a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/members/johnt3/" rel="nofollow ugc">John T</a> posted an update Hello all. I hope you&#8217;ve all survived the summer heat. Sorry for the prolongued absence. While battling the heatwaves, I&#8217;ve been deep in editing. Some of you might remember a short story of [&hellip;]			]]></content:encoded>
				
				
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				<title>John T posted an update: Hello all. I hope you&#039;ve all survived the summer heat. Sorry [&#133;]</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/26006/</link>
				<pubDate>Wed, 09 Sep 2026 13:40:57 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Hello all. I hope you&#8217;ve all survived the summer heat. Sorry for the prolongued absence. While battling the heatwaves, I&#8217;ve been deep in editing. Some of you might remember a short story of mine called One Kiss, back in WordCloud days. Well, it became a novel called A Policy on Kissing that was longlisted for the Bath Novel Award in 2016, but&hellip;<span class="activity-read-more" id="activity-read-more-26006"><a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/26006/" rel="nofollow ugc">[Read more]</a></span></p>
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				<title>Athelstone replied to the topic Monthly Competition August 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/monthly-competition-august-2026/#post-17943</link>
				<pubDate>Wed, 02 Sep 2026 06:58:46 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The original idea came from Harry Bingham on the WordCloud, who presented a bottle of something similar to Champagne as a prize each month. When it began to fall apart it was taken up by Wrathnar the Unreasonable (sans Champagne) and then by the winner of the competition each month.</p>
<p>It was adopted by the Den when the Cloud finally closed</p>
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				<title>Athelstone started the topic The 2027 Margery Allingham Short Mystery Competition in the forum Competitions, Open calls and Writing Opportunities</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/the-2027-margery-allingham-short-mystery-competition/</link>
				<pubDate>Wed, 02 Sep 2026 06:53:14 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span>The 2027 Margery Allingham Short Mystery Competition is Now Open!</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="https://australis.eocampaign1.com/web-version?ep=2&#038;lc=f8781b16-01c8-11f1-82c9-6dbe39b3a791&#038;p=73063d3a-a20b-11f1-8471-0d8778dd4b7d&#038;pt=campaign&#038;t=1788260504&#038;s=2e7939182f1b0d843e4b788f91b732e3d93a4739fffcb3526c7f265bf8507035" rel="nofollow ugc">https://australis.eocampaign1.com/web-version?ep=2&#038;lc=f8781b16-01c8-11f1-82c9-6dbe39b3a791&#038;p=73063d3a-a20b-11f1-8471-0d8778dd4b7d&#038;pt=campaign&#038;t=1788260504&#038;s=2e7939182f1b0d843e4b788f91b732e3d93a4739fffcb3526c7f265bf8507035</a></p>
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				<title>Athelstone replied to the topic Monthly Competition August 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/monthly-competition-august-2026/#post-17940</link>
				<pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2026 17:38:41 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Great monthly comp, Libby. And a well-deserved win for Seagreen.</p>
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				<title>Seagreen started the topic Monthly Comp - September 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/monthly-comp-september-2026/</link>
				<pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2026 17:26:19 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I don&#8217;t know if anyone remembers one of FergC&#8217;s challenges on the Cloud when he asked us to get in touch with our darker writing selves and be the villain? I hated it. Sobbed as I wrote, in fact, but my goodness I was stretched by it and just a tiny bit shocked at how wicked I could be.</p>
<p>I hope to stretch you now&#8230;</p>
<p>There&#8217;s a body.</p>
<p>Whether&hellip;<span class="activity-read-more" id="activity-read-more-25987"><a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/monthly-comp-september-2026/" rel="nofollow ugc">[Read more]</a></span></p>
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				<title>Seagreen replied to the topic Monthly Competition August 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/monthly-competition-august-2026/#post-17936</link>
				<pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2026 17:01:42 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Thanks for the prompt Libby. It seems to have been an age since I  tested the writerly muscles&#8230;</p>
<p>And I second Jill&#8217;s call for virtual medals all round! 🙂</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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				<title>Athelstone replied to the topic Monthly Competition August 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/monthly-competition-august-2026/#post-17930</link>
				<pubDate>Mon, 31 Aug 2026 15:39:05 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>John on holiday</strong></p>
<p>John.</p>
<p>This is the strangest holiday ever. Chris should have been here. She even did all the bookings for us, and now I have to explain to everybody why it’s only me. The weather is perfect. Not too hot, not too cold. She’d have loved it—walking along the coast, looking down on the seabird colonies. Salt, warm seaweed on the narro&hellip;<span class="activity-read-more" id="activity-read-more-25978"><a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/monthly-competition-august-2026/#post-17930" rel="nofollow ugc">[Read more]</a></span></p>
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				<title>Seagreen replied to the topic Monthly Competition August 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/monthly-competition-august-2026/#post-17929</link>
				<pubDate>Thu, 27 Aug 2026 20:42:48 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Space Between the Notes (334 words inc title)</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>It was more than a holiday; it was a ritual, starting with the drive north. The choice of music; what the kids called my soppy stuff &#8211; Savage Garden, Beautiful South and sshhh, don’t say it out loud, Barry Manilow – and the way I always packed the car with a hundred and one things I wou&hellip;<span class="activity-read-more" id="activity-read-more-25977"><a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/monthly-competition-august-2026/#post-17929" rel="nofollow ugc">[Read more]</a></span></p>
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				<title>Daedalus replied to the topic Vaulting Ambition: the BRM V16 in the forum Blogs</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/vaulting-ambition-the-brm-v16/#post-17922</link>
				<pubDate>Sun, 23 Aug 2026 12:22:11 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Great blog as usual Richard. It’s a fascinating story. One of those that has so much promise of what might have been, yet also so typical of the often shambolic British way of going about things that one feels it could only ever have ended up this way. Look at the contemporary British aviation industry &#8211; much brilliance and yet so much avoidable c&hellip;<span class="activity-read-more" id="activity-read-more-25970"><a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/vaulting-ambition-the-brm-v16/#post-17922" rel="nofollow ugc">[Read more]</a></span></p>
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				<title>Athelstone replied to the topic A bit &#034;poorly&#034; in the forum Blogs</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/a-bit-poorly/#post-17905</link>
				<pubDate>Thu, 13 Aug 2026 08:45:13 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Jill, the Den&#8217;s Activity Page posts extracts changes (replies, new topics etc) from the public sections of the Den. You replied directly to the Activity Page version of this thread &#8211; you can check by selecting &#8220;Activity&#8221; from the menu at the top of all the Den&#8217;s pages. It&#8217;s all still there, although you&#8217;ll need to scroll a *long* way as my&hellip;<span class="activity-read-more" id="activity-read-more-25951"><a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/a-bit-poorly/#post-17905" rel="nofollow ugc">[Read more]</a></span></p>
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				<title>Athelstone posted a new activity comment</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/25730/#acomment-25949</link>
				<pubDate>Wed, 12 Aug 2026 15:18:05 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Improving slowly. Not steadily, but mainly in the right direction.  I finally had a chat with my GP where he was a little less vague. He told me that it isn&#8217;t something GPs see every day, but in his experience the recovery period after discharge is between 6 months and a year. With some older patients, and depending on the severity of the septic&hellip;<span class="activity-read-more" id="activity-read-more-25949"><a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/25730/#acomment-25949" rel="nofollow ugc">[Read more]</a></span></p>
				<strong>In reply to</strong> -
				<a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/members/athelstone/" rel="nofollow ugc">Athelstone</a> replied to the topic <a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/a-bit-poorly/" rel="nofollow ugc">A bit &quot;poorly&quot;</a> in the forum <a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/forum/den-of-writers/blogs/" rel="nofollow ugc">Blogs</a> Thanks for all the kind wishes. Please don&#8217;t think me rude that I haven&#8217;t responded individually. I still find messaging quite an effort. Your words [&hellip;]			]]></content:encoded>
				
				
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				<title>Athelstone replied to the topic Monthly competition July 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/monthly-competition-july-2026/#post-17882</link>
				<pubDate>Sat, 01 Aug 2026 19:57:40 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Jill&#8217;s entry grabbed my attention straight away, because although my own childhood was a few years later, so much was the same. And yes, all the shops shut. In fact, almost everything shut on a Sunday apart from Church and Sunday School. &#8220;Hear the pennies dropping&#8221; for those who remember it. So much centered on the home back then. A wonderful&hellip;<span class="activity-read-more" id="activity-read-more-25924"><a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/monthly-competition-july-2026/#post-17882" rel="nofollow ugc">[Read more]</a></span></p>
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				<title>Athelstone replied to the topic Monthly competition July 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/monthly-competition-july-2026/#post-17879</link>
				<pubDate>Fri, 31 Jul 2026 22:20:00 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>A brace of fabulous entries this month. Real life has struck at an awkward moment with silly demands on time. I hope you won&#8217;t mind too much If I pinch a day from the next comp. and post the results tomorrow evening. So sorry about that.</p>
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				<title>Janette replied to the topic Flash fiction published in the forum Podium</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/flash-fiction-published/#post-17877</link>
				<pubDate>Wed, 29 Jul 2026 21:53:27 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Many congratulations, Libby x</p>
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				<title>Athelstone posted a new activity comment</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/25900/#acomment-25912</link>
				<pubDate>Wed, 22 Jul 2026 08:56:54 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Writing is extremely enabling, as you say. And that&#8217;s especially so these days when there&#8217;s far more truth in a work of fiction than in the news we read or listen to.</p>
				<strong>In reply to</strong> -
				<a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/members/jillsted/" rel="nofollow ugc">Jill</a> posted an update What is new is that it has been a reflective week in which writing has played an important role in working through various issues &#8211; not least two recent hospitalisations in the family!  Also, [&hellip;]			]]></content:encoded>
				
				
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				<title>Athelstone posted an update: Perilously close to the end of July for anybody wanting to [&#133;]</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/25910/</link>
				<pubDate>Wed, 22 Jul 2026 08:50:03 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Perilously close to the end of July for anybody wanting to enter the monthly competition. The prize this month is the unending adulation of your sister/fellow competitors. Just 400 words could see you enjoying all that. Do you remember the bell ringing on a platform to signal an approaching train, discussing whether careless words could cost&hellip;<span class="activity-read-more" id="activity-read-more-25910"><a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/25910/" rel="nofollow ugc">[Read more]</a></span></p>
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				<title>Terrie replied to the topic Monthly competition July 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/monthly-competition-july-2026/#post-17861</link>
				<pubDate>Wed, 15 Jul 2026 00:17:12 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Echoes of a life twinkling in time.</p>
<p>As years roll away from me I look back at reflections caught in memories rainbow.</p>
<p>I know I was lucky. My childhood was idyllic, because woven among the colours of my life and simplicity of youth, the feelings of each moment are held, perfect and bright, like small lights of sheltering warmth against the&hellip;<span class="activity-read-more" id="activity-read-more-25899"><a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/monthly-competition-july-2026/#post-17861" rel="nofollow ugc">[Read more]</a></span></p>
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				<title>Athelstone replied to the topic Monthly competition July 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/monthly-competition-july-2026/#post-17860</link>
				<pubDate>Tue, 14 Jul 2026 15:43:52 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Dear All,</p>
<p>Please note that this doesn&#8217;t have to be about an object. From the theme up there (points up) &#8220;<strong>an object, or an event, or a saying, or anything at all really that you remember as commonplace when you were young&#8221;</strong></p>
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				<title>Kate posted a new activity comment</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/25893/#acomment-25897</link>
				<pubDate>Tue, 14 Jul 2026 10:56:53 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Congratulations, Libby.</p>
				<strong>In reply to</strong> -
				<a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/members/libby/" rel="nofollow ugc">Libby</a> started the topic <a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/flash-fiction-published/" rel="nofollow ugc">Flash fiction published</a> in the forum <a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/forum/den-of-writers/podium/" rel="nofollow ugc">Podium</a> It&#8217;s been a good month for publications by Denizens: Janette&#8217;s lovely, satisfyng novel The Indiculous Grace Dunn; Kate&#8217;s latest in her delightful [&hellip;]			]]></content:encoded>
				
				
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				<title>Terrie replied to the topic Monthly competition July 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/monthly-competition-july-2026/#post-17855</link>
				<pubDate>Mon, 13 Jul 2026 07:49:23 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Me too, Sandra,  mine&#8217;s a  green one . I also have  my  grandparents  twisted  metal  meat  skewers  too.  🙂</p>
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				<title>Kate posted an update: Woohoo. Today is release day for book 3 in my Pix and Gabe [&#133;]</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/25887/</link>
				<pubDate>Tue, 07 Jul 2026 14:10:47 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Woohoo. Today is release day for book 3 in my Pix and Gabe Adventure series &#8211; The Book Trap. The characters would never have seen the light of day without Athelstone&#8217;s winter writing challenge, where they emerged in a short story. Some of you have been kind enough to support earlier books, so if anyone is interested, here&#8217;s a link. &#x1f600;&hellip;<span class="activity-read-more" id="activity-read-more-25887"><a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/25887/" rel="nofollow ugc">[Read more]</a></span></p>
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				<title>Athelstone replied to the topic Monthly competition July 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/monthly-competition-july-2026/#post-17834</link>
				<pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2026 09:46:16 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Thank you, Jill. I forgot to set a word limit, so I take your entry as &#8220;the bar&#8221; and set it now at 400 words.</p>
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				<title>Athelstone started the topic Monthly competition July 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/monthly-competition-july-2026/</link>
				<pubDate>Wed, 01 Jul 2026 09:25:36 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>When televisions had rooftop aerials shaped like an &#8220;H&#8221;, showed black and white, had only two channels, and one more turn of the knob found The Home Service and maybe The Light Programme, they often came with a slim metal rod perhaps 8 or 9 inches long. This could be slotted into holes on the back of the set labelled Horizontal Hold and Vertical&hellip;<span class="activity-read-more" id="activity-read-more-25869"><a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/monthly-competition-july-2026/" rel="nofollow ugc">[Read more]</a></span></p>
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				<title>Athelstone replied to the topic Monthly competition June 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/monthly-competition-june-2026/#post-17830</link>
				<pubDate>Wed, 01 Jul 2026 08:28:22 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Incidentally, I wanted to call the girl Aelfwin but I had trouble getting the A and e to combine into a proper &#8220;ash&#8221; at the start of the name. Then it occurred to me that a drunk Teabreak would be unlikely to remember that anyway, hence &#8220;Alwin, or something like that.&#8221; I think Alwin is still sometimes used as a female name, but I could probably&hellip;<span class="activity-read-more" id="activity-read-more-25867"><a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/monthly-competition-june-2026/#post-17830" rel="nofollow ugc">[Read more]</a></span></p>
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				<title>Athelstone replied to the topic Monthly competition June 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/monthly-competition-june-2026/#post-17826</link>
				<pubDate>Wed, 01 Jul 2026 06:54:56 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I confess I feel slightly guilty. I read Sandra&#8217;s entry and thought it was splendid. Then I sneak in at the end and&#8230;</p>
<p>Anyway, thank you for the prompt, Jill. The solstice was my 70th and I went from not thinking I&#8217;d make it, to writing a little story about it so that&#8217;s something.</p>
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				<title>Athelstone replied to the topic Monthly competition June 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/monthly-competition-june-2026/#post-17822</link>
				<pubDate>Tue, 30 Jun 2026 17:31:31 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>Stonehenge</strong></p>
<p>The moon has departed leaving an impenetrable night with a cold mist gently rising across the still fields around Amesbury. In the hedgerows around one expanse of grass, sparrows packed close are beginning to shift in their sleep. To the east of this field a steady gaze would be rewarded with the slightest bloom of purple in a world&hellip;<span class="activity-read-more" id="activity-read-more-25859"><a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/monthly-competition-june-2026/#post-17822" rel="nofollow ugc">[Read more]</a></span></p>
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				<title>Kate posted a new activity comment</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/25801/#acomment-25820</link>
				<pubDate>Tue, 02 Jun 2026 12:27:53 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Congratulations. Fabulous news.</p>
				<strong>In reply to</strong> -
				<a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/members/janette/" rel="nofollow ugc">Janette</a> posted an update I have news!
After much waiting, then swearing quite a lot at screens,  The Indiculous Grace Dunn is now available in paperback format from The Great British Bookshop (online) priced [&hellip;]			]]></content:encoded>
				
				
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				<title>Thea posted a new activity comment</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/25801/#acomment-25817</link>
				<pubDate>Mon, 01 Jun 2026 21:30:43 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Congratulations, Janette! Good luck with the launch 🙂</p>
				<strong>In reply to</strong> -
				<a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/members/janette/" rel="nofollow ugc">Janette</a> posted an update I have news!
After much waiting, then swearing quite a lot at screens,  The Indiculous Grace Dunn is now available in paperback format from The Great British Bookshop (online) priced [&hellip;]			]]></content:encoded>
				
				
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				<title>Athelstone replied to the topic Monthly competition May 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/monthly-competition-may-2026/#post-17779</link>
				<pubDate>Sun, 31 May 2026 12:05:12 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Well done Jill. A bittersweet story, beautifully told. And well done the rest of us!</p>
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				<title>Terrie replied to the topic Monthly competition May 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/monthly-competition-may-2026/#post-17777</link>
				<pubDate>Sun, 31 May 2026 09:42:46 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Congrats, Jill.</p>
<p>Looking forward  to  seeing the prompt  for June .</p>
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				<title>Terrie replied to the topic Monthly competition May 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/monthly-competition-may-2026/#post-17774</link>
				<pubDate>Sat, 30 May 2026 16:35:59 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><em>  Songs from the charts  31st  October   1998  &#8211; </em></p>
<p><em>Aerosmith   ‘I don’t want to miss a thing’</em></p>
<p><em>Bachman Turner Overdrive &#8211; ‘You aint seen nothing yet.’</em></p>
<p><em>Contains one, bleeped, swear word.</em></p>
<p>True   story</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>This story involves my youngest daughter, who’s the sassy, won’t give an inch if she thinks she is in the right, type, and the anniversar&hellip;<span class="activity-read-more" id="activity-read-more-25809"><a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/monthly-competition-may-2026/#post-17774" rel="nofollow ugc">[Read more]</a></span></p>
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				<title>Athelstone replied to the topic A bit &#034;poorly&#034; in the forum Blogs</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/a-bit-poorly/#post-17771</link>
				<pubDate>Wed, 27 May 2026 19:11:31 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Thanks, Kate. I&#8217;m trying hard to get better.</p>
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				<title>Janette posted a new activity comment</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/25801/#acomment-25806</link>
				<pubDate>Wed, 27 May 2026 18:07:19 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Thank you so much, Libby. Hope you enjoy.</p>
				<strong>In reply to</strong> -
				<a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/members/janette/" rel="nofollow ugc">Janette</a> posted an update I have news!
After much waiting, then swearing quite a lot at screens,  The Indiculous Grace Dunn is now available in paperback format from The Great British Bookshop (online) priced [&hellip;]			]]></content:encoded>
				
				
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				<title>Janette posted an update: I have news!
After much waiting, then swearing quite a lot at [&#133;]</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/25801/</link>
				<pubDate>Wed, 27 May 2026 13:01:18 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I have news!<br />
After much waiting, then swearing quite a lot at screens,  The Indiculous Grace Dunn is now available in paperback format from The Great British Bookshop (online) priced £11.99 (please consider this outlet first for the paperback &#8211; it is British and doesn&#8217;t take the great slice such as Amazon demand).<br />
The Ebook version will be&hellip;<span class="activity-read-more" id="activity-read-more-25801"><a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/25801/" rel="nofollow ugc">[Read more]</a></span></p>
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				<title>Kate replied to the topic A bit &#034;poorly&#034; in the forum Blogs</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/a-bit-poorly/#post-17764</link>
				<pubDate>Tue, 26 May 2026 16:13:24 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I managed to miss this post- Ath. I&#8217;m so pleased you are feeling better and hope you can get the rest of the problems sorted. It sounds like a terrifying ordeal, but your story telling still managed to bring the occasional smile. Keep getting better!</p>
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				<title>Athelstone replied to the topic The Sheep Detectives film/Three Bags Full novel in the forum Coffee Shop</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/the-sheep-detectives-film-three-bags-full-novel/#post-17754</link>
				<pubDate>Wed, 20 May 2026 13:05:15 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I&#8217;m not a huge fan of cosy crime, and I think that the television series of TTMC is rather better than the books, although only because the acting is good. However, there are many variations within that genre and I wouldn&#8217;t dismiss everything. The same goes for anthropomorphised animal stories. For instance, Charlotte&#8217;s Web and Animal Farm spring&hellip;<span class="activity-read-more" id="activity-read-more-25787"><a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/the-sheep-detectives-film-three-bags-full-novel/#post-17754" rel="nofollow ugc">[Read more]</a></span></p>
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				<title>Thea replied to the topic A bit &#034;poorly&#034; in the forum Blogs</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/a-bit-poorly/#post-17742</link>
				<pubDate>Thu, 14 May 2026 21:45:07 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I’m glad to hear that you have treats lined up. The trip to Pompeii sounds especially fabulous! It should be a little quieter and cooler in the autumn so may be pleasanter to wait until then.</p>
<p>The iron tablets should make a big difference, and they tend to take effect within a few days. I do hope all goes well with your referral. Do please keep u&hellip;<span class="activity-read-more" id="activity-read-more-25774"><a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/a-bit-poorly/#post-17742" rel="nofollow ugc">[Read more]</a></span></p>
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				<title>Athelstone replied to the topic A bit &#034;poorly&#034; in the forum Blogs</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/a-bit-poorly/#post-17741</link>
				<pubDate>Thu, 14 May 2026 07:37:55 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>On a small scale, my daughter gave me a voucher for a foraging/cooking day for 2, for my birthday last year, and I&#8217;d just booked a day in March when I got ill. When the company heard I was in hospital, they gave me a six month extension on the voucher for free, so that I could book when I was completely recovered. I thought that was really&hellip;<span class="activity-read-more" id="activity-read-more-25773"><a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/a-bit-poorly/#post-17741" rel="nofollow ugc">[Read more]</a></span></p>
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				<title>Thea replied to the topic A bit &#034;poorly&#034; in the forum Blogs</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/a-bit-poorly/#post-17740</link>
				<pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2026 21:50:46 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>This is such good news, Ath! The relief must be a huge weight off your shoulders and hopefully that has boosted your energy levels. The iron tablets should make a big difference too.</p>
<p>I do hope you are able to resolve the outstanding issues swiftly and then make some plans to do something special after all you’ve been through 🙂</p>
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				<title>Athelstone replied to the topic A bit &#034;poorly&#034; in the forum Blogs</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/a-bit-poorly/#post-17732</link>
				<pubDate>Tue, 12 May 2026 13:16:00 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Hi Libby, a very big relief. And thank you. I had another read through my discharge notes. I don&#8217;t think they&#8217;d seen somebody so ill with such a mixed bag of symptoms before (who hadn&#8217;t been in an accident). They took advice from the teams at Guildford, Reading, and Kings. There was a consensus to deal with the immediate emergency which was the&hellip;<span class="activity-read-more" id="activity-read-more-25767"><a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/a-bit-poorly/#post-17732" rel="nofollow ugc">[Read more]</a></span></p>
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				<title>Athelstone replied to the topic A bit &#034;poorly&#034; in the forum Blogs</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/a-bit-poorly/#post-17729</link>
				<pubDate>Tue, 12 May 2026 13:05:14 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Thanks Jill. Yes, it is a big relief.</p>
<p>I&#8217;ve been on blood thinners (apixaban) since I was admitted to hospital. My problem is that the hospital doctors didn&#8217;t share any plan for dealing with the existing clots which have blocked two major veins to the liver. I strongly suspect that they were anticipating a worse outcome from the endoscopy and&hellip;<span class="activity-read-more" id="activity-read-more-25764"><a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/a-bit-poorly/#post-17729" rel="nofollow ugc">[Read more]</a></span></p>
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				<title>Janette posted a new activity comment</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/25759/#acomment-25763</link>
				<pubDate>Tue, 12 May 2026 12:54:55 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Ath, this is such a huge relief to hear, though I imagine the mindset prepping beforehand must have left you mentally drained. I have polyps and so have to be monitored with colonoscopies every three years &#8211; I&#8217;m guessing you might be invited to do the same. I hope your quest to find out the cause of the clots and anaemia is soon fruitful and&hellip;<span class="activity-read-more" id="activity-read-more-25763"><a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/25759/#acomment-25763" rel="nofollow ugc">[Read more]</a></span></p>
				<strong>In reply to</strong> -
				<a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/members/athelstone/" rel="nofollow ugc">Athelstone</a> replied to the topic <a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/a-bit-poorly/" rel="nofollow ugc">A bit &quot;poorly&quot;</a> in the forum <a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/forum/den-of-writers/blogs/" rel="nofollow ugc">Blogs</a> I hope that this is a footnote, although I forsee a few more tests from my GP.

Today I had the endoscopy which I believe some of the doctors in my [&hellip;]			]]></content:encoded>
				
				
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				<title>Athelstone replied to the topic A bit &#034;poorly&#034; in the forum Blogs</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/a-bit-poorly/#post-17725</link>
				<pubDate>Mon, 11 May 2026 14:43:49 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I hope that this is a footnote, although I forsee a few more tests from my GP.</p>
<p>Today I had the endoscopy which I believe some of the doctors in my hospital thought would show cancer. the symptoms were all lined up. There was even consistent evidence from CAT scans and other X-rays. To be fair to them, they never said that, though they always&hellip;<span class="activity-read-more" id="activity-read-more-25759"><a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/a-bit-poorly/#post-17725" rel="nofollow ugc">[Read more]</a></span></p>
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				<title>Athelstone replied to the topic Monthly competition May 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/monthly-competition-may-2026/#post-17723</link>
				<pubDate>Fri, 08 May 2026 11:37:59 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Caution: Stuart&#8217;s language isn&#8217;t for polite company. The anniversary was my 18th birthday, June 21 1974.</p>
<p><strong>Stuart&#8217;s story</strong></p>
<p>People call me Plug ‘cos they reckon I look like Plug from the Bash Street Kids I ain’t never seen him, so I don’t know. Stuart’s my real name, and I just done three months in nick for something I ain’t done. Possessio&hellip;<span class="activity-read-more" id="activity-read-more-25757"><a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/monthly-competition-may-2026/#post-17723" rel="nofollow ugc">[Read more]</a></span></p>
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				<title>Janette posted an update: Apologies again that I have been to busy and distracted to [&#133;]</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/25751/</link>
				<pubDate>Tue, 05 May 2026 17:45:30 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Apologies again that I have been to busy and distracted to participate in the comps just yet. You may have seen on FB that I have now announced the imminent launch of my book The Indiculous Grace Dunn, along with a cover preview and blurb. I&#8217;m hoping to launch  by the end of May or early June, depending on how smoothly the readthrough of the proof&hellip;<span class="activity-read-more" id="activity-read-more-25751"><a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/25751/" rel="nofollow ugc">[Read more]</a></span></p>
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				<title>Janette posted a new activity comment</title>
				<link>https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/25746/#acomment-25750</link>
				<pubDate>Tue, 05 May 2026 17:37:04 +0000</pubDate>

									<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Good to hear there is progress,  Ath, albeit on the slow side. I&#8217;ll be thinking of you on 11th May, sending positive vibes.</p>
				<strong>In reply to</strong> -
				<a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/members/athelstone/" rel="nofollow ugc">Athelstone</a> replied to the topic <a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/a-bit-poorly/" rel="nofollow ugc">A bit &quot;poorly&quot;</a> in the forum <a href="https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/forum/den-of-writers/blogs/" rel="nofollow ugc">Blogs</a> Thanks for the kind wishes, Jill. I know you&#8217;ve had your own burden lately, and I was so pleased to hear things were going well. At the moment, [&hellip;]			]]></content:encoded>
				
				
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