Sadie Hanson

  • Two super entries, both darkly entertaining. Perfect for a Halloween mood, maybe.

    Alex, love your dry style. I’ve been in that hotel and ironed that shirt for a meeting. Even drunk those beers. Never been in an earthquake though, unless you count the feeble growling that “hit” the south of England a few years back – much like a truck driving by.…[Read more]

  • Two cracking entries in the monthly comp. Still time to grab that kudos in the half day remaining!

  • UNTITLED 452 words

     

    A leaf, the colour of burnt sugar, dried and curled into the shape of a piranha’s open maw, drifted across the path in front of her. Good. Enough of a breeze, then, to keep her cool. The last thing she wanted after her run was to turn up at Jake’s night out with a face the colour of a baboon’s bum. She checked her watch…[Read more]

  • Thea started the topic Free book in the forum Podium 4 years ago

    At long last, my first novel is about to be published!

    Signum is the first instalment of The Serpents of Caesar historical fantasy series set in an alternate first century Europe – the Roman Empire, but not as we know it…

    If anyone would like a free ARC eBook of Signum, please message me and I will send you the link. It’s FREE for the next two w…[Read more]

    • Libby replied 4 years ago

      Brilliant news @thea! I love the tag line, ‘the Roman Empire but not as we know it.’
      Will it be available in print as well as ebook?

      • Thea replied 4 years ago

        Thanks so much, Libby. Yes, hoping to have a print book in the new year.

    • Kate replied 4 years ago

      Fantastic news, Thea. I’m a print book person too. I love your short stories, so will look forward to getting myself a copy of this in the new year

      • Thea replied 4 years ago

        Thank you so much, Kate. I will keep you posted re the paperback 🙂

    • Raine replied 4 years ago

      COngrats!! That’s wonderful! Who is it with? Good luck with it 🙂

  • RichardB posted an update 4 years ago

    This afternoon an email from Jericho Writers piqued my curiosity and sent me to their home page. Scrolling down, I came to the we-helped-these-writers-get-published-so-we-can-help-you bit. Looking through the brief profiles (two of which are of people many here will know well) I noticed that in three cases the person concerned was described as ‘a…[Read more]

    • Libby replied 4 years ago

      Or alumna 😉
      Every so often I read a badly written JW message. I think they’re doing stuff either in a hurry or are a bit understaffed.

  • Far TMI!! Our first autumn spider in the kitchen sink this morning (usually they wait until Steve’s away and I’m stark naked before ambushing).

  • October. In the UK and Western Europe, spiders are in evidence around our dwelling places at this time of year. Some believe that the cold weather brings them in, but it turns out they’re just looking for a bit of love and affection. They were always there. OK, I admit it, I don’t like them. Mainly they’re fine. I’ve held a tarantula, and most…[Read more]

  • Thanks for a wonderful prompt Clebs. I thoroughly enjoyed writing my piece and it feels as though it might develop a bit. Plus, you got a pretty wonderful bunch of other entries. Well done all.

  • Well done, Ath. Great voice (as always!) And thanks, Clebs, for prompting me to write something (anything!) even though I had no idea where I was going with it 🙂 (The only thing I was sure about was that whoever Amelia is, she’s no benevolent being).

    Sandra, I’d like to see more of yours if you develop it and Alex, good job on taking the…[Read more]

  • Well deserved, Athelstone, and thank you Clebs for the topic which at least sent me back to the primary sources to size up the task again. Thanks to all entrants for a feast of post gathering events.

  • RichardB posted an update 4 years ago

    Went to the cattery this morning after returning from holiday to find that our cat had succumbed to kidney failure while we were away. She was a gentle, affectionate soul and much loved. Plus, we both have rather nasty colds. Not the the best homecoming.

    • Libby replied 4 years ago

      Oh, that’s sad, Richard. I’m familiar with the pain of losing a loved cat.
      I hope the colds clear up soon.

    • Oh, Richard, what a shame. Such upsetting news to come home to .

    • Oh no, really sorry to hear that Richard

  • After a hectic few hours, it was lovely to sit down and read these entries. Thank you all for taking the time to enter.

    Athelstone – I felt very close to your character. When I finished reading I felt very sad.

    Seagreen –  I thoroughly enjoyed this. The final paragraph was lovely to read. Who is Ameilia I wonder?

    Sandra – I found this very inte…[Read more]

  • Clebs posted an update 4 years ago

    The September monthly competition closes at midnight tomorrow.

    I appreciate how busy everyone is but I would love to read other peoples perceptions of what happened after a gathering.
    Clebs

  • Not quite fulfilling the brief but it’s this or nothing.

    The post-gathering I should most like to write the aftermath of, did time and ability permit is the one which took place following the reading of the will of Thomas Hutchinson Goodfellow, my husband’s great-grandfather, following his death in Tottenham in 1891, age 73.
    That it was…[Read more]

  • After the Gathering

    There was never an invitation. No surprise email in your inbox, no speculative phone call while your mouth was full of the last of the chocolate brownies, and no snatched conversation as you unloaded your shopping in the supermarket queue.

    ‘Have you heard? Amelia’s having another one of her get-togethers this weekend. It see…[Read more]

  • Athelstone posted an update 4 years, 1 month ago

    Just 5 days left for Clebs’ excellent monthly comp. Thinking-caps and writing-hands!

  • After the Gathering

    I shan’t go next year.

    I mean, Tom wasn’t there. Jackie spent the whole evening talking to Spence and nobody can get a word in with those two. And Pete. That was a shock. Pete’s joined the choir eternal. Playing three-card brag with St Peter more like.

    ‘So you don’t have to.’ That was his thing. I remember when he broke hi…[Read more]

  • Raine posted an update 4 years, 1 month ago

    Hi all, just dropping by to catch up on the annual challenge & whisper that a previous challenge story (Bathymetry) has just won the British Fantasy Award for Best Short Fiction. So thank you all for being part of such an inspiring annual event. 🙂

  • On my third attempt. The previous two kept wanting to turn into short stories!

  • Squidge posted an update 4 years, 1 month ago

    Dipping in to say hi… ridiculously busy at the mo with Life, so barely time to breathe, let alone write! How is everyone doing at the moment, following the Queen’s death? Whether you’re for the monarchy or not, it seems to have impacted nearly everyone I’ve spoken to in some way, shape, or form. Sending hugs if you need them x

    • Doing well (I think). Similarly busy, especially yesterday when I was included in a tale of lost keys which necessitated a drive from Worthing to London and back.

    • Even for a republican like me it does feel like the end of an era. Thinking about how as a Scout we had to make promises to do our duty to the Queen etc, and every time you see a post box or a coin, or hear The King, it feels strange. Very few people have known anything different – @athelstone that sounds like an incredibly trying day, was it all…[Read more]

      • Yes, no harm done, thanks.

        • Oh blimey, Ath…can imagine that being rather stressful.

          • Busy here too, but yes, life seems to feel ‘on hold’ as we witness the end of an era. While not being an ardent Royalist, I did have a lot of respect for a queen who was the unwavering anchor for her family, showing how publicity could be done properly without scandalous revelations. I think I shall miss her.

    • I had a very strong (and somewhat unexpected) emotional reaction to the death. She has always loomed large in my life as my father is an ardent royalist. I’d expected to feel a bit sad, as I did when Prince Philip died, but I burst into tears when I heard the news. We were in Scotland and very nearly passed the cortege from Balmoral to Edinburgh…[Read more]

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