Amanda Berriman (Skylark)

Ever so late to this, sorry – only just read it.
My take on it is not to sweat what everyone else could do, but to focus on what *you* can do to protect yourself. To take back the power. You are, after all, the most important person in your world.
A long time ago I lived in a rough area and was mugged and the guy had a knife. This left me…[Read more]

So…I live in an East Midlands town. With a university, a canal, a market, wealthy hillside houses, poorer terraces town centre and large housing estates springing up on the outskirts. So if you need to run any specifics past anyone, let me know!

But…for a story of abduction and return, perhaps it doesn’t matter which of the settings you pick.…[Read more]

Thank you everyone. For the moment, the Doubt Demons have gone to sulk in a corner, so I’m going to use the opportunity to crack on with my WIP.

Personally unless it’s sci-fi I prefer quaint, pretty and historic; something a little like Lyra’s Oxford in Philip Pullman’s books. I love geography; rivers, canals, trees, paths, places that go somewhere and places that separate, forgotten parts of the city are all good stuff that I find can augment the sense of place; think “Bodies of Water” by…[Read more]

That seems short-sighted, to put it mildly! It’s good practice for any personnel in public-facing roles to have some kind of conflict resolution training, IMO. I’ve had a quick look online and found some courses (no idea how good they are, I’m afraid) that are as little as two hours and as inexpensive as £25 per person. You’re doing the right…[Read more]

Philippa: Something that makes setting interesting is its ability to surprise. I’m thinking of JK Rowling’s Casual Vacancy, set in a quaint and fairly well-off Cotswold town that in fact has a lot of socioeconomic problems hiding beneath the surface – poverty, drug abuse. That tension within the setting informs much of the conflict in the…[Read more]

For anyone who is interested, I spoke to the club about their plans to deal with future incidents. I suggested conflict resolution training, Daeds.

I was then told that their only plan has been to tell staff they can lock themselves into the office if they feel scared. I hope aeroplane cabin crew will not be following that example and locking…[Read more]

Wonderful news. Well done, you.

You are scorching hot at the moment. Long may it last!

Hurray! Well done, Janette. That’s brilliant news.

Lincoln would make an awesome setting! It has the historic beauty, and university ‘affluence’ but also the mid/north deprivation. I would think, being as you are looking at family secrets, and being as the rich, chic family with secrets is a trope probably too predictable… I like the reflection you could build from a very historic setting -…[Read more]

I AM SO BLOODY EXCITED!

You could have an industrial ‘dirty old town’ with back-to-back terraced housing where the kids still play in the streets, ancient pubs, pawn shops and run down motor repair lots and a ‘new’ posh housing estate with a children’s’ playground and the area by the canal nicely landscaped, built on the site of an old factory that went out of business.…[Read more]

Hi Philippa,

Yes, I think this version is considerably better, and the point you make about when the possession occurs is a good one.
The trick is condensing a fairly comprehensive physiology. I’ve made the manananggal a species that can reproduce, rather than a single entity. Galina is first possessed in her mother’s womb, and the spirit lies…[Read more]

Hi Philippa,

The tension in the child / parent relationship could be enhanced by creating a similar displacement in the setting.

For example, an ugly estate next to a historic castle, or by contrasting the conditions: a pretty village suffering some extreme weather, like flooding / gales.
Similarly, have poor people in an affluent area.
(For me,…[Read more]

Lincoln covers most of the things on the list, I think, plus students and being hilly.

What are the family like?