Almost there for the Monthly Competition. Hurry, hurry, hurry!
Almost there for the Monthly Competition. Hurry, hurry, hurry!
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Amanda Berriman (Skylark)

  • Doug replied to the topic Positive thoughts in the forum Group logo of CoronaMoCoronaMo 3 years, 5 months ago

    Something new I’d like to share. I listen to audiobooks and podcasts every day at my job, and every so often it occurs to me there’s some classic or another I somehow never read. So, why not spin it on audio while I type? So far I’ve listened to The Gulag Archipelago, Dracula, Steinbeck’s The Moon is Down, and Shakespearean plays.

    And I’ve known…[Read more]

  • Doug replied to the topic Positive thoughts in the forum Group logo of CoronaMoCoronaMo 3 years, 5 months ago

    BTW Jules, I’m finally listening to that audio of Hamlet! And yes, it lives up to its legend.

    I wonder what literature would be like today, had there been no William Shakespeare? I’ve read that he inspired Hermann Melville to keep going with Moby Dick.

    • So glad your enjoying it! It’s amazing how many writers and artists Shakespeare infuenced – many in genres you’d never expect! 😊

  • Jules replied to the topic Positive thoughts in the forum Group logo of CoronaMoCoronaMo 3 years, 7 months ago

    Well done on the short story acceptance, Doug.

  • Doug replied to the topic Positive thoughts in the forum Group logo of CoronaMoCoronaMo 3 years, 7 months ago

    Yesterday I listened to the Dissecting Dragons podcast about writing for relaxation, enjoying the process of creating and not worrying so much about the outcome.

    It reminded me of something shared once by Barry B. Longyear, a writer who skyrocketed to fame in the 80’s, and it almost killed him. Fortunately he survived to tell the tale. He wrote…[Read more]

    • Thanks for sharing that, Doug. It’s great. I’ll have tk send a copy to my co-dragon 😊

    • That’s a good one, Doug… as a person of faith myself, I’ve often started new projects with a prayer, and one novel in particular benefited enormously in trying to incorporate aspects of my faith within it. Thanks for sharing

  • Doug replied to the topic Positive thoughts in the forum Group logo of CoronaMoCoronaMo 3 years, 7 months ago

    Hi Raine, thanks for asking. The story will appear in a Thirteen O’Clock Press anthology called “Chains,” about dealing with captivity, prisons and the like. Submissions are open until it’s full.

  • Raine replied to the topic Positive thoughts in the forum Group logo of CoronaMoCoronaMo 3 years, 7 months ago

    @dougk sorry for being so useless at checking in here. Hi & well done on the short story acceptance. Is it available online?
    I repeat the ‘this too shall pass’ thing to myself fairly regularly! It’s the perfect balance of hope and recognition.

  • Doug replied to the topic Positive thoughts in the forum Group logo of CoronaMoCoronaMo 3 years, 8 months ago

    I’ve been fortunate that I could keep going to my job as usual (I work for the state of Rhode Island). Though there are all kinds of safeguards, and Army & Air Force personnel about.

    An acceptance last week for a new short story, reminds me that life goes on.

    And a wise old saying reminds me that “This, too, shall pass.”

  • Squidge posted an update in the group Group logo of CoronaMoCoronaMo 3 years, 9 months ago

    Back on Tilda 3 after some hair-raising stuff with Tilda 2 edits and typesets. Got a longlisting in a comp, and Tilda 2 has been published. Things are more settled, thank goodness. Perhaps I’m just in a better headspace?

    How’s everyone else?

  • Squidge posted an update in the group Group logo of CoronaMoCoronaMo 3 years, 10 months ago

    Well, still trying to edit Tilda 3. Have made some major changes to plot to keep the reader guessing a bit longer, but seem incapable of getting it all to ‘flow’. Feels like I’m making it worse instead of better! But keeping on keeping on, regardless…

  • Raine posted an update in the group Group logo of CoronaMoCoronaMo 3 years, 11 months ago

    1900 words today despite my computer (actually) screaming at me when I first turned it on this morning! Seems to have exorcised whatever ghost that was – phew. But then realised today’s words were about a ghost of a recording of the Little Red Ridinghood story so am expecting the computer to turn on with a howl tomorrow!

  • Hello *waves* How is everyone doing? So much for my intention to spend more time in the Den – it’s been two months!! Things went a bit hectic in Feb/March with a lot of time and energy going into researching/organising stuff for Peter’s ongoing recovery/physical health. Of course many of those plans have now been cancelled! But subsitute dates are…[Read more]

    • Great to hear from you, @skylark! I’ve been wondering how you were managing with Peter with all appointments cancelled. Hope you have a good cycle out – I can imagine that big smile of his right now.

      • It was a GREAT cycle (see FB post). We’re getting on fine – just muddling through as everyone else is. I’m not sure we’re that brilliant at the physio side of things but doing something is better than nothing. It’s great to have another exercise that he can do now though. Burn up some more energy!

  • Raine posted an update in the group Group logo of CoronaMoCoronaMo 3 years, 11 months ago

    Anyone got swallows back yet? Was looking for them today but no luck yet. Walk along the beach did turn up a white sea brick though (now called Beatrice, mini lugged it home), a bit of sea tile with the letter E on, and a perfect conch shell. Along with the usual sea glass & good painting stones. A moderately good haul which will all end up in one…[Read more]

    • None at the palace yet. I checked yesterday.

    • “sea glass” – such wonderful connotations.

      • No swallows as yet but in the evening the beach (forbidden to humans) is full of birds congregating along the water line. It is getting light enough after supper to slip past the ‘interdit’ signs and watch them dart in and out of the little frothy waves or stand still on the sand and watch the sun set behind the islands.

        • What a delightful picture you paint, Raine. No, I have not seen any swallows yet, but many other birds visit our garden, as we have countryside all around our home. We are a long way from the sea and beaches, but we do have terracotta bowls of such items as you describe in our home – many dating as far back as when we lived in Cyprus! Have a…[Read more]

          • Looking out for swallows here. We only moved in in January, so not sure what the avian fauna are like, except there a rooks/ravens plucking twigs from trees and then flying off to build nests, and seagulls doing their squawking thing, and since we started putting food out the sparrows, tits and similar have been very enthusiastic, also the rats…[Read more]

            • Yes @raine, What is a sea brick?

            • 😂 It’s a brick that’s been washed up by the sea so it’s all eroded and smooth. We get a fair few normal ones but a white one was special! Sea tiles are my fav – bits of broken and smoothed ceramic from all sorts of things. Old decorated plates are the best.

    • Sounds lovely. I’ve never seen them though. Is there a reason why they wash up? Our beach, although lovely in every way, doesn’t get much washed up apart from bits of fishermen’s nets.

  • Squidge posted an update in the group Group logo of CoronaMoCoronaMo 3 years, 11 months ago

    Hi all. Been having problems logging in again, but Jules has worked her magic and got me into the Den.

    How are you all doing? I’m a bit like Kaz – head space not into writing much, so editing Tilda 3 is very slow going. I mean, how hard can it be to describe an underground (ie in a cavern) market? We’ve taken to cooking and baking with the kids…[Read more]

    • Hi Squidge. Much the same as you, my head space is not into writing. I’m doing what I can and have forgiven myself for the fact it’s so slow. Apart from that we’re pottering on, enjoying the glorious weather from the safety of our own garden and surrounding countryside during the permitted hour a day we’re allowed out.Nature is slowly expanding to…[Read more]

      • Hello, Squidge and Jane. I was interested to read how present circumstances are affecting your writing. Like you two, I am keeping busy (and maybe distracted) with the simple things of life and enjoying the slower pace, actually. Not to say there isn’t the general underlying anxiety, but trying to keep hopeful and positive despite all the…[Read more]

  • KazG posted an update in the group Group logo of CoronaMoCoronaMo 3 years, 12 months ago

    Popping in to say hello – I’ve been in a most peculiar head space and sure it’s do to with It That Shall Not Be Named, but slowly getting some focus and clarity back. I’ve felt like a cabbage moth, flitting from here to there and never really settling, when I need to channel the caterpillar, with her steady devouring progress.

    Also, I had some…[Read more]

    • Thanks for the catch-up Kaz – and brilliant (and not undeserved) news about the residency. Fingers crossed all will come to pass … whenever.

      • Fingers crossed from me too @kazg. A lovely boost though.

        • Retreat sounds amazing Kaz – and I am totally not surprised they were won over by the Needlies!! Love them so much. On the + side, by the time this is all calmed down a bit, you will be in SERIOUS need of a bit of time away, so it’s nice to know there is that waiting for you. How is Book2 going atm?

  • Raine posted an update in the group Group logo of CoronaMoCoronaMo 4 years ago

    Submitted a bunch of flash things to various magazines today AND did my monthly comp entry. For day 1 of homeschooling, I’m giving myself a gold star! 🙂

    • Jules replied 4 years ago

      Well done, Raine. I managed a newsletter and 1000 words of current wip but a) I don’f have children so I did not have home schooling to contend with and b) every one of those words felt like I extracted them with pliers!

    • That’s good going, Raine. Your comp entry is amazing.

      • Raine replied 4 years ago

        Aw fankyoo! I am pantsing everything (writing and life) at the moment, but it was a fun one to write. 🙂

  • Jill replied to the topic Positive thoughts in the forum Group logo of CoronaMoCoronaMo 4 years ago

    Thank you Jane and Raine. My immediate intention is to revisit/re edit a book for younger children and my Lucy Rainbow ‘opus’ with a view to submitting them again. Also to continue working on something which combines new prose and my past poetry. May never be a market for that but it will give me great satisfaction and may be of interest to fam…[Read more]

    • Raine replied 4 years ago

      Sounds like a nice range of projects for you to move between when the mood takes you! I struggle with the multi-projecting, which is all I’ve been doing for aaaages, but I’m hoping to actually pick one project and stick for it for a while!

      • Jill replied 4 years ago

        Oh! How I emphasise . Lovely to have so many ideas, but must focus on one of a time if possible. On the other hand, I suspect we are both skilled multitaskers in many areas!

        • I envy you both. I find it very difficult to work on more than one thing at a time.

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