@squidge
Active 1 month ago-
Squidge posted an update 5 years, 10 months ago
How’s everyone doing as things start to ease? Had some tricky deadlines to meet (note to self- read the blasted edit properly first time, and don’t leave it to the typeset to make some plot changes) so haven’t been around.
Sock production has reduced now the weather’s improved, but gardening has increased. Not that I’m a gardener, really. More…[Read more]
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Squidge replied to the topic Monthly comp – May 2020 in the forum Monthly Competition 5 years, 10 months ago
Sorry – have had a deadline on the novel, so completely forgot about the May comp! Well done Jill!
And thanks for the comments, Libby. You read a lot more into my little walk than I realised or intended… 😉
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It’s interesting when a piece of writing develops a life of its own. And encouraging too I hope 🙂
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Squidge replied to the topic Monthly comp – May 2020 in the forum Monthly Competition 5 years, 11 months ago
A circuitous route – the same-old, same-old – but not so taken for granted as once it was.
Hot grey asphalt, its dull top layer peeled back by sun and tyres, glistening wet and black under, suggestive of a just-laid stickiness.
Pavements littered with the faded shadows of chalked rainbow messages to un-caped crusaders or old-fashioned hopscotch…[Read more]
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Squidge posted a new activity comment 5 years, 11 months ago
Mixed feelings about the whole school thing here – some are going back, some not, some parents agree, some don’t… Having seen reports where teh libraries are being taped off with hazard tape to stop the kids handling books, I don’t think I’ll be putting my volunteer librarian hat back on for some time…
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Yes, much as I and the mini are missing school (!), I am so glad we aren’t in England & facing going back to schools when it isn’t safe and when the measures schools are forced to use seem to be stripping all joy and light out of the school environment. Those photos of taped off bookshelves, and of chalked squares in the playground make me feel sick.
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Squidge posted an update in the group
CoronaMo 5 years, 11 months agoWell, 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…
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Squidge posted a new activity comment 5 years, 11 months ago
Hullo!! Glad you found your way into the Den. Look forward to seeing the story develop x
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Squidge replied to the topic Monthly comp – April 2020 in the forum Monthly Competition 5 years, 11 months ago
Well done, Libby! Loved your piece. Interesting to read the stories behind the objects from everyone.
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Squidge posted a new activity comment 5 years, 12 months ago
I saw this too – wondered whether to sign up this time.
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I’m not going to rush into it, but it might have some interesting bits – along with those I mentioned earlier 🙂
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I’m thinking about it too although our broadband connection may not be upto it. I’ve told my SE course group about our internet troubles several times recently. I’m becoming a broadband bore. Anyway, a stand-alone 121 therefore might suit me well if I choose to go for one.
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Squidge posted an update in the group
CoronaMo 6 years agoHi 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]
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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]
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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]
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Squidge replied to the topic Monthly comp – April 2020 in the forum Monthly Competition 6 years ago
Not the best poetry, but hey ho…
It has no chain, though once it might,
It’s on a shelf, mainly out of sight.
I wound it up and heard it tick
Then set the hands with a firmer click.
Triangles mark the quarter hours
and rectangles? The intervals and other hours.
It’s made by Smiths, a British firm
Not Timex, Rolex or another well known.
It’s…[Read more] -
Squidge posted an update in the group
CoronaMo 6 years, 1 month agoSounds fab, Raine. x
Am feeling overwhelmed today and looking for positive things, so this is great.
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Squidge replied to the topic The $2,000,000 Guitar in the forum Blogs 6 years, 1 month ago
Blimey – and I think my son’s nuts for setting his sights on a bass that’s selling for £5K!
Mind you, he’s got one custom built bass, courtesy of Mr Squidge, and apparently he plans to build another custom ‘normal’ guitar this summer, so who knows what they’ll be worth in years to come…?
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Squidge replied to the topic Recent agent experience in the forum Blogs 6 years, 1 month ago
Coming to this late…but hugs to both Hil and Janette… Agents can be beetles at times, can’t they? Fill us full of hope and then dash us down. We are stronger than they think though – we get back up and live to fight another day, and keep writing, whatever they say.
Hil, your writing is gorgeous, and you have deservedly got agent interest.…[Read more] -
Squidge replied to the topic Short story in Barren magazine in the forum Podium 6 years, 1 month ago
Fab news, Daeds, x
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Squidge started the topic When your writing needs a retreat in the forum Blogs 6 years, 1 month ago
Hullo Denizens! Apologies I’ve not been visible recently; have had a few issues with logging in, and I’ve been working on Tildas 3 & 4. And I’ve been on retreat…
Remember Conker and Moira from the Cloud? They run writing retreats and I booked myself onto their Spring one last week, and have written three blogs about the experience. The first is…[Read more]
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Squidge replied to the topic Mid grade 1st chapter in the forum Critiques 6 years, 2 months ago
It’s still possible to get in close, even using third person. It’s a bit of a knack, to get into your character’s head in this way – I often find myself rewriting complete paras when editing, because by the end of the book I’m so familiar with my character I can tell how they’re going to react, what they’re feeling or thinking. It’s a weird place…[Read more]
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Squidge replied to the topic Mid grade 1st chapter in the forum Critiques 6 years, 2 months ago
Hi Kate, it’s pitched about right, I think.
I wondered about the amount of description initially – and where it just touches on backstory/info dump when your MC says she’s never been there before. Can you rework something along the lines of ‘In all my sneaking around, I’d never managed to see inside, and I wasn’t disappointed on this, my first…[Read more]
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Squidge replied to the topic Dipping my toe back in in the forum Blogs 6 years, 2 months ago
Skylark! Hullo! So glad you’re here with us after such a long and difficult break. I’m not around here as often as I’d like to be either, but it’s lovely to know that the Den’s still here, even if I’m not.
First drafts are a pain, aren’t they, when you revisit and find all the issues you missed in the excitement of getting it down initially.…[Read more]
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I second that approach to gardening, Squidge. It’s been a weird couple of months but I have got a lot of writing done. Loved the cover for the second Tilda book btw!
Thank you! I’m really interested to see what Bink give Tilda for the other books…there are bones in 3, dragons in 4 and I’m still working out number 5! 😉 All I do know is that the colour of the books will reflect the region where the action happens – so we’ve had red and green, still got yellow, purple and blue to come.