Den of Writers | Van Demal | Friends Activity https://www.denofwriters.com/members/vandemal/activity/friends/ Activity feed for Van Demal's friends. Sat, 18 Apr 2026 08:22:13 +0000 https://buddypress.org/?v= en-GB 30 hourly 2 105c582de3e50703971976d596f14a99 Jules replied to the topic Choices in the forum September Song https://www.denofwriters.com/groups/september-song/forum/topic/choices-7/#post-16941 Sun, 12 Oct 2025 17:43:39 +0000 Rain

The Morning Gift

]]> 0 ca4b3d1236938fd132ca955ddd315615 Jules joined the group September Song https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/24811/ Sun, 12 Oct 2025 17:40:15 +0000 0 177e23d4f1739b3afa0591cf57bae85b Jules replied to the topic Chit Chat in the forum A Different Time https://www.denofwriters.com/groups/a-different-time/forum/topic/chit-chat-6/#post-15692 Tue, 01 Oct 2024 07:57:27 +0000 Asper usual, I have no ideas at all yet. Knowing me, it’ll be something weird though ????

]]> 0 d8adf8d70b1e61ba9e68ee233e722e95 Jules joined the group A Different Time https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/23401/ Sun, 29 Sep 2024 19:33:06 +0000 0 3ceec4455e6d6b979f3004a94b43fee8 KazG posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/23015/#acomment-23050 Sat, 29 Jun 2024 01:56:27 +0000 That’s such exciting news – congratulations, Kate! I’m sure your charming, quirky duo will enchant many young readers. xx

In reply to - Kate posted an update I wanted to let you know that I’ve finally gone ahead and published my humorous middle grade book. I’m very excited! Some of you may remember the characters Pix and Gabe from one of […] ]]> a698d2a2e788a1ec2454e0d33549c97c KazG posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/21732/#acomment-22061 Thu, 26 Oct 2023 22:14:52 +0000 me neither, John! It will be interesting…

In reply to - KazG posted an update in the group Whodunnit? never written a whodunnit! But I LOVED Agatha when I was a young reader, so let’s see if anything useful sank in. Thank you, Ath! ]]> f6da60997dfc60482e74c17d68278a00 KazG replied to the topic Choices in the forum Whodunnit? https://www.denofwriters.com/groups/whodunnit/forum/topic/choices-6/#post-14231 Sat, 02 Sep 2023 22:58:33 +0000 Arithmetic

Candlestick

Comical

]]> 0 0fe702463c097ab8d58907c4d0e00ba7 KazG posted an update in the group Whodunnit?: never written a whodunnit! But I LOVED Agatha when I was a […] https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/21732/ Sat, 02 Sep 2023 22:55:51 +0000 never written a whodunnit! But I LOVED Agatha when I was a young reader, so let’s see if anything useful sank in. Thank you, Ath!

]]> 2 fc399346db0c128c3f47a0b0ee8ab63f KazG joined the group Whodunnit? https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/21731/ Sat, 02 Sep 2023 22:55:03 +0000 0 691a1325f4dd8a825a8055d03b012445 Jules replied to the topic Choices in the forum Whodunnit? https://www.denofwriters.com/groups/whodunnit/forum/topic/choices-6/#post-14207 Mon, 28 Aug 2023 11:46:38 +0000 Reading, candlestick, comical

]]> 0 13f3f04787add50764ed44ca5d1ef1e6 Jules joined the group Whodunnit? https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/21702/ Mon, 28 Aug 2023 11:43:29 +0000 0 b2daccd86a54d05aa2cf758db4b24359 Jules replied to the topic Choices in the forum All You Need https://www.denofwriters.com/groups/all-you-need/forum/topic/choices-5/#post-12634 Wed, 24 Aug 2022 10:55:56 +0000 Town – Droop

Choice – yes there is

]]> 0 ba2ba875fc4c00158bccf5a9f037126c Jules joined the group All You Need https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/19994/ Wed, 24 Aug 2022 10:09:04 +0000 0 b0268c44345a033e042b99c0716f285c KazG posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/19124/#acomment-19204 Tue, 15 Mar 2022 10:35:29 +0000 Oh Ath, what a beautiful and heartrending tribute. I’m so sorry you’ve lost your old friend xx

In reply to - Athelstone started the topic I Remember in the forum Blogs I remember meeting you, in 1978. The person who introduced you said you were a good bloke. It didn’t recommend you to me. But as the evening wore on, you d […] ]]> eac74f1bbdb7070b7323576b43ae2431 Jules replied to the topic Choices in the forum Coming Home https://www.denofwriters.com/groups/coming-home/forum/topic/choices-4/#post-10775 Tue, 24 Aug 2021 21:49:40 +0000 Animal
Cheese
Bran

]]> 0 ae022fd304cdeadad33c2ecc985addff Jules joined the group Coming Home https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/17970/ Tue, 24 Aug 2021 21:47:17 +0000 0 ce755ad43b0a7e74475684243f5e4095 KazG replied to the topic Choices in the forum Coming Home https://www.denofwriters.com/groups/coming-home/forum/topic/choices-4/#post-10750 Thu, 19 Aug 2021 00:55:35 +0000 Animal
vegetable
Desiderata

]]> 0 22b8f63f98b826c339b0b7ee5acae45e KazG joined the group Coming Home https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/17937/ Thu, 19 Aug 2021 00:53:45 +0000 0 00d8e69095674856672370ed50380716 KazG replied to the topic The Future of the Den in the forum Blogs https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/the-future-of-the-den/page/2/#post-10568 Mon, 19 Jul 2021 23:17:27 +0000 Phew! Nothing new to add to add really. I don’t spend much time here because I’m spread way too thin as it is – life is crazy trying to keep a travel business alive during this time and also publicise book one and edit book two and I genuinely struggle with fitting it all in and not burning out.

However – when I do have time and inclination,…[Read more]

]]> 0 76667ba4398d2ce70944e763e58a67bc KazG replied to the topic Cover reveal for This Is Our Undoing in the forum Podium https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/cover-reveal-for-this-is-our-undoing/#post-9996 Wed, 17 Mar 2021 05:05:51 +0000 Yes, my thoughts exactly @athelstone. I did the same thing – I specifically asked my publisher to brief the designer to NOT include illustrations of the characters, for precisely the reasons you say. I wanted the kids to have ownership of them. Silhouettes are fine, but not drawings. Funny how we all feel the same about this!

]]> 0 81c54ef352e5ea22c1fe8f8e8c4ec8b3 KazG replied to the topic Cover reveal for This Is Our Undoing in the forum Podium https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/cover-reveal-for-this-is-our-undoing/#post-9954 Sat, 13 Mar 2021 04:42:37 +0000 I gushed all over this on social media and have only just seen it here – so congratulations on a thing of beauty (autocorrect tried to make that a ‘biting of beauty’, and perhaps I should have let it), which is quite perfect. xx

]]> 0 2eabe96a6c5d5ae689002d20d2c810f9 KazG replied to the topic Short story in the forum Podium https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/short-story-2/#post-9953 Sat, 13 Mar 2021 04:41:04 +0000 That’s brilliant, Kate! Well deserved, a wonderful story 😊

]]> 1 952f6c9fdeab07b09dfdb6ee8ecad7f9 KazG replied to the topic Good news on the lyric writing front in the forum Podium https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/good-news-on-the-lyric-writing-front/#post-9952 Sat, 13 Mar 2021 04:36:54 +0000 Wow, that’s fantastic! Sorry, I’ve just seen this, but congratulations – a fabulous achievement. 😍

]]> 0 f8b9fbfc02a44fdd9bc489593de84ec6 KazG posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/16500/#acomment-16517 Sun, 07 Feb 2021 20:56:33 +0000 and I’ve just bumped in!! Hooray, now for the reading 😅

In reply to - Athelstone posted an update Things that go bump: 24 hours ]]> 93e08739f299efa110305eefe3c80b3b KazG posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/16423/#acomment-16438 Tue, 02 Feb 2021 08:02:49 +0000 It is a thing of BEAUTY and I just love it, @raine! It’s so perfect for your prose – it’s mysterious and evocative and moody with an edge of wildness, and fox. It’s perfect! SO exciting isn’t it? xxx

In reply to - Raine started the topic Cover reveal for This Is Our Undoing in the forum Podium Hey all, Just wanted to show you the cover for my book – I can’t post pictures here, but this link takes you to a wee blogpost. I […] ]]> d0b9e2e4c4c2885f60b7071a14697328 KazG replied to the topic Cover reveal! in the forum Podium https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/cover-reveal-2/#post-9330 Sun, 20 Dec 2020 22:19:04 +0000 Thanks Doug! Yes I do feel lucky 😊

]]> 0 0c325b1de2d7ef61459bfb9a1824a526 KazG replied to the topic Traditional or Self-Publishing? in the forum The Writers' Lifeboat https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/traditional-or-self-publishing/#post-9324 Sat, 19 Dec 2020 22:30:18 +0000 Hi Doug, @raine and @janeshuff have both given you great feedback and I agree with them both (though Jane’s reply keeps vanishing! It’s like a hall of mirrors in here sometimes).

Thought I would jump in and give my ha’penny’s worth – I was lucky enough to be signed up by an agent and get a deal with a trad publisher (Penguin Random House) which…[Read more]

]]> 0 831955e2405e1f4d64f32168109c6cdd KazG started the topic Cover reveal! in the forum Podium https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/cover-reveal-2/ Sat, 19 Dec 2020 21:48:38 +0000 My cover art for When Days Tilt – the first book in my series (which is only two books long atm) – is here and it’s beautiful! So very happy with this – the publisher created it with a designer and I had input at the very beginning, but have been sitting back biting my nails ever since. I was convinced I would be disappointed (my expectations were…[Read more]

]]> 0 9d49cbddc64aad8b984df330f5a84df1 KazG replied to the topic Indie publishing deal in the forum Podium https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/indie-publishing-deal-2/#post-9321 Sat, 19 Dec 2020 21:41:02 +0000 It’s SO brilliant @janeshuff and its heartening to see these indie presses opening the field up to interesting, less mainstream and more diverse work. The publishing field could do with some opening up and its good to see it happening here. So happy your work has found a good home! See you out there in 2021! 👏🍾

]]> 0 8f2b7e7faebaa15ed0542f1ff13c5702 Jules posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/15583/#acomment-15611 Tue, 20 Oct 2020 18:05:04 +0000 So glad your enjoying it! It’s amazing how many writers and artists Shakespeare infuenced – many in genres you’d never expect! 😊

In reply to - Doug replied to the topic Positive thoughts in the forum CoronaMo 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 […] ]]> 5f8f95c87edcb37977048c34fe4fac94 KazG posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/15382/#acomment-15430 Tue, 22 Sep 2020 03:15:52 +0000 My lovely, I feel for you and know just what you mean!! It’s real, and it will be permanent, and that is full of daunt. But forget all that. You have to. You probably have an ideal reader when you write? Write for them. Make it good for THEM. And a work of art is never finished, merely abandoned. You will have to walk away at some point, but…[Read more]

In reply to - Raine posted an update So turns out all my submissions are made in the spirit of ‘This is the best I can get it right now, but I’m sure it’ll change again down the road’. Because this edit is an actual ‘This […] ]]> 375b7c673104db7ea1cbbfb36c5f0f16 KazG posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/15302/#acomment-15319 Thu, 10 Sep 2020 22:12:38 +0000 I remember that piece of brilliance very clearly – so well deserved @raine! I can’t tell you how delighted I am that your work is finally getting the plaudits it deserves!! Whoop whoop from down here xxx

In reply to - Raine started the topic Cloudie short story challenge publication in the forum Podium Hi all, thought you’d be interested to know that ‘Bathymetry’, a short story which came out of a previous winter short story […] ]]> c5d7088061412f4e0e32c1c82db7d73d Jules posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/15302/#acomment-15316 Thu, 10 Sep 2020 07:10:31 +0000 Brilliant news, Raine. Congratulations 😊

In reply to - Raine started the topic Cloudie short story challenge publication in the forum Podium Hi all, thought you’d be interested to know that ‘Bathymetry’, a short story which came out of a previous winter short story […] ]]> 7cb5667114563e3686ad5eefb902ecbf KazG replied to the topic Choices in the forum Things that go bump https://www.denofwriters.com/groups/things-that-go-bump/forum/topic/choices-3/#post-8795 Fri, 04 Sep 2020 01:12:12 +0000 Home
unbeliever
necklace

]]> 0 51ce7616c9a2b2dbc5fd5f683ee274d6 KazG joined the group Things that go bump https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/15274/ Fri, 04 Sep 2020 01:05:16 +0000 0 78c0bba83e9b6a51e0373e75287416b9 Jules posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/15241/#acomment-15260 Wed, 02 Sep 2020 08:42:29 +0000 This is just the best news. So pleased for you. And it’s about time your exquisite work got the attention it derserves 😊

In reply to - Raine started the topic Indie publishing deal in the forum Podium For anyone who hasn’t seen this on FB or Twitter… Some news… https://www.lunapresspublishing.com/post/welcome-to-the-family-lorraine-wilson Its a […] ]]> 4f888c4b652fb4655969a32901a2350a KazG posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/15241/#acomment-15254 Wed, 02 Sep 2020 05:10:01 +0000 Yaayy! I’m SO SO delighted about this news, and they are very lucky publishers to have snapped you up. What a wonderful team you make. Just surprised it’s taken this long but now your gorgeous prose will be out in the world. So happy for you lovely! xx

In reply to - Raine started the topic Indie publishing deal in the forum Podium For anyone who hasn’t seen this on FB or Twitter… Some news… https://www.lunapresspublishing.com/post/welcome-to-the-family-lorraine-wilson Its a […] ]]> 12c66147405634fa338df1a09053588c Jules posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/15160/#acomment-15181 Thu, 27 Aug 2020 18:46:20 +0000 😁

In reply to - Jules replied to the topic Chit Chat in the forum Things that go bump This is great. It’s so far up my street it should be called Jules-ville. Thanks, Ath 😁 ]]> 091b3929576ad6f23b95ab69191b1cd7 Jules replied to the topic Choices in the forum Things that go bump https://www.denofwriters.com/groups/things-that-go-bump/forum/topic/choices-3/#post-8741 Wed, 26 Aug 2020 09:50:45 +0000 Home, unbeliever, vase

]]> 0 8292579069a4266b89af7cad628d1d1e Jules replied to the topic Chit Chat in the forum Things that go bump https://www.denofwriters.com/groups/things-that-go-bump/forum/topic/chit-chat-2/#post-8740 Wed, 26 Aug 2020 09:47:21 +0000 This is great. It’s so far up my street it should be called Jules-ville. Thanks, Ath 😁

]]> 2 790ac77deb6fbed27f0608a9ace43530 Jules joined the group Things that go bump https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/15159/ Wed, 26 Aug 2020 08:53:54 +0000 0 4d7322e2d77599b53b09bbe6d141d5da KazG posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/15121/#acomment-15126 Sun, 23 Aug 2020 21:37:33 +0000 Thanks for reading Libby! I hadn’t heard of Monica Dickens.

In reply to - Libby replied to the topic A gasp escaped me! in the forum Blogs I’m impressed by your research @kazg My mother used to read books by Monica Dickens, Charles’s great-granddaughter (just checked that one on […] ]]> 7454f78cff9c146bbdf7b153bb2fbec4 KazG replied to the topic A gasp escaped me! in the forum Blogs https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/a-gasp-escaped-me/#post-8704 Fri, 21 Aug 2020 09:02:30 +0000 Yes, I agree with @raine and @jillybean. Boyne is clearly lazy and arrogant with it. I recall some online stoush he had with the Auschwitz Memorial Museum (!!) when they criticised the historical accuracy of his book, and his snooty and dismissive response. I have despised him since I must say. I tend to research more than I need but I have a…[Read more]

]]> 0 cfdc62c063957d1e4b3c859331918f02 Jules replied to the topic Positive thoughts in the forum CoronaMo https://www.denofwriters.com/groups/coronamo/forum/topic/positive-thoughts/#post-8692 Sat, 15 Aug 2020 18:27:18 +0000 Well done on the short story acceptance, Doug.

]]> 0 18ba3bcf5fc90de070905eda3f4ab482 Jules posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/15094/#acomment-15095 Sat, 15 Aug 2020 18:26:03 +0000 Thanks for sharing that, Doug. It’s great. I’ll have tk send a copy to my co-dragon 😊

In reply to - Doug replied to the topic Positive thoughts in the forum CoronaMo Yesterday I listened to the Dissecting Dragons podcast about writing for relaxation, enjoying the process of creating and not worrying so much about […] ]]> f93a9662de65d89335b795eb01a25fbf Jules posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/15047/#acomment-15055 Tue, 11 Aug 2020 13:27:16 +0000 Haha right there with you! And I completely agree – the truth in historical terms is often far more interesting than the Everyone Knows version. Also agree that writers have to be free to make unintentional mistakes without being pilloried for them. It’s inevitable that some small detail will be wrong but as you say, why not try to be as correct…[Read more]

In reply to - Libby replied to the topic A gasp escaped me! in the forum Blogs I agree with you Jules. It’s worrying that schools will teach misleading literature. One thought from my perspective as a writer of realist […] ]]> 17adef142b9b8fb1d9de16e04a0b3780 Jules replied to the topic A gasp escaped me! in the forum Blogs https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/a-gasp-escaped-me/#post-8659 Mon, 10 Aug 2020 22:33:46 +0000 Pretty sure Stephen King now has a team of fact checkers. But yes I imagine the tone of those letters is gleeful. What I’ll say for King is that even though he’s writing speculative fiction, he portrays characters who’ve had life experiences he has not respectfully. The same cannot be said for Boyne! One of the big problems with The Boy in the…[Read more]

]]> 0 f699d615128efe7aee04acfdaf678d35 KazG replied to the topic Richard's Literary Byways: The Beginning Place, by Ursula K Le Guin in the forum Blogs https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/richards-literary-byways-the-beginning-place-by-ursula-k-le-guin/#post-8567 Tue, 21 Jul 2020 00:33:10 +0000 Thank you Richard – sorry, my original reply has also slipped through a portal. I hadn’t heard of this book and as a HUGE admirer of Ursula le Guin I will do my best to remedy that (might be a challenge, from what you say). Thank you for a fascinating blog and for highlighting so clearly how fantasy can be just as powerful, if not more so, at…[Read more]

]]> 0 0cb51336b6de8a288eab42107bd2c77d KazG posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/14857/#acomment-14864 Wed, 15 Jul 2020 01:31:09 +0000 Or as Bella says, just mention that it’s from several POVs at the start and then just talk about the events without mentioning the POV it’s from as you go.

In reply to - JaneShuff posted an update i amtrying to write a synopsis for a novel with multiple timelines and viewpoints. I cannot write the synopsis so that each time and POV shift is noted because it will be too long. Do you […] ]]> 6b20348a02725aea3b2aa03e1a0e0a08 KazG posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/14857/#acomment-14863 Wed, 15 Jul 2020 01:29:55 +0000 In a word, yes. You can definitely sum in up in that tell-y sort of way in a synopsis.

In reply to - JaneShuff posted an update i amtrying to write a synopsis for a novel with multiple timelines and viewpoints. I cannot write the synopsis so that each time and POV shift is noted because it will be too long. Do you […] ]]>