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Sandra replied to the topic Monthly competition June 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 week ago
<h3>Prior to the magic going black</h3>
<h3>June 23rd, Caithness</h3>
Pre-dawn on a midsummer morning, Tait Duncan, drove south-east along an A1 empty of all but Highlands-bound supermarket wagons, conscience similarly uncluttered by the lie he’d last night told his wife as to the reason for his early morning departure. (In what had become th…[Read more]
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Terrie replied to the topic Monthly competition May 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 week, 3 days ago
Congrats, Jill.
Looking forward to seeing the prompt for June .
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Sandra replied to the topic Monthly competition May 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 week, 3 days ago
A fascinating quartet of music-generated memories resulting in stories that couldn’t help but provide their own soundtracks. Ath’s tale fully matched the discordant challenging streetwise vibes of the music chosen. Libby’s rich musical pot-pourri connected brilliantly with the warmth of disparate family interactions. Terrie’s combining ne…[Read more]
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Terrie replied to the topic Monthly competition May 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 week, 3 days ago
Songs from the charts 31st October 1998 –
Aerosmith ‘I don’t want to miss a thing’
Bachman Turner Overdrive – ‘You aint seen nothing yet.’
Contains one, bleeped, swear word.
True story
This story involves my youngest daughter, who’s the sassy, won’t give an inch if she thinks she is in the right, type, and the anniversar…[Read more]
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Sandra replied to the topic Monthly competition May 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 week, 5 days ago
MONTHLY COMP ALERT – I was hoping for earworms, from songs I remember but despite two excellent entries, I feel a little disappointed so more Top Ten memories by Sunday night would be much appreciated.
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Sandra posted an update 1 month, 1 week ago
May’s monthly comp is up – something to inspire lots of you I hope!
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Sandra started the topic Monthly competition May 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 month, 1 week ago
What I’d like you do for May’s competition is
1) choose a significant anniversary in your life: e.g. birthday, wedding, first child: graduation – then,
2 ) Google the UK Top 10 singles chart for that week.
3) select two, three or four song titles from that list and,
4) use them (loosely if necessary!) as a basis for a short story, of…[Read more]
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Sandra replied to the topic Monthly Competition April 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 month, 1 week ago
Thank you , Terrie, both for the challenge and your comments on both my entry and Jill’s excellently crafted, sensitive story. I’ll aim to set something for June by the end of today.
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Terrie replied to the topic Monthly Competition April 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 month, 1 week ago
Jill – this story was woven with the muted grey overtones of something unpleasant being cast off. I enjoyed how you linked the idea of metamorphosis with the prompt word butterfly as well as showing the protagonist dealing with the stages of an abusive relationship and its outcome with quiet strength too. Perceptively written.
Sandra, I loved…[Read more]
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Terrie replied to the topic Monthly Competition April 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 month, 1 week ago
Just to remind everyone there are only two days left until the end of the April competion and as there are only two entries so far, both equally as worthy of being chosen as the other, I may have to resort to flipping a coin or standing at midnight by candlelight and chanting one of those weird childhood choosing rhymes ….mid…[Read more]
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Sandra replied to the topic A Step Into Indie Publishing in the forum Blogs 1 month, 2 weeks ago
Thank you for this Janette; as a Blurb self-publisher , (but not seller), I much appreciate this breakdown of your experiences .
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Sandra replied to the topic A bit "poorly" in the forum Blogs 1 month, 2 weeks ago
I’ve always found the same, right up to last week with the theatre nurse who held my hand while my eye was bring anatheasised for an op. bless him. (all well post op.)
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Sandra replied to the topic A bit "poorly" in the forum Blogs 1 month, 2 weeks ago
Crikey Moses, William, I’m heart-heartedly glad to hear you are home and hopefully on your way to some sort of recovery – what a torrid time you and your family must have gone through, and thank you for updating us so vividly.
Sendng love and the most healingest of good wishes
Sandra
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Sandra replied to the topic Monthly Competition April 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 month, 3 weeks ago
Untitled
‘Gobsmacked’ the inelegant word that came to mind when I read the letter. What else would you expect , being told your three year-old daughter’s poem had been awarded first prize ? A prize which earned her up to three sittings with well-renowned portrait artist Bernard Broom. Especially when I’d not an inkling she’d written any…[Read more]
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Terrie started the topic Monthly Competition April 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition 2 months, 1 week ago
I decided not to go with the traditional kinds of prompts associated with April and simply picked four words at random that must be included in your comp entry about anything in any genre that inspires your creative preference in 450 words or less.
The four words are :- Portrait Ignite Butterfly & Granite
 …[Read more]
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Terrie replied to the topic Monthly ompetition March 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition 2 months, 1 week ago
Thank you for helping out here Janette, and thank for choosing my offereing as winner. I felt all the entries captured Ath’s remit for this March madness comp so well done Jill, Sandra,Libby and Sea.
The April comp challenge will be posted shortly .
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Sandra replied to the topic Monthly ompetition March 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition 2 months, 1 week ago
Thank you Janette – you did us proud with thoughtful comments, and well done for every other entry, all of which fitted the remit much more closely than my hastily-grabbed from a long-ago hidden in the drawer novel.
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Sandra replied to the topic Monthly ompetition March 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition 2 months, 1 week ago
Janette has kindly volunteered !!
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Sandra replied to the topic Monthly ompetition March 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition 2 months, 1 week ago
Having heard Athelstone indisposed again, it’s unlikely he’ll be be judging this any time soon
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Terrie replied to the topic Monthly ompetition March 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition 2 months, 3 weeks ago
You asked for mad? Well, here’s the slice of crackpot absurdity I came up with .
The necklace of tiny silver bells about her neck tinkled softly as she backed against the garden wall. ‘You’re all mad, you know,’ she muttered holding the sharp seed dibber, labelled ‘Mr Pointy’, like a knife at the advancing crowd.
At the front of the group,…[Read more]
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