SADM 2017 – Day 12 (and 100-word comp results note)

May 12, 2017Leave a comment

Having failed miserably (too much client editing so not complaining) to do Camp NaNoWriMo this year but wanting to do more writing, I decided within ten seconds of receiving the first of thirty-one emails from Brit Julie (who lives in America but times her emails for us here in Blighty) to do Story A Day May this year. I’d done my first back in 2011 then again in 2012 and finally in 2013, with almost a year’s worth of ‘Fifty 5pm Fictions’ Collections in between.

Unlike all the other stories I’ve mentioned, I’m not going to post them on this blog, sorry about that because I need a stock of short stories to submit to competitions or magazines. The pressure’s then off for me to do one a day, on the day, although I’ll try.

I will let you know how I’m getting on though, and I’ll be posting the prompts, so hope you’ll forgive me but if you want to send me the stories you write (no payment, sorry!), then feel free!

So here we are on Day 12 and if you’d like to join in, today’s prompt is:

You can find the original details at http://storyaday.org/20170512-elise, along with tips on today’s prompt.

How I’m getting on…

Erm. I started day one but nothing thereafter as I’m doing client (paying) work during the week. I was hoping to catch up this past weekend but I was at a bookshop launch all day Saturday then client editing Sunday as having a day off’ (at my mum’s) on Monday and am swamped for the rest of the week. I did however write the plots for the first five stories last night (writing friends and I meet at our local Starbucks – yummy chai latté – every Tuesday night for a two-hour write-in). I’m hoping to catch up with the plots this weekend then have written at least some of the stories by the end of the month, with the idea of spacing out my client editing better from now on, although being self employed, I never say “no” to paying work. Do let me know how you get on though.

Finally, the results of April’s 100-word competition were due to be announced today but I’ve been so swamped with client editing that I’ve not done the judging yet. I’m hoping to get them online tomorrow or Sunday, latest.

Post-weekend Poetry 139: My Old Clock I Wind by Kevin Morris

January 16, 2017January 13, 20172 Comments

Welcome to Post-weekend Poetry and the one hundred and thirty-ninth poem in this series. This week’s piece is by Kevin Morris.

My Old Clock I Wind

My old clock I wind
And much philosophy therein find.
I can bring
The pendulum’s swing
To a stop With my hand,
Yet I can not command
Time to default
On his duty and halt
The passing of the years.
He has no ears
For our laughter and tears
And his sickle will swing on
Long after we are gone.

I asked Kevin what prompted this piece and he said…

This poem came to me as I wound my antique clock which resides on the bookcase in my living room. It was manufactured in the early 1900’s (long before I was born) and will, no doubt far outlast me, while old Father Time goes on forever.

Thank you, Kevin. It was charming.

Kevin Morris was born in Liverpool on 6 January 1969. Having studied history and politics at University College Swansea, where he obtained a BA (joint hons) and an MA in political theory, Kevin moved to London where he now lives and works. Many of Kevin’s poems can be found on his website, newauthoronline.com, which contains links to all of his published works.

If you’d like to submit your poem (60 lines max) for consideration for Post-weekend Poetry take a look here or a poem for critique on the Online Poetry Writing Group (link below).

BREAKING NEWS!!!

I wrote a crime lad lit novella (48,000 words) called Hitman Sam in 2008 and over the years, edited it, left it to marinate, re-edited it, put it back, then finally this year (2016), I edited it again and sent it to my beta readers who were kind enough to give me their feedback which led to more alterations and finally, on November 2nd, it was published!

It is available for 99c / 99p (or the equivalent in your country) via http://mybook.to/HitmanSam (links to Amazon in your country) or directly via Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com etc. but before you rush over to purchase this quirky novella, do read on to find out more about it…

Blurb: Newly-redundant software designer Sam Simpson is looking for a new adventure – a cryptic advert in his local paper gives him that, and more. With two women vying for his affection, going behind their backs isn’t the smartest things he’s ever done.

This follows on just a month after my crime mystery novella, After Jessica, was published. Yay! Details below…

The second book I wrote, back in 2009, was After Jessica, a crime mystery novella published in October 2016. You can download this novella for just 99c / 99p via http://mybook.to/AfterJessica (which links to the Amazon page in your country) or directly from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com etc.

Tagline: Wind up his late sister’s affairs, Simon gets more than he bargains for.

Blurb: Jessica is an ordinary girl who comes across extraordinary circumstances and pays for them with her life. As well as identifying her body, her brother Simon then has to wind up her affairs but gets more than he bargains for. Who is Alexis, and why are Veronica and Daniel searching for her? Why is there a roll of cash in Jessica’s house, and what’s the connection between Simon’s sister and Alexis?

Post-weekend Poetry 138: Eidos by Samantha Connolly

March 7, 2016Leave a comment

Welcome to Post-weekend Poetry and the one hundred and thirty-eighth poem in this series. This week’s piece is by Samantha Connolly.

Eidos by Samantha Connolly

Hello, I say.

Acknowledgement that she exists,

unexpected now, unwanted after long denial.

I persist.

park 992384 I gesture to the park we stand before.

We see it through our window, she and I.

A throng of lives, of living, noise and movement,

weather changes, felt by those outside.

She remains beside me, silent,

staring or unseeing I cannot tell.

I turn. Through my fear I turn.

I face her now; her eyes an iridescent screen,

pale lips opening; her keen

Hello, I say, again,

my voice is scratching at the air,

I am afraid, too afraid to hold her stare.

But still I try.

Hello, I say; hello?

Rain now hitting at the glass,

along the pane its coiling flow.

Defeated, keening ceasing,

casts her eyes down.

Chill prickles me. Warmth shivers me.

Hello, she says. Hello.

I asked Samantha what prompted this piece and she said…

I was standing by the window at home looking out towards the park and it was raining. I was alone indoors and the house was silent and I felt suddenly lonely, as my husband was away for the weekend and I hadn’t made any social plans. Eidos came to me then. Minds work in mysterious ways?!

And don’t we love it. Thank you Samantha.

Samantha holds a degree in English Literature with Film Studies from Kingston University, London, which she gained at age 30. Since then she has spent the last nine years writing seriously, having undertaken a fiction writing module via Open University and completed her first young adult fantasy novel, The Sister Worlds.

Samantha began telling stories from a young age, hiding herself away for an hour or so here and there while she spun her tales, living by her imagination (as much as possible within the bounds of reality!) whilst growing up. She began writing the odd poem during her teens, but it wasn’t until her late twenties whilst at university that she understood her true love for writing.

Her tastes are eclectic, not only in her own writing, but in the form and genre of the writing of others. She is inspired by Virginia Woolf and Christina Rossetti, amongst many others, including the work of Jane Austen, Philip K. Dick, Ellen Miller, Margaret Atwood and Zeruya Shalev. She has most recently been drawn to the work of Abraham Verghese. Her love for the magical and fantastical in fiction is relentless; she has particularly enjoyed the work of Suzanne Collins and Veronica Roth in this respect, and once studied Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep in relation to Ridley Scott’s film Blade Runner. Samantha also has a strong interest in human relationships and mental health, and a love for the innocence of young children and the life and hope they instil in tired-out grown-ups.

With experience as an editor, proofreader and researcher, Samantha is well accomplished and finds this useful when writing and, of course, editing her own work.

Her proofreading and editing experience comprises a website research and editing project for the charity Re-Cycle, the proofreading and editing of a website story – also for Re-Cycle – together with the editing of their August and September newsletters; also a novel, short story, and flash fiction piece for author Elizabeth Los, a novel excerpt for author & translator Jasmine Heydari, and the website area and biographies for global broadcast production company Clean Cut Media Ltd. She has also draft written for the Facilities section of Clean Cut Media Ltd’s website. Samantha has read and edited various documentation including minutes, website material, presentations and more, as part of her administrative background.

Samantha has work published to include various poetry, short stories, blogs and articles, and she previously ran a creative writing group on a voluntary basis for Mungos charity.

She is currently writing her second novel and working on a series of children’s books for illustrator Ella Parry. She regularly writes fiction pieces both for her own website, and to be entered into various competitions.

If you would like to contact Samantha, you can do so via her website http://inkfeatherpen.wix.com/inkspiredwrite.

If you’d like to submit your poem (60 lines max) for consideration for Post-weekend Poetry take a look here or a poem for critique on the Online Poetry Writing Group (link below).

*** Breaking news! My online creative writing courses are currently just £1 or $1-2 each
but only until 3rd April! ***

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You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my books (including my debut novel The Serial Dater’s Shopping List, various short story collections and writer’s block workbooks) and If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating. Thank you.

I now run online courses – details on Courses – and for anyone looking for an editor, do take a look at Editing and Critique.

If you would like to send me a book review of another author’s books or like your book reviewed (short stories, contemporary crime / women’s novels or writing guides), see book-reviews for the guidelines. Other options listed on opportunities-on-this-blog. And I post writing exercises every weekday on four online writing groups.

Post-weekend Poetry 137: Coconut Oil by Rachel Baines

February 29, 20167 Comments

Welcome to Post-weekend Poetry and the one hundred and thirty-seventh poem in this series. This week’s piece is by Rachel Baines.

Coconut Oil

coconut 864277 She’s the girl who you’d always run back to,

You’re the boy I’d always run back to.

She’s the girl who gave you the chills with her beauty,

You give me the chills with yours.

It’s funny how times change,

People you once loved now become strangers.

But- she’s a parasite,

Always latching onto you and taking what she can.

A symptom of a parasite is disturbed sleep,

She disturbs my sleep.

When I close my eyes I see her eyes,

Staring into yours.

One cure for a parasite is coconut oil,

But no oil or remedy will remove her.

The thought of her makes me aggravated,

Intimidated because really I’m giving her what she wants- you.

I’d like to say everything was fine until she came along,

However, she was always there.

We are smooth like foundation,

Then she comes along, our plates collide and the bumps in the road grow.

Now, I’m not one to gamble,

But I bet you’re talking to her right now.

Sorry I mean, I bet she’s talking to you,

Because we both know she can’t get enough.

I know you feel bad for her and I know you love me,

But why do you feel the need to type to x’s and give her promises I’ll make sure you won’t keep.

See, bless her, she’s having trouble moving on,

Clearly she loved you more than you loved her because you turned a page and started writing a new song.

The girl doesn’t threaten me,

I know we make each other feel new.

The only thing that makes me hurt,

Is how you aren’t letting her get over you.

You compliment, flirt and put kisses,

Just so she stays tame.

But to her you compliment, flirt and put kisses,

Because you clearly want her again.

She’s the girl who you’d always run back to,

You’re the boy I’d always run back to.

She’s the girl who gave you the chills with her beauty,

You give me the chills with yours.

One cure for a parasite is coconut oil,

You know her a lot better than me.

Maybe she’s allergic to coconuts…

Maybe.

I asked Rachel what prompted this piece and she said…

I went through a heart breaking experience where the love of my life continued to stay in contact with his first love. I went through dozens of mixed emotions from solitude to anger. In the latter phase, I expressed my emotion in poetry and ended up with this peace. I refer to the girl as a parasite and make links between the pain she caused me and the symptoms of a common parasite. I hope you enjoy.

Thank you, Rachel. What an emotional piece, especially knowing it’s based on your real experiences.

Rachel is a 16-year-old girl from the North East of England, with a passion for poetry. She enjoys writing poetry, seeing it as a creative outlook and a way to relieve stress. She has been writing for two years and is always excited to learn new techniques and ways of developing my skills.

If you’d like to submit your poem (60 lines max) for consideration for Post-weekend Poetry take a look here or a poem for critique on the Online Poetry Writing Group (link below).

*** Breaking news! My online creative writing courses are currently just £1 or $1-2 each! ***

I now run online courses – details on Courses – and for anyone looking for an editor, do take a look at Editing and Critique.

Post-weekend Poetry: Writing a Terza Rima

February 22, 2016February 15, 2016Leave a comment

Welcome to Post-weekend Poetry and the final part of this five-part series, introducing you to different forms of poetry. You can read the post on Haiku here, Fibonacci here, Sonnet here, and Pantoum here. Today, we are looking at sonnets. Wikipedia explains them as the following…

Terza rima (Italian pronunciation: [ˈtɛrtsa ˈriːma]) is a rhyming verse stanza form that consists of an interlocking three-line rhyme scheme. It was first used by the Italian poet Dante Alighieri. The literal translation of terza rima from Italian is ‘third rhyme’. Terza rima is a three-line stanza using chain rhyme in the pattern A-B-A, B-C-B, C-D-C, D-E-D. There is no limit to the number of lines, but poems or sections of poems written in terza rima end with either a single line or couplet repeating the rhyme of the middle line of the final tercet. The two possible endings for the example above are d-e-d, e or d-e-d, e-e. There is no set rhythm for terza rima, but in English, iambic pentameter is generally preferred.

Writing a Terza Rima

I sat right down and tried my best

To write a weird sonnet, lines of three

My head, it hurt, too much of a test

Try as I might, I just couldn’t see

How to fit the form, harder than the last

I gave up and said “it’s not meant to be”

But then I remembered a thing from the past

A tip, a hint, how it should be done

Then lost the plot, sighed and looked aghast

at the half-blank sheet, it wasn’t much fun

“Just be patient,” I wanted so hard to say

“it’s meant to be tough, then rewards are won.”

So I started again for a second day

Until it was finished… hip, hip, hooray!

***

If you’d like to submit your poem (60 lines max) for consideration for Post-weekend Poetry take a look here or a poem for critique on the Online Poetry Writing Group (link below).

*** Breaking news! My online creative writing courses are currently just £1 or $1-2 each! ***

I now run online courses – details on Courses – and for anyone looking for an editor, do take a look at Editing and Critique.

Post-weekend Poetry: Writing a Pantoum

February 15, 2016Leave a comment

Welcome to Post-weekend Poetry. Last week, I posted one of my sonnets in the third of a short series (following on from fibonacci and haikus), introducing you to the shorter forms of poetry. You can read the post on Haiku here, Fibonacci here, and Sonnet here. Today, we are looking at sonnets. Wikipedia explains them as the following…

The pantoum is a poetic form derived from the pantun, a Malay verse form: specifically from the pantun berkait, a series of interwoven quatrains. The pantoum is a form of poetry similar to a villanelle in that there are repeating lines throughout the poem. It is composed of a series of quatrains; the second and fourth lines of each stanza are repeated as the first and third lines of the next. This pattern continues for any number of stanzas, except for the final stanza, which differs in the repeating pattern. The first and third lines of the last stanza are the second and fourth of the penultimate; the first line of the poem is the last line of the final stanza, and the third line of the first stanza is the second of the final. Ideally, the meaning of lines shifts when they are repeated although the words remain exactly the same: this can be done by shifting punctuation, punning, or simply recontextualizing.

Writing a pantoum

I thought it was going to be quite tough

but then it proved me wrong for

a little while at least, I thought

“this is going to be some fun”

but then it proved me wrong for

it grew increasingly tricky

“this is going to be some fun,

my arse”…as the hours sped by

it grew increasingly tricky

my mind grew numb just like…

my arse…as the hours sped by

my eyes strained staring at the screen

my mind grew numb just like…

the poem, it finally took shape

my eyes strained staring at the screen

who invented this form of ode?

the poem, it finally took shape

a little while at least, I thought

“who invented this form of ode?”

I thought it was going to be quite tough

***

If you’d like to submit your poem (60 lines max) for consideration for Post-weekend Poetry take a look here or a poem for critique on the Online Poetry Writing Group (link below).