Blogs

Story and Poem of the Week and Inspiration Point

Posted by airyfairy. First of all, a reminder of our brilliant new writing challenge, courtesy of Cerasus Poetry. It promises to be a lot of fun: “The Way We Heard”: A New Fiction Challenge for ABCtales | ABCtales Story of the Week goes - after a lot of thought, because everyone seems to be on a roll at the moment - to the latest chapter of Eric Marsh's Amanderella Gottsnobbler series. It's fun, it's brilliantly written, it's a children's story...

Dead Letters: The Stranger

Filed by Fletcher Moody — Literary Correspondent I have written about many dead writers. This is the only one I helped carry. I was in Baltimore on October 3, 1849, covering the state elections for a wire service that no longer exists. It was raining — not hard, but steadily, the kind of rain that turns a dirt street into a problem. I was making my way to Gunner's Hall on East Lombard Street, which was serving as the Fourth Ward polling place...

Deborah James (2022) How to live when you could be dead.

Someone in the UK is diagnosed with cancer every 15 seconds. Some readers will be reading with that in mind. Others to find out more about life and death (which isn’t optional). Deborah James died on 28 June 2022, and her death had a major, immediate impact on the sales of How to Live When You Could Be Dead . It debuted at number one and became the bestselling non-fiction debut of 2022. It had me thinking of the classic BBC series: Why Don't You...

“The Way We Heard”: A New Fiction Challenge for ABCtales

“The Way We Heard”: A New Fiction Challenge for ABCtales This new fiction challenge is sponsored by Cerasus who will donate £100 to ABCtales if all the criteria are met. It is inspired by Lille Dante’s current project to write a series of vignettes based around every UK Number 1 Single starting from the Chart’s inauguration in November 1952. Number 1 | ABCtales Lists of UK singles chart number ones - Wikipedia Lille is not confident of...

The ABCtales Superpoem Challenge – The Final Outcome

Huge thanks to Turlough for his brilliant idea, his very generous donation to ABCTales, and to all ABCTalers who joined in. I hope you'll agree that the result was most definitely worth it! The ABCtales Superpoem Challenge – The Final Outcome It delights me to be able to announce that our Superpoem is complete. Many, many thanks to everybody who entered a few lines, and to everyone who took the time to read about it even if they didn’t put pen...

No Writing for a while

So not been writing for a while. Just getting through each day as it comes. My boyfriend is amazing, patient and everything like that but feel not myself. I feel angry alot, and then sad then happy. This can be in one day. I am struggling with my emotions alot. I am trying to be the best version of me for my boyfriend because if he sees me at my worst... well i don't think he will want me anymore. Stupid thoughts in my head all day everyday. I...

Please, Help Me Write My Next Story!

I have the blues. Well, a short story about the Blues, anyway. I thought it would be fun to write it as a "Choose Your Own Adventure" style story. After each part, the reader is presented with choices about what should happen next. Post your vote in the comment sections. I will count each vote until Friday when I will begin writing the next part. Each new part will post on Sunday, with voting closing on Fridays. For each vote (win or lose) made...

Family Man by Colin Burnett. Review!

I'm very pleased to annnounce the publication of Colin Burnett's new book 'Family Man' ' Adolfo Ali makes his long-awaited return in this fast-moving and unpredictable third outing. Complex anti-hero, Aldo, is the de facto head of Edinburgh’s most powerful crime family. But being a crime boss isn’t what it used to be. Not only does Aldo need to balance his duties running his crew of killers and psychotic hitmen, but he also needs to hope and...

Story and Poem of the Week and Inspiration Point

Before announcing our Picks of the Week, I have a couple of things to tell you. Firstly, you have until midnight on Sunday May 3rd to get your entries in for Turlough's wonderful ABCTales Superpoem. Not much time left now! All details here: https://www.abctales.com/blog/insertponceyfrenchnamehere/inaugural-abc-tales-superpoem The resulting Superpoem will be posted on Tuesday May 5th and I can't wait to see it! Secondly, we have another fabulous...

Have Faith in God and Don't Be Afraid

What is faith? Faith is trust in things hoped for and belief in things unseen. We live in a physical world but there is also an invisible realm. To have faith in God is to believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Hebrews 11:1-6. God is an ever present help in times of trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even if the waters roar and foam and the mountains slip into the sea. There is a river that makes glad the city...

Pages