Blogs

Story and Poem of the Week and Inspiration Point

If you haven't been following Turlough's wonderful account of his travels through Iran, you have been missing something really special. This series has been vivid, funny, thoughtful and, quite simply, a wonderful read. The final part, 'Cherries and Dahlia Petals, is our Story of the Week: Cherries and Dahlia Petals | ABCtales Poem of the Week was really tricky. There's been some beautiful and hopeful pieces about the coming of spring, and some...

She Said

You left me three times, she said. Your first tour, the first; Your second tour, the second; Your third tour the third: And I left you once and you didn't fight for me, just let me go though you fought three times for your country. Uh für muh tiv roger that so I did have done but you won the war in the end because I still love you and will never make love with you again .

Rebecca F. Kuang (2023) Yellowface.

Yellowface wowed me and as a reader (and sometimes writer) I’m not easily wowed. It offers both an insider and outsider account of the publishing industry masquerading as satire. Everyone that had hoped to have something published by the big four publishing companies, get an agent, or somehow get something published online or in print, should read Yellowface. The setup is simple. Imagine Jesus was hanging about Galilee. Judas comes visiting and...

Story and Poem of the Month

Our Story and Poem for the month of January, very kindly chosen by RJNewlyn: Pick of the month January 2024 I suspect most of us find January a hard month for inspiration, so well done to everyone who’s bucked the trend. For prose, strong commendations to hudsonmoon ( https://www.abctales.com/story/hudsonmoon/phone-booth-incident-neds-tavern-tale ), josiedog ( https://www.abctales.com/story/josiedog/cernunnos ) and Terrence Oblong ( https://www...

Morning Reconciled

Morning Reconciled When the light of a new day opens wide her inexhaustible daybreak, flings wide your curtains as her reflection pierces off multi-colored windows, and pulls up those dancing vertical blinds. This early morning announces the encounter. Listens as birds out on a limb, creating melodies. As the dew rises with a fresh mesmerizing sensation and calm aroma, and watches as the flowers grow. In this, mindfulness becomes the strength of...

It's all kicking off tomorrow!

Tomorrow (2nd Feb) sees the 53rd episode of the Bring Out Your Dead series, and this is the one you've all been waiting for! 'Sir Lewisham's' funeral finally comes to pass after a year of build-up to it and it's just as explosive as you expect it to be Don't forget that today (1st Feb) sees the publication of the collection of stories that lead up to the Bring Out Your Dead series - ' A Subsequent Engagement ' - and you can grab yourself a copy...

Welsh International Poetry Competition 2024

Now open for entries, the 18th Welsh International Poetry Competition will be judged by the Welsh poet, Cathy Miles. You don't have to be Welsh, the poetry doesn't have to be about Wales and it's a genuinely open competition The closing dates for entries is June 30th 2024 http://www.welshpoetry.co.uk/entries-poems/

Poetry Competition 2024

The International Welsh Poetry Competition is open for entries until 30th June. Poetry collections invited and A) You don't have to be Welsh. B) Poetry does not have to be about Wales. C) It is a genuinely open competition. Last time I entered, I was short-listed and I'm nobody. Welsh Poet Cathy Miles is the judge Find out more here

Getting Published - The Nitty Gritty

We have so many talented writers and poets on ABCTales. I don't think a week goes by without someone announcing that they've got a book coming out. It's a long, hard journey from the original idea to the finished product though and really, really worth doing properly. Blighters Rock (Richard) emailed me the other day about his latest success and he particularly wanted to highlight his typesetter who had done an excellent job. Now, we don't do...

MALIGN INTENT - launch day

MALIGIN INTENT @Amazon @ Kobo Well, after three years, one fried 8-year-old HP laptop, (replaced with a wonderful, repurposed ASUS Chromebook), one scrapped 95000 word draft reduced to a handful of key scenes rebuilt over 10 full rewrites, MALIGN INTENT was launched yesterday. Blasted across my social media, my eyes were square by 5pm yesterday! Its my 10th novel. A landmark in itself, but also a crossroads. MALIGN INTENT was by far the hardest...

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