Insertponceyfrenchnamehere's blog

Posted by Ewan on Fri, 22 Jul 2022 The weeks seem to be flying by. I hope you all survived the heat. No moaning about today’s rain, please. Story of the Week Story of the Week this week goes to not-so-cosy Cotswolds-set “The Bounds” by Charlie77. The start of something longer, this first part is gripping, chilling and blessed with a narrative voice that is very strong indeed. Do check out Rosalie Kempthorne’s latest, too. Discovery is as off-...

When you know your time is short, anything starts to feel like everything… Daisy Lowry is missing a dad…Gabriel Lowry is a dying illusionist seeking a daughter…as both look for a reunion, they tumble into new and magical experiences, Gabriel having it all on to perform the greatest trick of this life – slipping the noose a very bitter, overworked Death has for him…whilst Daisy finds solace in a mysterious group of strong, independent women… SJ...

Our Story and Poem of the Month for June, very kindly chosen for us by Mark Say: Here we go with Picks of the Month June 2022! I’m migrating from the written word to audio for my story of the month. Sheep Without a Shepherd by colin.b – an extract from an audiobook – is a great slice of working class memoir told in a Scottish vernacular that makes clear it comes from the heart. It’s a lethal piece of social commentary and carries a real...

It was a struggle this week to make my choices, especially with poetry - thank you all so much for posting such wonderful, thought-provoking work. It's always a pleasure to read it. Poem of the Week goes to lenchenelf for Otters' Child which I've found myself returning to more than once. It's wonderful https://www.abctales.com/story/lenchenelf/otters-child Story of the Week goes to JupiterMoon for 'The Kindness'. Jupiter usually posts poetry on...

It’s been a quiet week, but no drop off in quality has been discernible. Well done, all. Story of the Week Celticman’s Ugly Puggly continues to absorb, and Marandina’s three-parter The Horses of Wooldale Road written over a long period of time is also worth some of yours. Ugly Puggly pt 4 1 The Horses of Wooldale Road Pt 3 However, Story of the Week for me is Colin.b’s Audio-excerpt, Sheep Without a Shepherd taken from the audiobook version of...

Our Story and Poem of the Month for May have very kindly been chosen by Simon Barget. Here's what he picked: Story was easy with Sean McNulty’s Phantosmia head and shoulders above the rest -- there’s a pun in there somewhere. https://www.abctales.com/ story/sean-mcnulty/phantosmia The lack of stiff competition lends an honorary mention to one more of his Moloney/Elder flights/forays: The Eerie Nerve. https://www.abctales.com/ story/sean-mcnulty/...

It's a bank holiday so it's raining, but I hope you're enjoying it all the same. Lots of fine writing to choose from, but getting straight to the point: Story of the Week is maddan's 'The Munro Academy Poltergeist'. I've really enjoyed all of maddan's horror stories and this one is another excellent tale. You can read it here: https://www.abctales.com/story/maddan/munro-academy-poltergeist Poem of the Week is Jane Hyphen's brilliant 'If I can...

We have had some brilliant things this week - please do read our ongoing prose series - esepcially Janus, Ugly Puggly, Legend of the Pah and The Castle. I'm also trying out a new idea for the Inspiration Point so do have a go and let me know if you find it helpful Anyway - Story of the Week is the first part of Kilb50's The Castle which is a fantastic read, and our Poem of the Week goes to Ewan for his wonderful All the Diamonds Raining (but do...

One of our lovely poets is East Ridge Review's featured writer for May. Click the link if you'd like to find out more about her: https://www.eastridgereview.com/rachel-deering

Hope you are all well and enjoying the green euphoria of late Spring. Our poem of the week celebrates this beautifully - it's lenchenelf's Eve's Tears. You can read it here: https://www.abctales.com/story/lenchenelf/eves-tears Our Story of the Week is the excellent Legend of the Pah (8) by Jane Hyphen. You can read it here: https://www.abctales.com/story/jane-hyphen/legend-pah-8 The new Inspiration Point is here: https://www.abctales.com/...