Welcome New Folks!

Sorry, I khan't understand you.

:o)

Emily, I love Steinbeck, too! He certainly is a great writer of California. The last book of his I read was "Cannery Row," which takes place in Monterey -- one of my favorite places here on the coast. I'm originally from Nevada, though, which is all casinos and desert (beautiful in its own way, though it doesn't have a writer of Steinbeck's calibur to stand up for it). It's nice to hear that someone is green to visit California. Me -- I've been dying to visit London! Oh, and I didn't get to post anything last night because they kept me at work for almost 13 hours... but hopefully I can sometime tonight. I'm crossing my fingers. Thanks for the nice welcome! -Elaine.

do u like thouu .... read it plz

I only joined a few days ago and am just finding my way around. There is a lot I like but I am a bit taken aback by the 'slag Jasper' thread. Who is this Jasper is he real? I am Dutch, but live in Oxford. I am an artist but find myself more and more often writing. As well as writing poetry, I am writing the second draft of an autobiographical novel and most of the prose I am posting is part of that. i think the quality of the writing on this site is very high. milkstone

Megan, I read your poem, the first thing I want to know is your nationality, If english is not your first language, I feel it is harder for you to transcribe from your own language to english. Your poem has a sinister feel to it. It needs quite a lot of editing and work to bring it up to scratch.imo. But a good start. Have you been writing long I wonder too. I have read some of your comments on the other threads and can understand where you are comming from, emotionally speaking. Just use a spell checker, before you submit here, this will help your english punctuation and spelling a great deal. Some of them even give you alternatives to use, replacing sentences that do not quite run. Hope this helps. But remember....NO More Poems On the Forums....We don't want to upset the Old School Crew here too much, do we? Smiling Tai

Okay, so how does one post a poem. I am registered now. Any help appreciated ..... H

When did he say that?

Well wouldn't you know. I think I figured it out. I posted one under the name Wombat. It is called ...for the memories. Any comments before I run and hide? Herbert

Well done Archergirl. Eye's aye's everywhere but not a joke to drop! oh well. I guess we'll just have to agree that it's a moronic aussie joke...the best kind!

Thanks for the welcome Love to join you guys and lets hope its going to be happy times Mary

Welcome, Parvez! We look forward to seeing your work and reading your thoughts!

You'll learn, it might take a while but you'll learn.

Tai, it's not really a case of 'upsetting the old school crew' here. It's more a case of being better to post writing in the proper place and getting the hoped for responses, than scribbling on the toilet wall.

fatal ky, you detect what you wish, there was no racism, I was taking the piss out of the stupid text-speak. This is a writers site, not a fucking text messaging service.

Mississippi, thanks for speaking. It is nice to hear a voice in the silence. However, for a computer novice like me (and a foreigner at that) I am not too savvy with these terms and how to do links etc. My fault I know. Jasper (Jaspie?) you sound helpful and I write under the name Wombat. Herbet is a no no, Herbie I actually like, as all my friends may call me Herbie. So what's next? I did post a so so poem as my first one, there are better ones where that one came from but ....... Shall I wait and see? Thanks Herbertus von Wombatslog

Hello everyone! I am new on this site too, just joined last month. I posted my short novel last month entitled 'The Daughter of Oarwell (Chapter 1 - 5)' and I just made some modifications in it. Please take time to read my fiction and then give me your critique. Surely, it will be a big help. Thanks.

Okay, I have posted another one. Jaspie (okay or too informal), perhaps you would have a look in your spare time. Handkerchief advised and your assistance appreciated. This one is called Yolanda and is, as are all my poems, a true story. H

I'm nothing like Sandy Toksvig.

milkstone, I think the quality of writing here is amazing, too! It's very nice to see an internet community of this caliber. I don't know about the issue with this person. I feel bad for that thread and I've only posted in these forums like six times... Oh well. It's about the writing, right? -e.

thank you

Eye see what you mean. lol

Love the layout, the design and the typo. Browse my stories guys and drop me a line. I'd love to know what the hoi polloi, the high priests and the hoity toity think about my hogwash and hokum. [%sig%]

Hi everyone Sorry to barge in right in the middle of Herbie's long farewell! Bye Herbie! See you in the third! (Though there are 50 ways to leave your lover you don't need to use all of them - especially if you didn't like her in the first place!) I must be thick, I've been reading here and there on this site for days and missed this 'introduce yourself' thread. I was born in Newfoundland, have lived other countries. Now I'm in Australia. I haven't been writing on paper long (about a year) and I'm a bit hesitant to make comments on other people's work. I note from this thread that commenting on work of others is good to do, esp. if you want comments on your own. So I will dive in, though I hope my honest opinion is what you want to hear! It's what I would like for my own stuff. My name is Karen but you can call me burinsmith if you want to make me happy, or just B

Hello Burinsmith, welcome to the site. Commenting on other people's work is encouraged and very much welcome here. You can do it either by posting a thread in the Discuss Writing at abctales forum, or by joining in one of the existing discussions, or you can email the writer of the piece you want to talk about directly. We tend to like here honest, purposeful feedback - the gushy "It was marvellous, you're so talented" does nobody any favours. That doesn't mean that work should be slated, just that feedback is most useful when the person giving it says what they actually think, while being polite and remembering that this is their opinion, and not utter fact. What sort of stuff do you write, what writing do you like? Very nice to have you here, that's the sort of newcomer that we like to have. And Herbert, sorry you felt this place wasn't for you, but if it really isn't, then off you go, there's a good lad. Protracted exits are just embarassing.

Herbert, I concur with Emily about theatrical goodbyes. The only feathers ruffled here seem to be yours by the way.

I've been bouncing around for a short while. Thanks for the welcome. I'm a mom of 2 boys, 15 and 5, a run a business with my husband. ( Working with a spouse is not the most peaceful of professions.) I can describe myself personally as an artist/manager/caretaker spawned from a line of craftsmen, artists and dirt farmers. I'm fairly down to earth and direct, and at times have been labeled a pain in the ass or the most stubborn person alive. My response is, I try. I like to paint & draw, cook, garden, read, do puzzles, and write. I'm looking to stretch my muscles in the writing department and am hoping for constructive feedback. My hectic schedule will make me a late night madam. Have patience. I won't be fresh. ( The boys are fighting and whining as I write. ) The party's great. Pass the Peanuts.

Hi Karen, and welcome in to abctales. It's a great site - (and eats up far more of my time than it is entitled to. Bloody place) have you looked at the top forum, discuss writing from abc? Thats a good starting point for finding other writing on here. Have fun!

Don't worry missi, in the heat of debate my spell checker ant worth a shit. Just hasn't been any furious debates of late, or did I sleep through them? Will have to whip one up soon..

Elaine- have you read the follow-up, Sweet Thursday? I am trying to adapt both as a stage play at the moment, and its just lovely to be working with Steinbeck's words. It may never go anywhere, but it is just helping get inside the book more.

Ooh-did I touch a nerve? His English is obviously much better than our Urdu or Hindi or whichever language he speaks, and is using text-speak as an easier way of communicating. But yes I agree with you on text-speak. Horrible! Stop it Parvez. Who the fuck invented text-speak anyway? that's another one for the drop into the Amazon from a helicopter. Oh by the way Mississippi, you're VERY GOOD with your words. Who'd have thought of 'fatal ky', that's a jelly isn't it? But I don't remember having any as a child. Did people ever die from KY jelly and that's why I was never allowed any? [%sig%]

k what do u want one about ???!?

His/her English may be better than my whatever, BUT if I were to learn his language I would learn to use it properly, and text-speak is about as awful as it's possible to get. Fatal KY? I should imagine that a good few have died because they used it, yes, not that I'm applauding the fact.

Hi Peppermint, a bit of advice, NEVER eat the peanuts!

Perhaps tomorrow evening megan. No time tonight.

Hi I'm Anshu. I belong to far flung nation that once was so close to your heart and I believe it still continues to be one. That is my India. I work for an International publishing house for children's books. And most of our works are outsourced form the United Kingdom. Anshu

Hi B, Good to have you along. Your cheery disposition is a nice addition to the forums, and it's always good to have a positive new member along. If you ever want anything reading, let me know. Enjoy your time here. It can eat into your time, but hey, it's for the greater good. I hope.

lol you said a debate!!!!!!

Ello...I'm new. I am Raven. Yah, that's my real name. I've been writing for like...a year-ish now. Been looking for a cite like this for a little bit. So yah...check my stuff out some time if you would. =) Please excuse if I do something stupid...I tend to do that often =/

hi, this is my first time to come to ABCtales .com .it would be great for me if i could get some writing tipes on short story writing and if possible some good short stores which could be good example for starting writing.

hi, this is my first time to come to ABCtales .com .it would be great for me if i could get some writing tipes on short story writing and if possible some good short stores which could be good example for starting writing.

That sounds like the sort of writing I like, B. I'm a sucker for small details and digressions. If you want feedback on anything, send me it and I'll give you some thoughts. And may I steer you towards the works of D Beswestherick, Fergal (above), Drew Gummerson and Tigermilk? Plenty of other good writers about, but those four are a joy.

Welcome all! I've been reading some of your work and there are some fine new writers about - just what we like! Have fun, the Chief Exec.

yay!!! it's just so hard cracking smiles here without sharing facial expressions!...so we bored lot find other ways...we don't wear make-up! now i must get back to writing a pictionary, for Flash.

I implied tomorrow!!! See. We are debating..

hi all

ignore the jasper thread people it's just one of many threads and don't let it put you off this site, it's a great place to learn and have a laugh as well as chat with other writers and for every dispute there are many good intellectual and heart warming things to get involved in so welcome aboard, feel free to get stuck in.

Hello B - I rather liked it; quite a sad little piece, but it put me in the place and events. I didn't like the dialect, but that is a personal distaste and nothing to do with the way you've written it, I just think dialect pulls me out of the story. It's a nice simple story with an interesting core and I liked that it didn't have the simple resolution of the mouth-to-mouth having worked. I think maybe we need to know a little more about Emily as a person, in order to know whether she would be affected by these events or whether they would wash over her, but again, that's a personal preference.

Megan. If your going to use a spell checker, I suggest you use 'ieSpell'. Its a fabulous spell and grammar checker and it has the added advantage of 'speaking the word' you are looking for. So you can hear the pronunciation as well as visually choosing from a good selection of alternatives. Its free and un like other spell checkers that don't work in browsers, this one works fine in Internet explorer and on the 'reply to message' edit window. Trust me, I've try ed most spell checkers and ieSpell is the best for this forum and its A.I engine gets the word you are looking for almost every time. If you get a spelling wrong, you can always blame the spell checker.. or just type ieSpell in to you address bar and that should get you there.

thank you