I spotted Robert Darroch at Gartnavel about seven years ago. He was sitting chatting to my partner’s mum in a greenish high-backed chair. He was quick to offer us the easy-to-wipe seat and move on. I said his name, but he didn’t recognise me. I’m not good with names. He was the opposite. Rarely passed without a smile and a quick word. He was especially good remembering children and old folk’s names (I guess I fit that category now) but that was...

This chapter introduced the novel's signature object. In Orwell's 1984, objects carry weight (the paperweight Winston buys, the diary he keeps, etc). Arthur's speakwrite dial is smaller, more mundane. A piece of bureaucratic machinery. Proof of nothing except that Arthur once took something that wasn't his. Chapter Two: The Speakwrite is uploaded in my collection "Escape From Room 101" now. Please read it and let me know what you think so far...

Liam McIlvanney has writing in his blood. William McIlvanney, of course, is recognised as the godfather of Scottish noir fiction. When Liam McIlvanney won The Bloody Scotland, Scottish Crime Book of the Year—which used to be named after William McIlvanney—with The Quaker , you’d get the impression it was an inside job. A bit like Stephen King’s son, who’s also a writer, winning some big award for horror fiction. I picked up and put down The...

White Jazz is the last of the Dudley Smith trio. A quartet if The Black Dahlia is included. The Big Fix isn’t winner or losers. It’s an ongoing chase in which power is in plain sight. Classic noir asks: Can truth emerge? Ellroy asks more simply, Who controls what we believe after it does? Trump’s insurrection and civil cases, including E. Jean Carroll defamation for him raping her, NY Civil Fraud case, found guilty of falsifying his net worth...

Our Story and Poem of the Month for December, very kindly chosen by Drew Gummerson

My current best Writers on AbcTales December 2025 5. swindonwoody – Maggie 4. rhiannonw – Rhiannon 3. mark-p – Mark Pithie 2. mcscraic – Paul McCann 1. Turlough – Terence Mullan Sir Loin and Celticman are also doing very well. ~ Many thanks to Claudine and all our other editors for a splendid job! We appreciate the support of all our readers, and for our writers we are greatly indebted for unselfish contributions for the excellent work during...

I have finished the rough draft and rewrite of the first chapter of "Escape From Room 101". I believe I can get a chapter a week finished, if I stay focused. Feedback on this project would be greatly appriciated, please let me know if there is any way I can improve this story! I will post each chapter after each rewrite - I hope you will enjoy the journey as this story reveals itself! Thank you, everyone! - J.

Ever since I was a young Christian I have been taught that there are no alien planets mentioned in the Bible and therefore they don't exist. It would be strange for the Bible to omit something that was of such huge importance. We are told to evangelise all nations of the world but not to evangelise other planets. Neither would Christians simply accept that aliens have their own religion. Salvation is found not in religion but in personal faith...

Here are some interesting facts I uncovered about this wonderful novel, while researching for my current project. If I have something incorrect or overstated, please comment and let me know. George Orwell finished writing 1984 while dying. He completed the manuscript on the Scottish island of Jura in late 1948, suffering from tuberculosis so severe he could barely sit upright. His publisher had to send a nurse to the island. Orwell typed the...

Questioning life and every aspect of it helps a writer in their craft, deepens their character’s outlook and personality traits. Life’s uplifting moments as well as its painful losses will add depth to a writer’s perspective, blending colors, shading dimensions and backgrounds. Channeling life’s adversity into characters and tales can be cathartic too. I found this to be true as I faced a quagmire of pain this last year and turned to writing as...