I'm back writing....... Two year hiatus

It was the National Flash Fiction Day (NFFD) Saturday 15th June 2024 and I thought I'd send in three pieces to the Write-In and was pleasantly surprised when all were accepted. I've had many rejections and a few acceptances this year. My writing goes in phases, sometimes I don't write for literally years then suddenly I feel the urge to put pen to paper or typed words to files. I've now got a writing pad and pen at my bedside for the occasional idea that springs into my mind.

The piece of writing I was most happy about was for the NFFD prompt 2 Bread upon Water. It asked you to write a recipe so I did. My friend Sal says its a poem, but as I don't write poems, (I'm no poet) 😀 see what you think?

 Never to be repeated

Ten drops of salty tears

(Salty ones are hard to find so unsalted will be fine)

Four pounds of excessive fat

(You will have it in your larder, you were told often enough)

Five hundred lies

(Easy to find if you include the little white lies right down to the corkers)

Three fluid pints of heartbreak

 

Mix well whilst yelling, screaming and stomping. Get it all out

Cook for a week in the sun whilst partying with your friends

As you mature like a fine cheese

And value yourself like a perfect soufflé

This recipe will never be needed again.

Sal and I had a meal in a restaurant in Morecambe and  we both had the souffle and it was delicious and perfect so it's why I included it in the recipe.

I'm hoping not to have another two year hiatus and even if no one ever reads this blog so what? I'm having fun putting words and ideas together and I like to hear the sound of my own voice💃😃.     

12 months of Silence

Twelve months since I've last made a mark on here! I seem to have fallen out with the written word. Had a couple of short pieces on the National Flash Fiction Day prompt accepted and not much else. I'm so absorbed with Family History at the moment. I've just sent this to the Tutor as he asked us to write about our childhood food memories. Killing two birds with one stone as the saying goes. Family History and a bit of Creative Writing! 

                                                Food, Glorious Food   

    By Stella Turner                            

I remember coming home from school and asking my mum what was for pudding? She’d get a bit exasperated and exclaim don’t you want to know what’s for dinner. We always had our main meal at teatime. To be honest our main meals were a bit predictable Monday leftover cold meat from Sunday, Tuesday sausage, Wednesday pie, Thursday mince, and Friday fish. My mum did vary it with liver and onions and other dishes but all I wanted was the puddings especially her home made spotty dick and my favourite bread and butter pudding. As I got older and if we’d had an argument or my mum thought I needed cheering up there would be a bowl of bread and butter pudding waiting for me.

My best friend moved down from Scotland with her family in 1960. When I went to her house she and her big sister would be making tablet. It’s like a type of fudge made with condensed milk and sugar.  A real Scottish delicacy

Recipe   (taken from Nestle Carnation recipes)

Butter 55g

Semi skimmed milk 250ml

Cane or granulated sugar 900g

Carnation condensed milk 397g

You will also need 20cm square cake tin lined with baking parchment.

Method

In a large non-stick pan melt the butter with the milk, slowly add the sugar and boil briskly for 4 minutes. Gradually stir in the condensed milk making sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Bring back to the boil for approximately 20 minutes stirring regularly until the mixture is thick and a honey caramel colour. Take care while the mixture boils as the tablet will be VERY HOT!

To test if the tablet is ready drop a small amount into a bowl of ice cold water – if you can pick up some of the mixture and form a soft ball in your fingers it’s ready. Just be careful it will still be quite HOT. Remove the pan from the heat leave to cool for 5 minutes then beat until set. Pour into the tin and leave to set fully in the fridge for 2 or more hours. Then remove from the tin and cut into squares.

I can’t remember any adult being present when the two young girls prepared it. No health and safety in those days.

Another memory was being surprised when I had sausage for tea at their house. I was expecting the normal sausage when on my plate was a square slice of meat. My friend announced its Scotch sausage. The sausage I was accustomed to was held in casing whilst this had no casing to hold the meat into shape so served as slices from a block. I preferred our English sausages.

A memory from primary school was having to drink a bottle of milk at first playtime. I didn’t like milk and still can’t drink a glass of it unless it’s flavoured. We all had to collect a bottle and return an empty one or be forced to drink it. So I’d stand at the back and exchange my full bottle for an empty one from one of the boys. I was at primary school between 1958- 1964. In 1968 free milk was abolished in secondary schools and in 1971 Mrs Thatcher who was Education Secretary ended free school milk for children over the age of seven hence the nickname Thatcher the milk snatcher. I can’t remember milk in secondary school so I presume you were given the choice whether to drink it or not!

My dad was a baker and he’d come home with a bagful of cakes on a Saturday lunchtime. I would so look forward to the iced buns, doughnuts and cream cakes. My sister and I would be allowed one each providing my dad had his favourite an iced bun. My dad did not like “Foreign Food” saying he ate enough of that in his days in the army when he was in Egypt. So we never had pasta, curry nor rice unless it was served as rice pudding. I remember in my late teens telling my dad how lovely foreign food is but he never ever ate anything that wasn’t everyday plain food!

He would never eat corned beef again after the Typhoid epidemic in 1964 that occurred in Aberdeen. The outbreak was traced back to a single tin of Argentinean corned beef sold in a supermarket. 500 people had to be quarantined and fortunately no one died. Media attention helped to raise the importance of hygiene and cleanliness. I was eleven at the time and remember it well. After a few years my mum resumed buying corned beef. I still like corned beef to this day. My dad died in 2015, aged 89, and never ever ate it! I’m now wondering if he liked it pre 1964 or used the excuse of the epidemic to stop having to eat it or maybe yet again it reminded him of his army days! 

I have my own food idiosyncrasies like loving bacon and pork but hating ham and gammon. I dislike pineapple and cabbage, together sounds disgusting! I like sausage if it’s hot hate cold sausage!

Lots of food if I’m served it I’ll eat but out of choice I wouldn’t have it on my plate for example stuffing, Yorkshire pudding, Christmas pudding, Christmas cake! I’m not a lover of vegetables and my mum who loved vegetables would despair that I’d only eat peas and carrots. These days we probably have too much choice. In my childhood it would be eat it or go hungry although I can never remember being forced to eat anything or going hungry. Happy memories!   

   

New Years Eve already!

 Can't believe this year has passed so quickly! The year of the Covid 19 pandemic. 

23rd March 2020 we entered lock-down. Schools closed except for key workers children. People asked to work from home if possible and to only leave your homes for essential shopping, medical appointments and to exercise once a day. Holidays abroad were cancelled including ours to Spain in May. Hospitals were full of extremely ill patients in ITU on ventilators and the catch phrase was PROTECT THE NHS.  Routine hospital appointments and surgeries were cancelled. People were advised not to visit the A&E unless an emergency. Some GP practices appeared initially to close down now its telephone or zoom consultations and one to one. Luckily pharmacies kept open and continued to dispense prescriptions, take blood for diagnostic tests requested by GPs and give advice. Well done Pharmacists and their staff. 

We were told things would improve by the Government and their experts but they didn't. It appears Covid doesn't wane in warmer weather and also flourishes in the cold like flu! We were told to cover our faces with masks, keep 2 metres part and wash our hands frequently. HANDS FACE and SPACE.  We entered shops and banks masked up, stood on dots on the floor whilst queuing and followed arrows around the buildings. Most people I believe followed the rules with the exceptions of some well known names and groups of people that were exposed by the media.

We then entered Tiers and our area went into tier 2 on October 24th then we went into four week lock-down on 5th November. December 3rd entered tier 3 then today into tier 4. This is going to be reviewed in 2 weeks. 

Deaths and covid cases are rising! The rising cases I think are because more people are being tested and with a new variant many people are asymptomatic. If you die within 28 days of a positive covid test then you join the number of covid deaths. Hospitals are said to be under more pressure. This time of year we are always told of winter pressures with older people having flu and beds filling up. Hospitals are getting so much better at treating covid that patients are needing longer stays and not dying. Well done the NHS for innovative care and all your hard work over the months.

I'm wondering about the number of people who may have died through lack of early diagnosis of cancer, strokes etc. I'm sure we will look back in the future and say we should have done this and not that. Oh for the power of hindsight.  

Margret Keenan was given the first vaccination in the world after it had been approved for use in Britain on December 8th. An amazing first for Coventry! We are being told that a huge amount of our population should all be vaccinated by April. I'm not holding my breath! Up to now nothing is happening but it is holiday time so Monday 4th January I'm expecting centres to be ready for mass vaccination. A friend who has a 92 year old mother has yet to hear when she will have the jab. 

I appreciate the Oxford University/AstraZeneca Covid 19 vaccine is easier to store in fridges than the Pfizer/BionTech vaccine in below -70 freezers so I'll patiently wait and see. Once the vaccine is available I'm sure the GPs at the local practices will step up to the mark.  

 To be fair vaccinating all the population over 18 is a huge logistic operation. It can be done!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE. 

   

Social distancing

Today we said goodbye to my brother in law. We thought it was going to be a surreal experience with only six mourners permitted at the funeral due to Covid-19 regulations. For Robin's funeral there were four of us. His brother, my husband, his sister, and a good friend of his. We had to go in our own cars, no posh funeral car for us to travel behind the hearse. We had to wait at the cemetery gates until a guy said we could enter. He was very respectful as he crossed us off a list. At the chapel we stood the required distance apart for the three households. The Vicar explained what would happen whilst we waited for the hearse to arrive. There were six chairs placed in the chapel six foot apart but if I wished I could put my chair next to my husband's. I said no it would be alright. When Robin arrived the Funeral director explained to us they would take the coffin into the chapel and then we could go in. He was wheeled in and I felt a pang of regret that they hadn't carried him in on their shoulders.  No hymns to be sung as singing isn't permitted but they played the music chosen for the service and the vicar read the eulogy. The worst thing was I couldn't comfort my sister in law as she shed tears. 

No wake of course. Robin died just before his 70th birthday and it would have been good to raise a glass and toast his life with family and friends. Things are supposed to be easing in the summer. We'll have to wait and see.

In memory of Robin.

Aim for 100 rejections in 2020

When I saw the Facebook group #Rejection100  I was intrigued. A challenge to get 100 rejections by the end of the year. I thought no way am I joining that group until I read some of the posts and realised it was turning a negative into a positive. People, tongue in cheek, were commiserating those who'd had their work accepted saying better luck next time and those that had been rejected were being told well done! I've never felt upset by a rejection because its all subjective. You can't have rejections unless you submit your work. That would be my challenge! I hardly ever send in a submission and this was what #Rejection100 was challenging everyone including me to do!

My tally at present stands at ONE REJECTION. Pretty poor considering its nearly two twelfths into the year. So I've sent off THREE entries to the National Flash Fiction Anthology, THREE to their micro fiction competition, ONE each  to the  Bath Flash Fiction and Fish competitions and ONE each to 101 Fiction and Paragraph Planet. A total of  TEN submissions and to be honest I'm expecting TEN rejections. I'm just pleased I've sent them on their way. If one is long listed I'll be ecstatic but I'm not holding my breath because I'll turn blue 😎

Thanks Submittable for starting this group, its spurred me on, not sure I'll get any where near the 100 mark but at least I've taken up the challenge!

Words and a bad Poem

Edit ONE

I look around the room I'm the only one using pen and paper, a tatty Biro to boot. The others tip- tapping away on their computers. If I'd bought my gigantic antique PC it would have taken up the entire table. The more I think about being a writer the more I realise the world is full of would be writers. One has just had her book publish on Amazon. I clap cautiously still not sure about self-publishing. I worry about lack of talent. One has a novel sent off to agents. She's excitedly waiting for replies. I want her to succeed because rejection however nicely written is a slap in your creative face. Another is writing a play I want to shake his hand and say well done for not wanting to write a novel like the rest are planning to do. When its my turn to say what I'm doing I say Flash Fiction. I like to write 500 words or less. Not sure if that genre appeals to me because of the lack of words. I murmur that I have written a few chapters of a novel, well I have but I'm don't think I'll ever finish it! It has no plot, it seems to be writing itself without any direction from me. Maybe I should chat to the playwright to get tips on direction.

Everyone is tip-tapping away. I am feeling the cold. Tip do not sit by a window in an old building. It's draughty and very cold. I'm wondering whether to put my jacket back on but then I won't feel the benefit of it when I leave. (I sound like my mum) Will I last another five hours probably not. Once lunch is over I might be off shopping in the city centre. 500 words forgotten for another day. I've paid good money to sit in a draughty room and write. No workshop, no tips on getting my mo-jo back . To be fair it was billed for procrastinators and I am writing so yes its achieved its aim.

Edit TWO

I'm planning my escape
What shall I say.
I've run out of words
My hand hurts.
I care no more
For any of you.
Write your stories
Novels and plays.
Be famous, be literary
But leave me out.
Or include me in your words
As the writer that ran away.

Days 2 & 3 of the 64 Million Artists January Challenge

Whoa! the challenge for yesterday was draw 5 faces in 5 minutes. NOW I am no artist but its a challenge. No overthinking just do it!

They are like the Walking Dead and I've just noticed one is missing an ear!

Day 3: Blurb it Out

Imagine you've written a novel and the only thing missing is the blurb - you know, the couple of paragraphs on the back that provide a short description of the book. Write the blurb of your book, tell the story or say what it's about. You can even write reviews of your previous work! If you're stuck for story ideas, maybe write the blurb for your autobiography.

So this is My Blurb

Read the new Booker Prize Winner for 2019. The story that she thought would never be printed! Surviving the bleak, boring but safe world of mediocrity she could have plucked the tale straight from Hades. It captures the essence of her life before the event that sent the world spiralling. Be ready for shocks and revelations! It’s a masterpiece for readers of all genres and those seeking the truth of what really happened to Stella Turner.

I can't believe how much I am enjoying these challenges. Woke up this morning wondering what it would be today. Not looking forward to a Poetry challenge but then it can't be any worse than the 5 faces or can it? 😏

Day 1 of the 64 Million Artists January Challenge

There are two things I'd like to do well that's sing and draw. My singing is terrible! My grandson has been know to say "No singing please Nana"  and my drawing is not much better. So when I read about the January creative challenge I signed up immediately. Small creative challenges for 31 days and I'm bound to amaze myself!

Day 1 challenge: Make a certificate or trophy to award your future self. What would you like to achieve in 2018? 

So I powered up the PC and as a self-confessed technophobe wondered how to make a certificate, easy find a template and off you go. The templates weren't inspiring at all. Probably some fantastic ones if I knew where to look! So I adapted one, added a photo and decided what was important for me to achieve in 2018. No resolutions that I churn out every single year! I did include moving more but decided not to mention eating less. Hopefully being active will make me more aware of what I'm scoffing down each day. The photo chosen was one from childhood to remind me that at 64 I still have lots more to learn. I'm still in awe that I managed to include the photo!

Here is the certificate

I'm learning that fear should not hold me back! Press a few keys on the PC experiment! What could go wrong! Skype call to Poland and my son will fix it remotely like he's done before ❤.

I'm so looking forward to the challenge tomorrow. I'll have less time but that's a challenge in itself. Oh I've already walked twice today and I'm up to 8,706 steps so I've definitely got off the settee and walked 💃 



   

Has it been that long???

It's been over twelve months since my last post so I've decided to set myself a challenge for 2018 and post once a week. That's only 52 ramblings to be read by the ones that inadvertently stumble occasionally on this blog. I've also signed up for the January Challenge set by 64 Million Artists. I can't draw but I'm hoping to surprise myself with what I create. After 31 challenges I might find something I can do. 👀

I'm sure on January 1st I'll have the same resolutions I have year after year. Eat less, move more! Be nicer! Write a novel! Learn Polish! This year I won a competition set by Deracine Magazine. The theme was 'intrusive thoughts' and I sent a surreal flash fiction I had written for Creative Writing class and was completely amazed when it was joint winner. Boosted my self confidence no end! I need to write more, definitely edit more and submit.

Good things that has happened this year: lots of holidays. Visited my son and his wife in Poland that was magical. Stayed with Sal in Morecambe which is always relaxing, good food and great company. Stayed in Benidorm with the golfers. The men golf the women chill! Stayed at Ruthin Castle in Wales and Tortworth Court in Gloucestershire. Days out with Sal in London. She has so much patience with my love of graveyards especially Highgate Cemetery!   

Me outside the burial vaults 

I've had lots of time to see my grandson Lenny develop and grow. He is six years old. He never fails to delight me with his knowledge and insights into life. I've always loved to be in the company of the young. At work I learnt so much from my colleagues and laughed so much as well. 

So bring it on 2018! May the world itself be less turbulent. I hope people will be more tolerant and show care for each other. Happy New Year everyone!

The Quest for The Truth

Nice surprise yesterday one of my stories published on Postcard Shorts

I'm keen on conspiracy theories and love the song by Kirsty MacColl

THERE’S A GUY WORKS DOWN THE CHIP SHOP SWEARS HE’S ELVIS

I hope he really is Elvis too 😉

The Quest For The Truth

He promised his wife, his children, Sister Mary Daphne who danced to his songs that he wouldn't return. He promised himself that last year would be the very last time. He travelled on the cross country train listening to the rhythm of the wheels on the track, music spurring him on. He'd walked the three miles from the station disbelieving where his feet were heading. He tried to change direction, he tried to stop at the artisan coffee shop and eat a bagel that was unique to the locality. Had fish eggs in it or some weird speciality, probably one of his better decisions to give that a miss.

Sitting in the middle of the field crammed amongst the devotees, he looked around. Everyone seemed so much younger than him. His quest had begun on August 16th 1977. He remembered the sombre moment it was announced on the BBC news. He couldn't believe it, he wouldn't believe it. It was a hoax.

The first one started to sing. It wasn't him. He'd sat through so many renderings over the years that he would instantly know the real one. Sister Mary Daphne tried to persuade him that his quest was ungodly, Elvis was dead. He knew that one day amongst all these impersonators the King would walk again.

Highs and Lows of Life

This Friday June 17th 2016 I'll be saying a final goodbye to my mum. She celebrated her 90th birthday on April 18th three days before the Queen celebrated her 90th birthday. A week later after falling at home Mum went into hospital and died peacefully on June 2nd, the anniversary of the Queen's coronation. She never really recovered from my Dad dying a week before Christmas 2015 and my elder sister dying in 2014. I miss them all so much.

A photo of us in Trafalgar Square feeding the pigeons circa 1963 (I'm the littlest one.)

My mum was very proud of all her grandchildren and her great grandson. On May 21st 2016 my son Kevin married Adelina in Poland. My mum would have loved to have been there. She loved family occasions and gatherings.

I look at my five year old grandson and marvel at the love I feel for him. This is what life is all about, the rites of passage. We'll be celebrating my mum's life this Friday with her family and friends and saying goodbye. She'll remain in our hearts and memories with love.

Heroes

David Bowie died January 10th 2016, I felt shocked that one of my musical heroes had died. no more Ziggy Stardust. Two days early I'd buried my true hero, my Dad. He died on 19th December 2015 aged 89, the same day as another legend, Jimmy Hill. For the last 3 years my Dad had been suffering with Alzheimer's, a cruel and horrible disease. Luckily my Dad still recognised me and responded to my name when people talked about me, right up to a week before his death.

Several comments he made shows how cruel dementia is, he told me how proud he was of me but couldn't remember why. My dad was asking why my sister hadn't visited him, she died in 2014. I explained that she had passed away and he replied "You'd think someone would have told me" That still makes me smile as I told him we had. Humour kept me going alongside anger, guilt and tiredness.

The Vicar paying tribute to my Dad said he was a fine and true gentleman, one of the old school, that was so true, my Dad was an honest and caring man. I will miss him everyday of my life as I do my sister.

Condolences to the Bowie family and every other family that loses a loved one.

First Day of A New Phase

September 1st 2015 .... I've been working all my life for this day, well to be honest it should have been 31st May 2013 when I celebrated my 60th birthday. But the state pension age was moved for women born in 1953 and my new date became 6th November 2016. I made a decision in the new year to leave work and take my NHS pension. I thought I would leave in November till one of my colleagues asked "Why November?" and I really didn't know. As I had to give 5 months notice and my Grandson Len is starting school in September I decided my last day would be August 31st and as its a bank holiday, a bonus :)


My last working day was amazing, my work bench decorated, a two hour buffet lunch and beautiful gifts from my workmates. I didn't shed a tear although I came close to it several times. I've worked at the hospital for 26 years and I know I will miss it but at the moment I feel like I'm on holiday. It will feel strange when my salary isn't paid into my bank account on the last day of each month :)


The worry I have is that I will turn into a hermit and never leave the house so I've got lots of plans. Thursday I'm enrolling for a Creative Writing course and a Pilates class. I'm going to learn Polish, join a book club and of cause collect Len from school twice a week. I'll be watching plays and musicals at the local theatres within train travelling distance and be a lady that lunches.


I will miss my young work colleagues with their ability to update my education, the fun and laughter I have shared with them. I have always been so proud to work for the NHS but when my sister died last year I re-evaluated my life and work didn't seem very high up my priorities. I have made the right decision I just need to live the life now :) 


 


  

Christine

Wrote this flash fairly quickly last Saturday and it came 2nd or 1st runner-up in The Angry Hourglass weekly competition. You are given a picture prompt and a word limit of 360 and off you go..... For once I really liked my story :)


 https://twitter.com/LadyHazmat/status/632522376194879488/photo/1

Christine 

I’d watched that film it had a girl’s name. The car was a killer. It just mowed everything down, guts and gore everywhere. I’d sat hiding my eyes behind a cushion. Johnny laughed at me saying I was missing the best bits and tried to wrestle the cushion from me. I ended up bruised on the floor, if I hadn’t moved quickly I would have had a real shiner of a black eye. Johnny called them play fights my social worker calls it assault but I wouldn’t press charges didn’t seem right he’s my boyfriend after all.  

My social worker says I need to work on my self esteem. I deserve better. Not sure about that, can’t see Prince Harry come knocking on my door any time now. I’d have nothing nice to wear and his dad wouldn’t want him going out with me Christine from the council estate.

When Jason from up the road asked if I wanted to sit in his new American car I knew he meant something else but the car reminded me of the one in that film. I sat in the driver’s seat whilst his hands roamed over my body. If you squint your eyes a little bit he looks like Prince Harry, well he has ginger hair.  

The police were really nice to me. I was in shock the paramedics said. I’d started up the car. Jason was giving me a driving lesson but I didn’t realise it was an automatic. Put my foot down just as Johnny came around the corner. Guts and gore just like that film. The police weren’t too bothered that I didn’t have a provisional driving license more interested in the drug stash in the boot. Jason will be in prison a very long time. My social worker says I’ve been very lucky. No injuries, no charges. After Johnny’s funeral she’s going to help me enrol at college. She says I’m cleverer than I think.       

How Time Flies

Can't believe it been 6 months since my last post. Lots of things have happened since then. The most life changing is I've given 5 months notice to terminate my employment and take my NHS pension. My last working day will be 28th August and last paid day 31st August which happens to be Bank Holiday Monday :)  So only 15 more working days before I plunge into a new phase.


I've got so much planned I'm going  to learn Polish. My son lives in Poland with his fiancée hence that's why that language was chosen.
I'm going back to the Gym. I've been paying monthly charges since the year dot without much attendance during the last 4 years.
I'm going to enrol for Pilates lessons. Learn to play the ukulele so my good friend Sal and I can start a Ukulele Ensemble ;)
Join a Reading Group and a Writer's Group. I've already got tickets for theatre productions in September. Write a novel and the most important task collect my 4 year old grandson from school on a Tuesday and Friday, play with him till his mum returns from work.
I will also have more time to see my parents, both are 89 years old, still managing to live in their own home. My dad has Alzheimers, my mum, still as sharp as a knife.


I'll officially be an Old Age Pensioner on 6th November 2016 when I get my state pension. I'm trying to organise myself a loose Five Year Plan and after that who knows :) My sister died last year just before her 64th birthday which made me want to be more mindful.... LIVE IN THE DAY.......




In July I was visiting Sal in her home town of Morecambe and she took me to see an amazing graveyard in Heysham with the WOW factor. I walked around the corner and literally caught my breathe. I can't be the only person who loves graveyards. I find them fascinating. This one looks like its literally going into the sea. It isn't, there is a brick wall acting as a sea defence :) Thank you Sal for that perfect moment. 

Liebster Award

Liebster Award

Thanks to Voima, known as @voimaoy on Twitter I've been nominated for this award to promote a blog tour.  I have to tell you 11 random facts about myself, answer 11 questions she has asked and then nominate 3 people to answer the 11 questions I set. Trouble is I've taken so long to do this... sorry for my tardiness... hope the three I nominate haven't already been here and done it. Read Voima's blog at this link


https://welcometoveridian.wordpress.com/2015/01/27/of-cats-and-flashdogs/






11 random facts about me






 1) I am left handed and extremely pleased to be in the minority
 2) I'm 5 foot 2 inches tall which can be a hindrance to reach the top shelf in the supermarket but I see that as a challenge :)
 3) I suffer from arachnophobia in a big way. Ask my children who screamed the loudest when they begged me to take them to see the film. I had nightmares for months afterwards.
 4) I abseiled 70 foot down into a cave in the dark
  5) I failed A level Economics twice...
  6) I have never cooked scrambled eggs
  7) I failed my driving test 3 times then passed once!
  8) I have my name on a theatre seat at the Birmingham Rep, (England).
  9) I have a certificate for Best Handwriting won in a national competition when I was in my last year at primary school. 
10) Although I was desperate to go to university I didn't get there the usual route but did get a BA (hons) through the Open University. So proud to get a 2:1
11) I'm a bit of a Drama Queen or so my friends tell me. Glenda Jackson never!








11 questions Voima asked me




1) What book or story changed your life?
Candide just mesmerised me. Voltaire could have written it for today. I love just dipping into it. It never fails to make me laugh and I try to have my copy near me all the time. Voltaire shows that life just goes around in repeating circles that's why history is so important. I was so lucky to have an amazing History teacher Alan Blackburn who inspired my love for the subject.




2) What is your favourite movie?
Dirty Dancing. Why because I loved Patrick Swayze, loved the songs and the story had a strong moral and the unforgettable line "Nobody puts baby in the corner"



3) Do you read non fiction if so what?
To be honest I prefer fiction but I have been known to read biographies, text books and self help books.




4) If you could visit any period in time past or future when would it be?
This is a hard one to answer. I think the 1920's WW1 the war to end all wars had ended and I'd like to have been a flapper girl challenging society :)




5) If you could meet a fictional character who would you like to talk to?
No one really, I don't want to be disappointed if they didn't look like I imagined them to be and didn't meet my expectations.




6) You have 3 treasures what are they?
Family, friends and to still be breathing :)




7) What kind of music do you like? What are you listening to these days?
I have an eclectic taste in music. I can listen to everything except Country and Western although I wouldn't completely write out the genre. I have been known to sing along to Dolly Parton! I love Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, the Rolling Stones, Shakira, Blue etc etc.  I like buying CD's of artists I don't know in the bargain buckets to introduce me to new sounds. I'm listening to Mick and the Mechanics at the moment.



8) Would you ride a Dragon?
I'd love to say yes but I'm a bit of a scaredy cat when it comes to heights.




9) What if you won the lottery, what would you do with this fortune?
I'd give up work immediately, go on a long holiday and ponder my options. Whilst pondering I'd be making sure my family and friends were enjoying my new found wealth.




10) What's on your grocery list?
Cheese, pizza and fish as well as the usual boring household necessities, such as toothpaste and bleach :)




11) What or who inspires you?
My friend Sal Page, she asked me once for advice and I said what's stopping you achieving your dream, she replied nothing and then went for it, such strength of character and she writes great stories and novels too.


I nominate for the Leibster Award


 1. Sal Page   https://twitter.com/SalnPage
 2. Tamara Shoemaker https://twitter.com/TamaraShoemaker
 3. Foy https://twitter.com/db_foy


Sorry if you three have already been nominated or don't want to participate because my questions are boring :)  Remember 11 random thoughts about yourselves, answer my 11 questions then nominate 3 others to answer your 11 choice questions.


My 11 questions to be answered
1) If you could have a super power what would it be?
2) What quality would you like to have in abundance?
3) Favourite Actor/ Actress and why?
4) What is your worst trait?
5) Favourite TV programme?
6) How would you like to be remembered?
7) Why do you write and where?
8)  Do you prefer to shop in supermarkets or local shops and why?
9)  What is your favourite colour and why?
10) Do you approve of social media?
11) What are you reading right now?


Thanks for reading and thanks Voima for the nomination :)

Flashdogs: An Anthology

Happy New Year Everyone. I can't believe that I haven't mentioned before how proud I am to be included in this anthology.  http://t.co/AI8d0cauCS   34 writers 110 stories and 1 charity. To quote from the official Flashdogs site


'The book profits will go to a global charity, IBBY. The charity promotes the philosophy  that children have a right to read, this is something that FlashDogs feel passionate about.'  


This is a great choice of charity as the writers come from all over the globe. We came together through Twitter united in our mutual love of flash fiction. If it wasn't for Mark King, David Shakes, Emily June Street and Tam Rogers for all their hard work in producing this anthology it would never have have happened. So thank you to them and to the 33 talented writers and the 110 stories.


Hope you buy a copy and enjoy all the diverse stories.

So Honoured.... Thanks Flash Friday :)

So excited when I read this on Flash Friday on September 5th 2014 http://t.co/NNaYJBv5fI

***BONUS optional challenge: totally optional, not required, nor do you net extra points except in our unabashed respect: in honor of faithful and enthusiastic dragon stellakateT, who cannot write with us today: name a major character Stella.

Judge Craig Anderson (you should see the post-battle mess of his poor brain!) says: Who knew that a simple stone shack on a deserted island could house so many wonderful stories? It has been fantastic to see the community grow these last few weeks as more and more people have joined the fun. It positively warms my heart to see our little flash family flourish. Try saying that five times really fast!
The toughest part of being a judge (apart from the judging obviously) is not being able to read all the wonderful comments on everyone’s stories, which are often just as much fun to read as the stories themselves. These all get stripped, along with your names, for the sacred judging scroll, which is hand written in unicorn tears before being delivered by tiny fire-breathing owls. No expense is spared in the name of fair and equitable judgery-ish-ness. On a totally unrelated note, don’t tell tiny fire-breathing owls how cute they are if you like your eyebrows.
One or two of you took on the optional ‘Stella challenge’ this week, leading to a cavalcade of Stellas. Some were hunters, some were prey, some were young and some were old, some were human, some were not and one of them was quite literally a pregnant planet! More than one was a dragon, just like our very own stellakateT. I hope that ‘our’ Stella enjoyed the surprise when she popped by to check out this week’s stories :)
Anyway, enough of my ramblings; on to the important business of the results…


This story by David Hartley didn't win but it was one of my favourites http://flashfriday.wordpress.com/2014/09/05/flash-friday-vol-2-39/#comment-14147


Every Friday evening I get home from work and go to @FridayflashFic on twitter to see the picture prompt and write 140 to 160 words hoping to win. There are so many good writers producing great little tales that I'd be so amazed if I ever won. so if you ever have time on your hands go read these flashes of gold.


Here is the winning story 



Vol 2 – 39 – John Murray Lewis


Untitled


Margaret did as she was told, carried her baby across the moor to St. Kilda’s Barrow. She’d named him Ian, after his father.
She had to be brave, like Ian’s father, brave Father Macquaig. How he had trembled when she brought the baby to his rectory door, when she told him the child was his, when they prayed together; when he told her, then, of the baobhan sith and how it could only be sated by the blood of the chosen child—this very child!—sacrificed in the barrow of St. Kilda.
The barrow was close now, an island in the mist…
Something was not right. Father Macquaig had instructed her to remove the entrance stone, but the stone was already gone.
Inside the barrow, Margaret found another village girl, Agnes, cradling a bloody bundle.
“The chosen child,” she cooed. “His own daughter…”
“Whose?”
“Brave Father Macquaig’s!” Agnes said, weeping reverently.
Beneath Margaret’s cloak, Ian laughed for the first time.

♦♦♦♦♦

Postcards From Earth

Okay, it wasn’t the usual way to arrive on earth; we’d been doing it for millions of years without mishap. Didn’t the holiday brochures say ‘Have fun wherever you land, diverse climate, exotic food, challenging terrain’

 

It was Cousin Harvey that had suggested I went sight-seeing aboard the Gemini V. I played about with the re-entry system Georgia USSR sounded more interesting than Georgia USA, anyway I’d been to America twice before. The guys were great company so resisted the fresh meat and ate the flight pre-pack meals instead.

 

Hitting the water I nearly died of fright, didn’t my mother always say it was the Devil’s playground. Those frogmen did a great job saving us all, still a bit miffed about Gordon altering the destination, costing me more now to get back home. My holiday pics are sensational; if you look carefully you can see me bobbing about to the right of the good looking frogman. He looks tasty.    




I wrote this from a picture prompt of the Gemini V astronauts being picked up from their pod in the ocean.   http://t.co/lrmW763C5Q for Flash Friday Fiction.

My Writing Blog Tour

I was really amazed and thrilled to be tagged by Avalina Kreska and Imagine Ronin  in their 'My Writing Process Blogs' Up to now I've felt a bit uneasy about contributing. I've had Flash fiction published in several anthologies and had many encouraging comments on my short tales but I still don't really think of myself as a writer.




What I am working on
I have this grand idea that one day I will write a successful best selling novel, make loads of money and become famous :) The problem with this is I love writing Flash fiction, anything longer than 500 words terrifies me. Think its because I dart from one idea to another and easily gets bored with my own writing. I love reading other peoples novels more. I love writing from prompts so at the moment am contributing to The Angry Hourglass and Flash Friday both on Twitter. So on a Friday and Sunday I'm busy writing and submitting with fingers crossed that my tale will be chosen. I need to persuade myself that a novel is a lot of flashes joined together :)




How does my work differ from others of its genre
I'll let the Judge of last week's Angry Hourglass sum it up thanks David
"I read the tale through and knew it was a Stella classic. Loved the disarming first line. Laughed out loud at Mammy’s take on Dad’s gas. The emotions of the final paragraph were all the stronger for the light-hearted opening. Our narrator, I fear, did not have to wait too long before he’d be called to serve again. Stella’s strength is characterisation. We’ve been given memorable, familiar characters here – deftly wrought in a few pen strokes. The WW1 setting was also timely and I felt this was a fitting part of the centenary – like the best bits of a BBC drama condensed to their raw essence.

Why do I write what I write
Really have no idea why I write what I write, I don't plan it out it just arrives on the page. I've never thought of a beginning a middle and an end all at one time. I just have an idea that expends on the page as I'm writing.


How does my writing process work
Most of my time is spent at work or asleep :) so in the evenings I'll switch on my laptop which literally does sit on my lap and multi-task by watching TV and going from Twitter to Facebook to Twitter and if my eye is caught by a prompt I'll write. I'm hoping when I retire I'll have a plan to write in a more structured way.





Introduction to 3 other writers


Jackie Donnellan The other week I was Judge for The Angry Hourglass and the story that stood out for me was by Jackie. Her story 'I serve'  had a great first line, the story got straight to the point, the ending was funny and left me feeling satisfied. Lots of flashes leave me thinking what's all that about but Jackie's never do, read her story at http://t.co/czuSBcIxB6  See her page on Facebook at https://t.co/zAgVblzfLW






Imagine Ronin's  story last week on the Angry Hourglass was excellent, as much as I wanted mine to win, his story was miles better. Read it here http://t.co/zdd4WnpQ1n . I always look forward to scrolling down the numerous entries at Flash Friday to find his take on this week's prompt and then think why didn't I write that :) Read his blog at http://t.co/Tw8KfkJPeM




Sal Page has won Calderdale 2011 & Greenacre 2013 and been published on lots of online sites and won The Angry Hourglass with Sir Prance-a-lot, read it here http://t.co/lxoJyS1U87  She is a very good friend of mine and I've been very privileged to be asked to read the drafts of her two novels, both I enjoyed very much. Her stories are either moving, humorous or both. I'm always amazed where she gets her ideas from. Sal's blog is at http://t.co/vCz55Sdlca


These three writers have always been so supportive and encouraging not only to me but to other writers in the twitter community. We share each other successes and rejections with good heart. Long may we all put pen to paper. Can't remember the last time I've written anything longer than a shopping list by hand. I'm still in awe of cut and paste :) 
Thanks again Avalina and Imagine Ronin for choosing me as one of your 3 writers. Writer, Writer, Writer if I keep saying it I might get used to the idea that I'm a WRITER..... :)