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..... :)

Geo-writing

Most nights I'm woken by the whirling of the helicopter blades. A powerful light searches the gardens like a giant torch. Never sure what the Police are looking for. We've never had any drug dealers or burglars in Portslade Old Village. Our drug dealer is the local doctor who gives out Viagra and Prozac like sweeties. A nice young man in a dark suit who thinks we geriatrics should be happy and at it like rabbits. We sell them on to the middle aged; they are the ones that need happiness in their stale, barren lives. No final salary pensions for them to look forward to.

Doris, sleeps like the dead, her thigh warm to my touch, I can't hear her breathing I'm deaf. Sometimes that's a blessing. We've been together for 5 years. My wife upped and died and Doris started helping out and never went home. Not sure what nationality she is and what language she speaks but she smiles a lot. Sometimes I wonder if the light is searching for her. Where would they send her? Who would make my meals, scratch my back and sing me to sleep? I've come full circle like the rotating blades that fly overhead.




I wrote this last year for the Geo-Writing site. We were given a prompt about an area in Brighton. I have only spent 4 days in Brighton and that was to celebrate last years big birthday. Great city, vibrant and fun. Looking forward to this year's prompts. Wonder what ideas it will give me :)

-         See more at: http://www.geo-writing.com/writing.php#sthash.OLQxeKuG.dpuf

          

War, Conflict & Resolution

My story 'May Day' was published in the anthology War, Conflict and Resolution on August 15th 2014, a collection for all the soldiers, families and friends who were effected by World War 1. One hundred years on we still remember. Edited by Ryan Thacker & Alex Gallagher. I'm so pleased to be part of this very worthy cause as all profits will go to the Royal British Region. http://t.co/KJjNLo8HRu


I'm in WW1 mode at the moment as I submitted a story to The Angry Hourglass its about a young lad at the end of the war to end all wars based on a picture prompt of an old bike with the back wheel missing. Here is the link if anyone wants to read all the fantastic entries submitted this week.   http://t.co/BIN89XHQn4


This is also the beginning of the 3rd week that I'm trying to practise Mindfulness, to live in the moment not the past or the future. It struck a cord when I read that a good part of life is spent on auto pilot. So I'm following meditations and reading http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mindfulness-practical-guide-peace-frantic-ebook/dp/B004XCFJ3E/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1408297766&sr=1-1&keywords=mindfulness . Its an eight week course so in 6 weeks time I'll be reporting back :)