Friday 9 September, 2022
This is a tale about two people who meet under unusual circumstances. Both of them are slightly odd, off beat.
The setting is a fictitious island in the Outer Hebrides.
It was started several years ago, sparked by a topic from the Writers’ Circus entitled “familiar”.
I like to think of it as a modern-day Peoples’ Friend story, the sort of story my Mum would have enjoyed.
Special thanks are due to my friend Kareth Paterson who spent many long hours editing this tale, contributing corrections and suggesting ideas which shaped the final outcome.
Wednesday 10 August, 2022
This second ‘shaggy dog story’ came to mind and demanded to be written.
Read it over morning coffee, why don’t you?
Wednesday 10 August, 2022
This story was started while we were visiting the Rosemarkie Caravan Site in July 2022.
The piece is in response to a Writers’ Circus challenge to write ‘a shaggy doggy story’.
There are dolphins most days at Chanonry Point which juts out into the Moray Firth.
Read on and learn what happened one day in July.
Fankle is a Scottish word, meaning ‘in a tangle’.
Tuesday 19 July, 2022
This short story was written in response to a Writers’ Circus challenge. The topic was: freedom, write what you like.
I wrote it while on holiday in Rosemarkie, on The Black Isle, north of Inverness during our twenty something-th visit to the caravan park which looks out to Chanonry Point with its leaping dolphins.
Sunday 24 April, 2022
This piece was penned during quiet moments in April 2022 on Tenerife as celebrated our Golden Wedding Anniversary with our family. Our group comprised Margaret and me; Stuart and Debs with Matthew (11), Zac (19 months) Rory (3 months); and Craig and Lee with Ethan (8) and Drew (6).
Our accommodation and weather were perfect and we had a great time, a slice of Paradise!
The tale itself recounts parts of my life brought to mind when I think of the bikes I have owned and the adventures I enjoyed on them.
This backdrop also enabled me to add some family history as it came to mind while tapping away on my iPad, information which may be of interest to family and friends and, in later years, to our grandsons.
Many thanks to Margaret for proof reading this piece and guiding me to a better result.
Saturday 16 April, 2022
This little tale was written in response to a challenge on the topic of “Laugh out loud”.
The backdrop is based on a family circus we visited in the Cotswolds when our eldest grandson Matthew was about 4 years old.
During research I came across an amazing YouTube link of an equilibrist performing on a slackwire.
https://youtu.be/zjT8Rqk05Ms
Enjoy!
Saturday 12 March, 2022
This little tale was penned in response to a Writers’ Circus challenge set by me!
My topic was “anything suggested by listening to “Only in Sleep”.”
Here are two You Tube addresses.
https://youtu.be/fvPynMI6Umc
https://youtu.be/rGvh9weuDhE
The first is my favourite version, as referenced in the story.
The second I love because it is so atmospheric.
Try both, why don’t you!
Then read my tale, please.
Friday 11 March, 2022
This tale was spun in response to a Writers’ Circus challenge entitled:
“It’s not how your start out, it’s how your end up.”
I suppose the content and style will not suit everyone. It is certainly dark in places.
It comes to you unread by anyone as I have self-edited, using the Read Aloud function in Word.
At a rough estimate these 85,000 words have taken around 600 hours to scribe.
Can it be free of errors and missing logic? Probably not! For these faults I apologise. Do let me know if you spot any.
So, dear readers, at the end of my journey, here it is for your at last.
Go on, download the PDF and give it a go, why don’t you?
Wednesday 26 January, 2022
This short story was written for Writers’ Circus, on the topic of ‘Snow’.
Reach for your tissues!
Tuesday 21 December, 2021
This is a short story sparked by a Writers’ Circus challenge on the theme of ‘Climate Change’ as it was set just after the COP26 event held in Glasgow in November 2021.
Although I know the intention was to lead us to discuss climate change per se, my mind did not take to the idea; from the outset I was off on a different tack, albeit our protagonist has green and organic tendencies.
Read on. . . .