Mid-week Musing

hating the night
a black warrior
snuffing out the white knight

Filed under: Musings, Poetry

Mid-week Musing

The walk into work
Leaden legs
Freedom fantasies
Call me a taxi

Filed under: Musings, Poetry

Mid-week Musing

red wine
fruit blanket on tingling tongue
dulling the synapses
comprehension takes a step back

Filed under: Musings, Poetry

Mid-week Musing

i hate the sting
i hate the process
i love the result
why wasn’t man created
the shaveless human being?

Filed under: Musings, Poetry

Seeing the Light

I had a submission rejected for a short story a few days ago. They said the ending was too predictable.
This was a fair point really as it was too predictable. I thought it at the time but I figured it would be okay.

It wasn’t.

Which is fine. I should have done more at the time. I should have pushed the boat (or thought) out a little bit more.

I’ll have another crack soon and I’ll  listen and act on my own criticism before I send it off this time rather than agreeing with it when I receive the identical criticism back.

Don’t you just love these  ‘Doh!’ moments?

Filed under: Musings, Short Stories, Writing

New words to conquer

I’m new to this writing lark so I come across plenty of words and have to reach for the dictionary. Some of these become favourites and I think, “must get that in somewhere.”

But I hardly ever do.

So what about trying to get all your favourite and new words all together in one sentence?

It could be called ‘New Word Stuffing’. Or something like that.

So, if I could, I’d choose these three which are my favourites at the moment.

Flâneuse – she who wanders and has an insatiable thirst for experiencing life.

Schadenfreude – pleasure derived from the misfortunes of others.

Misandry – hatred (or contempt) of men or boys.

And it would go a little bit like this …

Clarisse was known about town as a dedicated flâneuse. Her friend Collette, however, was a definite misandrist who liked nothing better than inviting men to inappropriate parties and gaining satisfaction from her little moments of Schadenfreude.

Bit much?

Mmm, I think so too. But it’s a fun game.

Filed under: Musings, Word Love, Writing

Some Salt in my reading diet

Following on from the previous post I’ve ordered ‘Words from a Glass Bubble’ by Vanessa Gebbie.

I’m looking forward to receiving  it.

Because, of course, you can never have enough new books waiting in line to be read!

My thanks to Nik for his suggestions.

I would have like to have bought more but my bank manager is already on medication for stress so I thought it was better not to risk it.

Filed under: Musings, Publishers, Short Stories, Writers

Honesty – worth its weight in Salt

I first read about Salt’s financial plight on the Novel Racers blog and duly bought one of their books in support (it was Tania Hershman’s ‘The White Road’ if you’re wondering).

I felt a little guilty because I was already ordering from Amazon and just added the book to my list. I hope I won’t be castigated too severely.

It’s truly refreshing to see the honesty in which Salt have approached their crisis. Instead of saying nothing (and going to the wall) they’ve decided to fight and use the net to reach out for help.

I think this is to be commended. Honesty, as we have seen elsewhere recently, seems to be in very short supply at the moment.

And what’s great is the net has responded by trying to help out. Excuse the pun but it has become a true support net.

p.s. To atone for my Amazon sins I will be ordering another book directly from Salt.

Suggestions anyone?

Filed under: Internet, Musings, Publishers

Collectable, compostable

Don’t you just love old books?

Do you enjoy taking some quality time, wandering around second-hand bookshops, browsing row after row of books; all dusty, aged, touched by many hands, with a slightly musty smell to them?

You do?

Well I don’t.

Leave those for museums. I like new books. Brand new. Crisp white pages, smooth spines. Gleaming covers, the smell of newness where the only people who may have touched it are the packer and the stacker. Plus the author gets some royalties.

I can’t think of anything worse than some crappy old, moth eaten bit of pulp that should be re-cycled but instead is sold off as something collectable at a ridiculous price. Mauled about by god-knows-who and has been god-knows-where.

Ugh!

Filed under: Musings, Old Books

Luck is in the eye of the beholder

Last week was a lucky week for me, so I thought this week was bound to be a bit of a let down.

Hold on, is that pessimistic or what?

I really don’t deserve nice things to happen to me if I view a week where I may not get what I want as a let down.

This all started because I won a Blog writing competition on the Strictly Writing website and also a free copy of ‘Crossed Wires’ by Rosy Thornton, from the same site.

I’ve always had this idea I wasn’t lucky and to be honest I quite liked that idea. I don’t need luck, I make the effort to do things for myself.

So I’d convinced myself I never won things and to reinforce that belief I, well you guessed it, never entered things. Talk about self-fulfilling prophecy.

So, am I lucky?

Well I’m healthy (could lose a few pounds, ahem, but the weighing scales went from the house years ago so who’s counting, or weighing?)
I live with a wonderful partner. I have enough money to keep a roof over my head and I’m not starving, (see note above). I get to do the things I like. I have loving family and friends. I am safe.

It’s so easy to spend your time trying to get the next thing on your life list and forgetting about what you already have.

So who’s lucky?

I am.

Every day.

Filed under: General, Internet, Musings