Nice surprise

SUE’S WRITING BOARD

Heard today that a letter of mine will be published in Writing Magazine – it was following an experiment to see if fillers are still used.

Also a rejection from a publisher, who didn’t want a novel, but asked to see more work – I’ll take that as a compliment and keep writing and subbing.

Here’s book 1 of the village in Norfolk – now working on the third one, and it’s going quite well so far.

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A story for the weekend

 

This is the story that won Eddie Walsh’s final Emerald competition. Theme: – Nobody will ever know. I came first from 65 entries, so I was thrilled as you can imagine. It’s been a while ago, but it’s a story I’m proud of and thought you might like to read it.
When the cheque for £65.00 arrived it was a real treat especially as it came on my birthday as well. Eddie, told me that he read so many stories with bodies under the patio, that it was good to read something different. So, remember, when entering any competition, write about the most way out thing you can. It will get you noticed, if nothing else.

It’s a shame about Cliff and Binky, I think they would have had some good adventures as the house-sitters with Herbert, and even done a bit of sleuthing. I’m now going to work on a series of stories with the two of them.

They met at university in the sixties. Cliff was a vegetarian, that’s why Binkie was always with him. He loved animals, and did a lot for animal welfare, so it was a sad ending for him. Hope you enjoy the story, I wrote it while on holiday in Brixham. So, I think we should have another holiday so that I can write another winning story:

One of my summer projects is to publish a collection of my short stories to keep them all together and so that I can have a clean up with my files and get rid of lots of folders that are gathering dust but ones I don’t like to part with. Title will be The House-Sitters and other stories.

 

 

The House-Sitters

“Hey Cliff, I’ve let the canary out of the cage for a bit of a fly around the conservatory.”

“I wish you’d said, then I could have shut the Jack Russell out.” A flash of white fur dived onto the back of the rattan settee, and in one gulp, swallowed a mouthful of yellow feathers. Herbert and Cliff watched in horror as Binkie coughed and spluttered before smacking his lips in appreciation.

“My God Herbert, I can’t believe that. He’s eaten the canary!”

“We’ll have to cover this up Cliff. Nobody will ever know. We’ll say we left a window open, then the bird flew out.” Herbert bit on his lower lip as if to convince himself it could pass for the reason the cage was empty of canary.
“Blasted dog.”

Cliff turned, “I’ll go and feed Monty his rats. When the instructions said, three of them, did it mean daily or weekly do you think?” Herbert frowned, then ruffled his thick mop of white hair.

“Not sure, I threw him one in yesterday. I haven’t much idea on the diet of a python.”

“Me neither. We haven’t had one of those before have we?” Cliff made his way to the shed where a cage of live rats with pink piercing eyes darted with fear, or maybe anger, Cliff wasn’t sure. He made a grab for one of them by its tail. Binkie gnashed his teeth, trying to grab the wriggling rat from Cliff’s grasp.

“Blast you Binkie.” He tried kicking the dog to one side. “You’ve caused enough trouble for today. Move away.” Cliff opened the door to the spare room where Monty the enormous python languished across the top of a dusty bookcase. Hurling the screeching rat across the room towards the snake, Binkie flew like chalk dust onto the big grey rodent. Cliff just happened to see the rat clasped in the jaws of the dog when an even swifter move was made by the snake. For a few seconds he froze in time; to see Binkie’s head, body, then legs disappearing down the jaws of Monty.

“Herbert, come quick!” Cliff grasped Binkie’s back legs and tugged as hard as he could on the only remaining part of the dog that hung out of those elongated poisonous, fang sucking lips that opened even wider to pull in dog, hands, arms then head of Cliff.

Hebert entered the room just in time to see his friend being swallowed alive with one last gulp. With that final suck, Monty had feasted on canary in dog, with rat in jaw, followed by one slightly tough, though tasty all the same, human being.
As he shivered uncontrollably, Herbert could see the shape of Cliff lying inside the snake. Slowly closing the door on the horrific scene, he whispered to himself.

“Nobody will ever know.” The Peterson’s were due back in the morning. Herbert needed to act fast. They never left true contact details, always best to give false ones. He picked up the phone and booked a flight. “Thank you, first class travel to South Africa will be perfect.”

Photo by Osmar Vasques on Pexels.com

Her Own Robinson Crusoe

This is what I’m off to read in the garden under the umbrella of course. It’s still hot here in Warwickshire, but before long I’ll be taking the plane journey with Serena off to the Caribbean. Better get a cool drink to go with it. It’s in the shops today.

Sophie had good news today as well, she got her first swimming certificate. Well done, little swimmer and  hope it’s the first of many.

She looks as proud as Grandma with her books doesn’t she? Well done, Sophie.

 

 

 

More promoting

I’m getting into this promoting lark now. So I’ve been working on my website as it’s been neglected for a while. No excuses not as I have more news to tell you, and I think there might be an option to sign up to a newsletter on the front page of the website. Still working it out, so if you sign up and hear nothing, fear not, it’s just me working it out.

Following on from last post, there’s been a review in prices of the Writers’ key rings. Talking to the boss it turns out that I got the prices wrong, not the only thing this week, but that’s another story. Details will be on a Facebook page where you can see the more generous offer. Now I’m busy making up key rings with my own book covers and watch out for some fab giveaways on here very soon.

It’s football fever around here and well done to England with that great win over Panama earlier, but not sure Panama knew the rules. Did you see all that dancing and hugging going on?

Her Own Robinson Crusoe will be in the shops on 12th July, but I’m sure I’ll be reminding you before then as I’m so excited and can’t wait to see it on the shelves in Asda. The cover is really lovely and just how I imagine the heroine Serena to look.

Have a great week and enjoy the lasting sunshine but don’t forget the hats and sun cream.

 

Pocket Novels

I’m a pocket novelist for My Weekly, and proud to say another one will be published soon. It’s set in the Caribbean, will let you know as soon as it’s here.

Great to see family members today, Ann and Sophie called, then our Son and his dog bounded in, and lovely to see them all.

                

Knitting is another pastime that I find helps with relaxing, not that I need an excuse to sit down and watch something funny on t.v. Rising Damp is on, and for me good comedy doesn’t date. Same as Larry Grayson who was on the night before. He was a local celebrity in our area, coming from local town of Nuneaton.

My day job is now making badges and key rings, also putting words on tee shirts. Can’t wait to put book covers on key rings, and more news on that coming soon. Have a great week, however you’re spending it.

 

 

 

Happy New Year

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2017

Wishing everyone who follows my blog, and other places, a very Happy New Year – 2017.

It doesn’t seem a minute since last time does it? We’re still relaxing after Christmas and enjoying the mid-winter break, even though we didn’t actually have much time off work. It’s always good to spend time with family though, and catch up with reading. Now I’m making plans for a new romantic story. It’s going to take place in South Wales, Jamaica, and Torbay.

And, remember that follow up to Redington I was telling you about? Well that is now going to be published as a pocket novel, so watch out for news of when that will be in the shops. Also, I’m now a subscriber to Pocket Novels. They’re such handy books to pop in your handbag or backpack that I don’t want to miss any. Saves going round the shops as well to see if I can find one.

Now I feel a cup of tea and a mince pie coming on. Back to the gym next week, so I’ll make the most of this lovely-lazy time.

Something Special

Look what just landed on the doormat. How lovely and now I’m off to the garden with a cuppa and a ham and mustard cob to read through.

I’ve started a new job this week, and getting into the swing of it. The people are friendly and the hours still give me time to go the the gym. What a fantastic cover they’ve chosen. Is it bad to say you can’t wait to read your own book even if you know what’s in it:)) It’s dated the 28th July, so will be in the shops soon. Hope you enjoy it if you buy and read it.

Happy Days

 

 

Hello to all my lovely blog followers. Bet you wondered where I’ve been. Here I am after drinking some shrinking pop in the Torbay area. I’ve signed up to a ‘think yourself big’ course. It’s not working so far.

 

It was great to catch up and spend time with loved ones, and you notice Sophie found a deck chair at the local open gardens afternoon. We had a day at the races, and the chaps had winners in the first three races. Even if the third one had to be dragged out to start with. After that it shot off and was miles ahead of the other horses all the way twice round the tracks. Lovely atmosphere, and the air show was brilliant as well.

 

Here, Sophie and mum had been in to a summer-house shaped like a lighthouse.

On the writing front, I’m proud to say, I’m now a Pocket Novelist. I’ve had two pocket novels accepted by the lovely Maggie Swinburne at My Weekly, and will post more news when I know anything extra.

I have a few funnies to send out, and also maybe some job news next week. Enjoy the better weather that’s coming soon I’ve heard.

 

 

Alfie dog competition

Are you all having a go at the Alfie dog writing competition? Read all about it here. I’m planning my entry and the prizes are amazing so if you’re a writer of short stories, you’d have to be mad not to try it. And, the entry fee is downloading 5 different author stories.

If you wanted to download any of mine that are on there, here’s the link showing you where to find them. Great news is that another story of mine, Seeds of Friendship, will be published on Wednesday 5th August.

Today, we’ve been in the garden, cutting the hedge, so it looks all neat and lovely for a while. Sweet peas are growing and a sun-flower has appeared like magic amongst them. I’ll get a pic when they’re flowering. Pink geraniums are blooming lovely, and our patch of scented pinks make the air smell divine when you pop out to have a relax with cup of coffee.

A few stories have gone out, and one back from take a break fiction feast. It’s a story I like, even though it was written when we had a theme going on in our online writing group. That makes it special, as it wasn’t going to be written otherwise. Now it’s gone off somewhere else. Reading some good books as well, and short stories.

No news on the novel yet, but no news is good news they say. So fingers are still crossed, and toes as well.

Relaxing while dreaming up my Alfie dog story.

Great author interview coming soon. The lovely Joanne Fox has agreed to be my guest later on this month. So glad she’s back blogging in time to pop over and talk about her writing.

Latest Redington story, and a new look blog.

Hello on this rainy Monday to all my lovely followers.

Good news is, I’ve finished my morning shift, and my latest Redington story is up on Creative Frontiers for you to read. I’ve missed that make-believe village and all the characters, and with this story we have a new one – Jasmine – Claire’s long-lost daughter. I’ll leave you to read the rest, if you want to.

Part Two is here on Tuesday

Part Three, Wednesday.

 

You might also notice, that I’ve learned how to add blogs that aren’t WordPress ones, to the right of my post. If you’re a follower, and you aren’t on there, drop me a line, and I can correct that.

I’m still drinking the green whoosh up’s and amazingly they’re smashing. Maybe my taste buds have changed as I take a flask of green tea with me in the mornings and drink that. Also, I feel like Granny Fairfax in the Terry Pratchett story, drinking a big glass of green froth.

In mine, I put soya milk, a banana, soya yoghurt, flax seeds, two teaspoons of lecithin (for lowering cholesterol) half a teaspoon of turmeric (for aching joints) and a heaped teaspoon, which began as half a t.spn, then progressed to two-thirds of a tsp. and now it’s a heaped one of spirulina.

Whoosh all of those up for about three minutes and you’ve got an odd shade of green milk shake. Oh, forgot to say, the thing that I think is making it yummshious, is three leaves of apple mint that I keep on the kitchen shelf, out of the garden. The blood pressure reading is almost normal, not sure about cholesterol, and I think a bit more chub has gone. I’ll find out on Wednesday when I check in at the Doctor’s.

Stand by for the weight loss announcement, I’ve lost eleven (11) pounds in eight weeks. Whoopie, but the blood pressure is still on the high side, so now I have to go for one of those ecg’s and a blood test. So, green smoothie coming up to celebrate the weight loss.

I offer anyone passing (in the family, of course) a sip. Then they guess what’s in it. Kiwi was one answer, on that day I’d put a kiwi yoghurt in there. Until next time, have a good week, and I’ll add links to the story each day………………………

What’s Ivy worried about, and will Edna Bailey have any answers for her and Janice?

 

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