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Meet the Writer 2025 - pt 2

Oh good question! Being settled at my writing desk after dinner with my favourite playlist on definitely helps. Thinking through what I plan to write while I’m out walking also helps. If I’m not in the mood to work on my current book baby, I’ll write something else but I try to always write something daily Music, the beach, love…. These are the themes at the heart of all my book babies so far…

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Silently Watching As The Rose Moon Wanes

Disregarding the risks, the dark angel landed lightly in front of her mausoleum. The previous enchantment that had held her captive there had long since been lifted but she still scanned the area for magical wards as a precautionary measure. “Careless, Son of Perran,” she muttered under her breath. “Very careless.” Once inside the tomb, Anna wove a seal around the entrance to keep her safe from…

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Silently Watching Under a Rose Moon

A huge crow sat in the trees to the east of the beach hut. It was perched high up among the branches out of sight. The light summer evenings were Jem’s favourite time of year, but they also presented him with the biggest challenge. A lack of darkness made it difficult to hunt and to run undetected. As he stood in the doorway of the beach hut after the sun had set, he had a burning desire to do…

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Dear Meta Gods....

Dear Meta Gods I am writing to you today to express my displeasure at the anti-social behaviour of your bots and algorithms. I should perhaps backtrack and thank you for your early Christmas gift that you presented me with on Christmas Even 2024 when you shut down my page, The Myles Kennedy Fan Page, for impersonation.  You never even left a right of appeal open to me. The clue to the page’s…

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The Measly Jar of Motivation - today's challenge...

Today’s challenge is to show up for your writing and write about it. Oh, tough one, Measly Jar! To be honest, I show up every day for my writing in some shape or form. As a bare minimum, I write my diary and complete my daily gratitude journal. Last Christmas, I received a copy of Donna Ashworth’s daily journal “Words to Live By” and I’m completing that too. I’m enjoying the challenge of…

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Diamond Ring (an acrostic poem)

Diamonds are a girl’s best friend …or are they? I stared at my wedding rings emotions spilling over And felt a fraud. Marriage died a long time ago Our vows cast aside in favour of adultery Never did I break mine Decisions. Dilemmas. Dichotomy. Rings were tearfully removed, releasing the past. I felt naked and lost. New ring selected with self-love in mind Giving myself permission to…

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Meet the Writer 2025 - part 1

For the third year in succession, I recently took part in Beth Kempton’s Meet the Writer online challenge. Fifteen prompts/questions over fifteen days that will hopefully give you a bit of an insight into my creative world. As before I’ll split this across three blogs. I love creating and developing my characters and getting to know them. I love creating their world. In my current work in…

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Continue the Story...Dawn (flash fiction)

She jumped from the train, rolling in the dust before coming to a stop. A sharp pain shot through her right ankle. Breathing heavily, she reached down and rubbed it as she flexed her foot. It didn’t appear to be broken. With a groan, she clambered to her feet, testing her weight on her throbbing ankle gingerly. Her backpack had come to rest about a hundred metres back down the track. Seconds…

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The Measly Jar of Motivation - The Journey

She had been walking forever or at least that was how it felt. The sun shone down on her path as she walked trail after trail. Each crossroads she came to had a signpost pointing four different ways. The only problem was that all signs led to the same destination. The only difference was the difficulty of the route. How was she meant to choose? Her stomach grumbled with hunger. She had long…

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Fortune Telling

Recently I have been taking part in one of Beth Kempton’s #tinypoem challenges. I love these as they keep the creative juices flowing. You get a one-word prompt for the day and 10 minutes with no editing to come up with a poem. Simple, right? A recent word prompt stirred nostalgic childhood memories. The word was FOLDED. Immediately a picture formed in my mind’s eye. Who else remembers making…

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Ten years ago today......

Ten years… a whole decade… since my first book baby, Stronger Within was published for Kindle. (The paperback edition followed a few weeks later) It feels truly surreal that ten years have passed since that day. I chose the date carefully. (I’m a bit weird about dates) The 15th April would have been my Wee Gran’s birthday. It was also the date that The Big Green Gummi Bear proposed to me. It…

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A Midnight Musical Moment (flash fiction)

It was late, almost midnight, and the house was quiet…too quiet. All around her the kitchen lay in chaos after the earlier visit from her kids and their partners. It had been wonderful to have everyone over for dinner, but it was nice to wave them off at the front door too and have the house to herself again. “Alexa, play my soundtrack,” she instructed as she began to load the dishwasher. The…

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Pythagoras - an acrostic poem for our beautiful boy

Petite white paws with pink beans You stole my baby boy’s heart a long time ago Taking up too much space in his bed at night Hunter extraordinaire in your day Agile and strong Ginger fur softening as the years flew by Over the roof and in through the window you’d go Reluctantly accepting my love in time A big softie underneath it all Sleep easy, beautiful boy March 2009 – 14 March 2005

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Five years ago today.....

23 March 2020…the day the UK entered its first Covid 19 Lockdown. How on earth is that five years ago already? It all seems surreal… I remember sitting having a coffee in the office canteen with a friend three days before the announcement. We pondered if this virus would come to anything and if we were told that we had to work from home, how long would that last. Little did we realise… Five…

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To Sign Or Not To Sign (poetic dilemma)

Dilemma How to sign? Signing autographs feels alien Full name? First initial and second name? Signing autographs feels alien First name and a kiss? Decision made. A short poem inspired by the real life dilemma I faced ahead of my recent book signing in aid of Ardgowan Hospice.

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The Measly Jar of Motivation - Breakfast time!

The Measly Jar of Motivation has thrown out two phrases that scream “Breakfast!” Breakfast is a meal I’ve had a difficult relationship with over the years. I’m not great at eating first thing in the morning. A big, cooked breakfast would be totally wasted on me. Those followers of this blog who know me personally might be somewhat surprised that hot coffee is not the first thing I need every…

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Shieldmaidens - an acrostic poem

Sisters in spirit not blood Holding space for each other Insights previously unspoken shared Engaging in rite and ritual Love overarching all Dancing and singing as one Making friends for life Always supportive Instantaneous hugs offered Dreams and secrets shared Ethereal connections formed No expectations, just love Sisters in spirit not blood Happy International Women’s Day (top…