Image Credits:-

All images from Pixabay/Pexels unless otherwise stated with many created in Book Brush. Book cover images from Chapeltown Books and Bridge House Publishing. Screenshots taken by me, Allison Symes. Photo of Lady taken by Adrian Symes. This is Lady’s natural chilled out look!

Hope you had a good weekend. One positive thing about the rain was it did reduce the number of fireworks – Lady and I are not sorry about that. Also Lady had her birthday and she prefers NOT to celebrate with fireworks. Extra treats go down a treat, so to speak!

Facebook – General

Glad to say today has been a better day. Sunshine nice too.

Don’t forget the November issue of Writers’ Narrative is now out. The theme is about writing novels and I discuss (on Page 58) what I learned from writing mine. Mine is still unpublished. I hope to return to it at some point. Writing flash has taught me so much about editing and sharpening prose so I am sure I can apply those skills to the novel. As ever, the magazine is packed full of useful information. Do check it out.

Meanwhile I am making good progress with Flash NANO 2023 and look forward to tackling today’s challenge a bit later on. Such a great way to get more flash tales written.

Not a great start to my week – it has been one of those Mondays. Lady had the better time of it running around with her best mate, the Rhodesian Ridgeback, this morning. Still, Monday is only one day of the week, thankfully.

Had a fabulous writing session yesterday. Drafted a few flash pieces. The one from the Flash NANO prompt I then submitted to CafeLit. Will report back on what happens with that. Will be sharing my YouTube video over on my book page on Facebook shortly. See below. And I managed to submit something to Friday Flash Fiction too.

I do find writing amazingly therapeutic at times. My session tonight will help me unwind and relax as well as help me be creative. That is good for the soul and creative mind, I find. Hope you find that too. To do something creative and switch off the cares of the day is a good thing.

Nice to see some sunshine. Lady appreciated it too.

Knew this would happen but it never fails to make me smile. Amazon have kindly informed me today I might be interested in Gifted (Bridge House Publishing) when they know I have a story in there!

How do they know? Because they do update my Amazon Author Central page quickly when I let them know I’ve got work out in an anthology and I have to state my contribution to it. (I usually give them story title, page number etc as well as it makes it quicker for them to find me). They are very good on sorting this out for me (see screenshot below). As with the last one, The Best of CafeLit 12, they updated my page within a couple of hours which is all very commendable.

So yes, Amazon, I am interested in Gifted! I’m interested in all of the books on my Amazon Author Central page!

It’s Lady’s 7th birthday today. We can’t believe where the time has gone either. Lady is the only one of the three rescue collies we’ve had where we do know her birthday as it was on the Dogs Trust paperwork given to us when we adopted her. She enjoyed her usual muddy afternoon walk with my other half today. Downside? Lady has to have a bath. Plus side? Lady doesn’t mind baths. She also sees being towelled down as a chance for a cuddle and she dries quickly. Unlike us I should add!

On to writing matters, am thoroughly enjoying the Flash NANO challenges so far. Will have a crack at today’s one later on. So far, the prompts are not the kind I have come across before either and I relish that. Keeps me on my toes and all that.

I will be looking at The Importance of Remembering for Chandler’s Ford Today next week.

There are a number of flash pieces I want to draft for online websites and competitions so will crack on with those too though this is where Flash NANO comes in so useful. Last year, I was able to use some of the pieces I drafted for this later on, once edited and strengthened of course, and one ended up being broadcast on North Manchester FM on the Three Minutes Santa show hosted by Hannah Kate. Would love to do that again – nothing ventured, nothing gained after all!

Facebook – From Light to Dark and Back Again

Am enjoying Flash NANO 2023 so much. Great to read the stories people share here. Feedback is always useful. Am varying the word count on mine. My lowest so far is just over 100 words, the highest to date is close to 400 words but this is the flash range where I feel most at home so am not surprised by this.

I write to the story/character demands and worry about the word count later. When writing for, say, Friday Flash Fiction, when I know I will want to write to 100 words, I work out the character and situation which will inevitably be a short sharp piece. What would work best for this?

I always end up writing over 100 words to begin with but the editing process is where I find better ways of phrasing things. It’s amazing what just doing that can do to your word count!

It’s Monday. It’s been stressful. I get Mondays like that every now and then. So definitely time for a story then. Hope you like my latest on YouTube – Question Time. This one is based on a question from a random question generator – what was the best compliment you’ve ever received? I’ve got my character to answer that one. Find out what she says and, more importantly, what she does here.

Finding the Pet Classics show on Classic FM very soothing. It helps Lady too. Please, folks, if you do go for fireworks, why not go for the no noise ones? You can get these from Asda now and you won’t upset wildlife, pets etc. It is really the colour and spectacle which is the “thing” with fireworks. Or it always was with me when I was a kid anyway. Oh and the jacket potatoes of course. Can’t go wrong with those!

I must admit the only kind of flashes I really like these days are the ones I write myself or read on Friday Flash Fiction, in collections etc. And if I choose to write a scary flash, as I occasionally do, I know my dog isn’t going to be worried by it!

Talking of flashes, many thanks for the comments coming in on Manners Maketh The Fairy. Link here if you missed the story.
Hope you have had a good day. Am enjoying listening to the special pet friendly show on Classic FM at the moment. Lady is busy squeaking her ball (on her 7th birthday) so is clearly not fazed by anything!

One of the things I love about flash (and there are many as you know) is I can’t get bogged down in too much description. There are advantages to having a limited word count! What I want description to do, in whatever I read, is give me a sense of place and why it matters to the story. If it matters, I will read on because I will want to find out how it matters.

If I think description is just waffle, I will skip reading it and jump to where the action is but more likely I will just stop reading. Everything about a story, regardless of its length, has to be there for a good reason. When it is, I read every single word!

Goodreads Author Blog – Comfort Reading

I love reading for many reasons but I can’t deny a big reason is books and stories are so often a comfort read, especially in times when the news is unremittingly grim. Even when reading crime novels, there can be the comfort of knowing the murderer is not going to get away with it. Justice will be served in some form.

I’ve mentioned before I tend to turn to humorous writing for comfort reading – Pratchett and Wodehouse especially. When I don’t feel like reading anything “heavy”, I will also turn to the flash fiction and short story collections. For the latter, it is also a case for me of reading in the field I’m working in so win-win there.

While I don’t read much in the way of romance fiction, I do understand its appeal. Why shouldn’t people have the comfort of a happy ever after/happy for now ending? (I understand the latter by the way but much prefer the former but then I’ve always loved the fairytales!).

So what would you class as comfort reading? Is is a particular author, book, or type of book, or just the act of reading in and of itself?

WRITERS’ NARRATIVE SUBSCRIBER LINK

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AMAZON AUTHOR CENTRAL – ALLISON SYMES

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liked Allison Symes's blog post: Comfort Reading https://t.co/aWVdHOus3N via @goodreads I look at the joys of comfort reading for Goodreads this week. What counts as comfort reading for you? pic.twitter.com/0yBCFUBwWi

— Allison Symes (@AllisonSymes1) November 4, 2023

It’s Monday. Time for a story. Hope you like my latest on YouTube – Question Time. This is based on a question from a random generator – what was the best compliment ever received? Find out what my character says and, more importantly, what she does here.https://t.co/27VIwkosSl

— Allison Symes (@AllisonSymes1) November 6, 2023