Night and Day, by Caron Allan: #BookReview.

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Creative Writer, Reading, Review

https://read.amazon.co.uk/kp/card?asin=B01KOSVE3Y&preview=inline&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_VevnAb9AQT40C&tag=stuartaken-21 Sub-titled ‘A Dottie Manderson Mystery’, this is the first in a series, and introduces the eponymous heroin through a fascinating tale set in England in the 1930s. This ‘cosy crime’ novel, with its measure of burgeoning romance, is a good read; something to entertain and satisfy in front of a burning log fire in …

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Looking for the Best Word? Tip #68

On By stuartakenIn Creative Writer, Grammar, Word Choice

Help for writers and language learners; these posts look at different aspects of the world of words to stimulate curiosity and enhance creativity. This week’s words: Vacant, Personification, I saw it with my own eyes, No time like the present Vacant: - Roget’s thesaurus lists the following headers for this adjective: empty, unthinking, unintelligent, unprovided, …

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Progress on the WIP: #SciFi in the Making.

On By stuartakenIn Creative Writer, Fiction, Mars, Progress

Last week I reached a total of 18,835 words; this week’s total is 25082. I’ve added 3 new chapters and completed all the character sketches. I have two of the original chapters to modify to take account of changes I made last week. Otherwise, the story is going well and I’m enjoying its creation. The …

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Looking for the Best Word? Tip #67

On By stuartakenIn Creative Writer, Grammar, Word Choice4 Comments

Help for writers and language learners; these posts look at different aspects of the world of words to stimulate curiosity and enhance creativity. This week’s words: Out; Periodic sentence; There are many who think; Let sleeping dogs lie; Ellipsism. Contronym: Out belongs to an odd category of words known as contronyms. A contronym is a …

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An Apology and the Creative #Writing #Contests Table Updated

On By stuartakenIn Creative Writer, Prizes

The above is a small version of a much larger picture file you can access by clicking here. (There's a small charge for its use: photography is an expensive activity!) Here’s this month’s second reminder that the writing contest table has been updated, because, as those of you who use it will have noticed, I …

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Progress on the WIP: #SciFi in the Making.

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Fiction, Mars, Progress

https://read.amazon.co.uk/kp/card?asin=B0749NW6W8&preview=inline&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_qMbkAbQM8TNAS&tag=stuartaken-21 Last week I reported I had 11,985 words. As a result of the notes I made, I’ve now added another 3 characters to the cast of players (I need to add another 5 for future chapters, but I already know their names and have an idea of their natures and ambitions, so I only …

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How to be a Fantastic Writer, by Danuta Reah & Penny Grubb: #BookReview.

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Reading, Review2 Comments

https://read.amazon.co.uk/kp/card?asin=B076QFZY9S&preview=inline&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_YHalAb3WREYPG&tag=stuartaken-21 Subtitled ‘A Handbook for Writers of Commercial Fiction’, this book is precisely what it says it is. As a reader, I’ve tended to shy away from what I saw as ‘commercial’ fiction, but, in practice, I now realise I’ve actually read a good deal of it. As a writer, my fiction veers toward the …

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Creative #Writing #Contests Table Updated

On By stuartakenIn Creative Writer, Prizes

Here’s your monthly reminder that the writing contest table has been updated. I update it frequently, in fact; whenever I come across new contest details. I also subscribe to a few sources for information to pass on to you here. I have a new batch to explore and apply to the table, which I’ll be …

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Looking for the Best Word? Tip #66

On By stuartakenIn Creative Writer, Grammar, Word Choice

A series of posts for lovers of words. Offering help for writers and language learners, these posts look at different aspects of the world of words to stimulate curiosity and enhance creativity. This week’s words: Rabid, Paradox, Quite, Needless to say, Tarab, Rabid - Roget’s thesaurus lists the following headers for this adjective: furious, frenzied, …

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Progress on the WIP: #SciFi in the Making.

On By stuartakenIn Author, Creative Writer, Fiction, Mars, Progress

Dare I say it? Have I scaled the final barrier to creating the first draft? Last week I reported I had 11,985 words. I also noted that certain details were missing from my memory and I needed to read the first two books again to aid my failing powers of recall. I’ve now done that …

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November 2017 – Read the best of NEW poetry from around the world

On By stuartakenIn Uncategorized

I rarely write poetry, but one of my efforts was recently included in the results of a competition I entered. If you scroll down to ‘Flowing Form’ you’ll find it there.

WILDsound Festival's avatarWILDsound Festival

Scroll, click, and read the best of new poetry from poets from around the world: 

SHATTERED, by Annie M.
https://festivalforpoetry.com/2017/10/29/read-poetry-shattered-by-annie-m/

THE OCEAN THE WIND, by Vikky Lonie
https://festivalforpoetry.com/2017/10/29/read-poetry-the-ocean-the-wind-by-vikky-lonie/

MIDNIGHT, by Chisala Kataya
https://festivalforpoetry.com/2017/10/29/read-poetry-midnight-poetry-chisala-kataya/

IN A ROOM NO LOVE ONLY LUST, by Prince Kutch
https://festivalforpoetry.com/2017/10/29/read-poetry-in-a-room-no-love-only-lust-by-prince-kutch/

FEAR OF THE UNKNOWMS, by Gibson Kuria Chege
https://festivalforpoetry.com/2017/10/29/read-poetry-fear-of-the-unknowns-by-gibson-kuria-chege/

WHEN YOU WAS IN THE WORLD, by Linda Hay Gibbs
https://festivalforpoetry.com/2017/10/29/read-poetry-when-you-was-in-the-world-by-linda-hay-gibbs/

THE LADY IN PURPLE, by Kat Fankhauser
https://festivalforpoetry.com/2017/10/29/read-poetry-the-lady-in-purple-by-kat-fankhauser/

SPREAD YOUR WINGS, by Lana Rafaela Cindric
https://festivalforpoetry.com/2017/10/29/read-poetry-spread-your-wings-by-lana-rafaela-cindric/

BIRDS FROM THE EAST, by Sharon Mo-sh
https://festivalforpoetry.com/2017/10/18/read-poetry-birds-from-the-east-by-sharon-mo-sh/

INSOMNIACS LULLABY, by Ruthie B.
https://festivalforpoetry.com/2017/10/18/read-poetry-insomniacs-lullaby-by-ruthie-b/

POETRY BY, by Tiwari Vikas Kaiv
https://festivalforpoetry.com/2017/10/18/read-poetry-by-tiwari-vikas-kaiv/

MY WORLD, by Semih Bilgic
https://festivalforpoetry.com/2017/10/18/read-poetry-my-world-by-semih-bilgic/

POETRY BY, Charles Howe
https://festivalforpoetry.com/2017/10/18/read-poetry-by-charles-howes/

POETRY BY, Pamela Hobbs
https://festivalforpoetry.com/2017/10/18/read-poetry-by-pamela-hobbs/

POETRY BY, Eddiee Gomez
https://festivalforpoetry.com/2017/10/18/read-poetry-by-eddiee-gomez/

POETRY BY, Anannya Uberoi
https://festivalforpoetry.com/2017/10/18/read-poetry-by-anannya-uberoi/

FLOWING FORM, by Stuart Aken
https://festivalforpoetry.com/2017/10/18/read-poetry-flowing-form-by-stuart-aken/

PRECIOUS LITTLE GIRL, by Murna Safford
https://festivalforpoetry.com/2017/10/18/poetry-reading-precious-little-girl-by-murna-safford/

THE PAINTER, by Theresa Pio
https://festivalforpoetry.com/2017/10/18/poetry-reading-the-painter-by-theresa-pio/

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Naked Good Reads, by Gisela Hausmann: #BookReview.

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Creative Writer, Reading, Review2 Comments

  https://read.amazon.co.uk/kp/card?asin=B075R4VPNB&preview=inline&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_0NalAb4XD8Z81&tag=stuartaken-21 Subtitled ‘How to Find Readers’, this is another of Hausmann’s writing books crammed with common sense and down-to-earth advice. First, I must pose a question: ‘If you’re a writer, do you belong to Goodreads?’ And, if you don’t, a supplementary question: ‘Why not?’ Goodreads may boast a membership of ‘only’ 65 million, but …

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‘Work Hard And You’ll Succeed’: The Biggest Lie?

On By stuartakenIn Creative Writer, opinion, politics, question14 Comments

You’ll have heard the cry: ‘Work hard and you’ll succeed.’ Almost from infancy, we’re brought up to believe this mantra. It follows us through school, often reinforced by loving and caring parents, and is ingrained in our very personas through repetition and a form of example. The successful, in the terms of our current society, …

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Looking for the Best Word? Tip #65

On By stuartakenIn Creative Writer, Grammar, Word Choice2 Comments

A series of posts for lovers of words. Offering help for writers and language learners, these posts look at different aspects of the world of words to stimulate curiosity and enhance creativity. This week’s words: Pace, Metaphor, Merge together, Know the ropes, Opia. Pace - Roget’s thesaurus lists the following headers: synchronise (vb), long measure …

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Progress on the WIP: #SciFi in the Making.

On By stuartakenIn Author, Creative Writer, Fiction, Mars, Progress

I fear I missed this update last week. Put it down to a mixture of advancing years and a rather busy schedule: I have. So, currently I’m at 11,985 words, which, given I had a target of 10,000 for today is a pleasing result. It’s always a bit slow for a pantster at the start …

Continue reading Progress on the WIP: #SciFi in the Making.