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A Christmas Reflection

Claire Gallagher

If you read my Christmas Snippets post, you’ll be aware that I suffered a psychotic episode in 2019. This was followed by a long period…

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WTF, Will! parts 27 – 29

Beverley Dalton

This part of the book had the men taking centre stage. Shakespeare had hit his stride. At least, that’s what I’d heard, and I was…

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After 65 Decembers

Michael James Treacy

In August, he smiled at the memories of 65 Decembers, and put away his razor. . The ruddy complexion, jovial disposition, and expanded waistline where…

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WTF, Will! parts 24 – 26

Beverley Dalton

My paperback version of The Complete Works of Shakespeare was starting to look properly shabby. I’d bent the cover back a lot, and sat cups…

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Christmas Snippets

Claire Gallagher

Port and Lemon and Dirty Jokes My nan was the type of woman who couldn’t walk to the shop without stopping at least three times…

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WTF, Will! parts 21 – 23

Beverley Dalton

I was approaching the halfway mark of my Shakespeare-a-thon, and methought it was time for some top scores. The Big H was coming up, so…

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It’s only Rock ‘n’ Roll… Well Almost

Jonny Dee

Over the years, I slung my guitar in many bands, and although not exactly an international rock star, I have had the good fortune to…

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WTF, Will! parts 19 – 20

Beverley Dalton

Much Ado About Nothing left me in a good place, so the thought of another comedy coming up was quite welcome. But would it deliver…

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Christina

Michael James Treacy

At first encounter, she slapped my backside and declared, “I don’t recognise that bottom!” . Then she skipped away on one of her missions to…

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Just Another Day

Rachel McCarron

I don’t want to bring you down, but Christmas isn’t always fun for me.  It’s a difficult time for a lot of people.  The pressure…

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A Lake and a Troika

Beverley Dalton

It is 1975. I am a teenager, listening for the first time to a protest song by Greg Lake. The tune mesmerises me, the riff…

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Christmas is Cancelled!

Claire Gallagher

When I was eight years old, I auditioned for a part in my school’s Christmas play, Christmas is Cancelled! Despite being a shy child, I…

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WTF, Will! parts 16 – 18

Beverley Dalton

I was cracking on with my stupidly self-imposed lockdown challenge to read The Complete Works of Shakespeare. I’d met a few Henry’s now, and although…

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Over the river and through the woods to Grandmother’s house we go…

James Charles

Over the river and through the woods To Grandmother’s house we go. The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh Through the wide and…

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WTF, Will! parts 14 – 15

Beverley Dalton

I’d now hit the stage where I was half enjoying this challenge and half wishing I hadn’t told everyone I was gonna do it. There…

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WTF, Will! parts 11 – 13

Beverley Dalton

I’d now encountered a few stand-out plays, in my great Shakespeare-reading marathon, so I felt quite buoyed up at the prospect of what was approaching….

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WTF, Will! parts 9 – 10

Beverley Dalton

In my quest to read all of Shakespeare from start to finish, I finally made it to plays that I’d heard about and seen on…

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11. How to Promote Your Book without Being a Bore

Eva Ulian

Don’t expect people who barely know you or don’t know you at all will promote your book. It’s not likely that people will go out…

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Of Straw-Stacks and Sisters

Laura Rikono

Ten minutes before I left the house, my boss called. “The science class is cancelled today. Take Jisoo and Jennie instead. They need adjective practice.”…

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WTF, Will! parts 5 – 8

Beverley Dalton

Full of enthusiasm for my lockdown project of reading The Complete Works of Shakespeare, I wandered blindly on to play number 5. Some time later…

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Love, Christmas

Claire Gallagher

The Long and Short of It I enjoy writing short stories, which is a complete one-eighty compared to how I used to feel. I used…

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Beware the Snake Oil Salesman

Jake Joy

When I first started down this self-publishing journey, I heard quiet rumours of the dangers of scammers. I knew they were out there. I knew…

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WTF, Will! parts 1 – 4

Beverley Dalton

We all remember those drawn out days of the first Covid lockdown, right? I don’t know how you coped, but while other people were learning…

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Grace Notes, Part 3

Jason Locke

Thank you for bearing with me. As a reward, we’re leaving high school. We’ll only revisit it in my dreams from now on. I promise….

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Grace Notes, Part 2

Jason Locke

I am glad you’re still here. Come, sit down with me. We’re in my English class. Spring 1994 is the pre-Axe-Body Spray era, if you’re…

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Grace Notes, Part 1

Jason Locke

This is a story of grace, not of sadness. I’m saying that because it won’t feel like that. Not initially. I’m just going to take…

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The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Claire Gallagher

The Good There’s so much to love about writing – the excitement of that initial spark of an idea; the stimulation of the challenge to…

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10. As Time Goes By

Eva Ulian

I’ve discovered a number of things to do with cloth serviettes which in today’s age we seldom use. Personally, I don’t use them anymore because…

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Be True to Yourself

Robinne Weiss

I recently participated in ALLi’s SelfPubCon, which focused on the business side of writing. There were sessions on using social media, monetising YouTube, website design,…

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“Take What Resonates, Toss The Rest”

Claire Gallagher

Giving Feedback The title of this post is a sentence that’s often used at the end of a fellow writer’s feedback in the Lab, and…

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