Welcome to the Advent Calendar Story Train where you can read through 24 stories under this year's theme, Lost. This is my first year taking part and I've really enjoyed writing again after quite a break! The Christmas Party Rita had hoped this year would be like the Christmas novels she devoured every December: snow-dusted… Continue reading The Christmas Party (Advent Story Train)
Category: Stories
Boxing Day
By Boxing Day, everyone had noticed something was up with Mark. He’d spent Christmas Day checking his phone then putting it face down on the sofa. He snapped at my son Arlo when he’d asked Mark to play Guess Who, which earned him a hard stare from his wife, Cheryl, before she set up the… Continue reading Boxing Day
The Christmas Bed
Last Christmas, Z and K bought Pepe a new cat bed. It was a round, fluffy thing - a padded doughnut with high sides to keep him warm. Pepe was always Z’s favourite, partly because he knew it and partly because he was the sort of cat who sat with his tongue sticking out, chased… Continue reading The Christmas Bed
Step Into Christmas
Falling snow was visible through the windows of the university auditorium as Janice did one last check as the audience filtered into the graduation ceremony. A frisson of excitement ran around the room as the gossip spread that the husband of Sir Leo Johns - global rock star, cultural icon, wearer of glasses visible from… Continue reading Step Into Christmas
Festive Aunties
I absolutely adore the jolly, free-spirited, gorgeous Aunties by Inge Löök, a gardener and illustrator living in Finland. Apparently, her illustrations are mainly inspirations from her own surroundings or life. The Aunties are my motivation for life. They don't care about looks or what others think, they just enjoy every moment to the full. But… Continue reading Festive Aunties
Muriel’s Merry Hangover
Today's post is the beginning of a light-hearted diary form novel I wrote featuring Muriel Button (70, married multiple times, never managed to hold down a job) and her nephew Colin. Muriel also appears in another novel about her niece Jane, who inherits a country house hotel from Muriel when reports of her death are… Continue reading Muriel’s Merry Hangover
Christmas Cards
Once my walls were festooned with red robins, white snow and green holly, Blue skies, gold crowns and Santas looking jolly. Bright shining stars, nativity scenes, ribbons and glitter, Now all I get are festive texts and my walls look a lot…more stylish.
The Turkey Who Found a Christmas Miracle
Toby was happily pecking at some seed in the farmyard when he overheard Farmer Potter talking to his wife about a forthcoming trip the turkeys were taking to ‘the abattoir’. Listening intently, Toby learnt the awful truth about what Farmer Potter called the best meal of the year. Toby didn’t intend on being anyone’s Christmas… Continue reading The Turkey Who Found a Christmas Miracle
Festive Family
It was less than eight weeks after my mum had unexpectedly and very suddenly died that Christmas rolled around. None of us were up to shopping, cooking or hosting a big Yuletide feast, but my aunt and uncle bravely stepped up to the not-inconsiderable task of hosting six sad, teary bereft extras and a King… Continue reading Festive Family
Cliché Christmas
I opened the front door to be greeted by silence. ‘Mike?’ No answer which was odd because he worked from home and his car was outside. He was planning to make a special anniversary dinner later so maybe he’d walked into town for some last-minute bits? I swapped my trainers for fluffy slippers before making… Continue reading Cliché Christmas
Seaside Memories
The annual Weston-Super-Mare trip has been a family tradition for fifty years. It follows the same routine, come rain or shine: crazy golf, the pier, chips on the beach, sandcastles and a paddle. But my favourite part comes after the other day trippers have left. We walk up to the rock pools where we watch… Continue reading Seaside Memories
Day of the Badger: Part 3
The story written by Suzanne and me continues. Amber and Moira are holed up in Moira's office whilst they wait for back-up: ‘Here you go.’ Moira interrupted her thoughts, handing Amber a mug of tea and a chocolate biscuit before sitting next to her on the floor. ‘I didn’t think you’d take sugar, hope that’s… Continue reading Day of the Badger: Part 3
Time for Tea
The story written by Suzanne and me continues. Moira and Amber are hiding in the dark alley, whilst George waits at one end. Day of the Badger (Part 2) Amber would just have to leave the flash-drive in its precarious position and hope George didn’t spot it. ‘We need to get out of here,’ Amber… Continue reading Time for Tea
Every Day I (Mean to) Write the Book
As part of my ongoing battle to write more, I've forced persuaded my lovely friend, and extremely talented and prolific writer, Suzanne Rogerson to take part in a writing tag-team. One of us writes a section of this spy/crime/thriller/Killing Eve rip off, then emails it to the other to continue the story. I'm really enjoying… Continue reading Every Day I (Mean to) Write the Book
R is for Rihanna (and Rita) #AtoZChallenge #Rihanna #Rita #Rhubarb
Nah, only joking. There's no Rihanna. But my most read posts recently have been the ones with a celeb in the title so I thought I'd give it another shot. Instead, here's a short story about Rita (and Arthur). ‘Seven down. Arose from the sea foam or daughter of Zeus and Dione, what is she goddess of?… Continue reading R is for Rihanna (and Rita) #AtoZChallenge #Rihanna #Rita #Rhubarb
N is for 9 to 5 #AtoZChallenge
What the hell was that racket? It sounded like a goddamn lion fighting a flock of eagles. I looked at my phone: 5am. My head pounded. Last night's leaving party had gotten messy, with tequila, karaoke and an ill-advised snog with Eddie from the mailroom. Christ, the noise was that stupid dragon clock from Franklin, my… Continue reading N is for 9 to 5 #AtoZChallenge
K is for Killer #AtoZChallenge
A short story for today's A-Z Challenge, with a surprising murder suspect...hopefully, he'd find it funny! DI Haywood (NH): Case number 23,945: murder of Laura Kemp. Interview with Mrs Brenda Kitson. Present are Detective Inspector Nicholas Haywood and Police Constable Ian Jones. Interview commenced at 11.05pm. Now, in your own words, Mrs Kitson, could you tell… Continue reading K is for Killer #AtoZChallenge
G is for Grasping at Straws…
Ok, things are a bit busy today and, as I wasn't organised enough to have a whole month's worth of posts written in advance, today's A-Z Challenge is an incredibly bad story I wrote for my Creative Writing course a few years ago. I seem to remember that I hadn't done any preparation for the class… Continue reading G is for Grasping at Straws…
A is for April Skies
As a lapsed blogger, I'm hoping that the A-Z Challenge (26 blog posts over one month with Sundays off for good behaviour) will be the kick up the backside I need to get me blogging again. It’ll either rekindle my love of blogging or you’ll never hear from me again 😉 Unfortunately, I wasn't… Continue reading A is for April Skies
Living it up at the Hotel California
So sad to hear that the wonderful Glenn Frey, who co-wrote some of the Eagle's greatest hits such as Take It Easy, Desperado and the amazing Hotel California, has passed away. Hotel California brings back lots of great memories for me. Not from when it was originally released (I'm not that old!) but for… Continue reading Living it up at the Hotel California
Check Out
Another short story this week, in lieu of a report from Rome... “FUUUCCCKKKK”! The car swerved across the highway as Henley fought against the steering wheel to bring the Chevy under control. He narrowly missed the truck coming the other way, its horn blasting through the silence of the desert. Henley rammed his foot hard… Continue reading Check Out
The Mighty Pen
This is a short story that I wrote a couple of years ago for a creative writing course. At the end there's a plea for help... The Mighty Pen The printed sheet of A4 paper held disdainfully between his thumb and forefinger, Sebastian tossed it dismissively across the seminar room. It competed briefly with the… Continue reading The Mighty Pen
