Sun is Shining

After the usual rush of writing in January, I sort of stalled. It’s not that I didn’t have stories to tell, it’s just that I wasn’t sure why they had to be told. They felt a little frothy and superfluous. I wanted to say something in a story and something that had to be heard. That’s what I thought. And so production has been slower than usual.

I have tinkered with things and produced lots of flash fiction that may grow into something. I am working on a novel as well, and have penned nearly 20,000 words of that, and I am pleased at how it is going, so it’s not as though I have been idle. But still there was a nagging voice in the back of my head, that maybe it was time for something serious. So, yesterday I laid down a draft of something, was not altogether happy with the ending and not sure that it quite had what I wanted to say. I slept on it and woke to a much more complete ending. It is done now, and it is the first story in a long while where I feel it should be read for what it has to say as well as for the story and the writing.

And then today the draft of a second story falls onto the page, and it has something good in it too. And in my in-box notification that I am placed third in a story competition and I know I am on a shortlist for something else…nine competition hits so far this year and it feels good again… and I have a story available as a download through Ether Books for just 59 pence…and the sun is shining outside my window and birds are singing.

I hope there is something good where you are... whoever you are.

(Not wanting to put up a separate post for this, but something to add to the above: have just found out I am third in that shortlisted competition mentioned. So that makes nine competition hits: 2 in first place, 2 in second place, 2 in third place, and 3 commended; not bad to start the year, and 15 pieces printed or posted on the web so far. I should also mention that I have bombed in a handful of comps, too... it's not all easy.

And yesterday I think I wrote my emotionally strongest ever short story... it brings a lump to my throat at least.)