CCC#61: The Estimate

Crimson’s Creative Challenge #61

For the third time, Mr Davidson looked at the address he’d been given.

Marine Parade. Not Marine Crescent or Drive. Marine Parade.

He looked again at the items listed on the estimate:

  • Remove rust
  • Repair and replace defective metalwork
  • Sealant
  • Primer
  • Paint
  • Replace glass as required.

Five days. Seven at most.

But this wasn’t the supposed glasshouse in someone’s garden. It was a rigging rusted palace! He cursed the lad he’d taken on to man his phone just a week ago. Claimed himself trained? Trained to claim dole.

Posted in Crimson's Creative Challenge, Mostly Micro | Tagged , , | 26 Comments

Crimson’s Creative Challenge #61

#CCC61

Welcome to my weekly challenge—open to all—just for FUN, FUN, FUN

Here’s how it works:

Every Wednesday I post a photo (this week it’s that one above.)
You respond with something CREATIVE

Here are some suggestions:

  • An answering photo
  • A cartoon
  • A joke
  • A caption
  • An anecdote
  • A short story (flash fiction)
  • A poem
  • A newly minted proverb, adage or saying
  • An essay
  • A song—the lyrics or the performance

You have plenty of scope and only two criteria:

  • Your creative offering is indeed yours
  • Your writing is kept to 150 words or less

If you post a link in the comments section of this post I’ll be able to find it
If you include Crimson’s Creative Challenge as a heading, WP Search will find it (theory)
by ‘Searching’ in the WP Reader (fingers crossed)

Here’s wishing you inspirational explosions. And FUN.


The photo shows the upper portion of the Winter Gardens, a peoples palace of metal and glass constructed in 1878 in Torquay. It was transported to Great Yarmouth in 1904.

Posted in Crimson's Creative Challenge, History, Photos | Tagged , , | 62 Comments

The Lady’s Maid

Photo by SeaReeds on pixabay

Up before the family stirs, rooms to clean, beds to turn, slops to empty, floors to wipe, rugs to lift and outside shake, grates and irons to clean, fires to lay in hearths and stoves, doors to answer, gloves to take… and you suppose I’ve time to lollygag with you? No, best you take your flowers and court a shop-girl.


60 words written for Sammi’s Weekend Writing Prompt

I love that second doll’s face. She looks so pissed off!

Posted in History, Mostly Micro | Tagged , | 23 Comments

Sunday Fungi: In His Cups

Can’t help thinking of the Maid of Hearts… 🙂 but inadvisable to eat. And, you might note, it was a very wet day!

Black Bulgar aka Bachelor’s Buttons: 1st Oct 2019

The interior of this cup-shaped fungus is  described in the field guides as dark brown. But herem some show as wine-red. First Nature website shows a photo of a red cup, yet makes no mention of this variation.

Posted in Photos | Tagged , | 13 Comments

The Spinner’s Game e-book Update #26

January update… and yes, it looks like I’m going to make that launch date of 20th March 2020, Vernal Equinox for publishing the five books of The Spinner’s Game on Kindle and POD. Treble Yay!

Final Edits for The Spinner’s Game

I can report with enormous relief that all five books – The Spinner’s Child, Lake of Dreams, The Pole That Threads, Lady of First Making and The Spinner’s Sin – are now thoroughly polished with every word sparkling. I completed the last on Christmas Eve! That warranted a drink.

And hey, here’s another chance to show off Lauren Willmore’s fantastic cover designs.

Formatting The Spinner’s Game for Publication

If there’s one thing I love as much as making maps, it’s formatting for publication. I’m currently working on The Spinner’s Child, but once that’s done, with templates set I should zoom through the others. I’ve downloaded the fonts Lauren used for the cover design, so I’m able to match the interiors with the covers.

Fantasy Maps… and mapping fantasies

As I said on the December update, I’m getting to grips with Inkarnate’s map-making app. And now I’ve shelled out for the commercial licence I get a whole load more effects to play with. Too many for my needs, but… sure is fun to play with them.

The Spinner’s Mythic World – A Traveller’s Guide

My intention was to use this supplement as a Giveaway with Pre-Orders, but formatting those five books, and the maps, must take precedence. But regardless, once I’ve completed it, I shall use it for promotional purposes… one way or another.

And that’s it for now. This must be my shortist ever update. Must be nearing completion!

Next e-book update: Sunday 9th February 2020

Posted in Fantasy Fiction, Mythic Fiction, On Writing, The Spinner's Game | Tagged , , | 27 Comments

One Upmanship

2020, a new year, a new list of titles for Maria’s Antonia’s #2020picoftheweek challenge.

A New Year’s Eve scene on South Quay: 31 Dec 2019

For me it started on the last day of the old year. The day dawned warm, with hardly a breeze, and not a raincloud in sight. Right, grab the camera and get out. My thought was only to walk around town, since Around Town is one of the titles for this year.

Out of the door, turn right, 35 yds to the quay. And the above scene greeted my eyes.

That was it, the perfect shot for Up In The Sky.

I took several more shots, including this one…

Breaking the illusion: 31 Dec 2019

I could have put the camera away, turned around and gone home. But it was such a balmy day that I kept on walking. And scooped several more “interesting” shots.

If you fancy a hand at this weekly (yet annual) challenge, details and the list of titles can be found on Maria’s Antonia’s #2020picoftheweek challenge.

Posted in Photos | Tagged , | 21 Comments

CCC60: The Nithings

Crimson’s Creative Challenge #60

Nay, lad, now don’t you call out too loud,
You’ll scare away the Nithings who live down by that drain.
Aye, lad, you don’t want to scare the Nithings.

But what are the Nithings? I hear you ask.
Why, lad, they be nothing but the darkest of happenstance.


Why begin the New Year with Sense and Sensibility… I’ll leave that to Jane Austen. Instead I’ll begin the New Year with Jest and Frivolity.

Posted in Crimson's Creative Challenge, Mostly Micro | Tagged , | 23 Comments

Crimson’s Creative Challenge #60

CCC#60

Welcome to my weekly challenge—open to all—just for FUN, FUN, FUN

Here’s how it works:

Every Wednesday I post a photo (this week it’s that one above.)
You respond with something CREATIVE

Here are some suggestions:

  • An answering photo
  • A cartoon
  • A joke
  • A caption
  • An anecdote
  • A short story (flash fiction)
  • A poem
  • A newly minted proverb, adage or saying
  • An essay
  • A song—the lyrics or the performance

You have plenty of scope and only two criteria:

  • Your creative offering is indeed yours
  • Your writing is kept to 150 words or less

If you post a link in the comments section of this post I’ll be able to find it
If you include Crimson’s Creative Challenge as a heading, WP Search will find it (theory)
by ‘Searching’ in the WP Reader (fingers crossed)

Here’s wishing you inspirational explosions. And FUN.

Posted in Crimson's Creative Challenge, Photos | Tagged , , | 39 Comments

Another Year in Focus

Being a review of one year of photos for #2019picoftheweek challenge …

This Seat’s Taken

ivy climbs seat

Take a Seat: Posted 5th Jan 2019

FYI, the challenge, set by Maria at ofMariaAntonia (originally just for herself but she now has allowed others to join in) was simple: every Saturday to post a photo to match a Title chosen from a list provided at the start of the year.

To Wit

duet #5

Duet: Posted 16th Feb 2019

52 photos are too many to include in this post. So I’ve picked my favourites. The full set can be seen here: A Year of Photos 2019

Retired…

Road Worthy: Posted 20 July 2019

Sounds simple, doesn’t it. Huh. The trick is not to use the easier Titles early in the year, but to save a few for later.

And the Sun Bore Down

Sunshine: Posted 17 August 2019

While I managed better this year than last year, towards the end of the year I was beginning to sweat on it.

In Touch with the Sun

Silhouette: Posted 7th Sept 2019

And Maria posted the new list of titles for 2020 just this last week.

Lilies… a study

Delightful: Posted 9th Nov 2019

I can’t wait to get started… if you want to join in, the #2020picoftheweek list is here on Maria’s blog

She Does Not Weave

Natural Beauty: Posted 28th Dec 2019

The full set of 52 photos can be found on A Year of Photos 2019

 

Posted in Photos | Tagged , | 32 Comments

The Pancake Threaders Stance

Photo by Ionas Nicolae on pixabay

Complex is the typical Pancake Threaders’ stance
Complex the steppings with complex treadings
Complex the weavings with complex threadings
Complex their roles for who’s to play lead and who’s to pay heed
Complex, the structure of a typical Pancake Threaders’ dance


41 words written for Sammi’s Weekend Writing Prompt

 

 

 

 

Posted in Poems (Some Silly) | Tagged , | 8 Comments