CCC#26: Mutton Jeff

Posted on May 9, 2019 by crispina kemp
Bunker Cliff

Crimson’s Creative Challenge #26

Jeff strained on tiptoes atop his post. But still no sign of his relief.

Do not leave your post, they drummed into him when first he enlisted. And his post was to guard this stretch of coast.

Bored, frustrated, he sighed. Not a sign of a boat, a ship or a plane since a fortnight after he came. Not since that awesome day the ground shook fit to break, and blackness fell from the sky. How long ago was that? The gorse and the bracken had sprouted and grown since then.

He looked again at the crumpled grease-stained paper. His orders. Perhaps he’d misunderstood, not able to hear since his return from the front. He ought to have told his C.O.

Mutton Jeff, that was him. Deaf.

Written from Crimson’s Creative Challenge #26

The photo was taken on from the beach just north of Lowestoft (at Lowestoft Ness, the most easterly point in Great Britain), where many of the defence installations remain from WWII.

Posted in Crimson's Creative Challenge, Mostly Micro | Tagged , , | 17 Comments

Crimson’s Creative Challenge #26

Posted on May 8, 2019 by crispina kemp
Bunker Cliff

CCC#26

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)
If you tag it #CCC others should be able to find it by ‘Searching’ in the WP Reader (fingers crossed)

Here’s wishing you inspirational explosions. And FUN.

Posted in Crimson's Creative Challenge | Tagged , | 49 Comments

Arise Meander

Posted on May 7, 2019 by crispina kemp

Original image by POTO4D: messed about with by CP

Arise, Meander, son of wedded waters:
Of primal source, Titaness Tethys
And all-encircling stream, the chaotic Oceanus.

Arise Sir Knight, and spread far your name;
Arise in Phrygia, for from Phrygia you came.

And never a straight course did he deign
But endlessly wandered the Carian Plain

Written for Sammi’s Weekend Writing Prompt

Posted in Poems (Some Silly) | Tagged | 19 Comments

What Pegman Saw: Aspire to the Sky

Posted on May 6, 2019 by crispina kemp
Cathedral or Glass

PPG building, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; photo by Giorgio Ferizia on Google Maps

Aspire to the sky, O cathedral of glass

Built by the broken backs of the mass

Acquisition of money-begotten

Aspirations of first-settlers forgotten

Ye clever creed of Krafted-Plate

Written for What Pegman Saw

According to Wikipedia, this magnificent cathedral of glass is the corporate HQ of Pittsburgh Plate Glass and co-HQ of Kraft-Heinz. In 2000, PPG agreed to buy Courtaulds Aerospace for 512.5 million dollars. Truly, they aspire to the sky.

 

 

Posted in Poems (Some Silly), Thoughts | Tagged | 22 Comments

Sunday Picture Post: Lords and Ladies

Posted on May 5, 2019 by crispina kemp
Lords & Ladies

Lords & Ladies: 23rd April 2019

And I’ll leave it to you to figure out why this lover of the dark-ways gathered to itself such a cryptic name.

Posted in Photos | Tagged | 6 Comments

Asaric Tales e-book Update #18

Posted on May 5, 2019 by crispina kemp

Another month has slipped by and what have I done?

As far as the Asaric Tales (The Spinner’s Game) is concerned, not a great deal. Though I have been busy.

It has taken me the entire month of April to complete a copy- and line-edit for my critique partner and cover designer, Lauren Willmore. I had seen the first draft, but since then there have been amendments and improvements as it passed through various beta readers. And now … wow! I am in awe of her ability to weave intricate storylines and to handle multiple viewpoints. As to the concept behind her book … all I can say is, here is something to rival George J.J. Martin in scoop, and Robert Jordan in complexity. And this is only the first of a planned four books.

But, to return to The Spinner’s Game …

Asaric Sons (Book Four)

This went out to beta readers at the beginning of March, and most of those readers have now returned the completed questionnaires. However, two remain outstanding. Of these, one was a late-starter, and the other … will receive a nudge.

Asaric Sins (Book Five of The Spinner’s Game)

Meanwhile, I’ve been looking at the last book in the quint, at how to improve it. I’ve made notes. I’ve replotted. I’ve cut, pasted and deleted—and left huge gaps. And now I’m eager to plunge into the rewrite. I was hoping that would be ready for beta readers by July. Perhaps it will, though I’m thinking more the end of July rather than the beginning.

This might read like nothing has moved since my last report, but that’s not the case. The return of the betas’ questionnaires, and the prep-work for Book 5, have been vital to future progress.

The next e-book update will be … Sunday 9th June.

Posted in On Writing, The Spinner's Game | Tagged , , | 10 Comments

As Above, So Below

Posted on May 4, 2019 by crispina kemp

Once upon a time, a long time ago, the Romans used the River Tas to ship supplies to the regional town of Venta Icenorum. Once upon that long time ago the river was wider and deeper … as it doubtless remained through to medieval times when the earls of Norfolk & Suffolk, the Bigods, had their Norfolk seat upriver from Venta Icenorum, at the now sleepy village of Forncett St Peter.

This is the river Tas as it is today, at a ford just south of Forncett …

As Above So Below

River Tas at the ford at Forncett St Peter: 17th April 2019

As Above, So Below … my take of the title Under Water

[For details of #2019picoftheweek challenge see MariaAntonia]

Posted in History, Photos | Tagged , , , | 30 Comments

CCC#25: Rosie Sitting by the Brook

Posted on May 2, 2019 by crispina kemp
Girl on Bank CCC25

Crimson’s Creative Challenge 25

Rosie sitting by the brook
Feet in water, head in book,
Isn’t worried in the least
All-absorbed in a fictional feast
Doesn’t hear the stalking beast
Rosie too late turns to look
Comes the killer with a reaping-hook

 

Posted in Crimson's Creative Challenge | Tagged , | 66 Comments

Crimson’s Creative Challenge #25

Posted on May 1, 2019 by crispina kemp
Girl on Bank CCC25

CCC#25

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)
If you tag it #CCC others should be able to find it by ‘Searching’ in the WP Reader (fingers crossed)

Here’s wishing you inspirational explosions. And FUN.

Posted in Crimson's Creative Challenge | Tagged , | 84 Comments

For Sophia

Posted on April 30, 2019 by crispina kemp
Butterfly Vulnerable

Red Admiral: 12 June 2017

I discarded riches, discarded clothes
Discarded flesh from off my bones
To take the step incomparable
To stand before you,
Vulnerable.

Written for Sammi’s Weekend Writing Prompt

Posted in On Writing, Poems (Some Silly), Thoughts | Tagged | 21 Comments