The good morning, good night thread

[desertwomble]

My Uncle Paul (Pavel) posted a link to this article via facebook. Worth reading to put one's own life into perspective. http://mobile.nj.com/advnj/db_266476/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=fY4KzGLb (Paul's on the right in the photo.)

Amazing. As you say, puts all the little niggles in life in perspective.

DW

[Ed]

It's had a long trip, so in one way I'm glad it's found a home, but in another it's feels a bit like the end of an era.

I feel like that about writing in general at the moment 

Derek

I think it's just a plateau, Del. You'll hit a spike again sometime soon and you'll be even better than you are at the moment

Ed (and everyone else for that matter), here are two of the main horror story reprint markets, UK and US.

http://www.stephenjoneseditor.com/markets01.htm

http://ellen-datlow.livejournal.com/317073.html

Ellen Datlow accepts submissions all year round, but Stephen Jones only accepts submissions from towards the end of the year.

DW

Thanks, Womble

[Rev. Austin]

I find myself going through 'slumps' every now and again, sometimes with writing music, sometimes with writing stories.  But then I'll play a gig, or hear a band, or read a book, that totally invigorates me and BAM! off I go.  You can do it, Del!


This has been a Rev. Austin Pep Talk.  For more brief kicks up the creative bum, visit his website at www.imnotpayingtenpoundstodownloadoneoftheserubbishlifelessons.com

[Rev. Austin]

I went to my parents for tea tonight, and my dad told me something that's utterly mental: Firstly, my uncle is friends with the solicitor who represents Keiren Fallon, the jockey.  Next: my uncle has a holiday home on Marco Island, in Florida, and a former (?) member of the Mafia (or something similar - my dad's not sure) lives or lived on Marco Island (he is or was a boxer...'Something' Red?), and if I could remember his name you'd all go "oh yeah, him", but anyway...he recently got someone to transcribe his autobiography, which my uncle has bought via the aforementioned solicitor (my dad held his fingers apart and said "It's really thick, and is the actual manuscript") and is now looking to get it published....and could I, his published nephew, help him do it? hahahah isn't that mad?! I feel like I'm in a dark version of Only Fools and Horses 

[Ed]

Sounds interesting

[Pharosian]

Tonight I participated in the 1-hr flash fiction contest over at Shock Totem and got my a$$ kicked...   Amazing what good stories *some* people can come with in an hour. Maybe I'll do better after a few more tries. 

They're going to hold it every two weeks, so the next one is April 30. They start at 8 PM EST, so probably too late for the Brits.

[Rev. Austin]

Oooh that sounds interesting Pharo!

[Ed]

Hmm, yeah -- that's a shame. I think EST is about six hours out of whack with BST, so that would make it about two in the morning for us. Could be wrong, though. If it was midnight till one I could just about cope, but by two I'd be zonked out drooling on my keyboard and snoring.

[Pharosian]

We're 5 hours different here in the Eastern zone. As I write this, it's 9:15 AM, and I see from http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/ that it's 2:15 PM in London.

So you'd get the prompt at 1 AM, have until 2 to write, and then you'd have to read, comment, and vote on the other stories. This week there were 5 entries. So yeah, probably too late for "normal" folk, but those wild and crazy club-hoppers among us might be able to cope! 

[marc_chagall]

Saturday: made my way from my brother's Kings Cross flat to my son's enormously tall flat (29 storeys high) in Deptford; thence by river to Greenwich for a most civilised time in the sunshine wandering up to the observatory and enjoying the peace and quiet. River trip back to Southwark, lunch in a waterfront pub, wandered across the river and back to Kings Cross by tube. Train back to Bishop Auckland (250 miles approx) and home in time to catch 'Spiral' on the telly (BBC4, Sat nights). I'm absolutely gripped by this series - French crime drama at its best.

Sunday: nothing! Have spent the last week in London doing a mixture of touristy things and seeing family and publisher/other writers from EWP/CGP, so it's been great today to sit at the computer, drink tea and commune with the budgie.

[Ed]

We're 5 hours different here in the Eastern zone. As I write this, it's 9:15 AM, and I see from http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/ that it's 2:15 PM in London.

So you'd get the prompt at 1 AM, have until 2 to write, and then you'd have to read, comment, and vote on the other stories. This week there were 5 entries. So yeah, probably too late for "normal" folk, but those wild and crazy club-hoppers among us might be able to cope! 

Yeah, too late for me. Maybe if I had a kip sometime in the afternoon I'd be alright It is on a Saturday night, after all. I would have all of Sunday to get over it.

Delph -- sounds like you've had a good trip. It's nice to break out of the environs now and then, but there's no place like home

I've been having a lazy weekend. My eldest nipper came back from his skiing trip to Switzerland with the school, yesterday, so it was nice to have him back, but it soon kicked off again between him and his younger brother. Tiredness, and one thing or another. Anybody with kids knows what it's like. Gorgeous weather this weekend, though. I've been basking in the sunshine off and on. I love weather like this -- sunny, but not too hot. Just right.

I cooked a spag-bol for tea last night, which went down well. Made a good rich tomato sauce, infused with oregano and freshly cut basil. It was the tastiest one I've done for a while. Kept it simple, and it tasted all the better for it, I reckon.

Spent an hour or two out with the kids sighting in a new scope I bought for one of my rifles. They seemed to enjoy it. Tonight, I cooked minute steaks on a griddle, chips, garlic mushrooms in a cream sauce, and served it with fried onions and minted peas. Very nice it was, too. Made banana custard for afters. I'm stuffed now. Feel like I need another nap

[Pharosian]

Ooohhh, banana custard!    Sounds heavenly.

I've spent the day doing laundry. The weather looks lovely out, but I haven't stepped outside yet. 

[Ed]

Yeah, I don't know what made me think of it, but I haven't had banana custard for years on years. It's ridiculously easy to make, too. My mother always made it exothermic -- bits of banana like napalm. I serve mine pleasantly warm.

Talking of pleasantly warm, this weekend has been the first this year where we've eaten our meals out on the patio, in the sunshine. I've really enjoyed it

[marc_chagall]

I haven't had banana custard since primary school. Loved it then, no reason why I wouldn't love it now. Thanks for the reminder.

[LashSlash]

I've spent the day doing laundry. The weather looks lovely out, but I haven't stepped outside yet. 

... is this the american way? -- we actualy step outside to hang the laundry in the lovely weather.....flapping sun-bleached whites!!!!!