Cherubim

The word cherubim is simply more than one cherub.

The photo is partially appropriate as it shows more than one of us, otherwise it could be said to illustrate whichever word is the antonym of cherubim. Rascals perhaps?

Here's a fun monthly competition. You're asked to write a story using photo prompts so you might like to use it for inspiration even if you don't plan to enter the competition. There's a cash prize of $30.

And here's another monthly competition. You have to 'like' their facebook page* to be eligible and on there you'll also find the monthly theme and word count. You submit via a facebook message**. The prize is a $50 Amazon voucher.

*While you're on facebook you could like mine too ;-)

** I've sent mine already. I don't know the punctuation combination for a smug smirk so please pretend this is it :-$

Gross

Gross has a variety of meanings. It can describe something large, outrageous or thick bodied. Twelve dozen of anything are a gross or it can be a total without any deductions.

These tulips are fairly outrageous, but I wouldn't call them gross, would you?

Do you have any words of advice for writers? If so, send them here for a chance to win £100, publication and an invite to a book launch.

Penelope spotted this poetry competition (free if you're under 18, otherwise there's a fee)

Leave a comment here to be in with a chance to win an Amazon voucher.

Promise me something ...

If I mention any new book I'm working on, please check if I've done a synopsis and if I haven't nag me until I have. Getting one written quickly for the Kobo/Jeffrey Archer/Curtis Brown competition was tough. It's been received now and is being considered along with two more. Even if I don't win I'm glad I've done it as getting the plot down to one page really shows up the strengths and weaknesses and will be a great help to keep me on track as I continue writing. I intend to always do a draft synopsis at an early stage in future.

If telling a whole novel on a page sounds tough, how about doing it in a tweet? I had to for this interview (leave a comment to be in with a chance of winning an ecopy of A Year and a Day)

Here's a chance to get a professional director and have your play performed. Among the things you can write about are 'riotous mixture of something'. D'you reckon my garden would count?

Can't stop ...

Just remembered it's time for another Insecure Writer's Support Group post. I might well be feeling insecure if I had time to stop and think about it, but I haven't so I don't! I'm really busy, in a good way.

 Hopefully I'll find time to enter a few writing competitions.

Although I've not been home much lately, I still don't qualify as an ex pat. If you do (Lizy for example) you might be interested in this.




All this rushing about isn't exactly the end of the world, but if it were, I could write about it and try to win £100. As I'm actually having fun I'll have to make something up (if I have time)


Doubt I'll have time for this, but it looks interesting.

This one only requires 99 words, so I should be able to manage that and try for the $25 Amazon voucher.

Portsmouth City Council have ruined my book!

How could they do it?

In Paint Me a Picture I have several scenes set on the Round Tower in Portsmouth. When I wrote the book, the railings were tatty, steps worn, tarmac in a horrible state and the benches broken and uninviting.

'First though, would come the climb, onto the wall and over the dull silver safety rail. Once there, the worst would be over. She would choose a position where the outer rail was missing; very little remained of the rust pitted, blue painted metal. Mavis stood and walked to the wall. She imagined grasping the railing and hauling herself up. It would require effort, but she could manage. She could sit for a moment, longer if she wished, to compose herself.

 Then, she would slide forward, keep sliding forward until the solid grey stone, with its saggy wrapping of tarmac, was no longer beneath her. There would be the air and then the water and then nothing. Or perhaps she would stand? That might be better. She could stand right on the edge, poised neatly between life and death. She could stand, calmly waiting for the right moment and then step forward. Just one small step to the end she longed for. Or she could jump. She did not think she would jump. It did not matter; all that mattered was she climb and then fall. Then nothing would matter.'

Now just look at it! 

How could they? They're doing up the Square Tower too. It's not as though these places are important to me.

Of course the renovations haven't really ruined my book. Things change all the time and I'm sure if anyone were to read my book and realise the tower is now in better nick than I've described they'd guess why there's a discrepancy. 

Other writers might not be so lucky. Have you ever created, or read something that's really been ruined by changes that have taken place since it was written? 

If you've written a book that's not been ruined in this way you might be interested in this competition.

If anything you've written has been ruined in any way, you might want to plot the perfect murder and win themselves an Amazon voucher.

Spandrel

Today's word of the week is spandrel. It's the space between arches or between an arch and its frame.

I like arches. I like free to enter writing competitions too. Not ever so keen on this one as the only prize seems to be publication but maybe you're not as mercenary as me?

I'm over here with some thoughts on editing today ( if you get there before me you'll see some excellent advice from the lovely Sally Quilford instead.)

Tepal

A tepal is an undifferentiated part of a perianth. 

You're welcome.

Oh, OK I'll go on. You know what a flower petal is. You may have noticed that sometimes behind the petals there are little green things. Those are sepals (or the calyx). 


Actually in some plants there are no petals, just sepals which look like petals but don't worry about that.







In other plants there are both petals and sepals but they all look like petals and it's impossible to tell petals from sepals. In this case all the pretty bits are called tepals to, you know, make things easier.

You probably want to get back to the writing after that. Here's somewhere looking for novels and novellas (thanks to Rachel for telling me about that one). And this site wants articles. I'm not sure they want to pay for them though.

Here's a crime writing competition. You'll have to pay postage, but otherwise entry is free. The prize is a weekend Bed and Breakfast at the Cremona Hotel, Bournemouth and £50 spending money. 

Now please excuse me, I have a novel excerpt and synopsis to work on.

Essence of Humour

This collection of 17 humorous stories is available now from - Smashwords, Alfie Dog, Amazon.uk and Amazon.com. I think you'll recognise several of the author's names.

Here's a short story competition with a £1,000 prize. It doesn't say humour is required, but as they want children's stories, it probably won't hurt.

Bingo is a funny subject for poetry you might think. Win this competition and you'll have £150 to laugh about.

Update The finalists of the 100 word story competition I mentioned in my last post were announced this afternoon.

Results round up

A few months ago I mentioned a free to enter (obviously) 100 word competition. The prize was publication of the story in a free e-anthology for 20 semi-finalists, feedback from Curtis Brown for the best three of those and a Curtis Brown novel writing course for the winner.  I, and around 1,000 others, had a go and I'm one of the semi finalists.

You can get your free copy here. (If you don't have a kobo you can download a free app and read it on your computer)

Prima were running a writing competition with a kobo as a prize (I was the March winner). They're now running one with £100 on offer for the best short story. Send your 800 words to yourwinningstory@hearst.co.uk

I also entered several competitions I've come nowhere in, but I'm keeping tactfully quiet about those.