I'm writing some more parts of "the Forsythe Saga". My problem is that of where two basically separate stories take place in much the same timeframe. They are also separated by 150miles.

There is a small shop called "The Store" which also has the local laundry attached. This place is located in Bettyhill which is in the far north of Scotland. For those interested, it is at 58.53°N 4.22°W
That's 58 North. Beyond this going north is the Arctic.

This place serves great food. The Mushroom and Tarragon soup was great and very warming on a day that was dominated by very strong N.E. Winds.
Anyway, this sign caught my eye as I ate the soup.

I've posted the first part of a story called "Off The Books".

It isn't strictly TG but... What it is though, is a thriller or rather my first attempt at writing one.

I hope everyone enjoys reading it as much as I had writing it.

I've been posting a lot this year and also been really busy in real life so I've decided to take a break from posting until the end of January.

I have been busy writing an entry for the january competition using the 'flash fiction' style but after 12 parts, I realised it was
1) going nowhere
2) needed an awful lot of editing to lick it into shape
and
3) not very good at all. More like dog excrement really.

Uig, the gateway to the isles....
It is doubtful that my lodging for Monday/Tuesday has anything like a decent internet connection (if at all) so I'm posting this from a damp and windy Uig. That means that you lucky people get to read the last part of Coming Out from Undercover a day early... Good Eh.

With the posting of the fourth episode of "County Sheriff", I am taking a break from posting stories. I have two more multi-part stories ready to post but as I'm going on holiday in a couple of weeks, I decided that they can wait until I return.

Yesterday, I sat on the Pier at Southwold, Suffolk (just about the most easterly point in the UK) and ate an Ice Cream. It was sunny, warm and balmy.
Earlier in the day I'd watched Marsh Harriers performing their aerial courtship, some Mediterranean Gulls nestbuilding and other birds singing in the sun.

Definitely the calm before the storm
This morning and less than 10 miles from Southwold I woke up to find almost 2in of snow on the ground.

And there is more to come. Brrrr.

Samantha

SOLO's gone?

Ok, I have to say that I've posted more than one multi-part story in the past year but these were intersperced with solo pieces but it does seem that there has been a big drop off of SOLO works in recent months.

Do people not like writing then anymore? I do and most pieces I start, start off as SOLO's and only go to multi-part when it becomes obvious that it will work better when published like that.

Look out for SOLO story from me over the weekend. It will be called 'The First Time I Saw Her Face'.

Samantha.

It is Panto season again here in the UK. All manner of tales are being performed all over the country. My local theatre is doing 'Aladdin' this year.

I've done a couple of stories in the past where the action centred around a Panto.

This year, I've done something slighly different. Call it a 're-imagining' of a classic tale.

My tale is in three parts that will be posted next monday, tuesday and wednesday.
It has three ugly sisters, a ball, a sort of prince charming and of course a waif who is plucked out of servitude and sent to the ball.

Imagine Jesus is standing at the altar in a sparkly gold dress and heels.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-41913720

This is what is portraid in Brazil in a monologue called "The Gospel According to Jesus, Queen of Heaven"

Brought a smile to my face this cold Sunday.
Samantha

This video blog on the BBC is quite illuminating.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-41502661/100-women-i-tran...

Firstly, the narrator is Transgendered and a PHD.
She talks about the monetary cost of being a woman in business today.
She puts it at $250K over a lifetime. (how much worse will it be for M2F transpeople?)

I have an idea that came from to solo pieces (That are linked) that expands the scope of further stories that use the environment that is described in those stories.
Does this expansion of scope constitute what people mean by a Universe? These further stories are linked but essentially stand alone pieces.

So, what does constitute a Universe?
Samantha

Has it gone walkabout?
Any chance of getting it back?

If there are changes being made then please, please, please tell us in advance and perhaps make a trial page so that we can see what is happening and comment on it.
The site as it stands today (08:28 Friday) has gone backwards a long way in terms of usability. If this stays then I'll be making far fewer visits.
Sorry for the bit of a rant but that is how I see it.
Samantha

I've posted the next part of my story tonight so that those readers in the UK (and Europe) don't have to suffer IMHO, the turgid if not torrid 'Eurovision Song Contest' which is on tonight.

If you want to see how voting is really done on partisan lines then watch this. Well, I won't but apparently millions still do. Can't see the point really but there you go.

Samantha

I know it is election day here in France and where I am now (SW of Brive la Gallarde) is wonderful cycling country. The roads and even the minor 'D' ones are well surfaced if you avoid the Department of Correze yet I saw very few out on the road today. The weather is perfect as well....
Where are they all? If this was England, there would be lots out on the road on a fine Sunday Morning.
I spoke to two Australians at lunchtime. They are in the middle of cycling from Oslo to Athens and they remarked on the lack of cyclists in this area.

Samantha