A stopple is a stopper or plug, usually for a bottle. We seem to have quite a few. I’ve no idea if they work – once our wine is open, we drink it rather than go round stoppling it.
Actually stopple is the verb as well as the noun, but however you say it, it seems an odd thing to do.
Yesterday I gave a talk to a local gardening club, about gardening as inspiration for my writing. Here’s me arriving with some of my props (picked from our garden).
There were 62 people present – the largest group I’ve ever addressed, and it’s been a long time since I did any kind of public speaking. I’m not sure exactly how long, but it was prior to the COVID lockdowns.
I was just a little nervous to start with, but everyone was very friendly and it was fine once I got going. It was lovely to meet some of the club members afterwards and I had some interesting questions, as well as a few compliments.
The people I spoke to might now be wondering if they’ll end up in a story. Yes – they probably will!
A story of mine was in last week’s issue of My Weekly. It’s another crime story.
Sometimes I wonder if it’s a good idea to share the inspiration behind my stories. Not that I’ve got anything to hide of course.’ll just stop talking now, before I make things any worse…
An aardwolf is a grey and black stripy, African animal, related to hyenas. It eats insects (up to 250 termites per sitting) and is nocturnal. They’re rather cute. I’m sorry I don’t have a picture – next time I’m wandering the scrublands of Easterm Africa at night, I’ll be sure to put that right.
I mention them because stories, amongst other things, are often listed alphabetically and being near the top can be an advantage in some situations and aardvarks have been overused for that purpose.
Three points are on offer to the first person to write a story titled, ‘Adam the Aardwolf’s Amazing Adventures Amongst the Agave in Aberystwyth.’
The ebook of my short story collection A Clean Bill Of Health is currently on sale for 99p / 99c
Here’s the blurb –
Our health is important, we all know that, even if we sometimes take it for granted. There are so many factors which can affect our health. Things we can help, and things we can’t, from infection, smoking, depression and anxiety to excess weight, accident, injury or conditions we’re born with. All can take a toll on our mental or physical wellbeing.
Lynne doesn’t seek prompt help due to embarrassment over the position of her boil, George worries the strange rash is a result of being bewitched and Emelie thinks she’s the cause of her sister’s avian obsession. Mr Thirlwall’s imagination is running away with him. Helena’s family are a pain in the abdomen. Jack is his own worst enemy. Things do get better for all of them – once their issues are diagnosed and assistance is accepted.
No matter what ails us, there are treatments, coping strategies and cures. The characters in this book explore a few and find ways to feel better, no matter what their medical situation. Whether sick or well, making things worse, helping ourselves or others, we all have stories to tell. This book contains 24 of them.
I’ve got business cards! Aren’t they nice?
If you come along to the book fair at Lee Hub (the old library in Lee-on-the-Solent) on Saturday you can see them (and me) for real – and buy books from a variety of great local authors. I believe that tea and cake will also be available!
Lugubrious sounds as though it should be something fun, doesn’t it? It actually means, doleful, mournful or dismal.
As far as I can recall I’ve only ever come across it in relation to speech, but characters needn’t just speak lugubriously, the could show their inner lugubriousness through a sad expression and dejected manner.
Much as I like the sound of foghorns, I think it would be fair to describe the noise they make as lugubrious.
A few days ago I got up early, had a few cups of tea and wrote out a list of things I needed to know for book 3 in my Little Mallow cosy mystery series. Then a writer friend kindly drove me, and another of her friends, to Portsmouth where I had a coffee (I know! But we were in a coffee shop so it seemed the thing to do) as we were early for the crime festival in the university.
We had a very interesting and enjoyable day, listening to a variety of informative and entertaining lectures, persuading police officers to help us with our research enquiries, looking at displays – and yes, drinking tea.
At one of the forensic stands I accepted the offer of a souvenir keyring. That is one of my fingerprints (not the typing one).
Once back home I needed three cups of tea to see me through typing up all my notes! I have to do that fairly quickly as I can only read my handwriting whilst I can still remember what it’s supposed to say.
Now I’m all set to get back to writing the book.
Aunt Glenda’s Cottage is the name of my story in the current (May) issue of Take A Break’s Fiction Feast.
Isn’t that a lovely illustration – and very much how I imagined the cottage as I wrote the story.
This particular tale began life as an entry for my local writing group’s short story competition. At least, that was the plan! We had to include beads, baubles and boxes, which I had no trouble with (Glenda has plenty in her attic).
The problem was that the story had to be no more than 1,000 words, and this one is nearly double that. I rewrote it for the magazine, and created a new one for the competition (which won!).
Both were crime stories, using the same prompt, and involved attics and a bully, but are far more different than that might make them sound.
I read and enjoyed these books in April. There were more, but it’s been a bit hectic and I lost track. So much for these blog posts being a way to remind me which books I’ve read!
