Monthly Archives: November 2015

A sky-themed tale

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Bristol crane by Judy DarleyMy short story Altitude has reached dizzying heights with publication at Flash Frontier‘s sky-themed November 2015 issue.

The online literary magazine’s remit is to publish tales no more than 250-words in length, accompanied by gorgeous artwork to enhance the reading experience. My particular flash fiction piece took the thought of sky and paired it with the desire-driven risks we take, and perhaps regret. It was prompted by gazing up at one of the elegant old cranes situated at Bristol’s harbourside.

My story begins: The air seems different up here, Dan thinks – thinner, hungrier. It bites at him as he shudders; nibbles with sharp teeth and lapping tongues. Inside his head, he can hear its snarl.

Read Altitude in its entirety, and all the other stories in this issue, at flash-frontier.com/2015/11/19/november-2015-sky/.

Leave your hat on

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#HappytoesTotterdown Front Room Arts Trail gets underway today with a hat-themed extravaganza of art, music and lots of cake.

This year there will also be free taster sessions in a range of creative pastimes, from silk painting to needle felting to (ooh, dizzy with anticpation!) messy art play for adults!

Turning the hat theme on its head, I’m sticking my foot in with a scattering of mini-socks emblazoned with positive messages (and an assorted of tootsie-related puns – thanks Zan!) that I’m hoping will make people smile. If you spot one, feel free to take it home with you to remind you that there are plenty of reasons to be cheerful. Even better, tweet me @JudyDarley with the hashtag #happytoes to let me know.

Totterdown Front Room Arts Trail is on from 20th-22nd November 2015. Find full details at frontroom.org.uk.

Book review – Nora Webster by Colm Tóibín

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Nora WebsterDrawing on the months and years after the death of his father, Colm Tóibín has created an elegant, honest portrayal of grief – not his own but his mother’s.

By shifting the point of view he edges from memoir into fiction, but the truths remain. Nora Webster has lost her husband Maurice, the man she’d intended to spend her life with, and now has to re-learn herself without him.

Through the novel Colm captures the sense of small town Ireland in the sixties, where to have your hair dyed is borderline scandalous and wearing a red coat to the first day on a job is regarded as distastefully showy. Nora is a quiet woman who left much of the opinion spouting to her husband, but now he’s dead she realises she has beliefs and ideas of her own. Continue reading →

Writing prompt – unexpected

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Bristol Bridge sculpture cr Judy DarleyI often walk over this bridge on my way into town, and one day glanced down to see this face smiling to itself.

Bristol Bridge sculpture1 cr Judy DarleyWhat an unexpected encounter! It reminds me of films like Labyrinth, when any supposedly inanimate object might wake up and spout an opinion, invited or not.

In Norse mythology, Bifrost, the bridge to heaven, is guarded by a watchman called Heimdallr. Apparently his hearing is so keen he can listen to the grass growing on the earth, the wool growing on the sheep, which may be why he has his eyes closed and such a beatific expression on his face.

What everyday items in your story could surprise your protagonist by coming to life? What advice or warning might they offer? Are they wise, mischievous or downright evil? Will your character heed them? With what consequence?

If you create something prompted by this, please let me know by sending an email to judydarley(at)gmail.com. With your permission, I’d love to share it on SkyLightRain.com.