A short story. The offer she presented was cash in hand if he gave her a bit of a discount. How was she to know he was an inspector? Sly bastard. Life was hard, money was scarce, but repairs still needed doing. And she got the notice in the mail, a court appearance because she … Continue reading Cash and Consequences
Spring
It's a couple of weeks until Spring down here. Weeds are currently doing impressions of berserkers, and citrus and fruit trees are showing signs of waking up. The mango tree is filled with flower spikes. Spring. A time of wonder and awe. And also hunger. It's the time of year when not many things are … Continue reading Spring
It’s Not New
Covid. Pandemic. Plagues that follow the tracks people make in their journeying to and fro. Interacting, as humans do. Until times like these. It's not new. History is full of the times of fear and disease, of deaths in high numbers. None of that matters when it's close to home. We fear the unknown, even … Continue reading It’s Not New
For National Book Lovers Day …
Okay, so I'm not in the US, but a book lovers day should be spread around, so whether you're in the northern hemisphere or the southern, on the equator or at the poles, I've pulled a few together for your pleasurable - or petrifying - perusal. A short list, a few to choose on the … Continue reading For National Book Lovers Day …
Reunion
A short piece of fiction Last time we met up, the count was sixty. Three years later, with no reunions organised in that time due to the closed borders and restricted travel, and it's six. And what do we talk about? The oldies, the deaths of pets, dogs mainly, and football. No mention of those … Continue reading Reunion
What Happens Before the Writing?
Pre-writing is a thing for me. I have pages and pages of 'stuff' that relates to some aspect of the story. Snippets of conversation, an overheard argument between unknown characters, sounds, places, objects. I particularly like rambling about the history of the place they're in. How it started, why it started, when it grew beyond … Continue reading What Happens Before the Writing?
A Simple Act – Short Story
“Put more logs on the fire!” Xera grabbed the basket she’d brought in. A few sticks remained, but no wood. “It’s too hot already,” the old man whined. “And fire won’t help.” Xera tossed the kindling into the flames and slammed the empty wire cage on the table. “Where is the wood?” “There!” He pointed … Continue reading A Simple Act – Short Story
White Demons – A short story
White uniforms, it used to be. Not now. In the hospital grounds, in the ED, in the wards, and floating the halls are the colours supposed to calm, soothe, ease the pain of the souls who enter within the timelessness of hospital care. Matters not what brought them there, matters not that they must walk … Continue reading White Demons – A short story
Gaming It
A short story. The system stinks. The knobs turn the screws and pressure the plebs. Me, I'm the dirt under the feet of the plebs. A nobody with nothing going nowhere fast. It wasn't always this way. I was on an upward trajectory, a rising star in the world of sports and entertainment. Give me … Continue reading Gaming It
Changing the Process to Keep the Progress
It’s fine to be a plotter, planner, or pantser, a bit of this and a bit of that, a gardener or an architect. The labels don’t matter, nor does the process. Pros and cons abound for every process, and the problems with one can be a benefit in another, but none are the be-all and … Continue reading Changing the Process to Keep the Progress
Cage Dunn - Fibber, Fabricator, Teller-of-Tall-Tales 