This week’s piece for Phoenix Writers was 200 words to include a foreign word or phrase. Here is my Evolution-inspired slice of silliness: ——————————————— A Word in Your Shell-like . . . Sitting on the stubble-like grass of the island, Darwin tried to get comfortable. He held up the completed sketch, comparing it to his…
Month: April 2013
R is for Red, White and Blue – a song about War.
I wrote this song a few years ago, not long after Tony Blair left office as UK Prime Minister. At the time it was becoming increasingly clear that he may have greatly exaggerated the truth to ensure that the UK entered the war in Iraq. Like many people, I was angry and shocked at his…
Q is for Quiet. It’s Always The Quiet Ones . . . Being a Writer
As a writer we need to have the ability to disappear in to the background. To observe. To extract meaning from body language, action and reaction. To study human relationships. To unearth great dialogue. To ask the ‘what-if’ questions and let our imaginations run free. All in the pursuit of the story. Which means, we…
P is for Pigeon-Hole! Stop trying to put me in a box!
I think we would all agree that the Internet has brought with it a plethora of benefits for both the consumer and the producer of products, music, books and art. As a musician, I can record a song in my garage and 5 minutes later I can have it online ready to be enjoyed by…
O is for On My Own – Why we all need time alone
As Greta Garbo once famously said, “I want to be alone!” Cue sharp intake of breath from those around you as they stare in stunned silence like you’ve just told them Lassie is dead. Ok, maybe a slight exaggeration, but why is wanting a little quality time for yourself seen as being just a little…
N is for Night Time of The Soul
Ever have that ‘wake up in the middle of the night, searching-the-soul’ type moment? I’m sure you have – it’s part of the human condition. There’s just something about the dark and the quiet that can do that to a person. It was during one such moment, when staying in London as part of my…
M is for Maybe I Don’t Need To Know (inspired by Dreams of a Life)
Another song written with George Odom, ‘Maybe I Don’t Need to Know’ was inspired by the haunting and desperately sad documentary, ‘Dreams of a Life’. You can listen to the song here. If you are unfamiliar with ‘Dreams of a Life’, it deals with the discovery of the body of young woman, Joyce Vincent, in…
Flash Fiction – The Bank Job
This week’s piece was 200 words around the following prompt: My Worst Job Ever. Here is what I came up with . . . ———————————- The Bank Job Big Ray’s face darkened, cheek muscles twitching with barely contained rage as he prowled the small cell the two men now occupied. Len tried once more to…
L is for Lies. Go Home and Tell Some Lies (song)
The video clip is myself and fellow songwriter, George Odom, playing a song we wrote a couple of years ago called ‘Go Home and Tell Some Lies’. The song began life as nothing more than a title which popped in to my head one day on the way to work. Suitably inspired, George came up…
K is for Keep Moving – Write or Die!
Today’s writing metaphor comes courtesy of the shark. In case you’re not entirely au fait with animal biology, many sharks need to swim constantly to stay alive. It’s all to do with passing oxygen-rich water through their gills, but the only reason I mention it, is because as writers we too need to constantly move…