Another writing exercise from the Neil Gaiman The Art of Storytelling Masterclass. The prompt I selected was ‘Two old women sitting together knitting on a park bench.” Beyond grammar checking and a light polish, this is what my brain came up with.
Knit one, Purl One is after the break
It’s been many a long day since I last posted in here, I had no idea. Quick update: Still sober, still cigarette free, still working from home so not much has changed in the last 2 years. I have been working on my novel, and I’m currently undertaking the Art of Storytelling Masterclass led by Neil Gaiman on Masterclass.com.
This little story was one of the writing exercises. With it, you had to take a favourite fairy/folk tale and re-write it from the perspective of a different character as a newspaper article. The story I chose was The Princess and the Pea and the article is written, from the perspective of the mattress salesman who gets an order for 20 luxury feather mattresses to be delivered to the palace.
Hope you enjoy,
Mike
The short story, Local Mattress Salesman Hits the Big Time, is after the cut.
Quitting smoking is just one of the ‘habit changes’ I have on my 2017 to do list. There’s also quitting drinking, getting up off the couch, not spending money just because I have it and stopping comforting eating just because I’m sad.
While I’ve been unemployed I’ve chosen to use the time to tick a few things off my to-do list. Smoking; quit. Drinking; quit. That’s two things. According to an App I have to assist with quitting nicotine I’ve saved almost $4,000 since December 27th, 2016 when I threw away the full packet of Dunhill Blue, the green plastic lighter and, just to make life complete, the unopened 4-litre cask of cheap white wine.
This morning I woke up to news that a new letter had been sent to the Prime Minister of Australia requesting support for a Safe Schools style program. The idea is to replace the existing program with a national anti-bullying program after the Turnbull Government ceased funding of the initial Safe Schools program. The original Safe Schools program will continue being supported in the Labor-led States after the funding has stopped, but the Liberal-led States will be shutting it down.
When it comes to job hunting it can feel a bit like throwing things at a wall or screaming into the void. Most days it’s just you, your social media accounts, and the online equivalent of a recruitment agent.
Twenty years ago it was Asians who were soon to be flooding Australian streets. Today, it’s Muslims who will be enforcing Halal foods on unwary Australians. Muslims who will be introducing Sharia law to the country and forcing the women of Australia to be wearing Burkas. In the coming age painted by Pauline Hanson and her One Nation party Australia will either be a Caliphate or free of all Muslims. There is no room for middle ground when the rhetoric demands a sacrifice.
I always find it annoying having to go through a process. Once I make my mind up to do something, I just want it done. None of this piss-farting about as the universe realigns itself with your latest command. Just do it already.
Well  it has been a while. Not since I wrote a blog, I did that yesterday, but since I wrote a blog that focused on why Writing in Shadows was created in the first place. I started this blog several years ago to write about the process of writing. Back then, as a young whipper-snapper of 40, I had dreams of writing a novel. Maybe a movie. Perhaps a series. Definitely more than a shopping list.
Look before I start let me make it clear. Everyone loves a tragedy. Shakespeare made a career spanning half a millennia out of writing some of the most heart-wrenching tragedies ever put to paper. Humans, as a species, seem compelled to get the popcorn and take a comfortable seat when someone else’s life is imploding. Perhaps it’s the distance from our own lives, or the Tall Poppy Syndrome the media love to talk about while tearing people apart. Whatever the reason tragedy sells papers and magazines, and ensures television ratings.
Author of MM Romantic Fiction
Australian Horror and Suspense Author
Authors, Artists, Geeks, Husbands
recollections of one's travel
Writing in Shadows 