Love this little gem of a tale.

Today's #LunchtimeRead Wow! freeflashfiction.com/fiction/comp...

As the grandparent of a toddler who LOVES swings and slides - the higher and faster the better - I can so relate to this!

Today's good news.

🤔 Is it too early to buy myself a little Christmas present? #BookSky #IndiePress

Only from the #BBC. BBC National Short Story Award competition finalists. You can listen to the #stories live at #BBCRadio4 from Monday 15th September and at #BBCSounds. #fiction #literature

The emergence of Ellis and Stella on their attempted staycation:

Can YOU write a story in 75 words? Exactly 75 words? Paragraph Planet seeks your stories, and has been publishing one on its home page every day since 2008 paragraphplanet.com/submission.php #amwriting #flashfiction

Looks interesting ... 👀

One image to fit the #summer theme for today's #BlueSkyArtShow ? How about this #pastel painting of some lilac? Only wish I could learn to paint the gorgeous scent!

Got mine (she said smugly.)

Just to clarify ... My 75 words that were published on www.paragraphplanet.com yesterday told a purely fictional story. I do not poison, squash or throw away the slugs in my garden. They are gently relocated to my nature reserve - the uncultivated patch behind the shed.

Guess whose tiny tale has been chosen by @paragraphplanet.bsky.social today? www.paragraphplanet.com

Here's something to brighten up a dull, wet Monday. Already imagining the colourful garden I'm going to have next year! 😍🌻🌸💐🌼🌺🐝🦋 Thank you, @higgledygarden.bsky.social #gardening #flowers

How I used to hate those 'What I did on my holiday' essays! Problem was I was too honest. Wish now that I'd had the courage to make something up.

Our anthology call-out for writers in the North of England is open. We're delighted to have received a few submissions already! There's plenty of time to submit until the deadline at the end of September, so get scribbling - we'd love to read your words.

Weather just right for the beginning of St Anne's Kite Festival yesterday - breezy enough to keep kites aloft but warm sunshine, and the rain kept away! www.discoverfylde.co.uk/kitefestival/ #kites #LythamStAnnes #Lancashire #seaside

Any #entomologists out there? They're still here and still busy doing whatever they're doing! #insects #mystery

I do like a happy ending. #FlashFiction

Our summer short story submission call ends in exactly one month! The deadline is Friday, 26th September and details are on our website - see below.

Today's #LunchtimeRead One of those quiet stories that I think I'll be pondering over for a while ... ⛴️🧩👬

Can anyone in #Edinburgh help?

I discovered Ray Bradbury (one of my favourite writers) in my teens, but I learnt something new about him today. Thank you, Barbara!

Can anyone tell me what these #insects are in my garden? Some kind of #wasps or #hoverflies ? Have they made these holes, is there a nest of them underneath? Or are they predators hunting something else that lives there?

Even on a sunny Sunday in August it's possible to find an empty, free car park and quiet country footpaths in #Lancashire #DayTrip #exploring #countryside

#Writersky, send us your short #fiction, #poetry and or articles about #writing for our Autumn issue, Machinery ⚙️. We're open to writers of all levels of experience (or none!) and we're awful friendly, so don't be shy :)

I need to know what happens next ...

Where have all the blackbirds gone? My rowan tree has a bumper crop of berries but a lot have already been blown of by recent strong winds. In previous years blackbirds & starlings have feasted on them but garden is eerily quiet now. Are berries earlier than usual? #ClimateChange?

Hoping a #Jagged hedge is OK for inclusion in this week's #BlueSkyArtShow. Ten minute pencil sketch in car park while I was waiting for my husband, followed by a quick colouring in at home. Love the cream and bright pink of the little terraced house - reminds me of raspberry ripple ice-cream!

Why I'd choose a human artist over AI every time 🔽 #BookCover #illustration

Looks interesting ... 👀

Now this is a #BookClub I'd love to join! 📚🐉🐁📚

Walking past my local community orchard during the dying gusts of #StormFloris I was alarmed by apples flying around me. I usually leave the fruit for others to pick, but as these were landing at my feet it seemed rude not to rescue them. Apple crumble for tea then! #apples #windfall #FreeFood

And ... I'm back! Had a wonderful visit to family in Canada, now back adjusting to UK life and times. (Apologies if you saw my earlier and quickly deleted post 😬. I forgot the 'read 3 times before posting because there's no edit button' rule!)

That's all for now, folks! Taking a break to visit the real world where there is no internet or social media - and definitely no AI! See you when I get back 👋

Today's #LunchtimeRead Realised I was holding my breath as I read this - transported to another world ... www.darkwinterlit.com/post/and-the...

No big team. No red tape. Just me—Alan Parry. I run this thing solo, and I’ve published over 30 books that punch above their weight. Submissions open Aug 1–31. 👉 shorturl.at/eTSjI 👤 @alanparry83.bsky.social

Today's horror story ... 😬

Rejection's always disappointing, but I was very pleased with the encouraging critique I received from @penstricken.bsky.social Agreed with all the suggestions for improving my #ShortStory but kicking myself for not noticing the flaws myself.

We need the rain - as long as it doesn't lead to floods - but I could do without the wind!

When you neglect a few of the radishes you sowed last year, bumblebees get another source of nectar and you'll soon be able to harvest some free seeds for the next crop. #bumblebee #GrowYourOwn #organic #gardening

Fairlight Books is joining Blue Sky! We're proud to bring our Oxford-based passion for literary fiction to this new chapter. check out our website here to learn more about our books, authors, and short stories! www.fairlightbooks.co.uk/longer-ficti... 📚✨ #FairlightBooks #publishing

Made me smile - in a sad/ angry wry sort of way.

On Tuesday, CARE joined peer organisations, activists and volunteers in Westminster to send a clear message to MPs: as members of the public, we care about aid. Please email your MP & join us in amplifying our voices for women and girls: careint.uk/4knTD6i

Good news: I have a new camera! Bad news: I foresee another steep learning curve before me 🙄 #camera #photography #BackToBasics

But I mustn't buy any more books yet ... I mustn't buy more ... I mustn't ...

Today's good news! 🦋

46 festivals across the UK are uniting to fundraise for War Child, giving you a chance to win a pair of tickets to some of this summer's most exciting festivals! Read more in @the-independent.com: www.independent.co.uk/arts-enterta...

Spent a few moments enjoying this morning's barely there clouds and the scent of my neighbour's lilac ... But now I must get to work!

🚨🌱 The Chancellor is reviewing all public spending from scratch. Please join me in signing the @campaignforthearts.org petition to remind the UK Govt: the arts make our lives happier & our communities stronger. Now is the moment to invest in them. www.campaignforthearts.org/petitions/sp...