It sometimes seems to take a lot of time to find inspiration for a random theme, but in this case, the theme (Skeleton in the Cupboard) provoked many ideas. I settled on this one, trying my hand at a bit of black humour in the process. SKELETON IN THE CUPBOARD “I think there were some … Read more
We all grumble about things that our parents and teachers didn’t do or say – some are more puzzling than others. This piece would probably qualify as “True Flash”, as it is based on a personal memory, but the context and names have been changed. : ROLE MODEL Daria was pleased that her next client … Read more
Writing to a historical theme is something I love to do, so I was eager to compose an entry for a writers’ group competition for a historical short story. There is so much on TV about Henry VIII, and one drama about this period left me with an abiding image of the poet Thomas Whyatt, … Read more
Some years ago, I saw an innovative interpretation of Charles Dickens’ The Railwayman. This story emerged with that as a tangential inspiration, alongside some real history about forbidden love. : THOSE WHO LOVED The familiar thud. The jolting of my body on the brittle, iced grass. It has ever been so, and it hurts so … Read more
The theme “The Clock Strikes” just had to trigger thoughts of the Cinderella fairy story, still one of the most popular for pantomimes. This was the first of my re-workings of Cinderella, which owes a lot to the 1930s country house crime novels of Agatha Christie. : THE CLOCK STRIKES Ella was getting nervous. “When … Read more
