SamanthaMD's blog

Traffic Problems

There may be a delay in posting the next part of "Why Would She". I'm writing this using my phone connection as the B&B where I'm staying at the moment has really bad internet and I'm only 5 miles from Inverness.
Off to Ullapool today and another B&B. It might be Wednesday evening before I get a decent line speed.

Blog About: 

Author: 

Taking a break from posting

I've been posting a lot this year and also been really busy in real life so I've decided to take a break from posting until the end of January.

I have been busy writing an entry for the january competition using the 'flash fiction' style but after 12 parts, I realised it was
1) going nowhere
2) needed an awful lot of editing to lick it into shape
and
3) not very good at all. More like dog excrement really.

Blog About: 

Author: 

Go West they said..

Go west.... Well I went as far west as is possible to go on the UK Mainland today.
Thankfully, the weather cleared a bit today.
This is taken from Ardnamurchan Lighthouse. This is the furthest west you can go on the UK Mainland.
The Mountains with their own weather system are the Cullins that are on the Isle of Skye, some 30+ miles away.
Culins_from_Ardnamurchan.jpg

Author: 

There's nowt as queer as folk

The saying seems tto originate from the North of England and 'queer' really means 'strange' not gay or anything to do with LGBT.

So... there I was riding my Motorcycle over the 'bridge to nowhere' aka the Humber Bridge in Eastern England at around 11:30 this morning and out of the corner of my eye I saw someone Water Skiing up the Humber and under the bridge. A 'wtf' moment if ever I saw one.
Then the skiier fell off and into the muddy brown water.
Quite why someone would choose to ski up the river when the sea which was flat calm today is less than 15 miles away.

Blog About: 

Author: 

From the Sublime to the ...

Yesterday, I sat on the Pier at Southwold, Suffolk (just about the most easterly point in the UK) and ate an Ice Cream. It was sunny, warm and balmy.
Earlier in the day I'd watched Marsh Harriers performing their aerial courtship, some Mediterranean Gulls nestbuilding and other birds singing in the sun.

Definitely the calm before the storm
This morning and less than 10 miles from Southwold I woke up to find almost 2in of snow on the ground.

And there is more to come. Brrrr.

Samantha

Blog About: 

Author: 

Almost there...

I'm nearly done (and done in for that matter) getting my aged mother into a Care Home.
I moved her from the temporary home where she's been for the past 5 weeks into a home that is funded by the County Council.

Friday is the big day when her home for the past 24 years will be cleared, the meters read, the phone disconnected and everything else.

Then next Thursday it is her 96th Birthday.

Author: 

Where have all the ...

SOLO's gone?

Ok, I have to say that I've posted more than one multi-part story in the past year but these were intersperced with solo pieces but it does seem that there has been a big drop off of SOLO works in recent months.

Do people not like writing then anymore? I do and most pieces I start, start off as SOLO's and only go to multi-part when it becomes obvious that it will work better when published like that.

Look out for SOLO story from me over the weekend. It will be called 'The First Time I Saw Her Face'.

Samantha.

Blog About: 

Author: 

2017 and what to look out for in 2018

Well, here we are almost two weeks into the new year and it seems that we are doomed to have grey skies each and every day here in my bit of the UK.

If I look back to 2017, I find that I have posted almost 50 items of fiction, be they SOLO's or parts to a multi-part story.
Some have been very well received and some not so. That is life.

So, what is to come for 2018?

Blog About: 

Author: 

It is 'Panto' time again

It is Panto season again here in the UK. All manner of tales are being performed all over the country. My local theatre is doing 'Aladdin' this year.

I've done a couple of stories in the past where the action centred around a Panto.

This year, I've done something slighly different. Call it a 're-imagining' of a classic tale.

My tale is in three parts that will be posted next monday, tuesday and wednesday.
It has three ugly sisters, a ball, a sort of prince charming and of course a waif who is plucked out of servitude and sent to the ball.

Blog About: 

Author: 

Helping Hand - next chapter

The posting of the next chapter of "Helping Hand" will be delayed by one week.
I'm in Brittany on a Motocycle Holiday and the internet is a tad iffy from the Gite where I am staying. That is all down to me for choosing one that is in the middle of nowhere (8km N.W. or Rostreven if you want to know)

It will be back next Tueday.

Samantha

Blog About: 

Author: 

What constitutes a 'Universe'?

I have an idea that came from to solo pieces (That are linked) that expands the scope of further stories that use the environment that is described in those stories.
Does this expansion of scope constitute what people mean by a Universe? These further stories are linked but essentially stand alone pieces.

So, what does constitute a Universe?
Samantha

Blog About: 

Author: 

Trump bans Trans people from US Military

US President Donald Trump today announced that Transgendered people can't serve in the US Military.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-40729996

This seems to be another rolling back the advances made under the previous president.

How very different this is from the British Military as some people who post here know from first hand experience.

Sad, so very sad.
Samantha

Blog About: 

Author: 

Where has the old site gone?

Has it gone walkabout?
Any chance of getting it back?

If there are changes being made then please, please, please tell us in advance and perhaps make a trial page so that we can see what is happening and comment on it.
The site as it stands today (08:28 Friday) has gone backwards a long way in terms of usability. If this stays then I'll be making far fewer visits.
Sorry for the bit of a rant but that is how I see it.
Samantha

Author: 

Interesting story on the BBC

This is a quite moving piece on the BBC about someone who is transitioning MtoF. The come from a farming family in Wales and the piece is told by the family of Llyr.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/magazine-40111723/watching-my-s...

I found it quite moving how accepting they were even though the father is obviously having a hard time calling his son 'she'. I expect that will come over time.

Blog About: 

Author: 

Posting of 'The Italian Job - Part 10'

I've posted the next part of my story tonight so that those readers in the UK (and Europe) don't have to suffer IMHO, the turgid if not torrid 'Eurovision Song Contest' which is on tonight.

If you want to see how voting is really done on partisan lines then watch this. Well, I won't but apparently millions still do. Can't see the point really but there you go.

Samantha

Blog About: 

Author: 

Snowed In!

Here I am in the hills/small mountains south of St Ettienne and we had a big gale last night. Strong winds and rain that brought more than a few trees down.
Woke up this morning with the prospect of a 550Km drive ahead of me and we are snowed in. Yes folks, the 1st of may and I'm snowed in at my hotel. About 4in of the white stuff fell in the night.
It is also a bank holiday here so the snow clearance vehicles won't be out. I'll try to get out after breakfast as I have 4WD but I don't recon much of my chances.

Deep Joy!

Samantha

Blog About: 

Author: 

Where have all the Cyclists gone?

I know it is election day here in France and where I am now (SW of Brive la Gallarde) is wonderful cycling country. The roads and even the minor 'D' ones are well surfaced if you avoid the Department of Correze yet I saw very few out on the road today. The weather is perfect as well....
Where are they all? If this was England, there would be lots out on the road on a fine Sunday Morning.
I spoke to two Australians at lunchtime. They are in the middle of cycling from Oslo to Athens and they remarked on the lack of cyclists in this area.

Samantha

Blog About: 

Author: 

Ricki Ortiz - TG Streetfighter Player

I'm not a computer gamer but this caught my eye.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/item/7daedcfe-c674-4a97-8a1f-0...

I'm not sure about viewing it from outside the UK though.

She came out as Gay but she still didn't feel right.
The Gaming Fans seem to have accepter her very well which is a refreshing change,

Blog About: 

Author: 

Pages

Subscribe to RSS - SamanthaMD's blog