Cage Dunn's Blog, page 22

The Final Page

FFFC#107 The pen rests, the ink dry. I’ve run out of time, the sands are sliding my words into oblivion, my wick burned out. The last page is writ, and the message is out there. All I have to do is wait. And wait. No one comes, not to learn the lesson, not to save … Continue reading The Final Page

Isn’t today Friday?

I think I thought today was Friday and it was time to write a post, but apparently, yesterday was Friday and the dog went to the vet. Remember? Oh, yes. Which means today must be Saturday and I don’t need to write a post. Or, it means I’m a day late, and two dollars short, … Continue reading Isn’t today Friday?

Your first pages – 5 more book openings critiqued by a literary agent, YA author @AJ_Dickenson (and me!) at @Litopia

Originally posted on Nail Your Novel:
I’ve just guested again at Litopia, the online writers’ colony and community. Each week they have a YouTube show, Pop-Up Submissions, where five manuscripts are read and critiqued live on air by literary agent Peter Cox @agentpete and a guest, or sometimes two (this time we had longtime Litopia…

An Element of Change

A short story, 500 words. Dark. Brown grass. Who needs to mow brown grass? Not Ted. He had a beer, a bit of tree stump to sit on, and distance from the house. All he’d done was mention the new neighbour, and the list of jobs fell from her mouth like a shovel-load of shit. … Continue reading An Element of Change

See Beyond the Onset of Shadows

I needed a lift today, and I saw a post with this man’s name: Paulo Coelho And I found some of his quotes: Paulo Coelho Quotes When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it. There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of … Continue reading See Beyond the Onset of Shadows

Missed the Starter’s Gun

When I mentioned I’d be doing a post a week (should’ve said once a month), I thought it wouldn’t take much extra effort around all the other stuff and the new course and the two new series (or serials – not sure yet). What I didn’t count on was the extra workload that comes from … Continue reading Missed the Starter’s Gun

Past, Future, or Now

A short story: Lasting The last Sunday of the month, the last Sunday of the year, the first light of sunrise. The phone alarm wakes me on the last day. No sounds filter through the window, just light. I roll onto my side and open one eye, not too wide in case I see what’s … Continue reading Past, Future, or Now

The Moaning Ritual

Sorry, the Morning ritual. It’s the time of day when the sun don’t shine, the eyes don’t open, the coffee is floating an aroma around the house. Two minutes. Then it will be coffee in hand, eyes open, bum on seat. Then I remember all the other stuff that happens without brain engagement. It’s the … Continue reading The Moaning Ritual

Place and Time

Otherwise known as Setting. It’s one of the [many] things I struggle with. The basics of an opening to a story needs to make clear the Who is Where and When, Why they’re there (maybe just a hint), and What they’re doing. This post is about the Where and When of a story. The place … Continue reading Place and Time

Looking, Looking, Looking

for a quick-bite post. Looked up all the places I usually go for a bit of a gnaw of meaty inspiration. Fandango has FOWC (but I hate the word ravish — do people understand the full implications of that word and it’s associations? It’s one of those words with two meanings at polar opposites:To ravish … Continue reading Looking, Looking, Looking