S.P. Oldham's Blog, page 42

Surrender, Surrender - An Alternative Verse for Bonfire Night

Right, I am sure this is going to make me very unpopular in certain quarters, but given that it is like a war zone in many areas at the moment (hasn't been too bad here compared to last year) and given that I am a writer, I couldn't resist attempting a modern rewrite of the famous 17th century poem 'Remember, Remember.' Mine is called, 'Surrender, Surrender.'

Surrender, surrender, the fifth of November,
Gunpowder treason and plot.
There’s very good reason
Why gunpowder treason
Should these days be forgot!

Every year, without lament
We make occasion of a man’s intent
Far worse has been done since, we know
We don’t ‘celebrate’ those things, do we now?

Out of mercy for animals, both wild and pets
For the emergency services, hospitals and vets
Forgo the fireworks, but let the bells ring
That was all that was called for, in the beginning.

And what shall we do with him?
Let him rest!

S P Oldham

The original is here, if you are interested:
https://www.thesun.co.uk/…/remember-t...

and my ranty letter is here: https://solostinwords.com/…/an-open-l...…

So, have at me then. But I feel very strongly about this!

https://images.ecosia.org/87d0yXJgnj8...

WINNER! Halloween 2018 Bumper Competition Winner

A big thank you to everyone who entered my Bumper Halloween Competition! In the interests of fairness, I entered all of your names into a random 'name chooser' (see the screenshot) and the winner is...

@Claire Monument

Congratulations Claire, I will be in touch to make arrangements to deliver your prize.

As a small thank you to everyone who entered, please pm me if you would like a free download of ONE of my e-books. Check out my website for more information. The link is below.

Thanks everyone, keep watching this space for more news, book releases, competitions and more!

https://solostinwords.com/home/index

Enter Before It's Too Late

Time to enter my competition is running out!  Bumper Halloween Competition - So Lost in Words on Facebook

In the spirit of Halloween, I had a go at carving a tree a bit like one of the 'scary' trees from my logo into a pumpkin! For free scary stories try my website, leave me a message, enjoy! https://solostinwords.com/home/halloween-2018-

Hag's Breath - A Great Read for Halloween!

A thrill to find this great little review left for 'Hag's Breath: A Collection of Witchcraft and Wickedness' today. Halloween is almost upon us, for less than $3/£2 why not treat yourself to a read? Or enter my competition to win a download of the book as well as a bundle of other great prizes? My thanks to the reviewer, David Hilley Junior, who writes:

"5.0 out of 5 stars Read this book if you love good short stories!
This book is chock full of great short stories. I really enjoyed it, particularly since I read it just before Halloween. Who can resist witches and ghosts?"

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M4JMXMA#customerReviews

October Terror Short Story Awards

Voting opens today (23rd October) and runs for one week, for the October Terror Short Story Award! Please check mine out - 'Cold Fish' - and if you like it, vote for it. VOTE HERE (be sure to check the circle ABOVE the story you choose:) http://www.theboldmom.com/october-terror-readers-choice-a…/…

Of course there are plenty of other stories too - if you like them, vote for them- all good stuff, folks! My story 'Cold Fish' is here: http://www.theboldmom.com/october-terror-2018-39-cold-fish…/ and the complete list of stories, should you fancy curling up for an hour and reading, is here: http://www.theboldmom.com/october-terror-2018-short-story-…/

Good luck to everyone involved and thank you to Mar Garcia aka The Bold Mom for running the contest and showcasing my story.

Please share. Thank you

.

HALLOWEEN 2018 BUMPER COMPETITION

BUMPER HALLOWEEN COMPETITION! To be in with a chance of winning this prize bundle, including a signed, paperback copy of 'Wakeful Children: A Collection of Horror and Supernatural Tales,' ebook downloads of 'The Mindless Trilogy - The Zombie Apocalypse: When a Little Knowledge is a Dangerous Thing,' and 'Hag's Breath: A Collection of Witchcraft and Wickedness,' as well as a So Lost in Words tote bag, bookmark and pen, just like this post, like my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/solostinwords/ and comment 'So Lost in Words.' Competition ends midnight October 31st GMT and a winner will be chosen at random. Good luck! Feel free to share.

Please note, it is up to you to ensure you have a device which can download ebooks. So Lost in Words/S P Oldham cannot be held responsible if you are unable to claim ebooks if you do not have a suitable device for doing so. No cash alternative. Competition is in no way endorsed by or affiliated to Facebook, Twitter or tumblr. Entry to the competition is deemed acceptance of these rules.

So Lost in Words Halloween 2018 FREE stories and poetry to find out more and to enjoy some FREE Halloween short stories and poetry to whet your appetite for the big day!

Remembrance 2018

https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/...

Punctured

Another little freebie for Halloween. I dedicate this story to my friend, Marie Bowen. Marie, I hope you enjoy x

Punctured

Dana crested the highest of the Tops, the name the locals used for the series of low hills that separated the small rural town she lived in from the village the other side. The gravel crunched softly beneath the wheels of her bicycle. The ground was still wet, raindrops falling silent as tears from the heavily leafed trees flanking the road, such as it was. The sudden downpour she had been caught in had come to an equally abrupt stop.

Overhead, a pale moon showed now and then through the smoke-grey clouds as they drifted. To the west the sky was a darker grey, threatening more rain to come...

https://solostinwords.com/home/hallow...-

October Terror 2018

Excited to have my short story 'Cold Fish' accepted for entry into the October Terror 2018 Short Story Award competition run by The Bold Mom - Mar Garcia. To read my entry click the link below. Submissions close on October 23rd, then readers have the chance to choose their favourites and vote via the poll. The winner will be announced on October 31st! You can click through to all the other stories too, and enjoy some horror and dark fiction stories free of charge throughout the month! Then vote for the one you like most. Thanks all, hope you enjoy and feel free to share this post.

http://www.theboldmom.com/october-terror-2018-39-cold-fish…/

The Fear Collector

Every year, around Halloween, I try to do a little something for readers, followers and casual browsers who just happen to stray across my website! This year. I have a couple of offerings, starting here with a little poem dedicated to that fleeting image we often catch at the corner of our eye, if nowhere else...

The Fear Collector

You will never catch it, never spy it, never see it

Though it dwells in the corner of your eye
You think, if quick, you’ll glimpse it

But you’re too slow and it always seems to fly

Nothing more, you hope, than a shadow

Nothing more substantial than a shade

There’s nothing to be scared of, this you know

Yet your heart races and you are afraid

Where does it go, when you have turned the lights out?

When there is no contrast to alert your watchful eye?

Your daytime certainties soon become doubts;

It must go somewhere, or does the darkness make it die?

That tiny touch, feather-like, when you’re drifting?

The weird sensation that you are about to fall?

That makes you lurch in your bed, your body shifting?

Could it be that flitting figure does it all?

Perhaps it’s just as well you are too slow

To lay eyes fully on the spectre

That makes you turn your head, lets you know

Here be a subtle fear collector



S P Oldham


https://solostinwords.com/home/hallow...-