Writing – Page 2 – Julia Chalkley

Yes, sort of – and No, sort of

I submitted a few short pieces recently, and I’ve had a verdict back on three of them. Nothing to crack a bottle of fizz over, and nothing to send me weeping to a lonely spot to reflect on how baaad my life is. First up was an entry to the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation’s ‘InspiredContinue reading “Yes, sort of – and No, sort of”

Breaking the silence

I haven’t posted for a long time. I haven’t had the heart for it. We had a three-week pause in April to stay away from crowded museums and beaches during the school holidays, and just as we were plotting a return to days out, our youngest cat was killed on the road. Just like herContinue reading “Breaking the silence”

Life in a Bagatelle

We saw Storm Dudley approaching, due to hit Scotland and the north of England. We were worried for the friends we have in the north, and were worried again when Storm Eunice followed on behind Dudley and was due to hit Scotland and the north again. We were under a yellow warning for high winds,Continue reading “Life in a Bagatelle”

Tigerrrs all the way

I’d forgotten what it was like to be head-down in a Literal Challenge challenge, but I have been Reminded. This is how it goes. Sign up for it. Some time beforehand, so forget about it, apart from telling your writing mates and letting them laugh and be puzzled. Get the email two days before theContinue reading “Tigerrrs all the way”

Cambridge Botanic Gardens

We’ve had a series of miserable weather days recently – cloudy, grey, frosty mornings, drizzle. We’ve been lethargic, not moved to do anything – having finished the decorating has left us in the middle of a lot of small odd jobs. We’ve snapped ourselves out of it by going out for the day. Cambridge BotanicContinue reading “Cambridge Botanic Gardens”

Happy Start to a New Year

Between wishing a Happy New Year to our lovely neighbours, enjoying the fireworks and staying up to finish our glasses of fizz, we got to bed – very early this morning. And woke late. But we did get outside, on a sunny and warm day that has outclassed every day since October 2021 began. MaxContinue reading “Happy Start to a New Year”

A few days in Lynmouth

We’ve just had a few days’ holiday in Lynmouth, north Devon, to celebrate His Lordship’s 70th birthday. We’ve never been to Lynmouth before, though we did spend a week at Croyde Bay in the late 70’s. Camping. We aren’t that tough these days, especially in December. Don’t be fooled by the photo above, we’ve hadContinue reading “A few days in Lynmouth”

Festival Finale

This is the end, I promise, the very end of the Essex Book Festival 2021. Today was the big reveal on the Story Hunters project, the invitation to visit one of twenty nominated sites in Essex, take a photo of yourself to prove you were there and write a story of between 50 and 250Continue reading “Festival Finale”

Spaghetti Western

We visited friends in Gloucestershire when lockdown eased enough to make it legal, and descended on the local plant nurseries like locusts. I’d had poor success raising seedlings for the polytunnel – well, I’d had the usual success rate, but as the weather in April was more like February, I wasn’t able to plant themContinue reading “Spaghetti Western”

So good, we went twice.

I enjoyed the trip to Colchester to see Robin Ince, but the only way to buy a ticket was to buy a book. We don’t need two copies, and nobody in either of our families would appreciate a copy of the book, signed or not. So I went alone. I enjoyed the talk so muchContinue reading “So good, we went twice.”