northie

Two damaged individuals trying to make some kind of life together. And there's the drugs. Kinda like an unwanted, or sometimes wanted, third in their relationship. Donovan gives the impression of making some progress; Yuri, less so. It makes for an unbalanced, sometimes painful time. And yet... As Donovan notes: Still, Donovan takes the leap of faith and tries to believe Yuri will stay with him. This time. A short, powerful piece that has so much backstory crammed into so few words.

Written prompts are only the equivalent of staring out at the world and noticing stuff. Or random thoughts. Or laughing at something in a social media post. They can be just the basic seed, the initial spark. Everything else comes from the writer's imagination. It's amazing how differently people can interpret the same prompt. Just like everyone's view of how the world works is different. Anthology prompts here can spark hugely different interpretations. And the link to the prompt can be tangential. Sometimes I look at a prompt and it sets me off in a wildly different direction, one I may not have thought of without the initial push. Prompts are an essential part of writing. Use them; don't use them, but there'd be a large hole if they didn't exist. PS GA posts prompts every Friday, if you haven't already discovered them. 😊

Simple, direct, and at times, quietly devastating. A telling and realising of truths. It's easy to say keep in touch with family but that's often complex, fraught, and sometimes not feasible. There's so much here packed into one excellent short story. Bravo! 😘

A Nobleman's guide to seducing a scoundrel by KJ Charles My rating: 4 out of 5 stars One of many things to love about KJ Charles' books is how anchored they are in their particular historical period. She doesn't hit you around the head with facts, or elevate research over plot. Instead, we join A Nobleman's guide to seducing a scoundrel in the early 1820s when Gothic novels are still the rage, medievalism is becoming an academic study, the Napoleonic Wars are over, and smugglers now operate largely above board. This isn't historical decoration. Rufus d'Aumesty, the new, disputed Earl of Oxney, spent more than a decade in the army and it's formed who he is. Luke Doomsday is a confidential secretary who's apparently left behind his days of belonging to Romney Marsh's foremost smuggling clan. They meet at the start of the novel in a maze of a house dating back to Norman times, both embroiled in a succession dispute worthy of Dickens. Luke becomes the earl's right hand man as they both seek to right years' worth of estate neglect. At first, Luke's interest in the job appears genuine. Then we get hints otherwise, even as he and the new Earl fall for each other. Another thing to love about KJ Charles’ writing is how she quietly acknowledges that queer individuals have always existed. That they not only existed, but tried to make full, loving lives for themselves. Finally, Luke is discovered at night somewhere he shouldn't be and everything goes full-on Gothic. Think 'Northanger Abbey' or 'Melmoth the wanderer' - all dark and stormy with strange, shadowed buildings, crazed, vengeful relatives, and a lone hero(ine) struggling against the odds to save themselves and solve the mystery. Of course, the clouds clear and the sun comes out at the end. No matter how hard KJ Charles makes you (and her characters) work and suffer, there’s always a happy ending. This is great fun and a worthy sequel to The Secret lives of country gentlemen. If you read this book first, it doesn't matter. KJ Charles has been very clever in linking both books firmly together but also making it possible to read them separately.

Happy birthday, Steve! Here's a crown to celebrate...

Lovely as always. There's a clear sense of regret - a regret many have that there's never quite enough time to accomplish what we wish to do. But there's still hope. The year will turn and next summer will be with us sooner than you think.

Thank you! I can't remember the actual idiom I was allocated for this but it was obviously a weather-related one. So... bespoke weather. 😉😊

We're long past May and Spring, but that in no way lessens the beauty of these observations. I remember you mentioning 'No mow' May and wow, it sounds as though it was worth it. There's nothing quite like the homely, quirky, loving common names for flowers. They make me smile, and each one obviously means a lot to you. We live on opposite sides of an ocean yet we share nature's renewed hopes and pleasures for the Spring.

It's a job I once toyed with in a moment of madness. 😬 Thanks for reading!

Thank you. It's a very early piece but one of which I'm still proud.

Gary makes even me enjoy westerns. 🤨😄😘

Soo... just as I thought I'd get back to my wip, up come these prompts. 🙄😄 Expect something about a Monday in the not too distant future.

🙄 See... this is what happens when I can't bring myself to answer a question. 👀🤨😄 I think I'd prefer the parrot to a sloth. I can move quite briskly - I'm just not that keen on doing it too often.

It's been a long since I've spent time with these guys. Thanks for the selection, Cia.

👀😱 I enjoy most sympathetically portrayed BDSM but just sounds weird. Not in a good way either.

Thank you for the compliment. 🤨😄

I remember thoroughly enjoying writing this piece for one of Cia's writing games. Thank you for your enjoyment as well. 😊

The dangerous kingdom of love by Neil Blackmore My rating: 5 out of 5 stars How do you like your Bacon? Francis Bacon is an important cog in early seventeenth-century Jacobean royal circles - not titled, not a favourite, but he has the ear of the king nonetheless. James I (and VI) has been transplanted from Scotland to the English court. Bacon's role as administrator, facilitator, maybe procurer, to the crown means he's a man to be watched. James is different from old Queen Elizabeth in many ways. One way is, though he's married (as any monarch should be), he's what would be described nowadays as gay. Maybe bi? Certainly queer. As we listen to Bacon telling his story, it becomes clear he too isn't straight. These two facts colour the entire novel, driving the action and making you realise Bacon's account might be suspect. Why does he act one way and then another? What is he saying? Is he being true to himself, never mind the people he comes into contact with? As Bacon navigates his life at court, of course, he doesn't do so in a vacuum. Lies, intrigue, plots, and the fight for survival in the cockpit that is James' court figure prominently. I'd put off reading this novel for several months. Why? Maybe for easier reads. However, once I got stuck in, it was one of those books I couldn't put down. Both the book and Philip Stevens' narration are wonderful - rich, satisfying, and colourful. One to be read again.

👀😊👍 Maybe I'll get something ready this time...

So... I've either been very, very busy. Or I haven't... 👀🤨😄

A slow, graceful sarabande is one of my favourite dance rhythms. Playing one immediately gets me into that particular eighteenth-century headspace. Reading your lovely, funny, touching invocations of various dances does just the same. Only with words, not music. Bravo.

It can be tricky sometimes to judge these things, but an oasis of stillness and reflection at the heart of our site did it for me. Elsewhere, stories got posted, comments made, jokes laughed at. Life goes on. Our friend would've approved, I think.

Twitter can still be a source of amazing stuff in amongst the dross. Here's a link to the UK National Archives celebrating Pride month by highlighting queer love letters in the National Archive from 1920s and 30s. A fascinating, poignant look into a hidden, queer past. Click through and keep scrolling through the thread.

Surprise! And while you're all open-mouthed, I'll have the 👑. Ta. 😄

[Please excuse the interloper...] Gary, you've captured my feelings today. Writing or editing was done in fits and starts with the constant thought in the background of Carlos and his absence. Thank you for putting that into words. Commiserations to everyone here who misses Carlos. I know I will.