Sinbad

2007 Anthology

The excitement was intoxicating. Danny felt the powerful single cylinder motor throbbing steadily between his knees, he felt the vibrations travel up through the handlebars and up his arms so that his shoulders shook slightly. He stabbed the gearchange pedal with his toe, hoping he was engaging low gear, and blipped the throttle twistgrip with his right hand while beginning to release the clutch lever with his left. Suddenly the big BSA motorcycle lurched forward and he lost his grip on the han

Winter Holiday by Sinbad Day 1 We were up near Alcock tarn. It's a small lake perched high on the hillside in the fells above Grasmere. I've seen Herdwick sheep before so I wasn't too surprised when I saw a small flock of them. What caught my eye about this flock of sheep was not their funny white faces looking out from above the big russet brown balls of wool which are their bodies, nor even the way they blended with the brown bracken that covers th

2006 Winter Anthology (pic)

No, I'm sorry but this just won't do, Viv. I'm feeling badly let down by you. Once again you have shown there's no genre that you can't master, and seemingly effortlessly. Your last anthology entry was a radically different story in which you tackled a sensitive subject with skill and delicacy. And this time you've written a.... cowboy story. (Sorry, I'm English, any story about American farmers is a cowboy story from this side of the pond!) A certain E. Annie Proulx has recently become a lot more famous as a result of one of her cowboy stories being made into a movie which was received with some acclaim. Will the next Brokeback Mountain be scripted by our very own Viv, I wonder? I'm not feeling let down about the story which is wonderful and wonderfully told as all your work is. But I can't be expected to live another three months not knowing what happens next - this is cruelty and vindictiveness! What have I ever done to you to deserve this treatment???! Won't you reconsider and write the next episode NOW??! Love your work, Viv, as ever Sinbad

What a great story, Shadowgod at his best! Right from the beginning I was drawn into the tale. Why? Because you drew such an interesting, sympathetic character. I wanted everything to turn out right for him, I wanted his hurt to go away, I wanted someone to look after him. And you delivered, big time! I just love a story with a happy ending! Thanks for a great read I really love this one! Sinbad

This is fabulous, Lugh! What a great, heart-warming story. I love the setting and the fantasy element. Thanks for writing a great read! Sinbad

I echo previous comments made, it's quite an achievement to give us vignettes of a series of disparate characters in such a short space. Each character is described well enough to arouse our curiosity. I want to know what happens to them - do they get a happy ending to their story? If an author can get his readers involved to that extent he's done something special. Well done, Ieshwar! Sinbad

Wow, Graeme, this is really special. A complete departure from the style and genre of other stuff of yours that I've read, it shows you are a master of science fiction as well as everything else that makes us mere mortals green with envy.(!) Thank you for writing a superb anthology story. Sinbad

Now this is a great story! Fascinating plot, with lots of unresolved hooks so you could develop it beyond where it is so far! Any plans to do that? Sinbad

Thank you for a great read! I enjoyed the story as much for its unusual perspective and insight into the lives of these fascinating characters as for its happy ending storyline - I love a happy ending! Sinbad

We're not so much coming out of the closet, more coming out of the woodwork! I'm another one whose situation has parallels with this story and so I can hardly be objective about it. BUT it's a very well-written story, and its open ending leaves the reader to fill in his own preferred ending - or the ending which most fits his own story. Thank you for writing it! Sinbad

My grateful thanks to CJ and Graeme for your kind encouragement. So... I keep at it! Sinbad

Thanks guys - great advice - I was looking at Oliver Goldsmith - I know 'The Vicar of Wakefield' quite well. And the link(s) to info on carriages are mindblowing - so many varieties! Sinbad

-- so I've referred to Beau Brummell who's from the end of the 18th century. I've also referred to Hepplewhite furniture which is from the end of the 18th century. If I read Georgette Heyer to get some authentic period detail into my story, that will be relevant to the end of the 18th century. So it might be best to move my story to the end of the 18th century!! That would only leave me with one problem - to edit the scene about the trip to the theatre to see The Beggar's Opera because that only ran for 62 performances, in 1728 - I'll have to find a play that was all the rage at the end of the century for them to go to instead. Any ideas? Sinbad