Since writing my previous blog post, so much has happened. Late 2019 brought the loss of my father, and early 2020 his funeral. Then COVID-19 gave us all a good excuse to re-examine our priorities. We have made new friends in the neighbourhood and had lots of laughs, but shared tears along the way as well, hence my reference to a potpourri of emotions.
One of the most exciting things about this year has been the chance to collaborate with a photographer and publisher to publish a selection of my stories along with incredible pictures. I hope this will be available early next year. Otherwise, I have launched into a novel, inspired in part by some of the quirky stories below.
Here's a brief background to my more recent pieces.
Five Shekels for a Haiku – My Furious Fiction entry for May 2020. It had to start with "five", include the phrase "a/the silver lining" and include a replacement.
Walking in the Squares - The challenge was to write in any genre about an urban myth. This contemporary fantasy was inspired by two AA Milne poems - Disobedience, and Lines and Squares, as well as COVID-19.
Saved by a Wallaby – the first story inspired by the family who live over my back fence. I discovered that their daughter and I had both rolled our parents’ cars down the driveway by taking off the handbrake. The children requested a story with a car and action.
Chasing Dad in an Aston Martin – the second story inspired by the family over my back fence. This included a fancier car and more action.
Freedom – written as an entry for the Geelong Regional Library Corporation lockdown short story competition, this documents a few of my hours last Christmas Eve. My father passed away peacefully at 5pm on Christmas Day.
Where Will I Find You, Dad? – a poem that formed part of my father’s eulogy> It is based on the thought that we lost him to mental illness in 1974, so I’d like to get to know him as he would be in full health. It includes many of our precious memories.
Take My Hand – a poem written as a gift for Kim who tragically lost her son, Daniel, to suicide at the age of 17. She is working tirelessly to raise awareness and improve access to mental health beds and services for our young people. Five young men have taken their lives in our region this year.
O is for Octopus – completely fictional, written as an entry for the Geelong Regional Library Corporation and dedicated to the amazing children and young adult librarians, other library staff and teachers everywhere.
Contradictions – inspired by a meme on Facebook about contranyms.
Death Row – Furious Fiction entry for September 2020. It was inspired by a picture of a life buoy on the stern of a vessel, with a trailing wake, plus the first word had to start with “sho”. It had to include the words score, slice, sprinkle, stamp and switch.
The Key – a key was the prompt for this story of identity and choice.
Monochrome – Furious Fiction entry for October 2020. It had to include something being caught, end with the words “the moon” and include the words object, wound, band and elaborate.
Yours in the joyfully jumbled language that is English,
Linda
