It recently dawned on me (at 43) that one way or another, I've been writing most of my life and may as well become better at it.

I've been getting to grips with short storytelling over the past year. Most of my tales have benefited from the critiques of 'Writers Forum' competition judges whose sound advice, I've even implemented here and there.

Eventually, I hope to adopt a more literary style of storytelling which would allow for all sorts of clever-clever themes, imagery, similes and suchlike...

Meanwhile, I'm more interested in the shape of story itself. Or rather its strength: as received through just about any form of entertainment (apart from rugby commentary of course - the dark side of life in Wales).

My favourite authors are Quentin Crisp, George Bernard Shaw, George Orwell and Noel Coward. I particularly like their letters and generally admire their work for its lucidity; a quality which I'm striving towards in my short stories.
 
I'm also keen on Regency 'silver fork' novels and modern Synthpop (the latter keeps me from retreating too far away from the 21st century.)

As should Wattpad - although it's easy to spend too much time around here rather than focus on ways of improving one's craft and appreciating the work of... well, proper authors (9 times out of 10) let's face it! 

And yet how enjoyable, it surely is, to overlook the shameless typos of a texted tale which seizes the storytelling moment; than to indulge so many a published author peddling the same sorry dross, year after year.

And so with that rather jaundiced and none-too-novel rant, I now present to you my own selection of disparate tales (of woe, mainly) laced with humour (here and there) which may prove enriching in some worthy way... my lovely trickle of readers!

Till next time or other,

Dd
(3/2/2013)

My book: https://www.lulu.com/shop/john-gilheany/familiar-strangers/paperback/product-12937828.html?page=1&pageSize=4

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Nuromanca