Thursday, 19 January 2012

Story Dice Fables - A Question

There was a boy who had a question, a Big Question. And for awhile, he thought about it and tried to figure out the answer for himself, but he couldn't. And then for awhile he just kept The Question in his pocket and tried to forget about it, but he couldn't. So he decided he was going to have to investigate and ask someone, even though he was quite worried that people would think he was silly.
First of all, the boy asked his father his question. And his father stroked his beard and said
"Hmm. Well, that's a very good question. I'm not going to tell you the answer, but I tell you who you should ask...your teacher."
So the boy went to his teacher, and gave him an apple just to try and get him on side, and then asked his question.
"Well that's easy." said the teacher "Just think of how the moon hangs in the sky, brightening the dark nights."
The boy wasn't totally convinced. So he went for a walk in the park to think it through, and noticed an old lady sitting on a bench. "Old people know lots of things." he thought, and went over to introduce himself and ask his question. The Old Lady was very pleased to help.
"Well, I'm sure I know the answer to that question...just think of how you get all the wonderful colours of rainbows from single tiny raindrops."
The boy nodded and smiled, but he was mostly just being polite. Although, he did think The Old Lady's answer sounded nicer than the teachers.
"I need to ask the cleverest person in the town." thought the boy. "Everyone says the watchmaker is a bright spark. I'll go his shop and ask him."
The boy asked the Watchmaker his question, and the Watchmaker smiled.
"Well, I hear the answer every day in the silence between the tick and the tock of the clocks, or see it in the first spin of the compass needle as it finds it's way towards magnetic north. But that is my answer. It is not yours."
The boy thought this was meant to sound cleverer than it actually was, and decided to speak to his father again.
"Everyone gave me all different answers," said the boy, "and I've still got this question. I can't get rid of it."
"Wonderful." said the boys father, giving him a hug "And if you are very lucky, you may never find the answers to your question; but you must always keep asking."

Check here for the story dice fables rules.

Monday, 9 January 2012

Candy Bones

This is my entry for The Woman In Black Ghost Story competition, run as part of the promotion for the new film version of Susan Hill's classic novel. It reached the finals, but then got totally battered.

It was kind of a wee tribute to the stories you used to get in the Armada Ghost Books...anyone ever read them at school..."scary stories for children"? No..? Still available in all good second-hand bookshops.

So...I'm conscious of the fact that theres more folk reading the blog (and the Tales of the Oak blog) as a result of being in that competition. That might just be a wee temporary thing, but it just made me very suddenly conscious of what a big jumble of things are on here.

There's loads of stuff on here I've written for fun or for my friends or family, and there's stuff I've written for other competitions. More often than not, writing for competitions these days can mean harassing friends, family and complete strangers to support you by "liking" things via social networks. Bit of a riddy.

Recently I've got to thinking, I don't write or blog just to try and win things, but I do enjoy sharing what I write either way. Down our way that can sometimes seem a wee bit "show offy" and no one likes that. Sadly...that isn't going to stop me. Nor should it stop you! There's a nice wee book around just now, by Ellen Arnison, a local writer, "Blogging For Happiness", and one of the things it deals with, is how blogging is a nice way to help yer mental health. At the very least, that'll do for me.

Pretty sure you have something to say too.

Tuesday, 3 January 2012

Story Dice Fables

One of my lovely Christmas gifts was a set of Rory's Story Dice. Dead simple, nine dice, six sides, 54 images, 10 million combinations. Roll dice, make up a story or poem. Children may help.

For better or worse, each year at the top of my resolution list is "write more". This year, it's moved down a notch, it's under "eat less salt n vinegar rice cakes", but it's still up there. The story dice are one of my weapons in this battle. Same as this blog.

The rules are
1 - play whats rolled, nae backsies,
2 - post a photie
3 - blog what's written, nae footering or redrafting

There is no way to verify these rules have been kept obviously, you just have to trust me. And of course, you can play too, check out whats been rolled, tell a different story. That's the first lot up at the top there.

The Forgetful Star
Once upon a time there was a fallen star who had forgotten what she fell for. It had been a long fall and she had bumped her head when she landed - even though it had been quite a soft landing. She decided to find people to help her remember why she fell.
First she came to a garden, and she met a Bee with a broken sting.
"Do you know why I fell?" asked the Star.
"No. But I wish you'd help me fix my sting, I've flowers to visit."
"Sorry. Can't help you there." said the Star. And walked on.
Next she came to a forest and she met a Knight having a little cry.
"No. But I wish you'd help me. I've been sent on a quest far too early in the morning. A evil witchlord and his pet sphinx have stolen the Queen's Silver Arrow she uses as a table centrepiece. I must retrieve it from the pyramid in the lost desert. But I hate getting sand in my shoes."
It grew dark and stormy, lightning flashed, lighting up the rooftops of a nearby village. As the Star walked towards it, she found a little torch lying by an old postbox.
"Do you know why I fell?"
"No. But I wish you'd help me see in the dark. I'm scared."
"Sorry. Can't help you there. But if you want to walk with me for awhile, I'll shine on you."
The Star walked on til morning and found herself back at the field where she had first fallen.
Only now, she noticed there was a sheep there as well, looking rather poorly.
"Hello. Do YOU know why I fell?" asked the Star.
"Yes." said the Sheep "You're for wishing on. But I wish you hadn't fallen on me."
And the Star remembered. The bees sting sharpened, the Knight got some armoured flip flops and the torch beamed. But the Sheep still had quite a sore head.
"Thank you." smiled the Star.
"No problem." said the Sheep. "Glad I could give you a hand."