Hope you are all having fun this spooky season? We’ve had another weekend full of spooky shenanigans, even a swimming lesson with some inflatable pumpkins. 🎃
How things have changed since my youth of a bin bag with holes for a costume! 😂
As I walked through the cemetery gates Something caught my eye Watching me as I walked along Was two eyes up in the sky
I peered at him for a long time before I turned to go As I did his eyes did blink It sounds like madness I know!
I turned back around and walked up close To get a better look A cawing sound pierced the sky And behind him appeared a rook
It must have been that which I had glanced I gave a nervous laugh And turned to walk back down The cemetery path
My visit complete I glanced again At the Gargoyle in the sky But I’d swear to anyone who’d listen As I left he said “Goodbye”
Gargoyle – Image by KL Caley
This little gargoyle collection can be found peering out at Alnwick Castle in Northumberland. Aren’t they enchanting?
Cemetery – Image by KL Caley
This is North Road Cemetery in Darlington. It’s a beautiful place with a really interesting tower, which I wrote about in a previous writephoto – here.
I love how much the October prompts have been inspiring you all! Apologies I am a little behind in reading them all and the round-ups. Thankfully nothing bad, just busy at work as picked up a few 12 hour shifts, combined with some spooky fun activities with my little guy.
For visually challenged writers, the image shows a river, further along it you can see some shadows of trees which the fog is starting to blur.
The regulars already know this bit, but for those that don’t:
Each Thursday at Noon GMT I will post the #writephoto prompt
Use the image and prompt as inspiration to create a post on your own blog… poetry, prose, humour… light or dark, whatever you choose, as long as it is fairly family-friendly.
Please have your entries linked back to the original prompt post by the following Tuesday at Noon GMT.
Link back to this post with a pingback (Hugh has an excellent tutorial here) and/or leave a link in the comments below, to be included in the round-up.
Please click their links to visit the blogs of other contributors and take time to read and comment on their work.
Use the #writephoto hashtag in your title so your posts can be found.
There is no word limit and no style requirements, except that your post must take inspiration from the image and/or the prompt word given in the title of this post.
Feel free to use #writephoto logo or include the prompt photo in your post if you wish, or you may replace it with one of your own to illustrate your work.
By participating in the #writephoto challenge, please be aware that your post may be featured as a reblog on this blog and I will link to your post for the round-up each week.
If you need some more inspiration or fancy a bit of light reading, check out last weeks round-up.
📖 This is the second book in the Serendipi-tea series by author Kate Valent and it’s a great addition. This novel primarily follows Mary, a young writer who writes under a pseudonym so that no one knows who she is (and that she is female). When her father’s publishing company, which publishes her works, runs into financial troubles, Mary with the help of her sister Margaret, and her friend Charlotte try to do all they can to save it.
✍️ Also woven throughout this novel is a blossoming romance. Mary meets the dashing Lord Holiday, an odd fellow, who only appears to spend time out in the evening. Even more strange, is how closely Lord Holiday resembles Lord Hallow, the vampire from the serial that Mary writes. Can Mary trust this handsome stranger, or is he more alike Lord Hallow than she would like to believe? In this magical world, it feels like anything is possible.
🗣 I often think it’s useful to see an extract of a book to get an idea of the writing style. Here is a brief extract so that you can see a sample of the writing yourself:
She was certain she had never seen him before. But to be at this party he must be someone, either a magician, lord, or businessman. She couldn’t fathom who or what he was or get the thoughts of the villainous vampire out of her head.
👓 This book is a fantasy book with much of the side story being around runes and their use (originally by the wealthy but with more and more making their way to the working class). The book is set in a somewhat historical Victorian setting, with many traditions, and mannerisms (and class systems) referenced from that time period.
👫 Great range of characters, both Mary and her sister Margaret are fun and intriguing characters. Mary trying to make her way in what has up until recently been a male-dominated world is handled delicately and a great nod to the time period that is being captured.
🗺 One of the things I really liked about this story is that although it is a continuation of a series, it was not a continuation of Charlotte’s story (although she does feature) but is a new story focusing on a completely different character.
💔 Any Negatives: I wish Mary and Margaret had perhaps been given slightly different names. As the names are quite similar, I sometimes got a little lost and misread them (thinking it was one or the other). If it had been something different from each other but still historical sounding, Mary and Emily, or something else it would have made it a little easier to read on the eyes. But that is quite picky and probably more of a personal preference.
💭 Overall View: An enjoyable romp through a magical Victorian world (with writers, books, tea and cakes!). An excellent addition to the series.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Black nights have truly arrived. The moon and stars shine brightly in the sky. All hallows eve is soon to arrive. So it is time for the spooky(ish) tales to begin.
Would you dare worship the arrival of this goddess?
Today’s tale was made with the Original kit
Want to play along?
I love playing around with the magnetic poetry blocks. I’m no poetry writer so I prefer to create a short story of sorts. The kits can be found here (and they are free):
New2Writing 