Welcome to Dragonscale Clippings

Inside the mind of a writer...

My motto for 2012: Quality, not quantity

I am currently exploring the sensation of Sound...

Monday 31 October 2011

Nanowrimo!

For the first time ever I'm participating in Nanowrimo! 

Between 1st and 30th November I will try and write 50,000 words of a brand, new novel.

It's a bit daunting. I mean, I've written a novel in a month before but only because it flowed easily and I had it all planned out. I never intended to write it so quickly. 

This time it's a new subject and I only have a very loose plan. 

What inspired me to do this was taking part in both River of Stones challenges this year. I can write a short piece each day. So I know I can write more... I hope! 

If you'd like to see what I'm writing, please feel free to visit nanowrimo

Smile - 30

What would you think of the person who sent this auto reply to your email?

Thank you very much for your email. I'm out in the garden talking to
faeries right now. When I've found my way back to the house I will
send you a reply...



I've had this on my auto reply for 2 months now and no-one's commented on it at all. Perhaps people don't read auto replies?!

Smile - 29

Partner - There's mud in the dining room. How did that get there?
Me - The faeries put it there. 
Partner - Faeries my ****!

Smile - 28

My boss walked into reception today and announced he needed to get into the petty cash box. 

I told him I didn't think he'd fit. 

Smile - 27

Partner - Your brain works in a very strange way. 
Me - At least you admit I have a brain that works!

Smile - 26

Apparently we all have a fascination for predators. 

I am fascinated by the tax man. 

Does that make the tax man a predator?

Smile - 25

After watching a trailer for a series about people visiting dangerous places, my partner turned to me and asked: -

"Why do people decide to go to the most dangerous places on the planet? I can't even manage to get to Surrey!"

Friday 28 October 2011

Hacked Off With Halloween?

If you're feeling hacked off with all this Halloween hype, why not treat yourself to something different?

Matt Rowe's novel "Better Off Dead" is due for release on 31st October 2011! 

To find out more about the book click here and select My Works


To buy the book, click here

Don't let Halloween get you down - have a laugh instead!

Thursday 27 October 2011

The Hunt For Tony Blair

I really enjoyed this film and was perplexed as to why the media slammed it. 

My short review can be found  here

Wednesday 26 October 2011

Smile - 24

We went for a walk around the estates at Sissinghurst to enjoy the fresh air. 

But all we could smell were the scents of air freshener and toilet cleaner on the people who passed us. 

Smile - 23

Overheard at the end of a party; 

Female guest to male host - Thank you so much for having me. 

Host - But I haven't had you, yet. 

Smile - 22

The following week my boss came back from the pub before 2.30pm. 
So I asked him if the beer was off. 

Smile - 21

Me - I'm going shopping for a new bra today. 
Partner - Do you need one then?

Smile - 20

My boss returns from lunch early (2.30pm) one Friday. 
I ask him, "Did the pubs close early today?"

Sunday 23 October 2011

Comments on Dragonscale Clippings #2 from Claudia Messelodi

Thank you very much for sending the last issue of Clippings. I really enjoyed reading it! 

I liked the excerpt from The Romance, found it very funny and intriguing..would really love to know how it goes on..:))

Linda's poem is amazing, it spoke to me so much. In my opinion the metaphor/image of the tree-tears is stunning (not only students figures are like tree-tears, but also the words of the poet). Through it is conveyed to me the tight relationship between Art and Nature (which consists both of natural elements and human beings).

Saturday 22 October 2011

Comments on Dragonscale Clippings #2 from Enerico

Now I am not a reader as you know but....

OMG the poem is depressing!

Now that is not a bad thing because it forced me to read the observations which made me smile.


Then I took to the main text and it was totally captivating even for me. Well done you!

Thursday 20 October 2011

# 2 - Why I chose...

Putting together my newsletter is as much an art form as writing a story or a novel. 

So, why did I choose an excerpt from The Romance, Linda Turner's Classroom Sonnet and Anne Baksteen's photograph of Big Ben?


The excerpt from The Romance was intended to make people smile (as were the blogs) to balance the overwhelming feeling of sadness and loss in the Classroom Sonnet. 

I find Sonnets very difficult to write and admire Linda's talent and wordsmithying. I liked the sense of loss and sadness and felt that Anne's photography linked tenuously with Linda's words. In her picture I saw old and new architecture that blended together harmoniously. 


Thank you to everyone who's got back to me already with feedback - I will be publishing it over the next few weeks! If you haven't yet let me know what you think, I would love to hear from you!

And if you would like to read #2 of Dragonscale Clippings, please email me at Freya
with Subscribe Clippings in the subject line. 

Stay creative!

Freya 

Wednesday 19 October 2011

Smile - 19

Boss - Tea is my blood. I need to drink a lot of it. 
Me - I thought your blood came out of a wine bottle. 

Smile - 18

Wind farm; 
futuristic factory
where people with 
excess flatulence
energise the nation.

Smile - 17

I wondered how dogs managed to stick their heads out of a moving car window and pant, without their mouths becoming dry and losing their ability to bark. 

My partner asked if I'd like to try it. 

Smile - 16

I don't understand why vegetarians get so up tight about people eating meat which is dead and cooked. 

They eat vegetables that are still alive!

Smile - 15

My first encounter with a driving range on a golf course.

Oh! What are all those yellow flowers? There are so many of them. Oh, they're golf balls...

Monday 17 October 2011

Dragonscale Clippings #2

At bit late I know, but here at last, is the September issue of Dragonscale Clippings. 

In #2 I give you a sneak preview of The Romance and introduce you to a poet and a photographer. 

Linda Turner is an amazing writer and I've included her Classroom Sonnet as it ties in with the theme of autumn. 


Anne Baksteen has recently had a photograph published by EOTE and I am really pleased to be able to display more of her talent in her Big Ben photograph. 


If you would like to recieve Dragonscale Clippings please email me at  Freya  to request the link. 


Let me know what you think of #2!

Featured Twice on WOWH!

Guess what?

I was featured twice on WOWH blog in September! 


The two blogs that featured can be read here

and  here

And if you want to find out what WOWH is all about, why not visit them  here

Wednesday 12 October 2011

Smile - 14.5

I'm not a pessimist. 
I'm optimistically pessimistic. 

Smile - 14

Knole Golf Course
I like the way they put sand pits at regular intervals so the children have somewhere safe to be while the adults play golf. 

Smile - 13

Me - Oh! A fly's just flown down my cleavage. 
Partner - It must have been a very small fly then. 

Smile - 12

After telling my partner about my dreams the night before I said, 

"My brain is weird."
"It is indeed," he affirmed fervrently.

Smile - 11

Partner - I hate being wrong. I hate it when you're right. 
Me - Why?
Partner - Because you're a woman and women aren't supposed to get things right as much as you do!

I took this as a compliment. 

Tuesday 4 October 2011

Smile - 10

Partner - It's amazing what a difference wheels make to a car. 
Me - Yes. Without them a car wouldn't go anywhere. 

Smile - 9

My partner got this email from his mate: -

"I've just emailed your wife and received an auto reply saying 'Piss off, I'm on holiday!'"

Smile - 8

Thank goodness I'm NOT a mum. 
That means I don't have to shop at Iceland. 

Smile - 7

The boss walks in late after a drinking session the night before. 

Employee 1 - He made it in then. 
Employee 2 - I think he's still drunk. 
Employee 1 - Really? I thought that state was normal for him. 

Smile - 6

When asked by a colleague how I was, I was truthful and told him I'd been ill with a stomach bug. His reply was: 
"Sorry to hear you've been ill. Hope it's all passed. Ha! Ha!"

Feedback - Clippings June 2011 - from Linda Turner

Clippings
I always love Dragonscale as you know!

Book Two of the Future
Once again, a wonderful witty extract, the tone matching the dialogue perfectly. This is tantalisingly intriguing. I do think Tanek sounds quite hunky too. 

The Wilting June by Heather Connelly
So many lovely and wistful analogies. A leaving with the early blooms. I have no knowledge of flowers, I'm afraid, and always thought they bloomed in June, so this seems an alternative, upside down world where sadness comes at what should be a hopeful time of year. I enjoyed this. I especially like the fleeting glimpses of past joys and colours of them that make their loss all the more poignant along with the lonely sorrow of the leaving itself. 

Monday 3 October 2011

Why I Write Small Stones

I don't think my stones are technically true small stones. 

The way I write is peculiar. When I write a novel I am both detached and involved, but I am living my characters' lives as I write. 

So, for me, writing a small stone is not only a way of connecting with the world, but also a way of connecting with myself again. I have to find out how I feel and remind myself to be me. 

That's why I think my small stones are not detached enough to be true small stones. 

However, the practice has enabled me to stay sane whilst in the throes of creativity and give me a modicum of space whilst writing novels. (It becomes very exhausting hearing 3 or 4 different voices in one's head at once) 

Also, I think that small stones help improve my haiku writing.