Christmas Hamper Challenge

Chris Hall11 Comments

0Christmas Hamper

What’s not to like about another little gift challenge!

Originating here from Rory at A Guy called Bloke and K9 Doodlepip and gifted onwards to me here by Teresa, The Haunted Wordsmith.

This is the challenge:
Pick five items for five bloggers and put them in the hamper. Then explain what you put in and why.

0Bettys Tea Rooms

My first pick is Afternoon Tea at Betty’s Tea Rooms in York where I went to school. 

This is for Teresa, The Haunted Wordsmith, to thank her for her gifts to me this year as well as for all her wonderful posts which keep us busy reading, writing and admiring her work. And it will be another little learning experience for her about us weird Brits!

 

0the-gin-boxWhile I was in Betty’s, I noticed this rather splendid Gin Box for my second pick.

Now I’m rather partial to a nip of this stuff myself. However, I immediately though of Ellie Scott, a self-confessed gin drinker.

For all those awesomely witty short stories we’ve enjoyed throughout the year.

Cheers, Ellie!

0atlas

My third pick is an Illustrated World Atlas

This is for Foster and Panda at Nana’s Whimsical World, so they can choose where to go on their next adventure!

Have fun little guys! (I won’t tell Debra).

 

 

0map of worldSo while I was picking out the atlas, I came across this Outline World Map. This was perfect for my fourth pick.

It goes to Mickey & Yunni at Freja Travels  so they can colour in all the wonderful countries which we’ve enjoyed hearing about on their travel blog. Thanks for sharing with us!

0Roget
It really was an excellent book shop, because I also found this for my fifth and final pick.

The latest edition of Roget’s Thesaurus, I was tempted to keep this for myself as my copy is so old and battered.

However, it goes to J.I. Rogers, just in case she runs out of words for her Six Word Challenges, as if you would, Jenn!
Keep ’em coming!

 


I hope you enjoy your virtual pressies.

As ever, you can pick this up and roll with it or not!

0happy hols

 

 

 

2018 Christmas Charity Appeal – Help Me Raise £250 For The Dogs Trust By Leaving Me Links To Your Blogs And Books

Chris Hall2 Comments

In a good cause!

Liebster Award (take two)

Chris Hall16 Comments

Liebster award nom from Sadje

I was nominated for this award by Sadje of lifeafter50forwomen at the end of October.
Then I was busy with NaNoWriMo, but I promised I go back to it.

There has been a bit of debate about the relative merits of awards in my little corner of the blogosphere, but to me it’s a ‘take it or leave it thing’ and I’m taking this one. Thanks for the opportunity, Sadje!

So, on with the award.

What is Liebster Award?
This award was created to discover and encourage new bloggers in their creative journey. A welcome gesture for the people new to the blogging world.
As always, the award comes with rules, which I’ll be bending a little, because it’s the thought that counts.

liebster rules

The Questions

  1. What is your biggest pet peeve?
    Misplaced apostrophe’s (sic)
  2. Where did you get the name for your blog?
    Luna, my cat (named after Luna Lovegood from the Harry Potter books since you ask).
  3. If you could change your blog’s name, what would it be?
    Maybe to a title using my own name (for the search engines, yawn).
  4. What was your favourite TV show as a kid?
    The Double Deckers. I guarantee no-one reading this will have heard of it.
  5. Do you have any weird habits?
    I wouldn’t say so, but I’m sure others might. I do have a weird sense of humour.
  6. Do you like fall scents /tastes?
    Fallen leaves, both crisp and damp, the slight smell of decomposition, bonfires and damp air.
  7. What is your favourite holiday and why?
    The school holidays in our winter (Cliff’s a teacher). The weather is damp and cold (cold by South African standards, anyway). It gives us an excuse to travel somewhere warmer. We went to Botswana last year which was amazing.
  8. Do you prefer writing it down or typing it up?
    Typing. Hand written notes are fine, but typing for everything else. It’s just so much easier; I can type as quickly as I think (maybe I don’t think that quickly).
  9. Netflix or cable?
    We have satellite. I record stuff. Sometimes I get around to watching.
  10. If money didn’t matter, what would you do with your life?
    Write more, travel more and set up a publishing house which would print, market and distribute all my favourite Indie Authors’ books.
  11. What is your favourite thing about yourself?
    My imagination.

11 random thoughts about myself

  1. I studied, lived and worked in Liverpool (UK) for almost 30 years.
  2. I emigrated to South Africa with my husband (Cliff) and cat (Luna) in 2010.
  3. I once worked as a packer in a gripe water manufacturer’s.
  4. I have an A level in Latin.
  5. I knitted 30 squares (badly) for blankets for Bosnian refugees while on jury service.
  6. I keep chickens.
  7. I like eggs.
  8. Luna knows not to try to eat family (the chickens).
  9. I would never eat family (the chickens).
  10. I have a growing repertoire of egg recipes.
  11. If you come to my house, you are likely to leave with some eggs.

The Nominations

These are my nominations: a handful of new bloggers; a smattering of artists, a chef whose site I just came across (with super-tasty recipes) and a blatant plug for one of my clients.

Newer bloggers:
Amartya,The Jumbled Letters – jumbledletters15.wordpress.com
The Patchwork Fox – thepatchworkfox.com
935SANAH – apausefornature.wordpress.com

Other goodies:
Kathy Wivell is a good friend of mine who lives just up the road from me. Kathy is an artist and a writer. We have done a few little projects together over the years, including an on-line magazine for our local art society and hosting a writing group.
Take a look at her art site – kathywivell.wordpress.com

Suzanne Starr is an artist from whom I’ve taken inspiration for a few written pieces, so you may have already seen some of her work.
There’s more on her artist’s site – suzannestarrart.com

J.I. Rogers (she of the 6 Word Story fame) is also an artist, but not so well known as such, I think. Take a look: mythspinnerstudios.com

Sebby Holmes – chef and writer – I made his easy and delicious kale recipe the other night (there’s a lot of kale in my organic veg bag): articuleat.com

Viv Garside writes motivational pieces and is just starting out in the blogosphere, to support her collection of self-help books.
Help yourself to a better life – vivgarsidebooks.wordpress.com

Further participation in any element of the award by any of the above is, of course, entirely optional.

Daily Writing Challenge, Dec 10

Chris Hall4 Comments

Written in response to the prompt by The Haunted Wordsmith:
Hotel, breakfast, caught

breakfast with Boris lunasonline
Photo courtesy of The Haunted Wordsmith

Breakfast with Boris

Boris always enjoyed his hotel breakfast when he was working away, even if it was sometimes difficult to obtain proper British grub. Not for him was bacon from Denmark or sausage from Germany. But today was going to be champion; a proper start to his day.

He rubbed his hands together as the waitress laid the groaning plate before him. He turned the pages of his copy of ‘The Times’ to the political section and propped the folded newspaper against the condiment set.

Tucking his linen napkin into his collar, Boris prepared to eat. He pierced a generous forkful of Cumberland sausage, stabbed a piece of Wiltshire bacon and dipped it into the golden yolk of his free-range Gloucestershire egg, before popping it into his mouth.

Then he started to read. The opinion piece was appalling. How dare this jumped up journalist decry his efforts to restore the autonomy of his beloved country! Boris drew a sharp intake of breath. The large piece of north-country sausage caught in his throat. Boris coughed. He tried to breathe in, but the prime piece of spiced ground pork was firmly lodged in his windpipe. He tried to cry out, but only a whisper of a bark came out. He attempted to attract attention by waving his newspaper frantically in the air.

British reserve to the fore, his fellow breakfasters ignored the disturbance. The waiting staff were absent from the room. No-one was coming to his aid. Boris’s face turned a delicate shade of puce. He struggled to his feet, cartwheeling his arms in a caricature of buffoonery.

But his efforts were to no avail. His face turned grey. He slumped back into his seat and keeled forward, his nose burying itself in the runny egg in the centre of the best Worcester plate on which his breakfast had been served.

Hoist on the petard of his Great British Breakfast, Boris breathed no more.

 

 

Six-Word Story Challenge x 6

Chris Hall2 Comments

Written in response to J. I. Rogers’ Six-Word Story Challenge

12 days of Christmas lunasonline

Norwegian Blues you say, all dead?

This one? From husband number five.

The biggest omelette in the world!

The lake was still, they’d flown.

Sour milk? That was her face.

That’s a big pile of handbags!

Daily Writing Challenge, Dec 9

Chris Hall6 Comments

Written in response to the prompt by The Haunted Wordsmith:
Dreaming, possible, peace

Teddy Bear lunasonline

The little bear remained awake long after Emily had gone to sleep. He stared up at the ceiling wishing he could stay in this moment of perfect peace, wrapped in the arms of a dreaming little girl. “Merry Christmas, Benji,’ he whispered to himself.

Daily Writing Challenge, Dec 8

Chris Hall4 Comments

Written in response to the prompt by The Haunted Wordsmith:
gingerbread, town, catastrophe

gingerbread house lunasonline
Photo courtesy of The Haunted Wordsmith

The county news station is reporting from the town of Gingerbread.
Recent storms have caused extensive damage to a large number of houses in the area. When interviewed the mayor  commented: ‘We have run out of the sugar, corn syrup and ginger, and consequently rebuilding efforts have had to be halted. We have declared the situation a catastrophe.’

Waiting

Chris Hall8 Comments

“Souls cross the skies of time, like clouds crossing the skies of the world.”
David Mitchell, Cloud Atlas.

Charcoal drawing by Suzanne Starr

Charcoal drawing by Suzanne Starr

She sits and waits; a traveller.
He sits, arms folded, staring into space where for him there is now only the present.
Time stretches away. Infinite co-ordinates undefined. Souls slip past each other.

She stares at a wall, across tracks she cannot see; the tracks of time.
The tracks of my tears.
For I am that girl with no past and no future and I am waiting for you.

We agreed we’d meet, that we’d find each other. On the other side.

Before:

– Do you believe in reincarnation?
– Maybe.
– Do you think we come back as ghosts?
– Perhaps.
– If we do, shall we meet?
– We’ll need to arrange where and when.
– Each other’s birthdays?
– Will you remember?
– Of course.
– Where then?
– I don’t know.
– We can decide later, there’s plenty of time.

We never did decide, did we?

Another cross-continental collaboration with artist, Suzanne Starr. I find her artwork both intriguing and inspiring.
You can find more of Suzanne’s artwork at www.suzannestarart.com – check it out!

The White Elephant

Chris Hall19 Comments

white elephants

Teresa, The Haunted Wordsmith, is holding a ‘White Elephant’ party throughout December and since Teresa very kindly gifted a beautiful time-turner to me yesterday, I’m continuing with three gifts of my own.

The first gift goes to Sadje of Keep it Alive and I’m giving her a display cabinet in which to keep all her well-deserved blogger awards:

Display Cabinet

Now, I actually got two of these in a Black Friday sale, so the second gift of a display cabinet goes to Salted Caramel for exactly the same reason. She also gets a second silly gift of a bowl of salted caramel flavour popcorn because I know she likes it and you can’t have too much of a good thing!

Salted Caramel Popcorn

And finally, my third gift goes  to The Dark Netizen  and I have chosen to give a him a lightsaber as I’m excited to know what he’ll do with it!

Lightsaber

I’ve been Nominated for the Sunshine Blogger Award!

Chris Hall25 Comments

Sunshine Bloggers Award.jpg

I’m delighted to say that Sadje, of Keep it Alive, has nominated me for the
Sunshine Bloggers Award!

Sunshine Bloggers Award Rules

Thank you, Sadje for the nomination, it’s an honour!

Okay, here are my answers to Sadje’s questions:

What made you start blogging?
I set up Luna’s on line about 6 years ago purely as somewhere to store my short stories. I was also experimenting with WordPress as I had started my ‘ghost blogging’ career.
It wasn’t until early this year when I started working from home full-time that I got up and running with it and started interacting with other writers and bloggers. I am so glad I did; the support and encouragement is amazing.

Do your friends and family support you in this?
I have a lot of encouragement for my writing. Maybe they actually believe I’ll be a best selling author one day so want to be nice to me! And a special mention for Cliff, my husband who’s really supportive unless it’s suppertime (a bit like Luna, my cat).

Which is your favorite time of the day?
I write best in the late afternoon, so it’s then.

What would be your dream vacation?
Visiting the gorillas in Rwanda. I’d need to have some strong-armed bearers to carry me and to bring the G+Ts.

What genre of movies you like best?
It depends on my mood. I have very eclectic taste (although I don’t like rom-coms or splatter movies much).

What are your strengths and weaknesses?
I’ll own up to a couple which work both ways: I get too involved with my characters. I talk to them, often out loud. Also, I’m a dreadful grammar pendant.

Are you an emotional person?
Don’t you have to be if you write fiction?

What motivates you in life and writing?
Imagination and an enquiring mind.

What sort of friend are you to your pals?
I’m there in mind and spirit, always.

Have you written poetry as well?
Some, but it’s not really my forte.

sunshine cup
Now imagine: I’m standing at the podium in full evening dress – gold lame, glitzy earrings, killer heels – (I did say imagine) and I am holding the 11 envelopes.
Here’s the speech…

These are some of the most inspirational, inventive and supportive writers I’ve met in ‘blog–land’ so far. This is my thank you to them! Check them out. I’ve put in some links to their sites and to their work.

  1. Kent Wayne, the Dirty Sci-Fi Budda for being the first person to like my first post – check out his Echo series: I really enjoyed Vol.1 and I have Vol.2 is ready to read. Thanks for all the re-tweets!

  2. JI (Jenn) Rogers, a great inspiration – all those Six Word Challenges, wow, she’s right, they are addictive! Check out her book The Korpes File, vol 1 – a cracking read – vol 2 will be out soon; can’t wait to find out what happens next.

  3. Jean Lee’s World – such lovely writing and great support. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed several of her ‘Tales of the River Vine’ and I now have ‘Fallen Princeborn: Stolen’ to read on my Kindle.

  4. Teresa Grabbs, The Haunted Wordsmith, for all the inspiration and support, I’m reading her short story collection, ‘Tales from the Haunted Wordsmith’ now, and her new novel ‘Reflected Echo’ is lined up ready to read on my Kindle too.

  5. Ellie Scott for being awesome and witty and from Yorkshire (where I grew up). Ellie writes lot of lovely little engaging pieces not only on her website, but on Twitter and on Instagram (clever!). She’s on Medium too – head over and give her a clap.
    I’ve started reading her     ‘Merry Bloody Christmas: A Short Story Collection’ – one story a day in the run up to Christmas, although it’s tempting to pig out on a whole week’s-worth in one go! 

  6. Debra of Nana’s Whimsical World  for her ever-so-wittily described crafty projects, her wonderful stories about Foster and Panda (you have to read these!) and general awesomeness – this woman installed her own toilet!

  7. Adam West, The Writer of Age with whom I’ve probably had the longest email exchange ever when trying to download his free offer on Amazon (they like to make it tricky for you if you live in deepest, darkest Africa). However, ‘The Vague Ship: A Tale of Ambiguity’ was well worth the effort!

  8. Freja Travels – a travel blog by Mickey & Yunni, so beautifully illustrated with photos. I followed them every step of the way through Madagascar. And Yunni is reading my work-in-progress novel from this blog (so I’d better hurry up and finish it).

  9. Muted Mouthful – Tiara has truly found her feet in her blog! Awesome stuff. I really don’t know why she doubts herself. And she lives in New York, which I find very cool!

  10. Jason H Abbott, The Aetheral Engineer – wonderful witty flash fiction. He’s on Twitter and Instagram too – thanks for being there.

  11. Keith Sandvidge -– dark and witty tales. Great support over in ‘twitterland’. Don’t tell anyone, but I think he’s reading my first novel…I wonder how it’s going.
    He also writes on Medium – pop over and give him a clap.

…and there are others, newer to my circle – and since Sadje also very kindly nominated me for the Liebster Award as well, I’ll give them their shout out there – stay tuned!

And I’m not going to ask anyone any questions, I merely offer the invitation to grab the ‘Sunshine Blogger’ banner, tell us more about yourself and pay it forward if you’d like.

You are someone's sunshine