I know I did this on Facebook, but putting the link here too for anyone who sees this and is interested! theleadedwindow.blogspot.com/p/bite-sized...

“I asked ChatGPT”- ok well I asked the mycelium and it said to plant more trees and to tell you to return to the forest

Thank you, Matt ❤️

Thank you 🙂 Agree completely about Matt's workshops!

Issue 6 McPherson/My First Girlfriend Was a Periscope — Neither Fish Nor Foul

www.neitherfishnorfoul.com/issue-6-mcph...

'She avoided direct line of sight, always, preferring to make her approach over or around obstacles. Whenever we went out I had a constant sense she was peering over my head at something more interesting ...' @summermoth.bsky.social

I think this takes me to 6 published stories that were originally written on one of Matt's courses, which is pretty amazing! ❤️

I'm in @neitherfishnorfoul.com Issue 6 with 'My First Girlfriend Was a Periscope', a story that was born in @mattkendrick.bsky.social's Glorious Words course! (And thanks to Amy Marques for the accompanying illustration)

www.neitherfishnorfoul.com/issue-6-mcph...

A small black and white cat, seen from the back, sitting on a black computer keyboard and gazing out of the window with no thoughts for who else might need to use said keyboard.

Presenting: an extremely helpful helper and I definitely didn't need to use that keyboard for anything else, absolutely not

(Disclaimer: I didn't make this, I saved the image years ago and don't know where it's originally from. If anyone knows who to credit I will gladly add this info!)

A brightly-coloured pie chart, titled 'Causes of Death in Traditional English Folk songs'. From largest to smallest, the segments are: - Broken Heart - Drowning - Cruel Wars - Hanged for being a Highwayman or Footpad - Stolen away by the Queen of Elfland - Wandered off, got lost in a wood, lay down and died - Being Mistaken for a Swan by a Trigger-Happy Hunter

Tangentially related (because it's about English folk, not Irish), but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to share this

"Ah shit, the fey" 😄

We are thrilled to share that our Human Authored scheme is now live.

This scheme has been designed for the benefit of SoA members, to help identify works written by humans in a market increasingly flooded by AI-generated books.

Congratulations!

Comic. [Person is sitting at a desk with a laptop, turned toward voice coming from off-panel.] VOICE FROM OFF-PANEL: I got you the ingredients for dinner tonight. Oh, and the plums in the fridge drawer are for my yogurt tomorrow; you should just leave them. Be back later! PERSON’S THOUGHT BUBBLE: Oh no. [caption] Help. It actually happened. I shouldn’t. But how can I not!?

Plums

xkcd.com/3209/

I actually had mumps when I was about 8 - don't remember that much about it but I know it wasn't fun...! (Was vaccinated separately for both measles and rubella)

The new block of The NIFTY Book Club starts next week! On Monday, 23rd February, we'll be discussing 'Lessons at the Water's Edge' - the prize-winning novella-in-flash - by Caroline Greene.
There's still time to sign up! See ⏬ for details ⏬
#fiction #flashfiction #novellainflash #writingcommunity

We DO NOT talk about the expiry dates on the many duplicate herbs and spices...

Oh god, this is deeply and excrutiatingly familiar

But they were all of them deceived, for Sauron, in his cunning, fashioned a crap-ton of rings in various sizes.

A friend and I did the same in secondary school, and I still sing some of our wrong lyrics to this day!

I have clippers and a nail file that live in a pocket of my handbag along with all the other random small things I might need at a moment's notice wherever I happen to be at the time... Means my bag is full of crap, but otherwise usually works as a strategy

Amused by the fact that the #BitesizedBookClub session focusing on happy/positive stories is the one that has generated the most divisive opinions and (friendly) disagreement so far 😄 Thanks to everyone who came for the interesting discussions!

But also I get it - I have to fight the feeling of who the hell do I think I am trying to be run this thing and tell people what to read etc etc...

Nooooo, your opinions were welcome and interesting! ❤️ (And I aim to control the discussion to make sure everyone can contribute but I hope it never feels like I'm telling people to shut up)

This is a great list!

The NIFTY Book Club is great - come join us! ☺️

Because, here's the thing. We're told: "it's the way of the world; it's human nature," as an excuse for every act of cruelty or selfishness we witness, in the hope that we'll just stand by and watch. But it's not human nature. It's human choice. And we don't have to stand by. We can stand up.

'Stella felt the universe hold its breath, wrap its extravagance around her (her! tiny, insignificant Stella!)'

Speaking of happy stories, this one by @emilyrinkema.bsky.social is a moment of joy encapsulated!

Well, I settled on four that *I* think are happy. Will see what everyone else makes of them at the session next week! 😊

Maybe 'It's the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)' by REM

Or 'I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)' by Meat Loaf