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Every Picture: Tanabata
This week’s picture was taken in Osaka, during the Tanabata light festival at Shitennoji Temple. Tanabata is one of my favourite festivals in Japan; it celebrates stars and light and has a romantic origin story. While I was writing this, it also reminded me of the story of The Little Prince (one of the only children’s books to make me bawl my eyes out) and I ended up included one of my favourite quotes. A river of twinkling stars flowed over Hana’s head. Pink and purple streamers wafted gently in the nighttime breeze and she almost imagined she could hear the tinkling of bells somewhere nearby. Only you will have…
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Monthly Writing Theme: July
Is it July already? Where is the year going? Camp NaNoWriMo has come around again and Twitter writers are polishing off their manuscripts in preparation for another #PitMad. For the monthly writing theme of July, we’re returning to camp for some inspiration. Inspiration for this month’s writing theme Summer camp isn’t really a thing in the UK. The first time I heard about American style summer camps was the Goosebumps book Welcome to Camp Nightmare. Although I’ve spent weeks in caravans by the seaside, I’ve never pitched a tent… and I always wanted to! But, Camp NaNoWriMo is the closest I’ve ever come to it. I’ve seen a few tv…
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Every Picture: Osaka Sumo Tournament
This week's picture is from the annual Osaka sumo tournament that I was lucky to attend some years ago. In the story today, a young girl is watching with her friends and finds a clever way to predict the winner every time...
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Monthly Writing Theme April
The Monthly Writing Theme for April has an otherworldly feel. Get inspired to write this month with these fantastical prompts.
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March Writing Theme ~ Celebrating Women Writers
This March, we celebrate women who have inspired us with their words across the ages.
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Monthly Writing Theme for December
The days are getting shorter, frost is beginning to sparkle on our lawns and twinkling fairy lights are appearing in doorways. Though the shops aren’t open right now, the radio belts out festive songs and the north is welcoming its first few snowflakes… It’s my favourite time of the year and it could not have come soon enough! Christmas has been the inspiration for some of the greatest pieces of literature in history: A Christmas Carol, Polar Express, The Snowman and The Night Before Christmas are the first ones most of us think of. It’s no wonder that such a magical, festive time of year could spark the imagination and…
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Monthly Writing Theme For October
What are you doing this Halloween? Trick-or-treating? Horror movie marathon? How about crafting your own spooky story with these 3 prompts?
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The Whispering Tree
In a cold, empty field stands a lonely tree, a tree with ancient secrets. If ten-year-old Maisie gets close enough, it might whisper its secrets to her. Or it might do something much worse...
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Every Picture: Matsushima Bay
Welcome to the first in my 'Every Picture Tells A Story' series. I’ve travelled a lot and taken a lot of pictures of wonderful things. Why not turn those pictures into stories? Every week I’ll be sharing one of my pics along with a short description or short story to go with it. See a bit of the world with me and maybe it will inspire you to write too!
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Lavender Bags
What would you do if you saw a tiny girl walking through town by herself? Leave her alone? Or ask where she's going, with her little bag of lavender?
