The Case of the Missing Like Button

For everyone who struggled to like or even comment on my blog over the last four months, it should now be fixed. I had a plugin that compressed photos installed and it was stopping the like function from loading up for some reason! I'm still never sure whether my posts are coming through to people'sContinue reading "The Case of the Missing Like Button"

Llanelli Via Yorkshire

Llanelli Via Yorkshire is a poem about coming home- written as part of a People Speak Up session. Image of Llanelli from oldukphotos.com Bored in tin towns with thin frowns gathered gossips in small towns small minds everyone knows your name knows your shame for some unknown reason the opposite of cheers I want toContinue reading "Llanelli Via Yorkshire"

Stronger Than Mensa- 25 Years of The Manic Street Preachers’ ‘The Holy Bible’

I was breathless and eighteen, twenty-two years ago, when I first heard the Holy Bible by the Manic Street Preachers. I was three years late to the party that would become the single most significant artistic influence on my life. Hearing the searing chorus of Faster for the first, with the lines "I am, strongerContinue reading "Stronger Than Mensa- 25 Years of The Manic Street Preachers’ ‘The Holy Bible’"

Guest Post- Pilgrimage of a Garden Chair

I'm sharing something a little different today- something which is not my own work. I'd like to showcase the talents of Anisha in the first-ever guest post on this site! Hoping to see some of Anisha's work on The Finest Example soon! If you'd like to get involved either guest posting here, or providing workContinue reading "Guest Post- Pilgrimage of a Garden Chair"

Writing Prompts #27

For all of you who love a good set of creative writing prompts, I've rounded up and caught ten prompts to get your creative juices flowing. If you don't know the rules, you can use as many of these prompts in your writing as you like. You can create whatever you like too. Write aContinue reading "Writing Prompts #27"

Split Between Screens and Screams

"Split Between Screens and Screams" is part 5 in a series. It uses the writing prompt "he was a husk of the person he used to be." 1: Sequins, Stardust, and Rust 2: From a Rainbow to a Tragedy 3: Dead Stars Become Black Holes 4: Another Twinkling God The 'like' button doesn't work outside of WordPressContinue reading "Split Between Screens and Screams"

Writing Prompts #26

It's been a while since I last posted any new writing prompts on this page. My apologies to those that regularly used to visit to use the prompts that I used to create. Lockdown hasn't been the best for my routine, but I'm slowly getting back into things. So, here are some new writing promptsContinue reading "Writing Prompts #26"

What is Cyclothymia? My Experience of Cyclothymia

I was recently diagnosed with Cyclothymia. After my mood severely dropped during the lockdown, and I started getting uncontrollable suicidal thoughts, I ended up having to pay a visit to the NHS crisis team. This, after years of mental health issues, led to some assessments finally being made. But, what is Cyclothymia? Where does itContinue reading "What is Cyclothymia? My Experience of Cyclothymia"

Baseline

I've recently started taking some new medication called Abilify to stabilise my moods. Because I can go from one extreme to the other quite rapidly, I need something that holds me in the centre. I'm now finding out what my baseline actually feels like. Baseline. Devoid of the funk of a Bootsy Collins fretboard exploration.Continue reading "Baseline"

Finding Your Mojo: 6 Ways To Erase Writer’s Block

There's nothing worse than a blank page. You sit down to write and all you see is emptiness staring back at you. If you experience writer's block, you're not alone. We all do at some point. But what can you do when all the words you want to say escape you? How do you fill theContinue reading "Finding Your Mojo: 6 Ways To Erase Writer’s Block"

Spoken Word Saturday #2

As part of this month's Peoplespeakup Spoken Word Saturday lockdown non-gathering I submitted a video of me reading "You can believe what you want but it doesn't make it the truth" I'd love it if you checked it out. PeopleSpeakUp is a Llanelli-based social arts, health and well-being enterprise. They run story-telling groups and hostContinue reading "Spoken Word Saturday #2"

That’s When I See You

Here's a very short poem called "That's when I see you" that I wrote for this week's Peoplespeakup. I'm not a very good listener. I am not very good at paying attention. But it is a skill that I want to learn. How good are you at seeing and hearing other people? What advice wouldContinue reading "That’s When I See You"

This Joyless Division Will Tear Us Apart- QMT

I've had another article published on Queen Mob's Teahouse which is always exciting. This time, it seems that another Manc music icon wants to sully their name by saying something stupid. This time, it was the turn of Bernard Sumner of Joy Division/ New Order fame with his "Welshist" comments in the wake of WelshContinue reading "This Joyless Division Will Tear Us Apart- QMT"

Another Twinkling God

Another Twinkling God is part four in a flash fiction series. It follows on from: Part 1: Sequins, Stardust, and Rust Part 2: From a Rainbow to a Tragedy Part 3: Dead Stars Become Black Holes If you'd like to give me a writing prompt for a future part, I'd love to try and work in anythingContinue reading "Another Twinkling God"

Physical Education

Physical Education I don't often write autobiographical pieces, but thought I'd purge in literary form. I have a lot of memories of physical education, this one sticks with me the most. The out of tune cellos had faded into the evaporating rain. We were on the pitted concrete pitch penned in like caged beasts. IContinue reading "Physical Education"

Dead Stars Become Black Holes

Dead Stars Become Black Holes Part 3 of this flash fiction series "Dead Stars Become Black Holes" uses the prompt "this will ruin everything," as given to me by Aspasía S. Bissas. Part 1: Sequins, Stardust, and Rust Part 2: From a Rainbow to a Tragedy If you'd like to provide a prompt for aContinue reading "Dead Stars Become Black Holes"

Cyclothymia

There. is. nothing. Hours. days. weeks. Nothing. Thoughtless voids of calming drought. Scratching. Nothing. Scratching. Scratching at the words that flow fast and free bouncing joy from the skies the rainbow the line at the edge of forever. Sonic with invincibility. I'm the infinite lives hack. My thoughts are so strong you cannot touch meContinue reading "Cyclothymia"

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