When you think of a writer’s group, how do you picture it? I’d always assumed it would be a bunch of lonely old women wanting to be Catherine Cookson or something resembling table nine from The Wedding Singer. With this in mind, when I stepped through the door of Holmeside Coffee, home of Holmeside Writers, … More Happy 4th birthday to Holmeside Writers.
Simpleton’s Guide To The Winter Olympics (Figure Skating and Freestyle Skiing) After the Winter Olympics has kicked off with Curling and Ski Jumping, day two brings us the excitement and glamour of Figure Skating and the thrills and spills of Freestyle Skiing. Figure Skating Figure Skating is the only sport where American Tan tights are … More Simpleton’s Guide To The Winter Olympics (Figure Skating and Freestyle Skiing)
All you need to know about Curling and Ski Jumping in the Winter Olympics. … More Simpleton’s guide to the Winter Olympics (Curling and Ski Jumping)
How to be ill With the NHS at breaking point, hospitals overflowing and queues to the local GP being longer than the one at Greggs when they were giving away free cheese pasties, it seems like the right time to give some valuable advice on how to be ill. There are as many illnesses out … More How to be ill.
It wouldn’t be right if I didn’t follow my A-Z of 2017 (The Highlights) with my A-Z of 2017 (The Lowlights) A – Austerity Al. I’m still surviving but I need to start earning decent money soon or I’ll be eating gruel. B – Books. Surprisingly found very few that I’ve enjoyed this year. Certainly … More My A-Z of 2017 (The lowlights)
It’s been an exciting year and it’s hard to narrow it down to just 26 things but here is my A-Z of 2017 (The Highlights) A – Amble. Another great weekend away with the lads but possibly the weirdest place on earth. B – Blogging. My etiquette guides have become increasingly popular. Look forward to … More My A-Z of 2017 (The Highlights)
Black Eye Friday Christmas time, mistletoe and wine; sounds like a recipe for disaster, not least on Black Eye Friday. There are many sacred Christmas traditions, midnight mass, snoozing through the Queen’s speech, getting lashed up and fighting on the last Friday before Christmas. Black Eye Friday is a tradition that goes back decades and … More Pub Etiquette (Black Eye Friday Special)
I’m not going to lie, I’m pretty gutted that Sunderland weren’t successful in their bid to win the UK City of Culture 2021. I’d like to think that I’m gracious in defeat and I wish Coventry well however the local news showed my immediate reaction to the result and grabbing my beer and mumbling swear … More Sunderland 2021 (Down but not out)
Finding time to blog. It feels like a long time since I’ve written a blog so I thought I’d pop in to let my readers know what I’ve been up to and that I haven’t abandoned them. Editing I’ve done a lot more editing on Troll Life and I will post about that separately. I … More Writing, editing and my celebrity lifestyle.
Editing workshop. Last week I was asked to do a last-minute editing workshop for Year Nines (13-14). With little time to prepare and not much information on what they wanted or expected from me, I had to come up with something quick and adaptable. I’m currently eighty hours into the editing process of my latest … More My top ten editing tips.
Alan Parkinson 