The main event will 6-7 (evening UK time) but if you can't make that (actually even if you can) feel free to pop in early - perhaps to drop off food, tell us what you'll be wearing, or which literary guest you'll be bringing. Likewise, it's fine to hang around chatting afterwards.
If you'd like to help decorate the place, or have food to share, please email your contributions to patsycollins53@yahoo.com and I'll get them set up.
Free entry writing competition
Thanks to Alyson for this short story competition from RISCS. Admittedly my eyes started to glaze over when I read that stands for National Research Institute for Sociotechnical Cyber Security. Then I noticed the first prize is £1,000, there's a decent amount of cash for 2nd and 3rd, and potentially great publicity for the winner.
You have up to 4,000 words and until 12th Jauary to come up with an entry. I'm going to read all those long words agian, in the hope that inspiration will strike.
Other publication opportunities
Flash Fiction Magazine publish a flash fiction story of 300 to 1,000 words every day. I don't think they pay for those. They do have competitions with cash prizes, but those have hefty entry fees.
Scribble magazine run various writing competitions. They're not free - you either pay an entry fee for each, or buy a yearly subscription (£19). They do offer cash prizes, and there's the option to get critiques, which would be helpful for future entries. I've not read the magazine myself, but Sharon Boothroyd tells me she feels it's worth subscribing, so if anyone is asking what you'd like as a Christmas present, that might be a good answer? (Or a subscription to one of the womags - remember they won't keep going without readers.)
Kindle Unlimited
Did you know that you can get some magazines through Kindle Unlimited (KU). The usual monthly fee is about £9 - for which you can subscribe to up to 50 magazines, and borrow as many books as you like. You can have up to 20 on your kindle at once, and return these to borrow more as often as you wish. If you're not already subscribed, it's very likely that, if you try to buy a kindle book, such as this one, you'll be offered an introductory price. I have seen free trials. Currently they seem to be offering three months for a total of 99p. After any introductory period, the price will go up to the regular amount – unless you unsubscribe before then.
In case you're wondering - the authors do earn a fee (a fraction of a penny per page.) If you already have KU, or sign up for the trial, I'd very much appreciate if you gave one of my books a try!
My news
I'm at a Christmas Fair today, hoping to sell a few books (St Faith's Lee-on-the-Solent). Please wish me lots of shoppers looking for easy to wrap gifts.
25 comments:
I'm not sure what I'm doing on the 23 Dec but I'd like to wish Patsy and everyone a very merry Christmas and a happy new year! Here's to lots writing success in 2026 for all of us!
Thank you, Patsy and Sharon for the submission/competition info, and best wishes to you too Sharon.
Thank you for the invitation! I shall be attending the party, weather permitting. I couldn't wait until the party to tell you who my guest will be – I am so excited, it's - Richard Osman!
Dee 😊
Oh… so sorry Patsy, Richard sends his apologies, he can’t make it; he has such a busy life with his showbiz, (and now film star) friends – so many party invites.
I completely understand, of course I do, I don’t mind, I am very pleased for him.
But I have just crossed him off my Christmas card list for next year…
Thank you Alyson, for competition details from RISCS.
I hope you do well with your book sales today, Patsy.
Dee
Thanks for the invitation, Patsy! I’m hoping to be there. Good luck with the sales today.
Good luck at the fair today Patsy and thanks for the comp details and to all who have contributed. Also big thanks for the Christmas party invite I hope to be there!
I am hoping to be there. Though I may be a latecomer. Thanks Patsy for the blog and to everyone for useful information throughout the year. Here's to everyone's success in 2026.
Thank you, Alyson and Patsy. Good luck with the fair today. Fine weather other side of the Solent so should be good there!
I'm a vegetarian and if I get my act together, I'll make my Christmas pie early: Gail Duff's leek, mushroom and white wine pie 😋which is my tradition at Christmas with Jamie Oliver's roasted veg, stuffing (veggie, naturally) and lashings of cranberry sauce (homemade) and sprouts. I'm the only one who eats it so I'll make some small pies for the savoury to share around. I'll probably bring my two-layer cooked cheesecake unless I've eaten it. The pie is fine cold. If Dee isn't bringing Richard, please could I bring Jane Eyre AND Mr Rochester? Oh, I'll bring some homemade elderberry wine with me. It's quite strong...
Hi Patsy. Thanks for the invite! Hoping to be there.
Careful Marguerite with all those yummy sounding foods I might just turn up at your door!
I'll be there, all been well, I make a mean Irish coffee & I'll serve with mince pies & yet more freshly whipped cream (none of your canned stuff for me!)
That was Sheelagh, Marguerite before you call the police to report anonymous stalkers)
@ Sharon – Do pop in if you can and would like to, but I do understand many people will be busy with other things.
@ Dee – His loss, right?
@ Thanks, Marian and Elizabeth – I'm back now with fewer books and more money than when I left. That doesn't always happen!
@ Sue – I'll try and save some of the nibbles for you.
@ Marguerite – That all sounds delicious. Yeah, go on then, I'm sure we can squeeze in one extra guest.
Please do call the police. Not to arrest Sheelagh – I've got some research questions.
@ Helen – I hope you can make it.
@ Sheelagh – Put me down for a coffee and mince pie, please.
🤣
The cybersecurity one looks interesting. I'll put my thinking cap on!
I hope the party goes well. As it'll be 5-6 am in Melbourne, it's a tad too early for me. I'll drop by later, see if anyone is still hanging around.
Liz
Ally27
I've popped down the date of our Festive shindig on my packed (not) calendar.
Well, in my wildest dreams and nightmares, I never imagined that my very special international guest would agree - or even be available to join us. Can you solve my very cryptic and fiendish clues? He has been known to take a stand, his St.Bernard is quite vicious and @Patsy, he's professed to be your number one fan. Can you guess who it is? Nope, it is not the very Reverend Richard Coles.
I've recently made the decision to stop drinking for health reasons, so no Mulled Wine or Baileys for me. Do put me down for a Gingerbread Latte and some Stollen slices though.
In the event that I'm not able to make it and/or things go awry en route with my special guest, I'll take this opportunity to wish everyone a very Happy and healthy Christmas! I do hope that everyone manages to avoid any nasty bugs/viruses/Captain Tripps. Merry Christmas!
I forgot to mention my guest - I’ve asked Jane Austen, but she may be too partied-out from her 250th birthday this week?
Thanks Alyson and Patsy. Reading through all the lovely descriptions of food has made my hungry - not good as I’m just off to our local artisan market where there will be many tempting stalls…
Looking forward to our get-together!
Hi Patsy.
Thanks as always for the information and for all your hard work this year.
And thank you for the invitation!
I'd love to attend.
HB
Many thanks Patsy for keeping the blog going.
I think I've just had my first scam message!
Last year, I uploaded a few stories (that hadn't got anywhere) on to an online fiction project. It's based in the US.
Anyway, today I received a comment. Readers can leave comments. This is on the website itself, where my story is published.
This person claimed they were a freelance comic artist and they'd love to make my story into a comic!
I tried to leave a comment, saying that's very flattering but I was unable to pay. But I couldn't post a comment, as I needed to log on to the website and I'd forgotten my log in details.
Perhaps it's just as well, as I'm sure this was a scam.
Even if it wasn't, I don't have the kind of cash to pay them, in order to turn my story into a comic. Maybe they were fishing for work?
This person/ AI robot is on SM that I'm not on, so that's that. I'm very wary of flattering approaches like this.
I hope to attend the Christmas party, all being well. I invited Mr Adrian Mole to join me, but unfortunately he has troubles of his own, this festive season. Instead, I am bringing Caroline Maxwell, the main character in my Christmas-set psychological-suspense novel, 'Closing In' (published by Hachette; author name E.D. Thompson). After the terrifying Christmas she endured a couple of years ago, she deserves to let her hair down and I think you'll all like her. I will also bring plenty of mulled cider for everyone - a lighter, less syruppy taste than mulled wine, just as festive, and produced up the road from where I live. (There is a 0% alcohol version for Ally27.) Well done with the book sales, Patsy. See you all next week!
Ally27
@Eirin That's very considerate of you to provide a non alcoholic version. Thank you:) I love the sound of 'Closing In' - definitely my kind of novel. I've been cheeky and added it as a last-minute addition to my list for Santa. I feel I've been exceptionally good this year, so hopefully he will oblige and won't deem me too greedy.
Thank you so much, Ally27!
@ Liz - You'll be completely forgiven for not being the first to arrive! (As of course will anyone who can't make it during the main session, or at all.)
@ Ally, you don't mean that chap who keeps calling me on his cell, muttering about misery and mixing me up with my cousin Carrie, do you?
@ Marion – Poor woman must be exhausted!
@ Fiona – I hope you found something lovely to satisfy your hunger.
@ HB - I look forward to seeing you.
@ Sharon – It's entirely possible they would genuinely like to turn your stories into comics, but if you're not interested it's spam (rather than a scan) and you don't owe them a response.
Isn't it a shame that scammers are making us distrust any messages of praise?
@ Eirin – I reckon there will be a lot of interesting characters at this party. We'll have to take notes on what they get up to.
Alcohol free drinks are a great idea. I imagine some people will be driving their desks after the party, or would just prefer a soft drink.
@ Ally27 – I'm sure Santa loves requests for books. They're such great gifts, and pretty easy to wrap.
@Patsy - Yes, you got it in one, despite my fiendishly tricky clues. I was concerned that he was going to turn out to be a bit of a party pooper, so was on the verge of retracting the invite. As it turns out, he's otherwise engaged anyway. His loss. Apparently, he's attending a swanky shindig at the Overlook Hotel. I may pop by afterwards with my snow boots and snow shovel. By all accounts, one poor chap froze to death out in the maze at last year's do.
Also @Patsy - I love the idea of us driving driving our desks. That made me laugh. Thanks for the Tuesday chuckle.
Oh, I should have said that it's Ally here but I think you probably got that.
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