This Story Starter image is actually the bouquet I received as a thank you for talking to Mearns Writers recently.
Do you know what or where the Mearns are? It’s the former Kincardineshire, and lies between Aberdeenshire to the north and Angus to the south, with Angus the beautiful county on Dundee’s northern doorstep. And the Mearns are stunning, too – rolling green countryside patchworked with fields of rich red soil and glimpses of the North Sea glittering on the eastern horizon. Lewis Grassic Gibbon’s classic farming trilogy “A Scots Quair” was set in these inspirational surroundings.
The men and women of Mearns Writers write poetry, short and long stories, features. All ages, some retired, most still working; they meet every week, once at least, and are dead keen…and I was talking to them in general about how to go about getting published in “The People’s Friend”. I was supposed to be there for an hour, but they had so many interesting questions, and you know how time rattles away when you get chatting!
But with clear skies and sunshine, it was a grand morning for the trip north up the dual carriageway – though I was glad I had it easy in my car, unlike those I passed taking part in a cycle road race, one cyclist at a time, pedalling furiously. But as they stared at the ground following the white line marking the side of the road, I couldn’t help thinking they were missing a glorious day…
So, I wonder if any of this imagery, pic included, will prompt a story of any sort…? I’d still prefer that 2000 or 3000 length, please.
Shirley Blair Fiction Ed Shirley’s been with the “Friend” since 2007 and calls it her dream job because she gets to read fiction all day every day. Hobbies? Well, that would be reading! She also enjoys writing fiction when she has time, long walks, travel, and watching Scandi thrillers on TV.
