Inspirations, the Stories Space Coffee House: If you're reading this it just might mean I'm back, sorta. If you're not reading this, well, congratulations.

Six stories in the first week. That's good for this place. And a new (to here) writer in tinhatcat. Here's hoping we keep up the pace.

Coffee is on. Went with Tobermory Flowerpot Island. For teas, I have English Breakfast and Yorkshire Red. Hot water is available for other hot beverages like our stock of hot chocolate and mini-marshmallows. Sodas are in the fridge for those where cold drinks still matter.

It's the Eve of Christmas. I hope everyone has a great holiday.

Merry Christmas Eve!

We watched Die Hard 2 last night. It was pretty good, though it wasn’t as good as the original. We watch Die Hard 3 tonight. Sam Jackson is in it, so it can’t be too bad, right?

I am halfway through my comp entry. Today will be concluding it before I hit 1000 words. Gonna be tight.

All the Christmas chores are done! Today should be a spectacularly chill day. Merry Christmas Eve everyone! God bless us every one.

Quote by verbal
Sam Jackson is in it, so it can’t be too bad, right?

Actually, Sam kind of reminds of the late Sir Sean Connery. He does a lot of mediocre to terrible movies that he single-handedly salvages with his sheer presence. So he doesn't guarantee a "good" movie, but at least an entertaining one.😊

And there, I am all caught up on the comp. More please. 😋

Hi, Everyone.

I just dropped in to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and prosperous new year.

I have been a little scarce around here lately. Sadly, there have been family issues to contend with, not least the death of my young niece last month aged 43. I hope that 2025 will see an improvement all round. I may even find time to write a flash story... 😉

See you all next year.

©Anna Morgan 2012

Sad to hear about your niece, Anna. That's way too young. Condolences to you and the family.

Happy Christmas, folks!! We've got a white one here in Ontario but whatever the weather, hope you have a good one.

Just in case people have time to drop by, I put on some Fire Roasted Saint Drogo Coffee along with some Naughty & Spice tea. There's a plate of fruit cake and one of Christmas shortbreads if you're looking for a fix of something sweet.

Later, alligators.

Jamaican Blue Mountain is on tap for the coffee set.

For teas we've got Yorkshire Gold and Raspberry Royale

Hot water is on standby if you want some other hot beverages. Sodas are stocked for those needing something chilly.

And I whipped up some of my famous pancakes for the day after Christmas. Might help get your blood sugar up as you head out to the sales.

Thanks for the coffee Ape! I could use it.

Really sweet Christmas this year, hanging out with my daughter and my grandson. He ADORES Talia. And dinner was fab! We brought home lots of leftovers.

I got a fancy Nintendo controller for Christmas, and plan to spend the day playing No Man’s Sky.

Comp is looking good! My entry is done, but I will polish over the weekend.

Merry Christmas and happy Boxing Day!

Two holidays down, one to go. Today, however, is a working day.

Coffee is Costa Rican dark roast. In the teapots, we have Irish Breakfast and Peach White. Hot water is ready. Sodas stocked.

Trying to sort a long-gestating story. The basic outline is pretty fixed now but I am finding myself unhappy with various elements and trying out changes. It is going to be a long one for the long haul.

Lazy lazy days. We have leftovers, we have toys to play with, we have no obligations. I will put the finishing touches on my comp entry, then maybe read any new ones that popped up.

We might go see Nosferatu today. I think we will pass on Wicked, though I am curious. And Babygirl…hmmmm.

No plans for New Year’s. And no plans to get any plans for New Year’s.

Thanks for the coffee Ape.

I want to see Nosferatu, but my husband does not share my love of all things horror. We have quite a lot of leftovers as well. It was a relatively quiet Christmas, but my middle son and his wife could happily stay for a few days. My brother, nieces, and I took my father out for Christmas lunch at his favorite Chinese restaurant. It was packed, and there was a line out the door when we left. My father enjoyed himself and was happy to return to the rem unit. He has adjusted remarkably well. We are still shocked at how well he is doing. But I am grateful anytime something goes better than I expected.

I'm going to be lazy for the next few days. It will rain all weekend, so it's a good time to spend inside reading and/or binge-watching mindless television.

Have a great Friday, everyone. Cheers!

Quote by gillianleeza
I want to see Nosferatu, but my husband does not share my love of all things horror.

Yeah, my spouse isn't into horror and fantasy like I am either. I think she only reads my fiction to be polite. 😕🤣I love both the 1922 and 1979 versions so I will endeavour to see it, but it might have to wait for streaming.

("Love" as in the 1922 is my favourite vampire movie of all time)

Quote by gillianleeza
My brother, nieces, and I took my father out for Christmas lunch at his favorite Chinese restaurant.

Wow on that lineup. I don't think we have ever eaten out on Christmas Day save for when on vacation during the holidays. We did Thai takeout for Christmas Eve this year. The Thai place near our house uses halal meat so it's a place we and our Muslim son and d-i-l can agree on.

Gooooooooooooooooooooooood Morning!!

Bit moist around here after getting a white Christmas. Shower, warmer temps, etc.

New comp entry up from some writer I am only vaguely familiar with. WriterGirl or something like that? 😉😋 And it's wonderful. Best Christmas story I've seen this year.

https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/realistic-fiction/the-most-wonderful-gift-of-all

I'll put on a pot of Ethiopian Yirgacheffe for you to enjoy as you peruse the comp entries. If you're into tea, as I am, there's Darjeeling and Lemon Black. Hot water is on for your other hot beverage needs while there's sodas in the fridge if you're from warmer parts of the world.

Later, alligators...

Quote by Mendalla

Gooooooooooooooooooooooood Morning!!

Bit moist around here after getting a white Christmas. Shower, warmer temps, etc.

New comp entry up from some writer I am only vaguely familiar with. WriterGirl or something like that? 😉😋 And it's wonderful. Best Christmas story I've seen this year.

https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/realistic-fiction/the-most-wonderful-gift-of-all

I'll put on a pot of Ethiopian Yirgacheffe for you to enjoy as you peruse the comp entries. If you're into tea, as I am, there's Darjeeling and Lemon Black. Hot water is on for your other hot beverage needs while there's sodas in the fridge if you're from warmer parts of the world.

Later, alligators...

Thank you, Mr Ape! I love comps because they take me places I wouldn't normally go. And I’ve always found snow magical and calming and uplifting!

My son and I are going to see that movie Thursday! I’ll let you know how it is!

Quote by verbal

Lazy lazy days. We have leftovers, we have toys to play with, we have no obligations. I will put the finishing touches on my comp entry, then maybe read any new ones that popped up.

We might go see Nosferatu today. I think we will pass on Wicked, though I am curious. And Babygirl…hmmmm.

No plans for New Year’s. And no plans to get any plans for New Year’s.

Thanks for the coffee Ape.

Loved Wicked!!! I was pleasantly surprised! Let us know how Nosferatu is. I’m seeing it Thursday.

Quote by WriterGirl

Loved Wicked!!! I was pleasantly surprised! Let us know how Nosferatu is. I’m seeing it Thursday.

We blew it off in the face of all that laziness (plus the fact that it was selling out). Try again Sunday.

Breakfast with daughter and son today. Then, who knows? The comp entry is ready, but for some reason I don’t like to submit on weekends. Looking forward to reading yours, WG!

Thanks for the setup Ape. I will have a coffee and something sweet.

Quote by verbal
but for some reason I don’t like to submit on weekends

I know that our dear friend Rump used to advocate against posting on a weekend just due to traffic patterns but I never really did any research to see if it actually worked. Here is probably less of an issue in any case. He had another site in mind.

Quote by Mendalla

I know that our dear friend Rump used to advocate against posting on a weekend just due to traffic patterns but I never really did any research to see if it actually worked. Here is probably less of an issue in any case. He had another site in mind.

I did a little research when writing a ton of Flash and found Tuesday is the best day to post, by a slight margin. Friday was the worst.

WG, your story rocks.

Well hello out there! I trust you all had a white and wonderful Christmas! It certainly was here.

Nice crop of comp entries growing – glad I slipped mine in early, although, like Mendalla, I suspect that new kid – WriterGirl is it? – is gonna take the brass ring.

We had a happy day, although I seemed to have spent much of the day washing dishes. I guess that comes of being the least talented chef in the family. I don't actually mind it, much, although our son seems to create bomb sites when he cooks. He figured out in university that if you cook, you don't have to clean up. As a result, it sometimes seems when he is finished, he's somehow managed to use every pot, pan, bowl, dish, and plate in the place!

Fortunately, since a blow-up several Christmases ago, he's started cleaning up a bit as he goes. Now every pot, pan, bowl, dish, and plate in the place has been used – but is at least placed in the sink with water so food doesn't get crusted on.

I've been doing a bit of writing, some of it here, some elsewhere, as well as trying to promote Bear and Girl, I'm also editing the MS of another book, which I co-authored, and have two other MS waiting in the wings for the time to get punched into shape for publication.

Geez, now that I read all that, I realize what a wordy bloke I am!

Anyway, hope you're all well. Anna, so sorry to hear about your niece. Way too early. I had a younger cousin die this year – he drank himself to death – and we all felt sorry because he was non-social due to being so painfully shy.

Tragedy is part of life, but we don't have to enjoy it. 😕

Quote by JamesPBear
He figured out in university that if you cook, you don't have to clean up

My son learned to cook in university but not sure if that is why. He is now the cook in their household. I haven't had his cooking in a while but when he moved back home for a while during the pandemic, he whipped up some nice stuff.

A quiet day in the midst of all the holiday hoo-rah. Lady Jay is doing one of the three jigsaw puzzles she got for Christmas, which is keeping her well-occupied. I've been on a bit of a writing jag, and am torn between writing, or working on one of the MS I'm editing for publication. That latter is easier, so maybe I'll go with that.

Unless a story rears up and demands to be told, in which case the decision is made for me.

Meanwhile, I'll put on some Guatamalan dark roast, with Earl Grey and Darjeeling teas, plus hot water for them what wants something else.

I'm gonna take a big mug of Earl Grey – and I'll see if there are any goodies around.

Okay, I'm in. I just submitted. I figured if I sat on it any more I'd just mess it up by over-editing. I went sci-fi on this one. My last story of 2024.

https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/flash-fiction/sixteen-minutes

We are off to see Nosferatu today! Almost sold out, we had to get tix in advance. I'm psyched.

Coffee please!

I hope the movie lives up to the hype. I am tired of being disappointed by movies.

I'm having a hard time dealing with holidays without my mom, and my father now thinks I am his dead sister all of the time. It feels strange, but I am grateful he has adjusted so well to the memory care unit. We thought he would be belligerent and angry and try to leave, but he is calm and docile. I am grateful for that, but it is strange because he was very antagonistic to my brother and me. I'll take it as a win for now.

I am so pleased to see all the comp entries coming in. Now, I need to read them all. However, I have found it difficult to concentrate enough to read all the books I got for Christmas. Stress has gotten in the way of many things.

I hope everyone has a good week and a great start to the new year. Cheers.

Quote by gillianleeza
I hope the movie lives up to the hype.

I am hearing good things about Lily-Rose Depp in it (not surprising given her parentage) but not much more, though I am trying to minimize spoilers. Then again, as an almost lifelong Dracula fan who has seen the two previous versions multiple times, is there much to spoil?

Good morning! My work computer hates me. Office wants to activate but won't. Probably should have just booked off this week but I am on vacation in two weeks anyhow so figured it was kind of redundant.

Coffee du jour is Deathwish Dark Roast. Teas are Assam and Yorkshire Gold. Hot water is ready for other fine teas or hot chocolate. Sodas are stocked if you need something cold.

How's things with you on the penultimate day of 2024?

Quote by gillianleeza

I hope the movie lives up to the hype. I am tired of being disappointed by movies.

I'm having a hard time dealing with holidays without my mom, and my father now thinks I am his dead sister all of the time. It feels strange, but I am grateful he has adjusted so well to the memory care unit. We thought he would be belligerent and angry and try to leave, but he is calm and docile. I am grateful for that, but it is strange because he was very antagonistic to my brother and me. I'll take it as a win for now.

I am so pleased to see all the comp entries coming in. Now, I need to read them all. However, I have found it difficult to concentrate enough to read all the books I got for Christmas. Stress has gotten in the way of many things.

I hope everyone has a good week and a great start to the new year. Cheers.

It lives up to the hype. I won’t spoil anything, but it’s worth seeing in a theater, all big, without distractions. Ms. Depp is good (and kinda hot).

Oh those memory units, Gill. I feel you. Trippy places. So full of complex emotions, and extremely simple ones too, like love and regret. Someday I will try to set a story inside one. Not sure I have it in me.

So I finished off my writing for the year with three flash and a micro for here and other sites. Most of that I wrote when my knee went out. Nice to know it wasn’t just wasted time.

A coffee please. Any cookies?

Quote by verbal
Ms. Depp is good (and kinda hot).

I had a bit of a thing for her mother, French actress and singer Vanessa Paradis, back in the day. Some of her music videos got airplay in Canada. Lily-Rose does seem to take after Mom in that regard.

Last day of 2024 (unless you're Down Under, in which case, Happy 2025!!). Comp is at 10 entries and I am actually keeping up with them, though I do need to read the latest from TheShyThespian.

Brewing up some Fire-Roasted Saint Drogo for our final pot of coffee for this year. Teas are Naughty & Spice and Darjeeling. There's hot water so you can select from our other fine teas or whip up a mug of hot chocolate (mini marshmallows available). Sodas are stocked if you need something cold (see reference to folks from Down Under above).

Happy New Year, Inspirators!! Here's to a 2025 full of great stories to tell!!

Just poppin’ in to wish you all a Happy and Healthy New Year! ❤️

Happy New Year’s Eve to everyone (New Year’s Day to Annie!). I hope 2025 treats everyone well.

We have NO plans. Take out Thai food and maybe start season 2 of The Wire (I have seen it before, not Talia). Lazy r us,

Anyone have resolutions? I am going to try to write a horror novel this year. I haven’t figured out the bones of it yet, but I know the general vibe. Cosmic horror in Iowa cornfields.

A coffee and a cookie please!