iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Sarah McPherson @summermoth.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

This will (hopefully) force me to actually stick to the first month of my 12 week training plan for the Winter Round Sheffield Run in January... The plan starts on Monday, but parkrun this morning (at the gorgeous Rother Valley) was my first run of October - 1 down, 12 to go 🏃‍♀️

Photo of the lake at Rother Valley Country Park. Blue water under a bright blue sky, with purple flowers in the foreground.

Photo of the lake at Rother Valley Country Park, with lots of ducks, geese, and swans on the water.

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Sarah McPherson @summermoth.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Haven't done any crafting in forever, but was recently inspired to finish this little guy - he's from a kit that I started and then abandoned about 2 years ago. He's a bit wonky but I like him 😊

Front view of a small crocheted owl, made of blue and black yarn, with a striped body, white belly, and yellow beak and feet.

Side view of a a small crocheted owl, made of blue and black yarn, with a striped body, white belly, and yellow beak and feet, showing the concentric circle pattern on its wing.

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Sarah McPherson @summermoth.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

Went to a weaving workshop at our summer staff festival yesterday, and made this dinky little wall hanging that I'm quite pleased with (I was going for abstract seascape vibes)

A small wooden frame painted light purple, with a strip of weaving attached to it. It starts with blue and green yarns at the bottom, changes to orange and yellow halfway up, then light purple, white, and light blue towards the top.

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Sarah McPherson @summermoth.bsky.social · 20/03/2026

Presenting: an extremely helpful helper and I definitely didn't need to use that keyboard for anything else, absolutely not

A small black and white cat, seen from the back, sitting on a black computer keyboard and gazing out of the window with no thoughts for who else might need to use said keyboard.

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Sarah McPherson @summermoth.bsky.social · 11/03/2026

Tangentially related (because it's about English folk, not Irish), but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to share this

A brightly-coloured pie chart, titled 'Causes of Death in Traditional English Folk songs'. From largest to smallest, the segments are:
- Broken Heart
- Drowning
- Cruel Wars
- Hanged for being a Highwayman or Footpad
- Stolen away by the Queen of Elfland
- Wandered off, got lost in a wood, lay down and died
- Being Mistaken for a Swan by a Trigger-Happy Hunter

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Sarah McPherson @summermoth.bsky.social · 05/01/2026

December reads 💙📚: 1. Spin of the Triangle by Stephanie Carty (novella-in-flash) 2. The Lives of the Dead by Fiona McKay (novella-in-flash) 3. The Museum of Shadows and Reflections by Claire Dean (short stories) #books #amreading #novellainflash #shortstories #shortstorycollection #2025reads

Three books, roughly stacked on a red satin throw: 'Spin of the Triangle' by Stephanie Carty, 'The Lives of the Dead' by Fiona McKay, and 'The Museum of Shadows and Reflections' by Claire Dean.

'Spin of the Triangle' has a white spine with black text. 'The Lives of the Dead' has a black spine with white text. 'The Museum of Shadows and Reflections' has a teal and white cover that looks hand-drawn, with white text and an image of a female figure swinning underwater.

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Sarah McPherson @summermoth.bsky.social · 24/12/2025

Homemade chocolate covered Brazil nuts (three ways), and Christmas pudding made and steaming!

Homemade chocolate covered Brazil nuts in a small grey ceramic dish. There are three varieties: white chocolate drizzled with milk chocolate, milk chocolate drizzled with dark chocolate, and dark chocolate drizzled with white chocolate.

A Christmas pudding in a foil-covered basin, steaming in a pan on the hob.

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Sarah McPherson @summermoth.bsky.social · 05/12/2025

Haven't managed as much reading time as I'd like the past few months, so just two completed reads for Sept/Oct/Nov 💙📚: 1. In the Dark Eyes of the Rabbit by Debra A Daniel (novella-in-flash) 2. The Coin by Yasmin Zaher (novel) #books #reading #amreading #booklover #novellainflash #novel #2025reads

The book 'In the Dark Eyes of the Rabbit' by Debra A Daniel. The cover illustration is a painting of rabbit sitting in long grass with a hint of yellow flowers, against a purple sky.

The book 'The Coin' by Yasmin Zaher. The cover is yellow with black text, and a photograph of a model wearing a white trenchcoat and snakeskin stiletto heeled shoes. Their head is not visible, they have one arm raised, and one leg kicked high in the air.

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Sarah McPherson @summermoth.bsky.social · 10/09/2025

August read (just the one!) 💙📚: 1. It Felt Like Everything by K.S. Dyal (novella-in-flash) #books #reading #amreading #booklover #novellainflash #2025reads

The book 'It Felt Like Everything' by K.S. Dyal lying on a red satin throw. The cover is grey, with black and grey text, and has a drawing of two people's legs in the top right, one wearing a short black skirt, white socks, and black and white trainers, and the other wearing skinny-fit black trousers, black socks, and white trainers.

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Sarah McPherson @summermoth.bsky.social · 16/08/2025

Floki here is the epitome of 'Spine? What spine?' (There are any number of photos I could have used to illustrate this...!)

A brown tabby cat with white socks sleeping on a black sofa. His front half is twisted one way and his back half is twisted the other way, with his back feet in the air, so it looks like he has no spine.

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Sarah McPherson @summermoth.bsky.social · 14/08/2025

July reads 💙📚: 1. Aerth by Deborah Tomkins (novella-in-flash) 2. Mrs Caliban by Rachel Ingalls (novella) #books #reading #amreading #booklover #novella #novellainflash #2025reads

Two books roughly stacked on a black table: 'Aerth' by Deborah Tomkins, and 'Mrs Caliban' by Rachel Ingalls. 'Aerth' (on the bottom) has a black and cream spine. 'Mrs Caliban' (on the top) has a pink spine and a white cover with handwritten stye lettering in black, pink, and green, and two sketched figures swimming in a circle. The male figure is green and the female figure is pink. It has a green 'Faber Editions' banner down one side.

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Sarah McPherson @summermoth.bsky.social · 11/07/2025

Smol black kittens are prone to crimes. This one stole the tiny dongle for my wireless keyboard/mouse off my desk, and I was briefly convinced she must have swallowed it and I would have a very expensive vet bill, until I discovered it, extremely soggy, on the living room rug downstairs...

A small black cat with a little white chest patch and very wide green eyes, staring intently at something behind the camera.

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Sarah McPherson @summermoth.bsky.social · 07/07/2025

June reads 💙📚: 1. A Dress for Kathleen by Heather Richardson (novella-in-flash/hybrid) 2. Cold Toast by Kathryn Aldridge-Morris (flash fiction collection) 3. Murder at Mount Fuji by Shizuko Natsuki, trans. Robert B Rohmer (novel) #books #amreading #novel #novellainflash #flashfiction #2025reads

Three books roughly stacked on a red satin throw: 'A Dress for Kathleen' by Heather Richardson, 'Cold Toast' by Kathryn Aldridge-Morris, & 'Murder at Mount Fuji' by Shizuko Natsuki. The cover of 'A Dress for Kathleen' is fully visible; it is a close up photograph of part of a white dress with appliqued blue flowers and embroidered words, with blurred green trees in the background and white text.

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Sarah McPherson @summermoth.bsky.social · 03/07/2025

Today's #FolkloreThursday theme is travel, journeys & holidays. The Wayfaring tree (Vibernum lantana) often grows alongside paths & is associated with protection for travellers, preventing them from getting lost & guiding them home. (Illustration by Jan Kops, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

Botanical illustration of Vibernum lantana (wayfaring tree), showing its oval green leaves with toothed edges, domes of small white flowers, a cluster of red (unripe) berries, and one of black (ripe) berries. Illustration by Jan Kops, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

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Sarah McPherson @summermoth.bsky.social · 21/06/2025

Slightly belatedly sharing my copy of the @natflashfictionday.bsky.social anthology, with my story 'Objects in the Lost Property Box the Day After the Office Christmas Party' - my first time in the anthology! This started life in a @mattkendrick.bsky.social WBTL workshop ❤️ #FlashFiction #NFFD2025

'Monsoon: National Flash Fiction Day Anthology 2025' edited by Karen Jones and Cheryl Markosky, lying on a black and white tarot print blanket. The cover is dark blue with white text, and a slightly abstract image in blues and reds that looks like water flowing between banks of flowers. Cover art by Jeanette Sheppard.

A partial image of the page of the anthology with my story. Text reads:
Sarah McPherson;
Objects in the Lost Property Box the Day After the Office Christmas Party;
This is followed by the first few sentences, not fully visible.

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Sarah McPherson @summermoth.bsky.social · 11/06/2025

May reads 💙📚: 1. A Life in Chameleons by Selby Wynn Schwartz (novella-in-flash) 2. Our Sister Killjoy by Ama Ata Aidoo (novel) 3. The Authority Gap by Mary Ann Sieghart (non-fiction) - audiobook, from library #books #reading #amreading #booklover #novel #novellainflash #nonfiction #2025reads

Two books roughly stacked on a brown leather couch: 'A Life in Chameleons' by Selby Wynn Schwartz, and 'Our Sister Killjoy' by Ama Ata Aidoo. The cover of 'Our Sister Killjoy' is partly visible; it is mustard yellow with large black text and has a purple spine with white and yellow text. 'A Life in Chameleons' has a black cover with white text and an image of a blue, green and yellow chameleon sitting on a bunch of pink and orange flowers and green leaves.

A screenshot of the audiobook cover for 'The Authority Gap' by Mary Ann Sieghart, which is red with bright blue text, and an image of 'male' and 'female' people icons (like you might see on bathroom doors) standing on blocks, in bright blue and dark blue. The 'male' figure is higher up than the 'female' one.

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Sarah McPherson @summermoth.bsky.social · 12/05/2025

April reads 💙📚: 1. A Woman in the Polar Night by Christiane Ritter, translated by Jane Degras (memoir) 2. if there is no shelter by Tracey Slaughter (novella-in-flash) #books #reading #amreading #booklover #memoir #novellainflash #2025reads

Two books roughly stacked on a red velvet blanket: 'A Woman in the Polar Night' by Christiane Ritter, and 'if there is no shelter' by Tracey Slaughter. The cover of 'if there is no shelter' is only partly visible. The cover of 'A Woman in the Polar Night' shows a stylised/abstract image of the arctic landscape with two birds flying over it, in different shades of blue on a cream background.

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Sarah McPherson @summermoth.bsky.social · 01/05/2025

Badges acquired! (Was also missing a rainbow one, so fixed that while I was at it) 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

Two small round button pin badges, one of the rainbow pride flag and one of the trans pride flag.

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Sarah McPherson @summermoth.bsky.social · 27/04/2025

Very belated joint February/March reads post! 💙📚 1. Fight Night by Miriam Toews (novel) 2. Biography of X by Catherine Lacey (novel) #books #reading #amreading #booklover #novel #2025reads

Two books, roughly stacked on a cream/beige carpet: Fight Night by Miriam Toews, and Biography of X by Catherine Lacey. The purple and pink cover of Biography of X is partly visible. Fight Night has a blue cover with large multicoloured text, and a small image of a white aeroplane with a disproportionately large red handbag hanging from the tail.

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Sarah McPherson @summermoth.bsky.social · 26/03/2025

She absolutely is, but I would submit that Trinity is also the cutest 🖤

A small black cat with a tiny white patch on her chest, staring at something above the camera with very wide round green eyes.

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Sarah McPherson @summermoth.bsky.social · 05/02/2025

January reads - the first books of the year! 💙📚 1. Three Men on the Edge by Michael Loveday (novella-in-flash) 2. All the Little Bird Hearts by Viktoria Lloyd-Barlow (novel) #books #reading #amreading #booklover #novellainflash #novel #2025reads

Two books roughly stacked on a red background: Three Men on the Edge by Michael Loveday, and All the Little Bird Hearts by Viktoria Lloyd-Barlow. The cover of Three Men on the Edge is partially visible, it is white with black text and the edge of a black and white image is showing. The cover of All the Little Bird Hearts is a bright, light blue with an image of a magpie in flight overlaid with yellow text.

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Sarah McPherson @summermoth.bsky.social · 02/02/2025

Once again, I'm a last-minuter! (Still time to get your @bathflashaward.bsky.social entries in and join me...!)

A circular digital badge, with an outer yellow circle around a white centre and red text. Text reads: Bath Flash Fiction Feb 2025 Last Minute Club

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Sarah McPherson @summermoth.bsky.social · 21/01/2025

And for the pet tax, I give you Thorin...

A brown mackerel-striped tabby cat asleep on a black and white blanket on the back of a sofa, with red curtains behind. He is on his side with his legs extended and his belly exposed, and looks totally blissed out.

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Sarah McPherson @summermoth.bsky.social · 13/01/2025

Started my temperature embroidery project (tree template from StitchdoodlesDesign on Etsy) - I'm a few days behind but here are the first eight chilly little leaves stitched! Plus my cute thread organiser 😊 #crafting #amcrafting #embroidery #stitching #temperatureproject

A close up of part of a pre-printed design of a tree with many small leaves on white fabric. Most of the visible leaves have the numbers 1 or 2 inside, for January and February. A couple of leaves on the opposite side of the trunk have the number 11 in. Eight leaves have been filled in with fishbone stitch, in various shades of green, blue and silver.

A pre-printed design of a tree with many small leaves on white fabric in a square embroidery frame. The leaves have numbers inside from 1 to 12, for the months of the year. Eight leaves have been filled in with fishbone stitch, in various shades of green, blue and silver. There is a wooden needle minder in the shape of a sleeping cat in the bottom left corner.

A wooden thread organiser in the shape of a cute sleeping cat. There are holes around the edge numbered 1 to 16, with a rainbow of coloured embroidery threads looped through them, laid out in a radiating circle.

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Sarah McPherson @summermoth.bsky.social · 02/01/2025

Finally got something submitted for this! ✨

A circular digital badge in mottled green, dotted with multicoloured stars. Text reads: The Welkin Writing Prize, Astronomer of Words.

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Sarah McPherson @summermoth.bsky.social · 01/01/2025

Didn't finish any new books in December, though I did reread The Women Could Fly because I read it in a rush for my October book club & wanted to appreciate it at a slower pace. So that leaves me at 21 books read for 2024 (one not pictured as it was a library book - Daring Greatly by Brené Brown) 📚💙

A collage of six photos of books, in small stacks or lying flat: We that Animals by Justin Torres, Alison by Lizzie Stewart, Getting by in Tligolian by Roppotucha Greenberg, The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden, Scorched Grace by Margot Douaihy, Losing the Plot by Derek Owusu, Inland Empire Afternoon by John Brantingham, Lovelace Flats by Jupiter Jones, Maud Martha by Gwendolyn Brooks, Kick the Latch by Kathryn Scanlan, This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone, The Top Road by Fiona McKay, and Panty by Sangeeta Bandyopadhyay (translated by Arunava Sinha).

A collage of four photos of books, in small stacks or lying flat: Stormbred by Eleanor Walsh, Hereafter by Sarah Freligh, Enter Ghost by Isabella Hammad, Throw a Seven by Nod Ghosh, The Women Could Fly by Megan Giddings, The Raptures by Jan Carsen, and A Learning Curve by Jan Kaneen.

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Sarah McPherson @summermoth.bsky.social · 26/12/2024

Bookish Christmas haul - these four, plus a bookshop book nook to build! 📚💙

Four books laid out flat in a grid pattern: All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders, A Mudlarking Year: Finding Treasure in Every Season by Lara Maiklem, Treasury of Folklore: Woodlands & Forests - Wild Gods, World Trees and Werewolves by Dee Dee Chainey & Willow Winsham, and Moon Over Soho by Ben Aaronovitch.

A box containing an Owl Bookstore DIY book nook. The cover includes images of a grandfather clock and bookshelves with books, lamps, a telephone, and an owl.

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Sarah McPherson @summermoth.bsky.social · 14/12/2024

Delightful book post - I got my @biggreenbooks.bsky.social Festive Book Swap parcel! 😍 Not sharing the actual book yet as don't want to inadvertently spoil the surprise for my new bookswap buddy @heatherdyer.bsky.social (nice to meet you, Heather!)

A book-sized parcel wrapped in gold Christmas paper with a shiny silver tag, a Pukka 'joy' teabag in a blue wrapper, and a bar of Green & Black's organic 70% cocoa chocolate.

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Sarah McPherson @summermoth.bsky.social · 13/12/2024

In Waterstones today, spotted a @premeemohamed.com book AND it was the third Beneath the Rising book which I didn't own yet AND when I got to the till I had enough points on my card that it cost me nothing! So the gods definitely wanted me to have it. That's fine right? They're probably nice gods?

The Void Ascendant by Premee Mohamed. The cover has white rings on a black background. They look a bit like coffee rings but have drips and tendrils and silhouetted faces coming out of them.

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Sarah McPherson @summermoth.bsky.social · 12/12/2024

Case in point: I would love a reproduction of this little guy

Screenshot of an 'Archaeology & Art' post, with a picture of a small, extremely rotund, grumpy looking bird figurine. It is cream coloured with black highlighted details. Partially visible post text reads: 'Netsuke of a stylized fukuda susume ("fat sparrow"). Made of ivory. Mid 1700s, Edo Period, Japan. Netsuke were small toggles tra... See more'

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Sarah McPherson @summermoth.bsky.social · 05/12/2024

It's #SpotifyWrapped season! A moderately eclectic top 5 artists/bands for me, but absolutely loving these genre descriptions! 😄

A collage of four screenshots from my Spotify Wrapped 2024.
The first reads: January was your Goth Hurdy-Gurdy Symphonic Metal phase.
The second reads: February was your Viking Fantasy Power Metal season.
The third reads: August was your Witchy Ice Skating Folk moment.
The fourth is a list of my top 5 artists on Spotify:
1. Unleash The Archers
2. Spell Songs
3. Autoheart
4. The Amazing Devil
5. Eluveitie

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Sarah McPherson @summermoth.bsky.social · 04/12/2024

November reads (oddly, both by Jans!): 1. The Raptures by Jan Carson (novel) 2. A Learning Curve by Jan Kaneen (novella-in-flash) #books #reading #amreading #booklover #novellainflash #novel #2024reads

Two books, roughly stacked on a black desk: The Raptures by Jan Carson, and A Learning Curve by Jan Kaneen.

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Sarah McPherson @summermoth.bsky.social · 27/11/2024

(Figured I should start sharing these here!) Belatedly, my October reads: 1. Throw a Seven by Nod Ghosh (novella-in-flash) 2. The Women Could Fly by Megan Giddings (novel) #books #reading #amreading #booklover #novellainflash #novel #2024reads

Two books roughly stacked on a black desk: Throw a Seven by Nod Ghosh, and The Women Could Fly by Megan Giddings.

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Sarah McPherson @summermoth.bsky.social · 15/06/2024

On the train and on the way to Birmingham for a day of @natflashfictionday.bsky.social fun! Excited to see writing friends and to have a story in the #FlashFlood later - will share the link when it goes up 😊

A selfie of me in a train carriage holding a blue coffee cup. I have grey hair cut in a bob, and glasses.

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Sarah McPherson @summermoth.bsky.social · 05/04/2024

She starts high among the rocks, tumbling under and over, breaking out through cracks into a widening channel, rushing between silted banks until her water’s flow finally reaches the sea. #30words30days #flow #writingcommunity #amwriting #microfiction #flashfiction #writing

Black text on a green background
NATURE
#30words30days
Day 5: Flow

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Sarah McPherson @summermoth.bsky.social · 04/04/2024

In a world of harsh sound, music is their cocoon, their sanctuary. Heads leaning close on the school bus, shared headphones pour in the songs, fill them up with feeling. #30words30days #sanctuary #writingcommunity #amwriting #microfiction #flashfiction #writing

Black text on a green background
NATURE
#30words30days
Day 4: Sanctuary

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Sarah McPherson @summermoth.bsky.social · 03/04/2024

Words blossom on the page, tightly furled thought-buds bursting into flower. Ideas buzz from one to the next, a cross-pollination that allows the best to bear fruit, ripening into story. #30words30days #blossom #writingcommunity #amwriting #microfiction #flashfiction #writing

Black text on a green background
NATURE
#30words30days
Day 3: Blossom

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Sarah McPherson @summermoth.bsky.social · 02/04/2024

One day the wild crept in through cracked windows, under doors. Carpets sprouted grass, vines snaked up the bannisters, and conquering birds sang songs of triumph from their light-fitting perches. #30words30days #wild #writingcommunity #amwriting #microfiction #flashfiction #writing

Black text on a green background
NATURE
#30words30days
Day 2: Wild

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Sarah McPherson @summermoth.bsky.social · 02/04/2024

She ties herself up in smart-casual knots, packages each sentence carefully to avoid mispeaking. But over time there is no containing her colour and song, no concealing her true nature. #30words30days #nature #writingcommunity #amwriting #microfiction #flashfiction #writing

Black text on a green background
#30words30days
Day 1: Nature

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Sarah McPherson @summermoth.bsky.social · 02/04/2024

Cross posting this challenge from the other site (starting a day late as I missed yesterday) - why not play along!

Black text on a green background
#30words30days
* Write a 30 word story, using the prompt for inspiration
* Use the hashtag
* Enjoy reading and cheering everyone's stories
* Have fun!
@writingdani
#30words30days

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Sarah McPherson @summermoth.bsky.social · 13/01/2024

Exciting bookpost! My contributor copy of the latest Bath Flash Fiction anthology, with my longlisted story in (my first ever Bath longlisting, after many attempts), has arrived 😍

A copy of 'Bath Flash Fiction Volume Eight: The Weather Where You Are.' The cover is a black and white map, with the title in blue text.

The opening of my story, published in the Bath Flash Fiction anthology, titled 'Before the Aftermath' by Sarah McPherson. Text reads: It’s a wild day. A day to be out in the wild and the world of it, to follow the wind and her whims down the road out of town and up to the feet of the moors. She climbs the rocks—jagged as teeth, abandoned here by a glacier’s retreat—on the crown of the hill, catching her breath before it is caught up and whirled away, flurrying up to the kestrel circling between ragged clouds, and she follows the kestrel’s gaze down to see what is behind...

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Sarah McPherson @summermoth.bsky.social · 01/01/2024

Just entered the Welkin Mini #WelkinPrize - you've got till 3pm tomorrow if you want to enter too! @welkinprize.bsky.social

A purple badge dotted with white an yellow stars, and the text 'The Welkin Writing Prize. Micro Wizard.'

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Sarah McPherson @summermoth.bsky.social · 25/12/2023

[Advent Story Day 24] It had been more than a day since Bianca lit her candle, but its flame still burned. She felt again the cool pressure of the winter queen’s fingers in hers and the recognition of her gifts, her request. Then the sky bloomed pink and gold, and the sun rose; a glorious promise.

Dramatic pink tinged clouds over a silhouetted hill.

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