Post 1528. Monday May 8 A-Z Challenge 2017
Greetings from Amble Bay. It has been very quiet here since you left. You were a pretty noisy bunch! Life goes on pretty well as normal, but without Arthur, it’s just not the same.
I took a gamble using the village as my theme for the challenge. Having revealed it at the end of last year's Reflections, I had no choice but to go ahead despite the doubts that crept into my mind.
A to Zedders are scattered all around the world. Different cultures, different customs. Would they think Arthur was an alien? Would they think Amble Bay was on another planet?
Happily, my doubts were unfounded and in my wildest dreams, I could never have foreseen the positive reaction my tales were to receive, and for that, I thank you from the bottom of my empty beer glass (hint!)
A thought. Once again I found the Challenge overpopulated by experts lecturing us on how to write. I think the secret of success is to be different; don’t conform, don’t follow rules.
Another thought (the last I promise!) I preferred the old-style list rather than having to post a link each day. Right, that's off my chest!
Another thought (the last I promise!) I preferred the old-style list rather than having to post a link each day. Right, that's off my chest!
Finally, thanks to all of you for keeping me amused and informed through your posts during April. Let’s not be strangers!
Must dash to the letterbox or I'll miss Pete the Postie collecting the mail.
Must dash to the letterbox or I'll miss Pete the Postie collecting the mail.
Best wishes
Keith x
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Although I don't join in with the "Challenge" I can appreciate some of the comments you make Keith. I also can imagine the relief and euphoria on completing the challenge unscarred!
ReplyDeleteIt is all-consuming for a month Old Egg and I think releif and euphoria sums it up perfectly. I also feel something has suddenly disappeared - it's like standing in a room that was crowded a minute ago and now is empty. How about you join us in 2018?
DeleteThank you for the trip through Amble Bay, i am glad we "met"!
ReplyDeleteIt was a great month wasn't it? I'm pleased you liked Amble Bay. We like you too!
DeleteBest wishes!
ReplyDelete...and to you Darla.
DeleteThanks for such a delightful story series , Keith. Really enjoyed it . Thanks also for visiting my space during the challenge .
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate your suggestion i.e. "I think the secret of success is to be different; don’t conform, don’t follow rules. " Thanks and may your amazing stories continue to amaze the world ..
Regards,
Moon
https://aslifehappens60.wordpress.com/2017/05/02/a-to-z-bloggingchallenge2017-a-freshers-musings/
...not just the world but the moon! Thank you so much for your kind words.
DeleteHi Keith - Amble Bay was fun ... a delight to read every day. I completely concur with your
ReplyDelete"the Challenge overpopulated by experts lecturing us on how to write. I think the secret of success is to be different; don’t conform, don’t follow rules. "
way too much of that and then they didn't conform ... G+ was a pain, pain!
But loved Amble Bay and I'm around in the easterly EAmbling Bay! cheers Hilary
I've made that comment in my relections post each year, not that it's changed anything! So, it's back to normal - whatever normal is!
DeleteThank you for an idyllic tour of Amble Bay - how on earth could you doubt Arthur's popularity?? :) He was a rock star! Wish I didn't have to use the past tense though...Your posts were one of the most entertaining and a highlight of my reading month in April. And this makes me want to go back to your post last year where you did the theme reveal!
ReplyDelete'Once again I found the Challenge overpopulated by experts lecturing us on how to write. I think the secret of success is to be different; don’t conform, don’t follow rules.'
Couldn't agree more! And I'm sure I have managed to break most of the writing rules that the above mentioned experts lecture us on so regularly... :)
Best wishes always,
Nilanjana.
A-Z Reflections
Thank you so much. You above all demonstrated the craft of being different, and that's what made your posts addictive! Thanks so much for your kind words and loyal support.
DeleteThank you for the tour of Amble Bay. I truly enjoyed my month there.
ReplyDeleteYou were the perfect guest Denise! Thank you.
DeleteThanks, Keith, for the wonderful journey through Amble Bay - it was a delightful month getting to know the town and it's residents.
ReplyDeleteSince this was my first year, I have no experience with the linky list. Around the end of the second week, I started finding new blogs in the comments of other's posts instead of using the official list.
Emily | My Life In Ecuador | A to Z Reflections 2017
Thank you so very much for visiting me on such a regular basis. Although I posted a link on the daily list, and Facebook I didn't use either to find reading matter. Like you I grabbed links from others' comment sections.
Delete~hugs~
ReplyDelete~squeeze~
DeleteI enjoyed your theme. It was like taking a vacation.
ReplyDelete...less the suntan! Not the warmest of Aprils! Thanks so much Patricia
DeleteI loved your theme although I'm still not quite over how it ended lol!
ReplyDeleteDebbie
Nor me! I hesitated over the publish button for ages! Thanks so much for your support.
DeleteThanks for the introduction to Amble Bay! I thoroughly enjoyed the ambience, although the ending was somewhat bittersweet. It was great to meet you and I hope we'll keep in touch! Cheers!
ReplyDeleteDebbie @ The Doglady's Den
Thank you so much Debbie, I'm so pleased you enjoyed your time in Amble Bay. I too hope we meet each other on the journey to next year's challenge.
Deleteyes, don't conform, don't follow rules. well, everyone has their advice and you can choose to follow them or not.
ReplyDeleteI guess since I did the challenge only a few times, I didn't really miss the linky list. I suppose the idea of having to post your link every day is something that most people don't want to do and I understand. I suppose if we only post our links for each week instead of everyday, that might be easier.
congrats on finishing. & have a lovely day.
There probably is a middle route. Thanks so much lissa, and I'll you'll be back next year to do it all again!
DeleteI'm thrilled to have found my way to Amble Way. THANK you for the daily dose of humour and chuckles in April.
ReplyDeleteTalking of experts--I'm not a conformist but then, nor am I a success:)
Hope to visit your other travel blogs soon.
Reflection Post
Arti, you are too modest! It's been great to have you in the village and I thank you.
DeleteA nice original reflection post to top off your unique A to Z. There are a lot of writing 'experts' on the internet, but I consciously avoided them during the challenge...with one exception Megan Morgan's blog was very funny and a nice twist on the 'how to write' theme. What's the old saying? Those you can do something, do it, and those you can't teach others how to do it. Or something like that. I did a creative writing course very early on on my writing 'career' and if I had have taken all their advice I would have given up, or not become the writer I am today. I didn't like the linkylist. I'm glad it's gone (hopefully never to return). Cheers Keith.
ReplyDeleteA man after my own heart! Not only was your writing different so was your fantastic theme! I can't thank you enough for both entertaining and indulging me during April.
DeleteI loved every read from Amble bay. It felt like I am a part of that village. I visualized every character. Thank you for this wonderful experience. Congrats on completing the challenge.
ReplyDeleteClick Here to see what Mrs. Dash Says
Hiya DeeDee. I can't thank you enough for your support during April.
DeleteI miss Amble Bay... like vacation ended too soon. I wondered if Lady Violet served any more cucumber sandwiches, and wondered if Jack Potter was interested in playing a ukulele duet with my granddaughter, and forgot to swing by the community shop before I left... I wanted to buy a souvenir.
ReplyDeleteI'll be back!
Trudy @ Reel Focus
Creativity Inside the Box
Trudy, I'd love for your granddaughter to share some uke time with Potty Jack! Thank you so much for your kind words here and throughout the challenge.
DeleteI can see I'm going to have to visit Amble Bay now that the challenge is over. Too many blogs to find all at once. Happy to have some to take up the "slack time" now - HA! Thanks for commenting on mine!
ReplyDeleteJanet
Reflection
Thanks Janet. Just a shame we didn't discover each others blogs earlier!
DeleteI definitely felt transported to Amble Bay through the pictures you painted of its lovely and whimsical residents, and it was a pleasure to spend time there! Hopefully we can all go back some time.
ReplyDeleteHi Nick and thank you. I hope to pop back from time to time - watch this space!
DeleteI guess I missed those posts telling us how to write. But you were not alone in missing the list--maybe we can figure out something that works well for next year.
ReplyDeleteUnique Reflections post! Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. Great job in completing the 2017 Challenge.
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
...maybe a compromise?
DeleteCongrats on completing the challenge! I really enjoyed my visit in Amble Bay. I also prefer the linky list. We'll see if it returns, but I can live with the change if it's a permanent one. Thanks for a great month. :)
ReplyDeleteWell done for completing the challenge. I'm optimistic that next year they'll come up with an improvement on the blog comment system that replaced the linky list this year.
ReplyDeleteCait @ Click's Clan
I really enjoyed my visits to Amble Bay :-) Congrats on completing the challenge.
ReplyDelete