Story and Poem of the Month

Our Story and Poem of the Month for December, very kindly chosen by Ewan

Pick of the Month December 2024

 

The New Year is upon us as you read this: December is often a fecund month for ABCTalers, particularly in the run up to the festive season. This year is no exception. 

However, despite all choices for accolades from red cherries to Pick of the Month to being entirely subjective, every contributor is valued for their own sake. I admire all of you who continue to ignore the temptations of AI and keep producing your own work, warts and all. 

Here are just some of the things I enjoyed reading.

 

Prose

Hudson Moon’s Making Merry at Ned’s

 

Before I visited the US, I used to scoff at the depiction of bars in old films and TV programmes like Cheers. Hudson Moon’s slices of belly-up-to-the-bar life are gently funny without ever being twee. 

Celticman’s what comes after christmas 

The first part of Celticman’s latest. One of the most distinctive and daring writers on the site, I’m sure this piqued others’ appetite for more too. 

Jane Hyphen’s Parcel For You Part – oh, stuff it, all of them, but the link goes to part 45. 

 

At times funny, at others a warning of what lies in store for us, in this age of AI and ever more sophisticated robotics. The whole thing shows a writer at the top of their game 

Nevertheless, I have to mention Planet Secret Santa, which managed to funny, clever and slightly different from her usual fare.

Poetry

Marandina’s Christmas Skies  

 

This poem was – to use a word almost everyone maligns (but not me) as being twee – just lovely. 

Ralph Old Nights

 

Ralph continued to post carefully crafted poetry which never wastes a word, nowhere more so than in this one, which he dedicated to one of the OGs of ABCTales – David Floyd. 

Queen Beatle Shower Song 

 

Queen Beatle shares some of the most interesting and unusual poetry on the site, Shower Song was a particular favourite for me. 
 

Special Mention

Turlough’s moving tribute to the late Julia MacPherson, RIP, (OverTheTop1),  Velvet Goldmine

 

Story of the Month is Jane Hyphen’s Planet Secret Santa

Poem of the Month is Queen Beatle’s Shower Song

Comments

Thank you Ewan for Julia's special mention. That means such a lot to me, and I'm sure to Julia's mum (Seashore) too.

I'm extremely grateful.

 

Turlough

As am I (Julia's mum).