tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291188100095224712024-03-05T03:14:58.185-08:00The Cat That Got My TongueFiona Duffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16783677023762630073noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-629118810009522471.post-32179976811364738322021-02-10T14:32:00.002-08:002021-02-10T14:37:26.571-08:00Lockdown Killer<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiSwQ63gwAPAP0Aq9cF7_amJURWncTgOXRbITsKmO8wQ1SnCQKKVHsqUo3cM0HDVuqUtYJ8a23aEvCfnfYRGRC44vRCDYWEGtuuU4z7GwOPQTkrpcXV86o7hbzCUHTSjdPY6hPDBPqzIM/s960/s960_covid-19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiSwQ63gwAPAP0Aq9cF7_amJURWncTgOXRbITsKmO8wQ1SnCQKKVHsqUo3cM0HDVuqUtYJ8a23aEvCfnfYRGRC44vRCDYWEGtuuU4z7GwOPQTkrpcXV86o7hbzCUHTSjdPY6hPDBPqzIM/s320/s960_covid-19.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> <span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13pt;">Confinement, a bleak story of our day,</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 21pt;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Social interaction gone, unsafe with you around.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 21pt;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Loved ones hidden, you search for your next prey,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 21pt;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The streets are quiet, you walk without sound.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 21pt;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 21pt;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Rules are enforced, contact is your weapon,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 21pt;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">A game of panic, the world is your playground.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 21pt;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Society sanitised, death is your profession,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 21pt;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Global isolation, you cast fear all around.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 21pt;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 21pt;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Faces masks on, you mix with the weak,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 21pt;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Protected indoors, can you attack a brick wall?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 21pt;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Scientists are discovering, your prospects are
bleak,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 21pt;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">A Vaccine will find you, lockdown killer you will
fall.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Fiona Duffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16783677023762630073noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-629118810009522471.post-49566167229863386692018-09-12T01:10:00.000-07:002018-09-12T01:10:13.518-07:00Dew Drops<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQtfn3D5uWOxZVby3HqYwPDnGLGvUoi0QBVycRUs2wQ0uDMWuosOm-Q6ugOr4yGbVKRrA8LLsfDWlmBXQ_-Ewl30cM-wMpP6W3HlQ2bVox-8dJ0VmLo1FavBKdSMgDElD2oGMR_5yJizA/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="142" data-original-width="355" height="80" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQtfn3D5uWOxZVby3HqYwPDnGLGvUoi0QBVycRUs2wQ0uDMWuosOm-Q6ugOr4yGbVKRrA8LLsfDWlmBXQ_-Ewl30cM-wMpP6W3HlQ2bVox-8dJ0VmLo1FavBKdSMgDElD2oGMR_5yJizA/s200/images.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">I would like to meet you on a Winters
night,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">When moonbeams dance and stars sparkle bright, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">Sitting with the twinkle in the western skies,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">Dew drops rolling from our eyes,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">There's no place that I would rather be,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">Watching dawn break in, just you and me. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
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<span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />Fiona Duffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16783677023762630073noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-629118810009522471.post-52589345588536840402018-08-19T13:55:00.000-07:002018-08-20T03:02:20.738-07:00The Invisible Fox<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Wild yet vulnerable is the story of my life,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A world where I roam with fear and strife.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Some try to find me for blood and pleasure,<o:p></o:p></div>
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To shoot me down is your idea of leisure.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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But over time I have become wise,<o:p></o:p></div>
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The urban night is now my disguise.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You destroy my habitat and the food I ate,<o:p></o:p></div>
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We walk the same path, still I hide from your hate. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The darkness is my light, I search for my next meal,<o:p></o:p></div>
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Some days I go without, my hunger I conceal.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Survival is my guardian in a divided society so gritty,<o:p></o:p></div>
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Our lives entwined, I am an invisible fox in your city.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Dedicated to my friends Cathy and Tammy <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />Fiona Duffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16783677023762630073noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-629118810009522471.post-85717427984789424122018-07-30T14:47:00.001-07:002018-07-30T14:55:34.726-07:00Sun Dancing In Winter<div class="_2cuy _3dgx" data-block="true" data-editor="5mlv0" data-offset-key="35sg5-0-0" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1d2129; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px auto 28px; white-space: pre-wrap; width: 700px; word-wrap: break-word;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieytZiZa_jYkk49OW8FFuxaBS7ktUyouDy2XWpTDsHcMxggLW_B5uVCAh_Q5PNCyVCo300ShNYkWDb7JVmIlSr9Bw4NlVKmZfLvFpkbLwTSD1kFahRC_s94hgX6KNaAAvvj8XV-DWFgkc/s1600/37964876_10156218355331293_6526228442931789824_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="610" data-original-width="458" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieytZiZa_jYkk49OW8FFuxaBS7ktUyouDy2XWpTDsHcMxggLW_B5uVCAh_Q5PNCyVCo300ShNYkWDb7JVmIlSr9Bw4NlVKmZfLvFpkbLwTSD1kFahRC_s94hgX6KNaAAvvj8XV-DWFgkc/s320/37964876_10156218355331293_6526228442931789824_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span data-offset-key="35sg5-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It's a well known fact that the sun only dances with his hat on. In the summer he can be seen dancing daily with his sun beams in the daylight and serenading his friend Moonlit in the dark. When winter arrives, it's a different story for the sun dancer (as he is known by all who see him). He no longer has his sun hat on and appears to have lost his twinkle as he sits, low in the sky, looking down at the world. However, not all in that bleak winter sky is as it seems to you and I. For the sun dancer has replaced his sun hat with a woolly hat given to him by Moonlit to keep warm. He wears this hat when he attends a live music club called Sunshine, where he likes to pull the wool over Winter's eyes, as he and Moonlit dance together until sunrise, to the Winter Blues. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Dedicated to the music scene of Ealing and the birth of loud in Hanwell where I live and where the father of Loud Jim Marshall set up his first shop in 1961.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><br />
<span data-offset-key="7hq0m-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">To download for free The Ironic Fantastic #3 anthology of new writers and illustrators, where this short story was featured along with two of my poems visit: </span><span style="color: #365899; font-family: inherit;">https://bit.ly/2K7</span></div>
</div>
Fiona Duffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16783677023762630073noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-629118810009522471.post-75513163246059550322017-03-06T14:22:00.000-08:002017-03-07T12:05:58.435-08:00Solstice Spirits<div style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm; orphans: 1;">
<span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Lighting
night</span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm; orphans: 1;">
<span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Scottish
skies </span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.53cm; orphans: 1;">
<span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Shining
bright </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">English
eyes<br />Mountain sight<br />Welsh highs<br />Dancers ignite<br />Irish
surprise<br />Summer unite<br />Solstice ties. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 0.53cm;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.53cm; orphans: 1;">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 0.53cm;">Colourful
days</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.53cm; orphans: 1;">
<span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Pacific
high </span></span></span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 0.53cm; orphans: 1;">
<span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Golden
haze</span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.53cm; orphans: 1;">
<span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">American
pie</span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.53cm; orphans: 1;">
<span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Cable
bay</span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.53cm; orphans: 1;">
<span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Dreams
delight</span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.53cm; orphans: 1;">
<span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Foggy
stay</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Francisco eyes </span></span></span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 0.53cm; orphans: 1;">
<span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Winter
unite </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 0.53cm;">Solstice
ties.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.53cm; orphans: 1;">
<span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.53cm; orphans: 1;">
<span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Dedicated to my friend Carmella Scaggs, who passed away in February 2017 in her hometown San Francisco.</span></span></span></div>
Fiona Duffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16783677023762630073noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-629118810009522471.post-38826279607660346372016-06-07T14:03:00.000-07:002016-06-07T14:03:11.544-07:00Orange Peel <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMxso-iTYZp7UnnY9-Lfj7dJpT-kC6VSyjeejlx36vDib22P2J14gCGek7GCDkxMv8ea8184hNl1nu0mbyotXoxYGfPVhA0e5dGBYybB9a0EvDB1SE0u2ZhiaMhT8834DAPryoMlX2IHs/s1600/orange.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMxso-iTYZp7UnnY9-Lfj7dJpT-kC6VSyjeejlx36vDib22P2J14gCGek7GCDkxMv8ea8184hNl1nu0mbyotXoxYGfPVhA0e5dGBYybB9a0EvDB1SE0u2ZhiaMhT8834DAPryoMlX2IHs/s1600/orange.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">If
a peel can ride on a citrus wheel</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">How
do oranges write on peel? </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">A
pip may owe its life to a zest </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">But
why do oranges peel from a vest? </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Oranges
may win at a game of squash</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">But do
zests have an orange crush?</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">When a
citrus over tips</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Does a
peel give a pip?</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">While
a citrus jives on the dance floor</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Should
a zest sing to an orange core?</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">As an
orange surfs on peel</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Is a
pip waving to an eel?</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Zest,
zests a zesty peel</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Pip,
pips a pipping peel </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Peel,
peels a peeling peel</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Revealing
orange peel.</span></div>
Fiona Duffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16783677023762630073noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-629118810009522471.post-6508628859781382002015-12-19T11:36:00.000-08:002015-12-19T12:26:26.153-08:00Do You Have Writers' Cramp? <br />
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In December my new short story 'Writers' Cramp' featured in Issue 5 of the <a href="http://www.lulu.com/shop/paulo-brito/the-ironic-fantastic-5/ebook/product-22477059.html">Ironic Fantastic</a> magazine, edited by my friend and fellow writer Paulo Brito, based in Portugal. In this story, dedicated to my friend Brian, there is a mystery to be solved in the writers' block when artist Little Miss Malaprop gets herself in a muddle and goes missing.<br />
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I took inspiration from all my many talented writer friends who have always encouraged me to develop my writing and poetry. Considering I write for fun, having this support from many established writer friends means a lot to me and it was only natural for me to write a short story about writers that I hope they will all find amusing. <br />
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From Europe to Australia, there are an eclectic range of established and new international writers, illustrators and poets featured in this issue, so it is an honor for me to be published with them all and I was pleased to see some of my good friends featured too - it is a pleasure to be able to be part of something creative with all of them.<br />
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As some of you know, I am a big supporter of promoting local talent across the Arts and over recent years the freedom to self-publish on the web has opened many doors to independent writers, artists and publishers. Today many creatives can collaborate and share their exciting talent without being stifled by bureaucracy, or controlled by the giant corporate wheel.<br />
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Issue 5 of the Ironic Fantastic is free to <a href="http://www.lulu.com/shop/paulo-brito/the-ironic-fantastic-5/ebook/product-22477059.html">download</a>. A taster of all the wonderful stories and poems featured by all the amazing international contributors can be seen in the contents table photo I have posted above. I hope you will all enjoy reading this magazine over the festive season.<br />
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I would like to end this post by wishing everyone a wonderful Christmas break and a sparkly new year - see you all for a cat's tongue wag in 2016!<br />
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<br />Fiona Duffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16783677023762630073noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-629118810009522471.post-35143594059929845192015-05-12T14:48:00.000-07:002015-05-13T04:33:36.543-07:00Placebo Bring A Sense Of Belonging To London<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i><b>"Would you write a review of Placebo for Frouctor, a new Arts Review magazine I recently launched in Athens?"</b></i><br />
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This was the question asked by the talented artist and good friend George (that's what I call him) from Greece, who also lives in London. Well how could I refuse this challenge given Placebo are one of my favourite bands that I have seen live many times both here in the UK and Europe over the last 20 years since they formed at Goldsmith's College.<br />
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The Placebo review is currently being translated into Greek and will feature in the third issue of Frouctor magazine, to be distributed across Athens in the next few weeks. As I only speak English and Spanish, the translation of my Placebo review will be Greek to me, so I am letting my blog readers have a preview of the Placebo gig review I wrote in advance ... and in English. Enjoy!<br />
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<b>Placebo Bring A Sense Of Belonging To London </b><br />
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Twenty years was not on the play list when Placebo performed at the sold-out Hammersmith Apollo show in March. Formed in the summer of 1995 in London, Brian Molko's unique and piercing voice had not lost any of it's bite. But for those fans expecting a nostalgic crowd-pleasing trip through the six-piece band's seven-album back catalogue, they will have been disappointed. The play list leaned towards the future rather than the past, with the bulk of the set list focusing on the band's latest 2013 release 'Loud Like Love'.</div>
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A lively ecstatic crowd applauded as Placebo, dressed all in black, stepped out on stage as the P.A. pumped out the backing track of the spine-tingling remix of 'Pure Morning' vs Sigur Ros' 'Svefn-g-englar'. A sea of fists could be seen bobbing up and down in the air as Placebo kicked off the evening with their electro alt-rock track B3, followed by shaking up the crowd's senses with 'For What It's Worth'.</div>
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It was a brave move by Placebo to risk losing casual fans with a top heavy new material set list. Had the band taken the nostalgia approach and played more of the older songs from a decade ago, there was a risk that the newer material would have appeared more one dimensional and faded into the background. Although the edgy belter 'Scene Of The Crime' ignited a surge of emotion amongst the crowd on the night, the latest material would not have been edgy enough to compete against a set list filled with older, more established grunge and industrial electronic influenced songs that carry the trademark sound that is Placebo at their best. The gamble paid off.</div>
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Classics such as 'Every You Every Me', 'Special Needs', the drug-induced track 'Special K' and closing track 'The Bitter End' will never tire but there was no looking back for the group. Twenty years on Brian Molko's voice has not lost its unmistakable stretched tone and on the night was just as powerful as the band delivering the music. There was a feeling of belonging by Placebo's lost legion of forever faithful fans, with a sense of relief knowing that Placebo will always be their band.</div>
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'Begin the End' seemed appropriate to set the scene for the band's four-song encore but it was the long-standing cover of Kate Bush's 'Running up that Hill' that gripped the crowd with its explosive electronics and deceptive uneasy sharp tones that Molko brings to life and makes his own. The group close with 'Post Blue' and the 'Infra-Red' from Meds. With a theatrical bow Placebo exit after sharing the highs and lows of their vast career and delivering a glorious performance that is a reminder of the scope of their brilliance. Placebo are loud as love and have left a taste of what we can expect from this London-based band over the next twenty years.</div>
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<br />Fiona Duffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16783677023762630073noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-629118810009522471.post-81014521915479722222015-01-28T13:28:00.001-08:002015-01-28T15:34:41.705-08:00My Father's Rosebud<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Father in 1944</td></tr>
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Today marks the second anniversary of my father's passing.<br />
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After work I attended a Choral Evensong at London's historic Southwark Cathedral, near the River Thames and nestled opposite the City's oldest station, London Bridge. I was 43 when my dad departed and visiting this Gothic oasis of calm, was the perfect setting to celebrate my father today and light a candle to remember my time spent with this amazing man, who was the perfect gentleman, father and hero to all his grandchildren.<br />
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Perching myself on a seat at the back of the Cathedral I was captivated by the singing, which not only was angelic and enchanting but also brought a tear to my eye. I left before the end as the beauty of my Gothic surroundings began to make me reflect on my late father and overwhelmed me but in a good way. I was glad I decided to take my work colleagues suggestion and visit this hub of calmness to celebrate my father.<br />
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The poem I wrote last year, entitled simply, 'To My Father', celebrated the life of my father and was published in e-book series <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/350890"> The Ironic Fantastic # 2</a>, which is free to download.<br />
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This year I have written a new poem, which focuses on my childhood memories of my father, called Rosebud, the name my dad called me as a little girl. I hope you enjoy it.<br />
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In memory of my father, Edward Douglas Duffin (9th June 1929 - 28th January 2013).<br />
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RIP My Beautiful Father xxx<br />
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<b>Rosebud</b></h4>
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Born on Van Diemen's Land, where Australian devils roam,</div>
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Watching African black rhinos play on the Serengeti plain,</div>
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Racing in an Indonesian becak to avoid the Monsoon,</div>
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Bathing Sigiriyan elephant orphans in Sri Lanka,</div>
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Kipper tie and back scratcher claws, </div>
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Bugle horn and a countryside run,</div>
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Listening to Pendle witch stories,</div>
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Childhood memories,</div>
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Shared with my father. </div>
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Fiona Duffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16783677023762630073noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-629118810009522471.post-21484502992883271322014-12-16T16:04:00.000-08:002014-12-16T16:14:10.180-08:00Remembering The Homeless This Christmas <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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With just over a week to go until Christmas Day, my thoughts have turned to those people less fortunate, who may be spending their Christmas sleeping rough, relying on the hospitality of charities for their festive meal and drop in centres for temporary shelter to keep warm, if they are luck enough to secure a bed.<br />
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Earlier this year I too experienced financial hardship for a few months and was struggling to pay my mortgage. This was on top of dealing with emotional turmoil following the first anniversary of my dad's death back in January, followed by the breakdown of a relationship in February which ended badly and not helped by a chain of events that followed. This all had a huge negative impact on me at the time. Things happened that I could never of predicted and planned for in advance. But I managed to get through that dark period, highlighting a inner strength that sometimes we don't know we have hidden deep inside. </div>
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I now work as a contractor, earning more as a freelancer than I ever have before and the turmoil of the first half of 2013 is firmly behind me for now. But I will always remember the experience and it has taught me a lot about self-survival. Through hard times we may lose a lover or two and shed a few friends but as a result we fight on and become stronger. We attract the right people who bring positives rather than negatives into our lives. </div>
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So, as Christmas Eve draws closer, lets be thankful for what we have in our lives now, our health, a roof over our heads, a job, family and friends and reflect on those people who don't have these things we take for granted in their lives and have no choice but to sleep rough on our streets. </div>
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Below is a poem I wrote in September after my own personal experiences of financial hardship and following a trip to a art gallery one lunchtime at work to view an exhibition of dog drawings, sketched by a talented artist who was sleeping rough on the streets of London with his beloved pet.<br />
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Homeless</h2>
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The world seems so small as I look at your feet,</div>
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I sleep on cardboard, each day struggling to eat,</div>
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Lovers and friends gone, I see my family no more,</div>
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No shoes to walk in, my feet swollen and sore,</div>
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Your footsteps are cannons, you blow me out,</div>
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Everyone's a critic, what are you all about?</div>
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I look up in thirst as you spit on the ground.</div>
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You pat my dog but don't drop me a pound.</div>
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I am a nobody to you, I can see it in your eyes,</div>
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But once I was a somebody, is that a surprise?</div>
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A job in the City, a house in the countryside,</div>
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I dream of survival as I sleep with my pride.</div>
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I draw on experiences, canvases filled with strife,<br />
Artwork on gallery walls, an ambition of life.<br />
Money in my pocket, a room for the night,<br />
I will always remember you, a future so bright.</div>
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Fiona Duffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16783677023762630073noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-629118810009522471.post-19209517611632163712014-10-12T12:50:00.000-07:002014-10-12T16:48:47.824-07:00A Community Spirit Lives On In W7<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The memory of Alice Gross lives on in Hanwell</td></tr>
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The second largest manhunt took place since the 7/7 London bombings when a 14-year-old local Hanwell girl, Alice Gross, went missing on 28 August. It took specialist teams more than a month to find her body. It was wrapped in plastic and found in an underwater grave in the Grand Union canal 15 minutes away from where I live. On 4 October convicted killer Arnis Zalkans, the prime suspect in her murder, was found hanged nearby in Boston Manor Park, four weeks after he was reported missing.<br />
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While people debated why the police took so long to find the body of Alice and why Arnis Zalkans's conviction of murdering his first wife in 1997 wasn't identified when he first entered the UK in 2007, my thoughts turned to the strength of the community spirit that shone through and became clear from seeing my fellow Hanwell residents come together in such devastating times. Earlier, after the local girl had gone missing, the community of Hanwell on behalf of her family, started a local campaign to Find Alice. This soon drew national attention through the extensive media coverage that developed following the murder. The whole of the UK's hearts became filled with hope and together united with Hanwell for the same cause, to find Alice.<br />
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Throughout the weeks following Alice going missing, Hanwell became dressed with yellow ribbons, a symbol of hope. These could be seen tied around posts, trees scattered along main roads, residential streets. Posters of Alice were visible on trees, in the windows of shops, houses, local businesses and tied to the entrance of parks and open spaces, including Elthorne Park, next to my flat.<br />
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Despite feeling vunerable during the period leading up to the discovery of Arnis Zalkans's body in Boston Manor Park in October, especially when walking home on my own past Elthorne Park, knowing that my neighbours were all united and actively pulling together while the search continued made me feel safe.<br />
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I have lived in Hanwell, a small village nestled in the borough of Ealing, since 1997. Hanwell is famous for where the Marshall amps story began, with regular visitors to Hanwell including legendary musicians Jimi Hendrix and Pete Townsend. Having lived in London for nearly 20 years, with 17 of these in Hanwell, I have seen people come and go and the community of Hanwell morph and change over the years. The one lesson I have learnt from the recent murder of Alice Gross is how something so tragic can only fuel more strength within a local community and bring everyone together both young and old, including people who have lived in Hanwell for years and those who are new to the area.<br />
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People often think that living in London must be an isolated and unfriendly experience but I often tell people it is not. I have made many friends over the 20 years I have lived in London. Some of my best friends I met when they were my neighbour, or from chatting at the local bus stop on my way to work each day. When people visit me in Hanwell they always say they have been made to feel welcome by the people they meet.<br />
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Wherever you live, feeling that you are part of a community is important. Today, the yellow ribbons, flowers, messages and candles still lie beside Hanwell's Clock Tower.The murder of local girl Alice Gross has highlighted to both the national media and to the UK as a whole how strong and alive the local community spirit is in Hanwell W7. RIP Alice Gross.Fiona Duffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16783677023762630073noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-629118810009522471.post-22870414249400980602014-09-28T13:41:00.000-07:002014-09-30T13:14:00.498-07:00People Have A Global Voice On Climate Change In London<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me at London's People's Climate March </td></tr>
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On 21 September, I took part in the People's Climate March, the largest combined global climate march in history, with 2,646 solidarity events taking place in 162 countries, including here in London. On that Sunday, over 40,000 people attended the London rally from across the UK, with all ages taking part, from grandparents to children, founding campaigners and future generation of social media campaigners united. I carried my Avaaz banner, promoting the need to take responsibility for cleaner energy and chatted to interesting people from across the UK.</div>
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My friend David, who is a fantastic photographer, joined me on this peaceful march and he took some wonderful shots, in particular as we walked past Whitehall towards the Palace of Westminster, where the march ended with speeches by campaigners including the musician Peter Gabriel and actress Emma Thompson. I was pleased to learn later that 400,000 people attended the New York climate change march on 20 September, making it the largest rally in history.</div>
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My first experience of campaigning harks back to the late 80s, when I took part in a series of anti-war marches as a student in Sheffield, with the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) symbol scrawled on the back of my denim jacket. The passion for campaigning continued throughout the five years I spent as a student and continues now. Anti-war campaigning has been the main theme over the years for me, including protesting against the Iraq War in 2012 and a Stop The War Coalition march in 2013. However, the environment and the effects of 'global warming' have become increasingly more important to me over the last decade.</div>
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Recycling each week is not enough for me and I believe more needs to be done to raise awareness of the irreversible damage that a build up of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere can do to our natural environment, our health and well-being. By acting now on simple things like changing the way we use our energy and manage our waste, we can prevent further damage before it is too late. We should not depend on the large corporates to be the only ones who need to change to make a difference. We also need to change our own behaviours, in order to prevent irreversible damage to our natural habitat. </div>
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I also went to see the film Pride on 19 September, which I recommend going to see if you haven't already but remember to take a tissue, as tears may flow in a good way. This inspiring film, set in the summer of 1984, when Margaret Thatcher is in power, tells the story of a London-based group of gay and lesbian activists who raised money to support a Welsh community of miners on strike, organised by the National Union of Mineworkers.</div>
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The two groups discover that standing together makes for the strongest union of all. Something that was achieved across the 162 countries that took part in the People's Climate Marches this month.</div>
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Read more here about the <a href="http://www.campaigncc.org/climatemarchlondon">People's Climate March London</a><br />
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<br />Fiona Duffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16783677023762630073noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-629118810009522471.post-19688243182523333642014-09-13T14:25:00.005-07:002014-09-29T15:00:20.804-07:00Beating To The Bush Before Launch Of The Ironic Fantastic Issue #3<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwxF1yOIiE68KJCCRwFPWCgbFWEyM_IY6o4A_qF3XtKEgdhz1h5dIcqHDTGDniEu_yxnCDtlQVBKLSDaHFbs1oThO3DWmjAV_I1nJ1ftsx-GEBryUqkMCT6EWgLF5nBv4vhzJCVqaF2uM/s1600/Kate+Bush+gig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwxF1yOIiE68KJCCRwFPWCgbFWEyM_IY6o4A_qF3XtKEgdhz1h5dIcqHDTGDniEu_yxnCDtlQVBKLSDaHFbs1oThO3DWmjAV_I1nJ1ftsx-GEBryUqkMCT6EWgLF5nBv4vhzJCVqaF2uM/s1600/Kate+Bush+gig.jpg" height="320" width="246" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beating about the Bush on 3 September</td></tr>
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Well, here I am two weeks after I went to see Kate Bush perform on 3 September at the Hammersmith Apollo. Right from the start until the end, the crowd were engaged, not only with Kate but also by the amazing set design and special effects that left you craving for more surprises. A short technical hitch, an hour into the first set, couldn't dampen the excited crowd's spirits. Kate made sure we, her fans, didn't missed out. The show continued for an additional half an hour. With an 11pm curfew at the venue, Kate's management team must of paid a fine to allow the show to run in its whole entirety.</div>
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The whole event was a musical extravaganza, that not only led the fans through a personal journey with Kate, but was also a unique theatrical experience. Her 16 yr old son Bertie, who allegedly influenced her to tour, also performed throughout the show. Perhaps Kate timed her return around Bertie being at an age where he could participate too.</div>
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Kate's triumphant return at 56 has now set the standard high on how future live music events should be delivered. Her blend of raw music talent and creative choreography made the crowd feel like they had travelled back in time to 1979, when she last performed and in the same venue. It was the music highlight of 2014 for me and the special effects topped those used in Roger Water's The Wall at the O2 back in 2013. Considering the size difference of Hammersmith Apollo, compared to that of the O2, it was a great creative use of space within a small venue and I wait now with baited breath to see if Kate will return for another tour in the near future.</div>
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Three other significant events took place over the last few weeks:</div>
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I was interviewed on Oystermouth radio over the Bank Holiday weekend, where I promoted my two poems and a short story which are featured in the Ironic Fantastic anthology issue #3. I also got to select a few of my favourite songs, including one by Kate Bush in between. You can listen to the interview by <a href="http://www.mixcloud.com/giggleandgossip/giggle-and-gossip-with-writer-and-illustrator-fiona-duffin-talking-about-the-ironic-fantastic/">clicking on this link</a></div>
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I have had two of my poems and a short story featured in the Ironic Fantastic issue #3. The anthology is packed with some amazing international emerging writers, poets and illustrators. It was edited by my talented writer friend Paulo Brito, also known as Oulipo Brat (an anagram of his name). You can download it for free by <a href="http://www.lulu.com/shop/paulo-brito/the-ironic-fantastic-3/ebook/product-21798388.html">clicking on this link</a></div>
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Finally at 2am, early this morning, the Duffin clan saw a new arrival when my brother Malcolm's partner Ceri gave birth to a baby girl, Erin Duffin. I am now a proud Aunt to a lovely little girl and her two year old brother, as well as continuing my role as Auntie Fi to my oldest brother Douglas's three grown up boys. I was only 21 when I first became an Aunt, how time flies. It feels like it was BEFORE THE DAWN.</div>
<br />Fiona Duffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16783677023762630073noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-629118810009522471.post-82802225724910510812014-08-26T12:36:00.001-07:002019-07-16T09:24:17.500-07:00Beer, Live Music And An Ironic Fantastic Radio Interview In Mumbles<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>A Giggle and Gossip in the Oystermouth Radio studio</b></i></td></tr>
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The Bank Holiday weekend has drawn to an end and while Londoners celebrated the vibrant and colourful Notting Hill Carnival I spent the last four days in Swansea, South Wales, where I stayed near the Mumbles with my lovely friend Liz.
On Saturday a group of us went beer tasting at the Brangwyn Hall, where as a fan of real ale, I got to sample a selection of some of Wales's finest locally sourced craft ales. This included a local Mumbles gravity beer 'Pilot Wrecker' and Porthmadog's 'Dark Side Of The Moose', which as a Pink Floyd fan I would recommend trying, not just because of it's name but also for the deep malt flavour from roasted barley and a fruity bitterness from Bramling Cross hops.</div>
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Working for Brains brewery, Liz of course was the perfect guide at this event. By the time we hit the Uplands music festival later that evening, I was ready to dance along to an eclectic mix of music as we watched the bands entertain the Swansea crowd.</div>
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Every girl likes a good gossip and yesterday was no exception. On Monday, I found myself being interviewed for an hour in a recording studio in the Mumbles. My visit to Swansea over the Bank Holiday weekend was of course for pleasure. But I was also there to talk about a short story and two poems that I wrote on Liz's <i>'<a href="https://www.mixcloud.com/giggleandgossip/giggle-and-gossip-with-writer-and-illustrator-fiona-duffin-talking-about-the-ironic-fantastic/">Giggle and Gossip</a></i>' chat show for Oystermouth Radio and play a few of my favourite tunes in between, including one by Kate Bush.</div>
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My two poems and short story have been included in the latest <a href="https://www.facebook.com/IronicFantastic">Ironic Fantastic</a> anthology, which showcases the work of emerging and established international absurdist, quirky, unusual, whimsical and ironic fiction writers, illustrators and poets. Series three is edited by the writer and Oulipo poet <a href="http://www.paulobrito.pt/">Paulo Brito</a>, who is based in Portugal.</div>
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I have known Paulo for several years and his enthusiasm towards promoting new writers, illustrators and poets like myself has always shone through. I know that this new anthology collection, like the previous two anthologies, will touch many people both young and old. I hope my friends will enjoy reading it as much as I will.</div>
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The first poem '<i>Am I Stuck Indoors?</i> ' is dedicated to a Sri Lankan cocker spaniel and my second poem needs no introduction, as it was written for my late father, Edward Douglas Duffin. In this poem I have shared some of his experiences, including living in Egypt during the Suez Crisis and Africa as a young man, where he played rugby with Idi Amin. My short story '<i>Sun Dancing In Winter</i>' is a nod towards the birth of the Blues and Rhythm scene in Ealing that emerged in the late 60s and was where music legends like The Who and The Rolling Stones first 'cut it'. Ealing is also where I currently reside and have lived since 1997.
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My '<i>Giggle and Gossip</i>' interview will be aired on Oystermouth Radio on Saturday 30th August, between 5pm and 6pm. It will then be repeated on Sunday 31st August, between 7pm and 8pm. To listen to it log on to <a href="http://tunein.com/">tunein.com</a> and search for Oystermouth Radio, or like the Giggle and Gossip Facebook page and sign up to listen to the interview.</div>
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The Ironic Fantastic series 3 is free and will be released on 7th September. Watch this space for the link to download the anthology, which I will also publish on my Twitter and Facebook pages in September. You can also like The Ironic Fantastic event page on Facebook, which will keep you posted on the latest writers, poets and artists added to the anthology between now and the launch date.</div>
Fiona Duffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16783677023762630073noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-629118810009522471.post-85252648573592853892014-08-17T06:26:00.000-07:002014-08-27T03:55:48.477-07:00Kate Mania Is Going Further Than The Bush<div style="text-align: justify;">
Today the Independent published an article about the pop phenomenon that is Kate Bush. It is not news to me that Kate is a huge influence on contemporary musicians today. From her first appearance in 1978, this mysterious and glamorous beauty first tugged at my musical heart strings through a TV screen in my parent's sitting room. As a little girl with a 'Purdy' haircut, I was captivated by her dance moves and facial expressions used to tell the story of 'Wuthering Heights'.</div>
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Who was this mysterious and glamorous beauty? I wanted to be Kate but I couldn't be her. My hair was blonde and too short to crimp but I did dance around my bedroom trying to recreate those irregular dance moves in front of my mirror, failing badly to hit the high notes that Kate is known for.</div>
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Kate's retreat away from the public eye a year later only added more mystery to her appeal, fueling media and public interest. Every young girl wanted to recreate the 'Glamorous Witch' look, every teenage girl aspired to have long black hair and that arty block fringe. Red lipstick and black eyeliner were an essential part of my make up bag as a teenager.</div>
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As a teenager, I dabbled with different looks, from being a new romantic, to a goth in the mid 80's. Listening to Joy Division and the Bauhaus, Kate still featured high in my record collection. At University my fashion style changed as I emerged as a grungy indie chick but I still found time to fit Kate in between The Stone Roses and Nirvana. With metal magazine Kerrang voting Kate Bush the most beautiful woman in the UK for several years in the late 80's and early 90's, its no wonder Kate influenced my style during my student days, with Annie Lennox and Blondie not far behind. My student days and music cassettes have long gone but Kate is still firmly embedded in a bookcase, among my extensive 1,000+ CD collection.</div>
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At the start of 2014, the rumour became a reality, Kate Bush announced she would be touring in September after 35 years since her last live performance. From the UK, America, through to Australia, my Facebook news feed was over spilling with friends posts about this exciting news. My friend Dom was one of the lucky ones to get through on the phone, getting tickets for himself and his partner on Wednesday 3rd September at Hammersmith Apollo. The good news is, he also got a ticket for me.</div>
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Soon I will be digging out my red lipstick and eyeliner, styling my dark red hair and venturing from my small tiny flat in Hanwell, heading past Shepherd's Bush to finally make one of my dreams come true in Hammersmith. I may not be Kate Bush but in a few weeks time I am finally going to see her.</div>
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But now as a fully grown Kate Bush fan, will I still be able to hit those high notes and perform those irregular dance moves without a mirror in front of me? I'll leave that to the imagination and will let you know after the gig I like to believe is going to be my music event highlight of the year. I may not be the next pop phenomenon but Britain certainly has got a talent, in the name of Kate Bush.</div>
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We must not forget that Kate Bush has not just been a success overnight but over the last three decades. To see her back delighting fans both old and new at the Hammersmith Apollo next month, will definitely be an experience I will remember in years to come.</div>
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<br />Fiona Duffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16783677023762630073noreply@blogger.com2