Musings from Stocksbridge

Welcome to our reading, writing, and musings page, where we celebrate the beauty of language, the power of storytelling, and the joy of creative expression. Here, we explore the many facets of the written word, from the art of storytelling to the craft of writing, and the myriad ways in which literature can inspire, inform, and transform our lives.

Through a variety of mediums, including essays, poetry, book reviews, and personal reflections, we aim to create a community that values the written word and embraces the power of self-expression. Whether you're an avid reader, a seasoned writer, or simply someone who enjoys the beauty of language, we invite you to join us on this journey of discovery and exploration.

AI - What the Future Holds ?

The future is here, the future is bright. There’s no need to learn for exams, no need for authors to write. All we must do is chat to your phone and it’ll spew out another groundbreaking novel. School kids only need to ask the laptop to complete their assignments. Minutes later the piece on Alexander […]

House of the Experience

I can remember vividly the first time I visited Rameshi's House of Experience. It was a hazy, sultry summer afternoon, the sort that makes you not want to expend much energy. It was a day for taking it easy, not rushing anywhere. A smell of coffee and freshly baked bread wafted over from the bakery […]

Woody The Lost Years

‘Howday partner’ ‘Reach for the Stars’ ‘There’s a snake in my boots’ That’s what you expect me to say isn’t it? The standard phrases that spew out of my mouth giving you familiarity throughout all the films we made. Not sure what we’re up to right now, is it three or four? To be honest […]

Dragon - Powered by Imagination

The clock glared at me menacingly as we stood waiting on the station. The train for Whitby was running late, again. How I wish we’d rushed to catch the earlier train, but then I was too lazy to get up. The wind howled down the platform. It was chilly even for late October, yet the […]

The Land of Eckythump

In the land of Eckythump, there is the small town of Fantasia Falls, there lived a peculiar inventor named Hiram B. Tekenzeemiken. He was known for his wild vivid imagination and unconventional creations. One sunny morning, while tinkering away in his cluttered workshop, Hiram had a brilliant idea that would change the way people saw […]

Brush with Royalty

Royal events do not really thrill me. I could go on for hours how the royal family shouldn’t be in the privileged position that they are now, but I won’t. Usually, it means that they’ll be a concert around Buckingham Palace and Brian May playing God Save The Queen, and not the Sex Pistols version. […]

Genesis Top Ten Tracks ?

My love of Genesis goes back a fair few years, well to hearing Nursery Chryme in the school music room in around 1975. To this day I still love that album. It showed me this wonderful world that was Genesis. I was lucky to see Genesis a fair few times over the years. The first […]

Telling Stories in Music

We all know there're more ways than just a plain novel to get our stories across to the audience. There’s picture, cartoons, poetry and plays to mention just a few. One of the oldest ways of telling stories though was through music. Songs handed down through the generations telling of historical events. Songs that told […]

E-books, a Heresy?

I prefer to read eBooks rather than physical books. There I’ve said it. To some what I’ve stated is heresy and would have me burned at the stake, but I can’t get over that it’s the way I now read most of my books these days. A few years ago, I never dreamt that I’d […]

The Power of Words

Words are the most powerful weapon we have on this planet. Used correctly they can change the world we live in. Dictatorships and governments, who want to control their citizens, limit the words they receive from the world with an iron fist. They censor, ban or call them out as fake to stop ideas getting […]

The Original Football Manager

For years, I’ve been playing football management games in one form or another. I know I’m not the only one who getting sucked into the world of management games but sometimes it feels like a drug. One that makes you spend hours tinkering with tactics, team formations. Spending hours building the perfect team that’ll win […]

Would you buy your own book to get it into the book charts?

Would you buy your own book to get it into the charts? I'm not sure it's something I ever thought about before, but Mark Dawson, author of The Cleaner, has done just that. The story in the Guardian (link) prompted me to think about whether I'd do just that. Could I put my own money […]

Townscaper

I was hooked with the first click of the mouse. It's so simple to put together a village or town and it looks so gorgeous. Left click build, right click remove. Within minutes I'm sat marvelling at the houses I'm creating. Certain clicks bring you arches, hidden gardens and much more. It's all procedurally generated, […]

Books and Films

I guess this argument has been going on as long as filmmakers used books for their productions. Which is best, films or the medium that are based, books. In a way it's easy for us to say books. As writers and readers, that medium is the one we turn to first. Films can never be […]

Celebrity Authors Good or Bad ?

Celebrity authors have been around for years. They've always been just about tolerated, but now they're seen as a threat to the publishing world. Their books constantly top the book charts, and their products are the first you see in Waterstones. However, is the product they produce worth the adulation that some get? You only […]