Harrogate Writers Circle members enjoy a manuscript evening

Our meeting of 1st Oct 2025 was a manuscript evening.

There were no acceptances this meeting. First to read was Denise with a short piece “Going Underground” which told of Claude walking down the underpass as he meets a child playing, twisting sticks, making patterns in the fallen leaves. She is called over by a woman clinging to a stove to keep warm. There are several families in the underpass and Claude hears a mixture of languages echoing round the underground world. He raises his hand in greeting to the woman then rushes off to his shift at the restaurant. Claude notices the change in menu choices as the customers select food in line with the oncoming of winter. He gets to carry a cake to a birthday table as the organ rings out the chords of happy birthday. Claude cuts the birthday cake and watches the birthday girl take a piece of the cake then abandons it as she reaches for the birthday presents she is eager to unwrap. Claude takes away the cake, but before discarding it into the waste bin he looks around to make sure he is not observed and wraps a piece of the cake in a serviette. When he leaves he takes the wrapped cake in his pocket and heads to the underpass where he reencounters the young girl, snuggling up to hide from the cold. He places the package next to the young girl's head and whispers “Enjoy it Nikita”.

Peter then read a story with theme Frenemies called “Friends to the end.” This told of two people, Michael and the narrator, who become friends while at school but are from different side of the tracks. Nevertheless their friendship blossoms until Michael's cousin arrives on the scene and the narrator is entranced but then finds he has broken some unwritten law and becomes involved in a duel.

Joan then read “Shopping Yesterday” This was a detailed discussion of the way commerce was organised in days gone by. This included shops with personal service rather than a large supermarket and a variety of cheeses which are not seen today. Fresh fish were presented on the counters, many species which are no longer seen. It was suggested that this piece could be sent in to “Best of Britain”

The members then had a discussion about Cosy fantasy and romanticy which are both genres which are on the up.

Our next meeting on 15th October is a Flash Fiction evening with a Halloween theme.

Details of our programme can be found online at https://harrogatewriterscircle.weebly.com. If you want to improve your writing then why don't you pop into the next meeting.