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#HistFicThursdays - Transforming a Room into Yesteryear

There are so many things we have today which were almost beyond imagination in the past. This has been particularly brought home to me this week as I'm making a few trips to our county town (more than 100 miles away), and because we lost the internet which brings home just home much we use it! Technology certainly has its benefits! In fact, looking around the room (and this is a comparatively old-fashioned room) as I'm writing this, there are so many things we take for granted which would simply not have existed even a couple of hundred years ago. You can, of course, discount anything which uses electricity and, more interestingly, all of the paperback books - of which there are hundreds - and none of the MDF bookcases either. There would have been no photographs, although there may well have been paintings and sketches of the people in them. But it's not just about taking away what is here now. It's also about what we have lost since then. Rooms needed lighting, and th...
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#HistFicThursdays - Things To Inspire - Stories and Storytelling

Can you tell a story?

It's not the same as writing a book. It's not even the same as creating a great plot. Storytelling is a totally separate skill. It is the ability to take words and bring them to life, not only for yourself, but for others. Every word must count, but it should be mesmerising rather than minimalistic.

For the past few months, I've been sharing artefacts which I have collected over years, including the box file of inspirational items, and the special objects and notebook, both of which I was given as presents. Now, I'm challenging you to do the same. Here are five objects you could include in a story...

One: A bamboo and paper parasol

Two: An enamelled snuff box

Three: An ornamental belt buckle

Four: Two gem-encrusted tigers

Five: A wicker birdcage

You can use one or all of these items as prompts. You don't have to write these tales down, but make sure that the story grips it's audience in the ancient art of storytelling. Even more brownie points if you can record yourself telling the story and share it.

Go ahead - bring a tale to life...

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