• Café Life is the Colony's main hangout, watering hole and meeting point.

    This is a place where you'll meet and make writing friends, and indulge in stratospherically-elevated wit or barometrically low humour.

    Some Colonists pop in religiously every day before or after work. Others we see here less regularly, but all are equally welcome. Two important grounds rules…

    • Don't give offence
    • Don't take offence

    We now allow political discussion, but strongly suggest it takes place in the Steam Room, which is a private sub-forum within Café Life. It’s only accessible to Full Members.

    You can dismiss this notice by clicking the "x" box

Welcome… I’m New Here! Hello everyone!

Select this prefix to introduce yourself here!
Invest in You. Get Full Membership now.
Hi Tom,

Nice to meet you.

I hope you are settling in and finding your way around.
What sort of stuff do you write?

For info about how to share your writing, check out The Lab Instructions here. Any other questions about The Lab, drop me a line.

Looking forward to reading your work and seeing you around the Colony.

Rachel
(@Sedayne Lab Moderator)
 
Hello Tom and a very warm welcome.

If you need any help getting around the site don't hesitate to get in touch.
 
Invest in You. Get Full Membership now.
Hi Tom,

Nice to meet you.

I hope you are settling in and finding your way around.
What sort of stuff do you write?

For info about how to share your writing, check out The Lab Instructions here. Any other questions about The Lab, drop me a line.

Looking forward to reading your work and seeing you around the Colony.

Rachel
(@Sedayne Lab Moderator)
Hi Rachel,

Many thanks. Nice to meet you too. Yes, I'm still finding my way round the site. I write crime with a paranormal bent and I'm working on some ideas for a horror short story. What sort of stories do you write? Thanks for the heads up about sharing my work. Is there a chance to share blurbs, pitches and tag lines for feedback as well as stories?

Thanks again.

Tom
 
Is there a chance to share blurbs, pitches and tag lines for feedback as well as stories?
Hiya Tom,

Absolutely. You can post all these things and more in the Lab for critique and advice or brainstorming ideas.
As a basic member, you've got full access to the writing lab. You need to contribute five critiques for others before you can upload your own, but this shouldn't be too arduous and doesn't usually take long.

If you decide to upgrade to full membership, you would also be able to bring blurbs, pitches, short pieces, etc to the Huddle to discuss in real time and get expert mentorship from @AgentPete
(Well worth the cost and you get Litopia seminars too.)

What sort of stories do you write?
As for me, I'm querying my first novel, an LGBTQIA+ coming-of-age story set in the 1970s. It's through the help of my fellow Litopians that I've got it in good shape.
And meanwhile, I'm trying my hand at some short stories. There's one in the Lab at the moment if you're interested to take a look ;)
 
Invest in You. Get Full Membership now.
Hiya Tom,

Absolutely. You can post all these things and more in the Lab for critique and advice or brainstorming ideas.
As a basic member, you've got full access to the writing lab. You need to contribute five critiques for others before you can upload your own, but this shouldn't be too arduous and doesn't usually take long.

If you decide to upgrade to full membership, you would also be able to bring blurbs, pitches, short pieces, etc to the Huddle to discuss in real time and get expert mentorship from @AgentPete
(Well worth the cost and you get Litopia seminars too.)


As for me, I'm querying my first novel, an LGBTQIA+ coming-of-age story set in the 1970s. It's through the help of my fellow Litopians that I've got it in good shape.
And meanwhile, I'm trying my hand at some short stories. There's one in the Lab at the moment if you're interested to take a look ;)
Like the sound of your novel. Anything set in the '70s gets my vote.
 
Many thanks for your warm welcome. I'm sure I will enjoy as I've watched some videos of first paragraphs getting feedback which were very insightful. Are you a writer? What sort of stories do you write?
-Tom
Hi Tom. I agree about the feedback thing - it is critical to get strong feedback while we learn to become the writer we've always wanted to be. I feel very grateful to have discovered this group a few years ago: their generous support and brave honesty has been a life-saver for me in terms of my work. I currently having a comedy travel memoir doing the rounds of the agents, and am working on a four-book YA fantasy thingy.
 
Welcome aboard, Tom. Crime with a paranormal bent - I'm intrigued :)

Have you read Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett? That's full-on fantasy with an excellent spin on the Sherlock Holmes type duo.

Or Litopia's own guest on Pop Ups (sadly over now) Peter Laws? His Matt Hunter Creepy crime thrillers are a ride :) His are a crime with paranormal/horror stuff.

 
Last edited:
Hi Rachel,

Many thanks. Nice to meet you too. Yes, I'm still finding my way round the site. I write crime with a paranormal bent and I'm working on some ideas for a horror short story. What sort of stories do you write? Thanks for the heads up about sharing my work. Is there a chance to share blurbs, pitches and tag lines for feedback as well as stories?

Thanks again.

Tom
Absolutely. In fact it's a great way to start in lab. Most of what I do fits under "speculative" so a bit of horror, fantasy, SF. Welcome. Hope to see you at Huddle.
Welcome aboard, Tom. Crime with a paranormal bent - I'm intrigued :)

Have you read Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett? That's full-on fantasy with an excellent spin on the Sherlock Holmes type duo.

Or Litopia's own guest on Pop Ups (sadly over now) Peter Laws? His Matt Hunter Creepy crime thrillers are a ride :) His are a crime with paranormal/horror stuff.


AW. What a blast from the blast. I miss being a geniai.
 
Invest in You. Get Full Membership now.
Back
Top