I'm a writer, singer and volunteer living in Manchester. 

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I write crime novels, women's fiction, poetry, short stories and flash fiction.

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Here's a Globe Soup winning flash story based on conversations with my wonderful great nephew.

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Joe and his Annoying Aunt on his birthday

 

Two-year-old Joe touches a fruit and splutters, ‘Onge.’ 

‘Well done.’ His aunt smiles.

 

He’s three when she asks, ‘What’s that?’ 

‘Orange.’

He’s learning.

 

At four his aunt asks, ‘What rhymes with orange?’ 

Joe sings, ‘Borange, smorange, horange.’ 

‘Clever boy.’

 

When he’s five. ‘What rhymes with orange?’ 

‘Nothing rhymes with orange.’ 

 

At six. ‘What rhymes with orange?’ 

‘Will you stop asking this stupid question. Every birthday you do it. It’s annoying. Orange has no rhyme. OK?’

 

At seven. ‘What rhymes with orange?’ 

‘Sporange. An old botanical term for the structure where spores are produced.’

Smug.

Bloody Internet.

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