Tuesday 11 August 2009

The Little Dog from Nowhere





I have a story in the September issue of Fiction Feast called The Little Dog From Nowhere.

I thought you might be interested to see the picture that inspired the story.

This picture was taken by the photographer from our local paper who was a family friend. He was there to take photographs of a car some people had driven down the boat ramp onto the beach.

They were warned not to, but chose to ignore the advice.

They drove onto the mud and the car got stuck!

I was off school recovering from chicken pox and I sat on the prom watching the tide come in around the car.

Years later when I was looking through my mum’s photos, I found this one and we all remarked on the likeness of the little dog that befriended me to our Tilly. It’s not a great likeness, but it gave me a shiver all the same.

Here is my own little Dog from Nowhere (except I know where she came from and where she’d been in the 8 months before she came to me). What I don’t know is what shaped her into the complicated little person she is – all I know is that I’m glad I have her.







21 comments:

  1. Well done on the story publication! Love the photo of you sitting on the prom!

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  2. Ha! The genius of the human race is right there on the beach ;) Congrats on the publication!

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  3. How sooopah re the publication! Doggies, great wee things that grab yer heart. I love my two with a passion. Your furbaby looks like a wee darlin'.

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  4. What a wonderful photograph and fantastic story - it made me want to cry when I read it. It was such a moving story.

    Julie xx

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  5. There's just something about black and white photographs, isn't there? They somehow evoke more emotions.

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  6. Love the picture, Teresa. Do you think it might have been take with a Box Brownie camera? We had one when I was a child. I loved those old black and white photographs, there's just something about them.

    I'll be sure to pick up a copy of September's Fiction Feast.

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  7. Can't wait to read the story Teresa. What a lovely title - and a beautiful photo.
    x

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  8. Thank you, Sue.

    Yes, genius, Lacey! Knew they could drive onto the beach and off again – hah! “We know what our car is capable of!” types ignoring the “We know what our beach is capable of!” locals!!

    MOB – furbaby! I love it! That’s just what she is!

    Oh Julie, thank you!

    I love black & white photos, Juliet. As you say, very evocative!

    It was taken by the photographer from the local paper, Lynette. It’s not the one that went in the paper though!!

    Thank you, Olivia. They used my own title which is unusual!

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  9. Love the pic and how fab that you made it into a story. Cute dog, too. I think she'd get on well with Lillie :-)

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  10. Read and really enjoyed the story, Teresa. am always interested to know where the inspiration for a particular story came from. And the black and white pic has such a nostalgic feel to it!

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  11. Loved the story, Teresa. And both the photos are lovely.

    X

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  12. Thank you Tam. Tilly and Lillie - they'd even sound good!!

    Thank you Geri! I think I may dig out more black and white pics!

    Thank you, Suzanne.

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  13. Lovely story, Teresa, and how interesting to hear about the inspiration.
    As our stories were next to each other in the mag, do you think they were happening at opposite ends of the same beach? I'll give you a fictional wave if I'm ever mentally down that way again, just in case!

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  14. I'll be sure to read the story, Teresa. Your dog stories often make me cry as I am a "dog-person" too. Right now I'm crying with frustration at yet AGAIN not making it with TAB (just had latest rejection). Really not sure what I have to do to please Nora. I'm not moaning - I'm just baffled! Anyway I look forward to reading your piece as always. Love the pics of your dogs - keep them coming!

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  15. I loved your story, Bernadette. I really identified with it and I was there on that beach skimming stones (not that I'm any good at it!)

    Sorry about the return Lydia - I had five in the past week from them (and the postie hasn't been yet today!) and I know others have had them too. All I can say is keep trying.

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  16. And I had four, Lydia. As Teresa says, just keep trying.

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  17. Five???? How many stories do you write over a period of a fortnight, Teresa, as a matter of interest, if you have had so many returned - and presumably a few accepted/ It takes me about five days to write an episode of a serial and usually about 7 days to write one of those long ones, like the one in this month's FF. I can write a 1000 or 2000 worder in about 3-5 days but for me that's quite unusual.

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  18. It’s hard to say, Geri. It all depends how much time I have to write and how knackered I am when I get to my desk in the evenings.

    It usually comes out about 8 to 10 a month and I try to include one longer length one in the mix.

    From memory I think it probably used to take me about the same as you to write a serial episode.

    I have four other works in progress (nothing to do with magazines) that I’m gradually getting on with. I try (but don’t always succeed) to do a bit on one or other of them every day.

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  19. 8 to 10 is a lot! You obviously have a lot of stamina to keep going in the evening after a long day with the grandchilden - though I expect writing comes as restful solace after being at others' beck and call throughout the day. I'm afraid all I do of evening is slump in front of the telly.

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  20. The daft thing is, Geri, when my own kids were little and I had less time I used to write a great deal more than I do now. I used to write about six a week (oh my poor neglected offspring)
    And all too often in the evenings I think oh bugger it and give myself the night off - far too often!

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  21. 8 to 10 - now I'm really in awe! That makes me feel really inadequate - if I manage that many per month I'm patting myself on the back! Thanks for the encouragement re:TAB everyone - I'll keep plugging away!

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