29 Comments
May 7Liked by Bridget Riley

It must be tough being Judith, the character is continually struggling to come to terms with the conflicting feelings of what is rational and supernatural and I like that. Glad I am able to keep up. Thank you for sharing this.

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May 5Liked by Bridget Riley

I loved the payoff of getting to see some ghosts…er place memories. i’m hooked on judith!

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Apr 27Liked by Bridget Riley

Hi Bridget, just a quick note to say I'm enjoying Down in the Holler very much. Keep it up. Thanks, Jim

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author

Thank you so much, Jim! I’m glad you’re enjoying it, and I appreciate you making time to read it!

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Scary. Except I think the living ones were more scary than the apparition... It's definitely scary enough to get me subscribing, that's for sure!

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author

Thank you! There are definitely some characters in here who are scarier/more menacing than the apparition.

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I'm really looking forward to reading the rest of it. I was also thinking, like with S.E. Reid's Freelance & Fishmaids, that these serialisations would make a fantastic TV show - especially when both of you have such engaging lead characters. With both yours and hers I do end up feeling like I'm 'watching' the whole thing - and that's the marker of really great writing. It took me a while but I now try and do this all the time with my own writing - kind of 'seeing' the whole thing in my head as if it's a film and then simply copying what the dialogue happens to be. It's almost like automatic writing with dissociated voices in the head type thing! So it all comes across as quite cinematic. I did a little online introduction to screenwriting course several years ago and I think that was really made the difference.

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author

Being compared to S.E. Reid makes my heart so happy - thank you!

I do tend to see stories as movies in my head first, and with certain stories I’ll spend quite a while daydreaming scenes and characters before I ever write anything down. I hadn’t thought of it as being like automatic writing before, but that’s fascinating!

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In that case, your writing method is just the same as mine - I probably spend more time daydreaming/meditating it first than the actual writing! It definitely helps to get the continuity right, seeing as you can just go back in your head and go down a different path... I would say it also kind of trains the brain such that when you finally sit down and write it's almost fully formed, so it flows organically. Hopefully, anyhow...

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author

I definitely agree! When I give myself space to daydream and really make the story flow organically in my head, it makes the actual outlining and writing process much smoother, even with all the bumps that naturally come with the territory.

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This is great—super atmospheric. The pacing is on point, and I love the concept of a science-driven psychic.

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author

Thank you so much!

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I got chills when Autumn showed up! Great second installment.

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I love the imagery in this. "leaf corpses". Lovely.

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author

Thank you!

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Liking this more and more! Great pacing and mood. Love the way Judith overlays the visions with scientific approach. She’s a great character and this is running along smoothly!

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author

Thank you! I’ve been having a ton of fun with Judith.

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That’s it’s own reward, isn’t it? I’m in for the ride. Taking my time so I don’t catch up too quickly!

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May 12Liked by Bridget Riley

Bloody hell. This is great.

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author

Thank you!

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This is such a great spin on the psychic concept - the way she is so analytical and data driven. And I loved this line: "But it was layered with her own preconceptions, emotions, worldview, mood – a complex web of filters that snatched away certainty." It's about her understanding of her "gift," but it's also about how people process any experience. Fantastic.

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author

Thank you!

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Ooh. Ooh. Oooooooh.

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Aagh! I want more! I’m enthralled with this.

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author

Yay! Thank you!!

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Apr 28Liked by Bridget Riley

GIRL! This is amazing!! Spooky, immersive, engaging. Can’t wait for the next installment!

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author

Thank you so much, Sara!!

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I love the sense of place, as well as the sharply drawn characters!

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author

Thank you!

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