Jeff Manning: Coder Turned Writer
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The Legend of Mortis Allator
The story of Halloween’s fright has long been lost to time’s sand. The man who came to town had a crow on his shoulder and a pumpkin in hand. His glowing eyes peering from a sheltered head. His long brown cloak smelling of sulphur and dread. It was the 31st of October, and Mortis Allator,…
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What is Love
Love is a door, an opportunity, and a promise.Love is a hand, ready to hold you when you’re lonely.Love is a friendly voice in a silent room.Love is the light when the world is dark.Love is the acceptance of every little quirk.Love is being together, through and through. And even on the bad days, I…
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The Pawn
Perhaps the most underrated piece on the board, invisible to allThe pawn is oft ignored along its trek, save for when it is doubled or undefended.The opening treats the pawn as the thing for the centre, and the thing to move,making room for the back rank, the middle game begins. But though it may not…
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The Addiction.
Hi, my name’s Jeff, and I’m an addict. It’s 24 hours until my next broken commitment. Why answer a question when you can simply kick the can? I know it’s going to catch up eventually, but today I tell you what you want, make you smile, make you lust. Tomorrow I know it’ll be different,…
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The Echo
They say there are two deaths for every person: the first, which happens when they take their last breath and leave this mortal coil. The second is when their name is breathed for the final time. But for many, this is not the only deaths; indeed, there is one more. The moment their mind is…
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The Sock Drawer Murder
When I rolled up to the property, I could already see the door was propped open, and several officers stood outside in a tight circle, one of them making exaggerated gestures with his hands before pausing and causing the others to erupt in a fit of laughter. I shifted my focus to the driveway, where…
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I get it now
When I was young, I would demand for things it didn’t matter how much or how you could get it or even if it was possible I asked for a pet for Dalmatian specifically for Christmas when I came down to see that plush one on top of the gifts instead of a smile, I…
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A Frosty Stillness
It’s six AM as I rise from my bedThe familiar sounds of day have not reached a headOutside a stillness betrays the morninga darkness punctuated by the moon still soaring Tossing on my slippers I head to the kitchenHoping some coffee will stiffle my joins which have stiffenedHere I get my first glimps of the…
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Writing Is a Roller Coaster
Perhaps one thing that I wasn’t prepared for when I started on my writing journey was the roller coaster of emotions that would come with the writing process. I knew it would be hard work, that it would take a long time, and part of me even knew there was a good chance that I…
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Schrodinger’s Life
The thing they don’t prepare you for about when you get that phone call late at night is that your loved one is both alive, and dead in that moment of silence after hello.
Got any book recommendations?