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The DNA of Stories

Ideas and first drafts with a bit of analysis from time to time

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an older woman in the plain brown robes sitting in a comfortable chair by a cosy fire in a stone hearth. A wet cloak hangs nearby. She looks tired but content. Ideogram image

The Last Teashop – The Nun

On October 18, 2026October 10, 2026 By Kat RedfernIn Story, The Last TeashopLeave a comment

Another visitor to The Last Teashop. I am back to drizzle as my constant companion and I’m glad this house is well-built, with a slate roof rather than thatch. It’s irrational but I have this belief that all this rain would not only have finally, somehow, made it through the bulk of a thatched roof …

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Cinematic photo of a large English village green with a pond in the middle, with ducks and two swans paddling in it. A group of five horses, ridden by older women walk along a narrow dirt track on the edge of the green, parallel to the road, with houses on the other side Ideogram image

Familiar place, new eyes

On October 11, 2026September 11, 2026 By Kat RedfernIn 10 Minute Sprints, StoryLeave a comment

This was an exercise to describe somewhere very familiar to me through the eyes of someone who'd never seen it before. (For the record, in reference to the image, I've yet to see a village green with mowing lines on the grass) Walking along the high street, Debra took a left turn into a short, …

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cinematic photo fantasy road, broad and well-travelled, with forest on one side and fields bounded by drystone walls on the other. Ideogram image

Selling Timber

On October 4, 2026September 11, 2026 By Kat RedfernIn Story, ThrushbeardLeave a comment

The evening proved surprisingly merry. Astrid and Will carried news from across Clearfall, they’d travelled widely in the preceding months, yet managed to draw stories of Woodbine and its inhabitants from all three of them. Eleanor had never seen Martha so animated and eloquent. She told her tales well, with sharp observations of her neighbours’ …

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Photo of a small group of worried-looking women, with green priestess robes over casual modern clothing, standing outside a wood cabin on a small hill in a forest clearing, with a dirt road leading in, talking to a bored-looking man in the doorway of the cabin Ideogram image

Seventh

On September 27, 2026September 11, 2026 By Kat RedfernIn 10 Minute Sprints, StoryLeave a comment

“You are the seventh son of a seventh son. You are the chosen paladin of the Green Goddess!” The woman finished her oration, which had involved far too much questionable history for Gabe’s patience and looked at him triumphantly. Gabe sighed and rubbed his brow. “Does this one at least pay?” “What?” “We’re pretty low …

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photorealistic picture of a fantasy cottage kitchen, spacious yet cosy, with stone walls and beams formed of living tree roots. At the large, well-used table in the middle, two well-dressed noble young ladies are sitting. The blonde one is perched on the edge of her chair, looking uncomfortable, the other has dark brown hair and is sitting comfortably with her elbows on the table Ideogram image

The Witch Under the Hill – Part 2

On September 20, 2026September 11, 2026 By Kat RedfernIn One Day at a Thyme, StoryLeave a comment

Lillabelle looked around with much the same expression as she’d had when Evander had dragged them to a slum area of Starsong’s capital city as part of some scheme of his mother’s to improve the place. She placed a fine, lace edged handkerchief on the seat of one of the chairs and perched on it, …

Continue reading The Witch Under the Hill – Part 2

A cinematic photo of a cat asleep in a sunny spot on the windowsill of a sitting room, with pot plants on either side of her Ideogram image

Bronze

On September 20, 2026September 11, 2026 By Kat RedfernIn 10 Minute Sprints, StoryLeave a comment

It was fine, really, Miranda was perfectly happy to stay at home, perfectly happy to keep the plants watered and the cat company while Mum and Dad went snorkelling in the Maldives, and Patrick posted photos on social of him in the arms of a bronzed Aussie surf god in Sydney. She liked being at …

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An annoyed-looking dragon trying to fit into a too-small cave in a mountain clearing. There is gold piled up both inside and outside the cave Ideogram image

A Dragon’s Yelp Review

On September 13, 2026August 4, 2026 By Kat RedfernIn Story, Writing ExercisesLeave a comment

1/5 Stars Call that a cave? I’ve seen larger rabbit holes I have to admit, I visited this cave with very low expectations, and yet it managed to underwhelm in every regard. First, a cave should be large enough to fit into, and by ‘fit’ I mean be capable of accommodating a decent-sized dragon, with …

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Over the shoulder photograph of a young woman in the narrow front hall of a house, the wooden front door at one end of it is closed and she has her hand on the door handle, ready to open it and leave Ideogram image

Skip

On September 6, 2026August 4, 2026 By Kat RedfernIn 10 Minute Sprints, StoryLeave a comment

“It’s not healthy to skip meals.” “I’m not skipping, Grams, I’m meeting my friends for lunch.” Alison paused with her hand on the door handle but didn’t turn around. She’d been so, so close to getting out without being noticed. She saw Tim standing half behind Grams in the reflection of the window by the …

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Cinematic fantasy photo of the inside of a square stone building with narrow windows, a battered old table, tree stumps for chairs and a pallet with blankets on a small platform in one corner. At the back is a cosy hearth with a warm fire and a tea kettle hanging over it, steam wafting from the spout Ideogram image

A Highfells Reputation

On August 30, 2026August 4, 2026 By Kat RedfernIn Story, ThrushbeardLeave a comment

She looked at Evan. “Go ahead, my husband will meet you at the junction. Your girls are safe enough with me.” Evan looked to Martha, and back to the woman, then nodded. “I’ll go, but we’ll need to be on our way soon to make the farm before dark.” The woman looked amused. “You aren’t …

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Cinematic photo of an angry old man sitting at the head of a boardroom table, yelling at the mobile phone he's holding in front of him. The other people in the room are silent and nervous Ideogram image

Trace

On August 23, 2026August 4, 2026 By Kat RedfernIn 10 Minute Sprints, StoryLeave a comment

“How could the sole heiress to the SpinLink Corporation just disappear without a trace?” Jaxon hoped Mr Windman’s question was rhetorical, because he didn’t have an answer. The older man glared around the room, full of silent, stressed, subordinates, all wondering the same thing. The only thing that could be said for sure what that …

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Sackcloth and Sky by Kat Redfern
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