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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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Tag: contemporary

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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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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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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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 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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A close-up photograph of a phone sitting on a coffee table in a comfortable sitting room. The phone screen shows 10 missed calls and 15 unread message notifications. Ideogram and Gemini

Credit

On July 12, 2026June 21, 2026 By Kat RedfernIn 10 Minute Sprints, StoryLeave a comment

“And yet again, I do all the work, and Janice takes all the credit.” Maya slumped onto the battered sofa and took a swig from her can of beer. Dylan was not sympathetic. “I’ve told you a million times, either don’t do the work, or make it so she can’t take the credit.” “Oooorrrrr,” Maya …

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photo of a man shopping at a London street stall. The stall is run by a rough but honest-looking trader, and sells trinkets such as antique snuff and jewellery boxes, pewter mugs and pocket watches Ideogram image edited in ChatGPT

Quality

On June 14, 2026May 2, 2026 By Kat RedfernIn 10 Minute Sprints, StoryLeave a comment

 “Well it’s quality innit? You can see just by lookin.”   The stallholder wasn’t wrong, the little silver snuff box was a high quality piece, but it was also ugly as sin. Deliberately so, if Jerry was any judge, whoever made the box had either actively disliked the person they were making it for, or the …

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A woman mixing a chocolate cake in a large, comfortable, modern kitchen, two tall young men, around 16 years old, are standing nearby looking interested Ideogram image

Mixture

On May 31, 2026April 25, 2026 By Kat RedfernIn 10 Minute Sprints, Point of View, StoryLeave a comment

The mixture looked disgusting and smelled amazing.  “What are you making?”  Gretchen smiled as her teenage stepsons ambled into the kitchen. Trust them to follow their noses to food. “It’s some sort of chocolate cake recipe your Aunt Marcia suggested I try.”  She looked down at the mess in the mixing bowl. “Unless baking makes …

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a country road at sunset, with a sudden dip, then swerve alongside undergrowth and a large stream Ideogram image

Dip

On April 5, 2026March 16, 2026 By Kat RedfernIn 10 Minute Sprints, StoryLeave a comment

It was the dip that did it, it always was. The dip in the road just beyond the Mitchells’ place, the one all the locals knew to watch out for, the one that all but disappeared when the setting sun fell just so and the road before and after stretched out in a smooth, level …

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a beautiful, detailed illustration from a children's book of a mother bear and baby bear curled up together, sleeping, in a warm cave while a storm rages outside Ideogram image

Active

On March 8, 2026February 14, 2026 By Kat RedfernIn 10 Minute Sprints, StoryLeave a comment

James had known kids, especially little boys, were active, but in the way he knew crocodiles were dangerous without ever actually encountering one. Now he was not only encountering a young boy, he was supposedly parenting the poor kid. Although, maybe typhoon would be a better descriptor, one that merged with a tsunami at bath …

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