Richard Douglas
Bio
British writer penning articles, blogs, short stories, plays and novels. Well just the one novel right now...
Seeking representation so, if you're an agent, get in touch. If you're not, then I hope you enjoy what I write anyway.
Stories (15)
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SimCity BuildIt for Beginners
When I first started playing SimCity BuildIt a couple of years ago, I looked around online for tips to speed me towards success in building my own beautiful and thriving city. Sadly, all I found were the same tired old snippets which were of little use to me. So now, as I begin my second city from scratch, I’d like to share some things that might actually be of use to a new player. I'll skip right over the obvious stuff and go straight in with the meaty tips.
By Richard Douglas3 years ago in Gamers
Lost at Sea
Through dense grey fog, a bell tolled for a stranger’s soul. Its heartless note pealing ‘cross the sombre village from westward moors — where spirits darted betwixt gorse and juniper — to the sodden sands of the secluded shore, as the tide turned once more. Momentary silences, a vacuum existing fleetingly between the flat rings of clapper ‘gainst metal, a place for contemplation. Though no sooner had the mind settled than a clank of the bell dislodged it.
By Richard Douglas3 years ago in Horror
Covid comes home to roost
Back in August I started writing about the situation surrounding Covid 19 and never finished. I wrote: The country has been creaking to life for over a month now but is still far from normal. Here in Manchester we've had new restrictions in place for a couple of weeks meaning two households aren't allowed to come together either at home or in a public building. Some venues are only just opening – theatres for example – but are doing so with all manner of precautions and restrictions in place. We ate at a restaurant for the first time the week before last – Croma our regular haunt – which was nice but again a weird experience. The staff, many of which we know, were all in masks; we weren't supposed to be with someone who wasn't in our household so we said that our guest was a lodger; and tables had been removed. We'd been to a pub a couple of weeks before that.
By Richard Douglas5 years ago in The Swamp
Phwoar! Look at that specimen!
In January 2020 I decided I wanted to lose some weight so I fired up an app on my phone, began religiously recording every calorie I consumed and made an effort to have a deficit of about 500 calories a day from the 2,500 recommended limit. It was miserable.
By Richard Douglas5 years ago in Longevity
Gucci Loafer Under The Couch
"Okay honey, so, when you hear your name, walk across the stage, the hostess will talk to you, then get into the shower, pull the handle up and the water will come on," he explained. "Make sure you're good and wet all over then get out of the shower, walk to the middle of the stage and dance your ass off!"
By Richard Douglas6 years ago in Filthy
Shagging in the Lilies
I've started avoiding the news. The hysteria this week over a certain government adviser has reached such a frenzy that I can't bear it any longer. Thankfully I'd booked the week off work and as the weather has been glorious I've been able to spend a lot of time outside in the garden.
By Richard Douglas6 years ago in Humans
San Francisco on my mind
Chris and I spent Saturday afternoon painting the walls at the back of our house. The old red brick now brightened up with the Alpine Blue masonry paint which took five weeks to travel from Darwen to Altrincham and finally to us. We're getting lots of jobs done during the lockdown, jobs which might have still been ideas if we weren't restricted to internet shopping and staying at home. I've never seen the cutlery drawers so neat before.
By Richard Douglas6 years ago in Wander
Returning to Manchester Arena
Manchester Arena opened its doors in 1995. It's been through a number of incarnations and to my knowledge had four different names as sponsors have come and gone. In the twenty plus years since its launch, the arena has been host to thousands of the superstar names in the entertainment industry.
By Richard Douglas8 years ago in Beat
