Where Facts and Fiction Fuse

Publishing a 'Daily' - and Today's Find

2011-09-17T14:52:00.000-07:00

‘The Marit Meredith Daily’ – how pretentious does that sound? It’s not meant to be, and it very rarely contains anything that I have written. It’s published by paper.li and although not of Twitter, it’s closely linked. Each daily edition (or weekly/fortnightly/monthly – whichever one you should wish to go for) is tweeted to your followers, and all the articles in the ‘paper’ itself are drawn from – or via - people you follow on Twitter. Very often, followers re-tweet, so that the paper reaches even wider audiences, which is good publicity for those having their articles/blog posts published. I have wondered how to get my own posts in – especially when spotlighting on The Pages and Friends blog http://www.thepagesandfriends.blogspot.com/ – but I think it boils down to luck – and the number of times other tweeters re-tweet.

I don’t spend much time on Twitter itself – lack of time and inclination, I’m afraid – but I do like to keep up with what is going on in the world of writing and publishing in particular – and here I have my very own, almost tailor-made, Daily Paper. Instead of picking through the tweets for some tasty morsels, I can click the link in my subscriber’s e-mail and hey presto, pages of interesting articles on my screen. True, some are repeated a few times, but I can live with that.

Today’s find was in The David Robinson Daily, and it was the great cover for the children’s book A Leap of Faith, by Richard Hardie, that drew my attention. The cover is by Tracey Tucker at http://www.brownlovesblue.com/ It’s a great example of a cover drawing the reader in. To learn more about the book, go to the author’s website http://www.rhardie.com/ The book is available as an e-book for now, at his publisher’s website http://www.46s.biz/

It’s a children’s book, and first in a series, but that is not going to stop me buying a copy for Kindle.

I wonder how much she would charge for a cover design? Any good at drawing dragons, Tracey?

I haven’t really got much time for reading at the moment, but being a bookworm I steal time where I can. With an operation on my right hand – my writing hand – looming, I’m trying to finish two manuscripts - one children's story - and a novel.
My pre-op assessment is next week, so I might just have a couple of weeks to get on with it – and as , I have a very busy family life – that means writing in the early morning, RA allowing, and in the evening. Tomorrow is going to be busy. I’ll be cooking for 9, I think. Better get a few words of the novel committed to the page before bed.
After I've bought a copy of Leap of Faith, that is.

Peggy Larkin's War by Trevor Forest

2011-04-14T13:34:00.000-07:00

You may wonder why there are two versions of the cover of Peggy Larkin's War in the sidebar. The simple answer to that is that you can now buy this excellent tale in paperback version from Lulu by just clicking on the paperback version image.
While the Kindle version is very good, I have a thing about being able to hold a book to read it, and to be able to wrap it up to give it as a present. My eldest granddaughter turns 9 in a couple of weeks, and she will be receiving a copy in with her other presents.
Peggy Larkin is a loveable character, and her adventures a journey into a childhood past that the children today can only read about. To learn what it was like through Peggy's adventures is in my opinion the best way to learn (without realising it). The children who are fortunate enough to get this paperback to read, will be wanting a follow-up. As will us adult readers. Trevor - you have been warned!

£3.99 for the 120pp paperback version, and worth every penny. For the month of April, postage is free, so take advatage of it and quote: APRILMAILUK305

'Yesterday' Anthology Update

2011-04-03T10:35:00.000-07:00

The collection of short stories and poems drawn from the first annual short story and poetry competition run by The Pages eZine/magazine, was published as paperback and download - £2.50 and 99p respectively - through Lulu yesterday.

The stories and poems are very varied, and a great read, and the cover illustration stunning. Thank you to Meg Kingston for allowing us to use it, and a big thank you to all the contributors - who came from far and wide: Wales, England, France, Spain, Italy, Bangladesh, Thailand and Australia: a global effort!

Proceeds will go to the Ty Hafan Children's Hospice in Wales - either via Meg Kingston's Just Giving page, or direct.

'Tŷ Hafan offers comfort, care and support for life-limited children and young people and is dedicated to improving the quality of life of their whole family.'

http://www.tyhafan.org/

'Yesterday' the Anthology

2011-03-31T07:05:00.000-07:00

A little preview of the image we're using for the cover. Art work by Jane Kalaiti, with kind permission from Meg Kingston who commissioned it. It illustrates the winning story 'Dragon Bridge', by Meg, beautifully. I just have to make sure the title doesn't become too obtrusive.

The galley is ready for a final proof reading, and I'm awaiting confirmation of details from the charity 'Homeless Child', as I have decided that any proceeds will go to them, towards their program A Brighter Future:

Children living on the street in the slums of Rio are faced with extreme violence, sexual exploitation, dire poverty and an ever increasing crack epidemic that kills every addicted child within 6-8 months. Our projects give these children a chance for a home, an education, love and a future.

(Quoted from their website)

The anthology is the result of the first annual competition run by our magazine, The Pages eZine, and the contributors make up an international crowd.
Watch this space for more news.

Back to The Diary of a Would-Be-Protagonist

2011-03-29T10:35:00.000-07:00

The manuscript has been languishing for a while - but the character never leaves go - and now seems as good a time as any to release him into the world. It won't be everyone's cup of tea, but when I first aired it on Authonomy it did get some good reviews, so I'm being brave and risking it.
I just need a bit of time to rewrite, update and fix errors. I hadn't expected to find so many. As for exclamation marks - where did they all come from? The red pen is getting good use.

On being brave, I swallowed my fear and contacted the Hubble organisation to ask permission to use one of their images for the cover, so watch this space, while the Would-Be-Protagonist travels through space - and time.

Why now? I spotted the article about Creationism, by Tony Leather, in my own 'Daily' (strange how hard it is to get into your own paper, by the way), and I have my own views - or perhaps I should say that the Would-Be-Protagonist has. There might even be a possible point where the two can meet. Well, the character thinks it's worth showing some alternatives.

Me? I'm just the alter ego in the story. Not his, but that of the virtual writer, the alias Anna.

WA Anthology 2011 Call for Submissions

2011-03-25T03:24:00.000-07:00

FOREIGN FLAVOURS ANTHOLOGY 2011

We are seeking submissions of short stories and non-fiction pieces on the general theme of food, drink and cooking from around the world. This year Writers Abroad will be donating any profits made to The Book Bus charity. Well-known author, Alexander McCall Smith, will be writing the foreword for the Anthology. To see our first Anthology (2010) see our Books Page
Title: Foreign Flavours
Genre:Short Stories and Non-Fiction
Theme: Food, drink and cooking - around the world.
Contributions: Expat writers, or those writers who have been an expat at some time or another
Word Count: Fiction – up to 1700 words (flash fiction is welcome) Non-Fiction – up to 1000 words
Submissions and Entry Rules:
● All submissions must be previously unpublished
● Submissions should be received by midnight Friday 9th September 2011
● Submissions must be in English
● References to pornography or racism will not be accepted
● Manuscripts must be submitted via the link at http://www.writersabroad.com/foreignflavours-
submissions.htm

The approximate word count should be inserted at the end of the submission
● Author name and title of the story or non-fiction piece should be placed in the left header of the document and page numbers in the right footer
● Manuscripts should be presented with double spacing and Times New Roman Font size 12.
● Queries only can be made via the contact button on the Submissions page
● Entries are free, only one entry per author, plus a short bio of 30 words
● Successful authors will be informed within two weeks of the closing date
● It will not be possible to provide feedback on submissions but successful stories will be edited and authors may be required to undertake minor changes for publication purposes.
● Copyright will remain with the author and the stories will be published in an anthology in a number of formats.
● All proceeds from publication will be donated to the chosen charity.
http://www.writersabroad.com/foreign-flavours-submissions.htm
All Submissions will be via Submishmash where you will be required to set up a username and password and will be able to track your submission. Please click on the icon on the submission page on the website (link above) to be taken to the Submissions Page on Submishmash. There's also an email link there for any queries.

Judging a Book by Its Cover

2011-03-22T17:08:00.000-07:00

The saying goes that we're not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but the fact is that we do.

A post by David Robinson the other day, on the importance of the image we use for our headers for our blogs, happened to be posted the same day that I unearthed a cutting squirreled away in one of my folders. The cutting contained a reader’s letter I had published some time ago (that would be 12 years ago, to be precise) in Writers News, and David’s post prompted me to write this one. I think it’s still as apt today. The letter was in reply to an ‘almost-dismissal’ of the importance of the cover in self published books.

I have had the pleasure of being the go-between between a writer and an artist this week, and I think the cover for Trevor Forest’s children’s book ‘Peggy Larkin’s War’, painted by Marie Fullerton, aptly illustrates the point I make in my letter (some of which is copied out below). ‘Shambelurkling and Other Stories’ with the cover illustration by Paul Townend is another example. Likewise David Robinson’s scary-looking covers for his ‘Stasis’ books Coldmor and The Dead Web gives an indication of what to expect when you read the content.

You’ll find images of the covers for both Peggy Larkin’s War and Shambelurkling on this blog, with David’s cover-images at the end of this post.

‘…what ought to be the inherent in a good design should be an illustration which, together with the blurb or alone, will draw the potential reader in, hinting at the content of the book and thus setting the scene in the reader’s mind, allowing for the text to be desired to be read even before commencing to read the book itself… Too often the content of a book may be overlooked because of a less than interesting cover.’

(It still happens, although not so often.)

‘… The design of any cover/jacket should be complementary to the content, and content and design form a harmonious whole.’

Well, that’s the important parts of the letter. If it sounds a bit like it’s taken from an essay, I’ve got a good excuse. I was a postgraduate student at the time and I was also doing some part time work as a tutor on a degree course. I remember adding that it might be a good idea to contact course leaders in art colleges to see if students would like the job of illustrating for 'hands-on-experience' - or something to that effect (it's how I got my first design job), but that bit was edited out. Pity.

Peggy Larkin's War by Trevor Forest

2011-03-20T14:04:00.000-07:00

Peggy Larkin' War is a wonderful story. Travel with Peggy and you will be in for a tale of not only what it was like for children evacuated during the war (ww2), but with mysteries to boot - and not the kind you would expect. Peggy's a brave, quick-witted little girl and she and her friend Alfie makes a good team. Well, I'm saying no more... you will have to buy the book. I promise you an excellent read! And yes, I know it's a children's book, but don't let that stop you. An excellent story that pulls us along with it, and begs for a sequel.

Trevor has a knack of writing from a child's point of view, making us believe that Peggy is a real little girl - not just the figment of his imagination - the sign of an excellent storyteller.

http://tinyurl.com/4zhgd8w

I was privileged to be able to put the author, Trevor Forest (aka Trevor Belshaw) in touch with Marie Fullerton, who produced the excellent cover for Trevor's story about Peggy Larkin.

The book is available on Amazon Kindle, and if you don't have a Kindle, you can dowload the FREE Kindle to PC app (which is what I did).

A Nostalgic 'Stone'

2011-01-30T10:28:00.000-08:00

Sometimes, looking at images
from my home country
my heart stops, then skips a beat
and tears well.
I’m 18 again, newly-wed
and needing my mum.

The Pages Annual Short Story and Poetry Competition: Results

2011-01-30T10:18:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to our winners and the runners up, and well done everyone.

Short Story:
1st prize: Meg Kingston with Dragon Bridge
Joint second: Gill Brown with The Damned and Louise Charles (Jo Lamb) with The Crunch

Poetry:

1st Prize: Pauline Porteus with What is it?
2nd place: Paola Fornari with Mandolin Memories

A chap book/small anthology entitled Yesterday - the theme of the competition - will be published soon.

Frosted Stone

2011-01-20T03:32:00.000-08:00

The Ice Queen married Jack Frost last night.
My bedroom apparently made the ideal bridal suite.
Brrr...

Coloured Stones

2011-01-19T13:10:00.000-08:00

Red
Blue
Now green.
Not once today have the colours mixed.
The TV is on its way out.

100 Stories for Queensland

2011-01-13T03:14:00.000-08:00

We have all seen the terrible images from Queensland, where - so far - an area as large as France and Germany put together has been flooded. It's hard to imagine it actually happening, but it's not hard to imagine the effect this will have on people's lives. The devastation is immense. It will take time and money to put right, and they need everyone's help. As writers we can put our particular skill to good use, and once the anthology is published, we need ALL of you to buy copies to help the Queensland flood appeal. But first - keep those stories coming!

It all started with Trevor Belshaw. Having been involved with both 100 Stories for Haiti and 50 Stories for Pakistan, he put a simple question to fellow Facebook users and 'tweeters': '100 Stories for Queensland?' Jodi Cleghorn, a publisher - and Brisbane resident - answered that call and it's now all go.

Submission Details and Link here:

http://100storiesforqueensland.submishmash.com (Please copy and paste. My link wouldn't work.)

Creaks and Groans and a Little Stone

2011-01-09T13:53:00.000-08:00

The schooner heaved and groaned in the heavy storm, thunder crashing above and the sea washing over me. I tried to hang on as the schooner listed, praying that the creaking of the old ship didn't mean it was going to break apart. I woke as it crashed against the rocks - realising that I could still hear the creaking. Every time I drew breath. My face was wet with perspiration and the thunder storm was increasing in strength, inside my head.

Later, a little boy came and brought the sunshine back, and stilled the storm.

A 'Missing' Stone :-)

2011-01-08T11:28:00.000-08:00

When the postman knocked this morning, I tried jumping into my trousers, but missed. Fortunately it was the trousers in a heap on the floor and not me.

A Snow Day Pebble

2011-01-07T09:39:00.000-08:00

Chased by rain warriors
The Snow Queen beats a hasty retreat
leaving a slushy trail.

A Last Minute Pebble

2011-01-06T15:48:00.000-08:00

Small boy
big eyes
resists sleep
till mummy comes...

Rainwashed Pebble

2011-01-05T01:38:00.000-08:00

Lying in bed, eyes closed,
listening to the train rattling past...
Decades later,
my eyes open
to wind and rain blowing
down the chimney
stirring memories.

A Shiny Pebble

2011-01-04T09:51:00.000-08:00

4/4/11

Five children
chugging along,
Chugga-chugga-choo-choo!
Round and round the 'island' -
led by happy two year old.

The Third little Stone

2011-01-03T02:51:00.000-08:00

3/3/11

I don't want normal yet.
I want one more day of celebration,
One more day of things being special.

Decorations are staying up.

It's not all about the little things...

2011-01-02T13:06:00.000-08:00

Sometimes we have to look ahead to the big picture, and some writers are better at that than others. One of my favourite up-and-coming writers - a friend who I first made on Writelink - is David Robinson (see links to his blogs and to his book Voices in the side bar).

I'm calling him 'up-and-coming', but he is already widely read with several books to his credits. I have enjoyed reading most of them, but the latest - Voices - published by Big Bad Media belongs on the best seller list - and I want to see it there!

For now it's an e-book, but the paper back version will be out soon, as far as I know, and if you like a psychological thriller, you couldn't do better than read Voices. In fact - even if you don't usually go for this genre - you will find it un-put-down-able. It is unique.

Got a Kindle, iPad or other e-reader? Go on- treat yourself!

Another Pebble...

2011-01-02T03:36:00.000-08:00

2/2/11

A barren landscape
awaits blanketing again
in virgin whiteness.

Small Stones for a Big River

2011-01-01T06:17:00.000-08:00

1/1-2011

writing the date of the first day
of a new year
a new decade -
hopes for the future.

1/1-2011 (2)

Twins:
balls of grey fur stretch tiny limbs
highpitched mewing:
feed time.

Press Release: Writers Abroad/National Short Story Week

2010-11-19T03:30:00.000-08:00

Online writing group, Writers Abroad, are publishing an anthology of creative writing themed on Expat Life with a preface by Lorraine Mace to coincide with the UK National Short Story Week (22nd-28th November 2010).

Following an appeal for submissions, 29 fictional short stories were selected to make up the anthology, which is available free from http://www.writersabroad.spruz.com/ from November 22nd in eBook format, to be read on either on computers or eReaders.

Writers Abroad is especially for expat writers to exchange ideas, views and news on writing and to offer support and constructive feedback on each other’s work. Although membership numbers are limited, expat writers can apply for membership if they are able to support the group’s initiatives and aims. Visit their site at http://www.writersabroad.spruz.com/.

For further information, please contact:

Jo Lamb, email: mailto:jolamb@writingpad.co.uk

or

Vanessa Couchman, email: mailto:vanessa.couchman@nordnet.fr

Read all about it: Shambelurkling and Other Stories

2010-11-14T12:34:00.000-08:00

Click on the preview for more! A wonderful collection of children's stories and poems, with all profits (£1.06 per paperback copy, and the same for downloads) to go to the National Autism Society (UK). The excellent cover was created by the talented illustrator Paul Townend.
Congratulations and a BIG thank you to all the contributors. The book is selling like the proverbial hot-cakes.
It's available on Lulu USA, too.

I've been Interviewed!

2010-09-01T11:09:00.001-07:00

And here's the link to Don Booker's blog, under 'Authors in the Zone':

http://fbooker.blogspot.com/2010/09/author-in-zone-marit-meredith.html

Tea Time Morsels and Other Books

2010-08-20T16:19:00.000-07:00

'Tea Time Morsels and Other Books: Published Work' is my new website - my author website. You can but ask why anyone would want to set up one website after another, but there is method in my madness - I promise. The newest one is just meant as a showcase, with links to the books that I have either self published or have had work published in, or have edited and published. I have more yet to be published than published, but the books up on the website number 7 at the moment. The next collection of short stories is on the way - as is a few other books - non-fiction and fiction. I wonder which one will reach goal first?
Ready, Get Set...

Refreshing the Blog

2010-08-12T11:36:00.000-07:00

I’ve been neglecting my blog of late, but quite unintentionally, I promise. I didn’t think about the time that had elapsed until I was pulled up short today when I read that the more content a blog has, the more traffic, which stands to reason. Of course. Who’d want to visit a stagnant blog, where nothing happens? Mine has been stagnant for a while. Must do better (could I have another 12 hours per day, please? I think I’m in line for some ‘extra time’).

Things are busy outside the blog - what with school holidays (I have eight wonderful grandchildren), the village fair but a week or two away (organised by myself and youngest daughter, Emma), getting issue 9 of The Pages out, and setting up a dedicated website for The Pages , entering a few competitions (a couple of pieces being short-listed) and WRITING (capitals required, to remind myself what I ought to be doing) and everything else that life has thrown my way. Good catches and bad catches. A dawn raid next door – unbelievable – but fodder for my fiction.
The Pages, New Website: www.thepages.spruz.com

Writers Abroad had a make-over and looks fantastic. Details of their/our call for submissions for forthcoming anthology below.

www.writersabroad.spruz.com

Writers Abroad Anthology - Call For Submissions

Call for Short Stories - in support of National Short Story Week
Organised by Writers Abroad

National Short Story Week (www.nationalshortstoryweek.org.uk) will take place during the week 22nd - 28th November. In support of the event, Writers Abroad will be publishing an anthology of short stories.

Title: ‘Writers Abroad’

Theme: Short Stories on any aspect of Expat Life, the pains and the pleasure.

Contributions: From Expat writers (either currently an Expat or previously an Expat)

Word Count: Anything up to 2,500 words. Submissions can be flash fiction i.e up to 500 words or short stories up to 2,500. Word count does not include the title.

Submission and Entry Rules:
• All stories must be previously unpublished
• Submissions should be received by midnight Friday 15th October 2010
• Submissions must be in English
• References to porn or racism will not be accepted
• Manuscripts must be submitted in either Word or RTF format (No DOCX or other format will be accepted).
• The approximate word count should be inserted at the end of the story
• Author name and story title should be placed in the left header of the document and page numbers in the right footer
• Manuscripts should be presented with double spacing and Times New Roman Font.
• Submissions are by email only to expatwritersabroad@gmail.com - in the subject line please quote ‘Writers Abroad submission’ and provide your contact details and story title in the body of the email
• Entries are free, only one entry per author plus a short bio of 30 words
• Successful authors will be informed within two weeks of the closing date
• It will not be possible to provide feedback on stories but successful stories will be edited and authors may be required to undertake minor changes for publication purposes
Copyright will remain with the author and the stories will be published in an anthology in a number of formats

WriteInvite

2010-05-15T11:27:00.000-07:00

WriteInvite is a Saturday evening invitation to write under pressure - and beat the time.
In other words, it's a competition where you are given 20 minutes to write your masterpiece. With three themes to choose from, given only ten minutes prior to the start time, you're up against it. I was today, but I did it. The story might not be up to much, but so what? It has given me an idea for a longer story, if nothing else.

The competition opens at 5.30pm (GMT) every Saturday. Choose your theme, pay your entrance fee (this can be done ahead of time, as in purchasing a credit, to save time when you log in to write). You’ll be given 20 minutes (5.40-6pm) to write.

The entries will then be read and the three top stories chosen by the judges. The three chosen stories will be available to read and be judged by all other participants, from the following Wednesday evening, until 5pm the following Saturday.The votes will then be counted and the winner announced. Today the winner was announced before the start of the competition.

I don't expect to be shortlisted, but will let you know how it goes - if it goes at all.

Not a Moral Ending/The Other Side of the Counter

2010-05-03T13:27:00.000-07:00

There's usually a punch line with Flash Fiction - at least the kind I write, with the ending giving me - and hopefully the reader - a moment of satisfaction. I'm adding one of my own stories to The Pages magazine this month, and that one does fit the bill, I think, but the one here - The Other Side of the Counter - does not.

I wonder whether it still works. You'll have to judge for yourself.

Both have their roots in fact - in something that happened in the property where I now live - but the events were probably 30 years apart.

The Other Side of the Counter

Mrs Thomas looked over the counter at the smaller of the two children.
‘Wasn’t it your turn next, dear?’ It was bad enough that adults seemed to think they had the God-given right to get served before a child – even if that child was ahead in the queue – but for another child to push in? Well…

The taller child stepped aside and Mrs Thomas looked from one to the other. ‘I suppose that’s your brother?’ She addressed the little girl.

The little girl nodded. ‘Yes, he’s my big brother Robbie. I’m Amy.’

Mrs Thomas scooped up handful of sweets and dropped them into a small paper bag. ‘Here you are, Amy. Perhaps this will make up for you big brother being such a beast.’ She frowned at Robbie. ‘Shame on you, young man.’
Turning to Amy, she smiled. What a sweet little girl she was. ‘And what can I do for you, little lady?’

Amy looked up at Mrs Thomas with big eyes. ‘Nothing now, thank you. I was only going to buy a bag of sweets,’ she held up the bag Mrs Thomas had given her, ‘but I don’t need to now.’

Mrs Thomas caught a knowing look in Robbie’s eyes.
‘Well, I suppose it’s your turn then.’ She took the grocery list from him and started gathering together their mother’s order.

As Robbie put the last item into the bag, he looked up and said quietly: ‘she always gets her own way, you know. I wish I was the small one sometimes.’
Mrs Thomas understood. ‘For you.’ She handed him a bag of sweets. ‘I’m sorry.’

***

‘Are you going to help me with these bags, or what?’ Robbie popped a sherbet lemon in his mouth and pulled a face. ‘I hate these, but I love them, too.’
Amy giggled. ‘I know what you mean. How many sweets did you get this time?’
‘More than you.’
Amy pulled a face. ‘Bet I can do better at the ice cream van.’

A Little Editing...

2010-05-02T14:46:00.000-07:00

A little editing today. I received a folder of lovely photos for one of the regular columns in The Pages, and also edited my own short story to go into the next issue. I usually make do with the editorial, and Anna Reiers' Would-Be-Protagonist at the back of the magazine, but fancied adding one of my own. Just a short one, so I suppose it would come under Flash Fiction.

I also edited an article - which will become part of a future non-fiction book - and posted it up on the Environmental Graffiti site. Now the wait to see if it is good enough for the editor(s) there.

Should it be published, it's 'Chocolate Makes Arthritis Worse' (scary, isn't it - for us choc-o-holics?), under Lifestyle: Health and Body - a guide on diet and arthritis.

Just one more story to edit tonight, before I call it a day...

Writing the Novel

2010-04-26T03:01:00.000-07:00

Someone pointed out to me that to sit down and just write, with no thought to the story ahead, will just get me into un-chartered waters and I’ll loose my way in no time. Oh, and if I were to tell anyone that is just what I do, then I’m a fibber – and apparently a fibber on a big scale in other areas, too. I beg to differ – unless you call fiction a fib. Then I would be guilty as charged. I’d rather describe that as flights of the imagination, all the same.

When it comes to non-fiction, I keep to facts. The manuscript I have just sent off is probably a good example of where facts and fiction fuse, so it has to be fiction, despite factual input.

How can you write a novel with no planned structure, no outline of the plot, no suggestion of where the story is going? I can’t tell you how. I sit down with the idea and write – and my characters help me along. I have been told that is my biggest mistake, the big no-no. Well, I’m not going to change my method – or lack of one - any time soon. I've tried the structured way, and ended up with a mess. The idea comes to me and grows as I write, be it a novel or a short story, even an article. In a way, I work intuitively, I suppose. We find our own way of working, in my opinion.

With art work, the sketch is supposed to come before the finished work – and if you’re in college, working on an arts degree, for instance, the sketch books form part of the work you have to present. I’ll tell you a secret (secret no more!): I often worked in reverse then, too. If the inspiration was there I just got on with it, and then had fun with sketches afterwards.

I did have a little note book back then, for those inspirational thoughts, sightings or ideas that could translate into art work. I still keep notebooks - for my writing - with all sorts of notes, ideas, inspirational sayings, research bits – but that’s another matter completely. It’ s just to get me started.

Manuscript Submitted

2010-04-24T14:10:00.000-07:00

I submitted a manuscript today, with trepidation. Not for fear of being rejected, but for fear of letting my ideas out there, for someone else to pick up and do with as they wish. Silly really, when I have been publishing instalments in The Pages, and it has been up on the Authonomy site. What is there to fear? It might not even be worth a second look – although I’m thinking positively and willing it to catch the editor’s eye. What would have been the point in writing it if I didn’t want to share it?

I had a timely email today about the ruling (on 7 April) on whether Dan Brown unlawfully acquired the ideas for the Da Vinci Code from the non fiction work ‘The Holy Blood and The Holy Grail’, by Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh. As there is no copyright on ideas, the high court judge Peter Smith rejected a copyright-infringement claim. He couldn’t have ruled differently without re-writing the copyright laws. Plagiarism is out, as always, but ideas are ripe for the picking - everywhere.
My manuscript is no Da Vinci Code, but it is a little bit different from the norm, so fingers crossed.

We Live and Learn.

2010-04-23T04:51:00.000-07:00

I offered a Freebie without double and triple-checking it, and I'm sorry, but it seems it is not such a good idea after all. I'll have to think of something different, as the freebie and the affiliate program has now been removed.

Thank you to David (DW) for checking it out.

Rules of Writing (by Elmore Leonard)

2010-04-19T14:02:00.000-07:00

I found two posts on how to write on an American site this morning. The first - or last, as it was at the top of the blog - was a) read and b) write - and that was it. And I think it is about it, but scrolling further down I came across The Ten Rules of Writing by Elmore Leonard. I've added my own thoughts in Italics.

1: Never open a book with weather. If it's only to create atmosphere, and not a character's reaction to the weather, you don't want to go on too long. The reader is apt to leaf ahead looking for people. There are exceptions. If you happen to be Barry Lopez, who has more ways than an Eskimo to describe ice and snow in his book Arctic Dreams, you can do all the weather reporting you want.

I have read several books where weather has featured in the opening paragraphs. The above statement suggests that there are exceptions to the rule – and I must have read a fair few of them.

2: Avoid prologues: they can be annoying, especially a prologue following an introduction that comes after a foreword. But these are ordinarily found in non-fiction. A prologue in a novel is back story, and you can drop it in anywhere you want. There is a prologue in John Steinbeck's Sweet Thursday, but it's OK because a character in the book makes the point of what my rules are all about. He says: "I like a lot of talk in a book and I don't like to have nobody tell me what the guy that's talking looks like. I want to figure out what he looks like from the way he talks."

I tried the prologue thing, and don’t like it anyway.

3: Never use a verb other than "said" to carry dialogue. The line of dialogue belongs to the character; the verb is the writer sticking his nose in. But "said" is far less intrusive than "grumbled", "gasped", "cautioned", "lied". I once noticed Mary McCarthy ending a line of dialogue with "she asseverated" and had to stop reading and go to the dictionary.

I agree to a point, but the verb ‘said’ can easily be over-used. ‘He said’, ‘she said’ can make for a tedious read. As long as you know who is speaking, you rarely need to use any of them in dialogue.
An example from my latest little ‘flash’:

‘Are you going to help me carry these bags, or what?’ Robbie popped a sherbet lemon in his mouth and pulled a face. ‘I hate these, but I love them, too.’

That is of course just the way I prefer it.

4: Never use an adverb to modify the verb "said" . . . he admonished gravely. To use an adverb this way (or almost any way) is a mortal sin. The writer is now exposing himself in earnest, using a word that distracts and can interrupt the rhythm of the exchange. I have a character in one of my books tell how she used to write historical romances "full of rape and adverbs".

If you avoid ‘said’ as much as possible, anyway, as suggested above, you wouldn’t be tempted to modify it.

5: Keep your exclamation points under control. You are allowed no more than two or three per 100,000 words of prose. If you have the knack of playing with exclaimers the way Tom Wolfe does, you can throw them in by the handful.

Well, that just takes the biscuit! Ooops.

6: Never use the words "suddenly" or "all hell broke loose". This rule doesn't require an explanation. I have noticed that writers who use "suddenly" tend to exercise less control in the application of exclamation points.

How about: ‘So suddenly you think you’re some kind of expert?’ The question triggered an unexpected reaction. All hell broke loose.

Sorry, but I just got to mess about with rules. I started it in primary school. It’s in my school report.

7: Use regional dialect, patois, sparingly. Once you start spelling words in dialogue phonetically and loading the page with apostrophes, you won't be able to stop. Notice the way Annie Proulx captures the flavour of Wyoming voices in her book of short stories Close Range.

Oh, come on, regional dialect can be hilarious! I’m reading a Brian Viner book at the moment, and in an example of malapropisms, he used Yorkshire dialect to great effect.
I wrote a short story for a Scottish poet, using the Scottish dialect in dialogue. I loved writing it, and got help with the Scottish bit from the English husband of my friend Myra in Australia. Perhaps it will be a bit difficult to understand for anyone outside Scotland. Take it as a challenge. I’ll copy it out below.

8: Avoid detailed descriptions of characters, which Steinbeck covered. In Ernest Hemingway's "Hills Like White Elephants", what do the "American and the girl with him" look like? "She had taken off her hat and put it on the table." That's the only reference to a physical description in the story.

I would probably sneak bits in as part of the story here and there, but I don’t think there’s a hard and fast rule.

9: Don't go into great detail describing places and things, unless you're Margaret Atwood and can paint scenes with language. You don't want descriptions that bring the action, the flow of the story, to a standstill.

But don’t we want to be Margaret Atwood? Just a thought.

10: Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip. Think of what you skip reading a novel: thick paragraphs of prose you can see have too many words in them.

We all know about ‘killing your darlings’.

My most important rule is one that sums up the 10: if it sounds like writing, I rewrite it.

True.

* * * * * * * *

Then for the short story, breaking rule 7:

Dougie and Johnnie (with apologies to Robert Burns)

‘Och, ye’re naethin’ but trouble, Dougie, leading ma Johnnie tae guidness kens whaur, as lang as there’s a jug in it for ye.’ Johnnie’s wife, Muira, scowled at Dougie. ‘Johnnie’s got snabbin’ tae dae, a family tae feed – and ye should see tae yer cows.’
‘Eh, ye mean cow, for sure? And so she is, breathing her fire when I daunder hameward.’ Dougie slapped his knees and threw his head back, laughing. ‘I’m no ane for punishment, but she meets it out, ye ken.’ He put his arm around Muira’s ample waist and squeezed. ‘Now, ye winna mind if we were to take a wee bit langer this nicht, wid ye? Across the muirs, tae the Inn yonder. They’ve got the best ale, ye ken.’
‘Sure yis want to cross thae muirs? I’ve heard… Yis should mind yersels, stay close.’ Muira looked worried. ‘ Me and Aileen baith need oor menfolk, ye ken.’
Dougie shook his head. ‘I’m guid for nocht but running thae cows. I should have married me a timorous mouse, not a beastie like the missus.’
‘Dougie! Ye must not speak of her like that. She’s the mammie of yer bairns. Ye baith need tae think of yer families. Make it an hour, and back afore dark.’
‘Aye, aye, Muira, so we will!’ Johnnie planted a kiss on her one cheek and Dougie one on the other.
‘Aff ma missus, Dougie. Yer ain’ll be waitin’.’

Muira watched them swaying on their way towards the moors, leaning on one another and stumbling along. They’d had too much of the strong stuff already, and with more ale… She laced up her boots and threw a shawl round her shoulders, then told her oldest, Robert, to look after the wee ones awhile. Broth on the stove for their supper, if she was not back before bedtime.
‘Whaur are ye aff, mammy?’
‘Never ye mind, sonny. Never ye mind.’

Muira bent her head as she went through Aileen’s door. Aileen was expecting her.
‘Muira.’
‘Aileen.’
They nodded at one another and smiled.
‘Ready is it, Aileen?’ Muira bent to smell the brew.
‘Wouldn’t dae that, if I wis ye. That stuff is more potent than the ale in yonder Inn.’ Aileen cackled with glee.
‘Shush, the bairns might hear ye!’
‘They winna. Fast asleep they be.’ She touched her nose. ‘They’ll sleep till morning.’
‘Ye didnae?’ Muira looked shocked.
‘No, not tae the bairns. They just sleep…’ She tucked the bottle of potion from the kitchen table out of sight. ‘Are we ready then?’
Muira nodded. ‘Just get some of that brew ready in a can – or perhaps twa – in case we slop it. Ye’ve got thon cloaks?’

The two women marched resolutely towards the moors as night fell. Nobody saw Muira and Aileen, but some did say that they saw two witches, on their brooms, fly past – that night when Dougie and Johnnie fell foul of the dark and settled to sleep – but not until they’d had their taste of the delicious warming soup their women folk brought – so delicious they slurped the lot. They slept on till they were found, and they didn’t wake up then.

The timorous mouse and the beastie remained the best of friends, and neither ever married again. The rumour has it, that someone knew… that Robert, no doubt.

***

Flash Fiction

2010-04-18T02:59:00.000-07:00

Flash Fiction, to me, is to the short story what Haiku is to the Poetry. I have looked at some of my flash fiction pieces, and those of others, to see if they could be extended into short stories, of say, 2000 words. I came to the conclusion that it would be a shame to do so, as the beauty with flash fiction is that it allows the reader's imagination a bit of scope. It's a story in a nutshell, a moment in time.

I got into it by chance. I had been ill for weeks, and my daughter thought I could do with being prompted back into writing, in bite-size pieces, as I recovered (this wasn't recently). She set me daily prompts, around 300 words.

Using prompts is helping me to get going this time, too.
Here's an example:

Prompt: little boy, torn page, market, cart Up to 500 words.

LITTLE BOY

‘Oi! Little boy!’

Jack heard the yell, but quickly ducked out of sight. Hopefully Skinny Frank wouldn’t be able to get through the alley-way with his cart. Besides – he was on his way to market, wasn’t he? And who was Skinny Frank to call him a little boy? Jack straightened his back, making himself as tall as he could. Little boy, eh? Ten he was. Ten!

‘Oi!’ Skinny Frank was at the entrance to the alley, leaning on his cart. ‘You!’ He pointed a dirty finger towards Jack.

Jack stepped back. ‘Me?’

Skinny Frank leaned forward. ‘No – not you.’ He pointed past Jack towards a whimpering bundle of rags in a doorway further down the alley. ‘Him! That little boy!’

Jack looked from the boy to Skinny Frank. ‘He’s just a little kiddie. What did he do?’

‘He’s torn a page out of the master’s book, that’s what. Out of the rent book! Huh.’ He turned to the little boy. ‘Thought we wouldn’t notice, did you?’

The boy shook his head.

‘You’re in for it now, boy. The master don’t forget nothing. You’ll have the belt, I reckon, or worse. And your mother – if she’ll not pay the rent it will be the workhouse for her – and that pretty sister of yours, too.’ Skinny Frank rubbed his grimy hands together. He liked meting out the punishment. He’d been there and been punished himself, hadn’t he? Why should he feel sorry for anyone?

‘Excuse me.’ Jack had found his voice and stood tall. He was a big boy. ‘Sir, it wasn’t him. It was me.’

The little boy stared at Jack, open-mouthed.

‘And who are you?’ Skinny Frank looked at Jack in disbelief, before a sly smile crept across his face. He didn’t mind who he had to punish for the master – and this one had more flesh on him. All the more to rub salt into afterwards. He raised his eyebrows. ‘Cane or belt, boy? Makes no difference to me who you are.’

‘Oh, I think it might.’ Jack smiled. ‘I’m the master’s son.’

Freebie

2010-04-17T06:55:00.001-07:00

Watch this space. I'll be giving away a freebie soon - especially for novice writer.

Prompts

2010-04-17T01:37:00.000-07:00

Prompts are a good way to get the writing juices flowing. Writesparks do a good 31 day version -although I wouldn't necessarily use them all. An easy way of giving yourself prompts without orchestrating the prompts, so to speak, is to play a game of Word Drop on Facebook (or a hands on game of Scrabble, for that matter). Good excuse to play a game? I jot down the first three or four words I find and use them.

Last night's was peered - meatiest - hanging. Five minutes later I had a flash fiction piece about a little boy who wouldn't grow, and thought sausages would magically make all the difference. Now I just need to polish it.

This one stumped me:

maddens
stone
rooted
lunged

I started from three different angles, but didn't get anywhere. Sibling rivalry or Gothic horror, or the element of surprise? Perhaps in the light of day I can do something with it. The Gothic horror start made me crawl under my duvet and escape into sleep, so perhaps that's one to do while the sun is shining. Scaredycat!

Where Facts and Fiction Fuse...

2010-04-16T14:25:00.000-07:00

...stories grow...

I have been going through some of my old writing - published and unpublished - trying to ascertain whether it is true that fictional writing has at least a nugget of fact within it. Well, as far as my writing goes, I seem to be robbing life left, right and centre.

I wonder…

Some say to write what you know, and that’s all well and good if you are writing non-fiction, but a fictional story doesn’t have to have anything to do with what you know. If you need to find out, research.

I enjoy a little bit of research (I sometimes get a bit carried away), as my character in The Diary of The Would-Be-Protagonist can attest to. I really need to finish that manuscript, but in the meantime it is published chapter by chapter in The Pages.