Flash Fiction

I've been so proud of daughter Vikki's recent success with her creative flash fiction stories that I thought it might be good to mention these opportunities on the blog today. Sometimes, when you don't feel like settling down to a long writing session, or you want to refresh the creative muse, a short piece of fiction is the ideal length to work on. Flash fiction is very popular so look out for the markets available. Even the Bridport Prize now includes this category!

Vikki is using these as creative exercises and her two pieces are published on two different online sites where you can also read other writers' fiction and find out the submission requirements. The first, Empty Orchestra, is in The Puffin Review. This is a very atmospheric and descriptive piece - almost an observation. The second flash fiction, At the Fair, was tweeted as the editor's choice the other day on Postcard Shorts. This is a very poignant and descriptive piece with a twist ending.

I'm certainly inspired to try more of these short pieces as a means of developing my creativity, as well as encouraging observation and descriptive skills - both of which I often hurry past in the eagerness to finish a story. If anyone gets one published, let me know where and I'll tweet it for you!

Have just discovered I'm featured on Jane Riddell's blog today - quite an in-depth interview!

Rosemary

Featured Author: Myra Duffy

I’m delighted to welcome friend and fellow Scottish author, Myra Duffy, to the Reading and Writing blog today. I love Myra’s cosy crime novels which are set on the Isle of Bute, the venue of my childhood summer holidays. Although I enjoy many good crime novels, it’s the mystery element that most attracts me and Myra’s books have not disappointed in this respect. Her fans are very pleased that her new novel, Endgame at Port Bannatyne, is now available! Thanks for sharing the inspiration behind the series and this latest story, Myra.

Endgame at Port Bannatyne

Endgame at Port Bannatyne is the fourth in Myra Duffy’s series of cosy crime mysteries set on the Isle of Bute, just off the west coast of Scotland. All four books feature the same main character, Alison Cameron, a very ordinary woman who finds herself involved in crime in spite of vowing, ‘this time it will be different.’

In this latest novel, Alison is offered a job as assistant scriptwriter with Pelias Productions. The company is on the island making a film about one of the most famous sons of Bute, James Hamilton, and has based itself in the sleepy village of Port Bannatyne.

It’s not long before Alison has cause to regret her decision. Two of the cast members, Franklin Todd and Quentin Quizling, are at war; the actress playing James Hamilton’s wife has something to hide; the Director, Sol, is tetchy and secretive. Then a suspicious death and an on-set accident throw the production into disarray.

Alison’s personal life is also in turmoil: her relationship with her husband, Simon is fraught and the company of Robert, an old friend from the past, only complicates matters further.

Inspiration Behind the Series and Story

For many years we’ve had strong connections to Bute and when I wrote my first cosy crime novel it seemed an ideal setting. It’s a very peaceful island, with little crime, not at all the sort of place where you’d expect the sort of thing that happens in my novels. But the fact that it is small with a limited population of some 6000 (except in summer when visitor numbers swell the population) provides lots of writing opportunities for small town gossip and intrigue and ways in which incomers can upset the balance.

In Endgame at Port Bannatyne, the story of James Hamilton was such an interesting one, it seemed exactly the kind of basis for a film by a company like Pelias Productions.

James was an Edinburgh lawyer who bought Kames Castle but unfortunately he had a profligate wife, Harriet, who preferred the society of her friends in the capital and quickly ran through his money. Bills of sale from the castle records show he was reduced to selling the bedroom furniture to pay his debts while Harriet was having her portrait painted by Raeburn. Her picture hangs in the National Gallery of Scotland in Edinburgh.

He is buried (alone!) in an overgrown spot on the road to Ettrick Bay and rumour has it that he’s buried standing up so that on Resurrection Day as he rises from the grave the first thing he will see is his beloved Kames Castle and Kames Bay. But no one as yet has investigated the truth of this.

Of course, this being a crime novel, nothing and no one is as they seem and Alison finds herself in danger as she stubbornly tries to find out the truth about what is happening.

Great idea, Myra - all the best with this new book!

The Isle of Bute mystery novels are available in print and e-book on Amazon UK, Amazon US and at selected bookshops. Endgame at Port Bannatyneis also available in print from FeedARead.

Although Myra is a well published author of non-fiction, she's been writing fiction for as long as she can remember (winning a national competition when she was thirteen), but has recently turned to a life of crime. A writing life, she hastens to add.

For many years she's been a frequent visitor to the Isle of Bute, just off the West coast of Scotland - a firm favourite with visitors from Glasgow. Holidays in the island inspired her to write the first Bute novel: 'The House at Ettrick Bay' (an archaeological mystery) and this was followed by 'Last Ferry to Bute' (dark deeds during a college reunion) and 'Last Dance at the Rothesay Pavilion' (past events cast a long shadow as the Pavilion is refurbished).

 

Myra has been published in various magazines such as 'My Weekly' and in the 'Ireland's Own' anthology and has also won a number of awards for short stories, poetry and non-fiction, but novel writing is what she enjoys most.

You can find out more about Myra Duffy's writing on her website, or blog and she can be found on Facebook and Twitter (@duffy_myra).

Pinterest

It must be over a year since I last mentioned Pinterest and social media has moved on as always. I tentatively joined at first, unsure if it would be just another time waster. In the past few months, however, I've been really enjoying it and hope to use it even more.

If you're a visual person, like me, you probably like looking at pictures and images, many of which can be hugely inspirational for writing ideas. I wasn't using the boards properly but I've now started a new one for each of my novels and pin anything relevant to that story on the appropriate board. I also have a board for Inspiration; Victoriana; Regency; Scottish Scenery; Scottish Historic Sites; Writing.

It's great fun, although I tend to limit my time on it at the moment and I keep learning about new ways to use Pinterest. One of my daughter's good suggestions was to begin a board for the Victorian crime novel I've yet to finish and fill it with pictures that might inspire ideas - photos of the area and any items from the period. This can be kept hidden if I don't want to share it for now. 

The idea is to follow other people's boards and for people to follow yours, then you'll see a good variety of images when you log in and you can re-pin any of them to your own boards. You can also search for subjects and re-pin anything that catches your eye.

There's a good overview of the reasons why we should use Pinterest in this blog post on Word Serve Water Cooler, if you're thinking about trying it!

If anyone wants to check out my boards, you can find me here (they're still a work in progress!): 

Enjoy if you join and don't forget to follow me so I can follow back.
Rosemary

Lovely Poetry News

I was delighted to receive an email from Holland Park Press telling me I'm one of the shortlisted poets in their recent Poetry Competition! The theme was 'What's Your Place?' and I wrote a poem about an aspect of my own locale, called Metal Giraffes on the Clyde.

I feel very honoured to be in the running for the prize and I'm just happy to have this amount of recognition. Holland Park Press is a Dutch and English publisher and there are 11 English and 6 Dutch poems shortlisted (out of over 450 entries I believe!).

I've been invited to go and read my poem at the reading/awards evening in London at the end of February - all poems will be read and then the winner announced. It sounds like a really lovely evening and I'd love to meet everyone and hear the readings. Will need to see if I can manage to get down for it!

Rosemary

BBC Writing Opportunities

Just wanted to bring your attention to the following two competitions currently being run by the BBC.

BBC National Short Story Award ( in partnership with Book Trust)

A hugely prestigious award of £15,000 goes to the winner of this annual competition. Entrants must have a record of published creative writing, so they're expecting the very best writing! Short stories should be no more than 8,000 words and the closing date is 28th February 2014. Full details here.

BBC Radio Opening Lines

This is a great opportunity for writers new to radio. They are looking for short stories of 1900 to 2000 words suitable for reading aloud on radio. The stories must be submitted by February 14th 2014. This is where a strong first line is essential! Full details here.

Don't forget, there's also the excellent BBC Writers Room where you can pick up lots of other opportunities and tips about writing for BBC radio or TV.

Good luck!
Rosemary

Featured Author: Maggie Craig

I’m delighted to welcome fellow Scottish author, Maggie Craig, to the Reading and Writing blog to tell us about the inspiration behind her new historical novel, Gathering Storm. It’s well over a year since Maggie last visited and it’s always a pleasure to hear about her latest work. Historian, short story writer and novelist, Maggie’s research is legendary, bringing great authenticity to her novels. In addition to some romance, the depth of intrigue gives Gathering Storm a thriller quality and this author does not shy away from depicting the grittier side of life, love and danger in 18th century Scotland.

Thank you for taking time to join me today, Maggie. It's always a pleasure to hear about your work.

Gathering Storm

Jacobite Intrigue and Romance in 18th Century Edinburgh

Edinburgh, Yuletide 1743, and Redcoat officer Robert Catto would rather be anywhere else on earth than Scotland. Seconded back from the wars in Europe to captain the city's Town Guard, he fears his covert mission to assess the strength of the Jacobite threat will force him to confront the past he tries so hard to forget.

Christian Rankeillor, her surgeon-apothecary father and his apprentice Jamie Buchan of Balnamoon are committed supporters of the Stuart Cause. They're hiding a Jacobite agent with a price on his head in Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, a hanging offence.

Meeting as enemies, Robert and Kirsty are thrown together as allies by the mysterious death of a young prostitute and their desire to help fugitive brother and sister Geordie and Alice Smart. They're on the run from Cosmo Liddell, bored and brutal aristocrat and coal owner.

As they pick their way through a labyrinth of intrigue, Robert and Kirsty are increasingly drawn to each other. She knows their mutual attraction can go nowhere. He knows his duty demands that he must betray her.

Bringing to life another time when Scotland stood at a crossroads in her history, Gathering Storm is the first in a suite of Jacobite novels by Scottish writer and historian Maggie Craig, author of the ground-breaking and acclaimed Damn' Rebel Bitches: The Women of the '45.

Inspiration Behind the Story

Gathering Storm started with a photograph in a magazine, a quietly handsome man looking out at me. He had such sad eyes and I wondered why. I propped his picture up next to my computer and glanced at it every so often over the next few days. Then I sat down and started free-writing. I was immediately in 18th century Edinburgh, chasing after some medical students and their professor who were carrying out an illegal dissection. My hero’s name was Robert, he was wearing a red uniform coat and he was the Captain of the Edinburgh Town Guard. He was interrogating Christian Rankeillor, daughter of the professor, and sparks were flying. Robert and Kirsty took it from there!

From the outset, the story has been a political thriller as well as a romance. It’s 1743, two years before the Jacobite Rising of 1745, and Edinburgh is a tense city. Research for the book took me from finding out about Jacobite plotters to the archives of the Royal College of Surgeons and on to an Open University course on the history of European medicine. I’m now writing the sequel, Breaking Storm, and can’t wait to find out how Robert and Kirsty are going to deal with the dilemmas now facing them.

I’m sure your readers can’t wait either, Maggie!

Gathering Storm is available in print and ebook from Amazon UK and US and the Book Depository.

Maggie Craig is a Scottish writer and historian, author of the ground-breaking and acclaimed Damn’ Rebel Bitches: The Women of the ’45, When the Clyde Ran Red, a popular history of Red Clydeside, and several page-turning historical novels. Her Glasgow & Clydebank novels are set during the first half of the 20th century and are inspired by the joys, struggles and sense of humour of her own family, although they are also works of research and imagination. One Sweet Moment is a poignant and passionate tale of Old Edinburgh. Her latest novel, Gathering Storm, is the first in a planned suite of Jacobite novels.

Maggie is a member of the Society of Authors in Scotland and has served two terms as a committee member. She is a regular and popular speaker around Scotland’s libraries and at book festivals including the Edinburgh International Book Festival, Aye Write! & the Wigtown Book Festival.

She comes from a family where writing is considered an entirely normal thing to do and which numbers among its forebears the weaver-poet of Paisley, Robert Tannahill, who most famously wrote The Wild Mountain Thyme/Will ye go lassie, go? (“So does hauf o’ Paisley, hen.” Response of wee man in Paisley museum to the foregoing statement.)

A proud Glaswegian, she and her Welsh husband Will now live in an old blacksmith’s cottage in a tiny village in the north of Scotland. They have two grown-up children, one lovely daughter-in-law and two cats. When not writing, Maggie enjoys photography, her favourite subjects being old buildings, wildlife, dramatic skies and wild flowers.

You can find out more about Maggie Craig on her website and follow her on twitter @CraigMaggie 

TV for Research; Entangled Submissions

Old Mangle

 

I make no secret of the fact I love watching TV dramas or the occasional good series or film. Apart from enjoyment, it's my way of relaxing in the evening, before finishing the day with whatever book I'm reading. That last part is essential to make me sleepy, as the TV would keep my mind stimulated too much without a quiet period before bed.

But what a great resource it is for research, especially different periods of history. As well as the wonderful visuals of fashion, furniture and transport, many of the programmes point to the wider issues of the day. Whether through politics, women's lives, relationships, we often have the whole gamut of society paraded before us.

In just one week, I've taped or watched the following:

The Three Musketeers - I taped this last night and can't wait to watch this new version. I studied European history through several centuries and love this enjoyable escapade in 17th century France. I imagine Peter Capaldi will make a good Richelieu.

Mr Selfridge - the previous series took us from the turn of the century to the new series beginning last night at the cusp of the Great War in 1914 with news of the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand. What a lavish set with stunning outfits and the historical background of a real iconic store.

Father Brown - I've been taping this afternoon programme to watch while ironing. I love the nostalgia of the English country setting in the early 50s, and the clothes worn by women from servants to the local Lady. I'm also interested in old cars!

The Bletchley Circle - beside the obvious pleasure of the post-war setting and solving mysteries, I love the occasional flash-back to the secret war work at Bletchley Park. This is also good for noting the fashions ordinary women now wore, and the difference between the lives of the single females and the highly intelligent woman who was now expected to be a stay at home wife and mother.

Call the Midwife - everyone's favourite nostalgia story about late 1950s midwives in London's East End. Here we have a great variety of characters and situations from the period and last night's episode even gave us a historical context for the recognition of Cystic Fibrosis. A great combination of human stories and medical/health issues as we start to leave the 50s behind.

And these don't include Downton Abbey and The Paradise - another two programmes useful for visual research!

Submissions

If anyone is inspired by all the 1950s nostalgia, you might want to try writing and submitting a novella to Entangled who have put out a call for stories of 15,000 to 20,000 words set between 1950 and 1959. See the full details for Love me Tender submissions on the Entangled website. Closing date is 31st March 2014.

Good luck,
Rosemary