Blog Interview and Research

Just mentioning that I'm profiled on Adriana Ryan's blog as her Alphabet Author for G - in case anyone has a few spare moments to waste.

I'm also talking about historical research from replica newspapers on my Romancing History blog - there just might be someone interested in that!

Rosemary

TV Drama

I'm sure many of us have been watching Call the Midwife and Birdsong the last couple of Sunday evenings. What wonderful drama for cold winter nights. I haven't read the book on which the first is based but I can't imagine it would be any better than watching the characters' lives unfold, and the way it portrays the awful living conditions in which some people lived.

Although I'm thankful at how much medicine and treatment have moved on, there is something reassuring about the humanity, compassion and capability of those nurses that reminds me of the reason I went into nursing straight from school, many years ago. I only lasted half way though the 3 year training before discovering I dislike hopitals, but at least the whole environment and training was so much more regimented and particular than it seems these days. If anyone is interested in the campaign to make nursing standards higher again, please have a look at Frances Garrood's new blog.

I did read Birdsong when it first came out, as I was studying the period at the time. I loved the novel, and Sebastian Faulks' writing, although I thought some of the early scenes of passion between Stephen and Isabelle in the book were over written. I did understand the idea behind it, to show the two extremes of passionate love and horrific war. But I thought the TV drama was beautifully filmed and loved the way it took us from the dreadful trenches to the passionate love affair through Stephen's flashbacks.

Much as I adore reading, as a visual person it's a stunningly good drama or film that remains in my mind long after the final credits. Even better when both the book and film are memorable - and novels are certainly better for filling in the little details that have to be missed out in filming. Best of both worlds!

Rosemary

Book Review: The Help

Instead of spotlighting an author today, I decided it was time for another book review. One of the most thought-provoking novels I read towards the end of last year was The Help by Kathryn Stockett. Set in Mississippi during the 1960s civil rights movement, this is the life-afirming story of three women who helped to change the perceptions of their small-town world.

When young white college graduate Skeeter returns home hoping to start a career in journalism, she discovers her beloved maid, Constantine, has gone and no one will tell her why. While her mother's only concern is that her daughter will make a good marriage, Skeeter soon discovers another side to her town in the lives of the black maids and she sets out on a life-changing course of action.

The other two main characters in The Help are Aibiline, the wise and wonderful maid who has brought up 17 white children, sometimes providing the love and affection they're denied by their parents, and Minnie, Aibline's sassy, loud-mouth friend who has a talent for cooking but can't keep a job. When they become involved in Skeeter's project, it is amidst the fear of being discovered and the subsequent horrific risk to them and their families.

While the characterisations are first class, it is the strength of the story line, the authentic setting, and the humanity that makes this an unforgettable novel. It is hard to imagine that this kind of situation existed during the swinging sixties, and it reminds us of the hard-fought battle for basic human rights.

The Help is now a film but I haven't managed to see it yet. If anyone has read the book and seen the film - do you think the film was an accurate portrayal of the novel?

Rosemary

Robert Burns: The Farmer Poet

Happy Burns Day to anyone who is Scottish by birth or persuasion. I thought it might be good to acknowledge that this is our National Bard's annual birthday celebrations. Even in Scotland, Burns' popularity is mixed, although many primary schools still try to instill some knowledge of our famous poet into young minds, just as they did in my day.

I find the man fascinating and he appears in my mainstream novel that is seeking an agent just now. But it is his poetry that continues to inspire many. Apart from the well known Auld Lang Syne that is sung all over the world at New Year, and A Red, Red Rose and Ae Fond Kiss which are two of the most romantic songs, he penned so many wise words that they fill whole books.

Born on January 25th, 1759, Robert Burns started adult life as a farmer in Ayrshire, but his profound understanding of human nature soon catapulted him to fame when his first book of poetry, The Kilmarnock Edition, was published in 1786. The man himself had quite a reputation with the ladies and that sometimes overshadows his sheer genius at describing the human condition, whether with humour or insight.

Tonight, all over Scotland, and in other parts of the world, people will be celebrating a Burns Supper, when kilts and bagpipes and haggis will be on full show. But it is Burns' verse that will take pride of place. Here's the first verse of his humorous Address to the Haggis:

Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o' the pudding-race!
Aboon them a' yet tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy o'a grace
As lang's my arm.

See if you can translate it into plain English! I'm putting another bit of history about Burns on my Romancing History blog.

Rosemary

Milestones and Encouragement

I can hardly believe I've reached the blog milestone of having 100 friendly followers! Thank you so much to every single person who has ever taken the time to follow, to leave a comment, or to share a little bit of themselves with me online. I couldn't let it pass unremarked, or uncelebrated. So I'd like to offer some encouragement on the blog today, through a few of my favourite quotes. Maybe one or two will touch someone's heart or provide inspiration.

"No one can make you inferior without your consent."   Eleanor Roosevelt

"Iron rusts from disuse; stagnant water becomes frozen; even so does inaction sap the vigour of the mind."  Leonardo da Vinci

"A bird does not sing because it has the answer, it sings because it has a song."   Chinese Proverb

"It is never too late to be what you might have been."  Mary Ann Evans (George Eliot)

"Yesterday is but today's memory and tomorrow is today's dream."  Kahlil Gibran

Blogging Friends and Awards

One of the most enjoyable aspects of blogging is all the lovely online friends we make in cyber world. Between seeing a photograph of each other and entering into dialogue and discussion on various subjects, it's almost as good as chatting over a cup of coffee sometimes - although I would prefer that if possible!

Another advantage of being part of this online community is the encouragement and support writers share around. And one of the cutest ways to do this is by passing on the various Blog Awards that occasionally do the rounds. I'm delighted to have received two such awards in as many days.

The first is the Liebster Award, German for 'dearest' - and how lovely is that - from charming blogger, Anne.

 

The Liebster Award should go to bloggers who have fewer than 200 followers and I'm delighted to award this to these five friendly bloggers:

Linda Kage; Jude Johnson; Ute Carbone; Ciara Gold; Anne Gallagher

The other cute award is the Irresistably Sweet Blog Award from fun and interesting writer, Patsy.

For this other award, I have to tell you 7 things you might not know about me (oer - that's difficult!), then pass the award on.

My Seven:

1. When a child, I sang at the old people's Darby and Joan club with my brother.

2. I loved the Girl from Uncle and wanted to be a secret agent when I grew up.

3. Favourite colour is green.

4. Loved colouring in the loops of letters in school exercise books (when very young!)

5. Played an April Fool trick on an English teacher in high school (at least, I stupidly took the blame)

6. Wanted to be an Air Hostess at one time (long ago).

7. Went midnight swimming in the Isle of Man when sixteen.

And now I'm delighted to pass the Irresistable Blog Award on to:

C.K.Volnek; Marie T; Paula Martin; Carol Bevitt; K.C.Woolf

Rosemary

Featured Author: Chris Longmuir

A warm welcome to Chris Longmuir, who is a writer of many talents based in Scotland. I’m a big fan of Chris’s crime novels (see my previous interview with Chris) and I was intrigued to read her historical saga, A Salt Splashed Cradle, since I like her writing so much. And I love that cover!

The book did not disappoint. From the first page, the reader is transported to a Scottish fishing village in the 1830s. With a strong cast of characters, A Salt Splashed Cradle tells a fascinating tale about the detailed everyday life of the fishing community and the impact on that community by the arrival of beautiful, incomer Belle. Although married to one of the young fishermen, Belle is not immune to the attentions of the local Laird’s son. Belle is an unusually well rounded character, neither wholly good nor completely bad, and the story of her difficulties in being accepted into her new family ensures an absorbing read.

BLURB
 
A Salt Splashed Cradle


This historical saga is set in a Scottish fishing village in the 1830s and reflects the living conditions and the morals of the ordinary fisher folk of that time. The novel follows the relationships of Belle, her husband, Jimmie, her daughter Sarah, her mother-in-law, Annie, and the rest of the Watt family.

James and Annie Watt are a typical fisher family, and Annie is horrified when Jimmie, her eldest son, brings Belle to the village as his new bride. She makes her displeasure obvious to Belle who struggles to find acceptance in the village. Belle is engaged in a losing battle however, because the villagers regard her as an incomer.

Jimmie, anxious to buy his own boat, leaves the fishing village to sail with a whaling ship. The story follows him to the Arctic, and on a whale hunt, before he returns home again. Meanwhile, in his absence, Belle has fallen for the charms of Lachlan, the Laird’s son, and embarks on a tempestuous affair with him. When Jimmie returns she struggles with her feelings for him and for Lachlan.

By this time the women in the village are starting to regard Belle as a Jezebel who will tempt their men away. A mood of hysteria engulfs them and they turn against Belle, in an attempt to force her out of the village.

What will Belle do? And will she survive?

A Salt Splashed Cradle is available from Amazon (UK); Amazon (US) and Smashwords.

You can find out more about Chris on her website and blog.

Chris Longmuir won the Dundee International Book Prize in 2009 with her first crime novel. The prizewinning novel, Dead Wood, was published by Polygon and was so successful that the first print run sold out within four months. Since then Chris has published two further novels as e-books. Night Watcher, her second crime novel, was published in March 2011, and her historical saga, A Salt Splashed Cradle followed three months later. Boosted by the success of her novels, Chris delved into the depths of her computer to dig out her short stories which she published in two volumes as - Obsession & Other Stories, and Ghost Train & Other Stories.

Chris also writes short stories and historical articles for magazines which are published in the UK and the US. She is currently working on a further two crime novels. Chris is fascinated by electronic gadgets of all types and descriptions and is never happier than when experimenting with new hardware and software. She designed and put up her own website and builds computers in her spare time. She describes herself as being a bit of a techno-geek.

eCollegeFinder Blog Award Nominee!

I was surpised and pleased to discover that this blog is nominated for a Top Writing Blog Award from eCollegeFinder - no idea how that happened!

Anyway, it made me decide to offer a few basic suggestions on how students, and anyone else, might improve their writing acumen, whether in academic or creative writing.

Basic Skills

• Read published work, as a reader first then to absorb how it was written: sentence structure, paragraph length, punctuation and grammar.
• Allow time to go through and check exam answers in case of silly mistakes (thanks Lynette).
• Take time to read and understand the questions in forms or exams.
• Learn the basic rule about the apostrophe in it's: the only time this word needs an apostrophe is to denote 'it is'. If you are showing possession, (the book lost its cover; the car needs its lights fixed) it should always be 'its' - no apostrophe.
• Be careful of the apostrophe in plurals: it should be the girl's coat if talking about one girl, but should be the girls' coats if talking about more. In plurals, the apostrophe goes after the s.
• Another one is the difference between your and you're (thanks Paula). The apostrophe is only used to denote a missing letter (a) - so it's: You're looking great (meaning you are...), and Don't forget your books (no apostrophe for possession).

Creative Writing

• Study the kind of magazine in which you want to be published, or the kind of books you want to write.
• Write something every day, even if it's only a diary entry.
• Read widely - that's how to discover different styles of writing.
• Write in your own voice - you are unique.
• Never give up your dreams - every piece of writing is a step closer to your goals.

I'll leave you one of my favourite quotes of Chinese wisdom:

"Do not fear going forward slowly, fear only to stand still."

Rosemary

Author Spotlight: Jenny Twist

I’m so pleased to welcome Jenny Twist to my Reading and Writing blog today to talk about her novel Domingo’s Angel. This was one of the most absorbing and heart-warming books I read during 2011. From the moment English woman, Angela, enters the seemingly idyllic Spanish village and captivates Domingo, the reader is introduced to a wonderful cast of characters. The author brings the whole area and people to life, especially the matriarchal Rosalba who takes charge of the villagers in an entertaining way.

One of the strengths of this novel is the way the romantic setting is interspersed with strong historical background and details of the terrible troubles the villagers suffered during the Civil War. More than a light-hearted Mediterranean romance, Domingo's Angel explores the lasting power of love and forgiveness.

Welcome to my blog, Jenny, and thank you for answering the following questions

You write short stories and novels - which is easier?

I find it easier to write short stories, perhaps because my first attempts were in short story form, but it might be something to do with my penchant for horror stories, many of which are shorts. Maybe I have the format stuck in my brain. I have a tendency when writing novels to go at a breakneck pace and then I wonder how I got to the end so quick and only have half the length I intended. I think I'm getting it under control, but I always have to go back and add more in.

Why did you choose Spain for Domingo's Angel?

I live here, in the open countryside between two of the famous Pueblos Blancos, the white villages of Southern Spain. The life here is still very old-fashioned, more like England in the 1950s than present day Europe. The people are now very used to foreign tourists, but fifty years ago these villages had hardly been touched by tourism, if at all. There was some, but not much, incursion of foreigners on the coast.

A friend of mine who has been coming to this part of Spain for years said twenty-five years ago there was no pathway to the beach in Torremolinos, now a thriving British resort. You had to walk across a farmer's field to get to the sea! It is even more true of these villages. Twenty-five years ago there were no roads between the villages, just dirt tracks. Transport was mainly by mule.

I thought, What would they have thought of a foreigner arriving here just after the war? And the idea for Domingo's Angel was born.

Are any of the characters based on real people?

I don't believe any of them are based on real people, although I can see resemblances to people I know. Rosalba is probably an amalgam of real Spanish old ladies that I know, but with a good dash of my own grandmother, who was a matriarch of the old school. She had six children and twelve grandchildren and we were all in awe of her, but adored her at the same time.

Angela looks a bit like a dear friend of mine in England, who isn't afraid of anything and would certainly not have baulked at setting off alone to live in a foreign country, but there the resemblance ends. Some of her experiences relate to those of my own mother, who would have been her age at the time. Domingo is an archetypical Spanish boy. Full of good humour, ingenious, a little larger than life. He resembles a wonderful goatherd I know who is given to large gestures and likely to burst into song at a moment's notice, but I don't think I modelled him on my friend particularly.

And Guillermo the Mayor? Now there's an odd character. I know a few pompous officials in Spain, but he is a bit over the top. I had no idea why he was so obsessed with money and status, but as the story developed he told me himself and I grew to love him. And where did the marmalade cat spring from? I know of no such cat. He came straight out of the left field.

Was it difficult to find a publisher?

I thought it was terribly difficult to find a publisher. I must have sent out dozens of submissions before I found Melange and I had some unpleasant experiences on the way. One publisher received my book with great enthusiasm, wrote a glowing critique and said they would love to publish it. I almost signed the contract before my husband pointed out that in the very small print it said 'author-funded.' I read the contract again. It mentioned vast sums of money but at no point specified who was paying whom. I contacted them to query this and they admitted that they were, indeed, a vanity publisher (between clenched teeth, I suspect). What a scam!

I now know it is very rare to find a publisher straight away and that my experience was, if anything, easier than most.

What next?

I've just finished a novel, tentatively entitled All in the Mind about an old woman who starts getting younger. This is the synopsis:

Tilly wakes up in a strange room inexplicably furnished in 1940s style. At first she thinks she has somehow slipped into the past, but it is even stranger than that. She is part of an experiment working on a cure for Alzheimer's disease. It seems to be working, but it has a strange side effect. Tilly and her fellow experimental subjects appear to be getting younger. (Sounds great!)

Any tips for new writers?

• Read Stephen King's On Writing.
• Write about what you know.
• Keep your paragraphs short and don't get carried away with purple prose.
• DO write in grammatically correct English. Spell check everything and get other people to proof-read/edit your work before you send it anywhere.
• DON'T listen to anyone who tells you should:
• A) Stick to only one point of view. The whole point of writing in the third person is so that you can tell the story from more that one viewpoint. Or
• B) The story should be told through the thoughts/speech of the characters. This advice has resulted in some dreadful passages where the author either makes the character talk to himself incessantly or writes reams of conversations where the characters tell each other vast chunks of information that they must already know. For example, a character telling his best friend whom he has known for years that he has a daughter.
• Before you even begin to send your story to publishers and agents, join author groups on the web. Other authors are incredibly supportive and helpful. They will tell you who the good publishers are, how to set up a website, how to promote. Some will even give you a critique or review. A lot of publishers put out submission calls on these sites and when you submit in response to these, the chances are your story will actually be read. If I had known about them before I got published, I would have joined the sites before I even began to approach publishers and agents.

And finally, don't give up. Most publishers and agents don't even read your stories, so getting rejected doesn't say anything about how good they are. Stephen King, who is surely one of the best-selling authors of all time, papered his wall with rejection slips when he was just starting. I've just used all mine for scrap paper for my grandchildren to scribble on. Ha-ha!

Brilliant advice, Jenny. Thanks again, and all the best with your future writing.

Here is the blurb for Domingo's Angel and buy links:

When Angela turns up in a remote Spanish mountain village, she is so tall and so thin and so pale that everyone thinks she is a ghost or a fairy or the dreadful mantequero that comes in the night and sucks the fat from your bones. But Domingo knows better. “Soy Angela,” she said to him when they met – “I am an angel.” Only later did he realise that she was telling him her name and by then it was too late and everyone knew her as Domingo’s Angel.

This is the story of their love affair. But it is also the story of the people of the tiny mountain village – the indomitable Rosalba - shopkeeper, doctor, midwife and wise woman, who makes it her business to know everything that goes on in the village; Guillermo, the mayor, whose delusions of grandeur are rooted in his impoverished childhood; and Salva the Baker, who risked his life and liberty to give bread to the starving children.

The events in this story are based on the real experiences of the people of the White Villages in Southern Spain and their struggle to keep their communities alive through the years of war and the oppression of Franco’s rule.

Available from Amazon (UK); Amazon (US)

Find out more about Jenny on her website

Jenny Twist was born in York and brought up in the West Yorkshire mill town of Heckmondwike, the eldest grandchild of a huge extended family. She left school at fifteen and went to work in an asbestos factory. After working in various jobs, including bacon-packer and escapologist’s assistant, she returned to full-time education and did a BA in history at Manchester and post-graduate studies at Oxford. She stayed in Oxford working as a recruitment consultant for many years and it was there that she met and married her husband, Vic. In 2001 they retired and moved to Southern Spain where they live with their rather eccentric dog and cat.

Jenny's first book, Take One at Bedtime, was published in April 2011 and the second, Domingo’s Angel, was published in July 2011. Her novella, Doppelganger, was published in the anthology Curious Hearts in July 2011, Uncle Vernon, was published in Spellbound, in November 2011, Jamey and the Alien was published in Warm Christmas Wishes in December 2011 and Mantequero was published in the anthology Winter Wonders in December 2011.

Huge apologies to Jenny and all other people leaving comments - I can't get in to leave a reply on my own blog! It keeps freezing when I try to go to comments, so this is the only way I can thank you all for visiting. Hope it's a temporary glitch as I love replying to comments!

Talking About First Novel and Writing

I'm really pleased to be profiled on writer and editor Penny Ehrenkranz's blog today - would love to see a friendly face if anyone has time to visit!

Rosemary

Chocolate Competition

Well after all the chocolate I've consumed over this past month or two, I don't really want to think of the sweet temptation any more - or for quite some time (maybe until Easter).

But here's a non-fattening reminder of the competition the wonderful Choc Lit publisher is running at the moment. It's for a short story of up to 1,500 words and the central theme is - chocolate, in any form. Closing date is 31 January. If you need any more incentive, prize winners also receive chocolates!

You can find all details on the Choc Lit website.

Good luck!
Rosemary

Author Spotlight: Diane Fordham

I am delighted to welcome Australian author, and fellow blogger, Diane Fordham to my first Author Spotlight of 2012. Diane's exciting debut novel, Dream Keeper, is now published and hopefully will be keeping readers awake all over the land! Great cover.

Welcome to Reading and Writing, Diane, it's great to have you here. Please tell us a little about your debut novel.

DREAM KEEPER is a supernatural thriller. The dream travellers’ desires to fulfil what’s missing in their waking world imprison them in their dreams. Dream Keeper is building his kingdom: The Dream Tunnels. People are falling asleep and not waking up. How was Senior Investigator Macarthur T Egan supposed to apprehend and arrest someone who popped in and out of dreams?

DREAM KEEPER is about our desires and the consequences. It is also about facing our fears!

Sounds thrilling and creepy! I'm sure readers would like to know more about you, so thank you for answering the following questions.

Tell us a little about how you became a writer.

I was always keen to learn how to read and write. Before I could even read I would turn the pages and make up my own stories. I'm sure the moment I could write, I would walk around with an exercise book and pencil and make up stories - how I wish I kept all those note pads with my scribbles in them.

How did Dream Keeper come about?

Dreams tell us a lot about ourselves. What inspired me to write Dream Keeper is my fascination of dreams; their ability to guide us through our waking world by revealing our hopes and desires, and the power of the subconscious through those dreams to sort out our fears and assist us in facing those fears. One day I asked myself, ‘What if there was a price for the reprieve our dreams gave us from our waking world?’ - and Dream Keeper was born.

Was your genre influenced by any favourite writers?

Stephen King and Dean Koontz sit on my bookshelves, perhaps they are my influence.

Current writing plans?

I have just finished writing my third novel manuscript (I've sent the first chapter to Allen and Unwin who run a Friday Pitch program) and already thoughts of a sequel to this one are whirling around in my head. I want to revise my second novel manuscript too, and my short stories of course - I will always write short stories.

Any tips for new writers?

Read. Read. Read. Write. Write. Write. Read and write some more. Be persistent, be determined, never give up and always believe in yourself!

Great answers! Thanks for that, Diane.

Dream Keeper is available in print from the Author Website and Amazon (US) and Amazon (UK)

You can find Diane at her very interesting blog.

Diane enjoys life on the mid-north coast of NSW in Australia – where the rainforests meet the sea. She does what makes her happy and brings out the best in her – She WRITES! Her dream is to one day write something that impacts on, and changes peoples’ lives in an uplifting and positive way. Writing is her passion; the magic that dreams are made of.

Armed with loads of persistence and determination, Diane has been privileged to have short stories, poetry and articles published in literary magazines, journals, writers’ bulletins and newsletters. She is thrilled to have 50 plus of her short stories published in general circulation magazines.

You can also read some interesting stories about dreams on Teresa's blog.

Goals and Inspiration

Welcome to 2012! 

I love the anticipation of a new year, with all the possibilities that lie before us if we grasp them as they arise, or as we seek new directions. So, as you can see, my first task was to create a slightly new look to the blog to freshen it up a little.

I don't make resolutions any more, but instead try to set a few writing goals. My mainstream novel is out searching for an agent at the moment, and two short stories made their way out at the very end of the year. But this year, I must get that second Regency period novel finshed, polished and sent out as soon as possible - that's the priority. Then I hope to finish writing a children's novel, while redrafting another. Also have a few specific short stories and articles to write and send out. Meantime, I have a competition to finish judging for a writing group, and then I'll have another to start judging in late January. Plenty to keep me out of mischief!

For inspiraton, I adore quotations and short verses and have been writing down many of them in a little notebook over the years. Here's the one I like to read at the start of a new year - taken from the front of a birthday card I was given years ago. Unfortunately, it was anonymous.

'Stretch for a sunbeam, reach for a star -
go for a beautiful dream.
Pick out some wishes, no matter how far
or how hard to reach they may seem.
Cherish some hopes that are dear to your heart -
and as a new year comes into view,
treasure and keep them, and know from the start
that this year you can make them come true.'

Have a wonderful year making those dreams come true!
Rosemary