Complementing my interviews, today’s Author Spotlight, the two hundred and fifty-fifth is of military mystery / suspense / action novelist and interviewee CN Bring.
CN Bring gravitated toward military intrigue and suspense coming from a family whose members served in the Army and continues with relatives still serving. She earned her Associates Degree in Criminal Investigation for Private Investigation. Her extensive research and life experience lend an authentic feel to both her Celia Kelly Series (military / mystery / thriller), as well as the Jack Sleuth Series (crime / mystery) for youth.
Bring is an advocate for heroes and heroines in all walks of life. A big supporter of the military and our country’s Constitution, Wounded Warriors, Missing In America Project and Lupus Research. Bring is also a supporter of all who take the time to serve others in their communities and given professions. We can all make a difference one life at a time. There is a hero in all of us.
*
And now from the author herself:
The first time I thought about writing was several years ago. My husband was away from home for long periods of time with his job, when I first had the story idea come to me. After the kids went to bed, I would go to work on my story.
I have always loved mysteries and books about the military. My goal was to create a mystery / suspense novel that was engaging, inspiring, fun, and page turning without being offensive. The Pact originally started out self-published and then I signed with independent publisher Bad Day Books, an imprint of Assent Publishing in January. In March I signed the rest of the series with Assent.
I am inspired by those who serve our country and those within our borders who go above and beyond to keep us safe every day, those in the military, law enforcement, doctors, nurses and many others. My book was inspired by everyday people who are everyday heroes in extraordinary circumstances.
*
And about ‘The Pact’:
Commander Celia Kelly is a perceptive Naval Intelligence Officer rebuilding her life after the tragic death of her husband. The suspicious suicide of a fellow Officer has Celia questioning the mission she’s been assigned.
With the help of a one-of-a-kind secretary, by the book assistant, and a Navy SEAL, Kelly discovers she’s been set up. Digging relentlessly, nothing is as it seems.
Someone is after twenty million dollars that disappeared when Kelly’s husband died and now that someone is after her! With surprises at the turn of every page, the original characters and three dimensional plot lines keep the suspense going until the very end.
*
Other Celia Kelly Series & Jack Sleuth books coming soon:
The Lie
A new President. A new team. A scandalous lie. In the latest of the Celia Kelly series, the Naval Commander finds herself caught up in political intrigue as the next mystery has her questioning everything. The President brings with him his inexplicable past. Death hits close to home as Celia deals with a mission that collapses ending in the loss of a SEAL. After returning home Kelly discovers the new President may have had something to do with the mission’s failure. As secrets begin to unravel, they run over everyone in their path. The price will be high when Kelly and her team finally uncover the truth. And just when you think that it’s over… it’s not!
The Truth
Terrorism hits close to home killing the President’s wife, youngest daughter, and leaving his oldest daughter paralyzed when a bomb goes off in Washington, D.C.. Commander Celia Kelly and the SEAL Team are sent on a wild goose chase trying to negotiate with terrorist Amar Nycofi in order to find a second target before it is too late. Everyone is at risk as the hunt begins for the second target… When a Navy SEAL becomes a prisoner, during the rescue, another prisoner, long forgotten, is discovered in a Middle Eastern prison. Celia finally finds the answers about her husband…Is he alive or was he part of the Pact? In the mean time, the Pact resurfaces and the truth about everything finally comes out. No one is who Kelly thought they were as the suspenseful action unfolds. Where will the truth lead them? Will this mission prove to be too much even for Commander Celia Kelly?
The Disappearance
The newly settled life of Commander Celia Kelly suffers when a seemingly routine flight out of Nairobi becomes an unlikely catalyst. The Deputy Director of the CIA goes missing in Africa. His bags make the plane…he doesn’t. In the mean time, an imposter with an agenda takes another man’s seat for a free trip into the United States. Commander Celia Kelly and the Navy SEALs are called up to find the missing CIA Deputy Director Bradley Turner. While the mission takes action in Africa, the FBI begins an investigation into the mysterious passenger now somewhere in the United States to determine why he is here and what or who his target is. The FBI, Commander Kelly, and the Navy SEALs are set on a collision course as each Agency’s individual research force them into a parallel climax. With the help of an old opponent from the Pact, CIA operative William Dixon, they come together only to be shocked by what no one sees coming…
The House Across The Street
Nothing ever happens in Next, Arizona. Certainly never to Jack Sleuth who’s biggest adventure so far is trying to avoid being tormented by the neighborhood bully. Jack and his friends Kyle, with a high IQ, and Curley, who has a disease called Alopecia, end a quiet summer vacation by becoming involved in solving the biggest mystery to ever hit their boring town. When Jack suffers a case of Deja vu, Kyle and Curly try to help him sort it out. Coming across an FBI Agent who drops the ball, Jack and his buddies must rescue the Agent, figure out who’s who, avoid the neighborhood bully and pick up the ball to save the Agent’s first case. The humor and suspense builds as the boys investigate The House Across The Street.
**
You can find more about Cindy and her writing via…
***
If you would like to take part in an author spotlight, take a look at http://morgenbailey.wordpress.com/submission-information/opportunities-on-this-blog (the spotlights are option (a)) or email me for details.
** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!
See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0
or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **
You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel, which is being serialised on Novel Nights In!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.
For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.
As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. If there’s anything you’d like to take part in, take a look at Opportunities on this blog.
I welcome items for critique for the online writing groups listed below:
Morgen’s Online Non-Fiction Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group
We look forward to reading your comments.
Tags: 5pm fiction, agent, Amazon, author, author interview, author spotlight, Barnes & Noble, Barnes and Noble, biographers, biography, blog, blogger, blogging, books, characters, children’s, Cindy Bring, competitions, copyediting, copyeditor, copywriter, copywriting, cozy mysteries, creative writing, crime, crime novelist, crime series, crime thriller, crime thrillers, critique, critique groups, debut novel, editing, editor, erotic romance, erotica, exercises, Facebook, fantasy, fantasy horror, fantasy writer, feedback, fellow authors, fiction, fiction author, five senses, flash fiction, free verse, future tense, Goodreads, grammar skills, graphic novels, guest blog, guest blog post, guest post, haiku, haiku poem, hendecasyllabic, historical, historical author, historical writer, horror novel, humorous, humour, iambic pentameter, indie, interview, interview with writer, interviewees, Jane Wenham Jones, Kobo, LinkedIn, Literary Festival, literature, memoirist, Morgan Bailey, morgen bailey, Morgen with an e, multi-genre, murder mysteries, murder mystery, mystery author, mystery series, mystery suspense, non-fiction, Northampton, novelist, novelists, novels, open mic nights, pantoum, paranormal, paranormal romance, paranormal romances, past tense, pinterest, poem, poet, poetry, poetry collection, poetry collections, poetry exercises, poetry magazine, poetry slams, present tense, pseudonyms, publisher, publishing, query letters, reading books, red pen, rejection letter, rejection letters, rejections, rhyming, rhyming poetry, romance, romance fantasy, romance writer, romantic suspense, science fiction, scriptwriters, second person point of view, second person viewpoint, self-publishing, short stories, short story group, Smashwords, sonnet, story a day, Story A Day May, story author, story authors, story collections, story writer, submissions, suspense novelist, suspense thriller, tanka, terza rima, travel memoir, travel writer, triolet, Twitter, vampire, villanelle, Waterstones, western, western author, Wordpress, writer, writer interview, writing, writing competitions, writing events, writing exercises, writing fiction, writing group, writing magazines, writing novels, writing poetry, writing prompts, writing workshop, YA, young adult novels, youtube
Tonight’s second book review, of The True Diary of a Mum To Be by Charlie Plunkett is brought to you by novelist Julia Hughes.
The True Diary of a Mum To Be by Charlie Plunkett
Synopsis: The True Diary of a Mum-to- be a pregnancy companion. Charlie has only done two things in her life that she considers truly grown up. The first was to get married and the second was to start a family. It wasn’t long before she realised how little she knew about pregnancy and birth…
Review
Personally, I’ve always preferred Samuel Pepys minutiae of 17th Century London, to Robinson Crusoe’s fictionalised account of an island. It’s the little details that build up the larger picture of life, and one of the biggest life events is having a baby. Having devoured Charlie’s previous diary “of a Bride to Be”, I eagerly downloaded the next snippet of true life according to Charlie – it didn’t disappoint.
Beginning at the beginning, Charlie bravely explains the heartbreak and bewilderment of suffering a miscarriage, not once, but twice. This tragic and traumatic experience is one that not too many are keen to talk about, and although obviously feeling saddened and even frightened that her dreams of motherhood may not come true, Charlie’s frank account of this nightmarish time serves to reinforce the authenticity and indispensability of this book.
With renewed determination, the author conducts her own research, keen to discover all she can about increasing her chances of becoming pregnant, and carrying her baby successfully to full term.
In my opinion, this diary is touching and inspirational; at the time of writing, Charlie and her loving husband Dave could only have hoped for a happy outcome. That hope continues to grow and blossom, enabling readers to share a newly wed couple’s excitement and growing awe as they embark on the most important and life fulfilling role ever.
Charlie has a natural gift for inviting people into her world, in addition to providing a ‘must have’ friendly guide on what to expect on a week-to-week basis during pregnancy, we also experience life through Charlie’s eyes. Whilst reading this book at times I shouted out loud and the usual comment from my own family was ‘What’s Charlie done now?’
The answer was loads – related with a wry humour that kept me giggling and eager to find out what would happen next: by turns funny, reflective and informative, this book is a keeper, and one to recommend to anyone who shares Charlie’s dream of becoming a mum, or those who remember only too clearly the magic of introducing a new life into this world. Having said that, this diary is thoroughly entertaining, and I’ve no doubt those of the male persuasion will also enjoy this fascinating account of the true adventures of a mum to be.
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
*
Another 5/5. You’re picking some great books. Thank you, Julia.
**
Julia Hughes is a London based author of the Celtic Cousins’ Adventures: A Raucous Time, A Ripple in Time, and An Explosive Time. Her latest YA / Fantasy is The Griffin Cryer. Julia’s website is http://www.juliahughes.co.uk.
***
If you would like to send me a book review, see http://morgenbailey.wordpress.com/reviews/book-reviews for the guidelines.
Other options listed on http://morgenbailey.wordpress.com/submission-information/opportunities-on-this-blog.
** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!
See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0
or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **
You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel, which is being serialised on Novel Nights In!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.
For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.
As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. If there’s anything you’d like to take part in, take a look at Opportunities on this blog.
I welcome items for critique for the online writing groups listed below:
Morgen’s Online Non-Fiction Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group
We look forward to reading your comments.
Tags: 5pm fiction, agent, Amazon, author, author interview, author spotlight, Barnes & Noble, Barnes and Noble, biographers, biography, blog, blogger, blogging, books, characters, Charlie Plunkett, children’s, competitions, copyediting, copyeditor, copywriter, copywriting, cozy mysteries, creative writing, crime, crime novelist, crime series, crime thriller, crime thrillers, critique, critique groups, debut novel, editing, editor, erotic romance, erotica, exercises, Facebook, fantasy, fantasy horror, fantasy writer, feedback, fellow authors, fiction, fiction author, five senses, flash fiction, free verse, future tense, Goodreads, grammar skills, graphic novels, guest blog, guest blog post, guest post, haiku, haiku poem, hendecasyllabic, historical, historical author, historical writer, horror novel, humorous, humour, iambic pentameter, indie, interview, interview with writer, interviewees, Jane Wenham Jones, Julia Hughes, Kobo, LinkedIn, Literary Festival, literature, memoirist, Morgan Bailey, morgen bailey, Morgen with an e, multi-genre, murder mysteries, murder mystery, mystery author, mystery series, mystery suspense, non-fiction, Northampton, novelist, novelists, novels, open mic nights, pantoum, paranormal, paranormal romance, paranormal romances, past tense, pinterest, poem, poet, poetry, poetry collection, poetry collections, poetry exercises, poetry magazine, poetry slams, present tense, pseudonyms, publisher, publishing, query letters, reading books, red pen, rejection letter, rejection letters, rejections, rhyming, rhyming poetry, romance, romance fantasy, romance writer, romantic suspense, science fiction, scriptwriters, second person point of view, second person viewpoint, self-publishing, short stories, short story group, Smashwords, sonnet, story a day, Story A Day May, story author, story authors, story collections, story writer, submissions, suspense novelist, suspense thriller, tanka, terza rima, travel memoir, travel writer, triolet, Twitter, vampire, villanelle, Waterstones, western, western author, Wordpress, writer, writer interview, writing, writing competitions, writing events, writing exercises, writing fiction, writing group, writing magazines, writing novels, writing poetry, writing prompts, writing workshop, YA, young adult novels, youtube
Welcome to the two hundred and fourteenth in this daily series that is ‘5pm Fiction’.
Late April 2011 I discovered http://StoryADay.org and the project that is to write 31 stories in 31 days. Anyone who knows me or follows this blog, knows how passionate I am about short stories so my clichéd eyes lit up at this new marvel. And just a few days later there I was, breathing life into new characters. This went on to become (with some editing of course) my 31-story collection eBook Story A Day May 2011.
I was nearing completion of the 2012 project when I decided that I didn’t want to stop at the end of May so 5PM Fiction was born. I put a load of prompts on the 5PM Fiction page and today’s was to write a monologue of a fairy tale from a different perspective. Below is my 204-worder.
*
Getting to seven
What was she expecting, asking such a stupid question. Who’s the fairest?
Of course I’m not going to say her, The Queen, especially since she’s had all that Botox.
Not that she smiled anyway.
I was brought up to not to lie and I’m not going to start now.
Now Snow White’s not around, I have less people to choose from, but even Grumpy’s prettier.
“On pain of death,” the Queen threatened, clearly forgetting that I’m a mirror. I don’t have feelings. Shatter my glass and it only means that she can’t look at me… which between you and I wouldn’t be a bad thing.
The Prince is taking his time. He’s supposed to wake her up – Snow White, not the Queen. Ew, what a horrible thought.
That would round off the fairy tale nicely, but he’s forgotten his sat nav and is doing circuits round the M25. Thinks he’s Lewis Hamilton or that Button fellow.
Still, he’ll get here soon enough, kiss Snow White and she’ll come back, get rid of the Queen then we can have decent conversations like we used to, or play that game where you have to name all the dwarves – she might even get to seven this time.
***
Picture above courtesy of morguefile.com.
** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!
See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0
or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **
You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel, which is being serialised on Novel Nights In!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.
For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.
As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. If there’s anything you’d like to take part in, take a look at Opportunities on this blog.
I welcome items for critique for the online writing groups listed below:
Morgen’s Online Non-Fiction Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group
We look forward to reading your comments.
Tags: 5pm fiction, agent, Amazon, author, author interview, author spotlight, Barnes & Noble, Barnes and Noble, biographers, biography, blog, blogger, blogging, books, characters, children’s, competitions, copyediting, copyeditor, copywriter, copywriting, cozy mysteries, creative writing, crime, crime novelist, crime series, crime thriller, crime thrillers, critique, critique groups, debut novel, editing, editor, erotic romance, erotica, exercises, Facebook, fantasy, fantasy horror, fantasy writer, feedback, fellow authors, fiction, fiction author, five senses, flash fiction, free verse, future tense, Goodreads, grammar skills, graphic novels, guest blog, guest blog post, guest post, haiku, haiku poem, hendecasyllabic, historical, historical author, historical writer, horror novel, humorous, humour, iambic pentameter, indie, interview, interview with writer, interviewees, Jane Wenham Jones, Kobo, LinkedIn, Literary Festival, literature, memoirist, Morgan Bailey, morgen bailey, Morgen with an e, multi-genre, murder mysteries, murder mystery, mystery author, mystery series, mystery suspense, non-fiction, Northampton, novelist, novelists, novels, open mic nights, pantoum, paranormal, paranormal romance, paranormal romances, past tense, pinterest, poem, poet, poetry, poetry collection, poetry collections, poetry exercises, poetry magazine, poetry slams, present tense, pseudonyms, publisher, publishing, query letters, reading books, red pen, rejection letter, rejection letters, rejections, rhyming, rhyming poetry, romance, romance fantasy, romance writer, romantic suspense, science fiction, scriptwriters, second person point of view, second person viewpoint, self-publishing, short stories, short story group, Smashwords, sonnet, story a day, Story A Day May, story author, story authors, story collections, story writer, submissions, suspense novelist, suspense thriller, tanka, terza rima, travel memoir, travel writer, triolet, Twitter, vampire, villanelle, Waterstones, western, western author, Wordpress, writer, writer interview, writing, writing competitions, writing events, writing exercises, writing fiction, writing group, writing magazines, writing novels, writing poetry, writing prompts, writing workshop, YA, young adult novels, youtube
Complementing my interviews, today’s Author Spotlight, the two hundred and fifty-fourth is of children’s author and interviewee Goldie Alexander.
Goldie Alexander writes for both adults and children of all ages; her books are published both here and overseas.
Her novels for adults include “The Grevillea Murder Mystery Trilogy” and ‘Mentoring Your Memoir’ and how-to-write.
Her historical fiction includes “My Australian Story: Surviving Sydney Cove”, is now in its 10th edition.
A new YA novel includes “The Youngest Cameleer” about the finding of Uluru in 1873.
She has three collections of short stories for young readers: “Killer Virus and Other Stories”, “Horribly Cousins and Other Stories” and “Space Footy and Other Stories”
Novels appearing in 2013 include the ebook YA “Dessi’s Romance,” “eSide: A Journey into Cyberspace” for middle grade readers; and “Gallipoli Medals” for junior readers.
She also writes scripts and non-fiction.
Her website is www.goldiealexander.com which also features a useful blog. As an experienced author who has taught creative writing for some 17 years, this blog contains many tips about writing and could be useful to emerging authors.
*
And now from the author herself:
Some Of My Publishing Experiences
I learnt my alphabet at the age of three and that set me on the path to becoming a voracious reader. It was my way of escaping a family that always seemed to be on the verge of chaos and I still use this as an escape route when life takes an unfortunate turn. Back then I made up lots of stories. But I never considered writing them down because there were too many strictures – I had teachers who pushed spelling and grammar at the expense of imagination and I supposed I was, at least on the outside, an obedient child. Even so as I grew older, when anything of significance happened no matter how traumatic, part of me always stood back, used that ‘shard of ice’ that other authors speak about, because I always knew that one day I would write about them.
I was in my early forties before I started jotting down some of my experiences and weaving them into stories which I sent off to various publishers. No luck there, because I really didn’t know what I was doing. My first promising experience was having an adult short story accepted by the ‘Australian’ which ran a ‘literary section’. Straight after that acceptance, this section ceased to exist and my story never appeared. My disappointment was profound.
Having come from twenty-five years of teaching secondary students English and History, my next attempt was a novel for Young Adults. I can’t remember what this novel was about, only that it had a fashionably long title that possibly had nothing to do with the story. But I was learning on the job. And my luck turned when Greenhouse Publishing under the title of ‘Dolly Fiction’ let it be known that they were looking for authors to write about independent girls in contemporary situations. Their rules were strict: a maximum of 32,000 words. No fantasy, science fiction or magic realism. In the space of a year I wrote four Dolly Fictions under the pseudonym of ‘Gerri Lapin’ and I covered themes that have since been used many times by other authors.
Dolly Fiction’s payments were generous, but now knowing what I know, I wish I’d insisted on royalties instead of being paid outright, and written those books under my own name as they were widely published in the UK and South Africa and appeared in most school libraries. Many of our better known Australian authors began their writing careers with Dolly Fiction. The problem now as I see it, is that these books had the unfortunate label of ‘romance’ which back in the 90’s seemed very unliterary, if not positively embarrassing. What a shame as many young women I meet have mentioned reading those books and from them absorbing some excellent values.
Since then I have been writing for kids for over two decades. In that time I have had periods of flood and drought, feast and famine. There were wonderful years when everything I wrote was picked up immediately. Others, when it took more than a decade to find a publisher for a particular ‘orphan’. This meant I had to ask myself if I had sent out that ms out at the wrong time, or to the wrong place, or in the wrong format? Perhaps the market wasn’t ready for it. Sometimes, on rereading, I realised that the ms needed more work, and then I would rewrite and resubmit. I certainly kept redrafting until that ms was finally sold. The synopsis and opening pages were vital. If I couldn’t attract a submissions editor, I was in trouble. Sometimes changing a title, or even cannibalizing the ms, could prove fruitful. Thus several lengthy stories were condensed to join my three short story collections. I never sent out an ms without first checking if it needed cutting, fleshing out, or more on line editing.
Thus my latest is YA novel “Dessi’s Romance” is also on the edge of a revolution in that it is only being published as an ebook, which of course saves my publisher www.indra.com printing costs, paper and warehouse storage, though certainly no skimping on editing and layout. However, the question still remains; how are we to market this work? Once this was done by professionals. These days it is up to us. And what’s more, we have to do this without spending lots of money on a professional marketer.
My primary technique is through my website. I regard this as my ‘shopwindow’ and of greatest importance. As it has been updated by a young webmaster into a completely new design, I feel he knows what will appeal to other young people. That website also carries a blog that I fill with news about my latest books, both those that appear in print and on line, and about the process of writing.
I use Facebook and Twitter to spread the word and all offer advice to aspiring and emerging creators. Other creators have helped promote my latest YA novel as many have blogs and seem happy to interview me, particularly as I make it easy by always emailing a list of questions and answers they only have to ‘cut and paste’. I write articles for the better ezines which keeps my brand, AKA my name, in the public eye, and I feature other writers on my blog.
**
You can find more about Goldie and her writing via… www.goldiealexander.com and www.goldielexander.com.blog.
***
If you would like to take part in an author spotlight, take a look at http://morgenbailey.wordpress.com/submission-information/opportunities-on-this-blog (the spotlights are option (a)) or email me for details.
** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!
See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0
or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **
You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel, which is being serialised on Novel Nights In!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.
For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.
As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. If there’s anything you’d like to take part in, take a look at Opportunities on this blog.
I welcome items for critique for the online writing groups listed below:
Morgen’s Online Non-Fiction Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group
We look forward to reading your comments.
Tags: 5pm fiction, agent, Amazon, author, author interview, author spotlight, Barnes & Noble, Barnes and Noble, biographers, biography, blog, blogger, blogging, books, characters, children’s, competitions, copyediting, copyeditor, copywriter, copywriting, cozy mysteries, creative writing, crime, crime novelist, crime series, crime thriller, crime thrillers, critique, critique groups, debut novel, editing, editor, erotic romance, erotica, exercises, Facebook, fantasy, fantasy horror, fantasy writer, feedback, fellow authors, fiction, fiction author, five senses, flash fiction, free verse, future tense, Goldie Alexander, Goodreads, grammar skills, graphic novels, guest blog, guest blog post, guest post, haiku, haiku poem, hendecasyllabic, historical, historical author, historical writer, horror novel, humorous, humour, iambic pentameter, indie, interview, interview with writer, interviewees, Jane Wenham Jones, Kobo, LinkedIn, Literary Festival, literature, memoirist, Morgan Bailey, morgen bailey, Morgen with an e, multi-genre, murder mysteries, murder mystery, mystery author, mystery series, mystery suspense, non-fiction, Northampton, novelist, novelists, novels, open mic nights, pantoum, paranormal, paranormal romance, paranormal romances, past tense, pinterest, poem, poet, poetry, poetry collection, poetry collections, poetry exercises, poetry magazine, poetry slams, present tense, pseudonyms, publisher, publishing, query letters, reading books, red pen, rejection letter, rejection letters, rejections, rhyming, rhyming poetry, romance, romance fantasy, romance writer, romantic suspense, science fiction, scriptwriters, second person point of view, second person viewpoint, self-publishing, short stories, short story group, Smashwords, sonnet, story a day, Story A Day May, story author, story authors, story collections, story writer, submissions, suspense novelist, suspense thriller, tanka, terza rima, travel memoir, travel writer, triolet, Twitter, vampire, villanelle, Waterstones, western, western author, Wordpress, writer, writer interview, writing, writing competitions, writing events, writing exercises, writing fiction, writing group, writing magazines, writing novels, writing poetry, writing prompts, writing workshop, YA, young adult novels, youtube
Tonight’s guest blog post is brought to you by crime writer / reviewer, interviewee and Flash Fiction Fridayer Graham Smith.
Baiting Your Hook
As a crime reader, writer and reviewer one of the things that interests me most is that all important first paragraph. A good one grabs me straight away while a bad one turns the air a kind of sweary blue colour.
A good opening paragraph draws the reader into the book and immerses them in the story from the get go. Small errors later in the novel are forgiven or ignored because the reader is so engrossed in the story. Beware though, when it’s bad the reader may never make it far enough to read all the really good bits of your novel or story.
Mundane everyday routine is a serious no no in any part of a novel and doubly so in the opening chapter let alone that all-important first paragraph. What the reader wants is for something to happen and it’s gotta be exciting. We want a kidnap, violence or the discovery of a body to get our pulses racing. Introspection, routine and banality are not what crime readers want to start off with. Sure, use them as character displaying tools later on to round out your novel but wait until the reader cares about the characters.
Take for example these two opening lines I’ve just made up. One should tickle your interesting bits while the other is blander than white fish with plain rice.
- Detective John Harrison washed the plate, returned it to the cupboard and trudged exhausted up the stairs. Creeping into his children’s bedrooms he kissed them both goodnight before undressing in the master bedroom. The hall light shone onto his wife’s beautiful face and he was tempted to wake her, to tell her of his long boring day shuffling endless forms. Deciding against it he slipped beneath the quilt and fell asleep in seconds.
- The severed head of a child bounced off my windscreen as I pursued the Corvette. Blood splattered the now starred glass. Two months I had been chasing the McAvoy brothers. Their paedophile ring was going to get shut down. Today! Reaching beneath my jacket I un-holstered the Sig Sauer I always carried.
The first instance is to my mind bland and dull. It shows Harrison as being mostly desk bound and any cop who lives at home with a wife and kids is unlikely to be interesting to a reader unless he has a double life. This could only be used as an opening paragraph if the next paragraph was the one where the action kicked off.
The second instance starts you right in the action with a car chase, murder and paedophilia (surely the most despicable crime) there is also the prospect of revenge or vigilante action and the pulling of the gun announces its imminent arrival.
Get it right and you’re onto a winner right away. Get it wrong and you are struggling to retain your reader’s interest.
Please share your thoughts as to the opening lines that have grabbed you by the throat and forced you to keep reading or the ones which have repelled you.
*
Morgen: We often use sentence starts in our writing groups and it’s always amazing how varied authors go using the same thing. From a reading point of view, if a hook doesn’t work and I have to read it a couple of times to work out what’s going on, it doesn’t fill me with confidence for the rest of the book. Thank you, Graham.
**
Graham Smith is married with a young son. A time served joiner he has built bridges, houses, dug drains and slated roofs to make ends meet. For the last eleven years he has been manager of a busy hotel and wedding venue near Gretna Green, Scotland.
An avid fan of crime fiction since being given one of Enid Blyton’s Famous Five books at the age of eight, he has also been a regular reviewer and interviewer for the well respected review site Crimesquad.com for over three years.
He has three collections of short stories available as Kindle downloads and has featured in anthologies such as True Brit Grit and Action: Pulse Pounding Tales as well as appearing on several popular ezines.
You can find Graham via…
And his books via…
Anthology Entries
Graham is also running ‘Crime and Publishment’, a fantastic weekend of crime writing courses (I can say that because I was at the first one last March). 2014’s author tutors are Chris Ewan, Zoe Sharp and Michael Malone. Darren Laws of Caffeine Nights will be teaching attendees how to pitch to a publisher and will also be accepting pitches. More information on Crime and Publishment can be found at http://www.crimeandpublishment.co.uk and https://www.facebook.com/CrimePublishment.
***
If you would like to write a writing-related guest post for my blog then feel free to email me with an outline of what you would like to write about. Guidelines on http://morgenbailey.wordpress.com/guest-blogs. There are other options listed on http://morgenbailey.wordpress.com/submission-information/opportunities-on-this-blog.
** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!
See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0
or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **
You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel, which is being serialised on Novel Nights In!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.
For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.
As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. If there’s anything you’d like to take part in, take a look at Opportunities on this blog.
I welcome items for critique for the online writing groups listed below:
Morgen’s Online Non-Fiction Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group
We look forward to reading your comments.
Tags: 5pm fiction, agent, Amazon, author, author interview, author spotlight, Barnes & Noble, Barnes and Noble, biographers, biography, blog, blogger, blogging, books, characters, children’s, competitions, copyediting, copyeditor, copywriter, copywriting, cozy mysteries, creative writing, crime, crime novelist, crime series, crime thriller, crime thrillers, critique, critique groups, debut novel, editing, editor, erotic romance, erotica, exercises, Facebook, fantasy, fantasy horror, fantasy writer, feedback, fellow authors, fiction, fiction author, five senses, flash fiction, free verse, future tense, Goodreads, Graham Smith, grammar skills, graphic novels, guest blog, guest blog post, guest post, haiku, haiku poem, hendecasyllabic, historical, historical author, historical writer, horror novel, humorous, humour, iambic pentameter, indie, interview, interview with writer, interviewees, Jane Wenham Jones, Kobo, LinkedIn, Literary Festival, literature, memoirist, Morgan Bailey, morgen bailey, Morgen with an e, multi-genre, murder mysteries, murder mystery, mystery author, mystery series, mystery suspense, non-fiction, Northampton, novelist, novelists, novels, open mic nights, pantoum, paranormal, paranormal romance, paranormal romances, past tense, pinterest, poem, poet, poetry, poetry collection, poetry collections, poetry exercises, poetry magazine, poetry slams, present tense, pseudonyms, publisher, publishing, query letters, reading books, red pen, rejection letter, rejection letters, rejections, rhyming, rhyming poetry, romance, romance fantasy, romance writer, romantic suspense, science fiction, scriptwriters, second person point of view, second person viewpoint, self-publishing, short stories, short story group, Smashwords, sonnet, story a day, Story A Day May, story author, story authors, story collections, story writer, submissions, suspense novelist, suspense thriller, tanka, terza rima, travel memoir, travel writer, triolet, Twitter, vampire, villanelle, Waterstones, western, western author, Wordpress, writer, writer interview, writing, writing competitions, writing events, writing exercises, writing fiction, writing group, writing magazines, writing novels, writing poetry, writing prompts, writing workshop, YA, young adult novels, youtube
Welcome to the two hundred and thirteenth in this daily series that is ‘5pm Fiction’.
Late April 2011 I discovered http://StoryADay.org and the project that is to write 31 stories in 31 days. Anyone who knows me or follows this blog, knows how passionate I am about short stories so my clichéd eyes lit up at this new marvel. And just a few days later there I was, breathing life into new characters. This went on to become (with some editing of course) my 31-story collection eBook Story A Day May 2011.
I was nearing completion of the 2012 project when I decided that I didn’t want to stop at the end of May so 5PM Fiction was born. I put a load of prompts on the 5PM Fiction page and today’s was to write a story with the following keywords: daffodils, bedside, CD, silent, sank. Below is my 454-worder.
*
Eddie’s Fault
“Daffodils, Eddie! Mum’s favourites are daffodils. What are these?”
“Gerberas, my love,” Eddie replied, deflated. “It’s all the shop had left.”
“I suppose it would make a change,” she conceded.
Eddie looked at the vases of daffodils filling the hospital bedside table and nodded. “How is she?”
My love, Thelma, burst into tears.
“She’ll be fine, my love,” Eddie said reaching out for his wife’s hand, which remained in her lap.
“She won’t! And stop calling me ‘my love’!”
“I’m sorry, my… People come out of comas all the time. I could bring the CD player and her favourite Andre Rieu… might cheer them up too.” Eddie looked at the only other bed in the room; at the other crying relatives, the other silent patient.
“It’s your fault she’s here!” Thelma snapped, bringing his attention back to her.
“My fault?”
“If you hadn’t… oh, there’s the doctor.” Thelma leapt to her feet. “Dr Chapada…”
“Chapadandraha, Mrs Boyle.”
“Yes, quite.” Thelma looked at Eddie, who was still seated, and glared at him.
He duly stood and waited for Thelma to continue, not an expert on hospitals but an expert on Thelma.
“Any news, Doctor?”
“The tests have come back negative…”
Thelma yelped and grabbed Eddie’s hand who yelped as she crushed it.
“I’m sorry…” the doctor started.
Thelma whimpered.
“No, I mean…”
“Will she be OK?” Eddie chipped in.
“Should be fine, Mr Boyle.”
“Should be?” Thelma eased up on her grip of Eddie’s hand.
“She’s under an induced coma, Mrs Boyle, but her brain activity is normal so in usual circumstances, patients even with her level of crush injuries do go on to make a recovery.”
“Full recovery?” Thelma pressed.
“We’ll know more when she wakes.”
“Thank you,” Thelma said, a little more cheerful.
The doctor nodded and went to the other bed, where an elderly man had had complications after heart surgery.
Thelma returned to her chair and sank slowly, staring at her mother as she lay unconscious, every now and then eyelids twitching.
Eddie watched his wife sit down then joined her. He replayed the events of the previous day in his head; of Thelma driving him back from the supermarket, of her mother coming out of the house to greet them, of the cat dashing across the driveway from under a bush, of Thelma’s confusion between foot pedals and the screaming.
“Thelma,” Eddie started gently. “Thelma,” he repeated, knowing she’d heard but not responded. “What did you mean when you said it was my fault?”
Thelma turned to him, the glare returned. “He’s your cat!”
There was one thing Eddie knew; he was only ever right when Thelma was wrong and he wasn’t going to hold his breath on that one.
***
Picture above courtesy of morguefile.com.
** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!
See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0
or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **
You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel, which is being serialised on Novel Nights In!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.
For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.
As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. If there’s anything you’d like to take part in, take a look at Opportunities on this blog.
I welcome items for critique for the online writing groups listed below:
Morgen’s Online Non-Fiction Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group
We look forward to reading your comments.
Tags: 5pm fiction, agent, Amazon, author, author interview, author spotlight, Barnes & Noble, Barnes and Noble, biographers, biography, blog, blogger, blogging, books, characters, children’s, competitions, copyediting, copyeditor, copywriter, copywriting, cozy mysteries, creative writing, crime, crime novelist, crime series, crime thriller, crime thrillers, critique, critique groups, debut novel, editing, editor, erotic romance, erotica, exercises, Facebook, fantasy, fantasy horror, fantasy writer, feedback, fellow authors, fiction, fiction author, five senses, flash fiction, free verse, future tense, Goodreads, grammar skills, graphic novels, guest blog, guest blog post, guest post, haiku, haiku poem, hendecasyllabic, historical, historical author, historical writer, horror novel, humorous, humour, iambic pentameter, indie, interview, interview with writer, interviewees, Jane Wenham Jones, Kobo, LinkedIn, Literary Festival, literature, memoirist, Morgan Bailey, morgen bailey, Morgen with an e, multi-genre, murder mysteries, murder mystery, mystery author, mystery series, mystery suspense, non-fiction, Northampton, novelist, novelists, novels, open mic nights, pantoum, paranormal, paranormal romance, paranormal romances, past tense, pinterest, poem, poet, poetry, poetry collection, poetry collections, poetry exercises, poetry magazine, poetry slams, present tense, pseudonyms, publisher, publishing, query letters, reading books, red pen, rejection letter, rejection letters, rejections, rhyming, rhyming poetry, romance, romance fantasy, romance writer, romantic suspense, science fiction, scriptwriters, second person point of view, second person viewpoint, self-publishing, short stories, short story group, Smashwords, sonnet, story a day, Story A Day May, story author, story authors, story collections, story writer, submissions, suspense novelist, suspense thriller, tanka, terza rima, travel memoir, travel writer, triolet, Twitter, vampire, villanelle, Waterstones, western, western author, Wordpress, writer, writer interview, writing, writing competitions, writing events, writing exercises, writing fiction, writing group, writing magazines, writing novels, writing poetry, writing prompts, writing workshop, YA, young adult novels, youtube
Complementing my interviews, today’s Author Spotlight, the two hundred and fifty-third, is of suspense novelist Suzanne Brandyn. Suzanne is running a competition, detailed after this spotlight.
Suzanne Brandyn was born on the edge of the outback of NSW Australia.
She pursued life from the hot, red dust of cattle country to many Australian cities and small country towns.
She has mustered sheep on a horse and a motorbike, spotlighted for foxes and learned to shoot a rifle, dived the Great Barrier Reef and surrounding islands, speared fish, swam with sharks and dolphins, avoided sea snakes and moray eels, and taken free rides on sea turtles.
*
And now from the author herself:
I frequent my place of birth in rural Australia as often as I can. The air seems to bring an inner peace and the people treat you as though you have never left. They say there is no place like home. I agree. That is if I can keep my feet still long enough and not have one boot over the mountain, or the other stilettoed foot tapping away in a city.
I have four novels published with an e-press publisher, and I’m about to go INDIE and publish Outback Fear, a suspense with a touch of romance. Outback Fear is a story of one woman’s courage of fighting back, of redemption and newfound love.
Women are a resilient species, and we often pull through some of the toughest times in life. Let’s follow our dreams.
And a little about her book ‘Outback Fear’…
Savannah Harris is determined to raise her three-month-old daughter in the best possible environment, and flees home to Grace Creek, an inheritance from her recently deceased mother.
But even this peaceful property cannot cocoon her from her abusive husband or a stranger who intends to rip her life apart.
In an atmosphere thick with fear, Savannah realises she cannot keep running, she must fight back or risk losing not only her life, but the only family she has left, her precious daughter.
And what others have said…
“Outback Fear is a tour de force of suspense and psychological and physical terror. Savannah is a remarkable heroine readers will love – and cheer for. She truly took back her life, once and for all freeing herself and Amy. What a heart-stopping and satisfying ending to a story of courage and hope.” Valerie Susan Hayward
**
You can find more about Suzanne and her writing via…
***
And last but not least, Suzanne’s competition:
Win a sapphire pendant valued at over $250 Au, set in Sterling Silver.
To celebrate the release of ‘Outback Fear,’ Suzanne is running a competition for readers to win a sapphire pendant set, with sapphires taken from the soil of Grace Creek, the fictional name of the property in Outback Fear, the property she lived on for many years. The competition began May 15th and runs until July 17th.
****
If you would like to take part in an author spotlight, take a look at http://morgenbailey.wordpress.com/submission-information/opportunities-on-this-blog (the spotlights are option (a)) or email me for details.
** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!
See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0
or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **
You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel, which is being serialised on Novel Nights In!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.
For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.
As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. If there’s anything you’d like to take part in, take a look at Opportunities on this blog.
I welcome items for critique for the online writing groups listed below:
Morgen’s Online Non-Fiction Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group
We look forward to reading your comments.
Tags: 5pm fiction, agent, Amazon, author, author interview, author spotlight, Barnes & Noble, Barnes and Noble, biographers, biography, blog, blogger, blogging, books, characters, children’s, competitions, copyediting, copyeditor, copywriter, copywriting, cozy mysteries, creative writing, crime, crime novelist, crime series, crime thriller, crime thrillers, critique, critique groups, debut novel, editing, editor, erotic romance, erotica, exercises, Facebook, fantasy, fantasy horror, fantasy writer, feedback, fellow authors, fiction, fiction author, five senses, flash fiction, free verse, future tense, Goodreads, grammar skills, graphic novels, guest blog, guest blog post, guest post, haiku, haiku poem, hendecasyllabic, historical, historical author, historical writer, horror novel, humorous, humour, iambic pentameter, indie, interview, interview with writer, interviewees, Jane Wenham Jones, Kobo, LinkedIn, Literary Festival, literature, memoirist, Morgan Bailey, morgen bailey, Morgen with an e, multi-genre, murder mysteries, murder mystery, mystery author, mystery series, mystery suspense, non-fiction, Northampton, novelist, novelists, novels, open mic nights, pantoum, paranormal, paranormal romance, paranormal romances, past tense, pinterest, poem, poet, poetry, poetry collection, poetry collections, poetry exercises, poetry magazine, poetry slams, present tense, pseudonyms, publisher, publishing, query letters, reading books, red pen, rejection letter, rejection letters, rejections, rhyming, rhyming poetry, romance, romance fantasy, romance writer, romantic suspense, science fiction, scriptwriters, second person point of view, second person viewpoint, self-publishing, short stories, short story group, Smashwords, sonnet, story a day, Story A Day May, story author, story authors, story collections, story writer, submissions, suspense novelist, suspense thriller, Suzanne Brandyn, tanka, terza rima, travel memoir, travel writer, triolet, Twitter, vampire, villanelle, Waterstones, western, western author, Wordpress, writer, writer interview, writing, writing competitions, writing events, writing exercises, writing fiction, writing group, writing magazines, writing novels, writing poetry, writing prompts, writing workshop, YA, young adult novels, youtube
Welcome to Post-weekend Poetry and the seventy-ninth poem in this series. This week’s piece is by poet and author Marc D Brown.
Product of Boredom?
We all bleed out shades,
A product of boredom from yet another day,
that’s has stayed the same just like all the rest.
CRYING OUT FOR SOMETHING NEW!
CRYING OUT FOR SOMETHING NEW!
But nothing ever changes.
Just another day with the same old faces.
This has become my product of boredom,
more ink on more paper,
but are they just words with no real meaning?
Or is this all real?
Is this what I’m thinking?
Who knows? Who cares?
Just words on paper for you to sit and stare.
…but, in the back of your mind do you find a hidden meaning?
Oh yeah… just remember…
Who knows? Who cares?
But who knows what I am thinking?
And if you do have a clue, do you really believe it could be true?
But who cares? I don’t and neither do you.
Or do you?
Are you still reading and are you intrigued?
And would you believe this is just a product of boredom
for me and for you?
I’m writing and you’re reading…who would’ve knew?
But who really knows?
Did I write this for you? A product of boredom, or just to confuse?
*
I asked Marc what prompted this piece and he said…
A Product of Boredom is EXACTLY what it says. I remember being in my mums kitchen sat at the dining table just twiddling my thumbs waiting for my friend to call round. I noticed my dad had left a pad of paper out, I just picked up a pen and started doodling then the doodles turned into words.
That first line “We all bleed out shades, A product of boredom from yet another day.” It’s how I felt, just sat waiting watching the clock…. each second felt like a minute and it was draining, bleeding the life right out of me. I can be quite an impatient person at times, I like things there and then when I’m ready. Although looking back now, I’m happy my friend was late calling for me as I would never have written one of my favorite pieces of work, I would have just left the house to go to the pub.
Thank you, Marc.
Marc D Brown, a 27-year-old Poet & Author from York, UK. Marc started writing poetry when he was around 15 years old after reading ‘The Sick Rose’ by William Blake in an Facebook class at school.
Through his teenage years he listened to a lot of rock music and heavy metal, this definitely inspired his style of writing.
Through the teenage years a lot of his work was as expected, quite ‘angsty’ and rebellious.
As Marc matured so did his writing style, developing a unique, straight to the point and honest approach that most people will appreciate.
Avoiding the risk of sounding like just another ‘pretentious’ poet, Marc D Brown stays true to himself exploring dark and in some cases disturbing subjects such as the poems ‘The Recipient’ which is about an sadomasochistic relationship or ‘The Note’ which delves into the world of depression.
That is not to say his books are lacking any positivity or happiness, with poems like ‘A Tale of Two’ & ‘Autumn Leaves’ from An Introduction to Marc D Brown.
With something for everyone’s tastes, Marc D Brows work will never disappoint.
**
If you’d like to submit your poem (40 lines max) for consideration for Post-weekend Poetry take a look here or a poem for critique on the Online Poetry Writing Group (link below).
** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!
See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0
or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **
You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel, which is being serialised on Novel Nights In!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.
For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.
As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. If there’s anything you’d like to take part in, take a look at Opportunities on this blog.
I welcome items for critique for the online writing groups listed below:
Morgen’s Online Non-Fiction Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group
We look forward to reading your comments.
Tags: 5pm fiction, agent, Amazon, author, author interview, author spotlight, Barnes & Noble, Barnes and Noble, biographers, biography, blog, blogger, blogging, books, characters, children’s, competitions, copyediting, copyeditor, copywriter, copywriting, cozy mysteries, creative writing, crime, crime novelist, crime series, crime thriller, crime thrillers, critique, critique groups, debut novel, editing, editor, erotic romance, erotica, exercises, Facebook, fantasy, fantasy horror, fantasy writer, feedback, fellow authors, fiction, fiction author, five senses, flash fiction, free verse, future tense, Goodreads, grammar skills, graphic novels, guest blog, guest blog post, guest post, haiku, haiku poem, hendecasyllabic, historical, historical author, historical writer, horror novel, humorous, humour, iambic pentameter, indie, interview, interview with writer, interviewees, Jane Wenham Jones, Kobo, LinkedIn, Literary Festival, literature, Marc D Brown, memoirist, Morgan Bailey, morgen bailey, Morgen with an e, multi-genre, murder mysteries, murder mystery, mystery author, mystery series, mystery suspense, non-fiction, Northampton, novelist, novelists, novels, open mic nights, pantoum, paranormal, paranormal romance, paranormal romances, past tense, pinterest, poem, poet, poetry, poetry collection, poetry collections, poetry exercises, poetry magazine, poetry slams, present tense, pseudonyms, publisher, publishing, query letters, reading books, red pen, rejection letter, rejection letters, rejections, rhyming, rhyming poetry, romance, romance fantasy, romance writer, romantic suspense, science fiction, scriptwriters, second person point of view, second person viewpoint, self-publishing, short stories, short story group, Smashwords, sonnet, story a day, Story A Day May, story author, story authors, story collections, story writer, submissions, suspense novelist, suspense thriller, tanka, terza rima, travel memoir, travel writer, triolet, Twitter, vampire, villanelle, Waterstones, western, western author, Wordpress, writer, writer interview, writing, writing competitions, writing events, writing exercises, writing fiction, writing group, writing magazines, writing novels, writing poetry, writing prompts, writing workshop, YA, young adult novels, youtube
Welcome to the two hundred and twelfth in this daily series that is ‘5pm Fiction’.
Late April 2011 I discovered http://StoryADay.org and the project that is to write 31 stories in 31 days. Anyone who knows me or follows this blog, knows how passionate I am about short stories so my clichéd eyes lit up at this new marvel. And just a few days later there I was, breathing life into new characters. This went on to become (with some editing of course) my 31-story collection eBook Story A Day May 2011.
I was nearing completion of the 2012 project when I decided that I didn’t want to stop at the end of May so 5PM Fiction was born. I put a load of prompts on the 5PM Fiction page and today’s was to write a story with the following sentence start: ‘Swinging the gate open’. Below is my 166-worder.
*
Full Moon
Swinging the gate open, Jody winced as it complained. Looking up at her parents’ bedroom she waited for a light. Above the house, the moon was bright and whole, splintered by next door’s laylandia. She smiled as she thought of the scene from Bruce Almighty where Jim Carrey enlarges the moon and pulls it closer.
With the house still in darkness, she put her key in the lock, slowly, silently, and held the handle as she pushed the door away from its frame, closing it again just as quietly. Climbing the stairs she avoided the step that creaked and was grateful that she’d left her bedroom door open when she went earlier that evening.
In the bubble of her room, she leant against the windowsill staring out into the night. She could hear her father snoring next door and she smiled as she imagined her mother’s efforts getting to sleep.
Jody was making shapes out of the stars when she felt a finger jab her back.
***
Picture above courtesy of morguefile.com.
** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!
See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0
or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **
You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel, which is being serialised on Novel Nights In!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.
For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.
As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. If there’s anything you’d like to take part in, take a look at Opportunities on this blog.
I welcome items for critique for the online writing groups listed below:
Morgen’s Online Non-Fiction Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group
We look forward to reading your comments.
Tags: 5pm fiction, agent, Amazon, author, author interview, author spotlight, Barnes & Noble, Barnes and Noble, biographers, biography, blog, blogger, blogging, books, characters, children’s, competitions, copyediting, copyeditor, copywriter, copywriting, cozy mysteries, creative writing, crime, crime novelist, crime series, crime thriller, crime thrillers, critique, critique groups, debut novel, editing, editor, erotic romance, erotica, exercises, Facebook, fantasy, fantasy horror, fantasy writer, feedback, fellow authors, fiction, fiction author, five senses, flash fiction, free verse, future tense, Goodreads, grammar skills, graphic novels, guest blog, guest blog post, guest post, haiku, haiku poem, hendecasyllabic, historical, historical author, historical writer, horror novel, humorous, humour, iambic pentameter, indie, interview, interview with writer, interviewees, Jane Wenham Jones, Kobo, LinkedIn, Literary Festival, literature, memoirist, Morgan Bailey, morgen bailey, Morgen with an e, multi-genre, murder mysteries, murder mystery, mystery author, mystery series, mystery suspense, non-fiction, Northampton, novelist, novelists, novels, open mic nights, pantoum, paranormal, paranormal romance, paranormal romances, past tense, pinterest, poem, poet, poetry, poetry collection, poetry collections, poetry exercises, poetry magazine, poetry slams, present tense, pseudonyms, publisher, publishing, query letters, reading books, red pen, rejection letter, rejection letters, rejections, rhyming, rhyming poetry, romance, romance fantasy, romance writer, romantic suspense, science fiction, scriptwriters, second person point of view, second person viewpoint, self-publishing, short stories, short story group, Smashwords, sonnet, story a day, Story A Day May, story author, story authors, story collections, story writer, submissions, suspense novelist, suspense thriller, tanka, terza rima, travel memoir, travel writer, triolet, Twitter, vampire, villanelle, Waterstones, western, western author, Wordpress, writer, writer interview, writing, writing competitions, writing events, writing exercises, writing fiction, writing group, writing magazines, writing novels, writing poetry, writing prompts, writing workshop, YA, young adult novels, youtube
Complementing my interviews, today’s Author Spotlight, the two hundred and fifty-second, is of debut equestrian novelist Christine Meunier.
Living in Victoria, Australia, Christine Meunier has published her first book, Horse Country. Particularly passionate about the world of breeding horses, Christine teaches horse breeding at a TAFE in Victoria, Australia.
Drawing from her own experiences, she has put together a fictional but factual novel regarding work in the thoroughbred breeding industry and a metropolitan horse riding school. It was at 13 years of age that Christine was introduced to first having a horse, but from a much younger age, that she started to learn about them through fiction and non fiction books. She continues to learn about them from books, but recognises that horses cannot be learnt from books alone.
Having studied horses from the age of 16, Christine is currently undertaking the Bachelor of Equine Science in Australia. Previously she attained her Certificate II in Horse Studies, Diploma of Horse Studies (Breeding) and Certificate of Merit from the Irish National Stud. Before teaching others about horse care and breeding she worked at numerous thoroughbred studs in Australia as well as overseas in Ireland.
This was followed by gaining experience in a couple of Melbourne based horse riding schools, instructing others with regards to riding the horse. A trip over to South Africa followed, allowing Christine the chance to gain many hours in the saddle and improve her own riding.
It is the education of people regarding horses being a viable career option that has been the catalyst for writing a blog about equine related vocations, education and travel.
*
And now from the author herself:
My first novel follows the lives of four young women working with horses. The first two – Lise and Wes – are undertaking work with thoroughbred stud horses in North East Victoria, Australia. Horse Country follows the seasons of the thoroughbred breeding world, looking at the day to day working on a stud.
I have also looked into the prospect of working in a riding school, having written about sisters Maddie and Melanie that teach horse riding at the East Riding School, owned by their parents.
Horse Country is set for release on July 1st, 2103 and will be available in hard copy and ebook format.
It is my hope that this novel encourages those who love the equine species, to pursue a career working with them. I hope that they find the novel informative and entertaining and realise that horses are indeed a viable career.
I have written Horse Country to cover the weanling, yearling and breeding seasons of the thoroughbred breeding world and the weekly running of a riding school and what school holiday programs with horses can look like. Horse Country is a large novel of close to 500 pages, clearly depicting what life can look like working with horses each month of the year. I have woven the story around the lives of four different women, enlightening readers to different characters and personalities, as well as the point of view of those already in the industry, and one student working her way into the horse industry.
**
You can find more about Christine and her writing via…
***
If you would like to take part in an author spotlight, take a look at http://morgenbailey.wordpress.com/submission-information/opportunities-on-this-blog (the spotlights are option (a)) or email me for details.
** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!
See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0
or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **
You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel, which is being serialised on Novel Nights In!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.
For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.
As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. If there’s anything you’d like to take part in, take a look at Opportunities on this blog.
I welcome items for critique for the online writing groups listed below:
Morgen’s Online Non-Fiction Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group
We look forward to reading your comments.
Tags: 5pm fiction, agent, Amazon, author, author interview, author spotlight, Barnes & Noble, Barnes and Noble, biographers, biography, blog, blogger, blogging, books, characters, children’s, Christine Meunier, competitions, copyediting, copyeditor, copywriter, copywriting, cozy mysteries, creative writing, crime, crime novelist, crime series, crime thriller, crime thrillers, critique, critique groups, debut novel, editing, editor, erotic romance, erotica, exercises, Facebook, fantasy, fantasy horror, fantasy writer, feedback, fellow authors, fiction, fiction author, five senses, flash fiction, free verse, future tense, Goodreads, grammar skills, graphic novels, guest blog, guest blog post, guest post, haiku, haiku poem, hendecasyllabic, historical, historical author, historical writer, horror novel, humorous, humour, iambic pentameter, indie, interview, interview with writer, interviewees, Jane Wenham Jones, Kobo, LinkedIn, Literary Festival, literature, memoirist, Morgan Bailey, morgen bailey, Morgen with an e, multi-genre, murder mysteries, murder mystery, mystery author, mystery series, mystery suspense, non-fiction, Northampton, novelist, novelists, novels, open mic nights, pantoum, paranormal, paranormal romance, paranormal romances, past tense, pinterest, poem, poet, poetry, poetry collection, poetry collections, poetry exercises, poetry magazine, poetry slams, present tense, pseudonyms, publisher, publishing, query letters, reading books, red pen, rejection letter, rejection letters, rejections, rhyming, rhyming poetry, romance, romance fantasy, romance writer, romantic suspense, science fiction, scriptwriters, second person point of view, second person viewpoint, self-publishing, short stories, short story group, Smashwords, sonnet, story a day, Story A Day May, story author, story authors, story collections, story writer, submissions, suspense novelist, suspense thriller, tanka, terza rima, travel memoir, travel writer, triolet, Twitter, vampire, villanelle, Waterstones, western, western author, Wordpress, writer, writer interview, writing, writing competitions, writing events, writing exercises, writing fiction, writing group, writing magazines, writing novels, writing poetry, writing prompts, writing workshop, YA, young adult novels, youtube
Bailey’s Writing Tips podcast ‘short stories’ episode number 26 went live today and contained three flash fiction pieces that have appeared on my blog as Flash Fiction Fridays. Do email me should you like to submit your own.
This episode contained:
*
See the links above to read the stories… or hear my dulcet tones on the podcast.
The podcast is available via iTunes, Google’s Feedburner, Podbean (when it catches up), Podcasters (which takes even longer) or Podcast Alley (which doesn’t list the episodes but will let you subscribe).
**
BIOS
Neal James began writing in 2007 when a series of short stories found favour on a number of international writing sites. Since then, he has released three novels and an anthology of short stories.
‘Full Marks’, his fifth book in as many years, is a crime novel and a product of a vivid imagination set against a backdrop of exposés dating back to the mid-1970s. ‘Two Little Dicky Birds’, his 2010 release, was a finalist in the prestigious Peoples Book prize of 2012. He is a member of the Crime Writers’ Association, and regular contributor to local newspaper features.
Details of all his writing can be seen on his website www.nealjames.webs.com. As an accountant for over three decades, he has drawn on his background to provide an insight into much of the substance required in the creation of his writing to-date. He lives in Derbyshire with his wife and family.
***
Author Dr. Margaret Aranda and her daughter were in a car accident in 2006. Margaret was unable to walk or talk for several years, was bedridden for six years, and lived on an iv for three years. She is a Stanford-trained doctor in Anesthesiology, Critical Care, and is American Board Certified in both. She is trained in Age Management Medicine by Cenegenics Medical Institute, and spends her time keeping patients well in Preventive Medicine, writing, blogging, touching bases with 7,000 FB Friends, and petting her two dogs.
Her first book, No More Tears: A Physician Turned Patient Inspires Recovery, is by Tate Publishing was released on April 19th, 2013. Additional works include Stepping from the Edge, Little Missy Two-Shoes Likes a Ladybug, Little Missy Two-Shoes Likes to go to School, and her WIP is From Menarche through Menopause: A Journey through Time. She is tucked away in a horse community in Los Angeles, CA.
You can find out more about Margaret and her writing via…
- http://www.drmargaretaranda.blogspot.com
- http://www.facebook.com/NoMoreTearsAPhysicianTurnedPatientInspiresRecovery
- https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stepping-from-the-Edge/370110906353041?ref=hl
- https://www.facebook.com/pages/Margaret-Ferrante-MD/198253210250379?ref=hl
- http://word-dysautonomiamd.blogspot.com/
- https://www.youtube.com/user/DysautonomiaMD
- https://www.youtube.com/user/VirtualMedSchool1?feature=watch
***
Kenna McKinnon is a freelance writer / photographer and self employed businesswoman, and has lived successfully with schizophrenia for many years.
Her website is http://www.kennamckinnon.blogspot.ca and her poetry anthology ‘Discovery’ and novels ‘SpaceHive’ and non-fiction book ‘The Insanity Machine’ are available from http://www.amazon.com/Kenna-McKinnon/e/B008M9WITM and http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kenna-McKinnon/e/B008M9WITM.
***
Thank you for downloading / listening to this short story episode – I hope you enjoyed it. The next episode will be another short stories episode in a fortnight’s time.
All the details of these episodes are listed on this blog’s Podcast Short Stories page and my email address to submit your stories is morgen@morgenbailey.com.
The podcast is available via iTunes, Google’s Feedburner, Podbean (when it catches up), Podcasters (which takes even longer) or Podcast Alley (which doesn’t list the episodes but will let you subscribe).
** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!
See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0
or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **
You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel, which is being serialised on Novel Nights In!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.
For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.
As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. If there’s anything you’d like to take part in, take a look at Opportunities on this blog.
I welcome items for critique for the online writing groups listed below:
Morgen’s Online Non-Fiction Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group
We look forward to reading your comments.
Tags: 5pm fiction, agent, Amazon, author, author interview, author spotlight, Barnes & Noble, Barnes and Noble, biographers, biography, blog, blogger, blogging, books, characters, children’s, competitions, copyediting, copyeditor, copywriter, copywriting, cozy mysteries, creative writing, crime, crime novelist, crime series, crime thriller, crime thrillers, critique, critique groups, debut novel, Dr Margaret Aranda, editing, editor, erotic romance, erotica, exercises, Facebook, fantasy, fantasy horror, fantasy writer, feedback, fellow authors, fiction, fiction author, five senses, flash fiction, free verse, future tense, Goodreads, grammar skills, graphic novels, guest blog, guest blog post, guest post, haiku, haiku poem, hendecasyllabic, historical, historical author, historical writer, horror novel, humorous, humour, iambic pentameter, indie, interview, interview with writer, interviewees, Jane Wenham Jones, Kenna McKinnon, Kobo, LinkedIn, Literary Festival, literature, Margaret Aranda, memoirist, Morgan Bailey, morgen bailey, Morgen with an e, multi-genre, murder mysteries, murder mystery, mystery author, mystery series, mystery suspense, Neal James, non-fiction, Northampton, novelist, novelists, novels, open mic nights, pantoum, paranormal, paranormal romance, paranormal romances, past tense, pinterest, poem, poet, poetry, poetry collection, poetry collections, poetry exercises, poetry magazine, poetry slams, present tense, pseudonyms, publisher, publishing, query letters, reading books, red pen, rejection letter, rejection letters, rejections, rhyming, rhyming poetry, romance, romance fantasy, romance writer, romantic suspense, science fiction, scriptwriters, second person point of view, second person viewpoint, self-publishing, short stories, short story group, Smashwords, sonnet, story a day, Story A Day May, story author, story authors, story collections, story writer, submissions, suspense novelist, suspense thriller, tanka, terza rima, travel memoir, travel writer, triolet, Twitter, vampire, villanelle, Waterstones, western, western author, Wordpress, writer, writer interview, writing, writing competitions, writing events, writing exercises, writing fiction, writing group, writing magazines, writing novels, writing poetry, writing prompts, writing workshop, YA, young adult novels, youtube
Welcome to the two hundred and eleventh in this daily series that is ‘5pm Fiction’.
Late April 2011 I discovered http://StoryADay.org and the project that is to write 31 stories in 31 days. Anyone who knows me or follows this blog, knows how passionate I am about short stories so my clichéd eyes lit up at this new marvel. And just a few days later there I was, breathing life into new characters. This went on to become (with some editing of course) my 31-story collection eBook Story A Day May 2011.
I was nearing completion of the 2012 project when I decided that I didn’t want to stop at the end of May so 5PM Fiction was born. I put a load of prompts on the 5PM Fiction page and today’s was to write a story with the following mixed bag: swimmer, six-year-old, Spain, scissors, battery, heroic. Below is my 476-worder.
*
Two backwards, one forwards
John had never saved a life before. He wasn’t even sure this really qualified – the paramedics had taken over pretty quickly but he’d been the one who’d dragged the woman from the pool, lain her down and put her in the recovery position, something he’d not done since scouts, and Billy Wingate hadn’t counted as someone in any danger.
John hoped the woman would forgive him for chopping off her hair. He’d not been the first one to spot her but the only one with scissors. If it hadn’t been for Amy’s insistence that he mend her doll’s dress, he’d not have had them with him.
“I’ll do it when we get back, Amy,” he’d said.
“I want to take her with me.”
“But you’ll be swimming.”
“You won’t be, so it’ll give you something to do.”
When had his six-year old daughter become such an adult? he wondered. Since her mother died. Now he had both roles: father – breadwinner; mother – nurturer. He was better at the former. More practice: nine years vs. 18 months.
When you go to work, kiss your wife goodbye, as you do every day, stroke the side of her face as something had compelled John to do that morning, you expect her to be there when you get home, laughing and joking. You don’t expect a call from the school asking why no-one’s collected your daughter, regular as clockwork, only Laura’s clock had stopped ticking – just like that – as if the battery had run out. Two hearts, two batteries: Laura’s and their unborn son’s. Two lives he’d been unable to save.
A year and a half later, there he was, sitting by a Spanish pool in the summer’s early morning warmth – an only parent to an only child. A happy one, on the outside.
Amy’s screaming had jolted him out of a doze. Not quite asleep. Just eyes closed. Resting, if anyone had asked. Too little sleep for both of them. Nightmares – shared subconscious.
The sewing kit and tiny dress had scattered on to the concrete as he’d bolted off the lounger and run to where Amy stood pointing at a figure two metres underwater, hair trapped in the drain, costume sparkling like a mermaid. He’d gone back for the scissors, panicking when he couldn’t find them, then spotting them under a neighbouring empty lounger, he’d straddle-jumped into the pool.
He’d felt guilty, cutting the woman’s beautiful auburn hair with the pathetic, travel-size blades until she came loose and started floating to the top. He swam up after her, grabbed her, towed her by her chin, arm across her chest, as he’d been taught.
She’d been lighter than he imagined she should be. Slim. Pretty. Laura-esque.
He’d felt a pulse, and as he watched the stretcher being taken to the ambulance, he was sure there’d been a hint of a smile.
***
Picture above courtesy of morguefile.com.
** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!
See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0
or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **
You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel, which is being serialised on Novel Nights In!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.
For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.
As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. If there’s anything you’d like to take part in, take a look at Opportunities on this blog.
I welcome items for critique for the online writing groups listed below:
Morgen’s Online Non-Fiction Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group
We look forward to reading your comments.
Tags: 5pm fiction, agent, Amazon, author, author interview, author spotlight, Barnes & Noble, Barnes and Noble, biographers, biography, blog, blogger, blogging, books, characters, children’s, competitions, copyediting, copyeditor, copywriter, copywriting, cozy mysteries, creative writing, crime, crime novelist, crime series, crime thriller, crime thrillers, critique, critique groups, debut novel, editing, editor, erotic romance, erotica, exercises, Facebook, fantasy, fantasy horror, fantasy writer, feedback, fellow authors, fiction, fiction author, five senses, flash fiction, free verse, future tense, Goodreads, grammar skills, graphic novels, guest blog, guest blog post, guest post, haiku, haiku poem, hendecasyllabic, historical, historical author, historical writer, horror novel, humorous, humour, iambic pentameter, indie, interview, interview with writer, interviewees, Jane Wenham Jones, Kobo, LinkedIn, Literary Festival, literature, memoirist, Morgan Bailey, morgen bailey, Morgen with an e, multi-genre, murder mysteries, murder mystery, mystery author, mystery series, mystery suspense, non-fiction, Northampton, novelist, novelists, novels, open mic nights, pantoum, paranormal, paranormal romance, paranormal romances, past tense, pinterest, poem, poet, poetry, poetry collection, poetry collections, poetry exercises, poetry magazine, poetry slams, present tense, pseudonyms, publisher, publishing, query letters, reading books, red pen, rejection letter, rejection letters, rejections, rhyming, rhyming poetry, romance, romance fantasy, romance writer, romantic suspense, science fiction, scriptwriters, second person point of view, second person viewpoint, self-publishing, short stories, short story group, Smashwords, sonnet, story a day, Story A Day May, story author, story authors, story collections, story writer, submissions, suspense novelist, suspense thriller, tanka, terza rima, travel memoir, travel writer, triolet, Twitter, vampire, villanelle, Waterstones, western, western author, Wordpress, writer, writer interview, writing, writing competitions, writing events, writing exercises, writing fiction, writing group, writing magazines, writing novels, writing poetry, writing prompts, writing workshop, YA, young adult novels, youtube
Complementing my interviews, today’s Author Spotlight, the two hundred and fifty-first, is of contemporary historical romance novelist Hannah Fielding. If you would like to take part in an author spotlight, take a look at http://morgenbailey.wordpress.com/author-spotlights.
Hannah Fielding is a novelist, a dreamer, a traveller, a mother, a wife and an incurable romantic. The seeds for her writing career were sown in early childhood, spent in Egypt, when she came to an agreement with her governess Zula: for each fairy story Zula told, Hannah would invent and relate one of her own.
Years later – following a degree in French literature, several years of travelling in Europe, falling in love with an Englishman, the arrival of two beautiful children and a career in property development – Hannah decided after so many years of yearning to write that the time was now.
Today, she lives the dream: she writes full-time, splitting her time between her homes in Kent, England, and the South of France, where she dreams up romances overlooking breath-taking views of the Mediterranean.
*
And now from the author herself:
Stories and writing have always been part of my life. My father was a great raconteur and my governess used to tell the most fabulous fairy stories – I could listen to them for hours. When I was seven she and I came to an agreement: for every story she’d tell me I would invent one in return. That is how my passion for storytelling began.
At school I consistently received first prize for my essays and my teachers often read them aloud in class. As a teenager I used to write short romantic stories during lessons and circulate them in class, which made me very popular with my peers (but less so with the nuns!). In addition, since a young age I have kept some sort of a diary where I note my feelings, ideas and things that take my fancy (or not).
My grandmother was a published author of poetry and my father published a book about the history of our family, so writing runs in my veins. I guess I always knew that one day I would follow in those footsteps and forge my own path in that field – a subconscious dream which finally came true with the publication of my debut novel, Burning Embers.
Burning Embers, published by Omnific Publishing, is a contemporary historical romance novel set in Kenya in 1970. It is an evocative and passionate story of coming of age, of letting go of the past, of having faith in a person and of overcoming obstacles to love, set against the vivid and colourful backdrop of rural Africa and its culture. It’s been called by one newspaper ‘epic romance like Hollywood used to make’.
Burning Embers began not as a story, but as a vivid landscape in my mind. The seed of the ideas was sown many years ago when, as a schoolgirl, I studied the works of Leconte de Lisle, a French Romantic poet of the 19th century. His poems are wonderfully descriptive and vivid – about wild animals, magnificent dawns and sunsets, exotic settings and colourful vistas (see http://www.hannahfielding.net/?cat=7 for translations). Then, later on, I went on holiday to Kenya with my parents and I met our family friend Mr Chiumbo Wangai, who often used to visit us. He was a great raconteur and told me extensively about his beautiful country, its tribes, its traditions and its customs. I was enthralled. His ability to describe the many facets of his country and his people endeared Kenya to my heart long before I set foot in it.
Later, once I had visited the country myself, I put pen to paper and Burning Embers came to life. Burning Embers had to be written; there was too much about the place and its people that I felt passionate about.
People often ask me about the time and setting of my novel. Quite simply, I write what I know. I grew up in a rambling house in Alexandria, Egypt, and my bedroom windows overlooked the beautiful Mediterranean Sea. I could see up to the harbour. At any time of day when I looked out of my windows, there was beauty in the scenery. That is where I first experienced the blazing dawns and sunsets, the brilliant azure sky and the ever-changing colours of the sea – silver under the moonlight, almost purple and orange in the early morning or the evening, deep blue in autumn, angry grey in winter and almost turquoise in the spring and summer. Now, my plots are set in warm countries: such vivacious, passionate people, fascinating cultures and wonderful, breath-taking vistas. It is what I know best, what touches me most, so I situate my stories in places that bring warmth to my heart.
Since writing Burning Embers, I have written a number of books which will publish soon, and I have been travelling extensively, searching for new pastures in which to set my future novels.
I have written a passionate, fiery trilogy set in Andalucía, Spain, spanning three generations of a Spanish / English family, from 1950 to the present day.
I have also just finished writing a touching, deeply romantic novel that takes place in Venice and in Tuscany, Italy in 1979 / 1980. It opens with the Venice Carnival that has returned after a cessation of almost two centuries.
Greece is also on the map for a new Hannah Fielding romantic novel. I am now in the process of researching and planning a very dramatic and steamy love story that takes place on one of the many Greek Islands. I chose Greece because I know that captivating country and its people well – I have good Greek friends. I bought my wedding dress in Athens and my husband and I honeymooned on Rhodes Island. Greek mythology was part of the literature course I read at university and Greece is not far from Alexandria where I grew up.
I still have numerous books in me and I intend to write a historical romance trilogy, which will be set in Egypt and will take my readers from the 1940s to the present day.
I so enjoy researching these books (what better excuse to visit Venice), and they are in the pipeline for publication in due course. I very much enjoy the publishing process and hearing from readers of my books. But for me, being a writer is not about publishing. It is simply about writing – writing from the heart the books that I most want to read. As the Toni Morrison said, ‘If there’s a book you want to read and it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.’
**
You can find more about Hannah and her writing via…
***
If you would like to take part in an author spotlight, take a look at http://morgenbailey.wordpress.com/submission-information/opportunities-on-this-blog (the spotlights are option (a)) or email me for details.
** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!
See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0
or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **
You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel, which is being serialised on Novel Nights In!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.
For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.
As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. If there’s anything you’d like to take part in, take a look at Opportunities on this blog.
I welcome items for critique for the online writing groups listed below:
Morgen’s Online Non-Fiction Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group
We look forward to reading your comments.
Tags: 5pm fiction, agent, Amazon, author, author interview, author spotlight, Barnes & Noble, Barnes and Noble, biographers, biography, blog, blogger, blogging, books, characters, children’s, competitions, copyediting, copyeditor, copywriter, copywriting, cozy mysteries, creative writing, crime, crime novelist, crime series, crime thriller, crime thrillers, critique, critique groups, debut novel, editing, editor, erotic romance, erotica, exercises, Facebook, fantasy, fantasy horror, fantasy writer, feedback, fellow authors, fiction, fiction author, five senses, flash fiction, free verse, future tense, Goodreads, grammar skills, graphic novels, guest blog, guest blog post, guest post, haiku, haiku poem, Hannah Fielding, hendecasyllabic, historical, historical author, historical writer, horror novel, humorous, humour, iambic pentameter, indie, interview, interview with writer, interviewees, Jane Wenham Jones, Kobo, LinkedIn, Literary Festival, literature, memoirist, Morgan Bailey, morgen bailey, Morgen with an e, multi-genre, murder mysteries, murder mystery, mystery author, mystery series, mystery suspense, non-fiction, Northampton, novelist, novelists, novels, Omnific Publishing, open mic nights, pantoum, paranormal, paranormal romance, paranormal romances, past tense, pinterest, poem, poet, poetry, poetry collection, poetry collections, poetry exercises, poetry magazine, poetry slams, present tense, pseudonyms, publisher, publishing, query letters, reading books, red pen, rejection letter, rejection letters, rejections, rhyming, rhyming poetry, romance, romance fantasy, romance writer, romantic suspense, science fiction, scriptwriters, second person point of view, second person viewpoint, self-publishing, short stories, short story group, Smashwords, sonnet, story a day, Story A Day May, story author, story authors, story collections, story writer, submissions, suspense novelist, suspense thriller, tanka, terza rima, travel memoir, travel writer, triolet, Twitter, vampire, villanelle, Waterstones, western, western author, Wordpress, writer, writer interview, writing, writing competitions, writing events, writing exercises, writing fiction, writing group, writing magazines, writing novels, writing poetry, writing prompts, writing workshop, YA, young adult novels, youtube
Below is a list of June-deadline writing competitions listed initially under format and then under deadline dates (see Competitions for other dates). Below that are weekly, monthly, quarterly and competition websites. Enjoy!
And don’t forget I also have an extensive Submission info. section (including how you can appear on this blog) and an Events page (do email me if you know of more)…
JUNE
- Children’s: The Commonword Diversity Writing for Children Prize 2013 has a 30th June deadline. See www.ihaveadream.org.uk and / or email w4c@cultureword.org.uk or phone +44 161 832 3777.
- Flash Fiction: Weekly challenge on http://theironwriter.com.
- Flash Fiction: The Flash 500 Fiction Competition, established 2009, is a quarterly open-themed competition for fiction up to 500 words has closing dates of 31st March, 30th June, 30th September and 31st December. Entry fee: £5 for one story, £8 for two stories. Prizes: £300 plus publication in Words with JAM, £100 and £50.
- Flash Fiction: Northampton Literature Group usually runs a yearly poetry competition with a mid-May deadline but it has 2013 off and is running a flash fiction competition instead! The deadline is Sunday 30th June (midnight, UK time) and their Head Judge is… me!
- Flash Fiction: Indies Unlimited hosts a weekly 250-word max. prompt competition – see Indies Unlimited. Also see ‘Short stories’ below.
- Flash Fiction: Lightship Publishing runs eight competitions; flash fiction, first chapter, one-page, memoir, poetry, poetry book, first act, short stories, all with a 30th June deadline. See http://www.lightshippublishing.co.uk and/or email admin@lightshippublishing.co.uk for more information.
- Flash Fiction: Writer Austin Briggs runs a monthly 55-word competition (different theme each month). It’s free to enter and you can win $55 (of his own money!).
- Flash Fiction: The New Writer 17th Annual Prose & Poetry Prizes launched April 2013. £2,000 in prizes. Closing date 30th November. Short stories, flash fiction and poetry.
Mixed: Submission to the non-fiction and fiction Shirley You Jest Book Awards opens 20th May (closes 22nd July). I’m one of the sponsors!- Mixed: Segora International Writing Competitions 2013. Vignette Competition, max 300 words, judge Bernard Lord. Short Story Competition, from 1,500 to 3,000 words, judge Tom Bryan. Poetry Competition, max 40 lines, judge John Hudson. Deadline for all competitions 8th June. Prizes: Short Story and Poetry £150, £50 and £30; Vignette £30 and £10 for commended or equivalent prize money in euro.
- Mixed: The Creative Future Literary Awards showcasing the work of marginalised and disabled writers, theme The Spark in Flash Fiction (maximum 300 words) or Poetry (maximum 200 words), closing date 16th June. Entry fee: £5 per piece, £15 if critique required.
- Mixed: Marple (shorts & poetry), Christian magazine Pockets has a different theme per month, Cinnamon Press Writing Awards (for novellas, poetry and short stories).
- Mixed: The Cowley Literary Award is a global short story competition, fiction and non-fiction, $5,000AUD prizes, max 4000 words, closing date 30th June. See http://www.australianartsales.com.au/cowley-award.
- Mixed (novels & short story collections): iWriteReadRate and Cornerstones Literary Consultancy (http://www.voteformyebook.com) are offering a monthly social competition to members of the community – see ‘Monthly’ towards the end of this page.
- Mixed: Lightship Publishing runs eight competitions; flash fiction, first chapter, one-page, memoir, poetry, poetry book, first act, short stories, all with a 30th June deadline. See http://www.lightshippublishing.co.uk and/or email admin@lightshippublishing.co.uk for more information.
- Mixed: http://globalfeelgoodcompany.com/competition (opens May, closes 30th September – see ‘September’ for full details).
- Non-fiction: Elephants. You gotta LOVE ‘em! And can you WRITE about them? Let’s find out. We’re looking for FICTION (including but not limited to fantasy and humor) and for NARRATIVE NONFICTION, between 500 and 5,000 words.Prize for 1st place is $150 and 2nd place is $50. Plus, the top tales may be included in an anthology {ELEPHANTHOLOGY} with your name. See http://www.phylsbooks.com/#!contest/c1kbb. Submissions accepted from 1 April 2013 – midnight of 1 July 2013. Cost $10.
- Non-fiction: another non-fiction competition is http://greberwritingaward.com/submissions.htm
- Novels: The Flash 500 Novel Opening Chapter & Synopsis Competition, established 2013, is an annual competition, opening for entries on 1st May and closing on 31st October. The judges for this competition will be the senior editors at Crooked Cat Publishing. Entry fee: £10. Prizes: £500 first prize, plus a runner’s up prize of £200.
- Novels: Submission to the non-fiction and fiction Shirley You Jest Book Awards opens 20th May (closes 22nd July). I’m one of the sponsors!
- Novels: Lightship Publishing runs eight competitions; flash fiction, first chapter, one-page, memoir, poetry, poetry book, first act, short stories, all with a 30th June deadline. See http://www.lightshippublishing.co.uk and/or email admin@lightshippublishing.co.uk for more information.
- Novels: Novel Rocket runs an annual Launch Pad Contest: Boosting You Out of the Slush Pile. Entries will be accepted in all genres beginning mid-January. The deadline for submission is different for genre categories according to the following schedule. In each case, entries must be received by 11:59 PM EST on the 10th day of the month (April to September) listed on http://www.novelrocket.com/p/launch-pad-contest.html. They also post a new writing-related article seven days a week, from author interviews to marketing discussions to articles about the craft of writing.
- Novels: other June deadline competitions include Impress Prize, and Lightship International First Chapter.
- Plays: Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting has a 1st prize of £16,000. Open to anyone resident in the UK and Ireland. The play must an original, unperformed and unproduced piece of work, an hour long or more in playing time. Closing date 3rd June. See http://www.writeaplay.co.uk/about.
- Plays: Adrienne Benham Award 2013: £2,000 prize now accepting applications: Theatre Centre offers the Adrienne Benham Award, a £2,000 seed commission, to support the work of a promising playwright interested in exploring the Theatre for Young Audiences sector, but who has little experience in the field. The award is intended to steer gifted writers towards young audiences by giving them a seed commission and attachment to Theatre Centre as they develop an original idea for young audiences. Prize: £2,000 seed commission and attachment. Deadline: 7 June 2013 at 12 noon. Further information (including the full criteria and application form) available from the Theatre Centre website.
- Plays: Write Lines: New Writing for Young Audiences Conference: Do you write plays for young audiences, or do you want to? Celebrating 60 years of working with writers to produce outstanding theatre for young audiences, Theatre Centre hosts a day-long conference for writers and theatre professionals on Thursday 20 June. The keynote speech will be delivered by playwright Bryony Lavery. Other guest speakers include playwrights Amanda Dalton, Rob Evans, Philip Osment and Evan Placey; and industry professionals Anthony Banks (NT), Jonathan Lloyd (Polka Theatre) and Purni Morell (Unicorn Theatre). Reserve your place today!
- Plays: Ace Drama have a Beatles-themed ‘Ticket to Write’ contest ending 25th June.
- Plays: www.angletheatre.co.uk/discovered.html.
- Plays: Lightship Publishing runs eight competitions; flash fiction, first chapter, one-page, memoir, poetry, poetry book, first act, short stories, all with a 30th June deadline. See http://www.lightshippublishing.co.uk and/or email admin@lightshippublishing.co.uk for more information.
- Poetry: Wirral Festival of Firsts Open Poetry Competition 2013 has a closing date of 1st June 2013 (today!). First Prize: £200, Second Prize: £75, 3 runner-up prizes of £25. For poems on any subject, of no more than 40 lines. Submissions can be made online or by post. Postal submissions should include a separate sheet with the entrant’s name, address and the titles of the poem(s) and a cheque or postal order for £3 per poem or £10 for 4 poems payable to: “Festival of Firsts”. Postal submissions to: FOF Poetry Competition, 71 Alderley Road, Hoylake, Wirral CH47 2AU. See website www.festivaloffirsts.com for all the competition rules and online entries.
- Poetry: Canterbury Festival Poet of the Year Competition 2013. International, max 60 lines, judging panel will consist of Nancy Gaffield, winner of the Aldeburgh Prize 2011; the ‘2012 Poet of the Year’ Graham Burchell; and Luigi Marchini, Chairman of the Canterbury based SaveAs Writers’ Group. Closing date 14th June. The festival itself runs 19th October to 2nd November.
- Poetry: Mslexia (for women poets – sorry, guys): 2013 Poetry and Pamphlet Competitions. “This year the Poetry Competition for single poems will be judged by the fantastic Costa-award winning poet Kathleen Jamie, and the first prize is £2,000 – a substantial prize that also includes two optional extras: a week at the idyllic poets’ retreat of Cove Park, and a mentoring session with the editor of Poetry Review. Other winners will receive a share of the remaining £1,100 prize pot, and all winning poems will be published in the September 2013 issue of Mslexia. Following the success of the inaugural 2012 competition, and the publication of the winning pamphlet by Polly Atkin, Shadow Dispatches, we have also launched our 2013 Pamphlet Competition. For collections of 20-24 pages of 18-20 poems. the first prize is the publication of the pamphlet by Seren Books, plus £250, 25 complimentary copies of the pamphlet and royalties from all subsequent sales. If you’ve never had a full-length collection published and want to take your work to the next level, this could be the competition for you… The deadline for both competitions is 17th June 2013, so there’s still plenty of time to decide which poem to enter – or to write one! – and to come up with a winning title for that short collection. Full details of how to enter both competitions are on our website at www.mslexia.co.uk/poetrycompetition and www.mslexia.co.uk/pamphletcompetition respectively. Keep an eye out there too for specially commissioned poetry writing workshops which will be available over the coming weeks.
- Poetry: Scroll’s 4th of July Front Cover Contest: Be Published on the front cover of Scroll Original Artist Magazine, Scroll Publ cover on Facebook, and on the front page of scrolloriginalartistmagazine.com from July 1st thru August 30, 2013 along with your colored photo and 80 word bio. Independence Day is the theme for the July / Aug 2013 issue. To Enter send 2 poems – 21 lines, photo, biography and full contact info to scrollpubl@outlook.com. Deadline; June 21, 2013.
- Poetry: The Writers’ Forum Poetry Competition is a monthly contest for poems of up to 40 lines. Closing: Monthly. Entries arriving too late for one month go forward to the next. Prizes: 1st – £100. Runners-up – A Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. Entry Fee: £5 each, £3 each thereafter. Includes a critique (sae required if entering by post). Comp Page: http://www.writers-forum.com/poetrycomp.html.
- Poetry: Second Light Poetry Competition for Long and Short Poems by Women is judged by Moniza Alvi, £300 first prizes, closing date 25 June. See http://www.secondlightlive.co.uk/news.shtml#Comp13.
- Poetry: The Flash 500 Humour Verse Competition, established in 2010, welcomes any form of humour verse will be accepted, from a limerick to a poem of 32 lines. This is also a quarterly competition with closing dates of 31st March, 30th June, 30th September and 31st December. Entry fee: £3 for the first poem, £2.50 for each poem thereafter. Prizes: £150 plus publication in Words with JAM, £100 and £50.
- Poetry: Poetry Space Competition 2013. Max 40 lines, judge Martyn Crucefix. 1st prize £250 + anthology, closing date 30 June. See http://www.poetryspace.co.uk/2013/01/poetry-space-competition-2013.
- Poetry: Lightship Publishing runs eight competitions; flash fiction, first chapter, one-page, memoir, poetry, poetry book, first act, short stories, all with a 30th June deadline. See http://www.lightshippublishing.co.uk and/or email admin@lightshippublishing.co.uk for more information.
- Poetry: The Keats-Shelley Prize 2013 for Essays and Poems on Romantic Themes – open to all. Prize Chair: acclaimed novelist Salley Vickers. £3,000 prize money. Winning poems and essays will be published in The Keats-Shelley Review. Theme for poems in 2013 is Noise. Essays are invited on any aspect of the work and lives of the Romantics and their circle. Poems judged by John Hartley-Williams and Matthew Sweeney, essays by leading Romantic scholars Prof. Simon Bainbridge and Prof. Sharon Ruston. Closing date 30 June.
- Poetry: The New Writer 17th Annual Prose & Poetry Prizes launched April 2013. £2,000 in prizes. Closing date 30th November. Short stories, flash fiction and poetry.
- Poetry: Other poetry competitions include: Creative Competitor, Earth Words, Edwin Morgan, Keats-Shelley Prize 2012, Margaret Reid, Ted Walters, United Press, Writing Magazine.
- Screenwriting: Canada-based Wildsound run monthly screenwriting competitions.
- Scriptwriting: Lightship Publishing runs eight competitions; flash fiction, first chapter, one-page, memoir, poetry, poetry book, first act, short stories, all with a 30th June deadline. See http://www.lightshippublishing.co.uk and/or email admin@lightshippublishing.co.uk for more information.
- Scriptwriting: Ted Walters.
- Scriptwriting: The 10th Annual Screenwriting Challenge is a competition open to screenwriters around the world. There are 3 rounds of competition. In the 1st Round (June 14-22), writers are placed randomly in heats and are assigned a genre, subject, and character assignment (see examples of past assignments here). Writers have 8 days to write an original short screenplay no longer than 12 pages. The judges choose a top 5 in each heat to advance to the 2nd Round (July 25-28) where writers receive new assignments, only this time they have just 3 days to write an 8 page (maximum) short screenplay. Judges choose a top 25 from the 2nd Round to advance to the 3rd and final round of the competition where writers are challenged to write a 5 page (maximum) screenplay in just 24 hours (August 23-24). It’s easy to register. First, download and read the Official Rules and Participation Agreement. Once you have read, understood, and agree to the terms, you are ready to register by clicking here. The entry fee is USD $39* until the Early Entry Deadline of May 16, 2013 and USD $49* until the Final Entry Deadlline of June 13, 2013.
- Short stories: The Fourteenth V.S. Pritchett Memorial Prize is now open. “The Royal Society of Literature is delighted to inform you that the fourteenth V.S. Pritchett Memorial Prize for best unpublished short story of the year is now open to submissions. The winning author will be awarded a prize of £1,000, and the short story will be published in Prospect online and in our annual magazine, the RSL Review. In addition to this, there will be an opportunity to appear at an RSL event with established short story writers in autumn 2013 (the 2012 winner read at an event with short-story writer, novelist, and poet Jackie Kay. This year’s judges are award-winning short story writers Adam Foulds, Jackie Kay and Helen Simpson. The entry form is available on our website. The closing date for entries is 13th June 2013, and all submissions should be posted with the £5 administrative fee to: V.S. Pritchett Memorial Prize, Royal Society of Literature, Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 1LA For further information, please email Molly Rosenberg (molly@rslit.org) and / or see website http://rslit.org/v-s-pritchett. Stories must be 2,000 to 5,000 words long, printed on one side of an A4 in double-spaces and sent to the London address above.
- Short stories: Elephants. You gotta LOVE ‘em! And can you WRITE about them? Let’s find out. We’re looking for FICTION (including but not limited to fantasy and humor) and for NARRATIVE NONFICTION, between 500 and 5,000 words.Prize for 1st place is $150 and 2nd place is $50. Plus, the top tales may be included in an anthology {ELEPHANTHOLOGY} with your name. See http://www.phylsbooks.com/#!contest/c1kbb. Submissions accepted from 1 April 2013 – midnight of 1 July 2013. Cost $10.
- Short stories: Hayley Sherman runs a monthly short story competition for submissions on any subject up to 2,000 words. The winners are published on the website, promoted online and receive a £10 First Writer voucher. All entrants are also considered for publication in The New Short Story Annual at the end of the year. Deadline 25th of the month. Heather Marie Schuldt runs a similar contest, although 500-750 words max., but with the same deadline.
- Short stories: Scotland’s International Crime Festival Bloody Scotland (which runs mid-September) has a short story competition deadline late June.
- Short stories: Fantasy Faction have a fantasy short story competition which ends June 30th. Thanks to Sophie E Tallis for that one!
- Short stories: Lightship Publishing runs eight competitions; flash fiction, first chapter, one-page, memoir, poetry, poetry book, first act, short stories, all with a 30th June deadline. See http://www.lightshippublishing.co.uk and/or email admin@lightshippublishing.co.uk for more information.
- Short stories: Writers’ Village runs a quarterly short story competition which attracts entrants worldwide. Click here for the rules… and every entrant receives invaluable critique! Their summer deadline is 30th June.
- Short stories: Words Magazine Short Story Competition is free to enter, international, and has a closing date of 30th June. See http://www.wordsmag.com/compcal13.htm.
- Short stories: Five Stop Story runs a quarterly short story competition (end March / June / September / December). Membership to the site is £25 but you get to enter up to five stories in each competition. Further details at http://www.fivestopstory.com/write.
- Short stories: GKBC (Giving Kudos to Brilliant Content) is running a free crime-writing competition with a deadline of 30th June 2013. See http://gkbcinc.com/the-gkbcinc-short-story-competition for more details.
- Short stories: The Booktown Writers’ Annual Short Story Competition 2013 welcomes 1000-3000 words, cash prizes + anthology. Closing date 30th June. See http://www.booktownwriters.co.uk/competition.html.
- Short stories: British Fantasy Society Short Story Competition. 5000 words max, 1st prize £100 + year’s BFS membership + publication. Judge Allen Ashley, closing date 30th June.
- Short stories: The New Writer 17th Annual Prose & Poetry Prizes launched April 2013. £2,000 in prizes. Closing date 30th November. Short stories, flash fiction and poetry.
- Short stories: Other June deadline competitions include Aeon Award (quarterly), Countryside Tales, Creative Competitor, Cwrtnewydd Scribblers, Earlyworks, Erewash, Five Stop Story, Glimmer Train (different category each month), Lightship Publishing, sandralit, Ted Walters, Words Magazine, Writing Magazine (WM: open to all theme: writing for children – dog tales / subscriber-only theme: passport, glove, tuba), Writers Bureau, Writers Reign and Calderdale.
- Soundtracks: Mini Operas soundtrack competition opens early June closes late July.
WEEKLY
- Flash Fiction: Indies Unlimited hosts a weekly 250-word max. prompt competition – see Indies Unlimited. Co-run by interviewee Kat ‘K.S.’ Brooks. Also see ‘Short stories’ below.
- Flash Fiction: Each week on http://theironwriter.com, four writers agree to compose a five hundred word story involving the same four elements. Please remember to give your story a title. The stories can be in any genre except erotica. The writers will not know what the four elements are prior to committing to the challenge. There is a four day time limit to complete the story. I email the elements early Thursday morning, my time. The story is due at midnight, Sunday, your time. Each author retains full and complete copyright of their story submitted to The Iron Writer for this competition. However, it is understood each story will remain on this website indefinitely. The Iron Writer will not publish any submission outside this website without express permission from the author. So, if you are up to the challenge, please email me at HERE and we can schedule when you are willing to participate. Please include your main blog or website. I will link your story to your site. You may participate as often as you want.
- Mixed: Needle in the Hay runs weekly and monthly competitions (“awards”). See http://needleinthehay.net/submission-guidelines for their guidelines. Thanks to Jason Fink for pointing me in that direction.
- Poetry: Buxton’s Word Wizards slam poetry competition runs in the coffee lounge at the Grove Hotel, Buxton, Derbyshire, UK at 7:30pm on the last Tuesday of every month. Entry is £2.50. More info can be obtained by e-mailing Rob at: poetryslamUK@aol.com.
- Poetry: Well Versed is the weekly poetry column of daily UK newspaper the Morning Star, published every Thursday, in print and online. Poetry editor Jody Porter. Under the stewardship of the late and esteemed John Rety, Well Versed developed into a widely-read forum for new and established writers. Send submissions, with biographical information, to: wveditor@gmail.com. Poems need not be overtly political, but space is limited so they must be short to medium in length.
- Short stories: Flash Fiction Online occasionally closes to submissions (I guess because they’re overwhelmed), but they are currently open.
- NB. Don’t forget to check out the ongoing competition websites listed at the end of this page.
MONTHLY
- Flash Fiction: Writer Austin Briggs runs a monthly 55-word competition (different theme each month). It’s free to enter and you can win $55 (of his own money!).
- Flash Fiction: Empirical Magazine runs a monthly flash fiction (<1000-word) competition.
- Mixed: iWriteReadRate and Cornerstones Literary Consultancy (http://www.voteformyebook.com) are offering a monthly social competition to members of the community; it’s a great opportunity to receive professional feedback as well as contribute to developing your profile and platform. The prize is a fantastic Cornerstones masterclass mini-critique on the winning writer’s first pages of their story, up to 2000 words. This is designed to give the writer a professional critique on how to improve the opening as well as hints to consider throughout their writing. Simply upload an ebook (novels or collections of short stories) to iWriteReadRate. Every month we’ll select five to take part in the competition. All the writer needs to do is promote it with their networks and aim to get as many votes for their ebook as possible. At the end of each month the ebook with the most votes wins the prize.
- Mixed: Needle in the Hay runs weekly and monthly competitions (“awards”). See http://needleinthehay.net/submission-guidelines for their guidelines. Thanks to Jason Fink for pointing me in that direction.
- Mixed: Pockets and Creative Print Publishing (both have different themes each month), Opening Editions (free).
- Novels: http://www.novelrocket.com/p/launch-pad-contest.html has monthly competitions (April-Sept) with a different genre each month.
- Screenwriting: Canada-based Wildsound run monthly screenwriting competitions.
- Scriptwriting: Scripped has a variety of script contests including a monthly one.
- Short stories: Hayley Sherman has a monthly short story competition.
- Short stories: Brighton COW (currently on hiatus), Coast to Coast, Glimmer Train (different category each month), Writing / Writers’ News magazines and Opening Editions.
- Short stories: Bound Off now take submissions via Submishmash.
- Short stories: Darker Times Fiction is a monthly short story competition for stories of 3,000 words and less in the horror genre or on the subject of ‘darker times’. It’s open to UK and international writers and ends on the last day of each month and costs £5 / $8 a time.
- Short stories: Hayley Sherman runs a monthly short story competition for submissions on any subject up to 2,000 words. The winners are published on the website, promoted online and receive a £10 First Writer voucher. All entrants are also considered for publication in The New Short Story Annual at the end of the year. Deadline 25th of the month.
- Short stories: Heather Marie Schuldt runs a short story contest, 500-750 words max., on her blog, with the same deadline (25th of the month).
- Short stories: http://www.fivestopstory.com/write: 2012 competitions cost £4 per entry (2 for £7, 3 for £8, optional feedback £5) and have monthly prizes of £50. There is also a £150 prize for the overall winner of their 2012 league table and you can become a member for £25 which entitles you to 3 free entries per month (2012).
- Short stories: LinkedIn’s Aspiring Writers Group runs a monthly short story competition. You do have to be a member of LinkedIn (free) and the writing group itself (a closed group but you can ask to join) to enter the competition.
- NB. Don’t forget to check out the ongoing competition websites listed at the end of this page.
QUARTERLY
ONGOING
- Children’s: Dal Burns‘ children’s writing competition ‘Write Across America‘.
- Children’s: Little Star Writing is a site where you can “get published, enter competitions, win prizes, play games, improve literacy skills, receive certificates and HAVE FUN!”.
- Flash fiction: One Forty Fiction and Wow Women on Writing.
- Mixed: What The Dickens magazine lists “competitions and give-aways which are all free to enter”.
- Mixed: sterlingmag and sundayat6mag.wordpress.com
- Mixed: You can apply for a three-month residency on the Mslexia blog (women only).
- Non-fiction: http://www.tales2inspire.com/HOME.html (free )
- Novels: Novel Rocket runs an annual Launch Pad Contest: Boosting You Out of the Slush Pile. Entries will be accepted in all genres beginning mid-January. The deadline for submission is different for genre categories according to the following schedule. In each case, entries must be received by 11:59 PM EST on the 10th day of the month (April to September) listed on http://www.novelrocket.com/p/launch-pad-contest.html. They also post a new writing-related article seven days a week, from author interviews to marketing discussions to articles about the craft of writing.
- Poetry: Poetic Republic is an ongoing online poetry competition in which the entrants are also the judges.
- Scriptwriting: http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/links5.shtml.
- Short stories: Creative Writers’ Circle competitions are open to all and are free.
- Short stories: Flash Fiction Online is a 500-1000 word site that is free to subscribe / read, free to submit to. Payment is via donations with 60% going to the author and 40% going to the site so there’s no way of knowing how much (if anything) you’d earn but another opportunity perhaps.
- Short stories: Author and columnist Lorraine Mace runs the Flash 500 flash fiction and humorous verse competitions.
- Short stories: Short Funny Story wants humorous short stories or true-life events and pay $15 for every story published online with $25 extra for any story chosen for inclusion in their anthologies.
- Short stories: Penny Dreadfuls 21 commissions short stories.
- Short stories: Words Magazine short story competition guidelines.
COMPETITION WEBSITES
- Flash Fiction: Creative Times has a list of their top 10 paying flash fiction competition sites. There are also some listed on http://www.nationalflashfictionday.co.uk/competitions.html.
- Mixed: Be a Better Writer has a list of (mostly American) current and future competitions.
- Mixed: Book Marketing Maven has a list of a few.
- Mixed: Duotrope is a great resource for competition and submission opportunities.
- Mixed: FanStory lists a variety of ongoing competitions and is a site where you can “share your writing and learn from the feedback that you will receive on everything you write. That includes poetry, stories, book chapters and scripts. When you post your writing you will get feedback that will determine your place in the rankings. FanStory.com is a popular writing site for writers of all skill levels”.
- Mixed: Fiction Addiction lists a few competition sites.
- Mixed: http://www.firstwriter.com/competitions has a great list of competitions but you have to subscribe (not free) to the site to access the full details.
- Mixed: Ideas Tap has a great list of allsorts.
- Mixed: Jacqui Burnett’s Writer’s Bureau has a list of a variety of forthcoming and ongoing competitions.
- Mixed: Carole Burdock’s bi-monthly magazine Kudos.
- Mixed: Loquax.com lists thousands of competitions including writing comps.
- Mixed: The National Association of Writers Groups (based in the UK) lists their competitions on http://www.nawg.co.uk/competitions/open-competitions.
- Mixed: West Country Writers has a bijoux collection of competitions.
- Mixed: Words Magazine has a variety of competition information.
- Mixed: The Poets & Writers website include contests, grants and awards.
- Mixed: www.prizemagic.co.uk has a variety of competitions.
- Mixed: Sally Quilford‘s competition calendar.
- Mixed: Trafford Publishing lists them a month per page.
- Mixed: free literary monthly magazine Words with Jam have regular competitions.
- Mixed: Write Link also lists forthcoming competitions.
- Mixed: Writers Reign lists short story, poetry, non-fiction, performing arts, rolling competitions, children’s writing competitions and book writing awards.
- Mixed: http://writingcontests.wordpress.com lists various competitions.
- Novels: http://apostrophebooks.com/fictionfasttrack.
- Poetry: Poetry Kit, http://www.poetrylibrary.org.uk/competitions, Writers Reign.
- Poetry: You might also like to take a look at Poet Laureate Alice Shapiro’s website. Alice kindly provided some poetry tips for this blog in August 2011. Poet Scott E Green dropped by and left a comment on my me page to say that his blog has multi-genre competition and submission info. I checked it out and it looks really useful.
- Poetry: The Writers’ Forum Poetry Competition is a monthly contest for poems of up to 40 lines. Closing: Monthly. Entries arriving too late for one month go forward to the next. Prizes: 1st: £100. Runners-up: A Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. Entry Fee: £5 each, £3 each thereafter. Includes a critique (sae required if entering by post). Comp Page: http://www.writers-forum.com/poetrycomp.html.
- Screenwriting: Canada-based Wildsound run monthly screenwriting competitions.
- Scriptwriting: www.hollywoodscriptexpress.com/screenplay_contests.html, www.scriptfactory.co.uk/go/Default.html, www.writesofluid.co.uk/screenwriting-competitions.html, and www.thespiannet.com/writing_contests.shtml.
- Short stories: BookTrust has a wonderful list of over 50 short story competitions.
- Short stories: other sites include Poetry Kit (“shorts & other comps”) and Words Magazine.
- Short stories: Writers Reign‘s short stories competitions page lists by deadline date.
- Short story collections: http://apostrophebooks.com/fictionfasttrack.
If you discover any broken links, closed competitions or know of ones that I haven’t listed here, please do email me with details.
***
** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!
See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0
or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **
You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel, which is being serialised on Novel Nights In!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.
For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.
As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. If there’s anything you’d like to take part in, take a look at Opportunities on this blog.
I welcome items for critique for the online writing groups listed below:
Morgen’s Online Non-Fiction Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group
We look forward to reading your comments.
Tags: 5pm fiction, agent, Amazon, author, author interview, author spotlight, Barnes & Noble, Barnes and Noble, biographers, biography, blog, blogger, blogging, books, characters, children’s, competitions, copyediting, copyeditor, copywriter, copywriting, cozy mysteries, creative writing, crime, crime novelist, crime series, crime thriller, crime thrillers, critique, critique groups, debut novel, editing, editor, erotic romance, erotica, exercises, Facebook, fantasy, fantasy horror, fantasy writer, feedback, fellow authors, fiction, fiction author, five senses, flash fiction, free verse, future tense, Goodreads, grammar skills, graphic novels, guest blog, guest blog post, guest post, haiku, haiku poem, hendecasyllabic, historical, historical author, historical writer, horror novel, humorous, humour, iambic pentameter, indie, interview, interview with writer, interviewees, Jane Wenham Jones, Kobo, LinkedIn, Literary Festival, literature, memoirist, Morgan Bailey, morgen bailey, Morgen with an e, multi-genre, murder mysteries, murder mystery, mystery author, mystery series, mystery suspense, non-fiction, Northampton, novelist, novelists, novels, open mic nights, pantoum, paranormal, paranormal romance, paranormal romances, past tense, pinterest, poem, poet, poetry, poetry collection, poetry collections, poetry exercises, poetry magazine, poetry slams, present tense, pseudonyms, publisher, publishing, query letters, reading books, red pen, rejection letter, rejection letters, rejections, rhyming, rhyming poetry, romance, romance fantasy, romance writer, romantic suspense, science fiction, scriptwriters, second person point of view, second person viewpoint, self-publishing, short stories, short story group, Smashwords, sonnet, story a day, Story A Day May, story author, story authors, story collections, story writer, submissions, suspense novelist, suspense thriller, tanka, terza rima, travel memoir, travel writer, triolet, Twitter, vampire, villanelle, Waterstones, western, western author, Wordpress, writer, writer interview, writing, writing competitions, writing events, writing exercises, writing fiction, writing group, writing magazines, writing novels, writing poetry, writing prompts, writing workshop, YA, young adult novels, youtube
Welcome back to the (two hundred and tenth in this daily series that is) ‘5pm Fiction’ having just finished my third Story a Day May.
Late April 2011 I discovered http://StoryADay.org and the project that is to write 31 stories in 31 days. Anyone who knows me or follows this blog, knows how passionate I am about short stories so my clichéd eyes lit up at this new marvel. And just a few days later there I was, breathing life into new characters. This went on to become (with some editing of course) my 31-story collection eBook Story A Day May 2011.
I was nearing completion of the 2012 project when I decided that I didn’t want to stop at the end of May so 5PM Fiction was born.
For the last month I’ve been writing a short story a day for Story a Day May 2013 and have been posting them at 5pm then listing them on http://morgenbailey.wordpress.com/my-writing/short-stories/story-a-day-may.
So today we’re back to 5pm Fiction was to write a story with the single word of ‘best’. Below is my 795-worder.
*
Best in Show
‘Best in Show three times’ the advert read. ‘Genuine reason for sale’.
Delores was delighted at the perfectly-behaved five-year-old tan and white Shih Tzu.
Charles Forsythe Tuffnell III looked the part, acted it, even held its own head and tail up, as if she was a judge and 32 Bernett Close was the Crufts Show ring.
“Is that the best price?” Delores asked, holding up the advert.
The man nodded. “You can’t put a figure on breeding.”
“No, I suppose you can’t,” Delores conceded, and counted the bundle of £20 notes into the man’s large rough hands. They and he looked as if they’d been in this profession for years, the rosettes and trophies gleaming behind a tall glass-doored cabinet.
“He comes with a certificate of course,” the man added just as the last £20 note touched the top of the stack.
Delores smiled and watched the man close his hands reverently as if the money meant more to him than the dog.
Charles III was sitting on a red velvet-cushioned chair placed between the couple and looked at one then the other as if watching from the Royal Box at Wimbledon.
As the man folded the notes in half and stuffed them into his khaki trouser pocket, the dog fixed his gaze on Delores as if he’d known the transaction’s significance and that he was now hers.
“So he’s good in the car?” Delores asked.
“Aye. Used to it.”
“Of course.” Delores stared at the colourful cabinet on the opposite wall. She went to step nearer, but the man spoke again, distracting her.
“Have you brought a cage?”
“Erm, no. Just a harness. Will that be alright?”
“I suppose, as long as it’s blue.”
“It’s red. Will that-?”
“I suppose,” the man repeated and walked into the hall and to a small table. He handed her the certificate. “Are you going to show him too? He still has plenty of years left in him.”
The dog looked up at the man when he spoke then tilted its head on one side.
The man opened the front door for Delores and as she passed, he held out his hand which she shook. “Pleasure doing business with you,” he beamed, showing a gold tooth with a ruby inset, that Delores thought hideous.
He slammed the door before she’d reached her car.
She harnessed Charles, gave him a rub under his chin and drove away.
Mistress and dog made eye contact in the rear view mirror. “Best in show, hey?” Delores said half-statement, half-question.
The dog shook its head.
“Do you understand me?”
Charles nodded.
“Wow, you are clever.”
“You don’t know the half of it,” the dog replied, making Delores swerve, almost crashing the car into an oncoming taxi.
She pulled into the kerb, switched off the engine, released her seatbelt and turned round. “You can talk?”
“Sure.”
“And he knew that?”
“Of course not. You saw him, he’s a heathen. Plenty of years left, the cheek!”
“But… wow!”
“I know,” Charles laughed.
“You can talk!” Delores repeated.
“You’ll get used to it.”
“The newspapers will-”
“They won’t. I don’t talk to newspapers. I’m not a commodity. I have feelings. Like when you asked for a discount. It was a bit-”
“I’m sorry about that.”
“It’s OK. I probably would have done the same. It was a lot of money. You can call me Charlie, by the way, none of that Charles III rubbish. I’m not royalty.”
“But the certificate…”
“Fake, just like all those rosettes and trophies.”
“Were you not best in show?”
“Once or twice but small stuff; village fetes. Never Crufts and the likes.”
“Where did he get them all?”
“eBay. That’s why he wouldn’t let you near them.”
“That figures. Are you stolen?”
“Oh, no. He won me in a bet. Still think I’m worth it?”
“Absolutely.”
“Thought so. You’re obviously a dog lover.”
“I am, but what makes you say that?”
“Because you went for the chin rather than a pat on the head. I hate that. So demeaning. So, are you going to show me?”
“I hadn’t planned to.”
“Thank God for that. I’m not religious, by the way, it’s just a saying.”
Delores nodded.
“I love travelling,” Charlie continued, “going to new places, meeting new people. It’s all that preening and prodding. You know.”
Delores had watched every Crufts over the past 20 years but had recently become disillusioned with it. She’d seen buying Charlie as rescuing him. “I do.”
“So what’s the plan?”
“No plan really. Just hang out together.”
“Sounds good to me.”
Delores looked at the dashboard clock. “It’s not even lunchtime yet. Fancy a trip to the Peaks?”
Charlie barked and wagged his tail.
“I’ll take that as a ‘yes’ then,” Delores said, refastening her seatbelt.
***
Picture above courtesy of morguefile.com.
** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!
See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0
or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **
You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel, which is being serialised on Novel Nights In!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.
For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.
As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. If there’s anything you’d like to take part in, take a look at Opportunities on this blog.
I welcome items for critique for the online writing groups listed below:
Morgen’s Online Non-Fiction Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group
We look forward to reading your comments.
Tags: 5pm fiction, agent, Amazon, author, author interview, author spotlight, Barnes & Noble, Barnes and Noble, biographers, biography, blog, blogger, blogging, books, characters, children’s, competitions, copyediting, copyeditor, copywriter, copywriting, cozy mysteries, creative writing, crime, crime novelist, crime series, crime thriller, crime thrillers, critique, critique groups, debut novel, editing, editor, erotic romance, erotica, exercises, Facebook, fantasy, fantasy horror, fantasy writer, feedback, fellow authors, fiction, fiction author, five senses, flash fiction, free verse, future tense, Goodreads, grammar skills, graphic novels, guest blog, guest blog post, guest post, haiku, haiku poem, hendecasyllabic, historical, historical author, historical writer, horror novel, humorous, humour, iambic pentameter, indie, interview, interview with writer, interviewees, Jane Wenham Jones, Kobo, LinkedIn, Literary Festival, literature, memoirist, Morgan Bailey, morgen bailey, Morgen with an e, multi-genre, murder mysteries, murder mystery, mystery author, mystery series, mystery suspense, non-fiction, Northampton, novelist, novelists, novels, open mic nights, pantoum, paranormal, paranormal romance, paranormal romances, past tense, pinterest, poem, poet, poetry, poetry collection, poetry collections, poetry exercises, poetry magazine, poetry slams, present tense, pseudonyms, publisher, publishing, query letters, reading books, red pen, rejection letter, rejection letters, rejections, rhyming, rhyming poetry, romance, romance fantasy, romance writer, romantic suspense, science fiction, scriptwriters, second person point of view, second person viewpoint, self-publishing, short stories, short story group, Smashwords, sonnet, story a day, Story A Day May, story author, story authors, story collections, story writer, submissions, suspense novelist, suspense thriller, tanka, terza rima, travel memoir, travel writer, triolet, Twitter, vampire, villanelle, Waterstones, western, western author, Wordpress, writer, writer interview, writing, writing competitions, writing events, writing exercises, writing fiction, writing group, writing magazines, writing novels, writing poetry, writing prompts, writing workshop, YA, young adult novels, youtube
Complementing my interviews, today’s Author Spotlight, the two hundred and fiftieth, is of children’s author Jennifer Priester. If you would like to take part in an author spotlight, take a look at http://morgenbailey.wordpress.com/author-spotlights.
Jennifer Priester is the author, artist, and layout designer, publisher, but not editor, of fiction and nonfiction books about animals, the relationship between humans and animals, magic, the supernatural, and superheroes.
She writes in one or more of these genres; fantasy, children’s fiction, short stories, nonfiction, comic books, graphic novels, and sci-fi. Although most of her books are currently unpublished she has written over 200 stories which span approximately 72 books including free on website stories.
Her first published book was the first book in the Mortal Realm Witch series, which is a uniquely written fantasy series for children.
To self publish her books, Jennifer created a company called A & M Moonlight Creations which is a real publishing company that can and may publish other people’s books as well as her own in the future. Besides being a publisher she is also a layout designer for other people’s books. As a layout designer she turns books into either print, eBook format, or both depending on what is requested.
Although she does almost everything in regards to her own books, she does not edit her own work. For editing she has and finds it worth the money to have a professional editor for her books. Then for beta readers she prefers to use both readers in her age range and English teachers. English teachers have been especially important in deciding the age level for her books.
Besides writing she likes to read books, draw, watch TV / movies, play video games, go horseback riding in which she rides both English and Western, spend time with her pets, and spend a lot of time outdoors.
She loves animals and currently owns a Chihuahua called Taco, two Mini Rex rabbits called Chibi and Kojikaki, and a ten year old Goldfish called Pumpkin. She has also owned many pets in the past including many different fish, a Dutch rabbit called Friendly, a Dutch mix called Oreo, a Toy Poodle called CeJaye, and a parakeet called Peekablue. Most of her pets have been rescues and ever since her first rescue pet, Oreo, she is now adoption only when it comes to getting new pets.
Besides pets, Jennifer also has many anipals; animals she doesn’t own but is friends with. One of her favorite anipals is an Appendix Quarter horse called Levi. Other current anipals include: a gray and white shorthair cat called Bengals, a medium haired gray cat that she nicknamed Wildcat because she can never remember his real name and because he was once feral, and a Beagle called Startigan. In the past she has been friends with a shorthaired black cat called Lucky, a gray Arabian horse called Felix, a gray Arabian horse called Sunny, a Chihuahua / Terrier mix called Chloe, and a Poodle / Schnauzer mix called Vera among others.
All of her pets both past and present, and many of her anipals have inspired her to write either nonfiction or fiction about them. The animals that have inspired characters in her fiction stories even have their own dedication page on her website.
Jennifer also has an occasional author blog in which she sometimes blogs about her books and writing, and other times she blogs about more random subjects either relating to animals or books in some way. She can be found on most social networks, most of which can be gotten to through her website, but is most active on Goodreads.
*
And now from the author herself:
When my Mortal Realm Witch series began developing, I chose a unique path for the series. For one thing, in the end the series will have five main books, three companions, a guidebook, two free eBooks, one cheap eBook, and a comic book style video. Many of the books in the series are told by short stories that connect into each other by characters and timeline, but can easily be read out of order. The series itself can also easily be read out of order. Another thing I chose to do was to develop the characters over the entire coarse of the series, therefore to know exactly who my characters are you would have to read every story and book in which they appear. Another unique thing about my series is that I tell stories how I feel they are told best so some will be in first person, some third, and different characters tell different stories. Then most of the books in the series are told using short stories, such as books 1, 2, and 4, and Companion 2. Companions 1 and 3 are just short stories, although there is one continuing story between part 1 and part 2 of the first companion. And books 3 and 5 in the series are full-length novels. The reason 3 and 5 are full length is because they have the biggest stories to tell. The final unique thing, that I know about, regarding my series is that the action builds in each book. This means that each book in the main series has more action than the last.
Book one is mostly set up for the big action and contains more details than what will be seen in future books. The higher action stories begin at the books turning story of “Wolf Magic.” Although not unique I also feel that with each book I write my writing gets better and because of this as time goes on whatever story I am currently working on seems to become my favorite although I do like every book I write. If I didn’t I wouldn’t publish them.
Now, when thinking of my book don’t think of books like “Harry Potter” when you are reading them, this is not the books they are like and if you are thinking this way you will probably be disappointed, rather think of “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” because you will find many more similarities here because Sabrina was one of the biggest influences in the writing of my series. Other books and TV shows such as “The Worst Witch” and “Bewitched” were also big influences.
The Mortal Realm Witch series is aimed for a target audience of ages 8-12, but if you are older and like to read about animals and magic then you may also like the book, I do have some adult fans so you wouldn’t be alone if you were to like it. Anyway, I know it may seem a little confusing about how my series is written because it is hard to explain. If you are interested in learning about the series I strongly suggest visiting the Mortal Realm Witch website in which you can learn about all the books, excluding eBooks, in the series, meet the characters, read a free story, and generally just get a feel for the series. One thing I never thought about when writing my series was how I was going to explain it to people.
**
You can find more about Jennifer and her writing via…
And I thought I was everywhere!
***
If you would like to take part in an author spotlight, take a look at http://morgenbailey.wordpress.com/submission-information/opportunities-on-this-blog (the spotlights are option (a)) or email me for details.
** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!
See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0
or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **
You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel, which is being serialised on Novel Nights In!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.
For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.
As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. If there’s anything you’d like to take part in, take a look at Opportunities on this blog.
I welcome items for critique for the online writing groups listed below:
Morgen’s Online Non-Fiction Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group
We look forward to reading your comments.
Tags: 5pm fiction, agent, Amazon, author, author interview, author spotlight, Barnes & Noble, Barnes and Noble, biographers, biography, blog, blogger, blogging, books, characters, children’s, competitions, copyediting, copyeditor, copywriter, copywriting, cozy mysteries, creative writing, crime, crime novelist, crime series, crime thriller, crime thrillers, critique, critique groups, debut novel, editing, editor, erotic romance, erotica, exercises, Facebook, fantasy, fantasy horror, fantasy writer, feedback, fellow authors, fiction, fiction author, five senses, flash fiction, free verse, future tense, Goodreads, grammar skills, graphic novels, guest blog, guest blog post, guest post, haiku, haiku poem, hendecasyllabic, historical, historical author, historical writer, horror novel, humorous, humour, iambic pentameter, indie, interview, interview with writer, interviewees, Jane Wenham Jones, Jennifer Priester, Kobo, LinkedIn, Literary Festival, literature, memoirist, Morgan Bailey, morgen bailey, Morgen with an e, multi-genre, murder mysteries, murder mystery, mystery author, mystery series, mystery suspense, non-fiction, Northampton, novelist, novelists, novels, open mic nights, pantoum, paranormal, paranormal romance, paranormal romances, past tense, pinterest, poem, poet, poetry, poetry collection, poetry collections, poetry exercises, poetry magazine, poetry slams, present tense, pseudonyms, publisher, publishing, query letters, reading books, red pen, rejection letter, rejection letters, rejections, rhyming, rhyming poetry, romance, romance fantasy, romance writer, romantic suspense, science fiction, scriptwriters, second person point of view, second person viewpoint, self-publishing, short stories, short story group, Smashwords, sonnet, story a day, Story A Day May, story author, story authors, story collections, story writer, submissions, suspense novelist, suspense thriller, tanka, terza rima, travel memoir, travel writer, triolet, Twitter, vampire, villanelle, Waterstones, western, western author, Wordpress, writer, writer interview, writing, writing competitions, writing events, writing exercises, writing fiction, writing group, writing magazines, writing novels, writing poetry, writing prompts, writing workshop, YA, young adult novels, youtube
Welcome to Flash Fiction Friday and the eighty-ninth piece in this series. This week’s is a 985-worder by Jane Risdon (and a prequel to The Secret of Willow Cottage and the Reluctant Bride). This story will be podcasted in episode 30 (with three other stories) on Sunday 11th August.
The Secret of Willow Cottage and the Tale of the Jilted Lover
In fear for his life and the well-being of his family, Sebastian Nugent dare not return home following his duel with Serena’s husband. He was certain he had struck a death blow to the old man and tried in vain to find Serena afterwards. Her new family had most likely spirited her away so she couldn’t flee to her lover, so cruelly jilted in favour of a rich elderly widower.
Despair took hold. He rode through the night to the coast where he took a room in a quayside Inn, waiting for the dawn. Sebastian knew that if the old man died he would be a wanted man; whatever happened now, Serena was lost to him forever. She was better off without him.
As planned, he located the Master of a vessel headed for Venezuela who had reserved passage for two people as requested. He didn’t show his surprise when only one passenger arrived. He had seen it all before. Young lovers seeking their fortune overseas, fleeing disapproving parents and the girl oftentimes got cold feet.
Sebastian planned to make his fortune in South America, there was money to be made in Cocoa and Gold, he heard, and he was prepared to work hard. Sometimes he dreamed of returning home, rich and powerful, able to help his family and find Serena, but deep down he knew that would never happen.
He’d been in Caracas just two days when the earthquake struck. Terrified, he had managed to scramble into the street, buildings crashing down, all his possessions lost. Death and destruction all around him, he made his way back to the coast in search of another ship and that is how he came to join Jacques Dubois and his brother Phillipe, buccaneers operating out of Puerto Rica, plundering the gold cargo-carrying ships of the East and Gulf coasts of Northern America. Their ship had put into port for repairs following a big battle in the Caribbean Sea with the Americans. Sebastian had asked for work aboard the ship, not realising it was a privateer. Too late to change his mind, they set sail and so began his adventures aboard ‘The Swallow’.
For five years Sebastian sailed the Caribbean Seas and Maracaibo Islands with the Dubois brothers, raiding American ships and sometimes carrying slaves, cocoa and gold for auction, though often they freed the slaves who joined them in their plundering. He learned to speak Spanish and later when the DuBois brothers began spying for the Spanish, he worked alongside them, passing details of the American ships and receiving huge rewards from the Spanish in return. He dreamed of Serena often and longed to be reunited with her.
Later he joined another privateer, ‘The Endeavour’. By this time he was Second Mate and privy to secret meetings, his Master held with the British who wanted his services. His Master declined and Sebastian and his crew continued to plunder the Gulf of Mexico, under the Mexican flag this time.
‘The Endeavour’ was now operating out of the Pirate Colony, Campeche, on Galverston Island Texas, where he was living with a Karankawa woman who had been kidnapped by one of his ship-mates, who later died during a battle. Members of her tribe raided the colony soon after, however, and managed to rescue her after killing nearly all the pirates living there. Once again Sebastian escaped and was in need of a new ship.
Sebastian knew he could never go home, especially after the meetings with the British, who knew his name and would soon discover his past and probably arrest him if he ever set foot in England again, so he found another Privateer, ‘The Warrior’, run out of Texas by Jean Pierre Lafitte. He cast all thoughts of Serena out of his mind, he never stopped loving her, but knew they would never be reunited which saddened him now that he was on the way to great wealth by way of his buccaneering.
The battle with the American ship had been raging for three hours, their cannons blasting the sides of ‘The Warrior’, relentlessly. The crew were suffering greatly from lack of sophisticated weaponry and it was taking in water. It soon became apparent that the privateer was in danger of being boarded and the buccaneers taken prisoner. The Master gathered his officers around him and discussed surrender or fighting on to the death. The prospect of an American prison was unthinkable and they decided they would fight to the death; there was always the outside chance they might prevail.
And so the bloody battle raged as ‘The Warrior’, slowly began to sink. Sebastian fought bravely and managed to kill seven Americans before he received a sword thrust to his neck. He fell behind empty gunpowder barrels, clutching his wound. He knew he was finished and as his lifeblood ebbed away his thoughts returned to Serena when last he saw her, in her wedding gown, inside the chapel waiting for her groom.
She was so beautiful and so young. His heart yearned for her. In his imagination he was her groom and it was to him she turned when the Priest pronounced them man and wife. He lifted her veil, gazed lovingly into her shining eyes, and then kissed her soft lips with his dying breath.
Two hundred years later when Serena had been found and laid to rest and the Secret of Willow Cottage had been uncovered, the mystery of what happened to Sebastian, her lost lover, remained unsolved. No-one ever heard of him again and despite endless research by the De Grouchy family and the local Historical Society, nothing was discovered. But he was always remembered when flowers were laid upon Serena’s grave – the family somehow knew that his love her had never died.
*
I asked Jane what prompted this piece and she said…
Following several requests from readers who wanted to know what happened to Serena’s jilted lover, Sebastian Nugent, I decided to write his story.
I wanted him to flee the scene following the duel where he had mortally wounded Serena’s new but elderly husband, fearful of arrest. He had tried in vain to find her, and thinking she had been taken away so that they could not meet, he travels to the coast where, before the wedding, they had arranged passage overseas.
Alone and fearful he would never see her again, Sebastian sets off on his own adventure, unaware that the love of his life is already dead. Deep down he hopes that perhaps someday he will make his fortune and return home to her.
I hope those who requested his story are not disappointed.
Thanks again Morgen, appreciated.
Jane Risdon
You’re very welcome, Jane. Thank you again for sharing your writing with us.
*
For the last thirty years Jane Risdon has worked in the International Music Industry as an Artiste Manager, Producer and Music Publisher with her husband who was a professional musician when they met in their teens.
Together they have discovered, mentored and guided the careers of Singers, Bands, Songwriters and Producers all over Europe, the USA and SE Asia as well as the UK, resulting in Chart hits, TV and Movie Soundtracks and numerous other successes, including launching the very first Industry Showcases at the London Hippodrome in the mid 1980’s.
She has lived and worked in Singapore, Taiwan, Germany, USA, as well as Europe and England – working with English, American, European and Chinese artists in all genres of music and in various languages including Mandarin and Cantonese.
Jane has been writing since childhood and has had articles published in the Music Press. Her main genre is Crime writing; mysteries and thrillers – usually with a twist in the tale. At the moment she is writing a crime story, ‘Ms Birdsong Investigates’, which features an ex-MI5 Officer and her new life in a rural Oxfordshire Village. This novel should be completed sometime in 2013.
In addition to this novel she has a series of stories which she describes as Character Based Gentle Humour, called ‘God’s Waiting Room,’ which she hopes will be completed by 2014.
Jane is also co-writing a novel with an award-winning author of over 28 books. It is a change of direction for Jane and as of February 2013 she has completed her parts of the book. Her co-author is completing her parts and then it is off to the agent, possibly mid 2013.
With numerous Short Stories and several Flash Fiction pieces under her belt she is a prolific writer who is yet to publish a book in her own right. However, she has had several short stories published for Charity during the last year including her story, ‘The Look,’ in ‘I am Woman Anthology Volume 1,’ in aid of Breakthrough, Women for Women and Women’s Aid and two stories, ‘The Debt Collector’ and ‘The Ghost in the Privy,’ published in the anthology, ‘Telling Tales,’ in aid of The Norfolk Hospice.
Jane also has written a chapter for a new book project, which features several authors all writing a chapter each, without any idea of what the other has written. She found this great fun and looks forward to reading the finished book. This project is on-going and until all writers have contributed it is unsure when it will be ready for release.
In addition to everything else going on in 2013, she is also writing a Short Story for inclusion in yet another anthology later in 2013. This will be a crime / mystery anthology in aid of a Charity, yet to be disclosed.
Jane has a Blog which is gaining a large following and she writes about things that interest her, her love of photography – always photos to look at – and also anything else which takes her fancy. Many of these articles have humorous content. She is often invited by other authors to be the Guest Blogger on their Blogs.
Jane blogs at http://janerisdon.wordpress.com and she can be found on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/JaneRisdon2.
**
If you’d like to submit your 1,000-word max. stories for consideration for Flash Fiction Friday take a look here, or up to 5,000 words for critique on my Online Short Story Writing Group (links below).
** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!
See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0
or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **
You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel, which is being serialised on Novel Nights In!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.
For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.
As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. If there’s anything you’d like to take part in, take a look at Opportunities on this blog.
I welcome items for critique for the online writing groups listed below:
Morgen’s Online Non-Fiction Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group
We look forward to reading your comments.
Tags: 5pm fiction, agent, Amazon, author, author interview, author spotlight, Barnes & Noble, Barnes and Noble, biographers, biography, blog, blogger, blogging, books, characters, children’s, competitions, copyediting, copyeditor, copywriter, copywriting, cozy mysteries, creative writing, crime, crime novelist, crime series, crime thriller, crime thrillers, critique, critique groups, debut novel, editing, editor, erotic romance, erotica, exercises, Facebook, fantasy, fantasy horror, fantasy writer, feedback, fellow authors, fiction, fiction author, five senses, flash fiction, free verse, future tense, Goodreads, grammar skills, graphic novels, guest blog, guest blog post, guest post, haiku, haiku poem, hendecasyllabic, historical, historical author, historical writer, horror novel, humorous, humour, iambic pentameter, indie, interview, interview with writer, interviewees, Jane Rishdon, Jane Wenham Jones, Kobo, LinkedIn, Literary Festival, literature, memoirist, Morgan Bailey, morgen bailey, Morgen with an e, multi-genre, murder mysteries, murder mystery, mystery author, mystery series, mystery suspense, non-fiction, Northampton, novelist, novelists, novels, open mic nights, pantoum, paranormal, paranormal romance, paranormal romances, past tense, pinterest, poem, poet, poetry, poetry collection, poetry collections, poetry exercises, poetry magazine, poetry slams, present tense, pseudonyms, publisher, publishing, query letters, reading books, red pen, rejection letter, rejection letters, rejections, rhyming, rhyming poetry, romance, romance fantasy, romance writer, romantic suspense, science fiction, scriptwriters, second person point of view, second person viewpoint, self-publishing, short stories, short story group, Smashwords, sonnet, story a day, Story A Day May, story author, story authors, story collections, story writer, submissions, suspense novelist, suspense thriller, tanka, terza rima, travel memoir, travel writer, triolet, Twitter, vampire, villanelle, Waterstones, western, western author, Wordpress, writer, writer interview, writing, writing competitions, writing events, writing exercises, writing fiction, writing group, writing magazines, writing novels, writing poetry, writing prompts, writing workshop, YA, young adult novels, youtube
Welcome to the final story in a 31-day series Story A Day May 2013.
Late April 2011 I discovered http://StoryADay.org and the project that is to write 31 stories in 31 days. Anyone who knows me or follows this blog, knows how passionate I am about short stories so my clichéd eyes lit up at this new marvel. And just a few days later there I was, breathing life into new characters. This went on to become (with some editing of course) my 31-story collection eBook Story A Day May 2011.
I was nearing completion of the 2012 project when I decided that I didn’t want to stop at the end of May so 5PM Fiction was born. This is on hold this month as I write a story a day for SADM2013
Today’s prompt was: When One Door Closes — on endings, and new beginnings. When I’m doing the 5pm fiction, I usually write a second-person viewpoint story on a Friday so I’ve done that today and below is my 724-worder. 5pm Fiction returns tomorrow.
*
Plenty more fish
“Plenty more fish in the sea.”
You know you’ll lose your temper if she says that one more time but you nod, not looking up from the magazine you’re reading, and change the subject. Tom’s the reason why you’re back living with your mother, and you don’t want to be reminded of either. “Nancy said there might be a job going at Al Fresco.”
“You’re going to be a waitress?”
“Better than nothing, mum.”
“It’s a start, I suppose.”
You loved being a waitress while you were at university and it doesn’t phase you to do it again – you’ve never been afraid of hard work – but…
“Of course, your father would have wanted better for you.”
He would, and it does make life easier that he’s no longer around, but out of the two of them, you know it’s him you’d rather have standing by the kitchen sink drying the dishes you washed.
“Maybe you’ll meet someone new there.”
Not quite ‘plenty more fish’ but it grates all the same. Everything about her grates but you can’t afford a B&B and don’t want to impose on friends, so you pull your weight and muddle along, spending as much time with Nancy as you can.
Her name flashes up on your phone. “Hiya.”
“Hi. I’ve spoken to Max.”
You wait for her to continue. She doesn’t. “Nance!”
“Sorry. I thought he was… never mind.”
“And?”
“Er, yeah. He said come in at six and he’ll give you a trial run.”
“What?”
“Six. Trial run.”
“What about an interview? Doesn’t he even want to see my CV?”
“Hold on.” Nancy covers the phone for a few seconds. “He says bring it, but it’s only a piece of paper. Said it’s all about ability and personality. Don’t drop anything, impress the customers, impress him and it’s yours.”
“Just like that?”
“Just like that. He’s not a red tape guy. Gotta go. See you at six.”
“See you… and thanks.”
“No problem. Will be great to see more of you.”
You press the red icon, and clutch the phone.
“Good news?” the voice over your shoulder asks.
Without turning round, you reply. “Yes, I have to be there at six.”
“Good,” she says and disappears upstairs.
You stick out your tongue then smile. This is the best news you’ve had in a while. You’ve never met Max but figure that if Nancy can handle him then he can’t be too bad. The only Maxs you know are off the TV; the chauffeur from Hart to Hart, and Bradley’s father on Eastenders. You never knew what Tanya saw in him but then you can say that about you and Tom now. Easy to think in hindsight. A college crush gone serious then gone wrong. The teacher : student relationship that rarely works.
*
Nancy beams. “You look great!”
You look down at your plain white shirt, black skirt and comfy black shoes. You want to say “This old thing?” but you’d cut the labels off less than an hour before. “Thanks, Nance.”
“OK. Come on. Let’s introduce you to the great man.”
You take a deep breath as you follow her through the double-swing kitchen doors. Releasing your breath comes out as a cough as Max holds out his hand. He’s a little older than you, nearer Bradley’s dad than the chauffeur, but much better looking and a confident, rather than sleazy, smile.
“Sorry,” you say, wiping your palm on your skirt and hold out your hand.
He laughs and shakes it. “You’ve seen Gordon Ramsay on TV?”
You nod, slowly lowering your hand as he releases it.
“He’s a pussy cat compared with me.”
You go to say something about how you’ve always thought him not that bad, but Max continues. “Only joking. I do expect you to work hard but we play hard too. Have a laugh and a joke by all means but not out there.” He points towards the restaurant’s seating area. “Six to midnight, Thursday to Saturday and Monday. Tuesday lunchtimes ten ’til four. Wednesday and Sunday off. OK?”
“OK, but…”
“But?”
“You’ve not seen me work yet.”
Max laughs. “Not here, sure, but you worked at Tantés, didn’t you?”
“Yes. Yes, I did. How…” Then it dawns on you that you have seen him before, served him before. You look at Nancy and blush.
***
Picture above courtesy of morguefile.com. 5PM Fiction returns tomorrow.
** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!
See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0
or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **
You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel, which is being serialised on Novel Nights In!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.
For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.
As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. If there’s anything you’d like to take part in, take a look at Opportunities on this blog.
I welcome items for critique for the online writing groups listed below:
Morgen’s Online Non-Fiction Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group
We look forward to reading your comments.
Tags: 5pm fiction, agent, Amazon, author, author interview, author spotlight, Barnes & Noble, Barnes and Noble, biographers, biography, blog, blogger, blogging, books, characters, children’s, competitions, copyediting, copyeditor, copywriter, copywriting, cozy mysteries, creative writing, crime, crime novelist, crime series, crime thriller, crime thrillers, critique, critique groups, debut novel, editing, editor, erotic romance, erotica, exercises, Facebook, fantasy, fantasy horror, fantasy writer, feedback, fellow authors, fiction, fiction author, five senses, flash fiction, free verse, future tense, Goodreads, grammar skills, graphic novels, guest blog, guest blog post, guest post, haiku, haiku poem, hendecasyllabic, historical, historical author, historical writer, horror novel, humorous, humour, iambic pentameter, indie, interview, interview with writer, interviewees, Jane Wenham Jones, Kobo, LinkedIn, Literary Festival, literature, memoirist, Morgan Bailey, morgen bailey, Morgen with an e, multi-genre, murder mysteries, murder mystery, mystery author, mystery series, mystery suspense, non-fiction, Northampton, novelist, novelists, novels, open mic nights, pantoum, paranormal, paranormal romance, paranormal romances, past tense, pinterest, poem, poet, poetry, poetry collection, poetry collections, poetry exercises, poetry magazine, poetry slams, present tense, pseudonyms, publisher, publishing, query letters, reading books, red pen, rejection letter, rejection letters, rejections, rhyming, rhyming poetry, romance, romance fantasy, romance writer, romantic suspense, science fiction, scriptwriters, second person point of view, second person viewpoint, self-publishing, short stories, short story group, Smashwords, sonnet, story a day, Story A Day May, story author, story authors, story collections, story writer, submissions, suspense novelist, suspense thriller, tanka, terza rima, travel memoir, travel writer, triolet, Twitter, vampire, villanelle, Waterstones, western, western author, Wordpress, writer, writer interview, writing, writing competitions, writing events, writing exercises, writing fiction, writing group, writing magazines, writing novels, writing poetry, writing prompts, writing workshop, YA, young adult novels, youtube
Complementing my interviews, today’s Author Spotlight, the two hundred and forty-ninth, is of Rosey Thomas Palmer.
Rosey Thomas Palmer is proud to be a dual citizen of Jamaica and the UK with writing connections in both countries. After an education in London, she started adult life as a teacher on contract to the Jamaican government in Spanish Town and at Vauxhall School in Kingston. Family pressures took her back to England where she taught for ten years in various schools in South London, Peterborough and Nottingham where her awareness of the undervaluation of the Jamaican language and culture was pointed up by a senior post focused on the attainment and labelling of the children of England’s immigrant work force.
The happy and productive years she had spent in Jamaican schools drew her back to her adoptive country, accompanied by her then husband and two children. Settling in Westmoreland, close to Mr Palmer’s roots, Rosey found that Westmoreland compared badly with Kingston for youth activities and literary opportunities. In response she founded and ran DELA Children’s Workshop and assisted like minds by collaborating to create Sav Ink, the Savanna-la-mar Arts Movement, Westmoreland Inter-Schools Reading Association and the Westmoreland Chapter of the Sustainable Communities’ Foundation for Tourism. In the course of these involvements she met her friend and mentor, Eva Jones, and began to weave the novel that became “Hues of Blackness: a Jamaican Saga”.
The saga of personal life and the impetus of her will to publish took Rosey Thomas Palmer back to the UK and held her there for ten years whilst her children matured and her marriage crumbled. Rosey’s daughters chose England as their place of permanent residence and her mother aged slowly. To fund her stay, Rosey gravitated to a career in Health and Social Care through which she met many of the original Jamaican migrants to Nottingham and heard their stories as well as learning about the toll life in a cold climate had taken on their bodies how their sense of self had survived. This spurred more writing and led to mentoring and motivating activities for and with fellow writers.
Rosey Thomas Palmer now focuses on international links including visits to America and, hopefully, future visits to Africa, whilst resuming residence in Jamaica and deepening her contribution to literacy and literature there.
*
And now from the author herself:
I am inspired by beauty and variety. I am intrigued by ironies and discrepancies. I celebrate a multitude of experiences in various locations, both first and second hand. I write because it has been my strongest form of communication from childhood up. I publish because the voices of the people around me must be heard.
As many do, I spun narratives as a child, but I failed to take prompts from my mother and teachers seriously enough to build a career in writing. Instead I fancied visual arts or drama but settled for teaching. Throughout the troubled period of adolescence I wrote diary entries and poetry. As a young teacher of English I experimented with a fantasy novel. All of these scriblings are now lost. However, I taught literature creatively and moved from this to playwriting with a dynamic group of students at Vauxhall Secondary School. I was privileged to have the support of my principal and other staff and training from the JCDC. I was still considered a visiting teacher, though, and, without a sense of belonging, I went back to the UK. Although play writing and production was put aside there, academic understanding was added to my Patois skills during subsequent studies for two degrees under the Institute of Education in London. During ten years of teaching in a variety of English schools and at increasing levels of responsibility, I used literary forms to assert the value of the home languages of families that had migrated from Jamaica.
After the termination of my first marriage I longed to return to Jamaica. When I returned it was to the country parish of Westmoreland where there were vaste resources of culture, history and language. waiting to be conserved. Drama still played a strong role in my teaching ad community life and i worked on school plays, community performances and Drama in Education. Poetry writing became public and shared with the poets’ co-operative known as Sav Ink from which mentoring opportunities opened up for me. Academic writing was requested by the Adult Dyslexia Organisation and my contacts with community tourism enabled field work for the novel about Westmoreland’s women that was later published as Hues of Blackness: a Jamaican Saga.
My daughters had grown up enough to leave their country home and return to the UK but not enough to manage comfortably without their parents. Our response to their need was a joint effort at first but distance and prejudicial legislation wore the marriage ties so thin that divorce was the regrettable outcome.
At liberty to explore the full parameters of being myself, I took on the cost of a joint venture publication which drove me to another diversification of my writing career. Whilst waiting for an affordable means to publish the sequels to Hues of Blackness, I began ghost writing for other self-published writers. I shared the stories of a refugee from the Yemen whose life spanned Russia and England as well as her husband’s homeland. Two volumes of her biography have been completed; Before It’s Too Late! and Fight For Life by Sandra Joyce Sallman. I also arranged and edited two books for an inspirational writer, Mark Phillps, They are published under the joint title of The Book of Life and the first edition to become available is sub-titled Born to Live. I have also recovered stories from early migrants to England in preparation for a celebratory anthology of Jamaicans’. experience in the UK.
I work rapidly, benefitting from deadlines and time scales. I seek good conditions for my writing by using my two homelands optimally for research and production. As I have to maintain employment in order to fund my craft, I find especial enjoyment in my career in care which enables me to meet the elderly, experienced and enlightened members of society and I remain fascinated by teaching the intricacies of the English language to mature and interested learners. I look forward to developing language and literature courses in Jamaican Creole now that the significant step of the production of the Jamaican Bible has taken place.
**
You can find more about Rosey and her writing via…
***
If you would like to take part in an author spotlight, take a look at http://morgenbailey.wordpress.com/submission-information/opportunities-on-this-blog (the spotlights are option (a)) or email me for details.
** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!
See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0
or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **
You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel, which is being serialised on Novel Nights In!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.
For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.
As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. If there’s anything you’d like to take part in, take a look at Opportunities on this blog.
I welcome items for critique for the online writing groups listed below:
Morgen’s Online Non-Fiction Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group
We look forward to reading your comments.
Tags: 5pm fiction, agent, Amazon, author, author interview, author spotlight, Barnes & Noble, Barnes and Noble, biographers, biography, blog, blogger, blogging, books, characters, children’s, competitions, copyediting, copyeditor, copywriter, copywriting, cozy mysteries, creative writing, crime, crime novelist, crime series, crime thriller, crime thrillers, critique, critique groups, debut novel, editing, editor, erotic romance, erotica, exercises, Facebook, fantasy, fantasy horror, fantasy writer, feedback, fellow authors, fiction, fiction author, five senses, flash fiction, free verse, future tense, Goodreads, grammar skills, graphic novels, guest blog, guest blog post, guest post, haiku, haiku poem, hendecasyllabic, historical, historical author, historical writer, horror novel, humorous, humour, iambic pentameter, indie, interview, interview with writer, interviewees, Jane Wenham Jones, Kobo, LinkedIn, Literary Festival, literature, memoirist, Morgan Bailey, morgen bailey, Morgen with an e, multi-genre, murder mysteries, murder mystery, mystery author, mystery series, mystery suspense, non-fiction, Northampton, novelist, novelists, novels, open mic nights, pantoum, paranormal, paranormal romance, paranormal romances, past tense, pinterest, poem, poet, poetry, poetry collection, poetry collections, poetry exercises, poetry magazine, poetry slams, present tense, pseudonyms, publisher, publishing, query letters, reading books, red pen, rejection letter, rejection letters, rejections, rhyming, rhyming poetry, romance, romance fantasy, romance writer, romantic suspense, Rosey Palmer, Rosey Thomas, Rosey Thomas Palmer, science fiction, scriptwriters, second person point of view, second person viewpoint, self-publishing, short stories, short story group, Smashwords, sonnet, story a day, Story A Day May, story author, story authors, story collections, story writer, submissions, suspense novelist, suspense thriller, tanka, terza rima, travel memoir, travel writer, triolet, Twitter, vampire, villanelle, Waterstones, western, western author, Wordpress, writer, writer interview, writing, writing competitions, writing events, writing exercises, writing fiction, writing group, writing magazines, writing novels, writing poetry, writing prompts, writing workshop, YA, young adult novels, youtube
Tonight’s guest blog post is brought to you by Poet Laureate of Douglasville, Georgia (USA) Alice Shapiro.
What’s Upstairs? the Musical-in-Development Workshop / Performance
Since childhood I felt painfully shy. That, however, did not stop me from doing what I wanted, but suffering through it all was pretty unbearable.
Eventually, not knowing that I could have been helped, I hit an especially stressful time, was fired from my job of 12 years and lived in homeless shelters for 4 years. It was there I was diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenic. Having said that, I can see people’s jaws drop, eyes bulge in fear and deep breaths looming all around me. Not to worry as after 6 years of medication and psychiatric appointments I am recovered from my experiences and have been medication-free for almost 4 years.
Sometimes after telling my story in excerpts people have suggested I write a book. Because reliving those days would have been depressing and mostly boring I never wanted to undertake such a project. One day I realized how absurd my entire life had been and suddenly thought that making a musical of it would be rather perfect. So, What’s Upstairs? was born.
Naturally, I have added segments from my imagination because I want What’s Upstairs? to be a truly entertaining spectacle as well as a vehicle of information about schizophrenia. Also I’m hoping that looking at this topic in a serious fun way will reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness in general and schizophrenia in particular. Most schizophrenics are not violent to others. The media and entertainment industry have warped the image quite nicely and unnecessarily. I fell that you can entertain and tell the truth at the same time.
So, what’s What’s Upstairs? about? A schizophrenic dream and a surprise ending. A little fantasy, a little reality… and it’s all in Blue’s head. Blue is a high school senior who wants to write a novel but is pushed down at every turn by her so-called best friend, Cindy.
On Friday, May 31, 2013 from 7:00-7:30PM EDT (New York time) you can see a FREE live workshop / performance of What’s Upstairs? the musical-in-development, from your computer. Simply go to the website www.whats-upstairs.com and click on the link at show time (7:00PM).
Since we are in an early phase of development, your feedback is especially critical. You can help by answering a 3-question survey after you see the performance. The survey is also on the website right underneath the link where you tuned into the show at www.whats-upstairs.com
Enjoy the show!
*
Thank you, Alice. I’ll be there watching.
Alice Shapiro is an award-winning playwright and author of three poetry collections and one play. She currently serves as Poet Laureate of Douglasville, Georgia. You can visit her website at www.whats-upstairs.com.
***
If you would like to write a writing-related guest post for my blog then feel free to email me with an outline of what you would like to write about. Guidelines on http://morgenbailey.wordpress.com/guest-blogs. There are other options listed on http://morgenbailey.wordpress.com/submission-information/opportunities-on-this-blog.
** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!
See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0
or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **
You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel, which is being serialised on Novel Nights In!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.
For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.
As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. If there’s anything you’d like to take part in, take a look at Opportunities on this blog.
I welcome items for critique for the online writing groups listed below:
Morgen’s Online Non-Fiction Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group
We look forward to reading your comments.
Tags: 5pm fiction, agent, Alice Shapiro, Amazon, author, author interview, author spotlight, Barnes & Noble, Barnes and Noble, biographers, biography, blog, blogger, blogging, books, characters, children’s, competitions, copyediting, copyeditor, copywriter, copywriting, cozy mysteries, creative writing, crime, crime novelist, crime series, crime thriller, crime thrillers, critique, critique groups, debut novel, editing, editor, erotic romance, erotica, exercises, Facebook, fantasy, fantasy horror, fantasy writer, feedback, fellow authors, fiction, fiction author, five senses, flash fiction, free verse, future tense, Goodreads, grammar skills, graphic novels, guest blog, guest blog post, guest post, haiku, haiku poem, hendecasyllabic, historical, historical author, historical writer, horror novel, humorous, humour, iambic pentameter, indie, interview, interview with writer, interviewees, Jane Wenham Jones, Kobo, LinkedIn, Literary Festival, literature, memoirist, Morgan Bailey, morgen bailey, Morgen with an e, multi-genre, murder mysteries, murder mystery, mystery author, mystery series, mystery suspense, non-fiction, Northampton, novelist, novelists, novels, open mic nights, pantoum, paranormal, paranormal romance, paranormal romances, past tense, pinterest, poem, poet, Poet Laureate, poetry, poetry collection, poetry collections, poetry exercises, poetry magazine, poetry slams, present tense, pseudonyms, publisher, publishing, query letters, reading books, red pen, rejection letter, rejection letters, rejections, rhyming, rhyming poetry, romance, romance fantasy, romance writer, romantic suspense, science fiction, scriptwriters, second person point of view, second person viewpoint, self-publishing, short stories, short story group, Smashwords, sonnet, story a day, Story A Day May, story author, story authors, story collections, story writer, submissions, suspense novelist, suspense thriller, tanka, terza rima, travel memoir, travel writer, triolet, Twitter, vampire, villanelle, Waterstones, western, western author, Wordpress, writer, writer interview, writing, writing competitions, writing events, writing exercises, writing fiction, writing group, writing magazines, writing novels, writing poetry, writing prompts, writing workshop, YA, young adult novels, youtube
Welcome to the thirtieth, and last-but-one, in a 31-day series Story A Day May 2013.
Late April 2011 I discovered http://StoryADay.org and the project that is to write 31 stories in 31 days. Anyone who knows me or follows this blog, knows how passionate I am about short stories so my clichéd eyes lit up at this new marvel. And just a few days later there I was, breathing life into new characters. This went on to become (with some editing of course) my 31-story collection eBook Story A Day May 2011.
I was nearing completion of the 2012 project when I decided that I didn’t want to stop at the end of May so 5PM Fiction was born. This is on hold this month as I write a story a day for SADM2013
Today’s prompt was to write a non-memoir; take something that you think might make a good topic for a memoir, and turn it into fiction instead. I’ve cheated (it’s been a busy day) and have tweaked a chapter from a ‘therapy’ novel I wrote for NaNoWriMo 2010. Below is my 1,250-worder.
*
Petrified
The second time I met Paul Trollope, I was a completely different person. He’d obviously exhausted his luck up north so was trying his hand at the Home Counties, my Home Territory. Unfamiliar to him so for once I had the upper hand. And I made the most of it.
Having Tyler with me helped. It kept me level headed although he didn’t take to him. Tyler to Paul. Dogs aren’t stupid. Well, I did meet a stupid greyhound once, dull as a ten-watt bulb. But Tyler’s a full 100w. Low energy but full power when it’s needed. And I found Paul’s weakness. Dogs. Had always been scared of them. Petrified in fact and although Tyler is not much more than ankle height, he packs a mean punch, a hearty bite when given the right word. Trollope. Not, just a coincidence. As I said, he’s a clever dog.
Turns out Paul’s car had broken down on the way to meet a woman in one of the villages just this side of Ayling
and he’d got lost – followed the Sat Nav. I’ve been there before; not doing a u-turn in Uxbridge, but that’s another story. So there he was walking along the country lane in the middle of nowhere, the (stolen) VW flashing its little heart out a few yards down the road and what does he come across but a converted windmill. My windmill. It’s the only building around and there’s a light on, so he clicks the gate and walks up the needs-some-attention driveway before knocking on the door. Tyler barks and whilst he normally barks at anything that catches his attention, it’s not often that it’s followed by him running to the front door. We don’t get many visitors – most people don’t bother. It’s either too far or they take one look at the shabby exterior and figure I don’t have the money to want to buy whatever it is they’re selling.
I was only in the kitchen so it didn’t take me long to get to the door but long enough, I saw when I looked out the spy hole, for him to start walking away. He was smartly dressed, expensive suit, not the average salesman, besides it was nearly eight o’clock, not the sort of hour for door-to-door knocking; they use the phone for that these days.
I opened the door and said “Hello?” loudly enough for him to hear, holding Tyler’s collar.
He turned round and looked at the dog.
At this point, the normal thing would be for me to have said “It’s alright, he’s harmless” but Tyler wasn’t acting right so I hung fire. I didn’t recognise my visitor straight away but as he walked towards me, it didn’t take long for that familiar feeling to return. Not hatred but anger. Anger that he’d taken advantage of me at my lowest.
He’d got a cut on his chin and I was looking at it as he reached the front door.
He put his hand up to the cut and rubbed it. “Shaving this morning, stupid really,” he said, but I suspected a more dubious reason.
I smiled, despite it dawning on me who was standing there. “Can I help you?”
“Erm.” He hesitated as Tyler gave a growl.
I just smiled again and nodded as he looked up at me.
“I’m sorry to disturb you,” he continued, his charm having not lost its touch. “My car broke down just down the lane and I was wondering if I could borrow your landline – my mobile isn’t picking up any signal.”
“We are rather in the middle of nowhere. Please, come in.” It felt like inviting in a vampire.
Tyler gave another growl as Paul stepped forward so I picked the dog up and stepped back letting the blast from the past into my house.
He smiled as he walked and I smiled back but my smile was a different smile to his. I knew neither was genuine – we both had agendas, but at least I knew that I had the upper hand. I knew him from old and up to then, he’d not recognised me. Even when we got inside and I shut the door (I’ll tell you about the door in a minute) and started speaking, he didn’t twig. It took quite a while… in fact he didn’t realise until I started reminding him about those years ago in a certain house in Northampstead, a pub near Wellingford, the refusal of entry, the hospital (cleverly disguised as a police cell) and so on. His face really was a picture – captured on my CCTV for posterity.
*
The door, yes, it’s a clever piece of work. The internet is a wonderful place for information. You can do anything; build bombs, research books, change innocent-looking everyday objects into whatever you want them to be. Like a simple plastic, uPVC door, into a fortress. It had to be plastic, couldn’t be wood, holds the current better. More metal in it, more locking mechanisms and so on. Clever people on the world wide web.
So, there he was at my mercy for once. With only one exit in the building and that a one-way door unless you know the trick, I could take my time. He was already late for his date, he’d told me that pretty early on in our conversation, so I was doing her a favour by keeping him here.
I let him make the call in the end but it didn’t go anywhere – the outgoing line’s programmed to ring itself so he gave up after getting the continuous engaged tone after a few attempts. “No hurry,” he said. I think he fancied his chances, well, I am female.
So I poured him a drink; strongest thing in the house – he was that kind of stupid too. Maybe he thought he’d be staying over. I did give him that impression. “I’d just made dinner,” I said, “and there’s plenty for two”. So he jumped at the offer, probably thought it would lead to another. We were having fun; the more he drank, the more relaxed he became. I didn’t need to relax and he was miles ahead of me on that score.
He seemed to tire quickly too; strange that. He looked at the clock on the wall with hazy eyes; asked if that was the right time (it was) and if he should ring the breakdown company again (he could have tried but it wouldn’t have got him very far). I reminded him what they’d said (which was nothing but he didn’t twig and couldn’t remember) and he soon forgot what he was waiting for.
Waiting for most people is a horrible feeling. I have nothing I need to wait for anymore but it doesn’t bother me. The British are famous for our queues and I use the time to people watch; it’s amazing what information you can gather without anyone opening their mouths. It’s like that programme ‘The Mentalist’. He can tell more about someone in the first five seconds than most people can after an evening’s conversation. Patrick Jane, that was the guy.
I like making up words and ideas. I imagine the ideas fighting with each other in my brain; dip into the filing cabinet and duel with the folders containing all the other information that’s in there. Some dustier than others – life part (a) and life part (b).
As I watched him fall asleep I set my plan into action.
***
Picture above courtesy of morguefile.com.
** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!
See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0
or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **
You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel, which is being serialised on Novel Nights In!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.
For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.
As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. If there’s anything you’d like to take part in, take a look at Opportunities on this blog.
I welcome items for critique for the online writing groups listed below:
Morgen’s Online Non-Fiction Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group
We look forward to reading your comments.
Tags: 5pm fiction, agent, Amazon, author, author interview, author spotlight, Barnes & Noble, Barnes and Noble, biographers, biography, blog, blogger, blogging, books, characters, children’s, competitions, copyediting, copyeditor, copywriter, copywriting, cozy mysteries, creative writing, crime, crime novelist, crime series, crime thriller, crime thrillers, critique, critique groups, debut novel, editing, editor, erotic romance, erotica, exercises, Facebook, fantasy, fantasy horror, fantasy writer, feedback, fellow authors, fiction, fiction author, five senses, flash fiction, free verse, future tense, Goodreads, grammar skills, graphic novels, guest blog, guest blog post, guest post, haiku, haiku poem, hendecasyllabic, historical, historical author, historical writer, horror novel, humorous, humour, iambic pentameter, indie, interview, interview with writer, interviewees, Jane Wenham Jones, Kobo, LinkedIn, Literary Festival, literature, memoirist, Morgan Bailey, morgen bailey, Morgen with an e, multi-genre, murder mysteries, murder mystery, mystery author, mystery series, mystery suspense, non-fiction, Northampton, novelist, novelists, novels, open mic nights, pantoum, paranormal, paranormal romance, paranormal romances, past tense, pinterest, poem, poet, poetry, poetry collection, poetry collections, poetry exercises, poetry magazine, poetry slams, present tense, pseudonyms, publisher, publishing, query letters, reading books, red pen, rejection letter, rejection letters, rejections, rhyming, rhyming poetry, romance, romance fantasy, romance writer, romantic suspense, science fiction, scriptwriters, second person point of view, second person viewpoint, self-publishing, short stories, short story group, Smashwords, sonnet, story a day, Story A Day May, story author, story authors, story collections, story writer, submissions, suspense novelist, suspense thriller, tanka, terza rima, travel memoir, travel writer, triolet, Twitter, vampire, villanelle, Waterstones, western, western author, Wordpress, writer, writer interview, writing, writing competitions, writing events, writing exercises, writing fiction, writing group, writing magazines, writing novels, writing poetry, writing prompts, writing workshop, YA, young adult novels, youtube
Complementing my interviews, today’s Author Spotlight, the two hundred and forty-eighth, is of Christian, young adult and fantasy author TC Slonaker. If you would like to take part in an author spotlight, take a look at http://morgenbailey.wordpress.com/author-spotlights.
A former elementary school teacher and subsequent lover of the English language in the written word, Tracy Slonaker found several new hobbies after embarking on the new career of motherhood. One hobby was running distances, which gave her plenty of time to create characters, build plots, and listen for God’s input. The result of all this thinking was the birth of a new hobby: writing the Angelmen Series, an analogy of God’s love for His people.Amity of the Angelmen is the first installment of this series.
Tracy enjoys her life as a wife and mother of three in just outside Reading, PA. She still has a soft spot for kids and an eagerness to use her degrees in Elementary Education by using them as Director of Christian Education at her non-denominational Christian church. She has also learned to love running, and has not given up her childhood fondness of sports (playing softball and watching football). She gives thanks to the Lord for all His good gifts.
*
And now from the author herself:
I was born in Philadelphia and grew up in the suburbs thereof. As a child, I was into art and friends, sweets and shopping. And I hated reading. My grades were excellent, though teachers complained that I did not write complete sentences or explain my answers very well.
As a teenager, my grades remained great, even though I had now also gained interest in sports, people-pleasing, God, and poetry. Now I had softball and cheerleading, friends and youth group. So any creativity I extended had to be brief. Thus begun my foray into poetry.
College was great, and a degree in elementary education made me read more. The Freshmen Fifteen made me run more. (Stick with me – that’s important.)
And though this was where I met my husband, Jeremy, we did not begin a relationship until I graduated. So, graduation led to a teaching job (6th grade that first year) and a relationship led to a marriage in 1997. A few years later, I moved to 2nd grade, and then down to kindergarten. What next? You guessed it. Out of teaching to care for my own babies. I now am the happy mama to Hannah, Christian, and Audrey.
The funniest thing started happening toward the end of my teaching career. I began writing children’s books. I felt I had some great ideas and liked keeping it short. Another way of keeping it short? Contributing short devotions to God Stories. (You’ll find me in vol. 3-7 thus far.) As my children grew taller, my writing grew longer. And so did the time I spent running. They go together. Running for hours gives one a lot of time to think. What else are you going to do? So I listened. What did God want me to write? Well, start the Angelmen series, and you will find out! Happy reading to you!
**
You can find more about T.C. and her writing via…
***
If you would like to take part in an author spotlight, take a look at http://morgenbailey.wordpress.com/submission-information/opportunities-on-this-blog (the spotlights are option (a)) or email me for details.
** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!
See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0
or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **
You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel, which is being serialised on Novel Nights In!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.
For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.
As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. If there’s anything you’d like to take part in, take a look at Opportunities on this blog.
I welcome items for critique for the online writing groups listed below:
Morgen’s Online Non-Fiction Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group
We look forward to reading your comments.
Tags: 5pm fiction, agent, Amazon, author, author interview, author spotlight, Barnes & Noble, Barnes and Noble, biographers, biography, blog, blogger, blogging, books, characters, children’s, competitions, copyediting, copyeditor, copywriter, copywriting, cozy mysteries, creative writing, crime, crime novelist, crime series, crime thriller, crime thrillers, critique, critique groups, debut novel, editing, editor, erotic romance, erotica, exercises, Facebook, fantasy, fantasy horror, fantasy writer, feedback, fellow authors, fiction, fiction author, five senses, flash fiction, free verse, future tense, Goodreads, grammar skills, graphic novels, guest blog, guest blog post, guest post, haiku, haiku poem, hendecasyllabic, historical, historical author, historical writer, horror novel, humorous, humour, iambic pentameter, indie, interview, interview with writer, interviewees, Jane Wenham Jones, Kobo, LinkedIn, Literary Festival, literature, memoirist, Morgan Bailey, morgen bailey, Morgen with an e, multi-genre, murder mysteries, murder mystery, mystery author, mystery series, mystery suspense, non-fiction, Northampton, novelist, novelists, novels, open mic nights, pantoum, paranormal, paranormal romance, paranormal romances, past tense, pinterest, poem, poet, poetry, poetry collection, poetry collections, poetry exercises, poetry magazine, poetry slams, present tense, pseudonyms, publisher, publishing, query letters, reading books, red pen, rejection letter, rejection letters, rejections, rhyming, rhyming poetry, romance, romance fantasy, romance writer, romantic suspense, science fiction, scriptwriters, second person point of view, second person viewpoint, self-publishing, short stories, short story group, Smashwords, sonnet, story a day, Story A Day May, story author, story authors, story collections, story writer, submissions, suspense novelist, suspense thriller, tanka, TC Slonaker, terza rima, travel memoir, travel writer, triolet, Twitter, vampire, villanelle, Waterstones, western, western author, Wordpress, writer, writer interview, writing, writing competitions, writing events, writing exercises, writing fiction, writing group, writing magazines, writing novels, writing poetry, writing prompts, writing workshop, YA, young adult novels, youtube
Tonight’s first (yay!) book review, of Precious Bane by Mary Webb, is brought to you by novelist Julia Hughes.
Precious Bane by Mary Webb
Synopsis: A love story in the tradition of the Brontës and Hardy (won the Prix Femina Vie Heureuse in 1925)
Julia’s review
Mary Webb uses words to paint her native Shropshire countryside in glorious technicolour. This is quite simply a beautiful yet at times hauntingly melancholic story.
Narrated by a young girl growing up in rural poverty in the early 18th century, where ‘sin eaters’ are still employed at funerals.
The heroine has a harelip. Her ‘deformity’ is attributed to a hare running across her mother’s path when she was pregnant.
Although not an outcast, her facial disfigurement does set Prue apart from her peers, yet an inner strength and pureness means that she is not without friends or love.
In direct contrast to Prue’s goodness is her brother Gideon, who loves only money, and will sacrifice his own mother and wife to build his fortune.
By using first person point of view, Mary Webb effortlessly allows her readers to emphasise with this young girl who can only watch as her brother sets about destroying all that she loves.
Prue’s best hope of escape lies with a nomadic weaver, Kester. But Prue doubts that even a man who seems to share her own joy and contentment merely to experience life can accept her.
Living here in London in the 21st century, I’m willing to believe that people living in the early 18th Century in rural Shropshire really did act and speak as Mary Webb’s characters do, and several of them will remain with you long after you have finished this book.
Reading this book is like taking a long unwinding walk in the countryside, I highly recommend it.
*
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars.
It sounds a great book. Thank you, Julia.
Julia Hughes is a London based author of the Celtic Cousins’ Adventures: A Raucous Time, A Ripple in Time, and An Explosive Time. Her latest YA / Fantasy is The Griffin Cryer. Julia’s website is http://www.juliahughes.co.uk.
***
If you would like to send me a book review, see http://morgenbailey.wordpress.com/reviews/book-reviews for the guidelines.
Other options listed on http://morgenbailey.wordpress.com/submission-information/opportunities-on-this-blog.
** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!
See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0
or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **
You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel, which is being serialised on Novel Nights In!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.
For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.
As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. If there’s anything you’d like to take part in, take a look at Opportunities on this blog.
I welcome items for critique for the online writing groups listed below:
Morgen’s Online Non-Fiction Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group
We look forward to reading your comments.
Tags: 5pm fiction, agent, Amazon, author, author interview, author spotlight, Barnes & Noble, Barnes and Noble, biographers, biography, blog, blogger, blogging, books, characters, children’s, competitions, copyediting, copyeditor, copywriter, copywriting, cozy mysteries, creative writing, crime, crime novelist, crime series, crime thriller, crime thrillers, critique, critique groups, debut novel, editing, editor, erotic romance, erotica, exercises, Facebook, fantasy, fantasy horror, fantasy writer, feedback, fellow authors, fiction, fiction author, five senses, flash fiction, free verse, future tense, Goodreads, grammar skills, graphic novels, guest blog, guest blog post, guest post, haiku, haiku poem, hendecasyllabic, historical, historical author, historical writer, horror novel, humorous, humour, iambic pentameter, indie, interview, interview with writer, interviewees, Jane Wenham Jones, Julia Hughes, Kobo, LinkedIn, Literary Festival, literature, Mary Webb, memoirist, Morgan Bailey, morgen bailey, Morgen with an e, multi-genre, murder mysteries, murder mystery, mystery author, mystery series, mystery suspense, non-fiction, Northampton, novelist, novelists, novels, open mic nights, pantoum, paranormal, paranormal romance, paranormal romances, past tense, pinterest, poem, poet, poetry, poetry collection, poetry collections, poetry exercises, poetry magazine, poetry slams, present tense, pseudonyms, publisher, publishing, query letters, reading books, red pen, rejection letter, rejection letters, rejections, rhyming, rhyming poetry, romance, romance fantasy, romance writer, romantic suspense, science fiction, scriptwriters, second person point of view, second person viewpoint, self-publishing, short stories, short story group, Smashwords, sonnet, story a day, Story A Day May, story author, story authors, story collections, story writer, submissions, suspense novelist, suspense thriller, tanka, terza rima, travel memoir, travel writer, triolet, Twitter, vampire, villanelle, Waterstones, western, western author, Wordpress, writer, writer interview, writing, writing competitions, writing events, writing exercises, writing fiction, writing group, writing magazines, writing novels, writing poetry, writing prompts, writing workshop, YA, young adult novels, youtube
Welcome to the twenty-ninth in a 31-day series Story A Day May 2013.
Late April 2011 I discovered http://StoryADay.org and the project that is to write 31 stories in 31 days. Anyone who knows me or follows this blog, knows how passionate I am about short stories so my clichéd eyes lit up at this new marvel. And just a few days later there I was, breathing life into new characters. This went on to become (with some editing of course) my 31-story collection eBook Story A Day May 2011.
I was nearing completion of the 2012 project when I decided that I didn’t want to stop at the end of May so 5PM Fiction was born. This is on hold this month as I write a story a day for SADM2013
Today’s prompt was to write a story where a character wants something but there are obstacles to them getting what they want. Below is my 654-word dialogue.
*
Talking when we could be walking
“Oh no! Is it really eleven already?”
“You’ve got plenty of time.”
“Dad, I’m supposed to be there at midday.”
“And only it’s a ten-minute drive. Fifty minutes easily.”
“I don’t want to be there on the dot! I want to be a bit early.”
“Brides aren’t supposed to be early. It’s tradition.”
“Well, I certainly don’t want to be late. What time is the car booked for?”
“Eleven. You know that. It’s downstairs but we have it until it drops you and Alex at the reception.”
“Have you spoken to Alex today?”
“No, Suzie. Why would I?”
“Just to check that everything’s OK.”
“It’ll be fine. Stop panicking.”
“Something’s going to go wrong. I can feel it.”
“Nothing’s going to go wrong. You’re a secretary. Everything’s precision-timed.”
“But I should have been ready by now.”
“You look ready to me and you look gorgeous. Your mother would have-”
“Dad, don’t! You’ll set me off and Tracey’s done my make up.”
“Is there anything else to do?”
“Erm… no, I don’t think so.”
“OK. So you’re ready. The bridesmaids are ready.”
“The bridesmaids! How are they getting there?”
“Uncle Nick’s taking them. Don’t panic!”
“Oh, yes. Sorry. I know. I’m making-”
“A mountain out of a proverbial molehill. It’s your prerogative but just enjoy the day.”
“OK. Thanks, Dad.”
*
“What was that noise?”
“Just a bad gear change, I think. Nothing to worry about. The driver knows what he’s doing.”
“I knew we should have left earlier.”
“But then we’d be too early and we’d be driving round in circles.”
“You’re right as alw- What was that?”
“It didn’t sound good.”
“We’re slowing down! There’s smoke!”
“Oh dear. Never mind, we’ll get a lift with Uncle Terry and the bridesmaids.”
“Everyone else has left already.”
“So he’ll be available to come and get you. Ring him on your mobile.”
“I don’t have my mobile, Dad. Wedding dresses don’t come with pockets.”
“But you’ve got a bag.”
“Horseshoe, flowers. Two hands so no, no bag. I told you you should get a phone.”
“Never needed one. You only live round the corner.”
“Oh, Dad. What are we going to do?”
“Maybe the driver’s… no? That’s ridic- You’d think he’d have some way of communicating with his company. How is he supposed to tell them… We’ll have to walk. We’ve got time.”
“It’s at least a mile.”
“We’ve got half an hour. Twenty minutes a mile.”
“Maybe we can find a phone box.”
“Have you got change?”
“No. I told you, no pockets. Don’t tell me you don’t have any.”
“I’ve only brought my wallet. It doesn’t have a change”
“So you’ve got money.”
“While we’re sitting here talking when we could be walking.”
“I’m going to cry.”
“Don’t. Tracey’s done your make up. Come on. If we chat while we’re walking we’ll be there in no time.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
“That’s what I’m here for. It’s alright, Frank. Not your fault. We’ll make our own way but please be there when we come out. OK? Thanks.”
“Oh, God.”
“What?”
“I didn’t think about getting to the reception.”
“Don’t worry, Suzie. We can take Uncle Terry’s car. There’ll be plenty of other people who can take the bridesmaids.”
“This is not how I had it planned.”
“I know but as long as you get there.”
“These shoes are killing me already. I only needed to walk-”
“What?”
“The police car’s stopping. You don’t think…”
“You never know.”
“He’s getting out, opening the back door. Yes, Dad!”
“Hello, Officer. St Barnaby. The car broke… It’s very kind of you.”
“Yes. Thank you!”
*
“Thank you again, Officer.”
“Thank you so much.”
“Hurry, Dad!”
“It’s five to. We’re fine. Slow down. Breathe.”
“Yes, Dad. OK. Calm, Suzie… calm.”
“Step… step… three… four… There’s the music. We’re here. We’ve arrived. You’re going to get married.”
“Look! There’s Alex. Doesn’t she look lovely?”
“Yes, Suzie. Suit and all, but yes, she looks lovely.”
***
Picture above courtesy of morguefile.com.
** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!
See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0
or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **
You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel, which is being serialised on Novel Nights In!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.
For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.
As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. If there’s anything you’d like to take part in, take a look at Opportunities on this blog.
I welcome items for critique for the online writing groups listed below:
Morgen’s Online Non-Fiction Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group
We look forward to reading your comments.
Tags: 5pm fiction, agent, Amazon, author, author interview, author spotlight, Barnes & Noble, Barnes and Noble, biographers, biography, blog, blogger, blogging, books, characters, children’s, competitions, copyediting, copyeditor, copywriter, copywriting, cozy mysteries, creative writing, crime, crime novelist, crime series, crime thriller, crime thrillers, critique, critique groups, debut novel, editing, editor, erotic romance, erotica, exercises, Facebook, fantasy, fantasy horror, fantasy writer, feedback, fellow authors, fiction, fiction author, five senses, flash fiction, free verse, future tense, Goodreads, grammar skills, graphic novels, guest blog, guest blog post, guest post, haiku, haiku poem, hendecasyllabic, historical, historical author, historical writer, horror novel, humorous, humour, iambic pentameter, indie, interview, interview with writer, interviewees, Jane Wenham Jones, Kobo, LinkedIn, Literary Festival, literature, memoirist, Morgan Bailey, morgen bailey, Morgen with an e, multi-genre, murder mysteries, murder mystery, mystery author, mystery series, mystery suspense, non-fiction, Northampton, novelist, novelists, novels, open mic nights, pantoum, paranormal, paranormal romance, paranormal romances, past tense, pinterest, poem, poet, poetry, poetry collection, poetry collections, poetry exercises, poetry magazine, poetry slams, present tense, pseudonyms, publisher, publishing, query letters, reading books, red pen, rejection letter, rejection letters, rejections, rhyming, rhyming poetry, romance, romance fantasy, romance writer, romantic suspense, science fiction, scriptwriters, second person point of view, second person viewpoint, self-publishing, short stories, short story group, Smashwords, sonnet, story a day, Story A Day May, story author, story authors, story collections, story writer, submissions, suspense novelist, suspense thriller, tanka, terza rima, travel memoir, travel writer, triolet, Twitter, vampire, villanelle, Waterstones, western, western author, Wordpress, writer, writer interview, writing, writing competitions, writing events, writing exercises, writing fiction, writing group, writing magazines, writing novels, writing poetry, writing prompts, writing workshop, YA, young adult novels, youtube
Complementing my interviews, today’s Author Spotlight, the two hundred and forty-seventh, is of novelist / memoirist Nancy S Kyme. If you would like to take part in an author spotlight, take a look at http://morgenbailey.wordpress.com/author-spotlights.
About twenty years ago, after finishing a lengthy thesis for her Masters in Business, Nancy decided to write for fun. She embarked on a science fiction-fantasy epic. After a decade of writing, the project became so unwieldy and unmanageable, Nancy decided to tackle a smaller project. She attended a camp reunion in Northern Michigan and returned home inspired to write a short story for her camp friends. ”Nancy”, her best friend at camp, couldn’t remember any of their adventures. “Christy”, another camp friend, was worried they were forgetting all the great lessons they’d learned. A friend from home, “Misty”, had never attended camp and encouraged Nancy to expand their adventures into a novel so she could feel as if she had been there with them. The result is “Memory Lake; The Forever Friendships of Summer”. Nancy dedicated her novel to these three key friends. She also gives credit to her book group for encouraging her to seek publication. As these friends like to say, “Memory Lake’ is not just a book about summer camp, it’s a book about life.”
*
And now from the author herself:
Family and friends have inspired me to write entertaining pieces from a joyful, optimistic perspective, having a thread of spiritual truth. My kids say I’m funny, but only when I’m not trying to be, which means, like most folk, I’m just bumbling through life searching for meaning. I’m intrigued by our daily choices and relationships, and how they evolved from our past and how they influence our future. I’m convinced we are all connected, though we may not always remember, and I believe the best works of art should remind us of this.
My first novel, “Memory Lake; The Forever Friendships of Summer” was published by Vantage Point Books, July 2011. This novel-memoir became an Amazon best seller the following month. In June of 2012, it won first place in the Inspirational category of the “2012 Next Generation Indie Book Awards”. Thanks to my friends, readership continues to grow, so when Vantage closed its doors in December 2012, I readily found a new publisher. A second edition of “Memory Lake” is scheduled for release May 2013 through Tate Publishing. I’m proud to join other inspirational authors, Joel Osteen and Lee Greenwood, and I’m pleased “Memory Lake” will stand alongside the likes of prequels to “The Wizard of Oz”, which were the basis of the recent movie hit.
In the fall of 2012, at my friends’ insistence, I launched a Word Press Blog, “CampFireMemories”. I’ve been including stories to complement the novel, but I have also discovered the weekly posts are inspiring me to write a sequel to “Memory Lake”, which will pick up where the other left off. In the interim, I’ve gone back to that science fiction-fantasy project which has been over twenty years in the making. It’s coming along nicely, and will remain faithful to our universal search for truth, joy, and optimism. In fact, I foresee a finished series by the end of 2014! I’d like to share one of my favorite blog posts, the recipient of many hits and ping backs, “Life is Like an Onion; Priceless”…
“KT unrolled the tattered batik on the framing shop’s counter. The worn image of two onions evoked a flood of memories. For Andy, the framer, it seemed unworthy. He laughed at its frayed edges, scattered holes, faded colors and said, “Well, it’s no Picasso. If it were, greater experts than I would be working around the clock to save it.”
Like the onion, its worth lay hidden. It had hung in my husband’s apartment at Indiana University when we first met. It had accompanied us on every move through his military career. KT had resurrected it from the dusty garage for her dorm room at I.U., then carried it to Oregon for her first home as a newlywed. Now she wanted to preserve and display it in her second home in North Idaho. She retained its sentimental value, I sought its mental value. When readers ask, “How did you remember such detail when writing Memory Lake?” I quote the lowly onion. Life adds layers. Writing peels them away. At the onion’s heart is an immature flower protected from the casual eye by layers of memory. Like a knife, the sharp pain of my mom’s passing had cut to the immature flower within and exposed these layers which I tenderly peeled away with the written word.
As Andy quoted a framing price worthy of a Dead Sea Scroll, KT’s phone alerted a text message. There, in front of that counter, we learned Dana’s battle with Hodgkin’s lymphoma had officially entered remission after a year of treatments. And so, as another layer of memory slipped between us and the onions, I reached for my credit card.”
**
You can find more about Nancy and her writing via…
***
If you would like to take part in an author spotlight, take a look at http://morgenbailey.wordpress.com/submission-information/opportunities-on-this-blog (the spotlights are option (a)) or email me for details.
** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!
See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0
or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **
You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel, which is being serialised on Novel Nights In!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.
For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.
As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. If there’s anything you’d like to take part in, take a look at Opportunities on this blog.
I welcome items for critique for the online writing groups listed below:
Morgen’s Online Non-Fiction Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group
We look forward to reading your comments.
Tags: 5pm fiction, agent, Amazon, author, author interview, author spotlight, Barnes & Noble, Barnes and Noble, biographers, biography, blog, blogger, blogging, books, characters, children’s, competitions, copyediting, copyeditor, copywriter, copywriting, cozy mysteries, creative writing, crime, crime novelist, crime series, crime thriller, crime thrillers, critique, critique groups, debut novel, editing, editor, erotic romance, erotica, exercises, Facebook, fantasy, fantasy horror, fantasy writer, feedback, fellow authors, fiction, fiction author, five senses, flash fiction, free verse, future tense, Goodreads, grammar skills, graphic novels, guest blog, guest blog post, guest post, haiku, haiku poem, hendecasyllabic, historical, historical author, historical writer, horror novel, humorous, humour, iambic pentameter, indie, interview, interview with writer, interviewees, Jane Wenham Jones, Kobo, LinkedIn, Literary Festival, literature, memoirist, Morgan Bailey, morgen bailey, Morgen with an e, multi-genre, murder mysteries, murder mystery, mystery author, mystery series, mystery suspense, Nancy Kyme, Nancy S Kyme, non-fiction, Northampton, novelist, novelists, novels, open mic nights, pantoum, paranormal, paranormal romance, paranormal romances, past tense, pinterest, poem, poet, poetry, poetry collection, poetry collections, poetry exercises, poetry magazine, poetry slams, present tense, pseudonyms, publisher, publishing, query letters, reading books, red pen, rejection letter, rejection letters, rejections, rhyming, rhyming poetry, romance, romance fantasy, romance writer, romantic suspense, science fiction, scriptwriters, second person point of view, second person viewpoint, self-publishing, short stories, short story group, Smashwords, sonnet, story a day, Story A Day May, story author, story authors, story collections, story writer, submissions, suspense novelist, suspense thriller, tanka, terza rima, travel memoir, travel writer, triolet, Twitter, vampire, villanelle, Waterstones, western, western author, Wordpress, writer, writer interview, writing, writing competitions, writing events, writing exercises, writing fiction, writing group, writing magazines, writing novels, writing poetry, writing prompts, writing workshop, YA, young adult novels, youtube
Tonight’s guest blog post is brought to you by novelist Seumas Gallacher.
This daft old Scottish Jurassic’s take on Awards to pals on the Sosyal Netwurkin circuit…
like most things in this world, it started out as a modest little exercise… a kinda by-product of Building The Platform… that constant activity that web-bound quill-scrapers are exhorted to be involved in… reaching out on the Sosyal Netwurkin channels… the idea is to know and to be known by others ‘out there’… so far, it’s Wurkin very well for me… thankfully, Twitter can be made a tad less daunting to manage by the introduction of (Free!) Apps such as Tweetdeck… that marvellous App enables the countless Twitter relationships to be segregated under various headings… ‘Personal’, ‘Writers’, ‘Publishers’, ‘Pals’, and so on, splitting them into convenient columns… Tweetdeck Taxonomy Triumphs!… even if ye have thousands of followers, yer ability to focus is easily achieved… what I began to do was to write down longhand… (emb’dy remember how to do that stuff?… with a pen and paper?)…
All the nice folks who mentioned me or Tweeted me with an (at) message… they were the initial bedrock data base for my weekly Awards… that longhand list grew into several hundreds and continues to grow daily… at first I could give out my Awards in one shot on Twitter, batching up the addresses in slugs of, say half a dozen tweets… that covers about up to 50 names in one tweeting broadcast session… then repeating that every hour until I exhausted all the names… when it grew too voluminous, I split the exercise over four days, so I can still manage a coupla hundred names each day… yes, it’s a lot of work, but I Luv It, coz it keeps me Connected... as to the Awards themselves, some of you who have been regular recipients of these will see the Awards label changes every week… whatever jumps out of my little grey cells .., this week it’s the ‘Feelgood Awards’… but we’ve been going for almost a year on it now, and we’ve had all sorts of nomenclature… ‘Prime Awards’, ‘Sunshine Awards’, ‘Top Dog Awards’, ‘Apex Awards’, ‘Tw-Oscar Awards’, … ye get the idea, right?… some folks (such as Matron around here), tell me I’m mad… well, that may be the case… however, others in their droves have told me how much they appreciate the acknowledgements … if we’re honest about it, most of we Lads and Lassies of Blog Land welcome affirmation… that we’re part of the great big Luvvin family of Writers on the Web... loads of others have told me they use my weekly Awards list in lieu of Friday Follow (FF) messages, and click to follow the names… great! …that benefits everybody involved… so, if ye wanna be part of my immersion in this gig, let me know and I’ll add yer name to the Awards list! …meantime, true to her calling, here comes Matron with that bluudy syringe.. see yeez later …
*
I loved it. Thank you, Seumas!
**
Seumas Gallacher was born in the cradle of the Govan shipyards in Glasgow in the so-called ‘bad old days’ which were really the greatest of days, where everybody was a real character of note.
An early career as a trainee banker led to a spell in London, where his pretence to be a missionary converting the English fell on deaf ears.
Escape to the Far East in 1980 opened up access to cultures and societies on a global scale, eventually bringing the realisation that the world is simply one large extended village.
The lifelong desire to write resulted in The Violin Man’s Legacy, the first in a planned series.
Seumas’ sequel novel, Vengeance Wears Black was launched on Kindle in early July 2012.
The third, Savage Payback, is work-in-progress with at least two other books to follow in the same vein. Kindle downloads on his novels exceed 60,000 to date.
**
The Violin Man’s Legacy – Short Synopsis
Together they begin to unravel a complex web of corruption. The twin spiders at the centre of this web are the Chan brothers, leaders of one of Hong Kong’s most ruthless and powerful triad gangs.
Jack Calder is an ex-SAS soldier working with former colleagues at ISP, a specialist security firm. He is sent to investigate a murderous diamond heist in Utrecht but swiftly learns that there is a very strong Far East connection. He then travels to Hong Kong where he meets the glamorous chief of ISP’s local bureau, May-Ling.
The trail of death and mayhem coils across Europe, Hong Kong and South America until all the scores are settled.
**
Vengeance Wears Black – Short Synopsis
Jack Calder and his former SAS colleagues at ISP, a specialist security firm, are saved from certain death when an ex-Gurkha is killed smothering a deadly grenade thrown into a lunchtime Chinese restaurant in the West End of London. They learn that murderous turf wars are raging between Asian Triads and Eastern European mobsters vying for control of international fiefdoms of drug smuggling, people trafficking, prostitution and money laundering.
An unexpected visit from the highest levels of international law enforcement offers Jack and the ISP team a means to use their black operations skills to wreak a ruthless retaliation against the drug lords.
Unlikely partners emerge in their onslaught against the gangs as the warring criminal factions threaten an unholy alliance to repel them. The pursuit spins across Europe, Turkey and North Africa before a final reckoning.
***
Seumas and his books can be found via:
Links for The Violin Man’s Legacy
Links for Vengeance Wears Black
This post was originally shown on Seumas’ blog: http://seumasgallacher.com/2013/05/03/this-daft-old-scottish-jurassics-take-on-awards-to-pals-on-the-sosyal-netwurkin-circuit-tbsu
***
If you would like to write a writing-related guest post for my blog then feel free to email me with an outline of what you would like to write about. There are other options listed on http://morgenbailey.wordpress.com/submission-information/opportunities-on-this-blog.
** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!
See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0
or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **
You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel, which is being serialised on Novel Nights In!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.
For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.
As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. If there’s anything you’d like to take part in, take a look at Opportunities on this blog.
I welcome items for critique for the online writing groups listed below:
Morgen’s Online Non-Fiction Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group
We look forward to reading your comments.
Tags: 5pm fiction, agent, Amazon, author, author interview, author spotlight, Barnes & Noble, Barnes and Noble, biographers, biography, blog, blogger, blogging, books, characters, children’s, competitions, copyediting, copyeditor, copywriter, copywriting, cozy mysteries, creative writing, crime, crime novelist, crime series, crime thriller, crime thrillers, critique, critique groups, debut novel, editing, editor, erotic romance, erotica, exercises, Facebook, fantasy, fantasy horror, fantasy writer, feedback, fellow authors, fiction, fiction author, five senses, flash fiction, free verse, future tense, Goodreads, grammar skills, graphic novels, guest blog, guest blog post, guest post, haiku, haiku poem, hendecasyllabic, historical, historical author, historical writer, horror novel, humorous, humour, iambic pentameter, indie, interview, interview with writer, interviewees, Jane Wenham Jones, Kobo, LinkedIn, Literary Festival, literature, memoirist, Morgan Bailey, morgen bailey, Morgen with an e, multi-genre, murder mysteries, murder mystery, mystery author, mystery series, mystery suspense, non-fiction, Northampton, novelist, novelists, novels, open mic nights, pantoum, paranormal, paranormal romance, paranormal romances, past tense, pinterest, poem, poet, poetry, poetry collection, poetry collections, poetry exercises, poetry magazine, poetry slams, present tense, pseudonyms, publisher, publishing, query letters, reading books, red pen, rejection letter, rejection letters, rejections, rhyming, rhyming poetry, romance, romance fantasy, romance writer, romantic suspense, science fiction, scriptwriters, second person point of view, second person viewpoint, self-publishing, Seumas Gallacher, short stories, short story group, Smashwords, sonnet, story a day, Story A Day May, story author, story authors, story collections, story writer, submissions, suspense novelist, suspense thriller, tanka, terza rima, travel memoir, travel writer, triolet, Twitter, vampire, villanelle, Waterstones, western, western author, Wordpress, writer, writer interview, writing, writing competitions, writing events, writing exercises, writing fiction, writing group, writing magazines, writing novels, writing poetry, writing prompts, writing workshop, YA, young adult novels, youtube
Welcome to the twenty-eighth in a 31-day series Story A Day May 2013.
Late April 2011 I discovered http://StoryADay.org and the project that is to write 31 stories in 31 days. Anyone who knows me or follows this blog, knows how passionate I am about short stories so my clichéd eyes lit up at this new marvel. And just a few days later there I was, breathing life into new characters. This went on to become (with some editing of course) my 31-story collection eBook Story A Day May 2011.
I was nearing completion of the 2012 project when I decided that I didn’t want to stop at the end of May so 5PM Fiction was born. This is on hold this month as I write a story a day for SADM2013
Today’s prompt was to write a story about a good or bad child, so I’ve done both. Below is my 300-worder.
*
Billy No Mates
They say we all have good and evil within us, meet Tom and Billy.
Billy looked up. “What are you doing here?”
“Come to see you.”
“Why?”
“Because…” Tom sat down. “Because I’m your brother.”
Billy leaned forward. “No, Tom. You’re a horrible little oik.”
“Billy!”
“You’re a … little …”
“Don’t!”
“You snitched on me. What do you expect?”
“I’m sorry. I said I’m sorry.”
“Too late now.”
Tom looked around the room. He was surprised to see just two others, talking to each other and ignoring them.
“You’re not so snow white yourself.”
“What?”
“Mr Taylor’s front garden.”
“I’ve never been in Mr Taylor’s front garden.”
“Picky little shit! You weren’t in his garden.”
“You said-”
“Not IN his front garden. I saw you drop litter into it.”
“Didn’t.”
“Did.”
“I didn’t!”
“Did too!” Billy spoke loudly enough for the others to turn to him.
Tom noticed the scared look on one of their faces. “When?”
“The day before I… the day before.”
“I… oh.”
“Yes! See? Not the darling son mum thinks you are, are you?”
“It wasn’t litter.”
“Rubbish.”
“It wasn’t! It was a snail!”
“What?”
“A snail. I almost treaded on it.”
“Trod.”
“I almost trod on it, then, and I didn’t want anyone else to squish it so I picked it up. Mr Taylor has a lovely green garden so I dropped it over his fence.”
“Mmm…”
“Is that why-?”
“They’re going to keep me in here for years.”
Tom looked down into his lap. “I know.”
“And you knew you’d get me into trouble when you snitched.”
“I had to.”
“No… you… didn’t.”
“I liked Mr Taylor!”
“You didn’t know him.”
“He said ‘hello’ when I walked past and he was outside. He was nice to me.”
“Well he wasn’t nice to me.”
***
Picture above courtesy of morguefile.com.
** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!
See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0
or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **
You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel, which is being serialised on Novel Nights In!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.
For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.
As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. If there’s anything you’d like to take part in, take a look at Opportunities on this blog.
I welcome items for critique for the online writing groups listed below:
Morgen’s Online Non-Fiction Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group
We look forward to reading your comments.
Tags: 5pm fiction, agent, Amazon, author, author interview, author spotlight, Barnes & Noble, Barnes and Noble, biographers, biography, blog, blogger, blogging, books, characters, children’s, competitions, copyediting, copyeditor, copywriter, copywriting, cozy mysteries, creative writing, crime, crime novelist, crime series, crime thriller, crime thrillers, critique, critique groups, debut novel, editing, editor, erotic romance, erotica, exercises, Facebook, fantasy, fantasy horror, fantasy writer, feedback, fellow authors, fiction, fiction author, five senses, flash fiction, free verse, future tense, Goodreads, grammar skills, graphic novels, guest blog, guest blog post, guest post, haiku, haiku poem, hendecasyllabic, historical, historical author, historical writer, horror novel, humorous, humour, iambic pentameter, indie, interview, interview with writer, interviewees, Jane Wenham Jones, Kobo, LinkedIn, Literary Festival, literature, memoirist, Morgan Bailey, morgen bailey, Morgen with an e, multi-genre, murder mysteries, murder mystery, mystery author, mystery series, mystery suspense, non-fiction, Northampton, novelist, novelists, novels, open mic nights, pantoum, paranormal, paranormal romance, paranormal romances, past tense, pinterest, poem, poet, poetry, poetry collection, poetry collections, poetry exercises, poetry magazine, poetry slams, present tense, pseudonyms, publisher, publishing, query letters, reading books, red pen, rejection letter, rejection letters, rejections, rhyming, rhyming poetry, romance, romance fantasy, romance writer, romantic suspense, science fiction, scriptwriters, second person point of view, second person viewpoint, self-publishing, short stories, short story group, Smashwords, sonnet, story a day, Story A Day May, story author, story authors, story collections, story writer, submissions, suspense novelist, suspense thriller, tanka, terza rima, travel memoir, travel writer, triolet, Twitter, vampire, villanelle, Waterstones, western, western author, Wordpress, writer, writer interview, writing, writing competitions, writing events, writing exercises, writing fiction, writing group, writing magazines, writing novels, writing poetry, writing prompts, writing workshop, YA, young adult novels, youtube
Complementing my interviews, today’s Author Spotlight, the two hundred and forty-sixth, is of non-fiction and crime writer Kathy Brandt with mention of her artist and photographer son, Max. If you would like to take part in an author spotlight, take a look at http://morgenbailey.wordpress.com/author-spotlights.
Kathy Brandt writes The Hannah Sampson Underwater Investigation Series (Swimming with the Dead, Dark Water Dive, Dangerous Depths, and Under Pressure), which were recently released as ebooks. She is also the co-author of Walks on the Margins: A Story of Bipolar Illness, written with her son, Max Maddox. It was a finalist for the Iowa Review Award in Non-Fiction. Kathy was on the Board of Directors of the National Alliance on Mental Illness in Colorado Springs (NAMI) for six years and served as President. She is currently the NAMI-CS liaison to the Mental Health Court in Colorado Springs. She received the 2012 National Member of the Year Award for her outstanding service to NAMI. Kathy has a B.A. in English and an M.A. in Rhetoric and taught writing at the University of Colorado for ten years.
Max Maddox is the co-author of Walks on the Margins: A Story of Bipolar Illness, which was a finalist for the Iowa Review Award in Non-Fiction. He has a BA in philosophy from Grinnell College and an MFA from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art, where he was nominated for the Joan Mitchell Award and received the Fellowship Trust Award. He has exhibited his work in galleries including The Slought Foundation, The Print Center of Philadelphia, and the Ellen Powell Tiberino Memorial Museum. He was the preparator, photographer, and curator at the Sun King Gallery and Pyramid Museum in Philadelphia and also assistant to artist and curator Richard Torchia, Director of Arcadia University Gallery. He now lives in Colorado where he teaches and continues to pursue his career in art.
*
And now from Kathy herself:
In 1999, my son, Max, was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. He was twenty and a junior at Grinnell College. I was shocked at the diagnosis, clueless about what it meant, and I was scared. What would the future hold for Max? We spent years trying to find good treatment in a mental health care system that too often fails those who struggle with mental illness. I was angry that we couldn’t find the help Max needed. Finally I found support through NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) and became an advocate for those with mental illness and their families. As a writer, my advocacy inevitably involved writing about the issues. And I wanted to tell Max’s story so that people would understand the difficulties of having this illness, made worse by stigma, and that recovery is possible. But I wouldn’t do it without Max. Though reliving the years of illness would be painful, Max agreed to write the book with me. The result is a memoir about our joint and separate struggles with the illness entitled, Walks on the Margins: A Story of Bipolar Illness.
Writing the book brought us together in ways I never imagined and it helped us make sense of the years of chaos. We have told an honest though often painful story that ends with the understanding that mental illness is for life but that redemption and recovery are possible. In doing that, we hope that others with mental illness and their families will find comfort in knowing that they aren’t as alone as they might think. We also hope that we have succeeded in breaking down the barriers of stigma and made human and understandable an illness that so many fear or demonize.
This was a difficult book for us to write. We dredged up memories that we would have sooner left buried. We wrote things that we’d rather have left unsaid. We took a lot of risks, especially Max, as he told his story for everyone to hear.
Then there was the actual task of writing the book. We knew our story began the day Max had his first episode, and he called to tell me to turn on the news because the world had changed. Hoping that it was the world that had shifted, not my son, I’d switched on the TV. By noon that day he was in the hospital in Des Moines.
Nothing was quite as clear as that beginning though. We wrote and rewrote, restructured, revised. So much amazing material ended up on the cutting room floor. We realized we shouldn’t be including scenes just because they happened, but that those scenes, though dramatic, simply developed the same points. It’s hard to axe what you love or what you want to share with people, all the hurt, angst, humor, but if the scene didn’t add to the forward movement of the story, we let the it go. And we realized that we needed to consider the story arc more carefully. Having written several mysteries, I should have been tuned into the story arc from the beginning, but I’d lost sight of that need with the memoir. We asked ourselves what the final crisis was, the defining moment. And finally we finished.
**
You can find more about Kathy and her writing via…
www.kathybrandtauthor.com and www.maxmaddox.net
***
If you would like to take part in an author spotlight, take a look at http://morgenbailey.wordpress.com/submission-information/opportunities-on-this-blog (the spotlights are option (a)) or email me for details.
** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!
See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0
or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **
You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel, which is being serialised on Novel Nights In!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.
For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.
As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. If there’s anything you’d like to take part in, take a look at Opportunities on this blog.
I welcome items for critique for the online writing groups listed below:
Morgen’s Online Non-Fiction Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group
We look forward to reading your comments.
Tags: 5pm fiction, agent, Amazon, author, author interview, author spotlight, Barnes & Noble, Barnes and Noble, biographers, biography, blog, blogger, blogging, books, characters, children’s, competitions, copyediting, copyeditor, copywriter, copywriting, cozy mysteries, creative writing, crime, crime novelist, crime series, crime thriller, crime thrillers, critique, critique groups, debut novel, editing, editor, erotic romance, erotica, exercises, Facebook, fantasy, fantasy horror, fantasy writer, feedback, fellow authors, fiction, fiction author, five senses, flash fiction, free verse, future tense, Goodreads, grammar skills, graphic novels, guest blog, guest blog post, guest post, haiku, haiku poem, hendecasyllabic, historical, historical author, historical writer, horror novel, humorous, humour, iambic pentameter, indie, interview, interview with writer, interviewees, Jane Wenham Jones, Kobo, LinkedIn, Literary Festival, literature, memoirist, Morgan Bailey, morgen bailey, Morgen with an e, multi-genre, murder mysteries, murder mystery, mystery author, mystery series, mystery suspense, non-fiction, Northampton, novelist, novelists, novels, open mic nights, pantoum, paranormal, paranormal romance, paranormal romances, past tense, pinterest, poem, poet, poetry, poetry collection, poetry collections, poetry exercises, poetry magazine, poetry slams, present tense, pseudonyms, publisher, publishing, query letters, reading books, red pen, rejection letter, rejection letters, rejections, rhyming, rhyming poetry, romance, romance fantasy, romance writer, romantic suspense, science fiction, scriptwriters, second person point of view, second person viewpoint, self-publishing, short stories, short story group, Smashwords, sonnet, story a day, Story A Day May, story author, story authors, story collections, story writer, submissions, suspense novelist, suspense thriller, tanka, terza rima, travel memoir, travel writer, triolet, Twitter, vampire, villanelle, Waterstones, western, western author, Wordpress, writer, writer interview, writing, writing competitions, writing events, writing exercises, writing fiction, writing group, writing magazines, writing novels, writing poetry, writing prompts, writing workshop, YA, young adult novels, youtube
Welcome to Post-weekend Poetry and the seventy-eighth poem in this series. This week’s piece by Louis J Casson is entitled ‘Lost Rooms’: lost worlds part #1…
Lost Rooms
No awesome swooning to the heaven lies
or in the spirit how greatly sweetly slain.
Just the feel of earth between the toes
of bare calloused feet.
Dust rising from the goats
and sheep flocks passing,
The steady growing crops ripened
from green to gold
in the spring and summer rain.
No prayers pressed in,
fervent tones up to the highest height.
Palms raised, eyes shut, to the continuing refrain.
Simply the Almighty’s face reflected,
veiled by moving clouds,
in a rain filled hollow left by cattle hooves
across the plain.
Without ritual pomp and rich vestments,
the grandiose organ’s silent in this space.
Merely the whispering murmurings of the Lord
and the night wind flapping the tent.
As under cold stars, prayers, thanksgivings
are simply said.
In simple conversation, sincere yet unadorned
the heart speaks to Him,
receiving back His friendly grace.
Distanced and lost:
I rise from my empty yet ornamented shell,
to seek the simpler god-filled richer place.
Those lost rooms of my youth,
where He waits to greet me back,
just face to face.
*
© Louis J. Casson 2012
I asked Louis what prompted this piece and he said…
The past is a “lost world” in that it can’t be recalled. In this poem the overall theme is that of faith and a sense of loss at how as an adult the simple certainty of childhood faith is lost, covered by the ritual and organisation of established religion one becomes aware of in adulthood.
References here to the faith of patriarchs – Abraham and others- who had it seems a closer , more direct relationship, living without any of the church buildings, structures we have today.
Also in the piece: a sense of separation of being alone with just the Lord, and how the cycle of seasons, nature, reflects the presence of the divine, clear and direct without words or much explanation.
This poem is taken from my Amazon Kindle book: Building an Unseen Line.
**
Thank you, Louis. Louis returns on Monday 15th July with part 2.
Louis is a poet and singer-songwriter for Blues, Country, Americana, Jazz, Folk and other musical styles.
One half of the musical duo the “Tanglewood Twins”, his role covers writing songs, vocals and 12 string guitars.
He has received commendations from Northants WRITE competitions, given interviews on BBC Northampton Radio, and an honourable mention –in the top 1500 entrants of the 17th Billboard World Song Contest (2009 Category: Blues and R & B) for his lyrics to “Life Gone Blues”
Louis lives with his partner in Northamptonshire, England.
Website links:
Behance portfolio: http://www.behance.net/LJCasson
Other poetry and lyrics collections by Louis J. Casson, available from Amazon Kindle:
Building an Unseen Line, Modern Times Blues, Reggae Riddeema, See You in the Big Time, The Secrets Summer Keeps (love poems I), Sharing a Soft Small Star (love poems, II), Blues Hung Up to Dry, Brand New Highway stretching on.
Samples from the above collections are available free to download to your PC or Kindle reader.
To purchase: go to Amazon UK or Amazon.com, then search on Louis J Casson to get a complete listing of my books. USA / World links to Amazon Kindle books by Louis J. Casson, http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&rh=n%3A133140011%2Ck%3Alouis%20j%20casson&page=1
***
If you’d like to submit your poem (40 lines max) for consideration for Post-weekend Poetry take a look here.
** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!
See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0
or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **
You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel, which is being serialised on Novel Nights In!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.
For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.
As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. If there’s anything you’d like to take part in, take a look at Opportunities on this blog.
I welcome items for critique for the online writing groups listed below:
Morgen’s Online Non-Fiction Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group
We look forward to reading your comments.
Tags: 5pm fiction, agent, Amazon, author, author interview, author spotlight, Barnes & Noble, Barnes and Noble, biographers, biography, blog, blogger, blogging, books, characters, children’s, competitions, copyediting, copyeditor, copywriter, copywriting, cozy mysteries, creative writing, crime, crime novelist, crime series, crime thriller, crime thrillers, critique, critique groups, debut novel, editing, editor, erotic romance, erotica, exercises, Facebook, fantasy, fantasy horror, fantasy writer, feedback, fellow authors, fiction, fiction author, five senses, flash fiction, free verse, future tense, Goodreads, grammar skills, graphic novels, guest blog, guest blog post, guest post, haiku, haiku poem, hendecasyllabic, historical, historical author, historical writer, horror novel, humorous, humour, iambic pentameter, indie, interview, interview with writer, interviewees, Jane Wenham Jones, John Casson, Kobo, LinkedIn, Literary Festival, literature, Louis Casson, memoirist, Morgan Bailey, morgen bailey, Morgen with an e, multi-genre, murder mysteries, murder mystery, mystery author, mystery series, mystery suspense, non-fiction, Northampton, novelist, novelists, novels, open mic nights, pantoum, paranormal, paranormal romance, paranormal romances, past tense, pinterest, poem, poet, poetry, poetry collection, poetry collections, poetry exercises, poetry magazine, poetry slams, present tense, pseudonyms, publisher, publishing, query letters, reading books, red pen, rejection letter, rejection letters, rejections, rhyming, rhyming poetry, romance, romance fantasy, romance writer, romantic suspense, science fiction, scriptwriters, second person point of view, second person viewpoint, self-publishing, short stories, short story group, Smashwords, sonnet, story a day, Story A Day May, story author, story authors, story collections, story writer, submissions, suspense novelist, suspense thriller, tanka, terza rima, travel memoir, travel writer, triolet, Twitter, vampire, villanelle, Waterstones, western, western author, Wordpress, writer, writer interview, writing, writing competitions, writing events, writing exercises, writing fiction, writing group, writing magazines, writing novels, writing poetry, writing prompts, writing workshop, YA, young adult novels, youtube
Welcome to the twenty-seventh in a 31-day series Story A Day May 2013.
Late April 2011 I discovered http://StoryADay.org and the project that is to write 31 stories in 31 days. Anyone who knows me or follows this blog, knows how passionate I am about short stories so my clichéd eyes lit up at this new marvel. And just a few days later there I was, breathing life into new characters. This went on to become (with some editing of course) my 31-story collection eBook Story A Day May 2011.
I was nearing completion of the 2012 project when I decided that I didn’t want to stop at the end of May so 5PM Fiction was born. This is on hold this month as I write a story a day for SADM2013
Today’s prompt was to write a story around a holiday theme. It’s Bank Holiday here in the UK so I’ve gone with a dialogue on that. Below is my 145-worder.
*
Eight a year
“Another bank holiday!”
“We only get eight a year.”
“Eight! That’s one every… six weeks. Plus all your other holidays.”
“Six and a half, but we deserve them.”
“And I have to pay for them.”
“20 days a year isn’t as much as some companies.”
“Be grateful you get any. They don’t in the States, you know.”
“I’m pretty sure they get Thanksgiving.”
“Yes, alright. And Christmas, but they certainly don’t get 20 days… So, what are you going to do with yours?”
“Heading to Brighton for the day.”
“Nice. The weather is supposed to be good.”
“And you?”
“Barbeque.”
“That’ll be fun. But it’ll mean it’ll rain. Beach, barbeque, Bank Holiday, rain”
“Let’s hope not. Right, I’ll let you get on. See you on Tuesday.”
“Yes. See you then. Oh…”
“Yes, Tom?”
“Can you tell mum ‘thanks’ for the jam. It’s lovely.”
“Will do.”
***
Picture above courtesy of morguefile.com.
** NEW!! You can now subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app!
See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E88JN0
or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E88JN0 for outside the UK **
You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel, which is being serialised on Novel Nights In!) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.
For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.
As I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. If there’s anything you’d like to take part in, take a look at Opportunities on this blog.
I welcome items for critique for the online writing groups listed below:
Morgen’s Online Non-Fiction Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group
Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group
We look forward to reading your comments.
Tags: 5pm fiction, agent, Amazon, author, author interview, author spotlight, Barnes & Noble, Barnes and Noble, biographers, biography, blog, blogger, blogging, books, characters, children’s, competitions, copyediting, copyeditor, copywriter, copywriting, cozy mysteries, creative writing, crime, crime novelist, crime series, crime thriller, crime thrillers, critique, critique groups, debut novel, editing, editor, erotic romance, erotica, exercises, Facebook, fantasy, fantasy horror, fantasy writer, feedback, fellow authors, fiction, fiction author, five senses, flash fiction, free verse, future tense, Goodreads, grammar skills, graphic novels, guest blog, guest blog post, guest post, haiku, haiku poem, hendecasyllabic, historical, historical author, historical writer, horror novel, humorous, humour, iambic pentameter, indie, interview, interview with writer, interviewees, Jane Wenham Jones, Kobo, LinkedIn, Literary Festival, literature, memoirist, Morgan Bailey, morgen bailey, Morgen with an e, multi-genre, murder mysteries, murder mystery, mystery author, mystery series, mystery suspense, non-fiction, Northampton, novelist, novelists, novels, open mic nights, pantoum, paranormal, paranormal romance, paranormal romances, past tense, pinterest, poem, poet, poetry, poetry collection, poetry collections, poetry exercises, poetry magazine, poetry slams, present tense, pseudonyms, publisher, publishing, query letters, reading books, red pen, rejection letter, rejection letters, rejections, rhyming, rhyming poetry, romance, romance fantasy, romance writer, romantic suspense, science fiction, scriptwriters, second person point of view, second person viewpoint, self-publishing, short stories, short story group, Smashwords, sonnet, story a day, Story A Day May, story author, story authors, story collections, story writer, submissions, suspense novelist, suspense thriller, tanka, terza rima, travel memoir, travel writer, triolet, Twitter, vampire, villanelle, Waterstones, western, western author, Wordpress, writer, writer interview, writing, writing competitions, writing events, writing exercises, writing fiction, writing group, writing magazines, writing novels, writing poetry, writing prompts, writing workshop, YA, young adult novels, youtube
CN Bring gravitated toward military intrigue and suspense coming from a family whose members served in the Army and continues with relatives still serving. She earned her Associates Degree in Criminal Investigation for Private Investigation. Her extensive research and life experience lend an authentic feel to both her Celia Kelly Series (military / mystery / thriller), as well as the Jack Sleuth Series (crime / mystery) for youth.
Commander Celia Kelly is a perceptive Naval Intelligence Officer rebuilding her life after the tragic death of her husband. The suspicious suicide of a fellow Officer has Celia questioning the mission she’s been assigned.
