tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17888940259385778342024-03-05T07:53:19.550+00:00Sorcha Dubh's BlogSorchahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308502118414092750noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788894025938577834.post-1823858768652538902013-08-24T17:34:00.000+01:002013-08-24T17:34:00.177+01:00Hi everyone,<br />
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just a quick update to let you know that I have (finally) gotten a Twitter account. You can follow me @sorchawriter, or simply click on the Twitter icon at the top right of the main blog page. A new website is also coming shortly, along with a Facebook page. All of these sites will feature some regular updates about my upcoming short story collection <i>The Question</i>, which I will be publishing in the next few months.Sorchahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308502118414092750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788894025938577834.post-14316198622676676412013-07-30T21:25:00.000+01:002013-08-24T17:35:10.283+01:00Mythago Wood - A Journey Through the PsycheI read quite a lot as a child and teenager and, like many treasured memories from our childhoods, many of my favourite books have somewhat lost their sheen as I've grown older. So it was very little expectation that I returned to a fondly remembered book from my early teens; <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BY5R1IO/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00BY5R1IO&linkCode=as2&tag=fantasyblog-20" target="_blank">Mythago Wood</a></i> by Robert Holdstock. My memory of that novel was of a fantastical story involving the then fascinating concept of racial consciousness and a mysterious wood in which figures from imagination came to life. However there is much more to this book than that, as it is one of those great works of literature that has more and more secrets and lessons to divulge on each read.<br />
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The premise of Mythago Wood is fascinating and in many ways unique to my experience. Here we have an ancient wood in which the racial memories of local people, their subconscious imaginings of great heroes and historical figures, are incarnated in corporeal form. So far, so Disney, you might think. However, what Holdstock does brilliantly well is bring these figures back in a vivid, unapologetic, unsettling, and often threatening way. Here is a portrayal of our ancestors in their most unromantic form - filthy, violent and alien. <br />
<a name='more'></a>They come upon the book's protagonists from the depths of the wood, materialising from the shadows, speaking foreign tongues and exhibiting frightening and animalistic behaviour. Often they physically attack the main characters. The deeper into the wood one travels, the further back in humanity's history one goes, and the more savage its inhabitants become. The message, taken at face value, is that the history of our race has been one violent struggle for survival, where only the strong and self-sufficient could survive.<br />
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However, like the wood itself, this story is one of many layers and one of many interpretations. Due to the fact that these creatures, the mythagos, are drawn from the subconscious of modern man, they embody the human psyche laid bare. All of its fears, its dark desires, its loves, losses and heartbreak, its anger and its despair are incarnated in the forest. These figures, initially shadowy ghosts on the edge of vision, spring from the depths of the human mind and haunt the pages of this book, and also its main characters. Sentient beings, they interact with the human protagonists, forcing them to confront their own secret thoughts and feelings, along with those of their relatives and companions.<br />
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Copyright: Geoff Taylor, <a href="http://www.geofftaylor-artist.com/">www.geofftaylor-artist.com</a>.<br />
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It is into this strange and dangerous world that the main character, Steven, arrives. His life has been closely tied to the wood, and its effects on his relationships with his father and his brother from the core plot of the book. Where in another setting this complex analysis of familial ties would most likely have been explored through conversation and interaction, the unique effects of the wood allow for a powerful and intense analysis. To say any more would be to divulge too much of the story, but suffice it to say that Holdstock's examination of this theme and the true meaning of myth is one that stays with the reader for a very long time. Sorchahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308502118414092750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788894025938577834.post-24498750248761374552013-06-03T17:00:00.001+01:002013-06-03T17:02:21.225+01:00How much does it really cost to self-publish?<br />
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In today's world, most writers have at least flirted with the idea of self-publishing. Among the many advantages that are often cited by proponents of self-publishing in ebook form is of course the relatively low price when compared with hard-copy formats. At first glance, it does seem that ebook publishing should be an extremely 'cost-effective' means of getting an unsigned author's work in the public domain. However a number of articles on this topic challenge this view.<br />
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For example, Miral Sattar's post <a href="http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/2013/05/the-real-costs-of-self-publishing-book#" target="_blank"><i>The Real Costs of Self-Publishing a Book</i> </a>gives a reasonably detailed and possibly surprising breakdown of the costs of publishing a high-quality book. Even if costs associated with hard-copy items (such as printing) are eliminated, the typical author is looking at a minimum investment of approximately $3,000 dollars according to Sattar. These expenses include developmental editing and copyediting, along with cover design and formatting.<br />
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Of course, just about all of these expenses can be avoided if the author simply chooses to do all of these tasks themselves. However in that case they're obviously running the risk of ending up with a less polished and possibly amateurish finished product.<br />
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How do you feel about the expenses listed above? Do you generally invest in professional editing and design services or do all of the work yourself? Let me know in the comments below.<br />
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P.S. If you are interested in reading an established author's view on self-publishing there is a reasonably informative Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) by Angela S. Stone <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/1f784i/i_am_a_published_author_and_i_dont_think_you/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<br />Sorchahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308502118414092750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788894025938577834.post-54542296663228750962013-01-03T18:42:00.000+00:002013-01-03T18:42:41.054+00:00The White Review Short Story Prize<br />
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Hi all,<br />
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just a quick note to let people know about <i>The White Review Short Story Prize</i>. This is a competition for writers resident in the UK and Ireland who do not have a publishing deal. There is an impressive prize fund for this contest and a number of bonus prizes for the winner. The deadline is March 1st and full details can be found <a href="http://www.thewhitereview.org/the-white-review-prize/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<br />Sorchahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308502118414092750noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788894025938577834.post-48535009197699831422012-09-03T17:31:00.003+01:002013-01-03T18:43:15.962+00:00Short Story and Creative Writing CompetitionsHey,<br />
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it's been a stressful and busy few months but now I'm finally able to get back to writing. I'm working on some short stories at the moment, and as always I'm trying to decide what to do with them once they are finished. A Google search threw up this really useful page from <a href="http://www.be-a-better-writer.com/creative-writing-contests.html" target="_blank">Pearl Luke's <i>Be a Better Writer</i></a> blog, which features a list of upcoming short story and creative writing competitions. No matter your genre, you should find something of interest here!<br />
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<br />Sorchahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308502118414092750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788894025938577834.post-507623025141030992012-06-16T15:15:00.001+01:002012-06-16T15:15:36.623+01:00The World's Greatest Fantasy Writing ContestHey,<br />
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just a quick note to let all the fantasy writers out there know about a great competition with an imminent deadline! Fantasy Faction are putting together a short story anthology, which will feature works by both well-known fantasy authors and newcomers/unknowns. Full details can be found <a href="http://fantasywritingcontest.com/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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Deadline is June 30th, if you plan to enter then good luck!<br />
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<a href="http://fantasywritingcontest.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="FF-Anthology-2013" src="http://fantasywritingcontest.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/FF-AnthologyX.jpg" /></a>Sorchahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308502118414092750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788894025938577834.post-56385597875320887022012-03-15T13:06:00.003+00:002012-03-15T16:30:01.520+00:00Lucky 7 memeHi there! <a href="http://nickwilford.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Nick Wilford</a> tagged me in the Lucky 7 meme, another fun blogging game that lets you showcase your work and talk a little bit about yourself. The rules for the Lucky 7 meme are as follows:<br />
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<ol style="background-color: #c0a154; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Go to page 77 of your current MS</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Go to line 7</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Copy down the next 7 lines-sentences or paragraphs--and post them as they're written. No cheating</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Tag 7 authors</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Let them know</span></li>
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Ok, so here goes. This is from page 77 of my WIP. (Character names are provisional, as I'm aware the majority of readers might find the ones I am currently using difficult to pronounce.)<br />
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<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A pair of horses saddled with the livery of the royal family stood directly below her,
surrounded by a group of horsemen she recognised as members of the royal
family’s personal guard. Their presence was unusual, given that protocol did
not require it – a hunt in the forests beneath the plateau would not be
regarded as hazardous enough to warrant the official protection of the king’s
trusted guards. They were most likely there out of habit or a sense of duty she decided,
but part of her wondered if there were dangers in the king’s forests that had not been
mentioned in the marriage negotiations. She frowned, knowing full well that her uncle would have told her of any such threats without hesitation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> As her eyes skimmed over the crowd,
Flannbhui’s gaze fell on Fiachna and Aodh. They were walking side by side towards their
horses, and were surrounded by a close knot of squires and guardsmen. Again she frowned,
noting how the servants scanned the crowd constantly.</span><br />
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;"><strong style="background-color: #c0a154; color: #333333; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></strong></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;"><strong style="background-color: #c0a154; color: #333333; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">What is the title of your current WIP. Tell us about it?</strong> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IE">I'm still working on a title at the moment. (I'm not good at names and titles obviously!) The provisional title is <i>The Betrayed</i>, but I'll probably be changing that in the future. </span><br />
<span lang="EN-IE"><br /></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IE">This book is the first in a trilogy. The story itself begins with a princess, Flannbhui, who comes to marry a wealthy prince, Aodh. However her relationship with the prince's cousin, Fiachna, changes the lives of these two men dramatically. </span><br />
<span lang="EN-IE"><br /></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IE">The decisions that Fiachna and Aodh make throughout the rest of the story are an exploration of the nature of good and evil, sin and forgiveness. Is it possible for an 'evil' act to be redeemed? At what point does an originally good person truly become evil? </span><br />
<span lang="EN-IE"><br /></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IE">There's a lot more to the story as well, including one other major character, but it would take too long to explain it all here.</span><br />
<span lang="EN-IE"><br /></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IE"><strong style="background-color: #c0a154; color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">When did you start blogging and why?</strong> </span><br />
<span lang="EN-IE"><br /></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IE">I started blogging late last year. I felt that it would be a good way to get in touch with other writers and to publish some of my work. I also use my blog to talk about writing and related topics. </span><br />
<span lang="EN-IE"><br /></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IE"><strong style="background-color: #c0a154; color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">If you could do anything tomorrow, what would you do?</strong> </span><br />
<span lang="EN-IE"><br /></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IE">Probably work. I'm finishing a PhD at the moment, so that's taking a lot of my time. I fit writing and music in when I can, along with sports training. </span><br />
<span lang="EN-IE"><br /></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IE"><strong style="background-color: #c0a154; color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Describe your happy place.</strong> </span><br />
<span lang="EN-IE"><br /></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IE">I don't think I have one...that's probably weird, right?</span><br />
<span lang="EN-IE"><br /></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IE"><strong style="background-color: #c0a154; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">What was your first happy memory?</strong> </span><br />
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Bringing my mother breakfast in bed when I was about three. I remember I put too much milk on the cornflakes and spilled them on the tray coming up the stairs.<br />
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<strong style="background-color: #c0a154; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">What was the scariest thing you've ever done?</strong><br />
There are some martial arts throws that scare me. I've knocked bones out from falling incorrectly, so having to come back and do them again always worries me a bit.<br />
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<strong style="background-color: #c0a154; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">What is the funniest thing you did today?</strong><br />
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It's early! Em...I thought I could get a holiday to Cambodia for 300 euro, until I realised flights weren't included. They cost about 2 grand. That was kind of funny, in a crushingly disappointing way. :)<br />
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<strong style="background-color: #c0a154; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">What is the strangest place you've ever got an idea for a story?</strong><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><b><br /></b></span></span><br />
During a meeting with my supervisor. He was writing something on the board and I was taking notes, and I started thinking about my WIP. I had a Eureka moment, and at the same time he turned around and said something like, 'And this fits perfectly here'.<br />
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For a minute I wondered how he knew about my story, until I realised he was talking about the work. Hopefully my expression didn't give me away.<br />
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<strong style="background-color: #c0a154; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Where do you write?</strong><br />
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On my laptop. The locations change.<br />
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<strong style="background-color: #c0a154; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">If you just won a ticket to anywhere in the world and you had to take me, where would you take me and why?</strong><br />
<strong style="background-color: #c0a154; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></strong><br />
Cambodia!<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><b><br /></b></span></span><br />
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Thanks to <a href="http://nickwilford.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Nick</a> for the tag! I'm going to tag the following seven bloggers:<br />
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<a href="http://elisefallson.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"> Elise Fallson</a><br />
<a href="http://cheriereich.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Cherie Reich</a><br />
<a href="http://www.digillette.com/" target="_blank">Diane Gillette</a><br />
<a href="http://theruggedwordsmith.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jim</a><br />
<a href="http://michael-haynes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Michael Haynes</a><br />
<a href="http://www.nickhight.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Nick Hight</a><br />
<a href="http://slckismet.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Michael Offutt</a><br />
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Head over to their blogs for more sneak previews of page 77!<br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><b><br /></b></span></span><br />
<br />Sorchahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308502118414092750noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788894025938577834.post-26354687538442143212012-03-09T23:41:00.001+00:002012-03-10T00:02:54.529+00:00Interval - Second Campaigner ChallengeHi! It's been a while since my last post but I've been crazy busy. This is a last minute entry to Rachael Harrie's Second Campaigner Challenge. My previous campaign entry was shortlisted so I thought I'd give this one a go.<br />
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My preferred genre is fantasy, so this piece is a bit different from my usual work. The link to the challenge itself is <a href="http://rachaelharrie.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/second-campaigner-challenge-of-my.html" target="_blank">here</a>, including all the rules, etc. I wrote a 200 word flash fiction piece, using four of the five prompts. The prompts are as follows:<br />
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<b style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Prompt 1: </b><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Two people are sitting together under the remains of a concrete bridge. Their backs are against a rusted bridge support. One person’s leg is cut. The other person has wet hair. </span><br />
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<b style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Prompt 2: </b><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(232, 232, 232); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-image: initial; border-left-color: rgb(232, 232, 232); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(232, 232, 232); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(232, 232, 232); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; color: black; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIZd5ogN5f4PMqf1Xw5ZvkZ_7k0SSy0wB1NsP-q8XAPwPj2n7RY0N9Q2QPyJDvfiwyEyumIRK5Oa3rg8Pod_UAd1KInYXDG-k276Eq6n6yDSHbXn3IXFvCrXbWsh5sXHn3sD7jXHy69-XK/s1600/Boy+on+bridge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #747474; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIZd5ogN5f4PMqf1Xw5ZvkZ_7k0SSy0wB1NsP-q8XAPwPj2n7RY0N9Q2QPyJDvfiwyEyumIRK5Oa3rg8Pod_UAd1KInYXDG-k276Eq6n6yDSHbXn3IXFvCrXbWsh5sXHn3sD7jXHy69-XK/s200/Boy+on+bridge.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 0px 0px 0px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; border-width: initial; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 0px 0px 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative;" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12px;">(<a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&biw=1639&bih=771&tbm=isch&tbnid=14PKNqkJqkcf-M:&imgrefurl=http://www.flickriver.com/photos/loungerie/tags/intimacy/&docid=kMWMBMeQXrSE5M&imgurl=http://farm1.static.flickr.com/215/458506760_4bd67d19f9.jpg&w=500&h=369&ei=vSpDT4blHcKjiAest5TfBA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=804&vpy=88&dur=416&hovh=192&hovw=260&tx=175&ty=146&sig=106385768418857118482&page=2&tbnh=132&tbnw=176&start=42&ndsp=49&ved=0CIADEK0DMEI" style="color: #747474; text-decoration: none;">Source</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Prompt 3</b><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(232, 232, 232); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-image: initial; border-left-color: rgb(232, 232, 232); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(232, 232, 232); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(232, 232, 232); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; color: black; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb1GomW55j4h7xrdOPaOEnWWD1mrXP9kDfa7y0G0mxLgPjNFdWxjmPxzwsHYhVdiHVacYsayXTyehe7XFV3v9teM0NNAOxCj-hZn2yDGqPsRyMPmW-6Glft941rCrhbk2cCBXtq8SEhP_C/s1600/Water+Pear.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; color: #747474; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb1GomW55j4h7xrdOPaOEnWWD1mrXP9kDfa7y0G0mxLgPjNFdWxjmPxzwsHYhVdiHVacYsayXTyehe7XFV3v9teM0NNAOxCj-hZn2yDGqPsRyMPmW-6Glft941rCrhbk2cCBXtq8SEhP_C/s200/Water+Pear.png" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 0px 0px 0px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; border-width: initial; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 0px 0px 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative;" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12px;">(<a href="http://www.blogger.com/" style="color: #747474; text-decoration: none;"><span id="goog_1493115899"></span>Source<span id="goog_1493115900"></span></a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Prompt 4</b><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(232, 232, 232); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-image: initial; border-left-color: rgb(232, 232, 232); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(232, 232, 232); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(232, 232, 232); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; color: black; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmobbWMljpkDieGveoCc4C9S7k43vmk6vxnKkWIb3wzl6d0I4rhuDOBZTuRgzVKSa9bRMWF3IFQdLbN7md1wthzr176gBUmNFOJblcAgQOT8EjaV5utSq8dwDxFzBWCJyCyoeMw_PUPld7/s1600/trashpickers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #747474; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmobbWMljpkDieGveoCc4C9S7k43vmk6vxnKkWIb3wzl6d0I4rhuDOBZTuRgzVKSa9bRMWF3IFQdLbN7md1wthzr176gBUmNFOJblcAgQOT8EjaV5utSq8dwDxFzBWCJyCyoeMw_PUPld7/s200/trashpickers.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 0px 0px 0px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; border-width: initial; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 0px 0px 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative;" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12px;">(<a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&biw=1639&bih=771&tbm=isch&tbnid=zoPloznz6nn5qM:&imgrefurl=http://trashfreeliving.blogspot.com/2011/06/disturbing-images.html%3Fz&docid=iBW87DsNs2m9nM&imgurl=https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGQiLKBOgpUXRbVEYGC8Zl6_LMJN186_DkMS8knsXonkE1ju4T7ZSPR_5DBbfIxG2B4DCcxYn-cubl0Jygn9yjz70Od4Rl4hgxZ9_SOC5JCay9m9618mDran8yq32mxgZSR6gkTvhSIh6F/s1600/trashpickers.jpg&w=500&h=333&ei=HitDT-rZJe2eiAfMg7yfBQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=1022&vpy=460&dur=120&hovh=182&hovw=274&tx=95&ty=78&sig=106385768418857118482&page=5&tbnh=130&tbnw=174&start=168&ndsp=41&ved=0CLkGEK0DMLUB" style="color: #747474; text-decoration: none;">Source</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Prompt 5</b><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(232, 232, 232); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-image: initial; border-left-color: rgb(232, 232, 232); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(232, 232, 232); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(232, 232, 232); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; color: black; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXrJPBsPPdDQfB2lDxnGlCqQ-v6-My77kNtzDjtjSzpmljZUG_rR2lqtCjT_i9ag6jt2WcP-O2uzTEs2sJ-ocM8vKWPssmeHnAQ2948h7glaQEpOMACiUWENTwp2xbUw8RUL42npkviszI/s1600/Starburst.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #747474; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXrJPBsPPdDQfB2lDxnGlCqQ-v6-My77kNtzDjtjSzpmljZUG_rR2lqtCjT_i9ag6jt2WcP-O2uzTEs2sJ-ocM8vKWPssmeHnAQ2948h7glaQEpOMACiUWENTwp2xbUw8RUL42npkviszI/s200/Starburst.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 0px 0px 0px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; border-width: initial; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 0px 0px 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative;" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12px;">(<a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&as_st=y&biw=1639&bih=771&tbs=sur:fmc&tbm=isch&tbnid=PVbJ7LjleaU0-M:&imgrefurl=http://home.iprimus.com.au/punkclown/archives/0104.htm&docid=VZGocWFpMHit8M&imgurl=http://home.iprimus.com.au/punkclown/Graphics/image1.jpg&w=360&h=270&ei=WoZST-L0E5GTiQe04PXICw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=886&vpy=235&dur=7391&hovh=193&hovw=258&tx=117&ty=119&sig=106385768418857118482&page=1&tbnh=108&tbnw=135&start=0&ndsp=39&ved=1t:429,r:25,s:0" style="color: #747474; text-decoration: none;">Source</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Interval</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He was watching a drop of
water form under the concrete bridge. It had been gathering for some time, growing
almost imperceptibly. Soon it would fall, but for now it hung, motionless.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Across the river, some
children were playing on the shore. Another child bounced a ball dully along the
surface of the bridge overhead. They seemed removed, distant, outside of his
bubble of stillness. An old man was walking further up the beach. He was shuffling
slowly along, but edging incessantly closer. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The drop under the bridge
support grew larger, swelling with the passage of time. The cut on his leg
throbbed steadily with his pulse. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The figure beside him was
still. His hair was still wet from the river, even though his lips had already
started to turn a cold shade of blue. There were red marks on his throat, standing
out starkly against his pale skin. The man resisted a sudden compulsion to fit
his own hands to the marks, knowing they would match exactly.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The crunch of uncertain
footsteps grew louder. They echoed strangely under the bridge, sounding muted
and hollow. He turned towards the noise, and met wide and frightened eyes.<br />
<br />
The
drop fell.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<br />
Thanks for reading and don't forget to comment! If you'd like to vote for this story please click <a href="http://rachaelharrie.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/second-campaigner-challenge-of-my.html" target="_blank">here</a>, I'm #105.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>Sorchahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308502118414092750noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788894025938577834.post-61182982779699948212012-02-21T10:16:00.000+00:002012-02-22T18:38:31.913+00:00Darkness ComesOk, so Rachael Harrie's <a href="http://rachaelharrie.blogspot.com.au/2012/02/first-campaigner-challenge-of-my-fourth.html" target="_blank">First Campaigner Challenge</a> is running all this week, until Friday February 24th.<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> The Challenge is:</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">
<i>Write a short story/<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_fiction" style="color: #747474; text-decoration: none;">flash fiction</a> story in 200 words or less, excluding the title. It can be in any format, including a poem. Begin the story with the words, “Shadows crept across the wall”. These five words will be included in the word count.</i> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">
<i>If you want to give yourself an added challenge (optional), do <u>one or more</u> of these:</i><br />
<ul style="line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 2.5em; padding-right: 2.5em; padding-top: 0px;">
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><i>end the story with the words: "everything faded." (also included in the word count)</i></li>
</ul>
<ul style="line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 2.5em; padding-right: 2.5em; padding-top: 0px;">
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><i>include the word "orange" in the story</i></li>
</ul>
<ul style="line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 2.5em; padding-right: 2.5em; padding-top: 0px;">
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><i>write in the same genre you normally write</i></li>
</ul>
<ul style="line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 2.5em; padding-right: 2.5em; padding-top: 0px;">
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><i>make your story 200 words exactly!</i></li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
<br />
I'm posting my story below. If you read it and you like it, please click<a href="http://rachaelharrie.blogspot.com.au/2012/02/first-campaigner-challenge-of-my-fourth.html" target="_blank"> here</a> and vote for #89. Thanks!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Darkness Comes</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
Shadows crept across the
wall behind her. They shifted and churned, vying with each other, edging irresistably
forwards like the tide. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
She felt them, even though
she could not see them. She could almost hear them, whispering on the edges of
her consciousness. They were always there, always creeping behind her. Some
days they grew closer than others.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
The two women were seated
across from her, talking. Sometimes they glanced in her direction. They did not
meet her gaze. Were they talking to her, or about her? She didn’t care. It was so
hard to hear them when the shadows were whispering. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
She watched them
contemptuously, their nervous chatter grating against her hearing. They were
pretending not to hear their own shadows, trying to drown them out with meaningless
noise. The desperate undertones in their conversation both amused and annoyed
her at the same time. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
The shadows surged closer,
clouding the edges of her vision. She could hear them clearly now, their
seductive voices stroking her thoughts. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
The women stopped talking
as she began to smile.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
She stood up. They had
taken her weapons, but that did not matter. She would make them face the
darkness. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
The shadows danced. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
Don't forget to comment! Want to vote for this story? Please click<a href="http://rachaelharrie.blogspot.com.au/2012/02/first-campaigner-challenge-of-my-fourth.html" target="_blank"> here</a>. I'm #89, thanks!Sorchahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308502118414092750noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788894025938577834.post-53907734901787827722012-02-18T13:14:00.006+00:002012-02-18T13:14:50.963+00:00Tagged again!<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Vikki from <a href="http://the-view-outside.com/">http://the-view-outside.com/</a> also tagged me as part of the Fourth Writers' Platform Building Campaign. Stop by her blog and say hello if you get the chance!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">1. </span><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">What thing have you written that you’re most proud of?</em></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Oddly enough, a composition for a choir. Being in the audience when it was being performed was a very proud moment for me.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">2. </span><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">What are you working on at the moment?</em></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Three short stories and the first novel of a trilogy. </span><br />
<br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">3. </span><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Where would you like to see yourself in 5 years time?</em></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My trilogy would be finished, along with a lot of short stories and a considerable amount of music. </span><br />
<i><br style="background-color: white;" /></i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">4. </span><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">You buy an old lamp, whilst cleaning it a genie appears…you know the rest lol. Your 3 wishes are?</em></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Enough money to be free to do what I want. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Free me from the curse of procrastination.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Better organisational skills.</span><br />
<i><br style="background-color: white;" /></i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">5. </span><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">List 2 of your bad habits? Come on, we all have some.</em></strong><br />
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Procrastination.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Negativity.</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">6. </span><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">If you were a superhero, what special power would you have?</em></strong><br />
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Shapeshifting.</span></span><br />
<b><i><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;" /></i></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">7. </span><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Tell us the name of one of your characters, one you really like?</em></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Fiachna. He's extremely flawed, but he suffers for his crimes and at least tries to atone for them.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">8. </span><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">What scares you?</em></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Financial insecurity.</span><b style="font-style: italic;"> </b><br />
<b><i><br style="background-color: white;" /></i></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">9. </span><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Sum up your personality in 3 words?</em></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Impatient, Ambitious, Stubborn.</span><br />
<b><i><br style="background-color: white;" /></i></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">10. </span><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Name 2 of your vices?</em></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Overly self-critical, badly organised.</span><br />
<b><i><br style="background-color: white;" /></i></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">11. </span><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Do you have a pet peeve/hate? What is it?</em></strong>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">When people neglect to use adverbs. Drives me insane!</span></span><br />
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<br />Sorchahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308502118414092750noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788894025938577834.post-23446799494728491522012-02-18T12:29:00.000+00:002012-02-18T12:29:54.011+00:00Tagged!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>As part of Rachael Harrie's Fourth Writer's Platform Building Campaign, I've been tagged by <a href="http://cmbrown-books.blogspot.com/2012/02/ive-been-tagged.html#comment-form" target="_blank">C.M. Brown</a> to answer the following questions:</b> </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #444444; color: #d0e0e3; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #444444; color: #d0e0e3; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">1. How do the stories you write about come into fruition?</span><br />
Generally I get inspired by an emotion of some kind. I seem to get a sense of a character, in some sort of vague situation, who is experiencing a strong emotion. From there I begin to build up a story, trying to maintain the atmosphere and tone that I experience when the idea first hits me.<br />
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<span style="background-color: #444444; color: #d0e0e3; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">2. Do you think you are the type of person who plans for every eventuality, or do you prefer to</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #444444; color: #d0e0e3; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">live life how it comes, without any organisation?</span><br />
I would like to plan for every eventuality, but I think I am so disorganised I end up just taking life as it comes.<br />
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<span style="background-color: #444444; color: #d0e0e3; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">3. What is your favourite song?</span><br />
I have lots of favourites, but I love Foo Fighters' 'Best of You'.<br />
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<span style="background-color: #444444; color: #d0e0e3; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">4. Do you sing it loudly to yourself?</span><br />
Sometimes. Whenever the house is empty I sing constantly, as loudly as I can.<br />
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<span style="background-color: #444444; color: #d0e0e3; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">5. Are you still friends with anyone you went to secondary school with?</span><br />
Only on Facebook.<br />
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<span style="background-color: #444444; color: #d0e0e3; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">6. What would be your dream job?</span><br />
A writer/composer.<br />
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<span style="background-color: #444444; color: #d0e0e3; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">7. How often do you speak with your sibblings?</span><br />
Almost constantly.<br />
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<span style="background-color: #444444; color: #d0e0e3; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">8. If you were an animal what creature would you like to be? Use your imagination.</span><br />
A hawk.<br />
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<span style="background-color: #444444; color: #d0e0e3; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">9. I love eating boiled eggs for breakfast, what is your favourite food?</span><br />
Sushi.<br />
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<span style="background-color: #444444; color: #d0e0e3; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">10. What piece of technology could you not live without?</span><br />
My laptop.<br />
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<span style="background-color: #444444; color: #d0e0e3; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">11. Do you have a favourite piece of furniture?</span>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Not really. Bed I suppose :D</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>I've also been tagged by at least two other people, so more answers to follow shortly! </b></span></span>Sorchahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308502118414092750noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788894025938577834.post-45471419931430134322012-02-13T16:47:00.000+00:002012-02-13T16:47:57.658+00:00Fourth Writers' Platform-Building CampaignHey,<br />
<br />
if you're an active writer/blogger like myself you might be interested in getting in touch with other like-minded people. Have a look at Rachel Harrie's <a href="http://rachaelharrie.blogspot.com/2012/02/fourth-writers-platform-building_06.html" target="_blank">Writers' Platform Building Campaign</a> and sign up if you're interested!<br />
<br />
I'm joining...Sorchahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308502118414092750noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788894025938577834.post-37624804182934877292012-01-21T20:44:00.003+00:002012-01-21T22:27:16.643+00:00Creating a Unique CharacterHi, just a brief post about something that has been on my mind recently, namely how to create a unique character. If you are a writer of fiction you will usually set about writing a short story or novel when you are inspired by a particular idea. Generally this will be a story that you are passionate about, featuring characters and events that you feel will grab the reader's attention and stay with them long after they have finished reading. While the majority of writers may feel this way about their work, how many books of this kind are actually penned? And more to the point, how many unique and memorable characters has literature actually given us?<br />
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By my definition, a unique, memorable and original character is one who leaves a lasting impression on the mind. He or she is a character possessing a set of distinct and prominent character traits, who is instantly recognizable from the briefest description. In literature there is an extensive list of these characters, who have become so integrated into our culture that they are even recognisable to those who have not read the original works. Examples include James Bond, Sherlock Holmes, Lisbeth Salander and Long John Silver, to name but a few.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.google.com/imgres?q=james+bond&hl=en&biw=1366&bih=667&gbv=2&tbm=isch&tbnid=Rjz4kArgP4aKyM:&imgrefurl=http://jokesprank.com/blog/funny-jokes/james-bond-jokes-hilarious-james-bond-jokes-james-bond-007-humor-james-bond-heavenly-mission-joke-james-bond-bar-joke.html&docid=0lkNorpFqIjMNM&imgurl=http://jokesprank.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/James-Bond-Cartoon.jpg&w=360&h=508&ei=9CIbT7adEcyAhQe4roi6DA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=359&vpy=255&dur=220&hovh=182&hovw=129&tx=84&ty=139&sig=110974882211320889133&page=1&tbnh=128&tbnw=91&start=0&ndsp=24&ved=1t:429,r:17,s:0" target="_blank"><img src="http://jokesprank.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/James-Bond-Cartoon.jpg" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Ian Fleming's James Bond</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>If I removed the text, most of us would still recongise the character.</i></div><br />
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Compare the fictional characters listed above with those featured in the majority of books, films and TV shows that are produced. Can you even remember the name of the main characters in the last five films you've seen? Is there anything about any of these characters that would make them identifiable and unique in comparison with other characters in similar works?<br />
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The chances are there isn't. Personally I read quite a lot of fantasy fiction. In the last ten years I have read hundreds and hundreds of books by a wide variety of authors. However I would be hard pushed to find even ten characters who have made a big impression on me, who really stood out from the page and took on lives of their own. Unfortunately for fantasy fiction, many novels in this genre seem to feature a generic leading man or lady who fits into a somewhat stale and clichéd category.<br />
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So what is it that makes a character unique and interesting to the reader? This is a question that all writers should ask themselves when planning their work. All too often we get caught up in the story, and end up focussing on events rather than character development. I find that I tend to have an image of my character in my mind, that in my head he is a very distinct and three dimensional character. However I usually forget to put enough detail on the page to make this clear to my readers. I end up with 'generic young man', in a stressful situation of some kind. Then my character becomes defined by the events around him, or by his role in the story, instead of being recognised as an individual in his own right.<br />
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James Bond is not simply a generic spy. He is so well-defined that he is the stereotype that other spies must avoid in order to be unique. We have the tuxedo, the gadgets, the "shaken not stirred" drinks, the codename... the list goes on. Every fictional spy since has had to tread a very fine line - different enough to be distinctive, similar enough to still be recognisable as a spy. Fleming did such a good job on his character that for most of us James Bond is the definitive spy, no matter how far this may be from the actual truth.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.google.com/imgres?q=sherlock+holmes&num=10&hl=en&gbv=2&biw=1366&bih=667&tbm=isch&tbnid=XnT-tlGqxjg2UM:&imgrefurl=http://www.magicdragon.com/SherlockHolmes/&docid=XJjJ1unVziOzuM&imgurl=http://www.magicdragon.com/SherlockHolmes/SherlockSmall.gif&w=310&h=571&ei=aiMbT67FGMO1hAfryvnbDA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=922&vpy=251&dur=855&hovh=305&hovw=165&tx=71&ty=158&sig=110974882211320889133&sqi=2&page=1&tbnh=140&tbnw=76&start=0&ndsp=25&ved=1t:429,r:14,s:0" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.magicdragon.com/SherlockHolmes/SherlockSmall.gif" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Sherlock Holmes...but you already knew that </i></div><br />
Similarly Sherlock Holmes has a number of very defining characteristics. The magnifying glass, the pipe, the refined but condescending manner, the violin, etc. Sherlock Holmes is an original creation, a living character unlike any other in the fiction of the time. In truth, the main draw in Arthur Conan Doyle's novels is Holmes himself. The cases are intruiging and inventive, Watson is an engaging narrator, but it is the fascinating Sherlock Holmes who has stayed in the public consciousness long after his last adventure was penned.<br />
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Personally I think that a lot of writers, and particularly fantasy writers, do not spend enough time thinking about their characters. Most of the output in the fantasy genre is 'event-centric', instead of 'character-centric'. While there is nothing wrong with this, I find that for me most of these books are forgettable. The characters are two-dimensional at best. Stuff happens, the story ends, I put the book down and forget about it.<br />
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The leading characters in any work of fiction are the vehicles of the story. The reader rides along with them, seeing things from their perspective, hearing their thoughts. However they are so integral to the work that they are often forgotten. They become an empty shell, filled by the reader's own personality as they 'experience' the events of the story.<br />
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We already know ourselves. We spend every day living with our own thoughts, experiencing the world from our own perspectives. Literature is at its most powerful when it teaches us to see the world as someone else.Sorchahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308502118414092750noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788894025938577834.post-28120815682130190192011-12-28T01:01:00.005+00:002012-06-16T14:49:15.109+01:00Women in 19th Century Literature - Cosette, Lucie and MinaRecently I received an Android phone, complete with Amazon's Kindle app. This excellent ereader allows me to access the <i>Free Popular Classics</i> section of the Amazon store, which holds an excellent selection of classic novels, treatises and essays. Some of the books I have downloaded and read so far include <i>A Tale of Two Cities, Dracula</i> and of course <i>Les Misérables</i>.<br />
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<i>A Tale of Two Cities (ATTC) </i>dates from 1859, while <i>Les Mis</i> was published in 1862. <i>Dracula </i>comes in a little bit later, in the year 1897. While each of these novels are very different, a notable aspect of each them is their treatment of their leading female characters, particularly those of the upper classes.<br />
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<a href="http://teachinghistory.org/history-content/website-reviews/23338" target="_blank"><img alt="Cover Image, Godey's Lady's Book" src="http://teachinghistory.org/files/website_image/Godeys_Image.jpg" /></a> </div>
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In Dickens' classic novel, Lucie Manette is one of the central figures. She enters the story quite early on and is at once notable for her generous and caring nature, her understanding, her compassion and her beauty. She is presented as the ideal of womanhood and is shown to be the central figure in her family life. While her character is treated with great respect by the author, she is however consigned to a very specific role as a result of her gender. When tragedy befalls the family and her husband's life is in peril, Lucie is next to useless. It falls to the male characters in the story to save Charles Darnay, while Lucie herself is shielded from the situation as much as is possible.<br />
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<a href="http://www.google.ie/imgres?q=lucie+manette+dickens&um=1&hl=en&rlz=1C1SVED_enIE408IE408&biw=1366&bih=667&tbm=isch&tbnid=RbeIoSHdQQiswM:&imgrefurl=http://blog.bestamericanpoetry.com/the_best_american_poetry/2009/03/page/2/&docid=fd-jtnqTG8a-PM&imgurl=http://thebestamericanpoetry.typepad.com/.a/6a00e54fe4158b883301156e78abae970c-800wi&w=800&h=615&ei=q2z6Ts_BCc2KhQekwOW_DA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=292&vpy=348&dur=310&hovh=129&hovw=168&tx=142&ty=103&sig=100158181327341990104&page=2&tbnh=129&tbnw=168&start=22&ndsp=23&ved=1t:429,r:9,s:22" target="_blank"><img height="307" src="http://thebestamericanpoetry.typepad.com/.a/6a00e54fe4158b883301156e78abae970c-800wi" width="400" /></a> </div>
<i>Lucie Manette faints in court.</i><br />
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In this novel there is a very clear place for the female heroine, especially as she is a member of the upper class. She is indispensable to home life, but must be protected at all costs from the realities of the world. During her first night in Paris, her guardians are at great pains to ensure that she does not witness any of the bloodshed or violence that surrounds her, and this attitude continues throughout the book. Of course other strong female characters do feature in this novel, most notably Madame Defarge, but these women are of a lower class and are generally considered to be vulgar (by the standards of the time).<br />
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Anyone who has read my <a href="http://aishlingnt.blogspot.com/2011/12/les-miserables-how-not-to-write-book.html" target="_blank">earlier post</a> on <i>Les Misérables</i> will already know how I feel about this particular work. While I am not going to rehash the views already aired in that post, I would like to talk about the character of Cosette in more detail. Personally, I was incredibly disappointed by Hugo's treatment of his heroine. Lest we forget, this is the person for whom Jean Valjean sacrifices everything. Without this girl his life literally has no meaning. Is it too much to expect that Cosette should be in some way worthy of this devotion?<br />
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Throughout the novel, Cosette is portrayed as the feminine ideal. She is dainty, refined, and petite. Hugo mentions her tiny feet more than once, and we are told that she becomes very attractive. However, Cosette is rarely allowed to speak. She has no voice of her own. Only a very tiny portion of this massive story is told from her perspective, and her views and opinions are given no thought whatsoever. Throughout the vast majority of this novel, Cosette is simply a figurehead, an ideal, a symbol representing purity and perfection.<br />
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However Hugo simply cannot get away with keeping his leading lady completely silent for the entire work. Eventually, as the story is drawing to a close, he allows her to speak. And what a disappointment that is! Cosette comes across as selfish, spoiled, inconsiderate, insensitive and callous. The day after her wedding, Jean Valjean reveals his true identity to Marius, Cosette's new husband. Hugo tells us how emotional both men become, describing in detail the feelings of each character. In the midst of this climactic conversation, Cosette arrives. She barges into the room and will not leave, despite the entreaties of Marius. She pouts and postures, and seems completely oblivious to the atmosphere in the room. She confronts Jean Valjean, and is also oblivious to his suffering.<br />
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<a href="http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Mis%C3%A9rables_(film,_1925)" target="_blank"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a0/Jean_Valjean_e_Cosette.JPG/220px-Jean_Valjean_e_Cosette.JPG" /></a> </div>
<i>Cosette refuses to leave.</i><br />
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Is this really Hugo's idea of the perfect woman? Are we to believe that Jean Valjean is happy to have sacrificed everything only to raise such an immature and selfish coquette? For the remainder of the novel, her treatment of Jean Valjean is appalling. Again, she is oblivious to the fact that her husband has made her father unwelcome in their home, and she sends a maid to enquire after him instead of visiting herself.<br />
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Ok. Yes, I am aware that I have indulged in yet another rant about <i>Les Misérables</i>. But am I the only one who thinks Eponine had more character in her little finger than Cosette has in her entire body? Perhaps Marius should have chosen more carefully...<br />
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Anyway...taking a breath...let's move on.<br />
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Having read these two books, I then chose to download Bram Stoker's <i>Dracula</i>. This novel is told in diary form, and skips between the diaries and letters of its main characters to provide different perspectives on the story. It is perhaps worth pointing out that I had no particular expectations while reading this novel, and was not focussing on the role of women in these stories at that time.<br />
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The novel begins with an extended excerpt from Jonathan Harker's diary, detailing his experiences in Transylvania. Oddly, the story then moves on to Harker's fiancée, Mina. Not only that, but it also included correspondence between Mina and another female character, Lucy Westenra. In the early stages of this book, it becomes apparent that Mina has views, thoughts, and even ambitions of her own, and these are given equal status with those of the male characters in the novel. Mina wishes to become a journalist, and is training herself to memorize conversations. She is keeping a diary and perfecting her typing skills, so she can help her husband in his law practise. She even mentions the concept of the 'New Woman', who will one day be the one proposing marriage, instead of the man.<br />
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It is interesting that some people consider the portrayal of Mina Harker to be somewhat sexist. Perhaps if I had read <i>Dracula </i>immediately after a more moden novel I would have shared this view. However having come to it almost directly after <i>ATTC </i>and <i>Les Mis</i>, I was struck by this groundbreaking portrayal of a female character. Was Bram Stoker actually going to treat her like a real person, instead of some fragile and ethereal ideal?<br />
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As the book progressed, I became more and more astounded by Stoker's approach. Mina Harker is not only given equal status with the male characters in the novel, she becomes a central character. When Van Helsing, Jonathan Harker, and the three former suiters of Lucy Westenra vow to defeat Dracula, Mina Harker joins them in their pledge. She is not relegated to the drawing room, nor is she serving the tea, instead she is sitting at the table with them.<br />
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At this point, the treatment of Mina seemed too good to be true, and I was not surprised when the male characters eventually decided to shield her from their activities, so as not to stress her delicate nature. 'Hah', I thought, 'now we're treading on familiar ground!' However, it soon becomes apparent that excluding Mina from their plans is a grievous error, and they subsequently abandon this approach.<br />
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From this point on, Mina is integral to their plans. Van Helsing refers to her as 'a woman with a man's brain'. Clearly in those times this was the best way Stoker could define the character he had created, and while the sexism is apparent, at least this description is warranted by his treatment of his leading lady. Mina compiles the notes of all the other vampire hunters, but she is also compassionate towards them and offers them a shoulder to cry on. She is their psychic link to Dracula and even their motivation to kill him. Most noteworthy of all, she analyses their nemesis' movements and discovers his plans, just when the other characters have given up hope of finding him.<br />
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<a href="http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_news.asp?eidn=885" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank"><img height="300" src="http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/ffg_content/Fury%20Of%20Dracula/fury-of-dracula-spotlight-article/fury-of-dracula-mina-harker.png" width="320" /></a> <br />
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To put it simply, Mina Harker is a vampire slayer. Dracula is generally credited with being the world's most influential horror novel, and many works in this genre have drawn from it ever since. But aside from the creepy castle, the wolves, the fog and the villagers, we should also look to his heroine. How many horror novels and films since have featured strong female characters? Chronologically speaking, Mina Harker is just a small step away from Cosette and Lucie Manette. In spirit however, Mina stands side-by-side with Buffy the Vampire Slayer, <i>Underworld</i>'s Selene, Rosemary Woodhouse (<i>Rosemary's Baby</i>), and a host of other female horror heroines.<br />
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So we have looked at three books. Two are written in the latter half of the 19th century, one is written at the very end. Had the perception of women in society really come so far in just thirty-five years? Or was Bram Stoker's Irish background in some way responsible for his indomitable leading lady? Whatever the reasons the leading ladies of these stories could not be more different.<br />
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In <i>ATTC</i> we see Lucie Manette caring for her father, her husband, her children, and her male friends. She is powerless to help her husband, but she is there to pick up the pieces when he is rescued.<br />
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In <i>Les Mis</i> we see Cosette living a sheltered life, growing up to be naive and somewhat insensitive. She falls in love with a man she barely knows and then neglects her adoptive father. She is oblivious to his pain until his dying hour. Her place is firmly in the home and the only skill she possesses (so far as we are told) is that she can arrange a room quite nicely.<br />
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Finally in <i>Dracula</i> we are given Mina Harker. Like many women of her time she wishes to be married and to have a happy family life. However she also has ambitions and skills of her own. She is noted for her sensitivity, her intelligence, her fortitude and her selflessness. While I cannot point out all of the nuances of her character here, a simple example can speak volumes. At the climactic moment of the novel when Dracula is finally killed, Mina Harker is standing next to the legendary Van Helsing, holding her gun.<br />
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<br /></div>Sorchahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308502118414092750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788894025938577834.post-32892527843930971592011-12-11T13:20:00.001+00:002011-12-11T13:21:35.312+00:00Ira Glass on Writing and Creativity<i>(Reposted from the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/mythicscribes" target="_blank">Mythic Scribes</a> Facebook page, and originally shared by artist and imaginative realist <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Marc-Fishman/107533946000148" target="_blank">Marc Fishman</a>.)</i><br />
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"Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it's just not that good. It's trying to be good, it has potential, but it's not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase, they quit. Most people who I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn't have this special thing that we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know it's normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week you will finish one story. It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. And I took longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I've ever met. It's gonna take a while. It's normal to take a while. You've just gotta fight your way through." - Ira Glass<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://blog.builddirect.com/9-back-to-school-inspired-home-decor-ideas/" target="_blank"><img alt="Quill pen parchment and ink bottle 9 Back to School Inspired Home Decor Ideas" src="http://blog.builddirect.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Quill-pen-parchment-and-ink-bottle.jpg" /></a></div>Sorchahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308502118414092750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788894025938577834.post-53184856713458576282011-12-08T17:10:00.004+00:002011-12-09T00:14:30.853+00:00Ian McEwan on Writing (from Atonement)"She could imagine herself hurrying down to her bedroom, to a clean block of lined paper and her marbled, Bakelite fountain pen. She could see the simple sentences, the accumulating telepathic symbols, unfurling at the nib's end. She could write the scene three times over, from three points of view; her excitement was in the prospect of freedom, of being delivered from the cumbrous struggle between good and bad, heroes and villains. None of these three was bad, nor were they particularly good. She need not judge. There did not have to be a moral. She need only show separate minds, as alive as her own, struggling with the idea that other minds were equally alive. It wasn't only wickedness and scheming that made other people unhappy, it was confusion and misunderstanding; above all, it was the failure to grasp the simple truth that other people are as real as you. And only in a story could you enter these different minds and show how they had an equal value. That was the only moral a story need have."<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><img height="320" src="http://www.entertainmentwallpaper.com/images/desktops/movie/atonement1.jpg" width="400" /></div><br />
<i>Reposted from <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/ProsePorn/comments/mz9w6/atonement_ian_mcewan/" target="_blank">Reddit</a>. And no, this isn't just a sneaky excuse to put a picture of 'that dress' on my blog...</i>Sorchahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308502118414092750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788894025938577834.post-27020098638212134362011-12-08T16:10:00.013+00:002011-12-10T03:09:11.916+00:00Les Misérables - How Not To Write A Book?Ok, yes, that is an attention grabbing headline to describe what is often considered to be one of the world's great books. Please believe me however when I say that I am totally in earnest in posing the above question. Let me also clarify that while I am somewhat critical of the manner in which <i>Les Misérables</i> has been put together, I am in no way passing judgement on Victor Hugo's ability to write. Instead please view this post as a discussion on the book from a reader's perspective.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i1-handheld.softpedia-static.com/images/software/screens/Les-Miserables-by-Victor-Hugo_2.jpg" /></div><br />
While most people who have read <i>Les Misérables</i> seem to be fans of the book, just about all of them admit that reading this giant tome is a considerable challenge, and not just because of its size. Personally I've read plenty of large books, more than my fair share of trilogies, and quite a few classics. So in general I have no problem with a huge word count, old-fashioned language, or an archaic style. Indeed, the majority of celebrated classics tend to feature extensive descriptive passages, soliloquies, and essays on the nature of the human condition etc., all of which are often the defining aspects of these great novels. However <i>Les Misérables </i>is a case in point, a prime example of how this stylistic approach can sometimes be taken much too far.<br />
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The beginning of the novel features an extensive, and I mean EXTENSIVE, character description of Monseigneur Bienvenue, the Bishop of Digne. The reader is treated to numerous examples of his benevolence, his charity, his struggles to overcome the few prejudices he does have, etc. We are given a character description through the eyes of his sister, we are given another character description through his own eyes. Chapters with titles such as <i>'What He Thought'</i>, and <i>'What He Believed'</i> are included. In all, a total of fourteen chapters are devoted to describing this character. Ok, so the reader can be forgiven for believing that the good Bishop is to feature strongly in the remainder of the novel, right? Actually, no. In total this character interacts with the book's central character, Jean Valjean, over the course of a single night, and then disappears from the story. Later on in the novel it is mentioned in passing that Monseigneur Bienvenue has died.<br />
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Granted the interaction between Jean Valjean and the Bishop of Digne is central to the character development of the former. It is a pivotal event in his life which can be said to shape the course of the novel from that point on. However was it truly necessary to devote such a huge volume of text to the description of the bishop himself? By about the seventh chapter or so I already had a sufficiently detailed impression of this character to serve the purposes of the story. His charity and understanding towards Jean Valjean were perfectly justified, even to readers in Hugo's time, who may have been more biased towards former convicts. Some people may say that the Bishop of Digne is worth examining in his own right, simply as a character study. That's all well and good, but many of the chapters reiterate previous points using new examples, making this a somewhat sub-par exercise in character analysis.<br />
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From my perspective as a reader, on hearing of the bishop's death I felt somewhat cheated. I had invested a good deal of time in learning about every minute aspect of this individual's personality, and then he was simply gone. I had approached Hugo's massive book with optimism and enthusiasm, fully expecting every chapter and even every paragraph to be meaningful and relevant. It was now apparent that this was not the case. From that point on I approached every character description with skepticism, and I found it difficult to connect with most of the supplementary characters. In brief (no pun intended), I had lost faith in Hugo's ability to steer me through the intricate citadel of his story, pointing out only the noteworthy landmarks while brushing over the less meaningful sights.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.allposters.co.uk/-sp/Jean-Valjean-Illustration-from-Les-Miserables-by-Victor-Hugo-1862-Posters_i1735131_.htm" target="_blank"><img src="http://cache2.allpostersimages.com/p/LRG/16/1634/HZ1GD00Z/posters/brion-gustave-jean-valjean-illustration-from-les-miserables-by-victor-hugo-1862.jpg" /></a></div>This loss in faith was justified. In the midst of this epic tale, <i>Les Misérables</i> features an detailed essay on the events of The Battle of Waterloo. Is this really relevant to the story? Well one of the main characters was there, and 'saved' the life of the father of another character, after the battle had ended. This tenuous connection is the only justification for the inclusion of this discourse on Waterloo. Similarly, in the middle of the book's climactic events, having built up the dramatic tension for a considerable time, Hugo then takes some time out to treat his readers to another detailed essay on the history of the Parisian sewer system. Is this really good writing?<br />
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The Battle of Waterloo is of course very interesting from an historical perspective, as is the Parisian sewer system I suppose, but perhaps Hugo should have considered placing them in an appendix, or maybe even in a completely different document. Some people point out that the word 'shit' is a prominent theme in this book, and use it to justify the inclusion of the dissertations on Waterloo and the Parisian sewer system. Personally I adore the use of subtle metaphors as subliminal messaging in novels. However, this does not justify the exorbitant length of each of these sections. In short (again no pun intended), was the verbal diarrhea really necessary to emphasize the shit?<br />
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Besides the vast amount of superfluous content in <i>Les Misérables</i>, I also take issue with the construction of the plot. Apparently they're making another movie of the book, which should probably be titled <i>Les Misérables - A Comedy of Coincidences</i>. Much of the novel turns on some of the most unlikely and unrealistic coincidences I have ever come across in fiction. Considering the amount of times characters run into each other at random in Paris, the city in the 18th century must have been the size of a village. Hugo's characters also seem to be suffering from poor eyesight, as even neighbouring tenants fail to recognise each other at various moments in the plot.<br />
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To illustrate this, let's look at the interactions between two primary characters, Marius Pontmercy and Thénardier, focusing specifically on coincidences:<br />
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<ol><li>Marius' father is dragged from underneath a pile of bodies by Thénardier, in the aftermath of The Battle of Waterloo.</li>
<li>Marius' grandfather is paying child support for two children of a former servant. These boys die and are replaced by the sons of Thénardier. This happens purely by chance and none of the parties involved are aware of this connection.</li>
<li>Marius attempts to locate Thénardier to thank him in some manner for helping his father. He cannot find him, but subsequently moves into a building in Paris, occupying a room adjacent to Thénardier.</li>
<li>Although he lives next door to Thénardier and shares a staircase and front door, Marius does not know his name and never meets him.</li>
<li>Marius bumps into two girls on the street whom he does not recognise. They are the daughters of Thénardier, who also live in the adjoining room.</li>
<li>While out walking, Marius notices a girl and her father who come to sit on the same bench on the Rue Luxembourg each day. This is Cosette, whom he subsequently marries, who was initially raised by Thénardier.</li>
<li>Having lost contact with Cosette for a time, Marius then sees her again in Thénardier's room. She is brought there by a chance encounter, and does not recognise anyone in her former foster family.</li>
<li>During the Student's Uprising, Marius comes into contact by chance with a child at the barricade. This is the elder son of Thénardier, Gavroche.</li>
<li>When Marius is carried through the sewers by Jean Valjean they become trapped by a locked gate. They happen to be discovered by Thénardier, who just happens to be in the sewers at that very moment. He then opens the gate without recognising either of the men. </li>
</ol><div><br />
The list of coincidences and chance meetings goes on and on, and these are only the interactions between two of the characters in the story. <i>Les Misérables</i> is of course a fictional work and the author has every right to compose his plotlines as he chooses. However the audience of any fictional work expects a certain degree of realism in order for the story to be believable. Even the most fantastical stories, movies and TV shows today are bound to maintain a certain realism in their plotlines, for fear of 'jumping the shark'. <i>Les Misérables</i> not only jumps the shark, it jumps back and forth over it a few times. In fact this book jumps the entire aquarium. </div><div><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/rschwart/hist255-s01/thenardier/renee/marius.htm" target="_blank"><img height="400" src="http://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/rschwart/hist255-s01/thenardier/renee/marius.jpg" width="332" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div>Maybe one day I will reread this book and see the same masterpiece that most people seem to see. Perhaps my current opinion is a result of my inexperience, my youth, or a level of understanding that I am currently lacking. Perhaps I am a precocious child, flaunting my own ignorance. (Believe me, it's happened before.)<br />
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For now, all I can say is that as a result of the contrived and unrealistic plot of <i>Les Misérables</i>, I found that I lost all interest in the characters and in the story. I was confident that some series of chance happenings and happy coincidences would ensure that everything would work itself out in the end. Indeed the only character I could connect with in the entire novel was the central figure himself, Jean Valjean, who bestrides the tale as a silent and steadfast colossus. His character is real, solid, conflicted, and very very human. The remaining characters come across as two-dimensional puppets dancing a contorted jig, keeping time to puppet master Hugo's convoluted tune. </div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
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</i></div>Sorchahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308502118414092750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788894025938577834.post-8344646845544043222011-11-28T14:19:00.002+00:002011-11-28T14:32:12.531+00:00This Week: Writing, Working<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></div>So today is Monday, the start of yet another week. After quite a few years of having a very haphazard and inconsistent working and writing schedule, I've finally realized that the standard 9 - 5, Monday - Friday work timetable might exist for a reason. Funny how the bane of the working man might just be an efficient time management tool...<br />
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For the last month or so I've been getting off to a good start with Mondays, in at my desk for about 9:30am, like a good little worker bee. (Ok, there may still be a bit of lingering resistance to this approach.) So far today I've gotten a good bit of work done and even had time to browse my favorite writer's forum. I'm planning to get some writing in later, once I've sorted out my various work commitments.<br />
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For this week my overall writing aim is to finish the first draft of a short story I'm working on. I've written about 1,000 words so far, so I'm still more or less at the beginning. There's some plot details that still have to be worked through, and minor character development that needs clarifying, but overall I'm happy with how it's shaping up. Once it's done I'll post it online somewhere and put a link here.<br />
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<a href="http://www.simplytees.co.uk/acatalog/Gothic_T_Shirts_and_Sweatshirts_Simplytees.co.uk.html" target="_blank"><img height="400" src="http://www.simplytees.co.uk/acatalog/Gothic_Butterfly_A11002D.jpg" width="400" /></a>Sorchahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308502118414092750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788894025938577834.post-13276932561067278482011-11-24T03:34:00.000+00:002011-11-24T13:41:56.865+00:00Dickens the MasterI recently read <i>'A Tale of Two Cities'</i> by Charles Dickens for the first time. As a child I enjoyed reading the old classics - while many of the subtleties and themes went right over my head, the usually intricate and convoluted plots were enough to fire my juvenile imagination. However Dickens was one of the few authors I really could not warm to. At one point I gave <i>'Great Expectations' </i>a try, but the grim realism and the gritty depictions of both the characters and their surroundings were just too much for me at the time.<br />
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As an adult however, it was these very traits which appealed to me when reading <i>'A Tale of Two Cities'</i>. Very few writers can set a scene the way Dickens could. Even fewer can infuse a page with a palpable atmosphere, especially when it comes to creating a sense of tension. At these moments Dickens' use of language is masterful, and I think most writers can learn a lot from his technique at these times.<br />
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While many classics are written in flowery and often superfluous language, Dickens is at his best when he uses a stripped back, bare, and somewhat modern style. He can make a four word sentence, isolated in a paragraph of its own, speak volumes. One of the best examples of this can be found in <a href="http://www.online-literature.com/dickens/twocities/13/" target="_blank">Chapter 13</a> of <i>'A Tale of Two Cities'</i>. The use of language in this entire chapter is incredibly skillful, and the dramatic tension is powerful throughout. The contrast in writing styles between the beginning and the end of the chapter is also meaningful and extremely clever.<br />
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I've linked an online version of the chapter above. If, like most of us, you want to improve your writing style, you may find you pick up a few tips from this great master.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://www.infed.org/images/people/charles_dickens_pd_copyright_expired.jpg" /></div>Sorchahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308502118414092750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788894025938577834.post-58104048351344100132011-11-24T00:01:00.000+00:002011-11-24T03:36:11.919+00:00Writers on Writing - ForumsThere's a lot of really good forums for writers out there at the moment. While there are many sites that are dedicated to writing in general, there are also a large number of genre-based websites with thriving communities of like-minded authors. If you work in a particular genre it's probably best to find a specialized forum.<br />
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It only takes a few minutes to sign up for a forum, and there is usually no obligation to post. Users can browse through threads and comments from experienced and new writers, and of course add questions and thoughts of their own. Forums are also great for motivation, especially if you find yourself getting bogged down with a difficult manuscript.<br />
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Every now and then I will link to some good writing forums as I come across them. At the moment two of my favourites are <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%C2%A0http://mythicscribes.com" target="_blank">Mythic Scribes</a> and <a href="http://www.sffworld.com/" target="_blank">SFFWorld</a>.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><img height="300" src="http://www.wallpaperbase.com/wallpapers/photography/castle/castle_1.jpg" width="400" /></div>Sorchahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308502118414092750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788894025938577834.post-10339011200747725372011-11-23T15:44:00.000+00:002011-11-23T16:26:19.899+00:00How Keeping Busy Can Help You To WriteWriter's block is feared by most of us and can strike quite often. I can't remember how many times I have sat down in front of my computer to write, only to find that I can't seem to get past a certain stage in a story.<br />
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Most people will recommended that you take a break at this point and come back to your writing later. While this is often the only option available to you, what you do during that break can also be important. Personally I find that I can think through the problem in my story if I distract myself by doing something else, especially something that uses my hands and leaves my brain free to think.<br />
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Below are pictures of some jewelry I've made, which I often do while taking a break from writing. Picking out the colors and assembling the pieces distracts me, but still allows my subconscious to work through stories and ideas.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglw7SmoDSO2gDN7HsQhqEYcFge8YZd97tuntgDmbTpW8ND6y6wUn1sYOVxoPfPB1-fYvbE-rqzIim8hN9HxIdpvP_Ig2aL6KQveRIb9QaxlsERarGKFAEIrnTJL6OWOhJ4YO06sdhRJdE/s1600/Fo%25C2%25A6%25C3%25BCtagraf0034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglw7SmoDSO2gDN7HsQhqEYcFge8YZd97tuntgDmbTpW8ND6y6wUn1sYOVxoPfPB1-fYvbE-rqzIim8hN9HxIdpvP_Ig2aL6KQveRIb9QaxlsERarGKFAEIrnTJL6OWOhJ4YO06sdhRJdE/s320/Fo%25C2%25A6%25C3%25BCtagraf0034.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijMt2kW_eKwstaaV6Xe1fXfMlPbp6KmaHWbfkKOoBw8fwDapWkJHXv1xyTbV10qwh2ZCHEEDBjdwIcuzrbOYYqXWLiinbGahdIomxoKfmtpinK6WnjD7uuaw9eDVCrLezMcy1DA2Dcfxo/s1600/Fo%25C2%25A6%25C3%25BCtagraf0033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijMt2kW_eKwstaaV6Xe1fXfMlPbp6KmaHWbfkKOoBw8fwDapWkJHXv1xyTbV10qwh2ZCHEEDBjdwIcuzrbOYYqXWLiinbGahdIomxoKfmtpinK6WnjD7uuaw9eDVCrLezMcy1DA2Dcfxo/s320/Fo%25C2%25A6%25C3%25BCtagraf0033.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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</div>Sorchahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308502118414092750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788894025938577834.post-48301501287502484322011-11-19T22:28:00.000+00:002011-11-23T16:12:29.462+00:00The KillFirst off, here's a link to a <a href="http://www.sffworld.com/community/story/4358p0.html" target="_blank">short story</a> I published on <a href="http://www.sffworld.com/">http://www.sffworld.com</a>.<br />
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Sffworld is a great site for writers and fans of science fiction and fantasy. It has a great selection of author and discussion forums, and also allows members to read and rate each others' work. If you want to catch some emerging authors and get some feedback on your own writing, this is a good place to start!<br />
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Personally I tend to read a lot of fantasy, and most of the stuff that I write would be classed as fantasy too. At the moment I am working on the first novel in a trilogy, a few short stories and another one-off novel, all of which would fall into the fantasy genre. More on those later!<br />
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AishSorchahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308502118414092750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788894025938577834.post-62785891877355737002011-11-19T21:31:00.000+00:002017-02-05T16:38:57.219+00:00HelloHi,<br />
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welcome to my blog. I'm working at a lot of different stuff at the moment so I'm going to use this blog to put up some of it. It's also to mention books, films, music etc. that I generally think are awesome/interesting, and to talk about random stuff.<br />
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If you find you have similar interests feel free to comment or to follow :).<br />
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<br />Sorchahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308502118414092750noreply@blogger.com0