A writing Q & A

Definitely NOT the author

I recently came across a set of answers I gave to an interviewer several years ago and was relieved to see that they still describe my approach to this writing business. (So I must have been telling the truth.) Here’s how they went.

1) In order to meet a writing goal, do you write down the date you wish to have your manuscript completed?

No. Even though the word ‘deadline’ suggests a finite point (which may well be the case for some publishers or academic examiners, etc.), it’s really notional. Not notional to the extent that you can make it spread over a year or so, but in that it indicates a period towards the end of a month, say, by which you should have got the job done. Much more compelling is the impetus of the work itself. If anything provides the push to get the thing done, it’s the novel’s internal drive. Your characters insist on moving towards the resolution and, when the end is near, the euphoria of knowing that you’re about to slot the final pieces together is much more compelling than the artificial mark on the calendar.

2) If you have a publisher, do THEY dictate to you the date your manuscript will be completed?

Some do, others are still aware that the creative process isn’t an automated procedure. If you’ve promised them a draft by a particular time, your professionalism should make sure they get it, but you and they then need to recognize that second thoughts on your part and queries/suggestions from them will necessitate rewritings and a period of reflection. If you’re writing to someone else’s orders, you’re giving up control of some important parts of the process.

3) In order to meet your deadline, how often, and how long do you spend working on your writing project?

This will sound like a glib or facile answer but the truth is that it’s the project which dictates that. Whether you’re talking about a play, poem, short story, novel – each takes as long as it takes. The pleasure of being involved in creating an intrigue involving people interacting with one another is so absorbing that you lose track of time. If you’re thinking of the deadline, you’re not giving the work the attention it has to have. If progress stalls, you have to find some technique to get it going again or bring it to a conclusion. For academic exercises, of course, it’s different, since the tutors are calling the tune – but writing, in all its forms, only works properly if the writer is in charge.

4) What do you do to keep those writing juices flowing?

Look around, watch people, speculate on their motives, feel their elations and their sorrows. And trust your characters – even the nasty ones. They’ll always take you on surprising journeys. Writing is a compulsion.

6) Do you do outlines for your novels?

No. I know overall where I want to be heading before I start. There’s an issue I want to address, a character I want to explore, an anger I want to externalize, a remark I want someone to make – all sorts of things provide a starting point. So I have a notion of what the tone of the writing will be and maybe of some major turning point I intend to reach. But then, as the fiction begins to build, it’s the characters who take over to a certain extent. They lead the narrative in directions which often surprise me. They add details I hadn’t suspected were there and, in the process, they force me to adapt my original plan. It’s still the same basic drive and the purpose remains relatively unchanged, but the way in which I convey it is coloured by what my characters allow me to do.

When it comes to rewriting, I correct some of the wilder fancies they’ve had and bring them back within the scope of the book but the process from conception to delivery (sorry to use an obstetrical image but, as a man, it’s the closest I’ll ever get to having a baby – albeit without the pain) is organic, unstable.

However long the novel, until the final full stop’s been added, all it has is potential.  If I started with a rigid notion of its shape, I’d be inhibiting that. In fact, the only time I imposed a preordained structure on a piece was with a radio play. I was very keen to maintain a specific set of images, so I made the characters do exactly what was necessary to achieve that. After the broadcast, a well-known critic reviewed the play in a respectable journal. His review began ‘This is a tiresome play about tiresome people.’ He was right.

PANTSER OR NOT?

By June Shaw

Novelists may be the only people who know what I’m talking about, but they do know. And most of them can respond yes or no or both.

It took awhile in my writing career before I understood what this meant. Once I did, I realized I was a pantser.

Many others, it seemed, were the opposite: They were outliners.

I had no idea how I would outline a novel before I even started writing it, but then I discovered a huge number of highly successful authors did that. Soon I determined that I had been doing both. I did outline some major sections of the novels I began to write. I filled in the scenes by the seat of my pants, meaning I decided what came next as I went.

Outlining, I found, really did help structure my novels. It directed a path for my stories without taking away any of the creativity, all the while helping me write faster.

What about you?

Do you discover your story as you write, or do you have the whole story planned out before you type in your title? What do you find helps best? Why do you choose one or the other?

I’d love to get feedback from other others—and maybe those who don’t write books but read them have some idea of they believe would work best.

As always, thanks for sharing your ideas!

 June     Juneshaw.com 

In retrospect: 2015

by Carola

Happy New Year!!

2015 was an eventful year. First, my very first Daisy mystery was reissued with beautiful new cover art to match the later books.

That was March. April, Heirs of the Body came out in paperback.

June, Superfluous Women made its/their appearance.

December, the 11th Daisy mystery came out in audio.

And also in December, at last I finished writing Buried in the Country, the fourth Cornish mystery, a mere 6 months late. Now awaiting my editor's revision letter with fear and trembling, before starting on the 23rd Daisy!

Why so late? Stuff happened, distracting my thoughts from my story. (That's my excuse, anyway.)

I was backed into in a parking lot by a very large pick-up—the driver said my car was too small to see in his mirror!! We were both doing about 2 mph so no damage to me or Trill, and too-small car was driveable, even with a big dent in the side and a door that screamed when opened or closed. His insurance co. was very cooperative but it still took a lot of phoning and paperwork and emailing to get it fixed.

On the other hand, the car emerged from the body-shop looking better than it had in years. They even gave me two new hubcaps though I said one had been missing for ages and the other was already cracked. Pride of workmanship, I reckon.

Most disruptive: The school district is building a new school on the school field behind my house where I and my fellow-dog-people have walked our dogs for many years. For several months we were able to get in, crawling through a hole in the fence when necessary, but now it's all closed off tight. Meanwhile, they excavated and dumped gravel and tamped it down, making the whole house (and my neighbours') shudder and shake.

Worst was that they unloaded their biggest digger in the street directly outside my house, inefficiently, so that it dropped instead of rolling down the ramp. I really would have thought there was an earthquake if I hadn't watched it happen. It left dents in the roadway and opened a 1/4"-wide crack in my living-room wall. That took weeks of emails and phoning to get them to acknowledge responsibility and send someone to fix it.

When he came I asked how much he'd charge me to fix the longtime crack between the brick mantel and the wall (Someone took out a mantelpiece?). "Don't worry about it," he said. "We'll get it." And he did. Hurray! Would you believe I once had a mouse come in through that crack?

Speaking of which, the next event was a huge swarm of termites emerging from a crack in the concrete floor of the back porch.  I called in the "green" pest people, who puffed oils of cinnamon and citrus (smelled wonderful!) and diatomaceous earth into every nook and cranny. It was expensive, but for free they fixed the crawl-space screens a raccoon tore off a few years ago and fastened all the rest thoroughly.

All's well that ends well. Now I'm just biting my fingernails as I wait to see what revisions my editor will ask for!

May the complications in your life in 2016 be minor and easily fixed. Have a great year!

www.CarolaDunn.weebly.com
or come and say hi on Facebook!


This is a happy birthday pic for my sister who apparently can't open it in her email but I hope can look at it here!! Excuse the intrusion...

Happy birthday, sis!

New Year's Resolutions

January First has traditionally been a day of renewal and promises to oneself to do better in the coming year, so resolutions are made and usually kept for a few days to perhaps an entire month before we fall back into our old ways.

The top resolutions are usually the following: 

Weight loss: Losing weight comprises the most resolutions for Americans. Over a third of the population resolves to exercise more and stay healthy. A weight loss program is easy to start but if you don't find one you can live with, you'll fall off the wagon before the wheels gather dust. Nutritionists say to eat less and switch to healthier food such as the Mediterranean diet.  It's not easy to give up junk food, especially sugar laden sweets. But with determination and some basic tips you can slowly develop healthier eating habits. Learn to control emotional eating, be aware of reasons why diets fail, and research healthy recipes.

Improving  concentration and mental skills: There are plenty of supplements on the market that claim to make you smarter, but do they really work? Experts say that most improve memory although they don't actually raise your I.Q.  Some meditation techniques such as TM (Transcendental Meditation) are known to recharge one's batteries, and reading a good book instead of watching mind-numbing TV programs has been proven to help prevent frontal brain shrinkage and dementia. Cross word puzzles and other mind games are also good sources of improving concentration and mental skills.

Improving social skills:  When we stay at home and don't make the effort to meet people, we  miss out on opportunities to make new friends and enjoy life more. Networking can improve one's well-being and career, so we  need to overcome shyness, acquire knowledge as well met interesting people. 

Gaining confident and taking chances: If you're confident, others notice and are more likely to listen to what you have to say, so bone up on subjects that interest others, including current events. Make sure you're knowledgeable when you express your opinions. A good dose of self-confidence will help you lead a much happier life.

Earn more money: Even the wealthy search for ways to earn more money, and those of us climbing the financial ladder can always use an additional source of income to make life more enjoyable. Fortunately there are options available, such as a second job, taking employment courses, freelancing or using the Internet to your advantage.

Become more Tactful: Good manners have always been important although they don't seem to be practiced as much by the younger generations. Politeness makes it easier to connect with others, avoid offending people and ensures that others perceive you as a good and trustworthy person. So learn etiquette and deal with rude people the right way, as well as learning how to say no without offending.

Reducing stress: Stress kills and it can ruin relationships as well as your health. Stress may be an unavoidable side effect of modern life, but it can be effectively managed with the help of a good stress management course.

Happier with life: Even those who are in good physical shape, earn a decent living and have stress under control can be unhappy. Happiness requires time and patience to learn how to find joy in small things and prevent problems from getting you down. The right partner can also contribute to a happier life.

More sleep  It can be difficult to get sufficient sleep with a TV in the bedroom as well as computers, smart phones, tablets and gadgets with glowing lights and beeping alarms. We need 7-8 of sleep to function well enough to get through the day, and avoiding electronic devises in the bedroom is a good start. Avoiding sweets before bedtime is also a good practice.

Other traditional resolutions are to stop smoking, stop drinking or doing drugs, control one's temper, become more loving and kind to others, and stop beating yourself up over trivial matters. Whatever your resolutions happen to be, I wish you more self-discipline and self-control in the coming year as well as successes and happiness.

Happy New Year!!!

A Christmas Story

One generation learns from another. Children copy the actions of their parents more often than they obey arbitrarily spoken rules. Stories are passed down in families. This is one of those tales. Amanda Horn, now a successful engineer, shares a story of sacrifice and love while growing up with very little money.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jackie King and Amanda Horn (L to R)

 CHRISTMAS IN JULY

A true story told to Jackie King by Amanda Horn

When I was eleven we didn’t have any money at all to spare. Mama was paying off doctor and laboratory bills that had stacked up from some medical tests I’d needed earlier that year when the doctors thought I might have leukemia. So when she told Bubba and me we couldn’t have Christmas that year, we weren’t even surprised. Bubba was my uncle who was living with us. He was just a couple of years older than I was, and like a brother.

Bubba and I weren’t too concerned about not getting gifts, we hadn’t expected any. Mostly we felt sorry for Mama, who worked long hours as a waitress to pay our bills. But we were excited about Christmas all the same. Our thoughts were filled with our own plans for buying a special present for Mama, something beautiful and wonderful that would make her smile again. We knew just what to buy—a matched blue silk-like gown and robe set that just matched her eyes.

Times had been really hard for us since Mama and Daddy got divorced. I loved both of my parents, but Mama was the one who took the daily care of me. She tended me when I was sick and listened to my troubles when I was sad. Because of her closeness to me, she was the one I spent most of my time worrying about. Daddy had remarried and had another family to take care of him. I felt as if Mama was the one who needed a really nice gift.

It was 1977 and Bubba and I had been making some money by babysitting and doing yard work for the neighbors. We stashed every penny we earned in an old jelly jar and kept it hidden under the bed. Finally we earned and saved $22.79, the exact amount needed to buy Mama’s gift. We bought the lovely blue gown and robe. We wrapped our treasure in some bright yellow tissue paper left over from my birthday, and then we were ready for Christmas Day.

“There isn’t any money for a fancy dinner with a turkey and all of the trimmings,” Mama said. I could tell it really hurt her to admit we wouldn’t have what everyone else in town would have. I wanted to say something to make her feel better, but didn’t know what that might be. I just sat and watched her swallow hard before she spoke again.

“So what would you kids like for Christmas dinner? I’ll fix you anything you want that I can afford to buy.”

This was a no-brainer for me.

“Bacon and tomato sandwiches and Pepsi!” I shouted, and Bubba, who was always good natured and happy to go along with my ideas, agreed. And that was what we had. After stuffing ourselves with our favorite food, Bubba and I told Mama that we thought that was the best Christmas dinner ever. Then we took her present from under the bed where we had hidden this treasure and handed it to her.

Mama started crying.

“Don’t cry, Mama,” I begged. Bubba said, “We wanted to make you happy, not sad.”

“But I couldn’t buy one thing for y’all,” Mama said, wiping away her tears with the hem of a dish towel she had tied around her waist for an apron. “And you’ve spent all this money on me.”

Bubba and I kept hugging Mama and begging her to be happy because we were. Finally she wiped away her tears and laughed.

“I am happy,” Mama said. “I’m the luckiest woman in the world and am so proud of the two of you.” She touched the soft silken fabric of her gift to her cheek. And I love my beautiful gown and robe.”

Then Mama made us a promise.

“Do you two remember the story about when your grandpa told me and my brothers and sisters that Santa couldn’t come until spring?”

I nodded and so did Bubba. That was one of our favorite stories.

“Well, I promise you that we’ll have Christmas in July to make up for this disappointment.”

***

The next July Bubba and I came home one day and Mama had a Christmas tree in the living room—completely decorated and with lights twinkling. Brightly colored packages were piled under the tree with our names on them. And, best of all, we could smell turkey roasting in the oven.

“I promised you we’d have Christmas in July,” Mama said. “It’s sad when Santa can’t come in December, but in our family he always manages to come—even when he’s seven months late.

Recipe for Bacon and Tomato Sandwiches for Three

Six slices of bread (whatever kind you like best)

Nine slices of cooked bacon

Two tomatoes, sliced

Three slices of Swiss or other cheese (optional)

Three tablespoons of mayonnaise

Butter

Spread mayonnaise on bread. Add bacon, tomatoes and cheese. Melt butter in a hot skillet and grill sandwiches until a golden brown. Serve hot.

Christmas in July was first published in DEVOTED TO COOKING, Inspiration for the Aspiring Chef in Everyone.

Stories From the Heart

Christmas Around the World

by Jean Henry Mead

While researching Christmas customs around the world, I discovered that the first Christmas tree was decorated in 1510 in Germany and Livonia (now Estonia and Latvia). And in many countries Santa Claus is known as Father Christmas. In Latvia he places gifts under the tree and a special dinner is prepared of brown peas with bacon sauce, small pies, sausages and cabbage.

In Finland, where children believe that Father Christmas lives above the Arctic Circle, they call him Korvatunturi. Their three holy days include Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day (a public holiday in many countries known as the second day of Christmas). Finnish people eat rice porridge and a sweet soup of dried fruits on Christmas Eve, then decorate a spruce tree in their homes. A "Christmas declaration" is broadcast throughout the country at mid-day via radio and television. And that evening a traditional Christmas dinner is served consisting of casseroles containing liver, rutabaga, potatoes and carrots with ham or turkey as well as various salads, sweet and spiced breads and cheeses. They also attend church and decorate the graves of their departed relatives. Children receive their presents on Christmas Eve from someone in the family dressed as Father Christmas.

In Hungary the Winter Grandfather (Santa Claus) arrives on the sixth of December when children place their carefully cleaned shoes outside the door or window before retiring for the night. The following morning they find candy and small toys in red bags placed inside their shoes. Youngsters who don't behave find a golden birch branch next to their shoes, which is meant for spanking, although it's rarely used. On Christmas Eve, children visit relatives or attend movies while baby Jesus delivers Christmas trees and presents to their homes. Candy and other edibles are hung on the tree as well as glass balls, candles and sparklers. Fresh fish with rice or potatoes and pastries are usually served that evening for dinner, after which the children are allowed to see their decorated tree for the first time. Christmas songs are then sung and gifts opened. Older children usually attend Christmas mass with their parents later that night and on Christmas Day the kids are allowed to eat the sweets hanging from their tree.

In Belgium Sinterklays (St. Nicholas) is also celebrated on December 6, and is observed separately from the Christmas holiday. Santa Claus is known as Kerstman or le Pere Noel because there are three languages spoken within the country—Dutch, French and German. Santa Claus brings gifts to the children on Christmas day and small presents for family members are placed beneath the tree or in stockings hung near the fireplace. Sweet breads called cougnour or cougnoleand and shaped like the baby Jesus are eaten at breakfast.

Romanian children receive small gifts on December 6 from St. Nicholas in their freshly-polished shoes. Rural families "sacrifice”a pig on December 20, and each part of the pig is cooked in a different way, such as sausage or mince meat cooked with rice, onions and spices. They also dress up as bears and goats to sing traditional songs at each house in the village. Children visit other homes, not unlike our Halloween, to sing carols and receive sweets, fruit or money. Transylvanians serve stuffed cabbage on Christmas Eve and eat the leftovers for lunch the following day when they return from church services.

Brazilians call Father Christmas Papai Noel and the date of celebration differs in various regions of the country. Christmas trees are decorated by even the poor who have plastic trees or simple branches decorated with cotton to represent snow. Christmas dinners for the affluent usually consist of chicken, turkey, pork or ham served with rice, beans and fruit, often served with beer. The poor usually have chicken, rice and beans with  beer or colas. For desert they enjoy brigadeiro made of chocolate and condensed milk.

Christmas is called Noel in France and Father Christmas is known as Pere Noel. Christmas dinner is an important family gathering with the best of meats and finest wines. Christmas trees are often decorated with red ribbons and white candles, and electric lights adorn fir trees in the yard. Most people send New Year’s cards instead of at Christmas to wish friends luck, and Christmas lunch is celebrated with fois gras, a strong pate made of goose liver followed by a meal of seafood.

House windows are decorated in Germany with electric candles and color photographs as well as wreathes of leaves with candles called adventskrant, which signal the arrival of the four-weeks before Christmas. Additional candles are added as the holiday grows nearer. Father Christmas, called Der Wihnactsmann, delivers presents to the children during the late afternoon of Christmas Eve after celebrants return from church. A member of the family rings a bell to announce that presents are under the tree. Christmas Day is celebrated with a meal of carp or goose.

Father Christmas delivers gifts to Portuguese children on Christmas Eve. Gifts are left under the tree or in their shoes near the fireplace. Christmas dinner usually consists of dry cod fish and boiled potatoes at midnight.

During the reign of the Soviet Union, Christmas celebrations were prohibited. The New Year was celebrated instead when Father Frost brought gifts to the children. Now in Russia, Christmas is celebrated on December 25, or more often on January 7, the date the Russian Orthodox church reserves for religious observances. Christmas dinner consists of cakes, pies and meat dumplings.

New Zealanders celebrate by opening presents under the tree on Christmas morning. They then have Christmas lunch at home or a family member's house. A dinner of chicken or turkey is eaten, followed by tea time and dinner cooked on the barbie, served with beer or wine. And in Sweden, a special dinner is served on Christmas Eve of ham, herring and brown beans. Many attend church early on Christmas Day before gathering to exchange gifts with family members.

Christmas customs in this country are too numerous to list, and I'd like to wish all our blog visitors a very Merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year, no matter where you happen to live, or how you plan to celebrate the holiday.

Happy Solstice and Merry Yule

by Carola

 Just in time for the holidays, my Christmas mystery, Mistletoe and Murder, is out in Audio. At last. I've written about my experience with an audio publisher here: http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com/2015/12/adventures-in-audio.html

 It's set at Cotehele, an isolated 15th century fortified manor house in Cornwall. I've also blogged about Cotehele, its history, its legends, and its ghosts, here:
 http://aliciarasleybooks.com/new-year-old-house-guest-post-by-carola-dunn/
The original cover used a photo of the "new" Victorian wing of the house:

Not very Christmassy! but subsequent editions made up for it:

US paperback

UK paperback

Polish edition!

 

 

 

Happy Holidays!