Peg Herring's Blog - Posts Tagged "macbeth"
Knitting Up the Ravel'd Sleeve of Care
It is stating the obvious to write that Shakespeare was a genius, but every once in a while, that fact is brought home to me with such clarity that I have to do it. As writers, we know about themes and how they enrich a story. In MACBETH, the theme of sleep is handled brilliantly.
At the outset, Macbeths have no idea that murder sticks with a person. They think (although he is less convinced of it than she is) that once the king is dead, everything will be fine. But once it is done, they are haunted by their action. The murder eventually brings about their doom, but in the short term, it manifests most clearly in sleep. He becomes unable to sleep at all. She does, but we see the turmoil that occurs when she lets her subconscious take over.
I don't think mystery writers take enough note of such things. Not being murderers ourselves, we might assume that they go blithely on their way, unbothered by their crimes. While that may be true of psychopaths and sociopaths, an ordinary person who kills will suffer afterward. Shakespeare's demonstration of that, while not the only one, is a good one. For most of us, sleep restores, puts our troubles into perspective, and allows us to begin anew. For the guilty, I would guess that sleep is evasive and likely to further unravel that "sleeve of care".
At the outset, Macbeths have no idea that murder sticks with a person. They think (although he is less convinced of it than she is) that once the king is dead, everything will be fine. But once it is done, they are haunted by their action. The murder eventually brings about their doom, but in the short term, it manifests most clearly in sleep. He becomes unable to sleep at all. She does, but we see the turmoil that occurs when she lets her subconscious take over.
I don't think mystery writers take enough note of such things. Not being murderers ourselves, we might assume that they go blithely on their way, unbothered by their crimes. While that may be true of psychopaths and sociopaths, an ordinary person who kills will suffer afterward. Shakespeare's demonstration of that, while not the only one, is a good one. For most of us, sleep restores, puts our troubles into perspective, and allows us to begin anew. For the guilty, I would guess that sleep is evasive and likely to further unravel that "sleeve of care".
One More Kindle Blog: I DID IT!
Everyone is talking about e-books, and I'm just another voice. Still, I am pleased with my accomplishment: I loaded MACBETH'S NIECE for Kindle and it actually works!
MACBETH'S NIECE is my first book, published in 2008, and it went out of print some months back. I was hesitant about moving forward with a Kindle version: could I do it? Or more appropriately in my case, how would I screw it up?
Well, I didn't. It came through nicely on my Kindle this morning, Tessa and her dashing Englishman and the whole crowd of romantic Scots, from outlaw to honest, from rustic to royal. If you're up for romantic adventure in 11th century Scotland, there it is. Hooray for technology, and huzzah for Macbeth and his niece!
http://www.amazon.com/Macbeths-Niece-...
MACBETH'S NIECE is my first book, published in 2008, and it went out of print some months back. I was hesitant about moving forward with a Kindle version: could I do it? Or more appropriately in my case, how would I screw it up?
Well, I didn't. It came through nicely on my Kindle this morning, Tessa and her dashing Englishman and the whole crowd of romantic Scots, from outlaw to honest, from rustic to royal. If you're up for romantic adventure in 11th century Scotland, there it is. Hooray for technology, and huzzah for Macbeth and his niece!
http://www.amazon.com/Macbeths-Niece-...
SHAKESPEARE'S BLOOD Is Here!
Waaaaay back in 2007, we were driving in the hills of West Virginia, two innocent tourists, when my phone rang. "Your book, SHAKESPEARE'S BLOOD, has been chosen as a finalist in Amazon's Breakout Novel Contest," someone informed me. Well, that changed the tenor of conversation in that car, as you can well imagine.
But nothing happened. The book did not ultimately win Amazon's contest. The agency that took it on was not successful in selling it, although editors who looked at it said nice things. And in the meantime, my historical series took off. I was too busy to deal with Mr. Shakespeare and his blood.
It happens. Authors have stuff that could be published--should be published, but finite limits of time and energy just don't allow them to do everything they would like to do. But opportunity knocked last fall, and suddenly SHAKESPEARE'S BLOOD was on the front burner again. (I have to admit, I've got more front burners now than I once had!) June first, 2011 was the target date for e-book publication, and darned if it hasn't come about. Softcover? Maybe soon. It's a matter of all those burners staying operational.
The book is classified as mystery/suspense, and it concerns a tourist in the UK caught up in a search for gold and the truth about an English spy and his connection to William Shakespeare. I had a lot of fun with the whole "Did Shakespeare write Shakespeare?" idea, and it's pretty clear at the end that I believe he did. What I aimed for was an exciting chase story with lots of clever clues and intriguing details for those who like Shakespeare.
SHAKESPEARE'S BLOOD is available from Amazon, B&N, and other e-reader sites. You can read more about it on my website: http://pegherring.com
But nothing happened. The book did not ultimately win Amazon's contest. The agency that took it on was not successful in selling it, although editors who looked at it said nice things. And in the meantime, my historical series took off. I was too busy to deal with Mr. Shakespeare and his blood.
It happens. Authors have stuff that could be published--should be published, but finite limits of time and energy just don't allow them to do everything they would like to do. But opportunity knocked last fall, and suddenly SHAKESPEARE'S BLOOD was on the front burner again. (I have to admit, I've got more front burners now than I once had!) June first, 2011 was the target date for e-book publication, and darned if it hasn't come about. Softcover? Maybe soon. It's a matter of all those burners staying operational.
The book is classified as mystery/suspense, and it concerns a tourist in the UK caught up in a search for gold and the truth about an English spy and his connection to William Shakespeare. I had a lot of fun with the whole "Did Shakespeare write Shakespeare?" idea, and it's pretty clear at the end that I believe he did. What I aimed for was an exciting chase story with lots of clever clues and intriguing details for those who like Shakespeare.
SHAKESPEARE'S BLOOD is available from Amazon, B&N, and other e-reader sites. You can read more about it on my website: http://pegherring.com
