David Burrows's Blog, page 12
November 20, 2015
Jekyll and Hyde: TV series, fantasy or horror?
I have seen two episodes so far and it looks very promising, if quite dark. It's not just about Jekyll and Hyde and it has a range of bizarre and quite gruesome creatures as nasty villains. London has a very down-at-heel feel about it which seems appropriate for the time. You almost expect Jack the Ripper to appear at any moment.
If you missed the first episode it's available here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfiTBr_54K4
If you missed the first episode it's available here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfiTBr_54K4
November 17, 2015
New Author Website -- Hope it Meets with Approval
This is my new website. Clutter free and an eye catching banner. Hope it works. Feel free to comment and offer advice. Failing that - buy the books :)
http://davidburrows.org.uk/
Mockingjay Part 2 - Looks Good
Very excited, only a few days to go. However, the local Odeon adds £1.50 for new films so it's either wait or take a journey elsewhere. I hope the film is good. Not having the Press is a good idea in light of Paris. It could hit their sales though as it's part of the build up.
Sword of Truth Series - the Conclusion
I have really enjoyed the Sword of Truth series. Some books have been a little rambling and Richard always seems to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Looking forward to this - definitely on my to buy list
November 6, 2015
Our Cat Looking Cute
This is our cat, hiding in a very narrow space. How she gets in I don't know as it's a bit of a jump.
Norbert Ramsbottom's Kitchen Nightmares: Reality show -- fantasy style
Trolls don't normally make good chefs. Jason, yes I agree -- an odd name for a troll, hawked and spat whilst stirring a large cauldron, simmering nicely on the open hearth. The smell from the cauldron would hardly make your mouth water, strip the lining from your throat perhaps, but it could hardly be called appealing.
"Is it ready yet?" Art asked, his head appearing around the door as though devoid of a body. Jason grunted. What the grunt meant was anyone's guess. Art frowned. Goblins always frowned so, in fact, Art's facial expression didn't change, but Jason sensed his irritation, hawked and spat again, not caring that his grey-green phlegm went into his culinary delight.
Art shrugged. "I knew it was a mistake taking on a troll in the kitchen."
Jason growled and continued to stir the over-sized pot. Art looked around the tiny backroom. It used to be a busy kitchen, but since taking Jason on as a bottle washer the other staff seemed to have left or ... well, disappeared. Promotion for Jason to chef had been all too swift.
Art raised a clawed hand, "Not that I'm complaining," he offered quickly. "It's just that business has dropped off recently. Do you think our menu is too varied?"
Jason grunted and continued to stir. This was it, the only item on offer and apart from take it or leave it, this was the only choice.
"Perhaps I need a new marketing strategy?" Art offered up hopefully. "Perhaps targeting the Walking Dead or Ghouls. They're not fussy...or so I've heard."
Art peered over the cauldron's rim, careful not to get too close to Jason's reach. Last week there had been four waiters, now there were only two and they were very nervous. Very nervous indeed. Waiters were hard to come by and usually only elves, hard-up on their luck, applied. Still, staff shortages meant profits were up.
"What about that celebrity, Norbert Ramsbottom," Art declared in a flash. "I've heard he's turned around the fortunes of many a kitchen."
"Wot 'e taste like?" Jason asked.
Art was taken aback. Jason rarely spoke. "I think he uses his tongue like everyone else," he said, his eye narrowed in a suspicious manner.
Jason grunted.
Art walked out of the kitchen and was shocked to see that the restaurant was full for a change. At every table sat an over-sized troll. Drool formed puddles on the table tops in anticipation of the coming...feast? Art brightened, things were looking up. He failed to spot the hungry looks that followed him around the room.
"Is it ready yet?" Art asked, his head appearing around the door as though devoid of a body. Jason grunted. What the grunt meant was anyone's guess. Art frowned. Goblins always frowned so, in fact, Art's facial expression didn't change, but Jason sensed his irritation, hawked and spat again, not caring that his grey-green phlegm went into his culinary delight.
Art shrugged. "I knew it was a mistake taking on a troll in the kitchen."
Jason growled and continued to stir the over-sized pot. Art looked around the tiny backroom. It used to be a busy kitchen, but since taking Jason on as a bottle washer the other staff seemed to have left or ... well, disappeared. Promotion for Jason to chef had been all too swift.
Art raised a clawed hand, "Not that I'm complaining," he offered quickly. "It's just that business has dropped off recently. Do you think our menu is too varied?"
Jason grunted and continued to stir. This was it, the only item on offer and apart from take it or leave it, this was the only choice.
"Perhaps I need a new marketing strategy?" Art offered up hopefully. "Perhaps targeting the Walking Dead or Ghouls. They're not fussy...or so I've heard."
Art peered over the cauldron's rim, careful not to get too close to Jason's reach. Last week there had been four waiters, now there were only two and they were very nervous. Very nervous indeed. Waiters were hard to come by and usually only elves, hard-up on their luck, applied. Still, staff shortages meant profits were up.
"What about that celebrity, Norbert Ramsbottom," Art declared in a flash. "I've heard he's turned around the fortunes of many a kitchen."
"Wot 'e taste like?" Jason asked.
Art was taken aback. Jason rarely spoke. "I think he uses his tongue like everyone else," he said, his eye narrowed in a suspicious manner.
Jason grunted.
Art walked out of the kitchen and was shocked to see that the restaurant was full for a change. At every table sat an over-sized troll. Drool formed puddles on the table tops in anticipation of the coming...feast? Art brightened, things were looking up. He failed to spot the hungry looks that followed him around the room.
November 4, 2015
Do Fantasy and Historical Fiction Authors Describe Battles Accurately?
My thoughts centered around medieval battles and the use of swords.
A sword must have been a horrible weapon. I saw a clip where a pig carcass was hit with a sword and it's unbelievable the damage it did. Add to that blood and screams and it must have been a terrifying weapon. Apparently in some medieval battles the air misted red, I assume from all those severed arteries.
Do authors truly describe the awesome and horrible aspects of such a weapon? I think when you get to duels with rapiers it's probably a bit nicer but medieval broadswords must have been hellishly messy.
Do we want to know? Or would the real aspects of such warfare put us of reading?
A sword must have been a horrible weapon. I saw a clip where a pig carcass was hit with a sword and it's unbelievable the damage it did. Add to that blood and screams and it must have been a terrifying weapon. Apparently in some medieval battles the air misted red, I assume from all those severed arteries.
Do authors truly describe the awesome and horrible aspects of such a weapon? I think when you get to duels with rapiers it's probably a bit nicer but medieval broadswords must have been hellishly messy.
Do we want to know? Or would the real aspects of such warfare put us of reading?
Writing a Book: How to Create Memorable Characters - Tips.
This is not an easy task and the following thoughts are offered:
A good question to ask is what makes a character memorable from books that you've read. In Game of Thrones there are a huge number of characters so making a character stand out is a big achievement. Picking one -- Hound, he is memorable by the way he is treated by others and the name is a great reflection. So a nickname can make a character stand out, especially if it fits his personality. Joffrey is because he is such a loon, that you have to hate him. So making your character an extreme makes them stand out.
A good character author is Michael Sullivan. His two main characters are complete opposites: a thief and a loner versus an idealist. Immediately the two are tasked to work together and initially one tries to kill the other. Gradually, they gain respect for each other, so some form of conflict can make characters memorable.
Bernard Cornwell is great at creating memorable characters and his method is almost a formula; take someone outside their comfort zone. Sharp is an example and he is an officer from the ranks so everyone hates him. In Rebel one character is a Northerner who decides to fight for the South. Why, I can't remember - but you immediately have a character that instills sympathy.
Another method of creating a character is to think of someone you know or have met (and possibly disliked?) and to ask what traits made them memorable. We all know someone that has impacted on our lives in some way and you might be able to use that. I have but mainly for side characters. It helps when writing as you don't forget them easily that way and you stay in role when writing about that character.
My last thought is perhaps random. Not the thought but the method. Create a table of characteristics and roll a dice for each column. Listing the characteristics would be interesting, moody, indifferent, happy, arse-hole...
So;
1. Nickname
2. How others treat/respect your character
3. Put the character out of their comfort zone
4. Make them extreme in some way
5. Chose from a random list and see what you get
6. Think of characters in books (films) that are memorable and ask why
7. Relate to people that stand out for you in your real life and use those traits.
A good question to ask is what makes a character memorable from books that you've read. In Game of Thrones there are a huge number of characters so making a character stand out is a big achievement. Picking one -- Hound, he is memorable by the way he is treated by others and the name is a great reflection. So a nickname can make a character stand out, especially if it fits his personality. Joffrey is because he is such a loon, that you have to hate him. So making your character an extreme makes them stand out.
A good character author is Michael Sullivan. His two main characters are complete opposites: a thief and a loner versus an idealist. Immediately the two are tasked to work together and initially one tries to kill the other. Gradually, they gain respect for each other, so some form of conflict can make characters memorable.
Bernard Cornwell is great at creating memorable characters and his method is almost a formula; take someone outside their comfort zone. Sharp is an example and he is an officer from the ranks so everyone hates him. In Rebel one character is a Northerner who decides to fight for the South. Why, I can't remember - but you immediately have a character that instills sympathy.
Another method of creating a character is to think of someone you know or have met (and possibly disliked?) and to ask what traits made them memorable. We all know someone that has impacted on our lives in some way and you might be able to use that. I have but mainly for side characters. It helps when writing as you don't forget them easily that way and you stay in role when writing about that character.
My last thought is perhaps random. Not the thought but the method. Create a table of characteristics and roll a dice for each column. Listing the characteristics would be interesting, moody, indifferent, happy, arse-hole...
So;
1. Nickname
2. How others treat/respect your character
3. Put the character out of their comfort zone
4. Make them extreme in some way
5. Chose from a random list and see what you get
6. Think of characters in books (films) that are memorable and ask why
7. Relate to people that stand out for you in your real life and use those traits.
Books Made in to Films, TV Series: Which Works Best, the Book or the Film.
I am rereading and watching the Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell which is quite topical as the series has just started. Not quite fantasy but not far off it either, with sorcerers (skalds) and plenty of gods. I am always amazed how dissimilar films and TV are when compared to the books. I don't always understand though why a TV series or film is made based on a great book, which is then rewritten! Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.
Last Kingdom is all about Uhtred, a Saxon boy, who is captured and brought up among Danes whereas the TV series after episode 2 has him grown up already. I'm interested to see what is left in the book that they can use to make 3 more of the series. Having said that, the TV series is good and made me want to reread the books so that's also good. Imagination is great and I always think books are better than films but occasionally a film (eg Lord of the Rings) really works and it is incredible to see things become real.
I think you can't beat your own imagination and a book always wins out. However, occasionally it's the other way around and Stardust is my favourite movie and I wasn't enthralled by the book. Does that depend which you see/read first?
Last Kingdom is all about Uhtred, a Saxon boy, who is captured and brought up among Danes whereas the TV series after episode 2 has him grown up already. I'm interested to see what is left in the book that they can use to make 3 more of the series. Having said that, the TV series is good and made me want to reread the books so that's also good. Imagination is great and I always think books are better than films but occasionally a film (eg Lord of the Rings) really works and it is incredible to see things become real.
I think you can't beat your own imagination and a book always wins out. However, occasionally it's the other way around and Stardust is my favourite movie and I wasn't enthralled by the book. Does that depend which you see/read first?
Listening to Music Reminds me of Books Many Years on.
How cool is that. I'm listening to Incantations by Mike Oldfield twenty (or so) years after reading Lord Foul's bane and the music still reminds me of the the trilogy. Somehow it captured the mood of the books really well.
If you've not tried it, it's worth doing. Headphones on and music on low and read away. It really sets the mood nicely. Great inspiration for when writing as well. Mike Oldfield used Celtic themes in some of his music and that's perhaps why it's so great with fantasy books.
I loved reading the Hobbit to Hergest Ridge and Lord of the Rings to Ommadawn
If you've not tried it, it's worth doing. Headphones on and music on low and read away. It really sets the mood nicely. Great inspiration for when writing as well. Mike Oldfield used Celtic themes in some of his music and that's perhaps why it's so great with fantasy books.
I loved reading the Hobbit to Hergest Ridge and Lord of the Rings to Ommadawn
