James R. Vance's Blog, page 5

COVERS for RISK

       


Thanks to Trisha (who is Trisha?), the front and back covers of my latest novel, Risk are ready for publication.
         The final draft of the manuscript is almost completed. Hoping to publish in March 2013. Risk is a 'companion' to Les Ruines, published last year. Both books are historical fiction, focussing on the exploits of the French Résistance during WWII.
          I undertook research for both novels during the past two years, visiting sites of historical importance and interviewing local inhabitants who were either involved with or were related to those in the various resistance groups.
          As Risk is about escape lines from France into Spain
via the Pyrenees, I was fortunate to become a member of ELMS, the WWII Escape Lines Memorial Society based in the UK.



Synopsis of Risk :

The youngest of three brothers, Geoffrey is proud of his working class roots; he despairs of the inequality pervading English society. When war breaks in 1939, the opportunity arrives to prove his worth. His brothers join the RAF; Geoffrey joins the Royal Artillery.When the allied forces capitulate, Geoffrey finds himself stranded in France. He joins refugees fleeing the Nazis. A wealthy French politician befriends him. Though prejudiced against his aristocratic rescuer, Geoffrey accepts his assistance to escape via Spain. Back in England, the Special Operations Executive recruits him as an agent. He parachutes into Franceto set up escape networks but his role demands the potential sacrifice of subordinates’ lives, conflicting with his principles. Against all rules, he also has an affair with the politician’s daughter, despite having a fiancée at home.His dangerous activities transform an innocent war victim into a risk-taking crusader, whilst his romantic liaisons plunge into chaos. In 1944, reports list Geoffrey as ‘missing presumed dead’. The official secrets act conceals his clandestine exploits; the record of his illustrious career dies with him. Seventy years later, his descendants discover the truth, sending shockwaves through two families believed connected previously only by the English Channel.
Word Count: 92,500Pages:                 146
 

Beckham's Charitable Gesture

As much as I admire David Beckham's financial gift to a Paris school,  how I wish that all well-paid footballers, other wealthy entertainers, Russian oligarchs, oil-rich sheiks and the like would donate a minute percentage of their inflated revenues to one principal 'Save our World from Mankind' fund.

http://sports.inquirer.net/84807/beck...

I know that many 'celebs', wealthy entrepreneurs and indeed, football clubs already support and pour financial aid into deserving charitable organisations, but imagine if all those individual efforts were channelled into one vast fund to reduce poverty, prevent maltreatment and exploitation of the less fortunate inhabitants of our planet (including animals). The Earth could be transformed into a fair and balanced world instead of the current evil catastrophe to which many 'turn a blind eye'.

Beckham and other like-minded people (Bill Gates springs to mind) could develop such magnanimous gestures by working together to pour billions into charitable cases to build a more 'even playing field' for mankind. A 'Superhero' approach is required to transgress continents, countries and crackpot governments by slicing through red tape, prejudices and out-moded negative attitudes, crossing cultural, religious and xenophobic barriers. There are so many rich people on the planet in varying walks of life who could possibly afford to lose a tiny percentage of their wealth without noticing any difference to their lifestyle, but who could see the beneficial rewards to those less fortunate than themselves simply by contributing to a 'Save our World from Mankind' fund.

Passing Time with Past Times

Creative Writing Workshops

In response to the Rachel Cusk article on Creative Writing Workshops:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2013/...


For a start, ‘creative’ is a misnomer. One cannot teach creativity; one can ignite or encourage it. Individuals have different behavioural styles: some are altruistic, some pragmatic, some analytic or a combination of all three in varying degrees. Creativity comes from within, especially from the thinking mind.
However, one can certainly learn writing skills and techniques. Perhaps the title of the courses should be Constructive Writing Workshops, where one can learn how to improve skills and techniques to develop a personal style or to become a ‘better’ or a ‘specialist’ writer.
Writing creatively is like dreaming with a pen in your hand or with your fingers on the keyboard.
French author, Sébastien Vidal states that when a writer sits before a blank sheet of paper or before a computer screen, nothing else exists. Though one’s feet are on the ground, one’s senses float in another world. The image derives from that state of mind, powerful and strong enough to transport one elsewhere on the planet, yet sufficiently fragile for the image to evaporate with the slightest loss of concentration.
That is creativity.

Creative Writing Workshops

In response to the Rachel Cusk article on Creative Writing Workshops:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2013/...


For a start, ‘creative’ is a misnomer. One cannot teach creativity; one can ignite or encourage it. Individuals have different behavioural styles: some are altruistic, some pragmatic, some analytic or a combination of all three in varying degrees. Creativity comes from within, especially from the thinking mind.However, one can certainly learn writing skills and techniques. Perhaps the title of the courses should be Constructive Writing Workshops, where one can learn how to improve skills and techniques to develop a personal style or to become a ‘better’ or a ‘specialist’ writer.Writing creatively is like dreaming with a pen in your hand or with your fingers on the keyboard. French author, Sébastien Vidal states that when a writer sits before a blank sheet of paper or before a computer screen, nothing else exists. Though one’s feet are on the ground, one’s senses float in another world. The image derives from that state of mind, powerful and strong enough to transport one elsewhere on the planet, yet sufficiently fragile for the image to evaporate with the slightest loss of concentration. That is creativity.

Adventures Researching for HF Novels

At Oradour today, I met some French people from Bourges. They were astounded that an English writer could write novels about the local resistance network that had operated during WWII in the south-west region of France. I spent almost an hour discussing the intense research that I had undertaken for my projects—the novels, Les Ruines and Risk.For me, it had been an interesting adventure involving interviews with some very old people, visits to sites specific to my plot, several visits to Le Musée de la Résistance in Limogesand trawling through many books in both English and French about the Special Operations Executive (SOE) and the Maquis. The site visits were especially exciting because they validated some of the facts that I had gleaned from the reading material and from the anecdotes recalled by my interviewees. As survivors from that period dwindle, I realised the importance of gathering their recollections before the accounts of their experiences died with them. I also spent several months trying to source a book about Violette Szabo, an SOE agent captured by the Germans near Limoges, interrogated by the Gestapo in Parisand eventually shot in Ravensbruck concentration camp. Her daughter Tania Szabo, who was only three years old when her mother suffered her cruel fate, wrote the book. Finally, I acquired a signed copy, a story that asked questions about the tragedy and told her story rather more graphically than the ‘sanitised’ film version, ‘Carve her Name with Pride’. Visiting her monument near Sussac, the ruined chapel on Mont Gargan where she met with local maquisards and seeing the drop zone where agents and arms were parachuted into the area brought goose-pimpling reality to events that took place almost seventy years ago.I felt very humble knowing that such actions were commonplace across France at that time, events that led to the eventual liberation of the country from the Nazi occupiers. The dreadful massacre of the 642 innocent men, women and children at Oradour-sur-Glane, the hangings of 99 men in Tulle, the crucifixion of a teenage maquis member at Dent near Chateauponsac, the shooting of hostages across the Limousinwere heavy burdens for the population to bear as reprisals for the actions of the resistance. Was it worth it? When one digs into the past, the alternatives are hard to contemplate.For me, as a writer and observer of the dark years in France, it is difficult to imagine life under the Germans but I believe that one should remember—‘souviens toi’ as stated at Oradour—and recall the sacrifices and valour of all those who risked their lives for freedom.

Soon to be Published

RISK EXCERPT

The young man continued to sniffle as the sound of heavy boots echoed in the corridor outside. The door opened to reveal several soldiers pointing their Mauser rifles at the huddled group of prisoners. The youth covered his face and shook even more.“H’raus!” a voice proclaimed. “H’raus…out now!”The cell disgorged ten stinking, sweaty captives into the cool corridor where the armed soldiers herded them towards a door at the far end. Darkness had almost invaded the outside world when they staggered into a courtyard enclosed on all sides by high stone walls. They shaded their eyes as bright lamps suddenly flooded the area, illuminating a group of SS officers. Impressive in their uniforms, they stood alongside a firing squad of two Wehrmacht soldiers with MG34 machine guns on tripods. Somewhat disorientated, the hostages allowed themselves to be pushed back against a facing wall, forming a line of frightened but innocent victims. An order rang out followed by metallic rings as the soldiers prepared to fire the guns.Geoffrey pressed himself against the wall for support and closed his eyes. He saw the gentle smile of his brother, Michael. “Please look after me, Michael,” he whispered calmly.

TWITTER

Finally changed the header on my Twitter Profile...and added my pic! The header lists my novels starting with the mystery crime series featuring Detective Inspector Massey, followed by my latest move into writing historical fiction. This commenced with Les Ruines, a novel about a mystery surrounding the activities of the French Resistance during World War II. Risk is yet to be published (currently being edited and reviewed) and is a sequel to Les Ruines, focussing this time on the escape lines for evaders and escapees during WWII in France.
I am indebted to ELMS, the WWII Escape Lines Memorial Society for their assistance in researching the background to this specific clandestine movement. I am now a member of this remarkable society:

web-site:  www.ww2escapelines.co.uk 

All novels are available in paperback and Kindle formats from Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B004UPFYWK

NEW NOVEL