Allison Symes's Blog, page 16
November 12, 2022
Book Memory Associations
Books are special for so many reasons. Not least is the fact books have so many positive memory associations for us.
I still have my Reader’s Digest Collection of Fairytales which my father bought for me many, many years ago. I think he saved up cigarette coupons to get the books. You could back then!
You went into what was a effectively a catalogue shop (a bit like Argos) and redeemed the coupons. One irony here is I know I did get a recorder thanks to those coupons thanks to Dad’s smoking habit, which I am glad he gave up much later on.
Anyway, I still treasure those fairytale books. The spines are taped up because I read them so much when I was younger.
Then there are the books I inherited from my mum. There are the books I bought for myself to start my own collection off.
There are the books I’ve written or contributed to and there are plenty of books on my shelves written by friends. I love them all!
There are books I associate with reading at certain times of the year. There are those I dip back into occasionally but I am just glad to know they’re on my shelves somewhere.
For me, a home isn’t a home without books in it. They are a great comfort.
So which books have great associations for you? Which books could you not bear to part with under any circumstances?
I still have my Reader’s Digest Collection of Fairytales which my father bought for me many, many years ago. I think he saved up cigarette coupons to get the books. You could back then!
You went into what was a effectively a catalogue shop (a bit like Argos) and redeemed the coupons. One irony here is I know I did get a recorder thanks to those coupons thanks to Dad’s smoking habit, which I am glad he gave up much later on.
Anyway, I still treasure those fairytale books. The spines are taped up because I read them so much when I was younger.
Then there are the books I inherited from my mum. There are the books I bought for myself to start my own collection off.
There are the books I’ve written or contributed to and there are plenty of books on my shelves written by friends. I love them all!
There are books I associate with reading at certain times of the year. There are those I dip back into occasionally but I am just glad to know they’re on my shelves somewhere.
For me, a home isn’t a home without books in it. They are a great comfort.
So which books have great associations for you? Which books could you not bear to part with under any circumstances?
November 5, 2022
Book Wish Lists
It is the right time of year to start thinking about book wish lists (assuming you don’t have an all year round one. The advantage of the latter is it covers birthdays, anniversaries, feel like a new book days etc).
I don’t have a wish list for my Kindle. If there’s a book I’m after for that, I just get it. But I will be compiling my annual list for the family to pick books from for me for Christmas. That’s always fun to put together.
I go for a mixture of hardbacks and paperbacks. Some will be books I’ve been after for a while. Others are recent releases I like the look of - and often detective novels at that. I also make a point in checking out non-fiction releases as I’ve found some gems there.
So what it is that makes you put a book on your own wish list? For me the story is the lure. If I like the sound of it, on to the wish list it goes, whether it is by a big name author or not.
Some are the latest in a series I’ve become fond of and others are stand alones. As long as I like the sound of the tale and the characters, I’m putting it on my list.
The nice thing about lists is it is a win-win for my loved ones too. I am easy to buy for!
Mind you, I think most writers are. There are always books or stationery items we want. No good asking for an agent or a publishing deal though - you’re on your own for those!
I don’t have a wish list for my Kindle. If there’s a book I’m after for that, I just get it. But I will be compiling my annual list for the family to pick books from for me for Christmas. That’s always fun to put together.
I go for a mixture of hardbacks and paperbacks. Some will be books I’ve been after for a while. Others are recent releases I like the look of - and often detective novels at that. I also make a point in checking out non-fiction releases as I’ve found some gems there.
So what it is that makes you put a book on your own wish list? For me the story is the lure. If I like the sound of it, on to the wish list it goes, whether it is by a big name author or not.
Some are the latest in a series I’ve become fond of and others are stand alones. As long as I like the sound of the tale and the characters, I’m putting it on my list.
The nice thing about lists is it is a win-win for my loved ones too. I am easy to buy for!
Mind you, I think most writers are. There are always books or stationery items we want. No good asking for an agent or a publishing deal though - you’re on your own for those!
October 29, 2022
The ABC of Books - Part 2 - N to Z
It’s time for Part 2 of my alphabetical celebration of books.
N = New and old books - read both and have a great reading “diet”.
O = Open up your reading diet to include genres new to you - this is where I’m glad I have many writing friends. I like to read what they bring out. It’s wonderfully entertaining and I’ve got to read books this way I might not otherwise have come across.
P = Paperbacks and the Penguin. Paperbacks are my favourite format and Penguin opened these up for so many - definitely worth celebrating that.
Q = Quirky fiction. Plenty of room for that in the book world - and often it is the quirky books or characters that grab the attention. Who would have thought a trilogy about a brave hobbit would take off?
R = Reading - and across formats as well as genres. Stories can be taken in via the printed word, audio, etc. Enjoy them all.
S = Stories. This is what books give us - yes, even non-fiction. Why? Because in a non-fiction book, the “story” is you finding out something you had not known before on a topic that has grabbed your interest. Or has increased your knowledge on it.
T = Trailers for books. These are great fun and a fabulous way of giving a teaser to a book. I’m all for getting the word about books out there and this is another way to do that.
U = Universes, yes plural. Fabulous books take you into a world of their own (whether it is set here, back in time, or a fantasy planet somewhere). You should lose yourself in a good book!
V = Voice. A good book will show you the author’s voice through their characters and will enthrall you. You’ll look out for more by that writer hopefully too.
W = Words, the powerhouse of books. Books impact you through words, the way the author has put them together, what they get their characters to say and do. The words of characters stay in your memory. Words, and therefore books, are powerful.
X = X marks the spot found in classic pirate fiction such as Treasure Island, and that leads me on to saying (e)xcellence in fiction, especially children’s fiction will encourage a life long love of reading. How do I know? It happened for me!
Y = Young Adult fiction. I am so glad this category exists now. It didn’t really when I was growing up. I did find myself between categories and I’d have loved the YA range. Also a great way to keep people reading and I’m all for that too.
Z = Zestful books - the kind that keep you reading all night. The books that are hard to put down even when you have finished reading them. The very best books of all!
N = New and old books - read both and have a great reading “diet”.
O = Open up your reading diet to include genres new to you - this is where I’m glad I have many writing friends. I like to read what they bring out. It’s wonderfully entertaining and I’ve got to read books this way I might not otherwise have come across.
P = Paperbacks and the Penguin. Paperbacks are my favourite format and Penguin opened these up for so many - definitely worth celebrating that.
Q = Quirky fiction. Plenty of room for that in the book world - and often it is the quirky books or characters that grab the attention. Who would have thought a trilogy about a brave hobbit would take off?
R = Reading - and across formats as well as genres. Stories can be taken in via the printed word, audio, etc. Enjoy them all.
S = Stories. This is what books give us - yes, even non-fiction. Why? Because in a non-fiction book, the “story” is you finding out something you had not known before on a topic that has grabbed your interest. Or has increased your knowledge on it.
T = Trailers for books. These are great fun and a fabulous way of giving a teaser to a book. I’m all for getting the word about books out there and this is another way to do that.
U = Universes, yes plural. Fabulous books take you into a world of their own (whether it is set here, back in time, or a fantasy planet somewhere). You should lose yourself in a good book!
V = Voice. A good book will show you the author’s voice through their characters and will enthrall you. You’ll look out for more by that writer hopefully too.
W = Words, the powerhouse of books. Books impact you through words, the way the author has put them together, what they get their characters to say and do. The words of characters stay in your memory. Words, and therefore books, are powerful.
X = X marks the spot found in classic pirate fiction such as Treasure Island, and that leads me on to saying (e)xcellence in fiction, especially children’s fiction will encourage a life long love of reading. How do I know? It happened for me!
Y = Young Adult fiction. I am so glad this category exists now. It didn’t really when I was growing up. I did find myself between categories and I’d have loved the YA range. Also a great way to keep people reading and I’m all for that too.
Z = Zestful books - the kind that keep you reading all night. The books that are hard to put down even when you have finished reading them. The very best books of all!
October 22, 2022
The ABC of Books - Part 1 - A to M
A = Annuals, often treasured for years. Which was your favourite?
B = Back catalogues - I often don’t pick the first book by an author to read so if I like the book I did read, I have a lot of fun catching up with the others!
C = Characters - where would any book be without them and again name your favourites. I have loads”
D = Dialogue in books mirrors real life speech but can’t ape it exactly as there’d be far too many ahs, ums, stutters etc - not easy and boring to read!
E = Entertainment and enrichment - what good books always do whether they’re fiction or non-fiction.
F = Flash fiction - my genre - fun and stretches across genres too as I’ve written crime flash, ghost flash etc.
G = Great writers of the past still inspire today though I am thankful I don’t need to be as descriptive as Dickens had to be for his readers who could not travel to see the places he wrote about (or have the benefit of film/TV to see them).
H = History - fiction and non- fiction - a wonderful category and can inspire all sorts of fictional works.
I = Intellect and Imagination - reading widely doses so much for both of these.
J = Justice - a major factor in the popularity of crime fiction as justice is usually seen to be done here.
K = Kindle - ebooks have transformed reading by giving us another format. It has also given more writers a voice too.
L = Life - in all its forms and several alien ones - can be found across the whole spectrum of book categories.
M = Mysteries - as well as the obvious crime section, there is the paranormal mystery book, the non-fiction books trying to lift the lid on mysteries and so on.
Part 2 next week but I do know books should be celebrated!
B = Back catalogues - I often don’t pick the first book by an author to read so if I like the book I did read, I have a lot of fun catching up with the others!
C = Characters - where would any book be without them and again name your favourites. I have loads”
D = Dialogue in books mirrors real life speech but can’t ape it exactly as there’d be far too many ahs, ums, stutters etc - not easy and boring to read!
E = Entertainment and enrichment - what good books always do whether they’re fiction or non-fiction.
F = Flash fiction - my genre - fun and stretches across genres too as I’ve written crime flash, ghost flash etc.
G = Great writers of the past still inspire today though I am thankful I don’t need to be as descriptive as Dickens had to be for his readers who could not travel to see the places he wrote about (or have the benefit of film/TV to see them).
H = History - fiction and non- fiction - a wonderful category and can inspire all sorts of fictional works.
I = Intellect and Imagination - reading widely doses so much for both of these.
J = Justice - a major factor in the popularity of crime fiction as justice is usually seen to be done here.
K = Kindle - ebooks have transformed reading by giving us another format. It has also given more writers a voice too.
L = Life - in all its forms and several alien ones - can be found across the whole spectrum of book categories.
M = Mysteries - as well as the obvious crime section, there is the paranormal mystery book, the non-fiction books trying to lift the lid on mysteries and so on.
Part 2 next week but I do know books should be celebrated!
October 15, 2022
Non-Fiction Inspiring Fiction
Non-fiction can inspire fiction. How things are made, for example, can trigger ideas for how things would be made in your fictional settings and the characters who would make them.
Equally reading up on science that interests you or a period of history can trigger ideas for characters.
I've always found getting a character in my head is a surefire way to spark story ideas.
So having a reasonable general knowledge, fuelled by non-fiction reading, is a useful "pool" to fish in for story ideas.
And as ever, the wider you read the bigger your "pool" to fish from.
Equally reading up on science that interests you or a period of history can trigger ideas for characters.
I've always found getting a character in my head is a surefire way to spark story ideas.
So having a reasonable general knowledge, fuelled by non-fiction reading, is a useful "pool" to fish in for story ideas.
And as ever, the wider you read the bigger your "pool" to fish from.
October 8, 2022
Read!
R = Read widely and well - in and out of your genre, why limit your choices?
E = Ebooks, audio books, the good old paperback - love them all!
A = Adult fiction, YA fiction, classics, contemporary - have a good mix.
D = Drag out old favourites, buy new ones, visit your library - have a fabulous reading diet!
E = Ebooks, audio books, the good old paperback - love them all!
A = Adult fiction, YA fiction, classics, contemporary - have a good mix.
D = Drag out old favourites, buy new ones, visit your library - have a fabulous reading diet!
October 1, 2022
Identifying with Characters
Do you identify with characters? I always have had a soft spot for Hans Christen Andersen’s The Ugly Duckling (and have always loathed bullying of any kind so that feeds in to my sympathy for the character here).
I also like justice to be seen to be done so I am always rooting for the detective in crime fiction unless they are the baddie.
What you value will feed into the kind of characters you root for and I have an especial soft spot for the underdog.
I’m on the lookout for seemingly undervalued characters in a story because I am watching for them to turn out to have a major role to play in that story later on - and most of the time I’d be right to do so.
The characters I dislike the most are ones almost inevitably where I don’t share their values (and most of the time rightly so there too!).
I’ve still got to be able to understand why they take the view they do though I don’t have to agree with it. That helps me create my own characters - the ones I like and love - and yes I have created characters I really can’t stand!
The challenge there is to get into their heads sufficiently well enough to see why they are the way they are.
I also like justice to be seen to be done so I am always rooting for the detective in crime fiction unless they are the baddie.
What you value will feed into the kind of characters you root for and I have an especial soft spot for the underdog.
I’m on the lookout for seemingly undervalued characters in a story because I am watching for them to turn out to have a major role to play in that story later on - and most of the time I’d be right to do so.
The characters I dislike the most are ones almost inevitably where I don’t share their values (and most of the time rightly so there too!).
I’ve still got to be able to understand why they take the view they do though I don’t have to agree with it. That helps me create my own characters - the ones I like and love - and yes I have created characters I really can’t stand!
The challenge there is to get into their heads sufficiently well enough to see why they are the way they are.
September 24, 2022
Fact or Fiction?
A good book is a good book regardless of whether it is factual or not.
I was late to the party when it comes to reading non-fiction but I am glad I’ve discovered the form, I’m also fond of those stories which are based on truth - historical fiction is wonderful for this.
I was sorry to hear of the death of Dame Hilary Mantel. I loved Wolf Hall.
The best non-fiction books often read as if they could be a novel (and this is where creative non-fiction is a genre I definitely want to read more of).
The irony here though is that fiction can share truths which non-fiction cannot because those truths can’t be “scientifically” verified.
I love it when a character “rings true” and I can put myself in their stead and think yes I would’ve done that too.
Of course you sometimes come across a character where you almost want to shout at them “don’t do that”. That’s the fun of fiction though!
You can get behind the characters. You don’t necessarily need to agree with all they say and do.
The best non-fiction will show you aspects of a historical character you might not have considered before. The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey is fiction but it is a rare example, for me, of doing just that for Richard III.
I was late to the party when it comes to reading non-fiction but I am glad I’ve discovered the form, I’m also fond of those stories which are based on truth - historical fiction is wonderful for this.
I was sorry to hear of the death of Dame Hilary Mantel. I loved Wolf Hall.
The best non-fiction books often read as if they could be a novel (and this is where creative non-fiction is a genre I definitely want to read more of).
The irony here though is that fiction can share truths which non-fiction cannot because those truths can’t be “scientifically” verified.
I love it when a character “rings true” and I can put myself in their stead and think yes I would’ve done that too.
Of course you sometimes come across a character where you almost want to shout at them “don’t do that”. That’s the fun of fiction though!
You can get behind the characters. You don’t necessarily need to agree with all they say and do.
The best non-fiction will show you aspects of a historical character you might not have considered before. The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey is fiction but it is a rare example, for me, of doing just that for Richard III.
September 17, 2022
Stand Out Moments
What are your favourite stand out moments in fiction?
In Pride and Prejudice for me it is where Elizabeth meets Mr Darcy again at Pemberley. You just know at that point somehow things are going to be sorted out between them. It is a question of finding out how.
For The Lord of the Rings it is when Sam Gamgee eavesdrops Gandalf’s conversation with Frodo, is hauled in, and is determined to go with his boss, no matter what. You just know at that point Frodo is going to be glad of Sam accompanying him - and so it proves.
Sometimes the pivot point in the book is the stand out moment for me.
But in both Pride and Prejudice and The Lord of the Rings, there are several stand out moments. You can’t beat seeing the Ring of Power going into Mount Doom after all but that can’t happen without the earlier stand out moment.
Can there be stand out moments in non-fiction? I think so.
It is usually that point where something is shown to you that you’d not realised before and you learn something new or have a theory you had confirmed or challenged (either work. The moment that makes you change your view or have it confirmed is what you remember).
The ultimate stand out moment though is the one that made you glad to have read the book!
In Pride and Prejudice for me it is where Elizabeth meets Mr Darcy again at Pemberley. You just know at that point somehow things are going to be sorted out between them. It is a question of finding out how.
For The Lord of the Rings it is when Sam Gamgee eavesdrops Gandalf’s conversation with Frodo, is hauled in, and is determined to go with his boss, no matter what. You just know at that point Frodo is going to be glad of Sam accompanying him - and so it proves.
Sometimes the pivot point in the book is the stand out moment for me.
But in both Pride and Prejudice and The Lord of the Rings, there are several stand out moments. You can’t beat seeing the Ring of Power going into Mount Doom after all but that can’t happen without the earlier stand out moment.
Can there be stand out moments in non-fiction? I think so.
It is usually that point where something is shown to you that you’d not realised before and you learn something new or have a theory you had confirmed or challenged (either work. The moment that makes you change your view or have it confirmed is what you remember).
The ultimate stand out moment though is the one that made you glad to have read the book!
September 10, 2022
Books with Meaning To You
All books have meaning.
For me, I have a few categories here. There are the books written by and signed for me by author friends. I love seeing those books on my shelves, Then there are the books left to me by my late mother. Then there are books I saved up to buy when I was much younger and which I still have.
Then there are books such as The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey which opened up my eyes to the idea there is a whole story behind Richard III that needs further investigating. Do not take Shakespeare as gospel!
Then there are the books which make me gasp as I take in their full scale and scope - The Lord of the Rings is the obvious one.
Them there are my childhood fairytale books - The Reader’s Digest books here were my first introduction to the wonderful (and often scary) world of the fairytale. They remain a great influence on me as a writer too.
Then there are the shelves with my collections of books by P.G.Wodehouse and Terry Pratchett - the laughter shelves if you like.
So which books have special meaning to you and why?
For me, I have a few categories here. There are the books written by and signed for me by author friends. I love seeing those books on my shelves, Then there are the books left to me by my late mother. Then there are books I saved up to buy when I was much younger and which I still have.
Then there are books such as The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey which opened up my eyes to the idea there is a whole story behind Richard III that needs further investigating. Do not take Shakespeare as gospel!
Then there are the books which make me gasp as I take in their full scale and scope - The Lord of the Rings is the obvious one.
Them there are my childhood fairytale books - The Reader’s Digest books here were my first introduction to the wonderful (and often scary) world of the fairytale. They remain a great influence on me as a writer too.
Then there are the shelves with my collections of books by P.G.Wodehouse and Terry Pratchett - the laughter shelves if you like.
So which books have special meaning to you and why?
