Stuart Aken's Blog, page 286

Stuart's Daily Word Spot: Laboured

Laboured: adjective - used for work; hard worked; cultivated,tilled, ploughed; produced or accomplished using labour; performed with greateffort; tediously elaborated or lacking spontaneity, heavy.
'Carol's rendition of thepoem was laboured and dull, lacking the emotional element that the words shouldhave conveyed.'
'Barry's breathing waslaboured, his eyes closing from the simple effort of drawing in the air, and itwasn't long before the final, ragged breath signalled his death.'
Pic: A farm track in East Yorkshire.

Author Interview with Stephen L. Brayton

I'm a Fifth Degree Black Beltinstructor in the American Taekwondo Association. I started martial artstraining in 1991, earned my black belt in 1993, and gained my instructorcertification in 1995.
In 1996, I opened up my firsttaekwondo club in Grinnell, Iowa.
In 2003, I assumed ownership of theclub in Oskaloosa, Iowa.
I've written stories for many years,but started seriously while working at a radio station in Kewanee, Illinois. After Imoved to Oskaloosa, Iowa, I startedattending a writers' group in Des Moines.  So much knowledgeabout writing and critique came out of thatgroup and the others I've enjoyed.
I attended my first conference in2007, Love Is Murder, In Chicago. Mike Manno introduced me to'pitches' and we discussed writing and history and law while sharing the drive.
In 2009, while attending the KillerNashville conference I was fortunate enough to meet Mary Welk of Echelon Press.Subsequent to the conference I submitted two novels to Echelon and in October,they BOTH were accepted for E-publication in 2011.
I'm a reader; a writer; an instructor;a graphic designer; a lover of books, movies, wine, women, music, fine food,good humor, sunny summer days spent hiking or fishing; and I'm a catnip drugdealer to my fifteen pound cat, Thomas.

Tell us about "Beta"in a few sentences.
Mallory Petersen is aprivate investigator and martial artist. Her clients usually lean toward thenuttier side, however when she accepts a case to find a kidnapped eight yearold, she steps into a dark world of unspeakable crimes. The trail leads heraround Iowa's capital city of Des Moines to the Quad Cities.
Where and when is yournovel set and why did you make these specific choices?
I've based it out ofDes Moines mainly because I'm familiar with the metropolitan area. I've neverbeen to New York or Los Angeles and could get lost in Chicago quite easily. Idon't know of any book where Des Moines has been featured. It's also set inpresent day, although I don't say which present day (if that makes any sense).I started this over ten years ago and since then, the Des Moines downtownlandscape has changed and technology has changed. I kept making changes in mystory to fit the current scene. However, I finally had to stop and go with whatI had. So, some of the places I mention in the book don't exist any longer.
How can people buyyour books?
You may purchase thisand the previous book at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and OmniLit.com.
How do you set aboutwriting a piece?
Normally, an idea willcome to me at any given moment. I may write it down or I may contemplate it forawhile. If it won't leave me alone, I may start jotting notes, interestingscenes, maybe a few characters. If it bugs me enough I'll work on an outlineand write a few research questions I'll need to check out later. Then I'lldevelop a few characters (names, descriptions, etc.). Once I have a startingbasis, then I can begin with the prologue or the first chapter.
Beginning writers makemany mistakes; what do you think is the most harmful?
They stop writing.They don't believe in themselves. I read a statistic that 80% of Americanswould like to write a novel. Well, why don't they? Many do not take the ideaseriously. Many stop after receiving critiques. Most critiques are given byother struggling writers, those who are also learning the craft. However,beginners think their stuff is crap and do you want to know the truth? Itprobably is. Everybody writes crap. I'm sure Stephen King, Ernest Hemmingway,and Shakespeare all wrote crap when they first started writing. But they had adream, they learned, they honed their talent, they persevered and they believedin themselves. Don't stop writing.
To what extent aregrammar and spelling important to a writer?
What good are playingor singing the correct notes to a musician? What good is having good rhythm toa dancer? The right tools for a plumber or a carpenter? If a hockey playercan't skate, then he doesn't play the sport. Spelling? Come on, every word processingsoftware has a spell checker. Don't tell me dictionaries suddenly havedisappeared.  Grammar? Most of us do notwrite like we speak. Many Americans are lazy talkers. If you're a writer,though, you'd better have learned something in those English classes becauseeditors will nail you on the fundamentals.
How much revision ofyour MS do you do before you send it off?
When I write END, Istop writing the story. Then I celebrate that I've completed the task I had setbefore me. I may take a break, allow a few days to pass, then I will start atpage one and read through the entire story, making corrections on dialogue, punctuation,grammar, continuity errors, etc. Then I'll read through it again. And again. Idon't keep track of the number of times. After I get sick of looking at themanuscript, I'll put it aside for awhile and work on another project. I maystill be reading parts of it to a critique group, but I don't actively work onit. Then after a period of time passes, I'll pick it up with fresh, relaxedeyes and reread again. I know, though, no matter how many times I go throughit, some editor will pick it apart and find those errors I still missed.
Do you have support,either from family and friends or a writing group?
I have a couple ofreally close writer friends. We try to meet weekly although the plan doesn'twork out all of the time. We're all working on getting published either againor for the first time. Critique groups are invaluable and if you're not part ofone, you are missing out on free but priceless advice. And a whole lot of fun.Family? Wow, my family has supported me and encouraged my writing for years.When I was accepted by Echelon Press for my first two books, I called my Dadbefore I even replied to Echelon's email.
Is there any aspect ofwriting that you really enjoy?
The research. I envythose authors who can create entire cities or worlds or people from nothingmore than their thoughts. If I'm writing about a building, or a park, or acemetery, I have to see it. I want to talk to people, ask questions. It's funbecause I've discovered little things I may not have known about if I hadn't traveledto those places or talk to those people. Often, the little things end up in thestory. I turn real people into fictional characters and include minor tidbitsabout a particular neighborhood. For instance, while looking at spots aroundDes Moines for a future book, getting lost and confused on directions, a friendand I discovered a Buddhist temple right in the middle of a residential area.Neither of us knew the place existed. It was a beautiful site. You just knowthat building is going to end up in a story somehow.  What are you writingnow?
I've completed thesequel to Beta and am working on the sequel to my first book, Night Shadows.I'm also writing another private detective story I plan to finish this year aswell as a obtaining more research to continue on a thriller.
Do you have a websiteor a blog that readers can visit?
My website is www.stephenbrayton.com . My blog where I do author interviews and post writing related stuff is www.stephenlbrayton.blogspot.com . My book review blogis www.braytonsbookbuzz.blogspot.com .
Given unlimitedresources, what would be your ideal writing environment?
Awesome question. I'dlike to give you an exotic place I could be, like Fiji or France or Tibet, butI don't think I'd end up writing there. I'd want to explore. Ideally, thoughI'd love to write where I could have no distractions from the Internet, email,phone, or people stopping by for a visit, with an ample supply of food, and astation playing continuous, no commercials classical, jazz, or light pop.
Where do you actuallywrite?
Usually at work (don'ttell the boss, though, okay?). Sometimes in the park, maybe a coffee shop.

Stuart's Daily Word Spot: Transcript or transcription?

Image via Wikipedia
Transcript or transcription? Transcript: noun -  something that has been transcribed; a writtenor printed copy; in law - a copy of a legal record; a copy, imitation, orreproduction; a representation or interpretation.
Transcription: noun - the actor process of transcribing something; also, an example of this; the result oftranscribing something; a transcript or copy; in Roman Law - a transfer orassignment of debt or obligation.  
Although it is possible to use 'transcription' as a synonym for'transcript', it is best avoided, as it can cause confusion.
So:
'When the comedy writer made a transcript of the scene, it was bothaccurate and highly decorated with rude depictions of the action suggested inthe text.'
'Hilary was engaged in the transcription of the conversation she'd hadwith her ex-boyfriend, ensuring she wrote it word for word, so she'd have theevidence to condemn him out of his own mouth when he next tried to seduce her.'
A transcript is a thing; atranscription is the process of creating it.

Stuart's Daily Word Spot: Kamikaze

Image via Wikipedia
Kamikaze: noun - in Japanese tradition, this is thegale that destroyed the fleet of the invading Mongols in 1281; during theSecond World War, it came to represent both the crewman of a Japanese aircraft andthe plane itself. Usually loaded with explosives, these made deliberatesuicidal attacks, crashing into enemy targets; a suicide pilot or plane; in surfing- a wipeout taken deliberately.
'I tell you, I could seethe mad eyes of that Kamikaze pilot as he aimed his fighter at the bridge ofour destroyer. It was only Johnnie's accurate anti-aircraft fire that saved usand blew the bugger up before he could crash into us.'
5 October 1936 And 200 menset out from Jarrow in the north east of England to march to London and bringthe poverty of their region to the attention of the politicians in Whitehall.

Stuart's Daily Word Spot: Tortuous or torturous?

Image via Wikipedia
Tortuous or torturous? Tortuous: adjective - full of twists or turns; twisted, sinuousor winding; not direct or straightforward; devious, circuitous.
Torturous: adjective - characterized by or involving torture; tormenting,excruciating; figuratively - violently twisted or distorted; perverted.
The use of 'torturous' in place of'tortuous', although more common these days, is the result of amisunderstanding of the real meanings of these two words and should be avoided.
'Thedelta of the Mississippi is full of tortuous distributaries, carrying thewaters over the flat land to the sea.'
'Thetattoo on Jodisa's leg led a tortuous path from her ankle to the place all mendesired to enter.' (That's a reference to the epic fantasy I'm writing.)
'ForSandra, being with Michael was a torturous experience, making her wince withhis every advance and clumsy fumble.'
'Theinmates of the foreign prison were subject to torturous treatment, which leftmany of them unable to stand unaided.'
Atortuous experience winds around; a torturous one causes pain.
4 October 1911 If you usethe London Underground and travel via Earls Court, you might like to know thefirst escalator opened there and is now 100 years old. I suspect they'veupdated it since it was first installed, though.

Stuart's Daily Word Spot: Jackanapes

Jackanapes: noun - a tame ape or monkey; someone whodisplays qualities or behaviour associated with apes; a ridiculous upstart orimpertinent person; a cheeky child.
'Johnson ran up to theboss, tweaked his nose and kissed him on his bald pate, acting like ajackanapes.'

Pic: Drovers' track in the Yorkshire Dales.

Stuart's Daily Word Spot: There, they're or their?

There, they're or their?
More homonyms that constantly causeconfusion. Hopefully these suggestions will help keep you on the right trackwith them.
'There' is about the location ofsomething, as in 'It's over there.'  Oneway to remember this is as follows:'t(Here) for coffee, there fort(ea).'
'They're' is a contraction of'they are'.  'Beware if they're too pleasant;they're probably after your money.' If you can use the full phrase,'they are' in the sentence, then 'they're ' is the suitable word.
'Their' is the plural pronoun thatequates with 'mine' – both have an 'i', which will hopefully act as a reminder.'Their dresses are too short, butmine is just the right length.'
Pic: Looking toward Huggate, East Yorkshire.

Stuart's Daily Word Spot: Ice

Ice: noun - frozen water, which is a brittle translucent crystallinesolid; a body of such frozen water; the sheet or layer of ice on a pond, river,etc; figuratively – a lack of warm feeling, cold-heartedness, deep reserve; anice cream; the icing on a cake; diamonds and other jewellery (slang); the profit made from illegalsales of theatre or cinema tickets (USslang); protection money (slang).
'Donald took his vanilla iceonto the frozen puddle, which was now solid and allowed him to skate on the surfaceof ice.'
'When Gordon made hissuggestion to her, Deidre replied with a glance that exposed the ice in herheart and he knew he'd spend the night in the guest room again.'
'Marylyn counted thecrystals of ice that poured from the soft leather bag, handed her by her agedbut hideously rich admirer, before she calculated how she'd reward him.'
Pic: Bridlington Bay.

Stuart's Daily Word Spot: Habitual

Habitual: adjective - inherent or latent in themental constitution; of the nature of or fixed by a habit; constantly repeatedor continued; customary; given to a specific habit; usual, constant, continual.
'Jennifer wore herhabitual gown of gossamer over skin that was tanned by habitual worship of thesun.'
'Long custom, combinedwith ignorance, intolerance and prejudicial fear made the torture and demonizationof pagan women habitual at the hands of the religious authorities.'
30 September 1861 WilliamWrigley, who founded Wrigley's Chewing Gum Company, was born. Those who blamethe producer for the sins of the users might wish to curse him for the stickymess his products leave on our streets and elsewhere.
Pic: The beck at Staithes, North Yorkshire.

Author Interview with Jeff Horton.

Hello Jeff, please tell us aboutyou, as a writer.
Well, I started writing several years ago, when I was at thepoint in my life that I wanted to reinvent myself. I started putting one wordin front of enough until a novel appeared. I enjoy writing a variety of fiction, ranging from pre andpost-apocalyptic stories, to children's stories and cyber-warfare. The GreatCollapse-Survivors of the Pulse, which came out in 2010, was the first in theSurvivors of the Pulse series, a story about the collapse of civilization whenelectricity is lost across the planet, permanently. The series concludes in TheDark Age-Survivors of the Pulse, which is set five-hundred years in the future,when men once more depend on swords, bows, and arrows to survive. My lastnovel, The Last Prophet, is a fictional story based on the book of Revelationin the Bible, and is written in the first person from the perspective of theprophet.  Your latest books are The Dark Ageand The Last Prophet; perhaps you'd you give us some insight into it in a fewsentences?
The Dark Age and The Last Prophet were released within twoweeks of one another. The Dark Age is a post-apocalyptic novel in whichhumanity struggles to rebuild civilization and break free from five-hundreds ofdarkness. The Last Prophet is a story set at the end of days, when a man namedJohn March, is called to proclaim that the end of the world is at hand, and towarn mankind about the Beast.
How did you come to write thisparticular book?
Although it was the second of my three novels to bepublished, The Dark Age was written first. I've always wondered what wehumanity would do without it's vast and increasingly complex technology. In TheDark Age, not only must humanity live without modern technology, they must livewithout the benefit of thousands of years of ancient technology as well, sinceit was also lost when civilization fell apart during The Great Collapse. In regards to The Last Prophet, I have always wanted towrite a book based on the book of Revelation. There is such rich imagery andfantastic characters that I felt it was worth writing another novel about. Thistime however, I wrote it from the perspective of the prophet, a weak andfallible man who, like the rest of us, is riddled with self-doubt.
Do you have a favouritecharacter from the book? If so, who and why this particular one?
Ihave several characters I really like in each book. My favorite character in The Dark Age would probably be theprotagonist, Ferrell Young, and the antagonist, Kraken. The story would not bequite what it is without either.With The Last Prophet, I'd have to say that oneof myfavorite characters was the wife of John March,Lara. She was always supportive of her husband throughout his journey, anddemonstrates just how strong she is when he dies.
Where can people buy yourbooks?
The Dark Age and The Last Prophet are available from thepublisher, Amazon, and most major bookstores. MyPublisher's website-World Castle PublishingTheDark Age on AmazonTheLast Prophet on Amazon
What qualities does awriter need to be successful?
I think there are three qualities that a writer must possessto be successful; imagination, belief in oneself, and a thick skin. First, anovelist must have an imagination that create a world replete with fictitiousplaces, people, and events. Second, a writer must be confident enough andbelieve in oneself enough to carry them through when naysayers, including thoseclosest to them, try to dissuade them (often with good intentions), frompursuing their dream of a writing career. Lastly, a successful writer must bethick-skinned enough that when their work is slammed by critics (which it willbe), they do not fold and abandon their dream.
What's your working method?
I tend to start with a rough idea of a story. Then, as Iwrite more the plot and the characters begin to develop. Then I start todevelop more of a formal outline that helps build more structure for theremainder of the book.
What's the single biggestmistake made by beginner writers?
I don't honestly know. From my own mistakes, I can say thatI was way too naïve about the challenges around getting published. I was evenmore naïve about the amount of marketing that would be necessary to sell books.Like many others, I'm still waiting to see how successful my efforts will be.
To what extent are grammarand spelling important in writing?
I look like grammar and spelling as necessary evils. Theyhave little to do with developing and telling an exciting story, but you cannotdo so without them. While they do not make a book a bestseller, poor spelling andgrammar certainly can sink one.
How much do you revise yourMS before sending it off?
At first it was nowhere nearly as polished as it should havebeen. Now, I try to get it as polished as I can before sending it in. It's alot easier to make changes before it enters the editing process.
As a writer of Christianfiction, to what extent do you think genre is useful in the publishing world?
      I think the genreis far too underappreciated. I believe that human beings seem to have an innateinterest in the supernatural, but I believe that the market has been saturatedwith the Twilights and Harry Potters for the last five to ten years.       Regardless, Ibelieve that if I can write good, quality, entertaining Christian fiction,there is a huge market for it.
Many authors see marketingas a bind. What's your opinion on this, and how do you deal with it?
I can certainly understand and appreciate that many authors don'tlike the marketing side and to be honest, I'm not sure we are the mostqualified. Until we achieve some substantial recognition however, it is up tous or the publisher to market the author andthe book.
What sort of displacementactivities keep you from writing?
Myday job. For the time being, I do most of my writing at night and on weekends.
What support, if any, doyou receive from family and friends, writing group, or dedicated professionals?
My family and friends have been very important, particularlywhen I first launched my writing career. I continue to have significant supportfrom both, which I appreciate very much.       
Is presentation of the MSas important as agents and publishers suggest?
Absolutely. As with grammar and spelling, it doesn't makethe book successful, it keep it from getting published.
How long does it take youto write a novel?
That largely depends on how much time I have available toput into it. Typically it takes from six months to a year.
Who or what inspires yourwriting?
God, Life, both…I don't really know for sure. Subject matterthat I am either familiar with or have an interest in is important.
If there's a single aspect ofwriting you find frustrating, what is it?
With me it's the dotting of the "i" and the crossing of the "t" that comes oncethe rough draft is finished that is the most frustrating, that and themarketing.
Is there a particular featureof writing that you really enjoy?
I really enjoy the pure creativity of the writing process.As an author, I get to create a world, populate it with people and places, whatcould be more fun then that?
Do you believe creative writingis a natural gift or an acquired skill?
Both. While people are sometimes born with an innatecreativity, it takes time and practice to develop as an artist.
What are you writing now?
My current project is children's novel, a mixture ofChronicles of Narnia, Pilgrim's Progress, and science-fiction.
Do you have a website orblog where readers can visit?
Yes.I am listing them below.         AuthorJeff Horton's website-            www.hortonlibrary.com         Goodreads-     http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...         Facebook-       http://www.facebook.com/Author.Jeff.H...
Given unlimited resources,where would you do your writing?
Sometimesoutside by the pool, sometimes on a yacht, other times in a quiet study.
Where do you actuallywrite?
  In my living room, believe it or not.