Stuart Aken's Blog, page 308

Stuart's Daily Word Spot: Apostrophe

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Apostrophe: noun - punctuation, an inverted comma that designates either possession or a contraction of a word or phrase; an address to a person, place or thing not currently present; exclamatory address or  passage to a particular person or thing.
'In "Eats Shoots and Leaves", Lynne Truss has provided a humorous, entertaining but scholarly treatise on the misuse and proper usage of, amongst others, the much abused apostrophe, as a punctuation mark.'
'The simple way to remember whether you should use "it's" or "its" is to decide whether or not you could substitute "it is", in which case, the contracted form, "it's" is appropriate.'

Stuart's Daily Word Spot: Bacchanalia

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Bacchanalia: noun - Roman festival in honour of the god of wine, Bacchus; drunken revelry, an orgy.
'If you go out on a stag night organised by Reginald, you're likely to find yourself involved in a regular Bacchanalia with plenty of drink, stripagrams, wanton women and the lot.'

Writing: 2500 words this time

Janet's Foss, Malham Dale. Once the habitation of a female hermit.The morning brought a promise of rain that was never fulfilled. But my early rise had me pounding the keys and producing 2500 words. So Ch 29 is complete and Ch 30 is begun. Some great action scenes, which is why I wrote more quickly than usual, I suspect: action requires short, snappy sentences and these tend to speed off the fingers, don't they? One of my main characters is now in peril and another 3 are trapped in a serious situation. Will they escape? Ah, that would be telling, and I don't intend to let anyone know until the book is published.
On a different note, the family went for a pleasant walk of around 6 miles across hilly country around the village of Huggate this afternoon. Some lovely scenery, but this clot forgot to check his camera battery and ended up without power less than halfway round! On the way home, we popped into one of the best fish and chip shops in the area; the shop at Wetwang (yes, that's the name of a real place - for those of you who are relatively local, Paul Hudson, the weatherman, is the nominal mayor there.) But now I'm knackered and in need of a rest, so this is it for the night.

Stuart's Daily Word Spot: Altogether or all together:

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Altogether: noun - the whole together, total, everything; nude, naked. Adverb – entirely, totally, in every respect.
All together; in one place or grouped; all at the same time.
'Persephone stepped from the shower, dried herself and wandered into the sitting room in the altogether, only to discover her gathered friends had arranged a surprise party for her birthday.'
'It is altogether likely that we humans are not the only life form inhabiting the universe.'
'When we go to the beach, we should go all together.'

Writing: 1800 Words Anew

Inside the medieval church at Wharram Percy Strange sort of day, but this morning's session brought me 1800 new words and a couple of new twists to the tale, which is all good. I've made allusions to a new part of the created world, which will shortly feature strongly in the story, so I had to develop and name a new character. Fortunately, my data base of character names came to the rescue and I was able to progress without too much of an interruption in the creative flow. I'm feeling excited by what I did the morning; always a good sign.
Later, following breakfast, the garden called. I'm at the start of a fairly major project and it requires a good deal of preparation, so I've reduced the bulk of an old bust that I thought had died. In fact, the very centre of the plant was still very much alive, once I stripped away all the dead wood, so I've left it in place. Still room in the spot to transplant another bush from the front garde. So, that was a success.
Needed a good long rest after that, so watched an old Miss Marple on one of the channels that repeats such things. A walk after tea and then the obligatory Dr Who with the family.
Now, once I'm done here, I shall go and read more of The Gathering Storm; it's a real tome and I'd like to get it finished this weekend.

Stuart's Daily Word Spot: Abbreviate

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Abbreviate: adjective - shorten, cut short. Noun - An abridgement.
'Gloozan, the mythical monster from the underworld, threatened to abbreviate the hero, Parrostalsis, by removing his head; a singularly effective way of cutting him down to size.'
Some abbreviations, as examples:
BBC = British Broadcasting Corporation, 
AWOL = absent without leave,
NB = nota bene (note well).
AV = Authorised Version, or Alternative Vote

Writing: 1400 Words, at last.

It's been a long time coming, but I finally managed to write another 1400 words, this evening. Most of my creative writing is done in the mornings, as this is my best time. But events conspired to prevent me writing this morning.
The Wolds village of HuggateA late end to last night, following a belated celebration at the local Bell Hotel, where the food is very good. And, on our return home, we opted to watch Mama Mia, which those of you with no soul will call cheesy and those who have at least one romantic bone in your body will recognise as an excellent 'feel good' movie. It helps that the music is good and the scenery wonderful: I just love the Greek islands. But the late night made for a late rising this morning and then we needed to shop in town.
After lunch, I decided I had better do my income tax return. It was the first time I'd tried doing this online and it proved a slightly more involved process than the old paper method, but eventually I managed it. Then I had to tackle Norton, who have somehow managed to resurrect an old account I thought I'd closed 2 years ago. Working through their convoluted email contact system took far more time that it should.
After tea, Valerie needed taking to her bowls match; one of her team mates will return her later.
So, it wasn't until late that I started writing. Still, the 1400 words are moving the story on and I'm pleased with what I've managed.

Stuart's Daily Word Spot: Aphorism

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Aphorism: noun - Any precept or observation expressed pithily, a maxim; concise statement of scientific principle.
'Dorothy Parker's use of aphorisms was legendary.'
Some aphorisms, as examples:
'Lost time is never found again.' Benjamin Franklin 
'Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.' Ralph Waldo Emerson
'Money, like knowledge and muck, is most effective when well spread.' Stuart Aken (I know; but it had to be said.) 

Writing: 2,200 Words Added to the Total

Field planted with potato cropAfter a couple of bleak days, spent mostly in the office where I earn my daily bread, I managed to make up some ground this morning. 2,200 new words and more action, with a chase, an escape and a threat entwined. So, Ch28 of the epic fantasy novel is now done and Ch29 awaits my ponding of the keyboard tomorrow.
Yesterday, I took a short story to my writing group and amused them with the humour. Needs a little more work before it'll be fit to enter into a competition, though. BTW, if such things interest you as a writer, take a look at the Contests tab above and you'll find over 140 writing competitions listed and linked to their various websites.
Spent some of today creating more Word Spot posts and another author interview, as well as dealing with multiple emails.
This evening my wife is taking me out to a local hotel for a belated celebratory meal for my birthday, so, showered and togged up, I'm just waiting for her to emerge, beautified and ready.

Author Interview with Valerie Douglas:

Hello Valerie. Please let us know something about you.*gameshow voice* Well, Stuart, I'm happily married to my beloved husband of two years. We have two dogs (one psycho), three cats (one normal, one with one eye and one psycho-kitty. We also have an African clawed frog imaginatively named Hopper who, oddly enough, doesn't hop at all, he swims. *grin*I know you write sensual and erotic fantasy; perhaps you'd you give us some insight into Demon's Kiss in a few sentences.*laughing* I write epic, heroic, mythic and romantic, as well as sensual and erotic fantasy, Why does everyone always ask about the sexy ones? Demon's Kiss, though, was a great lot of fun to write, simply for the idea of taking what was commonly assumed to be the bad guy and making him the good guy.How did you come to write this particular book? Almost all my books come from a particular scene that pops into my head. In the case of Demon's Kiss it's the scene where Gabriel first sees Asmodeus. The reader, Gabriel and I start from that first vision of this immensely powerful demon, who's chained but not cowed. He's also naked. Hence the erotic part. If you have a favourite character in your novel, why that particular one? In the beginning, of course, it was Asmodeus, but by the end I was already seeing and falling in love with Ashtoreth. He's the tortured hero but not angst-ridden as so many are these days. As with warriors in real life, he's just trying to live the best way he can. Where and when is this novel set and why did you make these specific choices?Strangely, when I write erotic romance, while there might be fantasy elements, I almost always write contemporary as opposed to otherworldly. There's also nearly always a subtext to my books, a concept or idea I'm trying to get across.Where can people buy your book?Demon's Kiss is available almost anywhere―including from the publisher, Ellora's Cave ―just search for my pseudonym, V. J. Devereaux. All of my Valerie Douglas books are available on Kindle, Nook, via Smashwords, etc. Just type my name in the search.What qualities does a writer need to be successful?Determination. It's the one quality every writer needs. The determination to take that novel you've written to completion, then to edit it and polish it, to gather up the courage to stick it in an envelope, and face the inevitable rejection letters until the one where someone says "Yes."What's your working method?*smiles* I'm what some call a 'pantser, I write by the 'seat of my pants, I don't plot or outline. The first idea comes in a flash of a scene and I run with it for as long as the muse is willing to dance with me. I've learned not to try to direct it but to simply be a part of it, transcribing what I see and experience with all my characters. I wrote the first draft of my epic fantasy in one great rush, 72 straight hours without sleep, only coffee. That first draft informs the second draft and I almost always take that second run at it right away, filling in the details I picked up from the first draft, or expanding descriptions or characters. Then I walk away from it for a while, give myself some space. If the characters or story still call me, I'll go back and make additions.Finally, there's the editing/polishing draft. Like all writers I have baaaaad habits. Too many thats, using that instead of who. Starting a sentence with There was. Not using active verbs―using walked instead of walking. Using begin or began―people don't begin to do things, they DO them.  I have a whole list I go through. It's also a great way to take yourself out of the book to catch other mistakes or to rewrite sentences for clarity.What's the single biggest mistake made by beginner writers?That last step, absolutely. Most beginner writers think the story is done when they're done writing it but that's only the beginning. The second mistake is forgetting that writing is an art, publishing is a business. Business isn't interested in art, it's interested in making money. If selling books is your definition of success, as it is for most of us, then you can't forget that. To what extent are grammar and spelling important in writing?Well, if you want people to read it and understand it, it's crucial.How much do you revise your MS before sending it off?A lot, see answer 8. And that would be for a book like Demon's Kiss. Something like The Coming Storm had twenty three drafts by my count. It originally had a prologue, which is now a separate novella, Not Magic Enough. As a writer of fantasy, to what extent do you think genre is useful in the publishing world?Genre is definition, not for the writer but for the prospective reader. Without it, they'd drown in novels, with no method for separating them. Unfortunately, genre can also be perception―ask any romance writer if they sometimes feel disparaged, if their writing is sometimes considered light or frivolous no matter how serious the subject.Many authors see marketing as a bind. What's your opinion on this, and how do you deal with it?Marketing can be tough or easy depending on how you view it. Some of it, like this, can be fun. Some―like searching for all the sites where you need to post information about your book―can be pretty tedious. If the muse doesn't wake me up with a hot idea, I do the marketing stuff in the morning, with the promise of a glass of wine and writing later. My muse really likes a glass of merlot to get her going. *laughing*How do you know where to begin a given story? That's not my choice, it begins where it begins. With The Coming Storm it was the ending, the scene in the Council Chamber. If you ever read it you'll know the scene I'm talking about. Then I had to know how they'd gotten there to that place, who were these people? Finding out was a wonderful adventure. It took a while for me to accept that the prologue wasn't necessary to the book but I loved the story of Delae and Dorovan, and then suddenly I had their story. On the other hand, Heart of the Gods opened with the first scene and just took off from there.What sort of displacement activities keep you from writing?Anything. I make jokes about my ADD―attention deficit disorder―but it's very real. I'm very easily distracted, but if the muse is dancing it's the one time I can be focused. A loud noise, movement can and has pulled me out, and I'm nearly a basket case until I can get back into the story. Which brings us to the next question. *grinning*What support, if any, do you receive from family and friends, or a writing group?Bless my husband, he's incredibly patient and supportive, most of the time. If he was a reader he'd be beyond perfect but I'm blessed with a number of Facebook friends and fans who act as my beta readers and cheerleading squad.Do you think presentation of the MS is as important as agents and publishers suggest?It is for them! And if you're sitting in front of them trying to get them to take your MS, it is for you, too. That's reality.How long does it take you to write a novel?*grins* Until it's done. The first draft can take as little as week of nonstop writing, but I wrote the first draft of Cooking Class (soon to be released erotic romance) in a weekend, dove right into the second draft and polished it the following weekend. It still holds up. Who or what inspires you?Everything. People. The kinds of people who went charging into the World Trade Center towers. Nelson Mandela―he was in prison for years, dreaming of the end of apartheid, when they finally let him out he wasn't angry, just determined. Harper Lee, who wrote a single book, To Kill a Mockingbird, and changed the way a whole nation viewed race in the simple story of a child's coming of age.If there's a single aspect of writing you find really frustrating, what is it?That some think it's easy, that anyone can do it. I've always believed that if I'm not feeling it, the reader won't feel it. If they're going to be moved, you have to be moved. I've written about difficult situations, extremely painful ones. There have been times I've been in tears. Then there's the time and effort of getting published, of facing rejection letters and bad reviews, of handing off my baby to someone who may not love it as much as I do.Is there a particular feature of writing that you really enjoy?When the muse is with me and the images are flowing, there's nothing like it, it's the ultimate high. To enter that world, to listen to the conversations, to be a part of it and bring my readers with me is an incredible and indescribable experience, like watching and being in that world. It's amazing.Do you believe writing is a natural gift or an acquired skill?Writing is an art and so a natural gift. Anyone can learn the mechanics of writing, can even write a novel, but to really bring a reader into it, to draw them with you, that takes passion. For example, the DaVinci Code was hugely popular, but do the characters still speak to you?  Now, think of the classics. Don't a dozen characters leap to mind? I just recently had a fan e-mail me asking where the sequel to The Coming Storm was. She needed to know what happened to the characters next. That's magic!What are you writing now?I've got three or four projects in the works. The aforementioned sequel (A Convocation of Kings) is in the final, polishing draft, and I've started a prequel to the entire series. I also have an idea for a sequel to Heart of the Gods but that's still in the mulling it over phase. Do you have a website or blog readers can visit? Both. www.valeriedouglasbooks.com and www.valeriedouglasbooks.blogspot.comGiven unlimited resources, where would you do your writing? Right where I'm at, honestly. Tropical breezes would be tempting but wasted if I can't enjoy them, and they'd be too distracting.Where do you actually write?I have a writing room, and that's its only purpose. It's decorated the way I like it, comfortably cluttered with books and research. I have a cup heater for my coffee and blinds I can draw. Once my headphones are in place, the sound blocking is on and the right music is keyed up, I'm ready to write.