Stuart Aken's Blog, page 322

Stuart's Daily Word Spot: Abate

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Abate: verb - in law, make a nuisance or action stop; become null and void; bring down a person physically, socially, or mentally; depress, humble; fall; curtail, deprive of; reduce in size, amount, or value; lessen in force or intensity; moderate, diminish; take away part of something, deduct; beat down.
'I shall abate Master Cromwell and make him eat his words for the damage he has done to our land and monarchy.'
'Flood defences that are better constructed, might abate the waters next time we have torrential rains and save the town from a repeat of the destruction caused by the last deluge.'

And the Edit Goes On

Image by catface3 via FlickrNothing done yesterday, as I had a long day at work; most of it with my ear glued to the phone, answering questions about rates bills. Also, our dance class in the evening, when we were put through the basics of, amongst others, the Viennese Waltz; not recommended for those who suffer from any form of dizziness.
This evening, I wanted to write and post the review of The Alchemist (see below). So, having dealt with the 69 emails awaiting my return from work, I thought the rest of my time would be better spent doing the typing corrections to the MS for the first book. Managed to complete 4 more chapters of that and now time for rest in preparation for tomorrow at the office and then an evening in Hornsea with my writing group.
Still, 4 chapters of corrections was a worthwhile contribution, I think.

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, Reviewed

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This parable, and best-selling inspirational novel, is written in a deceptively simple style.Santiago, the hero of the piece, takes a journey of self-discovery from his homeland of Andalusia, via Tangiers, to the pyramids of Egypt. On the way, he learns many lessons about life, himself and the nature of spirituality.As a passionate agnostic, I have a built-in suspicion of organised religion or anything that defines God by naming a being that must be beyond our comprehension. So, the references to Allah and to various religious groupings could easily have prejudiced me against the book. That they didn't, is testament to Coelho's ability to express his ideas in a way that is difficult to rage against. In fact, reading this work has caused me to re-examine my outright opposition to religious organisations to the extent that I can now view them as a way for some people to embrace the idea of a superior power and a connectedness of all things in the universe. And to accept them on that level only.There is a complexity and philosophical depth to the arguments presented in this simple tale, which I suspect will be read on a number of different levels depending on the reader's attitude to matters spiritual. The ideas about love, far deeper and more universal than the romantic love of so much popular fiction, I found so close to my own as to resonate strongly with me. That the author is a catholic should have made it difficult for me to empathise, but his faith never really got in the way of the ideas he tries to convey here. There is no attempt to convert or to suggest that one set of religious beliefs is any better than any other. The elements of fantasy and innocence in the story will make it an unlikely tale for the cynical and those for whom romance is something to be avoided. But those with open minds may find something surprising here. I know I will find the ideas returning to me long after I have put the book away. An interesting reading experience, but one which has not made me eager to try other books by the same author. So, I find myself oddly ambivalent about it; a mixture of admiration and doubt. I suspect the fact that I've come across many of the ideas before in The Secret, which turned out to be a great disappointment, has made me a little sceptical of the content.

Stuart's Daily Word Spot: Zap

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Zap: interjection - sound of a laser, ray gun, bullet, etc; sudden or dramatic event, expressed: verb - to kill, give a sudden blow, do away with, destroy; erase or alter; act against; send, put, strike quickly or with force; make more powerful or exciting; enliven, revitalize; overwhelm emotionally; cook or heat in a microwave oven; move quickly; operate a remote control to switch television channels quickly. Noun - energy, vigour, power, drive; strong emotional effect; a charge or bolt of electricity etc.; a beam or burst of radiation etc.
'General Phlobotomiticalitonis waved just one of his nine hundred and fifty seven tentacles and "Zap" went his ray gun, splattering a trillion Gordonian Tribulites in a single blast.'
'The best way to get rid of wasps is to zap the pesky things with a concentrated spray of wasp nest destroyer. One zap and they're history.'
'As the bolt of lightning illuminated the desolate plain, the zap of electrical discharge made the hair on Jennifer's head rise and stand on end.'

Stuart's Daily Word Spot: Yada-yada

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Yada-yada: noun  tedious, trivial or meaningless talk, chatter.
'Caroline comes up to me with that expression she wears when she thinks I'm doing something I shouldn't and gives me this long lecture on how I should be more like Brad Pitt; yada-yada.'

Edit of Volume Two Begins

With the completion of the handwritten edit of volume one, I was able to start the typed corrections today, and I've done chapter one, so far.
On volume two, I've modified the old chapter 54 of what was originally a continuation of volume one, to make it into chapter one of the second volume. Lost yet? It needed a lot of insertions to allow virgin readers to be able to pick up the story without having read the first book. But, to my surprise, it didn't need a full rewrite. So, I'm ready to continue with the full edit of the chapters for book 2 that have already been written. once that's done, I'll have to start writing (as in creating) the follow on chapters to complete book 2. But I'll keep up this daily post to let you know how it's going and as a motivation tool for myself when feeling tired.
Actually, I'm unlikely to do more editing tomorrow, or indeed the post, as I have to be at work until late and then I'll be out with my darling, tripping the light fantastic and generally making a fool of myself,but laughing a lot and enjoying the activity. Dance is remarkably spiritually refreshing. You should try it.
The opening waltz always renews my spirit, no matter what sort of day I've had at the boring place I work to earn a crust.

Stuart's Daily Word Spot: Xanthippe

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Xanthippe: noun - The wife of Socrates, a bad-tempered or scolding wife or woman.
'When George lazily referred to his wife as Xanthippe, she picked up the frying pan and demonstrated the accuracy of his description by beating him over the head with it, whilst yelling imprecations about his manhood at him.'

Edit: Volume One is Done

Volume one is now complete, ending with chapter 53 at page 516. So, now I have to start on Volume two, of which I have the first 15 chapters written and ready for editing, and other chapters in need of their first edits. I'll have to pen either an introductory chapter for book 2 or make additions to the current text to make it possible to read as a stand-alone book for those who read it before reading book 1.
I'll start on that tomorrow.
I'm pleased with the first volume, and may start to do the odd sample from time to time to get feedback.
For now, after a full day, I'm ready to relax for what's left of the evening. So, I'll bid you all goodnight.

Dewey W. Dempsey, Author Interview:

Dewey W. Dempsey taught high school and college English for 17 years. He is a professional storyteller, and was a charter member of the Healing Stories Alliance of the National Storytelling Network. He taught storytelling and writing techniques in Arizona, Bermuda, California, Colorado, Georgia and Tennessee. He has written and published four novels and a collection of stories in hard copy and Kindle, and a nonfiction work, "Creating Your Own Spiritual System," in blog form.
SA: What was your inspiration for the Diamond Rising Star Adair series.
DWD: I had just completed and sent of the MS of a heavily researched historical novel on a Cherokee family and the spiritual practices of the Cherokees before 1850. I was camping in the desert near Reno, Nevada and decided to write a contemporary detective novel. As I sat watching the sunrise and sipping my coffee the opening scene presented itself. I spent some time using techniques I had learned when I started creating my own stories for the storytelling circuit and the scene unfolded.
SA: What is your writing technique?
DWD: My technique for writing is to take an image and try to become fully present to it. My storytelling training was that unless I could visualize my stories completely with all of the senses I could not make it real for the audience. Then, the process involves asking the image for the backstory, the motivation, the history. Sometimes I need to research on locations and practical details. With one or two exceptions I never write about a location I have not visited. Even the fictionally created places are composites of places I have visited.
SA: How much revision do you do an your MS?
DWD: My process for the MS beyond the initial draft is two revisions: one focusing on theme and consistency and the other focusing on mechanics. I then send the revised MS to a core of readers from former and current writing groups and friends. I review all of the comments and then do a third revision. I then hire a professional proofreader and do final revisions.
SA: Where and when is your novel set and why did you make these specific choices?
DWD: In this series the locations are determined by the kinds of action that is being developed. In the first two novels, the core set of locations was centered around Denver, Colorado; Tahlequah, Oklahoma; Gran Lac, Wyoming(fictional); New York state and parts of Northern California. In this third novel parts of Mexico, Belize and British Columbia are added.
SA: How can people buy your books?
DWD: My Amazon.com author page includes paperback and Kindle versions. Author Page Amazon http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B004G7B5UC
SA: What qualities make a successful writer?
DWD: People tell me that I have led an interesting life and that is what they see as the strength of my books. The 'bad guys' in my works are based on my years of working with inmates on Death Row and in maximum security prisons, both male and female. This was followed by a career as a therapist working with severely mentally ill populations. I have traveled and observed people from all walks of life.
SA: How do you set about writing a piece?
DWD: So far, in all six of my novels, including the two in progress an opening scene has presented itself and I was off to the races.
SA: To what extent do you think genre is useful in the publishing world?
DWD: The concept of genre was invented by literary critics, not authors. It now determines marketing of fiction. I have not written a book that I feel exclusively fits into any genre. That struggle to select a genre for marketing purposes actually postponed the publication of my first two books.
SA: Do you think writing is a natural gift or an acquired skill?
Both. If the gift is not there no amount of skill will produce it.
SA: What single piece of advice would you give to writers still hoping to be published?
DWD: Persevere.
SA: What are you writing now?
DWD: The second book of the historical fiction (Qua Nie: the Wander Years) and the fourth book of the Diamond Series (Diamond and the Shape-Shifting Mayans).
SA: Do you have a website or a blog that readers can visit?
DWD: People are welcome to visit me at www.obsidianeaglellc.com
SA: Given unlimited resources, what would be your ideal writing environment?
DWD: Lake Tahoe, California; Magog, Quebec; Jay Peak, Vermont; Bermuda.
SA: Where do you actually write?
DWD: Wherever I am. I have a two pound portable word processor whose files can be downloaded to my computer for revision. My most frequent places have been coffee-house, campsites, ski lodges, airports, my deck, friends cabins and various rented cabins and resorts. I have written in over ten US states, four Canadian Provinces, Belize and Los Cabos, Mexico. My most frequent time for writing is dawn or early morning, but I write when I have the inspiration and the time.
PRESS RELEASE:Native-American detective uses intuition, advanced technology to save world from Mayan RevenantsDewey W. Dempsey reintroduces Diamond, a detective with strong Native American roots, in "Diamond: Psychotic Psychiatrists and Mad Mayans"FORT OGLETHORPE, Ga. – Dewey W. Dempsey brings back the daring Diamond Rising Star Adair in the third title of the "Diamond" series, "Diamond: Pyschotic Psychiatrists and Mad Mayans" (ISBN 1456474138). Diamond, a strong, intuitive and well-educated woman, applies her talents toward solving crimes and saving lives.After feeling demeaned and belittled in the first novel, "Diamond and the Bridger Mountain Butcher," a vengeful psychiatrist has his sights set on Diamond and her lover, Jim Sullivan. The psychiatrist enlists the help of two colleagues to help commit serial murders. They begin by planting evidence at the crime scenes that will lead investigators directly to Diamond and Jim. Once the couple's reputation is ruined, the psychiatrist plans to kidnap, torture and kill the couple.Something seems amiss, however, for Diamond and Jim – one his former associates within the government's serial-killers unit appears overly eager in seeing them convicted. Using her detective skills and superior intuition, Diamond discovers that the old colleague belongs to the Mayan Revenants.Searching for the ties behind the man's desire to kill her and her lover, Diamond finds two other members of the group, which plans to infiltrate the United States as part of the looming 2012 prophecies. With redesigned ancient Mayan-Toltec laser-like weapons and communication techniques, Diamond, Jim and America are in danger, and the couple must now outsmart the psychiatrist, the government and the Mayan Revenants."Diamond is different than most lead female detectives in mystery novels," Dempsey says. "She's a blend of Native-American mysticism and advanced technology."Fans of Dempsey's "Diamond" novel series will rejoice over his latest installment. This time the intelligent, instinctive detective travels across Central America, the United States and Canada to save herself, her lover and her country."Diamond: Psychotic Psychiatrists and Mad Mayans" is available for sale online at Amazon.com and other channels.
MEDIA CONTACT:Dewey W. Dempsey: Email: Phone: (706) 956-4889 Website: www.obsidianeaglellc.com

Stuart's Daily Word Spot: Wad

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Wad: noun - a small bundle of soft, loose, material used as a plug, pad, or to keep things apart; plug of paper or cloth to keep the powder and shot in position in a gun; something rolled tightly, a bankroll; a lot of something, especially money; a mass, a heap; bun, cake, sandwich: verb - place a wad in a gun, plug a hole with a wad; to force soft, or fibrous material into a small space; to form into a wad.
'The kidnapper forced open her mouth and stuffed a wad of bank notes in to keep her silent.'
'Jane formed a plug from discarded clothing and used it to wad the hole in the dyke, thereby saving the city from a disastrous flood.'