Richard Whitten Barnes's Blog
October 22, 2020
Out of the Dark
My October 2020 WW2 novel is about a boy coming of age in Adolf Hitler's Nazi Germany. His world view is influenced by Hitler's carefully orchestrated youth programs.
Picture
Following the enactment of the Law on the Hitler Youth on 1 December 1936, boys had to be registered with the Reich Youth Office in the March of the year in which they would reach the age of ten; those who were found to be racially acceptable were expected to join the DJ. Although not compulsory, the failure of eligible boys to join the DJ was seen as a failure of civic responsibility on the part of their parents.
The regulations were tightened further by the Second Execution Order to the Law on the Hitler Youth ("Youth Service Regulation") on 25 March 1939, which made membership of the DJ or Hitler Youth mandatory for all Germans between 10 and 18 years of age. Parents could be fined or imprisoned for failing to register their children. Boys were excluded if they had previously been found guilty of "dishonorable acts", if they were found to be "unfit for service" for medical reasons, or if they were Jewish. Ethnic Poles or Danes living in the Reich (this was before the outbreak of war) could apply for exemption but were not excluded.
Recruits were called Pimpfen a colloquial word from Upper German for "boy", "little rascal", "scamp", or "rapscallion" (originally "little fart")Groups of 10 boys were called a Jungenschaft, with leaders chosen from the older boys; four of these formed a unit called a Jungzug. These units were further grouped into companies and battalions, each with their own leaders, who were usually young adults. Der Pimf, the Nazi magazine for boys, was particularly aimed at those in the Deutsches Jungvolk, with adventure and propaganda.
Recruits were required to swear a version of the Hitler Oath: "In the presence of this blood banner which represents our Führer, I swear to devote all my energies and my strength to the savior of our country, Adolf Hitler. I am willing and ready to give up my life for him, so help me God."
Out of the Dark is about that boy's change in his limited Nazi-era world view.
Picture
Following the enactment of the Law on the Hitler Youth on 1 December 1936, boys had to be registered with the Reich Youth Office in the March of the year in which they would reach the age of ten; those who were found to be racially acceptable were expected to join the DJ. Although not compulsory, the failure of eligible boys to join the DJ was seen as a failure of civic responsibility on the part of their parents.
The regulations were tightened further by the Second Execution Order to the Law on the Hitler Youth ("Youth Service Regulation") on 25 March 1939, which made membership of the DJ or Hitler Youth mandatory for all Germans between 10 and 18 years of age. Parents could be fined or imprisoned for failing to register their children. Boys were excluded if they had previously been found guilty of "dishonorable acts", if they were found to be "unfit for service" for medical reasons, or if they were Jewish. Ethnic Poles or Danes living in the Reich (this was before the outbreak of war) could apply for exemption but were not excluded.
Recruits were called Pimpfen a colloquial word from Upper German for "boy", "little rascal", "scamp", or "rapscallion" (originally "little fart")Groups of 10 boys were called a Jungenschaft, with leaders chosen from the older boys; four of these formed a unit called a Jungzug. These units were further grouped into companies and battalions, each with their own leaders, who were usually young adults. Der Pimf, the Nazi magazine for boys, was particularly aimed at those in the Deutsches Jungvolk, with adventure and propaganda.
Recruits were required to swear a version of the Hitler Oath: "In the presence of this blood banner which represents our Führer, I swear to devote all my energies and my strength to the savior of our country, Adolf Hitler. I am willing and ready to give up my life for him, so help me God."
Out of the Dark is about that boy's change in his limited Nazi-era world view.
November 25, 2016
MWSA Review
I am really pleased with this recent review of ENEMIES by the Military Writers Society of America.
Title: ENEMIES
Author: Richard Whitten Barnes
Reviewer: Joe Epley
Category: Historical Fiction
ISBN-10: 1613098227
ISBN-13: 978-1613098226
"Enemies share similar perspectives of war, but with an interesting twist.
Vivid memories of the World War I trenches flooded Jurgen Stern as he glanced at drawings
found in an Ottawa hotel in 1968. Some of the scenes were from the battlefields where he fought
long ago. Stern traced the owner of the drawings to a former Canadian soldier, Brian MacLennan , now
like Stern, an old grandfather.
They fought against each other in the same battles, yet had not met. But one of the drawings
compelled Stern to track down MacLennan and solve a 50-year-old mystery that had caused the
German to hold on to a postcard size portrait sketched on the back of a map that he took from
Canadian soldier. The rendering was identical to one in MacLennan 's portfolio.
Enemies follows both men as teenagers who matured quickly in their first minutes of combat.
Through them, author Richard Whitten Barnes brings alive the fear, sounds, smells, and horrors of
trench warfare. The reader experiences the emotional and physical strains on the young soldiers as
they watch friends die and become maimed in horrific ways. They both pine for a special girl back
home as they try to sleep in water clogged craters. Through these up close and personal experiences,
which are written in a well-balanced narrative, the reader has a realistic view of the “War to end all
Wars” from the perspective of privates and junior NCOs.
Through all this is an intricately woven plot that comes to light as the two old veterans meet
for the first time and discuss the drawings. They quickly form a friendship that takes the story to a
surprising and heartwarming climax.
I recommend this fast-paced book."
Title: ENEMIES
Author: Richard Whitten Barnes
Reviewer: Joe Epley
Category: Historical Fiction
ISBN-10: 1613098227
ISBN-13: 978-1613098226
"Enemies share similar perspectives of war, but with an interesting twist.
Vivid memories of the World War I trenches flooded Jurgen Stern as he glanced at drawings
found in an Ottawa hotel in 1968. Some of the scenes were from the battlefields where he fought
long ago. Stern traced the owner of the drawings to a former Canadian soldier, Brian MacLennan , now
like Stern, an old grandfather.
They fought against each other in the same battles, yet had not met. But one of the drawings
compelled Stern to track down MacLennan and solve a 50-year-old mystery that had caused the
German to hold on to a postcard size portrait sketched on the back of a map that he took from
Canadian soldier. The rendering was identical to one in MacLennan 's portfolio.
Enemies follows both men as teenagers who matured quickly in their first minutes of combat.
Through them, author Richard Whitten Barnes brings alive the fear, sounds, smells, and horrors of
trench warfare. The reader experiences the emotional and physical strains on the young soldiers as
they watch friends die and become maimed in horrific ways. They both pine for a special girl back
home as they try to sleep in water clogged craters. Through these up close and personal experiences,
which are written in a well-balanced narrative, the reader has a realistic view of the “War to end all
Wars” from the perspective of privates and junior NCOs.
Through all this is an intricately woven plot that comes to light as the two old veterans meet
for the first time and discuss the drawings. They quickly form a friendship that takes the story to a
surprising and heartwarming climax.
I recommend this fast-paced book."
December 4, 2015
The Tragedy of War
While researching for my Historical WW1 novel, ENEMIES, I was fortunate to be given the memoir of Ronald Pook, a grandparent of dear friends. I would like to share--word for word--this eloquently written passage. I'll let you decide whether we, as a species, have learned anything in the ensuing hundred years since.
"(An) incident took place while our battalion was bivouacked on the outskirts of the ancient village of La Clyte which nestled on the gently enfolding hills of the Belgian countryside. Sadly, this ancient village was no more. It had been smashed to pieces, totally destroyed, as had the surrounding farms which supported it, and it, them.
A tiny cosmos. Its inhabitants had been "evacuated" to France, torn from their hearths. Many, many of their sons dead. The social fabric of this ancient enclave, the church, the estaminet (pub), the tiny stores, the blacksmith shop, the Mayor in his regalia, the loves, the feuds, delicate as a spider's web--forever broken.
The newspapers, the statesmen, the politicians were naturally stressing the ebb and flow of the battlefield, the casualties, the loss or gain of ground. But here in La Clyte was a picture of the true tragedy, the collapse of Western European society."
"(An) incident took place while our battalion was bivouacked on the outskirts of the ancient village of La Clyte which nestled on the gently enfolding hills of the Belgian countryside. Sadly, this ancient village was no more. It had been smashed to pieces, totally destroyed, as had the surrounding farms which supported it, and it, them.
A tiny cosmos. Its inhabitants had been "evacuated" to France, torn from their hearths. Many, many of their sons dead. The social fabric of this ancient enclave, the church, the estaminet (pub), the tiny stores, the blacksmith shop, the Mayor in his regalia, the loves, the feuds, delicate as a spider's web--forever broken.
The newspapers, the statesmen, the politicians were naturally stressing the ebb and flow of the battlefield, the casualties, the loss or gain of ground. But here in La Clyte was a picture of the true tragedy, the collapse of Western European society."
March 17, 2014
Smart New Website For Authors and Reviewers
There is an intriguing new website called Bookvetter that has caught my eye. It is the creation of Marc Brackett who saw a real need for credibility in book reviews. Here's a chance for a writer to get unvarnished opinion about his/her writing by anonymous peers. Bookvetter will post reviews for books that are "vetted."
I'll stop and let Marc explain. Read carefully.
Have you ever needed an independent and honest assessment of the quality of your content? Bookvetter is a new literary community designed to provide authors with quality assessments that can be used to develop writers and identify exceptional content for the benefit of readers.
The process starts with anonymous author peer reviews in order to avoid review trading or review reprisals. The content of books is also matched with the reading interests of reviewers in a wide range of areas like profanity or levels of graphic content, as part of ensuring the content of books is fairly evaluated.
All books will be reviewed and the authors provided with feedback that can used to improve their writing. Books that the author community identifies as being exceptional are considered Vetted Books and have the opportunity of being offered to the book review blogger community for additional review and promotion.
The focus of Bookvetter is to get authors back to writing and creating great content that readers will help market for free. Honest and unbiased reviews are a key part of making this possible. For those serious about writing better books and letting their content advertise itself, the Bookvetter Community offers an alternate path.
Marc Brackett
I'll stop and let Marc explain. Read carefully.
Have you ever needed an independent and honest assessment of the quality of your content? Bookvetter is a new literary community designed to provide authors with quality assessments that can be used to develop writers and identify exceptional content for the benefit of readers.
The process starts with anonymous author peer reviews in order to avoid review trading or review reprisals. The content of books is also matched with the reading interests of reviewers in a wide range of areas like profanity or levels of graphic content, as part of ensuring the content of books is fairly evaluated.
All books will be reviewed and the authors provided with feedback that can used to improve their writing. Books that the author community identifies as being exceptional are considered Vetted Books and have the opportunity of being offered to the book review blogger community for additional review and promotion.
The focus of Bookvetter is to get authors back to writing and creating great content that readers will help market for free. Honest and unbiased reviews are a key part of making this possible. For those serious about writing better books and letting their content advertise itself, the Bookvetter Community offers an alternate path.
Marc Brackett
March 6, 2014
Choices
My shipment of print copies of my latest novel arrived recently, and I have been busy fulfilling the obligatory mailing of copies to winners of a contest I ran on Goodreads.com.
Much of my time between January 1 and now has been trying to promote this book, which brings me to the subject of this post: the difficulties of being a relatively unknown--did I say relatively?--author, and managing time between marketing my work, and actual writing.
I have learned through experience that word-of-mouth is the most effective way of promoting novels. That means social networking. One can spend endless hours doing this, which I also know from experience. There is no shortage of gurus ready to give you advice for a fee, but what I have seen of their advice is largely common sense. There comes a time when you just have to come to the conclusion that your best self-promotion is to keep producing good prose, and someone will eventually pay attention. Which brings me to the subject of what I'm writing now.
The new book returns my heroine of two other novels, Andy Blake, a Windsor Ontario detective who returns to her home in the north after twenty-five years on the job. The Ontario Provincial Police snag her to work in Sault Ste. Marie. For followers of Andy, I can tell you she will have problems in her relation with her love interest, Grant Stacey. You'll have to wait to see how, if at all, she comes to terms with the rift.
Does this means I'm entering the realm of Mystery Series Writers? I don't know. I like Andy, and that probably gives you an answer.
So, back to work on the new book.
I'll worry about selling the last one tomorrow or the next day!
Much of my time between January 1 and now has been trying to promote this book, which brings me to the subject of this post: the difficulties of being a relatively unknown--did I say relatively?--author, and managing time between marketing my work, and actual writing.
I have learned through experience that word-of-mouth is the most effective way of promoting novels. That means social networking. One can spend endless hours doing this, which I also know from experience. There is no shortage of gurus ready to give you advice for a fee, but what I have seen of their advice is largely common sense. There comes a time when you just have to come to the conclusion that your best self-promotion is to keep producing good prose, and someone will eventually pay attention. Which brings me to the subject of what I'm writing now.
The new book returns my heroine of two other novels, Andy Blake, a Windsor Ontario detective who returns to her home in the north after twenty-five years on the job. The Ontario Provincial Police snag her to work in Sault Ste. Marie. For followers of Andy, I can tell you she will have problems in her relation with her love interest, Grant Stacey. You'll have to wait to see how, if at all, she comes to terms with the rift.
Does this means I'm entering the realm of Mystery Series Writers? I don't know. I like Andy, and that probably gives you an answer.
So, back to work on the new book.
I'll worry about selling the last one tomorrow or the next day!
February 4, 2014
MY WRITING DAY
I’m between guest bloggers, and I need to keep My blog current, so here are some of my musings that might only have a mild interest among fellow writers.
Truth be told, my day starts around 12:30 AM the night before. I rarely get to sleep before then, and find myself invariably planning what to write in the morning. Usually that entails trying to figure out how to get over and around a snag in the plot. Sometime this works. More than often, I fall asleep before an answer arrives.
I never seem to get started writing before 10AM. I read the paper, check my email, and goof around on my iPad before getting a piece of toast in me. That’s not to say I don’t rise early. The dog and cat see to that.
While I don’t have a set routine, a good day goes something like this:
I like to write in a spiral notebook, in cursive, in pencil. The Pentel 0.50 Twist-Erase is my favorite. Its eraser is really a good one, and believe me, I use it. I try to write a minimum of 500 words, in a day, and am elated when the muse visits letting me hit 800-1200 words. I then transfer this to the computer. By doing this I feel I’ve almost done a first revision, as whole paragraphs can get shifted around in the process. Besides, the words look different in printed form, and I’ll substitute verbiage in that second reading.
I don’t write every day, but I try. I think that’s important. I have a note above my computer that exhorts me to at least write something. Of course, those of us with obligations outside of our passion may have to miss a day.
I have other little reminders posted around, as well. SHOW, NOT TELL is one that reminds me not to get too wordy in my descriptions, but rather give the reader the opportunity to gather atmosphere, attitudes, feelings from the story, itself. Then there’s the P.O.V note staring me in the face chiding me to keep the dialogue in one character’s reference at a time.
The most important rule I try to follow comes from a quote by Pablo Picasso: “Art is the elimination of the unnecessary.” That’s the most difficult one to keep of them all. We writers fall in love with our words, ones that the reader might not share as so important to the story. We love to expand on our favorite subjects to the point of boring our audience. Of that, I plead guilty, but a good editor will strip the manuscript of those shenanigans, if I don’t.
It’s not all fun. A block in forwarding the plot is frustrating. Conversely, nothing is more satisfying than to put my pencil down and realize I’ve just written four pages of dialogue.
At times like these, writing is effortless, a joy.
Truth be told, my day starts around 12:30 AM the night before. I rarely get to sleep before then, and find myself invariably planning what to write in the morning. Usually that entails trying to figure out how to get over and around a snag in the plot. Sometime this works. More than often, I fall asleep before an answer arrives.
I never seem to get started writing before 10AM. I read the paper, check my email, and goof around on my iPad before getting a piece of toast in me. That’s not to say I don’t rise early. The dog and cat see to that.
While I don’t have a set routine, a good day goes something like this:
I like to write in a spiral notebook, in cursive, in pencil. The Pentel 0.50 Twist-Erase is my favorite. Its eraser is really a good one, and believe me, I use it. I try to write a minimum of 500 words, in a day, and am elated when the muse visits letting me hit 800-1200 words. I then transfer this to the computer. By doing this I feel I’ve almost done a first revision, as whole paragraphs can get shifted around in the process. Besides, the words look different in printed form, and I’ll substitute verbiage in that second reading.
I don’t write every day, but I try. I think that’s important. I have a note above my computer that exhorts me to at least write something. Of course, those of us with obligations outside of our passion may have to miss a day.
I have other little reminders posted around, as well. SHOW, NOT TELL is one that reminds me not to get too wordy in my descriptions, but rather give the reader the opportunity to gather atmosphere, attitudes, feelings from the story, itself. Then there’s the P.O.V note staring me in the face chiding me to keep the dialogue in one character’s reference at a time.
The most important rule I try to follow comes from a quote by Pablo Picasso: “Art is the elimination of the unnecessary.” That’s the most difficult one to keep of them all. We writers fall in love with our words, ones that the reader might not share as so important to the story. We love to expand on our favorite subjects to the point of boring our audience. Of that, I plead guilty, but a good editor will strip the manuscript of those shenanigans, if I don’t.
It’s not all fun. A block in forwarding the plot is frustrating. Conversely, nothing is more satisfying than to put my pencil down and realize I’ve just written four pages of dialogue.
At times like these, writing is effortless, a joy.
January 19, 2014
Editing and Reviewing
If you are a writer, you know the likes and dislikes of a reviewer or editor can make or break the success of your book.
How many of you have wondered why you didn't receive four or five stars for that year of loving effort?
Why did that danged editor make you take out that turn of phrase you thought so clever?
My guest is Joyce Gilmour, a professional editor/reviewer who has the credentials to let you know what goes on in that part of the business so vital to an author.
Barnes: Joyce, welcome to THROWING STONES.
Gilmour: Richard, first let me thank you for this opportunity to share about Editing TLC. I have appreciated getting to know you and have the opportunity to read and review two of your books: Luzon and Forgotten Roots.
B: Tell me about how long you’ve been doing this and how you got started.
G: The way Editing TLC came about (six plus years ago) is due to the fact that I started running in to books that were in print, which contained too many mistakes. In today’s world of publishing, many people have skipped the process of copyediting (or have asked family members and/or friends to copyedit for them). Too many books are ending up in the marketplace before they are at their finest quality. As a book reviewer, I have come across numerous books that are going to print before they are the best that they can be, which to me is very sad. My feeling is that if we are asking people to pay for a book, whether it be e-book or print book, readers deserve to have a book which is as error free as possible.
B: I learned about you through your work with the Military Writers Society of America. Do you review for other organizations?
G: Besides reviewing for MWSA, I have reviewed several books for Book Sneeze, and have also been appointed as an Amazon Vine reviewer. The majority of books I’ve reviewed have been as a free-lance reviewer. I used to search for books to review, but in the last two years I’ve had more authors contacting me requesting reviews. The “problem” currently is that the editing end of my business is keeping me extremely busy and my “inbox” of books to review is overflowing.
B: Do you specialize in particular genres?
G: No. One of the great things about my job is the variety of my reading and editing. It keeps life interesting!
B: Do you write yourself?
G: Funny you should ask…ever since elementary school, for reasons I will not go into, I have never thought of myself as a writer. My thinking regarding writing was that an author must create a story “out of nothing,” due to the push for “creative writing” in school. However, thanks to several of my authors/clients I’ve discovered the joy of writing “from something,” and have realized the power of research and using personal experience to build my ideas. I’ve also figured out that being a book reviewer demands a form of writing, so I can say, yes, I am a writer. By attending MWSA conferences, several special people have come into my life who have been encouragers to me. I also wrote a column for MWSA’s Dispatches Magazine for a couple of years called “Connections,” in which I shared my connections with authors and introduced readers to their writing. At this point in time, I am so busy helping other people achieve their dreams that I don’t spend much time writing. I know that someday my children’s book (a combination fiction/nonfiction) will become a reality.
B: There are editors, and reviewers. How do you handle doing both?
G: As I stated earlier, the book reviews are not getting enough attention these days. I do not charge anyone for a book review, so those are “gifted” to authors. I don’t believe in authors paying for book reviews; that is just my personal bias. At this point in time, I cannot take on any more reviews, as I am overloaded, and I’ve been telling people who are requesting that I cannot make any promises as to when I can get a review accomplished for them. (Children’s books might be the exception, as they don’t take as much time to read, and having been an elementary teacher, I am partial to them.) I believe that my editing clients’ work must come first. I usually have a “review” book going for times when I need a break from the intensity of copyediting. So, I guess I should say that beginning as a book reviewer, and having the courage to tell authors my opinion regarding their books, is part of what started to build up the editing end of my business. I have stories, though, of an author or two who took issue with my response…one who didn’t think anything of selling a book for $20 that was riddled with mistakes. Oh well…someone might buy one of his books, but I doubt they would make the same mistake twice.
B: What are the most common problems you notice when reviewing manuscripts that need improvement?
G: What a question! One of the biggest problems, I guess, is getting some authors to realize that Word’s spelling and grammar checker is good, BUT not the answer to finalizing a book. It does not have a brain that connects with the content, and does not pick up on inconsistencies within the text. I haven’t tallied common errors… but every manuscript seems to come with its own set of issues. I’ve learned to keep a style sheet for each author, with words and “issues” so that the two of us remain on the same page, because sometimes it isn’t a matter of “right or wrong” but a choice an author makes, but that choice has to remain consistent throughout the manuscript. As in two manuscripts I just completed, the main characters’ names were spelled two ways…so one wasn’t “right” and the other “wrong,” but the author’s choice needed to be consistent. And one of those manuscripts had been “edited” by three people before it got to me. That is frustrating for authors…so it is important to find an editor that has a keen eye and cares deeply that your manuscript shows up to the public in its topnotch quality. Some people mean well, but that doesn’t mean they have the critical eye necessary for the job. People see the TLC in my business name and think it stands for tender loving care. Originally, that is what I wanted…to let clients know that I would handle their “baby” with tender loving care. The TLC stands for “Technical Literary Critique” (done with tender loving care…LOL!).
B: What would be your advice to a writer submitting his/her work to you for: editing?
G: Handing over your “baby” to an editor is not easy for most authors. They have poured their heart and soul into their work, and having someone question parts of their book is not easy. A handful of my clients find the editing process a fun one, but most would probably think it is quite tedious. I prefer clients who want to have an active part in the editing process. It truly needs to be a team effort. Authors need to realize that it takes time and effort BEYOND the creative end of writing a book to get the book to the end result. Too often authors think the editing process should happen in a short amount of time. Probably relative to the writing of a book, it is a short process, but it is one that shouldn’t involve shortcuts. review? People wanting a review must realize that they will get an honest review of how I feel the book was written, and I will make comments regarding copy editing if there are issues. I can’t endorse a book that isn’t topnotch quality...I have a reputation to uphold and I can’t be giving four or five star reviews to people who might have wonderful content, but whose book is not top quality in the editing department. Books are expensive these days, and people deserve the best when they are spending money to read…besides, as I taught to third graders for thirty-six years, one must always consider his/her audience. Writing that is only going to be seen by the author does not need to be topnotch, but if we are going to put our work on display, that is a different story.
B: How can writers contact you for your services?
G: Writers can email me at joyce@editingtlc.com They can also check out my references, along with my book reviews and books that I’ve edited on my website at www.editingtlc.com It is certainly where interested folks can go to get the upshot of Editing TLC.
G: Thanks again, Richard, for the opportunity to share about my business. I hope your readers feel free to contact me regarding any questions they might have regarding Editing TLC.
B: Thank YOU for these great insights.
How many of you have wondered why you didn't receive four or five stars for that year of loving effort?
Why did that danged editor make you take out that turn of phrase you thought so clever?
My guest is Joyce Gilmour, a professional editor/reviewer who has the credentials to let you know what goes on in that part of the business so vital to an author.
Barnes: Joyce, welcome to THROWING STONES.
Gilmour: Richard, first let me thank you for this opportunity to share about Editing TLC. I have appreciated getting to know you and have the opportunity to read and review two of your books: Luzon and Forgotten Roots.
B: Tell me about how long you’ve been doing this and how you got started.
G: The way Editing TLC came about (six plus years ago) is due to the fact that I started running in to books that were in print, which contained too many mistakes. In today’s world of publishing, many people have skipped the process of copyediting (or have asked family members and/or friends to copyedit for them). Too many books are ending up in the marketplace before they are at their finest quality. As a book reviewer, I have come across numerous books that are going to print before they are the best that they can be, which to me is very sad. My feeling is that if we are asking people to pay for a book, whether it be e-book or print book, readers deserve to have a book which is as error free as possible.
B: I learned about you through your work with the Military Writers Society of America. Do you review for other organizations?
G: Besides reviewing for MWSA, I have reviewed several books for Book Sneeze, and have also been appointed as an Amazon Vine reviewer. The majority of books I’ve reviewed have been as a free-lance reviewer. I used to search for books to review, but in the last two years I’ve had more authors contacting me requesting reviews. The “problem” currently is that the editing end of my business is keeping me extremely busy and my “inbox” of books to review is overflowing.
B: Do you specialize in particular genres?
G: No. One of the great things about my job is the variety of my reading and editing. It keeps life interesting!
B: Do you write yourself?
G: Funny you should ask…ever since elementary school, for reasons I will not go into, I have never thought of myself as a writer. My thinking regarding writing was that an author must create a story “out of nothing,” due to the push for “creative writing” in school. However, thanks to several of my authors/clients I’ve discovered the joy of writing “from something,” and have realized the power of research and using personal experience to build my ideas. I’ve also figured out that being a book reviewer demands a form of writing, so I can say, yes, I am a writer. By attending MWSA conferences, several special people have come into my life who have been encouragers to me. I also wrote a column for MWSA’s Dispatches Magazine for a couple of years called “Connections,” in which I shared my connections with authors and introduced readers to their writing. At this point in time, I am so busy helping other people achieve their dreams that I don’t spend much time writing. I know that someday my children’s book (a combination fiction/nonfiction) will become a reality.
B: There are editors, and reviewers. How do you handle doing both?
G: As I stated earlier, the book reviews are not getting enough attention these days. I do not charge anyone for a book review, so those are “gifted” to authors. I don’t believe in authors paying for book reviews; that is just my personal bias. At this point in time, I cannot take on any more reviews, as I am overloaded, and I’ve been telling people who are requesting that I cannot make any promises as to when I can get a review accomplished for them. (Children’s books might be the exception, as they don’t take as much time to read, and having been an elementary teacher, I am partial to them.) I believe that my editing clients’ work must come first. I usually have a “review” book going for times when I need a break from the intensity of copyediting. So, I guess I should say that beginning as a book reviewer, and having the courage to tell authors my opinion regarding their books, is part of what started to build up the editing end of my business. I have stories, though, of an author or two who took issue with my response…one who didn’t think anything of selling a book for $20 that was riddled with mistakes. Oh well…someone might buy one of his books, but I doubt they would make the same mistake twice.
B: What are the most common problems you notice when reviewing manuscripts that need improvement?
G: What a question! One of the biggest problems, I guess, is getting some authors to realize that Word’s spelling and grammar checker is good, BUT not the answer to finalizing a book. It does not have a brain that connects with the content, and does not pick up on inconsistencies within the text. I haven’t tallied common errors… but every manuscript seems to come with its own set of issues. I’ve learned to keep a style sheet for each author, with words and “issues” so that the two of us remain on the same page, because sometimes it isn’t a matter of “right or wrong” but a choice an author makes, but that choice has to remain consistent throughout the manuscript. As in two manuscripts I just completed, the main characters’ names were spelled two ways…so one wasn’t “right” and the other “wrong,” but the author’s choice needed to be consistent. And one of those manuscripts had been “edited” by three people before it got to me. That is frustrating for authors…so it is important to find an editor that has a keen eye and cares deeply that your manuscript shows up to the public in its topnotch quality. Some people mean well, but that doesn’t mean they have the critical eye necessary for the job. People see the TLC in my business name and think it stands for tender loving care. Originally, that is what I wanted…to let clients know that I would handle their “baby” with tender loving care. The TLC stands for “Technical Literary Critique” (done with tender loving care…LOL!).
B: What would be your advice to a writer submitting his/her work to you for: editing?
G: Handing over your “baby” to an editor is not easy for most authors. They have poured their heart and soul into their work, and having someone question parts of their book is not easy. A handful of my clients find the editing process a fun one, but most would probably think it is quite tedious. I prefer clients who want to have an active part in the editing process. It truly needs to be a team effort. Authors need to realize that it takes time and effort BEYOND the creative end of writing a book to get the book to the end result. Too often authors think the editing process should happen in a short amount of time. Probably relative to the writing of a book, it is a short process, but it is one that shouldn’t involve shortcuts. review? People wanting a review must realize that they will get an honest review of how I feel the book was written, and I will make comments regarding copy editing if there are issues. I can’t endorse a book that isn’t topnotch quality...I have a reputation to uphold and I can’t be giving four or five star reviews to people who might have wonderful content, but whose book is not top quality in the editing department. Books are expensive these days, and people deserve the best when they are spending money to read…besides, as I taught to third graders for thirty-six years, one must always consider his/her audience. Writing that is only going to be seen by the author does not need to be topnotch, but if we are going to put our work on display, that is a different story.
B: How can writers contact you for your services?
G: Writers can email me at joyce@editingtlc.com They can also check out my references, along with my book reviews and books that I’ve edited on my website at www.editingtlc.com It is certainly where interested folks can go to get the upshot of Editing TLC.
G: Thanks again, Richard, for the opportunity to share about my business. I hope your readers feel free to contact me regarding any questions they might have regarding Editing TLC.
B: Thank YOU for these great insights.
January 14, 2014
A New Life
Recently, one of my fellow writers at Wings Press blogged about how she got started writing, and lamented that she did not begin earlier in life. I can relate to that last sentiment. I got to thinking about my start, and how chancy it was that writing ever took hold.
When I retired I vowed not to sit around the house. In my work I played a lot of "business golf" and was a decent player, so I thought this was a great chance to lower my handicap. It soon became clear that what I thought I'd love became a burden. I lost interest in the game.
I did my share of volunteer tutoring at the Charlotte Men's Shelter, The Mecklenberg (NC) Jail, and the Gaston County (NC) Literacy Center. It was all rewarding.
The woodworking bug bit me hard. Got into that to the tune of some serious bucks, and made some nice things, including a coffee table and end table that presently grace our living room. I still enjoy the hobby.
Concurrently I took a night class at the local university just to keep the old noggin sharp. I took the only thing available that looked interesting for an ex science major, "The History of the English Language." Sounds dull, but it wasn't. After that, what next? A short story writing class was available and, on a lark, I took it. I think I wrote one or two stories for the class...and did okay, at least I thought they were.
The next term a class in play writing was available. The guy teaching it was a playwright that our community theater produced one season. I got to know him pretty well. In fact we became good friends, and he asked me to join his writing group.
And here is where things changed. I trotted out my short stories. Having serious writers critique your work can be intimidating, or exhilarating. In my case it was the latter. Positive or negative, I didn't care...someone was paying attention to my creative self.
An Idea I had for another short story was deemed too complicated. I was urged to make it into a novel. "A book?? Me??"
It never occurred to me that I had one in me. But I tried, and wrote a manuscript full of every error and pitfall known to literature. After 100,000 words, the story was told, an epic tale of WWII. I put the manuscript out to the publishing world to relish, expecting great things. Of course they didn't come for a long time. Not until Someone at Wings saw something in it they liked well enough to turn me over to a great editor who rapped my knuckles with re-write after re-write. What a great learning experience. And the resulting product was a book I am proud of.
Since then, I have not taught a class. Nor have I done anything of real substance in the workshop. Writing is the last thing I think of at night and the first thing in the morning. If that isn't a reason to live, don't know what is.
When I retired I vowed not to sit around the house. In my work I played a lot of "business golf" and was a decent player, so I thought this was a great chance to lower my handicap. It soon became clear that what I thought I'd love became a burden. I lost interest in the game.
I did my share of volunteer tutoring at the Charlotte Men's Shelter, The Mecklenberg (NC) Jail, and the Gaston County (NC) Literacy Center. It was all rewarding.
The woodworking bug bit me hard. Got into that to the tune of some serious bucks, and made some nice things, including a coffee table and end table that presently grace our living room. I still enjoy the hobby.
Concurrently I took a night class at the local university just to keep the old noggin sharp. I took the only thing available that looked interesting for an ex science major, "The History of the English Language." Sounds dull, but it wasn't. After that, what next? A short story writing class was available and, on a lark, I took it. I think I wrote one or two stories for the class...and did okay, at least I thought they were.
The next term a class in play writing was available. The guy teaching it was a playwright that our community theater produced one season. I got to know him pretty well. In fact we became good friends, and he asked me to join his writing group.
And here is where things changed. I trotted out my short stories. Having serious writers critique your work can be intimidating, or exhilarating. In my case it was the latter. Positive or negative, I didn't care...someone was paying attention to my creative self.
An Idea I had for another short story was deemed too complicated. I was urged to make it into a novel. "A book?? Me??"
It never occurred to me that I had one in me. But I tried, and wrote a manuscript full of every error and pitfall known to literature. After 100,000 words, the story was told, an epic tale of WWII. I put the manuscript out to the publishing world to relish, expecting great things. Of course they didn't come for a long time. Not until Someone at Wings saw something in it they liked well enough to turn me over to a great editor who rapped my knuckles with re-write after re-write. What a great learning experience. And the resulting product was a book I am proud of.
Since then, I have not taught a class. Nor have I done anything of real substance in the workshop. Writing is the last thing I think of at night and the first thing in the morning. If that isn't a reason to live, don't know what is.
January 2, 2014
Then and Now
My guest this week is A. W. Lambert who is a prolific Mystery and Thriller author from Wings ePress.
You can see how his background has given him the life experience to salt his novels with believable situations.
A link to his books is:
http://www.wings-press.com/Author%20P...
Then and Now
I'm seventy five years old and there’s nothing I can do about that. Though there have been times when I’ve wondered where the years have gone and recall the words of the old song: ‘I wish I were a little bit younger and knew what I know now.’
But recently, looking around, taking in the state of things today, I got to wondering about whether that’s what I really do wish.
I was born in a small, ancient terraced house in a poor inner city district of London, England. My father was in the British army, fighting in the Far East and Hitler’s Luftwaffe was doing its best to obliterate my birth place; areas around us increasingly destroyed, our own windows and doors blown in, plywood replacing glass and doors hurriedly nailed back into position ready for the next onslaught. Indeed sometimes it felt we spent more time in the air raid shelters than in our homes.
Money was desperately scarce and I grew up, seeing nothing unusual in the sheets of cardboard stuffed into my shoes to cover the holes in the soles. My playgrounds were the grimy streets in which I lived and the surrounding bombed sites. Education was basic with further education available to but a few and frequently refused because work; bringing home the money, was the greater family priority.
It was all my mother could to hold herself and three sons together. Heaven knows how things would have turned out were it not for the utter determination of an incredibly close community, all facing the same hardships and not prepared to see any one of their number go under. Indeed, at no time did anyone believe Hitler would have his way. We would prevail; it was just a matter of time. And so it was, because six years after my arrival into this battered world the war came to an end and people again started to look to the future. But even then things were bleak. The bombing may have stopped but it would be a very long time before my country was back to anything like normal.
Here I feel I must pause, because it’s beginning to sound like I’m indulging myself, banging on about my impoverished, underprivileged background, maybe even craving sympathy. And nothing could be farther from the truth. Quite the opposite, because far from feeling hard done by, I consider myself privileged to have lived through those very austere, but also very informative, character building years. You see, when you have very little and there’s so little out there for you to have anyway, it instils a determined acceptance, a lifelong reality check within you: you can only have what’s available and, most importantly, only if you can afford it. And affording it is down to you.
So, sure, I had a poor education; I left school at fifteen with no thought of further education. But I never lost sight of reality; I knew very well, if I was to make a success of myself, it would only be due to my own efforts. I took whatever jobs were available until I was eighteen when I was conscripted into the British Army. Here, trained as a radio technician, I again found myself involved in a war zone: the EOKA terrorist conflict on the island of Cyprus.
On leaving the military I determined my future to be within the aircraft industry and worked my way into a position at the renowned DeHavilland aircraft company. I started as a lowly electrical technician - it was what was available and what I could afford. I worked hard, over the years taking advantage of every available hour and studying every course to be had, including acquiring my pilot’s licence. Thirty two years later, then an executive within the huge British Aerospace company, I decided to retire. I was fifty four years old and realised time was running out. If I were to pursue my two main passions to the full, it had to be now. And I was able to do this because for all those years I’d been able to afford reasonable contributions to a company pension fund. And more importantly, the company had matched my contributions culminating in a final salary related pension.
Over twenty years has passed since then and I continue to pray for many more to come because during those years my two passions; my love of playing jazz and, more, my dedication to my writing have been enjoyed to the absolute full.
So what, I hear you ask, is this other than a potted history of A.W. Lambert?
Well, yes, that’s how it was for me and thousands like me. But now run the clock forward to today:
Education is available to everyone, but at a cost. And what if you can’t afford it? Well that’s not a problem; just take out a loan which, after you have qualified, will take years to repay. And then hope like hell that, because you’ve chosen a course that may have suited you, but has no relevance to what is needed in the real world, there’s a job waiting for you at the end of it all.
And what about all that must have stuff that twenty four seven you’re constantly being told you can afford; the mobile phones, i-pads, i-pods, laptops, game consoles. There has to be a car in there somewhere, too, right? And all this before we even think of a wife, a family and heaven forbid the dreaded mortgage. Well none of this is a problem either, because – and here’s one of the major problems of the age – there is a bigger lobby out there encouraging us to enter into debt, pushing us to live now and pay later, than there is urging prudence and caution. So let’s just max out the old credit cards and worry about it later, eh?
Okay, I’m being over cynical. Well that maybe the case, but how about that reality check I spoke of earlier? To start with we’re living longer. That’s good news, but it means governments are already extending the age by which we will be receiving state pensions. 75, the age I am now, is not improbable and those pensions will undoubtedly only be sufficient to cover the basics of living. Which means a private pension is absolutely essential and young people are constantly being encouraged to start saving for their retirement as soon as they can. But, hang on; retirement is light years away, isn’t it? And there’s a need to prioritise here. There’s that university loan still hanging round the neck and those credit cards, miss a monthly payment on one of them and the percentage rockets. And even if there is enough left in the pot to put something by, those company, salary related pensions that benefitted the likes of me so much are now all but a thing of the past and already the existing annuities and available pension funds are being shown to be woefully inadequate, if not downright rip offs.
So, yes, I’m seventy five and it could be said heading for the last round-up. But I’ve had a good life with no complaints and once again if I were to ask myself do I really wish I were a little bit younger? Well, d’you know what? As I send my latest manuscript off to the publisher and pick up my trombone, ready to head out to another gig, I really don’t think I do.
You can see how his background has given him the life experience to salt his novels with believable situations.
A link to his books is:
http://www.wings-press.com/Author%20P...
Then and Now
I'm seventy five years old and there’s nothing I can do about that. Though there have been times when I’ve wondered where the years have gone and recall the words of the old song: ‘I wish I were a little bit younger and knew what I know now.’
But recently, looking around, taking in the state of things today, I got to wondering about whether that’s what I really do wish.
I was born in a small, ancient terraced house in a poor inner city district of London, England. My father was in the British army, fighting in the Far East and Hitler’s Luftwaffe was doing its best to obliterate my birth place; areas around us increasingly destroyed, our own windows and doors blown in, plywood replacing glass and doors hurriedly nailed back into position ready for the next onslaught. Indeed sometimes it felt we spent more time in the air raid shelters than in our homes.
Money was desperately scarce and I grew up, seeing nothing unusual in the sheets of cardboard stuffed into my shoes to cover the holes in the soles. My playgrounds were the grimy streets in which I lived and the surrounding bombed sites. Education was basic with further education available to but a few and frequently refused because work; bringing home the money, was the greater family priority.
It was all my mother could to hold herself and three sons together. Heaven knows how things would have turned out were it not for the utter determination of an incredibly close community, all facing the same hardships and not prepared to see any one of their number go under. Indeed, at no time did anyone believe Hitler would have his way. We would prevail; it was just a matter of time. And so it was, because six years after my arrival into this battered world the war came to an end and people again started to look to the future. But even then things were bleak. The bombing may have stopped but it would be a very long time before my country was back to anything like normal.
Here I feel I must pause, because it’s beginning to sound like I’m indulging myself, banging on about my impoverished, underprivileged background, maybe even craving sympathy. And nothing could be farther from the truth. Quite the opposite, because far from feeling hard done by, I consider myself privileged to have lived through those very austere, but also very informative, character building years. You see, when you have very little and there’s so little out there for you to have anyway, it instils a determined acceptance, a lifelong reality check within you: you can only have what’s available and, most importantly, only if you can afford it. And affording it is down to you.
So, sure, I had a poor education; I left school at fifteen with no thought of further education. But I never lost sight of reality; I knew very well, if I was to make a success of myself, it would only be due to my own efforts. I took whatever jobs were available until I was eighteen when I was conscripted into the British Army. Here, trained as a radio technician, I again found myself involved in a war zone: the EOKA terrorist conflict on the island of Cyprus.
On leaving the military I determined my future to be within the aircraft industry and worked my way into a position at the renowned DeHavilland aircraft company. I started as a lowly electrical technician - it was what was available and what I could afford. I worked hard, over the years taking advantage of every available hour and studying every course to be had, including acquiring my pilot’s licence. Thirty two years later, then an executive within the huge British Aerospace company, I decided to retire. I was fifty four years old and realised time was running out. If I were to pursue my two main passions to the full, it had to be now. And I was able to do this because for all those years I’d been able to afford reasonable contributions to a company pension fund. And more importantly, the company had matched my contributions culminating in a final salary related pension.
Over twenty years has passed since then and I continue to pray for many more to come because during those years my two passions; my love of playing jazz and, more, my dedication to my writing have been enjoyed to the absolute full.
So what, I hear you ask, is this other than a potted history of A.W. Lambert?
Well, yes, that’s how it was for me and thousands like me. But now run the clock forward to today:
Education is available to everyone, but at a cost. And what if you can’t afford it? Well that’s not a problem; just take out a loan which, after you have qualified, will take years to repay. And then hope like hell that, because you’ve chosen a course that may have suited you, but has no relevance to what is needed in the real world, there’s a job waiting for you at the end of it all.
And what about all that must have stuff that twenty four seven you’re constantly being told you can afford; the mobile phones, i-pads, i-pods, laptops, game consoles. There has to be a car in there somewhere, too, right? And all this before we even think of a wife, a family and heaven forbid the dreaded mortgage. Well none of this is a problem either, because – and here’s one of the major problems of the age – there is a bigger lobby out there encouraging us to enter into debt, pushing us to live now and pay later, than there is urging prudence and caution. So let’s just max out the old credit cards and worry about it later, eh?
Okay, I’m being over cynical. Well that maybe the case, but how about that reality check I spoke of earlier? To start with we’re living longer. That’s good news, but it means governments are already extending the age by which we will be receiving state pensions. 75, the age I am now, is not improbable and those pensions will undoubtedly only be sufficient to cover the basics of living. Which means a private pension is absolutely essential and young people are constantly being encouraged to start saving for their retirement as soon as they can. But, hang on; retirement is light years away, isn’t it? And there’s a need to prioritise here. There’s that university loan still hanging round the neck and those credit cards, miss a monthly payment on one of them and the percentage rockets. And even if there is enough left in the pot to put something by, those company, salary related pensions that benefitted the likes of me so much are now all but a thing of the past and already the existing annuities and available pension funds are being shown to be woefully inadequate, if not downright rip offs.
So, yes, I’m seventy five and it could be said heading for the last round-up. But I’ve had a good life with no complaints and once again if I were to ask myself do I really wish I were a little bit younger? Well, d’you know what? As I send my latest manuscript off to the publisher and pick up my trombone, ready to head out to another gig, I really don’t think I do.
November 16, 2013
The Writer's Well
There is a well to which a writer can visit. He needs that resource to make his descriptions vivid, his emotions real, his dialogue believable. The well can be filled with life experiences, his reading, formal education, or simply an inquisitive mind. We've all read prose that tells the story, but does not inspire when the well is too shallow.
This week, my guest is Kev Richardson, a man with a very deep well, indeed. I'll let him tell you about it, himself.
Kev Richardson, historian, novelist, biographer…
Why did an Australian retire in Thailand?
It’s a question often asked. I had taken early retirement and being alone, sold up my Melbourne home, moving to my Gold Coast ‘weekender’. My plan was simple; live life surfing in the sun while writing my country’s convict history. At my writing club, the editor of our local paper, learning of my considerable business travels, soon had me writing a weekly travel column. He introduced me to a London agent who bought travel articles for resale to Airline Magazines across the world.
“Wow!” At sixty-one, I went back to school to earn a Journalist ticket, then for three months in each of the next eight years, travelled abroad with camera and tape-recorder. For each next three months I wrote articles for airline magazines, leaving six months of summer to write novels and beach-bum. Retirement was great!
When my London agent died, so did that routine, yet I had a mountain of exciting notes to turn into novels. My literary agent urged me to take leave of absence from all commitments, to go somewhere quiet to ‘just write’. I was ready for a two-year sojourn and chose Thailand because living was so cheap. I rented a furnished nine-room Thai house for $265 a month!
In the Himalayan foothills, the tempo of life was bewitchingly calm and I began realising many benefits were embedded in Asian culture. On reaching retiring age at ‘home’, I harboured a sense of being considered a nuisance by not only the country’s administration, but by its youth. In Asia, the older one becomes, the more respect and admiration is given you from the very young, through teenage to adulthood. I found it a welcome surprise.
On going ‘home’ after a year, to see how much my grandchildren had grown, and they had, of course, I again felt, out of doors, ostracised. I missed Chiang Mai! And one can write anywhere! Especially in a land where I pay no taxes! I sold my home and car and paid out the mortgage on my son’s house. I visited them on two more occasions, but now, they visit me!
Having recorded copious notes while travelling from the south to north of Africa, through the Middle East, absolutely devouring Europe for which I’d always yearned to see every square inch, through the South Sea islands and South America from north to south, I experienced wonderful adventures—each to become a basis for travel-adventure novels.
Today, at the birth of my eighteenth happy year in Thailand, I continue writing. My two most recent novels have been awarded by my reviewing company, Ten Stars out of Five! – their first ever awards over 5 Stars, so my head is in the clouds! In January 2014, my twentieth novel is to be released, and on 1st March, my twenty-first.
I can assure readers, that ‘retirement in Thailand’ is a truly wonderful time of life!
Read synopses, awards and reviews of my works at www.kev-richardson.com.
Kev Richardson
This week, my guest is Kev Richardson, a man with a very deep well, indeed. I'll let him tell you about it, himself.
Kev Richardson, historian, novelist, biographer…
Why did an Australian retire in Thailand?
It’s a question often asked. I had taken early retirement and being alone, sold up my Melbourne home, moving to my Gold Coast ‘weekender’. My plan was simple; live life surfing in the sun while writing my country’s convict history. At my writing club, the editor of our local paper, learning of my considerable business travels, soon had me writing a weekly travel column. He introduced me to a London agent who bought travel articles for resale to Airline Magazines across the world.
“Wow!” At sixty-one, I went back to school to earn a Journalist ticket, then for three months in each of the next eight years, travelled abroad with camera and tape-recorder. For each next three months I wrote articles for airline magazines, leaving six months of summer to write novels and beach-bum. Retirement was great!
When my London agent died, so did that routine, yet I had a mountain of exciting notes to turn into novels. My literary agent urged me to take leave of absence from all commitments, to go somewhere quiet to ‘just write’. I was ready for a two-year sojourn and chose Thailand because living was so cheap. I rented a furnished nine-room Thai house for $265 a month!
In the Himalayan foothills, the tempo of life was bewitchingly calm and I began realising many benefits were embedded in Asian culture. On reaching retiring age at ‘home’, I harboured a sense of being considered a nuisance by not only the country’s administration, but by its youth. In Asia, the older one becomes, the more respect and admiration is given you from the very young, through teenage to adulthood. I found it a welcome surprise.
On going ‘home’ after a year, to see how much my grandchildren had grown, and they had, of course, I again felt, out of doors, ostracised. I missed Chiang Mai! And one can write anywhere! Especially in a land where I pay no taxes! I sold my home and car and paid out the mortgage on my son’s house. I visited them on two more occasions, but now, they visit me!
Having recorded copious notes while travelling from the south to north of Africa, through the Middle East, absolutely devouring Europe for which I’d always yearned to see every square inch, through the South Sea islands and South America from north to south, I experienced wonderful adventures—each to become a basis for travel-adventure novels.
Today, at the birth of my eighteenth happy year in Thailand, I continue writing. My two most recent novels have been awarded by my reviewing company, Ten Stars out of Five! – their first ever awards over 5 Stars, so my head is in the clouds! In January 2014, my twentieth novel is to be released, and on 1st March, my twenty-first.
I can assure readers, that ‘retirement in Thailand’ is a truly wonderful time of life!
Read synopses, awards and reviews of my works at www.kev-richardson.com.
Kev Richardson
