Barbara G. Tarn's Blog, page 203

Guest post – Melissa Wright

Ahem, well, today I should be guest posting over at Melissa's and she's here… I might not be on over there yet (you know those time zones? If you're in Australia and Europe it might be a little early to check) but if you're in North America, hop there and check what I have to say. Like with Janna we decided on a post title and each of us gave her interpretation – with no images! So ladies and gents, please welcome young and talented Melissa Wright!

How I Find My Muse

I tend to get into a fight with my muse on a daily basis. Creativity and inspiration always seems to hit at the most inopportune times and never when I'm sitting at home in front of my computer waiting for it to strike. Then, I realized something. Maybe it's when I want it to come that I'm trying way too hard.

My muse left me for awhile. Quite awhile actually. To be honest, it left for a good few months. Why? Because I let certain stress and frustration get the best of me and those things pushed it away.  It left me because I wasn't nurturing it like I should.   I wasn't giving it the attention it deserved and in spite, it abandoned me and left me helpless with a book to write.

It's not that I didn't care about my muse. It gave me the creativity I needed. It lived in my imagination and cheered me on when I sat down to write. I began to miss it when it left. So, how did I get it back? It's been a long process but I'm getting there.

I've learned to relax. Relaxation is the key for me (since I suffer from an anxiety disorder so it's best for me to write with a clear head.)  I don't let stress overcome my writing time. That's my special time and I refuse to let other problems interfere with that.  You have to make your muse be first during that time. They need that attention to give you the creativity you need.

I've also sat down and really got to know my muse. I imagined what it looked like, what it's personality was.  It has become my friend even though it's not really there. It's my writing buddy and it deserves that title.

My writing time isn't just my time, but also my muse's time to show me the way. It keeps me going and makes sure the story is on track. Once it leaves, my story goes with it. It's important to really know who your muse is.

Finding your muse isn't always easy, but it's always beneficial to. However you decide to find it, you will be lucky it is there.

Melissa Wright

http://thestoryinme.wordpress.com

daily prompt, weekly digest

… but I've picked up last Friday's so I'm not to late. Topic #134 was: if you got a tattoo, what would it be?

Especially since I started SKYBAND (where every major character has at least 2 tattoos) I've been thinking on what I'd like to try. I'm not too keen on permanent things, so maybe a henna (not permanent) tattoo would work better for me. Anyway, I can't make up my mind of where I want it – although I'm sure that if I find a unicorn drawing I like, I can have a permanent tattoo, haha! – so today I'll play with… SKYBAND.

I'm supposed to be Axelle (I wish I were that cute! ), so if I got myself some henna tattoos, I'd like to try hers which are as follow:

This is the "censored" version of the drawing – it's been done very quickly in pencil, I use it only for reference on the tattoos. Axelle (and Ylenia)'s lower back tattoo(s)? Found them on that book at the library in London, and as they didn't have them so far, I had to change the story in a later chapter to explain why they had new ones (to copy Nadira, they liked hers and used their free day in the Tattoo Country in a tattoo parlor, just like Killius and Desiderio).

Did I mention SKYBAND is for mature reader with lots of naked people in it? Not too many because a) I'm not very good with anatomy and drawing naked people isn't my best feature and b) drawings all those tattoos every time is waaay too time consuming!

But I love them, and I'm collecting all the tattoo magazines I've bought for research purposes (not to mention those I found online…). So you never know. One day I might actually get one!

Writerly updates: I have uploaded The Sect along with The Slave on Smashwords as Arquon (2 Tales of the Southern Kingdoms) while I started the revision/rewrite of the historical novel in order to finish it (I haven't written the ending). The latter if painfully longer than what I'm used (it took me one hour and a half to revise the first 4 scenes yesterday) because I have to continually stop and check facts, but I'm still having fun. So it might also take me longer than I expected to finish it, but it's a new thing, so I'm not blaming myself for being slower! It will be my side project for at least half the year…

Thoughts and rants

During the weekend I had a spam comment on an old post which prompted me some reflections. Over one year ago my six impossible things were "the usual":

1) Find an agent

2) Publish a novel (first step of MANY )

3) Start the Silvery Earth web page

4) Become a best selling author in my genre

5) Write and publish all those Silvery Earth novels/stories/graphic novels (for that staircase, the sky is the limit! )

6) Quit the day job and live of my writing (and I'm not greedy, I only want to be able to quit the day job).

What are they now? 1) I'm not interested anymore, not for Silvery Earth (and even for the historical novel I might look for a small publisher who accepts unsolicited submissions) 2) and 5)  I've done it, I'm doing it, thanks Smashwords, Amazon and Lulu! 3) I haven't done it yet, but might do it by the end of the year, thanks to WordPress. 4) 5000readers is actually enough for me to accomplish 6), I don't need to be a best-selling author!

I guess the world of publishing has changed a lot since that post, so if I were to redo this list, what would I write? I have a publication (and writing) plan for the next three years or more, I actually have some kind of five years plan so by my 50th birthday I might be able to quit Day Job. But I still don't know how to reach out to those 5000readers – I probably have a couple of hundreds who don't leave reviews, so I have no idea of how good I'm doing, besides, they're downloading free reads, so I don't know if they're actual fans, probably not or they'd have bought the other things as well, sigh. I hate marketing strategies and spamming people with my books, so I'm not going to do much more than what I'm already doing.

I guess I'll just keep writing and blogging and facebooking and reading other blogs (such as I love Smashwords and Dean Wesley Smith and Joe Konrath and Self-published Author's lounge, but also other authors who are still on my blogroll because they didn't quit blogging) and meeting other Smashers (that's Smashwords Authors for those not in the know) and follow what I feel is right, not what everybody says is the right thing to do. As long as I'm having fun, the passion will come out from my work, I think. I won't have another writer burnout trying to please everybody, that's for sure.

On Sunday I also tried to upload a one-shot short comic on Smashwords. There are still errors in the e-pub format, but apparently it works. I am very grateful to Jeff Thomason for giving tips on how to do it. I was also very excited because I had my very first review on Smashwords! With over 500 downloads (full and partial) on 6 titles, it's the first time I get one… awe! I mean, I know it takes time to read a novel, but all those short stories (over 400 are download of short stories, including the 200 downloads of now 0.99$ Tarun) nobody ever bothered to review… sigh!

Happiness is…

Six Sentence Sunday

Welcome back, Sunday visitors… not as many as on the list, but thank you to those who made it to this little blog. I thought I'd continue with Air, but instead I will post six sentences from a short story available for free download at Smashwords… and it's almost as if I kept posting from the novel. The Dancer happens 5 years after the end of the novel (Books of the Immortals – Air), just to prove there is no happy ending in life!

I'm picking up the story from the POV of the new character, Bella the dancer from the north (scene 2 of the short story). She's resting with her musician Matteo after her performance, enjoying the southern food:

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"He can't take his eyes off you," Matteo warned, staring at someone beyond her. Too busy with her food, she didn't turn to look.

"Who?" she asked.

"The king," he said gloomily. She shrugged.

"You should be used to it by now," she said.

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Thank you for stopping by and be sure to check all the entries at the Official Blog!

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SHAMELESS SELF PROMOTION

Here are the titles available at Smashwords for download to any e-reading device:

Tarun (erotica short story)

Books of the Immortals – Air (fantasy novel)

The dancer (FREE fantasy short story)

Starblazer (FREE fantasy short story)

Jessamine (fantasy novella)

Linky Saturday

Whee, another week (two actually!) is gone… so here's what I found when I came back.

The Literary Lab wonders how sincere is your writer's face? Yes, we should be proud of our work, but often self-doubt kicks in. To this we should remember the Authors Bill of Rights (I better add that to my favorites while I'm at it, to go back to it whenever self-doubt kicks in!)!.

But then there's a whole article on Professionalism… I created my own author page, I didn't wait for fans to do it, but that's all. I don't have a web page yet, I'm only on Amazon Author Central and Goodreads and I don't think I'm spamming all my friends with self-promotion. Am I being professional? I don't know… and I probably don't care. That's what works for me. And I can write well, I can say "yes" to a solicitation (I accepted to be a guest on a blog I hold in very high esteem, although I pondered on it for much longer than I do here), and I can meet my own (or others) deadlines. So I guess I do have a professional behavior after all!

More Literary Lab goodies: Adapting to the changing world (of publication): Mr Malsarn sounds a lot like me!

On Clarion blog Richard Curtis tells what is, according to him, the real Kindle Killer.

Dean Wesley Smith gets a lot of feedback that he's harsh. He's not, and I love him for his honesty (but don't worry, Kris, I'm NOT trying to steal your husband!). I think he's smart and knowledgeable. And yes, writers are loosing the fight again. So here's his summary of just about everything. Wake up, writers, it's a brand new world and we have to discover it for ourselves!

Or we might end in a bad sequel to JAWS… and check Kristine Kathryn Rusch history of the business, or writing like it's 1999. Or listen to New York Bestseller Michael Stackpole saying almost the same thing as Dean Wesley Smith and Kristine Kathryn Rusch.

And then, once you're indie, if you won't succeed, just check back with Joe Konrath to see why… and what works in promo for ebooks.

Oh, and I discovered I love Smashwords with loads of interesting technical stuff for indies and other things… I so love Smashwords too that I might eventually become a contributor myself! Now I'll be struggling with how to upload a graphic novel on Smashwords for the rest of the weekend…

Love-story with… beads & handmade crafts

Let's get back to my love stories that will run on Fridays until the end of May – after which, Friday will be the linky day and Saturday will be WoW again (as in Writers on Writing or Words of Wisdom, like last summer) until September. Then we'll see what inspires me…

So today I will explore one of my hobbies. I've always wanted to be an artisan, but never actually been one. I tried to sell paper stuff like stationery with my drawings on it, but it didn't really work (it's not working even on Zazzle now if you ask me! ).

Then I discovered beads and patterns, and this allowed me to create wonderful jewelry – both copied from patterns I could find on magazines or made up experimentally. I even sold some, but… I produce more than I can sell. So my "workshop" sits there unused, with all the material in boxes and drawers.

At the moment blogging, reading and writing takes all my free time, but eventually I'll bet back to it (it's as good as drawing to keep my mind working on story or plot while keeping my hands busy).

handflower

I had in mind to do for myself twin handflowers for the medieval dinner, but I guess it's too late (although, if I really really wanted it, I could do both in a Sunday…). Besides it's supposed to be historical and there's no evidence of such jewelry in 12th century Europe. I guess it's more fantasy stuff, like the head piece I bought at the NY Renaissance Faire back in 2002…

headpiece

… which I'd be able to duplicate now if I really wanted to, as I have learned the skills in the meantime!

necklace - same technique as the headpiece (made this for Mum)

Anyway, now you know: don't buy jewelry because 1) I still tend to buy some myself and 2) I make my own. And if you're  a woman and we're friend, you might as well get a bracelet or a necklace or earrings for your birthday from me. Handmade with love!

I know I should put up an online shop, but… not enough time. So that will stay in the back burner as a hobby for now…

Historical research

A short Facebook "discussion" between me and Mesmered on Tuesday  prompted me to do this post. Here was the exchange (my comment to her posting of Mark Williams piece about her):

# (me) I see I'm really NOT the only one writing about Richard and John Plantagenet's times!

# (Mesmered) Medieval era highly popular, Barb. It's all that 'no washing' that does it!

# (me) Funny I've just reminded people that they DID wash in the 12th century…

(which is something I mentioned in my comeback post, of course). So here goes the evidence!

p.s. I know she was joking, but many other people were very serious in their objections, hence this post…

Bathing evidence from the Chanson de Gestes by Chretien de Troyes (translations available at Project Guttenberg)

Erec & Enide

She had laid embroidered cushions and spreads upon the couches, where they all three sat down Erec with his host beside him, and the maiden opposite. Before them, the fire burns brightly. He brought them water for washing in two basins. The table was soon set, cloths, bread, and wine set out, and they sat down to supper.

Cliges

The time for the meal had come, and those whose duty it was hastened to set the tables. The tables in the hall were quickly spread, then while some took the towels, and others held the basins, they offered water to all who came. When all had washed, they took their seats. And the King, taking Cliges by the hand,

made him sit down in front of him, for he wished to learn this very day, if possible, who he was. Of the meal I need not further speak, for the courses were as well supplied as if beef were selling at a penny.

You must know that baths are not lacking here, nor anything else which a lady needs, and which I can think of or recall.

These quarters are good enough for such a guest; for there are bedrooms, and bathrooms with hot water in the tubs, which comes through pipes under the ground.

Yvain

Every day the has him bathed, and washed, and groomed. And besides this she prepares for him a robe of red scarlet stuff, brand new and lined with spotted fur. A Golden buckle for his neck, ornamented with precious stones which make people look well, a girdle, and a wallet made of rich gold brocade.

Then they say no more about the box, but minister in every way they can to the comfort of my lord Yvain, bathing him and washing his hair, having him shaved and clipped, for one could have taken up a fist full of hair upon his face. His every want is satisfied: if he asks for arms, they are furnished him: if he wants a horse, they provide him with one that is large and handsome, strong and spirited.

She relieves him of all his arms, nor was it the least attention she bestowed on him when she herself washed his neck and face. The lord wishes that all honour should be shown him, as indeed they do. She gets out from her wardrobe a folded shirt, white drawers, needle and thread for his sleeves, which she sews on, thus clothing him.

Lancelot

Standing beside the table, at the end of a bench, they found two basins of warm water in which to wash their hands, with a richly embroidered towel, all white and clean, with which to dry their hands.

Then the knight and his two sons extend a glad welcome to their guests. The rest of the household were not backward, for even the least among them prepared to perform his special task. While some run to prepare the meal, others light the candles in profusion; still others get a towel and basins, and offer water for the hands: they are not niggardly in all this. When all had washed, they take their seats.

Forget Sir Walter Scott! Let's rewrite the history books!

(and no, they're not constantly bathing in my novel, but they DO bathe after a journey or stuff like that… they're well-mannered knights and ladies, after all! )

UPDATE that has nothing to do with the previous post: I've had my first interview! Read it at wonderful Chrystalla Thoma's blog, she was very kind in having me! Check it out, especially if you're new to this blog!

Daily prompt – weekly photo challenge

Because I'm still recovering and catching up and blah blah blah – and didn't find anything else interesting to write about, haha – I decided to pick up the Photo Challenge again. This week's theme: Red. So, there you have it, Edinburg Castle all red during the Royal Military Tattoo, from my 2008 tour of Scotland!

Back and still catching up

Last week I was in London to meet friends AND use libraries without having to buy books and doing some research "on the field" for the historical novel. I came back with a cold, thanks to the British weather, and Sunday afternoon/night my server (Telecom Italia) was so very slow that I had to quit reading the Six Sentence Sunday participants and continue on Monday. Considering the overwhelming number of participants and that barely a third of them actually tours all the entries, I think I'm going to do like the other two thirds from now on: sign up and just wait for the others to visit me… Lazy, I know, but time's flying!

But back to my short British vacation! I spent two mornings at Westminster Reference Library, Tuesday working on 12th century clothes (and tattoos, so I had to modify SKYBAND again, haha!), Thursday on Norman castles, Westminster Hall and other 12th century buildings in London and Lincolnshire.

Wednesday I took the DLR to the Tower of London – with SEVERE DELAYS of… 15 minutes! I'm Italian, for me a "severe delay" is one hour or two! – and then walked to Westminster (that's when I caught the cold, the wind was quite chilly along the Tames and I had to cover my ears with… my hair!) like my characters are supposed to do. I knew in the 12th century London and Westminster were two separate cities, but I couldn't figure out how long it would take: one hour of fast walking. Therefore I believe my characters will go by boat! They can't show up at Westminster Hall all sweaty and stinky, it's a court! (And for those of you still wondering, YES, they DID BATHE in the Middle Ages, especially the nobles at this time of courtly love. There are plenty of mentions of baths and washing hands and changing clothes in the chanson de gestes).

I didn't pay to get inside the Tower of London nor Westminster Abbey because I've already been there in the past. The white tower (built by William the Conqueror) can be seen also from the outside, and Westminster Abbey was rebuilt after Richard's coronation (the only one featured in my story, my characters aren't too fond of John, therefore carefully avoid HIS coronation).

Tuesday I met a friend at the British Museum and had a look at the few medieval things they have there, while Thursday I met a friend at Charing Cross and we discussed my sci-fi novella.

Now I'm back, still catching up on blogs, finishing short stories and sending out guest posts and interviews, so you might see me somewhere out there in the future. AND I have to edit and finish the damn historical, or I won't be able to move forward with the fantasy stories. But now I have a clearer idea, so I think I can do it and nail the first draft by the end of May.

By the way, if you enjoyed last week's short story The Sect in spite of it being very dramatic, I can put more here, pre-editing, before I upload them on Smashwords and Kindle… I have a couple more almost ready (but one is a sequel to Air, and a spoiler for the novel, so don't read it, haha!). I might start doing Story Sunday instead of Six Sentence Sunday!