David L. Atkinson's Blog, page 100

Writing - The use of English

The number of sources of inspiration are limitless and once again I was driven by an old story. The parable of the talents from the book of Matthew but it was because of the use of language and the transfer of that aspect of the message to the present day.

This is the story of the rich man giving his slaves his wealth to take care of while he went on a journey. Some versions of the story refer to the property as bags of gold, others as talents but the focus of the story was what the slaves did with their master's property.
In short the man with five bags of gold turned them into ten and and similarly the slave with two bags, but the slave with just one bag buried the gold and returned it to his master without any extra. This was described as a wicked sin as he didn't develop the gold/talents into more As a result of this lack of entrepreneurial drive he was discarded to the darkness with a gnashing of teeth etc.
I've always struggled with this story and felt sorry for the man with the one talent. In a sense he did nothing wrong in returning what he had been entrusted with but ended up feeling the wrath of his master's tongue. It is true that if you have a specific ability that you should try and develop it because that way can bring you happiness about yourself, but whether you sell it to an audience or not is a very different question.

In fact I was struck by a line in the story which went along the lines of 'the more you have the more you'll receive' that made me feel that the whole story was probably the underlying tenet of political conservatism.
So when we produce a piece of writing are we entirely sure how it will be interpreted or in fact in how many ways it will be interpreted? Are we worried? In a sense once we release a story, a poem, or any piece of art into the ether it ceases to belong solely to us. True we may have copy-write and intellectual property rights etc. but when a work becomes public that is precisely what it is - in the public domain for that great readership to pass judgement upon.


It is with these sorts of feelings that I prepare to launch my latest novel - Earth plc. At the same time please don't forget that it is the 7th in a series.
God Bless

Writing - 10 things we didn't know last week

There's quite a random selection this week ranging from mis-pronunciation to tattoos!
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1. Illustrator Quentin Blake draws standing up.
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2. Hip hop can help depressed people with their self esteem - The Message by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five is a particularly effective pick-me-up.

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3. Female mammals sleep around to stop infanticide.


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4. Darts champion Phil "The Power" Taylor's favourite juice contains avocado, apple and ginger.

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5. American teachers are allowed to whack children with a paddle (a wooden bat a little shorter and thinner than a cricket bat) in 19 states.

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6. Micheline Peltier has spent years fighting to get David Dimbleby to correctly pronounce "Dominica" - it should be Dom-min-EEKA not Dom-MIN-ica.


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7. Singles Day is China's biggest online shopping day.

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8. The release of a track by Freddie Mercury and Michael Jackson was delayed more than 30 years because Mercury objected to the presence of Bubbles the chimp at its recording.

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9. Dustin Hoffman is not amused by Rob Brydon's impressions.

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10. Southampton right back Nathaniel Clyne has a tattoo of Stockwell tube station.


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God Bless

Writing - Meltdown

When you finish writing a story and have done what you can to edit the finished product there comes a point when you have to let it go out into the ether. Its a little like the little ones leaving the family nest to go out into the world. (I find that spending time NOT writing a novel causes my brain to go into meltdown!)
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I was slightly alarmed by an advertisement for a car which was on Classic FM yesterday. It began along the lines of 'when a script for an advertisement is submitted it is re-worked, changed and becomes barely recognisable' when finally broadcast. It reminded me of the angst displayed by Emma Thompson, playing P L Travers in Saving Mr Banks, over signing over the rights to Mary Poppins to Walt Disney (Tom Hanks). The point is you have created something unique and intensely personal, which comes across very well in the film, and any changes hurt!
[image error]Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson
It would be great to achieve some recognition but at what cost? The process of having a book published in the traditional manner would possibly be too harrowing!
So Earth plc is on its way and the hope is that it will be available across all platforms before Christmas. Below are a couple of recent comments from a reader.
From a reader with a Kobo,
'I have enjoyed having the Steele stories on the Kobo so that I could read them one after another and didn't have to wait to see where the cliffhanger ending of one story took us in the next.'
and on Cessation,
'It is different from the Steele books in that it makes you think more'
All the previously published works are available through major retailers on both sides of the Atlantic and the rest of the world, on electronic platforms and in paperback through Amazon and completelynovel.com


In all cases when searching for my books please search using my full name:-
DAVID L ATKINSON
God Bless

Writing - A book launch coming soon

So the manuscript has been edited for the first time, the cover is prepared and both are uploaded to completelynovel.com

Earth plc
Not only is all the uploading done but also the proof copies are ordered. This is the 7th book in the Steele series and as one of my readers said earlier this week 'there getting better' for which she apologised before going on to say that reading my books (she's bought all 7) had made her think more critically about her reading. I was gratified to find out that she is reading me and Ken Follett!
The book will be launched before Christmas on different platforms so keep reading this blog and I'll keep you up-to-date.


Steele   My hero was created post recession and so has no concept of how 'good' things were pre-2008. In 'I Have To Get It Right' when he began to flex his muscles he was working in an accountant's office. Then after the Gurentai took him under their wing and removed all of his financial worries, it was justice that was his major concern. He did become involved in international relations in 'The 51st State' but it was for the maintenance of a respectful distance between countries, rather than economic reasons. His trips into the USA had repercussions which can be read about in 'The Biter Bit' but then by the time things began to change in 2011 and the recession was really biting, Steele was trying to make sense of the state of the nation in 'A Changed Reality' and coming up against some really nasty people taking advantage of the shortage of money. By the time the USA are out of their recession Steele's steps are still being dogged by an unknown enemy from the same country. In 'Inceptus' we also find out more about what makes the man tick. The most recent Steele book 'Castled' Steele is once again at risk from unseen enemies. It would seem that he has become quite recession proof!
All books are available in paperback or ebook through Amazon, Smashwords and all good book shop websites.


Cessation This is a dystopian story that hinges directly on the state of the nation as a result of fiscal mismanagement. Having said that it is more a story of human relations, privations, love and loss.

God Bless

Poetry Thursday 136 - A Soldier's Lot

I couldn't imagine not being affected by the events leading up to and on Remembrance Day and so have been creating a poem that I've intended to try in previous years. Not being of an age where I could have fought in any wars doesn't prevent from being affected by their destructive violence and gut wrenching aftermath, nor does it stop me from writing about it.I have tried to capture something of the futility and the ongoing nature of the hurt even when the bullets have stopped.
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A Soldier’s Lot
Patriotic young men lied about their ageto protect their country – war to wage.Wearing woollen uniforms sizes too bigcarrying weaponry in a webbing rig.Digging trenches for miles in Normandy’s mudhalf expecting to fill them with their own blood.Yet youthful exuberance drove them forwardover the edge and pushing onwardwith no certainty of returningand assuaging a families yearning.But onward they went to the killing groundbelieving they were the toughest men around,thinking they would be the ones to killthen returning if it was God’s will.
The men facing were just as confidentconvinced that their cause was the valiant.
Once the starting gun was dischargedGod only knew which boys would be rechargedto their young, exuberant and promising lives,a national lottery as to which ones survive.Metal projectiles have no preferenceshuman flesh offers few defencesand is ripped, torn and misusedleaving the owner screaming, abusedor silent if the hurt is too greatconsigning youth to war’s own fate.In the aftermath there were many lost and maimedeven those returning were scarred and shamedby the chance of a future not given to others,guilt tearing them over the death of their brothers.
So to those who hold the power of decisionin the event of conflict a moment’s hesitationmay prevent a nation’s unnecessary heartachefor their people who fight and the families you break.© David L Atkinson November 2014

God Bless

Writing - Ideas, imagination and an approaching launch

As the night changes to day and the time for dreams arrives, imagination can provide some excellent diversions.

I've often said that as I go to sleep and again when waking my imagination seems to be at its most active. Over the last five years it has provided me with 8 novels and a collection of poetry as well as hundreds more poems as yet to be collected together. I have started an eighth Steele novel and have an idea for a children's book. I'm fortunate that is the case and long may it continue.
So I've had an idea in mind regarding the book cover for Earth plc and have eventually brought it together. It still needs some work but I'll share the prototype with you as the book launch is imminent.
Earth plc
I say that the launch is imminent as a sop to my occasional optimism. I have edited seventeen of twenty-five chapters so that should be finished by the end of this week and then the process moves on to uploading to the completelynovel.com website and ordering of a couple of printed draft copies which go to my two editors who then return them annotated. After that I have to make the corrections submit the final manuscript and order printed copies. Then I will upload to Smashwords and Amazon and hopefully the launch will be before Christmas.
Remembrance Day
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Patriotic young men lied about their ageto protect their country - war to wageWearing woollen uniforms sizes too bigcarrying weaponry in a webbing rig.
888246 people were killed and for each one of them consider the people left behind and the soldiers injured who returned home unable to live a normal life.The above is the beginning of a poem I'm writing for this Thursday.
God Bless

Tuesday Recipe - Slow roast leg of lamb with chardonnay, rosemary, sage and bay

A superbly simple and yet very tasty recipe. This came from TV chef Lorraine Pascale
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Credit where credit is due. There is a video of the recipe on the BBC website but Lorraine described this recipe as 'fast prepared - slow cooked' and that is so true. As a relatively inept chef it takes me time to chop and carry out other basic tasks but even so 15 minutes after starting the casserole was in the oven and cooking.
Slow roast Lamb
The full recipe is on the appropriate TAB at the top of this page. Apart from being very easy to prepare it is unusual in that there isn't a stock involved just three-quarters of a bottle of Chardonnay and a couple of tablespoons of honey which gives the meat a sweet tang. I served this with roast potatoes, peas and a bay leaf garnish.
Experiment
I was advised to check the 'Deluxe' section of the freezer in Lidl supermarket by a friend. The range of special foods was amazing, not cheap but ranged from moose to 3 bird roasts. 
Medallions of Kangaroo leg steak
As I had vegetables left over from the weekend I served the kangaroo steaks as with the lamb.This was the first time that I'd eaten kangaroo and wasn't disappointed. It was quite coarse in texture and tasted slightly like liver but as I like offal that wasn't a problem for me.
Next week it could be veal, venison or perhaps a three fish roast.
God Bless

Writing - November 9th, Remembrance and all that!

It is Remembrance Sunday and I'm proud to be able to say that I live in Mirfield which is well known for its parade.


This year's effort was no exception but one of the really special aspects for me was the number of young people attending from a myriad of uniformed organisations. There were scouts, guides and cubs but also the cadet sections of the three branches of our nations armed forces plus other groups I'd never heard of and children with parents spectating. Brilliant!
To those who don't approve for whatever reason the anniversary is about remembering and not just those who died but those who suffered afterwards, families as well as wounded veterans.
Births on this date
Giles Gilbert Scott born 1880 and invented the red telephone box.What a significant creation that was! Many people, when referring to the UK, name these boxes as typically British.
We remember events for all kinds of intensely personal reasons and our personalities are developed in some way from what we remember. When we write our stories the memories of our characters are just as significant and worth taking care of.


Portfolio



Steele   My hero was created post recession and so has no concept of how 'good' things were pre-2008. In 'I Have To Get It Right' when he began to flex his muscles he was working in an accountant's office. Then after the Gurentai took him under their wing and removed all of his financial worries, it was justice that was his major concern. He did become involved in international relations in 'The 51st State' but it was for the maintenance of a respectful distance between countries, rather than economic reasons. His trips into the USA had repercussions which can be read about in 'The Biter Bit' but then by the time things began to change in 2011 and the recession was really biting, Steele was trying to make sense of the state of the nation in 'A Changed Reality' and coming up against some really nasty people taking advantage of the shortage of money. By the time the USA are out of their recession Steele's steps are still being dogged by an unknown enemy from the same country. In 'Inceptus' we also find out more about what makes the man tick. The most recent Steele book 'Castled' Steele is once again at risk from unseen enemies. It would seem that he has become quite recession proof!
All books are available in paperback or ebook through Amazon, Smashwords and all good book shop websites.


Cessation This is a dystopian story that hinges directly on the state of the nation as a result of fiscal mismanagement. Having said that it is more a story of human relations, privations, love and loss.

God Bless

Writing - Invisible writers and other stuff.

Usually I produce a sort of tongue in cheek look back at the week's news in this blog partly as a bit of light relief and partly to give me a break. However, before I do that I do need to comment on my mate's blog. Bert Carson, a very accomplished writer from Alabama, wrote in Venture Galleries about how easy it is for today's writers to be invisible. I love the words he used to describe what an author needs to be - REAL, TRUE and CONSISTENT. A worthwhile mantra I think.
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1. Olive oil and baking powder are rubbed onto parts of the Sydney Opera House in order to maintain it.
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2. South Korean soap operas are popular in Cuba.


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3. A porcupine can fight off a pride of lions.

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4. Bats jam rivals' senses in the race for food by sabotaging their sound signals.

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5. Iran publishes three times more books than all Arab nations combined.


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6. Islamic State's supposed women's wing has launched an online recipe service for jihadist wives. Millet balls are said to go well with coffee in between battles.


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7. Taylor Swift sold more albums in seven days than the combined total of numbers two to 107 on the Billboard chart.


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8. Happiness nosedives as you hit middle age, but only if you live in the affluent West.


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9. The most common culprits for mistaken UFO sightings in France are Chinese lanterns.


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10. Columnist Lucy Kellaway prints out her draft pieces in Comic Sans to try and detect typos.
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God Bless

Writing - Shared words, misleading news and war games

It's great when someone uses your words (see yesterday's blog) it is a superb feeling. The guy who is going to use my work said that he would make the appropriate reference to the author and I was about to exercising my self-effacing gene saying it was ok that he didn't have to when I stopped myself. I just expressed gratitude instead. It is important to recognise your own successes no matter how small. 
Now to other uses of words.
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I saw the above film when I was in my early teens around the time JFK was facing the Russians over the Bay of Pigs and blockade of Cuba. There was real fear over the possibility of nuclear war and various drills and exercises took place in preparation for the aftermath of such a conflict. Well guess my surprise when the following information was released recently under the thirty year rule.
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In 1982, a secret Home Office exercise tested the UK's capacity to rebuild after a massive nuclear attack. Files recently released at the National Archives detail one short-lived proposal to recruit psychopaths to help keep order. More than 300 megatons of nuclear bombs are detonated over Britain, in the space of a 16-hour exchange. Many cities are flattened - millions are dead from the blast, millions more have survived and suffer radiation sickness. In bunkers are 12 regional commissioners with their staff, ready to come out and take charge. How do they do this? How do they restore order and begin to rebuild?
This was what a top-secret Home Office exercise intended to test in 1982, according to documents recently released at the National Archives. Optimistically termed Regenerate, this was a war game covering the first six months after the nuclear exchange of World War Three. It focused on one central region, the five counties of Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire.
Officials imagined what would happen after the bombs had dropped. They knew the most likely targets in the area, and predicted how "rings" of damage would affect the country. At the epicentres of the bombs, there would be "unimaginable" damage, on the outer ring "broken panes" and "debris in the streets". The scientific advisers estimated 50% of the country would be untouched - though survivors could be affected by radiation fallout.



One of the Home Office Science Officers suggested the following,

"It is... generally accepted that around 1% of the population are psychopaths," she wrote.
"These are the people who could be expected to show no psychological effects in the communities which have suffered the severest losses."

Hogg suggested psychopaths would be "very good in crises" as "they have no feelings for others, nor moral code, and tend to be very intelligent and logical".

It would make a great story!!! However, this was almost 20 years after the events around the Cuban Missile Crisis when most of us would have naturally felt that the danger had been averted.


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Misleading News

My father, God rest his soul, used to follow the news avidly and yet one of his sayings was 'don't believe everything your read in the newspapers'.  There was a prime example this week concerning the fiscal impact of migrants on the British economy.

Independent - reported that over 10 years the UK economy had benefited by £20 billion from EU migrants.

Daily Mail - non EU migrants cost the UK economy £120 billion over 17 years!

Both of these facts were from the same learned report. There are many reasons why the news was manipulated in such a way but as citizens don't we have the right to unbiased reporting so that we can make our own minds up?

God Bless