David L. Atkinson's Blog, page 37
August 26, 2016
Writing - What do you use to mark pages?
As a child I used to turn the corner of the page of a book down to mark the spot that I had arrived at in a story. At some point in my early adulthood I borrowed a book from a friend who warned me against that destructive practice. Since then I have been careful about signifying my reading progress in a story.
[image error]
Of course libraries are not keen on page corner turners (PCTs) but most of their books have hefty dust jackets that may do the job. Of course in recent years the stationers have been quite creative in producing clever and amusing ways of marking your place without causing damage.
[image error]
Of course those who read exclusively from a Kindle or the like don't require bookmarks as the software defaults to the last page read, but I don't believe that books will stop being produced and for as long as that is the case bookmarks will be required.
In 2007 I was fortunate enough to visit Japan in a joint venture between an English choir of which I was a member and Osaka Symphony Chorus. The members of the Japanese choir gave us parting gifts and mine was an origami book mark as seen above. It is quite detailed and beautifully made. In fact children in school frequently make bookmarks for a variety of artistic purposes.
Long live books!
December 2015
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' where Steele is once again at risk from unseen enemies. It would seem that he has become quite recession proof!The most recent addition to the Steele family is Earth plc in which our hero is concerned with political and emotional issues in this crime fighting adventure.
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.
Poetry - there are also two thoughtful collections of poetry available solely through Amazon.
The Musings of a Confused Mind
and
Words from the Raindrops
God Bless
[image error]
Of course libraries are not keen on page corner turners (PCTs) but most of their books have hefty dust jackets that may do the job. Of course in recent years the stationers have been quite creative in producing clever and amusing ways of marking your place without causing damage.
[image error]
Of course those who read exclusively from a Kindle or the like don't require bookmarks as the software defaults to the last page read, but I don't believe that books will stop being produced and for as long as that is the case bookmarks will be required.
In 2007 I was fortunate enough to visit Japan in a joint venture between an English choir of which I was a member and Osaka Symphony Chorus. The members of the Japanese choir gave us parting gifts and mine was an origami book mark as seen above. It is quite detailed and beautifully made. In fact children in school frequently make bookmarks for a variety of artistic purposes.
Long live books!
December 2015Steele 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' where Steele is once again at risk from unseen enemies. It would seem that he has become quite recession proof!The most recent addition to the Steele family is Earth plc in which our hero is concerned with political and emotional issues in this crime fighting adventure.
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.
Poetry - there are also two thoughtful collections of poetry available solely through Amazon.
The Musings of a Confused Mind
and
Words from the Raindrops
God Bless
August 25, 2016
Writing - Producing an ending.
When people describe themselves as aspiring writers I try to encourage them to begin. You here them say that being faced with a blank page is petrifying, but few people speak of finishing their stories.
Then there are those people who are meticulous planners so they know where their story is going and how it will conclude. That is one way of taking the pain out of the process of ending a story, but not everyone can write like that and prefer to write spontaneously. I fall somewhere between the two.
I begin with a skeletal plan that allows me to take off into the story, but then I write by interacting with characters and the situations in which they find themselves. As the end of the story approaches I may extend my plan but the fundamental process involves a degree of spontaneity with the characters in the story.
[image error]Victoria Hall Tragedy
Of course it doesn't always work. I have one story, a historical novel, which is stuck at 11 000 words. There are various reasons for that one of which is the lack of interaction and another possibly the fact that I knew what the ending had to be. My style of writing doesn't allow being dictated to by the subject matter or a particular genre.It is my theory that writers experience a 'block' when they are trying to produce dictated by outside pressures such as marketability. The obvious corollary is that if you write for the art you may not find your work easy to sell. Imagine someone suggesting you write a story about a boat that hit an iceberg and sank. In the end the boat sinks and many people lose their lives. The excellent story produced is based upon human and class interaction and even when you buy your ticket to go see the film you know that the ship sinks! There has to be that something extra to draw you into shelling out hard earned cash.
[image error]Building 7
My tenth Steele novel, tentatively Building 7, is approaching the end. I have written around 54k words so about three chapters plus an appendix to complete. It is at this point where the final hook, cliffhanger or whatever I decide is relevant, has to be selected and written. Such questions as,
Is this my final Steele novel?
Do I kill him off?
Do I make him disappear?
Will Steele and Kobayashi live happily ever after?
and so on. In the past it has always been quite straightforward because I knew what I wanted from my hero next and he provided me with the relevant story line to close the books. This time is no less straight forward, as the writer I have to make the decision that suits me irrespective of what Patrick A Steele wants.
[image error]
When I conceived of Steele I could see me writing 10 novels and Building 7 is the tenth. There is an 11th - Cessation - which was a one off dystopian story inspired by the governments hash up of the energy market, but the Steele adventure is over I think. The situation for me is like when you have an aim in mind and you achieve that aim, then you must move on to the next challenge.
God Bless
Then there are those people who are meticulous planners so they know where their story is going and how it will conclude. That is one way of taking the pain out of the process of ending a story, but not everyone can write like that and prefer to write spontaneously. I fall somewhere between the two.
I begin with a skeletal plan that allows me to take off into the story, but then I write by interacting with characters and the situations in which they find themselves. As the end of the story approaches I may extend my plan but the fundamental process involves a degree of spontaneity with the characters in the story.
[image error]Victoria Hall Tragedy
Of course it doesn't always work. I have one story, a historical novel, which is stuck at 11 000 words. There are various reasons for that one of which is the lack of interaction and another possibly the fact that I knew what the ending had to be. My style of writing doesn't allow being dictated to by the subject matter or a particular genre.It is my theory that writers experience a 'block' when they are trying to produce dictated by outside pressures such as marketability. The obvious corollary is that if you write for the art you may not find your work easy to sell. Imagine someone suggesting you write a story about a boat that hit an iceberg and sank. In the end the boat sinks and many people lose their lives. The excellent story produced is based upon human and class interaction and even when you buy your ticket to go see the film you know that the ship sinks! There has to be that something extra to draw you into shelling out hard earned cash.
[image error]Building 7
My tenth Steele novel, tentatively Building 7, is approaching the end. I have written around 54k words so about three chapters plus an appendix to complete. It is at this point where the final hook, cliffhanger or whatever I decide is relevant, has to be selected and written. Such questions as,
Is this my final Steele novel?
Do I kill him off?
Do I make him disappear?
Will Steele and Kobayashi live happily ever after?
and so on. In the past it has always been quite straightforward because I knew what I wanted from my hero next and he provided me with the relevant story line to close the books. This time is no less straight forward, as the writer I have to make the decision that suits me irrespective of what Patrick A Steele wants.
[image error]
When I conceived of Steele I could see me writing 10 novels and Building 7 is the tenth. There is an 11th - Cessation - which was a one off dystopian story inspired by the governments hash up of the energy market, but the Steele adventure is over I think. The situation for me is like when you have an aim in mind and you achieve that aim, then you must move on to the next challenge.
God Bless
August 24, 2016
Poetry Thursday 226 - Who is the best?
So the Olympic Games (part 1) is over, paralympics still to come, and the political battle within the Labour Party begins. These two poems tackle some of the associated issues.
[image error]
Who is the best?
Ali said he was the greatest,Now Adams claims that place,Peaty in water was the fastest,Jamaican Bolt won every race.
Whether it was in the water,or on the hockey pitch,if the competition was hotter,we won without a hitch.
Was it the brothers Brownleetoiling in three disciplines?or the future Mr and Mrs Kenny,on the velodrome, glistening?
It doesn’t really matterwhen judging at the end,Team GB four years after,will glory in the medal blend.© David L Atkinson August 2016
[image error]
Who could fail to return the smile of Nicola Adams?
[image error]
Labour v Labour
So it starts.Corbyn versus Smith.But will Labour partwhen deciding who to go with?
Most destructive decision,to fight over ideology.Could be the final schismlike mitosis in biology.
What was the role of the party,in the early days when it was formed?By the gang led by Hardie,it was to protect the uninformed.
Nowadays it has lost principles.Soul sold to the parliamentary elite,electability the aim cynical,heading for another defeat.
C’mon pull together,realign the party’s aims,whether Corbyn or Smith,stop playing divisive games.© David L Atkinson August 2016
[image error]
Speaks for itself.
God Bless
[image error]
Who is the best?
Ali said he was the greatest,Now Adams claims that place,Peaty in water was the fastest,Jamaican Bolt won every race.
Whether it was in the water,or on the hockey pitch,if the competition was hotter,we won without a hitch.
Was it the brothers Brownleetoiling in three disciplines?or the future Mr and Mrs Kenny,on the velodrome, glistening?
It doesn’t really matterwhen judging at the end,Team GB four years after,will glory in the medal blend.© David L Atkinson August 2016
[image error]
Who could fail to return the smile of Nicola Adams?
[image error]
Labour v Labour
So it starts.Corbyn versus Smith.But will Labour partwhen deciding who to go with?
Most destructive decision,to fight over ideology.Could be the final schismlike mitosis in biology.
What was the role of the party,in the early days when it was formed?By the gang led by Hardie,it was to protect the uninformed.
Nowadays it has lost principles.Soul sold to the parliamentary elite,electability the aim cynical,heading for another defeat.
C’mon pull together,realign the party’s aims,whether Corbyn or Smith,stop playing divisive games.© David L Atkinson August 2016
[image error]
Speaks for itself.
God Bless
August 23, 2016
Writing - Invasive species
This would be yet another source of inspiration this time springing from a scientific study on invasive species. The term 'invasive species' should have the writing gene quivering with expectation.
[image error]
Most countries in the world have little capacity to deal effectively with invasive species, a study suggests.The spread of non-native species threatens livelihoods and biodiversity, but the issue is worsened by global trade, travel and climate change.
Writing in Nature Communications journal, and international team forecast how the spread of species could change over the 21st Century.
They show that one-sixth of the world's land surface is vulnerable to invasion.
In what the authors say is the first evaluation of its kind, the paper assesses individual nations' abilities to manage existing invasive species and respond to new ones.
Regan Early from the University of Exeter, Jeffrey Dukes from Purdue University in the US and other co-authors suggest that developed countries, which have been most affected by invasive species - and have the strongest management efforts - will continue to face an onslaught of new arrivals.
However, they predict that non-native plants, animals and microbes will increasingly threaten developing countries with some of the last remaining biodiversity hotspots, due to increased air travel and the expansion of agriculture.
[image error]Cat Island - Japan
The article above looks at accidental migratory invasions but in fact man has also done enough damage over the last couple of hundred years. The photograph of an island in the Japanese archipelago that is over run with cats and of course man introduced rabbits to Australia with dire consequences.
So writers pick your animals, or plants, and create the dystopian world lurking in your subconscious.
December 2015
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' where Steele is once again at risk from unseen enemies. It would seem that he has become quite recession proof!The most recent addition to the Steele family is Earth plc in which our hero is concerned with political and emotional issues in this crime fighting adventure.
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.
Poetry - there are also two thoughtful collections of poetry available solely through Amazon.
The Musings of a Confused Mind
and
Words from the Raindrops
God Bless
[image error]
Most countries in the world have little capacity to deal effectively with invasive species, a study suggests.The spread of non-native species threatens livelihoods and biodiversity, but the issue is worsened by global trade, travel and climate change.
Writing in Nature Communications journal, and international team forecast how the spread of species could change over the 21st Century.
They show that one-sixth of the world's land surface is vulnerable to invasion.
In what the authors say is the first evaluation of its kind, the paper assesses individual nations' abilities to manage existing invasive species and respond to new ones.
Regan Early from the University of Exeter, Jeffrey Dukes from Purdue University in the US and other co-authors suggest that developed countries, which have been most affected by invasive species - and have the strongest management efforts - will continue to face an onslaught of new arrivals.
However, they predict that non-native plants, animals and microbes will increasingly threaten developing countries with some of the last remaining biodiversity hotspots, due to increased air travel and the expansion of agriculture.
[image error]Cat Island - Japan
The article above looks at accidental migratory invasions but in fact man has also done enough damage over the last couple of hundred years. The photograph of an island in the Japanese archipelago that is over run with cats and of course man introduced rabbits to Australia with dire consequences.
So writers pick your animals, or plants, and create the dystopian world lurking in your subconscious.
December 2015Steele 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' where Steele is once again at risk from unseen enemies. It would seem that he has become quite recession proof!The most recent addition to the Steele family is Earth plc in which our hero is concerned with political and emotional issues in this crime fighting adventure.
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.
Poetry - there are also two thoughtful collections of poetry available solely through Amazon.
The Musings of a Confused Mind
and
Words from the Raindrops
God Bless
August 22, 2016
Tuesday Food Blog - Chicken casserole (stew)
It may seem strange but I have never included a chicken dish in my Tuesday post on food. There are reasons. Firstly, I find the meat rather bland and I understand the need to use herbs or spices and other ingredients to make chicken dishes more interesting. Secondly, the almost continual threat of salmonella, according to the authorities. Thirdly, it is quite expensive relative to some other meats.
[image error]
We all have favourites of course and as it was a warm, if wet, weekend, I thought it useful to produce something lighter than usual.
Chicken Casserole (stew)
My apologies for the rather uninspiring photo, it tasted better than it looks!
Ingredients
Olive oilbutter 5 chicken pieces6 rashers of streaky bacon, fried and choppednew potatoes, chopped into bite size piecesgarlic, 2 clovesgreen beans, choppedpeascarrots, chopped1 onion, finely chopped1 tbsp plain flourcreme fraichebouquet garnisalt and ground pepper
MethodIt really couldn't be an easier meal to prepare. Brown the chicken pieces and set aside. Fry the bacon until crispy and set aside. Add a large knob of butter to the frying pan and cook the onion until it begins to clarify. Season with salt, ground black pepper and garlic. Add the beans and carrots to the frying pan and toss with the onions until they are coated with the seasoned oil and butter. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir thoroughly, this will help thicken the sauce.For my dish I used a large stock pan in which to cook it as my casserole is really not large enough. So my dish was simmered on the hob for 1 - 1.25 hours. You could cook it in a moderated oven for 75 - 90 minutes.Serve with crusty bread.
This was quite enjoyable for chicken. The flavours in the sauce are up to you and so you could make it into a curry, Italian style or whatever takes your fancy.
God Bless
[image error]
We all have favourites of course and as it was a warm, if wet, weekend, I thought it useful to produce something lighter than usual.
Chicken Casserole (stew)
My apologies for the rather uninspiring photo, it tasted better than it looks!
Ingredients
Olive oilbutter 5 chicken pieces6 rashers of streaky bacon, fried and choppednew potatoes, chopped into bite size piecesgarlic, 2 clovesgreen beans, choppedpeascarrots, chopped1 onion, finely chopped1 tbsp plain flourcreme fraichebouquet garnisalt and ground pepper
MethodIt really couldn't be an easier meal to prepare. Brown the chicken pieces and set aside. Fry the bacon until crispy and set aside. Add a large knob of butter to the frying pan and cook the onion until it begins to clarify. Season with salt, ground black pepper and garlic. Add the beans and carrots to the frying pan and toss with the onions until they are coated with the seasoned oil and butter. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir thoroughly, this will help thicken the sauce.For my dish I used a large stock pan in which to cook it as my casserole is really not large enough. So my dish was simmered on the hob for 1 - 1.25 hours. You could cook it in a moderated oven for 75 - 90 minutes.Serve with crusty bread.
This was quite enjoyable for chicken. The flavours in the sauce are up to you and so you could make it into a curry, Italian style or whatever takes your fancy.
God Bless
August 21, 2016
Writing - Rewriting.
Sometimes in the realm of writing things don't go your way and you find yourself doubting the last chapter you wrote or the twist that you inserted into the tale and you decide to re-write!There is no right or wrong answer as to what you should do but I find that leaving the 'gaff' for a few days or after having written a few more pages allows one to get things into perspective. Then re-write in the cold light of day rather than the heat of the moment.I know of writers that have written first chapters more than once, in fact two or three times. It is easy to be self-critical but in a chapter everything that you have written won't be bad and so keep the good stuff and adjust the other.In fact I would go further and say that you should write a whole other chapter as the next stage of your story before thinking of re-reading what you have produced at an earlier stage. As long as you are within your plan it should work. Almost a 'cooling off' period.
December 2015
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' where Steele is once again at risk from unseen enemies. It would seem that he has become quite recession proof!The most recent addition to the Steele family is Earth plc in which our hero is concerned with political and emotional issues in this crime fighting adventure.
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.
Poetry - there are also two thoughtful collections of poetry available solely through Amazon.
The Musings of a Confused Mind
and
Words from the Raindrops
God Bless
December 2015Steele 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' where Steele is once again at risk from unseen enemies. It would seem that he has become quite recession proof!The most recent addition to the Steele family is Earth plc in which our hero is concerned with political and emotional issues in this crime fighting adventure.
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.
Poetry - there are also two thoughtful collections of poetry available solely through Amazon.
The Musings of a Confused Mind
and
Words from the Raindrops
God Bless
August 20, 2016
Writing - 10 things we didn't know last week
This week we have brain scanning, starving dogs and non-Italians cooking the nations pizzas in Milan.
[image error]
1. Neuroscientists scanned Sting's brain in an effort to understand creativity.
Wouldn't take long.
-------------------------------
[image error]
2. Tall people are more likely to vote Conservative.
Lies, damn lies and bollocks!
-------------------------------
[image error]
3. Most dogs prefer praise to food.
Someone should tell them that starvation isn't good.
-------------------------------
[image error]
4. Being the sole breadwinner is bad for men's health but good for women's.
Of course it is.
-------------------------------
[image error]
5. Only 2% of women in China use tampons.
Use them for ... ?
-------------------------------
[image error]
6. Professional golfers are more likely to have one egg-shaped hip joint.
Brings new meaning to the term 'go to work on an egg'.
-------------------------------
[image error]
7. Viruses are more dangerous in the morning.
So are women.
-------------------------------
[image error]
8. People in Nanning, southern China, attach skirts to their cars to protect them from rats.
Scary - rats that drive!
-------------------------------
[image error]
9. A hot bath could be better than cycling at lowering the blood sugar levels of type-2 diabetics
Cheaper too.
-------------------------------
[image error]
10. Half of Milan's 1,270 pizzerias are run by non-Italians, of whom two thirds are Egyptian.
They have a good apprentice scheme.
-------------------------------
God Bless
[image error]
1. Neuroscientists scanned Sting's brain in an effort to understand creativity.
Wouldn't take long.
-------------------------------
[image error]
2. Tall people are more likely to vote Conservative.
Lies, damn lies and bollocks!
-------------------------------
[image error]
3. Most dogs prefer praise to food.
Someone should tell them that starvation isn't good.
-------------------------------
[image error]
4. Being the sole breadwinner is bad for men's health but good for women's.
Of course it is.
-------------------------------
[image error]
5. Only 2% of women in China use tampons.
Use them for ... ?
-------------------------------
[image error]
6. Professional golfers are more likely to have one egg-shaped hip joint.
Brings new meaning to the term 'go to work on an egg'.
-------------------------------
[image error]
7. Viruses are more dangerous in the morning.
So are women.
-------------------------------
[image error]
8. People in Nanning, southern China, attach skirts to their cars to protect them from rats.
Scary - rats that drive!
-------------------------------
[image error]
9. A hot bath could be better than cycling at lowering the blood sugar levels of type-2 diabetics
Cheaper too.
-------------------------------
[image error]
10. Half of Milan's 1,270 pizzerias are run by non-Italians, of whom two thirds are Egyptian.
They have a good apprentice scheme.
-------------------------------
God Bless
August 19, 2016
Writing - Killing Hitler's hangman
As I have written in previous posts, inspiration arrives in all sorts of forms and at surprising times. This post is looking at an event during World War II and I believe would make an interesting if gory novel.
[image error]Reinhard Heydrich
Reinhard Heydrich is accepted as an iconic villain in the twentieth century, even by Nazi standards he was brutal. To support the idea of a fictitious retelling of Heydrich's story there were attempts as early as 1943, taken from a novel written the year before, to immortalise the tale on celluloid. The film was called Hangmen Also Die.There is continuing interest in what was code named Operation Anthropoid in part because it was the only successful attempt to assassinate a member of Hitler's hierarchy. Another reason was the fact that there is a fog blanketing many of the details as to who instigated the operation. This reticence to claim responsibility is due to the fact that the powers were afraid of reprisals against civilian populations.Heydrich was the acting Reich Protector of Bohemia and Moravia (parts of the former Czechoslovakia) and was involved in the instigation of the mass slaughter of many European Jews. This was Goering's Total Solution to the Jewish question.
The value in resurrecting this story in today's post is to show the possibilities that some real events may offer to writers.
1. This story could begin with news of the forthcoming slaughter of innocent people.2. A team from the SOE and the Czech government in exile create a plan.3. Assassins recruited and trained.4. Assassins deployed.5. Plot carried out.6. Assassins pursued.7. Nazis react.8. Governments deny culpability.
Okay, as a plan it is a little thin, but it took me five minutes to create. By putting time and effort into research and planning there is a book there.
December 2015
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' where Steele is once again at risk from unseen enemies. It would seem that he has become quite recession proof!The most recent addition to the Steele family is Earth plc in which our hero is concerned with political and emotional issues in this crime fighting adventure.
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.
Poetry - there are also two thoughtful collections of poetry available solely through Amazon.
The Musings of a Confused Mind
and
Words from the Raindrops
God Bless
[image error]Reinhard Heydrich
Reinhard Heydrich is accepted as an iconic villain in the twentieth century, even by Nazi standards he was brutal. To support the idea of a fictitious retelling of Heydrich's story there were attempts as early as 1943, taken from a novel written the year before, to immortalise the tale on celluloid. The film was called Hangmen Also Die.There is continuing interest in what was code named Operation Anthropoid in part because it was the only successful attempt to assassinate a member of Hitler's hierarchy. Another reason was the fact that there is a fog blanketing many of the details as to who instigated the operation. This reticence to claim responsibility is due to the fact that the powers were afraid of reprisals against civilian populations.Heydrich was the acting Reich Protector of Bohemia and Moravia (parts of the former Czechoslovakia) and was involved in the instigation of the mass slaughter of many European Jews. This was Goering's Total Solution to the Jewish question.
The value in resurrecting this story in today's post is to show the possibilities that some real events may offer to writers.
1. This story could begin with news of the forthcoming slaughter of innocent people.2. A team from the SOE and the Czech government in exile create a plan.3. Assassins recruited and trained.4. Assassins deployed.5. Plot carried out.6. Assassins pursued.7. Nazis react.8. Governments deny culpability.
Okay, as a plan it is a little thin, but it took me five minutes to create. By putting time and effort into research and planning there is a book there.
December 2015Steele 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' where Steele is once again at risk from unseen enemies. It would seem that he has become quite recession proof!The most recent addition to the Steele family is Earth plc in which our hero is concerned with political and emotional issues in this crime fighting adventure.
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.
Poetry - there are also two thoughtful collections of poetry available solely through Amazon.
The Musings of a Confused Mind
and
Words from the Raindrops
God Bless
August 18, 2016
Writing - Learning from the past
I may actually have been guilty in the past of denying the value of history as a source of learning - but then I got older!
[image error]Durham Cathedral
The wonderful team at the most underrated cathedral in the land have come up with one of their 'show and tell' ideas on the development of medicine based upon their collection of books dating back to the sixteenth century.
3 September is all about marvellous medicine! A chance to explore developments in medicine from the 16th century onwards through our collection of early printed books, including the first published tract on love sickness!
Interested?Of course you are. The mention of love sickness tweaked your curiosity gland. That is from one of the books in the Refectory Library at the cathedral by Harvey entitled 'De Motu Cordis' and can be viewed at the cost of £5 on the given date.
[image error]
The point is William Harvey (1578 - 1657) wrote down his thoughts and ideas five hundred or so years ago and because he did we can read them and understand the state of thinking about the human body at that time. Scientists, doctors and researchers are currently doing the same record keeping exercise so that in the future people can learn from their advances and mistakes.
They know that there has to be records. It is my belief that electronic records are a risk. There will always be a need for written permanent records because when the lights go out, as I'm sure they will eventually, all electronic versions will be lost.
A good point to introduce my dystopian novel, Cessation, which looks into a possible future without electricity.
Synopsis
The story is a speculative journey into a possible future that may lie ahead of us all. There is evidence that such a future may not be impossible. We have been warned that unless we increase the ability to produce electricity there could be power cuts in the next ten years. Our modern day lives are permeated through with the need for electricity and its production.
Although Cessation could be categorised as a dystopian story I find that rather a negative word and the purpose of writing the tale is to allow elements of hope in a seemingly desperate situation.
The story begins in 2023 a couple of years after the lights go out for the last time. Our group of survivors are thrown together on a farm in the low Pennines north of the M62 motorway and within striking distance of a number of northern towns which could prove useful for supplies. Initially the group is small and live on a farm called Serendipity but as time passes the size of the group waxes and wanes for a variety of reasons.
Yes I admit to being a little 'naughty' in advertising my book on the back of Durham Cathedral and all of that history, but it is written, is a speculative look at the way the world is and could be and is also a warning.
Kindle versions £2.93Paperback £5.99
God Bless
[image error]Durham Cathedral
The wonderful team at the most underrated cathedral in the land have come up with one of their 'show and tell' ideas on the development of medicine based upon their collection of books dating back to the sixteenth century.
3 September is all about marvellous medicine! A chance to explore developments in medicine from the 16th century onwards through our collection of early printed books, including the first published tract on love sickness!
Interested?Of course you are. The mention of love sickness tweaked your curiosity gland. That is from one of the books in the Refectory Library at the cathedral by Harvey entitled 'De Motu Cordis' and can be viewed at the cost of £5 on the given date.
[image error]
The point is William Harvey (1578 - 1657) wrote down his thoughts and ideas five hundred or so years ago and because he did we can read them and understand the state of thinking about the human body at that time. Scientists, doctors and researchers are currently doing the same record keeping exercise so that in the future people can learn from their advances and mistakes.
They know that there has to be records. It is my belief that electronic records are a risk. There will always be a need for written permanent records because when the lights go out, as I'm sure they will eventually, all electronic versions will be lost.
A good point to introduce my dystopian novel, Cessation, which looks into a possible future without electricity.
Synopsis
The story is a speculative journey into a possible future that may lie ahead of us all. There is evidence that such a future may not be impossible. We have been warned that unless we increase the ability to produce electricity there could be power cuts in the next ten years. Our modern day lives are permeated through with the need for electricity and its production.
Although Cessation could be categorised as a dystopian story I find that rather a negative word and the purpose of writing the tale is to allow elements of hope in a seemingly desperate situation.
The story begins in 2023 a couple of years after the lights go out for the last time. Our group of survivors are thrown together on a farm in the low Pennines north of the M62 motorway and within striking distance of a number of northern towns which could prove useful for supplies. Initially the group is small and live on a farm called Serendipity but as time passes the size of the group waxes and wanes for a variety of reasons.
Yes I admit to being a little 'naughty' in advertising my book on the back of Durham Cathedral and all of that history, but it is written, is a speculative look at the way the world is and could be and is also a warning.
Kindle versions £2.93Paperback £5.99
God Bless
August 17, 2016
Poetry Thursday 225 - Past and Present Olympics
Poetry for me is often an internal conversation and sometimes those conversations are intensely private but they are also a testimony. Therefore I publish the final poem today but only for the readers of my blog.
First a tongue in cheek look at the legacy of the Olympics.
Olympic Legacy (revisited)
It is a part of the daily grind,for myself and others of my kind,to rise early - self-imposed rule -and drive to the local swimming pool.
There are all kinds of shapes and sizes,wanting change through exercises.So there they are bright and early,in their costumes tight and swirly.
The men’s bodies may have seen better days,but still strut their stuff in wobbly ways,sporting their tiny, gripping, new speedos,and making like ageing, gasping torpedoes.
The women try to maintain more class,with discreet use of beach towel to cover their ass,as they make their way to the shimmering water,where they tend to swim faster than such shapes ought a.
This is the legacy of the London Games,four years later we still have aims,being reinforced by Rio’s version,leading to more amateur exertion.© David L Atkinson August 2016
Just checking in
Hi Mam, it’s only me,haven’t checked in for a day or threebut then things don’t really changewithin a mediocre range.
It seems so recent since you went,four years of time that has been spent.How well’s it gone? – I think so-so,but I suppose it’s you that’ll really know.
Good things have not been missing,no traumas as a result of time’s passing.Issues may lurk in the shadows,winding up their punishing blows.
I suppose you’ll be doing okay,ensuring all is run the right way.Hope you’re enjoying life’s final rest.Will chat again Mam – God Bless© David L Atkinson August 2016
God Bless
First a tongue in cheek look at the legacy of the Olympics.
Olympic Legacy (revisited)
It is a part of the daily grind,for myself and others of my kind,to rise early - self-imposed rule -and drive to the local swimming pool.
There are all kinds of shapes and sizes,wanting change through exercises.So there they are bright and early,in their costumes tight and swirly.
The men’s bodies may have seen better days,but still strut their stuff in wobbly ways,sporting their tiny, gripping, new speedos,and making like ageing, gasping torpedoes.
The women try to maintain more class,with discreet use of beach towel to cover their ass,as they make their way to the shimmering water,where they tend to swim faster than such shapes ought a.
This is the legacy of the London Games,four years later we still have aims,being reinforced by Rio’s version,leading to more amateur exertion.© David L Atkinson August 2016
Just checking in
Hi Mam, it’s only me,haven’t checked in for a day or threebut then things don’t really changewithin a mediocre range.
It seems so recent since you went,four years of time that has been spent.How well’s it gone? – I think so-so,but I suppose it’s you that’ll really know.
Good things have not been missing,no traumas as a result of time’s passing.Issues may lurk in the shadows,winding up their punishing blows.
I suppose you’ll be doing okay,ensuring all is run the right way.Hope you’re enjoying life’s final rest.Will chat again Mam – God Bless© David L Atkinson August 2016
God Bless
