David L. Atkinson's Blog, page 98

Writing - 10 things we didn't know last week

Symbolism, sexism and ageism!
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1. There is one female beer inspector in the UK (and 39 men).
They'll infiltrate everywhere!!!----------------------------------------
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2. The Dalai Lama carries round "little treasures" in a bag - they are in fact Werther's Originals.

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3. When a person's age ends with a nine they are more likely to seek extramarital affairs, sign up for their first marathon, and run marathons faster than when they were slightly older or slightly younger.

Lies, damn lies and statistics.
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4. Eels can use their electric discharges to remotely control the fish they hunt.

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5. A commercial jumbo jet is a more equal place to be than America if you compare space provision on a plane with income distribution.

I hope someone hasn't paid a student to carry out this piece of rubbish.
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6. In the UK, heavy drinking during pregnancy is not a crime against the unborn child.

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7. Waxworms - the larvae of wax moths - can break down plastic.

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8. One of the males in the royal lineage was probably cuckolded between the reign of Richard III and the 5th Duke of Beaufort.

Could probably have guessed at that one.
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9. It's quicker - by about three hours - to read the Hobbit than watch Peter Jackson's movie trilogy.

This book I read in my mid-twenties and thought it was brilliant. The films have not been really true to the tale.
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10. IS fighters in Syria have a weakness for Red Bull and Pringles.


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God Bless

Writing - A well known phrase or saying.

A couple of news items hit me as significant, and somewhat disturbing, today. It also triggered thoughts of education particularly in the realm of English Language.

A government body charged with assessing the efficacy of GP services have dropped a clanger. They published league tables showing how good, or bad, local doctor's services are before the voracity of their statistical method had been verified. It turns out that there were flaws in that method and it has to be changed re-grouping some local practices out of the 'at risk' sector upwards into a safer group.
Look before you leap

Our government have recently introduced legislation about parcels being sent into prisons. The reasons for the new rules are perfectly reasonable as it is an attempt to stop drugs and mobile phones being smuggled into prisons, however books are banned also. Are they banned because
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing
or is it because the powers introducing the laws have seen Shawshank Redemption where a rock hammer is smuggled into the prison in a book.
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The point of these examples is to highlight the need for the careful use of language and of the embellishments that exist to help writers and readers enjoy colour in writing.
As a teacher throughout the last 30 years of the 20th century well known phrases and sayings were a small but essential part of delivering the language. However, as that fashion seems to have waned the sayings are only passed down through the spoken word and what has resulted are distortions brought about by the 'Chinese whisper' method of cascading these valuable and useful parts of our language. I've even heard supposedly intelligent people mixing proverbs.
Teaching proverbs used to provide lots of opportunities for imaginative writing and art work but that was before the advent of prescriptive National Curriculum. 
I lament the passing and misuse of sayings and proverbs. Many of them had their roots in local culture and had developed over hundreds of years and as such will be replaced but more than likely with words and acronyms that those of my generation don't recognise.
So some examples you have already seen in italics above but here are a few more,
Too many cooks spoil the broth
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A stitch in time saves nine 
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[image error] A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
The 'stitch in time' proverb I find is very apt in today's world and has sprung to mind with regards to climate issues. The government are throwing money at flood defences which is too late. The stitch in time would be the efficient maintenance of water drainage systems which would be less costly in the long run than building higher and higher dykes.
God Bless

Writing - A New Arrival!

I completed this book almost a fortnight ago but because it comes from the USA it took until yesterday for a copy to arrive on my doorstep.

It looks great and is very well produced. This is available via Createspace and on Kindle through Amazon. It also brings are bright look to my portfolio.
Portfolio Dec 4th 2014
When I started this writing journey I never thought that it would take hold of me as it has. There are 9 books above and the 10th should be available before Christmas and that is in a little over five years. So those who are considering writing BEWARE!!
Having said that it is very enjoyable or at least I find it so. I've heard all sorts of views of what writing is like.  [image error]Colm Toibin the Irish author and intellectual is taking part in a TV programme and I saw a snippet of an interview he gave on the subject of writing. I was slightly disappointed in that he described writing as not being easy and having to 'dredge up the ideas from the depths' and my disappointment is by no stretch of the imagination a criticism. In a sense it makes me feel more insecure about the quality of the work I'm producing. I'm not saying that I find all ideas easy to come by but rather that the ideas, so far, have flowed from the characters which I've created and in which I've invested time. By believing in those you create you give them the energy to take hold of your stories and run with them.
The inspiration for the stories and poetry comes from the world surrounding us all we just need to open our eyes and look carefully; perhaps to produce the necessary spark you need to take what you see and place it in a different context or even put together two things which at first may seem to have nothing but incongruity going for them. Whatever strategy suits you don't rely upon it too doggedly, dive into the pool of ideas, shuffle them around and try a new way of combining ideas. Change can produce the spark you were looking for.
Cessation
Cessation is NOT a Steele novel. I was in the midst of writing a Steele story when the stimulus for the book came to me and I needed to get on with it as soon as the project I was involved with was completed. To date it is the longest book that I've written. To whet your appetite there is the blurb below.
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.  
The book is available through Amazon, Completlynovel.com and all major booksellers.
God Bless

Poetry Thursday 139 - Finding IT in doorways in Autumn

I begin today with a poem that is in fact not mine but that of a friend who was stating how hopeless he was at writing poetry.


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Autumn
A leaf fallingThe End
If you think about what is being said, leaves fall when they come to the end of their usefulness, and deciduous behaviour is a method of preserving the life of the tree. It's all to do with endings and so is very focussed on that time of year. In my opinion it just goes to show that you don't have to write pages to make a valid point.



It

Flesh and blood is weak and frail.Queer what a big stain my sucked blood makes!Yet of all, the beast blazoned in gilt and blood.No it doesn't happen!
And truly I was afraid, I was most afraid.Nothing has changed since I began,then a powerful demon, a prowler through the dark,a thing to laugh at as it gaped to catch?But the reflections live on, the heart beats thick,waking or asleep.© David L Atkinson December 2014
This is a cheat. Sometimes when ideas don't come and you feel the need to write one way through the creative murk is to read others poetry. Write down ten lines then see if there is something that grabs you. It can also be a bit of fun.

Portals

A door is so much morethan an entry place or point of access.It has seen so much more than our senses can address.
Walk through a gate and you’re not the last,It holds many secrets from the past.In all weathers it does its workuncomplaining by design.
Pay your way through a turnstileanticipate an eventful smileCreaking, turning and clicking roundit counts your fan-based attendance.
They slide apart and welcomeall who wish to rise or fall somegranting access to layersgiving users choices.
A lid that granted those access to restwho have no use for life blessed,finally closes to everyones’ gazegiving single access to the grave.© David L Atkinson December 2014




God Bless

Writing - and other Arts

I was watching the news this morning and there was a feature on a photographic exhibition including some images that are almost 200 years old. It made me think of Art in a variety of contexts.


Crochet work by Charlotte R Atkinson

We had a Christmas Fair at church last Sunday and my daughter displayed her crocheting work. 
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So photography, which many more of us are involved in with the advent of camera phones, is an artistic activity along with loads of hand made items using a variety of skills.

Then there is music which is currently under threat in local authority areas. My own council, Kirklees, is considering withdrawing funding for the music support services which will affect many children across the area. Many people consider themselves as not being musical but I believe what they mean is that the aren't proficient in playing an instrument or reading music. If you consider your musical experience from the earliest parts of your life it has always been there, from the very first tunes hummed by your mother, to the songs taught in schools, your development through various music styles as a teenager until your tastes consolidate. Along that route some people delve deeper and become creators of music but it is part of  everyone's life. 
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Although there are many other artistic forms, I'm going to finish with writing. In some ways once you have been taught your letters you are encouraged to write 'news' or tell stories. Again some people get into it, some hate it and some have the longing to write in their bones but ignore it or feel the need to put it off until they have more time. The thing is, and I'm going to use an analogy I've used often before, it is rather like eating an elephant it all begins with the first mouthful or in the case of writing the first word.
Finally, I have seen one or two comments about the discouragement you can feel when criticised and the efforts fellow writers have made to encourage others. Well I have my own theories about critics and reviewers and the way in which the class system controls what is considered 'in' or 'out' but the composer Sibelius once said,
'They don't erect statues to critics'
In an effort to keep me in my place when I quoted that one of my friends said that they don't erect them to crap writers either! The point is who decides between the good and the crap and it tends to depend on your place in the world. In an effort to make better anyone out there feeling down about the way their work has been received, Charles Dickens was criticised for his use of English Grammar.
God Bless

Tuesday Recipe - Porcini (cep) Lasagne

The fresh lasagne I bought last week had 6 pieces, 3 of which I used last weekend and the other 3 I was struggling with until I saw the following recipe by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.
Porcini Lasagna
This is a very straight forward recipe apart from the white sauce which for some can be a sticking point. I find if the milk is warmed through before mixing with the roux the sauce usually comes out ok. Also cheating is permitted! I have a fine egg whisk in case of lumps and if that fails a sieve!
As with so many recipes there is room for variation according to personal taste. I couldn't obtain porcini mushrooms and misread parma ham for pancetta and you may be falling off your chairs laughing but it worked fine.
The full recipe is on the TAB at the top of the page.

You can see the layers and that they are quite thin but mushrooms can be quite rich in flavour and consistency and bacon is salty. It worked.
God Bless

Writing - Beware the political classes

I have noticed that in the last couple of weeks the media have been describing MPs and the like as 'the political classes'.
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These are not educational opportunities but rather the group of people who aspire to make a living, adopt the life style and generally emulate the ruling groups in countries around the world. Of course they're not just 'wannabees' but the rulers themselves. In many ways there is a level of corruption that emanates from the desire to be a member of this group within society. Some people will do anything to belong and those that belong will do anything to maintain their position. Two cases this week show something of what I mean.
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David Mellor
A former politician, QC and a current radio broadcaster was drawn into an argument with his taxi driver about the route the driver was taking to the required destination. It turned nasty, descended into name calling then Mellor listing all the important jobs he'd had and was not a mere taxi driver. The incident was recorded by the taxi driver.
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Andrew Mitchell was involved in an argument with the policemen on duty at the end of Downing Street over which exit he could use with his cycle. He ended up calling them plebs. The fuss had died down until he decided to claim libel against the Sun newspaper over the word 'pleb' but lost the case.
They both displayed a towering arrogance about their position in the world and, although it is true that they are not all the same as the examples above, there is a tendency for those within the class who believe themselves invulnerable and essential to the running of the country. Watch out for them!


Words from Raindrops

The second collection of poetry Words from Raindrops is available to buy through Amazon. As an aside doesn't the cover mess with your mind? It looks as though it isn't straight but I promise you that it is.
Kindle version £3.94Paperback £4.99


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 - 10 things we didn't know last week

From squeaky voiced megalomaniacs to edible Swiss cat
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1. There is a brown bear living at the Chernobyl site.
Hot!
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2. Beer is less likely to slosh than coffee, and Guinness is easiest of all to transport.

I knew I spilled less in the pub!
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3. A copy of Shakespeare's First Folio - one of only 230 to still exist - lay unrecognised for 200 years in a library at Saint-Omer in northern France.

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4. Joni Mitchell stopped a biopic of her life, starring Taylor Swift, from being made.

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5. Vegan mushroom gravy is an unusually popular Thanksgiving search term in the US state of Oregon.

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6. Dogs turn their heads to left or right depending on whether they are listening for verbal content or intonation.

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7. Sir John Gielgud wrote the script for a gay porn film.


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8. Cat appears on traditional Christmas menus in some areas of Switzerland.

Miaaowwww!!------------------------------------
9. People in positions of power are more likely to have higher pitched voices.

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10. Hillary Clinton's backstage demands include diet ginger ale, crudites, hummus and sliced fruit.


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God Bless

Writing - A changing portfolio

I like to update my portfolio pics when I publish a new book. The 2014 photo is below but before 31/12/14 there will be two more additions.
Earth plc

I was reliably informed last evening that the proof readers are progressing well so this one is going to be available within a couple of weeks.
Words from Raindrops

The second collection of poetry Words from Raindrops is available to buy through Amazon. As an aside doesn't the cover mess with your mind? It looks as though it isn't straight but I promise you that it is.
Kindle version £3.94Paperback £4.99


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 - A Christmas message for the political classes

RIP Philip Hughes
[image error]1988 - 2014
Philip Hughes died this morning as the result of  a blow to the head a couple of days ago. At just a few days before his 26th birthday he was hit behind the left ear just below his safety helmet - a real tragedy. My thoughts go out to his parents, his team mates and to the bowler who fired in that fateful delivery.
I couldn't let the moment go by without comment and as a former cricketer feel that I have a connection. I can't recall this ever happening before in the sport even before safety helmets were invented. There have been periods in the game when the ball has been bowled faster and the batsmen have worn a soft cap there was even a test series between England and Australia nicknamed the 'bodyline test' because the strategy employed to bowl out the prolific Australian batsmen Don Bradman was to bowl at his chest and throat. Still no one died.God rest Philip Hughes soul.
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[image error]Members of the political class
You couldn't make this up! Five years ago the private franchise that was running the east coast rail line in the UK had to cede control back to the government because they were in danger of folding. They were losing money hand over fist. The line was re-nationalised in part and came back into profit while being run by the government. Today they've given back to the private sector! 
Pardon my french but where is the bloody logic in that?
The coalition government agreed that immigration must be reduced to numbers in the tens of thousands. The government has lost seats to UKIP because of membership in the EU and the rate of immigration. The measures introduced to control the levels of immigration have failed dramatically in the last 12 months to June 260 000 have poured into this country. We are bursting at the seams.
In recent months the people of this country have railed against the government citing the above points and the fact that the MPs are living in an unreal world totally divorced from the general population. All parties are equally guilty and so a message from Charles Dickens in his Christmas Carol
Ebenezer Scrooge
'I will live in the past, present and future. I will not shut out the lessons they teach.'
Governments around the world have experienced anger displayed by their populace when they perceive that their rulers are taking more for themselves to the detriment of the ordinary folk. 
Civil unrest and revolution.
Peasant's Revolt 1381 (Wat Tyler's rebellion)
English Civil War 1642
American Civil War 1776
French Civil War 1789
Russian Revolution 1917
These examples are a tiny fraction of the national disturbances that have taken place in almost every country of the world at some time or another. One thing they all seem to have in common is the simple fact that the governments of the day have become greedy at the expense of the populace.I don't particularly count myself a fan of Russell Brand but he has used the 'R' word recently. In Ferguson, Alabama there has been rioting which has spread in pockets round the country over the police shooting of an unarmed black teenager.
The ordinary people of the UK will testify that the MPs in this country have no idea what ordinary life is like for the majority. I actually overheard two elderly gentlemen saying that very thing this morning. The worrying thing is that it is apathy that has allowed the government to become so self-absorbed and self-serving, but it only takes a single spark to ignite a flame.
God Bless