Stuart G. Yates's Blog, page 5
October 29, 2013
Adventures in Writing…an excerpt from my novel VARANGIAN
At present I am working on the sequel to my historical novel Varangian. I’m about half way through the first draft, and the research is taking up a lot of my time. This is the essential part of writing historical fiction, in my opinion. If we are to be true to the period, then we need to get the details right. But it’s not all history; fiction means ‘made up’, and imagination plays as important part as fact. I’ve included here an extract from my book to illustrate this. The characters, Alexius, Partriach of Byzantium, and Zoe, the empress, were real people. But this conversation never took place, or if it did I doubt it progressed in the same way. But that too is the beauty of historical fiction – we know a lot, but we don’t know it all. Especially conversations.
I hope you enjoy this extract. The book is available from Amazon and Barnes and Noble. It is also available for all e-readers from Smashwords. It’s a story layered with intrigue and mystery, love and death. In fact, everything you had ever wanted!
FIVE
Looking up from his studies, Alexius smiled as Zoe stepped through his door. Of all the people in the palace, she alone was allowed to enter unannounced. That might soon change now that Michael had begun to assert his authority. A new emperor, a new regime, perhaps a new set of rules. The patriarch stood up.
“My child,” he said and opened his arms to embrace her.
Zoe hesitated. “Where are your guards?”
The old patriarch frowned, somewhat taken aback by her unexpected question. “My guards? I don’t understand …”
The empress swept forward, taking him by the elbow and steering him back into the room, a huge space, dominated by an enormous writing desk. Lined with shelves, heaving with ancient scrolls and other texts, the light diffused from a dozen or more sputtering candles, it provided a quiet inner sanctum where learning could flourish. Alexius, the most educated man in all of Byzantium, kept this area for himself, allowing no one to peruse his collection of tracts. He guarded it jealously and his guards kept him – and the room – safe. Or, at least, that was what he assumed.
“My guards have disappeared, yours too, by the look of it.”
His frown deepened. “What are you saying?”
“Listen. I received a visitor, bearing news. We are to be arrested, my old teacher.”
“By whom?”
“Who do you think? Michael, of course.”
“He wouldn’t dare. My bodyguards—”
“Your bodyguards are either dead or have been bribed to leave their posts. I should have known this would happen as soon as Michael moved against Hardrada.”
“The Varangian Norse? This is connected with what happened to them?”
Zoe brought her knuckles up to her mouth and bit down hard into the flesh, “God´s teeth, I should have expected this. By removing us, Michael will become the absolute power in Byzantium. He has moved without hesitation, his plans well worked out in advance. We’ve been out-flanked, and there is nothing we can do about it!”
“Don’t be so sure,” said the old man. “Your popularity knows no bounds. If he is so stupid as to think he could overthrow you … the people would rise up against him.”
“Without leaders, they would be helpless against Michael’s troops.”
“So, we will lead them!”
Even in that dim light, she could see how flushed his face had become. “We cannot do that if we are dead.”
Her words hung in the air like lead weights. Alexius thought for a moment, then gathered his robes about him. “I have a secret passageway that leads out beyond the city walls. We will make good our escape, move to the outer reaches of the Empire, gather supporters …” He stopped, catching something, her mood perhaps, which remained stoic. “What is it?”
“I cannot leave.”
He gaped at her. “If what you say is true, that Michael has moved against you, then your life could well be in danger – you cannot stay here.”
“I have no choice. This is my home and the people would never forgive me if I abandoned them.” The old man went to speak, but she silenced him with a raised hand. “You, my teacher, you must go. Do what you say, travel to the north, muster support and return.”
“But child,” Alexius reached out, took her face in his hands. “He may kill you.”
“He would not dare.” Her hands closed over his whilst he still held her face. “Trust me. Go, gather forces. The Varangian mercenaries who fight in the north will be easily bought and then march on the city. The people will rise up and we will reclaim the throne.”
“You are sure of all of this.”
“I am not sure of anything anymore.” She smiled, gently pushing his hands away. “Go, before they discover what has happened.”
He hesitated for a moment, nodded and went over to his desk. He gathered up some papers and then moved into the far corner which lay deep in shadow. Zoe heard the wheezing sound of something being opened, perhaps a secret door set in the wooden panels of the wall. Alexius’s voice, as kind and concerned as it ever was, came to her out of the darkness, “I love you, my child. Stay safe. And stay alive.”
The panel closed again and Zoe was left alone.
As she stood there, in the murky half-light of that enormous chamber, she thought she could make out the sound of approaching feet. She cocked her head and listened.
What she feared most was about to happen. Michael´s Scythian guards were coming, perhaps to murder her.
She turned and stood facing the door of the chamber and waited, all her years of training making her appear strong and resolute, back straight, chin up. Inside, she felt none of these things.
More extracts to follow, and please visit my website for more details. http://www.stuartgyates.com
Happy reading!
Adventures in Writing…an extract from my novel VARANGIAN
At present I am working on the sequel to my historical novel Varangian. I’m about half way through the first draft, and the research is taking up a lot of my time. This is the essential part of writing historical fiction, in my opinion. If we are to be true to the period, then we need to get the details right. But it’s not all history; fiction means ‘made up’, and imagination plays as important part as fact. I’ve included here an extract from my book to illustrate this. The characters, Alexius, Partriach of Byzantium, and Zoe, the empress, were real people. But this conversation never took place, or if it did I doubt it progressed in the same way. But that too is the beauty of historical fiction – we know a lot, but we don’t know it all. Especially conversations.
I hope you enjoy this extract. The book is available from Amazon and Barnes and Noble. It is also available for all e-readers from Smashwords. It’s a story layered with intrigue and mystery, love and death. In fact, everything you had ever wanted!
FIVE
Looking up from his studies, Alexius smiled as Zoe stepped through his door. Of all the people in the palace, she alone was allowed to enter unannounced. That might soon change now that Michael had begun to assert his authority. A new emperor, a new regime, perhaps a new set of rules. The patriarch stood up.
“My child,” he said and opened his arms to embrace her.
Zoe hesitated. “Where are your guards?”
The old patriarch frowned, somewhat taken aback by her unexpected question. “My guards? I don’t understand …”
The empress swept forward, taking him by the elbow and steering him back into the room, a huge space, dominated by an enormous writing desk. Lined with shelves, heaving with ancient scrolls and other texts, the light diffused from a dozen or more sputtering candles, it provided a quiet inner sanctum where learning could flourish. Alexius, the most educated man in all of Byzantium, kept this area for himself, allowing no one to peruse his collection of tracts. He guarded it jealously and his guards kept him – and the room – safe. Or, at least, that was what he assumed.
“My guards have disappeared, yours too, by the look of it.”
His frown deepened. “What are you saying?”
“Listen. I received a visitor, bearing news. We are to be arrested, my old teacher.”
“By whom?”
“Who do you think? Michael, of course.”
“He wouldn’t dare. My bodyguards—”
“Your bodyguards are either dead or have been bribed to leave their posts. I should have known this would happen as soon as Michael moved against Hardrada.”
“The Varangian Norse? This is connected with what happened to them?”
Zoe brought her knuckles up to her mouth and bit down hard into the flesh, “God´s teeth, I should have expected this. By removing us, Michael will become the absolute power in Byzantium. He has moved without hesitation, his plans well worked out in advance. We’ve been out-flanked, and there is nothing we can do about it!”
“Don’t be so sure,” said the old man. “Your popularity knows no bounds. If he is so stupid as to think he could overthrow you … the people would rise up against him.”
“Without leaders, they would be helpless against Michael’s troops.”
“So, we will lead them!”
Even in that dim light, she could see how flushed his face had become. “We cannot do that if we are dead.”
Her words hung in the air like lead weights. Alexius thought for a moment, then gathered his robes about him. “I have a secret passageway that leads out beyond the city walls. We will make good our escape, move to the outer reaches of the Empire, gather supporters …” He stopped, catching something, her mood perhaps, which remained stoic. “What is it?”
“I cannot leave.”
He gaped at her. “If what you say is true, that Michael has moved against you, then your life could well be in danger – you cannot stay here.”
“I have no choice. This is my home and the people would never forgive me if I abandoned them.” The old man went to speak, but she silenced him with a raised hand. “You, my teacher, you must go. Do what you say, travel to the north, muster support and return.”
“But child,” Alexius reached out, took her face in his hands. “He may kill you.”
“He would not dare.” Her hands closed over his whilst he still held her face. “Trust me. Go, gather forces. The Varangian mercenaries who fight in the north will be easily bought and then march on the city. The people will rise up and we will reclaim the throne.”
“You are sure of all of this.”
“I am not sure of anything anymore.” She smiled, gently pushing his hands away. “Go, before they discover what has happened.”
He hesitated for a moment, nodded and went over to his desk. He gathered up some papers and then moved into the far corner which lay deep in shadow. Zoe heard the wheezing sound of something being opened, perhaps a secret door set in the wooden panels of the wall. Alexius’s voice, as kind and concerned as it ever was, came to her out of the darkness, “I love you, my child. Stay safe. And stay alive.”
The panel closed again and Zoe was left alone.
As she stood there, in the murky half-light of that enormous chamber, she thought she could make out the sound of approaching feet. She cocked her head and listened.
What she feared most was about to happen. Michael´s Scythian guards were coming, perhaps to murder her.
She turned and stood facing the door of the chamber and waited, all her years of training making her appear strong and resolute, back straight, chin up. Inside, she felt none of these things.
More extracts to follow, and please visit my website for more details. http://www.stuartgyates.com
Happy reading!
October 11, 2013
Adventures in writing – inspiration, a few thoughts.
Wow, I’ve just gone through two little surveys on Facebook, one on how many of the ‘greatest’ films ever made have I seen, (http://www.listchallenges.com/imdb-top-250?ref=share) and how many of the ‘greatest’ thrillers have I read. I did okay with the films, but the thriller one was dreadful. I think I got 24 out of 100. Appalling for a writer, wouldn’t you agree?
This got me thinking, as this sort of thing always does. My last blog I wrote a little about influences, but inspiration is a totally different animal.
We can be inspired by all sorts of things. I often, for example, become inspired when I listen to music. Often, when I’m down or fed-up (I’m loath to use the word ‘depressed’; unhappy, disillusioned, just plain ‘pissed off’, they’re fine as handles, but not depressed…That’s far too heavy and serious to even contemplate! How can I be depressed when I’ve got the best medication there is – writing? Immersing myself in fantasy worlds…now there’s the perfect therapy!) listening to music helps. It transports me to another time in my life when optimism was my by-word. Yesterday, there I was, at my desk in school ,planning out a lesson – yes, I do plan out lessons – and feeling somewhat lost (primarily because I’ve got a story blowing around in the empty streets and highways of my mind) when I slipped on a CD, and an old ‘Genesis’ song came through the speakers. It was 1978 again, a time when life was filled with promise and sunshine. Youth. Ah, that fleeting period when the world is a vibrant and wondrous place, filled with possibilities…And I suddenly thought, ‘what the hell am I doing? I’m actually becoming all the things I hate! When I first heard this song I truly did have optimism and hope and I wanted to do something, create stories filled with real characters doing extraordinary things.’ And, do you know what? My vacant mind became filled with the noise of creativity and imagination. I wrote down ideas and before I knew it I planned out an entire novel, from beginning to end, with plots and sub-plots, twists and turns, scenes and happenings, characters… The whole thing. It took me perhaps ten minutes and I felt so good when it was done.
Fulfilled.
So, I’m not longer fed up. I have been inspired, by one tiny piece of music from another age when I was another person, living in a different universe. But it helped.
Tomorrow, it might be a film I watch, from that list or maybe not. Or a book I read. Why are there no Harlan Coben, or Elmore Leonard books in that list? I’ve read lots of them. They inspire me, sometimes. Or is that influence. I don’t know, I just feel that now I have been inspired and I’m ready to get writing another book…When I’ve finished the other three I’m already working on that is!
So what inspires you? Beethoven took walks in the forest, maybe you do the same. Is it music, or a painting, a piece of writing, or is it the people around you? Perhaps it is a mix of all of these things. Let me know, it really is a fascinating topic.
My latest book, ‘Varangian’ is available in paperback and for e-readers from Amazon and Smashwords. If it’s a story full of passion, suspense and intrigue you want, please check it out…and enjoy! http://www.amazon.com/Varangian-Stuart-G-Yates/dp/0615883486/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1381479437&sr=8-1&keywords=varangian+stuart+g+yates
Happy reading everyone.
September 28, 2013
Adventures in Writing…learning to write
Learning to write…
I’ve seen this discussion a few times and read all sorts of comments from the ‘experts’ and sometimes, as I sit here and digest what has been said, I experience a kind of panic. Because, I don’t fit in to any of the accepted norms. But then, I never have!
I’ve always been something of a rebel, a trait of mine which has got me into a lot of trouble in the past, especially at school. So, forgive me if my non-conformity ruffles feathers.
I’ve never been to any form of creative writing class, or ‘boot-camp’ (God I hate that expression and it immediately puts me off) nor have I read books on ‘how-to’ write. Well, let me qualify that statement. I’ve never read any of the plethora of modern books about ‘how to’, so many cropping up nowadays that you would need a life time to get through them all. But there was one. When I was fourteen and the writing bug really began to grip me, I did pick up a copy of ‘Teach Yourself How to Write’. I still have it, but I’ve only ever skimmed through it. I remember the most powerful lesson spoke about beginnings, those important few lines that need to grab the reader’s attention and draw them into the story. They gave some examples, and of course they are very famous indeed. The opening line to Heller’s ‘Catch-22’ was one of those examples. Read it and you’ll see. It does the trick fabulously. But it’s not just beginnings is it.
They – by ‘they’, I mean the ‘experts’ – talk about the Three-Part novel. Well, I haven’t got a clue what that means. I don’t have much of a clue about any of the jargon to be honest. I hate jargon and buzz-words and all that flannel. I’m a teacher, and I absolutely HATE (note capital letters here, for true emphasis) the associated jargon connected with education. First it was POS and SOW, now it’s AP and CPD and any number of other acronyms that we’re all supposed to know and use with informed regularity. I don’t have a clue. And please, don’t get me started on ‘Targets’…Grrr….Let me out of here!
But then, I’m a rebel.
Perhaps I deliberately block it all from entering my brain. But I do feel that the business world has encroached upon us all, the movers and shakers (ah, such a wonderful phrase that one!) moulding us, telling us what we need to do to acquire success. Acquire success…Note, no hint of artistry or craftsmanship. It’s all about profits and percentage shares and everything I hate about this world in which we live. I want to be Monet, not Alan Sugar!
Well, those books and seminars and talks and posts in Linked-In may be okay for making money, but in teaching we deal with human beings, and they have weaknesses and flaws, greatness and genius. Everyone is different. And in writing, I believe, it should be the desire – the absolute need – to create stories which should be our prime motivator. Creativity, not profit.
That is why I hate all this marketing nonsense you get on all the social networks. The ‘Get Rich Quick’ way to be a novelist. If only it was so easy!
So, no training, no teaching, no wise mentor patting me on the head or waggling their finger, ‘tut, tut, Stuart, you’ve used far too many commas there!’ No, I learned to write by doing TWO things. All right, three (cut-to Monty Python’s ‘Spanish Inquisition’ sketch).
One, I read. I read a lot. And nowadays I don’t just read for entertainment. In fact, truth be told, I’ve been reading and learning about the structure of novels since I was about eleven years of age. Back then I read everything I could get my hands on by Agatha Christie, C.S.Forrester, Ian Fleming and Sven Hassel and a host of others. I read Tolkein for sheer pleasure, but on my third reading I really began to look at the way he described the landscape and the characters, and today I can see echoes of him in George R.R.Martin’s epic stories. Nowadays I still continue to read for pleasure, and to learn. I am more critical now, and concentrate on sentence and paragraph structure, use of descriptive language, etc. And I often see the so-called ‘rules’ being broken, and that is so refreshing. It really is!
Two, of course – I write. The old adage ‘practise makes perfect’ is what it says. The more you do it, the better you get. I am now highly critical of what I do. I never used to be. I used to be impatient and rush through manuscripts as if my life depended on it. Now, I take my time, look at every sentence, and I use ‘Auto-Crit’ to help me identify repeated words and phrases. Over-use of words, and redundant phrases are always a minefield. We become so close, so intimate with our own words we miss the most silly of mistakes. Of course you should have someone read your work, and I do. Friends are okay, but they tend not to be objective. I know some writers use Beta-readers, but whatever method you use, someone else should look over your work. It may even be your publishers. But write. Write as often and as much as you can, and read back over what you have done and never be satisfied until you can actually ‘see’ it in your head. Read dialogue out loud too, to prevent it from becoming wooden. Natural reading/sounding dialogue is difficult. I was an actor, so I guess I have an inherent sense of dialogue, and that has helped me enormously.
Ah, and this is the third point. The point people may or may not like, I don’t know. I am an avid film watcher. I love films. All sorts, but mainly westerns, sci-fi , thrillers and horror. I might sometimes watch something cerebral too, or maybe even a comedy so long as it’s not some inane rubbish about dippy teenagers in a high-school. From great films I have developed a sense of pace and plot. The structure of a novel, the ebb and flow, the development of tension and motivation, it’s all there in films. Characterisation, conflict, and (here we go, wait for it) resolution. I write my books as if there were films, and I’m getting better at it. Once I simply used to write. Now, I look.
So, Read, write, look. And from all of those…LEARN.
I like to think I have learned. My latest books are much better than my earlier ones. Harlan Coben said much the same thing, and I remember him cringing in an interview when he heard the news his publishers were re-releasing his very first novel. I don’t think he was pleased because he knew that his writing is nowadays so much better than it was. And he did that by writing.
The cover for my forthcoming historical novel ‘Varangian’.
My latest book ‘VARANGIAN’ is a solid story of love and hate, sex and violence, all set in the Byzantine Empire when Harald Hardrada was a captain in the Varangian Guard, a group of Norse and Saxon warriors who formed an elite force of superb fighting men. His story is amazing, and I have used it as a vehicle for creating a series of historical stories which I hope people will enjoy. The sequel is going to be better than the first, so there we have it. The learning process, the ability to improve. Wow, that almost sounds like ‘continuity and progression’ and suddenly I’m back at university ‘learning’ how to teach! I better be careful. I may be becoming a conformist! But no, don’t worry…As I often say, ‘It’s all balls’…so, just get out there and DO IT !
‘Varangian is available from all Amazon outlets, and if you do not have a Kindle, it is available for all other e-reader platforms from Smashwords. Here’s the link: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/360865
Thanks for dropping by and keep on reading!
September 22, 2013
Adventures in Writing – what influences us…
Influences.
This is an interesting word, isn’t it? Could be used for just about every single facet of the human psyche.
Needless to say, I’m going to concentrate on the influences on writing.
I remember at school a teacher telling me the best way to learn how to write was to read. I still believe this is true. Stephen King, in his book ‘On Writing’ details how he writes every morning, and in the afternoon he reads. A pretty powerful recommendation then. He didn’t clarify what he read, but does that actually matter?
As writers I believe we tend to read in a slightly different way to the average reader. Of course, there is the sheer entertainment value of reading, but I find myself more and more being critical – in a constructive way for the most part. I analyse sentence structure, paragraph and chapter beginnings, characterisation, descriptions, etc, etc. I do this in a far deeper way than I ever did before I seriously took up writing. It is now meaningful and relevant to me.
I read widely; as well as non-fiction for research I read thrillers, historical fiction, police procedurals, spy fiction, and ALL of Cormac McCarthy!
To mirror this I write in a number of genres. Essentially, I write as the mood takes me. For young adults, I’ve written a number of paranormal mysteries, and for adult fiction I’ve written mainly thrillers, but I am leaning more and more towards historical fiction, set in the dark ages/early medieval period. I have a whole host of stories already ear-marked, ranging from my latest book – VARANGIAN, which is published on the 25th September – to other planned projects, such as the mysterious death of William Rufus, and the curious life and dreams of Henry I.
When I began Varangian, I had no real goal in mind. I simply knew I had to write the story. But as my research grew, so did my desire to write further episodes in his remarkable life.
And then came ‘Game of Thrones’.
This epic fantasy work is the work of George R.R. Martin, an American author who really looks the part. One look at him and you know he writes epic fantasy. The sort of guy you might meet around a table playing a game of Dungeons and Dragons, or Runequest. His books are brilliant. And he is the master of mixing both show and tell. You know how we are always told to ‘show’…well, he doesn’t, not always. He uses masses of adverbs too, and we’re told not to use those. I’m often curious as to who comes up with these rules, but I’m so pleased to see Martin not so much ignoring them as manipulating them, to make his writing so much more lively and gripping. So it won’t come as a surprise when I tell you that when I began writing the prequel to Varangian, his influences were there, perhaps not consciously, but certainly in my desire to develop a far more breath-taking and sweeping narrative. We’re told to ‘cut, cut, cut’…Well, I’ve never understood that either. I believe readers want to read the details, to get the scenes clear in their minds. So I’ve taken after Martin, expanded my narrative, and hopefully created further volumes which are more substantial and far more evocative of the period. I like to think of Varangian as being pretty good, a true story of a Viking adventurer thrown into the deadly intrigues of the Byzantine empire, but it is a story embroidered with plenty of fiction. My subsequent tales will be epics of the imagination…well, I hope they are.
I’m a great fan of the late Elmore Leonard, and Robert B Parker and I love the way both writers draw you in to the story, painting vivid pictures with space, meticulously chosen words. It was whilst discovering both of these giants of the crime genre that I began to plan out my Paul Chaise thrillers, and attempted to create real page-turners that readers would find hard to put down.
These are the influences which have, over the years, helped me find my own ‘voice’. Inspiration, which is closely akin, is another thing entirely and I shall talk about that another time. But many things inspire us to write, and not all of them are to do with reading. However, these influences of mine have guided and helped me over the years and still do.
Two very different genres, and different influences. I do not copy, and I never try to model myself on any writer, but I can hear their voices in my head, and I often stop and read back over what I’ve written and ask, ‘Would Martin be proud, would Leonard have done it like that…’ I owe them, and a mass of other writers, a huge debt. I continue to read as I write. I devour books, and so should any budding author. We cannot live in isolation, believing every sentence we create is the best there ever was, because we only have to open Thomas Hardy to discover that the best has already been done. Emulate, and respect. Study and learn. But read.
My latest book Varangian will be published by Rebel-E on 25th September. Visit my website for the latest news. http://www.stuartgyayes.com
Thanks for stopping by, and keep reading!
September 15, 2013
Adventures in writing – the birth of a book; how I developed the story of Harald Hardrada, the VARANGIAN.
The problem with writing – perhaps the biggest problem – it is totally addictive. It is a strange phenomenon, but by nature I am normally a patient person until it comes to writing… Something happens and the opposite becomes the case. When a story is in my head, I write like a demon. Possessed…Perhaps that’s a bit too strong, but certainly I would call it an addiction. But a good one!
Take my latest novel, ‘Varangian’. A historical novel based around the life and times of Harald Hardrada. This first volume tells of his time serving the emperors of Byzantium, or New Rome as they themselves called it. I’m currently working on the second instalment, as this is what I want to talk about this time. How I went about researching the story, plotting it, and then…ah…the addiction! Because half way through the sequel I had the crazy notion of writing a prequel. Yes, that’s right. Two volumes to be written, perhaps at the same time…madness? Let’s see.
I’ve been a teacher for many years, and my interest in history has always been deep, so it was natural for me to study the subject at university and help me gain entry into my chosen career. Twenty-two years later, I still love my job. Every year I teach the extraordinary events surrounding the momentous year, 1066. How three great men fought for possession of the English throne. We all know that only one prevailed, but what a story it is. And for me, the greatest and most fascinating of those contenders for the crown was Harald Sigurdsson, or Hardrada (the Ruthless) as he is better known.
Every year I’d stand in front of a new class of students and enthral them with stories of this incredible character, trying to give them a sense of his drive, his ambition, his desire to be remembered as a worthy and great man. As I embroidered the story with snippets from his earlier life it slowly dawned on me that here was a book that needed writing, in such as way that would make it accessible, interesting and, above all, entertaining.
Two years ago I began serious research and read everything I could about his time in Byzantium. I’ve always been a keen wargamer and so the military side of things took precedence. But the more I discovered, the more I realised that here was a tale, not only of blood and battle, but of intrigue, duplicity, betrayal…and sex. Lots of sex, because Hardrada was the lover of the empress Zoe, and when he began to take a shine to her niece, she threw him in prison. An interesting woman in her own right, it was rumoured that Zoe had more than a little to do with the mysterious deaths of her two previous husbands. There was never any proof of course, but in that hot pot of wagging tongues called Constantinople, there were many who voiced their suspicions loud and clear, fearless of Zoe’s wrath and disgusted by her brazen exploits. Zoe loved being empress, and all the trappings that went with it, both in and outside the bed-chamber!
Hardrada escaped, and we do not know how. Some accounts talk of a mysterious woman – the niece perhaps – who brought him the key to the cell; others that he flew away out of the window, others that he made some sort of a deal. He was rich, having accumulated a secret horde of treasure from his many exploits right around the Mediterranean. But how would Zoe react to his escape, and what would the new emperor, Michael V, do? A debauched individual, helped to the throne by Zoë herself, his legacy is not a good one. He almost single-handedly brought the Empire to ruin, a man concerned more with the pomp and glory of being emperor than the massive responsibility it entailed. Like the worst of the old Roman emperors, he wined and wenched his way through his reign, pointedly ignoring the religious aspects of his crown. Not as famous as Caligula or Comodus perhaps, but certainly on a par with them, his fall from power, when it came, was swift and merciless. This was what spurred me on, embroidering the history with my imagination and my book was born. Varangian. The story of Hardrada’s time in Constantinople as the leader of the elite Varangian Guard, soldiers from the Norse, fabled for their prowess in battle they had a fearsome reputation. And the greatest of them all was Hardrada himself, a legend in his own lifetime, a man who had songs and sagas written about him. A man who wrote poetry, and cleaved heads. What a character!
The book, once accepted for publication by Rebel-E publishers, begged for further instalments; there was still so much to tell. So I set to planning out the sequel. This would take Hardrada’s story to the next stage; his seizing of the Norwegian throne. But I have interwoven the continuing intrigues of the Byzantine court, to follow Zoë’s story, and those of the men who flocked all around her. I have invented various other characters to move the narrative along and, hopefully, to invest it with a fair amount of plot twists to keep the readers guessing.
We all know how this story will end, for that is no secret. But I intend to make it surprising nevertheless. For that, however, we will all have to wait for volume three. And this brings me back to my initial point. The more I researched, the more fascinated I became with Harald, and as I closed Varangian and began to work on the second instalment, I realised too that there was much still to be written about his youth. How did he become who he was, what led him to the Byzantium Empire? So I embarked on more research, looked again at the original sagas and have unearthed a thrilling story that simply cries out to be told.
Of course my publishers know this. But what will they do? Shall we go with the second volume, and continue Harald’s life, or shall we turn back time and discover the reasons why this man became one of the greatest heroes of his age, a man who came within a breath of becoming King of England and changing the entire course of history.
Now, wouldn’t that be a story!
The cover for my forthcoming historical novel ‘Varangian’.
VARANGIAN is to be published in October, 2013 and will be available from ALL online bookstores , in paperback and for all e-reader platforms. Visit my website or my Facebook page for further updates: http://www.stuartgyates.com. I hope you enjoy reading the book as much as I did writing it. It’s not a pretty story, but it is a fascinating one and has something for everyone.
Thanks for dropping by, and keep reading.
July 23, 2013
Adventures in Writing – how to find a publisher…
Yes, I’d been stung. I’ve detailed the story before about how an indie publisher from the States swindled me. It ate away at me, made me more determined than ever. And yes, there was a moment when I considered self-publishing, but it was never a serious thought.
I did some homework. But I’d done that before, and found a crook. So, I have to ask, how do you actually know the publisher you’re going with is not going to be a shark, or a vanity?
Recommendation? Personal would be best. Even nowadays with the social-media explosion, personal recommendations – the old-fashioned ‘word-of-mouth’ – are still the best for buying books, so why not finding a publisher?
But what if we don’t know anyone?
I had become a member of a social media site for authors and through them I approached a couple of publishers. My work was rejected, but I soldiered on and eventually found the one that liked my work, that had a good website, whose books were on Amazon and seemed a descent enough outfit. Until they told me I’d have to pay.
All right, it wasn’t a fortune. 300 pounds, but when I told some of my author ‘friends’ they were outraged. Nobody should pay to be published. I happen to agree with this. If your work is good enough, then it’s good enough to be invested in by others, not yourself. That’s how I see it anyway. But you know what it’s like, you’re desperate, impatient, it’s your first book and you want to see it on the shelves! Furthermore, the editor liked it, had already begun to work with me, and I was so pleased I went ahead. I took a deep breath and parted with my money.
The result?
‘Cold Hell in Darley Dene’ was my ‘first’ published book. I loved writing it, and the publishers ended up doing a great job and people who have read it have enjoyed it too. I’ve never had to pay since with that publisher, which is very gratifying, and subsequent publishers have not charged me a single penny either. The book was available in paperback originally, but is now also available as an e-book.
So, it boils down to this: Here are my thoughts on what you should do to find a publisher of repute.
• Join a writers group (not to be confused with a writing group, although one of these might help too!) and get personal recommendations
• Buy, or borrow ‘Artist and Writers Yearbook’ and find the agents who deal with your genre
• For Indies, go on Predators and Editors or Ralan.com
• Trawl through Amazon and look up the publishers that successful authors have used, visit their websites and read their submission guidelines
• Go on Writers Beware and, if that publisher is not listed, post a question.
• Google the publisher’s name. You might be surprised with what you’ll find!
• Piers Anthony’s site is very exhaustive and very good. This great sci-fi writer gives up almost all of his time exposing the sharks, and he should be knighted for his efforts!
• Join FirstWriter.com. Its costs around 4.99 a month, but it is well worth it. It lists publishers and agents from around the world, and not only gives their websites, but posts the views of others who have tried particular concerns themselves. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a good publisher.
Okay, that’s it. Hope it’s of some use. Remember, try to rein in that impatience. You’ve written your book, you want it published. But do your homework first, and you won’t be stung by all those miserable SOBs out there.
Please visit http://www.glennstuart.co.uk for more news about me and my books.
Thanks for dropping by, and keep reading!
July 11, 2013
Adventures in Writing – a personal journey by Stuart G Yates…a little about the minefield called ‘publishers’.
Mistakes happen.
Whether we choose to LEARN from them, that is the point.
The mantra is, to learn from the mistakes we make…but I’m as guilty as the rest, by putting my hands up and saying, ‘I haven’t’.
I’ll try to explain.
Firstly, however, an apology. I haven’t blogged for a while. I’ve been in a region the French call ‘The Russian Mountains’ and have not felt the urge to put my thoughts down. Often, when I do, people come back with criticisms, so I thought ‘to hell with it’. I’ve never been one to stand on a soapbox. I quietly get on with what I do. And when I succeed, despite the negativity surrounding me, I seldom stand up and shout, ‘I told you so’. So, I prefer to keep quiet.
I’ve also been on holiday! Back to the UK, to visit my lovely daughter, and some friends. And I had the best time. I hate Spain now, am desperate to leave. All I need is a job, then I’m gone. I’ve had enough, but that’s another story. Maybe I’ll blog about that some time. We’ll see.
This is not the mistake I mentioned above, although the mistake of coming to Spain was massive!
No, this one is about publishers.
Like most would-be writers, when I had completed my first MU I was impatient to see it in print. Back in 1978, that was an extremely involved and long process, so when I finally got my act together and embraced the digital world thirty years later in 2008, my anxiety levels guided me to seek out an independent publisher.
Now, it must be said, I had no idea what I was doing. Blind man groping in the dark. That was me. I hadn’t even thought of seeking guidance from anyone. I had ‘The Artist and Writers Yearbook’, as always. I had that in 1978. Now, of course, it included email addresses. But getting an agent was as difficult as it ever was, so I began to seek out an indie, although the process was similar. Submit a covering letter, synopsis, and the first 3 chapters.
I joined an on-line writing group. Met some interesting people, and learned a lot in a very short space of time. I got some addresses too, and began the long process. I’ve written before about WHY I write, so no need to go there again. I now NEEDED to be published. I’ve never been one to think about financial gain. That has never, ever been my guiding principal. The desire to be published has more to do with sharing my stories. I want people to be entertained, it is as simple as that. If my books sell, then that is excellent. Money is secondary, well, to be honest, it’s probably much further down the list than that! BUT, I wanted to be published. Not self-published, but ACCEPTED by others, professionals, people who knew what a good story was. I still feel that way. That is why I’ll never self-publish. Who is there out there amongst friends who would have the balls to tell you, ‘actually, mate, your work is crap’ when you self-publish? But I digress, and I don’t want to upset people AGAIN….so…
I made mistakes. Of course I did. My first publisher was a crook. I submitted to many more. Rejections followed. Lots of them. I got depressed, but I never stopped writing. Even when I was submitting my book, I continued to graft. Write. Think. Imagine. That is something I have always done. So many stories to write, so little time.
I suppose that was the thing that undermined me. My impatience. I was 50. I’d been dreaming of being a writer since…maybe from the age of 11. That’s a long time, and I had hardly done a thing about it. How many years have I got left? God knows, so I wasn’t about to hang around. I HAD to get published, to do what I always wanted.
So, when I finally found a publisher who liked my work enough to go ahead and publish it, I was totally bowled over.
Then, came the sledgehammer.
They wanted to charge me for the privilege!
Well…we’ll see how this pans out….next time. So come back soon.
Thanks for those who have ‘liked’ this blog.
My work, and where to buy it, is all detailed on my websites:
and
Please pop along and take a look at some of my work. Maybe you’ll like what you see so much you even be tempted buy a copy, or two. I hopes so! ‘Roadkill’ (http://www.amazon.com/Roadkill-ebook/dp/B00CWPQC8A/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1373571161&sr=1-1&keywords=stuart+g+yates) is my latest, and is at a great price on Kindle and Nook right now!
Take care, and keep reading!
June 7, 2013
Adventures in Writing – a personal journey by Stuart G Yates…5 things a new writer should know
I had a great evening yesterday, talking with the reviewer Fran Lewis on her radio show…You can listen to it here:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/worldofinknetwork/2013/06/06/book-discussion–host-fran-lewis
Together with three other authors, the show featured us all talking about our influences, how we develop characters, etc. It was great fun. I had a great time, helped enormously by the wonderful fellow-authors who shared air-time with me.
One of the questions we didn’t really have time for was – what would be the 5 most important things you would advise a beginning writer to do. This got me to thinking, and here is my list. You can embellish or reject as you so desire, but these are what I think as being ‘important’:
Writing is hard work. Damned hard work. As I’ve said many times, it’s not ‘a get rich quick scheme’. It requires dedication, toil, soul-searching and heartaches. It’s also a lot of fun, but be prepared for the long haul. That first draft may take you only three weeks to get down, but the re-writes and the edits, that is where the time is spent.
As soon as you have written that book, or perhaps even before it is completed, be thinking of your next one. This is essential for an author. To create, to be consumed by stories, that is the guiding principle. Stephen King famously talked about Salinger, and the fact that he never followed up ‘Catcher in the Rye’. King couldn’t believe how anyone could call themselves ‘a writer’ if that person didn’t write, and I agree wholeheartedly. I write, it is what I do,. Simple as. I can’t imagine a time when I wouldn’t write. I have lots of projects all bubbling away at the same time, and as soon as I finish one, I move on to the next exciting chapter!
Always keep a notebook close at hand. You never know when that inspirational smack in the mouth is going to strike. It might be in the middle of the night, whilst you’re showering, or whilst you’re driving to work, but if you don’t write it down, you’ll forget. Trust me, this happens, as I know to my cost.
It’s fun. Enjoy it. You are creating worlds, filling a blank screen with your imagination, creating something that didn’t exist until a few moments ago. Relish in that knowledge and smile. This is not a ‘job’, it is life.
Never, ever give up. If that first book is rejected, submit the next. And keep going. If you’re good enough, someone will pick you up. I’m not talking about self-publishing, I’m talking about your work being validated by people who know what they are talking about – be that traditional publishers, or small independent presses. If somebody likes your work enough to commit a substantial investment, there are few better feelings that I know of.
Writing is not easy, and it isn’t always financially rewarding, but it is such an incredible magical experience to see your book in print that I simply wouldn’t want to do anything else.
Fran said my latest work ‘Roadkill’ frightened her to death within the first couple of pages.
What a compliment that was! She is reading it right now and I can’t wait for her review. To catch your own copy, it is available on all formats, either from Barnes and Noble or Amazon. Here’s a link, and I hope you will see what my philosophy helps me to create. Damned good stories!
Thanks for dropping by, and keeping reading.
May 30, 2013
Adventures in writing – a personal journey by Stuart G Yates. A reaction against being ‘self righteous’.
Straight off, what I’m going to say is going to upset quite a few people.
But not Henning Mankell, or Cormac McCarthy, my two author heroes.
I was told the other day that I am ‘self righteous’ and ‘a hypocrite’. When I first read those comments, after the initial shock, a few thoughts rushed through my mind on how to respond. Well, I had some choices.
One, the obvious reaction I suppose, was to become defensive and angry. So, I hastily sent my indignant reply. ‘Who the hell do you think you are, talking to me like that?’ A perfectly natural response because, in this particular case, I had absolutely no idea what had brought this on.
I’m a member of a few writing forums, most of which are fine, and many of the posts are thought provoking, interesting and engender varied responses. I’m not a self-published author, and never will be. I commented on one of the recent forums that spouts off about the wonders of SP as opposed to Traditional Publishing, how agents rip you off, and the big guns are only interested in you if you are a ‘celebrity’ or a sports star. Well, I don’t subscribe to that view. I believe, whole-heartedly, that companies such as Harper know what they are doing. If an agent picks you up, it is because you are good, that your words touch a chord. I shudder when I hear some people declaring that they have been rejected X number of times, and so have sought the self-published route. They are happy. And, I suppose for them, that is fine.
It wouldn’t be for me.
I happened to say on this particular forum that I still believed that traditional publishing was the only way to go if you wish to become a professional author.
Hence, the self-righteous moniker.
I also happened to mention that my latest book, ‘ROADKILL’ is now published and available.
The cover of my latest thriller, set on Bodmin Moor in Cornwall, and guaranteed to make you want to keep reading right to the end.
What I unfortunately omitted from this declaration was that the book had been published by a publisher, that I hadn’t paid a single penny for any part of the process.
Hence my being called ‘a hypocrite’ because, of course, it was assumed I had self-published. When I pointed this fact out to the idiot who had lambasted me, she replied with a very badly written apology which said ,’It was only a joke, tongue and cheek’. Yes, you read that, ‘tongue and cheek’. This from a self-published author.
It was later that I realised that, in all truth, there a lot of disillusioned people out there. And a huge swell of arrogance.
So, let me ask, why on earth don’t these authors try and get taken up by a publisher, one who will edit the book with you, sort out the ISBNs, the blurb, the cover…and all of it for nothing? What is wrong with people that they think that all publishers charge money? None of mine do, and one of them is so brilliant and forward-looking that they actually market the book too. I read about many self-published authors trawling around for companies to publish their book for them, and they pay for the service! WHY??? I’m absolutely perplexed, befuddled and speechless at this.
Rubbing salt in the wounds, the amount of ‘How to be a successful author’ books which are appearing all over the place simply beggars belief. We went through all this years ago. I remember the mail shots, the ads in the local press, the ubiquitous ‘BE YOUR OWN BOSS’ and retire to the Maldives in ten years. Maybe even five. How? Well, by selling cleaning products door to door, working from home, selling this, doing that, etc, etc. I even went to one such seminar. Would you believe it? Me! Some guy at work asked me if I was looking forward to retirement. I did a double take. ‘What?’ He invited me to a meeting, at some guy’s house, where I would learn something ‘very interesting and important’. Yeah right. I sat there and listened to the usual bilge. Environmentally friendly cleaning products, the thing of the future. How to build up your own business, control your destiny, etc, etc. It sounded great. So great I still haven’t seen any of those products on the shelf of any shelf in any shop in the thirty-plus years since I went to that meeting. It’s all balls. And now it’s happening to the business of writing. Since the advent of Kindle, writing is becoming just like any other self-employed business, with tag lines such as ‘how to win your market’, ‘have you achieved your goals’, ‘what to do when nobody wants to buy what you’ve written’. Actually, that last one is pure fantasy, but I tend to think all of them are. And the ones who peddle this rubbish, they all seem to be the same sort of person. I take one look and want to run. The sad thing is, the more people become desperate to see their name in ‘print’ the more these sharks will make money.
So, take a big breath.
I’ll repeat it, writing is NOT a ‘get rich quick scheme’, but so many think it is. It is damned hard work. AND, not only do you have to be a capable wordsmith, you also have to have a very vivid imagination, coupled with knowledge of how to plot and structure stories which will engage your reader. If you have those, then write. And when you have your book, and you’ve polished it to the nth degree, submit it to agents. And if you do not have success there, submit it to independent publishers. If you do not find success there, well…time to pop it in the bottom drawer and do something else creative. These professional people know what they are doing. They’ve been doing it for a long time. Take the hint, if it comes. Please.
Harsh words, but not self-righteous. I write every day, and every day I learn a little bit more about this wonderful occupation called writing. I create, and my prime motivator is for people to enjoy my stories, not to make money. But one thing is absolutely certain – I’ll never self-publish, even if my next forty or fifty books never find a home.
For those not too upset, I write fiction, and my work can be found on my websites, on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Read my ‘About Me’ page to find out a little more.
Thanks for dropping by, and carry on reading!
And if you’re on FaceBook, I’m being interviewed live next Thursday by Fran Lewis, so why not eavesdrop for a while. Details on her page.
