Chris Allen's Blog, page 4
June 28, 2013
HOW TO CREATE AN INTERPOL AGENCY
(FICTIONAL, OF COURSE)
My book series features an agency called Intrepid, and in this post for Milo's Rambles blog (http://www.milorambles.com/2013/06/23...), I discuss how I created the agency from an imagined hybrid international force.
When I began writing, I knew my creation would inevitably be influenced by actual events that were occurring at the time and my particular take on how that might influence the context of my stories. I started writing drafts of Defender in the extended aftermath of Sept 11, 2001 – a time when I was in high demand professionally and probably needed a creative outlet. I didn’t want the context of my stories to be military in nature, so I steered away from the obvious choice – the UN and intervention forces – and looked more towards the actual criminal activity so often hidden behind idealistic rhetoric and excuses for terror.
Having decided upon that course of action, but still wanting to unite nation-states together in the grand narrative, I opted to have the UN Security Council approach Interpol so as to join those entities in a fictional sense, despite their quite disparate responsibilities in real life. I achieved this through the creation of Intrepid: Interpol’s black-ops Intelligence, Recovery, Protection and Infiltration Division – raised at the behest of the United Nations.
My observations of how these various agencies work is that they can both help and hinder co-operation, often with best efforts frustrated by the corruption of misinformation and bureaucracy (my pet hates). I can draw on my own interactions with agencies as much as observations I’ve made or even stories relayed to me by others, combined with my own experiences in the field. At the core of it all, nothing begins without some form of dialogue. The scene must be set and the operational parameters must be established before the agents embark upon their missions. So, I try to provide the reader with some sense of either the orders process – as in General Davenport tasking his agents (Defender), or the process of defining jurisdictional boundaries – as in sorting out ‘who will do what when’ type issues before the agents deploy (Hunter).
When the time comes to create each fictional story, I will draw on an overarching real life issue, such as human trafficking in Avenger – war criminals in Hunter – or gunrunning in Defender, and interlace the fictional plot with real experiences in a way that should, hopefully, enhance the adventure for the reader. I guess they call it writing escapist thrillers for realists. I’m not interested in creating the doomsday catastrophe stories where the world is going to end via destruction on a mass scale, nor am I going to target one particular race or faith through my writing. History consistently shows us that the world is a lot more complicated than that.
So while an agency like Intrepid wouldn’t happen in real life, where the UN sets the agenda for Interpol – all for the greater good – well, that is the entire point. Intrepid is supposed to be escapist, it’s supposed to be fictional and ultimately, it’s supposed to be cool.
Read more at the original blog post on Milo's Rambles (http://www.milorambles.com/2013/06/23...). Click on the book titles for more information Defender and Hunter.
And you can read my full blog at http://intrepidallen.com/blog
My book series features an agency called Intrepid, and in this post for Milo's Rambles blog (http://www.milorambles.com/2013/06/23...), I discuss how I created the agency from an imagined hybrid international force.
When I began writing, I knew my creation would inevitably be influenced by actual events that were occurring at the time and my particular take on how that might influence the context of my stories. I started writing drafts of Defender in the extended aftermath of Sept 11, 2001 – a time when I was in high demand professionally and probably needed a creative outlet. I didn’t want the context of my stories to be military in nature, so I steered away from the obvious choice – the UN and intervention forces – and looked more towards the actual criminal activity so often hidden behind idealistic rhetoric and excuses for terror.
Having decided upon that course of action, but still wanting to unite nation-states together in the grand narrative, I opted to have the UN Security Council approach Interpol so as to join those entities in a fictional sense, despite their quite disparate responsibilities in real life. I achieved this through the creation of Intrepid: Interpol’s black-ops Intelligence, Recovery, Protection and Infiltration Division – raised at the behest of the United Nations.
My observations of how these various agencies work is that they can both help and hinder co-operation, often with best efforts frustrated by the corruption of misinformation and bureaucracy (my pet hates). I can draw on my own interactions with agencies as much as observations I’ve made or even stories relayed to me by others, combined with my own experiences in the field. At the core of it all, nothing begins without some form of dialogue. The scene must be set and the operational parameters must be established before the agents embark upon their missions. So, I try to provide the reader with some sense of either the orders process – as in General Davenport tasking his agents (Defender), or the process of defining jurisdictional boundaries – as in sorting out ‘who will do what when’ type issues before the agents deploy (Hunter).
When the time comes to create each fictional story, I will draw on an overarching real life issue, such as human trafficking in Avenger – war criminals in Hunter – or gunrunning in Defender, and interlace the fictional plot with real experiences in a way that should, hopefully, enhance the adventure for the reader. I guess they call it writing escapist thrillers for realists. I’m not interested in creating the doomsday catastrophe stories where the world is going to end via destruction on a mass scale, nor am I going to target one particular race or faith through my writing. History consistently shows us that the world is a lot more complicated than that.
So while an agency like Intrepid wouldn’t happen in real life, where the UN sets the agenda for Interpol – all for the greater good – well, that is the entire point. Intrepid is supposed to be escapist, it’s supposed to be fictional and ultimately, it’s supposed to be cool.
Read more at the original blog post on Milo's Rambles (http://www.milorambles.com/2013/06/23...). Click on the book titles for more information Defender and Hunter.
And you can read my full blog at http://intrepidallen.com/blog
June 12, 2013
TEN ELEMENTS OF A CRACKING THRILLER
I’ve got to tell you how particularly chuffed I am that it’s Intrepid Month right now at That Book You Like (http://thatbookyoulike.wordpress.com/).
The act of writing stories can be less than glamorous – it’s more endless cups of tea and crumbs piling up on the keyboard in a darkened room (aka my writing mancave) than back-to-back launches and book signings with pen poised and a glass of red by my side. So, an entire month that celebrates the fruits of my humble artistic toils through a group Book Club read and Facebook chat is very welcome indeed!
Those days when I am holed up in the mancave, churning out chapters of the latest Alex Morgan espionage adventure as fast as my clumsy two-finger typing skills can manage, I’m not consciously thinking about what makes a cracking thriller. It’s creating my own mix of preferred reading and viewing tastes, past experiences, a reasonable dash of instinct, and an intense need to extract the story from my head and get it onto the page. Then, of course everything is honed during the editing process with my publisher.
Once the books are put out into the world, there does seem – on reflection – to be some shared elements I recognise between my work and those of the other thriller writers I have grown up enjoying.
So, here’s ten elements of a cracking thriller that are important to me when crafting or getting into a new action & adventure yarn. I wonder if you enjoy these or different tactics when you’re getting into a story?
1. A plot that keeps you guessing
The plot has to keep you going at a micro and macro level. I like to write and read stories that keep the narrative moving ahead quickly. Before you know it, you’re well and truly committed to the story because the author has you hooked from the outset.
2. Action that compels you to keep reading
You’ve got to need to keep the pages turning. When I hear that someone has missed their train stop or their bus because too busy reading what Alex Morgan is up to, then my job is done. I love to read books that can achieve that for me, too! The idea is to keep the forward movement of the action as relentless as possible. The reader should be almost out of breath at the end of a major action sequence.
3. Characters that you care about
This is something that I am exploring as I immerse myself into the Alex Morgan series. I’d like to let my readers know more about Morgan and other principle characters. There are many writers who are great at this in the action/adventure arena – including my favourites – Fleming, Conan Doyle, Maclean, Higgins, Cussler. Of course, including a little beguiling love interest in each story doesn’t harm the reading experience either.
4. Enough realism to make you wonder, enough escapism to help you forget
I like stories that make you think, ‘maybe this has really happened’. For instance, when I created the fictional agency Intrepid, I wanted to give it a sense of real world gravitas but setting it within Interpol, while adding the connection to other major international agencies such as the UN Security Council. In truth the two are not connected but it’s not a stretch to believe that they are, and it also adds a sense of scale to the grand narrative I’m constructing across the series.
5. Enjoyable the second time around
The proof is in the pudding when it comes to great books. You know, the ones that are your favourites because you keep going back to re-read them time and again? I have my favourite stories that I return to and in years to come, I hope to provide that experience for my own readers. Ideally, the aim is to have people enjoy it enough to put a copy on their bookshelf – which is an achievement in an age of eReaders.
6. Classic but contemporary
In my view, the more that an action writer can make something that’s been made a thousand times over seem new and fresh, then the closer you are to achieving that balance between classic and contemporary. Provide the reader with a familiar setting but give them completely new characters and stories to enjoy.
7. Not so much about mass carnage
One thing I’m learning – and it’s a significant lesson – is that readers need more from their characters than their plots. Movies can easily deal with carnage and death on a mass scale, but finding innovative ways for both protagonist and antagonist to outwit each other on the page – in the classic good vs evil struggle – is a complex process. Readers need to be stimulated to be engaged, otherwise they’ll just skipping over the pages until they find a bit that draws them back in. And, if that takes too long, you’ll lose them.
8. An ass-kicking pace
You’ve probably guessed by now, I love action stories. I grew up on them, I’ve read hundreds of them and now I write them. To me, the ultimate adventure is fast paced and furious from beginning to end, but that doesn’t have to just be about the action. The narrative overall must be the literary equivalent pushing a large boulder over the crest of a steep hill. Nothing is going to stop it as it gathers speed and momentum every inch of the way until it comes crashing to a stop at the base of the hill, leaving nothing but anticipation of more to come.
9. The power to take you places
As a boy my favourite writers transported me from Rossmoyne, our sleepy little corner of Perth, and with the flick of a page landed me on foreign shores in the midst of incredible adventures. I’ve always loved that about books because our imagination drives our experience of the story. It’s up to the author to provide you with the prompts and triggers to enhance that experience.
10. Flawed characters
We can’t all be perfect, and especially not our heroes. There needs to be some level of mystery and uncertainty about our protagonist. We expect the villains to be flawed but writers can focus too much on the baddies while keeping the hero on a pedestal. I’ve become conscious of this as a writer. Heroes must be at their core, human beings and their lives, attitudes and actions need depth and context. If I can be as objective as possible, sometimes Alex Morgan is so firmly established in my mind’s eye, I have a tendency to allow the baddies live more on the page. That’s all about to change in Avenger…
What are your thoughts? What’s important when you’re reading a story? I’ll be taking your questions in a live Facebook Chat on Monday 24 June from 7.30pm AEST so would love to get your feedback then (Join up at https://www.facebook.com/events/33521...). Or leave a comment below and we might reference and discuss it on the night!
Interested to get reading? Here’s how you can also get involved in the Book Club read, Defender & Hunter, for Intrepid month: http://www.thatbookyoulike.com.au/ind...
***
Read the guest-post at That Book You Like: http://thatbookyoulike.wordpress.com/...
The act of writing stories can be less than glamorous – it’s more endless cups of tea and crumbs piling up on the keyboard in a darkened room (aka my writing mancave) than back-to-back launches and book signings with pen poised and a glass of red by my side. So, an entire month that celebrates the fruits of my humble artistic toils through a group Book Club read and Facebook chat is very welcome indeed!
Those days when I am holed up in the mancave, churning out chapters of the latest Alex Morgan espionage adventure as fast as my clumsy two-finger typing skills can manage, I’m not consciously thinking about what makes a cracking thriller. It’s creating my own mix of preferred reading and viewing tastes, past experiences, a reasonable dash of instinct, and an intense need to extract the story from my head and get it onto the page. Then, of course everything is honed during the editing process with my publisher.
Once the books are put out into the world, there does seem – on reflection – to be some shared elements I recognise between my work and those of the other thriller writers I have grown up enjoying.
So, here’s ten elements of a cracking thriller that are important to me when crafting or getting into a new action & adventure yarn. I wonder if you enjoy these or different tactics when you’re getting into a story?
1. A plot that keeps you guessing
The plot has to keep you going at a micro and macro level. I like to write and read stories that keep the narrative moving ahead quickly. Before you know it, you’re well and truly committed to the story because the author has you hooked from the outset.
2. Action that compels you to keep reading
You’ve got to need to keep the pages turning. When I hear that someone has missed their train stop or their bus because too busy reading what Alex Morgan is up to, then my job is done. I love to read books that can achieve that for me, too! The idea is to keep the forward movement of the action as relentless as possible. The reader should be almost out of breath at the end of a major action sequence.
3. Characters that you care about
This is something that I am exploring as I immerse myself into the Alex Morgan series. I’d like to let my readers know more about Morgan and other principle characters. There are many writers who are great at this in the action/adventure arena – including my favourites – Fleming, Conan Doyle, Maclean, Higgins, Cussler. Of course, including a little beguiling love interest in each story doesn’t harm the reading experience either.
4. Enough realism to make you wonder, enough escapism to help you forget
I like stories that make you think, ‘maybe this has really happened’. For instance, when I created the fictional agency Intrepid, I wanted to give it a sense of real world gravitas but setting it within Interpol, while adding the connection to other major international agencies such as the UN Security Council. In truth the two are not connected but it’s not a stretch to believe that they are, and it also adds a sense of scale to the grand narrative I’m constructing across the series.
5. Enjoyable the second time around
The proof is in the pudding when it comes to great books. You know, the ones that are your favourites because you keep going back to re-read them time and again? I have my favourite stories that I return to and in years to come, I hope to provide that experience for my own readers. Ideally, the aim is to have people enjoy it enough to put a copy on their bookshelf – which is an achievement in an age of eReaders.
6. Classic but contemporary
In my view, the more that an action writer can make something that’s been made a thousand times over seem new and fresh, then the closer you are to achieving that balance between classic and contemporary. Provide the reader with a familiar setting but give them completely new characters and stories to enjoy.
7. Not so much about mass carnage
One thing I’m learning – and it’s a significant lesson – is that readers need more from their characters than their plots. Movies can easily deal with carnage and death on a mass scale, but finding innovative ways for both protagonist and antagonist to outwit each other on the page – in the classic good vs evil struggle – is a complex process. Readers need to be stimulated to be engaged, otherwise they’ll just skipping over the pages until they find a bit that draws them back in. And, if that takes too long, you’ll lose them.
8. An ass-kicking pace
You’ve probably guessed by now, I love action stories. I grew up on them, I’ve read hundreds of them and now I write them. To me, the ultimate adventure is fast paced and furious from beginning to end, but that doesn’t have to just be about the action. The narrative overall must be the literary equivalent pushing a large boulder over the crest of a steep hill. Nothing is going to stop it as it gathers speed and momentum every inch of the way until it comes crashing to a stop at the base of the hill, leaving nothing but anticipation of more to come.
9. The power to take you places
As a boy my favourite writers transported me from Rossmoyne, our sleepy little corner of Perth, and with the flick of a page landed me on foreign shores in the midst of incredible adventures. I’ve always loved that about books because our imagination drives our experience of the story. It’s up to the author to provide you with the prompts and triggers to enhance that experience.
10. Flawed characters
We can’t all be perfect, and especially not our heroes. There needs to be some level of mystery and uncertainty about our protagonist. We expect the villains to be flawed but writers can focus too much on the baddies while keeping the hero on a pedestal. I’ve become conscious of this as a writer. Heroes must be at their core, human beings and their lives, attitudes and actions need depth and context. If I can be as objective as possible, sometimes Alex Morgan is so firmly established in my mind’s eye, I have a tendency to allow the baddies live more on the page. That’s all about to change in Avenger…
What are your thoughts? What’s important when you’re reading a story? I’ll be taking your questions in a live Facebook Chat on Monday 24 June from 7.30pm AEST so would love to get your feedback then (Join up at https://www.facebook.com/events/33521...). Or leave a comment below and we might reference and discuss it on the night!
Interested to get reading? Here’s how you can also get involved in the Book Club read, Defender & Hunter, for Intrepid month: http://www.thatbookyoulike.com.au/ind...
***
Read the guest-post at That Book You Like: http://thatbookyoulike.wordpress.com/...
June 7, 2013
LONDON & LOS ANGELES MINI-SERIES
1. AUSTRALIA HOUSE AND BOB THE BUILDER IN LONDON
LONDON, DAY ONE.
It's 2am and I can't sleep - must be 11am in Sydney. I had a full and busy first day sightseeing in London, even after the cancelled flights which delayed my arrival, and not being able to catch up with some former comrades-in-arms from the British Parachute Regiment as a result.
Here's a few snaps from the first day...
(You can view the pictures at http://buff.ly/1bfdMSi - captions are below)
Outside Australia House, otherwise known as the Australian High Commission. This place became well known to me when I was first sent to London on attachment to the British Army!
At Baker St Station, where there is a very cool homage to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's iconic characters on the wall.
I'm not one for stage musicals, but my Sar has always enjoyed them them, and if you combine that with her two other loves, Roald Dahl and chocolate - well, you can't get much better than that!
I was lucky to meet up with Neil Morrissey, the voice of Bob the Builder, one of the characters my three year old son adores.
Here I am with one of my best mates Dick, at the Salisbury where I was with our families back in 2009 for a drink - down to the exact same seat!
Big day of meetings over the coming days, so best get some shut eye - will check in soonest.
***
2. FLEMING'S HOME AND RONNIE SCOTT'S IN LONDON
DAYS TWO AND THREE.
Once again, it's 3am and the jet lag in London-town continues to be a killer. But at least it's a chance to reflect what has been and prepare for that which is ahead!
I love London, the history of the place, the sense of occasion, even the fact that the cabbies call you 'Guv'. So I've been walking as much as I can between meetings, and seeing some of my favourite spots on the fly.
Here's a few of them:
(View the pictures at http://buff.ly/12R0ZlB - captions are below)
Not just any house, this was Ian Fleming's home located on Ebury St in London.
I took the chance to pay my respects on what would have been Fleming's birthday - 28 May.
Happy Birthday, Mr Fleming.
The only right way to celebrate the life of my literary hero is by having his favourite meal, scrambled eggs for breakfast, at the Nightingale Cafe.
I chanced upon The Ritz which appears in the final chapter of Hunter: Intrepid 2.
Really enjoyed capturing this view of MI6 from Vauxhall Bridge - exactly where it was shot from in the latest Bond movie Skyfall!
Ronnie Scott's is a jazz club in Soho - an institution. We were last there in 2009 for a memorable night where the Ronnie Scott's orchestra played the Miles Davis Kind of Blue album.
A few of the upcoming gigs at Ronnie Scott's, and it's no surprise to see Madeleine Peyroux is sold out!
Got a bit more time to enjoy in this great old town before flying out to the bright lights of Hollywood on Saturday. It's a whirlwind trip, but I'm loving every minute.
Time for a cup of tea to start the day, I think!
***
3. LORD NELSON & THE RED LION IN LONDON
DAYS FOUR AND FIVE
This has been a whirlwind first week, and still another to go in LA, with some book-related meetings that have blown my mind, and an opportunity to walk the streets of London in between. One of my favourite pubs is in Westminster, called The Red Lion, and when I dropped in there this week, I had a great chat with the staff who were thrilled to hear that their cosy venue is featured in Defender and Hunter!
I hope you enjoy the latest installment...
(View the pictures at http://buff.ly/12VDF6q - the captions are below)
My favourite landmark in London: Nelson's Column, Trafalgar Square.
Enjoying being in Conan Doyle territory.
At the Sherlock Holmes museum. Unfortunately there was a line of 250 people down the street waiting to get in, so I saw it from the outside only.
A bobby outside the Sherlock museum. Gotta keep watch!
With Cathy (left) and Desiree (right) and Alex Morgan (centre) at my favourite pub in London, The Red Lion Westminster. It was great to take Morgan & Hunter for a photo opportunity as the venue appears in both books!
Can never go past a plate of bangers & mash at The Red Lion, and a pint of Guiness too!
Quintessential London, walking towards Piccadilly from Oxford Circus.
I was thrilled to be able to catch up for a 3Para reunion lunch with my great mate Bill. Just like old times!
Without any further ado, off to the City of Angels I fly!
***
4. ROBERT DE NIRO & MAD MEN IN HOLLYWOOD
WEEK TWO.
Los Angeles sure does have a different feel to the streets of London. There's little walking to meetings, for one, so I'm seeing the town from moving vehicle than by foot. Everything is big and brash, bright and brassy. There's no shortage of luxury cars at the hotels, either!
It's been an extremely productive week, so before I finish up and fly back Down Under, here's some snaps from about town.
(View the pictures at http://buff.ly/14ithZ2 - the captions are below)
I've waited a long time to see this sign!
The Chinese Theatre which is famous in Hollywood, and you may have seen it in an action scene from Iron Man 3 as well!
I was lucky to be able to spend a couple of days with my good mate Dudge, who has been a staunch supporter of my stories from the very beginning.
We went to the fantastic restaurant AGO which is owned by Robert de Niro - the service was unlike anything I've experienced before!
I had the Osso Bucco. Well, you wouldn't order chicken at a restaurant owned by De Niro, would you?
It's not real, but it's good fun to hold one of these, all the same.
This is a very typical street in Beverly Hills - we see them on the TV shows all the time!
Looking down to Santa Monica Boulevard to Beverly Hills - Century City is in the background and that is where Cleopatra was filmed!
Don is looking across Sunset Boulevard to my hotel so at least I can't get lost!
Even the Beverly Hills Neighbourhood Watch program looks like something from a movie...
Here's the Dolby Theatre, formerly known as the Kodak Theatre, which hosted the Academy Awards this February.
Fajitas and Margaritas with my brother-in-arms from Paratrooping days and hugely successful fellow creative capitalist, Bradley Trevor Greive. If you haven't checked out his work yet, do so here.
I feel incredibly lucky to be able to have seen these sights between my meetings about town, and I reckon LA will be appearing in a future Intrepid story!
I hope you've enjoyed this mini-series of blogs on my recent travels as much as I have.
***
If you're in Sydney, see you at the Willoughby Hotel next Thursday 13 June for a Malfajiri Sunset and a few more yarns? More details here: http://buff.ly/15UM1O8
***
Join up to Intrepid and receive future blog updates by email here: http://intrepidallen.com/contact
LONDON, DAY ONE.
It's 2am and I can't sleep - must be 11am in Sydney. I had a full and busy first day sightseeing in London, even after the cancelled flights which delayed my arrival, and not being able to catch up with some former comrades-in-arms from the British Parachute Regiment as a result.
Here's a few snaps from the first day...
(You can view the pictures at http://buff.ly/1bfdMSi - captions are below)
Outside Australia House, otherwise known as the Australian High Commission. This place became well known to me when I was first sent to London on attachment to the British Army!
At Baker St Station, where there is a very cool homage to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's iconic characters on the wall.
I'm not one for stage musicals, but my Sar has always enjoyed them them, and if you combine that with her two other loves, Roald Dahl and chocolate - well, you can't get much better than that!
I was lucky to meet up with Neil Morrissey, the voice of Bob the Builder, one of the characters my three year old son adores.
Here I am with one of my best mates Dick, at the Salisbury where I was with our families back in 2009 for a drink - down to the exact same seat!
Big day of meetings over the coming days, so best get some shut eye - will check in soonest.
***
2. FLEMING'S HOME AND RONNIE SCOTT'S IN LONDON
DAYS TWO AND THREE.
Once again, it's 3am and the jet lag in London-town continues to be a killer. But at least it's a chance to reflect what has been and prepare for that which is ahead!
I love London, the history of the place, the sense of occasion, even the fact that the cabbies call you 'Guv'. So I've been walking as much as I can between meetings, and seeing some of my favourite spots on the fly.
Here's a few of them:
(View the pictures at http://buff.ly/12R0ZlB - captions are below)
Not just any house, this was Ian Fleming's home located on Ebury St in London.
I took the chance to pay my respects on what would have been Fleming's birthday - 28 May.
Happy Birthday, Mr Fleming.
The only right way to celebrate the life of my literary hero is by having his favourite meal, scrambled eggs for breakfast, at the Nightingale Cafe.
I chanced upon The Ritz which appears in the final chapter of Hunter: Intrepid 2.
Really enjoyed capturing this view of MI6 from Vauxhall Bridge - exactly where it was shot from in the latest Bond movie Skyfall!
Ronnie Scott's is a jazz club in Soho - an institution. We were last there in 2009 for a memorable night where the Ronnie Scott's orchestra played the Miles Davis Kind of Blue album.
A few of the upcoming gigs at Ronnie Scott's, and it's no surprise to see Madeleine Peyroux is sold out!
Got a bit more time to enjoy in this great old town before flying out to the bright lights of Hollywood on Saturday. It's a whirlwind trip, but I'm loving every minute.
Time for a cup of tea to start the day, I think!
***
3. LORD NELSON & THE RED LION IN LONDON
DAYS FOUR AND FIVE
This has been a whirlwind first week, and still another to go in LA, with some book-related meetings that have blown my mind, and an opportunity to walk the streets of London in between. One of my favourite pubs is in Westminster, called The Red Lion, and when I dropped in there this week, I had a great chat with the staff who were thrilled to hear that their cosy venue is featured in Defender and Hunter!
I hope you enjoy the latest installment...
(View the pictures at http://buff.ly/12VDF6q - the captions are below)
My favourite landmark in London: Nelson's Column, Trafalgar Square.
Enjoying being in Conan Doyle territory.
At the Sherlock Holmes museum. Unfortunately there was a line of 250 people down the street waiting to get in, so I saw it from the outside only.
A bobby outside the Sherlock museum. Gotta keep watch!
With Cathy (left) and Desiree (right) and Alex Morgan (centre) at my favourite pub in London, The Red Lion Westminster. It was great to take Morgan & Hunter for a photo opportunity as the venue appears in both books!
Can never go past a plate of bangers & mash at The Red Lion, and a pint of Guiness too!
Quintessential London, walking towards Piccadilly from Oxford Circus.
I was thrilled to be able to catch up for a 3Para reunion lunch with my great mate Bill. Just like old times!
Without any further ado, off to the City of Angels I fly!
***
4. ROBERT DE NIRO & MAD MEN IN HOLLYWOOD
WEEK TWO.
Los Angeles sure does have a different feel to the streets of London. There's little walking to meetings, for one, so I'm seeing the town from moving vehicle than by foot. Everything is big and brash, bright and brassy. There's no shortage of luxury cars at the hotels, either!
It's been an extremely productive week, so before I finish up and fly back Down Under, here's some snaps from about town.
(View the pictures at http://buff.ly/14ithZ2 - the captions are below)
I've waited a long time to see this sign!
The Chinese Theatre which is famous in Hollywood, and you may have seen it in an action scene from Iron Man 3 as well!
I was lucky to be able to spend a couple of days with my good mate Dudge, who has been a staunch supporter of my stories from the very beginning.
We went to the fantastic restaurant AGO which is owned by Robert de Niro - the service was unlike anything I've experienced before!
I had the Osso Bucco. Well, you wouldn't order chicken at a restaurant owned by De Niro, would you?
It's not real, but it's good fun to hold one of these, all the same.
This is a very typical street in Beverly Hills - we see them on the TV shows all the time!
Looking down to Santa Monica Boulevard to Beverly Hills - Century City is in the background and that is where Cleopatra was filmed!
Don is looking across Sunset Boulevard to my hotel so at least I can't get lost!
Even the Beverly Hills Neighbourhood Watch program looks like something from a movie...
Here's the Dolby Theatre, formerly known as the Kodak Theatre, which hosted the Academy Awards this February.
Fajitas and Margaritas with my brother-in-arms from Paratrooping days and hugely successful fellow creative capitalist, Bradley Trevor Greive. If you haven't checked out his work yet, do so here.
I feel incredibly lucky to be able to have seen these sights between my meetings about town, and I reckon LA will be appearing in a future Intrepid story!
I hope you've enjoyed this mini-series of blogs on my recent travels as much as I have.
***
If you're in Sydney, see you at the Willoughby Hotel next Thursday 13 June for a Malfajiri Sunset and a few more yarns? More details here: http://buff.ly/15UM1O8
***
Join up to Intrepid and receive future blog updates by email here: http://intrepidallen.com/contact
DECLAN BURKE INTERVIEW: CRIME ALWAYS PAYS
AUTHOR OF SLAUGHTER'S HOUND, ABSOLUTE ZERO COOL, EIGHTBALL BOOGIE, & THE BIG O...
Those of you who know me well would be aware that I have a brother called Declan. Extremely creative, a devoted dad of three pixie girls and someone who never minded a good time, he was named by my mum because of her love of all things Irish.
Declan Burke, on the other hand, is an awarded Irish crime writer is a devoted storyteller, as well as an equally devoted dad. Described by Lee Childs as "A fine writer at the top of his game", I discovered Declan while rambling through Twitter one day. I pronounced him an interesting find and got in touch.
We decided to do a double blog interview - so here is the fellow, on why, for him, crime always pays.
1. WHY DOES CRIME ALWAYS PAY?
If crime didn’t pay, the prisons would be empty and criminal-types would be otherwise engaged – in politics, maybe. As WR Burnett once wrote, crime is but a left-handed form of human endeavour.
2. YOU’VE WRITTEN FOUR CRIME NOVELS AND EDITED/CO-EDITED TWO THUS FAR. HOW HAS YOUR RESEARCH / WRITING PROCESS CHANGED?
I’m afraid I do very little research, and only when I absolutely have to. I’m not convinced that most readers are especially concerned that every detail must be 100% perfect, although some are. It’s more important that the story is plausible than technically correct, I think, and nothing slows a story down more than too much unnecessary detail. And there’s always the worry that any research you do will simply confound what it is you’re trying to say. A nightmare, that.
3. TELL ME ABOUT YOUR TECHNIQUE FOR THE MARKETING / WRITING JUGGLE. WHAT WORKS?
Very little works, I have to say. I’m useless at ‘marketing’, in part because I don’t really care about it in the same way I care about the writing. It’s also very difficult to persuade someone to read a book against their will – everyone had way too much of that at school. Mainly I’m interested in writing the best book(s) I can, and hopefully over the years the ripple effect will come into play.
4. WHAT’S THE FIRST CRIME NOVEL YOU EVER READ AND HOW DID IT MAKE YOU FEEL?
I read loads of Enid Blyton mysteries as a kid, and quite a lot of Agatha Christie novels as a teenager, but when I was 16 or thereabouts, I picked up William Goldman’s Marathon Man without realising what I was letting myself in for. It blew me away. I honestly couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve borrowed / stolen from that book for my own stuff. Nowadays I appreciate Goldman for his ability to tell brilliant stories in any number of genres. Marathon Man, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Princess Bride, All the President’s Men – each one is a stone cold classic.
5. WHICH AUTHOR OR BOOK SET YOU ON YOUR OWN WRITING JOURNEY?
That would have to be Raymond Chandler’s The Big Sleep. I read it after watching the movie as part of a film studies course I did in college, and the very first paragraph felt like coming home. I hadn’t known you were allowed to write like that. My first book, Eightball Boogie, was a homage to (aka rip-off of) Chandler’s style, as so many first novels are. It’s hard to look at Eightball now without wincing, but it’s the book that got me started.
6. WHO’S YOUR FAVOURITE AUSSIE CRIME WRITER?
Apologies if this sounds too obvious, but I’ll have to say Peter Temple. The Broken Shore is a wonderful novel.
7. WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON NOW?
I’ve just sent off my latest book to the publisher, so I’m (koff) ‘between books’ at the moment. I’m working in fits and starts on plotting the new book, which is set on Crete, and trying to rediscover the bloody-mindedness it takes to start into a new book. It’s a struggle. This one is buried a long way down.
8. YOU WRITE CRIME, BUT WHAT DO YOU WATCH OR LISTEN TO IN YOUR DOWNTIME?
I’m a freelance journalist, and one of my gigs is as a movie reviewer, so I get to watch quite a lot of films. When it comes to TV, I’m happy to switch off my brain and watch sit-coms, football, documentaries about a whole range of stuff. In terms of music, I spend a lot of time at the desk, and find it hard to focus if the music I’m listening to has lyrics. So I listen to a lot of classical / instrumental music, although for the most part it’s little more than background sound.
9. WHICH FICTIONAL CHARACTER MOST RESEMBLES YOU?
I’d like it to be Philip Marlowe. If I’m entirely honest, Winnie the Pooh.
10. WHAT INSPIRES YOUR STORIES?
Other books, really. If I come across a way of storytelling that really strikes a chord, I’ll try to adapt that to my own notion of how I’d like the world to be. My own stories are generally variations on the ordinary guy who finds himself in an extraordinary situation, and makes the best of his limited abilities. The Odyssey is probably the basic template.
10. USE THREE WORDS TO DESCRIBE YOUR WRITING SPACE.
Big brown desk.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Declan Burke has published four novels: Eightball Boogie (2003), The Big O (2007), Absolute Zero Cool (2011) and Slaughter’s Hound (2012). Absolute Zero Cool was shortlisted in the crime fiction section for the Irish Book Awards, and received the Goldsboro / Crimefest ‘Last Laugh’ Award for Best Humorous Crime Novel in 2012. Slaughter’s Hound was shortlisted in the Crime Fiction category for the 2012 Irish Book Awards. Declan is also the editor of Down These Green Streets: Irish Crime Writing in the 21st Century (2011), and the co-editor, with John Connolly, of Books to Die For (2012), which won this year’s Agatha Award for Best Non-Fiction. He hosts a website dedicated to Irish crime fiction called Crime Always Pays.
And you can read my interview on the Crime Always Pays blog here: http://buff.ly/1bfdjPR
Those of you who know me well would be aware that I have a brother called Declan. Extremely creative, a devoted dad of three pixie girls and someone who never minded a good time, he was named by my mum because of her love of all things Irish.
Declan Burke, on the other hand, is an awarded Irish crime writer is a devoted storyteller, as well as an equally devoted dad. Described by Lee Childs as "A fine writer at the top of his game", I discovered Declan while rambling through Twitter one day. I pronounced him an interesting find and got in touch.
We decided to do a double blog interview - so here is the fellow, on why, for him, crime always pays.
1. WHY DOES CRIME ALWAYS PAY?
If crime didn’t pay, the prisons would be empty and criminal-types would be otherwise engaged – in politics, maybe. As WR Burnett once wrote, crime is but a left-handed form of human endeavour.
2. YOU’VE WRITTEN FOUR CRIME NOVELS AND EDITED/CO-EDITED TWO THUS FAR. HOW HAS YOUR RESEARCH / WRITING PROCESS CHANGED?
I’m afraid I do very little research, and only when I absolutely have to. I’m not convinced that most readers are especially concerned that every detail must be 100% perfect, although some are. It’s more important that the story is plausible than technically correct, I think, and nothing slows a story down more than too much unnecessary detail. And there’s always the worry that any research you do will simply confound what it is you’re trying to say. A nightmare, that.
3. TELL ME ABOUT YOUR TECHNIQUE FOR THE MARKETING / WRITING JUGGLE. WHAT WORKS?
Very little works, I have to say. I’m useless at ‘marketing’, in part because I don’t really care about it in the same way I care about the writing. It’s also very difficult to persuade someone to read a book against their will – everyone had way too much of that at school. Mainly I’m interested in writing the best book(s) I can, and hopefully over the years the ripple effect will come into play.
4. WHAT’S THE FIRST CRIME NOVEL YOU EVER READ AND HOW DID IT MAKE YOU FEEL?
I read loads of Enid Blyton mysteries as a kid, and quite a lot of Agatha Christie novels as a teenager, but when I was 16 or thereabouts, I picked up William Goldman’s Marathon Man without realising what I was letting myself in for. It blew me away. I honestly couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve borrowed / stolen from that book for my own stuff. Nowadays I appreciate Goldman for his ability to tell brilliant stories in any number of genres. Marathon Man, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Princess Bride, All the President’s Men – each one is a stone cold classic.
5. WHICH AUTHOR OR BOOK SET YOU ON YOUR OWN WRITING JOURNEY?
That would have to be Raymond Chandler’s The Big Sleep. I read it after watching the movie as part of a film studies course I did in college, and the very first paragraph felt like coming home. I hadn’t known you were allowed to write like that. My first book, Eightball Boogie, was a homage to (aka rip-off of) Chandler’s style, as so many first novels are. It’s hard to look at Eightball now without wincing, but it’s the book that got me started.
6. WHO’S YOUR FAVOURITE AUSSIE CRIME WRITER?
Apologies if this sounds too obvious, but I’ll have to say Peter Temple. The Broken Shore is a wonderful novel.
7. WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON NOW?
I’ve just sent off my latest book to the publisher, so I’m (koff) ‘between books’ at the moment. I’m working in fits and starts on plotting the new book, which is set on Crete, and trying to rediscover the bloody-mindedness it takes to start into a new book. It’s a struggle. This one is buried a long way down.
8. YOU WRITE CRIME, BUT WHAT DO YOU WATCH OR LISTEN TO IN YOUR DOWNTIME?
I’m a freelance journalist, and one of my gigs is as a movie reviewer, so I get to watch quite a lot of films. When it comes to TV, I’m happy to switch off my brain and watch sit-coms, football, documentaries about a whole range of stuff. In terms of music, I spend a lot of time at the desk, and find it hard to focus if the music I’m listening to has lyrics. So I listen to a lot of classical / instrumental music, although for the most part it’s little more than background sound.
9. WHICH FICTIONAL CHARACTER MOST RESEMBLES YOU?
I’d like it to be Philip Marlowe. If I’m entirely honest, Winnie the Pooh.
10. WHAT INSPIRES YOUR STORIES?
Other books, really. If I come across a way of storytelling that really strikes a chord, I’ll try to adapt that to my own notion of how I’d like the world to be. My own stories are generally variations on the ordinary guy who finds himself in an extraordinary situation, and makes the best of his limited abilities. The Odyssey is probably the basic template.
10. USE THREE WORDS TO DESCRIBE YOUR WRITING SPACE.
Big brown desk.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Declan Burke has published four novels: Eightball Boogie (2003), The Big O (2007), Absolute Zero Cool (2011) and Slaughter’s Hound (2012). Absolute Zero Cool was shortlisted in the crime fiction section for the Irish Book Awards, and received the Goldsboro / Crimefest ‘Last Laugh’ Award for Best Humorous Crime Novel in 2012. Slaughter’s Hound was shortlisted in the Crime Fiction category for the 2012 Irish Book Awards. Declan is also the editor of Down These Green Streets: Irish Crime Writing in the 21st Century (2011), and the co-editor, with John Connolly, of Books to Die For (2012), which won this year’s Agatha Award for Best Non-Fiction. He hosts a website dedicated to Irish crime fiction called Crime Always Pays.
And you can read my interview on the Crime Always Pays blog here: http://buff.ly/1bfdjPR
May 14, 2013
HERE'S TO STRONG WOMEN THIS MOTHERS DAY
On Mothers Day on May 12 in Australia, I'll be raising a glass to all the strong, incredible women in my life - my mum and sisters, my gone-but-not-forgotten Nanna Madeline, Grandma Florence, my aunties, all our friends who are mums and carers to those they love, my mother-outlaw and, of course, the mother of my two boys, my beautiful Sar.
All of these amazing women have in some way influenced the strong female characters you read about and will continue to see in my Alex Morgan action adventure thrillers.
Meanwhile, here's Sar, the love of my life, under the Sydney Harbour Bridge today with our boys, the much adored Morgan & Rhett, with Sydney Opera House in the background, which happens to be the place where we first met.
View picture at http://intrepidallen.com/blog/mothersday.
Happy Mothers Day to all those you know who are mums, grandmums, aunties, step-mums and carers doing fantastic work to bring up, teach and most importantly love their kids every day of the year. Look after them. Respect them. Hug them.
Best, Chris
Read on IntrepidAllen website: http://intrepidallen.com/blog/mothersday
All of these amazing women have in some way influenced the strong female characters you read about and will continue to see in my Alex Morgan action adventure thrillers.
Meanwhile, here's Sar, the love of my life, under the Sydney Harbour Bridge today with our boys, the much adored Morgan & Rhett, with Sydney Opera House in the background, which happens to be the place where we first met.
View picture at http://intrepidallen.com/blog/mothersday.
Happy Mothers Day to all those you know who are mums, grandmums, aunties, step-mums and carers doing fantastic work to bring up, teach and most importantly love their kids every day of the year. Look after them. Respect them. Hug them.
Best, Chris
Read on IntrepidAllen website: http://intrepidallen.com/blog/mothersday
May 9, 2013
FIVE REASONS IRON MAN 3 & ROBERT DOWNEY JNR ROCK
I'll tell you right now, I don't go for movie reviews that spoil the plot. And to tell you too much about this movie, Iron Man 3, starring Robert Downey Jr, Guy Pearce and Gwenyth Paltrow, would be to demystify some of the twists and turns that are best enjoyed by just sitting in a darkened theatre for two and a half hours with this very cool cast, script and spectacle smack-bang in front of you. Suffice to say, Iron Man 3 is great. Go and see it.
Meanwhile, in lieu of ruining it for you, let's dig in a bit further than just summarising the storyline.
After loving Iron Man and Iron Man 2 so much that I have the special collectible DVDs for both (of course, not to forget The Avengers) I wondered how this third iteration would be without director extraordinaire, Jon Favreau, at the helm? In my view, Jon Favreau ruled supreme in the first two but I note that he took on a producing role in the third, with Shane Black directing.
I shouldn't have worried.
Here's five reasons why Iron Man 3 and Robert Downey Jr rock.
1. HERO WITHOUT THE SUIT
Robert Downey Jr is not perfect. Far from it, in fact. A self-destructive personality, a history of substance abuse and jail term or two can put a dent in even the most well-meaning angel's halo. But through his return to the big screen, the result of an unprecedented personal / professional resurrection, we can easily appreciate the parallel in RDJ's character to that of his alter ego - Tony Stark aka Iron Man.
It is the fact that RDJ has turned his life around so dramatically, recovering from the unfortunate path of addiction and crime that he fell into, that I most admire about him. That, and he makes guys of my particular vintage look pretty cool.
In the film, there were scenes when Tony Stark had to rely solely on his own intellect, resourcefulness and courage without the benefits of his Iron Man suit. What I liked about that particular aspect of the story was that it tapped into the fact that so many young men and women of the forces are in harm's way around the world at the moment (and have been for some time, years actually), and they are - beneath the helmets, armour and camouflage - just human beings, with all the vulnerabilities and frailties inherent in that.
So I feel that the filmmakers have in their own unique way, paid homage to the thousands upon thousands of servicemen and women affected by current conflicts.
2. GIVES PTSD A FACE
To explain these thoughts a little more, the Tony Stark character is forced to face the fact that life experiences, particularly his most recent traumatic experiences, have profoundly impacted on him. It's inevitable then that this is felt within his relationships with those closest to him and his abilities to function normally in life. Again, I think this was a way of acknowledging that many of our young people and their families find themselves in a similar situation right now. Having Iron Man facing and attempting to overcome those issues in a very normal way was important both in the fictional character sense and also in conveying that in a heroic yet accessible way for moviegoers - as much as you can within the context of a Marvel movie.
3. GOOD VILLAIN
The general undercurrent of the film was dark and in many ways unnerving because they played with our current fears and made the threats faced very real and familiar. I found many of the dark themes in Iron Man 3 unsettling to watch for that reason.
However, the thing that impressed me most about the film was the way the director successfully played with our almost default view on how the baddie should be portrayed by manipulating contemporary iconology.
Without wanting to go into any detail, I was becoming uncomfortable with how blatantly Iron Man 3 was portraying the archetypal embodiment of an evil mastermind in the contemporary context, but as the story progressed they turned that entire view on its head and made it much more relevant and therefore much more believable. Top marks to the writers and director.
4. STRONG WOMEN
It would be impossible for a guy in Tony Stark's mental state to not both spar with his partner and rely on her in every way. This makes for interesting storytelling, especially the development and portrayal of Gwenyth Paltrow's character Pepper Potts as a very strong and resourceful woman who prevails equally well in the face of overwhelming odds as her slightly damaged yet still heroic husband.
5. THE END SEQUENCE
Call me superficial, but the end music and visual montage really did it for me. It was spectacular, over the top, superhero style action that was relentless, humorous and jaw-droppingly retro-tastic. It was a perfect way to wrap up what had been a rollercoaster viewing experience from start to finish.
I loved Iron Man 3, and I hope you do too.
http://intrepidallen.com/blog/2013/5/...
Meanwhile, in lieu of ruining it for you, let's dig in a bit further than just summarising the storyline.
After loving Iron Man and Iron Man 2 so much that I have the special collectible DVDs for both (of course, not to forget The Avengers) I wondered how this third iteration would be without director extraordinaire, Jon Favreau, at the helm? In my view, Jon Favreau ruled supreme in the first two but I note that he took on a producing role in the third, with Shane Black directing.
I shouldn't have worried.
Here's five reasons why Iron Man 3 and Robert Downey Jr rock.
1. HERO WITHOUT THE SUIT
Robert Downey Jr is not perfect. Far from it, in fact. A self-destructive personality, a history of substance abuse and jail term or two can put a dent in even the most well-meaning angel's halo. But through his return to the big screen, the result of an unprecedented personal / professional resurrection, we can easily appreciate the parallel in RDJ's character to that of his alter ego - Tony Stark aka Iron Man.
It is the fact that RDJ has turned his life around so dramatically, recovering from the unfortunate path of addiction and crime that he fell into, that I most admire about him. That, and he makes guys of my particular vintage look pretty cool.
In the film, there were scenes when Tony Stark had to rely solely on his own intellect, resourcefulness and courage without the benefits of his Iron Man suit. What I liked about that particular aspect of the story was that it tapped into the fact that so many young men and women of the forces are in harm's way around the world at the moment (and have been for some time, years actually), and they are - beneath the helmets, armour and camouflage - just human beings, with all the vulnerabilities and frailties inherent in that.
So I feel that the filmmakers have in their own unique way, paid homage to the thousands upon thousands of servicemen and women affected by current conflicts.
2. GIVES PTSD A FACE
To explain these thoughts a little more, the Tony Stark character is forced to face the fact that life experiences, particularly his most recent traumatic experiences, have profoundly impacted on him. It's inevitable then that this is felt within his relationships with those closest to him and his abilities to function normally in life. Again, I think this was a way of acknowledging that many of our young people and their families find themselves in a similar situation right now. Having Iron Man facing and attempting to overcome those issues in a very normal way was important both in the fictional character sense and also in conveying that in a heroic yet accessible way for moviegoers - as much as you can within the context of a Marvel movie.
3. GOOD VILLAIN
The general undercurrent of the film was dark and in many ways unnerving because they played with our current fears and made the threats faced very real and familiar. I found many of the dark themes in Iron Man 3 unsettling to watch for that reason.
However, the thing that impressed me most about the film was the way the director successfully played with our almost default view on how the baddie should be portrayed by manipulating contemporary iconology.
Without wanting to go into any detail, I was becoming uncomfortable with how blatantly Iron Man 3 was portraying the archetypal embodiment of an evil mastermind in the contemporary context, but as the story progressed they turned that entire view on its head and made it much more relevant and therefore much more believable. Top marks to the writers and director.
4. STRONG WOMEN
It would be impossible for a guy in Tony Stark's mental state to not both spar with his partner and rely on her in every way. This makes for interesting storytelling, especially the development and portrayal of Gwenyth Paltrow's character Pepper Potts as a very strong and resourceful woman who prevails equally well in the face of overwhelming odds as her slightly damaged yet still heroic husband.
5. THE END SEQUENCE
Call me superficial, but the end music and visual montage really did it for me. It was spectacular, over the top, superhero style action that was relentless, humorous and jaw-droppingly retro-tastic. It was a perfect way to wrap up what had been a rollercoaster viewing experience from start to finish.
I loved Iron Man 3, and I hope you do too.
http://intrepidallen.com/blog/2013/5/...
April 24, 2013
KAPYONG DAY, & REMEMBERING OUR ANZACS
Today, 24 April is Kapyong Day, the day in 1951 when my old battalion 3RAR fought back thousands of Chinese and Korean soldiers in one long and desperate night. I feel incredibly proud even to this day for having been at one time a custodian of the great legacy forged by these men. There's a great description of what happened in the Battle of Kapyong in The Age from 2011 at this link (http://buff.ly/YPd9ct) if you'd like to learn more.
While today marks Kapyong Day, a very special day for my former battalion, this post is equally to mark ANZAC Day on 25 April and to pay my respects to all the diggers and officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
I wanted to mark Kapyong and ANZAC Day appropriately on this blog, and what came to mind was a photo essay of sorts that streams through my Facebook newsfeed every year at this time from one of our nearest and dearest friends, Elaine, a proud New Zealander who makes a yearly pilgrimage to Gallipoli to take care of and attend to New Zealand veterans who travel there for the service.
Elaine has kindly OK'd me to show you a selection of her images from this latest trip, so as to provide an exclusive visual insight into what's actually happening in Gallipoli at this time of year as the nations jointly prepare for the international visitors on 25 April.
This collection of images - featuring red poppies, national flags, azure seas, grey plaques, camouflage uniforms, row upon row of crosses, rocky beaches and lone pine are haunting and beautiful at the same time.
One of the strongest feelings conjured for me via these images is the collaboration, camaraderie and sense of shared loss between the nations today - all working together to recognize this monumental turning point in our combined histories and to ensure a fitting tribute to those who gave their lives at this now sacred site.
You can view the photos at: http://intrepidallen.com/blog/2013/4/...
While my wife Sarah was blown away by the ethereal beauty of Gallipoli when she visited more than ten years ago, I hope to also pay my respects one day with my entire family in tow. In the meantime, thank you so much again Elaine for allowing us to share your experiences of Gallipoli 2013.
Tomorrow, on ANZAC Day, I'll attend the local dawn service before spending a relaxed day with family, including Sar's dad, a WWII veteran of the US Merchant Navy. We won't march this year, but we will drink a toast and remember those who served and lost their lives fighting for our freedom.
Lest we forget.
While today marks Kapyong Day, a very special day for my former battalion, this post is equally to mark ANZAC Day on 25 April and to pay my respects to all the diggers and officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
I wanted to mark Kapyong and ANZAC Day appropriately on this blog, and what came to mind was a photo essay of sorts that streams through my Facebook newsfeed every year at this time from one of our nearest and dearest friends, Elaine, a proud New Zealander who makes a yearly pilgrimage to Gallipoli to take care of and attend to New Zealand veterans who travel there for the service.
Elaine has kindly OK'd me to show you a selection of her images from this latest trip, so as to provide an exclusive visual insight into what's actually happening in Gallipoli at this time of year as the nations jointly prepare for the international visitors on 25 April.
This collection of images - featuring red poppies, national flags, azure seas, grey plaques, camouflage uniforms, row upon row of crosses, rocky beaches and lone pine are haunting and beautiful at the same time.
One of the strongest feelings conjured for me via these images is the collaboration, camaraderie and sense of shared loss between the nations today - all working together to recognize this monumental turning point in our combined histories and to ensure a fitting tribute to those who gave their lives at this now sacred site.
You can view the photos at: http://intrepidallen.com/blog/2013/4/...
While my wife Sarah was blown away by the ethereal beauty of Gallipoli when she visited more than ten years ago, I hope to also pay my respects one day with my entire family in tow. In the meantime, thank you so much again Elaine for allowing us to share your experiences of Gallipoli 2013.
Tomorrow, on ANZAC Day, I'll attend the local dawn service before spending a relaxed day with family, including Sar's dad, a WWII veteran of the US Merchant Navy. We won't march this year, but we will drink a toast and remember those who served and lost their lives fighting for our freedom.
Lest we forget.
April 15, 2013
MY TOP THRILLER WRITERS OF ALL TIME
TEN OF THE BEST ACTION AUTHORS (AND THEIR NOVELS)
This collection of works by my favourite thriller writers is the equivalent of my literary lifeblood. I continue to enjoy them equally as much today as at my first read, and it's heartening to reflect on the fact that they've kept me entertained and out of trouble since growing up as a teenager in Perth in the 1970's, and even while I was deployed in the various jungles and deserts of my past, wondering what the normal people were doing for a day job. I've grown up on many of these books, and continue to be inspired by these top thriller writers, all of them leaders in the action & espionage arena. Henceforth, and also inspired by a recent post on my favourite action movies that has been a hit, I humbly offer my list of top thriller authors alongside some of what I think is their best work!
1. IAN FLEMING - CASINO ROYALE
The first James Bond novel and iconic turning point in popular culture, penned by Ian Fleming, my literary hero. This wasn't the first Bond I ever read - I first found The Man with the Golden Gun in the school library - but it gives great insight into the author himself, what he was feeling at the time and his plans for his protagonist. It's full of all the classic heroics we expect of Bond but there is a fair amount of fear and uncertainty as well. I've read everything he's written over a dozen times each.
2. ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE - THE COMPLETE SHERLOCK HOLMES SERIES
Having enjoyed these stories as a boy, I rediscovered them in my forties and only truly realised then, with the benefit of some considerable years and life experience under my belt, just how good they were. So much of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is embedded within the character of Dr John Watson, trusted biographer and loyal friend of the great detective, that the perspective of his adventures alongside Sherlock Holmes becomes a very personal one for the reader. The language and style of writing is particular to a time while being also uniquely timeless. I devour these stories regularly.
3. CLIVE CUSSLER - SAHARA
I've enjoyed Clive Cussler's Dirk Pitt books for over 20 years, discovering them on the recommendation of a friend in the early 1990's. These are all rip-roaring adventures and they just got better and better as Cussler became more familiar and comfortable with his protagonist. Sahara is classic Dirk Pitt and epitomizes, in my view, the style of narrative Cussler aspired to when he first created the character. Clive Cussler continues to produce great work, including one of his most recent stories, The Chase, which has become a new favourite for me. And, for the record, I prefer it when he writes alone!
4. ALISTAIR MACLEAN - WHERE EAGLES DARE
Alistair MacLean wrote some now legendary action thrillers in his time, this one among the most famous, featuring one of my favourite characters, Major Smith.
I actually first discovered Alistair MacLean as a result of watching the film of the novel, starring Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood. So intrigued was I by the complexity of the story that I had to find the book and was pleased to discover that the writing and the subterfuge from the novel had been expertly replicated by the filmmakers.
MacLean is a master in the action genre in that the characters are relentless but flawed, the stakes are always high and the storytelling is supreme.
5. TOM CLANCY - WITHOUT REMORSE
Tom Clancy came to prominence during the 90's with a now-huge backlist of thrillers. A favourite of mine being Without Remorse, which focuses on one of Clancy's best characters, John Clarke.
While the popular view is that Jack Ryan is Clancy's best character, I can't help but feel that's a result of the films starring Alec Baldwin in one and Harrison Ford in two others. But the Clarke character seems to me a much more real and accessible hero who does not enjoy the prestige or accolade of the Ryan character. I really like that about Clancy's ability to write such different heroes.
6. JOHN LE CARRE - THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD
Fantastic book, this one, and I thought that Richard Burton did a great job as Leamus in the movie of the same name.
Le Carre had a way of conveying much more of the rawness and darkness of Cold War Europe and the complexity of personal human relationships that became intertwined in the professional intelligence environment on both sides of the Iron Curtain.
7. JON CLEARY - THE HIGH COMMISSIONER
One Aussie writer I've always enjoyed is Jon Cleary, though he's unfortunately no longer with us. He had a unique Australian take within an international setting in some of his work. He was equally adept at focusing on Australian domestic issues and his characters were very real and believable.
I loved this book particularly the earthy Australian detective Scobie Malone. Mr Cleary is a legend amongst crime authors.
8. MATTHEW REILLY - ICE STATION
Matthew Reilly is another incredibly talented Australian author who has legions of fans in the sci-fi / action genre. This book made Reilly internationally and features his most enduring character, Scarecrow.
I was thrilled to chat to Matthew at a recent movie screening in Canberra for a mutual friend. Not only can he write ripping yarns but he's a genuinely great person who had lots of insights to exchange about the Australian publishing industry.
9. PATRICIA CORNWALL - RED MIST
Patricia Cornwall is such a strong contemporary force to be reckoned with, who has - I think - perfectly captured the relationship between her own history and that of the protagonist she's created, Kay Scarpetta. Her characters are real and believable, not neccessarily superhuman, and I like that!
A strong point about Cornwall's writing is how she manages to incorporate complex family relationship issues within the darkness of her subject matter.
10. JACK HIGGINS - SOLO
Another great English writer, Higgins wrote many stories which I enjoyed throughout my military years. His book, Solo, features a parachute regiment Colonel named Asa Morgan, which is not that dissimilar to the name I chose for my own protagonist. Must be something in that!
I still have literally dozens of Jack Higgins novels which I would carry in my pack at various times over the years. They were perfect material when you only had time for short, sharp bursts of reading as they were intense and fast-paced. This one was all about revenge, family loyalties and ultimately being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Who are your top writers and their most treasured novels of yours? Leave me a comment below or at http://intrepidallen.com/blog/2013/4/....
This collection of works by my favourite thriller writers is the equivalent of my literary lifeblood. I continue to enjoy them equally as much today as at my first read, and it's heartening to reflect on the fact that they've kept me entertained and out of trouble since growing up as a teenager in Perth in the 1970's, and even while I was deployed in the various jungles and deserts of my past, wondering what the normal people were doing for a day job. I've grown up on many of these books, and continue to be inspired by these top thriller writers, all of them leaders in the action & espionage arena. Henceforth, and also inspired by a recent post on my favourite action movies that has been a hit, I humbly offer my list of top thriller authors alongside some of what I think is their best work!
1. IAN FLEMING - CASINO ROYALE
The first James Bond novel and iconic turning point in popular culture, penned by Ian Fleming, my literary hero. This wasn't the first Bond I ever read - I first found The Man with the Golden Gun in the school library - but it gives great insight into the author himself, what he was feeling at the time and his plans for his protagonist. It's full of all the classic heroics we expect of Bond but there is a fair amount of fear and uncertainty as well. I've read everything he's written over a dozen times each.
2. ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE - THE COMPLETE SHERLOCK HOLMES SERIES
Having enjoyed these stories as a boy, I rediscovered them in my forties and only truly realised then, with the benefit of some considerable years and life experience under my belt, just how good they were. So much of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is embedded within the character of Dr John Watson, trusted biographer and loyal friend of the great detective, that the perspective of his adventures alongside Sherlock Holmes becomes a very personal one for the reader. The language and style of writing is particular to a time while being also uniquely timeless. I devour these stories regularly.
3. CLIVE CUSSLER - SAHARA
I've enjoyed Clive Cussler's Dirk Pitt books for over 20 years, discovering them on the recommendation of a friend in the early 1990's. These are all rip-roaring adventures and they just got better and better as Cussler became more familiar and comfortable with his protagonist. Sahara is classic Dirk Pitt and epitomizes, in my view, the style of narrative Cussler aspired to when he first created the character. Clive Cussler continues to produce great work, including one of his most recent stories, The Chase, which has become a new favourite for me. And, for the record, I prefer it when he writes alone!
4. ALISTAIR MACLEAN - WHERE EAGLES DARE
Alistair MacLean wrote some now legendary action thrillers in his time, this one among the most famous, featuring one of my favourite characters, Major Smith.
I actually first discovered Alistair MacLean as a result of watching the film of the novel, starring Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood. So intrigued was I by the complexity of the story that I had to find the book and was pleased to discover that the writing and the subterfuge from the novel had been expertly replicated by the filmmakers.
MacLean is a master in the action genre in that the characters are relentless but flawed, the stakes are always high and the storytelling is supreme.
5. TOM CLANCY - WITHOUT REMORSE
Tom Clancy came to prominence during the 90's with a now-huge backlist of thrillers. A favourite of mine being Without Remorse, which focuses on one of Clancy's best characters, John Clarke.
While the popular view is that Jack Ryan is Clancy's best character, I can't help but feel that's a result of the films starring Alec Baldwin in one and Harrison Ford in two others. But the Clarke character seems to me a much more real and accessible hero who does not enjoy the prestige or accolade of the Ryan character. I really like that about Clancy's ability to write such different heroes.
6. JOHN LE CARRE - THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD
Fantastic book, this one, and I thought that Richard Burton did a great job as Leamus in the movie of the same name.
Le Carre had a way of conveying much more of the rawness and darkness of Cold War Europe and the complexity of personal human relationships that became intertwined in the professional intelligence environment on both sides of the Iron Curtain.
7. JON CLEARY - THE HIGH COMMISSIONER
One Aussie writer I've always enjoyed is Jon Cleary, though he's unfortunately no longer with us. He had a unique Australian take within an international setting in some of his work. He was equally adept at focusing on Australian domestic issues and his characters were very real and believable.
I loved this book particularly the earthy Australian detective Scobie Malone. Mr Cleary is a legend amongst crime authors.
8. MATTHEW REILLY - ICE STATION
Matthew Reilly is another incredibly talented Australian author who has legions of fans in the sci-fi / action genre. This book made Reilly internationally and features his most enduring character, Scarecrow.
I was thrilled to chat to Matthew at a recent movie screening in Canberra for a mutual friend. Not only can he write ripping yarns but he's a genuinely great person who had lots of insights to exchange about the Australian publishing industry.
9. PATRICIA CORNWALL - RED MIST
Patricia Cornwall is such a strong contemporary force to be reckoned with, who has - I think - perfectly captured the relationship between her own history and that of the protagonist she's created, Kay Scarpetta. Her characters are real and believable, not neccessarily superhuman, and I like that!
A strong point about Cornwall's writing is how she manages to incorporate complex family relationship issues within the darkness of her subject matter.
10. JACK HIGGINS - SOLO
Another great English writer, Higgins wrote many stories which I enjoyed throughout my military years. His book, Solo, features a parachute regiment Colonel named Asa Morgan, which is not that dissimilar to the name I chose for my own protagonist. Must be something in that!
I still have literally dozens of Jack Higgins novels which I would carry in my pack at various times over the years. They were perfect material when you only had time for short, sharp bursts of reading as they were intense and fast-paced. This one was all about revenge, family loyalties and ultimately being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Who are your top writers and their most treasured novels of yours? Leave me a comment below or at http://intrepidallen.com/blog/2013/4/....
April 1, 2013
INTERVIEW WITH THRILLER WRITER DOUGLAS DOROW
AUTHOR OF THE NINTH DISTRICT
A crucial part of the business of publishing books these days is finding an appreciative audience to connect with. It used to be that the traditional publisher would find those people for you through marketing and media, but now the top-down pyramid has inverted and we authors gotta get out and connect with readers and get to know them a little bit, before they get to know our stories and hopefully become fans of our work.
Through that process I've been privileged to meet a range of fantastic authors around the world as well as book bloggers who play a crucial role in supporting the brave new world of book publishing, marketing and building an author platform from the ground up. Take Mandi from That Book You Like who has reviewed all my books and collaborated on new ways of cross promoting her wares through guest posts, wordsmith Stephanie from Read in a Single Sitting who always posts the most insightful commentary, plus Josh as @oznoir on Fair Dinkum Crime and the lovely Karen from AustCrime Fiction who take considerable time to read, review and post about my books, and a very fun Paratrooping-themed guest post on The Creative Penn where I met readers and authors from across the world that I'm still in touch with today.
So, thanks to the real-time web, it's been fulfilling as all get out to find all these like-minded, thriller readin' and writin' souls to build relationships with.
Another one of these recent finds is a chap called Douglas Dorow, a thriller writer from Minneapolis, Minnesota, the home of many thriller/suspense writers. He wonders whether it is something in the water or the long, cold winters that has spawned a veritable amount of Minnesotan authors - but I reckon if the stories are in your head, they'll be in residence no matter where you are. I know Douglas likes the idea of my great sunny land and it's endless schooners of beer - so here's the invitation to come and write a book Down Under!
His first thriller, The Ninth District, is a kindle best seller. He is working on the second in the series featuring FBI Agent, Jack Miller. He has also started a spin-off novella series and another action/adventure series.
In the spirit of continuing to meet new people and do something a little different, we came up with the idea of a double interview - his on my blog, and mine over on his blog. You can find Douglas's blog here.
So here's what we talked about, author-to-author.
SO TELL ME DOUG, WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNT ALONG THE WAY? CARE TO SHARE YOUR BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENTS AND/OR OPPORTUNITIES?
I've learned so much. May 2010, I was working on query letters for my first book to send to agents, when I read about Amazon starting a program where I could self publish my book as an ebook and get 70% royalties. I could publish as soon as I was ready and make more. It was at that point I became an Authorpreneur - an author and a publisher. I'd been concentrating on learning how to tell & write a story and had to learn how to publish and market my book too.
I had to look at my goals and skills and put together a team. I hired an editor and a cover designer and learned how to create an eBook myself. And then I took on the marketing tasks as well.
Biggest opportunities? I made 2012 the year of THE NINTH DISTRICT. I'd published it as an eBook in 2011. But readers want it their way. So, while I worked on the next books I published THE NINTH DISTRICT as a paperbook, hired a narrator and published an audiobook and a translator and published a Spanish version. I also spent a lot of time with social media and other strategies to market my story.
A couple of my biggest pleasant surprises are that I reached the Kindle Top Ten Thriller rank a couple of times in the past year, and that I was able to connect with so many readers via email, twitter and Facebook.
My biggest disappointment is that I don't have more time to write. I don't write full time. I have a day job and find time to write as I can. I have so many stories I want to tell and my readers are looking for the next book in the series. I wish I could've published it already. I'm planning to release book two in the series sometime around July and I also have a novella series I'm spinning off of the first book that I plan to publish this year.
I’M ALWAYS VERY KEEN TO UNDERSTAND THE MOTIVATIONS OF OTHERS AND THE ORIGINS OF THEIR DESIRE TO BECOME A WRITER. HOW LONG HAVE YOU WANTED TO BE A WRITER? WHAT DOES WRITING REPRESENT TO YOU? AND, WHAT DO YOU ASPIRE TO ACHIEVE THROUGH YOUR WRITING?
I've always been a big reader since my mom taught me to read. And when I was young, some of the first television shows my dad would let me stay up and watch with him were private detective shows. I think these two things merged together into being a reader of thrillers, mysteries and spy novels.
In college, I took a couple of creative writing classes while I was studying engineering. I got some good feedback on my writing and enjoyed the creative process. I think that planted the seed to write. When I got married and we had our first child, I decided to take a couple of writing classes. That was probably eighteen years ago. Minneapolis, Minnesota (where I live) is the home of The Loft Literary Center, as great resource for people wanting to learn to write. A critique group formed out of one of my classes there and we've been meeting every few weeks for the last fifteen years supporting each other in our writing.
I see myself as a storyteller. I enjoy coming up with story ideas, researching and learning about things that I can bring into the story and telling a story that I enjoy writing. I hope I can bring all of these things together into something the reader will enjoy as they look for a fiction story to escape into.
OF YOUR LARGE SUPPORT NETWORK, BOTH CLOSE TO YOU AND ACROSS THE WORLD, HOW DO YOUR SUPPORTERS HELP YOU IN GAINING GLOBAL REACH IN UNEXPECTED WAYS?
It's weird to think I have readers around the globe reading my book. I've received emails and Facebook comments from readers around the world.
Over the past couple of years I have built a Twitter following of writers and readers and I've joined a few groups of Independent Writers (BestSellingReads.com IndependentAuthorNetwork.com and WorldLiteraryCafe.com). As authors we aren't in a competition, we support each other. I've partnered with authors in supporting each other with tweets, promoting each other for new book releases or discounts on our books. These authors are from so many different countries and we have fans around the world.
HOW HAS SOCIAL MEDIA HELPED YOU GET YOUR WORK ‘OUT THERE’ IN THE BIG BAD WORLD?
Twitter has allowed me to connect with other writers and readers around the world. I've also connected with some groups of authors built to support each other and help readers find those authors they might not run across otherwise.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY YOU ARE MOST EXCITED ABOUT WITH THE CHANGES TO THE PUBLISHING INDUSTRY CURRENTLY UNDERWAY IN THE USA?
I like the control I have as an independent published writer and I like the challenge of trying to figure out the business side of the game and how to connect with or be discovered by readers. I'm sad to see some of the book stores struggle to stay open. The new model is good for writers and for eReaders in that the book shelf is limitless, books don't go out of print, you want a book? you can find it and books that may have a smaller share of the market can be published in the new model where in the old model a publisher would pass on it.
The writer who simply wants to write will struggle in the old model if they aren't a best seller and get the backing of the publisher to advertise, and in the new model where you have to find ways to improve the visibility of your book to readers.
Douglas Dorow
Thanks Douglas, and you can read my half of this thrilling interview tete-a-tete over at Mr Dorow's blog - including what it's like writing a series, opportunities for authors publishing Down Under, all infused with Aussie / Pommy slang for greatest cultural effect.
I've just downloaded The Ninth District and am looking forward to a fresh read by my new Minnesotan pal! Check out Douglas's website and my own interview on his blog over at www.DouglasDorow.com.
Cheers,
Chris
View this post at intrepidallen.com: http://intrepidallen.com/blog/2013/3/...
A crucial part of the business of publishing books these days is finding an appreciative audience to connect with. It used to be that the traditional publisher would find those people for you through marketing and media, but now the top-down pyramid has inverted and we authors gotta get out and connect with readers and get to know them a little bit, before they get to know our stories and hopefully become fans of our work.
Through that process I've been privileged to meet a range of fantastic authors around the world as well as book bloggers who play a crucial role in supporting the brave new world of book publishing, marketing and building an author platform from the ground up. Take Mandi from That Book You Like who has reviewed all my books and collaborated on new ways of cross promoting her wares through guest posts, wordsmith Stephanie from Read in a Single Sitting who always posts the most insightful commentary, plus Josh as @oznoir on Fair Dinkum Crime and the lovely Karen from AustCrime Fiction who take considerable time to read, review and post about my books, and a very fun Paratrooping-themed guest post on The Creative Penn where I met readers and authors from across the world that I'm still in touch with today.
So, thanks to the real-time web, it's been fulfilling as all get out to find all these like-minded, thriller readin' and writin' souls to build relationships with.
Another one of these recent finds is a chap called Douglas Dorow, a thriller writer from Minneapolis, Minnesota, the home of many thriller/suspense writers. He wonders whether it is something in the water or the long, cold winters that has spawned a veritable amount of Minnesotan authors - but I reckon if the stories are in your head, they'll be in residence no matter where you are. I know Douglas likes the idea of my great sunny land and it's endless schooners of beer - so here's the invitation to come and write a book Down Under!
His first thriller, The Ninth District, is a kindle best seller. He is working on the second in the series featuring FBI Agent, Jack Miller. He has also started a spin-off novella series and another action/adventure series.
In the spirit of continuing to meet new people and do something a little different, we came up with the idea of a double interview - his on my blog, and mine over on his blog. You can find Douglas's blog here.
So here's what we talked about, author-to-author.
SO TELL ME DOUG, WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNT ALONG THE WAY? CARE TO SHARE YOUR BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENTS AND/OR OPPORTUNITIES?
I've learned so much. May 2010, I was working on query letters for my first book to send to agents, when I read about Amazon starting a program where I could self publish my book as an ebook and get 70% royalties. I could publish as soon as I was ready and make more. It was at that point I became an Authorpreneur - an author and a publisher. I'd been concentrating on learning how to tell & write a story and had to learn how to publish and market my book too.
I had to look at my goals and skills and put together a team. I hired an editor and a cover designer and learned how to create an eBook myself. And then I took on the marketing tasks as well.
Biggest opportunities? I made 2012 the year of THE NINTH DISTRICT. I'd published it as an eBook in 2011. But readers want it their way. So, while I worked on the next books I published THE NINTH DISTRICT as a paperbook, hired a narrator and published an audiobook and a translator and published a Spanish version. I also spent a lot of time with social media and other strategies to market my story.
A couple of my biggest pleasant surprises are that I reached the Kindle Top Ten Thriller rank a couple of times in the past year, and that I was able to connect with so many readers via email, twitter and Facebook.
My biggest disappointment is that I don't have more time to write. I don't write full time. I have a day job and find time to write as I can. I have so many stories I want to tell and my readers are looking for the next book in the series. I wish I could've published it already. I'm planning to release book two in the series sometime around July and I also have a novella series I'm spinning off of the first book that I plan to publish this year.
I’M ALWAYS VERY KEEN TO UNDERSTAND THE MOTIVATIONS OF OTHERS AND THE ORIGINS OF THEIR DESIRE TO BECOME A WRITER. HOW LONG HAVE YOU WANTED TO BE A WRITER? WHAT DOES WRITING REPRESENT TO YOU? AND, WHAT DO YOU ASPIRE TO ACHIEVE THROUGH YOUR WRITING?
I've always been a big reader since my mom taught me to read. And when I was young, some of the first television shows my dad would let me stay up and watch with him were private detective shows. I think these two things merged together into being a reader of thrillers, mysteries and spy novels.
In college, I took a couple of creative writing classes while I was studying engineering. I got some good feedback on my writing and enjoyed the creative process. I think that planted the seed to write. When I got married and we had our first child, I decided to take a couple of writing classes. That was probably eighteen years ago. Minneapolis, Minnesota (where I live) is the home of The Loft Literary Center, as great resource for people wanting to learn to write. A critique group formed out of one of my classes there and we've been meeting every few weeks for the last fifteen years supporting each other in our writing.
I see myself as a storyteller. I enjoy coming up with story ideas, researching and learning about things that I can bring into the story and telling a story that I enjoy writing. I hope I can bring all of these things together into something the reader will enjoy as they look for a fiction story to escape into.
OF YOUR LARGE SUPPORT NETWORK, BOTH CLOSE TO YOU AND ACROSS THE WORLD, HOW DO YOUR SUPPORTERS HELP YOU IN GAINING GLOBAL REACH IN UNEXPECTED WAYS?
It's weird to think I have readers around the globe reading my book. I've received emails and Facebook comments from readers around the world.
Over the past couple of years I have built a Twitter following of writers and readers and I've joined a few groups of Independent Writers (BestSellingReads.com IndependentAuthorNetwork.com and WorldLiteraryCafe.com). As authors we aren't in a competition, we support each other. I've partnered with authors in supporting each other with tweets, promoting each other for new book releases or discounts on our books. These authors are from so many different countries and we have fans around the world.
HOW HAS SOCIAL MEDIA HELPED YOU GET YOUR WORK ‘OUT THERE’ IN THE BIG BAD WORLD?
Twitter has allowed me to connect with other writers and readers around the world. I've also connected with some groups of authors built to support each other and help readers find those authors they might not run across otherwise.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY YOU ARE MOST EXCITED ABOUT WITH THE CHANGES TO THE PUBLISHING INDUSTRY CURRENTLY UNDERWAY IN THE USA?
I like the control I have as an independent published writer and I like the challenge of trying to figure out the business side of the game and how to connect with or be discovered by readers. I'm sad to see some of the book stores struggle to stay open. The new model is good for writers and for eReaders in that the book shelf is limitless, books don't go out of print, you want a book? you can find it and books that may have a smaller share of the market can be published in the new model where in the old model a publisher would pass on it.
The writer who simply wants to write will struggle in the old model if they aren't a best seller and get the backing of the publisher to advertise, and in the new model where you have to find ways to improve the visibility of your book to readers.
Douglas Dorow
Thanks Douglas, and you can read my half of this thrilling interview tete-a-tete over at Mr Dorow's blog - including what it's like writing a series, opportunities for authors publishing Down Under, all infused with Aussie / Pommy slang for greatest cultural effect.
I've just downloaded The Ninth District and am looking forward to a fresh read by my new Minnesotan pal! Check out Douglas's website and my own interview on his blog over at www.DouglasDorow.com.
Cheers,
Chris
View this post at intrepidallen.com: http://intrepidallen.com/blog/2013/3/...
March 30, 2013
CONAN DOYLE, HOLMES & WATSON
AN ENDURING FRIENDSHIP
This post first appeared on Buddy to Blogger. Read it at http://intrepidallen.com/blog/2013/3/....
One of the great pleasures in my life to date has been in watching directors, producers and screenwriters re-interpret the great writing of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle as new productions are brought to the big and small screens. I literally count the days until the next Robert Downey/Jude Law collaboration hits the box office, and I always attempt to create a quiet environment at home when it's time to take in the BBC Sherlock series and the new US take on Holmes, Elementary. I collect the DVDs (special edition if possible) and watch them at my leisure, all the while re-reading at least one of Conan Doyle’s stories each week. Such is my obsession enjoyment of these stories and the literary inspiration I derive from them. It is indeed a pleasure to see them out again in the mainstream media for our general consumption.
One of the things I like to reflect upon when I’m viewing one or other of the latest iterations is the variety of ways in which the main characters, Sherlock Holmes and John Watson have been presented to us over the years.
Before the recent adaptations, many people only knew of Holmes through the old black & white movies of the late 30's/early 40's, featuring Basil Rathbone. Fans of those movies will kill me for saying this, but I feel they were clichés. Rathbone's Holmes was too perfect, the ultimate version, I suppose, rather than the complex, flawed, sometimes opiated, routinely depressed yet highly intelligent character we see on Conan Doyle’s pages.
That said, my greatest bugbear with the older versions was the reduction of Dr. John Watson, as portrayed by Nigel Bruce, to little more than a bumbling oafish sidekick. I appreciate that the 'straight man & comic relief' pairing probably reflected the times, especially considering audience familiarity with the Crosby & Hope, Abbott & Costello, Martin & Lewis partnerships. In the books however, John Watson is nothing like that at all. Conan Doyle had put so much of himself into Watson’s history and character that you can’t help but admire them – they were incredible men, one real, the other fictional but steeped in reality. Note: In fairness to Rathbone & Bruce, both men saw action during World War 1. Rathbone was awarded the Military Cross for bravery and Bruce was shot and severely wounded.
Probably my favourite element of the original stories was that they were all written from Watson’s perspective, which was very effectively captured - in a contemporary sense - in BBC's Sherlock via Watson's blog, something that viewers of the US Elementary series may not realise.
Holmes is so reliant on his partnership with Watson. In fact, in the books Holmes often states that he is so much better off when he has his trusted friend and ally at his side. If it wasn’t Holmes saving the day with some well-paced judo moves, then it would be Watson with his revolver. I love the duo. They are much more like Bodie and Doyle from The Professionals than Batman and Robin, if you know what I mean: a much more equal pairing than the old movies ever gave them credit for.
Although the stories have been done many times over, the real resurgence of interest in Sherlock Holmes in recent years has been due to, I think, directors and producers of my age who loved the books throughout their lives and imagined them as similarly vividly as I always have. I really got into the Sherlock Holmes (2009) movie with Robert Downey Jnr. and Jude Law. While they gave the camaraderie between the two characters a great treatment, they also gave the story more of a modern edge, particularly in terms of the banter between them. It’s perhaps not as gentlemanly, but still in the same vein as Conan Doyle’s original. Then the movie sequel to the 2009 hit became more slapstick again, and took it a bit far from Conan Doyle’s books for my personal preference, but I still enjoyed the interplay between Downey Jnr and Law across both films.
Since then, obviously, we've had two equally interesting but vastly different treatments of Sherlock Holmes: BBC’s dark but modern-day Sherlock (2010) and CBS’s quirky and equally contemporary Elementary (2012). BBC’s Sherlock, with Benedict Cumberbatch (Holmes) and Martin Freeman (Watson) came pretty close to the originals of Holmes and Watson and stayed true to the stories. They established a great equal relationship between the two men.
Next to Sherlock, I’m equally enamoured with CBS’s Elementary, featuring Johnny Lee Miller as Holmes and Lucy Liu as Joan Watson. It’s a great take on the complexity and eccentricity of Holmes counterbalanced by the thorough, no-nonsense medical professionalism that is Watson. It’s such a thought-provoking angle with a man and a woman, and it really breathed new life into this incredibly enduring story.
In terms of my own writing, I also enjoyed the camaraderie inherent to military life, just as Conan Doyle obviously did. I've tried to replicate that in my stories, with regard to the banter and conversational exchanges between my protagonist Alex Morgan and his colleagues, the way they are and the way they interact with each other. It reflects my view that no one is an island; we are all reliant on each other in some way and there are people you must and can trust during times of adversity. I guess that’s what I love most in Conan Doyle’s stories and probably the reason I try to bring it out in my own humble offerings.
In this day and age, I don’t want to have just male agents in my thriller novels; Alex Morgan and his compadres are great, but they need some female energy in the mix. Just as we’ve seen Lucy Liu acting as Joan Watson in Elementary, I’m writing a new key character in the latest book, Avenger. She’ll be the first female Intrepid agent to be introduced to the legions of Intrepid and Alex Morgan fans currently amassing across the globe! She sure knows her stuff, but I can’t tell you her name or anything else just yet.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on your preferred adaptation of Sherlock – or maybe you can’t beat the books? We know, for example, that our good friend Buddy 2 Blogger, where this blog post first appeared, is a fan of Basil Rathborne and doesn’t believe that Elementary will hit cult status. Leave a comment below!
This post first appeared on Buddy to Blogger. Read it at http://intrepidallen.com/blog/2013/3/....
One of the great pleasures in my life to date has been in watching directors, producers and screenwriters re-interpret the great writing of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle as new productions are brought to the big and small screens. I literally count the days until the next Robert Downey/Jude Law collaboration hits the box office, and I always attempt to create a quiet environment at home when it's time to take in the BBC Sherlock series and the new US take on Holmes, Elementary. I collect the DVDs (special edition if possible) and watch them at my leisure, all the while re-reading at least one of Conan Doyle’s stories each week. Such is my obsession enjoyment of these stories and the literary inspiration I derive from them. It is indeed a pleasure to see them out again in the mainstream media for our general consumption.
One of the things I like to reflect upon when I’m viewing one or other of the latest iterations is the variety of ways in which the main characters, Sherlock Holmes and John Watson have been presented to us over the years.
Before the recent adaptations, many people only knew of Holmes through the old black & white movies of the late 30's/early 40's, featuring Basil Rathbone. Fans of those movies will kill me for saying this, but I feel they were clichés. Rathbone's Holmes was too perfect, the ultimate version, I suppose, rather than the complex, flawed, sometimes opiated, routinely depressed yet highly intelligent character we see on Conan Doyle’s pages.
That said, my greatest bugbear with the older versions was the reduction of Dr. John Watson, as portrayed by Nigel Bruce, to little more than a bumbling oafish sidekick. I appreciate that the 'straight man & comic relief' pairing probably reflected the times, especially considering audience familiarity with the Crosby & Hope, Abbott & Costello, Martin & Lewis partnerships. In the books however, John Watson is nothing like that at all. Conan Doyle had put so much of himself into Watson’s history and character that you can’t help but admire them – they were incredible men, one real, the other fictional but steeped in reality. Note: In fairness to Rathbone & Bruce, both men saw action during World War 1. Rathbone was awarded the Military Cross for bravery and Bruce was shot and severely wounded.
Probably my favourite element of the original stories was that they were all written from Watson’s perspective, which was very effectively captured - in a contemporary sense - in BBC's Sherlock via Watson's blog, something that viewers of the US Elementary series may not realise.
Holmes is so reliant on his partnership with Watson. In fact, in the books Holmes often states that he is so much better off when he has his trusted friend and ally at his side. If it wasn’t Holmes saving the day with some well-paced judo moves, then it would be Watson with his revolver. I love the duo. They are much more like Bodie and Doyle from The Professionals than Batman and Robin, if you know what I mean: a much more equal pairing than the old movies ever gave them credit for.
Although the stories have been done many times over, the real resurgence of interest in Sherlock Holmes in recent years has been due to, I think, directors and producers of my age who loved the books throughout their lives and imagined them as similarly vividly as I always have. I really got into the Sherlock Holmes (2009) movie with Robert Downey Jnr. and Jude Law. While they gave the camaraderie between the two characters a great treatment, they also gave the story more of a modern edge, particularly in terms of the banter between them. It’s perhaps not as gentlemanly, but still in the same vein as Conan Doyle’s original. Then the movie sequel to the 2009 hit became more slapstick again, and took it a bit far from Conan Doyle’s books for my personal preference, but I still enjoyed the interplay between Downey Jnr and Law across both films.
Since then, obviously, we've had two equally interesting but vastly different treatments of Sherlock Holmes: BBC’s dark but modern-day Sherlock (2010) and CBS’s quirky and equally contemporary Elementary (2012). BBC’s Sherlock, with Benedict Cumberbatch (Holmes) and Martin Freeman (Watson) came pretty close to the originals of Holmes and Watson and stayed true to the stories. They established a great equal relationship between the two men.
Next to Sherlock, I’m equally enamoured with CBS’s Elementary, featuring Johnny Lee Miller as Holmes and Lucy Liu as Joan Watson. It’s a great take on the complexity and eccentricity of Holmes counterbalanced by the thorough, no-nonsense medical professionalism that is Watson. It’s such a thought-provoking angle with a man and a woman, and it really breathed new life into this incredibly enduring story.
In terms of my own writing, I also enjoyed the camaraderie inherent to military life, just as Conan Doyle obviously did. I've tried to replicate that in my stories, with regard to the banter and conversational exchanges between my protagonist Alex Morgan and his colleagues, the way they are and the way they interact with each other. It reflects my view that no one is an island; we are all reliant on each other in some way and there are people you must and can trust during times of adversity. I guess that’s what I love most in Conan Doyle’s stories and probably the reason I try to bring it out in my own humble offerings.
In this day and age, I don’t want to have just male agents in my thriller novels; Alex Morgan and his compadres are great, but they need some female energy in the mix. Just as we’ve seen Lucy Liu acting as Joan Watson in Elementary, I’m writing a new key character in the latest book, Avenger. She’ll be the first female Intrepid agent to be introduced to the legions of Intrepid and Alex Morgan fans currently amassing across the globe! She sure knows her stuff, but I can’t tell you her name or anything else just yet.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on your preferred adaptation of Sherlock – or maybe you can’t beat the books? We know, for example, that our good friend Buddy 2 Blogger, where this blog post first appeared, is a fan of Basil Rathborne and doesn’t believe that Elementary will hit cult status. Leave a comment below!
