Bron Rauk-Mitchell's Blog: Bron Rauk-Mitchell - Journal, page 4

ChaBooCha Day 3 – Yaya and the 3 Bears

@essentialbronMarch is #ChaBooCha … #thestoryweaver #writer #lbgt #aussie #authortok #faerietale #fairytales #multigenrewriter #writer

♬ original sound – Bron Rauk-Mitchell

I didn’t expect to make much progress on Yaya and the 3 Bears today, as I had several things to do, but I finished this new draft. It’s still a sloppy draft, but that’s ok, as there is not the final draft.

Oh, I’m thinking of changing the title to Granny and the 3 Bears, but we’ll see how we go. I found myself writing Granny a few times and it flowed nicely, so that may be the final title.

I had already had some idea of the direction that I wanted to take with the story; the elements that I wanted to keep and the elements that maybe didn’t fit as well, but today the story was practically writing itself, and taking me in a very firm clear direction.  But I’m sure the muses will do as they usually do and try to introduce a few new elements to take me in other directions, as I progress with the next stage.  Who knows?

Yaya’s character developed further today … she’s stepped off the page and revealed more about herself today. I’m having fun writing her character; she may have found herself in a crap situation but she’s not going to let that keep her down for long. And the bears are now more than just part of the scenery, so over the next few drafts they’ll develop more too.

While this is a retelling of the original Goldilocks’ tale, it does have elements that are common in other fairy tales, especially with the backstory of the 3 bears. As I’m now writing this for my own anthology, and not for teapot tales, I have room to expand the story more. I’m incredibly happy that I finished this draft off today, given that I expected just to get a few sentences out.

So tomorrow I can jump into working on one of the other stories. I’d like to finally see a finished sloppy draft of the Huntsman and the Hart, which will be a little longer – but my Hansel and Gretel story is calling to me … even though it’s not going to be included in this anthology. I’ll see where my feelings lay tomorrow.

ChaBooCha 2021 – Day 2

Well, I didn’t make great strides with the challenge today as I was juggling more than the challenge … but I did uncover more faerie tale drafts and ideas that I had stashed away – about half-a-dozen or so, and I’m sure when I dig through my pile of scribbled notes and ideas, that I’ll find even more.

One of the stories that I uncovered is YaYa and the 3 Bears. It was a story that I was writing for Teapot Tales vol 4, but I couldn’t finish it in time, and I submitted other tales instead. YaYa and the 3 Bears is a twist on the original 3 bears tale.

The original tales are about an old woman and 3 bachelor bears. In those versions, the old woman is rather rude to the 3 bears and invades their home. But mine is a retelling, so I’ve gone a slightly different way with the tale. There is an old woman, and there are 3 bears, but the woman is not intentionally intrusive, and the bears are more than they seem. I won’t say any more about it yet, but I’m eager to finally finish this tale.

There’s still time to join in with #ChaBooCha, so if you’re interested you can head to http://chapterbookchallenge.blogspot.com for more details.

Until tomorrow

#ChaBooCha2021

Greetings and Salutations.

It’s March and that means that it’s once more time for the Chapter Book Challenge or #ChaBooCha. This year I’m working on something different, and that is my anthology of faerie tales. At this stage, nothing is written in stone (which is great, ’cause I don’t think there’s a rubber in this world capable of removing errors from stone ) but the idea has always been to bundle up some of the faeries tales that I have had published in other anthologies, with some fresh new material. And that could still be the way that I go.

However, after a couple hours going through most of my files, I may end up with a series of themed anthologies. For example, I have several ideas for dragon stories, so in the end I may have an anthology of dragon stories. But for now, I’m going with the original plan, at least to keep me on track for #ChaBooCha2021. With that in mind I have come up with a very rough table of contents for the book.

I say very rough for a few reasons:

21 flash and short stories will probably not be enough for an anthology, so I’ll want to add more at some stage.Some of the titles are working titles, because I know what I want to write about but that’s all that I have so far.Some of the stories may not fit the overall theme e.g. the Pirate Princess Sarah; plus, like Sunny, that character may end up featuring in their own book.Some of the stories that I haven’t finished may end up being too dark for this book and will need to appear in another book.The Healing Touch stories may become one story or may stay as 3.

But again, this is just something rough, to keep me on track. The titles marked with an asterisk are tales that haven’t been published or accepted for publication before. Some of these I have worked on in the past and some are entirely new.

Of the work that has already been published, I’ll be going through and making changes that I feel may fit the stories better. When I wrote most of these, I had to stick to a word limit to fit the anthologies that I was writing for, so that gives me some wriggle room to include a few key points that I may have scrapped for those earlier versions. But again, time will tell.

I’m going to aim to blog every day of the challenge, kind of like an unofficial blog your book in 3o days (well 31 for March); but that all depends on the time at hand and the amount of energy that I have to spare, as this is not the only thing that I’m working on this month. If I don’t blog every day, I’ll be blogging far more frequently than I have for the past couple of years.

Anyway, it’s great to be back, and I look forward to weaving a tale, or two, for you.

 

Soft (Re)launch

Greetings and Salutations.

The site is not quite as ready as I was aiming for, buut as I applied to be a stallholder for an online Zine event I needed the page active, through the approval’s process. So let’s consider this a soft relaunch … and I will endeavour to get everything up to speed over the next couple of days (with a bit more fanfare).

Hello 2020

Museum Piece - Hope Blooms by Bron Rauk-Mitchell 01.01.2020Greetings and Salutations,
There has been so much that I wanted to share in 2019 but I started to feel as if I was shouting into an over-saturated void so I just kept my head down, worked on my recovery and kept working on my creative pursuits quietly.

But that doesn't work for me ... so I'll be posting frequently, sharing news, random bits and pieces, and sneak peeks at my creative projects.

I will be writing a recap for 2019 + the decade that has just wrapped up, but I'm still processing everything so it will be stewing for just a little longer.

I hope that 2020 is a better year for us all. I will continue to work on my recovery, continue to reach for the stars (and beyond), and continue to try to make things better for my family and I.

What are your plans, or hopes, for 2020?

Announcement: Bron’s Brains Trust

Essential Bron started out as a hub for all of my activities; a central place where people could keep track of what I was involved with, without having to follow each and every page, group, account etc. that I created. But over time it’s been growing into more of a personal brand. The growth had been slow; a lot slower than I like, due to health, finances, and my personal circumstances. Eventually Essential Bron will replace Butterfly Magick as my umbrella corp. I’m not going to delve into the reasons that I have several projects on the go; that’s a discussion for another day. But it does get confusing for people to keep up with what I’m doing. And that’s why Essential Bron was born. The name started as an off-hand joke to my kids when I was thinking of the right name for my hub page on Facebook; and over time has evolved to be a brand that fits like a glove. I have a vision; something I’ve been heading towards for many years. Sometimes the vision changes, but its essence remains the same. I thought I’d have been further along towards making that vision a reality, but slow progress is still progress; so, while I’m not where I’d hoped to be, I’m still moving towards my main goal.To achieve my goal, to make my vision a reality, I’ve always needed support. I’m not talking financial, although of course that is a part of it. I’m talking more about a cheer squad, someone to bounce ideas off, to help spread the word. And over the years I’ve had some great support. People that are interested in what I’m working on; people that want to be a part of my vision, in some way. Those that share my groups, my posts, that tell others about my latest project. Those people are an essential part of my team. Every share, every recommendation, every shout-out is appreciated. I don’t take the support lightly. I know for some people sharing is the best way that they can support me and my vision. Some people expect their friends and family to support everything that they do and take it for granted; but I appreciate every time someone helps to boost the signal. There are those that also support financially; through sales, patron, fundraisers, bartering etc. To make my vision a reality $$$ are unfortunately necessary; to support my family and I, to pay for materials and services, to hire people, and so forth. Part of my vision has always been that my projects would eventually make enough money to support my family and I and enable me to hire others to work for me full-time. My health and chaotic life situation has proven to be a major obstacle to making this happen. Slowly this year I’ve been working towards following through, or making major progress, on my projects. Sites that have sat parked, or incomplete, are slowly being finalized. Other projects have been started. And others still have been ended. During the first half of the year I made amazing progress, and I thought by the end of the year I’d have built those sturdy foundations that I’d been trying to build for years. But I’ve slowed down, lost confidence, and the chaos has taken over again. However, the year isn’t over, and to be fair I’ve already achieved a lot more than in past years, when I’ve had a similar goal.So, what is Bron’s Brains Trust? Well, I refer to my patrons as my Brains Trust; my superhero support team. The people that give me the support that I need to follow through on my projects; emotionally, professionally, financially. Not just my cheer squad; but something much more. They are someone to bounce ideas off; to seek advice from, a gauge as to whether I’m on the right track with my ideas.I’ve been working on this idea for a while, and now it’s time to stop thinking about it, and to make it happen. In essence Bron’s Brains Trust is a street team. But it’s so much more than that. My brains trust is the heart of Essential Bron’ because I can’t make my vision happen without support.Members will receive a sneak peek at what I’m working on: writing, podcasting, art – the lot. All in one central place. You will be one of the first places I share any news (good and bad). You will get the chance to name characters, beta read my stories, give feedback and more. Further down the track there will be competitions for Brains Trust Members. And all members receive 20% of products (where possible). That is to say thank you for your support. I’m not in a position to gift products at this stage so a discount seems a fair alternative.For me the financial support is invaluable but equally so is the support that I get from people reading my work, listening to my ideas, spreading the word on social media and so on. On Patreon I’m in the process of removing the tiers. It’s never felt fair to me to save all the cool perks for those that have more $$$ to give, when some of my biggest supporters can’t give as much $$$ wise but have had my back from the beginning. How do you assign a value on the emotional support? And while I love my Patrons, I know what it’s like to have no way to support people financially so I share their stuff as much as I can in my network. As creators we want, or need, an audience beyond our family and friends. And word-of-mouth is invaluable in achieving that. So how do you put a $$$ value on that kind of support? Why can’t those that constantly hit the share button receive perks too?So, my Patreon will still run. There will be public messages for those following along (no cost). And there will be the behind-the-scenes stuff as there is now. There will be perks – including the 20% discount. And there will also be a group for other supporters to join ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/412839785983454). The group is where I’ll do most of my posting. It will work on an honour system. I will trust that people will not disclose what I’m working on, until I give the word. No sharing anything in the group with others outside the group, including the discount code. All that I ask is that you continue to support me as you have; and help me to build up my audience. You don’t have to buy anything. Just help me to grow as a creator; through support and feedback.I have agonized for months about launching this. But I know that I have a loyal band of supporters. Those that look forward to my latest poem, or piece of art. Those that look forward to my latest idea. I create because I have to, but when I’m wrestling with those demons it’s the support that you all give me that keeps me going. The group won’t replace pages and sites, because the group won’t be for everyone. So hopefully I’ve explained this well enough. If there are questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. Thank you.

Announcement: Bron's Brains Trust

Essential Bron started out as a hub for all of my activities; a central place where people could keep track of what I was involved with, without having to follow each and every page, group, account etc. that I created. But over time it’s been growing into more of a personal brand. The growth had been slow; a lot slower than I like, due to health, finances, and my personal circumstances. Eventually Essential Bron will replace Butterfly Magick as my umbrella corp. I’m not going to delve into the reasons that I have several projects on the go; that’s a discussion for another day. But it does get confusing for people to keep up with what I’m doing. And that’s why Essential Bron was born. The name started as an off-hand joke to my kids when I was thinking of the right name for my hub page on Facebook; and over time has evolved to be a brand that fits like a glove. I have a vision; something I’ve been heading towards for many years. Sometimes the vision changes, but its essence remains the same. I thought I’d have been further along towards making that vision a reality, but slow progress is still progress; so, while I’m not where I’d hoped to be, I’m still moving towards my main goal.To achieve my goal, to make my vision a reality, I’ve always needed support. I’m not talking financial, although of course that is a part of it. I’m talking more about a cheer squad, someone to bounce ideas off, to help spread the word. And over the years I’ve had some great support. People that are interested in what I’m working on; people that want to be a part of my vision, in some way. Those that share my groups, my posts, that tell others about my latest project. Those people are an essential part of my team. Every share, every recommendation, every shout-out is appreciated. I don’t take the support lightly. I know for some people sharing is the best way that they can support me and my vision. Some people expect their friends and family to support everything that they do and take it for granted; but I appreciate every time someone helps to boost the signal. There are those that also support financially; through sales, patron, fundraisers, bartering etc. To make my vision a reality $$$ are unfortunately necessary; to support my family and I, to pay for materials and services, to hire people, and so forth. Part of my vision has always been that my projects would eventually make enough money to support my family and I and enable me to hire others to work for me full-time. My health and chaotic life situation has proven to be a major obstacle to making this happen. Slowly this year I’ve been working towards following through, or making major progress, on my projects. Sites that have sat parked, or incomplete, are slowly being finalized. Other projects have been started. And others still have been ended. During the first half of the year I made amazing progress, and I thought by the end of the year I’d have built those sturdy foundations that I’d been trying to build for years. But I’ve slowed down, lost confidence, and the chaos has taken over again. However, the year isn’t over, and to be fair I’ve already achieved a lot more than in past years, when I’ve had a similar goal.So, what is Bron’s Brains Trust? Well, I refer to my patrons as my Brains Trust; my superhero support team. The people that give me the support that I need to follow through on my projects; emotionally, professionally, financially. Not just my cheer squad; but something much more. They are someone to bounce ideas off; to seek advice from, a gauge as to whether I’m on the right track with my ideas.I’ve been working on this idea for a while, and now it’s time to stop thinking about it, and to make it happen. In essence Bron’s Brains Trust is a street team. But it’s so much more than that. My brains trust is the heart of Essential Bron’ because I can’t make my vision happen without support.Members will receive a sneak peek at what I’m working on: writing, podcasting, art – the lot. All in one central place. You will be one of the first places I share any news (good and bad). You will get the chance to name characters, beta read my stories, give feedback and more. Further down the track there will be competitions for Brains Trust Members. And all members receive 20% of products (where possible). That is to say thank you for your support. I’m not in a position to gift products at this stage so a discount seems a fair alternative.For me the financial support is invaluable but equally so is the support that I get from people reading my work, listening to my ideas, spreading the word on social media and so on. On Patreon I’m in the process of removing the tiers. It’s never felt fair to me to save all the cool perks for those that have more $$$ to give, when some of my biggest supporters can’t give as much $$$ wise but have had my back from the beginning. How do you assign a value on the emotional support? And while I love my Patrons, I know what it’s like to have no way to support people financially so I share their stuff as much as I can in my network. As creators we want, or need, an audience beyond our family and friends. And word-of-mouth is invaluable in achieving that. So how do you put a $$$ value on that kind of support? Why can’t those that constantly hit the share button receive perks too?So, my Patreon will still run. There will be public messages for those following along (no cost). And there will be the behind-the-scenes stuff as there is now. There will be perks – including the 20% discount. And there will also be a group for other supporters to join ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/412839785983454). The group is where I'll do most of my posting. It will work on an honour system. I will trust that people will not disclose what I’m working on, until I give the word. No sharing anything in the group with others outside the group, including the discount code. All that I ask is that you continue to support me as you have; and help me to build up my audience. You don’t have to buy anything. Just help me to grow as a creator; through support and feedback.I have agonized for months about launching this. But I know that I have a loyal band of supporters. Those that look forward to my latest poem, or piece of art. Those that look forward to my latest idea. I create because I have to, but when I’m wrestling with those demons it’s the support that you all give me that keeps me going. The group won’t replace pages and sites, because the group won’t be for everyone. So hopefully I’ve explained this well enough. If there are questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. Thank you.

Plans and news

Greetings and Salutations.

Here we are entering the second-half of the year and I decided it was high time I polished this blog off (as well as the other blogs I've neglected). I'm just going to keep it short and sweet today, and then I'll ease back into blogging regularly.
I wasn't sure whether I'd sign up for #campnanowrimo this month, for several reasons, but I decided a little while ago that it could be a great way for me to finally get that first draft of The Crush completed. I found I could set a time goal in minutes (which would have helped last time I set a goal), so I set a goal for 600 minutes (10 hours) as I have a tonne of editing and research to do for this draft.
I launched a podcast, The StoryWeaver , two months ago; complete with a spanky new website. There are 3 epsiodes per week:
Monday: Story Time with Bron Wednesday: Poetry Readings with Bron Friday: Elements of the Craft of Story Telling.
I'm delighted with the feedback and encouragement that I have received, and my confidence is growing more with each episode. In fact, it's grown enough that I've ticked another item off my bucket list and I am chasing my dreams of being a voice actor but more on that later. My editor for the podcast is my creative-partner-in-crime, Paul Aitken; and he does a marvellous job. My daughter has been incredibly supportive; esp on the days. The first season is drawing to a close and I have a lot of plans for the next season.



I said I'd keep it short and sweet and so I'm going to wrap it up now. I'll have more news to share with you in my next post.
Adieu.

CampNaNoWriMo 2019. *The Crush* (Trigger warning for animal cruelty).

#ChaBooCha2019 finished on the last day of March, and I'm now working on #CampNaNoWriMO. My focus for campnano this year is to go through all of my notes, and drafts, for The Crush, and try to make sense of it all. I have a much clearer idea for the story now, but I have to wade through a lot of crap to see what can be salvaged. I've spent time in the past couple of years working on The Crush, but all of my notes are pretty disorganised. And I still have some research to finish for the book. Mock cover. 

I started writing The Crush in 1998/99, when my eldest was a toddler. The book was intended to be a teen horror/thriller in the style of the Fear Street + Dark Forces series. But I put the book on hold as I was dealing with post-natal depression, other mental health issues, and the challenges of being a single mum. I had a very nasty block when it came to a lot of my writing, although when I look back through notes and files from those years, I'm always surprised but how much writing I was actually doing. I was an active member of writer's forums and even ran a writing group, at one stage; but I still had it in my head that I was mostly a hack.

I never threw those early drafts and notes away, but I couldn't push through the block. I thought of the story often over the years; feeling that it still had merit. Occasionally I would read those early draft attempts, and cringe, but it wasn't until about 2014, that I began to give a lot of my older drafts and ideas another look, and see beyond the cringe-factor, to the potential beneath. 
Over the past couple of years or so, I've worked on The Crush some more; in between other projects, and usually for a writing challenge. I kept hitting a wall with certain elements, which is part of the reason for the mess that is my drafts. I had to go back to my original concept to nut out the main problem; but still there are other issues to resolve. So this month I'm determined to go through everything I have for this story, and see just how much can be salvaged. I have a feeling that I'll be assembling a draft that resembles some kind of Frankenstein's monster; at least until I hit the editing stage. But editing can turn crap into a gem, and that's what I aiming for. And occasionally I find myself surprised by what I find in my files.
For example, this scene, which has been polished a little today but will be polished a little more. I'm giving a Trigger Warning for this scene as it deals with animal cruelty; not for shock value but to show the type of character that we're dealing with.

She felt it; that exact moment that the mouse cupped in her hand had taken its last breath. She wanted to hold onto that feeling of absolute power for as long as she could. She supposed that she could revive the wretched creature, or at least try to – after all, she was capable of benevolence; giving life as much as taking it away - but right this minute she just wanted to savour the power of taking this life. Next time she might be inclined to bestow a favour, but not today.

The identity of the character at this stage in the book, is unknown to the reader, except that the she is a teen, that attends the same high school as the other teen characters. The book has multiple POVs, combined with journal entries, and newspaper headlines. But I'd forgotten I'd written this scene, so to come across it today was a bit of a shock; but I think it works to show just what type of person we are dealing with. Animal cruelty scenes are far harder to write than writing about domestic violence. And there is at least one other major scene in this book; even researching the subject made me queasy. I just have to be careful, given the intended audience for the book.
And the more I read over my notes, the more I discuss my book with my daughter, the more I'm glad that I never destroyed those earlier notes. If I'd completed the book then, it would have been OK, possibly good, but lacking something. In 20 years; heck in the past 2 years, my writing has matured. And I'm sure in another 20 years, it will have matured further. 

Building up my editing portfolio – a special offer.

https://pixabay.com/users/publicdomainpictures-14/Greetings and Salutations.

I’ve been editing other people’s work for over 20 years. I mentioned recently, on social media, that I need to create a portfolio for my editing work. Currently, I don’t have any samples, or many testimonials, for my editing work, as I was just doing it because it was something I loved. But now I’m taking it to the next level, and offering my services as an editor to a wider audience. With that in mind I decided to create a special offer (after running it by my Patrons first).

Until the end of this month (April, 2019) I’m running a special deal. For $AUD5 I’ll edit a sample of your work; up to 1000 words, which is roughly a flash fiction story, or 4 average pages. Before we proceed, we will discuss your needs, so that both parties are on the same page, so-to-speak. Once we have reached an agreement, I will send you an invoice. If the work has started there will be no refunds. If you decide to book me for further work, down the line, the $AUD5 will be taken off your total.

 

As this is to build up my portfolio I will ask for a testimonial and for permission to use the pages to showcase my work. I’m happy to accept most samples; comic script, poetry, essays, novels, etc. Most genres/topics will be acceptable, but I reserve the right to decline any job that I find isn’t the best fit for me.

The turn around time will of course depend on the amount of people that take advantage of this offer, and the type of editing required by each client. If you are interested in reserving your spot, please send an email to: celestialgrace278@gmail.com

Thank you.