Vivika Widow's Blog, page 87

Extract from ‘The Gift’ (Myths and Tales Volume 1)

The room was dark. The curtains were still drawn, blocking the greyish light from outside.

“I’m so scared!” Delia Babanin had said to her husband in a raspy whisper.

Nathaniel sat himself on the bed beside her. “Try not to be,” he told her taking her cold shaking hand in his. “I’m here with you,” he said. “I’m here.”

She had been so brave over the past few months. Even when the good doctor had told her that there was no hope she behaved like it was of no consequence to her. Nathaniel looked around their apartment in St Peter’s Gate. He wished he had given her more. She had deserved more. His writing career had never went the far reaches the both of them had hoped and now he was going to be left alone with their son – Hunter – so such silly dreams would have to be put aside for good.

Delia took a heavy wheezing breath. “You’re not alone,” Nathaniel assured her. “I’m here.”

Delia closed her eyes and slowly slipped away into the other world. Nathaniel and Hunter hoped that wherever she was she was at peace and could see how happy she had made them throughout her life.

YUGASOV – RUSSIA’S SECRET WAR

Originally posted on :

Russia has had a long tradition of keeping the running of their land a mystery, leaving a lot of guess work for the rest of the world. As the eyes of the world rest on the Middle East, a fascist regime plagues the Russian people. This is made all the more real to me by Natasha (name changed to protect identity) who first came to us with her story holding a beautiful baby boy in her arms. She was beaten badly having only just managed to escape from the clutches of the Yugasov group aboard the large passenger ship named ‘ HMS Liberty’ which has been helping aid refugees from various countries for the better part of a decade, with the support of the United Nations.

The Yugasov group have been operating within Russia for many years. However. they have had a enjoyed a sudden surge in support throughout Russia…

View original 378 more words

22 July, 2015 12:33

Model, Emma Rose, speaks on behalf of Ragdolls UK.

Vivika Widow speaks to Amy Irons (STV)

Glasgow author speaks to STV on the release of her second book for charity.

Assuming the worst…

In my experience, Scottish people tend to think negatively. We are well known amongst global circles as cynics. Our negative outlook seems to match our gruff accent and temperamental climate. Perhaps our outlook is what shaped the amazing contributions Scotland has made to society – television, telephone and antibiotics to name but a few. The strong attitude of the Scottish people and a constant need to improve has saw many life changing inventions come to light. But perhaps I am being a little too harsh on my nation. The need to focus on the bad is likely an inbuilt part of the human nature on a survival level.

When it comes to word of mouth we are more likely to hear the problems people have had with a product/ service before the good. There can be hundreds of sterling reviews but the single, harsh critique will be the one that will become embedded.

Does a few failures really define a person in light of their successes? Society seems to think so. An example comes to mind of a friend of mine. They were a straight A student. Academically they had it all. One single low grade was thrown their way and no matter what happened afterwards they were not able to shake it. That grade erased all of his hard work in the eyes of his teachers, family and friends.

Modern technology with its wide array of social media platforms and websites mean that is now easier than ever to offer your opinion on anything from the latest books/movies to your local plumber. Being a reviewer seems to offer a sense of empowerment. Suddenly everyone’s opinion matters. This is a beautiful sentiment in an ideal world but unfortunately it also opens up the digital world to a whole new aspect of bullying. People are being coerced with the threat of negative reviews, customers strong armed into providing positive ones. Why does this happen? Because we place so much stock in negative thinking. “She is a charitable, hard working person who is dedicated to her family,” doesn’t have as much flair in a discussion as, “She never pays her bills and couldn’t care less about her children.” It doesn’t matter if it is true or not it will still fall harder on the ears than a list of accomplishments ever could.

Maybe by viewing society this way I am just as guilty of ominous thinking as everyone else. There are those out there still willing to give the benefit of the doubt, offering fair criticisms and beaming with pride at the happiness of others. If we could follow this example and dispel our own negativity towards others we would find a contentment we have never known before. That I am sure of. Wouldn’t it at least be worth a try?

27 April, 2015 16:44

Glasgow author Vivika Widow; interview with STV Glasgow Amy Irons

Top reasons to have a driving licence …

Normally I am one for travelling via train but some malevolent spirit must have looked down on me this morning and thought ‘I really need to shake things up’ because that can be the only explanation for my decision to travel by bus.

Of course, I have to get two buses to visit family in Uddingston because having one that ran straight through would be far too easy. However, I know what I am getting myself into… An all day ticket it is… I will be travelling back again after all.

So bus no.1 takes me to Glasgow City Centre … so far so good. With business concluded there I prepare myself for bus no.2 which will take me on to Uddingston. I wasn’t waiting for long when a red monstrocity shudders along. The driver zooms past just staring at me with that vacant expression that tells me I would get a better response from an amoeba. ‘Argggh!’ I yell. The old lady behind me agrees. ‘Ba***rd’ she mutters. I wait another 20 minutes and another comes along. Does he stop? no, of course he doesn’t. It is only then that I realize what the problem is. A Tree Removal Service truck complete with his trailer is parked in the stop and obviously parking in behind him would be too difficult for our conscientious bus drivers. Seriously? Of all the spots in the Glasgow City Centre to need tree removal! So I plod along to another stop and a bus no.2 finally stops and I’m on my way.

Is that the end of my nightmare? Of course it isn’t… I still have to get back home again.

After my visit I bid farewell to the family and hop onto bus no.3. The driver of which decides to tell me that my ticket is invalid because I crossed the boundary. None of the previous drivers thought to mention this little fact? It lucky that I am able to pay another fare because I hadn’t been to the ATM and had just left the shop where my niece was eyeing up a huge dinosaur toy. Luckily she had settled for sweets.

Back in the City Centre I need to change to bus no.4. I see the bus hurtling round the corner. I’m never one for speed but I could have given Usain Bolt a run for his money. I caught that bad boy. I relaxed in my chair. On my way home now? Nope! I’m heading along Pollockshaws road and it occurs to me… ‘I don’t live here’ . I finally reach Queen’s Park and I think again ‘I had better ask the driver’ ….”Are you going into the West End?” of course he wasn’t … he had already been to the west end before I got on and was now on his way to East Kilbride! I had been so busy running to catch it I hadn’t seen where he was going.

So off again and on bus no.5. I was reaching the end of my tether when two lovely young men sit beside me to keep me company. Then they asked me that question that even the most spiritual of us dreads to hear when we are trying to get home. “Have you found Jesus?”

I tried to explain that I was Catholic and happy with my path but they were having none of it. Got to admire their enthusiasm. Short of removing the biggest set of Rosary Beads from my bag they would not give up. Even the man in front swigging his cider was putting his opinion in. I’m not one to debate Theology. Maybe they knew better, maybe they didn’t…. All I knew was… next time… I was getting the bloody train!

Getting into the mind of a serial killer

One of the most surreal experiences of a writer is allowing yourself to become somebody else. Your job is to convince the reader that this particular character is real and sometimes that means convincing the reader that your creation can commit the most unspeakable acts.

In our day to day lives we are held in control by the regulations placed upon us by society. We pay heed to the law and we treat our colleagues, friends and family with respect but what if your character doesn’t? What if your character has so little compassion for their fellow man that they would think nothing of murder. What is their motive? Money? Lust? Jealously? Greed?

Giving them a motive is just the beginning. Take yourself out of your own head for a moment and into the creation that has been made. Where did it go wrong for this person? Are they a person at all? You can be there at that precious moment where something inside the mind of this character clicks and their murderous urges come racing to the surface. What is the selection process for their victims if any?

A lot of readers of my novel ‘Red Snow’ have commented on how large a body count there is, even in the genre of ‘Horror Fiction’. Without any spoilers I will explain my process. There are a lot of characters within ‘Red Snow’ who think nothing of murder. In fact an entire kingdom of people have been created who hold little value on life. How was I able to do this? Being the upstanding citizen that I am it seems far fetched that so much blood shed would occur as a result of a certain characters urges and whims. However. in order to write that you have to delve into the mind of a serial killer.

WHERE TO START…

Of course there is lots of information out there on the motives and techniques of well known serial killers such as Ted Bundy. Most serial killers follow the same general pattern. Childhood Trauma – Teen angst – not so well adjusted adult. Your character has had their own experiences. Childhood is always a good place to start. It is likely that their parents were one of two kinds; overbearing or emotionally unavailable. Both can be just as poignant in creating a serial killer. In the case of ‘Red Snow’ a particular character was hailed as something of a Goddess. Growing with the belief that she was above others and had the right to decide fate over them took away any emotional attachment to the people around her.

MOTIVES…

It’s not enough to say that a character had a terrible upbringing. There is always an option to say your character is mentally unstable but there is no originality in that. By them committing serial murder mentally unstable is suggested. Perhaps your character is a fantastical creature that needs to feed on the flesh of others. In ‘Red Snow’ that is partially true but she does gain a certain satisfaction from watching life escape others. Lust is always a popular choice but again that had to stem from somewhere. Financial gain is also likely but sometimes rather than just making a character greedy it gives the character more dimensions if there is an event causing them to need money or even something in their circumstances that is drawing the greed from them.

THE FIRST KILL…

This is an important moment in any character willing to kill. Their initial victim will set the tone for any further. Many people don’t realise it but the difference between a character who has killed in self defence and one who has been calculating can completely change the plot.

A helpless victim who managed to fight their way out of a sticky situation with blood on their hands may become an ambassador for many like them. Their prey being those who wrong others. However, a character who has been cold blooded is very unlikely to be a champion of the downtrodden.

How the reader feels about the first victim also sets the mood for how the character is portrayed. If their first victim is one who is antagonistic and downright unlikeable the reader may root for the killer (even though their knowledge of how a society operates would tell them otherwise). Whereas if the victim was something or someone with the reader sympathises with (children, animals, pleasant people) the killer will never be able to redeem themselves in the readers opinion.

FINALLY …

Now that the killer has made their journey and left a trail of horror behind them it is time to decide how they are to exit the story.

Pulling all the building blocks you have used to bring your monster to life their conclusion will be the last remaining impression left on the reader.

Do they get caught? Do they face justice? Do they escape?

Each of these will offer a different feeling to the reader and your choice will depend on how you want the reader to feel when the story has ended – angry, shocked, pleased, happy.

Each story is different as is each writer so the best advice I can give for writing a perfect ending is to steer the reader down the path which offers the biggest reaction.

Happy writing my darlings!

Vivika

Freedom falls on Vivika…

Conflict of the Throne: Fall of Freedom out now!

Freedom has fallen!