Robert C. Day's Blog, page 23

Evelyn May Bennett

Objects that were important to my nannan: her chair, husband, sport, TV, grandson, Christmascards, photographs, independence and sense of humour. Those that remind me of her are her grabber, bungalow, betting, false teeth and zimmer-frame.

Important events in their history are her husband dying and telling her to live on, losing all her teeth, getting letters from her brother in the trenches, teaching me how to play solitaire, blushing when I asked her about underwear, getting angry when I l...

Three Legged Stool

[image error]

The guys are dressed likedrab is thenew black– onewears bluejeans that look like they were meant for someone a lot fatter – waist cinched tight, leg bottoms concertinaedlike he has just jumped off a tall building. The other wears greasy looking black jeans that make him seem like he worksas acar mechanic. Saying that – neither look like they have been working today.

She is more the show-off. Tight white long-sleeve t-shirt over a skinny torso that sports padded parts and a bra-strap falling...

Methods of Characterisation

Here are a few methods of character creation that may be useful for Fiction and Creative Nonfiction alike:

Observe people and try to figure out what makes them tick Write about aspects of yourself and incorporate them into your characters Research other people – either those you don’t know (by corresponding with them or reading about them) or those you do know (by talking to them or using your memory) Start with a setting(maybe a real life one or a photograph) and imagine who lives there, an...

It’s Christmas

First Christmas party of the season, today – music, laughter, singing, food, games and balloons – what more could a boy want?

Merry Christmas Everybody!

The Leaving

[image error]

(This is the last part of a series. The others wereThe Letter,The Step,The FistandThe Question)

It was night. I was watching something on TV in the living room. My smallest sister was at a birthday party. My mum was in the kitchen. My dad came intothe house, into thekitchen from outside. Words were spoken.

Those words were aboutownership documents for a car, that should have been dealt with in a particular way by my mum, but were not. It was something as insignificant seeming as that.

But it...

Literary Hooks (repost)

I just came across this amazing article on WordPress by Sandra Kischuk – Writer, Editor, and Life Coach called Literary Hooks.

It’s so good that I had to tell you about it. Plus, I wanted to keep a record of it for myself.

The Question

(will make more sense if you read The Letter, The Stepand The Fistfirst)

Of course, she’ll always be in my heart, but I’m sometimes tempted to say that she was my mum. Things change, people grow and I’m no longer the kid I was back then. She was the touchstone in every matter of my heart, the source of every comfort and I was at centre of something embracing, protecting and warm – a family.

And it’s not that she doesn’t love menow – I know she does because she tells me so. And I know that she...

Learned

A couple of important things that I’ve learned:

Secrets are like blockages – it’s best to release them as quick as possible. Once they are out there, they somehow lose all importanceand getting rid of them opens up whole new vistas. The most enjoyable things to do are the ones that you don’t want to do. I didn’t want to do line dancing last month – I really didn’t, but after I did – boy, that was the most fun I’d had in years!

Consequences

I believe that everything is resonant with consequence. The way that I flick dust from my keyboard sends echoes down the centuriesand the shape of the air as it exits my nostrils will send empires crashing to dust. A shiver passes over my back as I type these words, and in this way I know them to be true.

The air conditioning in the office was set to stun and so short sleeves were the order of the working day, despite a winteryview from the window thatspoke of midnight more thanearly afternoo...

All About Me

[image error]

Following on fromCharacter Map – Dave Roberts, which is all about me by another name, I am the kind of person who:

Likes myself a little bit too much Tries to deny the effects of time Hopes that wishes will come true Dresses and walks like a cowboy Tries to look like a tough guy Likes to protect the privacy of others Looks down on my neighbourhood Likes to overeducate myself for work Knows a little about a lot of things Knows a lot about a few things Looks to and plans for the future Has a...