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Peter C Whitaker
It turned out more interesting that I ever expected Karen. Originally I was more interested in classical and modern history but writing these books about 1066 has given me a whole new insight into an area of human activity that seemed largely ignored when I was at school.
A friend quizzed me the other day on why I had inserted a 'C' into my name, was it because I was now an author?The answer was no, but I kind of understood where the question was coming from.
I don't have a problem with people using initials but I am aware that some see it as pretentious. I told my friend that I hadn’t inserted the letter ‘C’ into my name; it has been there all along! My middle name comes from my deceased grandfather I thought that it would be a good way to remember him by using it, which is something that I freely admit that I do not do very often.
Also, there is a practical reason as well, I am not the only writer going by the name of ‘Peter Whitaker’!
So, using the initial kills two proverbial birds with one stone, but I hope I don’t have to keep explaining it to friend and stranger alike!
I was thinking the other day and it really hurt!
When that happens to me, I have a vodka. ;)
Patti (baconater) wrote: "When that happens to me, I have a vodka. ;)"I've come to the conclusion that my head has got too full and I need to do some writing to empty it a bit!
It usually works the other way round with me unless I drink Disoronno which has the remarkable effect of making me tipsy but not drunk and not giving me a hangover!! : )
I'll have to get a bottle and see if it works for me.
Frustration is setting in today, I am at work when I want to be at home writing!
You're not the first author to say that. ;)
Yeah I know Patti, and I should be glad that I have a job also.Writing though...it is so much fun!!
Its Friday and I am contemplating a free give-away this weekend if anyone is interested?
Now it is Saturday and I am banging my head against the wall thanks to Createspace!Oh what joy!
There's a create space help thread in the group somewhere, I think.Do search over there on the right.
Or start a new agony aunt thread. :)
Thanks Patti, I managed to get my manuscript sorted for Createspace, it took ahwile though.Of course with all that reformatting I had to go and make a few changes myself, as well as spotting some typos that somehow managed to escape the new despite all my previous efforts, so now I have gone and updated my Kindle version as well, which means that I have to wait 24 hours before I start the free give-away promotion.
Life as an author, it's a doddle!
Its beginning to feel like I can't give this book away!Time is just not on my side as there seems to be so many other things to do at the moment - not that I am complaining! No honestly!
I just reminded myself that I have a book out there, an actual produce that I wrote; that's an achievement of a life time's ambition!
Can't frown when I stop and consider things that way!
I have decided to postpone the give-away as I am at work today and in York tomorrow until Friday, a hard life I know.Hopefully might get something sorted at the weekend after watching Hull City beat Crystal Palace!
Well that was a weekend of extremes! Seeing Jools Holland in York with guest Mel C from the Spice Girls was amazing entertainment, loved every minute of it and even got a drink in at The Yorkshire Terrier in Stonegate on the way back to our B&B. Did a bit of Christmas shopping the following day which was very festive as York gets into the seasonal mood.Saturday was not so much fun, watched Hull City lose to Crystal Palace…enough said!
It now seems that everyday is going to be busy getting ready for the holidays but that’s okay, I love this time of year!
I am writing a trilogy of historical fiction novels concerning 1066 but I find my mind turning to something much darker.It seems that everyone expects me to continue in historical fiction after I finish my third novel but this project that currently exists only in my mind would be very difficult to squeeze into that genre. I don’t want to talk too much about it yet, what author does, but it is very different in every way from The Sorrow Song Trilogy.
True, it is set in a particular historical time, Britain in the 1930’s, but it is a very different Britain from that recorded in the history books, I suppose an ‘alternative history’ might cover it as a label but then it is so much more as well.
I am not setting out to write an alternative history, that is not the main attraction, it is just that the main subject kind of requires a slight alteration to the fabric of British history in order for the story to be told.
Curiously I have the subject of the book very strongly in my mind but other things are developing very slowly. I am not concerned as I still have two books to write before I can begin serious work on this project, but certain themes are already beginning to surface and a rather interesting notion has occurred to me that adds an extra dimension, perhaps a lighter one, to the very dark subject matter.
There are lots of other ideas scribbled down in my virtual jotter but this one has made the strongest impression upon me so far, I think that it is going to be something of a journey for me as it touches on personal experiences that are quite raw and although the subject often repels most people I find it fascinating in a way that others might not consider healthy.
Apparently I am going to be spending tonight digging out the Christmas decorations...yay!
The holiday season is almost here and already it is proving a distraction to writing.I suppose that is inevitable but I do not like this gnawing sensation at the back of my mind that keeps reminding me of the fact that I am not writing at the moment!
I know! I know!
But maybe that is not a bad thing? I'm a contemplative person and I develop a lot of my ideas and characters mentally before putting anything down on paper. It seems I've got a few weeks to do some seasonl contemplation!
I went rocking in Leeds at the weekend with some mates. We had tickets to see The Black Star Riders aka Thin Lizzy, along with support The Dead Daisies and Western Sand.The O2 Academy is an okay venue, not the best I’ve been to but not the worst either. A good crowd turned out as well, which made for a positive atmosphere.
First up was Western Sand from Hampshire, a 4 piece heavy rock outfit. They started a bit noisily, that is, all volume and no clarity, but this seemed to settle down so that those who actually like to hear their music could appreciate what a good sound they have and the strength of their song writing ability. They put in an impressive performance and I understand that they have signed to a record label; watch out for them!
Next came The Dead Daisies, a kind of collective of rocks itinerate musicians that include on this outing Darryl Jones from The Rolling Stones, Marco Mendoza from Thin Lizzy aka The Black Star Riders, and Dizzy Reed from Guns N’ Roses! As you would expect they were a totally accomplished outfit and singer Jon Stevens, now healed from his crocodile induced injuries, really belts it out.
Finally, the main act. I have seen them previously as Thin Lizzy, sadly without Phil Lynott or Gary Moore, but with Ricky Warwick doing a remarkable job on the vocals. Tonight he got to switch between sounding like Phil Lynott on classic Thin Lizzy numbers, ‘Don’t Believe a Word’ and ‘Jailbreak’ were especially good, and then getting to sing tracks from the band’s new album ‘All Hell Breaks Loose’.
For £25 this represent a great night’s rock entertainment, even if the beer in plastic glasses seemed overpriced. What the heck, you only live once and quality rock music doesn’t come along like this everyday!
It’s no good, this idea for a book keeps coming back to haunt me. The only way I am going to exorcise it is by writing it all down.I may not be having a holiday break after all!
Just remembered, I have a reindeer decoration to make...need some glue!
Just don't make it rain dear. We don't want a snue gliffer.
Ha ha! Sorry but the rain came anyway!The reindeer is made and I hate it, but then I always feel like that about anything that I make, paint or draw, maybe it will grow on me?
At last, I've got a free Kindle promotion up and running. If anyone wants to download a copy please visit Amazon from the 17th to the 19th of December!
My friend's daughter has bought a paperback copy of my book as a Christmas present for her dad...I never imagined anything like that when we were kids growing up together!!!
And so the holidays start! I am hoping to get 2 hours writig a day done, less Christmas Day of course, going to be far too busy opening my presents on that day!
Well that's the holiday over and I did manage to get some writing done, just not as much as I would have liked. I suppose that is always the case.I don't do New Year resolutions, I have never seen anything special in the change of the date from one year to another, any time is a good time to make your mind up to do something.
To that end I am determined to get the second volume of my trilogy out this year, before September even, while developing a totally unrelated writing project at the sametime.
First, I have to get through winter!
I am down to the last 10,000 words for my second novel, in other words the end is in sight!Well not really, once I reach my target the work doesn't end, it just changes to a different type, mainly editting, which can be intensive but also, against my epxectations, rewarding!
Well that was a pleasant surprise! I opened my email to find my first royalty payment for 'The War Wolf'!I have made (some) money from my book, I can call myself an author now!
The poor quality of television is proving very encouraging for writing!
Fancy me being mentioned in the same article as Leonardo DiCaprio?!http://theslayerrune.blogspot.co.uk/>
It feels like I have been absent for so long but then that is probably because I have; writing, it is a lonely activity!
The Northumbrian SagaAethelwin is the neice of King Osbert of Northumbria and a dedicated supporter of both him and her family, ‘The Peace Weaver’, the first part of this saga, is set against the turbulent times of the 9th century AD when Britain was overwhelmed by Danish and Norwegian invaders; popularly known as the Vikings. This provides an interesting historical backdrop against which the story is told but it can be a little confusing with many unfamiliar names and the particular character of Anglo-Saxon England at this time. You do not have to be a student of the early medieval period to enjoy this book and it is difficult for an author to balance an honest historical account of the time with the need to keep the reader entertained.
For the most part ‘The Peace Weaver’ manages to maintain the balance, never tipping into a historical essay and so becoming dry or forgetting its’ period and resulting in a superficial account of the fall of Northumbria as an independent kingdom. I enjoy descriptive writing and so appreciated reading about York, a place I know well, as the centre of the major events.
The story is told from Aethelwin’s point of view, which offers a female perspective on a period of history that is dominated by men. Unfortunately it also means that the several battles occur in the background with the women waiting for news. This is accurate but it does rob the book of both the tension and the excitement that such events can generate. There is one exception to this when the Northumbrians attempt to recapture York and Aethelwin is caught in the middle of the action, but events appear blurred, lacking a blow for blow account of how the Northumbrians managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
I also found the use of modern words somewhat jarring, they don’t occur everywhere throughout the text but when they do they are noticeable. This incongruity can be solved easily with a little editing.
As for Aethelwin she did not have my sympathy throughout the whole of the book. It should perhaps be remembered that she is only 13 at the beginning when she is married off by her family; she lacks experience and has a vaulted judgement of her own importance to her family and the king. Her relationship with her husband could have been examined in further depth perhaps, it would make her fall from grace all the more poignant if the reader believed that at one point there was genuine affection between the two. Her later exploits in a York under Danish rule also do little to endear her as she seems motivated only by a dream to free Northumbria of the Vikings and, consequently, fails to establish any meaningful relationships with anyone who cannot be useful to her in this pursuit. One aspect that I did like was the development of her relationship with her half-sister as this helped to show their growth and maturity.
I did not find any real surprises in the development of the plot, however, but despite the lack of tension I was intrigued enough to want to see what happened next. It was not a chore to get to the end; in fact I enjoyed it. Indeed, Aethelwin’s situation at the close of the book seemed very authentic and made her a character easier to sympathise with.
Good grief! It has been nearly a year since I last posted!Sluggard!!
A quick update on proceedings:1. The War Wolf is selling well and appears to have been warmly received.
2. For Rapture of Ravens is now published and has also been received positively. It is currently on offer using the Amazon Kindle Countdown promotion.
3. I am half way through completing my third novel that has absolutely nothing to do with Saxons and 1066. It is an alternative history story that touches on some painful subjects. Chapters 1 to 4 are currently with my beta-readers.
4. I have started work on the final instalment of the Sorrow Song Trilogy and I am hoping to have it ready for September this year but going has been slow due to life, the universe and everything. I am, however, an optimist!
A weekend fo extremes work wise. Saturday was just frustrating as I manfully wrestled with Chapter 5 and lost! Sunday was much more rewarding with a long session that broke Chapter 5's resistence and left me feeling like I had achieved something!Roll on Chapter 6!
Chapter 6 rolled on and went very well. I did not quite complete it but the word count was 18K+ when I put my keyboard!I get a real buzz when I feel that I have done some really creative.
Oh, and I also made an authentic Indian curry as well!
Why does work have to get in the way of writing?
I am so disillusioned with British politics that I am going to submerge myself in writing, at least there my opinions count for something!
It has been some 2 years since I last wrote something on this thread, I wish that I had a good reason for being both absent and neglectful but beyond being 'busy' I have not!Must do better!
In the spirit of ‘must do better’ I thought a ‘bringing it up to date’ piece was in order; so here it is!I started writing an historical fiction trilogy about the events of 1066 under the title ‘The Sorrow Song’. The first novel is ‘The War Wolf’ and it recounts the Battle of Fulford Gate, which is a largely ignored event that actually precipitated the crisis that was to engulf the Saxons. The second novel is ‘For Rapture of Ravens’ and this concentrates on the Battle of Stamford Bridge. The trilogy closes with ‘The Blade’s Fell Blow’ and of course the events at Senlatche Ridge near Hastings, where King Harold and his Saxons made their last stand. The final volume is due for publication in time for the 951st anniversary of the Battle of Hastings, next month.
Eugenica
As a way of taking a break from all things 1066 I wrote an alternative history novel, ‘Eugenica’, set in the 1930’s and looking at the subject of eugenics. This proved a very difficult book to write for personal reasons and it has proved a difficult book to get people interested in. Curiously, everyone who has read the book has had nothing but good things to say about it. Despite the horrors of dysgenics, the very negative form of eugenics infamously used by the Nazis, the story is an adventure designed to be uplifting. Yes, it has harrowing moments in it, but it also has some comedy and the excitement of fights, car chases, aeroplanes, and an airship!
Now that the Sorrow Song is coming to an end I am embarking on writing two new books. The first is a fantasy inspired my son’s frustration with my lack of interest in Games of Thrones. I explained to him that I was bored with medieval based fantasy so he told me to write something else then, so that is what I am doing. Tentatively titled ‘”The Queen of the Mountain’, this fantasy novel lacks elves, dwarfs, dragons, knights, and other such staples but it does have female ninjas, a princess looking to become the first woman to rule a sacred mountain, spies, assassins, a huge battle, an elder race of people who can manipulate matter with their minds alone, duels, and a whole new fantasy world. I am really enjoying working on this project.
As if one new book were not enough I am also crafting another one. This book owes its existence to a comment from a friend who lives in Switzerland. It is a science fiction book that includes time-travel, ecology, the collapse of capitalism, dinosaurs, over-population, resource management, and did I mention it had dinosaurs as well? Still in the very early stages of development but the idea has proven workable to me so I am going to continue with it.
Well, that's 'The Blade's Fell Blow' finished! Just got to get it onto Amazon and then set up a release date!
Sorting out travel details really messes up having the time to do some actual writing!
So, having finished one novel my next step is to finish the one that I started whilst writing 'The Blade's Fell Blow' and begin yet another one!I will be jumping genres as my fifth novel is a fantasy and my sixth is science fiction. I write as I read, without restrictions!
Nope. I keep being invited but I can't keep up with all the other web presences I have - not and keep writing, anyway!
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Books mentioned in this topic
Eugenica (other topics)The Northumbrian Saga (other topics)
My name is, as the topic title suggests, Peter Whitaker and I write as Peter C Whitaker not out of any pretension, as some critics suggest about authors using initials, but rather out of respect for my grandfather, I was given his first name as my middle name!
My first novel is a historical fiction story based on the events of 1066. Before I started writing it I had no particular interest in this period of history; the ‘Dark Ages’ as it used to be called. I like history enough, in fact I am very interested in it, but I never considered it seriously as a subject that I wanted to write about in a literary fashion.
This all changed when I was returning from a day in York with my wife and we drove past Stamford Bridge on A1079 to Hull. She commented about the sign for the battlefield and I told her how King Harold had defeated a huge Viking army there in 1066 and she suggested I should write something about it as I had made it sound quite exciting.
That was the moment this whole project started. I casually looked at the subject and discovered that there were three battles in 1066! I found this discovery quite surprising as I could only recall Stamford Bridge and Hastings; I had never read anything about the Battle of Fulford Gate!
So, many days later, I find myself having created a trilogy of stories based on these three battles, I call it ‘The Sorrow Song Trilogy’, and linked by one character who, as a warrior, strides over all the battlefields of 1066 and links the three books together. The War Wolf is the first volume and just released on Kindle.
If anyone is interested I would be happy to discuss any subject related to my writing. In fact I am interested in so many things that I would be happy to go off on a tangent as well, as long as it remains within the rules of the group of course!