Goodbye, Blue Monday

So we’re approaching the end of January and now that Blue Monday is safely behind us, I feel it’s a good time to sit back and take stock of the year to come. 

Blue Monday always strikes me as a commercial construction designed to make us all feel miserable so we spend to cheer ourselves up but, looking past that particular element, I always find it a good point to start the year. The frenetic pace of the festive period has slowed, the flurry of atypical activity surrounding resolutions has died down and we’re back to whatever passes for normal. 

This year we have a new garden. We’ve been in since late summer, watching everything die down. In the winter it was time to clear the flower and vegetable beds (yes, for the first time I have a vegetable garden) and watch what’s coming up and who’s coming in. 

The visitors are birds by the hundred, a bold red squirrel and a fox that creeps in by night leaving grim surprises on the lawn. (A pheasant with its throat ripped out, since you ask.) And so far the bleak winter garden in offering us snowdrops, promising daffodils in Wordsworthian abundance and delivering a single aconite as a golden down payment. 

Spring is definitely on its way and maybe that’s why I feel so optimistic about life in general and my writing in particular. A writer is programmed to feel disappointment. Most of us have dozens of rejections to show before that first acceptance came, and just because your first short story is published (say) it doesn’t stop the next ten bouncing back. And every author knows a single-star review weighs many times more that a five-star one. 

At times it’s hard to be positive. When November ladles rain over the garden and the birds sit shivering in the bare trees; when it’s mid-January ad nothing is up in the garden; these are times when there’s a miasma over life in general. Those are the days when your beta readers hate your new manuscript and you want to cry; when the one-star reviews come more thickly (maybe the readers are down at heart, too); and when it’s easy to decide it’s not worth going on.

But the grey days are behind us and the sunshine is getting noticeably warmer. So far 2020 has had both ups and downs and I’m sure that’ll go on. But there are books to be written and stories to be told. I can’t help feeling generally optimistic. 

Let’s see what the year brings. 

Never Will We Ever...Write...What?

This week’s blog is a joint effort and we’re tackling the thorny question of genres we wouldn’t write in…

Jennie Bohnet says: 

Oh dear, there are so many genres that I can’t see myself ever writing in! At the moment I write in the genre usually labelled ‘woman’s fiction’ or ‘chick-lit’. Incidentally I think both those labels are a tad insulting to women in general but that’s the way the market is. 

My stories are about relationships but for me that rarely includes sex scenes. I’m very definitely keep ‘the bedroom door closed’ sort of writer! I’ve tried once or twice but sitting at the keyboard typing the scene I embarrass myself. So erotica heads the list, closely followed by horror, dystopian, fantasy and YA (another slightly patronising marketing term). These are all genres I never read so wouldn’t know how to start writing in them. 

Are there any genres left that maybe I would consider? Mmm, I have to admit I do fancy writing a novel set in the decade before the second world war when the Jazz Age was at its height in the south of France. I admit too I’ve done lots research already. But the early twentieth century is now regarded as an historical era and that is a genre I’ve never thought I’d write in so perhaps . . . 

Terry Lynn Thomas says:

Choosing a genre is a pivotal moment for any writer. Think about it. Once we choose a genre, (A murder? A romance? A ghost story? Police procedural?) we’ve committed to spending 300 pages in this particular world and scenario. Operating under the credo of write what you love, I am a devout crime and mystery writer. And while I read across variety of genres, there are a handful that I don’t see myself writing anytime soon. 

Who doesn’t love a good romance, especially when the damaged alpha male heals his wounds, both psychological and physical, and throws himself on the sword for the love of his woman? (This trope works well reversed, too, with a damaged alpha female.) Love – the lack of it, the desire for it, and the unattainability of it – is a perfect backdrop for conflict. There are so many writers who amaze me with the way they weave rich story tapestries around love. Oh, how I wish I could do the same. Who doesn’t love a well-crafted romance, a fresh, upbeat happily ever after, especially if it’s laced with historical intrigue? There are times when I read straight romance and am amazed at the deft way in which the author deals with the emotion. This skill does not, however, extend to me. On the occasions where I’ve tried to write about love, someone always winds up dead. Mysteries are my jam. Happy 2020, all. 

Victoria Cornwall says: 

I find documentaries about real life crime/murder, and how it is ultimately solved by the police force and forensic team, fascinating. I would love to be able to write a great contemporary crime novel and how it was solved using ground breaking forensics and research, and, of course, have lots of twists and turns along the way. Although I “enjoy” learning about these real life crime cases, I also know how much I don’t know about the subject i.e. protocols, advancement in techniques etc. 

With this in mind, I would never attempt to write a contemporary crime novel. I would want the story to be accurate, but without inside knowledge or experience of working in these places myself, I am concerned it would end up being a superficial homage to the real thing. I call these types of films/books “Scooby Doo” crime stories, where the method of solving the crime is inaccurate, out of date and breaks protocols which would, in reality, damage the court case which would follow. Perhaps an historical murder mystery would be the answer, where intuition and eye witnesses played a larger role and when procedural protocols were ill-defined.

Rae Cowie says: 

To write in any given genre, I believe an author must read widely and be familiar with that market’s offering, which is why I will never attempt to write procedural crime fiction. My understanding is that the crime fiction market, as well as being hugely popular, is one where readers are particularly knowledgeable and demanding in terms of facts. 

Although I enjoy reading psychological suspense and domestic noir, I don’t read nearly enough procedural or true crime fiction to give these genres a go. Instead, I’ll continue to explore my dark side by penning short stories that include suspense, sometimes even death, but without the need for police procedural knowledge. I’ll leave that to the experts!

Linda Mitchelmore says:

I could never write crime. Never. I am a seat-of-the-pants writer so to know the end (whodunnit) before I'd written the first chapter wouldn't be for me. In real life, I've also seen the effects crime has on people .... even a thing like a simple break-in or a bag snatch, can really upset the status quo. There have also been much more serious and life-changing crimes against family members, so .... crime is out.

And, er um, erotica. I'm not a prude but .... I wouldn't choose to write it, I am of the missionary persuasion so wouldn't know where to start with sex games. Write what you know is good advice and I know nothing!

And then there's science fiction. I know no one can criticise the content of a sci fi novel because well, no one knows if those other worlds exist, but when sci fi characters start talking about obscure pieces of equipment with strange names I can't pronounce I'm lost.

I've written historical novels and I've written contemporary women's fiction so I'll probably stick to those at this stage in my life .... but never say never!

😉

KathMcGurl says:

What genres do I not write in? Well I think it would be easier to say the only genre I do write in - which is dual timeline. But I guess within my dual timeline novels there is historical, crime, mystery, romance... so in a way I write in all of those, just all within the same book!

I would never try a police procedural, or a modern day thriller, although I do occasionally read these genres. I feel they'd be too hard to get right. I would also never write horror, and don't read it either. And my chances of being able to write a credible Young Adult novel are slim - I'm just not 'down with the kids' enough to be able to pull this off.

I do admire authors who write in several genres, sometimes with many pen names. Being able to switch from one to another is quite a feat. I chose to write dual timeline as they were my favourite books to read, so for the moment at least I am sticking to it.

Jo Allen says: 

As someone who’s switched genre and may yet switch again, I would be giving a hostage to fortune if I started to list the genres I’ll never write in. Once upon a time, I recall, I said I would never, could never, write crime…and here I am. 

I think there are lines in the sand, though, and those are drawn at genres that don’t interest me. While horror and sci-fi are hugely popular and require enormous talent to do properly, they don’t really interest me. I dip into them but I’m definitely not a huge fan and really don’t think I could commit the time and effort required to do them justice. The same goes for erotica: I’m much more about the motional side than the physical. 

That said, I recently found myself saying the same about fantasy (I mean, I have nothing but admiration for those who can be bothered to build and entire new world). Then i went through some old files and discovered the earliest known piece of my fiction writing, which is a piece of fan fiction written in the style of Tolkien — and that’s about as fantastic as it gets. 

Our first guest author of the decade, Kate Furnivall, talks all things research.

When I found out I was to host the first guest author of the decade there was no contest. Happily, fellow Brixham Writers member, and acclaimed Times best-seller author Kate Furnivall, agreed to take part. I have been privileged and thrilled to attend every one of Kate's local book signings, and have also heard snippets of every work-in-progress read out at our weekly meetings. How lucky am I?? So ... here she is:-

 Let's talk research by Kate Furnivall

It sounds dull, doesn't it? Dull, drab and dusty. Trawling through a never-ending pile of books and documents, trekking up to London to scour the hallowed shelves of the British Library. Jotting fiercely into notebooks. Not exactly a thrill a minute, right? Wrong. Believe me, research is the most fun-filled part of novel-writing. Because once I have been through all the books and the photos of my chosen setting for my new story, I toss my mozzie-cream into my wheelie case and off I go to explore. It might be Italy, France, Russie, the Bahamas or the captivating ancient secrets of Egypt, all of which have provided settings for my books. It's time to get my hands dirty. To smell the earth, taste the local delicacies and lose myself in mysterious alleyways that lead ... well, who knows where? I don't plan. I go with the flow.

   It usually starts well. When I land at the airport I proffer my passport with a polite smile and try not to look like a drug-donkey. I check into a comfortable hotel, no problem. Except for the time I dived into a creaky old lift - the cage sort with a grille for a door that snaps at your fingers - in an equally creaky Montmartre hotel in Paris and the electricity shorted out. I was stuck. In the dark. For an hour. Merde!

   But wait. It gets weirder. There was the time I stopped off at a lavatory on the side of a Russian motorway - one of the hole-in-the-ground variety perched over a smelly stream in a forest. Yes they DO still exist over there. As I emerged I found myself face to face with a skinny pale-eyed wolf. We both froze. Stared. Showed our teeth. I don't know which of us was more terrified. An old black crow dropped down from a branch, flapping its wings. The wolf fled one way. I fled the other, and you can bet that at the next hole-in-the-ground I kept my legs crossed.

   These things have a habit of happening to me, as if I slip down strange wormholes. On another occasion for research purposes I went up in a flimsy pre-war open-cockpit Tiger Moth biplane to immerse myself in the authentic feel of the experience for The Betrayal in which my main character was a flyer. At two thousand feet in the air the pilot's voice trickled through the intercom. 'Would you like to fly the plane?' he asked. 'Oh yes, please,' I heard my own voice reply. Aghast, my stomach did a handstand as I took the controls. But dear Reader, I lived to tell the tale.

   It was my research trip to Egypt for Shadows on the Nile that turned out to be the cherry on the adventure cake. I was met at Cairo airport by an amiable long-faced man who shook hands with so many people over the next few days while guiding me around the pyramids and the delights of Cairo that you - like me - would probably be thinking how friendly Egyptians are. Until I discovered he was a drug dealer passing his wares and the police came knocking on my hotel door.

   On the same trip the Tahrir Square riots erupted around my ears right next to the hotel and the night sky burst into flames. I watched with open-mouthed horror, convinced my research had finally done for me. Yet only a week later I was aloft in a hot-air balloon floating majestically through an oyster-pink dawn over the somnolent desert at Luxor. A long-held dream come true for me. But suddenly a man's voice shouted from within the wicker basket. 'Crouch! Grab the rope! Don't let go!' I crouched. I grabbed. The balloon was descending much too fast. We hit the ground with an almighty crash and, with the basket tipped on to its side, we were dragged along at speed through a field of bright green sugarcane. I clung ferociously to my grubby piece of rope to stop myself falling and didn't let go.

   So yes, I am still alive and I am planning my next research trip. Another adventure? Bring it on. Where's my wheelie case?

For those yet to read Kate's fantastic historical novels you might like to know you can get a taster right now as GUARDIAN OF LIES is only 99p on Kindle. Enjoy!

Walking and Writing

I've just spent two full weeks at home with my husband and sons over Christmas. In that time we've been on loads of lovely walks - along the cliffs and beach near our home in Bournemouth, over Hengistbury Head - the peninsular between the Bournemouth beach and Christchurch harbour, in the New Forest, and through the suburbs and streets into the town centre.

Sons at Hengistbury Head

Some days the weather was glorious - crisp cold days when the sun glints off the sea. Others were grey and overcast but still with a subdued beauty of their own.

My family are all keen on walking. When with others you can chat or fall silent, enjoying the surroundings. When alone you can let your mind wander. I often find myself writing a chapter of my work-in-progress, or a blog post, or planning a new novel as I walk.

I've used walking as a therapy in the past. I remember returning home feeling stressed after settling my mum back into her home after she'd had a prolonged spell in hospital. I was on call for work and had an outstanding call I needed to deal with - I'd thought I should just log onto my computer straight away and sort out the problem. But my husband said no, you need a bit of time for yourself first, and he insisted I go out for a walk with him, along the cliffs and back along the beach. By the time I'd done this I felt so much better, able to check in with work with a clear head, and glory of glories, found that someone else had solved the problem.

Once a year we head up to the Lake District with friends for a week's more serious walking in the fells. There's nothing better than the feeling of stretching muscles as you climb, each step taking you a little higher and further than the last; the sense of accomplishment when you reach the summit cairn; the glorious views from the top. Sadly with my aging knees the descent is not so pleasurable, but so far walking poles plus knee supports plus ibuprofen get me down safely.

With my husband in the Lake District

The Lake District has provided me with inspiration for my novels - especially The Drowned Village which is based on a reservoir remarkably like Haweswater, and its submerged abandoned village.

So, in the spirit of 'new year, new you,' why not try walking more? Walk to the shops for that extra pint of milk instead of hopping in the car. Walk to your friends' houses. Walk to the restaurant for your night out. Or just walk for the sake of it, to give yourself a half hour or so away from work/writing/chores. You'll return feeling exercised and refreshed and altogether more able to face the world.

Maybe I'm preaching to the converted here - maybe you're all walkers anyway. But if you're not, give it a go. It's a form of exercise that can be done anywhere, costs nothing, requires no training to get in shape for, and which brings all sorts of health benefits, both mental and physical.

Happy New Year, and happy walking!