NEVER JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER ...... OR

... or do you? OK, so I know this doesn't mean, literally, judging books before we've read them but more a metaphor for not taking things at face value. I know a fabulous cover could be the gilding on a load of poo within or, conversely, a cover that's more bland than porridge could conceal a hidden gem. I'm old enough to remember when the banned (back then) LADY CHATTERLEY'S LOVER bred a rash of copies coming into school and being passed around under desks concealed in homemade brown paper covers. None of us was judging it by its cover, but all of us eager for the sex lesson that lay within. But now ... confession time. Call me fickle if you will but if a book cover doesn't attract me I rarely even bother to pick up that book or read the blurb. There are books with covers I would never consider picking up. Think - in my case - anything with lace and frills, ribbons and glitter, or fancy wrought ironwork in the background - but that's probably another blogpost. In my defence I cite that as humans we are attracted to other humans, to buildings and scenery, to animals and clothes, and cakes in pattiserie windows and a million other things by their looks. Why should it be any different for books? It's often said we eat with our eyes before a morsel of food touches our lips and for me choosing books is much the same - the cover design can transport me instantly into another world ... or not. So now to my own book covers. They've been ok. Just that - ok. Would I have picked up my own books off those tables just inside the door in Waterstones (remember when we could do that on a whim whenever we wanted to??)or off the shelf in W H Smith? Probably not. I do have a favourite though. SUMMER AT 23 THE STRAND. It wasn't in the least illustrative of the location I'd imagined or the chalet I'd described in detail but it does make me wonder who might be in the other houses and what's around the corner and could I blag a sail in that yacht. And I love the colours. Summery. Sunny times. And now - for us all - times that were more free. Thank goodness, then, for books and for the fact we are all different and enjoy different genres and different times and different places to visit in our minds - books on which we can be judge and jury, whether or not we like the covers.

LINDA MITCHELMORE

FLASH FORWARD WITH FLASH FICTION

Hello!

It's all about flash fiction this week, as I'm thrilled to share that I was recently listed in two flash competitions. One piece, The Promise of Snow, will be included in a Bath Flash Fiction anthology, due to be published in December. I have posted more about flash fiction  - what it is, why writing flash is like completing a jigsaw puzzle - over on my blog.

Flash Forward with Flash Fiction...

However, today I plan to share competitions and magazines that invite submissions from flash fiction writers. Some competitions are themed, whilst others are open to most styles and genre, but always check the rules before submitting. Most charge a fee for entering. So whether you are a seasoned flash fiction storyteller, or a newbie like me, or it is a form you wish to try, hopefully at least one of the places listed below will inspire.

Bath Flash Fiction Award

BATH FLASH FICTION AWARD

The Bath Flash Award offers great prizes for flash fiction - £1000 (1st), £300 (2nd), £100 (3rd) and £30 (for two commended writers). Also, those longlisted have the opportunity of seeing their work in print, both online and in an end of year anthology. The competitions sets a 300-word limit and the next round closes on February 7th 2021 - so loads of time to get started on those drafts and have a go!

FLASH 500 COMPETITION

The Flash 500 is a quarterly competition that allows a more generous count of 500 words. The next closing date is a bit closer, on the 31st December, but perhaps entering is a nice excuse to grab some well-earned me-time, away from festivities, to polish that prize-winning piece?

Writer's Forum Magazine

WRITERS' FORUM MAGAZINE

The Writers' Forum magazine runs a monthly flash fiction competition (or short short writing, as they prefer to describe it) with the winner being awarded £100 and published in the next month's magazine. A runner-up is also selected and their piece is printed too. This comp is usually themed and issues a tight deadline, to help stop procrastination. The count expected is between 490 and 510 words. Check out the latest issue for details.

MSLEXIA MAGAZINE

Mslexia magazine runs regular competitions for subscribers. Their latest Flash Challenge is to tell a complete story in 250 words, and the theme is TEMPTATION. Whilst the deadline is 11th January, 2021.

CRANKED ANVIL FLASH FICTION COMPETITION

The Cranked Anvil competition runs quarterly and, if you are quick, you may be able to meet their next deadline of 30th November. Your story should be no more than 500 words in length.

RETREAT WEST THEMED FLASH FICTION PRIZE

Retreat West offers another quarterly themed competition, looking for pieces of up to 500 words. December's theme is BRIDGES, and entries must be with them by 29th December.

GROWTH OF FLASH FICTION

These are only a selection of the places open to flash fiction writers (there are loads more) and I would love if you would share others in the comments. It is a form that is growing in popularity with both readers and writers, and also a fun way to explore potential longer pieces too.

But in the meantime, good luck and happy (flash fiction) writing!

Rae x

 

Book Trailers. Do you love them or loathe them?

Do you love them or loathe them? Whatever you think, a book trailer is another way for an author (or publisher) to inform a reader about their latest release. I must admit, a book trailer has never persuaded me to buy a book, but it might just persuade someone else so I thought I would give it a go and make one for each book in my Cornish Tales series.

I suspect there is a budding filmmaker somewhere deep inside me as I quite enjoyed the process, although I soon discovered that there was a very defined limit to my amateur skills. Many publishers do not create book trailers, so often it falls to the author to make one. I found myself in this situation, so before I entered this unchartered territory, I asked myself the following questions.

Do I make one in the first place?
This is a serious question to consider. A bad book trailer can turn people off, just as much as a good one can tempt someone to buy. Are you able to convey the essence of the book to film? This is not as easy as you might think. There are many software programmes available, with varying complexities. For the majority of my book trailers I used Windows photo editor (previously Movie Maker), as it is simple, which suited my limited skills.

How long should it be?
Short. People are busy and a long, slow, drawn out film will result in people switching it off. I think somewhere between one to two minutes is best, but certainly no longer.

How much text do I use?
In my opinion, the average book blurb contains too many words. A short film, which is too wordy, can turn people off too. It needs to be simple, but convey the emotional element of the story succinctly. The most important thing is to leave the reader with the teasing hint that there is more of the story to discover, because discovering twists and turns is part of the joy of reading a new book. Daniel's Daughter has a convoluted story with lots of twists and turns. The sub-characters are just as important as the main protagonists. So I decided to leave a lot of the detail out, keep it simple and hint at the complexity by using real review quotes to convey the story. Book trailers are always better with the sound on, so bear that in mind if you decide to look at the examples below. Please click on the book trailer picture to view.

Should I use music?
Absolutely! Music conveys the type of story far better than any picture or text can. For example, upbeat music conveys a light hearted read, whereas drama and emotional reads require something quite different.

Below are two very different book trailers, the first, The Daughter of River Valley, is for a tense and dramatic story, whereas the second, A Daughter's Christmas Wish, has a very different feel, one of sadness and hope. Just click on the picture to view each video and remember to turn on the sound.

What about copyright and royalties? Do I need to worry about these?

Yes! Music and images with copyright cannot be used without the express consent of the person who owns that copyright. Music may have royalty issues too. Thankfully, there are many images and a great selection of music that can be used, just check the source first before using it. The music I have used are royalty free as long as a attribution is given, which I have in the credits at the end. Some of the images also require attribution, while others do not. There is also nothing stopping you using your own photographs.

What sort of images do I use?

This is up to the author, but as a reader I would want to see something interesting and has something to do with the novel. It is very difficult to find historically accurate images, particularly of handsome men, unless you wish to spend a lot of money. Close up images are a good way to cheat. I had particular difficulty with Daughter of the House as I had to find suitable images for the hero and heroine as they grew up. This is a good example where music really helped to convey the story, so turn up the sound and enjoy and see if you can spot my tricks of getting over the thorny issue of historical fashion.

Images or moving pictures? Which is best?

That depends on the actor or the pictures! I used an actor in the The Thief's Daughter. She was very good, but I soon discovered that filming outside was far more difficult than I had anticipated. Weather, lighting and the general public were things I had not really considered. I also discovered that it is far more difficult to portray onto film what I had imagined in your head. Finding the right clothes was also an epic task! It was fun and although I was not happy with the wind, in the end I think it added life to the final edit. However, my later book trailers were made with images so I was able to control the weather and lighting!

What else should I think about?

I have met many authors during my writing career. Most are very modest people and so this is just a timely reminder to all those out there thinking about making book trailers... remember to add the following...

1) The name of your book and who wrote it! Yes, it is easy to forget this vital information!

2) An image of your book. I think its a good idea to add it at the beginning and then again at the end, just as a gentle reminder.

3) Links and information on where it can be bought.

4) Don't forget to add acknowledgments, attribution and the location where it was filmed.

Most of all, enjoy the experience. You never know, there might be a budding Hitchcock, Spielberg or, the largely forgotten but original trail blazer, director Alice Guy-Blake, lurking somewhere deep in your soul!

 So what did you think? Do you like book trailers or loathe them? I would love to know.

Victoria Cornwall