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

Off on a Plot Walk...

“I’m just off out for a plot walk.”

Maybe as little as five years ago, I didn’t know what a plot walk was. Now it’s a Twitter hashtag, with its own variants (such as #plotsit) and one which is usually accompanied by gorgeous photographs. 

When I say I didn’t know what it was, I really mean I didn’t know that it had a name and that quite so many other writers do the same as I do when they’ve been staring at the screen for so long their eyes hurt and their story is at the I-need-this-to-happen-but-it’s-impossible stage. They slam the laptop shut, pull on coat and hat and scarf and wellies (because a real plot walk is not fair weather dependent) and head out. And somewhere in the wind and rain, among the sodden cats and battered daisies of the local front, the fallen leaves and left-over cans of Stella in the park, or the tell-tale explosion of pigeon feathers at the edge of the field, they will usually find inspiration. 

That’s when they post about it. I imagine many of them are like me and, when the soggy ramble ends in failure, they shrug, go home, have a cup of coffee, and get on with the washing up. 

In fact I’m more likely to try a plot cycle rather than a plot walk; although I’m gradually realising that plot cycles are less effective (and, in direct contradiction to what I’ve said above, much more dependent on fair weather). Because you’re travelling faster there’s always something else to think about. Is the road wide enough for that lorry to get past me? Oops, that horse looks a little skittish — better give it a wide berth. Watch that pothole. And oh my god, is that a hare?

What a plot cycle often does, however, is produce a story prompt. There’s that abandoned shoe on the pavement, in all its morning-after abandonment. (Is that how Cinderella was written?) There’s the cyclist I was chasing up a hill to see how much of the distance I could make up and who just disappeared. (All right, turned off when out of sight, but that’s how plots are born.) There’s the abandoned child’s toy in the middle of a lonely road. (Yes, we know the child thew it out of the car window.) And there's that cat that knows everyone and seems to have no home.

Do plot walks work for you? Or do you have an alternative solution? I would love to know.  

PASSING ON THE BATON

Life under Covid has given us all a bit of thinking time, and one of the thoughts that came to me - Linda Mitchelmore - was that I have no idea if any of my ancestors had been published or if I am the first to do the honours. I do know my paternal grandmother was illiterate at the time of her marriage and signed the register with her mark - x - so no baton-passing there. My father - ever an avid reader - left school at twelve but passed on his love of reading to me and my brother. I also know that I was the first in my family - both sides - to be educated after the age of fourteen and that has to have helped in getting me where I am today. That said, my maternal grandfather was enlightened for his times and insisted his daughters received the same education as his sons. Finance, alas, prevented my mother from going into highter education and I never knew her read anything buy Woman's Realm and My Weekly - good as they were and are. I'm very happy to say that both my children have seen their thoughts and words in print - my son in a Boy Scout guidebook and my daughter in a poetry anthology. This blog has been going a while now and yet there is so much about one another we don't know so I thought I'd ask the others about their 'batons'.

Rae Cowie says this:- 'When invited to write about 'passing on the baton' I feared I had failed to encourage anyone to write. As far as I am aware I am the first in my close family to have had work published, but creativity flourishes in lots of different ways. Our youngest son is studying drama and has dabbled with scriptwriting and our eldest used much of lockdown to mix a new music album. In the wider family we have artists and knitters, dancers and ice-skaters, crafters and cake bakers - all inspiring and imaginative. I suspect I have been motivated by them to make time for what I enjoy, and perhaps that is the legacy we can pass on to those around us. Do what makes your heart sing.'

Victoria Cornwall is also the first in her family to become a published author. 'I was brought up on a farm in rural Cornwall and although I loved to read, as a child I considered authors to be a breed apart from the people I knew. They were usually (to my mind at least) highly intelligent academics (non-fiction) or well-educated, upper class arty types who had an unfailing command of the English language ... not a Cornish accent to be heard! I blame Enid Blyton and Barbara Cartland for this view. Therefore, my desire to write a book was kept firmly hidden until I was middle-aged. By then the world had changed and everything was achievable if you were only willing to try and risk failing. So I gave writing a go and secured six publishing contracts. I have since discovered that writers are not all upper class arty types, but a mixed bag who come from all levels of society, with a wealth of experiences to inspire great stories. My own children do not have the desire to write novels. However,my grandchildren do love books. Yes, they are still babies and sucking on the pages appears just as much fun as looking at the pictures, but there is always the hope that they might like to take up the baton ... or at least read one of my books when they are old enough to escape into a novel.'

Terry Lynn Thomas is in the US (so I have left her spellings as she writes them over there). Here is what she has to say:- 'I'm the first member of my family in print. Of all my family members my niece is the avid reader. She's read all my books and - I think - she has a good idea about the effort and labor (sweat and tears) involved in getting a book out into the world. When I decided to write I remember her as a sweet-faced kid, impressed by my efforts and championing me in that loving way that's unique to children. Now that I'm published she is one of my loyal readers. She insists on buying copies of my books even though I've offered freebies, and is great about reading and reviewing. Now she's living a very interesting life and is gaining the experiences and understanding of people and the world that all writers need. So while she doesn't know it yet, I truly believe one of these days she'll call me and say,' You know what? I think I want to be a writer.' At that time I'll pass the baton with pleasure.'

Jennifer Young is about to buck the trend. 'I'm not the first in my family to be a writer. My mother, like me, has always written - articles to begin with, for publications such as Punch and The Guardian. Later she moved on to write short stories for The People's Friend where she became a regular contributor and wrote two serials as well as short stories. In those days, when magazines paid decent money, she received far more money (in actual, not real, terms) than I did decades later. My grandmother was not a writer and I sometimes wonder if she would have been had she had the opportunity. She was born into a mining family in South Wales in the 1890s and left school at the age of twelve to look after her family and then, widowed with a small child, had to work hard to keep the two of them. There was no chance for writing although she did read as much as she could and borrowed books from the families she worked for. I know all this because my mother, at the age of eighty-nine, is stil writing - her memoirs. And although there is no sign of creative writing coming in the generation below, you never know. Maybe wone day it will.'

Kath McGurl has this very intersting piece to tell us:- 'I'm the first writer in my family. At least, the first to publish novels and make a living from writing. But not the first published writer ever. A few years ago my brother visited a distant relative (our dad's cousin) and talked about writing. Shortly after she sent me a few ancient newspaper clippings - poems written and published by my great-grandfather, John Coward. I knew he'd been an artist - I have a couple of his watercolours on the wall. But it seems he also wrote poetry - a bit flowery, sentimental and Victorian for our modern tastes, perhaps. My father could have been a writer, I think. He told the most marvellous children's stories. He'd sit on my bed and just make stuff up, and in later years did the same for my kids. When he received a terminal cancer diagnosis he began writing his memoirs in his own wonderful style. Sadly, he didn't get very far with them. And my youngest son will be, I hope, the next in the family to hold that baton. He has a first class degree in Drama and has a talent for scriptwriting. He manages to make serious, thoughtful points while being funny. He's currently working with a post-grad Drama student adapting his final disseration piece with a view to making it available to a wider audience. If ever there are audiences in theatres again, that is. Covid has put life on hold to an extent, as for so many young people.'

And last, but by no means least, is Jennifer Bohnet's story:- As far as I know I am the first novelist in my family but not the first writer. My maternal grandfather was a man of many talents. He started off his working life as an apprentice potter with Wedgwood - I'm lucky enough to have his original apprentice papers. Both he and his father won medals for the quality of their work from the King. As time went on and work in potteries became scarce in the mid-twentieth century, he retrained as a telephonist and this is when he bcame active within his trade union and the Labour Party writing short, and long, pieces urging people to stand up for their rights. Sadly none of this propoganda survives, although my mother did at one time have a few dog-eared newspaper cuttings. And sadly, he never lived long enough to hear about my writing. I know he would have been thrilled. Now I'm the one in the family to get to be thrilled and proud. I've passed on the baton to my son, Nick. He published his first novel earlier this year and is now busy writing the second (in between skippering a boat for the environmental group, Sea Shepherd). I have to admit I do feel proud when he and I show up on the same Amazon page. And here's the cover of his first book.'

Twelve More Sleeps

Hey, everyone. Terry here full of news about my newest release, which comes out in ebook on the 28th of October. The Betrayal is my first foray into contemporary psychological suspense, and introduces Olivia Sinclair, an attorney on the brink of retirement. This book was so much fun to write! The second book in in the series is with my editor, and I'm working on the third book now. Here's the prologue and buy links, for those who are interested.

Prologue 

Sunday, October 5

When the alarm blared the Sunday financial recap, the woman woke with a start. She didn’t care about the Dow Jones Industrial Average, nor did she care about market volatility. Fumbling, she unplugged the old-fashioned clock radio and tossed it under the bed. Her thoughts, as they often did, went to her lover. She rolled over and pressed her face into his pillow, taking in the scent of him, that strange concoction of vanilla and citrus that made her senses reel.

Rolling over on her back, she took a deep breath, and cradled her belly, thinking of the baby that grew inside her. The positive pregnancy test lay on the table next to her, its vertical pink line a source of unimaginable joy. She snuggled under the duvet as the automatic coffeemaker kicked into gear, filling her apartment with the aroma of the dark roast coffee her lover preferred.

She saw the card on the doormat just as she poured her first cup of coffee.

I’ve rented a beach house for us tonight. I’ll send a key and the address by messenger. Meet you there around ten?

Leaning back against the counter, the woman closed her eyes, anticipating their rendezvous. Dear God, she craved him.

She did not know she had less than fifteen hours to live.

Buy links. I hope my prologue has you intrigued. If you are interested, you can purchase a copy of the book here. 

That's my news this week! Hope you are all doing well. 

Happy reading! 

A Room of One's Own

All writers need somewhere to work. Some have studies or spare rooms kitted with a desk, some curl up on the sofa with their laptop on their laps. Some, in those halcyon sunlit pre-Covid days (remember those?) prefer to go to a cafe and scribble in a notebook.

Some need absolute silence when writing, some put together sound-tracks to listen to, others are happy to write with the hubbub of every day life going on around them.

Since the pandemic struck and so many people began working from home, full-time writers (who always owned the home space during the day) have had to get used to the other half, and maybe the kids too, being there all the time. How they've managed to continue writing books is heroic. Hats off to the writers with day jobs they had to do from home, and kids they had to home-school, and novel contracts they still managed to stay on top of during 2020.

When I still had a day job, I worked from home anyway - I had done so since 1998, before it was fashionable (using a dial-up modem, no instant messaging systems, certainly no video-calls!) I'd do my day job in our home-office, then move to a sofa in the evenings to write. After I gave up that job last year, I kitted out my old work desk as a writing desk but I often still find I prefer working on that sofa. Maybe it's psychological - I equate being curled up there with writing.

We're now in the process of moving house. The large family home is too big for just two of us. When house-hunting, I was always eyeing up potential writing-rooms. I knew I'd need somewhere to put a desk, somewhere for the four full-height bookcases to go, and somewhere I could escape to, and curl up away from the TV and general husband-noise. We've chosen a bungalow, and we plan to add a garden room to it. A beautiful, wood-clad, fully insulated room, that I imagine as MY room. Something like the one in the photo below. I envisage all the books lining the back wall, my desk to one side, and a sofa-bed in the middle, facing out into the garden.

It might not be until next summer before the garden room is built, but I am looking forward to having that perfect space in which to write. Or read. Or day-dream. Or nap!

Where do you write? What's your dream writing-space?