Image Credits:-
All images from Pixabay/Pexels unless otherwise stated with many created in Book Brush. Book cover images from Chapeltown Books and Bridge House Publishing. Screenshots taken by me, Allison Symes.
Had a fabulous weekend. Wonderful family wedding on the Saturday. I took our church service on Sunday and it was a time of peace and quiet reflection, which I appreciated.
Have to watch the hot temperatures again this week for Lady but she’s doing well. Am so looking forward to being at The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick very soon. I will be posting as and when I can while there but may do one round up post next week and that on my return.
Facebook – General
Hope you’ve had a good day. Cooler but still not quite as cool as Lady and I would like. Still, we’re getting there.
Writing wise, I’m working out what I’d like to be going to at The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick later this week. I do have basic ideas but know I will probably change my mind on at least some of them when I get there. It is almost a ritual for many of us! Good to have plenty of choice though!
Will be hosting an ACW group tomorrow night and am looking forward to that. We’ll be discussing all things science fiction/fantasy related though we often spin off into talking about writing issues too.
Character Tip: Know what makes your creations tick. Motivation really is everything. It is such a powerful driver and one readers will get behind even if they don’t approve of what the character is doing. It is, for me, what makes characters come to life almost more than anything else.
The countdown to Swanwick week begins! And that thought has cheered me up considerably given it has been another busy and very hot Monday.
Talking of Monday, it is time to share the story I put up on my Substack platform yesterday. This is one of my moving tales. Hope you enjoy The Newsletter.
Yesterday’s family wedding was all you’d hope it would be – lovely, fun, and moving and a joy to be at. Managed to get some writing done on the way up to it and then posted the results on the way home! Writing on the move with someone else driving is great!
Pleased to say my author newsletter went out okay yesterday.
Have already packed quite a bit for The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick. There will a few bits and pieces to do later in the week but that’s it. Anyone would think I was keen!
Talking of this fabulous week, I will be posting at various times and some regular posts I may defer to when I am back home again. For example, my twice weekly blog round up over on my website may become once a week while I’m at Swanwick and then when I’m home. I’ll see how things go and how tired I am!
You get such a buzz from Swanwick in terms of being with other writers, as well as what you learn from the courses and workshops, by the time you get back to your room again, you’re usually just wanting to get some kip. (This is how it should be, of course!).
Am on my way to a family wedding as I write this though whether I’ll get to post this today remains to be seen. I do love the notes app on my phone. Always use it when out and about. Have drafted plenty of useful material with it.
Writing wise, I’ll be welcoming Scottish crime writer, Val Penny, back to Chandler’s Ford Today to discuss her Murder in Gilmerton, which is part of her DI Hunter Wilson series.
Much has happened since I last interviewed Val, not least of which is her move to Joffe Books. We discuss that and more in an in-depth interview. Do look out for it next Friday.
Facebook – From Light to Dark and Back Again
Have got a potential 250 word flash competition to have a go at, news of which landed in my inbox earlier this week. If I get any time at Swanwick, I will draft some thoughts, else it will be something I may have a go at on the train journeys up there and/or home again.
Love getting some writing done on the train and flash is wonderful for this. I can get a draft down in about half an hour or so, depending on word count.
Flash Tip: If you’re wondering what to write about, think about the themes which intrigue you the most and start from there. Look at why they intrigue you. Ideas may well start to spring up just by doing that. Guess how I know!
It’s Monday. It’s hot. It’s busy. It’s still hot. It’s still Monday. Time for another story from my YouTube channel then.
Hope you enjoy Spreading The News. Both this tale and my Substack one focus on a newsletter this time. Hope you enjoy both of them but now for the YouTube tale.
There are always consequences for critics of the fairy government. Find out what happens to Jasminda here.
Will be cracking on with flash fiction Sunday shortly after a busy weekend. Family wedding yesterday and I took a church service this morning. Part of my theme for that was the importance of keeping themes simple and to the point. They’re easier to remember that way. Oh and stories are a fantastic way of getting themes across to folk (and without preaching, which I know sounds ironic, but you really do want people to remember the theme).
None of this is new to any fiction writer, of course. For those of us focusing on the short forms, I think it is even more important for your theme to stand out. It will do a lot of the “heavy lifting” for you in terms of your word count if you get your characters to show the theme in “action”.
Readers will pick up on the inferences. Inference plays a huge role in short fiction, especially flash. And I must admit it is an aspect to flash I adore. I like to work things out. I just need the right clues from the author to do so.
Also delighted news of Seeing The Other Side went out on the Association of Christian Writers newsletter – again it’s a perk of membership. What’s nice about ACW is you have such a wide range of writers here – those, like me, who are Christians working in the secular market and others who do write direct devotional items. A broad church indeed.
Inspiration for flash stories can come from practically anywhere but when you get to do some general observations, you can be spoiled for choice.
Am at a family wedding today so suspect ideas might strike if colours, clothing etc catch my eye. Will also have great observational opportunities when I head up to The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick soon.
I always change something about what catches my eye and do likewise with prompts of any kind. I like to put my own spin on these things.
Goodreads Author Blog – Events
Now that my third flash fiction collection, Seeing The Other Side, is now out, I’m thinking about book events. There will be a launch at The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick and my publisher is planning an online event. I’ll also be having an event in Salisbury in early September (5th). I hope there will be more to come too.
Book events are obviously great for writers but how about for readers?
I think events are great opportunities for readers to discover writers whose work is new to them and you get the chance to quiz the authors. We love being asked about what we write! So if you can support author events, it would be much appreciated.
Events can also be fabulous parts of stories, of course. Given events of all kinds have an impact on us, it would be odd for this not to be reflected in fiction. Where would Pride and Prejudice be without the ball at Netherfield or The Lord of The Rings without Gandalf turning up in The Shire? That was seen as a big event especially by Frodo who had no idea then just how big a turning point it would be for him.
So let’s celebrate the events, whether we hold them, go to them, or read about them.
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