Tag: cyber launch

Well, what IS your story? Image via Pixabay.

QUIZZES AND QUESTIONS

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CYBERLAUNCH NEWS

Just to confirm my launch will be on Saturday 1st April from 10 am to 6 pm UK time.  All welcome!  I have started posting items to the event page including, tonight, a poll asking how writers began writing.  What was the spur?  Comments welcome (as well as joining in with the poll itself).  I will be posting something on the page every night as a kind of warm up to the main event on Saturday.

See the link at https://www.facebook.com/events/685324028308037/?active_tab=discussion

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FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

Linking in with the cyberlaunch poll, in Quizzes and Questions I ask what educational standards your characters would have.  What kind of questions would they be expected to be able to answer?  Who would host quizzes in your fictional world’s equivalent of the media?

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

Again trying in with launch, in News of Events, how would your characters promote events (and what would they be promoting?). What counts as news for your characters?

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I talk about one of the nice aspects of writing and reproduce the post in full here.

One of the nicest things about writing is how therapeutic it can be when life is going belly side up, so to speak.

Your fictional setting and characters literally take you out of yourself and get you to think about something much more positive. So do I understand writing as therapy? Definitely.

Most of the time I write because (a) I love doing so, (b) I can’t imagine NOT doing so, (c) for entertainment and (d) for publication.

But during those times when life seems to be on the darker side, writing comes into its own. I’m all for the arts in general being used in therapy and I wonder if it was used more often like that, how much would be saved in other NHS costs? Quite a bit I think.

Link to post and page:

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Says it all really. Image via Pixabay.

Says it all really. Image via Pixabay. And am glad to say my poorly border collie, Mabel, has very much been showing this spirit.

There's still a place for writing directly to paper. Image via Pixabay

LINES THAT WILL LEAD TO TROUBLE

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FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

Lines that Will Lead to Trouble shares five instances of things you or a character visiting a magical world would definitely not want to hear.  Examples include wondering what the ring with the strange writing on it will do and whether the friendly looking old lady in the pointed hat will give directions.  (Yes, to her oven, best avoid).  Can you add to the list?

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

What Not to Give a Writer is a post inspired by a present I received this week as I’d had my birthday on the Wednesday.  I received gifts I definitely did want, including a writer’s kit – all good things but it led me to wonder about what a writer would not want.  I’ve included not wanting a lecture from someone who claims they’d write if only they had the time.  Committed writers make the time even if it is only a small amount each day.

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Short post tonight so have reproduced it in full here…

Must admit though I will like the lighter evenings, I don’t like the clock change business. I wish they’d pick one time and stick to it. I always feel a bit jet-lagged for a few days after the change.

Good to see family and friends today. Looking forward to cyber launch next weekend.

Not much reading achieved this week, hope to make up for that a bit tomorrow.

 

CYBER LAUNCH NEWS

Don’t forget.  The cyber launch for From Light to Dark and Back Again is next Saturday, 1st April between 10 am and 6 pm.  All welcome to drop by! 

https://www.facebook.com/events/685324028308037/

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Books make wonderful gifts. Image via Pixabay.

THE WAY FORWARD

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FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

The Way Forward looks at how our characters should know what their way forward is, even if they keep being frustrated in trying to achieve it by circumstances or other characters.  They need to keep finding their way forward.  It’s easy for a writer sometimes to feel a bit overwhelmed by the choices we can make for our characters which will turn the whole story.  And as for marketing work, there are so many options available, it can be difficult to find our personal way forward.  But our characters should know and be driven by the need to achieve it.  Are yours?

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

I list three of my top thoughts in Favourite Things about Writing.  I deliberately limited this as it would have been too easy to write all night on this topic!  I love writing as it takes you out of yourself (really useful in times of stress), encourages reading (never a bad thing) and there is a strong sense of community in the writing world generally.  See what you think.  Comments as to what your top three favourite things about writing would be are very welcome.

CHANDLER’S FORD TODAY

My post this time is Part 1 of an interview with local writer, Martin Kyrle, who along with photographer Michael Roberts, has produced Jottings from the Trans-Siberian Railway, a fascinating account of their experiences on an amazing railway journey.  (Amazing not always in a good way either!).  More tomorrow….

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Glad to report there appear to be no issues tonight.  My author page is back up.  What happened yesterday when it vanished remains a mystery!  Tonight I am glad to share links to two wonderful reviews of From Light to Dark and Back Again by my Swanwick Summer School writing friends, Jennifer Wilson and Valerie Penny.

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Cyberlaunch Image

Would be delighted to have your company for all or part of my cyberlaunch for my debut flash fiction collection.  The launch is hosted by my publishers (Chapeltown Books are linked to both Bridge House Publishing and Cafelit.  Do visit their websites if you would be interested in submitting work to them).

 

 

 

There's still a place for writing directly to paper. Image via Pixabay

NEWS WORTHY – AND TEN WRITING TIPS

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FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

In News Worthy I look at what counts as news both for your characters and the world in which they live.  I ask what would make the news and whether there is any control over what is reported as news.  How do your characters react to news?  Do they like the serious articles or prefer the more lighthearted items?

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

Have managed to alter the spacing of images on my News page so that it looks a lot better.  I’ve got images relating to my cyber launch in one row across the page rather than down it (as this was pushing the text out of sight and just didn’t look right.  Not sure why it happened last night but all appears to be well now). My post is Ten Most Useful Writing Tips and I share some of the most useful advice I’ve been given or read in my time. Hope you find it useful.

CYBERLAUNCH NEWS

Glad to say that despite the details only going up very late last night, there have been acceptances and interest shown.  Hope that continues.  Am planning for the launch to be a lot of fun for all!

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I discuss just how boring riding an exercise bike is but it does have one huge advantage.  I get to catch up with my reading!

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Where good ideas start...

Where good ideas start…

 

 

HEROES AND HEROINES – AND CYBERLAUNCH NEWS

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CYBERLAUNCH NEWS

I am thrilled to share news of my first cyberlaunch for From Light to Dark and Back Again.  It will be on Saturday 1st April between 10 am and 6 pm UK time, though all are welcome.  Please see my Facebook page for more details.  In the meantime, I have put up a screen shot below and the FB link.  I will share more news (and snippets) as and when I have it.

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Cyberlaunch Image

FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

In Heroes and Heroines I share a link with my latest Chandler’s Ford Today post (more below) but also talk about how we create such characters.  Are they based on who we would like to be or the best parts of our personalities?  I talk about the importance of all characters being true to themsleves – they really must be their own people to convince readers.

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

I don’t know quite what went wrong tonight but my post Reviews and Events was meant to show my CFT post and my cyberlaunch news AND talk about what your characters would review and what they would read.  What is showing up is a link to my cyberlaunch and given I’ve put that up above there is no point repeating it here.  I have, however, shared the link to my TWAO News page which does refer to CFT and the launch.   There are more pictures here (I couldn’t seem to do anything with the spacing of them.  Really not my night on this site tonight, unfortunately, but hey the writing life can be like that at times.  Frustrating when it doesn’t quite work out as you had hoped/planned and wonderful when it does!

CHANDLER’S FORD TODAY

My latest post here is a review of part 1 of a series of graphic novels.  Blood and Valour retells the stories of Sir Bevis of Hampton, Southampton’s legendary hero.  Henry V was known to read the stories on tapestries (what works of art those must have been!) so to retell these tales in graphic form is hugely appropriate!  I love writing all my CFT posts but the history ones (including this which has a link to the Road to Agincourt project) are a particular joy.  I am very happy to recommend Blood and Valour.  The artwork is stunning, the stories wonderful (and there should be more to come).

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Two entries tonight – one for my cyberlaunch (link above) and the other for CFT (also link above).  Busy night tonight!

Feature Image - Blood and Valour Young Sir Bevis Comic Review

 

SPREADING THE WORD

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FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

I talk about Spreading the Word tonight and actually do it in the post!  (From Light to Dark and Back Again is now up on the Association of Christian Writers’ online bookshop and I was spreading the word about that, as well as my book!).  I also talk about characters’ spreading the word (especially from within their viewpoint.  Even villains have good reasons for doing what they do, even if it is only good from their perspective).

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

Adapting to Change looks at how easy it is (or otherwise) for characters to do this.  I ask about what happens when change is forced upon a character and how do other characters react if they feel Character A hasn’t handled the change well?  Plenty of story ideas in answering that alone!

BOOK NEWS

As well as the online bookship news, I hope to have news of the cyber launch of From Light to Dark and Back Again soon.  Chapeltown Books and I have a date in mind and I hope to post more on this before too long.

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I share news about my book being up on the ACW Bookshop page and discuss the forthcoming ACW Writers’ Day in Birmingham (UK) on 11th March.  I hope to meet up with old friends and make new ones.  I also have two short story competitions to enter before the month is up so busy busy busy!

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One thing that has been true throughout history is the need for a good edit! Image via Pixabay

One thing that has been true throughout history is the need for a good edit! Image via Pixabay