To aid my recovery, I’m flying off to the sun and looking for a light hearted read …
I’ve chosen author of The Devil Wears Prada, Lauren Weisberger’s latest release, Last Night at Chateau Marmont.
Looks like it's going to be fun … the ins and outs / ups and downs of life as a celebrity. A New York couple’s life is turned upside down when husband Julian [musician] becomes famous.
Any other ideas [nothing too serious just yet please], let me know … comment, facebook me, tweet me, email me.
Thanks, Gillian
Monday, 11 October 2010
Monday, 4 October 2010
Delete Delete Delete ...
The Novel ~ working title: Touchstone
I have now spent the last two weeks and especially the whole weekend thinking about, assessing and criticising chapters 2 and 3, Verity’s back-story. I was concerned with the sudden change in pace and tone. I re-read the chapters, mulling over family members, setting, timings, dialogue. Did Verity’s character fit into the back-ground I had created for her? Her family members appeared to be ‘real.’ Verity stood out as different from the rest of her family – enabling her to realistically carve out her career and partner Edward. So what was wrong with chapter 2 and 3?
I thought some more, avoiding reading Chapter 2 again. Then the light-bulb moment. If I didn’t want to read Chapter 2, why would anyone else? Chapter 2 was definitely boring. Too much back-story all in one place. I’ve now CUT the whole chapter for the sake of page turning quality. It hurt some but I feel free again.
Obviously, the chapter’s saved and will be fed through the narrative when necessary. I now feel I can tackle Chapter 3, 4 and maybe even 5, where Edward gets down to dirty business again and leads into Chapter 6 where his sister returns with a long kept secret.
All fired up now. Getting back to the novel. See you later,
Gillian
I have now spent the last two weeks and especially the whole weekend thinking about, assessing and criticising chapters 2 and 3, Verity’s back-story. I was concerned with the sudden change in pace and tone. I re-read the chapters, mulling over family members, setting, timings, dialogue. Did Verity’s character fit into the back-ground I had created for her? Her family members appeared to be ‘real.’ Verity stood out as different from the rest of her family – enabling her to realistically carve out her career and partner Edward. So what was wrong with chapter 2 and 3?
I thought some more, avoiding reading Chapter 2 again. Then the light-bulb moment. If I didn’t want to read Chapter 2, why would anyone else? Chapter 2 was definitely boring. Too much back-story all in one place. I’ve now CUT the whole chapter for the sake of page turning quality. It hurt some but I feel free again.
Obviously, the chapter’s saved and will be fed through the narrative when necessary. I now feel I can tackle Chapter 3, 4 and maybe even 5, where Edward gets down to dirty business again and leads into Chapter 6 where his sister returns with a long kept secret.
All fired up now. Getting back to the novel. See you later,
Gillian
Sunday, 3 October 2010
The Novel: Touchstone
For Prologue and Chapter 1 of my novel in progress, see My Pages ... The Novel ~ Touchstone ...
Brief Outline:~
In the depths of a freezing January evening, Verity Spencer stumbles onto a city bridge. In one hand, an empty vodka bottle, in the other, a photograph of her children. Can Verity face the truth? Could her next choice change her life completely?
Verity just wants more. Searching for a perfect life in a contemporary world, Verity Gilligan married avaricious entrepreneur, Edward Spencer, owner of Xtreme Leisure.
Edward assumes absolute power, controlling everyone and everything until he is mysteriously exposed for bribary and corruption.
Suffering alcohol induced depression, Verity blames herself for choosing Edward and the lifestyle; she was paying the price with something more than money could buy. Can she find the key to set herself free?
More to follow ...
Also, Looking for suitable title ... any ideas ?
Gillian
Brief Outline:~
In the depths of a freezing January evening, Verity Spencer stumbles onto a city bridge. In one hand, an empty vodka bottle, in the other, a photograph of her children. Can Verity face the truth? Could her next choice change her life completely?
Verity just wants more. Searching for a perfect life in a contemporary world, Verity Gilligan married avaricious entrepreneur, Edward Spencer, owner of Xtreme Leisure.
Edward assumes absolute power, controlling everyone and everything until he is mysteriously exposed for bribary and corruption.
Suffering alcohol induced depression, Verity blames herself for choosing Edward and the lifestyle; she was paying the price with something more than money could buy. Can she find the key to set herself free?
More to follow ...
Also, Looking for suitable title ... any ideas ?
Gillian
Add a photo
Good news, after asking around and googling, I've just found the button for incorporating a photo into a blog...
So here's my test blog and photo ... Son not in distress, playing bass guitar ...
Jill
On Writing ... and 'That' Novel ...
On Writing …
How much practise writing should one do? How do you measure improvement other than winning writing or poetry competitions? How many short stories must you write before you feel experienced enough to take on a novel? I see poets and writers getting out there and performing their stuff. I could do that. Market myself? Maybe.
My friend once said to me that I was scared of success. I’ve thought about her comment many times and often found her to be right. Although I’m an outgoing person, I was too shy to be in the public eye. But with recent opportunities, I’ve built up my confidence and ready to take on more public spaces. But now I find, where my novel is concerned, I lack confidence. I’ll admit it, I’m scared of failure. Is this why people write a few chapters into the novel and give up? Is it because they run out of ideas? Or is it because the prospect of finding an agent is like winning the lottery? Okay, people say if you’ve something great to say, to put in print, you’ll always find an agent / publisher, but surely it’s like finding a needle in a haystack? Maybe networking and industry contacts might be the only way. This clearly isn’t going to happen overnight. There would be workshops, readings, festivals to attend, which all sound interesting and positive. But I continue to wonder why so many authors seem to move to London?
Well, I’ve finally decided to stop entering poetry and short story competitions for some considerable time … and get on with ‘that’ novel. I keep telling myself I just need to dive in and get on with it ... carry on with it until it's finished.
I know I’ve said this before … but I’m determined not to get distracted this time. I promise my recent distraction was definitely genuine, involving a long, relatively unexpected hospital stay and an even longer recuperation period. I’m pleased to say that the anaesthetic has worn off at last and my brain is beginning to kick in again.
I’ve been going over chapter 2, which is the back-story to main character, Verity, Edward’s wife. I am concerned that the tone is quite different to Edward in chapter 1; obviously because she is a woman, but I feel she is too ineffective, and her backstory too twee, so will do some work on this before I let you have a peek at it.
Or maybe, I should just publish it and you decide ... I'll just check it over first ...
Gillian
How much practise writing should one do? How do you measure improvement other than winning writing or poetry competitions? How many short stories must you write before you feel experienced enough to take on a novel? I see poets and writers getting out there and performing their stuff. I could do that. Market myself? Maybe.
My friend once said to me that I was scared of success. I’ve thought about her comment many times and often found her to be right. Although I’m an outgoing person, I was too shy to be in the public eye. But with recent opportunities, I’ve built up my confidence and ready to take on more public spaces. But now I find, where my novel is concerned, I lack confidence. I’ll admit it, I’m scared of failure. Is this why people write a few chapters into the novel and give up? Is it because they run out of ideas? Or is it because the prospect of finding an agent is like winning the lottery? Okay, people say if you’ve something great to say, to put in print, you’ll always find an agent / publisher, but surely it’s like finding a needle in a haystack? Maybe networking and industry contacts might be the only way. This clearly isn’t going to happen overnight. There would be workshops, readings, festivals to attend, which all sound interesting and positive. But I continue to wonder why so many authors seem to move to London?
Well, I’ve finally decided to stop entering poetry and short story competitions for some considerable time … and get on with ‘that’ novel. I keep telling myself I just need to dive in and get on with it ... carry on with it until it's finished.
I know I’ve said this before … but I’m determined not to get distracted this time. I promise my recent distraction was definitely genuine, involving a long, relatively unexpected hospital stay and an even longer recuperation period. I’m pleased to say that the anaesthetic has worn off at last and my brain is beginning to kick in again.
I’ve been going over chapter 2, which is the back-story to main character, Verity, Edward’s wife. I am concerned that the tone is quite different to Edward in chapter 1; obviously because she is a woman, but I feel she is too ineffective, and her backstory too twee, so will do some work on this before I let you have a peek at it.
Or maybe, I should just publish it and you decide ... I'll just check it over first ...
Gillian
Friday, 1 October 2010
Wordpool ~ Blackpool's Festival of Words ... Saturday 2nd October ...
Opening Saturday 2nd October ~ Blackpool's Fourth Annual Festival of Words
[That's tomorrow !] ~ Opening to be attended by the Mayor of Blackpool plus free entertainment at St John's Square, Blackpool.
Look Out for 'Words, Words and Other Stuff', Festival Paper for more information
Saturday 2nd October
10.30am - 3 pm Wordfair - The Old Post Office, Abbingdon Street, Blackpool.
Artists, Craft makers and Writers selling all sorts of wonderful things inspired by words. Free entry.
12.30pm 'Grand Words' Final at The Grand Theatre Studio
Sunday 3rd October
11.30am - 3pm
Stanley Park near the Model Village ~ 'It came from ...'
An out fo this world family event with friends from HandHeld Theatre Company, The Dopplegangers and lots of arts and crafts.
Tuesday 5th October
10.30am - 12 noon
Dr. Anke Bernau [Lecturer in Medieval Literature and Culture at University of Manchester] discusses Wolfhall. Occult History & The Monstrous Past at FY Creatives, 154-158 Church Street. Free Admission.
1.30pm - 3pm
Simon Entwistle - Storytelling Walk - Ghosts and Hauntings of Blackpool. Free.
Meet at Grundy Art Gallery, Queen Street.
2pm-3.30pm
Bispham Library - Crime Author Stephen Clayton - discusses the genre and his latest work - The Art of Being Dead. Free.
3.30pm - 5pm
Afternoon Tea with John Siddique
FY Creatives 154-158 Church Street - Reading new work, Blackpool poems and some old favourites.
Poetry Quilt - Raffle.
4pm - 5pm
Alexandra Heminsley, Author.'Ex and the City' Under 16's event. TBC
6.30pm - 8pm
Alexandra Heminsley and Sara Manning - Blackpool Sixth Form College.
Two successful authors discuss writing, blogging and life ! Free.
Wednesday 6th October
12.30pm - 1.45pm or 2.30pm - 3.45pm
Last Tram to Starr Gate - Meet on North Pier and finish at South Pier.
Jacqueline Pilton and Louise McNultya. Street Theatre event based on the play 'Last Tram to Starr Gate' - at various locations along the prom. Take a tram, hire a bike or walk between the scenes. Free.
7.30pm for 8pm - 'Me, Mum and Dustry Springfield' - Grand Theatre Studio.
Stephanie Ridings - Matcham's Bar pre-show drinks - show 8pm followed by Directors Chair Q&A.
Thursday 7th October
1pm - 8pm - Cafe Culture - National Poetry Day Event - The No. 5 Cafe, Cedar Square.
On-line link up with cafes around the world.
Drop in workshops and performances with They Eat Culture, Poets Marvin Cheeseman, Rachel McGladdery and Annie Clarkson.
Friday 8th October
At the Fringe - 11am - Book Crossing Launch - CupCake - 152 Church Street
At FY CREATIVES 154-156 Church Street:
1pm-3pm - Live Poets
4pm-6pm - Behind the Front - Readings by Local Writers.
6pm-7.30pm - Stage Write - New Play Reading Group - Launch £2.50 on the night.
6pm - 8pm
Dead Good Poets at No 5 Cafe, Cedar Square [Dead Famous Literary Event]
Most of the events are free ... Check them out ... Maybe I'll see you there ...Enjoy !!
[That's tomorrow !] ~ Opening to be attended by the Mayor of Blackpool plus free entertainment at St John's Square, Blackpool.
Look Out for 'Words, Words and Other Stuff', Festival Paper for more information
Saturday 2nd October
10.30am - 3 pm Wordfair - The Old Post Office, Abbingdon Street, Blackpool.
Artists, Craft makers and Writers selling all sorts of wonderful things inspired by words. Free entry.
12.30pm 'Grand Words' Final at The Grand Theatre Studio
Sunday 3rd October
11.30am - 3pm
Stanley Park near the Model Village ~ 'It came from ...'
An out fo this world family event with friends from HandHeld Theatre Company, The Dopplegangers and lots of arts and crafts.
Tuesday 5th October
10.30am - 12 noon
Dr. Anke Bernau [Lecturer in Medieval Literature and Culture at University of Manchester] discusses Wolfhall. Occult History & The Monstrous Past at FY Creatives, 154-158 Church Street. Free Admission.
1.30pm - 3pm
Simon Entwistle - Storytelling Walk - Ghosts and Hauntings of Blackpool. Free.
Meet at Grundy Art Gallery, Queen Street.
2pm-3.30pm
Bispham Library - Crime Author Stephen Clayton - discusses the genre and his latest work - The Art of Being Dead. Free.
3.30pm - 5pm
Afternoon Tea with John Siddique
FY Creatives 154-158 Church Street - Reading new work, Blackpool poems and some old favourites.
Poetry Quilt - Raffle.
4pm - 5pm
Alexandra Heminsley, Author.'Ex and the City' Under 16's event. TBC
6.30pm - 8pm
Alexandra Heminsley and Sara Manning - Blackpool Sixth Form College.
Two successful authors discuss writing, blogging and life ! Free.
Wednesday 6th October
12.30pm - 1.45pm or 2.30pm - 3.45pm
Last Tram to Starr Gate - Meet on North Pier and finish at South Pier.
Jacqueline Pilton and Louise McNultya. Street Theatre event based on the play 'Last Tram to Starr Gate' - at various locations along the prom. Take a tram, hire a bike or walk between the scenes. Free.
7.30pm for 8pm - 'Me, Mum and Dustry Springfield' - Grand Theatre Studio.
Stephanie Ridings - Matcham's Bar pre-show drinks - show 8pm followed by Directors Chair Q&A.
Thursday 7th October
1pm - 8pm - Cafe Culture - National Poetry Day Event - The No. 5 Cafe, Cedar Square.
On-line link up with cafes around the world.
Drop in workshops and performances with They Eat Culture, Poets Marvin Cheeseman, Rachel McGladdery and Annie Clarkson.
Friday 8th October
At the Fringe - 11am - Book Crossing Launch - CupCake - 152 Church Street
At FY CREATIVES 154-156 Church Street:
1pm-3pm - Live Poets
4pm-6pm - Behind the Front - Readings by Local Writers.
6pm-7.30pm - Stage Write - New Play Reading Group - Launch £2.50 on the night.
6pm - 8pm
Dead Good Poets at No 5 Cafe, Cedar Square [Dead Famous Literary Event]
Most of the events are free ... Check them out ... Maybe I'll see you there ...Enjoy !!
Friday, 10 September 2010
A few poems ... Send Yours and I'll add them to the Blog ...
Just thought I'd pop a few poems up to keep us all going ...
Chasing Rainbows is a reminiscance [tho not mine].
Summer Holiday ~ I feel a little bad about this ~ but sadly, at the moment, it's true.
Slay that Dragon ~ about the workplace of course.
You're welcome to add one of your poems to the comment box or email me at gmhesketh@googlemail.com and I will copy and paste etc.
Summer Holiday
Sand pies and donkey rides,
toffee apples, ice-cream cones,
penny slots to the tower top.
Side shows, pier strolls,
arcade larks in pleasure parks,
landaus and tram tours.
Oyster bars, funny postcards
and the best fish and chip suppers.
A summer holiday.
Discos, boogie nights
strobe lights and neon
pubs, clubs, karaoke singing
alcohol chasers and fun.
Kiosks and canvassers,
kebab bars and burgers,
curry and chips, end E’s
and the night’s just begun.
A summer holiday.
Stags amass in lap dance saloons,
bare-midriffed girl-gangs
flock promenades, festooned
in logos and kiss me quick hats.
Grid spewing teens
collapse by roadside
market stalls, then muggers,
frays, fracas, a police siren
and drugs scuffle on street corners,
A summer holiday.
Slay that Dragon
So many dragons, leaping flames
filling your cheeks with scarlet,
tongue tips lashing like a rope
on a film too cruel to watch,
charring your memory forever.
Slay that dragon, cut out its tongue,
stop its outburst its constant song
maligning your mind, messing
with your attention span, fouling up
your incentive plan.
And when the dragon is slayed,
from the depths of humanity, another
breathes the hair on your neck
becks, calls, makes you hot under
the collar forget the dollar
the pound the yen, slay that dragon
who calls and calls again.
The dragon is dead in the middle of the night
nothing will resume its fire, its bite,
you dream of a dragon-free day,
impolite out of sight dragons,
breathing down someone else’s neck.
Slay that Dragon epitomises the pressures of modern life, expectations, deadlines and goals to meet. In the workplace, there is always someone to answer to, someone breathing down your neck, putting the heat on, making demands.
Chasing Rainbows
We used to hide beneath cotton covers,
torches glinting, uneven breathing, reading,
screen ourselves like twigs stuffing hedgerows,
watching blue-tits feeding,
chase rabbits down bob-tailed burrows
kneeling beside, feeling,
squelch and scurry along tractor’d furrows
scattering earth’s seedlings
and beneath glass frames, grumpy Joe’s marrows
hauled out by our scheming,
our cargo, brimming over his barrow
dispatched somehow, wheeling,
crunching gravel, dust drops borrow
our last breath, laughing
down emerald-eyed hills and buttercup meadows
me on your crossbar, reeling,
trickling streams, fine fingered sunlit hollows
coming, going, leaving
fresh breezes, pecking at my cheeks like sparrows
making feather bedding;
guzzling golden lemonade, we’d wallow
in liquorice hoardings,
endless escapades, chasing rainbows,
you leading, me preening;
Now I see it in a shadow,
trekking homeward to our willow;
Mum, beaming white flour, kneading,
those times I feel like stealing
as I see our scarecrow leaning.
Grimacing.
Gillian
Chasing Rainbows is a reminiscance [tho not mine].
Summer Holiday ~ I feel a little bad about this ~ but sadly, at the moment, it's true.
Slay that Dragon ~ about the workplace of course.
You're welcome to add one of your poems to the comment box or email me at gmhesketh@googlemail.com and I will copy and paste etc.
Summer Holiday
Sand pies and donkey rides,
toffee apples, ice-cream cones,
penny slots to the tower top.
Side shows, pier strolls,
arcade larks in pleasure parks,
landaus and tram tours.
Oyster bars, funny postcards
and the best fish and chip suppers.
A summer holiday.
Discos, boogie nights
strobe lights and neon
pubs, clubs, karaoke singing
alcohol chasers and fun.
Kiosks and canvassers,
kebab bars and burgers,
curry and chips, end E’s
and the night’s just begun.
A summer holiday.
Stags amass in lap dance saloons,
bare-midriffed girl-gangs
flock promenades, festooned
in logos and kiss me quick hats.
Grid spewing teens
collapse by roadside
market stalls, then muggers,
frays, fracas, a police siren
and drugs scuffle on street corners,
A summer holiday.
Slay that Dragon
So many dragons, leaping flames
filling your cheeks with scarlet,
tongue tips lashing like a rope
on a film too cruel to watch,
charring your memory forever.
Slay that dragon, cut out its tongue,
stop its outburst its constant song
maligning your mind, messing
with your attention span, fouling up
your incentive plan.
And when the dragon is slayed,
from the depths of humanity, another
breathes the hair on your neck
becks, calls, makes you hot under
the collar forget the dollar
the pound the yen, slay that dragon
who calls and calls again.
The dragon is dead in the middle of the night
nothing will resume its fire, its bite,
you dream of a dragon-free day,
impolite out of sight dragons,
breathing down someone else’s neck.
Slay that Dragon epitomises the pressures of modern life, expectations, deadlines and goals to meet. In the workplace, there is always someone to answer to, someone breathing down your neck, putting the heat on, making demands.
Chasing Rainbows
We used to hide beneath cotton covers,
torches glinting, uneven breathing, reading,
screen ourselves like twigs stuffing hedgerows,
watching blue-tits feeding,
chase rabbits down bob-tailed burrows
kneeling beside, feeling,
squelch and scurry along tractor’d furrows
scattering earth’s seedlings
and beneath glass frames, grumpy Joe’s marrows
hauled out by our scheming,
our cargo, brimming over his barrow
dispatched somehow, wheeling,
crunching gravel, dust drops borrow
our last breath, laughing
down emerald-eyed hills and buttercup meadows
me on your crossbar, reeling,
trickling streams, fine fingered sunlit hollows
coming, going, leaving
fresh breezes, pecking at my cheeks like sparrows
making feather bedding;
guzzling golden lemonade, we’d wallow
in liquorice hoardings,
endless escapades, chasing rainbows,
you leading, me preening;
Now I see it in a shadow,
trekking homeward to our willow;
Mum, beaming white flour, kneading,
those times I feel like stealing
as I see our scarecrow leaning.
Grimacing.
Gillian
Friday, 3 September 2010
Keeping Busier ... Ramper Pot Adventures ...
Okay, I said I was going to whip over Ramper Pot ~ Adventures and send it off to a story writing competition. I did just that and realised quite soon into Chapter 1 ~ The Hideaway, that it had been a while since I’d read it. Crikey. What a mess. Well, not really a mess, more of an out of date boring account of two children bored out of their brains, holed up in their new house by the rain and hiding from their recently instated boring step-father. I bored myself to sleep reading it ... a fusion of modern day Arthur Ransom's Swallows and Amazons meets Jacqueline Wilson without the tattoos, drugs and alcohol. What can I say? Boring.
So, Touchstone will have to wait the week-end out while I get back to Ramper Pot’s ~ The Hideaway [Chapter 1] and River Cavern Escape [Chapter 2]. Apologies to Rob and Zak who I’ve left in a cliff-hanger situation - holding on for their lives, trainers, Penguin biscuits, playing cards and an ipod have sailing downstream faster than money down a slot machine. Can Amy get help in time? Can I make the scene dramatic and exciting?
In between the news and serving up a snack, I managed to delete two thousand truly unnecessary words. Phew, that felt better. I didn’t even wince. Another thousand needed to go but not before adding a couple of pirates and a ghost, did I go to the local pub for lashings of ginger beer and the occasional whisky sloshed in.
Ramper Pot ~ Adventures is based on a semi-rural area with a history of piracy near to where I live, in Lancashire.
See you tomorrow,
Gillian
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