Friday 30 December 2011
Jumping in Puddles: Off the Bloc
Jumping in Puddles: Off the Bloc: New beginnings are nearly upon us and the cold light of January calls. It should be an exciting year. My novel is gathering strength and f...
Thursday 29 December 2011
Off the Bloc
New beginnings are nearly upon us and the cold light of January calls. It should be an exciting year.
My novel is gathering strength and flexing its muscles, while smaller dark tales are percolating alongside. I have three submissions to make in the next four weeks, with the first deadline being imminent. I have the main body and the timbre, for that work, but need to write the denouement in a convincing way. I need to twine the strands right to the end and have the reader's realisation occur alongside that of the main character. A huge task, but the weekend should sort it. I'm happy with my idea and the arc of it, so it is now all in the final edit.
This one should complement my camera story, for which I gained such good marks from the OU and which is currently in competition land - awaiting the declaration of a shortlist. Fingers crossed for that, and a similar OU response for this one.
Happy days! And a happy and productive New Year!
Pootler x
My novel is gathering strength and flexing its muscles, while smaller dark tales are percolating alongside. I have three submissions to make in the next four weeks, with the first deadline being imminent. I have the main body and the timbre, for that work, but need to write the denouement in a convincing way. I need to twine the strands right to the end and have the reader's realisation occur alongside that of the main character. A huge task, but the weekend should sort it. I'm happy with my idea and the arc of it, so it is now all in the final edit.
This one should complement my camera story, for which I gained such good marks from the OU and which is currently in competition land - awaiting the declaration of a shortlist. Fingers crossed for that, and a similar OU response for this one.
Happy days! And a happy and productive New Year!
Pootler x
Saturday 12 November 2011
Published! And Writing: Root Sources
Thursday the 10th of November dawned and there I was, a published author. How cool is that? Meta cool - that's what! And all courtesy of the on-line writing co-operative Cafe Three-Zero, that came together as a result of an Open University creative writing course and the brilliant vision of Angela Sinclair. We have never yet met, being geographically far flung. But we have pooled expertise and passion, to recognise and nurture talent - and to achieve publication.
But a little more about me (in case you're interested). The following paragraph also appears on the Cafe Three-Zero blog, but is expanded here.
'Life ... started out in a village where dissent had been rife, where witchcraft was still on the agenda, where unearthed skeletons lay on the roadside for weeks on end and from where her schizophrenic mother was carted off to the asylum. Life went on, at home and at school, but those experiences writhed and grew behind the cloak of her ‘normal’ life. Now, she has bought herself the time to wrestle them onto the page. She is delighted to be involved with CafĂ© Three-Zero and asks simply that you watch this space. There is much she has planned.'
The truth is that personal life experience is normality to you, and you are puzzled when your world view is out of kilter. Not that I ever imagined that most people's mothers were like mine, I didn't, but neither was she very distant from the familiar strangeness of the village.Perhaps I was a thoughtful child. I don't know, but I remember going over events that happened, again and again, in my mind - embedding them in all their technicolor glory, in my memory.
For years now, those memories have been straining to emerge. In more recent years, however, I have realised that I was an unreliable witness, seeing things from a child's point of view - but the damage was done. Those remain my truths and, like myths, they have their roots in some sort of reality. My story, 'Neighbours' in 'Tales from the Cafe: Volume One' is based in that village and the street where I first lived. It does not plumb the Gothic depths though, coming more from a topical prompt. The darker writing is under development, in other exciting projects - some hopefully destined for the Cafe.
On that, folks, I'll keep you posted.
Check out our publication for 23 great coffee-time reads. Available at a 'come and get me' price from:
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/103508
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B006584WHS
Happy reading,
Pootler x
But a little more about me (in case you're interested). The following paragraph also appears on the Cafe Three-Zero blog, but is expanded here.
'Life ... started out in a village where dissent had been rife, where witchcraft was still on the agenda, where unearthed skeletons lay on the roadside for weeks on end and from where her schizophrenic mother was carted off to the asylum. Life went on, at home and at school, but those experiences writhed and grew behind the cloak of her ‘normal’ life. Now, she has bought herself the time to wrestle them onto the page. She is delighted to be involved with CafĂ© Three-Zero and asks simply that you watch this space. There is much she has planned.'
The truth is that personal life experience is normality to you, and you are puzzled when your world view is out of kilter. Not that I ever imagined that most people's mothers were like mine, I didn't, but neither was she very distant from the familiar strangeness of the village.Perhaps I was a thoughtful child. I don't know, but I remember going over events that happened, again and again, in my mind - embedding them in all their technicolor glory, in my memory.
For years now, those memories have been straining to emerge. In more recent years, however, I have realised that I was an unreliable witness, seeing things from a child's point of view - but the damage was done. Those remain my truths and, like myths, they have their roots in some sort of reality. My story, 'Neighbours' in 'Tales from the Cafe: Volume One' is based in that village and the street where I first lived. It does not plumb the Gothic depths though, coming more from a topical prompt. The darker writing is under development, in other exciting projects - some hopefully destined for the Cafe.
On that, folks, I'll keep you posted.
Check out our publication for 23 great coffee-time reads. Available at a 'come and get me' price from:
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/103508
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B006584WHS
Happy reading,
Pootler x
Wednesday 21 September 2011
Monday 12 September 2011
Publication
Well, exciting times, lay ahead.
I've just submitted my short story 'Neighbours' for final editing, before inclusion in the forthcoming ebook of publishing group Cafe Three-Zero The ebook should be available for download by mid October. I'll update with a title, website address and launch date, as soon as they are known. In the meantime, I need to get writing for the next one. Yay!
The page has turned and the adventure begins.
Pootler xx
I've just submitted my short story 'Neighbours' for final editing, before inclusion in the forthcoming ebook of publishing group Cafe Three-Zero The ebook should be available for download by mid October. I'll update with a title, website address and launch date, as soon as they are known. In the meantime, I need to get writing for the next one. Yay!
The page has turned and the adventure begins.
Pootler xx
Monday 1 August 2011
Beneath the Cloth
This was one of our early tasks on the OU Creative Writing course A174. We were asked to describe three things in a room and then expand upon them. I promise the additional items were merely part of the fictional development.
Antiquarian books, with fine bindings, peeped from behind the detritus of life. Their forgotten stories echoing dreams that once lived here. Large empty photo frames leaned against the wall, undusted, untouched; anticipating visits that never happened. The stench of something more than dog shit ate into Simon’s nostrils, and throat. And there it was. From the table, papers spilled onto the floor where they were stuck with dried blood. Just visible, under the long chenille cloth a hand stretched: the fingers predated.
Friday 29 July 2011
Poetry Explorations
Well, I've signed up for another OU Creative Writing course A215 and understand there is a strong poetry element within. Many decades back I wrote reams of poetry, probably all trite and certainly naive. I therefore think I should flex those muscles, before the October course begins. Can atrophy be reversed?
I'm no defeatist so the answer is, 'Yes!'
To that end, I'm going to take any advice I can get and may even have a go at entering a few competitions. If you are like minded, here's a link:
http://magmapoetry.com/competition/
they are offering critiques and good prize money for the best entries. For me, it will be the taking part that counts (at this stage, at least).
Bon mots
Pootler xx
I'm no defeatist so the answer is, 'Yes!'
To that end, I'm going to take any advice I can get and may even have a go at entering a few competitions. If you are like minded, here's a link:
http://magmapoetry.com/competition/
they are offering critiques and good prize money for the best entries. For me, it will be the taking part that counts (at this stage, at least).
Bon mots
Pootler xx
Wednesday 27 July 2011
It's been a while!
Well, there I was with all those good intentions when life suddenly raged out of control and I was working 60+ hours a week. Now, I'm not. Although I do have more manic periods. Life has, oh so, moved on since I was last here. I have retired from my teaching career and found myself doing all sorts of random things: social survey sampling for the government, the census, inventing educational games, educational consultancy, the electoral register canvass, student registration, student clearing, one to one mentoring, adult education, genealogy, sewing, crocheting, photography and writing.
And it is this last one that brings me back here. I've just completed an OU course (A174) on creative writing that was brilliant. I learned soooo much, in just twelve weeks and most others on the course say the same. Now with the OU, you are encouraged to take part in forums. In fact, for that course, tutorials happen via the forums - with support and criticism being offered in equal dose, to help you improve. You are also encouraged to blog! So, with the time emerging to do so, I have returned.
If you were on the course with me, say 'Hi.' If not, say 'Hi,' anyway. You are all most welcome to drop by. I might even add a few recipes, so we can enjoy tea and biscuits, or a good macchiatto and cake together.
If you have a blog and want to share, then add your address in the comments box and I'll try to call round to see you some time. In the meantime, get happy and enjoy whatever it is you do in life.
I'm off to deliver some Yellow Pages. Getting paid to keep fit - Yay! After that, think I'll just pootle about for a while.
Make it happen!
Pootle xx
And it is this last one that brings me back here. I've just completed an OU course (A174) on creative writing that was brilliant. I learned soooo much, in just twelve weeks and most others on the course say the same. Now with the OU, you are encouraged to take part in forums. In fact, for that course, tutorials happen via the forums - with support and criticism being offered in equal dose, to help you improve. You are also encouraged to blog! So, with the time emerging to do so, I have returned.
If you were on the course with me, say 'Hi.' If not, say 'Hi,' anyway. You are all most welcome to drop by. I might even add a few recipes, so we can enjoy tea and biscuits, or a good macchiatto and cake together.
If you have a blog and want to share, then add your address in the comments box and I'll try to call round to see you some time. In the meantime, get happy and enjoy whatever it is you do in life.
I'm off to deliver some Yellow Pages. Getting paid to keep fit - Yay! After that, think I'll just pootle about for a while.
Make it happen!
Pootle xx
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