Mandy Eve-Barnett's Official Blog

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Ode To Friday, A Prompt and Your Local Bookstore…

June 27, 2014
mandyevebarnett


FunDay

It’s here – FRIDAY – the day we all wish for all week long. Our mood gradually becomes lighter as the weekdays past and the countdown begins to the freedom of Saturday and Sunday. Obviously, some people have other days off during the week but their feelings are exactly the same for whichever day their ‘Friday’ is. So celebrate today and enjoy your weekend.

I wrote a poem to celebrate Friday – I hope you like it.

 

You are precious in your promise

Your sunrise heralds relaxation pending

Thoughts of lie-ins and a drink or two abound

Co-workers smile today, pressures reduced

Friday – you are the golden day of the week

Your evening begins two days of fun and activities

Thank you Friday for your promise

We love you.

For today’s prompt why not share your ode to Friday?

Bookstore

An interesting news link regarding authors championing book stores. This campaign should be a global scheme. If I was still in the UK, I would certainly be joining in. How about you?

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/jun/27/authors-high-street-independent-booksellers-week

Maybe create your own ‘support your local bookstore’ campaign in the area you live in with fellow authors and writers. Give them a boost to their business and your sales in one fell swoop.

Local stores to me, that carry my books and others by my publisher, Dream Write Publishing are:

http://www.parkbookworm.ca/

http://www.leducartisanmarket.com/

http://www.carvelgeneralstore.ca/

Quotes:

Only Robinson Crusoe had everything done by Friday.  ~Author Unknown

Always strive to excel, but only on weekends.  ~Richard Rorty

happy weekend

I wish you a great weekend, full of words whether writing or reading them. I will be enjoying friends and family activities tonight and Saturday and a few hours of editing and reading on Sunday.

Imagination – A Writers Tool…

June 9, 2014
mandyevebarnett


articles
As writers we utilize our imaginations to make the unimaginable into reality in our narratives. There are no barriers, no limits to what we can create. Distant worlds, alternative realities and curious creatures are brought to life for our readers.

Our imaginations are a vital tool for our writing and we need to encourage it to flourish. We already ‘see’ things others may not even consider as story potential – such as a unique hairstyle, a particular speech pattern or even an outfit. Being able to incorporate things we see, hear and touch, no matter their original source, is how we create. Let your imagination free and enjoy the process of creation.

How do you ensure your imagination is not stifled? 

type writer imagine

It may seem rather ‘easy’ to create a whole new world, but in actual fact there are numerous hurdles we need to jump, metaphorically speaking. Fantasy readers, in particular, are extremely meticulous in their review and the consistency in fantasy works and the ‘laws’ of the land therein. This fact is obvious when you see the amount of sci-fi conventions and the followers of such programs as Star Trek.

 

 

This Q&A page is a great way to find out if your creation will stand up to scrutiny.

http://www.sfwa.org/2009/08/fantasy-worldbuilding-questions/

And a great link for tips on world building here:

http://www.malindalo.com/2012/10/five-foundations-of-world-building/

Of course world building is not restricted to fantasy. If you are setting your narrative in a particular time period you must ensure everything your characters use and interact with, are from that era. A 1940’s housewife will not have the luxury of a microwave oven, for example. However, when you have time travel within your story greater detail is required to ensure each era is true to its original. This not only gives the reader clues as to where and when your characters are but also gives your protagonist obstacles to overcome. Unless of course you have a time traveler visiting!

A friend of mine. J.E. McKnight, is an excellent time travel author and he is meticulous in ensuring the ‘time-line’ is correct as well as ensuring the ‘vehicle’ of travel is believable. You can purchase his book here: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/264043

With attention to detail and solid back story, every narrative can be believable no matter how fantastical the characters, creatures or situations. Most of us ‘believe’ in Hobbits, Harry Potter and the like because the narratives are so strong in the basics of world building.

I have used reincarnation in my novel,The Twesome Loop, an alternative future  in Life in Slake Patch and magical creatures  in Ockleberries to the Rescue. If you can imagine the inconceivable – you can write it.

What worlds, characters or creatures have you created?

Imagination

 

 

Scene Setting – It’s In The Details…

March 26, 2014
mandyevebarnett


writing desk 1To immerse our readers in our stories, we need to create details that will transport them into the scene. There is a fine balance between enough detail and too much but enabling our reader to visualize where our characters are ‘living’ is a vital element for our narrative. This exceptional article gives us specific tips on how to do this. Enjoy and save!

http://www.alanrinzler.com/blog/2012/05/19/it%E2%80%99s-the-details-writers/#!

What method do you use, when creating scenes?

 typewriter_journal

Links:

http://nowastedink.com/2012/08/17/creating-the-outline-of-a-novel-from-notebook-to-scrivener/

http://nbilenko.com/projects/narrative.html

Life in Slake Patch…

June 7, 2013
mandyevebarnett


Insurrection – definition: an act or instance of rising in revolt, rebellion, or resistance against civil authority or an established government

LifeinSlakePatch 001

In my novel, Life in Slake Patch, the ruling government is a matriarchy borne of necessity after a Grand War. Generations have lived without questioning the separated male and female compounds until my protagonist, Evan’s twenty second year. A group of younger men, calling themselves the Tribe separate themselves from the normal routine. Creating a camp away from the compounds and surviving as best they can.

Conflict ensues between the establishment and the Tribe. Evan is enrolled to bring the Tribe members to justice but several unfortunate events and Evan’s own emotional struggle lead him to question their way of life.

He comes to understand how unfair it is after taking a bride and being unable to visit his lover, apart from once a week. And then only when the weather permits in the harsh winter months. He cannot be seen to side with the Tribe members but also wants to bring about change.

In interviews with the Tribe leader,  Aiden, Evan realizes he and his followers are not so dissimilar from the other males. They want to be free to live with their chosen partners and children every day. To be a constant presence not an occasional one. Evan must find a way to balance the requirements of the ruling council with that of the younger members of the society.

Do you have a revolt in your novel?

Make believe – a writer’s realm…

January 16, 2013
mandyevebarnett


Feign – definition 1) to give a false appearance of: induce as a false impression 2) to assert as if true: pretend

imaginary-world

The obvious link to writers is, of course the creation of our imaginary worlds, characters and plots. We excel in creating ‘falseness’ to weave our stories and make our readers believe that our characters are not only real but are in the depths of struggles they have to overcome. Some characters will be quickly categorized as good or evil, handsome or plain but as the architect of the story these too can be false.

A seemingly charming gentleman could be a swindler; a delicate young woman may hide a dark secret…these false impressions are useful tools in capturing our readers, in essence luring them into the character so they identify with them either positively or negatively. Their true nature can be revealed gradually or as a dramatic event at the height of your story arc.

I have such a character in one of my novel’s, The Twesome Loop. He is outwardly a charming, suave gentleman but it is all an act. He came from a poor family, took elocution lessons to rid himself of his local accent and only works at the solicitors offices in the hopes of ‘bagging’ himself a rich widow amongst the will’s and estate documents that pass over his desk. I’ll not spoil the story but let’s just say his ‘perfect’ life doesn’t go quite as planned.

The Twesome Loop

It is these ‘false’ presumptions that make our tales not only interesting but give an insight into human behavior – if it is human’s you are dealing with! Even paranormal beings have perceived character types as well as flaws. To be successful in creating a false world, we have to formulate our own specific rules for that realm. Another of my novel’s, Life in Slake Patch, has men and women living in separate compounds with ‘married’ couples only allowed Sunday’s for visiting. It seemed quite a simple basis for a new world order until I began the task of the practicalities.  Attention to these kinds of details, even if they are not apparent in the story make our falsehoods even more believable.

LifeinSlakePatch 001

Have you created a ‘complicated’ realm or character that required more than the usual falsehood of the storyteller?

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