If you have ever watched the movie Cloud Atlas, you will have struggled to keep up with the reincarnated characters and their separate journeys in each life. For example, Tim Hanks plays these multiple roles: a doctor, a hotel manager, a physicist, a roughneck author, an actor, a cowardly goatherd and a representative of the last vestiges of advanced civilization who reside on an off-world colony. Halle Berry and Jim Broadbent also take on multiple roles adding to the complexity of the stories set in timelines from 1800’s to 2144. It is a movie you need to watch several times to really understand it.
When I decided to write my own reincarnated romance novel, The Twesome Loop, I had to decide on the time periods and how many characters would actually reincarnate. To achieve the similarities of these characters in each of their lives I needed certain personality traits to ‘echo’ in each life. Then it was a matter of writing two time periods, which followed similar paths for each character and their relationships chapter upon chapter.
Once I wrote the whole story, I printed it out, then laid out each chapter across the living room floor. Then took time to arrange them into a sequence with each time period echoing the other. As you can imagine this was a complex task!
Although, there are other characters within the story these are the main ‘reincarnated’ souls and their journeys.
Eighteenth century William Folkes is an older rich, egotistical and depraved man, using his powerful position in society to take what he wants. In the twentieth century, Brett Shaw is a gold digger, womaniser, and morally corrupt.
Folkes arranges to marry a young woman, Gabriella, in exchange for high society favours for her father. She is innocence and helpless to refuse this marriage. Twentieth century Melissa Shaw is a spinster with a good inheritance, she is Brett’s target for a good life for himself.
William’s younger brother, Arthur and Gabriella fall in love and are thwarted by William until they conceive a plan. Twentieth century Gerald Conway-Smythe is a successful business man with a obsessive interest in reincarnation. A chance encounter with Melissa sparks a past life link.
Eighteenth century Vessy is a ‘special’ servant to William and sates his depraved behaviour, although she has a plan of her own. Twentieth century Nancy Beecham uses her rich parents to live comfortably, while pretending to search for the perfect career, but indulges her appetites as a cam girl.
As you can see the characters past and present have similarities, it is these that allows you, dear readers, to identify whose who. I hope you will enjoy the story and leave a review once you have read The Twesome Loop.
If the book is ever made into a movie it is these four characters who will be highlighted.
My friend, Linda and I enjoyed an early morning visit to Elk Island National Park on Sunday and were rewarded with sightings of a herd of bison, a solitary goose atop a beaver lodge, signs of beaver activity, a super fast squirrel speeding across the road, a coyote out on the lake (no photo my cell can’t zoom in that far) and the sheer silence of nature. We drove under an Alberta blue sky streaked with wispy clouds.
I continue to edit my current manuscript and those of my fellow novel workshop friends. After a discussion about possible front covers for the series, Linda came up with an amazing idea. It will have to be kept under wraps until a later date though.
And managed to submit a poem to a local contest. So fingers crossed.
I also finished reading Ethan Hawke’s novel, A Bright Ray of Darkness. I will be attending the virtual book club to discuss the novel at Winterfest, which will be an exciting event.
My review:
Excellent use of language and paced well. The inner turmoil and mystifying disconnect of the main character to his life gave the reader an exceptional insight into the protagonist’s mind. A great story.
What are you currently reading? What was the last review you submitted?
I have returned to this book as I had to complete Ethan’s book prior to the event.
On a side note if you get the chance watch this movie. It is an extraordinary story and the imagery is unique.
Drama is a genre of narrative fiction (although initially a genre of poetry) and specifically the mode of fiction most commonly represented by performances, whether a theater play or on radio, television or movie. The earliest work of dramatic theory was Aristotle’s Poetics.
A definition of literary drama states ‘a composition in prose or verse presenting in dialogue or pantomime a story involving conflict or contrast of character, especially one intended to be acted on the stage; a play. 2. the branch of literature having such compositions as its subject; dramatic art or representation’.
This genre can be qualified by the many sub-genres: legal drama, domestic drama, comedy-drama, political drama or historical period drama etc. Each of these represents a specific setting or subject matter.
Wiki list:
Crime drama and legal drama: character development based on themes involving criminals, law enforcement and the legal system.
Historical drama (epic) (including war drama): films that focus on dramatic events in history.
Horror drama: a film that focuses on imperiled characters dealing with realistic emotional struggles, often involving dysfunctional family relations, in a horror setting. The film’s horror elements often serve as a backdrop to an unraveling dramatic plot.
Docudrama: the difference between a docudrama and a documentary is that in a documentary it uses real people to describe history or current events; in a docudrama it uses professionally trained actors to play the roles in the current event, that is “dramatized” a bit. Not to be confused with docufiction.
Psychodrama: an action method, often used as a psychotherapy.
Comedy-drama: film in which there is an equal, or nearly equal, balance of humour and serious content.
Melodrama:a sub-type of drama films that uses plots that appeal to the heightened emotions of the audience. Melodramatic plots often deal with “crises of human emotion, failed romance or friendship, strained familial situations, tragedy, illness, neuroses, or emotional and physical hardship”. Film critics sometimes use the term “pejoratively to connote an unrealistic, pathos-filled, camp tale of romance or domestic situations with stereotypical characters (often including a central female character) that would directly appeal to feminine audiences”. Also called “women’s movies”, “weepies”, tearjerkers, or “chick flicks”. If they are targeted to a male audience, then they are called “guy cry” films.
Romantic drama: a sub-type of dramatic film which dwells on the elements of romantic love.
What ‘drama’ genre do your novels fit into?
Which of your novels would you most want to become a movie?
For me I think The Twesome Loop – I would concentrate on the four main characters for the movie though.
It may be a day late but I hope you enjoy this Halloween themed story. I wrote it 3 April 2011, when my writing career was starting.
A Glimpse Through a Window
It started with a glimpse out of the corner of her eye. A movement passing the opened window but when she turned there was nothing there. Dismissing it as possibly a bird or a butterfly floating in the warmth of summer sunshine, she turned back to her work.
Just one more chapter and then she would treat herself to a walk to ease and stretch her aching muscles. Janice had woken bursting with inspiration at five o’clock, now six hours later a major part of the novel was complete. With a flourish she hit the keypad and straightens up. There in front of her was a beautiful face peering through the window. Instinct made her jump and involuntary utter a gasp.
“Hello, who are you?”
The lady smiles but does not answer just reaches out her hand to beckon Janice outside. Her dark shape and long ebony locks float as if in water, it is surreal. Fascinated Janice opens the patio door and enters the warmth of the day time sun.
“Come follow – you will find.”
“Find what, where are we going?”
Without waiting the lady turns toward the rose garden, the oldest part of the cottage garden. The floral scent permanents the air as they approach the blooms. The dark lady stops in the center of the path and points. Janice’s eyes follow her fingers direction – there blooms an ebony rose so dark it gleams.
“Write its story, Janice and release me.”
“Release you – I don’t understand?”
“My spirit resides within the bloom I am relying on your gift of words to free me forever.”
“What shall I write? Tell me what to write.”
“You know my story it is deep within you.”
Janice’s mouth opens to ask another question but the dark lady has disappeared. Was she dreaming? Everything seemed so real, so tangible – the warmth on her skin, the grass beneath her feet. Janice returns to her desk puzzling thoughts race through her mind. There she finds a dark rose petal lying upon the laptop keys. It was real?
A blank page faces her and her fingers begin to type – a story unfolds.
Esmeralda’s roses were well renowned even as far away as London. Each bloom was perfection itself due wholly to her unwavering commitment to their care. After years of trial and error with combinations of manure, egg shells and herbs, Esmeralda had found her ‘secret’ formula. Each season demanded another ritual before the first buds appeared in April. With careful attendance each bud was nurtured to its full potential. Every flower show saw Esmeralda take first place much to the dismay of her rival, Vanity. The competition between the two women was fierce.
During the sixth annual London show Esmeralda was summoned by the Duke of Suffolk. He commissioned her to produce a truly black rose – something never achieved before. With a deep bow Esmeralda had thanked him for his obvious confidence in her abilities but felt she would not succeed. The Duke took her hands and solemnly stated that if anyone could succeed it was indeed the Rose Queen herself.
Upon her return home Esmeralda began researching the deepest and darkest strains of rose. Using grafting techniques and cross pollination she grew several young plants. As they grew and flourished she waited patiently for the first blooms. She achieved deep burgundy and the darkest crimson but never ebony. Three long years past each new bloom took her a step closer to her goal but never close enough. Then in the fourth year a tiny shoot grafted to the main plant produced a bud unlike any Esmeralda had ever seen. It was the darkest green she had ever seen. She tended to this special bud as with all her charges and waited in anticipation for it to blossom.
Sunday 14th April would be a date Esmeralda would never forget – for that morning she witnessed the darkest most beautiful ebony bloom gleaming in the sunlight. She would send word to the Duke that she has succeeded in making his wish come true. However, Esmeralda died that day at the hands of her arch rival, Vanity. It was a dagger to her heart as she breathed sweet words to her special bloom. Vanity took the plant and professed it was her own creation. She became famous over night and revelled in the adulation.
As for Esmeralda her body was buried beneath her rose garden- a place she had loved above all others. Her spirit lived on in the multitude of blooms until one day it rose up and made its presence known. She was the Rose Queen and the ebony bloom her creation.
The words flowed so quickly Janice could not read them quickly enough. At last her fingers ceased their frantic tapping and she realized who her visitor had been. Janice would make sure the real creator was acknowledged for her Black Rose.
Most of my writing for the next couple of months is going to be my freelance project – I have to keep to the deadline! If my brain needs refreshing I will return to my YA novella, Creature Hunt on Planet Toaria, I have maybe 2-3 chapters to complete now. Then I can send the whole manuscript to my illustrator with ideas for the chapter header images.
What projects do you have planned for the winter months?
Books:
I am reading this novel by a young local author. She has created her voice and a wonderful cast of characters. Review to follow.
Writing Tips: Hashtags for writers.
#amwriting: Commonly used by writers to indicate they’re generating pages.
#amediting : a writer is going through his or her pages, revising.
#writingtip or #writetip Writing coaches, editors, and others whose livelihoods depend on authors will offer up their tweety pearls of wisdom, marked by these hashtags.
#writingprompt This hashtag is used when writing coaches give a suggestion about what to write, an idea to get the writer going and help to stimulate the flow of the pen on the page.
And good luck to all who are participating this year.
#nanowrimo National Novel Writing Month (November) helps create solidarity among those toiling on their magnum opuses
Other tags:
#book #novel #nonfiction #fiction #paperbacks #short or #short #story or #shortstories or #shortreads #litfic (for literary fiction) #histfic and #histnovel (used for historical fiction) #womensfiction #scifi or #science #fiction #romance #paranormal #crime #suspense #kidlit #cookbooks
My main concentration over the past week and into this week has been my ghost writing project. Fueled with ‘technical jargon’ from my client, I have been incorporating it into the story. The characters are taking shape and after this evening, I will send the revisions ready for our meeting on Thursday. With all narrative’s, be they creative or non-fiction, there has to be a ‘voice’ present. My main character is clear to me and the supporting characters interactions with them is ensuring an engaging story.
I will get back to my YA story in time but need to focus on freelance work for now. I am still undecided on which ‘pending’ novel to tackle next. Each one has its own unique qualities. The Giving Thief – a suspense/coming of age, Willow Tree Tears – a western romance and Life in Slake Patch – a speculative fiction. Logically I should complete Slake Patch, as it is the oldest manuscript and has been rewritten and edited too many times to mention. But with the success of The Twesome Loop – romance with a reincarnation twist – should I follow up with another romance?
What are your thoughts? Which one would you tackle?
Book review:
Believable and well formed characters, a great plot with lots of tension even after the criminal is revealed and beyond. A real page turner with a climax that keeps you reading in trepidation. If you like detective stories this is one for you.
Currently reading and enjoying this:
Writing Tip:
Get your characters talking
Writers are observers and listeners. This trait is essential for creating fictional characters. The use of accents, verbal habits and choice of words will enhance the exchange of dialogue within the narrative thus bringing the characters to life. The reader should be able to identify the particular character through their ‘voice’.
Mandy Eve-Barnett's Blog for Readers & Writers 