Spoiler alert! It wasn’t Snoopy after all :) Read on to know the truth.
By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)
This is the second article in our occasional series, ‘Five Reasons’, in which we take a neglected figure from literary history and endeavour to unearth five interesting or surprising things about them. In our first piece, we took the Victorian novelist and poet George Meredith as our subject.
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Since a lot of us share in the fantasy of becoming a world famous author, here is the Thirteenth installment of Ten Top Lists of What Not to Do by John W. Howell of Fiction Favorites at http://johnwhowell.com and Marie Ann Bailey of 1WriteWay at http://1writeway.com. These lists are simu-published on our blogs each Monday. We hope you enjoy.
10. If you are writing the great American novel, do not begin your manuscript with the words, “It was a dark and stormy night.” These words have already been copyrighted by Snoopy and you could find yourself in a nasty lawsuit.
9. If you are writing the great American novel, do not let your spouse read a word of it. Your spouse will want to protect you from yourself and make suggestions that could lead to annulment proceedings by both of you.
8. If you are writing the great American novel, do not use your friends, neighbors or family members as easily identified characters. People tend to be a little touchy when they think you have exposed them for what they really are.
7. If you are writing the great American novel, do not include sex scenes that at some later time you will need to explain “how you knew that” to your spouse. Even worse would be the question, “why haven’t we done that?”
6. If you are writing the great American novel, do not tell anyone you are doing it until it is all done. If you talk too much, the people you tell will give you a number of stories that they are sure you can use. Even worse, you will have to listen to all the stories about how they are also going to write a book as if it is as easy as saying.
5. If you are writing the great American novel, do not start replacing frustrated moments with food and drink. The frustration will continue but you might be in a position to need new clothes beyond your tattered trusted terry cloth robe for that book launch party. It could also be that you will need to seek help for your addictions.
4. If you are writing the great American novel, do not assume everyone in the world is causing you to come down with a case of writer’s block. The interruptions are a way for normal people to test whether or not you are still of sound mind and body. The writer’s block is all you.
3. If you are writing the great American novel, do not try and get your family to understand why you would rather remain behind to tap on your keyboard than to go to the movies, theater, restaurant, bar or sporting event. Simply pretend to have come down with a bout of the flu and let it go. You may have to create some unusual sounds, but as world famous author you can do it.
2. If you are writing the great American novel, do not suspend normal hygiene routines. The wild eyed, disheveled, evil smelling iconic view of an author is long past. If you are clean and look healthy, you will avert unusual questions not to mention a threat of intervention from loved ones.
1. If you are writing the great American novel, do not let anyone tell you that you are wasting your time. The fact that you just might be doing so is nobody else’s business but yours. You will eventually reach your goal (or not), but at least it was you who had the faith to get there.
Check out these two new inspirational posts–one by yours truly and the other by ever-thankful and always-awesome Pamela Beckford: http://www.romeconstructioncrew.com/ Consider becoming a member of the RCC and share your story of inspiration and motivation!
New weekly writing prompt from The Community Storyboard!
Frankly, Finnegan is … oh, what’s the word?… Hot!
Meet Finn. The loyal, man of the sea, has finally found the love of his life. He is about to discover that happiness comes with a price.
The Illusions of Eventide, book 3 in The House of Crimson and Clover, is slated for December 14th.
Add it to your Goodreads TBR here:http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18191030-the-illusions-of-eventide
New to the series? This is a great time to dive in!
St. Charles at Dusk (CC#1)
Amazon http://amzn.com/B005RT0ZKE
BN http://bit.ly/18Kzhsp
Beyond Dusk: Anne (CC#1.5)
Amazon http://amzn.com/B00EUI53IC
The Storm and the Darkness (CC#2)
Amazon http://amzn.com/B00DS86XU2
Check it out! The RCC is back and it’s awesome :)
My contribution to this week’s writing prompt–Autumn–at The Community Storyboard.
Autumn Memories
the air is crisp and seeps through my sweater and a flannel shirt to cool my skin
the leaves are bursting into a riot of yellow, gold, orange, magenta, blood red
all there is to eat is mulled cider and pumpkin pie spiced with ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon
when I was a child, my cat would start sleeping with me again,
instead of spending her night roaming, hunting mice in the cornfields
dry, crunchy leaves raked into mountains in which my brother and I would hide,
waiting for the low rumble of our mother’s car as she pulled into the driveway after work,
jumping up and showering leaves on her as her tired feet carried her down the walkway
the thick sweet smell of candle wax and pumpkin pulp
the flickering light of jack o’lanterns peeking out from neighbors yards in the black of night,
their serrated smiles and angled eyes making me uneasy
Autumn was a pause in life, a time to let things go,
a time to enjoy the beauty of decay and death
Always confident that Spring would eventually come
Welcome to an interview with Jade Reyner, author of Twelve Days: The Beginning. Jade also has a blog, Jade’s Jungle, at www.jadereyner.com where she takes you along on her “self-publishing safari”!
M: Jade, thank you so much for agreeing to be interviewed. I’m excited to be able to talk with you about your current novel, Twelve Days: The Beginning, as well as the two sequels I believe you have planned.
J: Marie, it’s a pleasure to be here and thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me!
M: Can I get you anything? There’s a bit of a time difference between us so I think you’re in the right time zone if you want anything harder than tea. Some sherry, perhaps?
J: Thanks – but I am a true Brit, tea, tea and more tea.
M: Wonderful! I’ll make us a pot of tea, then. Let’s sit here on my couch. Don’t mind the cats, especially Wendy. She’s young and quite curious.
J: Oooh, is she the one that you rescued from the restaurant? I would love to do something like that. I hope she’s settled in okay.
M: Yes, she has! Thank you for asking. OK, let’s get started. First, let’s talk about your first novel. How did you come about to write Twelve Days: The Beginning? What was the impetus?
J: This is going to sound odd but it just kind of ‘happened’. There are several events that have occurred throughout my life which I have used as inspiration but once I got started, the book really did write itself. I have always wanted to write a novel, it was on my bucket list so to speak and then after taking a Creative Writing course I decided to just sit down and give it a go. Twelve Days – The Beginning is the result.
M: Of course, I’ve read your novel and thoroughly enjoyed it. But I have to admit, I had read very few romances before yours and I was very surprised at the rather explicit sex scenes. They were well-done, not at all gratuitous, but is it common for such steamy scenes to be in romance novels? Or have I misunderstood your genre?
J: Yes is the short answer to that. Romance as a genre has probably evolved more than many in recent years and there are now distinct genres within the genre, if that makes sense. Twelve Days – The Beginning would sit at the erotica end of the spectrum and then your classic Mills and Boon would sit as far away from it as possible. There are a huge number of books that incorporate explicit sex scenes nowadays and I think that many women (and men) are more open about wanting to read these types of books. I tried very hard to make my scenes relevant however as I did not want to put the sex in just for the sake of it. I think that this development of the genre can only be considered to be a good thing because it allows authors more freedom if they wish, but it doesn’t take anything away from the classical romance which is still widely written and enjoyed.
M: Thank you for explaining. I was also quite impressed with how you handle the issue of domestic violence in your novel. As someone who has worked with victims of domestic violence, I thought your writing was spot-on. When you began the novel, did you know that domestic violence would be part of the storyline?
J: I always knew that there would be domestic violence in the book, the issue that I had was how in-depth it should be explored because although it is a major storyline, it is in no way the sum total of Twelve Days. I did draw on some personal experiences to write the part of Elise (the female protagonist) and I am just really pleased that someone with your experience, found the scenes to be spot on. I take that as a massive compliment.
M: (smile) I do appreciate how you approached domestic violence in your novel. Let’s talk a bit about your next two novels. I believe you have two in the works, based generally on the same characters as your first novel.
J: Yes, actually I have quite a few in the works, but at the moment I am nearly finished writing Twelve Days – The Future which is the sequel to Twelve Days – The Beginning. This is the final book covering the story of Elise and Vaughn and completes their tale which as anyone who has read Twelve Days – The Beginning will know, ends on a bit of a knife edge. There are many more twists and turns and the ride is in no way smooth, but I hope that readers will enjoy finding out how they both fare after what has been a hugely emotional journey for both of them.
I then plan to release two more books in the Twelve Days series which will be from two of the other major characters points of view and will cover the same twelve day period in which everything happened in the first book. I am planning to write both Twelve Days – Dale and Twelve Days – Cole as these are the two other major characters who I think readers have identified with.
I then have other projects which will move away from Twelve Days but the beauty of this series is that there are so many characters whose lives I can develop, and so it will be sitting there like my favourite slippers, to return to any time that I wish.
M: Oh, I love that metaphor: your favourite slippers! That’s a wonderful way to look at one’s writing. You know, so many writers are influenced by other writers. Are there writers who have influenced you?
J: Whenever I get asked this question I would really love to say something profound but actually the answer is no. I do not really have any particular literary heroes as I enjoy so many authors for so many different reasons. I think the only book that I can really say stuck in my mind and made me appreciate the power of words was An Inspector Calls by J B Priestley which I read at school. I think that it is such an amazing and clever piece of writing and I try to emulate some of the style and the twists and turns in my writing. I would like to say though that since I have been on WordPress, I have been hugely inspired by all of the wonderful writers that I have met and connected with. You truly are the unsung heroes.
M: I agree. There are some amazing writers in this community. What is a typical writing day for you? Do you set yourself goals like word or page counts? What needs to happen for you to say that you’ve had a productive and satisfying writing day?
J: I have a word goal usually. I try to do 4,000 words a day when I am on a ‘writing’ day and if I achieve that then I am happy. I have the morning’s only to write and so I have to try to fit in blogging, networking and marketing as well which we all know can take up a huge amount of time. There are days when I just don’t get any writing done and that is definitely not a satisfying day!
M: Four thousand words is impressive! You know, publishing, whether it’s self-publishing or traditional publishing, is very competitive. Writers who are coming out with their first novels or short stories may feel overwhelmed or intimidated by the marketplace. Do you have any advice for writers who aspire to be published authors?
J: I think my only advice would be that they need to take on board just how hard it is. I know that I definitely entered this with my eyes closed but now I am so much more aware of what it takes to get the book from inside your head to the bookshelf. I would urge everyone to follow their dream and to keep at it and just to believe in themselves as that is the key. I would also say that you need to build up a good support network. Without you Marie and my other blogging friends, I don’t think that I would have come anywhere near as far as I have. You are all such a great inspiration and support to me. So thank you for that.
M: Well, it’s truly been my pleasure to get to know you and read your novel and your blog. I want to thank you again for taking the time for this interview. I know I am one of many others who are eagerly awaiting the publication of your next novel. I assume you will announce it on your blog, which again is Jade’s Jungle. Would you like some more tea before you head back?
J: Marie, it was my pleasure to be interviewed by you and I never say no to a cuppa! Thank you for a brilliant interview, I had a great time.
And yes, Twelve Days – The Future should be out towards the end of the year but please keep watching my blog (www.jadereyner.com) for updates.
***
Well, that’s it, folks! My interview with romance author, Jade Reyner. Be sure to follow her blog Jade’s Jungle and pick up a copy of Twelve Days: The Beginning. Please stay tuned for more interviews by 1WriteWay.
To get your own copy of Twelve Days: The Beginning, visit any one of these links:
www.jadereyner.com (follow the links from there)
Twelve Days – The Beginning. Amazon UK
Twelve Days – The Beginning. Amazon.com
Marie at 1 Write Way 