"Why Do You Write?"

When I was asked to answer the question "why do you write?" I didn't know it would come at a time when giving an answer would be so poignant.

For as long as I can remember I've had a stalwart audience of two.  Long before thoughts of Day's Dying Glory even came into existence I had days of sitting alongside two of my sisters, all of us writing, and in the evening we would take it in turns to read out each other's work.  These were (rather unimaginatively!) entitled "Story Days".  And these two were my audience.  We were like an exclusive book club.

A Story Day cocktail with a questionable name

It was not first my idea to publish my writing; nor second.  And that's why I'm doing it.  For the first time, I've had other people encouraging me to offer my literature to a wider audience.  And, from my own point of view, nothing means more.

This is all rather upbeat, so why did I say this question had come at a poignant time?  Because I'm questioning why I'm bothering, and I haven't had cause to question it since I began the journey into Historical Fiction writing.  Sure, I had my fair share of rejection letters - although only one that was verging on rude in its dismissal - but you read almost any published author's memoirs and they had to deal with the same thing.  I've even had criticism from a reader that the book stretches the bounds of believability.  But that's fine - the reader still loved the book and is looking forward to attending its launch.  But to raise money for the book launch I started a Crowdfunder campaign.  I theorised that, should each of my friends, and a handful of interested parties, throw a fiver into the pot, I'd easily make the target.  They didn't.

The complicated maze of sibling legs

So, failure on the horizon?

Well, no actually.  I didn't start this journey with the hope of becoming a bestselling author.  I didn't even want to make money on it.  I have a fantastic story to tell.  A story which encompasses all aspects of humanity.  All I've wanted to do, from the word go, is share that story.

So this one's for you, Readers - you really are the ones that matter the most.  Thanks - I hope you like it.
[Actually, it's technically for my Dad.  It's the only piece of my writing he's ever read, and I think he enjoyed it!]

Me with Judith and Clemency at the Flows Lookout

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"Edinburgh" or "Why Inspiration Does Not Need To Be Pretty"

I've just returned from a weekend in Edinburgh, a city I have not properly visited since I was 11 -*cough* years ago.

City Skyline from The Rooftop Terrace
at The National Museum of Scotland

Our itinerary was simple: The National Museum of Scotland, The Camera Obscura, The National Museum of Scotland, The Real Mary King's Close, The National Museum of Scotland, Greyfriar's Kirkyard, and The National Library of Scotland.  Oh, and did I mention The National Museum of Scotland.

City Skyline from the top of
The Camera Obscura

You might wonder what this has to do with writing.  I'll try and explain.  Edinburgh has inspired some amazing books, and not just recently either.  My tour guide (my sister, Judith!) explained how Deacon Brodie had inspired the writing of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, while my other guide (another sister who is an Edinburgh resident) pointed out the inspiration for Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter series.  I hoped to tap in to a little bit of this age-old inspiration.

The Coffin Dolls
(picture by Judith)

The Window on the World at
The National Museum of Scotland

A Sabre-Toothed Tiger at
The National Museum of Scotland

To appease my slight obsession with Lord Byron we visited the John Murray Archive exhibition in the National Library of Scotland, conveniently a two minute walk from The National Museum of Scotland where (as you may have guessed!) we spent a lot of time.  But there was stacks of inspiration to be had here.  Judith loves the mystery and intrigue surrounding the Coffin Dolls (pictured above), a set of miniature figures resting in tiny boxes decorated as coffins.  The Real Mary King's Close has a story to every room, even those that seem empty, and they're all stories worth telling.

My head on a platter
(picture by Judith)

Jaw Dropping at
The Camera Obscura

Judith's dream come true!

Walking through The Camera Obscura is like stepping into the pages of a fairytale, where everything is real but nothing is true, while Greyfriar's Kirkyard, with its new herb gardens, is a world away from the chaos of city life outside its gates.  The old city wall splits the kirkyard in two as it weaves through the elaborate and heartfelt memorials that have been erected upon or against it.

The Ensign who took an eagle
and changed a crest

My Gingerbread Bear at
The Hub

I'll be honest with you though. Edinburgh is not my sort of city.  Litter was drifting through the streets, bins were overflowing, and there seems to be a tradition of disposing of cigarette ends between the cobbles.  Despite my initial misgivings these fantastic establishments, in a city which scarcely matched their devotion and fervour, brought life to the streets of our capital.  I think it was Anthony Burgess who first used the phrase "All Human Life is Here" and it's the echo of that, calling down through the ages, which sparks a flicker and fans the furnace of Edinburgh as an inspirational city.

Incidentally, these were amongst my favourite finds:

 

These all relate to Sir David Baird, a man whose need for justice (or revenge) knew no limits.  The Storming of Seringapatam is the twentieth instalment of Beneath Black Clouds And White - the prequel to Day's Dying Glory - currently serialised on Channillo.

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Categorising Literature - Why I Hate It

I recently attended Russel D McLean's talk on crime writing.  It was good - very funny and engaging - and, while it doesn't exactly fit the genre of my book, it was useful to hear different ideas about writing and how to put your writing "Out There" (that mystical place where anything is possible).

One thing I appreciated in the talk - though equally disliked - was the importance of categorising literature and, by doing so, finding your audience.  But it did get me thinking: What on earth is my book?

Well, it's definitely Historical Fiction.  The research which went into it is something I'm quite proud of - one of my favourite parts being a throwaway line about a position advertised in a newspaper, just because I know how intricately I searched to find this fact.  And, while the story remains fiction, it weaves in real people and true situations.

Great!  I've categorised it!

No, wait.  Apparently there is such a thing as a sub-genre, and a sub-sub-genre.  And so the never-ending prefix goes on.

It's Mystery, then.  Not exactly Supernatural (although it is implied that some characters believed in such things), nor Espionage, but a mystery of learning what people truly are and the lengths they are willing to go to for king, country, honour and love.  In essence it is a mystery of humanity.

And, of course there is the argument that it's Romance.  After all, it follows affairs of the heart very closely all the way through.  I have a friend who lectures around this subject in Erlangen and am waiting eagerly to see what her take is on my book.

So, here's my advice, writers: categorising is important, but you can categorise wherever you wish as long as that is how your think your audience can interpret it.  And don't stop there.  If a conventional genre doesn't match, make your own.  It's better to break the mould than to be pigeonholed.

Finally, as it's Valentine's Day, here's what my characters have to say about love:

You might have loved him from the first day that you knew him but not seen it yourself. The words you have just spoken are what love is. To be unable to see a life without someone, to value their views over anything else. If you cannot bear the thought that you might never hear him say your name, or see his smile, then you do love him.

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Book Launches - A Blog Guaranteed Not To Help

While I've been working alongside the Crowvus team to prepare for the three Book Launch events, I've read SO MANY websites about creating a good and effective launch.  I can tell you now, not one of them works entirely.

So in this Blog I intend to address some of the issues I've faced around planning my own Book Launch, with perhaps a few harsh truths thrown in.

1. Budget - Almost all lists suggest that you set your budget and stick to it.  Make sure that you stay within what you can afford.  This is a fair comment because you can bet that, as soon as you go from posting cute pictures of your dog on Facebook to posting your Crowdfunder page, most of your friends suddenly treat you like a pariah.
   "Virginia who?"
   
2. Entertainment - Clearly most people who turn up to a book launch are there to see the author.  But having an alternative - but thematic - entertainment can also be very welcome.  However, expect to be ignored by these people 50% of the time, turned down 30% of the time and gain success the other 20%.  At this point I have to pay huge thankful recognition to Duckegg Theatre Company who were the first people I asked and who have supported me from the word go:
   "You guys are amazing!
   
3. Venue - I landed on my feet here and got some real support!  Choosing somewhere that will draw in like-minded people is crucial.  It's worth looking around carefully before you choose.
   "I've always wanted to go there!"
4. Blog Tour - This is a great idea!  There are so many successful blogs around that if you write a post for them it'll be helping all involved.  Plus, for the main part, book bloggers are quite a nice bunch.
   "Blog it out!"
5. Reading - Choosing which passages from your book you want to deliver.  I have to admit that, whilst the rest of the organisation has been a nightmare, this is the part that fills me with dread.  I'm a trained teacher, and talking in front of people does not phase me.  But READING in front of them, and from something that contains heartfelt words from your own soul, is downright daunting.
   "Please don't laugh..."
   
6. Advertise - As aforementioned, social media is not always the best way to gain support, although throw it out once, twice, thrice...  Actually keep on putting it out there until people get bored of it and agree to attend the launch just to shut you up.
   "Hello? Hello, friends?"
7. Advertise - Get local press involved.  Don't email though, as that is easy to be ignored.  Give them a ring.  Or if, like me, you have an aversion to telephones get your agent/publisher/friend/random-person-you-grabbed-off-the-street to call for you.
   "Yes, you don't know me because I'm a debut author..."
8. Advertise - This is the soul destroying part where you realise that, despite your best efforts to coax, cajole or beg people to attend AND the £££s that you've spent persuading them don't seem to be getting you anywhere, you break your budget as you pay to appear on that one bus shelter you're sure will make all the difference.
   "Of course it was worth mortgaging the house three times, I'm on the billboard three miles outside town!"

And then you turn up, convinced that the only people there will be your immediate family, faithfuls of the venue and those three trusty friends who'd follow you anywhere.  And are you correct?  Well, let's wait and see!

11th April - The Ropewalk, Barton-upon-Humber

17th April - The Library of Innerpeffray, nr Crieff

6th May - St Magnus Centre, Kirkwall.

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"Christmas Pudding For The Soul"

We are currently very excited about our first publication, Day's Dying Glory, which will be published in April this year. Day's Dying Glory is an historical fiction novel set in Scotland and spanning the years 1806-1812. It is the story of three sisters who are forced to come to terms with the cruelties of loss, treason and betrayal, all whilst limited by the expectations of Society.

In conjunction with this project's Orcadian Book Launch, we are inviting secondary school pupils to take part in a competition to design a front cover for a booklet of 4 short stories that were written especially for Christmas 2016. The title, which must feature on the cover, is "Christmas Pudding for the Soul". The winner of this competition will be announced at the Day's Dying Glory Book Launch which is taking place in the St Magnus Centre on 6th May. The winner will receive a £50 One4All voucher, with small prizes for two highly commended entries.

All entries should be submitted electronically and will be judged by our authors. The deadline for entries will be midnight on Friday 7th April.

For the full list of rules head over to the Crowvus website.

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