tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36188707810481154002024-03-13T09:42:57.184-07:00CrowvusDay's Dying Gloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17731898250646653995noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618870781048115400.post-45657728926973579942020-06-05T12:02:00.001-07:002020-06-05T12:02:42.257-07:00Tomorrow, tomorrow...<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Tomorrow - Eeek! it's tomorrow!</span></div>
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It's all been building up to this event this week...</div>
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...and Caledon 4!</div>
Day's Dying Gloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17731898250646653995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618870781048115400.post-66476250941095836752020-05-29T02:58:00.000-07:002020-05-29T02:58:14.410-07:00Welcome to Festival Season!<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This week has been hectic. In the pandemonium of the lockdown - and therefore being unable to work - I'd just about forgotten how demanding times were. When, in August (hopefully), I get back to work, it will be interesting to see how a timetable works again!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While I sit here typing there's not a single cloud in the sky! The heavens are blue, the canopy green, and the landscape amass with all colours. Inspiration is really in the air. It's perhaps little surprise, then, that I've returned to my wonderful set of friend, The Clan of Caledon, as they run through the Scottish landscape. With the lockdown (even as it's easing) despite being outlaws, they are more free than I am. An interesting thought. Currently, they are in their fourth adventure.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQSPm6DSPmnF0oOB7ovicjYERSh5o7a3DQuHyNd-qHL0jjwzxg1bMFByq7rValjrniyKiW0K1a6XhFW8H4jtqNtySlkrP57mJirnkyfDXUbAHT-l97pQ47mGR2CkpTawl1HAkqi37LRWc/s1600/The+Clan+of+Caledon.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="928" data-original-width="1386" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQSPm6DSPmnF0oOB7ovicjYERSh5o7a3DQuHyNd-qHL0jjwzxg1bMFByq7rValjrniyKiW0K1a6XhFW8H4jtqNtySlkrP57mJirnkyfDXUbAHT-l97pQ47mGR2CkpTawl1HAkqi37LRWc/s320/The+Clan+of+Caledon.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This week has been dominated by these characters, beginning on Monday when I joined chair Ann Landmann and fellow author Olga Wojtas in pre-recording our event for the #Cymera2020 festival. You can find out about the event by clicking on this link:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.cymerafestival.co.uk/2020-events/2020/6/6/virginia-crow-amp-olga-wojtas">https://www.cymerafestival.co.uk/2020-events/2020/6/6/virginia-crow-amp-olga-wojtas</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had such a great time recording the event, I really hope you enjoy watching it as much as I enjoyed taking part in it!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was immensely disappointed when the festival was cancelled due to Covid-19, but the fabulous Cymera committee moved the whole event to a digital platform. Now, as well as being delighted to appear as part of the festival, I'm really excited about being able to watch all the events!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If Science Fiction, Fantasy or Horror are your chosen genre(s), you are in for an absolute treat with the events Cymera have lined up! You can find them all here:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.cymerafestival.co.uk/2020-events">https://www.cymerafestival.co.uk/2020-events</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On Wednesday, I shelved my Caledon friends in favour of the wonderful Doctor Henry Fotherby, in my appearance as part of the second <a href="https://ourownwrite.squarespace.com/" target="_blank">Our Own Write</a>. There are very few characters I have written in whom I can see every aspect of myself. Fotherby is the one who knows me best, and who I can fully understand. Even when I have let him run wild with his own story, I know where he'll go, because it's where I would have gone, too!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I gave a short reading from <i>Beneath Black Clouds and White </i>followed by a sharing of fanart(!) and answering a few questions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You can watch this by following this link:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://twitter.com/DaysDyingGlory/status/1266299996468477952?s=20" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/DaysDyingGlory/status/1266299996468477952?</a> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Authors! <i>Our Own Write</i> is running on the final Wednesday of every month. This is a brilliant event to get involved with. Your audience is global and full of like-minded people. Check out their website and join in the bookish fun:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://ourownwrite.squarespace.com/">https://ourownwrite.squarespace.com/</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In addition to this, my New Year's resolution is still going strong. This week it was a submission to Wigtown Poetry Prize.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The books mentioned in today's blog can be found here:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Caledon: <a href="http://amazon.co.uk/dp/B083JNL9NK">amazon.co.uk/dp/B083JNL9NK</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple;">"Go out and tell all those you meet, Caledon has risen. Caledon will be protected and defended. And to you who would cause her harm, be prepared. A new fight has come."</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple;">After the destruction of the Jacobite forces at Culloden, Scotland is divided, vulnerable and leaderless, with survivors from both sides seeking to make sense of the battles they have fought against their fellow Scots. </span></div>
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<span style="color: purple;">James Og flees Drumossie, seeking the protection of his uncle's house in Sutherland. It is here that James learns that the Northern Highlands hold a secret power only he can wield: Caledon. When Ensign John Mackay begins hunting Og's family, James realises he must harness this power to defeat the enemies of Scotland. </span></div>
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<span style="color: purple;">But, as the ageless Caledon awakes, so too does an ancient evil. When it allies with Mackay, the small Clan of Caledon faces enemies at every turn, discovering that even those closest to them may seek to destroy them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Beneath Black Clouds and White: </b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07QFYFB6V/">https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07QFYFB6V/</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple;">Accompanied by his wife to Flanders, Josiah Tenterchilt meets a man who could not be more different from him: an apprentice surgeon named Henry Fotherby. As these two men pursue their own actions, fate and the careful connivance of a mysterious individual will push them together for the rest of their lives.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple;">But it is a tumultuous time, and the French revolutionaries are not the only ones who pose a threat. The two gentlemen must find their place in a world where the constraints of social class are inescapable, and ‘slavery or abolition’ are the words on everyone’s lips.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple;">Beneath Black Clouds and White is the prequel to Day's Dying Glory.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Keep safe and keep smiling!</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Find me here: </span><a href="http://www.stompermcewan.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; text-decoration-line: none;">www.stompermcewan.com</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.twitter.com/DaysDyingGlory" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; text-decoration-line: none;">www.twitter.com/DaysDyingGlory</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> - follow me there!</span></span><br />
Day's Dying Gloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17731898250646653995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618870781048115400.post-42637275155964090582020-05-22T02:29:00.000-07:002020-05-22T02:29:18.044-07:00Fly by the Hours with Words and Flowers<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This week's been a very busy week!</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dusting myself down from the disappointment of countless rejections last week could only be done in one way...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, in the last seven days, I've:</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">completed a piece of writing which was meant to be a 5,000 word short story, but bloomed into a 35,000 word novella</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">written a 500 word piece of prose for the Wild Inside competition run by the <a href="https://www.johnmuirtrust.org/" target="_blank">John Muir Trust</a> which, in turn, led to...</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">revisited something I wrote for <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/952286" target="_blank">Consequences</a> and always had an idea of returning to. I'm about 7,000 words in so far</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, I've not been idle!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In addition to writing, I've also been snapping shots!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Remember! Tune in to <a href="https://ourownwrite.squarespace.com/" target="_blank">Our Own Write</a> on Twitter this week. I'm talking Historical Fiction at 3pm BST!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Find me here: </span><a href="http://www.stompermcewan.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; text-decoration-line: none;">www.stompermcewan.com</a><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><a href="http://www.twitter.com/DaysDyingGlory" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; text-decoration-line: none;">www.twitter.com/DaysDyingGlory</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> - follow me there!</span></span></div>
Day's Dying Gloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17731898250646653995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618870781048115400.post-555935935854227942020-05-15T12:06:00.002-07:002020-05-15T14:06:24.910-07:00From Tiny Acorns...<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So, this week's writing started with a short story. One reader and one week later, it's a 22,500 word novella. And it's still growing!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That's taken up most of my time, but I've also had exciting news about the newly-digitalised Cymera2020 festival, which I'm taking part in, as well as securing a spot in the second <i>Our Own Write</i> virtual book tour.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's not all been fun and games, though. In the past seven days I've scribbled out four different submissions from my New Year resolution competition list. That was a disappointment. I went back and re-read my submissions (and, on one occasion, compared the winning entry to mine) and pondered on how I could improve. I considered changing them to match the style of those which won but, at the end of the day, I don't write to make money. I write for the readers who love my adventures with a sprinkle of poetic prose. So, I dusted myself down and carried on regardless.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm still on track with my New Year resolution, and it's giving more creativity than I would ever have believed, as well as throwing out a number of challenges.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Don't be put off by rejections, they're just a step closer to finding the right audience.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Find me here: </span><a href="http://www.stompermcewan.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; text-decoration-line: none;">www.stompermcewan.com</a><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><a href="http://www.twitter.com/DaysDyingGlory" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; text-decoration-line: none;">www.twitter.com/DaysDyingGlory</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> - follow me there!</span></span>Day's Dying Gloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17731898250646653995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618870781048115400.post-75046277982146898712020-05-08T09:29:00.002-07:002020-05-08T09:29:31.386-07:00A Directory of Inspiration!<div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPXt-di_ziYd5i3tZ1ydFx8sGYsyB1g4MRd-7Ixql6ukncoDhgGOyiD-XAGRv8x_YJ1zsqNN42Y00WKZ7-R75bmqwWUc25jysGuhRuoBumYhm-F8g6_Y4oL5ELfiOUgsLdGgOrHJC5wpk/s1600/Over+and+Out.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last week (27th April - 3rd May), I was the Crowvus Author of the week. For the first five days I wrote a blog on various ways in which I become inspired. These were:</span></div>
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<ul>
<li><a href="http://crowvusbookblog.blogspot.com/2020/04/places-of-inspiration-authoroftheweek.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Places</span></a></li>
<li><a href="http://crowvusbookblog.blogspot.com/2020/04/objects-to-inspire-authoroftheweek-blog.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Objects</span></a></li>
<li><a href="http://crowvusbookblog.blogspot.com/2020/04/PeopleWhoInspire.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">People</span></a></li>
<li><a href="http://crowvusbookblog.blogspot.com/2020/04/music-to-inspire.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Music</span></a></li>
<li><a href="http://crowvusbookblog.blogspot.com/2020/05/when-inspiration-runs-out.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Characters</span></a></li>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">[you can read these by clicking the links!]</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPXt-di_ziYd5i3tZ1ydFx8sGYsyB1g4MRd-7Ixql6ukncoDhgGOyiD-XAGRv8x_YJ1zsqNN42Y00WKZ7-R75bmqwWUc25jysGuhRuoBumYhm-F8g6_Y4oL5ELfiOUgsLdGgOrHJC5wpk/s1600/Over+and+Out.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="854" data-original-width="1600" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPXt-di_ziYd5i3tZ1ydFx8sGYsyB1g4MRd-7Ixql6ukncoDhgGOyiD-XAGRv8x_YJ1zsqNN42Y00WKZ7-R75bmqwWUc25jysGuhRuoBumYhm-F8g6_Y4oL5ELfiOUgsLdGgOrHJC5wpk/s320/Over+and+Out.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the last two days I considered <a href="http://crowvusbookblog.blogspot.com/2020/05/whats-next.html" target="_blank">looking forward</a> and <a href="http://crowvusbookblog.blogspot.com/2020/05/OverAndOut.html" target="_blank">looking back</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The lockdown has given us plenty of opportunity to do this!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had the idea of writing a series of short stories with the same group of characters, and that's what I've been on with for most of this week. I haven't finished any, but that's just the problem of writing outside - too many distractions - but so much inspiration!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Currently, I have characters I write short stories about for the following genres:</span><br />
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<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">High Fantasy</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Historical Fantasy</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mystery</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Historical Fiction</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Probably no surprises there!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My New Year's Resolution is continuing, having made submissions to <a href="https://k-saa.org/chatterton250-a-call-for-odes-and-elegies/" target="_blank">KSAA's #Chatterton250</a> and <a href="http://www.thefirstline.com/" target="_blank">The First Line</a>. Time will tell how those get on. If nothing else, I'm building up a collection of poems and stories of which I am proud.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In other news (that is: wearing my publisher hat!) the <a href="https://www.crowvus.com/competition" target="_blank">4th Crowvus Ghost Story Competition</a> is now open for entries. Head over and have a peek! The other judges and I are putting together a free eBook of our own ghostly experiences - this is coming out in mid- to late May.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Remember! You can read my books <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B06Y3KJXSS/" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07QFYFB6V/" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/999010" target="_blank">here</a>(this one's free until 20th May).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Find me here: </span><a href="http://www.stompermcewan.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; text-decoration-line: none;">www.stompermcewan.com</a><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><a href="http://www.twitter.com/DaysDyingGlory" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; text-decoration-line: none;">www.twitter.com/DaysDyingGlory</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> - follow me there!</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfeHm3NWsfF7TkytwpcgEhtZwWelI9y2aT2ffrZYuIlOj1vg0ru1xbRyXNifR8pGBaCsDUzCHa6HUU-yPuL_wHMXT8-XedLn6k2MoI-3t-qfk906AL7dSQL4ZHhNwD8KGWfmWU6YnF2Js/s1600/horizontal_knot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="456" height="126" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfeHm3NWsfF7TkytwpcgEhtZwWelI9y2aT2ffrZYuIlOj1vg0ru1xbRyXNifR8pGBaCsDUzCHa6HUU-yPuL_wHMXT8-XedLn6k2MoI-3t-qfk906AL7dSQL4ZHhNwD8KGWfmWU6YnF2Js/s320/horizontal_knot.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Day's Dying Gloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17731898250646653995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618870781048115400.post-61474694160183890642020-05-01T15:00:00.002-07:002020-05-01T15:00:15.234-07:00I haven't forgotten you!<div style="text-align: center;">
Psst! I'm the #AuthorOfTheWeek for Crowvus!</div>
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Head over to <a href="http://crowvusbookblog.blogspot.com/">http://crowvusbookblog.blogspot.com/</a> and read my blogs there!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfeHm3NWsfF7TkytwpcgEhtZwWelI9y2aT2ffrZYuIlOj1vg0ru1xbRyXNifR8pGBaCsDUzCHa6HUU-yPuL_wHMXT8-XedLn6k2MoI-3t-qfk906AL7dSQL4ZHhNwD8KGWfmWU6YnF2Js/s1600/horizontal_knot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="456" height="126" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfeHm3NWsfF7TkytwpcgEhtZwWelI9y2aT2ffrZYuIlOj1vg0ru1xbRyXNifR8pGBaCsDUzCHa6HUU-yPuL_wHMXT8-XedLn6k2MoI-3t-qfk906AL7dSQL4ZHhNwD8KGWfmWU6YnF2Js/s320/horizontal_knot.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Day's Dying Gloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17731898250646653995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618870781048115400.post-63913141532662927812020-04-24T04:09:00.000-07:002020-04-24T04:09:28.304-07:00A Virtual Book Fair and A Reincarnation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Td4zCIh4sBwg-aTS8KH5k13vXN4T_10-11skVIwJx4kJrHN9iQSx-uDit5GrPhHE3BNXhgRzyXDvxqZfYrpqog2nNwafF5_DtQgp4DTVUHH7s5EGe2kjmE0whivj5ZhHQ688iv8-nkE/s1600/41525950_10156510519288213_1770672710989381632_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Td4zCIh4sBwg-aTS8KH5k13vXN4T_10-11skVIwJx4kJrHN9iQSx-uDit5GrPhHE3BNXhgRzyXDvxqZfYrpqog2nNwafF5_DtQgp4DTVUHH7s5EGe2kjmE0whivj5ZhHQ688iv8-nkE/s320/41525950_10156510519288213_1770672710989381632_o.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Without a doubt, my biggest writing event of the week was Our Own Write. This virtual book fair brought together authors from across the globe, and I was delighted to be one of them! I got an opportunity to talk about <i><a href="http://amazon.co.uk/dp/B083JNL9NK" target="_blank">Caledon</a></i>, a topic which I am more than happy to talk and talk and talk about! The whole book fair was run via Twitter Live, and most of the authors' talks are still available on the <a href="https://twitter.com/OurOwnWrite" target="_blank">Our Own Write Twitter page</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You can watch my presentation here:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://twitter.com/DaysDyingGlory/status/1253035356867485697?"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">https://twitter.com/DaysDyingGlory/status/1253035356867485697?</span></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can say with all honesty, it was one of the most rewarding experiences of 2020. I loved taking part, although I was shaking like a leaf!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Reluctant to let go of <i>Caledon</i>, my short story of the week - written for an <a href="https://87bedford.com/anthology-historic-fantasy/" target="_blank">Historical Fantasy anthology</a> - tells the initial story of Caledon's 6th incarnation. The novel is Caledon's 7th incarnation, so going back 125(ish) years to tell the story was really strange. It was a great challenge, and I'm currently just tightening it up in time for the 30th April deadline.</span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw_y3Ag7gIjcQYOZL946xlCPXUNjQgrSt6QwjTlw4vnYllYe6VXh60D9FOBkSKqnTSPgc94G5hPjjc0E_iJ_Q' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thus far, 2020 has still had a submission a week, and I'm feeling very proud of myself for actually sticking to a New Year resolution!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Stay safe, one and all! Remember, all the books are still there. Hunt them out and read them all!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">[Ok, maybe not <b>all</b> of them!]</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Find me here: </span><a href="http://www.stompermcewan.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; text-decoration-line: none;">www.stompermcewan.com</a><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><a href="http://www.twitter.com/DaysDyingGlory" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; text-decoration-line: none;">www.twitter.com/DaysDyingGlory</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> - follow me there!</span></span>Day's Dying Gloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17731898250646653995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618870781048115400.post-80317797744056675272020-04-17T05:21:00.000-07:002020-04-17T05:21:08.674-07:00Back to WorkIt's a glorious sunny day here in Wick. I've walked the dog and done the social-distancing shopping.<br />
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Time to share my week's writing...<br />
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This week I've been scribing short stories. With this lock-down I'm finding it difficult to focus on anything long enough to to work on a novel. So short story and poetry competitions, here we come!<br />
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I'm still persevering with my New Year resolution, with a short story for <a href="https://geminiwordsmiths.com/the-trench-coat-chronicles/" target="_blank">this</a>, and a short story for <a href="http://www.britishfantasysociety.org/news/short-story-competition-2020/" target="_blank">this</a>! I've also written a poem for <a href="https://k-saa.org/chatterton250-a-call-for-odes-and-elegies/" target="_blank">this</a>, although I don't expect to be getting anywhere with that because my poetry takes flowery to a whole new level!<br />
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The only problem with short stories is that I feel I let go of my characters too soon! I put a great deal of investment into my characters - I'm one of those writers who feels like their characters are their friends - and I hate leaving them after a measly few thousand words. So my comeback? Draw them! I'm not sure that counts as writing, but it's certainly taken time!<br />
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Next Wednesday, you can find me on Twitter Live as part of the <a href="https://ourownwrite.squarespace.com/schedule" target="_blank">Our Own Write</a> Book Fair. It's 8pm BST, so check your own time zone and join in!<br />
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Find me here: <a href="http://www.stompermcewan.com/">www.stompermcewan.com</a><br />
<a href="http://www.twitter.com/DaysDyingGlory">www.twitter.com/DaysDyingGlory</a> - follow me there!Day's Dying Gloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17731898250646653995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618870781048115400.post-3046022846260660882020-04-10T03:53:00.000-07:002020-04-10T03:53:04.528-07:00Writing Tips in Tumultuous TimesTrying to settle into writing has been slightly - ok, not so slightly! - awkward this week. But only from the point of view of new writing. I've had a super busy week in the realm of author and part-time artist! Here's some of what's kept me busy...<br />
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I took part in the <a href="https://twitter.com/writing_show" target="_blank">Writing Community Chat Show</a>'s #WritingCommunityBedtimeStory challenge. So now you can, if so inclined, listen to me reading Chapter One of <i>Caledon</i>. Authors, if you haven't already done this, please give it a go. It's great for readers to hear a story in its conceptual voice.<br />
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I've also signed up for <a href="https://ourownwrite.squarespace.com/" target="_blank">Our Own Write</a>, a virtual book fair which takes place on 22nd and 23rd April. I'm on at 8pm BST, followed by <a href="https://www.judithcrow.co.uk/" target="_blank">Judith</a> and then <a href="https://www.clemencycrow.co.uk/" target="_blank">Clemency</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDR3wNyOkYNsXY5dxfyw7fV5kw5lltJoXfGBpl025vww6A9i66MgVVYpxZwQTv1A0Ebs1T7QfYo3rGQrm4b8tO3QHHtpdszCTeZc-jgjA489XpiU_iVS9LnLsVNjiOFJQIPdwxFAN_vuI/s1600/Unicorn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1399" data-original-width="1600" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDR3wNyOkYNsXY5dxfyw7fV5kw5lltJoXfGBpl025vww6A9i66MgVVYpxZwQTv1A0Ebs1T7QfYo3rGQrm4b8tO3QHHtpdszCTeZc-jgjA489XpiU_iVS9LnLsVNjiOFJQIPdwxFAN_vuI/s320/Unicorn.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
And, since I've mentioned Clemency, she's offering everyone - readers, bloggers, reviewers - a chance to join in with her next book. You can find more about it <a href="https://www.clemencycrow.co.uk/unicorns-rule" target="_blank">here</a>! So I did her a little picture (above) to celebrate.<br />
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Finally, I'm still on with my New Year resolution. If everything goes according to plan, these are the four competitions/submissions which I'll enter in April. Why don't you have a look and see if there's one you'd like to enter?<br />
<a href="https://geminiwordsmiths.com/the-trench-coat-chronicles/" target="_blank">The Trench Coat Chronicles</a><br />
<a href="https://didcotwriters.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Didcot Writers</a><br />
<a href="http://parsecink.com/contest/" target="_blank">Parsec</a><br />
<a href="https://87bedford.com/anthology-historic-fantasy/" target="_blank">87 Bedford Anthology</a><br />
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Remember - writing is not just about <i>new </i>writing. Take time to re-read and edit your earlier writings.<br />
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<br />
Find me here: <a href="http://www.stompermcewan.com/">www.stompermcewan.com</a><br />
<a href="http://www.twitter.com/DaysDyingGlory">www.twitter.com/DaysDyingGlory</a> - follow me there!Day's Dying Gloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17731898250646653995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618870781048115400.post-60836131248479923142020-04-03T04:59:00.001-07:002020-04-03T07:00:40.564-07:00Hello Indie AprilA quick look through my writer's diary reveals that this week's biggest advancement has been March into April. Writing-wise, this has also presented a big change in direction.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwGwoax2zptQN4290RKHMO_nno7o8MMu6NiBS9c3nW9JI3L_3nn9hvFHWYl8aG17YSQ6BXHHKJ0ViFl1O-IGvkgAn2qbs7zhkLoE5XF_VIDtK_VJct1cMwe6SkIgGURa5r6T6FT8L6xE4/s1600/The+Clan+of+Caledon.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="928" data-original-width="1386" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwGwoax2zptQN4290RKHMO_nno7o8MMu6NiBS9c3nW9JI3L_3nn9hvFHWYl8aG17YSQ6BXHHKJ0ViFl1O-IGvkgAn2qbs7zhkLoE5XF_VIDtK_VJct1cMwe6SkIgGURa5r6T6FT8L6xE4/s320/The+Clan+of+Caledon.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Clan of Caledon - in avatar form!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Two reasons.<br />
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<ol>
<li>One - welcome to #IndieApril, the month of the year where we, as independent authors and independent publishers, become the stars. This doesn't necessarily mean we become famous, in fact this week's biggest achievement has been helping other indie authors along the way. Writing is really NOT a competitive business. If we support one-another, we're all winners!</li>
<li>Two - Camp NaNoWriMo! Day three, and already I'm really failing on this! But I'm going to try and persevere through this crazy time. <i>In Possession of Words</i>, my horror novel, is currently weighing in at 13,887 words, the majority of which are still little more than notes. I have to come clean and admit that only 1,760 of those were written during Camp NaNoWriMo. If any of you are part of this, please hunt me out and add me as a Buddy - I'm here: <a href="https://nanowrimo.org/participants/stomper-mcewan">https://nanowrimo.org/participants/stomper-mcewan</a></li>
</ol>
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<br />
But April's arrival also means that I'm a quarter of the way through the year, and my literary New Year's Resolution is still in tact! Nothing's come of it so far, but I'm hopeful! How are your 2020 writing goals shaping up?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEienXrKkocRblynct8XxuSp4AtH-TPaGIf0f8m6P3ClmJsakHwl3oeig592vHR4_05dWFbc32Zf_7peLpc_taaeVKYeTNeRpGXvnOxzBwUnTZWAl4tKxq-9Ri9wi6-Jn899tSlxUbXlRwM/s1600/TourBanner_Caledon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="1200" height="124" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEienXrKkocRblynct8XxuSp4AtH-TPaGIf0f8m6P3ClmJsakHwl3oeig592vHR4_05dWFbc32Zf_7peLpc_taaeVKYeTNeRpGXvnOxzBwUnTZWAl4tKxq-9Ri9wi6-Jn899tSlxUbXlRwM/s320/TourBanner_Caledon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Finally, week three of my review tour occurred yesterday with a couple of reviews. Interestingly, this week's reviews were both impressed with the history and landscape in the book. It's always great to have feedback like:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif; font-size: 15.4px;"><i><a href="http://kitnkabookle.blogspot.com/2020/04/caledon-by-virginia-crow.html" target="_blank">I found this book immersive. The world felt real and like I could walk right into it.</a></i></span></blockquote>
and my favourite of this week:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><a href="https://fabulousandbrunette.blogspot.com/2020/04/caledon-by-virginia-crow-book-tour-book.html" target="_blank">One of the best features of this book is the significant amount of accurate, intriguing Scottish Highlands time-period detail that the author weaved into this book. It is [...] well-versed in the culture and customs that she was able to provide such cohesive knowledge and references in her writing.</a></i></blockquote>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">There's only one more review left on my tour, but if your appetite has been whetted, you can find <i>Caledon</i> FREE <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/999010" target="_blank">here</a>. Whatever you thought, please leave a review and I'll be eternally grateful!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Find me here: </span><a href="http://www.stompermcewan.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-decoration-line: none;">www.stompermcewan.com</a><br />
<a href="http://www.twitter.com/DaysDyingGlory" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-decoration-line: none;">www.twitter.com/DaysDyingGlory</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> - follow me there!</span>Day's Dying Gloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17731898250646653995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618870781048115400.post-80098715010960021862020-03-27T04:09:00.000-07:002020-03-27T04:09:04.661-07:00Summery Sunshine through the Window!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMxFd31DDZ8nNcZXnGKvQh2-5b1PhGyURorJ2_pWtz5PNDjHcR7JLMjs2dqoeFYlHckzqaT5Redk1_xgMclRhp2852FzQuAtkrPeeF7L5IBA_koWJyFbO7zkyE39zE7zil9qkilYABjWU/s1600/IMG_2977.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMxFd31DDZ8nNcZXnGKvQh2-5b1PhGyURorJ2_pWtz5PNDjHcR7JLMjs2dqoeFYlHckzqaT5Redk1_xgMclRhp2852FzQuAtkrPeeF7L5IBA_koWJyFbO7zkyE39zE7zil9qkilYABjWU/s320/IMG_2977.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Spring has well and truly sprung!</span></div>
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This week, an entire year has passed me by. I've been revisiting a manuscript I completed last year, entitled <i>The Year We Lived</i>, which - you've guessed it! - spans a whole year. It's set in 1174, and follows a conflict between a Saxon family and a Norman family. It's got a massive twist at the end (more like a contortion) which I'm quite proud of!<br />
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It has also been Week Two of my <i>Caledon </i>review tour. Two more great reviews!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEienXrKkocRblynct8XxuSp4AtH-TPaGIf0f8m6P3ClmJsakHwl3oeig592vHR4_05dWFbc32Zf_7peLpc_taaeVKYeTNeRpGXvnOxzBwUnTZWAl4tKxq-9Ri9wi6-Jn899tSlxUbXlRwM/s1600/TourBanner_Caledon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="1200" height="124" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEienXrKkocRblynct8XxuSp4AtH-TPaGIf0f8m6P3ClmJsakHwl3oeig592vHR4_05dWFbc32Zf_7peLpc_taaeVKYeTNeRpGXvnOxzBwUnTZWAl4tKxq-9Ri9wi6-Jn899tSlxUbXlRwM/s320/TourBanner_Caledon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The first, from <a href="https://the-avidreader.blogspot.com/2020/03/26-review-tour-giveaway-caledon-by-virginia-crow-GF.html" target="_blank">The Avid Reader</a>, gave the book four stars and had this to say of it:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Oldenburg, Georgia, Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><i>Caledon is filled with fighting, betrayals, magic, truths, lies, suspense, action, heart ache and twists and turns that keep the pages turning.</i></span></span></blockquote>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Oldenburg, Georgia, "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Oldenburg, Georgia, "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">The second came from <a href="https://hurnpublications.com/2020/03/26/book-review-caledon-by-virginia-crow/" target="_blank">Hurn Publications</a>, who gave the book five stars (wahey!), and concluded by saying:</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Oldenburg, Georgia, Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Get ready for quite the journey. You’re going to love this read!</i></span></span></blockquote>
[Star ratings are not from blog sites, but can be found on the <i>Caledon </i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50636605-caledon" target="_blank">Good Reads</a> page]<br />
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I'm off now to enjoy the sunshine - thank goodness for gardens in these crazy times!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Keep smiling and stay safe.</div>
<br />
Find me here: <a href="http://www.stompermcewan.com/">www.stompermcewan.com</a><br />
<a href="http://www.twitter.com/DaysDyingGlory">www.twitter.com/DaysDyingGlory</a> - follow me there!Day's Dying Gloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17731898250646653995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618870781048115400.post-69343722522990488702020-03-20T06:42:00.000-07:002020-03-20T06:42:08.389-07:00Not *Exactly* the Week I'd ExpectedSo, social distancing started this week.<br />
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I've spent the last couple of weeks looking at authors' posts about how they would use self-isolation to write. Has anyone else found that the muse flees as time becomes more available? Still, I've managed to get a few bits and bobs done this week. Here's what I've been up to...<br />
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I wrote a poem I was actually pretty pleased with! All my poetry (or almost all of it) is strictly metrical, so there was only one place this poem was heading: <a href="http://www.frostfarmpoetry.org/prize" target="_blank">The Frost Farm Prize</a>. In this, I've been spectacularly organised because it doesn't even close until 30th March!<br />
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I've kept chipping away at my horror writing attempt, but this did escalate into a discussion about what the major genres of fiction are. We came up with the following:<br />
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<ul>
<li>Children's Fiction - Picture Book</li>
<li>Children's Fiction - Middle Grade</li>
<li>Children's Fiction - Young Adult</li>
<li>Horror</li>
<li>Thriller/Crime/Mystery</li>
<li>Romance</li>
<li>Literary Fiction</li>
<li>Fantasy</li>
<li>Historical</li>
<li>Science Fiction</li>
</ul>
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Are there any others you would add to the list?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbp7aSzbPB67dQNjdJf8W6FxZoBMXI6x6oMQ4YY4L-BKOzfbUcRsdgiJWWpXBbEFqFqRAtua3rBBDGinPsItcVxdELFhHtEpf_BaxVn0DSSTu_JJB6ZhAjrbdCYMcbvvKZIDeZ4RtS-bg/s1600/TourBanner_Caledon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="1200" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbp7aSzbPB67dQNjdJf8W6FxZoBMXI6x6oMQ4YY4L-BKOzfbUcRsdgiJWWpXBbEFqFqRAtua3rBBDGinPsItcVxdELFhHtEpf_BaxVn0DSSTu_JJB6ZhAjrbdCYMcbvvKZIDeZ4RtS-bg/s400/TourBanner_Caledon.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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But, by far the most exciting thing which happened this week, was the commencement of my blog tour. The first blogger (<a href="https://mythicalbooks.blogspot.com/2020/03/review-caledon-by-virginia-crow.html">https://mythicalbooks.blogspot.com/2020/03/review-caledon-by-virginia-crow.html</a>) left a fantastic review! This led to much relief and giddiness yesterday!<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><b>Enjoy! But be aware: if you are not already, you could become fascinated by Scottish history and myths.</b></i> ~Mythical Books</blockquote>
<i>Caledon </i>is part of the Smashwords "Authors Give Back" sale, so you can (for a limited time) read it for free <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/999010" target="_blank">here</a>!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfeHm3NWsfF7TkytwpcgEhtZwWelI9y2aT2ffrZYuIlOj1vg0ru1xbRyXNifR8pGBaCsDUzCHa6HUU-yPuL_wHMXT8-XedLn6k2MoI-3t-qfk906AL7dSQL4ZHhNwD8KGWfmWU6YnF2Js/s1600/horizontal_knot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="456" height="126" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfeHm3NWsfF7TkytwpcgEhtZwWelI9y2aT2ffrZYuIlOj1vg0ru1xbRyXNifR8pGBaCsDUzCHa6HUU-yPuL_wHMXT8-XedLn6k2MoI-3t-qfk906AL7dSQL4ZHhNwD8KGWfmWU6YnF2Js/s320/horizontal_knot.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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So, in terms of words written, this week has been lean. However, a word of praise is worth 10,000 words of drafting.<br />
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Find me here: <a href="http://www.stompermcewan.com/">www.stompermcewan.com</a><br />
<a href="http://www.twitter.com/DaysDyingGlory">www.twitter.com/DaysDyingGlory</a> - follow me there!Day's Dying Gloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17731898250646653995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618870781048115400.post-13678495987430130072020-03-13T03:18:00.000-07:002020-03-13T03:18:06.511-07:00Hello Again - 2020 Writing ChallengesSomeone pointed out to me that a blog was a good way of sharing ideas and thoughts on writing. Since there are very few activities I love as much as writing, I decided to give it a go, and share some of my 2020 antics with you, one writer to another, this author to her readers.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO_JsGM0re1mF_gQf0vZyeHPfQXPtyGbZR5iH5-_lrQuseByCJAwhO0DmeyKWPCImH5lbb7qUsJxBvk6CnzvkMCrQnlczW0QFud0E4Ryn_hpaLYxm3dN_l4C8y_yjdB91WOiublICWwaI/s1600/horizontal_knot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="456" height="126" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO_JsGM0re1mF_gQf0vZyeHPfQXPtyGbZR5iH5-_lrQuseByCJAwhO0DmeyKWPCImH5lbb7qUsJxBvk6CnzvkMCrQnlczW0QFud0E4Ryn_hpaLYxm3dN_l4C8y_yjdB91WOiublICWwaI/s320/horizontal_knot.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
2020 is a new decade and so I've set myself a new writing challenge or two. My New Year resolution was to enter one writing competition/award each week and, so far, I've managed to stick to it. I'm 12 entries in, and scribbling eagerly at number 13!<br />
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Although that resolution has constantly pressing deadlines, by far the harder goal I've set myself is to write a book in each major genre. Until now, all my books have had an historical backdrop, but this year will see the release of my first contemporary novel, a thriller with the working title <i>Among These Dark Satanic Mills</i>. This has been a while in the making but, when my publishing team suggested it was good enough to put "out there", I decided I wanted to know if I could write in other genres.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF2p6TEyGG_8SLAehTL6pSmbIV0IXRO_NHpQOaZhQUQBRazgPwWlvbe2Th4z0oP0M59ynoqKqUOS2oHdCXSJYhrkzAA9s4xT7YvWqoEIDv4q5Dqoip5cB9NLNqv1pD20eTdHp2wx7ZQpE/s1600/WIN_20200313_09_17_31_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="715" data-original-width="721" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF2p6TEyGG_8SLAehTL6pSmbIV0IXRO_NHpQOaZhQUQBRazgPwWlvbe2Th4z0oP0M59ynoqKqUOS2oHdCXSJYhrkzAA9s4xT7YvWqoEIDv4q5Dqoip5cB9NLNqv1pD20eTdHp2wx7ZQpE/s320/WIN_20200313_09_17_31_Pro.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
At the moment I'm writing a horror novel, trying to balance the right amount of cliche with a fresh plot and my own style of telling the story. I'm not sure horror is the genre I'm best cut out for, but we'll see how the end product looks!<br />
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In a way, I have NaNoWriMo to thank for this new challenge. Stories I have stored up in my head for months and years formed the basis for my first November writing month last year. Going back to these plot lines, scrawled in the tiny notebook I keep by my pillow, has given me a new drive to get them written. So far, it's still at the enjoyable stage!<br />
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Find me here: <a href="http://www.stompermcewan.com/">www.stompermcewan.com</a><br />
<a href="http://www.twitter.com/DaysDyingGlory">www.twitter.com/DaysDyingGlory</a> - follow me there!Day's Dying Gloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17731898250646653995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618870781048115400.post-17059578009410141202017-10-29T06:11:00.001-07:002017-10-29T06:11:12.538-07:00With Love - The Enduring Legacy of Book Inscriptions<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This week on Twitter (<a href="https://twitter.com/StomperMcEwan" target="_blank">@stompermcewan</a>) I've been sharing some inscriptions from books in our library. It was suggested to me that I list some of these treasured memories here in blog format, so that it would reach a wider audience, so that's what I'm doing!<br />
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An inscription immortalises the recipient and the giver. But more than that, it preserves forever the heartfelt love and appreciation embodied in the giving of a book. That's why I finished the week with the following tweet:<br />
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Enjoy these bite-size histories which have created heroes of normal people as they shared there love of reading and books with someone else. We have bibles, adventures, poem, biographies and so many more. You can find all of these - and more - on my Twitter page.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So many of the books in our little library were gifts from Sunday Schools<br />- this one given to Dad when he was 7.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Children's books were a thing to treasure and, according to Granddad, also doubled up as sketchbooks!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From a gentleman with a story or two to tell - a trained exorcist.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">19th century collection of Burns' poetry gifted 1905.<br />This is a book we acquired so I don't know who Esther was.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Bible given to my Great-Granddad on going to war<br />- pleased to say he did have a safe return. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Given to Mum from her Godparents.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A dedication from Jeffrey Meyers to Susan Watson in his Robert Frost<span style="background-color: #f5f8fa; color: #14171a; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>Biography.<br />Not sure who she was.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another Biography, this time of Richard Dimbleby</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of several books given to Granddad from his Sunday School.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No idea who Nellie was, but the handwriting in this is incredible.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From a stamp album - the date is 1894.<br />Why was the word "Day" underlined and capitalised?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I don't know Evelyn but like to imagine this is from a<br />secret admirer which is why there are only initials.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An unsteady hand with a lot of love.<br />This one is from a copy of Tom Brown's School Days.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;">I've been surprised by how many people abbreviated Christmas to Xmas.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amazing handwriting with a message which speaks for itself.<br />Featured in here:<span style="background-color: white;"> <span style="font-family: Segoe UI, Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="tco-ellipsis" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><span class="invisible" style="font-size: 0px; line-height: 0;">http://</span><a href="http://childoftheisle.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">childoftheisle.blogspot.co.uk/ </a></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A tale of knights and chivalry - a perfect gift for a 21st birthday!<br />"The Dove in the Eagle's Nest"</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From a time when a book was a treasured prize. How do I know?<br />Because it's survived since 1887!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is from a biography of King George the Sixth.<br />A time-capsule.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I don't know who Charlotte Harrison or Miss Mary Smith were,<br />but I love the handwriting in this Book of Psalms.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was given to Dad when we relocated to Orkney.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Intrigued as to whether Claude R Barber was related to Joan Margaret Pearson.<br />Maybe the book stayed in the house.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A fragile connection to my Grandfather (Maurice) who I never knew<br />and, in turn, my great-grandparents.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beyond Frank I can't identify the names in this prayer book.<br />Interesting that the recipient's name comes second.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A shared Adventure story! Never seen the name Arnalyn before and<br />I can't track them down despite the unusual name.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A copy of The Ingoldsby Legends sent to Angelo on his 28th Birthday from his mother.<br />Beautiful!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We thought this Bible had no connection to us until we began<br />researching our family tree that we found a link.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thoughtful gift of "Little Cat Lost"
A book may have a thousand words,<br />but an inscription speaks a million more.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two poetry books inscribed by the poet.<br />Not sure the significance of the pictures but they'll remain in the book.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We got this with a bundle of 19th Century Royal Navy items.<br />Many items were parted with, but we kept this book.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I can't expand on this inscription but love its sentiment entirely.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is from a pocket bible given to my Great-Grandma from<br />my Granddad (George). He was 14 in 1941.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two and a half years makes such a difference to this handwriting!<br />I don't know Elaine, but think I taught her father piano.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sharing a corner of our world with someone who's shared their own,<br />creates a global community.
Nothing teaches us more.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And finally, one of my favourite inscriptions.<br />Alex was 1 at the time, Mum wrote the inscription.</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13.2px;">If you've got any inscriptions in your libraries, please share them. They are such beautiful sentiments and they're also treasure troves for genealogists.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Like the Blog?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Buy the book (for </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Days-Dying-Glory-Virginia-Crow-ebook/dp/B06Y3KJXSS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1493761541&sr=8-1" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Kindle</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> or in </span><a href="http://www.orcadian.co.uk/shop/index.php?id_product=863&controller=product" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Paperback</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">)</span>Day's Dying Gloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17731898250646653995noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618870781048115400.post-39065833849172949912017-08-26T05:27:00.002-07:002017-08-26T15:08:32.025-07:00To Begin With... Getting StartedBeginning a book is a daunting prospect because, let's face it, people may not judge a book by its cover, but they certainly judge it by the first page. At the start of the year I attended an <a href="https://xponorth.co.uk/" target="_blank">Xpo North</a> event at which we were told starting a book with the weather was a bad idea. Problem. That's my default. It's true that the weather is a cliche introduction, but it's also quintessentially British and an instant scene-setter. Beginning with speech, as he suggested, is also a problem for me, as I like to know the character who is talking to me - and yes, I do see them as talking to ME.<br />
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So here's what I decided. Avoid speech, avoid the weather, and avoid anything that can be in any way subjective. My historical novels each begin with a statement of fact:</div>
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<i>In a country at peace, men of war are confined to their homes and families.</i></div>
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<i> </i>- <a href="https://channillo.com/series/beneath-black-clouds-and-white/" target="_blank">Beneath Black Clouds and White</a></div>
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<i>Petrovia Lodge was all that could be expected of a country house for a family of a not inconsiderable income.</i></div>
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<i> </i>- <a href="https://www.crowvus.com/our-books" target="_blank">Day's Dying Glory</a></div>
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<i>War is so often solely about man’s desire to fight with man.</i></div>
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<i> </i>- <a href="https://www.crowvus.com/projects" target="_blank">To Reason Why</a></div>
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Why? Because in this statement the writer can establish for the reader exactly the type of place or person they are about to meet. It's as though the reader has begun a cross-section of the character's world, and it is a world the writer has to hope they'll connect with.</div>
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So, just for fun, here are a few first lines from a handful of classic books I've drawn inspiration and encouragement from since I began writing. See how many you can recognise (all the answers are listed in the labels).</div>
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Feel free to add a comment of your favourite opening line - I'd love to know some of your favourites.<br />
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Like the Blog?<br />
Buy the book (for <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Days-Dying-Glory-Virginia-Crow-ebook/dp/B06Y3KJXSS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1493761541&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Kindle</a> or in <a href="http://www.orcadian.co.uk/shop/index.php?id_product=863&controller=product" target="_blank">Paperback</a>)<br />
Play the <a href="http://oxfordgames.co.uk/shop/ex-libris/" target="_blank">game</a> (Ex Libris is a fantastic game of first and last lines. A chance to exercise your imagination as well as your bookly knowledge)</div>
Day's Dying Gloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17731898250646653995noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618870781048115400.post-88893135857182951872017-07-18T02:32:00.003-07:002017-07-18T02:38:16.973-07:00A Room to Relax - A Writer's RoomOur house is currently on the market. Last week a family came to look round and the little girl announced at once: "This is a boy's room".<br />
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Well, I'm not a boy but I invite you to have a look at a few of the objects adorning my room to see if you share her viewpoint. This is the room in which I do most of my writing. There are a few less antiques than <a href="http://crowvus.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/a-room-to-inspire-living-room.html" target="_blank">last time</a>, and a lot more yellow!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTslNM_nSs3FePfPyhZdU1L9u69kwaS318f__ve8_6mH6rD9enRKtwtlnoxTKQFyGB_-mSLpQqLc6-ErKLztaaye7zNoO1sjwHzLeHHLsPPtliYDCEm52ZQYJrEMaZim0TMc_YuXjIRCQ/s1600/DSCF3133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTslNM_nSs3FePfPyhZdU1L9u69kwaS318f__ve8_6mH6rD9enRKtwtlnoxTKQFyGB_-mSLpQqLc6-ErKLztaaye7zNoO1sjwHzLeHHLsPPtliYDCEm52ZQYJrEMaZim0TMc_YuXjIRCQ/s320/DSCF3133.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Avengers Shelf - Mr Men meet Marvel! A combination of two great franchises.<br />
This shelf was made by my brother and has a secret compartment (currently empty, I'm afraid).<br />
At the moment it is housing the books I have no intention of sharing!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRqOfGC9Lp_gaI8PCVHDLyHFf-JZ0zBPB8EP48j8qIB8HD4OBMizkdyV5CgSvwG5rIlcq5570jd7cg-zYdkuhwHzA2iZAMkGfsEPF3khZEpY3M1Nx69dAWAmupO0UfzHs1u5gKAvECijU/s1600/DSCF3134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRqOfGC9Lp_gaI8PCVHDLyHFf-JZ0zBPB8EP48j8qIB8HD4OBMizkdyV5CgSvwG5rIlcq5570jd7cg-zYdkuhwHzA2iZAMkGfsEPF3khZEpY3M1Nx69dAWAmupO0UfzHs1u5gKAvECijU/s320/DSCF3134.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meet the Watcher Bears - Eight teddies dressed and equipped as the immortals<br />
from my fantasy novels. These were clad as a gift from my youngest sister,</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwwbvJbKUgWvoMdza5nDp4jelY7FT4XyuCT4tD5a8R9j-XW8hDt637zjO2Gx3UB7goD9-OZovu7ZlsWGqjhr2OblR60jgnAQPbLKWUk5AYZ5BM45agBg4LrsCld9p7PSZGWD7xbnnxx5k/s1600/DSCF3135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwwbvJbKUgWvoMdza5nDp4jelY7FT4XyuCT4tD5a8R9j-XW8hDt637zjO2Gx3UB7goD9-OZovu7ZlsWGqjhr2OblR60jgnAQPbLKWUk5AYZ5BM45agBg4LrsCld9p7PSZGWD7xbnnxx5k/s320/DSCF3135.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Growing up in Orkney no room is complete without a Jane Glue picture. We have one<br />
in almost every room of the house. The Northern Lights were a source of magic and<br />
mystery to me, and Dad was photographing them long before digital cameras were around.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsFPMvdq5NcqUKXKxISQci4gRlEmXQ5XJ4KqdKm-Mc_yslZEf9WRe-8dJMjtFv2qHB3cvuXDjxfBEoiwCJkXq5QxIQrGPn_u3l5J4eLO1Rf5pJGycWNIrodnSasCO0G6ohbnrVl6dypxs/s1600/DSCF3136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsFPMvdq5NcqUKXKxISQci4gRlEmXQ5XJ4KqdKm-Mc_yslZEf9WRe-8dJMjtFv2qHB3cvuXDjxfBEoiwCJkXq5QxIQrGPn_u3l5J4eLO1Rf5pJGycWNIrodnSasCO0G6ohbnrVl6dypxs/s320/DSCF3136.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My first piece of fan art! This is the family featured in "Beneath Black Clouds and White"<br />
available <a href="https://channillo.com/series/beneath-black-clouds-and-white/" target="_blank">here</a>. This is the prequel to my first novel.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSBCPepryfLttkKnXfRd0w-Ip4xhdTvzJqBlrnd2a44Mb0hroaShqSyaYUTCErez4bK5a5zIO9-KMV-0n10k2pC3BSy5UFuuky8meLaD0eJEsJr-2F6oygWuy9_pB6QsDz1dBzlefB_MU/s1600/DSCF3141.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSBCPepryfLttkKnXfRd0w-Ip4xhdTvzJqBlrnd2a44Mb0hroaShqSyaYUTCErez4bK5a5zIO9-KMV-0n10k2pC3BSy5UFuuky8meLaD0eJEsJr-2F6oygWuy9_pB6QsDz1dBzlefB_MU/s320/DSCF3141.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A cupboard of keepsakes</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtRWPboh6kCjR5KQ_BAnXZOYdRc31CetxYO8EgEwG5do_ZaLiZlUZKJ2rfxo7ESvvndMdMSkpMoSKmyegcBUWXStf9ouXxI3Ja5mngMNr9epurI-IZAL6OkKzT9wD98CwNzi3BTsNMHww/s1600/DSCF3142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtRWPboh6kCjR5KQ_BAnXZOYdRc31CetxYO8EgEwG5do_ZaLiZlUZKJ2rfxo7ESvvndMdMSkpMoSKmyegcBUWXStf9ouXxI3Ja5mngMNr9epurI-IZAL6OkKzT9wD98CwNzi3BTsNMHww/s320/DSCF3142.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Without doubt one of my favourite books of all time! Here are D'Artagnan and<br />
Athos (my ideal hero) - in Toby Mug form - from The Three Musketeers.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvFI3t43HVQNkGHR637BJ82GTdif-RWY4VPuO8E5EGuxqW0QHAnAhz19eQ7zANNOwVXw-qFHpwczSpoZbLq8G6uGxMQOBmOr6frr0rrf0enoD7Rkohzuaguia0jKnK8BEKpCgLLMG6EP4/s1600/DSCF3143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvFI3t43HVQNkGHR637BJ82GTdif-RWY4VPuO8E5EGuxqW0QHAnAhz19eQ7zANNOwVXw-qFHpwczSpoZbLq8G6uGxMQOBmOr6frr0rrf0enoD7Rkohzuaguia0jKnK8BEKpCgLLMG6EP4/s320/DSCF3143.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A pair of bejewelled tiger boxes - I have never seen any quite like this;<br />
with their stands designed to look like coins and aggressive stance.<br />
I'd love to know their provenance before I picked them up at an auction.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifbahM8wvhHW5Gickzfdw6sCSUBBt_Z6850uKV8-H_wPPsgMCLhUgOUTZAhPRKd7FGQjdNVECYyjSA6VXT7ZYzBYdhEutvkmiCkUhhuXcihmBjP0wi1vB5OBei1wLLjy9WYWdQgAk1jhA/s1600/DSCF3144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifbahM8wvhHW5Gickzfdw6sCSUBBt_Z6850uKV8-H_wPPsgMCLhUgOUTZAhPRKd7FGQjdNVECYyjSA6VXT7ZYzBYdhEutvkmiCkUhhuXcihmBjP0wi1vB5OBei1wLLjy9WYWdQgAk1jhA/s320/DSCF3144.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inscription in a 1824 publication of Byron's conversations with Thomas Medwin.<br />
I am left wishing my signature was as impressive as this one.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ruqCxHdjD292tZybNVAq-9MJz13N1eXz5cVZMifSeC1hELihTmoa8UCbWjQYTOPJRhVNhtNaLBQU8moJuonm6tDxtPbtFiG65Y7TDyH8I27Yp5QI3rqNcGcb96bxlsqeaqo9Q6I8ssA/s1600/DSCF3145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ruqCxHdjD292tZybNVAq-9MJz13N1eXz5cVZMifSeC1hELihTmoa8UCbWjQYTOPJRhVNhtNaLBQU8moJuonm6tDxtPbtFiG65Y7TDyH8I27Yp5QI3rqNcGcb96bxlsqeaqo9Q6I8ssA/s320/DSCF3145.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As close as I can afford to owning anything written by the man himself!<br />
A facsimile of a letter from Byron to Hobhouse.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjup5ke10bVW1uBaKlUTi3UH7-0Cle4ODWg6LYGR_yODJz8L7sbMPAoESGeX4xt2Ny3HCTtBR_5dMHbe6j0pjTDwsWAqZ8_Mpy0GEcAEbjBmPe3FigaqM4AjDs7bgDRmBSrj3MIEW5ky8U/s1600/DSCF3146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjup5ke10bVW1uBaKlUTi3UH7-0Cle4ODWg6LYGR_yODJz8L7sbMPAoESGeX4xt2Ny3HCTtBR_5dMHbe6j0pjTDwsWAqZ8_Mpy0GEcAEbjBmPe3FigaqM4AjDs7bgDRmBSrj3MIEW5ky8U/s320/DSCF3146.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Black Knight<br />
This chap looks amazing when I turn the Tetris lamp on beside him!<br />
This is a signed and framed engraving - also bought from the local auction!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9kQ0gfn4o8WnoUb8pT1kY9DSar2W966Xv1gqBxq8Hqjrw6iXAfu2tEcukH7JF4m0-1_khyZ6XHXCHHeobpC-0Rn23ob43fDD-BsWlWQbv0kVn7grFOLX6TtZX6ulX0pDr-2vN2KjS_uE/s1600/DSCF3147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9kQ0gfn4o8WnoUb8pT1kY9DSar2W966Xv1gqBxq8Hqjrw6iXAfu2tEcukH7JF4m0-1_khyZ6XHXCHHeobpC-0Rn23ob43fDD-BsWlWQbv0kVn7grFOLX6TtZX6ulX0pDr-2vN2KjS_uE/s320/DSCF3147.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My typewriter - still waiting for a new ribbon!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUC6TAGJqpHFJ_gMkQ3b-8TFTMG9TYDbmFT6iTBdiDszsdY4iu97WmA3VjCZfOfaJ_VkmaCo4JBTmNrn5okEzd97n4wo_zmOUz3JIYyEOnn1yC1p7jCXE1zXWWMxGUoL5itQ79ewyaUqw/s1600/DSCF3148.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUC6TAGJqpHFJ_gMkQ3b-8TFTMG9TYDbmFT6iTBdiDszsdY4iu97WmA3VjCZfOfaJ_VkmaCo4JBTmNrn5okEzd97n4wo_zmOUz3JIYyEOnn1yC1p7jCXE1zXWWMxGUoL5itQ79ewyaUqw/s320/DSCF3148.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And a couple of books which stay on my desk. Great for dipping into for<br />
inspiration, research and wit.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0t3pO4jG1UBQ6S162EgywquyZVWUxWzz72FGC0h5Myek4p-HndzatMtyzdVi_U-mZPnNIYmJlu0vQxq_OeYmwOqduhv8QkT3o1foY_GUq3fU0g_pk3Cr-plMRQhlOF8uxK-lMyXc3VBc/s1600/DSCF3150.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0t3pO4jG1UBQ6S162EgywquyZVWUxWzz72FGC0h5Myek4p-HndzatMtyzdVi_U-mZPnNIYmJlu0vQxq_OeYmwOqduhv8QkT3o1foY_GUq3fU0g_pk3Cr-plMRQhlOF8uxK-lMyXc3VBc/s320/DSCF3150.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Every morning, from May through to August,<br />
I am woken up by little rainbows from this.<br />
This makes having to get up far more bearable.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Q2CFxpemAbWXsd4ytpOhrE3tPXIzF-A4nZrUzwcKwzL52BWa2NiS3O9FXBENJ2oC_nGmP26L3ClqeCChTqr6056Xd2GcMS5zkc5h9L87rFdRHxeWDS9lJTuyV6PMbs2mXTarcSwHA5Y/s1600/DSCF3151.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Q2CFxpemAbWXsd4ytpOhrE3tPXIzF-A4nZrUzwcKwzL52BWa2NiS3O9FXBENJ2oC_nGmP26L3ClqeCChTqr6056Xd2GcMS5zkc5h9L87rFdRHxeWDS9lJTuyV6PMbs2mXTarcSwHA5Y/s320/DSCF3151.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A print of the Eynhallow Hoxa Tapestry. Eynhallow is an island in Orkney,<br />
seeped in mystery and folklore. It sits in one of the most unpredictable and<br />
perilous stretches of water in the world. The <a href="http://www.orkneyjar.com/folklore/finfolk/eynfree.htm" target="_blank">story of Thorodale</a> was taught to us in<br />
Primary School and has stuck with me ever since. This was a gift from another sister.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicheAjiTMSvKtmRHEC5FV2yBHx7npIsXAeD9fjhxjYVglwVgnFpTSmnxWKakTJfLVU3WeZh7Lftw7GbbQrQSmiUTfZkzJ3EO4vzpaaN9b-OlnBqiuTTp_ipjYp0TI6ALJmqUn6uX52ucE/s1600/DSCF3152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicheAjiTMSvKtmRHEC5FV2yBHx7npIsXAeD9fjhxjYVglwVgnFpTSmnxWKakTJfLVU3WeZh7Lftw7GbbQrQSmiUTfZkzJ3EO4vzpaaN9b-OlnBqiuTTp_ipjYp0TI6ALJmqUn6uX52ucE/s320/DSCF3152.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of 500 prints of Lord Byron in Nottinghamshire. Not quite how I<br />
imagined him to look, but a cute Boatswain and an insight into how<br />
other people viewed the world and times of Byron.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizLCVuhPNccGeCpgx8jes7bAaPOx5NoeLCTkyTe040qXF1z0fvZhcJzOJi-KXH1PxSaFhT-Bazwoh97hMNFWg47H_l4X6bsoSce0ath6d5EJM6Wxxp_Z24kDTYs6IeDdV9WoYK7zxR_1U/s1600/DSCF3153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizLCVuhPNccGeCpgx8jes7bAaPOx5NoeLCTkyTe040qXF1z0fvZhcJzOJi-KXH1PxSaFhT-Bazwoh97hMNFWg47H_l4X6bsoSce0ath6d5EJM6Wxxp_Z24kDTYs6IeDdV9WoYK7zxR_1U/s320/DSCF3153.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My door signs.<br />
V for Virginia, Team Snowman (which was the winning<br />
partnership in our Table Football Competition two years ago - very cutthroat event!),<br />
and a sign with my alter-ego that my <span style="font-size: 12.8px;">brother made </span><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">. </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Like it? Share the adventure:<br />
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<div>
<a href="http://www.orcadian.co.uk/shop/index.php?id_product=863&controller=product" target="_blank">Day's Dying Glory in Paperback - £9.99</a><br />
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</div>
Day's Dying Gloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17731898250646653995noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618870781048115400.post-42341100316666102252017-06-05T03:56:00.000-07:002017-06-05T04:47:02.072-07:00A Room to Inspire - The Living RoomAs most of you who have read any of my previous blogs will be able to attest to, I am prone to lots of writing. So this time, I'm sharing a pictorial blog of inspiration. In fact, except for this paragraph and a pretty-please-buy-my-book paragraph at the end, I'm only going to use pictures and captions of a room which has inspired me. It's my living room and, as you might imagine, it has a lot of books in it. So here are some of the books and some of the decor that have helped inspire my writing.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HMLJHduo3zSuzarr5oD3uv1k8RNq-GH5SsBW_FFpfE9NcvHJkopP23AqlCdzgUZFznEUq-jt1vzzm87emUySb4fkUk1ZrUH3DdeN6HTiYb3cQu1_2FfEOSJeUHpJB4Ixf20Xav1LX_c/s1600/DSCF2751.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HMLJHduo3zSuzarr5oD3uv1k8RNq-GH5SsBW_FFpfE9NcvHJkopP23AqlCdzgUZFznEUq-jt1vzzm87emUySb4fkUk1ZrUH3DdeN6HTiYb3cQu1_2FfEOSJeUHpJB4Ixf20Xav1LX_c/s320/DSCF2751.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There is something truly inspiring about trees in winter, and this picture<br />
always makes me wonder where the bridge leads to and from. The other<br />
picture was discovered in the loft of an East Yorkshire barn. It is clearly an<br />
illustration of some kind, hand painted on a wooden panel, but I'm not sure<br />
whose story it is telling (only it appears to be a 17th century one).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXDx6gmf8F1sd5mlqGPNewUZK4IBqos_E3KMOUbHfm0e3GKTkUvicUJ-trewlyJC2tLn0Obziau9mlWVr1vPP2P6NYU-a4NFRFukiTBxa1a1a8VbBOHiRPpFA1CK4Hs_UD6l8VvbfYK60/s1600/DSCF2752.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXDx6gmf8F1sd5mlqGPNewUZK4IBqos_E3KMOUbHfm0e3GKTkUvicUJ-trewlyJC2tLn0Obziau9mlWVr1vPP2P6NYU-a4NFRFukiTBxa1a1a8VbBOHiRPpFA1CK4Hs_UD6l8VvbfYK60/s320/DSCF2752.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An 18th Century hand-coloured engraving of Captain Cook landing at<br />
Tanna hangs over our little bookcase.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY3OCPKTwQQ2FZFhJqdqxdnTcrDHmruB1G-CYB5zw8s-Db1w3krf3mcv4eAnzV5428ypgUWc84Nnrnbt5ej7NaupN__m-CEZt511z9E4sjTCtuDyeWSIewSZuJZk-T69A-aCiNPJmqKt0/s1600/DSCF2755.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY3OCPKTwQQ2FZFhJqdqxdnTcrDHmruB1G-CYB5zw8s-Db1w3krf3mcv4eAnzV5428ypgUWc84Nnrnbt5ej7NaupN__m-CEZt511z9E4sjTCtuDyeWSIewSZuJZk-T69A-aCiNPJmqKt0/s320/DSCF2755.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A picture which fascinates me. At first glance it is understated in<br />
mediocrity, but the closer you look, the more you are drawn in.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVEhxf8AlvRD3FPTKmkeCj8IJ5zpX2uo88TuvcQBGqRhudTfYrKLGBz4-Nf1FWEKyYW_gAzwCEwZbZu38R-fvRxKI-vsM35AKMsQ58AhZNx5cZpEGmTzjjaF-UiIJwUrZEdmHkx-CtD_8/s1600/DSCF2757.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVEhxf8AlvRD3FPTKmkeCj8IJ5zpX2uo88TuvcQBGqRhudTfYrKLGBz4-Nf1FWEKyYW_gAzwCEwZbZu38R-fvRxKI-vsM35AKMsQ58AhZNx5cZpEGmTzjjaF-UiIJwUrZEdmHkx-CtD_8/s320/DSCF2757.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Proud sister moment here - no apologies!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQLPZLV1WRn5kluIZgOjdyhip2eis8ftFDRg5_3LETO7MJFkkjsP-bDbFHy0tPigMSLhiMyBf5Z_TJrYXq9mww97P-jPpL26jG-GShi3R2m52TVVhyphenhyphenhfN28rk6YnHqzdGPxTABJjZaDHM/s1600/DSCF2758.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQLPZLV1WRn5kluIZgOjdyhip2eis8ftFDRg5_3LETO7MJFkkjsP-bDbFHy0tPigMSLhiMyBf5Z_TJrYXq9mww97P-jPpL26jG-GShi3R2m52TVVhyphenhyphenhfN28rk6YnHqzdGPxTABJjZaDHM/s320/DSCF2758.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A selection of books, some of which were my Granddad's when he<br />
was a child, and my copy of The Three Musketeers, one of my<br />
absolute favourite books!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfJBTO33LyOZm-Ra1g65ZL7Gn-VqNbomKtF7C9YaKhh8Dv2-xsOtCiktHh5hoJie3UMfhAb9UKkEOHCaOZXn2EUrbH_ncKoMoRvm_EYXzwYgAABg0A1Z1PuVAMDbF2npbXLJ9UyDg8jyQ/s1600/DSCF2760.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfJBTO33LyOZm-Ra1g65ZL7Gn-VqNbomKtF7C9YaKhh8Dv2-xsOtCiktHh5hoJie3UMfhAb9UKkEOHCaOZXn2EUrbH_ncKoMoRvm_EYXzwYgAABg0A1Z1PuVAMDbF2npbXLJ9UyDg8jyQ/s320/DSCF2760.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elinor's notebook. A unique and greatly treasured find from an<br />
auction. This is a sketchbook from the early 20th century of a<br />
girl who illustrated day-to-day life and stories she loved.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx9-krr5TFXQUKLPE5KQHv3-vRyLKOISwEuufI3oAQm7fa6wBn5K4b5ZSy4P-Oo-37dCtM7r_LAg8fPqV4z4pBHmcE3hyphenhyphenRev1qtstZbSqPwEr-kuCgeRoRzKzQQDNZl6IACzRJUkABRA8/s1600/DSCF2761.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx9-krr5TFXQUKLPE5KQHv3-vRyLKOISwEuufI3oAQm7fa6wBn5K4b5ZSy4P-Oo-37dCtM7r_LAg8fPqV4z4pBHmcE3hyphenhyphenRev1qtstZbSqPwEr-kuCgeRoRzKzQQDNZl6IACzRJUkABRA8/s320/DSCF2761.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Great-Granddad's pipe and a tobacco tin. This is not his<br />
tobacco tin, but it fits nicely with his pipe. The care and<br />
affection that this object inspires is incorporated in "To Reason Why",<br />
my novel set during the Crimean War.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEislCn7zUkZwqjki32_N3XvOYkEv4R_JYQxqqsPMyIjtv4C2Ezpyt5kZt4D5b3WwkXdo1_6o_xuaLx6c0llQHAuGZn9VoJs1z-ybt42VW5ZRachwfsSY-gHoCjmE6qhmXPMNvMscL-cCmI/s1600/DSCF2762.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEislCn7zUkZwqjki32_N3XvOYkEv4R_JYQxqqsPMyIjtv4C2Ezpyt5kZt4D5b3WwkXdo1_6o_xuaLx6c0llQHAuGZn9VoJs1z-ybt42VW5ZRachwfsSY-gHoCjmE6qhmXPMNvMscL-cCmI/s320/DSCF2762.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Antique Belgian tapestry, depicting a desert scene, hangs over the fireplace.<br />
These were produced on industrial looms, but there are now few of them left.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIUI0U3376hZfRkuxIcwONCO7JYNqlidZI2oI1f5ZXk7vbCmi9m8_KEnHvsmWP2X65Kd_SBmxXTrS7Oz_IUAh3CPWCrxRqfJkMXV2OUoM4Rr5__5HN9pmOro8pyQMV-NyX3d8czqKvPmg/s1600/DSCF2764.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIUI0U3376hZfRkuxIcwONCO7JYNqlidZI2oI1f5ZXk7vbCmi9m8_KEnHvsmWP2X65Kd_SBmxXTrS7Oz_IUAh3CPWCrxRqfJkMXV2OUoM4Rr5__5HN9pmOro8pyQMV-NyX3d8czqKvPmg/s320/DSCF2764.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A plaque commemorating the little known<br />
"Battle of Flamborough Head" in 1779.<br />
My great-great-great-great-grandfather<br />
(quite a way back!) was the coastguard there.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2H-TrbZDG8ry5SNI5xXQ1TucRfGbMfrJT_LLqq-5SXP6lVoCy26DVDVJW6PmxZGbWTx1M_5EiEbf8MCCtGv3jdpuwrOvC_2NCDn7lnOT5WlahT-lGfIu2d1Grnza-S9O8HRvqKwiQmQQ/s1600/DSCF2765.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2H-TrbZDG8ry5SNI5xXQ1TucRfGbMfrJT_LLqq-5SXP6lVoCy26DVDVJW6PmxZGbWTx1M_5EiEbf8MCCtGv3jdpuwrOvC_2NCDn7lnOT5WlahT-lGfIu2d1Grnza-S9O8HRvqKwiQmQQ/s320/DSCF2765.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A statue of General Napier which we bought for a pittance<br />
at auction after he failed to sell for several weeks. He was<br />
then incorporated into my novel (it is at his house where<br />
the two balls are held). Behind him is a stick with an<br />
'orse's 'ead 'andle, a reference to Marriott Edgar's Albert.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyBC_DLpLoc6mXhRmQ2wB6kPdVN2644_3CBN1S6rRgHZIi8cZUm6kOmnekFuDY85IdMM5lxmD4gZQbLDKWpJJZhL7Tz24WN4_EEUYs5q8w4QLexShae4_PVh88B8Ryd9N-fsP2CNCWGRQ/s1600/DSCF2768.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyBC_DLpLoc6mXhRmQ2wB6kPdVN2644_3CBN1S6rRgHZIi8cZUm6kOmnekFuDY85IdMM5lxmD4gZQbLDKWpJJZhL7Tz24WN4_EEUYs5q8w4QLexShae4_PVh88B8Ryd9N-fsP2CNCWGRQ/s320/DSCF2768.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An old tea chest whose three panels were painted by Holly.<br />
It is now full of antique music.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyna6N8_uo0pBduZBdUG-XgDN4-b-Kh9za4fMRlhxNIlMxkKK7yz6HXohIA-RJrY_IgJHQCpqMgCBzifLWOItu_fv0qJfblbuhq2Eje6GcosjTO_wNuGI_mf7GD5R5T-hL2W5QcDGa0QU/s1600/DSCF2769.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyna6N8_uo0pBduZBdUG-XgDN4-b-Kh9za4fMRlhxNIlMxkKK7yz6HXohIA-RJrY_IgJHQCpqMgCBzifLWOItu_fv0qJfblbuhq2Eje6GcosjTO_wNuGI_mf7GD5R5T-hL2W5QcDGa0QU/s320/DSCF2769.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of a pair of double handed vases. Not being terribly<br />
conventional they are on completely different shelves.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7IbGlL_o_MNsknUR4LK_u4zqsnfJGS2nbKmzYj1ViifB3c4byy9YZH5BV4erTeUldOkvBIJAB7hI3_oF-kd8ol4cgmt8WrzpnaptvImqyWR6vgQfiCIzm-FAYUNz2dfECVGYk47bxuIo/s1600/DSCF2770.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7IbGlL_o_MNsknUR4LK_u4zqsnfJGS2nbKmzYj1ViifB3c4byy9YZH5BV4erTeUldOkvBIJAB7hI3_oF-kd8ol4cgmt8WrzpnaptvImqyWR6vgQfiCIzm-FAYUNz2dfECVGYk47bxuIo/s320/DSCF2770.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A tankard in the style of a Toby Jug. This was a gift to Dad, because<br />
it looks like him! He hates boats, though, so the fisherman part<br />
doesn't work quite as well as the beard!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNO0nHNx0-fyyyuKKIU6cJTzHgBW4mkzsEwmDqz1v9A1rFTI32tQ41qDkz9O3t9GfmO4qop7utddQWsXtHIOrVjfLzoiCSWDS8BWHbvjO-dsyqzeJKC95x3I-_i65fAUWMs8X-gConmCA/s1600/DSCF2771.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNO0nHNx0-fyyyuKKIU6cJTzHgBW4mkzsEwmDqz1v9A1rFTI32tQ41qDkz9O3t9GfmO4qop7utddQWsXtHIOrVjfLzoiCSWDS8BWHbvjO-dsyqzeJKC95x3I-_i65fAUWMs8X-gConmCA/s320/DSCF2771.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Dad's dad, who I never knew, and the calendar<br />
our lovely German friend made for us.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiju38s621mpSrEfI1RxQdmdO3q8MKG0_5vIojgH9_n_ujj4l2CKQF08RkRBeh_VH_XDdJ6pUKYIHf3K8TxoInQ6M1L4PJNlHwEveyUabcqZn4-nI2E_RX9-f7ImRFL073Fqb6T_DJqme4/s1600/DSCF2772.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiju38s621mpSrEfI1RxQdmdO3q8MKG0_5vIojgH9_n_ujj4l2CKQF08RkRBeh_VH_XDdJ6pUKYIHf3K8TxoInQ6M1L4PJNlHwEveyUabcqZn4-nI2E_RX9-f7ImRFL073Fqb6T_DJqme4/s320/DSCF2772.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A German chalice, gifted to Judith from her friend, and a skilfully<br />
repaired <span style="font-size: 12.8px;">figurine </span><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">stand on one of the poetry shelves. Not sure how</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">the Gibbons's </span><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">stamp books sneaked on there...</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH8FQIDlJPkJ079NA9EB0_e7l2HQBaOhudHLAlL9rgsVLv-gM7Tq7CjAc64A2jSRGo4ozxYbLfh8GZXj5jw2YsdgcnNqk7OfmKsVU7_mn9eNqqPwa79WaXZLVYHcTWXt3n0fTfWEvlWWY/s1600/DSCF2773.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH8FQIDlJPkJ079NA9EB0_e7l2HQBaOhudHLAlL9rgsVLv-gM7Tq7CjAc64A2jSRGo4ozxYbLfh8GZXj5jw2YsdgcnNqk7OfmKsVU7_mn9eNqqPwa79WaXZLVYHcTWXt3n0fTfWEvlWWY/s320/DSCF2773.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A pair of elephants which my parents bought for each other. This is as<br />
close to symmetry as our house comes, and the tusks are deliberately<br />
not matching. On the shelf above is my great-great-grandmother's moneybox<br />
in the shape of a house. There is something which rattles in there, but I<br />
don't want to open it to find out what. I like the mystery.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7CUzKyjKXRB-HMhTyqE9qRlVjuGoD5KxPRDkJJZ5Fd5kcp6H6ACUEPrwatg0vpf74IzXZ4SauAEqWaO6TCt57XoD0vFr5eqkWgiJTNfCuls7uC8KpGLYL00wbMImlJ5hLlBBWWxg24gw/s1600/DSCF2774.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7CUzKyjKXRB-HMhTyqE9qRlVjuGoD5KxPRDkJJZ5Fd5kcp6H6ACUEPrwatg0vpf74IzXZ4SauAEqWaO6TCt57XoD0vFr5eqkWgiJTNfCuls7uC8KpGLYL00wbMImlJ5hLlBBWWxg24gw/s320/DSCF2774.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The runic grave marker, and assorted Harry Potter books.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiD1QajdVV5INRMD-s6tAvnCMFFcRUb43AMQJIpqRzABLF2s8slRK5W2mt_CTvU3OuuOlYSGEgurAr1EeD6GOaxGfZqWAIAS8EjVCVuUoHWf9NnHXUkWx6K8JvWeaZiwjphU3wAAqjgGM/s1600/DSCF2775.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiD1QajdVV5INRMD-s6tAvnCMFFcRUb43AMQJIpqRzABLF2s8slRK5W2mt_CTvU3OuuOlYSGEgurAr1EeD6GOaxGfZqWAIAS8EjVCVuUoHWf9NnHXUkWx6K8JvWeaZiwjphU3wAAqjgGM/s320/DSCF2775.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Easter Island Dad" created by Alex</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiW8MirP1Ah_y5uoRXOKVCbOlg_4jhyphenhyphenKiGD6ZFUWJC7eD6xoQTzrmXsJr297jDRjvY5AhHVprRbz1MPLq87UQpEJPKKiuiOJ5vJOibcakXKW5ZGHWoEURHYHFALid1h39jgl1Ww-soB_w/s1600/DSCF2776.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiW8MirP1Ah_y5uoRXOKVCbOlg_4jhyphenhyphenKiGD6ZFUWJC7eD6xoQTzrmXsJr297jDRjvY5AhHVprRbz1MPLq87UQpEJPKKiuiOJ5vJOibcakXKW5ZGHWoEURHYHFALid1h39jgl1Ww-soB_w/s320/DSCF2776.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The second deer vase in front of my university books.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtlLL_cW6m58K3hDYNmFqms_9ETGUKMowFCFGNi4kSIxeXNpKjDOduGAJH57Ub86TJceJ_XeuLqr9t72CqxHKZaLkOKVNnrR7mJs1rnvZlPymG90L1I8CJRdYEnTW9zwUHpKAQtBF6nck/s1600/DSCF2777.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtlLL_cW6m58K3hDYNmFqms_9ETGUKMowFCFGNi4kSIxeXNpKjDOduGAJH57Ub86TJceJ_XeuLqr9t72CqxHKZaLkOKVNnrR7mJs1rnvZlPymG90L1I8CJRdYEnTW9zwUHpKAQtBF6nck/s320/DSCF2777.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A hand painted bud vase by Clemency in front of two series of<br />
books which inspired me as a child.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEBPvgC7-VWUqDKkPDtki8dXEO-i99emTevt-PHhtiNIB05xl7nx_Kca4iCWxIWps0DODVX94PTVYNs-DQa_csLi6e4TSMAxFOyB04fbFdwSF-Ky6qAS2radgawhWjETDub2LiV8b2qlY/s1600/DSCF2778.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEBPvgC7-VWUqDKkPDtki8dXEO-i99emTevt-PHhtiNIB05xl7nx_Kca4iCWxIWps0DODVX94PTVYNs-DQa_csLi6e4TSMAxFOyB04fbFdwSF-Ky6qAS2radgawhWjETDub2LiV8b2qlY/s320/DSCF2778.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Scunthorpe tankard. A random find, but topical<br />
for Dad who grew up there.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTeAq0lqhGV_oYihEyoVY1WvJyrWuPQ2qL4_0TF85QxuNz_9lZzP0FhcALSOc2RfFhHI1bHpnnP3OTzM3gxXBCl5XbZ7QipT6UfMnCRKk8LVkTn9n6iRJ2ZAFvGNT24Y2EYFtZ4JiqWAw/s1600/DSCF2779.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTeAq0lqhGV_oYihEyoVY1WvJyrWuPQ2qL4_0TF85QxuNz_9lZzP0FhcALSOc2RfFhHI1bHpnnP3OTzM3gxXBCl5XbZ7QipT6UfMnCRKk8LVkTn9n6iRJ2ZAFvGNT24Y2EYFtZ4JiqWAw/s320/DSCF2779.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A fairing - a prize given out at travelling fairs in the days before<br />
teddy bears and neon bracelets. Much cuter, I think.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM_k5C6F8_Zmj3NphfWLx_pLGRO7igWefbZNkRVdgcTW_LLi2_9h7fd2qDQGqrzUBmjwrrOxwYe6U7t9i0XhQzPRbOQwDv5fxChKhPdAa0x5WTSySeyI1u-9r0NTCF8wRSy9i5e_hq2II/s1600/DSCF2781.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM_k5C6F8_Zmj3NphfWLx_pLGRO7igWefbZNkRVdgcTW_LLi2_9h7fd2qDQGqrzUBmjwrrOxwYe6U7t9i0XhQzPRbOQwDv5fxChKhPdAa0x5WTSySeyI1u-9r0NTCF8wRSy9i5e_hq2II/s320/DSCF2781.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mum's Great-Grandmother and her children, At the extreme left of the<br />
picture is a nursing chair which is now upstairs in our house. At the time this photograph was<br />
taken, the father, Reuben Temperton, was fighting in the Boer War with the Lincolnshire Regiment.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsmc7As49wWd66crajOmlW6fFVKbvpAgsm7zpjTO64xo5jrXbwzZRM64Jka1JQuRlHCGNXdlUerwVh8iqgsiTOACsMJXRZzxsCTnLKm5BJ1YJno0ja66_1r1KybamtBC6h7m-EhOZD5qE/s1600/DSCF2782.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsmc7As49wWd66crajOmlW6fFVKbvpAgsm7zpjTO64xo5jrXbwzZRM64Jka1JQuRlHCGNXdlUerwVh8iqgsiTOACsMJXRZzxsCTnLKm5BJ1YJno0ja66_1r1KybamtBC6h7m-EhOZD5qE/s320/DSCF2782.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Ukrainian folk doll bought at the Nuremberg Christmas Market<br />
and a rose-entwined horseshoe made by Judith.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcQWIcmdnkjnvDICoztfcNH6AHFzFVxRB4yqB-BedKVusQiTDYS7CVvdi_9d2AV5-3oypBhIYaCSo7GhVXD_hYZG_T_iimtSXRTi8r23msrczcNTbnlti0HdCXslgXXlQwbV1eJw1ctlA/s1600/DSCF2783.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcQWIcmdnkjnvDICoztfcNH6AHFzFVxRB4yqB-BedKVusQiTDYS7CVvdi_9d2AV5-3oypBhIYaCSo7GhVXD_hYZG_T_iimtSXRTi8r23msrczcNTbnlti0HdCXslgXXlQwbV1eJw1ctlA/s320/DSCF2783.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A candle holder with a fairy tale theme in front of<br />
a collection of German books</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwzFfaS97pvQsK32F-LhF_QYCf-NjhBjGr6igFuocqfRSd0YQNNqpz3dYr-d2JsL_guwEu1Il-G9ARhoghhRBFInc5Q-W4IVtg2A5FrGBso9t2ygiSo8q6J3FI8lAwBggcn-TrBC8UAsI/s1600/DSCF2784.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwzFfaS97pvQsK32F-LhF_QYCf-NjhBjGr6igFuocqfRSd0YQNNqpz3dYr-d2JsL_guwEu1Il-G9ARhoghhRBFInc5Q-W4IVtg2A5FrGBso9t2ygiSo8q6J3FI8lAwBggcn-TrBC8UAsI/s320/DSCF2784.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another vase on the railway shelf, with another uncomplicated<br />
scene depicted. Creeping into the shot is a red panda snow globe -<br />
we're proud adopters of the red pandas at the Highland Wildlife Park.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWmpD1jkCr6G25zJClFPbeDf5hOxKe7qeovlnad0Nm4CnAWEHOJXmJPzbYfHTqph4MfJyLuMjyVVaUo5lgYpWz4dQ_45teyt4DUscgRmh0ci7niK09nFrUgMdbN5MphX5flEOomHFAOpY/s1600/DSCF2785.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWmpD1jkCr6G25zJClFPbeDf5hOxKe7qeovlnad0Nm4CnAWEHOJXmJPzbYfHTqph4MfJyLuMjyVVaUo5lgYpWz4dQ_45teyt4DUscgRmh0ci7niK09nFrUgMdbN5MphX5flEOomHFAOpY/s320/DSCF2785.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Signed edition of Alfred Gilbert's book, complete with a working sketch.<br />
Gilbert is most famous for creating the Shaftesbury Memorial Fountian<br />
(more often known as Eros) in Piccadilly Circus.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdC4bgycrHYwEontzuUCmiM87_k_Xiu-AfBoismM6M70bjtOqWm5rQsdOC3KtN8Cz0q4G0ywwn1vGemA9ar12f8q3uXyInzzQvrwUCAhlkCiy8p4cr1wJDgPKGGvAt-uJmv0FI2CpGn0M/s1600/DSCF2786.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdC4bgycrHYwEontzuUCmiM87_k_Xiu-AfBoismM6M70bjtOqWm5rQsdOC3KtN8Cz0q4G0ywwn1vGemA9ar12f8q3uXyInzzQvrwUCAhlkCiy8p4cr1wJDgPKGGvAt-uJmv0FI2CpGn0M/s320/DSCF2786.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A 19th Century collection of Sir Walter Scott's Waverley Novels.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Ck-i7S5gbhUT3LnVrALB1lh3uyqwV7rtWJSevt9R4iUUOUQC7q7Rm_B5evL7SVQxgcOQQtBCiABAaxM0Rz_BkHa6VllNiM4JpTQh4HIMJEBTH32pdjkO4f10M2UvRxGnVrwekowGJrU/s1600/DSCF2787.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Ck-i7S5gbhUT3LnVrALB1lh3uyqwV7rtWJSevt9R4iUUOUQC7q7Rm_B5evL7SVQxgcOQQtBCiABAaxM0Rz_BkHa6VllNiM4JpTQh4HIMJEBTH32pdjkO4f10M2UvRxGnVrwekowGJrU/s320/DSCF2787.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Winter landscape of a country road, beehives<br />
in shady summer glow, and the market square of<br />
Weissenburg where I visited in 2013</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxkaw0IfeFAi2Ow-aOTluGfDHArlhsc5ch_fzJ-CQSP9emtintQHXVoGLFiHXLQssu6wgz8EsBjd3CuyQecI9t0-uvtUqzzlB4ZM39YpAlpHNfi80CgtdxEb_vgOfQ_vowOnUgNjZFOUU/s1600/DSCF2788.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxkaw0IfeFAi2Ow-aOTluGfDHArlhsc5ch_fzJ-CQSP9emtintQHXVoGLFiHXLQssu6wgz8EsBjd3CuyQecI9t0-uvtUqzzlB4ZM39YpAlpHNfi80CgtdxEb_vgOfQ_vowOnUgNjZFOUU/s320/DSCF2788.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A collection of antique stamps from across the world.<br />
This selection was also bought at auction.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So many of these little things - and there are a lot more I haven't pictured! - which seem insignificant on their own, have inspired my writing. Some are more easy to follow than others, sometimes it is an emotion, sometimes an actual object, but they have come together to create a room in which I love to write. I love having objects that relate back to the time I write about. Being able to handle antiques, whether they are worth pennies or pounds, can transfer me back in time as easily (and far more safely!) as the Tardis!<br />
<br />
Want to see what these inspired? Find it <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06Y3KJXSS/ref=sr_1_418?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1491505353&sr=1-418" target="_blank">here</a> for eBook or <a href="https://www.crowvus.com/shop" target="_blank">here</a> in <a href="http://www.orcadian.co.uk/shop/index.php?id_product=863&controller=product" target="_blank">paperback</a>.<br />
#ShareTheAdventureDay's Dying Gloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17731898250646653995noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618870781048115400.post-64869492265366553162017-05-07T12:58:00.002-07:002017-05-07T13:09:10.168-07:00As the Dust Settles... The Next Stage<div class="MsoNormal">
The evening is closing in and the dust is settling on the
momentous events of the Day’s Dying Glory book launches. Last night, in Orkney, we hosted the final
event and from now on it will be word of mouth, reviews, and the astoundingly
eye-catching front cover which will sell my book. But what a range of events they have been!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyqKc_mGbgvG1qTDVEUTeSZfMo3GmvbDOUrWlkPgipfm_zoiU1NMzVU0R5oC6_tMkLCyiFvMOMktW04MmvlBdwQiFGloWzm97yp9cYu7CaWeeWi3uHKGyFMPr5vVNOQJK6sFSlWMJFfVw/s1600/9780995786004+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyqKc_mGbgvG1qTDVEUTeSZfMo3GmvbDOUrWlkPgipfm_zoiU1NMzVU0R5oC6_tMkLCyiFvMOMktW04MmvlBdwQiFGloWzm97yp9cYu7CaWeeWi3uHKGyFMPr5vVNOQJK6sFSlWMJFfVw/s320/9780995786004+-+Copy.jpg" width="224" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The book to look for!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
From Barton-upon-Humber, with its lavish opening - the Duckegg
performances; the stunning cake – through the inspirational Library of
Innerpeffray – where the sense of history through and beyond the setting of the
novel was perfect – to the fun launch in Orkney – creating some of the book’s
characters as the readers perceived them - each one will have a special place
in my heart. But to all of you who
attended any of the events: thank you! And to all of you who have encouraged and supported the book: thank
you! I’ve had such positive comments
from people I would never have known had it not been for this book and I am really
enjoying encountering my readers.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you’ve read the book, please review it on Amazon, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32876724-day-s-dying-glory" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> or
both. I am so proud of the comments I’ve
received so far, I’d love to share them with the world! Here are a couple of snippets from some of
the reviews:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 72.0pt;">
<span style="background: white;">“It is a
very good read, with a very unpredictable and gripping story line.</span>”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 72.0pt;">
<span style="background: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 72.0pt;">
<span style="background: white;">“I could
really identify with each of the main characters and the development of each
was very well thought out. I would definitely recommend the book…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 72.0pt;">
<span style="background: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 72.0pt;">
<span style="background: white;">“It is a
really gripping plot as well. Part of me was expecting a run-of-the-mill
romance novel but the unexpected twists and turns got my heart thumping in
suspense and the book can get quite dark and gritty after a seemingly peaceful beginning.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 72.0pt;">
<span style="background: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 72.0pt;">
<span style="background: white;">“To say
this book is a romance is probably underselling it a little bit. In many ways,
it is an adventure story: just the kind of adventures that the average person
can accidentally find themselves in!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 72.0pt;">
<span style="background: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 72.0pt;">
<span style="background: white;">“Loved
the building of the characters and the descriptions of places and people put
images in my mind of how it must have been like back then…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white;">They can’t all be wrong!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06Y3KJXSS/ref=sr_1_418?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1491505353&sr=1-418" target="_blank">#ShareTheAdventure<o:p></o:p></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white;">And here are a couple of pictures
from the different launches. Thanks for
reading!</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfX2kL_0h2xMvgwnFri3__9lqAqkQJYaDdEa4UGkhSGWob1ewSzfn3UadX8q25p__gM3l95MzXvzAt_Oc53-fQ4yZgadhRfvRtPOGaiRndqNrIysEaRQ2OXRfGuZw_vw8urfTv7lmoO0M/s1600/17814497_1138497602944970_7315503635199652969_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfX2kL_0h2xMvgwnFri3__9lqAqkQJYaDdEa4UGkhSGWob1ewSzfn3UadX8q25p__gM3l95MzXvzAt_Oc53-fQ4yZgadhRfvRtPOGaiRndqNrIysEaRQ2OXRfGuZw_vw8urfTv7lmoO0M/s320/17814497_1138497602944970_7315503635199652969_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Duckegg Performance - Barton Book Launch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSobKrR6ZnXB-vDgU9CR9y2OVsZOtDM5805c14P-zVZUvpGSJDeeVK6TIoyxWLD9QbtX4ivfhr5vGkrEX6xrbeTqMclkkZdG_-586pjwRVeVB3pfqmz8QFAu52GPUlt8E0rlbQsfWQ294/s1600/WP_20170506_19_03_56_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSobKrR6ZnXB-vDgU9CR9y2OVsZOtDM5805c14P-zVZUvpGSJDeeVK6TIoyxWLD9QbtX4ivfhr5vGkrEX6xrbeTqMclkkZdG_-586pjwRVeVB3pfqmz8QFAu52GPUlt8E0rlbQsfWQ294/s320/WP_20170506_19_03_56_Pro.jpg" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colonel Sir James Shorefield -<br />
Orkney Book Launch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4-Kghl0fYeGyjkM36kxXwl-FAzWGZ87Xwq3uk4ERVtn-stX9SLaAUtiFQBYyJt4SUnhGJ-EfozoWzWF6clmzbSZRKgIsiMSfcV_aZnyKMkDzH2sTKO0Se02Z6KMlRMnnnvyZlUfqEZc8/s1600/DSCF9572.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4-Kghl0fYeGyjkM36kxXwl-FAzWGZ87Xwq3uk4ERVtn-stX9SLaAUtiFQBYyJt4SUnhGJ-EfozoWzWF6clmzbSZRKgIsiMSfcV_aZnyKMkDzH2sTKO0Se02Z6KMlRMnnnvyZlUfqEZc8/s320/DSCF9572.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Setting up for the Orkney Book Launch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3UvDo0jpDJWLiV9IAivErsPDO-vv_tsKOnK32hjemnpXbqA9ghdOXV4_eMb6LMXi-a1TNZFnmOBgKQmpVQ8u7-exv4DuZxiAcuFfXD8ombkQG0UqcSNt_slgW12JoTVYa43B5NX1pNyk/s1600/DSCF7804.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3UvDo0jpDJWLiV9IAivErsPDO-vv_tsKOnK32hjemnpXbqA9ghdOXV4_eMb6LMXi-a1TNZFnmOBgKQmpVQ8u7-exv4DuZxiAcuFfXD8ombkQG0UqcSNt_slgW12JoTVYa43B5NX1pNyk/s320/DSCF7804.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My book and I were right at home!<br />
- Innerpeffray Library Book Launch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQO1w3ESAV5wNN9x5CJR2R6oyLceDRJ2ExR-3QbMKa6dNvv-V9jDby1UYnRkIjA6bqgu1blvtHzjsrHHJzA3aM64nM9896rEhkJhpNrFu3fro3yyh0Biq0a1J3SRiCscQGqHH3-UMjxxU/s1600/17855531_1138498809611516_4567311567326060785_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQO1w3ESAV5wNN9x5CJR2R6oyLceDRJ2ExR-3QbMKa6dNvv-V9jDby1UYnRkIjA6bqgu1blvtHzjsrHHJzA3aM64nM9896rEhkJhpNrFu3fro3yyh0Biq0a1J3SRiCscQGqHH3-UMjxxU/s320/17855531_1138498809611516_4567311567326060785_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Book Launch Cake by Linda Lawcock<br />
- Barton Book Launch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjARTf5-6BdNhpx1O7bIIAIGTCtIDnQtbPrVuWIn16aMIHkPxu_2B4RXPaaGHPwTT3rZzRGRYp8Nx4tgtWdl34WUyLWMG4IV3RUov9AH6PkyF-UPzHnxvhNNXGtZwPtzPAeT5tfebTE9zk/s1600/DSCF7792.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjARTf5-6BdNhpx1O7bIIAIGTCtIDnQtbPrVuWIn16aMIHkPxu_2B4RXPaaGHPwTT3rZzRGRYp8Nx4tgtWdl34WUyLWMG4IV3RUov9AH6PkyF-UPzHnxvhNNXGtZwPtzPAeT5tfebTE9zk/s320/DSCF7792.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the Tartan At Heart<br />
Day's Dying Glory Range</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTzfZuVdYUJmtmBrh7k8nEIdqFL6ZFTgaD2n9u_bPRCO4gN7DzRrfTkEC25jl6D5z1plgmRnnigUMoDMs0F4v9dxMyPIveIP0vIgPagKvuY94MWPB3sI1Zg2SxWBBfTFkVb1oK8QV8rp4/s1600/WP_20170506_19_05_09_Pro+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTzfZuVdYUJmtmBrh7k8nEIdqFL6ZFTgaD2n9u_bPRCO4gN7DzRrfTkEC25jl6D5z1plgmRnnigUMoDMs0F4v9dxMyPIveIP0vIgPagKvuY94MWPB3sI1Zg2SxWBBfTFkVb1oK8QV8rp4/s320/WP_20170506_19_05_09_Pro+-+Copy.jpg" width="211" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mr Dermot - Orkney Book Launch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm_ZoXTO4gEmn8L2gFXYGAdcBYjUjBTAA2F2rjz4tFIq0gS3Q34YKHNR5FRKu6KzFqdL0MpAFDw4INyfiVoPgcuZvE093kqTZ0TX2BbhwJEdY7wXjI5iSF8NwMWV4NBhKd8vLoRE8h5vc/s1600/WP_20170506_19_04_03_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm_ZoXTO4gEmn8L2gFXYGAdcBYjUjBTAA2F2rjz4tFIq0gS3Q34YKHNR5FRKu6KzFqdL0MpAFDw4INyfiVoPgcuZvE093kqTZ0TX2BbhwJEdY7wXjI5iSF8NwMWV4NBhKd8vLoRE8h5vc/s320/WP_20170506_19_04_03_Pro.jpg" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arabella Tenterchilt -<br />
Orkney Book Launch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPZ4oSbey34B6lz7t5HtLfC_6r8uvFUXrk-08BZOnINMETeIUVBy_CP76aYH30_5vONRiJcBwIyizwRUx0SDjon8GY1mJ7taOlFW-8mWUIaD63GoibZrjDLMo1rBVftvXdLtMs5KGY3CQ/s1600/DSCF7826.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPZ4oSbey34B6lz7t5HtLfC_6r8uvFUXrk-08BZOnINMETeIUVBy_CP76aYH30_5vONRiJcBwIyizwRUx0SDjon8GY1mJ7taOlFW-8mWUIaD63GoibZrjDLMo1rBVftvXdLtMs5KGY3CQ/s320/DSCF7826.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Couldn't resist a photo-shoot!<br />
- Library of Innerpeffray Book Launch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white;"><br /></span></div>
Day's Dying Gloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17731898250646653995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618870781048115400.post-45573197819642366362017-04-23T14:11:00.000-07:002017-04-23T14:11:31.497-07:00A Holiday Unlike Any Other<div class="MsoNormal">
There’s a scene towards the end of The Return of the King
when the hobbits have returned to The Shire and everyone is in the tavern,
oblivious to the fact that anything life-changing has happened. Leaving aside the fact that this was not at
all like the book, it is the silence and expressions of these four characters
which mirror my own.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZo5EskRwjGW0GRssVpJCpquGMIe2DVL8W0sqxEGGZrbw8DbDh22eKn0OVly6bZqVPnEDvLDtSJui-Es5nMyN519fAU8MSTL_zazq6NHxUQz6hPOieCqksSouhDNAscYgiQeUqrFxKKX8/s1600/DSCF2437.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZo5EskRwjGW0GRssVpJCpquGMIe2DVL8W0sqxEGGZrbw8DbDh22eKn0OVly6bZqVPnEDvLDtSJui-Es5nMyN519fAU8MSTL_zazq6NHxUQz6hPOieCqksSouhDNAscYgiQeUqrFxKKX8/s320/DSCF2437.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dunalastair Estate of Outlander fame<br />
and our destination for Easter</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Usually, after a two-week holiday, I grumble a little bit
about where the time has gone and bemoan the fact that I’ve wasted it. I never really did outgrow that. This time, though, I don’t know how I’ve
fitted it all in. I’ve clocked up over
2000 miles on the road, visited one of my stomping grounds, and discovered riches
and ruins of Highland Perthshire. But it’s
not that which left me in a confused limbo between worlds. I became a published author.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUkcI00Gso0X-4NvQHLUX7nLUOz2U3vhzUryi7MaoKXkbEx2xfw-Jpz_h3AmYjAlm-ZOjOk8GRCxsUJDYTtgI2MlinpMRYK_FEwJS8NOipW2x2014mI2xW6bVJ3RVgdYWtfZUGyMsuibE/s1600/18056284_10155089614728213_1335588814428219065_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUkcI00Gso0X-4NvQHLUX7nLUOz2U3vhzUryi7MaoKXkbEx2xfw-Jpz_h3AmYjAlm-ZOjOk8GRCxsUJDYTtgI2MlinpMRYK_FEwJS8NOipW2x2014mI2xW6bVJ3RVgdYWtfZUGyMsuibE/s320/18056284_10155089614728213_1335588814428219065_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font-size: 12.8px;">
My new book with hundreds of its ancestors</div>
<div style="font-size: 12.8px;">
at Innerpeffray Library</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
After travelling back home to the far north of Scotland, I
wandered around my local Tesco with a feeling and expression akin to those four
hobbits. No one in the shop knew – or cared
– about the whirlwind adventure I’d been on.
But certainly, I feel I’ve accomplished a great thing.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s frightening putting yourself out there. After all, your soul must leach onto the page
a little bit to create a story which is worth sharing. I’ve been performing since my age was in
single figures, sometimes even for local or international dignitaries, but I’d
never been as scared as I was standing in front of people and reading my own
text to them. I really felt I was baring
my soul, and not just to the people who were at the book launch events, but to
the whole world.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thankfully, at my first event, the <a href="http://www.duckegg.org.uk/" target="_blank">Duckegg Theatre Company</a>
were there to enact some of the scenes.
And what an amazing job they made of it!
[Full videos are on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DaysDyingGlory/" target="_blank">Facebook page</a>]<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/bVuWfbnYZ1s/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bVuWfbnYZ1s?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/TfuwlYQpwqE/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TfuwlYQpwqE?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/KeF18Rnv-pc/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KeF18Rnv-pc?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/-oEhovBzDNw/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-oEhovBzDNw?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<br /><span id="goog_1322009123"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The second event had a much more intimate setting in the
beautiful hidden gem of <a href="http://www.innerpeffraylibrary.co.uk/" target="_blank">Innerpeffray Library</a>, an historical venue, perfect for
the book launch.<o:p></o:p><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ZLEjbnZladvLFNijJZCc7atrhEHYyqkDJHUMc4_IkYxGyL8JXw7waeJmPJzZL8ryBvRRS3WmWRRp5N6xb3pHo2XItn-hcD4qBs-Ex2nSm6kGJK1PNxbnAgcV_RVMemk2mDvxVTAlpCc/s1600/DSCF7821.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ZLEjbnZladvLFNijJZCc7atrhEHYyqkDJHUMc4_IkYxGyL8JXw7waeJmPJzZL8ryBvRRS3WmWRRp5N6xb3pHo2XItn-hcD4qBs-Ex2nSm6kGJK1PNxbnAgcV_RVMemk2mDvxVTAlpCc/s320/DSCF7821.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An author in her natural habitat: A library!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
You can read the blog about the two launches <a href="http://crowvusbookblog.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/days-dying-glory-book-launch.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Why have I told you all this? Well, to say thank you, really. This thing which passed so many people by in
silence and obscurity has meant a great deal to me. So, to you who have discovered this blog;
have read the book; have attended and even performed at the launch events:
Thank you. It may not seem like a big
thing, but it’s the world to me.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDkp3qkejr5HUzIdokYxsjnzmQN82K6NvN9UmWyyaVZ0Ut-bkY1TEHhNYmVR3ghU0RnoYZn5ZOKnQKmSs7Cx2bzIpulQuq9fJfCcKWKYdNqngUYpTsCZDWSk8UqOTN3DlD5uCep0LY_Z4/s1600/precious+pen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDkp3qkejr5HUzIdokYxsjnzmQN82K6NvN9UmWyyaVZ0Ut-bkY1TEHhNYmVR3ghU0RnoYZn5ZOKnQKmSs7Cx2bzIpulQuq9fJfCcKWKYdNqngUYpTsCZDWSk8UqOTN3DlD5uCep0LY_Z4/s320/precious+pen.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taken from your words written in the guestbook.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The book is <a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/days-dying-glory/virginia-crow/9780995786004" target="_blank">here</a> in paperback and <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06Y3KJXSS/ref=sr_1_418?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1491505353&sr=1-418" target="_blank">here</a> in ebook format. And here’s a section to whet your appetite:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<h1 style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 28.4pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 3.6pt; tab-stops: 14.2pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></h1>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 28.4pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 3.6pt; tab-stops: 14.2pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>CHAPTER FOUR</i></span></span></div>
<h2 style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 28.4pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; tab-stops: 14.2pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">Sunday 7</span><span lang="EN-US" style="position: relative; top: -5pt;">th </span></span><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: small;">September 1806</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></h2>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 28.4pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: .45pt; tab-stops: 14.2pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left: 28.4pt; tab-stops: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><i>Summer in Petrovia Lodge lacked the exciting comings and goings of
London, but it was far from dull. The company of the three sisters had improved
immensely and they now spent every moment laughing over things that occurred
and celebrating the long summer days. The gypsies had moved on now leaving, as
usual, gifts for the family in exchange for the permission to reside on their
land. The usual gifts of wooden pegs and finely carved figures of animals were
left by the river, but in addition Madame Kerina paid a visit up to the house.
It was the eve of their departure and she walked up the lawn, calling out in a
strange language and in a loud voice so that the five inhabitants of the lodge
rushed out to see what it was. She walked up to Arabella and tied a soft red
ribbon about her neck.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left: 28.4pt; tab-stops: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left: 28.4pt; tab-stops: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><i>‘I have seen a child on the lawns of Petrovia Lodge. Do not wear the
black of mourning for long, my dear. I hear wedding bells ringing, with
laughter but a taste of sorrow.’<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 28.4pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: .15pt; tab-stops: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 28.4pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: .15pt; tab-stops: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><i>‘Wedding bells?’ Arabella whispered, hardly daring to believe the
witch who stood before her, yet desperate to do so.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left: 28.4pt; tab-stops: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left: 28.4pt; tab-stops: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><i>Madame Kerina did not speak again but hobbled away back to the
settlement of caravans. Each of the women looked down at the ribbon around
Arabella’s neck and, as one, her sisters began congratulating her as though it
never occurred to them that the divination may have been incorrect.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left: 28.4pt; tab-stops: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left: 28.4pt; tab-stops: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><i>September made its appearance in its usual golden way while summer
clawed at the earth, doing everything it could to maintain its hold. The fruits
of the trees by the river shone as they grew and, where edible, the girls
walked down each day to collect them.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 12.65pt; margin-left: 28.4pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly; tab-stops: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 12.65pt; margin-left: 28.4pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly; tab-stops: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><i>‘Nothing tastes so good as a freshly
picked apple,’ Catherine announced as she bit into one.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><i>‘We are meant to be taking them back up to the lodge, Cat,’ Imogen
replied. ‘We’re already behind with this, and we stand no chance of getting to
the top of the trees as Hamish used to.’<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><i>‘I can get to the top,’ Catherine replied fearlessly, gripping the
apple she was eating firmly in her teeth and commencing the climbing of the
tree.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><i>‘You know you should not compare Cat
to any man, she has to beat them.’ Arabella looked up as Catherine called down.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><i>‘A messenger! I think we have a letter!’</i><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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Day's Dying Gloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17731898250646653995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618870781048115400.post-33306132855485488112017-02-28T01:52:00.001-08:002017-02-28T03:00:21.676-08:00"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.<br />
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For as long as I can remember I've had a stalwart audience of two. Long before thoughts of <i><a href="https://twitter.com/daysdyingglory" target="_blank">Day's Dying Glory</a></i> 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.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj62yrogvcNihMhaJ3wDrPwho8IJeXohjXsBH1rfzWaBDEbThM2Mp45OcvmmVHxvyBRjS2O7zKMSa1U1IVAr28k8gKlBHCVr_fa6S8dHpbUebuBqNJEq3ZIOKS6duoS5lvZoE2oZxEDyFM/s1600/739739_10151307578808213_909858200_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj62yrogvcNihMhaJ3wDrPwho8IJeXohjXsBH1rfzWaBDEbThM2Mp45OcvmmVHxvyBRjS2O7zKMSa1U1IVAr28k8gKlBHCVr_fa6S8dHpbUebuBqNJEq3ZIOKS6duoS5lvZoE2oZxEDyFM/s320/739739_10151307578808213_909858200_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Story Day cocktail with a questionable name</td></tr>
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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.<br />
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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 <a href="http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/crowvus-days-dying-glory" target="_blank">Crowdfunder campaign</a>. 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.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwbg5TDBPqH4t01g6_8PbUk4zs8VYhEomI9BTw9UyXCi_a97bOC-mmpPKZHQsDC7J5mh8xV2mU7SLNtEB3NkyJgNPOJju1-8JS6cZcOZiLQmdSz1EqS62cRSo0FUfe-Jg2UL9GXukJhlg/s1600/1074207_10151693505898213_639470823_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwbg5TDBPqH4t01g6_8PbUk4zs8VYhEomI9BTw9UyXCi_a97bOC-mmpPKZHQsDC7J5mh8xV2mU7SLNtEB3NkyJgNPOJju1-8JS6cZcOZiLQmdSz1EqS62cRSo0FUfe-Jg2UL9GXukJhlg/s320/1074207_10151693505898213_639470823_o.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The complicated maze of sibling legs</td></tr>
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So, failure on the horizon?<br />
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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.<br />
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So this one's for you, Readers - you really are the ones that matter the most. Thanks - I hope you like it.<br />
[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!]<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me with Judith and Clemency at the Flows Lookout</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/crowvus-days-dying-glory" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/crowvus-days-dying-glory" target="_blank">Like it? Support it.</a><br />
Thank you!Day's Dying Gloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17731898250646653995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618870781048115400.post-48147063027364816062017-02-22T05:48:00.000-08:002017-02-22T05:58:15.384-08:00"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.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivMy6EtBs-QXyCqbZ9Jw9fgoXB1Kl3CoHY7dLPeYZmWE-ILDyrWKf8zC0OAofmXRMdK19FbXy-3SpO5ROOiDLpX4q7pPWGGf-ZhxRFaub-nSoj2iNOUQcq3WdfjCoCOu9xLICUTW95LJQ/s1600/Skyline.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivMy6EtBs-QXyCqbZ9Jw9fgoXB1Kl3CoHY7dLPeYZmWE-ILDyrWKf8zC0OAofmXRMdK19FbXy-3SpO5ROOiDLpX4q7pPWGGf-ZhxRFaub-nSoj2iNOUQcq3WdfjCoCOu9xLICUTW95LJQ/s320/Skyline.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">City Skyline from The Rooftop Terrace<br />
at The National Museum of Scotland</td></tr>
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Our itinerary was simple: <a href="http://www.nms.ac.uk/national-museum-of-scotland/" target="_blank">The National Museum of Scotland</a>, <a href="http://www.camera-obscura.co.uk/" target="_blank">The Camera Obscura</a>, The National Museum of Scotland, <a href="https://www.realmarykingsclose.com/" target="_blank">The Real Mary King's Close</a>, The National Museum of Scotland, Greyfriar's Kirkyard, and <a href="http://www.nls.uk/" target="_blank">The National Library of Scotland</a>. Oh, and did I mention The National Museum of Scotland.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmEmcFHjezOqraIChcyc-Dg_AhEgTwuCcHLz7venEQ9D4K1dKUuhVXvFPbt1wz076g96cbq6H-q6PiDD_YV2G94KDjcdFZgd81znfFpR-iOGonsBJc2uJ43O3MjewvuPK0kCE-Ku5XJJw/s1600/From+the+Camera+Obscura.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmEmcFHjezOqraIChcyc-Dg_AhEgTwuCcHLz7venEQ9D4K1dKUuhVXvFPbt1wz076g96cbq6H-q6PiDD_YV2G94KDjcdFZgd81znfFpR-iOGonsBJc2uJ43O3MjewvuPK0kCE-Ku5XJJw/s320/From+the+Camera+Obscura.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">City Skyline from the top of<br />
The Camera Obscura</td></tr>
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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.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNxYSwtfn4d5F5GePiPI6_If2lEncZQKMZ89LxiZuKZbkGHyxDsWZcfPZ7L9VcGxlVWh2laPv6jC1gknU-UZn49RuwAzUX2RDxDI1lU-uahlmPkoC4VyL2CX4WAY3JzP03kTuSNWSJ0iw/s1600/DSCF8410.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNxYSwtfn4d5F5GePiPI6_If2lEncZQKMZ89LxiZuKZbkGHyxDsWZcfPZ7L9VcGxlVWh2laPv6jC1gknU-UZn49RuwAzUX2RDxDI1lU-uahlmPkoC4VyL2CX4WAY3JzP03kTuSNWSJ0iw/s200/DSCF8410.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Coffin Dolls<br />
(picture by Judith)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXczIWYPImnbqMf-_xqa4UBe_w0Db5ttti60WJJ0utQ-5QFiXgn3eqzcaLeeDDnuNHeo1TLGffCNkeNc3c3JR8ryQKEv7aurLouIjm3pxJHBUldjVEcMEswhK0veAr8Nru4QHmRB4N8ZQ/s200/Museum+Galleries.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="200" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Window on the World at<br />
The National Museum of Scotland</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnSOZXtbDYpjAu5Dgvvgt6X-fceyaAYW18EYMPU1dM3hMPyY4P79NKkap7ktzyIl-tDynFmAsor4bJ78RhIPiIImUL2GOlp_xok7dPEfPQlosfUqxEkQNqWfmxoGfK0uA9qvJ1WEBy13A/s1600/Sabre+Toothed+Tiger.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnSOZXtbDYpjAu5Dgvvgt6X-fceyaAYW18EYMPU1dM3hMPyY4P79NKkap7ktzyIl-tDynFmAsor4bJ78RhIPiIImUL2GOlp_xok7dPEfPQlosfUqxEkQNqWfmxoGfK0uA9qvJ1WEBy13A/s200/Sabre+Toothed+Tiger.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Sabre-Toothed Tiger at<br />
The National Museum of Scotland</td></tr>
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To appease my slight obsession with Lord Byron we visited the <a href="http://digital.nls.uk/jma/" target="_blank">John Murray Archive</a> 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.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIcg1KN_Fq4VGLC2UBpCOLS9ceKnPCRw8qmzoW8XJc_LyacoqjVwDEIpiBQyHwUJW5EjEIBeLsZiNs7Yj9hytVqKppdmbWqf8X5-WVCG8O-dgit2x5G46C3slWoOcABWdd9BTSKsbG-5g/s1600/Head+on+a+Platter.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIcg1KN_Fq4VGLC2UBpCOLS9ceKnPCRw8qmzoW8XJc_LyacoqjVwDEIpiBQyHwUJW5EjEIBeLsZiNs7Yj9hytVqKppdmbWqf8X5-WVCG8O-dgit2x5G46C3slWoOcABWdd9BTSKsbG-5g/s200/Head+on+a+Platter.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My head on a platter<br />
(picture by Judith)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIn9zf3Et0A9CnQkN9FS0Nw6IZLZ_s8qN_6zIb4L-FYG0Fp3CVclItNv9Jeola86-l6rnymEPmgJ8-1mXHWJHDQCi09z01_7nBwGFBDUcJmJpuaKkGxXOB9SzYTsuC7ugWOqbkZgq6ukk/s1600/Jaw+Dropping.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIn9zf3Et0A9CnQkN9FS0Nw6IZLZ_s8qN_6zIb4L-FYG0Fp3CVclItNv9Jeola86-l6rnymEPmgJ8-1mXHWJHDQCi09z01_7nBwGFBDUcJmJpuaKkGxXOB9SzYTsuC7ugWOqbkZgq6ukk/s200/Jaw+Dropping.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jaw Dropping at<br />
The Camera Obscura</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtPkpsy_cqrE7WrezUlugVk5w852GnZqf6w_2eEY3BU6Ah3LGWnPjBO0MAQGxpoMLaowP62a-1qRLpYwuRqYhbwjmhL1cOmVzOsNcciMCpCqhRU22Dw_KOdPTCHMBSWydpZC_3sY-smD4/s1600/Judith%2527s+Dream.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtPkpsy_cqrE7WrezUlugVk5w852GnZqf6w_2eEY3BU6Ah3LGWnPjBO0MAQGxpoMLaowP62a-1qRLpYwuRqYhbwjmhL1cOmVzOsNcciMCpCqhRU22Dw_KOdPTCHMBSWydpZC_3sY-smD4/s200/Judith%2527s+Dream.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Judith's dream come true!</td></tr>
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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 <a href="http://www.greyfriarskirk.com/community-action" target="_blank">herb gardens</a>, 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.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcSUgjdlvXIN4RVG3Zpc_Iqs0cUEqQbRcOstPH3xDlVz246Qxz-yqMhkFKRc_ZhysECrIbAhmRhoe1yHVl4aeBjPWOYGZmraNoQyAu1rOHShOrbCH0ljZ1DB8F6SwHE7hAay5YQ1h460k/s1600/Ensign+Ewart.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcSUgjdlvXIN4RVG3Zpc_Iqs0cUEqQbRcOstPH3xDlVz246Qxz-yqMhkFKRc_ZhysECrIbAhmRhoe1yHVl4aeBjPWOYGZmraNoQyAu1rOHShOrbCH0ljZ1DB8F6SwHE7hAay5YQ1h460k/s200/Ensign+Ewart.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Ensign who took an eagle<br />
and changed a crest</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGW1IUtCAPfL6QwB9w03iQO8PT4wOqOXqKCpik38I5qqsp36neuLtA6Jk5QUEZbCKYMqaPLiyOkyebFZ7ItQ2_TzaRzqCVohYmeFd-A0op5NvgskfPVs_VDTEdaQWRtKvUHLupU4mGNqM/s200/Gingerbread+Man.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="200" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Gingerbread Bear at<br />
The Hub</td></tr>
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<br />
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.<br />
<br />
Incidentally, these were amongst my favourite finds:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqILVfPqoy_LuxXnVeRrodzR9O8RNdKeVIIe4osGH8xak4DEu8xKqEVtaF4DQbJsPY6y63K1F6EX_p-_6OtzmkoNW4ZVuEOQ-WM4LdIodGGwLvY2YXlbefALBbumw8v06B2sIbReSDDC4/s1600/Defeat+of+Tipu+Sultan.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqILVfPqoy_LuxXnVeRrodzR9O8RNdKeVIIe4osGH8xak4DEu8xKqEVtaF4DQbJsPY6y63K1F6EX_p-_6OtzmkoNW4ZVuEOQ-WM4LdIodGGwLvY2YXlbefALBbumw8v06B2sIbReSDDC4/s200/Defeat+of+Tipu+Sultan.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1-POPEOJKUj2-erEjdEydAsjposWiS_Z9-BcP3tYB98xpZlLimSBsEW4zP3y1_V1CksMSiwIQ1HcDOrRkrByi40mVqT9uYxSIhcNuEM4uT7icX9ZIM5_jbdJWXcN4GvDbsys8zA842ik/s1600/Sir+David+Baird.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1-POPEOJKUj2-erEjdEydAsjposWiS_Z9-BcP3tYB98xpZlLimSBsEW4zP3y1_V1CksMSiwIQ1HcDOrRkrByi40mVqT9uYxSIhcNuEM4uT7icX9ZIM5_jbdJWXcN4GvDbsys8zA842ik/s200/Sir+David+Baird.JPG" width="150" /></a><br />
<br />
These all relate to Sir David Baird, a man whose need for justice (or revenge) knew no limits. <i>The Storming of Seringapatam</i> is the twentieth instalment of <a href="http://channillo.com/series/beneath-black-clouds-and-white/" target="_blank">Beneath Black Clouds And White</a> - the prequel to Day's Dying Glory - currently serialised on Channillo.<br />
<a href="http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/crowvus-days-dying-glory" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/crowvus-days-dying-glory" target="_blank">Like it? Support it.</a><br />
(Thank you!)Day's Dying Gloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17731898250646653995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618870781048115400.post-75614052726907363112017-02-14T02:47:00.001-08:002017-02-14T02:57:52.735-08:00Categorising Literature - Why I Hate ItI 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).<br />
<br />
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 <i>is </i>my book?<br />
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<br />
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.<br />
<br />
Great! I've categorised it!<br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
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.<br />
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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.<br />
<br />
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.<br />
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<br />
Finally, as it's Valentine's Day, here's what my characters have to say about love:<br />
<br />
<i>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.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<a href="http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/crowvus-days-dying-glory" target="_blank">Like it? Support it!</a><br />
Thank you!Day's Dying Gloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17731898250646653995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618870781048115400.post-11127705293650045222017-02-07T02:53:00.001-08:002017-02-07T04:41:57.112-08:00Book Launches - A Blog Guaranteed Not To HelpWhile I've been working alongside the <a href="https://www.crowvus.com/" target="_blank">Crowvus</a> 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.<br />
<br />
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.<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Budget</b> - Almost all lists suggest that you set your budget and stick to it. Make sure that you stay within what <i>you</i> 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 <a href="http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/crowvus-days-dying-glory" target="_blank">Crowdfunder</a> page, most of your friends suddenly treat you like a pariah.<br /><i>"Virginia who?"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</i></li>
<li><b>Entertainment </b>- 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 <a href="http://www.duckegg.org.uk/" target="_blank">Duckegg Theatre Company</a> who were the first people I asked and who have supported me from the word go:<br /><i>"Y</i><i>ou guys are amazing!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</i></li>
<li><b>Venue</b> - 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.<br /><i>"I've always wanted to go there!"</i></li>
<li><b>Blog Tour</b> - 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.<br /><i>"Blog it out!"</i></li>
<li><b>Reading</b> - 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.<br /><i>"Please don't laugh..."<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</i></li>
<li><b>Advertise</b> - 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.<br /><i>"Hello? Hello, friends?"</i></li>
<li><b>Advertise</b> - 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.<br /><i>"Yes, you don't know me because I'm a debut author..."</i></li>
<li><b>Advertise</b> - 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.<br /><i>"Of course it was worth mortgaging the house three times, I'm on the billboard three miles outside town!"</i></li>
</ol>
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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!</div>
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11th April - <a href="http://www.the-ropewalk.co.uk/" target="_blank">The Ropewalk</a>, Barton-upon-Humber</div>
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17th April - <a href="http://innerpeffraylibrary.co.uk/" target="_blank">The Library of Innerpeffray</a>, nr Crieff</div>
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6th May - <a href="http://stmagnus.org/centre/" target="_blank">St Magnus Centre</a>, Kirkwall.</div>
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<a href="http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/crowvus-days-dying-glory" target="_blank">Like it? Support it!</a></div>
<div>
[Thank you!]<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Day's Dying Gloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17731898250646653995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618870781048115400.post-14580031742866938802017-02-01T00:34:00.002-08:002017-02-01T00:34:34.203-08:00"Christmas Pudding For The Soul"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
All entries should be submitted electronically and will be judged by our authors. The deadline for entries will be midnight on Friday 7th April.<br />
<br />
For the full list of rules head over to the <a href="https://www.crowvus.com/christmas-writes" target="_blank">Crowvus website</a>.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/crowvus-days-dying-glory" target="_blank">Like it? Support it!</a>Day's Dying Gloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17731898250646653995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618870781048115400.post-66207166636109355312017-01-24T01:38:00.000-08:002017-01-24T03:14:23.654-08:00Writing Difficult Scenes: ChronologyThe first novel I ever completed was part of a writing programme called Write Here Write Now, it must have been about a decade ago and, I'm not going to lie, it was a bit poor. The plot was great, but the writing in places surpassed the speed of light!<br />
<br />
But it was the first novel I finished.<br />
<br />
Looking back at it, I can see the parts I hated writing and the parts I which I was, perhaps, a little overindulgent. But having the discipline to follow through the chronology of the story meant that new twists developed and enhanced the plot dramatically. Not a bad thing, since it was a murder mystery. It's not the sort of thing I would have chosen to write, yet having to walk in the footsteps of my characters, sometimes leading them, sometimes racing to catch them up, enabled me to complete the manuscript.<br />
<br />
So here are my 3 pieces of advice:<br />
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<ol><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<li>Write chronologically. If you hit a difficult scene, keep writing, you can always improve it in the redraft. That's not to say that there isn't a place for writing sections out of sequence, but don't plunge into the complete narrative. I use Scrivener these days for my writing and have both Scrivener pages and postcards full of quotes and subsections of text for further in the novel. But I write the narrative in order.</li>
<li>If you reach a difficult scene try to consider the point of view of another of the characters in the scene. Sometimes having one person telling the story means that they become tired and bored of carrying the can. Consider what the other characters might be thinking of them, and then write your narrator thinking it.</li>
<li>Have a survival kit. Mine includes the following things:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzb0VKcTHmLgdVhQDDa-rUfxZVmL1RGAEFaPpLfXQzxrXmZv-ZmZx44V4BZ33MK2eFd1W3w3g0Cb6HyRvQfcVu5-Z-MHCzTiF37_Re3TTsdBjK0Q8KyxunTE8jVevCJ5Y55Cq6-g67ycs/s1600/DSCF1912.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzb0VKcTHmLgdVhQDDa-rUfxZVmL1RGAEFaPpLfXQzxrXmZv-ZmZx44V4BZ33MK2eFd1W3w3g0Cb6HyRvQfcVu5-Z-MHCzTiF37_Re3TTsdBjK0Q8KyxunTE8jVevCJ5Y55Cq6-g67ycs/s200/DSCF1912.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<b>Music</b> - Create a playlist to inspire even the most bland events of your story (although consider that, if you find it bland to write, a reader might find it bland to read)<br /><b>Distraction</b> - I don't care what people say, bribing yourself is a good way of seeing through difficult scenes. At the moment that is painting for me, but it could be exercise, crafts, or an outing.<br /><b>Food</b> - Especially after Christmas, there is no shortage of goodies. Although here consider that consuming 1kg of chocolate for two pages of text is a little excessive!</li>
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Occasionally I go back to that first completed novel. It's not horrendous and, one day, I might give it the redraft it deserves. But for now I quite like having it as a reminder. Someone once said (translated!):<br />
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"Writing is the only way to talk without being interrupted."</div>
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<i> Jules Renard</i></div>
So try not to interrupt your narrative. Remember: your characters are on a journey and they hate being interrupted as much as you do!<br />
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