Monday Must Do’s 20th to 26th May

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Vikki Thompson

Good morning! (or afternoon/evening depending on where you are and when you’re reading this 😉

I’m BACK! Did ya miss me? I’ve missed you guys 🙂

Ok, that’s enough lol….I guess I better tell you what I’ve been up to. I’ve had a pretty good 2 weeks to be honest. It was my birthday and i went stationery shopping, i went to the Romantic Novelists Summer Party (click the link for the photos including one which featured my red shoes! lol) and went to see RJ Ellory read from his new novel which isnt out for a few months (must buy that one!). I haven’t touched the WIP (Still), haven’t done much writing at all, although I did do a few prompts which was fun. Most of you know, I’m a huge fan of prompts and writing exercises to get the old creative juices flowing. I stumbled across Bonnie Neubauer’s website last week (she’s the lady who wrote The Right Brain Workbook) and here’s what she has to say about prompts:

“Because exercises (also known as prompts) remove the expectations and judgments you have about your own writing. The goal of an exercise is get you to write for the sake of writing so you can discover or rediscover the joy of writing. Exercises are all about filling the pre-allotted time or the pre-allotted space on the page. Do that, and you have met your goal. Nothing else matters. Not content, not plot, not characters, not spelling. And, to exceed your goal all you have to do is write one extra sentence.”

“Do enough exercises (The number is different for everyone; for me, it happens to be 2 exercises a day for 3 to 6 days), and you will find yourself excited about doing your ‘real’ writing. When this happens (and don’t force it), it’s totally okay to abandon the world of exercises and write what you want to write. Just remember that if you ever find yourself stalled, immediately put your regular writing aside and do some exercises. The exercises will relieve you of the pressure to produce and will once again, get your right brain primed to spew onto the paper without letting your left brain (the nasty editor) get in the way and stop you.”

And that’s what happened see….I fell out of love with writing, so I’ve been trying to claw my way back….and I think it’s working. I’ve missed doing prompts and I should never have stopped. As from today I’m taking Bonnie’s advice, and going back to committing to daily writing 🙂

So the coming week looks like this:

And how I’ve missed the structure of a ‘to do list’ because when I haven’t got one, nothing gets done.

You’ll see I’m working on another project. My second novel, entitled “Tangled” is what I’ve decided to submit to the RNA New Writers Scheme for critique, but it still needs some work. It’s complete, has a beginning, a middle and an end (go me!) but is only 52,000 words lol. The first novel (Still) is such a bloody mess that I really don’t know where to go next, so I’m putting it to one side (for the moment). There’s only so many times you can bash your head against that wall 😉

So I’m feeling pretty good, pretty confident and actually raring to get suck in! I’m hoping that my new pad from Paperchase will help.

Great post about self doubt here on Mandy Websters blog. Struck a nerve with me as its just how I’ve been feeling lately. Now, I’m off to turn a prompt into a ghost story 🙂

So what are your writing plans for the week?

E is for Eco

Posted on April 5, 2013 by Vikki Thompson

Umberto Eco was born in 1932 in Alessandria in Northern Italy. He is the first of the writers I’ve looked into who is actually still alive! Lol. Urged by his father to become a Lawyer, Umberto instead chose to go to University to study medieval philosophy and literature and subsequently became a University Professor. Now, he divides his time between studying semiotics, writing essays, philosophy, literary criticism and writing fiction.

He has written books for children, dozens of non fiction books and 6 novels. But his most famous work was his first fictional novel “In The Name Of The Rose” which was published when he was 48 years old. A historical murder mystery set in a monastery it encapsulates everything that Eco had studied and taught about in the previous years and has sold approximately 50 million copies.

The intricate plots of his fiction are full of references to literature and history. He sites Jorge Luis Borges and James Joyce as his influences. He currently lives in Italy, dividing his time between two homes. In one he has a library of 30,000 books and in the other, 20,000 (and I thought I was bad!!!!).

My Favourite Eco Quotes:

“The real hero is always the hero by mistake; he dreams of being an honest coward like everybody else.”

“It is a myth of publishers that people want to read easy things.”

“Every time I write a novel I am convinced for at least 2 years that it is the last one, because a novel is like a child. It takes 2 years after its birth. You have to take care of it. It starts walking and then speaking.”

“I love the smell of book ink in the morning.”

“Thus I rediscovered what writers have always known (and have told us again and again): books always speak of other books, and every story tells a story that has already been told.”

Check out Umberto Eco’s Rules Of Writing and this rather wonderful interview about his most recent novel.

Ive never read any of Eco’s work (although The Hubster has) and I don’t tend to read books that have an intricate plot structure. So does that mean I choose books that are easy to read? I probably do you know *blush*

What do you think? Do readers want to read easy things? Do you?

The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco (inilliterati.wordpress.com)
Umberto Eco_The lost art of handwriting (nathama.wordpress.com)

Desperate Dan

Posted on March 22, 2013 by Vikki Thompson

Photo from Wikipedia

So here’s the final character from Still, Daniel…and no, he looks nothing like Desperate above 😉

Daniel was born in November 1953 to middle class parents who lived in a semi-detached house they owned on the outskirts of Blackheath in South East London. Daniels father was an accountant, his mother a housewife. He had a younger sister who his father adored. The Hopwood’s happy family home looked from the outside perfection itself, but Daniels father was cold towards his son. He often became violent when he was drunk and used a belt to punish Daniel, often for no reason, on a regular basis.

Intelligent but introverted, Daniel didn’t mix well at school, and was often bullied. At secondary school he met Ronnie, who intervened when an older boy was picking on him and the two struck up a friendship. As an adult Daniel had convinced himself that the only reason Ronnie had rescued him was to make himself look good. Daniel would often do Ronnies homework and in return Daniel spent most of his time at Ronnies house, preferring that to being at home around his father.

With mousy hair and grey eyes he was rugged in his looks and awkward around girls. He lacked social skills and preferred his own company to that of others.

After leaving school he trained under his father as an accountant, his father’s choice, not his, and when he was 16 he was with Ronnie when they met Laura. Daniel thought at the time she was beautiful, but unfortunately, it was Ronnie who had the guts to ask her out. Daniel prayed that their relationship wouldn’t last and during the year that it did he found himself falling in love with Laura, trying to keep his distance and his feelings from Ronnie.

When Laura and Ronnie broke up Daniel began to start visiting Laura, as a shoulder to cry on, and it was Daniel she confided in when she discovered she was pregnant. With no hope of reconciliation between Laura and Ronnie, Daniel began to worm his way into Laura’s affections, and became her rock. He stood by her when she gave birth to her daughter and when he finally found the courage to ask Laura to marry him she accepted. He promised that he would treat Laura’s daughter Ruby as if she was his own, and at the time, he meant it.

When Laura became pregnant with Daniels child he began to resent Ruby’s presence. As far as he was concerned Ruby was ruining the happy life he wanted with Laura and taking up Laura’s time…time that she should be spending with him, and of course, she looked so like Ronnie. A huge argument resulted in Daniel lashing out and Laura losing the baby. They were later told that Laura would be unable to have more children. Daniel was ashamed and wracked with guilt but became even angrier with Laura, believing that she was still in love with Ronnie.

He became spiteful, aggressive and domineering, to the point where even though he knew the way he was behaving was wrong he couldn’t help himself.

Laura had a break down and was sent to hospital. Daniel was relieved that Ruby had gone to stay with Laura’s mother and during Laura’s absence he started drinking heavily and sleeping with other women. When Laura returned he tried to make amends but then his father died and all the hurt and pain of his childhood came crashing down on is shoulders.

Laura left him but he persuaded her to come back, truly believing that he would, could, change and that Laura was the only person who understood him. He tried to be kind, gentle and loving. The man he had been all those years ago, but the strain was too great. Believing that Laura didn’t love him, and wondering why she had come back, he found himself attracted to a woman at work and was making plans to leave. But Laura found out and by the time Daniel realized what a huge mistake he was making it was too late.

Laura packed her bags and Daniel knew it was the final straw and that Laura meant it. In his anger he told her that he didn’t need her and had never loved her as she left, but inside his heart was breaking and he knew that he didn’t deserve the woman he had destroyed.

So now you’ve seen all 4 sides of the story. These 4 characters have been part of my life for 2.5 years, and I just can’t let go of them. They don’t talk to me like I know some writers say their characters do, but I’m so attached to them lol

For some reason The Hubster isn’t gelling with our Daniel, but can’t say why. Is there something missing? Should he be more dislikable?

Tomorrows post will be a little bit late….as I’m up at Faber all day 🙂

Bedtime For Bonzo? (the-view-outside.com)
Goodbye Ruby Tuesday (the-view-outside.com)

No Faber, But Cake & A Sneak Preview Of The WIP

Posted on February 12, 2013 by Vikki Thompson

Well, I didn’t make it up to my Faber class last night 😦 A combination between snow, freezing temperatures and my tutor being called away to Wales on a family emergency. We were offered the opp to sit in with the other class, but I decided not to go.

But hey, it wasn’t all bad…there was cake!

So instead, today’s post is some character work. I’ve been working on the new version of the WIP, Still and because I’m trying to edit the first 5000 words for submission for my critique I’ve decided not to write any more until the editing is done. So I’ve been working on the characters instead, which is one of my favourite parts of writing to be honest.

Here is Laura’s (Still has 2 main characters, mother and daughter) story with dates so I can keep track 😉

Laura was born in May 1954 in Blackheath, South East London to parents William & Rose Morgan. William was a Black Cab driver and Rose ran a small café/tea shop in the village. The family lived above the café in a flat.

Laura was a loner as a teenager with no real friends and worked in the café when she left school at 15. She liked listening to music but wasn’t fashion conscious. A plump girl (she had a healthy appetite) with perfect pale skin, her eyes are the colour of a copper coin, her hair, muddy brown. She was shy, quiet, and spent her evenings reading. Bullied at school she bites her nails and has a tendency to allow people to walk all over her.

At 16 (1970) she met Ronnie Quinn, her first boyfriend and became pregnant. But Ronnie became involved in drugs and they split up. Laura’s parents were supportive and she decided to keep her baby. After her daughter Ruby was born (1972) she married Daniel Hopwood, a friend of Ronnie’s and they moved into a rented flat.

Initially, things were great, and Laura discovered herself pregnant again. Unfortunately, Daniel had become increasingly verbally abusive and during a fight he pushed Laura down the stairs, which resulted in a miscarriage and Laura unable to have more children.

Life with Daniel was emotionally exhausting and after her father’s death (1974) Laura sank further and further into herself, neglecting her daughter Ruby who spent a lot of time with her grandmother. Daniel manipulated her quiet gentle nature and lack of self-esteem to the point where she felt that there was nothing in life that she was good or successful at. She lost all will to even get out of bed.

As an adult, Laura still bites her fingernails, chain smokes and has developed deep wrinkles around her eyes. Her hair remains shoulder length with a fringe (she cuts it herself) and she rarely eats. Preferring to live on tea. She loves animals but Daniel won’t hear of having a pet. She feeds the stray cat who hangs around the garages without her husband knowing.

At the age of 32 (1986), with a teenage daughter to cope with, no money of her own, no job, not even her own bank account and constant threats of violence from her husband she had a break down and became hospitalised. She recovered but her daughter Ruby had gone to live with her mother.

When her mother died (1990) Laura summoned the courage (with Ruby’s help) to leave Daniel and move into a small flat with Ruby. Unfortunately Daniel persuaded her that he loved her, needed her, and that he would change. She goes back to him but Ruby refuses to live under the same roof as her stepfather and after a huge argument the mother and daughter fall out (1994).

Laura left Daniel again after she discovered he was having an affair and tried to rebuild her life with the encouragement and support of a friend (neighbour) she’d made. She tried searching for Ruby several times.

Diagnosed with breast cancer (1997) and the prognosis looking grim she asks her friend to help her find Ruby so that she can try to sort things out. The friend manages to track Ruby down and Laura sends her a letter, along with a notebook she has been writing in, recording events of her life since before Ruby was born.

Ruby receives the package while Laura is having chemotherapy, the double mastectomy having been a success and the two women are reconciled.

Awwwww, that all seems really sad doesn’t it lol, ive really put her through it 😉 But….that’s not the end of Laura’s story….if you want to find out exactly what happens you’ll have to buy the book lol 😉

Next week…Ruby’s story 😉

Boxing Day

Posted on December 26, 2012 by Vikki Thompson

Boxing Day was traditionally the day that people gave their servants a Christmas Box, a small gift to recognise their loyalty and service.

As a child, I thought it literally meant that they had boxing matches on this day 😉 Most of my childhood was spent knowing that Boxing Day meant a large spread of buffet style food and a visit from family. A chance to all get together for a party!

As an adult, I’ve still kept the tradition of having a spread, but, as we don’t have family to invite round (all say awwwww lol) it’s turned into a relaxing day, almost a pyjama day! Lol.

It made me laugh when I first read Peter Jones book, How To Do Everything and Be Happy (which I HIGHLY recommend by the way) because he has adopted the idea of having a Boxing Day once a month, which I do try to do.

So today I’m going to spend the whole day reading 🙂 I’m not gunna even pick up a pen or go on my iPad…..if you see me online SHOUT AT ME!

See you on the other side!

courtesy of digitalart/freedigitalphotos

what are your plans for today, now that Christmas Day has been and gone?

Six Sentence Sunday 18th November

Posted on November 18, 2012 by Vikki Thompson

Thank you for all your comments yesterday. It’s really interesting to hear how you all work 🙂

Today’s 6 sentences come from an exercise I did in my Faber class the week before last. The idea was to imagine you’re walking into a house and describe what you see…..

The hallway was a sensory overload. The muddy tones of the paisley carpet battled against the tiny delicate flowers that covered the walls. The ceiling and woodwork, painted white, a welcome reprieve to the eyes.

Turning into the dining room the carpet continued, but the walls were now a deep shade of red. A blood bath to dine by. The furniture, reproduction deep mahogany, a homage to Victorian style.

Who would live in a house like this?

Six Sentence Sunday 21st October

Posted on October 21, 2012 by Vikki Thompson

This weeks 6 sentences are from a piece I wrote as an exercise in the Faber class 🙂 We were asked to write 100 words on our name. I went blank, but after a bit of brainstorming came up with the idea of fictionalising the origin…..

We had agonised for days over what to call her.

“I want something classy Mike, you know, not Sharon or Tracey.”

Mike was very excited when he arrived at the hospital the following day and told me he’d found the perfect name for her, on a bus.

“I don’t think Waterloo is really suitable for a girl darling.”

But i was relieved to discover that he was referring to the number 36 going to Victoria Station.

Is it any wonder that she grew up loving the colour red!

This version has been edited down for the 6 sentences and yes, I really did get my name from a number 36 London bus 😉

If you want to see a actual number 36 bus the same as my dad would have seen you’ll have to click here.

Is there a story in how you got your name?

Six Sentence Sunday (October 2012) (rhyllbiest.com)

Six Sentence Sunday 14th October

Posted on October 14, 2012 by Vikki Thompson

I wrote this piece back in April 🙂

“I’m sorry Jan, but it needs to be said.”

“No, please Dave, that’s enough, you’ve made your point.”

Jan looked across the table at her father in law. When she’d first met him, 30 years ago, he’d been tall, strong, a real mans man. But now, sitting at her kitchen table he reminded her of a frightened child, the roles reversed. The shell of the man he once was, living in their house because Dave’s sister couldn’t cope.

Image courtesy of stockimages/freedigitalimages

Poor Jan….the poor father in law….I don’t think Dave has got much patience, do you?

Six Sentence Sunday 10/7/12 (laniseb.wordpress.com)
Six Sentence Sunday (heatherj22.wordpress.com)
Six Sentence Sunday – My 100th #SixSunday Celebration! (lisafoxromance.wordpress.com)

Oooooo, Look!

Posted on October 11, 2012 by Vikki Thompson

Paula Acton and Dianne Gray have both tagged me in the Look! Challenge 🙂 Thank you so much ladies!

“The idea is to locate the word ‘look’ in whatever manuscript you have lying around and post the few previous and following paragraphs and then invite other authors to do the same.”

So I’ve been rummaging through my notebooks, trying to find a pice of writing that includes the word “look” lol. Its not a word I use very often (is that good or bad? Lol). And finally I’ve found something 🙂 This is the prologue of my abandoned MS, But Not Forgotten. It’s also part of the piece I sent to Faber.

They say that your life flashes before your eyes just before the moment you die,
but Daniel Hopwood’s had been flashing before his eyes for weeks now. He couldn’t
eat, couldn’t sleep. He knew his options, none of which were appealing. He’d lived
with the guilt for years, coped with it, but now, time was running out.

Unlocking the drawer of his desk he took out the carefully wrapped revolver. It
felt cold and heavy in his hands. It had been a while since he’d felt that feeling of
power.

Looking at the photos on his desk, Daniel smiled. His darling wife Laura, and Ruby, their daughter. Happy family memories of holidays and birthdays. His girls
were his reason for living. He existed to love them and care for them…but now, he
couldn’t risk them hating him. Everything Daniel had ever done, was for them,
they were his world, and he couldn’t bear not be a part of their lives.

He put the gun to his throat, the barrel pointing upwards and stood up. He had
never been a coward, it wasn’t his way, but yes, now, he would take the cowards way
out, rather than face up to what he’d done. It was the only choice he had left. The
cold metal on his face was comforting, and as he pulled the trigger he closed his
eyes and pictured happy times on the beach, when Ruby was five.

The pain was brief.

I’m suppose to tag fellow bloggers to take part, but I’m just gunna say, if you want to play, please do 🙂

And by the way, is there a lack of the word “look” in your work, or do you use it on a regular basis? Am I in fact a weirdo? Lol 😉

Waving, Not Drowning

Posted on October 9, 2012 by Vikki Thompson

Inspired by Saturdays photo prompt…..

Marisha stood on the damp sand and stared out to sea. Normally, on a clear day, you could see Essex. But not today, as a dense bank of fog swept its way, creeping silently up the Thames Estuary. She shivered, as her skin was splattered with fine droplets of water, spray from the waves. Invisible to the naked eye, but picked up by every hair on her bare arms.

She walked slowly towards the water. Stumbling on stones that shifted beneath her bare feet. Every few steps she winced, as something sharp met with her sole.

Stopping at the edge of the murky waves she watched the water lap at her feet, beckoning her forward. Glancing around, she checked to make sure she was alone. It was unusual for anyone to be on this part of the beach in October, especially at 6am.

Her teeth chattered as the water lapped at her ankles. The biting cold was painful. It felt like the waves could reach through her skin to her bones. With her long black hair trailing behind her she walked forward until the water was up to her waist. Just a few steps more, that was all it would take. She found herself wondering which one would end her 18 years? The water or the bitter cold?

A dog barked in the distance. She turned, and for a brief moment panicked, losing her courage. Whoever said this was the cowards way out? But what was the alternative? Go back home? No, she couldn’t bare to bring so much shame on her family. She was still in shock that her father had actually had her followed. When he threw the photographs at her and called her a whore she had fled the house. Tears welled I’m her eyes when she thought of Tom. The photos had shown their brief kiss. That was all it had been.

She’d known the risks when she’d agreed to go on the secret date. Tom was nice, she’d known him since school. when he’d asked her to go to the cinema, she’d jumped at the chance. Marisha just wanted to be like any other English girl, but deep down she knew she never could be. It had all been a fantasy. For Marisha had been promised to a Prince, since the day she was born.

Rather than give you a photo today I thought I’d embed this. It’s a video I took about a year ago. A place called Allhallows, where I use to spend all my holidays as a child. It’s in Kent, and on a clear day you can see Essex 🙂

Awwwww, poor Marisha 😦 you know I just can’t help it lol. Who is the person with the dog? (I have my own theory) and will Marisha go through with it?

Any comments and suggestions are most welcome?