Liz De Jager

Assasin's Creed - Leap of Faith

As the self-imposed deadline to polish Djinn into shiny aweseomeness rushes closer at an incredible speed I spent most of today daydreaming just a tiny little bit.  I was “window shopping” over at the Agents Supermarket and have drawn up a wishlist of people I’d love to approach in July.

This is both incredibly exciting but also gutwrenchingly sickeningly scary.  The whole idea of taking that other bigger step in the long line of steps towards (hopefully) publication is probably the most nerve-wracking one of all.  It’s one thing to sit there in solitude and write your little heart out but it’s another thing altogether when it comes to realising how close you are.  It’s like you are balancing on that precipice and all you can see is that very distant point so far below you that your mind rebels at the thought of stepping forward, off that ledge.

Gather that together and hold it tight.  Then consider the field of possibilities that may be waiting for you if you take that step into the big blue.  A fulfilment of your dreams, everything you’ve worked towards for xyz many years is right there, almost in your grasp.

Are you strong enough to do it? I hope I am!

After working wildly and dilligently last night, I saved my work as I was about to turn off the iMac for the night…but something said to me: just check where that document saved to.

And do you think I could find it?  Anywhere? At all?  Nope.  Nada.  Not even in my Finder folder.  Oh, it had part of what I had been working on there, yes, but not the completed product.

My innards went lame and this dark sinking feeling made itself known in my soul.

Even Mark had a poke around the hard drive trying to find the document.  Nothing.  It wasn’t in Scrivener, it was GONE.

I sat with my head in my hands.  What. The. Hell. Happened?

I picked up the external hard drive I had plugged in to download some new tunes onto iTunes and hesitated.  Waitaminute!  I quickly turned on Mist and lo and behold, after plugging in the small portable external hard drive, my up to date document was found.  Safe and sound.  And I had somehow managed to save the working document to a completely different place than intended.  The mind boggles how this could have happened.

But, it matters not, I say!  The document was found, safe and sound, all in place and correct.  And then subsequently saved in the right place.  Panic over.

The relief was immense.  I even cried!

The thought of all those carefully crafted words having gone lost was just too much.  Thankfully, even at half past midnight, there was enough synpases sparking to tell me to check that external hard-drive that has nothing else on it except for all our music.  Phew!

Disaster averted!

*this counts as your inane and slightly rubbish post for the day!

Illustration by Bob MacNeil

Friday evening was one of those utterly excuisite early Summer evenings.  Mark and I decided to have a bbq and we invited our neighbour, Ray, around.  Ray is lovely, an elderly (soon to be retired) freelance artist and sculptor.  He dotes on our dog Sparrow and looks after both house and dog when Mark and I go away on holiday.  Ray is also obsessed with gold and jewellery, but that’s another story altogether.

Ray is always full of fab tales and Friday night was no different.  He’s been working part-time at a local charity shop.  It gets him out of the house and lets him laugh at other people – this is a good thing, in his opinion.

He told us about a carer that came in last week to drop off a few things for the charity shop.  Ray and the carer got talking and the carer told him the following story:

The carer has a regular elderly person whom he visits on a daily basis.  The chap is in his late seventies, is quite tall but is wheelchair bound.  The carer popped by to tidy up the house and to make sure everthing is okay.  When he got in, the old man said to him:

“I have a troll!”

The carer was a bit taken aback, wondering what “troll” was shorthand for today, but he didn’t pay the elderly gentleman any attention and chatted to him about the football and whatever as he went around tidying the flat and making the bed etc.

The elderly man however kept repeating “Ooh, I have a troll!”

Eventually the carer thought to himself that maybe, just maybe he should actually listen to what the old man was saying so he goes:

“Oh yeah?  And where is it?”

“Under the stairs,” said the old man, pointing to the cupboard.

The carer steeled himself and opened the cupboard.  To reveal an incredibly angry tiny person in the cupboard! The person was no higher than 2 1/2 feet tall and was bouncing with frustration, fear and vitriol. 

He’d been delivering leaflets through the door when the door swung open to reveal the wheelchair bound old man.  The old man was so taken aback by seeing the tiny person he picked him up and manhandled him into the cupboard under the stairs.  To be kept, like a pet. 

Somewhere along the line, the elderly gentleman had convinced himself he had nabbed a troll and that it was okay to keep it locked away for six hours, without food or water.

Mark and I sat there blinking as Ray told us the story.  Was it real?  Ray assured us that it was as the elderly chap sometimes comes into the store with his carer.  The chap was mostly lucid but on occasion he has lapses.

We just couldn’t believe it though – a case where the truth was in fact stranger than fiction.  Thankfully the carer managed to placate the small person (am I right in calling this person a  midget?)  into not laying charges and explaining about the old man and his lapses with reality. 

But, how utterly horrifying and also mind-numbingly real!  You couldn’t make stuff up like this, at all.

I’m off to Foyles this evening to sit in the audience and stare lovingly at a living legend: Carlos Ruiz Zafon. 

I may even ask a question, but I doubt it.  Face to face conversations I’m okay with, but in a crowd, I like to disappear, i.e. I like the anonymity and always feel that someone out there will ask far more intelligent and brilliant questions than moi! 

Back to CRZ: he’s at Foyles to chat about his children’s novel (and a novel for those who are youthful) The Prince of Mist.

I am armed with two copies of the book, my autograph book and also a camera.  I chose not to bring the other larger books he is probably better known for: The Shadow of the Wind and The Angel’s Game.  Reason being, that for my commute, it’s easier to carry what I already have in my bag, instead of another 2 rather large books.  However! Once at Foyles, I may forget myself and buy copies and give them to hubby Mark to lug home. 

And that’s really all this blogpost was about.  A tiny squee about being at tonight’s Foyles event to meet CRZ himself.

I’ve been subscribed to quite a few writing magazines here in the UK for a while now and I have to say, the quality is pretty poor. The articles are hardly ever in depth and the advice given seems very superficial.  It’s like eating candyfloss when what you want is meat, veg, rice and a yorkie pud to go with it.  I realise I’m painting a broad and negative picture here, but this is my own feeling and to be honest, it’s probably me having grown out of the advice that these magazines seem to hand out.  The articles appear to rehash the same type of thing over and over and instead of feeling anticipation about when the next magazine is due, I feel meh. 

However, there are two magazines I swear by.  One UK magazine and one US magazine.

The UK magazine is of course Mslexia.  Yes, it’s for women writers, but I can guarantee you that no matter what your sex, there is advice and inspiration for you.  I re-read my copy of Mslexia a few times and have got a folder that I stick it in to keep it from being tossed in the rubbish bin by accident.  I mark up the articles I like and I can refer to them.  The prompts are clever, the advice is solid and the interviews are interesting, often amusing, but always worthy of a mull-over.  I also have the Mslexia diary and I love it because it’s packed full of prompts and quotes.  I bought copies for my friends Kaz and Sarah too and I know they are using them…right girls? The Mslexia website is also a fantastic resource with articles and blogs on what’s going on, writing resources, competitions etc.

The US magazine I’m talking about is Writer’s Digest.  I’ve never seen it before till about…three or four months ago.  I peripherally knew about it from Chuck’s website and the various links he has on it from there.  So when I saw it in the WH Smith’s here in Selfridges, I grabbed it and read it.  And I’ve been going back each month to buy a copy.  I am now considering an electronic subscription, even though I think e-subscriptions = the devil.  I’m considering the e-sub because Smith’s didn’t get the previous month’s copy.  By e-subbing, I get each magazine as it comes live.  That has to be a winning situation.  So, onto the content of WD.

The issue I got yesterday was: May/June 2010 

There is an in depth article about writing Romance (Romancing the Publishing Industry)

An very interesting article, from my point of view, on writing for the YA Market (YA Today) with commentators ranging from Stephen Fraser (agent), Aimee Friedman (editor), Wendy Loggia (executive editor) George Nicholson (agent), Anica Mrose Rissi (senior editor).  What impressed me is that the article took up six pages and the advice is sound, intelligent and common sense.  And pertinent to new and more experienced writers.

On page 41 an article entitled He Said, She Said – Understanding differences can improve your writing in any genre.  I read this one during my commute this morning and you know what, it was an eyeopener.  Because I’m writing for boys in Djinn, I’ve been called up by my very excellent critique group on being overly descriptive on things that Nicholas observes.  Boys don’t think or act that way, not generally.  This article confirms it. 

Then, an article I think most writers definitely need: 101 best websites for writers.  There is a tranche of sites on offer, from sites offering Creative inspiration to Writing Advice, General Resources, Online Writing Communities, Genres/Niches, Publishing / Marketing Resources.  I think the £3.25 I spent on buying this mag yesterday has paid for itself already.  Just by leafing through the first handful of pages.

And I ask the question: why are the UK magazines not of this high calibre?  I’ve subscribed to various ones over the past say two or three years now and I don’t think a single issue has ever contained as much down-on-the-ground information that is pertinent to me as a both a reader and writer.  Both Mslexia and Writer’s Digest offer advice on a professional level too, i.e. items on tax, writing as a business etc.

So, if you are thinking of subscribing to any magazines, these two are, in my opinion, the best that is currently out there.

I genuinely think I need a medal.

I popped over to WH Smith’s earlier today, during my lunch to go and collect one or two magazines (it’s research, I swear!) and I of course had to walk past their stationery section.

I could feel my heart pounding, my head became dizzy and my palms went all sweaty and awful because frack me, they’ve gone and expanded the range of beautiful journals and notebooks they stock.  *swoons*

Here we go:

Aren’t these journals gorgeous?  I look at them and can’t help but think to myself: how many stories and snippets can I write in you…ooh, how about you, or even you?!!

Also, a brief write-up about Bristol Comic Expo is over at My Favourite Books blog.  I’m hoping to get back to my write-up here each day by next week.  This past week and a half has been a bit of a nightmare here at Real Life Job, with a lot of things to sort out, and a lot of late nights. I think I may now be fully qualified to launch an invasion of a small country!

…apologies for radio silence.

Real Job has taken priority and swallowed my social life and writing career in giant Moby Dick gulps.

But I shall be back!

With a write up on Comic Con I’ll be attending this weekend and the continuing of the 52 Brilliant Ideas thinghy.  Wordz are my power!

*shazam*

Building up your repertoire of random facts will ensure that you are a hit at any party.  Out comes things like: did you know that the Spanish newt, when confronted with an enemy, can make its RIBS puncture it’s skin…and then use those ribs to attack whatever it is that’s threatening it?  No?  Well, now you do.  Please invite me to your next party, I’m a barrel of laughs.

Research isn’t really just being stuck in a library trolling through stacks and stacks of encyclopeadia or factual books.  Research is also all about your imagination and logical thought and sometimes even illogical thought.

Gordy in Chapter 10 of Writing Bestselling Children’s Books mention how his teacher reprimanded him in school for writing down these wild flights of fancy and called them a waste of time.  How awful and numbing is that?  I for one am chuffed that Gordy didn’t bother listening to said teacher and continued with his writings!  I am glad that none of us listened to teachers who have told us not to daydream, to write excessively and waste our time with words.  How much poorer would we all be without stories?

But, I digresss from tonight’s topic. Research is important…but it’s more important not to let on that you’ve done a month’s worth of research on closed underground stations.  I think the key thing is to think iceberg: only the tip will show in your writing, unless you are writing a conspiracy-heavy book a la Dan Brown in which you need a bit more exposition and explaining.

The coolest thing about research is that if done well, you secretly manage to teach kids and others something new and different, without them realising it. 

What if you’re writing fantasy?  Surely that doesn’t need research?  Actually, you probably need more research than you may expect.  Your world has to be real, it has to make sense.  There are laws of science and physics and common sense that need to be in place.  Your fantasy world inhabitants need to be people your readers can relate to or at least should be able to recognise. Even when using a pseudo-medieval setting, you have to be realistic and not unexpectedly bring in modern weapons or slang.  It’s a bit like acting, I think: you have to stay in your role.

Good advice on page 43 of Writing Bestselling Children’s Books: If you get a true sense of the world that you’re writing about then you’ll be able to create a story that transports your reader to a new place and time.

And I’m afraid that’s all I have for now.

** This is not part of the  Writing Bestselling Children’s Books musings, that will come later on today.

This is about general ruminations about faery tales and it was brought on by a wonderfully thoughtful and eloquent blogpost on Katherine Langrish’s website – Seven Miles of Steel Thistles.   This is the utterly fascinating and fantastic blogpost here, which prompted this prompt.  But I daresay, my eloquence is zot compared to Katherine’s and it really is more a musing.

In her final paragraph, Katherine says:

They are so far from the stereotype of the fairytale princess that one has to ask how it arose, and to wonder whether late 19th/early 20th century editorial bias – to say nothing of rewriting – had anything to do with choosing more ‘properly behaved’ heroines for children’s anthologies?

Firstly, I am so incredibly pleased to have stumbled across this blog.  I love fairy tales and have loved them since I was very tiny when my dad told me African and South African fairy tales and fables which he in turn had been told by his parents.  My mum, being from English stock, had no business for fairy tales at all.  She created them herself, through her various hobbies and art projects.  I also had a steady staple of stories from Disney via their various movies growing up.  But I have to admit that I never liked the idea of a passive heroine.  Someone waiting to be rescued.  That really rankled.  Which is probably why I liked Ever After so much, the movie starring Drew Barrymore in which she saves the prince from the gypsies by carrying him away on her back.  Or when she gets all feisty with the prince because he stole their horse.  

I also think this is why I’m loving the Fables graphic novels so much.  In particular 1001 Nights in Snowfall.  There are several stories contained in this volume and one in particular spectacularly tells the back story to why the Big Bad Wolf was so bad…or where Sherezade came up with the idea of entertaining the Caliph with 1001 stories to secure her own life.  It also puts a very interesting spin on Snow White and the Seven Dwarves and how she takes her revenge on them once she’s married Prince Charming. 

I really think that reworkers of fairy tales, people like the Margo Lanagan, Midori Snyder, Ellen Datlow, Robin McKinley and Holly Black, to name but a few, deserve a lot of credit.  In particular Margo Lanagan who has received a vast amount of negative as well as positive commentary on her recent novel, Tender Morsels, that in return had me thinking:  when did people stop remembering those original and very scary stories that were hardly ever very pleasant and not at all meant for kids? And why aren’t the girls feisty anymore? 

As much as I love Enchanted, the movie, I do think that our heroine really should have been a much wiser person, although she grows wonderfully throughout the movie.

I suspect that I need to do a lot more research into and about fairy tales, their origins, their various hidden meanings, the whole package.  Because more than anything else, like history, I find fairy tales (which hardly ever seemed to have fairies in them!) very interesting and worth the time and effort to delve into.  And yes, I do quite fancy having a whole bookcase dedicated to research on fairy tales.  Just don’t tell my husband.

Portrait of Alien by Goktug Gurellier

Well, you know the adage for adults: women are from venus, men are from mars?  Well, kids are actually a completely different species, entirely.  Are they even human?

Kidding, of course.  In Chapter 9 if Gordon’s Writing Bestselling Children’s Books, he encourages us to spy on these odd aliens from another world.  Like we people watched in an earlier chapter, this time we kid-watch.  Like Bill Odie’s Springwatch, only more dangerous.

As Gordon says: don’t fool yourself into thinking you can write for kids without having anything to do with them.  Speak to your own kids, or if you don’t have your own, speak to friends’ kids or kids in your family, nieces, nephews, cousins.  Figure out what they like reading, who they are reading, things they want to read.  Don’t assume because the trend right now is for paranormal teen novels, it’s something everyone is reading and therefore you need to be writing that.

I was very fortunate last year to be able to spend an afternoon with a group of Year 7′s at a local school here in Beckenham.  And you know what that taught me?  Don’t underestimate your readers.  These kids were rabid readers – they loved books and authors.  Even the boys who hung out at the back, afterwards came up to me to ask me if I’ve read any books by Michael Morpugo, what did I think of them, what non-fiction books I read and have I read any books on war?  What will I be writing?  What should they be reading next?  My questions to them was: what do you like reading?  Action and adventure was quite high on their list, they liked Alex Rider but didn’t like the Young Bond all that much because they didn’t quite “get” the fact that it was written in an “older time”.  They loved the books I showed them, Alexander Gordon Smith’s Furnace books, Gone by Michael Grant and The Dread Pirate Fleur by Sara Starbuck.  I read from each of these books for them, explained to them what the authors were doing when they writing it and how important reading was because it’s something you can keep quietly to yourself or you can share it with your friends.  But more importantly that reading lets you get out in your head and go on adventures, even if you never have the chance to leave your own house, you get to travel to Bolivia, America, Europe or Russia.

I think this made them realise to some extent that reading wasn’t just something your teachers wanted you to do.  My friend Sarah, who is the librarian at this school, was really pleased with my chat to the kids and I was even more chuffed with the feedback I got from these kids.  Their enthusiasm was amazing. I was there to share with them some books I’ve loved and wanted to recommend and they didn’t have to buy anything.  They could interact with me as Liz, the geek, and probably saw me as this weird hybrid of themselves and an adult and treated me as a mate.

It was a truly wonderful experience and even if I never get to do it again, I’ve taken something away from that day with me.  That if you can get a bunch of kids to listen and to talk to you about their passions, their interests, your little book of ideas will be crammed full of characters, thoughts and stories.

Leading on from that, new publishers Nosy Crow did this fantastic list of things kids, especially boys, are still interested in seeing in books in a survey.  I had to laugh because, most of these things are things I’ve either written about myself or are things I love reading about.  I’m sure that makes me a weird hybrid-boy-girl person.  Or maybe I’m the alien?

Here’s the list of things Nosy Crow lists on their website that boys are still interested in:

Here, in descending order of popularity, is the list of things and places that boys who participated said they thought were cool:

1. The future
2. Big zappers (i.e. weapons)
3. Outer space
4. Centre of the earth
5. Sharks
6. Spies
7. Sabre-toothed tigers
8. Roman Soldiers
9. Knights
10. Robots
11. Mars
12. Deserts
13. Aliens
14. Deep sea
15. Jungles
16. Detectives
17. Dinosaurs
18. Medieval castles
19. Ancient Egypt
20. Vampires
21. Zombies
22. Skeletons
23. Ghosts
24. Gladiators
25. Cars
26. Mummies
27. Vikings
28. Pirates
29. Haunted houses
30. Mammoths
31. Giant insects
32. Gorillas
33. Chimps
34. Loos/poos

Isn’t this a fantastic list?  Check out the lovely people from Nosy Crow‘s website and in particular, this write up about the above-mentioned survey.

Happy alien watching!

** More information about the artwork I’ve used in this post can be found here:

Title: Portrait of Alien
Author: Goktug Gurellier
Software: Maya, mental ray, Mudbox, Photoshop
Portfolio here