I’d like to call myself a writer, but I’ve not really written anything impressive or worth saving for posterity, save an article I originally titled Reflections of a Bus Rider which got published in a national newspaper and a term paper on Behavioral Conditioning which my college professor published as one of the only two papers he rated 1.0 that semester. These and other products of less academic value like love and loneliness poems written in my pimpled teenage years and love –and hate—letters both sent and unsent. And yes, I’ve written a few nonsense blogs and no-brainers on facebook, too.

I couldn’t write because like in most things, beginning to write is hard. I guess EATING is the only thing that’s easy to start, but writing, like most things such as saying I love you or I am sorry, or even taking a bath on a weekend, is pretty much a challenge.

I couldn’t write because I want to get it right. Right grammar, right amount of humor, right number of paragraphs, right beginning, right conclusion. I usually start with something and if it doesn’t sound right, I usually find an excuse to postpone it for later and eventually lose the opportunity and the inspiration altogether.

I couldn’t write because I’ve read many other good stories and essays and I’m content just by reading and appreciating other people’s work. I’ve recently read an old friend’s blog and was quite impressed with how her writing has significantly improved all these years. She used to copy from my assignments back in college! But I guess I just need a good excuse for not coming up with my own.

I couldn’t write because I have plenty of other more important things to do. I used to stay up late and claim the quiet evening as my own. I wrote poems and unspoken love in my diary, letters to friends, even lyrics to what I imagined would be songs. Now, time spent with the computer is for finishing boring paper work, transferring photos from the camera, or watching downloaded movies. And when all these important things are done, I’m either too tired to be creative, or too normal to be sentimental.

I so crave for the thrill of finally getting a whole composition together. Going through the piece from top to end, polishing verbs for better ones, adding modifiers, changing phrases, hmmm like carefully painting newly baked cake with pretty icing. I don’t know when I would ever have that right time to come up with the article of my dreams, but I gotta run. I have the weekend’s pictures ready for transfer.

I had to re-write many of the sections as they worked as a story, but to work as a script additional character interaction was required.  The story is set up in Manchester and surrounding areas and is a ghost story with a twist for 2012.  I’m excited about this and aim to send it to the BBC by the end of the month, I do not know their turnaround times, but am keeping my fingers crossed.  Could this be the start of a new career?

With my two busy times with work, I’ve not yet prepared the fifth part of the Unicorn saga, but hope to do so tomorrow, and will publish this as soon as possible.

Now that ‘The Rage’ is nearing submission, I am deciding on my next project and a couple are springing to mind, just trying to decide which to go for – one links directly, but superficially, to ‘The Rage’, the other to a novel that is very much at idea stage – though I have had a stab at the first chapter.

Reading : I’ve done a lot of this recently, re-reading one of Lee Child’s novels and starting my first David Baldacci book, reading in full ’Divine Justice’ and just starting ‘Simple Genius’ – very readable and encompassing.

My diary started on the 1 January 2012 and the first part can be found at : http://writinghood.com/online-writing/an-aspiring-authors-diary-one-january-2012-what-if-unicorns-were-evil/

Later parts are linked through the diary.  Thanks for reading, and for any comments.

On “August 6, 1945 up to 140,000” people died due to the bombing at Hiroshima, Japan (Oe 288).  Many call this act a smart reasonable attack, but many call this act a horrible unfair attack.  So many innocent lives were killed that day, and even more lives were changed for the rest of their lives. Considering both Oe, well known Japanese writer, and Mo Tzu, Chinese philosopher, they would agree this was an unrighteous act, but Oe has an exception of overcoming it will goodness.

            How can one person tell when something they do is righteous or unrighteous?  Consider this, do to others like you would like do unto yourself.  Or as Mo Tzu describes an unrighteous act is by causing harm to others to give you gain (254).  Wouldn’t everyone’s life be so much more enjoyable and happier if everyone went by those two simple rules?  Suicide, crime, and divorce rates would all decrease in how common they are today.  Along with that the economy, test scores, and charity would all have an increase in society.

            Seeing what unrighteous acts are, is there any time when an unrighteous act becomes a righteous act?  If you kill a man it’s unrighteous act, but what if you kill a man during time of war?  After the bombing in Hiroshima no one was calling the attack a righteous choice, or even a well-deserved attack.  Quite the opposite actually, the attack at Hiroshima “embodied the absolute evil of war” is what Oe wrote in The Unsurrendered People (289).  This is one of the few times people have called an act of war unrighteous and called the act as it is, evil.  Usually when these acts of killing happens during times of war people are applauded and called heroes (Tzu 254).  Why does society denounce people for evil acts on a regular day, but when these exact acts are performed during war they become honored actions?  Forget both the contexts of these actions and they are precisely the same.  These are the exact words Tzu said, “And yet when it comes to the even greater unrighteousness of offensive warfare against other states, they do not know enough to condemn it.  On the contrary, they praise it and call it righteous” (254).  This just shows how people of the world are blinded between what is right and what is wrong.  It’s like if a man tastes a small amount of bitterness he calls it bitter, but if the man tastes a lot of bitterness he calls it sweet (Tzu 254).   

            Although the bombing at Hiroshima was a horrible day it wasn’t all bad.  In order to recover from this great evil, great good would have to counter-balance society (Oe 289).  The bombing caused death, destruction, and misery but the first thing the people did were come together as one.  They started rebuilding.  They started caring about others and how they as one can help everyone recover from this evil act of war.  Even though the city was completely destroyed they did not try to tell the U.S. how wrong their actions were (Oe 290).  Evil occurred, but good overcame the evil. 

            Often people of the world get tangled in “the distinction between righteousness and unrighteousness” (Tzu 255).  But in the end, when evil happens good will overcome it (Oe 289).  Everyone must think about their actions and if they hurt other people, but not everyone can follow those simple rules.  That’s when we need to do what’s right and overcome it instead of trying to get back at them.  Without a doubt, Mo Tzu would love the golden rule.          

    For sure, writers have the power in their hands and many people give them credit for using that power to maximum- provision of truthful information, telling a soft creative but educative story, narratives that expose evil in the society among others. But if writer choose not to bother, neglect the society and engage in hide-and-seek game with leadership and governing body for fame and unworthy honors, then this creates a loop-hole to a doomed society, where peace and love in given the second or third priority, where unity is termed hatred, where gender inequality is given high value just like human rights, where human rights are dimmed and crimes as the order of the day.

    We live in a society where truth of humanity can be turned upside-down and ripped inside-out by a good lawyer, where news can be classified under matters of national security- hidden from the general public, where the governing power can turn against human rights- kill innocent civilians and call it collateral-damage. If we care about security of people, if we care about our neighbour, if we love humanity and human-rights.., then as writers, we have a duty to put it down on paper. 

    There is so much evil in a quiet society. But most of the time we are helpless on how to stop the messy situation, reasons being we have no power. We have to ask ourselves two ‘what ifs’ before we settle for less.

1) What if I write, not for the current generation but for generations to come? Of course, this is the best thing one can do when pinned in a tight corner, gaged beyond breath or silenced from verbal communication. Whatever in mind cannot be erased easily, and can be much useful for the third generation only if the information if hidden somewhere in a book-electronic books or ordinary books.

2) What if I’m not in a position to write? This can a dummy question, but relevant as per the situation. Illiteracy and lack of freedom of speech can cause such kind of a scenario, where one has an idea or a message for someone but to convey that information is a problem. In such a situation, an alluded narrative is the best way to go. Wisdom is inborn, which means it cannot be acquired either through education or whichever way, it is the style in ‘writing’ that can be used by anyone to convey an encrypted information verbally.

     Writing field is wide open, every writer has a choice on which niche he or she is comfortable in. Personally I choose to be a spectator- to cry when a writer drives the society in chaos or to be happy reading witful artwork.

    Hell no! I’m not a writer, I just chose to write anyway.

Care to celebrate with some cake?

I was scrolling back down memory lane today – through my published content pages, and I happened upon this one that I posted on my third Triondiversary.  I noticed that the date was exactly one year ago. So that would make this my fourth Triondiversary. WoooHooo!

My first thought was “What the hell am I still doing here?” My second thought was that I shouldn’t use language like that, I have a reputation to live up to. My next thought was, “What the hell, they already know that I am not perfect.” Now I am thinking, “Oh, no… not another stream of consciousness rant … but I am swimming without first plotting a course here again, so I beg your indulgence with another rant. It is, after all, my party and I’ll rant if I want to.

I really never thought that I would still be working for pennies, writing for Triond. I keep getting messages that invite me to other sites where I am apparently sure to make a lot more money, and I have made a little more at Webanswers and Helium this last year, but something always keeps drawing me back here.

It’s not really a something that keeps me here, it’s a someone. Actually, it’s a whole lot of someones – all of you folks who keep reading the rubbish I write and leaving nice comments.

I scrolled back a little further, and found this little gem, that I wrote when I was excited about having my fiftieth article posted at Triond. That was when we were all a little younger, a bit thinner, and perchance a teensy bit more naive in thinking that we could make some money here. Oh, how jaded I have become! And how melodramatic I still am!

I think that I have hit upon my raison d’être for staying here. It is because I can just write whatever I am feeling each day. Most of the other sites don’t want rambling rants, they don’t appreciate my humour (even on those days when my muse is tap dancing on my funny bone), and they don’t care to hear my opinions. They want factual answers to specific questions, and there are few if any opportunities for me to share my faith in Jesus Christ. He is the reason that I can smile through the pain and celebrate whatever little victories come my way.

Little victories like my fourth Triondiversary. If you have read this far, thank you. I am honoured that people actually read what I write.

My Muse tap dancing on my funny bone!

We discuss a lot in this business about a writer’s ’style,’ and often that’s an challenging concern. Not your speech, exactly, although design features speech, and not the specialized factors such as format and concept utilization, format, although those, too come under that going. So what, exactly, IS style?

In material, it contains the whole array of the components of composing. One can create in a minimal design and still pen a ‘Big’ publication. Think Hemingway, though it’s in design nowadays to reward his design and kill his material. But that’s truly losing the vessel. Because design BECOMES mainly the substance; the two are connected and by getting a divorce them we drop the point.

To know what design really is, we have to look at the complete image because design is built in in every element of a writer’s work. From the way the terms are connected together to make phrases and sentences to the way the personality types come across on the site to the pacing and circulation and company of the plan. In reality, all these are expected to fit together into one whole, which we then assess as a top seller or a bad one, and then responsibility it on an writer’s ’style.’

Take just the composing itself. Again, one can create in shorter, simple-yet-powerful phrases as did Hemingway, or in lengthy, streaming, often punctuation-less composing a la Faulkner or nowadays, Cormac McCarthy. But even these experts use the components of design, modifying format when seeking for different results. And we look for somewhat different composing designs according to category as well. Secrets, Thrillers, Westerns, Ambiance, Scary and Technology Stories and Fantasy-in material, the primary designs where the plan is the thing-all contact for effective, going, in many circumstances heart-pumping design. But from the other end of the array, Fictional and to a lesser-degree Popular guides are often informed with a lot of inactive voice-which again, is a huge evaluate OF the design. These testimonies are reduced and more introspective and therefore inner, and the inactive speech decelerates the pacing and changes people inward as well (think another Pulitzer Award victorious one, Rich Ford).

The same very well for Portrayal and Planning. The plotting in category books is by and huge fast-paced and regularly going. Oh, the pacing drops in locations, again, for impact and to give people a small rest before the next downturn hits him on the buttocks, but for the most element the tale must switch. Here again, the design therefore keeps the tale going at all times, both by the composing itself and the pacing of the moments (an concern so huge we can’t start to protect it here). Cormac McCarthy’s lengthy, streaming, gorgeous composing would be quite out of place in Mystery/Suspense. One would regularly be trying to push the pacing along. But in his Fictional terms (albeit with a european setting) even the measures moments are coloured with a unique aging, and his composing spirals one into the inner areas of actual plan. Yet and still, the pacing of the composing in No Nation For Old Men (Mystery/Suspense) is quite different from that in The Traversing (Literary). His speech might be the same, but we have a large difference in the design of his composing.

Good personality types are, by and huge, excellent personality types, although many would dispute that reality with me. Most characterization seen nowadays (and again, most people study category fiction) is peopled with paper, questionable pumpkin heads or scarecrows, although many exclusions are available. But often the personality types offer only as mouth pieces for thoughts or stand-ins for the jobs to be able to switch the plan along. I don’t care in which category one creates, this exercise, becoming more and more frequent, is terrible. No shock then that the best-drawn personality types maintain the Fictional and Popular areas (and often, those experts who design the best category personality types have literary experience, a la Wayne Lee Burke), where experts still take the time to create and heighten people in their guides. My experts will tell you, however, that regardless of what their category is, they can’t get away with paper cutouts when working with me!

But how does that report to style? Most (genre) personality types nowadays are ‘told to,’ you know, you get a laundry washing record of personality and once you provide simple facts, no actual person your brain beneath the. Again, a coordinator of exclusions are available. I’m just referring to the recognized, big-house guides (again, primarily genre); the ones seen on the top seller details that depart most people sad. This is design. But so is the Fictional writer’s personality types, who become so actual one goals about them. That, too, is design. It should be compulsory for all released books!

In a few words, the design with which one creates starts with your speech (another topic so large I won’t get into it here), and features all factors and components of composing and testimonies and guides. One must comprehend the fundamentals and then through the lengthy procedure of composing and spinner and recurring to comprehend, a actual design emerged.

SUMMARY

Detective Chalice is called into action when a unconscious man is found in Central Park. Barely alive, John Doe is clad only in a torn bed sheet and has sustained a life threatening wound. His body is covered in scars, essentially a tapestry chronicling his history as a torture victim. Stranger still, a human skull lies just inches away. Chalice has just two leads in this case, a skull that has been sterilized and found to be evidence free, and an comatose witness to a murder—tough odds, even for NYPD’s best and brightest.

The opening chapter of this book plays out like the opening scenes of an episode of Bones – feisty, flirty dialogue between the two characters, skulls popping out, and a perp attack with a Taser! 

I love crime thrillers, the grisly the better and as one of the baddies turns out to be reminiscent of the freak in Creep, complete with dark train tunnels and the odd rat, this book satisfied my appetite and then some. Stephanie Chalice (Cha-lee-see) is a formidable girl in blue, complete with hot body, penchant for gym sessions and an uncanny sixth sense which never lets her down. Team that with FBI Agent Ambler and her sexy partner, Lido and you have yourself a fantastic book. Realistic, gripping, gritty, this meaty story is easily one of the best books I have read for a while. My only regret is not reading the books in order. Not that this detracts from the story in any way, but I shall be checking out the other works in the series as soon as I can. Kelter is a master, pure and simple. Stephanie is right up there with James Patterson’s character, Lindsey Boxer, and we all know how strong a female she is…

Rachel Dove, The Kindle Book Review

Does every relationship deserve a second chance?

When chief romantic Rose Delaney scores her dream job at London’s quirkiest new attraction, The Museum of Broken Hearts, she thinks she’s got it made. Sure, it’s a little depressing dealing with relics of failed relationships each day, but Rose is determined not to let it break her ‘love conquers all’ spirit. After discovering the museum’s handsome curator is nursing a broken heart of his own, Rose steps in to fix it. Can Rose heal the rift, or will this happy ending go awry?

Miracle at the Museum of Broken Hearts is a novella of 20,000 words.

I have to admit that I have all of Talli Roland’s works on my Kindle, languishing with many other must read books whilst I work through my huge TBR pile, but this weekend I could not resist buying this novella. Well, I not only devoured it, I inhaled it. I loved the characters and the story flowed so well it fit like a comfy fluffy dressing gown. I adored Rose from the get-go, and instantly dismissed Gareth as a feckless, selfish git. Rose, being the romantic she was though, did not see through him as quickly as I did, but after working with the gorgeous curator, who not only smoulders and looks sexy in a suit, also smells like Christmas cookies. What more can a girl want?

I loved, loved, loved this novella and can’t wait to read the rest. My only question is, how do I get my man to smell like cookies?

Second to my own dialect is English. I do not know when or how it began but I have loved this language that sometimes it feels like my brain communicates with me using English. I started using it since elementary school. I wrote letters mostly in English. There is something interesting about this language that made me so fond of using it especially in writing. I found an old photo I sent to my mother when she still worked abroad. At the back of that photo was my dedication. It was of course written in English. When I recently read it, I couldn’t help myself but laugh. My dedication was a little corny and the grammar was unsurprisingly a little higgledy-piggledy. At least, at my young non-Englishness I attempted to use it.

There was one event in college when I was the department’s representative for an extemporaneous speech contest. It was in Filipino category. Being a first-timer, my nervousness engulfed me that I didn’t notice delivering my impromptu piece in English. Crazy, isn’t it? One contestant left on stage without saying anything so, I became second to the last. One of the judges approached me afterwards and said “you should have won but you’re in the wrong category.”

English is a very challenging language. This was my realization after listening to a toastmasters’ podcast. There are so many things I need to get aware of in order to use this language effectively. There are also dos and don’ts of using tenses, proposition and other words. And the more I use it in my writing, the more that I realize how much I have yet to learn. By the way using “and” at the beginning of a sentence is highly discouraged. I always hear this from my English professors but I keep on doing it.

Another good thing about English language is its being dynamic in nature. It continues to evolve year after year. With these, if I stop reading perhaps I would end up unaware of some newborn English words.

For a person having English as only the second language like me, it is very difficult to express everything using the language. English is a universal language. There are more people around the globe using it than any other languages. That is why, it is very important to continue honing the foreign language that I love to stay connected with the world.

A short story by number 1 best-seller, Rosen Trevithick.

Having a celebrity in the family can be challenging, especially when your sister’s famous for being a missing child.

The disappearance of Millie Jones has dominated the news for eight years, ever since the mediagenic toddler was snatched from a department store at Christmas time. 

Certain that Millie is alive, her mother puts family life on hold to fight for the search to continue. 

However, this Christmas things are changing. A shocking development causes the police to reopen the investigation and a new hope dawns.

REVIEW

This short piece is amazing. With Natascha Kampusch, Jamie Bulger and Madeleine McCann all being names of children that we are aware of in the media, this fiction tells the tale of a family who are dealing with the aftermath of their 3 year old daughter Milly being kidnapped from a family shopping trip. 8 years have passed, and husband, wife and younger daughter are all suffering and dealing with the trauma and day to day grind in different ways. Then they hear on the news, another child, an 8 year old, has gone missing….

When a knock at the door comes, and the police say that they may have found Milly, alive, the family now have a whole new set of emotions and problems to deal with…..

This tale captivated my attention from the start and I could not put it down. Given that it is such a relevant and sensitive story for many, it is handled delicately and you really get a sense of the parents feelings of loss, anger and hurt. Stunningly written, this tale has a few twists and turns and a bittersweet ending. Very thought provoking stuff. I look forward to checking out this author’s other works. 

Rachel Dove, The Kindle Book Review