Switching gears to another media, here is the new YouTube video I made. This is from a PowerPoint presentation. I have to say, I don't plan to ever convert a PowerPoint to YouTube video again. Of course, that doesn't mean I won't; it means I don't plan to do it.
I am very surprise that Microsoft didn't consider that people would want to upload their PowerPoint projects. It must be a proprietary thing that there wasn't sharing between the two companies.
Well, anyway the thing that I didn't like about the project was that the slide transitions available on PowerPoint were not available on Windows Movie Maker. You'll notice that I didn't use them in the video and it does make for an abrupt transition in places.
The music file was much easier to add in Movie Maker. It wasn't difficult to embed music into PP, but it was tricky to figure out how to package it so the file would play the music on other computers.
Both programs were easy to learn and with patience can produce good results. The key to making any of these projects is the material must copyright free. If you want to use someone's music or photos, you must get permission in writing. Email is fine, but print a couple of copies and keep it in a file.
So here is the end result. Thank you Carolyn Sheppard for the use of your song, Broken Rock.
Please watch:
Comments, please.
Showing posts with label High Tide. Show all posts
Showing posts with label High Tide. Show all posts
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Intermission
I'm not ignoring that I didn't post on Monday. I deleted it because the aspect ratio of the YouTube wasn't fitting on the blog page. I went back to the blog party, almost a year ago now, and have looked at the coding for the YouTube items posted then.
The changes have been made to the post for Thursday. I didn't save Monday's post.
Glyn, his graphic artist friend (I'm not sure if I'm supposed to say his name), and I have been discussing the next edition of his book cover art. It is a much more detailed task than most people realize. I really appreciate the efforts being made and can't wait to show everyone the new version.
In the mean time, I'm posting the PowerPoint project that I converted to Window's Movie Maker so I could upload it to YouTube.
The biggest disappointment to me in the project is that the slide transitions in the PowerPoint were awesome and nothing really compared as choices in the MM software. After several weeks of working on it, I simply removed all the transitions except the first one, which was not in the PowerPoint.
The project is a collection of unsolicited comments about my books from some of you. All were used with permission, of course, and most of them are on my website. There are some of my beach photos too, for you to enjoy.
The headliner for me is Carolyn Sheppard's song "Broken Rock" recorded by the UK band, Shave the Monkey.
Please watch and listen. To view a larger version, click on the video and view it on YouTube or go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsPHmAxRYJA
The changes have been made to the post for Thursday. I didn't save Monday's post.
Glyn, his graphic artist friend (I'm not sure if I'm supposed to say his name), and I have been discussing the next edition of his book cover art. It is a much more detailed task than most people realize. I really appreciate the efforts being made and can't wait to show everyone the new version.
In the mean time, I'm posting the PowerPoint project that I converted to Window's Movie Maker so I could upload it to YouTube.
The biggest disappointment to me in the project is that the slide transitions in the PowerPoint were awesome and nothing really compared as choices in the MM software. After several weeks of working on it, I simply removed all the transitions except the first one, which was not in the PowerPoint.
The project is a collection of unsolicited comments about my books from some of you. All were used with permission, of course, and most of them are on my website. There are some of my beach photos too, for you to enjoy.
The headliner for me is Carolyn Sheppard's song "Broken Rock" recorded by the UK band, Shave the Monkey.
Please watch and listen. To view a larger version, click on the video and view it on YouTube or go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsPHmAxRYJA
Saturday, May 1, 2010
High Tide
I'm not sure if second books in a series are easier or more difficult to write than the first book.I've always freely admitted that the only real reason that High Tide was written was because 'certain people' wanted to know what happened to 'you-know-who' at the end of Kathryn's Beach.
My thought on the matter has always been, "Who cares? The story is about Kathryn - refer to the title, see?"
Telling the one thing that 'some people' wanted to know would have made for a boring story, and it is really about Kathryn, so I went in another direction. To expand Kathryn's world I brought the background characters forward and introduced them properly (developed them from 'characters' to 'people').
Kathryn's conversations in her head - her mind talk - still goes a mile a minute, but there are more 'real' (well...this is fiction, how real can they be?) conversations between the characters.
There is a bit more humor in High Tide than in Kathryn's Beach. I don't think I could ever shock people like I did on Thanksgiving weekend in Kathryn's Beach, but there are a few 'gotcha' moments in High Tide.
One interesting thing is that while it isn't 100% fan fiction, I do get a lot of storyline comments - totally different endings and such. Of course they are brilliant, but they wouldn't work with the storyline in Storm Surge.
In this month's newsletter I mention some of the themes of the trilogy. Pop over to my website and give it a read.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Supporting Characters
Everyone knows that in a novel there is at least a main character (MC) and their antagonist - the person who makes the MC's struggle real - and secondary characters, their friends or sidekicks.
One set of characters some novice writers forget to add judiciously are the background characters - the extras in a movie. These are the people on the street, in the restaurants, or neighbors. These people help flesh out the MC.
Since I can use my books without anyone's permission, I'll use them for examples. In Kathryn's Beach there is a convent. The most prominent nuns are Sister Elizabeth and her sidekick Sister Theresa. However, other nuns walk in and out of scenes, perhaps say a line or two, and leave. It wouldn't be very believable that Saint Mark's was a real convent with only two nuns. To tell the truth, I had to keep a list to remember which nun was the school principal. They weren't that important to me or to the story to remember their names. But they played an important role in making the convent and the two main nuns seem more real.
The same goes for the mention of the traffic on the freeways in Los Angeles. I don't make a big deal of it, but it would be lacking to not mention the traffic problem that caused the detour Kathryn and Sister Theresa took that lead to Sister Theresa's big question to Kathryn in High Tide. Wouldn't it seem odd to drive all over LA and never mention traffic?
Also at the airport in High Tide, even though Kathryn couldn't go to the gate now like she did, she could when the ms was written (pre-September 11, 2001). It makes sense for the traveler to bump Kathryn with their carry-on bag and the people she encounters on the escalator. LAX is a very busy airport. There had to be people in it for anyone to believe Kathryn was at LAX. Whereas, Kansas City International (KCI) closes down early and no one is around when you get off the plane - very spooky!
Storm Surge switches settings requiring a whole new group of background characters had to be cast, like the gardner. Some of them had been introduced in High Tide, so the trilogy carried over from one book to the next. Otherwise it would be like Kathryn had been plucked out of the two previous books and plunked down into a different story all together.
Keep in mind camera angles and you won't forget the background characters. There is always a wide angle or pan to show the other people in the location, then it narrows onto the principle characters per that scene. Pay attention to that when you watch TV and translate it to your writing - don't forget to cast a few extras in your novel.
One set of characters some novice writers forget to add judiciously are the background characters - the extras in a movie. These are the people on the street, in the restaurants, or neighbors. These people help flesh out the MC.
Since I can use my books without anyone's permission, I'll use them for examples. In Kathryn's Beach there is a convent. The most prominent nuns are Sister Elizabeth and her sidekick Sister Theresa. However, other nuns walk in and out of scenes, perhaps say a line or two, and leave. It wouldn't be very believable that Saint Mark's was a real convent with only two nuns. To tell the truth, I had to keep a list to remember which nun was the school principal. They weren't that important to me or to the story to remember their names. But they played an important role in making the convent and the two main nuns seem more real.
The same goes for the mention of the traffic on the freeways in Los Angeles. I don't make a big deal of it, but it would be lacking to not mention the traffic problem that caused the detour Kathryn and Sister Theresa took that lead to Sister Theresa's big question to Kathryn in High Tide. Wouldn't it seem odd to drive all over LA and never mention traffic?
Also at the airport in High Tide, even though Kathryn couldn't go to the gate now like she did, she could when the ms was written (pre-September 11, 2001). It makes sense for the traveler to bump Kathryn with their carry-on bag and the people she encounters on the escalator. LAX is a very busy airport. There had to be people in it for anyone to believe Kathryn was at LAX. Whereas, Kansas City International (KCI) closes down early and no one is around when you get off the plane - very spooky!
Storm Surge switches settings requiring a whole new group of background characters had to be cast, like the gardner. Some of them had been introduced in High Tide, so the trilogy carried over from one book to the next. Otherwise it would be like Kathryn had been plucked out of the two previous books and plunked down into a different story all together.
Keep in mind camera angles and you won't forget the background characters. There is always a wide angle or pan to show the other people in the location, then it narrows onto the principle characters per that scene. Pay attention to that when you watch TV and translate it to your writing - don't forget to cast a few extras in your novel.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Dialogue Tags -- according to...ME!
Keep in mind that I write literary fiction. It isn't something many people write and for good reason, it isn't all that popular.
More or less, though, there are writing skills that cross the genre. This is, of course, my take on how to write. The popular wisdom runs the gamut on dialogue tags from zero, nada, absolutely never to use what is needed.
It is one of the most annoying things I've found in reading is to lose track of who is saying what in a conversation. It annoys me so much that the second time I have to stop reading the story to count down and figure out who said a particular line, I toss the book in the trash bin. So here is my take.
One thing that should help is it is unlikely every character talks like every other character. That helps with keeping straight who is talking. For example, in High Tide, Shasta is a six year old who lived on the street with her homeless family. Now what are the odds that she is going to speak well? Slim. So Shasta throws in a double negative every once in a while, because that is how real kids talk. The nuns, on the other hand, generally speak in full sentences. Other's speech is determined by their ethnicity. And, if you've read my books, the Parade Lady really plays a trick on Kathryn with her Southern Rural Appalachian dialect. So number 1 on the list is make the characters speak like they would in real life according to how you have described them.
Another thing that can be done is to make the narrative surrounding the dialogue clear enough about the situation that it is clear what is happening and the conversation makes innate sense. Don't go overboard and make the narrative boring or the reader will never get past it to the dialogue.
And finally, the basics:
a) When the dialogue is a short conversation of 6 or 8 lines between two people, it is probably going to be easy enough to follow without dialogue tags;
b) When person 1 and person 2 take turns, it is easy to keep track in a short conversation that goes 1-2-1-2-1-2. But if someone speaks outside of that ping-pong style, if someone interrupts and takes two turns, like 1-2-1-2-2-1 then it might be necessary to tag the switch up. Certainly give that conversation a second or third going over to make sure it is clear to your reader;
c) When it is a two person conversation that is rather long, add a dialogue tag once in a while as a benchmark to make it easy for the reader to be certain who is speaking.
d) When there are more than two people in the conversation, then it is likely dialogue tags will be needed to make clear who is saying what - maybe not on every line. On occasion a third person can jump into a two person conversation, say a line and leave with it clear what happened. For example, and this isn't the world's greatest example, two people are on the street arguing or at least disagreeing about where they are going. When they hop into the taxi, person one says to the driver a destination and the cabby replies his one line in the whole scene, then person one continues to talk with person two.
Now the nuts and bolts of dialogue. In the USA we use double quote marks at the beginning and end of spoken words, with single quote marks for something quoted within a spoken text. In UK English, single quote marks are used where we use double quote marks.
In the US, commas and periods (full stops) are usually placed inside the ending quotation marks. Colons and semicolons are placed outside quotation marks. Question marks and exclamation marks are placed outside or inside the quote marks, depending on the sentence structure. (Look up that one, if it applies.) Just keep in mind to review American punctuation rules if you aren't an American writer, but plan to shop your ms to the American industry.
Keep tags simple. There is nothing wrong with saying 'said'. The best thing you can do for dialogue is read it aloud. If you say something different from what you wrote, what you said is probably better than what is in print. Swap it around.
Most publishing houses have their inhouse standards on dialogue tags. There is probably lots more on this on the Internet. There are probably plenty of writers who disagree, but this is my take on dialogue tags.
The main thing is that your writing is not work to read; not for agents/publishers or for your readers. You want your ms read clear through. You want your book published. You want readers to love your book so much that they tell others about it.
More or less, though, there are writing skills that cross the genre. This is, of course, my take on how to write. The popular wisdom runs the gamut on dialogue tags from zero, nada, absolutely never to use what is needed.
It is one of the most annoying things I've found in reading is to lose track of who is saying what in a conversation. It annoys me so much that the second time I have to stop reading the story to count down and figure out who said a particular line, I toss the book in the trash bin. So here is my take.
One thing that should help is it is unlikely every character talks like every other character. That helps with keeping straight who is talking. For example, in High Tide, Shasta is a six year old who lived on the street with her homeless family. Now what are the odds that she is going to speak well? Slim. So Shasta throws in a double negative every once in a while, because that is how real kids talk. The nuns, on the other hand, generally speak in full sentences. Other's speech is determined by their ethnicity. And, if you've read my books, the Parade Lady really plays a trick on Kathryn with her Southern Rural Appalachian dialect. So number 1 on the list is make the characters speak like they would in real life according to how you have described them.
Another thing that can be done is to make the narrative surrounding the dialogue clear enough about the situation that it is clear what is happening and the conversation makes innate sense. Don't go overboard and make the narrative boring or the reader will never get past it to the dialogue.
And finally, the basics:
a) When the dialogue is a short conversation of 6 or 8 lines between two people, it is probably going to be easy enough to follow without dialogue tags;
b) When person 1 and person 2 take turns, it is easy to keep track in a short conversation that goes 1-2-1-2-1-2. But if someone speaks outside of that ping-pong style, if someone interrupts and takes two turns, like 1-2-1-2-2-1 then it might be necessary to tag the switch up. Certainly give that conversation a second or third going over to make sure it is clear to your reader;
c) When it is a two person conversation that is rather long, add a dialogue tag once in a while as a benchmark to make it easy for the reader to be certain who is speaking.
d) When there are more than two people in the conversation, then it is likely dialogue tags will be needed to make clear who is saying what - maybe not on every line. On occasion a third person can jump into a two person conversation, say a line and leave with it clear what happened. For example, and this isn't the world's greatest example, two people are on the street arguing or at least disagreeing about where they are going. When they hop into the taxi, person one says to the driver a destination and the cabby replies his one line in the whole scene, then person one continues to talk with person two.
Now the nuts and bolts of dialogue. In the USA we use double quote marks at the beginning and end of spoken words, with single quote marks for something quoted within a spoken text. In UK English, single quote marks are used where we use double quote marks.
In the US, commas and periods (full stops) are usually placed inside the ending quotation marks. Colons and semicolons are placed outside quotation marks. Question marks and exclamation marks are placed outside or inside the quote marks, depending on the sentence structure. (Look up that one, if it applies.) Just keep in mind to review American punctuation rules if you aren't an American writer, but plan to shop your ms to the American industry.
Keep tags simple. There is nothing wrong with saying 'said'. The best thing you can do for dialogue is read it aloud. If you say something different from what you wrote, what you said is probably better than what is in print. Swap it around.
Most publishing houses have their inhouse standards on dialogue tags. There is probably lots more on this on the Internet. There are probably plenty of writers who disagree, but this is my take on dialogue tags.
The main thing is that your writing is not work to read; not for agents/publishers or for your readers. You want your ms read clear through. You want your book published. You want readers to love your book so much that they tell others about it.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
BUZZ-BUZZ BOOK BUZZ
by Ivana Marić, Croatia, guest blogger
Kathryn has the perfect job, the perfect friends and family, and the perfect lover; until a client dies, her lover moves away, she meets her paternal grandfather and learns the secret of her identity. Things are starting to make sense or are they really what they appear to be?
High Tide sees Kathryn faced with numerous transitions. For a moment, everything seems to be just fine; Joseph is about to return from Ireland, the homeless project is showing great results and Kathryn’s grandfather establishes contact to her. Even Maggie is with her through her diaries.
At some point, everyone starts to fall apart. Upon his return, Joseph startles her with an unexpected offer. It’s on her to decide whether she is ready to leave her newly reclaimed life and her beach. After breaking up with Joseph, she seeks refugee in her beach again, and realizes that five years of absence was more than enough.
Everyone seems to be leaving, and Kathryn starts to feel lonely. Here is one of my favorite quotes: “I am tired of telling everyone Goodbye as they move on with their life, while I stand still. Maybe, I am ready to move on. Maybe it’s finally my time!” (p 115)
Sometimes it’s difficult to escape the high tide, but eventually, Kathryn takes control over her life, despite some “lawyers and their ability to mess up her life”. She finds her hope again, and decides to “chase after life with the drive of an eight-year-old chasing an ice cream truck!”
In conclusion: Nadine did it again. Her engaging first person present tense makes the story as realistic as it can be. Written in a simple, easy-to-read way, High Tide is a great read and, personally, a source of inspiration through Maggie’s and Kathryn’s diaries.
I love the beach descriptions as an instrument to show Kathryn’s sometimes stormy, sometimes nostalgic mood. Through Kathryn, the social worker in Nadine shines through. I was amazed with all those small things Kathryn does to make her clients feel better. Sometimes just a silk scarf is enough to raise someone’s self-esteem.
There were some parts that had me rolling on the floor laughing. Ever gave driving lessons to a nun? No? Maybe you should; nothing will reestablish your connection to God like that experience.
I’m looking forward to reading Storm Surge and learn more about Kathryn’s family. If there are any like her cousins, Storm Surge will probably be brimming over with intrigues!
Meet Ivana, my dear friend and writing colleague. Check out her blog and follow it! http://willingtoseeless.blogspot.com/2009/09/tss-high-tide.html
Kathryn has the perfect job, the perfect friends and family, and the perfect lover; until a client dies, her lover moves away, she meets her paternal grandfather and learns the secret of her identity. Things are starting to make sense or are they really what they appear to be?
High Tide sees Kathryn faced with numerous transitions. For a moment, everything seems to be just fine; Joseph is about to return from Ireland, the homeless project is showing great results and Kathryn’s grandfather establishes contact to her. Even Maggie is with her through her diaries.
At some point, everyone starts to fall apart. Upon his return, Joseph startles her with an unexpected offer. It’s on her to decide whether she is ready to leave her newly reclaimed life and her beach. After breaking up with Joseph, she seeks refugee in her beach again, and realizes that five years of absence was more than enough.
Everyone seems to be leaving, and Kathryn starts to feel lonely. Here is one of my favorite quotes: “I am tired of telling everyone Goodbye as they move on with their life, while I stand still. Maybe, I am ready to move on. Maybe it’s finally my time!” (p 115)
Sometimes it’s difficult to escape the high tide, but eventually, Kathryn takes control over her life, despite some “lawyers and their ability to mess up her life”. She finds her hope again, and decides to “chase after life with the drive of an eight-year-old chasing an ice cream truck!”
In conclusion: Nadine did it again. Her engaging first person present tense makes the story as realistic as it can be. Written in a simple, easy-to-read way, High Tide is a great read and, personally, a source of inspiration through Maggie’s and Kathryn’s diaries.
I love the beach descriptions as an instrument to show Kathryn’s sometimes stormy, sometimes nostalgic mood. Through Kathryn, the social worker in Nadine shines through. I was amazed with all those small things Kathryn does to make her clients feel better. Sometimes just a silk scarf is enough to raise someone’s self-esteem.
There were some parts that had me rolling on the floor laughing. Ever gave driving lessons to a nun? No? Maybe you should; nothing will reestablish your connection to God like that experience.
I’m looking forward to reading Storm Surge and learn more about Kathryn’s family. If there are any like her cousins, Storm Surge will probably be brimming over with intrigues!
Meet Ivana, my dear friend and writing colleague. Check out her blog and follow it! http://willingtoseeless.blogspot.com/2009/09/tss-high-tide.html
Friday, August 28, 2009
Party with NADINE LAMAN!
by Ivana Marić, Croatia, guest blogger
Party, Party, Party...can you believe we have been partying for three weeks? Let's keep celebrating and give away more autographed books today! Everyone, world wide is invited...EVERYONE! Want free books? Play the game and/or comment in the comment section.
Carrie is the winner of Joy and Joyce's book yesterday. Congratulations! (email me, please)
Nadine Laman and I have met two months ago, but in many ways it feels much longer than that. Incidentally or not, we met on my birthday.
I had to see what was all the buzz about Nadine Laman and Kathryn’s Beach on Filedby. Seeing the words dyslexia and writer at the same page—in the same sentence, was my WOW moment. We started chatting, and Nadine heard my whining about lack of new books in English in our bookstores as I was unable to make online purchases. Not two weeks later, Kathryn’s Beach arrived at my home.
As I just commenced into my education on the world of publishing, Nadine answered many of my questions, sometimes even those unstated, on her blog, First Draft. Nadine is a mentor and friend who takes notice when I’m not around and takes time to email me and asks if everything is fine.
I am reading Nadine's High Tide. Kathryn is one of the most believable characters out there. Nadine's writing style is compelling in the sense you get a peek into Kathryn's mind and heart, making her all the more believable-and enjoyable.
What I learned from Nadine is that there are no obstacles in pursuing your dream-and if they still get in your way, how to easily avoid them.
With this blog party, which is really a terrific idea, she introduced so many great authors and readers I feel blessed to have met. She brought us together to celebrate what we love and what is our mission-writing our stories. Nadine magnanimously put others under the spotlight for the past few weeks. Today, Nadine, the stage is yours! Come out, take a bow and enjoy all that jazz!
Original music by Nadine's youngest son when he was 14. Photos from Seal Beach, California, taken by Nadine and family...often with a disposable camera (or a 35mm Minolta).
Thanks, Ivana. That was very sweet. You did a better job than I would have. I'm not surprised after the review you wrote for Kathryn's Beach. http://willingtoseeless.blogspot.com/2009/08/now-real-tss.html
I think everyone must know by now that Kathryn's Beach began as a short story emailed to a friend, a chapter a night. The whole thing was planned about as well as this blog party five minutes before I said, "Party!" (The planning came after the announcement.) In the short story, I gave Kathryn a frail but resilient personality. After Terrie, my friend, insisted I write a novel, then a second (the third was my idea), I was stuck with the characteristics I had given Kathryn in the short story.
Kathryn's Beach is the story of Kathryn's return home to resolve the past that haunted her. After knocking the wind out of Kathryn toward the end of KB and having her dust herself off, High Tide gave her a few more bumps and busies and laughs. All of the struggles and triumphs came together so she could meet her biggest challenge yet in Storm Surge.
I would rather not give away spoilers, since I know most people at the BLOG PARTY have not read my books, otherwise, ask me anything about the books, the differences in writing a trilogy, or my well documented ability to jump off cliffs!
Party game: As we were thinking about a party game, Nadine mentioned she hated Haiku poetry. I’m not a fan of it either, so let’s turn it into our advantage and have fun. Write a Haiku in the form 5-7-5 syllables that has to have the words Nadine and Beach anywhere in it. If it doesn’t give you a brain hemorrhage, do more than one. It’s not so difficult once you give it a try! (Oh yeah, giving away autographed books!)
This is the place to party without worrying about typos in the comments (who cares?) -- this is after all, only the FIRST DRAFT.
**If you need help navigating blogger, here are some basic instructions: http://nadinelaman.blogspot.com/2009/08/just-few-basics.html
The comment section is below this line. Click on the word "comments." That's where you can leave a note. eMail me if you have trouble with this...NadineLaman(at)aol.com
Party, Party, Party...can you believe we have been partying for three weeks? Let's keep celebrating and give away more autographed books today! Everyone, world wide is invited...EVERYONE! Want free books? Play the game and/or comment in the comment section.
Carrie is the winner of Joy and Joyce's book yesterday. Congratulations! (email me, please)
Nadine Laman and I have met two months ago, but in many ways it feels much longer than that. Incidentally or not, we met on my birthday.
I had to see what was all the buzz about Nadine Laman and Kathryn’s Beach on Filedby. Seeing the words dyslexia and writer at the same page—in the same sentence, was my WOW moment. We started chatting, and Nadine heard my whining about lack of new books in English in our bookstores as I was unable to make online purchases. Not two weeks later, Kathryn’s Beach arrived at my home.
As I just commenced into my education on the world of publishing, Nadine answered many of my questions, sometimes even those unstated, on her blog, First Draft. Nadine is a mentor and friend who takes notice when I’m not around and takes time to email me and asks if everything is fine.
I am reading Nadine's High Tide. Kathryn is one of the most believable characters out there. Nadine's writing style is compelling in the sense you get a peek into Kathryn's mind and heart, making her all the more believable-and enjoyable.
What I learned from Nadine is that there are no obstacles in pursuing your dream-and if they still get in your way, how to easily avoid them.
With this blog party, which is really a terrific idea, she introduced so many great authors and readers I feel blessed to have met. She brought us together to celebrate what we love and what is our mission-writing our stories. Nadine magnanimously put others under the spotlight for the past few weeks. Today, Nadine, the stage is yours! Come out, take a bow and enjoy all that jazz!
Original music by Nadine's youngest son when he was 14. Photos from Seal Beach, California, taken by Nadine and family...often with a disposable camera (or a 35mm Minolta).
Thanks, Ivana. That was very sweet. You did a better job than I would have. I'm not surprised after the review you wrote for Kathryn's Beach. http://willingtoseeless.blogspot.com/2009/08/now-real-tss.html
I think everyone must know by now that Kathryn's Beach began as a short story emailed to a friend, a chapter a night. The whole thing was planned about as well as this blog party five minutes before I said, "Party!" (The planning came after the announcement.) In the short story, I gave Kathryn a frail but resilient personality. After Terrie, my friend, insisted I write a novel, then a second (the third was my idea), I was stuck with the characteristics I had given Kathryn in the short story.
Kathryn's Beach is the story of Kathryn's return home to resolve the past that haunted her. After knocking the wind out of Kathryn toward the end of KB and having her dust herself off, High Tide gave her a few more bumps and busies and laughs. All of the struggles and triumphs came together so she could meet her biggest challenge yet in Storm Surge.
I would rather not give away spoilers, since I know most people at the BLOG PARTY have not read my books, otherwise, ask me anything about the books, the differences in writing a trilogy, or my well documented ability to jump off cliffs!
Party game: As we were thinking about a party game, Nadine mentioned she hated Haiku poetry. I’m not a fan of it either, so let’s turn it into our advantage and have fun. Write a Haiku in the form 5-7-5 syllables that has to have the words Nadine and Beach anywhere in it. If it doesn’t give you a brain hemorrhage, do more than one. It’s not so difficult once you give it a try! (Oh yeah, giving away autographed books!)
This is the place to party without worrying about typos in the comments (who cares?) -- this is after all, only the FIRST DRAFT.
**If you need help navigating blogger, here are some basic instructions: http://nadinelaman.blogspot.com/2009/08/just-few-basics.html
The comment section is below this line. Click on the word "comments." That's where you can leave a note. eMail me if you have trouble with this...NadineLaman(at)aol.com
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
View The Back Of The Book Feature
What is inevitable when someone picks up a book? They eventually look at the back cover. Since the ONLY place to buy my books is on my website, we added a VIEW THE BACK OF THE BOOK FEATURE.
My web designer, Joyce, used the same process to create this SUPER FANTASTIC idea as she used on my photo page.
On my website homepage is the front covers of each book in the trilogy, Kathryn's Beach, High Tide, and Storm Surge. Want to see the back cover? Click on the book. Ta-da! There it is. And it is a readable size.
Click on the link to my website on the sidebar to the left of this post. (This feature is also on the books page...go check that out!)
Just another innovative idea from Nadine Laman Books, LLC. How about that? Personally, I don't know any other writer who has the real back of the book on their website. If you do, leave a link in the comments section.
My web designer, Joyce, used the same process to create this SUPER FANTASTIC idea as she used on my photo page.
On my website homepage is the front covers of each book in the trilogy, Kathryn's Beach, High Tide, and Storm Surge. Want to see the back cover? Click on the book. Ta-da! There it is. And it is a readable size.
Click on the link to my website on the sidebar to the left of this post. (This feature is also on the books page...go check that out!)
Just another innovative idea from Nadine Laman Books, LLC. How about that? Personally, I don't know any other writer who has the real back of the book on their website. If you do, leave a link in the comments section.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Extra characters
There are primary characters, the protagonist and antagonist. Secondary characters are their friends, family, and colleagues. That is about the extent of most stage scripts. But in fiction (and screen plays) depth is added with background characters who are essentially 'extras' to the cast. Without these extras, there would be two people eating in an empty restaurant, walking empty streets, no taxi cabs in New York City...you get the idea.
Sometimes they are anonymous extras like in this airport scene from High Tide (the passenger with the bag).
I walk back down the concourse in a daze. People with bulging carry-on luggage come from another gate and overtake me. One woman mutters, “Excuse me,” when she bumps me hard with her bag as she tries to squeeze between another person and me.
Sometimes an extra is implied. When a phone rings in the background (for whatever reason - maybe part of noise so your character can't hear something said) the phone call doesn't involve the active character in the scene, it is part of dressing the set. It is implied there is someone on the other end of the line making the call. This is unimportant and the reader will easily make that assumption and move on with the action.
Other times, an extra needs more prominence because of a bit part he or she will play later. They get introduced in a way that the reader will recall them later when they return. The gardener in Storm Surge is an example of this type of extra. See his introduction below.
In the distance, a dark figure is slowly moving across the landscape. The figure has tall, spindly appendages that angle toward its back. As it advances, I see a small person with a rake and hoe over his shoulder. Methodically, the figure moves closer.
We rendezvous in the rose garden.
"Good morning, Miss," the figure says and half-bows quickly three times.
"Good morning, I am Kathryn," I answer and offer a handshake.
The little Chinese man removes his gardening gloves and shuffles the weight of his hoe and rake, bringing them down to lean against his body.
Extending his hand, "Juan, I am Juan." He smiles.
"Huang. Mr. Huang, it is nice to meet you." We shake hands. "The gardens are beautiful." I gesture at the rose garden, figuring he is responsible for the beauty.
"I am Juan, no Mister, just Juan."
"Yes, Huang like the Yellow River – Huang He. Right?"
"No, no. Juan Garcia Li." He smiles, revealing a missing tooth from his upper jaw.
"Juan Garcia?" I ask trying to force my mind to make the connection with the Mexican name and the little Chinese man.
He grins again. "My mother gave me American name."
The connection is not as clear to me as it seems to be to him. I nod in agreement, returning his smile.
He smiles again, then starts raking around the base of a rose bush.
Note, each speaker should be indented at the beginning of a paragraph. I haven't found how to do that on blogger yet.
So, if you're interested in writing, there is a bit more about character development. If you're interested in my writing, there is a peek at Storm Surge.
Sometimes they are anonymous extras like in this airport scene from High Tide (the passenger with the bag).
I walk back down the concourse in a daze. People with bulging carry-on luggage come from another gate and overtake me. One woman mutters, “Excuse me,” when she bumps me hard with her bag as she tries to squeeze between another person and me.
Sometimes an extra is implied. When a phone rings in the background (for whatever reason - maybe part of noise so your character can't hear something said) the phone call doesn't involve the active character in the scene, it is part of dressing the set. It is implied there is someone on the other end of the line making the call. This is unimportant and the reader will easily make that assumption and move on with the action.
Other times, an extra needs more prominence because of a bit part he or she will play later. They get introduced in a way that the reader will recall them later when they return. The gardener in Storm Surge is an example of this type of extra. See his introduction below.
In the distance, a dark figure is slowly moving across the landscape. The figure has tall, spindly appendages that angle toward its back. As it advances, I see a small person with a rake and hoe over his shoulder. Methodically, the figure moves closer.
We rendezvous in the rose garden.
"Good morning, Miss," the figure says and half-bows quickly three times.
"Good morning, I am Kathryn," I answer and offer a handshake.
The little Chinese man removes his gardening gloves and shuffles the weight of his hoe and rake, bringing them down to lean against his body.
Extending his hand, "Juan, I am Juan." He smiles.
"Huang. Mr. Huang, it is nice to meet you." We shake hands. "The gardens are beautiful." I gesture at the rose garden, figuring he is responsible for the beauty.
"I am Juan, no Mister, just Juan."
"Yes, Huang like the Yellow River – Huang He. Right?"
"No, no. Juan Garcia Li." He smiles, revealing a missing tooth from his upper jaw.
"Juan Garcia?" I ask trying to force my mind to make the connection with the Mexican name and the little Chinese man.
He grins again. "My mother gave me American name."
The connection is not as clear to me as it seems to be to him. I nod in agreement, returning his smile.
He smiles again, then starts raking around the base of a rose bush.
Note, each speaker should be indented at the beginning of a paragraph. I haven't found how to do that on blogger yet.
So, if you're interested in writing, there is a bit more about character development. If you're interested in my writing, there is a peek at Storm Surge.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Setting the set
My writing style is a bit old school. I tend to make the setting part of the story, which isn't as common now. In the excerpt [below] from Kathryn's Beach, the playroom wall comes alive as it advances center stage for a brief close-up shot. It is never mentioned again, but makes the transformation of Saint Mark's Convent and School into Spirit of Hope Homeless Shelter have more depth. More of the convent is detailed in the excerpt from [again below] High Tide where Shasta leads Kathryn through the convent hallway to her secret passage.
Like Hemingway's, Old Man And The Sea, of course, I feature the beach as a character, especially in Kathryn's Beach. Since Kathryn is less dimensional in Kathryn's Beach, the beach takes on more moods and dimensions to fill in the gaps of a full bodied character that every story needs. I'll remind everyone again, Kathryn doesn't even have a last name in Kathryn's Beach.
As Kathryn travels through the trilogy, her character develops and the list of characters around her increases. This is especially true in High Tide where the cast of characters increases dramatically from the cast list in Kathryn's Beach.
In writing fiction, it is almost as if there is a formula to the balance of character elements with the other elements in the story. As the character side of the balance needs less from the setting to balance their weight in the story, the setting specifics diminish, as I think you'll see if you read Kathryn's trilogy from beginning to end.
While the speed of the story is a main feature in an adventure story, literary devices have to be employed more in stories, such as mine, that meander along in the telling. That is not to say that a good adventure story is less well written, which isn't the case, than a story-story.
As I find the focus of this blog, I will continue to share excerpts from the books, even the unpublished third book, Storm Surge, and discuss elements in the story telling process -- much like a director's commentary is done for a DVD. Hopefully, I will be able to enhance the reading enjoyment without tipping key elements of the story line with these excerpts that have not been posted anywhere else on the internet.
A good writer writes to the enjoyment of the reader -- not the publishing industry, not for their own satisfaction -- but for the reader's enjoyment.
Here are pictures of the setting in the trilogy.
http://nadinelamanbooks.com/photos.html
Like Hemingway's, Old Man And The Sea, of course, I feature the beach as a character, especially in Kathryn's Beach. Since Kathryn is less dimensional in Kathryn's Beach, the beach takes on more moods and dimensions to fill in the gaps of a full bodied character that every story needs. I'll remind everyone again, Kathryn doesn't even have a last name in Kathryn's Beach.
As Kathryn travels through the trilogy, her character develops and the list of characters around her increases. This is especially true in High Tide where the cast of characters increases dramatically from the cast list in Kathryn's Beach.
In writing fiction, it is almost as if there is a formula to the balance of character elements with the other elements in the story. As the character side of the balance needs less from the setting to balance their weight in the story, the setting specifics diminish, as I think you'll see if you read Kathryn's trilogy from beginning to end.
While the speed of the story is a main feature in an adventure story, literary devices have to be employed more in stories, such as mine, that meander along in the telling. That is not to say that a good adventure story is less well written, which isn't the case, than a story-story.
As I find the focus of this blog, I will continue to share excerpts from the books, even the unpublished third book, Storm Surge, and discuss elements in the story telling process -- much like a director's commentary is done for a DVD. Hopefully, I will be able to enhance the reading enjoyment without tipping key elements of the story line with these excerpts that have not been posted anywhere else on the internet.
A good writer writes to the enjoyment of the reader -- not the publishing industry, not for their own satisfaction -- but for the reader's enjoyment.
Here are pictures of the setting in the trilogy.
http://nadinelamanbooks.com/photos.html
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When Paul Fenton stops for breakfast in a small town, he gets more than he bargained for in the process.
When two-hundred-year-old human remains are discovered on one of Neptune's moons, Earth's history falls into question.
Emily's husband persuades her to try thalidomide to ease her symptoms as she is unaware of the devastating effects.
Who is the women's shelter bomber? Melissa Ryan suspects that her husband knows.
Further developments with the Wilder family.
A hidden past shakes the O'Donovan family to its core
A swirl of emotion and choice, set in Cape Town, South Africa
Love is a constant, but it comes at a price.
When the road ahead is unclear, sometimes you have to rely on trust.
The struggle between good and evil is ages old. It gets all the more complicated when the good guys aren't all good and the bad guys have redeeming qualities.
Story of a land mothering two races of people – the light-skinned and the dark-skinned.
A gifted Ukrainian ballerina comes into possession of a mysteriously coded address book.
Six passengers' lives change for better or worse after they arrive in Honiton.
Resilience and love in a harsh and unforgiving age
Kathryn's Beach
High Tide
Storm Surge
