Category: Promote & Publish

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Shhh!

Given my second favouite thing to do is watch movies (my first being writing, of course) to be told that watching movies can help me understand the writing concept of ‘show & tell’ is very good news. I actually tried it tonight. But rather than watch with the volume up, I muted the DVD. (I know the dialogue anyway!)

You see, I struggle with writing those sensual/love scenes. I just can’t seem to find the words while sitting at the keyboard. What I discovered was the movie talked to me even more without sound so I grabbed my old dictaphone and started describing what I was seeing on screen.

It worked.

I still need to practice. (It will be a real hardship watching that scene in Unfaithful between Olivier Martinez and Diane Lane over and over again!!)
Come to think of it, there’s stacks of potential silent sensations – there’s The Notebook’s boat on the lake in the rain scene, the pool house scene with Brad Pitt in Meet Joe Black, and then there’s Meryl Streep and Clint Eastward for the entire Bridges of Madison County. You probably have your own favouites.

Worth a try.

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BIG hook BIG fish

Yesterday I gave in to the nagging and we went fishing – together.

Now I’m sure I am not the first person to say this, but the connection between fishing and writing is there (especially if you are bored brainless and with no nibbles. (Nibbles for me, I mean. I was starving all day.)

As I stood there hoping the fish were as hungry as me, all I thought about was writing. Like:

1. I need a REALLY BIG HOOK if I want to reel ’em in.

2. The bait needs to be of high quality – something FRESH is best.

3. Make sure your rig is right (ie the hook has to be in the right place, the sinker and the float and the swivel all have their purpose and place and if you don’t take the time to ensure they’re all tied in together properly, things are likely to fall a part.

4. Backstory is like burley – ya gotta sprinkle it – don’t just dump it, don’t hit ’em all at once in case you overwhelm them and they lose interest in the good bits to come. (Notice I now talk like a fisher-woman!!!)

5. Learn all the how to’s before casting – It’s not just a matter of chucking a line in any old how. There’s skill required. Ask an old timer for advice; they are always willing to give it.

6. Hone your skills and do your research – know what it is you want to catch, where they are biting and what bait they like.

7. Be patient and keep trying – it might just be the wrong tide, a bad wind, a slow current – but keep trying.

8.If you get a nibble be careful not to over react or you might frighten them away.

So there you have it. Here’s to big hooks and big fish.

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Book covers and Aussie colours

Okay – I’ve blogged about Bronwyn Parry’s As Darkness Falls before. I love so much about this novel. I especially love the cover. There is nothing better than what I call the colours of Australia. Forget green and gold. Australia to me is sunburnt orange and blue. When I travelled around Australia at 24 years of age (yikes, that’s 24 years ago as well) – just me and my girlfriend in a big old F100 and tent – it is these colours of Australia that I remember the most. Magical mornings camped on bright orange/red earth under the crisp blue sky of a desert dawn and awe-inspiring sunsets, like a dusky blue blanket covered in glowing embers of orange, pink and red.

Now what does any of this have to do with Bronwyn Parry’s book?

Well…As Darkness Falls is releasing in the UK and the Brits have changed the cover. When I heard (even before I looked at the cover) I thought – damn, I hope it doesn’t change too much.

Well it has……..and it’s great. Very different – they’ve really hooked onto the thriller aspect of the story. It is quite mesmerising and definitley grabs your attention. I’ve only seen it on the web (of course) but I think it will be a real attention grabber on the shelevs. Take a look for yourself on http://bronwynparry.com/blog/

This has been a bit of an eye-opener for ‘lil old unpubbed me with big dreams. I mean, I know you’re not supposed to get attached to your titles (as publishers are bound to change them) but I didn’t stop to think the book might undergo a transformation with a new cover and new tag line. I think this might have horrified me once (I can be soooooo precious). Now it’s sort of exciting. To think, your novel could have a whole new look and readership. I, of course, can only even dream of having a book published at this stage (let alone an o/s release). But it adds yet another exciting dimension to this business we are in.

PS I thought I’d add a pic form my travels to show the colours, but after blowing the dust off the album cover, I saw the colour from the photos had faded terribly. Luckily for me my memory hasn’t (not yet anyway LOL)