The End Is Nigh

I watched a TV program this morning and one of the points made, was that of the sun exploding and destroying the earth. Thus killing us all.

It got me thinking that if we KNOW this will happen to the human race, then should we not be making concrete plans to find other places in the universe, and go there. (The story of Noah comes to mind. The only difference is that we maybe capable of avoiding our demise.)

They say that ninety nine percent of creatures that have existed on earth are extinct. So are we being premature to begin planning so we don’t go by the way of a swollen sun.

I must be clear that the sun will not take us for about another 5 billion years. So we do have time on our side.

May I offer this for thought, that we should maybe eradicate starvation and human suffering before reaching for the stars. Can a race expect to survive on other worlds when it still cannot fix such fundamental problems such as these. I’m no fundamentalist and I except the role of nature and evolution in our lives. Its just sometimes I watch the news and see things happen in the world, that make no sense to the evolution of our species.

There is a miss interpretation of the mayan calendar, that all ends december 2012.

A phrase comes to mind, ‘everything that begins, must end’  so the calendar could not run for all time and they who made it had to make a point to stop it somewhere.

Reflection!

When we reflect I cannot help but wonder why. People I speak to seem to reflect back on there life with the filter of  regret. I can honestly say there are only a handful of friends and family in my life that follow my interpretation of reflection.

Above is a collage of words from my tags of the last year. I can say that these are the most important words from my last year of posts. When I look over these, it makes me reflect with in, I see happy, sad and great social times. The last year has brought me the death of my father. The finish of my book. The realisation that I need to do more. Also a great growth within my self. My first blog almost a year ago was (and you can look this up in my archives if you wish) To Van Dyke or not To Van Dyke That is the Question. Since than I have posted fifty seven times subjects ranging from information about my writing  to family holidays, great social events such as the Royal Wedding and some very personal events too.

This is the past and we should learn from this, not repeat it.

We hold onto the past with notions that to persist and repeat will bring better results. It will not.

Most conversations I will have over the next twenty four hours about the future, will involve the past. Trying to make a better future by clinging onto a changed or modified past.

The glory days are just that.

We anchor ourselves with Memories but we set ourselves free with Dreams.

We look forward and shape the future, use your glory days, don’t repeat them.

On this I wish you all a very happy and productive New Year. I look forward to the new challenges it will bring.

 

First person, third person. narrator, omniscient or limited which one?

This is one of the biggest shell we say surprises I have had since I began to write fiction. For instance when I wrote the hundred and fourteenth word and that word being ‘END’ I was not aware of the amount of work that will go into this fictional journey. I have been over the manuscript at least four maybe five times each time thinking this will be the final time. Then I find myself picking it up a few weeks later and bang it’s crap again.

Second and third draft, I would say spelling was an issue. Third draft was more more plot holes. Now I have started the next novel to this story, and I now find I have a problem with the way I wrote the point of view of the first book. I wrote first person in the first book, my narrator is third person. This I’m fine with, its the amount of each that is the problem. for instance in the first book I think I was more narrator and less first person. where in the second I’m edging the other way.

I suppose the question I’m asking is this ok considering these are different books or do I try and keep the same flow throughout all the books could this be my inexperience speaking? Could this be the show don’t tell thing? but surly you have to tell sometimes.

I may need to go have a cup of tea and sort these out, it seems my mind maybe running away again, it’s small grey and round, very wrinkled probable throbbing too, if you see it running down the road, please don’t tread on it, I need it.

 

Halloween flash fiction

Hi to all the young witches and vampires out there. It’s halloween again and I love this time of year, frights and costumes are getting better and better each year. England seems to be getting better at this the more time goes on. So in celebration of this ever so special time of year I wrote a very short story, in fact its more like flash fiction than a short story. Enjoy.

Comments are always welcome.

There is a Monster at my window

It was strange, and looking back it was quite understandable to be scared. Come on there was a monster at my window.

It had come for the last three nights, just after midnight (I knew the time because there was a clock with glowing hands hung next to the window) Each night it would tap tap tap on the glass with its long white finger nails. Just three taps, then it would show me its teeth in a fierce snarl. Its eyes would glow red with a wave of fire flowing within them. I thought it could probably shoot fire from them.

Tap Tap Tap on the window.

By the forth night I thought it best to tell my parents. My mum looked at me over the toad in the hole.

“A monster, what in your bedroom?” said my father.

“No it is at my window, it taps three times then”

“Well” he interrupted with a mouth full of sausage. “Well if it’s outside you don’t have to worry about it. Anyway I’m here and won’t let anything happen to you”

I slammed my knife and fork down in the hope to shock them. “SAM” my mother shouted. “SAM”my father shouted both together, my father carried on after they looked at each other. “Sam you will not get the right sort of attention by doing that”

“You do it” I said soon to regret it.

“Now go to your room until”

“But the monster at my window” I interrupted.

“There is NO monster at your window” said my father.

As I walked up the stairs my legs went heavy. I thought tonight would be the night. Them taps would become bangs and then it would break through and kill us all.

The monster did not fail me. In the hope to ignore it I kept my head below the covers checking the time every now and then. But the closure it got to midnight the more I checked. The big hand of the clock was one minute from twelve. The second hand was at the six. Thirty seconds until it would come. I checked again ten seconds, five four three two one.

TAP TAP TAP

Its face was big and covered in fur the colour of fire and wood. Its fingers were scaled and the long white nails were taping on the glass. It opened its mouth and a split tong swung out from between its blue cold lips.

“MUM, DAD ITS HEAR NOW, ITS GOING TO EAT ME” I shouted.

Moments later the door swung open and standing there was my dad, stud behind him was my mum.

“Samantha What are you shouting for” said my dad.

“She’s petrified” said my mother. She sat down next to me and held me close.

“Tell me what happened princess” said my dad he would always call me princess when he wanted to calm me. I like that about him.

“It was at the window, it comes every night just after midnight”

“It could be because it halloween tomorrow night” said my mother to my father.

“Halloween or not I won’t have it scary my little princess. Tomorrow night I will be here at midnight and show her she has nothing to be scared about”

“What about tonight” I said “please stay, it might come back.

My father moved over to the window, the curtains where always bulled back, they swooped to the side leaving a diamond shape to see through. He moved them aside and looked out, his hand moved to the latch “NO DON’T” I shouted. He looked at me and smiled, them he open the window and poked his head out “there you go nothing out there, its all clear”

As they both left the room my father said “Now go to sleep and no more shouting”

No sooner had they closed the door the monster was back at the window but this time it was making a noise. It was like someone licking fire with a sizzle each time its tong touched its face.

In a gruff voice the monster said “Tomorrow night I will be here for you” it then hissed and vanished with a flash of fire.

The next morning I told my father all that had happened, he reassured me that all would be ok. He said “halloween is just a silly night for silly kids and you are no silly kid, are you?” I chose not to answer.

That night came round far to fast for me. My father came into my bedroom at eleven thirty and we watched the minuets pass, he kept telling me jokes that didn’t understand. Then there was only two minutes left.

“Not long now princess, then you can get some sleep” he smiled that smile and moved over to the window.

“No dad please stay here, don’t go over to the window it will” The monster rose from behind my father, it s teeth beard and fire flowing from its head like hair. My father looking at me did not see it, but his smile faded fast when he saw my face and the glow emanating from the fiery hair.

He turned, they where face to face, eye to eye. He walked toward the glass pain and reached for the handle.

“NO” I shouted “NO DAD DON’T”

He turned the handle and opened the window. My heart was beating fast, sweat was beading down my face with the heat that flooded the room.

My farther grabbed hold of the monsters head of flames, all I could think was how his hands must of burnt. They fell to the floor.

“MUMMY” I shouted as they rolled about on the floor, my fathers cloths were on fire now. “MUM DADS GETTING HURT”

She did not come, the monster was on top of my Father and rose its fist ready to smash it down. Then the most unbelievable thing happened. The flaming hairy monster bent down over my fathers neck, teeth bared dripping with saliva. And it kissed him on the lips. I waited for him to burn, but burn he did not. He kissed it back.

“Darling you are so wonderful, look she is so scared, how wonderful” it said in a not so gruff voice.

“Yes I know” he sat round “Samantha meet your mother”

“What… mother, no no no no its not mother its not” I’m now ashamed to say I cried, but given what I had just been through I think you will give me that.

When I rose my head my farther was a flaming monster too, in shock I backed against the wall.

“No no no no”

“Is that all your going to say” said my mother “because tonight is you night. My darling you are to come of age tonight”

A few moments later my hair burst into flames.

The end.

by Steven Glenn.

The Modest Writers in My Family

I thought it was about time I updated everyone on my writing progress. As it stands I have a number of, shall we say projects going on. Main one being my novel currently called Purple. a 104,000 word monster of a book. (for me) After saying that it truly is the most satisfying thing I have ever done.

Also I have written many short stories and have four more novels started, more outlined. Also I’m thinking about having a go at a stage play, just need a bit more research on that one.

Purple is in its third draft and doing well on feedback so far. I’m still finding spelling mistakes and plot holes. the iron that is revisions is doing a great job of smoothing them out.

Thanks again for the emails, I must be feeling good today I’m full of thanks. I might as well thank my family members who have commented recently. some great comments and surprise’s. It seems that I have many Budding writers in my family and shows me where I get my love for writing from. my father was a published poet he also has written six children story books. I have a cousin who is an editor and a aunty who has written her own novel. My brother writes poetry that would make any man laugh and cry. My uncle has released two self biographies, you can get them on amazon called John Carter.

Recently I have found that my brother-in-law is starting a short story, another cousin has gone down the creative writing route know doubt she can teach all of us a thing or two.

I suppose I’m trying to say that we writers seem to be modest by nature, and it’s only when we begin to talk about what we do that we find out how much we all have in common.

Writing Stuff

I have been writing or should I say rewriting my novel, this is to send to someone who is going to give me some feedback. on things like Story, plot, characters and so on.

This being my first novel length story, I have learnt quite a bit about how I write and have seen many problems while also seeing many good points. A bad point for example is the show don’t tell rule. I seem to be breaking this over and over again, this will lead to many rewrites, not of the whole book just the relevant bits. I am also noticing that I break into the ‘he thought’ and ‘she thought’ quite a bit at times. This again make for the show don’t tell rule. when I’m in there head and conveying there thoughts then I’m telling and not showing. this is ok if say I want to get the characters from one part of town to the other with no relevant story needed to be told about that journey.

Example : He thought, it best to lead his team straight to the station, when reaching the tall door, he thought. God I’m pleased to have got them here safely.

This although a bad sentence gets rid of many pages of description that would have been written if I showed then getting to the police station. The story should dictate whether it is needed or not. The problem is when I’m writing and its 11:30pm my eyes are falling closed on every breath. then it seems easy to replace five pages with one sentence.

But now that I work through the manuscript my tardiness is obvious. It makes me question the rule (there are many rules about this writing lark) just write no matter how bad you can sort it out in the second draft. now I’m in second draft it seam I should have been more decisive.

I think you learn as you write.

Procrastination or incubation

I’m in a dilemma, this is that I’m not, or maybe I just cannot, but I must do this first. You know if you give me some time I will.

Am I procrastinating? maybe.

In all seriousness, I am suffering from a dilemma. I have been told that when finishing you first draft of a novel you must move on to some other project. This is to give yourself distance from the characters and plot that has drilled them selves out of you brain for the last twelve months or so.
I have done this by writing the start of a new book. I have written the first three chapters and hit a wall, that wall being what comes next.
The problem started when I began to revise my first book. All I can see is where I need to take the characters into a second book.
I can see the sky. The people and most exciting of all the new characters that are beginning to pop into my head.

Every time I start to work on forth chapter of my new book that is supposed to distance me from this. I write like I’m writing for the second part of my first book.
I getting confused so you must be very confused.

My question is do I give in and start on the second book, while revising the first. Or preserver with the forth chapter of my new story?

I’m I just incubating the new story. It did start strong, then I hit the wall. I think it was that I have no idea where the story is going. It’s not that I need to know the ending, it’s just that I need a goal to aim for. That goal can move change or do what ever it wants. I just need something there to lead me.

Comment always welcome.

The Day Before The Day After

I am no gardener, I know nothing of flower, foliage or tree. Whether it be a berry or a nut, fruit or veg. This for me is nightmare land.
Give me a patio to lay or a garden wall to build. Mowing the grass is the one I like. I mean I can plan this, where to start and where to finish with the least amount of passes. It’s a constant challenge to improve the route taken by the mower. You can see every Summer weekend men all over the world mowing grass and doing it there way because there way is always the best way. The man next door mows wrong.

After drinking far to much the night before. A morning of mowing the grass was (once the headache had been subdued) a pleasant pass time I would have loved to under take.

People with in the house that I live had other ideas. Ideas which were two ether side of the path that leads to the front of my house. Namely two 30+ year old hedges/bushes. It was time for these to go to the garden in the sky and spend the rest of eternity over growing gods front path.
I don’t like gardening, no really I don’t. Mud and insects is not my seen.
All morning and most the afternoon on two hedges, 3pm I finish. With mud and bits of worms under my finger nails.
This was not the worst of it, the worst was I had to watch my wife mow my grass, and yes she mowed it wrong.

Emotions part 3

I try to regret as little as possible.

I believe regret leads to only dark and hurtful thoughts. I suppose that if you look at any disision (it’s disision that make regrets) it’s to not make it a flippant one. Take time and make sure you have covered all aspects.

Looked at all the relevant paths and discarding the weak ones. What you are left with is the few true remaining paths. This for me limits the potential for regret.
It’s not foolproof, I have some regret to disision I have made but I am happy that at the time they seemed right. Hindsight is a wonderful tool only for a time traveler. Us simple folk will just have to make the best we can with what we have.

The Day After The Day Before.

Hi to everyone. After the last two posts I have decided to change my site a bit, make it lighter and more colourful. This is in the hope of raising the mood a bit. Suggestions are always welcome,  if you think its to light or to dark what ever you think I will listen. Comment at the bottom of the page or send me an Email.

Hi to my loyal follower, yes I have one Follower, it takes one more to make two then three and so on, you know how it works with counting. On my blogspot site I had a few followers but since moving they all went. When I received the email on my iphone today I was a very happy boy indeed. Also thanks to the recent comments there very welcomed. British Telecom say “it’s good to talk” I say “Its good to write” and I intend to do just that.

For obvious reasons I have found it difficult to work on the second draft of my book this week. It seemed that each time  pick up the macbook I start to digress into some other subject anything but my manuscript. (I can feel it happening now) So back on track, while doing my first edit I have found that I keep finding a lack of for-shadowing. There are a number of events that seem to just happen with no warning what so ever. My question is do I leave it for now and continue with the first edit like punctuation and grammar, or address there plot issues first. my instinct is to start rewriting from chapter one. Could it be that when I started this nearly two years ago I was a different writer. I have the kindle app on my Iphone and converted my book so I could refer to it while out and about. Because the screen is so small on the Iphone the book has over two thousand pages. I skipped to page eight hundred or so and began to read. To my surprise I found it a remarkably gripping read and realised that I written this part almost nine months ago. The difference between the beginning and the middle of the book is vast as to quality of writing. But the story is very strong. It’s questions like these that make me wonder if I should join a writing group of some kind. If anyone has any Comments or suggestions for me them please leave it below or email me.