Writing My Seventh Novel – Part Twelve

So how did that happen? When I began writing this book I had a clear idea of who the protagonist was; Doc Hunter. He is the ‘ubermensch’. The superman of eugenics. A fitting hero for any novel. Well, he would not agree with being either an ubermensch or a eugenic superman, but he is no …

All Lives Do Matter

In 1966, Dr Martin Luther King Jr., faced a problem during the Civil Rights Movements' 'March Against Fear' campaign. In the city park of Greenwood, Mississippi, a mass rally of support was held, during which Stokely Charmichael, a representative of the Student Nonviolent Coordination Committee (SNCC), proclaimed: "what we need is black power". The Black …

Writing My Seventh Novel – Part Eleven

In the past I have never had a problem with deciding on a title for the book that I am writing. I usually have a working title first. I do not know why but it seems to help me with my vision of the book. The Sorrow Song Trilogy books were very easy, as was …

Egalitarian is Not a Dirty Word

I have recently seen posts in social media suggesting that 'egalitarian' and 'egalitarianism' are ineffective responses to the Black Lives Matter campaign. One post in particular that has been doing the rounds states that no one mentioned egalitarian until feminism was talked about. Personally, I think that this particular post is intended to be inflammatory …

The Sorrow Song Trilogy

Writing My Seventh Novel – Part Ten

I have passed the 70,000 word limit! I have reached my target. Everything else that I write after this point I consider a bonus. I have mentioned previously that some people question the need for such an objective, but I find it useful. Reaching 70,000 words means that I have everything I need for producing …

New Covers for Old Books

Every so often I get the compunction to review my previous work. Sometimes this means going through the manuscript, usually looking for typographical errors or examples of poor writing. Occasionally, as in this case, I look at the covers of my books. When I first started writing I decided to design my own covers, not …

Writing My Seventh Novel – Part Nine

It has been almost ten days since my last post, which is not a measure of how lazy I have been but rather how busy. Writing has been taking up quite a bit of my time, thanks to a wife who is both understanding and encouraging. Maybe she just wants me out of the way? …

Writing My Seventh Novel – Part Eight

One of the most interesting things about writing is when a story appears to take control of itself and starts making decisions for you, the writer. When I started Mephistopheles, still only a working title but I have got an idea that I like for a better one, I had only one protagonist in mind, …

Writing My Seventh Novel – Part Seven

Plotting. When it comes to writing there is no question of whether to plot or not to plot, it is an integral part of the story building process. Events have to happen for the story to move forward. This is true even where the tale is character driven. How successful a writer is at spinning …