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Showing posts from November, 2023

#MGMonday... Middle Grade Settings

 Middle Grade Settings: An Introduction Having photos in front of you can help you write about your settings I’m going to make a confession. Settings are not something I often spend time planning. Perhaps my stories are the poorer for it, but the settings come as I’m writing or editing. The Glass Room, in Taking Wing, is not something I planned before I started writing. Personally, I’m a very visual writer, seeing my characters as though they are a video in my head, and I write what I see. As such, the setting just happens! There are benefits and drawbacks to this. The main benefit is that the writing process is more interesting. Not everything is set, and my story can still give me surprises. The drawback is that, similar to AI, I cannot know that I’m not stealing settings from films and books I’ve seen/read previously. I certainly don’t mean to plagiarise but the concern is a real one! With that in mind, I have started to at least have a vague idea of my settings before I start t...
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Masterworks: Legacy - Samantha Wilcoxson - Interview

  Today is the last of a series on nine interviews I'm sharing on the Crowvus Book Blog. These are from the authors of the short stories included in the  Masterworks  anthology by the  Historical Writers Forum . We're running through chronologically, some are video interviews, others are written. I am delighted to welcome the fantastic Samantha Wilcoxson, who is sharing the artist inspiration for her short story Legacy , as well as the appeal of James A. Hamilton, and the delights of researching. First of all, tell us a little bit about yourself, what you write (besides Masterworks!), and what inspired you to begin writing. I was inspired to write by my love of reading. After watching me read, write reviews, and keep journals for twenty years, my husband asked me why I didn’t try writing, so I did! Without really planning on it, I ended up writing historical biographical fiction. I’m drawn to a tragic tale but also to lesser known historical figures with emotive stor...
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Masterworks: The Watcher on the Wall - Gareth Williams - Interview

  Today is the penultimate in a series on nine interviews I'm sharing on the Crowvus Book Blog. These are from the authors of the short stories included in the  Masterworks  anthology by the  Historical Writers Forum . We're running through chronologically, some are video interviews, others are written. Here is the fantastic Gareth Williams, sharing a little insight into his thought-provoking short story The Watcher on the Wall , writing across centuries, and the unifying power of art. First of all, tell us a little bit about yourself, what you write (besides Masterworks !), and what inspired you to begin writing. I broke my back in three places in a climbing accident and this made me evaluate my priorities. Having retired from a career in education, I now write historical fiction while living on the Isle of Skye. I am inspired by characters famous or obscure, and times when major changes are afoot. My (so far) trilogy The Richard Davey Chronicles is set from 1815 a...
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Masterworks: Portrait of a Lady - Joanne Major - Interview

  Today is the seventh of a series on nine interviews I'm sharing on the Crowvus Book Blog. These are from the authors of the short stories included in the  Masterworks  anthology by the  Historical Writers Forum . We're running through chronologically, some are video interviews, others are written. I'm delighted to welcome the brilliant Joanne Major to share a few answers about the inspiration for her intriguing story, Portrait of a Lady , keeping fiction believeable, and her research process... First of all, tell us a little bit about yourself, what you write (besides Masterworks !), and what inspired you to begin writing. I live in Lincolnshire with my family and dogs. I’m not far away from Lincoln itself which is a wonderful city for anyone interested in history. Although I’ve always written, for the longest time I lacked the confidence to attempt publication. That changed after a chance online encounter via a genealogy forum with Sarah Murden who would go on to ...
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Masterworks: A Good and Proper Lunacy - Tempest Wright - Interview

  Today is the sixth of a series on nine interviews I'm sharing on the Crowvus Book Blog. These are from the authors of the short stories included in the  Masterworks  anthology by the  Historical Writers Forum . We're running through chronologically, some are video interviews, others are written. In this final video interview, I'm chatting with the brilliant Tempest Wright, who talks about the people who inspired her to write, the inspiration behind her fabulous short story A Good and Proper Lunacy , and the difficulties faced by having a young protagonist. Or you can watch the interview in YouTube  here ! You can find   A Good and Proper Lunacy  in the Masterworks anthology, which is available on #KindleUnlimited  HERE ! Now, let's meet the author! Tempest Wright is an author of historical fiction and fantasy, though she's been known to dabble in sci-fi and poetry. Living amongst the beautiful scenery of Vancouver Island, Canada, she finds inspi...
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Masterworks: The Ambassadress - Ronan Beckman - Interview

  Today is the fifth of a series on nine interviews I'm sharing on the Crowvus Book Blog. These are from the authors of the short stories included in the  Masterworks  anthology by the  Historical Writers Forum . We're running through chronologically, some are video interviews, others are written. Join Ronan Beckman as he talks about his inspiration and the real people involved in his brilliant story, The Ambassadress , on the video below... Or you can watch the interview in YouTube here ! You can find   The Ambassadress  in the Masterworks anthology, which is available on #KindleUnlimited  HERE ! Now, let's meet the author! Ronan Beckman is an American educator who has lived in the UK for over 30 years. He has a wife and daughter at home, who he is immensely dependent upon for feedback and editing of his writing. His interest in history and genealogy helped to spark an interest in further developing the stories of some of the family he researched - re...
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Masterworks: The Lacemaker's Son - Melissa Speed - Interview

  Today is the fourth of a series on nine interviews I'm sharing on the Crowvus Book Blog. These are from the authors of the short stories included in the  Masterworks  anthology by the  Historical Writers Forum . We're running through chronologically, some are video interviews, others are written. Our first video interview! Here is the lovely Melissa Speed to share a little bit about her writing, artwork, and reenacting, as well as the inspiration behind her powerful story, The Lacemaker's Son ... Or you can watch the interview in YouTube  here ! You can find   The Lacemaker's Son  in the Masterworks anthology, which is available on #KindleUnlimited  HERE ! Now, let's meet the author! Melissa Speed writes fiction and poetry in addition to her creative non-fiction, personal essays and travel blogging. Much of her work is published on Medium in a variety of publications, including the popular Scribe. Her personal essay I Was Ashamed of My Post-Surg...
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Masterworks: Blood on White Mountain - E.M. Swift - Interview

  Today is the third of a series on nine interviews I'm sharing on the Crowvus Book Blog. These are from the authors of the short stories included in the  Masterworks  anthology by the  Historical Writers Forum . We're running through chronologically, some are video interviews, others are written. This Friday, it is my pleasure to welcome E.M. Swift to share a little about her story, Blood on White Mountain , her writing process, and a little bit about her inspiration... First of all, tell us a little bit about yourself, what you write (besides Masterworks !), and what inspired you to begin writing. I would love to be able to tell you what inspired me to begin writing, but I truly have no idea. I have written stories for as long as I can remember and maybe even before that. According to my mother, I was writing my tales from the moment I learned to write - and often illustrating them too, albeit with much less success. It undoubtedly helped that I was encouraged by m...
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Masterworks: La Belle Dame sans Merci - Kathleen Guler - Interview

  Today is the second of a series on nine interviews I'm sharing on the Crowvus Book Blog. These are from the authors of the short stories included in the  Masterworks  anthology by the  Historical Writers Forum . We're running through chronologically, some are video interviews, others are written. Here is the brilliant Kathleen Guler, the author of  La Belle Dame sans Merci , shedding light on her writing process, her inspiration, and her fantastic story... First of all, tell us a little bit about yourself, what you write (besides Masterworks !), and what inspired you to begin writing. Something about me, well…I am such a history nerd! I’ve been immersed in historical fiction since I was a teenager when my mother gave me a novel about Queen Elizabeth I. But then, if you count stories of Zorro in Old California or a John Wayne western, maybe my interest had already been implanted as a little kid. Anything historical appeals to me as long as it is pre-1920 or so....
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Masterworks: A Našû for Ilu - Stephanie Churchill - Interview

 Today is the first of a series on nine interviews I'm sharing on the Crowvus Book Blog. These are from the authors of the short stories included in the Masterworks  anthology by the Historical Writers Forum . We're running through chronologically, some are video interviews, others are written. So, without any further ado, I am delighted to welcome the fabulous Stephanie Churchill, the author of  A Našû for Ilu , who is sharing a little insight into her brilliant story... First of all, tell us a little bit about yourself, what you write (besides Masterworks!), and what inspired you to begin writing. When you ask this question of writers, I feel like so many of them answer with something like, “I wanted to be a writer since I was a child.” That is definitely not my story. I was a clueless child in the sense that writing stories just never really occurred to me. Telling stories, on the other hand, was my favourite pastime. I was a big daydreamer, was always telling myself e...
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