Writing and Music

Hi Guys,

 

No books out at the moment I'm afraid. But half a dozen all sitting at the finish line just waiting for me to write the last chapter or two to push them over. I only wish I knew what to write! Sigh!

 But I thought I'd turn to another topic that's been on my mind lately - music and writing. No not what I listen to while I write - that's always silence. If I try to listen to music I end up stopping writing and just listening which means that nothing gets done. Rather this is about how  certain songs seem to serve as the inspiration for some of my stories.

 Probably every writer gets asked the obvious question - where do you get your ideas from? And my usual answer is to stare blankly back at people and say something like - all over the place! (I really hate that question!) But music is definitely one of the triggers for my ideas.

 I think I've told you once upon a time that Dragon was written with AC/DC's Thunderstruck constantly in my head. It is the entire theme of the book - hard driving rock building up to one explosive battle after another. Fantastic song by the way!

Thief - actually it was two books I was writing at the same time which somehow merged into one part way through - was inspired by the film Date With An Angel and in particular one song from that movie - Higher Love (the Steve Winwood original not the Kygo / Whitney Houston cover which I also love).

More recently I wrote Prince of Stars, and that's also based on a song - Southern Cross, by Crosby, Stills and Nash. I love that track and again the theme was what inspired the book. My hero was a man, a sailor, driven to set sail by a failed romance that he could never come to terms with. He could neither return to her, nor could he cut her off. In the song he is tied to her - tied with a silver chain. I even named the ship Music as a sort of tribute to the music.

And I also mentioned at one time that Pawn was based on that seventies telly show - The Aphrodite Inheritance (which is a little dated but still an engrossing story - and it's amazing to see seventies fashion!) But what I don't think I mentioned is that while I was writing that book the theme music for that show kept running through my head every time I sat down in front of the computer. It's surprisingly powerful despite being so light and melodic.

So I think looking back on my writing I can clearly say that music is one of my most important inspirations. But it's not the only one by any means.

My point in this post is really just to say for all you budding authors out there, that ideas can come from anywhere. Maybe also to add that while everyone says to write what you know to anyone looking to write a book - I would add a second line - write what you love! I should also mention that currently I've been listening to a bit of Huey Lewis and Heart. Can't wait to find out what they might inspire me to write! (And how the woman in the graphic by Quarkmaster will feature!)

Cheers, Greg.

A New Year Has Begun - Let's Hope It's A Good One.

Hi,

First, happy new year to you all. And let's hope that despite all the horror stories, 2012 is not the end of the world!

For me it's started off well. I got a great review for All The Stars, for which I am as always grateful, and despite my natural inclination to gluttony, did not over indulge (too much) over the holiday period. Moreover Pawn has gone through its first draft, and is now seventy two thousand words long, despite the fact that I was supposed to be pruning it. Another couple of weeks and it should be on the virtual bookshelves.

I have to admit that I'm still staggered by the speed with which the book has flown off my fingertips and on to the keyboard. I've never written so much, so quickly. But I did some googling, and despite  my belief that it's been a sprint, it's still quite slow compared to some. I did find one man who wrote a ninety six thousand word novel in two weeks, he had to to achieve his publishing deadline, and Michael Moorcock was said to be writing a book every ten days at one point in his writing. Apparently I'm really just a slowpoke.

Anyway, I must return to my writing, but I'll leave you all with this New Years thought.

"May you live as long as you want to,
                                    - and want to as long as you live."

Cheers, Greg.

Merry Christmas

First up, seasons greetings to all of you out there. And I hope that Santa is kind to you all, as you are kind to others.

For me, my Christmas present to myself is the completion of Pawn, 60k words in two weeks. I can't believe it's actually done already. But of course, now comes the less enjoyable part of writing, editing. So my hope is that Pawn will be published at this stage, early in January, and maybe if I really pull finger, Alien, in February.

And since I'm in a festive mood, a little hupour for the season. (Stolen I freely admit from another website).





One Christmas, a long time ago, Santa Claus was getting ready for his annual trip; but there were problems ...... everywhere.

Four of his elves were away sick and the trainee elves did not produce the toys as fast as the regular ones. So, Santa was beginning to feel the pressure of being behind schedule.

Then, Mrs. Claus popped in to tell Santa that her mother was coming to stay for Christmas; which stressed him even more.

After a while, he went to harness the reindeer, he found that three of them were about to give birth and two had jumped the fence and run away, heaven knows where to.

Then, when he began to load the sleigh one of the boards broke and several large toy-bags fell to the ground, scattering their contents all over the place. Needless to say, Santa was not in the best of moods.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang and he went to the door expecting another problem. But when he opened it, there was a little angel with a great big Christmas tree that she had brought especially to cheer him up.

The angel greeted him very cheerfully, "Merry Christmas Santa Claus. Isn't it just a wonderful day? I have a beautiful tree for you. See, isn't it just the loveliest Christmas tree you've ever seen? Where would you like me to put it?"

Thus began the tradition of the little angel on top of the Christmas tree!





Cheers, Greg.

Writing Furiously

Hi,

Just a quick update. In my last post you may remember that I said I had started on a new book inspired by the Micael J Bird miniseries 'The Aphrodite Inheritance'. I started writing that book 'Pawn', on the ninth of December, and as of this evening it's 46k and probably only has another 10k to go.

At this rate I expect to have the first draft completed by the end of this week (even with Christmas), and will start editing after that. I can't believe the speed with which the words are flowing off my keyboard or the way the ideas are flowing, but I'm extremely happy about it since I haven't felt this inspired in months.

My goal is to have it published in January, and then hopefully, return to all the other projects I have been meaning to finish. Wizard at Law 2 and Alien will be finished within the next few months, even if my fingers are only a few milimeters long by then. In the meantime, here is a copy of the draft cover and a short blurb to maybe wet your appetites.

Pawn is the tale of Rufus Hennassy, a normal enough man, minding his own business and trying to live a quiet life, when the ancient Greek gods, Aphrodite and Moirae start interfering in his life, turning it upside down in the most improbable of ways. As an entire galaxy of villains including his own family, try to kill him, all of course in the name of trying to find the stolen Rembrandt - Aphrodite in the Roses, the gods themselves go to war around him, with surprising consequences. And in the end the fate of all, the mortals and the gods themselves, will rest in his hands. The pawn will become the kingmaker, or breaker.

Cheers, Greg.

Busy Few days!

Hi,

Just to let you know that I haven't been completely bone idle these last few days. Yes I have been busy trying to set up this blog, and since I have the computer skills of your average five year old (monkey), that has taken some of my time away from writing. But I have been working at that too.

Alien, my next sci fi book is written and going through the rewrite / edit process. Wizard At Law Book Two: The Shimmering, is half written and I'm still struggling away at it. And Shavarra, my next fantasy is about eighty percent done.

Unfortunately for my writing I also just got a set of dvd's in the mail - The Aphrodite Inheritence, a miniseries from Britain 1979 that I remember watching as a kid with my father, and so naturally I had to watch that. Great story, some of the acting is a little stilted, and some of the people are actually wearing flares. Every time I saw that it just kept shocking me. But regardless Michael J Bird created a great story and it inspired me to start a new one myself. At the moment its about five or six thousand words long, it's called Pawn, and I'm really pleased with it so far.

So there may be some further delay in getting my next book out. (If I was a woman I could claim I was multi-tasking, but unfortunately as a man all I can really say is that I'm making a hash of things!)

I also started work on the cover for Shavarra, and if everything works correctly, it should be attached or part of this post. (Naturally I'd welcome any feedback on it.)

So that's where I am at the moment.

Cheers, Greg.