Writing tips - Dialogue speaks volumes

Dialogue must move the story forward and reads faster than narrative. As Anthony Trollope said, ‘The dialogue must tend in some way to the telling of the story.’ Which means, dialogue is there:

• To carry on the plot
• To foreshadow coming conflict
• To reveal character
• To indicate the setting

Never get characters to speak so that it’s obvious that they’re spoon-feeding the reader with information (the dreaded infodump springs to mind).

Move the story and build up the character with dialogue.

Remember, dialogue is there for a purpose – it isn’t just filler – so avoid the ‘one lump or two, vicar’ kind that tells us nothing.

The way your characters speak should appear natural – without the real ums and ers. Real speech is not good dialogue. Good dialogue gives the semblance of real speech.

Stilted over-formal expressions are usually fatal to dialogue. Naturally, it’s possible to have a character who speaks in a particular stilted fashion – that’s his characterisation.

The majority of people speak using contractions – I’ll, I’m and we’ve, for example: I am, I will and we have are stilted and again slow down the speech.

Try to make each speech pattern appropriate to the character. One person might use lengthy sentences with long words, while another will speak in a terse fashion.

Dialogue is always useful where there might be a tendency to POV-switch. Instead of jumping into another character’s head and thoughts, get that character to voice his thoughts.

Avoid vernacular. Yes, in short bursts it might be humorous or even character defining, but it can soon wear thin over a novel’s length. Don’t overdo the truncatin’ of words, either. Modern readers don’t like to struggle with the meaning of what a character is saying – dialogue should flow and be clear. Besides, vernacular and unusual phrasing slows down the story. Mary Webb’s Gone to Earth (1917) is a deserved classic, but it wouldn’t be a runaway bestseller now – its vernacular makes it heavy going to the modern eye and ear.

There’s a tendency for beginner writers to have their characters constantly using each other’s name in a conversation:
          ‘I know, Josh, it’s awful.’

‘Yes, indeed, Mary, I don’t know what to say.’

‘But Josh, we must do something!’

‘I guess so, maybe we could stop referring to each other by name, since we know that already – and besides, there’s nobody else in the room?’

‘What a good idea, Josh!’

So, if it’s obvious that it’s only Josh and Mary speaking, dispense with the verbal reference – or indicate by gestures linked to the character’s words, e.g.:

Josh ran a hand over his face. ‘I’m really worried.’

Mary’s eyes searched his face. ‘What about?’

Try to convey the period, the person’s profession and background, and the character with the use of appropriate vocabulary.

Dialogue can also suggest mood or emotion in a scene. A shared painful past is hinted at in the pages of The $300 Man, for example where Corbin meets Jean (pp18-22). It’s a rather lengthy sample, but I think it illustrates many of the points already discussed. Here, I’ve tried to underplay the anguish and create a mood through dialogue, gesture and observation. Yes, dialogue isn’t always in speech – but in body language.

He rapped on the door with his hook.

         ‘Who is it?’ Jeannie’s voice was throaty and tremulous; perhaps a little rougher round the edges than he remembered.

         ‘It’s the man who saved you from Turner’s knife.’

         ‘Yes, of course, Mrs Begley said you’d be back.’

         The key in the lock turned.

         He thought it odd that she should lock the door now though not while she was being intimate with her customers.

         He heard her move away from the door and some wooden furniture creaked. ‘Come in,’ she said.

         Opening the door, he tried to smother the memory from an hour earlier, when Jeannie had been threatened and bleeding. He entered the room, taking off his hat, and closed the door after him.

         She sat in a rocking chair. Looking at him from hollowed eye-sockets, she seemed malnourished. The jutting cones of her breasts were more pronounced than he recalled, pressing against some white gauzy material while her legs were covered by a white frilly petticoat. Her feet were bare. She hadn’t managed to clean away all the blood, he noticed; there were traces on the bridge of her left foot.

         ‘Thank you for stopping Mr Turner, sir,’ she said, and offered a lop-sided smile.

         Her smile hadn’t been that way before, he realised. Something had altered her face – her nose still turned up at the tip, but it had been broken and was now slightly askew. The freckles were barely noticeable under the powder. Her thin lips usually offered the promise of a winsome smile but now they were dark red and unnatural. At one time her hazel eyes sent his heart soaring when she looked at him, but now she was hardly focussing on him or her world. Her mind was in some dark and distant place. Life once brimmed from her, now it was little more than a flickering candle in a gale.

         ‘Have your cuts been doctored?’

         She blinked, returning from her reverie, and nodded. ‘Mrs Begley brought in Doc Bassett. He sewed up two cuts and the rest weren’t too deep. The iodine stings, but he says I’ll be OK.’

         ‘Just keep the wounds clean,’ he said. He refrained from commenting on how many young lives he’d witnessed being snuffed out on account of dirty wounds.

         ‘Thank you for caring, Mister.’ Her smile was thin, fragile, as if she was afraid that it may be misconstrued, his kindness sullied.

         Hands gripping the brim of his hat, he said, ‘You don’t recognise me, Jean, do you?’

         ‘No, I can’t say as I do.’ She gave him another travesty of a smile. ‘You appreciate, I entertain many gentlemen. Unfortunately, my memory isn’t as good as it was, you know?’ She lowered her feet to the floorboards and thrust herself out of the chair, which creaked in protest at being abandoned.

         ‘Let me take a good look at you,’ she said, gliding up to him. She still walked with an enchanting serene movement; once, he’d thought of her as poetry in motion.

         He looked down at her and he could see the stirrings of memory reasserting something in her, in the glinting of her eyes.

         Brow wrinkled, she glanced at his hook and then his skewed nose. ‘We make a good pair, don’t we?’ she said.

         ‘Yes, I guess we do.’

         She eyed the small scar on his forehead. Reaching up, she brushed a hand gently through his black hair, lingering on the clump of white hair on the left, just above the scar. At one time her touch would have sent his heart pounding; now he just felt sad. Finally, her gaze lingered on his. There was no mistake. Recognition widened her eyes and moisture formed at the rims. She stepped back a pace, a hand rising to her chest, over her heart. What little colour she had seemed to drain from her face. ‘Corbin? Is it really you?’

         ‘Yes.’

         ‘Oh, my God,’ she whispered, turning away. She crossed over to the bed and sat down, studying her feet and let tears fall to the floor where they darkened the dust and wood. ‘Oh, my God.’ A small fist beat at her right breast, plaintively.

         He moved to sit beside her on the bed but refrained from touching her. ‘It’s been a long time, Jean.’

         She nodded. ‘A lifetime.’

         Having observed the change wrought in her, he could understand how she must feel. He’d last seen her in ’62 – twelve years ago.

         ‘You’ve changed,’ she said, her hands resting in her lap. Turning her head, she studied him, eyes ranging over his broad shoulders and muscular arms and thighs. ‘You’re taller, bigger – quite a man now, Corbin.’ She shook her head. ‘I didn’t know about the hand – well, anything really.’

         He could feel the trembling of her body transmitted through the bed’s mattress. At any other time he might have appreciated the irony, of sitting here on a bed with her; in those far-off days he had coveted her young nubile form, though he hadn’t rightly understood all the emotions that had threshed through his adolescent frame. Now, he understood all too well.

         Gently, he placed his hand on hers. ‘Life changes us. I’ve been through a war – and a lot besides.’

         She gave a wan smile. ‘You don’t want to know what I’ve endured, Corbin. You really don’t.’ She looked away again, the back of her hand wiping the tears from mottled cheeks. ‘Best you just go and leave me be.’

         Corbin shook his head. ‘No, I came to see you. I’m not leaving.’

         She faced him again, her eyes wide with a cynical edge to them, which he found surprisingly distasteful. Her upper lip curled. ‘You want me, is that it?’

         ‘No, Jean. I didn’t turn up here as a customer.’

         ‘Client,’ she corrected.

         ‘Whatever. As it happens, you’re the fourth Jean I’ve tracked down. The others were false trails.’

         ‘Tracked down?’

         ‘Oh, I haven’t made it my business. Sometimes, though, in my travels, I get to hear about a woman called Jean and the description seems to fit yours.’ He eyed her copper-coloured hair and felt impelled to stroke it, as if that motion would brush away the past so they could return to those times of innocence. He raised a hand and gestured vaguely. ‘So I take a detour, just to put my mind at rest. Today, my detour found the real Jean.’

         ‘But why are you looking for me?’ Her eyes shone with a forlorn hope.

         ‘I wanted to be sure that you’re all right. And there are a few things I need to know – things only you can tell me.’

- extracted from Write a Western in 30 Days (pp117-122) Available as an e-book from
Amazon.com here and from Amazon.co.uk here

The $300 Man (hardback) is available from the book depository post free worldwide here

Review. When I started Nik Morton's WRITE A WESTERN IN 30 DAYS, what struck me was that this wasn't just a book of guidelines and tid bits for someone attempting a western, this is a fantastic map to anyone who wants to dive into the world of genre fiction. What Morton lays out are some of the best, common-sense rules for writing that I've ever come across - especially the chapters on plotting and structure. If you're not writing a western, it doesn't matter; what can be found in this book can be applied to any genre novel... Morton lays a solid foundation for a way for writers to follow a path to get their work done in the cleanest, most efficient way possible - and discover their best work besides. Highly recommended. - C. Courtney Joyner, film producer, author of Shotgun.

Genre labelling

Today is our 40^th wedding anniversary. Ruby. A quiet day, with daughter Hannah, grandson Darius and granddaughter Suri, and a meal on the balcony (well, on plates, on a table, on the balcony, really); the weather was kind, even sunny. So, that’s my excuse for not writing a blog entry today.

*** 

Currently, crime- and thriller-writer Catriona King is featuring me as her blog guest. I muse about the subject of ‘genre labelling’. You might find it of interest and it can be read here

Thank you, Catriona for inviting me!

Catriona is proving to be a prolific and popular author and I’d recommend reading her work. She is a doctor and a member of the Crime Writers' Association. She was raised in Belfast, Northern Ireland and moved to central London to live and work as a Doctor, where she trained as a police Forensic Medical examiner. She worked closely with the Metropolitan Police on many occasions, and encountered many fascinating people and situations, in both Belfast and London. In recent years, she has returned to live and work in Belfast, basing her D.C.I. Craig crime novels in the streets of modern Belfast and Northern Ireland, and locating the fictitious crime headquarters of 'Docklands Coordinated Crime Unit' in one of Belfast's most colourful and oldest districts, Sailortown.

 

Catriona has written since childhood, fiction, fact and reporting. A Limited Justice is her first novel, released in 2012 by Crooked Cat Publishing. It follows Detective Chief Inspector Marc Craig and his team, in the hunt for the killer of three people. A second novel in the D.C.I. Craig series The Grass Tattoo was released in the same year to rave reviews, and the third in the series The Visitor was released in March 2013 with a fourth book The Waiting Room published in May 2013. The fifth book in the D.C.I. Craig Series The Broken Shore was published at the end of 2013. Catriona’s sixth novel, The Carbon Trail, is a standalone thriller set in New York City.

And for the rest of today only you can actually purchase all 5 DCI Craig e-books for bargain prices.

 

 

 

Saturday Story - 'A lot of bull'

Not so long ago, I shared a Facebook image and comment about, apparently, Colombian Matador Torero Alvaro Munera ending his career after being overcome with remorse in the face of the ‘gentle beast’ standing inoffensively nearby. It seems the photo was not Munera, and the matador was sitting there simply mocking the dying bull. Whatever the truth of the matter – Munera seems to have renounced his career after being hospitalised by a bull in Colombia – the powerful image and words seemed to convey what many feel, I imagine. While I don’t condone hoaxes or scams like this, as I write fiction, I’m a great believer that truth can come from fiction.

Anyway, this post reminded me of a brief tale I penned some years ago.

This flash fiction stemmed from a writers’ circle set subject, ‘Fatherly Guidance’, and in response, I wrote this:

BULL

Nik Morton

 

"Your preparation has covered two years, my son. You came into this world during the winter, under the shade of a tree. You probably don’t remember your mother, but she suckled you for eight passings of the moon. Your first memorable confrontation with mankind came shortly after you left her side. You bear the marks of this day; the large brand on your right flank is a number, a symbol man uses to catalogue what he possesses. Yes, a man owns you.

"The free range you see beyond the rough-hewn fence is not for the likes of us. Men have tamed the land, and the beasts that live on it; but they have not tamed us, no matter how many insignia they imprint on our haunches, no matter how many ears are notched.

"Yet they honour you in their own strange way, my son; for they have given you a name that you may later carry to immortality. Your name is Bailador II, and I want you to bear it with pride. Pride is all we have, my son; use it to show men that whatever they do to you, they cannot take that away from you – it is a presence, a look that instils both fear and respect.  Already have I seen it in you, my Bailador.

"Now you come to the turning point in your life. The tienta is the testing of courage that will determine whether your destiny lies in the bullring or on the butcher’s block. I must prepare you for this initiation.

"First, you will be taken to a miniature bullring; here you will be tested and also see the young cows. Since they will never appear in the plaza de toros, there is no danger in their acquiring the knowledge that the true enemy is man. You may see a famous matador, dressed in sombre ranch clothes rather than in the glittering suit of lights; he will delight the spectators and even you, my son, with the easy purity of his passes, the total domination over the young cows; often he may end the performance by launching himself over the horn to slap the shoulders with his hand in perfect simulation of the kill.

 
"Yes, the kill. For we are all bred by man to be killed. For their pleasure, some say; for the glorification of the bullfight; for the raw beauty of the spectacle.

"After the tienta, you will be returned to the pasture, but will not be allowed access to the cows. If you are to be a toro bravo you must enter the plaza a virgin. For another twelve moons you will live a cossetted life. You will learn to use your horns by sparring and mock-fighting, and sharpen your reflexes. You may feel anger already at learning of the fate men have designed for you, but you will keep this anger latent, to explode at the right time, in the arena under the glaring sun.

 
"You see, my son, you can shape your own destiny, as have I. It was I, Bailador who achieved the unthinkable and eviscerated the famous Joselito in the plaza of Talavera de la Reina. As a reward, I was let out to sire you, my son.

"You have the power to be on every aficionado’s lips, to be spoken of in respectful whispers. My son, you can be great, the toro bravo, the fighting bull of Spain."

 
The words dimmed from the young calf’s mind. He looked around, at the men on horseback steering him and his brother bulls into the enclosure. Had his father’s spirit really spoken to him? Perhaps he had… He held his head up with its young horns, proud to be a fighting bull.

***

Notes:

1. Very few times a year a bull will be indultado, or 'pardoned', meaning his life is spared due to 'outstanding' behaviour in the bullring, leading the audience to petition the president of the ring with white handkerchiefs. The bullfighter joins the petition, as it is a great honour to have a bull one has fought pardoned. The bull is then returned to the ranch where he will live out his days in the fields and in most cases will become a 'seed bull' (he is mated once with some 30 cows and the offspring are tested after four years for their efficacy in the ring). In these circumstances a bull's lifespan can be 20 to 25 years. – Wikipedia, Spanish Fighting Bull here

2. On 16 May 1920, Jose Gomez ('Joselito') was gored to death by the bull Bailador. The story above is imaginary.

 

Spanish Eye - 22 cases of Leon Cazador, Private Eye - and not a bullfight in sight

 

 

FFB - Hell's Gate

Friday's Forgotten Book today is Hell's Gate by Michael Parker

Originally published by Robert Hale in 2007, it is now released as a paperback by Acclaimed Books. It deserves a wide readership.

Set in British East Africa in 1898, this is a tremendous adventure story inspired by historical events. Widower Reuben Cole is a farmer in the Rift Valley area and is hunting with his twelve-year-old son David. Neither is aware that they’re being watched by Dutchman Snyder, who is planning something which will yield him power and money.

In the nearby railway camp of Nairobi, the chief administrator to the Railway Company and Major Webb of the British East Africa Rifles are talking politics. Despite the unseasonal rain, the railway construction is progressing, and they hope to link up Mombasa with Uganda, ‘the jewel of Africa’. But there are rumours that a Masai chief has joined forces with the Germans to attack and undermine British interests.

The damnable continual rain was threatening to fill Lake Naivasha to capacity and if that happened, the overflow would course down through the funnel of Hell’s Gate and swamp Reuben’s farmland. He left his son at home and set out to seek out any options for diverting the possible down-rush of water. His farm was attacked by a party of Masai and his son and his friend’s children were taken away, to be sold into slavery. As Reuben sets out on his son’s trail - a journey that might also decide the future of this land - his fate becomes entwined with Reverend Bowers and his daughter Hannah and Major Webb, who is in love with Hannah.

Webb’s contingent of 200 soldiers and fifty volunteers is pitted against the massed warriors of 10,000 Masai led by the evil Snyder. At stake are not only their lives, but the railway and Britain’s presence in East Africa.

There’s plenty of action and believable romance too. Parker effectively conjures up impressive images of the land and the people. While an attempted rape and some fighting scenes are quite graphic, this is still a good old-fashioned and exciting adventure yarn which I’d recommend to both sexes. Hannah’s world is turned upside down when Reuben dramatically enters her life; she finds her feelings torn in two. You care about her fate, and also that of Reuben, his son, her father, the gruff but heroic Sergeant and even love-torn Webb.

 
Get past the politics of the early pages – essential to set the scene - and you won’t want to put the book down.

This was my review of the 2007 hardback. I especially like the new cover.

***

Michael Parker's bio (from Goodreads):
Brought up in London. Attended Sir Walter St. John's Grammar School for boys in Battersea until the family moved to Portsmouth in 1954. Continued education at Southern Grammar. Left school with no qualifications and started work as a Junior deigner at Twilfits (Corset/Brassiere manufacturer). Left after one year and joined the Merhcant Navy as a Steward. Two years later married Pat, my teenage sweetheart and went to work on a building site. Three months later I joined the RAF as an electrician. Left 16 years later on a redundancy package and worked in a food factory for a couple of years. Left and worked in the Middle East for a year. Then back to another food manufacturer (Mars) for 17 years until early retirement in 1996. Moved out to Spain with Pat in 1997. We have four sons and ten grandchildren.

I have written all my adult life with moderate success. My first novel, NORTH SLOPE was published by Macmillan in 1980. My second, SHADOW OF THE WOLF in 1984 by Robert Hale. My third, HELL'S GATE was published in 2007 by Robert Hale followed by THE EAGLE'S COVENANT (2007) and THE DEVIL'S TRINITY in 2008. This was followed by THE THIRD SECRET,in 2009 and then A COVERT WAR in 2010. My latest novel, THE BOY FROM BERLIN was released in December 2011, and has now been picked up by Harlequin who have purchased (leased) the paperback rights for North America and Canada.

I have also teamed up with Acclaimed Books Ltd., and have published NORTH SLOPE in paperback and in Kindle. Also A COVERT war is now available in both formats. Later this year I will publish The Third Secret, but will give it the title: ROSELLI'S GOLD. Please look up these books; you won't be disappointed.

He is currently being treated for Lymphoma and facing this with stoicism, while continuing to write. Our prayers go to you and your wife Pat at this time, Michael.

Eye, eye, is that a sale I see before me?

The Crooked Cat Publishing e-book sale is still on. Their books cover an intriguing and wide range – crime, fantasy, romance, thriller, YA and historical, to name a few genres – and they’re selling at very tempting prices. Some of their authors are already prize winners, others are being listed in upcoming awards, and many are garnering very favourable reviews. Perhaps now would be a good time to try a few of their titles, at little cost…

Simply search on Amazon for 'Crooked Cat Publishing'

and be amazed at the rich choice!

Here are sample reviews found on Amazon.com for my book Spanish Eye.   

E. B. Sullivan (California)

Spanish Eye is a fabulous read. In his crisp depiction of Leon Cazador, Nik Morton paints a portrait of everyone's hero. This cross-cultural character is dashing, daring, and delightful. He does whatever it takes to make good triumph over evil. While reading these twenty-one exciting stories I experienced a myriad of emotions. I laughed, cried, and became incensed. I cheered and clapped, but most of all I felt a confirmation of universal values.

D. Thorne (Bartlett, TN United States)
… His voice is so unique, and his stories are as thought provoking as they are entertaining. There are beautiful moments in the prose that never get purple or fluffy. He masters the art of taking an adventure and condensing it into short shots. If you enjoy short stories, you'll love this collection featuring the same character and exotic settings. I am a total Morton fan now and waiting anxiously for his next release!

Kay Lesley Reeves (Spain)
As an ex-pat living on the Costa Blanca, I found much that was familiar combined with an insight into a very different and darker side of Spanish life. The colourful characters and intriguing twists made these stories a really enjoyable read and one I would really recommend.

Laura Graham (Sinalunga, Italy)

Spanish Eye is a collection of short stories set in the heat and the dust of Spain. Our courageous private eye, Leon Cazador, half-English, half-Spanish, and sometimes disguised as Carlos Ortiz Santos, guides us through the action. These stories are humorous, insightful and sometimes tragic. Leon Cazador is not afraid to bring the bad men to justice, and so help to restore the balance in this world. Beautifully written, with a simple and uncluttered style, which draws you in to the heart of the story. Highly recommended!
 
George R. Johnson (Eden, NC, USA)
This book comprise some of the cases of Leon Cazador, a half-Spanish, half-English private eye working in Spain. The tales run the gamut of the usual crime stories (con men, kidnappings, car theft ring, crooked politicians) and the odd stuff (smuggling, both exotic animals and illegal aliens, terrorists). All fun stories, a bit of humour here and there, others deadly serious. One story had me grinning at the beginning, but sobering quickly as the end approached. Worth a look if you like private eyes. Or if you don't. Leon Cazador is not your typical P.I.

My thanks to all reviewers; your efforts are greatly appreciated!

 

Purchase the e-book from Amazon.com here

 

Purchase the e-book from Amazon.co.uk here

Valentine's Crooked Cat E-book sale

BLOOD OF THE DRAGON TREES 

Published by Crooked Cat, who are running a special Valentine’s e-book sale that begins today on Amazon!

 

This is very appropriate, as talks are taking place in London today about eradicating Illegal Wildlife Trade – see here – and China steps up its pressure on those criminals involved – see here - considering that my romantic thriller Blood of the Dragon Trees is about this very subject, as can be gleaned from these 7 ladies' review extracts from Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com 

 

[Thank you, all!]

Nancy Jardine (Scotland)
This is an excellently written, fast paced thriller set in … a beautifully descriptive geographical background. Danger lurks round many corners. Laura Reid finds her job as tutor to the Chavez children isn’t the simple task she thought she has flown to Tenerife for. The men she meets stir different romantic feelings - first Felipe, the brother of her employer, and then Andrew Kirby. They confuse her even more when doubt lurks about whether one or both are involved in the illegal island trade in endangered species products, and equally criminal and heinous people trafficking. Nik Morton provides an extensive cast of characters some of whom are deliciously nasty, and all well portrayed as the plot unfolds. Laura’s life becomes one of encountering and surviving one potentially lethal incident after another.

Jan Warburton (Yorkshire, England)

I really enjoyed this fascinating novel. Action packed with many twists and turns, it's a compelling read, heavily concerning two atrocious crimes that have only recently been uncovered here in the UK... Nik Morton has woven a masterfully written fictional story based on these appalling facts - a thriller and romance rolled into one that draws you in with plenty of suspense and fast paced action. Each chapter ends with a hook leading you eagerly on to the next. The characters and all the location settings on the island are colourfully realised.

The author, who clearly knows Tenerife well, gets it absolutely right. Not once did I feel that all the research that must have gone into writing such an emotive and gripping thriller becomes too obvious. I congratulate Nik Morton on this gripping page turner, which culminates in a very exciting and satisfying ending. Highly recommended.

jlbwye

A dramatic opening in the style of a bloody thriller set in Tenerife where the ivory trade, and illegal immigrants are a problem. We are introduced to some colourful characters as the flavour and nature of the island is revealed, and the hint of romance hangs in the air…
There is also something deliciously sensuous about the description of Senora Pineda, the cook, vigorously slicing open a fresh wholemeal roll, her pendulous chest and upper arms wobbling with the cutting motion. And when she lops off thin slivers of cucumber and places them on top of the cheese and tomato, why do I think of knives, and blood, and sliced flesh? This is vigorous, dramatic writing, and sends shivers down my spine. Another scene where Laura takes a bath is blissfully described. These gems give pause while the story races on, scene giving way to action-packed scene, where neither the characters nor the reader knows exactly what is happening or why.

Lots of shooting and plenty of sexual innuendo hasten to a dramatic climax, not without touches of humour, and a dig or two at Health & Safety laws. Despite the danger, with surprisingly little bloodshed, the Dragon Tree wins out, and the cleverly crafted story comes full circle, drawing to a surprising but credible close. This is a breathless read - totally satisfying.

Mrs A Abraham (Théhillac, France)

I enjoyed this read. It is a traditional adventure thriller with badder-than-bad baddies and a clean-cut hero fighting for a cause that is right up to the minute - the trade in endangered species. The setting is different too and it's very refreshing to find an author writing about a place he obviously knows like the back of his hand rather than from what he could Google. I could easily see this novel becoming an action-movie and would go to the cinema to see it… a good novel with a cracking pace and a lot of twists, not only in the tail.

Gill James (Southampton, Hants United Kingdom)
What a fantastic fast-paced read this is! The plot twists and turns and keeps us guessing. Just as everything seems to be going well again for Laura Reid something else comes along to put her in danger. Oh, there's plenty of violence and blood comes from other places as well as the from the Dragon Tree. Yet it's not all blood and guts. There is plenty of human interest too.
Nik Morton has cleverly illuminated this text with his knowledge of Tenerife and of Spanish. Yet he does not overwhelm the reader with these details. They just allow the story to seem more real. I actually read the book whilst staying on Tenerife. That probably enhanced my enjoyment of the novel - many of the places mentioned I knew from this visit and a previous one or I was able to look up on our map and see where they were in relation to better-known landmarks.
It certainly made this an excellent holiday read...

Flamenca, Spain

When Laura Reid, a linguist, comes to work for the Chavez family in Tenerife, she cannot imagine the terrifying twists and turns her life will take. Nik Morton's novel quickly pulls the reader into an underworld where people trafficking and the smuggling of body parts of endangered species are among the crimes committed by the well-drawn characters on this seemingly peaceful and beautiful island. Lots of pace, a really good yarn and a skilfully painted picture of Tenerife made it an excellent read. Highly recommended.

Kay Lesley Reeves, Spain
A great read. An exciting story with lots of good background detail about the setting in Tenerife. A good choice for a Kindle book.

 

Also available in this sale, Spanish Eye - Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com...

 

 

Also available in the sale, Spanish Eye - Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com...

 

Express delivery

Some time in 1958, during a rainy day at school, when we were kept indoors reading during the lunch break, I discovered a comic, Express Weekly. That weekend, I went to our local newsagent, Mr Beckman and ordered it. He hadn’t heard of it but promised it would be delivered on the next  Tuesday with our daily paper. When the day came, I rushed downstairs at the sound of the letterbox flapping and my excitement dissipated when I found instead a copy of the newspaper, The Daily Express. Happily, it was eventually sorted out and I received my weekly dose of Express Weekly on Tuesdays and The Eagle comic on Wednesdays.

The 'two greatest western strips' mentioned were Lone Ranger and Gun Law

My favourite character in Express Weekly was Wulf the Briton, drawn by R.S. Embleton. Ronald Sydney was born in 1930 and sadly died of a heart attack in 1988; his brother Gerald was born in 1941 and also became a superb artist, and his work can be seen in the books of the military publisher Osprey, for example.

Ron Embleton’s artwork is much sought-after.

 

Like many schoolboys, I was fascinated by the period of our history when the Romans occupied Britain. The Wulf stories seemed very accurate in their depiction of those times. Wulf’s adventures concluded in September 1960.

The Iron Age in Britain lasted for about 800 years – from 750BC until 43AD, when the Romans returned to occupy the country. During the pre-Roman period coinage was introduced and wheel-thrown pottered mastered. People became more aware of hygiene and personal appearance and were living in larger and more settled communities. The Romans, in their plain coloured togas, were surprised at the Britons’ brightly coloured trousers and cloaks, often in striped and checked patterns. Over the years of occupation, friendships and inter-marriage resulted and the Romans absorbed Britain as much as the Britons absorbed the culture of their conquerors.

If you want to see what an iron age farm looked like, you can visit Butser Ancient Farm in Gosport, Hampshire, UK. Their website is http://www.butserancientfarm.co.uk/

The late Bob Jenkins ran an interesting article about the Iron Age farm in the July 2003 issue of The Portsmouth Post.

Cover photo of Post's staff member Stacey by Mike Walker -

as Bob said, 'We took liberties with the choice of costume...!'

 

Book of the film – The Paradise

Okay, it isn’t a film but a TV series, and the book is not quite the same title, but The Ladies’ Paradise. I must admit that both publishers of the paperback of Emil Zola’s 1883 novel have taken liberties on their covers: ‘As seen on TV’ and ‘A BBC TV series’ . The series is inspired by this book, but apart from a few similarities, the book is not the story depicted on TV. Bill Gallagher, the creator and scriptwriter of the TV series is to be applauded for not only transposing the original from Paris to an English northern city, but also for redrawing virtually all the characters and infusing them with even more complex lives.

BBC's 'The Paradise' based on Zola's novel

In the book, Denise does indeed come to the city (Paris), but she has two young brothers in tow when she arrives on the shop doorstep of her uncle, Baudu. Her uncle is married and has a daughter and they have a lodger who works in the shop too. Denise does find employment at the department store, Au Bonheur des Dames, in the department run by Madame Aurélie (Miss Audrey in the series), who happens to have a husband, ‘Lhomme, the cashier, a fat man who had his right arm cut off by an omnibus.’ They also have a rather lazy son who works in the store.

The imperative of the department store owner, Octave Mouret is similar to that depicted by John Moray in the series: ‘You can sell as much as you like when you know how to sell! Therein lies our success!’ (p74) And next page, ‘… he spoke of the exploitation of women… It was women the shops were wrangling over in rivalry, it was women they caught in the everlasting snare of their bargains, after they had dazed them with their displays.’

Alma Classics version, 2013

Widower Mouret was a womaniser, at least until he was smitten with Denise, and liked nothing better than to be surrounded by the fair sex – ‘in the midst of the heady scents which were rising from their hair, he maintained the composure of a conqueror, taking little sips of tea, the perfume of which cooled down those other more pungent scents, in which there was a touch of musk.’

While Denise is ambitious and forthright in the book, it is Mouret who gets the brainwaves about enlarging the premises, introducing a restaurant: ‘… idea came to him after a cousin’s wedding; stomachs were always good for business, for he had been made to pay ten francs for some washing-up water with a few noodles swimming about in it.’

The intriguing possibly sinister character of Jonas is an amalgam of L’Homme and  old man Jouve who was constantly writing reports on the staff and engineering dismissals (p195). Some other staff members have been retained – Pauline and Clara – and others introduced to good effect in the series. Intriguingly, Mouret’s business assistant Bourdoncle has a great antipathy towards Denise (contrary to his counterpart Dudley in the series); perhaps he feared for his own position, perceiving in her innocence ‘the dark enigma of woman, death disguised as a virgin’ (p322).

‘Mouret’s sole passion was the conquest of Woman. He wanted her to be queen in his shop; he had built this temple for her in order to hold her at his mercy there’ (p229). And yet he is confounded by Denise, who is not seduced by his charms, to the point that his mind is filled with her most of the time. He is so besotted that he even gives up his mistress, Madame Desforges (Katherine in the series).  He gradually learns that Denise ‘... supplied all the good to be found in women – courage, gaiety, simplicity – and her gentleness exuded a charm with the penetrating subtlety of perfume… if she deigned to smile, one was hers for life.’(p324)

This book is much more than a romance about Mouret and Denise, however. Zola undertook considerable research in two Parisian department stores, Le Bon Marché and Le Louvre, interviewing staff. In the book he reveals a great deal that is commonplace in the retail trade today, whether that’s loss leaders, enticements at the entrance, the destruction of small shops nearby, and even a ‘returns’ system. These insights are fascinating.

Any potential reader expecting to renew acquaintance with the TV characters might be disappointed, but they shouldn’t be, because they will be enriched by Zola’s characters and his story regardless, as well as his sensuous language: ‘The silk department was like a great room dedicated to love, hung with white by the whim of a woman in love who, snowy in her nudity, wished to compete in whiteness. All the milky pallors of an adored body were assembled there, from the velvet of the hips to the fine silk of the thighs and the shining satin of the breasts ‘(p404). Above all, Zola was an observer of life, and attempted to reveal it in all its naturalness. And with flair, of course: ‘… and beneath the heavy downpour nothing could be seen but a confused procession of umbrellas jostling each other, swelling out like great gloomy wings in the darkness.’

***

Perhaps life imitates art, too.  Zola had been married to Alexandrine since 1870, and remained with her for the rest of his life (he died in 1902), but in 1888 he began a long-term affair with Jeanne Roserot, a 21-year-old who entered service in his household. He installed Jeanne in an apartment in Paris and she gave birth to a daughter, Denise in 1889 and a son, Jacques, followed in 1891. After Alexandrine discovered the affair in 1892 (an anonymous letter), a mutually acceptable arrangement was set up and Jeanne and the children lived as part of the Zola family.

The English version I read was published by Alma Classics, translation by April Fitzlyon.

Blog guest – Mari LaFore – ‘cat scan’

Cats can, apparently; and so can humans, too…

Today, my blog guest is Mari LaFore, who is the author of The Tale of Wisdom and Delight, the true and inspirational story of two cats and reincarnation; it’s also about love, devotion and loss. And belief. When I was EIC of Solstice Publishing, I accepted Mari’s book.

Hi, Mari, thanks for being my blog guest.

It’s my pleasure! First of all I wish to thank you from the bottom of my heart for choosing my book to publish. You made my dream come true for me.

Can you tell us how your book Wisdom and Delight evolved?

Our precious13-year-old cat, Wisdom, died in 2001, and then less than one year later miraculously returned to us, in the form of a Calico kitty which we called Delight. His return was foretold to us by a pet communicator named Valerie Dixon and it was a turning point in my life. All the signs were obvious and even though I had no previous experiences or training in reincarnation, I knew unmistakably what was happening. It was impossible for me not to know that Wisdom had loved us all so very much that he made the journey across time and space to come home and be our Delight.

I'm home...

You did a great amount of research into reincarnation. Were there any surprises?

Yes, definitely! I’m not the only one who had experienced reincarnation of a loved one. This experience is considered common in countless lands. Sadly, many people in western cultures have shunned the teaching of reincarnation for too long and by doing that many of us have missed life-changing reunions with loved ones who returned to share our lifetime over and over again. When I first realized that Wisdom was back with us in the form of Delight, I thought it best not to share my experience with doubters for fear of being ridiculed because the fallacies of organized religion in the west still have a grasp on many people. Then, with the encouragement of a dear friend, Kathleen Schneider, internationally renowned psychic consultant, located in Middleton, Wisconsin, I actually shared it with the world in a book! The Tale of Wisdom and Delight, was written to encourage and inspire others who have had the same life-changing experience. My research came afterwards. I didn’t do it for myself because, as I say in my book, “If there’s one sure thing I know, it is that this really happened!” I wrote it for the readers; for anyone who has ever loved a pet.”

'New beginnings' - with Mari's son & daughter

The subject of the book – animal reincarnation – might be considered controversial. How much positive feedback have you had from readers?

Readers have been amazingly positive and I am always delighted when they open up their hearts and share their similar experiences with me or in reviews. My book was meant to do just that. They no longer feel alone or foolish in sharing their newfound spiritual awareness with the world and that is exactly what their loved ones, whether human or animal, are nudging them to do!

Love at first sight - Dustin with Wisdom, 1987

The sub-title of your book is ‘Love always finds its way home’ – what do you mean by that?
Spiritualists unconditionally accept the survival and return of departed souls to their loved ones. They don’t question this phenomenon. We come here on a journey. Our loved ones accompany us or come into our lives later at a moment when we need them the most, but we don’t always recognize them in this lifetime. When we do recognize them, it is a miracle and we need to reach out and take hold of it. If we will just listen to our hearts, our loving Creator is telling us that we don’t ever have to feel alone or lonely again. They are always with us, surrounding us with unconditional love. That is the spiritual answer to the phrase “Love always finds its way home,” which seemingly fell into my heart as I was writing my book.

The scientific answer in part is that mental energy involves electricity. It has been discovered that the brain has twelve to fourteen hundred billion cells. The combined power of these cells is equivalent to hundreds of watts of energy. This can be recorded by an electro-encephalograph. In other words, it is provable. This energy, however faint, when emitted can affect matter. To make a long story short, intense emotions are similar to powerful and concentrated thoughts because they can and do leave their imprints on objects that are thought to be inanimate. Both animals and humans can sense these impressions and they will find their way home, sometimes against nearly insurmountable odds.

I did not know all of that when I heard the still, small voice within my soul whispering “Love always finds its way home.” My heart knew it, though, and at the end of the day, isn’t that all that really matters?

'Our cat family forever' - Mari

Lastly I’d like to add something I found in my research which encompasses both the scientific and spiritual explanations of reincarnation. I wrote about it on page 81 in my book: “Masters who have studied reincarnation believe that the soul seeks the location of its growth and its greatest happiness. This usually means it will return very close to where it left the previous body. This place is like a gravitational field or vortex. The soul drifts faster and faster as it approaches life once again. It falls toward its previous origin. It comes home!” This clearly explained to me why a tiny kitten was sitting patiently in an empty parking lot on a cold, snowy day with no one around, no houses, surrounded by two busy streets, office buildings, and quite a little way from my sprawling apartment building… very unlikely but that’s how Wisdom chose to arrive in the neighbourhood. It was here that he sought out the help of Angela, the angel who found this cat and put up all those “Cat Found” fliers. The journey and the transition was a success! Once in our home, Delight only remembered her former life as Wisdom or a moment to show us who he was and then with those memories erased this precious soul became our Delight.

Flier - Mari's 'turning point'

Your book is non-fiction. Have you ever wanted to write fiction?

Yes. l plan to write a novel combining fiction and fact about some of the players in my life who were with me in past lives and who have made appearances in my current life in most astonishing ways. It will be my way of letting them know that I do indeed recognize and love them more than ever and always will. God gave us the miracle of reincarnation and, unfortunately, it has been too long suppressed and needs to be shared and even shouted from the rooftops.

Can you list five favourite books and tell us why they’re your favourites?
Wow, five? Well, Portrait of Jenny by Robert Nathan is my first choice. It was the first book I ever fell in love with back in high school. It is the story of a man who meets and falls in love with the ghost of a girl who has been his soul mate for eternity. It seems like I was destined to know of the magic and power of reincarnation way back then because this book has held fascination for me all these years. I love the humour and insight of Ellen DeGeneres and so I will include her New York Times Bestseller The Funny Thing Is… on my list. It makes me laugh.  I have yet to accomplish The Art of Doing Nothing which is why another favourite of mine by the same title and written by Veronique Vienne is always on my night table. I rush by it and think about doing nothing… but don’t follow my own advice most of the time! I simply love Born Standing Up by Steve Martin which my son Dustin gave me one year for my birthday. I am the all-time Steve Martin fan and you can read about Dustin and his perpetually positive and delightful influence on my life in my book too (complete with photos). Hmmm…one more favourite…OK…I’ll have to choose Listen to the Warm, a collection of love poems by Rod McKuen. The first poem “A Cat Named Sloopy” sent me forth on my journey of love for cats and I mention how it all began with this poem in my book. Thanks Rod, in case you read this blog!

You’re a busy person. Now that you’ve finished your book and seen it published, do you have any other writing projects?
I made a tiny start at writing a novel about which I’ve already mentioned. I just finished a 35-page research paper for a college class so I am taking it easy on the writing for a while…. or at least I was until I got this questionnaire from you, Nik! Here I sit answering these questions and enjoying every minute of it!

And if so, what are you working on now? Well, I’m working on this blog at the moment, Nik! (You are supposed to laugh now).

What is your biggest distraction when it comes to writing?
Everything! Life! Jobs! College! Family! Writing takes a lot of inspiration and when you’ve got that you need the discipline to sit yourself down and write, write, write before that inspiration slips away.

What’s your favourite movie?
I have to say All of Me, starring (who else?) Steve Martin and Lily Tomlin, wins my vote. Oddly enough it is centred on a soul who wishes to keep living after her death so she can experience all the things she missed in her current life. The concepts of reincarnation and the somewhat similar concept of transmigration (the passing of a soul into another body after death) are portrayed in a humorous way, yet the lesson for all of is there if we look. Life never ends and our chances to make things right, to become the one we were meant to be and to find our destiny are always right there for us if we will just believe!

What’s your favourite quotation?
Every Winnie-the-Pooh quote that was ever written, I’d have to say! I can’t seem to choose because my eyes are filled with tears as I read down the list I have collected!

If you could live anywhere else in the world where would it be and why?
I do love San Francisco. I left my heart there twice!

And lastly, just for interest – what’s your favourite food and why?
Yogurt is my everyday favourite food…any flavour! A day without yogurt is like a day without sunshine! Of course, I feel quite the same about chocolate, but chocolate is not a food but a flavour, but I don’t seem to care for chocolate flavoured yogurt…go figure!

Thank you, Mari. I wish you continued good fortune with your book.

THE TALE OF WISDOM AND DELIGHT

Mari LaFore

Amazon.com kindle can be purchased here

Amazon.com paperback can be purchased here

Amazon.co.uk kindle here

Amazon.co.uk paperback here

 

Illustrated with photographs, and includes a comprehensive list of sources.

Some reviews:

“Mari LaFore combines her heart-knowledge of her pet’s reincarnation with documentation and expert opinion to create a beautiful and credible testimony. As an author, I enjoyed having LaFore’s loving words about her cats dance up and down my spine. Kudos on a warm and soul-satisfying story!” - Pegi Deitz Shea, Institute of Children’s Literature, Redding, Ct

“A wonderful story of love and hope.”  - Megan Zuba, Case Manager, St. Joseph Center, Los Angeles, CA.

“I find Mari LaFore’s story quite stunning and heart-warming.” - Seema Kapani, Diversity Education Coordinator, UW Madison

“Wisdom and Delight moved me. It makes for an inspirational read for anyone who has lost a loved one, whether human or animal.” - Robert Morton, author of Death is Another Life

“Fans of The Ghost Whisperer will find this a delight. If you love animals, especially cats, you’ll adore The Tale of Wisdom and Delight!” – Helen Ross, reviewer

Bio

Mari LaFore lives in the beautiful, Isthmus city of Madison Wisconsin between two sparkling lakes. Her sunny apartment is shared with plenty of contented purring cats. Her home reflects the timeless beauty of a Maxfield Parrish painting, decorated with her paintings, photographs, and other works of art. She considers it to be her heaven. She is an artist in oil paint, acrylics, watercolor, and tempera. She loves writing poetry and short stories. She has written a whimsical four-act play called Will I Know You?, a zany TV sitcom pilot called Chicago Dogs, and a delightful children’s tale titled Salvador’s Wallet which was published in the Skipping Stones Multicultural Magazine, March/April 2012 issue. Find Mari’s artwork  at http://laforedesign.smugmug.com/Art/Mari-LaFore-Painting/

Mari has a Liberal Arts Degree from Madison Area Technical College, has taken theatre and film classes at U.W. LaCrosse and Edgewood College, and is currently a senior pursuing her Bachelor’s Degree in Theater at the University of Wisconsin, Madison where she also holds a certificate in Chican@?Latin@ Studies. She is a member of Working Title, a writing organization on campus and was a poetry judge for 2012’s Annual Lit Fest held on UW Madison campus. She also studies Spanish during the summer months plus working at both Student Unions UW Madison campus, Wisconsin Union Theatre also on UW Madison campus and Kelley’s Market. She also finds time to counsel bereaved pet owners, who have recently lost their furry babies