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Let’s Start Right – Open Book Blog Hop #401

November 6, 2023 By Captain Maiel 3 Comments

♦Welcome to another edition of the Open Book Blog Hop!♦

Topic #401

What is the best opening paragraph you’ve written? (inspired by a
comment by Richard) Do you have a favorite one that is different?

Welcome back to another Open Book Blog Hop! The authors included in this ongoing series wish to thank you for your reads. Even more so, we appreciate that you share our writings with friends. If you’re new to the series, welcome aboard. The authors engage and impress weekly. Prepare to become a regular reader.

“The veil, hiding what is beyond perceived reality, is the border of space and time,
called the khajala. It is this veil which keeps life blind to the reality of its universe,
until such a time the knowing takes hold…”
The Trailokya Trilogy, Book One: The Shadow Soul

The start of a book is some of the most difficult writing you’ll undertake. It’s not the hardest, in my estimation, but it is highly important and stressful. However you craft your opener will determine whether a reader will continue reading your work or set it back on the shelf. This small part is referred to as a hook for good reason.

The hook (or lack thereof) could easily make or break a sale as easily as a book blurb. Some readers may give you more time, but that is not the norm. With shortening attention spans, and high expectations for the entertainment they choose, the public will want a great opening paragraph (or line). Hooking them is a big undertaking in small space and all authors have to be able to do it.

Learning the important skill of the start is also an important part of screenwriting. It comes in a couple of forms: economical descriptions and the dreaded log line. Let’s start with the latter. Just like your book blurb, the log line provides the hook for would-be managers and producers (your script readers). Additionally, keep your descriptions concise and short is a great way to win them over.

Economical writing has become the vogue for novels and scripts. You want to cleverly write your story in the most concise and short way possible. Time is your currency in either kind of writing. The less you bog down the reader, the better. However, don’t think that means you should leave out just about everything. The idea is to make sure that what you do include is necessary and precise.

The start of a book is promise of the book blurb or a screenplays logline. It has to payout. If it doesn’t compel them to the next bit, it’s a wooden nickel! That line does a lot of heavy lifting for the entire book.

If you read the line I chose from The Shadow Soul, you’ll see that it supplies a litany of clues for the reader. You know right away that this is a fantasy, possibly science fiction in scope, and likely a bit dark. A reader can surmise that a whole lot of change is going to happen for the characters in these pages, and that the plot will more than likely take them to some pretty epic places. It insinuates the gravity of the pending adventure. There is a taste of a multiverse and the boundaries that keep those worlds apart, likely showing us that the characters are going to need to move past those boundaries.

Hopefully, this line does its job and is as compelling as I felt. What follows is a somewhat thick explanation of how that world was established and interacts with itself. Thick but not long. I recommend not getting bogged down in the formula, as it will unfold in the course of the adventure. Yet, I still felt it necessary to provide a primer. The reader can always return to those pages for review. If left out, then are reader would not have that option.

In many cases, that opener comes well-after the story is manifested on the page. Writing that opening paragraph or line is far easier to accomplish when you know where you’re headed. That harkens back to the way in which loglines and book blurbs come into existence. Think of them as teammates, and you can use them to help you build each of the other pieces. There’s more on log lines and blurb writing here.

Let’s hop on over to the other authors’ responses on this hop. Don’t forget to drop your email in the box on the top right so you can receive this blog hop in your inbox each Friday.

Travelling and Writing – Open Book Blog Hop #400

October 30, 2023 By Captain Maiel 4 Comments

♦Welcome to another edition of the Open Book Blog Hop!♦

Topic #400

Do you write while you are travelling? How do you make it work?

Trips cost a lot of money and missing out on the experience regardless of that fact still feels like a betrayal! Usually, when I go on vacation, I’m going somewhere I want to be busy doing activities that take me out of the hotel room, or out of the house. In the end, that really is the whole point: to set your work down and rest.

I’d write while travelling to the destination, but it’s difficult to do so. If you’re driving, you can’t (even if you’re riding it can be bumpy). Space to work is limited on planes and in automobiles. When I wrote in a notebook, I found it hard to deal with the space and motion. I can’t even read while riding. On a plane, you’re limited in the use of devices. I can’t just whip out the laptop. The attendants don’t like you to use your devices, as they can’t tell if you’re online or not, and they’re prohibited in various portions of the flight besides. Again, a notebook may be alright but planes also have a motion to them and the spacing in the seats…

When I get to my destination, the last thing I am thinking about is work! However, if I am travelling for work, I like a diversion for the evenings. Often, hotel televisions pose difficulties. Finding a show to watch either costs extra or poses a scavenger hunt, making it more of a point to leave it off the whole time instead. Bringing your own device is useful for navigating those difficulties, and since my I write on a laptop, I can often use mine to work on a book.

That said, even when travelling for work, it is difficult to find a substantial span of time to get in the mood and the groove of writing. Think about those conferences. They keep you hopping from one event to the next right up until later evening. By then, you just want a shower and bed! While I find it hard to sleep in hotels, writing wouldn’t help me unwind. I am quite obsessive once I start, and then hours and hours pass without needed rest.

By now, you can probably tell that I don’t travel to write, either. I’d travel to research something for a book, but travelling to do writing would be a foolish thing for me to attempt. No writing would happen but I sure would see some sights! And, yes. It always amused me when movies or television depicted writers resolving their writer’s block with a trip to write far away from their life. Inevitably, you see, they can’t do the deed either!

When I travel, my favorite artistic endeavors are to make notes for future works or do photography. Painting trips are something I would not mind undertaking, either. Not sure how I would get anything home again, such as supplies and canvasses. If I could drive to the spot, then that would be no matter. However, flying to France or Italy, or elsewhere beyond my borders, creates a little logistical issue. Still, travelling to paint makes so much more sense to me.

I suppose one could travel to an interesting place and spend many weeks both exploring and writing. Who has the cash laying about to do that?

Click on the links below to see how the other authors in our hop manage writing on trips. Remember to subscribe to the blog to receive this hop in your inbox weekly on Fridays! See you here next time!

Phenomenal Construction – Open Book Blog Hop #399

October 23, 2023 By Captain Maiel 2 Comments

♦Welcome to another edition of the Open Book Blog Hop!♦

Topic #399

What is a book you admire for something specific: world building,
characters, dialogue, setting, plot twists, etc.?

The answer I give is likely predictable if you’ve been on this hop for a time. Honestly, as I wrack my brain to think of another, there is no comparison to be had. This author’s work nails every single detail in the question regarding their construction of their books. From the world building to the etcetera, there is no other book that achieves such a level of near perfection. Some may argue that this author only almost got there, or they may name something else that grew to love, but if we’re being fair, this is absolutely truly the king of world building, character creation, dialogue, setting, plot twists (in its time), and all the rest.

The entire body of J.R.R. Tolkien’s work could be submitted as an answer for this question. In fact, I struggle to pick the leader among the usual suspects. Currently, I am reading The Hobbit to my six year old. This revisit has been quite a lovely experience, as I get to share something I love with someone I love. She is a big fan of Bombur the Dwarf, by the way. If it’s not Smaug, it’s Bombur. Growing up, I liked the cantankerous Thorin best (and Smaug, of course). The Hobbit, however, is not the book I’d cite.

I’m tempted to put forth The Silmarillion as the premiere among his work. What a truly phenomenal piece of construction! It appeals mostly to my historian brain, as it reads like familiar historical document texts. (Later this will make a great deal more sense.) There is a lot to learn in this work about the world of Tolkien, and much is surprising. Don’t you love a good origin story? Due to the thickness of the construction and a it’s niche nature, I’ll skip it to suggest the one that is also my favorite on film. Wait. Did I dislike any of them? Not in the least. The films are fantastic pieces of art, and I waited so long for them to exist. There is nothing I’ll be caught complaining about in them.

The book I feel, in this moment, fits the bill is The Two Towers. Of course, here, we are already well-introduced to our group of nine. The addition of the Rhohirrim comes in this portion of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, along with the surprising and horrific abuse of their king and his niece at the hands of Worm Tongue. Indeed, this is also the point where we come into contact with a specific and ancient monster: Shelob. She is far worse than Smaug. I can’t even imagine becoming her victim and that terrible death. At least fire is quick!

The dialogue that takes place in the keep of Edoras is phenomenal. There is also the talk between Sam and Frodo in and around the Shelob episode. We learn in this book that Saruman had betrayed his kind and Middle Earth for Power. Gandalf becomes Gandalf the White, returning from the after world. We see the forces that our beloved characters will face. We meet the Ents. Our group of 9 is now 8 and broken up across the map on their path to destroy the ring and stop Sauron.

Out of the rubble of The Fellowship comes the re-construction of our quest, but not before we blow it all up again! This is also the book in which the battle of Helm’s deep takes place. The dialogue is, again, superb throughout this portion. While reading this part, I was convinced that our three travelers were not to make it free from this end. Perhaps Aragorn would manage to escape in some construction, but surely not all of them. But, despite the powerful enemy they face, they rise above.

Tolkien was a master in bringing you to the brink only to reward the reader. Readers today will say that the work is predictable, or doesn’t go far enough, but they’re reading it out of its time. In other words, these books were unique in their time of release, and for many decades hence. It is because of Tolkien’s writing (themes and other details) that we can feel that it is now the usual course of a work. He set the bar, and others tried very hard to reach it.

To bolster my opinion, I’ll also remind readers that he was not just an author and poet but an academic level philologist (you can find out more about philology on the link, but essentially it means he studied, translated, interpreted, and worked with historical texts–such as Beowulf). Tolkien graduated from Oxford and later taught there as well as at Leeds and Pembroke. He was a veteran of World War I and served as a codebreaker in World II. These things greatly fed into the works he produced.

The effort and imagination that went into the construction of these works is as immense as the impressive education he received. I have a great deal of respect for his art and learning. It is difficult, however, to truly choose which of his books should take the spot of best, as they all seem to be one very large epic history of an all too real fantasy realm. In that, I can relate greatly to him.

Check out which books the other authors selected by clicking on their links below. Don’t forget to subscribe, so you can receive this hop weekly.

Soundtracking to Inspiration – Open Book Blog Hop #398

October 16, 2023 By Captain Maiel 3 Comments

♦Welcome to another edition of the Open Book Blog Hop!♦

Topic #398

If your WIP had a soundtrack, what songs would be on it?
Do you write with some sort of background noise or do you prefer silence?

I’ve written in the past about the soundtracks that I created while working on those books that are already published. You can look at those here. Each one had a playlist. So that is no different for my work in progress: OP-GHO: Operation Ghost. You can bet, because it is a sequel, that the list is pretty similar to the one I had for OP-DEC.

OG takes place in the 1940s right in the middle of World War II. The music I generally listen to is period appropriate, so anything up to that point is viable for the list. Would I have some harpsicord? Obviously not. Thus, the year of the setting and other relevant circumstances matter for what goes into the queue.

I like to find old radio programs and recordings. I also don’t limit my background sounds to just music. I’ll put on the television to occupy the part of my brain that never switches off. For that, in the past, I have used a lot of cartoons. It’s super busy and light, and my brain doesn’t focus in on it much. Putting on anything that would take the focus from the work at hand is counter productive. Therefore, I don’t mind if my kiddo puts on her programs or someone puts on something to watch as I sit in my chair with my laptop, tapping away.

Focusing on the work not only takes time, but the right mood. Music is a great way for me to click back into my groove, and movies are no different. Film from the period especially helps me get back on track. A long commute from work always provided a great way for me to find inspiration when I endured them in my life. Now that I live much closer to the day job, and don’t have a straight route, I can’t daydream about my writing. Since my days go by working and my evening focus is my daughter, it is much harder.

Music and film continue to inspire me when needed. I’m not concerned that I’ll lose my drive to write. It remains a skill I have at the ready, and quite often use at work. I’m only getting better! So, when I do sit down to write, I’m rested and fresh, and usually very inspired from all the mental trips I’ve taken on the ideas I have.

While I often use music and film to help me fix my mood to write, I also find that silence can be a great benefactor of inspiration. When there is silence for an extended period, my brain will fill the gap with all kinds of musings. This is super useful for working out ideas I may struggle to fully realize.

I guess this just shows my flexible nature! Depending on the instance, I will lean into music, a movie, or silence to get the job done. Let’s see what the other author have to say by clicking on their links below. Also, enter your email address in the box on the top right to have this hop delivered to your inbox each Friday. That information is never sold or shared with anyone. See you next time!

Many Journeys to Saratoga – Open Book Blog Hop #397

October 9, 2023 By Captain Maiel 4 Comments

♦Welcome to another edition of the Open Book Blog Hop!♦

Topic #397

Has a book or movie ever been based somewhere you’ve lived?
How did it compare?

So many films have been made in my hometown, along with it and neighboring cities being mentioned since the hey-day of the silver screen. I am sure you’ve heard Schenectady mentioned in classic movies. Albany gets mentioned a lot in the Law and Order series. Then, there are nods to the horse racing city of Saratoga that is where I was born. You can view a list of films made there and about it here: https://saratogaliving.com/saratoga-goes-hollywood-15-movies-shot-in-saratoga-surrounding-region/

The top films made about my hometown are mostly from the classic era. The last is more recent and probably quite familiar to you. However, they all are on one subject: horseracing.

Saratoga (1937)
The Homestretch (1947)
Seabiscuit (2003)

Saratoga Springs, NY (United States) is also well-known for its connection to mineral water and the Victorian health craze for it. An entire industry built up around bath houses and drinking mineral water. Few of the resorts still exist in this time, but I did work at one as a teenager in the early 1990s, which has hung on for decades. Most of the tourism is around the horseracing that has outlasted the health crazes. In fact, one might find that the pendulum swung to the other side, as horseracing brings in a less healthy practice of organized crime.

I cannot answer about the accuracy the first two films on the list have for Saratoga. I cannot recall seeing either. As for Seabiscuit, I was very much around for the filming. I never watched the film in its entirety. To be completely open, I wasn’t all that interested. I know–I know. I know it’s an Oscar nominee and a high quality film.

Though I love horses, because they’re just giant doggies, the races aren’t exciting or interesting. I have a problem with the exploitation of the animals, for one. Then, there is the other list of issues…It’s a big to-do for the entitled wealthy of the world. They come to our town to amass trophies and cash, and pad their fragile egos. It brings with it some nefarious figures looking to cash in, who indulge in excessive gambling and drinking, and also treat the locals poorly (see my YouTube for further explanation).

Just to show I’m not alone, my closest friend, who was also born there didn’t care much about the Seabiscuit film either. Recollection of the reviews ranged from it was okay to a great film. The reviews from locals directly correlate to how those folks view the races. Having attended the races and photographed them, having grown up in Saratoga and lived there for most of my life, I could probably tell you if the films are accurate. That said, I’d have to watch them. Maybe that’s an idea for a watch party live?

I cannot wait to find out what the other authors have to say about their home stomping grounds, and if they feel any of the films did justice to them. Click on their links below to find out more. Also, be sure to drop your email in the box on the top right to subscribe to the newsletter and get this hop dropped in your email each Friday.