#IWSG – Inspired Creation

May 3, 2023 by Roland Clarke

Before I tackle this month’s question for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group post , there’s time and space for a news update.

First, I must remember to celebrate our 13^th Wedding Anniversary on May 14th.

Second, our house move may take longer than hoped. Some of the houses we were interested in, we can’t view yet as they are not ‘active’ in the market. Our realtor explained he gets fined $1,000 for each ‘inactive’ property he shows prospective buyers around. Maybe all our funds will be in place when we find the perfect home.

At least a delay gives my care team more time to get me in my power wheelchair for indoor trips… and then outside with trees and grass in a gated, over 55 community with amenities.

Until the move happens, gaming and writing keep my brain active and alive. Tomorrow, May the Force be with you.

Ukraine is still one of my two writing priorities. I will continue my Ukraine stories until a just peace is reached and the reconstruction has begun. Next episode is due around June 21st – prompt ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind.’ However, first I’m working on another Ukraine piece to build on my April entry: https://rolandclarke.com/2023/04/20/wep-iwsg-april-challenge-life-is-beautiful/

The June prompt presents a challenge.

https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/p/challenges-2023.html

Slava Ukrayini

Every month, IWSG announces a question that members can answer in their IWSG post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience, or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say.

Remember, the question is optional!

May 3 question – When you are working on a story, what inspires you?

Interesting question with at least two answers, depending on which story I’m working on:

Snowdon Shadows: Characters have inspired me as I wrote the various stories within my Snowdon Shadows world, especially my crime-fighting duo, Sparkle Anwyl and Kama Pillai. However, other characters involved in their cases have proved inspirational in their own way.

[graphic]

Fevered Fuse, the first Snowdon Shadows novel, has seen this trend continue. Furthermore, I note another inspiring element – the setting, notably North Wales. In many ways, Snowdonia is another character. Therefore, I chose ‘setting’ as another ‘inspirer’.

2. Freedom Flights: Events inspired my ongoing Ukraine saga, initially real-life events. Then those inspired the fictional events to develop the episodes within the saga. Again, the characters proved inspirational. However, when I come to link the present-day stories back to my initial World War II story, ‘Feathered Fire’, I will use real events woven within fictional ones… and characters. My intention is to work on these pre-2022 episodes during NaNoWriMo 2023.

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The awesome co-hosts for the May 3 posting of the IWSG are Joylene Nowell Butler,Ronel Janse van Vuuren,Meka James,Victoria Marie Lees, and M Louise Barbour!

Finally, don’t forget to visit more active writers via the IWSG site:

Insecure Writer’s Support Group

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer – aim for a dozen new people each time – and return comments. This group is all about connecting!

#IWSG – Career Path

April 5, 2023 by Roland Clarke

Before I tackle this month’s question for this Insecure Writer’s Support Group post , I should give a health warning:

Excessive exploring down rabbit holes leads to drowsiness…

.and lost words of wisdom.

If I keep dozing off, this might be next month’s effort. Which works as we will be about to celebrate our 13^th anniversary on May 14th. As last month I said, “13 years, three countries, and five homes… and a sixth looking necessary for various reasons, although selling our house might stymie our intent.”

The house move must happen as I need to leave the house when the weather improves – no green snow on April 1st. 😉

My care team are already planning the first stage: getting me in my power wheelchair for indoor trips…to the front room.

Outside needs upgrading from mean streets to trees and grass in a gated, over 55 community with amenities. So far, we have the idea house and community… except no trees = keep looking with help of our realtor friend.

Until the move happens, gaming and writing keep my brain active and alive.

Ukraine is still one of my two writing priorities. I will continue my Ukraine stories until a just peace is reached and the reconstruction has begun. Next episode is due around April 19^th – prompt ‘Life is Beautiful.’

https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/p/challenges-2023.html

Slava Ukrayini

Every month, IWSG announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say.

Remember, the question is optional!

April 5 question – Do you remember writing your first book? What were your thoughts about a career path on writing? Where are you now and how is it working out for you? If you’re at the start of the journey, what are your goals?

Interesting question with at least two answers, depending on which book is the first:

The first complete draft of a novel: When I was finishing college in the gorgeous Laurentians, north of Montreal, I thought I was on the brink of a career as a fantasy/science fiction writer. I had written the first draft of a fantasy novel, some short stories, and edited a SF/Fantasy fanzine called ‘Mind Sphere’.

However, family demands led me back to England with some short stories, copies of the fanzine, but not the draft novel. Dreams of becoming a writer unwound, although I scribbled a few shorts over the next three decades.

The first novel published: ‘Spiral of Hooves’ was my first published novel. The writing journey is full of memories as it’s a mystery set against the horse world surrounding the sport of eventing, which I was covering in my last years as an equestrian journalist. However, the initial inspiration came a few years earlier when I was photographing events… and before I switched career paths to selling organic produce… and then to TV/film production.

Eventually, I returned to writing about horse sports as an equestrian journalist. My initial idea proved too unwieldy, but this time I was ready to commit although my journo-journey was taking off and eating into the fictional commitment. But it was feeding the plotlines. Then at an international indoor show, I was watching a showjumping class when the pieces gelled.

Okay, it took invaluable comments from the experienced novelists of Tunbridge Wells & District Writers Circle , an incurable disease, retirement, a few more years, and my determined American wife to encourage me across the published finishing line.

From that encouraging start, I have kept writing, although judging by the out-of-date ‘Work Progression – or not’ page on this website, kept distracting my progress with new projects… often during NaNoWriMo. Even my second finished novel ‘Wyrm Bait’ was submitted to an editor, and June 2013 I received a positive appraisal with extensive notes and suggestions on how to revise it. Instead, I darted down another rabbit run.

So, eight plus distractions later, I have two more challengers for second novel:

Fevered Fuse – my Snowdon Shadows police procedural, which I’m attempting to revise through my health issues, guided by my editor’s notes, and encouraged across the finish by you, my loyal followers. Many thanks.

Freedom Flight – my ongoing Ukraine saga, requiring a just peace, and maybe a NaNoWriMo attempt to fill in the blanks.

Fatigue is setting in, so I must stop, then post.

**
The awesome co-hosts for the April 5 posting of the IWSG are Jemima Pett,Nancy Gideon, and Natalie Aguirre!

Finally, don’t forget to visit more active writers via the IWSG site:

Insecure Writer’s Support Group

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.

#IWSG – Anniversaries

March 1, 2023 by Roland Clarke

Before I tackle this month’s question and today’s Insecure Writer’s Support Group post , I should address the anniversaries.

First though, how flexible are the definitions? I chose to find guidance from the online thesaurus I use.

https://www.powerthesaurus.org/anniversary/definitions

So, all the following anniversaries qualify.

Most important, to me, is my wife Juanita’s birthday. She’s 71 today and precious. In just over a month, we will celebrate our 13^th anniversary. 13 years, three countries, and five homes… and a sixth looking necessary for various reasons, although selling our house might stymie our intent.

Juanita shares her special day with St David, the Patron Saint of Wales. When we moved to Harlech in Snowdonia, our first morning in our new home was March 1^st, 2014.

Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus

Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus

That post made me look for other March 1^st IWSG posts.

Although, this next one appeared on March 5^th, 2014, it seems the most relevant, as we are/might be on the move again. Hopefully, we won’t be offline as long, especially since in 2014 my brother pulled political strings to get our IP provider to provide our connection faster.

Forty Days & Forty Nights without Internet

Rather than link every March IWSG post, I searched for one more appropriate piece. The one below is not March, but my second ever IWSG post – my first being a month earlier. The chicken-list is interesting as it shows how my life has changed. Neither of my current writing projects were in existence, and Wyrm Bait is now on ice. Gaming has become a lifeline, although I keep it in check.

Eight Headless Chickens

The final anniversaries are all related to Ukraine, which is still one of my two writing priorities.

February 22^nd: In 2022, Russia began its unprovoked aerial bombardment of Ukraine.

February 24^th: In 2022, Russia began its devastating. land invasion of Ukraine.

February 26^th: In 2014, Russia invaded Ukraine’s Crimea territory, and illegally annexed Crimea on March 16^th.

I will continue my Ukraine stories until a just peace is reached and the reconstruction has begun. Latest episode was on February 15^th:

WEP/IWSG February Challenge – Gone with The Wind

Slava Ukrayini

Remember, the question is optional!

March 1 question – Have you ever read a line in novel or a clever plot twist that caused you to have author envy?

This month I’m passing, not because of no lines or twists existing, but because there are too many. I manage to find at least one in most novels I read or listen to. Author envy occurs too often.

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The awesome co-hosts for the March 1 posting of the IWSG are Diedre Knight,Tonya Drecker, Bish Denham, Olga Godim,and JQ Rose!

Finally, don’t forget to visit more active writers via the IWSG site:

Insecure Writer’s Support Group

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.

#IWSG – Cover Art

February 1, 2023 by Roland Clarke

Before I tackle this month’s question and Insecure Writer’s Support Group post , I must give you my usual writing-health report.

Writing one-handed through pain and med-induced drowsiness, is now exacerbated by using the second arm/hand to massage or lift myself.

Hence snail progress… or, apologies, none. Thus, this post is delayed… and nearly missed the deadline.

Ukraine is still my priority – see yesterday’s post: https://rolandclarke.com/2023/01/31/wep-iwsg-challenge-resolve/

Plus. February’s WEP-IWSG’s Challenge entry will happen.

Slava Ukrayini

Remember, the question is optional!

February 1 question – If you are an Indie author, do you make your own covers or purchase them? If you publish trad, how much input do you have about what goes on your cover?

I’ve only has one publication requiring a cover, as shorts have a collection cover.

Spiral of Hooves was released as an e-book on Monday, December 9^th, 2013, by Spectacle Publishing. The cover was designed in-house. Although, I made some initial suggestions, the final product was not as expected. I had envisaged bloody hoofprints in snow, not hoofprints at night in sand or snow. Some say it works.

When I got the rights back, I corrected the text in a few places. I found Jonathan Temples, a cover designer in Northern Ireland, who did designs for one of my favourite thriller writers. He worked closely with me and a photographer friend. Jonathan produced a front & back cover I’m extremely pleased with… as well as matching bookmarks. So, I published this second edition with CreateSpace on Monday, August 7th, 2017, in paperback and on Kindle.

***Cover design by Jonathan Temples. Cover photo by Nick Perry***

Whenever, if ever. Fevered Fuse, my police procedural set in Snowdonia, gets published I want to work with Jonathan Temples again. Of course, that depends on the publisher. At least, I can recommend him, and submit the initial drawing he did for the graphic novel concept.

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The awesome co-hosts for the February 1 posting of the IWSG are Jacqui Murray,Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Pat Garcia, and Gwen Gardner!

Finally, don’t forget to visit more active writers via the IWSG site:

Insecure Writer’s Support Group

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.

#IWSG – Thrive

January 4, 2023 by Roland Clarke

Before I tackle this month’s question and Insecure Writer’s Support Group post , I must give you some news that was uplifting going forward.

I was chosen as Runner-Up in the WEP-IWSG’s December Challenge The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face with my story Swords to Ploughshares.

Writing fiction set against a horrific war has been difficult to research and write. Other than a small donation to Médecins Sans Frontières, one of the main charities helping in Ukraine, this has been one of the few ways this invalid can help keep people aware of the ongoing injustices.

I will continue to follow events and reflect them in my Challenge posts in 2023.

Unfortunately, that last piece proved inaccurate. I portrayed a peaceful moment during the festive season, yet Russian missiles continued to rain down on Ukraine throughout what should have been the Holy time of Peace.

I will attempt to rectify the inaccuracy in my compilation Freedom Flights, which is an ongoing project. I’ve been working on some Ukraine stories to fill the gap between my 1944 short story and my 2022 flash entries. So, this Runner-Up award is encouraging and uplifting, as I continue following the current war for the 2023 Challenges.

I’m also grateful as my health is so uncertain, I need goals to keep going.

Next week may prove complicated as my term ends with my current hospice team, so we need to find a new provider.

My New Year resolution was to re-start my revision of ‘Fevered Fuse’, my Snowdonia police procedural afresh. However, I can’t find my editor’s comments and in-depth edit – her email is missing and my desktop is still not installed after seven months. I’ve emailed her, hoping she efficiently keeps clients’ files.

Anyway, have great 2023 filled with fruitful writing gems.

Plus, Plot ahead for the Year of the Water Rabbit commencing January 22nd.

Remember, the question is optional!

January 4 question – Do you have a word of the year? Is there one word that sums up what you need to work on or change in the coming year? For instance, in 2021 my word of the year was Finish. I was determined to finished my first draft by the end of the year. In 2022, my word of the year is Ease. I want to get my process, systems, finances, and routines where life flows with ease and less chaos. What is your word for 2023? Why?

THRIVE

Thrive as in my health intentions, despite current hospice issues.

Thrive as in one of the protein drinks I use to stay alive.

Thrive as in my Snowdon police detectives striving to get published.

Thrive as in my Ukrainian pilots surviving and finding genuine peace.

Thrive as in my hopes and prayers for the determined people of Ukraine.

Slava Ukrayini

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The awesome co-hosts for the January 4 posting of the IWSG are Jemima Pett, Debs Carey, Kim Lajevardi, Sarah Foster, Natalie Aguirre, and T. Powell Coltrin!

Finally, don’t forget to visit more active writers via the IWSG site:

Insecure Writer’s Support Group

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.

#IWSG – Holiday Writing

December 7, 2022 by Roland Clarke

This month’s Insecure Writer’s Support Group post might be a mite rushed, but not because of the holidays… well not directly.

Rather, I’m still working on my December WEP-IWSG Challenge, which, although part of my ongoing Ukraine story, this month has a holiday element and is set during the festive season.

However, I have posted Acts 2 & 3, and I’m now writing Act 3 – Swords to Ploughshares – to give a more upbeat closure to my story, which closes on Christmas Eve.

I will probably write more as the end to this disastrous war remains uncertain.

As for me, I am still attempting to concentrate on the key tasks… my second chance.

To focus on family and writing… on leaving that loving legacy.

My Snowdonia police procedural will be finished, although I fear getting my desktop installed looks unlikely this year. After six months, it’s no longer a priority for others amidst their real-life emergencies.

So, my New Year resolution is to re-start my revision of ‘Fevered Fuse’ afresh.

Remember, the question is optional!

December 7 question – It’s holiday time! Are the holidays a time to catch up or fall behind on writer goals?

If the question is general, I would guess for many writers the holidays cut into their writing time. Celebrations and family time come first.

For me, this has been the norm for many years, even when I was retired.

However, ill-health has given me an excuse to leave gatherings early… so, slip away and write… or sleep for hours.

Now I’m bed-bound, gatherings are different. The family hold them in our trailer park’s clubhouse. In theory, if a few people were able to transfer me from bed to powered wheelchair, then I could drive to the gathering.

But so far, for a step-granddaughter’s first birthday and Thanksgiving, I haven’t braved the cold nor the noise. Instead, most of the family have dropped round afterwards. Thus, good to see them, and more writing/sleeping time… plus, less noise… and warmer.

On Monday, I was intending to celebrate St Nicholas Eve, but arrangements went awry.

An icon of St. Nicholas painted in 1294 for a Russian Orthodox church on Lipno Island in northwestern Russia. Public Domain

First though, I’m not Catholic, but my maternal grandmother was, and my mother was High Church Anglican, we observed a few more feast days. I have a memory of celebrating St Nicholas Eve as a child, especially when we had two Austrian servants (Anna & Anton).Of course, Santa Claus is real as the spirit of St Nicholas lives on… or should.

Our original plans this year were derailed by a mix of menu indecision, other priorities, and then family sickness. Thus, we plan with a few select family and friends to celebrate the Feast of St Nicholas on December 19^th, the day Christians who follow the Julian calendar, as some Eastern Orthodox do.

Krampus is alerted and available.

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The awesome co-hosts for the December 7 posting of the IWSG are Joylene Nowell Butler, Chemist Ken, Natalie Aguirre, Nancy Gideon, and Cathrina Constantine!

Finally, don’t forget to visit more active writers via the IWSG site:

Insecure Writer’s Support Group

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.