Tag: creative writing
-
The Alchemist of Paris Book Map
Here is a map of the key places in The Alchemist of Paris. Creating a book map has been on my to-do list for ages and I’m excited at how it turned out! This map posed the challenge of portraying a city in an earlier time period, and also a city which many people know…
-
Flashback – A never published scene from The Alchemist of Paris
When I was sorting through my papers, I found this scene from an early draft of The Alchemist of Paris. Young housemaid Elise and her mysterious master are walking through the pre-dawn streets of 19th century Paris. Although there are familiar points, this scene has an alternative plot line. Can you spot three changes from…
-
Sequels, Prequels and Interquels
Be careful, the note said, for I had found a phantom. Albert Price had been known across Europe for the past fifty years, although if he were real or a legend, no one knew. – The Alchemist of Rome When your main character has lived for centuries, are your books sequels, prequels or interquels? The…
-
Map Monday – Ancient Egypt
“In Egypt, I met a man who called himself Albert Price. And that man has intrigued me ever since.” – Jean-Louis Champillon reflects on past journeys in ‘The Alchemist of Paris’ The book in the picture above was published in 1888. It was found in a book sale in a barn many years…
-
The Surprising Difficulties of Photographing #Booksandmacarons
#Bookstagramming on Instagram combines three of my favourite things – taking pictures, microblogging and discovering new books. With hashtags such as #booksandnature, #booksanddogs #booksandcafes #booksinthewild etc etc, it all looks so chic and simple. However all those artful pictures are not as easy as they look, as I discovered when I decided to photograph ‘The…
-
Leaving Paris
Paris had never looked more beautiful than on that last run through the city. I had forgotten the squalor and smells of the narrow streets now and saw only the grandeur of the rooftops against the sky. Gerard guided me out of Le Marais and along the broad boulevards near the Louvre Palace. We ran…
-
Leaving home
At twilight I slipped out of the convent and into the herb garden. Unlocking the gate, I strolled under the old stone arch to the fields beyond. The sky was blue violet, and a golden moon was rising over the hills. The air was sweet with the scent of the rustling grasses. Wildflowers, some blooming…
-
Flash Fiction – Social Media Anxiety
A sweet tale for this Valentine Day’s Month. * * * * * Tim wants to be your friend. Natasha sat before her computer. Sunlight peeked through the morning clouds outside her window. She sipped her coffee and stared at the screen. Tim was the cute boy she had met at the…
-
Your Novel Stinks! Including all the Senses in your Writing
The quickest way to immerse a reader in your character’s world is for the reader to experience that world through your character’s senses. Most writers are familiar with the “show don’t tell” rule. The closer we are to the character’s actions and reactions, the more gripping the story becomes. Sight and sound are easy to…
-
Character Sketches
I am surrounded by creative projects in various stages of completion. Here are some character sketches from an ambitious plan I had to write an illustrated novel. Our beautiful heroine has been captured… By a mean and pompous vampire-hunter… And held captive in a terrifying prison, where the guards keep watch… Due to her…