By the Book - Covert Christmas

Welcome back,

Books with Christmas themes can be hard to find, so when I came across ‘’Covert Christmas’’, I thought to myself it might make a good book review for December. So here is my review of this novel, written by suspense writer Hope White.

I found this novel in a used bookstore while I was shopping around for reading material.  This is not the type of book I would normally go for, but thought it would work well for future themed book reviews. Coincidently, it is also about suspense, a literary genre I covered just  recently.

           The story is about an ex-police-officer named Scott turned private security agent, who is investigating his employers shady activities. While trying to escape some hired thugs, Scott bumps his head and loses his short term memory. Luckily for him, he is saved by a local search-and-rescue trainer named Breanna, who nurses him back to health. Together, they work on getting Scott’s memories back, and uncovering what illegal activities are going on in the area. As the cover says, this novel is a love inspired suspense, so the story focuses a lot on Scott and Breanna’s feelings for each other as the plot progresses.

Back of the book:

DIAGNOSIS: AMNESIA

A man has been shot and left for dead on Echo Mountain, and Search and Rescue K-9 handler Breanna McBride wants answers. With no memory, all the injured man can recall is that his first name is Scott, and that someone wants him silenced. Scott knows better than to depend on strangers, yet he finds himself falling for his captivating protector. And although Breanna won't rest until she helps him piece together the rest of his past, she vows to ignore the attraction between them. But as they close in on the truth, she becomes the killer's next target. Now the pursuers will stop at nothing to ensure the pair is six feet under by Christmas.

Echo Mountain: Saving lives and finding love in the mountains of Washington State

What I learned from this book:

• Cliff hanger: The author successfully kept the audience engaged in the story by having some pretty intense cliff hangers at the end of every chapter. Random events, such as the unexpected appearance of a lost loved one or sudden gunfire was effective in keeping the readers hooked and wanting to move on immediately to the next chapter.
• Amnesia as a plot tool: Having the main character suffer from amnesia was a creative way of drip feeding information to the audience while explaining how the protagonist didn't have this information himself. This was also effective in making the protagonist vulnerable, and open to receive help from the love interest character, Breanna. However, I felt that amnesia in a love story sounded a bit cliché, reminiscent of old TV soap operas.
• Romance: This being the closest to an actual romance novel I have ever read, it turned out to be a great learning experience. I saw how the author built the relationship between Scott and Breanna little by little, using a combination of simple, causal actions (such as longing stares, honest conversation, etc.) and a dramatic situation (in this case, Scott’s amnesia and being pursued by killers).

Hope White was born and raised in the Midwest and migrated to the Pacific Northwest as an adult. Her hobbies include hiking in the mountains, enjoying a fine cup of tea with friends, or going to the movie theatre.

For those interested in reading more books from Hope White, please check out his website at http://www.hopewhiteauthor.com/

For those interested in learning more about her work on the Love Inspired Suspense series, you can check out this extensive wiki page:

https://www.fictiondb.com/author/hope-white~64811.htm

In closing, I would like to thank you all for dropping by and following my blog. Your patronage and encouragement is truly appreciated.

Until next time!

Cheers,

Patrick Osborne

BOOT CAMP LESSON 1: Motivation

Welcome to BOOTCAMP!

As I mentioned in my original post, I have been writing content for Missing Worlds Media, a volunteer based company, for the past three or so years. While working with the Composition Department, I was asked to come up with some writing games for future writers as well as for our fan base. These exercises are what originally gave me the idea to create this blog.

So it is with great joy that I get to share these games with you now!

Lesson 1: Character Motivation

Today’s game is about being creative with a character's motivation.

In my previous post, “Getting to know the players”, I already discussed the various types and purposes characters may have in stories. An important thing that a writer needs to remember, is why the character wants to be there. Every character in a story should have a motivation, something that drives them forward, makes them want to risk it all, that gives them a reason to want to face the Conflict in the story. Simply put; motivation is what makes a character do what they do.

The goal of this exercise to practice writing a backstory for a character. To make things more challenging, you will be creating a backstory and motivation for characters that you did not come up with.

Rules:

1. Below are 5 candidates, with only a name and a job assigned to them. Select ONE of the 5 photos to work with.
2. Write three different backgrounds for the candidate you selected: Who is this person if they were a Superhero. Who is this person if they were a Super Villain. Who is this person if they were a Civilian.
3. All 3 backgrounds must have a limit of 30 phrases each!
4. Within each background, you must include WHO the character is, WHERE they are from, WHAT do they do, HOW do they do it, and most importantly WHY do they do it.

Candidates:

1. Name: Saruwatari Profession: Male Model.
2. Name: Tessa Profession: Child care.
3. Name: Olaf Profession: Business man.
4. Name: Melina Profession: Musician.
5. Name: Marco Profession: Plumber.

When posting your separate bios, please do so as such:

1. Who is this person as a Hero:
2. Who is this person as a Villain.:
3. Who is this person as a Civilian.:

         For those who aren’t afraid to share their entries, feel free to submit your backstories as a reply to this post. Remember, this is a game, so no posting bad comments about other peoples entries.

Hope you have fun giving this exercise a try. Until next time!

Cheers,

Patrick Osborne

Inspiration part 24 - Ice Rinks

Welcome back,

While looking through my old files, I found more unused photos from my urban explorations. Given that winter is just around the corner, I thought it was the opportune moment to showcase these photos I had taken of an ice rink back in 2015.

An ice skating rink is a frozen body of water and/or hardened chemicals where people can ice skate or play winter sports. There are two types of rinks in prevalent use today: natural (where freezing occurs from cold ambient temperatures) and artificial (where freezing the water surface is achieved mechanically or with chemical/coolants). There are also synthetic ice rinks where skating surfaces are made out of plastics.

In this case, my pictures are about an indoor ice rink. The following pictures give an idea of how the location looks like from a spectators point of view.

Besides recreational ice skating, ice rinks can be used for other sports, such as ice hockey, speed skating, figure skating, and curling. It can also be used for activities like exhibitions, contests, concerts and ice shows. Below we can see a few images of a junior ice hockey league game in progress.

    Besides the rink itself, this location has other aspects to it. Below you can see a small section of the spectator seats, which are set up in different layers and sections. I also took a picture of the scoreboard, which keeps track of important information during a hockey game. Not seen in these photos are the many service corridors leading to locker rooms for the players, or loading docks for the vendors. These locations are not usually open t the general public, so I couldn’t take pictures of them.

    Something else we are accustomed to see in a hockey arena, is a ice-resurfacer, more commonly referred to as a Zamboni machine. The ice resurfacer was the brainchild of Frank J. Zamboni, who was originally in the refrigeration business. Zamboni created a plant for making ice blocks that could be used in refrigeration techniques. As the demand for ice blocks waned, he looked for another way to capitalize on his expertise with ice. In 1939, Zamboni created the Iceland Skating Rink in Paramount, California. From 1942 to 1947, he tried, fruitlessly, to develop a vehicle that could cut down on ice resurfacing time, until 1947, when he created a machine that would shave, wash and squeegee the ice. This machine was mounted on an army surplus vehicle chassis. (for more info, visit wikipedia).

As you can see, a trip to the local rink can be beneficial for any writer. Maybe you are searching for references on the setting of a ice rink for a story about an up and coming hockey player. Maybe it will be the location for a particular fight scene in an action story. Or perhaps the rink is simply for one scene in a romantic Christmas story, where the protagonist and the love interest character share a tender moment. Good examples of movies/stories that have ice rinks, are Mighty Ducks, Slap Shot, Elf and Sudden Death.

I hope you enjoyed this month's inspiration post and that I encouraged you to go out there and experience it for yourself.

Until next time.

Cheers,

Patrick Osborne

Interview - Kirsty Ferguson

Welcome back,

Welcome to this month's writer interview. While networking, I got the honor of meeting Kirsty Ferguson, author of the Little Girl series, who kindly volunteered to answer some of my questions. During my short interactions with her, she came across as a very kind and polite person, quite willing to assist other writers on their journey. I am delighted for the opportunity to have her on my blog.

Short Bio: Kirsty Ferguson is a freelance Australian writer who bases her books in rural Australian towns. She writes in multiple genres including, thrillers, crime, mystery and paranormal. Kirsty has released three crime and mystery books, two as part of a four-book series (Little Girl Dead and Little Girl Revenge) and one stand-alone cozy mystery (Severed Heart). Kirsty has studied a Diploma in Editing and is currently in her final year of a Bachelor of Professional Writing and Publishing. She uses her Diploma to edit and proofread other independent authors’ work. Her greatest love is her autistic son Connor and in her spare time she reviews books and movies and writes dark poetry. She also has a great sense of humour and enjoys a good laugh.

Published Works: Little Girl Dead, Little Girl Revenge, Severed Heart

Current Projects: Upcoming books in 2018. I am currently working on What Lies Beneath Us, a crime novel about a woman accused of killing her nine-month- old baby, and The Reckoning – A paranormal novella about a woman who discovers the power within.

Website: www.authorkirstyferguson.com

Contacts

• daneshas24@gmail.com
• www.authorkirstyferguson.com
• www.twitter.com/danesha24
• www.instagram.com/author.kirsty.ferguson
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirsty-ferguson-33452a45/

When did you begin writing?

I have been writing stories for as long as I can remember. My mum always encouraged reading and writing and I learnt at a young age that I could create worlds of my own.

Did you receive any special training or attend a school?

I have a Diploma in Editing and I am currently in my final year of a degree in Professional Writing and Publishing. I have found both of these courses very helpful in learning the mechanics of writing and they have helped improve my storytelling skills.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

My inspiration comes from everywhere, my imagination, nightmares, the news, the world around me.

Do you use any special resources when writing? (other books, computer programs, etc)

No, it’s just me and my laptop. When I need to research, I make use of books and the internet. When writing Mayday, a novella about a man in an asylum, I went to the asylum I set the story in, for research purposes. I even stayed overnight and did the ghost tour. Shout out to Mayday Hills/Beechworth Asylum.

What is (in your opinion) the most important thing to remember when writing, and why is it so important?

I think it’s important to be true to your characters. To their story arcs and development. You need to become one with the characters for it to be realistic for the reader. It’s important because without that connection, the story falls apart.

What is (in your opinion) the most challenging part of writing, and how do you overcome it?

One of the most challenging parts of writing for me is to work on one project at a time. I tend to have many ideas and many open novels. I try to combat this by immersing myself in one particular world. For example, I drive to the town my story is set in for finer details, or I contact an expert for additional information to reinvigorate me. Sometimes it’s just a battle of wills. As in I will finish this novel.

Did you use an agent? (why or why not?)

I don’t have an agent, I would like to have one but honestly, I haven’t spent much time looking for one just yet. I am more focused on writing, which is what I’m best at. I see the benefits of having an agent, of course, your work gets put in front of publishers who might pick it up. Currently, I’m happy to be an indie author.

Did you use an Editor? If not, what process did you use to edit your work?

No, I haven’t used an editor in my early works, I relied on beta readers to help with the editing process and my own skill set. However, in my latest book, What Lies Beneath Us, I have teamed up with an editor, so we’ll see how that goes.

How did you get your book published? (self-published, Vanity publishing, Mainstream publisher).

My books have been self-published so far. There is a lot of freedom with self-publishing, with covers, editing, release dates, etc, however, I would not rule out traditional publishing in the future.

Do you handle your own marketing?

I must admit I’m not very good at marketing. I struggle to talk about my own work, which is a downfall of mine that I am working on. Also, I’m not very good with social media, although I love Twitter.

What is your best marketing tip?

I have written a series called Little Girl Dead series (five books) and I have released two, and I did find that making the first one free for a time helped downloads immensely.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Work hard at what you have and refine it, but put it away for a while before you edit it. The ideas will percolate and you’ll have a better book. Also, choose carefully when you are going to release your book, the timing matters.

In closing, I would like to thank Kirsty for doing this interview. As someone who is still in the process of finding himself as a writer, I found this interview very helpful and informative. I look forward to hearing more about her in the future.

Until Next time,

Cheers,

Patrick Osborne

Current Projects part 35

Welcome back,

            Being a little proactive this month by working on my upcoming articles a few weeks in advance. Managed to get everything done an entire week before the arrival of December, which is great, considering I was super busy with big lifestyles changes in November and upcoming preparations for the holidays. I will go into further details on what I have been going through in next month's progress update.

            Given that the holidays are just a few short weeks away, I did my best to have holiday inspired content for December. My inspiration post will be about a location I explored back in early 2016. This type of location has appeared in multiple Christmas stories, so it can prove to be useful to anyone looking for a fitting setting.

Also, my book review for December will be on a novel called Covert Christmas, a suspense story which takes place during the holidays. I’m super excited about it, because I managed to contact the books author, Hope White, and she will be the spotlight of my January interview! This will be a first for me, so I’m looking forward to it.

In regards to my story, I am still working on the character sheet of my main antagonist, Lord Decay. I’ve been at it for over two months now, but given his importance to the story, I believe he is well worth it. I’m currently filling in some details to his backstory, which is pretty extensive. Unfortunately, that is the extent of the progress I made on my story this month.

That being said, I went over all of my material this month, and came to a surprising realization;  not counting my research notes and timeline, I have more than 85 pages written. When you think about it, that is about a third of a novel, which is probably the most I've ever written on one subject in my entire life (not counting my work for Missing Worlds Media, of course). I thought that was quite the milestone for me, and felt I needed to share!

    Speaking of Missing Worlds Media, there has only been one releases in the past month: an introduction to one of our artists and content designer, Gerard Michael Tupaz (a.k.a. Witchikin). The article also shows some of his work, detailing some of the characters that will be present in game (please keep in mind, these are still in the early phases, and may be subject to change).  You can read the full articles on our Kickstarter page:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/missingworldsmedia/the-phoenix-project-city-of-titans/posts/2040450

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or comments. I can be reached via the following social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bookmarkboundPMosborne/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel

Twitter: @OzmosisCoH

Google+: https://plus.google.com/+PatrickOsborneOzmosis

That is all I have for this month. Thank you all for dropping by, as your continued support is always appreciated. I hope to see you all at next month's progress update, and most importantly, have a Happy Holidays!

            Until then.

Cheers,

Patrick Osborne