Sample Sunday

Sample from Kiwi and the missing Magic 


(published July 2011)



Chapter 11: Earthquake?


The noise was deafening, like thunder smashing through the skies. It grew louder and louder. All of the cats ran out of their houses and were standing in the streets, all looking confused and asking the same question: what is that noise? Mr Eastwood from the Catema was holding some reams of film which streamed like tails on to the ground. “The Catema is shaking,” he wailed. The owner of Meow Market nodded. She had felt the same tremours and half of her fruit had plummeted to the ground. Kiwi, Amy and James ran out of the Cat Motel looking up at the sky, expecting a massive storm. 
Inspector Furrball looked out of his office window. The catizens were panicking. He could see
them scurrying around bewildered. The walls and foundations of Cat Crime were built to withstand anything, and they did not shake, but he could see the tremours buzzing around the city. One road had split near the entrance to Cat City. Georgy had already buzzed him on his catpad that something was wrong. Walls were shaking and the ground was heaving. Inspector Furrball pulled his whiskers. He sensed that something was coming. Something was trying to get into the city. But would it succeed? He tried to remember the last time something like this had happened and he couldn’t. It was a very long time ago. 
Just then there was a knock at his office door. 
“Hi,” said James and Amy, wandering in. Kiwi trailed behind, looking as concerned as Furrball.
The inspector turned from the window. “Hello Jimster and Ames! Kiwi, have you been down to
speak to Georgy?”
“Yes,” said Kiwi, gazing out of the window. “He’s confused. The tremours are loudest at the
entrance to the city. The doorway to the tunnel was shaking. We looked through the peephole into the tunnel and the walls inside are trembling. The sound is like thunder.”
“The door was vibrating like someone was beating it from the other side, but there was no-one
there,” said James.
“It was pretty scary,” said Amy. “Georgy was really scared. He said nothing like this has happened before. Is it an earthquake?”
Inspector Furrball shook his head. “No. We don’t have those. It’s nothing natural. I buzzed Moggie and she came to the same conclusion as me – the missing Magic. Something or someone is trying to get through the door to the city. I can’t tell how far away they are.”
“The noise down there is deafening,” added Kiwi. 
“Is this an emergency?” asked Amy.
Furrball frowned. “Yes, I’m afraid it is. I’ve wasted too much time waiting already. I’m going to
sound the alarm.”
“Then what?” asked Amy.
“All of the catizens will come here to Cat Crime. They’ll be safe here and then we just have to
wait.”
“Wait for what?” asked James.
“Wait to see what comes through the Cat City tunnel,” sighed the Inspector. “I’m afraid it’s
something very big.”
The kittens looked at each other and at Kiwi, who looked really worried. They gazed out of the
high window, down to the streets below. The catizens were panicking in a quiet, stunned sort of way.”
“Has anything like this happened before?” asked Amy.
Kiwi waved her head. “No, the gates to Cat City are impenetrable. They are only for the catizens. I don’t know what is coming, but I don’t think it belongs here.”
James gulped. Amy nudged Kiwi, who put a paw around her shoulder.
At his desk, the Inspector opened a drawer with a golden key from his pocket and he took out a small, round blue object. He put it on the desk and sat down heavily. “Let’s hope this works,” he said. The instant he pressed it, a loud meow sounded in the air all around the building. Down below, all of the catizens looked up in the air and then started walking in a long, multicoloured line towards the Cat Crime building. Amy gazed down, watching them. They were moving very orderly. No-one seemed to be panicking. Apart from the loud meowing sound, everything seemed very calm.
“How long until everyone gets here?” asked James.
“About half an hour for the whole city,” said Inspector Furrball, locking the desk. “The alarm will go for about ten minutes. Everyone should be inside the building by then, apart from the catizens who live furthest away. All of the other creatures will follow too. We have an alarm drill once or twice a year, but I can’t remember the last time we had a real one.”
“Then what?” asked Amy.“Well, we have different sections of the building for different creatures, who are separated from the catizens. We don’t want any squabbles. And then we’ll see. We will have to move to Step B and then we just wait.”
“What’s Step B?” asked the kittens.
Kiwi grinned.
Furrball sat everyone down, and handed out some milk and biscuits. “Here, refresh yourselves. You’re going to need it. Step B is where this building really comes into its own. I remember that you, James, thought it weird that the building was grey. That everything is grey, except for this room.”
“Yes,” muttered James, looking up. Amy looked at him, confused.
“Well, you’re going to find out why and it may save all of our lives.”
Kiwi tried to smile while she lapped up her milk, but inside she was very nervous, and she had to make sure that no trouble came to Amy and James.

Charity skydive for Wood Green Animal Shelters

On Tuesday, I was looking through the top posts on Facebook and came across a request from Wood Green Animal Shelters for volunteers to jump for charity.

Yes! I thought, I'm up for that.

Back in... well about 10 years ago... I travelled to Australia and wow that was a fun trip in which I kept challenging myself to do things. When I got to Queensland the hostel I was staying in was organising tandem skydives. I'm doing that, I thought, and signed up. But then it was cancelled because it was too windy. I signed up again for the following day. But later on, walking around town, my mind started thinking... what if it was cancelled for a reason... what if I'm not supposed to do it... what if I crash into a tree... blow out to sea... the chute doesn't open??? Yep, I cancelled it.

On Tuesday, I thought I'll give it another go. It's a good cause. It's funny how as you get older, things seem a bit scarier! Do you agree? Maybe, maybe not? Things I used to do before, now I think oh god, what if I injure this or that, or what if I look an idiot. Actually that last bit never bothered me too much. Looking an idiot seems to come naturally. 

So, the upshot is that I am hoping to raise money for Wood Green Animal Shelters by chucking myself out of an aeroplane on Sunday 2 October with some poor guy who will hear my screams all the way down. I also have vertigo, but I'm thinking it's so high up that maybe it won't matter! I'll be jumping from 10,000ft, freefalling 5,000ft at 120mph and then riding the parachute down to the ground. And then probably heading for the nearest pub.

I know there's a lot of worthy charities out there, but this one does a lot of worthy work to help our furry friends. They have a website and a facebook page. Wood Green Animal Shelters is a registered charity. It takes in and rehomes around 5,500 unwanted and mistreated animals every year.

http://www.woodgreen.org.uk/

http://www.facebook.com/WoodGreenTheAnimalsCharity

Here's how you can help...

By sponsoring me at http://www.justgiving.com/vickie-johnstone/

Every penny will go directly to Wood Green Animal Shelters.

Books...

After donating, if you'd like free copies of my two books, which are about animals (mainly cats), please let me know and I'll send you a coupon as a thank you for donating. The books were written for children, but adults have enjoyed them. I am also aiming to make a special edition book to raise money for charity - at some point.

Donating through JustGiving info -

Donating is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer.

More info about Wood Green Animal Shelters...

In 1924, Miss Louisa Snow opened the first centre in a small house in Lordship Lane, North London. She was concerned at the large number of abandoned and injured animals on the streets of London following the First World War.

Stats & facts for 2010...

We cared for over 5,500 lost and unwanted animals.

• We rehomed 2507 cats and kittens and 1469 dogs and puppies.
• 53 puppies were helped by our fostering volunteers.
• We saw a 47% increase in the number of strays arriving at our centres.
• 38% of animals we rehomed were neutered by our veterinary team.
• 22,000 medical checks and over 2,000 neutering procedures were carried out.
• Over 16,000 people were reached through our 'Hands On' educational scheme.
• At any one time we can accommodate up to 950 animals across our three centres.
• We aim for an average stay for a dog of 21 days and a cat of 14 days.
• 40% of all animals we take in require veterinary care.
• 95% of animals are successfully re-homed.
• 79% of our income comes from legacies and donations.
• At 52 acres, our Cambridgeshire Centre is one of the largest rehoming centres in Europe.

Information on Skyline - the parachute company -

in case anyone fancies doing a jump for charity....

http://www.skylineparachuting.co.uk

Skyline was founded 14 years ago, specialising purely in organising parachute jumps for first-time jumpers. We are now one of the largest organisers of Parachuting and Skydiving courses in the UK with over 7000 people a year making their first time jump with us. Many of these jumps are made for charity and we are delighted that Skyline jumpers have so far raised £4.5million for over 1,500 charities.

I'll keep you updated and post a photo of my scary face on landing :)

Cheers

Vickie

I'll be interested to hear from anyone who has done this.... :))

Farewell

in the seconds woven
in the morning dew
the light reflected
a myriad of signs

in the seconds chosen
in the evening dew
the dark reflected
a myriad of lines

i find my way
in the dark of day
and standing true
remember you

i find this day
stands in the way
of finding you
beneath the blue

Words with... Candy-Ann Little

Thanks to Candy-Ann Little for this interview 

How long have you been writing?

The seed was planted 14 years ago. I had a stillborn daughter and the nurse suggested I keep a dairy to help cope with the grieving process. I have to admit I thought it was a dumb idea at the time. I had never kept a diary, even as a teen. But I did it, and found it very healing and freeing. After two years I wanted to write about my experience, but wasn't ready for a non-fiction book. So I turned to my favourite genre, romance, and plotted out a fictional account of the pain. So, technically, I’ve only been writing novels for 12 years.

Do you have a day job or do you write for a living?

I’m a substitute for paraprofessionals and teacher assistants in the public schools. I mostly work with kids who have autism and learning disabilities. 

What do you feel is the ideal recipe for a good novel/story/poem?

I think, in both stories and poems, you have to capture the emotions. For a story you have create a realistic setting and have well-rounded characters that deliver the emotion. That means you have to research to make it believable. I know that fiction implies the story is “made up”, but you must have it grounded in truth or the reader won’t believe what you are telling them. If the reader doesn’t believe they will stop reading.

What/who inspired you to write and still inspires you?

I grew up reading historical romances by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss. I loved how she wove a tale of romance with a splash of suspense. Her words drew me into the past, teaching me more than history class. I guess, teaching more than sex ed too! So, when I started writing, my first instinct was to do a historical, but I didn’t want to do all the research involved. I had recently read a book entitled A Wedding for Maggie by Allison Leigh. The character was having a hard pregnancy and had already miscarried. I identified with her and understood those feelings. So, I decided to write a contemporary romance. And my first novel was born! I contribute my writing to both of these ladies.

What books have you written? Do you stick to one genre?

I wrote a contemporary romance, Unforgiving Ghosts. My historical, The Unwilling Bride. I also wrote a mystery/romance novella in 2008 that was part of an anthology my writing group self-published, Death by Broken Heart. This novella has recently been picked up by Novel Concept Publishing. I also finished Murder of an Oil Heiress. I also have YA novel that I’ve been working on for a couple of years. Not sure if it’s ever going to get done! So, no, I don’t stick to one genre.

How long did it take you to write your book/s?

Unforgiving Ghosts and The Unwilling Bride took me 2 years. The novella Death by Broken Heart and Murder of an Oil Heiress took me a year.

Do you have any works in progress?

Yes, Shattered is another contemporary romance. It was actually my second novel, but I got the idea for Unwilling Bride and stopped working on it. Then several more ideas came along and I never did get back to Shattered. I have been trying to finish it, but when I sit down to write the characters aren’t speaking loud enough. Other authors told me to move on until they are speaking louder, so I did. I started the sequel to my novella Death by Broken Heart. I am still working on the YA novel too. 

Which character from your books do you like most / are most like?

Megan Black is most like me in the aspect that I based my feelings and emotions of losing my daughter into her character. But my favourite character is Caitlin from Unwilling Bride. She is my Scarlett O’Hara. She’s sassy, hates to follow rules, and doesn’t bend to what society wants or says. She was a very fun character to write.

Where and when do you write ­ – do you have set times during which you write or is it just when the mood takes you?

My favourite time to write is late in the evening into early morning. However, since I don't have a writing schedule I pretty much write whenever I have a chance.

Have you ever based a character on someone from real life? Has the person guessed?

I did base a character in my first novel on my husband, but he has never read it. However, my mother-in-law read it and asked if it was Lee! 

How do you find the marketing experience? Any advice for other writers? Do you use a blog or twitter, etc

I actually like the marketing and promoting. Since this is my first book I don’t really have any advice as I’m still learning. Well, I guess my advice for marketing is to join and be active in the book groups. I have joined several groups on Facebook and have made lots of new friends. I’m learning so much from other authors who are more experienced and know what they are doing. These authors could keep their secrets to themselves, but instead share their information with everyone. I’m sometimes overwhelmed at their generosity. I have got so many new leads on reviews and ideas on marketing since I joined these groups. Right now I’m a sponge soaking up all the info I can.

Some of your fave things... Animal? Food? Drink? Film? Colour? Band? Song? Place to chill out?

Cats and dogs. I'm not very picky - I like most foods as long as mushrooms aren't on it. I love non-alcoholic, fruity drinks like pina colada & strawberry daiquiri. I like love stories and romantic comedies. Green. I don't really have a favourite band or song, and I don't get a chance to chill out.

Which book do you wish you had written?

Anything by Kathleen E Woodiwiss.

What other hobbies/interests do you have or has writing taken over?

I love to cook and bake. I also do crafts like cards and scrapbooking, flower arrangements, etc. I have given up some of the crafts for writing. 

What would you like to achieve in the next five years?

I want to format and get my other novels up for sale, finish my novels that are half-done and focus on my publishing company. Within 5 years I'd like to start accepting other people's manuscripts.

If you won the Lotto, what would you do with all it?

I would start an orphanage in Africa. I'd donate to charities here in the US. I'd also have the money I need to start my publishing business. It would be nice to have the house paid off, so my husband could quit his job and have the funds to pay for my kids' college. Boy, I'd have to win an awful lot!!

And now for the creative bit. Please complete this story in 100 words or less…

"There was a young frog called Kipper…"

He got stuck on the boat with the Skipper.

They found a dolphin with a wounded flipper,

He’d gotten pinched by a lobster’s nipper.

The Skipper gave the dolphin some whiskey in a sipper.

Poor Kipper had to drink his from a wooden dipper.

Soon they were all feeling rather chipper!

Lastly, what question do you wish I'd asked and, of course, what is the answer?

I believe you did a very good job of asking questions. I can't think of anything else!

Here are the sites that my book can be purchased at:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/37245

http://www.amazon.com/The-Unwilling-Bride-ebook/dp/B004LLJ1RW/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1311030321&sr=1-3

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-unwilling-bride-candy-ann-little/1030084739?ean=2940011190674&itm=3&usri=the%2bunwilling%2bbride

My website: http://candyannlittle.com/

Twitter: @candyannlittle

 

The singer

Sing


She treads fearless in the musings
Of a myriad true silent screams
Bereft of the knowledge
Naked under the open skies
Wrestling still in the openess


A cry in the dark
A murmur above


She sings the songs so wild
Slicing open distant memories
Cleaving them in two


Whispers in the night
Whispers from a shell


She wanders in corridors
Ever turning, ever yielding
Finds nothing she searches for


So the distancing comes
Black in woven hate
Covers everything in a cloak
Of bitterness, lost, afraid


She sings pure songs so fearful
They cut her like a knife
Her voice cries down the ages
Still silent like the grave


A cry gives vent to despair
A call gives rise to eternity


And so she sings all the songs
The waiting wish to hear
Hounding her, draining her
The lines flood out beyond
Blues turn into the darkest black


Pools of trickling blood
Wailing in the dark


She remembers nothing spent
In the phrases that she sings
Alone to the waiting faces
That raise her above all else


A cry in the night
A murmur in the dark


She wanders listless home alone
Distant thoughts so silent swept
She hums a sober distant tune
A song lost in the tide of time

Words with... Helmy Kusuma

Thanks to Helmy Kusuma, spiritual healer/writer, for this interview

How long have you been writing?

I believe I have been writing since the first grade, typing since the eight grade.

Oh... you mean writing a book? Last year, 2010.

Do you have a day job or do you write for a living?

I currently write for a living, but since it proves to be rather an impossibility, at least with only ten copies sold, I have been frantically searching for a freelance job. Unless, of course, you plan to buy one thousand copies or, even better, ten thousand copies.

What do you feel is the ideal recipe for a good novel/story/poem?

I think any story that is passionately written with proper tools such as humour.

What/who inspired you to write and still inspires you?

Myself. There have been so many things happening in my life that I find it almost impossible to contain them inside my head, let alone my imaginations.

What books have you written? Do you stick to one genre?

Mementoes of Mai. Nope, just like I don't stick to eating rice alone, I enjoy making cakes.

Errr... what I mean is I don't stick to one genre.

How long did it take you to write your book/s?

It took me about three months to really write Mementoes of Mai, three months to proscratinate and another two months to edit it.

Do you have any works in progress?

Absolutely! 

There is Hope - a science fiction thriller ( a short story );

Cinta 3 Sisi -  a romance novel ( but not in English ); and

Vietnam Odissey - a creative non-fiction about my recent trip to Vietnam.

Which character from your books do you like most / are most like?

Mai.

Where and when do you write ­ – do you have set times during which you write or is it just when the mood takes you?

Mood pretty much dictates me.

Have you ever based a character on someone from real life? Has the person guessed?

Yes, not a character, but several characters. Nope, but another person has noticed it.

How do you find the marketing experience? Any advice for other writers? Do you use a blog or twitter, etc?

Since I have only sold ten copies so far, I don't really capable of giving advice.

One day you’re walking in the forest and you bump into an alien librarian from Mars. He wants five book recommendations from you…

Remembering Atlantis by Daniel Condron;

Tooth, The Whole Tooth And Nothing But A Tooth by Shaun Allan;

Mars by Anonymous;

A Flash of Inspiration: A Collection of Very Short Stories by Indie Authors ( compiled by Helmy Kusuma ); and

Mementoes of Mai by Helmy Kusuma, of course.

Some of your fave things: Animal? Food? Drink? Film? Colour? Band? Song? Place to chill out?

Turtle and Horse.

Cheese and Pho.

Water and orange juice.

Memento and As Good As It Gets.

Blue and green.

Not sure about band...

My Way by Frank Sinatra.

Outside the house is the perfect place to chill out, especially at dawn...

Which book do you wish you had written?

The Alchemist.

What other hobbies/interests do you have or has writing taken over?

Travelling, watching movies, reading comics, browsing the internet, eating delicious foods, meeting beautiful ladies... ah, there are too many!!

What would you like to achieve in the next five years?

Sold thousands copies of my book. I don't care which title.

If you won the Lotto, what would you do with all it?

Go travelling around the world!!

Please complete this story in 100 words or less…

"There was a young frog called Kipper…" that lived inside a small pond by a busy road. Every day he would croak loudly hoping to attract a lovely lady that passes daily on her horse cart. Yes, Kipper was once a handsome farmer; an old witch made him into a frog and he was hoping a kiss would bring his old self back. 

"John?"

"Yes, my lady?"

"Do you hear a croaking?"

"No, Ma'am. I don't."

"Really? Frogs' legs soup would be nice in this kind of weather."

I drive the cart away and Kipper gets to live another day.

Smashwords http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/56911

Kindle US http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004YWKD3Y

Kindle UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004YWKD3Y

Kindle DE http://www.amazon.de/dp/B004YWKD3Y

Apple Store http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/mementos-of-mai/id443031350?mt=11

Barnes & Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mementos-of-mai-helmy-kusuma/1031459610?ean=2940011311840&itm=2&usri=helmy%2bkusuma

Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4576592.Helmy_Kusuma

Facebook http://www.facebook.com/EL.Publish

Website   http://www.helmykusuma.com http://easternlight.hanzpk.com

Words with... John Zunski

Thanks to John Zunski for this interview

How long have you been writing? 

That's a personal question! Oh wait, that's the idea. In my part of the world, the answer would be many, many moons. In most of the world, the answer would translate - fifteen odd years.

Do you have a day job or do you write for a living? 

I write for a living and own a bar for fun... Did I mention I'm dyslexic? My wife claims I'm just confused. I guess it's up to the reader to decide.

What do you feel is the ideal recipe for a good novel/story/poem? 

Recipe is a interesting concept because we are chefs of the written language. I don't believe there is an ideal recipe, just as I don't believe there an ideal recipe for the kitchen; an ideal recipe would severely limit our taste(s).

What/who inspired you to write and still inspires you? 

I've had the urge since childhood. I took my first stab after reading Earl, Cornbread and Me. That failed miserably, probably because it was a beautiful summer day and there were things to do outside. I flirted with writing until about fifteen years ago when I decided to be serious about the craft.

What books have you written? Do you stick to one genre?

I just e-published my first, Cemetery Street. I've written four. Shangri-La Trailer Park will be e-published this fall. DirtyBum for President and Nightwatching will be e-published in 2012. No, I've explored. Though I am planning sequels to Cemetery Street and Nightwatching.

How long did it take you to write your book/s?

On average about two years for each title.

Do you have any works in progress? 

Montana Rural, which is the sequel to Cemetery Street.

Which character from your books do you like most/are most like? 

My favorite character is Shannie Ortolan - the heroine from Cemetery Street. She possesses the spirit - the like it or lump it mentality I've always admired. I'm a cross between James Morrison and Steve Lucas of Cemetery Street and Travis of Nightwatching. They have the possibility of being like Shannie, but are limited by outside demands.

Where and when do you write ­ – do you have set times during which you write or is it just when the mood takes you? 

I write at home: I either write at the kitchen table or in my nook. I contact my muse in the wee hours of the morning, generally between 2:00 and 5:00 AM. Occasionally, I write when the sun is up, but the house has to be quiet: it's as if I'm listening for whispers on the wind.

Have you ever based a character on someone from real life? Has the person guessed? 

Of course, in all my books I've borrowed from life. In particular, Maistoinna Standing Bear from Shangri-la Trailer Park is patterned after a long-time friend, but I twisted it enough that if he read it he wouldn't notice. There are people from my bar who are too colourful not to make it into a novel. A few have made it into Nightwatching, mostly as comic relief. Have they guessed? We'll have to wait and see.

How do you find the marketing experience? Any advice for other writers? Do you use a blog or twitter, etc?

I hate it. Did I mention I hate it? But it is the necessary evil! I've only been at the game for a month, so I can't contribute too much to that conversation. What I am doing is seeking out interviews. Because I never know what is going to come out of the end of my fingers and it may get me in trouble. I believe it's the only way that can give any uniqueness in a sea of authors shouting "look at me".

One day you’re walking in the forest and you bump into an alien librarian from Mars. He wants five book recommendations from you… 

Cemetery Street for understanding human emotions, Shangri-La Trailer Park for the absurdity of human life, DirtyBum for President for the craziness of human politics, Nightwatching for a glimpse into the psyche of human fright and A Prayer for Owen Meany for a look at the potential of the human spirit.

Some of your fave things: Animal? Food? Drink? Film? Colour? Band? Song? Place to chill out? 

Dogs, Pizza, Coffee, Fugi100 - oh wait, I think you mean movie - hmm, right now - The Sixth Sense - that will change shortly - black/orange, Black Sabbath - Sign of the Southern Cross and Cross of Thorns. ( I listen to song(s) habitually while writing a manuscript. I tap into some manufactured meaning - those two songs carried me through Nightwatching), the woods - I love being in a forest by myself, the sound of silence is deafening.

Which book do you wish you had written? 

The next one in my head.

Who is your favourite character from any book and why? 

Owen Meany - he was born with all the odds stacked against him, and through tenacity and vision he lived his destiny.

Which three authors (living or not) would you like to take to the pub? 

Steven King; Steven Herrero - I would love to hear his bear stories; John Irving - wait, I think he'd be a bore - sorry John, you're one of my heroes and all, maybe for a cup of coffee, not to kick up our heels; and William Kennedy Toole.

What other hobbies/interests do you have or has writing taken over?

I'm into nature - I'm not a tree hugger, I enjoy cutting them down too much. I hike, I love wildlife - I have numerous stories of moose and bear encounters. I believe something is missing when one doesn't have the opportunity to experience these magnificent creatures.

What would you like to achieve in the next five years? 

Am I allowed to dream? I would love to sell 100,000 copies of my books.

If you won the Lotto, what would you do with all it? 

Buy the property behind mine and make the house my writing cabin. No one, and I mean no one, would be permitted. It would be John's Den.

Please complete this story in 100 words or less…

"There was a young frog called Kipper…" who kissed a princess's nipp ... er Slipper. And with a kick of her shoe, he flew over the palace wall, went a tumblin' feet over crawl, landed in a stripmall where he was dinner for a family of short and tall. 

Finally, what question do you wish I’d asked and, of course, what is the answer? 

John, do you dangle participles and split infinitives? No, but I split participles and dangle infinitives. 

Sample Sunday

The wolves




Echoes in the dark -
The cries of the lost
Wolves running
In the clear, still night,
Beneath a cold moon
That glares down
On their forest run.


Eyes glinting
Ears pricked
Feet soundless,
Chasing sounds
Heard but unseen.


The moon glows,
Sheds its white
Misted half-light
On their trail
Weaving a path
Long travelled;
Anew but old.


The wise linger
In green lands,
Their spirits running
Free in the form
Of the wolf.


Wildest of the
Wise we chase
Beneath the glow
In the damp heart
Of the spectre wood,
Listening to the still
Night that hears.


Learning anew
The chase of old,
Streaking the earth
With fresh trails;
Distancing the ages
Long gone.

Words with... Annarita Guarnieri

Thanks to Annarita Guarnieri for this interview

How long have you been writing?

Well, actually I’ve been writing all my life, at an amateur level. In the Eighties I used to write inside the Star Trek universe and I was publishing on an Italian Star Trek fanzine. A couple of my works even won amateur awards. A short story about Spock, How do you Feel, won the award as best amateur short story and a short novel, The Caves of Arcadia, was classified third-best amateur novel. Then I had a “black hole” period… a lot of changes in my life prevented me from writing for a long time. Recently, I've picked up my pen again and I’ve written a few short stories, and I’m working on a couple of novels too. One of my short stories will be published in September in an anthology here in Italy. It's an ironic vampire story, Till the Sun Part Us.

Do you have a day job or do you write for a living?

You could say my job and my hobby are the same thing, Vickie. I’m a translator; have been since 1979, when I sold my very first translation while still attending University. Of course, I chose this profession because books are one of the great loves of my life, and being a translator allows me to read (and thus learn non-stop from other writers) and allows me to play with what I call “the music of words”. I’m tone deaf when it comes to singing, but when I work or write, words sing to me.

What do you feel is the ideal recipe for a good novel/story/poem?

This is a difficult question, Vickie, because I suppose each writer has his/her recipe. Moreover, the recipe may change from one work to the other. When I write a short story, for example, I love to build up a crescendo and then give the reader a surprise in the end, something totally different from what he/she is expecting. With a novel, things are different; since they have a wider breadth, I try to give the reader something of a “view”. What I mean is that I look at my story as at a movie… there must be eye-catching scenarios, a good plot to hook the reader and interesting characters. I suppose this is the recipe, in the end.

What/who inspired you to write and still inspires you?

Well, I suppose it all stems from my love for books. I was taught to read by my mother when I was 5 years old, and the first things I ever read were comic strips they sold here in Italy at the time. They were about famous novels, such as the Jungle Book by Kipling, or Gargantua, or even Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night's Dream and The Taming of the Shrew. So I was introduced to the classics when I was still very young, and from there I went on reading the children editions of Iliad, Odyssey and Aeneid. Perhaps my love for fantasy and epic was born there. Growing up, I discovered other worlds, other genres (adventure, historical novels, science fiction and, at last, fantasy). My favourite authors, those who have been with me all my life, are a few. An Italian writer, Emilio Salgari, who lived at the beginning of the Twentieth Century and wrote almost a hundred adventure books. Among others, he created the characters of the Black Corsair, and of Sandokan and Yanez (my favorites); then there were Zane Grey (he wrote western books) and Raphael Sabatini (historical books). But the writer I admire the most, the one who informed my writing in the last decade, was David Gemmell. I have read all his books and translated most of them. He was a great writer.

What books have you written? Do you stick to one genre?

I suppose I already answered to this, but there is something I can add. No, I do not seem able to stick to one genre, even if I still love fantasy best. The novel I’m working at is a gothic, somewhat historical novel set in Italy in the year 1200. It should be the first of a trilogy, with the second novel set at the beginning of the Twentieth Century and the third one a contemporary one. I also have a fantasy novel, one third of which has already been written, closed in my drawer. I may go on, sooner or later. My short stories cover different genres too. One is a comic fantasy story (Save the Tiger), another is a sort of Twilight Zone story (The Room), the third is a short version of the gothic novel I’m writing (The Demon of Duino), and then there is the vampire story I already mentioned. Oh, and I also wrote four booklets about cats… suggestions about how to take care of them, all mixed up with amusing anecdotes coming from sharing my life with cats for over 19 years. They have been published in Italian, but I’m planning to translate them into English too.

How long did it take you to write your book/s?

I cannot really give a precise answer for I work at my writing in between translations, and since I translate a book a month this doesn’t leave much free time. I can give an estimate about the short stories… it takes me a day, two at most, to put one together… and about the booklets, which required more or less five days of work each. My first, real novel is still at the stage of “work in progress”, however.

Do you have any works in progress?

Yes, my “Demon” trilogy. Right now I’m working at the first book, The Golden Pendant, and I already have a title for the second book, The Cursed Icon. I still have to find a title for the third one, however.

Which character from your books do you like most/are most like?

This is difficult to say. I suppose the character I love best is the prince from the fantasy book I have in my drawer, Kilnar. He’s young and carefree, and he’ll have to grow up fast to keep his reign and his world together. Perhaps he’s also the one who is most like me too, for, like me, he comes from a mixed stock and has to deal with that. Usually, however, it’s difficult to find anything of myself in just one of my characters.

Where and when do you write­ – do you have set times during which you write or is it just when the mood takes you?

Well, I write when I find the time to do it, usually at night, unless I have a deadline to meet (as it was with the booklets) because then I set aside the translations and work non-stop on what I have to write. As for where… well, it depends on the season and the weather. Having a laptop, I can work where I please, so if it’s really cold I stay holed up in the kitchen; if it’s sunny but still cool outside I migrate to my bedroom, with its wide, arched windows, and in the summer I work on the patio.

Have you ever based a character on someone from real life? Has the person guessed?

No, I never did, even if I suppose people I know crop up somehow in what I write, since we are the sum of our experiences, and therefore also of the people we know.

How do you find the marketing experience? Any advice for other writers? Do you use a blog or twitter, etc?

Since I haven’t published any books as yet, I cannot really answer to this question. And I do not have a blog, just an author page on Facebook, Annarita.autore.guarnieri

One day you’re walking in the forest and you bump into an alien librarian from Mars. He wants five book recommendations from you…

Oh, this is rather easy. The difficult part is to stop at just five titles. Let’s see… The Lord of the Rings, of course, then Legend, by David Gemmell, The Intervention, by Julian May, Captain Blood, by Raphael Sabatini, and Nevada, by Zane Grey. Those are my favourites, but I had to think hard to keep the list down to just five titles.

Some of your fave things: Animal? Food? Drink? Film? Colour? Band? Song? Place to chill out?

Okay, this could be a long answer. I simply adore cats, I have 34 of them… or should I say they have me? And I also have a big Belgian shepherd called Shine, so I suppose you can say I love animals, even if I have a big preference for cats. Food is not among my favorite things; I eat because I have to, but I love to cook for other people. The only thing I drink is coffee, lots of it, but I also like a good glass of wine if I’m out with friends. Films have been very good company for all my life, but I’m partial to adventure movies because when I watch a movie I simply want to relax, to know the good guys are going to beat the hell out of the bad guys, and that good and justice will prevail, as it often doesn’t happen in the real world. I have many colours I like, but my favourite is green, which happens to also be the colour of my Zodiac sign, Libra. When it comes to songs, my tastes are a little quaint… I like the American music from the Forties and Fifties (Sinatra, Dean Martin, etc) and Folk and Western songs, but what I really adore are soundtracks. My favorite composer is the Italian Ennio Morricone (A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, etc), but I like Jerry Goldsmith and James Horner too. As for places to chill out, well… a nice beach or swimming pool, where to bask in the sun and in the water, or a nice stretch of country where I can go horseriding.

Which book do you wish you had written?

The Drenai Saga, by David Gemmell, of course.

Who is your favourite character from any book and why?

I have three favourite characters, and all of them share one thing in common. They are very strong men, with a big charisma and a big potential for good or evil, and both have gone bad, but in some way or the other redeemed themselves in the end. What I love is the strength of character they have. The first one is Omne, from The Price of the Phoenix and The Fate of the Phoenix, By Sondra Marshak and Myrna Culbreath; the second one is Mark Remillard from the Intervention Saga, by Julian May; the third one is a character created by an Italian writer and a good friend, Adriana Comaschi - he is Valmar d’Aurel, Mage and then Duke of Norlandy, from her Duke of Norlandy Saga (unfortunately, it’s still in Italian, and I do not know if it will ever be translated, for it is made of six books, 500 pages each, more or less).

Which three authors (living or not) would you like to take to the pub?

J.R.R. Tolkien, Julian May (I actually did LOL) and David Gemmell.

What other hobbies/interests do you have or has writing taken over?

Well, I have so many interests I cannot find time for them all. I love gardening, and the do-it-yourself thing (I adore building things with my hands), I like to go horseriding and to swim, and to go trekking on foot in the mountains. But I suppose cats and books are my main interest, together with my companion.

What would you like to achieve in the next five years?

I’d really love to be able to finish and publish at least my gothic trilogy, and to put together an anthology of short stories. I’d also like to finish my fantasy novel, but since it has been in the drawer for a very long time, and the one-third I’ve already written is handwritten and has to be typed, I do not know if I’ll ever manage it.

If you won the Lotto, what would you do with all it?

It’s easy to answer. First and foremost, I’d give financial security to my two daughters, of course. Then I’d give a big present to my vet and good friend, who has been an incommensurable help to me during the last nine years. This said, it depends on the amount of my win. If it were a really BIG amount, I’d create a foundation for homeless cats. And of course I’d personally enjoy whatever was left, together with my companion.

Please complete this story in 100 words or less…

There was a young frog called Kipper, who was very nosy. He always ventured where he should not. His mother kept scolding him about that, to no avail. One day he wandered farther than usual, into an unknown garden. There was a nice pool and a lot of grass, and by the pool there was an odd black ball. Curious as ever, Kipper jumped nearer and nearer. The black ball opened a yellow eye, and a claw shot forward…

I hope you’ll like it. I’m not good at children’s tales…

Finally, what question do you wish I’d asked and, of course, what is the answer?

I cannot think of anything, Vickie! You really covered it all!!!