The Next Big Thing - Sea of Ink

I received an invitation a couple of weeks ago from the lovely Lynsey May Lynsey May writes down the night to join a blog promotion called The Next Big Thing.  It gives Scottish writers a few questions to answer about their work and a chance to link with other writers who are doing the same.  After your own post, you nominate other writing bloggers to join in and tell the world about their own 'Big Thing'.  So thanks Lynsey - now I have to think about what I want to say!

Unlike Lynsey, I'm not yet at the full-blown novel stage (although I do hope to get there one day).  I have been writing a number of short stories recently and I thought this would be a great opportunity to promote a new publication which will include two of my stories.

1. What's the title of your latest story?
I'm going to cheat a bit and talk about two stories.  One is called 'The Music of Longing' and the other is 'Incoming'.  They are completely different - to the point where I feel a bit schizophrenic.

2. Where did the idea(s) come from?
'The Music of Longing' is the story of a young woman who makes a sudden decision to take her future into her own hands, having previously been docile and accepting, and quits her job to move to Lisbon.  The idea came to me during the ironing (not my favourite job) so it's not surprising perhaps, that I was drawn to the idea of throwing it all up to re-make yourself in one of Europe's great cities.  Luckily the urge was temporary for me and I went back to enjoying family life after a short fantasy escape.
'Incoming' is a very different story; the true(ish) tale of moving to a small east coast of Scotland fishing village in the 1970's.

3. What genre does your story fall under?
Romance with a touch of humour for TMOL and life-writing for the other.

4. What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie?
Well, that's a tough one.  'Incoming' is based on my own life so I'd love to think I was like a young Karen Gillan.  Sadly that would not be true.  The leading character in TMOL is called Caroline.  She's rather quiet and non-descript so, with no offence intended, I think Anna Maxwell Martin would do a fabulous job of bringing her to life and finding the spark within.

5. What is the one sentence synopsis of your story?
Bear with me here - breaking the rules again!
TMOL- Quiet girl with no distinguishing features, surprises everyone, including herself, by taking charge of her life.
'Incoming' - My parents ruined my life by moving me from bog-standard Glasgow suburb to beautiful seaside town (I'm nearly over it).

6. Will your story be self-published or represented by an agency?
The stories are in a brand new anthology of creative writing which will be self-produced by a group of Open University students with a range of talents and contacts in the publishing business.  The group is called Ink Pantry Publishing and they hope to produce further works in the future.  'Sea of Ink' will be published on 10th December 2012.

7. How long did it take you to write the first draft?
I find my ideas come quite quickly for initial drafts but the thinking part before I actually start writing can go on for a ridiculously long time.

8. What other stories would you compare it to in your genre?
The life writing, I would love to compare with Janice Galloway, but I think I would be stretching it a bit.  I've certainly enjoyed her recent autobiographies. 

9.  Who or what inspired you to write this story?
A recent birthday reunion made me think about my childhood in Anstruther and that's probably what prompted me to write about how the move there affected my life.  I should say that I still live in the area and love it now.

10.  What else about your story might pique a reader's interest?
In TMOL, Caroline is struck by the sound of Fado music which is everywhere in Lisbon.  It's a fascinating part of Portuguese culture and gives an intriguing insight into the character of the city.

Published on 10th December 2012

I'm trying to persuade some of my fellow authors from the anthology to join in with The Next Big Thing - watch this space ...

Inspiration for creation

What kind of inspiration do we need to start a new creation?  I've tried beautiful, peaceful locations but tend to find the views a bit distracting.  I've tried a darkened room with minimal external stimulus but the ideas don't flow to order.  It seems that inspiration will still strike at the most inconvenient moments - in crowded public transport.  I was on a tram in Lisbon recently.  Not one of the picturesque, rackety, pre-WW1 trams that wind through the impossibly steep and narrow streets of the Alfama (see above), but a new Siemens, double-length tram full of sweaty commuters on a busy stretch of road in the commercial centre.  I was jammed against the door on one side, a waist high glass partition on  the other, close enough to my fellow passengers to surmise a great deal about what their personal hygiene routine was like and what they enjoyed for breakfast. I had a sudden idea for a story.  Being a conscientious student of creative writing, I now carry a notebook almost everywhere I go.  Unfortunately on this occasion I could not move my arms, let alone reach for a pen.  So, while the tram stuttered along between traffic lights and inexplicable hold-ups, I tried to hold that thought.  Fifteen minutes later, finally emerging from the tram outside the Monasterio de los Jeronimos at Belem, I joined the queue to see inside the wonderful 16th century church and, by the time I wandered back outside, blinking in the sun, my story had dissolved away to nothing and the strongest idea in my mind was how to get back into the city without having to travel on the number 15 tram.