I Can Do It A Summer Adventure In Writing

It has been an amazing day. My grandson and I plan to write a book together. He has some fantastic ideas and actually complex story lines and characters. I want it to be more. I want this to be our little adventure with writing and learning. I think one of the most important aspects of learning is the ability to learn to think. We can memorize many things. We can read and we can listen. We can learn. We also need to think about all of those things. To be able to use the things we learn, to do something we desire to do or accomplish that something special that has alluded us, is bringing learning into a new light of utilization of acquired skills and knowledge. We need to expand from accepting all we hear, to thinking about what we hear and learning from life.

Much of this day has been discussing. He agrees with me and wants to learn as much as possible and make the book we do together, something special. We can only do that by work. We will have to work to learn many things. We will have to work with ideas and learn to develop them.We will have to think and create.

We discussed his school, teachers, and classes. Whenever I read the little book I wrote called The Pumpkin Field, we always end up talking about many things. We discuss their thoughts, ideas and it goes on from there. Some tell of the their fears such as the fear of darkness and we see how the story helps us to understand those things. We almost always talk about writing. When they ask me about writing the book I see such excitement and enthusiasm. We talked about writing and the last class did a whole class project with them writing their own stories.

As we talk there and at home, one point I ask is about when they learn their spelling words, their definitions of words and what words really are? “You may think that you study your spelling words to get a good grade and that is correct but there is another reason you may not know yet.... you will one day.”

They always ask what it is that they do not know about their own spelling words and at times the teacher looks curious about what I might be getting to in the discussion. “What you learn here in school is wonderful and we all need good grades but there is more. What you learn here is a gift that will last a life time. Your teachers are doing more than teaching you the words, they are helping you how to learn. Teachers give you the gift that lasts all of your lives. The things you learn now will be with you forever.”

We discuss many other things and always have such a good time. Today with my grandson, we reviewed somethings we had already learned and discussed new ideas. We talked about what kind of stories we want to write. We talked about characters and also not using other people's ideas and characters. He does love Iron Man. I even explained copyright about what we write and create including what you see on television. Our story will have to come entirely from our own imagination.

I told him anything worth doing is worth doing well and also worth working as hard as we can. He agreed we will spend this time not only doing a book but learning about books, words and many things we can use to write.

I am not going to go into every detail here but thought about keeping a journal of the study pages, discussions, topics and ideas as we go. I think I will see if I can work it into book form to help other children learn to write or just have a joy and being able to create with words.

I still plan to have a small group of children who are interested in writing with a group of their own. We can have our writers group and the junior group too at different times. I thought about doing a workshop with them if there ever was such an interest. Right now I am excited about what we are doing together, grandson and grandma. He calls me MaMaw.

As I discussed all of this with him he frowned and mentioned it might be nice to have a book so that other kids could make their books too. “Can you teach them and help them with a book?”

“I guess I could, but it would take a lot of work.” He smiled at me as I smiled in return, thinking of how I might be able to do this and him at the same time.

With that big grin on his face he told me we needed a cover for our notebook. It could be the cover for the book to learn to write and then we will have to do our book.

I reviewed some of the vocabulary I wanted him to remember. I asked him if he remembered what a protagonist was. “Sure I do. That’s the one the story is about.”

I then mentioned that the main character would be the protagonist and asked if he remembered how to spell protagonist. He thought for a moment and I could see his little lips move as he silently sounded it out and spelled it perfectly. We did a few other words and definitions including talking about how he could use these things. He asked me why he could just not call them people instead of protagonists. I explained the story might have a main character that was an animal or maybe even an alien. By using the proper term we can more easily understand each other. We lean new things all the time and in school they are always learning new words. Think how limited life would be if we only learned a little and never learned any more. Words can open a whole world and echo through the ages of time.

As I write this blog I am sure now that I will make a book/workbook about writing for young people. Zander is 8 years old and he constantly amazes me. We never know what we can do until we try and then keep trying and learning. As we work to learn and write our story I can also share that experience. It is an exciting time for me and Zander. He has always said that one day he was going to write his own story in his own book with his MaMaw, and the time is right.  We can do it.

More Words about Words and the Stories That They Tell

I thought I would write a little more before I called it a night.  I have been thinking back to two years ago.  I knew little to nothing about publishing books but tried to learn as much as I could.  I felt desperate to have the chance to try with the things that I had written to see pages become books.

I had the two novels in print form and worked to make them into ebooks.  My family encouraged me to turn the poem/story I had written so many years before into a children's book.  My husband could hardly wait to see it as a book.  He had seen the way it affected people of all ages through the years.  I have said it is a little book with a long reach.

I still have to smile as I think back so long ago with what inspired the story to begin with.  Our boys were young and came home from school complaining that they were having to study poetry in school.  They seemed to feel abused with the very thought.  I laughed and asked them why?  When they explained that all poetry was awful and went on to make faces and comments I explained that poetry can tell a story or create feelings and emotions.  Poetry can do so many things you would never realize.



They scoffed and gave me one of their little boy looks of disbelief.  We were out in the yard at the time and I thought of the bonfires we had had and how much they loved stories.  I decided to write a scary story in a poem.

I tried to do more than that.  I tried to write a little poem that could be used by people of all ages and in different ways with every line of the poem.  When read simply it entertains young children but does not really scare them when at the end it mentions it might have been a dream.  It does however open the door to communication of all different subjects from fears such as fear of the dark to dreams that might cause fear.

I love when I talk to the children and read the story.  After I read it they always begin to ask questions, tell their own thoughts, express fears or feelings and more.

I remember on time I read it to a whole class of first graders.  When a whole class sits quietly the whole time I consider that a great compliment to hold their interest.  My grandson was in the class too and it warmed my heart when he came up and put his arm around me and said "This is MY Grandma!"

When I had finished reading the questions and comments brought the room to life.  I had a wonderful time.  I love to see the expressions on their faces and hear the excitement in their voices.  When I see their eyes light up it always makes me smile.

I explained that I bet they knew making good grades was important.  They all agreed.  I told them there was something even more important.  Several of them frowned and looked confused.  Finally one of them asked what that was.  "To learn...  You don't realize it yet but your teacher is giving you a gift that will last you whole life.  She is giving you something special that will be like magic helping you to do things you could never dream of with out that gift."

They could hardly wait to find out what the gift was.  The gift of learning opens doors to the world and gives you a chance to reach out and be more than you ever dreamed in the first grade.  What they learned was more than a grade on the paper.... it is a gift in life.

We talked about writing.  I showed them the novels too.  They all agreed that they could never do anything like that.  I told them that my grandson and I were working on a book together.  A story has a beginning, middle and end.


I worked to do the art work with pastels and charcoal and hoped to bring the characters to life.  I wanted the pictures to have appeal and depth but still carry a child like fun aspect to the characters and scenes.  I did many of the pages so in book form the left page was a picture but it flowed and matched the page on the right to give a full scene.


Every page in the book is a full page art work.  It took a lot of work and time but I love the way it turned out.

There are aspects of the simple little story that allow the parent to teach in many ways.  The sights of the field in the day as compared to the view at night was a fun project many little ones have found fun and a source that initiated many conversations with them sharing thoughts, feelings, fears, and questions.  I have known many children who were afraid of the dark.  When the story speaks of shadows cast in the moon light, I have seen the look of surprise as I showed a child the beauty of the night.  Is it dark outside?   Yes….and no…especially if the moon is full on a clear night filled with stars sparkling to infinity.  It is not so much that the night is dark as it is different degrees of the light and what we can ind is not nearly as fearsome as they thought.

The witch does cause freight.  She and her sister are so ugly, dress differently, and act differently but at the end we realize that neither of the witches did any harm.  Different is often something that others fear but it is not always bad. 

Halloween is a time for fun when the children can delight in a safe scary story or tale to be told and retold.  This is a tale they can enjoy for years to come and they would be able to see different things in the simple words as they grew older or experienced more things in life.

At one point a young man we knew visited.  I could tell he had something on his mind.  I read the story to the younger children and saw a frown and look on his face that I recognized showing there were things he wanted to share.

Later as the children roasted their hot dogs we stepped off to the side and he smiled.  "I know you have said the little story was something we never really out grow, because it can have meaning more than we realize.  I see so much more in it now than ever before.  When I used to hear the first line about it was the dark of night and the moon shone bright casting shadows on things below.... I used to think that was all it was saying.  Now I think about my life and realize there are shadows sometimes and it is really hard to know what is waiting in the future.  Sometimes it can seem really dark."  He went on as if it had opened a flood gate talking from his heart line by line applying the little poem to life, and comparing it from when he had first heard it as a young child and then as it held meaning to him being a young adult.

By the time the evening was over he seemed somewhat relieved.  He seemed to have worked his way through finding his own answers to some questions he never had to ask as he contemplated the meaning the different lines one by one.

When we were working to clean the limbs from our back yard we often would light a fire and roast hotdogs and marshmallows.  It was years later when our children were grown before they realized we were actually cleaning the yard.  I had to laugh at them when they realized it.  At a family reunion they were all gathered talking when I saw them looking at me and laughing.  When I questioned them my daughter finally admitted "Mom, all those years we thought we were having bonfires and we were really cleaning the yard.  I never saw it until after the ice storm and we had gathered the broken branches in a pile and I could hear you saying...If we only had a few branches we could have a bonfire and roast hot dogs.  We raced to get as many as we could."

I had to laugh and explained a little more.  "If I had told you all to clean the yard, I can only imagine how much enthusiasm I would see.  My way the yard was clean, we had a bonfire, I did not have to cook supper and we did have some really good times."

We always had extra children visit.  We would often have the grill fired up and a whole yard full by the time we lit the fire.  I loved to get their imagination going and often would think up a story or two to tell.  Then I would tell them it was their turn.  We would play a little game I had made up and called pass it on.

There is wooded area around our yard so it was easy to start it out with "A long time ago in some woods just like these....(Pause for affect and make it a little more spooky gazing out into the woods)  A boy and girl walked down a path like that little on right there.  As they walked deeper into the woods do you know what they saw?"

Usually by then all eyes were either on me or the woods as they shook their heads no and one would ask what they saw.  I would laugh and tell them I had no idea.  "It's your turn.  What did they see when they walked down the path in the woods?"

One by one they would go around the circle telling a little piece of the story they made up until it was time to let the next one take over and tell a little more.  They passed the story from one to the next until it finally came to an end.

I loved to see the way their eyes would light up as they became a part of it and realized they were making a story.  They could do it too.  Words can have power in more than just what they tell but also in what they inspire.




I have it in my mind to never give up.  I could hardly wait to work revising and editing the next novel I have written I want to publish called Danny. 

I am still not sure about the cover??????

  A young child trapped in a nightmare life had a special friend.  His friend told him, that he could call him Danny.  Danny was his only friend.  No one but Steven could see or hear Danny.  Was Danny a friendly ghost there protecting, or was there more to this entity than anyone might suspect?  Steven began to think Danny might be a Guardian Angel but angel or evil…only time would tell….. because Steven would tell no one and betray his friend, and that friend was there to stay.
          Steven eventually made two new friends at school who shared so much in their disturbed and distraught family lives.  They were about to share more as things began to occur beyond their control.
           Sneaking through the darkness of night, Steven went to his friend Jimmy’s house.  The drama that occurred at Jimmy’s house was mild compared to the conclusion of the activities he had left behind.
          Tragedy and chaos, murder and an end to life as Steven had known, erupted in his household in the dark of night. 
           They found themselves speeding down the highway with a man of questionable character as they left a life behind that felt like a nightmare with no hope.  Where they would go was a question only the future and life could answer.  The real life nightmare they left was more than they could imagine as the night of changes swiftly developed in all directions. 


         Three young boys fled in the night.  It was a night that would change their lives forever.  If it was a new beginning or a nightmare of a different kind, only time would tell….and we can not forget Danny.  He would not want to be left behind.  “You can call me Danny.”

I could hardly wait but then a strange thing happened.  I felt compelled to write a book I never wanted or intended to write that was nonfiction.  I felt I had to share some of my own story.  I needed to find words for things I could hardly think about let alone talk about.  I wanted to find words for feelings that could still make me cry.  I had to find a way to explain things that were feelings, fears, hopes and dreams.  Since I still do not know what my own future will be and we never know the number of our days I did not feel I could wait.  If I could write from the heart and it helped even one other person to see hope and not give up the book would be worth it.  Even when I talk about writing the book it evokes emotions for me.  The hour is late and I am very tired so I think I will continue this tomorrow.  Tomorrow is not only a new day but a day to mark not only my birth but a new beginning.  I think of each and every day as a special day for new beginnings and who knows what we will find.  I will be back.  I am determined to share the passion of my heart about the project of my writing.  I Will Not Give Up...Not Today... Life Is A Journey..    and so it is and so I titled the book that is me.

Jetta Stone Interview

Jetta Stone lives in Arkansas with her husband who is both a Cowboy and a 40 year careered law enforcement officer. Her love of the Old West Culture and the sport of Rodeo was the muze for her writings in this novel allowing her to not only create a vivid and realistic story, but one with the heart and soul of the culture found in so many who have the rodeo lifestyle.

Silver Moon is a rich story filled with passion and romance as well as high drama of shattered lives, hard choices, relationships that are breaking and bending, mystery, suspense and more. 


Interview with Jetta Stone – Author of "Silver Moon"

 Linda...

I've told a bit about you and Silver Moon but would love to have you share even more.

Jetta:..

Thank you Linda.  I would love to especially since Silver Moon is something dear to me.  As I worked writing the story the characters seemed to take on a will and life of their own.  Silver Moon immediately splinters into several different stories as it encompasses four separate lives. What makes the story interesting is that although each individual is struggling with their own issues, there is a common thread tying them together and that thread is the business they have contracted into as co-owners.  Money is the key and they hope to make a lot of it in this new business venture. Their hope is that this business will offer the launch for the change each person wishes for in their personal life. 

One wants to leave a relationship – one wants to desperately hold onto a relationship – one wants to realize a life long dream – while another wants to prove their self-worth.  All want change, and all get change; however, little did they know what lay ahead for them in the process.  Horrific consequences of this venture soon occur and bring about dark changes full of conflict, struggle, danger, and loss.  Yet, in the end, a lost relationship from the past resurfaces to see them through those dark unsettled times into a very different future.

Linda...

How long had you had the idea for your book before you began to write the story?

Jetta...

Silver Moon is a modern western romance. My husband owned a Rodeo Company for several years, and during that time I worked for the company. I fell in love with that Old West Culture – Rodeo is a New Twist of the Old West. The story started coming to me, piece by piece at first, then in a deluge that I couldn't keep up with. I had to pull over to the side of the road and write, I'd keep a pen & pad by my bed at night – I think I literally wrote in my sleep to keep up with the story and characters flooded my brain.

Linda...

Could you tell a bit more about how the love of the Old West culture and Rodeo helped to inspire you?  Many of us may have been to see a rodeo but there is always so much that goes on behind the scenes in any show, production or presentation. 

Jetta...

As I stated, I love the rugged, untamed nature of the Old West Culture.  Every generation has its heroes.  Superman is one such character.  Superman was a fictitious character, yet he was embraced for his bravery and moral values, which are the common threads which tie all heroes together.  The American Cowboy is a real life hero whose memory has crossed generations.  His courage and patriotism has been kept alive through music and the written word, and rodeo.  The horses, those Stetsons and Boots, the competition to tame the wild beast are all captivating and perhaps a bit hypnotic.  There is an intensity and vibrant life you can feel in rodeo and the people there.

Linda...

I would love to hear about your main characters. Who was your favorite? Why?

Jetta...

Well, I love the female heroine in the story, Jessica Warnick, and I do classify her as a hero. What is a hero? A hero is someone who takes the appropriate action at the appropriate time regardless of personal risks.  Sometimes that hero saves others, or saves the situation, sometimes the hero saves themselves.

Linda...

Who is your most unusual or most likeable character?

Jetta...

Oh, this one is easy. This character, Jake Warnick, is a person whom the reader will immediately develop a love/hate relationship with.  They will root for him to overcome his demons, for he really wants to.  They will get angry with him for his bad behavior and what it will cost him.  They will be intrigued by his playfulness and women will lust after him even though he is a bad boy.  Well, maybe that "is why" they will lust after him! Ha.

Linda...

How long did it take you to write your book? 

Jetta...

Let's just say "too long".  The book was in constant flux for a lengthy period of time until I finally had added enough variety of characters and venue to complete the fleshing out of the story to a point where I was satisfied that no more could be done to it.  I wanted it to be more than just a story well told.  I wanted it to be a story with characters that the reader could actually get to know and a story they would not forget.

Linda...

How do you develop and differentiate your characters? 

Jetta...

A good story is based upon a good plot.  After that, developing the personalities and actions of the characters to fit the plot is what makes for a good story.

What works for you to develop the plot and stay on track? Do you have specific techniques or customs that assist you in this process?

Jetta...

Using a well planned out plot is the framework on which the activities and personalities of the characters and situations is built.  Adhering to this framework keeps my mind from straying too far into useless material.

Linda...

How and when do you decide that you are finished writing a story? What do you consider being finished writing with the story?

Jetta...

The story is finished when no more can be done to achieve the ending of the story.  There are many other things to consider before the word finished can properly be used.  Editing of the story reveals issues to work and revise and at times even rewrite.  I am not sure that any author is ever really at peace to say it is finished as there is nothing in this life that is perfect and we strive to create the best that it can possibly be.  I gues there is a difference between writing the story and finishing the book.  In the story achieving the end of a well written and fully develped story would be an end to the beginning of what the author envisions for the book.

Linda...

What is your goal for the book?   what do you want people to take get and remember after they finish reading the story? 

Jetta:

I would hope that the reader would realize that all people have flaws in their character and behavior, even heroes have flaws.  Sheer physical strength and bravery do not necessarily make someone a hero.  Standing on one's values, not giving in to the moral decay in society could be considered being heroic.  Or, giving others the maximum time and effort to change, then having the courage to walk away when they do not change could be considered to be heroic.

I want each reader to get to know these characters and maybe find a way to look at things in a deep and understanding way.

Linda...

Could you tell a bit more about any message in your writing you want readers to grasp?

Jetta...

I would be happy to.  Be fair to others, but, be true to your beliefs.  This might be the idea I would like for people to be left with as they close the back cover on the book.

Linda...

What things have changed for you personally since you wrote your first book?

Jetta...

It has been delightful to get to know a whole new group of friends, who are writers themselves.  Writers support each other and are very sharing with their knowledge of the field of writing.  Hearing from all of the people who have read and are reading the book has been a pure delight.  I feel as if I am watching a dream become a reality and I can hold it in my hand.  I see the chance to share something I am passionate about with others and hope I can help them along the way too.

Linda...

What has been the thing that you found most surprising about being a writer?

Jetta...

Learning to think of myself as a writer.  I have always loved to write but never thought of myself in that way.  I worked to write a well crafted book that has more than a simple story.  I wanted Silver Moon to be special and leave the reader with more than just the story but also an understanding of the characters and their way of life. 


Linda....

We have discussed many things in our local writer's group and the group on line.  I would like to thank you for all of your participation and the time you devote helping and reaching out to others.  I want to thank you for taking this time to reveal things allowing us to better know you and the story of the story.  I also want to say I can hardly wait to read more.  I know this will be only the beginning of many new things to come.

I have heard news that you will soon be offering a special event sharing this wonderful novel in ebook for Kindle for free.  Could you tell us about that?

Jetta...

I am so excited for this opportunity to give Silver Moon as a gift and share with others.  The time is soon approaching and will be announced officially very soon....   but    I will tell you what I have planned.

July 19, 20 and 21st anyone can download the ebook of Silver Moon.  This is a 494 page novel that seems to appeal to men and women alike.

Linda...

Could you share some of the links where we can find more about you and the things you are doing and have done?

Jetta...

My facebook page is   https://www.facebook.com/JettaStone

        and      https://www.facebook.com/Stone2.J

That Ain't No Bull   Blog   http://jettastone1.blogspot.com/

    jettastone1(Twitter)

Amazon Author Central Page     http://www.amazon.com/Jetta-Stone/e/B005UNPFU2/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1





I retired from a 20 year career in the field of Health and Nutrition and I have worked as a Realtor for several years. I also worked with my husband in his Rodeo Company. It was the latter experience that led me to write my latest novel, Silver Moon. I loved the culture of the old west that has been preserved throughout the years in the sport of Rodeo. I gathered ideas from many places to write Silver Moon and my current novel project. Environment, people, places, experiences, movies, history books all give some inspiration toward any book idea in a writer's mind and these all play a part in the formation of the stories I write.

I try to learn from life and all that it has to offer.  I'm currently finishing up another novel - Lake of the Dead - that goes off in a totally different direction of thought than the contemporary western romance - Silver Moon. Lake of the Dead is a suspense thriller and I hope everyone will enjoy the read as much as I've enjoyed writing both of these novels.








Jetta Stone is an amazingly talented author that does more than put words on a page.  Jetta takes you to a world and people you can know and enjoy.  She reaches out to others with hope, help, inspiration and helping in any way that she can.
   

Author Pat Bertram

12 Day Reader’s Event SHAMROCKS-N-SIRENS Welcomes Featured Author Pat Bertram

Shamrocks-N-Sirens 12 day Reader's Event is glad to announce the incredible CRIME THRILLER Author Pat Bertram  

Pat Bertram is a native of Colorado. When the traditional publishers stopped publishing her favorite type of book — character and story driven novels that can’t easily be slotted into a genre — she decided to write her own. Second Wind Publishing liked her style and published four of Bertram’s books: ‘Light Bringer’, ‘Daughter Am I’, ‘More Deaths Than One’, and ‘A Spark of Heavenly Fire’.

What is the main premise of Daughter Am I?

When twenty-five-year-old Mary Stuart learns she inherited a farm from her recently murdered grandparents-grandparents her father claimed had died before she was born-she becomes obsessed with finding out who they were and why someone wanted them dead. Along the way she accumulates a crew of feisty octogenarians-former gangsters and friends of her grandfather. She meets and falls in love Tim Olson, whose grandfather shared a deadly secret with her great-grandfather. Now Mary and Tim need to stay one step ahead of the killer who is desperate to dig up that secret.

How long did it take you to write it?

I developed the idea for Daughter Am I in a single day, but I had to finish the book I was working on at the time, so I didn’t actually begin writing Daughter Am I until several months after I got the initial idea. It took me a year to write, and then another year to edit.

Who’s your favorite character in it?

That is a hard question! All the octogenarian gangsters in Daughter Am I are my favorites in their own way. There’s Teach, who sells bullets he claims came from the shoot-out at the O.K. Corral. There’s Kid Rags, who still works as a forger. There’s Happy, a trigger-happy ex-wheelman for the mob, whose hands shake so much he can barely aim let alone shoot. That’s only three of the octogenarians -- there are seven feisty old gangsters all together. Well, six gangsters and one ex-showgirl.

What projects are you currently working on?

I’m currently collaborating on writing a novel online with eight other Second Wind authors. We each write from the POV of a different character, and follow that character throughout the story. In the first story, a little girl’s body was found in the desert, but who killed her? We won’t know until the book is finished! You can find this project at http://rubiconranch.wordpress.com I hope you will check it out!

What is something that surprised you about being an author?

The most surprising part for me is that I know how to write. For many years, my life was shadowed by the sadness of having no innate talent for writing. I’m not being modest -- I really couldn’t write anything worth reading. When I decided to write despite that lack, I set out to learn everything I could about developing a readable story. Most of the how-to books confused the heck out of me -- the authors would talk about rising conflicts and motivation/reaction units, and I didn’t have a clue what they meant. It’s only recently that I realized I actually know what I’m doing.

What one word describes how you feel when you write?

Intent.

Who designed this cover?

I did! I took the photo while I was out walking one day, and then tweaked the color. I’m pleased with the result.

Which do you use most for writing on, laptop or desktop?

Okay, I admit it: I am a closet pencilphile. Seems silly, I know, in this electronic age, but I write in pencil on loose-leaf paper. There. I've outed myself. I feel so much better now.

I am not being contrary. I do have reasons. I have a better mind/writing connection using pencil and paper than I have with a keyboard; a mechanical pencil is easier on my fingers than pen, and paper is easier on my eyes than a computer screen. But I do use a lap top for blog posts and interviews and such.

Where and when do you prefer to do your writing?

For me, fiction writing is largely a matter of thinking, of trying to see the situation, of figuring out the right word or phrase that puts me where I need to be so the words can flow. I can do this better late at night, in bed, clipboard propped against my knees or on a pillow than sitting at a desk. If, as Mel Gibson said, "A movie is like public dreaming," then novels are like shared dreaming, and where better to dream than in a comfortable bed?

Your favorite quote:

“Whatever you do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius and power and magic in it.” -- Goethe

If you were to attend a St. Patrick’s Day Party, which one thing would you never leave behind and why?

I’d take the Luck O’ the Irish. With a bit of luck, I could get whatever I wanted, including gold. And anyway, luck weighs a heck of a lot less than a pot of gold and is easier to carry with you.

Where can your readers stalk you?

I have a website -- http://patbertram.com -- where I post important information, including the first chapters of each of my books, but the best way to keep up with me, my writing, and my life on a daily basis is by way of Bertram’s Blog. http://ptbertram.wordpress.com

All my books are available both in print and in ebook format. You can get them online at Second Wind Publishing, Amazon, B&N and Smashwords. Smashwords is great! The books are available in all ebook formats, including palm reading devices, and you can download the first 20-30% free!

CHARACTERS AND THEN SOME

CHARACTERS AND THEN SOME

I am not an authority on writing.  I try my best and want to do something special.  I had never really thought about what I do or how do I do it.  It is just something that I get into so much, that it happens …but when I take the time to analyze it there are some things that are occurring even if we do not realize it as we write until we have to take the time to explain it to another person.

As I was writing the story Journey home, I did not have a title or even know what would happen.  It just began as I had described earlier, writing a short story that became very long.  As I had described for my daughter to create a character I explained that I loved a story where the characters seemed so real you could almost feel as if you knew them.  You may like them or hate them, sympathize or detest them, but there should be such humanity about them that they would be the story.  What were they really like?  Why?  Were there things in their pasts that would make them react or think in a certain way?  What did they look like?  How did they dress?  How old and tall or short or fat or skinny or a dozen other things about them are questions to ask yourself.

“But Mom, what am I supposed to do?  It would be boring if I sat here and made of list of this and that is what that person is.”  At that point I smiled and knew that she was already thinking and working on the project even before she realized it.

As I explained that she does not have to list every attribute of a person or facet of their personality to create the character.  That would be boring.  I hope that as I write I do not tell you what or who a character is.  I try to develop the story and show you as it goes who and what and why things and people are as they go.  I often catch myself sounding so unprofessional as I might speak saying the person instead of the character.  I think that is because as I am writing these are people and not just a technical character to develop and describe.  People do and say and react in certain ways for certain reasons even if they do not realize themselves why they do and say the things that they do or think in a certain way.  Characters are the same way.  I think that by showing through the story… the person, events, circumstances, surroundings in a way that allows the reader to be there, see that, and hear or know that…they can feel and be a part of the story instead of just hearing a tale.

If a person is severely injured in a bad car accident on a rainy night they may overly react if riding in a car on a rainy night at the sight of car lights coming around a curve.  Others may not understand or realize the intensity of the reaction unless they knew enough about the person to understand why they responded as they did.

If a person has lost several people close to them that they loved or was hurt in a very bad romantic relationship they may have trouble bonding, trusting or getting close to others.

If there is something about them that is different others may not accept or may criticize they may keep a distance or hide what makes them special or different.

I would say that these are conditional responses or reactions.  From the time we are infants we learn from life and those around us.  We constantly learn new things and some are unpleasant or even hurtful.  We do not want to repeat those negative feelings and learn to react and avoid or hide or respond or avoid things that threaten us.  We also respond to things that bring pleasant, comforting, or happy feelings.  A character is a complexity of many things, and emotions, and thoughts, personality traits, objectives, hopes and desires.  I do not want them to be simplistic creatures that just do this or that, because of what ever the one thing is you are describing at the moment.  They are a complexity of all that their lives have taught, shown, thrown and bestowed upon them prior to the story.

I think the same is true in describing and showing the surroundings.  When we think about the scene or setting that the action or story takes place I think that we need to allow others to be there, see that, smell that, and hear it.  It needs to be so real that they feel as if they are there too.

The sunset blazed with beautiful colors does tell what it looks like.  If the character named Lara “gazed at the beautiful colors that painted the evening sky ablaze in all it’s beauty and splendor.”  We can feel her as she experiences the sight and know what it is that she sees.  I do not tell you what it was, she does it and you know.

There may be times that the terrain or setting influences the story.  It may present a challenge to survive or a place where things are hidden or threats and dangers await.  It may be a place of beauty and tranquility offering solace and comfort.  It may be many things but it is important to the story for us to be able to be there, see that and make it real.

I know there are better ways to explain these things and more professional ways to phrase the technicalities of writing and developing a story but if you were sitting here chatting with me and we shared a few thoughts these are my words and feelings and thoughts about something that I love and strive to do.

To me there is a difference between writing a story and working a story.  Writing a story is when the words and thoughts and people, places, things and events begin to pour out and take life.  Working the story is a different thing of bringing it together and giving it some order and clarity.

The character in Journey Home named Lara had experienced some difficult times in her life.  She often felt a bit different than others and suffered the loss of several people close to her in her life.  A person can be in a crowd of people and yet be all alone.  He Uncle knew her better than most people could ever know her and her heart, and he loved her.  He realized that if he died she might feel all alone and tried to give her more than things than those of monetary value in his will to help her through the rest of her life.  There were things that even he had no way of knowing that would not aid her or make life easier but actually threaten her and her very existence.  The danger she found herself in may have been unavoidable but seemed to be brought to her with no way to avoid when she agreed to the terms of the will by living in then old home place for a specified period of time.

One by one I tried to not only introduce the characters that would be involved in the story but also allow them to be real and help to make the story complete and let anyone who read it know them each and every one.  I wanted people to be able to know the place, and see the sights, feel the fear and confusion as well as the special moments and bonding that takes place.

What were the answers?  Why and who was behind the problems?  How much was real or did a vivid imagination play a part?  What more was to come?  How would it ever stop, until it was discovered who was behind it and also why they were so intent with what ever their plans were?  These were difficult questions but without answers the situation appeared to become more dangerous and more intense.

 As you read the story of Journey home I have to ask….Do you really know who your friends are?  What about the other people in your life?  Who and what is it that knows you?  Who can you really trust?  If it is getting dark outside….Do you have your doors locked and curtains closed?  Who and what might be outside looking in…and WHY?