Aspiring Author

Once many years ago I was an aspiring author. I had aspirations to be a published writer. To be an author.

I can clearly remember the opening sentence of my first draft paragraph.

"The judge placed the black cap on top of his wig and pronounced sentence on
the prisoner. "You will be taken from this place to prison from whence you
will be taken to a place to suffer death by hanging"

As you can see I was attempting a dramatic opening. I remember clearly the events that raised this rich seam of drama in my mind. I was young at the time of the murder. It was the first murder of which I became aware of newspaper coverage of the crime, the victims, and then the trial. I remember my father's distress over the hanging of a man who may well be innocent.

My father didn't agree with 'legalised murder'. He thought that a sentence of imprisonment for life was sufficient punishment. It allowed for errors in judgement, mistaken identity or other extenuating circumstances. When he was explaining his thoughts to me he told me he came to this decision when Derek Bentley was hanged for murder. A shooting of a policeman committed in Croydon in by Bentley/Craig obviously aroused a great deal of local interest at the time. Many years later it still distressed my father. He was worried that another man was about to be hanged when he may have been innocent of the crime.

I'm not quite sure where I intended to go after this dramatic opening. I'd worked out the beginning. But it had no middle and no ending. The latter surprises me. It surprises me because I have always chosen my books by reading by the last paragraph first.

The Whiteoaks of Jalna

Right - now how many of you remember these books? Did you ever read them? I used to love them as a teen. I think I'll have to get one to read for a trip down memory lane. The author was Mazo de la Roche. I loved books where you had a whole raft of characters that you could meet again and again with each subsequent saga. Just like a soap opera. The whole idea of a family living on an estate in a family house with that whole clan thing going on was the kind of life I always saw as 'perfect'.

I see that her real name was Mazo Roche but that she added the 'de la' . This set me wondering as to what name I would like to be known as an author. Penelope de la Southwell doesn't have quite the right ring to it. How about:

• Canola de la Colyford


• Olive de la Oyl [it does flow off the tongue]


• Corinne de la Beer


• Theresa che Green


• Tabitha de la Ware


• Penelope Deadly

I can see I'll have to give this subject some deep consideration. Until I have a name how can I write a book?

Holidays - Are They Worth It?

Although I do not for a moment regret seeing family and friends, the fact I collected a cold followed by sinus infection does make me wonder whether the break away was really conducive to re-charging my batteries. I've done very little since my return to base. When I was away I had so many fresh ideas I was full of projects I wanted to start upon my return home. But over the last 2 weeks I've been full of anti-histamine, decongestants and pain killers I've done nothing more than droop around doing the basic daily chores. I've now reached the stage that I'm beginning to forget what the projects are that I was once so keen to get on with. My get up and go that was so fired up, during my first week away, has once again got up and gone.

But maybe my long held dream of writing a book and (big day dream this) of actually getting into print should be got under way. As, according to Yahoo my stars for today: -

Pisces
Something is coming to an end concerning the lack of confidence you have in yourself, dear Pisces. You have been hesitating to stand in the spotlight for quite a while now, feeling you are not quite ready. Well, no more excuses! Ready or not, you are going to have to push forward. The only thing you risk losing is your pride, and that is most resilient.

After all, Mary Wesley had her first adult book published when she was 70. So it's not too late!