Happy Corner

Relax and chat about anything not covered elsewhere.
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Kafkaesque
Posts: 886
Joined: Fri Oct 06, 2017 10:20 am

Kai wrote:
Sun May 24, 2020 5:58 pm
Oh and congrats to Kaf with his novel :)
Derek27 wrote:
Sun May 24, 2020 6:54 pm
Yes, good luck with your novel Kaf. That explains your excellent literacy skills. :)
Cheers fellas :)
CallumPerry wrote:
Sun May 24, 2020 10:57 pm
I too have started a novel. Truthfully, it was started last summer and I just have many pieces at the moment but it is on my list and will be done in the next couple of years I am certain. For that reason, I would very much love to give it a read if it's something you're keen to share? What's it about?
Unless you're a language savant, there's going to be an issue :lol: It's written in Danish ;) I actually considered writting it in English. By the end I lost count of how many times, I'd thought of a word in English and for the life of me couldn't recall what it's called in Danish!!! I read all my books, bar Danish authors, in English which will likely be the reason (along with places like this). In the end though, needing to get a British agent while being based in Denmark seemed a needless hassle.

My one basic advice, for what's it's worth from an unpublished author, is do just bloody do it. My impression is most aspiring authors, more than anything else, get stuck by feeling they don't necessarily have a story to tell, or further down the line that they don't a clear enough idea in their head of where it's heading. Most authors with broad success create the story as they write, as I understand it. I do as well and I'll give you a few examples.

My story is about someone who's had his wife kidnapped, and he's then forced into a variety of situations to get her safely back. Told in first person and present tense. Which I really shouldn't be messing around with, especially together, but let's leave that be. Simultaneously, I'm telling two stories in the past tense of the two loves of his lives. One where it's a local girl and everything is smooth sailing, and another where it's a muslim second generation immigrant girl, where both families disapproves; strongly. Without revealing who is the, now kidnapped, wife. Anyway, I started with him laying on the grass thinking, taking it from there. This feels like Texas. Texas it is. Once that played out, he's off to Italy, which I, again, decided as a destination at the moment of writing it. As he's standing at the airport trying to book a ticket, I realize that there's no direct flights from Dallas to Bergamo. Where's the layover? Let's take him to London. Let's give him 24 hours. What's he going to do? See an old mate. How's the mate interesting? Let's say he grew up in Zimbabwe. He's got some crazy stories about elephants, which the main character didn't care about back in the day, but now seems awfully important, because I've made crazy elephants - through my love of Dali, as my avatar suggests - a key part throughout. If you read a lot and have a bit of flair for storytelling, then things tend come together and loop around quite naturally.

If you've got parts, you're partly there and that's further than most :D Best of luck with it
Trader Pat
Posts: 4327
Joined: Tue Oct 25, 2016 12:50 pm

Kafkaesque wrote:
Mon May 25, 2020 12:09 am
My one basic advice, for what's it's worth from an unpublished author, is do just bloody do it.
Good advice for a lot of things in life :)
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Derek27
Posts: 23471
Joined: Wed Aug 30, 2017 11:44 am
Location: UK

Up early, beers chilled, and the flipping sky's full of clouds!!
Trader Pat
Posts: 4327
Joined: Tue Oct 25, 2016 12:50 pm

Derek27 wrote:
Mon May 25, 2020 1:03 pm
Up early, beers chilled, and the flipping sky's full of clouds!!
Thats where clouds live Derek :D
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Kai
Posts: 6092
Joined: Tue Jan 20, 2015 12:21 pm

Derek27 wrote:
Mon May 25, 2020 1:03 pm
Up early, beers chilled, and the flipping sky's full of clouds!!
This ain't the rant thread, cheer up Derek. Happy thoughts only :)
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Kai
Posts: 6092
Joined: Tue Jan 20, 2015 12:21 pm

Kafkaesque wrote:
Mon May 25, 2020 12:09 am
Kai wrote:
Sun May 24, 2020 5:58 pm
Oh and congrats to Kaf with his novel :)
Derek27 wrote:
Sun May 24, 2020 6:54 pm
Yes, good luck with your novel Kaf. That explains your excellent literacy skills. :)
Cheers fellas :)
CallumPerry wrote:
Sun May 24, 2020 10:57 pm
I too have started a novel. Truthfully, it was started last summer and I just have many pieces at the moment but it is on my list and will be done in the next couple of years I am certain. For that reason, I would very much love to give it a read if it's something you're keen to share? What's it about?
Unless you're a language savant, there's going to be an issue :lol: It's written in Danish ;) I actually considered writting it in English. By the end I lost count of how many times, I'd thought of a word in English and for the life of me couldn't recall what it's called in Danish!!! I read all my books, bar Danish authors, in English which will likely be the reason (along with places like this). In the end though, needing to get a British agent while being based in Denmark seemed a needless hassle.

My one basic advice, for what's it's worth from an unpublished author, is do just bloody do it. My impression is most aspiring authors, more than anything else, get stuck by feeling they don't necessarily have a story to tell, or further down the line that they don't a clear enough idea in their head of where it's heading. Most authors with broad success create the story as they write, as I understand it. I do as well and I'll give you a few examples.

My story is about someone who's had his wife kidnapped, and he's then forced into a variety of situations to get her safely back. Told in first person and present tense. Which I really shouldn't be messing around with, especially together, but let's leave that be. Simultaneously, I'm telling two stories in the past tense of the two loves of his lives. One where it's a local girl and everything is smooth sailing, and another where it's a muslim second generation immigrant girl, where both families disapproves; strongly. Without revealing who is the, now kidnapped, wife. Anyway, I started with him laying on the grass thinking, taking it from there. This feels like Texas. Texas it is. Once that played out, he's off to Italy, which I, again, decided as a destination at the moment of writing it. As he's standing at the airport trying to book a ticket, I realize that there's no direct flights from Dallas to Bergamo. Where's the layover? Let's take him to London. Let's give him 24 hours. What's he going to do? See an old mate. How's the mate interesting? Let's say he grew up in Zimbabwe. He's got some crazy stories about elephants, which the main character didn't care about back in the day, but now seems awfully important, because I've made crazy elephants - through my love of Dali, as my avatar suggests - a key part throughout. If you read a lot and have a bit of flair for storytelling, then things tend come together and loop around quite naturally.

If you've got parts, you're partly there and that's further than most :D Best of luck with it
Didn't read the whole thing but I do hope your mate can get his kidnapped wife back 👍
User avatar
Derek27
Posts: 23471
Joined: Wed Aug 30, 2017 11:44 am
Location: UK

Trader Pat wrote:
Mon May 25, 2020 3:30 pm
Derek27 wrote:
Mon May 25, 2020 1:03 pm
Up early, beers chilled, and the flipping sky's full of clouds!!
Thats where clouds live Derek :D
They certainly don't live on the BBC weather forecast!
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Derek27
Posts: 23471
Joined: Wed Aug 30, 2017 11:44 am
Location: UK

Kai wrote:
Mon May 25, 2020 3:38 pm
Derek27 wrote:
Mon May 25, 2020 1:03 pm
Up early, beers chilled, and the flipping sky's full of clouds!!
This ain't the rant thread, cheer up Derek. Happy thoughts only :)
The end of the afternoon wasn't too bad. The cat was happy lying on the grass in a mix of sunshine and shade, and beer still tastes good even if it's not 30°C, and summer's yet to start. :)

I'll just choose another weather site next time I take a day off.
Atho55
Posts: 637
Joined: Tue Oct 06, 2015 1:37 pm
Location: Home of Triumph Motorcycles

After a week of offering, my better half is going to let me (try) and cut her hair tomorrow... can`t wait. Clippers with No4 blade as sub if I cock it up
sa7med
Posts: 800
Joined: Thu May 18, 2017 8:01 am

Atho55 wrote:
Wed May 27, 2020 6:25 pm
After a week of offering, my better half is going to let me (try) and cut her hair tomorrow... can`t wait. Clippers with No4 blade as sub if I cock it up
Good luck. I tried my hand at just that 6 months ago. Surprisingly easy!
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ShaunWhite
Posts: 9731
Joined: Sat Sep 03, 2016 3:42 am

sa7med wrote:
Wed May 27, 2020 6:31 pm
Atho55 wrote:
Wed May 27, 2020 6:25 pm
After a week of offering, my better half is going to let me (try) and cut her hair tomorrow... can`t wait. Clippers with No4 blade as sub if I cock it up
Good luck. I tried my hand at just that 6 months ago. Surprisingly easy!
lol same....a straight fringe is so last season.

All you have to do is summon up the spirit of Teesie Weesie Raymond. You're old enough to get that Atho :)
a1e7e5dade241ffdbe728c6eb082bb34--hair-dos-beehive.jpg
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Jukebox
Posts: 1576
Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2012 8:07 pm

Atho55 wrote:
Wed May 27, 2020 6:25 pm
After a week of offering, my better half is going to let me (try) and cut her hair tomorrow... can`t wait. Clippers with No4 blade as sub if I cock it up
I too got pressed into hairdressing service and that included recolouring roots, it did feel like a big responsibility - it all went fine - the instructions were clear enough. The small talk was the awkward part - apparently my "client" hadn't been on holiday recently and nor was she planning to have an evening out this weekend!
trader44
Posts: 236
Joined: Wed Oct 29, 2014 1:28 pm

Jukebox wrote:
Thu May 28, 2020 8:26 am
Atho55 wrote:
Wed May 27, 2020 6:25 pm
After a week of offering, my better half is going to let me (try) and cut her hair tomorrow... can`t wait. Clippers with No4 blade as sub if I cock it up
I too got pressed into hairdressing service and that included recolouring roots, it did feel like a big responsibility - it all went fine - the instructions were clear enough. The small talk was the awkward part - apparently my "client" hadn't been on holiday recently and nor was she planning to have an evening out this weekend!
great to read these posts as i am a hairdresser :D there will be many a kitchen scissor haircuts getting done during lockdown ..tips i can give for doing it are .dont cut a womans fringe when its wet as it might spring up when it dries :lol:
Atho55
Posts: 637
Joined: Tue Oct 06, 2015 1:37 pm
Location: Home of Triumph Motorcycles

Just had a Tesco shop delivered, including a Comb...

Good advice about the fringe, thanks.. will forget that. :lol: :lol:
Jukebox
Posts: 1576
Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2012 8:07 pm

trader44 wrote:
Thu May 28, 2020 10:12 am
..tips i can give for doing it are .dont cut a womans fringe when its wet as it might spring up when it dries :lol:
I can attest to that - and also that references to Bettie Page in the two weeks that follow don't go down too well either.
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