Bloggity Blog #3: Find that Inspiration!

I'm sat slap band in the middle of a busy shopping centre at the end of a very busy Friday - I'm staring at random passers-by and subconsciously working out their histories, presents and future from the few seconds that they glide by. Some look my way curiously, wondering why I'm staring back creepily wide-eyed. Others don't even register my existence and move along with their day.

My silent stalking session only lasted about ten minutes or so - but it got me thinking about possible novel ideas and what fresh new characters I could introduce. It may have made me look like a weirdo sat still on a bench for ten minutes with two big Wilko bags containing four sacks of rabbit hay - but stalking jokes aside - it seriously is a very productive way of generating inspiration for possible characters and scenarios.

1. For example; older woman stomping by in knee-length leather boots could be a desperate social-phobic, clutching onto her youth and afraid of stopping and taking a break, in case fatigue would catch up with her.
2. Another example would be an elderly man; struggling to walk properly - perhaps due to underlying medical issues such as arthritis or multiple sclerosis. He feels like he wants to stop and take a rest, but pushes himself on stubbornly.

Now let's take the older woman and put her under the microscope a little bit here and delve a bit into her history. Let's say her name is Margerie. Dear old Margerie could have lost her husband - Aldric (?) in a freak motor boating experience a year ago. She would have gone through the normal process of loss and bereavement - with a twist. Margerie could have been so distraught and very self-aware that she herself was getting on in her years, that she decided to buy a full new assortment of clothes and pick up those knee-length boots in a keen attempt to feel younger and alive again, despite the urge to give up and give into her loneliness.

For the elderly man who I'll nickname as Bill, he could have just come from a very recent Doctor's appointment that confirmed that Bill in a few years, would no longer be able to walk properly and would need the use of a wheelchair to get around, eventually even losing the ability to use his leg muscles indefinitely. Bill could have heard this and become absolutely confident in himself that he would never become such a liability to his loving wife and children. Let's say he makes himself a daily schedule - a walking schedule. Bill walks half hour to an hour a day to strengthen his leg muscles - before returning home back to retirement.

Two characters - very different backgrounds and issues. Both of which as the reader, you would instinctively want to know more about them and where their paths are heading. Naturally, you would want a happy ending for whatever character you can 'connect' to most.

However I will leave these two stories unwritten and let you decide their ultimate fate and what endings you would be most comfortable and satisfied with, in your own interpretations. But if I could simply sit still in silence and watch two completely random and unconnected strangers pass by me, whilst making up their histories and scenarios in my head, there is simply no limit to what imagination and inspiration can achieve.

Happy Friday!

- H

Sunday Showcase: Introducing Mike Wells

Welcome to the first 'official' Sunday Showcase - here is where I will be uploading and having a look at any new up and coming authors in the industry.
So for this past week or so I have been delving into the dark depths of social media - talking to you guys and trying to track down the 'star' of this weeks' Showcase. After a barrage of messages and reading manuscript after manuscript, I have finally found an author who I think deserves to be my number one this week.

I have chosen to feature Mike Wells, American best selling author of the Lust, Money and Murder series and amassing a collection of 20 other titles under his belt. Admittedly, I haven't heard of him beforehand, nor have read anything before that he has written. Coming across him by sheer fluke, I followed him on Twitter and he then contacted me to share Book 1 of Lust, Money and Murder. At once I was dubious - I so rarely get into Thriller/mystery/suspense titles that most of the novels I read end up blurred and desolate in the background on my mind. However, I was determined to give it a go and lay previous experiences aside.

At once I was hooked by the gorgeous scenery the romantic nature of the character meeting a mysterious rich man in the Italian Riviera. I was grossly interested at how both characters interacted romantically and inseparably with one another - but really had no personally interest nor passion for the other at all. I had to admit I was reading and thinking at the same time; "God I hope one of them gets bumped off." - I wasn't disappointed either! As one of our opening characters soars majestically over a cliff, we are then introduced to the novel's protagonist, Elaine Brogan and her journey into adulthood.

Reading through Elaine's memories - especially of her father, I couldn't help but wonder a little where it was leading - which in retrospect, what was what kept me hooked and helped me not give into my usual stereotype of avoiding crime and thriller novels like the plague.

We see Elaine blossom quietly from a shy little flower, through an awkward school phase into an independent young lady in just a matter of paragraphs. The memories are short lived and don't tend to veer too far from the point that Wells' is orchestrating across. When Elaine makes one of the first true adult decisions of joining a modelling agency, we begin to see some of that hard confidence that I visualised when first glancing at her name.

Without giving too much of the plot away, Elaine learns what it means to have to grow up too fast in such a harsh reality, thus a tragic turn of events sends her spiralling into adulthood with an agenda and a plan - taking her from beautiful places such as the heart of America and Moscow.

As mentioned I have only had the chance to read book one, which I believe Wells' has uploaded directly onto his website for public viewing. I would suggest going to have a quick read - even if you are dubious as well about crime and thriller novels, is I'm sure this would certainly change that stereotype and engulf you in the world of Elaine Brogan.

If you're interested in seeing more of Wells' work, you can visit his official website; http://www.mikewellsbooks.com/ If you're a tweeter you can also follow his daily movements here; https://twitter.com/MikeWellsAuthor

Check back next Sunday for my next weekly Showcase! In the meantime, if you are interested in featuring you can drop me an email at; daggersunderdaisies@gmail.co.uk with a brief bio about yourself and what you'd love for me to read.

Until then, happy weekend!

- H

Bloggity Blog #2: The Blogging Effect.

So, it's Friday and I've finally got around to sitting down in bed whilst listening to Boyfriend snoring and getting on with my planned blogging schedule that I have oh-so-craftily put into my phone and set reminders every time I forget/am busy/lazy ect. Long story short, I will be uploading a lot more content to this site now. When I set out on this experience, I made a commitment to myself and anyone reading this, that I'll put my heart and soul into it.

But anyway moving on.

I've been ghosting around a fair bit on various blogging sites in various industries, topics and hobbies - hoping for a little bit of inspiration. As you may have noticed (or not, sad face) I have been making quite a few improvements to the site and ensuring it's a little more reader-friendly and easier to see in terms of colour and readability. Of course every author has their own ideas in terms of what they want and how they want to portray their work across to their target audience. I also saw a lot of fantastic blogs that go hideously under-advertised and lay forgotten, whilst their owners either frown and lose hope or continue doing what they love, simply because they love doing it. (I'll be showcasing talent such as this in my 'Sunday Showcase section!)

My point being that I class myself as the latter - I could have absolutely zero reader base but yet I will continue to churn out what I love doing, simply for the fact that I love doing it. This should definitely be a trait that everyone should learn to adapt in whatever they feel their passion is, and put everything they have into it. Imagine it.

Self-illumination and perspective aside, life has been changing pretty rapidly for the past few months or so, with a variety of changes occuring. Not that change is a bad thing, it's the ability to be able to learn and grasp new knowledge, skills, whatever.

For those of your who keep up to date with me on Twitter, I've decided to make a major career change and move from Recruitment to Financial Services. I feel that I should point out here though, that I have about as much skill with numbers as I do with hardcore welding and plumbing - absolutely zero. So here I am, totally out of my comfort zone and no clue of what I'm doing, stumbling day to day through numbers desperately trying to looks over my notes daily.

However not letting this beat me down, I decided that taking on a completely new industry and job, will teach me a lot more about the business world itself and hopefully a variety of new skills that I can apply to my own. Admittedly, I miss Recruitment a lot more than I thought I would but again remembering the reasons why I decided to take a different route, I am choosing the 'new' things that I like now and focussing on them wholeheartedly. I know in myself roughly what I would like to change and what I'd like to improve on - which could be compared to writing as well in this aspect, I know what I want to do.

As to where this whole adventure for me at the moment - who knows where it will end? It's exciting, it's adventurous and most of all, I'm doing what I want to do.

Why don't you do the same?

Happy Friday!

- H