In a follow up from my previous post, my photography has given me the luxury of being able to add authenticity to my novels. As one reviewer said (in the Taupo Times), “Your writing is like a travelog with the fine details making me want to visit the places your writing is set in.” I get that, but also have to be careful not to go overboard with descriptive text. There needs to be a balance but not distract from the action. I do admit that the mood of a location is important to me and it can help propel the action, such as the gloomy London weather in Chapter 82 – where Jenson meet his old handler Sir Donald:
“Sir Donald holds a new match to his pipe, and looks out to Hans Place Garden. I follow his gaze. Misty rain drifts in sheets over the street lamps. Dickens would love this weather but I detest it. The trees have shed their coats, spreading a soggy carpet of brown and yellow along the lane, and limp leaves are stuck fast to parked cars.”
The scene is a nice contrast to the ‘fireside chat’ when Jenson debriefs his mission and the dismal weather wraps colder as Jenson begins to question everything he once stood and worked for. He even recalls some appropriate words from Shakespeare. And the result? Aha, you will have to read for yourself.
Many an author is grateful for their world experiences, whether through career or travel. When I was at university I landed a rather unusual job working with a crew who ran the dry dock at Devonport, across the harbour from Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city. My job was to help work the pumps, grease the gears and help shore up the boats as they settled on the floor of the dry dock as the water was pumped out. I was about nineteen years of age at the time and never thought I would be able to use the experience in a novel. One day, while working on a chapter in my latest thriller, I realised how valuable my time in the dry dock was. It helped bring a chapter to life and give it authenticity—a measure of detail that few people would have.
time, and very humble, work in the naval dockyard. The crew I worked with gave me rich memories that came back to life when I was struggling for ideas for my latest novel. All experience, whether a struggle or triumph, does count. It acts like building blocks for your mind, allowing original and creative writing to flow.
3 WISE MEN features real locations, real cafes, and real hotels , etc. in order to give authenticity to the novel. The plot is also plausible and based on a genuine ancient document.
[novel extract: “His favorite café – the Bar Arcibaldo – was just across the street from the university entrance, and Jak was delighted to enter and finally shake off the cold air. Not only was this a good place to relax, but it was also an opportunity to enjoy the company of fellow university students and lecturers who frequently gathered here between classes and at the end of their academic day.] Note: “Nun Te Pago” means “Not paid.”