juxtaposition

Playing with Words Again

James Uncategorized , , , , 0 Comment

A moment in the mind of a writer. My first attempt was;

I long to escape the monotony of my desk in dreary London before winter sets in.
Deep down, I’m not happy with the ending. “…winter sets in.” It’s not powerful enough; not convincing me as a reader, so I try an alternative;
I long to escape the monotony of my desk in dreary London before winter closes in.
Yes. “…closes in.” has more impact and it’s something that winter does. The idea that winter ‘closes in’ suggests confinement and something worth escaping from. But, I’m still not convinced and come up with;
I long to escape the monotony of my desk in dreary London before winter traps me.
Ah, that’s better and more juxtaposed with “…escape…traps.” I don’t want to be trapped by winter, so now I have a good reason to want to escape it. After all, who wants to be trapped in London in winter?
I think I will stay with this change unless something better comes to mind. My wife and I have experienced the cold, damp winter conditions mentioned here. We had two days in London at Christmas. It started out fine and warm, but temperatures descended, along with drizzly rain, to soak our bodies and enthusiasm for this part of the world. Dickens described London as a magic lantern. London gave him his range of characters and fired his imagination, inspiring him to write. It helped me too.

Fact or Fiction?

James Uncategorized , , , , , , , , 0 Comment

“There are two sides to every story”
“You can’t tell fact from fiction these days”
“All news is fake news”
Ah, the wonderful freedom a fiction writer has. With the lines blurred between real news and fake news – between fact and fiction – there is plenty of scope for a writer to flip between the two and build an authentic world for the reader. For example, a thriller may have elements of the real world, such as places, times and cultural events, and weave in among these a believable plot. I love thrillers that have ‘proof of life.’ That is, they lack extreme coincidences. I am not going to point any finger at a specific writer, but do remember reading a book that was full of impossibilities (two scientists are abandoned in a remote location and just happen to be rescued – you get the idea). It was a thriller by a well-known author, but the lack of authenticity prevented me from being immersed in the story. For other readers, it might have been fine (insert smiley face).

Back to the two sides to a story. When a plot juxtaposes truth and lies, it creates tension and ignites the plot. A reader can take one side, then have it destroyed when the lies become fact. You see this in TV dramas when the obvious killer is, in fact, innocent. This formula is all too clear for most of us and how disappointing it is to have someone next to you say, “I know who did it.”

For me, the challenge is to make the twist NOT obvious at all. And, I hope I achieved this in my new book. Oh dear, I don’t want to give too much away!

Plans for the day?

James Uncategorized , , , , , 1 Comment

It’s a common question – “What are your plans for the day?” A social greeting question, and one that we almost expect. It’s the question I get asked when I sit to have my hair cut, or while talking with my children. And, it’s an ideal question to drop into casual conversation in a thriller; a sure way to put the reader at ease, before winding up the tension with an unexpected reply. Here’s what I mean when I write that innocuous question into my new thriller;

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The black BMW limo glides west onto the B44, then loops back to follow the Theodor-Stern-Kai motorway, parallel to the River Main. As they slow for the Friedensbrücke bridge the driver glances in his mirror.

“Sir, if I may ask, what have you got planned for the day?”

Michael is silent, his thoughts caught by dazzling sunlight on the water. Across the bridge, he gazes at the rising commercial landscape north of the round Westhafen Tower and finally speaks as their destination comes into view.

“I plan to change the world.” [new thriller, Ch 2]

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