Happy St Andrew's Day

November 30th is the feast day of Scotland's patron saint, St Andrew, and an excuse (as if one were needed) for Scots globally to come over misty eyed and nostalgic about the motherland. Although haggis, neeps and tatties are more usually associated with one of our other big celebrations, Burns' Night, I indulge on St Andrew's Day as well.

Nostalgia is in the air for Scotland in 2009 - it is the 250th anniversary of the birth of national bard, Rabbie Burns (familiar to the world through Auld Lang Syne, Tae a Moose and A Man's A Man For A' That amongst others). I'm glad to see that the Scottish Government is celebrating the anniversary of a significant literary figure. All too often in modern Scotland, and despite a rich heritage, the arts are seen as the domain of "poofs and wimmin". God help you growing up in the West of Scotland as I did, if you didn't want to play for Celtic or Rangers. Any pretension to a non-sporting career (and even then, if it wasn't football you were still suspect) was an invitation to mockery, ridicule and ostracision.

But now the arts are, marginally, "cool". We have a new generation of young singers like Paulo Nutini and Sandy Thom. Actors like Gerry Butler and David Tennant are winning fans worldwide. Writers like Alexander McCall Smith and Ian Rankin are celebrated not just in Scotland but further afield. Even in surprising areas like the comic book industry, traditionally a North American preserve, Scottish writers and artists like Grant Morrison and Cam Kennedy are attracting rave reviews.

In light of the 250th anniversary, and in a bid to drum up tourism, a new tourism campaign has been devised. Homecoming Scotland 2009. An appeal to the Scottish diaspora to come back, and for second and third generation Scots to come and spend their foreign money on kilts, sporrans, tartan rubbish and Nessie models.

And it has an advert. An advert which, in theory, is a good idea. Take the song "Caledonia" (guaranteed to tug at the heart strings of the homesick Scot), set it against a backdrop of Scottish scenery, and have famous Scots sing the lines. What could possibly go wrong?

Well, the exclusion of some of the most recognisable Scottish singers for a start. Travis, the aforementioned Paolo Nutini, even the Proclaimers. Absent. Those singers that are involved generally put their own "interpretation" onto the song (in other words ruin it to display their vocal range). With the notable exception of Eddie Reader, the other singers in the advert take a good song and spoil it.

The next thing that goes wrong is relying on people who aren't singers, to sing. Golfer Sam Torrance, and Olympic Gold Medal winner Chris Hoy do better than expected. Actor Brian Cox... not so good. And as for Sean Connery? He takes the best lines in the song ("Let me tell you that I love you, that I think about you all the time") and he doesn't even attempt to sing. The whole thing comes together in a mish-mash of good intentions and poor execution.

Maybe I've been away from Scotland for too long, but I had to look up half the people in the advert - I couldn't have told you who the rugby players were, and even Brian Cox was unrecognisable. If the aim was face recognition amongst ex-pats and Scottish descendants, then it picked the wrong people. Even Sam Torrance is less recognisable than Colin Montgomerie if you want a golfer, and currently the leading Scottish sportsman is Andy Murray - why not get him?

Anyway, have a look at the advert - you'll find it here.

And if you want to hear a good version of the song, then might I recommend the original by Dougie MacLean, or my personal favourite, by Frankie Miller.

Letting go From Write Anything - 13 July 08

This is adapted from an article that appeared on the Write Anything website on July 13, 2008. The original text can be found here.

Letting go

I once claimed that I could never work with other writers on a collaborative project. In sports, at work, I can be a team player. But writing? That's a solitary activity. Just me, my ideas and the empty page.

So it was a bit of a surprise when one day I woke up to find myself as part of a collaborative writing project! You may remember me mentioning the character of Captain Juan, a character made up as a joke on the spur of the moment.

Well, I wound up taking the Captain for a quick spin around a few [Fiction] Friday entries.

Then the Captain went sailing - firstly to Annie Evett's blog, then to Jodi Cleghorn's blog. And now, the Captain has wound up on his own site. So, what is my point, beyond shameless publicity for a project I'm involved in?

This is the first collaborative writing project I've participated in, and to make it tougher, the character is mine. I created him, and I have an idea in my mind of what he looks like, what motivates him, his background, his essence. So it has been a little strange seeing him go off and be interpreted by other writers. Other writers with different styles of writing, different interests. Writers unaware of the unconscious backstory I had for this character.

Not only has the character wandered elsewhere, he is encountering characters I would never have created, in situations I would not have put him in. I will admit, it hasn't been an easy adjustment to make. My visceral reaction has been possessive and a little petulant. No! He's my character, I don't want him to do that. I'm taking my toys home with me!

Thankfully, this has been only a fleeting reaction. The project has taken a satirical, one-joke character, and wholly transformed him into a fully-fleshed, well-rounded character with depth, personality, motivation and drive. It has turned a funny story into a story worth telling. The unexpected plot developments catch me as unawares as any other reader. I then have to raise my game, to either develop, resolve, or enhance the twists in the tale. I get to shape and influence the development of characters who are not mine, as much as my colleagues get to with my characters.

Sometimes I have wound up thinking "why did you do X, now I can’t do Y". I'm sure that I will have that reaction many times as the story develops, and I am equally certain that Annie and Jodi have, and will experienced the same reaction to things I've written into the story. That's the disadvantage of a collaborative project, especially one were all parties have equal say in how the story develops. But it's also what makes it so exciting and vibrant.

As writers we often talk about characters doing things that surprise us - in this case, it is literally true. We each cannot say with certainty what will happen next, only that we will have to accept it, process it, and make use of it.

I would highly recommend everyone who wants to improve as a writer should try writing collaboratively. It can shake you out of complacency, drive you on to better your craft, and force you to set aside your ego, in order to let the characters come to the fore.

Of course, I'm slightly mortified how long it has actually been since I did anything with the Captain story - in my extended absence however, my two fellow storytellers have kept La Gongoozler steering along a steady course!

Tags: Write Anything Sunday Writer Paul Anderson

Suggestions sought

Despite letting all other writing tasks slip, I'm working on a new Christmas story for the podcast. Like last year, it will feature characters from the Long Watch, but unlike last year has no connection to any of the events in the first or second books. It's a stand alone, spoiler free story.

Now, I have it in my head that I want some kind of humorous take on a Christmas song title. So I'm looking for some way to combine a Christmas song or carol, with some kind of Lovecraftian reference (without giving too much of the plot away).

Have Yourself A Cthulhu Little Christmas?

Ry'leh Night?

God Rest Ye Merry Watchmen?

All suggestions, witty or disturbing, will be credited with a mention in the podcast (maybe even a character name).

Working out issues on paper...

I have a couple of deep-rooted issues in my life. One of them concerns the things I used to do. Long time followers will know I was a researcher in international law and my area of focus was terrorism. As a consequence of this I have seen things I would rather not have seen, heard things I would rather not have heard, and know things I would rather not know. Some of this affects me still, though not as badly as they did in the past.

I am no longer as paranoid as I was about being attacked or detained. I don't suffer from night terrors the way I used to. And there are only some things on television that I find it uncomfortable to watch.

This year I have had to abandon NaNoWriMo. I have stopped with just over one fifth of the target achieved. I've put this down to a variety of reasons - personal issues that have come to the fore, job issues that put unexpected strains upon me. But looking back at the last thing I wrote, it is possible that there was another reason that I stopped writing what I did. Looking back at the last thing I wrote, imagery that had in the past disturbed me have seeped into my writing.

There is a scene where a young girl is sacrificed as part of a ritual. The manner of her execution however is brutal and I think I spooked myself with it. It is not as bad on the page as it is in my mind, the reason being in my mind I know what this looks like and I can hear what it sounds like.

On the one hand, the fact that I can commit it to paper and use it, is perhaps proof that I am working beyond these issues. On the other, the fact that I abandoned the story immediately after writing the scene is perhaps more revealing than I gave credence to originally.

Regardless, I am master of my own thoughts, not the other way round, and I should get back to the story sooner, rather than later.

Picture books

What were your favourite books before you could read?

That sounds like an odd question, but consider children's books. They are usually large, and brightly illustrated, in order to draw pre-literate children to them. They come for the colours and the pictures and the shapes, and while enjoying these illustrations, those strange black shapes that your mum and dad point at, become normalised.

I've been trying to find my favourite books somewhere online, and I can't for the life of me find them. Unsurprisingly, these books probably date from the late 1970s or very early 1980s. I remember them always being there, and I was born in 1979, so they have to be from a few years either side of then.

There were two books, from the same publisher, and on the same theme. They were illustrated collections of fairy tales, one from Hans Christian Andersen, the other from the Brothers Grimm. I loved to read these growing up (and another part of the puzzle falls into place for you), and before I could read I remember having my parents, usually my father, read them to me. But what I remember the most, the thing that stands out above everything else, was the illustrations. Full page, glossy, colour paintings. They might have been gouache, I don't know.

But they were tripped out and freaky. I mean serious, good old-fashioned nightmare material. Frightening visions of hell, evil grotesques that stalked the wilderness of the imagination. They were exquisite. Two in particular stick in my mind. From the Grimm book there was the Four Musicians of Bremen, in the climactic scene, attacking a burglar. And from the Andersen book, The Tinderbox, and the dog with eyes as big as saucers. I would stare at these pictures for hours...

We had another set of books, again these were fairy tales, and again I can't find them. It was a set of six or so, very small, hardback, and each had a different coloured cover. The inside covers was that sort of marbled effect. The stories were illustrated throughout, but in solid black shapes on white, as if you were watching a shadow puppet theatre. The effect was spell binding. I miss those books, there aren't many books that captivate me in the same way now.

Perhaps my leather bound and gilt edged Poe collection.

The theme of originality From Write Anything - 29 June 08

This is adapted from an article that appeared on the Write Anything website on June 29, 2008. The original text can be found here.

The theme of originality

Did you do as requested last week? Did you think about originality, and when was the last time that you read/watched/saw anything original? And did you consider the similarities between the various stories mentioned at the end of last week’s article?

The last original story you read... wasn’t original. In fact, if some literary theorists are to be believed, you have only ever read a handful of original stories in your entire life.

Christopher Booker, in The Seven Basic Plots: Why We Tell Stories posits that there are only ever seven plots from which all novels, plays, films etc are spawned. They are:

• Overcoming the monster - a heroic figure battles a monster that threatens a group. Initial success is followed by setbacks, until a final battle sees the hero victorious, winning something valuable in the process. Examples are Beowulf, Little Red Riding Hood and Dracula.
  
  
• Rags to riches - the hero lives in difficult circumstances, and is treated harshly by those around them. They are sent out into the world, and a series of adventures sees their luck improve and worsen. Throughout this the hero matures, and comes to be viewed with favour by the wider world, resulting in the overthrow of their previous circumstances. Examples are Cinderella, Jane Eyre and David Copperfield.
  
  
• The quest - the protagonist, often accompanied by a group, goes off into the world on a mission. The journey is fraught with danger and beset with difficulties, but the goal is vital. The story is driven by attainment of this goal, and ends with the achievement of the goal. Examples are The Lord of the Rings, The Aeneid and The Odyssey.
  
  
• Voyage and return - a bored/uninspired protagonist is taken out of their comfortable world and placed in one wholly alien to them. The initial excitement of novelty is replaced by growing suspicion and fear as the dangers of this new world reveal themselves. Feeling trapped, the protagonist engineers their escape against the odds, returning to the life they once knew, which they now view in a different light. Examples are Robinson Crusoe, Brideshead Revisited and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
  
  
• Comedy - the protagonists are beset by confusion, uncertainty and frustration, and circumstances lead them to misunderstand each other, and act on these misunderstandings, until everyone is enmeshed in a tangled web of confusion. With a revelation of previously unknown facts and actions, perceptions are changed, opinions reversed, and the situation transforms for the better for the characters. Examples are Much Ado About Nothing, Pride and Prejudice, and Tom Jones.
  
  
• Tragedy - an unfulfilled protagonist is drawn towards a gratification that seems within their grasp, at which point everything goes wrong. As they seek further gratification, the situation worsens and all control is lost. Fate or a final act of violence leads to the protagonist’s destruction, actual or metaphorical. Examples are Lolita, King Lear and Madame Bovary.
  
  
• Rebirth - a young protagonist comes under the influence of a dark power. The threat appears to recede, but returns with a vengeance, leaving the protagonist in a state of living death. This is continued until a final redemption restores them. Examples are Snow White, A Christmas Carol and Crime and Punishment.

Booker’s theory is that from these seven basic plots (or a combination thereof), we create all our stories and myths. In and of itself, this idea is nothing new. Anthropologist Joseph Campbell’s seminal theories on mythology and the hero cycle work on a similar basis, and are credited with influencing storytellers like George Lucas.

As a study of metaphor, this has merit, but Booker uses this as a starting point to critique stories (primarily films). He does this in such a fashion that those stories that abide by his theory are “good”, those that defy it are “bad”, leading to the unsustainable position that Crocodile Dundee and Terminator 2 are better than Star Wars and the original Terminator films, because the former abide by his rules, whereas in the latter his rules are broken. And while you may quibble over which Terminator film you enjoyed more, on the same criteria Crocodile Dundee and Terminator 2 are classed as superior to the works of Wagner, Proust, Joyce and Kafka for just these reasons.

I believe the fundamental error of Booker’s theory is to confuse plot with theme. His seven basic plots identify no such thing, they identify the seven basic themes of all stories. The plot is the precise record of what happened. I would agree that there are only a finite number of themes (although I remain unconvinced of the number), but that the number of possible plots is huge.

Take for example Romeo and Juliet, Pride and Prejudice and Bridget Jones’s Diary. Superficially these are all romances, and they involve a male and a female protagonist who have to combat adversity in order to fulfil their romantic desires. Taking “romance” as a genre rather than a theme, they are similar. Taking the themes identified by Booker however, Romeo and Juliet counts as tragedy, whereas the other two are comedies.

The thematically similar Pride and Prejudice and Bridget Jones’s Diary follow similar storylines, for the simple reason that Bridget Jones is a pastiche of Pride and Prejudice. But it is a good example of how plots can be different (and thus original), even when retreading the same thematic ground.

So, back to the question of originality. You have, most likely, only read a thematically original story a handful of times. But original plots? They’re two a penny.

In your own writing, consider how you make use of these themes. Do you write about one theme more predominantly than the others? How often do you combine the themes in your writing?

Tags: Write Anything Sunday Writer Paul Anderson

Hello Kitty...

The Guardian Book Blog recently had an entry on authors and animals, specifically their pets. In Authors' mews: writers and their cats, David Barnett wonders why authors seem to favour cats. From Alexander McCall Smith to Ray Bradbury, with rare exceptions authors seem to prefer cats to dogs.

Robertson Davies said "Authors like cats because they are such quiet, loveable, wise creatures, and cats like authors for the same reasons." Barnett scoffs at this and counters with the suggestion that cat people are bonkers, authors bonkers squared.

I have an alternative explanation. You open the tin of cat food, you put it out, you make sure it has a way in and out of the house. Voila. You're looking after the cat. Writers are useless creatures. Sometimes, when I get really into writing, I can look up at the clock and realise that it's 11pm, and I forgot to eat. Again. Anything more demanding than a cat would be in danger of wasting away. Seriously.

Cats are solitary. As the joke goes, they don't have owners, they have staff. The cat will get up, and leave - specifically they will leave you alone. And a writer definitely needs that. Can you imagine trying to sit down and write with a hyperactive puppy at your feet? Every five minutes interrupted by the "ohboyletsplayI'mhungryohboyaballohboyastickfeedmefeedmehungryoooooh newspaper" of a gregarious dog? You'd get nothing done.

No, I think cats have to be the ideal pets for authors. Solitary, low maintenance and slightly surly - authors are difficult so need something patient like a cat!

So does this mean I should be getting one? I think I'd have to prove I can keep a plant alive for longer than three months. The graveyard of bonsai would have something to say about that. And I suspect that if I did get a cat, it would wind up as something like this...

I promised you something happier...

OK, my last few posts have been mournful and pathetic (both senses of the word, thank you) and I promised you something a little bit more upbeat.

Well, today I narrowly avoided losing my job, so my mind isn't exactly in a "happy" place, but this did make me laugh today.

Courtesy of A Newbie's Guide to Publishing, here are the Top Ten Reasons Books Are Better Than Sex.

1. With books, it's socially acceptable to read both men and women.
   
2. A book never has to ask "Was it good for you?" - and then lie and say it was.
   
3. You don't have to shower after reading a book, except maybe Ann Coulter.
   
4. The pope says you can have books before marriage.
   
5. You don't have to get a book drunk first.
   
6. Books last longer than three minutes.
   
7. If you don't like what you see between the covers, you can toss it aside and find another book right away.
   
8. With books, length isn't important.
   
9. A book can make you sick, but not the kind of sick that requires a trip to the clinic.
   
10. You can have a new book every night, and they don't get jealous.

It really makes you think...

You spend time meticulously crafting fine words into flowing paragraphs (or spend the time bitching about your inability to do so), and what do you get?

Nothing. Nada. Zip. No visits.

You knock out a few hundred words abusing extreme right wing political parties and their hypocrisy (on my other blog) and BOOM - your site visits go flying.

There is no justice, I'm a writer Jim, not a political commentator...

Or is it just difficult to make writing so topical without it being comment rather than simply writing?

Some days you are the pigeon...

... these past weeks, I have been the statue. Very much so.

A statue lacking in creativity, energy, motivation and drive. NaNoWriMo? Yeah, haven't written a lick past the 10,000 word stage. Other projects? They're in the back of the mind, but not really anything I've worked on.

Even finding the time to cut and paste has been beyond me (yeah, I know - Long Watch is two chapters behind...). I've just about managed to keep up with my Sunday article and the odd repost. But beyond that? I'm not going to go into everything on a public blog, but there are issues. Fairly major, attention sapping, energy draining, "I want to curl up in a ball and would the world just please leave me alone" issues. Issues that are right royally f***ing with my plans.

Work is one of the fairly major stress triggers at the moment. I can't go into the details, but I should not have to threaten to resign that many times in two weeks. And yet work is one of the respites from the other stresses. Very odd.

So, what I'm saying is, I'm in a funk. My creativity is patchy at best, so don't expect much here. I have very little inclination to podcast at the moment as well. Man, I am a grouchy, miserable git right now...

Next entry will be a bit more chipper (or at least violent) - promise.

Homework assignment From Write Anything - 22 June 08

This is adapted from an article that appeared on the Write Anything website on June 22, 2008. The original text can be found here.

Homework assignment

When this article was originally published, the summer vacation had only just begun, so I felt a small pang of guilt at assigning everyone homework. I tempered this with the knowledge that it wouldn't take more than five minutes to do, and was essential set-up for the following week's article.

If you don't follow my articles on Write Anything, or if you do but can't remember what comes next, then don't cheat by going to the site and looking it up, play along!

There is an urban legend that towards the end of the 19th Century, the Chief of the United States Patent Office made a recommendation to the President that the Patent Office be closed down, as “everything that can be invented has been invented”.

In the face of the flurry of innovation that was the hallmark of the 20th Century, this is held up as an example of hubris and predictions gone awry. It is of course merely legend, but I want you to think about the theme of originality this week.

When was the last time you read a truly original story? One that jumped off the page, grabbed your attention and made you think “I have never read anything like this before in my life” (and to make things easy, I’m throwing this open to the world of film and television too).

Have all the stories been told? Next week I’m going to return to the idea of originality - and what it really means to be original. But before I do I’d like you to consider what you have read (or watched) recently that was original. How often do you compare new books, films, series etc with previous works. What criteria something has to reach before you consider it “original”.

And whether or not you view Brideshead Revisited as a bit like Robinson Crusoe. Little Red Riding Hood as an early Dracula. Or The Lord of the Rings as a Middle-Earth Aenied.

And if you do, why?

Tags: Write Anything Sunday Writer Paul Anderson

Looking for readers

OK, so I have readers already - I know you're out there, I can hear you breathing. I'm looking for a specific type of reader. Over the next year or so, in a bid to up my game, I'm going to be entering a lot of writing competitions, so need to be sure that what I'm sending out is the absolute best I can do.

The first competition is the Kingston Readers' Festival Short Cuts Micro Story Competition 2009. Now, the rules state that the work must not have been previously published or broadcast - my normal route for seeking feedback on an item would be to post it here, or on one of the writing sites I visit. Doing so would make the story ineligible for entry.

So I'm looking for volunteers who would be prepared to receive a copy of the story, read it, and critique it. Specifically I'm looking for people who have experience writing themselves, or editing fiction, rather than just people who like what I do. I don't mean that as a slight on anyone, but I'm going to need a bit more beyond just appreciation, if you get what I mean.

If you'd be interested in helping me out, leave a comment and I'll get you a copy of the story sometime in the first week of December.

Thanks!

Suitable for boys From Write Anything - 15 June 08

This is adapted from an article that appeared on the Write Anything website on June 15, 2008. The original text can be found here.

Suitable for boys

On Father's Day this year, Jim Knight, the schools minister in the United Kingdom, helped the nation celebrate by laying a guilt trip on fathers for the decline in reading amongst boys.

Perhaps I'm being a little melodramatic. Nonetheless, boys are reading less than girls, and the government has decided to use Father's Day to urge fathers across the country to read to their children. So far, so noble. However, being a government initiative, the government has decided to invade the family sphere, and tell parents what they should read to their sons. A list of 200 "suggested" books has been drawn up by Chris Brown of the School Libraries Association.

Now, I know I shouldn't be scathing of an initiative that gets children to read. I am not much of a fan of the Harry Potter books, but they got kids to read, and willingly. In this case however, I'm somewhat offended. They have drawn up a list of books "deemed suitable for boys". There are no traditional children's classics amongst that list.

First problem - these books, being "suitable for boys" are by definition "deemed UNsuitable for girls". What kind of message does that send out? That girls aren't allowed to be interested in dinosaurs, pirates, adventure, sports?

Second problem - books not on the list are "unsuitable for boys." Not only are we pigeon-holing boys (and girls) into neat gender stereotypes, but we risk depriving boys of books that they just might, you know, enjoy? Roald Dahl, author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Fantastic Mister Fox and The Witches, is excluded from this list.

To quote Mr Brown:

"Boys tend to choose books with action that seldom flags, humour in large dollops with characters slightly larger than life."

That's a description of a Roald Dahl book! Here is the irony - Ministers urged fathers to bond with their sons on Father's Day by reading books to them. Yet Danny the Champion of the World, a book about a boy's relationship with his father, does not make this list, and so is deemed unsuitable.

Children will read what interests them, regardless of the subject matter. But they need to have the opportunity to read. And that means being set an example by their parents. Growing up, my mother was a voracious reader. It was she who took us to the library, helped us pick our books. I don't recall seeing my father read when I was child.

But it was always my dad that we asked to read us stories at bedtime. He would select a book, and sometimes he would stick to the story as printed, but other times he would deviate from the script, delighting us by taking the story in new directions.

Whilst my mum was the example of a reader, dad was the example of a storyteller. And he didn't decide that only certain stories were "suitable" for his boys. That's the kind of example that the government should be asking fathers to set. Not arbitrarily deciding what books boys should, and should not, be reading.

Tags: Write Anything Sunday Writer Paul Anderson

Double century!

200 posts on from where it all began...

Technically, significant "big number" anniversaries should be celebrated by doing something special, unique, unusual. But you know what? Just my luck that post number 200 falls during NaNoWriMo, so I've got nothing for ya!

What I have got for you though is a general plea to check out The Long Watch: Apocatastasis, read, comment, subscribe, and spread the word!

Here's to the next 200 - it may have taken me 18 months to hit 200, I'm hoping it will be less than a year to get to 400!

Three months previously...

A little hint of The Long Watch: Book 2, posted for the NaNoWriMo Creative Carnival on Write Anything. I'm trying hard not to pick any parts that have major spoilers in them, but if you want to remain absolutely spoiler free, you may want to avoid reading this!

---

"You're risking a lot, coming here."

"As are you my friend."

They both sat at the table, mirroring each other's body language. One, tall and blonde, dressed in a casual linen suit, sat on the left, his body slightly turned away, one leg crossed over the other, leaning on the table with his left arm, looking across the square at the tourists idly wandering, taking photos, posing and playing. He smiled at the children as they pursued each other around the marble lions, cheering and screaming, full of life and innocence and wonder. It would all change so soon for them, that he was glad to see children simply being children while they still had the chance.

The other was stockier, with dark, unkempt hair. He too gazed out on the square, peering over the top of his sunglasses, but observing on the other side the busy people, those who lived and worked in the metropolis, scurrying out of underground tunnels like rats leaving the nest, eating and drinking on the move, shoving and pushing past each other, avoiding eye contact and keeping their heads bowed, looking down. People who, for one reason or another, did not want to be stopped, to be recognised, to be engaged with. He could understand that reticence.

"How have you been. How has he been?"

A waitress strolled over to the table and carefully placed two large white cups down on the table, the rich nutty scent of fresh coffee permeating the air. "Can I offer you anything else gentlemen?"

"We're fine thank you," the darker one said, so the young woman walked over to another table to welcome a young professional couple who had just sat down.

"Al? How is..."

"Like I said..." Al turned in the seat to face his companion, and lifted the cup. "We're fine." He took a sip, swallowed, and placed the cup back on the table. "Man, I don't know how they can drink this garbage."

His companion smiled. "It's an acquired taste, I assure you. They seem to pride themselves on drinking unpalatable concoctions. Tea, coffee, alcohol." He swallowed a mouthful of cappuccino, before continuing. "Although this is a truly vile cup of coffee."

Al chuckled and shook his head. "You're getting spoiled by all that Italian espresso aren't ya. Look at you, sitting there in your nice suit and drinking your coffee. Is that... son of a bitch, it's designer too. You're taste is getting better my friend."

Lex smiled. "I have to deal with... normal people a lot more now than before. It puts them at ease. Though I confess, I still don't have your knack for it."

"Flattery."

They continued sipping their coffee, and watching the world pass through Trafalgar Square. After a minute or so, Al spoke. "We didn't come here to drink coffee and compliment your tailoring, so let's talk about it."

Lex sighed, and reached into the inside pocket of his suit jacket. He took out a small velvet cloth package, placed it on the table, and began to unwrap it slowly. Inside lay an oblong sliver of wood, carved with an ornate symbol, a leather cord running from one end of it. Al didn't look at it, but pushed his chair back slightly.

"Put it away."

"This was given to me as a warning Al. With Maria gone, Raguel now plans to hunt you down."

"I'll be sure to watch my back then."

"It's not your back I'm worried about. He's going after Gideon too."

"Gid's back is protected. He's with friends. He's safe."

Lex rewrapped the amulet, and slipped it back into his pocket. "Good. Where is he now?"

Al stared at Lex for a brief moment. "You know I won’t tell you that."

Lex nodded. "Of course. I shouldn't ask."

The waitress returned and cleared away the coffee cups. They sat in silence as she worked, each lost in their own thoughts. As she left, Lex spoke. "Gideon knows that I tried, doesn't he? And that I wanted to keep trying, for her, for all of us. That I had no choice about..."

Al held up his hand. "Gid knows. He knows better than anyone how these things work. And he knows you protected her as long as you could. I just can't believe that Mancini would turn on her like that."

"In the circumstances Al, I'm impressed that Mancini held back for so long."

"In the circumstances I was tempted to tear his throat out too, would you agree Lex?" Lex glanced down at the ground, and mumbled. "That's not really my place to say." He looked back up. "But with Raguel having so much influence over Mancini, it was probably only a matter of time." Lex looked around, as if checking to see whether someone was watching them, then leaned in. "Raguel is working to an agenda of his own. We could have kept Maria secured indefinitely, it was he who pushed for her destruction. And as for his threats against you and Gideon..." Lex leaned back in his seat. "I don't trust him."

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I never trusted him." Al stood slowly, stretching out his legs and taking one last look around. "Thanks for the heads up about Raguel. I'll let the others know, make sure Axcelatus is doubly vigilant."

"The Seraphim are still with you?"

Al grinned. "Like I told you, we've got people watching Gideon's back." He held out his hand, and Lex grasped it firmly. "Good to see you again bird boy."

"You too Al. Tell Gideon... he is missed."

About the author From Write Anything - 08 June 08

This is adapted from an article that appeared on the Write Anything website on June 8, 2008. The original text can be found here.

About the author

In January 2003 I was interviewing for PhD places at law schools in the UK. At my interview for the London School of Economics, my proposed supervisor sat down, and after the usual pleasantries began the interview questions. These usually revolved around what areas of law you are interested in, what your proposed research topic is, why you came to choose these areas, what you intended to do after you earned the PhD etc.

Usually. But not this time. The first question I was asked was this:

"Imagine it is five years from now. Your PhD thesis has just been published as a book. What does the blurb on the back cover say?"

A slightly off-beat question, but in essence this was an exercise in focusing the mind on your research, and distilling major research area, specific research area, premises, thesis and conclusion into a couple of hundred words.

And it is possibly a sign that I wasn't intended for research that my initial reaction was to compose, not the book summary on the back cover, but the "About the author" blurb on the inside cover.

It is now five years on from that interview. Had I accepted the offer that year rather than deferring it, if I had stuck with the research, had life not taken an interesting and meandering detour, I might know now what the blurb on the back cover of that book is. I expect not what I would have come up with, but rather what the publisher thought was best.

So a challenge for you this Sunday. You've just had your book published. What does your "About the author" blurb say?

About the author

Paul is a writer living in a fabulous mansion with a beach front view in Malibu. Or at least he will be if you buy this book. Please buy this book. Otherwise he's still going to be living in West London, listening to the planes go past. And it's probably raining too.

Paul would like to thank everyone in his address book, because more than likely you're in this book. If he killed your character, then he is really rather sorry, it was nothing personal.

This is his first novel. But hopefully not his last.

Tags: Write Anything Sunday Writer Paul Anderson