Friday 31 January 2014

An Interview with Myself.




                                                          Duxbury In Chorley








                       For Trifecta




What is your name?

Ally Atherton is actually my pen name and it is also the name of my Great Grandfather. I have always felt a big connection to him and I knew immediately that I had to steal his name! My real name is quite boring but also already being used by quite a few Authors and poets.

A little more?

Ok, I have wanted to be a writer since I was about 6 or 7 and knee high. To be honest I'm still a short arse. I remember my first stories were about a private detective called Smokey the Badger and I can still remember what he looks like! I really must bring him back one of these days! I have spent the last 20 years or so working as a nurse but I have recently quit. Probably something to do with the fact that as a nurse I always felt like a square peg in a round hole, plus as a male nurse I have been nagged from day one, sadly. I may have to go back into nursing in the next few months if I can't find anything else, but on my terms. Probably as an agency nurse so I can work around my writing, not the other way round.

I live in Chorley in Lancashire but was born a few miles away in Wigan, in the north west of England, land of pies and rugby league. But I am a big football fan and divide my loyalties between Wigan Athletic and Manchester United. I didn't have the greatest of childhoods and was a victim of severe bullying. To this day I don't know why it happened. All I can think of is that I was always incredibly shy and thin as a kid and a teenager and I guess that's why it all started.

If anybody out there has a child that is being bullied, an important piece of advice. DON'T, just DON'T just tell your child to hit them back. That's lazy parenting. Please just listen to them and find a way to support them. Not all children have to courage or the strength or the height to hit back.

On a positive note, I'm still breathing and I think the bullying was the main reason I escaped into writing. But also is the main thing that spurs me on. The only way I see myself being able to hit back now after all these years is by achieving my dream.

Describe your writing style in three words.

I hope my writing style is original and imaginative and quirky. Just like I prefer my women ;)

How long have you been writing online?

For the last few years I have been mainly posting book reviews online and before that I had a handful of poems published in various sites, mainly Snakeskin, a British poetry website. But this year I am using my blog, Shadows and Tall Trees, to chart my progress as a writer as well as other stuff like this and Author Interviews etc.

Which, if any, writing challenges do you participate in?

This year I am hoping to take part in a few writing challenges as I aim to improve as a writer and to take the next steps towards (hopefully) publication of some form or another. I am hoping to be a regular Trifecta submitter and I also take part in Friday Phrases or Friday Fiction on Twitter every Friday. That's great if you are on Twitter. I have also taken part in NaNoWriMo a few times.

Describe one way in which you could improve your writing?

I believe that the only way to improve is to write, regularly every day a set amount of words. Also reading is the writer's equivalent of doing a diploma or a degree, so reading is essential. Also personally this year I am hoping to try my hand at various genres so that I can work out (hopefully) what I am good at and what I enjoy writing. At the moment most of my ideas are of the Science Fiction/ Twisty/ Twilight Zone variety but who knows what could happen. I could end up being an erotica writer!

What is the best writing advice you have ever been given?

I'm sure I have been given lots of great advice over the years but I can't remember most of it and they appear to have fallen down a plug hole in my memory. I have also been told (on more than one occasion) that my writing is just a hobby, this never fails to annoy me. For me, my dream of being a full time writer is not a hobby. You can't compare writing to collecting stamps or building toy aeroplanes. But I like Stephen King's advice in 'On Writing'. His advice is to be unsociable and that anyone that is serious of being a published author must be prepared to be unsociable in order to succeed.

Who is your favourite Author?

I have always been a big Fan of Stephen King and spent my teenage years avidly reading his books. But these days I make it my business to read everything, thinking (hoping) that it will make me a better writer. I read anything from the classics to thrillers to Science Fiction to Chick Lit! Yes, even Chick Lit! I must admit I'm not really a big fan of thrillers though unless they are original. For me there are only so many times you can read a book where a murderer is on the loose and being hunted down by a top notch private detective. If you want to read a good thriller, maybe read 'Stop Me' by Richard J Parker?

He's a great young Author at the moment and I also am a fan of Susan Hill and Peter May.

How do you make time to write?

You just have to. If you are serious about your writing it's as simple as that. You just have to. Sometimes you will be on fire and you will feel the Muse clinging to your back and screaming in your ear. But sometimes writing will be as painful as pulling each of your fingernails out one by one. I try to write a set number of words every day, no matter what. And if it's crap, it's crap! It's better than sitting in front of the TV like a zombie.

Give us one word we should consider as a prompt?

Dead!


Direct us to one blog post of yours that we shouldn't miss reading.

Maybe one of my short pieces of Flash Fiction. Graveside Manner.




Finally my own questions


What are your future writing plans?

Well Ally, thanks for asking :) I am working on my first collection of short stories, my first novel and maybe some blog projects including a some blog serials and perhaps a blog novel. I also want to continue to take part in some blog challenges and do more Author Interviews but maybe also some young artist interviews, not specifically of the writing kind. I also want to carry on doing some book reviews.

If anybody can think of any ideas for my blog, please feel free to contact me at Shadows and Tall Trees or email me at AllyAtherton@Yahoo.co.uk



I can also often be found on Twitter as @AllyAtherton



I want to thank myself for taking the time to be interviewed by myself and just to say what a pleasure it has been. And what a nice guy too ;)

Tuesday 28 January 2014

Trifecta Week 101 - Cathy

                                                Thomas Leuthard / foter.com / CC BY

Now this is a hard one. The challenge this week on Trifecta is to come up with a 33 word piece of writing based on the above photo. I am struggling to come up with anything inspirational (and blogger is playing up today) so I will just see what happens when I start writing! 33 Words, here goes.


 

I miss my daughter. I cough but only the moth on the window hears me, I hug her and the moth nods but Cathy is too busy saving the rainforest in her head.







http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com/





Wednesday 22 January 2014

Author in the SpotLight - Scott Thompson





Recently I had the great honour to interview Scott Thompson, Author of the wonderful book

Young Men Shall See

 "This book is a vivid slice of growing up Southern in a time of racial truce if not yet true peace with honor. It's a fresh, honest look at that life in the 80s."
- Richard Monaco, author of the Parsival books

I really enjoyed this book and it's one of those that linger with you for a long time and it was great to be able to catch up with Scott. It is also a wonderfully presented book.


 Where did the idea come from for your book and what was that initial spark that inspired it?

 Young Men Shall See was a story that was inside me for years.  Many writers seem to have a story that they have to tell first, before they can write other stories.  My hometown, during my teenage years, was very similar to River Falls, but the place in the book has been altered to fit my imagination.  Many of the characters are based on people I knew, even though the characters evolved into their own.  If I don’t let characters become their own people then I won’t let them do the things they need to do to become believable.   If I relate a character too closely to a real person I care about I won’t let that character do the things that make them human.  Even the best of us struggle with bad emotions and desires, and I wouldn’t let a character I related to someone I love do what they need to do.  

 Are you much of a planner and an outliner or do you just write and see what happens and can you give us an insight into how your writing process works?

 With this novel I had a basic outline, but allowed the story to go where it needed to go.  In the novel that will be out this summer — Children of the Mist — I created a much more extensive outline, and took many more notes before writing, but I still let the story go where it needed to.  I recently started my third novel and I have a good outline, but will follow the story where it takes me. 
            My writing process becomes more structured with each book.  My craft is improving.  I use what I learned from the last to make writing the next easier, and hopefully, better.  There’s still a great deal of gut involved, because no matter how good I become at the craft I can’t stray from the soul of writing.  

 Have you always wanted to write and what books or authors do you enjoy and inspire you?

 I have enjoyed writing since I was very young.  I’ve written in one form or the other most of my adult life.  Writing novels came late for me, but it’s something I’ll continue for many more years. 
            I enjoy reading American Southern authors, but also like reading anything that is good or that makes me think.  I hate to get stuck in one genre as a reader.  I like books targeted to women, African American authors, Young Adult books, and even business books.  My favorite authors include Ron Rash, Peter Jenkins, and Terry Kay.  Ask me this same question later and my list will probably be different.  

 What can readers expect from you in the near future, what else have you got coming up in the pipeline and what are your long term plans?

 I have a new novel that will be out this summer.  It’s a sequel to Young Men Shall See.  I’ve been writing magazine articles and short stories too.  My third novel should be out next year (2014).  In the third novel I’ve taken a different direction in writing style and story content.  I have several notebooks of notes for future books that I’ll write in the coming years.    


What advice would you give to other writers who are trying to develop their craft and aiming at publication?

 Write, write, write.  Read, read, read.  You have to do those first.  Then it takes discipline.  There are amazing writers we’ll never read because they don’t have the discipline to finish their novels and stories.  After writing, reading, and discipline you have to get over your fears and put your work out there.  Sharing your writing is tough, but you have to do it if you want to become a published author. 


Tell us a little bit about yourself, what do you enjoy doing when you are not writing?

 I enjoy doing anything outdoors.  I like fishing, hiking, and camping.  First, I’m a father and a husband.  Being there for my little boys and my wife is the most important thing I’ll ever do.  No one may be reading my writing a century from now, but the type of man I am now, for my family, will influence generations.  

 How supportive have your friends and family been over the years with your writing and how do you balance writing with family life?

 My friends and family have been very supportive.  They were the first to read my writing and offer suggestions and support.  It’s difficult to do everything, but I write early in the morning, while most people are still asleep.  That’s a time I don’t have to take away from my family.    


And finally,


Georgia sounds like a wonderful and inspiring place to live but where is the most amazing country or place you have been to visit?

 I love to visit new places and I’m lucky to live on a continent that has so much diversity of people and landscapes.  California is in the U.S., just like Georgia, but it’s a very different place, and California is one of my favorite places.  I’m not a fan of big cities but I love San Francisco.  Yosemite National Park, in California, is what I hope my Heaven looks like.  Yosemite defines breathtaking for me.  



Thanks Scott for a lovely interview and you really are a talented young Author that I will have to keep an eye on. I'm sorry it's taken so long for me to get the interview online, thanks for your patience. You can find out more about Scott and his books on his website. He can also be found on Twitter at



















Author in the SpotLight - Stephen O'Donnell





I had the privilege recently to Interview Stephen O'Donnell, Author of the terrific novel 'Paradise Road'.  A fabulous book, especially for fans of football or anybody connected to football in any way. It is the story of a group of Celtic Fans, a book about passion, love, hopes and dreams amidst a backdrop of cultural differences and sectarianism.

 



 Who is Stephen O’Donnell? Where did you grow up and what did you do before becoming an Author?

  I'm from Scotland but I haven't always lived here. When I was growing up we moved around a lot. But I'm back in Glasgow now and it's my home. Before becoming an author I worked in London selling computers. I gave it up to go travelling and when the money ran out, that's when I came home. I asked myself what did I really want to do next and writing a  novel was my number 1 answer.



Have you always wanted to write or did you always want to do something else?
 I wanted to play football. The idea of writing novels occurred to me relatively late on, previously I always thought it was something I could never do. 


What Authors or books inspired you to write?

Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh
The Football Factory by John King
The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera
1984 by George Orwell
 Are you as big a fan of Celtic as Kevin McGarry and what are your own thoughts about the state of Scottish football? 
 I always think it is a shame that the league isn’t more competitive and it’s a shame we have so many foreign players when I’d like to see more young talented Scottish players coming through.
      My family are all Celtic supporters and it's something I always came back to despite not always living in the area. I deal with the state of Scottish Football in my second novel, the Scottish Football Debate. The book will be out soon, so you can make up your own mind if you get the chance to read it. Basically Scottish Football has been ruined by money, or the culture of money that has come into the game.
 Are you planning on writing more football based novels or do you see your writing going in different directions? What can we expect from you in the coming years? 
 I'm working on the second book just now and I have 80000 words already. I think I'll need about 20000 more. Beyond that, I'd like to write a European novel about a professional footballer who is transferred around various clubs in Europe, we see how he mixes in with the different cultures and lifestyles etc.
 Where did you get the idea or the inspiration for ‘Paradise Road’? 
 You're always told to write about what you know and that's more or less what I did. In many ways as the author I'm imagining a life that I may have had if I'd stayed and grown up exclusively in the Glasgow area, like the rest of my wider family.
 What advice would you give to other aspiring writers who are hoping to get published?
 Sorry to be negative but it's really, really difficult. Either be unashamedly commercial, or if like me you can't do that, then have a go by all means but don't let it consume you. If it does then your life can quite easily veer off course.
 What do you like to do outside writing? What are your interests and passions?
 Football was my first love so I'm fortunate to be able to write about it. I've always been interested in astronomy and I like playing the piano, I'm kinda self-taught so I'm not brilliant but I can bash out a few of the Classics.
 Who is the best football player you have ever watched and what is your favourite goal? Personally my favourite goal was Ricardo Villa for Spurs against Manchester City in the 1981 FA Cup Final.
 It's a toss up between Messi and Maradona. As a youngster I seem to remember being more in awe of Maradona but my age may have had something to do with that. I'll give it to Messi although the best goal has to go to Maradona for his second against England in the 86 World Cup Quarter final. Apologies to your English readers for that.
 Finally, Stephen, if you had a magic lamp and you had three wishes, what would you wish for? 
 World Peace, being able to eat cakes and chocolate without getting fat, and a film deal.
You can follow Stephen on twitter  at  
I'd really like to thank Stephen for letting me interview him for SATT and I would fully recommend his 'Paradise Road' whether you are a football fan or not. It is very cleverly written and I think he is a big talent for the future. Maybe one day I may get him to become an honorary supporter of Wigan Athletic :) 





Round The Bend ( Flash Fiction for the Trifecta Writing Challenge)

                   


                                      



I wouldn’t recommend toilet travel to anybody. Not to mention the inconvenience of finding yourself in a cubicle already occupied by a random bloke in the process of pushing one through the loop.

I still find it embarrassing even though I’ve been doing this for so long I think my face is now a permanent shade of scarlet and frozen in a grotesque look of horror. What other face can you wear when you constantly find yourself sitting on somebody’s naked lap? I think it’s worse when they’re wiping. Don’t get me wrong it’s bad enough during the big squeeze and sometimes I arrive just at the moment of the splash. But wiping is different. Nobody wants me around then.

Usually I just run and sometimes there’s the safety of a spare cubicle where I can curl into a ball whilst they finish off their constitutionals. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to this but ever since I discovered that bloody secret room at the back of my house, the one with the fully functional toilet and the quaint little floral toilet roll hanging from the wall, I’ve been stuck. It was alright for Enid Blyton, she had a Wishing Chair and a Magic Faraway tree and a world full of little elves. But what did I get? The incredible flying toilet!

I want to go home. I want to get off this ride but it won’t stop. It’s worse when they have Diarrhoea, God help me, they can be there all day but I can’t wait that long. That’s when it gets even more embarrassing.


I only have ten minutes until my amazing flying toilet disappears, leaving me stuck in a strange world with no hope of getting home. Sometimes I have to push them off so that I can get back on.

                             


                      © Ally Atherton January 2014









I have recently had the pleasure of being introduced to the Trifecta writing challenge. You can find all about it here. This week you have the word QUAINT as a writing prompt (the 3rd definition of the word) and have to write something between 33 and 333 words long. You have to include the word in your piece. The top 3 are chosen every week and shared on the website. All you have to do is go to the website and link to your blog post entry. Take a look at some of the entries and feel free to make comments to other people taking part. It sounds like a great way to meet other writers.



http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com/



Now onto this week’s Trifecta prompt. We’re back to one word and its third definition. And, of course, as many syllables as you please in your 333-word limit!

Happy writing!

QUAINT (adjective)

1:  obsolete:  EXPERT, SKILLED
2a:  marked by skillful design <quaint with many a device in India ink — Herman Melville>
  b:  marked by beauty or elegance
3a : unusual or different in character or appearance :  ODD
  b : pleasingly or strikingly old-fashioned or unfamiliar <a quaint phrase>

Remember:
• Your response must be between 33 and 333 words.
• You must use the 3rd definition of the given word in your post.
• The word itself needs to be included in your response.
• You may not use a variation of the word; it needs to be exactly as stated above.
• Only one entry per writer.
• If your post doesn't meet our requirements, please leave your link in the comments section, not in the linkz. - See more at: http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com/#sthash.u5UKDheu.dpuf






Now onto this week’s Trifecta prompt. We’re back to one word and its third definition. And, of course, as many syllables as you please in your 333-word limit!

Happy writing!

QUAINT (adjective)

1:  obsolete:  EXPERT, SKILLED
2a:  marked by skillful design <quaint with many a device in India ink — Herman Melville>
  b:  marked by beauty or elegance
3a : unusual or different in character or appearance :  ODD
  b : pleasingly or strikingly old-fashioned or unfamiliar <a quaint phrase>

Remember:
• Your response must be between 33 and 333 words.
• You must use the 3rd definition of the given word in your post.
• The word itself needs to be included in your response.
• You may not use a variation of the word; it needs to be exactly as stated above.
• Only one entry per writer.
• If your post doesn't meet our requirements, please leave your link in the comments section, not in the linkz.
• Trifecta is open to everyone. Please join us.
This week's word is QUAINT. 
- See more at: http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com/search?updated-min=2014-01-01T00:00:00%2B08:00&updated-max=2015-01-01T00:00:00%2B08:00&max-results=3#sthash.lJ5YNSZT.dpuf





Now onto this week’s Trifecta prompt. We’re back to one word and its third definition. And, of course, as many syllables as you please in your 333-word limit!

Happy writing!

QUAINT (adjective)

1:  obsolete:  EXPERT, SKILLED
2a:  marked by skillful design <quaint with many a device in India ink — Herman Melville>
  b:  marked by beauty or elegance
3a : unusual or different in character or appearance :  ODD
  b : pleasingly or strikingly old-fashioned or unfamiliar <a quaint phrase>

Remember:
• Your response must be between 33 and 333 words.
• You must use the 3rd definition of the given word in your post.
• The word itself needs to be included in your response.
• You may not use a variation of the word; it needs to be exactly as stated above.
• Only one entry per writer.
• If your post doesn't meet our requirements, please leave your link in the comments section, not in the linkz.
• Trifecta is open to everyone. Please join us.
- See more at: http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com/search?updated-min=2014-01-01T00:00:00%2B08:00&updated-max=2015-01-01T00:00:00%2B08:00&max-results=3#sthash.lJ5YNSZT.dpuf




Now onto this week’s Trifecta prompt. We’re back to one word and its third definition. And, of course, as many syllables as you please in your 333-word limit!

Happy writing!

QUAINT (adjective)

1:  obsolete:  EXPERT, SKILLED
2a:  marked by skillful design <quaint with many a device in India ink — Herman Melville>
  b:  marked by beauty or elegance
3a : unusual or different in character or appearance :  ODD
  b : pleasingly or strikingly old-fashioned or unfamiliar <a quaint phrase>

Remember:
• Your response must be between 33 and 333 words.
• You must use the 3rd definition of the given word in your post.
• The word itself needs to be included in your response.
• You may not use a variation of the word; it needs to be exactly as stated above.
• Only one entry per writer.
• If your post doesn't meet our requirements, please leave your link in the comments section, not in the linkz.
• Trifecta is open to everyone. Please join us.
- See more at: http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com/search?updated-min=2014-01-01T00:00:00%2B08:00&updated-max=2015-01-01T00:00:00%2B08:00&max-results=3#sthash.lJ5YNSZT.dpuf




Now onto this week’s Trifecta prompt. We’re back to one word and its third definition. And, of course, as many syllables as you please in your 333-word limit!

Happy writing!

QUAINT (adjective)

1:  obsolete:  EXPERT, SKILLED
2a:  marked by skillful design <quaint with many a device in India ink — Herman Melville>
  b:  marked by beauty or elegance
3a : unusual or different in character or appearance :  ODD
  b : pleasingly or strikingly old-fashioned or unfamiliar <a quaint phrase>

Remember:
• Your response must be between 33 and 333 words.
• You must use the 3rd definition of the given word in your post.
• The word itself needs to be included in your response.
• You may not use a variation of the word; it needs to be exactly as stated above.
• Only one entry per writer.
• If your post doesn't meet our requirements, please leave your link in the comments section, not in the linkz.
• Trifecta is open to everyone. Please join us.
This week's word is QUAINT. 
- See more at: http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com/search?updated-min=2014-01-01T00:00:00%2B08:00&updated-max=2015-01-01T00:00:00%2B08:00&max-results=3#sthash.lJ5YNSZT.dpuf




Now onto this week’s Trifecta prompt. We’re back to one word and its third definition. And, of course, as many syllables as you please in your 333-word limit!

Happy writing!

QUAINT (adjective)

1:  obsolete:  EXPERT, SKILLED
2a:  marked by skillful design <quaint with many a device in India ink — Herman Melville>
  b:  marked by beauty or elegance
3a : unusual or different in character or appearance :  ODD
  b : pleasingly or strikingly old-fashioned or unfamiliar <a quaint phrase>

Remember:
• Your response must be between 33 and 333 words.
• You must use the 3rd definition of the given word in your post.
• The word itself needs to be included in your response.
• You may not use a variation of the word; it needs to be exactly as stated above.
• Only one entry per writer.
• If your post doesn't meet our requirements, please leave your link in the comments section, not in the linkz.
• Trifecta is open to everyone. Please join us.
This week's word is QUAINT. 
- See more at: http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com/search?updated-min=2014-01-01T00:00:00%2B08:00&updated-max=2015-01-01T00:00:00%2B08:00&max-results=3#sthash.lJ5YNSZT.dpuf

Sunday 19 January 2014

New Year , new push.


Ok it's 2014 and things aren't going swimmingly well in my world at the moment. I have found myself temporarily out of work and finances are more of a disaster than they normally are. I have spent more than 20 years in nursing and having made the conscious decision to leave for my own sanity and although a whole universe of people have told me that I will be fine, I'm not. So much for having transferable skills, nobody seems to want to know. On paper I do have transferable skills but in practice that's a load of bullshit.

I may have to go back into nursing on my own terms once I have saved up the money to pay the £100 registration fee. £100 a year for what? You don't even get a proper registration card anymore. £100 to work in an environment that makes me ill. To anybody who knows me they will know that I have always hated nursing, I don't think I'm a bad nurse, or a super nurse either. Maybe a bit of both at times. But to be brutally honest, I have been nagged to death for the last 13 years and more, hence why I am trying to get out.

Writing has always been my passion and I have wanted to write since I was about seven and have done , on and off. This year I am going to make a concerted effort to go for my writing, but it's not easy when you are also trying to get yourself out of a financial black hole. I am going to try my hand at all kinds of fiction and hope to use this blog to follow and chart my own progress. I still want to do some author interviews and book reviews but the emphasis has to be on my writing. I am concentrating on my first novel and a novelette and my first collection of short stories. I also want to take part in some blog challenges and to send of some work for publication. I am also hoping to do a weekly serial and to publish some of my work here and at Wattpad. You can find me at

http://www.wattpad.com/user/AllyAtherton

I am still undecided on whether I will take on some non fiction freelance projects or just to concentrate on my fiction, but I will see how I feel.