I have been invited through
the writing grape vine to participate in this wonderful exercise, the Blog
Hop. The idea is that I answer a few questions about my own writing, then
point you to the blogs of three of my writing friends (but in my case four,
because I canJ) where they will answer the same
questions. All you need to do is hop along and enjoy. One thing I know for sure
is that you will enjoy their writing, as all four are masters in the art of
storytelling.
May I also thank Kirsty Ferry who invited me to be one of
her authors. You can find more out about Kirsty’s award winning work and her
publications on her blog here
The four authors I invited
are David Turnbull, Debz Hobbs-Wyatt, Jo Robinson and Rebecca Raisin and you
will find the links to their blogs at the end of my post.
So here we go!
The questions:
1) What am I working on?
Now that is a good question! Where’s my list.....? (And I am
not even joking J )
My life is split into four:
a) The Compliance Specialist
– As it currently pays the bills and for my extensive range of interests, it
takes most of my time (full time). But I love what I do, it is what I studied
for and now specialise in. I therefore do most of my writing either before
work, lunch hours and after hours. It keeps me busy and out of trouble.
b) The Writer - I am currently working
on my International crime thriller I started about two years ago with the first
draft about 90-95% complete. I have however learnt through my writing and the
projects I have completed since then that I will probably have to rewrite most
of it. My writing has changed considerably since then and I know it will be
much better the second time around. I therefore like to thank all the editors
who have cast their eyes over my projects over the last two years and helped me
to progress and improve.
About the book: It is an International crime thriller playing off in
the UK and SA, seeing how a husband will move all boundaries to avenge the
killing of his beloved wife. By doing so, he unravels the mystery behind her
gruesome and ruthless killing in Windsor and sees him mixing with the law on
both side of the Atlantic and the dangerous gangs of South Africa. (One gang in
particular, which I intend to feature and researched, I have already been
warned about. I received a warning letter by its author that I should tread carefully
as to what I disclose)
I hope it to be a thrilling chase that will have the
readers exhilarated as the main characters unfold the mystery and new
discoveries are made.
If all goes well, I would like (new) first draft
finished by December 2014.
c) The Publisher - SpringbokPublications first saw light at the start of 2013 and we published our first
book the same year called Plight of The
Rhino (for more details see; What
have you been working on, section)
We have received numerous submissions since then and
are currently in the process of publishing Blood
Tide by Holly Stacey.
Blood Tide will be available in electronic and printed format within the next two weeks. Please visit our website to learn more about this exciting book and its author.
We are also working on Isabella: Captured Souls, a collaborative novel by six different
authors. We are very excited about this creative project and publication - it
will see the culmination of almost two years’ work and bring to life this
picture of a beautiful young girl, Isabella.
Please visit our website for the
authors’ bios on how this project came to life. We believe it is a first of its
kind.
We are also looking at a children’s fantasy trilogy, the first book to be published later this year or early
next. But for more info about that or other upcoming news, please follow us on
FaceBook or complete our contact form on our website at http://www.springbokpublications.com/
d) The Freelance journalist - With Springbok Publications taking off last year, I was
unable to contribute regularly to my column Brandpunt
in The South African newspaper. But I
have started to pick up the reigns again by interviewing Matt from Braai365 on
Mothers’ Day. This article was published on 06/05/2014.
Last week (9 to 13 June 2014) I conducted interviews
with the owners of St Marcus, the South African shop in Roehampton for The South African, and met up with the
literary agent and poet Isobel Dixon for the Dutch Magazine, Maadblad Zuid-Afrika. Please keep an eye
out on my website http://www.conradbrand.com/ for publication dates and to keep
up with other projects I currently work on.
2) What you have worked on recently?
a) The Writer - I have had some short story publishing success last
year; Die Hol Kol published by
Boekemakranka (South Africa) Nico’s Story: a Defiance of Science (Edited by Dean Tucker) and Fedha Nguvu (Springbok Publications Ltd)
b) The Publisher - As I mentioned earlier Springbok Publications had as
its first publication, Plight of the Rhino in 2013, where all the profits on the book goes to Save the Rhino
International. The 22 animal stories and 5 poems, by new and established authors, come alive
as each of them takes you on a journey with the chosen wildlife animal.
Beautifully written, I believe you will enjoy every single one of them and
whilst doing so, you are contributing to a very worthy cause i.e. saving the
rhino from its senseless poaching. Please help us to protect our wildlife
heritage by buying your copy now. It is available from Springbok Publications’
website, Save the Rhino’s website or all Amazon platforms in
print or electronic format.
d) The Freelance journalist - I have had articles published in The South African,
most memorable my articles about our wildlife and in particular our poached
rhinos. Please see all my articles under my writer’s bio for the newspaper here .
3) Why do I write what I do?
Charity - Most of my published short stories were
written towards specific projects, charity, in the cases named above. I just
feel it’s important that we should all try to help the unfortunate; no matter
what their status or race. We were also put on earth as its keepers, so how can
we not try to stop those who misuse their power? We should all aim to make a
difference with what we’ve been given.
As for my Historical fiction; I have always been
intrigued by history and its hidden treasures. I love to read and research the
genre and learn interesting facts that would have been forgotten if not retold
and relived somehow.
And then, of course, the Darker things in life
sometimes so innocently and beautifully portrayed by the masters of the craft
Stephen King and the produced/director Alfred Hitchcock.
My ideas seem to pop into my head at the strangest of
times and places so I have learnt to always have something with me to
record these ideas on. I therefore always have with me a notepad of some
sort, but now with the new phone technology, I most often use its notepad when I
am out and about.
Depending on the time and place, I will then afterwards
expand on those notes and allow my brain to delve into it more. What usually
happens next is that my brain will subconsciously work on it, this is usually
in the early morning hours when I try to sleep or when I drive and when it has
sorted out the outlay and structure, I will know and start making
time for it to be written down. This is for my short stories. The very important
next step is to set enough time out to write the story’s first draft. To me it
is important that I have complete silence and enough time to just relax and
release myself into that world. I go through all the emotions of the characters
and sometimes have to stop, just to get my breath back. Sometimes I am really
drained after a story, but that usually manes it’s a good one! I will then
leave the story for a week or two, after which I start my own editing process and then
forward it along to a few writing buddies I trust to give me their fair opinion
and editing notes.
I followed the same process when I wrote my crime
novel, the only difference being that I would try to keep to the structure that
would lead to the climax at the end. I am one that likes to know where I am
going J
So there you go! Some insight into my writing world.
The authors I asked to hop with me are:
David
Turnbull is the
author of a children’s fantasy novel featuring dragon hunters and airships – The
Tale of Euan Redcap. His short fiction has appeared in numerous magazines
and anthologies, both online and in print. His most recent anthology inclusions
are Black Apples Belladonna Press, Breaking the Rules Boo Books
and A Chimerical World Seventh Star Press. His story ‘Aspects of Aries’ which appeared in Astrologica Alchemy Press was recently selected
to appear in the forthcoming Best British Fantasy anthology due for release
later this year by Salt Publications. He is a member of the Clockhouse London
group of genre writers.
Debz Hobbs-Wyatt was born in Essex and now lives and works
as a full time writer/editor from her home in the mountains of Snowdonia. She
has an MA in Creative Writing from Bangor University and has had several short
stories published in collections includingThe Theory Of Circles which was nominated for the
prestigious US Pushcart Prize 2013. She made the short list of the Commonwealth
Short Story Prize 2013 and won the Bath Short Story Award 2013. Her debut novelWhile No One Was
Watching, about a little girl who disappeared from the grassy knoll
at the same moment John F Kennedy was assassinated, was published in November
2013 by Parthian Books.
Jo
Robinson currently lives in her homeland, South Africa, after having lived in
rural Zimbabwe for eighteen years. Her
obsessive affection for the African continent, most humans, and all creatures
feathered and furred are what inspire her writing. She is the author of the short stories Fly
Birdie and The Visitation, the novel African Me & Satellite TV, and the
science-fiction/fantasy series Shadow People.
Rebecca Raisin is a true
bibliophile. This love of books morphed into the desire to write them. She’s
been widely published in various short-story anthologies, and in fiction
magazines, and is now focusing on writing romance. The only downfall about
writing about gorgeous men who have brains as well as brawn is falling in love
with them — just as well they’re fictional. Rebecca aims to write characters
you can see yourself being friends with. People with big hearts who care about
relationships, and, most importantly, believe in true, once-in-a-lifetime love.
