Author: lazloferran

Trying to Write High Medieval Poetry

Read two books on holiday in Spain (well actually I am still struggling through the second):
1. Strong of Body, Brave and Noble: Chivalry and Society in Medieval France
by Constance Brittain Bouchard (Paperback)

2. Out of Love for My Kin: Aristocratic Family Life in the Lands of the Loire, 1000-1200 – Hardcover (Apr. 15, 2010) by Amy Livingstone

Both are about the High Medieval (11th-12th century) period in France. The first is great: it reads like a ripping yarn and is full of quotes from the romantic poets of the time and the author’s witty and wry take on male/female relationships at the time. She takes the view (which I agree with) that although women were probably highly repressed at the time they still managed to find ways to express themselves and cope with the world leaving their sanity in tact. Of course I am not an expert about the period but her examples seem to validate her ideas. Continue reading “Trying to Write High Medieval Poetry” →

Making Savage Cuts as an Editor

Well, I have had to savage my own book – not by reviews but by cutting. The other night I had had enough of the younger readers complaining that the first 2 chapters were a bit slow so I took an axe to it and cut from 40,000 words down to just 25,000. Gone are some of my beloved sections on Bulgaria and the second world war and the childhood and wartime romances are reduced to just one line. Now the story starts with the murder of the main protagonist’s daughter. It seems a bit weird reading it back, stripped-down as it is but I think once I get used to it, it will probably be better. It certainly has producing some interesting effects. A reverie now lasts more than one chapter – unusual, but I am sure there are precedents.

Ah well, the main problem is the people who have already bought it. I have offered to send manuscripts of the new, shorter chapters to them. I also pointed out that they have read the Extended Version of the first Edition. I am also considering doing a different cover for the Kindle version.

Two Short Stories – Work in Progress

I am up to chapter 3 now doing basic corrections of Iron/Too Bright the Sun. It’s going well and frankly, haven’t found too much in the basic plot or narrative sweep to change – at least in a big way. I can think of a few things that might add depth, and one or two details that will be useful if there is a sequel, which I am developing ideas for.

Somebody has told me that Henry’s Car is very funny, which I am really pleased about. I really tried to go for belly laughs and it seems I may have achieved this, at least in a few places.

Lacunashka (lacuna: an empty space or something missing, -ashka: Russian diminutive for male names) is much deeper. Very dark – in fact the darkest thing I have ever written. The same person who liked Henry’s Car said he was so depressed by Lacunashka that he was going to watch Schindler’s list to cheer him up. Ha! Ha!

Oh yes and from somebody else’s suggestion I removed the frame from the front cover (only on the Kindle version) of Ordo Lupus and the Temple Gate just to see if that helps it to sell. I must admit, after all the problems I had getting the frame on there, it does look quite good without it. I also dropped the price to $2.98 for a while just too see how it fares.

Thats all for now.