ScribblingSandy

ScribblingSandy, 29 days ago to random

#WordWeavers - Who's blaming who in your story?

The weather, obvs. If it hadn't snowed so much, the trees wouldn't have come down across the line and across the street and nobody would have become stuck in the little hotel across from Andover Road Station.

And John and Alfie would not have met, and Will and Nell would not have met again, and nobody's life would have changed forevermore.

It was the snow. :blobcatcozytea:

ScribblingSandy, 1 month ago to random

#WritersCoffeeClub 25: Do you add a message from the author to your work?

I always put an Author's Note in my books, and this is where I talk about my research for the story, list some of the most important research works, and end with a round of thanks. I typically put the Author's Note at the end, but in some cases (anachronistic wild boars in Springtime Pleasures and Roman military terms in Gladiator's Passion), I've put an additional shorter note at the beginning of a book.

ScribblingSandy, 1 month ago to random

Long Covid is kicking my butt this week. Nearly didn't make it home yesterday because I was overcome by exhaustion. 😞

ScribblingSandy, 1 month ago to random

#PennedPossibilities 294 — What, to you, are the most important elements of good writing?

When I think of the authors whose work I most admire - Roaemary Sutcliff and Dorothy Dunnett -, then I'd say the ability to create compelling characters and vivid settings. In addition, both Sutcliff and Dunnett were excellent at bringing the past to life, and Sutcliff in particular had a knack of creating these small timeless moments that stay with you for many years after reading her books.

ScribblingSandy, 1 month ago to random

Good morning, lovely tooting friends! ☀️ May your day be filled with joy!

ScribblingSandy, 1 month ago to random

#WritersCoffeeClub - Do you agree with Rose Tremain, who said you shouldn't plan a book's ending; it must be earned?

Earned by whom??? By the author? By the story? By the characters??

Anyway, it's not how I plan my stories: I see all of them as a film first (often several times) before I start writing. So even if I don't do a proper outline (or mindmap - a mindmap is better, really), I have a plan for the story. It might change a little during the writing process itself, but not much.

ScribblingSandy, 1 month ago to random

The online supermarket where I buy most of my groceries is running a sale on cakes.

I repeat: Cake is on sale! This is not a drill!!!

(This is actually the perfect excuse to try a slice of cake I haven't had before.)

ScribblingSandy, 1 month ago to random

New installment of the newsletter has been sent to subscribers' inboxes.

I had a lot of fun with this week's "A Bit of Punch" because I could repurpose a couple of paragraphs from an article about Richard Doyle's sequential art in Punch (the Victorian magazine) I wrote back in 2012/13 for the proceedings of an academic conference. I LOVE it when I can repurpose my academic research and share it with more people!!! :blobcatbigfan:

eclectech, 1 month ago to art

Chicken with a Pearl Earring

giggles

(with appropriate apologies to Vermeer, obvs)

#MyfanwyAndFriend #silly #nonsense #art

ScribblingSandy, 1 month ago to random

#WritersCoffeeClub 16 - Have you ever started a chapter with a quote or a poem? How do you feel about the idea?

I love the concept, and in The Lily Brand, I put quotes from Tennyson's The Day Dream at the beginning of the larger parts of the novel (rather than at the beginning of each chapter).

In Springtime Pleasures, I used old-fashioned descriptive chapter summaries at the beginning.of each chapter and had the best fun with that!

ScribblingSandy, 1 month ago to random

#WordWeavers 17: What personal expertise makes it into your books?

My books are infused with my love for history, and especially the love for cultural history - a love that has deepened over the years thanks to the subjects I studied at university (among them folklore studies) and my later research projects as a PhD candidate and post doc. My last big research project before I left academia focused on Punch, the satirical Victorian magazine - my Victorian novels are a continuation of this. 😊

ScribblingSandy, 1 month ago to random

#WordWeavers What powers (e.g. political, religious, corporate, magical, natural, etc.) influence your characters’ lives?

❄️ SNOW ❄️

And, to a lesser extent, the crocodile greataunt. 😊

(At least within the context of the story.)

#AlfieAndJohn
#HistoricalRomance

ScribblingSandy, 1 month ago to bookstodon

This promo image for Eagle's Honor: Ravished from 2016 turned up in my FB memories today. Awwww, Livia & Adelar! 😍

#HistoricalRomance
#RomanRomance
#UnusualHistoricals

@bookstodon
@romancelandia

ScribblingSandy, 1 month ago to random

Are breeders in thr USA cutting dogs' tails off?? I just saw a dog video on IG that featured a Weimaraner with a tail that's way too short for this breed.

ScribblingSandy, 1 month ago to random

#WordWeavers: Write an intro post from you MC’s POV

John: John Mitchell, writer. I work for the weekly periodical About Town. Follow me for updates about the world of theatre and general London news.

Alfie: Hi, I'm Alfie. 😊

Comment from John: You can't just introduce yourself as Alfie.

Reply from Alfie: I can't? Whyever not?

Reply from John: You are a lordling. Lordlings don't go around introducing themselves that way.

Reply from Alfie: It's all right. I'm just an "Honorable" anyway. 😊

ScribblingSandy, 1 month ago to random

#WritersCoffeeClub April 1 - What's your favourite easter egg in your own work and/or another work of fiction?

I love putting Easter eggs into my work - sometimes, the Easter egg is self-referential (e.g., in the Valentine's bonus story to Yuletide Truce, Aigee & Kit comes across various characters from my other books in Hyde Park) and sometimes it refers to another author's work (e.g., in Castle of the Wolf, Cissy finds a German edition of one of Pratchett's books in the castle library) 😊

1/2

ScribblingSandy, 2 months ago to random

THE CAKE HAS ARRIVED AND IT IS BEYOND DELICIOUS!!! I repeat: THE CAKE IS BEYOND DELICIOUS! (It probably also has a million calories, but who cares about that when it comes to cake?)

ScribblingSandy, 2 months ago to random

It would appear this vacation is going to be a "do one thing in the morning, then be so utterly exhausted that you have to take a long nap for most of the afternoon" kind of vacation.

I had hoped to go to the campingsite, but at this point, I doubt that I've got enough energy for that. :blobcatthink: Ah well, I'm going to make the best of it, and if my body needs sleep and rest, then sleep and rest it will get.

ScribblingSandy, 2 months ago to random

#WordWeavers March 24 - Are there any other writers in your family?

No. Which tends to be a problem because there is not much understanding for the creative process (but then again, this is also an issue of boundaries... 🤷🏻‍♀️). But at least, I'm no longer told what I ought to write instead of the things that bring me joy...

Did I mention issues? Yeah. Issues. (Today was a particularly bad day.)

Firlefanz, 2 months ago to random

Gute Nacht, Freunde.

Good news for one of my problems - it is now solved and I can check it off my list.

Family problem persists. I'm trying to see it as a chance to shift a difficult relationship. (Yeah. Who am I kidding?) But I'll take whatever joy I can get.

No writing. Today, it took everything I had to keep it together. Plus the support of quite a few gentle souls in my life. Grateful for that.

Tomorrow, I'll prep for my vacation. And writing retreat.

#WritingCommunity
#AuthorLife

ScribblingSandy, 2 months ago to mmromance

I've just realized that I haven't yet shown you the cover for John & Alfie's story, Passion of a Winter Night. So without further ado, here it is!!! 😊 I hope you'll like it!

Passion of a Winter Night will soon be available as a special goodie for my newsletter subscribers.

@romancelandia
@queerromanceclub
@mmromance

#HistoricalRomance
#VictorianRomance
#mmRomance

ScribblingSandy, 2 months ago to random

#PennedPossibilities 259 — Sum up your MC in three adjectives.

Alfie: Adorable (with dimples)

John: Intelligent, conscientious, careful

#AlfieAndJohn
#HistoricalRomance
#PassionOfAWinterNight