Luke Walker's Blog: https://lukewalkerwriter.wordpress.com, page 36
August 23, 2012
'Set - the tagline and what not
The time has come to talk of many things. Well, my next book, anyway.
I've been holding off on saying too much until I had more of an idea about the publication date and while I don't have a definite one, it's looking like some point in the first few months of next year. I figure that's enough to start talking about it.
As I've mentioned, it's more fantasy than horror and it's definitely lighter than The Red Girl. That's just the way some stories go, to be honest. Forcing them to be something they're not would be wrong. Just like Red Girl would have failed if I'd decreased the horror, 'Set would fail if I tried to go too dark with it. Don't worry too much, though. There's still plenty of death and misery and suffering.
So, the tagline. There's a chance it'll change but for now, this should give you a good idea what to expect. Ready? Deep breath...
Between Heaven and Hell, there is another world. To save her daughter's soul, Emma Cooper will tear that world apart.
Like I say, it may change, but that's it for now. And if I had to sum it up in a couple of lines, I'd say something like...
An angel and demon have come to Emma Cooper, a woman grieving after the death of her baby daughter. They need her help to stop a ghost's rebellion against death from growing out of control. If she does help them, she has a chance of freeing her daughter's soul which is trapped between worlds.
I'll have more to say about 'Set as and when. At the moment, it's in the 'behind the scenes' stages so there isn't a hell of lot to tell you. Anyway, hopefully the tagline and summary gives you a clue what's coming. And if not, blame Xaphan and Afriel.
It's all their fault.
I've been holding off on saying too much until I had more of an idea about the publication date and while I don't have a definite one, it's looking like some point in the first few months of next year. I figure that's enough to start talking about it.
As I've mentioned, it's more fantasy than horror and it's definitely lighter than The Red Girl. That's just the way some stories go, to be honest. Forcing them to be something they're not would be wrong. Just like Red Girl would have failed if I'd decreased the horror, 'Set would fail if I tried to go too dark with it. Don't worry too much, though. There's still plenty of death and misery and suffering.
So, the tagline. There's a chance it'll change but for now, this should give you a good idea what to expect. Ready? Deep breath...
Between Heaven and Hell, there is another world. To save her daughter's soul, Emma Cooper will tear that world apart.
Like I say, it may change, but that's it for now. And if I had to sum it up in a couple of lines, I'd say something like...
An angel and demon have come to Emma Cooper, a woman grieving after the death of her baby daughter. They need her help to stop a ghost's rebellion against death from growing out of control. If she does help them, she has a chance of freeing her daughter's soul which is trapped between worlds.
I'll have more to say about 'Set as and when. At the moment, it's in the 'behind the scenes' stages so there isn't a hell of lot to tell you. Anyway, hopefully the tagline and summary gives you a clue what's coming. And if not, blame Xaphan and Afriel.
It's all their fault.
August 20, 2012
RIP Tony Scott
Just heard the director Tony Scott has killed himself. Sod Top Gun. It's time to watch a proper Scott film as tribute.
August 18, 2012
Getting political
I sometimes think about how much outside stuff (as in non-writing posts) to talk about here. After all, there's a hell of a lot of stuff going on globally that worries and interests me. The thing is I have to consider that anyone having a look at my blog isn't here for my politics. They're here to read about horror stories. But at the same time, I can't deny important issues and I'm not big on self-censorship.
So where do I find the balance? Do I stick to talking about my books or do I post about the Pussy Riot verdict (which I find deeply depressing, which makes me want to stick my finger up at Putin and the Russian Chuch, which scares the shit out of me)? Do I post about Winnie Johnson's death and how I think God has a shitty sense of humour? Do I say a big fuck you to the five Tory MPs who think British workers are lazy while the MPs are on their long summer break?
Or do I just keep on posting about my writing and films I like and books I've read? Do I keep my mouth shut and my politics to myself or do I shout about the things that need to be shouted?
So where do I find the balance? Do I stick to talking about my books or do I post about the Pussy Riot verdict (which I find deeply depressing, which makes me want to stick my finger up at Putin and the Russian Chuch, which scares the shit out of me)? Do I post about Winnie Johnson's death and how I think God has a shitty sense of humour? Do I say a big fuck you to the five Tory MPs who think British workers are lazy while the MPs are on their long summer break?
Or do I just keep on posting about my writing and films I like and books I've read? Do I keep my mouth shut and my politics to myself or do I shout about the things that need to be shouted?
August 12, 2012
And Hospital Road is done
I've just finished the read through for Hospital Road. It's now at 83,000 words and is, funnily enough, 83,000 times better than the first draft. The plan now is to get some feedback on it, work on any improvements that came up (and I can guarantee there will be some. It's a rare writer who produces a flawless draft this early on) and then see what's what. In the meantime, I'm going to take a couple of days off, then see what's next: arranging pre-release stuff for 'Set, thinking about Book 13, and reading some good books.
And to celebrate Hospital Road being ready for critiques, here's a brief sneak peek at the opening. Hope you like.
HOSPITAL ROAD
LUKE WALKER
Nic threw the TV remote to the sofa. All the calm and reassurance of the newsreader’s voice followed her as she ran to the kitchen and grabbed her mobile. The cord from the charger flew loose as she yanked it out.
“Please,” she said. “Please.”
Pressure pushed into her throat and mouth. She tried to breath, tried to push the pressure back into her chest. Heat ate her face, her hands.
“Please,” she said again. “Jesus Christ, please.”
Her contact menu appeared on the screen. She hit Scott, then Call. Nothing happened.
The sour ball of spit in her mouth refused to budge; the taste filled her mouth. Panting, she ran back to the living room and hit Call again. No connection.
“God, please.”
She backed up and banged her elbow against the kitchen door. Pain registered but not fully.
On the TV, the shot changed from Maxine Mawhinney in the studio to the scenes in Manchester, to the shaky camerawork from someone’s mobile as they panned across the rubble. People shouted from somewhere out of shot. Off to the side of the shot, a couple held each other, both weeping. From all sides, steady screams, all sexless, rang out. Nic pressed Call again. Dead line.
On the TV screen: BREAKING NEWS: EXPLOSION IN MANCHESTER CITY CENTRE. DOZENS INJURED, MISSING. EVACUATION UNDERWAY.
“Julia,” Nic whispered. Her stomach clenched and the bitter taste of vomit filled her mouth. Gagging, she ran to the kitchen sink. Her stomach clenched again. She vomited into the sink, spat and tried to breathe normally.
“Julia,” she croaked. She spat again.
Words from the TV flowed to her from the living room. She caught one.
York.
Nic ran back to the TV, socks skidding over the carpet. On the screen, Maxine checked her papers, then gazed at the camera. Her voice was as professional and calm as always even as she delivered the horrendous reports of the explosion. Her words were just a noise put over the images of the explosion in Manchester, of the weeping people stumbling across rubble, of the overturned cars, of the blown out windows in shop fronts, of the blood stains on the ground.
And to celebrate Hospital Road being ready for critiques, here's a brief sneak peek at the opening. Hope you like.
HOSPITAL ROAD
LUKE WALKER
Nic threw the TV remote to the sofa. All the calm and reassurance of the newsreader’s voice followed her as she ran to the kitchen and grabbed her mobile. The cord from the charger flew loose as she yanked it out.
“Please,” she said. “Please.”
Pressure pushed into her throat and mouth. She tried to breath, tried to push the pressure back into her chest. Heat ate her face, her hands.
“Please,” she said again. “Jesus Christ, please.”
Her contact menu appeared on the screen. She hit Scott, then Call. Nothing happened.
The sour ball of spit in her mouth refused to budge; the taste filled her mouth. Panting, she ran back to the living room and hit Call again. No connection.
“God, please.”
She backed up and banged her elbow against the kitchen door. Pain registered but not fully.
On the TV, the shot changed from Maxine Mawhinney in the studio to the scenes in Manchester, to the shaky camerawork from someone’s mobile as they panned across the rubble. People shouted from somewhere out of shot. Off to the side of the shot, a couple held each other, both weeping. From all sides, steady screams, all sexless, rang out. Nic pressed Call again. Dead line.
On the TV screen: BREAKING NEWS: EXPLOSION IN MANCHESTER CITY CENTRE. DOZENS INJURED, MISSING. EVACUATION UNDERWAY.
“Julia,” Nic whispered. Her stomach clenched and the bitter taste of vomit filled her mouth. Gagging, she ran to the kitchen sink. Her stomach clenched again. She vomited into the sink, spat and tried to breathe normally.
“Julia,” she croaked. She spat again.
Words from the TV flowed to her from the living room. She caught one.
York.
Nic ran back to the TV, socks skidding over the carpet. On the screen, Maxine checked her papers, then gazed at the camera. Her voice was as professional and calm as always even as she delivered the horrendous reports of the explosion. Her words were just a noise put over the images of the explosion in Manchester, of the weeping people stumbling across rubble, of the overturned cars, of the blown out windows in shop fronts, of the blood stains on the ground.
August 8, 2012
Garbage Man - Joseph D'Lacey
There's something distinctly British about this book and it took me a few chapters to pin it down. I think it's in the mood of the story: browned off but not too blatant with it. In any case, Garbage Man is a great piece of British horror fiction that details the connected story between a number of characters living in Shreve - an Anywhere, UK town complete with bored teens, nosy neighbours...and a very large landfill site. At first, this connection is disparate and the number of characters introduced within the first section might be off putting. Stick with it and you're in for a treat of adult horror. D'Lacey doesn't shy away from the seedy side of life or the things people do when they think nobody's looking. Nor does he shy away from violence. I won't go into too much detail at the risk of spoiling the story. It's enough to say I found it refreshing that not all of those you'd expect to automatically survive a horror story do so.
It's also worth mentioning the gradual build to the main bulk of the story. Again, this could be off putting to readers wanting a quick fix of action, gore and general unpleasantness. You don't have to look too deep to see the real unpleasantness comes from the inhabitants of the town and from their secrets, not from physical horror straight from the first page.
The only downsides were few. I would have liked more exploration of a character who has interests which would stop him taking his computer to PC World, and a part of the end felt rushed to me, but otherwise, this is a fine book.
In short: original and creepy. Just don't be surprised if you want to have a wash after you've finished it.
It's also worth mentioning the gradual build to the main bulk of the story. Again, this could be off putting to readers wanting a quick fix of action, gore and general unpleasantness. You don't have to look too deep to see the real unpleasantness comes from the inhabitants of the town and from their secrets, not from physical horror straight from the first page.
The only downsides were few. I would have liked more exploration of a character who has interests which would stop him taking his computer to PC World, and a part of the end felt rushed to me, but otherwise, this is a fine book.
In short: original and creepy. Just don't be surprised if you want to have a wash after you've finished it.
August 3, 2012
Other people's words
A common question from newbie writers comes up over at absolutewrite which relates to song lyrics - mainly, is it okay for a writer to use/quote them in their own fiction? Variations of this go from having characters directly quote the lyrics to having them in the background to using the lyrics as inspiration. Now as anyone with any idea about copyright could tell you, quoting lyrics is a big no-no unless you've paid a shit load of cash for the rights. Basically, unless you're Stephen King and you're publishing Christine, it's not happening so come up with another plan.
The thing that always strikes me as interesting is how frequently this question appears. It seems to be a common wish for new writers to want to use lyrics. Nothing wrong with that on the surface, you might think. After all, there a million and one famous songs that mean a huge amount to many people. If I throw some lines by The Beatles into my book, then that will connect with more readers because everyone knows The Beatles, right? And because the lyrics are good, it'll make my book better, right?
Hmm...
It doesn't quite work like that. Your book is (and should be) as good as you can make it. If there's any help to be had, it's from a couple of people you trust enough to read it and give you solid, impartial advice, and then from an editor if your book is taken on by a publisher, or from an agent. Another question came up yesterday which, if I followed it correctly, was about taking a retelling of a fairy tale and writing a book inspired by the retelling. This issue isn't far off the lyrics/copyright question. Both involve using other people's words to tell a story. And here's the thing:
Writers use their own words to tell their stories. Plenty of ideas have been reused, but if a writer uses another's words or story in such an obvious way, they're not only asking for trouble, they're not writing. Copying isn't writing, I'm afraid.
In the end, inspiration can and does come from anywhere. An overhead conversation, a memory of a brief event years ago, a legend from a long-dead culture. Stories come from those inspirations. They don't need someone else's words to be told.
The thing that always strikes me as interesting is how frequently this question appears. It seems to be a common wish for new writers to want to use lyrics. Nothing wrong with that on the surface, you might think. After all, there a million and one famous songs that mean a huge amount to many people. If I throw some lines by The Beatles into my book, then that will connect with more readers because everyone knows The Beatles, right? And because the lyrics are good, it'll make my book better, right?
Hmm...
It doesn't quite work like that. Your book is (and should be) as good as you can make it. If there's any help to be had, it's from a couple of people you trust enough to read it and give you solid, impartial advice, and then from an editor if your book is taken on by a publisher, or from an agent. Another question came up yesterday which, if I followed it correctly, was about taking a retelling of a fairy tale and writing a book inspired by the retelling. This issue isn't far off the lyrics/copyright question. Both involve using other people's words to tell a story. And here's the thing:
Writers use their own words to tell their stories. Plenty of ideas have been reused, but if a writer uses another's words or story in such an obvious way, they're not only asking for trouble, they're not writing. Copying isn't writing, I'm afraid.
In the end, inspiration can and does come from anywhere. An overhead conversation, a memory of a brief event years ago, a legend from a long-dead culture. Stories come from those inspirations. They don't need someone else's words to be told.
July 29, 2012
Taglines
I've been thinking this week about a tagline for 'Set. The strange thing about taglines (at least, for me) is that my first ideas for one always seem pretty decent. A little later, I realise that actually, they're not great. Sort of the reverse of how I write a first draft. A few days ago, I came up with a few lines, asked a writer friend what she thought and realised as soon as I got her reply that they were all weak. The good news is she gave me an idea which I'm shamelessly riffing on now to come up with a new line.
I've also been looking at other published books to get an idea of the way to go - the sort of flavour I'm looking for. Short and punchy. Enticing. Interesting. Getting a few core concepts from the story into a couple of lines. And most of all, seemingly effortless. Tough one.
It's a similar issue with trying to produce a decent synopsis and blurb. I know another writer who enjoys writing the synopsis which is a completely alien concept to me. I HATE writing the synopsis simply because I'm not a factual writer. I often find writing the synopsis is like trying to write a news report on the book and attempting to sell the book at the same time. I'm not a marketing guy; I'm a writer. In any case, blurbs etc are not something I can avoid, so I'll start thinking about how to sell my book to potential readers in a few short paragraphs just as I need to sell it in a few short words.
BY MA BOOK. ITS REELLY GRATE.
How does that grab you? No? OK. I'll keep trying.
I've also been looking at other published books to get an idea of the way to go - the sort of flavour I'm looking for. Short and punchy. Enticing. Interesting. Getting a few core concepts from the story into a couple of lines. And most of all, seemingly effortless. Tough one.
It's a similar issue with trying to produce a decent synopsis and blurb. I know another writer who enjoys writing the synopsis which is a completely alien concept to me. I HATE writing the synopsis simply because I'm not a factual writer. I often find writing the synopsis is like trying to write a news report on the book and attempting to sell the book at the same time. I'm not a marketing guy; I'm a writer. In any case, blurbs etc are not something I can avoid, so I'll start thinking about how to sell my book to potential readers in a few short paragraphs just as I need to sell it in a few short words.
BY MA BOOK. ITS REELLY GRATE.
How does that grab you? No? OK. I'll keep trying.
July 21, 2012
A short piece about 'Set
Even though we're probably looking at a fair way off before 'Set sees the light of day, I thought I'd do a little piece about it and give you the basics. Obviously edits and all that might change things, but for now I can tell you it's quite a bit lighter than The Red Girl. Yeah, people die (quite a lot as it happens), but while The Red Girl goes into some dark places, 'Set stays a bit closer to the light. Well, maybe the shade. The twilight. The sunset. And yes, that's a big clue for the meaning of the title.
I'm a big fan of the front cover for The Red Girl. Having a back and forth with the art department at Musa was very cool so I'm already thinking about the cover for 'Set. There's a few possibilities and a few images I've seen online which have caught my eye. Whether any of them are the right way to go for inspiration is anyone's guess at the moment. Here's one I like:
Nice, eh?
Incidentally, I did mention 'Set in an older post here but I've deleted it mainly because I haven't decided if the blurb I posted does it justice or if it needs tidying up. I'll probably end up using something similar, but I won't waste your time with something with which I'm not completely happy. Anyway, here are the core ingredients for the story:
Demons.
Angels.
Lots and lots of dead people.
And a woman who will do anything for her daughter's soul. Even if it means dealing with the demons, angels and the dead people.
I'm a big fan of the front cover for The Red Girl. Having a back and forth with the art department at Musa was very cool so I'm already thinking about the cover for 'Set. There's a few possibilities and a few images I've seen online which have caught my eye. Whether any of them are the right way to go for inspiration is anyone's guess at the moment. Here's one I like:
Nice, eh?
Incidentally, I did mention 'Set in an older post here but I've deleted it mainly because I haven't decided if the blurb I posted does it justice or if it needs tidying up. I'll probably end up using something similar, but I won't waste your time with something with which I'm not completely happy. Anyway, here are the core ingredients for the story:
Demons.
Angels.
Lots and lots of dead people.
And a woman who will do anything for her daughter's soul. Even if it means dealing with the demons, angels and the dead people.
July 18, 2012
Second book to be published
I'm very happy to announce Musa Publishing will publish my second novel (currently titled 'Set). It's still early days so there's no date yet. All I can tell you is it's more dark fantasy than outright horror and...that's all I'm saying. More info will follow as and when I have it.
I told you normal service would resume, didn't I?
I told you normal service would resume, didn't I?
Big news
I'm very happy to announce Musa Publishing will publish my second novel (currently titled 'Set). It's still early days so there's no date yet. All I can tell you is it's more dark fantasy than outright horror and...that's all I'm saying. More info will follow as and when I have it.
I told you normal service would resume, didn't I?
I told you normal service would resume, didn't I?
