writing | Marie Marshall

February 10, 2015

2015 ‘Fearie Tales’ to feature my ‘Voices’

Story reader Helen Logan. Photo (c) Bookseeker Agency

This weekend sees the start of the annual Winter Words Festival at Pitlochry Festival Theatre, the literary festival that kicks of Scotland’s literary year. Each evening two professional actors will be reading out two macabre stories, winners of the annual ‘Fearie Tales’ competition. I’m proud to announce that for yet another year I am amongst the winners! My short story ‘Voices’ will be featured this coming Saturday evening, 14th February! So if you are near Pitlochry in the Scottish Highlands this Saturday evening, drop in… the terror begins at 9.45pm!

1 Comment

February 9, 2015

Parade throws and other lovely stuff

When they speak of ‘Mardi Gras’ in New Orleans they don’t just mean Shrove Tuesday, they mean a whole season when parades and all kinds of other high jinks can take place. It may surprise you to know that the parade season has already started there. Part and parcel of the parade procedure is the ‘throw’. Throws are gew-gaws and souvenirs that the marchers give away – literally throw into the crowd. This means that on Saturday all the throws containing my quick-fire poems about Doctor Who landing the TARDIS in New Orleans have… gone! Not one remains! Well, what does remain is the blog record of the assembly line – check it out here!

Ben Crystal

In other news, renowned Shakespearean actor Ben Crystal, who is the son of linguist David Crystal and the brains behind the project to present Wm Shakespeare’s plays in their original pronunciation, declared my ‘A sonnet to explain why Veronica Franco misses the first hint of spring‘ to be “Lovely stuff!” Let me explain something: Ben really understands iambic pentameter, and I’m honoured that he should have even read my little piece of not-so-serious sonnetry.

Anything else been happening this weekend? Well, I have been working on some extra material for the possible TV adaptation of ‘Axe’, and have picked up one of my shelved novel projects, The Deptford Bear, to see if I can get it moving again. So far it stands at a little over 11,000 words and I think it can work.

Leave a comment

February 1, 2015

‘Crocodilism’ – a dem⦁n’s definition

crocodilism, n.

The political principle whereby a state claims or occupies smaller states, territories, or disputed regions; extended to any corporation, body, or individual who appropriates possessions by virtue of their proximity rather than by any recognised right.

The practice of girls walking in a long column of twos whilst holding hands; extended to the progress of any slow-moving procession of objects close together.

The practice of weeping or making any pretence of woe for the purpose of entrapment; extended to the general philosophy that such pretence and the gaining of an advantage by it is acceptable.

The worship of Sobek.

The deliberate eating of something considered by others to be unnatural or unacceptable.
“Thes forsothe among polutid thinges shulen be holde, of hem that ben meued in erthe; a wesil, and a mouse, and a cokedril, eche after his kynde.” Leviticus 11:29 Wycliffe version (1395)

The practice of a philosophy where captious or sophistical argument is used; extended to any deliberate use of trick questions.
“A woman sitting by the side of Nilus, a Crocodile snatched away her child, promising to restore him, if she would answer truly to what he asked; which was, Whether he meant to restore him or not. She answered, Not to restore him, and challeng’d his promise, as having said the truth. He replyed, that if he should let her have him, she had not told true.” Thomas Stanley, The History of Philosophy vol. II, viii, 57 (1656)

The affectation of flattery, clemency, or any other favourable behaviour by a person holding any power or influence over others.

The habit of removing irritations from a person from whom one wishes to gain favour.

The hoarding and bringing into use of things past their time of practical usefulness.

The condition of being all mouth and no ears.

[I recently rediscovered this introduction to a poetry project. I thought it might be worth popping here. M.]

1 Comment

January 31, 2015

My obsession with Veronica

veronica-franco My obsession with Veronica Franco continues – I mean the 16c Venetian courtesan, not the 21c porn star, just in case anyone was in any doubt. Lately I have been adding to my canon of poetry dedicated to or written about her. These poems have been handed to the e-zine Poetry Life & Times for their use, along with the previously-published poems from that collection. In these poems, Veronica and I inhabit a shadowy world between life and death, in Venice and elsewhere, where the Renaissance has cell phones and tablets, Tintoretto flies in and out from Marco Polo Airport, and she and I meet for lunch dates irrespective of her being alive or dead. The first one has just appeared, and – guess what! – its setting is Marco Polo! Read it here.

Ha! I just realised I said Death in Venice up there! Mann oh Mann!

1 Comment

January 21, 2015

Script-writer wanted!

After some discussion, my agent and I have decided to propose that my story ‘Axe’ (see previous post) be turned into a TV drama. So, my agent is currently scouting round the TV production companies in the UK looking for those with good drama credentials. We’re also on the look-out for a script-writer who can get the Glasgow and Caribbean-British register right, ‘see’ what was ‘playing in my head’ as I wrote it, and be creative with the para-dialogue – by which I mean the dialogue implied by the descriptions and expressions of emotion in the story, rather than the actual conversation I have written.

Is that you? If you think you could do, then get in touch with my agent. Go to bookseekeragency.com/contact and take it from there.

Leave a comment

January 2, 2015

A New Year present

Lupa An overlooked end to 2014 came to my attention due to an early-2015 tweet – someone was about to start reading Lupa, my debut novel, following an unsolicited recommendation. A little detective work led me to a review by author Michal Wojcik.

In his list of favourite reads of 2014, Michal puts my novel alongside Nicola Griffith’s Nebula-nominated Hild, multi-award-winning Connie Willis’s Doomsday Book, and The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. That’s what I call company! Recommending Lupa, Michal says:

The writing is subdued, sparse, often mesmerizing. It’s a brisk read at only 130 pages, but I found myself thinking about it a long time after I read it. Let’s just say that there’s nary a wasted word here… Lupa is easily overlooked. But it shouldn’t be.

This was such a nice New Year present, and it is very gratifying to hear that a reader -particularly a fellow author – has enjoyed a book of mine. In a comment in the thread below Michal’s article, someone has written “I’m running out to buy Lupa this very instant.” This kind of word-of-mouth is like gold-dust to an author. Well, I’m just away to read Michal’s short story ‘Mrs. Yaga’ here. I don’t know what to expect but I imagine that huts on chicken-legs will be involved…

I have had a re-think about what writing task to tackle in the spring. I think want to leave aside the element of fantasy – and that means any hint of steampunk, magic realism, or what have you – and engage in something which, though it might not exactly embrace the classical unities of time, place, and action, at least is based very much on ‘real world’ happenings. I am thinking of a setting that is historical, exotic (to me), and a story that is already familiar. However, my ongoing projects change like the direction of the wind. Oh, it can be fun being me!

3 Comments

January 1, 2015

Looking forward in 2015

Happy New Year!

My previous entry was a review of what had happened during 2014. This one will be what I might expect of 2015. I’m not going to make any resolutions, because one of the first things that happens is I break them! So, no commitment to x hours per day writing, I shall simply write when I can.

Last year, as I reported, I had a story – my fifth success – read aloud at the Pitlochry Festival Theatre. This year I am trying for my sixth. So I do need to get busy, as entries have to be submitted this month. I do have a story partly completed, so this is doable.

KWIREBOY vs VAMPIRE will need some serious revision after beta reading. After that I will be letting my publisher see it. I am not expecting instant acceptance, but I am hearing murmurs that it will be an exciting year for P’kaboo anyway.

Ideally, I would like a rest from serious writing until the spring. Then I would really like to return to one of my adult/general readership novels, probably my partly-written The Deptford Bear. It seems to be turning into a hybrid work, with elements of detective mystery, psychological exploration, and Steampunk. What I have already is set in a ‘telescoped’ Victorian era in London, with one or two technological oddities, and with a host of folk rituals cropping up on the streets. There will be hints of vampirism – yes, I can’t leave the subject alone! – but these will probably be dismissed. Let’s see if the return of flowers and birdsong to my own city will prompt me to take up that project again.

No promises!

Meanwhile, I came across the image below recently on line. The more I look at it, the more I think there’s a story there. What do you think? What does it suggest to you? And how is your year going to go?

storypic2

Leave a comment

December 30, 2014

2014 in review

41ayn0pmq2l-_sy344_bo1204203200_ I’m taking a moment to review how things have gone in 2014. Sometimes, at the end of a year, I feel that I haven’t achieved anything; but when I stop and think about it, actually quite a lot has happened.

In January, for example, my first novel aimed at the teenage market, The Everywhen Angels, became available from Amazon, and in March by order at any branch of Waterstones. Then in February my short story Da Trow I’ da Waa was read aloud to the audience at Pitlochry Festival Theatre. This was the fifth time in seven years that one of my stories has been featured at the Winter Words literary festival, and I consider that to be quite an achievement.

Throughout the year both old and new poems of mine have been published in anthologies and magazines. Notable among the publications have been The Milk of Female Kindness (ed. Kasia James) in March, May Prism 2014 (ed. Ron Wiseman) in May, although I didn’t find out about that until August, and Rubies in the Darkness (ed. P G P Thompson) in December.

jpeg In September, of course, my third novel was published – From My Cold, Undead Hand – and what more need I say about it! And a short time ago I put the final full-stop at the end of the sequel, KWIREBOY vs VAMPIRE. Since then I have placed it in the hands of a couple of beta readers, and have had first reactions from one of them. Amongst her comments were the words “… great job! … maelstrom of action and adventure…” and I am still basking in that rosy glow; however, a writer herself, she drew my attention to several things in the general readability of the novel about which I am going to have to think very seriously.

This year someone likened the quality of my poetry to that of Sylvia Plath. I have been continuing to write poetry, mainly in short snatches, for my poetry blogs Kvenna Ráð and a walk in space. As well as that, I have been keeping up the quarterly Showcases at the zen space. With regard to that, I am always on the lookout for ‘new blood’, for people who can express something in very few words – not just traditional haiku, but any form of short, in-the-moment poetry. Drop me an email if you either want to submit or to recommend someone.

So, all-in-all, it has been a busy and a fruitful year. How was it for you?

3 Comments

December 21, 2014

A cautionary tale for Editors

In 2007 I had a run-in with an editor who, in my opinion, was WAY above himself, as a result of which I wrote a poem called ‘The Pope and Michelangelo’, subtitled ‘A Song of Editorial Prerogative’. Since then of course, not only have I become even better acquainted with editors, I have been an editor myself for several years, so maybe my perspective has shifted a wee bit. Still, I thought I would share this piece of rhyming nonsense with you, just for the heck of it.

The Pope said, “Buonarroti,
Paint on this ceiling tall,
Some scenes from Holy Scripture
And frescoes on the wall.”
The Artist set about it.
He laboured all year long,
And every wondrous brush-stroke
Was like an angel’s song.

Ars longa – vita brevis.
Pontifex esse nolo.
I don’t want to be the Pope,
I’m Michelangelo.

The Pope came for a look-see;
He gazed around and said,
“Oh yes, it’s very nice, but
You should use much more red
This work just isn’t finished,
It’s not a perfect ten.
Splash on some extra scarlet,
I’ll papal-seal it then.”

Ars longa – vita brevis.
Pontifex esse nolo.
I don’t want to be the Pope,
I’m Michelangelo.

The artist started over
(I must say – in a huff!).
The Pontiff popped his head in,
And said, “Still not enough.”
The artist mixed his colours
With sunset-crimson full,
And, making his work ruddy,
Said, “Ruddy Papal Bull!”

Ars longa – vita brevis.
Pontifex esse nolo.
I don’t want to be the Pope,
I’m Michelangelo.

His Holiness came back there,
And said, “You’ve used too much.
The way it was a month ago
Showed such a gentle touch.”
The artist held his temper,
And started work once more,
To make the Sistine Chapel
The way it was before.

Ars longa – vita brevis.
Pontifex esse nolo.
I don’t want to be the Pope,
I’m Michelangelo.

The Pope came to the Chapel,
And thence to Mich’s home,
To say he thought the ceiling
The best in all of Rome;
But leaving, paused at David
And, pointing with his stick,
Said as an afterthought, “Put
A fig-leaf on that dick!”

Ars longa – vita brevis.
Pontifex esse nolo.
Would you rather be the Pope,
Or Michelangelo?

MORAL:

The moral of this story
(easy enough to follow);
Ars longs – vita brevis,
Pontifex esse nolo!
Crowds flock to the Chapel,
For Buonarroti’s fame;
But as for the poor Pontiff –
Why! – no one knows his name!

2 Comments

December 12, 2014

Have a Cold, Undead Christmas! :)

I was very pleased to see a copy of From My Cold, Undead Hand on the YA fiction shelves at my local branch of Waterstones the other day. There is still time, if you want to buy a copy as a Christmas gift for the bloodthirsty teen or vampire fanatic in your family – just pop along and order it at the counter. You can, of course, buy it on line in print form or as an ebook/Kindle download. Hurry!

I am currently doing minor tweaks and polishes to KWIREBOY vs VAMPIRE. I have sent copies to my ‘beta readers’ to get some initial comments, before I finally give it to my publisher. I’m hoping for a publication date later in 2015, but that has to remain a hope for now. Be assured I’ll let you know.
__________

The next Showcase at the zen space is due out on the first of next month, by the way, and I am looking for new blood (Oh – how appropriate!). Are there any poets out there who can use imagism or the haiku form to say something wonderful in very few words? If so, please get in touch.

Leave a comment

Category: writing