Story Telling Inspiration

Inspiration is drawn from many sources.

It is also fickle for some inspiration is only found in a few sources, times, locations and conditions. While for others it is found any where, almost at random. a Light, a site or place, a place a sound can all inspire at one time or another mixed together or as individual events.

Some times inspiration is literally around a corner an other times it is nowhere to be found. On occasion i have found the writers block book to be a good companion, to kick start my stalled inspiration.

It's not just inspiration to write, its inspiration to read, and tell stories that I lose. Some days a book can be too much while a series of short stories is manageable. Some days a few words will be saved while others whole tomes can be written. I have found this little book to be invaluable not only on the hard days but also on the good days where a little extra is needed.

Zoo City - Pending Review

I mention Angry Robot Books some time ago as producing a range of short novels that fill the gap when you are awaiting the next installment of your favorite current epic. Be is RR Martin, Fiest, Jorden or Rowlings latest offering your awaiting you will find something to entertain you in Angry Robot Books offerings.

Zoo City is released in September in the UK, as i mention in my prior post Angry Robot supply pre releases for reveiw and also electronic formats.

So with out much a do I'm going to review Zoo City By Lauren Beurkes... but not today. Today I'm looking for a cat, and that is a story in itself. The review will make an appearance later next week once I have actually sat down to read it.

In the mean time check out what else is coming from Angry Robot in the coming months

Kindle, Apps or ebooks

Books are  a art, bound, created and crafted. Not just the story within but the physical form it's self. A book can be a hard backed, stitched leaf work of precision bound in leather like a piece of art with as much put into it as the story it holds. It as easily can be a soft backed mass produced, perfectly bound novel made of recycled plastic and wood chip. More and more a book is not whats important the story is, e readers or ebooks make this more so. Applications on your phone or pad. Digital books formatted for propriety devices such as a Kindle from Amazon.


These give you access to hundreds of electronicly formatted stories books no longer under copyright, books available freely on the net or to buy through various application stores.
 

Book crossing update

www.bookcrossing.com has gone through an update.
The new service looks much prettier, but apart form that it seems to not really offer any of the things i would have liked to see.

Things i'd have liked
Facebook/social media intergration the idea of releasing a book and tweeting it at that time through the site seems obvious!

the new site does auto lookup your book on amazon and I assume monatises the links with Amazon Affiliates account which i'm fine with.

Google maps, the place look up is clunky and why it doe snot create a global map with google support to show releases almost in real time ! it just seems obvious in this current climate.

RSS feeds are promoised, I'd like to see a personalised rss of my releases, i'd like to feed that into this blog and various site sos you can see my releases and follow them.

Anyway, soem good new usability let down by not enough growth and creativity..

On an Aside Go try the kitchen garden cafe in Birmingham I made some new releases...

Scribd

Something that I thought to share with all the readers out there, young or old is Srcibd.
Scribd is a repository, any one can and do upload anything, the website asks you only to upload items you control or own copyright for. But as with most services on the web this is readily abused.
This is a benefit to us all as story consumers or just as researchers and readers.
The additional services and applications this provides,, such as pdf download stylised printing service, download, embedding as below or sharing through social networks and bookmarking.

Storytelling

Book Shelves

This was going to be a article on book shelves, the intricacies of them, from design to content. The way a book shelf can be a simple piece of furniture in your room, any room or it can be the focus of the room, whether it is one shelf or several set of shelves it can still be the focus of the room, or stairs.
But I'm going to save that article for later, I always attach a image and link to posts and looking for some examples of book shelved I knew existed I found one I did not.

Colin Thompson appears to be an Australian artist with talent for eclectic artwork. He is proud of and holds dear is copyright so I show this image here with a link to his site(should you be him and want it removed let me know).
I found this image summed up what I was hoping to say visually and in an inspiring manner.

Each shelf in the set has its own character and characters, the title of each book adds to the character, some titles play on famous titles, while others are thoughtful and unique. each books shelf has a story too it or asking to be made from it. Every time I look again I see a new character, creature or feature.

If you would like to entertain, post a picture of your book shelf. I think peoples book shelves say a lot about them.

Neil Gaiman

Neil Gaiman is a modern storyteller and along with Terry Pratchett probably my favorite story teller alive. He turns his hand to a range of tales and mediums to tell his story. His stories range from light hearted comedy to dark horror, they pay homage to Lovecraft among others and bring his unique gifts to everything he writes.

I thought I'd share the above video, I have watched it several times and each showing entertained me in a different way.

Books, Films, and Long Tales.

The new Robin Hood is on the horizon, Russel Crowe and Ridley Scott have given one of my favourite stories the movie treatment. It appears it will be far more gritty than the Kevin Costner version more like the under publicised Kevin Kline version of the same year. And thank which ever greater good you choose to believe in no wear near like the BBC atrocity of the last few years.

I'm hoping it as the grittiness of Angus Donalds Outlaw, I bought the book from a Oxfam book shop before my recent holiday in France. The book is so good it actually stopped me wanting to go out and have my holiday, I wanted to stay in my tent or in camp and read. If you get chance I strongly recommend this book.

any way I'll release it sometime soon with the pile I am amassing of books I've read recently. I 'll post soon with a list and some id's and shortly afterward release them in the Kitchen Garden Cafe Birmingham over coffee and eggs.

The Bookman

The first book I picked up from the Angry Robot Series was to fulfill my current craving for steam punk based literature.

Bookman is an alternate history book about Victorian England, or what should have been vistorian England and is instead a England ruled by Alien Lizard men and terrorised destructive shadowy anarchists who utilise clone like automations to deliver their destructive message. Mix with this Airships, Jueles Verne and a dose of Sherlock Holmes. A mysterious island and pirate Lizards.

The book is fast paced and entertaining, though the plot is thick and obvious in places. Its an enjoyable read but either the Author gave too much and did not know when to stop or it was intended and should have been a small series of smaller books or comics.

Either way you won't be sorry to read it, i personally just found the end drawn out.

Any way Ill let it free at the garden cafe in the coming weeks, so pay attention.

Angry Robot

I mentioned before my want to review books as part of this ongoing theme of stories and bookcrossing.

Speaking to a fellow reader in one of the high street book stores we were discussing how it seems a range of novolas or shorter books more like fast paced easy to read scifi and fantasy are being used to fill the gap between the growing ranks of epic multi novel sets about.

I then found the range of books Angry Robot Books oddly each book is presented as a stand alone entry although some have sequels, the books are tagged almost in a social manner. E.G. Steampunk,airships, lizardmen, alternate history

So far I have read a handful and they are in some cases genius and in others entertaining but always rather refreshing and alternative. As with any series of book sand range of authors some are better than others. But all are worth a look.

Book Cossing - a new release

I mentioned book crossing in my last post, so enjoying the idea I followed up on it. A few articles ago i reviewed Space Captain Smith, and this in mind I set it free http://www.bookcrossing.com/518-7804825 .

As I write this The book as a new owner, I placed it on th shelf an sat with a coffee, a few moments later it was picked up and gone. It has to be said looking at the other books it was not a hard choice. It sat out prodly between P.D.James and Ruth Rendell.

Now the book gets its own story, I'd like to think the person who chose it will do the book crossing thing, but even not it will have a tale to tell.
It as peaked my interest I passed a few words with him as he looked at the book, to me he sounded as though form the southern hemisphere, fearing to insult I will not choose between NZ or OZ for his land of origin. I'd like to think he may be passing through maybe the book will travel, or maybe he is here for a year and the book will travel only as far as the next hostel... Who knows.

I will continue in this way, a book review, a release. the releases will be at the Kitchen Garden Cafe, Birmingham  in the main.

Book Crossing

Book Crossing is not new, but I still thought it worth a mention.

Wikipedia Provides a fairly comprehensive article here.

The sites blurb gets the point across

Where books have adventures of their own. BookCrossing is earth-friendly, and gives you a way to share your books, clear your shelves, and conserve precious resources at the same time. Through our own unique method of recycling reads, BookCrossers give life to books. BookCrossing books are not stagnant dust collectors, but living entities travelling the world as true BookCrossing emissaries. Our books find new readers and introduce them to the wonders of BookCrossing.

Book crossing is not just a site though, Its an idea. I like the idea for years i have sent books to friends, charity shops or just left them in a cafe to see how long they stick around there.

Book crossing adds a social element and method to track these books. The site is starting to look and feel dated missing out on social elements like twittering updates,  and obvious tracking options like mapping the locations in API resource such as Google.

But in general the idea is sound, set your book free, let some one find your story and spread it.
Ecological friendly and interesting results. The sites popularity s waned but I'd like to think the concept keeps going.

Space Captain Smith by Toby Frost

I thought it an idea to review books I am reading as I work through them.

Storytelling is not just about telling of stories but also learning, listening and gathering them.

I read a lot, not as much as I once did finding work balance to leave me with not as much time as I would like.

My current book of choice and enjoyment is Space Captain Smith by Toby Frost. A Christmas gift was made to me of the current set. Three books, the original Space Captain Smith, Emporer Didcott and The Wrath of the Lemming Men.

The best description I can make of these books, is Black Adder in space. Starring Rowan Atkinson as Smith, Hugh Lorrie as Suruk, and Gabrielle Gaistere as Polly Carveth. Guest appearnces by Miranda_Richardson as Rhianna, Stephen Fry as W and Rick Mayal as Wainscott.

I think that characterisation will give you the best idea of the books and there style.

Space Captain Smith  is a highly comical Science fiction comedy series set in our future after the rise of the new empire in a time where the real history as been slewed by the historians and the empire.

The comedy is often dark, slap stick and innuendo laced.The books are well written and some of the jokes broadcast pages ahead while others played close to the chest.

I don't have a scale or rating in mind for this review system, so I'll just say I could not put the first book down, the second book found a space in the houses smallest room and kept me there far too long. I am just starting the third, and think it will entertain this week.

Genre

  Defining "genre" is a feat in its own right, try it for your self. Everyone seems to have an understanding and this understanding varies with everything, some by agreement share the definition and others do not.
 A general definition is: 

• a kind of literary or artistic work
• writing style: a style of expressing yourself in writing
• having a characteristic form or technique 

What I'm apllying to "genre" is the differnt flavours of stories, Horror, comedy, folk, historical, religious the list goes on. The use and frequency of these is determined by many factors, fashion, taste, time of year, location.

Has I write this, horror, vampires, zombies and steam punk are fashionable in the western hemisphere. replacing fantasy and wizardry from the last few years. seemingly to be replaced soon by scifi, 3d and post apocalyptic revival. Avatar standing strong at the box office with no origional story while "the road" and "book of Eli" provide the new stories. These are the stories being told in film,while in the book shops, "pride and prejudice", queen Victoria and a host of others get the Zombie treatment and Vampire,vampyr,wampyr or how ever, whatever author wants to spell it are selling strong.

So genre is important in a story, what mood you are in can dictate your choice of story or how well you receive the tale being told or unfolding in what ever medium you choose.

Once upon a Time

"Once Upon a Time" once was and now once again is famously how a oral tale begins, I hope now again more famous than "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...."

It is not how all storys begin, but when announce a story is expected. A tarde of with this is a card game I have enjoyed playing for some years. Based on the premise of a story it puts all the participants into the role of story tellers and is one by reaching your particular end.

As a storytelling tool I find it indispensable.  A small or large group can be entertained and drawn in, given cards so they can partake or a whole pack so they can be divided and allowed to develop their own stories.

The game can be the focus of a workshop were the participents devlop thier own story and as such their own version of the cards. I have found thsi to work well and be increadble entertaining and rewarding for all involved. One word of warning do remember that which can come "Out of the mouths of babes"

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

Mirrors feature in some of the most famous stories in time and of our time. Snow whites wicked step mother had a magic one, Dorian Grey could never look into one, and Harry Potter saw his deepest desires in the one he encountered.

Mirrors in stories are features, tools and treasures. Used to signal others, hide secrets and reveal secrets. Things of beauty and horror.

What people see in mirrors can be the focus of a story or as with Vampire themed tales, what you don't see.

My first story, and one I enjoy using is about a mirror, actually a screen of mirrors. Consider what a mirror sees, what could a mirror tell us if it could reveal all it sees.
What tales could the mirrors in the Albert Hall tell us from the wall where they hang in the dressing rooms. What story would the mirrors of the White House or Buckingham Palace tell.

With this in mind picture a iron wire screen adorned with mirrors, each mirror barely framed in iron. Each mirrors frame slightly different reflective, so to say of the period it was added to the screen.
The screens frame is like a growth of black Ivy. Winding its way from floor to head height, winding around the small square mirrors it holds. Between the mirrors is space, space to grow, space for new mirrors to be added.

The screen has stood in its home for some time forgotten, stood in the attic its mirrors facing the wall But yet covered still. In the corner, at the back of a dark lonely attic it sits.

Some would consider the mirror a Gothic beauty, some just ugly. Some would stop a moment and wonder if they really saw the splash of colour or was it just a stray reflection.
It is these small splashes of colour and small moments of movement that make our story or more importantly the story of this mirror.

Imaging if you will, if each mirror on the screen was slightly different. each mirrors frame gave some clue to its origin. small intricate items woven in fine iron wire about the mirror they hold. This mirrors story is not one story, but one story for each mirror you wish to mention. this give sour story depth and time.

What if one mirror was held in place by a crown and and a card, another by all the symbols from a deck of  cards. What if these fasteners gave the smallest of hints to the mirrors story, and if peering into the mirror would let you see this story.

This is my story it changes with each telling, it as many branches and many tales within it.  I have found no other way to tell it but than with horror, it makes a good story around the fire and at Halloween.

It lends its self to presenting a prop, A small mirror with a wide wooden frame is my choice. Then discuss what could be in the mirror hiding around the edges of the frame peeking at the crowd as they turn away from the mirror.

A Few Words to Begin With

Floating Vagabond is just a name, chosen because it has meaning  and a past with me. Stories told because they have a past and most carry meaning. Seems the two will fit together nicely.

I am to entertain and educate. Passing on stories and hopefully teaching those who I encounter to pass them further.

This is just a beginning to a new story, and I see no end...