annethology
  • Home
    • About Annethology
    • About me >
      • A little more about me
    • About my books
    • Author talks
    • Contact me
    • Forthcoming events
    • World Mental Health Day
    • Privacy
    • Sign up for my newsletter
  • First two novels
    • Sugar and Snails >
      • Acknowledgements
      • Blog tour, Q&A's and feature articles >
        • Birthday blog tour
        • S&S on tour 2022
      • Early endorsements
      • Events >
        • Launch photos
        • Launch party videos
      • in pictures
      • Media
      • If you've read the book
      • Polari
      • Reading group questions
      • Reviews
      • In the media
    • Underneath >
      • Endorsements and reviews
      • Launch party and events
      • Pictures
      • Questions for book groups
      • The stories underneath the novel
  • Matilda Windsor series
    • The accidental series
    • Matilda Windsor >
      • What readers say
      • For book groups
      • Interviews, articles and features
      • Matty on the move
      • Who were you in 1990?
      • Asylum lit
      • Matilda Windsor media
    • Stolen Summers >
      • Stolen Summers reviews
    • Lyrics for the Loved Ones
  • Short stories
    • Somebody’s Daughter
    • Becoming Someone (anthology) >
      • Becoming Someone (video readings)
      • Becoming Someone reviews
      • Becoming Someone online book chat
    • Print and downloads
    • Read it online
    • Quick reads
  • Free ebook
  • Annecdotal
    • Annecdotal blog
    • Annecdotal Press
    • Articles >
      • Print journalism
      • Where psychology meets fiction
    • Fictional therapists
    • Reading and reviews >
      • Reviews A to H
      • Reviews I to M
      • Reviews N to Z
      • Nonfiction
      • Themed quotes
      • Reading around the world
  • Shop
    • Inspired Quill (my publisher)
    • Bookshop.org (affiliate link)
    • Amazon UK
    • Amazon US
    • books2read
  • Main site

Welcome

I started this blog in 2013 to share my reflections on reading, writing and psychology, along with my journey to become a published novelist.​  I soon graduated to about twenty book reviews a month and a weekly 99-word story. Ten years later, I've transferred my writing / publication updates to my new website but will continue here with occasional reviews and flash fiction pieces, and maybe the odd personal post.

ANNE GOODWIN'S WRITING NEWS

The ingredients of a story ... but I won't follow a recipe

23/5/2014

14 Comments

 
Picture
Following the super comments on a recent post, I’m still musing on the process of creating a story; not so much the nuts and bolts of tension, plot and character, but the medley of ideas that drives us to construct a tale. The weekly prompts I’m following, or choosing not to, for flash fiction and bite-sized memoir are bringing this into sharper focus. Normally, I don’t have to dig for ideas and it’s more a matter of waiting for the urge to grab me; now, the set topic gives these unconscious processes a less dominant role. Sometimes the constraint is an aid to creativity, sometimes not, but Wednesday’s challenge on the theme of surprise sparked my interest straightaway. While it was still a struggle to shoehorn my idea into those 99 words – and I’d very much welcome your feedback on how I’ve done it, especially as I’m considering extending it into a longer flash – I had no hesitation in choosing my subject. See what you think, and then I’ll tell you about the background influences of which I’m aware.

Tyres crunching on gravel snapped Mum out of her doze. “Oh, my!”
The grand house loomed ahead. “Do you recognise it?” said my sister.
I parked by the porticoed entrance. Beyond banks of rhododendrons, the lake shimmered. My sister hopped out and opened Mum’s door. “Bet you’re itching to explore.”
Mum stayed put.
“How about tea first?”
Mum didn’t budge.
My sister took her wrinkled hand. “It’s where you were evacuated, remember?” Mum’s tales of wartime escapades were embedded in our childhoods. “It’s a hotel now.” This mini-break, the perfect birthday treat.
Mum was almost retching. “No, please, no.”

Picture
I love the way Charli’s prompts are integrated into essays about her writing life, and I’ve built on her quote from a respected manager that “surprises are for birthdays” in a tale about a birthday and the downside of surprise. I can also trace the impact of the various blog discussions about memory and memoir and the speculation that Mum’s tales of her childhood jinks might have had some elements edited out. If you’re following this blog, I’m sure you’ll already have identified the continuation of country house theme, but I’d imagine I’m the only one who can see the link to Paula Daly’s novel, (possibly) set in the Lake District hotel which was part of our family mythology. Another recent blog post connection is, of course, in the stories of war that can’t easily be told but I detect a stronger shadow from the chapter in The Examined Life in which Stephen Grosz takes his father, for his eightieth birthday, to visit the landmarks of his childhood, when the old man continually insists they’ve come to the wrong place.

Mega thanks to all the lovely people who support  this blog, whether by reading, commenting and/or retweeting.  This post clearly shows how much we rely on those interactions. I’m not sure if I’m at risk of disappearing up my own navel in attempting to address it this way, but perhaps I've got something out of my system and I can just get on with writing. If you can connect with any of this, please let me know via the comments.

Thanks for reading. I'd love to know what you think. If you've enjoyed this post, you might like to sign up via the sidebar for regular email updates and/or my quarterly Newsletter.
14 Comments
Ruchira link
23/5/2014 10:10:37 am

Memories can be tough to battle.

You portrayed it beautifully :)

Reply
Lisa Reiter link
23/5/2014 10:21:51 am

Love this. There are so many things people take for granted when we put on our 'brave faces' which is why we do it, of course. So revealing in 99 words

Reply
geoff link
23/5/2014 11:01:32 am

Bloody brill piece of flash (that sounds a bit Arthur Daley but I'm sure you understand the sentiment). It is so evocative. If you do write a short story from it I'll read with much interest. So many 'whys' arise from just 99 words. I can remember as a child being taken to my brother's school for summer fetes and the like. My father went there during the war and told many stores about his time, leaving me, as a child, with the sense he had a fun schooling. But whenever he entered the main hall he had to spend some time on his own. Mum would move my brother and me away. Later I found out how emotional it made him to think of the school friends he had lost and seeing that hall, with memories of assemblies, of them all together, just brought it back. He never said - it all came from mum.

Reply
Charli Mills link
24/5/2014 12:15:50 am

Interactions do create a medley of their own as if sparking the synapses between each blog, comment, book, writing project or idea. To me, that is what becomes dynamic about literature.

This flash shine bright with several undertones of surprise, including the downside. I'd be keen to read more as it does what good flash intends--makes me imagine more about what is not said. You've got the start to a great short story.

As Memorial Day approaches, your flash and Geoff's comment make me think about the shadows of war. Removed as successive generations are, we become curious, even fascinated. But for those who lived it, the memories are overwhelming. I'm preparing a Memorial Day post to honor an ancestor who died in the Civil War and I get sucked into all kinds of imaginings.

Great medley throughout your post, Anne!

Reply
Norah Colvin link
24/5/2014 05:53:17 am

This piece speaks to me in so many ways, Anne, and I like the way you have linked back to other posts and other comments which help the learning and thinking about the place of memory and story in one's personal journey. The mother's response to the location reveals so much of her feelings and how easy it can be to hide away one's true feelings with light tales of escapades that refuse to delve deeper into hardships and horrors that occurred. Sometimes a refusal to talk about unpleasant things can be an attempt to mask the horrific truth - if I don't talk about it, it isn't real. Then, of course, the confrontation with 'the house of horror' unlocked the vault and let it all tumble out. I think this would make an excellent longer story. There is so much in it worthy of further examination, I'm amazed at how much you put into the 99 words. I'm pleased you mentioned Stephen Grosz's book and the experience with his father as your piece reminded me of the story, but I hadn't been able to identify it without your reminder.

Reply
Annecdotist
24/5/2014 09:11:22 am

Thank you, Ruchira, Lisa, Geoff, Charli and Norah for your generous comments. I’m so pleased you “got” the story and grateful you took the trouble to let me know, and hope you don’t mind a shared response.
I’m not sure if it’s putting on a brave face or the person has no other option within their repertoire and it’s a kind of manic defence to come up with a jolly story. I really connect with what you said about your dad, Geoff. One of the things I had in mind, but neglected to include in my post, was how I’ve been pondering for some time something that struck me about ten years ago perhaps, when there was a lot in the media commemorating the end of the Second World War and I heard of elderly men who’d repressed their memories of the trauma they had experienced in action or as prisoners of war suddenly finding themselves unable to cope. Glad you connected with The Examined Life here, Norah. Charli, when is Memorial Day? We have Remembrance Day over here on 11 November and also on the nearest Sunday. A couple of years ago I was up at the reservoir where the dambusters practised on that Sunday afternoon when they have a memorial ritual with a lone bugler, quite moving. Looking forward to learning more about the Civil War through your writing.
Thanks all of you for being part of my medley of ideas and for sharing your reflections here. It’s very much appreciated.

Reply
Caroline link
26/5/2014 12:15:26 pm

Great story with not just surprise but some things not revealed. Not sure what the ingredients are. I don't think it matters.

Reply
Annecdotist
27/5/2014 03:17:13 am

Thanks, Caroline, rather like my cooking, the ingredients are obscured in the process of creation

Reply
Diane link
28/5/2014 09:31:35 am

Wow...its amazing how much can be conveyed in 99 words. Well done, Anne.

Reply
Annecdotist
30/5/2014 04:04:55 am

Thanks, Diane. Fancy joining in next time?

Reply
Sarah link
29/5/2014 05:51:12 pm

Beautiful flash, Anne. I love this. The happy hope of her daughters set against the gut–wrenching distress of mother. Nicely done.

Reply
Annecdotist
30/5/2014 04:06:04 am

Thanks, Sarah. I'm enjoying your bursts of flash on the Carrot Ranch too.

Reply
Ali Bacon link
30/5/2014 12:32:10 pm

Hello Anne
I agree a great piece of flash that answers the remit spectacularly. I'm interested you plan to develop it. If you'd like an idea to chuck into the mix, maybe you could consider telling it from the old lady's POV as this might add tension. You could stil hold back some info to create the surprise. In fact there is so much going on here I can almost see a novel coming on. But don't let me put you off ;)

Reply
Annecdotist
31/5/2014 10:35:42 am

Thanks for that suggestion, Ali. Funny, as we are discussing point of view in relation to my most recent post http://annegoodwin.weebly.com/annecdotal/-the-stolen-head-novel-and-a-fictional-dilemma but I never thought of doing it from the mother's perspective. It's definitely the mother's trauma, and therefore, in some ways, her story, and yet I'm quite interested in how it not being processed might have impacted on the daughters, perhaps not as dramatically as in That Dark Remembered Day. Certainly one to ponder.

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Free ebook: click the image to claim yours.
    Picture
    Available now
    Picture
    The poignant prequel to Matilda Windsor Is Coming Home
    Picture
    Find a review
    Picture
    Fictional therapists
    Picture
    Picture
    About Anne Goodwin
    Picture
    My published books
    entertaining fiction about identity, mental health and social justice
    Picture
    My third novel, published May 2021
    Picture
    My debut novel shortlisted for the 2016 Polari First Book Prize
    Picture
    Picture
    My second novel published May 2017.
    Picture
    Short stories on the theme of identity published 2018
    Anne Goodwin's books on Goodreads
    Sugar and Snails Sugar and Snails
    reviews: 32
    ratings: 52 (avg rating 4.21)

    Underneath Underneath
    reviews: 24
    ratings: 60 (avg rating 3.17)

    Becoming Someone Becoming Someone
    reviews: 8
    ratings: 9 (avg rating 4.56)

    GUD: Greatest Uncommon Denominator, Issue 4 GUD: Greatest Uncommon Denominator, Issue 4
    reviews: 4
    ratings: 9 (avg rating 4.44)

    The Best of Fiction on the Web The Best of Fiction on the Web
    reviews: 3
    ratings: 3 (avg rating 4.67)

    2022 Reading Challenge

    2022 Reading Challenge
    Anne has read 2 books toward their goal of 100 books.
    hide
    2 of 100 (2%)
    view books
    Picture
    Annecdotal is where real life brushes up against the fictional.  
    Picture
    Annecdotist is the blogging persona of Anne Goodwin: 
    reader, writer,

    slug-slayer, tramper of moors, 
    recovering psychologist, 
    struggling soprano, 
    author of three fiction books.

    LATEST POSTS HERE
    I don't post to a schedule, but average  around ten reviews a month (see here for an alphabetical list), 
    some linked to a weekly flash fiction, plus posts on my WIPs and published books.  

    Your comments are welcome any time any where.

    Get new posts direct to your inbox ...

    Enter your email address:

    or click here …

    RSS Feed


    Picture

    Tweets by @Annecdotist
    Picture
    New short story, “My Dirty Weekend”
    Picture
    Let’s keep in touch – subscribe to my newsletter
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Popular posts

    • Compassion: something we all need
    • Do spoilers spoil?
    • How to create a convincing fictional therapist
    • Instructions for a novel
    • Looking at difference, embracing diversity
    • Never let me go: the dilemma of lending books
    • On loving, hating and writers’ block
      On Pop, Pirates and Plagiarism
    • READIN' for HER reviews
    • Relishing the cuts
    • The fast first draft
    • The tragedy of obedience
    • Writers and therapy: a love-hate relationship?

    Categories/Tags

    All
    Animals
    Annecdotist Hosts
    Annecdotist On Tour
    Articles
    Attachment Theory
    Author Interviews
    Becoming Someone
    Being A Writer
    Blogging
    Bodies
    Body
    Bookbirthday
    Books For Writers
    Bookshops
    CB Book Group
    Character
    Childhood
    Christmas
    Classics
    Climate Crisis
    Coming Of Age
    Counsellors Cafe
    Creative Writing Industry
    Creativity
    Cumbria
    Debut Novels
    Disability
    Editing
    Emotion
    Ethics
    Ethis
    Family
    Feedback And Critiques
    Fictional Psychologists & Therapists
    Food
    Friendship
    Futuristic
    Gender
    Genre
    Getting Published
    Giveaways
    Good Enough
    Grammar
    Gratitude
    Group/organisational Dynamics
    Hero’s Journey
    History
    Humour
    Identity
    Illness
    Independent Presses
    Institutions
    International Commemorative Day
    Jane Eyre
    Kidney Disease
    Language
    LGBTQ
    Libraries
    Live Events
    Lyrics For The Loved Ones
    Marketing
    Matilda Windsor
    Memoir
    Memory
    Mental Health
    Microfiction
    Motivation
    Music
    MW Prequel
    Names
    Narrative Voice
    Nature / Gardening
    Networking
    Newcastle
    Nonfiction
    Nottingham
    Novels
    Pandemic
    Peak District
    Perfect Match
    Poetry
    Point Of View
    Politics
    Politics Current Affairs
    Presentation
    Privacy
    Prizes
    Psychoanalytic Theory
    Psychology
    Psycholoists Write
    Psychotherapy
    Race
    Racism
    Rants
    Reading
    Real Vs Imaginary
    Religion
    Repetitive Strain Injury
    Research
    Reviewing
    Romance
    Satire
    Second Novels
    Settings
    Sex
    Shakespeare
    Short Stories General
    Short Stories My Published
    Short Stories Others'
    Siblings
    Snowflake
    Somebody's Daughter
    Stolen Summers
    Storytelling
    Structure
    Sugar And Snails
    Technology
    The
    The Guestlist
    Therapy
    TikTok
    TNTB
    Toiletday
    Tourism
    Toxic Positivity
    Transfiction
    Translation
    Trauma
    Unconscious
    Unconscious, The
    Underneath
    Voice Recognition Software
    War
    WaSBihC
    Weather
    Work
    Writing Process
    Writing Technique

    Archives

    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    March 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013

    Picture
    BLOGGING COMMUNITIES
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
Photos from havens.michael34, romana klee, mrsdkrebs, Kyle Taylor, Dream It. Do It., adam & lucy, dluders, Joybot, Hammer51012, jorgempf, Sherif Salama, eyspahn, raniel diaz, E. E. Piphanies, scaredofbabies, Nomadic Lass, paulternate, Tony Fischer Photography, archer10 (Dennis), slightly everything, impbox, jonwick04, country_boy_shane, dok1, Out.of.Focus, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Midwest Region, Elvert Barnes, guillenperez, Richard Perry, jamesnaruke, Juan Carlos Arniz Sanz, El Tuerto, kona99, maveric2003, !anaughty!, Patrick Denker, David Davies, hamilcar_south, idleformat, Dave Goodman, Sharon Mollerus, photosteve101, La Citta Vita, A Girl With Tea, striatic, carlosfpardo, Damork, Elvert Barnes, UNE Photos, jurvetson, quinn.anya, BChristensen93, Joelk75, ashesmonroe, albertogp123, >littleyiye<, mudgalbharat, Swami Stream, Dicemanic, lovelihood, anyjazz65, Tjeerd, albastrica mititica, jimmiehomeschoolmom, joshtasman, tedeytan, striatic, goforchris, torbakhopper, maggibautista, andreboeni, snigl3t, rainy city, frankieleon