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7 Practical Suggestions on Creating a Compelling Sense of Place – Part 3

Writing a compelling sense of place means making the setting feel alive—not just where the story happens, but how it feels to be there in the moment during a significant event or situation, and why it matters. Here are some practical suggestions on ways to do it

  1. Engage more than sight

Strong settings use multiple senses.

  • Sound:distant traffic, buzzing insects, echoing halls
  • Smell:rain on a grassy patch after a hot day, old books, salt in the air
  • Touch:gritty sand, humid air sticking to skin, cold metal
  • Taste  (limit use) :dust in the mouth, bitterness of smoke

Example:

The fan creaked and groaned as if knowing it faced a losing battle against the summer heat.

  1. Filter the place through the character

The setting should reflect who is experiencing it. Two characters in the same place will notice different things.

Consider:

  • What would thischaracter care about here?
  • What makes them edgy, angry, or nostalgic?

Example:

The summer heat made Moira faint, the infernal sun created a cremation site in their backyard. Her cousin, energetic and unaware of the rivers of sweat dripping off him, kicked the ball around the yard multiple times.

 

  1. Choose specific, concrete details

Make a place believable. Avoid generic words like nice, busy, or beautiful.

Food carts hissed with steam while cyclists threaded through stalled taxis, bells ringing in sharp bursts.

Rather than, ‘it was a busy street.’

  1. Let setting interact with action

Weave the story into what’s happening.

Example:

He shoved the door open, and warm bar air spilled onto the cold sidewalk, carrying laughter and the smell of fried onions.

  1. Use setting to support mood and theme

The place should reinforce the emotional tone of the scene.

  • Tension → narrow spaces, harsh light, noise
  • Calm → open spaces, steady rhythms, soft textures, natural romantic landscapes
  • Isolation → emptiness, distance, silence, derelict buildings

Example:

The field stretched empty in every direction, the sky so wide it made her feel smaller with every step.

  1. Don’t over describe

A few strong details are more powerful than a full inventory.

Rule of thumb:

  • 1–3 vivid details per paragraph is usually enough
  • Let the reader’s imagination do the rest
  1. Make place matter to the story

Ask yourself:

  • Would this scene work just as well somewhere else?
    If yes, the setting might not be pulling its weight.

Ways to make it matter:

  • The place creates obstacles
  • The place holds history or memories
  • The place mirrors change in the character

 

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Create Complex Characters as People Who Feel Real – Part 2

Readers don’t fall in love with plots—they fall in love with people. That’s why complex characters are the lifeblood of compelling fiction. They’re the ones who linger in our minds, the ones we cheer for, cry over, or angrily debate with friends.

But what makes a character complex? And how do we write someone who feels less like a cardboard cutout and more like a fully formed human being?

 

 Give Characters True to Life Contradictions

Humans are walking contradictions. We want love but push people away. We crave success but sabotage ourselves. We believe in honesty but harbour secrets  (Plantation Shadows –what is Milly’s secret?). These contradictions make characters interesting in their imperfections. Characters must grow from hardship, struggles, loss, etc to become the best versions of themselves. Readers need to identify with real life situations to connect with characters who echo aspects of their own lives.

Consider the following when crafting a complex characer

  • What do they think they want vs. what do they need?
  • What are their competing internal desires?
  • Where does their behaviour conflict with their beliefs, morals, or values?

 

Create a Backstory on Key Points that Advance the Character’s complexity

Build their history for yourself so you understand:

  • What shaped their worldview
  • Why they react emotionally the way they do
  • What they fear, avoid, or chase

Be selective about what is revealed in the backstory, offer teasers to your reader instead of telling it all. (Plantation Shadows)

 

Give The Complex Character Agency-Don’t Describe their Personality

Actions speak louder than a long list of adjectives.

Show the reader the inner persona through:

  • Their choices
  • The risks they take
  • What they refuse to do—even when pressured

The character does not have to be aggressive, A passive character can be intriguing if their passivity is a choice, not a default.

Flaws can Hurt the Complex Character and Others

Give characters real, consequential flaws. Flaws are the engine of character-driven storytelling.

Ask:

  • What is their most harmful belief about themselves or the world?
  • How does this flaw sabotage their goals?
  • How does it hurt the people around them?

Flaws that create conflict are flaws that matter— they are signposts to something deeper/larger.

 

Let The Complex Character Grow, Regress, or Transform

Complex characters are restless. They might outwardly hide their intentions. Slow feed how  they react to events, change their perspectives, and sometimes take a back step before a point of growth.

Explore:

  • Positive arcs(cynical → hopeful)
  • Negative arcs(idealistic → corrupted)
  • Flat arcs(unchanged internally but influential to others)

The character’s internal evolution when shaped by their experiences makes them believable and endearing because the reader has been drawn into their inner world.

 

Make Relationships Challenge The Character

A character’s interactions with others reveals more about them than any internal monologue.

Mull over:

  • Who pushes their buttons?
  • Who brings out the softness they try to hide?
  • Who forces them to confront truths they’d avoid alone?

Dynamic relationships create dynamic characters.

 

Mystery, Ambiguity, and Private Thoughts

You don’t have to reveal everything about a character immediately. People hold secrets—from others and from themselves. Let readers uncover the layers gradually. (Plantation Shadows – who holds a generational secret?)

A character is compelling when some of the interpretation is left to the reader.

 

Empathy

Complex characters when discovered, come alive through empathy. When a character is crafted as a person with their own desires, wounds, contradictions, and agency, the story deepens naturally. Allow them to surprise you, frustrate you, and challenge your drafting of their lives.

Look at the world around you, it abounds in complexities, and contradictions that carry the potential for growth, transformation, or regression—that makes characters human.

Make your complex character, live.

 Share ideas to grow  aspiring writers’ skills.

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The Inner Child – The Artist

Have you ever wondered why some of your most brilliant ideas come not when you’re trying hard, but when you’re simply daydreaming, or letting your mind wander? That spark—that unfiltered, unashamed burst of originality—comes from a source we often forget: the inner child.

In a world that prizes productivity and perfection, the inner child can seem frivolous or even inconvenient. But for the artist—for anyone who seeks to create—this part of us holds the key to boundless imagination, raw emotion, and fearless experimentation.

The Fearless Inner Child

The inner child is the part of our psyche that retains the wonder, vulnerability, joy, and spontaneity of childhood. It’s not just nostalgia or memory; it’s an active presence within us that remembers how it felt to draw without worrying whether it was “good,” to sing loudly without caring who was listening, or to invent imaginary worlds without limits.

When we reconnect with our inner child, we tap into a part of ourselves that’s naturally curious, intuitive, and brave. This is the energy art demands.

 

The Creative Inner Child

  • Does not fear failure
    The inner child isn’t worried about reviews, likes, book launches, or gallery shows. It, sings out of tune, draws stick figures, and writes stories with angels and dragons harmoniously coexisting. The creative inner child creates to see what happens, to imagine a world into existence, on a page, canvas, as a musical score or song.
  • Lives in the now
    True creativity flows from being present, playing in the now, experimenting without expectation.
  • Sees magic everywhere
    A puddle becomes a sea. A walk to the park is an adventure. Reframing the ordinary into the extraordinary is at the heart of artistic vision.
  • Feels deeply
    Emotions are unshackled. The inner child loves fiercely cries loudly, laughs uncontrollably. The inner child basks in the light and colours of life’s prism to create art that resonates.

 

Ways to Reconnect with Your Inner Artist-Child

  • Play

Do something creative just for the fun of it. Paint with your non-dominant hand. Dance like a maniac. Make up nonsense poems. The goal is not quality—it’s freedom.

  • Journal Wonder

Every day, write down three things that amazed or delighted you. An ancestral face in a cloud, a child’s or elder’s honest or wise question. Work on seeing the world with fresh eyes.

  • Revisit Childhood Joys

Think back to what you loved as a five or ten year old.  Was it playing hide-and-seek? Was it peeling an orange while sitting in the sun in your backyard? Recalling childhood activities carries the magic to rekindle your most authentic creative energy.

  • ‘Perfection in Imperfection’

Perfectionism silences the inner child. Shut out criticism and grow curiosity. Bury the inner critic that whispers, ‘I could have done this better,’ by focusing on, ‘Let me celebrate the multiple possibilities this holds.’

 

The Artist is a Forever Child

Great art doesn’t come from the intellect alone. It comes from the melding of experience and innocence, discipline and play. As Picasso once said, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.”

Invite your inner child to the table and observe how the magic unfolds.

 

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Nurturing The Inner Creative

 

As emotional beings, the creative has a deep well of available resources to draw from in storytelling, writing poetry, and creating artwork.

The continual dipping and diving into emotional resources while working on a project drains energy for the capacity to be fully immersed while competing with life’s cacophony. The stretching of energy resources generated from deep creative work are challenged by personal situations that demand a share of the energy pumped into creativity.

 

Death, divorce, illness, moving house, or reframing work life, are but a few of life’s situations that test human stamina.

 

What is the way forward when passion projects and life’s necessities demand attention?

The first would be to step back from the writing desk, or the canvas to consciously acknowledge change such as loss or  medical impediments, and the compelling need to pack up the Ute and head off into the wilderness. Creatives write these situations into characters’ lives. The lived reality poses a different scenario. Just as characters require strength to overcome the imagined challenge, creatives need renewed energy to move forward.

A hiatus while weathering life’s challenges, recharges one for what lies ahead,  replenishes creativity by momentarily allowing grief, illness, etc; to hold space, or frees time to toss out unnecessary materialistic aspects of life to invite the fresh, and embrace the new.

 

Nurturing the creative within allows one to go on with what makes the heart sing

 

Creative nurturing, heals, elicits joy and and ignites the imagination with a nudge from a benevolent muse eager to fan the fires of creativity. Grab the nudge, save it in the in-tray for when the time is right.

How long should this hiatus be?

As long as it is necessary to refuel the tank for the gigantic leap ahead.

Nurturing the creative within benefits from gentle physical activity: A walk in a park, beach, a weekend getaway, meditation, meeting old friends, helping at a soup kitchen, volunteering at the RSPCA, or randomly doing something such as taking in a morning movie for one—a few examples of how one could nurture the creative within.

Never let doubters make one feel that  being a creative on a break is a cardinal sin. While it might seem to be so to those who secretly hate their day jobs, the creative alone knows how to manage the emotional energy required to create timeless works of art.

Take a creative break when the need arises, not when one of life’s demands needs fixing. Then, watch productivity soar.

 

A source of inspiration:

“I saw that my image was changing or fading. One of the reasons for taking a break from clubs was to be missed—not forgotten.”  ~Sammy Davis

 

And…one more piece of motivation worth listening to:

Hakuna Matata!

Like, share, or comment below on how you create space to nurture the inner creative.

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Mothers Mirrored in Fiction

Mother’s Day this year has a different ring to the freedom of yesteryear.

 

The nation waited to hear if we would be allowed to visit our mothers on this special day of the year. Something we took for granted… our mothers would always be there to listen, comfort, cook an amazing meal, take care of grandchildren, advise on matters of the heart, and chastise bad behaviour.

 

Love the whole world as a mother loves her only child ~ Gautama Buddha

 

 

 

 

The hype leading to Mother’s Day has been a buzz from infancy.  2020 has been still but some retail stores have opened for a dash purchase of a gift and a card to celebrate our mothers to tell them we love them. We fervently add that we want our mothers to be safe and well during this global health crisis. Some among us ache to see our mothers, some have passed on,  and others are in social isolation — it has been two months of just telephone conversations and if possible, FaceTime, Zoom and Skype chats. The aching emptiness of the missed mama/nana hug is still not a possibility. A joyous expression of love is now a cause for global anxiety as we fear the unknown, the lethal. The comforting hug now a possible cause of harm.

Mothers occupy a universal, sacred place in our hearts. A mother’s unconditional love goes with her children from the cradle to the grave. Cultures revere mothers with a divinity deserving of profound respect and care. This value should undoubtedly be universal. The hearth of family and home is a mother.

 

Paradise lies at the feet of your mother~ Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)

 

 

 

In paying tribute to all mothers today I also refer to the fictional mothers in, Souls of Her Daughters,  and two follow-up novels in the trilogy (each reads as a stand-alone novel too) Chosen Lives, and, What Change May Come.

 

 

 

Mothers Varuna and Elsie present as the yin-yang of motherhood. Mama Varuna is Grace’s bold and strong mother who has weathered hardship with loss and societal criticism. Patience’s mother, Mama Elsie is a mild-mannered mother who faces racism and hardship in apartheid South Africa. Both mothers raise their daughters as one family united in their cultural difference and struggles. The highs and lows of the lives of mothers and daughters captured in the daily lives of Grace and Patience are what makes Mother’s Day a constant expression of love.

To all mothers, and future mothers, you are the pillars of family and society and should be celebrated daily.

 

She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.’ ~ Proverbs 31:26

 

Share your thoughts in the comments.

 

 

Stay safe and well as restrictions ease in New South Wales and around the world.

 

 

Happy reading, happy writing.

 

 

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Women Who Inspire

 

Often the women around us, those we interact with, those who do not ask for acknowledgement and serve their life’s calling with unstinting passion, must be noted to celebrate them and say thank you for who they are and what they have shared and continue to share.

 

Today amid the chaos in the world, social isolation physically separates us but has allowed us to deepen and broaden our thinking without the usual everyday distractions.

 

This quietening of the mind has heightened my appreciation for the women that inspire and have inspired many lives. As a writer of thriller fiction and contemporary women’s fiction, it is befitting that I pay homage to the women who have impacted my world.

From the corporate world, writing and publishing and health care, here are three women I salute today.

 

Kalyani Pillay (Entrepreneur)

Former CEO, of SABRIC, (South African Banking Risk Information Centre) Kalyani Pillay resides in Sandton, South Africa. Kalyani has inspired many in her passion for instituting protocols for the elimination of bank fraud. A job that entailed being a globetrotter spreading innovative ideas on how to protect ourselves from financial scams, and as an advisor to large corporations, particularly banks. Kalyani Pillay has been head-hunted for presentations at international conferences in her relentless fight against fraud. She has worked as a lawyer, State Attorney for Gauteng, and Special Advisor to the Head of the National Prosecuting Authority in South Africa before she joined the ranks of SABRIC as CEO. Her resilience, dedication, optimism, and integrity are qualities that inspire for as long as I can remember.

Here is Kalyani Pillay’s inspiring interview with, Dudu Msomi on her show, ‘WisdomPersonified’ to illustrate the passion, courage, determination, and humility of a woman of note.

 

 

 

Brenda Mohammed (Author/Poet)

Trinidadian author and Founder of the How to Write for Success Group, a rapidly growing literary group. Brenda Mohammed promotes rising stars in literature, and assists in expanding the repertoire of existing, established authors with selfless commitment through collaborative writing of anthologies in the prevention of suicide and against domestic abuse. She is a noteworthy multi-award-winning novelist and poet. As a former banker and seasoned traveller she exudes a resilient spirit as a cancer survivor, depicted in her memoir I am Cancer Free, and one who has the Midas touch in creating bestsellers. These attributes make Brenda Mohammed an inspirational woman as my peer and mentor in my role as an administrator in the HTWFS group. Brenda’s book How to Write for Success offers nuggets of wisdom on writing and publishing, serving as a handbook for writers of any genre. Her warmth and generous nature in promoting the love for reading in children is evident in her contributions and interactions with schools in Trinidad. Brenda Mohammed is highly valued by her administrators and followers in the How to Write for Success group.

 

 

It isn’t where you came from. It’s where you’re going that counts.

~Ella Fitzgerald

 

 

 

Queenie Naidoo (Health Care Professional)

Retired South African nurse, residing in Australia, Queenie Naidoo, in her eighties today, is passionate about healing as she ever was. She served the poor and destitute, the ill and dying with devotion. She was fondly known to many as, ‘Sister Queenie.’ She garnered the support of local doctors in the town of Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, to donate medication which she dispensed at the free medical community clinic she steadfastly ran, for many years, on Sunday mornings, to serve those who were unable to access medical treatment. Her home was a haven to the ill, depressed, and ailing hearts. Her sense of humour and maternal warmth drew many to her. Her lifetime commitment to healing and supporting the physical and mental health of her patients resonates today with the selfless and potentially dangerous work of health care professionals during this global pandemic we currently face. Added to Queenie Naidoo’s inspirational credit is her creative talent in having produced a theatrical performance, God the Last Refuge, staged at the King Street Theatre in Newtown, Sydney, in 2014. Queenie has inspired me from the cradle as my loving, caring, mother and continues to do so to this day.

 

We never stop learning and growing with each passing day, hence inspirational individuals are the heartbeat of the societies we inhabit.

 

I have handpicked three inspirational women, there are many more who inspire us every day. Please share the inspirational women in your world in the comment box below.

 

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The Valentine in YOU!

The creative well is endless if you’re in it for the long haul. Writing eBooks, print books, creating audio books, working with editors, cover designers, and marketing your books – no publisher will do the marketing for you!  An abundance of creative energy soon leads to mental exhaustion a type of brain drain that can potentially dry the creative well.  Act on helping your creative self to sustain energy and wellness for the long haul.

 

Love and care for YOUR creative self keeps the muse in your orbit.

 

Some Tips for Love and Self-Care for YOUR Creative Self

 

To keep the creative juice flowing you must show the artist in you, some love.

 

How do we do this?
Replenish the source of your well by carving space in YOUR day:

• Meditate  in your day preferably in the morning before you begin writing for perhaps half an hour, or in shorter bursts throughout the day

• Listen to soothing calming, theta sounds when you take a break between planning or writing scenes

• Take a walk outdoors – if you can take a walk on the beach, or in a park, this will be great to listen to the sounds of nature with the double benefit of  rest and awakening the senses

• Sing no matter how out of you might be or strum a guitar if you have one around – the therapeutic value is giving yourself some love

You’ve gotta dance like there’s nobody watching… ~ William W Purkey

 

• Read something inspirational before you sleep – a poem or a prayer

• Write when your energy is at an optimum level, if it’s the morning for you, then market your brand/books in the afternoon

• Talk to an optimistic person, perhaps one who loves your work, then reach out – positive energy ignites creativity

 

Feel nature

These are but a few ways to keep that well pumping out the creative energy that brings your fabulous work of art into the world. Begin with one thing at a time to ease exhaustion – creativity is fresh, passionate, and lively, so be sure to get in enough zzz’s. The number of hours will depend on your personal make-up, work-day etc. Anything less than 6 hours is risking exhaustion during your creative hours.

 

As I Lay Dreaming

 

Beautiful sounds feed LOVE FOR THE CREATIVE YOU:

 

 

 

I hope you have an amazing Valentine’s Day!

Happy Writing, Happy Creative Love!

Please share your thoughts in the box below.

 

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Literary Life Lines

 

There has been a lot of interest this past week on a previous post,  here on why characters and quotations from literature are often remembered long after the book has been put down.

Thank you for the comments, I’m delighted that you found educational or personal clarity and have selected a few more literary life lines in this post.

Literature that speaks to the human condition echoes through time when emotional connections are formed.

Love, despair, fear, envy, passion, hatred and kindness guide our motivations in the choices or decisions we make in life.

Students of literature are often expected to engage in critical appreciation of texts.

Values, culture and language, events or situations motivate characters’ actions and in turn, motivate readers’ reactions eliciting a new wave of interpreting ideas. And so the chain of literary discourse begins…

 

Reading for life connections and intellectual stimulation

Continue reading “Literary Life Lines”

Announcement of Title

The joy of writing over several weeks and months is finally seeing the artist’s  impression in the cover design of the story that has emerged from, and lives in the writer’s imagination.

The much-anticipated sequel title to my debut novel, “Across Time and Space,” set for a spring release, depending on where you reside in the world, is :

VINDICATION ACROSS TIME

“Across Time and Space” is available at a discounted price while stocks last. Contact me through the website for availability.

 

Please share what you anticipate in, “Vindication Across Time”, in the message box below.

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Fear Is Thy Strength

After an evening at the amazing Headlong, Nottingham and Almeida Theatre production of 1984, the timeless warning of the danger of unchecked power and the futility of resistance invited thoughts about the state of society in other areas of power, control and fear.

The passive aggressive comment, the staring down to intimidate, the proclamations of intellectual superiority, cultural, religious or racial bias uttered from a monocultural, bigoted point of view instils fear in the targeted individual which reverberates with the mental torture, Orwell’s, Winston Smith undergoes.

Sleepless nights, dreaded days, endless bouts of nausea, skulking in the shadows away from penetrating eyes, questions about questions.

 

The long day’s journey into another sleepless night becomes relentless. Guilt, self-questioning and a whittling away of self-confidence reeks of the fascism of workplace politics.

 

Competitiveness of the narcissistic ladder climbing co-worker or the sadistic joy in pulling others down is yet another corrosive dimension of inhumanity.

 

Systemic torment dims the light of the once vibrant, optimistic individual, the light is interrupted as dark days take over. Winston Smith tried to hang onto the waning light in Nineteen Eighty-Four.

With every knock…

 

The eroded self-confidence and panic attacks sends the tormented individual hurtling into a bottomless pit of mental anguish …

 

Each act of power and control, topples the victim blow-by-blow…

 

BUT

While the message is bleak, while it might not seem possible, there is a light at the end of the long, dark tunnel, the light of strength.

Fear is thy strength when compassion and love grow from the depths of pain.
In fear, there resides hope.

 

Hope is the light

 

 

 

A video excerpt from the film Nineteen Eighty-Four :

 

 

The flickering light gets brighter as the individual rises from darkness, looking upwards towards the sun, guided by an unseen hand.

George Orwell predicted a future that has become a reality today, not only within the realm of politics and governance but also as a cautionary note to take a closer look in the mirror to decide if our souls are indeed supportive or destructive of each other.

A dark message sheds light on what should be rectified to save ourselves and the ‘unborn’, the next generation, from even darker inhumane acts.

Down with the Big Brothers and Sisters that attempt to intimidate while asserting their own self-obsessed grandeur!

What will you do today to uplift someone from the quagmire of human cruelty?

 

 

 

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The Jury’s out on Mr Darcy!


Being a juror is a serious civic duty for some, for others, it creates a sense of entitlement and empowerment.

This recalls an experience from some years ago.

The early pleasantries of being a fellow juror soon diminished when baggage from the past and present private worlds seeped in, threatening to stymie a just call on the evidence presented.

Evidence pointed clearly to who was guilty, but, the demography of the victim, in this case, created speculation on innocence by two jurors making it ripe for a hung jury. Every flawed, argument was presented to ‘prove’ the victim was the guilty one.

The judge stood strong, ‘you’ve been a good bunch so far, go back and deliberate further, if you have to spend another week here you will have to. A verdict is imperative’.

Frustration filled the deliberation room as heads butted, bigots surfaced, anger flared and personal issues came to the fore, ‘those people are the worst elements in society‘ attitude created deep-seated animosity in what was a somewhat easy going, multicultural panel just a few days earlier. Most were committed to seeing justice served and were uncomfortable with the manipulations of the bigots.

The legal team dropped hints during the process, too, that their client, the accused, was ‘no Mr. Darcy’

A subtle reminder to one of the jurors mooting for a hung jury, the one who casually mentioned during the early days, of affable newness, that an overseas holiday was booked and expressed the hope that jury duty should be ‘done and dusted’ by then – a reminder that the holiday booked might have to be shelved if the deliberation continued led to a sudden turnaround from the miscreants who worked hand in glove – both had birth origins from the same geographic location – could this have been the reason for the shared bigotry?

Morning brought a dramatically revised attitude, their previously ‘innocent’ person was now guilty as sin!!

Mercurial!

Personal baggage weighing heavily, stooping the shoulders of the juror should be left at the door of the jury room,  just as the mobile phone is surrendered for safe keeping – to prevent external interference in the deliberation and evaluation of evidence.

Later it was revealed that the accused was being brought to court every day under tight security from prison. The accused was also under suspicion, to be tried at a later date, for rape!

No Mr. Darcy indeed!

What’s your take on jury duty? Twelve Angry Men or smooth sailing?

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Villainous Scoundrels!

The most memorable characters in literature are often those who remain indelible for their villainous acts, making them timeless scoundrels of literature!

Shakespeare has shaped villainous characters that resonate through time. In creating a dark and dangerous character, turn to some of his notable characters to consider why you loathe them enough to remember their ruthless antics with lucidity.

Are you writing a thriller?

How far will you go? How evil will your characters be? What atrocities will they commit? Will they be politicians? Leaders of some institution, a religious organisation perhaps. Is there a peculiarity other than the evil nature of this character? What positions of power do they occupy or are they aspiring to claim power? Who will they prey on – successful people, kind individuals or the weak and vulnerable? What do they want from life? Will they learn a lesson? Will they become kind and compassionate – perhaps by some ingenious stroke of luck, fate?

 

Remember Iago? 

‘The Moor is of a free and open nature.’

Artful manipulator, toying with the insecurities of Othello, the magnificent military man in a white world, loved by the beautiful Desdemona, his prized possession –  Iago’s manipulation leads to a brutal and bloody end. The characterisation of Iago is powerfully portrayed to make the audience despise him.

 And what about the evil sisters and the wicked and dissatisfied bastard?


Goneril and Regan in King Lear are the evil sisters, corrupt daughters of the king who manipulate the need in their father when he divides his kingdom based on how much his daughters love him.

‘Sir, I love you more than words can wield the matter; Dearer than eyesight, space…’

Edmund, the illegitimate son of Gloucester, half-brother of Edgar is out to be acknowledged, to claim that which he was denied. He, too, manipulates Gloucester, in his bitterness against the world, to turn his father against his son Edgar, his half-brother.

 

‘A credulous father and a brother noble,…

‘My father compounded with my mother under the Dragon’s tail, and my nativity was under Ursa major, so that follows, I am rough and lecherous,’


Two fathers so terribly wronged by their children. Look at daily media reports on domestic violence, incest, and murder at the hands of family members.

And then the desire for the crown and the position of first Lady?
Lady Macbeth and Macbeth, not to mention the conniving witches – ruthless and bloody endings in the quest for power and position.

Lady Macbeth’s power of persuasion is evident in her manipulation of her husband,

‘That I may pour my spirits in thine ear’

Local politics? International politics? Domestic politics? Timeless indeed!

A friend turning on a friend- is this the ‘fault in our stars’ or peer pressure? Really?
Julius Caesar – Brutus, noble friend to Caesar is at first two-thirds sold by the conspirators and then they have him all.

‘I kiss thy hand, but not in flattery, Caesar.’

He, too, plants a knife-wielding blow, mortally wounding his once respected friend.

Shakespeare created characters that are timeless representations of human foibles and the plight of the human condition.

In creating your villainous characters, think about what loathsome qualities will make them timeless, the bard certainly got it right. And there are many more examples, what about  Hamlet?  Mother and uncle behaving badly!

Here’s a memorable line on villainous, scoundrels from The Tempest. Ariel quotes Ferdinand to Prospero,

 ‘Hell is empty and all the devils are here!’

Who are the notorious scoundrels in literature that are memorable for you? Add your comment below, subscribe for email notifications for  future postings.

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Wellness While You Write

 

Everyone is a writer- authors, students, teachers, business executives, talk show hosts, journalists, doctors, lawyers, engineers and the list goes on. Some of us write for longer periods in our day and others in short spurts, depending on what you do and want to achieve from your writing.

This post is different to my other posts but an area I think we all need to be aware of.

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When the writing muse comes calling, all else is forgotten, the writer lives in the space where ideas unfold upon ideas, time stands still. 

Often writing in the comfort of our own space can lead to poor eating patterns. This might seem like common sense but we need to be reminded to sustain ourselves for the long haul. Writing is mental, creative energy that needs sustenance – yes sustenance – I don’t mean food for the soul – that is important, but, you need good wholesome food, first, before the reward food if it’s your choice. Do you keep a jar of lollies at your writing desk?

Here’s my strategy for a healthier writer body and mind:

If you start your day at 5 am and head to the kettle for your coffee fix. Stop. You need to sustain your energy for the duration of your writing day/ hours.

Try this for three days and note the difference.

# fill a jug with water, slice half an English cucumber or a whole Lebanese cucumber, and add it to the water.Cucumber is a source of vitamin B. Leave the skin on and you add vitamin C to your drink which is much needed to ward off colds with winter advancing in this neck of the woods. A dash of chopped mint is optional but a great herb to add. Adding a thin slice of lemon will pack on more vitamin C.

# while the water, cucumber, and mint infuse,  get in a few back stretches while standing in the kitchen and a few more cat stretches on the carpet or exercise mat if you have one readily available. Arching and relaxing your back will serve you well for a day or hours in your writing chair.

Now for the refreshing drink:

# a tall glass of cucumber-infused water should be sipped while standing up – only because you will be sitting in your chair for an extended time. Keep the blood flowing like you would on a long haul flight.

# having that cup of coffee should come after the cucumber infused water which would have energised you by now, clearing the mind, cleansing and oxygenating the blood. The antioxidants perform their magic. Cucumber is an anti-inflammatory food which might aid with swelling feet if you are prone to this after hours of sitting at your laptop.It might help your aching fingers or wrists after hours/days of typing too.

# if you are an exercise junkie, (if you can fit that in with your writing schedule) and need your morning run, eat a banana before you head off.

# now for breakfast, you’ve stretched, cleansed, had your coffee treat or banana and run, what should your choice of breakfast be before you hit the writing page?  

Here are some options depending on whether you are vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, lactose intolerant or diabetic etc.

– a small slice of fruit, if you had the banana, skip this step, – a small bowl of rolled oats will sustain you for hours of writing – if you prefer eggs – poach them and eat with a slice or two of lightly grilled tomato.

– If you have avocado on hand, a slice will add to a healthy mix. I would limit bread to wholemeal/gluten-free if you are going to have a slice of toast.

– take your jug of cucumber infused water and leave it close to your writing desk to sip at will – why should you do this? It hydrates you, keeps you clear-headed, mentally alert and the bonus is you will be forced to stand up to walk to the toilet! 

As writers, time does not exist when in the creative maze of writing, two hours may seem like twenty minutes. 

You might ask, what about lunch and dinner?

–        A light lunch perhaps, tuna on wholemeal or gluten-free crackers or bruschetta followed by a cup of green tea. Dinner could include grilled chicken, fish or red meat with a side of steamed vegetables or a salad followed by a cup of herb tea and perhaps…perhaps… a tiny treat of your choice.

Here’s hoping this works for you as it does for me, if you have suggestions on how you remain well and sustain yourself on your writing days, please share by writing in the comment box below.

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Wishing you many healthy, happy writing hours!

 

 

 

Is Commitment on Your Agenda?

Across Time and Space explores commitment in relationships in romance, friendship and family relationships. Whether or not it leads to the commitment of, ‘I do’ – commitment is a primal need in relationships for one to feel valued. The protagonist in Across Time and Space has been in a relationship for a length of time, a comfortable, complacency envelopes the relationship creating restlessness that becomes the catalyst for unimagined challenges.

This begs the question, does commitment mean unstinting devotion and loyalty akin to ‘til death do us part?’ The answers are vast and varied depending on the values one has embraced or formed.

Being raised in a time and place which instilled that a promise of commitment meant fulfilment of that promise on a nominated, ceremonial day which comes with its own merits and flaws. This might be considered ‘old world’ or fit for ‘Cinderella and her Prince Charming’, yet the expectation is that couples will unite or commit in a way they deem appropriate to both of them. Yes, the operative word is both – not ‘one’ making a decision, on a whim, that life’s path has beckoned a change for ‘one’ without consideration for how this might impact on the other half of both. Such is the life of the protagonist in Across Time and Space and her partner – good people in their own right who buckle under the fear of commitment, fear for the loss that might be incurred in all that has yet to be achieved in life.

This leads me to why should commitment be feared as the end to individuality and relinquishing of one’s dreams? Commitment should encompass all spheres of one’s life in relationships: singular and joint dreams, commitment to professional ideals and commitment to going off on a whim if its one’s choice to do so by acknowledging that both need to be aware of such changes. Meryl, in  Across Time and Space will clarify the choices she makes to catch the star of her destiny that she feared might never be realised in her lifetime.

Commitment can have its dark and dangerous side when passion overrides reason. This brings to mind Catherine and Heathcliffe in Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights where both are inextricably and destructively hemmed to each other. Stepping outside literature as we turn on our televisions to the reality of the evening news or an online article on domestic violence which results from unhealthy commitment which is power and control. Supposed commitment, commitment without reason creates a dark, terrible and often tragic situation.

Commitment in family relationships be it as mother, father, grandparent, carer or extended family member should be based on trust, approval, open communication and support from love shared  to promote good mental health.

Love, respect and freedom of choices are a right that should not be debated, it’s a basic human right – a human right that should acknowledge commitment to respectful consideration through communication  before heading off alone into the sunset.

Commitment to values  includes commitment to the values of place, the place we call home – the country- the city- the street- our backyards. It is often those who cannot commit on a personal level who cannot commit to democracy, justice and a fair go.

Reason should always caution passion, dreams should be lived for peace and joy to reign for both halves in any relationship and for all in our choice of place that we call home.

What’s your take on commitment to all things in life?  I would love to know your thoughts.

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Why We Write, Why We Read

 

The oasis of literature we have been reading since time immemorial  inspires us to continue reading, be it a writer of choice, genre or writer’s style that draws us into the writer’s world, forming connections to events, people and places. Inspiration gained leads the reader’s quest to search for meaning in novels, plays and poems. When discovered, a universal consciousness emerges to tell us we are indeed not alone or different.

 

Writing makes a difference when given thoughtful and respectful consideration

 

The writing urge and process emanate from a place that resides deep in the soul of the writer. It could be a major world event or a passing incident that triggers an emotional connection, thus fueling the passionate purpose to create understanding which fosters human connectedness. This motivates tireless hours of writing. A message, when written from the heart has the potential to inspire and reverberate across time and space.

Voices and visions of human atrocities never die, they visit as the muse that beckons the creation of stories, plays and poems on suffering, fear, loss, hope, and above all, renewal.

 

Literature, through the writer’s lens, has the power to provide profound life lessons while entertaining the reader. 

 

Writing with passion in the voices and visions from different contexts suggest that we are indeed connected, regardless of our geographical location or ethnicity. A universal consciousness provides clarity, anytime, anywhere, to anyone, on the necessity to improve the human condition.

 

The written word should unify rather than divide.

 

Happy Reading, Happy Writing

 

Please share your thoughts in the comment box below:

 

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Women You are More

 

 

It has been a good week reading and hearing the voices that speak up and out about acknowledging women in literature and in every professional, political and social sphere. The momentous global Women’s Marches this year are indicative that times have indeed changed, however, silence or ‘Feminism Lite’ as warned by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, subvert the right of a woman to proudly be herself, to be seen and heard for what she believes is good for her.

 

 

 

She has music in her soul and justice in her blood

 

Ironically the media on this day, 10 March 2017, has reported, much to the chagrin in many quarters of society, that stay at home mums,  are draining the country of much-needed skills. This understating of the role stay at home mums play in raising children, raising the next generation to be upstanding citizens and contributors to the world of tomorrow is questioned and frowned upon as not making a valuable contribution to society and hindering the economy?

This says that the War of Women against such opinions, studies and other such claims is an ongoing battle. Margaret Atwood’s states that The Handmaid’s Tale is more relevant than ever and Jude Kelly, theatre director and producer enlightens in a TedWomen talk on  ‘Why Women should tell stories of humanity’. 

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My Tribute to YOU

  • YOU are amazing in all you juggle in your day
  • YOU are amazing in the boundless energy and strength you demonstrate
  • YOU are amazing for your selfless dedication to your profession, family, friends, community
  • YOU endure each day with no complaints with an ever-ready smile for others
  • YOU are the rock when things fall apart
  • YOU are kind, generous and loving
  • YOU are SPECIAL –  NOBODY can take that away.

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 I leave you with two powerful messages from MEN on the significance of YOU

THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE IS THE HAND THAT RULES THE WORLD.

BLESSINGS on the hand of women!
Angels guard its strength and grace.
In the palace, cottage, hovel,
Oh, no matter where the place;
Would that never storms assailed it,
Rainbows ever gently curled,
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

Infancy’s the tender fountain,
Power may with beauty flow,
Mother’s first to guide the streamlets,
From them, souls unresting grow—
Grow on for the good or evil,
Sunshine streamed or evil hurled,
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

Woman, how divine your mission,
Here upon our natal sod;
Keep—oh, keep the young heart open
Always to the breath of God!
All true trophies of the ages
Are from mother-love impearled,
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

Blessings on the hand of women!
Fathers, sons, and daughters cry,
And the sacred song is mingled
With the worship in the sky—
Mingles where no tempest darkens,
Rainbows evermore are hurled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world

-William Ross Wallace (1819-1881)

‘As long as outmoded ways of thinking prevent women from making a meaningful contribution to society, progress will be slow. As long as the nation refuses to acknowledge the equal role of more than half of itself, it is doomed to failure.’

– Nelson Mandela (1918-2013)

Beyond the Bewitching Hour

 

 

Have you tried reading beyond the bewitching hour when a hush rests upon your home, all are sound asleep – the only light being your reading lamp setting the page aglow?

Books take on a life of their own when you have undisturbed reading pleasure. Places invite you in, characters entice your entrance into their worlds – you yield  – you enter this magical realm free from the mundane responsibilities of daily existence.

The time spent wrapped inside the pages of a world you enter and leave at will, exudes forbidden pleasure away from the gaze of the world. Each new page, each new chapter, begs you to go on with the promise that hidden discoveries will surface.  Days pass, weeks pass, the tension mounts, emotions are unleashed and you read on – you wipe away a tear, you break out in a smile, you breathe deeply as you smell, see, taste and relish this world you cannot extract yourself from.

The book falls, your head slides off the pillow, you waft off into a deep sleep.

 

Photo credit: Sandro Schuh (Unsplash)

 

The sun comes up, the alarm clock goes off – the day beckons – your book sits silently up against your bedside drawer waiting for your return on the other side of the bewitching hour.

Until then… See you beyond the bewitching hour when the pages of your book are aglow…

Are you a night reader?

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