And if you're a fan not just of Charles but also French, Stranger in Translation has now been translated into French - obtainable here
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Alp Mortal |
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My little corner for goofy and other shit; mostly arty stuff ... also the place you will find my guest author/artist spotlight features ...
The awesome Charles Raines, author of Stranger in Translation, Falling Forever, The Man with the Mandolin, and Dicing with Danger is my latest spotlight author - to discover Charles CLICK HERE
And if you're a fan not just of Charles but also French, Stranger in Translation has now been translated into French - obtainable here Amazon Kobo Alp xx
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I don;t often share the specifics of my WIPs because, to be honest, with so many, where the fuck would I start? But something weird happened that I want to share with you.
Having travelled back home to France on 16th December, I was really struggling with what I was writing, and nothing I had started was inspiring me at all - a rare moment of terror that 'block' had finally found me. I needn't have worried - and if it has happened to you then you know not to worry because that is the worst thing to do. I turned to the kitchen. I'm a vegan, so I cook a lot for myself. A curry I thought. Reaching up to the shelf to get the harissa paste, I was physically struck by a story that was ignited by the brand name of the paste I habitually use, and find easily here in France - Le Phare Du Cap Bon (a name I have always found intriguing and slightly romantic - authors!!). Thus the story - The Adventures of Captain Du Bon Le Phare was born - and the fucker hasn't given me a moment of peace since! It's a kind of steampunkish chronicle of an anti-hero - I can describe it no more accurately than that. The curry was fucking amazing. I'd love to hear your tales of how stories/titles came to you - and if you're suffering from block, my advice is to -: 1. Don't panic 2. Start a new story (I have 12 manuscripts open at any one time) 3. Cook, eat and wash-up 4. Watch weird shit on Youtube 5. Walk the dog 6. Listen to some new music 7. Catch the latest episode of The Tonight Show, Ellen, or The Big Bang Theory 8. Try calling the Orange.fr call centre 9. Sleep 10. Go shopping 11. Take a break and spend the afternoon with your French only speaking friends 12. Dig someone out of a ditch - you're welcome UPS cute delivery man 13. Contemplate why the cat shits next to the litter box 14. Have a cup of green tea 15. Read 16. Meditate 17. Listen to the CD you found in the glove box of the car 18. Watch a favourite movie, eat chocolate 19. Smoke a cigarette 20. Get a proper job Happy 2016; may all of your dreams come true - but you know what? If you do the work, you get paid. Best, Alp x If you're an indie artist like me then you'll always be trying to get your profile seen by as many people as possible.
Please feel free to leave your social media links in the comments section below, and I will publicise this post frequently to get your name out there. Before you reply to the post, have a look at Shannon's reply to see how to format the information for best effect. I am really looking forward to building a worldwide directory of indie artists that everyone can share. Alp Mortal Recently we published Oswald's Lament, a story from the Weaver & Loom family of stories. The story is based on an original lament which I wrote a while back - mourning the passing of a love affaire. You asked for the lament and I'm happy to share it with you here ...
Oswald's Lament “Dumah; My heart melts for him 'til the dusk of day. The night, so lonely now, leaves me vanquished and confused 'til dawn. I pluck a memory from the air like a petal from the bloom of peony perfection and hold it ‘gainst my breast. Imbibed of a sorrowful winter’s hoary dawn, my heart is rapacious cold. Hell would be my preferred reality. Eschewing reason, embracing insanity; t’was no choice exercised of free will. Love is no more certain than where the smithy’s hammer falls. Love; the planished surface of a medicine bowl. Every dimple, evidence of the craft; not so blind; not so random. I am well; love makes me sick. The smithy is no fool; he does not strike his thumb, does he? Not he, adorned by blood blisters and contusions of hopeless fools. Cannot be true that love was so barren that I taste only ash; I remember the thunder roll between our thighs; a refuge from confusing rain. Our love was bold; red like the wound. Our love was wise; sagacious as plums that ripen only in the act of picking, else held in stasis ‘til observed. Our love was delectable, like scent floating in the breeze. Our love was fervid; a naked prophet, possessed and revered. We, but acolytes of beauteous truth; seekers not yet believers; pedestrians and passengers; mere spawn; embryonic demons with one horn. Unformed fruit; a question mark for a cock. Love him? I did; swear it was true. Worms may eat my brain but thought is undiminished and emotions hunger for marrow; I swell in servitude of the gift. The deserving man craves the least; the undeserving man, the most; I, now, the fulcrum of the scales; craving more makes me ugly; desiring less, angelic. Goodbye sweet, rotten flux; momentary delusion; eternal, infernal and carnal; my chalice will never be full. Dumah! I love you. Adieu. LABELS is a short film based on an original screenplay written by me. The film has gone into pre-production. It will feature all home-grown talent. It is also our first collaboration with Corry Housdan.
LABELS explores some of the issues associated with stereotyping. We'll bring you news as and when things get firmed up; we're hopeful that the film will be made in September and be shown in October 2015. ALP I'm taking the plunge and writing my first true m/m based SCI-FI story - it's called Black Moon Rising and is currently in the first draft phase.
I am fascinated by ancient cultures, pre-historic sites, megaliths, caved paintings and artefacts - so I thought of a cool way to bring all of that together with extra-terrestrial visitors, a clutch of m/m romances and the few myth busters ... will keep you updated as the project progresses. Alp This year, for the first time, I participated in the Goodreads writing event Love is An Open Road. The event is run out of the M/M Romance Group. Authors pick a prompt from the 200 loglines provided by members, and write a story.
The stories - including mine which is called Agenda - are now being published (for free); currently only available to members of the group on Goodreads. As soon as the stories become freely available, I will post the links. I have to say, I was reluctant to enter the event because it involved writing to a prompt (something which I had never done before) and writing to a deadline (author and deadline = does not compute) - it was tough for both reasons but highly enjoyable once I got over the initial nerves and stress. Then came the interesting part - the reviews by members of the Group. I had no doubt that I would completely split the vote - I did, spectacularly, principally because the humour is very English and the style of the story is very quirky - my muse rules my life so there we have it. This is an annual event and I would encourage all authors of m/m romance to participate because it is great fun and an excellent way to get some profile, especially once the story is available widely. Hope you're all having a great weekend. Alp Falling For Forever by Charles RainesCompelling, captivating, evocative and very enjoyable This completes my reviews of the Charles Raines's stories currently available - I bought my copy from Amazon.co.uk In my system, stars represent the grading of my overall enjoyment of the story; which is based on, characters, plot, heat level, errors & omissions, technique, readability, and the 'x' factor. My reviews are honest and unsolicited. I do not charge for reviews. The review is my own opinion and is not endorsed by The Carter Seagrove Project LLC. Having read the other three stories by Charles Raines, I had high hopes of this story - and of course I wasn't disappointed (except that there isn't anything else to read now!!) The fact that I have read all of Charles's stories is probably the most telling comment I can make - it's rare for me to engage to that extent across an author's output.
As expected, the plot is laced with just enough intrigue, always posing the question and keeping you guessing without being distracting. Just like the other stories written by Charles Raines which are set in Marseille, this one uses the city to great effect - the sounds, flavours, colours, danger and romance provide a perfect backdrop. I really enjoy Charles's story-telling, it has a timeless quality; plot and characters have depth and you can't help but to engage, in fact, you feel that you have to 'own' the story. Why not five stars? Good question. The intrigue unwinds - highly imaginative ending - but a little rushed for me. That's the only thing I can say to its detriment. Compelling, captivating, evocative and very enjoyable. Not a quick read nor should you rush it - savour it like I did. The Man With The Mandolin by Charles RainesI'd actually started The Man With The Mandolin a while back but put it down to read Dicing With Danger by Charles Raines, to then pick it up again today. The fact that I had put it down and could just pick it up, speaks volumes about the story; enthralling as I was kind of expecting, laced with intrigue and seriously arousing without, seemingly, any effort on the author's part - but we know that simply means that the author worked extremely hard to draw these pictures and a fine job he did of them - yet again. I bought my copy from Amazon - click here In my system, stars represent the grading of my overall enjoyment of the story; which is based on, characters, plot, heat level, errors & omissions, technique, readability, and the 'x' factor. My reviews are honest and unsolicited. I do not charge for reviews. The review is my own opinion and is not endorsed by The Carter Seagrove Project LLC. A more sensual story in some respects compared to Stranger In Translation (though I am reserving overall judgement on that story until after I have read Falling For Forever which I am halfway done with).
It's all about atmosphere, colour, smell and taste - here we have it in spades and I love the setting of the dance school - very imaginative and again, evocative - Charles Raines just seems to be able to conjurer images from thin air with a word or phrase. And it is a kind of dance - this story - the relationships, the intrigue, the eventual fulfilment of the promised romance, culminating in the opening performance of the new ballet - whether intended or not - I suspect intended - a wonderful metaphor. A thoroughly enjoyable read; not a quick read; it requires some digesting at times. A timeless story and the where is just as important as the when - Charles Raines knows his Marseille! Dicing With Danger by Charles RainesHot on the tail of Stranger In Translation, I read Dicing With Danger, fully expecting to captivated and enthralled - I wasn't disappointed. Thoroughly deserving of four stars. I was left very hot under the collar! I bought my copy from Amazon. In my system, stars represent the grading of my overall enjoyment of the story; which is based on, characters, plot, heat level, errors & omissions, technique, readability, and the 'x' factor. My reviews are honest and unsolicited. I do not charge for reviews. The review is my own opinion and is not endorsed by The Carter Seagrove Project LLC. A much shorter story than Charles Raines's other stories, it packs a punch, above and below the belt - so to speak. I was instantly transported to the railway carriage; Charles Raines has an uncanny knack of invoking the moment effortlessly. The story has a glorious twist and I am not about to spoil it but suffice to say, it was well done and it didn't feel contrived.
All of the characters were well drawn - for me, to feel a character is essential; I want to smell them and taste them - you'll forgive me for waxing lyrical - these chaps will have you panting. Characters without plot will always remain just that - to come alive, they need a story which is engrossing. When you feel your body swaying to the rocking of the railway carriage, you know you're in the story. I can't wait to start the other two Charles Raines's stories which I have downloaded in anticipation of the weekend - The Man With the Mandolin and Falling For Forever. |
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