Blog | Alison Morton Author

The RNA Winter Party

: Nicola Morgan, Alison Morton, Liz Harris sharing a joke (Photo courtesy of the Romantic Novelists’ Association)

Dressed in my best party-cardi (it was bitterly cold), I made my way to the Institute of Mechanical Engineers’ building on Birdcage Walk, London. Several other well-bundled up figures were hurrying up the steps, eager to be out of the wet and cold. The Twitterverse had been full of anticipation and the evening didn’t disappoint.

Old friends, new friends, Twitter friends. I had a sore throat by the end of the evening, relieved only by the odd glass of wine. The keynote of RNA occasions is collegiate, warm, supportive – one of the huge pleasures of belonging.

Strange, but enjoyable, meeting up with Twitter friends in person. Some are exactly as their personalities project on-line, others quieter or noisier. But that’s the intriguing part of it…

But as the last big event of the Association’s 50th Anniversary festivities. the party celebrated the New Writers’ Scheme which had launched many successful careers.

Roll on next year…

How well do you know your character? Part Deux

Following my previous post with questions to help you to dig down into your characters, here are a few more:

20.   Which schools did your character attend?
21.   How did they do at school?
22.   Did they have a nickname?
23.   Did they go on to university?
24.   What did they study?
25.   Why did they study it?
26.   What jobs have they done?
27.   Why do they do the job they do now?
28.   What job would they really like to do?
29.   What is their favourite place, and why?
30.   Describe their first kiss:
31.   Has your character been in love?
32.   How did the relationship(s) turn out?
33.   When was your character last scared, and what were they scared of?
34.   What is your character’s favourite colour, and why?
35.   What did your character dream the night before his/her story begins?
36.   Has your character ever had a recurrent dream/nightmare?
37.   What is your character’s favourite animal?
38.   What type of animal would your character be?
39.   Does your character have a pet?

Not always the easiest exercise, but worthwhile to work through to get to know your character really well.

So how well DO you know your main character?

On my Arvon Foundation course in early October, we had a workshop on characterisation led by Mavis Cheek and Paul Sussman. They showed us how well we must get to know our main character(s) if we want to ensure they are fully-developed. Ask them questions!

Here are a few they suggested…
1.   What is your character’s name?
2.   Are they comfortable with it?
3.   When were they born?
4.   Where were they born?
5.   What do they do for a living?
6.   Is your character married?
7.   If so, to whom, and since when?
8.   Where does your character live now?
9.   Where have they lived?
10.   Where would they most like to live, and why?
11.   How many brothers and sisters do/did they have?
12.   How do/did they get on with them?
13.   Who were/are your character’s parents / guardians?
14.   What jobs did/do they do?
15.   How does/did your character get on with them?
16.   Does your character have children?
17.   If so, how old are they, and how do they get on with them?
18.   Which family member is your character closest to now?
19.   Describe a representative memory from your character’s childhood

Alison Morton is the author of Roma Nova thrillers, INCEPTIO, PERFIDITAS and SUCCESSIO. The fourth book, AURELIA, is now out.

Find out more about Roma Nova, its origins, stories and heroines…

Colour me red…

My Kindle reader has become indispensable. Not only can I download books wherever I am (I have the 3G version), but it’s so easy to use. Slim enough to slip into a handbag, light enough not to cause heart failure when my suitcase is weighed at check-in.

But I’ve been worried about its susceptibility to damage, especially when travelling. I try to be careful with my gadgets, although the odd accident happens. (Let’s not refer more than once to the glass of red wine and my netbook keyboard…). On recent trips, I’ve wrapped the Kindle in a spare cloth bag, but that only protected it from dust and minor scratches. Now, I’m not intending to enter it for the Kindle-throwing championships or use it as something to prop up a wonky chair, but it needs some protection (Not in the Al Capone sense, you understand.).

I don’t necessarily want to hold it in my hand all the time I’m reading, so I looked for a combined cover and stand.

The choice, material and price ranges are enormous. Usual story – buy what is appropriate for your needs and pocket. I got my Tuff-luv padded cover/stand through Amazon itself, but the vendor has its own site with on-line shop. I especially like the secure, rather clever system for the stand using Velcro tabs, the full width hinge and the padding which protects without compromising the stylishness.

The red thing? Black is sophisticated, sure, but a little unconformity goes a long way…

I wrote my first car chase!

Not a big scene, but which framed a confrontation, added a little pzazz as well as demonstrating my heroine’s hot temper.

As we cruised along the peripheral at max speed limit, setting citizens a good example, a silver Mercedes flew past us, cutting us up. We weren’t traffic cops, but I was incensed. I looked at Sentius, he pulled out the blue light, activated the roof clamp and siren. I floored the accelerator. Tyres squealing, I spun the wheel hard to the left and pulled my Giulietta out into the outside lane. A dark SUV braked to get out of the way. I rocketed around the long curve before the river crossing, weaving between vehicles that didn’t get out the way of the blue light.

We were catching up fast. The curve straightened out and we barrelled towards the Pons Apulius. The huge cable-tied bridge rushed towards us as the speedometer showed 130 kph. We drew abreast of the Mercedes. I eased the Giulietta relentlessly to the right, the rotating blue beacon reinforcing the message the front wing of my car was conveying. The Mercedes slowed and pulled over to the kerb right in the centre of the bridge.

Sentius hopped out, ran back to place with the flashing blue road light behind the Mercedes. He took up position nearside kerb, nightstick ready. I peeled myself out of the Giulietta, my hand on my holster. I rapped on the driver’s tinted glass window with the Furies behind me.

‘Open this bloody window. Now.’

All those years of watching Top Gear have at last come in handy…
Comments always welcome 🙂