Diane

Deleted Scene: Shadows in the Stone Beginning

June 28, 2012 by Diane, posted in Fiction

My fantasy novel, Shadows in the Stone, originally opened with the scene below. I wanted readers to know the stones within the necklace were important to the overall story, and I wanted to introduce an important character.

As the story progressed, I realised Catriona wasn’t a major player overall, and that the story was more than just about stones. I also wanted to start in the middle of the action; I wanted to get readers into the story without delay.

After much consideration, I decided to remove this scene. Maybe in a few years, when I release the series in a set, I will return it to the beginning, but for now, it will remain a deleted scene.

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Deleted Scene: First Kiss

June 21, 2012June 20, 2012 by Diane, posted in Fiction

When writing a novel, I sometimes envision a scene many chapters ahead of where I am. If I feel the scene is good and I’m afraid I might later lose the feel for writing it, I stop and write a quick draft for it.

Sometimes after returning to the novel and writing several thousand more words, I discover the scene in which I thought was so great no longer has a place. This is what happened with the short scene below. Perhaps I can fit it into another book in the series.

Setting the Scene: It’s raining—according to my daughter, all good kisses occur in the rain, particularly first ones (wink). Bronwyn was ambushed by three men and some sort of beast earlier in the scene, and when his strength failed, a stranger arrived and helped him to defeat the enemy. He surveyed the scene as he caught his breath…

The stranger stood strong in the midst of the battlefield. With the smoke blowing across their path and the rain obscuring Bronwyn’s view, it was impossible to identify the woman who had helped reduce the enemy to rubble. Whoever she was, he felt a tug in his gut to run to her, thank her for helping him when he needed it most.

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In the Trenches of the Womb

June 17, 2012November 11, 2013 by Diane, posted in Essay

An essay I wrote shortly after my youngest child was born, 2003:

It was the scariest day of my life. I was strapped to an operating table with an IV in my arm surrounded by several doctors. Every few minutes the blood pressure band around my left bicep became excruciatingly tight. I held my breath until the band reached its maximum capacity and started to release its air.

The doctors were preparing me for a C-section. My third child was side ways in the womb and could not be turned. To make the situation worse, since he was sideways, the incision would not be the normal horizon cut most women enjoyed. It would be vertical through many stomach muscles.

Going in, I knew that any future pregnancies would also end in a C-section because the womb and muscles would be too weak to support a natural birth. What I didn’t know was that for weeks afterward, I wouldn’t be able to talk loud, cough, sneeze or laugh. The pain would be acute and even two years later, when this child would step on my incision, a sharp pain would shoot through my nerves.

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Cultivating the Land Centuries Ago

June 14, 2012June 13, 2012 by Diane, posted in Non-fiction

People have been farming for centuries. In the beginning, work was done by hand with simple tools. As the world population continued to grow and people began living in cities, the market for food increased.

Crofters began inventing tools and small machines to do the work faster with less effort. This increased their output without having to hire as many hands to work the farm. The use of iron in the machinery added strength and longevity.

Below is a cultivator which was used in the early 1800s. It would have been pulled behind a horse, oxen or similar animal. The small wheel in the front would have helped get it from one place to another, but I wonder if it was left on once it was hooked into the harness gear. It would have easily fetched-up on stones and hard lumps of soil, making work more difficult than need be.

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Fantasy Biscuits for The Trail

June 7, 2012February 8, 2020 by Diane, posted in Recipe

Tam dug into his pocket and pulled out a biscuit. Isla stared at the food. She had tasted many types of biscuits in her life, but even the worst tasting ones filled an empty stomach. Her mouth watered. She rubbed the top of her legs and realised her hands trembled; they craved to hold the food. ~ Shadows in the Stone

Biscuits have been around for centuries in one form or another. I don’t remember a time when I never ate biscuits—not the store-bought type though I’m certain I must have eaten a few of those over the decades, too. I’m talking about the biscuits my mother whipped-up at short notice to complement corned-beef and cabbage or some other type of supper.

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I Need a Hero

May 31, 2012July 23, 2012 by Diane, posted in Essay

As Bronwyn reined the horse into the fading evening light, Isla snuggled into his back. He smelt of sweat and dirt, but a more wonderful odour at this moment she couldn’t imagine. His scent soothed her. Beside him, she felt home, no matter where they travelled. He was her hero, and nothing and no one could change that. ~ snippet from Shadows in the Stone

There are days when I am starving for a hero. When life gets dull and dreary I wish a hero would ride in, scoop me up and take me on a wild journey into the unknown where danger lurks in the shadows and magic fills the air with adventure. I want him to take me where survival balances on knowledge and skill, where just on the brink of disaster, he saves the day.

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Deleted Scene: Eye for an Eye

May 24, 2012May 23, 2012 by Diane, posted in Fiction

Setting the Scene: Two main characters, Alaura and Bronwyn, are trailing Keiron—a man who has kidnapped a child—through the forest. They meet a strange dwarf, much older than Bronwyn, dressed in ragged clothing. They ask him if he’s seen Keiron. After pointing them in the right direction, the stranger begins to share more information:

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The Holder and the Crusher

May 17, 2012May 15, 2012 by Diane, posted in Non-fiction

This device has a long history. It’s a tool used by cooks, magic maidens and healers. Thousands of years ago, the Aztec and Maya used a similar utensil made of basalt for cooking. Evidence reveals Native Americans created mortars in bedrock and used a pestle to grind acorns and other nuts.

The mortar is a strong bowl, or as history has shown, an indent in a hard surface with the capability to hold material. The dimension of the vessel varies, ranging from the size of a dessert bowl to a barrel. It’s usually made of hard wood, ceramic or stone.

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Welcome to McGyver’s Realm

May 10, 2012 by Diane, posted in Uncategorized

Blogging is a way to connect with readers; it’s a way to share information about the worlds in my stories and the occasional side trail I take in my writing. I’m often struck with an idea or a scene or an item I wish to explore further. Through this blog, I’ll share these with you.

I love visiting museums and old places and trying to figure out how life was like back then. Oftentimes, life back then is life in traditional fantasy. This means an author needs to know what a blacksmith does and the name of his tools. They might need to know how to make soap or why their character shouldn’t use matches to light a fire.

Sometimes I become fascinated by what if and ramble into the shadows to explore. What if the power went out…for ever? How would people adapt? What if it didn’t rain for a year? Who would survive? What if the oldest tree could talk? What could it tell us about history?

I hope you enjoy the snippets I post, and I hope they enrich your stories as they have mine.

Welcome aboard.

Diane Lynn McGyver