My Shorts

 Novellas, novelettes, short stories

Read short snippets from my books, perhaps one or two will catch your attention.

Happy reading!

My inspiration for creative use of language in novels. Nicola McDonagh #OurAuthorGang

Nadsat, Newspeak and Bubchat

This post was originally written several years ago when my book Echoes from the Lost ones was published by Fable Press. I decided to include it after I wrote my previous post about Amazon putting a warning sign on Whisper Gatherers, the prequel to Echoes because someone complained it had too many typos.

You can read the post here:

https://asmallgangofauthors.blogspot.co.uk/2018/04/guilty-until-proven-innocent-nicola.html

There were no typos just my slang-based use of language which sometimes combined words to make one. It seemed appropriate now to include this post as it continues the theme of creating a language that best suits your story, especially if it is set in the future.

I have begun to question why a lot of writers choose not to modify the language they use to create a sense of another time and place. It seems that in the future, vocabulary will remain the same and people will talk to each other exactly the way they do now. Which doesn’t really make sense, does it? The spoken and written word has changed over the years, and most authors have reflected this in their work.

In his novel, 1984, George Orwell introduced words and phrases that were not familiar to readers of that era, to create a futuristic realm where language is used as a weapon to subjugate the masses: duckspeak, thoughtcrime, bellyfeel, doublethink, and speakwrite. Would it have been such a powerful read if the author had not employed the use of such evocative words? Who can forget ‘Newspeak’, or ‘Big Brother’?

In A Clockwork Orange, the use of slang is vital to the narrative to give credibility to this dystopian future. Alex speaks ‘nadsat’ a language that sets him and his friends apart from the rest of society.

“These grahzny sodding veshches that come out of my gulliver and my plott,” I said, “that’s what it is.”

“Quaint,” said Dr. Brodsky, like smiling, “the dialect of the tribe. “

So, bearing this in mind, when I came to write my Sci-Fi/Dystopian series The Song of Forgetfulness, I made sure that I used words that were appropriate for the world I was creating. Since it is written from the viewpoint of a seventeen- year -old, Adara, in the first person, it was imperative that her voice rang true in order for the characters to maintain credibility in this vision of the future. I created ‘Bubchat’.

“I showed respect and bowed, then turned toward the not-right teen. He gave me a tiny smile, and for reasons I know not, I took his hand and said, “Show me where you splosh.” His face went redder than a bub about to plop and everyone, including me, let out a merry guffaw. I hadn’t meant to use such a nursery word, but when I looked at his soft brown eyes and slender arms I went all mumsly. Not like me at all. I began to wonder if the ‘dults had palmed a soother into my stew.”

I went to Lewis Carol for inspiration. I remembered I had a favourite poem from my childhood, The Jabberwoky, from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found. It is a delight in the creative use of vocabulary. The language is rich and full of evocative words that create a unique setting where his story unfolds.

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:

All mimsy were the borogoves,

And the mome raths outgrabe.

“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!

The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!

Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun

The frumious Bandersnatch!”

Science fiction and fantasy are the ideal genres for authors to invent new languages, different ways of speaking, and to shake off the confines of correct word usage by playing around with the narrative form. But not everyone warms to such experimentation, and critics often chastise authors for breaking the rules of grammar that ‘The Elements of Style’, by Strunk and White, have branded into the English language. You can download a PDF copy http://www.jlakes.org/ch/web/The-elements-of-style.pdf

So, don’t be put off experimenting with vocabulary. Let your imagination fly and write from your heart, not your head. (Then go back and edit it.)

You can view all of my books on my Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Nicola-McDonagh/e/B00D4NAH0S/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

Want to know more about my books? Go to my website and have a look around.

http://www.oddlybooks.com

Or visit my Amazon page:

https://www.amazon.com/Nicola-McDonagh/e/B00D4NAH0S/

Sign up to my newsletter and get a free download of Changeling Fog – a short story from The Song of Forgetfulness series:

http://eepurl.com/buH8qH

A Q&A Session with Adara

Nicola McDonagh

The heroine from my Sci-fi/dystopian series - The Song of Forgetfulness, doesn't do interviews. It took a lot of persuading, and a bag of realchoc, to get her to do this one. I agreed not to take any photos.

Could you introduce yourself? 

Adara. And, before you go all, ‘What, THE Adara…’ Yes, I am THE Adara-Catcher of birds.

Describe what it was like for you growing up.

Scary mostly. What with the Carnies and their not-so-fun show stealing our kiddles, and the Flashlighters spoiling any fun, and me having to keep shutums about my gift, life was full on frightnight.

Tell us something about the religions and politics of your world. 

Yikes! Even with six fingers on each hand, I’ll struggle to count. Here goes: There’s The OneGreatProvider, Cityplace folk believe in, then there’s the Greenman, the Woodsfolk follow. The Baby Cheesus, Prasiebees adore him, the Onegreatbeing, Christfolk worship and Krishna, the Moocow Monks of the order of Mayer look to for guidance. As for politics, well, there’s only the filthy Agro scum, and their laws that all are forced to obey.

Do you see yourself as a hero? Or as someone just doing his/her job, doing what's right?

I’ve saved a lot of folk. So, some might say I am a hero, but many have died because of what I did. Guess I can’t rightly say I am fit to be called that. I did what had to be done because I have a gift that meant I could.

Would you rather kill or die to ensure the safety of the people you care about?

Kill, most def. Can’t righty save anyone if you’re dead, right?

What are your hopes for the future?

That the Meeks can save us all and the Agros are driven far from our shattered land. Plus, I’d like to see the ocean, they say it is dead, but there are those that say they’ve seen things slither and swim below it’s lapping waters.

Do you have a hero or heroine that you pattern your life after? If so, who and why.

Easy, that would be my Santy Breanna. She’s a S.A.N.T. one of the best. If it weren’t for the Agro war thingy, I would have gone into training to be just like her. She’s the bravest, smartest, and fastest fem I now. Kind as well. Yep most def my Santy.

Tell us about the villains you've encountered.

I’ll choose just two, otherwise I’d be talking till my doom. Both, Agro spy scum. Brother Jude, real name, Atyhtan. He was supposed to be my tutor, teach me how to hone my skill, but he just wanted to use my power before doing me in. His pal, Brother Dominic, real name, Ryce, betrayed us to the Agros, got a lot of folk killed.

What is your biggest regret?

Not getting the chance to spend some proper smoochy time with Marcellus.

What's the one thing, you can't live without?

My Synthbag.

To learn more about Adara and her world please visit The Song of Forgetfulness website:

www.thesongofforgetfulness.com

Visit Nicola McDonagh's Amazon Author page: 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nicola-McDonagh/e/B00D4NAH0S/

Guilty until proven innocent - Nicola McDonagh

Recently, Amazon put a warning on my book Whisper Gatherers. A Dystopian/sci-fi novel set some 350 years in the future.

They emailed me to say that they have received complaints that the book has an excessive amount of typos. Now, I use a slang-based language that often combines words to make one long one, much the same as George Orwell does in 1984 - Newspeak, crimestop, thoughtcrime, goodthink, oldspeak, pornosec, unperson, and so on.

Don't get me wrong, I think it is a good thing to have quality checks on books, but it needs to be managed correctly so that the author can make necessary changes before their book is published, not after.

I emailed Amazon to tell them that the 'Errors' they cited are not typos but are in fact intentional, and add to the futuristic tone of the book. They told me that I must make the changes they specify or they would keep the warning sign up. What gives Amazon the right to edit, and, re-write my work? If they think the book is substandard, they should not allow it to be published on their platform, yet they are happy to let me use their site to sell my book regardless of the quality.

Here is an example from the email Amazon sent me:

Error Category: Typo; Kindle Location: 1580; Errored text: nanorope,; Context: It was as light as a bub’s eyelash, as strong as nanorope, and as see-through as a raindrop when it came into contact with its owners heartbeat. ; Comments:  "strong as nanorope" should be  "strong as nano rope"

So, using their logic regarding grammar, my ‘nanorope’ is incorrect, yet words such as ‘raindrop’ and ‘heartbeat’ clearly two different words stuck together to make one, are acceptable?

Error Category: Typo; Kindle Location: 1632; Errored text: comtext; Context: A whole load of comtext appeared. ; Comments: "A whole load of comtext appeared." should be"A whole load of context appeared."
This change does not even make sense, especially since the character is talking about some text written on a computer screen, hence the word 'comtext'.

This book, Whisper Gatherers has been for sale on Amazon since 2015 without any complaints. In fact, I have received many 4 and 5 star reviews that enjoyed and recognised the quirky use of language. Here is a snippet from one such review:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a great language!

ByKata Mlekon December 6, 2016

Format: Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase

Dystopian is one of my favorite genres and I try to stay up-to-date with the latest novels. How come I missed this one so late? I don't know!

The author created a very complex and appealing world I traveled with Adara with great pleasure. I must say the experimental English was at first hard to understand (English is my second language) but as I got used to it, I found it stunning. It helped develop the feeling of being there with the main character who narrates the story.

You can see more here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YMSP1UA

Anyway, after a week of correspondence explaining my deliberate use of language to Amazon, they emailed me to say that they have taken down the warning sign.

Maybe if they had consulted me before condemning my book, this issue would never have arisen. But it seems Amazon’s policy is to find authors guilty until proven innocent.

For more information on my books, please go to: www.thesongofforgetfulness.com

Inspiration - part two - Nature #OurAuthorGang

When I struggle to find something to write about, my inspiration often comes from the visual side of life. As a photographer, I suppose that is only natural. Nature has always inspired me. I live in the Suffolk countryside and am surrounded by fields and wildlife. I only need to look out of a window to see or hear something fascinating and beautiful.

One of my short stories, Scarecrow, from the anthology, Glimmer, was based on a rundown smallholding I went to look at when searching for a new house. The dilapidated interior, weathered outbuildings, and surrounding fields gave me an idea for what became a tale of a runaway girl and a lonely old man.

“Stumbling and falling, she headed towards a low privet hedge at the end of an overgrown meadow. When she reached it, she stopped and peered over the picket fence. The girl saw a house half hidden behind two large fir trees. The garden was overgrown, and the lawn strewn with rusty barrels, ripped tarpaulins, and dented oil drums. She climbed over the fence and looked around. There was a dilapidated outbuilding a few feet away with a large stack of wood propped up against it. The girl ran towards the building and ducked down behind a water butt attached to a cracked drainpipe.
When her breathing slowed and the pounding in her chest eased, she tilted her head to one side and listened. A strange shuffling noise like someone brushing up dead leaves made the girl hold her breath. It was not leaves, though, but footsteps heading her way.”

Once, I found a complete skeleton of a bird. I took a picture of it and the skull became the cover for my second anthology of short stories - Crow Bones. It didn’t inspire a poem or a piece of prose, but it did give me an eye-catching book cover.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M6CT8PZ

The moon has been a favourite with writers for years. Whether in poetry or prose, it has a special meaning and been the subject of folklore, superstitions, and female empowerment. Apparently, it can even drive you mad or turn you into a werewolf. Not surprising it is used frequently in literature. Indeed, our beautiful celestial orb has given  authors something to write about for thousands of years.  One of my favourite moon quotes is by the 17th Century Japanese poet, Matsuo Basho: 

"The moon lives in the lining of your skin."   

It has a strange face that seems to stare at us in wonder at what the heck we humans will do next. Does she judge us from afar? Or merely condemn us with her round-mouthed, wide-eyed look?

In my Dystopian novel, A Silence Heard, the moon is a source of inspiration for the heroine, guiding her with its light, and giving her hope that she will win the battle ahead:

“The moon shone bright. A shock-faced ball in the black sky that looked down on the three of us as if to shout, “Prevail. Stand steady.” The wind whipped around our feet and legs and a swirl of ash and dry earth spiralled up before us. I coughed and spat out the filthy soil that bore the taste of Agro boot.”

But it’s not just the moon that inspires me. Recently, a herd of red deer stumbled into the field opposite my house. They stayed there for about an hour just staring at the cars that went past. They didn’t move until the alpha stag raised his head and let out a hoarse-like moo sound, and as quick as a blink, they were gone leaving heart-shaped indents in the churned up earth. Now, there has to be a story in that.

To end this post on Inspiration, a photograph of my cat Storm, because his beauty, grace, and quirky face will always give me pause for thought.

If you want to know more about my work, please visit my Amazon page:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nicola-McDonagh/e/B00D4NAH0S/

All photographs are by Nicola McDonagh.