tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43334802156969998512024-02-19T23:36:29.199-08:00Singh and NormannA tale of two writers ...Natalie Normannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02208017892136207261noreply@blogger.comBlogger67125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4333480215696999851.post-81038538972273096212013-12-08T19:16:00.002-08:002013-12-08T19:16:36.082-08:00December ...From Natalie:<div>
I have just finished book 14, the last in my series, and with about five weeks between manuscripst time just flies by. I cannot believe itˋs December already! 16 days until Christmas ...</div>
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Itˋs first day of snow here in Oslo. Cold and windy, but cosy compared to the coast. The nicest thing about snow is the quiet. The city is hushed and itˋs inspiring. I also donˋt have a car this winter, something I am really pleased about. No shuffeling snow, no flat batteries, no struggeling for a parking spot in the streets - I can just enjoy it all. </div>
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On my walking trip today - writers sit far too much on their bums and need to move about, get some fresh air into their head, or at least I do. But I find any kind of exercise boring, and need to distract myself from this. My new tablet has a cool camera, so much better than my rather antique phone ...</div>
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Happy December!</div>
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Natalie Normannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02208017892136207261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4333480215696999851.post-86179618969555748752013-09-05T10:04:00.000-07:002013-09-05T10:04:08.986-07:00Update ...<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Update or "what I did this
summer".
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Any essays starting with that title is
a bore. It was an horrible assignment in school - who did anything
during their summer in the 70's? We didn't travel much, and we lived
on the coast, so my childhood summers where rainy and cold,
intercepted by moments of sunshine when everybody rushed out in the
garden to play or sunbathe. And then it rained again.
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I did a lot of reading.
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This summer I have had little time for
other books than my own, although I did read Alec Scarrows
TimeRaiders series - wonderful stuff) - I ploughed through all seven
in two weeks ...
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I've just finished the first draft of
the 13th book, and cyperspaced it through to my editor. I'll get it
back for rewrite on Monday. I've already started on the 14th and last
book in the series. A weird feeling. Nice to finish something I've
worked so hard on, and a bit sad to say goodbye to characters I've
lived with for three years.
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And then I'll start something totally
new, a project that fell out of the sky thanks to my very brilliant
editor, and I can't wait to see where it will go. It's going to be
great fun, and I'm having to be very disciplined now, not to start
too early ...
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September will be more than busy enough
with what I have going on, so not a good idea to start new things too
soon.
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September 9th is publishing day for the
12th book. Always nice to see my books in stores - especially since
I'm blessed with a great illustrator. Check the front page!
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Then on September 14th I'm joining book
bloggers from all over Norway, and I think a few Swedish, on an all
day meeting/dinner during the Oslo Book Festival. It's the second
year they arrange it, and I wouldn't miss it for the world.
Discussing books with a group of super-readers - what could be
better?
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On September 16th my new magazine
series starts running in Sweden (Hämmet), then on September 23rd the
same series starts in Norway (Hjemmet). (this means "Home"
in Swedish and Norwegian, and are two of the longest running magazine
publications in both countries).</div>
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The series will run for 7 weeks. I love
it when I get an assignment like that. The two editors in Hämmet and
Hjemmet wanted me to write something they could both use, and I had
so much fun writing the story. It's set in the same time period as my
book series (1793), and in Oslo (or Christiania as it was called
then), but with totally different characters. I'm turning into quite
the expert on the "golden period" in Norway - a period of
about 20 years where a handful of people made ginormous amounts of
money and did things like having their shirts and underwear starched
and ironed in London! Mary Wollstonecraft wrote letters from her
Nordic travels, and she was quite shocked about the luxurious living
...</div>
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Happy September</div>
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Natalie </div>
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Natalie Normannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02208017892136207261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4333480215696999851.post-25311748766334995642013-06-26T19:13:00.000-07:002013-06-26T19:13:17.264-07:00Holiday update ...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Summer holidays are upon us - which for a serial writer means the next manuscript has to be delievered before editor, copy-editor and printers take off for whatever beach is the nearest one ...<br />
It's looking a lot more like September than June, it's raining so hard I half expect to see Noahs ark ankering outside my window. I don't mind the rain, it's perfect writing weather ...<br />
I'm going for a trip myself, just not sure where yet. Italy og England, most likely. As long as it has a plug and a wi-fi, I'll be fine. I'll take my computer and be perfectly happy ...<br />
Have a great summer, and remember to bring books - loads of books :DNatalie Normannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02208017892136207261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4333480215696999851.post-69359252679797261102013-06-01T06:55:00.001-07:002013-06-01T06:55:06.992-07:00From a serial writer's diary ... updateJune has sprung - which is always nice. At the moment Oslo is warmer than most places in Europe, even the Canary Islands, and that's nice too, if I was on the Beach. Which I'm not. I have 3000 words to write this weekend, and have to let the sunny days pass me by. I also have a manuscript too read, so not much time for leisure. <br />
But I did download "The Princess Bride" to my Kindle. I saw the movie some years ago, and was totally charmed. But I haven't read it before. (I also haven't read Charlotte's Web, Cat in the Hat, To Kill a Mocking Bird or The Catcher in the Rye - just saying. Although I do have a degree in literature, these books fell under the radar. I plan to read them when I'm in the Old Folk's home, where I also plan to play War of the Worlds and get a tatoo ...). <br />
Anyway, I love the Princess Bride, as much for the story as for the whole Morgenstern vs Goldman discussion in the preface. Very cool. <br />
Natalie Normannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02208017892136207261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4333480215696999851.post-88516316859622204232013-05-14T15:59:00.001-07:002013-05-14T19:21:54.781-07:00From a serial writer's diary: The hair dresser - and what to read ...<i>From a serial writer's diary</i><br />
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I finished book 11 in my series yesterday, and since it took under six weeks to write, I haven't been out of the house much. Tomorrow I'm going to meet my editor, and so a visit to the hair dresser is long overdue.<br />
The full treatment in these places takes about two-three hours. That's a long time for me to sit still! I don't have much patience - unless I'm writing - so I make sure to fill up on reading material. Glossy magazines are the most boring reads in the mulitverse, so I avoid them like the plague.<br />
In trying times like these, my Little Kindle is perfect. I was hoping to read Dan Brown's new book, but I can't for the life of me remember if I read the third in his series - and also the damn book isn't available until tomorrow. (Update: I <em>did</em> read the third book and didn't like it much ... hm.)<br />
I am eagerly awaiting Dean Koontz <i>Deeply Odd</i>, the sixth book in the Odd Thomas- series. The book is available om Amazon, but not on Kindle until 28th ... Ah, well.<br />
Lucky for me I found <i>The Long Earth</i> by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter. So while I was sitting with tin-foil in my hair, getting hot air blown on my head, I managed to read a few chapters. So far so good. More Sci-Fi than Discworld, but it has potential.<br />
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<br />Natalie Normannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02208017892136207261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4333480215696999851.post-32968674296130971962013-05-07T19:31:00.001-07:002013-05-07T19:31:23.961-07:00Spring - at last ...Spring has sprung in Oslo, and on our way from the post office - after a pit stop at the bakery for coffee and waffles - we found this!<br />
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Picture: courtesy of AnanNatalie Normannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02208017892136207261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4333480215696999851.post-75168657770225680392013-04-28T14:48:00.000-07:002013-04-28T15:02:09.150-07:00Happy Birthday, Terry PratchettI came late to Discworld, barely ten years ago. when I lived in Cheltenham, UK, and on occasions, interviewed writers for a newspaper back home. I used to ask publishers if there were any writers they wanted me to talk to, and one of them told me about Terry Pratchett. He said his books were relatively unknown in Norway, he had no idea why. Now I hadn't heard of him, so I went out and bought a few of his books. <br />
My first meeting wiht Discworld was <em>Small Gods</em> and I couldn't believe. Who wrote like that! Needless to say, I've read all of his books since then - although I keep hoping I've overlooked some, just to have the thrill of finding a new one ...<br />
Interviewing Terry Pratchett was a mixed experience. Not because of him. He couldn't have been nicer. But everything went wrong. I didn't have the nerve to tell him I wasn't a "proper" journalist - it might have helped! My cell phone wouldn't work in his house, my tape recorder broke down twice, and finally I was so flustered I asked him about ideas - the one question he detests ... he gave me a glass of Russian honey vodka. <br />
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And what Prathcett says about libriaries rings true for most writers, I think. My local library certainly was my salvation growing up. It opened the world to me, and lucky for me, the librarians at "Haugesund folkebibliotek" never once questioned my choice of books. Nor the fact that I'd borrow up to twenty books every week ... Librarians are the true Gatekeepers and I would have been lost without them. <br />
And yes, I have Dodger on my Reading list ...<br />
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Natalie Normannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02208017892136207261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4333480215696999851.post-1739388837270077632013-04-23T07:14:00.001-07:002013-04-23T07:17:17.683-07:00Teaser Tuesday - The Castle of Wolfenbach by Eliza Parsons<span id="freeText9724269385499043513"><br /><br />The Castle of Wolfenback is one of the seven "horrid novels" named in Jane Austen's "Northanger Abbey," "The Castle of Wolfenbach" is perhaps the most important of the early Gothic novels, predating both "The Mysteries of Udolpho" and "The Monk."</span><br />
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I'm on page 5 of 224 of The Castle of Wolfenbach. The reason I'm reading it is because I'm writing a series set in 1793, and I wanted one of the characters to buy a book for his sweetheart. I wanted Persuasion by Austen, but that wasn't published until 1818. While doing research I found this book, and decided to see if it would work as a romantic gift. Considering the theme of the book, I'm not so sure. On the other hand, my female character is a determined young woman, and might just love it. There wasn't anything like this available in Norwegian or Danish at the time, so it would have been very exotic and perhaps even sensational. <br />
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<span id="freeText9724269385499043513">About the book: Matilda Weimar flees her lecherous and incestuous uncle and seeks refuge in the ancient Castle of Wolfenbach. Among the castle's abandoned chambers, Matilda will discover the horrifying mystery of the missing Countess of Wolfenbach. But when her uncle tracks her down, can she escape his despicable intentions?</span><br />
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My teaser: <em>"... nobody will sleep in the rooms upstairs; the gentlefolks who were in it last could not rest, such strange noises, and groans, and screams, and such like terrible things were heard; then at t'other end of the house the rooms are never opened; they say bloody work has been carried on there."</em><br />
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Sounds wonderfully horrid, doesn't it? <br />
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More teasers to be found here: <a href="http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/">Should be reading</a>Natalie Normannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02208017892136207261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4333480215696999851.post-6625228542594629962013-04-20T08:22:00.001-07:002013-04-20T08:22:16.508-07:00Update - and a little about the new bookIt's been a good week, despite the sniffles. As a freelancer, I am very happy when I have work, so I try my best not to complain. I do know what it's like to be without ...<br />
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Our new book has be re-scheduled for mid-June. We were supposed to get the manuscript this weekend for proof-reading, but it hasn't come. Just as well, since I have more than enough to do as it is. These Things happen. In Publishing patience is a necessity. An editor has more than one manuscript on her or his desk (my editors have almost always been women - not sure why), and there's a million practical things that needs to fall into place before a book is published. My series is a different matter. Because the books have to be finished in about six weeks, the editor works as hard as me to get everything ready. Even weekends and evenings. <br />
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This is the cover for our new book. Looks nice, doesn't it? <br />
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From the back-cover: (excuse the translation - it's done in rather a hurry)<br />
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Iben and Shoki witness a
woman being dragged into a car. Tony, her 10 year old son, is left
behind. When it turns out that the father of Tony disappeared without
a trace, Iben and Shoki realise that they must help him. Then follows
two fast-paced days on the bike, looking for a Jaguar and a van. The
clues lead them to the Indian Embassy in Oslo. Who exactly are Tony
and his parents? Why do they move so often? And what are they so
afraid of?
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"Hunted" is the
first book in a new action series for children.</div>
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Natalie Normannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02208017892136207261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4333480215696999851.post-6590964669131024772013-04-16T08:58:00.003-07:002013-04-16T08:58:38.355-07:00Teaser Tuesday - An Echo in the Bone<em>An Echo in the Bone</em> is the sixth book in Diana Gabaldon's wonderful series <em>Outlander</em>. I've been reading these books for the last month, and right now I'm trying to make this one last for as long as possible. Thankfully there will be a seventh book this year ...<br />
I'm reading it on Kindle, so have no idea about page numbers. <br />
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My teaser: <br />
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<em>The British reconnaissance had a double purpose: not only to see exactly where the Americans were - for general Burgoyne had no real idea: American deserters had stopped coming in long since -</em><br />
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It's a great series, well-written and very original. <br />
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Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizxB of <a href="http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/">Should be Reading</a><br />
Anyone can join. These are the rules: <br />
Share two teaser sentences from your current book. Don't include spoilers! <br />
Share the title and Author, too so that other participants can add the book to their reading lists if they like your teaser. <br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;"></span>Natalie Normannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02208017892136207261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4333480215696999851.post-60208029919275429662013-02-28T10:57:00.002-08:002013-02-28T10:57:15.210-08:00Kick-startI just realized this blog hasn't been updated since November. What have I been doing with my time? There was a deadline just before Christmas, den there was a holiday in London, followed by three weeks of the flu, and then, because I had been slacking in my holidays and semi-comatose during the flu, as soon as the feber cleared, I had to work twice as fast as normal. I'm still not up to date with everything, but I'm getting there. And for a freelance writer, what pays now, gets worked on first.<br />
No time for lounging on the sofa, I'm afraid ... <br />
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Natalie Normannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02208017892136207261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4333480215696999851.post-40996580059927729472012-11-09T17:25:00.000-08:002012-11-09T17:25:07.411-08:00My little Kindle - Pros and cons ...<strong>What I like about my little Kindle: </strong><br />
- It's easy to carry. <br />
- It never gets to heavy in my backpack. <br />
- It's comfortable on the eyes. <br />
- I get the books I buy in seconds. <br />
- I can read heavy books without getting a strain in my neck. <br />
- I can lay on my abck and hold it in front of my nose without dropping it on my face. <br />
- There's free access to loads of free classics I haven't read before. <br />
- I can buy a book in the middle of the night if I want to. <br />
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<strong>What I miss about my Kindle:</strong> <br />
- It doesn't smell as good as a book. <br />
- I can't flip back and forth the way I can with a book. <br />
- I can't make what we call "donkey ears" - that is, I can't fold down the upper corner on pages when I find something I'd like to read again, or just to remember where I left off. <br />
- I can't spill anything on it without ruining it. (My most cherised books are spotted with jam and coffee stains, and spills from whatever dinner I'm cooking while reading). <br />
- It has boring covers - or sleeves. Even though the cover I have now makes it look like a fine, old leather bound book. (I like colours!). <br />
- I can't lend books (at least not until I've figured out how. And anything technical that takes more than three minutes, is something I never bother to use time on). <br />
- I can't give away books. <br />
- It's too easy to buy books, only to discover I don't like it!<br />
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<strong>And most important of all: </strong><br />
I can no longer read the first chapter, browse through pages, get a feel of the book and read the ending before I decide to buy it. I can't walk around Amazon and read a little here, check out a book there, sit down on the floor and pull out a stack off books - and really enjoy myself before I buy a book - or ten.<br />
That's why I will never give up books for good. And also because bookstores are the only stores I can stand being in more then five minutes. I can stay in there for hours without getting bored to death ... anyshopping mall or High Street without a bookstore has no interest for me. <br />
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What do you think?<br />
Natalie Normannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02208017892136207261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4333480215696999851.post-20845183326848288822012-11-01T16:50:00.001-07:002012-11-01T16:50:28.119-07:00From a Serial Writer's Diary ...I signed a new contract yesterday - on Halloween - and I'm not sure if that's good or ... or not good. The contract was a standard contract with one of my current publishers (yes, I have two). It basically says that they will pay me a certain amount of money so that we - the publisher and me - can develop my idea and when and if it actually turns into a new series, then we'll write a new contract. <br />
Sounds easy, doesn't it? <br />
It's standard. It's the kind of contract you get when you have written a proposal and three chapters, and they think its good enough to invest an editors time into it. <br />
I put the contract in my backpack (Norwegians rarely have handbags, we have backpacks - after all, we do have manuscripts to carry, books and pencils and whatnot), and because I had preperations for a 50th birthday to prepare for, I forgot it there. <br />
Now I like contracts, I celebrate each and everyone - not with champagne, I'm not much of a drinker - but there are rituals to follow even so. Usually I don't forget them like this. <br />
So when I pulled out my notebook from the backpack, it got me thinking. Writing romance series like I do, is hard work. I haven't been to a movie in almost two years (Yeah, really), and it occupies my mind a lot. I make sure I write other things too - there's a children's book coming in March 2013 - but it's hard to get enough time. And also thinking time. (My writing muscles are the only muscles I train on a regular basis ...)<br />
It takes a year or two, to go from an idea to a finished first book, then there's the at least six or seven books that has to be finished before publishing the first, so that you can write without "deadline-panic". So this new idea might hit the stores in late 2014 or early 2015. <br />
That's what got me thinking. It's still 2012. <br />
Planning my life that far ahead is a new experience. <br />
It's okay, I'm not regretting the contract. My idea is good, very good actually, so I'm not worried about that. I can do the work. <br />
But so far ahead is spooky. Usually I have problems thinking ahead to tomorrow ...Natalie Normannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02208017892136207261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4333480215696999851.post-59995291965920725532012-10-25T10:51:00.001-07:002012-10-25T10:51:43.396-07:00An update ...I suddenly realized it's been almost 3 months since I posted anything on this blog. That's no good. So I am hereby "waking it up". <br />
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We have had a very busy summer. Thankfully it was a cold and rainy summer, so the weather favoured work. In July we finished first draft of a new childrens book - more to come about that later. We've written four so far, and they have been very short and easy to write (because they were short). They were also part of an in-house series concisting of easy-to-read books. The new one is different because we are no longer part of a series where more than on writer contributes with books, we are now to write our own series! Also this book is about 2-3 times longer than the previoues books. A real challenge. The next draft is due in November. We are very excited about the new project, it's been so fun to work on it, still is. The book will be published in March, and then the next before Christmas. <br />
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I'm hard a work at my new series, the sixth book was just published, one more to go before Christmas. I have the most wonderful illustrator for the series. The picture is from book 5: <em>Dreams and Lies</em>. Natalie Normannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02208017892136207261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4333480215696999851.post-48753281661422851972012-07-26T12:39:00.002-07:002012-07-26T12:39:22.131-07:00A little Sikh history ...We are working obsessively with our newest project, and in the meantime ....<br />
BBC's documentaries rock!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/1XIZDj9hiWc?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Natalie Normannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02208017892136207261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4333480215696999851.post-81698470876871898252012-06-06T16:48:00.002-07:002012-06-06T16:48:36.063-07:00Ray Bradbury (1920-2012)My small tribute to
one of the truly great ones: Ray Bradbury 1920-2012<br />
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I have a copy of Ray Bradburys essays on
writing in my book shelf: Zen in the Art of Writing (1990). When I
despair of writing, tired of trying to come up with something new,
fed up with looking for the «good idea», I pull it out. It's a
small book, just 174 pages, loaded with inspiration.
<br />
<br />
<span lang="en-US">In his essays he writes stuff like this: </span><em><span lang="en-US">Your
Thing at the top of your stairs in your own private night ... may
well come down.</span></em><span lang="en-US"> </span>
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<br />
<div lang="en-US">
<span lang="en-US">The first of his books that I read was </span><span lang="en-US"><i>The
Illustrated man</i></span><span lang="en-US">. The guy who slept
beside a fire, covered in tattoos that lived their own lives and told
stories (nobody with a tattooed body these days, come even close to
beeing that interesting). </span><em><span lang="en-US">Fahrenheit
451</span></em><span lang="en-US"> was another amazing read. What
book would I choose to memorize if I lived in a society that burned
books? (For me it was Jane Eyre then and now). </span></div>
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I found his books at my local library where I went
almost every day and read at least one book before going home,
loaded with ten others.
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<em>“<span lang="en-US">I have never listened to anyone who
criticized my taste in space travel, sideshows or gorillas. When this
occurs, I pack up my dinosaurs and leave the room.”</span></em><span lang="en-US">
</span><br />
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<em>“<span lang="en-US">Don't think. Thinking is the enemy of
creativity. It's self-conscious and anything self-conscious is lousy.
You can't "try" to do things. You simply "must"
do things.” </span></em></div>
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On e-books:
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<em>“<span lang="en-US">I still love books. Nothing a computer
can do can compare to a book. You can't really put a book on the
Internet. Three companies have offered to put books by me on the Net,
and I said, 'If you can make something that has a nice jacket, nice
paper with that nice smell, then we'll talk.' All the computer can
give you is a manuscript. People don't want to read manuscripts. They
want to read books. Books smell good. They look good. You can press
it to your bosom. You can carry it in your pocket.” Fahrenheit 451</span></em><br />
<br />
<div lang="en-US">
I learned from him that if I wanted to be a writer –
and I did – I had to write every day – I was already doing that
back then and I do it today: Christmas Eve, New Years Eve and every
other «Eve» there is. If I don't write my pages every day, I get
restless and snap at people. Usually someone comes and stick a
notebook and a pen under my nose, or gently pushes me into the
office, turns on the computer and quietly close the door behind them.
They may also bring coffee ...</div>
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<em>“<span lang="en-US">If you want to write, if you want to
create, you must be the most sublime fool that God ever turned out
and sent rambling. You must write every single day of your life. You
must read dreadful dumb books and glorious books, and let them
wrestle in beautiful fights inside your head, vulgar one moment,
brilliant the next. You must lurk in libraries and climb the stacks
like ladders to sniff books like perfumes and wear books like hats
upon your crazy heads. I wish you a wrestling match with your
Creative Muse that will last a lifetime. I wish craziness and
foolishness and madness upon you. May you live with hysteria, and out
of it make fine stories — science fiction or otherwise. Which
finally means, may you be in love every day for the next 20,000 days.
And out of that love, remake a world.” </span></em><br />
<br />
<em><span lang="en-US"><br /></span></em><em><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;">I
have to read his books again now. </span></span></em>
<br />Natalie Normannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02208017892136207261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4333480215696999851.post-62849497808891302052012-05-17T16:38:00.001-07:002012-05-17T16:38:30.912-07:0017th of May - Constitution DayI sit at my desk, ready to work - a bit delayed to be honest - and think about Constitution day. For me it's been a quiet day, celebrated with good food and good friends. 17th of May is a childrens' day,with unlimited icecream and soda, cakes and sweets. A day we wave our flags and sing our rather pompous national songs. This year its a little different. We're in the middle of the 22nd of July court case, and on some level it was nice to take a day off from it all. I feel for everyone directly involved in this, and I hope something like this never happens anywhere else. <br />
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On a lighter note: <br />
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This is from the backyard of my house, I'm the cry-baby in the middle. I was never one for wearing skirts and dressing up. I look like I'm about three years old, so it must have been taken in 1964 or 65.<br />
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A few years earlier ...</div>
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<br />This is the oldest picture of a 17th of May celebtration I could find. From Oslo 1898. Although the celebrations started at least as early as 1823. <br />
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From the changing of the flags on 7th of June, 1905 when the Swedish/Norwegian flag was lowered, and the Norwegian flag was up for the first time. <br />
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<br /></div>Natalie Normannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02208017892136207261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4333480215696999851.post-22275981347166890352012-04-20T15:51:00.003-07:002012-04-20T15:51:51.983-07:00I found this article here: <a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/literary-style-15-writers-bedrooms-168023?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+apartmenttherapy%2Fmain+%28AT+Channel%3A+Main%29&utm_content=Google+Reader">15 writer's bedrooms ...</a> and I'm just saying, I do not believe writers have bedrooms that tidy. Most of these writers are dead, so presumably somebody went in and tidied it up. I wish someone would do that to my room. Sigh ...<br />
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The only one that remotely resembles my bedroom/office belongs to Alexander Masters (haven't read any of his books), and that's on a really, really good day ...Natalie Normannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02208017892136207261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4333480215696999851.post-90971356152421236872012-04-10T13:26:00.000-07:002012-04-10T13:26:39.539-07:00Duma key by Stephen King<em>DUMA KEY is the engaging, fascinating story of a man who discovers an incredible talent for painting after a freak accident in which he loses an arm. He moves to a 'new life' in Duma Key, off Florida's West Coast; a deserted strip, part beach, part weed-tangled, owned by a patroness of the arts whose twin sisters went missing in the 1920s. Duma Key is where out-of-season hurricanes tears lives apart and a powerful undertow lures lost and tormented souls. Here Freemantle is inspired to paint the amazing sunsets. But soon the paintings become predictive, even dangerous. Freemantle knows the only way forward is to discover what happened to the twin sisters -- and what is the secret of the strange old lady who holds the key? The story is about friendship, about the bond between a father and his daughter. And about memory, truth and art. It is also is a metaphor for the life and inspiration of a writer, and an exploration of the nature, power and influence of fiction.</em> <br />
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Yeah, right. Thanks a million. </div><div dir="LTR" id="Blog1"><div dir="LTR"> </div><div align="LEFT" dir="LTR" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">How can any review top that? Good question. I'm not going to say much, but I'm sure I'll read this again at some point. This is one of those Stephen Kings books that tips over into the literary – although I wouldn't read it before bedtime. I get spooked by King ...</div><div dir="LTR"> He has completely ruined rural America for me. I would never dare drive a car there, alone after sundown. And now he's more or less ruined the idea of Florida as well. God knows what lurks in the waters outside the beaches ...</div><div dir="LTR"> After reading a book like this, I loose some confidence in my own writing. It passes, but still. It's tempting to pull a «Misery» on him ...</div></div><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
A quote: </div><em>Don't quit until det picture's complete. I can't tell you that's the cardinal rule of art or not, I'm no teacher, but I believe those six words sum up all I've been trying to tell you. Talent is a wonderful thing, but it won't carry a quitter. An there always comes a time - if the work is sincere, if it comes from that magic place where thoughtt, memory, and emotion all merge - when you will want to quit, when you will think that if you put your pencil down your eye will dull, your memory will lapse, and the pain will end. I know all this from the last picture I drew that day - the one of the gathering on the beach. It was only a sketch, but I think that when you're mapping hell, a sketch is all you need.</em> <br />
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Not literary, my ass ...Natalie Normannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02208017892136207261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4333480215696999851.post-5624480335305339692012-03-16T17:06:00.000-07:002012-03-16T17:06:12.852-07:00New project ...We are working on a brand new project - something for children - and need to have serious meetings. A grand cup of coffee is a must. So off to town we go ...<br />
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My co-writer doesn't take things very serious...<br />
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And I'm not very inspired ...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MK9C4x9fRz4/T2PVL2XKg-I/AAAAAAAAAbQ/Y0kiaIgRpsg/s1600/DSC00506.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MK9C4x9fRz4/T2PVL2XKg-I/AAAAAAAAAbQ/Y0kiaIgRpsg/s320/DSC00506.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Next time, perhaps not so much coffee? </div>Natalie Normannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02208017892136207261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4333480215696999851.post-65095815002194821052012-03-01T09:45:00.000-08:002012-03-01T09:45:36.143-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A loose translation of Sunday's review of <em>The Scandal</em>, the first book in my new series: </div><br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace; font-size: large;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><strong>Tar, fish and coffee</strong></span></span></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C5Vh-JtRYLg/T0-zzr4rV1I/AAAAAAAAAZs/kfqv1xnEKI0/s1600/VG-anmeldelse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C5Vh-JtRYLg/T0-zzr4rV1I/AAAAAAAAAZs/kfqv1xnEKI0/s320/VG-anmeldelse.jpg" width="235" /></a></div><div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><strong>Catchy about upper class life in the 1790's</strong></span></div><span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;">The heroines Constanse and Karen seem different at first, but have much in common: they are beautiful without knowing it, kind and brave. Constanse is the daughter of a “coffee baron” from Bergen, and creates a scandal when she falls in love with a man of lower standing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><strong>Karen</strong> is a servant, working for an absent-minded scientist who encourages her to read books and develop her drawing talents. Sense and sensibility, in other words. In paticular Karen is a complex character I would like to read more about. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><strong>Ball gowns</strong>, steamy love letters and adventurous journeys – romance have reached Norway. The writer portions out historical facts in good measures and manages to create drive in the story without creating neck-breaking cliffhangers. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;">(<i>Then there's something about my rather "wild" use of prepositions and a some clumsy wording – but let's not dwell on that...</i>). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><strong>The ending</strong> plays with the excitement of whether or not Constanse will manage to get on board the ship before it sails, but the extraction from the next book reveals that she does. Even so it's tempting to follow the sisters of destiny. </span><br />
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<div lang="en-US" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"> <span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;">Kristine Isaksen</span></div><div lang="en-US" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;">VG (Norway's largest newspaper). </span></div>Natalie Normannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02208017892136207261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4333480215696999851.post-82141621683134368832012-02-24T17:19:00.000-08:002012-02-24T17:19:14.484-08:00From a serial writers diary ...My new book has been out since Monday, and I'm having problems concentrating. It'll get back soon, I know that, so I'm not worried. I've spent the last week reading Under the Dome by Stephen King, and although it didn't grip me the way The Stand did, it was still a good read. <br />
Otherwise it's all nice and quiet at the Northern front. Spring is coming, winter is still at it's heel, but it's coming. And I haven't written much new stuff lately. It's an itch.<br />
But it's all good. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LpmlNWy2EeU/T0g2fOYzf2I/AAAAAAAAAZM/62JS2npeaAs/s1600/Gale+forfattere.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LpmlNWy2EeU/T0g2fOYzf2I/AAAAAAAAAZM/62JS2npeaAs/s320/Gale+forfattere.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Oh, yeah, very good ...Natalie Normannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02208017892136207261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4333480215696999851.post-34332984576536540852012-02-22T15:48:00.000-08:002012-02-22T15:48:01.595-08:00Technologically challenged - help?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tlRYE-pswdI/T0V-nONVUQI/AAAAAAAAAYo/08ucD_WhMYA/s1600/Jeg+skal+v%C3%A6re+snill!.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tlRYE-pswdI/T0V-nONVUQI/AAAAAAAAAYo/08ucD_WhMYA/s200/Jeg+skal+v%C3%A6re+snill!.jpg" width="148" /></a></div>I'm not a tech savvy, I'm happy as long as my computer works, so when something goes wrong, I get frustrated. Since Sunday, I've been having problems with my Facebook page. No updates show, no matter how many times I try. So far, no response from the four reports I've sent to Facebook.<br />
Because I get frustrated, I have no patience. So I try to fix things. <br />
I changed the username ot my page, so now I can't get into the page - it's on and off, sometimes I see it, sometimes I don't. <br />
I also changed the password, and achieved only that now my phone demands I enter it everytime I access Facebook from the mobile. <br />
Any good advice? <br />
Help ...Natalie Normannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02208017892136207261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4333480215696999851.post-51049805992991755912012-02-01T17:11:00.000-08:002012-02-01T17:11:46.743-08:00Back in business ...I've been avoiding my blogs these last months. I have two other blogs in Norwegian, and the blogging thing takes time. And sometimes priorities have to be hard. And in September last year I stopped writing blogs. Now I've started again but I'll keep my ambitions at a lower level. <br />
My priorities have been preparing for my new series - the first book will be published on February 20th. I'm really looking forward to it. This is my second series, and the experience is still exciting! It's fun and challening, so I'll keep going for as long as I enjoy it. <br />
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We're having a competition in connection with the book and people can win the first five books. (It's in Norwegian - as are the books, so ...). Anyone want to participate, here's the link: <a href="http://www.schibstedforlag.no/no/Kategorier/Norske-romanserier/Nyheter-norske-romanserier/Konkurranse/">Skjebnesøstre</a><br />
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I'm reading two books at the moment: The Retribution by Val McDermids, and Snuff by Terry Pratchett. They have absolutely nothing in common, which makes it a bit bizarre when I change books. Retribution is dark and filled with serial killers and gruesome details, Snuff is my favourite policeman, Sam Vimes, going to the country side. Funny, but not hilarious. At least so far. I might even manage to write about them here when I'm finished ...<br />
Read well!<br />
NatalieNatalie Normannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02208017892136207261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4333480215696999851.post-47501811157550530832011-09-19T08:49:00.000-07:002011-09-19T08:49:51.131-07:00International again ...September is an iffy month for me. I have to get used to tell people I'm a year older - that in itself can be traumatic - it's also the month when it's no longer possible to ignore autumn. There's firewood for the winter to order, the winter tyres, woolen socks to find and the extra windows to bring down from the attic. This September apparently has had more rain than any other September in recorded history. Jeez, you don't say ...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sqigNx3CnSQ/TndjqqAXsII/AAAAAAAAAV8/CV3RQpvFHcg/s1600/Loftet+dansk+utgave.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sqigNx3CnSQ/TndjqqAXsII/AAAAAAAAAV8/CV3RQpvFHcg/s320/Loftet+dansk+utgave.jpg" width="227" /></a></div>So when I learn that one of our books have been published in Denmark, I'm thrilled. Just the kind of news that's nice to know on a rainy evening. <br />
The book was picked up by a Danish publisher about three years ago, and we've more or less forgotten all about it. If you read Danish there's a review on DR (Denmark Radio): <a href="http://www.dr.dk/DR1/Troldspejlet/Boeger/2011/0524152504.htm">Review of The Attic.</a> And if you want more this is the publisher's page: <a href="http://www.rosinante-co.dk/Books/9788763813310.aspx">The Attic on Forum (Rosinante publishers)</a>. They have bought the next in the series: <em>The Changeling</em>, so hopefully the'll also buy <em>The Park</em>, and publish both. Fingers crossed!<br />
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I have tendency to think that Sweden and Denmark isn't really International, but that's not right of course! Since Denmark is - even if the language is more or less the same - another country, it's International. I doubt if a British writer would consider a publication in the US as domestic ...Natalie Normannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02208017892136207261noreply@blogger.com0