Kaye George at a signing for her first book, CHOKE, an Immy Duckworthy mystery
Kaye George is posting on her blog, Travels with Kaye, today about story structure–so much information in so few words, it’s worth any writer’s (or, for that matter, anyone interested in literature’s) time.
I’ll quote the first paragraphs here, and then you can click on the link to take you toTravels with Kaye for the whole picture.
“We’re having out-of-town guests, old college friends, this week, so I’m posting one of the most viewed past blogs. This one is from 8/4/2010, but short story structure hasn’t changed since then that I know of. (If you think it has, please leave a comment, by all means.) I think this is something for readers as well as writers. I hope you enjoy it!
“Members of the Short Mystery Fiction list started a discussion recently about the structure of the short story. So much has been said and written about the structure of a novel, even whole books devoted to mystery, thriller, and suspense structure, but I hadn’t ever paused to consider the structure of the short story before that.
“But I’m sure all short story writers should!
“The first posting gave the opinion that short stories have two forms: vignette and mini-novel. The vignette, Graham Powell contended,…”
She’s bound to be sitting over there in Buckingham Palace, thinking about the United States, and the Republican debates, and the upcoming presidential election, and all the things that might happen between now and the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. And what might happen on and after January 20, 2017.
I think about the Queen’s weekly audience with her Prime Minister at which, according to The official website of The British Monarchy, she has the right and the duty to express her views on Government matters. The views she expresses might go something like this:
President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama are greeted by Britain’s Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh at Buckingham Palace in London. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) By White House (Pete Souza) / Maison Blanche (Pete Souza) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
It is our duty to say we are shocked, simply shocked, at the goings-on across the Pond. And it is our right to say that, no matter what the Government wishes, we shall not–nay, will not–invite any of those heathens to tea. Nor will Kate allow them to kiss the babies. They behave abominably. One does not hear the Prince of Wales use such vulgarities unless his telephone has been illegally tapped. Prince Harry did prove a bit of an embarrassment during his stay in Las Vegas, but he’s promised not to do it again, and, anyway, he is not angling to become Leader of the Free World.
Why is it the United States does not fix things so that nice Mr. Obama can stay indefinitely? We quite like him. He speaks in complete sentences that always parse, and he has never made the slightest effort to massage our neck. And we rather admired his wife’s dressing down when she visited the Palace. We get tired of people always putting on the dog. In fact, we have been thinking of acquiring a twinset of our own.
The fact that Mr. Obama is said be a gay communist fascist pot-smoking Muslim terrorist doesn’t bother us one little bit.
Now, here is the thing: Magna Charta allows us to reign for life. Surely their Constitution could be amended to extend President Obama’s time in office, at least until the churls have crawled back under the rocks from whence they emerged.
It is our duty to advise that you call the President immediately and broach the subject. Promise him our full support.
And tell him we will send some of our Redcoats to back him up. Prince Harry has been just itching to get back into action.
So you start writing your post about the incomparable Josephine Tey’s mystery novels two weeks before it’s due but don’t finish, and then you forget, and a colleague reminds you, but the piece refuses to come together, and the day it’s due it’s still an embarrassment, and the next day it’s not much better, and you decide, Oh heck, at this point what’s one more day? and you go to bed,
and in the middle of the night you wake to find twenty pounds of cat using you as a mattress, and you know you might as well surrender, because getting him off is like moving Jello with your bare hands,
Debra Goldstein is considering how to publicize her new book, SHOULD HAVE PLAYED POKER. She lays out several possibilities, each with its own… Well, read on and you’ll see.
It’s coming! Will I survive? The hardcover version of Should Have Played Poker: a Carrie
New – April 20, 2016
Martin and the Mah Jongg Players Mystery already is available for pre-order, but on April 20, 2016 the print and e-book versions will launch. I’m excited and scared. I thought the hard work was over – after all, I wrote the book, but now I need to publicize it.
For a shy person who spent a lifetime as a judge deliberately flying under the radar, this is a daunting proposition. Consequently, I’ve been observing others to see if there is a persona I can adopt. Here’s what I’ve observed:
a) Master Promoter – so much in my face that I want to puke (not my style) b) Promoting is Gauche – and that’s why nobody bought your books after your family and friends helped the first…
Map of Texas highlighting Caldwell County (Photo credit: Wikipedia) By David Benbennick [Public domain], via Wikimedia CommonsThe following Senior Will, excerpted from Prairie Lea High School’s May 1966 War Whoop, was presented at that spring’s Junior-Senior banquet and prom.
Because I had not yet reached the alpine heights of junior-senior-hood, my name doesn’t appear in the list. I do, however, remember the students whose names do appear there. I also remember most of the circumstances leading to the bequests.
A summary and analysis of Lewis Carroll’s classic nonsense poem ‘Jabberwocky’
‘Jabberwocky’ is perhaps the most famous nonsense poem in all of English literature. Although the poem was first published in Lewis Carroll‘s novel Through the Looking Glass in 1871, the first stanza was actually written and printed by Carroll in 1855 in the little periodical Mischmasch, which Carroll (real name Charles Dodgson) compiled to entertain his family. Below is ‘Jabberwocky’ (sometimes erroneously called ‘The Jabberwocky’), followed by a brief analysis of its meaning. ‘Nonsense’ literature it may be, but let’s see if we can make some sense of the glorious nonsense.
Wow! Look what the Bonny Blogger did. That’s so nice.
To see the post that started this, click on her link to Merriment Monday. That will explain a lot, and it will probably make you laugh, too. The Bonny Blog deserves a bunch of follows–the posts will make you feel better, and often there’s a cat or a dog. Which equals make you feel better.
If as Herod, we fill our lives with things and again things;
If we consider ourselves so important that we must fill
Every moment of our lives with action;
When will we have the time to make the long slow journey
Across the burning desert as did the Magi;
Or sit and watch the stars as did the shepherds;
Or to brood over the coming of the Child as did Mary?
For each one of us there is a desert to travel,
A star to discover,
And a being within ourselves to bring to life.
“The Road to Bethlehem” appears on other websites, where it’s attributed to Anonymous. If you know who wrote it, please share the name and, if possible, other documentation, in a comment, so I can give the poet credit for his creation and can search for information about copyright. Until I know more, I will assume the poem is in the public domain.
The star of Christmas shines for all, No matter great, no matter small, No matter spotted, brown or white, It bids us all to share the light. ~ Unknown
In an Atlanta gift shop, on the last road trip my mother and I took together, I bought a packet of Christmas cards designed by a local artist. In the background on the front, there was a star; in the foreground, there were three rabbits–brown, white, and black-and-white. The verse above appeared inside. The design was simple, unsentimental, and touching.
I used all but one of the cards, and kept that one thinking I might be able to find more. But I couldn’t, and sometime over the past twenty-eight years, the last card disappeared. I hope I’ve quoted the verse exactly. The image above doesn’t duplicate the charm of the original, but perhaps it’s close.
I’ve searched the web for the name of the artist-poet but have found nothing. If anyone reading this knows the artist or has seen the card I’ve described, please leave a comment. I would like to give proper attribution. If possible I will contact the author to ask permission to use it; if he wishes, I’ll remove the post. (Note: A friend pointed me to the website of Michael Podesta. I suspect the card might be one of his.)
I don’t usually post anything without getting permission and crediting the author, but I love the card and it seems a shame not to share.
New – April 20, 2016 
![Two Rabbits (Kobi). By Kobi (active 19th century) (http://www.hwwilson.com/Databases/artmuseum.htm) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons](http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Two_Rabbits_%28Kobi%29.jpg "Two Rabbits (Kobi)")
M. K. Waller 