The Perfect Storm Inspires Ideas

Recently, while watching an episode of Deadliest Catch (one of about three television series I follow anymore), I had a bit of a surprise in terms of the introduction of a new crew member to the show. 

It was a lengthy introduction and for good reason.

The new crew member was Linda Greenlaw. THE Linda Greenlaw. If you don't know who she is, and you ever saw the motion picture The Perfect Storm with George Clooney as the captain of a swordfishing boat, Andrea Gail, out of Gloucester, Massachussetts, that's the Linda Greenlaw I'm talking about. It was based on a true story about real people. And Linda Greenlaw was -- and still is -- one of those real people. The captain of the Andrea Gail's sister ship, the Hannah Boden. 

(theatrical release poster)

And that Linda Greenlaw had just joined the crew of one of the Deadliest Catch king crab fishing boats. She had somehow acquired a quota of crab and was looking for a boat to partner with. After some trial and error, including running into an old nemesis from her Hannah Boden days, she found a spot. 

In relating her backstory, they included some footage of Greenlaw talking about her life and about surviving the "perfect storm" (what they had always referred to as the 1991 "storm of the century") and how it had impacted her life. 

The motion picture had been based on a novel by Sebastian Junger, The Perfect Storm: A True Story of Men Against the Sea. There were a few things I gleaned from her story that spoke to Hollywood's version of the "true" story, such as the suggested romance between Captain Linda Greenlaw (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio) and Captain Billy Tynes (George Clooney) of the starcrossed swordboat, Andrea Gail. 

Apparently, they were never a "thing." Greenlaw related that they did work for the same man, and they occasionally shared info about the location of fish, but there was no tearful scene with Linda speaking at the Andrea Gail crew's memorial service. "I wasn't there. I was out fishing," Linda related. 

But that's not to say the disaster didn't impact her and her life. The owner of her boat did send her out to the last known location of the Andrea Gail, where they found a floating barrel with "A.G." painted on the side--debris from the lost ship. (Ironically, Mark Wahlberg's character, Bobby, is first viewed in the film standing on the bow of the Andrea Gail with several barrels marked "A.G." around him.) There was also a scene where a deceased member of Greenlaw's crew is carried off her vessel. That may have been based, in part, on a story she recanted on The Deadliest Catch of losing a crewmember. 

Here's an opening clip from the movie which highlights the Andrea Gail and Hannah Boden vessels and captains returning from the sea. Some of the elements I just mentioned above are included, but it's score only -- no dialogue. 

But what intrigued me the most was that I learned via her introduction and back story that Linda Greenlaw was also an author, and quite a successful one, apparently. 

A quick search on Amazon revealed quite a list of both fiction and non-fiction books, including The Hungry Ocean, The Lobster Chronicles, All Fishermen are Liars, Seaworthy, four books in The Jane Bunker Mystery series including Slipknot, Fishermen's Bend, Shiver Hitch and Bimini Twist, the non-fiction Lifesaving Lessons: Notes from an Accidental Mother and two cookbooks, Recipes from a Very Small Island and The Maine Summers Cookbook. Her books rank between four and five stars on Amazon, with at least one earning more than 500 reviews, and she was a New York Times bestseller, which seems to indicate she is quite a talent as a writer and has a few things to say that a lot of readers were interested to read about.  

It occurred to me, an author who writes many stories centered on small crews on starships, that her work might have a few inspiring ideas and "small ship environment" tidbits to lend to my work. (Wish I'd found her work a decade ago.)

So although I don't tend to read a lot outside my preferred genre, I'm going to give her books a try starting with The Hungry Ocean: The Captain's Story and Seaworthy: A Swordboat Captain Returns to the Sea. If those are inspiring, I'll read on. 

I'll post a follow-up here on The Firebird at some point in the future.

Laurie

Music To SFR To #amwriting #inspiration

I've always talked a lot about how much music inspires me, and in fact how I couldn't live without it. I miss a day with no music. In the past three years I've been privileged to go to several concerts featuring my two most favourite bands - The Rasmus, who inspired so much of the tone and feel in my Keir series and got me writing again, and Starset who have now become my favourite band to write to, and who I never expected to ever see in concert in the UK. I've now seen them FOUR times, twice as support and twice in their own right on tour. I saw them in February as headline, and each time I think I've already seen them at their best, they just set the bar higher again, with a super appropriate change of image and a set of songs that fit with our current pandemic.

While The Rasmus still take full credit for inspiring Keir, Starset have definitely taken the top spot as my SFR muse. Why? Not just because I love their music and lyrics, but because to me they encapsulate what SFR is, or at least the kind I like to write. Star-crossed lovers, separated by space and time, galaxies colliding, telepathy, enslavement, end of the world stuff. And it's not just music. No, these guys have a novel and a graphic novel out too. They are all about the science, and the fate of humanity, travel to other worlds, and messages from the future. It's not just what they do, it's what they are. Wrap all that up in a song and a video, and I'm a happy space bunny. Just as an example, the video below has always reminded me of The Martian (or rather The Martian reminds me of this, since I saw the music video first).

Or if that doesn't light your fire, you could try Breaking Benjamin's Ashes of Eden (undertones of Passengers), Linkin Park's In The End (for a touch of apocalyptic), or The Rasmus with Justify (a very Keir song, lol).

Writing Update
So, since editing and publishing my Christmas story last year, I've been working on Redemption 2.5, the story my editor felt was missing before book three of the series. I'd always had a vague idea for it in my head, but it wasn't until the release of Starset's Vessels album helped me fix some frankly terrible elements in book three and turn it into something that might actually work that I felt I could do something with it. Despite slowly recovering from burn out and wanting to write again, working full time didn't leave me much...well...time! However, by the start of this year I felt I might be approaching a point with it where I was thinking about booking actual edits for it. Well, more the point of 'omg, this story sucks!!' But as things happen, my beloved editor posted a discount for edits booked and I took it as a sign. Redemption 2.5 was booked for a slot in June. I've now completed the first round, and while I was waiting for those I've finally finished a solstice scifi novella, tidied up an angel short story, and re-opened book 3. Seems I'm an all or nothing kind of person...

No writing is ever wasted

Last week at Spacefreighters I explained where the Dryden Universe came from - basically a bit of discarded writing - something I'd written years ago. Morgan's Choice arrived in a very different way. Actually, that's an interesting story – to me, anyway.

I'd been writing for a long time, in fits and starts, between jobs. I even took a few writing courses, but they were aimed more at copywriting, short stories for magazines and the like, not novels. Even so, I'd played with some ideas, most of them derivative and pretty awful, including some fan fic. It wasn't great fan fic, mind, but it was better than a lot I'd read.

When I finally retired from the stress-filled rat race I decided I'd write a book. Because I have that sort of mind set, I wanted to learn how before I started. I came across a course that both taught and offered a level of mentoring – during the course, you'd write your own book submitting some chapters for evaluation. It sounded perfect to me so I enrolled.

After a few weeks of business, I threw the virtual manuscript at a virtual wall. "This is rubbish. Who's going to want to read this?"

The problem was the protagonist, a woman who could interact with computers with her mind, sort of like… magic. And I didn't like the setting. It was all too… fairy tale in space. And slow.

I set about creating a cyborg – although I didn't know it at the time. Her name was Morgan and she had a supercomputer in her head. She was feisty and difficult and exceptionally good at what she did. She also hated, loathed, and detested Authority. She hadn't been asked about that computer in her head, or the (slightly faulty) artificial eyes that allowed her to see like a human (and more) and interface with a computer. (They're silvery, unlike her peers, who have ordinary, human-looking eyes) She was a supertech, whether she liked it or not, modified at birth. Supertechs created all the apps in her universe. They themselves were strictly controlled so that never again would artificial intelligences threaten humanity. For that reason, Supertechs were supposed to be subservient, obedient individuals who did what they were told. If they strayed from the path – well – they were exterminated.

That was the beginning of Morgan Selwood. I wrote a short story about Morgan's first posting after she scraped through her training. It's called Supertech.

Then I got to work on her main story – Morgan's Choice. The book's name has changed several times, Morgan's name has changed several times, and the story has changed, too. But it was always going to be about Morgan going far beyond her own world to undiscovered parts, where she would have her adventures, and meet a man who could match her.

That other fairy tale I threw at the virtual wall? Over time and many iterations, it became the Iron Admiral books. Which does goes to prove, no writing is ever wasted.

Here's a little snippet from Supertech to give you an idea.

Morgan slapped her hand on the panel that opened the door to the broom cupboard also known as her office. Lights flickered on as she entered. She really must bring in a broom and a bucket to finish the look. Another day in paradise. She flung her bag into its usual corner and sagged onto the chair. What riveting task would Cam have found for her today?

Concentrating on the dataport, she flicked the mental switch in her implant to meld with the base’s computer system. The impersonal lens became a coloured highway, transporting packets of data back and forth. Morgan sent her ID, which she’d long since changed to system administrator, and looked around for changes.

Ah. A new frigate up on Gens Brasna Two, the larger of the maintenance base’s two orbital space stations. She sighed. Dead boring. Routine annual checkout and recalibration. They wouldn’t even ask her to move her backside out of her chair for that. Nothing in her in-tray. She’d finished this week’s work yesterday morning. Oh, well. Might as well play with the simulators.

She browsed the list of simulator scenarios for a star destroyer, meant for Fleet engineers, navigators or officers on advanced training. This one sounded good; Star destroyer in orbit around a planet, main drives failed, orbit decaying.

She’d barely started diagnosis when Commander Campbell’s voice jolted her out of the system.

"Morgan. ENSIGN SELWOOD."

There are four books in the Morgan Selwood series and three short stories. You'll find them all on the Morgan Selwood page of my website.

And to finish, here's a nice sunrise from a stretch of beach near where I live.

Where Words Fail, Music Speaks... #amwriting #scifi

...is a quote from Hans Christian Andersen (according to a quick Google. These days I'm always a little suspicious.). If I was ever asked what is the one thing I couldn't live without (other than coming back with the sensible answer of sustenance), it's music. I'm pretty much plugged into my mp3 player every hour of the day I'm alone, and can't go a day without music unless you want a seriously moody person on your hands. Lots of authors seem to find inspiration in music, make soundtracks for their books and characters, and I'm no different. My debut novel Keir owes much of its existence to the music of a certain Finnish rock band - The Rasmus - whose three albums at that time not only helped keep me sane during the writing process but heavily influenced the tone and character of the story. Justify is Keir's song most of all.

And on Sunday I got to see them perform live for the third time since I became a fan. Even more awesomely I got a close encounter with band member Eero who snuck out a fire exit while we were queueing. I managed actual words but tried to play it cool - I didn't think he wanted someone doing the whole fangirl thing at him (but damn it, I wish I'd asked for a photo. Not that anyone else would care - this is something I will always remember and be grateful for!).

The venue was quite small and cozy, and we had an excellent view (though my feeble camera lies about that). Not right at the front with the younger die hard fans, but on a second level balcony where no longshanks could get in front of me and block my view!

My phone also completely failed to save the video of their opening song, but luckily plenty of other people didn't have that problem, including my friend and fellow fan Irene Jones. Warning, there's a lot of strobe lighting and flash photography.

And of course they played the song they're most famous for.

The only problem with the cozy venue was lead singer Lauri was occasionally drowned out by his own fans singing. A shame because I love his voice, but I can't deny I wasn't singing along too. :P

But if you want to hear all the songs associated with Keir, go HERE to listen to my unofficial soundtrack and maybe play it as you read. :) Oh, plus a rare couple selfie taken outside King's Cross station (yes, THAT King's Cross station mentioned in the Harry Potter books).

Status Update
I've abandoned NaNoWriMo - it got me writing again, I have 10K on a new story and got my edits done. Aim achieved. At this stage I'm far too far behind to ever catch up so I will just keep pootling along with things.

The Marks Hall Sculpture Trail #art #inspiration #fantasy #scifi

During the holidays, a local stately home and garden ran an extra exhibition - a sculpture trail with more than 300 pieces from 59 national and international sculptures set in their extensive grounds. A couple of friends had already posted some pictures from the trail - a mirrored portal which immediately got my attention - so we decided to give it a go. It would take me weeks to post all the images, so instead I've hand-picked a few with a scifi theme/feel to them and a few of my absolute favourites. Warning: some nudity.

Not a sculpture but a real life dragonfly

First of two sculptures called Serenity.

Greer - Guardian Angel

My monsters re-enact a scene from Primeval - running for the portal home!

One of a pair of Portal sculptures.

Abstract torso

another abstract torso

another Portal

If you prefer fantasy to scifi, a gateway in wood

and a hanging chair.

Nebula I

Nebula II

Fracture

The Three Graces

Fusion

Not a sculpture, but Marks Hall's Australia zone, planted up with appropriate
trees and grasses. Really felt like we'd stepped out of the UK!

The Family Group

Pollen (large) and Pollen (small)

Sputnik

another Serenity

Pollen Bomb

Either Or

Ribbon

Ammonite Outside

Reminds me of an episode of Doctor Who - The Keeper of Traken

Another Doctor Who-esque piece - The Face of Evil

And by the last few, I've not been able to memorize the names. Sorry! I hope you might find some story inspiration in amongst those.

Chook Update
I've been trying to find new forever homes for our five boys, now two months old. Unfortunately our eldest - Bailey - started crowing at the weekend (some three months before they're supposed to) so they needed to go asap before he really found his voice and/or his brothers got the idea too. I was hoping to find them homes as pets but they'll probably go to a generic sanctuary instead. Unfortunately the sanctuary requires a £20 donation per bird, so at the moment I'm only able to rehome two of them to there. I also removed Mama Effie and returned her to her adult sisters. I felt bad but both babies and mama don't seem too upset about it. Here's Effie and her boys enjoying a final family dust bath together.

As for the new chicks... Sadly egg number three failed to hatch despite the chick being fully developed. Marvel and Firefly are now two weeks old and testing their wings. We know they aren't frizzles but they're definitely a feisty little pair, having not been handled as much as the previous babies.

Marvel (left) and Firefly (right)

And a little video of Mama Pitch with the new babies.