Multi-story block

My illustration for this piece is a copy of a drawing I did in oil pastels in 1992.  The original was completed in A3 size as a gift for a big fan of this lady.

'Yes darling ... I'll be anything you want me to be ... I'm an actress.'

The lady in question is British actress Joan Collins.  The copy is a black and white version of the original.  In those days a digital camera and pc would not have been to hand, but I did at least manage a photocopy.

Contrary to my original intentions I have posted ‘Guardian Angels’ into a competition on an international web-based writing site.  Simply because there are no restrictions I have it linked here in my short stories.

‘Windows of Opportunity’ has gone to a top British writing magazine so I’ll have to await the official clearance before I can post it anywhere else.

In the last three days I’ve penned a poem a day.  ‘Noises in the Wind’ which is about a crew of mutineers.  ‘The Enemy Within’ is my take on the world of insurgents.  ‘Nymphet‘ is my latest which touches on the sensitive subject of a man falling for a beautiful but under-age girl.

I have as always got a short story underway.  ‘One Man’s Mission’ takes a walk into the world of terrorism.  Obviously a careful, calculated walk.

Chapter 2 of my novel is taking longer than I expected to make progress.  This is mainly due to working with a fictional lead character who will be experiencing some episodes from my own life.  Fortunately for both me and any reader there will be some fictional scenarios mixed in too.  If I get the job done right then nobody should be able to spot the real from the imagined.

In an effort to give me a boost back into the tale I’m considering two or three excerpts, just as I did with Chapter 1.  I feel sure the idea will work because I’ve already discovered that writing a story idea as a poem actually helps me to focus on keeping the story tight.  Time will tell.

A Novel Idea …

The accompanying drawing is one of a series I completed of young ladies.  I associated them with my work at the time.  

It’s widely believed that everybody has a book in them, a story worth telling.  Now after years of writing about my past and improving my skill I’ve started to write a fictional novel rather than my autobiography.

I believe a truthful, no-holds barred account would be a selfish and egotistical piece but a novel loosely based on my experiences would be more entertaining.  Producing a good story is more important to me than simply writing about my own military life as it was.

I have now produced my updated intro to my novel, ‘A Life of Choice’.  More importantly I’ve also rewritten Chapter 1 and revised three excerpts from that chapter.  The excerpts are a taster of the content and style of my novel.  They are ‘Gas Chamber’, ‘Live Firing’ and ‘Fitness …’

I would appreciate any reviews of my efforts because only then will I know if I am on track.