Meet the Bridges

Edinburgh Castle

    Edinburgh is an exciting city to visit any time of the year. But, in August and September the capital of Scotland is showcased at its best.

    The Fringe Festival with its sometimes bizarre acts, the Book Festival and of course the Edinburgh Military Tattoo that takes place within the castle ground's can make any visit unique.

The Queensferyy Bridge in progress

    However, August 2016 is particularly significant in the historical calendar of Edinburgh. The new Queensferry Bridge, over the Firth of Forth has now joined her elder siblings, the Forth Road and Forth Rail Bridges, in spanning the river.

Forth Rail and Road Bridges side by side

    The last two sections that join North and South Queensferry, were put in place last week. I haven't managed to visit the location as I am overseas, but I hope when I fly home to Edinburgh Airport in the next couple of weeks the flight-path will give me a bird's eye view of this long awaited additional river crossing.

A Voyage into the Unknown

    My blog hasn't been updated for the last few weeks because I've been having some chill time. I've been spending the last few weeks in the Canary Islands which regular readers will know I do on a frequent basis.

    It has been very warm here, some days in excess of forty degrees Celsius and being a girl that is used to cooler climes it takes a bit of getting used to.

    Four hundred and thirty-four years ago today, Christopher Columbus came ashore on these islands, to take on supplies as he made his way to the New World and I can't help but wonder what his impression of the place was.

    I never grow tired of the dramatic scenery, or the volatile Atlantic Ocean that is home to many wonderful species of  dolphin and whales. Each day I learn something knew about these islands and if I want to find out more, I research the facts via the Internet.

    However, Christopher Columbus didn't have that luxury he was continually making a voyage into the unknown and without explorers like him, maybe I would have never found my way here

Burns, The Man was a Man for A' That

Burns Monu,ment

In a dream on Halloween

He addressed the Deil (Devil)

He wrote bawdy prose

Romantic songs, messages heart-felt

And love likened to a red, red rose

The words in Tam O'Shanter 

said at speed

Imitate Meg, his trusty mayer's canter

Nothing in nature escaped his attention

Not a mouse, or the intrusive louse

A tale he could tell

His first he claimed was to the handsome Nell

The world said goodbye to him 

Two hundred and twenty-years past

But the name, Robert Burns forever will last

Star Man

    David Bowie's personal art collection is up for sale at Southeby's in November. Four hundred items from this private assemblage will be exhibited in London, Los Angeles, New York and Hong Kong prior to this.

    It's exhibitions like this that give us an insight into what inspired this talented man and others like him. Listening to Bowie's music without a doubt will have stimulated many writers and painters, and will continue to do so in the years to come.

    The true genius and the value of many truly great artists is not recognised until they pass away. Not so with Bowie, he had the recognition he deserved in his life-time. In the works he collected, there are many unknown artists, however this treasure trove is likely to help the artists that excited him gain the appreciation they merit.

Handbags and Gladrags

Looking down towards High Street, Dunfermline

    I've had the crazy idea over the last couple of weeks that I would like an umbrella stand for the hallway of my home. Its probably because we've had so much rain recently that it has stayed in the forefront of my mind and on Saturday I decided I would go looking for one.

    I want something that is shabby chic, therefore I thought the best thing to do was hit the second-hand stores.

Pittencrieff Park, Dunfermline

    As the rain had ceased for a few hours and the temperature was hovering at the dizzy height of 16 degrees Celsius, I decided to go to the town of Dunfermline. There, I could combine shopping with a walk in the beautiful, Pittencrieff Park.

    After visiting four, or five stores I gave up on my search. The stores were mostly disappointingly filled with handbags and gladrags, however I did enjoy my stroll through the historical town and park.

The search goes on!

18th Century Doocot, Pittencrieff Park

Drawing on Life's Experiences

 

 
    When authors write fiction they immerse themselves in an imaginary world. Places, people, situations come to fruition in their mind and hopefully then come alive on the final written page, being shared with the reader.

    People know that authors at some time, or another may draw on their own life's experiences and the live's of others to use in their work.

    I've been asked if it's any different when writing fantasy and 'no' it's no different. I have and will I'm sure, use again true-life situations in the at times humorous, fantastical world of angels and demons my books take place in.

    For example, many years ago I visited a client in a block of apartments, his home was on the top floor, level fourteen. Having been warned by a colleague that I was to expect the unexpected on level thirteen, I held my breath as the elevator came to a halt on the said floor.

    As the doors slowly opened a large snarling Doberman dog lunged forward, only being stopped short of me by the tight rope that was tied around his neck. The poor animal was regularly placed there by a couple of kids who found the reaction of the lift's passengers more than a little amusing.

    The next small extract from 'Chapter 30' of my first book 'Salvation No Kissing Required' is my fantastical interpretation of that night.

    'Ting, the elevator doors open, we both jump in and I press number three on the panel. The doors seem to shut so slowly, we start to move chung, chung, chung, ting, we're here. The doors start to slide open, we prime ourselves for our next dash.

    "Wah-wee, whoa." That's me exclaiming my horror at what has just leapt towards the lift doors. The welcoming commitee comes in the shape of a huge version of Beelze. This guy must be his pop. His gaping mouth fills the entrance, wow, it's a cavern. If I had known I was going to be faced with this, I'd have brought a miner's lamp.

    I'm now gawping at teeth which resemble huge sabers, and a large red coiling tongue that's sloshing about. Yuck. I thank God for small mercies, because Papa B's head is too big to get into the cabin. But the big wiggly thing that's moving in and out of his mouth could be a problem, without a doubt.'

Putting Their Foot In It

    In the past when politicians put their foot in it, either deliberately,or naively, the reporting media would turn a blind-eye if they favoured the individual.

    The video recording would have been erased at the appropriate point, the journalists would have rubbed the words from the page of their notebook's, the offensive words of the person would have never reached the eyes and ears of the public.

    However, now in the times of live broadcasting, mobile downloads, social media tools and instant messaging applications there is no place to run and no place to hide for the powers at be.

    Especially in the US and the UK where at present there are candidates jockeying for the position of the top job, right now.

   But, pausing for a moment before we Tweet, or post is something we all should do, if we care about others, because pigeon post is long gone.

    Writing a book is a little different though, authors do have the time to consider their words, grammar and punctuation. It's a necessity because sooner, or later when we are published, our words will be their for all to see just the same.

Time for editing I think!