Travelling On

Karmacat

:hello:Hi CBC Thats exactly it about the bonfires - seeing it all disappear before your very eyes wonderful.

I'm glad the injections seem to be having an effect, thats great news. Slowly slowly catchee monkey or in my case, rabbit - I've been having instructions on when he'll allow himself to be stroked

1983/84 nuclear issues? I was very politically active at that time, but it was never about books it was all pamphlets and magazines. CND would do it, or if magazines, Spare Rib (guess who was a subscriber? , the British Newspaper Library would be good for that too).

Threads was absolutely **huge**. Pop onto youtube and search the word, you'll get dozens of hits. The last scene will live with me forever. The Day After was a much sanitised American version, but regarded (in the very left wing political circles I moved in) as all that the Americans could cope with

It was only a few years after the Falklands War, remember - which Argentina fought with weapons sold to them by France. That sounds like it *is* within your time frame? Check that out on youtube too

In September 1981, the Greenham Common Peace Camp started - it became absolutely huge. It was the first time, I think, that fairly middle class people became criminalised by their political protests. I didn't get a conviction from that, but from the withholding of tax as civil disobedience, I see its rebranded and still alive :j http://www.conscienceonline.org.uk/


The other thing was that the unions were still pretty strong - the miners' strike was still in the future, and the unions were listened to in a way that they aren't now. And they, as well as towns and cities, were declaring themselves Nuclear Free Zones (I was touting the unions in support of the little charity above).

I don't think people were frightened, as such - I think people were seeing right wingers coming to power who were prepared to go to war. But people were focussed on it, for sure. If they didn't *use* that focus on anti-war work, maybe they were fearful, which might have led to crazy stuff going on the way you might be thinking of as motivation And the right wingers thing has bad echoes for today

I know you didn't ask for an essay! I couldn't write a book myself on that time, but chipping in with my memories is a great little substitute while I write my own stuff :T

[Deleted User]

Karmacat wrote: »

I know you didn't ask for an essay! I couldn't write a book myself on that time, but chipping in with my memories is a great little substitute while I write my own stuff :T

I'm sure you could write a book on that time, KC, if you really wanted to:A but I know your other writing projects are more pressing at the moment. My own interest in those days has been piqued purely by researching background for my own novel which has a lot to do with the psychological make-up of the very ordinary person who murdered members of his family when he was consumed by forebodings and fears of nuclear war.


Thanks so much, KC, for your fascinating and helpful insights and the links and recommendations on where to look for further information. I knew you'd have some first-hand advice because of your personal involvement and political activity in those days. I'm ashamed to admit that political awareness came later in life for me. So many massive events in my earlier life just washed over me:o


I watched the Threads drama because it was filmed in and based on fictitious events in Sheffield, a city I know well and am still very fond of. Having been brought up in the Peak District Sheffield was our nearest metropolis and the University the source of so many educational and cultural activities in my Grammar School days. Days shopping in Sheffield was a special treat for us country girls:j. That film though had such a massive influence on me, I was shocked to the core as it depicted events that I'm ashamed to say I'd given so little attention to before I saw it:o.

[Deleted User]

I had to smile when you mentioned the rabbit having certain times when he'll allow himself to be stroked:rotfl:. I always imagined rabbits were pretty laid-back creatures. Now some cats on the other hand definitely make the rules of what they'll put up with and when;).

Karmacat

Glad it helps it would take me a long time to use my experiences as inspiration, rather than just write about the experiences themselves. Thinking about not hiding experiences - I might rejig my post-apocalyptic book so that the protagonist is a single female. I know lots of blokes and lots of families, but in an apoca-fic, there's going to be continual false notes.

My second Interrail trip (1979?) would be fine for writing about the experiences straightforwardly :rotfl:

I can really see the appeal of the book you're writing :eek:

Anyway, I've written emails! And sent them! And put the dishwasher on in the meantime!

:rotfl:
Right now, I think I need to get some garden waste in the relevant bins, plural.

[Deleted User]

Karmacat wrote: »

I can really see the appeal of the book you're writing :eek:

Thanks:T. I hope you mean it and aren't just being kind and encouraging. It was your addition of the:eek: that made me wonder;)


I might yet change the cause of his obsession though, it depends if I can immerse myself in it enough to feel I know what I'm talking about:rotfl:. I suppose any obsession would do so long as it drove him to kill his family because he feared how they'd cope with the terrible events that he was sure lay ahead. I don't want to make the book all doom and gloom though, I want it to be an enjoyable if scary read. I think I'm making it difficult for myself though:eek:

I'm also concerned about any legal and other issues that may arise from loosely basing it on real people and events. It will need a lot of tinkering just to use 'my' real story as the nucleus of the storyline.


There's so much to this writing lark:eek:. No wonder I'm still just dipping my toe in the water:rotfl:

Karmacat

Oh sweetie, of course I mean it! The blue scary face is for my stuff - I couldn't imagine transforming all that to become fiction, it's too vivid. Thats all, truly. That's a powerful lesson in only using emojis in lightweight situations, I'll take that onboard.

The appeal of a fiction book about somebody's fear of nuclear war that descended into murder and wrecked a whole family? It's definitely a book that would be read and remarked upon, its got several potential audiences too, which is a good thing.


The legal issues might be strongest about the "origins" thing, where the trauma originates that leads him down that path. Thats where you might need to do most work on making your story your own, exactly as you say.

There really is a lot to this writing lark! Enjoy it!

[Deleted User]

Karmacat wrote: »

There really is a lot to this writing lark! Enjoy it!

Thanks so much for your post, KC:T. You've no idea how much you help me, in all sorts of areas and on all kinds of levels:A


Your last comments made me smile. I've always loved writing, I was constantly writing something or other right from Primary school days. I loved nothing more as a child than being given a writing book and sharp new pencil. I still prefer to write in the old fashioned way with pen and paper. Stationery shops have always been a magnet for me, still are. I must have spent a small fortune over the years on lovely notebooks most of which are still pristine as they're somehow too nice or pretty to use:o. I might have a cull and sell some on eBay;)


Are you a pen and paper girl or are you more comfortable using a tablet or laptop?


I've just received an email from GRO in response to my query about Death Certificate ordering issues. I contacted them on August 28th and they've only just replied:eek:

beanielou

Another notebook & pen fanatic here

Karmacat

Morning! It's a laptop for me nowadays, all the way - before they came along, pen and paper, of course - but my revision note-taking when I was in college left me with a bad fingerjoint on my right hand, plus my shoulder nowadays. I'm a wreck so laptop is the lightest.

I've just had quite a wakeup call Trying to arrange to see this latest great nephew - the family aren't in London when I'm there, and they suggested calling in to see me at my home before meeting up with her parents at the local airport. But that would be literally within an hour of when I get back from the rabbitsitting gig i.e. no time to vacuum, dust (or get rid of the *other* mould, not the black stuff. Or the ant powder in my living room :o:o). I can't have them here

This has become a really unacceptable situation. So, I've decided, on days when I do an hour's gardening, the rest of my energy needs to be spent on cleaning, not on more gardening. It's all getting a bit desperate. Bit of a shock, really

beanielou

Why dont you have a company in to do a one off deep clean?
Then you just need to keep on top of it