Monthly Archives: August 2014

The Snowflake Method

10 Sunday Aug 2014

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I have come to the conclusion that my natural writing style is the snowflake method.

I posted the first two chapters of my Roman story on the blog over the last month or so, but they now have changed (not beyond recognition!!) since I went back over them, adding characters and changing the dynamics somewhat.

It seems I’m perpetually working on the first few chapters as they increase in size due to added layers and plot expansions. It makes the story better, of that there is no doubt, but sometimes I despair of ever finishing as my endless tweaking and tinkering keeps me in thrall.

I think I’ll have to just accept that this is how I write my best stuff. Be patient with myself and let the story expand and breathe and I will eventually get to the end and have a far better work of fiction than if I had ignored my natural bent and ploughed ahead just to get finished.

Oh well, back I go to first century Hibernia as Sadbh and Marcus battle it out!

 

 

 

Artist’s Exemption from tax in Ireland

05 Tuesday Aug 2014

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Well.

I’m surprised I can tell you.

I applied last week for the Artist’s Exemption from taxation. More information on the scheme here. Basically, if you have written a book, a piece of music, hewn a sculpture or painted a picture, you’re entitled to a tax break on the first €40,000 you earn from it.

Of course, I’m nowhere near earning that with Faerie Apocalypse. That little baby brings in enough to cover about two of Lidl’s cheapo coffee pods per month.

I e-mailed the revenue commissioners providing a link to the book, screen shots of my KDP Reports dashboard and a PDF copy of the book. I had to post them a hard copy of the claim form.

And today in the post, I got my tax exemption certificate giving me tax free status on any profits (under €40k) I make on this or other works of fiction. Simples!

Excerpt from short fiction – Heart of the Banshee

03 Sunday Aug 2014

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Here’s a short piece of fiction I’ve been working on, the premise of which is: What if a banshee is unintentionally seen by someone destined to live a long life? Tradition says that if you see one, it means you’ll die soon, so what if you see one by accident and assume the worst? Maybe you’ll make different choices once you know your days are numbered….

 

Fintan moved quickly through the forest, habit keeping his footfalls light and silent despite his boiling frustration. A noisy hunter seldom returned with a kill and Fintan was the best hunter in the clan. He wasn’t surprised when his feet delivered him to the shady glade deep in the forest’s interior. Here, all was peace and beauty, where a man could ease his mind and find sanctuary from the world’s demands. And Fintan was in sore need of a quiet place to think.

A narrow stream trickled in a steady flow near the edge of the glade and Fintan knelt to drink from it. The cold water sprang from deep within the earth and was easily the most refreshing water in the kingdom. Priests came to collect it to use in church as holy water, some said the stream was likewise favoured by those who held to the old faith. But today Fintan was blessedly alone, free to drink his fill in peace.

His mother’s words still burned in his brain.

‘You will marry the daughter of Bran Ui Choilean,’ she had said, ‘the match is agreed whether ye like it or not.’

Fintan had met his intended bride the previous summer. She was a slip of a girl, of an age with him but appearing much younger than her years. God knows, he’d tried to like her but it was hard, even for a character as affable as his. Nothing pleased her. Nothing displeased her. Nothing seemed to make any impression on her whatsoever.

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