The Shoot - Reviews

Here are a links to a couple of reviews of ‘The Shoot’:

By Gianna Bruno. (This was a preview, to be picky!)

By Seriously Reviewed, who gave the book a very pleasing seventeen out of twenty!

In Praise of the Shorter Form

No, this isn’t a piece about my wife who is five foot zero and wonderful!

I’ve always enjoyed writing and reading novels, with the opportunities for sub-plots and characterisation that their length allows.  I’m not so keen on short stories, but I do appreciate the skill in writing something short and sharp that sticks in the reader’s mind.

I’ve always thought of novellas as a compromise between shorts and novels, and like a lot of compromises they often bring out the weaknesses of both rather than the strengths of either.  But I’m beginning to come around to the idea of novellas.  So, what’s changed my mind?

Well, having ‘The Shoot’ published has helped, although as this started off as a part of ‘The Wood’ that got separated I still tend to think of it in the context of being part of Wood than a stand-alone piece.

It’s being part of the Eternal Press family, though, that has really got me reading.  EP published a lot of novellas, and of course I’ve had the chance to taste several pretty good ones.  Seeing some of the techniques used by other writers has been more helpful than reading any number of ‘how to’ guides, and I’ve learned that it is possible to get everything in a novella that you see in a novel; it just has to be done differently.

While anyone wanting to see how to do a novella well could probably pick up an EP release at random, two of their books show off aspects of the shorter form perfectly.

Gianna Bruno’s ‘Hot Chocolate Kiss’ is a masterpiece of characterisation.  Keela Branford is a great character anyway: likeable, and both ordinary and extraordinary at the same time.  I was really impressed with the way Gianna managed to achieve such a well-rounded heroine in only ten thousand words – many full length novels struggle to deepen a character this well.

‘Frenzy’ is the other EP release I’ll recommend.  This is a gritty story about eight men who find themselves stranded on a lifeboat in shark-infested seas.  Carole Johnstone has put together a cast of complex characters and the story is about the people themselves as much as their predicament.  Carole weaves both strands together seamlessly in only 28,000 words, but doesn’t leave any loose ends – all this without making the work seem rushed.

So, after reading other Eternal Press authors, I’ve changed my mind about novellas, and maybe I’ll have another one published one day.

The Horror of Modern Horror Writing

I read somewhere, once, that as technology moves us forward, it becomes more and more difficult to write horror set in the modern day. 

The introduction of the internet, mobile telephones and the like does tend to complicate things, as I’ve found out in a couple of recent works.  It’s certainly harder to get a character on their own, out of communications with the rest of humanity, when all they have to do is pick up a mobile telephone. 

And what about that top secret installation, miles from anywhere, where horrific experiments have been going on for years?  Or the clearing in the remote forest, where carnivorous beasts previously unknown to nature, live?  Google Earth will have spotted the installation, or the remote caves, within seconds!

Thus, the modern horror writer faces dilemmas that wouldn’t have been thought about, perhaps even ten years ago.  Andraste’s Blade was published in 2005, and even that recently I don’t think it raised any eyebrows that most of my main (modern day) characters didn’t carry telephones.

So, what to do?  Well, an obvious answer is to set a story in the past.  As anyone who knows my work will know, a lot of my writing is based around Celtic myth and set around the time of the legends.  No difficulty there, then (except the problem of getting the period right).

A second answer is to set the story somewhere remote.  Again, that’s something I tend to do anyway.  In remote places, telephone reception is often non-existent, so the problem of communication is lessened.  However, as communication networks improve, I’d expect even this to become a difficulty over the next few years.  It doesn’t take away the problem of aerial photography, though, but that isn’t something I’ve had to address up to now.

So, what about modern urban horror?  What’s to stop our hero or heroine simply ‘phoning for help?  We have to stop them doing that, don’t we?  We need out characters out there facing the horror on their own, so we have to get rid of that mobile.  Having them lose it, and then maybe looking for it, can add an interesting plot twist and a couple of challenging chapters.  Or it can be a pain.  I’ve read one novel (and I can’t remember which one) where trying to find the lost telephone was integral to the story.

So, whatever plot the writer comes up with, modern communications technology needs to be written into it.

I’m Back!

Not that I’ve been away, but I haven’t posted for a while. So, here’s an update on what I’m doing.

I had a potentially catastrophic PC crash a few weeks ago, caused by a power surge immediately before a power cut. Fortunately I back up regularly, so I didn’t lose much data, although it’s been an ongoing job to get my desktop and links and the like as I used to have them.. However, I did need to buy a new hard drive (upgrade!). I also took the opportunity to switch to Windows 7.

Writing-wise it’s been a bit quiet. ‘The Well,’ a novella about a young woman who wakes up in a…well, is with a publisher who expressed an interest after seeing an outline and a sample chapter.

‘The Doe and the Dragon’, a historical fantasy set around early Welsh legends, will be sent out to publishers soon. Anyone who knows me well will know that for my history/archaeology degree I concentrated on post-Roman Wales which has always been one of my passions (along with Aldershot Town Football Club and horror fiction). I’ve always wanted to write something based on the period, but wanted to wait until I could think of a plot that was both original and did the period justice, and I like to think I’ve managed it here. I also tried to avoid Arthurian clichés, and again I hope I succeeded. The main difficulty was that I don’t know the fantasy genre too well. I couldn’t resist putting some horror elements in, but it is primarily a fantasy work and I hope I didn’t get any important fantasy elements wrong.

Guest Blogging

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Hot Chocolate Kiss: Character Interview

On Thursday, January 7, Gianna Bruno’s short story "Hot Chocolate Kiss" was released by Eternal Press.

Extreme weather, three witches, two skiers fighting their own demons--and each other…who wins?

The ‘star’ of the story is Keela Branford. Keela’s passion for extreme winter sports, fueled by anger at a cheating soon to be ex-husband, drives her to brave sub-zero wind chills and break a lot of rules--including the one to never ski alone.

Gianna granted me a few minutes of Keela’s time for a short interview between adventures.

You are one of the joys of ‘Hot Chocolate Kiss’, and I’m sure the reader will share your pains and take pleasure in your joys. Tell me about yourself.

Wow, it's nice that someone thinks I'm a joy. I teach high school so my students don't always love me. My ex and kids haven't been treating me too nice lately--they blame me for everything. It's hard not to be bitter, but that's really not my nature. Thanks for the compliment.

You’re going on a bit of an adventure, particularly venturing out skiing alone. What drives you out into the wilds?

We New Englanders-- and folks from New Hampshire in particular where the state motto is "Live Free or Die"-- pride oursevles on self-sufficiency. We also love the outdoors and the natural beauty and majesty of the mountains. They can be as treacherous as much higher peaks in the Western United States and Europe, though.

Physical activity in the natural environment always makes me feel better since it challenges me to push on, to survive.

You’re obviously attracted to Rick. What is it that draws you to him?

I miss being a part of a couple: the coziness of cuddling on cold winter nights or skinny dipping in a pristine mountain lake after a strenous hike on a hot summer day. I don't want to get my hopes up too high that Rick and I will stay together, but for now I'm savoring his attentions. He seems like the perfect balance of outdoorsman to gentleman for me right now.


Hot Chocolate Kiss’s web site at Eternal Press is here: http://www.eternalpress.ca/hotchocolatekiss.html


Readers can connect with Gianna at:

http://giannabruno.com/
http://giannabruno.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/Gianna_Bruno
gianna_bruno@yahoogroups.com

Subscribe to Gianna's webpage forums for character blogs – including Keela’s: http://pub42.bravenet.com/forum/3559210654/

Hot Chocolate Kiss Author Interview: Gianna Bruno

I’ve invited Gianna Bruno here to talk about Hot Chocolate Kiss, which will be released by Eternal Press on 7th January. Gianna has written non-fiction for a long while, but this is her first stand-alone fiction piece. Readers will delight at Keela’s character, who manages both a charming woman-next-door ordinariness with that certain indefinable ‘something’ that raises her well above the mundane.

First off, thanks for having me, Andrew. It always makes me happy when readers identify with my characters since it shows I've succeeded.

‘Hot Chocolate Kiss’ is your first published piece of fiction, so it’s possible that the name ‘Gianna Bruno’ is going to be new to a few people. Tell us a bit about yourself.

Yes, Gianna is new on the writing scene but her alter ego does freelance work, journalism, and feminist nonfiction. I also write urban fantasy, paranormal romance, and magical realist fiction. Somehow, I found myself venturing into erotic fiction--most of it in the speculative genres-- even though I do come back to reality from time to time.

I know you run a busy life, with a family, a job, and several outside passions. You also spend a lot of time helping fellow writers. How do you fit in time to be creative – do you put aside time or just write when you can?

My life is wild. I have three kids whose foibles and activities keep me running. Plus a big hound dog and a very mean cat who doesn't like the dog--or men. Lots of mess and confusion all the time. But due to the chaos that is New York City, I'm used to doing several things at once and blocking out extraneous noise and stimulation. Riding the subways gives you a finely honed sense of who and what you need to pay attention to and what it is best ignored.

I do volunteer work with women in crisis so I thank the gods everyday for my crazy but happy-go-lucky life, my wonderful, patient and loving husband, and fairly well-adjusted kids. Yoga and ballet keep my physically active (important for writers who sit around and munch a lot). Dance classes keep me quick and sharp, and the music-mostly classical-stimulates the creative and artistic processes. Yoga relaxes and centers me. Two to three hours blocked out of my day three times a week pays me back two-fold with increased productivity and creativity.

Where do I find the time? Well, any writer knows that when you have to write -you do. I get up at 5:30 most mornings for a couple hours of quiet time. I'm most efficient then--fueled course by very strong coffee and carbs (bagels and thick old fashioned oatmeal are my staples) and use the time to organize what must get done that day.

I squeeze in reading/writing during down time, including on the subway and while waiting for the kids at music and dance lessons. I try to do some writing after supper and before I fall into bed about 10 p.m. to read a few pages of published fiction or nonfiction so I know what the current trends are.

And of course, deadlines are a writer's best friend. I pride myself on keeping all my promises to editors, submitting at least one piece of fiction or nonfiction per week, and pitching stories and proposals on a regular basis.

So many editors and other writers have helped me over the years. I am committed to "paying it forward." If they hadn't extended their support and advice, I wouldn't be so successful. This is a tough business.

You’ve said that some people thought you were the inspiration for Keela’s character. Can you confirm or deny!?

Those that know me "see" a lot of my personality in Keela. But Keela is fictional-I'm happily married and not searching for amorous adventures in the wild. Hell, I'm just looking for a few hours of peace and quiet--and sleep.

‘Hot Chocolate Kiss’ has a background of skiing. You write about it with a confidence that has me guessing you know the skiing scene well. What sort of things provide inspiration for your writing?

I lived in Vermont for a while. Thanks to my husband, I spend a lot of time on New England adventures like back country skiing and hiking. The forces of nature are awe inspiring and surreal at times. I've been at the summit of Mount Washington with fog so thick I couldn't see my hand in front of my face, crawling my way from cairn to cairn to avoid getting lost and dying of exposure (in May). I've skied with wind chills well below zero, when brain freeze and hypothermia make you deaf and disoriented.

Even less intense moments: walking through a quiet forest or sitting on the beach on a gorgeous summer day fills me with the sense of a spiritual presence. Those are the moments I imagine the fairies and witches nestled amidst the pines. There are a lot of magical creatures hiding behind rocks on the Atlantic coast. Aliens prefer to make their appearances on the New York City subway, though.

Do you have any other plans for Keela and Rick? Are we likely to come across them again?

Oh, it's very likely they will take a backcountry hike next spring, and Keela wants to try surfing. Being lost in the woods during Samhain might be in their future.

For the immediate future, what are your hopes for Hot Chocolate Kiss?

I hope that readers will understand the deep metaphors in HCK. It's about survival and winning a spiritual as well as physical battle. It's about the wisdom people develop as they get older, and the lessons they learn. It's about staying vibrant, fit, and sexy even though life has other plans.

And in the longer term, for your writing future?

I'm very excited about an historical/paranormal/erotic novella I just finished which is under consideration someplace. Talk about cross genre! I have no idea where that came from, but my beta readers were thrilled with the story.

I'm also working on a humorous mainstream story about a couple in the suburbs trying to "reinvent" their relationship. The working title is At Home With Peter and Sandra and it's got some ménage, BDSM, and M/M scenes.

Here’s a random but not particularly original one to end up with. You’re stranded on a desert island but can take one of each: novel, CD, DVD and luxury. What would you pack?

The CD would be The Nutcracker Suite by Tchaikovsky. That music evokes so much magic, especially the Waltz of the Flowers and the Grande Pas de Deux. The DVD would be "A Room With a View" by Merchant Ivory Productions, which is one of the most romantic, sumptuous films I have ever seen. I'm Italian so the backdrop of Florence makes it even better.

The luxury would be a Jacuzzi. Some desert island, huh? Running water, electricity.

Favorite novel: that's tough. My favorite classic is Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is a close second. I think that was my favorite of JK Rowling's series.

And can we reach you on January 7 - launch day?

In addition to hanging around on the Eternal Press Readers Group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EternalPressReaders/ every day to answer readers' questions, I'll be the guest at a live chat on the Eternal Press website http://eternalpress.ca/ on January 7. Please join me for a trivia contest about New England and skiing, and a chance to win a PDF of Hot Chocolate Kiss. I'll announce the time on Twitter and on my group.


Hot Chocolate Kiss’s web site at Eternal Press is here: http://www.eternalpress.ca/hotchocolatekiss.html


Readers can connect with me at:

http://giannabruno.com/
http://giannabruno.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/Gianna_Bruno
gianna_bruno@yahoogroups.com

They can also subscribe to my webpage forums for Rick and Keela’s upcoming character blogs: http://pub42.bravenet.com/forum/3559210654/