gaelikaa's diary

It's Friday so it's time for another Loose Bloggers Consortium (LBC) post.  This week's topic, DAYDREAMING, is contributed by LBC  member THE OLD FOSSIL . From the comments I've been reading lately, through blog and emails, I've come to know that some of the members of the LBC group I've been blogging along with for several years now have problems with inspiration. Of course, life can get in the way and one has to 'fill the well' of inspiration at times. But at the risk of sounding like a complete spoilsport, I have to say that I don't think I ever really had that problem.  Is there something wrong with me? There must be.  But I can't help it.  Sorry. I'm a feature writer, a short story writer (yes, published in print on and the web and not just on free blogs either) and an aspiring author.  My main problem is not finding inspiration, but finding time and space to write all that inspiration down.  I find my inspiration when I daydrea

It's quite rare that I get the chance to review the work of an author I know, an actual friend and it has been a most unusual experience. Lucknow author Christina De Mello is a smart, cheerful lady with a ready smile and a clever sense of humour.  So when I came to know that she was having a work of fiction  published, I was naturally curious to know what type of content the book would have.  I never, in my wildest dreams, could have imagined that she would come up with a collection of horror stories.  "Paranormal stories, right?" was my immediate reaction.  She gave me one of her charming smiles.  "Horror stories," she replied.  No two ways about it.  I always imagine the authors of such dark, forbidding stories. would have an appearance to match, but as it has been said before, 'looks can be deceiving.'  That's certainly true in this case.  This is a collection which is quite encompassing.  Nine stories in one volume and let me tell you, they ch

Continuing to blog on the Massive Open Online Coure - my notes and impressions. THE FUTURE OF STORYTELLING - IVERSITY - PART 4 - INSPIRATIONAL WEEK LECTURERS:  Christina M. Schollerer MA, Julien Van Dieken, Director of the MOOC The Future of Storytelling WITH INPUTS FROM:  Robert Pratten, Prof. Dr. Jan Distelmeyer, Michael Straeubig, Mark Wachholz, Maria Grau Stenzel, Prof. Dr. Hans-Christoph Hobohm UNIT 1 - Introduction Units don't have to be 'done', just shared, enjoyed, discussed.  It's a type of tea break. UNIT 2 - Shared by Robert Pratten, Transmedia Storyteller. Recommends THE ANATOMY OF STORY by John Truby The Art of Game Design by Jesse Schnell, BUILDING IMAGINARY WORDS by Mark JP Wolf PERVASIVE GAMES by Markus Montola., CONTENT TO COMMERCE (marketing) by Avi Sarvar, STORY WARS by Jonah Sachs, SPREADABLE MEDIA by Harry Jenkins,  SHUFFLE by Raydel, LIFE AFTER LIFE by Kate Atkinson, INVENTING THE MEDIUM by Janet Murray. UNIT 3 - Shared by Prof.

This week's LBC Topic, provided by Shackman, was MY FAVOURITE BOOK (Bible Excluded). That makes it rather difficult for me, because the Bible is my favourite book.  I generally don't include the Bible, though, if I ever get asked to list my favourite books.  My usual answer is 'my favourite book is the one I'm reading at the moment.'  Because it's true!  I mean who could possibly have one favourite book when there are so many? However, it's November right now and for many writers, that means only one thing.   NANOWRIMO or National Novel Writing Month. It is based in the USA and should really be called International Novel Writing Month because people from USA to Ireland and India and back participate.  I wrote a novel a few years ago, THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS (unpublished)  and NaNoWriMo helped me get the first 57k words done.  In NANOWRIMO, one undertakes to write a 50k novel in a month.  My novel eventually finished at 82k. My last two NANO atte

Continuing to blog on the Massive Open Online Course, my notes and impressions.... THE FUTURE OF STORYTELLING - IVERSITY -  PART 2 - SERIAL STORYTELLING ON TV Lecturer:  Christina M. Schollerer MA With inputs from:   Des Doyle (Irish Filmmaker)  and Rebeccaa Ahlen, TV Serial Coordinator on German Television UNIT 1 - INTRODUCTION TO TV SERIES Serial Storytelling vs. One-Offs.  Serial storytelling on tv has reached new heights in audience reach and critical attentions.  We can learn a lot from tv series from how to tell stories through other media.  Weekly and daily dramas proliferate.  In serials, no beginning, middle and end formula, it goes on for a long time, never ending. Input from Des Doyle, stressing the one-off nature of novels and movies as opposed to the more extended reach of serials. Core question:  Unlike serial formats, many novels, films/movies or even a lot of video games consist of a clear beginning, a middle and an end.  To a certain extent, they can be

This week's topic, WHEN I WAS YOUNG, was contributed by the one and only Grannymar, a woman who takes life as it comes and teaches it a thing or two. There's an idea going around that growing old in India is great. Apparently, grey hair and wrinkles are revered over here.  Well, dream on.  It may be that getting old in a culture where the traditional respect for the elderly is still alive is wonderful, but from what I've seen, India is not that much different from anywhere else and as it is in the rest of the world, if you want to be part of the world you should keep your youth and beauty. Even if you live in India.   Sad, but true. Ageing is something that happens to everyone, but the truth is that lots of different factor accelerate the ageing process. Diet, pollution, exposure the the sun - I could go on and on.  I once met a woman once who was over forty, but looked twenty five.  She was a scientist colleague of my husband from a place called Gujarat. She was q

This week's Loose Bloggers' Consortium topic is ROAD RAGE and it was suggested by our intrepid blogger from Chennai, Padmini, who unfortunately for us, is taking a sabbatical from our group at present.  The LBC bloggers are all listed in my sidebar and if any visitor to this blog clicks on any of the links there, you'll probably see a post on the same topic as I've written on, ROAD RAGE.  If you feel brave enough, click on the links and check them out.... Road rage is that peculiar phenomenon where you go mad on the road because of heavy traffic.  At least I think it is.  Apparently, the phrase was coined as a lot of people experienced it and committed crimes when they were otherwise law abiding citizens. I learnt to drive years ago in Ireland.  That is to say, I took lessons.  I never took a driving test.  And since coming to India, I haven't yet sat behind a wheel. Is it a matter of confidence,or rather the lack of confidence?  Maybe. My kids hate the fact

This week's Loose Blogger Consortium post is entitled 'Into the Night', title suggested by Will Knott.  Appropriate for Hallowe'en, the season of ghosts, ghouls and things that go bump in the night... The thunder crashed and the lightning flashed, illuminating the inside of the deserted house in a ghastly parody of daylight.  In the flash of lightning, the tall, robed figure of a man could be seen standing in the open doorway.  He seemed at first to be hesitant to enter the now deserted dwelling. He strode inside, and the lightning revealed him to have aristocratic features, hooded eyes which quickly took in his surroundings and the fact that he was dressed in long robes and was in fact, hooded.  Who was he?  From where had he come? This was one of those houses where the front door brings you straight into the living quarters.  The lightning, when it flashed, revealed a large room with staircases leading off on either side and an exit at the back.  No doubt,