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5 Reasons Every Writer Should Visit Berlin

February 27, 2018 By Rachel Stedman

Holocaust memorial, Berlin

I first visited Berlin in 1992. The Berlin Wall had come down in 1989, but large parts of it still remained. In ’92, there were plenty of other reminders of the Communist regime. (Side note: If you ever want to see an argument against Communism, visit a country just emerging from its grip.)

Back then, West Berlin felt cosmopolitan but soulless and East Berlin was drab and bleak. The city was full of road works, because the tram tracks in the East didn’t match those in the West. The apartment buildings and roads of East Berlin were in a sad state of disrepair and the place was full of soviet-style cars pouring exhaust fumes into the narrow streets.

Fast forward to 2017, when we returned.

It’s hard to understate the changes over those 25 years. Berlin is now a vibrant metropolis. It’s full of fascinating alleys and side streets, amazing restaurants, art galleries and best of all, the old East Berlin. The apartments that survived the War have been restored, and the place is clean and bright and exciting. And safe!

To my mind, every creative should visit Berlin once in his/her life. This is why:

  1. The Wall. Seeing the remains of the Berlin Wall and its profoundly tangible consequence on memory and culture is a stark reminder of why artificial barriers always fail. Sectioning one element of a community from another weakens the entire community – but we never learn, do we? Every generation, another leader comes along and says “these people/this religion/this political system is bad, and we must separate ourselves from it, lest it overwhelm us”. Yet, the truth is, of course, that humans are more resilient than we realise and mixing of ideas and communities strengthens us all. But still, we delude ourselves that ideas can be quarantined.
  2. Stumbling Stones (Stolperstein). The stolpersteine are cobblestone-sized plaques set into the sidewalks outside apartments in Berlin. They bear the name and life dates of victims of Nazi persecution. You can find them outside Berlin, too: many German cities have them, as do cities in the Netherlands, Austria and Italy. But Berlin seemed to have the most, especially in the old East Berlin, where many Jewish families lived. Its sad (and disconcerting) to daily step over those who once lived in the same building as you. Many people leave flowers and memorials. Why is this a good thing? Because its hard to forget the past once it wears a human face. And what is more human than a name?
  3. The gardens and parks. Berliners appreciate their public spaces. That’s because many were almost destroyed in the War; much of the urban landscape of Berlin is relatively recent. There’s nothing like nearly losing something to make you realise its importance. The Wall has left its mark, too – and the corridor marked by the Wall became a haven for wildlife. Some parts of Berlin are greener and more beautiful as a consequence of the Wall.
  4. Culture – according to Time Out, you can’t fling a currywurst without hitting an art gallery in Berlin. From traditional to contemporary to street art, Berlin is full of the galleries and sculpture. Plus, the architecture is amazing: from Prussian-establishment to Sovietstyle, the cityscape is extraordinarily diverse.
  5. What price art? Berlin is known for its reflective, regretful installations. The most moving is Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, a 19,000 sq metre site of grey concrete coffin-shaped stelae. It’s eerily reminiscent of a cemetery, as it slopes downward, so the stelae grow deeper and the space grows darker as you move through. However, for me the most thought-provoking place was the Kunsthaus Dahlem, former atelier of popular Third Reich sculptor, Arno Breker. This small-but-monumental space was commissioned by the Fuhrer, for Breker. After WW2, Breker maintained he had never been a supporter of the Nazis, merely an acceptor of their patronage. Now, looking back I wonder: was Breker’s art good, or bad?

Berlin’s vibe of restoration, regret and rebirth is a heady mix. It’s perfect for a writer, because in every tragedy there’s a possibility of redemption, and in every tragedy there’s a tale to be told. If you get a chance, do visit.

To end this rather reflective blog post, here’s a poem. I wrote it after watching a girl, dressed all in pink (including her hair), stepped into my subway car.


Violinist, Berlin

Princess in Pink – Berlin, 2017

A princess in pink rides the subway

Traveling the rails alone

Her hair and her nails and her clothes are all pink

And she carries a silver iPhone.

 

Her cheeks glitter softly, like star-dust.

She wears a silver-gilt crown

A violin case over one shoulder

A heart-stopping hint of a frown.

 

Above, the city is freezing

But down in the tunnels below

Where the princess is riding the subways

There’s never a hint of the snow.

 

She’s been inside these tunnels forever,

Just her and her silver gilt crown

She was here when the world was younger

Before tracks of iron were down.

 

If ever you meet the pink princess

Don’t stare. Never ask her to play –

 With one touch of her bow to the violin’s strings

That music will draw you away.

 

For she plays of a time long-forgotten

When stars could be seen in the sky

When the rivers and ocean were clean, clear and blue

Before buildings and people and lies.

 

Sometimes she sings to her music

In a voice made of starlight and pearls

And her words, inexplicably haunting,

Set heart, mind and soul in a whirl.

 

When the song ends the princess has vanished

Leaving you trapped on the train

But her memory stays with you forever –

Along with a silver iPhone.


Filed Under: Behind the Scenes, Fantasy Tagged With: A Writer's Life, Fantasy, Just for Fun, Travel

If you loved reading American Gods, here’s 6 books (plus TV) to try

February 22, 2018 By Rachel Stedman

Love American Gods? Here’s 6 Books (plus TV) To Try

American Gods by Neil Gaiman, was published in 2001, and quickly achieved cult status, winning the Hugo, Nebula, Locus Award and Bram Stoker Awards. For a fantasy writer, this is like winning the Grand Slam – actually, it’s harder!

American Gods was so popular that a remake was published in 2011 in an edition called ‘the author’s preferred text edition’. Kind of like a director’s cut version, perhaps?

There have also been audiobook editions, collector’s editions and most recently a TV production. So American Gods is one of those rarities among novels: it’s both good and popular!

Yet despite American Gods’ incredible pedigree, I only managed to read it last year. I couldn’t put it down, and so, to my husband’s irritation, I insisted on taking a book the size of a brick on holiday.

some books swallow you heart and soul

For those of you who haven’t read American Gods (and please, do read it), here’s a brief summary:

Summary of American Gods

Shadow, a small-time criminal, has just reached the end of his prison sentence. He’s about to be released when his wife, Laura, whom he loves dearly, is killed in a car crash, and his world collapses. There follows a job offer from the enigmatic Mr. Wednesday, an encounter with Mad Sweeney, and the semi-resurrection of Laura. Oh, and a cascade of gods, both ancient and modern: Egyptian, Russian, Norse, media, celebrity and technology.

American Gods is a bleakly humorous tale, sliding between fantasy, horror and social commentary, and the writing is Gaiman at his best; the tone changes effortlessly from dark to light and is both erudite and (when necessary) foolish. Gaiman is truly a master of the craft.

And when I reached the end, and let out a great sigh of regret, for reaching the end of a book you truly love is both satisfying and sad, I thought: you know, there’s something about this story that is terribly familiar.

And then I read the afterword.

So here’s 5 books that I’m almost positive Gaiman was influenced by when writing his masterpiece, and if he wasn’t, he should have been.

Influencing Novels

The Eight Days of Luke – by Diana Wynne Jones

In the afterword to American Gods, Gaiman reveals that Wynne Jones helped him with a plot issue. The Eight Days of Luke is a tale of Loki, the mischief-maker Norse god. Gaiman himself credits this as having an influence ‘like first cousins or something.’ However, I think there’s another of Wynne Jones’ books that’s also made its way into American Gods …

The Homeward Bounders – by Diana Wynne Jones

This is possibly the bleakest of Wynne Jones books, and its tone is similar to American Gods, in that although the ending is satisfying, it’s not happy. It’s happy-ish. The Homeward Bounders is the story of Jamie, an inquisitive London urchin who accidentally spies on Them, demonic creatures that war-game with worlds. Them throw him out onto the bounds, where, like the Wandering Jew and the Flying Dutchman, he’s doomed to travel ever onwards. Unless he can find Home, where he can return to play. Wandering the boundaries of the worlds, Jamie meets other bounders, and together, they learn they may be able to change the rules of play. Although this is a book for kids aged 9+, it’s a great read even for adults, and if you’re wanting to introduce your own kids to fantasy, The Homeward Bounders is a great place to start.

The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul – by Douglas Adams

This is the second in the Dirk Gently series. Written by the creator of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, the story follows the eccentric Dirk Gently, a holistic detective who believes that everything is interconnected – even a potato, a scythe-wielding monster, an explosion at Heathrow Airport, the contents of his fridge and Thor, God of Thunder. Unhappily for Gently, it turns out he’s absolutely right. This is a funny, funny read and like American Gods, considers what happens to gods when they have no more followers.

Small Gods – by Terry Pratchett

Pratchett and Gaiman collaborated to write the fantastic Good Omens, and Gaiman acknowledges Pratchett’s help out of a plot hole in American Gods, so I think it’s quite likely Small Gods (first published in 1992) made a contribution to American Gods. Plus, of course, there’s the titles! In Small Gods, the Great God Om unexpectedly manifests as a tortoise, and being a tortoise, has no godly powers. Worse still, only one boy, Brutha, can hear his voice, and Brutha does not believe he can be Om. Like many discworld adventures, Small Gods deals lightly with big topics: religion, freedom of belief and religious institutions.

Midnight’s Children – by Salman Rushdie

This stunning novel won the Booker Prize in 1981, and really marked the beginning of Rushdie’s pre-fatwa career. To be honest, inserting this novel into this list is a long stretch. However, I wanted to mention Rushdie because apart from Gaiman, I’ve not read any other writer with such facility for language. Rushdie is able to transform from starkly energetic horror to contemplative calm, and although his stories are bleak, they are cathartic. Unlike Gaiman, Rushdie isn’t seen as a fantasy writer, but Midnight’s Children is definitely a fantastical tale. (Personally, I don’t find Midnight’s Children as engaging as American Gods, but it’s still a worthwhile read.)

In Midnight’s Children, Saleem, a telepathic with an extraordinarily large nose, is born at midnight on the day of India’s independence with unique gifts, and believes he has unique responsibilities to the new-born state.

The Sandman – by Neil Gaiman

Full disclosure: I’ve not read this graphic novel series, but I’m really keen to. I’ll withhold my comments until that time, but just to note that Wikipedia indicates that many side characters in American Gods, such as Bast, were first born in The Sandman.

fairytale book

Post Script: Television Shows

If you’re keen on stories about Norse Gods living in modern times, try The Almighty Johnsons. In The Almighty Johnsons, the Norse pantheon have relocated to New Zealand, but don’t have their full powers, so Axl, a student (and also a reincarnation of Odin), needs to find his mate, Frigg. But unfortunately, Frigg doesn’t want to be found.

This TV show was written after American Gods, so probably owes something to Gaiman, but the tone is quite different; The Almighty Johnsons contains a whole lot more sex, and is a great deal funnier. It’s less fantastical in tone, too, but has been picked up by Syfy for release in the US.

Filed Under: Book Review, Books, Fantasy Tagged With: Book Review, Fantasy, Reading, Teen Reads

Love Stranger Things? Here’s some books you’ll love

November 7, 2017 By Rachel Stedman

Did you binge-watch Stranger Things 1 &2? Were you bereft when the series ended?

Don’t be sad! Instead – Read a Book 🙂

If you enjoyed Stranger Things – here’s 5 books to try.

All these stories have things similar to the TV series: they’ve got kids as protagonists, they’re set in a twisted version of the real world, and there are hidden entrances to and from a hidden, unseen dimension. And they all have a noir, gothic vibe.

The Night Circus – Erin Morgenstern

This wonderful story is about two adversaries, doomed to fight a deathly battle. Their battleground? A circus. But not your average circus: no – this is The Night Circus, a place of mystery, illusion and magic.

The Night Circus

The Ogre Downstairs – Diana Wynne Jones

Casper and Johnny call their new stepfather ‘the ogre.’ Until he gives them a chemistry set. And things begin to change… Like, they discover flying … The Ogre Downstairs is suitable for ages 9+ and it’s a great read-aloud story.

The Ogre Downstairs

Carrie – Stephen King

Definitely not suitable for bed-time reading, this is Stephen King’s first published novel. Carrie is a girl with strange abilities, a religious zealot mother and a dysfunctional high-school. Unlike Stranger Things, Carrie doesn’t contain portals – but there’s definitely a darkness to this story. I would bet it was an influence on Stranger Things.

 

Harry Potter – J.K. Rowling

Everyone knows about this book! The reason I’ve put it in this list? It’s because the film-makers actually talked about the importance of having a ‘Voldemort’ figure in the sequel. I’m sure they unconsciously (or consciously) drew themes from the Potter world. There’s no magic in Stranger Things, but there’s kids and portals and the powers of darkness, so there are definite similarities.

 

The Call of Cthulhu – H. P. Lovecraft

True disclosure: I’ve not read Cthulhu. But it is so important to the horror genre, and especially to D&D players, I had to add it. Besides, the Duffer brothers referenced it also, when talking about how they developed their antagonist.

Cthulhu was published in 1928, and documents the “Great Old Ones,” mysterious creatures that kind of look like people with octopus heads. The Cthulhu once ruled Earth, and by the end of the story they may again… Lovecraft’s influence on fantasy horror is huge, and the concept of the Cthulhu has been used over and over again, in a variety of literature.

Cthulhu

 

Filed Under: Book Review, Books, Fantasy Tagged With: Book Review

6 Things You Didn’t Know About My Books

September 19, 2017 By Rachel Stedman

Six Things You Didn’t Know About The SoulNecklace Stories

I’ve been asked these questions about The SoulNecklace Stories:

  • Why do you have Christmas in your worlds?
  • Pockets weren’t invented until the 1700s. Why do your character’s clothes have pockets?
  • How come you don’t have guns but you have fireworks?

 

Great questions! Here’s why:

1. The books of the SoulNecklace Stories (A Necklace of Souls, A Skillful Warrior and A Memory of Fire) are set in a parallel world to ours. The world has similarities, but also a great many differences.  For example, in the world of The SoulNecklace Stories, much of the technology we have, like cars and guns, were never invented. Coal-fired steam boilers are present, and so is hot water. Fashion, though, is similar to that of the 1800s, and hence long skirts, jerkins and … pockets.

2. The events in these stories take place at roughly the same date and time as the present day in our world.

3. In The SoulNecklace Stories some characters have the ability to move between worlds. N’tombe, an enchantress, is one such person. N’tombe actually comes from The Central African Republic (CAR) in our world, where they do have guns. (Actually, she refers to them briefly in A Skillful Warrior.)

4. When writing a fantasy, it’s important to have rules that contain the world-building. Here are my rules for the history of The SoulNecklace Story world:

• Rule One: Worlds split off from other worlds when something significant happens. That is: an event with two possible outcomes occurs – AND each outcome will create a significantly altered future. The separation is called ‘a divergence’. (This rule was created long before the Divergent series!)

• Rule Two: Things in place prior to the divergence event are unchanged. It’s only the future that is altered.

• Rule Three: The reason for the divergence in The SoulNecklace Stories was a comet striking Earth. The comet carried a passenger (or perhaps, the comet is the passenger). This happened on or about AD 75.

5. So, the history of The SoulNecklace Stories is the same as our world up until about AD 75. This means that in The SoulNecklace Stories the Roman Empire existed and, because Jesus was born before the comet strike, Christianity arose (and so did Christ’s Mass, or Christmas). But the Renaissance never happened and in The SoulNecklace Stories, the Chinese Empire is the dominant power. And so we have fireworks, used for celebrations and religious festivals, but not guns.

6. This means that, as you read The SoulNecklace Stories, you may find things that are the same as our world, but you’ll also find things that are different.

SoulNecklace Stories (Box Set)

I hope this clarifies the point for readers who noted apparent errors in fashion, holidays and religious festivals. Well spotted, but No.

Filed Under: A Necklace of Souls, A Skillful Warrior, Behind the Scenes, Fantasy, SoulNecklace Stories Tagged With: About my Books

5 Books to Read if You Love Doctor Who and Sherlock

March 10, 2017 By Rachel Stedman

books like doctor who

Love Doctor Who and Sherlock?

If you’re a fan of Sherlock and Doctor Who, here’s a series I can almost guarantee you’ll love! This is the Rivers of London (Peter Grant) series, written by Ben Aaronovitch.

Ben Aaronovitch Peter Grant Series

The books are set in London, and follow the adventures of biracial Peter Grant, the first wizard to be discovered in the police force in fifty years. Peter finds himself averting various magical disasters and along the way has a relationship with a river, a dog and a faceless villain. And no, it’s not like Harry Potter. Well, it is a bit…

Once you’re hooked, there are FIVE books to discover. And it’s not one of those series that has a couple of not-so-good stories. All these books are great. And, as a bonus, there’s another, called The Furthest Station, coming out this year.

Why is it like Doctor Who?

Well, for a start Aaronovitch was a writer for Doctor Who! So of course he really knows how to capture the London voice. There’s this deeply ironic, subversive, gallows-humour that pervades the series. And of course, the city itself makes a fantastic setting; there’s the underground, the history and – did I mention the rivers?

Blurb:

“Probationary Constable Peter Grant dreams of being a detective in London’s Metropolitan Police. Too bad his superior plans to assign him to the Case Progression Unit, where the biggest threat he’ll face is a paper cut. But Peter’s prospects change in the aftermath of a puzzling murder, when he gains exclusive information from an eyewitness who happens to be a ghost.”

Best Quote:

“My name is Peter Grant and I am a member of that mighty army for justice known to all right thinking people as the Metropolitan Police and as ‘the filth’ by everyone else.”

Where can I find?

Here’s links to the Amazon listings for these books:

Rivers of London (published in the US as Midnight Riot)

Moon Over Soho

Whispers Under Ground

Broken Homes

Foxglove Summer

The Hanging Tree

Extras

There’s a  heap of additional material: comic books, novellas, short stories. If, like me, you’re a bit confused about what fits where, check out Aaronovitch’s website.

Hope you enjoy!

Filed Under: Book Review, Fantasy, Reading Tagged With: Book Review, Fantasy, Teen Reads

Book Review: 4 Books I Wish I’d Written

September 18, 2016 By Rachel Stedman

Anyone who’s read A Necklace of Souls will know I love writing (and reading) about Girls With Swords.

Book Review

I have NO idea where this came from. As a child, no-one put a blade in my hand and whispered: “Go! Fight!” But somehow, I love stories about women who fight.

When I was growing up, back in the dark ages of black and white television and dinosaurs, it was hard to find stories about fighting females. They were a rarity, a throwback to B-grade sixties movies.

But  recently there’s been a plethora of stories of girls who not only fight, but who win.

I’ve put a short review of my top four of these books in this post, in ascending order.

Each of these books are really well written, fast-paced, with great characters. Each one leaves me desperately envious. Why? Because I wish I’d written them.

Ah well, never mind. I have my own tales to tell.

Book Review

4. Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas

Books - Throne of Glass

 

Throne of Glass starts with a bang. Celaena Sardothien, erstwhile Royal Assassin, is serving a sentence in the salt mines, when she’s offered a choice. Fight as champion for the Crown Prince, or return to prison. The reader plunges straight into the story, and there’s no going back. Throne of Glass is the first in a series, and while its sequels, Crown of Midnight and Heir of Fire (and more recently, Empire of Storms), are exciting and fun and keep you up at night, Throne of Glass is my favourite.

Just a warning: if you like strong male leads as well as female, and you’re not keen on instalove or love triangles, you may not like Throne of Glass. But what the hey, the fight scenes are excellent!

Maas has written another series, Court of Throne and Roses, a Beauty and the Beast retelling . I’ve not read this yet, but its definitely on the TBR list!

3. The Raven Boys by Maggie Stievfater

Unknown-1

The Raven Boys, first in the four-part series of The Raven Cycle, is a fabulous read. Although it isn’t really a Girls-with-Sword adventure,  I’ve included it here because a) I love the characters and b) I wish I’d written it.

The Raven Cycle tells the story of three boys and their friend, Blue, daughter of a clairvoyant. The boys are on a quest for a dead Welsh king and Blue is on a quest to stop one of them becoming dead. The problem is, she knows she’s going to fail.

The characters in this story simply leap from the pages, especially Blue’s mad clairvoyant family, and there’s a healthy mix of mysticism, magic and street racing. There’s a bit of romance, too, but it’s not overwhelming and never gets in the way of the story. This is a story that boys will enjoy just as much as girls.

2. A Gathering of Shadows by VE Schwab

51Ll86PmwFL._SX332_BO1,204,203,200_

I’ve just finished this book, and I’m still reeling. First, because I read the series in the wrong frigging order. If you’re going to read this series, people, and I highly, highly recommend it, START AT THE BEGINNING.

The first in this series is called A Darker Shade of Magic. I can’t talk about it, because I haven’t read it yet, but I can talk about its sequel, A Gathering of Shadows.

A Gathering of Shadows is about a thief named Delilah Bard, a wizard named Kell and three different Londons: Red, Grey and White. And a contest. It’s a fun, fun read, contains fantastic world-building, and deals with difficult concepts, including home, and freedom and how do we know we’re alive. This book (this series) will be loved by both males and females, which I think makes it quite unique in these days of very polarising YA reads. And, as an extra bonus, there is NO love triangle. Amazing!

1. Graceling by Kristin Cashore

51vE64szi-L._SX332_BO1,204,203,200_

Published in 2009, Graceling quickly became a sensation. I can see why; the story is about Katsa, a girl Graced in fighting. She’s smart but forever separate, not only because she’s use by the king as his private army, but because she has a deformity: her eyes are different colour.

All Graced have different coloured eyes, and they’re all feared because of it. Katsa, though, is feared more than most, until one day she meets a young man with different coloured eyes. Graceling is about survival and self-knowledge and courage. It’s won multiple awards and is one of my favourite books. One of its strengths is that it’s a stand-alone story. There are others in the same world (Fire and Bitterblue) but to my mind they lack the strength and the lyricism of Graceling.


Finally, as a small digression: Kell, in A Gathering of Shadows, has eyes of two colours. That’s how you know he’s Antari, a magician. Katsa, being Graced, has different coloured eyes. Clearly, there is something to be said for having eyes of  different colours.

A strange, and probably unrelated fact: My eyes are different colours. One is blue, and one is grey.  I am not, as yet, a magician. Still, I live in hope.

 

Filed Under: A Necklace of Souls, Book Review, Fantasy Tagged With: Book Review, Fantasy, Teen Reads

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