Well now – Look at that. Lovely Leila has chosen an old thing of mine for a Rerun. thank you. This is what she said.:
This piece is a marvel of construction, for within such a short space much happens yet there’s still a great amount of description and back story. The opening is straight ahead, yet it quietly foreshadows what’s to come.
Q: Did you experience any trepidation caused by the choice to stay with your lovely description at the opening? I ask because too many new publications want Action! Now! They do not appreciate subtlety.
Q: The introduction of the man on the beach was deftly accomplished. You didn’t overdo it, you didn’t give it inexplicable importance in MC’s mind—she was simply and naturally curious about him at first. You built the crux of the piece there, and it dovetailed nicely with Geoff’s “bad days” in his room. How much of the learned technique of a storyteller went into this?
Leila Allison
Responses:
Q: Did you experience any trepidation caused by the choice to stay with your lovely description at the opening? I ask because too many new publications want Action! Now! They do not appreciate subtlety.
I remember writing this and I was imagining the house I always wanted. I love the beach and the ocean and there are certain houses with shady, sandy gardens and old wooden gates that touch me. Once I had the house the rest of it just grew, the way that these things do.
Q: The introduction of the man on the beach was deftly accomplished. You didn’t overdo it, you didn’t give it inexplicable importance in MC’s mind—she was simply and naturally curious about him at first. You built the crux of the piece there, and it dovetailed nicely with Geoff’s “bad days” in his room. How much of the learned technique of a storyteller went into this?
You credit me with far too much skill I think. This stuff simply happens. I have no learned skill, I read and read and read and always have done and I think that is why I am able to accomplish anything at all with the written word. It is the Muse – she is very, very kind to me at times. I do think that I was playing with the idea of how grief and longing could turn the subconscious mind to do and imagine things that are beyond ordinary. Maybe it was him or maybe it was her – one of them needed the other right at that time. I don’t know, but thank you so much for choosing this. It was nice to revisit the beach house, especially as we are all rather restricted at the moment.
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literally stories 
Hi Leila,
Brilliant choice as always.
Superb introduction and your prodability is becoming legendary!
Diane,
It’s great to see this up again.
I was very interested to read your answer to the second question. I think anyone who writes fall into two categories; those that plan and those that go with the flow.
I wonder if there are those who can do both?
I can’t plan anything for toffee and if I try to, at the very best I go off on a tangent but more often than not, the story is just pish and I give up very quickly.
I’d like to be able to plan something out, mix up the genres but that never happens for me.
Thanks so much ladies!
Hugh
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Thanks Hugh. I think it is possible to mix planning and pantsing but there is always the possibility that the characters will have ideas of their own.
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Just lying here pinned to the bed by a possessive twenty pound cat. Only dare use enough oxygen to thank Diane for her answers, Hugh for his mention and to remind others to hit the link to the story. Someday this beast will need to go kill a can of tuna, then I will be free.
LA
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Is it not possible to limbo under a cat. I don’t know – I have never tried. Please send feedback.
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Nope. This guy’s wise to all the tricks.
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Such a pleasure to be able to reread this lovely piece Diane. Some beautiful descriptions throughout and I could feel the wind and the salt spray as the story drew to a close. I’d agree with my original comments on this piece that there’s a sense of joy that our loved ones are closer than we think in amongst the sadness of the tale. Great answers to the questions as well – all in all made for a very fine accompaniment to a glass of wine on a cold Cape Town evening!
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thank you Nik. Cheers
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