Since my return from Trinidad and Tobago I have got 1/3 of the new novel finished. To date, 27,483 words. All these are new words and do not belong to the start of the previous novel God of the Cocoa.
This WIP is called Granville Girl, or maybe, The Jeweller's Daughter.
I'll have to see as time goes on....
It is about the dilemma of a devoted mother who is torn between traditional practices and modern ways of thinking. It is modern - 1919! Why does a mother arrange a marriage for her 10 year old daughter? It goes against all wants for her daughter, and she knows that she is breaking an understanding between them both. Why has she done it? And will it come to pass?
It is about arranged marriage vs education.
It is about new opportunities, or old traditions.
It is about the diversity of religion - Hindu practices and Christian teachings.
It is about similarities in religion, and freedom of the individual.
It is about childhood and innocence.
It is about broken promises.
It is about the bond between mother and daughter.
It is about the power of pride and shame in a family.
It is about truth and honesty.
It is about lying for a good reason.
It is about immaturity and innocence.
It is about abuse of vulnerable young people.
It is about growing to understand - maturity.
It is about the process of taking responsibility.
It is about knowing when bad can be good, and good can be bad.
It is about making the biggest decision of your life.
It is about friendships.
Set in 1917 Trinidad, twelve year old Amina becomes very ill with typhoid fever and close to death. Miraculously, she begins to recover, but is horrified to discover that her parents have broken their promise to her, and a marriage is arranged. She hoped to remain in education to become a teacher. But she is prepared to fight, and together with her friend Sumati, they make a pact. But Sumati's falls in love, and takes a path which endangers both of them.
About Me
- Marilyn Rodwell
- The Wedding Drums - my novel set in an early 20C village in Trinidad is almost here. Two young girls, Amina and Sumati plot to escape their arranged marriages and plan to live life following their own dreams. But Sumati falls in love and runs away, putting Amina's plans in jeopardy. Neither of them bank on what is in store for them. Soon they face the adult world of scheming men, corruption, prostitution and violence, and life in the village will never be the same again.
Showing posts with label pride. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pride. Show all posts
Saturday, 10 September 2011
Monday, 10 May 2010
OTHER WRITING
Friday 14th May
FIRST PARAGRAPHS
I've been writing a few first paragraphs ...to send to a competition. I'ts not always easy to draw in the reader into the world I wish to create... to do it with intrigue, as well as a feel of time and place, and make them want to continue to read on ...till the end, but at least the first chapter. The end of each chapter will take care of itself...I hope!
The first line is important. It could be a real puller line,or some other hook that will hold interest.
Sometimes a description, a painting of words of some background...familiar, or far away...the heat of the desert, or the cold of the Antartic...the time - a low lit evening, or a pitch black night.
It could be something intriguing or shocking.
One of the most intriguing first lines I have read recently, that have made me want to read more is from
A Golden Age, by Tahmima Anam. It reads:
Dear Husband,
I lost our children today.
This first line is not just intriguing, it is shocking for someone to lose their children. You wonder in what circumstance?
It was a most intriguing book.
The first line of God of the Cocoa is:
1. When Rajnath Kamalsingh married Latchmin, he was seventeen and she was twelve.
However, I am toying with an alternative first line:
2. When Rajnath finally married, both his parents were relieved.
Which one is better? Please post a comment and let me know what you think.
Thanks!
Bye for now...
Monday 10th May 2010
IDLENESS
Today I have been writing a short piece of 900 words on the topic of "idleness". Although this word conjurs up feelings of negativity, it is an autobiograpical piece of writing, and therefore for me, definately not negative. I strive to achieve positivity in life. I have had to dig deep in my memory to find somewhere where "idleness" wasn't all bad, and I chose a period when I was a young mother and housewife. Being a housewife with young children, can be construed by some, as a period where idleness of the brain can develop and grow, but it was a time when I turned that "idleness" into building a business, and later, a limited company.
The idle mind is not necessarily the "devil's workshop" when it is mixed with creativity, vision, pride, and determination.
"Idleness" can be turned from its rawest form, into something interesting, worthwhile and positive.
To build two Limited Companies in design and manufacturing, from a base of "idleness", doodling, trial and error and a few steep learning curves, needs all of the following :
creativity,
vision,
pride,
determination,
positivity
confidence, and
a huge amount of obsession, to see it through.
Marilyn Rodwell
FIRST PARAGRAPHS
I've been writing a few first paragraphs ...to send to a competition. I'ts not always easy to draw in the reader into the world I wish to create... to do it with intrigue, as well as a feel of time and place, and make them want to continue to read on ...till the end, but at least the first chapter. The end of each chapter will take care of itself...I hope!
The first line is important. It could be a real puller line,or some other hook that will hold interest.
Sometimes a description, a painting of words of some background...familiar, or far away...the heat of the desert, or the cold of the Antartic...the time - a low lit evening, or a pitch black night.
It could be something intriguing or shocking.
One of the most intriguing first lines I have read recently, that have made me want to read more is from
A Golden Age, by Tahmima Anam. It reads:
Dear Husband,
I lost our children today.
This first line is not just intriguing, it is shocking for someone to lose their children. You wonder in what circumstance?
It was a most intriguing book.
The first line of God of the Cocoa is:
1. When Rajnath Kamalsingh married Latchmin, he was seventeen and she was twelve.
However, I am toying with an alternative first line:
2. When Rajnath finally married, both his parents were relieved.
Which one is better? Please post a comment and let me know what you think.
Thanks!
Bye for now...
Monday 10th May 2010
IDLENESS
Today I have been writing a short piece of 900 words on the topic of "idleness". Although this word conjurs up feelings of negativity, it is an autobiograpical piece of writing, and therefore for me, definately not negative. I strive to achieve positivity in life. I have had to dig deep in my memory to find somewhere where "idleness" wasn't all bad, and I chose a period when I was a young mother and housewife. Being a housewife with young children, can be construed by some, as a period where idleness of the brain can develop and grow, but it was a time when I turned that "idleness" into building a business, and later, a limited company.
The idle mind is not necessarily the "devil's workshop" when it is mixed with creativity, vision, pride, and determination.
"Idleness" can be turned from its rawest form, into something interesting, worthwhile and positive.
To build two Limited Companies in design and manufacturing, from a base of "idleness", doodling, trial and error and a few steep learning curves, needs all of the following :
creativity,
vision,
pride,
determination,
positivity
confidence, and
a huge amount of obsession, to see it through.
Marilyn Rodwell
Labels:
building a business,
creativity,
idleness,
positive,
pride,
vision
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