August 17, 2015 by bardessdmdenton

Historical Fiction & Meaning with DM (Diane) Denton

Thank you to Stephanie Hopkins for hosting me on Layered Pages and allowing me to take part in her Historical Fiction and Meaning series! It certainly challenged me to be more conscious about writing in this genre. I hope you will read the entire interview, which will only take five minutes or so. As always, I am grateful for those who visit here and hope I offer posts for your enjoyment, but also give you something to think about, and, perhaps, open up new vistas for your reading and reflection.

Here’s an excerpt:

Why Historical Fiction?

In hindsight, my journey towards writing historical fiction began in my early teens when I developed an insatiable appetite for classic literature, period films and plays, and Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, and traditional music. I’ve long had a fascination with the clothes, customs, social and political issues of the past, and I’m attracted to the lives of writers, artists, musicians, intellectuals, and innovators, but, also, ‘ordinary’ folk like gardeners and domestics. All in all, it’s more comfortable for me to write within a historical context; I feel I can reveal myself and still remain hidden. I can indulge my old-fashioned sensibilities yet still oblige my progressive tendencies, because history isn’t static, somewhere dead in time, but a life force for the present and future.

August 13, 2015 by bardessdmdenton

An Aside

Grass, it’s just grass,

I told myself

as I stopped

at the intersection

aside glancing

while waiting to pass through;

roadside grass,

fresh and soft,

sun-tipped,

fingers of the breeze

playing it

like strings on a harp

plucky

in arpeggios

running along with shadows,

disappearing into prickly patches

and secrets

(of being

just grass)

that I keep

as if

I know what they are.

©Artwork and writing, unless otherwise indicated, are the property of Diane M Denton. Please request permission to reproduce or post elsewhere with a link back to bardessdmdenton. Thank you.

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August 3, 2015 by bardessdmdenton

Music, Passionate Lyricism, and Small Strides

I make small strides. Perhaps I am really moving forward. Like the tortoise. Although, on frustrating days, I feel like the March hare (noted for its leaping, boxing, and chasing in circles).

It was a struggle to get the Historical Novel Society to review my first published novel A House Near Luccoli. In the end, that review was a very good one and appeared on the HNS’ website, but not in their quarterly print Historical Novel Review magazine.

To A Strange Somewhere Fled has found a smoother path to a HNS review, which is now online and will appear in the August edition of the Historical Novel Review. Thank you to the HNR editor Sarah Johnson who has made this experience so much better the second time around. So there, in itself, is a little step forward that will, hopefully, lead to more readers of both novels.

The reviewer, fellow author Susan McDuffle, had not read A House Near Luccoli, but was able to appreciate the style and understand the essence of its sequel. I find that in itself a great compliment. A sequel really needs to be able to stand on its own as much as possible.

I need to be proud of my accomplishments, as should all who persevere and produce writing, art, or anything to the best of their ability with the intent of adding something positive to this often demoralizing world; especially when it involves endless hours, months, years, and times when giving up seems the more sane thing to do. I usually hide my struggles very well in my writing and pretty pictures; I don’t like to bare my soul directly or complain publicly; I don’t want to appear ungrateful for the blessings in my life. But I have had to deal with some issues lately, things that don’t allow for an easy inner peace, or, at least, challenge my ability to stay in a higher place despite hurt and disappointment weighing me down.

One of my greatest blessings is my editor/publisher Deb Harris of All Things That Matter Press; there isn’t any doubt that our professional and personal relationship has made me a much better writer, but, also, has continually heartened and strengthened me in all ways. I hope she knows that I hold her in my heart everyday and return the unconditional and enduring love she offers me. She shared this quote with me recently (lions are so much in the consciousness right now, but the following words are almost the opposite of what the cowardly lion in The Wizard of Oz is told – or, perhaps, it is more a case of the circular motion – connectedness – of all things, which takes me back to that March hare analogy):

You cannot be truthful if you are not courageous. You cannot be loving if you are not courageous. You cannot be trusting if you are not courageous. You cannot enter into reality if you are not courageous. Hence courage comes first… and everything else follows. ~ Osho

Here is an excerpt from the Historical Novel Society’s review of To A Strange Somewhere Fled. Please follow the link to read it in its entirety, and, remember, writers need readers, and, when readers enjoy their work, reviews and recommendations to other readers.

Music and passionate lyricism inform this book. Denton’s style of writing is poetic and musical itself, perhaps at times challenging to readers used to a more straightforward narrative; the book lingers in the mind like some elusive and beautiful tune heard through open windows on a summer’s day. ~ read entire review …

©Artwork and writing, unless otherwise indicated, are the property of Diane M Denton. Please request permission to reproduce or post elsewhere with a link back tobardessdmdenton. Thank you.