tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6771775388110854391.post5098404904918255681..comments2024-01-29T06:21:11.353+00:00Comments on Sarah Duncan's Blog: F is for FuneralsSarah Duncanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12530089356370140344noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6771775388110854391.post-82572010642954546062011-12-07T21:53:10.691+00:002011-12-07T21:53:10.691+00:00Jo, it sounds a great experience and I think you c...Jo, it sounds a great experience and I think you could start a novel with it as you weren't directly involved with the situation (I assume). But what a shame you missed the cow's urine. <br /><br />Dan, yes, I see what you mean. I've not read any of them, and only seen the film of The Bourne Identity, where he's going to be killed unless he finds out who he is, which concentrates the mind a bit. <br /><br />I was blown away by Memento when I first saw it, but got bored on second viewing for that very reason - there was nothing to the character apart from his memory loss. <br /><br />Phil, sorry about the NaNo novel - but remember it's all about quantity, and rewriting later.Sarah Duncanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12530089356370140344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6771775388110854391.post-66704478898970223232011-12-05T19:16:43.837+00:002011-12-05T19:16:43.837+00:00My immediate reaction to your first paragraph was ...My immediate reaction to your first paragraph was 'Where there's a will, there are relatives'.<br /><br />My reaction to the following paras was 'bugger, I'm going to have to review the opening lines of my belated Nanowrimo work.' But I think I'll leave it until I've run the full month. Brain dump first.<br /><br />How about starting a new trending Twitter hash tag? E.g.,<br /><br />#GoodBooksStartingWithFunerals<br /><br />My initial offering would be:<br /><br />One Funeral and Four WeddingsPhilip C Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14506199502085466202noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6771775388110854391.post-59624519352392302682011-12-05T16:02:57.122+00:002011-12-05T16:02:57.122+00:00I suppose the same can be said of stories (books o...I suppose the same can be said of stories (books or films) that start with the main character(s) having amnesia - either through some kind of head injury (The Bourne Identity), alcohol consumption (The Hangover), or because a huge conceptual shark has eaten their identity (The Raw Shark Texts).<br /><br />The fact that it turns up so regularly suggests readers/movie-goers have a tolerance to a character stumbling around not knowing who they are or how they got there. But it must be hard work to keep the character interesting when they will, almost by definition, be reacting to things until their personalities are established.<br /><br />I suppose the key in those cases is to give them interesting things to react to, so the reader feels part of the process of the character solving the mystery of who they are / what they did.<br /><br /><br />Dan.<br /><br /><br />-----<br /><i>Win a £50 Amazon.co.uk voucher! Free entry, no purchase required. Visit <a href="http://lies-ink.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">http://lies-ink.blogspot.com/</a> to find out more.</i>Dan Purduehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01633271913854946500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6771775388110854391.post-15942311027764323552011-12-05T09:37:46.666+00:002011-12-05T09:37:46.666+00:00I was invited to a funeral in Nepal - the celebrat...I was invited to a funeral in Nepal - the celebrations to mark the 13th day after someone died. I still have no idea what any of the rituals meant, tho it involved masses of food and women wearing their best red saris. I was given a blessing with a blob of yellow rice, but was allowed to pass on drinking cow's urine.<br /><br />It was a privilege to be there.JOhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03127111575563904349noreply@blogger.com