Booksie Writer Interviews: The Compilation

Chapter 21: Feathered Pen with A.L. Martin

Reads: 1018
Comments: 2

On a winters eve, as I walked through the forest, soft snow compressing underfoot, I gathered the folding away of many a tree bark curl, from which I had hoped to write upon ; constructing a book from the purest source of its essence. Just then, a moulted feather fell from on high, down from the sky, no doubt delivered by such a soaring bird that had swooped away up, into the lift, unseen and high above. I stopped to admire the interwoven feathery intracacy, then noticed the hollow of its quill.

Question 1: Who are some of your inspirations?

I become inspired by some of the smallest and unassuming things. Such as a clonal tree by a gas station, the style of someone I see in a store. Or even just a single word. I mostly get inspired by myths and legends of the past though. I read a story and I think 'wow, I really like this character I'd like to write a story with them in it. And then a large part of the story is inspired by this myth and legend.

The quill, with its ink bleeding out onto the page, became a tool, a device. I started to think the bird threw it down with a purpose, for me to discover.

Question 2 : What is you favorite word ?

Honestly. The word 'awesome' It just has so many levels to it. On one side it just seems like a word surfers use. But when you know the history of it and what it is meant to mean. It is actually quite lovely.

No matter how many differently colored inks I tried to dip that quill into, nothing came out. The quilled pen seemed only to write with a silent longing for the visible word.

Question 3 : When you put your thoughts and ideas into words, what are some things you have discovered and/or learned about yourself, as a writer ?

Once I have my thoughts and ideas organized and I'm finally ready to put them in to words. I've noticed I lose myself in a sense. I am no longer the writer, but I become the character(s). I just start writing and before I know it I've wrote an entire chapter or even an entire book.

Then, occuring to me in only those last moments upon which most occurences seem to find an inevitable solution, I decided to pierce the quill into my tongue, from which such words have been kept hidden, with refrain.

Question 4 : Where are some of your favorite places , that in your mind, you have traveled too, living in, if only for a brief moment ?

Either ancient Athens, Greece because I absolutely love ancient Greece history and mythology and Athens is pretty much the home of Greek myths. Or Fearnan, Scotland. That is where the majority of my stories in The Corliss Chronicles takes place. I really don't know much about the place but the story itself means a lot to me so I often in my mind travel there. So Athens, Greece and Fearnan, Scotland.

What books do you enjoy :

Books wise I would have to say both The King Must Die and The Bull from the Sea by Mary Renault. They are both about the ancient Greek legendary hero Theseus. But the way she tells the story it is so well put together and it truly makes you (or at least me) really question of it is just a myth or could it have actually happened. When I read stories like those that are based off myths, but feel real those are the stories that truly take me there. That is the kind of writer I truly aspire to be.

And, perhaps do have a preference, favorite :

Music?

Movies?

Music doesn't really play much of a part at all in how I write. Movies though really anything that has a captivating story or intriguing characters can play a huge part in how a certain character in one of my stories might act, or even look. Or the theme of the movie can really inspire the theme of the story I plan to write next. For example if I'm watching something supernatural and the theme of the movie is solely based on the supernatural if it is well made and the story is told well then I become very inspired to write a story solely based on the supernatural.

And, with a hidden heart buried inside this verbal palate, that feathery quill became quite full with such an ink that colors mattered not. The flavor of emotion, the spice of life and that unnamed taste in the atmosphere, they all filled this pen that fell from the sky, at my feet. Its a long way down, but somehow I found a way to fly back up, with just this one feather.

Then, I began to write.

Question 5: Why is it that anonymous/unknown vs. learned of/known, plays a part in every writers mind ?

I think with the unknown we as writers have more places to go with how we tell the story of this character or the story itself. But with the known we are limited. We don't have as much creative freedom.

Sometimes, everything was obvious. Other times, the idea of nothing required me to search for the answers.

Thats when I would go for a walk, collecting tree bark paper to scroll upon. And looking up every now and again, I patiently admired the sky, waiting for a new feather to float down.

Such a feather was and always will be, full of a story awaiting for a voice to inscribe our words, with the ink that flows from our heart.

Thank you A.L. Martin.

Feathers grow back, like words.

Words last forever.

So, we fly forever.

Submitted: January 12, 2018

Other adventure creative respect writers friends

Like
Shelfit

Chapters

T
Prologue
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30

Add Your Comments:

Sign in to write a comment

Comments

Katherine M

This is beautifully written, Dr. Acula! I love the idea of feathers floating down to us when we search for inspiration to write. It's a magical scene. I particularly like A.L. Martin's last answer. As writers we are indeed always searching for the unknown.
-Katherine

Fri, January 12th, 2018 11:47pm