I haven't felt it with a PLACE before, but I've been out running errands and seen one of my *characters* before--someone I'd completely made up. I took pictures of them with my phone. I'm sure they wondered why I kept staring at them...
Nice. Very Blair Witch Project. I see a series of these produced by you, Keith, in which you wear one odd bit of clothing or have something peculiar out of place in the background to add a mysterious "Where's Waldo" element to them, and then offer a prize to the person who can detect what's odd (I vote for those high-heeled shoes with feathers over the toes).
Hi Keith, Great idea with the video. Some feedback on technique is that next time, I'd close the shades over the window--the bright light washed out the room and threw your face in shadow. Also, I'd put the camera on a tripod and have your #4 just do slow pans and zooms/fade-outs to add visual interest.
As for your question, I've gone to the actual locations on the upper Arkansas River where I stage rafting/fishing accidents and rescues in my Rocky Mountain Adventures books for MI. Then I'll take photos and walk up and down the river banks, envisioning where my characters fall into the water, are pulled out, etc. After I feel that it's solid in my mind, I can describe the whole scene in my books that much more clearly.
Good job, Number Four. Keith, this was fun. You look great on video--it bodes well for your writing PR. And may I say what a beautiful library you have.
I've never experienced that phenomenon, but I think it would be very cool. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks to you, Keith, and a previous blog of yours, I now own noise-canceling headphones. So you are dragging me into the 21st century. Good job.
I must say they didn't entirely cancel out the woman next to me at the coffee shop talking at the top of her lungs today. Only death will silence her, I suppose.
Love how you were drawn into your own fictional world.
Most of my settings are other planets. #3, which I haven't started yet is set at a place in which I spend a lot of my summer. I think about it constantly when I'm there. It's fun to look at it like the main character and imagine myself moving as him through the landscape.
Keith- Very "Silicone Valley" of you... I loved it! Kudos to to you and #4.
I usually create scene-settings that are somewhat replicas of places and locations I've experinced before (rather than completely fictional). The transpotation-effect that takes place works both directions. Visiting these remembered locations takes me there in a very psysiological way. When I revisit the settings later, I'm always taken so clearly back to the story that my pulse quickens. Thanks for a very inventive post.
Alan, I'll ask #4 if he has acting jobs on the side.
M Pax, a Tom and Jerry was 25 cents. Do you know what that is?
Darrell, I guess we were cut from the same bolt.
Gin, those 'phones seem to work best on constant drones, but they take the edge off everything, don't they? (which is what you need to be transferred to your fictional world)
Nice job, Keith, and good hearg your voice. Even though I spent a few decades acting, I hate watching myself on video!
What a neat thing to experience--that immersion. My series is set in a fictional town in PA, but I could go to that area or a smallish town in WNY and get the feel for it, I'm sure.
15 comments:
Cool vlog, Keith!
I haven't felt it with a PLACE before, but I've been out running errands and seen one of my *characters* before--someone I'd completely made up. I took pictures of them with my phone. I'm sure they wondered why I kept staring at them...
Elizabeth
Mystery Writing is Murder
What a cool idea, Keith! If I could figure out the video thing on my computer we could have dueling v-blogs...
Nice. Very Blair Witch Project. I see a series of these produced by you, Keith, in which you wear one odd bit of clothing or have something peculiar out of place in the background to add a mysterious "Where's Waldo" element to them, and then offer a prize to the person who can detect what's odd (I vote for those high-heeled shoes with feathers over the toes).
Love the historical research factor!
LOVED IT! Fun blog topic, too. I'm going to Julian in August, the place where I put Ghost a la Mode. Wonder if I'll have that "drawn in" feeling.
Elizabeth, are you as unhinged as I am then?
Gin, don't figure out the video thing. Dueling with you means being outdueled by you.
Jess, please send shoes for next posting.
Sue Ann, say hi to Granny Apples for me in Julian.
Hi Keith,
Great idea with the video. Some feedback on technique is that next time, I'd close the shades over the window--the bright light washed out the room and threw your face in shadow. Also, I'd put the camera on a tripod and have your #4 just do slow pans and zooms/fade-outs to add visual interest.
As for your question, I've gone to the actual locations on the upper Arkansas River where I stage rafting/fishing accidents and rescues in my Rocky Mountain Adventures books for MI. Then I'll take photos and walk up and down the river banks, envisioning where my characters fall into the water, are pulled out, etc. After I feel that it's solid in my mind, I can describe the whole scene in my books that much more clearly.
Good job, Number Four. Keith, this was fun. You look great on video--it bodes well for your writing PR. And may I say what a beautiful library you have.
I've never experienced that phenomenon, but I think it would be very cool. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Beth. Will pass on video hints to #4. Have to do it gently as he's pretty pleased with himself.
Julia, I love my library. The only room in the house that is mine.
YES! InkSpot is going multimedia!! Very well done, Keith and Number Four (he's not from The Prisoner, is he?).
Thanks to you, Keith, and a previous blog of yours, I now own noise-canceling headphones. So you are dragging me into the 21st century. Good job.
I must say they didn't entirely cancel out the woman next to me at the coffee shop talking at the top of her lungs today. Only death will silence her, I suppose.
Wow, a drink for a quarter.
Love how you were drawn into your own fictional world.
Most of my settings are other planets. #3, which I haven't started yet is set at a place in which I spend a lot of my summer. I think about it constantly when I'm there. It's fun to look at it like the main character and imagine myself moving as him through the landscape.
Keith- Very "Silicone Valley" of you... I loved it! Kudos to to you and #4.
I usually create scene-settings that are somewhat replicas of places and locations I've experinced before (rather than completely fictional). The transpotation-effect that takes place works both directions. Visiting these remembered locations takes me there in a very psysiological way. When I revisit the settings later, I'm always taken so clearly back to the story that my pulse quickens. Thanks for a very inventive post.
Alan, I'll ask #4 if he has acting jobs on the side.
M Pax, a Tom and Jerry was 25 cents. Do you know what that is?
Darrell, I guess we were cut from the same bolt.
Gin, those 'phones seem to work best on constant drones, but they take the edge off everything, don't they? (which is what you need to be transferred to your fictional world)
Nice job, Keith, and good hearg your voice. Even though I spent a few decades acting, I hate watching myself on video!
What a neat thing to experience--that immersion. My series is set in a fictional town in PA, but I could go to that area or a smallish town in WNY and get the feel for it, I'm sure.
Alice, my book is partly set in PA, too. (But around here that means Palo Alto.)
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