With the new regime, I don’t have a lot of time to go into detail, but I think you have the gist of things by now. Simply choose one of the topics, and then brainstorm. Fiction and non-fiction; topical and evergreen.
These are all evergreens this week, and there are no November throwaways yet, as I haven’t had chance to examine November in detail.
Liberation Day: Jersey & Guernsey
Sunday 9 May is Liberation Day in Jersey and Guernsey (Jèrriais: Jour d’la Libéthâtion). The Channel Islands were occupied during the Second World War and this date is celebrated every year to mark the end of the German occupation.
All of the Channel Islands are considered to be very beautiful. There was recently a film made set during the Nazi occupation (The Guernsey Literature and Potato Peel Pie Society) and, of course, John Nettles made the islands famous in Bergerac.
There is also a castle that has been protecting Jersey for centuries – Elizabeth Castle. But what of the other islands? There are seven inhabited islands and at least thirteen other islands. And what of the French connection?
If you start to research the topic now, you might have something short to send out in a few months in time for publication next year. Or, as it happens every year, you could work on something longer.
Night of Destiny
What a fantastic title. But what is it?
Laylat al Qadr is a Muslim festival that happens on the 27th day of Ramadan and it’s considered the holiest night of the year to the Muslims. This year, Laylat al Qadr is on Saturday 8 May, but next year it’s on Wednesday 27 April.
There are apparently several translations into the English, and these include: Night of Destiny; Night of Decree; Night of Value; Night of Measures; Night of Power.
Taking any of these translations, write a short story using it as your title. Or write about the festival itself.
Roman Festival of the Dead
Now, the Mexican Festival of the Dead is quite well-known. But did you know that the Romans also had a Festival of the Dead?
Lemuralia is spread across three separate days: 9 May; 11 May; 15 May. Every year. It’s a feast that was celebrated in Ancient Rome whereby rites were performed to exorcise malevolent ghosts and spirits.
What can you find out about this festival? As it happens every year, you could write a dual timeline novel and it will be marketable every year. Or you can start researching the topic now and see what you come up with over the next few months.
Over to you…
… and don’t forget to come back and let me know if and what you did, and how it fared.
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