My guest today is fellow Swanwick writer, Lance Greenfield. Lance has come along to ‘Patricia’s Pen’ to talk about his writing. Without further ado, it’s over to Lance.
My Writing
Lance Greenfield
I was once asked if I used any particular methodology to inspire my creativeness and get my thoughts in order. After a moment’s thought, I replied, ‘Yes: TIM-B and TOM-B.’ When an explanation was demanded, I explained how I think relaxing in my bath at the end of the day and on my bike as I cycle home.
These days, my methodology has evolved into TAIR: ‘think as I run.’ With remnants of my dreams whirring around inside my head, I put on my shorts, shirt and trainers and take to the road. I establish a good rhythm of movement and breathing and fall into my own version of meditation to clear my mind. My thoughts soon align. I drop some ideas and add more. Before I shower, I write a few brief notes and store them for future use. Sometimes it may be months before I revisit them.
I try to write at least 500 words every day and write anything at all even if it seems complete rubbish. I store everything.
My two published novels are in the inspirational fiction genre. They are both based on true stories of children who achieved remarkable things, despite obstacles that were placed in their paths.
The first, Eleven Miles, is based on a Batswana girl who walked eleven miles every day to gain an education which became her passport out of a life with poor prospects. The lady who inspired that story is now a good friend and runs her own business in England. My fictional girl achieves something even more remarkable and gives much back to her community.
The second, Knitting Can Walk!, is based on an orphan in Hong Kong who is told by doctors that she will never walk due to a congenital hip displacement. A British teenager observed her determination to walk and believes that she really could walk. He develops a severe dose of teen anger, thinking that the doctors are just saying that because she is an orphan and there is no money. He walks around with her for two years until, one amazing day, she takes three steps unsupported. She is now a grown woman walking with sticks. The back stories form the meat of the novel. Reviewers have commented that the seventies spirit of Hong Kong is captured perfectly in this book.
As a prelude to my two independent published novels, I created an anthology of five erotica stories to test the indie-publishing process to ensure I’d get it right when it came to my major projects. Not expecting to sell any copies, I was pleasantly surprised to sell over 250 in the first week. My anthology, When Pleasure Blooms is under my nom de plume, Auridius O’Conner, which is an appropriate anagram. See if you can work it out.
Other than my two novels, I enjoy writing poetry and I am told by people who should know, that I have a natural flow. I was chuffed to have one of my poems, Flutter Back, chosen as the subject of Alison Chisholm’s two-page monthly workshop in Writing Magazine in July 2019. I still can’t quite believe that happened as, although I have written poems at poignant times in my life, I had never shared a single one until I attended Swanwick Writers’ Summer School in 2016. When I was eight years old, my English teacher had convinced me that my attempts at poetry were awful. Real poets at Swanwick convinced me that the contrary is true. I shall continue to TAIR and to write anything that comes into my mind. Some of it may even be published.
About Lance Greenfield
Lance Greenfield Mitchell lives in Andover, Hampshire. His father was from Yorkshire and his mother from the Highlands of Scotland. He has visited about eighty countries in his life and loves to immerse himself in different languages, cuisines and cultures as he travels.
He attended ten schools, the last of which was HMS Conway, a Naval school in North Wales.
He was in the military for 22 years, Royal Navy and Army (Royal Engineers) before going into information technology as a second career. Until recently, he was VP of an international software company. He is now an Ocado delivery driver.
He got into writing by submitting reviews as part of the BBC RAW (Read and Write) campaign a few years ago. There was huge enthusiasm for my reviews, so he resolved to post a review for every book that he reads.
His all-time favourite book of any genre has to be “Skallagrigg” by William Horwood.
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Social Media Links
Blog Write to Inspire
Links to purchase books
Via Amazon on Kindle
When Pleasure Blooms – Five Erotica Short Stories
Via Lulu in Paperback
Patricia M Osborne 