My collection of short stories, An Act Of Mercy And Other Stories, is free in the Kindle store from 21 February to 25 February. To download An Act Of Mercy free please visit http://www.amazon.co.uk/An-act-mercy-other-stories-ebook/dp/B00EHS74CS (for the UK), or http://www.amazon.com/An-act-mercy-other-stories-ebook/dp/B00EHS74CS (for the USA). If you download An Act Of Mercy or any of my other books I would appreciate it if you would please consider leaving a review.
Kevin
I have published two previous posts containing interviews with characters from my story, Samantha, http://newauthoronline.com/2014/02/14/have-you-ever-interviewed-one-of-your-characters/. Today I am interviewing the leading character from my story the First Time, a young graduate named Becky who enters the world of prostitution in order to clear her debts.
Interview
Me: “What is your earliest recollection?”
Becky: “Collecting bluebells with my grandfather. I remember the sun was shining, the birds singing and I was so happy to be with my grandfather. Those memories are incredibly precious”.
Me: “It sounds as though you had a happy childhood?”
“Becky: “Yes, I was surrounded by people who loved me. Mummy and daddy doted on me. Both of them read to me, I grew up in a house full of books which is why, I guess I ended up reading English literature at university”.
Me: “much of the research into why people enter into prostitution appears to indicate that they suffered childhood abuse or some other trauma. From what you have told me about your childhood it doesn’t appear that you fit in with this stereotype”.
Becky: “You mean what is a nice middle class girl like me doing working as a prostitute?”
Me: “Not to put to fine a point on it, yes”.
Becky: “I ran up a huge credit card debt. There was no way, as a part-time barmaid I would ever be able to clear it. One of my friends, Julie worked as an escort and, in desperation I asked her to help me to enter the sex industry, as a prostitute which she did by introducing me to one of her clients, Mike”.
Me: “Didn’t you consider turning to your family for help?”
Becky: “No, mummy and daddy would have been so disappointed in me. They brought me up to live within my means, not to borrow accept for a mortgage. If you can’t afford it then you should save up for it or do without. That is there philosophy. I would have died of shame if they had found out about my debts”.
Me: “What do you think their reaction would be if they found out that their daughter was working as a prostitute?”
Becky: “they would be horrified! Christ I would die of shame if they found out, that will never happen though. I live in London and mummy and Daddy live in York”.
Me: “Do you feel that you have a choice in prostitution?
Becky: “If I haden’t entered sex work I would have had a huge credit card debt and it would have been impossible for me to live as all my money would have gone in paying off my card. I wasn’t physically compelled to become an escort but I had no other choice given the state of the jobs market”.
“Me: “do you enjoy your work?”
Becky: “What kind of a question is that?! I hate being treated like a piece of meat. Some men are nice and, of course it’s easier if the man is polite and converses with you rather than grabbing you as soon as you come through the door, doing the deed and then throwing you out in 30 minutes or so, but no I don’t enjoy being treated as a sex object”.
Me: “Can you see yourself giving up working as an escort?”
Becky: “I’d like to but, although I hate the work I like the money. You can make thousands a month if you work as an independent escort as you don’t have to give a percentage to the escort agency. I’ve seen girls who hate the work but love the money. I’m afraid that I may end up like one of them”.
Me: “Many thanks for talking to me Becky”.
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For a review of The First Time please visit https://cupitonians.wordpress.com/2014/02/17/the-first-time-book-review/
Several months ago I published a post about trolling, http://newauthoronline.com/2013/12/09/trolling-along/, (no not those mythical creatures which inhabit the Lord Of The Rings but people who lurk, on the internet spewing bile for the sheer sake of doing so).
Yesterday I came across an article in The Daily Mail entitled “Online Trolls Really Are Horrible People”, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2559860/Online-trolls-really-ARE-horrible-people-researchers-Narcissistic-Machiavellian-psychopathic-sadistic.html. According to this insightful piece (if you detect sarcasm it is, of course purely a figment of your imagination) trolls exhibit sadistic, psychopathic and other unpleasant character traits. Well blow me down with a feather I always thought that they where much maligned individuals who, at bottom are possessed of hearts of gold. Thank you Daily Mail for enhancing my understanding of trolling. I am now a wiser and sadder person for this astounding new knowledge.
Of course for any authors (or, indeed anyone who has been subjected to trolling) it is no laughing matter. Trolls lurk on Goodreads among other places and goad authors by posting deliberately inflammatory reviews and comments so as to provoke a reaction from the unfortunate author. Don’t respond, treat the trolls with the contempt they deserve, They are sad people with no life who, with a little luck will crawl back under which ever rock they have emerged from.
Torchlight, the playground deserted save for the solitary wanderer. The boy, alone or lonely? Traverses the track, his shoes the only sound disturbing the silence which wraps around him. Sometimes the silence is like an old friend, a comforter shielding him from banal chatter and the stupidity of crowds. On other occasions it is a thick blanket, suffocating, killing, stifling breath.
Entwined in darkness he goes his lonely light dimly illumines the darkness. Night is his realm, an escape from the banality of day but, sometimes the darkness oppresses, and, hurrying towards the lit windows he seeks sanctuary of a sort.
On 14 February I interviewed Barry O’Connor, the pimp in my story, Samantha who is responsible for forcing Sam into prostitution, http://newauthoronline.com/2014/02/14/have-you-ever-interviewed-one-of-your-characters/. Today I am interviewing Samantha.
Interview
Me: “What are your feelings towards Barry O’Connor, the man who forced you into prostitution?”
Samantha: “He is the devil incarnate. I never hated anyone until I met Barry. I disliked people, of course I did but I’ve never felt such intense loathing and fear. Barry’s a monster, he doesn’t possess a single redeeming feature. Scum that is what he is, pure scum”.
Me: “How do you feel when having sex with clients?”
Samantha: “I try not to feel. I mean I shut down. Of course I am aware that I’m being pawed and screwed by punters but I go to another place. I try to think about Peter, the man I love or about daddy and the lovely walks we took around the estate. When its all over I spend ages in the shower but however long I take washing myself I never feel clean. Barry calls me “a dirty whore” and that is how I feel, like a dirty whore”, (Sam breaks down sobbing quietly and the interview is suspended).
The Interview Recommences
Me: “Are you OK?”
Sam: “No I’m not OK but I think its important for people to know what I and other ladies have gone through (and are still enduring) so please go on with the interview”.
Me: “Thank you Sam. What do you think of the men you are forced to have sex with?”
Sam: “Sometimes I hate them. I think they are sad losers who can’t find a partner, they have no life so resort to seeing working girls. At other times I feel like a hypocrite condemning punters because I, also have no life. I’m a sex machine servicing men. I sometimes wonder whether the men I see know that I am not working of my own free will. Some of the clients are kind and, if they new that I was being forced they would be horrified. Many others wouldn’t care, they are only interested in having sex, I’m just a sex object to them. Of course I prefer to see men who are kind but all punters, whether they are kind or otherwise want the same thing, sex. I’m not a sex object, I hate my job (if you can call it that)”.
Me; “Thank you so much for talking to me Sam”.
On the bookcase in the room in which I write stands, amongst other books, The Fontana Dictionary of Modern Thought, 1977 edition. Much of the scholarship contained in that fairly substancial tome is outdated and yet I am loathed to throw or give my book away. Looking at the Dictionary brings back memories of taking down books in the school library. As I write the excitement of finding a hitherto undiscovered author or work of reference is rekindled. I recall reading “The Story of Medicine” and other Ladybird books. The thrill of discovering new knowledge is a wonderful feeling, one which drives the student or, indeed the general reader to enhance his or her understanding of the universe.
Now most works of reference have been replaced (or are in the process of being superceeded) by the internet. Wikipedia is now the fount of all knowledge (well not quite judging by the number of articles which have caveats appended) but you do, I am sure grasp my point! The internet is a wonderful invention which, among other things allows us to access a world of knowledge with the click of a mouse. It is wonderful to click on a site dedicated to Charles Dickens and learn about the author and his world without having to traipse to the public library in the pouring rain. However the joy of searching through dusty old shelves of books, discovering something new, sitting down and becoming lost in a good book is a pleasure which, I fear children growing up today may not experience. Youngsters can click on Google or the search engine of their choice, ascertain the information for which they are searching all without needing to leave the comfort of their home. Leaving aside the issue of whether one can trust all the sources pulled up by Google there remains the intangible matter of the joy of discovery which is, as I said above in danger of being lost. Of course there exist excellently researched sources of information on the web but to someone who, like me was brought up in a world of books the internet can, on occasions appear somewhat arid compared to the garden of books.
I am no luddite. Being blind I recognise the vast benefits of the world wide web. With access technology which converts text into speech and braille I can, using a Windows computer access information which in years gone by I wouldn’t have accessed without the assistance of sighted friends. None the less I have a gut feeling that people of my generation (I am 45) have experienced something precious which many younger people risk losing, the joy of wandering around a library (in my case full of braille books and cassette tapes) and discovering something new in the world of literature, history or some other field.
Signed, King Ludd
(Note, while writing this post I looked up the word traipse using, you guessed it Google as I no longer possess the braille edition of The Little Oxford Dictionary of Current English which I once owned!
My thanks goes to Jade Reyner of Jade’s Jungle for providing the inspiration for this post (see Jade’s piece entitled “Have you ever interviewed your characters” http://jadereyner.com/2014/02/13/have-you-ever-interviewed-your-characters/). Having read the above article I determined to interview a number of my characters, starting with Barry, the pimp in “Samantha” who entraps Sam into prostitution, http://www.amazon.co.uk/Samantha-K-Morris-ebook/dp/B00BL3CNHI.
Interview
Me: “Are you a sociopath?”
Barry: “Are you insulting me? I don’t understand big words but if you’re fucking insulting me I’ll break your bloody neck. Whats a soio, whatever you said anyway. I grew up on a council estate and I ‘aven’t got a clue what you’re on about”.
Me: (taking a step backwards), “A sociopath is someone who sees others as means to his own ends. Others don’t matter, only the sociopath’s needs matter and he will do anything to obtain his needs. Basically he lacks any sympathy for others. So, Barry are you a sociopath?” (placing my back against the wall).
Barry: “I want to make money. All girls are dirty whores, they’ll open their legs for a guy with a bit of cash, I am the middle man allowing that to happen. Whoring is a business, I’m a businessman”.
Me: “You haven’t answered my question” (as I glance nervously towards the door).
Barry: “When I was growing up no one gave a shit about me. Mum would lock me in the cupboard under the stairs for the slightest thing. She was a dirty bitch. She never gave a fuck about me, why should I give a stuff about anyone else. You middle class types don’t ‘ave a clue about the real world. I do what I ‘ave to survive”.
Me: “Do you have any regrets about forcing Samantha and other young women into prostitution?”
Barry: “You must be fucking deaf. I told you, no one gives a shit about Barry O’Connor so I don’t give a flying fuck about them. If someone pisses on you, you piss right back. I’m getting bored with you, fuck off before I do something you’ll regret”.
(Barry clenches his fists and rises from the table he has been sitting at. I grab the door handle and run as though my life depended on it).
I was surprised and delighted to get tagged by Kev Cooper, http://kevs-domain.net/2014/02/09/omg-i-got-tagged/. The idea behind tagging is that the author being tagged tags 3 authors in turn helping to promote them and their work. These authors then need to answer 4 questions and tag a further 3 authors who should do likewise. Kevin Cooper is the author of several excellent books including Mieddo and The Devils Apology both of which I can recommend.
My answers to the 4 questions are as follows:
What are you currently working on?
I am working on a story exploring the world of Enjo Kosai or compensated dating, a practice where men pay women for companionship and, on occasions sex. This is a very sensitive subject as the practice can entail the exploitation of teenage girls by much older men.
How does your work differ from others in the same genre?
The honest answer is I don’t know. I have read writers tackling similar themes, however I have my own voice which does, I hope come across in my writing.
Why do you write what you do?
I write about those issues which interest me. Flowers and lambs gambling in sunlit fields have their place but it is the darker side of human nature which holds a fascination for me. We are all a mixture of saint and sinner and it is this combination which fascinates me.
How does your writing process work?
I sit down and write what is in my head at the time, a stream of consciousness if you like. On occasions I hear people talking in my head and commit those conversations to paper (well virtual paper)! I do edit but most editing takes place once my manuscript has been written in it’s entirety.
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You’ve Been Tagged!
The rules of this tag are to answer the following four writing questions, and then tag three other authors. Next week these three authors will answer the
same questions and tag three others, and so the chain continues to grow larger. This will enable readers to get to know more authors and their books. It
will also allow everyone to get to know these authors a little better.
12 Days the Beginning by Jade Reyner http://jadereyner.com/
12 Days tells the story of Elise Grayson, a young woman who falls in love with her boss, Vaughan. However Elise is trapped in an abusive marriage and the course of true love does not run smoothly.
Lucky Girl: How I Survived The Sex Industry, by Violet Ivy, http://www.amazon.co.uk/LUCKY-GIRL-How-Survived-Industry-ebook/dp/B00BJKJ3W6.
In this book Violet Ivy provides a no holes barred account of her participation in the world’s oldest profession. Vilet’s account is often funny and, on occasions sad. This book is well worth reading for anyone seeking to understand the world of the high class escort girl.
Margaux’s Blog, http://margo187.wordpress.com/author/thisismargaux/.
Although to my knowledge, Margaux has not published any books, her stories have appeared on a number of sites and provide the reader with tremendous pleasure.
Several days ago my blog, newauthoronline.com received it’s 500th follow (as of now I have 502 followers). I am delighted that newauthoronline has grown from a tiny seed into a sturdy sapling but this growth would have been impossible without the support of you, my followers. I relish the interaction between you and I. Without your comments and likes this blog would be a dead thing, a void into which I pour my thoughts only for them to become lost in the howling wind which gusts around cyberspace. Thank you all for your continuing support, Kevin
Several months ago I blogged regarding my computer crashing and how this had caused me to investigate back-up services. Like every writer and, indeed most PC users I worry about losing vital data. Well I didn’t get around to setting up a back-up service. You can, I am sure guess the rest. Several days ago my laptop refused, point blank to turn off. The screen was black and the machine was making a whirring sound. The problem almost certainly stems from me having attempted to shut it down when it was already in the process of closing which confused the poor old thing. Anyway the whirring continued for several hours and I went to bed leaving the computer running. Fortunately, come the morrow the PC had turned itself off and has been running without problems since then. Now this time around I will start backing up my files, believe me!
K Morris - Poet 