ACT II: THE MIDDLE

Notes on writing - based on J.S.Bell 'Write Great Fiction: Plot and Structure' - by Lisa Agosti

After the first big opening of your novel, your readers are hooked on the story and wanting for more (hopefully). 

The second act of your book requires scenes that stretch the tension, raise the stakes, keep readers worried, and build toward Act III in a way that seems inevitable.

The first tool at hand to get to that is DEATH.

The most compelling fiction has death hovering over the Lead Character throughout the whole story. Death can be meant as:

• physical death: the obvious one
• psychological death: the Lead needs to find a reason to live or reach the desired object. If he can't succeed he's willing to die for it
• professional death: the Lead risks to lose his identity related to his career and success

The second tool to write a compelling second act is to create a good OPPOSITION.

For beginners it is easier to create a villain that is human. If the Lead is fighting a corporation, pick a group leader to help readers identify with the characters. Don't forget: the villain has to be stronger than the Lead to make the fight more intriguing.

The third tool we can use is the ADHESIVE.

An adhesive is any strong relationship or circumstance that holds people together. Here are some tips to make the adhesive strong:

• life and death: Lead fights to stay alive, Opposition wants Lead dead
• professional duty: for example a cops gets assigned a case
• moral duty: for example a mother looks for her missing child
• obsession: the Lead is obsessed with finding the Holy Graal
• physical constraint: as in 'The Shining' by Stephen King. We all know the story, but if you need a reminder:

Have a good novel!

FESTIVAL OF THE WRITTEN ARTS

Here we go! The Festival Board of Directors, production team, volunteers and I are looking forward to welcoming you to the festival next week. The weather report is grand, the grounds are looking lovely (despite the lack of rain) and excitement is building on the Sunshine Coast for our annual gathering of Canadian writers and their readers. You may have noticed a warning in the Festival brochure about Cowrie Street (the main downtown street in Sechelt) becoming one-way in June. That didn’t happen after all so you don’t have to worry about a different traffic pattern. The Sechelt Farmers & Artisans Market will be taking place on Cowrie Street on Saturday, August 17 from 9 am to 2 pm. You can still access our lower parking lot via Shorncliffe Avenue and we will have, once again, a drop-off and pick-up area. There is plenty of street parking and an acre of parking lot behind us, up the hill, at Chatelech Secondary School.  If you’re new to the Sunshine Coast, give us a call and we’ll be happy to help you get your bearings. If you travel with a GPS, our physical address is 5511 Shorncliffe Avenue, Sechelt. BC Ferries – schedules and reservations: www.bcferries.com Sunshine Coast Transit information: http://www.transitbc.com/regions/sun/schedules/schedule.cfm We continue to fine-tune our zero waste practices and encourage you to bring your own water bottles and coffee cups. We will have a good variety of food and beverages on site and you can pick up a list of local dining options at the Information Booth. Please consider bringing a book to contribute to our Books for Bella Bella campaign in support of the Thistalalh Memorial Library in Bella Bella that was lost to fire in early July. Read more about it here: http://www.writersfestival.ca/newsletter.htm#bella. The Sunshine Coast Arts Council’s annual Hackett Park Arts & Crafts Fair is onSaturday and Sunday, August 17 and 18 and the Eleven Equal Artists Power of Paint group exhibition is on at the Seaside Centre August 16, 17 and 18. Lots going on in Sechelt!  http://www.suncoastarts.com/profiles/scartscouncil/craftfairs.html www.elevenequalartists.com We wish our friends at the Pender Harbour Chamber Music Festival a wonderful and successful festival. We wish you a smooth and safe trip whether you’re coming from down the road or from the other side of the country. We leave you with one important fact: 7 Festival events are sold out. 15 are not!Information about  ticket availability is on our website at www.writersfestival.ca. Lots of room left. Spread the word. There's room for everyone!     www.writersfestival.ca 1-800-565-9631 or 604-885-9631

CONSONANCE - a novel by Lisa Malabanan

Elle Martins is a gifted musician ready to start her first year at College. She is not alone. Elle has the security of her best friends and boyfriend nearby, attending the same University. Everything seems new and exciting, but the moment she joins a rock group, her life changes. The band becomes a favorite among the college crowd. Their performances are a hit thanks to Elle’s musical genius, and the band garners recognition from a major record label. Throughout the school year, Elle struggles over music, decisions, insecurities, and most of all, love. She is grateful for many amazing opportunities, yet the chance of a lifetime is within her grasp. Can she choose the ultimate dream or leave the people she loves behind? 

MY REVIEW:

Reading 'Consonance' is like listening to a wonderful orchestra playing your favorite song in a new unheard style. 
Lisa Malabanan is a great writer, her style is fresh, neat, catchy and delicious. 
The characters in 'Consonance' will grow on you to become real friends who will dearly be missed long after you finish the novel. You will be left waiting for more of these sweet, sexy, sassy teenagers approaching adulthood with an innocent eye and a burning enthusiasm. My rating is 5/5 stars. 
So kick off your shoes, put your feet up, smile gently and enjoy the concert.

You can contact Lisa Malabanan here
You can buy Consonance here