A Book is a Door Waiting to be Opened

by Sandy Parks

I recently posted a photo of a door to my Facebook page and asked people where they thought it was located and what might be behind it. Some guessed it might belong to a church or a home or it opened to a public place. Their questions set me to thinking about how a book starts with the cover and the reader opens the book to enter into a new, often unexpected world. How many times do we prejudge a book, a person, or a home by what we see on the outside, without any hints or knowledge as to what might lurk beneath the cover? As a reader that is part of the adventure of a good book.

Alley in Marrakesh

Morocco is famous for its bland and dusty alleys with ancient doors that open to true surprises. A typical lane might have a door like the one you see above. Below could well be the treat that is waiting inside.

Riad in Marrakesh

Rabat, Morocco

A door represents the start of a story, whether it be mystery, romance, or any genre. In a mystery, the protagonist investigates a crime. The reader stands at the door with the detective or sleuth ready to discover what happened. How did the art get stolen? Who murdered the person found in the alley? While a door may give hints, they can be misleading and the reader and protagonist will gain little information until the door opens.

Fez

A door like this one above offers questions before it is even entered. Why is there a smaller door inside a bigger one? If the book is an historical, the reader might discover the smaller one is for people and the bigger one is for horses. Or might a good sleuth discover other explanations. And what does a door say about the characters in a romance? What kind of hero or heroine lives behind the fancy gold or brass door? Or perhaps one built of sturdy wood? Or the door deteriorating and covered in graffiti?

Palace doors

A house in Greece

A door can also be more of a portal that simply beckons the reader to walk through.

Portal in the hills around Sparta, Greece

A door can hint at what a reader might expect to find within. Are there symbolic things hanging over, on, or around the door? And lastly, what if the door is something we expect, but offers a surprise. Below is a door to a church…or is it? What if it represents so much more than that. This one is the door to a monastery…a very old and unique one, built in a place that promised solitude (see the photo below it). This is the way authors want to tell a story. Start with what seems a simple premise, but take the reader on a journey that is something greater than the door promises.

Kalambaca, Greece

Monastery, Kalambaka, Greece

So what doors are you preparing to open as a reader or what adventure are you cooking up behind closed doors as a writer? 

Variety is The Spice of Life

By Sandy Parks

How many times have you heard a new author say they were afraid to share their idea because someone might write the same story? If you’ve been a writer for long, my guess is it has been a frequent occurrence, and you may even have had those doubts yourself when you first started writing. But each person comes from a different background, with varying experiences, and cultural differences. Alas, the saying "variety is the spice of life."

Building on the word “spice,” I can’t help but relate this thought to food. I noticed on a recent trip that no matter what basic ingredients are given to cooks in various states or countries, they come up with unique dishes and methods of cooking the same food.

South African meat stews

As writers we serve up our story themes and ideas in much the same way. Some prefer to cook their meat in pots to create savory stew, throwing everything together and letting it boil until tender.

Moroccan lamb cooked on open fire

An outdoor lover might choose to barbecue their lamb on a tree limb spit over an open campfire with only rancid butter rubbed onto the meat. 

Greek kabobs

A bit more easy-going type might go the simpler route and grill it on skewers. 

Lamb in lemon sauce

Another might choose a classier method and bake their lamb in lemon until it falls apart. 

Goat in Red Sauce (island of Eos)

An adventurer might try something unique like goat with red sauce.

Pita kabobs (Greek)

An on the go type, might simply wrap their meat in a pita and paper. 

South Africa

Would your characters eat their fish whole or filleted without head and tail?

Seaside gumbo near Athens

 When serving up shrimp gumbo, will the shrimp still be whole (with exoskeleton) or already cleaned?

Yogurt Greens- Turkey

Greek Salad

Are your greens cooked in savory yogurt, sautéed in oils, or served fresh like in a Greek salad?

Can you see how the same story idea can be cooked up in many different ways? And the variations don't end there. After being cooked, spices are added depending upon regions, and that gives the story even more character. So next time you sit down to eat, think about how you spice up your characters, settings, and storyline. My characters in the Hawker Incorporated Series travel around the world so keep in touch with them and see what interesting dishes they discover.