Categories
writing youtube zero moment

Joshua 3 – Racing for the curtain

‘Racing for the curtain’ is how some screenwriters refer to the increased pace of Act III, when everything hots up as the character, story and plot all ‘race for the curtain’.

In some senses, even the writer experiences the race. As the plot speeds up, climax follows crisis, with last-minute challenges to the escape and everything heads for the denouement, so does the speed of writing. As my pal, authorĀ Susie Day put it to me the other day, “You want to be writing it as fast as your readers would be reading it.”

So it’s surprising and gratifying to find that even now, even with a planning freak like me, something can pop out of the subconscious, some last minute discovery of a detail that can be used to work a theme right through the book.

I’ve had it happen before, in every book I’ve written. It usually hits around Act II. This time I’m about just 12,000 words before the end of ZERO MOMENT (current working title for Joshua 3). And on Saturday night, it hit.

I was a little tipsy from my half of the M&S dine-in-for-2 wine. Suddenly I had an urge to write, and to jump ahead in the narrative and write the final scene of ZERO MOMENT. (I did this also for INVISIBLE CITY).

I was listening to some music to get myself in the right mood – the music that would be playing at that point of the story. I looked up the English lyrics for the tune that was playing – the version was instrumental-only. And I realised that they were perfect for the song which has a major role in the story. (Technically it acts as a synecdoche referring to Josh’s sister and father-via-sister). I had previously chosen a different song ‘DreamĀ A Little Dream Of Me’. But in fact the title, the lyric and the composer of this other song made it much more appropriate.

The song is ‘Wave’ by Antonio Carlos (‘Tom’) Jobim, that master of bossa nova. (And if you remember INVISIBLE CITY, ‘Waters of March’ Aguas de Marco by Jobim is Josh’s parents’ favourite tune) I count ‘Wave’ as perhaps my favourite jazz song (although ‘Stardust’ and ‘Me, Myself and I’ are also contenders). These are the translated lyrics:

So close your eyes
For thats a lovely way to be
Aware of things your heart alone was meant to see
The fundamental loneliness goes whenever two can dream a dream together
You can’t deny don’t try to fight the rising sea
Don’t fight the moon, the stars above and don’t fight me
The fundamental loneliness goes whenever two can dream a dream together

When I saw you first the time was halfpast three
When your eyes met mine it was eternity

By now we know the wave is on its way to be
Just catch that wave don’t be afraid of loving me
The fundamental loneliness goes whenever two can dream a dream together

When I saw you first the time was halfpast three
When your eyes met mine it was eternity

By now we know the wave is on its way to be
Just catch that wave don’t be afraid of loving me
The fundamental loneliness goes whenever two can dream a dream together

Dreams and jazz are elements which I find myself repeating in my stories. Partly because dreams and jazz mean such a lot to me, partly because Haruki does that also, to such wonderful effect that I can’t help but emulate and partly because I’m probably not imaginative enough to think of any other way to create the desired effect.

So in Joshua 3, as in INVISIBLE CITY and in ICE SHOCK I’m pulling out the same corny trick. (Yes, I have to face up to the fact that deep down I’m deeply sentimental. For goodness sakes don’t tell anyone.)

‘Wave’. How did it take me until almost the end to realise that this is the song? It even fits in with the Brazilian theme of the novel.

Wah. I am going to miss writing ZERO MOMENT. I can already feel the first pangs of loss (I always feel like this towards the ending.)

Oh – I’ve selected a choice Youtube clip of Jobim performing ‘Wave’ (instrumental version) with the legendary Herbie Hancock. If you like it, look at some others. It’s a real favourite with fans of bossa nova.

Now you only have to wait until March 2010 to understand the context of this post…

Categories
raves

Ronnie Scott’s

Somehow, we’ve never been to Ronnie Scott’s. Been upstairs @ Ronnie Scotts to the old Club Latino, which back in the day was one of the diviest yet best salsaclubs in London. Thought about going on the night of Rachel’s hen night when we poured out of the Japanese karaoke bar opposite and I noticed that Irakere were playing…

So the visit we made to celebrate Nathan’s 40th birthday, was well overdue, as well as being pretty epic.

Epic in the sense that here’s a place that is SO iconic that it’s impossible to be there and not think ‘This is me at Ronnie Scotts. Here I am applauding and whistling each improvised solo, just like on the records. Here I am sipping wine whilst a guy pounds a bass and another wears a cap to jazz it up on a grand piano.’

I’m sure Alfred will shortly post photos so we’ll all be able to see just how cute he and Nathan looked in their designer shirts and sleek leather jackets.

I committed some kind of London faux pas by wearing items of colour. I wore a lime-green silk frock with a lilac linen jacket. Nosirree! In London they are all wearing grey, black and cream. Billboards for clothes shops sternly announce this fact. Not having enough money to shop at designer stores is not a valid excuse – even the posters for Matalan provided clear instruction.

I’ll get my coat.

On another note, one of Nathan’s friends was able to advise me on the top 3 chocolate desserts in London. He’d never been to Maggiore’s though, where they used to have a truly withering warm chocolate soup with pistachio ice-cream. At Ronnie Scotts I had a very yummy chocolate fudge pudding – two fudgy, shortcakey rounds squidged together with whipped cream. Damn fine.