So without further ado, I am very pleased to welcome Ashley today—and remember, comments are always welcome. \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n
—<\/p>\n
Guest Post: Ashley Capes On City Of Masks<\/em> and Beginnings<\/span><\/h3>\n![\"City](\"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/City-Of-Masks_cvr.jpg\")
<\/a>Hi! My name is Ashley and I\u2019m writing this post today because Helen was kind enough to offer me a guest spot on her blog!<\/span><\/p>\nShe also generously gave me free rein in regard to topic, so I thought I\u2019d talk about \u2018beginnings\u2019 because beginnings (and where we claim they occur) have always interested me and I hope a bit about the way my first novel, City of Masks<\/strong><\/em>, came to be, will prove interesting.<\/span><\/p>\nAnd once I started to reflect on it, I realised there were a few options.<\/span><\/p>\nOn one hand, it probably starts after being read The Hobbit<\/em><\/strong> in Grade Four, which definitely sparked my imagination. I can still remember the colour and feel of the carpet, the pins and needles from sitting and listening.<\/span><\/p>\nOn another level, I might be able to claim that the seven or so novels I wrote before City of Masks<\/strong><\/em>, none of which were good enough to publish, but which taught me something about my process or obsessions, and about plotting and revising especially, were responsible. I think I could safely credit my family for encouraging me to write when I was young \u2013 or maybe the smell of books, just being determined to be part of the world of words, pushed me into being a writer, into beginning the thorny path to publication.<\/span><\/p>\nOr, if I look at a time period a few years back, then I\u2019m in Italy, on the Amalfi Coast. My wife and I were lucky \u2013 very, very lucky \u2013 to spend three weeks travelling Italy in 2011 and it was there that I saw amazing coastline that caught my eye. Clinging to the sheer mountains around the town were deep green lemon groves and winding, narrow roads where, when cars passed, they did so slowly and with side mirrors folded in.<\/span><\/p>\nThe buildings were perched right on the coast, where they\u2019d jut out to bear the brunt of winter waves, waves that climbed so high as to seem ridiculous \u2013 I was glad we were there at the start of Autumn. But based on photos I saw in a camera shop, it\u2019s clear why most of the town slid into the sea during a tsunami in 1343.<\/span><\/p>\nThe whole town of Amalfi felt steeped in history, in natural beauty and story-potential, and I didn\u2019t realise until after I got home that it would be the chief inspiration for the setting of City of Masks<\/strong><\/em>. (And so the beginning might well have been a setting, rather than a premise or character.)<\/span><\/p>\nFinally, I could probably just as easily take the first few words as a starting point \u2013 which was little more than a sketch of my main character, Notch, in jail, falsely accused of murder, just as the book starts now. I had perhaps five hundred words written back in January of 2013 and I felt like there was a chance, from that beginning, that I\u2019d finish this story and be happy with it \u2013 which I did!<\/span><\/p>\nHope you enjoyed reading a bit about how I started City of Masks and thanks for inviting me, Helen!<\/span><\/p>\n—<\/p>\n
Thank you, Ashley. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n
As well as Ashley’s post on beginnings, I thought you might be interested to read the backcover synopsis for City of Masks<\/em><\/strong>, plus the first 230 of those 500 words,\u00a0 so here they are:<\/p>\nCity Of Masks:<\/strong><\/span>
\n “Waking in Anaskar Prison, covered in blood and accused of murder, nobody will listen to Notch\u2019s claims of innocence until he meets the future Protector of the Monarchy, Sofia Falco. <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n But Sofia has her own burdens. The first female Protector in a hundred years, her House is under threat from enemies within, the prince has made it clear he does not want her services and worst of all, she cannot communicate with her father\u2019s sentient mask of bone, the centuries-old Argeon. Without the bone mask she cannot help anyone \u2014 not herself, and certainly not a mercenary with no powerful House to protect him. <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Meanwhile, far across the western desert, Ain, a young Pathfinder, is thrust into the role of Seeker. Before winter storms close the way, he must leave his home on a quest to locate the Sea Shrine and take revenge on the people who drove his ancestors from Anaskar, the city ruled by the prince Sofia and Notch are sworn to protect, whether he wants their help or not.”<\/em><\/span>
\n.<\/span><\/p>\nChapter One:
\n<\/strong>The chill of prison bars against his temple did little to ease Notch\u2019s headache. Decades of dank didn\u2019t help either, nor snoring from another cell, where someone was impersonating a bear. Or dying. In the poor light it was hard to tell.<\/span><\/p>\nNotch squinted. Noon sun barely crept through the small, grated windows on his side of the building. Even cells across the way were shadowed. Sunlight, in addition to a piece of bread and some water, were high points, while the straw \u2018bed\u2019 and stale body odour of criminals were typically unpleasant. Worse places than Anaskar City prison existed. At least he hadn\u2019t been beaten yet \u2013 a twinge in his shoulder reminded him how much some guards enjoyed their work.<\/span><\/p>\nHis cellmate raised his voice and Notch turned. The man had probably been speaking for some time; his drawn face was expectant. Years of imprisonment had washed out his Anaskari tan.<\/span><\/p>\nNotch leaned against the bars. \u201cWhat is it, Bren?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cDid you kill her, truly?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cNo.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nBren nodded. \u201cInnocent then.\u201d He knelt in the corner, his fine coat of blue long since gone to grime, his face pressed against the stone wall. \u201cListen to this one.\u201d He scratched at an armpit with some vigour. \u201cIt\u2019s hard to see but I think it says \u2018death to the Shields of Anaskar\u2019 and it\u2019s got a signature, but I can\u2019t make it out.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n—<\/p>\n
You can read the rest of those beginning five hundred words—and the whole of Chapter One, in fact—on Ashley’s website:<\/p>\n
City Of Masks<\/a><\/h3>\n—<\/p>\n
About Ashley Capes<\/h3>\n
<\/a>Hi! My name is Ashley and I\u2019m writing this post today because Helen was kind enough to offer me a guest spot on her blog!<\/span><\/p>\nShe also generously gave me free rein in regard to topic, so I thought I\u2019d talk about \u2018beginnings\u2019 because beginnings (and where we claim they occur) have always interested me and I hope a bit about the way my first novel, City of Masks<\/strong><\/em>, came to be, will prove interesting.<\/span><\/p>\n And once I started to reflect on it, I realised there were a few options.<\/span><\/p>\n On one hand, it probably starts after being read The Hobbit<\/em><\/strong> in Grade Four, which definitely sparked my imagination. I can still remember the colour and feel of the carpet, the pins and needles from sitting and listening.<\/span><\/p>\n On another level, I might be able to claim that the seven or so novels I wrote before City of Masks<\/strong><\/em>, none of which were good enough to publish, but which taught me something about my process or obsessions, and about plotting and revising especially, were responsible. I think I could safely credit my family for encouraging me to write when I was young \u2013 or maybe the smell of books, just being determined to be part of the world of words, pushed me into being a writer, into beginning the thorny path to publication.<\/span><\/p>\n Or, if I look at a time period a few years back, then I\u2019m in Italy, on the Amalfi Coast. My wife and I were lucky \u2013 very, very lucky \u2013 to spend three weeks travelling Italy in 2011 and it was there that I saw amazing coastline that caught my eye. Clinging to the sheer mountains around the town were deep green lemon groves and winding, narrow roads where, when cars passed, they did so slowly and with side mirrors folded in.<\/span><\/p>\n The buildings were perched right on the coast, where they\u2019d jut out to bear the brunt of winter waves, waves that climbed so high as to seem ridiculous \u2013 I was glad we were there at the start of Autumn. But based on photos I saw in a camera shop, it\u2019s clear why most of the town slid into the sea during a tsunami in 1343.<\/span><\/p>\n The whole town of Amalfi felt steeped in history, in natural beauty and story-potential, and I didn\u2019t realise until after I got home that it would be the chief inspiration for the setting of City of Masks<\/strong><\/em>. (And so the beginning might well have been a setting, rather than a premise or character.)<\/span><\/p>\n Finally, I could probably just as easily take the first few words as a starting point \u2013 which was little more than a sketch of my main character, Notch, in jail, falsely accused of murder, just as the book starts now. I had perhaps five hundred words written back in January of 2013 and I felt like there was a chance, from that beginning, that I\u2019d finish this story and be happy with it \u2013 which I did!<\/span><\/p>\n Hope you enjoyed reading a bit about how I started City of Masks and thanks for inviting me, Helen!<\/span><\/p>\n —<\/p>\n Thank you, Ashley. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n As well as Ashley’s post on beginnings, I thought you might be interested to read the backcover synopsis for City of Masks<\/em><\/strong>, plus the first 230 of those 500 words,\u00a0 so here they are:<\/p>\n City Of Masks:<\/strong><\/span> But Sofia has her own burdens. The first female Protector in a hundred years, her House is under threat from enemies within, the prince has made it clear he does not want her services and worst of all, she cannot communicate with her father\u2019s sentient mask of bone, the centuries-old Argeon. Without the bone mask she cannot help anyone \u2014 not herself, and certainly not a mercenary with no powerful House to protect him. <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Meanwhile, far across the western desert, Ain, a young Pathfinder, is thrust into the role of Seeker. Before winter storms close the way, he must leave his home on a quest to locate the Sea Shrine and take revenge on the people who drove his ancestors from Anaskar, the city ruled by the prince Sofia and Notch are sworn to protect, whether he wants their help or not.”<\/em><\/span> Chapter One: Notch squinted. Noon sun barely crept through the small, grated windows on his side of the building. Even cells across the way were shadowed. Sunlight, in addition to a piece of bread and some water, were high points, while the straw \u2018bed\u2019 and stale body odour of criminals were typically unpleasant. Worse places than Anaskar City prison existed. At least he hadn\u2019t been beaten yet \u2013 a twinge in his shoulder reminded him how much some guards enjoyed their work.<\/span><\/p>\n His cellmate raised his voice and Notch turned. The man had probably been speaking for some time; his drawn face was expectant. Years of imprisonment had washed out his Anaskari tan.<\/span><\/p>\n Notch leaned against the bars. \u201cWhat is it, Bren?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cDid you kill her, truly?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Bren nodded. \u201cInnocent then.\u201d He knelt in the corner, his fine coat of blue long since gone to grime, his face pressed against the stone wall. \u201cListen to this one.\u201d He scratched at an armpit with some vigour. \u201cIt\u2019s hard to see but I think it says \u2018death to the Shields of Anaskar\u2019 and it\u2019s got a signature, but I can\u2019t make it out.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n —<\/p>\n You can read the rest of those beginning five hundred words—and the whole of Chapter One, in fact—on Ashley’s website:<\/p>\n —<\/p>\n
\n “Waking in Anaskar Prison, covered in blood and accused of murder, nobody will listen to Notch\u2019s claims of innocence until he meets the future Protector of the Monarchy, Sofia Falco. <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n
\n.<\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The chill of prison bars against his temple did little to ease Notch\u2019s headache. Decades of dank didn\u2019t help either, nor snoring from another cell, where someone was impersonating a bear. Or dying. In the poor light it was hard to tell.<\/span><\/p>\nCity Of Masks<\/a><\/h3>\n
About Ashley Capes<\/h3>\n
![\"AshleyCapes\"](\"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/AshleyCapes-150x116.gif\")
<\/a>Ashley is a poet, novelist and teacher living in Australia. He teaches Media and Music Production, and has played in a metal band, worked in an art gallery and music retail. Aside from reading and writing, Ashley loves volleyball and Studio Ghibli \u2013 and Magnum PI<\/em>, easily one of the greatest television shows ever made. His latest novel is City of Masks<\/em> and his fifth poetry collection, old stone<\/em>, is due for release at the end of 2014.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"