The Bleeding Hills | FrogenYozurt.Com - Literature & Entertainment

A final word before publishing…

On July 10, 2009, in The Bleeding Hills, Writing & Publishing, by Wilfried F. Voss

I am very close to publishing my first novel, The Bleeding Hills. The actual writing is done, and we are currently going through the consistency test, before we pass the novel to a professional editor. In the meantime I feel compelled to share some experiences I made during the writing process.

"Fleshing out" a novel

On June 16, 2009, in The Bleeding Hills, Writing & Publishing, by Wilfried F. Voss

No passion in the world is equal to the passion to alter someone else’s draft. – H. G. Wells Well, it’s done! As of today I have finished my first novel… But wait! In all truth, the real work starts now. This first draft – and that’s all it is – is roughly 48,000 words [...]

Chapter 4 – First Draft – is done…

On April 22, 2009, in The Bleeding Hills, by Wilfried F. Voss

I had written in my very first entry on this blog that I had chosen an “easy” topic for my first novel, just to get a feel of the whole writing process. Well, the topic wasn’t easy at all and the quote “The best way to become acquainted with a subject is to write a book about it” became reality. At this time I know much more about Bloody Sunday than ever before and continue to find more information.

The Dream World of Writers' Forums

On April 13, 2009, in The Bleeding Hills, Writing & Publishing, by Wilfried F. Voss

Last week, just out of curiosity, I signed up at a writers’ Online forum and like everybody who is new to the forum I posted an entry in the “Welcome” section. I briefly explained my current writing project, The Bleeding Hills, and received numerous responses wishing me well. All responses included links to the respondents’ individual web sites, since they all are working to extend their “awareness platform” (I still fail to understand where writing about writing improves your chances for a book deal). One entry, while written in the best of intentions, rubbed me the wrong way.

The Bloody Sunday Inquiry

On March 22, 2009, in Political Comments, The Bleeding Hills, by Wilfried F. Voss

The story line behind my novel “The Bleeding Hills” would not be complete without a look into the two inquiries of Bloody Sunday, the Widgery Report of 1972 and the official Bloody Sunday Inquiry initiated in 1998.

Bloody Sunday – January 30, 1972

On March 15, 2009, in The Bleeding Hills, by Wilfried F. Voss

I have often criticized the lack of good literature explaining the events of Bloody Sunday untainted and comprehensible. I have been faced with the same dilemma, now that I am in the middle of writing chapter four of my novel “The Bleeding Hills”, where Bloody Sunday takes center stage.

Eerie Coincidence…

On March 12, 2009, in The Bleeding Hills, by Wilfried F. Voss

On March 11, the Online version of the German Newspaper “Spiegel” (the German equivalent of Time magazine) published an interview with the former IRA commander Tommy McKearney. Asked about the recent violence in Northern Ireland he said (The article is in German and I am trying to translate to the best of my abilities): “I believe, that lately a handful of people with a deadly competence joined the IRA splinter groups. In this case we are not talking about newcomers, but about experienced fighters, who had remained inactive for many years.”

British Undercover Operations in Northern Ireland

On March 9, 2009, in The Bleeding Hills, by Wilfried F. Voss

British undercover operations in Northern Ireland have resulted in the unnecessary loss of lives and it is incomprehensible that British officials are not capable to learn from experience. Then again, they share this flaw with all dissident organizations opposed to the peace settlement, such as the Real IRA, Continuity IRA, and Oglaigh na hEireann.

March 7, 2009 – Terror Returns to Northern Ireland

On March 8, 2009, in The Bleeding Hills, by Wilfried F. Voss

Yesterday, March 7, 2009, two British soldiers were killed and four others, among them two pizza delivery men, were wounded in what is the first major terrorist attack in the province for over a decade. The shootings occurred at the Massereene army base in Antrim, 16 miles north of Belfast, at 9.40pm. One of the injured is critical, two are serious and one is serious but stable, police said today, as a major manhunt for the gunmen continued. The two soldiers who were killed were both aged in their early twenties and were due to fly to Afghanistan on active service in the coming days.

The Boys Of Barr Na Sraide by Sigerson Clifford

On March 7, 2009, in It's all about music..., The Bleeding Hills, by Wilfried F. Voss

I first heard the song The Boys of Barr Na Sraide in Ireland on the small isle of Inishbofin off the coast of Galway. My wife’s grandmother was born here and she immigrated to the United States in the early 1920s. We had visitied cousins of my wife’s, Paddy Joe and Regina King. Their son, Peadar (the Irish version of Peter), had shown me a CD by Colm O’Donnell, Farewell to Evening Dances, which he was very fond of and I share that feeling now.