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(Notes for talk)
FORESHADOWING AS A WRITING TOOL
Bob Brown

·      Thank Billie Bartlett and Val Smith.

·      You’re attendance tells me you are a writer or a reader of books.

    ·      I will talk about foreshadowing. I hope it will be
        useful for writers and interesting for readers.

·      Foreshadowing is a hint of things that will happen in the future.

·      Why in the world would a writer give hints about what is going to happen later? Isn’t this giving away the story too soon?

      ·      On the contrary. If done carefully it builds suspense.

      ·      Here is the opening sentence of my short story,
         Queen for a Day: Swindell didn’t tell Mealy, “I’m
         here to steal your wife,” but that is what he meant.

      ·       Have I given away the story? I’ve told you exactly
          what Swindell is going to try to do. Have I ruined
          the story and you’re not interested in reading more?

      ·      Or are you wondering just what kind of dirty trick is
         that lousy Swindell up to.

     ·      This story is in Bittersweet Revenge, my book or
          short stories that will be published about the first of
          the year.

 ·      After all, why do we read? We want to find out
 what is so unique, exciting, horrifying, or emotional
 that writer spent two or more years to tell you about
 it.

       ·      Foreshadowing gives enough of hint to keep you
          turning pages.

       ·      Foreshadowing can be a useful tool throughout a
          story.

       ·      In my novel, Nathan’s Valley, a swift moving stream
          heads directly for a granite cliff and abruptly drops
          out of sight in a ferocious whirlpool.

       ·      On page 75 of Nathan’s Valley: Read.

       ·      The plight of the little doe foreshadows another
          scene in which Nathan’s young daughter, Lucy
          Mae, falls into the fast moving stream.

       ·      The second event takes place 75 pages and several
          years later in the story, but I count on the reader
          remembering the whirlpool and what can happen to
          Lucy Mae.

       ·      Remember what Nathan said after he watched the
          little doe disappear. Read, p 76.

       ·      Sometimes the foreshadowing may be so immersed
          in the story the reader may not realize the
          foreshadowing has taken place.

       ·      Nathan had a booming voice and enjoyed singing at
          their Sunday meetings, not always in tune, I’m
          afraid.

       ·      Nathan’s son, Little Jamie, at four years old
          worshiped Nathan, and often tried to imitate him.
          Read from Nellie Lee’s point of view. Page 125.

       ·      The words of Little Jamie’s song foreshadows his
          own destiny. A short while later Nathan will
          accidentally fell a tree on Little Jamie.

     ·      Foreshadowing is a promise to deliver. Never ever
         promise without delivering.

       ·      The reader can rightfully expect that everything
          introduced in the story, advances the story. A
          writer’s credibility will plummet if he foreshadows
          and never fulfils the promise in the forshadowing.

     ·      Foreshadowing can be very useful for sustaining
         suspense, and with care, the readers enjoyment will
             be enhanced.

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