New on Amazon: Ushabti

Ushabti is now available for download on Amazon.
 I hope you enjoy. I had such fun writing it.
If you really like it, could you please leave me a review on Amazon?
One word like 'GREAT', is a review, or 'RUBBISH' if you don't like it, or if you really want to push the boat out, Una storia fantastica (ripping yarn).

If you haven't read Henley's Ricotta, it is also available on Amazon.

There are buttons on the sidebar which will take you to the book of your choice.

'Ephesus' is coming soon.

I moustache you a question.

Good luck to all those you NaNoWriMo contestants. Yes it's November and time for the National Novel Writing Month again. Not the snappiest acronym I've ever seen, and almost as bad as Movember.

NaNoWriMo is not for the procrastinators among us. Last year I procrastinated right into December before I made my mind up about NaNoWriMo that I wasn't going to do it. (Can anyone say the word NaNoWriMo without sounding like they have got a mouth full of cake?) The word limit to reach is 1,666.66 recurring words per day, which isn't too bad unless you have missed a day and it becomes 3,333.33 recurring.

Maybe I should look at Movember. Less pressure than NaNoWriMo. All you have to do is watch it grow whilst you sit still, or lie down and let that hair grow on the Parafiltrum, (which is the name of the skin between the nose and the upper lip. I once studied Anatomy and Physiology). Movember is sponsored  moustache  growing during the month of November. I could, of course consider entering both. Okay, okay, it's the end of the 4th day in November... allow me some procrastination please. But how could I write 1,666.66 recurring words per day when I have to concentrate on my itchy Parafiltrum, (because that's what will happen if I grow a moustache, it will itch). 

I am not the most hirsute individual, by any means. Admittedly, I can grow hair better in the shade than I do on top, but I can grow a moustache thicker than a woman, can, well most women, not all women. But previous efforts have been a little thin to say the least. So maybe I'll procrastinate moustache growing and shave it for later.

Movember supports men's cancer charities, so I'll sponsor someone at work.

A Casual Blog Post.

    I've got an awful lot of writing to do. Henley's is out there, in ebook form, although I also want to pitch it as a stage play. Ushabti, as a novella, is my current project, currently having it's first edit. Fairfax, as fond of him as I am, will have to remain in storage, for some time to come, because I really want to get Midnight At The Alhambra under way as a full size novel. The story is complete, on index cards and a cork board, so I should get off to a flying start, once I have got my loose ends tied up.

    Add to that, I have a massive reading list. I do not write at the expense of giving up reading. How can you write, if you don't read? My list is long, because I have met so many authors in recent years, and one or two of whom I regard as friends.

   I cannot lay claim to have come face to face with JK Rowling, but out of curiosity I had pre-ordered her latest book, A Casual Vacancy. I fully expected the critics to be chomping at the bit only to willing to wobble her pedestal, especially after committing the cardinal sin of crossing genres to crime writing. Many others have done the same without comment, but it's tough at the top, Jo, as they say. Although the Harry Potter books defined JKR, surely, commercially she should be regarded as a brand rather than genre specific. I have not finished reading it yet, but from what I have seen, it doesn't appear to be overtly clichéd as the critics say it is. And even if it is, would the average reader care?  It doesn't drag on so much that I start thinking about what I'm going to have for tea whilst skimming over the pages, although there are others that would disagree. I think the book is quintessentially English enough to lend itself easily to quite a reasonable film starring the likes of Stephen Fry at the one end of the spectrum to Ray Winstone at the other end. .

   Is JKR a great writer? Commercially, she has been a phenomenally great writer. Yes, but is she a great writer? Maybe. Her books, I'm sure will be revered for many generations to come. The fantasy world of Harry Potter is timeless, as tales of witches and goblins have been entertaining mankind for generations, and I can't see any reason why that will change. So supposing she continues as a crime writer, can she be regarded as a great writer for her post HP work? I think she can, as long that there is a pertinent message for future generations, then maybe. Dickens was a great social historian, showing an empathy for the poor that was not shared by many during those harsh Victorian times. Thomas Hardy, painted idealistic pastoral pictures in the readers mind of rural England. My Thomas Hardy years were during the worst of the cold war, when our country, may be the world could be annihilated at the touch of a button, and some of those who could afford it were falling over themselves to sink subterranean nuclear fallout shelters at the bottom of their gardens.

   My point being that Hardy was a master of describing the ordinary man's attitudes, values and beliefs and the message for me was their fears were exactly the same as ours. The fact that the average British citizen believed that it was just a matter of time before the French came over and murdered us in our beds. The might of Napoleon, appeared unstoppable, but we had not reckoned on the strategic cunning of Lord Nelson and the Duke of Wellington who went onto be the greatest rock star superheroes our country have ever known. It irks me that so many of our young folk don't know that.

   The blurb on JK's new book, describes conflicts between classes as war, with the people of Pagford's clashing with the tenants on the neighbouring council estate. JK Rowling describes her fictitious neighbourhood well, illustrating social decline, in a benefit state. However, Charles Moore, of the Telegraph, accuses her of turning her back on a provincial life, the life that inspired her to escape into a world of fantasy and create Harry Potter. He said, and I quote, ''JK Rowling has told the world that this is a book she “had to write”. She detests snobbery, she says, and she wishes to expose it. She has very simple codes to indicate who is bad. Anyone who has a slightly out-of-date, petit-bourgeois Christian name, like Howard, Shirley or Maureen, is bad. Such people’s evil is proved by the fact that they have carriage lamps outside their doors, refer to the sitting-room as the “lounge”, wear deerstalkers (indoors!) and candlewick dressing-gowns.'' (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/booknews/9573579/JK-Rowling-has-turned-her-back-on-the-culture-that-made-her-great.html

   Maybe it's fair comment, and it's quite likely that many will agree. However, I also think that JKR may be painting a more objective picture of the provincial life and depict, (as many of us in the UK are experiencing), the fact that good manners and respect have gone out of fashion, criminality is on the increase, as is drug use, binge drinking, domestic violence, and riots. I could go on.

Despite JKR's well publicised struggle as a single mum, given the circumstances she was in, she surely must have had a better existence then than what she could expect today. 

   If she hadn't written Harry Potter, but secured a publishing deal for A Casual Vacancy, I do believe she may not have found herself sat amongst the higher echelons of English literature, but with her latest venture, I don't think she has lost anything at all.

   As writers, we put our energy into characters then plot, or plot then characters and good narrative, all good skills in their own right. The very first thing I learned about writing, and I think that was in primary school, was description. Description is a powerful tool. Description is the portal that will take the reader into the writer's world.

Hardy and Dickens were masters of description, and JKR too

.

Me? Like many others, I'm working on it. 

Back home from Menorca.

There is just enough time for me to post a second post for this month as I've just returned from a thoroughly relaxing time in Menorca. Relaxing it may have been, but I also had routine. In between, breakfast, lunch and dinner, and an archery session each morning and shooting session in the afternoon, I managed to find enough time to complete my first draft of 'Ushabti' in novella form.

Add to this, a reading list of Mark Billingham, Peter James, Ken Follett, Louise Voss and Mark Edwards, and a John Connelly selection of short stories.

I've not finished John Connelly's 'Nocturnes,' but when I have I will write a review for John, a nicer chap you couldn't wish to meet. Louise and Mark Edwards have been an inspiration for me, as successful indie writers who landed a deal with Harper Collins. Having read their debut novel 'Catch Your Death,' it's easy to see why. I've also got a signed copy of their second novel, 'Killing Cupid,' to read, and was kicking myself that I hadn't took that one on holiday too. So that's more reviews to write. I took standalone novels by Peter James, 'Possession' and also one from Mark Billingham, 'Rush of Blood.' They both have their own detective series, which I do enjoy, but I must confess, I think they are better when they take a break from their usual characters and venture into the standalone arena. Ken Follet's book 'Eye of the Needle' was written in 1978, when he was still in his 20's. This for me was the most well written which was plot driven, based on fact with Hitler and Churchill amongst the many characters in the book.

As for archery and shooting, you made me captain of the 'Ugly' team against the 'Beautiful Team,' Giovanni, (I hope you're reading this), but the 'Ugly' team had a beautiful win and were ugly no more.

Coming Soon

'Ushabti' goes on the back burner for a few weeks, before the first edit, and in the meantime, I have a short story with a working title called 'Date,' which changed to 'The Last Waltz Should Last Forever,' which needs another edit, and a resubmission to 'Writer's Forum' magazine. If it doesn't make it this time, I'll try other magazines. I'd love to publish it on my blog, but some competitions would disqualify me for that, but should it get published in a magazine I will then post the link on this blog.

The Domino Theory

I've never been a gamester, but I must admit I'm a sucker for downloading the occasional app. The functionality of apps appeals to me, although I've yet to see one that makes me wonder how I ever managed without it.

I'm not a gamester, because I choose not to be.  There is no denying the appeal of an increasingly expanding market, which has a higher turnover than the film industry. Electronic games have become a major art form of our time. Whether it be Super Mario, Angry Birds or Call of Duty, it's an escape into an imaginary world conceived from someone else's imagination.

Isn't that the same as what fiction writers, artists and filmmakers do? Don't they entice you into their imaginary world? Undoubtedly, yes they do.
Here's the but, and it's a big BUT: but, in most media, there is a cut off point:

• A place where you put your cherished bookmark either mid or end chapter, 
• A times-up point, when you have to get back to your life. 
• A pause button on the remote control, a snapshot view of a painting in a gallery, which has been retained in your mind for possible quiet reflection
• A piece of compelling poetry you feel the need to return to, and discover some more hidden meaning at a later date.

With games, the cut off point is not so easy to find, especially for the young , who have a whole lot more life to discover, but are trapped within the allure of a virtual reality. The excitement, the glamour, the challenge of the game is too full on. Trapped in someone else's imagination, which is unwilling to let you go.

Is Super Mario really the devil in disguise? When Mario says those immortal words, in his unique falsetto Italian tone, "Here we go,", is he meaning, ''I'm going to eat up years of your life asshole, and you won't even notice until it's too late.''

No, no, no, it's definitely not for me. That doesn't make me a better person. I know myself well enough to know I'm just as likely as the next person to become addicted to games.

Solitaire, on my laptop, or on my phone is about my limit. Keep it simple. I play it when I want to think about something else. Sometimes it helps me think. It's a game you can play on autopilot. After I've had a brief round of solitaire, it's highly likely that in 5 minutes time, I won't even remember I've played it.

Aren't they cute?

JK Rowling once said that she plays a pretty mean game of Minesweeper, during breaks from her writing.
I recently downloaded Dominoes onto my phone. It has the same effect. I found myself taking breaks from my writing to play dominoes (the healthier option as opposed to having Domino's Pizza breaks). However, never having had much interest in drawing from the boneyard and counting the pips (they are expressions known only to us seasoned domino players), I have gone from that to buying a real set of dominoes. Yes I bought some last weekend.  Hand crafted in a wooden box. I also bought a travel set to take on holiday.Haven't played with them yet. I just keep opening the box and looking at them and sometimes (when nobody's looking) stroking them.

Now I'm going to play dominoes with a real person, not a computer. Hello reality, I've missed you. I'm so glad to be back.

If I can't find a real person then I'll have to buy a pack of cards and play real Solitaire... nah, that's not the same. Isn't it?

Anyone fancy a game of dominoes? If you do, can you bring your own dominoes? I don't like anybody touching them... okay, you can touch the travel set... No! I said no,.. don't touch the wooden ones. Would you mind leaving please

Book shops - The Next Generation

I think the time has come to consider a new generation of bookshops befitting the lifestyle most of us enjoy or endure in modern 21st century Britain. It is easy to say leave our bookshops alone, because we love them the way they are.. Nice sentiments, but if we're not careful we will be looking back at our bookshops with nostalgia, because they won't exist anymore.
There is no doubt that internet shopping has hit the High Street  for six. Prior to the eBook revolution, Amazon and the big supermarkets were undercutting prices well below High Street bookshops. It has been argued enough already that the eBook should be embraced by the retail industry as an added extra to enhance the experience of reading . It's an added extra, and people are beginning to accept the hypothesis that eBooks and printed books can, and will, coexist with each other, within the same marketplace.  Waterstones, WHSmith and Barnes & Noble, in the US, have added eBooks to their stock which can be bought on their websites. That's all very well and good, but websites are not bookshops in the High Street, and there lies the problem, the High Street.
I've already mentioned the problem of books selling cheaply in supermarkets. But the damage is minimal compared to the devastation they have caused in the High Street. Who would have thought good old Woolworths, the nation's favourite for so many generations, would fall by the wayside like so many others, leaving their boarded up carcasses behind. There is not much in the High Street that you can't get in the big Supermarket chains. It's a sad fact of life, and we all live near one.
So what's changed? I don't think it's all down to the internet. More people than ever work anti social hours, another niche for supermarkets. More people drive, but town centres are not friendly places for the motorist any more. Supermarkets don't charge exorbitant parking charges and if they do they refund you when you shop in the store. Supermarkets are strategically placed, not so far out of town to be inaccessible, but on the edge of town to capture passing trade from major highways.
How much passing trade does Waterstones have, amongst so many boarded up shops within a town centre? A typical shopping trip for, let's say a family of four, may entail Dad needing to go to the bank, Mum wants some shoes, the kids need new clothes for school and if they behave, they have a Happy Meal at MacDonald's. They pass Waterstones. Mum heads for the crime fiction section whilst Dad would like to browse the sport books, and they have to kids to contend with. Their visit is likely to be brief.
What if there was a Waterstones, on a standalone plot just outside of town, thoughtfully constructed, in a pleasant setting, perhaps near a river, complete with its own parking facilities,  within cycling distance and on a bus route. Within the building is a cafe, maybe Costa Coffee, as Costa is already established in several of Waterstones stores.  What if there were more seating amongst the books, a terrace to sit outdoors with tables and umbrellas? It's a whole new concept. Shopping time has no place in bookstores, that's why they don't sit very well in town any more.  Whereas an out of town bookstore in the way I've described would benefit from people who have planned a visit to the store as a leisure trip which would allow for more  time to spend there. Bookshops are enticing places to linger. It might become a meeting place, a place to study, a place for reading circles, a place for writing circles, a place where readers meet writers.
It all seems a little too idealistic, but maybe worth piloting a store or two, perhaps on the outskirts of a university town, but ideally avoiding retail parks.
Unrealistic? Maybe, maybe not. During the 1990's I visited such an establishment outside Houston in Texas. It is the only Barnes and Noble store that I have been to, so I cannot say whether or not this was typical for the whole chain. People didn't go there primarily to buy books. I was struck by the atmosphere of the place. It was a place to hang out, a place to chill, perhaps a place to fall in love.
 A meeting place for people who read and a comfortable environment in good company. Let's face it, readers are generally jolly nice people to be around. A place where writer's may enjoy a more informal book signing day, spending some quality time amongst the writer's own  readers, and at the same time recruit a few more readers.

Comments please.

Great Henley's Ricotta Giveaway

I don't know about you, but as enjoyable as the closing ceremony of the Olympics was, it left me with a heavy heart that it would be business as usual from Monday. In my experience it has been the happiest I have ever known our country to be. I was bursting with national pride for the organisers, the volunteers and most of all our wonderful athletes. We all need to avoid the big comedown  and keep our spirits high. What better way than to have a good comedy to read. I've put Henley's on a promotion until the end of Friday this week and it's free. I don't care if I never make a penny from this, I just want to get my work out there and I have the rest of this week to do it. Don't worry if you haven't got a Kindle, you can download a Kindle Reader from Amazon to your computer or phone for free. If you download could you please try and get the word out for me for others to download it too.
I hope you enjoy it. Please visit my Facebook Book page by clicking on the the badge at the top of the right hand side column and click the 'like' button for me..
Please click here to download Henley's Ricotta