@athelstone
Active 1 hour, 21 minutes ago-
RichardB started the topic Close to Home in the forum Blogs 3 years, 2 months ago
I have been known to mention on occasion how much I like living where I do. The other day MrsB found (through Facebook, I believe) this short film that gives some idea of why that is, and I can’t resist sharing it with you.
Some ‘footnotes,’ if you will:
The old man, George Brinley Evans, ‘Uncle George,’ is no longer with us, but we used to see…[Read more]
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Libby replied to the topic The book trade and older readers in the forum Coffee Shop 3 years, 2 months ago
I use reviews too. They’re not my only resource when making choices but they let me know what’s out there in general – what some of the trends and hits are, and the interesting new names.
Then there are the books I want to read because I’ve read the author’s previous book(s).
There are the usual chance factors: browsing in bookshops both new and…[Read more]
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Libby started the topic The book trade and older readers in the forum Coffee Shop 3 years, 2 months ago
In this week’s The Bookseller, the very large publishing company Hachette UK reports on its recent initiative to understand and cater to the UK’s very large customer-group of readers over 45. In 2018 they started an in-house group called AgeWise to do research and, presumably, to make recommendations to Hachette.
What took anyone in publishing so…[Read more]
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Seagreen replied to the topic Monthly Comp – February 2023 in the forum Monthly Competition 3 years, 2 months ago
Thank you both for entering and I’m so sorry to keep you hanging on like this. To be honest, I found it really difficult to choose; I liked both of them in different ways. On this occasion (and because if I don’t stop prevaricating we’ll still be here next week) I’m going with Alex.
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Seagreen replied to the topic Monthly Comp – February 2023 in the forum Monthly Competition 3 years, 2 months ago
You caught me on the hop ☺️
I’ll come back to these tomorrow. -
John T posted an update 3 years, 3 months ago
I’ve been neglecting you all in the Den since we moved back to Wales (Noswaith dda, bawb) but I’ll try and reconnect soon. Lots happening here – I’m self-publishing the first of three novels in late spring or early summer. Currently wrangling a website into shape (with help). Love to you all x
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Good to see you, John. x
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John, what are the novels you’re self-publishing – and where’s the website?
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Hi there. The website is ‘under construction’ but should go live in the next couple of weeks. I’ll post a link, if I may. The first two novels in the Apples in the Dark series should come out about 6 months apart this year. They’ll be in e-book on several platforms and print-on-demand via IngramSpark. I don’t want to get locked into the Amazon…[Read more]
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Well, you’ve been busy. Feel free to post a link to your website whenever you want to. Maybe in the Podium or Coffee Shop groups so it doesn’t vanish with the activity stream (although that may take a while anyway with the way activity here has slowed down).
The books sound fascinating and the sequel sounds familiar. Is it one you were working on…[Read more]
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Thank you, Athers. They are both a result of unpacking The Blackbird Effect, the novel that landed me an agent (for a while) in 2012 without attracting a publisher – and thereby making Harry hopping mad, because he backed it as the Next Big Thing. I wasn’t so surprised: it had too many themes and too too much business, leaving lots of passages s…[Read more]
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I do admire you for taking this view of things and for taking positive action to work through it. I think these sound like hard decisions.
My writing has picked up, a little, after a very slow few years. I’m about 70% into the first draft of a novel, although that in itself is a bit tricky as I wrote a fair bit and then abandoned it – so…[Read more]
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Seagreen started the topic Monthly Comp – February 2023 in the forum Monthly Competition 3 years, 3 months ago
We’ve probably all heard how ‘villains are the heroes of their own story’ so, this month, I’d like you to strip your villains bare, leaving them exposed and vulnerable. Poke at them with a sharp stick through the bars of a cold, dark cell, ridicule their inadequacies, and ride roughshod over their sensitivities. I’ll be waiting for you to come…[Read more]
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Seagreen replied to the topic Monthly comp – January 2023 in the forum Monthly Competition 3 years, 3 months ago
Thanks, both 🙂
I’m afraid I’ve been listening to Carol Ann Duffy on BBC Maestro so you have her to thank (?) for my dipping of toes into the poetry waters. It was kind of like painting a miniature with a 4″ brush.
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Seagreen replied to the topic Monthly comp – January 2023 in the forum Monthly Competition 3 years, 4 months ago
ReSolutionary
Dreams and aspirations poise
Like Tom Daley
Arms outstretched and toes curled
Over a cliff edge promise of excitement and change
They dive
Into the New Year
Only to flounder in the shallows
Of dwindling discipline and morbid motivation
The old ways resurface
Smug-smiling
Safe for another year
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Daedalus replied to the topic Richard's Musical Byways: Robert Johnson, the Myth and the Man in the forum Blogs 3 years, 5 months ago
Thoroughly enjoyed this, Richard. Another wonderful bit of writing that is bound to lead to a substantial musical rabbit-hole
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Seagreen replied to the topic Monthly Competition – November 2022 in the forum Monthly Competition 3 years, 5 months ago
I’m so sorry, Alex. I don’t know where November went 🤷♀️
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Hilary posted an update 3 years, 6 months ago
Hello Denizens,
If anyone would like an invitation to the launch of Sea Defences, please send me a message. It’s on Thursday January 12th at 6 pm in Sudbury, Suffolk. -
RichardB replied to the topic Richard's Musical Byways: Robert Johnson, the Myth and the Man in the forum Blogs 3 years, 6 months ago
Thank you, Ath. Your assessment of my efforts in very pleasing. I did worry that it might be too long, but there are so many interesting facets to the subject, and I didn’t want to leave any of them out. Also, I didn’t know that there was anyone in my potential readership who actually knew and liked Johnson’s music.
I came to the blues by a very…[Read more]
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RichardB started the topic Richard's Musical Byways: Robert Johnson, the Myth and the Man in the forum Blogs 3 years, 6 months ago
On 23 December 1938 New York’s Carnegie Hall, at that time mostly used for classical concerts, hosted a revolutionary event. Titled From Spirituals to Swing, its aim was to showcase (as its name suggests) the history of black music in America, and to present it as something worth serious listening. It had been organised by the jazz impresario John…[Read more]
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Hilary replied to the topic Prize and novel publication in the forum Podium 3 years, 6 months ago
<p style=”text-align: right;”>Thanks for ordering, Libby.</p>
Bridport don’t publish online because they publish an anthology – even the ebook is not cheap!-
Ah, right. It’s good though that you’ll be in the anthology.
Congratulations again!
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Libby replied to the topic Prize and novel publication in the forum Podium 3 years, 6 months ago
Congratulations @hilary
I’ve ordered a copy of Sea Defences. I’m highly unlikely to be in Suffolk in January but have a great time at the launch.
Congratulations too for the flash win. Does the Bridport site post the winning stories? I couldn’t find any but the site isn’t the easiest to use.
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Thank you for ordering Sea Defences, @libby
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It’s arrived already @hilary . It’ll take me a little while to get to it – I have some library books to finish first. I’m impressed by your publisher. I hadn’t heard of Lightning Books before. In addition to Sea Defences I bought some novels and memoirs from their antipodean collection.
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Thank you, Libby. Good to hear you found more books from them too.
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Hilary replied to the topic Free book in the forum Podium 3 years, 6 months ago
Congratulations, Thea! I can empathise with the heartfelt ‘At long last…’ Well done!
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Thanks, Hilary x 🙂
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Hilary started the topic Prize and novel publication in the forum Podium 3 years, 6 months ago
Some of you will already know this if you hang out on twitter. My debut novel, Sea Defences, is coming out in January and can be pre-ordered from http://www.eye-books.com/books/sea-defences. It started life as a short story in one of the winter challenges on the old Cloud – I think it was the last one that AlanP did. There will be a Book Launch in…[Read more]
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Wow, double congratulations, Hilary! I remember Sea Defences from the Winter Challenge – such a powerful story. Sorry I won’t be able to make it to Suffolk, but I will be raising a glass to your success. Well done! 🙂
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Brilliant news, Hillary.
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oops, not admin, me 🙂
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Brilliant news. Congratulations, Hilary!
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Seagreen replied to the topic Monthly Competition – October 2022 in the forum Monthly Competition 3 years, 6 months ago
UNTITLED 452 words
A leaf, the colour of burnt sugar, dried and curled into the shape of a piranha’s open maw, drifted across the path in front of her. Good. Enough of a breeze, then, to keep her cool. The last thing she wanted after her run was to turn up at Jake’s night out with a face the colour of a baboon’s bum. She checked her watch…[Read more]
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