Friends – Activity – Daedalus

Athelstone replied to the topic New BBC Radio 4 book programme in the forum Blogs 1 year, 5 months ago

Looks very promising. I shall be donning the headphones when I set about cooking dinner.

Athelstone replied to the topic Is a social media Christmas appeal worthwhile? in the forum Blogs 1 year, 5 months ago

If it has any impact at all on the publishing world, I would be pleased. I can see that it is galling when an author with a genuine passion for writing, say for a young audience, hones their craft and achieves moderate success, and then watches a celeb waltz in like an unoriginal bargain-basement Roald Dahl, have a small fortune spent on…[Read more]

Janette replied 1 year, 5 months ago

I wholly agree, though in a fit of madness, I thought that an increased gathering of writers might at least get our voices heard, if not have any bearing on sales. It would be a start if some regulation was brought in regards being able to blatantly claim someone else’s work is your own – but too many influential people are on the opposing side to…[Read more]

Libby started the topic New BBC Radio 4 book programme in the forum Blogs 1 year, 5 months ago

Take Four Books starts today. Looks interesting. An author will talk about the influence of three different writers on their own writing. First up is Graeme Macrae Burnet discussing his Gorski trilogy.

BBC Radio 4 – Take Four Books, Graeme Macrae Burnet

Libby started the topic 20% discount for Emma Darwin's Itch of Writing on Substack in the forum Marketplace 1 year, 5 months ago

https://emmadarwin.substack.com/9f42c2c1

To celebrate the Itch’s first birthday on Substack and help spread the word Emma is offering 20% off all new annual or monthly subscriptions. Click the link before 6th December:

Sandra replied to the topic Is a social media Christmas appeal worthwhile? in the forum Blogs 1 year, 5 months ago

My view is that publishers are in it for the money, and celebrity sells more – and more reliably – than as-yet-unknown novelists (potentially supplying a profit which might enable them to take more chances on unknowns?) It might be seen as ‘not fair’, but in my view is more honest to trust readers’ appreciation of well-written novels than bombard…[Read more]

Janette replied 1 year, 5 months ago

Sandra, it isn’t so much a bombardment campaign, rather a sharing of a meme to ask for support. I appreciate the view that regular novelists are enabled to be taken on because of the success of celebrity books, but the avalanche of them in such an unlevel playing field is instrumental in creating this huge imbalance, and I think the dishonesty is…[Read more]
- Sandra replied 1 year, 5 months ago
  
  I suspect, lacking conviction in my opinions, I’m not a campaigner.
  - Janette replied 1 year, 5 months ago
    
    I have bowed out of this. My intention was to be supportive, but the feelings stirred and opposing views given have me concluding that I should leave it to published authors and their representatives to fight the battle. Lesson learned.

Janette started the topic Is a social media Christmas appeal worthwhile? in the forum Blogs 1 year, 5 months ago

Recently, @Philippa East posted a copy of her letter to the Society of Authors on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=2364405197250152&set=pcb.2364405367250135

It refers to the unfair bombardment of celebrity books and their many promotions, especially during a holiday season. Though I am not (yet) published, I wholeheartedly agree…[Read more]

Libby replied 1 year, 5 months ago

Hi @janette, thank you for sharing this. As I’m not on FB I can’t read the whole letter on screen. Are you able to copy and paste it here?
- Philippa East replied 1 year, 5 months ago
  
  Hi Libby and @janette.
  Here below is a copy of my original letter to the society of authors.
  I think that a “Christmas appeal” letter, encouraging readers and book-buyers to support ordinary authors by avoiding celebrity titles would be great! I’ve been chatting loads about this issue in my various writing networks, so I think that if we were…[Read more]
  - John T replied 1 year, 5 months ago
    
    I saw your letter, Philippa, and I’m really pleased you voiced what so many of us are feeling.
Janette replied 1 year, 5 months ago

Thank you, @philippaeast for posting this. @Libby hope you agree with the sentiment.
John T replied 1 year, 5 months ago

I’m happy to join any communal effort. I’m an associate member of SoA, because I haven’t sold enough books to classify as a full member. Our Monmouth branch of SoA is very active, and as you can imagine, the subject of celebrity authors comes up a lot, particularly in relation to children’s books. A good friend, Claire Fayers, has just scored a…[Read more]
Janette replied 1 year, 5 months ago

On listening to other opinions, both here and on Messenger (FB), I concede that I have perhaps not worded my intentions very well and may have come across as too confrontational. I also apologize to those who feel ‘bombarded’ and will happily remove names from the list of those I have shared into the conversation, or remove the message altogether.…[Read more]
Kate replied 1 year, 5 months ago

I’m sorry you’ve had a bad experience trying to get the message out Janette. I share your and Philippa’s frustration with the celebrity Christmas book, especially now I’m truing to get my funny children’s book under people’s noses. An unfair situation, but one I doubt publishers will be interested in rectifying.

Sandra replied to the topic Monthly competition- November 2024 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 5 months ago

This is not my take on the headline, but I’ve posted it here because I could not come up with anything more ludicrous.

“Short hair hints may be ‘sabotage” study finds.

Publishing her research on the ’Science Direct’ website, under the heading ‘Personality and individual Differences’ Danielle Sulikowski details how women were asked to giv…[Read more]

Seagreen started the topic Monthly competition- November 2024 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 5 months ago

Find an item of news – online, in the local paper, or on TV – and, in no more than 500 words, write the background story.

Seagreen replied to the topic Monthly Comp – October 2024 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 5 months ago

Thanks, Knicky, for the challenge and for seeing something in my effort I wasn’t sure was there.

Thanks also to Terrie, Libby and Alex. I would have been more than happy to say I’d written any one of yours ☺️

Terrie replied to the topic Monthly Comp – October 2024 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 5 months ago

Thank you for setting Octobers comp, Knicks.

I enjoy seeing how differently we all approach the monthly challenges. this months were wonderfully varied.

Congratulations to Seagreen for such an atmospheric winning offering.

Sandra replied to the topic Monthly Comp – October 2024 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 5 months ago

Congratulations to Seagreen, and to everyone else who supplied an entertaining and impressive piece to October’s comp. And to Knicks for setting it,

Libby replied to the topic Monthly Comp – October 2024 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 5 months ago

Congratulations, Seagreen! Thank you, Knicks, for a great prompt and your judge’s insights.

Knicks replied to the topic Monthly Comp – October 2024 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 5 months ago

Heya lovelies,

Apologies for the day-late decision making. I’ve been oout and aboout with my egg, enjoying our midterm break from work and school, and foolishly saved the reading until the final day of the month because I wanted to take in each piece at the same time, rather than read as submitted, and also to give everyone who could, a chance to…[Read more]

Athelstone replied to the topic Monthly Comp – October 2024 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 5 months ago

Darn it! Missed it! A fab selection though.

Sandra replied to the topic Monthly Comp – October 2024 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 5 months ago

Apologies, Knicks, I’m not going to submit anything this month – torn three ways with something that will not knit.

Libby replied to the topic Monthly Comp – October 2024 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 6 months ago

What’s Brought to the Table

796 words

Grace was sitting on the floor of Lily’s bedroom, leaning against Lily’s wardrobe. She looked at Lily, who was lying on her single bed with her arms spread wide like an act of supplication.

Lily had just said she was aiming for paradoxy. Grace wondered what psychodrama had produced this.…[Read more]

Terrie replied to the topic Monthly Comp – October 2024 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 6 months ago

A rhyming effort from me for this challenge

<u>All in my head</u>

Emotion, bright as a shooting star, trails across the bowl of dark-light, caught

crackling and spluttering, straining against the speckle and spackle of midnight thought.

I feel it drift, almost mutely, into a cascade of unspoken dreams, tumbling, and falling

slowly, into an…[Read more]

Seagreen replied to the topic Monthly Comp – October 2024 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 6 months ago

Fiercely reaching yet afraid of letting go. (756 words)

He wakes. Slowly. Reluctantly. To a feeling of being underground. Air heavy and thick with dust. Throat dry and aching. Eyes full of grit.

He is pinned, lying sideways on a surface, twisted and unforgiving, one arm beneath his hip and the other across his chest. He cannot feel his feet,…[Read more]

@daedalus