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RichardB posted an update 3 years, 4 months ago
Today, for the first time in my life, I was moved to write to a national newspaper. This was prompted, of all things, by an advert I saw in the Guardian. The letter ran as follows:
‘In the middle of today’s on-line article “Granta reveals its pick of future star British novelists” there is an advertisement that asks, “Looking for a publisher?”…[Read more]
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RichardB replied to the topic Close to Home in the forum Blogs 3 years, 5 months ago
That straight road through the village is actually called Roman Road. It’s part of the old Roman road from Neath to Brecon.
I do actually have an idea of what Banwen used to look like when the mine was open, because in the corridor in the Dove Workshop (an adult education and community centre, just visible in the opening shot among the trees, top…[Read more]
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RichardB replied to the topic Close to Home in the forum Blogs 3 years, 5 months ago
Yes, and not least among its attractions is that those houses in the terraces can still be had for less than £100,000.
The Valleys have always been famous for community spirit, though anyone who was alive when the mines were open will tell you that it’s not what it was. The mine at Banwen closed as long ago as 1964 (that pretty pond was once an…[Read more]
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RichardB started the topic Close to Home in the forum Blogs 3 years, 5 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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RichardB posted a new activity comment 3 years, 5 months ago
Though in the light of certain recently proposed legislation the word ‘Führer’ might be more appropriate.
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On reflection…
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Though in the light of certain recently proposed legislation the word ‘Führer’ might be more appropriate.
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RichardB posted a new activity comment 3 years, 8 months ago
And to you and yours, Ath. (Someone’s got to respond…)
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RichardB replied to the topic Richard's Musical Byways: Robert Johnson, the Myth and the Man in the forum Blogs 3 years, 9 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, 9 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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RichardB posted an update 3 years, 10 months ago
This afternoon an email from Jericho Writers piqued my curiosity and sent me to their home page. Scrolling down, I came to the we-helped-these-writers-get-published-so-we-can-help-you bit. Looking through the brief profiles (two of which are of people many here will know well) I noticed that in three cases the person concerned was described as ‘a…[Read more]
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Or alumna 😉
Every so often I read a badly written JW message. I think they’re doing stuff either in a hurry or are a bit understaffed.
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RichardB posted an update 3 years, 10 months ago
Went to the cattery this morning after returning from holiday to find that our cat had succumbed to kidney failure while we were away. She was a gentle, affectionate soul and much loved. Plus, we both have rather nasty colds. Not the the best homecoming.
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Oh, that’s sad, Richard. I’m familiar with the pain of losing a loved cat.
I hope the colds clear up soon. -
Oh, Richard, what a shame. Such upsetting news to come home to .
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Oh no, really sorry to hear that Richard
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RichardB posted a new activity comment 3 years, 11 months ago
Only one response? Shame on us, for that is really quite some achievement. I see illustrious names among the past winners, so many congratulations and I hope you’re feeling as proud as you deserve to be. I’ve said it before: we in the Den may be few, but we’re talented.
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RichardB replied to the topic Choices in the forum
All You Need 3 years, 11 months agoCrystal Palace
Yes there is
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RichardB replied to the topic The Price of Coal: Senghenydd, 1913 in the forum Blogs 3 years, 11 months ago
It did, but not by very much. I went looking for info on this, and found three post-nationalisation disasters with forty or more killed. Not quite slaughter on nineteenth century levels, but you have to take into account that the industry was being steadily run down.
Though I’m old enough (I was born in 1950) I don’t remember where I was or what…[Read more]
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RichardB replied to the topic The Price of Coal: Senghenydd, 1913 in the forum Blogs 3 years, 12 months ago
And thank you too, Seagreen.
For those of you who are interested enough to look up that song lyric, I should explain the significance of that line ‘Down there in the dark they are lying.’ On the grounds that conditions were too dangerous for any further rescue work, the controversial decision was taken to permanently seal the affected part of the…[Read more]
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RichardB started the topic The Price of Coal: Senghenydd, 1913 in the forum Blogs 3 years, 12 months ago
At 8.00am on the morning of 14 October 1913 the mining village of Senghenydd (Seng-HEN-uth, hard s as in sip, soft th as in clothes), about four miles north-west of Caerphilly, was going about its business as usual. At the Universal Colliery the men of the early shift were underground and had been for two hours or more. The night shift men, who…[Read more]
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Interest and moving. Thanks, Richard.
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RichardB replied to the topic CAS longlist in the forum Podium 4 years ago
Thank you one and all. I’ve had a good feeling about this story ever since I knocked out the original version for last winter’s challenge in three days flat, but never in my wildest dreams did I envision it would do this well. Well, in my wildest dreams maybe, but not anywhere else.
The result has bolstered my faith in my writing ability, though…[Read more]
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RichardB replied to the topic CAS longlist in the forum Podium 4 years ago
Thank you, Kate. Yes, it is. Once again I seem to have missed the boat to be the first to announce it, but hey, who cares? After writing and submitting two novels and getting 60% form rejections and 40% no reply at all, it does feel rather good to have got some validation at last.
Bitter, moi? Not just at the moment.
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RichardB replied to the topic How to reach out to a speculative fiction editor? in the forum The Writers' Lifeboat 4 years ago
Oh, it’s gone live all on its little ownsome.
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This research report shows more of the unpleasant truth of vanity publishing
https://societyofauthors.org/SOA/MediaLibrary/SOAWebsite/Documents-for-download/_REPORT-Is-it-a-steal.pdf
I read the Guardian seeing as it’s the only mainstream media outlet that even remotely approaches my political leanings, but I have to say that the approach is indeed often remote, and I’m not surprised to see them accept that advertisement. That said, they do make quite a big deal about promoting aspiring authors, and organise several courses and…[Read more]
Libby, thanks for that link. It’s quite damning, and if I’d known about it I might have included it in my e-mail.
Ath, it never occurred to me that the placement of the ad might be random. It’s too much to ask of coincidence. I do hope that the acceptance of it was indeed due to lack of scrutiny. If I were to learn that they were at all aware of…[Read more]
Just checked the article again, and I have to say that the ad-spot is a set of Google tags; Google is the Advertising Network managing this space, so it will be filled according to a set of priorities partly determined by your cookies. That’s why after checking Amazon for cat-toothpaste, every other page you visit wants to sell you the stuff. So…[Read more]
Cookies are generally innocuous, but can be a royal PITA. Opt in on a site’s cookie policies and you can easily find yourself seeing advertising that you really don’t want to see, unless the site is particularly careful regarding what is set. I bought my daughter sports socks as a little Christmas extra. Since then I’ve been plagued with ads for…[Read more]
Ah, so the ad wasn’t actually down to the Guardian, then, and my writing to them was a waste of time. But I get so angry at these vanity publishers (though I gather that phrase is out of fashion now). The way they exploit and trample on the dreams of aspiring authors is downright cruelty, if you ask me.
Absolutely not a waste of time, Richard. The paper has controls that enable them to reject specific advertisers. Now you’ve brought it to their attention I would expect the least they can do is prevent it appearing again. It’s the Guardian’s choice to use this advertising system, and ultimately it’s their fault entirely.
Having read a bit more…[Read more]
Re the appearance of ads of any kind, I don’t get any ads, not on the Guardian site or anywhere else. I have Microsoft Edge set to the highest privacy setting, I use DuckDuckGo for all searches unless the results aren’t extensive enough and only use Google for YouTube and maps. I clear cookies every few days and mostly disallow them where I…[Read more]
It’s worth noting that the Guardian has form for taking money from vanity publishers. Back when I was first getting interested in writing ‘properly’, back in the mid-90s, I remember seeing ads for ‘Athena Press’ plastered all over anything to do with writing or fiction. Their MO was so similar to how you describe Pegasus, I find myself wondering…[Read more]