This is another one of those writing moments where characters seem to either introduce themselves or simply intrude into the creative process. Eiji Tunshi is too much of a gentleman to intrude, I feel that he just charmed his way into existence. I already had an idea for a character that became Risdun Hak. He … Continue reading Risdun Hak and Eiji Tunshi
Marsh and Cope
Marsh and Cope appear in my science fiction novel, Mesozoic. They are actually a reference to an infamous pair of Palaeontologists from the late 19th century, Othniel Charles Marsh and Edward Drinker Cope. These two erudite academics developed a passionate feud fuelled by a hatred for each other that developed slowly but became almost all … Continue reading Marsh and Cope
Chronic Pain
I had intended on following up my last post about Grace and Tom from my novel, Eugenica, with another piece along similar lines; obviously, that did not happen. My intentions were derailed by an onset of pain. I have experienced chronic pain for all of my life so far. It is not, I have found, … Continue reading Chronic Pain
Grace and Tom
When I wrote about Coenred and Mildryth I was reminded of another couple who had taken centre stage in one of my other novels; Grace Fielding and Thomas Morrow. They appear in Eugenica. They have no romantic attachment to one another, partly because they are quite young, and partly because they are thrown together by a series of terrible events rather than mutual attraction.
Avatar (2009) Revisited
I like science fiction and, as with so many other enthusiasts, I was excited by the prospect of watching James Cameron’s ‘Avatar’ when it was first released. After seeing it, however, I was haunted by a persistent feeling of déjà vu. The story goes like this: an ex-soldier is recruited by a private firm to … Continue reading Avatar (2009) Revisited
Coleg Harlech, more than just a college
Coleg Harlech, a place of second chances that changed many lives for the better
It Takes a Double Take
A week or two ago I updated all the covers of my novels on Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). It took awhile as you have to go into each book and update the content even when the only change is to the image used for the cover. When you have seven novels to work on that … Continue reading It Takes a Double Take
Marketing, like all other oceans, is full of sharks
Well, my first serious foray into book marketing did not go particularly well. I saw an offer on-line for a service that offered to promote my book by all the usual methods, reviews in line with the extant Amazon policy, mentions on Twitter, my book and my name given out to a MailChimp list of … Continue reading Marketing, like all other oceans, is full of sharks
Welcome to my Reality
It is a curious thing that when someone has an experience of your own reality, they are not always enlightened by it. I have had a number of conversations lately in which the return to a 'degree of normality' was the main subject. It seems that a lot of people have really struggled with the … Continue reading Welcome to my Reality
The Pitfalls of Design
I ordered a paperback copy of my latest book, The Devil Within Us, for my wife. She is one of those readers who prefer to hold a book rather than look at an electronic representation of it. I do not view such people as luddites, and not just because I am married to her, everyone … Continue reading The Pitfalls of Design