April 2017
Amazon Author's Page
25/04/17 21:12 Filed in: Publications
I'd asked Amazon to add Twisted Tax Tales to my publications page at the end of March and Infernal Clock a couple of weeks ago. Usually it goes very smoothly and go live within a day or two. I'd had emails from both asking for more information in the first instance (which previously I hadn't needed to provide) then by their second email they confirmed both and that they'd be up within 1-3 days.
Unfortunately by yesterday neither were yet up. Had to chase as something had evidently gone wrong. But they turned it around very quickly from yesterday and in fact today they are now up on my Amazon Author's page. Huzzah!
Great to see! Amazon are pretty damn efficient to be fair. It doesn't bare thinking about how many queries they have to deal with like this.
Now I wonder what will be Publication No. 13...?
Unfortunately by yesterday neither were yet up. Had to chase as something had evidently gone wrong. But they turned it around very quickly from yesterday and in fact today they are now up on my Amazon Author's page. Huzzah!
Great to see! Amazon are pretty damn efficient to be fair. It doesn't bare thinking about how many queries they have to deal with like this.
Now I wonder what will be Publication No. 13...?
Comments
Class Song of the Day
Started 'Class Song of the Day' last week on Twitter and to do that have started using Buffer, so that it's timetabled and consistent.
One week in and the songs have been:
Natalie Merchant: San Andreas Fault
Mark Knopfler: Going Home (Local Hero)
Pixies: Here Comes Your Man
Arctic Monkeys: When the Sun Goes Down
Belly: Feed the Tree
REM: Imitation of Life
Diesel Park West: All the Myths on Sunday
Have already lined up the next couple of weeks.
'Buffer' is dead easy to use. Neat and simple. Using the FREE version I can only line up 10 tweets at a time, so I'll still need to remember to update it every now and again. But once every ten days? Then yeah, I can keep that up.
In theory.
Main risk later in year is repetition. And I don't want any of that going on. So I've set up a spreadsheet. A spreadsheet I tell you! Is there no end to my morning of computing... Tweets, 'Buffering', Blogs, Hard Drives, Spreadsheets...
Yeah, but no fiction writing AJ. Okay, that's enough. Talking to yourself in the third person. Step away from the computer. Step away. Put the kettle, make a coffee, pick up a pen and a pad.
I said, 'Step away from the computer, you Sunday morning procrastinator.'
-----
Find the songs on Twitter as #ClassSongOfTheDay where it gets tweeted every morning at 8 BST
One week in and the songs have been:
Natalie Merchant: San Andreas Fault
Mark Knopfler: Going Home (Local Hero)
Pixies: Here Comes Your Man
Arctic Monkeys: When the Sun Goes Down
Belly: Feed the Tree
REM: Imitation of Life
Diesel Park West: All the Myths on Sunday
Have already lined up the next couple of weeks.
'Buffer' is dead easy to use. Neat and simple. Using the FREE version I can only line up 10 tweets at a time, so I'll still need to remember to update it every now and again. But once every ten days? Then yeah, I can keep that up.
In theory.
Main risk later in year is repetition. And I don't want any of that going on. So I've set up a spreadsheet. A spreadsheet I tell you! Is there no end to my morning of computing... Tweets, 'Buffering', Blogs, Hard Drives, Spreadsheets...
Yeah, but no fiction writing AJ. Okay, that's enough. Talking to yourself in the third person. Step away from the computer. Step away. Put the kettle, make a coffee, pick up a pen and a pad.
I said, 'Step away from the computer, you Sunday morning procrastinator.'
-----
Find the songs on Twitter as #ClassSongOfTheDay where it gets tweeted every morning at 8 BST
As Exciting as Shoes
The Reassurance of Shoes
I don't like shopping for shoes, they're just things that sit on the end of me legs keeping my feet warm and dry. And I never like buying them, they're just 'things'. How boring, but how essential? And that's how I feel about buying a back-up Hard Drive. It's one of those things that you have and hopefully never need, but it's as essential as insurance or a battery recharger (or shoes*).
Let's face it as a writer most of us just use computers to write and store our bits and bobs (or hidden genius epics) on them. It's like our digital photos though; we don't print them out. So if the worst happens and your computer goes down how much of your writing will be lost? 50% 70% 95% it's all too scary to think about, isn't it?
My current portable Hard Drive is supposed to back-up by overwriting the older copies on it using the macOS Time Machine. Some time ago (I dare not think how long ago) my drive stopped backing up as there wasn't enough working space to do the deletion. Eek! So all my unprinted work and unused photographs are at risk until I get that new bigger drive and get Time Machine up and running again.
I've picked out a 1 TB WD drive (plenty big enough) and it's all of £55. It'll be good to get it. I'll get it tomorrow. Lovely to know that all my stuff will be saved. But still, like shoes, I won't be excited by it.
That said, make sure you make your back-ups; or even print some of your most important bits off. If the worst happens and you haven't it doesn't bare thinking about.
* I realise that those of the female persuasion may be confused by this entire blog.
I don't like shopping for shoes, they're just things that sit on the end of me legs keeping my feet warm and dry. And I never like buying them, they're just 'things'. How boring, but how essential? And that's how I feel about buying a back-up Hard Drive. It's one of those things that you have and hopefully never need, but it's as essential as insurance or a battery recharger (or shoes*).
Let's face it as a writer most of us just use computers to write and store our bits and bobs (or hidden genius epics) on them. It's like our digital photos though; we don't print them out. So if the worst happens and your computer goes down how much of your writing will be lost? 50% 70% 95% it's all too scary to think about, isn't it?
My current portable Hard Drive is supposed to back-up by overwriting the older copies on it using the macOS Time Machine. Some time ago (I dare not think how long ago) my drive stopped backing up as there wasn't enough working space to do the deletion. Eek! So all my unprinted work and unused photographs are at risk until I get that new bigger drive and get Time Machine up and running again.
I've picked out a 1 TB WD drive (plenty big enough) and it's all of £55. It'll be good to get it. I'll get it tomorrow. Lovely to know that all my stuff will be saved. But still, like shoes, I won't be excited by it.
That said, make sure you make your back-ups; or even print some of your most important bits off. If the worst happens and you haven't it doesn't bare thinking about.
* I realise that those of the female persuasion may be confused by this entire blog.
The Infernal Clock Interviews
19/04/17 22:03 Filed in: Infernal Clock | Publications
Infernal Clock Interview
With the release of the fabulous Infernal Clock Shakes asked all the contributors a few choice questions as an 'interview'. My favourite bit was the 666 questions. Some were easier than others however I don't think I've done too bad in terms of picking my bad. Here were my picks:
Who do you think are the 6 most evil humans in history?
Ghengis Khan and Josef Stalin
Adolf Hitler and Pol Pot
Nigel Farage and Kelvin McKenzie
Who do you regard as the 6 most evil villains in literature or film?
Joffrey Baratheon and The Dark Lord, Sauron
The Cylons, Battlestar Galactica and Alex in A Clockwork Orange
Sideshow Bob and Sephiroth (Final Fantasy VII)
(if I can’t use a video game then Baron Greenback!)
What do you think are the 6 most disgusting meals or food products ever created?
Andouillette (far and away the worst thing I’ve eaten - French cuisine my arse) and Blancmange
Turkish Delight and US ‘chocolate' products e.g. Hershey Bars and Oreos
Russian cold soups e.g. Okroshka and Liver
Click here for the link to the full interview sans photos and to see all the interviews from the other authors.
Infernal Clock available in Paperback and on Kindle now
With the release of the fabulous Infernal Clock Shakes asked all the contributors a few choice questions as an 'interview'. My favourite bit was the 666 questions. Some were easier than others however I don't think I've done too bad in terms of picking my bad. Here were my picks:
Who do you think are the 6 most evil humans in history?
Ghengis Khan and Josef Stalin
Adolf Hitler and Pol Pot
Nigel Farage and Kelvin McKenzie
Who do you regard as the 6 most evil villains in literature or film?
Joffrey Baratheon and The Dark Lord, Sauron
The Cylons, Battlestar Galactica and Alex in A Clockwork Orange
Sideshow Bob and Sephiroth (Final Fantasy VII)
(if I can’t use a video game then Baron Greenback!)
What do you think are the 6 most disgusting meals or food products ever created?
Andouillette (far and away the worst thing I’ve eaten - French cuisine my arse) and Blancmange
Turkish Delight and US ‘chocolate' products e.g. Hershey Bars and Oreos
Russian cold soups e.g. Okroshka and Liver
Click here for the link to the full interview sans photos and to see all the interviews from the other authors.
Infernal Clock available in Paperback and on Kindle now
Everyday Music
17/04/17 21:39 Filed in: music
Musical Notes
Every so often I post links to music I like or love on Twitter. Sometimes I post quite a few on a day, then I may go weeks without doing it again. Makes sense if I'm going to do it at all I should spread it out rather than have sudden bursts of inspiration!
So I've done it and linked up my @zevonesque Twitter account so that I can send out regular timetabled tweets. I've given Buffer a go to do this. So in theory at 8am (UK) every day this week there should be some right quality mixed-up music choice winging your way via my Twitter account. We'll see how/if it works.
First up today was the wonderful Natalie Merchant (10,000 Maniacs) with a live version of San Andreas Fault from way back in the early 1990s. Takes me right back to early 1990s when I was working in Mexico, when it was my favourite album at the time (prior to discovering Shakira and Mana in Mexico).
San Andreas Fault is just a wonderful song and Natalie is such a class act. What an amazing 3 minutes or so and it's a great song to start my new daily scheduled music I think.
Every so often I post links to music I like or love on Twitter. Sometimes I post quite a few on a day, then I may go weeks without doing it again. Makes sense if I'm going to do it at all I should spread it out rather than have sudden bursts of inspiration!
So I've done it and linked up my @zevonesque Twitter account so that I can send out regular timetabled tweets. I've given Buffer a go to do this. So in theory at 8am (UK) every day this week there should be some right quality mixed-up music choice winging your way via my Twitter account. We'll see how/if it works.
First up today was the wonderful Natalie Merchant (10,000 Maniacs) with a live version of San Andreas Fault from way back in the early 1990s. Takes me right back to early 1990s when I was working in Mexico, when it was my favourite album at the time (prior to discovering Shakira and Mana in Mexico).
San Andreas Fault is just a wonderful song and Natalie is such a class act. What an amazing 3 minutes or so and it's a great song to start my new daily scheduled music I think.
Infernal Clock Review
15/04/17 21:08 Filed in: Infernal Clock | Publications
Infernal Clock Reviews
There's been lots of love shown to The Infernal Clock online and on Amazon and they're multiple Five Star reviews. Woo!
Nice to get a thumbs up for my story in a new review in the Dream Cage. I didn't pay for the review in fact I don't even know the reviewer; honest! Made me happy this afternoon - I'm easily pleased. But good to know my story isn't out of its depth with all the other great stories in the anthology... and relax...
The Dream Cage review
In all seriousness though the book is cracking so if you haven't got it yet then what's keeping ya! Click on the cover and get on down to that there Amazon behemoth.
There's been lots of love shown to The Infernal Clock online and on Amazon and they're multiple Five Star reviews. Woo!
Nice to get a thumbs up for my story in a new review in the Dream Cage. I didn't pay for the review in fact I don't even know the reviewer; honest! Made me happy this afternoon - I'm easily pleased. But good to know my story isn't out of its depth with all the other great stories in the anthology... and relax...
The Dream Cage review
In all seriousness though the book is cracking so if you haven't got it yet then what's keeping ya! Click on the cover and get on down to that there Amazon behemoth.
Pull Your Finger Out!
Writing... Focus
Not much writing been done over the last week. I did manage a few hours work on Project 2 last week on a day off and to enter a Flash into Microcosms for the first time in a few weeks. Other than that writing has been a bit thin on my ground.
Work hours have been messed around with - with a late start and consequent late finish it has messed things up in many ways at home and socially. And as per my last post there has been some great TV which has eaten into my time (okay, I know that is my choice). On top of that I have been reading... including The Infernal Clock.
I finished reading Infernal Clock yesterday and have given that a solid 4 stars (why can't you give 4.5?). Some cracking story telling on all sorts of horror themes. Aim to get a review up on Amazon and GoodReads over the weekend if not before. Um, that will have to count as part of this week's writing - look I'm desperate to count everything.
Great to see that the offer to get the FlashDogs 'TIME' for FREE on Amazon for the week has resulted in great sales (is it sales if it's free?). Good to see Flash getting out there in book form and not just on web pages. Get yourself on Amazon if you haven't already.
'Clock was my 16th book that I have read this year which is good. Still well ahead of my target. Have read more books than I've bought this year (just) which means I'm ticking off some of those long unread books on these shelves of mine. Huzzah!
Got to focus on my Projects.
Focus! I tell you. Oh look, washing up to do. Is that another Trump tweet? Oh my lord Sean Spicer. Can I just watch that again. Oh, I could watch that Firmino goal again - that was top. There's washing up to do too. Did I say that earlier? Focus, I tell you!
Not much writing been done over the last week. I did manage a few hours work on Project 2 last week on a day off and to enter a Flash into Microcosms for the first time in a few weeks. Other than that writing has been a bit thin on my ground.
Work hours have been messed around with - with a late start and consequent late finish it has messed things up in many ways at home and socially. And as per my last post there has been some great TV which has eaten into my time (okay, I know that is my choice). On top of that I have been reading... including The Infernal Clock.
I finished reading Infernal Clock yesterday and have given that a solid 4 stars (why can't you give 4.5?). Some cracking story telling on all sorts of horror themes. Aim to get a review up on Amazon and GoodReads over the weekend if not before. Um, that will have to count as part of this week's writing - look I'm desperate to count everything.
Great to see that the offer to get the FlashDogs 'TIME' for FREE on Amazon for the week has resulted in great sales (is it sales if it's free?). Good to see Flash getting out there in book form and not just on web pages. Get yourself on Amazon if you haven't already.
'Clock was my 16th book that I have read this year which is good. Still well ahead of my target. Have read more books than I've bought this year (just) which means I'm ticking off some of those long unread books on these shelves of mine. Huzzah!
Got to focus on my Projects.
Focus! I tell you. Oh look, washing up to do. Is that another Trump tweet? Oh my lord Sean Spicer. Can I just watch that again. Oh, I could watch that Firmino goal again - that was top. There's washing up to do too. Did I say that earlier? Focus, I tell you!
Fabulous TV Eats Time
TV Eats Time Until There Really Is No Tomorrow
There has been rather a lot of great TV on for the last month or so. And I've loved watching lots of it, but it has slowed my reading down and, even more, my writing. Whilst work takes up so much time I really can't help that. TV though... I should make harder choices about what to watch or not, but flip there have been some cracking shows on. So rather than feel any guilt about it I'm calling it 'research into writing'. Just in case I end up doing any screenwriting.
Current and recent TV must watch for me:
At least Taboo, No9 and Follow the Money have finished (and UC and OC have only the Finals to go) so I may have more writing and reading time without the need for making difficult telly-box decisions over the coming weeks.
Keep Writing - Stop Watching.
There has been rather a lot of great TV on for the last month or so. And I've loved watching lots of it, but it has slowed my reading down and, even more, my writing. Whilst work takes up so much time I really can't help that. TV though... I should make harder choices about what to watch or not, but flip there have been some cracking shows on. So rather than feel any guilt about it I'm calling it 'research into writing'. Just in case I end up doing any screenwriting.
Current and recent TV must watch for me:
- Taboo
- Line of Duty
- Homeland
- Follow the Money
- Inside No 9
- University Challenge
- Only Connect
At least Taboo, No9 and Follow the Money have finished (and UC and OC have only the Finals to go) so I may have more writing and reading time without the need for making difficult telly-box decisions over the coming weeks.
Keep Writing - Stop Watching.
The Infernal Clock has Ticked!
02/04/17 11:35 Filed in: Infernal Clock | Publications
It's That Time, It's Here!
You can get your hands on The Infernal Clock on Amazon - Right Now! Tick-Tock. What are you waiting for?
Each story is set during an hour of the day; so that would be 24 stories then (yes it would). And that would be 24 authors too (yes, indeed). Quite a few Flash Dogs on the contributors list and writers who like scaring the bejesus out of us in the horror genre.
Like the Flash Dogs covers there has been more beautiful work from Tamara Rogers.
I've just got mine on my Paperwhite and looking forward to reading all of them. Apart from the last one; I've read that one before.
While you're on there buying it (I'm sure you are) you should also take advantage of the FREE (yep, gratis) Kindle copy of the last Flash Dogs anthology 'TIME'. FREE. That's good that. It's definitely time to get your Kindle going this April. Time - it's like the two are kind of linked, isn't it? Anyway, time for me to round this off and pick up me Kindle!
Flash Dogs Anthology 3 'TIME'
You can get your hands on The Infernal Clock on Amazon - Right Now! Tick-Tock. What are you waiting for?
Each story is set during an hour of the day; so that would be 24 stories then (yes it would). And that would be 24 authors too (yes, indeed). Quite a few Flash Dogs on the contributors list and writers who like scaring the bejesus out of us in the horror genre.
Like the Flash Dogs covers there has been more beautiful work from Tamara Rogers.
I've just got mine on my Paperwhite and looking forward to reading all of them. Apart from the last one; I've read that one before.
While you're on there buying it (I'm sure you are) you should also take advantage of the FREE (yep, gratis) Kindle copy of the last Flash Dogs anthology 'TIME'. FREE. That's good that. It's definitely time to get your Kindle going this April. Time - it's like the two are kind of linked, isn't it? Anyway, time for me to round this off and pick up me Kindle!
Flash Dogs Anthology 3 'TIME'