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Sunday 1 January 2023

Happy New Year

To one and all. Whoever and wherever you are, welcome to the New Year. Let's have a good one.

Martyn 

Saturday 24 December 2022

Friday 22 April 2022

Once more, with feeling - that time of year again

 


St. George, Bill Shakespeare and World Book Night. All in one day, 23rd April.

More than enough words have been written and spoken about any one of the three. Some titles on the list this year offer a brew to turn any night curled up by the fire into a stormy place populated by heroes and monsters. Others will take you to a different place 

Check out the latest iteration of WBN at WBN 2022

One of the books listed is an old favourite of mine. John le Carre's, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.

A classic narrative, and character, brought to life by Alec Guiness and Gary Oldman respectively. I enjoyed both portrayals. If I had to choose, Alec Guiness would tip the scale.

Enough of the movies, WBN is about the printed word, an annual celebration, so go celebrate!

Have fun!

Martyn

PS, in my neck of the woods Williams who have a reputation for being solid, reliable steady characters become 'Bill.'

Wednesday 9 February 2022

Read All About it!

Read All Ab'aht it!

The cry of the vendor on the street corner. Rarely heard today. The world of the media has changed.

The means of cummunication, of getting the news out may differ. The invitation to "read all about it," is at the heart of the business, by email, Twitter, website, or blog.

Read all about it, and the breaking news is the coming merger of Smashwords and Draft2Digital. Without further ado, I'll hand you over to the relevant parties, via Smashwords blog and Draft2Digital

Two independent platforms joining forces

As Mark Coker calls it in his post at smashwords blog, not an end, a beginning.

Here's to the future!

Take care, everybody.

Martyn


 

Saturday 25 December 2021

Happy Christmas


Greetings to one and all, may the best of the season be yours and for the coming year, health and happiness.

Happy Christmas and New Year

Tuesday 26 October 2021

Here be monsters

There's a downside to everything. The silver lining has a cloud in tow. A grey, damp blanket of misery to smother the sunshine.

Nanowrimo is no exception. Feelings run hot and high in the writing community, for and against.

I started my first attempt, and "won" in 2012. As I charged blindly into a place I'd never thought I would go this blog post landed on the internet. NaNoWriMo; The Good, The Bad, and The Really, Really Ugly

An entertaining and thoughtful piece on both sides of the coin. It's worth talking the time over.

I don't want to put anyone off, just a better idea of what lies ahead. Knowledge is power. Better to be realistic than see illusions dashed and dreams broken.

Would it have made a difference to me, if i'd seen it? I don't know, really.

The desire to know if "can I do this?, could be rearranged into "I can do this!" Probably would have spurred me on.

Martyn



Wednesday 13 October 2021

Gets late early!


Gets late early!

l heard what she said and knew what was meant by it. Getting late early was the evenings drawing down towards night as summer drifted from the solstice to the equinox and beyond. A slide that quickened once the August Bank holiday had been ticked off. 

The battle begins.  Goblins versus Elves.
Hallowe'en ranged against Christmas.

We're into October and the lines are drawn.

Come what may, when the smoke clears and the rattle of firecrackers has faded into the stil dark november nights, the guy in the red coat will be the last man standing.

Ghosties and ghoulies, long legitty beasties. Gunpowder, treason and plot!

Plot, time to start plotting again, the clock is ticking. Damn thing never stops, just once if it could give me a minute. Stop, and a chance to get organised.

Any chance I could deploy the fall back in daylight saving time too my advantage?
Probably not

It can't be done, no stopping,  it marches on.
What can be done?

Batteries charged, pencils sharpened, notebooks refreshed and brain in gear.

  The empty page looms out of the night, on the first and haunts you for the next thirty.

The game is already in play. Do it, or not? Plough into the fray or cheer on from the boundary?

I'll let you know.

Stay safe, and fare well.

Martyn