May is out!

Ne'er cast a clout 'til May is out. 

Either the Hawthorn, traditionally May flowering and a sign the weather is losing the cold edge of winter, or the month itself, it's gone for this year and in my neck of the woods we have had our share of clout casting whether.

The coat and the month are off,  the Covid 19 restrictions aren't. HMG are currently extending the furlough scheme to October, and the Author Give Back Sale has dropped off at Smashwords. We're going for Yorkshire Day, the 1st of August. For reference, on the Yorkshire flag the white rose stands on a single green point.

This author is sticking with it. Iceline is free, enter code EL44V at check out the Grange stories for Control:Escape, What You Ask For and The Obedience of Fools and enjoy. 

For the price of a good cup of Yorkshire Tea. 

Martyn

Authors still giving back!

The smashwords Authors Give Back Sale is on until the end of May, currently set to wind down at midnight on the 31st.

Don't rule out the possibility that they end date may be rolled out again, a lot of us will be adjusting our plans for a while to come yet. The restrictions are easing, the mental strain isn't. and will linger long after the socially visible aspects of this situation,

I revisited the smashwords blog where the authors give back sale was first announced and carried on reading to the bottom of the page and on into the previous post and found a delicious story about bakers and cookies, analogous to the predicament of the independant writer, or any writer. 

We're getting a glimpse of what happens when the little guy who makes the superb  goodies is taken out of the equation. No one expected it to happen this way. 

Mark Coker, posts the story from Nicky Charles in the Smashwords blog post  post of the 5th March, The Baker and the Pot of Gold. The piece is a response to Mark Coker's review 2020 Publishing Predictions, Hose of Indie on Fire. A yearly reflection on the state of Independant publishing. To use his own words from the review,  a 'State of the Indie Nation' piece. 

A bite for all appetites. the lighter side in Nicky's cookie tale, and Mark's more serious offering, and not stodgy.

Enjoy

Martyn