Alpha and Beta Readers

Step 1 - Find an avid reader!

So, now you have a first draft – what to do with it? The best advice is NOT to rush out and give it someone to read. Not someone you care about anyway. There is some great advice here at Taven Moore - the blog of Tami and Steven Moore . I found it very helpful. I know that there are those that say that the Alpha Reader is the author and that anyone else who reads the manuscript is a beta reader, but I agree with Tami, that there is a place for two distinct types of readers. This is how I personally define the two.

Alpha Readers

There are two stages to alpha readers.

Stage 1 alpha readers look at the shape of the story, its pace and tension. They gauge their empathy with the characters and their motivation. They judge the believability and integrity of the plot, and whether they care what happens next. They notice whether characters grow in response to the story, or whether they are simply inconsistent, and identify the strength of the characters voices.

 

Fab bookmarks thanks to Ms.O Reads Books.com

Stage 1 alpha readers do NOT:

• Care about grammar or spelling or even typos
• Worry about the passive voice or use of adverbs
• Wonder if there was a better way of saying something

Why? Because there’s a fair chance that what they are reading will end up being rewritten anyway, so who cares whether it is grammatically sound?

Stage 2 alpha readers do the hard slog of proof reading, kicking grammar butts, and toning up the flabby prose. The story is a great looker, but it needs to get fit.

Beta Readers

Readers are alpha until the manuscript is well-paced, has light and shade, tension carefully interwoven with light relief. A manuscript where characters have depth and tell their own stories with strong voices, where they grow and develop and discover something about themselves and where the protagonist draws empathy as the antagonist repels it. Unless the story demands a different loyalty that is. There should be a clear story arc, about which the sub-plots weave and dance, where characters act rationally according to their history and nature, except for the insane ones, of course.  

Only then is the manuscript turned over to the beta readers. They will instinctively do the same as the alpha readers, but because of all the hard work that has gone before, they are less likely to be distracted by problems with the big picture. Beta readers make a little mark in the margin when something snags their attention away from the story and onto the words, but they do not stop to wonder what was wrong. Beta readers follow the Neil Gaiman principle – if a reader says that something is wrong, they are almost certainly right. If they say what will put it right, they are almost certainly wrong. Beta readers should not be proof reading – they are far too valuable for that.

At the end of the process, the story should be silk smooth, the words flowing seamlessly from page to consciousness. Except of course that neither we nor our beloved alpha and beta readers are infallible, and that is why a professional editor is essential. That passage which was so good before, suddenly sparkles. The story sheds dead wood that had previously seemed essential, and yet is all the stronger for it. All this is to make the story the best that we can make it. It’s up to us to find the best story in the first place.

I hope to be looking for alpha readers towards the end of January. I will no doubt post about it again then, but do wave if you think you might be interested!

End of Movember

(or Back to Normality)

For those of you who don't know Movember is about raising funds for research into men's health issues, principally Prostate and Testicular Cancer. (The goals of Movember in their own words) The objective is to grow a moustache during the month of November. Yes, it's that hard. (if a little gender exclusive!)

So here it is after 30 days of hard graft ... and blessed relief 5 minutes later!



So that's it. Shaving is so worth it!

So, I've written a NOVEL

During November 2012 and November 2013 (combined) I have written 100,000 words, completing the first draft of an epic fantasy novel. As a first draft it is the skeleton, the underlying shape of the story. Now comes the hard graft of adding ligaments and sinews to hold it together, muscles to give it strength and flesh to make it attractive. (That is adding character depth, sub-plots, and world building environment enhancement!)

I will probably now take two weeks off writing, to take care of the squillion things that I have steadfastly neglected over the last 30 days of totally focused writing. (Every spare moment has been given over to the writing effort). Then I shall use my Christmas break to kick start the whole editing process. The aim is to have a second draft (one which at least reads coherently) by the middle of January 2014.

I would really like to get back to blogging regularly. I miss reading the great articles that my blogging friends write. I miss taking part in the blogfest writing competitions. I miss playing the meme games. I miss writing poetry. I stopped blogging because I needed to write. When I have my second draft I will be able to blog!

Social Muddler

Apparently building a writers platform is crucial these days, and the social media in their many guises are the key. For me it started with this blog, in which I happily immersed myself. I really enjoyed visiting other blogs, interacting with loads of really interesting people, writing pieces for weekly memes and blogfests. Then I realised that I was so busy building a platform that I wasn't doing any serious writing. So I began to write short stories, microfiction and poetry. But all that blogging took its toll on my time and I had to step away from it.

So I opened a twitter account @dominicdemattos (https://twitter.com/DominicdeMattos). Something I could do in very little (140 character) bursts. So I discovered there are loads of really interesting people in the twitterverse and links to some great blog posts, which, oh dear, takes me back to the blogosphere!

Now I have opened an author's facebook account (http://www.facebook.com/dominic.demattos) and if you haven't received a friend invite it's only because I haven't found you yet! (Please do send me a friend invite). It took me a long while to work out why some people had a "like" button on their facebook and others didn't. I discovered pages, so I made an author's page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dominic-de-Mattos-Author/595393503822938). Now I can't decide whether I should keep up my timeline or my page. One has friends and the other has likes. 

So this is a call to all you who use facebook, and who visit other authors. How do you / would you handle the timeline versus page issue? Do you keep both going or concentrate on just one? How do you make facebook work for you?

Thanks!

Winner 2012

So this is the (main) reason why I have been missing for the whole of November at least! For anyone who does not know, winning NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) means writing 50,000 words in one month. This is equivalent to a book of about 150 pages. Having achieved this, I am about halfway through my story (for the first book in the series that is!) My goal is to complete a further 50,000 words by the end of the first week in January and to complete my first edit by Easter. My first novel will then be ready for Beta reading, with a view to querying the manuscript in the Autumn. I hope you will all hold me to this plan of action!

 After struggling with an e-mail provider that seems intent on doing everything they can to get rid of me, I have finally decided to let them have their way. I am abandoning my old Supanet e-mail address and am now running with a parallel gmail address. I have suffered ignored e-mails, twice being put onto monthly charges for a service I do not receive, and to cap it all a draconian restriction on inbox capacity, 1000 times less than gmail allow. It's a shame when I have been with them for 12 years.

Work is good, right?

How embarrassing! No sooner do I leap back onto the blogging stage than I am swept away by a white water torrent of deadlines which inundate my evenings and weekends. Not that I am complaining ... well, actually I suppose I am ... not that I should be complaining; this flood will, ironically, keep the company on a sure footing for the rest of the year. We are looking to recruit two new members of staff with more to follow next year. I haven't looked up the word recession recently, but I think it means a state of mind where you fool yourself into believing your future is no longer in your own hands. The real lesson of the last 12 months for me is that we can take back our future and beat the recession if we decide to.

Foto curtzy of teh interwebs

So, what's new? I am getting a rather different birthday present next week. Free loft and cavity wall insulation. I know - lucky old me! This has meant that over the last three weeks we have had to empty the loft. Bear in mind that we have been accumulating loftware for 25 years, moving such cherished items as broken printers and other people's unwanted books from loft to loft. So time to tackle the dross and make a mega donation to charity shops and the local tip. Of course what was left had to go somewhere, so that meant clearing out and sorting the garage. Amazingly it all fitted in the garage except for the bikes, which had to go in the shed. So ... you guessed it ... that meant clearing out and sorting the shed. And the green house. And, for some inexplicable reason, the cupboard under the stairs. I think Sarah was just in sorting mode. So will we go back to hoarding in the loft? No comment!

It's worse than it looks - that wood is well above head height!

Anyone else out there struggling to balance demands, or do you still find time to do the things you really want to do? Is anyone else an inveterate hoarder (and can therefore feel my pain!)?

Too long gone!

When I decided to step back from my blogging to concentrate on writing, I little thought that my day job would take over and consume my time in the way that it has. I am pleased to say that the efforts have borne fruit and my company is recovering from the recession very well, despite the fact that according to the doom-sayers the recession in the construction industry shows no sign of abating. My only regret is that my writing has been the 'collateral damage'.

I have missed blogging, my friends that I made here, and visiting so many wonderful writers out there. I have missed learning so much from the wisdom of those who are travelling the path ahead of me, and I have missed the memes and blogfests too!


So I have come back, and although I cannot be here every day, I am determined to blog once every week as an absolute minimum. Surely I can find something worthwhile to say in a week?!

This week I would like to share with you a flash fiction competition I stumbled across, with a prize of $250 and this rather snazzy winner's medal.

The site is Lascaux Flash

The idea is to write 250 words (not including the title) inspired by this intriguing picture. The picture, it should be noted, is for inspiration only and the competition is not judged on its interpretation.



The competition is hosted by the Lascaux Review - an excellent on-line magazine, which is well worth a visit .

As they say themselves: "Please spread the word. About the contest as well as the Review. We're new, but we're here to stay."

Nano Week 2

NaNoWriMo Day 12
(as DominicSFF)
(Buddies welcome!)

I have passed the 20,000 mark, which is a great psychological milestone and hope to break the half way point today (or maybe tomorrow because writing has slowed appreciably since the plot line got a bit more hazy!)

Here is a tiny excerpt from the very latest bit of writing

“Terrible things are happening at the hall, Mistress Tarvi.”
The older woman clicked her tongue and gently laid her hand on Kari’s. “Mynah, dear.”
Kari swallowed, how could she repay this woman’s kind and generous heart by breaking it?
“The Magister Rector has been murdered, Mynah, and evil men seek to take control.”
“You know this, do you, dear?” It was said kindly, but with not unreasonable scepticism, given that scullery maids are not known for being at the centre of power.
“Sometimes people find themselves somewhere unexpected and hear things they shouldn’t. I was one and ...” She fought against the tears that pricked her eyes and the grief that seized her throat. “Rashad was another.”
Mynah, grew still, her face pale.
“I escaped,” Kari said. “The Power saved me; I don’t know why.” She couldn’t go on.
“and Rashad?” Mynah voice was barely a whisper.
Words fled and the tears that rolled silently down Kari’s cheeks spoke for her.

This is just before she blows up the tavern.

As you do.

In Love with Nano

NaNoWriMo Day 6
(as DominicSFF)
(Buddies welcome!)

Ok, it's official. I am addicted. I LOVE writing!

I know everyone says, "just write don't edit", but I couldn't help myself. I just had to re-read everything I had written virtually every time I sat down to write. It's hardly surprising that I never got anywhere and my stories became tired and boring (to me at least). Now WriMo has set me free! I have no time for reading through once, let alone many times. No time for editing, I just have to write, and enjoy the story as it unfolds. I am absolutely loving it, and I just can't get enough of writing! I have reached the 16,000 word mark, so have a comfortable little margin for those days I won't be able to write.

I'll share a little teaser with you - it's the excerpt on the NaNoWriMo site.

“Kill her,” he said through clenched teeth.
One of the guard raised his sword and lunged forward.
“No!” Kari screamed and then she was free. The guards in front of her were hurled high into the air. A splintering behind her told her that Borsten had been flung backwards into the lectern. She did not wait to work out what had happened but ran like the wind towards the doors. She leapt over Rashad’s crumpled body, tears blinding her, anger seething in her heart. The Magisters were in uproar, but no-one unleashed the Power against her. The guards, scattered across the chamber floor, were struggling to their feet. She ran past the dining hall and past the stairs to the kitchens, she ran blindly and without thought. She ran into the great entrance hall and towards the great bronze doors of the entrance tower, the first and greatest part of the Loremaster’s Hall. She ran at the doors even though they were closed against her, and barely noticed the guards, tossed before her fury like autumn leaves. She screamed defiance at the doors, and they burst outwards in a shower of twisted shards. Half the tower wall blew out at the force of her will. She stood at the centre of a maelstrom of Power and felt it tearing her apart. Then with a massive groan the great tower above fell in upon itself and Kari looked up as a mountain of stone rained down upon her.

A (hopefully) unexpected end to Chapter 5. Would I kill off my MC? How could she possibly survive?

Remember that this is unpolished and unlikely to remain in this form through editing

NaNoPLOT

As part of my preparation for starting NaNoWriMo on Tuesday, I have sketched out an outline for my story. This seemed like a good place to share it!


Ella Purnell would make a good Kira - short and slim, pretty (but desperately trying to hide it) allowing her to blossom when she wins her freedom. When the story starts Kira is pretending to be several years younger than she really is.

***SPOILER WARNING*** Well you never know - I might even finish it!

*Insert Title Here*

Kira is nothing, the most lowly servant, overlooked and insignificant – until now.

She has lived all her young life in fear of the abuse and corruption in the hall of the Loremasters, the (misogynist, arrogant and cruel) mages who rule Herendia. While the Lormasters’ greed plunges the country into the turmoil of war, an avalanche of events brings Kira to the unwanted attention of the Ruling Council. She resolves to flee, taking with her the Telling, the holy book and source of the Power of Herendia, in the hope that this would stop the war.

She is caught in the attempt and is excommunicated; a punishment worse than death. She manages to escape but her world continues to unravel. The Power is lost to the Loremasters, and without it, Herendia’s armies are routed. With the neighbouring countries intent on obliterating the Loremasters and taking the people of Herendia into slavery, Kira is crushed by a feeling of responsibility.

The only manifestation of the Power in the whole of Herendia seems to be from Kira herself, in the form of wild, uncontrollable bursts. She returns the Telling to the Lormasters, but they remain cut off from the power. In desperation she sets off to meet the advancing armies - one young woman against the hordes. Soon she discovers that the few who choose to follow her become emPowered. Together they re-take a castle captured by the enemies, in order to provide a refuge for the fleeing Herendian troops. As more and more soldiers join them and become emPowered, Kira finds herself with a small but formidable army. In a series of spectacular victories they beat back the invaders and forge a new treaty, sealed by the Power.

The Ruling Council pretend to welcome Kira back and renounce the excommunication. The Loremasters regain their Power, but in so doing, Kira loses it. She is taken and handed over to the guard for execution. The guard however secretly want to be emPowered and pledge allegiance to Kira, helping her to escape. In a flash of inspiration, she realises that the Telling is not the source of the Power, but a corrupt leeching of it. In a daring raid, under the very noses of the Loremasters, she seizes and destroys the Telling.

Kira realises too that the more people who are emPowered the weaker each person’s Power becomes. To prevent the Power ever being abused again, she encourages the whole population to pledge allegiance and to become emPowered. Without meaning to, Kira has become queen and we are left with a hint that life is not going to become any easier!

So there you have it. Lots of detail omitted of course.

My big problem right now is that a Title has not yet materialised out of the ether. How do you go about finding your book title?

Getting Ready

I'm back after a six week sabbatical and have a lot of catching up to do!

I find that I cannot spend a few hours a week each on a variety of different activities, such as blogging, contributing to forums, reading, writing, games, as well as the non-negotiable parts of my life, such as church commitments, family commitments, making a success of my business. So I rotate. I tend to pour all my spare time into one interest at a time and make a success of it, then when I start to miss the enjoyment I had in one of my other interests, I abandon the one interest in favour of the other. It's not an ideal way to live ones life, but I find that I cannot bear to be mediocre and that means dedication and practice.

So am I returning to my passion for blogging? Well, yes and no. Actually I am returning to my passion for writing and have decided to give NaNowriMo a go this year. That means every spare moment will be dedicated to writing. I do however intend to post here regularly to update progress, perhaps share a few snippets, share some plot dilemmas or beg for inspiration for that elusive character name!



So wish me luck (I'll need it!) and if you are also taking part (or know someone who is), be sure to leave me a comment. I am looking for people to share this adventure and with whom I can encourage and commiserate.

Watching Willow Watts Launch Party!

It's really great to see so many blogs out there celebrating the Launch of Talli Rolland's Watching Willow Watts - her fabulous second novel.

I have my copy already and if you're so inclined, you can buy a copy of Willow for yourself on Amazon UK for £1.71, or on Amazon.com for $2.99.
Paperback coming in November!

So ... If I could be anyone, who would I be?

There are so many choices, as there are so many people that I admire (and envy just a little bit). But the person I'm going to choose is Bertie Wooster.



Bertie Wooster was a fiction character created by the inimitable PG Wodehouse. He is a gentleman of independent means (in other words sufficiently wealthy that doesn't have to work for a living) and is looked after by the utterly brilliant Jeeves - his "gentleman's gentleman". If you ever get a chance to read any of the PG Wodehouse stories or watch any of the TV series episodes broadcast between 1990 and 1993, staring Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry, take it with both hands.
I can only hope I wouldn't be such a silly ass as poor old Bertie!

Actually, if I were to give a more serious answer to this question, I would say that if I could be anyone, I would be me. For all the ups and downs of my life, I wouldn't want anyone else's, because I already have so much that I could not bear to let go.

Good luck Talli with launch day - I hope that Willow is the huge success that you deserve it to be!

The Pivotal Point

Last week I awoke from a hectic dream where I was the central character at a moment of high drama. I was aware that the world was fully formed in the background and the moment of the dream was a wonderful plot twist where the villain tried to destroy me but instead empowered me. There were four basic facts I needed to remember and I repeated them over and over in the hope that I would still remember them when I woke in the morning. Fortunately it worked.

As I re-imagined that scene from my dream, I realised that it was the key pivotal point in a much greater story. I could very easily trace backwards in time and see the steps that had to have occurred in order for me to arrive at that moment, indeed the pivotal moment practically dictated the starting point. I realised too that the rest of the story was simply playing out the inevitable consequences of that pivotal moment. I sat down for an hour and, seven pages later, I had mapped out the entire plot line for a high fantasy novel. The pivotal moment is not the climax, indeed it may not even be at a moment of crisis, neither is it just one of the key moments which joins a novel together like a dot to dot puzzle. It is the point to which the characters move from the beginning and from which the characters travel to the end.

For me the pivotal moment of JRR Tolkein's "Lord of the Rings" was Frodo saying "I will take the ring to Mordor, though I do not know the way" Up to that moment the characters had been fleeing from a half understood evil, and were driven towards Rivendell. The rest of the novel related the consequences of that decision for each of the fellowship. Here the pivotal moment was comparatively early in the novel, but the pivotal moment could just as easily be nearer the end

Take an entirely different genre, say Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice". For me the pivotal moment was not Elizabeth's visit to Pemberley, even though that was arguably the point at which Elizabeth's feelings changed from contempt to admiration, it was, I believe, the moment when Darcy declared Elizabeth to be "handsome" after she and the Gardiners had dined at Pemberly. Up to that point the characters words and actions had been controlled by their pride and prejudice, but this was the point after which the characters actions are controlled by their hearts rather than their heads and the story unfolds as a natural consequence of this.

Can you identify a pivotal moment in your favourite book. Can you identify one in your own book?

I'm Back!

Hello everyone - nice to be back.

We have just returned from a fortnight's holiday in the north of Wales in a little village called Llanaelhaearn (pronounced lan - eyel - hern apparantly) and am feeling much refreshed. The area we were staying in was essentially a farming area, as could be determined at the local newsagents - magazines about computers = 0, magazines about gaming = 0, magazines about knitting and stitching = 0, magazines about art = 0, magazines dedicated solely to tractors = 11! The holiday was biased towards walking and visiting ruined castles (which doubled up as some superb research for my fantasy series - I found the perfect setting and the perfect example of castle, as well as the perfect layout of medieval house as the Foresters Hall. I have been inspired!). We managed a couple of visits to the beach, but my complexion blushes at the mere mention of the sun, so I end up taking an umbrella and embarrassing everyone!

Here is the local beach with the almost mountain in the background which we climbed on our first day. I say 'almost mountain' because it is 50m shy of the official UK government definition of a mountain - ah well - you can't win 'em all.

Here is another view of the local beach / harbour. We managed a bar-b-q here one evening - had to light three of the portable ones before we got one that worked!

We visited Harlech castle when they were hosting a tournament. The castle was wonderfully situated and absolutely worth the visit, but the tourney was frankly a bit naff! Admittedly they might get into trouble if they injured each other mortally, but the participants merely knocked the swords together ponderously until one of them decided to fall over. Ah well, at least the show kept all the visitors in one place while I wandered around! Anyway, that's enough of photos. Suffice it to say that we did lots of things in a beautiful corner of the country.

Now I'm back to the internet I can go visiting and find out what you have all been up to while I've been away.

Friday Book Blurb - Chill Winds

The lovely Lisa at Writing in the Buff hosts Book Blurb Friday. Each week Lisa posts a pretend book cover to fire our imaginations. Our task is to write the book blurb for the back cover in 150 words or less.

Chill Winds Meredith had grown up dreaming of raising cattle on her parents’ farm and marrying the boy next door. After ten years in the city, she realises it is still her dream. Arriving back home in the early morning, she finds her parents and her brother gone. Tracks in the snow lead away from the farm, and then simply vanish. Farms for miles around have been abandoned overnight and soon childhood friends, and enemies, arrive from across the country, having all quit their jobs to return to their family homes. Meredith brings them together, but when arguments erupt over radically conflicting childhood memories, Meredith must keep the group together if they are to find their families before the authorities jump to the wrong conclusions. Someone or something has tied their disparate realities together but to what end? As a ferocious snowstorm engulfs them, Meredith must make an impossible choice between realities.

150 words exactly

We leave for a fortnight's holiday in Wales tomorrow morning and do not know yet whether we will have usable internet. I may or may not be blogging for the rest of the month!

Friday Book Blurb - A Time in Paris

The lovely Lisa at Writing in the Buff hosts Book Blurb Friday. Each week Lisa posts a pretend book cover to fire our imaginations. Our task is to write the book blurb for the back cover in 150 words or less.

A Time in Paris Kate 12.08.11.14.18 Rue de Bouvier m’aide Jacqui As children, the girls had giggled over the writing under the glaze of a genuine 18th century dish, and had wondered about their namesakes. But when Jacqui Bouvier disappears in Paris on 12th August 2011 sometime after 2pm, it is the only clue Kate has. Afraid the police would laugh at her, she hires a handsome young private detective to fly with her to Paris and help her investigate. Ryan has just inherited his father’s PI business and is way out of his depth, but he is all Kate could afford. Besides, he’s cute. In an apartment over the Rue de Bouvier, they find a high tech, illicit laboratory and are soon plunged into a world of industrial espionage and ruthless corporations searching for a maverick scientist. Somehow they must find him first, if they are to learn the truth about Jacqui.

149 words

I'm interested in how obscure you can be in a book blurb, but still give a general shape to the story. Is it obvious to you what's going on? Is it all a bit odd, but you'd be interested to find out? or is does it seem all too complicated, far fetched and too much effort to unravel?

Oh and sorry it's not Friday - I got a bit behind this week!

Friday Book Blurb - The Wrath of Storms

The lovely Lisa at Writing in the Buff hosts Book Blurb Friday. Each week Lisa posts a pretend book cover to fire our imaginations. Our task is to write the book blurb for the back cover in 150 words or less.

The Wrath of Storms “Give her a chance, mother!” “She is mortal, you are forbidden to see her again.” “What are you going to do, rain at me?” Now his words are coming back to haunt Kairos. Ever since he stormed out of Olympus, his earthly home has been racked by torrential rain, and the mayhem is spreading. Should he tell his young love, Cassandra, that his mother is really Iris, the Goddess of Rain? But his mother’s wrath is the least of his worries. Under cover of the chaos, someone is waking the enemies of the Gods. Kai must find a way to stop them before the Gigantes walk the earth again, but he is fast losing his immortal powers. Kai faces a desperate choice: return to immortality, save humanity, or embrace love as a human. But Cassandra has a few surprises of her own and Kai is soon running to keep up...

150 words exactly

Better late than never!

I managed to borrow a computer with a mouse - so at least I could fix my post!!

Novel Films Blogfest

Thanks to Madeleine at Scribble and Edit for hosting this blogfest. It has been quite a journey through the memory banks, a little dim and dusty at times, but here are a few highlights. There are, I have no doubt, many many more that I could have added to the list, and indeed many more that really ought to be on the list, but these are the ones that I can bring to mind. If your favourites are not here, then do remind me of them in your comments!

Books I have read whose Films I have seen:

(I have discounted films that spawn a “book of the film”)

Here they are as they occur to me!

Lord of the Rings                                JRR Tolkein

Narnia series                                      CS Lewis

Stardust                                               Neil Gaiman

Harry Potter series                             JK Rowling

The Hogfather                                     Terry Pratchett

Colour of Magic                                  Terry Pratchett

Going Postal                                       Terry Pratchett

James Bond Series                            Ian Fleming

Watership Down                                  Richard Adams

Pride and Prejudice                            Jane Austen

Emma                                                   Jane Austen

Northangar Abbey                               Jane Austen

Persuasion                                           Jane Austen

Jane Eyre                                             Charlotte Bronte

Many Dickens Novels                         Charles Dickens

Many Shakespeare Plays                  William Shakespeare

Swallows and Amazons                      Arthur Ransome

Moonfleet                                              J. Meade Falkner

Wind in the Willows                             Kenneth Grahame

2001: A Space Odyssey                    Arthur C Clarke

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang                      Ian Fleming

Sherlock Homes stories                     Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

My Family and Other Animals            Gerald Durrell

I Robot                                                   Isaac Asimov

War of the Worlds                                HG Wells

The Time Machine                               HG Wells

Many Agatha Christie crime novels   Agatha Christie

Many Alistair MacLean novels            Alistair MacLean

Books I have read (and loved) whose films I have not yet seen

Lovely Bones                                          Alice Sebold

The Hobbit (but soon, very soon!)        JRR Tolkein

Neverwhere                                            Neil Gaiman

Hornblower series                                 CS Forester

The Sword of Truth Series                   Terry Goodkind

Books I would love to see made into a film / films

Wheel of Time Series                         Robert Jordan / 
                                                              Brandon Sanderson

Mistborn series                                   Brandon Sanderson

Quantum Gravity series                     Justina Robson

Black Magician series                       Trudi Canavan

Vatta’s War series                             Elizabeth Moon

Riftwar Cycle                                      Raymond E Feist

The rest of the Discworld Series     Terry Pratchett

Dragonriders series                          Anne McCaffrey

The Belgariad                                    David Eddings

The Malorean                                     David Eddings

The Elenium                                       David Eddings

Ringworld                                           Larry Niven

Tower on the Rift Series                   Ian Irvine

The Player of Games                        Ian M Banks

(and other culture novels)

It will be of no surprise to you that the novels listed here display a distinct lean towards the fantasy and science fiction spectrum, with a healthy nod towards the crime/mystery/suspense genre. I shall have a look around some of your lists later - perhaps I might get some ideas to broaden my horizons!

Playing Catch-up

What a whirl the last few months have been. The day job has required a somewhat sharper focus and that has meant emptying my head of the many worlds that filled it previously. We are not out of the woods just yet, but I am feeling encouraged to slowly ease myself back into the writing harness.

This has been prompted by a few things.

One is the wonderful news that the short story that I co-authored with Simon Kewin has been accepted by

for publication in October 2011.

This piece is around 8400 words and I am delighted that it has found such a great home.

I have also had a couple of micro-fictions published by Trapeze Magazine recently (see my Published Works page for links) and it is always encouraging to see your work recognised. It would be even more encouraging if you, my friends, felt like visiting Trapeze's website and perhaps leave a comment! :)



I was also delighted to receive an award from Catherine Ensley at Words World and Wings. Thank you so much Catherine, it was very sweet of you.

One last thing - if you read yesterdays post and didn't twig that it was a mickey-take, I'm obviously hopeless! Take a look at my comment yesterday!

Book Blurb Friday - Spellbound

The lovely Lisa at Writing in the Buff hosts Book Blurb Friday. Each week Lisa posts a pretend book cover to fire our imaginations. Our task is to write the book blurb for the back cover in 150 words or less.

Spellbound Life is not easy for Garin as a trainee mage, not when his father is the arch-mage himself. Magic is serious business under the bushy eye-browed glower of the patriarch. But life takes an unexpected turn when a friend teaches Garin the Book of Faces spell which transforms his spell tablet into a communication portal. Scrolling through the faces the spell conjures up, Garin is captivated by a girl with startling blue eyes, who is apparently called Cami94. Garin is heartbroken to learn she lives a kingdom away, but when he learns that she is to be married off to some ancient grandee, he is determined to save her. Aided by his friends and pursued by his father’s mages, Garin must face fire, bogs and arachnids to reach his heart’s desire. But all is not as it seems in Ternet...

140 words