Audiobook

Good Morning 14th April, 2021 (Make Art Uncomfortable)

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Hey folks, how are we all doing today?

Yesterday I wrote 336 words on a short story but also did a lot of research for the same short story, and I’ve come to the decision that I’m just gonna go balls to the walls and yet loose. I’m not going to worry about grounding it in reality. I’m just gonna try and make it batshit crazy.

I’m having trouble letting go when I write recently. Stephen King said in On Writing that you have to write like an orphan, or words to that effect. I was reminded of this when watching the film M.F.A. recently. At the end of the film there’s a line where it basically says art shouldn’t just preserve the beauty of life, but also the brutality. Make art uncomfortable. I love this message. So many of us grow up listening to music about good love, or films where everyone lives happily ever after.

Art is different for everyone. Some people thrive on the uncomfortable while others thrive on a good old romcom. Everyone is different and we embrace different things. For me, what I write, people will find uncomfortable. But some will find it fun. I can watch Saw movies with barely a flinch at the content, but watched The VVitch and The Ritual, made me squirm in my seat. But there are different degrees of being uncomfortable. Listening to the audiobooks of The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum and What Good Girls Do by Jonathan Butcher made me very uncomfortable. Even to the point where I had to stop listening to them. M.F.A. falls into that grouping. Although not as extreme as I Spit On Your Grave, it’s still a content matter that is not pleasant and when done wrong, without the respect the topic deserves it just makes a whole other level of horrific.

For films like The Vvitch and The Ritual, these made me uncomfortable because there’s a witchcraft/cult elements to them. An unknown factor that made me uncomfortable in a way I’d yet to experience. It’s something I’m still trying to put my finger on exactly why I find it uncomfortable.

Another book that made me uncomfortable is The Silence by Tim Lebbon. This one I had to stop listening to three times. It’s got a quiet brutality to it, one which I can see happening. There’s three distinct moments in The Silence which I could see myself being in that situation. Having to make an uncomfortable decision.

Not being scared to write things which people will be uncomfortable with or offended by is something I need to be better with. I’m not going to write something just because it’s shocking. I don’t think that works and people tend to see through things like that. I’ll strive to write what the story is asking for.

Right, speaking of writing it’s time to get a few hours done.

Rock on folks, never give up on that dream. Never let someone take it away or belittle it or you. Just keep going.

Good Morning, 17th of March 2021

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Howdy, folks! How are we all doing this morning?

I have work in a couple of hours so want to get on with some writing. I slept badly so I’m feeling wiped out already, but I’ll be okay once I get up and running and I’ve got tomorrow off, so it’s not too bad.

Time is something I don’t have a lot of here so this is gonna be a short post. If I can hit 500 words today, I’m a happy word wrangler!

The Gaunt’s Ghosts books are being made into audiobooks and this is the first. Arguably my favourite book series that I’ve been wanting to reread for some time 🙂

4th September 2020

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Good evening, Folks. I have had a day where I’ve not done much writing. Which I’m feeling shite about. I had time to get more done than I did, but I chilled out. I wrote 338 words on a short story, but that was it. I wanted to get nearing a 1000 words, despite not having a lot of time, but I just crashed out.

Running errands 😎

I ran errands this morning, including getting a couple of bookcases for my office, and then gave my parents car a quick once over (I gave mine an even quicker wash, I really need to get some bits and pieces and give it a damn good once over). I haven’t put the bookcases up. Partly because I’ve pulled something in my elbow and need to save it for work over the next couple of days, and I crashed out because I’m beat. I’ve been working my backside off over the last few weeks and I’m feeling it. I’m really enjoying my job, and the last few weeks have been a lot of fun there but I need some down time. One of the aspects of my job that I love is it being shift work. So I’m getting a nice chunk of time even when I am at work to get some words done.

Next week I’ve got to dive into something non-writing related. Something that I can’t go into here, but it’s the most important part of my life and it’s time for me to dive in and get rolling.

I will make time to get the spaces clear for the bookcases, and get them built. Then I’ve got to get the books onto the shelves, which I’m going to do properly……….

But I will be getting words written and edited. I’m feeling goof about this short story I’m working on, I think it’s going to be a nice piece once it’s done.

I do need to get back on track, I know this. The next week will be one where I’m getting back on track. I’ll have the time, I’ve got the work to do. I’m going to write a to-do list and try and do my best to start ticking the bits off it. I’m gonna do the list just after I’ve put this post up.

I’m going to end this post with giving a mention for the Elements Of Horror series from Red Cape Publishing. Four books in the series, I’ve got a story in book two: Air. All three books deserve checking out though. I’ve listened to the first three and am currently on book four: Water, and I’ve got to say these stories in these four books are damn good. I know I’m biased, I’m in one. So I get it, but I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it. Please check them out, they’re all out in audio as well as ebook and paperback.

Earth – https://mybook.to/BookOneEarth

Air – https://mybook.to/BookTwoAir

Fire – https://mybook.to/BookThreeFire

Water – https://mybook.to/BookFourWater

Very proud to be in this anthology 😊

Right folks, I’m off to get that list done and then I’ll be getting my head down.

Have a good one, folks 😊

Sunday 28th of June 2020

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Good morning! Not a lot of of writing recently. Life’s been busy and there’s a lot I’ve been having to work on that’s away from writing. Things that are important and are the priority.

I have still been thinking about the writing though and what I am aiming for over the next few years. Originally I was thinking about focussing on shorter pieces for the year but that’s kind of gone by the wayside. I’ve been looking back at the Penal Earth world and think I can get it how I want it now. So I’ve been plotting it out chapter by chapter, scene by scene. I’ve got more noted about background details and done some more character work. All little things that were missing from the previous draft. I have written a short story set in this universe that was submitted to an anthology but it didn’t make the cut. This popped up a fair few ideas that have helped with filling out the universe and giving me a new feel for it.

One of the big problems I had with previous drafts was getting my main character right. Now I think I have him down. There’s a sequence which includes him that I fear I may have to cut but I’m going to try and keep it in. It’s the one element of the story that I’ve kept in from the earliest of drafts. I really want to keep it, but will cut it if I have to.

I wasn’t expecting to get such a kick of joy as I did when I saw my name on the screen as my story was playing.

In other news, another anthology I’ve been published in has now come out as an audiobook. Elements Of Horror Book Two: Air is now live on Audible and I’ve got to say, it’s pretty well done. I’d not got around to reading this one yet and I’ve got to admit I’m impressed with the stories included. It makes me a little more prouder than I already was that my story is in there because its in good company. The narrator, Michael Brusasco did an amazing job. He really managed to get the main character of my story spot on. I don’t think I could have wished for a better portrayal of it.

I’m going to wrap this post here. I know it says good morning and I’m posting it past midday but I started writing it this morning, so I’m sticking to it.

Have a good one, folks!

January 26th 2020

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Good afternoon, folks!

I’m on about 7000 words for the month, which isn’t as high as I’d like but much better than having zero words for the month.

Today I wrote zilch! But I did edit two stories. One was an out loud read through which was then sent to my beta readers. The second one was me looking over notes from my beta readers. This was about three work at a guess. I was planning to squeeze in a quick Mando Method between the two but I was pushed for time and wasn’t able to. This sucks a little, but it’s not much good writing every day if I’m not finishing and submitting work.

The End Of All Things

Outside of writing I finished listening to John Scalzi’s The Human Division and listened to the final book in the Old Mans War series, The End Of All Things. Although not as good as The Human Division it’s still a damn fine book which wraps things up well.

Time to wrap this post up. Keep cracking on with those goals and ambitions, folks!

Good Morning! 8th January 2020

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Good morning! How many people are still writing 2019? I did on the title for this post, twice. I’m using the excuse of its earlier than normal for me to be writing a blog post for the second one. That first one was all on me though.

Yesterday was the first day since the first of the month where I haven’t written. Unlike the first though, I did get editing done. That’s now two short stories at the point where I need to print them off and do an out-loud read before that final edit pass.

I listened to The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum last week and damn that’s a good book. Incredibly well written and incredibly hard to listen to. Definitely one I’d recommend and already one that’s going to be hard to top for best reads of the year.

I’ve got to get to work now. So I hope everyone has an awesome day!

Good Morning, Sunday 6th of October 2019

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Good morning folks.  A later start to the writing day for me this week. I’m going to be interspersing writing with general tidying up. I’ve got a lot going on in the next few weeks and squeezing writing into that is going to be a fun challenge, especially seeing as NaNoWriMo is right around the corner.

I did get my contributor copy of Elements Of Horror:Air this week. It came out on Tuesday and I loved writing this story. It was one of those stories that kind of wrote itself when I knew how the story was going to end. This is book two of four, each one focused on an element. The book is from Red Cape Publishing and the contributors are: Jaq D. Hawkins, Daren Callow, Dale Parnell, Theresa Jacobs, Peter Germany, P.J. Blakey-Novis, Nils Visser & Jovannah Bär, Ann Fox, R.C. Rumple.

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I did listen to Highway To Hell by Armand Rosamilia, which is the first book in his Dying Days series. I loved this book. I felt for the protagonist, he spoke to me a lot. I saw myself in him a lot. There’s some damn good gore in it, the characters are fantastic (I was particularly fond of a character who owned a car sales). Highway to Hell is a damn fun zombie story with depth along with the vile zombies and the humans who deserve to be zombies.

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That’s it for now. I’m going to get some writing down, and some tidying around it.

3rd of August 2019

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Hey folks! Just a quickie past as I wait for friends before going to the coast for the evening.

I don’t feel like I’ve done a whole hell of a lot this week. We had the book launch for 84 Stories 84 Words on Monday night (I’ll write a post about that soon) but aside from that I’ve not done a lot writing wise. I did wrap up the first draft of a short story I’m hoping to submit shortly, and started two other stories. One will be another short while another is a bigger piece that’s more of a long term project that I want to get rolling a bit.

I did listen to the audiobook of Under The Weather which has my story, The Snow in it. Really weird listening to my words being read by a professional it also super cool!

Right, I’m gonna you there. Come this week I’m going to try and get back into a writing routine again.

Have a great Saturday, folks!

Book Review: The Other Side Of The Mirror by Lex H. Jones

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The Other of the Mirror tells the story of Carl Duggan as he tried to piece together a series of homicides in a city split by a river with wealth on one side, and poverty on the other. Duggan’s world is that of poverty and death.

This is a crime noir story that just feels dirty. With the characters and their depth and individuality, the city (which is itself a character), the story that has a pace that is beautifully executed and is well crafted to deliver what the reader needs at just the right time, we have a story that quickly hooked me and left me wanting more from these characters and this city.

Lex H. Jones has smashed it with this one. Definitely one of my reads of the year so far. 

 

Book Review: In Ashes Born by Nathan Lowell

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I’ve listened to all six preceding stories of the life of our protagonist Ishmael Wong and I have pretty much loved each one.

With Nathan Lowell’s handling of these books I know I’m getting a quality story. What makes them really stunningly crafted is the fact that rarely does something hugely dramatic happen. In Ashes Born is no different. It’s just the next part of Ishmael Wong’s life and I was hanging on every word! In another writers hands none of these stories would work. Lowell keeps the same pace, tone, and quality of the previous six novels.

This is a solid continuation of this story, and I am looking forward to the next chapter in the life of Ishmael Wong.

I will just say I was worried about having someone other than Nathan Lowell narrate this universe, but Jeffrey Kafer got it absolutely bang on perfect!