Books

Last Sunday Musings For April

~ beetleypete ~ 82 Comments

If one word can sum a week, then that word is COLD. I have felt cold all week, and the heating has been on in the house for 14 hours a day, every day. Some days have been dry, but walking outside felt like winter, in a biting wind all the way from Norway sweeping down the east of England. The weather is set to warm up next week so they say, but with that comes ‘occasional heavy rain’. Hard to believe it is almost May. The front Beech hedges are still bare branches, and there are not many leaves on the two Oak trees.

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I am still coming across people who don’t know that Ollie died in February. Recounting the story of his last days yet again keeps the pain of the loss going, like twisting a knife in a wound. But people are only being kind and sympathetic, so I have to endure it.

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Julie had two extra days off during the week, and used them to good effect by baking cakes, bread, and savouries. I featured that in a post earlier, but since then we have also enjoyed some scones she made on Saturday. She certainly has the ‘Baking Bug’, buying lots more flour over the weekend, and constantly looking for ideas in her recipe book.

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My mood is still up and down. I tried to start reading again, and chose a new book on my Kindle. But I only managed 15 pages before giving up. I might go back to it, though I have no idea why reading books suddenly became so difficult fro me during the pandemic lockdowns. If there is such a thing as ‘Reader’s Block’, I definitely have it.

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It is raining heavily here as I type this, though the temperature has jumped to a relatively balmy 10C. (50F) I hope the weather is more pleasant where you are, and that you have the kind of Sunday you wish for.

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How They Saw The Future

~ beetleypete ~ 55 Comments

Long before human space flight became a reality in 1961, people were fascinated by the prospect of alien invasion, mutations caused by radiation, and living on other planets within a few years.

This was reflected in the booming demand for science fiction films, novels, magazines, and comics. We know now that they all got it completely wrong, but it is fun to look back at what they supposed the future might be like.

Guest Post: Kevin Morris

~ beetleypete ~ 40 Comments

I am very pleased to present a guest post from writer, poet, and fellow blogger, Kevin Morris.
https://kmorrispoet.com/

It is one of his poems from his collection, ‘More Poetic Meanderings’.

How Sweet and Sad Was the Bird

How sweet and sad was the bird
I heard
As I stood at my open window.

When I go
To the pub to meet my friends,
We will pretend
That there is no end;
Or at least hide for a while
In the smile
Produced by drink,
Which makes men think
That all
This will last.

But I shall recollect the bird’s call
As I stood at my open window
And know
That all
That sings must pass.

Taken from “More Poetic Meanderings” by K Morris. Available from
Amazon in Kindle and paperback here. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BZT9G139/.)

Links:

Blog: https://kmorrispoet.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/drewdog2060_
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kevinmorrispoet

Please use the links to discover more about Kevin, and to buy the book if you wish to do so.

How to Market Your First Book: The Ultimate Guide

~ beetleypete ~ 13 Comments

Great tips for authors from Nicholas. And also good many reasons why I have never published a book! 🙂

Nicholas C. Rossis

Market your first book | From the blog of Nicholas C. Rossis, author of science fiction, the Pearseus epic fantasy series and children's books

So, you’ve completed your first book. After pouring your heart and soul into your first masterpiece, the rest of the world surely needs to appreciate your accomplishment as much as you do. This landmark moment in your life needs to be shared with the world. But how? You might have no idea how to market a book.

Fortunately, technology has developed to the point where there are now many avenues for sharing information if you’re a new book writer. The trick, of course, is finding the RIGHT channels to reach your desired audience. You can post things on Facebook Ad Nauseum, for example—but if your target group isn’t part of your following, you’ll get nowhere.

Here are some tips to follow for effective marketing of your work!

Follow the experts

Before you get started on your own marketing efforts, it would be wise to take a look at successful writers…

View original post 1,135 more words

BookFunnel Book Blast Just for Today

~ beetleypete ~ 7 Comments

Your chance to get some great reads at bargain prices, including one of Stevie’s books. TODAY ONLY!

Stevie Turner

Genres: Mystery & Suspense / Paranormal, Romance / Paranormal, and Sci-Fi & Fantasy

There’s a $0.99/£0.99 book fair that will be running on BookFunnel for today only. You can find it on the link below:

https://books.bookfunnel.com/decfantasticbookfairfree99centsale/58ccfrwsa0

Thankfully there are no book covers in the promotion featuring tattooed and muscle-bound men with bare, hairless chests. I therefore decided to add my novella ‘Finding David’ to the promotion:

When Karen and Mick Curtis attend a demonstration of clairvoyance for the first time, Karen is singled out by the medium, Rae Cordelle. Rae has a message from Karen’s son David, who passed over to the spirit world many years before. The message shocks Karen and sends her on a journey of discovery, rocking her previously happy relationship with second husband Mick, David’s stepfather.

Review:

Turner always has rich characters who draw us into her stories. I also enjoyed how the story carried through…

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Sunday Musings At The End Of November

~ beetleypete ~ 82 Comments

Another very quiet week. It’s that time of year. Colder weather, dark before 4pm. People are counting down the days until Christmas Day. I went to the restaurant to pay the deposit for our Christmas Dinner on the 25th. Like everything this year it has increased in price, but they always serve a very nice meal, with good portions.

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Ollie was shaking his head a lot yesterday, and we feared he was going to get another ear infection just in time for Christmas. But he stopped after a while, and hasn’t done it since. Fingers crossed he just had something in his ear that he managed to dislodge.

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Julie has finished buying the gifts for family and friends. I have also bought her gifts, and I am awaiting delivery of one that is supposed to arrive in December. With the postal workers striking on various days, parcels and mail are going to be delayed. But I support their cause, so will not be upset if things don’t arrive on time.

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I tried reading a book in bed this week, but only managed two pages. I have not been able to complete a book for so long now, I don’t even remember the last one I read all the way through. Something happened to me during the pandemic period, and I just stopped being able to concentrate on books. I have tried on a few occasions during the last two years, with no success.

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My Shingles vaccination is scheduled for tomorrow morning. Julie will be on reception duty at the doctor’s, so will probably be the one who books me in when I arrive.

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Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you have a happy Sunday.

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Guest Post: Jon Risdon

~ beetleypete ~ 21 Comments

I am very pleased to present a guest post from my blogging friend, Jon Risdon. He is an actor, author, and blogger who resides near the lovely seaside town of Whitby, in north-east England. https://wilfredbooks.wordpress.com/

Why Wilfred Books?

Wilfred Books was set up at the end of 2013, primarily to publish Black Shirt and Smoking Beagles, the biography of Wilfred Risdon, my grand uncle (that is: my grandfather’s brother), whom I never met, I regret to say. I discovered him in the course of my family history research, and the more I found out about him, the more interested I became in his life & work, so I thought there might be at least a few other people out there who would share my interest in him enough to also want to read his fascinating life-story. For what seemed, to me, to be very sound reasons, namely: he was not a household name; he was involved in contentious politics and activism for most of his adult life; it would probably be a strenuous & stressful (and, probably, ultimately futile) task to find an agent and/or publisher to take an interest; I decided to bite the bullet and publish the book myself. To market the book I set up the Wilfred Books website, which accepts payments securely, using PayPal, so no personal details are registered on the site, and I also created a WordPress blog, to promote the website, but also to write about subjects which might have interested my relative.

As related above, the first book published under the imprint of Wilfred Books was Black Shirt and Smoking Beagles, and it is still available as a print version (product code WB01), but also downloadable versions: PDF (product code WB02), ePub (product code WB03) and Kindle versions (product code WB04), in both popular formats (.mobi & .azw3); the ePub version can be read using iBooks on iOS devices, and on a wide range of other platforms; the Kindle version required can be selected from the link in the email confirming the purchase. In the future, I might also publish other books, either about Wilfred Risdon, or subjects related to his life and work, especially his animal welfare concerns; or any other subject/genre which I think is appropriate: check the New Items section on the About page on the website from time to time, for additions to the catalogue.

On that note, in 1967, Wilfred Risdon wrote & published a biography of a man whom he held in high esteem, and for whom he had great respect, the Edinburgh surgeon Robert Lawson Tait and, as it is now out of print, Wilfred Books is pleased to be able to offer a PDF download facsimile version, with the catalogue code WB05, of the original publication, with a preface to the new edition by J. L. Risdon. The book is called Lawson Tait: A Biographical Study and, given Wilfred Risdon’s close association with the National Anti-Vivisection Society, Wilfred Books will donate 10% of the annual net profit, over a minimum amount, from the sales of this edition to Animal Defenders International (ADI), the successor to the previous organisation. If there is sufficient interest, it might be possible to consider making it available in the other download formats, or as a print edition: please email me to register your interest. I look forward to hearing from you!
Jon Risdon jrisdon17@googlemail.com

I hope you will visit Jon’s blog and see what he has to offer.

Guest Post: The Hungry Hound

~ beetleypete ~ 60 Comments

I am delighted to feature blogger, poet, and published writer, Kevin Morris.
https://kmorrispoet.com/ You can read more of Kevin’s blog by following that link.

The Hungry Hound

I am Trigger.
My Stomach is bigger
Than you think.
Your lunch will be gone in the blink
Of an eye.
Then away I fly.
Should you ask, “who stole my lunch?” I reply,
“Not I”
But, dear reader, I lie …!
I have been known to eat plastic.
My reach is elastic.
You think your food safe?
My friend brace
Yourself for a shock
For I will gobble the lot!
Be it ever so hot!

(The above poem was dedicated to my guide dog Trigger, who sadly died
in 2020, but lives on in my heart).

Kevin’s published poems are available online from Amazon.

He is also featured in an anthology, details from this link.
https://www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/croydon-poets/croydon-poetry-hour-anthology-202021/paperback/product-q777n8.html?page=1&pageSize=4

Still Not Reading

~ beetleypete ~ 79 Comments

I have mentioned before about how I seem to be unable to concentrate on books since the start of the pandemic. Last night, I went to bed earlier than usual, intending to try to continue with Cindy Bruchman’s second book in a series. The third one might be published this year, and I am only halfway through that second one.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48559025-inside-the-gold-plated-pistol

This is no reflection on the story or the writing, both of which are compelling. I read the first half of the book in two sittings.

Then there was a pandemic, followed by lockdowns. And despite all the vaccinations, it continues.

At first, I thought this was a golden opportunity to read more. To really get into the TBR list of books downloaded on my Kindle Fire, and perhaps open some real books too. But it was not to be.

Within days, I could no longer concentrate on books. I would lie in bed at night re-reading the same pages, or flicking back to a previous chapter to remind myself of why a character was in a certain situation. A year earlier, i had read over twenty books, good going for me.

Then it all stopped.

It wasn’t as if I was unduly affected by news of the pandemic at first. I wasn’t worrying about it to the extent of noticeably affecting my mood, or my sleep. I was still reading lots of blog posts every day, and writing more than ever. But when I tried to settle down in some peace and quiet to read, it didn’t happen.

It will soon be two years since I have finished a book, and that upsets me. Not only do I like to read and review books published by friends in the blogging community, I have many more that I was still routinely buying. That has also had to stop, as there is no room left on the bookshelves, and too many downloaded onto my Kindle Fire.

All I can do is to hope that this strange spell will break soon, and I will be a happy and contented reader once more.

It feels like a curse waiting to be lifted.