Alex Laybourne's Blog, page 95

A Few Good Men

This post is dedicated to the people it is about. Selfless individuals who are all doing their part for various charities, and doing so in ways I do not think I could do.

The first are two men I know personally. I work with the, or I should say with the company they work for, and have almost daily contact with them. At this point in time these two guys – who are normally based in Singapore and the UK respectively – are in the middle of the Atlantic in a 7 meter long rowing boat. Yep, they are rowing the Atlantic for charity.

The Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge

The race is simple. Teams of two, a 7 meter long boat with only a small hut for shelter from storms, and 2,900 miles of Atlantic Ocean. They are undertaking this great effort for the charity Shelterbox. Shelterbox is a company that airdrop food and supplies into areas affected by natural disasters. By doing this race the guys are hoping to raise a grand total of 132,000 Pounds Sterling.

They have been rowing for 17 days and 18 hours now, and have just crossed the halfway point in the journey.

If anybody wants to donate to this great cause they can do so here

The second cause I would like to mention today is again one that is a question of endurance. Granted not on the same scale as an atlantic row, but then again it is endurance of a different nature entirely.

It has become an annual tradition in The Netherlands for three famous Radio DJ´s from a particular station, to lock themselves up in a glass house – only the bedroom and bathroom is covered – in the middle of a city centre and play to conduct a radio show 24 hours a day for those 7 days. The twist is that not only are they locked away but they are not allowed to eat. That's right they do not eat a single morsel of food while working in shifts for 7 days straight. That's nights, early mornings, you name a time of day and at least one, normally two of them are up and working.

Last year they raised just over 7 million Euros and this year they hope to beat it. It just happens to be in the city next to us, about 10 minutes down the road, so my wife has been to see them, and we have donated as much as we could.

The event is called Serious Request Live 

The cause this year is called "This one is for Mama" and it is for the families – namely in the Ivory Coast – who villages were ransacked and men slaughtered. The mothers have been left to raise their families alone and with no possessions at all. A donation of 15 euros will feed a family for a week. It is crazy and heartbreaking to hear their stories, and I am so proud of the DJ's for doing this. Celebrities who actually do something for charity, rather than those that just demand we give and offer nothing even remotely sacrificial by return.

Anybody interested in Donating to this cause can do so via the below link. It is in Dutch, but I believe the directions are fairly standard and should be usable.

 

To both sets of people I say, Well done boys! you have my respect and I wish you all the best in your endeavours.

 

Got the Christmas Feeling

For me, December is a busy month. There is Sinterklaas, celebrated in Holland on December 5th, and my son's birthday on the 17th. Then of course you have Christmas, and the period leading up to it, and the time after it that brings us into the New Year.

Growing up in England, Christmas is the holiday for me. I love Sinterklaas, and think on the whole it is a better holiday. In terms of execution, in terms of how they have actual answers for the standard child question; 'how does Sinterklaas go around every house in just one night.' Yet, I cannot shake the feeling the December is about Christmas. (My son's birthday is obviously not really included as that trumps everything.)

The spirit of Christmas, the act of giving instead of receiving. Ok, we don't -very rarely – actually get the Dickens Christmases, but it doesn't matter. For that is the image we conjure up for ourselves every time Christmas comes around.

This being said, there are certain things that need to happen before I can truly feel that Christmas spirit come to life. It is strange, that I will admit, but I simply cannot even begin to feel Christmassy, until I hear Slade Merry Christmas on the radio.

 

I have no particular connection to the band, as they were well before my time, but I have come to associate this song with Christmas, and without it, I just cannot feel truly festive.

What do you have that simply has to be seen or heard before you can celebrate Christmas? A song, a smell, a date? It's weird confession time

 

Stop and Smell The Roses

"We got married fresh out of high school. We had been dating since we were twelve; back in a time when dates meant sitting next to each other in class, or on the bus.

I loved you from the moment I first saw you, and I love you just as much, if not more today. For now I understand love, and what it means.

Sure, we had our tough times. The first year of marriage,  or every time we moved homes. Yet through it all we stood side by side.

However, an adult's life is not a straight forward one.

As our family grew, so did our financial needs. I didn't complain, I love my job. I worked hard and made partner in record time. The youngest person to ever make partner not on in the firm, but in the State.

It is amazing how fast time goes, looking back at the years we have shared, the memories we formed. It all feels like just yesterday. Yet now, here I stand, talking to you all, one day short of our fiftieth wedding anniversary, a man filled with regret.

People change, it is part of your natures, but maybe, sometimes we change because we are afraid of what is really there. I worked all the hours I could, providing for my family. Yet I was home less and less, I missed football games and school plays. I ate more dinners alone in my office than at the family table. Yet you, my darling Helen stood beside me. You held my hand and comforted me when I was down. You guided me when I was lost. Without you I would have no family, I would not have the life I live today.

I know that I could have done more. I could have been more romantic. I could have brought you flowers just to show you that I cared. I could have come home on time to eat with you. I should have made more of an effort to make it home for the birthdays and anniversaries.  I wish I could have helped you through your tough times with the same selflessness that you showed me.

People say that once a chance is gone, it's gone. I refuse to believe this. It is never too late. Helen, my love. You are my world, and I do not know what I will do without you. I love you."

With his words said, Richard Morse bent down and kissed his wife one final time. He placed a bouquet of roses in her hands and walked back to join the congregation. His eyes were red with tears, and as the doors closed behind the casket, and the curtain dropped to obscure the flames from view, Richard broke down and cried. He was surrounded by his children, and at home two young grandchildren waited for him, but none of it was enough to keep him strong a moment longer.

ROW 80: Mid-Week Check-In

I am busy at work editing Trials and Tribulations, the second novel in the Highway to Hell trilogy. Editing is going slow at the moment, but I do hope to pick up speed. I am 22 pages in out of a total of 160 (A4). My goal is February 1st, giving me one more month to tidy away loose ends for a March 1st publication. Leaving me (I hope) enough time to get another novel out in the second half of 2012.

While editing is slow, I at least know what I am doing. When it comes to my cover art I am still lost. My brother-in-law is going to design it for me, but I need to give him something to work with. I have been searching the web both stock images and general google art for inspiration, but keep coming up empty-handed. I am sure something will hit me in due course, but it is certainly more than a little frustrating. I think it is because the cover for Highway to Hell came to me right away.

I don't really have much else to report. I have been really tired in the evenings this past week. I am going to try to work some exercise back into my daily routine. I hope that will give me a bit of an energy boost. Maybe if I can just work out how to add an extra few hours into the day. Just one or two would be enough… I'm not greedy

 

Is Amazon Playing With Fire

I know people say you should never bite the hand that feeds you, and so I am writing this will the very best of intentions.  But, In my opinion Amazon are playing with fire and not just with their product names.

Let me start by saying that Amazon have done a great many things to help authors. I think we can all agree that they support Indie authors like no other. However, are they now not going a few steps too far?

Everything in life is separated by thin line. Comedy and Tragedy, Pleasure and Pain, Success and Failure. This line is important, and one that I believe Amazon may have lost sight of in light of their two most recent press releases.

First of you have the KDP Prime / Select

When this email came around I paid it very little notice. I scanned through it as I do most of my emails, and when I saw that it was only applicable for people living in the US, I just flagged it for later perusal, and that was that. However, it didn't take long before I stated seeing this new concept spring up in conversations and blog posts the writing world over.  So I went back to email and read through it.

At first glance it seemed like another +1 in the Amazon column, but when I looked closer I saw what all of the fuss was about. The fact that you need to pull your work from other shelves in order to Amazon to have the sole distribution rights is, in my opinion – and the majority of those I have read online – nothing more than ludicrous. I mean fine, the concept is solid, but it is not for the benefit of the author, or for the reader. Not really. The only people who could benefit from this is Amazon themselves. I do not want to get into the construction of this agreement, as there are plenty of other articles already written about it and to re-hash it would simply be a waste of time for everybody. (If you are looking for some good articles about this then check out Kait Nolan or – ok it may be slightly bias but it is a good examination of the service – the Smashwords blog written by Mark Coker )

The second press release that I was shown was to do with an Amazon Price Comparison App. For those who haven't heard about this yet, you can read the article that I saw here, it is from the New York Times

What it boils down to is that Amazon have introduced an app that will allow you to scan the bar-code of any book in any bookshop and instantly find out the price on Amazon. You can then build up rewards and discount vouchers that can be redeemed on Amazon. This is a double approach, you are forced to be shown that there may be a cheaper alternative available to you, while also being led by the promise of an extra reward for discovering said price difference.

Ok, currently the vouchers cannot be redeemed against books, but still, as the article suggests, there are other items sold in bookshops besides books. In my view, the vouchers are the small issue here, it is rather the bold 'we are cheaper then XX' marketing campaign.

Everybody knows that Amazon is a leading force in the world of online retail, and undeniably one of the largest online book retailers. Don't forget we are talking paperback books, here, not just kindle works, or Indie books. This is a development that will affect not the writers so much but rather the bookstores themselves.

I am not a lawyer, and have no real legal knowledge other than that which I picked up during my time in the police force, but I am sure that there is something written somewhere that prohibits the formation of a monopoly. Yet, if you look at the above, it seems to be the only word that could truly fit what Amazon are trying to achieve.

This is of course just my point of view, but what do you make of Amazon's new business moves? Is it a bold attempt to strengthen their business grip even more, or are they bordering on the sort of insanity that only true power can create?

Whatever you view, please just take a moment and think about a world where no bookshops exist. Just think about it… not a nice image is it.

ROW80 : End of Week Check In

Well another week has ended, and to be honest, I had already reached my goals for the round. I know, I know, I should just set myself new ones, but I fell into the trap of being lazy once my first draft was finished, and have struggled to drag myself out.

In my defence, I have started to edit, and have 12 pages finished. However, having two sick kids coughing and spluttering all day, and crying and coughing all night long takes it toll. Not only limiting my editing opportunities, but also destroying my sanity in one swoop.

Luckily, the noses seem to be clearing and the nights are getting less interrupted. Thus allowing me to get back into some form of routine. I am terrible at editing, and have no real tactic. No, I lie, I have several tactics, but that often serves to confuse me. Therefore I am setting myself a dual goal for the remainder of the round. To actually work out how I am going to edit is my first task, and to edit (I hope this is a very conservative estimate) 3 pages a day. I mean I don't get very much time; not in one burst anyway, and I find editing takes longer to get into the groove than the act of writing. Still, I hope that I can be proven wrong and see my daily page total push onwards and upwards.

How are you all doing in terms of your initial goals? Have you met them, exceeded them or been forced to change them? Whatever the answer, I wish you all the best of luck, and thank you for dropping by.

 

 

A Reputation: Hard To Get And Easy To Lose

Reputation:

the beliefs or opinions that are generally held about someone or something

 A reputation can make you or break you. Cultivating one is hard work, destroying one is easy. Just take a look at the definition above. Think back to any moment in your life; the first day at a new school, the first day at a new job, any date you have ever been on. How important was that first impression? I know we always hear that the first impression is the one that counts, but have you ever really thought about why it is so?

The first meeting, however fleeting it may be, sets the foundations for the reputation you will build.

I mean sure, the first meeting is important, but even if it goes disastrously wrong, it doesn´t spell the end. It just means that it is going to be that much harder for you to get the reputation you desire.

One good deed deserves another, and when on the hunt to build your reputation, one good deed demands another. Take being a (full-time)writer for example. To be a writer there are two things you need to do:

1) Write (good) books; and

2) Sell said books.

Ok, there are a number of other important areas, but if you skip either of the two steps above, I can as good as guarantee that you will not achieve your ultimate goal.

One important thing to remember in your quest to build a reputation, or Author Platform (if you are into buzzwords) is to do so slowly. You don't just jump into a situation head first. You test the water, take it one step at a time.

I call it the 'Don't order spaghetti on the first date' rule. It's just messy and asking for trouble.

Laying the ground work is just as important, if not more so than that actual size of your reputation. Start with small steps; a blog, or some other outlet for your thoughts. Then slowly you can add social media to the list. By adding one layer at a time you are giving yourself the chance to acclimatize to your surroundings. You can show those that follow you that you are here for the long run.

A sure-fire way to ruin a reputation, regardless of how well established you have become is to over sell yourself. Nobody wants to have a product jammed down their throat at every given opportunity. Why do you think people hate adverts so much.

Take time to actually interact with those that follow / befriend or otherwise add themselves to your circle. Get to know them as people, and show that you too are a human. A real person with likes and dislikes, hobbies and *gulp* a day job. By introducing yourself to people in a controlled and dare I say civilized way, you are building a solid foundation. In years to come people will be able to say. I know them, instead of I've heard of them, I bought one of their books once.

Another great way to help build your reputation is not to just befriend fellow writers, or fans of your chosen genre. Sure, the end goal is to build your platform and increase your name as an author, but it is just as important to interact with people who are separate to your writing People who share hobbies or support the same sports team. It shows that you are a multi-dimensional being, and will ultimately win you far more fans.

As much as it is hard to build a solid reputation, to be known as more than just a faceless writer who hangs around the social sites but never gives any signs of acknowledgement to their fans. Destroying all of your hard work can be achieved in the blink of an eye. If you say the wrong thing at the wrong moment, whether it is a poorly timed joke, or as someone – not me – did, a snide comment at a former employer, the solid pillar of your name will wither like a house of cards and leave you in tatters.

That is not to say that a reputation cannot be restored to its former glory, or even surpass its previous incarnation. I mean just look at all the celebrity scandals in the press each week, or disgraced politicians or cheating sportsmen who somehow climb back up to the top. It can be done, but the road back to success is a much thornier one that you will remember.

The Good Life

The phone rang. William listened to the sound of his life being ignored.  After almost a full minute the ringing stopped. Silence waited on the other end of the phone.

"Hi, it's me."  He offered sheepishly. It was the way so many of their conversations started.

"What do you want William?" The woman on the other end of the phone answered. It wasn't the way most wives greeted their husbands. Yet for William and Bethany De Camp, this was almost pillow talk.

William sighed,"Nothing, I just wanted to call that's all. To see how you were. Can't a husband call his wife?"  He asked.

There was silence on the other end of the line. William began to think that Bethany had just placed the phone on the table and walked away.

He looked at his desk, the photos of his family encircled him. Framed images of his wife and their two children. Even his computer background was an image of them all standing int he garden of the large country house they had bought the year before. All of them smiling. But they were false smiles.

"A husband can, but I'm not sure what you are William. How can you be a husband when you're never home. Do you know what day it is today?"  Bethany asked with a tone that confirmed that William had indeed missed something.

"Of course I do. How did the game go? Did they win?" He asked, referring to his son's soccer competition. He was the team captain and they had made it all the way to the final.

"Do you really care?"  Bethany asked with scorn.

"That's not fair Beth." William began, but he stopped himself. He didn't want to get into another argument. Not at this time of the night. The clock on his computer told him that it was almost Nine. The world outside his fourteenth story window was black.  "Is he there?"  William asked.

"No, he's asleep." His wife lied. William closed his eyes, holding back the years that begged to be shed.

"Come on Beth, don't be like this. I got called into a meeting. I'm the director, I can't just leave. If I don't work, then we can't live where we do. You guy's couldn't do all the things you do now."  William struggled to control the sadness in his voice. As he started the screen, at the happy faces standing on the porch of a house he barely say in the daylight, his computer beeped and announced that his unread email total had reached fifty. William gave a sigh and clenched his fist.

"Are you coming home soon Daddy?"  A child's voice called down the phone. It was too young to hide the pain in the words.

"Soon honey, soon. I just need to finish a few things here. You will  be asleep when I get home though. How did the game go?" William asked.

The email count jumped to fifty-three. The other side of the world was waking up. Business as usual.

"Okay Daddy." The disappointment in the voice was too much. Richard felt the tears burn his cheeks.

"I love you Bobby." William coughed the words. The second phone on his desk began to ring. An international call. His mobile also began to vibrate on the desk. Another number, another problem. "I have to go, but remember I love you. Be a good boy. Give your sister a kiss from me." William's voice faltered and fat tears splashed on the desk.

"Love you too Daddy." Bobby answered, happy.

William put the phone down and sat back in his chair. His head pounded. The email counter jumped again. Sixty now. His mobile buzzed. Three missed calls. His other land line continued to demand his attention.

William rubbed his temples and wiped his eyes. He had been at the office almost eighteen hours now, and it was not looking as though it would end any time soon. He sat up and took hold of the phone which had pride of place on his desk. It was of him sitting with his children. An ordinary photo with all things considered.

William stared at the photo. He couldn't remember the last time he had just sat with his family. Enjoyed a meal with his wife or thrown a ball with his son. His headache grew worse. He needed a break.

William opened the top drawer of his desk. He knew that it wasn't really an answer, but he had no other choice. The pain was too much, a constant pressure in his skull. He pulled out the revolver, put the barrel between his teeth. With the picture clutched against his chest William De Camp pulled the trigger and released the pressure.

Success or Failure: It's How We View Ourselves That is Important

We live in a world that loves to categorize things. Everything has to fit in its own little box on the shelf. There need to be clear definitions of things, lines drawn in bold that capture what that word / feeling / status mean. It makes life easy. When asked something, or when asking it of ourselves, we can check through the itinerary of life descriptions and easily pick the one that fits. But it has to fit perfectly. Anything that doesn't is either wrong and needs to be fixed, or gets shut up and locked away somewhere.

Success and failure are two such topics that are thrown around in almost any conversation at any given moment. We are driven by the thoughts and promises of success and stalked by the threats and failure. Whether we want to admit it or not, it is true.

Yet who is it that defines what we do, who sits there and passes out the labels saying, "You there, yes you, the lady in the purple shirt. Congratulations, you succeeded" or "I'm sorry son, you didn't make the cut." Who gets to judge whether we have succeeded or failed other than ourselves.

I mean we are not just products on life's production line, moving along different conveyor belts, waiting to be inspected and stamped as being Fit for Success or Rejected as being defective.

Take writing as an example.

What is the goal of a writer, is it world domination, is it unlimited wealth, or is it to write the story that is bursting inside their mind, begging to be released. Ok, the real answer is probably a little of all three, but, and as I have said many times before, writers need to write. So getting any words down on a page is a success right.

Skip forward a few months, you are sitting there, your completed manuscript in your hands. Your hopes are high, this is it, this is your dream realized. You have succeeded.

Skip ahead once more…

You're sitting on the same bed, in the same house, your manuscript is on the desk before you, and in your hands you clutch a litany of rejection letters and emails from agents across the globe. From large agencies to boutique's and even from that bald, tattooed man you met in the bar who said he knew a guy.

Does this mean you have failed? Of course not. You have still succeeded. You have written a book, you have put it out there for the world to see. Sure, you may have been rejected, you may have read that "This is a very subjective business" line more times than you have eaten hot dinners, but you have learned. You have not failed, you have grown.

You go back to your manuscript, you make the changes that have been suggested, or at least the ones you feel are needed to make it even stronger. Sure, you then have to start the process all over again, but that is precisely what it is. A process, a series of stages that link together towards a single goal. Success is always the goal, and is always attainable because failure only exists if you give up.

"The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a lack of will." Vincent T. Lombardi

At the end of the day, it doesn't matter what others think of you. Whether you are a writer, a business man, a mother or a father. Whether you are popular or alone. People can label you in whatever way they want to, because all that matters is the way we view ourselves.

Out lives are not made up of a string of failures that shape us into the people we are today. It is rather a string of success, and with each one comes an opportunity for growth. Because success breeds success, and the more we believe in ourselves, then the more our successes will be apparent to those around us.

"Success doesn't come to you, you go to it." Marva Collins

ROW80 : Taking a Well Earned Rest

To be honest with you, I could sum up my post in one word . Nothing.  But that seems like a waste of a post. I will however keep it short as nothing is kind of self-explanatory.

I finished the second Highway to Hell novel last week and have rewarded myself with some time off. The most strenuous thing I have done is read.

That being said I am itching to start editing and then to get cracking on my next book. I have 5 planned out in my head at the moment, so it's enough to keep me going a little while yet.

I caught a nice break on Thursday night. I had to help my brother-in-law move. He is the person who designed the Highway cover for me. So obviously, talk turned to writing and this second novel. Not only did he once again offer to do my cover for FREE, but also said that I don't need to trawl through the stock archives for images. If I tell him what I am looking for, he will design something for me himself.  I was like 'Man that is awesome.'

Tonight  – this weekend – we celebrate Sinterklaas in Holland. This afternoon my in-laws are coming round and we are doing the presents with the kids. Then after that two brothers (in-law) and one all but sister-in-law are coming and we will do the secret Santa that we have all been working on. I drew my father-in-law, possibly the most difficult one of the group to buy for. I managed it however, and now I cannot wait for tonight. It will also be a nice way to close off my holiday, and bring me back into the fiction world.

 

Thanks for reading, and Happy December.