Ruby Barnes's Blog, page 18
January 7, 2012
The Breakthrough
This story, The Breakthrough on the new Multi-Story short fiction website, is reproduced with permission from the Autumn 2011 issue of The Author (the quarterly journal of the Society of Authors).
It made me groan. As an independent author I continually have at the back of my mind that I should resubmit my novels to agents and publishers in order to try and become mainstream. When I read stuff
It made me groan. As an independent author I continually have at the back of my mind that I should resubmit my novels to agents and publishers in order to try and become mainstream. When I read stuff
January 3, 2012
Tired old limes stand the test of time
Ruby's review of The Green Mile by Stephen King
As an author myself, Stephen King's novels might be considered essential reading. I'm ashamed to say this was a first for me, but it won't be the last.
Like everyone, I've seen the film of The Green Mile. Unlike everyone, I've not heard the film as I was in denial about my hearing loss for the past two decades. All the films I've watched have been
As an author myself, Stephen King's novels might be considered essential reading. I'm ashamed to say this was a first for me, but it won't be the last.
Like everyone, I've seen the film of The Green Mile. Unlike everyone, I've not heard the film as I was in denial about my hearing loss for the past two decades. All the films I've watched have been
December 29, 2011
Amazon bot has picked up my festive freebie
It seems that Amazon.com's bot has been busy sniffing out folks' special offers. Peril has gone free again on amazon.com, presumably as the result of a bloghop Smashwords freebie offer.
So, if you're an Amazon.com user and haven't already got hold of Peril on www.amazon.com/Peril-ebook/dp/B004TXOOHO, then dig in!
So, if you're an Amazon.com user and haven't already got hold of Peril on www.amazon.com/Peril-ebook/dp/B004TXOOHO, then dig in!
December 26, 2011
Ruby's New Year's Resolutions and Goodreads Bloghop
Welcome to Ruby's page for the Goodreads Christmas Bloghop!If you've just happened along then join in and win yourself two free ebooks by yours truly.
Every year I make a New Year's resolution or several and sometimes I even keep them. This year I'm going to make them while in character.
Ger Mayes is the main character from Peril. Lovable rogue, failed philanderer, gormless drug smuggler,
Every year I make a New Year's resolution or several and sometimes I even keep them. This year I'm going to make them while in character.
Ger Mayes is the main character from Peril. Lovable rogue, failed philanderer, gormless drug smuggler,
December 18, 2011
Awfully good! The Road by Cormac McCarthy
It's taken me several days to come back from the place that The Road took me. Oh, yes, I've seen the film. So there weren't a lot of surprises. Nevertheless, I found myself as the man pushing the shopping trolley, trying to avoid cannibals and persevering in the face of fate, all for the love of a son. As a father I can completely understand that.During the final pages of the book I found myself
December 14, 2011
Get yer luverly e-books, 86p yer luverly e-book
I was walking around Leeds city market yesterday and heard the lads touting their wares. It was late in the afternoon and the greengrocers were trying to get rid of their fruit, one guy balancing all his remaining bananas on one arm.
'Five for a pound, bananas,' was the shout.
All the butchers' shops stood in a row, joints on display. I've always had a strange fascination for meat.
A tough
'Five for a pound, bananas,' was the shout.
All the butchers' shops stood in a row, joints on display. I've always had a strange fascination for meat.
A tough
December 10, 2011
Hot and sweaty!
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I very much enjoyed this book. It's quite an epic and five different first person narrators really bring the story to life. All my senses were constantly addressed with the headiness of the Congo.
When I reached the end of the family's time at the mission I was looking for the story to end, and felt dismayed that there were
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I very much enjoyed this book. It's quite an epic and five different first person narrators really bring the story to life. All my senses were constantly addressed with the headiness of the Congo.
When I reached the end of the family's time at the mission I was looking for the story to end, and felt dismayed that there were
December 9, 2011
How to put your precious manuscript out there as an e-book
Are you an author who wants to publish independently using e-books? I'll try and start you off on the right road ;-]
Ingredients you will needOne lovely manuscript, as polished as you and your editing buddies can make it, as an electronic document, ideally in Word. Remember this at all times: version control is essential for all your docs.
A professional-looking front cover as a jpg file.
A
Ingredients you will needOne lovely manuscript, as polished as you and your editing buddies can make it, as an electronic document, ideally in Word. Remember this at all times: version control is essential for all your docs.
A professional-looking front cover as a jpg file.
A
December 2, 2011
Profane language? WTF? Don't read on!
(Seriously, if you are offended by profanity then stop here and just go read the Peril or The Baptist pages.)
I recently sent a copy of The Baptist to a friend's work email as a pdf attachment. She didn't receive the email. She did receive an automatically generated message from her employer's Mail Sweeper programme.
This e-mail has been stopped in Profane Messages.
A report was attached to
I recently sent a copy of The Baptist to a friend's work email as a pdf attachment. She didn't receive the email. She did receive an automatically generated message from her employer's Mail Sweeper programme.
This e-mail has been stopped in Profane Messages.
A report was attached to
November 23, 2011
Writers and Readers both
If you're a UK Kindle user then here's a great group on Goodreads:
UK Amazon Kindle Forum
Unlike facebook groups or Amazon threads, you can be sure that it's a spam-free zone.
I'm a member of a lot of Goodreads and LibraryThing groups (not to mention facebook) and I have to say that I enjoy my anonymity and can indulge the reader side of Ruby on the reader-oriented platforms.
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UK Amazon Kindle Forum
Unlike facebook groups or Amazon threads, you can be sure that it's a spam-free zone.
I'm a member of a lot of Goodreads and LibraryThing groups (not to mention facebook) and I have to say that I enjoy my anonymity and can indulge the reader side of Ruby on the reader-oriented platforms.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
