A.B. Potts's Blog, page 3
August 1, 2012
BOOK REVIEW: Frozen Past: Richard C Hale
THE SPIEL: Luke is only fourteen. Eliana is his whole world and for a fourteen year old, the burden is immense. You see, Eliana is being stalked. Stalked by a madman who wants nothing more than to see her dead. The madman knows things that no one should know and sees things that no one should see. He tells them if they say a word to anyone, they will both die. And Luke can't let that happen. Eliana's past is catching up with her and Luke must do anything to save her. Anything.An excellent THRILLER, it had a great balance of suspense and action and was very well told. As an eBook it was well presented (grammar, punctuation and format) which are a big thing for me as an Indie Author with high standards. It was another of those rare books that had me eager to read the next chapter. It had me bouncing about emotionally, one minute sick with worry for the characters and the next delighted in the kids just being kids. The author has successfully captured the spirit of childhood and their unique ability to deal with problems, an ability we, as adults, seem to have forgotten. I shall tell you no more as I have no intention of spoiling it for you.Paperback or eBook: Available from Amazon
July 29, 2012
Cowboys & Indies
The Independent Author has been around since publishing first began. He (or she) was born out of the frustration of not being able to attract the attention of a publisher or agent. That isn't necessarily because what was written was rubbish. On the contrary, it's just that it didn't catch the right guy, in the right mood, on the right day. Take Stephen King for example.
..... For years, King struggled to get noticed as a novelist. When he did, he became an internationally bestselling author—but King didn't suddenly become good. He was always good. It was just that it took a while for somebody to notice that fact.
..... Now I'm not blaming publishers and agents here (well, maybe I am a little bit). These guys get sackfuls of submissions every day and have to sort out the wheat from the chaff but, being in the thick of publishing—living, breathing and sleeping books—have they lost sight of what they should be looking for? Let me make a comparison.
..... Remember too, that the man on the street outnumbers these connoisseurs considerably. On this basis, a new wine producer needs a product that will appeal to the majority and not the minority if he is to be successful. Similarly, our books need to appeal to the man-on-the-street if they are to become bestsellers. Connoisseurs have their place, of course, but perhaps they shouldn't be quite so. . . snobbish?
..... Indie books though, have problems of their own. Anyone can self-publish a book and with the advent of the eBook, it's even easier. The reader now has to sort out his own wheat from the chaff, although this isn't difficult. With sizeable samples of (almost) every book downloadable for free, you can 'try before you buy' and that sample will tell you so much!
..... The Indie Author falls into two categories: those that can write and those that can't (so do traditionally published authors for that matter) but with the try-before-you-buy facility, you can easily wheedle these ones out. The second category is the Indie that CAN write and he too, comes in two flavours: the ones with polish and the ones without.
..... Polish is all the stuff that has to be done after the masterpiece has been written, the stuff that takes twice as long again: the endless proofreading to sort out the grammar, spelling and punctuation mistakes, the checks to ensure that it will (in the case of an eBook) download with professional formatting—that there aren't any duff lines, impromptu changes in typeface or font size, irregular paragraph separation styles etc.
..... This is the stuff that divides the really, really good Indie from the good Indie. It indicates a pride in their work and a desire to compete with the "big boys" whose work will have been scrutinised to the nth degree by their editors, agent and publisher. These are people who take their work very seriously—and trust me—they must, because it takes a lot of time, money and effort especially when you have a full-time job and a family to take care of too. I know this first hand because I am an Indie, and I am deeply saddened by the number of books that had the opportunity to be really, really good but have been let down by poor grammar and formatting. So speaking as an Indie, I appeal to all Indies to go that extra mile—to not let the side down. If you think your book is shit-hot then treat it with the reverence it deserves. If you don't, how can you expect readers to?
..... The Age of the Indie is upon us, but just like BetaMax and the squarial, we could become redundant. To compete, to stay in there, we have to up our game! We have to deliver what we have promised. A good read in a readable format, because if we don't give the readers that, someone else will.
..... For years, King struggled to get noticed as a novelist. When he did, he became an internationally bestselling author—but King didn't suddenly become good. He was always good. It was just that it took a while for somebody to notice that fact.
..... Now I'm not blaming publishers and agents here (well, maybe I am a little bit). These guys get sackfuls of submissions every day and have to sort out the wheat from the chaff but, being in the thick of publishing—living, breathing and sleeping books—have they lost sight of what they should be looking for? Let me make a comparison.
..... Remember too, that the man on the street outnumbers these connoisseurs considerably. On this basis, a new wine producer needs a product that will appeal to the majority and not the minority if he is to be successful. Similarly, our books need to appeal to the man-on-the-street if they are to become bestsellers. Connoisseurs have their place, of course, but perhaps they shouldn't be quite so. . . snobbish?
..... Indie books though, have problems of their own. Anyone can self-publish a book and with the advent of the eBook, it's even easier. The reader now has to sort out his own wheat from the chaff, although this isn't difficult. With sizeable samples of (almost) every book downloadable for free, you can 'try before you buy' and that sample will tell you so much!
..... The Indie Author falls into two categories: those that can write and those that can't (so do traditionally published authors for that matter) but with the try-before-you-buy facility, you can easily wheedle these ones out. The second category is the Indie that CAN write and he too, comes in two flavours: the ones with polish and the ones without.
..... Polish is all the stuff that has to be done after the masterpiece has been written, the stuff that takes twice as long again: the endless proofreading to sort out the grammar, spelling and punctuation mistakes, the checks to ensure that it will (in the case of an eBook) download with professional formatting—that there aren't any duff lines, impromptu changes in typeface or font size, irregular paragraph separation styles etc.
..... This is the stuff that divides the really, really good Indie from the good Indie. It indicates a pride in their work and a desire to compete with the "big boys" whose work will have been scrutinised to the nth degree by their editors, agent and publisher. These are people who take their work very seriously—and trust me—they must, because it takes a lot of time, money and effort especially when you have a full-time job and a family to take care of too. I know this first hand because I am an Indie, and I am deeply saddened by the number of books that had the opportunity to be really, really good but have been let down by poor grammar and formatting. So speaking as an Indie, I appeal to all Indies to go that extra mile—to not let the side down. If you think your book is shit-hot then treat it with the reverence it deserves. If you don't, how can you expect readers to?
..... The Age of the Indie is upon us, but just like BetaMax and the squarial, we could become redundant. To compete, to stay in there, we have to up our game! We have to deliver what we have promised. A good read in a readable format, because if we don't give the readers that, someone else will.
July 19, 2012
REFLECTION: The Art of Lying
p { margin: 0px; } .tab { text-indent:20px } We live in a world where it is impolite to be honest, so we lie and we lie often.We are not just encouraged to lie, we are expected to lie and not just to our acquaintances but to our family, our friends and perhaps even to our lovers.The biggest lie (big in how often we use it rather than severity), is the greeting, '"Hello, how are you?" “Am I starting to show my age?”"Does my bum look big in this?"
But the enquirer is just as guilty as the responder. If her bum does look big it that, if he is looking a little old and haggard, he/she doesn't want you to be honest. They want you to lie. They will not thank you for saying, "Yes, you do look old/fat," no matter how nicely you put it. If you do, it's a fair bet you'll end up sleeping in the spare room for a couple of nights."No, of course your bum doesn't look big in that. You have a lovely bottom," you say, even though it's spread to the size of Manhattan and has enough cellulite to sink a battle cruiser. "No, my love. You don't look a day over twenty". Technically, that may not be a lie (he doesn't look a day over twenty, he looks 3,000 days over twenty), but you get the gist.We lie to our children too.Putting aside the most obvious lies (the Tooth Fairy and Father Christmas), what about those 'harmless' old wives tales—that eating carrots will make you see in the dark, watching too much television is bad for the eyes, eating your crusts will make your hair curl, picking a dandelion means you'll wet the bed and if a buttercup shines yellow under your chin it means you like butter? There are hundreds of them and whilst some of them may have some basis in truth (yes, carrots do contain beta-carotene which is very important to maintain eyesight but it won’t improve it) they are still lies designed to manipulate and control children.They're harmless, I hear you say and for the most part they are; but lies are lies. We are, whether we like it or not, teaching our children the art of lying.It's a sobering thought. Sadly, it's also a life skill.
But the enquirer is just as guilty as the responder. If her bum does look big it that, if he is looking a little old and haggard, he/she doesn't want you to be honest. They want you to lie. They will not thank you for saying, "Yes, you do look old/fat," no matter how nicely you put it. If you do, it's a fair bet you'll end up sleeping in the spare room for a couple of nights."No, of course your bum doesn't look big in that. You have a lovely bottom," you say, even though it's spread to the size of Manhattan and has enough cellulite to sink a battle cruiser. "No, my love. You don't look a day over twenty". Technically, that may not be a lie (he doesn't look a day over twenty, he looks 3,000 days over twenty), but you get the gist.We lie to our children too.Putting aside the most obvious lies (the Tooth Fairy and Father Christmas), what about those 'harmless' old wives tales—that eating carrots will make you see in the dark, watching too much television is bad for the eyes, eating your crusts will make your hair curl, picking a dandelion means you'll wet the bed and if a buttercup shines yellow under your chin it means you like butter? There are hundreds of them and whilst some of them may have some basis in truth (yes, carrots do contain beta-carotene which is very important to maintain eyesight but it won’t improve it) they are still lies designed to manipulate and control children.They're harmless, I hear you say and for the most part they are; but lies are lies. We are, whether we like it or not, teaching our children the art of lying.It's a sobering thought. Sadly, it's also a life skill.
The Art of Lying
We live in a world where it is impolite to be honest, so we lie and we lie often...... We are not just encouraged to lie, we are expected to lie and not just to our acquaintances but to our family, our friends and perhaps even to our lovers. ..... And how often have you asked that question and then wished you hadn’t? Often? Sometimes? Rarely? Even once means that you are guilty too. ..... It doesn't end there though. We have yet more questions that we always answer with a lie, albeit it with a good heart. We lie because we care.
..... “Am I starting to show my age?” "Does my bum look big in this?"
But the enquirer is just as guilty as the responder. If her bum does look big it that, if he is looking a little old and haggard, he/she doesn't want you to be honest. They want you to lie. They will not thank you for saying, "Yes, you do look old/fat," no matter how nicely you put it. If you do, it's a fair bet you'll end up sleeping in the spare room for a couple of nights. ..... "No, of course your bum doesn't look big in that. You have a lovely bottom," you say, even though it's spread to the size of Manhattan and has enough cellulite to sink a battle cruiser. "No, my love. You don't look a day over twenty". Technically, that may not be a lie (he doesn't look a day over twenty, he looks 3,000 days over twenty), but you get the gist. ..... We lie to our children too.
..... Putting aside the most obvious lies (the Tooth Fairy and Father Christmas), what about those 'harlmless' old wives tales—that eating carrots will make you see in the dark, watching too much television is bad for the eyes, eating your crusts will make your hair curl, picking a dandelion means you'll wet the bed and if a buttercup shines yellow under your chin it means you like butter? There are hundreds of them and whilst some of them may have some basis in truth (yes, carrots do contain beta-carotene which is very important to maintain eyesight but it won’t improve it) they are still lies designed to manipulate and control children.
..... They're harmless, I hear you say and for the most part they are; but lies are lies. We are, whether we like it or not, teaching our children the art of lying. ..... It's a sobering thought. Sadly, it's also a life skill.
July 18, 2012
REFLECTION: What makes a swear word a swear word?
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Why is it acceptable to use one word in company and not another? Who was it that first said 'f*ck' and then added "Oh, and by the way, that’s a swear word. Naughty me"? Why can I use certain words in public and not others?
To confuse the issue further, the makers of TV programmes--in an attempt not to offend viewers and the regulatory bodies--have made up swear words.PORRIDGE was probably the first with NAFF and NERK but we have later additions with BATTLESTAR GALACTICA’s FRACK and FARSCAPE’s FRELL. So it seems quite acceptable to make up swear words and then to use them in public. We all know what is really being said without actually saying it, so why can’t we just say it--and how soon will it be before these made-up swear words actually end up in the dictionary of swear words and become unacceptable to use? Will future reruns of Porridge be banned before the watershed?We also have the huge dictionary of swear words that aren’t swear words unless we put them in the wrong (or right) sentence:
And let’s not forget that I can quite legitimately call someone a dickhead if his name just happens to be Richard Head.
Then we have those expressions that aren’t technically swear words but should be, especially when you know their origin—cock-eyed is a perfect example. I'll leave you to Google that one.So what does make a swear word a swear word, and can I make one up or convert an existing word into a swear word? And why is it that swearing feels so good? Why does it give so much pleasure? They’re just words after all, but words we need! Catch your foot underneath the living room door and rip off half your toenail and 'oh, dearie me' just doesn’t cut it. It needs a quick barrage of obscenities even if it is only under your breath.Having said all that though, we need to respect swear words. Inserting the word f*ck after every third word destroys the art of profanity. It devalues it. If you say f*ck at the least little thing, what are you going to say when you really need to swear? And if, in the future, we became a more (or less) enlightened society where no word is a swear word, would we be using those words more or less?
To confuse the issue further, the makers of TV programmes--in an attempt not to offend viewers and the regulatory bodies--have made up swear words.PORRIDGE was probably the first with NAFF and NERK but we have later additions with BATTLESTAR GALACTICA’s FRACK and FARSCAPE’s FRELL. So it seems quite acceptable to make up swear words and then to use them in public. We all know what is really being said without actually saying it, so why can’t we just say it--and how soon will it be before these made-up swear words actually end up in the dictionary of swear words and become unacceptable to use? Will future reruns of Porridge be banned before the watershed?We also have the huge dictionary of swear words that aren’t swear words unless we put them in the wrong (or right) sentence:
And let’s not forget that I can quite legitimately call someone a dickhead if his name just happens to be Richard Head.
Then we have those expressions that aren’t technically swear words but should be, especially when you know their origin—cock-eyed is a perfect example. I'll leave you to Google that one.So what does make a swear word a swear word, and can I make one up or convert an existing word into a swear word? And why is it that swearing feels so good? Why does it give so much pleasure? They’re just words after all, but words we need! Catch your foot underneath the living room door and rip off half your toenail and 'oh, dearie me' just doesn’t cut it. It needs a quick barrage of obscenities even if it is only under your breath.Having said all that though, we need to respect swear words. Inserting the word f*ck after every third word destroys the art of profanity. It devalues it. If you say f*ck at the least little thing, what are you going to say when you really need to swear? And if, in the future, we became a more (or less) enlightened society where no word is a swear word, would we be using those words more or less?
July 17, 2012
Everybody tells me I should blog...
... but I'm not exactly sure why.
Do people really want to listen to me blathering on about... well, that's the problem really... what should I blog about? People say, 'talk about anything'. Yeah right, 'cause people want to listen to me ratting on about any old thing...
..... Don't get me wrong, I have sat down and tried to blog and it goes one of two ways depending on whether I stay in the land of fact (I believe it's called Earth) or launch into the world of fiction (I spend a lot of time there you see. It's a very nice, comfortable place where I have lots of friends), and I either end up with a bloody good whinge (that's staying on Earth) or the beginnings of another great story (if I delve into the world of fiction). Now, if I stay in the world of fact, I'll just depress everybody and turn into an old moaner. If I start talking about fiction, I'll end up writing something far too long to be a blog...
..... forthcoming book titles already forming in my mind... The Blog in the Night, One Blog too Many, The Blog, Blogs of War, Blog Pound, Black Blog (that last one might be a bit too subtle), One Man and his Blog...
...I'm ranting now, aren't I? ..... Do rants count as blogs? Is this a mini-blog? :-D
Do people really want to listen to me blathering on about... well, that's the problem really... what should I blog about? People say, 'talk about anything'. Yeah right, 'cause people want to listen to me ratting on about any old thing...
..... Don't get me wrong, I have sat down and tried to blog and it goes one of two ways depending on whether I stay in the land of fact (I believe it's called Earth) or launch into the world of fiction (I spend a lot of time there you see. It's a very nice, comfortable place where I have lots of friends), and I either end up with a bloody good whinge (that's staying on Earth) or the beginnings of another great story (if I delve into the world of fiction). Now, if I stay in the world of fact, I'll just depress everybody and turn into an old moaner. If I start talking about fiction, I'll end up writing something far too long to be a blog...
..... forthcoming book titles already forming in my mind... The Blog in the Night, One Blog too Many, The Blog, Blogs of War, Blog Pound, Black Blog (that last one might be a bit too subtle), One Man and his Blog...
...I'm ranting now, aren't I? ..... Do rants count as blogs? Is this a mini-blog? :-D
What makes a swear word a swear word?
Why is it acceptable to use one word in company and not another?
Who was it that first said 'f*ck' and then added "Oh, and by the way, that’s a swear word. Naughty me"?
Why can I use certain words in public and not others? To confuse the issue further, the makers of TV programmes--in an attempt not to offend viewers and the regulatory bodies--have made up swear words.
..... PORRIDGE was probably the first with NAFF and NERK but we have later additions with BATTLESTAR GALACTICA’s FRACK and FARSCAPE’s FRELL. So it seems quite acceptable to make up swear words and then to use them in public. We all know what is
..... We also have the huge dictionary of swear words that aren’t swear words unless we put them in the wrong (or right) sentence:
'Sleeping Beauty was distracted by a couple of tits pecking at half a coconut hanging outside her window. She pricked herself on the needle and cursed her now bloody gown'
And let’s not forget that I can quite legitimately call someone a dickhead if his name just happens to be Richard Head.
..... Then we have those expressions that aren’t technically swear words but should be, especially when you know their origin—cock-eyed is a perfect example. I'll leave you to Google that one.
..... So what does make a swear word a swear word, and can I make one up or convert an existing word into a swear word? And why is it that swearing feels so good? Why does it give so much pleasure? They’re just words after all, but words we need! Catch your foot underneath the living room door and rip off half your toenail and 'oh, dearie me' just doesn’t cut it. It needs a quick barrage of obscenities even if it is only under your breath.
..... Having said all that though, we need to respect swear words. Inserting the word f*ck after every third word destroys the art of profanity. It devalues it. If you say f*ck at the least little thing, what are you going to say when you really need to swear? And if, in the future, we became a more (or less) enlightened society where no word is a swear word, would we be using those words more or less?
Who was it that first said 'f*ck' and then added "Oh, and by the way, that’s a swear word. Naughty me"?
Why can I use certain words in public and not others? To confuse the issue further, the makers of TV programmes--in an attempt not to offend viewers and the regulatory bodies--have made up swear words.
..... PORRIDGE was probably the first with NAFF and NERK but we have later additions with BATTLESTAR GALACTICA’s FRACK and FARSCAPE’s FRELL. So it seems quite acceptable to make up swear words and then to use them in public. We all know what is
..... We also have the huge dictionary of swear words that aren’t swear words unless we put them in the wrong (or right) sentence:
'Sleeping Beauty was distracted by a couple of tits pecking at half a coconut hanging outside her window. She pricked herself on the needle and cursed her now bloody gown'
And let’s not forget that I can quite legitimately call someone a dickhead if his name just happens to be Richard Head.
..... Then we have those expressions that aren’t technically swear words but should be, especially when you know their origin—cock-eyed is a perfect example. I'll leave you to Google that one.
..... So what does make a swear word a swear word, and can I make one up or convert an existing word into a swear word? And why is it that swearing feels so good? Why does it give so much pleasure? They’re just words after all, but words we need! Catch your foot underneath the living room door and rip off half your toenail and 'oh, dearie me' just doesn’t cut it. It needs a quick barrage of obscenities even if it is only under your breath.
..... Having said all that though, we need to respect swear words. Inserting the word f*ck after every third word destroys the art of profanity. It devalues it. If you say f*ck at the least little thing, what are you going to say when you really need to swear? And if, in the future, we became a more (or less) enlightened society where no word is a swear word, would we be using those words more or less?
