Larry Jeram-Croft's Blog, page 5
May 1, 2018
And we're orf!!
They say things go in threes, we proved that today. The last few days has been spent fettling in the marina and getting everything ready - what could possibly go wrong???
1. All set - lines ready, remembered to actually fit the tiller arm, canal guide and CB radios to hand. Start the engine. Key breaks off in the ingnition! I think I might have said something like 'goodness that's unfortunate' or maybe something just a tad stronger with f***k in it. So out with pliers, screwdriver and adjustable hammer and luckily I managed to tease the remains out. Of course we had a spare so all good.
2. Gentlly out of the marina as the entrance is narrow. Remembered to turn left. Ran aground. This time I definitley said b****cks! Five minutes later, having reversed hard, we are off. What else could possibly go wrong?
3. With engine running we always turn on our inverter to charge all our AC powered thingys. 'Fi turn on the inverter' - 'nothing's happening' go down and check and she's right - no little blue light. I definitely use the 'F' word this time as they cost £1200 to replace. Open cupboard and check the beast itself - OK, who turned the ON/OFF switch to OFF? All working - sighs of relief all round.
SO -- orf we go, through Bollington and Macclesfield. The original plan was to stop at a nice pub a little further on but the forecast for tomorrow is dreadful and the 12 locks of the Bosely flight are just ahead and today the weather is quite nice. We press on and descend all twelve. We are now snugly moored at the bottom and will probably spend the day tomorrow avoiding rain and maybe cleaning the outside of the boat as after a winter in the marina its really dirty. But its great to be back on board and getting used to hurtling around at two and half miles an hour again. Kidsgrove and the Harecastle tunnel probably on Friday and on to the potteries. Thanks to everyone who is looking after cars, houses etc, see you all in three months.
Hard work for some!!
But still smiling
1. All set - lines ready, remembered to actually fit the tiller arm, canal guide and CB radios to hand. Start the engine. Key breaks off in the ingnition! I think I might have said something like 'goodness that's unfortunate' or maybe something just a tad stronger with f***k in it. So out with pliers, screwdriver and adjustable hammer and luckily I managed to tease the remains out. Of course we had a spare so all good.
2. Gentlly out of the marina as the entrance is narrow. Remembered to turn left. Ran aground. This time I definitley said b****cks! Five minutes later, having reversed hard, we are off. What else could possibly go wrong?
3. With engine running we always turn on our inverter to charge all our AC powered thingys. 'Fi turn on the inverter' - 'nothing's happening' go down and check and she's right - no little blue light. I definitely use the 'F' word this time as they cost £1200 to replace. Open cupboard and check the beast itself - OK, who turned the ON/OFF switch to OFF? All working - sighs of relief all round.
SO -- orf we go, through Bollington and Macclesfield. The original plan was to stop at a nice pub a little further on but the forecast for tomorrow is dreadful and the 12 locks of the Bosely flight are just ahead and today the weather is quite nice. We press on and descend all twelve. We are now snugly moored at the bottom and will probably spend the day tomorrow avoiding rain and maybe cleaning the outside of the boat as after a winter in the marina its really dirty. But its great to be back on board and getting used to hurtling around at two and half miles an hour again. Kidsgrove and the Harecastle tunnel probably on Friday and on to the potteries. Thanks to everyone who is looking after cars, houses etc, see you all in three months.
Hard work for some!!
But still smiling
April 6, 2018
Back at the grindstone
A third of my way through the new book 'Diamant'. Something a little different this time although set in the Caribbean like the Jacaranda books. It is a historical novel without any time travel this time!
February 4, 2018
Some you win...........
That said even having your book nominated is good for the ego!!
January 2, 2018
That goodness thats all over
Pressies given, booze drunk, grandkids played with etc etc and now its all over for another ten months - I say ten as Christmas seems to take two months in this country! So back to normal and thoughts about new books to write. On the non-fiction side I'm seriously considering one about the Sea King helicopter, although the thought of having to chase up numerous people who promise me input and then 'forget' is not a happy one.
As for fiction - many people have assumed that the Jon Hunt series has come to a logical conclusion. As I was taught in the navy 'never assume anything' so maybe he might just make another appearance. However, he's now on the back burner because I've been casting about for ideas for a new historical novel and at New Year, a friend leant me a book which is the perfect base for what I want to do. Not saying anything yet except to say it will be partly based on my time sailing the Caribbean and partly on an amazing story that is not well known from Napoleonic times. I will give a little clue below:
Any one know where this is????
As for fiction - many people have assumed that the Jon Hunt series has come to a logical conclusion. As I was taught in the navy 'never assume anything' so maybe he might just make another appearance. However, he's now on the back burner because I've been casting about for ideas for a new historical novel and at New Year, a friend leant me a book which is the perfect base for what I want to do. Not saying anything yet except to say it will be partly based on my time sailing the Caribbean and partly on an amazing story that is not well known from Napoleonic times. I will give a little clue below:
Any one know where this is????November 16, 2017
Jon Hunt flies/sails/drives again
'CONSPIRACY' is now available as a Kindle on Amazon as of this morning. Paperback due in a couple of days. This one has been hard as there was a lot of research needed to tie in with events and hopefully make a credible story. I also have some personal feelings about these events - read the book and you might just work out what they are!
The terrorist attack in New York on 9/11 starts a chain reaction that alters the balance of power in the Middle East.
Jon Hunt, having left command of the Formidable and newly promoted to Commodore is thrust into the middle of events just as the allies invade Iraq looking for Weapons of Mass Destruction. But do they even exist? Why is the British Government so convinced that they do? He is given the task of finding them despite his personal misgivings over the war. What he discovers is a conspiracy going right to the top.
Will he intervene to stop an even greater tragedy taking place?
The terrorist attack in New York on 9/11 starts a chain reaction that alters the balance of power in the Middle East.
Jon Hunt, having left command of the Formidable and newly promoted to Commodore is thrust into the middle of events just as the allies invade Iraq looking for Weapons of Mass Destruction. But do they even exist? Why is the British Government so convinced that they do? He is given the task of finding them despite his personal misgivings over the war. What he discovers is a conspiracy going right to the top.
Will he intervene to stop an even greater tragedy taking place?
November 3, 2017
You wait for ages and then two come along in one week.
Books that is. Monday was the deadline for getting the first draft of my non fiction book about the RN Wasp helicopter to my publisher. As it had been ready for some time it was a simple matter to top and tail it and then email it off. Right, I thought, now to finish off the latest Jon Hunt novel 'Conspiracy'. On Tuesday I had at least 15,000 words to find. This morning I finished it. People often ask me how I do my writing. Well its not in front of the computer. Once I know what I want to write the mechanics are actually straight forward. So, one very long dog walk and some serious thought and there I was ready to finish it off. On Wednesday I broke the back of the plot. Yesterday the epilogue and today the author's notes I always include at the end.
I've now downloadedit to my Kindle and have the fun job of proofing as well as twisting several other people's arms to do the same. Should be ready by the end of the month. The draft new cover is below with a subtle change from the previous one I posted some weeks back.
I've now downloadedit to my Kindle and have the fun job of proofing as well as twisting several other people's arms to do the same. Should be ready by the end of the month. The draft new cover is below with a subtle change from the previous one I posted some weeks back.
October 6, 2017
Bit of a washout
Our cunning plan was to go back to the boat and spend a few days travelling up the Peak Forest canal. Unfortunately the weather was dreadful and even getting out of the marina would have been a challenge so we decided to stay put. I had been planning to do some repainting in the Spring so decided to bring it forward. The roof is now a nice simple red which should be much easier to keep clean. The large white squares of the old roof used to get dirty very quickly. I only wish the colour was the same as on the tins of paint as it's rather 'redder' than I anticipated. Still it should settle down over the winter.
Of course now we are home the weather has settled down quite nicely...............................
Jacky with her new, rather bright, red roof.
Of course now we are home the weather has settled down quite nicely...............................
Jacky with her new, rather bright, red roof.September 19, 2017
New book
Been working hard on the new 'Jon Hunt' and I've come up with what may be the definitive title. I've also been doodling with cover images. I usually have a ship or aircraft (or Ekranoplan) but for all sorts of reasons this one needs to be different. Anyone have any thoughts??
September 12, 2017
Have to start writing the acceptance speech now
Cor - just been told that my book 'The Royal Navy Lynx - an Operational History' had been nominated for an award at the Mountbatten Maritime Media Awards. The Maritme Foundation is a very prominent charity supporting British Maritime interest across the world. I've absolutely no idea whether it has the slightest chance of winning anything, in fact I've no idea how it even got nominated in the first place but I do get a discount to a really good dinner just down the road from Buck Pal, so watch this space.
September 1, 2017
Over the hump
A milestone - I hit 40,000 words today on the latest 'Jon Hunt' which is a psychological half way. More importantly, I've got over the major 'plot hump'. This is the point where I've written myself totally into a corner and can't for the life of me work out where to go next, despite the fact that I know how I want the story to end. It's seems to be something I experience with all my books. The only way to solve the problem is to do anything but write. We've had family down for the last week and I've been concentrating on playing my usually crappy game of golf. This morning I sat down in front of the computer and started hitting the keys. Suddenly, from nowhere, the words started to appear and I could see the way ahead. There's still lots to do but now I know where I'm going I reckon I should be finished in a couple of months.
