David L. Atkinson's Blog, page 101

Writing - Words shared

Great news today for me in that I've had a request from an ordained chap to use the prayer below which appears in Thursdays blog.


God is in the Rain
When we pray to God looking to the skieswe see the clouds before our eyes,and as we pray to God we ask questionsfor ourselves and others, for His suggestions,on how to live each and every dayand keep illness, fear and trouble at bay.
When we pray to God looking to the skieswe see endless expanse before our eyes,and as we pray to God we confess our sinslooking for the peace His forgiveness bringsto our aching souls and tortured lives,bringing gentleness that we may survive.
When we pray to God looking to the skieswe see the sun before our eyes,and as we pray to God we give our vowto live as He would expect from nowso that the world will be a better placefor us and the rest of the human race.
When we pray to God looking to the skieswe see drops of rain before our eyes,but as we pray to God we fail to seethe extent and infinite care that Helavishes on us time and again,as frequently as every drop of rain. © David L Atkinson November 2014
Portfolio


Steele   My hero was created post recession and so has no concept of how 'good' things were pre-2008. In 'I Have To Get It Right' when he began to flex his muscles he was working in an accountant's office. Then after the Gurentai took him under their wing and removed all of his financial worries, it was justice that was his major concern. He did become involved in international relations in 'The 51st State' but it was for the maintenance of a respectful distance between countries, rather than economic reasons. His trips into the USA had repercussions which can be read about in 'The Biter Bit' but then by the time things began to change in 2011 and the recession was really biting, Steele was trying to make sense of the state of the nation in 'A Changed Reality' and coming up against some really nasty people taking advantage of the shortage of money. By the time the USA are out of their recession Steele's steps are still being dogged by an unknown enemy from the same country. In 'Inceptus' we also find out more about what makes the man tick. The most recent Steele book 'Castled' Steele is once again at risk from unseen enemies. It would seem that he has become quite recession proof!
All books are available in paperback or ebook through Amazon, Smashwords and all good book shop websites.


Cessation This is a dystopian story that hinges directly on the state of the nation as a result of fiscal mismanagement. Having said that it is more a story of human relations, privations, love and loss.

God Bless

Poetry Thursday 135 - Stories and prayers in couplets

I was inspired to write in couplets this week by something I saw on YouTube which was a story told using that style. There are two different 'stories' and a prayer-like offering that I hope readers will derive some value from.
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An Evening Out
Setting out in the evening autumn airhearing the cool wind rattling leaves in trees care,looking forward to good company and cheeralong with pints of Taylor’s best beer.
Discussing sport, travel and newseach expressing their own personal views.No pressure to agree – or the otherbut tacit understanding from each brother.


Interacting socially as part of lifeis inevitable, so best without strife.The evening draws on until we returnto our homes to reflect on what we learn.
A pleasant excursion to repeat we mightin the same place but on another night.© David L Atkinson November 2014


God is in the Rain
When we pray to God looking to the skieswe see the clouds before our eyes,and as we pray to God we ask questionsfor ourselves and others, for His suggestions,on how to live each and every dayand keep illness, fear and trouble at bay.
When we pray to God looking to the skieswe see endless expanse before our eyes,and as we pray to God we confess our sinslooking for the peace His forgiveness bringsto our aching souls and tortured lives,bringing gentleness that we may survive.
When we pray to God looking to the skieswe see the sun before our eyes,and as we pray to God we give our vowto live as He would expect from nowso that the world will be a better placefor us and the rest of the human race.
When we pray to God looking to the skieswe see drops of rain before our eyes,but as we pray to God we fail to seethe extent and infinite care that Helavishes on us time and again,as frequently as every drop of rain.© David L Atkinson November 2014
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Watching my Team
Over fifty years of mindless devotionlaced with every type of emotionmakes me wonder what it is I seekfrom these graven idols week by week.Childish dreams of the team’s successfather’s condolences eased the distresswhen things on the pitch didn’t go welland the blind faith follower was in hell.Then all of those dreams came to fruitionin the culmination of a cup competition.One fine afternoon on Wembley’s fieldthe fans could thank Ian Porterfield,for scoring the goal that brought home gloryand provided a great chapter in Sunderland’s story,the like that lives in the memory for yearsand is stored to assuage future tears.© David L Atkinson November 2014
[image error]Bob Stokoe 1930 - 2004
God Bless

Writing - Staying in touch - a foundation.

When setting out on this journey into the literary world in a more hands on way rather than simply being a recipient I didn't realise what a vast network of contacts develops and how important it is to maintain those contacts. The purpose is not just to sell books either but to establish a basis from which to work.

This is not a blog about bragging rights, far from it, but more about the creation of different worlds and possible markets. My Twitter followers has broached the 5000 mark and no I haven't 'bought' a single one. I have many regular 'followers' on Twitter, on Facebook and other sites such as LinkedIn. I am also fortunate in having contacts in other parts of the world who support me in an active way and try to reciprocate. Time is short in fact that reminds me of a term I heard earlier this week about modern day people being 'time poor'. There is also a contact I've made to whom I write, long hand on paper with a fountain pen, on occasions.
So what does all this mean? Well for those who write full time it alleviates some of the loneliness that seems to be a pitfall of writing. It also provides opportunities to share ideas and expertise and helps one stay up-to-date with what is going on in the writing world. Only today I read a blog concerning the success of an SF book 'The Book of Strange New Things' by Michel Faber. The blog was by blogging friend Christina Carson and worth a glance. 
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If you are a writer and are fortunate enough to be accepted by a traditional publisher they will require you to establish an online profile that potential readers can delve into so us indie writers have actually stolen a march on the more establishment process. We were there first!!! Of course you don't have to write novels to be part of this massive community. There are no rules, no exclusions just people, whom I find to be a very friendly bunch, prepared to talk about all aspects of writing. So blog, tweet and more to discover the writing world and your place in it.

Portfolio



Steele   My hero was created post recession and so has no concept of how 'good' things were pre-2008. In 'I Have To Get It Right' when he began to flex his muscles he was working in an accountant's office. Then after the Gurentai took him under their wing and removed all of his financial worries, it was justice that was his major concern. He did become involved in international relations in 'The 51st State' but it was for the maintenance of a respectful distance between countries, rather than economic reasons. His trips into the USA had repercussions which can be read about in 'The Biter Bit' but then by the time things began to change in 2011 and the recession was really biting, Steele was trying to make sense of the state of the nation in 'A Changed Reality' and coming up against some really nasty people taking advantage of the shortage of money. By the time the USA are out of their recession Steele's steps are still being dogged by an unknown enemy from the same country. In 'Inceptus' we also find out more about what makes the man tick. The most recent Steele book 'Castled' Steele is once again at risk from unseen enemies. It would seem that he has become quite recession proof!
All books are available in paperback or ebook through Amazon, Smashwords and all good book shop websites.


Cessation This is a dystopian story that hinges directly on the state of the nation as a result of fiscal mismanagement. Having said that it is more a story of human relations, privations, love and loss.

God Bless

Tuesday Recipe - Lamb chilli casserole and a bit of fun.

Lamb chilli casserole
No it isn't a chilli as in chilli con carne if anything this is more of a spicy stew. It also has a fair sprinkling of your five-a-day in that there are carrots, potatoes and peas in this version but in fact parsnips, swede and pulses for colour would go well. As you have potatoes this stands alone very well although it would be nice held inside a Yorkshire pudding.
The recipe calls for pork shoulder off the bone which can be obtained de-boned by your butcher or you can do it yourself. It is a little fiddly so be careful with the sharp knife that you'll need. (I wonder how long it will be before you need a hard hat, high viz vest and gauntlets!). 
The taste in this case wasn't too spicy but that was probably because of the mildness of the chillies and it doesn't call for chilli powder or any other heat enhancers.
The recipe is on the appropriate TAB at the top of the page.
A bit of fun!
How many words do you need?
Pythagoras' Theorem ........24 wordsLord's Prayer ..........................66 wordsArchimedes' Principle ................67 wordsTen Commandments ......................179 wordsGettysburg Address ..............................286 wordsUS Declaration of Independence ................1300 wordsUS Constitution + 27 amendments ......................7818 wordsEU Regulations on the sale of cabbage ........................26911 words
God Bless

Writing - The Phantom Menace (development of SF writing)

Milestones in science fiction history that show the development of alien imposters, urban dystopias and urban clones from purely earthly concerns.
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From Earth to the Moon (1865) Jules Verne
Verne is considered as the father of SF. This story centres round the Baltimore Gun Club which is driven by all things relating to guns. They decide to build a ship that can be fired into space from a gun and collect funds from round the world, except for the UK who are accused of being jealous of the scientific developments in the USA, to fund their project. The story ends with the ship shooting off into space.
The War of the Worlds (1897 - 98) H G Wells
This was a satire of the invasion genre resulting from the Franco-Prussian War which spawned tales of invasion of southern England by the Germans, French and Russians.

R.U.R. (1921) Karel Capek
Czech writer Karel Capek was the first to coin the name 'robot' which came from the robota which means forced labour. This was the heyday of Fordism when machines were revolutionising manufacturing. The story is centred round a factory, Rossum's Universal Robots who manufacture artificial people to work for humans. The machines however, learn to think for themselves and launch a revolution.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) dir Don Siegel
This story in film reflects the obsession at the time with communism and the tendency to see 'reds under the bed' at every turn. There was even reference to Senator McCarthy and totalitarianism.
The Left Hand of Darkness (1969) Ursula K Le Guin 
One of the most famous lines from the book was 'The King is pregnant'. In the story Le Guin explores an alien world named Winter, on which the people are ambisexual. Once a month, for mating purposes, they can choose to be male or female, but their genders are not fixed.The story explores the social movements of the 60s and 70s and science fictions potential to question the way things are. 
Neuromancer (1984) William Gibson
Gibson has often been described as the man who foresaw the invention of the internet and coined the term 'cyberspace'. The story is about a computer hacker commissioned to commit the perfect crime and was partly inspired by the arcades filled with space invader games operated by youngsters who sported glazed, absorbed expressions.
If you delve into SF writing it is possible in many cases to establish from whence the inspiration for such stories has sprung. I haven't mentioned long running TV series Dr Who, or the Star Wars films but they too have their place.My own excursion into the future also sprang from 'real life' and is available below.
 

Cessation This is a dystopian story that hinges directly on the state of the nation as a result of fiscal mismanagement. Having said that it is more a story of human relations, privations, love and loss.

God Bless

Writing - 10 things we didn't know last week

A fine collection of useful snippets this week. How many could you use in your writing?

1. America used at least 1,000 ex-Nazis as spies in the Cold War.
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2. Scratching an itch really does make it itch more.


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3. Two per cent of Anglican clergy are not sure whether God is "more than a human construct".

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4. New York has its own species of frog that has gone undiscovered for decades.


Some would say the same about the people!
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5. There have been lions in London since the 13th Century - arriving either in 1210 or 1235 - although they may have died out briefly under Henry VI in 1436.

And enshrined in concrete.

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6. Sage enhances your brain's performance.


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7. The consumption of French fries and pizzas on the world's second largest cruise ship rises if there are more Americans and children on board.

I know I travelled on a similar boat.
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8. The Ritz in London still uses traditional keys rather than key cards.

So did Dauncey's in Weston super Mare.
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9. Danish people enjoy a long-form version of the happiness gene serotonin, while people from Britain and the US have shorter forms.

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10. Musicians have the same life expectancy as Zimbabweans

And how long is that?
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God Bless

Writing - How to produce a fiction series or not!

When I started writing five years ago the plan was to produce a novel. Eight books later I have a series, plus one stand alone story and a collection of poetry.


The series of Steele novels has evolved by accident rather than by design. I didn't set out to write a number of novels with the one central character. What actually happened was that when I was approaching the end of 'I Have To Get It Right' an idea occurred for a follow up novel which I began writing as soon as the first was published. This process has brought me to where I am today which is starting the 7th Steele novel temporarily entitled 'Grace and Favour'. 
Then I started looking into writing series and guess what - I've been doing it wrong!!!!!!
How to write a series:Master the art of Sequential Fiction
7 tips on writing a series
5 Mistakes to avoid when writing a fiction series
Writing A Series: 7 continuation issues to avoid
How to write a book series - 8 steps (with pictures)
The above is a sample of the 286 million results from Google. I particularly like the last one with pictures, very valuable for people who write!
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The above writing series is probably of more value. I don't subscribe to the 'idiot's guide' way of proceeding or have a drive to try and tell others how to do something. I am open to any questions on how I have achieved my current position.
Steele   My hero was created post recession and so has no concept of how 'good' things were pre-2008. In 'I Have To Get It Right' when he began to flex his muscles he was working in an accountant's office. Then after the Gurentai took him under their wing and removed all of his financial worries, it was justice that was his major concern. He did become involved in international relations in 'The 51st State' but it was for the maintenance of a respectful distance between countries, rather than economic reasons. His trips into the USA had repercussions which can be read about in 'The Biter Bit' but then by the time things began to change in 2011 and the recession was really biting, Steele was trying to make sense of the state of the nation in 'A Changed Reality' and coming up against some really nasty people taking advantage of the shortage of money. By the time the USA are out of their recession Steele's steps are still being dogged by an unknown enemy from the same country. In 'Inceptus' we also find out more about what makes the man tick. The most recent Steele book 'Castled' Steele is once again at risk from unseen enemies. It would seem that he has become quite recession proof!
All books are available in paperback or ebook through Amazon, Smashwords and all good book shop websites.


Cessation This is a dystopian story that hinges directly on the state of the nation as a result of fiscal mismanagement. Having said that it is more a story of human relations, privations, love and loss.

God Bless

Writing - A few old-fashioned courtesies

I was saddened by two pieces of news this morning concerning relationships. 
Children in School Uniform
The first news item concerned the fact that children in school uniform, mainly girls, are being harassed almost daily by men as they go to and from school. My children are grown up now but it is a worry for any parent that there are these predators who are apparently so numerous that the children consider it a waste of time to report incidents of a minor nature.
Viral video in New York
The second item concerned a video of a young woman walking through New York's streets and the comments thrown at her by men as she passed by. One of the least offensive comments is in the photograph above and that has wider connotations. 
The two incidents are related in that they bring into question everyone's right to be able to move around the world safely and in doing so be given the respect they deserve. During the coverage of the girl walking through New York a lady representing an anti-harassment group was interviewed and what she was saying was very disturbing. It seems that she believed anyone speaking to a girl as they passed by was an example of harassment and should be stopped irrespective of the words used. 
[image error]Holding a door open
As I go about my daily business, walking in the streets or going in and out of places of business I expect to show and be shown good manners. It seems that greeting a stranger as you walk by is no longer a sign of respect but of harassment. It is my belief that situations like the children being stalked and nervousness at being spoken to by a stranger come from a heightened suspicion between people stemming from distrust. Sadly, holding doors open, saying 'excuse me' and 'thank you' seem to be perceived as signs of weakness at the very least!
I have a plan!
[image error]Greet a stranger.
I'm sure some trendy leftist sociologists would accuse me of courting disaster but the breakdown of society due to separatism brought about by social media and distrustful legislation needs reversing. Our children would be safer if they knew that being respected was a fact of life and first steps towards a more trusting society should be quite simple. 
Let's return to displays of good manners. This would include thanking people who do something for you, saying 'excuse me' or 'sorry' where appropriate. It wouldn't hurt to have some of the better Victorian behaviours as a norm these days.
God Bless

Poetry Thursday 134 - All Hallows Eve and a birthing

My sources of inspiration have come from Dylan Thomas and Halloween this week.

Poem in April
I was born in warm spring sunwith sounds of willow on leatherand happy, smiling showers of love.
Intermittent, happy torrents that dry uplike love, and then return pattering their exciting rhythms in your head.
Only to dry up again leaving an ariditynot assuaged by common water,but that needs slaking to stave off death.
But birth was split between two sports,work and a weekend.It registered differently and has splashed alonghappily ever since.© David L Atkinson October 2014


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All Hallow’s Eve
When the nights have darkened, and the weather chilled, the Earth is not empty.Souls in various forms are awakenedand walk to achieve their bounty.
Human games, talismans and treatshave no impact on their vitality.They glide the night performing featsthat describe a lack of mortality.
So what actions protect us on this nightfrom the ethereal, not there, visitors?Bolt the doors, lock down tightand out wait till the day name alters.© David L Atkinson October 2014

God Bless

Writing - DAVID L ATKINSON predicts what happens next?

The National Grid have announced the possibility of power cuts this winter. I predicted this in my novel Cessation published November 2013.

I include for your edification the prologue from that book written 18 months ago.
Prologue

22nd October 2013Government signs deal that will see taxpayer underwriting French state-owned EDF's investment for next 35 years
30th October 2013Do you have reliable access to electricity? Do blackouts affect your day-to-day life? 
1st November 2013 Shadow energy minister calls for clarification on whether renewable energy schemes are at risk.
7thNovember 2013With the prime minister and his colleagues contradicting one another daily, hopes of smart energy policy are going up in smoke.
11thNovember 2013Energy secretary says the big suppliers face a 'Fred the Shred' moment as the public sees in them a reflection of bankers' greed.
12thNovember 2013Householders have been warned that energy bills could rise by almost 50% over the next six years.
13thNovember 2013Consumers face 17 more years of above-inflation increases in energy and water bills as they help pay for the renewal of the UK's infrastructure.
These are factual extracts from newspapers, mostly the Daily Telegraph and only over a period of six weeks. There is more information in the book Cessation - for how to buy see below.


Cessation
This is a dystopian story that hinges directly on the state of the nation as a result of fiscal mismanagement. Having said that it is more a story of human relations, privations, love and loss.

God Bless