James Minter's Blog: Writers do it in Public..., page 6

Finding Mr Right

Worse Things Happen at Sea by Beverley Watts

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Finding Mr Right …
I want to marry Bev … Mr Right, is over here. It’s me. Writing from first person point of view, I feel I know Bev and I like what I know. She has a great personality which is very attractive. Her use of language, her turns of phrase, descriptions—sufficient but not overly long—coupled with great wit and insights into her life, plus expressions of her feelings and desires drew me in. I was hooked.
There are many laugh-out-loud moments - Swallowing an insane urge to burst in to tears, I try to find a non-sticky bit of tissue in an effort to wipe underneath my eye without getting bits of gobbed up biscuit in it. Okay, out of context but … well you need to read the book for yourself. All in all, a very easy, enjoyable pool-side read with no extreme profanity, sex or violence: very refreshing.



View all my reviews

New to Goodreads - start here...

The Ultimate Goodreads Guide for Authors by Barb Drozdowich

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I love ‘how to …’ books. Like most authors my life is very busy reading, writing, editing, re-writing and promoting to say the least. If I can save time and gain knowledge by picking someone else’s brain I’ll do so. I find Goodreads a maze but I know to be a successful author it’s a website I must get to grips with. I’m a visual person too. So ‘The Ultimate Goodreads Guide for Authors’ is up my street.
Like most books of this type it’s not something to read from cover to cover. A useful Table of Contents allows you to jump to your required learning so saving time. Drozdowich includes a significant number of screenshots in this eBook which cuts down on the narrative to its essential.
As an introduction to navigating this large site it’s very useful. I read it on a PC with Kindle software loaded where the screenshots are large and easily read. In addition I loaded it onto an Apple IPad where it’s an excellent read as the images are in colour and can be enlarged as required. I do have some reservations on trying to read it on a Kindle e-reader which is only monochrome and the images cannot be resized.




View all my reviews

Well intentioned doctor ...

The Good Doctor by John Eliot

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Set in harsh post-World War II England, Elliot draws out the different approaches between a long serving GP and the arrival of a keen young doctor, wet behind the ears. The action centres on a housing estate practice outside Leicester. Here gossip is rife and poverty even greater. Stilted manners and caution, together with larger-than-life characters creates a good mix of storylines. The established Doctor McFadden, with a bed-side manner well past its best, and whose days are punctuated with a tipple or two, has a unique style to dispensing health care. Whereas the new arrival, Doctor Eliot, has to carve out his own way of working; frustrated by the lack of availability of antibiotics he enters into the murky world of greed and shady dealings, signatures of the black market. Initially the local hero, he falls from favour when his disclosure the actions of others.

A well-paced story, with likeable characters, this is a light, enjoyable read.




View all my reviews

Absurd ... but that's what a farce is

Ridiculous by D.L. Carter

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I write farce and appreciate the genre. As a man I read this to see how a female author wrote for a predominantly female readership. Jane Austin’s Pride and Prejudice it’s not, and you need to suspend belief but the humour is good, as is the attention to detail without overwhelming the story.
I wasn't sure what to expect. This book is pure entertainment; an escape. It’s fun, witty, and conversationally absurd. Millicent's love for her family, and later for the Duke, drives her to sacrifice her own happiness in order to secure their futures. On assuming the identity of her deceased tight-fisted male cousin, she begins an adventure of epic proportions whilst revelling in the freedom of living as a man. Losing the restrictive requirements of being female gives her an opportunity to grow and be valued for her business sense and wit. Her adventure is never dull.




View all my reviews

How to End an Affair - Review

How To End An Affair, How To End A Relationship, Infidelity Recovery, Stop Cheating by Eugene Marks

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is a must read for anyone who has found themselves in a situation where they are having an affair or their partner is having an affair. It is an easy read but full of insights both in self-awareness and how to see things from the other person’s perspective. It covers the issue from all angles, so where you find yourself in the situation, there will be something you can take away that, if you are prepared to make the necessary changes, you will have a choice about how you live your life looking forward.

I only wish that it didn’t finish when it did. I felt that there was probably a lot more depth that would have helped me glean more information that would help me. It felt a little as if this is just the introduction to a much larger subject and I hoped that it might have given me more exercises so that I could really make the changes I am seeking.

I would certainly read more of this author’s work.



View all my reviews

Scene 3 of A Tunnel is Only a Hole on its Side

A full copy of Scene 3 is available here: http://bit.ly/15fzHbX
Scene Summary:
Date: February; Day: Saturday; Time: 8.00am; Location: Pryor’s house – bedroom & Conservatory.
Steve (SP) & Julia asleep on Saturday morning, insistent phone ringing, eventually Julia has to answer; Marg describes what happened & invites them over to stay. Major (Graham) turns up in stockings & Marg in overcoat and wellies. Steve thinks they've been up to kinky sex. Over breakfast Graham (GW) finds out about proposal to build by-pass through Golf course. Goes off at the deep end & instantly wants to organise a NO campaign; he starts barking orders.
Scene Role and Objectives:
Jeopardy – Woods coming to live with them; introduce By-Pass proposal & golf-club under threat; sow seed of forthcoming Car-boot sale; introduce characters of Mary, committee secretary & Jimmy Flanagan, reporter; remind readers of incidence from Book 1. Continue Stocking wearing joke; show nature of Pryor’s friendship towards Woods; to show SP is not submissive to GW. To introduce the “NO” campaign.
Discussion:
The Major, though ex-army hasn't really grasped that he's back in civvy street. Under pressure he reverts to type. Should he be more eccentric or less? Is Steve to accommodating? How would you show the friction between them? Love to hear your ideas...

A Tunnel is Only a Hole on its Side - Scene 1

A Tunnel is Only a Hole on its Side - Scene 0

The Scene 0/2 underdiscussion is available here: http://bit.ly/15fzHbX
Scene Summary:
Date: February; Day: Saturday; Time: 5.00am; Location: Griggs farm house – bedroom & kitchen.

Colin cannot sleep – it too cold & he’s worried about VAT tax return; Izzy his wife, is disturbed by his absence; she needs to check his VAT calculations – she doesn't trust his ability to use a calculator. She opens post to find a party Invite from Lady Diana Wills ‘come as you are’ party. The RSVP requires a photograph so she can check her guests come as they are.

Scene Role & Objectives:
Jeopardy - VAT return due; introduce notion of extreme cold; remind readers of Colin & Izzy’s exploits in Book 1 - The Hole Opportunity ; introduce Diana’s party; set up reason to have compromising images of guests. Establishing the month, day & location when & where the story begins.

Discussion The first scene in a book is the hook to get you reader turning pages - its a honeymoon period - but it also has to be a scene setter although any preamble has to be brief not wanting to bore them. Readers like to be orientated as to what's going on where and when. Does this scene work for you? Please let me know...