David George Richards's Blog, page 5

March 2014

It's March again, yes, already, and as usual I am taking part in the annual Read An E-Book Week at Smashwords. From March 2nd until March 8th six of my ebooks will be available at half price from Smashwords using the coupon code REW50. I have also set four other books at free using coupon code RW100. So along with the two that are always free that is six free books for the coming week. So if you are interested, pop over to Smashwords and use a coupon. You can find my books here.

There isn't much more to say than that for now. I will probably update this post after Read an Ebook Week is over.

And following on from last month I am a year older.

See you next time.

February 2014

A late update this month for no particular reason. I think I just got on with things and the days just went by. As I write this the 14th approaches. I will be 57 then, an ineresting although not significant milestone. I hope everybody enjoys celebrating my birthday. I believe I narrowly escaped being called Val...

On the book front, I have now added all my ebooks with trade paperback equivalents to the Amazon Matchbook programme. This means that if you buy or have bought one of my trade paperbacks from Amazon then the Kindle version can be obtained for free. I set the Matchbook price to free as I think that having a combined paperback and ebook in one purchase is a nice idea and would be something I would like to do at all retailers. So far this is the only way. Mind you it doesn't work for The Friendly Ambassador: The Beginning of the End or A Fine Woman, as they are both free anyway. And both Mind Games and A Fine Woman don't have trade paperback versions available, so these are not in the programme.

As some of you may or may not have heard, Sony is cutting back on its eReader stores, so from March Kobo will be taking over the Sony US and Canada stores. I am not sure how it effects other countries. I do hope Sony keeps a presence in the world ebook market as I have sold a few through their stores. I wish them luck.

Next time I write one of these I will be a year older.

See you next time.

January 2014

Well, all that came and went rather quickly, didn't it? It seems like I have been back at work for weeks. Well, two actually. And it has taken me until now to post this. So I will start by stating my New Year's resolution: Be more casual.

In other words I may or may not post updates here very often, mainly because I am not doing much on the writing front and haven't for years. I guess this is an old hobby along with creating cover art and other artistic 3D stuff. For now 3D is for work, and/or actual things to make. I still have fun with that. Sort of.

I enjoyed my two weeks off over the Christmas Season and wasn't really looking forward to getting back to the grind. I still resent the way Christmas is discarded so quickly, virtually on Boxing day. I guess that is a hang over from childhood and the going back to school syndrome. We never really grow up, do we?

So it is back to normal and the rest of the Winter to see out. But not to worry, it'll soon be Easter! Had a chocolate cream egg yet?

See you next time.

December 2013

As that annoying soft drink advert says, holidays are coming, and in honour of the coming celebration (not the truck with lights) I also have a fortnight off over the Christmas period. No Humbugs for me.

I have always liked having time off for both Christmas and New Year. I think it is a hangover from childhood when the schools closed down for two weeks. It was always a happy time because it was about playing with presents and having fun. Nowadays Christmas, like any other holiday, is more about having a break from work and the norm than about presents and fun. If you have children then the presents and fun lives on in them, or it should do. As I haven't been blessed with young ones (or older ones for that matter) Christmas is a bit quieter. But it still allows me some time for myself and the wife. Mind you, neither of us are too sure about what to do with it. One thing we are sure of is that we prefer to stay home rather than travel anywhere over the Christmas holidays. We are definitely homies for Christmas.

My publishing endeavours seem to wander on under their own steam without my interference these days, mainly driven by the two ebooks I have for free; one Romance, one Science Fiction. My books are now available practically everywhere and these two free ebooks get picked up all over the place. The Romance is definitely more popular, which doesn't surprise me as I happen to like the story and character. I don't think I will add to my catalogue of published books in the near future, but I will never say never as you never know.

Did I just say it? I did, didn't I? And more than once.

My next little post will be in January, so I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

See you next time.

November 2013

It has been getting a little colder since the turn of the month. And one or two of my real life responsibilities have taken up quite a bit of my time. So here I am nearly two weeks into November and only now writing my monthly review. I call these monthly essays reviews for want of a better word. I wouldn't use blog as a description because blogging isn't something I do, or at least it isn't something I think I do. Neither is this a post, as it really is only designed to go on my website, not on a forum. Yes, it appears on Goodreads, the only other place apart from on my website. But that is all. So it isn't a blog or a post, but even review doesn't sound right either. It isn't as if I review anything. Apart from Life, the Universe and cold Novembers. Well, from my point of view anyway.

I have never been a really social animal. And although I was always the ubiquitous kitchen dweller at parties I mean that in social media terms. I don't like blogging or tweeting, and I don't really care much for FaceBook or other social forums. And even on Goodreads where I feel more comfortable I post very rarely. I suppose that doesn't help if you are an author.

The term author actually brings to my mind the old fashioned image of classic writers such as H. G. Wells and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Typical that I should pick two authors who write science fiction as my examples. But science fiction, and to a certain extent fantasy, has always been my favourite fiction genre. At least for most of my younger life. But both Wells and Conan Doyle could also write stories in other genres that featured just as compelling characters, from Polly to Holmes. Now these and many others like them are authors.

So what is an Indie Author?

Well supposedly it is somebody like me. Someone who writes and publishes their own works independent of a third party. It is often said that many classic authors did exactly the same thing. But that was long ago and the times were very different. So the analogy doesn't really apply. And I don't compare myself to those I would consider to be classic authors anyway. Instead I consider myself to be an amateur writer, simply because writing is not my profession, even if I do it well, it is simply just one of my hobbies. But there are many more writers who do write professionally and repeatedly, and do so independently. They also promote and interact more professionally. Where as I write as a hobby they are writers by profession, and many of them choose to publish independently. But of none of that really matters unless the writer writes well and the reader likes it. And tells people. On the other hand it could be that they don't like it, and still tell people. So the term Indie Author has no real meaning because as soon as you publish independence goes out the window. Unless of course no one reads what you wrote in the first place.

See you next time.

October 2013 Post

October is a significant month in my life. Generally it marks the transition from Summer to Winter, with Halloween and Guy Fawkes Night that quickly follow being Autumnal and Winter celebrations respectively. And once these two days are over the mad rush to Christmas begins in earnest. And before you know it, it's January. So October marks that point of change, with the reversion back to GMT towards the end of the month being the definitive moment Summer ends and Winter begins. The mornings and evenings are always darker after then. Or so it seemed when I was a lot younger and still at school. Strange how the perspectives of childhood often stay with you like that. Maybe it was because the headlong rush to Christmas was always so exciting then.

On an even more personal level, October is significant to me for two consecutive days: My wife's birthday and our wedding anniversary. So along with December for Christmas and New Year, October is a double celebration. There is also February for my birthday and March or April for Easter as well, but I feel we always make more of an effort for the dates in October and December. Maybe it is because they are double dates, who knows? And of course, that all marks me down as a Winter person, with October and Easter marking the beginning and end of the significant events of my year. The end of Autumn is my beginning, and the onset of Spring is my end. All the other months are empty.

This year is a little more special as it will be our 25th anniversary. But as we have been married all those years it isn't as if we haven't done most things on all of our previous anniversaries. We nearly always went away and organised special days or meals. We stayed at expensive hotels, we ate at expensive restaurants, and we travelled and visited. We went to shows, we had champagne and strawberries, and we retook our vows. But for the past few years we have slowly ramped down a bit, staying at home and celebrating things almost quietly. The same goes for Christmas and my birthday. We are taking it easy. Is that good or bad or just a sign of the times?

I have to say that I like taking it easy. I know some people love the rush of life right up to the moment when they nail the lid down on them, and still the box rattles. But for me I like it slow and easy. Maybe it is because life has always been a bit of a rush for me, with money problems, job problems, health problems and relative problems. So now I am happy to slow down and take things easy, given half the chance.

Or maybe I am just getting old!

See you next time.

September 2013 Post

As the last hot days of Summer fade away, my mind has actually been filled with thoughts of writing. I have found this a little surprising as I haven't really been motivated to write anything for a very long time. Not that I have written anything, but just being in the mood to do so is such a rarity that it is worth noting. So I have been thinking about my current (well, okay, so it was current two years ago when I last worked on it) project, with thoughts of how to work in the events I need to progress the plot and story. Of course there are problems. Developing the story in my head over time isn't unusual for me, and I am sure it is common with others who write as well. But doing that with a two gap in the middle is asking for trouble. Fortunately I have over 30,000 words of it already written, so reading it over again might help. If I have the time.

These days I don't do much during the week other than work, and I am usually too tired to do much over the weekend. And it isn't unusual for me to do work over the weekend as well. So even if I am in the mood for writing I don't always have the time to actually do it. I mean, even this monthly update is a week late.

It would be interesting to know how you all fit your writing in around real life. That is if you write of course. If you don't write you probably have other interests. How vigourously do you pursue those interests? Are you an up and at them in the early hours of the morning sort of person? Or are you a bit of a slow starter who can't get their act together until well after lunch time? I will let you guess which one I am.

So I feel like writing. A bit. But I can only do it, probably, at weekends. A bit.

Don't hold your breath.

See you next time.

August 2013 Post

I am at a bit of a loss this month. It is the first time in a long while when my weekends are not filled with work or other pressing matters. Not that there are not pressing matters that need my attention, it's just that they don't need them just now. So what am I to do? Yes, the weather has been nice, in fact it has been too hot on some occasions for my liking. But I am not a one for holidaying very much. I like visiting places, but the weather doesn't really affect my choice of destination. As for my other hobbies, I am not sure if I really feel like cutting and sticking or painting. So that leaves the evil box to play with. And I don't mean the TV.

If I am not working on the computer I am usually creating or modifying something in 3D. This is my most active hobby at the moment. Creating 3D models that I then have 3D printed at various companies that provide this service. It is interesting to see something you have designed and viewed on the computer in actual real life before you on the table. Of course, 3D printing from CAD files, or addative manufacturing as it is sometimes called, isn't new, and there are a lot of people doing this to create products to sell online. Does that remind you of anything?

I have always liked making things, and although this mainly applies to models it could also appy to household items (I assemble a mean flat-pack), or just doing things to my car. Now I can design things on the computer from scratch, anything I like, and send the CAD file off and have it made. So far I have stuck to model products I have delivered to a colleague who finishes and sells them. He specifies the product and supplies dimensions and so on, and I provide the CAD services free of charge. In some ways it was the same as doing book covers with 3D graphic packages, and I sometimes use the same packages to get the final look I need.

A lot of people are now "doing it at home." And that can now mean anything from writing and publishing to music and film, or actual physical products.

Brave new world, to coin a phrase.

See you next time.

July 2013 Post

It is the annual July Summer/Winter Sale at Smashwords this month. As usual I have included my ebooks in the sale at a reduced price of $1.50 using the coupon code SSW50. So if you are interested in picking up any of my ebooks at half price, or for that matter anyone else's ebooks, then now is a good time to visit Smashwords. Once there just follow the links to the promotion. For my books you could also get there directly by using the buy links on the List Page on my website.

Summer is here (at last) but I haven't really seen much of it so far. Sitting in front of my computer most weekdays and weekends concentrating on building isolation bearings (now that sounds exciting, doesn't it?) means that I don't get out much. Whether I actually miss it though is another thing.

I am not a one for 'playing out' nowadays like I used to be. When I was a lot younger I couldn't get out fast enough. Rainy days were boring days. But as I grew older I gradually became aware that there were other equally exciting things to do indoors. No, not that. I mean reading, writing and other creative things. I have always been creative, and I have always liked learning new things. So I read all sorts of books from stories to text books. And I loved watching documentaries on all sorts of subjects. And soon my head was full of useless facts and figures. Great for someone interested in Trivial Pursuit. Or writing.

Research is an important aspect of creative writing. Even if you write Fantasy or Science Fiction like I do, where you can make up almost anything you like for your world setting, you still need to get the basics right. The more complicated things are the more research you need to do. But even a story set aboard an isolated spaceship where the characters take centre stage still requires the background and setting to feel right. It has to feel like it is set on a spaceship rather than a submarine or even a yacht. But you mustn't overdo it either, or the science and the jargon soon get in the way. It is the little things that make the difference.

At one time doing research meant visiting a Library. Now the internet means you can do quite extensive research while sitting at your computer. And it can be an enjoyable passtime, one that can be both very rewarding, and addictive, as one link leads you on to another. And before you know it, it is two o clock in the morning. Another day wasted. And it doesn't matter if it is a cold Winter's night, or a hot Summer's day.

Daft, isn't it?

See you next time.

June 2013 Review

For a while now work has begun to edge ever more into my spare time. Part of the problem is due to what is often considered to be an advantage: Working at home. The bad side to working at home is that you don't tend to stop at five. Your hours are more flexible and you tend to do more rather than less. Or at least I do. Weekends are the same, and before you know it, it becomes natural to just do a bit more on Saturday or Sunday. It's a slippery slope.

Unfortunately, work is a necessary evil unless you have a million seller and the odd movie deal in the works. So I tend to do the work as and when required and leave my other hobbies to that imaginary time called later. But I admit that all this could just be a good excuse. If I needed one. The sad thing is that I don't.

The hobbies I miss tend to be 3D modelling, something that I also do for work, or at least that I prefer to do for work. There is a lot of other stuff I would prefer not to do, but that is just life. So even if I had as much spare time as I needed, I would probably work on a CAD system rather than a word processor.

I sometimes think about writing again, mainly as a result of going through my other books. They stir my memories and my imagination. I also have one or two stories that I was always going to write but never did. One of those I actually started and it was 30,000 words in when I sort of stopped. I do still think about both these stories, and about the plot development and characters, but I haven't gone back to writing the one I started. It just sits in my mind.

In some respects the way a story rolls around in my head for a long time now is similar to what I used to do before. And it was often while travelling to and from work that I created characters or events in the stories I would later write.

Maybe as we get older it just takes longer. Though I think that is just another excuse.

See you next time.