K. Morris's Blog, page 780
July 14, 2014
Review Of George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four
A great review of George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four, http://snowyangel-brokenthoughts.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/the-object-of-power-is-power-5-star.html
Freedom
What is it to be free?
Freedom is walking barefoot as dawn lights up the sky, damp grass underfoot, wild birds flying unconstrained above.
Freedom is speaking without fear of consequences, no glancing with trepidation over one’s shoulder.
Freedom is letting go,, being who you want to be, not the personification of the desires of others.
Freedom is the passionate kiss, love unbound.
Freedom is life, the opposite of death.
July 5, 2014
Kevin Morris
I have been very remiss in thanking you for allowing me to post on your blog – thanks so much, it is very much appreciated. Kevin
Originally posted on Reading Recommendations:
Kevin Morris on left, with guide dog, Trigger.
Kevin MorrisWhat is your latest release and what genre is it?Streetwalker and other stories – Fiction, short stories, flash fiction
Quick description: In this collection of flash fiction we meet a variety of characters, many of whom have been deeply damaged by life. The stories range from a young prostitute who walks the dangerous streets of London to tales of vengeance and comeuppance. Serious issues of abuse of power are touched upon. Anyone who is looking for a comfortable read should avoid this book.
Brief biography:
I was born in Liverpool on 6 January, 1969, a year best known of course for my birth. Well, no actually, it is better known for the moon landings which certain peculiar conspiracy theorists still maintain never took place (the moon landings that is, not my birth!).
One of my earliest recollections is of…
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My Boy Jack Review
Yesterday evening my friend Brian and I attended a production of My Boy Jack at the Teddington Theatre Club, http://www.teddingtontheatreclub.org.uk/production/my-boy-jack. I wholeheartedly recommend the production which, unfortunately finishes it’s run today (Saturday 5 July).
At the outbreak of World War I Rudyard Kipling is determined that his severely short sighted son John (known as Jack) should enlist in the army. Having been rejected 3 times due to his poor eyesight Kipling uses his influence to secure Jack a position as an officer in the Irish Guards. Jack goes missing in 1915 and is later found to have been killed while leading his platoon into battle.
The portrayal of life in the trenches is masterful. The colourful language and the sheer gut wrenching terror of the soldiers who feel in their bones they are going over the top of the trenches to almost inevitable death had me feeling that I was present with Jack and his platoon. The relentless rain mingled with the sound of heavy artillery brought the battlefield to life. Fortunately the Director had kindly warned me about the sound effects during the first half of the play so my guide dog Trigger remained with her outside the theatre until the interval which is, I feel sure not in her job description!
Jack’s enlistment and subsequent death causes huge tension in the Kipling household. Throughout the play his sister is vocal in denouncing her father for exerting pressure on Jack to enlist despite knowing that his vision is virtually non existent in the absence of glasses. Kipling’s daughter is an angry, vocal young woman who refuses to be silenced.
The Kipling family are visited by a survivor of Jack’s platoon who describes seeing Jack seriously wounded and then vanishing in a burst of shell fire. Kipling’s response is that his son has died gloriously fighting for Britain but his wife and daughter see his death as futile. In an emotional sceene Kipling admits that he must see Jack’s sacrifice as meaningful otherwise there is nothing left to hold onto. He loves his country and can not concede that his son may have died, stumbling around, blind in the trenches for no rhyme or reason. In the end there is a reconciliation of sorts in the Kipling family but the death of Jack remains ever present.
As a visually impaired person I felt for Jack as he struggled to read the letters during his medical examination for the army. Ironically had his father not used his influence Jack would have survived the war as he was medically unfit for military service due to his severely impaired vision but then, of course there would have been no play.
June 28, 2014
Thinking Of Starting A Blog?
A few days ago I received an e-mail from someone who has recently had a bionic eye implanted. My correspondent wished to ascertain my advice on how to start a blog dealing with his experiences. Below is my response (names and contact details have been removed). I am sure others will have things to add to the suggestions below:
“I use
wordpress.com
for my blog
newauthoronline.com.
You can set up a
free blog there. There are other platforms, such as Blogger but I
prefer WordPress as being blind (I use Jaws software) WordPress is, in
my experience more accessible.
It takes time to build up a following. The way to do this is to blog
frequently (a few times a week at least if you can manage that). It is
also good to visit and comment on other people’s blogs as they will
often (but not always) visit, comment and follow your blog in return.
I would advise allowing comments on your site as getting a discussion
going helps to stimulate interest in your blog.
Don’t expect miracles. It will take a while for you to build up a following.”
June 22, 2014
Drunk
“Come on big man” the drunk slurred. He attempted to steady himself glaring bailfully at his opponent who looked back, his bloodshot eyes stirring straight into those of the drunkard.
“Come on, think you’re tough. I’ll show you what hard is” the drunk said spittle flying from his lips. The other mimicked the drunkard’s actions further inflaming his addled brain.
“You taking the piss are you, I’ll make you smile on the other side of your ugly mug, you see if I won’t”. The drunkard stepped back and, raising his fist brought it crashing down on the face of his tormenter. The shop window shattered sending shards of glass tinkling down onto the pavement.
“Come back you coward” yelled the drunkard glaring at the spot where his reflection had been.
June 20, 2014
Mirror Interviews: Authors Wanted
What a good idea
Originally posted on readful things blog:
So, I’ve been thinking about doing a Wednesday feature here on Readful again as I haven’t done one in a while. Usually the Wednesday feature is a guest blog, and I’d like to keep that tradition running…sort of.
See, there’s two things. First thing: I was talking to an author the other day who pointed out that all author interviews seem to ask the same questions over and over. Not a lot of people pay attention to them, and it gets rather monotonous answering the same boring things all the time.
second thing: I’m lazy.
So, here is my solution:
I am looking for a handful of authors who want to do a blog interview. The catch is, I’m looking for a handful of authors who want to interview–themselves. Yep. I won’t send you any boring, already answered questions. I won’t ask you boxers or briefs or who would play…
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Manipulated Love
I am looking forward to reading the next installment
Originally posted on Jade's Jungle:
Day Four of the Writing 101 Blogging Challenge asked us to write a story about loss, with the twist being that it become a serial to be posted over three separate days. Keep an eye out for parts two and three over the next couple of weeks.
~~~
Manipulated Love – Part One
Image courtesy of Matt Banks via freedigitalphotos.net
It was lost.
Despite the fight that she had determinedly fought, it was lost.
Forever?
Who knew.
Walking down the street amongst the rubbish and the stench, she wrinkled her nostrils, still unaccustomed to this place that she now called home. It had all got off to such a promising start, the degree, the job, the flat, the car and then suddenly it was no more. They were calling it fraud – embezzlement to be exact - but she was innocent. Sadly no one would listen.
Her feet crunched on muddy brown…
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June 18, 2014
5 Things You Should Never Do On Your Author Blog…
Originally posted on theowlladyblog:
Whether you’re published yet or not, a vibrant author blog should sit at the heart of your promotional efforts – the “homebase” for your author brand.Used properly, your blog will help you to impress agents and attract a publisher. And if you’re already published, it can be used to attract new readers, create a successful launch of your next book, generate buzz and bring your work positive reviews.
But it’s crucial that you use your blog the right way to achieve all of this. There are certain blogging mistakes I’m going to tell you about that can seriously hurt your book sales and your reputation as an author.
To help you avoid these pitfalls, here are five things you should never do on your author blog and what you should be doing instead:
1. Projecting That You’re A Beginner Or That You’re Unsuccessful
While being a retiring…
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