K. Morris's Blog, page 823
June 18, 2013
Selling Your Book – A Dose Of Realism
Selling books isn’t easy unless, that is you are an established author with the support of a publishing house. My short story, Samantha has received 2 4 star reviews, one on amazon.com and the other on amazon.co.uk, however I haven’t sold a single copy. How can that be I hear you ask? Amazon offers a programme called KDP Select. If an author enrols their book in the programme they are entitled to offer their books free for upto 5 days in any 90 day period. Samantha is enrolled in KDP Select and all downloads (and reviews) have been forthcoming during the free promotion of the short story.
I don’t regret having enrolled Samantha in KDP Select (it was instrumental in bringing my story to the attention of over 100 people), however it would be nice to actually sell a few copies.
To anyone starting out as an author I’d certainly recommend considering enrolling your book in KDP Select as it is, in my experience a great way of promoting your work. I would, however add the caveat that using KDP Select doesn’t mean that readers are going to buy your work (they will, almost certainly download it free but free downloads and, hopefully reviews will not, necessarily translate into people parting with cold hard cash. Anyone thinking of using KDP Select should also read the small print and, in particular the stipulation in Amazon’s Terms and Conditions that while enrolled in KDP Select a book may not be offered for sale anywhere other than amazon. Amazon do check so, if you use KDP Select I’d advise that you ensure that your work is only available on Amazon while enrolled in the programme.
To visit my Amazon author page please go to the following link http://www.amazon.co.uk/K.-Morris/e/B00CEECWHY/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
June 17, 2013
Sting In The Tail And Other Stories By K Morris Availible In The Kindle Store
Following on from my post of earlier today (17 June) in which I announced that my collection of short stories, “Sting In The Tail And Other Stories” is available on amazon.com, I am pleased to confirm that the book is now available on amazon.co.uk. To learn more about “Sting In The Tail” please visit http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sting-tail-other-stories-ebook/dp/B00DFK6R54/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1371459274&sr=1-1&keywords=sting+in+the+tail+and+other+stories. To learn about my other books please visit my Amazon author page which can be found here http://www.amazon.co.uk/K.-Morris/e/B00CEECWHY/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
June 16, 2013
Sting In The Tail And Other Stories By K Morris Availible On Amazon
My collection of short stories, “Sting In The Tail And Other Stories” is available as an ebook on amazon.com and can be found here http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DFK6R54. At time of writing “Sting In The Tail” does not appear on amazon.co.uk, however it should be available for purchase in the UK Kindle store very soon.
Many of the stories in this collection have an unexpected ending. In the title story, “Sting In The Tail” a clever fraudster prowls England’s green and pleasant land in search of his next victim but will he meet his match? IN “The Dinosaur” Lord Dudlum is faced with an ethical dilemma, should he give into the demands of his daughter or do what he knows to be right? Other stories look at what happens when the worlds of money and sex collide.
To view or purchase “Sting In The Tail And Other Stories” please visit the above link.
June 15, 2013
The Blackmailer Part 3
Below is Part 3 of my story The Blackmailer. For Part 2 please visit http://newauthoronline.com/2013/06/09/the-blackmailer-part-2/
Mr Thompson sat in the back of the black cab watching the world stand still. The London traffick was snarled up as usual and tempers where getting frayed. Horns sounded and the air was thick with drivers cursing their fellow road users. Mr Thompson smiled when he remembered how the congestion charge was supposed to have done away with traffick jams. Following the introduction of the charge there had been a reduction in the number of vehicles using the capital’s roads, however people gradually got used to paying to drive in central London and the congestion returned.
Pedestrians weaved their way through the stationary traffick. Little ants going nowhere. Stinking dregs of humanity who deserve to be preyed upon by intelligent and ruthless operators such as Mr Thompson. “blessed are the weak for they shall inherit the earth”. What a sick joke, “blessed are the strong for they shall prey upon the weak and rule the earth”. The great mass of humanity was stupid and fearful, prey to manipulation by ruthless blackmailers such as he. Whatever their social status all men and women reacted like dogs in the face of blackmail, by rolling onto their backs paws waving in the air in submission to their master’s demands. He was the master of his victims. Mr Thompson said “jump” and they responded “how high?”
The trick with blackmail was to find a winning formula and employ it without mercy. Mr Thompson had used Mandy successfully on three previous occasions. The fear of being labelled a paedophile, of having one’s picture splashed all over the media and name on The Sex Offender’s Register was sufficient to ensure that his victims paid up. He cast his mind back to his first encounter with the girl
—
The girl sat on the stained matress. Mr Thompson tried not to think about the stains or the smell of sex which hung in the air. Instead he concentrated on the young girl. She sat there in what appeared to be a genuine school uniform and looked about 15 or 16 years of age.
“Don’t you want me? You asked for a schoolgirl and here I am, I’m all yours” she said lying back on the bed her skirt riding up provocatively.
The man continued to stir unblinkingly at her. Those blank empty eyes made her flesh crawl. She’d seen weirdos in her time but their was something particularly unnerving about this bloke. The fact that he haden’t said a word since entering the room gave her the creeps.
“How old are you? I don’t want to break the law” he said after what seemed an age.
“I’m 18”.
“Got any ID?”
The girl raised her eyebrows. She’d never been asked for ID before. Her heart sank. Was this guy a copper she thought her hands fumbling in her handbag. She drew out her driver’s license and handed it to the man. He studied it intently
“OK so your legal but you look like a little schoolgirl. Your just what I’m looking for”.
“For fuck’s sake just get on and screw me then and I can get onto the next punter” she said the anger rising in her.
“How would you like to earn £1000?”
“Forget it I’m not having unprotected sex however much you offer me. Everything is with a rubber”.
“I’m a businessman. You sleep with men, you keep the money they pay you and I’ll give you £1000 for every guy you fuck, oh and I’ll need some photos of you in that uniform”.
The girl sat there open mouthed for a full minute. Eventually she spoke
“Why??
“its none of your business and, by the way I’ll take pictures while you screw the punters”.
“Fuck off mate!”
“OK I’ll give you £2000 for every guy you sleep with. Think about it. Heres my number” he said handing her a slip of paper with a mobile telephone number on it, “and, just so you know that I’m not a time waster take this” Mr Thompson said handing over £800. “Maybe here from you” he said getting up to leave.
On the evening of the same day his mobile had rung.
“Its Mandy. I’m up for it, that is if you’ll still give me £2000 for each bloke I do?”
“Yes. We need to meet to sort things out. Shall I come to your flat?”
“Yeah, you can come over now I’ve finished working for the day”.
Once Mandy had agreed to entrap guys Mr Thompson had moved onto the next stage. While in prison serving a sentence for fraud he’d met James a man who specialised in credit card fraud. James fitted skimmers in cash machines. When a customer entered their card to withdraw cash the skimmer would copy the card details. James would later remove the device and produce cloned cards which he’d use to go on expensive shopping sprees. James also had a sideline in forged documents and it was to his skills as a forger that Mr Thompson turned. For £900 he received a fake birth certificate in the name of Amanda Jenkins indicating that she was now aged 16, the same document which had caused the colour to drain out of Charles’s face. No one in their right mind would go to the police Mr Thompson thought. What would they say?
“Oh officer I paid for sex with a 16-year-old girl and I’m being blackmailed”
“Really sir do you know that it is an offence to pay for sex with a person under the age of 18? I’m arresting you under The Sexual Offences Act 2003”.
Of course where a man to go to the police and they where to investigate Mr Thompson’s “business” he would be arrested for blackmail and the police would discover that Ms Jenkins was of legal age. however none of his victims was going to go to the police because, as far as they where concerned they had broken the law and the thought of being labelled a sex offender and, even worse a paedophile scared them to death. They would pay up, they always did.
June 13, 2013
Of Castles and Faraway Lands
Reblogged from The Sanctuary of My Heart:
ೋღ♥ ღೋ
Like the touch of the rain on my flesh
The thought of you awakens me
Like autumn's first breeze with it's cool chill
You enter my mind and I hearken unto you.
As the sun's beams upon my skin warm me
You, my love, warm a heart long cold
As moonlight points the way, and the stars lead…
This writer has talent, a beautiful poem. Add your thoughts here... (optional)
Libraries Killed the Author?
The author Philip Pullman is concerned that authors receive no royalties in respect of ebooks borrowed from public libraries. Authors receive six pence for every copy of their print books borrowed from libraries but nothing for ebooks. Pullman is concerned that as the market for ebooks expands being an author may become uneconomical. He is therefore calling on the UK government to change the law so that writers receive payment in respect of ebooks borrowed from public libraries, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2340789/Philip-Pullman-Pay-library-e-books-writing-commercially-viable.html
June 12, 2013
Mandrake
At university back in the dim and distant past I read history and politics. One of the books I read as part of The History of Political Thought was a slim tome by the Italian writer Machiavelli entitled “The Prince” which, in essence argues that might is right and that princes (those wielding power) are entitled to use whatever means are at their disposal to retain power. Machiavelli’s arguments have lead to him being labelled as immoral by some while others argue that he is a political realist who was describing the real world rather than the world as we would, ideally like it to be.
I was reminded of my studies when my friend Brian asked whether I would like to attend a production of Machiavelli’s “Mandrake” at the Brockley Jack Theatre, in London on Saturday 15 June, I wasn’t aware (or at any rate I’d forgotten) that Machiavelli had, in addition to “The Prince” written a farce, consequently I jumped at the opportunity to attend. The fact that the theatre is located above the Brockley Jack pub was, I must confess an added incentive to go along!
The description of the play as it appears on the Brockley Jack’s website is as follows:
“Mandrake – Machiavelli’s greatest sex farce.
Callimaco wants Lucrezia: Lucrezia is married to Sir Nicia. Sir Nicia wants children. Ligurio wants to please both Callimaco and Sir Nicia. But what happiness
can Lucrezia find? And Siro, the unpaid servant, how can he turn things to his advantage?
It’s about marriage, lust, adultery, corruption and deceit – all aided by the Mandrake Infusion. Machiavelli’s comedy is one of the landmarks of the Italian
Renaissance – it marks the break with Medieval drama and is the forerunner of Shakespeare’s comedies.
It played to packed houses in the Florence of the Medici; in Venice it was so popular that the audience overwhelmed the stage and made it impossible to
complete. And it has remained popular ever since.”
I’m looking forward to attending. For further information on the play and the Brockley Jack please visit http://www.brockleyjack.co.uk/brockley_jack_studio_whats_on.html
June 11, 2013
Lucky Girl – How I Survived The Sex Industry By Violet Ivy
I have received a request from Violet Ivy, the author of “Lucky Girl – How I survived The Sex Industry” to review her book. No inducements have been provided. I have, however received a free electronic copy of the book. It is my intention to read and review “Lucky Girl” in the next 10-14 days. My review will, of course represent my considered, fair and honest perspective on the book. In the meantime I have included the book description, as provided to me by the author below:
Lucky Girl – How I Survived the Sex Industry
“Lucky Girl – How I Survived the Sex Industry
The intimate autobiography of an international call girl. Scary, funny and bizarre stories recorded for your amusement, edification or simply for interesting dinner conversation.
The sex industry is clouded in mystery. It has to be to some extent or it wouldn’t survive. But in this age of internet porn, buying pubic hair trimmings online and wife swapping parties it’s about time the veils of mystery were taken down.
For moralists, let’s visit the chicken and the egg scenario. Which came first the prostitute or the client? If there were no clients then obviously there would be no sex workers. But what if there weren’t any prostitutes? Would guys wank themselves silly to porn? Harass their post-menopausal wives? Frequent bars trying their luck? Or hassle the secretary and risk being charged with sexual harassment? Would statistics for rape be on the increase? Is prostitution a necessary evil in our society? Don’t mindlessly believe and quote information spoon fed to you by friends, family or the media. Make an educated decision.
Although it was never my intention to get into this industry, I’ve travelled the world, had incredible experiences and bought several properties. I won’t have to rely on the government pension when I retire.
My closest friends are co-workers, madams and clients. Brilliant people who I would never otherwise have had the good fortune to meet. I will never regret my decision to enter this field. It has not always been a bed of roses, but when I compare it to what my life might have been; cleaning job, shitty boss, marriage, perhaps divorce, mortgage, kids, living in the burbs, scraping by to give my kids a better life than I was destined for, I feel that I have been rescued…..thank God.
Money doesn’t make you happy? Tell that to someone thrown out of his house because he can’t make the payments or the mother who can’t afford Christmas presents for her kids again this year. I’ve been poor. Money equals choices. Options of how to travel on this journey we call life. Did I make some mistakes? Sure! But there’s not too much I’d change. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Money gives security. Poverty causes ulcers. Financial hardship can also make you compromise yourself in ways that being a sex worker never will.
This industry eats its young and damages those not strong enough to cope. Every worker has a different personality, head space, upbringing, personal history and therefore experience. This book is a glimpse of mine. I am not advocating anyone join the profession. That is a personal choice.
When I started out I could never have imagined what my life journey would look like or where I would be now. I don’t even know where in the world I will be in twelve months. What I will be doing? Who I might be bonking, caning or smearing with hot wax? Exciting isn’t it? Carpe diem – seize the day. I’m a lucky girl.”
In Praise of the Traditional Book
Does it matter what form a book appears in? Both my books – The First Time and Samantha – are available in ebook format only (it was the easiest way of publishing and the cheapest).
As a reader I value the accessibility of ebooks. Being blind I can read electronic books using the text to speech facility on my Kindle or Voiceover on my Ipad. I am, however unable to read hard copy print books as my poor eyesight renders doing so impossible.
Having said all that I would like, in the longer term to collect my stories together (in real rather than virtual covers) and have them appear on actual bookshelves. There is something magical about handling a paperback or hardback book. Literature somehow appears more real preserved between covers than is the case when it flashes up on screen or is read aloud using voiceover or text to speech.
Print books can (and do) last for centuries and I guess that many owners of e-readers would feel long lasting pangs if their print books disappeared in a puff of smoke while the loss of e-readers would cause less profound turmoil.
Perhaps I am showing signs of my age (I’m 44 years young)! But, in my view print (and braille) books possess a value which their younger relative (the e-book) lacks. One can not sit in a room surrounded by e-books nor can one obtain pleasure from the texture of electronic publications. Long live the book in all it’s forms but god preserve us from a world in which only e-books exist.
June 10, 2013
The free promotion of Samantha ends on 11 June
The free promotion of my story, Samantha on Amazon ends at approximately 12 pm on Tuesday 11 June. To download Samantha free of charge please visit http://www.amazon.co.uk/Samantha-ebook/dp/B00BL3CNHI.
