Lance Greenfield's Blog, page 84
June 7, 2015
Mare Nostrum – Supercomputing and Science – Fantastic Video
I visited the Mare Nostrum Supercomputer in Barcelona on Thursday evening as part of the ENBIS Spring Conference. It was a wonderful tour, capped by this amazing video which we watched in their mini-theatre area overlooking the computer.
You must take the time to watch the whole video. You won’t regret it.
June 2, 2015
Review: The Eagle of the Ninth
The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Classic historical fiction
At the age of eight, I read Eagle of the Ninth, my first encounter with historical fiction. I became hooked. Since then, I have been read Nigel Tranter, John Prebble, Conn Igguden, Simon Scarrow, Ruth Downie, and many others.
Forty-four years later, re-reading this classic is no less exciting for me. My view is that it should be compulsory reading in primary school as it really does bring Roman Britain to life. It is an exciting adventure that could possibly have been reality. It is certainly tinged with historic fact.
This book had an amazing positive effect on my life in that it gave me an enormous appetite for books, not just historical fiction. However, it did have a slightly negative effect on my life. I was always in trouble with my history teachers for doubting what they told me. After all, when they were teaching me current affairs, I was guided not to believe everything that the papers say. My challenge was always that the contemporary commentators, or historians, that they expected me to believe were no less than the journalists of their time. Why couldn’t the historical fiction of which I was so fond be nearer to the truth than their history text books?
Eagle of the Ninth is a fantastic read. Whatever your age, if you haven’t read this book already, read it now!
‘Come Laughing!’ #36 in Kindle Store for Erotica
The title, “Come Laughing”, sums up good erotica as far as I am concerned. The essential factors on which erotica must be judged are Arousal and Amusement. So if the author’s writing makes you come and makes you laugh, she has done a fantastic job. I have already downloaded my copy, and anticipate some great reading ahead.
Originally posted on Chronicles of an Orange-Haired Woman!:
#36in Kindle Store > Books > Comics & Graphic Novels > Graphic Novels > Erotica
I would like, if possible, to move it up to the Top Ten by the end of the Kindle Countdown Deal on Wednesday.
If you live in the UK, the USA, Germany, France, Canada, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan – or any of the other countries in the Amazon.com umbrella – why not click on the link and have a look at the book? And, if you like what you have read, take advantage of its current very low price and download it!
13, 790 people have seen the cover; there have been over two hundred page engagements on Facebook; now, let’s generate some avid readers!
After all, to put it in context, at $0.99, it costs less than a Lottery ticket (and, unlike the latter, guarantees fun and laughter), much less than a…
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May 31, 2015
Happy Birthday Mum
Today would have been my Mum’s eighty-second birthday had she not fluttered away when she was only sixty-five. To celebrate her birthday I re-blog the poem that I wrote shortly after her death.
Gone
Mum – The Last Time
You’ve left me again.
You’ve left me again.
Why do you keep doing this?
Expect me to follow?
Not this time.
I‘m staying.
No!
When I was seven you left me.
That was the first time.
I was dragged away,
kicking and screaming.
I hated that school, but
you left me there, and went.
Why?
That nurse dragged me in.
Bastard Bison abused me.
Yes! You should be shocked!
Bastard Bison abused me,
but you’d left me and gone.
Bastard.
When I was ten you took me away.
I’d begun to enjoy myself,
but you dragged me away.
I hated that Bison, but liked the school.
That was the time to leave me alone.
But, no!
How many times did I leave you?
Many times, but it really hurt.
No. You thought I was leaving
somebody else,
but it was all of you.
Everyone!
Then you left me again.
I was a big man,
and all of fourteen.
At a naval cadet school.
You left me again.
Cold.
That was the last time,
or so I thought.
You never came to see me again,
Not in my own domain.
But now you’re in Heaven, and
you’ve left me again.
Forever!
I came to see you,
wherever you were.
Over and over again.
But you’ve left me forever.
Now you’ve left me again,
Forever!
You’ve left me again.
You’ve left me again.
Why do you keep doing this?
Expect me to follow?
Not this time.
I’m staying.
You’ve Gone!
—————————————-
To read more about my Mum, click here.
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Footnotes
A friend asked who Bastard Bison was. This is my response:
Bison was the nickname of a teacher at my boarding school who serially sexually abused me for three years, from the age of seven. I didn’t even realise that I had been abused until I was in my thirties, would you believe?!
On a lighter note, I have added the following to a response to Kim F’s comment on my poem……..
When my Mum was dying, she told me that I looked stressed. I felt like saying that anyone whose Mum was dying would be stressed, but restrained myself. She told me that she’d left me a bit of money and I could use it to either pay a chunk off the mortgage, or go for the holiday of a lifetime to de-stress. Well, I am never one to be accused of going for the boring option, so I took myself and my wife off for an all inclusive holiday in a top Caribbean resort (in Grenada), for Christmas and the millennium.
So, there I was, at midnight, wearing my kilt and regalia less the socks and brogues, standing in the tropical sea, with fireworks and ocean liners behind me, tears streaming down my cheeks, raising a glass of single malt whisky to the memory of my Mum!
Crazy man!!!
May 30, 2015
The Courage of the Wolf (Re-blogged)
I confess to having many recent thoughts along these lines. It is a wonderful summary.
The Courage Wolf | Willing To Lose It All
thebettermanprojects
Posted on May 27, 2015
Am I willing to lose everything…put it all on the line…to head once more into the fray…to bring out the courage wolf and to let everything I’ve ever had go?Am I willing to see this all the way through, to be possibly destroyed by it…to be created from it…to rise from it? Am I willing to suffer…feel the weight of its demands upon my shoulders…feel crushed beneath it? Am I willing to see this through to the end and let it take on a life of its own, changing me along the way?
Am I willing to enter that pit again after seeing what light is like? Can I travel back down into the depths and bring others out with me? Can I guide them by the stars through the thickest trenches of black tar grasping and pulling at them to sink back down into the abyss? Can I do these things? Can I be that man, the one who knows himself and yet can be what the world actually needs him to be? Can I answer this call…the greatest call I’ve ever heard ringing throughout the halls of my life? Can I answer it?
Am I willing, at times, to walk alone with just my faith? Can I truly be alone? To have everything taken from me? Everyone taken from me? Can I walk this path knowing full well I will be targeted, focused on, picked apart, manipulated, ripped to shreds and have others incinerate my character? Can I do this?
Can I carry the weight of a hundred million eyes watching everything I do? Can I remain authentic in my purpose? Can I remain loving? Can I stay connected? Can I continue to trust and put my heart out there through all of this? Am I willing to crash and burn if that’s what this path calls for? Am I willing to enter into a place darker than any other place I have ever been? Am I willing to feel that pain again? Am I willing to sit on the dark shower floor in tears with my hands on my head …knees curled up into my chest…feeling the water just run over me? Can I take this? Can I stand in my flames once again? Can I refuse to lay down as the burning match and simply allow for life to put whatever fire out? How much faith can I really run on with this? Can I muster all of it? Can I call forward the courage wolf?
Am I willing to create this and watch it all be ruined by something I couldn’t control? Am I willing to go through that same heartbreak losing baseball wrenched in my soul? Can I continue after losing the people I love? Can I listen to the whispers despite the loudness of what is to come? Can I stand in the face of a wave, grander than anything I’ve ever witnessed…a wave that could drown me in a heartbeat…only to have the belief that it will flow around me at the most opportune time.
Can I rise again if I fall? Can I fall so hard I bounce. Am I willing to take the criticism? Am I willing to adapt and adjust? Am I willing to continue and endure no matter what? Am I the right man for this? Am I capable of actually doing this? Can i go on despite overwhelming fear? What if everything goes south? What if they try to ruin me? Am I willing to put myself out there, as the imperfect man I am…and witness the wolves circling constantly? Can I nourish myself despite any circumstance?
Am I doing this? Am I really doing this?
Can I really………
But what if it never……….
Am I going to completely………………
…
…
Shhhh.
Yes.
You can.
– Evan Sanders
May 28, 2015
Review: Name To A Face
Name To A Face by Robert Goddard
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Goddard is getting tired!
I have enjoyed many of Robert Goddard’s books, with their many unexpected twists and turns, but his writing has now got to the stage where I know what to expect. I persevered with this story, but had it been a TV film, I would have been out of my seat and off to bed half way through.
However, compared to a lot of the books in this genre, Goddard is still up there with the best. Perhaps it is unfair of me to make the comparison with his previous works, as those were all so good.
A landscape gardener on the Côte d’Azur is asked by one of his clients to go to Cornwall and bid for a family heirloom which is up for auction following the death of his (the client’s) uncle. From that point, mystery, intrigue and deception unravel in typical Goddard style. The historical backdrop adds a lot of colour to the story, which never approaches believable. Uncharacteristically, many of the twists and turns are either too predictable or just too far-fetched.
An enjoyable enough book, if you can’t find anything better to read on your holiday.
May 26, 2015
Tidbit Tuesday – The (innocent) Tidbit Poem
How wonderful!
Originally posted on Author Erika Kind:
There is one thing I just want to make sure in every erotic post I might do. Physical love is a wonderful way of enjoying the benefits of the bodies we are given for this life time. Physical love is part of this journey and we shall enjoy it, since we can only experience it through a physical body. During an orgasm we lose control completely but feel for a few moments a connection to a power which seems to fire us into the universe.
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May 25, 2015
Lance’s Coach Tour #5
“Today, ladies and gentlemen, is the most anticipated coach tour of this infamous time-traveling series. We have already seen the building of Stonehenge, enjoyed the jazz of 1920s New Orleans, witnessed the schooling of young Alexander the Great by Aristotle, and, best of all, spent some time with my old friend Archie, known to historians as the greatest inventor of all time, Archimedes. But I promise you that today’s tour promises to surpass them all. This is the one that has been most requested by you, my regular customers.”
I observe the looks of excited expectation on all your faces. Some of you have probably guessed already. In fact I am sure that some of you know where and when we are about to go.
“This is the one you have all been waiting for. Today, I am proud to announce that that we are about to depart for the beginning of the nineteenth century in Vienna. You are about to meet none other than Ludwig van Beethoven!”
Spontaneous cheering and clapping bursts out amongst the passengers. I can see that you are all sharing my excitement. I have been looking forward for this one for several weeks. LvB and I share our birth date, 16th December, although he was born a few years before me. He is also my favourite classical composer, and my Mum’s too.
I can see that Howard is already anticipating his chance to audition with his guitar in front of the great maestro. To be honest, I am dreading the prospect. I have witnessed Ludwig’s recent dark moods, and I am not entirely confident that he will enjoy Mister Loring’s special brand of music. However, Sheila and Mello are already jiggling around on the back seat as they sing along to Howard’s melodies.
As we leave Victoria Bus Station, I look around and I am delighted to see lots of the regulars: Itchy Quill, Dominique, Lucie, Wendy Kate, Sally, Tooty Nolan, Nydia, Carrie, Donna and Hugh amongst them.
Krista the Scorpion – borrowed from Yvonne’s blog
Nobody seems too bothered as we take a small diversion via the beautiful Cretan village of Krista to pick up an extra passenger, Yvonne. She urges us all to stay to sample some of her freshly pressed lemon juice, but I insist that we must continue on our journey back across Europe and through time.
As we approach Ludwig’s unruly study, Teagan nervously approaches my seat at the front of the bus.
“I have heard about Beethoven’s moods at the time and even that he has thrown plates at his maids for such minor misdemeanors as presenting him with a cake that was not to his taste.”
“Yes. That is true,” I agree. “He does get upset rather easily.
She shows me a white cardboard box. “I’ve prepared a little present for him. I hope that he will like it.”
“What is it.”
“Oh! That’s between me and Ludwig,” she replies rather mysteriously before returning to her seat.
The Owl Lady, Brandy, Bec, CCand Almost Welsh Sarah are now encouraging the front half of the coach to compete with Howard’s renditions by singing the melodies of Beethoven’s symphonies. They are really getting into the spirit of the trip.
Proof of the elasticity of time travel is provided as the fifty-two passengers disembark into our hero’s little study with room to spare. I am relieved that he appears to be very pleased to see us.
“You have arrived at a most opportune time,” he tells us. “Please make yourselves comfortable. I have just finished my latest masterpiece,” he tells us with total lack of modesty. “I was going to call it the Bonaparte Symphony, but I have just heard that Napoleon has crowned himself as Emperor of France. That is intolerable! I will call it simply ‘Eroica’, the Heroic.”
With that, he launches into what was probably the first public performance of his famous third symphony. We are quick to realise that we have happened into a very historic moment. Julz and Colleen almost faint with emotion.
Having traveled so far from the future, we recognise the enormity of this masterpiece and greet is with enormous applause. Beethoven is very pleased with our reception. He is even happier as Teagan sidles up to the side of his piano stool and opens her box to reveal a cake. Ludwig takes a slice and samples it.
“My dear lady. I wish you could stay here and now. This is the most exquisite cherry cake that I have ever tasted in my life. Apart from cherries, would you care to share the secret of the other main ingredients with me?”
“Certainly sir,” enthuses Teagan; “mascarpone and marsala.”
“Very nice. May I have another slice?”
“Yes. Of course. The whole cake is for you. I’ll leave it here.”
We all enjoy the rest of the day, especially when the maestro’s teacher unexpectedly enters to room. Although the relationship between Ludwig and Joseph Haydn appears to be a little frosty, they both appear to enjoy performing an impromptu duet for their time-traveling audience.
On the way home, some of the other passengers are eager to copy down Teagan’s amazing cake recipe. Jo, Jane, Diana, The Crazy Bag Lady and Heartafire are amongst the first.
As we approach twenty-first century London, we all agree that it has been a truly wonderful day out. If only I’d thought to stock up on CDs of Beethoven’s music before we’d left, I could’ve made a killing. Then again, the experience that we’ve just had is worth more than a million CDs.
There is much speculation on where and when we might go on the next tour. My final plea to my passengers, and anybody else who wants to join us in the future, and in the past, is…
Just make your suggestions in response to this post and I’ll put together a new poll.
May 23, 2015
With Arms Wide Open
With words like these, why would I even attempt to add my own?
Originally posted on Thoughts by Mello-Elo:
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May 22, 2015
Should you Sell eBooks from your Website? @JoRobinson176
Some very useful information here, and any little boost to get one’s books out there is very welcome. Who knows? Follow this advice and the boost may not be so little!
Originally posted on Many web owners sell books directly, and sometimes exclusively from their sites, collecting one hundred percent of the price via PayPal. If you publish with Amazon KDP Select, this is obviously not allowed – in fact, if your book is with Select, you are only allowed to distribute the digital books through them, and only the selling of your paper books after ordering them from your POD supplier is considered kosher.
If you’re not with KDP Select you can sell them anywhere you like, so the website option then becomes viable, and a very good idea too. As an independent publisher you get to try a variety of avenues for selling and marketing your books. We all know about Smashwords and all the other sites where you can make your books available to buy. It’s quick work to load them up there – although – not such quick work to…
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