Mark King's Blog, page 5
December 24, 2015
Christmas cheer
Postings most weeks
Links to purchase my booksFRENZY on Amazon U.KDOOM on Amazon U.KFRENZY on Amazon U.S.ADOOM on Amazon U.S.AFRENZY on Amazon GermanyDOOM on Amazon GermanyFRENZY on Amazon CanadaDOOM on Amazon CanadaFRENZY on Amazon India Mark King on Goodreads.FRENZY Facebook PageEmail markkingtheauthor@gmail.comTwitter@author_king
Christmas is here once again. This year it seemed to suddenly appear out of no where. Maybe it's because of the weather this winter. As foretold in my first book, FRENZY a Daniel Jones Story, the seasons of the year seemed to have swapped places. It's been warmer in the U.K over the last month than it was during many periods in the summer. The British population are starting to find out what it feels like to celebrate an event that is normally associated with cold, snowy, dark winter days and nights. Just as many Americans, Australians and any other Christians living in a hot climate during this festive period.
There may be other reasons I haven't been in such a jolly Christmas mood. My back is still playing up and although I'm no longer crippled I have a trapped nerve that causes me daily pain. But in the last two weeks as the song goes, " it's starting to look a bit like Christmas." It all started with the Thorpe Christmas lights switch on, fair and fireworks display.
The crowds mingled among all the different stalls of the fair set out along the main road next to River Green that was closed for the occasion, and the little children enjoyed the rides.
And the evening was finished off with a fireworks display from the island as the house boats that are moored there, lit up their floating homes with their own festive lights. The whole event is put together by the town council and is organised, and run, by volunteers. local groups like the Guides held a Christingle service in the Parish church. It's a uniquely British affair that brings the whole community together, which is something many people have forgotten about in our over commercialised world.
Ten days later on a warm Wednesday night the whole family travelled two miles up the road to Norwich Cathedral as my child's school Christmas carol concert was being held within the majestic arches of this ancient building.
It was a very emotional, and I must say a very enjoyable evening. The organist gently played as the local dignitaries from Thorpe, and the school, along with the parents gathered for the concert. Suddenly all the lights went out, and everyone sat in silence; then from behind the screen the voices of the school choir began to gently sing the hymn "Once in Royal David's City." Then with candles alight they paraded around the great hall in the darkness as they carried on singing. It brought a tear to my eye.
My son stayed awake just long enough to see his older sister play the flute at the front of the audience before he fell asleep, with his head resting against my arm that was placed across the back of his chair. He looked so angelic I didn't have the heart to wake him up when everyone stood up to sing carols, so I had to stay seated, and tried my best to sing with a hearty voice.
So now it's Christmas Eve and although we are having probably the warmest winter on record in the U.K, so it doesn't have the physical feel of Christmas, after these two wonderful events I finally feel in the Christmas spirit. So to all my readers around the world, whatever you beliefs, or even lack of belief in faith or religion, I wish you all a peaceful yule tide, and a prosperous New Year.
Regards
Mark
Links to purchase my booksFRENZY on Amazon U.KDOOM on Amazon U.KFRENZY on Amazon U.S.ADOOM on Amazon U.S.AFRENZY on Amazon GermanyDOOM on Amazon GermanyFRENZY on Amazon CanadaDOOM on Amazon CanadaFRENZY on Amazon India Mark King on Goodreads.FRENZY Facebook PageEmail markkingtheauthor@gmail.comTwitter@author_king
Christmas is here once again. This year it seemed to suddenly appear out of no where. Maybe it's because of the weather this winter. As foretold in my first book, FRENZY a Daniel Jones Story, the seasons of the year seemed to have swapped places. It's been warmer in the U.K over the last month than it was during many periods in the summer. The British population are starting to find out what it feels like to celebrate an event that is normally associated with cold, snowy, dark winter days and nights. Just as many Americans, Australians and any other Christians living in a hot climate during this festive period.
There may be other reasons I haven't been in such a jolly Christmas mood. My back is still playing up and although I'm no longer crippled I have a trapped nerve that causes me daily pain. But in the last two weeks as the song goes, " it's starting to look a bit like Christmas." It all started with the Thorpe Christmas lights switch on, fair and fireworks display.
The crowds mingled among all the different stalls of the fair set out along the main road next to River Green that was closed for the occasion, and the little children enjoyed the rides.
And the evening was finished off with a fireworks display from the island as the house boats that are moored there, lit up their floating homes with their own festive lights. The whole event is put together by the town council and is organised, and run, by volunteers. local groups like the Guides held a Christingle service in the Parish church. It's a uniquely British affair that brings the whole community together, which is something many people have forgotten about in our over commercialised world.
Ten days later on a warm Wednesday night the whole family travelled two miles up the road to Norwich Cathedral as my child's school Christmas carol concert was being held within the majestic arches of this ancient building.
It was a very emotional, and I must say a very enjoyable evening. The organist gently played as the local dignitaries from Thorpe, and the school, along with the parents gathered for the concert. Suddenly all the lights went out, and everyone sat in silence; then from behind the screen the voices of the school choir began to gently sing the hymn "Once in Royal David's City." Then with candles alight they paraded around the great hall in the darkness as they carried on singing. It brought a tear to my eye.
My son stayed awake just long enough to see his older sister play the flute at the front of the audience before he fell asleep, with his head resting against my arm that was placed across the back of his chair. He looked so angelic I didn't have the heart to wake him up when everyone stood up to sing carols, so I had to stay seated, and tried my best to sing with a hearty voice.
So now it's Christmas Eve and although we are having probably the warmest winter on record in the U.K, so it doesn't have the physical feel of Christmas, after these two wonderful events I finally feel in the Christmas spirit. So to all my readers around the world, whatever you beliefs, or even lack of belief in faith or religion, I wish you all a peaceful yule tide, and a prosperous New Year.
Regards
Mark
December 8, 2015
To change or not to change.
Postings most weeks
Links to purchase my booksFRENZY on Amazon U.KDOOM on Amazon U.KFRENZY on Amazon U.S.ADOOM on Amazon U.S.AFRENZY on Amazon GermanyDOOM on Amazon GermanyFRENZY on Amazon CanadaDOOM on Amazon CanadaFRENZY on Amazon India Mark King on Goodreads.FRENZY Facebook PageEmail markkingtheauthor@gmail.comTwitter@author_king
As I write the third book on the Daniel Jones series I have been pondering on the title. I had good intentions of calling it Daniel Jones REVENGE, but like I often say there is always a but. As the story unfolds I begin to think that maybe I should change the title of the book to, Daniel Jones and the REVENGE of the Over-seers! Some days I find my thoughts drifting off to the title, to the detriment of my writing.
FRENZY a Daniel Jones Story was initial titled, Daniel Jones and the Quest for the Golden Shield. Then I changed it to FRENZY! Unfortunately there was already a book published under that heading so my first book then became, FRENZY a Daniel Jones Story. With hind-sight I wish now I had given it the title Daniel Jones FRENZY. I like the word Frenzy because it sums up perfectly the fast paced nature the story takes as it unfolds. Daniel's life becomes a frenzy of survival when he finds out the terrible truth of the Over-seers.
With the second book, Daniel Jones DOOM, I had no problems with the title. It summed up perfectly the ending of the book, and the doom he was to face. So here I am now writing the third manuscript, and so far it's turning out to be a packed, non stop, adventure thriller, with the usual mix of science fiction and horror. Because of this I think Revenge could be used for another time, and a new title may be needed to best sum up what a corking third book this is going to be.
Daniel Jones RUN has popped into my mind on various occasions, and then I thought about shortening it to just Daniel's RUN. I even came up with the option of, Run Daniel Run! It's funny how you can find yourself thinking about simple little things like this. I've already got an image of the front cover in my head. Just like Frenzy and Doom it would have a simple fading, single colour, background, in black, with the main title in gold lettering, and with blood spilling down from the second letter. Although all three books have very simple designs, it's features like these that can became design classics over time.
It may seem silly as a writer to be thinking so far forward about things like titles, and cover designs, but for any aspiring author out there, you are always having to think three steps ahead. It's o.k if you are one of the worlds best selling authors because your publisher will have a big team of experts who can do the thinking for you when it comes to things like I just mentioned, and other things too like marketing of the book, plus promoting your image.
Then again even the worlds best, like my name sake Stephen King still has a lot of input into all the processes that makes a successful book, but they will have a team around them to make it a bit easier. So here I am pondering about the title as I write the third manuscript, and either which way I go with the final title, I know one thing for sure.
The third book is going to be just as good as the first and second, and then maybe even better. The characters are growing, not only with each book but with each chapter too, into a unique team of individuals; while the baddies just keep on getting badder. I don't think you can ask for much more than that!
I'm always open to suggestions, so if you think you could suggest, or wish to have a chance to name the third book in the Daniel Jones series then please fell free to email me at, markkingtheauthor@gmail.com.
Regards
Mark
Links to purchase my booksFRENZY on Amazon U.KDOOM on Amazon U.KFRENZY on Amazon U.S.ADOOM on Amazon U.S.AFRENZY on Amazon GermanyDOOM on Amazon GermanyFRENZY on Amazon CanadaDOOM on Amazon CanadaFRENZY on Amazon India Mark King on Goodreads.FRENZY Facebook PageEmail markkingtheauthor@gmail.comTwitter@author_king
As I write the third book on the Daniel Jones series I have been pondering on the title. I had good intentions of calling it Daniel Jones REVENGE, but like I often say there is always a but. As the story unfolds I begin to think that maybe I should change the title of the book to, Daniel Jones and the REVENGE of the Over-seers! Some days I find my thoughts drifting off to the title, to the detriment of my writing.
FRENZY a Daniel Jones Story was initial titled, Daniel Jones and the Quest for the Golden Shield. Then I changed it to FRENZY! Unfortunately there was already a book published under that heading so my first book then became, FRENZY a Daniel Jones Story. With hind-sight I wish now I had given it the title Daniel Jones FRENZY. I like the word Frenzy because it sums up perfectly the fast paced nature the story takes as it unfolds. Daniel's life becomes a frenzy of survival when he finds out the terrible truth of the Over-seers.
With the second book, Daniel Jones DOOM, I had no problems with the title. It summed up perfectly the ending of the book, and the doom he was to face. So here I am now writing the third manuscript, and so far it's turning out to be a packed, non stop, adventure thriller, with the usual mix of science fiction and horror. Because of this I think Revenge could be used for another time, and a new title may be needed to best sum up what a corking third book this is going to be.
Daniel Jones RUN has popped into my mind on various occasions, and then I thought about shortening it to just Daniel's RUN. I even came up with the option of, Run Daniel Run! It's funny how you can find yourself thinking about simple little things like this. I've already got an image of the front cover in my head. Just like Frenzy and Doom it would have a simple fading, single colour, background, in black, with the main title in gold lettering, and with blood spilling down from the second letter. Although all three books have very simple designs, it's features like these that can became design classics over time.
It may seem silly as a writer to be thinking so far forward about things like titles, and cover designs, but for any aspiring author out there, you are always having to think three steps ahead. It's o.k if you are one of the worlds best selling authors because your publisher will have a big team of experts who can do the thinking for you when it comes to things like I just mentioned, and other things too like marketing of the book, plus promoting your image.
Then again even the worlds best, like my name sake Stephen King still has a lot of input into all the processes that makes a successful book, but they will have a team around them to make it a bit easier. So here I am pondering about the title as I write the third manuscript, and either which way I go with the final title, I know one thing for sure.
The third book is going to be just as good as the first and second, and then maybe even better. The characters are growing, not only with each book but with each chapter too, into a unique team of individuals; while the baddies just keep on getting badder. I don't think you can ask for much more than that!
I'm always open to suggestions, so if you think you could suggest, or wish to have a chance to name the third book in the Daniel Jones series then please fell free to email me at, markkingtheauthor@gmail.com.
Regards
Mark
November 22, 2015
Following your dreams.
Postings most weeks
Links to purchase my booksFRENZY on Amazon U.KDOOM on Amazon U.KFRENZY on Amazon U.S.ADOOM on Amazon U.S.AFRENZY on Amazon GermanyDOOM on Amazon GermanyFRENZY on Amazon CanadaDOOM on Amazon CanadaFRENZY on Amazon India Mark King on Goodreads.FRENZY Facebook PageEmail markkingtheauthor@gmail.comTwitter@author_king
We all dream, not just when we are asleep, but during the working day. We all have them moments when our mind isn't being actively used to do some task or another, and it just drifts off. Where too? Only you will know!
Some people get to full fill there's, and others just drift through life dreaming about it. Sometimes you're not quite sure what it is you want in life. You can be swamped by so many ambitions that you become overwhelmed, and achieve non of them. Over ambition is as deadening as no ambition at all.
Some people achieve theirs at an early age, like most sport stars. When I was just a young boy I dreamt about being the team captain of Norwich City Football Club and scoring the wining goal in the F.A Cup Final at Wembley Stadium, but I never quite made it pass playing football with my friends down the local park.
As I grew older I thought more and more about writing stories. I've always had a very vivid imagination, and then one day out of the blue I decided to quit my job, in the middle of the worst world recession in living memory to write my first manuscript. The award winning, Frenzy a Daniel Jones Story was the first book after two years of very hard work; followed another two years later by the sequel, Daniel Jones Doom. Now I'm working on the third book in the Daniel Jones series titled, Revenge.
Anyone can follow their dreams if given enough confidence. The wife has always loved taking pictures. It could be annoying on occasions, like on holidays, as she snapped away with her camera taking family photo's, one after the other. We could all be around the table in a lovely restaurant, by the waters edge in a Mediterranean country, waiting to start the first course, and she would be there with her camera taking pictures.
So after a little bit of nudging she has now started a photography course.
It started off with the basics like the picture above. Every week she goes to her course on a Tuesday and comes home talking about this technical thing or that setting. She has home-work to do every week on different subjects. Like flowers and buildings, and has to take pictures in all different ways, and with different camera settings.
And every week the quality of her photos becomes more and more professional. Last Sunday as I cooked the roast lunch she came into the kitchen, and then disappeared with my glass of wine to the dining room, which she had turned into a make shift studio.
I eventually got it back half an hour later! But then she took away my cooking spices. In fact every time she returned an item, she would then take something else.
She even started to wonder off with the vegetables. Her artistic enquiry seemed to have no bounds that Sunday lunch time, and I nearly had nothing to cook with, or drink.
She eventually finished and so did I with the cooking. As the family sat around the kitchen table, my young son was next to me and said. "Dad one day I'm going to play for Norwich City and win the F.A Cup." I leaned over, kissed him on the head and replied, "that's it my son, always follow your dreams."
Regards
Mark
Links to purchase my booksFRENZY on Amazon U.KDOOM on Amazon U.KFRENZY on Amazon U.S.ADOOM on Amazon U.S.AFRENZY on Amazon GermanyDOOM on Amazon GermanyFRENZY on Amazon CanadaDOOM on Amazon CanadaFRENZY on Amazon India Mark King on Goodreads.FRENZY Facebook PageEmail markkingtheauthor@gmail.comTwitter@author_king
We all dream, not just when we are asleep, but during the working day. We all have them moments when our mind isn't being actively used to do some task or another, and it just drifts off. Where too? Only you will know!
Some people get to full fill there's, and others just drift through life dreaming about it. Sometimes you're not quite sure what it is you want in life. You can be swamped by so many ambitions that you become overwhelmed, and achieve non of them. Over ambition is as deadening as no ambition at all.
Some people achieve theirs at an early age, like most sport stars. When I was just a young boy I dreamt about being the team captain of Norwich City Football Club and scoring the wining goal in the F.A Cup Final at Wembley Stadium, but I never quite made it pass playing football with my friends down the local park.
As I grew older I thought more and more about writing stories. I've always had a very vivid imagination, and then one day out of the blue I decided to quit my job, in the middle of the worst world recession in living memory to write my first manuscript. The award winning, Frenzy a Daniel Jones Story was the first book after two years of very hard work; followed another two years later by the sequel, Daniel Jones Doom. Now I'm working on the third book in the Daniel Jones series titled, Revenge.
Anyone can follow their dreams if given enough confidence. The wife has always loved taking pictures. It could be annoying on occasions, like on holidays, as she snapped away with her camera taking family photo's, one after the other. We could all be around the table in a lovely restaurant, by the waters edge in a Mediterranean country, waiting to start the first course, and she would be there with her camera taking pictures.
So after a little bit of nudging she has now started a photography course.
It started off with the basics like the picture above. Every week she goes to her course on a Tuesday and comes home talking about this technical thing or that setting. She has home-work to do every week on different subjects. Like flowers and buildings, and has to take pictures in all different ways, and with different camera settings.
And every week the quality of her photos becomes more and more professional. Last Sunday as I cooked the roast lunch she came into the kitchen, and then disappeared with my glass of wine to the dining room, which she had turned into a make shift studio.
I eventually got it back half an hour later! But then she took away my cooking spices. In fact every time she returned an item, she would then take something else.
She even started to wonder off with the vegetables. Her artistic enquiry seemed to have no bounds that Sunday lunch time, and I nearly had nothing to cook with, or drink.
She eventually finished and so did I with the cooking. As the family sat around the kitchen table, my young son was next to me and said. "Dad one day I'm going to play for Norwich City and win the F.A Cup." I leaned over, kissed him on the head and replied, "that's it my son, always follow your dreams."
Regards
Mark
November 7, 2015
Painful end to the week
Postings most weeks
Links to purchase my booksFRENZY on Amazon U.KDOOM on Amazon U.KFRENZY on Amazon U.S.ADOOM om Amazon U.S.AFRENZY on Amazon GermanyDOOM on Amazon GermanyFRENZY on Amazon CanadaDOOM on Amazon CanadaFRENZY on Amazon India Frenzy for the rest of the worldMark King on Goodreads.FRENZY Facebook PageEmail markkingtheauthor@gmail.comTwitter@author_king
As soon as Halloween is finished we then have Guy Fawkes night, or as most people call it now, fireworks night. For my readers around the world who may not know the story of this annual celebration; it's basically to commemorate the day on the 5th of November 1605 when a group of catholic plotters, who tried to blow up the British Parliament, were stopped. If it's true that the Russian plane that crashed in Egypt this week was caused by a bomb, then nothing has really changed in four hundred and ten years, people trying to blow up other people in the name of religion.
In the local park just a short walk from where I live there is an annual fire works display, and fair, organised by the council. Some years we go to this, and other years I will put on my own little display in our back garden. We have the parents around for some food first. The traditional baked potato, beans, sausages, fried onions and grated cheese; with mugs of tea to keep away the chill of the autumn night . Once everyone has had their fill we then have sparklers, and then it's finished off with my grand display. This year we decided to go to the local park.
That was the plan, but for me it never happened. Thursday morning didn't start too well. I got a slight pain in my lower back first thing in the morning, that just got worse as the day went on, and as I write this blog I am now in ruddy agony. So I never made it to the park. The rest of the family went. I was stuck indoors on my own with a hot water bottle, and plenty of pain killers. Back pain is my one punishment for living well, and thus carrying too much weight around my belly. My lower back will just give way for no other reason, and I end up hobbling about like a man in his nineties.
This is something I have written about in the past on several occasions. When I first started writing FRENZY a Daniel Jones Story I had ruptured my spine, and it was a living hell. Every time I suffer a bout of lower back pain I prey its not that again, and also say to myself that this time I'm really going to loose some weight. then once the pain killers start to work, and my back loosens up, and the pain subsides, then life goes gets back to normal.
So it's been a painful end to the week, but there is one positive about it. When I'm incapacitated there's not much I can do other than sit and write. For both Frenzy and Daniel Jones Doom I found my most creative periods were when this happened, and at the moment I am finding the same with Revenge, the third book in the series.
So maybe the saying, 'there is a silver lining in every cloud,' could be true.
Regards
Mark
Links to purchase my booksFRENZY on Amazon U.KDOOM on Amazon U.KFRENZY on Amazon U.S.ADOOM om Amazon U.S.AFRENZY on Amazon GermanyDOOM on Amazon GermanyFRENZY on Amazon CanadaDOOM on Amazon CanadaFRENZY on Amazon India Frenzy for the rest of the worldMark King on Goodreads.FRENZY Facebook PageEmail markkingtheauthor@gmail.comTwitter@author_king
As soon as Halloween is finished we then have Guy Fawkes night, or as most people call it now, fireworks night. For my readers around the world who may not know the story of this annual celebration; it's basically to commemorate the day on the 5th of November 1605 when a group of catholic plotters, who tried to blow up the British Parliament, were stopped. If it's true that the Russian plane that crashed in Egypt this week was caused by a bomb, then nothing has really changed in four hundred and ten years, people trying to blow up other people in the name of religion.
In the local park just a short walk from where I live there is an annual fire works display, and fair, organised by the council. Some years we go to this, and other years I will put on my own little display in our back garden. We have the parents around for some food first. The traditional baked potato, beans, sausages, fried onions and grated cheese; with mugs of tea to keep away the chill of the autumn night . Once everyone has had their fill we then have sparklers, and then it's finished off with my grand display. This year we decided to go to the local park.
That was the plan, but for me it never happened. Thursday morning didn't start too well. I got a slight pain in my lower back first thing in the morning, that just got worse as the day went on, and as I write this blog I am now in ruddy agony. So I never made it to the park. The rest of the family went. I was stuck indoors on my own with a hot water bottle, and plenty of pain killers. Back pain is my one punishment for living well, and thus carrying too much weight around my belly. My lower back will just give way for no other reason, and I end up hobbling about like a man in his nineties.
This is something I have written about in the past on several occasions. When I first started writing FRENZY a Daniel Jones Story I had ruptured my spine, and it was a living hell. Every time I suffer a bout of lower back pain I prey its not that again, and also say to myself that this time I'm really going to loose some weight. then once the pain killers start to work, and my back loosens up, and the pain subsides, then life goes gets back to normal.
So it's been a painful end to the week, but there is one positive about it. When I'm incapacitated there's not much I can do other than sit and write. For both Frenzy and Daniel Jones Doom I found my most creative periods were when this happened, and at the moment I am finding the same with Revenge, the third book in the series.
So maybe the saying, 'there is a silver lining in every cloud,' could be true.
Regards
Mark
October 31, 2015
Birthdays come but once a year.
Postings most weeks
Links to purchase my booksFRENZY on Amazon U.KDOOM on Amazon U.KFRENZY on Amazon U.S.ADOOM om Amazon U.S.AFRENZY on Amazon GermanyDOOM on Amazon GermanyFRENZY on Amazon CanadaDOOM on Amazon CanadaFRENZY on Amazon India Frenzy for the rest of the worldMark King on Goodreads.FRENZY Facebook PageEmail markkingtheauthor@gmail.comTwitter@author_king
The last week of October holds a special day for. My birthday. It's also half term week for the local schools, and then of course we have that ultimate international fusion of history, Halloween. Some people in the U.K see Halloween as an American import, but in fact it was a tradition imported into the U.S.A from the first immigrants into the country. Then the melting pot that is America commercialised it, just like Christmas, and then exported it back to the world.
This year my birthday fell on a Monday. Two years a go it obviously fell on a Saturday when my local football team Norwich City F.C where playing at Carrow Road. On that day Kim the landlord of the Steam Packet put on some bar food for free to celebrate my big day, and after the game plenty of friends joined me for one hell of a party night. And what a ruddy good night it was.
This year I decided to have a quite family affair. The wife made a three tier cake to go alongside the home made pizza, and garlic bread. My parents came around and I waited until the evening when everyone was present to open all my cards and gifts.
The cake was just lovely and soon got eaten.
As the week progressed I decided to let the wife have a sleep in one day, and to treat the children. We like our food in the King family. We're not fussy eaters and I don't worry too much about the latest food fad, or scare. Eat well, sleep well then you will live well. It's as simple as that.
So on Wednesday morning while the wife was tucked up in bed I took the children to The Denmark Cafe in Norwich. It's my favourite, and the children love it too. Quite often I will phone my dad, and ask if he would like to come, and I treat him as well. So there we are, three generations of the King family getting stuck into a traditional Full English breakfast.
Some food snobs might look down on the British cuisine, but I ask you this one question. What is the one dish wherever you travel around the world that will be on the breakfast menu of every hotel no matter what its star rating?
The answer is!
The Full English Breakfast.
There will also be a Continental option as well, but everyone tucks into a Full English. So tuck in we did with mugs of English tea as well. You just can't beat it.
So the week started with the clocks going back an hour in the U.K, officially declaring winter is here. Then we have the children at home for the school holidays followed by my birthday. Add in the the breakfast treat as the week progressed, and then ending with Halloween, I can truthfully say it has been a busy week, and one I have fully enjoyed.
Regards
Mark
Links to purchase my booksFRENZY on Amazon U.KDOOM on Amazon U.KFRENZY on Amazon U.S.ADOOM om Amazon U.S.AFRENZY on Amazon GermanyDOOM on Amazon GermanyFRENZY on Amazon CanadaDOOM on Amazon CanadaFRENZY on Amazon India Frenzy for the rest of the worldMark King on Goodreads.FRENZY Facebook PageEmail markkingtheauthor@gmail.comTwitter@author_king
The last week of October holds a special day for. My birthday. It's also half term week for the local schools, and then of course we have that ultimate international fusion of history, Halloween. Some people in the U.K see Halloween as an American import, but in fact it was a tradition imported into the U.S.A from the first immigrants into the country. Then the melting pot that is America commercialised it, just like Christmas, and then exported it back to the world.
This year my birthday fell on a Monday. Two years a go it obviously fell on a Saturday when my local football team Norwich City F.C where playing at Carrow Road. On that day Kim the landlord of the Steam Packet put on some bar food for free to celebrate my big day, and after the game plenty of friends joined me for one hell of a party night. And what a ruddy good night it was.
This year I decided to have a quite family affair. The wife made a three tier cake to go alongside the home made pizza, and garlic bread. My parents came around and I waited until the evening when everyone was present to open all my cards and gifts.
The cake was just lovely and soon got eaten.
As the week progressed I decided to let the wife have a sleep in one day, and to treat the children. We like our food in the King family. We're not fussy eaters and I don't worry too much about the latest food fad, or scare. Eat well, sleep well then you will live well. It's as simple as that.
So on Wednesday morning while the wife was tucked up in bed I took the children to The Denmark Cafe in Norwich. It's my favourite, and the children love it too. Quite often I will phone my dad, and ask if he would like to come, and I treat him as well. So there we are, three generations of the King family getting stuck into a traditional Full English breakfast.
Some food snobs might look down on the British cuisine, but I ask you this one question. What is the one dish wherever you travel around the world that will be on the breakfast menu of every hotel no matter what its star rating?
The answer is!
The Full English Breakfast.
There will also be a Continental option as well, but everyone tucks into a Full English. So tuck in we did with mugs of English tea as well. You just can't beat it.
So the week started with the clocks going back an hour in the U.K, officially declaring winter is here. Then we have the children at home for the school holidays followed by my birthday. Add in the the breakfast treat as the week progressed, and then ending with Halloween, I can truthfully say it has been a busy week, and one I have fully enjoyed.
Regards
Mark
October 17, 2015
Rosie Amber
Postings most weeks
Links to purchase my booksFRENZY on Amazon U.KDOOM on Amazon U.KFRENZY on Amazon U.S.ADOOM om Amazon U.S.AFRENZY on Amazon GermanyDOOM on Amazon GermanyFRENZY on Amazon CanadaDOOM on Amazon CanadaFRENZY on Amazon India Frenzy for the rest of the worldMark King on Goodreads.FRENZY Facebook PageEmail markkingtheauthor@gmail.comTwitter@author_king
The unsung hero's for all authors are the people who take their own time to read your book, and review it for the general public. They spend their free time reading your book then writing down their thoughts, and even more importantly they then spend time publishing this through various forms of on-line multi-media.
There are a few full time professional reviewers who are in the pockets of the big publishing houses that are paid very large sums of money to print favourable reviews through the main media outlets they are employed by. Now this is a good living for the few. Paid twice for the same job. Paid a big fat fee to give a favourable review of a publishers new book, and then paid a second fee by the newspaper or magazine to provide an article for publication.
But it's the true independents that most authors have to rely on, and one of these is Rosie Amber. She has a fantastic site that covers her reviews, and is well worth following. She has reviewed both my books in the Daniel Jones series, Frenzy a Daniel Jones story and Daniel Jones Doom. And below is her review for Daniel Jones Doom. I paid her no money. All I did was send her a free copy of Doom, She read it. liked it and told the on-line world her thoughts.
I would recommended following her through all the usual on-line forms like Goggle + etc because what you get from her reviews in honesty. So do please read the below and do follow Rosie Amber, and the other independent reviews out there.
Regards
Mark
ROSIE AMBER
Daniel Jones Doom by Mark King
My rating: 4 of 5 starsDaniel Jones Doom is the second book in the Daniels Jones series which fits the YA/ dystopia genre. Daniel lived with his family in a very primitive society, ruled by a set of procedures and the Over-Seers who are saviours of humanity. Village elders look forward to their Day of Achievement on the turn of their 40th birthdays as a reward for all their hard work in life.All this changed for Daniel when he found out what really happens to people once they enter the Achievement Centres and forced him to flee. Doom continues the story from book 1. Daniel now travels with Mary and Gwendolyn, two other outcasts who know the truth about the Over-seers, but they are constantly afraid of capture by the ruthless Hunters.They find Jack, a boy left alone after his parents were taken. He has access to technology never seen by Daniel and together they form a plan to return to Daniel’s village and tell his father the truth before he reaches his Achievement Day and it is too late.Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.comView all my reviews on Goodreads
Links to purchase my booksFRENZY on Amazon U.KDOOM on Amazon U.KFRENZY on Amazon U.S.ADOOM om Amazon U.S.AFRENZY on Amazon GermanyDOOM on Amazon GermanyFRENZY on Amazon CanadaDOOM on Amazon CanadaFRENZY on Amazon India Frenzy for the rest of the worldMark King on Goodreads.FRENZY Facebook PageEmail markkingtheauthor@gmail.comTwitter@author_king
The unsung hero's for all authors are the people who take their own time to read your book, and review it for the general public. They spend their free time reading your book then writing down their thoughts, and even more importantly they then spend time publishing this through various forms of on-line multi-media.
There are a few full time professional reviewers who are in the pockets of the big publishing houses that are paid very large sums of money to print favourable reviews through the main media outlets they are employed by. Now this is a good living for the few. Paid twice for the same job. Paid a big fat fee to give a favourable review of a publishers new book, and then paid a second fee by the newspaper or magazine to provide an article for publication.
But it's the true independents that most authors have to rely on, and one of these is Rosie Amber. She has a fantastic site that covers her reviews, and is well worth following. She has reviewed both my books in the Daniel Jones series, Frenzy a Daniel Jones story and Daniel Jones Doom. And below is her review for Daniel Jones Doom. I paid her no money. All I did was send her a free copy of Doom, She read it. liked it and told the on-line world her thoughts.
I would recommended following her through all the usual on-line forms like Goggle + etc because what you get from her reviews in honesty. So do please read the below and do follow Rosie Amber, and the other independent reviews out there.
Regards
Mark
ROSIE AMBER
Daniel Jones Doom by Mark KingMy rating: 4 of 5 starsDaniel Jones Doom is the second book in the Daniels Jones series which fits the YA/ dystopia genre. Daniel lived with his family in a very primitive society, ruled by a set of procedures and the Over-Seers who are saviours of humanity. Village elders look forward to their Day of Achievement on the turn of their 40th birthdays as a reward for all their hard work in life.All this changed for Daniel when he found out what really happens to people once they enter the Achievement Centres and forced him to flee. Doom continues the story from book 1. Daniel now travels with Mary and Gwendolyn, two other outcasts who know the truth about the Over-seers, but they are constantly afraid of capture by the ruthless Hunters.They find Jack, a boy left alone after his parents were taken. He has access to technology never seen by Daniel and together they form a plan to return to Daniel’s village and tell his father the truth before he reaches his Achievement Day and it is too late.Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.comView all my reviews on Goodreads
October 7, 2015
Closing down for winter
Postings most weeks
Links to purchase my booksFRENZY on Amazon U.KDOOM on Amazon U.KFRENZY on Amazon U.S.ADOOM om Amazon U.S.AFRENZY on Amazon GermanyDOOM on Amazon GermanyFRENZY on Amazon CanadaDOOM on Amazon CanadaFRENZY on Amazon India Frenzy for the rest of the worldMark King on Goodreads.FRENZY Facebook PageEmail markkingtheauthor@gmail.comTwitter@author_king
It' that time of year where autumn comes a calling. The summer was a typical British affair, full of promise which soon washed away with the rain. But the last week or two has seen the sun out just as we prepare to close down the garden for the winter.
My mother is a mad keen gardener and since my Step-father past away just under a year ago it has been a lifeline for her. It's not so easy to just pop around to visit my mum as it's at least a 90 minute round trip. So we have her over to stay for the odd weekend. I supply plenty of food and wine, and the family provide company, and love. In return my mother provides her knowledge, and muscle as the whole family gets stuck into the clearing the garden from its wilting summer foliage.
There's plenty to do. I cut back all the bushes before they get too out of hand while my son helps to pick up all the branches, and places them in the green recycle bin. The wife concentrates on one half of the weeding while mother does the other. As for my daughter, well she got stuck in as cutting back the Ivy.
After the grass has been cut the whole place looks tidy, and then hopefully that's it for the winter. By 5 pm all was finished. I kept the wine flowing all afternoon, and when we all sat down in the kitchen the family were ready for something to eat. So I got on the phone to our favourite local Canton Chinese take-away.
Forty minutes later a very smiley Chinese man appeared at my door holding a white plastic bag full of lovely smelling goodies in one hand; then in the other he held up a piece of paper with the cost scribbled across it. With the tip for the driver it came to £40. I placed all the separate silver trays that contained the food in the centre of the table, each with a serving spoon. Everyone had a plate, and then we all took turns to dish up whatever food took our fancy.
By seven thirty we were all in our jim-jams (including my mother) curled up on the sofas' watching the usual Saturday night fair on television. The type of T.V shows that generally us boys finding boring, but which the women find highly addictive. By nine thirty everyone was tucked up in bed exhausted from the days work in the garden, and with a belly full of South East Asian food.
On Sunday morning we gently arose at our own pace, and once everyone was up I cooked a traditional English breakfast with lashings of hot steaming tea. Mother stated she hadn't slept so well since Tadger my step-father passed away. In both my books, Frenzy a Daniel Jones Story and in Daniel Jones Doom there is a character named Badger who I based on Tadger, and he also appears in the third book in the series titled Revenge. His real name was William Cassidy and was given the nick-name Tadger many years ago. There is a story of how he got this name, but that's best left for another time and place.
By lunch time we were walking around Highways Garden Centre. It's more of a department store with a large garden section added on these days, but it's my mum's favourite one, and we like it too. By six in the evening we had all returned home after dropping off mother in Lowestoft, and we sat down tea and cake for supper.
It was a lovely family weekend and one I think most people would also enjoy, but probably don't get around to doing. It's so easy to always think you will spend more time with your parents. You always expect them to be there, and that they will never die. But they do!
I'm just glad I took the chance while I still could.
Regards
Mark.
Links to purchase my booksFRENZY on Amazon U.KDOOM on Amazon U.KFRENZY on Amazon U.S.ADOOM om Amazon U.S.AFRENZY on Amazon GermanyDOOM on Amazon GermanyFRENZY on Amazon CanadaDOOM on Amazon CanadaFRENZY on Amazon India Frenzy for the rest of the worldMark King on Goodreads.FRENZY Facebook PageEmail markkingtheauthor@gmail.comTwitter@author_king
It' that time of year where autumn comes a calling. The summer was a typical British affair, full of promise which soon washed away with the rain. But the last week or two has seen the sun out just as we prepare to close down the garden for the winter.
My mother is a mad keen gardener and since my Step-father past away just under a year ago it has been a lifeline for her. It's not so easy to just pop around to visit my mum as it's at least a 90 minute round trip. So we have her over to stay for the odd weekend. I supply plenty of food and wine, and the family provide company, and love. In return my mother provides her knowledge, and muscle as the whole family gets stuck into the clearing the garden from its wilting summer foliage.
There's plenty to do. I cut back all the bushes before they get too out of hand while my son helps to pick up all the branches, and places them in the green recycle bin. The wife concentrates on one half of the weeding while mother does the other. As for my daughter, well she got stuck in as cutting back the Ivy.
After the grass has been cut the whole place looks tidy, and then hopefully that's it for the winter. By 5 pm all was finished. I kept the wine flowing all afternoon, and when we all sat down in the kitchen the family were ready for something to eat. So I got on the phone to our favourite local Canton Chinese take-away.
Forty minutes later a very smiley Chinese man appeared at my door holding a white plastic bag full of lovely smelling goodies in one hand; then in the other he held up a piece of paper with the cost scribbled across it. With the tip for the driver it came to £40. I placed all the separate silver trays that contained the food in the centre of the table, each with a serving spoon. Everyone had a plate, and then we all took turns to dish up whatever food took our fancy.
By seven thirty we were all in our jim-jams (including my mother) curled up on the sofas' watching the usual Saturday night fair on television. The type of T.V shows that generally us boys finding boring, but which the women find highly addictive. By nine thirty everyone was tucked up in bed exhausted from the days work in the garden, and with a belly full of South East Asian food.
On Sunday morning we gently arose at our own pace, and once everyone was up I cooked a traditional English breakfast with lashings of hot steaming tea. Mother stated she hadn't slept so well since Tadger my step-father passed away. In both my books, Frenzy a Daniel Jones Story and in Daniel Jones Doom there is a character named Badger who I based on Tadger, and he also appears in the third book in the series titled Revenge. His real name was William Cassidy and was given the nick-name Tadger many years ago. There is a story of how he got this name, but that's best left for another time and place.
By lunch time we were walking around Highways Garden Centre. It's more of a department store with a large garden section added on these days, but it's my mum's favourite one, and we like it too. By six in the evening we had all returned home after dropping off mother in Lowestoft, and we sat down tea and cake for supper.
It was a lovely family weekend and one I think most people would also enjoy, but probably don't get around to doing. It's so easy to always think you will spend more time with your parents. You always expect them to be there, and that they will never die. But they do!
I'm just glad I took the chance while I still could.
Regards
Mark.
September 20, 2015
The end of the pier show
Postings most weeks
Links to purchase my booksFRENZY on Amazon U.KDOOM on Amazon U.KFRENZY on Amazon U.S.ADOOM om Amazon U.S.AFRENZY on Amazon GermanyDOOM on Amazon GermanyFRENZY on Amazon CanadaDOOM on Amazon CanadaFRENZY on Amazon India Frenzy for the rest of the worldMark King on Goodreads.FRENZY Facebook PageEmail markkingtheauthor@gmail.comTwitter@author_king
As the nights draw in, and the clocks go back, the first chills of winter come galloping from the north. The summer holidays are but a fading memory as we hunker down for winter. On the fridge door is a magnet of a crab that was purchased in Cromer, and is a permanent reminder of this years’ family camping holiday at Forest Park just outside the town.
This year we decided to stay in the U.K and enjoy a traditional seaside holiday, and there aren’t many better places for such a holiday than in North Norfolk. Nights under the stars on an award winning camp site why the children are joyfully playing with their new friends in the fading light is an experience that should be enjoyed more often.
Cromer has all the traditional charm and then some. We spent days on the beach with chips and ice-cream and of course the famous dressed Cromer crab landed daily on the beach in little wooden boats. Then there is Comer Pier with Europe’s last end of the pier variety show, and what a wonderful show it is. It’s worth every penny with something for every member of the family to enjoy. Then to cap it all off you can’t beat crabbing off the pier.
After the show we all went crabbing on the pier with out bucket and nets and chatted to passers by strolling the wooded decks taking in the clean sea air.
We all had a wonderful time and my holiday spirits increased even more when on our return home I found out that my new book, Daniel Jones Doom, the squeal to Frenzy a Daniel Jones Story had won the People’s Book Awards.
So during the cold drab winter months when the spirit flags under the weight of the constant stream of grey clouds we can sit at the kitchen table, and there on the fridge door is a memento of sunny days, and very happy times.
Regards
Mark
Links to purchase my booksFRENZY on Amazon U.KDOOM on Amazon U.KFRENZY on Amazon U.S.ADOOM om Amazon U.S.AFRENZY on Amazon GermanyDOOM on Amazon GermanyFRENZY on Amazon CanadaDOOM on Amazon CanadaFRENZY on Amazon India Frenzy for the rest of the worldMark King on Goodreads.FRENZY Facebook PageEmail markkingtheauthor@gmail.comTwitter@author_king
As the nights draw in, and the clocks go back, the first chills of winter come galloping from the north. The summer holidays are but a fading memory as we hunker down for winter. On the fridge door is a magnet of a crab that was purchased in Cromer, and is a permanent reminder of this years’ family camping holiday at Forest Park just outside the town.
This year we decided to stay in the U.K and enjoy a traditional seaside holiday, and there aren’t many better places for such a holiday than in North Norfolk. Nights under the stars on an award winning camp site why the children are joyfully playing with their new friends in the fading light is an experience that should be enjoyed more often.
Cromer has all the traditional charm and then some. We spent days on the beach with chips and ice-cream and of course the famous dressed Cromer crab landed daily on the beach in little wooden boats. Then there is Comer Pier with Europe’s last end of the pier variety show, and what a wonderful show it is. It’s worth every penny with something for every member of the family to enjoy. Then to cap it all off you can’t beat crabbing off the pier.
After the show we all went crabbing on the pier with out bucket and nets and chatted to passers by strolling the wooded decks taking in the clean sea air.
We all had a wonderful time and my holiday spirits increased even more when on our return home I found out that my new book, Daniel Jones Doom, the squeal to Frenzy a Daniel Jones Story had won the People’s Book Awards.
So during the cold drab winter months when the spirit flags under the weight of the constant stream of grey clouds we can sit at the kitchen table, and there on the fridge door is a memento of sunny days, and very happy times.
Regards
Mark
September 6, 2015
The People's Award
Postings most weeks
Links to purchase my booksFRENZY on Amazon U.KDOOM on Amazon U.KFRENZY on Amazon U.S.ADOOM om Amazon U.S.AFRENZY on Amazon GermanyDOOM on Amazon GermanyFRENZY on Amazon CanadaDOOM on Amazon CanadaFRENZY on Amazon India Frenzy for the rest of the worldMark King on Goodreads.FRENZY Facebook PageEmail markkingtheauthor@gmail.comTwitter@author_king
I'm pleased to announce my new book awards Daniel Jones Doom the sequel t the acclaimed book Frenzy a Daniel Jones Story is the winner if the People's Book Awards.
Thank you to all the fans of the book and my followers who voted for it.
Regards
Mark
Skip to primary contentHomeFind an Acclaimed Book!SearchMain menuThe Book AwardsMenu
Post navigation← PreviousDaniel Jones DOOMPosted on July 25, 2015 by Guest
Daniel Jones DOOM by Mark KingPrinted Book
Daniel’s peaceful life has been destroyed after discovering the hideous truth about the Over-seers – the new masters of humanity. Hiding in centuries-old flint mines from Hunters and from the terrifying Triclops machines, Daniel’s recurring nightmares lead him, once more, into danger. With mankind brainwashed under the false hope of a glorious new life in the Achievement Centre, he must return home through a devastated landscape to save his father
from certain death.Daniel reunites with two fellow fugitives – Mary and her young companion Gwendolyn – to undertake a rescue mission so dangerous that death is the only guarantee. Is it too late for Daniel’s family or is it too late for humanity itself? Daniel Jones DOOM, the exciting new sequel to FRENZY a Daniel Jones Story, is another fast-paced, engrossing chronicle of three rebels who once again risk their lives in a vividly depicted world peopled by memorable new and known characters. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Daniel-Jones-Doom-Mark-King/dp/1781331200/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1437842789&sr=8-1&keywords=daniel+jones+doom SHARE THIS:inShare32EmailThis entry was posted in - Printed Books, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Steampunk, Cyberpunk, Alternative History, Post Apocalyptic by Guest. Bookmark the permalink.
Links to purchase my booksFRENZY on Amazon U.KDOOM on Amazon U.KFRENZY on Amazon U.S.ADOOM om Amazon U.S.AFRENZY on Amazon GermanyDOOM on Amazon GermanyFRENZY on Amazon CanadaDOOM on Amazon CanadaFRENZY on Amazon India Frenzy for the rest of the worldMark King on Goodreads.FRENZY Facebook PageEmail markkingtheauthor@gmail.comTwitter@author_king
I'm pleased to announce my new book awards Daniel Jones Doom the sequel t the acclaimed book Frenzy a Daniel Jones Story is the winner if the People's Book Awards.
Thank you to all the fans of the book and my followers who voted for it.
Regards
Mark
Skip to primary contentHomeFind an Acclaimed Book!SearchMain menuThe Book AwardsMenu
Post navigation← PreviousDaniel Jones DOOMPosted on July 25, 2015 by Guest
Daniel Jones DOOM by Mark KingPrinted Book
Daniel’s peaceful life has been destroyed after discovering the hideous truth about the Over-seers – the new masters of humanity. Hiding in centuries-old flint mines from Hunters and from the terrifying Triclops machines, Daniel’s recurring nightmares lead him, once more, into danger. With mankind brainwashed under the false hope of a glorious new life in the Achievement Centre, he must return home through a devastated landscape to save his fatherfrom certain death.Daniel reunites with two fellow fugitives – Mary and her young companion Gwendolyn – to undertake a rescue mission so dangerous that death is the only guarantee. Is it too late for Daniel’s family or is it too late for humanity itself? Daniel Jones DOOM, the exciting new sequel to FRENZY a Daniel Jones Story, is another fast-paced, engrossing chronicle of three rebels who once again risk their lives in a vividly depicted world peopled by memorable new and known characters. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Daniel-Jones-Doom-Mark-King/dp/1781331200/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1437842789&sr=8-1&keywords=daniel+jones+doom SHARE THIS:inShare32EmailThis entry was posted in - Printed Books, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Steampunk, Cyberpunk, Alternative History, Post Apocalyptic by Guest. Bookmark the permalink.
August 29, 2015
Cromer nights
Postings most weeks
Links to purchase my booksFRENZY on Amazon U.KDOOM on Amazon U.KFRENZY on Amazon U.S.ADOOM om Amazon U.S.AFRENZY on Amazon GermanyDOOM on Amazon GermanyFRENZY on Amazon CanadaDOOM on Amazon CanadaFRENZY on Amazon India Frenzy for the rest of the worldMark King on Goodreads.FRENZY Facebook PageEmail markkingtheauthor@gmail.comTwitter@author_king
To be truthful I wasn't looking forward to sleeping in a tent. The first time I went camping with my family was five years ago when I had seriously hurt my back. I had something bulging out of my spine that shouldn't have been, and it was hell on earth. I had borrowed a small tent from a friend, and some very basic equipment, and off the family went. It was only for two days, but laying on a hard floor with only a sleeping bag with chronic back pain isn't an enjoyable experience.
Since then we have bought our own tent and added equipment to make it more comfortable. There was plenty of egging on by the wife, and children, who wanted to go camping again, that persuaded me to give it another go and invest in some equipment of our own. Personally I'm more happy by the pool somewhere hot in the world, but we're a democratic family, and camping got the winning vote.
But I had a good sleep on the first night, and it was the wife who had the restless night. The group of adults next to us had sat outside their tent when their own children had gone to sleep. They were drinking and talking, and the more drunk they got the louder they became. It didn't bother me because after all the hard work I had put in that day, and a few beers, I soon fell into the land of nod. But the wife became more and more irritated with them, and apparently by the first hour of Monday morning she had had enough, and went over to them asking them politely to be quite. They said sorry, and quietened down, but it took the intervention of somebody from another tent, plus an argument, before they finally went to sleep. I was none the wiser to these events until a rather tired wife told me in the morning.
After I cooked a breakfast of bacon and egg sandwiches we walked down to Cromer beach. It took longer than we expected. For some reason we thought we could get to get to the beach in ten to fifteen minutes, but we had to add another half an hour to this before we could get the swim ware on as the sun appeared. Cromer is a traditional British seaside resort. I enjoyed the local speciality of Cromer dressed crab, caught just off the coast, and landed on the beach in small wooden boats before being prepared locally. We all had chips for lunch with dashings of salt and vinegar, and later on we had ice cream on the beach.
The walk home was too much to handle so we took a taxi back to the camp site. Me and the wife sat outside our tent with a drink while the children played with their new friends they had already made, and once we all had a shower, and changed, we headed to the camp site bar.
All I can say about the food in the bar at Forest Park was that is was the best ever value meal I have ever had in the U.K. All the dishes were tasty, and my burger was probably the best burger I have ever eaten. We went to bed that night with our bellies full, and very content.
The children feel asleep as soon as their heads hit their pillars while the wife and I had a glass or two of wine under the night sky while watching shooting stars. The end to a perfect day on a traditional British seaside camping holiday.
Regards
Mark
Links to purchase my booksFRENZY on Amazon U.KDOOM on Amazon U.KFRENZY on Amazon U.S.ADOOM om Amazon U.S.AFRENZY on Amazon GermanyDOOM on Amazon GermanyFRENZY on Amazon CanadaDOOM on Amazon CanadaFRENZY on Amazon India Frenzy for the rest of the worldMark King on Goodreads.FRENZY Facebook PageEmail markkingtheauthor@gmail.comTwitter@author_king
To be truthful I wasn't looking forward to sleeping in a tent. The first time I went camping with my family was five years ago when I had seriously hurt my back. I had something bulging out of my spine that shouldn't have been, and it was hell on earth. I had borrowed a small tent from a friend, and some very basic equipment, and off the family went. It was only for two days, but laying on a hard floor with only a sleeping bag with chronic back pain isn't an enjoyable experience.
Since then we have bought our own tent and added equipment to make it more comfortable. There was plenty of egging on by the wife, and children, who wanted to go camping again, that persuaded me to give it another go and invest in some equipment of our own. Personally I'm more happy by the pool somewhere hot in the world, but we're a democratic family, and camping got the winning vote.
But I had a good sleep on the first night, and it was the wife who had the restless night. The group of adults next to us had sat outside their tent when their own children had gone to sleep. They were drinking and talking, and the more drunk they got the louder they became. It didn't bother me because after all the hard work I had put in that day, and a few beers, I soon fell into the land of nod. But the wife became more and more irritated with them, and apparently by the first hour of Monday morning she had had enough, and went over to them asking them politely to be quite. They said sorry, and quietened down, but it took the intervention of somebody from another tent, plus an argument, before they finally went to sleep. I was none the wiser to these events until a rather tired wife told me in the morning.
After I cooked a breakfast of bacon and egg sandwiches we walked down to Cromer beach. It took longer than we expected. For some reason we thought we could get to get to the beach in ten to fifteen minutes, but we had to add another half an hour to this before we could get the swim ware on as the sun appeared. Cromer is a traditional British seaside resort. I enjoyed the local speciality of Cromer dressed crab, caught just off the coast, and landed on the beach in small wooden boats before being prepared locally. We all had chips for lunch with dashings of salt and vinegar, and later on we had ice cream on the beach.
The walk home was too much to handle so we took a taxi back to the camp site. Me and the wife sat outside our tent with a drink while the children played with their new friends they had already made, and once we all had a shower, and changed, we headed to the camp site bar.
All I can say about the food in the bar at Forest Park was that is was the best ever value meal I have ever had in the U.K. All the dishes were tasty, and my burger was probably the best burger I have ever eaten. We went to bed that night with our bellies full, and very content.
The children feel asleep as soon as their heads hit their pillars while the wife and I had a glass or two of wine under the night sky while watching shooting stars. The end to a perfect day on a traditional British seaside camping holiday.
Regards
Mark
