Rupert Dreyfus's Blog, page 7
March 1, 2016
Updates and Some Thoughts on Trumpmania
I hope everyone is safe and well.
I’d first like to give a shout out to all the people who have recently read, are reading or intend to read my books in the near future – particularly those folks on Goodreads who are leaving reviews. And an extra thanks to the people who have been helping me to locate more readers. I know I’m repeating myself but the least fun part about being a Skint Eastwood indie author is hunting down readers so if you’re up for reading my stuff and reviewing it or know of anybody who might be then feel free to drop me a DM and I’ll hook you up.
In other news Broke is approximately halfway there. However, in real terms it’s still going to be some time before it’s released into the public domain. I’m looking forward to the day, though, because it’s going to be a lot of fun. I know it virtually means nothing to say it, but I do think that what I’ve written so far is some of my sharpest writing to date.
I’m part of the way through reading a new collection of poems by Harry Whitewolf called Two Beat Newbie. I was over the moon to see a reference to my debut novel Spark. This is particularly touching because Whitewolf writes poetry which echoes many of my own sentiments with regards to the state of the world. So if you’re up for an anti-establishment ruckus in poetry form then I’d highly recommend checking out his books.
Here’s the link to Whitewolf’s website:
http://www.harrywhitewolf.com/
Last month I mouthed off about the EU referendum being a waste of everybody’s time. I figured that if I put out socio-political satire then I should probably try some serious commentary from time to time. Apologies if it came across a little abrupt. I was just bored of listening to people present their arguments as if it was going to solve any problems in the real world. I suppose this attitude stems from some some sound advice I once received from a good friend: before deciding which army you’re going to join, ask yourself if the war is worth fighting for. Normally it isn’t – as with the EU referendum. A so-called Brexit (which has got to be one of the most annoying media terms to be banded around in the last ten years) would be no different to busting out of a prison cell only to realise that at the end of the first corridor is just another locked door. Tell me I’m wrong.
Truth is that the significance of the EU referendum pales significantly in comparison to what’s going on in America right now. It’s been a trend of neoliberalism that when things barely work for ordinary people, the disciples of laissez-faire get it in their heads that shifting things even further to the right will make everything okay. In the UK we’ve had a largely unchallenged UKIP pushing the agenda rightward for the last however many years (they have played a significant role in putting this year’s EU referendum on the agenda); however, in America this has manifested in something even more alarming: the abomination that is Donald Trump.
If you don’t already know Trump is a trillionaire ex-wrestler who these days makes his money out of real estate and other business ventures. Research suggests that he’s so wealthy that he’s the only person in the world to have had a designer wig weaved out of the fur of native Tasmanian sugar gliders. He also believes that wincing at scientific facts (such as all the independent data which supports climate change) is tantamount to rebutting them. I remember watching a Fox News interview online and Bill O’Reilly asked for Trump’s thoughts on climate change. Trump then proceeded to make the elementary mistake of confusing weather and climate…
I could go on with the usual ridicule but in sum it’s hard to understand why anyone of sound mind would find him an attractive option to be the next President of the World.
Now as far as I see it the real frightening thing about all of this is that Trump is just the result of a system which has turned politicians into shrewd businessmen and shrewd businessmen into politicians. This is observable wherever in the world there is neoliberalism. I will make a prediction that the next step is going to be that businessmen no longer have to buy politicians with their wallets; they just become them. And because these two types of curious species are becoming virtually indistinguishable from each other, the general public will no longer be able to tell the difference – hence Trumpmania.
This is all very well if you accept that what we’re presently seeing is the natural order of our species and that governments should be ran no differently to, for example, Starbucks. However, I don’t. If you look at the details then you’ll find that in order to thrive under free market fundamentalism you first have to learn a complex language which hardly anyone speaks. This is the language of doing business and if you don’t speak it -which most people don’t- then your chances of getting off the treadmill are virtually nil.
Yet even if you are one of the few people who try to master this alien language, the people in charge will then tell you that you have to cross your fingers and pray to Jesus because your chances of speaking this language successfully depends on a degree of luck; the same sort of luck that people who hit the lottery jackpot infrequently experience.
This, in a nutshell, is why we have a handful of people hogging most of the wealth while the rest of us are fighting over who should own the crumbs. But what’s the answer? Vote for one of the very wealth hoggers apparently.
Trumpmaniacs will no doubt argue that he’s giving the establishment a boot up its arse. I wish this was true, but the fact of the matter is that Trump is the establishment – at least a tiny part of it. To give the establishment a meaningful boot up its arse you’d also have to do the dangerous thing and stick your middle finger up at the free markets. I don’t see any mainstream politicians doing that because if they did, they wouldn’t survive in the politics game for very long.
So that’s this month’s mouthing off done. I’ll be back next month to discuss whatever shite is going on. Hopefully it’ll be a bit more uplifting, but I won’t bank on it.
Take it easy.
R.D
I’d first like to give a shout out to all the people who have recently read, are reading or intend to read my books in the near future – particularly those folks on Goodreads who are leaving reviews. And an extra thanks to the people who have been helping me to locate more readers. I know I’m repeating myself but the least fun part about being a Skint Eastwood indie author is hunting down readers so if you’re up for reading my stuff and reviewing it or know of anybody who might be then feel free to drop me a DM and I’ll hook you up.
In other news Broke is approximately halfway there. However, in real terms it’s still going to be some time before it’s released into the public domain. I’m looking forward to the day, though, because it’s going to be a lot of fun. I know it virtually means nothing to say it, but I do think that what I’ve written so far is some of my sharpest writing to date.
I’m part of the way through reading a new collection of poems by Harry Whitewolf called Two Beat Newbie. I was over the moon to see a reference to my debut novel Spark. This is particularly touching because Whitewolf writes poetry which echoes many of my own sentiments with regards to the state of the world. So if you’re up for an anti-establishment ruckus in poetry form then I’d highly recommend checking out his books.
Here’s the link to Whitewolf’s website:
http://www.harrywhitewolf.com/
Last month I mouthed off about the EU referendum being a waste of everybody’s time. I figured that if I put out socio-political satire then I should probably try some serious commentary from time to time. Apologies if it came across a little abrupt. I was just bored of listening to people present their arguments as if it was going to solve any problems in the real world. I suppose this attitude stems from some some sound advice I once received from a good friend: before deciding which army you’re going to join, ask yourself if the war is worth fighting for. Normally it isn’t – as with the EU referendum. A so-called Brexit (which has got to be one of the most annoying media terms to be banded around in the last ten years) would be no different to busting out of a prison cell only to realise that at the end of the first corridor is just another locked door. Tell me I’m wrong.
Truth is that the significance of the EU referendum pales significantly in comparison to what’s going on in America right now. It’s been a trend of neoliberalism that when things barely work for ordinary people, the disciples of laissez-faire get it in their heads that shifting things even further to the right will make everything okay. In the UK we’ve had a largely unchallenged UKIP pushing the agenda rightward for the last however many years (they have played a significant role in putting this year’s EU referendum on the agenda); however, in America this has manifested in something even more alarming: the abomination that is Donald Trump.
If you don’t already know Trump is a trillionaire ex-wrestler who these days makes his money out of real estate and other business ventures. Research suggests that he’s so wealthy that he’s the only person in the world to have had a designer wig weaved out of the fur of native Tasmanian sugar gliders. He also believes that wincing at scientific facts (such as all the independent data which supports climate change) is tantamount to rebutting them. I remember watching a Fox News interview online and Bill O’Reilly asked for Trump’s thoughts on climate change. Trump then proceeded to make the elementary mistake of confusing weather and climate…
I could go on with the usual ridicule but in sum it’s hard to understand why anyone of sound mind would find him an attractive option to be the next President of the World.
Now as far as I see it the real frightening thing about all of this is that Trump is just the result of a system which has turned politicians into shrewd businessmen and shrewd businessmen into politicians. This is observable wherever in the world there is neoliberalism. I will make a prediction that the next step is going to be that businessmen no longer have to buy politicians with their wallets; they just become them. And because these two types of curious species are becoming virtually indistinguishable from each other, the general public will no longer be able to tell the difference – hence Trumpmania.
This is all very well if you accept that what we’re presently seeing is the natural order of our species and that governments should be ran no differently to, for example, Starbucks. However, I don’t. If you look at the details then you’ll find that in order to thrive under free market fundamentalism you first have to learn a complex language which hardly anyone speaks. This is the language of doing business and if you don’t speak it -which most people don’t- then your chances of getting off the treadmill are virtually nil.
Yet even if you are one of the few people who try to master this alien language, the people in charge will then tell you that you have to cross your fingers and pray to Jesus because your chances of speaking this language successfully depends on a degree of luck; the same sort of luck that people who hit the lottery jackpot infrequently experience.
This, in a nutshell, is why we have a handful of people hogging most of the wealth while the rest of us are fighting over who should own the crumbs. But what’s the answer? Vote for one of the very wealth hoggers apparently.
Trumpmaniacs will no doubt argue that he’s giving the establishment a boot up its arse. I wish this was true, but the fact of the matter is that Trump is the establishment – at least a tiny part of it. To give the establishment a meaningful boot up its arse you’d also have to do the dangerous thing and stick your middle finger up at the free markets. I don’t see any mainstream politicians doing that because if they did, they wouldn’t survive in the politics game for very long.
So that’s this month’s mouthing off done. I’ll be back next month to discuss whatever shite is going on. Hopefully it’ll be a bit more uplifting, but I won’t bank on it.
Take it easy.
R.D
February 15, 2016
A News Update and Some Thoughts on the EU Referendum
Whenever I say that I'm going to do something such as not post much just ignore it because I can't keep my fat trap shut these days.
Here's my latest blog:
Greetings, folks.
As the story I’m writing develops, it’s becoming clearer to me that the central theme of my next novel, Broke, is inequality. More specifically the tables are going to turn and the downtrodden poor are going to rip off the extremely rich for once. I can’t express my disdain enough for neoliberalism and all the bile it spits out at us, and this novel is going to be my biggest boot up its arse to date. This disdain is the driving force behind pretty much everything I write and serves as a direct assault on a system which works exclusively for them as well as those reactionary mugs who defend it or who mindlessly stagger through each day in line with being an obedient citizen of the free world with predictable hairdos, tastes and opinions on just about everything.
On the flipside it’s reassuring to have discovered some like-minded writers over the last year who are using their art to lash out at a system in decay. It makes me feel less lonely in a world where this type of material is presently existing on the fringes, almost exclusively in the self-publishing world where very few people bother to look. However, if we keep networking and supporting each other then hopefully we can establish a lively movement of artists and writers who are committed to speaking out because the world needs us now more than ever. Hopefully as time goes by more readers who are looking for an alternative will come to realise that they’re not going to find much of one sitting on the shelves of their local Waterstone’s.
What else can I moan about? The EU referendum is a pile of shite which is taken seriously mainly by people who believe that either outcome is going to be radically different for them. The way I see it is that I’m basically being asked do I want my prison guard to have a sexy Belgian accent or do I want my prison guard to have a cockney London accent. The reality is I don’t want a prison guard – let alone care to waste any time over which accent they’re going to have. As far as I’m concerned the EU is just another layer of bureaucratic, anti-democratic bullshit which places a very low ceiling on the potential for freedom. The fundamental problem is that once you get rid of the EU, you’re still going to be under the thumb of the same disgusting authoritarians who want to keep that ceiling as low as they possibly can. Simply put: our struggle for freedom has nothing to do with whether or not we stay in the EU. Only people way off-course with what matters right now are getting excited about whether the EU should influence our domestic laws or not. I don’t want any of the EU’s laws or Westminster’s laws or anybody else’s laws; I want anarchy, freedom and peace. Everything else is irrelevant to me.
So don’t let this establishment circus show side-track you because your real enemies right now are all those in support of rampant neoliberalism. For as long as we can’t identify this and organise ourselves against it, there is no hope of liberating ourselves. Making a tiny tweak to the present system one way or the other is not going to save us; it’s just going to prolong the process of busting out of this prison system once and for all.
That’s all for this month. I’ll be back soon with more aimless rambling.
R.D
Here's my latest blog:
Greetings, folks.
As the story I’m writing develops, it’s becoming clearer to me that the central theme of my next novel, Broke, is inequality. More specifically the tables are going to turn and the downtrodden poor are going to rip off the extremely rich for once. I can’t express my disdain enough for neoliberalism and all the bile it spits out at us, and this novel is going to be my biggest boot up its arse to date. This disdain is the driving force behind pretty much everything I write and serves as a direct assault on a system which works exclusively for them as well as those reactionary mugs who defend it or who mindlessly stagger through each day in line with being an obedient citizen of the free world with predictable hairdos, tastes and opinions on just about everything.
On the flipside it’s reassuring to have discovered some like-minded writers over the last year who are using their art to lash out at a system in decay. It makes me feel less lonely in a world where this type of material is presently existing on the fringes, almost exclusively in the self-publishing world where very few people bother to look. However, if we keep networking and supporting each other then hopefully we can establish a lively movement of artists and writers who are committed to speaking out because the world needs us now more than ever. Hopefully as time goes by more readers who are looking for an alternative will come to realise that they’re not going to find much of one sitting on the shelves of their local Waterstone’s.
What else can I moan about? The EU referendum is a pile of shite which is taken seriously mainly by people who believe that either outcome is going to be radically different for them. The way I see it is that I’m basically being asked do I want my prison guard to have a sexy Belgian accent or do I want my prison guard to have a cockney London accent. The reality is I don’t want a prison guard – let alone care to waste any time over which accent they’re going to have. As far as I’m concerned the EU is just another layer of bureaucratic, anti-democratic bullshit which places a very low ceiling on the potential for freedom. The fundamental problem is that once you get rid of the EU, you’re still going to be under the thumb of the same disgusting authoritarians who want to keep that ceiling as low as they possibly can. Simply put: our struggle for freedom has nothing to do with whether or not we stay in the EU. Only people way off-course with what matters right now are getting excited about whether the EU should influence our domestic laws or not. I don’t want any of the EU’s laws or Westminster’s laws or anybody else’s laws; I want anarchy, freedom and peace. Everything else is irrelevant to me.
So don’t let this establishment circus show side-track you because your real enemies right now are all those in support of rampant neoliberalism. For as long as we can’t identify this and organise ourselves against it, there is no hope of liberating ourselves. Making a tiny tweak to the present system one way or the other is not going to save us; it’s just going to prolong the process of busting out of this prison system once and for all.
That’s all for this month. I’ll be back soon with more aimless rambling.
R.D
December 12, 2015
Last Goodreads blog of 2015 and probably for a while
Evening all,
The Goodreads give away for The Rebel’s Sketchbook is now over. Thanks to everyone who entered. The book will be sent to the winner on Monday. Congratulations and I hope you enjoy it. It’s going to be the last give away for this book because they’re quite expensive to run and I’m Skint Eastwood.
I was planning on releasing a short story around about this time, but I’ve decided to hold back on it so apologies for that little glitch in the matrix. I’ve got a number of unreleased short stories which will all be put out there at some point in the future.
I will list everything that I’m presently working on in 2016 and yonder to limit the need for putting out future updates. I feel like it’s time for me to go quiet for a bit. I’ve been making a lot of noise these last six months and need a break.
So here’s everything that will eventually be released over the next however many years:
Broke: I’ve started to plough my way through a new novel which I’m pretty certain is going to be my next release. Like a lot of my stories are; it’s about somebody who creatively tries to escape grinding poverty and abject misery.
Crackers: a collection of 13 short stories which interweave to make one big story. There is lots more socio-political commentary going on with some deserving targets.
Black Sheep: a short story from the viewpoint of Vinnie Sloane which explains why all the black sheep addicts wear purple velvet dressing gowns and believe in aliens. This is likely to be a very surreal, experimental story and I may have to go on a drug binge as part of the research process (ha!).
Kane: a novel about British post-war history, my love of street slang, hip hop, and some tips on how to crash a supermarket which sentences its employees to a life on zero-hour contracts.
Sick Bastard: a novella which centres around the crust punk community in the short story Hotel Scum. I can’t wait to get to writing this one because it’s going to be a lot of fun.
I have no idea when any of these stories are going to be released but they are all at varying stages of completion. One thing you can be sure of: they’ll all be crammed full of the usual toilet humour and teen angst disguised as thoughtful prose. And for the Dreyfus diehards there’ll be the usual cross-references as well as recurring themes, characters, motifs and anti-establishment, idiot ridiculing sentiments.
Finally; 2015 has been a great year for the Dreyfus war machine. A huge thanks to Imran at Pop Matters and to Paul at the Morning Star for their support. Thanks to everyone who interviewed me and to those folks who are open-minded enough to read and support indie authors. Thanks to the people who have been in touch through my website; always great to hear from you all. Thanks to the indie authors in my network for their support. And an extra special shout out to everyone who is helping with foodbanks, refugees, the homeless and anyone else who is vulnerable at this time of the year. Please consider helping out; no matter how small your contribution is. If you’re skint, too, then remember that you don’t always have to give people money; five minutes of your time is all you have to give someone to help them through whatever difficulties they’re going through.
If you do have spare money then my friend Alix and her family could do with donations. Read more about her situation here:
https://www.gofundme.com/zu393pkc
All the best for 2015 and I’ll update you way off in the future.
No gods. No masters. No wars. Anarchy and peace.
R.D
The Goodreads give away for The Rebel’s Sketchbook is now over. Thanks to everyone who entered. The book will be sent to the winner on Monday. Congratulations and I hope you enjoy it. It’s going to be the last give away for this book because they’re quite expensive to run and I’m Skint Eastwood.
I was planning on releasing a short story around about this time, but I’ve decided to hold back on it so apologies for that little glitch in the matrix. I’ve got a number of unreleased short stories which will all be put out there at some point in the future.
I will list everything that I’m presently working on in 2016 and yonder to limit the need for putting out future updates. I feel like it’s time for me to go quiet for a bit. I’ve been making a lot of noise these last six months and need a break.
So here’s everything that will eventually be released over the next however many years:
Broke: I’ve started to plough my way through a new novel which I’m pretty certain is going to be my next release. Like a lot of my stories are; it’s about somebody who creatively tries to escape grinding poverty and abject misery.
Crackers: a collection of 13 short stories which interweave to make one big story. There is lots more socio-political commentary going on with some deserving targets.
Black Sheep: a short story from the viewpoint of Vinnie Sloane which explains why all the black sheep addicts wear purple velvet dressing gowns and believe in aliens. This is likely to be a very surreal, experimental story and I may have to go on a drug binge as part of the research process (ha!).
Kane: a novel about British post-war history, my love of street slang, hip hop, and some tips on how to crash a supermarket which sentences its employees to a life on zero-hour contracts.
Sick Bastard: a novella which centres around the crust punk community in the short story Hotel Scum. I can’t wait to get to writing this one because it’s going to be a lot of fun.
I have no idea when any of these stories are going to be released but they are all at varying stages of completion. One thing you can be sure of: they’ll all be crammed full of the usual toilet humour and teen angst disguised as thoughtful prose. And for the Dreyfus diehards there’ll be the usual cross-references as well as recurring themes, characters, motifs and anti-establishment, idiot ridiculing sentiments.
Finally; 2015 has been a great year for the Dreyfus war machine. A huge thanks to Imran at Pop Matters and to Paul at the Morning Star for their support. Thanks to everyone who interviewed me and to those folks who are open-minded enough to read and support indie authors. Thanks to the people who have been in touch through my website; always great to hear from you all. Thanks to the indie authors in my network for their support. And an extra special shout out to everyone who is helping with foodbanks, refugees, the homeless and anyone else who is vulnerable at this time of the year. Please consider helping out; no matter how small your contribution is. If you’re skint, too, then remember that you don’t always have to give people money; five minutes of your time is all you have to give someone to help them through whatever difficulties they’re going through.
If you do have spare money then my friend Alix and her family could do with donations. Read more about her situation here:
https://www.gofundme.com/zu393pkc
All the best for 2015 and I’ll update you way off in the future.
No gods. No masters. No wars. Anarchy and peace.
R.D
November 23, 2015
Morning Star Review of The Rebel’s Sketchbook Part II
Hi folks,
The online review by Paul Simon at the Morning Star has just gone live. I’m really happy with this review because it’ll hopefully reach some like-minded people. The review also draws comparison to Edgar Allan Poe who happens to be one of my old favourites so that was an unexpected bonus.
Once again I’d like to give a massive thanks to Paul and the Morning Star for the review. You can find it here.
Thanks to everyone who has read, is reading or intends to read this book in the future. I just wrote an Oscars-style speech and then deleted it because it was a bit over the top for the occasion.
In other news: sometime in December I’m releasing a short story which takes swipes at more social media idiots and then in the New Year I’m going to start writing something completely new. I have numerous projects on the go but they’re all going on hold while I concentrate on some anti-establishment satire…
I’ll be in touch with you all in December. Meanwhile stay outta trouble…
R.D
The online review by Paul Simon at the Morning Star has just gone live. I’m really happy with this review because it’ll hopefully reach some like-minded people. The review also draws comparison to Edgar Allan Poe who happens to be one of my old favourites so that was an unexpected bonus.
Once again I’d like to give a massive thanks to Paul and the Morning Star for the review. You can find it here.
Thanks to everyone who has read, is reading or intends to read this book in the future. I just wrote an Oscars-style speech and then deleted it because it was a bit over the top for the occasion.
In other news: sometime in December I’m releasing a short story which takes swipes at more social media idiots and then in the New Year I’m going to start writing something completely new. I have numerous projects on the go but they’re all going on hold while I concentrate on some anti-establishment satire…
I’ll be in touch with you all in December. Meanwhile stay outta trouble…
R.D
November 21, 2015
Morning Star Review of The Rebel’s Sketchbook Part I
‘Dreyfus is an authentic and vital writer.’
I must’ve been blessed this year because The Rebel’s Sketchbook has received its second professional review of the year – this time from Paul Simon at the Morning Star. The article is in the print edition, but will be released online in the next few days and I’ll be sure to post the link as soon as it’s up. I have managed to hunt a copy down and was surprised to see my mugshot staring back at me alongside a glowing review for the book. This is particularly exciting because the Morning Star reaches the sorts of people who may be more inclined to read and appreciate the themes and messages I attempt to convey.
Thanks very much to Paul and the Morning Star for giving me some exposure.
I’ll be posting Part II just as soon as I get the link…
Take care,
R.D
I must’ve been blessed this year because The Rebel’s Sketchbook has received its second professional review of the year – this time from Paul Simon at the Morning Star. The article is in the print edition, but will be released online in the next few days and I’ll be sure to post the link as soon as it’s up. I have managed to hunt a copy down and was surprised to see my mugshot staring back at me alongside a glowing review for the book. This is particularly exciting because the Morning Star reaches the sorts of people who may be more inclined to read and appreciate the themes and messages I attempt to convey.
Thanks very much to Paul and the Morning Star for giving me some exposure.
I’ll be posting Part II just as soon as I get the link…
Take care,
R.D
November 5, 2015
Free Paperbacks of My Book Available, Signed and Everyfink!
Hi folks,
I've got some paperback copies of The Rebel's Sketchbook which I want to get into the hands of people on Goodreads who will review them here and on Amazon for me.
This is how I described it in a recent interview with Paul Howsley: 'The Rebel's Sketchbook... basically serves as a giant "fuck you" on behalf of everyone who's fed up with the system's political and cultural bile. But I wanted it to be fun - like an old school punk album that doesn't really care about offending people so long as it's offending the right people for the right reasons.'
It was reviewed professionally by Pop Matters and was given 8 out of 10 stars (which I don't shut up about). You can read that review here:
http://www.popmatters.com/review/the-...
It's hopefully getting reviewed by another high profile publication soon. More of that another time...
Please spread the word to like-minded people and ask them to get in touch or if you are that like-minded person then send me a message on here and we'll sort it out. From the feedback I get I'm pretty sure there are more people into this sort of story; it's just a matter of locating them.
I'll probably do another give away through Goodreads in a week or so, but this is your opportunity to by-pass that nonsense and get yourself a copy. I'll even sign it or draw a picture of your mum on it.
Inabit.
R.D
I've got some paperback copies of The Rebel's Sketchbook which I want to get into the hands of people on Goodreads who will review them here and on Amazon for me.
This is how I described it in a recent interview with Paul Howsley: 'The Rebel's Sketchbook... basically serves as a giant "fuck you" on behalf of everyone who's fed up with the system's political and cultural bile. But I wanted it to be fun - like an old school punk album that doesn't really care about offending people so long as it's offending the right people for the right reasons.'
It was reviewed professionally by Pop Matters and was given 8 out of 10 stars (which I don't shut up about). You can read that review here:
http://www.popmatters.com/review/the-...
It's hopefully getting reviewed by another high profile publication soon. More of that another time...
Please spread the word to like-minded people and ask them to get in touch or if you are that like-minded person then send me a message on here and we'll sort it out. From the feedback I get I'm pretty sure there are more people into this sort of story; it's just a matter of locating them.
I'll probably do another give away through Goodreads in a week or so, but this is your opportunity to by-pass that nonsense and get yourself a copy. I'll even sign it or draw a picture of your mum on it.
Inabit.
R.D
October 27, 2015
Mouthing Off and Some Updates
I enjoy my time on Goodreads but it’s recently occurred to me that it’s become a bit of a vampire. As you’re all aware by now I’m a broke, shit eating indie author who still has to beg people to read his books. I’m learning that this pastime is about as much fun as visiting the GUM clinic with a chapped willy. But like many authors out there who are seeking some sort of vindication for wasting their lives away writing stories that only a handful of people read, I spend a lot of my spare time racking my brains, trying to think up inventive ways to get people reading my stuff.
Before Goodreads went all Maggie Thatcher on us, it used to be the case that a user’s profile would indicate that they’d categorically enjoy what I’m doing. So I’d contact them with a personalised message, offering them my work for free in return for a review. There were normally two outcomes which would amount to either being ignored or the person would oblige. These days, however, Goodreads has outlawed this practice on the basis that it amounts to spam. The cold, hard truth of the matter is that Goodreads wants authors to spend money on their promotional tools. They no longer want to provide a free networking facility for both authors and readers – just readers. This is all very well if you’re not a broke, shit eating indie author like me.
About a month ago I contacted Goodreads, told them that their policy was a massive pair of swinging elephant bollocks and suggested that instead they should have an opt-in option for people who are open-minded enough to be contacted by authors (you could even personalise it so you don’t get people approaching you with books you definitely don’t want to read). This would cater for everyone. In fact I’d go so far as to say it’s the answer to all of our prayers.
Regardless, Goodreads got back to me with a copy and pasted response which didn’t address my suggestion. The reality is that Goodreads is a cut-throat business and, just like other cut-throat businesses who leech on people's creativity, they want to extract money out of authors wherever they can. How better to do this than saying we’re not allowed to network for free anymore?
Since this policy has come into effect I’ve been struggling to locate readers. This is because I’m now limited to only being allowed to contact people on my buddies list or to post on forums which, let’s face it, are normally hostile towards authors who are looking for readers unless the forum exists solely for that purpose. There are always give aways but I’m dubious about how effective they really are. Great for getting people to click the ‘to read’ button; not so great for getting people to actually read your books.
What this means is I’m now turning to real world marketing in the New Year. What is real world marketing? I hear you ask. Well, real world marketing is a term I made up which sounds like the sort of thing social media expert bell-ends use in an effort to sound like they know what they’re talking about. What I mean by it is that online/ social media marketing is becoming a headache these days so in the New Year I’m going to start contacting people in the real world in a bid to locate more readers.
This idea has come from my good friend Emerald. Emerald made some leaflets for me and then took them to Banksy’s Dismaland as well as some anarchist book fares. These are the sorts of events which will be full of people open to what I’m doing. So in 2016 I’m going to be using some old school guerrilla warfare tactics to get people reading my stuff. I have some ideas and will keep you all posted. I may even turn up in a city near you so we can hang out together and fart.
In other news I’m going to release a short story at the beginning of December. It’s like a deleted scene out of The Rebel’s Sketchbook covering everyone’s three favourite subjects: internet idiots, selfies and North Korea. I personally think it’s hilarious. If you’ve read Sentenced then the narrator is our Saul’s little cousin and he’s a complete fuckwit who will get right on your nerves.
Dear all: if you’ve read Spark or The Rebel’s Sketchbook and you know anyone who’ll enjoy these books then please ask them to contact me for free copies in their preferred format. Mention it on the forums you’re a member of or have a look through your buddies list and recommend these books to like-minded people, telling them I’ll gladly provide them with a copy in exchange for a review.
Dear authors in the same boat: we need to take a step back from this demoralising situation and push for a better platform. I imagine you're not happy with having to beg either. Let's think up ways of making this work better in 2016.
Okay, I’m finito done with begging for 2015. It’s been frustrating as fuck and I've hated every second of it. 2016 is going to be far more productive...
Thanks for reading and will catch up with you soon.
R.D
Before Goodreads went all Maggie Thatcher on us, it used to be the case that a user’s profile would indicate that they’d categorically enjoy what I’m doing. So I’d contact them with a personalised message, offering them my work for free in return for a review. There were normally two outcomes which would amount to either being ignored or the person would oblige. These days, however, Goodreads has outlawed this practice on the basis that it amounts to spam. The cold, hard truth of the matter is that Goodreads wants authors to spend money on their promotional tools. They no longer want to provide a free networking facility for both authors and readers – just readers. This is all very well if you’re not a broke, shit eating indie author like me.
About a month ago I contacted Goodreads, told them that their policy was a massive pair of swinging elephant bollocks and suggested that instead they should have an opt-in option for people who are open-minded enough to be contacted by authors (you could even personalise it so you don’t get people approaching you with books you definitely don’t want to read). This would cater for everyone. In fact I’d go so far as to say it’s the answer to all of our prayers.
Regardless, Goodreads got back to me with a copy and pasted response which didn’t address my suggestion. The reality is that Goodreads is a cut-throat business and, just like other cut-throat businesses who leech on people's creativity, they want to extract money out of authors wherever they can. How better to do this than saying we’re not allowed to network for free anymore?
Since this policy has come into effect I’ve been struggling to locate readers. This is because I’m now limited to only being allowed to contact people on my buddies list or to post on forums which, let’s face it, are normally hostile towards authors who are looking for readers unless the forum exists solely for that purpose. There are always give aways but I’m dubious about how effective they really are. Great for getting people to click the ‘to read’ button; not so great for getting people to actually read your books.
What this means is I’m now turning to real world marketing in the New Year. What is real world marketing? I hear you ask. Well, real world marketing is a term I made up which sounds like the sort of thing social media expert bell-ends use in an effort to sound like they know what they’re talking about. What I mean by it is that online/ social media marketing is becoming a headache these days so in the New Year I’m going to start contacting people in the real world in a bid to locate more readers.
This idea has come from my good friend Emerald. Emerald made some leaflets for me and then took them to Banksy’s Dismaland as well as some anarchist book fares. These are the sorts of events which will be full of people open to what I’m doing. So in 2016 I’m going to be using some old school guerrilla warfare tactics to get people reading my stuff. I have some ideas and will keep you all posted. I may even turn up in a city near you so we can hang out together and fart.
In other news I’m going to release a short story at the beginning of December. It’s like a deleted scene out of The Rebel’s Sketchbook covering everyone’s three favourite subjects: internet idiots, selfies and North Korea. I personally think it’s hilarious. If you’ve read Sentenced then the narrator is our Saul’s little cousin and he’s a complete fuckwit who will get right on your nerves.
Dear all: if you’ve read Spark or The Rebel’s Sketchbook and you know anyone who’ll enjoy these books then please ask them to contact me for free copies in their preferred format. Mention it on the forums you’re a member of or have a look through your buddies list and recommend these books to like-minded people, telling them I’ll gladly provide them with a copy in exchange for a review.
Dear authors in the same boat: we need to take a step back from this demoralising situation and push for a better platform. I imagine you're not happy with having to beg either. Let's think up ways of making this work better in 2016.
Okay, I’m finito done with begging for 2015. It’s been frustrating as fuck and I've hated every second of it. 2016 is going to be far more productive...
Thanks for reading and will catch up with you soon.
R.D
October 15, 2015
The Rebel's Sketchbook First Professional Review!
Hi Folks
I was contacted a few months ago by a contributing editor at Pop Matters called Imran. Pop Matters is an influential online publication which offers cultural criticism on all aspects of the creative arts. I sent Imran a copy of Spark alongside some short stories which were then to be included in The Rebel’s Sketchbook. From this exchange Imran offered to review The Rebel’s Sketchbook once it was released.
Fast forward a couple of months and the review has just gone live. I am very thankful to Imran and the folks at Pop Matters for giving me some credible media exposure - something which indie authors are usually starved of.
If you’ve read The Rebel’s Sketchbook, let me know what you think of the review. Here is the link:
http://www.popmatters.com/review/the-...
The good news is that I’m now technically famous so I might even get my own Wikipedia page soon – something I’ve always dreamed about. Celebrity Big Brother have already been in touch and are presently considering my application for next year’s show so things are looking up.
I'll provide you all with another update on upcoming projects soon. Meanwhile it’s time to switch on this webcam so I can start filming the crazy after-party.
Speak soon!
R.D
I was contacted a few months ago by a contributing editor at Pop Matters called Imran. Pop Matters is an influential online publication which offers cultural criticism on all aspects of the creative arts. I sent Imran a copy of Spark alongside some short stories which were then to be included in The Rebel’s Sketchbook. From this exchange Imran offered to review The Rebel’s Sketchbook once it was released.
Fast forward a couple of months and the review has just gone live. I am very thankful to Imran and the folks at Pop Matters for giving me some credible media exposure - something which indie authors are usually starved of.
If you’ve read The Rebel’s Sketchbook, let me know what you think of the review. Here is the link:
http://www.popmatters.com/review/the-...
The good news is that I’m now technically famous so I might even get my own Wikipedia page soon – something I’ve always dreamed about. Celebrity Big Brother have already been in touch and are presently considering my application for next year’s show so things are looking up.
I'll provide you all with another update on upcoming projects soon. Meanwhile it’s time to switch on this webcam so I can start filming the crazy after-party.
Speak soon!
R.D
October 12, 2015
Author Interview: Rupert Dreyfus
Massive thanks to Lorie for this interview!
Originally posted on indie revolution:
Here it is: the first ever Indie Author Interview on Indie Revolution! I’m thrilled to share this with you and many more Indie Author Interviews in the future; so keep your eyes peeled!
Recently, I had the chance to interview grassroots author from Northern England, Rupert Dreyfus, about his first novel Spark and his collection of short stories, The Rebel’s Sketchbook.
You can get your sticky fingers on a copy of Rupert’s books here and here.
Here’s the Q&A:
LM: While most indie authors can only dream of quitting their day jobs, they continue to pursue writing and self-publishing because they are drawn to create. When did you experience your “call to write” and why is story-telling (particularly the stories of indie authors) important to you?
RD: I began to write stories about ten years ago, but they were pretty awful for most of this time. I then found myself…
View original 1,649 more words
September 27, 2015
Book Review – ‘Rebel’s Sketchbook’, Rupert Dreyfus
Thanks, Mr Black!
Originally posted on 
Short stories are, for me, an undervalued medium in literature. Many of the great literary figures have at some point written short stories, but they often take a back seat to longer and famous works. J. G Ballard and Malcolm Bradbury are no exception to that rule, but in my opinion their short stories are their best works…. So, as you may have guessed I like short stories and was very interested to read ‘Rebel’s Sketchbook’…. I was not to be disappointed.
Rupert clearly has a vivid imagination that he has managed to distil into a funny, nasty, contemporary, and original piece of work. They way that the stories interweave with each other makes Rebel’s Sketchbook much more than just a ‘collection’ of short stories.
There is all kinds of things going on in these stories. It is the literary equivalent of sitting in the space port bar in Mos-Eisley…
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