Another Year...

“Christ on a bike! That Harry Whitewolf geezer has posted a new blog post,” says someone in Harry’s Goodreads feed upon seeing his new blog post. “I’d forgotten all about that fella. He used to be making wise-ass remarks, creating bad puns, reviewing indie books, damning the establishment, slagging off gnomes, and causing all sorts of mischief all the time on Goodreads. But he hasn’t shown his face much for ages… Er, not that Harry’s ever shown his face much… He must think he’s bloody Banksy. Yeah, I’d forgotten all about the infamous Whitewolf. I thought he was dead, to be honest.”

Well, thank you, imaginary reader. As is the fickle way of social media, I dare say I have been forgotten by some, as I’ve barely been on Goodreads this past year. So, seeing as this new year thingamy is upon us, I thought I’d poke my snout out of my smoky flat and say hello to all of my Goodreads buddies who I’ve been neglecting. There are so many of you who I still think about often and love dearly, but who I’ve not been in touch with for ages. So, I hope you’re all still tickety-boo and kicking arse.

There’s no great mystery as to why I’ve not been on Goodreads (the only social media platform I use, by the way) that much this last year. As is the way of social media, people ebb and flow to and fro at different times. The main reason for my absence is simply: work. But that’s a good thing. It was two years ago that I bit the bullet and decided to try to make a full-time living out of my freelance writing and illustration work, and since then, it’s been an up-and-down path that’s now started to straighten out and prosper. I’m proud of myself that I’ve managed to build up a little business I can do from home, and I’ve written blog posts and online content for several established websites and some well-known brands, and I’ve provided illustrations for books, charities, and other ventures. I’ve learnt a lot in the last two years. But writing and online-researching day in day out has meant my creative writing has suffered and I’ve wanted to spend less time online during my spare time.

Anyway, I wasn’t as absent from Goodreads as much I may have made out. Looking back on 2019, I did manage to achieve the three following things:

1. Back in February, I wrote a Goodreads blog post entitled “No New Book Not Out Now” in which I announced “The latest unexciting news at camp Whitewolf is I have no new book coming out and it’s not coming out soon.” This was a satirical backlash piece inspired by the everyday blog posts we all encounter from Goodreads authors, including myself, announcing the arrival of their new books. What I hadn’t expected was for people to think I actually had a new book out. Some even asked me if they could have a review copy. (You know who you are.)

2. In April, I was still in prankster mood, as I posted a blog post entitled “GOODREADS IS SHUTTING DOWN!” in which I asked my fellow Goodreaders if they had heard the news that our favourite social media site was about to shut up shop. Thankfully my trick worked, as I sent several people into panic before they realised I had posted my piece on April 1st. Sorry.

3. In May, I actually released a book! It was a very low-key release, as PRIMORDIAL YOUTH - The Early Poems: '96 - '99 is a book for the core Whitewolf fans only. I wasn’t sure what the reaction would be like to me releasing a book of my very early, depressive poetry that isn’t as accomplished as my later stuff, so I was pleased to see reviewers being so enthusiastic about it.

And I did manage to actually read some books in 2019! But I read less last year than I have in frigging ages, so that needs to be rectified this coming year. Without a doubt, my top three Goodreads author books released in 2019 were:
1) Broke
2) Sea of Glass
3) Vaccine Science Revisited: Are Childhood Immunizations As Safe As Claimed?

You should all read all three.

Thankfully nothing significant occurred in UK politics this year. Oh, except for the little matter of the rise of far-right, slogan-based, lie-spinning, “fact checking”, Dominic-Cummings-run politics and the downfall of the socialist movement due to outrageous smear campaigns, propaganda and media bias which has caused me and many others to suffer a great depression from which we may never recover. At least my Muslim-hating, Brexit-loving, neighbour is over the moon at the Conservative landslide.

I’d like to take a moment to genuinely thank Jeremy Corbyn for all he has done. (“Who?” ask the non-Brits.) I never thought there’d be a leader of a mainstream party who I could believe in as much as ol’ Jez. You brought hope back. And you made people start talking about the issues that really matter, on a mainstream platform. Thank you.

You can disagree with Corbyn all you like, but if you disagree with his slogan “For the Many, Not the Few”, you can fuck off.

On that note… In 2020, I suggest you (and I) put empathy and compassion into everything you do and everything you are… Including having compassion and love for the bigots, as hard as that may seem. They need it the most. Love, humour, communication and education can bring about change. Having only hatred doesn’t do anyone any good. Whether you’re on the right or the left, if you have hatred in your heart, it’s time to let it go.

Peace and blessings to one and all. May you all prosper in 2020.

Harry.