Steve’s Comments (group member since Sep 26, 2010)

Steve’s comments from the Q&A with Steve Morris group.

Brilliant.
And I thank you for all your support in 2011.

Back in 2012!

Happy new year.

Either way, I'm going to ignore them. Hopefully, they'll go away!

Absolutely.

I agree Nicolle. I think if we are to rate books with one star we should make some justification. I've seen the above reviewers leaving one star reviews for Conrad, Dickens and Stephen King just because they obviously didn't "like" the particular books.

That is the whole point.
I admit that there are a number of classic books that I don't like, but they are still certainly 5 star books.
Also I have been asked to review a couple of new writers' books which I didn't like. I wouldn't dream of leaving them insulting reviews as it helps nobody.
Instead I found it best to speak to the writer directly to say that I couldn't leave a review.

There was a lady on Amazon.co.uk who was leaving a high number of 1 star reviews clearly stating that she "gave up after five pages" or "only deserves one star compared to Jeffrey Archer..."
This doesn't help anyone.

I don't know if anyone else has noticed a growth in the number of people leaving vague one and two star book reviews around Goodreads recently.

After receiving a couple of these, I checked out some of the other ratings that these "reviewers" had been leaving for books. The very same people have left one-star reviews for books by Charles Dickens and other eminent Victorians, Stephen King and other well known authors. Check them out. One also thought it appropriate to leave a one-star review for the classic "Catch-22"!

The mind boggles.

I won't respond to those left for my fledgling efforts for fear of them vindictively leaving bitter reviews of my work on other sites but I'll approach Goodreads to suggest that they might moderate one-star reviews before allowing them to be posted.

I imagine that Goodreads will take a freedom of speech approach.
Well, at least I would be in good company.

Thanks for your encouragement Nicolle! Appreciated!

Absolutely. I'm into DIY but when I moved house, I actually had oak bookcases custom made to fit exactly while the living room was empty. I've been moved in now for two years and I haven't got around to having in a TV in yet. Books make a house feel warm.

There was a famous quote from someone saying :"A house with no books is like a house with no windows."

Well, I've been instructed to make fairly big changes before being considered again and I can see the reasons behind this. We'll see what they think of the re-write, when I eventually finish it!

Thanks Nicolle.

I hope libraries don't disappear. They are part of English culture. I'm concerned that reading paper copies of books is becoming a generational thing.
Some new books are now released entirely in digital form. I think that is because of production costs. I suppose that it saves trees, but I couldn't face a whole book on a screen.

Well, firstly I've been told to re-write the novel because it takes too long to get going. That is absolutely right, so I'm halfway through tapping at that.
I've also been advised that due to the current world economic climate, the market will be for upbeat stories. That makes sense.

Well, I'd already written 6 stories before moving on to the novel. I'd like to do some more and each one usually will take one week.

And I'm sure that the kids tired you out too!

Sadly perhaps the digital age will be the final nail in the coffin for lending libraries. How many times do you find yourself tapping a term into a keyboard these days, rather than reaching for the encyclopaedia?

Great to hear that you will go on to study maths. Certainly not a soft-option trendy degree to do and I'm sure you'll do well because of your obvious passion for it.

With all these modular exams at A-level, the pressure is on you all year round.

A new short story has won an award:

http://tajmahalreview.com/poetryaward...

I'm honoured to be part of this because I've been reading Taj Mahal Review for quite some time and it includes work from all areas of the globe. Twice a year, June and December, it is always a good read for me to relax with over the vacation period.

Good morning Richard. Yes, I've read Kipps. There was a film made of it too (in black and white). I prefer his SF, as you know but Kipps is a light social novel, possibly set in Edwardian England about the ambitions and love of a shop assistant. H.G. Wells was very prolific and I'd like to own a complete set of his work.

Absolutely. I'm always fascinated (in a respectful and humble way) of the tales from people who lived through the War. Their bravery is incredible. I'm currently working with a family, who's 84 year old grandfather as a young recruit was one of the first to liberate one of the Nazi concentration camps. I could listen to him all day. He is the real teacher for us all.

Hello Richard,
Greetings from an Autumnal UK. Mild and sunny today but getting cooler at night. In two weeks we change our clocks by one hour to save daylight.

Lord Haw-Haw, was a name given to several English (Nazi sympathising) radio propagandists who during the second world war, defected to Germany to taunt and demoralise the allied troops with chilling radio announcements. My grandfather worked mining coal deep in pits on the night shift during the war years. A death trap if they were being bombed from above. Haw Haw often used to name the pit as on "the bombing list for that night" to be heard by the rest of the family at home in blackouts. A man called William Joyce was caught and hung for treason at Nuremburg. There are some archived recordings somewhere. Very chiling!

Nice to see you again!
How is the world of mathematics and science for you currently? I envy you!

Spoilers:
Well a scientific novel (not sc-fi) based on the social consquences of a possible event. How's that for being cryptic?...and some stories with happier endings in a time when we all need some good news.

Yes, I have. I studied there and miss it. Libraries are so inspiring. So much knowledge in one place. I always try to visit a library if ever I am in a new town. Today, though I noticed that all the computers in one library were being used but only two people were browsing the shelves.

Excellent, Richard. Many thanks. Tasting my own medicine! I reserve the right to withdraw the thanks if you shred it, though..

To a fellow mathematician, Nicolle, "Welcome back!"

Hi Chris and Richard. Thanks for dropping by. I'm particularly keen to read these ealier works too. I'd only heard of one of them before and also another 18th century title of which the name escapes me at the moment.
I've just asked to join Chris's new dedicated group on Proto-sci fi. So I'll pop over there and have a look at the initial threads and poll.

I've set up this discussion thread for any readers such as myself whose first literary love was Victorian literature.

Here to discuss H. G. Wells, Dickens, Hardy, R.D Blackmore (the last victorian)and any other of the great writers who made this period so groundbreaking. Feel free to join in.