Carl Ashmore - writer of stuff ...

[Gingerlily - The Full Wild]

Carl wrote: "I used to play the euphonium. Does that count?x"

No it plays music! (sorry couldn't resist...)

[Carl]

Not the way I played it :)

[Gingerlily - The Full Wild]

Ah, so it was a cacaphonium!

[Kath]

My father in law uesd to play the euphonium in the Railwaymen's Silver Band. On Band Practice nights he used to bring fish and chips home in the bell!

[[deleted user]]

What a lovely memory, Ignite! Bet it made his euphonium smell interesting though...

;0)

[Kath]

I think the purpose was to keep his supper from being rained on!

[Nicola]

Congratulations Carl! x

[Carl]

Ha ha@Ginger. Something like that.

Is that true, Ignite? Thatis just like my house. I never kept the chips in the bell, mind.

Actually, I wasn't a bad player. I toured America, Denmark, Spain, Portugal with the Cheshire County Youth Brass Band. Infact, here's a little video someone had posted on Youtube that I found just the other day. It was 1987, I was 18 and we played for the Queen at Crewe Hall (which is the inspiration for Bowen Hall). If you look very closely I am in the second line from the front (at 3.33) when the Queen comes to chat

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0aCH2...

And thanks, Nicola. I've just got to wait for the dreaded contract now.

[Kath]

I love brass band music! Yes, it's true Carl. Who'd want soggy fish and chips?

[Carl]

Not me, that's for sure. Ironically, I've been trying on the Amazon forums to find out just how chip shop chips are made. They taste nothing like the chips I make at home and I use good potatoes and oil.

Answers on a postcard, please.:)

[Vanessa (aka Dumbo)]

I think traditionally chips were made with beef dripping instead of oil, then they tasted much better.

[Kath]

They are traditionally cooked twice too. You alter the fat temperature each time.

Edit - I think the first frying is the hot one to seal it. Then you lift them out, lower the temp a little and cook till done.

Or the other way round! :)

[Carl]

Thanks for the tips! :)

[Carl]

Vanesaa, thank you, I'd heard that. Apparently that's how they do it in Yorkshire.

My issue is that you never get a really brown chip in a chip shop, yet unless I cook them until they are brown they tend to be slightly underdone.

Ah, well. I probably spend too much time thinking about this stuff. It's just that I love cooking and just can't replicate the traditional chippie experience.x

[Vanessa (aka Dumbo)]

I always thought they tasted better when they were wrapped in newspaper...ah, the good old days and they only cost 6d (six old pence).
Oops, showing my age now.

[Carl]

Ooo, I don't quite remember pre-decimalisation, Vanessa. I do remember chips in Newspaper though.

Did anyone have 'smacks' where they lived? A circular piece of flattened potato deep fried in batter.

[Jay-me (Janet)]

Carl wrote: "Ooo, I don't quite remember pre-decimalisation, Vanessa. I do remember chips in Newspaper though.

Did anyone have 'smacks' where they lived? A circular piece of flattened potato deep fried in batter..."



Yes although we called them something else - can't remember just at the moment.

[Carl]

Hi Janet,

I wonder whether they still do them. As I remember, they weren't nice...

Oh, and a big thanks to LottieFB for the 58th (out of 65) FIVE star review of TH1

The Time Hunters

It's now the 57th best reviewed book in teh Kindle store on Amazon.co.uk

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_n...

Cheers,
Carl

[Carl]

Thanks to TrueJDK for the latest 5 star review of [=The Time Hunters=] . That's now 59 out of 66 FIVE star reviews in the UK and I couldn't be happier.

Thanks again,
Carl :)

[Alan]

Hi Carl,

Congrats on the offer from Brazil. I hope it turns out to be a great opportunity for you.

My little netbook or whatever you call these pint-sized computers, decided to go wacko on me when we got back from our holiday and it is what I get my Kindle books on (I have a nook). I've been doing my writing on my wife's desktop computer the past couple of weeks. Anyway, today I got the little fellow to cooperate and so I just added The Box of Eternity to my Kindle library and am looking forward to reading it.

Best,
Alan

[Carl]

Thanks, Alan. That's very kind of you.

I certainly hope you enjoy TH2 :)

[Carl]

And just to let everyone know that I have released the first teaser poster for 3rd TH book, 'The Time Hunters and the Spear of Fate'. It's available to see on my blog.

I hope you like it.

http://carlashmoreauthor.blogspot.co.uk/

[Kath]

Ooh, ooh, - have a good holiday.
Why did I read that as The Spate of Fear?
Yes, I know, daft old bat!

[Gingerlily - The Full Wild]

Nice poster Carl. For some reason I cant see it at all on my work pc, but have no problem on my tablet. . .

[Carl]

Ha@Ignite. I quite like the Spate of Fear. Or what about the Spit of Phlegm or the Spurt of Foam. The possibilities are endless :) xx

That's strange, Ginger. I don't seem to have any probs.

Yes, I'm off to sunny (I hoep) SW France again. And here is where I'm staying. Can't wait.

http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/p818578

Any of you ladies going anywhere nice for your hols?x

[Gingerlily - The Full Wild]

South Africa I hope!

[Carl]

Really? Very nice. Why just a hope?

[Gingerlily - The Full Wild]

Not arranged yet. I should be talking to the friend I want to stay with this weekend and see if we can get dates sorted out. Probably at the end of September.

[Carl]

Well I hope it pans out for you. :)

I'm hitting the road tomorrow, and I hope there's no problem with net access so I can pop in here from time to time.

[Gingerlily - The Full Wild]

Enjoy your trip Carl. Hope you get lots of sunshine.

[Carl]

Oh, I hope so, too, Ginger. I really need some sun. Infact, I think we all do :)

[Gingerlily - The Full Wild]

You could maybe bring some back...?

[Carl]

I'll try. I'm in Chartres at the moment in a hotel. We were on the road from 6.30am til nearly 9.00pm. There's about another six hours to go and we'll be there. Yay.

Hope everyone has a lovely Sunday
xx

[Kath]

Jammy beggar!

(I'm making strawberry jam this morning! Better get on with it!)

[Carl]

I hope the jam making was succesful, Ignite. :)

Anyway, here I am in Aveyron and here's some pics to prove it: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?se...

Oh, and a big thanks to LR for the 62nd Five star review of TH1.

Have a great weekend all,
Carl
x

[Carl]

I hope the jam making was successful, Ignite. :)

Anyway, here I am in Aveyron and here's some pics to prove it: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?se...

Oh, and a big thanks to LR for the 62nd Five star review of TH1.

Have a great weekend all,
Carl
x

[Gingerlily - The Full Wild]

lovely pictures. I'm jealous.

[Kath]

Tells me the content is currently unavailable - is that because I don't havce a facebook account?

Yep, jam has gone fine - 8 lb strawberry and today, 7 lb raspberry - it smells like summer in my kitchen (looks like Novemeber through the window though!

Welcome back!

[Kay (Golden Girl)]

Hi Carl ,looks a lovely place to stay ,very peaceful looking ,enjoy all your holiday ,then get back and finish the next book x

[Vanessa (aka Dumbo)]

Hi Carl,lovely family and a great holiday home...lucky you!
Have a great time.

[Carl]

Hi all,

My apologies for being gone for some time.
Glad to hear the jam production ha been successful, Kath. I'm rather fond of homemade jam and absolutely adore a nice HM marmalade.

Thanks, Kay. I have been working hard on it. It's been going pretty well I think.

And it was such a lovely place, Vanessa. Considerably nicer than my two up two down in Crewe :)

Hope everyone is having a great summer.
xx

[Carl]

I am delighted to say that today I've signed the contract from major publishing house, Bertrand Brasil, to get 'The Time Hunters' published as a print & ebook in Brazil. For me, it's a dream come true. I'm very proud to be an independent writer in Britain, but it's also humbling to think that a major publishing company in Brazil has faith in the series to publish it for the Brazilian market.


I'll keep you all informed of all developments.

Hope everyone is well :)

Carl
xx

[Kay (Golden Girl)]

That's wonderful Carl congrats. I have a Nephew who lives in Brazil ,will have to get him to look out for your books ,he teaches English there xx

[Emma]

Congrats Carl! That is fantastic :-)

[Kath]

Well done that man!

[Carl]

Thanks all.

Kay, obviously I have no idea when it'll get printed, I've literally only just signed the contract today, but I'll keep you informed. Thanks.xxx

And thanks, Emz. xx

And Kath, thanks for that, but I'm sure some of it's to do with my fav pedant :)

I'm still slaving away at TH3. It's actually a much harder write than Book 2. But then I'm starting to deal with little clues that span across all the books. :)

Thanks to all of you for the support.xx

[Vanessa (aka Dumbo)]

Great news Carl...congratulations!

[Kath]

That pulling together of clues must be like weaving - you can't leave out a strand or it all unravels. I have faith!

[Carl]

That's right, Kath. And I hope to repay your faith. I've been writing a very important riddle this morning. It took me hours :)

And bless you, Vanessa. You're most kind.xxx

[Carl]

Hi all,

Hope everyone is well. Just to let you know that 'The Time Hunters' is free for the next 3 days (26 September to 28 September). I hope you will take advantage of this.

Thanks,
Carl