R J Askew ~ One Swift Summer

[Kath]

Of course!

[R.J.]

Swooms .. have to admit I don't have the foggiest what stochastic actually means, but it sounds painful, statistical. It is definitely and absolutely not a word I wld ever deploy poem wise .. hmm .. maybe it cld be give a new meaning? Why not? It's old meaning clearly can't be that great. Hmmm, stochastic-fantastico!

'Nah, was baing all stochastic, know wot ah mean bruv'

STOCHAST . newspeak noun . next generation post podcast using 10G hypermetabandwidth subliminality accelerators

STOCHASTER . newspeak noun . black belt snake oil salesman . usually with corporate motivational sotbriquet i.e. Wolf, Dolph, Hawk, Zepher .

STOCHASTICALLY . NSN . the future . shibboleth . and if you don't know what one of those is .

STOCHASTICATE . NSP . member of the golden ones as referred to by D.Bowie in .... answers on a e-postcard pls.

[R.J.]

stochastic .. all those harsh sounds really kill the word .. sssST occcCC assssST iiiiIC .. it's about as warm and friendly as a spiral piece of razor wire .. and it definitely sounds akin to 'sarcastic' .. in fact it sounds like a nasty medical condition .. hell, it even evokes 'autistic' .. nope, there is N O hope for it.

[R.J.]

And it has the word ASS in the middle of it. As does sarcASStic.

Some words are of course magnificent on account of their distinguished internal occupants ~ astRONomy .. stRONg .. pRONg .. wRONg .. coRONation .. IRON .. iRONic .. moreRONic ByRONic fRONt .. anyRon for scwabble?

[Marc]

the sci fi novel I read it in used it in terms of stochastic possibilities when dealing with quantum realities

[Marc]

RONdure, let's not forget that one...

[R.J.]

Marc wrote: "the sci fi novel I read it in used it in terms of stochastic possibilities when dealing with quantum realities"


there is no such thing as reality quantum or otherwise

[R.J.]

Marc wrote: "RONdure, let's not forget that one..."

R.J. wrote: "Marc wrote: "the sci fi novel I read it in used it in terms of stochastic possibilities when dealing with quantum realities"

bRONski beat .. of hebRON .. near the bRONx zoo .. one is everywhere *bows*

[Michele]

Just a quick interruption to let you know I've shelved your book on authonomy and will beg some pocket money from my husband tomorrow to get it for my kindle so I can read it properly - I hate reading books on autho - my eyes glaze over. Now I'm off to bed unless I get waylaid by some internet diversion between now and clicking the shutdown button.

[R.J.]

Michele wrote: "Just a quick interruption to let you know I've shelved your book on authonomy and will beg some pocket money from my husband tomorrow to get it for my kindle so I can read it properly - I hate read..."

Brilliant . THANK YOU . fyi the one on authonomy is an old version without my latest edit . the one in kindle is THE one . thank you again.

[R.J.]

HELP! .. my wife is planning to get me a kindle for my birthday shortly .. which one should she get? I have no idea.

Which one and why that one please? She wants to get me one cos i keep hogging hers now.

[Marc]

R.J. wrote: "Marc wrote: "the sci fi novel I read it in used it in terms of stochastic possibilities when dealing with quantum realities"


there is no such thing as reality quantum or otherwise"

and that 'fact' informs every single piece of writing I do. That's why it's called fiction. Same as our lives

[Marc]

Rods and cones, rods and cones... Spare the rod and spoil the childlike vision...

[Marc]

Hopefully read your novella this w/e Ron and will GR review. Depending on what I judge it's length, I may also put it up for inclusion on the Booksquawk site and Amazon too.

[R.J.]

HEAR IN YOUR EYES

I've made myself into this verse
For you to hear within your eyes
To have, to hold, to know, to feel
To hold my love within your eyes
I load this line with passion deep
For you within your eyes to keep
To take me into all you are
I gaze around inside your eyes
These words of mine inspiral sight
In sight I am in love with you
Inside your eyes for evermore
I live in love herein your eyes
You hear me here in you love sight
I'm inlocked love in your eyes bright
~
*bows*

[Marc]

hmmm, for me death, or fear of it drives my art. Without trying to solve that particular riddle, love and life are rootless.

But then I don't have the soul of a poet

[Patti (baconater)]

I have the heart of a poet.

It's in a jar on my...

Yeah okay. Not very original.

[R.J.]

Marc wrote: "hmmm, for me death, or fear of it drives my art. Without trying to solve that particular riddle, love and life are rootless.

But then I don't have the soul of a poet"

I know we all have fear in us and that it helps us survive. But I wld argue that we can also focus on more positive things such as the astonishing beauty of simply being alive.

This difference in attitude is at the core of my story, which is an allegory on precisely that point.

In fact I wrote it after a similar division of opinion with a super intelligent women (English lit, Jesus College, Oxford). She is super creative but won't create because she is a glass half full person and won't take a risk. she is fearful and defensive in the face of Life and so her talent goes fallow.

[Jud]

R.J. wrote: "And it has the word ASS in the middle of it. As does sarcASStic.

Some words are of course magnificent on account of their distinguished internal occupants ~ astRONomy .. stRONg .. pRONg .. wRONg ..."

*insert many belly laughs and giggles*

[Marc]

R.J. wrote: "Marc wrote: "hmmm, for me death, or fear of it drives my art. Without trying to solve that particular riddle, love and life are rootless.

But then I don't have the soul of a poet"

I know we all h..."

I'm a glass half empty person too, actually I'm a 'what glass?' person, 'define what you mean by glass...' But fear hasn't held me back.

I dunno, I can't satisfy my nagging discomfort at existence by clutching at evanescent beauty. Everything dies in the end. Even if we outlive everyone in our life, then we just grow incredibly lonely in old age.

maybe we ought to convene for a Jubilee Line drink up sometime?

[R.J.]

Marc wrote: "R.J. wrote: "Marc wrote: "hmmm, for me death, or fear of it drives my art. Without trying to solve that particular riddle, love and life are rootless.

But then I don't have the soul of a poet"

I ..."



Are you anywhere near (1) The Railway Tavern at West Hampstead (2)The George Inn, Borough High St?

[R.J.]

THE RELUCTANT TWEETER

Oh lor' I've started tweeting. Not for the first time, I might add. Nope, this ia about my third start. I actually hate everything about twitter, but being THE MOST DESPERATE INDIE AUTHOR IN THE WORLD, it is clear that a bit of twitting is required. I have an army of 17 followers. What a joke! And I am following -- oh no I am not! -- 29, including Carol Ann Duffy. Her tweets are absolute rubbish, by the way. She has made her bones and has no need to roll around in the miasma of nonsense that most twitter feeds are.

That said, that said .. If yours truly can blag, coax, con or otherwise charm the odd ebook sale from your unsuspecting tweeters why, step this way my children! Winks over hirsuit shoulder, wolfish tongue lolling from slavering jaws, strobe lighting glinting off of razor sharp ivories. Cue fake blood.

To twitter we shall go with a hi-ninny-ho-ninny-hi-ninny-ho .. click of heels and rattle of techno-morris-man ankle bells.

Hmm, is that a team of morris men in gimp masks and leathers I see before mine eyes .. Yes, but are they kindle reader. THAT! is the question, the only question. And can I pick their sweaty pockets of 77 pence a piece? Well, I did say I was desperate.

Phew, and only three more appointments with my probation officer to go after the little misunderstanding on the Jubiless Line over my pitching my Watching Swifts biz cards to unsuspecting members of the epublic during the recent Olympics.

I swear to you I did not slide a biz card into the undercover cop's lunch box. It was a disgusting sting.

Thought I confess -- yes, OOO YESS! yessss! yessssss! more thumb screw PLEASE! -- pitching the ratchet faced lady police superintendent was not the best move of my sub-meteoric literary career.

Using my latinised nomdeplume was also not erm.. appreciated.

RINALDO OBLEQUANTE *BOWS*

[Michele]

I'm on twitter as @banana_the_poet - I've got 2,500 followers built up over a number of years. I bought your ebook today (as soon as hubby okayed the 77p outlay) and I have tweeted about it too.

Remember if you are tweeting about poetry to put #poetry and/or #poems in your tweet so that anyone interested in those tags will find your tweet. Also #Kindle is a good one too.

[R.J.]

Michele wrote: "I'm on twitter as @banana_the_poet - I've got 2,500 followers built up over a number of years. I bought your ebook today (as soon as hubby okayed the 77p outlay) and I have tweeted about it too.

..."

Blimey! Michele THANK YOU.. I will this instant go to twitter city and start following you with A FLOURISH! I owe your hubby a pint! And thank you for the tips on the # stuff .. I swear to you i did not even know where to find the little rascal on the keyboard! Now I do.

[R.J.]

Michele wrote: "I'm on twitter as @banana_the_poet - I've got 2,500 followers built up over a number of years. I bought your ebook today (as soon as hubby okayed the 77p outlay) and I have tweeted about it too.

..."

And I think your @banana_the_poet is a cracking address .. I love it!

[R.J.]

R.J. wrote: "Michele wrote: "I'm on twitter as @banana_the_poet - I've got 2,500 followers built up over a number of years. I bought your ebook today (as soon as hubby okayed the 77p outlay) and I have tweeted..."

I am staggered to see you have sent 16 bzillion tweets! I am catching you up though .. have now sent about 20!

[Marc]

R.J. wrote: "Marc wrote: "R.J. wrote: "Marc wrote: "hmmm, for me death, or fear of it drives my art. Without trying to solve that particular riddle, love and life are rootless.

But then I don't have the soul o..."

West Hampstead is doable

@21stCscribe and @ExisleMoll on Twitter. Combined 100K+ tweets!

What's your Twitter handle Ron?

[Patti (baconater)]

I see I really do need to sort out how this twitter stuff works.

I actually deleted the twitter app from my iPad yet I keep getting emails saying I have a new follower.

There are my people! I must get in front of them so they can follow me!

Ignite, I need lessons, darling.

[R.J.]

Marc wrote: "R.J. wrote: "Marc wrote: "R.J. wrote: "Marc wrote: "hmmm, for me death, or fear of it drives my art. Without trying to solve that particular riddle, love and life are rootless.

But then I don't ha..."

Patti (Migrating Coconut) wrote: "I see I really do need to sort out how this twitter stuff works.

I actually deleted the twitter app from my iPad yet I keep getting emails saying I have a new follower.

There are my people! I mus..."

Bloody hell 100k+ tweets is .. I don't know what the word is for it! Do I understand this right, you have send, gulp, all those tweets? Tis tweetistic! I must have misunderstood something!

Ah ha! this must be my handle >>> @R_J_Askew

So far I have sent 14 tweets and that has exhauted me.

[R.J.]

Marc wrote: "R.J. wrote: "Marc wrote: "R.J. wrote: "Marc wrote: "hmmm, for me death, or fear of it drives my art. Without trying to solve that particular riddle, love and life are rootless.

But then I don't ha..."

My wife's got a girly friend round for nibbles shortly, so that should give me about 5-6 hours to get my hands on her kindle. I plan to have a look at 55ff -- at last!

[Marc]

duly followed Ron...

Yeah 100K, it's just words tho int'it?

[R.J.]

Marc wrote: "duly followed Ron...

Yeah 100K, it's just words tho int'it?"

Yeah, but you are a word wielder of distinction. I can't imagine you spraying 'em around like some crazed formula one race winner. But then maybe I should get out from under my odure coveredd stone down in this oubliette. (sp?)

Maybe I cld be the tai chi tweeter, one tweet every two years or some such.

What was your best ever tweet? The one you though that wrote itself and left you thinking 'NAILED IT!'

[Marc]

R.J. wrote: "Marc wrote: "duly followed Ron...

Yeah 100K, it's just words tho int'it?"

Yeah, but you are a word wielder of distinction. I can't imagine you spraying 'em around like some crazed formula one rac..."

oh probably some pun in one of the various pun hashtag games I take part in. I got a complete flash story out of one of these, you'll come across it in 52FF - I list the origins of each story in the back of the book so it should tell you which one.

[R.J.]

Marc wrote: "R.J. wrote: "Marc wrote: "duly followed Ron...

Yeah 100K, it's just words tho int'it?"

Yeah, but you are a word wielder of distinction. I can't imagine you spraying 'em around like some crazed fo..."

Great stuff I shall look out for it. Excellent you got some inspiration out of all that tweeting. I was wondering about the origins of each piece, so will look fwd to the backgrounders.

Here's to 'That Thousand Word Stare' of the flash fictionalist.

[Kath]

Found you Ron! Following. So don't get lost, I'm right behind you!

[R.J.]

Ignite wrote: "Found you Ron! Following. So don't get lost, I'm right behind you!"


Tweet tweet twitter tweet .. in the ether we shall meet

[R.J.]

Hurrah, now looking for sale No.60. Feel like one of those eccentric runners doing the marathon in a Jules Verene era diving suit, painstakingly lifting one foot .. boom .. down it goess .. now the other .. boom down it goes ..

May try some mind projection along the lines of -- focusing intensely: Puts arm round shoulder .. coaxes you to kindle .. taps in WATCHING SWIFTS .. yes, yes, add to basket .. hits buy. Smiles. Happy. Sooo very happy.

A tweeting we shall go!

[Marc]

I know the names of every one of my readers thanks mainly to twitter. Mind you there aren't all that many to remember...

[Michele]

R.J. wrote: "Maybe I cld be the tai chi tweeter, one tweet every two years or some such."

I had a go at Tantric Tweeting once in 2010 :)

I tweeted a joke/poem as slowly as I could manage by tweeting a word every half hour - it was an interesting experiment.

[R.J.]

Michele wrote: "R.J. wrote: "Maybe I cld be the tai chi tweeter, one tweet every two years or some such."

I had a go at Tantric Tweeting once in 2010 :)

I tweeted a joke/poem as slowly as I could manage by tweet..."

I have spent about an hour on and off on my twitter account gazing at the blank post new tweet field.

Yep, I'm afraid I have tweeter's block. It was like this when I started doing karate, all stiff solemnity.

[R.J.]

Ach, two more tweets sent. Maybe I should send a tweet to say so.

[R.J.]

Ach, and another. I sense a million senseless tweets are about to spew from my very marrow. But I will never, be 'fast and dirty' .. slow and flirty perhaps, fast n dirty, NEVER!

[R.J.]

REJECTION LETTERS

I am going to air my rejection letters from London's finest litags this evening .. I will have a glass of red wine to hand .. I will gaze at said letters, now a decade old, about 30 of them .. I will sip my wine .. and remind myeslf how it felt to receive said letters and, more importantly, the lessons I learnt from them .. alas one is missing .. BLOODAXE PUBLISHING rejected me without the formality of a letter .. oddly enough not getting a letter of rejection from that house hurt more than the 30 cuts sufferedd from all the others combined. But all that was then, BK (before Kindle), BE (before ebooks), BI (before indies), before, before, before, this golden age (cage fight) of creativity surgent.

[Jud]

Read them and think to yourself "screw you"

Your book is awesome!

[Marc]

I have mine sellotaped up on my wall where I write. It spurs me on.

One of them scrawled their handwritten suggestion over the border of my synopsis page. Sometimes I honour them for the personal touch, others I curse them for their lazy lack of professionalism.

Seems like the ones today don't even bother responding to failure. You just glean the message after X months without a peep... These are paper submissions I hasten to add. The beauty of the online generation, for those agencies which accept them, is that they can reject you all the sooner. They probably download your Word document and do a 'find' on 'its' and it's' and if there is one wrong, = REJECTION. Still, in my case I don't blame them. I'm never going to make an agent any money. And there seems no place left in this hard-nosed economic model of publishing, for the kudos of just publishing some good literature any more...

[R.J.]

Marc wrote: "I have mine sellotaped up on my wall where I write. It spurs me on.

One of them scrawled their handwritten suggestion over the border of my synopsis page. Sometimes I honour them for the personal ..."

It can't be easy being an agent. Their is absolutely noooo shortage of talent and great work gasping for oxygen. But the fickle public's yearning for words seems to be like an enormous pike in a turbid mere, extremely unpredictable, suspicious of every maggot cast its way, and ferocious in its responses when hooked. It's this damned professionalism that rules all our lives now. Quirk amateurs can take greater risks, but then so can we indie authors now! Bravo! For the new publishing! Bravo to giften amateurs doing as they please! Bravo to indivitualism and variety1

[Marc]

I am always wary to criticise the book buying reader. Ultimately they will decide literary taste and who am I to carp at their choices? Yes they may be manipulated by agents and publicists, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time.

[R.J.]

Marc wrote: "I am always wary to criticise the book buying reader. Ultimately they will decide literary taste and who am I to carp at their choices? Yes they may be manipulated by agents and publicists, but you..."

I agree. We please or we die. That feels right. As a reader I don't want some embarassing metoo trying to pull one over me.

Mr.Fickle

[R.J.]

Late Sept. Air still. 5 miles across the stubbly barley fields of Hertfordshire and a pint in The Cricketers, Redborne. Blissful sighs. But where are all the daddy-longlegs this year?

[Marc]

R.J. wrote: "Late Sept. Air still. 5 miles across the stubbly barley fields of Hertfordshire and a pint in The Cricketers, Redborne. Blissful sighs. But where are all the daddy-longlegs this year?"

In my house? Maybe they facebooked a party here