Good News and July and August Consolidated Comments

Good news

..... passed writing 900,000 draft words today.
..... final proof of Ywnwab! has gone to printers.

..... cover and festival details in Wales in September are on web site under Book Tab.

..... some redecorations on colours on web site.

July and August News and Diary consolidated below with a new section five listing You Tube web links to entertain - music, Rita Hayworth dancing and a jet engine.

I shall have to tell Henry and Henrietta about living in the Elizabethan Trimefrayme being so much better, with all these bright colours and warmth, than the water colours in the cooler Calorium Trimefrayme.

Best wishes to you all - Alexander

July and August 2013 Consolidated Comments

1)   Writing

a) Ywnwab! The small 90 page book recording the background behind the Allrighters and 30 other stories and poems has gone for printing to be available by 15th September 2013. See cover within Books Tab

b)  50,000 more draft words written to a total of over 900,000 by end of August.

c)  Sevhend? restructuring well advanced.

d)  Three short stories a total of 6,600 words entered for competitions.

e)  We are considering a change of strategy. Rather than completing 1,000,000 words by Christmas 2013 Allrighters are to make a concentrated drive to complete final drafts of Cross Family Saga of over 500,000 words in nine long books – Sevhend?, Gemini in five books, Look!, Kutopia and Anatomy. Over 450,000 words already written on these.

2)    Reading – see Alexander’s 4 and 5 star reviews on Amazon.

a) Unravelled self published by Mary Tod. A marriage under strain through WW1 and WW2. (http://awriterofhistory.com)

b)  Search by Geoff Dyer. A surreal journey.

c)  Shell self published by Tony Riches. A frightening holiday kidnap in Kenya.

d) Why Bipolar? The Demystification of Bipolar Affective Disorder - self published by Declan Henry. A landmark contribution to a better understanding of this area of mental illness including many stories from those diagnosed with the disorder.

e) Zoo Time by Howard Jacobson. Comic comments on writing to be put on our bookshelf along side Stephen King’s On Writing and John Braine’s similar book.

f) Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops Jen Campbell. Great as laughter medicine.

g) Love of a kind by Felix Dennis - A book of new poems written under threat of death. Florence would have loved to have used the Eric Gill illustrations in her books. 

3)   Other

a) We knew someone else must have written something similar to the Allrighters' million words. Answer to DT Saturday big crossword clue one across – English author noted for his million-word-long cycle of 12 novels. A Dance to the Music of Time which includes Casanova’s Chinese Restaurant and Books Do Furnish a Room.

b)  Another follow up book of short stories to Ywnwab! is being assembled. If you would like to become an Allrighters' guest writer and make a 1,500 word contribution to the next book please send details of how you started writing - c 300 words and a self contained story or extract from a longer book of - c 1,200 words for consideration. The Allrighters will make the final, non negotiable decision, on what to include as they are paying the costs of production and publication. We like others contributions to add variety and reality to our fantasy. Contact - alexander@allrighters.co.uk

c)  Our current reading includes a draft page turner written by a member of our local writer's group. We are over half way through the whole book waiting ... biting our nails (if we did) for the author to complete the next 10k of self editing. Just what will happen next and how on earth will the book end?

d)  In the spirit of Stephen King's advice about reading a lot the Allrighters are also quite happy to read any of your draft fiction writing ( short stories, longer books normally up to 100,000 words - in 10,000 word chunks per week) and make comments from a potential reader's perspective. There is an element of copy editing included from a fresh pair of eyes. We were told it's better to get comments from as many general readers as you can before you go into print. We cannot do a 100% edit as we do not have a first class English degree from Cambridge or an MA in Creative Writing, but then neither do most of readers of fiction books. As Bill C might have said on the subject ‘It's the story that counts,’ leaving off the demeaning word.

e) Quotation of the month: - ‘Too much bad writing has been written about good writing.’ Nicholas Heiney 2006 - The Silence at the Song's End. - 2007. (permission given)

4)   Web sites found this month:-

a) Mary K Tod - http://awriterofhistory.com - Found via Mick Rooney's web site and a book marketing plan contribution written by Mary Tod the site's author. See Unravelled above. In the site archive there are some interesting interviews with authors writing historical fiction. Browsing the site has raised thoughts in our minds about whether good fiction can be written with WW1 and WW2 as a background without a really good story as War Horse, Birdsong and Never Forget. For the awful detail a factual book written by someone who was actually there, whether embellished or not, will we think hold more credibility and interest. Most of those who were there at the front, including my father, said nothing. Richard Holmes, John Keegan, Anthony Beevor and Andrew Roberts war and history writers who have written and talked a lot, never took part in active service killing people, as far as we can see ( please someone correct us if we are wrong)   We know Winston Churchill did both! 

b)  Tony Riches - http://tonyriches.blogspot.co.uk. A wealth of  information for writers. 

5) Some You Tube clips - to entertain

a) One from the past -  Rita Hayworth and Fred Astaire dancing to the Bee Gees Staying Alive   

     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mz3CPzdCDws

b) Izhak Perlman & Bruno Canino - Rag Time - Scott Joplin 

     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2Byk5qPOCc and another

c) Alla Nikitskaya plays Debussy's Golliwogg's cake walk 

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYnt3_TxVoQ 

f) Rolls Royce RB211 engine 
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qM7ksfRVF70

 And finally our own landmark date:-

23 July 2013

Allrighters' web site goes live!

Thanks to good work by Peter Richards of Brush House.

A big welcome to our viewers. 

Progress - 23 August 2013

Writing

Some progress on Sevhend? on restructuring and self editing of writing from 2011 onwards. Draft of a competition short story for Eurostar. Start to writing and a listing for a second story-book for publishing in May 2014. I have more than enough short stories including some from authors who were guest writers in Ywnwab! Other newly published writers invited to take part.

Reading

An interesting week on reading front. Downloaded onto Kindle a copy of Unravelled by MK Tod. Not really my kind of book, but an enjoyable read balancing historical details of WW1 and WW2 and the personal pressures on a couple’s marriage. See Amazon for my review.

Unravelled did enough to hold my reading interest to stop me reading more of J K Rowling’s The Casual Vacancy and Declan Henry’s Why Bipolar? The latter will now receive my attention to complete. Also dipping into Howard Jacobson’s Zoo Time with lots of chuckles.

My first professional editor Gary Smailes has recommended a self published book Essence by a teenager.

Other

Last proof reading of Ywnwab! story-book now complete and cover design approved. It has been a much more time consuming process than expected.

Interesting and useful new web site - Tony Riche's Writing Desk - see link in webs and reads.

Knew someone else must have done something similar to the Allrighters' million words. Answer to DT Saturday big crossword clue one across – English author noted for his million-word-long cycle of 12 novels. A Dance to the Music of Time which includes Casanova’s Chinese Restaurant and Books Do Furnish a Room. The latter the name of a now defunct bookshop in Leamington Spa

Solution - Dance to the music of time -Anthony Powell.

Lee Child has maybe committed a ‘Ratner’ moment admitting he used cannabis for over 40 years. Perhaps this is the answer I have been searching for as to why my writing is so poor compared to his. I am certainly not going to start now.  This on top of using a midget for Reacher, a giant, in the film!

Next posting will be on book covers when I receive final version of cover for Ywnwab!

To be continued ...

16 August 2013

I did not plan to be writing this so soon after my last posting but ...

A Listing of Interest.

http://alchemipedia.blogspot.co.uk/2009/12/100-greatest-britons-bbc-poll-2002.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2002/10_october/19/great_britons.shtml 

 I wonder what order a current update would show?

Surely those BBC programmes were not shown nearly eleven years ago!

The Casual Vacancy

Yesterday I saw the horrible looking ( to me ) but eye catching yellow and red covered hardback version of JK Rowling's Casual Vacancy in our local Library. I thought given current sales of the paperback version I should take out the book on loan. I have started to read, not really my type of book, nor one I would buy.

However, reading the book while wearing my editor's hat I am impressed by her powers of observation and so far the points used in the story are pricking recognition and chuckles. I will read 100 pages and see how the reading goes. Already on second thoughts, as I managed 180 pages of 50 Shades and given my respect for JKR and her encouragement of children to read I will have to read more. To me she is a good story teller, even of a story I do not enthuse over, and this appears to be her secret weapon with other readable and successful writers.

I have been involved in cover design for Ywnwab! during the last week. The yellow and red cover design for the hardcopy of Casual Vacancy is not to my liking, but then the paperback version has the neatness and sameness of thousands of other books on the bookshop stands. A feeling of a blog posting coming on. Well I am well through the draft of one on this interesting subject.

... and 1700 word competition entry for Twist in the Tail Story submitted yesterday.

Good reading and writing to you everywhere - Alexander

13 August 2013

This Website

Update in progress. Guest writer details added on home page, trains, flying craft and boats web links added, link to Alexander’s Amazon reviews being worked on. New short story Uncle Robert added. Other minor points and updates around publication of Ywnwab!

Writing

Past 880,000 draft words now.

Considering change of strategy. Rather than completing 1,000,000 words by Christmas 2013 we are considering a concentrated drive to complete final draft of Cross Family Saga of over 500,000 words in nine long books – Sevhend?, Gemini in five books, Look!, Kutopia and Anatomy. Over 450,000 words already written on these.

Short stories

First and second printers proofs of Ywnwab! received - another stage reached. Nice feeling of progress but even on 20,000 words all very time consuming. Second cover design prepared on a template for all books. Adding an extract for Florence and a commentary on font size.

Ideas for second story book being firmed up.

Costa Coffee story off and another for Twist in the tail competition going on 15 August.

Aim to enter one competition a month to test the water and our writing attraction.

A couple of new stories written on ‘Revenge’ for local writer’s group.

Long stories

Sevhend? - Nearly all old material found and reordered by person.

Other writers' draft book reading

Thriller and romance being read. Interesting reading in other writer's work.

August Reading

Robert Goddard - Long Time Coming - was just that - too long - although best of his plots to date.

Ian McEwan’s Sweet - proving hard going.

Jon Mcgregor’s book TITSOTTHTSLY not compulsive reading.

Distracted to Howard Jacobson’s Zoo Time – Like the first person and views of Cheshire especially the Zoo. Death of a Publisher chapter is a brilliant commentary on current issues in publishing. Text font too small.

Declan Henry Why Bipolar? - an interesting and thought provoking factual read.

Jungle Book – dipping into this again after many years.

Suzanne Joinson A Lady Cyclist's Guide to Kashgar – a promising start.

Websites

Mary Tod’s publishing date 19 9 13 on her book – Unravelled

http://awriterofhistory.com/aboutme/

Sport

Well done to England for retaining the Ashes and also winning series on the 12 August when all seemed lost at tea. Given the urgency and enthusiasm of David Warner in the third and fourth test perhaps his punch to the jaw and omission for the first two tests lost Australia the Ashes? TMS good as usual especially Geoffrey Boycott and lunchtime interviews with John Altman and Sir Robin Knox Johnson last week.

Other fronts

Little change – little being the operative word on home action! After the hot weather now back walking ... in Peak District and Gloucestershire last weekend.