Writing and Editing
And so, having disposed of the copy edit last week, I am now reliably informed (Natasha is never wrong) that Severn House will post the proofs of the next Jack Blackjack story to me today, so I’ll have to work through them from tomorrow or Friday. It’s an odd job, being a writer. You need … Continue reading
The Trials of Typing
I have used many computers in my time. I started out with dedicated wordprocessors such as the Olivetti, and progressed to simple personal computers like the ACT Sirius (which was gorgeous) and Apple Ice. But I never could get to grips with Supercalc! I progressed from them to the lovely Wordplex machines, which I sold … Continue reading
Hoarding Can Be Good
Okay, I admit it, I am pretty bad for hoarding. Look at my bookshelves. I am not going to read every one of these again. In fact, I suspect only perhaps 15% of them will be read. I have books I adore (and know pretty much off by heart), and which I cannot get rid … Continue reading
New Pens
I am very fortunate, having a number of very good fountain pens – the best of which are definitely my two Viscontis. I love the material the Homo Sapiens are made from, which is based on volcanic rock from Etna, and is seriously indestructible. They are ideal pens for daily carry, because nothing will scratch … Continue reading
Writing in the Cold!
It is rare indeed that I can wake up, stare out towards the moors, and see snow smothering the top of Cosdon Beacon. This is all wrong. The snows should not continue into April. I am happy enough to wake to the sight of snow in February and March, but those months have gone. I … Continue reading
Book reviews
I made it a firm policy many years ago that I would not give a bad review to someone else’s work. It’s not because I am a particularly kind person. I have most definitely read several books that truly did not deserve those hours of my life. Those are hours I could have spent with … Continue reading
Weed clearing
Years ago, when the children were small, I ordered a tonne of rubber chippings. We had a small area that was difficult to incorporate into the main garden, so my wife had the brilliant idea of converting it into a play area for the children. There was a high wall on two sides, and although … Continue reading
Nothing Succeeds Like Failure
This title appealed to me for two reasons today. The first is, yesterday I put up a video that demonstrated my utter incompetence with technology. I had tried to make a video recording of opening a parcel. Not, you would think, the hardest thing to do. However, the camera decided to go into a bit … Continue reading
Why Are Books Good?
We are blessed with another splendid day. It’s confusing, though, to be sitting indoors, huddled in warm clothes, and then, on wandering outdoors, to find that it’s too hot for anything other than shirtsleeves. Today started very well, thanks to a delightful teacher called Mark, who wrote to thank me for my notes on writing. … Continue reading
Working Wednesday
This is the first day which I’ve been able to sit outside. The sun is beaming down, and sitting indoors in my office is freezing, so instead I am sitting in the back yard, typing on my Astrohaus Freewrite. Many people have said to me that the Freewrite is a ludicrous extravagance, that it’s a … Continue reading
writerlywitterings 