Our new pond My normal day for the last few years has been centred around my PC. It’s therefore quite strange, but nonetheless enjoyable, for me to rise each morning and don workclothes rather than the track-suit bottoms and t-shirt which has become my customary writer’s garb. It’s entirely a question of comfort. How did all those writers past manage with all that starch and corsetry they had to contend with, not to mention having to write the whole flippin’ book in longhand? Actually, I wrote the very first draft of Niedermayer & Hart in longhand. I didn’t own a computer at that time, or a typewriter for that matter, in fact, I’d never so much as even typed a letter of complaint to the CEO of a coffee chain on some matter of great national importance like the milk temperature of my daily latte. Times change! But can’t help wondering whether Dickens or Victor Hugo might not have managed to keep going a bit longer and even coughed-up a few more books if they’d been allowed to write on a laptop in a nice loosely-fitting floral shirt, a pair of baggy shorts and some sandals. Goodness only knows what Jane Austen might have achieved wearing a kaftan!
Talking of being strangely dressed, the Eurovision Song Contest, which the wife loves to watch annually (sigh), was won by a bearded lady for Austria! Actually, the bearded lady was a drag artist called Conchita Wurst (stage-name of course!) who said in the interview that I watched on Facebook that he’d invented the persona to promote more tolerance of people who are different. I must say the effect was quite shocking at first, however, he/she really could sing, the song itself was powerful (although in all honesty I can’t remember anything about it a week on!) and it was well delivered - he/she deserved the success.
I suffered some anxiety a few days back when my garden pond, which I had recently dug out and filled, turned into an unappetising pea-soup from the rapid invasion of algae. Fortunately my gardening guru tells me this is just minerals in the water and it will clear. Hope he’s right. Actually, seem to recall the same thing happened to the last pond I had about twenty years back, and that turned out okay! So, fingers crossed.
Most of the week I’ve been working down in our cellar. I plan to screed the floor and make the walls (a little bit) more waterproof. Judith asked me a few days back whether I, being the author of Niedermayer & Hart, didn’t feel somewhat unnerved working for several hours each day in a cellar on my own? I suppose you’d need to know the relationship between Niedermayer & Hart and cellars to understand the meaning behind her question. Actually, N & H managed to pick up this rather excellent review on Amazon.com about a week ago and my tail hasn’t stopped wagging since. If interested in a ripping yarn with horror/thriller elements, please take a look - definitely a lot more fun than working in my cellar!
And that was the week that was - well, sort of!
Stop Press: in an act of pre-Summer madness, I have recklessly slashed the price of both my books on Kindle. You can now buy Niedermayer & Hart (and find out exactly why my wife may be concerned for my sanity after spending prolonged periods down in our cellar!) and psychological/thriller Roadrage (no horror but definitely scary) for just £0.99 each from Amazon UK.
US and worldwide readers haven’t been left out on a great deal either. They can now purchase Niedermayer & Hart and Roadrage at the very low Summer price of $1.99 each over at Amazon.com. This US pricing applies to all other countries worldwide.
If you do take advantage of this offer and read either of my books, I am, as always, delighted to receive any feedback!
Talking of being strangely dressed, the Eurovision Song Contest, which the wife loves to watch annually (sigh), was won by a bearded lady for Austria! Actually, the bearded lady was a drag artist called Conchita Wurst (stage-name of course!) who said in the interview that I watched on Facebook that he’d invented the persona to promote more tolerance of people who are different. I must say the effect was quite shocking at first, however, he/she really could sing, the song itself was powerful (although in all honesty I can’t remember anything about it a week on!) and it was well delivered - he/she deserved the success.
I suffered some anxiety a few days back when my garden pond, which I had recently dug out and filled, turned into an unappetising pea-soup from the rapid invasion of algae. Fortunately my gardening guru tells me this is just minerals in the water and it will clear. Hope he’s right. Actually, seem to recall the same thing happened to the last pond I had about twenty years back, and that turned out okay! So, fingers crossed.
Most of the week I’ve been working down in our cellar. I plan to screed the floor and make the walls (a little bit) more waterproof. Judith asked me a few days back whether I, being the author of Niedermayer & Hart, didn’t feel somewhat unnerved working for several hours each day in a cellar on my own? I suppose you’d need to know the relationship between Niedermayer & Hart and cellars to understand the meaning behind her question. Actually, N & H managed to pick up this rather excellent review on Amazon.com about a week ago and my tail hasn’t stopped wagging since. If interested in a ripping yarn with horror/thriller elements, please take a look - definitely a lot more fun than working in my cellar!
And that was the week that was - well, sort of!
Stop Press: in an act of pre-Summer madness, I have recklessly slashed the price of both my books on Kindle. You can now buy Niedermayer & Hart (and find out exactly why my wife may be concerned for my sanity after spending prolonged periods down in our cellar!) and psychological/thriller Roadrage (no horror but definitely scary) for just £0.99 each from Amazon UK.
US and worldwide readers haven’t been left out on a great deal either. They can now purchase Niedermayer & Hart and Roadrage at the very low Summer price of $1.99 each over at Amazon.com. This US pricing applies to all other countries worldwide.
If you do take advantage of this offer and read either of my books, I am, as always, delighted to receive any feedback!
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