A big 'Thank You!'

I haven't had scores of reviews for my books, but those I have received - largely on Amazon's website - have been very welcome. 

So welcome that I would love to be able to post replies.  Indeed I tried to respond to the first two I received for Severe Discomfort, but with no luck.  I tried again when some of the Limited Capability episodes drew reviews.  I've just tried to do so again today, to thank 'Sara' and 'Little Green Dragon' for their glowing praise and to tell them that, as long as Mr Duncan Smith's Universal Credit computer stays kaput, there is a fighting chance of more adventures for their favourite characters a little later this year.

But still no luck.  Amazon won't let me!  It seems I can't post in Amazon discussions because I haven't actually bought anything from them.  Ever.  Something of an 'I've never seen Star Wars' type confession, I know (except I have seen Star Wars, so many times I almost know the dialogue well enough to do a one-woman show of it, and I love it), but there's never been anything I've wanted that I wouldn't just as happily buy somewhere else.

Now I know one shouldn't bite the hand that feeds and all that, but the last time I checked, every time someone bought an ebook of one of my stories, Amazon got 65% of the sale price, and I (or to be precise, the 'Beverage Fund') got 35%.  The split of profits on paperbacks is no better.

In short, publishing through Amazon is strikingly similar to being on Housing Benefit or Universal Credit, only without the disregards!  Hence my willingness to give stuff away, though grateful thanks to anyone who has bought an episode or two because...

Bad news for anyone at the Bureau working on that New Year weight-loss plan!

So here's hoping that the people I would like to thank will get the chance to read this blog and know that I appreciate their thoughtful reviews very much and feel humbled by their words.  I don't want to rush to print (or whatever the virtual equivalent might be) with something that's not up to scratch, and I do want to try out a different style of narrative and some different characters in another project, but I'm setting up a 'snippets and spoilers' page on this blog to share a few previews of work in progress, and perhaps the odd episode from the earlier books that ended up on the 'cutting room floor'.

Watch this space!