Re-covering

New cover for LC 'Episode Three'

A little creative project I promised myself was to replace the cover images on the Limited Capability serial ebooks, which began life with standard Amazon 'art paper' backgrounds.  I'm combining this fun project with the serious task of making the first corrections to the text from checking the prototype paperback - having recruited three eagle-eyed proof-readers to pick up anything I miss, I'm sure these won't be the only revisions!

Some covers will be fairly easy to find among my own photos - the atmospheric canal above being a case in point.  Episode One uses an image rejected from a selection I took for the paperback's cover (though that is also in for a revision) and I had much fun designing a brochure for a classy B&B establishment for Episode Two, when I should probably have been fine-tuning my 'Benefits for Older People' leaflet.  The firework display for Episode Five actually took place at the Shrewsbury Flower Show several years ago, while Episode Four's cover had to wait until the pelagoniums were blooming... 

Having re-read 'LC', it's given me something of a spur to continue the story and get back to work on the next (possibly last - but who can say?) volume of adventures for the Walkers and the Solent Welfare Rights Project, although I keep changing my mind about exactly how and when to start.  The best plan may be to leave that for a while, press on with the remainder of the story, and then consider how the beginning works from the perspective of the end.  Thinking back, Severe DIscomfort went through four or five different versions of its first couple of chapters before I settled on the final one, and that was only after completing the rest of the text.  So far, there's about a third to a half of the next novel done as a first draft, along with an outline for the whole story and odd scenes and episodes that have popped into my mind during random moments of gardening, which may or may not make the final 'cut'.  But I really do need to focus when I'm at the computer in the evening with time available to work on the book, and not get distracted by what's happening on Facebook.

In the last couple of days I have learned, through the miracle of 'Buzzfeed', that I am variously Wonderwoman (as indeed are three of my closest work colleagues), Galadriel, a Unicorn and the Jimi Hendrix Experience, should have lived in Renaissance Italy, the 1970s or Newcastle (as in 'upon Tyne' rather than 'under Lyme' - been hanging about in Daphne Randall's character too much while working on that short story!) and am also 16% 'stereotypically English'.  Actually, with a fair tally of Irish ancestors and the announcement that 'Cornish' is a now separate minority identity, that last one is probably not far wide of the mark!  Sadly, many of these fascinating insights into my soul are based on flawed or incomplete analysis, on the basis that there was no 'I don't know what the bloody hell you're talking about' option in the answers to questions about chic-flicks, celebs and hashtags, so I had to guess something. 

In short, they are a stupendous waste of time when you have ideas for at least two books running through your mind.  Or even if you haven't.  So I'm not doing any more of them.

Well, not once I've found out which Winnie the Pooh character I am...!

Parental Guidance





A great local Indy bookshop - Webberleys in Hanley

I never thought I could do it, but I have managed to write a short story for the 'Hot Air' competition, and wrapped it up almost 300 words short of the limit.  I'm not sure the title is right (in fact I know it's not) and I could do with a second opinion from someone unfamiliar with my previous stories to be sure it 'works', even if you haven't met the central character before, but I'm genuinely pleased with it. 
Since my last blog, I've had a couple more good reviews of my books and some very supportive and encouraging words from some new readers, having managed to encourage a flurry of free downloads last time Severe Discomfort was a freebie.  We still don't exactly have J K Rowling looking anxiously over her shoulder at the competition, but SD did briefly make the dizzy heights of no. 531 on the Amazon charts.  Sales look quite promising for this month - the biscuit fund might even manage chocolate ones when the next royalties come in!  I was tempted to set it as 'free' for tomorrow to mark Iain Duncan Smith's 60th birthday, but I have limited freebie slots and can't use them up too lightly with a new offensive on 'benefit fraud' apparently due soon, especially as it seems to be possible to post links on the DWP's Facebook page...

I got another compliment from an unexpected source at the weekend, when I was chatting to my Dad.  Despite leaning gently to the Left, The Da doesn't always seem to understand that benefit claimants are people just like him but with slightly less luck, and after an awkward exchange on the subject a couple of weeks ago, I'd decided to send him a copy of Severe Discomfort.  Surprisingly, as he's not a great one for reading, apparently he's started it; he went on to say it was well-written (without being prompted) and that, 'as there's such a load of old rubbish on the telly these days' he might well stick with it.

But there are some aspects of the story I can't see the old chap approving of at all.  For a start, he doesn't appreciate bad language.  While he may well have turned the air blue at work with his railway colleagues, he never used strong swear-words at home (unlike my late mum who, despite presenting a mild and respectable face to the world, could often be heard cursing some hapless kitchen appliance with the immortal words 'Damn and blast the stupid, sodding, buggering thing!'), so he'll doubtless be disappointed that they don't get asterixed out in the book. 

The last chapter is going to be trouble too, because if there's one thing guaranteed to get the remote control wielded at the TV, it's 'that sort of thing' in a film or drama.  I've even known disapproving tutting to go on during wildlife documentaries.  So if he gets caught up in the story and decides he'd like to find out what happens in the second part, I hope he isn't too offended by the 'naughty bits'!

Reshuffling

Some wit at the 'Turn2Us' benefits advice organisation made a nicely dry comparison between the repeated refusals of DWP ministers and senior staff to admit their errors when cross-examined by Select Committees and the classic Morecombe and Wise sketch in which Andre Previn informs Eric he's playing 'all the wrong notes', only for Eric to reply 'I'm playing all the right notes - but in the wrong order!'

I've reluctantly had to accept that my latest Solent Welfare Rights Project novel's first draft is in similar shape - a lot of the 'right notes', but not in the right order.  As my cast contend with the April 2013 'welfare reforms', there are a number of potential storylines to pursue with them and while it would be outrageously contrived to inflict every one of the changes from that date on principal characters, there are some key themes I simply must pick up. 

But my first draft leaves me in that 'if I was wanting to get to there, I wouldn't be starting from here!' position of the proverbial traveller seeking directions in rural western Ireland.  I have a series of light-hearted scenes written up almost to the point where I was tempted to release them as an 'episode' for another serial, but fun though they are, they're set too early.  To be realistic, the entire story needs to shift at least three months forward, which means my late summer 2012 events either have to be discarded entirely (ouch! - but sometimes necessary) or re-timed, re-written and recycled to happen later in the story.  British Summer Time may prove a hindrance with the prospect of long, gardening-friendly evenings (dream on, Mrs - this is North Staffordshire!) but I will set some targets to keep myself on track and at least make sure I jot any ideas for bit-part case studies or odd scenes down when inspiration strikes.

I can also borrow examples from my own training material, since I'm paid to write small episodes of fact-based fiction as part of my job (the CAB do get the time back - though as biscuits!).

Meanwhile, the proof-reading of Limited Capability moves into its final few chapters and the deadline draws ever closer for any attempt at the short story competition for the 'Hot Air' literary festival.  More news on that, and it's mixed; new names appearing include Antony Beevor, AN Wilson and Melvyn Bragg (who I seem to recall lambasting the Bedroom Tax on The One Show a little while ago, so he's one of the good guys!), but the sponsors include The Sun. 

I had hoped that would prove to be an April Fool, but apparently not - Hot Air's Facebook page 'likes' the notorious Murdoch redtop.  Give me strength!!

I suppose it could be worse.  It could have been sponsored by the Daily Mail...