Published in The Writing Cooperative·PinnedMember-onlyHalf of All Traditionally Published Books Sell Fewer Than 12 CopiesThis is what I’ve learned and earned from self-publishing — If Moses were to come down from the mountain with the Ten Commandments today, he’d get so pissed off trying to find a publisher they’d end up as a listicle on Medium. We would all like to write that bestselling book, wouldn’t we? The acclaim, the fame, the money. So…Self Publishing6 min readSelf Publishing6 min read
Published in Everything Fun·3 days agoMember-onlyA Delightful and Irreverent Jaunt around an Odd Little Place Called BritainGuess The Book — №5 — The Challenge Can you figure it out? It’s a book review with a difference. It tests your book knowledge by giving a background to the author and clues to the book as snippets of information and quotes. Guess the identity of the book and the author. The answer is in a link…Everything Fun4 min readEverything Fun4 min read
Published in Politically Speaking·4 days agoMember-onlyToasters Don’t Toast Toast, People Toast ToastAnd other laughable anti-gun control arguments that make me want to cry — I know. You don’t toast toast — you toast bread. It’s a flawed statement. Here are some more flawed statements. Guns don’t kill people, people kill people If you want toast, you need to press the lever on the toaster. But it’s a damn sight easier to toast the bread if you have a toaster — in…Gun Control5 min readGun Control5 min read
6 days agoMember-onlyAdventures Are Always Better When Shared — Even with Your DogA trip to Glencoe with my best friend — Global warming made an appearance and bequeathed Scotland a run of clear skies. We had twelve uninterrupted weeks of ginger-baking summer sunshine. This was unheard of in Scotland. ‘If you don’t like the weather in Scotland — wait twenty minutes’ was a phrase I hadn’t heard in weeks. This was…Globetrotters8 min readGlobetrotters8 min read
Published in Writers’ Blokke·Jan 16Member-onlyThese Two Authors Are Unembarrassable Marketers of Their BooksGreat writers write — popular writers publicise — “The most difficult of all tasks that a mortal man can embark on is to sell a book.” — Stanley Unwin. Waverly Station, Edinburgh I stepped off the train and took the escalator to Princes Street. At the top, I was accosted by a wild-looking, hairy man. “Come and get yer books, laddie!”…Book Marketing5 min readBook Marketing5 min read
Published in The Haven·Jan 14Member-onlyThe 10 Commandments for Reading and Writing On MediumThis is the consensus of us all, by us all, for us all — For what I am about to impart, may Medium be truly thankful. This platform exists to share ideas and perspectives from the world’s most insightful writers, thinkers, and storytellers. I’m talking about you. I chewed over what you told me. I deliberated. And I came to a conclusion — ten…Medium7 min readMedium7 min read
Published in The Writing Cooperative·Jan 13Member-onlyAmerica’s Most Cinematic Novelist Made Up His 10 Rules For Writing On The SpotWith over two dozen stories adapted for film or television — you might like to know Elmore Leonard’s secret — “When you say a guy has got a gun, you know something is going to happen. If the gun doesn’t go off, then don’t put it in the story.” — Elmore Leonard. Elmore Leonard was fascinated with guys who live with and use guns. He never owned a gun. They…Elmore Leonard6 min readElmore Leonard6 min read
Published in Globetrotters·Jan 7Member-onlyThese Are the Best Seafood Sandwiches in The WorldAnd I’ve tried Birds Eye cod fish finger sandwiches — Scotland On the pier at Oban, just behind the ferry terminal, is a compact seafood shack. A sign above says, ‘Local Shellfish.’ They have tables and benches outside. Inside, it’s crammed with shiny seafood. The choice and quality they offer are impressive; lobsters, crabs, mussels, oysters, and langoustines that looked so…Globetrotter4 min readGlobetrotter4 min read
Published in Everything Fun·Jan 5Member-onlyFact or Fiction: How Good Are You at Spotting BullshitPut Your Detection Skills to the Test — Fact or Fiction — A Game for Everything Fun In today’s world, it’s more important than ever to be able to separate fact from fiction. With the proliferation of fake news, misleading information, and intentional deception, it’s difficult to know what to believe. That’s why it’s crucial to develop the skills needed to spot a lie and determine the…Fun3 min readFun3 min read
Published in Cinemania·Jan 5Member-only8 Movies I’m Itching to See in 2023And I’ve still to watch Everything Everywhere All At Once Oh, what a glorious guddle of films to pop the popcorn for this year. Film fans are chapping on cinema doors in anticipation of this year’s new releases. Despite the cinema industry suffering a purple pandemic, and a general shift…Cinema5 min readCinema5 min read
