Yes, I Am Now On Twitter  (At Long Last!!!)

Yes I am now on TWITTER - so why not follow me and I will probably follow you too - (I don't follow sex, violence, hatred or any sites that bear no relevance to Books and Publishing and Writing.

You will find me @thebookbloke.

Follow @thebookbloke

Tweets by @thebookbloke

Hope to see you there in the Twittersphere,

have a great day,

David C. 

First Person or Third Person?

When Writing or Reading Do You Have a Preference, and Why?

If you are a scribbler, which point of view (POV) do you prefer to write in, and if you are reader, do you have any preference when choosing books to read?

The reason I pose this question is because my friend, Anne, a voracious reader of chicklit, (she gets through a mountain of the stuff every month!) but will only ever buy books written in the third person. She detests stories written in the first, so much so that one of my recent books, Down into the Darkness, albeit a short one, she would not touch, when I mentioned it was written in the first person.

I found I quite enjoyed the change, and have even started writing another one that way, provisionally entitled ROWENA, though I suspect I shall always write my longer books in the third person, for it seems more natural to me. The first person choice appears to suit shorter stories and novellas much better, though I have no idea why that is.

I mentioned that Anne refused point blank to read DITD on Goodreads, and was quite surprised to receive several lovely letters (emails to you and me!) telling me that they absolutely adored first person books, and would only ever buy such things, and I should keep writing them, so clearly there is a big divide amongst some folk as to their preference.

It’s interesting that one of the most successful writers of today, Lee Child, when writing his eponymous hero, Jack Reacher, varies between telling the stories in the first and the third. I wonder what the thinking is behind that. Maybe he simply enjoys the change.

And also that John Irving, when presenting one of his tome-like books to his publisher, was told, or maybe more likely, advised, that it was okay, for a first draft, but it would have been much better if written in the first person, and could he please go away and re-write it accordingly, to which he blew out hard, and went off and duly did as requested, and of course the book went on to sell millions of copies. Perhaps afterwards he was glad he took their advice!

So, I pose this question to you today dear reader, or writer, which POV do you prefer, and why exactly is that?

Have a great day,

And night,

Have fun,

David Carter.

© David Carter 2015

Frankenstein:

Did you know that Mary Shelley was only eighteen when she began writing Frankenstein?

Amazing imagination!!! Wish I'd been there....

David C

Here's the link...  silly me!

Original John Sutton Painting of Appledore Quay

I have just added a lovely John Sutton original painting to my Ebay store and it is now up for sale.

Here's the pic:

and here's his signature on the picture:

and here's the link on ebay where you can find out so much more about this cracking original painting.

Enjoy!!!!!!!!!

David C.

Poppies, Paris and Poetry....

Here’s a pic of my well-worn poppy this year, and I know it’s a bit late, but better late than never, as the say. 

And especially fitting after the despicable events in Paris. I feel so sorry for all those young kids who went out on a Friday night (thought that was supposed to be a holy day, btw, but never mind!) to a music concert, and never came back. 

What kind of god could ever justify such a thing?

Makes no sense at all to me, and practically everyone else. 

Anyway, people of Paris, the whole civilised world is grieving with you, that’s for sure.

And here’s the topical poetry, and there’s a question for you to follow. You’ll know this piece, but do you know who wrote it? Answer in a tick.

Here are the important words first:

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Yes it’s In Flanders Fields of course, and particularly apt it is this week, methinks, and it was written by?

Bet you didn’t know. I certainly didn’t.

Here’s the answer, courtesy of Wikipedia, and thank you for that.

"In Flanders Fields" is a war poem in the form of a rondeau, written during the First World War by Canadian physician Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae.

He was inspired to write it on May 3, 1915, after presiding over the funeral of friend and fellow soldier Alexis Helmer, who died in the Second Battle of Ypres. According to legend, fellow soldiers retrieved the poem after McCrae, initially dissatisfied with his work, discarded it.

"In Flanders Fields" was first published on December 8 of that year in the London-based magazine Punch

It is one of the most popular and most quoted poems from the war.

So there you have it, John McCrae. I’ll remember that now.

Peace to all,

David.

“Down into the Darkness” Giveaway Draw Now Live on Goodreads.com

If you fancy trying to win a free copy of my new book then can I draw your attention to the Giveaway draw on Goodreads.com that started yesterday and runs until June 11^th 2015.

There are ten copies to be won and all you have to do is lodge your interest and your name and address with Goodreads and they will conduct the draw independently as soon as the draw closes on June 11th.

This is for a hard copy of the paperback book, not a PDF. Mobi, or ebook copy, so why not add your name to the draw? As they say: someone has to win, so why not you?

Best of luck,

David Carter.

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Down into the Darkness

by David Carter

Giveaway ends June 11, 2015.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to Win

The Turn of the Tide by Margaret Henderson Smith. Book Review

“The Turn of the Tide” is Margaret Henderson Smith’s latest episode in the ongoing saga of the accident prone Harriet Glover.

   Harriet is a teacher and is still besotted with, or should I say deeply in love with, her boss, one Joris Sanderson, though it seems she often wishes she felt different about that.

   Joris, or Mr Sanderson, as Harriet still insists on calling him, has apparently everything a man could desire. He’s a doctor, headmaster, Knight of the realm with friends in high places, and I mean stratospheric, as in Prime Ministers and the like, and you don’t get much higher than that.

   And now Harriet is pregnant and Joris, sorry Mr Sanderson, is the father, though no one else knows that, and in the meantime he has a bevy of beauties hanging around, former girlfriends and lovers, and even mothers of his children, and others eyeing up Joris’s fabulous house and extravagant lifestyle and wishing and hoping and thinking and scheming that one day Joris could be theirs and theirs alone. Not that Harriet is without admirers too, though she’s inclined to stand back and keep her counsel and play her cards very close to her chest.

   There’s something of the Real Housewives of Cheshire going on here, every time I see that programme I think of a rampaging Harriet, who despite being pregnant still gets herself into all kinds of scrapes, from mugging cab drivers and stealing his cab, to crossing swords with crazy drug soaked rappers.

   There are a lot of characters here too, as you might expect, seeing as this is the fifth book in the series, so you may wish to go back and start at the beginning, though you don’t need to do that as “The Turn of the Tide” stands alone as a separate novel, and there’s a very useful guide to all the players at the beginning of the book to keep you onside at all times.

   I particularly liked the ending, though I will say no more on that here, and it had me wondering as to whether “The Turn of the Tide” is indeed the end of the road for Harriet Glover and her consonant dropping chums, but then again, somehow I doubt that, for Harriet has an exciting future before her, and I suspect there’s still much intrigue to be told and stories to unfold.

Today I’m delighted to write a few words about my new short book that is out this month.

It’s called “Down into the Darkness” and is much shorter than most of my books, clocking in at around 140 pages, but some people have liked the fact that it’s a short and snappy read. Let’s face it, we don’t all have the time or want to read 700 page marathons.

“Down into the Darkness” follows the fortunes of the thirty-something Tony Jenks. He lives alone in a small flat in an old Edwardian building that he shares with three other flats. All the other apartments are occupied by a weird bunch of people with a weird bunch of problems, but Tony’s happy enough to stay there for he has a decent job, and no mortgage, and believes he is as free as it is possible to be.

Then one night while in bed, alone as usual, he hears noises the likes of which he has never heard before, and Tony’s journey down into the darkness has begun.

The book has been described as “intelligent horror”, though I did not set out to write a horror story, and I am still not sure that it is, but as Graham Greene used to say, “I have to read what the critics have to say before I ever know what my books are all about”, or words to that effect, and I’ll go along with that.

“Down into the Darkness” is out now as an ebook and in paperback and you can buy the ebook for less than a cup of high street coffee.

Here’s the book trailer here:

And you can look at the SEARCH INSIDE feature and read a couple of chapters on Amazon here:

Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk.

Thanks for reading my stuff, and I hope you like the book,

David. 

In My Blood by Greg Waggett - Book Review

Greg Waggett was a career soldier and when he eventually left the service he found himself at a loose end and so he did what many people do, he started a property letting agency. But that didn’t satisfy him for long and the money wasn’t great, and who wants to be chasing around difficult tenants all day? – (I know – been there – done that!) – so he started an advertising agency and that did okay, until things started to change, and maybe he needed something more – maybe there was a midlife crisis in there somewhere too, but he went back into the service, in a way, when he joined a PSC, a Private Security Company, utilising the skills he’d picked up in the Army… working in the Middle East and Libya and anywhere else where such people are always needed.

  It isn’t everyone’s idea of fun, escorting Corporation personnel around difficult terrain, guarding installations, being shot at, but the pay was good, £300 a day, and that was ten years ago, probably double that today, but the risks were and are enormous, as many people have found out to their terrible cost.

   This is his story and a cracking read it is too. I learned a lot, some trivial information, and others not. Here are two weird facts that stick in the mind. Did you know where Winston Churchill first found himself in a war situation? Everyone says: South Africa, and everyone’s wrong. Greg says Cuba, and Greg is right. And here’s another useless fact. Did you know that they don’t have eggcups in Kuwait? Nothing to dip your soldiers in? Catastrophe eh? Answer? A used toilet roll. Can’t you just see it set up on the table, boiled egg sitting proud, top off, salt and pepper on, soldiers in!!! Great.

   Greg Waggett is a prescient man. He said that if the American led coalition ever left Iraq for a second time the country and surrounding area would descend into chaos, and they would have to go back in and sort it out all over again, and that is precisely what is happening today. He can also write – this book is very well written, full of the kind of humour that is right up my street. He comes across as a man you’d want to share a G & T with, and if he ever wants to slow down a tad and find a new career, maybe he should consider writing a work of fiction based on the conflicts in the area, for I’m petty sure it would be better than a lot of the special forces stuff that has been written and put out up ’till now.

   Later on there are equally interesting chapters based in East Africa, in Juba and Nairobi and Mombassa and Dar, just as South Sudan was going through a difficult birth. There are a number of small colour photos – I’d have preferred larger ones -  and even a nod to long distance internet dating – (quite amusing too) after all, what else is there to do at night stuck out in the back of beyond?

   Greg Waggett is an opinionated man, and that’s cool, he says it as it is, without the shackles of political correctness, and that sure makes a change in this mollycoddled day and age, and I found, as I suspect many people of my, and his generation, that I agreed with almost every word.

   In case you hadn’t gathered I thoroughly enjoyed this book, in fact it is the best book I have read in the last twelve months, and might I also suggest that it should be essential reading for anyone considering joining a PSC or similar, anywhere throughout the world’s trouble spots, especially working within the turbulent Arabic world. The money maybe good, but the risks can be enormous, and it isn’t suitable for everyone, and some really do pay the ultimate price. Read the book before ye go! It might change your mind, it might open your eyes, it might even speed your journey. Highly recommended.