The Powers that Be

What is wrong with the world today? You can’t believe a word they say.

They tell us they want to stop a war and then go off and bomb some more.

They tweet and jeer to not lose face until we fear a new arms race.

Yet still parade like special friends as if sport all the trouble ends.

There’s poison smeared upon a door, something we’ve never seen before.

Two people almost die and still we do not know who made them ill.

It’s frightening how we do not mind if no more elephants we find,

If all the trees are felled and burned and calls to save the planet spurned.

And while we all pollute the sea with plastic, they cannot agree

To treat our world with love and care knowing this is the earth we share.

 

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Review. Gypsy by Lesley Pearse

I read about one book a week and recently have been disappointed, until I started Lesley Pearse’s story ‘Gypsy.’ I suppose I was in the mood for a gripping relationship novel but I was also impressed with the historical background. I realise I need to start doing more research for my books and not rely so much on my own experiences. Thank you, Lesley, for showing me what a fascinating saga should read like.

To those who have not read the book it is about a young female violinist who goes to America in the eighteen nineties. The descriptions of the places she lodged in and the men she met were eminently believable. I shall look for more by this author.

New Novel

I have just selected a possible cover picture for the next novel,” A Bend in the Lane.”

It follows the grandmother from the ‘Lane ‘ trilogy from Blackpool to Italy and I wanted a Tuscan landscape, which I think we have found.

There’s something so good about being able to pick a cover, rather than letting a traditional publisher choose it. That’s one of the advantages of being a self publisher.

Now to concentrate on the Charity Gig.

Tortoises

Reading Mary Smith’s blog about turtles I realised I had a lovely picture of tortoises.

Can’t tell you anything about the new book until I find a cover, so here they are instead.

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Preparation

A week of getting things ready. First, the novel. I still haven’t sorted all the spacing but I’m nearly there. I keep stopping to look for cover images because it’s more fun.

Then, the charity Gig. The Sea Scribes had a rehearsal on Thursday and we now have tickets and posters. On Sunday we go to look at the hall again. The Parkinson’s society are sending literature and balloons, the St Laurence singers are already ordering tickets, now to advertise ‘Music and Words’ with local musicians and writers on Saturday 12th May at St Botolph’s Church Hall, Worthing, 7.30pm.

I need to search out some more poems and we are seeing the folk singers on Sunday to check who is willing to perform. Wish us luck!

Editing

AAAAH! That will teach me. I thought the proof of my book was ready for printing but NO WAY. After three goes at editing it myself, one beta reader and two more proof readings I thought I’d got it right. It isn’t enough!

My problem is my poor typing skills. I may have found all the spelling errors but I still don’t leave spaces in the right place, especially when I put dialogue within the text, rather than starting a new line.

‘Good morning,’ he said.’I hope you are well?’ should be – ‘Good morning,’ he said. ‘I hope you are well?’ It doesn’t show in this font but it does in more old fashioned ones. That’s a whole book I’ve got to change! My fault for trying to get up to date.

Planning a Gig

The Sea Scribes are planning a Charity Gig in aid of Parkinson’s with readings from the group mixed with songs and music from local musicians. It’s an experiment and we don’t know how many people to expect but we hope they will remember us and,maybe, be curious enough about us to investigate our books.

Being a bunch of local authors writing in a variety of styles and publishing in a number of different ways gives folk a choice of reading matter, fiction, non fiction, fantasy, romance, mystery, historical and crime.

Also, local musicians don’t always get the exposure they deserve and this will be an opportunity for the audience to relax and join in with familiar songs as well as hearing new ones.

Worthing is becoming a hub of home grown entertainment.

WOW