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Saturday, August 20, 2016

Brexit + WQ193

Thinking about how the UK Prime Minister is SO pushing leaving the EU, all based on a referendum, WITHOUT a vote in Parliament. Strange.
Looked at some figures...
51.89% voted to leave the EU, 48.11% to stay.
From this website, I picked out the exact figures and made some percentages
(http://www.idea.int/vt/countryview.cfm?CountryCode=GB)
The complete 64,088,222 UK population...

So, does the UK REALLY want to leave the EU? Looking at that, no.

Oh, it's the Iron Writer Weekend Quickie 193!
http://theironwriter.com/the-iron-writer-challenge-weekend-quickie-193/
Must have a go...

WQ193 - image above, estranged, a beach scene snow globe, the tipping point

"Why oh why did he have to leave?" Emma cried in the rain, her back to Thelma.
"He didn't leave," she replied.
"Was it the toilet paper holder hat or the beach scene snow globe?" whined Emma. "What was it that made him leave?"
"It was the snow globe, Emma. That was definitely the tipping point of your relationship. And he didn't leave... okay, in a sense, yes."
"Oh why oh why!" cried Emma.
"Stop it, already. Can we get a move on? I'm getting saturated," said Thelma.
"I feel so alienated, so estranged!" screamed Emma."Why me? Why me?"
"You did it to yourself, Emma. It's pouring down, we're going to catch a cold if we stay out here too long."
"Oh, Thelma, what shall I do, what shall I do?" she cried.
"You can give me a hand for a start," grunted Thelma.
"But Thelma, he was my whole world, my love, my life!" she cried.
"Look, Emma, you're the one who smashed him over the head with the snow globe. Now get your arse over here and pick up the shovels. I don't want the State troopers to find us out in the woods burying your dead boyfriend."

Sunday, August 14, 2016

Rihanna Sziget 2016 + WQ192

I wasn't there, but I read about it...
"Half an hour of waiting, a dozen dancers, two ass shaking and zero atmosphere"
http://www.origo.hu/kultura/fesztival/20160812-rihanna-koncert-beszamolo-sziget-fesztival-2016-nulladik-nap.html
This link is in Hungarian because Sziget, Europe's largest annual music festival, is on Hajogyari Sziget in Budapest.
Yes, Rihanna headlined for 1 million dollars, made the 80,000+ audience that paid 70 dollars to see her wait half an hour, played 70 minutes of a 1 & 1/2 hour concert, wore only one outfit, sang a little but it could be seen that some was playback, wiggled her ass twice, had a break on stage where nothing happened, half the audience left 30 minutes in, and she finished to short, polite applause, walking off in silence.
Lovely. So nice to see people respecting Hungarians. Rihanna should give them all their money back. Of course, she'd be 4.6million out of pocket, but hey.
Oh yes, it's the Iron Writer Weekend Quickie 192! I haven't had time! Until now!
 


WQ192 - image above, Dead man walking, “Balls to the wall”, A painful but nostalgic memory

"Well, ah gotta get those 'balls to the wall'," said Uncle Ted, standing up to take his place in the queue for Charlie's barbecue.
"Eh, up, Dead man walking," cackled Auntie Maggs, as the other cronies joined in.
Uncle Ted passed the fallen Plaster of Paris Greek statue which separated the lawn from Charlie's uneven terrace where his cherished grill stood, the one now burning hamburgers and sausages. "Ah, this reminds me of the time I bought a kebab from Paki Joe's Deli on a Wednesday, before the weekly delivery. Me arse was screaming for months," moaned Uncle Ted. "Ah, but those were the days," he smiled. "I came to love that cushion." It showed on his walk.
"Come on, Uncle Ted," I said. "It can't be that bad. See? Old Uncle Bob has eaten three sausages already and he's okay."
"Ah, but he's got a secret weapon, me lad. They took 'is lower intestines out four years ago! Those sausages 'ave got less t'travel! And 'e's got his own colostomy bag!" Uncle Ted was right, there was a forced smile on Uncle Bob's face. "But don't worry, me lad, the homemade Bloody Mary Chutney will knock me out first."

And you can see other Iron Writers' takes here!
http://theironwriter.com/the-iron-writer-challenge-weekend-quickie-192/

Saturday, August 6, 2016

WQ191

Yes, it's time for the next Weekend Quickie!
http://theironwriter.com/the-iron-writer-challenge-weekend-quickie-191




 191 - image above, disparity, dramatic irony, dogmatism

"I can see one!" said Doug through his telescope as the sun was going down under the horizon. "He's got a hat on, one of those bobble hats!"
"Are yer sure?" asked Ted. "All I see is a guy with a brimmed hat, looking through a telescope like yers," he said, looking through his binoculars the wrong way round.
"Really? I'm sure it's a bobble hat... anyway, we gotta kill any immigrant we see trying to cross the border, they're taking jobs away from born and bred Americans!" said Doug, scratching his head and raising his brimmed hat a little.
"Damn right, Doug! Those pesky im'grants are taking away our jobs an' killing the economy! So we gotta fight back!" Ted lifted his rifle and looked into his sight. "Darn it! He's gone!"
"No, he ain't! I can see him! Shoot, Ted, shoot!" screamed Doug.
"Alright, alright, I'll use me binoculars again... there he is! Brimmed hat an' all. Now, if I can just raise me rifle with one hand..." Ted's rifle lined up with the back of Doug's head. "I think I'm ready."
"Shoot, Ted, shoot!"
The shot rang out across the valley and Doug fell to the ground.


More news? You'd like more news? There's a little...
Editing 'How 2' and working on a little zombie story for an anthology.
Yep. Still alive, still breathing... 

Monday, August 1, 2016

New Book Idea + copies of "All For Love"!

Today I received 3 paperback copies of "All For Love" from one of my publishers, Firefly & Wisp!
https://www.facebook.com/fireflyandwisp
Thank you, Danielle Zwissler! @danielleleezwis

STILL working on the last edit of How 2...but...I've also got a new idea for the next 100 pager or so.... 


Coming soon...


Saturday, July 30, 2016

WQ190 and any other news?

Any other news? Sitting in my little cave, wondering what's next...editing How 2, though I have an urge to do something like Dr. Seuss...oh, but look! It's the Iron Writer Weekend Quickie 190! Mmm, tricky....
http://theironwriter.com/the-iron-writer-challenge-weekend-quickie-190/

 

WQ190 - Write a 200 word story using the sentiment of these elements without quoting them …“The game is on the line”, “So close and yet so far”, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet” and the image above.


The atmosphere was tense as her loved one, her soon-to-be husband lined up for the last shot of the match. People chanted and jeered throughout the place.
"Oh, this can't be closer, there's only one more chance left and if he makes this one, they'll be even," she whispered to her friend as they sat only a few yards away from the action on the sidelines. "Then it'll be sudden death and it's anyone's game."
"He'll make it," said her friend, taking her hand. "He will." The place fell silent as he took his shot. They held their breath... and he missed, flicking his shot way over target. The crowd around her erupted in cheering and yelling.
"He... he only had to do it one more time," she said, not believing her own eyes. A tear fell from her right eye.
"But it looks like it was too much to ask for," said her friend. "I'm sorry, really I am. But look, it's only a game."
"Yes, yes, you're right," she said, taking out a tissue, blowing her nose loudly and wiping her tear away. "He may not be a champion but he's still the greatest tiddlywinks player for me."

Friday, July 29, 2016

Cover Debate. Как вы думаете? What do you think?

This week I've had a big surge of viewers in... Russia! I doubt if they're real, but hey...

Добро пожаловат
Если вы на самом деле, подумайте о переводе некоторых из моей работы, и вернуться ко мне.


So... where were we? Oh yes, covers. My last novella, "All For Love"....I wanted something like this...
 ...a photo of an old student of mine she allowed me to use. Her expression begs you to look.
And I actually got this because the publisher said it would sell better...it didn't sell.



What do you think? Which one is better?
Как вы думаете? Какая из них лучше?

Thursday, July 28, 2016

Some New (and old) Book Covers

In October I will be bringing out a few short story compilations, based on the Iron Writer and the Writers Games 2016. But first, here is a new try on "All For Love" using the original photo...

..nice, huh? Simple and enticing.

How about the Writers Games 2016 compilation cover....



...and the Iron Writer compilation cover...





Can you see where I'm going with this?