Authors Electric

My first collection of short stories that take place on Moon Meadow Farm Over the last few months the only writing I've completed has been connected to my day job - I teach writing and craft related subjects. So, it's been handouts and those dreaded schemes of work. It's taken a few months but I'm now missing my characters who live on Moon Meadow Farm. So, I decided to build a small library of non-fiction books that would help me write the third in the series (Hare of Moon Meadow Farm). The first book in my new library was 'The Inner Life of Animals (Surprising Observations of a Hidden World)' by Peter Wohlleben. A thoroughly enjoyable read, insightful and it confirmed what I already believed about animals. That in many ways we are exactly the same as they are. I have also added to my reading list one of his other books 'The Secret Network of Nature.' I have also read and enjoyed 'The Wood - The Life and Times of Cockshutt Wood' by Joh...

Over the last 18 months I've been studying poetry. I've learnt a lot of 'stuff' including that sonnets and I really don't get on. I've also discovered I love counting syllables. I think this is because for the last 20 years or so I've worked to tight word counts. When writing for magazines you're given a word count to work with. Some magazines even provide a word count for different sections of the feature. So, I'm used to counting and aiming for a set goal. Now although I like poems which rhyme I don't always like trying to come up with rhyming words. So I've been experimenting with Haiku and Tanka and mixing them with my photography. This is one of my first attempts: During my studies I rediscovered found poetry and have been exploring black out poetry. Now because I have this 'thing' about destroying books I was delighted when I found an app that lets me create this form of poem without harming a single book. Here's o...

If you've read some of my previous posts you'll know I have a bit of a passion for hedgehogs. Well, some would say it was more of an obsession. Which, I tend to agree with as I run a hedgehog rescue from my back garden. Our brand new logo I do try not to be 'bang' on about them to much on here. However, as it's Hedgehog Awareness Week this week (5th May - 11th May) I felt it was a good week to ignore myself and write a piece about hedgehogs. Meet Doug, who I hand reared from a few days old last year. Now did you know hedgehog numbers have plummeted? In 1995 there were an estimated 1.5 million, now it's believed we have fewer than a million! Scary isn't it? However, there is a little ray of sunshine trying to peek through that thick grey cloud. It was recently discovered that although we are still losing hedgehogs in the countryside our urban population are fairing a little better. The speed of the loss of established populations is slowin...

What's your favourite?  When I write non-fiction, I tend to type straight onto my laptop, as the ideas come to me. Sometimes I use full sentences, even creating an entire paragraph. When I’m working on my short stories, I tend to use pen and paper to create a list of bullet points of action. These I then flesh out as I type up the story.  Now, for the last 18 months I’ve been plodding my way through a poetry course. Whilst exploring poetry I’ve found myself returning to writing everything down. This has allowed my ideas to flow. I’ve scribbled my half-baked ideas and half composed lines into one of my many, many note pads. (A writer can never have too note pads, especially if they are really lovely). It’s not until the poem is almost ‘there’ that I go to my laptop and type them up, ready for editing.   During the process of writing in long hand I’ve discovered I don’t like writing with a biro. Even if it’s the left handed ergonomic one that cost me an ...

The diary I'd received as a gift For the last three years I’ve been working as a tutor for my local council. Part of my departments remit is to reach those who’ve had a negative experience of education or haven’t had access to education as an adult. We cover a vast range of subjects and I’m lucky enough to teach the creative courses including writing. I teach two writing courses, one of which is designed to encourage students to discover their muse and write what they want to, for whatever reason they may have. Be it for therapeutic reasons or to make some form of income.  My courses are just ten hours long, two hours per week, for five consecutive weeks. In January I started a new creative course. At the beginning of the first session I asked, “what’s stopping you from writing?” I received the normal replies, including:  “I don’t have an imagination.” “I have no idea where to start.” “I’d quickly run out of ideas.”   To convince my students...

Over the last few weeks I've been teaching a five-week creative writing course for adults. The main aim of the course is to wake up their muse and inspire my students to write anything creative. Whether it's a story, poem or even a song. During one of the sessions I encouraged the students to come up with things they could use to inspire their writing. The list they came up with included: Newspaper features Songs Poems An overheard snippet of conversation A photograph A found object Family history A joke When they started to  falter  I added a few more  including  gravestones and blue plaques (the ones you see on the side of buildings which contain a name, a short description of that person and dates).  Now, fast forward a week and I was walking through an old graveyard. I had plenty of time, so when a gravestone caught my eye I stopped to read it. I was  surprised  it not only gave the name and the dates of those who lay beneath ...

Several years ago I was working on a story where I had a character reading aloud from a well-known book to an older relative. I wanted to include a few of the lines that were being read out. However I wasn't sure how much of it I could include, if any. I also had no idea how to get the permission I might need. So, when I rewrote it I still had my character reading aloud I just didn't include the words being read.       How many of you have been in a similar position? Wanting to include a quote from someones else's book, feature, article etc. and not knowing how to get consent for that use. Thankfully there's now an easy way to gain the permission you require, PLS Clear. Visit www.PLSclear.com to quickly and easily request permission for use of copyrighted material PLSclear is designed and operated by the PLS ( Publishers' Licensing Services ) who collect revenue generated by people/companies paying to use a publishers copyright  (similar to the ALCS , who...

My new updated cover I self published my first collection of short stories, Anansi The Trickster Spider  in January 2014. Since then I've self published a further four collections of short stories. With each one I've discovered something new. So, this month I decided to share some of my those things with you. So, in no particular order: One: It always takes longer than you think! So, be patient you'll get there in the end. Two: Take time to get the right cover and if you can then get someone to design it for you. Also remember to think about what it'll look like as a thumb nail image. Three: Keep up-to-date with all your paperwork. Especially the important stuff for example W-8BEN (this ensures you don't pay US tax). To find out how to complete this form  click here . Four: Keep an eye on your sales. The resellers for example KDP don't always get it right and don't be afraid to get them to check. I've done this three times and on one occ...

Recently I tackled the task of My very first tin of buttons rediscovering the floor of the garage (ours is like many - full of 'stuff' that can't be thrown away). During the process I opened a storage box. Laying on the top were two tins (one full of buttons - see right) I'd been given these by my Uncle Albert. You see he'd been given two tins of shortbread biscuits, which he doesn't like. So, he re-gifted to me - I was more than happy with that. Once I'd consumed the contents of both I remembered my nan had had a button tin. I loved to play with the buttons it contained and this in turn brought back loads of fond childhood memories. So I decided it was about time I had my own tin of buttons. So over the next few months, whenever I found a stray button I put it into the tin. I knew I should really be cleaning up the garage but I couldn't help myself, I had to open the tin. When I did memories came flooding back. For example: The zebra button...

Recently a fellow author found many of her books were available for free on a website, therefore infringing her copyright. The site in question was Oceanpdf. It allowed people to download any book  on the website, without payment to the author. I decided to see if any of my books were available. To my joy I discovered the site is no longer available. However what I did find was a conversation on Reddit about the loss of this site. Some of the comments made me really, really mad! If you'd like to read them for yourself then just click here. I screen grabbed some of the comments as I wanted to share them. I debated about including the names of those who wrote them but decided to remove. However if you follow the link above they'll be easy enough to find. Here are a few of them with my reply below: My books are available for everyone - to BUY! My ebooks are just 99p or 99¢ - a token price. I've chosen to share some of my stories for free and if you want to read the...

I recently read a book written by Diana Kimpton ( Plots and Plotting - How to create stories that work - read my review here ). In it she suggests when working on a story it may be helpful to draw a map. This idea obviously resinated and without realising the idea had planted itself somewhere in my  subconscious.   Because when I was working on a new story for my latest work in progress (Fox of Moon Meadow Farm) a nagging voice started telling me I needed a map.  You see I was working on a chase scene which wasn't going to plan. I eventually stopped and listened to that nagging voice.  So, I grabbed a piece of A3 paper and started to sketch a map of Moon Meadow Farm. Once I'd sketched in a few important landmarks, the farm house, the courtyard, the lane, the river and the orchard I realised I couldn't remember all of the places I'd mentioned in the first book ( Hedgehog of Moon Meadow Farm ). So, I started to read the book and as I did I realised I'd put some...

For the last few months I feel that all I've done is send random ideas and suggestions to the wonderful cover designer I have the pleasure in working with. You see at the moment we're working on our fourth and fifth cover designs. Thankfully the cover for my latest title 'Fox of Moon Meadow Farm' (a follow on from  Hedgehog of Moon Meadow Farm ) has reached a stage where we've agreed on the final design and she can start to add colour and make her fab design come to life.   First sketch of my latest character Fox of Moon Meadow Farm Whilst she's been working on this cover I decided (in my wisdom) my first collection of short stories ( Anansi The Trickster Spider  - published 2014) needed a revamp. We've agreed on something totally different, something modern. So, off I went looking for ideas. I sort of remembered I had some books that would help but couldn't find them. I assumed that during my last book purge I'd given them to charity, so...