Authors Electric

Twenty years ago, I wrote a rather long novel about Alexander the Great from the point of view of his famous warhorse Bucephalus. At the time, I had a brilliant children's publisher (Chicken House) keen to publish my book in hardcover for the 10+ market who already enjoyed my fantasy novels. Unfortunately, bookshops did not share the same view and rejected the hardcover, so publication was delayed while a more suitable format was found for the book that would please everyone - which, as everyone knows, is impossible. In the end, "I am the Great Horse" (edited down from its original 200,000 words to a modest 150,000) enjoyed its scheduled hardcover publication in the US with Chicken House's partner Scholastic, and hit the UK shelves a year later than planned in paperback. Having missed its publicity slot over here, it sold averagely. Or perhaps my novel, being rather long, historical and written by a horse , was just too quirky for the children's market? Anyway, t...

According to the National Literacy Trust, kids (particularly boys) are not reading for pleasure these days, preferring films and online games for their thrills. Bad news for children's authors and publishers, but perhaps understandable when such games and films are available 24/7 on their smartphones. To quote the Roman poet Virgil: "The gates of hell are open night and day; smooth the descent, and easy is the way." Thankfully, my younger readership shouldn't be too distracted by the new Gladiator movie with its 15 certificate, although the level of violence and gore is not much more than can be found in many kids' books for the 10+ readership (including mine!). It's where I heard these lines from Virgil, but if there were any raunchy scenes of a sexual nature unsuitable for younger viewers in Gladiator II, I missed them. So what, besides poetry, can you expect from the much-hyped sequel to the original Gladiator (2000)? As can be expected in the final days of...

The 21st of May, one month to freedom (or so our rulers say). Three full lockdowns, two stolen years to stop us all from dying (or so our rulers feared). A single day equals fifty-three million  masks in landfill, as many unseen smiles and muffled protests (that our rulers suppressed). Enjoy your new normal! Six people in a soggy bubble drinking alfresco from takeaway cups, fully vacc'ed yet tracked and traced (our rulers say just in case). While behind locked doors, the lonely seek solace from Facebook friends never met and scammers they don't suspect, conspiring to explain what makes zero sense in this infinite emergency. Five virus deaths today (subject to change). Statistics are fantastic! Mightier than words when used on the innumerate to frighten and control (as our rulers well know). One month to unlocking when the truth will hit the fan. Might need to open more slowly, find a positive spin for economic meltdown, negative interest rates, a million new variants, mental he...

Imagine living under an all-powerful leader who has gone insane. One act of madness follows another, until even his closest advisers and friends begin to realise he is not who they thought he was when he ascended to power. No, I'm not talking about a 21st century leader - however tempting the comparison! I am talking about Rome in the 1st century, when we were merely a barbaric outpost known as Britannia, and the Emperor Caligula was in charge. Caligula was a nickname, given to the emperor when he was a small boy and accompanied his father on campaign wearing miniature war sandals. It means 'Little Boots', which sounds rather sweet to me, and maybe he was sweet at that age. But, after he ascended the throne in AD 37, something changed. Acts of madness and cruelty abounded, until Caligula's reign as emperor ended with his assassination in AD 41 and his uncle Claudius took over. It was a turbulent period in Rome, giving rise to many rumours, including one that Caligula ma...