Looking for The Holy Grail

This intrepid writer is setting off tomorrow in search of The Holy Grail - very much hoping that he will not have to face rolling boulders, pits of snakes and half the German army. He is also hoping to meet some of the locals and get the real flavour of what it is like to live in this city where The Holy Grail, F1, A bankrupt football team and the stunning architecture of Santiago Calatrava is in evidence. Where? Why Valencia of course....more to follow (I hope!)

In Such famous Company!

Today I received my Moleskine Ruled Notebook, which was my award for having my letter published (Crime and Nourishment) - see earlier blog. So what? you are very entitled to ask - well there is more to a Moleskine than meets the eye. The notebook is in fact legendary and has been used by many illustrious people including Van Gogh, Picasso and Hemingway. So if it was good enough for those famous guys then it is good enough for me. Will Moleskine be adding my name to their list of distinguished users one day I wonder! Last Tuesday night I attended the launch and book signing of Andy Ormiston's 'Torrevieja Cameos' a much needed tome detailing the history of the town up until 1899. Cleverly he has left himself the opportunity for a sequel. Being a canny Scot he has spotted the opportunity and filled it. After the launch we adjourned with some other friends, including well known artist T J Miles (well what is the use of a blog if you can't name drop?) to a local restaurant with some very interesting and original entertainment - courtesy of one of the guests who played the bones. Live entertainment you can't beat it. I will review and blog on the book later.

Sometimes You Win!

Having blogged here on February 7th about 'The Waiting Game' the unfortunate part of a writers life spent waiting to see if your work will be accepted and published - I had a pleasant surprise to receive in UNDER 5 minutes an acceptance of a piece for the local newspaper. It helped to balance the waiting for the others! (Well a little bit)

After E-zines Back to The Real World!

Following on from my last blog post regarding E-zines I was delighted to receive an email from Simon Whaley (published writer and my tutor from my Writers Bureau days) informing me that a letter I wrote last December has been published in this months Writers Forum magazine

E-zines - The Future?

Electronic magazines or E-zines have become part of life with the wonderful internet facilities that most of us now have access to. Personally I still prefer to curl up on the settee or relax on a sunny terrace with a good magazine (or book) and escape my PC for a while but it is no use being a Luddite. Some of my work now appears in The Inland Magazine web site E-zine usually after it has been traditionally published. However, as my readers, who had posed some of the questions via the TIM website, requested to read the British Consul interview ASAP it has been published online - never tried an E-zine? Well here is your opportunity My Interview with Juliet Maric Why not try some more... Been Back Home Recently? The Worlds Toughest Race? The choice is yours!

The Waiting Game....

After the hard work of researching and writing comes the moment of submission to magazine editors or publishers - finally after all the reworks and soul searching you press enter and your work disappears into the Internet ether (or sometimes your envelope disappears into the post box) Then you wait, wonder and worry - will it be accepted? Currently I am awaiting a response from a publisher regarding a book proposal that I will (if commissioned) be co-authoring with my friend and colleague Penny Legg. I have also submitted two articles on Horace Greasley including another submission to The Oldie (UK Magazine) Whilst all of this is happening a writer has no choice but to move onto the next project and start the whole cycle again..... In the meantime the February Inland Magazine came out with my Cartagena Guns article and of course my Bits and Bobs Page - download for FREE here...

Now he is in The Sunday People

The re-scheduled interview with Horace Greasley, 90 year old author, took place last Thursday. He was back on top form and we spent an hour together during which time he answered my questions whilst his wife Brenda kept us supplied with coffee. The 'Sunday People' has run on article on him today and he told me how surprised he is that his book is causing so much interest. Well frankly I am not surprised it is an incredible account of his Prisoner of War experiences - who else can have claimed to have escaped and returned (bringing vital food supplies and radio parts for his comrades) over 200 times whilst carrying on a love affair! I told you it was incredible. I am busy writing an article to be pitched at various UK magazines to give the book an even wider readership. 'Do The Birds Still Sing In Hell?' is available, post paid, from Libros International