http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands Sat, 04 Apr 2026 03:07:40 +0100 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/4373/get-your-characters-to-market-your-book http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/4373
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Apart from writing one of my great passions is lawn bowls. I suppose it was inevitable that eventually I would combine the two and write a fictional novel about the game I love. The result was 'Jack's High'.

'Jack's High' was first conceived as a six part comedy drama centred around the hapless exploits of a Welsh Valleys' fictional lawn bowls club called Penypont. The BBC liked what they read but were not convinced that lawn bowls was a compelling enough vehicle for comedy and asked me to write about something else. I declined.

Some of you reading this will probably think me mad. The truth is I have always believed in staying true to what you believe in and I believed in the characters I had created. They were real to me and I was not prepared to abandon them.

How real are your characters to you? 

Seth Solmes recently posted on a Google+ forum:


  "Is it possible to be afraid of your own characters?"  



Seth is writing a novel about a particularly dark serial killer. It seems to me Seth is on the right track because his character has come alive to such a degree he actually gives Seth the shivers! More about this later.

To some extent the BBC was right. Bowls is not viewed as a 'sexy' sport even though it is played globally by large numbers of people like myself. Humour on the other hand is universal but how could I convince the general public at large that a novel about bowls could be both sexy and funny? Step forward Vernon Algernon Lewis.



Vernon is one of the characters from 'Jack's High' . His uniquely insensitive and  uncompromising attitude to life can frequently be described as outrageous. He is one of those people the ' politically correct brigade' would love to clap in irons. The point is Vernon can speak and behave in a way that would get 'real' people ostracised or worse!

It seemed a 'no brainer' to appoint the unsuspecting Vernon to the position of marketing director. One of the most effective marketing ploys is to give something away for free although we authors possibly flog this tactic to death when we keep giving away books that we have slaved over for months if not years.

The presumed logic is that somehow this will result in more sales. Instead why not provide teaser material that increases interest and a desire to find out more by actually buying your book? 'Jack's High' is a 346 page novel set around a bowls club. It is highly unlikely anyone is going to rush out to buy it unless they can be persuaded it actually may be quite fun. Which brings me back to Seth's very dark serial killer.






Why not get this warped individual to write a short eBook describing 'My Top 3 Favourite Kills' from his own perspective. A bit grisly and probably in bad taste (apologies Leslie Jasper) but you get the idea. The eBook becomes the hook that catches you readers without having to give the book you slaved over away for free. Does this make sense? But be warned, your character can begin to take over your life!

 









Vernon has stepped out of  'Jack's High'    to write something of his own. A much shorter and more specific eBook entitled:



"7 Top Tips for Top Skips" . This is the ' lead magnet ' that will be made available to potential readers. If they like it you are well on the way to selling another copy of your novel. If they don't then what have you lost? The importance of providing quality material cannot be overstressed. It must also stand on its own merits. A sloppily written ' lead magnet ' will do infinitely more harm than good!

 

Vernon now features on:



Twitter 

YouTube

Facebook

Blogger


WARNING! This only works if you are writing about something you feel passionate about and enjoy doing for its own sake regardless of the positives that will flow from it.

 

The call to action  on Vernon's blog has already begun to attract subscribers who are more likely to turn into fans prepared to purchase 'Jack's High' because they have begun to 'bond' with Vernon.

CLICK HERE to visit Vernon's Landing Page and see what you think?

Isn't it time  you got your characters working for you?
 









]]> Mon, 08 Feb 2016 09:24:52 +0000 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/4120/calling-aspiring-science-fiction-writers http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/4120
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Who doesn't love the story of Orson Welles radio production of War of the Worlds which caused many listeners to head for the hills - literally. Deliberately introducing the play as a news broadcast proved too realistic especially when one of the actors described the emergence of an alien from its spacecraft:






"Good heavens, something's wriggling out of the shadow like a gray snake," he said, in an appropriately dramatic tone of voice. "Now it's another one, and another. They look like tentacles to me. There, I can see the thing's body. It's large as a bear and it glistens like wet leather. But that face. It...it's indescribable. I can hardly force myself to keep looking at it. The eyes are black and gleam like a serpent. The mouth is V-shaped with saliva dripping from its rimless lips that seem to quiver and pulsate....The thing is raising up. The crowd falls back. They've seen enough. This is the most extraordinary experience. I can't find words. I'm pulling this microphone with me as I talk. I'll have to stop the description until I've taken a new position. Hold on, will you please, I'll be back in a minute."






Many people didn't bother to hang around as panic began to grip the population. Instead of suppressing a superior snigger at all those naive folks perhaps we shouldn't be too quick to cast the first stone of ridicule. Technology is moving so fast the lines between science and fiction are becoming increasingly blurred. Perhaps there never has been such a great time to be an aspiring writer of science fiction which brings me to the point of this post. If anyone would like to provide a paragraph from their work, unfinished or published, I will feature it on this blog next week along with a link to whatever you provide.





To kick us off I'll include a few paragraphs from my own project that I will have to finish one day soon! It is set in a post apocalyptic world where some of the survivors live within vast cellular domes protecting themselves from the anarchic wasteland beyond. Genetic technology has been developed to such an extent that it is now possible to identify deviant genes that give rise to anti-social behaviour.




There was little traffic on the auto link. Occasionally they would speed past huge land transporters ferrying goods from zone to zone. Once, the monstrous bulk of an interstate freighter moved deferentially to one side in acknowledgement of the distinctive markings displayed on the sleek black limo. Only essential personnel owned petrol powered vehicles. Most drove solar powered transporters that were by law restricted to zonal sectors only. The advances in cellular construction which had made possible the development of the vast 'zonal domes' also concentrated the suns energy providing all necessary power. The domes also protected the inhabitants from harmful effects of solar radiation that so easily penetrated the impoverished atmosphere.


At least traffic jams were a thing of the past. Chief Inspector Dale had read of this late twenty first century phenomenon with amused fascination. He afforded himself a wry smile. The problem appeared insoluble to scientists and politicians alike as the multiplying mass of humanity threatened to exhaust rapidly decreasing global resources. Pollution, the suppurating wounds of industrialised society, festered openly. A disease many believed incurable. Overshadowing these horrors hung the threat of the nuclear holocaust.






Oblivion.






When the end came no one even recognised its coming. The collapse of the Western monetary system proved disastrous. Economies disintegrated. Inflation soared. Nations plunged into a world wide depression deeper than an ocean trench. Swept away by the tidal wave of events governments lay stranded and helpless like beached whales. Anarchy prevailed. Continents became one vast battle ground. Wars raged within and between nations. Nuclear weapons of unimaginable destructive power were unleashed and a second Dark Age enshrouded mankind. Famine, the camp follower of war, carried her children, disease and misery, at her breast. The human race teetered on the brink of destruction.






Out of chaos arose a saviour.
But salvation carried a price. Theirs had been Jonathon.






The car sped through the nightmare landscape. Beyond the elevated auto pass security patrols wailed as they passed along the restricted area that marked the boundary of the Outworld. The occasional staccato roar of a helipatrol thundered a primal challenge across the reddening sky as it swept over the wasteland in scything arcs. A vivid sunset seeped through the heavens bloodying the scarred earth. Against the skyline the wreckage of a lost world cast its grotesque silhouette like the exposed bones of an ancient beast time has long since devoured. Camp fires flickered amidst the sepulchres of dead cities. Still the car sped on.






Dale glanced at the window and saw his face reflected against the desolation.
Kay still believed he was out there.
In exile.
Punished.
She must never know the truth. No one must."



That's my contribution folks the rest is up to you. If you are interested please contact me at philiprowlands@ymail.com.





* * * *



You may or may not know that I also write educational programs for children. If you have a young child I am currently giving away free copies of an app that simulates Cuisenaire Rods. My grandson, who's seven, loves using it. If you would like a free copy follow this link FREE APP
























]]> Mon, 31 Mar 2014 11:01:04 +0100 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/4028/amazon-knight-in-shining-armour-or-emissary-of-the-dark-side http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/4028
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Okay so Im not the greatest author in the world. Maybe I
will never make the best seller lists but thats no excuse for ripping me off.






As Indie authors we know how difficult and time consuming it
can be promoting our books. Sometimes I feel like Hansel lost in a forest of
social media never able to find my way out with new trees being planted around
me all the time. HELP!!! Then one day I discovered a clearing in the wood. It
wasnt a house made of candy but an enormous edifice called Amazon - pretty appropriate
for an empire in the forest!






I was enticed inside with the promise of self publishing on
Amazons incredible electronic device called the Kindle. Amazon dangled before
my eyes a dazzling array of world wide distribution rights and sales channels.
I was tempted. Well more than tempted actually. I didnt think twice. No more
submitting work to publishing houses who just werent interested or agents who
were even less so. The publishing dragon had been slain, or so I thought.






At the moment I am wondering if Amazon is my Knight In
Shining Armour or an Emissary of the Dark Side.






WHY the sudden change of heart?






Its all down to personal experience.




My first published book on Amazons Kindle was a novella
entitled A Christmas Carol Revisited. It had received an excellent review on BBC
Radio Wales and in December 2012 the New York City Bar Association adapted it
for a concert in the City Bar
Building in Manhattan
that proved a great success. I duly got some sales on Amazon.






So far so good, with Christmas fast approaching I bombarded
my Twitter (4,000+) account with promotional tweets courtesy of Social Oomph. APOLOGIES TO ALL MY TWITTER FOLLOWERS I BOMBARDED!!!! Guest bloggers promoted it on their sites and my Google+ groups also got the
full treatment! While I wasnt expecting to top the best seller list I was
expecting some sales. Some hope, NADA, NOTHING, NOWT!!! Not one measly sale
showed up in my reports for November or December. I had more sales on Create Space and I hadn't done any promotion for any of them.






Okay, youre probably thinking this is the case of another
deluded would be writer with no talent and less hope having a gripe. You may be
right but unfortunately my experience is not unique. John R Clark, Managing Editor at Age View
Press wrote on this very issue under the title:






DO AMAZON AND CREATESPACE RIP OFF INDIE PUBLISHERS WITH FAILURE TO CORRECTLY REPORT SALES?








Alright! Seems like there might just be a wicked witch
lurking in them thar woods. So, what to do?




As I see it we can sit back and hope things improve OR do
something about it ourselves.




BUT WHAT - How can we possible influence the LEVIATHAN that
AMAZON has become?






I have an idea. Take a look at the lottery widget on the right
sidebar.




What I propose is that we set up our own AUTHORS LOTTERY
using the free widget (see sidebar).




Instead of winning money everybody who opts in would have to
agree to buy or download the winning authors book (reasonably priced or free!)
either from Amazon or from the Authors website.




At least this way the winner each week would know for
certain that their book had been downloaded x number of times and could check
with their Amazon Sales Reports. It would also give most Authors a much needed
boost as well as a little income. Everything would of course be based on TRUST.








HOW IT WOULD WORK






Every Friday at 11.00 GMT
I would click the Pick a new Lotto Number button on this blog.




The author whose number was drawn would be notified. His/her
name and details of where to download his/her book would be publicized on this
blog.






TO MAKE IT WORTHWHILE WE WOULD ONLY START ONCE WE HAVE 50
AUTHORS SUBSCRIBED.








To show your commitment all you need do is enter your email
address and name in the subscription box . Once you have done this I will
allocate a number. Mine for example is 1.




I will set up another page on the blog with each others
name next to their allocated number.




I am using a free version of GET
RESPONSE software for the simple reason if not enough interest is shown after
posting this blog I will abandon the idea. I dont intend wasting money
pointlessly also. . .




AS A WRITER YOU ALL KNOW
HOW PRECIOUS TIME IS! None of us can afford to waste it.






Hopefully enough of us will grasp the potential of what
authors can do if we decide to stand together and help each other.

To make it worth your while subscribing I plan to run a number of courses designed to help you promote your books using social media. These will be delivered by email and the first course focuses on Twitter. It's called The Twitter Authors Marketing Crash Course. Some of the things you will learn about include:


The man who has made it his business to help authors build their readership on Twitter.
Free tools that will make your Twitter marketing extremely effective.
Integrating Twitter tools in Wordpress.
How to chat in 'real time' with your followers.
How to schedule regular postings using free or paid tools.
The basic rule you MUST follow.
Mistakes to avoid at all cost.


Please email me if you have any thoughts or suggestions at
philiprowlands@ymail.com
WARNING: I am a married man and therefore impervious to abuse.






I think its's time for us Kindle authors to circle the wagons! What about you?

Next Week
Expand Your Literary Horizons.
Also - update on the Author's Lottery.
]]> Thu, 20 Feb 2014 11:58:17 +0000 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/3828/flirting-at-whos-funeral http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/3828
Chris is the author of 'Flirting at The Funeral.' The title refers to a hit song one of the main characters in the book once had. I enjoyed Chris' company so much I bought a copy even though it meant my wife would have to forgo a gift (only kidding). I really didn't know what to expect but I was determined to read it through to the end.

The thing I demand most of any work of fiction is a compelling story. Regardless of how the book is constructed that has to be the bottom line. Chris did not disappoint but 'Flirting At The Funeral' is much more than that. Characterization is also key for me. Chris has created a diverse and vibrant cast of characters. Such is their vibrancy that you feel you know or recognise them in a very personal sense. This is quite an achievement because at another level each can be seen as representative either of a section of society or of specific beliefs and philosophies. Set against the uncertainties of a world peering uncertainly into the abyss of financial collapse 'Flirting At The Funeral' becomes almost a parable of our times.

Matty James, who for me was the focal point of the novel, can appear at first glance to represent all that is superficial and facile in our society. Forever 'pursuing her star' in seeming disregard of the consequences to herself and others, she personifies the desperate desire to achieve celebrity status we witness on our television screens every week. Mammon rules and before we point a finger how many of us bought a lottery ticket this week? Yet Chris' characters refuse to be judged at a superficial level. Like all really good works of fiction uncomfortable questions are continually asked of the reader. There is one scene that epitomizes this.

Matty and her friend Howard are engaged in a conversation. They stand in the ruins of an ancient building that in a distant past had been as imposing as the modern citadel built by the super rich Dr Arno Bendt. Howard attempts to persuade Matty to leave Dr Bendt and to return to London to be with her lover Morgan. Her response is pragmatic and in one sense profound:

"I have to follow my star." She took a breath."At any rate I have to make the best of it. I have to keep flirting at the funeral, like the song says."

Flirting At the Funeral is beautifully crafted and infused with sumptuous imagery. It is a book I wish I had written.




To misquote another once famous song, "It's my blog and I'll do what I wanna, do what I wanna. . ." Which is a pretty tacky way of announcing some blatant self promotion. Well it is nearly Christmas and the book I'm attempting to promote is a reworking of Dickens classic. I promise to get back to featuring more Indie Authors in the New Year!

It's contemporary New York City and Clinton Ebenezer Scrooge III shares his thoughts on Christmas. "Scrooge gazed out of the window. Somewhere below, the river flowed blacker than the Styx through the citys dark heart into the eternal depths of the poisoned oceans. But Scrooges eyes were fixed upon another river. The unceasing flow of humanity condemned as surely to follow the course of existence to its inevitable conclusion as the river was compelled to flow into the embrace of the blind and restless sea. Christmas held out hope that the journey was not in vain. That was one of the reasons he despised it. Christmas was for the weak, for sentimental fools who had never grasped that salvation in this world was something to be wrung forcefully from lifes unwilling grip. Once the presents had been opened and the parties were over what was left apart from hangovers and a bigger overdraft? He smiled. He was above that now, had been for years. Just as detached and aloof as the gigantic reflection of himself superimposed on the vista upon which he cast such a scornful eye." 'A Christmas Carol Revisited' is a great way to enter into the Festive Spirit and it's available NOW on Amazon in Print or Kindle format. Prefer PRINT? Prefer KINDLE? Just click on the thumbnail of choice.
CLICKHERE to listentoa brief audio excerpt. CLICK HERE todownload an extract in pdf format. ]]> Sat, 23 Nov 2013 17:07:21 +0000 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/3810/close-encounters-of-the-cultural-kind http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/3810 'Wordstock' festival that describes its primary aim as: ". . .
dedicated to providing the public with unprecedented access to artistic
excellence and instilling a lifelong love of reading in our community." It is an unlikely
place to meet an American author with a love of Wales and all things Welsh.
Actually it's an unlikely place to meet anyone who is aware that Wales even exists. Sarah Woodbury is an Oregon girl extremely proud
of her Welsh ancestry and given the fact both her parents are historians it was
almost inevitable that when she eventually succumbed to the writing bug her
genre would be the historical novel. Fortunately her visit to Wales was to prove a
catalyst in the context of her development as an author and consequently she
has written a whole series of novels set in medieval Wales . The previous day Sarah and I had been part of a panel discussion entitled
'Culture Wars - Other Voices In British Literature' jointly hosted by
AmeriCymru and the Portland Centre for Public Humanities at Portland State
University. The other members of the panel were Dr Tracy Prince, whose book
formed the basis of the discussion and Welsh authors Mike Jenkins and Chris
Keil. The discussion was animated and stimulating to say the least. If you
would like to include it in it's entirety you can view it below. It was the following day at the Woodstock festival that we got
the opportunity to talk. Sarah is one of the new breed of authors who realises
the importance of self promotion and has been extremely effective in using
social media to get her books noticed. She has sold over 150,000 copies and has
a following of loyal fans, including me! Sarah did not sit back and wait for an
agent to ride by on a white horse and wave a shiny contract in her face. Her
success has been down to hard work and a willingness to take responsibility for
her own success. Of course there is one element of the equation that always has
to be present and that is the ability to write a good story and Sarah certainly
possesses that in spades. Naturally I would like to think that her Welsh heritage and love of Wales has inspired her to
reach the heights she has already achieved and those she is sure to reach in
the future. In all honesty she would have made a successful author whatever
genre she set her mind on I am just grateful she drew her inspiration from her
Celtic roots. Just like the character Valarie in 'A Christmas Carol Revisited' Sarah is so proud of her heritage she even persuaded her husband to give their
four children Welsh names. Megan? Megan. It was the name Valarie had chosen in deference to her Welsh
ancestry of which she was inordinately proud. For once he let her have her way.
What did it matter anyway, the child would never be born. It had proved a
serious error of judgement for the very act of naming the child bestowed on
Valarie a moral strength he never imagined she possessed. Thereafter she
resisted him at every turn but the effort drained her vitality and she took refuge
in drink. The miscarriage had been a fortuitous consequence. Thats impossible. Valarie lost our child. Even now he refused to speak her name. Even now he refused to accept his
portion of blame. Nothing that has ever lived is truly lost Papa." She looked at him and
the revelation of what he had lost swept over him, a chill wind announcing the
onset of a long and bitter winter. Images of what might have been flashed
through his mind and he tried to grasp hold of them but they evaded him like
autumn leaves scattered in a sudden storm." Knowing who we are andwhere we come from gives us strength. I wish Sarah every success for the futureand hopefully she will agree to an interview in the near future. "Iechyd daSarah!" Below are a few of Sarah's books. I am currently thoroughly enjoying 'The Good Knight'. The 'After Climeri' Series. The Gareth and Gwen Medieval Mysteries

]]> Sat, 16 Nov 2013 17:37:15 +0000 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/3784/when-our-characters-confront-us http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/3784 Every major city in the world is haunted by an unwanted underclass largely ignored by the rest of us like some secret shame.They are shadows in a dark room passing their days in a twilight world that exists somewhere between the living and the dead.

The great Victorian novelist Charles Dickens was one of the first authors to focus the light of his literary genius on their miserable existence. His social conscience would not allow him to pass by on the other side.

However it is one thing to wax lyrical about the homeless and destitute but quite another to be confronted with their plight first hand as I was to discover on my recent visit to Portland, Oregon. It was my first visit to America and during the drive from the airport I caught sight of an individual staggering from a store clutching a paper bag. Gaabriel, my host, explained that homelessness was a problem within most American cities and Portland was no exception. Where Portland stood in stark contrast to many others was the liberal stance it took towards this unfortunate section of society. Many States employ aggressive measures to clear their streets of the Great Unwanted and although there is no Government or State support for these individuals at least Portland has a Mission where fortunate individuals can get a bed and a roof for the night.

It is human nature to pass judgement on others. Most of us cannot help wonder how anyone gets to end up living on the streets. Hopefully very few of us hold the same views as those expressed by one of my characters, Ebenezer Clinton Scrooge III. Arriving at the steps of his Manhattan headquarters he is confronted by a less affluent member of New York City society.
" Scroogesmiled, this was no hired assassin sent on a mission to destroy only a common beggar chancing his arm, or what remained of it. A diseased symptom of the times. New York was infested with such hopelessindividuals seeking solace and oblivion in alcohol or drugs, authors of their own destruction, and as such deserving of no sympathy or special favours. Still they never usually surfaced in this district preferring insteadto haunt the more stagnant cess-pits of the city. Perhaps the fact it was Christmas Eve had emboldened this particular specimen into venturing further afield in the false hope that honest citizens would be moreinclined to lunatic displays of charity many being so imbued with festive spirits they would carelessly part with their hard earned dollars." ( A Christmas Carol Revisited ). This is the dark side of the American Dream. Every good Doctor Jekyll has his own Mr Hyde to some degree or another. Perhaps it is how we react to the darkness that defines us as individuals and nations. Or is it if we are even prepared to confront that darkness in our society and in our selves? The 'hopeless individual' in the story is called Stephen, the 'hopeless individual' who confronted me on the streets of Portland was called Arnold.

We were down town waiting for a bus when Arnold approached. He was obviously distressed. Apparently he had been attempting to gain access to one of the toilets in the city precincts. It was locked and from what we could understand Arnold had been forcibly removed because he kept complaining that someone had hurt his arm. I learnt later that it was common practice to lock the toilets as they were in constant danger of being commandeered by the likes of Arnold on the lookout for somewhere dry and secure to sleep. It was also obvious Arnold had significant mental health issues. He insisted we call the cops otherwise he would kill someone.

I don't think anyone felt threatened but we all felt uncomfortable. I pretended to phone the cops but Arnold wasn't fooled for a second. Eventually the bus arrived and we got on board. Arnold followed. It soon became obvious Arnold was going nowhere until someone called the cops. As he became more distressed so his threats became more extravagant to the point he was now prepared to kill everyone on the bus. People began to get off not because they felt threatened but because they realised it would probably be quicker to walk home. Throughout the whole incident the lady bus driver spoke soothingly to Arnold and even provided him with a drink. Her compassionate attitude had a marked impact upon Arnold who became an increasingly less threatening yet more tragic figure by the minute. Eventually Arnold got his wish and the cops arrived.

'Street Roots' is a paper sold by the homeless on the streets and is Portland's version of the 'Big Issue'. The lead story the week I was there was regarding the way certain States were dealing with the problem of homeless people with mental health issues. Their solution was to provide these vulnerable individuals with enough food and money for a few days and a bus ticket to some place else. There they would duly arrive with no contacts or support and whatever provision they had left. Problem solved. It staggers me that large sections of American society still oppose ObamaCare.

It was with a sense of relief that we watched Arnold being escorted away. He was obviously known to the local police who dealt with him courteously and gently. Whether he got a nice dry, warm cell for the night is another matter. My thoughts often return to Arnold and I wonder how he possibly survives life on the streets. Could I have done more to help? There is a gulf between feeling compassion at some general esoteric level and acting upon that compassion at the subjective level of reality. If I am honest, Arnold was a burden I did not want to bear. He was not my responsibility after all. Like the Pharisee I shuffled by on the other side. It is not always a comfortable experience when our characters turn up on our doorstep.












]]> Fri, 08 Nov 2013 11:26:20 +0000 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/3766/in-the-footsteps-of-meriwether-and-clarke-sort-of http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/3766 To be honest, I didn't literally follow in their intrepid footsteps. I caught a plane instead. Fortunately the pilot knew the way. Just as well because map reading was never my forte. Never could quite get the hang of a compass and all that Magnetic North stuff. Flying over the breathtaking beauty of the Rockies into Vancouver almost made me wish I was more of an outdoor type.


From Vancouver I flew down to Portland to meet up with Gaabriel Beckett and Ceri Shaw. Gaabriel is president of the Lewis Meriwether Foundation while Ceri is founder of AmeriCymru.net a social network for expat Welsh folks living in America. Ceri created the website to help raise the profile of Wales as most Americans have never even heard of the place. The average U.S citizen probably knows far more about Hobbits than Taffs!

This was part of the reason I was flying out to Portland. Not that I expected my arrival to be the catalyst for a sudden upsurge in an awareness of Wales and all things Cymru. At one point I doubted whether I'd make first base past Homeland Security. Why is it we always feel guilty and look shifty when someone in authority scrutinizes our passport? I think my attempt at an ingratiating smile almost earned me a seat on the next plane back home. It was with a mingled sense of relief and excitement I stepped onto American soil for the first time, my mission to help promote Welsh writers in my capacity as author and co-editor of eto magazine .

It was not my first collaboration with an American organization. Last December the New York City Bar Association Entertainment Committee performed a staged reading of my contemporary adaptation of Charles Dickens wonderful novella 'A Christmas Carol', which with staggering originality I entitled 'A Christmas Carol Revisited'. It was particularly exciting because not only had I set the story in Manhattan, where Ebenezer Clinton Scrooge III presided over his vast global media empire, but it was also 150 years to the day that Dickens' 'Christmas Carol' was first published. I was invited to attend but unfortunately due to prior engagements (I'm one of Father Christmas' official helpers) was unable to make it. This time I really had made it even if it was a little further west than New York. I was to meet up with two more Welsh authors, Chris Keil and Mike Jenkins. In an inspired moment Ceri Shaw dreamt up a wonderful publicity campaign involving the three of us. As I stood in line waiting to be interrogated by Security at the airport I began to wonder whether the source of Ceri's inspiration might have been a little too liquid.
All funds raised through the Purchase of eto will contribute toward securing Transportation of these Malefactors to the Colonies in October for Hard Labor at the 2013 Wordstock Literary Festival. Chris Keil has received critical acclaim for his novel 'Flirting at the Funeral' and having read it I can fully understand why. He was due to speak at Wordstock alongside local author Chelsea Cain and also run a workshop entitled 'Sex and the Serious Novel.' Mike Jenkins is a very gifted poet and author from Merthyr. Mike's work is written in Valley's dialect and is quite brilliant. I wasn't sure how it would be received but everyone loved it. If you've not read any of Mike's work yet I suggest you start with his latest book, 'Barkin' .





The three of us with the Columbia River in the background.









The three of us bunked down at Ceri and Gaabriel's place. They were generous hosts and we all appreciated the way the whole family allowed us to disrupt the noiseless tenor of their way (I must remember that line). One of the most pleasant discoveries, apart from the stunning snow capped Mount Hood, was the fact that Portland is home to numerous micro-breweries. I made the discovery on the way from the airport when Gaabi stopped by the local supermarket to stock up with more bottles. Mike and Chris had arrived the day before and supplies were inevitably running low.

It was good to meet with my eto co-editors Ceri and Gaabi face to face as well as Chris and Mike. We celebrated with a few beers and then Ceri introduced us to something that was to become a staple diet of our visit, 'Breaking Bad', washed down with a few more bottles of beer. What a start! Wordstock, Portland State University and Mount Hood Community College lay on the horizon along with other experiences that will remain with me for as long as I live but for now I had really followed in the footsteps of Lewis and Clarke.

Next: Our Mission Begins.







]]> Sat, 26 Oct 2013 21:12:35 +0100 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/3559/bitten-by-the-sound-bite http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/3559 In the context
of journalism , a sound bite is characterized by ashort phrase or sentence that captures the essence of what the speaker wastrying to say, and is used to summarize information and entice the reader or
viewer. . .
Due to its brevity,the sound bite often overshadows the broader context in which it was spoken, and canbe misleading or inaccurate. The insertion of sound bites into news broadcastsor documentaries is open to manipulation , leading to conflict over journalistic ethics . Wikpedia.
For those of us involved in the fight to save PentrePrimary School from closure
Wikpedias definition of sound bite has a haunting resonance.
From the outset we wanted our campaign to focus on the factthat should the proposals be ratified our children would inevitably be placedat risk given the distance they would have to travel to their new school alonga heavily congested route. The imminent development of a Tesco store and
filling station adjacent to the route further heightened our concerns.
Another concern was that in times of economic hardship manyparents from within one of the most deprived communities in Waleswould be faced with an additional financial burden many simply cannot affordChild poverty is something RCT have pledged to address through the Children and Young Peoples Plan 2011 14 .
How could a Labour led council possibly endorse a proposal that wouldexacerbate the problem in one of their most needy communities?
Rhondda AM, Leighton Andrews, sharedour concerns but it became immediately apparent that his political opponents weremore intent on shifting the focus and hence the term surplus places was
repeated loudly and often at every given opportunity. Surplus Places becamethe perceived rallying cry, a trigger phrase that could induce paroxysms offrenzy among political opponents and those who oppose the Surplus PlacesPolicy. Battle lines were drawnand our school became part of the collateral damage that ensued.
School closures areinevitably emotive and sensitive issues no matter what the reason or prevailing
policy. It was not surprising that many people were angered by what they saw asMr Andrews trying to have his cake and eat it. However if his support for ourcampaign contravened ministerial guidelines it is a matter of grave concern forus all. In his capacity as AM he listened to our concerns but his subsequentactions were undertaken to ensure the LEAwas following the procedure laid down in The School Organisation Proposals 2009 the Surplus Places policy. In effect he was ensuring his own policyguidelines were given due and proper regard. There was no conflict of interestapparent or otherwise.
That did not stop the hue and cry of surplus places aspoliticians and the media smelt blood and set off in pursuit of Mr Andrews.Misinformation regarding the school was broadcast nationally in an effort to embarrassthe Minister for Education regardless of the damage inflicted on the community
of Pentre. In his article, Did LeanneSpook Leighton?( http://www.clickonwales.org/2013/07/did-leanne-spook-leighton/ ), John Osmond is at a loss to understand how a trivial issue was sufficient to
occasion the first such resignation in the history of Welsh democraticdevolution.
Since when has the safety and welfare of children been atrivial issue?
Parents the length and breadth of the country will beoutraged by a comment that sadly appears to reflect the opinion of the majorityof political commentators in Wales.Does the National assembly exist to represent and promote the welfare of the peopleof Wales or has it become some kind of Mount Olympus where the elected godsof the Senedd conduct their Machiavellian business aloof from the day to dayconcerns of ordinary citizens and voters?
At least the AM and MP for Rhonddahad the courage to show they shared the concerns of their constituents. Apparentlythe parents and supporters of Gaer schools in Newportwere far less successful when they sought the support of their electedrepresentatives.
Rosemary Butler and PaulFlynn both declined to even look at let alone scrutinise this
proposal. It is not in the best interests of the community and makeslittle educational sense. Yet neither of our senior elected representativesknow this as they preferred not to hear about the proposal. ( http://savegaerschools.wordpress.com/ )
Unbelievable! Who are these people elected to represent? Iunderstand that in some cases school closure is in the best interests ofchildren but each case should be judged on its own merit in accordance withministerial guidelines. The minimum we should expect is to be heard.
.. . my personalview is that Councils in some cases have used the vague cover of surplus as a
kind of catch-all, get-out-of-jail-free card to push through otherproposals they want to see happen, especially when they do not have the moneyto accomplish them in other ways. ( http://savegaerschools.wordpress.com/ )
This week the Rhondda Leader featured a letter from a Mr AndrewNutt who obviously felt qualified to offer his considered opinion despite thefact he resides in Bargoed and has no knowledge of the local issues surroundingthe proposed closure. The sound bite has obviously worked its magic in his
case.
The BBC took a similartack when they misreported the numbers on roll in our school to the nation,
seriously compromising our campaign in the process. Why let accurate reportingstand in the way of a good sound bite?
Here are some alternative sound bites the Pentre ActionGroup would like the Senedd and our local cabinet to consider. How about,
CHILD SAFETY,
CHILD POVERTY,
FINANCIAL HARDSHIP,
COMMUNITY REGENERATION,
for starters?
We can only hope that our locally elected representativesare strong enough to ignore the surplus places sound bite and focus on thereal issues confronting Pentre school and the wider community. When the cabinetmeet to make a final decision on the future of the school later this month they
will have had time to reflect on the objections raised by the community.
Parents deeply concerned for the safety and wellbeing oftheir children. Parents worried sick that they will not be able to afford thebus fare required to transport their children to school. Families facing
increased financial pressure and over reliance on elderly relatives if they areto hold down their jobs and ensure children get to school safely.
The Director of Education for Rhondda Cynon Taff stated inhis response to concerns raised by parents that children would miss out on thefree breakfasts available at Pentre school by stating:
Treorchy Primary School has a well attendedbreakfast club, which will continue for the benefit of all pupils who mayattend that school.
The Director obviously does not inhabit the same world. Doeshe not realise children living in Pentre will have to get up very early to beable to access it and either walk or catch a bus in the dark during the wintermonths when arguably this provision is of maximum benefit. Is this acceptable?
These are the issues that are struggling to be heard above thesound bite surplus places. Wikpedias definition that, Due to its brevity, the sound bite often overshadows the broader context in which it was spoken, and canbe misleading or inaccurate. is certainly true in the case of PentrePrimary School.
The question is, will our trvial issues be heard above theubiquitous SURPLUS PLACES sound bite?
Is it a case of, If you tolerate this then your childrencould be next? ]]> Thu, 11 Jul 2013 11:45:43 +0100 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/3528/pentre-primary-and-the-resignation-of-leighton-andrews-minister-for-education-and-skill http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/3528 Thu, 27 Jun 2013 10:22:28 +0100 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/3420/thoughts http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/3420
I realized that at my age I don't really give a rat's ass anymore.

.. If walking is good for your health, the postman would be immortal.

.. A whale swims all day, only eats fish, drinks water, but is still fat.

.. A rabbit runs and hops and only lives 15 years, while

.. A tortoise doesn't run and does mostly nothing, yet it lives for 150 years.

And you tell me to exercise?? I don't think so.

Just grant me the senility to forget the people I never liked,

the good fortune to remember the ones I do, and the

eyesight to tell the difference.


Now that I'm older here's what I've discovered:


1. I started out with nothing, and I still have most of it.

2. My wild oats are mostly enjoyed with prunes and all-bran.

3. I finally got my head together, and now my body is falling apart.

4. Funny, I don't remember being absent-minded.

5. Funny, I don't remember being absent-minded.

6. If all is not lost, then where the heck is it ?

7. It was a whole lot easier to get older, than to get wiser.

8. Some days, you're the top dog, some days you're the hydrant.

9. I wish the buck really did stop here, I sure could use a few of them.

10. Kids in the back seat cause accidents.

11. Accidents in the back seat cause kids.

12. It's hard to make a comeback when you haven't been anywhere.

13. The world only beats a path to your door when you're in the bathroom.

14. If God wanted me to touch my toes, he'd have put them on my knees.

15. When I'm finally holding all the right cards, everyone wants to play chess.

16. It's not hard to meet expenses . . . they're everywhere.

17. The only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth.

18. These days, I spend a lot of time thinking about the hereafter . . .I go somewhere to
get something, and then wonder what I'm "here after".

19. Funny, I don't remember being absent-minded.

20. HAVE I SENT THIS MESSAGE TO YOU BEFORE..........? or did I ?]]> Thu, 16 May 2013 15:13:08 +0100 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/3241/be-a-serial-killer http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/3241 Perhaps Id better explain before any SWAT teams or FBI agents break down my door. This is not an incitement to violence of any kind. No, Ive not been watching too many gory horror movies but if you are a struggling writer who wants to become successful there is one thing you should very seriously consider doing. Create your own series of books.

Lets be honest writers write because they love writing but thats not the sole motivation for everyone. Shakespeare and Dickens wrote to make a living and did it very successfully! The majority of us dream of being as successful as J.K.Rowling or Amanda Hocking whatever we might say to the contrary. One thing these writers had in common was they were all pretty good at story telling and they werent bad wordsmiths either! I dont know how you compare but I do know that creating a series and building a brand is almost essential for ongoing success. When I was a boy the Just William books by Richmal Crompton were my favourites. On every cover there was a picture of a scruffy boy with a striped hat. He was instantly recognisable. Enid Blytons Famous Five and Secret Seven series were hugely successful. They were constructed around: Distinctive and engaging characters who appeared in each book. Story lines within the same genre. Story lines that were often progressive or developed a recurringtheme. Easily identifiable cover images. Fast forward and we see these same elements within series like Harry Potter and Lemony Snickett. In both cases the authors have built an easily recognisable and memorable brand. Readers who enjoyed these books would immediately want to read more and this affords authors another opportunity. It is now possible to create links within your eBooks directly back to your authors website where you can create an interest in the next book or refer readers to the complete series. Alternatively why not include a chapter from your next book at the end.

Hold on! you cry, I havent finished my first book yet! Not a problem. Having decided to embark upon writing a series of books your brain will subconsciously begin to identify: Possible future story lines. Characters and their potential for development.
Rather than a hindrance the decision to write a series can provide creative motivation. I have to mention the possible downside of course.

The authors already referred to happen to be very good authors. The danger is if your first book sucks then the concept of a series becomes counter productive. But isnt that the risk we all take when we put our work out there? I dont know if anyone will consider Billy and The Pit ofShadows worth reading but it wont stop me writing it. Even if it doesnt sell one copy I will have enjoyed the experience tremendously and feel a great sense of satisfaction at having completed it. The other thing that might be considered a downside is the cost of creating a cover for your book. It is absolutely vital you have a compelling and striking cover. Many people purchase a book because they are attracted by the cover alone. It is also important you find someone right for your book. This is a process I am currently engaged in. Elance provides a list of artists and graphic designers who display a showcase of their work. It is worth taking a good look until you find someone you feel can create the image that reflects your work. A Google search will also throw up a list of graphic designers and artists. I hope I have encouraged you to get cracking on your killer series. From Billy and The Pit of Shadows.
Sinister Mavis Trott explains what teachers do in the holidays. Not for the squeamish!
DOWNLOAD HERE. ]]> Fri, 01 Mar 2013 11:07:42 +0000 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/3209/pond-life-or-writers-groups http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/3209
I must admit the idea of joining a writers group or circle had never really appealed to me. My most recent experience of a writers group on Facebook served only to reinforce my negative attitude. The title of the group was what attracted me as it purported to be authors helping out other
authors. It proved a misleading title. Some, and I hasten to add not all, groups and forums bear a striking resemblance to life in a pond. Every inhabitant has its own place in the social hierarchy and protects their social status jealously. I must have really muddied the waters when I jumped in to this particular pond with both feet blazing. I had the temerity to place a link to a promotional video I had created for Google+ eXplosion a book I had written to help other authors get to grips with Google+. Incidentally it was not long before I was giving it away for free on my blog. Apparently I had committed a social faux pas akin to breaking wind during the exchange of vows at somebodys wedding. Self promotion! You could hear the communal gasps as the ripples of outrage spread across the communal waters. One author asked what the heck else I had written anyway. Soon other members of the group entered the fray. My motives for joining were thrown into question and my humorous attempt to defuse the situation only seemed to make matters worse. XXX, Thanks for
the welcome. I feel like a kid who just started a new school. Just hope you
are not one of the milk monitors. Hmm. I have participated in this group prior
to uploading the infomercial. Posts mainly from my blog. It didnt help! Another member accused me of having a snit fit. Im still not sure what that is.
However a certain lady Patricia Reed did rush to my defence and appeared to be as confused as me
regarding the groups remit.
I was under the impression that this group was for "authors helping authors". . .
The reason I felt compelled to share this experience is that another writer suffered the same fate at the hands of the same group only this week. (You can visit her blog here .) I was able to reassure her that she was not alone. The groups' response was predictable and at one point I was accused of flouncing.
Anyone who knows me personally knows I do not flounce, have snit fits, or take kindly to bullies of the physical or literary variety.
The point is it can be a demoralising experience to encounter criticism of a personal nature where you expected to find help and support. It was with certain misgivings therefore that I attended the Writers Group in my local library this week. My reservation proved foundless. I spent two hours in the company of some of the most supportive and inspirational people I have met for a long time. The quality of their writing left me feeling humbled.
The group is run by Frances Berry the daughter of that great Welsh author Ron Berry. It is literally
two hundred yards from my home. I would never have stumbled upon it if I hadnt been actively looking for groups so that I could tell them about Eto .
As much as I love the internet for the way it has opened up the world to me and allowed me to make many new friends and acquaintancest there is nothing quite like personal interaction with real people. So my advice would be, if there is a writers group near you, join it! ]]> Fri, 22 Feb 2013 13:38:30 +0000 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/3185/commit-to-your-community http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/3185 This is a blog for Indie writers everywhere, right? you
ask. Absolutely! I reply looking sincere. So why is this Eto magazine you seem to be spending so much
time on exclusively for Welsh writers and not everyone then? a hint of
accusation in your voice. I can best answer that by telling you a true story. I
reply.
So here it is The story takes place back in the dim distant past when I still
had black hair and computers hadnt begun to roam the earth. I was head teacher
of a small village school at the top end of the Rhondda
Valley called Blaencwm. Blaencwm
nestled snugly among the mountains and if it snowed there was no way in or out.
It truly was a very close knit community. At one time a tunnel had been driven through the mountain at
the top end of the village to provide easy access to places like Aberavon, a
staggering feat of engineering. When the government instigated cuts to the
railway network in the 60s Blaencwm was left stranded on the economic beach
with no hope of the tide ever turning. My years spent in this vibrant community
were among the happiest of my life. All very nice. I hear you say. But whats the point? One day during a drama lesson a little girl said to me. My
Uncles a writer. My response was something condescending like, Thats nice.
While secretly hoping it wasnt the school wall he had daubed with graffiti. The little girls name was Elaine Berry. Her uncle was Ron
Berry. Niall Griffiths has described Ron Berrys novel SO
LONG HECTOR BEBB as one of the greatest novels to come out of the twentieth century. Ron Berry was probably living in Blaencwm, or very close by,
at the time. It frustrates the hell out of me to think I could have actually
met him. Here was a writer ignored by the world at large and relatively unknown
in his own community. Having just read his book for the first time I realise what
an opportunity was lost. Never in a million years could I hope to write
something like that! Now as a writer myself I feel a responsibility to my own
community. Eto is one of the ways in which I hope to discharge that
responsibility by providing a platform for local authors so that writers of
the future will be less likely to suffer the fate that Ron Berry endured. A
towering talent that very few people knew existed. So having answered your question let me ask you one. What commitment are you prepared to make to writers within
your community wherever you live?
As Ron said through one of his characters: Were each and every one of us shaped for muck and glory,
thank the Jesus Christ All-bloody-mighty for it an all. ]]> Fri, 15 Feb 2013 12:35:54 +0000 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/3162/how-do-you-climb-your-mountain http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/3162 Bernard Cornwall has described writing a book as akin to climbing a mountain. Apparently he gets so far, looks back, sees a better route, retraces his footsteps and begins again. I certainlyidentify with this analogy even if I never get to the summit anywhere near as many times as he has done. One of his preferred tactics is to throw his main character into a situation in the first chapter and see what happens.A bit like real life really How do you approach writing a book? Are you methodical and organised or do you lean towards Bernard Cornwall's trial and error method? One thing I must mention about Bernard Cromwell's approach is that at least he knows where he wants to end up. In the case of his current novela particularly significant historical event, the Battle of Poitiers. As Yogi Berra once memorably said,
"You've got to be very careful if you don't know where you're going, because you
might not get there."
I think I know what he was trying to say!
Ben Kane, another successful historical novelist takes the oppositeview. It has to be said that this was the result of bitter experiencewhen engaged on his second novel which required a major rewrite.Now he plans his work out chapter by chapter.

El Doctorow used this striking analogy.
Writing is like driving at night in the fog. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way. A meeting I had with that remarkable Welsh artist Nicholas Evans many years ago perhaps best illustrates my particularattitude to writing.

Nicholas Evans began painting when he was in his late sixties. In his obituary inThe Guardian newspaperPeter Wakelin wrote:
The art world dreams of discovering the genuine original: the self-made, solitary visionary. In 1978 it found one in the railwayman and painter Nicholas Evans, who has died aged 97.
I was afforded the tremendous privilege of being invited by the artist to view a painting he was currently working on. Something, his daughter Rowan told me, he had never done before. We talked and I asked how he planned outhis striking paintings. He told me he didn't. They were already there. He simply approached the blank canvas and began to paint andthey appeared.

Now I understand what he meant. Although he was a painter bordering on genius and I am a simple storyteller our ideas flowed from within straight onto canvas or paper. In fact Nicholas Evans rarely painted on canvas. He order his material directfrom the local hardware store! His wife, particularly unimpressed by his latebrush with fame, told me, "I wouldn't mind so much if he'd paint the house!"

Each writer and artist must find his own way. In the end it doesn't really matter how you reach the summit. What reallymatters is that your writing flows from within. That the route you take is your own.That it is you and not what you believe others want you to be.

****************************
Billy and The Pit of Shadows Community
An experiment in creating a community of readers.
Last week our theme was school assemblies. Thanks to Eiry Rees Thomas for her contribution. I would love to know who the noted academic was but she won't tell me!

"It's an early memory actually and happened at our village junior school where we had a gathering twice weekly before lessons for prayers:
A male classmate, as it transpired, had been desperate to use the outside lavvies, but felt obliged to wait. The appropriate sound alerted us to the fact, wherby the teacher in charge of such things switched to sniff mode and made her way towards the row where I stood next to my embarrased classmate. She wore bangles on one arm from wrist to almost elbow level. These jangled in the silence and I felt rooted to the spot, lest she chose the wrong perpetrator.
The 'culprit' was ceremoniously directed to the lavvies, head bowed and blushing. Such a thing would never happen these days, thankfully.
I'm so pleased that my classmate rose through the ranks to become a prominent academic."
This week our theme is Games.
Are there games you once played that seem to have been lost. We'd love to hear about them. Why not join our community and take part in the experiment that will hopefully provide us with a template we can all work from.

"It had been a sunny day in late September and the conker season was already in full swing. Billy and Ross Tudor, encircled by an expectant crowd of children, were eying each other warily. Hector and Achilles preparing for battle before the glistening walls of Troy could not have been studied with more eager anticipation. What Billy remembered most about that morning however was the communal gasp of astonishment that greeted one of the rarest events ever witnessed at Valleys County Primary School."

From Chapter 13: The Great Conker Conflict

You can find our community on Google+


Click on the image to visit and join.
Next Week:Countdown To Launch.




]]> Thu, 07 Feb 2013 13:58:55 +0000 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/3152/can-someone-please-help-with-my-jigsaw http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/3152 Mon, 04 Feb 2013 14:19:20 +0000 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/3146/what-a-plonker http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/3146 In the immortal words ofDel Boy "What a plonker! " If you arewondering who I'm talking about wonder no longer, to quote Miss Piggy, "It's moi!". By the middle of last week I was feeling really despondant. I thought my idea of exploring the possibility of using the Google+ Community feature to create a generic template all others can use to do the same thing (a la G.H.Gaines)was one that some of you might find worth considering. Apparently not. While my good friend Eiry and Mickey Peluso both supported the idea they didn't actually join the Community. What hadI done wrong?

If you want people to come to your party you have to send them an invite right? For some reason my invites were not sent. I looked up Google+ Help, whichI find a bit techie to be truthful, and eventually arrived at this solution. It may be the way you want to go also.

I discovered that if you have a Google+ Page that Page can create its own Community.
If you haven't got a Google+ Page it's easy enough to create one. I decided to opt for my Kindle Authors Page as it encompassed writers in general and not one specific genre.

Next I created a Community - all the links for creating communities and pages are on the left hand side. It's a very simple process. Just make sure when you are creating your Community you select whether you want it to be available to everyone or just a select group as this cannot be changed afterwards.

At the last count the Billy and The Pit of Shadows Community has 13 members. I am starting to feel better already!

There is little point in establishing a community if you do not engage with your members and encourage them to engage with each other. Keeping in mind our primary purpose is to promote our book. How do we start?

IDENTIFY POINTS OF CONTACT - As Billy and The Pit of Shadows has a child as its central character there arepotentially many commonthemes we can explore from within the story. School Assemblies. School Trips Playground Games Bullying Schools and Teachers. Relatives I loved. Childhood Myths Subjects I Hated etc. FriendsI Remember There is enough common ground there to hopefully inspire engagement and involvement. Although you are essentially promoting your book you are also helping to create a dynamic community that you will genuinely enjoy being part of for its own sake.

We have all suffered , endured or enjoyed school assemblies at one time or another. Chapter Two of Billy and The Pit of Shadows is entitled The Best Assembly Ever . This affords me the opportunity to showcase some of my work and get other members involved. First I post the chapter to the community andask them to post an account of a particular memorable school assembly for whatever reason.

Eiry, bless her , has already emailed an account of what must have been an excruciatingly embarassing experience for one child. Once she has joined the CommunityEiry can post it direct. Later I will also showcase some of the posts on this blog.

There are other ways we can engage and we shall consider and develop these over the coming weeks. So if you have not already joined Billy and The Pit of Shadows why not pop over to Kindle Authors and accept the invite? I look forward to welcoming you.

"Billy stooped down, picked up a handful of gravel and flung it at Nan's window. It clattered against the glass echoing down the narrow street. Billy half expected to see the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse come charging wildly out of the night just like the Visiting Speaker had told them in assembly. Lots of children complained of nightmares for weeks after. Mr Meredith didn't ask him back, which disappointed Billy. It had been much better than normal assemblies, especially when Kayleigh Williams started to cry." From Chapter Two: The Best Assembly Ever Thecomplete chapter is now available in the Billy and The Pit of Shadows Community.

Next Week we consider how we go about planning our novels.

]]> Fri, 01 Feb 2013 20:16:29 +0000 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/3145/what-a-plonker http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/3145 In the immortal words ofDel Boy "What a plonker! " If you arewondering who I'm talking about wonder no longer, to quote Miss Piggy, "It's moi!". By the middle of last week I was feeling really despondant. I thought my idea of exploring the possibility of using the Google+ Community feature to create a generic template all others can use to do the same thing (a la G.H.Gaines)was one that some of you might find worth considering. Apparently not. While my good friend Eiry and Mickey Peluso both supported the idea they didn't actually join the Community. What hadI done wrong?

If you want people to come to your party you have to send them an invite right? For some reason my invites were not sent. I looked up Google+ Help, whichI find a bit techie to be truthful, and eventually arrived at this solution. It may be the way you want to go also.

I discovered that if you have a Google+ Page that Page can create its own Community.
If you haven't got a Google+ Page it's easy enough to create one. I decided to opt for my Kindle Authors Page as it encompassed writers in general and not one specific genre.

Next I created a Community - all the links for creating communities and pages are on the left hand side. It's a very simple process. Just make sure when you are creating your Community you select whether you want it to be available to everyone or just a select group as this cannot be changed afterwards.

At the last count the Billy and The Pit of Shadows Community has 13 members. I am starting to feel better already!

There is little point in establishing a community if you do not engage with your members and encourage them to engage with each other. Keeping in mind our primary purpose is to promote our book. How do we start?

IDENTIFY POINTS OF CONTACT - As Billy and The Pit of Shadows has a child as its central character there arepotentially many commonthemes we can explore from within the story. School Assemblies. School Trips Playground Games Bullying Schools and Teachers. Relatives I loved. Childhood Myths Subjects I Hated etc. FriendsI Remember There is enough common ground there to hopefully inspire engagement and involvement. Although you are essentially promoting your book you are also helping to create a dynamic community that you will genuinely enjoy being part of for its own sake.

We have all suffered , endured or enjoyed school assemblies at one time or another. Chapter Two of Billy and The Pit of Shadows is entitled The Best Assembly Ever . This affords me the opportunity to showcase some of my work and get other members involved. First I post the chapter to the community andask them to post an account of a particular memorable school assembly for whatever reason.

Eiry, bless her , has already emailed an account of what must have been an excruciatingly embarassing experience for one child. Once she has joined the CommunityEiry can post it direct. Later I will also showcase some of the posts on this blog.

There are other ways we can engage and we shall consider and develop these over the coming weeks. So if you have not already joined Billy and The Pit of Shadows why not pop over to Kindle Authors and accept the invite? I look forward to welcoming you.

"Billy stooped down, picked up a handful of gravel and flung it at Nan's window. It clattered against the glass echoing down the narrow street. Billy half expected to see the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse come charging wildly out of the night just like the Visiting Speaker had told them in assembly. Lots of children complained of nightmares for weeks after. Mr Meredith didn't ask him back, which disappointed Billy. It had been much better than normal assemblies, especially when Kayleigh Williams started to cry." From Chapter Two: The Best Assembly Ever Thecomplete chapter is now available in the Billy and The Pit of Shadows Community.

Next Week we consider how we go about planning our novels.

]]> Fri, 01 Feb 2013 20:16:28 +0000 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/3106/authors-create-a-community http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/3106 I know I keep banging on about it like a drummer from a punk band but independent authors simply have to promote their own work. How, is the problem. There are so many ways a writer can dissipate his/her time for very little reward that could have beenspent on our primary function of writing. Some of the promotional activities can also be costly and largely ineffective. Time spent writing never is, as that is how we develop our craft.

Sadly, if you want to make a living and get yourself noticed you have to promote. Last week we took a look at teaser videos that don't have to be hi tech to be very effective. This week let's consider a new opportunity being afforded by Google+ that we can turn to our advantage - the Google+ Community. I believe this feature has enormous potential for the writer.

Ok, so what is a Google+ Community and what opportunities does it offer?

First let's look at Google's definition of a community:
"Google+ communities are places for people to get together and talk about the interests that they share."


Joining a communityis easy. Simply click on the community icon and a list of communities that have already been created will come up. I have already joined several that are of interest to me. I also wanted to see how others organise the communities they have created and what they did to engage with members. For authors wanting to build a readership the key wordis engagement.

If we can engage effectively with a potential readership while in the process of writing our book think how powerful a motivational force that can be. Dickens wrote his novels almost as 'soaps' with an engaged fan base just waiting for the next episode. He didn't simply sit down and decide to write a classic. So that's one possible way we have thought of already - what about offering our book to our community in instalments. First of course we have to create an engaged community!
We may be jumping ahead of ourselves a little. One of the communities I joined recentlywas Indie Readers and Writers . The trouble with these kind of communities and forums is thatthey can oftenbeoverwhelmedby people who use them simply to promote their own work and not to engage in any sort of meaningful way with other members. "But", you may ask, "isn't that what you said we must do, promote our work?" TRUE! Unfortunately blatant self-promotion can often be a complete turn off.
Following the example of W.H Gaines I decided to create a community for my book 'Billy and The Pit of Shadows'. Obviously creating a community for your book will not initially attract as many members as would a more generic title but it has the advantage of :
Being up front about your intentions
Forcing you to be more innovative in engaging your membership in a meaningful way.
Is more manageable and enables your community to grow as you write your book. Creating a community is the easy part. Click on the communities icon and a page like this will appear giving you the opportunity to Join or Create a community.
You need to give some thought about how you will engage your community as this will be the key as to whether your community will thrive or shrivel.

Billy and The Pit of Shadows is a paranormal adventure for children of all ages set in the South Wales Valleys. The main character Billy is nine years old. One of the first things Ididwas identify points of contacts within the story that people might genuinely find interesting because they can relate to it themselves. You must genuinely seek and want interaction with your members .

For example one chapter is set around a school assembly. This affords me the opportunity to engage my community by asking if they can remember anyassemblies thatstand out in their memoriesfor whatever reason. The most embarrassing, boring, funniestetc. The point is I genuinely want to hear about them so I can feature them on my blog. HopefullyI will be able to provide more ideas as I wrestle with the task of creating a vibrant and involved community.

IMHO there is no point in seeking members if you do not have a plan of engagement mapped out. Once you have it is time to start inviting members to the community. Invite friends form Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads and, wait for it. . . your blog. This is where YOU get the invite to join. If I am going to conduct a meaningful exercise in assessing the potential of Google+ communities as a promotional tool for authors I need your involvement.

What does this entail:
Join the community.
Interact and respond to initiatives. e.g the school assembly.
Give feedback and suggestions. Together we can create a model that can become an effective promotional tool for everyone.

One word of warning. The only danger in creating a community around your book is that if it's not that well written or it doesn't grab the reader then the exercise will be counter productive. But it's probably better to discover that sooner rather than later!



]]> Thu, 24 Jan 2013 13:18:14 +0000 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/3092/authors-be-a-tease-and-get-yourself-noticed http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/3092 Let me be clear from the outset. I HAVE NOT wandered into the fifty shades of definitely grey areas populated by E L James wannabees. Nor is this blog adopting a Page 3 feature. But let me ask you one thing, "Did the picture attract your attention?" The honest answer is probably YESalthough the reactions willdefinitely embrace more than fifty shades.
One very important technique every author can learn from the picture is the art of being able to tease your potential readers into becoming fans. I am not suggesting weinsert similar pictures of ourselves on the back cover. In my case that would be like trying to attract vegetarians to McDonalds. What we need to do is learn the art of teasing our potential audience in wanting to know more.
We all know the critical importance of having a first paragraph that attracts attention. Something like,
" Jack stood in the sparsely populated supermarket cafeteria contemplating the best way to kill his mother. He eventually settled on a stake through the heart
swiftly followed by a generous sprinkling of holy water. Rose would happily
minister the water, holy or otherwise. "
From 'The Lift' - You can read the full story in the first edition of ETO. Available March 1st (See what I did there?)
There is also the art of using 'the snippet' to arouse interest just as Chris Keil did for his contribution to the first edition of ETO:
It turned out Jack was a movie producer, semi-retired. We traded a few names. He thought hed met Hugo, probably at an awards evening. Adrienne had moved over to the glass wall, leaning against it, staring out into the colonnaded terrace. She turned, aware that I was watching her, catching my eye and smiling.
And Jimbo? Jack said. Jimbo Johnson? I shook my head.
I dont think so.
A legend, Jack said. You should look him up, tell him I sent you. He gestured at Adrienne and she refilled our glasses. Come to that, Ill be talking to him this week, I could ask him down, the two of you could meet.
Im going to fuck your wife, I said to Jack, breathing the words into the rim of my glass, the champagne effervescing under my nose like the onset of laughter.
chris keil 2013
When I read this I wanted to know what happened next. Then I wished I'd written it myself! I did ask Chris if I could use it the next time I went to my local pub. He graciously consented. I did explain I would have to substitute 'semi retired hobbler' for 'movie producer' and 'lager' for 'chamapagne' as well as make bloody sure the hobbler in question didn't hear me! But there are other ways to entice readers to you book. What about a teaser trailer you see when you go to the movies? YouTube is a great social media tool for getting a simple video out there. It doesn't have to be all computer generated images as I learnt this week from G.H.Gaines. he has show that this type of teaser marketing is accessible to everyone who has something to offer.
G.H. writes in the Science Fiction genre. His video really gripped me and made me want to read more. And you know what? There isn't a single picture in it. You can view it here .
G.H. has also established a Google Community for his book. Yet another way of gathering potential customers even before your book is written.



]]> Fri, 18 Jan 2013 11:38:28 +0000 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/3048/we-was-brung-up-proper http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/3048
"And we never had a whole Mars bar until 1993"!!!

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL MY FRIENDS WHO WERE BORN IN THE
1930-39 & 1940's to 1950's
First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank sherry while they carried us and lived in houses made of asbestos...
They took aspirin, ate blue cheese, bread and dripping, raw egg products, loads of bacon and processed meat, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes or cervical cancer.
Then after that trauma, our baby cots were covered with bright coloured lead-based paints.

We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets or shoes, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking.
As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags.
We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle.
Take away food was limited to fish and chips, no pizza shops, McDonalds , KFC, Subway or Nandos.
Even though all the shops closed at 6.00pm and didn't open on a Sunday, somehow we didn't starve to death!
We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this.
We could collect old drink bottles and cash them in at the corner store and buy Toffees, Gobstoppers and Bubble Gum.
We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter,milk from the cow,and drank soft drinks with sugar in it, but we weren't overweight because......
WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!!
We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on.
No one was able to reach us all day. And we were O..K.
We would spend hours building our go-carts out of old prams and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. We built tree houses and dens and played in river beds with matchbox cars.
We did not have Playstations, Nintendo Wii , X-boxes, no video games at all, no 999 channels on SKY ,
no video/dvd films, or colour TV
no mobile phones, no personal computers, no Internet or Internet chat rooms..........WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!

We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no
Lawsuits from these accidents.

Only girls had pierced ears!

We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever.

You could only buy Easter Eggs and Hot Cross Buns at Easter time....

We were given air guns and catapults for our 10th birthdays,

We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just yelled for them!
Mum didn't have to go to work to help dad make ends meet because we didn't need to keep up with the Jones's!

Not everyone made the rugby/football/cricket/netball team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!! Getting into the team was based on
MERIT

Our teachers used to hit us with canes and gym shoes and throw the blackboard rubber at us if they thought we weren't concentrating ...
We can string sentences together and spell and have proper conversations because of a good, solid three R's education.
Our parents would tell us to ask a stranger to help us cross the road.
The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of.
They actually sided with the law!

Our parents didn't invent stupid names for their kids like 'Kiora' and 'Blade' and 'Ridge' and 'Vanilla'

We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned HOW TO
DEAL WITH IT ALL !


And YOU are one of them!
CONGRATULATIONS!
You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before the lawyers and the government regulated our lives for our own good.
And while you are at it, forward it to your kids so they will know how brave their parents were.PS -The big type is because your eyes are not too good at your age anymore]]> Mon, 31 Dec 2012 00:35:32 +0000 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/2999/lets-hear-it-for-the-teachers http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/2999 When you buy Toybox Christmas cards you are helping street children in Latin America, and honouring the homeless child at the heart of the Christmas story Over the next few weeks I am going to be very busy painting backdrops for nativity plays, standing in for Santa in several local schools and attending my grandson's various concerts. I have also been invited to New York as a guest of The City Bar Entertainments Committee who are sponsoring a concert reading of 'A Christmas Carol Revisited' for charity. Unfortunately I doubt if I will have the time (or money) to be able to attend. I will try and get another couple of posts out before Christmas but it will be difficult and I make no promises. If you have any nativity stories please post them to me at phil@helpyourchildsucceed.com and I will feature them. THANKS ]]> Fri, 30 Nov 2012 22:03:37 +0000 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/2984/ghost-stories-are-they-in-decline http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/2984 Ibelieve a well written ghost story can send shivers down the spine like nothing else. The imagination is probably the brain'smost powerful attribute.The images that can be conjured in our mind by a creaking door or a flickering candle far surpass the most graphic description that can flow from a writers pen. That's why I find it so sad that when we think of great ghosts stories we invariable have to delve into the past.
M.R.James is one who immediately springs to mind as a master of the craft. As evidence of my claim you may wish to view Robert Powell's reading of 'The Mezzotint' .
Hooked? If you are then here is Part 2. If you enjoyed this story you might well want to read some of the stories that M.R. James himself found scary. They are: 1. " The Open Door " by Mrs Olliphant 2. " The Upper Berth " by F. Marion Crawford 3. " The Familiar " by Sheridan Le Fanu 4. " The Red Lodge " by H. R. Wakefield
5. " The White and the Black " by Erckmann-Chatrian Two of my favourite ghost stories are Dickens 'A Christmas Carol' and W.W. Jacobs 'The Monkey's Paw' . If anyone has not read or seen an adaptation of Henry James 'The Turn of the Screw' where have you been? This is definitely a must read. More authors synonymous with ghost stories include many great names in the history of English literature:
Algernon Blackwood Ambrose Bierce Washington Irving Shirley Jackson Edgar Allan Poe Edith Wharton
Where are the indie authors to take up this challenge? Well, I've found a few. Read A Ghost Story This Christmas Mardi Orlandi
A Secret Society An Abandoned Church And a Shadow Brought together by their mysterious gifts, seven teenagers have been stranded in no-time by their Secret Society. In an abandoned church they find a gathering of ghosted orphans, trapped for over one hundred years. To free these ghosts they will need to discover each of their identities, and to do that, this group of misfits will need to face the secrets that have haunted their own lives. It is the only way they will survive. And time is running out. A haunting fantasy, Secrets of Ghosts will intrigue those of us who like to seek amongst the
shadows. Peter Shapiro Peter David Shapiro was born in Montreal, Canada, and emigrated to the US after completing graduate school at Stanford. Before writing his debut suspense novel, Ghosts on the Red Line, he toiled as a management consultant serving clients around the world. Harry West, his protagonist in Ghosts on the Red Line is by amazing coincidence also a consultant. Harry West also plays the leading role in The Trail of Money, the prequel to Ghosts on the Red Line, a suspense novel about money laundering and murder in Hong Kong that was released in October 2012. Suzy Turner Adopted sisters Lana Beth and Emma Jane are polar opposites, but when the same strange 'tattoo' suddenly appears and winds its way up their bodies within days of each other, they soon realize there's more to their relationship than they could ever have imagined.Sent off to London for two weeks of 'work experience', the Morgan Sisters soon find themselves being initiated into the ancient Praxos Foundation, one that protects the innocent while fighting evil, both human and supernatural. At the same time, Lana Beth and Emma Jane must also investigate why the sweet but sometimes pesky ghost of Josiah Grimshaw just won't leave them alone. Douglas R Cobb Join the world's best-known and most beloved terrier/pterodactyl, Lily, her fourteen-year-old "owner," Celeste Quince, and the rest of PAWS (Private Army of Warrior Sleuths), Fuzzy Wally MacGee (a Chinese Crested/rhino), Lucy armoset
Higgins (a Great Dane/orangutan), and Prince Alphonse Saed (a miniature dachsund/Mountain Lion) as they attempt to foil the latest plans of the scarlet Macaw Frankie Sinister and the Scarlet SNURFLES. The claim they want to develop an alternative energy source, but when the ghosts of Arkansas start disappearing from their favorite haunts, it looks like it's a case for Lily, Celeste, and PAWS. How can they say "No," when the request comes from the "Bandit Queen," the ghost of Belle Starr? Read about their exciting and often humorous sleuthing
adventures as they travel throughout Arkansas encountering ghosts (both good and diabolically evil) ! Also, be sure to read the first book in the exciting new series, Lily, Unleashed! William Meikle Between 1878 and 1879 the small town of Amherst in Nova Scotia sees of one of the strangest cases of poltergeist activity in history.A local girl, Esther Cox becomes the focus of night terrors, rappings, unexplained fires and more.
What is the cause of this outbreak of psychic disturbances? No one
knows. But Esther has a secret. And that secret might just destroy her. Dr Ann Nyland Am y Stuart is a journalist and blogger for a paranormal magazine.She
doesn't wear black leather; she can't kick butt; she doesn't have supernatural powers.But she does have one skill: while wearing shapewear and with her reading glasses perched on her nose, she can out-research the best of them, especially when her caffeine levels are high.When sent to England to write articles on Sir Francis Dashwood's Hellfire Club, Amy uncovers a link between the alchemist Nicholas Flamel, the nineteenth century occultists and the Hellfire Caves which endangers her own life. Can her research skills save the
world from at least one dastardly killer?
The Dashwood Haunting is the first book in the Amy Stuart Occult Mystery series. Ann Swann What do you do when a phantom needs your help?A small plane crashes into Jase's backyard, and before long, he realizes the ghost of the pilot is haunting him. Jase needs help to rid himself of this supernatural visitor. When he sees his friend, Stevie, entering the town's legendary haunted house, he's certain she's the one who will have the answer to his problem. But will she help him?
Would you? Phil Rowlands For media mogul Clinton Ebenezer Scrooge III this Christmas Eve will be unlike any other. He is about to embark on the most terrifying journey of his life. It is a journey in which he must confront a painful past before he can begin to right terrible wrongs, before he can know redemption. A journey that leads to a place he left long ago, a place where hope abandoned a
lost child forever. Tonight Scrooge will discover that the past cannot be erased by power but is he prepared to pay the price demanded for his salvation? Manhattan
Plays Host to Contemporary Urban Adaption of Dickenss A Christmas Carol. Adapted
and published by Welsh writer, Philip Rowlands, A Christmas Carol: Revisited is set to make its debut concert reading in New York this December. Thrusting Ebenezer
Scrooge into modern day Manhattan, could Rowlands adaption open a new chapter
for this timeless classic? Tonypandy,
Wales Like all
good things in life, the passage of times bring a need for change. Nobody
believes this more than Welsh author Philip Rowlands, whose contemporary
adaption of Charles Dickenss A Christmas Carol is taking the literary world
by storm. In fact, the story has been so popular that it is about to make its
debut concert reading in New York City. A Christmas Carol Revisited takes
Dickenss original story and drops it into to modern-day Manhattan. Ironically,
the storys concert reading will take place in the same city, being performed
at The House of the Bar on December 19 th However, before making its impressive
trip across the Atlantic, Rowlands adaptation enjoyed an abundance of
home-grown success. The book was featured on BBC Radio Wales last November,
being awarded a positive critique by radio host Roy Noble. As Rowlands
explains, the positive feedback generated an urge to spread the word Earlier this year I decided to email the secretaries of Charles
Dickens Societies around the world. The most exciting of all the responses was
the one received from The Entertainment Committee of the New York City Bar
Association. They requested permission to sponsor a Concert Reading of my book,
which has now been planned for this December, he says. The performance is taking place on a one-off, non-commercial basis,
with attendees being asked to voluntarily contribute something in a '5'
denomination for a children's charity. Rowlands is delighted that his book is getting the attention and
acclaim many feel it deserves, something he hopes Dickens himself would approve
of. I tried to consider what issues Dickens would have written about
today, hence my decision to set the story in New York and not London. America
has long since assumed the mantle once worn by the British Empire and has been
at the heart of most of the major global events of the 21st Century, he adds. Attention has even been garnered by noted figures in the literary
world, including writer Nigel Crowle. He commented, I thought it was very,
very, good indeed. Phil put a new twist to it. It was great. .He's got some
great imagery. . .fantastic. . . I loved it. The Concert Reading of A Christmas Carol: Revisited will take place
at The House of the Bar on December 19 th , Manhattan, New York City, between 18:00 20:00. To mark the event and in support of the children's charities involved FREE copies of A Christmas CarolRevisited will be availableon AMAZON this December. PRESS RELEASE ]]> Sun, 25 Nov 2012 19:57:53 +0000 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/2967/the-counter-revolution http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/2967
We march like ancient warriors
along the rugged track,
To another field of battle
There is no looking back.

Our hearts are strong and wilful
Our hopes continue on
We are the veterans rugby team
Whose muscles have all gone.

The game begins and in no time,
we are praying for a rest
No violent scrums we settle in
like hens upon a nest.

The referee has abandoned hope
of controlling this debacle,
Our collective aim is to a man
avoid having to tackle.

Spectators few in number
There for memories sake
Stand and issue platitudes
Like mourners at a wake.

Our wives abandon us to chance
Of ever coming back
They see the pain that has no gain
and give us constant flack.

They say we men are obsolete
Mars usurped by Venus
Our worth is measured only
by the short length of our penis.

They demean us daily
saying boys they will be boys,
then replace us in the marital sack
with a range of sexual toys.

Yet we will fight on valiantly
sod our feminine side
We owe it to our brave young sons
To avoid the manhood slide.

So hardy veterans every where
Play on, theres no game finer.
Against the ever growing threat
The march of the vagina.

So get up off your knees, man
Support your local club.
If she says be home by six
her demanding you must snub.

Give her both barrels, my son
Reduce her to a pallor
and you and I will one day share
a brew in old Valhalla Glyn Scott
The Ruptured Bard. P.S. I f by some remote chance some of you enjoyed this poem let me know and I'll buy Glyn a pint next Monday when we meet for lunch. If, as I strongly suspect, you find the tone of this poem morally reprehensible please forward me your comments on a blank 20 note and I will ensure the poet is made aware of how much he has offended your sensibilties. I canhowever personally vouch for the fact that he was severely ruptured while researching this poem. Great poets must be prepared to suffer for their art. ]]> Fri, 16 Nov 2012 10:59:38 +0000 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/2956/christmas-an-inspirational-season-for-writers http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-stephen-rowlands/blog/2956 I knew Christmas was just around the corner when the headmaster of the school my grandson attends called me into his office last week. Whatcould Isay but yes? I supposeI've grown into the role over the years! What a joy to be able to ask your grandchild whathe wants for Christmas. If the answer is too expensive I always have the option of explaining the elves are in dispute with the management so he might have to settle for another football! Last year was easy - he was onlyfive - but this year I know I'm going to come under more intensescrutiny. Let's just hope he doesn't start peeping under my beard. I'll have to change my deodorant though as last yearhe commented that"Father Christmas smelt just like you Bampa!"

Christmas is also an opportunity for writers to relaunch any books with a Christmas related theme. Goodreads has listed its top 20 favourite fictional Christmas Books. Click on the image below to view it for yourself but before you do, try and guess which book you think would be top of the list. My guess was that perennial favourite, and my personal number one, Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. I was astonished to find I was wrong. See if you fare any better.



I was delighted to see that listed among them was Dylan Thomas' A Child's Christmas In Wales not just because I'm biased but because it is a magical book. Christmas seems to have inspired many fantastic stories. So much so that the classic fairytale The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Anderson did not even make the top 20. I was also astounded that one of my favourite stories that was turned into a smash hit BBC serial never even got a mention. John Masefiled's The Box of Delights is truly a delight. If you have never read it then give yourself a treat this Christmas. Also do all you can to get a copy of the BBC DVD starring the late great Patrick Troughton. Christmas still provides inspiration for stories from contemporary authors like the ones featured in this blog that embrace many genres.



Probably the most famous Christmas character after the Infant Jesus and Santa Claus is Ebenezer Scrooge the hardened old miser who found redemption and joy in the season of Hope and Forgiveness.I have always been fascinated by this particular character and it was one of the motivational factors behind my own particular Christmas story contribution A Christmas Carol Revisited. Set in contemporary Manhattan it attempts to explore issues that Dickens may well have written about were he alive today. Here is Ebenezer Clinton Scrooge III's take on Christmas as he watches the bustling sidewalk crowds from his penthouse eyrie.
"Scrooge gazed out of the window. Somewhere
below, the river flowed blacker than the Styx through the citys dark heart
into the eternal depths of the poisoned oceans. But Scrooges eyes were fixed
upon another river. The unceasing flow of humanity condemned as surely to
follow the course of existence to its inevitable conclusion as the river was
compelled to flow into the embrace of the blind and restless sea. Christmas held out hope that the journey
was not in vain. That was one of the reasons he despised it. Christmas was for
the weak, for sentimental fools who had never grasped that salvation in this
world was something to be wrung forcefully from lifes unwilling grip. Once the
presents had been opened and the parties were over what was left apart from
hangovers and a bigger overdraft? He smiled. He was above that now, had been
for years. Just as detached and aloof as the gigantic reflection of himself
superimposed on the vista upon which he cast such a scornful eye."




Ghost stories are aso a great Christmas Tradition so next week we'll take a look at some Indie authors who write within this genre.


The first of our authors with a Christmas theme is Carol DeVaney.
Her novel is entitled 'A Smoky Mountain Christmas' .
Tina Cole has one goal: to take back control of her life. Falling in love isn't
part of the bargain. On the rebound from a fizzled relationship, she lands on
writer Hank Gordon's doorstep and finds that everything she thought she wanted
out of life means nothing without love.
Recently divorced and disillusioned
by love, Hank Gordon has sworn off women. He isn't in the mood to entertain a
woman with an attitude who frustrates him more than any woman hes ever met.
Hanks novel deadline is twenty-four hours away and he's cut off from the world
with no phone or email service, and a beautiful, aggravating crazy woman to
distract him. If Hank thinks his life couldn't get any worse, he's wrong. Not
only is he baby-sitting a sassy Southern princess who has no idea what a kitchen
is for, but two escaped convicts turn up at the cabin, while Hanks horse is
about to foal.
A Smoky Mountain Christmas is available on Amazon Kindle. Click the image to access the book.

The next author is the exotically named 'PY Lab' .


Her Christmas offering is 'A Chinese Christmas Carol' .
After giving birth to her daughter, Joies world begins to fall apart as she becomes a whole different person. She is not the happy person that she once was. One evening, she meets a woman, and from then onwards, she finds herself re-living specific moments of her painful childhood past.

Our third author is Christopher Lord and his book is entitled The Christmas Carol Murders .

Its the holiday season in Dickens Junction, Oregon. Local bookstore owner Simon Alastair is getting ready for the communitys annual celebration of Charles Dickenss well-known story. But when a mysterious stranger shows up in the Junction and is murdered hours later, Simon begins to suspect that his little community has been targeted for destruction by a shadowy organization. And why is everyone suddenly reading Ayn Rand?
Christopher's novel has received rave reviews on Amazon.

[ The Christmas Carol Murders ] is full of love for books...readers will
eat it up. Full of homespun characters and curious goings-on, Lord's mystery is
a love letter to both Dickens and to the small town amateur detectives who've
kept the peace in hamlets from River Heights to Cabot Cove.

- Chelsea
Cain , New York Times best-selling thriller writer

A delicious romp
through the world of Dickens wonderfully imagined in the 21st century by
Christopher Lord. The Christmas Carol Murders has it all: mystery,
eccentric characters galore and a touch of frivolity. You don't have to be a
Dickens fan to fall in love...

- Margaret Coel , New York Times
bestselling author of Buffalo Bill's Dead

"...a different, yet
delightful, type of cozy mystery...coupling old fashioned values with au
courant perspectives and literary interests... The Christmas Carol
Murders is one treat you won't need to beg for! Just go out and get it or
gift wrap it up for a friend!

- Audrey Lawrence , Fresh Fiction
(tinyurl.com/9ocubkf)

Lord [brings] this story to life in an old
fashioned kind of way with a modern day twist...The murders were tastefully
done...[Lord] had me guessing to the very end...Mr. Lord writes with passion,
pulling you into the story, not letting you go until the end, leaving you
wanting more. I say he has a hit on his hands.

- Robin ,
Romancing the Book

NOW: One to look out for:
Kelly S Gamble
Her darkly humorous Christmasnovel They Call Me Crazy is due for release this December.
Roland Adams was just a good ol' boy from Deacon, Kansas. When his wife, Cass, is found trying to dump his body in the Spring River, the town can only come to one conclusion: She's crazy. Certifiable. Always has been.

While Cass' big city lawyer fights for her freedom, Cass' life unfolds, as do her odd relationships with her worm-farming brother-in-law, her psychic grandmother, her gold-digging sister, and her estranged best friend ... her only friend, a promiscuous fifth grade teacher. What binds them together has also torn them apart, and their secrets may be the key to Cass' deliverance.

But Roland is the only one who has all of the answers. And he's not talking.

They Call Me Crazy is due to hit the shelves this December.
Good Luck Kelly

NEXT WEEK: Ghost Stories For Christmas





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