Uncategorized – Page 51

To Semi-Paraphrase Goldfinger: Two Writers Saying It Could Be Chalked Up To Coincidence, But Three? One Should Perhaps Pay Attention.

On 05/01/2009

In chronological order, three quotes from writers of note which I’ve recently come across:

“The artist should never try to be popular. Rather the public should be more artistic.”
– Oscar Wilde

“Don’t give people what they want, give them what they need. What they want is for Sam and Diane to get together. Don’t give it to them.”
– Joss Whedon

“Creating something is not a democracy. The people have no say. The artist does. It doesn’t matter what the people witter on about; they and their response come after. They’re not there for the creation.”
– Russell T Davies

Is the underlying theme there, I wonder, the mandate from my betters I need to become even more of a puffed-up self-confident fool? Let’s hope not, or I’ll become even more unbearable.

Still, something to think about there, perhaps…

New Who?

By John

On 03/01/2009

In Link, TV, Uncategorized

Who knew?

I wasn’t guessing, but did any of you make money by wagering on this?

And The Unsurprising Moral Of The Story Is : You Actually Have To Care About The Story And Characters

By John

On 02/01/2009

In Link, TV, Uncategorized, Writing

Browsing through my new-ish copy of Writer’s Market the other day (no, I really was), I noticed that Mills and Boon publish 600 of their romance-oriented titles every year. That, a quick calculation reveals, is about 12 books every week – which kind of surprised me; I knew they published a lot of books, but almost two a day? Crikey.

Anyway, I idly started thinking about submitting something to them, and wondering if any of the stories knocking around the attic of my mind might be dusted off and polished to a Mills and Boon-y shine. Of course, in the way the universe has of making events converge, last night on BBC4 there was a programme called How To Write A Mills and Boon – the BBC iPlayer link is here.

It’s worth a watch – regardless of whether you’re thinking of sending stuff to them – as the novelist Stella Duffy has a go at writing a book for them, and despite having had about a dozen novels published, she finds that it’s not actually as easy as you might think; like writing for comics or soap operas, it shouldn’t be looked on as something that’s easy or somehow beneath one’s dignity. Writing within any confines is, after all, a challenge.

I Really Thought I Was Paying For Nudity

By John

On 01/01/2009

In Link, Personal, Uncategorized

Intending to start this year feeling like I was actually steering the ship rather than being thrown about by events, I just had a look at my bank details online, to make sure I have some kind of idea how much or how little money is in my account.

And then I spotted what looked like an odd transaction – a direct debit against my account with the reference “NUD COLLECTIONS AC”.

Nude collections? I don’t remember having made any kind of payment like that… and then I realised it was actually an insurance payment to Norwich Union.

No wonder they’re changing their name…

Welcome To 2009. Would You Like A Cup Of Tea?

By John

On 01/01/2009

In Personal, Uncategorized, Wedding, Writing

Well then, another year gone, and a new one started. Oh 2008, we hardly knew ye.

I’ll spare you a full run-down of which of my semi-resolutions I fulfilled, though paradoxically I got a whole load of things which weren’t on my list done (and I mean writing stuff, not things like, say, getting married). Ah well.

But rather than pick over the bones of 2008, I shall instead redouble my efforts – by this time next year (clenches fist, raises it to a thundering sky), YOU ALL SHALL KNOW MY NAME!

(For nice reasons, I mean, nothing bad.)

But, to each and every one of you, a very happy 2009, and may the year bring you everything you could ask for – as well as a few surprises.

Oooh, The Original! I’m Fed Up With Getting The Second Pressing…

By John

On 30/12/2008

In Fish In A Barrel, London, Pictures, Uncategorized

Gianni is probably spinning in his grave.

Er, I mean graev.

Look, I know it’s pedantry, but when the name of the item is on the picture that’s the centre-piece of your poster, I think it looks a bit shoddy to get the name wrong. You only have to look about an inch downwards to check it. I mean, come on…

Huh? As Opposed To Literature Soaps Or Cola Drinks?

By John

On 29/12/2008

In Fish In A Barrel, London, Pictures, Uncategorized

Sainsburys going for the Nobel Prize For Signage there, then.

I Was In Receipt, But I Hope They Kept The Receipt

By John

On 26/12/2008

In Fish In A Barrel, Pictures, Twins, Uncategorized

Well, after all my recent posts about other people being unclear about gifts they wanted for Christmas, karma has come to bite me on the arse, and the pictures here show a DVD and book which I received yesterday.

Not the ones I had in mind, I have to say.

All right, lesson learned.

And A Very Merry Christmas To All Of You

By John

On 25/12/2008

In Personal, Uncategorized

If you’re reading this shortly after I post it, you really ought to go to bed – Santa doesn’t come if you’re still awake.

That consideration aside, I hope you have a good day, and that you spend it with people who you want to be with, and that you have fun.

I’m reliably informed that the actual translation of the latin phrase “et in terra pax hominibus, bonae voluntatis”, because it involves the genetive case, actually means “Peace on earth to men of good will”, but I think we can stretch to the usual mistranslation, and so I wish a whole bunch of high quality will (and not in the Nietzschean sense) to each and every one of you.

As Derek Batey used to say, be nice to each other.

Yes, Yes, The Lesson Here Is Not To Leave Your Present-Wrapping Until The Last Minute, But That Doesn’t Help Me Right Now

By John

On 24/12/2008

In Pictures, Twins, Uncategorized

I thought that my previous problem with mixed-up gifts might get me in trouble, but all my notebook says for the presents for my sister and my niece alike is ‘Circus CD’.

The items are on the table before me, and they need wrapping in the next few minutes. Looks like I’d better flip a coin…

Category: Uncategorized Page 51 of 122