A little while back, Zoë and I got ourselves into a conversation about what would happen if you removed your debit card from a retailer's card reader before the card reader said that it was okay to remove the card. You know how it is after a couple of beers on a hot day? Well, it became the script for the most recent All over the house strip. Sometimes it is strange to know exactly how the thought processes behind comic strips actually work.
Clicky for direct link to comic strip.
Wednesday 30 June 2010
Monday 28 June 2010
Books, boats, and an annoying ear.
So much for Summer - I think the weather has decided that we've had our alloted summer for this year. The rain started yesterday afternoon, and hasn't stopped since. We even had a massive thunderstorm in the early hours of this morning.
However, rain does not stop work. We've rec eived confirmation that one of the wholesalers has agreed to stock the book. It's more of a formality really, as we send them the information, and they send an email back to confirm that it is on their system and ready. We're still waiting on the other wholesaler, and information from Waterstones. As they are one of the biggest UK retailers, the publisher feels it wise to make sure that they know about the book and that we build up a relationship which means they see the book as something that they want to stock in all their branches rather than just as and when it gets ordered.
The boat is now as good as complete. The last of the good weather was enough to get the sealant work done, and it got covered just as the rain started. Unfortunately, the sealant seems to be white, and not clear as I ordered. This is fine on the top deck and cockpit (which is painted white anyway) but on the hull it sticks out like a, er, white strip between brown and blue. It will need a touch of paint, but with the weather as it is that can wait. It's purely cosmetic though, so there's no rush.
My hearing isn't too hot at the moment. I've had issues in my left ear since a couple of swims in Llandudno baths on holiday. Over the last week the pain has been constant and gives me headaches and neck aches too. Last night I had some dizzy spells which weren't nice. This morning it's better, but far from right. I keep hearing pops in my ear, presumably as pressure tries - and fails - to equalise properly. I'm going to be making an appointment to see the Doctor, just as soon as they are open to take calls at 9:00am.
However, rain does not stop work. We've rec eived confirmation that one of the wholesalers has agreed to stock the book. It's more of a formality really, as we send them the information, and they send an email back to confirm that it is on their system and ready. We're still waiting on the other wholesaler, and information from Waterstones. As they are one of the biggest UK retailers, the publisher feels it wise to make sure that they know about the book and that we build up a relationship which means they see the book as something that they want to stock in all their branches rather than just as and when it gets ordered.
The boat is now as good as complete. The last of the good weather was enough to get the sealant work done, and it got covered just as the rain started. Unfortunately, the sealant seems to be white, and not clear as I ordered. This is fine on the top deck and cockpit (which is painted white anyway) but on the hull it sticks out like a, er, white strip between brown and blue. It will need a touch of paint, but with the weather as it is that can wait. It's purely cosmetic though, so there's no rush.
My hearing isn't too hot at the moment. I've had issues in my left ear since a couple of swims in Llandudno baths on holiday. Over the last week the pain has been constant and gives me headaches and neck aches too. Last night I had some dizzy spells which weren't nice. This morning it's better, but far from right. I keep hearing pops in my ear, presumably as pressure tries - and fails - to equalise properly. I'm going to be making an appointment to see the Doctor, just as soon as they are open to take calls at 9:00am.
Friday 25 June 2010
All afloat on RMS Decadence.
Not a lot has happened as far as 'Bringing home the stars' is concerned. Until the wholesaler contracts are ironed out, there isn't an awful lot to do. The book press release information sheets are done to send to retailers and magazines, but they cannot go out with review copies until such time as the information about where the books can be bought from is finalised!
In the mean time, I've been busy working on my boat. Yes, I did type that correctly. Yesterday Zoë and I became decadent posh people. The boat in question is a very unusual version of the otherwise common Bosun sailing dinghy. Still in production, they were adopted by the Royal Navy and the Sea Cadets, and several thousand have been built. I, however, have bought one of the prototype evaluaters used to show off the then new boat design to prospective customers, including the navy. In fact, my Bosun is number 3, and features (along with number 16) in all of the brochure material of the time!
I bought it from a man in Biddulph and hauled it gingerly north. I never like boats on trailors because of the risk of damage to the delicate parts of the boat. On the way we stopped in Congleton and bought a ratchet strap which helped my fears abate. I must mentaion the nice salesman in Halfords where we bought the strap who was very polite, very helpful and even came out to help make sure that the boat was strapped securely. It was most appreciated, and is always nice to see sales staff going above and beyond the call of duty.
The boat is in very good condition for its age (new in 1963) but does need some work doing on it. The whole keel was replaced by the previous owner and the hull is in exceptionally good condition. However the foredeck and inside the cockpit need a bit of work doing. The fibreglass gelcoat has a few cracks and spalls and I've spent today using polyester resin to repair them. I also bought some high quality (it better had be for £22 per tin - and it isn't exactly the biggest of tine either) yacht enamel in white. The foredeck has gone from dark blue to white, and the interior will follow. Incidentally, the boat was originally a pale green (and this colour did remain inside the cockpit as the interior had never been painted before). However the outside of the hull had been repainted into a dark blue, which I will be keeping as I prefer it to the pale lime green.
Aparently Zoë says that we are posh now as we own a boat and have double barreled surnames (I still use my maiden name for professional purposes, if you were briefly perplexed) we are officially posh. If she says so.
In the mean time, I've been busy working on my boat. Yes, I did type that correctly. Yesterday Zoë and I became decadent posh people. The boat in question is a very unusual version of the otherwise common Bosun sailing dinghy. Still in production, they were adopted by the Royal Navy and the Sea Cadets, and several thousand have been built. I, however, have bought one of the prototype evaluaters used to show off the then new boat design to prospective customers, including the navy. In fact, my Bosun is number 3, and features (along with number 16) in all of the brochure material of the time!
I bought it from a man in Biddulph and hauled it gingerly north. I never like boats on trailors because of the risk of damage to the delicate parts of the boat. On the way we stopped in Congleton and bought a ratchet strap which helped my fears abate. I must mentaion the nice salesman in Halfords where we bought the strap who was very polite, very helpful and even came out to help make sure that the boat was strapped securely. It was most appreciated, and is always nice to see sales staff going above and beyond the call of duty.
The boat is in very good condition for its age (new in 1963) but does need some work doing on it. The whole keel was replaced by the previous owner and the hull is in exceptionally good condition. However the foredeck and inside the cockpit need a bit of work doing. The fibreglass gelcoat has a few cracks and spalls and I've spent today using polyester resin to repair them. I also bought some high quality (it better had be for £22 per tin - and it isn't exactly the biggest of tine either) yacht enamel in white. The foredeck has gone from dark blue to white, and the interior will follow. Incidentally, the boat was originally a pale green (and this colour did remain inside the cockpit as the interior had never been painted before). However the outside of the hull had been repainted into a dark blue, which I will be keeping as I prefer it to the pale lime green.
Aparently Zoë says that we are posh now as we own a boat and have double barreled surnames (I still use my maiden name for professional purposes, if you were briefly perplexed) we are officially posh. If she says so.
Tuesday 22 June 2010
"You've got a lot of books, but I already read this one"
The copy for the British Library is ready to be sent. For those who don't know, this is the copy that has to be deposited with the British Library by law. It will be the seventh of my books that they will have. That means one copy down, 1,099 more from the initial print run to go.
I have sent all the forms that the wholsaler has requested. The perils of being with a small press is that it is very hands on. At least I understand what processes it takes to get a book into the shops - hopefully that will stand me in good stead later on. Now I can but wait until the data is on their syste, A notification should come back to the publisher if all goes well. After that it is a case of sending out review copies to two people at Waterstones' central buying department and hoping that they like it.
Review copies have to go out too. There are a few magazines that are going to get a copy, as well as the offer of a few copies as competition prizes. Finally, I have to look into WH SMiths, Forbidden planet and Travelling man to see about getting them to stock the book. It's all a long winded process if you ask me. But at least with my office full of boxes of books it feels like we really are getting closer to success!
Incidentally, for those who like facts and figures. 1,100 copies of a paperback book at 256 pages each weigh 260kg and come in 25 boxes each containing 44 books. They arrived on a pallet, and in theory could all fit in the boot and back seat of my car.
I have sent all the forms that the wholsaler has requested. The perils of being with a small press is that it is very hands on. At least I understand what processes it takes to get a book into the shops - hopefully that will stand me in good stead later on. Now I can but wait until the data is on their syste, A notification should come back to the publisher if all goes well. After that it is a case of sending out review copies to two people at Waterstones' central buying department and hoping that they like it.
Review copies have to go out too. There are a few magazines that are going to get a copy, as well as the offer of a few copies as competition prizes. Finally, I have to look into WH SMiths, Forbidden planet and Travelling man to see about getting them to stock the book. It's all a long winded process if you ask me. But at least with my office full of boxes of books it feels like we really are getting closer to success!
Incidentally, for those who like facts and figures. 1,100 copies of a paperback book at 256 pages each weigh 260kg and come in 25 boxes each containing 44 books. They arrived on a pallet, and in theory could all fit in the boot and back seat of my car.
The book has landed.
The book has been printed. Lots of copies now exist. The arrival of a box at Jenny towers meant a call for an impromptu photosession in the garden holding the
Thursday 17 June 2010
State of the Jenny address.
I don't post many pictures of myself on the blog. Perhaps I find it a bit narcistic. But I've just been browsing through some of the pictures that Zoë took whilst we were on holiday in Wales. I don't think I photograph at all well. I have a forehead that you could see from space and limp hair that refuses to do much of any style except 'crap'. But as pictures go, this one isn't too bad:
I'm back at work writing, as we're waiting on the printing of 'Bringing home the stars'. It won't get delivered until the 28th of June. It makes this a strange time where I want to get on with the promotional work, but there isn't actually any physical copies to do promotion with. Until the 28th we're at a loose end.
So I've settled down to do some much-needed writing. I had a couple of good book ideas whilst on holiday (not to mention brain storming a lot of scripts for the two comics so that there should be plenty of new strips to come - but that's a different story). I'm not a person who likes starting something new until I've finished what I've been doing before. So I've made myself settle at the computer and start writing 'Long summer of war' again. I'm only just approaching the 60,000 word mark, and it's at that stage of writing that ever writer hates where they are getting a little bored of a project and want to move on to something new. I've got ideas on the boil, but don't want to feed energy into doing them until after this one is done. I suppose it is a form of procrastination; I'll be doing all the housework as writing avoidance next. Oh wait a minute - I've already done that!
25,000 - 30,000 words to go, then this draft is done and I can move back to writing my first love: Science fiction. I've got a really good story lined up.
I'm back at work writing, as we're waiting on the printing of 'Bringing home the stars'. It won't get delivered until the 28th of June. It makes this a strange time where I want to get on with the promotional work, but there isn't actually any physical copies to do promotion with. Until the 28th we're at a loose end.
So I've settled down to do some much-needed writing. I had a couple of good book ideas whilst on holiday (not to mention brain storming a lot of scripts for the two comics so that there should be plenty of new strips to come - but that's a different story). I'm not a person who likes starting something new until I've finished what I've been doing before. So I've made myself settle at the computer and start writing 'Long summer of war' again. I'm only just approaching the 60,000 word mark, and it's at that stage of writing that ever writer hates where they are getting a little bored of a project and want to move on to something new. I've got ideas on the boil, but don't want to feed energy into doing them until after this one is done. I suppose it is a form of procrastination; I'll be doing all the housework as writing avoidance next. Oh wait a minute - I've already done that!
25,000 - 30,000 words to go, then this draft is done and I can move back to writing my first love: Science fiction. I've got a really good story lined up.
Wednesday 16 June 2010
Just a thought brought back from the dentist.
Today I had dental work done. Generally I have very good teeth and have had no issues. Well, that is except for one interloper in my gob. There is a single irksome tooth at the back which the dentist describes as being the black sheep. Why? Because it seems softer than all the others and has now had its second filling.
As part of the process I got an injection in my mouth to 'numb the area'. This is a weird experience and something that I can only describe as havin an effect as close as I would expect the aftermath of a stroke to be, without actually having a stroke. Once it kicked in the whole right side of my jaw, tongue and cheek were numb. The result was that that side of my face had some difficulty in responding to what the left side seemed fine at doing. Speech went rather odd, and one side of my face seemed to loll no matter what expression I tried to pull.
Thankfully feeling has returned and all is well in my gob again. But it was a sobering thought at what stroke victims have to cope with all the time.
As part of the process I got an injection in my mouth to 'numb the area'. This is a weird experience and something that I can only describe as havin an effect as close as I would expect the aftermath of a stroke to be, without actually having a stroke. Once it kicked in the whole right side of my jaw, tongue and cheek were numb. The result was that that side of my face had some difficulty in responding to what the left side seemed fine at doing. Speech went rather odd, and one side of my face seemed to loll no matter what expression I tried to pull.
Thankfully feeling has returned and all is well in my gob again. But it was a sobering thought at what stroke victims have to cope with all the time.
Monday 14 June 2010
The smallest house in Britain
On our holidays we say the smallest house in Britain. It reminds me of some of those new Rabbit-hutch-in-the-sky developments that developers have been shoe-horning as many places into a small space as they can. How long before Barretts or Persimmon manage to steal the accolade and build somewhere smaller than here?
You could go and look in, but there isn't much to see...... *tumbleweed* Ba-da bum-tish!
Sunday 13 June 2010
Holiday in the Welsh weather.
As promised, there's (finally) an update here to read. Well, there will be once I write it. Which I'm doing now, so that's okay....
First off a picture of our heroine. I assure you that she wasn't drunk at the time. It was a very fine day at Beaumaris on the final day of the holidays. Luckily, for a change, we had the nice weather.
The holiday started a week before, picking up where my parents left off with their caravan at the Conwy touring park. That meant that everything (including a huge awning and annex) were all set up and we didn't have to shift the thing into North Wales - a real boon given it took 3½ hours to get there on a trip that should have taken less than two. It took one hour alone to get 200 yards along the end of the M56 to get off onto back roads. I still have no idea what was causing the stationary traffic, but it annoys me that none of the overhead matrix signs on the M56 gave any warning; instead they were being wasted to peddle useless messages about drink driving (like they would ever make a difference).
Given that we were staying outside Conwy, we took the opportunity on a couple of days to walk on into town and see the castle and the city walls. It isn't the biggest of places, but it certainly is a very nice place. It doesn't feel over commercialised and reminded me a lot of places in Cornwall.
That's the railway bridge from the castle ramparts. It was nice to see that in 1848 they made the effort not to destroy the charector of the place when the railway came through. The building of the A55 expressway, however, seemed to be the usual 1980s architechtural concrete carcrash. Why do modern architects have no class?
We also did Caernarfon and its castle too. Zoë loves all things old, so we did the Japanese tourist thing out there. Whilst Conwy town had an impressive feel that Caernarfon town somehow lacked, the castle at Caernarfon occupied us for over three hours, such was the quality of the place and - more importantly - the restoration work that took place at the turn of the nineteenth century. All too often these days English and Welsh heritage seem to obsess about preserving castles as ruins when they should be restoring them to their former glory. Caernarfon castle is a prime example of what can be done with many of its towers featuring restored roofs and floors that made such a difference to the toothless ruins that seem to be left to rot/linger elsewhere.
The place is really atmospheric, and there was plenty to see including a museum about the Welsh fusiliers. Some of the secret passageways hidden away within the walls provided some very atmospheric natural lighting effects and some of the pictures that Zoë took are likely to get used for graphic design projects including an all-new cover for the fully revised and edited edition of 'Orb of Arawaan'.
She also found time for a few atmospheric shots of our heroine too!
The Welsh Highland railway terminus is also there, just by the castle. Physically the line exists all the way back to Porthmadog after many years of restoration, however scheduled trains only run as far as the restored Pont Croesor a few miles outside of the eventual terminus. We were going to ride the tracks, but £56 for a round trip for the two of us was a little more than we were prepared to spend so we instead decided to make the most of the town and castle which we did not regret.
Later on in the week we spent several days at Llandudno. It reminds me a lot of Southport as it retains many of its Victorian features such as wrought iron and glass covered walkways outside shops spanning the pavements. It certainly is a seaside town, but it never felt overly touristy - a cry from Caernarfon that felt like a tourist trap. It also had a pretty good swimming baths that we visited on two different days after finding the sea a little too cold for Zoë's tastes!
On a further day we made the trek up Orme's head. It's a weird place, and a very steep drive. There is a tramway up there (which makes something like a 1:3.8 climb at one point) but we made it via car.
The view was impressive, if a little windswept. It is a strange place seeming so rural and isolated compared to the very dense built up area that is Llandudno that occupies the flat area of the peninsula that Orme's head is the headland of.
All in all it was a fine holiday, and we're looking forward to a further trip away with friends to Harlech (where we went last year) in August.
First off a picture of our heroine. I assure you that she wasn't drunk at the time. It was a very fine day at Beaumaris on the final day of the holidays. Luckily, for a change, we had the nice weather.
The holiday started a week before, picking up where my parents left off with their caravan at the Conwy touring park. That meant that everything (including a huge awning and annex) were all set up and we didn't have to shift the thing into North Wales - a real boon given it took 3½ hours to get there on a trip that should have taken less than two. It took one hour alone to get 200 yards along the end of the M56 to get off onto back roads. I still have no idea what was causing the stationary traffic, but it annoys me that none of the overhead matrix signs on the M56 gave any warning; instead they were being wasted to peddle useless messages about drink driving (like they would ever make a difference).
Given that we were staying outside Conwy, we took the opportunity on a couple of days to walk on into town and see the castle and the city walls. It isn't the biggest of places, but it certainly is a very nice place. It doesn't feel over commercialised and reminded me a lot of places in Cornwall.
That's the railway bridge from the castle ramparts. It was nice to see that in 1848 they made the effort not to destroy the charector of the place when the railway came through. The building of the A55 expressway, however, seemed to be the usual 1980s architechtural concrete carcrash. Why do modern architects have no class?
We also did Caernarfon and its castle too. Zoë loves all things old, so we did the Japanese tourist thing out there. Whilst Conwy town had an impressive feel that Caernarfon town somehow lacked, the castle at Caernarfon occupied us for over three hours, such was the quality of the place and - more importantly - the restoration work that took place at the turn of the nineteenth century. All too often these days English and Welsh heritage seem to obsess about preserving castles as ruins when they should be restoring them to their former glory. Caernarfon castle is a prime example of what can be done with many of its towers featuring restored roofs and floors that made such a difference to the toothless ruins that seem to be left to rot/linger elsewhere.
The place is really atmospheric, and there was plenty to see including a museum about the Welsh fusiliers. Some of the secret passageways hidden away within the walls provided some very atmospheric natural lighting effects and some of the pictures that Zoë took are likely to get used for graphic design projects including an all-new cover for the fully revised and edited edition of 'Orb of Arawaan'.
She also found time for a few atmospheric shots of our heroine too!
The Welsh Highland railway terminus is also there, just by the castle. Physically the line exists all the way back to Porthmadog after many years of restoration, however scheduled trains only run as far as the restored Pont Croesor a few miles outside of the eventual terminus. We were going to ride the tracks, but £56 for a round trip for the two of us was a little more than we were prepared to spend so we instead decided to make the most of the town and castle which we did not regret.
Later on in the week we spent several days at Llandudno. It reminds me a lot of Southport as it retains many of its Victorian features such as wrought iron and glass covered walkways outside shops spanning the pavements. It certainly is a seaside town, but it never felt overly touristy - a cry from Caernarfon that felt like a tourist trap. It also had a pretty good swimming baths that we visited on two different days after finding the sea a little too cold for Zoë's tastes!
On a further day we made the trek up Orme's head. It's a weird place, and a very steep drive. There is a tramway up there (which makes something like a 1:3.8 climb at one point) but we made it via car.
The view was impressive, if a little windswept. It is a strange place seeming so rural and isolated compared to the very dense built up area that is Llandudno that occupies the flat area of the peninsula that Orme's head is the headland of.
All in all it was a fine holiday, and we're looking forward to a further trip away with friends to Harlech (where we went last year) in August.
Saturday 12 June 2010
It's been a while...
We've been away on a Mammoth two week tour of many places. There will, no doubt, be a post or two about our adventures once the dust settles and I am no longer a stress-bunny.
In other news the proofs for the cover arrived whilst we were away, and I am just about to approve them - no mistakes or calamities I can see. That means that ink will hit the lythoplate so to speak and we will have a go situation somewhere on the presses in King's Lynn for the books to be printed. It gets exciting!
In other news the proofs for the cover arrived whilst we were away, and I am just about to approve them - no mistakes or calamities I can see. That means that ink will hit the lythoplate so to speak and we will have a go situation somewhere on the presses in King's Lynn for the books to be printed. It gets exciting!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
