How I intend to help the Refugees.

Local Stroud Refugee Cafe - Rasmachaz

I am serious about re-orienting my life towards helping others, and I am not alone. I have met so many amazing people trying to do 'something' to make a difference. I left my job to do this. 

There are so many other people doing everything they can to help those in need, particularly refugees fleeing war and persecution. 'Rasmachaz' is a local cafe in Stroud High Street which sells  clothes and other things to support the refugees in the local area. GARAS ('Gloucestershire Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers) is a similar venture. 

I aim to raise funds for both of these organisations as well as for international charities such as UNICEF.

I will do this by selling e-books and other things. I aim to use a 'Pay what the reader considers the book is worth' basis and will donate at least 20% of whatever profits I make from each of the books. I need to take some very basic living expenses out but if I make more money then I will donate a higher percentage. 

My first e-book (A science fiction novella called 'The Ascension of Saints') is out in the new year.

This image shows the sort of things that your donations will buy. I am sure the other charities have similar lists. It does make a real difference to peoples lives. I love writing and I am good at it, but really this is about helping people in dire need. It is not about me. I hope you can support me, and more importantly support the refugees.

Science and Technology provides Hope

The home of human civilization.

Times are dark. The US presidential election is entering its final week and it is not clear who will emerge victorious. Syria and Iraq are in flames, as are many other parts of the world and many more millions of people face starvation or are locked in poverty.

We are living in 'Interesting Times' as the ancient Chinese would say. They did not mean it as a blessing.

I could throw my hands up in despair at my fellow humans. We are destroying our only functional bio-sphere. We are driving some many ecosystems into annihilation. Species like the African Elephant. Why? What has this placid creatures done to harm us? We are killing them for their teeth apparently. 

So humanity, do we really deserve to exist? Maybe Donald Trump will blast us all into oblivion. 

Obviously I hope not.

The next three or four years are critical. Britain like the USA has suffered badly in the aftermath of the 2008 Lehman's Brothers financial crash. Rather I should say, certain sections of society have. The top 0.1% have done quite well thank you. Everyone else is struggling. America has done marginally better than Europe it has to be said but the challenges faced by most people on both sides of the Atlantic have been server.  British incomes have fallen by an average of 10% in the last eight years. In this context the rise of nationalistic sentiment (BREXIT and Trump) can be understood if not condoned.

But it will get better.

If, and it is a big if, we don't slide further towards chaos then there is hope. Science and technology are promising a new beginning. We just have to hold the line. The economy is going to recover. It is going to grow like never before. A revolution in the way we live our lives is opening up. We just need to survive long enough to enjoy it.

Renewable energy tech is advancing rapidly. Solar, wind, wave and other clean energy sources are transforming how power grids are structured and leading to the development of battery giga-factories such as the one being constructed by Elon Musk's Tesla corporation. Power packs and electric vehicles will clean our cities and free us from over dependence on dirty fuel. Changes in food production could, if applied more wisely, lead to an end to world hunger. 

Something else is happening which could be even bigger. A new way of using the potential of the Internet is spreading across the globe, from one industry sector to another. It promises to enable 'Trust' between different parties via the use of cryptographic techniques, game theory and good old fashioned software engineering. It is called 'Blockchain'. Imagine not needing to use a bank to make a payment or being able to easily verify the validity of a fact with high accuracy without having to go to a single authority to do so. This means one thing, decentralization of power. All kinds of power. Economic, social and above all political authorities will lose their monopolies.

It will change the world.

So, keep the faith. Hold the line. Do not give in to the politics of despair and denial. We can pull ourselves back from this hideous brink we are staring into. The future can be better than the past and we can utilize the creativity of our species to save ourselves.

But it is not a given. I am still optimistic though.

A Purpose for Science Fiction.

Add caption

I have believed that the future will be better than the past. From an early age I have been interested in stories and narratives that paint pictures of how things will be. Perhaps I am naive but I just do not accept that 'what

we have now is the best that things can be'

Science Fiction is about answering the question 'What if things were different?' I used to love Star Trek for it utopia vision. Gene Roddenberry's creation inspired my own ideas. I watched other shows when I was a child too, such as Doctor Who and Blake 7 and many, many more. I wrote stories of my own. The first one when I was aged about six I think. I never really gave up and here I am aged forty two and still writing.

But the world will actually live in is far from perfect. 'The Hunger Games' is perhaps more representative of where we heading.

I left my job to help others prevent this future, or ones like it from becoming reality. I am writer by inclination and now by trade. I intend to use my own SF series 'The Eternity Sequence' to raise funds to help repair the damage others have done. I will do the best job I can. I have other series in the making too. I won't give up.

But we all need to weave a different narrative to the one that pervades our media saturated lives. We have to keep dreaming of better ways of living, of being and 'of becoming'. We must find he solutions to our societies challenges. We need to look inside 'inner space' as much, if not more, that going out into the universe beyond. 

Above all we must keep asking the question "What if things were different?" Because I firmly believe that what we have now is not the best that things can be.

We must help them ('The Refugees')

My name is Andrew. Until about three weeks ago I worked as a Software Test Engineer in a safe industry sector. I was well paid. Things could have continued like that for years if I had let them.

But have a look at this place...

Yes, this is 'The Jungle' a place of misery and, for some, misplaced hope. thousands of refugees were until a few days ago, crowded in this squalor, desperate to find passage across the channel.

Many hundreds of the refugees here were children (I refuse to use the term Migrant. We are not talking about animals crossing the African savanna - These are people fleeing war and persecution)  

Well the French have burnt the camp down and are sending in the bulldozers. They haven't accounted for all of the children yet but that fact has not slowed them in their eagerness to 'accomplish' their 'mission'

So there you are. A little bit of context.

Like you, I watched this on the news. I went to work. I pretended that I was 'making a difference' in my job. I took the salary home that I was offered. I tried not to think.

But I am not very good at that. And I also failed at 'not feeling' as well. I am a bit lousy at the 'not feeling' bit.

I quit my job and said that enough is enough. Right or wrong I will dedicate all of my efforts to help these poor vulnerable people who have been abandoned by the governments who should have taken care of them. My plan is to write and work as hard as possible to raise funds and awareness for this and similar courses. I may lose my shirt but hell, I won't lose my life. 

On Tuesday (two days ago) I visited Stroud's 'International Cafe'. I watched Syrian children running around with their English playmates (bashing each other over the head with balloons mostly this week), the teenagers being teenagers and the adults just relaxing over cups of tea. It was fantastic. This is what keeps it all 'real' and 'focused' for me. This people deserve our help.

I will be publishing my first science fiction story early in the new year. If I make enough so I cover by very basic costs I will donate the vast bulk of the rest to local charities. If I hold any money back it will be to invest in even better ways of raising money.

So, please support me. Even more importantly, please support them.

The Children of Aleppo

Here is a letter I felt moved to write to my local newspapers. I hope they print it but I would like to share it with you all in any case. Our world is sliding into darkness and we need to do what ever we can to stop this from happening.

"... 
Where to start? I am an avid reading your both your publication and also many other newspapers and current affairs outlets. I find myself, at times, at the point of despair. Has the world gone mad?

Hospitals are being barrell bombed. Children are being left on their own refugee camps across the Middle East and even in on our doorstep. The perpetrators of this violence go not only unpunished but not even, to a large extent, even challenged by our government and their allies. In Yemen we actually supply the instruments of death, duly delivered to their targets by our ‘friends’ the Saudi Arabians.

I could easily give up on the human race. We are callous, hairless primates bent on our own self destruction. However this is not the whole story. This is not how things have to be. Human beings can be better. We are better than this.

I saw a video on Facebook about ‘The Toymaker of Aleppo’. This is man who comes from Finland and has 6 of his own children. He risks everything to smuggle soft toys (and other supplies) into the Syria’s largest city. The children of that tormented place flock to him when he arrives. What a hero. What an amazing human being. We are better than the cynical murdering leaders who have driven us to this situation.

So what can we do? What can I do? Well I honestly do not know what the answer to this crisis is. But we can look in the mirror and we can search our souls and whatever we ‘can’ do we must. I am still an optimist.

We can stop this.

Yours faithfully,


Andrew Fisk
..."

A brief review of 'Assassin in Orlandes'

For those who have not encountered them before, gamebooks are games that are books. Yep, that simple. They are non linear stories with game elements.

They reached their heyday in the late 1980's and early 90's but to my great delight they appear to be making something of a comeback.

One of the champions of this new wave of interactive fiction is the Melbourne based Tin Man Games. They have produced numerous new titles as well as reviving some classics in the form of mobile apps. Now in a new venture with Snowbooks they are beginning to publish these digital stories in physical form.

There is a certain poetic justice in this. The genre is returning to its roots perhaps?

The first of these publications is 'Assassin in Orlandes." I had downloaded the excellent Android App some time ago and I had explored the world of Orlandes City (rather unsuccessfully! I kept getting killed...!) but I am a physical kind of guy and I love books so imagine my reaction when I knew I read this award winning game in good old fashion wood pulp. The paperback edition became available on Amazon and I ordered my copy without hesitation.

I was not disappointed.

The book arrived a few days ago and it took me a couple of hours for me to complete. I have a confession to make. I did cheat a bit. I read gamebooks rather than play them. I found the story in 'Assassin in Orlandes' interesting enough to hold my attention. I was amused at the way the rules were integrated into the main flow of the book. Unlimited cheating is possible. Thankfully!

The early part of the book is fairly straight forward. The middle section increases the complexity of the game. There is plenty of opportunities to engage in fights and there are a few puzzles. The final section enfolds with a surprise towards the end.

There are no spoilers here.

I think I would give this gamebook a score of 8 out of 10. As I say, the story held my attention and the rule system was simple. I can see why this gamebook won awards. The writing is also well crafted. I did think that the print quality of the paperback wasn't as good as it could be but the price I paid (£8:99 on Amazon) was not exorbitant and I felt I had value for money. One of the things I loved about the app version was the maps that were included. That was one thing missing from the book and I would have been willing to part with more money if for these kinds of features.

To summarise is enjoyed the paperback and I look forward to more gamebooks from Tin Man Games and Snowbooks.

A word about hard times ahead.

The UK economy is slowing down apparently. I read in the Guardian newspaper that the projected GDP figure for the second quarter is around 0.1%. I have just overheard a conversation in my local pub that people are being made redundant in the neighbourhood. This brings it home.

Hard times are ahead.

In fact they have never really gone away. Britain has got off lightly compared with some other parts of the industrialized world in recent years but even so 'The recovery' we are supposed to be experience has been slow in coming and the benefits unevenly spread, if felt at all.

So as a writer how do I react?

I read what I can. I listen and I learn. I am currently reading a book called 'Chronicles of our troubled times' by the French economist Thomas Piketty. It is written in as a collection of bite sized articles and is concerned with the political economy of the US and EU from the Credit Crunch of 2007/8 through to the current day. Thomas Piketty provides insights into his view of events and some potential solutions. They are not popular ones. I agree with some of his suggestions but not others. I do think, however, it is important to study these things in detail and retain an open mind.

The other thing I do as a writer is, well to write about it. Piketty gives one solution to the Eurozone debt crisis. The 'Europeanisation' of some of the sovereign debt into 'Eurobonds.' This sounds sensible. There may be others with better ideas but I haven't seen these yet. We live in a interconnected world and so many of our problems have shared origins so perhaps the solutions need to be common as well? Just a thought.

So, I won't apologise if I occasional comment on these issues on this blog. We all have a responsibility to educated and discuss these matters. Lets hope that the clouds over the world economy clear soon.  Until then we should all be thinking hard about how we can be part of the solution.

And this is especially the case for writers or those with ideas to share.

Lone Wolf ''Storms of Chai' on its way soon.

I am eagerly awaiting the latest instalment in the classic Lone Wolf Gamebook series. 'The Storms of Chai' by Joe Dever.  In this story 'you' play the role of Kai Grandmaster sent on a perilous mission by the Supreme Master and leader of your order Lone Wolf himself. The book is on its way and I will post a short review when it arrives. it should be good if past books in the series are anything to go by.

Lone Wolf was always a perplexing character in many ways. When I was younger I devoured the first twelve books in this series but it was when I read book 11 ('Prisoners of Time') that I really felt I started to get to know the back story for the then Kai Master. The great thing about this story universe is that each books builds on the next. In 'Prisoners of Time' Lone wolf is journeying through a parallel world and there are one or two passages that point back to his life before he became a member of the mystical order of Kai Lords. I love those references. I don't know if later volumes built on this approach. I only recently rediscovered this series. I would love to know more and I will endeavour to share my findings. 

The best gamebooks are the ones with a compelling thread of character development. This has to be done in a way that doesn't get in the way of game play and does not restrict choice. The Lone Wolf series managed this in the main. I felt that learning about the lead characters family and origins added depth. I enjoyed it. Which is kind of the point of reading the books. 

So 'Storms of Chai' is the 29th book in the series. I think Joe Dever deserves an award to two (I know he has some already) for his perseverance and for the joy he has brought to so many. I am sure this books will go down as one of the really good ones.  

 

Never give up

On a day where I am struggling with hay fever and the after effects of a night out I may be forgiven for not being as focused as I usually am.

We all have difficult days, on the grand scheme of things mine is not really that bad.

My book will wait for me.

I still remember the days when I thought that writers had to be superhuman. The endless battle to put the words on the page seemed to require special abilities that almost belonged in a Marvel or DC comic storyline. How could I possibly finish a novel? And how would I ever make a living as an author. It seemed an impossible dream. On more than one occasion I felt that my books would remain incomplete. There were too many obstacles. My work, health and other things got in the way.

Life is hard sometimes.

But writing is simple the process of putting marks onto a page or screen. Compare with say, an emergency worker, this job of ours is straight forward. Life is hard sometimes. The words dry up. We defeat ourselves, or get distracted. The stories refused to cooperate with their creators, but these issues are minor. The world keeps spinning and the troubles we experience are nothing compared with say, children in Syria or Iraq or even the homeless guys I see begging on the streets of my home town.

So we don't need special powers. We don't need to beat ourselves up either if we dry up creatively. The muse will return. Writing is important. For most of us it isn't life threatening. Just keep trying. This is a special job we do. Putting words into a story. It has never been easier to publish. It has never been so easy to start. We can succeed in living our dream.

If we never give up.

Being mindful of life

It is time to write.

I have a complex life in which it has been increasingly hard for me to make the statement I have typed above. My job in IT is demanding and my family demand my attention. I struggle to make space for creative writing. It makes me feel sad to say it but more often than not it just doesn't happen. Stress from work and my home life tear me away from my stories.

Stress is a killer. it poisons our bodies and its toxic touch extends into our thoughts and feelings. If left unchecked it destroys well being. It is the modern 'plague'. It effects me on a fundamental level and it is stopping me enjoying my life on far too many occasions.

It stops me writing.

But it is the process of putting words together to describe the imagery of my stories that first gave me the answer to this challenge.

Writers must live in the present moment. We need to feel our fictional worlds with all five senses. We need to live the lives of our characters and see through their eyes. We need to be mindful of them and their worlds.

We need to be mindful of ourselves.

Mindfulness is the process of living in the moment. The past is gone. It cannot reach us if we do not let it. The future hasn't happened. It is not determined. Our own story is not yet written. And therein is the fulcrum upon which I (and others) can use against Anxiety and Stress. If the past is gone, regrets and fears lose their grip. If the future is an open book then it too can not reach me so long as I concentrate on what is happening right now.

Much is written about this. I believe that being mindful is a great way of improving the quality of creative writing but more importantly it gives us the keys to our lives. It sets us free.

Amen to that.

The importance of fun.

It is cold outside. I've had to de-ice my car three times today and I live in the, mostly temperate, English county of Gloucestershire. My world is usually quite tame and placid. I can shut the weather away and settle down in my cosy apartment and write.

But out there something stirs...

It may be my imagination. I have this notion that the familiar environment I spend my days in is not all that it seems to be.

What if things were just that little bit different?

Of course I write science fiction so I am allowed to think in weird, wonderful and potentially strange ways. Some days I am migrating across dry grasslands, tracking mammoths with my fellow tribesmen. Other days I am locked in combat with ancient Roman gladiators or commanding my star fleet in the heart of a immense interstellar conflict.

All I need to do is write it all down.

My day job is fairly standard. I go to work. I eat. I pay the mortgage. I go home. I go to sleep. Finding time to live my alternative lives is sometimes rather hard. There are a few improvements I need to make so I can satisfy my imaginative compulsions.

I need to write daily. I don't do this currently. It is a failing I will correct. I believe that storytelling is a craft that has to be practised regularly. The brain has to be trained and re-trained to perform at its best. The effort has to be focused. Writing each and every day is not just about building up the word count but rather providing the writer with more opportunities to learn how to improve. It is discipline I lack but will strive to achieve. Wish me luck.

I also need to balance work and play. I work hard but modern life is stressful. I need to enjoy my hobbies and follow my heart with my writing. I am thinking that maybe I should try more adventurous avenues such as writing for the gaming industry. Not something I have done before but could be a good thing for me.

Exercise is important. I need to be fitter, stronger and more determined. I view creative writing a bit like sport. The mind and body both need attention. I have started to run again.

And finally I need to find time to be quiet. Day dreaming is vital. Let the brain rest and regroup. Stay fresh.

So 2015 is going to be busy. I have my plan and I am going to stick to it. I hope to publish some more short stories and make progress on some of my existing projects as well as start new ones. Above all I intend to work harder than ever before but also have more fun.

That last bit is the most important.

The end is in sight

I have been spending a rather long time writing my book.

Or should I say books...

Some of the ideas that have found their way into my story come from a long time ago. I can envisage periods of my life that have been light bulb moments. University was a place filled with creative potential. I studied physics but really I was learning about people.

I went through a phase where I was writing dozens of separate stories. It got a bit crazy and the plot lines twisted themselves together. In the end I made progress by doing the only sensible thing I could do. I combined the stories together.

Six years ago I started work on the book I now call 'Shadows of Earth'. It is mixture of characters, settings and ideas taken from over twenty years of storytelling. It gives me pleasure to finally see my ideas taken on a shape that can shared with others. The first draft is nearly complete. I can see the end. I will publish when I am ready but I do not thing that will be too far away.

Books are meant to be read. They need to be complete before this can happen obviously. I do not think any author should rush the process. I will not do this. Quality is important. On the other hand the moment comes when the story needs to be handed over to the readers. I am nearing this point with my story.

Please be gentle with it?

Changing times

Easter is a special time of year.

The seasons are changing. Here in the northern hemisphere spring is taking over from winter and the sunshine is pouring through my living room windows. I am loving every minute.

When I am grappling with a challenge that seems insurmountable I think of the natural world. Spring will always come. Winter does not last forever. Creativity always returns. I just need to relax and have faith.

This year has been my most productive ever. I am finally seeing my stories complete. I hope to finish a 'publishable' draft of my novel in the next few months. I am looking forward to sharing some more short stories. I am also researching some ideas of interactive fiction. Gamebooks are returning to the mainstream and I would love to write my own.

It is a pity there are only 24 hours in a day.

It has surprised me just how much work I can get done my being both focused and relaxed. One of the amazing things that have taken place in my life in the last 18 months is my ability to chill out and just let go of problems has significantly improved. My writing has flourished as a result. I know that I will get to live my dream of writing for a living. The ideas bumping around in my head are my guarantee. I have to continue to work hard. I have to keep learning and improving.

That is pretty obvious isn't it?

Have courage to write.

Writing is more than just a nine to five job.

It takes many years to be successful for most writers. This of course depends on what is meant by 'success'. For some people it is a lifestyle change and for other writers the opportunity just to be 'read' or to hold their book in their hand is enough.

I have been on this road for some long now. Even in my childhood there were moments when I knew where I want to be 'when I grew up'. I never did 'grow up' and I have not (yet) achieved my goal of being a professional author. It has taken a lot blood, sweat and tears to get as far as I have and I know there is so much more to do.

But I know what I want to achieve and I am getting there.

I won't bang on about my life story or my various creative projects. At least not in this post. This storytelling lark is hard old business. Us writers have to dig deep. The ideas have to be good enough. At least they have to good enough for ourselves to have the confidence to share them. And there is the rub. Confidence. The old saying that there is a book in everyone may or may not be true. The point is that if we want to be successful writers we need to 'get the book out'. Its takes time and courage.

So I hope to arrive at my destination soon. My day job keeps paying the mortgage. My dreams keep me going. I know I will get there. The vivid images I see when I am thinking about my books and my love of word smithing tell me that. I am sure the same is true for other writers.

There are only really three fundamental things I have to do. Firstly 'start' (done that), Secondly 'keep going' (doing that) and lastly 'finish' (nearly done that). That is all.

So have faith and get those books 'out'.

Facing the Gebeth

Long ago a read a brilliant story about a boy with amazing powers who was plagued by a terrible demon that threatened to possess him utterly and destroy everything he cared about.

Ursula Le Guin's tale of a boy coming of age by turning the tables on his own fears made a deep impact on me as I was growing up. I remember reading 'The Wizard of Earthsea' as part of my English literature classes. I understood the meaning then as I do now.

Face your fear and you will defeat it.

Now I am much older and maybe only a little wiser. I have been running from my own personal demons for far too long. Stress, anxiety and all the other gebeths have been hounding me for years. It is time to spin it all around and fight back.

I love stories like that of the boy from Gont. We may not speech the language of the ancient earth and we may not be able to command dragons but we all face battles with the dark spirits inside our hearts and minds. We must not let our fears grow out of control.

Ged finally won his battle when he accepted the darkness that was part of his psyche. In a way i must do the same. I am not perfect. I understand my limitations but too many years have been wasted.

Time to face my gebeth.

Making comparisons

I am reading one of Steven Erikson's novels at the moment. It is called 'Deadhouse Gates' and it is part of his 'Malazan book of the fallen' series.

Like his other books this one is riveting and very well written. I am learning a lot from it.

One thing I have noticed is the different approach Steven Erikson has to writing scenes to the way I have done it with my books. Erikson progress a single story line forward through multiple scenes before shifting the viewpoint. I tend to chop and change more.

I may amend my style according as I see a quite a bit of merit in his writing.

There is one danger in making close comparisons to authors like Steven Erikson. Established authors have had time and resources to perfect their craft. They made most of their mistakes years ago behind closed doors and have had the benefit of the resources of publishers to edit and produce books of, generally, high quality. There is no point judging our own 'rough drafts' against the finished products of writers at the peak of their powers.

But we can learn valuable lessons.

I think confidence in our own storytelling ability is absolutely essential. It is not a sprint to the finish but a long hard slog to learn the craft of writing a novel. I think that when we study other peoples work we should not fall into the trap of thinking 'I can't do that'. Instead say 'I can learn to do this.'

Everyone on this planet has the potential to be a good storyteller. Writing well is something we all can do. I intend to be the best I can be. So should everyone else.

Mindful Writing

So it is nearly the end of February already?

2014 is flying by. Rather like the previous year did. Oh well.

It has been such a good time for me. The last year has been a bit of a renaissance period. At least as far as my writing and storytelling is concerned.

In the last six months I have quadrupled the rate at which I write. I have also gained valuable insight into how I put stories together and how I can improve this process. I am halfway through my science fiction novel 'Shadows of Earth' and I already can see how the second draft will go. I am excited but one draft at a time please.

By the end of the year I will (possibly) have two complete full length novels drafted. Publication will depend on available resources. I hope to be in print (and on screen) with something by Christmas 2014

So why is it going so well?

My sister gave me an amazing present this year. A book on 'Mindfulness'. I already am a practitioner of meditation but I am been rather inefficient in the way I had approached the activity. By focusing on the 'here and now' and 'letting go' of all the tittle tattle and unnecessary noise I was carrying round in my head I sharpened my attention and unlocked more energy.

I work better as a consequence. My stories are taking shape in an improved manner. I am making progress.

Looking after the needs of the mind is as important as keeping a health body. Writers need to do both. It helps us live better lives and it also assists us to be better at our craft.

And 'Mindfulness' is fun!

A fresh beginning

I don't make that many new years resolutions. I rarely keep them.

This year I have made solid progress with my stories. I have improved in many ways. I also know that there so much more to do.

My writing can get better. The broad brush storytelling approach I use is okay but needs more work. I need to use words more cleverly. I need to continuously push the boundaries of what I can achieve.

I am thinking of re-reading books I haven't looked at for decades. In the increasingly competitive marketplace it is important to be the best that 'you can be'. I fancy having a gander through the work of Laurie Lee or John Updike or maybe study my old favourites Arthur C Clarke and Isaac Asimov? There are so many good examples to follow.

I need to work on life away from the keyboard as well. That is another story.

So to you all, I wish you a happy, productive and above all restful new year. I hope things turn out for the best for you. Here is to 2014. Lets 'make it' a good year for us all.

The future is getting brighter.

I am not just meaning the solstice has passed.

If 2012 was dark year for me then 2013 has been the complete opposite.

I was pretty ill last year but 12 months ago I had a life changing visit to a specialist doctor and I have not looked back. This year has been simply amazing. I have to pinch myself sometimes when I think how good life is at the moment.

I also finished the first part of my science fiction series ('The Keodu Sequence') and redrafted book one in my sword and sorcery based 'Children of the Storm' These are now awaiting editing. I may promote them up to full novels next year. Lets see?

But the thing that really excites me is that 2014 has all the potential to be even better. I have conquered stress. The amazing inner strength I had need to have to survive all those years gives me reason to hope for the future. I can so much now. I want to write more stories and help more people. I will also need to test software (Day job still needed alas!)

So I hope that your year has had plenty of high points. I also wish you a happy Christmas and a wonderful new year. The future is unwritten. So get writing!

Write without self doubt

Why do we doubt ourselves?

As a writer I am plagued by this corrosive and totally unnecessary aspect of my life. I can get trapped in a negative spiral of uncertain outcomes and thoughts. Will I succeed as a writer? Am I good enough?

I am sure I not the only one.

As with many things in life, the secret to unlocking the puzzle is simply to have confidence in ourselves. I know this is true. I spent many years seriously ill solely due to the lack of belief in my own abilities. I recovered when my confidence rose. Don't think yourself into failure.

Writing is a craft. We all can learn to be good and successful authors. The old saying that success is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration is very relevant here. If you have a weakness in an area then simply work on it. A positive attitude will lead to amazing results.

When I close my eyes I often see images of the stories I am writing. The imagery is wonderful. My job is to convey these scenes across to others. I know I have what it takes. I believe most people have what it takes!
The ideas and concepts and pictures that occupy my thoughts demand to be express in my books. I should not worry about their quality.

And neither should you worry about your stories. Get writing!