…Authors… how my ‘Jack Calder’ character developed…

More from our man in the Middle East – That Man

Seumas Gallacher

…ten  years ago, Master Gallacher had a faint notion to ‘write that book’ we all supposedly have in us… frankly, it was never intended to roll on into more than that initial novel, THE VIOLIN MAN’S LEGACY… the Jack Calder crime thriller series now has segued into five titles on Auntie Amazon Kindle, with a sixth as Work In Progress, and with an aggregate of more than 100,000 copies downloaded to date (gazillion thanks, you wunnerful, supportive readers!)… given that stretch of time, I can look back on how the various stages of development of JackCalder’scharacter have evolved… it may be of interest to some of my fellow-scribblers as they trudge the same happy path to literary destiny…

PHASE ONE : The faint idea of a male character forms in my wee grey cells… NUTHIN more than that… a big guy, ‘coz he’s former SAS… a…

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The Last Hrtedyp

This story tugged at my heart strings…

© Sue Vincent

There were tears in seventeen-year-old Latoya Kelly’s eyes as she hiked toward the small waterfall and realized this would be her last Hrtedyp. It was always held on the first full day after the Fall Equinox, precisely at 4:33 p.m. She had only been five when she had her first Hrtedyp, and that had been by accident. She had been camping with her parents and grandparents, and the tiny child wandered off. She had been lost, and hungry, and scared, but by the time Daddy found her, she was full of Bueno Nacho, Everlasting Gobstopper, and was laughing and singing in a language nobody knew anything about. She tried to tell Mommy and Daddy about the Hrtedyp, but they thought she’d fallen asleep and had a dream.

Every year, they’d camp in the same place to welcome autumn, but she hadn’t been able to sneak away again…

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Spindle-Stone Heugh…

..Bamburg is pronounced Bamborough. Don’t ask me why…

The Silent Eye

*

“And so to Bamburgh castle, the king a new wife did bring.

But his queen took an instant dislike to her husband’s daughter, Margaret,

And transformed her into a Laidly Wyrm which coiled itself about a Great Stone,

And laid waste the land for seven miles around.

*

Daily, the milk of seven cows was brought the Wyrm but all to no avail,

For the enchantment could only be lifted by Childy Wynd,

Margaret’s brother, but he lived far away over the sea.

*

‘The Pilgrims’ sally forth…

*

Word of the dark doings in his homeland eventually reached Childy,

Who built a ship with a rowan-tree mast and silken sails,

And set out to rid Bamburgh of its blight.

*

The queen, she spied the ship and sent out ‘witch-wives’ to sink it,

But they were powerless ‘gainst the magical mast.

As the ship came into land, the…

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Just Publishing Advice

More good advice from my old mate Derek Haines

More Devious than the Devil| حیله گرتراز شیطان

When it comes to being devious…

A Voice from Iran

A woman asked the Devil: “Do you see that man, the tailor?” and pointed to a small deprived shop.

Devil said: “Yes.”

The woman said: “He loves his wife so much. Can you make him hate his wife?”

Devil responded: “It would be very easy.”

The devil walked towards the shop. He tried many tricks on the tailor but couldn’t convince him to dislike his wife. He came back towards the woman and confessed that he is not able to deceive each and every human.

The woman said: “But a woman can.”

She walked to the tailor’s shop, pointed to an expensive fabric and said: “Can I have two meters of this fine fabric? My son would like to buy a gift for his lover and asked me to help him.”

The tailor cut two meters of the fabric and handed it to her. The woman walked towards the tailor’s…

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for so long

Nice one Drew 😉

The Lonely Author

While today is my three year blog anniversary, multiple eyes surgeries forced me on a long hiatus and limited my actual blogging time to barely one and a half years.

As my long time followers already know, I suffer from permanent blurred vision.  My eyesight may be blurred, but I can clearly see that I wouldn’t be here without your wonderful support.

To celebrate (perhaps amuse is a better word) I have included the first poem I ever wrote in my life.  On November 3, 2015, I penned and posted this poem (and image). It was my first crude attempt at writing poetry.

.

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for so long
I adored her through my window
far too long
I suffered her silent tears
so unloved
this siren breathes unappreciated
too unloved
retreating in the shadows of her fears

for so long
he abused her with indifference
far too…

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Fancy Restaurant|رستوران مجلل

Love this. It’s one in the eye for all hardline racists 😉

A Voice from Iran

A rich man walked into a fancy restaurant and asked for the best table.

When he sat down, he saw a black woman sitting at the bar.

He didn’t like what he saw. He didn’t like to eat in a beautiful luxury restaurant and see a black woman enjoying the same place that he was. He decided to show her; where her place was and prove to her that she didn’t belong there.

He called the waiter and said: “Everyone will be my guest for dessert, except that black woman.”

The waiter brought the restaurants famous chocolate cake to every single person except the black woman.

The black woman walked to the rich man and with a kind smile, said: “Thank you.”

The rich man got angry and called the waiter and said: “Give everyone a glass of wine under my bill except the black woman.”

The waiter did what…

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The Four B’s of Budapest – III – Buda Castle

Justin on Budapest 😉

The Champagne Epicurean

 

A Medieval castle built in the 13^th century that was renovated into a Baroque behemoth in the 18^th.

Buda Castle is the landmark that is most prominent on the banks of the Danube. It controls an eye-catching hill, just across Chain Bridge, and at night is a fortified beacon of soft pride.

Nowadays, the building no longer serves as a castle. Once a royal castle and the main bulwark protecting Buda and Pest, now it houses the Hungarian National Gallery and History Museum. The times have converted the palace into a centre of art and culture.

When I was there, I was happy to learn that an exhibition of the major works of Frida Kahlo was on display.

I had decided to walk to the castle from the Jewish District. I crossed Elizabeth Bridge, walked long stretches of leafy Buda, then climbed the gardens, elevators and…

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Retro Review: The Day After (1983)

I barely remember this film…

beetleypete

Made at a time when the Cold War was still part of everyday life, this film supposes a real nuclear conflict between the Western powers, and the Soviet Union. The entire first half deals with the introduction of various characters, whose fate we will follow throughout. Set in Kansas, USA, it shows us a slice of everyday life in the cities of Lawrence and Kansas City, as well as the surrounding agricultural countryside. We are also made aware that the area is home to Air Force bases, including the storage of lots of nuclear missiles in underground bunkers close to many homes.

The tension in Europe is well done, as families read newspapers and watch TV News broadcasts, relating events following the East German seizure of West Berlin. Strategic Air Command is on alert, and down in the missile silos, the air force personnel go through their drills. As real…

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La vendange, once again

It’s harvest time in la belle France 😉

found-in-france

Don’t forget to click on the photos to enlarge them. 

Fruit of the vine

It seems that most everyone here is involved in La vendange (grape harvest).

Sunshine on our shoulder…

More grapes are grown in this region than anywhere else in France.  Even before the last of the grapes are picked, the celebrations begin.  The festivities seem to never end as each village hosts its own so there is always one to attend, throughout November, and sample the wares.

While it seems that increasing numbers are being picked by machine, much of the land here is just too steep for them. It is backbreaking work and the cutters used to take the fruit are very sharp.

It is almost a rite of passage that young people from other parts of Europe head down to the vineyards of France to pick grapes and enjoy the country. At the end of…

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