Like False Money in the writers’ area at ALCS

I am supposed to blog about my own events, but fellow authors, Jan Jones and Sue Knight have done such a good job between them that there’s not much to add, except to say a huge thank you to everyone who came along.
Great to see Sr Rachel after all this time and Jeannette and Katja from CHIME. There wasn’t time to talk and catch up properly. We’ll repair that sometime soon.
The big question for Julie and Fred – was Roger serious that Fred would be the romantic hero in Gill Sanderson’s next steamy romance? I for one can’t wait.
I’ve now done three readings of this book and I’ve self-censored every one of them. When I get the time, I’m going to blog about how that came to happen.

Superwoman hosts book launch in Hull

Like False Money rose from the runway at a small privately hosted launch party in Cottingham, hosted by Janet Blackman (co-editor of Social History, until lately Chair of the UN Association policy committee, national union consultant for AUT, full time volunteer worker for ... the list goes on and on and ends up with makes own chutney!)


Eighteen people enjoyed Janet’s hospitality and I hope also enjoyed listening to me talk about where the book had come from. I included a few tasters of what might come out if a publisher takes up any of my university books.


As a thank you, I gave Janet an original work by local artist, Gabi Dziok, that I’d bought from the Art Box on Newland Ave in Hull. Great shop. I hope the recession doesn’t get it. Hull needs more shops like that. The world needs more shops like that.

School friends Teresa and Ev made it over from Wakefield and Harrogate which was a wonderful surprise. We heard news on the upcoming singer/songwriter, Vicky Robson-Capps. And Suzanne had already read the book – my first (ever) proper reader! I just loved it that the balcony scene had made her toes tingle. It made mine tingle to write it.

Gabi’s sister, Vava, took the photos, and we sold out of books which is one measure of success at an event like this. Thanks to everyone for making it a great night.

Short story competition launch

In Huntingdon on 25 Feb, not so far from York, La Scala Studios launched its competition – Deadline 15 May. I talked about Like False Money and where the horses came from. Linda Acaster gave us a fascinating talk on the history behind her Torc of Moonlight including an amazing insight into the practice of throwing silver coins into wells and just how long we, as a species, have been at it. It made me realise the Romans were here only yesterday and far older footprints are embedded in the ground we walk on.

Young Nick efficiently dispensed drinks and snacks and a good time was had by all. Well, I hope so. Linda gave a tips and tricks talk for potential entrants that she later put on her blog.

Great stapler scam

Phone scams as old as phones I suppose. Padlock a clear message. But why is a Twitter scam warning also illustrated with a stapler?

Ah yes, I remember the great stapler scam of the 1960s. No one with an office desk was safe. The scammers got in using Trojans and viruses. It was chaos, what with the technology we had then. All those giant wooden horses jamming the corridors. All that coughing and sneezing. Everyone knew someone who’d had their thumb stapled to a desk top.

Those were the days when we talked of the imminence of the paperless office and shorter working hours. But still, if it weren’t for optimism, we wouldn’t have progress. Ludicrous optimism at that – we’ve lived underwater for millennia, but hey, let’s try climbing out and breathing air ... if we pull bits of fur out of this animal and tangle them up, they’ll make a long thread and if we tie the long thread into a really complicated knot, we’ll end up with a pullover ... etc. Beautifully random and in the grand scheme of things it works so well.

My book is out there

Wow, my book is on the front page of the publisher's website. If someone hadn't mentioned it, I'd never have thought to look. It's been popping up in all sorts of places for a few weeks now. Initially, it kept appearing on financial websites or those 'Guard against fraud' type sites. All because it's called Like False Money. I can't believe I never saw that interpretation of the title, but I truly didn't. I was using the comparison with the way counterfeit money gets into circulation and is then tendered in good faith by honest people. Now I'm worried about people buying it expecting to learn how to protect their assets from fraudulent transactions. Well, not that worried if I'm honest (which I am). More of a worry is noone buying it because then I might not sell number 3.
Anyway, it's up there on Hale's front page

Lunch with Val

Congratulations to Val Wood, outselling Jeremy Clarkson and Peter Kay with her new novel, Rich Girl Poor Girl in the local Waterstone's.
More to the point, she gave us - me, Linda, Ann and Sylvia - an excellent lunch today, complete with bubbly, loads of writerly gossip, all the inside stories on ... I'm not allowed to say any more.
Quote of the day from a 90 year old writer 'Romance is not dead at 65'. So we're all looking forward to getting there.
Well done, Val.

Sorry, my Facebook friends – not a hope

Here's what I said in 2012: I originally wrote this blog about Facebook in 2010, but as it remains relevant in 2012, I'm updating it. OK, and now I'm updating it again.

I used to be a FB incompetent, not really understanding how it all fitted together. I cyber-shook hands with new friends, replied to messages and joined in the good causes that I thought worthwhile. I use it much more now. I've attended some incredible online events just recently.

But I was never able to take on Facebook as another dimension to life. I didn’t have the time and I still don't have the time. I have a blog, a website and twitter (and a Facebook page) - none of which I update as often as I should. I have a busy non-virtual life, too.

What I said back in 2010 was that I was not signing up to the virtual farm game. Not ever. I’d seen people using up real worry over their virtual turnips and had always had enough to do here with the real farm. I recently noted a stack of invitations to join something similar, or maybe the same game in its 2012 guise. I'm afraid the message remains the same.

And now here we are in 2013, with a great tsunami of games invitations pouring in - no virtual turnips in sight, just multicoloured doo-dahs and tempting glittery adverts. I didn't have time in 2010. I didn't have time in 2012. And I still don't have time in 2013. If I ever find the time, rest assured I will use it to do the things on that long list of things to do if I ever find the time. Guess what, to date there is not a glimmer of a Facebook game even on the furthest reaches of that list.

So, sorry my Facebook friends, there was no hope of tempting me into anything like that back in 2010 & 2012. And there's even less hope now.