Having watched a long interview with Cliff Robertson – one of my favourite actors, on youtube, I find I still have a lot of questions which it would be nice to hear him answer. He has a huge interest in aircraft and blogs regularly on the subject so I have decided to email him a list of questions. Of course there is only the very slimmest chance he will ever get them as I have to email the webmaster of the site but I think it’s worth a try. If anybody wants to add a question of change one slightly let me know before next Wednesday (20 October). This is what I intend to send in an email. Continue reading “Questionnaire for Cliff Robertson”
Category: ALTERNATIVE HISTORY
Making Savage Cuts as an Editor
Well, I have had to savage my own book – not by reviews but by cutting. The other night I had had enough of the younger readers complaining that the first 2 chapters were a bit slow so I took an axe to it and cut from 40,000 words down to just 25,000. Gone are some of my beloved sections on Bulgaria and the second world war and the childhood and wartime romances are reduced to just one line. Now the story starts with the murder of the main protagonist’s daughter. It seems a bit weird reading it back, stripped-down as it is but I think once I get used to it, it will probably be better. It certainly has producing some interesting effects. A reverie now lasts more than one chapter – unusual, but I am sure there are precedents.
Ah well, the main problem is the people who have already bought it. I have offered to send manuscripts of the new, shorter chapters to them. I also pointed out that they have read the Extended Version of the first Edition. I am also considering doing a different cover for the Kindle version.
Two Short Stories – Work in Progress
I am up to chapter 3 now doing basic corrections of Iron/Too Bright the Sun. It’s going well and frankly, haven’t found too much in the basic plot or narrative sweep to change – at least in a big way. I can think of a few things that might add depth, and one or two details that will be useful if there is a sequel, which I am developing ideas for.
Somebody has told me that Henry’s Car is very funny, which I am really pleased about. I really tried to go for belly laughs and it seems I may have achieved this, at least in a few places.
Lacunashka (lacuna: an empty space or something missing, -ashka: Russian diminutive for male names) is much deeper. Very dark – in fact the darkest thing I have ever written. The same person who liked Henry’s Car said he was so depressed by Lacunashka that he was going to watch Schindler’s list to cheer him up. Ha! Ha!
Oh yes and from somebody else’s suggestion I removed the frame from the front cover (only on the Kindle version) of Ordo Lupus and the Temple Gate just to see if that helps it to sell. I must admit, after all the problems I had getting the frame on there, it does look quite good without it. I also dropped the price to $2.98 for a while just too see how it fares.
Thats all for now.
Occult, Sci-fi & Military 