Unfriendly Prague
I have lived in the Czech Republic for more than 13-years now and I have to say that it is an unfriendly country in the main. Czech’s are – generally speaking – morose, rude and jealous people. Don’t get me wrong, I love it here but occasionally, you have to get away to experience good customer service and people who are happy in life…. Case in point was last week when visiting Prague to see my brother and sister in law who were visiting this country for the first – and probably last – time. Before I met with them they had already been subjected to pure rudeness, lack of basic manners (hello, please, thank you etc.) and treated as unwanted tourists – ten a penny in Prague and a
Read More »Videos to Promote Music
So I also made some videos to promote my music…. again – limited success but also rather variable. Far Away Deni and I had a fun weekend making this with my iPhone – it was only at edit time we realized that we took it in the wrong mode so the image is small…. but we had fun… Just 46 views! Anatomy of Love Made to promote the new album – well at 33 views I’d say – fail… Crazy Wow – more than 100 views. Could they ALL be me? Fire 111 views so far – so who knows? Girl on the Phone Over 2000 views! A hit? I made several others and ten discovered the record company makes them too…. So now I don’t bother.. They
Read More »Videos to Promote Books
I ave not yet figured out how to promote my books – they just seem to sell themselves in the end and nothing much I do influences when or how many. However, back in the day, I did make some promo videos for some of my books….. Your Haunted Life 3 – The Black Eyed Kids This one managed 96 partial views….. the book sells well still today and can be found here. Moon Whispers Poetry doesn’t sell though I have moved a few books. This video managed a total of 36 partial views….. The poetry collection can be found here. Your Haunted Lives Revisited This video managed a total of 31 views….. and the book sold OK, but wasn’t the follow up I had hoped for. Even
Read More »ACX Gets Tyrannical – Warning!
For many years, I have published some of my books as audio books using ACX. I have never had any trouble with them and barely ever log on the website except to check sales from time to time. Apparently, I have sold almost 3000 audiobooks. In October, I got an email from ACX about ACX University – or something similar. They have a bunch of videos and blogs as resources for authors. That is interesting, I thought and went over to look. I found out they had reintroduced ‘promo codes’ whereby you can give away a copy of your book. They tell you how to do this and suggest you use them with reviewers or as rewards for readers. I decided I would experiment a bit and order promo codes
Read More »Japan and Sylvian…. Amazing Music
It was a gloomy afternoon spent playing Dungeons and Dragons somewhere in Birmingham. Steve put on a record which initially I barely noticed but then began to focus on. It was probably the best thing I had heard in years and it was Gentlemen wear Polaroids by Japan. I promptly went out and bought it and spent hours playing it over and over again singing along with David Sylvian. It was unique. I bought Quiet Life and the earlier albums too in the coming weeks. A few years later, in Glasgow, I went to see them at the Glasgow Apollo. On my own. No one else seemed to like them but I had learned my lesson back in 1977 when I decided not to go see Bolan play because no
Read More »The Millennial
I remember going to school to get an education Now they go for an indoctrination Freedom is besieged by the enemy within The key to acceptance now is judgement To crucify another’s rights to a life style What right have you to do this? First off, judge yourself and understand Ideology has poisoned the waters of your life An unwillingness to think No idea how to face the truth A focus on the outer other As opposed to your personal inner And in the cleverness of your stupidity You have condemned yourselves With confidence in your idiocy You have marked yourself out As a follower, a zealot Pushing an agenda Earning brownie points Your rottenness presented As morality posturing For all to see
Read More »Blame it on Climate Change…
I’m not selling as many books recently. I blame climate change. After all, it is the thing to blame these days. The unassailable truth that climate change is the biggest, ugliest threat to everyone cannot be argued against. So, yes, climate change is slowing sales of my books and it has to stop! I read an article the other day that really brought home this blame on climate mentality of the modern world. It was about aging bridges across the US. The story was about how these are not being properly maintained but…. with climate change, these bridges were bound to fail and cost lives! Of course. It surely couldn’t be a maintenance issue could it? Nah – climate. Then there are the wildfires in CA. Climate change? No –
Read More »Islands
The music floats on aural highways Conjuring a mood and kindling memories A certain sadness creeping in Knowing only I experience this feeling In exactly this way in this moment Since slowly passed away Your words linger and may charm or sting Depending on the mood you bring The body language can also be read You are a book that emanates from a hole in your head But I cannot truly understand you No matter what words you say I am an island, a castaway I am God’s joke – I hear him chuckle Knowing that I can never share Never know how you truly feel Never know if you really care You are an island, faraway A distant shore seen through the haze Untouched save by the waves
Read More »A Little Bit of Toast?
Many, many moons ago, in a far off Universe and another life, I was stage manager at Aston University Student’s Union. We occasionally held mid week concerts featuring local talent and it was during one of these that I met a band called Street band. Street band were professional, banged out great music and fun to be around. We hired the band a few times and I got to know them pretty well including their manager and front man – a young man by the name of Paul Young. I liked them so much that when asked to organize an Aston Geology party, we hired…. Street band and had fun all evening. I recall, they brought toast. Toast became their defining moment as a band. It was their big hit.
Read More »Value Who You Are
I am a thought in the mind of God. A ripple of consciousness in time and space. I am making it up as I go along gaining in wisdom, experience and versatility as I go. My value is that I am. We must all value who and what we are. Unique as we all are, the death of a person takes with it countless life lessons and experiences……. Be yourself. Live! Do not be afraid. You are a well of experience, inspiration and yes, magic. So frolick in the Sun, laugh, be merry… and love with fury!
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