Blackwells have been very nice followers so far and have even given me a plug. I now wait to see if that causes a spike in sales.
Cross your fingers for me.
A.
Pages
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Today I reached 70 followers on Twitter. This number will naturally fluctuate over time but right now I feel popular.
Flattered
Blackwells bookshop (of Oxford) asked me to nominate my favourite book of the decade so that they could list it on Twitter. I consider that rather flattering.
A.
A.
Following in the footsteps of giants
As some you of you will know - my plan is to turn my attention to writing a Victorian detective story of my own. Not all writers can move painlessly from non-fiction to fiction (or vice versa) and it remains to be seen whether I manage the leap or fall into the chasm of failure.
Leaving that to one side, the inevitable problem that I face is that there will be comparisons made between my detective (no I'm not writing a pastiche) and the great detective himself. Being a devotee of said Holmes (with three non-fiction titles concerning the creation and his creator under my belt) means my situation is even worse as my knowledge of the Holmes stories is likely to influence what I write.
I have agonised over this (probably a lot more than I should have) and have finally decided to not worry about it. I shall get my story out of my head onto the page and assess it then. To try and do so beforehand is the way that madness lies.
I have also comforted myself with the knowledge that Sherlock Holmes was, to a certain extent, following in the footsteps of Poe's Dupin. So I am, in a way, facing the same problem that Conan Doyle did himself.
In any event this is all in the future as my third non-fiction book is not yet on the shelves.
A.
Leaving that to one side, the inevitable problem that I face is that there will be comparisons made between my detective (no I'm not writing a pastiche) and the great detective himself. Being a devotee of said Holmes (with three non-fiction titles concerning the creation and his creator under my belt) means my situation is even worse as my knowledge of the Holmes stories is likely to influence what I write.
I have agonised over this (probably a lot more than I should have) and have finally decided to not worry about it. I shall get my story out of my head onto the page and assess it then. To try and do so beforehand is the way that madness lies.
I have also comforted myself with the knowledge that Sherlock Holmes was, to a certain extent, following in the footsteps of Poe's Dupin. So I am, in a way, facing the same problem that Conan Doyle did himself.
In any event this is all in the future as my third non-fiction book is not yet on the shelves.
A.
Bookbag review of 'Close to Holmes'
This review came out a while ago but, if you scroll to the bottom, you'll see that they now recommend Close to Holmes as a Xmas 2009 gift.
http://tinyurl.com/yhl3uz2
Thank you Bookbag.
http://tinyurl.com/yhl3uz2
Thank you Bookbag.
As if to prove my point
Regarding my post on movie discusssion sites - just look at the following:
http://popwatch.ew.com/2009/11/20/this-weeks-cover-sherlock-holmes-director-guy-ritchie-on-madonna-divorce/
It immediately decends into a Madonna Vs Ritchie argument.
I am rapidly losing my faith in mankind.
http://popwatch.ew.com/2009/11/20/this-weeks-cover-sherlock-holmes-director-guy-ritchie-on-madonna-divorce/
It immediately decends into a Madonna Vs Ritchie argument.
I am rapidly losing my faith in mankind.
Nice ebay purchase
I've just bought a first edition of The Stark Munro Letters. Very good value it was too.
Perhaps I should not celebrate just yet. After all it's not in my hands yet and the good old CWU have already lost several parcels of mine thanks to their strike action.
Plea to the CWU. You have a legal right to strike but at least try to ensure that you clear the bloody backlog when you're done. Thank you.
Perhaps I should not celebrate just yet. After all it's not in my hands yet and the good old CWU have already lost several parcels of mine thanks to their strike action.
Plea to the CWU. You have a legal right to strike but at least try to ensure that you clear the bloody backlog when you're done. Thank you.
Bad manners
Is it me or does the Internet actually encourage anti-social behaviour and general incivility?
It seems to me that people are becoming more agressive towards each other largely because, when it is over the Internet, there is little chance of them coming into 'real' contact with the people they are rude/agressive towards - and thus having to face the consequences of their actions (i.e. gettting a slap).
I'm not an angel here. I think I am probably as guilty as the next person. However even I draw the line at some of the xenophobia that seems to be getting indirectly caused by the new Sherlock Holmes film.
There are numerous Web based movie gossip sites and the Sherlock Holmes film has stoked up more debate than most films. However, regardless of how well such debates start out, they all eventually deteriorate into a Brits Vs Yanks slanging match. I have genuinely seen debates on this film that have begun along the lines of 'The film is not canonical because of X Y or Z' which have gone on to entries such as 'you Yanks should leave our books alone' or 'you Brits suck at making films which is why we have to do it for you'.
I am, of course, omitting some of the outrageous comments from both sides which have resorted to insulting people as well as their opinions in the vilest possible terms.
Yes I admit that I find some of the ignorant and ill-informed comments on some of these debates irritating. People arguing over what drugs Sherlock Holmes took (many say Opium - no he didn't). People who suggest that others haven't read the books and then make a remark which shows that they clearly haven't either. It's all maddening and makes me want to press the 'reply' button - yet I don't (well not any longer).
Why? Simply because it is futile. Some people will love this film, some will hate it and most will fall somewhere between those two stools. Sure, there will be loads of things that are wrong. When books are adapted for the screen things are always changed (and I don't pretend to always like the results). I am certain that when I go to see it I will grind my teeth more than once but nothing, repeat nothing, should cause such vitriol to issue forth from people who I like to think are probably quite civil in the 'real' world.
A.
It seems to me that people are becoming more agressive towards each other largely because, when it is over the Internet, there is little chance of them coming into 'real' contact with the people they are rude/agressive towards - and thus having to face the consequences of their actions (i.e. gettting a slap).
I'm not an angel here. I think I am probably as guilty as the next person. However even I draw the line at some of the xenophobia that seems to be getting indirectly caused by the new Sherlock Holmes film.
There are numerous Web based movie gossip sites and the Sherlock Holmes film has stoked up more debate than most films. However, regardless of how well such debates start out, they all eventually deteriorate into a Brits Vs Yanks slanging match. I have genuinely seen debates on this film that have begun along the lines of 'The film is not canonical because of X Y or Z' which have gone on to entries such as 'you Yanks should leave our books alone' or 'you Brits suck at making films which is why we have to do it for you'.
I am, of course, omitting some of the outrageous comments from both sides which have resorted to insulting people as well as their opinions in the vilest possible terms.
Yes I admit that I find some of the ignorant and ill-informed comments on some of these debates irritating. People arguing over what drugs Sherlock Holmes took (many say Opium - no he didn't). People who suggest that others haven't read the books and then make a remark which shows that they clearly haven't either. It's all maddening and makes me want to press the 'reply' button - yet I don't (well not any longer).
Why? Simply because it is futile. Some people will love this film, some will hate it and most will fall somewhere between those two stools. Sure, there will be loads of things that are wrong. When books are adapted for the screen things are always changed (and I don't pretend to always like the results). I am certain that when I go to see it I will grind my teeth more than once but nothing, repeat nothing, should cause such vitriol to issue forth from people who I like to think are probably quite civil in the 'real' world.
A.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)