Writers’ Poppycock.

Earlier this week, I returned home from a blissful couple of days in the countryside. After having spent a couple of days reading, shopping and eating as well as enjoying countryside air and hospitality, I returned home determined that I would complete my novel ‘Fix Me Up’. I was excited to open up my laptop and start writing after a couple of months of concentrating on academic writing. I remained blissed out until I opened my email account. Sitting there in my inbox was a rejection email. And there ended my buzz.

I had entered a short story competition a couple of months ago, paid the rather stiff entry fee and what did I get in response? A metaphorical kick in the nuts and a generic email identifying what many applicants did wrong – nothing specific to my submission. I understand that these prizes have hundreds, perhaps thousands, of applicants but to charge a not unsubstantial entry fee means even the “losers” expect a little bit of feedback.

What followed over the next couple of days was misery, self-doubt, dramatic pronouncements that my writing career may well be over and a fair bit of self-flagellation (metaphorically, obviously). Below are a few of the internal arguments I’ve had with myself this week:

You’ve got an MA in Creative Writing. Fluff.

People write good reviews of your work on Amazon. They’re just being kind.

You won that Story Tyne award. Dumb luck/not many entries.

People say they love your Creative Writing sessions. They feel sorry for me.

After writing a despairing Facebook post a couple of days ago, I realised that what I was suffering from is an affliction suffered by many of those thoughtful souls who write. When you spend all day chained to your desk, with only Tweets and Facebook messages to connect you to the outside world, it’s easy to feel lonely. That loneliness can lend itself to negative thoughts which can quickly turn into writers block, or worse.  I wonder how many people throw their writing in the bottom of a drawer during one of these episodes, convinced that their writing is bad. How many potentially successful authors, playwrights, poets or screenwriters have dropped out because the demon convinces them their work is no good?

How many of us have suffered from what a friend of mine calls “impostor syndrome”? Have you ever stood in front of an audience, ready to read your work, waiting for someone to shout “(S)He shouldn’t be here, they’re not really a writer!”? Have you ever received so many rejections from agents, publishers, production companies or competitions that you think that must be a sign? It’s not. You just haven’t found the right fit yet.

My friend Andrea Anastasiou wrote an article about using mindfulness techniques to live in the present. You may wonder what that has to do with neurotic writers’ syndrome but some of the techniques she talks about can help you keep the negativity at bay.

I know how it feels to be rejected – it’s likely most of the people you know who inhabit this writing world know that feeling too. It doesn’t mean you should give up.

Vic x

Getting to Know You: Carol Fenwick

Today I have the lovely Carol Fenwick here to give all of you writers out there some advice. Carol did her Masters in Creative Writing at Teesside University so she knows her stuff!

Vic x

How would I define writing? A powerful tone or voice that gives resonance to someone either as a narrative e.g. a life story (auto) biographical, a novel or spoken word, oral storytelling, or what we now describe as performance poetry.

To me writing is more than the words on paper. Appreciation of words is a maxim of mine, what is important is how a tale or story is told.

My rules on writing are as follows:

• Writers write.
• You need to learn the rules before they can break them. Read as much as you can and write as much as possible. Never make the mistake of thinking you can break rules without learning your craft. I have learnt the hard way.
• Listen to the lecturers on writing courses and apply yourself in your learning. Hard work and perfecting your craft is important as is everything in life.
• Be your own harshest critic but be constructive with others. There is nothing worse or more cowardly than someone who criticises you but does not have the guts to apply their criticisms to themselves. You need to be ruthless when it comes to your own writing, as one lecturer memorably told me: “You got to kill your babies”. In  this context, your babies are the bits of writing you love but that are irrelevant to the story. Constant repetition, typos, spelling mistakes, grammar errors you name it. If you won’t be hard on yourself there will always be a troll or even a writing critic that will be harsher. So you’ve got to try to make it as perfect as possible. That’s the hard part. But it is also a fun challenge.
• Don’t give up – life is a learning curve and so is writing. 

My final point is that writing is a craft and we are all still learning, so learn as much as you can when possible. This is a rule that I have a tendency to break as a busy lifestyle, like having young children, can lessen the time you spend on writing. Having children can be ultimately inspirational. I developed plenty of ideas for poems and children’s stories through talking and playing with my son.

If you would like to read more of my work, I have two books, ‘Modern Proverbs: Stories from Spain and Gibraltar‘ and ‘Light and Shade‘, available on Amazon. Both selections of short stories are also available on http://www.createspace.com

Please consider joining my group, Copper Beech and Silver Birch Publishing for information on how you can get works published: http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/142681622567914/

I also have a children’s publishing service page on facebook. Please feel free to like. The link is below: http://www.facebook.com/#!/MuckyPupsAndChinaDolls

World Book Night Guest Post

I’d like to contribute to this great annual event by sharing some of my thoughts on the importance of reading to my son Tom.

Tom is 17 now. He attends college and is enjoying life. But this has not always been the case. When he was 9, he was assessed and we were told that he suffered from dyslexia and had difficulties with reading. This came as a shock to us because Tom lives in a home where he is surrounded by books and reading is something of a passion. When Tom was very young he was read to and encouraged to read for himself and I have to admit that even now, having had a mass of advice from experts and, yes, read several books on the subject I am still unclear as to what causes dyslexia.

To cut a long story short, Tom was given patchy and inconsistent support at school. He is bright (very numerate) and resented the label “special needs”. He became resistant after being called stupid by one or two teachers and his school years were very unhappy. Tom managed to develop his reading skills enough to just about get by but his attitude to reading became almost phobic.

Academic issues aside, we felt that Tom’s personal development was being limited by his unwillingness to even discuss possible reading formats that he could cope with. He could now construct the individual words on a page but the effort of doing this meant that his comprehension of the story he was reading or the concept being put forward was lost. I had a conversation with a retired soldier friend who had at one time had responsibility for training young recruits and he told me that a good portion of those recruits were similar to Tom. My friend found that, as with any skill, the more it is practiced the better you get to the point where it becomes second nature.

How could we find something that would fire Tom’s interest and make him pick up a book? I discussed this with my Twitter friend, Victoria, and she helped me to realise that we should build on anything that Tom had shown interest in when he was younger. Tom loved being read stories by Roald Dahl but as a 16 year old, he was resistant to reading stories for younger children because it reminded him that he had difficulty.By this time, for Tom, aggressive avoidance was the name of the game. Victoria suggested tempting him with a book of short stories by Roald Dahl written for adults and she very kindly sent me a copy.

The package arrived and was opened by Tom who looked at it briefly then put it to one side and we thought well, that’s that. A couple of days later though he was actually flicking through it at the breakfast table and then he went on to read one of the stories. Slowly, over a period of weeks he worked his way through the book and he started to talk about them. He described Roald Dahl as “sick” and “peng”. This is translated to “really good” and “amazing”. He then went on to read HG Wells short stories and some Jules Verne.

Tom’s conversation is much broader than it was; his confidence is greater, although he is absolutely unwilling to read aloud in public because he was laughed at on a number of occasions at school. He is still wrestling with the concept of whether reading is “cool” among his peer group but he has broken through a major barrier to pleasure and development in his life.

Tom says he’s about to start ‘The Hobbit’ (because of the movie) and is wading through an ‘ Encyclopedia of Middle Earth’!

I said that I still don’t fully understand dyslexia and I know that Tom may never find reading as comfortable as most of us but he has at least found the key to reading for pleasure and the riches that it can bring.

Paul Newcombe

Happy World Book Night!

Good evening folks, happy World Book Night. For the second year running, I have been chosen to be a “giver” so I have several copies of ‘The Secret Scripture’ by Sebastian Barry to pass on.

Here’s a bit more info about World Book Night:

“The more I read the more I fought against the assumption that literature is for the minority – of a particular education or class. Books were my birthright too.” Jeanette Winterson, ‘Why be happy when you could be normal?’

UNESCO defines literacy as the “ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate and compute, using printed and written materials associated with varying contexts. Literacy involves a continuum of learning in enabling individuals to achieve their goals, to develop their knowledge and potential, and to participate fully in their community and wider society.”

It is widely acknowledged that reading for pleasure improves literacy directly by actively engaging emerging readers in the desire to read.

In the UK over half of adults of working age (56%) have literacy skills below the level of a good GCSE, 40% of these are at Level 1 (similar to a D-G in GCSE English), the government set standard for literacy, and 16% at or below the level expected of an 11-year-old. In teens, literacy levels have been steadily rising as a result of the National Literacy Strategy but directly alongside this, reading for pleasure has begun to decline. Surveys report that between a third and half of the UK population don’t regularly read, see reading as a chore and aren’t interested in or see the value of reading. Many regular readers take it for granted that everyone has had the same opportunity they have – to have been introduced to reading by someone passionate about and to have had the opportunity to develop that passion themselves.

Reading changes lives, improves employability, social interaction, enfranchisement and can have an effect on mental health and happiness.

Through its unique delivery World Book Night involves tens of thousands of people in sharing the value of reading in their communities and delivers brilliant books directly into the hands of those who might never otherwise engage with books and reading.

As a trainee teacher and writer, I am very aware of the power of the written word and that is why World Book Night is one of the most important dates in my calendar each year. The idea that giving someone a compelling book could change their life so fundamentally makes me want to do this every day of the year. 

If you know someone who is not “a natural reader” or “a bookworm”, leave a comment on this post or Tweet me @vpeanuts and I’ll happily share one of my WBN books in the hope of changing their mind. 

Last year I gave ‘Someone Like You‘, a collection of short stories by my favourite author Roald Dahl. The guest post that will follow this one explains how that book made the difference to one young man’s life. 

Vic x

Getting to Know You: Valerie Laws

Today I’m happy to have yet another fellow North-East writer chatting on the blog. The very clever and multi-talented Valerie Laws is here to tell us about her writing life.

Vic x

What do you like most about writing?

There’s the feeling when something goes right, a piece of work seems to be getting close to the idea in my head. Then there’s learning new stuff. I have many Writer in Residence posts which are so interesting, I’ve learned so much and met so many cool people who are generous with their time and expertise. I feel very lucky that I’ve managed to work as a full-time professional writer for a decade or so, with 11 books to my name. Then there’s reaching an audience, making people laugh and cry. Hearing and seeing them do it when performing my poetry or reading from my novels or when watching one of my plays. My AV poetry installation ‘Slicing the Brain’ had a very powerful effect on exhibition visitors in London and Newcastle, reading their comments in the visitors’ book was amazing. Positive reactions to my novels online or at events, good reviews on Amazon.  A total stranger was tweeting about how much she loved my crime novel ‘The Rotting Spot‘ the other day, which was fab.

What do you dislike (if anything)?

Sometimes it’s frustrating but that’s part of the challenge. Pressure of time; marketing my books and poetry, I enjoy that but it takes up a lot of writing time – I would like to slow down the planet to get longer days. Rejections, or projects which crash and burn, part of any writer’s life, they never get any nicer!
What inspires you to write?

Most of my plays, even my BBC radio play ‘Nowt to Look At’  and many of my poems are about the lives of real working class people from the North East, especially from the past, people like my own family background. I am passionate about the life stories of people who were ignored by historians and academics, and whose endurance, courage, and spirit, to say nothing of their humour, deserve to be celebrated. Even Lydia Bennet – I wanted her to speak up for herself instead of being scorned by all the ‘good’ characters in Austen’s novel! Hence my comedy ebook ‘Lydia Bennet’s Blog‘, her saucy teen version of ‘Pride and Prejudice‘. Another major inspiration is the sea, I’ve always lived by the sea and am obsessed with water and swimming. Again, many poems and most of my plays are sea-related (e.g. ‘Collingwood’, ‘The Selkie’, ‘Hadaway’), and I love the sea’s power, beauty and ever-changing colours. My crime novel ‘The Rotting Spot‘ is set in Seaton Sluice on a tiny headland in the North Sea, which is really like a main character. The follow-up novel ‘The Operator’ is also set on the north east coast. Ideas also come to me from personal experience, listening to people’s stories in queues, headlines, and they keep hanging about annoying me until I write them. They come as poems, plays, novels, sci-art installations…  I write when I feel I’ve got something that needs saying. I am often commissioned to write or create something and I find writing to a deadline inspiring!

Do you find time to read, if so what are you reading at the moment?

I always find time to read. Apart from being a fanatical and very fast reader, I have a lot of friends who write books, and I like to support them! I read masses of crime fiction. I’m just finishing my friend Ann Cleeves’ new Shetland novel ‘Dead Water‘, she’s always so good – I even buy hers in hardback, and I’m a total Kindle convert!  I read a lot of poetry, just been re-reading Ann Alexander’s ‘Too Close‘ in e-book form.

Which author(s) has/have had the biggest influence on your writing?

I love the novels of Barbara Pym, and Jane Austen (though I’m having fun with her heroes and heroines in ‘Lydia Bennet’s Blog‘!) I love a lot of poets’ work and I know many of them so have to be careful here but Sharon Olds, an American poet, is breathtakingly honest and intimate. Shakespeare, he’s funny, lively, sexy, sad and his language is so powerful and entrancing to hear. William Blake’s poetry, he’s a true prophet, he foresaw some modern scientific and social ideas far ahead of his time. Oh so many… I don’t try to write like anyone in particular, but writers I love have changed me so they must change my writing I suppose.

If you weren’t a writer, what would you be doing?

I would be a forensic pathologist. I have a degree in Maths/Theoretical Physics, but I’ve done years of research recently working closely with neuroscientists and pathologists to learn about the science of dying for ‘All That Lives‘, my latest poetry collection from Red Squirrel Press, and that has been an amazing journey – I’m Writer in Residence at a pathology museum in London, as well as in several other unusual brain institutes, and now at Dilston Physic Garden near Corbridge, growing mind altering plants! The more I learn about death, the more I learn about life. This interest also feeds into my crime fiction. I collect skulls, so I have an interest in anatomy. I was a teacher until I was disabled in a car crash 27 years ago.

 

What do you think are your strengths and weaknesses?

I have ‘multiple publishing disorder’, I write in lots of genres, which makes it perhaps harder to succeed financially, I’m always keeping lots of plates spinning and rushing round like a mad thing and it’s harder to market my work when I’m doing poetry, performances, exhibitions, plays, novels. I also write across genres. But this is just who I am. Strengths, from a writing point of view, I would say lyrical sensuality, witty dialogue, writing about taboo or difficult subjects such as malformed foetuses or dementia or flirting at funerals or phone sex… Weaknesses, well, lyrical sensuality and humour in the eyes of those who like spare minimalist writing and disapprove of humour in crime fiction (yes, some do)! I also work hard but I always put off starting something new as I’m scared it won’t work – though sometimes it is forming in my head during that time.

What are you working on at the moment?

I’ve just relaunched my ‘‘Clueless in corsets” comedy ‘Lydia Bennet’s Blog – The Real Story of Pride & Prejudice‘ on Kindle which has some great 5* reviews from respected authors. I’ve had a splendid new cover designed by Alison Richards, with a steampunky feel, to get across the timeslip element of the book.  Lydia Bennet’s shameless story is told in modern teen language though it’s set in the 19th century. So I’m busy spreading the word about that.

My newest Writer in Residence post at Dilston Physic Garden includes a commission for one of my signature inventions, the quantum haiku, first seen in my world-infamous ‘Quantum Sheep’ project, where I spray-painted sheep with words of a poem which they rewrote randomly. The second one was on beach balls in a swimming pool, featured in BBC2’s ‘Why Poetry Matters’ with Griff Rhys Jones. This will be my third in the series, and will also be in water, but will be on the theme of plants and their strange evolution of chemicals which mirror the chemicals in our brains – self-defence for the plant, drugs for humans. I’ll be doing some workshops at the garden later on, so do check those out! I’ve just had to fight for my copyright of ‘Quantum Sheep’, first seen in 2002, as someone hustled the idea and sold a simplified version of it to a couple of organisations as their own! My project is still all over the internet and frequently published, referred to and used by many to inspire them to do new things with the idea, which is fine by me as long as they do something different and don’t claim credit for the original idea.

I’m busy touring all over performing my ‘CSI: Poetry’ from  ’All That Lives‘, which is being well received, and a lot of my new poems are being published in various anthologies. I’m busy formatting the book for Kindle which is quite a challenge – much harder than novels due to the layout of the poems and the differing sizes of e-reader screens. I have other work to put out on Kindle too, when I get the chance! My next poetry collection is well underway and I hope it will come out next year.

My second crime novel ‘The Operator’ is ready to roll when I’ve sorted out publication. Whether to go indie ebook, or get a publisher, or both, or…? Things are changing so fast in the book world!

When you’re a famous author and you write your autobiography, what will be the title?

‘Quantum Sheep’ is my most famous work and a great title but I’ve already got a poetry collection named that. ‘Counting Quantum Sheep’? Perhaps ‘In the name of the Laws’? ‘Laws of Physics’?

Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

The poet/playwright Peter Mortimer once told me that a poem, and I think it’s true of novels and plays too, needs an imperative of some kind: it’s something you feel needs to be said. I’d also say write the kind of books or works you want to write, not just what you think will sell or succeed. Lee Child said when you can see the bandwagon, you’ve already missed it! Keep learning and exploring new ideas, new technology, skills and experiences.

What’s been your proudest moment as a writer?

Difficult to say, each step seems like a pinnacle at the time – first poem published, first competition prize, first full poetry book, first novel… being interviewed live on BBC Radio 4’s iconic ‘Today’ programme by John Humphrys (about Quantum Sheep of course!), performing live at Royal Festival Hall in London, first nights and last nights of each of my stage plays, my radio play: each time I feel, wow, this is as good as it gets, this might be the best it ever is. For a couple of days, then I raise the bar for myself. Anyway those moments make up for the many failures!

What would you say to your sixteen-year-old self if you could offer one word of advice or inspiration?

Literally one word? Too hard even for a poet but ‘Enjoy!’ might do it.  More than one? Erm, ‘You will get there, enjoy the journey.’  And that doesn’t just apply to writing!

Where can we find you online?

My website: http://www.valerielaws.co.uk/

You can contact me via Twitter – @ValerieLaws –  or Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/valaws - or my website to get copies, or order paperbacks of THE ROTTING SPOT and ALL THAT LIVES from http://www.redsquirrelpress.com

My Residency at Dilston Physic Garden is here: http://www.dilstonphysicgarden.com/writer_residence.htm

Very Inspiring Blog Award

Thanks to Gerry McCullough for nominating me for the ‘Very Inspiring Blog Award’. Gerry has written several great books which you can find on her Amazon Author Page.

So, here are the rules:

1. Display the award logo on your blog.
2. Link back to the person who nominated you.
3. State 7 things about yourself.
4. Nominate other bloggers for this award and link to them.
5. Notify those bloggers of the nomination and the award’s requirements.

OK, so now I have to open my heart up to you guys and tell you 7 things about me that you don’t already know. Hmm, tough one…

1. I used to be a city swimmer and one of my records (set almost 20 years ago) still stands today. 
2. I wrote a play aged about nine or ten at school for drama club but my friends’ dad said it was too sensitive as the main thread of the story was about a character’s grandma dying. Apparently, I’ve always had a knack for writing stories that aren’t exactly light-hearted!
3. Two weeks ago I finally revealed to my brother that the letter he received from Chessington World of Adventures after writing to them, aged five, regarding a new roller coaster he designed was fake. My dad had been kind enough to mock-up a letter in response to my brother’s design. I thought my brother already knew and I was absolutely devastated when I saw his face drop in realisation.
4. I’m terrified of fish and pictures of fish. I don’t suppose I’ll ever do any diving or snorkeling.
5. I have very strict rules about how I eat food. For example, I only allow myself to eat certain flavours of crisps depending on the sandwich filling. If I’m eating a salad or a roast dinner, I am only allowed to eat veg together in the same mouthful (E.G. potato and carrots on the same forkful are ok but I wouldn’t add meat into this).  I can’t bear the thought of a tuna melt as cheese and tuna, to me, seem completely wrong. I have to separate M’n'Ms and Skittles into colours, I couldn’t eat a mixture – that would just be bizarre.
6. Throughout my life, my dad has potentially told me hundreds of lies (as a joke, nothing too serious) and I’m still just finding out the truth regarding some of them. For example, he told me that eating raw mushrooms would kill you. 
7. I once asked The Boy Wonder if ‘The Simpsons’ were yellow because they had been affected by the nuclear power station in Springfield. According to him, it’s just because they’re a cartoon. 

So, now I’ve revealed myself to be a terrible big sister, an idiot, an OCD eater and  a depressive writer from a young age, it’s now my turn to pick my top blogs. Here they are (in no particular order):

1. Gemma Wilford. Gemma’s blog ‘Missuswolf’s StoryLand’ is about sharing her reading and writing with the world. Like me, Gemma is on a mission to publish her first novel before she is thirty. I worked with Gemma on the second ’I Am Woman’ anthology and am a big fan of her writing.
2. Mark Taylor. According to his blog: “Mark occasionally has too much time on his hands and thought he’d share his love of watching random nonsense with a world which doesn’t, and in fact shouldn’t, care.” That is not true – I care, as should the rest of you!
3. Maria Smith. Maria is a writer of dark fiction, urban fantasy and paranormal stories. Why do I love her blog? She has a weekly “goal list” and reviews her targets from the previous week. However, the best thing about her blog is her monthly Small Pleasures – a lovely idea.
4. Rachel Cochrane. Rachel runs Listen Up North, a website based in North East England, featuring audio drama, short stories, poetry, extracts of novels and interviews. Rachel also had her poem ‘Sisters’ Away Day’ featured in the first ‘I Am Woman’ anthology.
5. Allison Davies. Allison is a very dear friend of mine who is not only an amazing script writer but a philanthropist too: she runs a fair trade jewellery business with two friends. You can read more about that at Danusha. To read more of her wonderful writing, please check out her blog, Found Poet.
6. Claire McGowan: The author of ‘The Fall‘ (a great book I read last year) incorporates her blog into her full website. With handy hints for writers and debunking writing myths as well as some interesting articles on relationships and more!

OK, I cheated and chose six. My thanks again to Gerry McCullough, I had a great time writing this post.

Vic x

Carol Fenwick’s Review of 2012.

Are you still feasting on leftovers? Have you been to the sales yet? Carol Fenwick has taken some time out of her Christmas hols to review her 2012 for us.

Do you have a favourite memory professionally?

Yes, it has been a very good year. There are a couple of memories that stick out above others notably having my literary review for the previous issue of Beautiful Scruffiness published in the current one by Katie Metcalfe, involvement with Simon James’ Ménage a moi project where we exchanged a photograph for a hand-made gift, two of my self-publications, ‘Standing on my Soap-Box’, a selection of poetry and ‘Squiggles’, a series of  short stories about my three-year old son Samuel, and a surprise meeting with a professional editor and social entrepreneur really threw the cat amongst the pigeons.

And how about a favourite moment from 2012 generally?

Living in London during the Olympics and Paralympics was absolutely fantastic, and I’m not just saying that to show off, London  really was buzzing. Although I re-located there from Middlesbrough in 2009 I am finally just about finding my feet, after the friendliness of the north-east it is so cosmopolitan, now people have finally got to understand my accent, had to drop a few a’s and that though I honestly haven’t gone posh!  My husband, Simon and I were lucky enough to get tickets for the Olympic Volleyball, it was the perfect anniversary present. Looking after a three-year old and living with my in-laws, it is a very busy and jam-packed house at the best of times though we were all really pleased to see Obama get back in. Phew!

Favourite book in 2012?

‘Love Wins’ by Rob Bell, I reviewed it for the local Church Magazine, a real find and great as a self-help guide.

Favourite film of 2012?

‘The Iron Lady’ was much better than I expected.

Favourite song of the year?

I’m getting out of touch but my favourites are anything from Adele or Emile Sande, the fact that I can’t even think of a song, doesn’t say much for the year in music for me, but I guess I have little time for this, potty training Samuel is an ongoing saga in between snatches of Radio 2. God, I am getting old!

Any downsides for you in 2012?

Some projects have not come off, which can be really frustrating for everyone concerned.

Are you making resolutions for 2013?

No, I never make them as I am rubbish at keeping them!

What are you hoping for from 2013?

Finishing off collating all my works, a mammoth project in itself, though it’s helping me de-clutter and say goodbye to some ancient writing notebooks that go back to my late teens. It’s a bit sad saying goodbye but the PC is the ultimate clutter buster. I hope to finally master Kindle and send some works off to publishers which I hope will make 2013 a fantastic success.

You can find out more about Carol writing on her blogs www.carolfenwick.wordpress.com and www.differentplanetandshadowsoftime.blogspot.com

Ian Ayris’s Review of 2012.

Today we have the mighty Ian Ayris on the blog to talk about his incredible 2012. 

2012 has been a pretty great year for you. Do you have a favourite memory professionally?

That’s a hard one, Vic. There’s been loads this year – from holding my debut novel in my hands to reaching number one in the Sports Fiction chart, to standing at Romford Waterstones at my first ever book signing. But my favourite moment has to be something that took place just a few days ago – a book signing at my beloved Dagenham & Redbridge F.C. An incredible experience.  One I will never forget. The books flew off the table, and we beat Barnet one-nil into the bargain, with a Matt Saunders blast from the edge of the area. Heaven, indeed. Come On You Daggers!!!!

And how about a favourite moment from 2012 generally? 

I don’t take too much notice of the outside world, if I’m honest, Vic. But going to the Olympic Stadium to watch a day at the Paralympics was incredibly inspirational. 

Favourite book in 2012?

Really hard one, this. I’ve read loads of authors new to me this year – standouts include Les Edgerton, Josh Stallings, and Gerard Brennan. Can’t choose between them, so I’m going for one from each: ‘Fireproof’, Gerard Brennan – ‘Beautiful, Naked & Dead’, Josh Stallings – ‘The Bitch’.

Favourite film of 2012? 

I don’t really watch as many films as I should. But I did see ‘Badlands’ for the first time – and thought it was stunning.

Favourite song of the year?

Not quite a song, but my favourite musical thing this year has to be my discovery of Shostakovich’s String Quartet No. 8, played by the Borodin Quartet. Just incredible.

Any downsides for you in 2012? 

There never is a downside, Vic. To anything. Just takes a shift to the left and a blink of the eye and the whole world can be whatever you want it to be.

Are you making resolutions for 2013? 

To take writing more seriously, and less as a pastime. 

What are you hoping for from 2013? 

If all goes well, I’m hoping to finish the sequel to ‘Abide With Me’, knock out a novella, and also publish another short story collection. A lot of the depends, obviously, on the success I have regards the previous question.

You can read Ian’s blog at www.ianayris.com 

Visit his Amazon Author Page at: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ian-Ayris/e/B004RQO13K/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Luca Veste’s Review of 2012.

2012 has been a pretty great year for you. Do you have a favourite memory professionally?

It would have to be getting the phone call from my agent, Philip Patterson, offering representation. I’ve been in contact with him since February this year, and gone through three different versions of a book with him, before finally getting it right. He called, we ripped the book apart for 45 minutes, and then he said he wanted to represent me. A massive moment. A few more weeks of work on it, and it’s now out there on submission. Which is a really strange feeling.

And how about a favourite moment from 2012 generally?

It came down to two, and both are sport related. Narrowly missing out, is Liverpool winning the League Cup, and seeing King Kenny Dalglish with another trophy (albeit the smallest of the ones available). Pipping it to the post however, is the Saturday night at the Olympics, when Mo Farah, Jessica Ennis and poor Greg Rutherford (remember him?) all won gold within an hour of each other. Mainly for Mo. That dude is the best.

Favourite book in 2012?

Again, it’s between two. ‘Gone Girl’ by Gillian Flynn blew me away. An astounding piece of writing, which simultaneously inspired me and also made me want to give up writing. However, Steve Mosby’s ‘Dark Room’ wins out. I was convinced Steve couldn’t beat ‘Black Flowers’, or even my early favourite of his ‘The 50/50 Killer’, but with ‘Dark Room’, he produced an incredible novel. The best crime writer around, by a long way, for my money. He has a way of making what could be, in other hands, a bog standard serial killer novel into so much more. His use of language and imagery is genius. 

Favourite film of 2012?

I don’t watch many films to be honest. Never have time with two small kids running about the place. I’ve not been the picture house all year, and the newest film I’ve seen recently was ‘Inception’. So I’ll cheat and choose that one.

Favourite song of the year?

Not a big fan of new music. The only band I seek out new stuff from is Muse. My favourite on their new album is ‘Survival’. It’s Muse going full Queen, and being gloriously pompous and epic. Love it.

Any downsides for you in 2012?

Not really. It’s been a really good year. The release of ‘Off The Record 2′ and getting my own book finished made any minor niggles fade into nothingness.

Are you making resolutions for 2013?

I don’t make resolutions. I prefer to just keep on, keeping on.

What are you hoping for from 2013?

I finally convince Stephen King to write a short story for the ‘Off The Record’ oeuvre.

Visit Luca’s Amazon Author Page for more info on his books: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Luca-Veste/e/B005URYKFE/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_10   

Darren Sant’s Review of 2012.

When I joined Twitter in 2011, I shortly realised 140 characters was not going to be enough for a chatterbox like me so I started this blog. Soon after that, I was getting followers and people tweeting me. One of those people was Darren Sant. Since then, he has become something of a mentor to me; encouraging me, connecting me with other wonderful, supportive writers and generally being a tip top dude. I’m happy Darren has taken the time out of his busy writing schedule to review his 2012 for us. 

Fave professional Memory:  This year it would have to be when Byker Books agreed to take on my Tales From The Longcroft Estate:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tales-From-Longcroft-Estate-ebook/dp/B007B1SPNA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1354870816&sr=8-1

After the uncertainty and hassle of the whole Trestle Press problems, it was satisfying to know that my stories would live on. I’ve just submitted the second volume of TFTLE to Byker Books.

In addition to that I couldn’t be more pleased with how Near To The Knuckle is shaping up: http://www.close2thebone.co.uk/

I am passionate about fiction and love giving writers the opportunity to be published online. Reading each story that pings into our inbox is truly a delight. Craig Douglas does a lot hard work behind the scenes and I tend to be the public face of the site but it is truly a joint effort that we are both proud of.

Fave 2012 memory: I was very surly about the Olympics before it started. Consider this – if all the money that was spent on it was spent on sports in schools that truly would have been a legacy that carried on for years to come. However, I got carried away on the wave of national euphoria the same as everyone else. It seems to have been a good year for our profile as a nation. It was great to see the Paralympics getting a higher profile. Now those Olympian’s are heroes.

Fave book of 2012: Picking a favourite book is a near impossibility for me. I do so much reading. The fiction of Heath Lowrance has to be worth a mention. I recently read his novels ‘The Bastard Hand’ and ‘City of Heretics’, both are genre blending brilliance that I loved. A special mention for Allen Miles too. His novella ’18 Days’ moved me tears. Paul Brazill and the Ayris brothers have continued to blow me away with the strength of their work. I could go on all day….

Fave film of 2012:  I don’t keep up with films as much as I’d like to. ‘Skyfall’ was excellent, old style Bond as it should be done. I’ve been looking forward to seeing ‘The Hobbit’ that is out in a week as I wrote this. If they’ve done the book justice that’ll probably clinch it for me.

Fave song of 2012: Favourite music much like books is a very tough call for me. ‘Babel’ by Mumford and Sons was an exceptional album. Young Jake Bugg shows much promise too. ‘The Lion’s Roar’ by First Aid Kit is up there for me.  I like a bit of anything and everything to be honest.

Any downside?  There’s enough of those in the world without me adding to them here. As the year draws to a close I feel it’s a time to be positive. *Raises his glass and toasts happiness and good health in 2013*