The Word Cloud

Dear new friends in The Word Cloud,

Let me start with reckognizing the great art of writing. I am really impressed with much of what I read on other blogs here. You do not stop to amaze me. The great detail you explain, the explicit expressions you manage and the great stories you tell... Wow!

I could only dream of writing something like that. I would be very happy if I could just do a little story telling. But I must admit that I am best at scientific explanations and arguments, which is also very essential when writing an international popular science book - but not enough.

I have come to the conclusion that if the book is to get through and reach a broader audience it must be written - at least partly - as story telling and with examples of great detail. One of my favorite authors, Malcolm Gladwell, is journalist and write almost only in examples - whole chapters about each example. I would never be able to do that. He is, by the way, considered one of the 100 most influential persons in the World!

The idea that came out of these thoughts is that the perfect setup for an international popular science book  would be combination of scientist and writer, e.g. an economist and a jornalist or writer. That is why I am searching for a good writer that would consider popular science a great challenge.

The ambition of the project is to write an international book with examples from most of the World, that introduces an innovative idea to society development and sets a new agenda for politicians and grass-roots in the Western World. The economic theory behind is based on simplicity and the huge ressouces that are bound in heavy bureaucracy, unneccesary rules, excessive administration and too many special arrangements.

I know that non-fiction is not the greatest area of interest at The Word Cloud, so besides your thoughts on the co-writing setup I have suggested, I would also like to hear about other communities, e.g. journalist communities, that you may know of.

Thank you in advance for taking an interest in this subject.

I am undergoing a complete revamp of my inner self and in the process I have been asking and pondering the most abstract, deep and uncomfortable questions. More notably, I have come to question the meaning of love in our lives. I am speaking about romantic love. Why is it that we need it, want it or even seek for it? And if you do neither of the above, don't you have others look at you like you are definitely from another planet? Seems to be that life, here, right now--as we know it while in this "human-being gig" requires that completion of two becoming one. For lately when I ask my self what is it that I truly want and need to be happy I say:

I want mind blowing, exclusive, passionate, out of this world explosive love making with someone who when they are in my presence they make me want to mate them.

Another thought has been that I just want no-strings attach sex, just exploring what is out there, innocently meeting new people, welcoming new experiences, all in the name of fun, because like the saying goes, "we only live once," but evn that is debatable in my mind, the living once part, that is.

Then I come across this motivational type of thinking that claims that once I leanr to love my own company, my freedom, to honor myself and to be intentional as to what I seek to attract in my life that I will be happy. This hapiness will not come from the one otside myself but primarily from within, secondarily from the bond that being with someone else would bring--it wold compliment me, not fulfill me. For only I can do that. But even this realization seems as if it is rigid, at times non-realistic, or just too true for me to want to admit that I have inner work to do?

So which scenerio sounds more like you, and if you even care about the topic, what different theories or ideas do you have about that fire, called love, that we all seem to be attracted to, like a moth to the flame...

I recently took one of those “How Long Will You Live” online tests that ask you about your health and habits – just for fun really. I did quite well actually as my expected death age of 86 years is 5 years ahead of the curve for my generation. But as this left me with 68 years left and 21% of my life lived it gave me some pause for thought.

The death of a cousin my age when I was a child had always meant I was without that child-like sense of immortality. I’ve always tried to do the things I want to do now instead of putting them off but in the last few years as I no longer have being underage to blame I found that I wasn’t pushing myself quite enough.

I’ve made bucket lists before but this should be different. 68 is a nice exact number. So the list will have 68 things on it. I will be sure to do at least one every year and when I do more than one to add to things so that there will always be things for the year to come. It's not in order, that would be too difficult.

I’ve been called morbid before but I don’t see death as a scary monster off in the future but more as an inevitable deadline we all must reach to visit the unknown. It might all sound a bit nuts but death is a part of our lives that no one ever seems to talk about.

As Peter Pan once said: to die will be an awfully big adventure.

And this my friends in what I came up with:

1.       Go star gazing

2.       Sail with Greenpeace on the Rainbow Warrior

3.       Travel Italy

4.       Go to New Orleans

5.       Visit Athens

6.       Get a book published

7.       Get a first class degree

8.       Do an MA in Oxford

9.       Have a paying acting job

10.   Sing on the West End

11.   Climb the Old Man of Hoy

12.   See Angel Falls

13.   Reopen the Dublin Greenpeace Office

14.   Save a life

15.   Open a half-way house in Dublin

16.   See the Midnight Sun

17.   Travel Norway

18.   See the Northern Lights

19.   Climb Mount Olympus

20.   Learn to play the guitar

21.   Learn to swing dance

22.   Give away half my things

23.   Read all the books on my list

24.   See all the films on my list

25.   Make my own dress

26.   Learn to scuba dive

27.   Go to New Zealand

28.   Learn Spanish

29.   Learn Arabic

30.   Improve my French

31.   Write a book in Irish

32.   See the sunset at the Murder Hole

33.   Fall in love

34.   Kayak down Glen Coe

35.   Climb Ben Nevis

36.   Swim in the Red Sea

37.   See the Aga Sofia

38.   See the Pyramids

39.   Work on an archaeological dig

40.   Drive around America in a VW camper van.

41.   Do PR for a election campaign

42.   Speak at a protest

43.   Sing at a protest

44.   Write my autobiography

45.   Live without technology for a week

46.   Plant a tree

47.   Go to an opera

48.   Meditate for over an hour

49.   Spend a week by the sea – with no plans

50.   Swim with dolphins

51.   Build a tree house

52.   Build something that will outlast me

53.   Research my family tree

54.   Volunteer with Focus Ireland or the Simon Community

55.   Ride a motorcycle

56.   Take dressmaking classes

57.   Write a letter to your future grandchildren or great-grandchildren

58.   Learn first aid

59.   Give blood

60.   Write to your favourite author

61.   WWOOFing in Australia (working on an organic farm for board and food money)

62.   Trek to Machu Picchu

63.   Spend some time in a Buddhist monastery

64.   Climb a redwood tree in California

65.   Spend a week without shoes

66.   Fly in a hot air balloon

67.   Kayak around Ireland

68.   Go to Japan for Sakura season

Come and stay with us in our Irish country house for a creative writing weekend 23-25 September 2011.
Small, supportive group mentored by novelist Denyse Woods.
Fast-track to publishers with literary agent Faith O'Grady.
Entertaining readings from the wonderfully witty Kevin Barry.

Elegant surroundings,  houseparty atmosphere  and glorious countryside to inspire you.

£350 to include accom, meals, all tuition and transfers from Shannon (Ryanair) 
www.writersweekend.net 

Skylark and Mockingbird have asked me to post my entry to this competition. It was a flash comp, one hundred words, but they had to be inspired by the cover of Nicola Morgan's 'Write to Be Published' book. Her cover has a fountain pen and a splodge of red ink. Nothing else, but the title and a brief blurb. Maybe I'm only any good at writing flash fiction. The only other time I've won a competition was a flash fiction one on here last year. Any way, for those who are interested here it is.

GREY!

I sit on the bed and look at the cell in which I’m imprisoned. It’s grey and dingy. Even the clouds that I can see through the rusted bars at the window are an ashen colour. Everything smells drab. There’s no sign of any home comforts, no pictures or portraits adorn the sombre walls. No furniture alleviates the plainness, just the bed I’m sitting on, which creaks with every movement. A malodorous stench emanates from the cracked toilet in the corner. I have nothing of my own. This cell has stripped me of my identity.

I watched the blood trickle down his crumpled body and change colour as it dribbled on to the concrete floor. It was his fault. I’ve told him countless times not to disturb me when I’m writing. I wonder if they’ll give me my fountain pen back when they retrieve it from his eye.

Ian Fleming Publications Ltd., the company which manages the literary estate of the deceased James Bond creator and thus controls not only all pre-existing James Bond works, but all future ones too, have been in the news this morning

It has been announced that Simon Trewin from United Agents is no longer representing the company, which has been snapped up by Jonny Geller of Curtis Brown (UK). The reasons for the move are unknown, but will be speculated upon.

The timeline is interesting here, and I can’t help but wonder if this is something to do with the James Bond backlist. These titles should be especially lucrative given that Bond has shifted over 100m copies in print. Some are available as e-books, published directly by Ian Fleming Publications in June 2008, just before they signed with Simon Trewin.

The performance of these e-books has been muted and, looking at the listings, it’s not hard to see why. The covers are pretty shoddy, the formatting isn’t exactly top-level, and the descriptions are flaccid. Plus, the prices are quite saucy for older backlist titles.

Last month, Mr. Trewin sounded caution about agents becoming publishers, whereas Curtis Brown have openly suggested that they will be following fellow UK agent Ed Victor into publishing “but with a rather larger list”.

Perhaps I am making a leap here, but could we see an official announcement from Curtis Brown (UK) that they are moving into publishing, possibly leading off with a relaunch of what should be a lucrative digital franchise? Time will tell.

Either way, this lucrative backlist is currently out of the hands of a major publisher, and it’s not the only one. Last week, we had the stunning announcement of JK Rowling’s self publishing venture. Somewhat drowned out in that news was Amazon’s capture of 47 of the old Ed McBain titles – another author who has sold 100 million books.

Are big publishers losing the battle for the big backlists?

Read the rest of today's post here:
http://davidgaughran.wordpress.com/2011/06/27/are-big-publishers-losing-the-battle-for-the-big-backlists/ 

I have often asked where my ideas come from, both when writing and in all the other creative and poorley paid activites in which I indulge; and funnily enough, my 'List' has, since it's compliltion, sparked two ideas.
I shall not be revealing what these ideas are yet, but I thought I would reveal my list - feel free to share your own!
If you are not sure what I mean, in this context the 'list' is the list of people with whom I am allowed to break the vows of matrimony without provoking the wrath of husband; he also has a list to make things fair.
The point of the list is that they are people it is unlikley to meet on a daily basis, this is not some swingers charter; they are to all intents and purposes, out of reach, and so perfect writing fodder! (And mostly fictional)
Anyway, my list follows below, with a short explanation as to why they have made the cut. Please feel free to publish your own list, it's just an interesting insite to how ones mind works.....not sure what mine says about me!

Dante - from the game series 'Devil May Cry.'

This is pretty unlikely as he is both fictional and two dimensional, if you are not aware of the genre he is a wise cracking, deamon hunting mercenary, well, a girl can dream.

Robert Downey Junior - especially in 'Sherlock Holmes.'

Both the man and the roles he plays on screen, a bad boy who has come out the other side, both smart and dangerous to know.

Wolverine - X men series

See, not really Hugh Jackman (Though he is pretty hot in Van Helsing), but Wolverine, all those muscles and angst, and a motorbike too!

Jake Sulley from Avatar -

More 2d action, and he's blue and he has a tail!

Ivan Vanko aka Whiplash aka Mickey Rourke Iron man 2

Yep, this is the weirdest one, but all those prison tats and air of the wounded lion facing his last hurrah....no one has ever agreed with me on this one, but there you go!

I loved that show. Don't remember much about what happened in it but I liked the theme tune. 'Nuff said.
 Must be a being a child of the eighties thing; I always found 'Lassie' pretty pish by comparison.
Anyhoo, I'm wandering...what this blog is actually about is homelessless (Do you see what I did there?!) and my perspective on it.
The first night  spent away from home after issuing my ex with his p45 was at my mother's. It's what you do, right?
I got there, imagining home cooked meals, comfort on tap and words of motherly wisdom. Dunno what I was thinking...or indeed whose mother I was thinking of. I wasn't actually completely mad by that point but it was definitely in the post. I blame my misplaced optimism on that.
What I did get was my mother dearest, holding court with an array of 16-18 year olds (my mum is a natural-born twat-magnet) as they swilled cheap vodka and discussed my mother getting it up the arse from her ex-husband.
Yup. Welcome home, kid...nothing's changed.
 For reasons you probably understand, I spent my entire childhood squirming with embarrassment. It wasn't great to revisit these times but I  remember thinking it could have been rather amusing. Had it been someone else's dear old mum.
I couldn't continue living there so the council saw fit to place me in the local reject bin with all the junkies. Me no likey that at all. 
Now, I'm all for recreational drug abuse but junkies, I'm really not into them at all. I don't get the whole lifestyle thing, really; looking like an extra from 28 Days Later, smelling like a tramp's armpit and nicking off your mates doesn't dingle my dongle at all. They're not great conversationalists either, as it goes.
Eventually, I got an upgrade to emergency housing. In a town where I didn't know anyone. I spent three days there, listening to Slipknot and having numerous psychotic episodes.* It didn't help that I had no money due to the local benefits office turning me away because I had no id. Apparently I could have been anyone and my explanation that my knobber ex kept all my stuff simply wouldn't do. 
So basically, I spent three days tripping off my nut with no food, cigarettes or even tea.
My only reading materials were my cherished dog-eared copies of Q magazine and a really retro bible; you know the one- lots of smiting and violence.*
On one occasion I even slept in the bath. It made sense at the time. There were no windows in the bathroom upon which a gargoyle could lurk, you see.
It was shortly thereafter I absconded to Falkirk. But that's a whole other story for next time...

* Whilst going mad, I really don't recommend either listening to Slipknot or reading an old- school bible. It isn't helpful   

Dear Santa,

apart from my own wish for a finished manuscipt/Literary Agent/publishing contract/best seller (delete as appropriate), please may I ask for...

A PINK telephone box  - for Gerilyn (even she might have trouble losing that)

Spring - for Macallan (the above freezing season, not coiled metal)

A hat - for EmmaD (the PhD one was retrieved after the photo)

Chocolate - for Chocoholic (the good stuff)

Spare knees - for Spangles (in case she should go see Bellowhead next year)

A tightrope to walk on - for Whisks (no more difficult than loving both chickens and foxes, but drawing much applause from this audience)

Spinning plates - for Harry and team (just like York prep)

New computer keys - for Wrathnar, Tony and the other most dedicated  Clouders (who must need to replenish their worn out keyboards regularly)

An All Points Bulletin - For NormanNormington

Any more?

I have decided to indulge myself in blogging :) and compile a list of chippery type things that make me happy:

• My Cloud! I don't know where I would be without it. Seriously.
• Pigeons. I was sat watching one today, it fell over hahahah
• Counting Crows, Adam Duritz has a type of depression where sometimes the world doesn't seem real (which is sad), but his excellent lyrics reflect this (which I love)
• Coventry. Alot of people hate "Chaventry" but I think it's great. I could never move away.
• Sky +, where would we be without it?
• Being Human on DVD. If you don't have it, get it.
• Constantine on DVD, ditto the above
• The power of humanity, just watching people overcome things like the grief of 9/11 brings a lump to my throat.
• Boyzone. You love ittt.
• Mustangs, lets face it everyone wants to own one (not the horses)
• My imagination. 'Nuff said.
• My friend Rowan who knows more about my book than I do, and who made book covers on Photoshop that are now on my wall.
• My mouthwash, because I like the feeling of going "guuuurgle."
• Magic FM on my DAB radio. (So many acronyms.)
• Random people or customers who say 'have a nice day' or who use my name when talking to me.
• My shower scrunchie. Everyone must have one!
• The fact that Tom Sturridge and Morten Harket both look like my lead male character and Emily Browning looks like my protagonist.
• Ducks.
  
• Buttons (even though my aunty is afraid of them)
• Nice looking men
• Nice looking men who look at me
• Nice looking men who talk to me
• Blackcurrent juice
• My friend Rachael's  (who many of you know of as being "Rochelle") house.
• Mafia the pc game, classic.
• Bubbles
• Elvis Presley
• Forests
• Cards people make for me
• My wall collage
• My desk
• The fact that you can now buy scented nail varnish.
• Intelligent but dark humour
• The irish accent
• Ireland in general
• Haybale climbing
• Resident Evil (did anyone watch it last night? I want to see the fourth so badly but no one would go with me :( and the only person who would couldn't because his girlfriend was going to Uni)
• The Lego men my 8 year old cousin gave me that I have stuck to my computer monitor.
  
• My Star Trek calendar,
• My X Files poster
• My NCIS first episode ever original script
• Villains
• Hero's
• Pepsi without ice

I shall stop boring you, perhaps you'd like to make a list? :) x