The advent of yet more school holidays has seen me working my day job mornings from home this week. Honestly, the amount of holidays kids in Edinburgh get leads me to conclude why a large percentage of Edinburgh University’s intake comes from outside the city. There seems to be more of an accent on taking regular breaks instead of actual concentrated learning.

The day job is overwhelmingly busy at the moment but I seem to be working through it without feeling the pressure as much as the earlier part of the year. I think those couple of weeks I took off for myself really helped in this respect, as I was able to partially let go and unwind somewhat. It turns my mind to our summer holiday (still waiting to be booked) and the thought of a poolside under the sun with no Blackberry within a few hundred miles really does appeal.

I am thoroughly enjoying Val McDermid’s The Grave Tattoo at the moment. Last night I read almost a third of the entire 543-page novel. It’s gripping, thick with atmosphere and because it is based in the Lake District I can relate directly to the locations (and weather).

The latest issue of The Scruffy Dog Review came out overnight. You’ll find some choice poetry and fiction, the first in my series of great Scottish authors and, of course, the latest in Devon Ellington’s fascinating series on writing workshops, conferences and groups.

I proofed my acceptance for the anthology and it’s ready to send off—will do that later today. I had to double check because the proof they sent me contained a typo, but on checking my entry the mistake wasn’t there. Worrying.

Did a fair chunk of work on Ranfurly Review submissions. I’m going to set aside set days in each cycle for dealing with these I think: once per month for sending out the acceptances and rejections and two days per quarter to get the site ready and the issue laid out. Otherwise I’m getting into a fankle.

Right, off to get ready for the day and get to work.

The Scruffy Dog Review – SPRING ISSUE OUT NOW!!

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A Scottish quack has called for chocolate to be taxed in the same way as alcohol and cigarettes. Apparently, it’s required so we can tackle increasing levels of obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Forward thinking Dr David Walker, a General Practitioner in Lanarkshire, said: “many people eat their entire daily calorie requirement in chocolate on top of their normal meals. Chocolate used to be seen as a ‘treat’ but now it has become a harmful addiction.”

For any non-Brits reading this, this is typical of British society today, where instead of tackling the root cause of a problem, educating, and helping people, somebody dreams up an idea they think will likely provide the quickest fix effect and thereby, eradicate the problem.

Indoor smoking was banned to stop people taking up the ciggie, young people had ASBOs smeared over their name to stop them being naughty, youth gangs saw special crowd dispersing devices fitted to street corners that emit a high-pitched squeal only under 21’s can hear, happy hour was made illegal so bingers can’t get drunk quite so quickly, and CCTVs were erected on every second building in town centres to stop violence and robberies getting worse.

The only problem is, none of these problems have been solved just moved on. People smoke elsewhere, ASBOs are seen as signs of status, youth gangs moved to the park, bingers still get drunk but not as quick, and weekend violence and robberies still happen!

Surely providing smokers with an incentive, educating our young, and giving people more to do would have far more reaching benefits into the future? I’m starting to sound like a bloody politician but I happen to think it’s true.

Dr David Walker should shut up and get back to treating sore knees and coughs, because it’s about all I think he’s qualified for. And if you have those symptoms but want to avoid the guy, then a good knee strap and a bottle of Benilyn will sort you out, both of which you can get at Boots for under a fiver each. But you didn’t need me to tell you that, did you?

I got through a tonne of work today and went to bed at night very tired but feeling strangely rewarded and excited. After my regular daily tasks (email, blog, job scan, coffee), I got tore into the returned manuscript for Stella my editor sent to me overnight.

I decided to keep the story in US English, but I was very happy to discover that most of the edits revolved around the use of two spaces after a period and not one. This was debated a while back and this had been my first submission using two spaces, so I’m swapping back to my former, more natural use.

The remainder of the edits were small things, mainly word usage and the timeline. With those fixed, I sent the manuscript back all dollied up. I also returned a revised version of the blurb, which as my editor pointed out, contained a key surprise in the book that she felt shouldn’t be there. So I re-wrote the whole thing.

I began work on the press release for Stella, which will go out as soon as I have a date for it. I think there is one more round of editing to go (involving an errata sheet), and thereafter, it’s onto publication. I’ve also signed up for all the Eternal Press sites they use for readers and authors to come together. There are launch days, author chats, and all sorts of things, but more on that later.

I sent off a copy of Fringe Fantastic to my assigned person in California, USA, as part of this year’s Poetry Super Highway Giveaway.

On the website front, I took down the sub-domains for Fringe Fantastic and Poolside Poetry, and incorporated them into my main website. Much more focussed that way.

Speaking of my chapbooks, I slashed the prices on them all and have made Poolside Poetry available as an e-book download for the first time ever.

Finally, I queried a course that Gail highlighted to me as being perhaps useful towards my crime writing drive. An Introduction to Criminology and a Criminology evening course is being run at Telford College here in Edinburgh, so I sent a query for more information.

My post yesterday on gun crime generated a lot of debate, and because this post was written before most of the comments arrived on the site, I’ll post proper comment on it tomorrow. Besides, I think this post was long enough for one entry!

All this week is Read an E-Book Week, and today I can offer all of my e-books for free or vastly reduced prices. You can download them all here from this very blog (below or from the Books Page) or from my website.

• Selektion – FREE!
• Brick by Brick – FREE!
• Silly Poems for Wee People Vol.1 – FREE!
• Fringe Fantastic – £3 (£5 OFF!!!)
• Poolside Poetry – £3

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Day job today was positively manic. I came into work to a succession of overnight problems needing help with, and with my own major implementation of critical software going in throughout the day, it made for some pretty hectic running around and a lot of brain draining activity. I was feeling good, though, but with half a mind on other things.

We held our two-minute silence at 11am in respect of those who gave their lives so we might be free. The file alarm sounded at 11am and then again to indicate its completion. In a building the size and layout of the one I’m in, it made for quite a spooky experience. Normally, the sound of typing, chattering and phone calls can be heard all around; at 11am there was nothing – total silence – very thoughtful and very strange. 11:02: all things back to normal.

After work the one thing I needed was to just sit down and relax for half an hour, get my dinner, and then get stuck into the writing.

It never happened.

First I had Parents’ Night at the school. As usual Gail and I got chatting to the teacher and pushed everyone else back five minutes. Nae luck. She seems like a lot of though; definitely the best teacher Laura has ever had. You can tell she’s good when the kids don’t like them – it means they’re stricter and don’t take any nonsense in the class – just what some of them need judging by what I saw when I walked into the class during Open Day last month. Laura is still embarrassed about that.

What I’m leading up to is the fact I ran out of time to get anything done today. No apologies – it was one just one of them days – but it doesn’t mean I’m about to let go.

It means I’m about to push harder before the weekend comes along.

Blood Ties (NaNoWriMo)

Blood Ties (Full Novel)

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I’ve had a great day. Last night’s culinary treat and relaxation paid off dividends, as I woke this morning feeling great. I woke at a very reasonable time and had a most enjoyable breakfast with my wife. Laura, who has been at her friend’s for the entire weekend, left behind two calm and relaxed parents, both of whom made the best of having the place to themselves on a Sunday morning.

After breakfast Gail settled down into some work of her own related to yesterday’s afternoon event, while I got stuck into completing the workshop assignments for the Muse Conference. I had a couple of scenes to write on the extra curricular set of assignments, and the final all-encompassing one to build it all together. By the end of it I have a fully fledged short story involving the protagonist of the book I am to write for NaNo, D.I. Lennox.

Of the main set of assignments, I reckon I have the basis for at least four short stories, maybe six. Two of the stories could be novel extracts if not the extra two stories. I also have an abundance of new and interesting characters, and have learnt an awful lot about the construction of stories and using dialogue to move them along, build them, and create more vivid worlds.

The most important thing I learned was from the extra assignments where the Lennox short story was written: I don’t have to start writing a story at the start! It’s such a simple thing, and yet as I found this week, so extremely effective. The story, which is called The Big Taff Affair, started life in the middle scene, and the rest of the story was constructed around it. It all made sense, and it meant not having to worry about the blank starting page OR having to fear the middle sag – because it was already done!

I may not stop laughing over this discovery and talking to the walls in my office for quite some time.

In other things today, I packaged three copies of Fringe Fantastic for posting to California in the United States. It always feels good sending my books overseas, particularly for some reason, to America.

I had a flash if inspiration for a theme I’m gong to run through the NaNo novel; not a huge thing, but significant enough for it to be considered progress.

And to finish off with some really big news … Slick has hit Submission Street! The first query went out tonight, followed by a few others tomorrow that are all printed off and ready for posting. So officially, I have two novels on submissions right now. Yes, Hunting Jack is due for a final answer (so I was told) before the end of October. Fingers cross they come back before I go away on the 29th!

The Scruffy Dog Review – Autumn Issue OUT NOW!!

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I met Gail at lunchtime and she bought me a new jacket and jumper (birthday gifts). The jacket, believe it or not, is the first new jacket I’ve had for six years. The one I am currently wearing is the same one I wore on the front cover of Fringe Fantastic, which was three years ago – and it was three years old even then! Who said writers weren’t scruffy?

I like my new one, though. It’s black and trendy, and looks good on me now the weight is disappearing from my gut. Were I still the size I was at the start of the year, I would look like a baldy fat bloke trying to look cool. Now I just look like a baldy bloke trying to look not bad.

This evening was all about my dinner engagement with my sister, Lindsay, in the Scottish Parliament. Wearing a borrowed suit from my father-in-law, along with a white shirt and black tie (I couldn’t find my other ties other than the one I wore to a recent funeral), I made my way up to Holyrood in the drizzle. I arrived early so I nipped into Jenny Ha’s for a swift whisky while I waited on my sister. That turned into another one while she walked from Waverley Station, and then a third when she finally arrived.

She gave me my birthday present in the pub: a ticket to see The Prodigy in concert at the Glasgow Academy in December. I have ALWAYS wanted to see these guys in concert and thought I never would when they split up, and last month when the tickets went on sale I was unable to get any because they sold out so fast. Just as well, because my sister already had them!

From there we made our way over the road (literally) and into the front doors of the parliament building on Horse Wynd. We placed all our belongings in wee black boxes to be scanned as we made our way through the airport-style security point just inside the main door.

Successfully through, we found ourselves in the main reception area. It resembles a museum, with various poster boards and models dotted around, such as scaled down replicas of the building and the debating chamber.

Security was everywhere; young and old; relaxed and serious. We went up to the relevant check-in point at the desk and after a quick search we found our names and were given security passes. Unfortunately, I was registered as a delegate of The Company, which rather annoyed me, but didn’t stop me promoting my real vocation as a writer to anyone I would meet later on. Lindsay, who actually works for the Scottish Government as a policy advisor and speech writer, was well used to all this rigmarole, while I was getting visibly excited.

A security officer came over to us to guide us through to the Garden Lobby. He took us through various doors, along several corridors and up a couple of staircases, before we eventually came out in the Lobby. The design of the parliament is odd; it’s very eclectic and while I’m sure there is logic to it, I would hate to have to find my way around inside without a guide. The leaf design one can see from the outside is continued inside, as the ceiling dips and sways irregularly like it does on the exterior. I don’t remember seeing a flat roof, and even the banisters on the stairs are shaped and angled. It’s not displeasing; what I mean is, it isn’t ugly to be inside, but instead it’s interesting to look at. Each time one looks around, a new perspective is gained from it.

The Garden Lobby looks out over one of the gardens but where in the context of the building that was I couldn’t actually say. Along the right side as you come in is a desk where they gave us more name badges and took the ladies coats. That’s when our first free drink was offered: white wine, red wine, fruit juice or water. Lindsay took a glass of white, while I went for the red.

To the left as we went in was another stair case with a wonky banister, where a platform and microphone had been erected for the speakers. Further down to the left the room became glass and curved round to the ground to offer a view of the gardens. Straight ahead a corridor disappeared into the distance while in the corner, a band had set up and was playing a selection of popular tunes. Built into the roof were several leaf-shaped glass sections, letting in ligth, I imagine, at all kinds of weird angles during the day.

At around six o’clock the first speaker took to the stand; Gurjit Singh, President of the National Union of Students Scotland. That’s what the evening was about, you see; the NUS thanking the Scottish Government for their support, and to promote the coming year’s agenda. I told Gurjit when I met him later, that I thought he came across very well considering there was a cabinet secretary and ex-First Minister of Scotland present, and he explained that’s why he was gripping the stand so hard and had been up till 4am polishing the speech.

Next up was the delectable Fiona Hyslop MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, and MSP for the Lothians. She raced through her speech, which barely gave me time to appreciate anything she said, but I think the gist of it was the promise that the Government will continue to work closely with the NUS, and the acoustics inside the lobby were good for live music; cue the band.

With the speeches over it was time for the serious delegates to mingle. My sister, as a representative of the Scottish Government, had to leave me at times to talk to people, but I didn’t mind given the top notch quality of the free wine that kept being thrust in my face. The buffet was pretty tasty too, with crab fish on spoons with different types of far eastern sauces, chicken with lots of lovely vegetables, canapés made from all sorts of delightful things, including my favourite which was a mini Mexican bite made from tiny wraps. Delicious. And the wine just kept on coming.

I didn’t just stand and drink all the time, be assured I also did some mingling of my own. I spoke to the band as they were clearing up who are a collection of local students from here in Edinburgh. I met a bloke called Robert Warman who works for Skill, an organisation that looks after the interests of students with disabilities. I met Ann McVie; top civil servant and also my sister’s boss. I tread on the Rt Hon Jack McConnell MSP’s (debatable) toes as I turned around to head for the buffet and never noticed he was there. He was in the company of Danny De Vito but I never got to talk to him. I wanted to ask why he was there at all but couldn’t get close. McConnell hardly left his side – I think it was a height thing. As I mentioned, I shared a few words with Gurjit Singh, President of the NUS, as well as speaking briefly with Philip Rhodes, an NUS executive. I met the waitress lots of times, after I compared her to being as lovely as the food she was serving, so she kept coming round with more crab fish on Chinese spoons for me. And I met the Russian waiter, who despite continually trying to avoid me, I managed to intercept more often than not so he could empty his bottle of red wine into my glass.

You can guess already, that by the time I left I was pretty well oiled. Who knew the Scottish Government had such a great taste in wine, and who knew they enjoyed letting hangers on like me walk into their home and helping themselves. Hold on, though – I’m a tax payer, so that means I paid for the wine, not them. Therefore, I was really drinking the wine that I paid for but had allowed them to choose. How wonderful democracy is!

Afterwards, Lindsay and I headed back over to Jenny Ha’s for another whisky and Morgans, and then further up the Mile to the Canon’s Gait pub for another. As it was getting late, I walked Lindsay to the station and saw her off to Glasgow, before jumping in a cab home.

Overall, I really enjoyed myself. It was fascinating to see inside the Scottish Parliament building and it was great to see my sister at work. From a personal angle, I got so much out of last night that I can use in a future novel. As I was standing there watching political leaders mixing with education leaders, I kept asking myself what Jackie McCann or DI Lennox would make of the situation were they with me. And with a new DI Lennox novel in the offing, maybe, just maybe, we’ll find out.

Fiction
* Start re-drafting Gatecrash (G1,G2,G3,D1,D2)
* Submit Slick to selected agents (G1,G2,D1,D2)
* Complete Stella editing and reworking (G2,G5,G9)
* Submit Stella to selected markets (G1,G2,D1,D2)
* Final planning/research for Lennox novel in November (G2,G5,G9)

Freelance/Non-Fiction
Writing:
* Query freelance gigs 25/mth (0/25 pitched – Total=77) (G7,G9)
* Write bi-weekly SDR articles (7,21) (G5,G7,G9)
* Pencil ideas for Scotland’s Treasure column for SDR Winter edition (Jan) (G5,G7,G9)

Business:
* Keep company accounts up to date

Web:
* No work scheduled at present

Poetry
* Think about possible chapbook ideas (G4,G5,G8,G9)

Editing
* Stay on top of RR submissions (G6)
* Complete layout of RR issue 5 (Dec) (G6)
* Prepare website and launch for issue 5 (Dec) (G6)
* Start laying out RR issue 6 (Dec) (G6)

Marketing and Promotion
* Publish October newsletter (G5)
* Prepare November newsletter (G5)
* Publish October GDR Review
* Publish October GDR Plan
* Prepare November GDR Plan
* Keep website(s) up to date (G5,G8,G9)

Reading
* Black & Blue by Ian Rankin
* Closed Doors by Ian Rankin
* One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson

Non-Writing
* Continue diet (15/28lbs lost as at 15/9/08) (R1)

Stella (Re-Working)

PLEASE DONATE – For full details of my Abseil off the Forth Rail Bridge in October for the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, please go here:
https://rzss.workwithus.org/Fundraising/Donate.aspx?page=4212

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