The weather today has been ridiculously good. The poor old Berner was getting quite hot while walking today, but at least I managed one good photo of her in the glorious sunshine. Makes a change to see her eyes. Usually the lack of contrast between her black coat and dark eyes makes them invisible!
So, here it is at last. Book 31’s rather lovely cover. Soon to be sold in a bookshop near you. And on the web. And available as Kindle, and on Apple, and goodness only knows where else!
Out for a walk this morning, and the weather was cool and crisp, but dry. So the camera came too. While the lower levels round our way are almost free of snow and ice, it was amazing to see what a few feet in height could do. Cawsand was covered in a thin layer, as you can see.
Looking forward to a day’s walk next Monday with the Rector of Crediton. Haven’t had a walk with Nigel for a long time, so looking forward to that!
Brewing a cup of tea by the River Taw. Thank God for Bushbuddy cook stoves!
No, not terribly busy, but there’s a bit going on. Compiling an anthology of short stories, preparing for a longish walk, setting out the synopses for the next two books, and then talks and other projects come into play.
I’ve been very remiss on these pages recently, mostly because I’ve not found time to work on these pages as often as I’d like. However, from this year I have decided to have this as a dedicated photoblog with all those pictures that aren’t suitable anywhere else! That being so, here’s a pic of my difficult life now. Lighting a fire with firestick and steel isn’t as easy as it might seem!
Well, when I said I would like photos, I was hoping to get a couple of photos back. As it was, there were loads! Sadly, too many to stick into a blog like this – not at the rate my computer uploads, anyway. So often the ruddy thing gets stuck at a slow speed!
Thanks to all of you who sent in pictures. There were some really good ones, especially those of my books in close proximity to writers I admire in bookshelves – I like yours, Susan Marsh, with mine next-door to Sharon Kay Penman, a writer I hugely admire.
But for the main theme, I guess I have to fall back on my own staples. Books and beer. What more joy can the world possess? Well, gin, I suppose, and whisky, but for now, I’ll go with Loren Bell’s photo.
Loren's Photo. Relaxation of the best sort!
Thanks to all for sending me your pictures. If you keep on doing so, I’ll work out another little prize – but the next one will be a little more unique, because it’ll be a copy of Litmus, in which I’ve a short story inspired by Professor Jim al-Khalili, about Einstein. It’s different, and the anthology should be very good from the look of the other authors involved in the project.
A special thanks also to Mary Burke, who sent me a picture of the heart-warming sort: a row of my books on a Borders’ shelf in Seattle. You see, that is the sort of thing an author needs: proof that somewhere his books are there ready to be sold!
Mary Burke's photo - Seattle
And now I have to crack on with work.
Tonight I am dancing in support of Cogs and Wheels Morris, who are dancing for charity, raising money for cancer awareness. Their lovely Sallie Reason died very suddenly early this year at a ridiculously young age. She was a talented artist and illustrated lots of books. I had been hoping to work with her, but the cancer took her away too quickly. So I’ll be dancing, with Tinners’ Morris, at Sticklepath at half five, and then Okehampton at seven or so, just in case there’s a UK, Devon-based fan reading this today.
If you read this Saturday, of course, you’ll be too late! But then there are always new, upcoming events. If you are in the UK, or just want to see what’s happening, take a look at the Tinners’ Morris site at: http://groupspaces.com/tinners/ and you will see the full diary. In future there will be links with music and video too, hopefully.
So, the new book, KING’S GOLD is out, bringing my series to a round thirty titles. Quite a shock, really, to think I’ve written all those words!
In the UK you can buy signed copies from Goldsborough Books in London, and if you’re US-based, you should be able to get them from Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale, Arizona. However, if you really want an individual copy with some free bookmarks thrown in, you need to contact me. UK books are £20, US £30. Shocking price for the US, I know, but it’s dictated by the cost of packing and postage. Sorry about that.
There is a repeat of the lovely offer from Conway Stewart in that, so if you buy the book or go to http://www.simonandschuster.co.uk/sweepstakes/win-a-michael-jecks-pen-from-conway-stewart you can enter a competition to win one of my special Dartmoor pens. Alternatively, if you go to Simon & Schuster UK’s site, you can find a little blog post about the latest book, and soon on bookdagger.com you will find a link to a video interview with me. In a week or so, that will be moved to the Simon & Schuster site as well.
And so back to work. Currently I’m researching the Templars, the German Order and the Leper Knights at the time of the siege of Acre. All good fun. Meanwhile, there is the work on shorts stories and modern books going on apace. Hopefully more news of them before too long.
All best to you, and do keep on commenting via the website and Facebook.
John Rentoul, a journalist on a UK national newspaper, has happily tweeted this morning a comment about the government’s policies on DNA. For those who are lucky enough not to live in the UK, the system in place used to allow for all people stopped and arrested to have their DNA taken. Then, it was matched with any crimes the police could find. We are told that many old cases have been solved with recent DNA innovations. A particularly repellent man was yesterday put in gaol for life.
But now the dastardly government wants to do away with this.
Which is typical very silly politics and Rentoul should know a ruddy sight better.
You see what used to happen was, that if you were arrested by the police, your DNA would be stored and recorded – for life. Not if you were convicted of a crime, you’ll notice, no: Labour is a control-freak party that believes (against all logic and history) that the state is best. At all times, in all places. Including your life, whether you have already committed a crime or not. I say that because Tony Bliar was very keen on research that suggested it was possible to predict which children would become career criminals. So he planned that they could be taken from their parents and put up for adoption.
The man was, it has to be admitted, a megalomaniac of the very worst sort and not merely a deranged, money-grabbing war-monger.
But the idea of storing individuals’ DNA was OK, Labour said, because of course, if you’ve done nothing wrong, you have nothing to fear. Well, crap, actually.
If you shake hands with a man, and he climbs into a car, drives to a house, goes in and kills someone, your DNA will be there. In modern life it is damn difficult to imagine a possible crime which will not be contaminated. And that means Police who search for DNA may very easily be distracted by the wrong DNA.
A few years ago a European (German, I think) series of crimes was finally looked at again. Over many years this perpetrator had committed a number of crimes. They were utterly insoluble, covering a huge territory, and the MO was different for each, the timescales were confusing – all was terribly confusing. Until after six or so years, it was realised that the DNA being analysed had all been contaminated. They were looking for scientists in their labs, not the actual perpetrators. It set the cases back years. Probably several crooks will never be caught now, because of that blinkered search for DNA.
In England there is a new system of DNA analysis that takes trace samples and from that a computer model extrapolates what the DNA might have been originally. It is enthusiastically being sold all over the world. But in America and most other countries it’s rejected because it is not, never will be and cannot be, proof. It’s making up the DNA. Like saying, “The murderer’s name starts with a D, ends with an S. OK, so it’s you Mr Daniels!” brilliant, except Mr Davies, Mr Djanglies, Mr Donuts and many others would also fit the bill.
Still, Labour are fulminating about this silly government because they want to remove this database. They don’t want every person who has been arrested (whether charged or not) to be on a database. I rather like that idea.
Still, the man yesterday was probably responsible for some 200 crimes against the elderly, involving robbery and rape. It’s good he’s inside.
How was he caught? Not by DNA. He was caught by the police having an undercover operation for two weeks in an area he was known to target. They caught him by old-fashioned police work, not DNA.
DNA has never been a magic bullet. It is only corroborative. The sooner our thicker politicians can get that simple fact into their heads (which I personally doubt) the better.
It is rare that I take silly risks. I’m in my fifties, for goodness sake. Still, today I was asked to go for a cycle ride with a friend, and thought it couldn’t hurt. It did.
I haven’t been regularly cycling for a while. It was two years ago I got my Kinesis bike, and boy, is it good. It’s easy, fast, direct, with great handling. I’ve only fallen off it once, and while it was painful, hey, getting fit is hard. I’ve a friend who’s a writer who once had an industrial injury. He sat at his desk so long, his leg went to sleep, and when he stood up, he fell and broke his leg. Yes, really. So falling off a bike is easy in comparison to dangerous work like writing.
Last year I was working so hard, I didn’t have time to get out on the bike for months at a time. So this month is the first time on the bike in the last ten, I think. And that means a certain anxiety while going out with Roger.
Why? Because Roger used to be a national cyclist with the Swiss team. It was a while ago, as he laughingly told me, but seeing his gleaming blue eyes smiling at me was enough to persuade me that this was probably the smile of a sadist. Was the Maquis de Sade fair-haired? I think he might have been. Did one of his children set up home in Switzerland? Hmm.
But I digress.
The first eight miles were . . . well, good at first, then painful, and then we hit a hill that had me giving up, getting off and walking. The next few were better, apart from the hill up to South Tawton, which was a really nasty one (thank you Perry for trying to run me over) – but I stayed on the bike. And Roger kindly left my gently steaming body at the corner of the lane, and cycled off up the next hill.
He really is unpleasantly fit.
So, today I have learned that I am way behind and need a new effort on the bike before I can have a chance to make the London to Brighton ride. However, the good thing is, London to Brighton doesn’t have hills like the ones round Spreyton, Chagford, Moretonhampstead . . . so before too long, I will be ready. Honest.
I’ll have to be. I am getting money for the British Heart Foundation. After today, I know full well that getting money for that charity is enlightened self-interest.
Meanwhile there’s the book. That’ll be finished, hopefully, next week.
And then I can get back to work on the other projects.
This is the worst time for writing a new work. It’s going to be a good one, too. A small area of Exeter, and how a murder affects the four nearest neighbours. No great, sweeping politics, just victims and how they react. I’ve just got ready for sitting down and cracking on with this book – but hold on! Who’s calling?
The fatal interruption.
First it’s the demand from the slave driver at Simon & Schuster, Ally Glynn, that I ought to be working a little harder. I haven’t updated my web pages for a while. Uh oh. That means in Ally-speak that I ought to be writing a newsletter again. I only just finished the last one, didn’t I? (Checks). Oh. Last one was wishing people Merry Christmas. Perhaps it is a little late, then. Which is why I’m now perusing some rough notes with a view to writing out my latest. Yes, it’ll be up soon, folks.
Second, I have to go to London for meetings and an A/V interview about the next book. No, you’re not allowed to see it yet, it’ll not be up for a while, but come May, when King’s Gold is published, it’ll be up there ready for you to think “What did he do to his beard?” Television interviews can be so painful, but I was walked through it by the effortlessly professional director, Malinda. She made it much easier.
Oh good. Ally was there too. She suggested I may like to do another podcast for S&S. Well, yes, but not today, thanks. I do have to update my author’s notes section on their website, though. And I can dictate my podcast here at home, edit it, and send it on to Ally without spending hundreds of pounds travelling up by train, so that’s all to the good.
But hold on! I’m a writer. I have this book to write, remember? So can I sit down now, please, and write it?
Nope. Now I have the weight of an editor, freshly bronzed from her holiday, resting on my shoulders. Before I’m allowed to enjoy myself writing a new book, first I have to proof read the last one. It’s here, all 520 pages of it, a three-inch high column of dead trees, ready and waiting to be absorbed, corrected, and despatched.
Writers used to sit down and write industriously. Now, we only do it when all the other things have already been finished!
Right. Where were those newsletter notes. On the back of the proofreader’s notes . . .
Well, we’re only a few days from Christmas now. If you haven’t finished your Christmas shopping, ordered the turkey, got the pudding mixed and ready – you’re a little late!
Here’s wishing all my readers, friends and family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year!
The Joy of Business Registration
(Click on the link above for the full form)
It’s always heart-warming to receive a mailshot asking you to enjoy a free gift, isn’t it? And this one’s a doozy. I got it today.
The message was from Business Update 2011-2012. Clearly they’re a reputable firm. They said that if I wanted “my company inserted into the registry of World Business for 2011/2012 edition”, I should print off their form and submit the PDF file to their address, which is
WORLD BUSINESS GUIDE,
PO BOX 3079
3502 GB, UTRECHT
THE NETHERLANDS.
Underneath, it happily points out that “Updating is free of charge!”
I’m glad to hear it. Updating could otherwise be such an expensive chore, couldn’t it? What the thing doesn’t say, though, is that it’s not the first year that’s free – it’s any updates to it. This is a contract (read the first three letters of that word) for 995 Euros per annum. And if you don’t cancel, the contract rolls on. Oh, and if you don’t read the small print in the first 8 days, you’re deemed to have signed.
So, folks – you’re in your office today, and you think – ah, I think that looks good. It’s a deal. I’ll take the free offer. Unfortunately that means you’re committing your business to the money – but it’s better than that. If you read the small print carefully (and it is fairly small, isn’t it?) what you’re agreeing to is THREE YEARS rolling contract, not one.
This is what it says:
“ORDER
“THE SIGNING OF THIS DOCUMENT REPRESENTS THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS AND THE CONDITIONS STATED IN “THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR INSERTION” ON WEBPAGE:WWW.WORLD-BUSINESSGUIDE.COM. THE SIGNING IS LEGALLY BINDING AND GIVES YOU THE RIGHT OF AN INSERTION IN THE ONLINE DATA BASE OF THE WORLD BUSINESS GUIDE, WHICH CAN BE ACCESSED VIA THE INTERNET. A CD ROM WITH WORLDWIDE BUSINESS IS GRANTED ALL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONTRACT CONDITIONS STATED IN “THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR INSERTION” ON WEBPAGE:WWW.WORLD-BUSINESSGUIDE.COM. THE VALIDATION TIME OF THE CONTRACT IS THREE YEARS AND STARTS ON THE EIGHTH DAY AFTER SIGNING THE CONTRACT. THE INSERTION IS GRANTED AFTER SIGNING AND RECEIVING THIS DOCUMENT BY THE SERVICE PROVIDER. I HEREBY ORDER A SUBSCRIPTION WITH SERVICE PROVIDER INTERNATIONAL DIRECTORIES LTD “WORLD BUSINESS GUIDE”. I WILL HAVE AN INSERTION INTO ITS DATA BASE FOR THREE YEARS. THE PRICE PER YEAR IS EURO 995. THE SUBSCRIPTION WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY EXTENDED EVERY YEAR FOR ANOTHER YEAR, UNLESS SPECIFIC WRITTEN NOTICE IS RECEIVED BY THE SERVICE PROVIDER OR THE SUBSCRIBER TWO MONTHS BEFORE THE EXPIRATION OF THE SUBSCRIPTION. YOUR DATA WILL BE RECORDED. THE PLACE OF JURISDICTION IN ANY DISPUTE ARISING IS THE SERVICE PROVIDER’S ADDRESS. THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE SERVICE PROVIDER AND THE SUBSCRIBER IS GOVERNED BY THE CONDITIONS STATED IN “THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR INSERTION” ON WEBPAGE: WWW.WORLD-BUSINESSGUIDE.COM”
In other words, I think this letter is a fraud. It’s trying to sell me a dodgy prospectus. It’s saying in the headline that I can have an entry in a registry. Underneath it says the update is free. It’s all too easy for people to link those two words. What it does not say, except in small print, is that this is a request for you to buy a three year contract that you cannot cancel – in other words, 995 euros times three.
This isn’t the first time I’ve had these cowboys try to rip me off. Luckily, being self-employed, I’ve always believed in reading the small print. I’ve also always believed that any offer that sounds too good to be true, probably is. Oh, and I don’t honestly give a flying wotsit about having my business in a register of any kind. Still, I always read unsolicited emails to see where the catch is.
There was a program on Radio 4 a little while ago which was trying to get these cowboys stopped and their mailing scam cancelled. Clearly they haven’t managed it yet, sadly. Still, we can hope that sometime someone will catch up with these nasty people and give them an incentive to stop trying to rob the innocent, and instead go and get a real job that helps people. I say that, because so many folks have bought this rip-off and seen themselves driven into real financial trouble. Not many people expect to see three thousand stolen, but this mob are ruthless about enforcing their contract. Not reading small print isn’t an excuse.
So, for goodness sake, read any offers carefully. Look at the small print, and when there is even a small niggle at the back of your mind, listen to it. The subconscious warning signs are all too often operating efficiently to save you money!
