Barry C. Cunningham's Blog

Writing is a very individual thing, how I write, what I write, where I write it, what I use to write - Note books, pens, pencils, drawings , diagrams (not a very good artist so all my drawings and diagrams are very personal as only I can really 'see' them) I wrote my first book exclusively on a Kindle Fire HDX, I was in no hurry, it was convenient, could write anywhere anytime. Now on book two, the Kindle does not seem as useful, I use the PC more and more. Write notes on paper, write on PC, always backing up, use Drop Box too to share with my Kindle and my potential publisher. Can type quicker on the PC can access more files and research on the internet at the same time. Trouble is PC use is very 'on purpose' I have to find time, sit at the desk, its more like a job, not as relaxed, I don't get that much inspiration sat here, so rely on my notebooks to capture ideas. Good job I have Drop Box, work on the same files with Kindle Fire too, so can still be anywhere, carparks outside shops waiting for my wife shopping.
Oh well a good argument for both, but I love writing on the Kindle, but the PC is quicker and more professional, Oh dear can't decide, better do both.

I should slip into my 'idea generator' more often get a hot bath more often I mean, well more than once a day. I lay in the hot steamy, foamy comfort of a hot bath, I daydream, I drift away, I can see all my characters from book one, the story line, where it ended, how it bleeds into book 2, the story comes together, I can see where it is going where it twists and turns and joins back up with itself. I see it clearly, how it works, years of idle thinking coalesced into one coherent picture. I must get out, get dry write it down before it becomes a muddled memory.......
Too late, too long, some of it has already gone, my notebook is a little damp, some of the ink smudged, the ideas, I have captured some, some of them are now sealed on paper, some of them gone.
Hang on ... going for another soak!!!

The Carpetbaggers by Harold Robbins

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I read this book because I loved 'The Adventurers' This book was very risque for a young teenage boy, I kept it hidden from my mother as it felt embarrassing that I was reading such a sexually graphic novel, honestly in the 60's this was as close to pornography as you could get in a work of fiction, these days I suppose its tame in that respect. In any case I enjoyed the book, the story line was good, I read it avidly, but I have to admit my motives for reading it were not literary, well I was 14/15!! Needless to say it is another very good book from a very prolifically good author, not only that he and I shared the same birthday.



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The Adventurers by Harold Robbins

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I read this as a young teenager and was totally absorbed, read it from cover to cover inside one week. The story seemed reminiscent of Che Guevara, all the rage in the 60's, for some reason communism was cool as was Castro. Don't think we had any idea about politics, communism or otherwise, it was just imagery! In any case this book was gripping, DAX the main character was the ultimate hard case, the ultimate sex God, an unwitting leader of men. As a teenager, the sex, the violence, the rich, the poor all intermingling into one fascinating glimpse that the imagery of the period had us convinced was real. The book/story had us leaping from one piece of excitement to another, the hero was invincible, I believed he was a just cause, I believed in the story, I was gripped. I read it twice in succession. Not so sure I would like it now as a mature 60 something, not blinded by imagery any longer - but then, oh then, oh what a book!



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Fermat's Last Theorem by Simon Singh

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Being a scientist of long standing and loving all aspects of science and maths, Fermat's Last Theorem in itself was a wonderful mystery, what I would give to see Fermat's note book with a note in the margin about cubic numbers as opposed to squares. A very trite remark, too lengthy to write in the margin so it is elsewhere, and no one has ever found it or managed to prove his statement, until - - - this book is a brilliant read, you would think it would be as dry as dust, but no! It is a superb account of the proof of the last theorem from Fermat's notebook to be proven. The only thing that still niggles at me, although the mathematical proof is fabulous, it uses modern techniques not available to Fermat, so it is proven but how the hell did Fermat do it??????
A brilliant book, beautifully written a tremendous historical question answered in a very modern way, fabulous, well done for readability.



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Who
Are you
Who is born
In the next room
So loud to my own
That I can hear the womb
Opening and the dark run
Over the ghost and the dropped son
Behind the wall thin as a wren's bone?
In the birth bloody room unknown
To the burn and turn of time
And the heart print of man
Bows no baptism
But dark alone
Blessing on
The wild
Child.

Dylan Thomas

Helix: Episode 1 by Nathan M. Farrugia

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I received this book from the author in exchange for a frank and honest review, I am grateful, as otherwise I may not have selected it to read, the genre of gifted children/adults (eg X Men) is not really my normal reading fodder. However, having agreed to do this I am really surprised, it is a well written book, full of action and suspense, because of the genre it is a little predictable in places but this in no way detracts from the plot or the excitement and enjoyment I got from reading it. It was fairly obvious it is the start of a series, possibly a large one, and for the followers and fans of this genre I expect they are really happy that this series will get them hooked into Nathan's World. The main characters are beautifully created and depicted in a way that you want to care about what happens to them, the plot is full of surprises (no spoilers here!), I often found myself mentally congratulating the author for misdirecting and surprising me in ways I never expected, despite the aforementioned predictability in places. All in all a very good read by an obviously gifted author, well done Nathan Farrugia, I suspect you have a hit series here.



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All my adult life I have pursued many interests, which in many cases turn into passions. Chief amongst these are Reading and Music. I have read a very wide selection of books and authors from Classics through to Science Fiction and Fantasy. My absolute passion in literature is Sci-Fi (evident in my first effort of writing a book is Sci-Fi) I have read novels, biographies, factual books, classics of just about every genre (well lots of them at least) I have so many favourite books and authors I have lost track of which stand out the most. Iain Banks (aka Iain M Banks) has to be up there as one of the best writers I have ever had the pleasure of reading, a great loss to the the community of literature.
As I sit here I am also pursuing another of those passions, Music. I have collected and listened to vinyl since the early 60s, and yes I still buy vinyl. But also CDs and just to show I am not a recidivist I have a collection of more than 10,000 mp3 files. Right now I am listening to an ITunes mp3 play list of hundreds of 78 rpm records, transferred over many hours of part of my collection of Big Band Swing and Jazz, Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Gene Krupa, Artie Shaw, Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey and Duke Ellington. There are many more all fabulous. The musicality and immediacy of the recordings on 78s is stunning. Never turn away when you see 78s in charity shops, buy them, buy an mp3 converter turntable, hook up to your computer, it will change your life.
Just listened to "Gone with What Wind" by the Benny Goodman Sextet, it is so good I have tears as I listen and type, foot tapping brilliance.

Here I am, chilling, writing chapter two of my new book, using my Kindle Fire HDX to write, listening to one of my latest passions in music, full blast on Linn Keilidhs, (Oohh, the bass!!) The Hidden Orchestra CD Archipeligo. Its blowing my mind, inspiration to write and write. At this point in time if ever one of my books made it to film, The Hidden Orchestra would be commissioned to do the sound track.

My first book, Antigravity Drive - The Diary of an Invention is written as a Diary. Some might think this a strange choice and in fact it was. I thought it helped my story but was very difficult to deal with other characters, dialogue and other descriptive writing.
Antigravity Drive - The Diary of an Invention
I would welcome views on this approach to story telling.