Ken McClure's Blog
August 18, 2021
Other Life
People have been writing to me through my website asking for details of my medical research career. They have searched for my scientific publications and found nothing.
There is a simple reason, Ken McClure is a pen name I use for my fiction. My scientific work goes under my real name, Ken Begg.
To head off any conspiracy theories out there I've added details to my website and to this blog.
Stay safe everyone!
KEN’S SCIENTIFIC CAREER
1968 – 2000 University of Edinburgh through secondment from the UK Medical Research Council.
1967 Fellow of the Institute of Medical Laboratory Sciences.
(Bacteriology and Virology).
1979 Member of the Institute of Biology.
1980 Doctor of Philosophy.
Thesis title: Cell Envelope Growth in Escherichia coli.
AWARDS and SECONDMENTS
1980 Winner of the DIFCO Triennial Prize for Research in Microbiology 1980.
1981 Visiting EMBO Research Fellow, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
1984 Visiting NATO Research Fellow, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas. USA.
1986 Visiting EMBO Research Fellow, Instituto De Biologie Celular, Madrid, Spain.
1987 Invited speaker. Conference on Bacterial Cell Surfaces, Izu-Amagi, Japan
1987 Visiting Professor, Institut Jacques Monod, VII University of Paris, France.
ACADEMIC PUBLICATIONS LIST
Dr KENNETH J. BEGG
Geddes, A.M., J.F. Munro, K.J. Begg and B. Burns (1967) Four Years Experience with Lincomycin Hydrochloride. International Congress of Chemotherapy, Vienna, Austria. 1967.
Murdoch, J.M., A.M. Geddes, J.F. Munro, B.A. Burns and K.J. Begg. (1967). The Treatment of Bone and Joint Infections with Lincomycin Hydrochloride.
Medical Journal of Austria. 198: 398-401.
Begg, K.J. (1967). Addendum on Serum Levels. The Susceptibility of Mycobacteria to Rifamide and Rifampicin. Tubercle. (London) 48: 144-150.
Donachie, W.D. and K.J. Begg. (1970) Growth of the Bacterial Cell.
Nature (London). 227: 274-276.
Donachie, W.D. and K.J. Begg (1971) Independence of Cell Division and DNA Replication in Bacillus subtilis. Nature (New Biology). 231: 274-276.
Begg, K.J. and W.D. Donachie. (1973). Topography of Outer Membrane Growth in
Escherichia coli. Nature (New Biology). 245: 38-39.
Donachie, W.D., K.J. Begg and M. Vicente. (1976) Cell Length, Cell growth and Cell Division. Nature (London). 264: 328-333.
Begg, K.J. and W.D. Donachie. (1977). Growth of the Cell Surface of Escherichia coli.
J. Bacteriol. 129: 1524-1536.
Begg, K.J. (1978). Cell Surface Growth in Escherichia coli. Distribution of Matrix Protein.
J. Bacteriol. 135: 307-310.
Donachie, W.D. and K.J. Begg (1978) Changes in Cell Size and Shape in Thymine Requiring Escherichia coli associated with Growth in Low Concentrations of Thymine.
J. Bacteriol. 133: 452-458.
Begg, K.J., W.D. Donachie, G.P.C. Salmond, J.F. Lutkenhaus, N. Otsuji and M. Vicente. (1979) Amber Mutants of Escherichia coli. Aids in the Analysis of Cell Division. 190th. Genetical Society Meeting. Birmingham University. (England) July 1979.
Donachie, W.D., K.J. Begg, J.F. Lutkenhaus, G.P.C. Salmond and M. Vicente. (1979) A Search for Cell Cycle Control Proteins in Escherichia coli. Abstracts of the EMBO Workshop on Control of Replication and Partitioning of Bacterial Chromosomes and Plasmids. Leicester. (U.K.) September 1979.
Donachie, W.D., K.J. Begg, J.F. Lutkenhaus, G.P.C. Salmond, E. Martinez-Salas and M. Vicente. (1979). The Role of the ftsA Gene Product in the Control of Cell Division in Escherichia coli.
J. Bacteriol. 140: 388-394.
Begg, K.J., G.Hatfull and W.D. Donachie. (1980) Identification of New Genes in the Cell Envelope - Cell Division Cluster of Escherichia coli: The Cell Division Gene ftsQ.
J. Bacteriol. 144: 435-437.
Hatfull, G.F., K.J. Begg, N.F. Sullivan, V. Kagan-Zur, V. Derbyshire and W.D. Donachie. (1982) Genetic Organisation of the sep-envA Cluster in Escherichia coli. Heredity 48: 321-324.
Donachie, W.D., N.F. Sullivan, D.J. Keenan, V. Derbyshire, K.J. Begg and V.Kagan-Zur. (1983) Genes and Cell Division in Escherichia coli. Progress in Cell Cycle Controls. Eds. J. Chaloupka, A. Kotyk and E. Streiblova. 6th. European Cell Cycle Workshop. Prague. Czechoslovakia. 1983.
Begg, K.J. and W.D. Donachie. (1984) Concentration of a Major Outer Membrane Protein at the Cell Poles in Escherichia coli. J. Gen. Microbiol. 130: 2339-2346.
Donachie, W.D., K.J. Begg and N.F. Sullivan. (1984) Morphogenes of Escherichia coli. p 27-62 in 'Microbial Development' Eds. Richard Losick and Lucy Shapiro. Cold Spring Harbor Publications. New York.
Begg, K.J. and W.D. Donachie. (1985) Cell Shape and Division in Escherichia coli. Experiments with Shape Mutants. J. Bacteriol. 163: 615-622.
Begg, K.J., B.G. Spratt and W.D. Donachie. (1986) Interaction Between Membrane Protein PBP 3 and Rod A Is Required for Normal Cell Shape and Division in Escherichia coli.
J. Bacteriol. 167: 1004-1008.
Hussain, K., K.J. Begg, G.P.C. Salmond and W.D. Donachie. (1987) parD : A New Gene Coding for a Protein Required for Chromosome Partitioning and Septum Localisation in Escherichia coli. Molecular Microbiology. 1: 73-81.
Robinson, A.C., K.J. Begg and W.D. Donachie. (1988) Mapping and Characterization of the Escherichia coli Cell Division Gene, ftsA. Molecular Microbiology. 2(5). 581-588.
Masters, M., T. Paterson, A.G. Poppelwell, T. Owen-Hughes, J.H. Pringle and K.J. Begg. (1989) The Effect of Dna A Protein Levels and the rate of Initiation at ori C on Transcription Originating in the ftsQ and ftsA genes: in vitro Experiments.
Molec. Gen. Genet. 216: 475-483.
Donachie, W.D. and K.J. Begg. (1989) Cell Length, Nucleoid Separation and Cell Division of Rod-Shaped and Spherical Cells Of Escherichia coli. J. Bacteriol. 171: 4633-4639.
Donachie, W.D. and K.J. Begg (1989) Chromosome Partition in Escherichia coli Requires Post-replication Protein Synthesis. J. Bacteriol. 171: 5405-5409
Dewar, S.J., V. Kagan-Zur, K.J. Begg and W.D. Donachie. (1989) Transcriptional Regulation of Cell Division Genes in Escherichia coli. Molecular Microbiology 3(10): 1371-1377.
Donachie, W.D. and K. Begg (1990) Genes and the Replication Cycle of Escherichia coli. Research in Microbiology 141: 64-75.
Begg, K.J., A. Takasuga, D.H. Edwards, S.J. Dewar, B.G. Spratt, H. Adachi, T. Ohta, H. Matsuzawa and W.D. Donachie. (1990) The Balance between Different Peptidoglycan Precursors Determines Whether Escherichia coli Cells Will Elongate or Divide.
J. Bacteriol. 172: 6697-6703.
Ogura, T., T. Tomoyasu, T. Yuki, S. Morimura, K.J. Begg, W.D. Donachie, H. Mori, H. Niki and S. Hiraga. (1991) Structure and Function of the ftsH Gene in Escherichia coli.
Research in Microbiology 142: 279-282.
Begg, K.J. and W.D. Donachie (1991) Experiments on Chromosome Separation and Positioning in Escherichia coli. The New Biologist 3: 475-486.
Robinson, A. C., K.J. Begg and E. MacArthur (1991) Isolation and Characterization of Intragenic Suppressors of an Escherichia coli ftsA Mutation. Research in Microbiology 142: 623-631.
Begg, K.J. (1991) Ring of Bright Metal. Nature 354: 109-110.
Begg, K.J., T. Tomoyasu, W.D. Donachie, M. Khattar, H. Niki, K. Yamanaka, S. Hiraga and T. Ogura. (1992) Escherichia coli Mutant Y16 is a Double Mutant Carrying Thermosensitive ftsH and ftsI Mutations. J. Bacteriol. 174: 2416-2417.
Dewar, S.J., K.J. Begg and W.D. Donachie (1992) Inhibition of Cell Division Initiation by an Imbalance in the Ratio of FtsA to FtsZ. J. Bacteriol. 174: 6314-6316.
Addinall, S.G., K.J. Begg and W.D. Donachie (1993) Is Partitioning of Chromosomes in E. coli random (or worse)? J. Cell Biochem. 17E: 286
Norris, V., J.A. Ayala, K.J. Begg et al (1994) Cell Cycle Control: Prokaryotic Solutions to Eukaryotic Problems. J. Theor. Biology 168: 227-230.
Khattar, M.M., K.J. Begg and W.D. Donachie (1994) Identification of FtsW and Characterization of a New ftsW Division Mutant of Escherichia coli. J. Bacteriol. 176: p7140-47.
Donachie, W.D., S. Addinall and K. Begg (1995) Cell Shape and Chromosome Partition in Prokaryotes or why E. coli is Rod-shaped and Haploid. BioEssays 17: No.6: 569-576.
Begg, K.J., S.J. Dewar and W.D. Donachie (1995) A New Escherichia coli Cell Division Gene, ftsK. J. Bacteriol. 177: 6211-6222.
Donachie, W.D. and K.J. Begg. (1996) Division Potential in Escherichia coli
J. Bacteriol. 178: 5971-5976.
Begg, K., Y. Nikolaichik, N. Crossland and W.D. Donachie. (1998) Roles of FtsA and FtsZ in Activation of Division Sites. J. Bacteriol. 180: 881-884.
Begg, K.J. and W.D. Donachie. (1998) Division Planes Alternate in Spherical Cells of Eschirichia coli. J. Bacteriol. 180: 2564-2567
Draper, G. Craig, N. McLennan, K. Begg, M. Masters and W. D. Donachie. (1998) Only the
N-Terminal Domain of FtsK Functions in Cell Division. J. Bacteriol. 180: 4621-4627
Liu, G., K.J. Begg, A. Geddes and W.D. Donachie. (2002) Transcription of Essential Cell Division Genes is Linked to Chromosome Replication in Escherichia coli. Mol. Microbiol. 40: 1-9.
There is a simple reason, Ken McClure is a pen name I use for my fiction. My scientific work goes under my real name, Ken Begg.
To head off any conspiracy theories out there I've added details to my website and to this blog.
Stay safe everyone!
KEN’S SCIENTIFIC CAREER
1968 – 2000 University of Edinburgh through secondment from the UK Medical Research Council.
1967 Fellow of the Institute of Medical Laboratory Sciences.
(Bacteriology and Virology).
1979 Member of the Institute of Biology.
1980 Doctor of Philosophy.
Thesis title: Cell Envelope Growth in Escherichia coli.
AWARDS and SECONDMENTS
1980 Winner of the DIFCO Triennial Prize for Research in Microbiology 1980.
1981 Visiting EMBO Research Fellow, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
1984 Visiting NATO Research Fellow, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas. USA.
1986 Visiting EMBO Research Fellow, Instituto De Biologie Celular, Madrid, Spain.
1987 Invited speaker. Conference on Bacterial Cell Surfaces, Izu-Amagi, Japan
1987 Visiting Professor, Institut Jacques Monod, VII University of Paris, France.
ACADEMIC PUBLICATIONS LIST
Dr KENNETH J. BEGG
Geddes, A.M., J.F. Munro, K.J. Begg and B. Burns (1967) Four Years Experience with Lincomycin Hydrochloride. International Congress of Chemotherapy, Vienna, Austria. 1967.
Murdoch, J.M., A.M. Geddes, J.F. Munro, B.A. Burns and K.J. Begg. (1967). The Treatment of Bone and Joint Infections with Lincomycin Hydrochloride.
Medical Journal of Austria. 198: 398-401.
Begg, K.J. (1967). Addendum on Serum Levels. The Susceptibility of Mycobacteria to Rifamide and Rifampicin. Tubercle. (London) 48: 144-150.
Donachie, W.D. and K.J. Begg. (1970) Growth of the Bacterial Cell.
Nature (London). 227: 274-276.
Donachie, W.D. and K.J. Begg (1971) Independence of Cell Division and DNA Replication in Bacillus subtilis. Nature (New Biology). 231: 274-276.
Begg, K.J. and W.D. Donachie. (1973). Topography of Outer Membrane Growth in
Escherichia coli. Nature (New Biology). 245: 38-39.
Donachie, W.D., K.J. Begg and M. Vicente. (1976) Cell Length, Cell growth and Cell Division. Nature (London). 264: 328-333.
Begg, K.J. and W.D. Donachie. (1977). Growth of the Cell Surface of Escherichia coli.
J. Bacteriol. 129: 1524-1536.
Begg, K.J. (1978). Cell Surface Growth in Escherichia coli. Distribution of Matrix Protein.
J. Bacteriol. 135: 307-310.
Donachie, W.D. and K.J. Begg (1978) Changes in Cell Size and Shape in Thymine Requiring Escherichia coli associated with Growth in Low Concentrations of Thymine.
J. Bacteriol. 133: 452-458.
Begg, K.J., W.D. Donachie, G.P.C. Salmond, J.F. Lutkenhaus, N. Otsuji and M. Vicente. (1979) Amber Mutants of Escherichia coli. Aids in the Analysis of Cell Division. 190th. Genetical Society Meeting. Birmingham University. (England) July 1979.
Donachie, W.D., K.J. Begg, J.F. Lutkenhaus, G.P.C. Salmond and M. Vicente. (1979) A Search for Cell Cycle Control Proteins in Escherichia coli. Abstracts of the EMBO Workshop on Control of Replication and Partitioning of Bacterial Chromosomes and Plasmids. Leicester. (U.K.) September 1979.
Donachie, W.D., K.J. Begg, J.F. Lutkenhaus, G.P.C. Salmond, E. Martinez-Salas and M. Vicente. (1979). The Role of the ftsA Gene Product in the Control of Cell Division in Escherichia coli.
J. Bacteriol. 140: 388-394.
Begg, K.J., G.Hatfull and W.D. Donachie. (1980) Identification of New Genes in the Cell Envelope - Cell Division Cluster of Escherichia coli: The Cell Division Gene ftsQ.
J. Bacteriol. 144: 435-437.
Hatfull, G.F., K.J. Begg, N.F. Sullivan, V. Kagan-Zur, V. Derbyshire and W.D. Donachie. (1982) Genetic Organisation of the sep-envA Cluster in Escherichia coli. Heredity 48: 321-324.
Donachie, W.D., N.F. Sullivan, D.J. Keenan, V. Derbyshire, K.J. Begg and V.Kagan-Zur. (1983) Genes and Cell Division in Escherichia coli. Progress in Cell Cycle Controls. Eds. J. Chaloupka, A. Kotyk and E. Streiblova. 6th. European Cell Cycle Workshop. Prague. Czechoslovakia. 1983.
Begg, K.J. and W.D. Donachie. (1984) Concentration of a Major Outer Membrane Protein at the Cell Poles in Escherichia coli. J. Gen. Microbiol. 130: 2339-2346.
Donachie, W.D., K.J. Begg and N.F. Sullivan. (1984) Morphogenes of Escherichia coli. p 27-62 in 'Microbial Development' Eds. Richard Losick and Lucy Shapiro. Cold Spring Harbor Publications. New York.
Begg, K.J. and W.D. Donachie. (1985) Cell Shape and Division in Escherichia coli. Experiments with Shape Mutants. J. Bacteriol. 163: 615-622.
Begg, K.J., B.G. Spratt and W.D. Donachie. (1986) Interaction Between Membrane Protein PBP 3 and Rod A Is Required for Normal Cell Shape and Division in Escherichia coli.
J. Bacteriol. 167: 1004-1008.
Hussain, K., K.J. Begg, G.P.C. Salmond and W.D. Donachie. (1987) parD : A New Gene Coding for a Protein Required for Chromosome Partitioning and Septum Localisation in Escherichia coli. Molecular Microbiology. 1: 73-81.
Robinson, A.C., K.J. Begg and W.D. Donachie. (1988) Mapping and Characterization of the Escherichia coli Cell Division Gene, ftsA. Molecular Microbiology. 2(5). 581-588.
Masters, M., T. Paterson, A.G. Poppelwell, T. Owen-Hughes, J.H. Pringle and K.J. Begg. (1989) The Effect of Dna A Protein Levels and the rate of Initiation at ori C on Transcription Originating in the ftsQ and ftsA genes: in vitro Experiments.
Molec. Gen. Genet. 216: 475-483.
Donachie, W.D. and K.J. Begg. (1989) Cell Length, Nucleoid Separation and Cell Division of Rod-Shaped and Spherical Cells Of Escherichia coli. J. Bacteriol. 171: 4633-4639.
Donachie, W.D. and K.J. Begg (1989) Chromosome Partition in Escherichia coli Requires Post-replication Protein Synthesis. J. Bacteriol. 171: 5405-5409
Dewar, S.J., V. Kagan-Zur, K.J. Begg and W.D. Donachie. (1989) Transcriptional Regulation of Cell Division Genes in Escherichia coli. Molecular Microbiology 3(10): 1371-1377.
Donachie, W.D. and K. Begg (1990) Genes and the Replication Cycle of Escherichia coli. Research in Microbiology 141: 64-75.
Begg, K.J., A. Takasuga, D.H. Edwards, S.J. Dewar, B.G. Spratt, H. Adachi, T. Ohta, H. Matsuzawa and W.D. Donachie. (1990) The Balance between Different Peptidoglycan Precursors Determines Whether Escherichia coli Cells Will Elongate or Divide.
J. Bacteriol. 172: 6697-6703.
Ogura, T., T. Tomoyasu, T. Yuki, S. Morimura, K.J. Begg, W.D. Donachie, H. Mori, H. Niki and S. Hiraga. (1991) Structure and Function of the ftsH Gene in Escherichia coli.
Research in Microbiology 142: 279-282.
Begg, K.J. and W.D. Donachie (1991) Experiments on Chromosome Separation and Positioning in Escherichia coli. The New Biologist 3: 475-486.
Robinson, A. C., K.J. Begg and E. MacArthur (1991) Isolation and Characterization of Intragenic Suppressors of an Escherichia coli ftsA Mutation. Research in Microbiology 142: 623-631.
Begg, K.J. (1991) Ring of Bright Metal. Nature 354: 109-110.
Begg, K.J., T. Tomoyasu, W.D. Donachie, M. Khattar, H. Niki, K. Yamanaka, S. Hiraga and T. Ogura. (1992) Escherichia coli Mutant Y16 is a Double Mutant Carrying Thermosensitive ftsH and ftsI Mutations. J. Bacteriol. 174: 2416-2417.
Dewar, S.J., K.J. Begg and W.D. Donachie (1992) Inhibition of Cell Division Initiation by an Imbalance in the Ratio of FtsA to FtsZ. J. Bacteriol. 174: 6314-6316.
Addinall, S.G., K.J. Begg and W.D. Donachie (1993) Is Partitioning of Chromosomes in E. coli random (or worse)? J. Cell Biochem. 17E: 286
Norris, V., J.A. Ayala, K.J. Begg et al (1994) Cell Cycle Control: Prokaryotic Solutions to Eukaryotic Problems. J. Theor. Biology 168: 227-230.
Khattar, M.M., K.J. Begg and W.D. Donachie (1994) Identification of FtsW and Characterization of a New ftsW Division Mutant of Escherichia coli. J. Bacteriol. 176: p7140-47.
Donachie, W.D., S. Addinall and K. Begg (1995) Cell Shape and Chromosome Partition in Prokaryotes or why E. coli is Rod-shaped and Haploid. BioEssays 17: No.6: 569-576.
Begg, K.J., S.J. Dewar and W.D. Donachie (1995) A New Escherichia coli Cell Division Gene, ftsK. J. Bacteriol. 177: 6211-6222.
Donachie, W.D. and K.J. Begg. (1996) Division Potential in Escherichia coli
J. Bacteriol. 178: 5971-5976.
Begg, K., Y. Nikolaichik, N. Crossland and W.D. Donachie. (1998) Roles of FtsA and FtsZ in Activation of Division Sites. J. Bacteriol. 180: 881-884.
Begg, K.J. and W.D. Donachie. (1998) Division Planes Alternate in Spherical Cells of Eschirichia coli. J. Bacteriol. 180: 2564-2567
Draper, G. Craig, N. McLennan, K. Begg, M. Masters and W. D. Donachie. (1998) Only the
N-Terminal Domain of FtsK Functions in Cell Division. J. Bacteriol. 180: 4621-4627
Liu, G., K.J. Begg, A. Geddes and W.D. Donachie. (2002) Transcription of Essential Cell Division Genes is Linked to Chromosome Replication in Escherichia coli. Mol. Microbiol. 40: 1-9.
Other Life
People have been writing to me through my website asking for details of my medical research career. They have searched for my scientific publications and found nothing.
There is a simple reason, Ken McClure is a pen name I use for my fiction. My scientific work goes under my real name, Ken Begg.
To head off any conspiracy theories out there I've added details to my website and to this blog.
Stay safe everyone!
KEN’S SCIENTIFIC CAREER
1968 – 2000 University of Edinburgh through secondment from the UK Medical Research Council.
1967 Fellow of the Institute of Medical Laboratory Sciences.
(Bacteriology and Virology).
1979 Member of the Institute of Biology.
1980 Doctor of Philosophy.
Thesis title: Cell Envelope Growth in Escherichia coli.
AWARDS and SECONDMENTS
1980 Winner of the DIFCO Triennial Prize for Research in Microbiology 1980.
1981 Visiting EMBO Research Fellow, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
1984 Visiting NATO Research Fellow, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas. USA.
1986 Visiting EMBO Research Fellow, Instituto De Biologie Celular, Madrid, Spain.
1987 Invited speaker. Conference on Bacterial Cell Surfaces, Izu-Amagi, Japan
1987 Visiting Professor, Institut Jacques Monod, VII University of Paris, France.
ACADEMIC PUBLICATIONS LIST
Dr KENNETH J. BEGG
Geddes, A.M., J.F. Munro, K.J. Begg and B. Burns (1967) Four Years Experience with Lincomycin Hydrochloride. International Congress of Chemotherapy, Vienna, Austria. 1967.
Murdoch, J.M., A.M. Geddes, J.F. Munro, B.A. Burns and K.J. Begg. (1967). The Treatment of Bone and Joint Infections with Lincomycin Hydrochloride.
Medical Journal of Austria. 198: 398-401.
Begg, K.J. (1967). Addendum on Serum Levels. The Susceptibility of Mycobacteria to Rifamide and Rifampicin. Tubercle. (London) 48: 144-150.
Donachie, W.D. and K.J. Begg. (1970) Growth of the Bacterial Cell.
Nature (London). 227: 274-276.
Donachie, W.D. and K.J. Begg (1971) Independence of Cell Division and DNA Replication in Bacillus subtilis. Nature (New Biology). 231: 274-276.
Begg, K.J. and W.D. Donachie. (1973). Topography of Outer Membrane Growth in
Escherichia coli. Nature (New Biology). 245: 38-39.
Donachie, W.D., K.J. Begg and M. Vicente. (1976) Cell Length, Cell growth and Cell Division. Nature (London). 264: 328-333.
Begg, K.J. and W.D. Donachie. (1977). Growth of the Cell Surface of Escherichia coli.
J. Bacteriol. 129: 1524-1536.
Begg, K.J. (1978). Cell Surface Growth in Escherichia coli. Distribution of Matrix Protein.
J. Bacteriol. 135: 307-310.
Donachie, W.D. and K.J. Begg (1978) Changes in Cell Size and Shape in Thymine Requiring Escherichia coli associated with Growth in Low Concentrations of Thymine.
J. Bacteriol. 133: 452-458.
Begg, K.J., W.D. Donachie, G.P.C. Salmond, J.F. Lutkenhaus, N. Otsuji and M. Vicente. (1979) Amber Mutants of Escherichia coli. Aids in the Analysis of Cell Division. 190th. Genetical Society Meeting. Birmingham University. (England) July 1979.
Donachie, W.D., K.J. Begg, J.F. Lutkenhaus, G.P.C. Salmond and M. Vicente. (1979) A Search for Cell Cycle Control Proteins in Escherichia coli. Abstracts of the EMBO Workshop on Control of Replication and Partitioning of Bacterial Chromosomes and Plasmids. Leicester. (U.K.) September 1979.
Donachie, W.D., K.J. Begg, J.F. Lutkenhaus, G.P.C. Salmond, E. Martinez-Salas and M. Vicente. (1979). The Role of the ftsA Gene Product in the Control of Cell Division in Escherichia coli.
J. Bacteriol. 140: 388-394.
Begg, K.J., G.Hatfull and W.D. Donachie. (1980) Identification of New Genes in the Cell Envelope - Cell Division Cluster of Escherichia coli: The Cell Division Gene ftsQ.
J. Bacteriol. 144: 435-437.
Hatfull, G.F., K.J. Begg, N.F. Sullivan, V. Kagan-Zur, V. Derbyshire and W.D. Donachie. (1982) Genetic Organisation of the sep-envA Cluster in Escherichia coli. Heredity 48: 321-324.
Donachie, W.D., N.F. Sullivan, D.J. Keenan, V. Derbyshire, K.J. Begg and V.Kagan-Zur. (1983) Genes and Cell Division in Escherichia coli. Progress in Cell Cycle Controls. Eds. J. Chaloupka, A. Kotyk and E. Streiblova. 6th. European Cell Cycle Workshop. Prague. Czechoslovakia. 1983.
Begg, K.J. and W.D. Donachie. (1984) Concentration of a Major Outer Membrane Protein at the Cell Poles in Escherichia coli. J. Gen. Microbiol. 130: 2339-2346.
Donachie, W.D., K.J. Begg and N.F. Sullivan. (1984) Morphogenes of Escherichia coli. p 27-62 in 'Microbial Development' Eds. Richard Losick and Lucy Shapiro. Cold Spring Harbor Publications. New York.
Begg, K.J. and W.D. Donachie. (1985) Cell Shape and Division in Escherichia coli. Experiments with Shape Mutants. J. Bacteriol. 163: 615-622.
Begg, K.J., B.G. Spratt and W.D. Donachie. (1986) Interaction Between Membrane Protein PBP 3 and Rod A Is Required for Normal Cell Shape and Division in Escherichia coli.
J. Bacteriol. 167: 1004-1008.
Hussain, K., K.J. Begg, G.P.C. Salmond and W.D. Donachie. (1987) parD : A New Gene Coding for a Protein Required for Chromosome Partitioning and Septum Localisation in Escherichia coli. Molecular Microbiology. 1: 73-81.
Robinson, A.C., K.J. Begg and W.D. Donachie. (1988) Mapping and Characterization of the Escherichia coli Cell Division Gene, ftsA. Molecular Microbiology. 2(5). 581-588.
Masters, M., T. Paterson, A.G. Poppelwell, T. Owen-Hughes, J.H. Pringle and K.J. Begg. (1989) The Effect of Dna A Protein Levels and the rate of Initiation at ori C on Transcription Originating in the ftsQ and ftsA genes: in vitro Experiments.
Molec. Gen. Genet. 216: 475-483.
Donachie, W.D. and K.J. Begg. (1989) Cell Length, Nucleoid Separation and Cell Division of Rod-Shaped and Spherical Cells Of Escherichia coli. J. Bacteriol. 171: 4633-4639.
Donachie, W.D. and K.J. Begg (1989) Chromosome Partition in Escherichia coli Requires Post-replication Protein Synthesis. J. Bacteriol. 171: 5405-5409
Dewar, S.J., V. Kagan-Zur, K.J. Begg and W.D. Donachie. (1989) Transcriptional Regulation of Cell Division Genes in Escherichia coli. Molecular Microbiology 3(10): 1371-1377.
Donachie, W.D. and K. Begg (1990) Genes and the Replication Cycle of Escherichia coli. Research in Microbiology 141: 64-75.
Begg, K.J., A. Takasuga, D.H. Edwards, S.J. Dewar, B.G. Spratt, H. Adachi, T. Ohta, H. Matsuzawa and W.D. Donachie. (1990) The Balance between Different Peptidoglycan Precursors Determines Whether Escherichia coli Cells Will Elongate or Divide.
J. Bacteriol. 172: 6697-6703.
Ogura, T., T. Tomoyasu, T. Yuki, S. Morimura, K.J. Begg, W.D. Donachie, H. Mori, H. Niki and S. Hiraga. (1991) Structure and Function of the ftsH Gene in Escherichia coli.
Research in Microbiology 142: 279-282.
Begg, K.J. and W.D. Donachie (1991) Experiments on Chromosome Separation and Positioning in Escherichia coli. The New Biologist 3: 475-486.
Robinson, A. C., K.J. Begg and E. MacArthur (1991) Isolation and Characterization of Intragenic Suppressors of an Escherichia coli ftsA Mutation. Research in Microbiology 142: 623-631.
Begg, K.J. (1991) Ring of Bright Metal. Nature 354: 109-110.
Begg, K.J., T. Tomoyasu, W.D. Donachie, M. Khattar, H. Niki, K. Yamanaka, S. Hiraga and T. Ogura. (1992) Escherichia coli Mutant Y16 is a Double Mutant Carrying Thermosensitive ftsH and ftsI Mutations. J. Bacteriol. 174: 2416-2417.
Dewar, S.J., K.J. Begg and W.D. Donachie (1992) Inhibition of Cell Division Initiation by an Imbalance in the Ratio of FtsA to FtsZ. J. Bacteriol. 174: 6314-6316.
Addinall, S.G., K.J. Begg and W.D. Donachie (1993) Is Partitioning of Chromosomes in E. coli random (or worse)? J. Cell Biochem. 17E: 286
Norris, V., J.A. Ayala, K.J. Begg et al (1994) Cell Cycle Control: Prokaryotic Solutions to Eukaryotic Problems. J. Theor. Biology 168: 227-230.
Khattar, M.M., K.J. Begg and W.D. Donachie (1994) Identification of FtsW and Characterization of a New ftsW Division Mutant of Escherichia coli. J. Bacteriol. 176: p7140-47.
Donachie, W.D., S. Addinall and K. Begg (1995) Cell Shape and Chromosome Partition in Prokaryotes or why E. coli is Rod-shaped and Haploid. BioEssays 17: No.6: 569-576.
Begg, K.J., S.J. Dewar and W.D. Donachie (1995) A New Escherichia coli Cell Division Gene, ftsK. J. Bacteriol. 177: 6211-6222.
Donachie, W.D. and K.J. Begg. (1996) Division Potential in Escherichia coli
J. Bacteriol. 178: 5971-5976.
Begg, K., Y. Nikolaichik, N. Crossland and W.D. Donachie. (1998) Roles of FtsA and FtsZ in Activation of Division Sites. J. Bacteriol. 180: 881-884.
Begg, K.J. and W.D. Donachie. (1998) Division Planes Alternate in Spherical Cells of Eschirichia coli. J. Bacteriol. 180: 2564-2567
Draper, G. Craig, N. McLennan, K. Begg, M. Masters and W. D. Donachie. (1998) Only the
N-Terminal Domain of FtsK Functions in Cell Division. J. Bacteriol. 180: 4621-4627
Liu, G., K.J. Begg, A. Geddes and W.D. Donachie. (2002) Transcription of Essential Cell Division Genes is Linked to Chromosome Replication in Escherichia coli. Mol. Microbiol. 40: 1-9.
There is a simple reason, Ken McClure is a pen name I use for my fiction. My scientific work goes under my real name, Ken Begg.
To head off any conspiracy theories out there I've added details to my website and to this blog.
Stay safe everyone!
KEN’S SCIENTIFIC CAREER
1968 – 2000 University of Edinburgh through secondment from the UK Medical Research Council.
1967 Fellow of the Institute of Medical Laboratory Sciences.
(Bacteriology and Virology).
1979 Member of the Institute of Biology.
1980 Doctor of Philosophy.
Thesis title: Cell Envelope Growth in Escherichia coli.
AWARDS and SECONDMENTS
1980 Winner of the DIFCO Triennial Prize for Research in Microbiology 1980.
1981 Visiting EMBO Research Fellow, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
1984 Visiting NATO Research Fellow, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas. USA.
1986 Visiting EMBO Research Fellow, Instituto De Biologie Celular, Madrid, Spain.
1987 Invited speaker. Conference on Bacterial Cell Surfaces, Izu-Amagi, Japan
1987 Visiting Professor, Institut Jacques Monod, VII University of Paris, France.
ACADEMIC PUBLICATIONS LIST
Dr KENNETH J. BEGG
Geddes, A.M., J.F. Munro, K.J. Begg and B. Burns (1967) Four Years Experience with Lincomycin Hydrochloride. International Congress of Chemotherapy, Vienna, Austria. 1967.
Murdoch, J.M., A.M. Geddes, J.F. Munro, B.A. Burns and K.J. Begg. (1967). The Treatment of Bone and Joint Infections with Lincomycin Hydrochloride.
Medical Journal of Austria. 198: 398-401.
Begg, K.J. (1967). Addendum on Serum Levels. The Susceptibility of Mycobacteria to Rifamide and Rifampicin. Tubercle. (London) 48: 144-150.
Donachie, W.D. and K.J. Begg. (1970) Growth of the Bacterial Cell.
Nature (London). 227: 274-276.
Donachie, W.D. and K.J. Begg (1971) Independence of Cell Division and DNA Replication in Bacillus subtilis. Nature (New Biology). 231: 274-276.
Begg, K.J. and W.D. Donachie. (1973). Topography of Outer Membrane Growth in
Escherichia coli. Nature (New Biology). 245: 38-39.
Donachie, W.D., K.J. Begg and M. Vicente. (1976) Cell Length, Cell growth and Cell Division. Nature (London). 264: 328-333.
Begg, K.J. and W.D. Donachie. (1977). Growth of the Cell Surface of Escherichia coli.
J. Bacteriol. 129: 1524-1536.
Begg, K.J. (1978). Cell Surface Growth in Escherichia coli. Distribution of Matrix Protein.
J. Bacteriol. 135: 307-310.
Donachie, W.D. and K.J. Begg (1978) Changes in Cell Size and Shape in Thymine Requiring Escherichia coli associated with Growth in Low Concentrations of Thymine.
J. Bacteriol. 133: 452-458.
Begg, K.J., W.D. Donachie, G.P.C. Salmond, J.F. Lutkenhaus, N. Otsuji and M. Vicente. (1979) Amber Mutants of Escherichia coli. Aids in the Analysis of Cell Division. 190th. Genetical Society Meeting. Birmingham University. (England) July 1979.
Donachie, W.D., K.J. Begg, J.F. Lutkenhaus, G.P.C. Salmond and M. Vicente. (1979) A Search for Cell Cycle Control Proteins in Escherichia coli. Abstracts of the EMBO Workshop on Control of Replication and Partitioning of Bacterial Chromosomes and Plasmids. Leicester. (U.K.) September 1979.
Donachie, W.D., K.J. Begg, J.F. Lutkenhaus, G.P.C. Salmond, E. Martinez-Salas and M. Vicente. (1979). The Role of the ftsA Gene Product in the Control of Cell Division in Escherichia coli.
J. Bacteriol. 140: 388-394.
Begg, K.J., G.Hatfull and W.D. Donachie. (1980) Identification of New Genes in the Cell Envelope - Cell Division Cluster of Escherichia coli: The Cell Division Gene ftsQ.
J. Bacteriol. 144: 435-437.
Hatfull, G.F., K.J. Begg, N.F. Sullivan, V. Kagan-Zur, V. Derbyshire and W.D. Donachie. (1982) Genetic Organisation of the sep-envA Cluster in Escherichia coli. Heredity 48: 321-324.
Donachie, W.D., N.F. Sullivan, D.J. Keenan, V. Derbyshire, K.J. Begg and V.Kagan-Zur. (1983) Genes and Cell Division in Escherichia coli. Progress in Cell Cycle Controls. Eds. J. Chaloupka, A. Kotyk and E. Streiblova. 6th. European Cell Cycle Workshop. Prague. Czechoslovakia. 1983.
Begg, K.J. and W.D. Donachie. (1984) Concentration of a Major Outer Membrane Protein at the Cell Poles in Escherichia coli. J. Gen. Microbiol. 130: 2339-2346.
Donachie, W.D., K.J. Begg and N.F. Sullivan. (1984) Morphogenes of Escherichia coli. p 27-62 in 'Microbial Development' Eds. Richard Losick and Lucy Shapiro. Cold Spring Harbor Publications. New York.
Begg, K.J. and W.D. Donachie. (1985) Cell Shape and Division in Escherichia coli. Experiments with Shape Mutants. J. Bacteriol. 163: 615-622.
Begg, K.J., B.G. Spratt and W.D. Donachie. (1986) Interaction Between Membrane Protein PBP 3 and Rod A Is Required for Normal Cell Shape and Division in Escherichia coli.
J. Bacteriol. 167: 1004-1008.
Hussain, K., K.J. Begg, G.P.C. Salmond and W.D. Donachie. (1987) parD : A New Gene Coding for a Protein Required for Chromosome Partitioning and Septum Localisation in Escherichia coli. Molecular Microbiology. 1: 73-81.
Robinson, A.C., K.J. Begg and W.D. Donachie. (1988) Mapping and Characterization of the Escherichia coli Cell Division Gene, ftsA. Molecular Microbiology. 2(5). 581-588.
Masters, M., T. Paterson, A.G. Poppelwell, T. Owen-Hughes, J.H. Pringle and K.J. Begg. (1989) The Effect of Dna A Protein Levels and the rate of Initiation at ori C on Transcription Originating in the ftsQ and ftsA genes: in vitro Experiments.
Molec. Gen. Genet. 216: 475-483.
Donachie, W.D. and K.J. Begg. (1989) Cell Length, Nucleoid Separation and Cell Division of Rod-Shaped and Spherical Cells Of Escherichia coli. J. Bacteriol. 171: 4633-4639.
Donachie, W.D. and K.J. Begg (1989) Chromosome Partition in Escherichia coli Requires Post-replication Protein Synthesis. J. Bacteriol. 171: 5405-5409
Dewar, S.J., V. Kagan-Zur, K.J. Begg and W.D. Donachie. (1989) Transcriptional Regulation of Cell Division Genes in Escherichia coli. Molecular Microbiology 3(10): 1371-1377.
Donachie, W.D. and K. Begg (1990) Genes and the Replication Cycle of Escherichia coli. Research in Microbiology 141: 64-75.
Begg, K.J., A. Takasuga, D.H. Edwards, S.J. Dewar, B.G. Spratt, H. Adachi, T. Ohta, H. Matsuzawa and W.D. Donachie. (1990) The Balance between Different Peptidoglycan Precursors Determines Whether Escherichia coli Cells Will Elongate or Divide.
J. Bacteriol. 172: 6697-6703.
Ogura, T., T. Tomoyasu, T. Yuki, S. Morimura, K.J. Begg, W.D. Donachie, H. Mori, H. Niki and S. Hiraga. (1991) Structure and Function of the ftsH Gene in Escherichia coli.
Research in Microbiology 142: 279-282.
Begg, K.J. and W.D. Donachie (1991) Experiments on Chromosome Separation and Positioning in Escherichia coli. The New Biologist 3: 475-486.
Robinson, A. C., K.J. Begg and E. MacArthur (1991) Isolation and Characterization of Intragenic Suppressors of an Escherichia coli ftsA Mutation. Research in Microbiology 142: 623-631.
Begg, K.J. (1991) Ring of Bright Metal. Nature 354: 109-110.
Begg, K.J., T. Tomoyasu, W.D. Donachie, M. Khattar, H. Niki, K. Yamanaka, S. Hiraga and T. Ogura. (1992) Escherichia coli Mutant Y16 is a Double Mutant Carrying Thermosensitive ftsH and ftsI Mutations. J. Bacteriol. 174: 2416-2417.
Dewar, S.J., K.J. Begg and W.D. Donachie (1992) Inhibition of Cell Division Initiation by an Imbalance in the Ratio of FtsA to FtsZ. J. Bacteriol. 174: 6314-6316.
Addinall, S.G., K.J. Begg and W.D. Donachie (1993) Is Partitioning of Chromosomes in E. coli random (or worse)? J. Cell Biochem. 17E: 286
Norris, V., J.A. Ayala, K.J. Begg et al (1994) Cell Cycle Control: Prokaryotic Solutions to Eukaryotic Problems. J. Theor. Biology 168: 227-230.
Khattar, M.M., K.J. Begg and W.D. Donachie (1994) Identification of FtsW and Characterization of a New ftsW Division Mutant of Escherichia coli. J. Bacteriol. 176: p7140-47.
Donachie, W.D., S. Addinall and K. Begg (1995) Cell Shape and Chromosome Partition in Prokaryotes or why E. coli is Rod-shaped and Haploid. BioEssays 17: No.6: 569-576.
Begg, K.J., S.J. Dewar and W.D. Donachie (1995) A New Escherichia coli Cell Division Gene, ftsK. J. Bacteriol. 177: 6211-6222.
Donachie, W.D. and K.J. Begg. (1996) Division Potential in Escherichia coli
J. Bacteriol. 178: 5971-5976.
Begg, K., Y. Nikolaichik, N. Crossland and W.D. Donachie. (1998) Roles of FtsA and FtsZ in Activation of Division Sites. J. Bacteriol. 180: 881-884.
Begg, K.J. and W.D. Donachie. (1998) Division Planes Alternate in Spherical Cells of Eschirichia coli. J. Bacteriol. 180: 2564-2567
Draper, G. Craig, N. McLennan, K. Begg, M. Masters and W. D. Donachie. (1998) Only the
N-Terminal Domain of FtsK Functions in Cell Division. J. Bacteriol. 180: 4621-4627
Liu, G., K.J. Begg, A. Geddes and W.D. Donachie. (2002) Transcription of Essential Cell Division Genes is Linked to Chromosome Replication in Escherichia coli. Mol. Microbiol. 40: 1-9.
March 16, 2020
Rumour
The world could be facing a shortage of Ken McClure books . . . panic buying is actively encouraged!.
Stay safe guys!
Ken.
Stay safe guys!
Ken.
August 4, 2019
When Fact and Fiction Collide
When an epidemic of Ebola Virus Disease broke out in the Democratic Republic of Congo in May 2018– the ninth, I felt great sympathy for its people who have suffered so much from this awful disease. This was replaced by relief when it was declared over towards the end of July.
When however, a new outbreak was reported less than one month later, I felt as if I was caught up in a horror story - so much so that a truly awful thought occurred to me. THESE OUTBREAKS WERE BEING CAUSED DELIBERATELY.
The tendency to dismiss this as crazy was immensely strong, after all, who in their right mind would do such a thing and for what possible reason?
Fighting disbelief at every turn, but feeling compelled to follow up on the thought, I came up with possible answers to the who and why questions and decided to write MIASMA.
The story is fiction - a challenge for Dr Steven Dunbar - but the facts surrounding the tenth epidemic of Ebola in DRC are coming uncomfortably close. Current figures:- 2,700 cases, 1700 deaths including over 100 aid workers and now spreading to adjoining countries. (August 2019)
When however, a new outbreak was reported less than one month later, I felt as if I was caught up in a horror story - so much so that a truly awful thought occurred to me. THESE OUTBREAKS WERE BEING CAUSED DELIBERATELY.
The tendency to dismiss this as crazy was immensely strong, after all, who in their right mind would do such a thing and for what possible reason?
Fighting disbelief at every turn, but feeling compelled to follow up on the thought, I came up with possible answers to the who and why questions and decided to write MIASMA.
The story is fiction - a challenge for Dr Steven Dunbar - but the facts surrounding the tenth epidemic of Ebola in DRC are coming uncomfortably close. Current figures:- 2,700 cases, 1700 deaths including over 100 aid workers and now spreading to adjoining countries. (August 2019)
April 13, 2019
New Steven Dunbar book, MIASMA
New Steven Dunbar Book, MIASMA
As my new Steven Dunbar book, MIASMA, nears completion, I feel the need to share some of the angst it has brought me – and it’s not over yet.
In May of 2018, an epidemic of Ebola virus disease broke out in the Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa – the ninth such epidemic this country has suffered since 1976. Why so many? The official answer puts the blame on diet – the natural host of this disease is thought to be fruit bats which feature prominently in a ‘bush meat’ diet along with creatures they may have bitten and infected.
Call me picky, but armed with this knowledge, I can’t see me snacking on ‘bush meat’ that hasn’t seen the inside of a blast furnace for a week, but thinking along these lines led me to consider alternative explanations for the outbreaks. As both a scientist and a thriller writer, I am used to fact and fiction colliding in my mind and having to put ideas through various tests – the major question being . . . However horrifying and improbable this idea may be . . . is it possible?
One such fictional nightmare passed this test to become the basis for MIASMA.
As I approach the end of the book, the tenth Ebola outbreak – announced on August 1st 2018, one week after the end of the ninth – is raging.
More than 1200 people have gone down with the disease and over 750 have died. 87 medical and nursing staff have become infected and thirty-one have died. This already makes it the second worst recorded Ebola outbreak ever and there are no signs of it settling for second place.
More news soon.
Update May 4th, 2019
MIASMA will be published on May 22nd as an Amazon Kindle e-book and as a large-format paperback.
The latest figures I have from the DRC Ebola outbreak (May 1st) are 1510 cases, 994 deaths. As yet, no restrictions have been placed on international travel to and from DRC.
Update May 18th 2019
Figures from May 15th. 1760 cases, 1161 deaths. Still no restrictions on international travel, but WHO have revised their vaccination schedule - they are reducing the dose per patient; this suggests they are running short of vaccine. They also claim they are short of money. Why am I thinking about Notre Dame? . . . funny old world.
Update 26th May 2019
1920 cases, 1281 deaths. Over 100 aid workers have gone down with the disease. The outbreak is now the second worst Ebola outbreak ever and is a long way from being under control. Neighbouring countries are being urged to remain vigilant. No international travel restrictions . . . maybe this is because there is no licensed vaccine available and therefore certificates of vaccination cannot be used to implement restrictions?
As my new Steven Dunbar book, MIASMA, nears completion, I feel the need to share some of the angst it has brought me – and it’s not over yet.
In May of 2018, an epidemic of Ebola virus disease broke out in the Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa – the ninth such epidemic this country has suffered since 1976. Why so many? The official answer puts the blame on diet – the natural host of this disease is thought to be fruit bats which feature prominently in a ‘bush meat’ diet along with creatures they may have bitten and infected.
Call me picky, but armed with this knowledge, I can’t see me snacking on ‘bush meat’ that hasn’t seen the inside of a blast furnace for a week, but thinking along these lines led me to consider alternative explanations for the outbreaks. As both a scientist and a thriller writer, I am used to fact and fiction colliding in my mind and having to put ideas through various tests – the major question being . . . However horrifying and improbable this idea may be . . . is it possible?
One such fictional nightmare passed this test to become the basis for MIASMA.
As I approach the end of the book, the tenth Ebola outbreak – announced on August 1st 2018, one week after the end of the ninth – is raging.
More than 1200 people have gone down with the disease and over 750 have died. 87 medical and nursing staff have become infected and thirty-one have died. This already makes it the second worst recorded Ebola outbreak ever and there are no signs of it settling for second place.
More news soon.
Update May 4th, 2019
MIASMA will be published on May 22nd as an Amazon Kindle e-book and as a large-format paperback.
The latest figures I have from the DRC Ebola outbreak (May 1st) are 1510 cases, 994 deaths. As yet, no restrictions have been placed on international travel to and from DRC.
Update May 18th 2019
Figures from May 15th. 1760 cases, 1161 deaths. Still no restrictions on international travel, but WHO have revised their vaccination schedule - they are reducing the dose per patient; this suggests they are running short of vaccine. They also claim they are short of money. Why am I thinking about Notre Dame? . . . funny old world.
Update 26th May 2019
1920 cases, 1281 deaths. Over 100 aid workers have gone down with the disease. The outbreak is now the second worst Ebola outbreak ever and is a long way from being under control. Neighbouring countries are being urged to remain vigilant. No international travel restrictions . . . maybe this is because there is no licensed vaccine available and therefore certificates of vaccination cannot be used to implement restrictions?
December 27, 2014
BOOKS ARE NOT IMPORTANT
I have become thoroughly fed-up of hearing ill-informed utterances from so-called book lovers who take every opportunity to denigrate the e-book and promote their own credentials as the only true readers. They love bookshops; they adore books; they love the smell and the feel and touch of books and they loathe e-readers. Well, I am the last person in the world to deny anyone their fetish for paper and cardboard - that’s absolutely fine by me, but when I heard someone say the other day that they would rather be seen dead than holding a Kindle, I felt I had to say something.
Gone are the days when a thriller writer had to wait to see if some reviewer on a national newspaper - who probably didn’t actually like thrillers - might give his or her new book a sniffy mention – usually not in my case. Now we can see what hundreds of people who actually buy and read our books think and that is just so much better and so much more useful to readers too. They no longer have to rely on newspaper reviews or what promotions people write about titles published by their employer. The internet made this revolution possible and with it has come the e-reader – the reason I’ve been moved to write this.
Books are not sacred. They’re not even important. It’s READING that’s important. The choice is not between reading a book and playing with an electronic toy. It’s between reading exactly the same content on paper or on an electronic screen. True, the screen doesn’t smell or feel like a book, but it’s brightness can be adjusted, its font and type size can be changed and it will remember where you’ve left off when you fall asleep at night. With an e-reader the bookshop comes to you wherever you are in world and you can browse at will – just like in a regular bookshop – although you’ll be denied a conversation with that nice young person who offers to order the title you’re looking for because they don’t actually have it in stock. (nearly always true in the case of my books!)
In truth there’s a place for both traditional books and e-readers because not all book content transfers well to an electronic platform and I appreciate holding and reading a well-produced and beautifully illustrated book as much as the next person, but I say again, it’s READING that’s important and not the medium you choose to do it on.
Now that I’ve got that off my chest perhaps I should calm down and say a big thank you to the many people who have read and reviewed my work over the years. Your comments are greatly valued and much appreciated. I hope that 2020 brings you much reading pleasure . . . on whatever medium you choose.
Gone are the days when a thriller writer had to wait to see if some reviewer on a national newspaper - who probably didn’t actually like thrillers - might give his or her new book a sniffy mention – usually not in my case. Now we can see what hundreds of people who actually buy and read our books think and that is just so much better and so much more useful to readers too. They no longer have to rely on newspaper reviews or what promotions people write about titles published by their employer. The internet made this revolution possible and with it has come the e-reader – the reason I’ve been moved to write this.
Books are not sacred. They’re not even important. It’s READING that’s important. The choice is not between reading a book and playing with an electronic toy. It’s between reading exactly the same content on paper or on an electronic screen. True, the screen doesn’t smell or feel like a book, but it’s brightness can be adjusted, its font and type size can be changed and it will remember where you’ve left off when you fall asleep at night. With an e-reader the bookshop comes to you wherever you are in world and you can browse at will – just like in a regular bookshop – although you’ll be denied a conversation with that nice young person who offers to order the title you’re looking for because they don’t actually have it in stock. (nearly always true in the case of my books!)
In truth there’s a place for both traditional books and e-readers because not all book content transfers well to an electronic platform and I appreciate holding and reading a well-produced and beautifully illustrated book as much as the next person, but I say again, it’s READING that’s important and not the medium you choose to do it on.
Now that I’ve got that off my chest perhaps I should calm down and say a big thank you to the many people who have read and reviewed my work over the years. Your comments are greatly valued and much appreciated. I hope that 2020 brings you much reading pleasure . . . on whatever medium you choose.
