Billy Young's Blog - Posts Tagged "reviews"
19th March 2010
I forgot to mention the great review that I got from LLBookReview.com for Bublos. I meant to mention it in my last past but it slipped my mind when writing it. It is always a good feeling when someone seems to have enjoyed what you have written. I remember the first review I got for Teddy the Bear, it wasn’t very good to say the least, which was a real knock. Though without the bad ones how would we appreciate the good ones?
Banshee 2 is coming along nicely. I’m moving onto chapter 11 and fully enjoying creating my new tale of the vengeful spirit. Mandy has met up with her deepest and worst nightmare. As you may imagine it didn’t go to well for her. Also another character, Frannie has had a not to friendly confrontation with the evil that has already cost her the father of her unborn child. Alice, Mandy’s sister had her meeting with the banshee earlier in the story but I’m saying too much. Best be careful or I may give you the whole story, hehehe, and I don’t want to do that. Especially as it still will need a lot of work once I have got the first rough draft down. There are lots of things that need adding as well as smoothing out so the flow is just the way it should be.
Since my interview a few weeks back things have been slow in the job market. The news is that the recession is supposedly over but I think someone forgot to tell employers as I haven’t seen much in the way of vacancies. It reminds me of the mid eighties, when I left school. There was a real shortage of jobs then too and being fresh from school seemed a deterrent to finding work. I was full of energy yet it took a very long time before I actually got my first job. In fact it wasn’t until I had kids that I got work, by which time I had almost given up all hope that I would ever find a job. I just hope that I don’t go through that again, I don’t think I will as now I do have a work history. That is important as it does show employers that you aren’t averse to putting the effort in.
Banshee 2 is coming along nicely. I’m moving onto chapter 11 and fully enjoying creating my new tale of the vengeful spirit. Mandy has met up with her deepest and worst nightmare. As you may imagine it didn’t go to well for her. Also another character, Frannie has had a not to friendly confrontation with the evil that has already cost her the father of her unborn child. Alice, Mandy’s sister had her meeting with the banshee earlier in the story but I’m saying too much. Best be careful or I may give you the whole story, hehehe, and I don’t want to do that. Especially as it still will need a lot of work once I have got the first rough draft down. There are lots of things that need adding as well as smoothing out so the flow is just the way it should be.
Since my interview a few weeks back things have been slow in the job market. The news is that the recession is supposedly over but I think someone forgot to tell employers as I haven’t seen much in the way of vacancies. It reminds me of the mid eighties, when I left school. There was a real shortage of jobs then too and being fresh from school seemed a deterrent to finding work. I was full of energy yet it took a very long time before I actually got my first job. In fact it wasn’t until I had kids that I got work, by which time I had almost given up all hope that I would ever find a job. I just hope that I don’t go through that again, I don’t think I will as now I do have a work history. That is important as it does show employers that you aren’t averse to putting the effort in.
25th March 2011
Approved my new book for distribution through Lulu.com this week. Now the wait for it to appear on Amazon, B&N and other retailers. My sister claimed my proof-copy to read and others want to read it after her which is encouraging though I don’t get any sales out of it. I need to thing of promoting the book now. I have made a start by applying to LLBookreview.com and is now under consideration so fingers crossed. They have reviewed some of my previous books including Banshee Angel of Judgement, this makes me hopeful.
I’m planning to head to the garden centre this weekend. Yes it’s that time of year to start thinking of the garden again. I’m hoping to plant some peas or bean this year as well as some cauliflower and of course taties. I noticed that my fruit trees have started budding this week and my strawberries from last year are still doing well even though I don’t have them under a cold-frame. I’ll also need to look at what herbs I will grow this year though some have survived the cold weather. Already the thyme, oregano and American broadleaf cress is shooting up. The cress is even flowering which is a surprise. Not sure if I should nip the flowers? Whilst the thyme is not looking to healthy, hopefully it will pick up over the growing season. Yes my tubs will be busy again this year.
I’m planning to head to the garden centre this weekend. Yes it’s that time of year to start thinking of the garden again. I’m hoping to plant some peas or bean this year as well as some cauliflower and of course taties. I noticed that my fruit trees have started budding this week and my strawberries from last year are still doing well even though I don’t have them under a cold-frame. I’ll also need to look at what herbs I will grow this year though some have survived the cold weather. Already the thyme, oregano and American broadleaf cress is shooting up. The cress is even flowering which is a surprise. Not sure if I should nip the flowers? Whilst the thyme is not looking to healthy, hopefully it will pick up over the growing season. Yes my tubs will be busy again this year.
1st April 2011
Finished working out the plot for my next story. I also got word back from LLBookreview.com requesting a hard copy of my latest book Banshee Fires of Revenge. I still have to send a email so I can get the address to send it to. I’m always nervous about reviews, which I suppose isn’t surprising. You just never really know if what you’ve written is as good as you think until strangers give you good feedback. You just might find you get the kind of review I got for my first book Teddy the Bear. That one got torn apart and really knocked me for six. In the end though it allowed me to look at the story in another’s eyes and see its flaws, though I still think it is a good story and my kids did love it when they were young. Well you can’t hide from criticism if you wish to improve as a writer.
I set out my seed trays with tomatoes, carrots, tarragon, basil, beetroot, sprouts, and cos lettuce. Some of the seedlings have already started showing their heads above the soil. I also planted a couple of sacks of potatoes; they were one of the things that turned out well last year. I’ve also started preparing my tubs and gotten in some extra soil to top them up. Still need to get some fertilizer but I won’t need that for a month or so, which is good as I don’t have much money left after getting the seed last week. Still it is worth it as is getting reviews for your books.
I set out my seed trays with tomatoes, carrots, tarragon, basil, beetroot, sprouts, and cos lettuce. Some of the seedlings have already started showing their heads above the soil. I also planted a couple of sacks of potatoes; they were one of the things that turned out well last year. I’ve also started preparing my tubs and gotten in some extra soil to top them up. Still need to get some fertilizer but I won’t need that for a month or so, which is good as I don’t have much money left after getting the seed last week. Still it is worth it as is getting reviews for your books.
8th April 2011
I’ve been on holiday this week from Wednesday. Unfortunately I’ve also caught the cold from my daughter and it has been a stinker. One thing is that at least that I was on holiday so didn’t lose time at work but it has got in the way of my plans for my time off. Today though I spent time digging the front garden under the window so Magz can get her flowers planted for this year. I was also given some rhubarb which is now planted out the back near my fruit trees and strawberries. That area of the back is turning into a good fruit garden what with the two apple trees, two cherry trees, strawberries, blueberry bush, gooseberry bush and now the rhubarb. There is also a Kilmarnock willow in one corner. For a small space I have managed to squeeze a lot into it though without truly planning it all out. Maybe I may have used the space better if I had, then again can I really complain with all that is now there.
My seedlings are doing very well and I should be planting the peas out into my back-garden tubs. It may be a week or two before I plant out anything else though. I also may need to see about replanting my parsley as what I had in my garden tubs seems to have died complete over the winter. Luckily I have seeds from last year. It’s just unfortunate that the parsley didn’t survive, that’s the way it goes sometimes though.
Writing has been stifled by the blocked nose so not much to say on that front. I did send a review copy of my new book to LLbookreview.com which is at least something. Now I have to wait and hope that they enjoy it. Those awful nerves again, what can you do though. I was hoping to get started on my next tale, at least the first chapter. Still I might do that this weekend.
My seedlings are doing very well and I should be planting the peas out into my back-garden tubs. It may be a week or two before I plant out anything else though. I also may need to see about replanting my parsley as what I had in my garden tubs seems to have died complete over the winter. Luckily I have seeds from last year. It’s just unfortunate that the parsley didn’t survive, that’s the way it goes sometimes though.
Writing has been stifled by the blocked nose so not much to say on that front. I did send a review copy of my new book to LLbookreview.com which is at least something. Now I have to wait and hope that they enjoy it. Those awful nerves again, what can you do though. I was hoping to get started on my next tale, at least the first chapter. Still I might do that this weekend.
