Evening gang,
In answer to the above question I've posed my own opinion is yes. But that doesn't mean folk shouldn't try. Most of you won't have read (or even be aware) of the recent Francis report into the failings at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust. It hasn't received much news coverage because we've got carried away with horse meat being found in some foods but it's worth a read.
The thing is, I work in the NHS and I'm a fan of it but it's a shambles. But that's not because of the majority of folk working within it, we're just so bloody tied up with rules, regulations, targets and sodding cost savings that bugger all gets done. Of course, that's just my opinion and not that of my employer. Don't want to upset anyone and get hauled into teachers office!
But, in more book related news, my new 5* crime thriller The Trust is also linked to the NHS. Largely through the allegations of patient abuse in a long closed mental asylum and the suggestion that a group of well meaning but misguided employees might be carrying out euthanasia on patients in their care. Madness! But worth a look.
In other news I'm back at work on Monday after a week off so I intend to stay up late tonight drinking ale, eating pizza and either watching a film or mooching on the Xbox. I might struggle to sleep anyway since the wife mentioned in passing that she might fancy moving house! There is a lovely house up the road from here with a indoor pool. It's a steal at just 1.8 million. I'm not sure that's what she's got in mind though. We'll see how this develops. Don't tell the wife but if we can find an awesome house, in a nice area that means we can be well on the way to being mortgage free then I'm on board.
Anyway, things to do. Book is selling well, but never well enough so dive in and tell your friends.
Showing posts with label NHS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NHS. Show all posts
Saturday, 2 March 2013
Sunday, 3 February 2013
Is my new book for you?
Evening all,
The answer to this question is actually probably not. It has some fairly controversial themes. Euthanasia. Murder. Government cover-ups. Patient abuse. All the sorts of things that might upset some folk.
Of course you're not obliged to buy the book and if you don't like it you certainly don't have to finish it. Plus, all the events in the book are based on real events i.e. things that actually happened. I just put a few of them together and created a story around them. And there is justice all round at the end so it's all good.
The book is called The Trust, as in Primary Care Trust, like the NHS. It'll make more sense when you read it. It's set in Lancaster. I've changed the name of the asylum to Moorcastle. It was actually called the Moor (and is pictured on the front cover) and it really is being redeveloped. In fact, lots of it already has been. The loan store where one of the central characters works is real too. I know because I used to work there.
Anyway, it's a twisty turny crime thriller although I've introduced a rather nice romance angle for those that like that sort of thing. It's out now on Kindle with all other formats, including paperback, to follow. It's also less than a quid!
Last thing, here are the links!
Amazon UK version
Amazon US version
The answer to this question is actually probably not. It has some fairly controversial themes. Euthanasia. Murder. Government cover-ups. Patient abuse. All the sorts of things that might upset some folk.
Of course you're not obliged to buy the book and if you don't like it you certainly don't have to finish it. Plus, all the events in the book are based on real events i.e. things that actually happened. I just put a few of them together and created a story around them. And there is justice all round at the end so it's all good.
The book is called The Trust, as in Primary Care Trust, like the NHS. It'll make more sense when you read it. It's set in Lancaster. I've changed the name of the asylum to Moorcastle. It was actually called the Moor (and is pictured on the front cover) and it really is being redeveloped. In fact, lots of it already has been. The loan store where one of the central characters works is real too. I know because I used to work there.
Anyway, it's a twisty turny crime thriller although I've introduced a rather nice romance angle for those that like that sort of thing. It's out now on Kindle with all other formats, including paperback, to follow. It's also less than a quid!
Last thing, here are the links!
Amazon UK version
Amazon US version
Saturday, 10 November 2012
French sales, choking and chimney sweeps
Evening gang!
Exciting news. I've only gone and sold a copy of Playground Cool in France. Why is this a big deal? I suppose it's not in the wider context but I generally sell sod all in Europe unless I'm doing a promo of some sort. Whoever you are...merci! You see what I did there?
In other news, as per my previous post I was struggling creatively so me and the wife went to watch Skyfall the other night. Blimey it's good. Good story, plenty in it for the long term Bond fan, some brave decisions in terms of key characters and all the usual stunt madness you'd expect. Top drawer.
We also went to our local pub for tea the night after which was excellent as ever. A particular highlight was a woman choking. Hang on! I don't mean that it was a highlight to see her choking obviously. You see, I live in a bit of a leafy village full of doctors and retired well to do types. I'm the youngest person on my street by a distance, and the poorest. So the village pub is generally filled with these folk on a nightly basis and it's a bit of a running joke with my friends i.e. the best place to collapse is in my pub because half the NHS are in there every night. So this woman suddenly jumps up from her tea, clearly struggling and immediately someone says "Don't worry love, there's a doctor sat there" and points to the table next to ours.
Anyway the lady was fine, blockage cleared, she sat down and carried on with her tea. It rather summed up where I live and supported the running joke. If you need a doctor, head for the pub.
So after so much entertainment I was all refreshed and ready for some writing. A big help in getting me back into the mood was the superb Imagine the other night featuring Ian Rankin. Today I edited thirty plus pages and am aiming to do the same tomorrow. Good times.
Speaking of Ian Rankin, my tickets arrived today. For our wedding anniversary the wife is taking me to Preston to a reading and signing with my fave writer. Hurrah! Well done wife.
Did I mention we had the chimney swept as well? What a life I lead.
Anyway, enough rambling. Bottom line is, the muse has returned and the book is back on track.
Night folks.
Exciting news. I've only gone and sold a copy of Playground Cool in France. Why is this a big deal? I suppose it's not in the wider context but I generally sell sod all in Europe unless I'm doing a promo of some sort. Whoever you are...merci! You see what I did there?
In other news, as per my previous post I was struggling creatively so me and the wife went to watch Skyfall the other night. Blimey it's good. Good story, plenty in it for the long term Bond fan, some brave decisions in terms of key characters and all the usual stunt madness you'd expect. Top drawer.
We also went to our local pub for tea the night after which was excellent as ever. A particular highlight was a woman choking. Hang on! I don't mean that it was a highlight to see her choking obviously. You see, I live in a bit of a leafy village full of doctors and retired well to do types. I'm the youngest person on my street by a distance, and the poorest. So the village pub is generally filled with these folk on a nightly basis and it's a bit of a running joke with my friends i.e. the best place to collapse is in my pub because half the NHS are in there every night. So this woman suddenly jumps up from her tea, clearly struggling and immediately someone says "Don't worry love, there's a doctor sat there" and points to the table next to ours.
Anyway the lady was fine, blockage cleared, she sat down and carried on with her tea. It rather summed up where I live and supported the running joke. If you need a doctor, head for the pub.
So after so much entertainment I was all refreshed and ready for some writing. A big help in getting me back into the mood was the superb Imagine the other night featuring Ian Rankin. Today I edited thirty plus pages and am aiming to do the same tomorrow. Good times.
Speaking of Ian Rankin, my tickets arrived today. For our wedding anniversary the wife is taking me to Preston to a reading and signing with my fave writer. Hurrah! Well done wife.
Did I mention we had the chimney swept as well? What a life I lead.
Anyway, enough rambling. Bottom line is, the muse has returned and the book is back on track.
Night folks.
Thursday, 19 January 2012
My boss bought my book!
Hello again.
Strange day today. While talking to my manager she suddenly asked if I would sign her Kindle. I was caught off guard as I was at work but, of course, it turned out she'd stumbled across my book on Amazon, recognised my name and downloaded a copy.
I was a bit red-faced but she said she liked it and had recommended it to her colleagues. The thought of these people reading what I've written is an odd one. I love that they've bought it, but I have a professional relationship with them so it's strange to be talking to them about something so personal.
Still, I have to see it as positive as the whole point of my writing is that someone will eventually read it.
Until next time...
Strange day today. While talking to my manager she suddenly asked if I would sign her Kindle. I was caught off guard as I was at work but, of course, it turned out she'd stumbled across my book on Amazon, recognised my name and downloaded a copy.
I was a bit red-faced but she said she liked it and had recommended it to her colleagues. The thought of these people reading what I've written is an odd one. I love that they've bought it, but I have a professional relationship with them so it's strange to be talking to them about something so personal.
Still, I have to see it as positive as the whole point of my writing is that someone will eventually read it.
Until next time...
Sunday, 15 January 2012
Camilla has read my email
Afternoon folks,
Just a quick update today. I've sent an email to a site I found on the Amazon discussion boards which apparently promotes Indie authors like myself.
But the big news is that one of the agents I sent an email to earier in the week has read it (and quite possibly deleted it). So we shall see. And according to their Twitter feed, Bang Publishing are ploughing through manuscripts so fingers crossed.
Editing on The 24 Hour Jazz Cafe is finished so the next tasks are to send out more stuff to agents, finally sort out a Facebook page (though I might leave that until something happens with the new book) and begin editing a previous novel called All The Fun of The Fair.
It's all happening and hopefully a decent chunk of redundancy money from the NHS later in the year will allow me some free time to attack the writing full time, at least for a few months.
Just a quick update today. I've sent an email to a site I found on the Amazon discussion boards which apparently promotes Indie authors like myself.
But the big news is that one of the agents I sent an email to earier in the week has read it (and quite possibly deleted it). So we shall see. And according to their Twitter feed, Bang Publishing are ploughing through manuscripts so fingers crossed.
Editing on The 24 Hour Jazz Cafe is finished so the next tasks are to send out more stuff to agents, finally sort out a Facebook page (though I might leave that until something happens with the new book) and begin editing a previous novel called All The Fun of The Fair.
It's all happening and hopefully a decent chunk of redundancy money from the NHS later in the year will allow me some free time to attack the writing full time, at least for a few months.
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