I'm stuck between the Darkness and The Light

It's a confusing time of the year: for an Irishman.

It's the end of one year and the start of another: or is it?

We had the Solstice, a time of change for the ancient Irish, from one season to another. Darkness banished the light promised. The knowledge of the Druids and Sun Trackers in action. (Psst, psstt...The Knowledge Seekers and the Land of Cudhabeen, my buke!)

We had Christmas Day, the new liturgical year begins. The baby in the manger, Santa and presents. (In my opinion for some kids: far to many presents.)

And now new years tomorrow. Resolutions and the like. So what will I do or not do in the new year.

Well I have only one resolution, just one.

Keep on living as long as I can and die when I can't help it.

See yas all this time next year. I hope.

Meanwhile.....“Go mbeire bliain ó inniu faoi mhaise oraibh”

(May you prosper in the year to come, well really it says may the year from today prosper on you.)

This AM - The French Woman went live

My fourth book The French Woman went Amazon Kindle live this morning,

When I check with Amazon it can be bought in a lot of countries even Japan - in the English language though, So am I a language teacher as well as a writer?

It's the first in my 20 Minute Read project.

For a long time I hear people saying I don't read books, or I don't have the time to read books.

Others think they are reading but in reality they are skimming and their eye lights on every third or fourth word only.

Then they do a review that the plot is complicated or wandering.

So here's my attempt to provide a good read in a short time.

Just remembered a while ago that some publisher is now providing abridged books - some of the classics and even Hawking's A Brief History of Time - the film is over an hour of entertainment.

So I'm on the right track with my 20 Minutes reads. At least they are mine - they have my start - my middle - and my ending.

https://t.co/EPACze1PKT

Well! Make up your mind - will ya. Is my book good or is it bad?

I revived a glowing review of In The Wicker Wood that encouraged people to buy my book.

I received a terrible review of In The Wicker Wood that warned customers about buying the book, and encouraged them not to buy it.

Well I hear you all say what's wrong with that?  We need to take the rough with the smooth.

I would: if both reviews were not written and posted - albeit a few months apart by the same reader/reviewer.

The Self Same Reviewer.

A while ago I stopped participating on the Createspace Discussion Forum because the same person kept telling me on a Monday I was a great writer and then on Friday when I disagreed with something he said - I was a terrible person, writer and human being.

We call people like that by several names in Ireland but mostly we say they are Flaky.

But the real answer is simpler. The first review was flattering to me and flattering to the writer since the piece was more about showing how well read this person thought he was. I said that on a Tweet at the time and got a nasty reply back.

The glowing comments on my work was also an attempt to get me to join his Buddy Review Club.

The second review was posted a few months after I pointed out inconsistencies in logic in his second book, and suggested it should be re-visited.

Now Mr X has a new book for sale.

And I am about to release my next two offerings on Amazon Kindle

The project is a series of 15 Minute Reads.

The first is titled Caged Bird and is a one act play. The second is a rewrite of Buteo buteo, the story of love lost, despair, and resurrection of the mind.

Interesting times!

As I grow older and wiser, I'm getting smaller!

Don't panic, don't panic - I only mean my books will be smaller from now on for a while. I will be Kindling 12,000 or 15,000 word efforts.

You see although the sequel to In The Wicker Wood is progressing and I have a first draft  ready, I have decided, as I usually do,  to park the work for a few weeks.

A friend has asked me to help him with his first book. At present he is reading a copy of WW and because he is a not a regular reader, he seems to be skimming or not understanding the plot and the characters.

When you are asked - "Where did the drugs go to before the police arrived?"

You reply "Remember the shawlie, the fish lady who was in the alley with a barrow, she flinched them."

"Missed that."

So you come home and have a look at the book and you see.....By the time the heavy gang of Gardai arrive....at The Bootery...Watcher had emptied it of the drug consignment.....

I'm having second thoughts. Not about WW: about helping him. No risk - no blame.

So then I did a bit of reading to relax and came across Nathan Meunier's e-book, "Write Short Kindle Books".

So I went back to Streets of Birdsong (short stories and poetry). I assembled a book and last year used it to try and learn how D2D worked. It worked fine but, I was not happy with the book and later I withdrew it.

Now I am having a look at rewriting and perhaps re-titling that and making a small Kindle and selling it for 99 Cents, or 99P.

Thanks Nathan, but the problem with your advice is that when my brain waved this brainwave notion and I acted on it. It means I will have to go back, next week, and finish your book for the marketing and promotion advice.

Nah Nathan, - only joking.