King and the Spider - An Anthology

I have just published my second anthology, called King and the Spider. It is a collection of short stories and poems, with topics ranging from Norse mythology, to snow days and a retelling of the selkie myth.  I had been planning on having two seperate collections, one of just poems and one of just short stories. The only problem was, I was running out of steam and I didn't have enough material for two seperate collections, so I simply created one collection.

It is available on Amazon, as well as on CreateSpace. This is the second piece of my work that I have self published through CreateSpace. At the moment, I am planning on continuing to go through CreateSpace when it comes to self publishing my work. I will also be buying a few copies, which I will be selling at open mic events in Paisley.

I did get a lot of help from one of my friends, when it came to formatting the collection, as it wasn't sitting right, when I was uploading it to the website. It does look a lot better now and I am hoping that what he showed me, in relation to the "interior design" of a book, will help me in the future.

Now, I will just have to focus on my other work and make sure that it is all up to stratch.

Barrhead News Interview

Yesterday, I was interviewed by the Barrhead News. The interview went well and we focused on me working with Nordland Publishing as part of the Northlore Series, my poetry collection, Goddess of the Night and my new collection, King and the Spider. Unfortunatly, my copy of King and the Spider hasn't come through yet, so I wasn't able to bring it along to the interview. I did bring along copies of Northlore: Volume 1 and Goddess of the Night. I did mention that I am hoping that Northlore: Volume 2 will be published this year.

The Barrhead News was interested in my work, due to the fact that I am originally from Neilston, which is only a few miles from Barrhead. They are also interested in the novel that I am working on and which I am planning on setting in Neilston. From the interview yesterday, they were interested in talking to me again, when I have published it.

I also want to thank the good people at the Paisley Abbey for allowing us to take some photographs within the Abbey, which will be used in the article. I will definitly let you all know when the article has been published. Hopefully it will be in the paper some time this week.

Audio Book Recording

A couple of days ago, I was at Brick Late Studios in Paisley. I was there to record the audio for the audio book version of Goddess of the Night that I am going to be releasing. Even though I have taken part in radio interviews, being in a recording studio was something different. I have to admit, I was really nervous and it was strange to hear my voice being played back to me, as I read out my poems. 

I did stutter and fumble my words a few times, but I love the fact that they were able to take those stumbles out and made me sound as if I actually knew what I was doing. It was certainly an experience, with everything being recorded and sorted in three hours. 

I am hoping to get the audio file sent to me asap and I will be sorting everything out for the audio book the minute that I get it. Hopefully, the audio book will be out sooner, rather than later. I will certainly keep you all informed.

For all of those writers and musicians in the Paisley area and even further afield, I would certainly recommend the Brick Lane Studios.

Radio Saltire Interview

Today, I was interviewed by Radio Saltire, a volunteer run, community radio station, near Edinburgh. Even though I had left after rush hour, it still took me nearly two hours to get there. The joy of road works and heavier than expected traffic. It was more or less the same on the way back. But to the main purpose of this post.

The interview went well and everyone in the radio station were very welcoming. I spoke about my poetry collection, as well as about the Northlore Series. As well as talking aboutt the first volume of the Northlore Series, I also talked about the second volume, which will hopefully be out this year. I was asked to read out a couple of my poems. We also talked about the differences between self-publishing, as well as traditional publishing, and how self-publishing can be an amazing way of getting your name out there, giving yourself a platform.

I was even asked to come back. I will have to take them up on that offer, when I have had more of my work published. The interview went out live, but they are planning on putting the interview up on their website, as well as sending the recording me a copy of the recording as well. When I get it, I will certainly be posting it here, if anyone is interested in hearing it. 

Writers Challenge

In relation to the writers challenge that I mention in a previous blog, I seem to be making some progress, at least in relationship to submitting work to different open calls. I have written and sent off two flash fictions and two short stories. I am now working on another two short stories, which will be getting sent off asap.  The first one has the theme of winged things, which could cover fairies, dragons and such like things.

The one that I am working on for that open call involves an angel who has been expelled from the heavenly host and is found by two children. The second has the theme of fairy tales. I still have to figure out what fairy tale I want to work with and retell.

As I have a list of open calls, which I am always adding to, I certainly have a lot to be working on. There are nine open calls that I will be sending work to over the next few months. Even though some of them have deadlines, some of them are open all year round. This will certainly give me something to work towards. Hopefully, at least one of my stories will get accepted for publication. 

With any of my short stories that I send off this year and which aren't accepted for publication, I am planning on gathering them together and creating my own short story collection, which will be self-published.

Continuing to Promote "Goddess of the Night"

I recently ordered ten copies of my poetry collection, Goddess of the Night, and they arrived yesterday. It was brilliant being able to open the box. It had taken about three weeks for the order to get to me. I wish that it had gotten to me quicker, but I do have to take into account that I was buying multiple copies of a print on demand book. But they are here now.

I will be selling these copies to who-ever is interested at the next Arts Collective Paisley open mic event that I will be attending. It will be taking place at Blend Coffee Lounge, on Causeyside Street, Paisley. I will be selling these copies for £4 on the night, rather than for £6, which is the going rate on Amazon. Hopefully, it will go well. I am planning on putting what money that I do make from selling these copies into buying more and selling them at more poetry and open mic events.

I got the idea of selling my self-published work at open mic events actually came from one of my friends, who is in my writers group. Taking along hard copies of my books, in order to sell them was one of the many suggestions. I am looking forward to doing this. I just hope that it goes well.

A Challenge for 2016

As I am part of a writer's group, I have accepted a challenge that has been set for everyone in the group. The challenge is that every member is to submit work and have it published. Any work that is self-published isn't accepted and as we will all have work published in the second volume of the Northlore Series, that won't be counted either. It has to be in other magazines or anthologies. I already have a list of magazines and anthologies that are open to submissions.

So far, I have already submitted two pieces of work, including my first piece of flash fiction. I am currently working on a third piece that has to be sent in by the 1st February this year. Even if I write more pieces than get published this year, I am planning on using many of the short stories that I will write this year to create my own collection of short stories, which I will self-publish.