Tag: Book

Science Fiction in Print

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Fiction4 Comments

A short announcement. The dystopian science fiction novella, The Methuselah Strain, will soon be available in print form. Copies will all be signed. This is a limited print run, so you'll need to get your order in quickly. The book isn't launched yet, but you can pre-order by clicking on this link. More on this …

Continue reading Science Fiction in Print

Running for ME/CFS no. 49

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, charity, Fundraising, ME/CFS, Progress, Running

Three weeks tomorrow I'll be running the Great North Run. A half marathon that's been going for a long time now. I'll be one of 57,000 participants and, like most of them, I've been training now for a few months. This week's programme involved a reduction in distance and time spent running. I suspect this …

Continue reading Running for ME/CFS no. 49

Wellbeing for Writers, by Jennifer Barraclough, Reviewed.

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Creative Writer, Organisation, Review8 Comments

This is a handy little ebook that sets out to suggest strategies for writers that will help them get the most from their time and effort. I've been around for a long time, and been writing for many of those years, so there isn't actually a great deal here that's new to me. However, it's …

Continue reading Wellbeing for Writers, by Jennifer Barraclough, Reviewed.

Running for ME/CFS no. 48

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, charity, Fundraising, ME/CFS, Progress, Running

A brief update for those readers who expect one of these posts on a Monday. First, let me direct you to the two previous posts for more details. You'll find post 46 here and post 47 here. Suffice it to say that training last week went according to plan and I'm well on track for …

Continue reading Running for ME/CFS no. 48

Monster of the Apocalypse, by C. Henry Martens, Reviewed.

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Fiction, Review

This dystopian science fiction novel grips from the start. Set in the not-too-distant future, it portrays a world devastated by plague. The few inhabitants left alive display all the emotions, characteristics and personality types that exist in the real world, so it's easy to empathise with the players here. The story is different from many …

Continue reading Monster of the Apocalypse, by C. Henry Martens, Reviewed.

Running for ME/CFS no. 47

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, charity, Fundraising, ME/CFS, Progress, Running

It's happening! It's really happening, 4 weeks today! My runner's pack has arrived from the sponsors. It includes my number and a timing chip, which will track my time from the moment I pass the starting line to when I stagger across the finishing line some 7 or 8 hours later! Joking: if I can …

Continue reading Running for ME/CFS no. 47

Running for ME/CFS no. 46

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, charity, Fundraising, ME/CFS, Progress, Running

This series will draw to a natural close once I've run the Great North Run, on 13th September, and posted my final piece with the results. However, from now to the actual run, I'll be increasing my posts on an ad hoc basis when I have something new to report. So, yesterday, I did my …

Continue reading Running for ME/CFS no. 46

Running for ME/CFS no. 45

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, charity, Fundraising, ME/CFS, Progress, Running3 Comments

The race is 5 weeks today. And this week's blog post is on time, for a change! Wednesday's session consisted of 6 runs of 4 minutes, alternating with 1-minute walks. I covered 3.3 miles in 35 minutes, taking a loop through the forest and averaging just over 10 minutes per mile. Friday, I was required …

Continue reading Running for ME/CFS no. 45

A Renewed Regime.

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, charity, Creative Writer, Fiction, ME/CFS, Organisation, Progress5 Comments

Way back in 2014, that's last year in case you're not sure, I was writing fairly regularly and working on a couple of projects. But, in the middle of that year, we made a momentous decision: we would move house from our domain of 14 years and settle in an area of the country where …

Continue reading A Renewed Regime.

Running for ME/CFS no. 42

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, charity, Fundraising, ME/CFS, Progress, Running5 Comments

This week asked for a Wednesday session of 6 times 3-minute runs alternating with 2-minute walks. However, after the last fortnight's issues, I decided to do a straight 20-minute run initially, to get back into some sort of pattern. That turned out to be no problem and I actually covered a little more ground than …

Continue reading Running for ME/CFS no. 42

Where There’s Smoke, by Penny Grubb, Reviewed.

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Fiction, Review3 Comments

This great crime tale in the P.I. Annie Raymond series see the detective back in Hull, working with people she'd much rather forget. As with all Penny Grubb's fiction, there is much more going on than meets the eye at first. Annie is at once suspicious, as she is sent back to her old tramping …

Continue reading Where There’s Smoke, by Penny Grubb, Reviewed.

Running for ME/CFS no. 38

On By stuartakenIn Author, charity, Fundraising, ME/CFS, Progress, Running3 Comments

What happened to the 'Writing' bit? As followers of this blog will know, the book on ME/CFS is now written and selling. But, if you haven't yet got your copy of M.E. and me: Chronic Fatigue, My Recovery After 10 Years, please click on this link. The training continues apace. This was the last in …

Continue reading Running for ME/CFS no. 38

Internet Research for Fiction Writers, by April Taylor, Reviewed.

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Fiction, Organisation, Review2 Comments

Sometimes, you come across a reference book and wonder, 'Why didn't I find this sooner?' April Taylor's Internet Research for Fiction Writers is such a book. An earlier find would've saved me a good deal of time. Still, now that I have it on both my iPad and Mac, I can use it for the …

Continue reading Internet Research for Fiction Writers, by April Taylor, Reviewed.

Running and Writing for ME/CFS no. 37

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, charity, Fundraising, ME/CFS, Progress2 Comments

Writing: Those of you who follow the blog will know that the book was launched yesterday, 14 June, in digital and print forms. For those who missed the announcement, please follow this link to the post, where you’ll get the details. This part of this series of blog posts has now come to a natural …

Continue reading Running and Writing for ME/CFS no. 37

In the Nick of Time!

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, charity, ME/CFS, Progress7 Comments

The paperback proof copy arrived today and it looks good. I was hoping to get this in time for the print version to be available at the same time as the ebook, which has been on pre-order for a couple of weeks. The launch date for that is 14th June. The process with Amazon and …

Continue reading In the Nick of Time!