Why you should share what you write...
ACCORDING to the excellent Freedom From Writing web resource one should regularly update people as to where they can find your writing, so I had a wee scan through where my writing has been hanging out of late.
Apparently the best way to get material picked up and/or freelance writing assignments is to make sure that people can see what you've written already
As usual most of my music writing appears on my blog, which is also syndicated on Rockradioni and appears on my Wikinut page. Some artists actually believe what I write and have used material and quotations on their Facebook and Reverbnation pages...
Despite a few typos -I was pleased have had a gig review on the global (page views in excess of 1.2m) Metal Rules website for the Steve Vai gig in Belfast, and my review of Nine Inch Nails at Belsonic appeared on the Independent Voice webzine.
My creative writing - that is my short stories appear on my Smashwords page for purchase (film options still available for some of these stories!).
The benefit of Smashwords is that if you meet the standards your stories then appear on other online e-story outlets such as iTunes, Barnes and Noble, Sony readers amongst others. (Kindle users at this time have to purchase/read sample from my Smashwords page to get it on your Kindle.)
After this time looking through where I have been published I took a little time flicking back through old clippings from my first jobs in journalism through to being the American Football correspondent for the now defunct Ireland's Saturday Night.
Doing so I came across my first published piece of creative writing, a short story that was carried by the BBC, a morality tale all about traffic...written before I was even 40 you can read it here.
All in all not a bad output for a part-time hobby; maybe one day my freelance output will get bought and my creative stories will find a home (as said film options and TV options al still available)
If you want to share your freelance output, or hints and tips for aspiring writers (start writing is the main tip!) just drop your comment below and keep writing.
Ghosts in the Glass, A Review
Book review by Ellie Rose McKee.
‘Ghosts in the Glass & Other Stories’ is the first anthology written
by various members of Belfast Writer’s Group – edited by Lynda Collins. As the
title suggests, the theme is all things spooky and supernatural. I’m not
typically a fan of the horror genre but this book left me pleasantly surprised.
It’s a thoroughly enjoyable way to spend an evening. The stories are engaging
and not at all predictable. My particular favorites were ‘Arthur Grey: Lucifer’s
Factory’ by M Rush, and ‘Peace of Mind’ by Phil Deane.
All in all I’d rate it five
stars out of five.
It is available to buy – at an excellent price* – from Amazon as a
paperback and a Kindle eBook. Preview
here.
*All profits go to charity, Action Cancer.
The Black Conspiracy is the second of a pair of books by Bangor author, Ken Magee. It's a funny, contemporary fantasy which answers the question "What happens when ancient magic meets the Internet".Ken has always loved fantasy novels, particularly the work of Terry Pratchett and Robert Rankin. He says "I was always going to write in the humorous fantasy genre, and twenty years experience of working in the IT industry, was bound to influence the storyline."
Here's the book's blurb...
Ancient magic has infected the Internet… is this the end for civilisation?
Ancient
magic has transported Tung, a young thief, and Madrick, a has-been wizard,
across a millennium. Now the magic has infected the Internet and civilisation
simply can’t handle the consequences.
To make
matters even worse, evil wizards have followed Tung and Madrick through time.
They’re determined to hunt down and destroy the pair, and with them, our modern
way of life. Saving the world has just
got a whole lot harder.
Do you want to laugh while the world comes to
an end? The Black Conspiracy is the spellbinding, stand-alone sequel to Dark
Tidings.
The Black Conspiracy is available from Amazon and has already had some great reviews:"This wonderful book takes the story forward from Ken Magee's debut novel Dark Tidings. It's a fantasy but with a difference - ancient magic meets big banking and the internet.
This is a hugely funny book. Ken Magee's sense of humour shines out through the story and leaves the reader with some beautifully memorable phrases. It's not often that I've encountered the Universe as a character. She's a corker, if a little unpredictable after a tipple! Utterly brilliant!" Ignite - Amazon top 500 reviewer.
If you would like some more information about the books or the author, you can email ken.magee@gametheworld.com or Tweet at https://twitter.com/KenMageeAuthor or have a look at Ken's blog.
Dark Tidings by Ken Magee
Ken started this book many years ago, but it wasn't until 2011 that he got the chance to write full time and finish his début novel. He describes the delay in getting the book finished as 'life getting in the way'.
Ken has always loved fantasy novels, particularly the work of Terry Pratchett and Robert Rankin. He says "I was always going to write in the humorous fantasy genre, and twenty years experience of working in the IT industry, was bound to influence the storyline." Here's the book's blurb...
What happens when ancient magic meets the internet? One thing is certain, modern life will never be the same again.
A thousand years ago, a young thief, Tung, and a disgraced wizard,
Madrick, are thrust together in an executioner’s dungeon. In the darkness,
Madrick reveals an incredible secret about a legendary spell. The great spell
helps them escape their prison cell... and eventually their century.
Catapulted into the present day, their lives collide with Michael,
a computer hacker who plans to destroy the world’s largest bank. But sinister
people are tracking their every move and they will stop at nothing to steal
their spell.
Dark Tidings is available from Amazon and has already had some great reviews:"Imagine the worlds of Terry Pratchett and Dan Brown coming together- Dark Tidings provides a witty and clever read that will appeal to all readers."
"This is a super book! It's intelligent, extremely funny and very relevant to what's going on in the world today."
If you would like some more information about the books or the author, you can email ken.magee@gametheworld.com or Tweet @Ken MageeAuthor or have a look at Ken's blog.
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