Mr. Planemaker's Flying Machine on Preston FM

Preston FM is about to serialise Mr. Planemaker's Flying Machine for the daily morning programme, Chat City.

The time: 8.20am every morning Monday to Friday

The place: Chat City on Preston FM

The starting date: May 11th 2009

5-8 min daily episodes will be repeated in an omnibus edition at 5pm each Sunday.

Listen live online on http://www.preston.fm/

Writing Community Unites to Write "Forever Friends"

This collection of stories and poems, created by members of the Published Authors Forum on the world wide web, reflects the bond of friendship between writers from all over the world.

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Forever Friends

Anthology by members of the Published Authors Network and Forum

The anthology is out at last! In May this year, members of the Published Authors Network and Forum came up with the idea of an anthology to celebrate friendship between writers on the world wide web. I edited the submissions and compiled the anthology, Forever Friends.

From the many submissions, I selected thirty-one short stories and twenty-nine poems from forty-seven contributors. The attraction of this collection of work lies in its diversity and variety of genres. From romance and mystery to fantasy and science fiction, there is something for everyone. While some stories are short and pithy, others are thought-provoking and satisfying. All are entertaining.

Forever Friends is a celebration of the power of friendship and human relationships. The breadth and depth of the stories cover all ages from young to old. Filled with love and respect for family, friends, pets and even a telescope, these stories are guaranteed to entertain the most discerning reader. Thoughtful poems of friendship and love will bring smiles or tears and encourage readers to read the next story. The fiction and non-fiction works in this book express friendship as timeless, enduring and forever.

Forever Friends View the book

Wales Book of the Year

The Power of Persuasion is on the list for Wales Book of the Year, an annual prize administered by the Welsh Academy:

Yr Academi Gymreig – The Welsh Academy is the Welsh National Literature Promotion Agency and Society of Writers. The Academi runs events, courses, competitions (including the Cardiff International Poetry Competition run with the support of Cardiff Council and offering a first prize of £5000), conferences (see details of the forthcoming Belfast Meets Wales conference here), tours by authors, lectures, international exchanges, events for schools, readings, literary performances and festivals. The Academi is also responsible for Services to Writers and now offers bursaries, critical advice and administers the annual Wales Book of the Year award.

http://www.academi.org/about-academi/

The book can be found on Google book search. Click on "Preview this book" to browse through the book:

The Power of Persuasion

Bookmark II

Presenting The Power of Persuasion

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Delia Latham's Blog Tour

I would like to welcome author Delia Latham. Delia's second book will be released in March. Follow the tour to learn more information about Delia and her new book, Goldeneyes.

Delia Latham is a former newspaper Staff Writer and a frequent contributor to her hometown’s regional publication, Bakersfield Magazine. She also writes greeting card verse, short stories, articles, and songs. Her editing and proofing skills have been utilized by numerous authors, including Dr. Chuck Wall, founder of the Random Acts of Kindness movement.

A debut novel, Almost Like a Song, was released in June 2006; Goldeneyes will be released in March 2008 by Vintage Romance Publishing. Delia’s work is included in an upcoming short story anthology, The Shortstack: 20 Stories to Fill You Up.

The author lives in Bakersfield, California with her husband, Johnny, a Pentecostal minister. Her four adult children and four “beautiful, absolutely perfect” grandchildren daily light up her life. She loves to hear from her readers.

Contact her through her website: Delia Latham's Books

or her blog: Delia's Blog

A man’s eyes are the windows to his soul … if he has one.

Deep in the darkness of a Depression-era night, a man addicted to alcohol sells something precious to obtain it. His vile action impacts the lives of two entire families, and it will be over two decades before the horrible wrong begins to be made right again.

Two young women – strangers to each other – unknowingly enmeshed in a Pandora’s Box of secrets that could prevent them from finding happiness with the men they love. Two adoring mothers who know more than they are willing to say. A newsman with a story he cannot tell. What is their connection, and who is the golden-eyed stranger who moves in the shadows of their broken lives?

Excerpt:

The old cuckoo clock on the shelf in the front room struck midnight. It’s persistent chirping irritated Jack Kelly’s already frayed nerves as he paced back and forth across the small room.

“Shut up! Shut up!” he growled beneath his breath, casting an anxious look at the crib in the next room. When no signs of disturbed sleep were forthcoming, he breathed a grateful sigh of relief. The last thing he needed right now was a squalling infant to further vex the burning demon within him. He had promised his wife he would not spend a cent on liquor. New babies meant new expenses, and those things must come first.

So far he had kept his promise; he’d had no choice. Every penny he earned with his hoe, day after blistering day in the cotton fields, was swallowed up in scratching out a meager existence. There never seemed to be a penny extra, to say nothing of the few dollars a bottle of whiskey would cost. With the addition of this new offspring, who knew when he would be able to quench the gnawing demon of thirst that drove him insane? He had to put food on the table and a roof over their heads. The arrival of more children would only make that job harder, and it was obvious Annie did not intend to stop at one pregnancy.

Another glance into the small bedroom revealed no unwelcome stirrings from the crib. A bright moonbeam, however, lay across the bed, and Kelly’s tormented gaze fell on the lovely face of the woman he had married. He had considered himself a lucky man when she said yes to his proposal, despite her goody-two-shoes, Bible-thumping parents. If he loved anything on this poor excuse of an earth, he loved Annie. She was a perfect wife.

Their home might be barely more than a shack, but it sparkled, and she was a real wonder in the kitchen. He could not remember her voice ever raised in anger, even when he had fallen through the front door, dog drunk, a week after she married him.

Kelly’s fevered mind wandered to his conversation with the poor fish in the cotton field. Had it only been eight or nine hours ago? It seemed an eon; every moment without the drink he craved was an eternity.

Poor fella don’t know how lucky he is. Only has to worry ‘bout that pretty little gal and hisself. I bet he could buy a bottle of whiskey if he wanted one!

With the thought, an idea was born, full-blown and itching for action. He actually stopped pacing for a moment, shocked to the core by the undiluted vileness of the seed taking root in his mind. He stood staring at the crib against the far wall and shook his head as if to toss out the evil thought.

“You’re crazy,” he whispered. His heart pounded painfully against his chest; little beads of sweat dotted his forehead and chin. “You’ve done gone stark, starin’ mad!”

And perhaps he had, for suddenly he found himself across the room, gazing down into the hand-me-down crib. He was horrified at the darkness within his imagination, yet knew full well he hadn’t the strength of mind or will to resist its powerful pull.

One more almost desperate glance at his wife’s face … if she would only wake up he would have to forsake this notion, and perhaps he could rid himself of the unforgivable intent. Indeed, Annie did stir a little and drew a deep sigh, almost as though she heard his desperate mental cry. But hers was the sleep of utter exhaustion and she slumbered on.

A few moments later, Kelly slipped silently out the back door of the little shack, clutching a tiny pink bundle in his arms and blinking back the tears of shame and self-loathing that sprang unbidden to his eyes.

Delia's Blog Tour Schedule (don't miss out!)

Mar. 4 – Dee Owen – Dee's Blog
Mar. 5 – Tabitha Robin – Tabitha Robin
Mar. 7 – Tori Close – Tori Close
Mar. 10 – Jennifer Hudson Taylor – Jennifer's Blog
Mar. 12 – Debra Ullrick - Debra's Blog
Mar. 17 – Miralee Ferrell – Miralee's Blog
Mar. 19 – Bonnie Winters - Bonnie's Blog
Mar. 20 – Cynthia Hickey – Cynthia's Blog
Mar. 24 – Pamela James - Pamela's Blog
Mar. 24 – 28 – Tracy Ruckman – Tracy's Blog
Mar. 25 – Christa Allan - Christa Allan
Mar. 31 – Gina Conroy – Gina Conroy
April 20 – Marian Merritt – Marian Merritt
April 27 – Margaret Daley – Margaret's Blog
Throughout February and March – David G. Boggs – David G. Boggs David's Blog

My Poem Editor's Choice

My poem has received this award:
Hope for a Safer Place has been awarded our prestigious Editor's Choice Award because it displays an original perspective and unique creativity -- judged to be the qualities found most in exceptional poetry.

Shelagh Watkins 2007

Thanks to everyone for voting!
~Shelagh

A wish for peace this Christmas

Christmas is only two weeks and two days away so I thought I would send my best wishes for peace this Christmas.
A. Leon Spaceman sends his best wishes too!

The Power of Persuasion cover

The Power of Persuasion is in the final stages of proofreading, so I thought I would give you a sneak preview of the cover:

Mr. Planemaker's Flying Machine

I've just produced a promotional video for Mr. Planemaker's Flying Machine. It's only my second attempt and I aim to improve! Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

Bookmark

This is the first bookmark design for Mr. Planemaker's Flying Machine. The second design will be here soon!

e-zine: The Infinite Writer

My flash fiction story, Not a Hill of Beans, is on The Infinite Writer e-zine for the month of August. If you have written a flash fiction/short story or a poem, check out this e-zine and consider submitting your work:

The Infinite Writer

Reasons manuscripts are rejected

This is a blog about a blog! If you love writing but have difficulty coping with a constant flow of rejection letters and emails, I think I've found someone who can help you!

For first-time authors, finding an agent or publisher can be almost impossible and without guidelines, new writers keep making the same mistakes, which leads to more rejections. If you would like advice about how to present your work to improve the chances of success, check out Elizabeth Lucas-Taylor's MySpace blog:

Reasons manuscripts are rejected

Something special in Cardiff!

Paul Potts has a special talent; he was also bullied at school: he epitomises what my book, Mr. Planemaker's Flying Machine, is all about. He's finally reaching for the stars!

A button for your web sites

I've just created a button link to my web site:



To create a button for your site, click on the button maker link at the bottom right of this page.

My first short story accepted!

My first short story accepted!

My first short story was accepted by Universe Pathways Magazine.

Special thanks to George Sotirhos at Universe Pathways for reading my story and accepting it for the English version of the magazine.

Issue 5 of the English magazine with my story inside can be previewed on lulu.com:

Universe Pathways preview

My story, Leo's Daughter: Mistress of the Web, is on page 167.

You can find Issue 5 of the English magazine here:

Universe Pathways: Issue 5

Me and a pop star...

Me and a pop star...

I suppose that should be a pop star and me, since Mark Owen is far more famous than me. But we are both from Lancashire and we did appear together on the front page of a newspaper magazine -- Mark on the left and me on the right. If it's too small, click on the picture to see a bigger image. This is old news that recently became new when Take That decided to re-form and release a new CD. They used to write and perform songs for a young audience and recently made a come back writing for a more mature audience. There's the similarity. Not the fame, fortune and acclaim but reinventing themselves. My first book was aimed at a young audience -- although it can be read by 10-80 year olds -- and now I am rewriting a novel, The Power of Persuasion, aimed at a more mature audience. There the similarity ends. But I can dream.

My first short story

My first short story

I know this is a tad late, but a belated happy New Year everyone! There is no excuse for it -- everyone is busy at this time of year and telling everyone you're busy is like telling everyone you're alive.

Anyway, talking of telling, I have a favour to ask about storytelling:

I have added my first short story on gather.com. Please check it out and tell me what you think. It is my first attempt at writing a short story, so the next one shoud be better! Click on this link to read the story:

Leo's Daughter: Mistress of the Web

Something new...

Something new...

Something new at last! I have just set up a new group, Children's Fiction, on LibraryThing for readers of all ages.

Please take a look and if you join, you will be made very welcome!

Children's Fiction Group