A new old writer

[Richard Turner]

Hello. I am now 71 and in the process of writing a second novel. The first The Vandervelde Documents, was co-published by a strange mini-publisher who left me with all the promotion work to do. I soon found I was on the wrong tack and have left the "Documents" to their fate. The trilogy can still be found on Amazon.
Feeling completely disillusioned I decided that if I couldn't get my next book published by a proper publisher then it would have to stay unpublished, or at least unknown. Accordingly I have studied how to write a commercial thriller, and would like more feedback on the opening chapters of "Lucas and the Girl from the Sea."
My name is Richard Stewart Turner. I used Richard for the "Documents" and am now using Stewart for Lucas. I look forward to taking part in this strange new environment.

 

[Amber Zade]

Awesome! Welcome! Sorry about your misadventure.

 

[KG Christopher]

Welcome Richard.

 

[Richard Turner]

Awesome! Welcome! Sorry about your misadventure.

Being a grumpy old Brit I would love to see the tired old word "Awesome" outlawed completely, cast into room 101, sent to meet its maker whoever that may have been! Apart from that thanks for the greeting!

 

[Katie-Ellen]

Hello Welcome. Misadventure notwithstanding, congratulations on The Vandervelde Documents.

(Was aviation entrepreneur Amy, inspired at all by Amy Johnson? There is an Amy Johnson Way six miles up the road from me - commemorating her last flight before she was lost)

And will any verse on the subject of Awesomeness be acceptable?


Compute Awe


God@pearlygatesdotcom
Designed a World in RAM and ROM
The Programme’s called Till Kingdom Come
No viruses have crashed it yet
Despite the Devil@helldotnet
Old Nick the Hacker means to win
But so far failed; we’re still plugged in
And hear the God- Computer hum
The universal sound of ‘Ommm’

Creation new and never-ending
In countless files with files still pending
From here to nebulas most far
From a single cell to a giant star
From all a life from birth to death
And in-between it’s every breath
Our highest inspiration
And spirit’s destination
The ROM The Universal Laws
The RAM our choices, chances, flaws

Life shall never be destroyed
Its bits and bytes just redeployed
In pixels brightly painting
Futurity awaiting
In awe I stand, in trust I pray
The Programme runs till Judgement Day.

KEH

 

[Richard Turner]

Hello Welcome. Misadventure notwithstanding, congratulations on The Vandervelde Documents.

(Was aviation entrepreneur Amy, inspired at all by Amy Johnson? There is an Amy Johnson Way six miles up the road from me - commemorating her last flight before she was lost)

And will any verse on the subject of Awesomeness be acceptable?


Compute Awe


God@pearlygatesdotcom
Designed a World in RAM and ROM
The Programme’s called Till Kingdom Come
No viruses have crashed it yet
Despite the Devil@helldotnet
Old Nick the Hacker means to win
But so far failed; we’re still plugged in
And hear the God- Computer hum
The universal sound of ‘Ommm’

Creation new and never-ending
In countless files with files still pending
From here to nebulas most far
From a single cell to a giant star
From all a life from birth to death
And in-between it’s every breath
Our highest inspiration
And spirit’s destination
The ROM The Universal Laws
The RAM our choices, chances, flaws

Life shall never be destroyed
Its bits and bytes just redeployed
In pixels brightly painting
Futurity awaiting
In awe I stand, in trust I pray
The Programme runs till Judgement Day.

KEH

View attachment 1074

Thanks for this. No, I'm afraid the name Amy was selected at random. Your poem is 'awe-inspiring'. I love the idea that bits and bytes, like matter, can never be destroyed. Perhaps they will become the building blocks for a different kind of life!

 

[Katie-Ellen]

Perhaps they will Carbon and silicon.

 

[Nicole Wilson]

Welcome! Another thriller writer! Woo hoo!

 

[Richard Turner]

Welcome! Another thriller writer! Woo hoo!

I read your blog on influences. Lee Child I know. He's a master of the form, and I'm reading 'A Wanted Man' at present. The others I don't know. My influences would include John Le Care near the top, and people like Henning Mankel and Stieg Larson.

 

[Lex Black]

Welcome to the Colony!

 

[Alistair Roberts]

Welcome to the colony Richard. The publishing industry has a few traps just like any other. Hopefully your next one will sail better

 

[Madeleine Conway]

Hello Richard - I feel your pain, re books that get 'published' but aren't really pushed by a publisher. I mistakenly signed a contract with a US e-book publisher in 2006/7 and the book sank without trace. Now that I feel a lot more savvy with the passing of time, I am contemplating repackaging and issuing independently. My favourite part of the whole experience was receiving cheques from the US-based publisher for $3:67. I sent them all back - I think I made the grand total of about $30 over the past 7-8 years. .

Welcome and good luck with the writing.

 

[Carol Rose]

Welcome to the Colony!

 

[Paul Whybrow]

Welcome to the Colony Richard. Grumpy old men are always welcome, and there's a fair few of us in this neck of the literary woods. I also write thrillers. If you don't know them, I recommend Lawrence Block, John Connolly and Michael Connelly.

 

[Robinne Weiss]

Welcome!

 

[Sea-shore]

Warm welcome to you.

 

[Richard Sutton]

Always nice to see another Richard here. Pull up a sofa and hang around a while!

 

[Marc Joan]

Welcome!

 

[AgentPete]

Nice to have you here, Richard!