Tag Archives: culture

“Albatross: The Scent Of Honeysuckle” By Jeff B Grant Is Now Available For Purchase

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My close friend, Jeff Grant published “Albatross: The Scent Of Honeysuckle” on 22 September2015. I have known Jeff for some 15 years now and am thrilled that a book on which he has worked so hard is now available for purchase. The book description reads as follows:

“I take up the little dog-eared, black and white photograph and gaze at it yet again. He could be anybody: but I know he’s of me, mine. As I put it down

again on the rough table by the bed, lines from a Chinese poem are in my mind – ‘Let me go down next year with the spring waters And search for you to

the end of the white clouds in the east.'” Barnaby Marechal knows he has a choice: search for the son he abandoned as an infant many years ago, or risk

psychological meltdown under the burden of an unpaid moral debt”.

Jeff B Grant Born in the city of Leicester in the UK, Jeff was educated at Bedford Modern School, and Strode’s Grammar School in the county of Surrey –

then subsequently at St. Edmund Hall, Oxford where he studied English Language and Literature. After graduating, he worked for several years as a Producer

and then Director of television and cinema commercials in London. One of his early directing credits, the 1973 Public Information Film, “Dark and Lonely

Water”, is still garnering comments on YouTube today as the scariest of all Public Information Films broadcast on UK television. Jeff then moved on to

writing and directing films for organisations such as the Rank Organisation, the Ford Motor Company, the BBC, Central Television, British Oxygen Company

etc. He has worked all over the UK and mainland Europe, in several African countries, India, Hong Kong, Japan, Australia, the USA and the Caribbean. He

received many international awards for both directing and writing. Jeff left the film industry during the recession of the mid-nineties, moved out of London

into the country and took a long look at himself and at life. He eventually moved back to London where he now lives. When not writing, he plays piano,

tinkers with computers, watches films and birds, takes photographs of the world around him, practises yoga, spends time with his partner, family and friends,

and eats hot Indian food”.

Albatross

“Albatross” is available in paperback and can be found here (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Albatross-scent-honeysuckle-Jeff-Grant/dp/0993332803/ref=sr_1_44?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1444485269&sr=1-44&keywords=albatross), and here (http://uedata.amazon.com/Albatross-Honeysuckle-Jeff-B-Grant/dp/0993332803).

 

Revolution By A E Housman

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West and away the wheels of darkness roll,

Day’s beamy banner up the east is borne,

Spectres and fears, the nightmare and her foal,

Drown in the golden deluge of the morn.

But over sea and continent from sight

Safe to the Indies has the earth conveyed

The vast and moon-eclipsing cone of night,

Her towering foolscap of eternal shade.

See, in mid heaven the sun is mounted; hark,

The belfries tingle to the noonday chime.

‘Tis silent, and the subterranean dark

Has crossed the nadir, and begins to climb.

The Overwhelming Majority Of Self-Published Work is “Bad” – I Beg To Differ

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I recently came across the following comment regarding the difficulties experienced by authors in getting published, (http://www.derekhaines.ch/justpublishing/i-need-a-publisher-no-you-dont/comment-page-1/#comment-1607). The commenter’s argument is neatly encapsulated by the following quote,

“Here’s the truth: 99.99% self publish because a traditional publisher rejected their manuscripts.

Why? Because they’re BAD!”

 

The above is a  sweeping assertion. How can the commenter possibly know why so many authors find it difficult to get published via established (traditional) publishing companies? Where is the evidence to bolster his case? The plain truth is that he produces no facts in support of this highly contentious statement.

Established big name publishers will, on the whole publish what they believe will sell. What sells does not always correlate with what constitutes good writing. Of  course there are many excellent works published by traditional publishers. However alongside the excellent exists what to my mind at least constitutes pap. The same applies to self-published authors – there is much good work out there which co-exists alongside the pap. I don’t believe that anyone can say, hand on heart that all that eminates from the traditional publishing stable is sweet scented hay while that coming from self-published authors is coated in horse dung. The sweet smelling hay and the manure are present in both stables and its nonsense to contend otherwise.

As  a  self-published author I do, of course have an axt to grind in that I believe my own work is far from being “bad”. I have also read many other self-published authors and poets who’s writing is far from being “bad”. I chose to self-publish due to wanting control over my own work. However I have a  close friend in the off-line (real) world who expended countless hours in firing off letters to literary agents and publishers. He  got nowhere. Hence he decided to self-publish using Createspace. It  may be said that friendship clouds my judgement, however, having read a  considerable portion of his manuscript I can assure my readers that it is far from being “bad”. It  is, in my opinion extremely well written.

I have nothing whatsoever against traditional publishing. What I object to is lazy arguments not supported by evidence to the effect that the vast majority of material emanating from the self-publishing sector is bad, while traditional publishing overwhelmingly produces works of outstanding merit.

 

(Please Note; this post is in response to the comment linked to above. I agree with the post on which the commenter is commenting, it is the comment (not the post) with which I take issue).

Ebooks Are Changing The Way We Read And The Way Novelists Write

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A thought provoking article in today’s guardian (10 August 2015). The author argues that in a world subject to multiple online distractions the way in which we read books is changing. Readers now flick between messages from friends back to their ebook rather than, as in times past devoting their whole attention to a book. In effect our attention span is less than was the case prior to the proliferation of technology, particularly mobile devices. The author also contends that ebooks are changing the way in which authors write. For the article please visit, http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/aug/10/ebooks-are-changing-the-way-we-read-and-the-way-novelists-write?CMP=share_btn_link

There Is Some Corner Of The British Library Which Is Forever Dalliance

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On returning to London on 13 July, one of the first letters I opened was a document from the British Library’s Legal Deposit archive acknowledging receipt of my book, “Dalliance; A Collection Of Poetry and Prose”. As explained in my post of 15 May 2015 (http://newauthoronline.com/2015/05/15/legal-deposit-what-is-it-and-are-you-covered/), since 1662 legislation has required that a copy of every print book published in the UK be deposited in the British Library thereby ensuring the preservation of the written word for future generations. In 2013 this requirement was extended to electronic publications in the UK. Its good to know that in some small way I have contributed to the cultural heritage of these islands (he said smiling modestly)!

Can One Place A Value On Artistic Creations?

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“Cecil Graham: What is a cynic?

Lord Darlington: A man who knows the price of everything, and the value of nothing.

Cecil Graham: And a sentimentalist, my dear Darlington, is a man who sees an absurd value in everything and doesn’t know the market price of any single

thing.”

(Oscar Wilde. Lady Windermere’s Fan).

 

According to the above, I am a sentimentalist for I had no idea what price to attach to my book, “Dalliance; A Collection Of Poetry And Prose”. Indeed I must confess to finding the attaching of monetary value to artistic creations rather distasteful. For me literature and art more generally possesses a value in and of itself which can not be reduced to a matter of pounds, shillings and pence. Food feeds the stomach while art nourishes the soul. While the former is vital to the survival of the species, once food is eaten that is an end of the matter while, with art exposure to it continues to feed the spirit long after the creation in question has vanished from view. Poems I read as a boy continue to resonate with me today while countless meals are long since forgotten. Of course one may remember a dinner for the excellent companionship of friends but only on rare occasions will the food consumed figure in one’s recollections.

Having said all that, I do, of course accept that man does not exist by consuming fresh air alone. Authors must earn (and deserve to earn) a crust. Consequently it is necessary for me and other authors to attach monetary value to our creations. In the case of “Dalliance” I discussed the matter of price with several colleagues and friends who had read the book. None where of much help. One colleague suggested a price range of between £8 to £20. Given that “Dalliance” runs to 68 pages I felt that £20 was much to high. Eventually I consulted the man who owns my local bookshop, Bookseller Crow. He suggested a price of £7.99 which we agreed upon. This will cover the cost of producing “Dalliance” and, I hope allow both myself and the good purveyor of books to earn a crust.

In conclusion, books do possess an inherent value which can not be translated into purely monetary terms. However in the real world it is necessary (as with other artistic creations) to assign a price to them. However, deep in my soul I feel that it is sacreligious to place a financial value on Keats “Ode to A Nightingale” or Arnold’s “Dover Beach”.

 

A 5 Star Review of “Dalliance”

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Thank you to the person who reviewed my book, “Dalliance; A Collection of Poetry and Prose” and awarded it 5 stars. For the review please visit, (http://www.amazon.co.uk/review/R2CJJJ7WAL4J8M/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B00QQVJC7E).

 

Kevin

A Review Of “Dalliance; A Collection of Poetry and Prose”

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I was delighted to receive the following 5 star review of my book, “Dalliance; A Collection of Poetry and Prose”:

 

“I have read this collection through twice. I admire those who can generate power through brevity to create a visceral reaction with their words. This is

a prime example. Well worth the read”.

 

Many thanks to the reviewer for their review of “Dalliance”. For the review please visit, (http://www.amazon.com/review/ROLK123LJN8N7/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B00QQVJC7E).

Two Free Print Copies Of “Dalliance; A Collection of Poetry and Prose” Available

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I am offering two free print copies of my book, “Dalliance; A Collection of Poetry and Prose”, to the first two people who email me at newauthoronline (at) gmail dot com.

The books will be sent, at my expense via surface mail.

Dalliance 64 page cover (small)

For my guest post on Chris the Story Reading Ape’s blog, in which I discuss my poetry please visit, (http://thestoryreadingapeblog.com/2015/02/01/read-about-author-kevin-morris-explaining-his-poetry/).

For a recent review of “Dalliance” please go to (https://nimbus432.wordpress.com/2015/05/04/a-review-of-dalliance-a-collection-of-poetry-and-prose/).

Please note, I will never share your personal details with anyone.

Once your copy of “Dalliance” is dispatched, your information will be permanently deleted by me.