Blog: Mel's Muse

A Painful Post Mortem: Review

No matter how long you've been an author, nor how many books you've written and had published, it is always very humbling to receive a positive review of your work from someone who is a stranger to you. The process of creative writing opens you up in a manner which...

Posted at 22:32pm on 4th April 2011

Conflict Resolution: Writers' Block & How To Overcome It

I must confess, writers' block is rarely a problem for me. On the contrary, I'm usually brimful of ideas and can't get them down fast enough. In fact, the last time I wrote on this subject was when my novel, A Painful Post Mortem was newly published and required all...

Posted at 19:57pm on 31st March 2011

The Importance Of An Elevator Pitch When Writing & Publishing A Book

What do you do when the book you're writing fails to impress the publisher to whom you've submitted it, on the grounds that the subject is not considered sufficiently compelling?

This was the scenario facing me two or three weeks ago, and I confess that my immediate reaction was to draw...

Posted at 15:49pm on 13th March 2011

Uv Book Group: God On Mute

NEXT MEETING:

Thursday 14th April at 7.30pm

VENUE:

To be advised

BOOK & AUTHOR:

God on Mute by Pete Greig

Questions and Discussion Summary will be posted on Mel's Muse a few days after the meeting (and listed under Book Reviews) and Mel's Online Book Club - which has an open membership - are invited to...

Posted at 22:29pm on 1st March 2011

Self Publishing: An Aspiring Author Asks How To Get A Book Published

Hi Mel,

Self publishing for me would be a last resort as I would find it difficult to promote my own work. Although I was in the business world for a long time it was somehow different promoting a product. Also I have been retired for quite a while and feel...

Posted at 16:58pm on 25th February 2011

Mel's Online Book Club: Born On A Blue Day

The choice of book for my real-time Readers' Group / Book Club was, on this occasion, prompted by a non-member whose young grandson has been diagnosed as autistic. Born on a Blue Day, by Daniel Tammet, is a remarkable book in many ways - not least because the author is...

Posted at 15:53pm on 19th February 2011

1 Comment

Does An Aspiring Author Have A Chance With A Traditional Publisher?

Hi Mel,

Thanks for your advice the other day. I think I would like to have a shot at publishing my novel. Is it correct that no publisher, however small, will even glance at a submission without an agent? It all seems a bit of a Catch 22 situation. Where do...

Posted at 11:26am on 2nd February 2011

Is Happiness A Matter Of Positive Thinking?

Photo: Pink Gerbera

As Britain's Prime Minister, David Cameron, suggests that "happiness" would be a better measure of national progress than GDP (gross domestic product) and the BBC's Breakfast programme tries to define the elusive emotion, I'm going to ask you what you think?

I first wrote on this subject more than...

Posted at 15:29pm on 27th January 2011

4 Comments

Online Book Club: Born On A Blue Day By Daniel Tammet

My real-time Book Club will be meeting on 17th February, 2011, to discuss the book, Born on a Blue Day by Daniel Tammet.Â It's an amazing autobiography, written by a young man who is both autistic and has Asperges.Â If you haven't read the book yet, I would...

Posted at 14:56pm on 24th January 2011

The Joy, Or The Sadness, Of Teen Sex?

Photo: Solomon Island, Chesapeake Bay:
Mum, Dad, Boy, Girl

If The Joy of Teen Sex on Channel 4 had been titled The Fun of Teen Sex or simply Teen Sex it would probably have been seen by the TV regulators (if they still exist) as porn. It was certainly a...

Posted at 15:31pm on 21st January 2011

4 Comments

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