tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78388906979002497492024-03-13T14:27:37.574+00:00The Time BubbleThe official blog of Jason AyresJasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09218364637499192578noreply@blogger.comBlogger415125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838890697900249749.post-86960633561254273762024-01-12T15:23:00.001+00:002024-01-12T15:41:50.682+00:00A trip back in time to 1980<p><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">2024 marks the beginning of a new
era in The Time Bubble world. A new era that began back in 1980. Apologies if
that doesn't make sense, but that's time travel for you.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The most recent Time Bubble
book (Gone to the Rapture) was released in October and was very well received
(4.6-star average on Amazon from 139 reviews). I was most pleased with how it
turned out and consider it to be one of the best in the series yet. It proved
that I can still come up with fresh concepts, even after fourteen books in the
series.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">However, there is something
that has been bugging me for some time. I feel that The Time Bubble series has
become too long. Before everyone gasps in horror, in fear that I'm not going to
write any more, don't panic! (as fans of The Hitchhiker's Guide might say). No,
what I mean is that I feel having fourteen books in one long series makes it rather
unwieldy. It leads to a situation where I can write one of my best works, like
Gone to the Rapture, yet it's unlikely anyone who hasn't read the previous
thirteen will be interested in it. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I say this as a reader, that if I
spot a book I like the look at and see it is part of a very long series I will
think seriously about passing on it. Do I have the energy to tackle a saga that
long? And what if I decide to go back and give the first book in the series a
try to see if I like it and it doesn’t grab me right away? I may well check out
at that point and never get to the better books later in the series.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Of course, when I started
writing the first book, I didn't even know there was going to be a second book,
let alone fourteen. If I had known in advance exactly what I was going to write
I would probably have planned them out as several shorter series e.g. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The Time Bubble/ Global
Cooling/ Man Out of Time (The initial trilogy)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Vanishing Point/ Cause of
Death/ Lauren's Odyssey (Vanessa trilogy)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My Tomorrow Your Yesterday/
Return to Tomorrow (two-book set). And so on…<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Hindsight, as they say, is a
wonderful thing. If I had done it this way I would have split the series up into
digestible chunks, giving people more entry points. They wouldn’t all have to have
started with the first Time Bubble book, a point at which I lose many people because
they mistakenly assume it’s a teen romance series. You only have to read the reviews
of the first book to realise that.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">With that in mind, I’ve decided
that Book 15 will be the last in the main series, but again, don’t panic! It
won’t be the last Time Bubble book. On-going, I will do exactly what I said
above and write some shorter spin-offs. For example, I might decide to have a
three-book series focused on the pub around Andy, Kent, Lauren and co. Or I might
write a series all about some of Josh and Alice’s earlier adventures when they
first invented the tachyometer. These could have been Time Bubble books 16, 17,
and 18, but instead, they’ll be something else numbered 1, 2, and 3. I hope everyone
can see the logic in my reasoning about all of this.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">To reiterate – The Time Bubble series
is not ending. It is only the current numbering system that will be ending with
book 15.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The process of branching out into
a venture has already begun. For the past year, I have been planning and
beginning to write a series set in the 1980s. Writing stories set in that era
was always quite difficult with the main Time Bubble characters as Josh, Lauren
& co weren’t born until around 2001. Therefore, what I’ve done is utilise
some of the older characters from the existing series instead.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I plan to produce a set of ten books
each set in a different year of the 1980s. That might sound like another long
series but the beauty of these is that they will all be standalone. When the
series is complete, anyone will be able to pick up any book from the series without
ever having to read any of the others. I believe this is what in television
terms is known as an anthology series – like The Twilight Zone or Tales of the
Unexpected.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Although these will be standalone,
they will have an interlinking theme. Without revealing too much in the way of
spoilers, there is a bracelet which is passed on every year from person to
person. It sends each new recipient back exactly forty years in time to spend a
calendar year in the past. There they are given the responsibility of looking
after the timeline, which can involve both changing things or preventing things
from being changed. These changes range from confronting issues in their
personal lives to major, world-changing events.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">This all takes place within the
existing Time Bubble universe, with plenty of nuggets for fans of the series.
Each person going back in time will have appeared in earlier books and while
there, they will encounter other familiar faces. For example, in both the 1980
and 1981 books, everyone’s favourite security guard, Barry, makes an
appearance.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The stars of the first two books
are Keith Diamond, who appeared in Lauren’s Odyssey, and Nick Taylor, who was Thomas’s
best friend in his two stories. Although they both go back in time with the
same mission, the settings couldn’t be more different. The first book revolves
around the world of Fleet Street tabloid journalism in the 1980s, whereas the
second has a rural setting and is more about family life and the experience of
growing up in the 1980s. And here they are:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG-hnuysvj27vlxWzeuvFfDV7dYYwFF1rcllIT3Qu8HhKEBNb9munmLH_-VlsVOBcR4fPMoqjpOlgnJO-JbxfgobrOd8A0o1Kq59wmdFdJ0P-UUsJSkUIJRTMu-l4XpI3rNbLHADT-NAcqMEsa3t3UT97kD7WQSvguqjTSRxpvwUDkVyvXJcaMVc4kbt0/s1810/1704282353.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1150" data-original-width="1810" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG-hnuysvj27vlxWzeuvFfDV7dYYwFF1rcllIT3Qu8HhKEBNb9munmLH_-VlsVOBcR4fPMoqjpOlgnJO-JbxfgobrOd8A0o1Kq59wmdFdJ0P-UUsJSkUIJRTMu-l4XpI3rNbLHADT-NAcqMEsa3t3UT97kD7WQSvguqjTSRxpvwUDkVyvXJcaMVc4kbt0/s320/1704282353.png" width="320" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg20OWEARWmeefiEdbBi_9kKKJnT_kTEZb5qLHHdA22lehcGkTO51ZB-s1Nv9hJn5-lHC3fH03_5yJi43lkkTrjFE7sgiGnmnoWmIOkNn6KszFrtqRjVPE-iVf30kGx_jzWe0iXe_mFRBQiARShKg2rQKFrZo6jOHYodAJtDctreB3M0rTT8qmYV57N7vw/s1810/1704282405.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1150" data-original-width="1810" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg20OWEARWmeefiEdbBi_9kKKJnT_kTEZb5qLHHdA22lehcGkTO51ZB-s1Nv9hJn5-lHC3fH03_5yJi43lkkTrjFE7sgiGnmnoWmIOkNn6KszFrtqRjVPE-iVf30kGx_jzWe0iXe_mFRBQiARShKg2rQKFrZo6jOHYodAJtDctreB3M0rTT8qmYV57N7vw/s320/1704282405.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I’ve got a few candidates lined
up for future books, with Nobby from the pub a possibility for one, and Charlotte,
the girl Thomas got involved with in Return to Tomorrow earmarked for 1988.
That will give me the chance to revisit that story from a different perspective.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">All of it takes place against a
backdrop of the music, fashion, attitudes, and culture of the time, all of which
as someone who was a teenager in that era, I remember with great fondness.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p>
</p><p><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m really excited about this new
venture and I am hoping you will be too. It’s probably the most important book
launch I’ve ever done so anything you can do to help in terms of spreading the
word and positive reviews all helps. You can pre-order your copy here: <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0CN3VY6TJ/" target="_blank">Link to pre-order</a></span></p>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09218364637499192578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838890697900249749.post-60832713324432342892023-02-26T16:11:00.002+00:002023-02-27T09:20:15.405+00:00The next Time Bubble book<p>The single most important aspect of starting a new Time Bubble book is coming up with a fresh, innovative concept that has not been explored before, either by myself or anyone else. While it may be easy and tempting to churn out endless variations on the same theme, like Enid Blyton's Famous Five series, I'm not interested in taking that route. My goal is to make each Time Bubble book as exhilarating and novel as the first, even if it means waiting for the perfect idea to strike me.</p><p>This waiting game means that I typically take around a year between books, as I'm committed to delivering one exceptional idea per year. While I've explored numerous ideas in the past, only a few have made it to completion, while others have been incorporated as parts of other works or have been put on hold for future consideration. Some of the alternate universes that Josh and Lauren visit in my books have been born from these unused ideas, and while others remain dormant for now, they may resurface at a later date.</p><p>It's been almost six months since I completed the last Time Bubble book, and I didn't have another idea ready to go with. Instead of churning out something mediocre just for the sake of it, I decided to focus on another project and wait until a killer idea came to me. And I'm happy to say that it has! Over the past month, I've developed a brilliant concept that fits perfectly within the existing universe. I wish I could tell you more, but I can't give away any spoilers. There's a huge element of mystery, and you'll just have to wait to find out why. But I promise you, it's an absolute cracker of an idea!</p><p>What I can reveal is that it will be set sometime in the mid-2020s, around the time Alice first met Josh, when Peter was in the Time Bubble, and Hannah was bringing up Jess alone. I have two provisional titles which are either <i>Gone to the Rapture</i> or <i>Gone to the Angels</i>. Those should certainly pique your interest! I'm still in the planning stage, but I'm confident that it will be ready for release this autumn.</p><p>Fortunately, I haven't been idle during the last six months. While it's true that I can only produce one Time Bubble book per year, which takes six months to write, I make good use of the remaining six months to work on other projects. This year, I focused on writing two Ronnie and Bernard books. I acknowledge that the first one received mixed reviews, but it was my first attempt at something different, and it was created in a different way than my other books. It started as a film script, co-written with another writer. When it became apparent that the film wasn't going to happen anytime soon, I decided to turn it into a novel, feeling that it was a good story that shouldn't go to waste. </p><p>As you may have noticed, it's not as serious as my other books, and much of it is a self-deprecating send-up of itself and the era it's set in, but that was part of the fun. I enjoyed the process enough to write a second book, which I'm very pleased with. The Haunted Theatre is also comedic, with more of Ronnie and Bernard's antics set around another time travel plot. I conducted extensive historical research for this book, which features a famous person from history, Marie Lloyd, the music hall singer. The story is set in a fictional seaside resort called Skegmouth in 1974 and is a lot of fun - in my humble opinion, anyway! I'm in the final editing stage now, and it's scheduled for release in early May. </p><p>Images of both are below - as you can see, I have changed the cover on the first one as I wasn't happy with the first attempt. Those of a vintage that remember the TV of the era will recognise what the three circles pay tribute to - it's similar (though not identical) to the ATV ident that opened all TV programmes made in the Midlands in the 1970s.</p><p>I'm not sure if there will be any more Ronnie and Bernard books after this second one. I have an idea for another, but I'll wait to see how this one is received first. After finishing the new Time Bubble book, I may work on developing something new entirely. Only time will tell!</p><p>All that remains is to wish you well and thank you for your continued support!</p><p>Jason</p>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09218364637499192578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838890697900249749.post-54776971338162798132023-02-17T14:42:00.001+00:002023-02-17T14:42:10.516+00:00Return of the long lost Kindle ratings!<p> On Monday evening I noticed something odd happening with the rating count of my Time Bubble book on Amazon.</p><p>This book has been out for nine years, selling steadily, and accruing reviews along the way. Up until about two or three years ago, people had to leave a written review in order for their ratings to be included in the total, but that has now changed. Now, if someone rates a book they have bought without leaving a review, that's included too.</p><p>They could leave a rating formerly, but the only place it showed up was on Goodreads, a sister site.</p><p>So accumulating reviews was a long and slow process. It is estimated that only about 1% of people who purchase leave a review, so it took a long old time for The Time Bubble to reach the milestone of 100 reviews. In recent years, since they started including the ratings, it climbed more quickly but it was only new ratings. The historical ratings seemed lost forever in the mists of time, like those long sought-after missing black-and-white episodes of Doctor Who. OK, they were on Goodreads, but that's no help when someone is on Amazon browsing for books.</p><p>So, imagine my surprise when I noticed a sudden surge in the rating count of The Time Bubble on Monday evening. At first, I thought it might be a glitch, but as the week went by, the count continued to increase, from around 900 on Monday to nearly 1,400 by Friday. And I wasn't the only author affected by this phenomenon.</p><p>I checked the ratings of another author I know, Tracy Bloom, who started around the same time as me. I noticed the same jump happening in her early books too, and interestingly, like myself, not in her newer ones. Or not yet, anyway. This led me to speculate that Amazon might be adding in the missing ratings from all those years ago and moving chronologically forward in time as they do. At the moment they seem to have covered all books released by the end of 2015.</p><p>If this is true, it's great news for authors with older books, who may have felt they were at a disadvantage compared to new releases that could accumulate ratings and reviews more quickly. Now, those old ratings are finally getting added in, it is almost like receiving backdated pay for our past work. OK, there is no immediate financial benefit, but the more reviews a book has the better in the eyes of the consumer.</p><p>Of course, I don't have any official confirmation from Amazon about this theory, but it seems like a plausible explanation for what's happening. If you're an author with books from this era, let me know if you're seeing the same thing on your older titles. And if you're a reader who left me a rating way back in 2015, thank you! It got through eventually!</p><p>Jason</p>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09218364637499192578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838890697900249749.post-64879912704628057212023-01-04T10:49:00.000+00:002023-01-04T10:49:29.838+00:00The Difficult Second Album<p> Happy New Year to you all. I’m writing today to talk about
my new book which came out this week.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">You’ll note the title of the blog post is “The Difficult
Second Album.” This term refers to bands who’ve had some initial early success and
then attempt to try something else, which isn’t always well received by fans of
their original work.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This is a difficulty I believe that we as writers also face.
Let me begin by saying that I absolutely love writing The Time Bubble books. I
can scarcely believe I have clocked up thirteen of them in less than nine years.
They have enabled me to achieve my ambition of becoming a full-time writer for
a living, thanks to the strong and supportive fan base that they have built up.
If you are part of that fan base – thank you! Every sale, every review, and every
little thing you do to help is appreciated by me every single day and enables
me to continue to write more books.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In terms of writing The Time Bubble books, they are very complex.
First I have an idea e.g. a man lives his life backwards, one day at a time. Then
I’ve got to turn that into a story. Then, crucially, I’ve got to tie that story
into the entire existing narrative of the series, with a convincing explanation
of how it occurred. On top of all that, the idea needs to be distinctly
different to what has come before to keep the series fresh. I’ve never wanted
to just churn them out. To say it is quite a challenge is an understatement,
and it is taking me up to a year to write each book. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Here is where I am with book 14. I want to do something different
again. I certainly don’t want another book with Vanessa, she has run her course
and that storyline is all finished now. The idea I have got has got huge
potential and at this stage, I’m still fleshing it out. What I haven’t got is
any convincing reason as to why what is happening in the story is happening.
The journey itself is all part of the fun, but ultimately you have to have some
sort of resolution. The idea for Cause of Death began like this – so I am going
to put two people in a holiday resort and have them die over and over again. At
the start, I had no idea why, but I figured it out in the end. That is about
where I am with this next book.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In the meantime, let’s talk about that difficult second
album. So, here is where I am. I said earlier I was getting by on what I earn
from The Time Bubble books, but as we all know, there’s a cost-of-living crisis
in the country. I’ve hungry mouths to feed, soaring energy bills, mortgage etc
so I’m facing the same issue as everyone else – I need to earn more money. I
can’t demand a pay rise or go on strike, so the only way is to increase my
sales. Unlike those unscrupulous retailers, I’ve no intention of putting the
prices of my books up – why sting you when you’ve got bills to pay too? It’s self-defeating
anyway – put the price up and get fewer sales. Simple economics.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I’ve long wanted to expand my writing into other areas, and
hence the concept of the Ronnie and Bernard books was born. It came from an idea
cooked up between me and a couple of actor friends, one of whom, Michael Livesley,
wrote some of the dialogue that made it into this book. The idea of this book
was to do something different. We are both in our fifties and nostalgic for the
simpler times of our youth, when entertainment was something to be enjoyed,
without the politics that pervades everywhere these days. If you watch almost
any soap, drama, comedy or documentary produced by the major networks these
days you may have noticed that they are packed full of moral messaging about
what you should or shouldn’t be doing, thinking, eating etc. Now it doesn’t
matter if you agree with those messages or not, in my case I don’t want to feel
I’m being lectured every time I sit down to watch some light entertainment.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This is part of what I wanted to achieve with this book. The
series is intended to be much lighter than The Time Bubble and rooted very much
in the style of the era. I’ve deliberately made the characters uncomplicated
and packed the book out with cliches and references to the era – this is all
tongue-in-cheek and quite deliberate. So if it’s a bunch of hapless Roman
soldiers blundering about like Keystone Cops in a Carry-on film scenario, an over-the-top
cackling villain like an actor hamming it up in a Tom Baker Doctor Who story,
or innuendoes like you would find in a 1970s sitcom, it’s all in there.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Who are these stories designed to appeal to? People old enough
to remember the seventies – so basically aged 50+, who just want a
light-hearted easy read that reminds them of the good old days. There is time
travel in it, but no detailed technical explanation of how it comes about. It
just happens. The focus of the book is very much on comedy. I want to write something
that cheers people up and makes them laugh more than anything else. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Above all, I wanted to try something different. Nobody wants
to be known as a one-trick pony, and I think it might look a little odd a
decade from now if I’ve got one long series with 25 books in it and nothing
else. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Now I realise that this new book may be at odds with what fans
of the existing series expect from me, but as I said above, I need to reach out
and find a new audience if I’m going to be able to keep writing these books for
a living. As things currently stand, I’m thinking I’m going to have to take on
some other work – whether that be pursuing newspaper and magazine articles, or
heaven forbid, the poorly paid world of copy editing, I’ve still got to pay
those bills. I know, get the violins out, but there it is. Of course, if I end
up having to do other work, it takes time away from writing the books. That means
longer waits between them and none of us wants that.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I loaded up the book with some trepidation. Would the
existing fans like it? Would I be able to find my new audience? No matter how
many times you release a new book, it’s always nerve-wracking, but that was especially
the case with this one, being the first of a new series. So you can’t begin to
imagine how sick to the pit of my stomach I was to see the first review come
in, a negative 2-star one. Now I get two and one-star reviews all the time,
everybody does, and when they come in on a book that’s already got hundreds of
reviews, they have very little impact. But when it is the only review the book
has, it’s devastating and this one killed the sales stone dead. What happens in
the first few days of a new book’s life on Amazon is crucial for its prospects,
due to the algorithms which decide what is a good book and what is a turkey. I’m
therefore feeling a little deflated this morning, though I am still going to
press on with writing the second Ronnie and Bernard book which is coming along
very nicely. By the time I have finished that, I should be in the right place
to start the next Time Bubble book, which will be out later in the year.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">To reiterate, The Crooked Line isn’t a Time Bubble book and
if you don’t think from the synopsis it’s going to be your thing, I’d be the
last person to urge you to go out and buy it. However, if you do have any support
or positive feedback to give, I could certainly do with it right now. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaqQ2LtpX3JlaPCzZB_qZeHfjytujTn-P6HEO1cQl7ZkOL-HaZUJyfMFuhihaDafWZdzSk01o0VkihVI2Pmm8AFeYwIDRQaSuxZrodH5kWd8luTDRbSdZwaeUuIerC0l22_YF-v5rhFZGu3XDtKuIMVwYNx-7lIWBxt8rIq7YJKKURF8EiQ0LHfViE/s1200/Special%20Ads.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1200" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaqQ2LtpX3JlaPCzZB_qZeHfjytujTn-P6HEO1cQl7ZkOL-HaZUJyfMFuhihaDafWZdzSk01o0VkihVI2Pmm8AFeYwIDRQaSuxZrodH5kWd8luTDRbSdZwaeUuIerC0l22_YF-v5rhFZGu3XDtKuIMVwYNx-7lIWBxt8rIq7YJKKURF8EiQ0LHfViE/w640-h334/Special%20Ads.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal">You can find the new book here: <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0BRBH7ZC7/" target="_blank">The Crooked Line</a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Best wishes,</p><p class="MsoNormal">Jason</p>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09218364637499192578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838890697900249749.post-43770179500069163482022-11-25T13:05:00.001+00:002022-11-25T13:05:24.724+00:00Lauren's Odyssey<p><span style="font-size: large;"> Today I launched the latest book in The Time Bubble series, and it can be found here: <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0BD248XTQ" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0BD248XTQ</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">And here it is:</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_MiSyWQZ2ipUmSxXMC47cieqjX-yMKybvoDYDZoleRX1f8fCSDWt2-03OGqgY-sopJk8oTBvEU_zDmRi6pwBkNG8qSc2Mha0hfHwq6HVdhIcKSBdWbJzw-NYWkNap22edUGTxUJTM4VfPJvlD5-iUShAVVKWIXeD9IVo9M4l9X5i3nqCT3jC49fHb/s1810/Lauren's%20-%203D.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1150" data-original-width="1810" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_MiSyWQZ2ipUmSxXMC47cieqjX-yMKybvoDYDZoleRX1f8fCSDWt2-03OGqgY-sopJk8oTBvEU_zDmRi6pwBkNG8qSc2Mha0hfHwq6HVdhIcKSBdWbJzw-NYWkNap22edUGTxUJTM4VfPJvlD5-iUShAVVKWIXeD9IVo9M4l9X5i3nqCT3jC49fHb/w443-h281/Lauren's%20-%203D.png" width="443" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;">So, it seemed as good a time as ever to give you a little preview of what to expect, without giving too much away in the way of spoilers.</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">The first stage in the planning of all of my books is, what is the basic premise? In most cases, it starts with an idea. For example, all I initially had for My Tomorrow, Your Yesterday was a scenario, which was what would life be like if you lived it backwards, one day at a time. Then I built the plot and the characters around it.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">This book is no different, however, it benefits from having the ensemble cast from the earlier Time Bubble books already in place. Obviously, you still need a story, though! </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">I looked back at what I had done before and in most cases, the lead characters are reacting to events around them, being lost in time, trapped, that sort of thing. What I decided to do this time was to have the lead character go on a specific quest with a set of goals in mind. I drew my inspiration for this from a variety of sources, but one that springs to mind is the 1978 series of Doctor Who. That year, with Tom Baker, they had the usual six, separate stories, but in each, they were looking for one of the six segments of The Key to Time. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">I have done something similar here. I chose Lauren as the lead character as she has always been a favourite of mine and I felt she deserved her moment in the spotlight. The early books were very much focused on Josh and although he still plays a part here, exploring the other characters in the later books has helped to keep the series fresh and original.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">What does Lauren have to do? I won't go into the reasons why, you'll find that out when you read it, but she's required to go to five other universes on her quest. This gave me the flexibility to both revisit some places we've been before and develop some new ideas.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Her first destination was inspired in part by Back to the Future II when you'll recall Marty and the Doc revisit the events of the first film in 1955. I thought it would be rather fun to take Lauren back to where it all started - that very first day when Charlie and Josh discovered the Time Bubble. There is a nostalgic section when Lauren heads back to 1984, and also another opportunity to explore the nineteenth-century style universe that Josh first visited in Splinters in Time. You may recall that there was a version of Lauren in that universe called Annie - well, here, we get to explore the world from her perspective.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Finally, there are a couple of dystopian worlds, reminiscent of the sort of scenarios you might find in <i>Black Mirror</i>. I've long been fascinated with the idea of an Orwellian-style world where people have become enslaved by technology, without even realising it, so I've delved into that for a hefty chunk of the plot. And also, in a similar vein, I've wondered how dangerous it would be to become dependent on robots that are stronger and faster than us. Now there's a chance to find out.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">It all adds up to a rip-roaring adventure that's dark in places but with plenty of humour elsewhere. There were plenty of opportunities to slip in a few old favourite recurring characters so I hope you'll enjoy those, as well as a chance for another one of Charlie and Kaylee's famous annual barbecues, which first featured all the way back in Book 3.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">There is so much more I could tell you, but if I tell you the whole plot there will be no need to read it, and we can't have that! I really hope you enjoy it and keep your eyes peeled because in just another couple of months or so, the first in my new series, The Crooked Line, will be coming out. I am very excited about that and will tell you more about it nearer the time.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p><br /></p></div>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09218364637499192578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838890697900249749.post-26148492147052179202022-05-15T19:20:00.002+01:002022-05-15T19:23:53.807+01:00Cost of Living Crisis<p>Various news reports last week put the current rate of inflation at between 2.7% and 7%, depending on the criteria and timescales used. At the same time, interest rates rose to 1%, their highest level for some time. We are accustomed now to the idea that we are in a cost-of-living crisis, but just how bad is it?</p><p>I would suggest, a lot worse than many people realise. The energy costs and fuel price rises have been well documented, and are way above the quoted rate of inflation. Surprisingly, when you think back to the fuel crisis of 2000, most people seem to have absorbed these without too much complaint. The Government has managed to divert attention from their misguided policies by apportioning blame to external factors. </p><p>A favourite scapegoat is Covid-19, but the virus itself was not to blame. It was the untold billions wasted on pointless measures in response that did the damage.</p><p>If that won’t wash as an excuse anymore, then the convenient crisis in Ukraine makes a good substitute. It is conveniently swept under the carpet that prices were spiralling long before the conflict began. As for the opposition, they can always fall back on that old standby, Brexit. Has there been anything that’s gone wrong in the last six years that opponents haven’t tried to blame on Brexit?</p><p>I think that covers them all, no wait, there’s one more. How could I have forgotten about climate change? It seems that practically any amount of hardship can be justified in the glorious pursuit of net zero!</p><p>Leaving energy aside, I am becoming increasingly concerned with the huge hike in food prices, the true extent of which is being disguised by any means possible. Most of us will be familiar with the concept of shrinkflation, having at some point enjoyed a light-hearted conversation along the lines of “Wagon Wheels aren’t as big as they were when I was a lad.” It is not so amusing now people cannot afford even basic foodstuffs. </p><p>The truth is, that retailers and manufacturers have developed all sorts of ways of sustaining the illusion that prices are not rising. Desperate to keep the price of a product the same, they will reduce the content in several different ways. If it is not a straight cutting of the weight, it will be the reduction of the number of items in a pack, or a combination of both. Some may think they are buying the same product when they pick up their six-pack of crisps. But at some point, they may notice it has changed to a five-pack, and that each bag is now 20g instead of 25g.</p><p>Another trick is to remove a long-standing offer. For example, several retailers used to offer own-brand fruit juices at £1.20, but with a permanent offer of two for £2. This effectively made the base price £1. Now those offers have disappeared, forcing customers to pay the full amount no matter how many they buy. That’s a hidden 20% increase right there.</p><p>For many years I worked for the largest market research company in the world. One of my duties was to collate and publish the weekly “shopping basket” of goods to allow price comparisons between retailers and to track changes over time. The methodology used to create this was not complex and I have no reason to believe it has become any more sophisticated in the intervening years. It simply would not pick up many of the scenarios I have described above.</p><p>The retailers are desperate to keep you believing that they aren’t increasing prices. They will fight tooth and nail to keep the price on a few key items down, even if they end up running them as loss leaders. These will be the ones they use in their ads when claiming they are cheaper than a competitor, but anyone can cherry-pick a favourable basket of goods to make that comparison. </p><p>Away from those battleground items, some prices have increased dramatically. The own-brand coffee I buy has gone from £1.39 to £2.39 in under a year, at periodic twenty pence increments. It is a similar story with the branded jars of beetroot I buy. These have risen from £1 to £1.40, then £1.70, and unbelievably, last week, £1.90. Does that sound like 7% inflation to you?</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ImE-MnjvGcw5q8LEAP47Yz7D4zyINUxGd47f7TrhQ-0iITSdA3liuddK1RLqb2Rqau3BHrXo1OeuNJlJwAxKyt9B0GJIpCQm1rNgUjj2W1VDciszHLDFUZfdJxGNQudb742QjSs3TYWX4ST2sv29bD7ineIMbwy6U9vm5Jx1NxUWIn7jMfjceihT/s300/Baxters.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ImE-MnjvGcw5q8LEAP47Yz7D4zyINUxGd47f7TrhQ-0iITSdA3liuddK1RLqb2Rqau3BHrXo1OeuNJlJwAxKyt9B0GJIpCQm1rNgUjj2W1VDciszHLDFUZfdJxGNQudb742QjSs3TYWX4ST2sv29bD7ineIMbwy6U9vm5Jx1NxUWIn7jMfjceihT/w200-h200/Baxters.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">£1.90 for a jar of beetroot?<br />I think I'll have to start growing my own!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Although I no longer work in the market research or retail sector, I keep a keen eye on developments. I estimate that the true annual rate of food inflation at present is somewhere between 15% and 20%. Of course, it is in the interests of the powers that be to play this down, because otherwise, the clamour for pay rises, pensions and benefit increases will kick off. This could fuel an inflationary crisis to dwarf anything we saw in the 1970s.</p><p>To combat this, we get various industry figures and government ministers coming out with suggestions that we need to shop around and look for bargains to make our money go further. They are stating, to quote the great Basil Fawlty, “the bleeding obvious.” </p><p>Do they not realise that most people struggling to make the ends are doing all of that already? I am guessing not, as it is difficult to imagine that the likes of Boris Johnson or Rishi Sunak have ever had to rummage around in the bakery at the end of the day for a reduced loaf of bread.</p><p>I believe we are in serious trouble. If the intention of the policies of the last two years was to completely trash the economy, in advance of a cashless social credit system, then they’ve certainly gone the right way about it. Most won’t see it coming until it is too late. Those who were basking in the sunshine on furlough and are now adopting an “I’m alright, Jack,” attitude because they fixed their energy bills until March 2023, are in for a rude awakening. </p><div><br /></div>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09218364637499192578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838890697900249749.post-31909524240288953712021-02-14T23:40:00.006+00:002022-05-16T15:02:21.249+01:00The Meat Elite<p> Hi all,</p><p>As you'll know if you've read my novels, I do like to explore alternative, dystopian futures on occasion. I have all sorts of ideas, often inspired by current affairs, that don't make it into print as they aren't substantial enough to make it into a full novel. So they sit on the backburner.</p><p>What I'd like to do is explore some of these through short stories, so here is the first of what may become a series. Here, I imagine what might happen if future people in power looked back at what happened over 2020-2021 and used it as a template to pursue other objectives.</p><p><i>Addendum (May 2022) - A year after I wrote this story, I am now halfway through writing my next novel which is going to explore this world in more detail. What you see here will be adapted into the new book, so this is now a preview of what's to come.</i></p><p><i>It's interesting looking back at what I wrote a year ago and seeing what has transpired during that time. What I wrote as fiction now feels more like it could become reality every day.</i></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p><h1>The Meat Elite - by Jason Ayres<o:p></o:p></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">As Jenny pushed the swing doors that led back into the kitchen, the unmistakable smell of sizzling steak assailed her nostrils.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">How long had it been since she had tasted meat? It must have been getting on for two years now. As the chefs scurried around in their white shirts and check trousers, she felt an all too familiar craving, one she would have to suppress. For she was not one of the privileged few.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">There were plenty here tonight that were. The exclusive members club where she waitressed was hosting a party for a group of senior government officials and selected friends. The occasion was a senior cabinet minister’s fiftieth birthday. Such gatherings were technically illegal under the 2025 Infectious Diseases Act, but the attendees tonight considered themselves exempt from that. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">It was all strictly top secret. To work tonight, Jenny had been required to sign a non-disclosure form with the threat of an instant reduction to a rating of three should she break it, effectively excluding her from society, her home, and life as she knew it. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">These rules also kept journalists away, who would suffer the same fate should they even hint any such events had taken place. The Government had learnt its lesson after the Partygate and Beergate scandals of a few years before and wanted to ensure no repetition.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">The birthday boy was the Government’s health secretary who had been in the position since the 2024 general election. Whilst serving, Jenny had recognised some senior medical professionals she had seen standing at the podiums during Downing Street press conferences. Several senior media types were also present. As she had served them their starters, they had been laughing and joking like they didn’t have a care in the world.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">They had ignored her, of course, but then she barely even registered as a human to them, hidden behind her mask. The mask was black and decorated with the same logo as seemingly everything else in the world these days – three intersecting circles in the shape of a Venn diagram.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">It was a condition that citizens rated below eight were required to wear face coverings in all times in the presence of the elites. Failure to do so, like every other infraction, earned a rating deduction. The rule had been in place for years, ostensibly to protect the elites from a pandemic that by now was long over. The masks persisted, purely as a mark of subservience.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">It would soon be time for her to take out the main courses. She watched as one particularly flamboyant chef tossed a steak in the air like a pancake before it landed back in the pan with a flash of flame.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">When she was growing up, she could never have imagined a world where eating meat would have become the preserve of the super-wealthy. Her father had been a traditionalist who insisted that the family came together for Sunday lunch every week. She recalled the joints of meat now; gorgeous, rare topsides of beef, with Yorkshire puddings cooked in the dripping. Then there had been the succulent legs of pork, with perfect, crispy crackling. No one had been able to make crackling like her dad.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">Gosh, she still missed him so much. It had been six years now, and she still couldn’t believe he had left her the way he had. Seeing these establishment types here tonight brought it all back. Most of them weren’t the same people who had been in charge at the time, but no matter. They were all the same in her eyes.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">Her father had retired in 2019 and poured his life savings into opening a lovely little family restaurant in their hometown. It had thrived, quickly gaining a loyal following of local devotees.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">All that changed in 2020 when the pandemic came. The business survived the first lockdown and struggled through the second. They had been all ready to bounce back at Christmas, but then they were forced to close again. As 2021 wore on, with one reason after another given for restricting their business, eventually it was no longer viable to continue. Her father lost everything, and not long afterwards took his own life.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">Slowly, the world had returned to normal. But then, in the summer of 2024, shortly after the general election, news of a new pandemic swept the globe.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">This time, the virus was spread by animals. It started, as always seemed to be the case, in China. It began slowly, with rumours of a new strain of flu in chickens before spreading to cattle. Before long cases were being reported on every continent.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">The predictable media frenzy soon began, with experts warning that eating contaminated meat could spread the virus to humans. A computer model from a prominent London college suggested that five million could die in Britain if all meat consumption did not cease immediately.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">Overnight, all meat products were pulled from supermarket shelves. Those who had seen it coming and stocked up their chest freezers were not sitting pretty for long. Draconian fines were introduced for even being in possession of any meat, with police given powers to enter any home to carry out a search. Keeping food animals, even chickens, carried a jail sentence.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">For their own safety, the people were put under lockdown again. <span style="text-indent: 0cm;">Other restrictions, such as face masks, were reintroduced for all. Many deaths in hospitals were connected to the supposedly infected meat. Those who did their homework came up with good reasons to question whether the public was being told the truth. Certain things simply didn’t add up. Their reward was to be ridiculed and ostracised from society.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">All livestock was slaughtered. The meat industry was up in arms, but the farmers were sated by massive handouts from the Government to either permanently convert their premises or retire and hand over to someone else who would. There had been huge advances in the technology for producing vegan food and the choice between financial security or utter ruin was not a difficult one for most to make.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">The same scenario was being played out worldwide, with the source of cash being used to bankroll these huge changes never being identified.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">The crisis dragged on for the best part of a year, during which many climate campaigners stepped up, declaring this had been a blessing in disguise for the planet. They had long stated that intensive farming had been disastrous for the climate’s carbon footprint, and welcomed this opportunity to enact permanent change.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">Social media joined in of course, with those in favour cheering on the cause. Opinions polls showed 75% in favour of a permanent ban on meat. Jenny found these figures hard to believe. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">She had never had a problem with vegetarians or vegans. She felt that everybody had the right to make their own choices on these issues. But those on the other side of the argument didn’t see it that way. Anyone who offered even the hint of an opinion that they disagreed with what was happening was denounced and discredited.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">All of this took place against the backdrop of a growing financial disaster. Most of the western world, already reeling from the aftereffects of the earlier pandemic, simply went bankrupt. Inflation spiralled out of control, as did interest rates, rendering all currency worthless. Starvation was starting to look like a real possibility, and then salvation came.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">A global relief movement came, spearheaded by three organisations acting in unison. The World Economic Forum, World Health Organisation and World Bank had united in what was being hailed by the media as a new holy trinity. With their new logo, the three circles of the newly created One World Order, they stepped in to save the world.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">Currency and property ownership were abolished for all but the rich, with a new social credit system established. Massive tower blocks were going up in their thousands, almost overnight in every major city, to house the people. All you had to do was sign up to the new philosophy and they would take care of you.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">With most people bankrupt and starving, it wasn’t a difficult offer to accept. The people, spurred on by a wildly enthusiastic media, practically bit the NWO’s hand off. As the main TV channels constantly reported, people now owned nothing, but they were happy. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">That’s what they were told. But were they? Jenny wasn’t but wisely kept those thoughts to herself. She couldn’t risk asking other people if they felt the same. Not with the way the social credit system worked. She had heard rumours of an underground movement, a group of people referred to as libertarians, but she had no idea how to contact them. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">Now, over two years after the outbreak had started, a tiny amount of organic farming was permitted again under strict guidelines. The total production was less than 1% of what it had been before and only the elites were allowed to consume it. The staple diet of most other people was Schwab’s ready meals, adorned like everything else with the branding of the OWO. She was sick of the sight of that logo.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">Yet here she was, serving the very people who she felt were responsible for all of this. The people who had screamed for the slaughter and the restrictions. The people who had told her it was all for her own good. Well, it wasn’t good enough. She had reached breaking point and simply wasn’t going to take it anymore.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">It was time for the meals to go out. She was handed a plate and gazed lovingly at the juicy, perfectly cooked meat in front of her. It was for the health secretary, who liked his steak rare. Dripping with blood was how he had ordered it. This was the very man who a few years before had given the order to kill every cow and sheep in Britain.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">When she had served him his starter before, she had felt incredibly uneasy in his presence. The man seemed to give off an aura of pure evil. The mouth smiled, but the eyes seemed dead and emotionless. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">Her eyes had been drawn to a strange pendant he wore around his neck. It contained a red stone, that seemed to almost glow with its own luminescence as she looked at it. It looked like a ruby, but she wasn’t sure. It was certainly an odd thing for a man to adorn himself with. She had seen him many times on television and he was never without it.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">A second plate was handed to her. This was for a daytime TV presenter who for years had jumped on every bandwagon going. This woman had never shut up about the need to convert to a vegan diet after it had become all the rage. Yet here she was, about to tuck into a steak. What a hypocrite!</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">Jenny pushed through the swing doors that led out into the corridor, but instead of going straight across into the dining room, she turned right. She walked to the end and around a corner, where she would be out of sight at the foot of a staircase.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">She sat on the stairs, removed her mask, and picked up the rare steak by hand. Then she gorged on it, stuffing the meat into her mouth like an animal gorging on its prey. As she did, rivulets of bloody meat juice ran down her chin. Instinctively, she wiped her chin before the blood could drip onto her white uniform, staining it with blood that would likely never wash out. Not that it would matter if she did. Her mind was made up. She wouldn’t be using it again after tonight.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">The first steak was demolished in a couple of minutes, and then she started on the second. She had heard people talking about having experiences that were better than sex. As she savoured every precious mouthful, she knew exactly what they meant. It wasn’t even the taste she was getting off on. It was the sheer adrenalin rush of the defiance. She was well and truly sticking two fingers up at the state. It was exhilarating.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">Finished, she left the plates on the stairs. Then she looked up and saw the CCTV camera trained directly upon her.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">No matter. What could they do to her now that they hadn’t done already? Her father was gone, she had no boyfriend and now her rating would plummet through the floor. She would be out of a job, and a home. But she simply didn’t care. There was no point living life as a slave. And tonight, for possibly the first time since her father’s death, she felt incredibly and wonderfully alive.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">She got up, ripped off her mask, and pushed the bar marked emergency exit on the doors opposite the stairs. Then she walked out into the cold night air.</p><div><br /></div>
<p class="MsoNormal">THE END (OR IS IT?)<o:p></o:p></p><br /><p></p>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09218364637499192578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838890697900249749.post-84449816006300276942021-01-27T15:51:00.001+00:002021-01-28T14:32:25.052+00:00The importance of branding<p> Every store you shop in, every product you buy is a brand. The biggest brands are recognisable the world over, from the red and white of Coca Cola to the golden arches of McDonald's.</p><p>Any professional business needs clear and consistent branding, and books are no different. When I started writing my Time Bubble books in 2014, I had no inkling that seven years later I would have eleven of them on the market. When I started, I had no great marketing plan - I was learning on the job. I realised early on that I needed my covers to match, so I had the hourglass on the first few, but over time, I deviated away from that.<br /><br />There was nothing wrong with my old covers - they served their purpose, but I realised over the past year that I needed to upgrade them. Some of them were looking a little tired, and dare I say, even a little gloomy, so I got together with my cover artist and we came up with a plan to relaunch the range with a bright, shiny new selection of colours.<br /><br />My idea was straightforward - a set of eye-catching covers that would all match. The same fonts in the same places on every book - the only variation being in the colours and images. I also believe that simplicity is key. Many book covers are far too complicated. I think some authors feel they need to tell the whole story on the cover. I wanted to go for just one simple image on each that would tie into the book's theme.</p><p>The results are the eleven brand new covers I am going to unveil today. Here they are in turn, with a little explanation below each about why I chose each image.</p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UvRWtB8rkn4/YBGCQlXxGOI/AAAAAAAABqc/0uRdGdZhxk0-uNy6LeSHWMFO8uafBJLHwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/time_ebook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1379" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UvRWtB8rkn4/YBGCQlXxGOI/AAAAAAAABqc/0uRdGdZhxk0-uNy6LeSHWMFO8uafBJLHwCLcBGAsYHQ/w430-h640/time_ebook.jpg" width="430" /></a></div><p><br /></p>The first book in the series is the one with the most generic image. This was deliberate because this one needs to tell people not only what this book is about, but also what the whole series is about. So it's a simple clock face being sucked into a time vortex. Note the other elements on the cover. I've gone with a teaser line at the top, a bold title and author name, and a brief snippet from a five star review with the stars on the cover to emphasise this.<p></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Lz27QJEgp3U/YBGCTr5MNYI/AAAAAAAABqg/brZRavkTus00NtjJDBC8RwBqh_mriujuACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/global_ebook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1379" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Lz27QJEgp3U/YBGCTr5MNYI/AAAAAAAABqg/brZRavkTus00NtjJDBC8RwBqh_mriujuACLcBGAsYHQ/w430-h640/global_ebook.jpg" width="430" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>For the second book we went with a cold, blue background to reflect the title and the theme. For the image we came up with this rather clever Earth frozen inside an ice cube sketch, which sums up nicely in one image what the book is about.</div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QVfgQugC0_s/YBGCWApskDI/AAAAAAAABqk/pjZvI9QSybkhS5rwSzR3T27XXhq5zb0kQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/man_out_ebook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1379" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QVfgQugC0_s/YBGCWApskDI/AAAAAAAABqk/pjZvI9QSybkhS5rwSzR3T27XXhq5zb0kQCLcBGAsYHQ/w430-h640/man_out_ebook.jpg" width="430" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Man Out of Time is set predominantly in the future, including some scenes set in the early twenty-second century. When visiting that time, Josh marvels at the futuristic buildings of his home town and I believe this image sums that scene up nicely.<div><br /><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9XaoBt2TytE/YBGCZNft3RI/AAAAAAAABqo/bX_hH4F6EE4tzzdwdUb1ItR-HLPRPqdygCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/splinters_ebook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1379" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9XaoBt2TytE/YBGCZNft3RI/AAAAAAAABqo/bX_hH4F6EE4tzzdwdUb1ItR-HLPRPqdygCLcBGAsYHQ/w430-h640/splinters_ebook.jpg" width="430" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>The main focus of this book is Josh's nightmarish journey through a succession of alternate universes. This image of multiple Earths, tailing off into the distance captures that theme brilliantly.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-axZVNQgkq2Q/YBGCbodM-HI/AAAAAAAABqs/k7-5XRlggCgazfMYaWTpiPCj2zg4tQuIgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/class_ebook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1379" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-axZVNQgkq2Q/YBGCbodM-HI/AAAAAAAABqs/k7-5XRlggCgazfMYaWTpiPCj2zg4tQuIgCLcBGAsYHQ/w430-h640/class_ebook.jpg" width="430" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>This book is the first in the range set predominantly in the past, most of it in 1992 as the title suggests. I wanted to go with a nostalgic theme to reflect the times. I was inspired by a scene in the book where Peter is bemoaning his problems with the local video shop - such as being charged 50p for not rewinding the tape!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dEyKhp9aRJ0/YBGCeSftgRI/AAAAAAAABqw/WsmH9Nixo2c3Doi5QP-X3PYT8bYyHZyqQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/vanishing%2B_ebook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1379" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dEyKhp9aRJ0/YBGCeSftgRI/AAAAAAAABqw/WsmH9Nixo2c3Doi5QP-X3PYT8bYyHZyqQCLcBGAsYHQ/w430-h640/vanishing%2B_ebook.jpg" width="430" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>I love the effect on this cover. It refers directly to a scene in the book where one of the main characters disappears. She literally fades out of existence, leaving the man depicted holding only fresh air in his hand.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kWQr1ks3-iw/YBGCia3LqRI/AAAAAAAABq0/fBW62IFd1pc6OPEZYdFtnW4n60Qqf13DACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/midlife_ebook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1379" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kWQr1ks3-iw/YBGCia3LqRI/AAAAAAAABq0/fBW62IFd1pc6OPEZYdFtnW4n60Qqf13DACLcBGAsYHQ/w430-h640/midlife_ebook.jpg" width="430" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>This book is another nostalgia fest. In an early chapter the main character, Richard Kent, finds himself in 1984 on the day he bought his first record from Woolworth's. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0pzXSSCVMDY/YBGClyQiMhI/AAAAAAAABq8/o8YzzlfnyWcvOu4tGZ7-hI-5G730VrtmgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/rock_ebook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1379" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0pzXSSCVMDY/YBGClyQiMhI/AAAAAAAABq8/o8YzzlfnyWcvOu4tGZ7-hI-5G730VrtmgCLcBGAsYHQ/w430-h640/rock_ebook.jpg" width="430" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>It's established right from the start of this book that luckless Kay, is negotiating the pitfalls of her life with the help of copious amounts of vodka. For a book which is largely set in the pub, this seemed an appropriate image.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A0CzxS8kF2g/YBGCoD0PTlI/AAAAAAAABrA/gG383GByu5ca5GkBHWRl8IjKj3Dvtj9UgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/my_tomorrow_ebook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1379" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A0CzxS8kF2g/YBGCoD0PTlI/AAAAAAAABrA/gG383GByu5ca5GkBHWRl8IjKj3Dvtj9UgCLcBGAsYHQ/w430-h640/my_tomorrow_ebook.jpg" width="430" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>This is possibly my favourite of the lot. We used a backwards calendar on the old version of this book, but it wasn't particularly clear. This image, where Tuesday follows Wednesday capture the theme of the book beautifully.</div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s6zaUzdRiC0/YBGCqvi9SaI/AAAAAAAABrE/e13UnvBRR5428Xo9qOy6bLL8k9RYJ0l8gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/happy_new_ebook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1379" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s6zaUzdRiC0/YBGCqvi9SaI/AAAAAAAABrE/e13UnvBRR5428Xo9qOy6bLL8k9RYJ0l8gCLcBGAsYHQ/w430-h640/happy_new_ebook.jpg" width="430" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>There's only one obvious image to use for a book set around New Year in the UK, and that's Big Ben and fireworks.</div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QaLm0tQmqIs/YBGCtJkIkKI/AAAAAAAABrI/fmoIx8bLte8YI9vLMTwjc0K6E7auQ62RgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/return_ebook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1379" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QaLm0tQmqIs/YBGCtJkIkKI/AAAAAAAABrI/fmoIx8bLte8YI9vLMTwjc0K6E7auQ62RgCLcBGAsYHQ/w430-h640/return_ebook.jpg" width="430" /></a></div><br /><p>And now, the one you're all waiting for, which will be out next week! This is the sequel to My Tomorrow, Your Yesterday and focuses on Thomas Scott's one, unwavering mission - to make it to Ibiza at a certain time on a certain date to meet his wife for the first time and fulfil his destiny. Needless to say, this isn't as simple as it sounds!</p></div></div>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09218364637499192578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838890697900249749.post-56690291746193853842020-12-21T16:05:00.000+00:002020-12-21T16:05:01.352+00:00Return to Tomorrow<p>Hello everyone,</p><p>What a year it’s been. Where to start? Well, I won’t dwell on the virus, lockdowns or any of that, because millions of column inches and tweets have been devoted to that elsewhere. You didn’t come here for that – you want to hear when the next Time Bubble book is coming out!</p><p>I’m pleased to say that the answer is soon. I have faced a number of challenges this year which have delayed progress. Firstly, I had to home school the children for three months earlier in the year. Secondly, and I won’t go into great detail on this as I am not one to whinge about health issues, I am waiting for eye surgery which I hope to have in the first few months of next year. As things stand, I can still write and work, but I have to go slower than before. This is also the reason you have not seen much in the way of posts from me because I have dedicated all my time to getting the book completed to the standard you both expect and deserve.</p><p>I am very happy with the end result, provisionally titled <span style="font-style: italic;">Return to Tomorrow</span>. It is a sequel to <span style="font-style: italic;">My Tomorrow, Your Yesterday</span>, featuring Thomas Scott’s third journey through life, in which he has dreams and visions of his previous lives. He has one mission – to make it to the day he is destined to meet his future wife, Sarah, without disturbing the timeline. So far so good. Then another time traveller, Ben, shows up with very different ideas and the two men soon clash.</p><p>The story follows the pair from the gleaming spires of late 1980s Oxford, to the heat of Ibiza at the peak of the clubbing scene in 1998.</p><p>You’ll be pleased to hear that Josh makes a couple of cameos. He is the only character to appear in every book so far so I couldn’t leave him out.</p><p>I am very happy with the way the story has turned out. The lives of the characters intertwine well and as always, there are references to happenings in previous books – and possibly ones yet to come!</p><p>When will it be out? I am aiming for some time in February. I have completed the final draft and passed it on to an editor for proofing. It will then undergo a final edit. I do not have a cover yet, but have been in touch with my artist, Dani, and we will be working on some ideas.</p><p>One final thing before I go – I will be making the Kindle edition of Book 1 in the series, <span style="font-style: italic;">The Time Bubble</span>, completely free to download from Amazon on Christmas Day to encourage new readers into the series. If you have any friends who you think might enjoy a freebie, please let them know. Hopefully they will enjoy it enough to shell out for the others!</p><p>Best wishes to you all and I do hope you have a nice Christmas, even under these trying circumstances. I am sure that we can look forward to better times ahead. And also a book 12 at some point. I have no idea what that will be yet, but something will come to me, it always does. As I have said before, as long as you keep enjoying them, I will keep writing them.<br /><br />Jason</p>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09218364637499192578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838890697900249749.post-44723677447173888442019-12-12T14:21:00.000+00:002019-12-12T14:27:19.574+00:00Teasers and ProloguesI watch a lot of TV - probably more than I should since I got Netflix, but hey, it's winter and the sun sets ridiculously early, and I've got 91 episodes of <i>Orange is the new Black</i> to get through, amongst other things.<br />
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What do you think about teasers in TV programmes - in particular those that give a hint about what's to come? I'm talking about something shocking and unexpected in the pre-credits sequence that's going to happen much later in the show. After the opening credits you get a caption along the lines of "Three Days Earlier" so you know you'll be working up to what you saw before.<br />
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Personally, I've always liked this, and the literary equivalent is the Prologue. I used to feel that my books started rather slowly so I gave it a try in <i>Class of '92</i>, my last book, which opened with a dinosaur rampaging through Oxford. I think that got people's attention.<br />
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For my new book, I've decided to go down the same route and opened the book with a truly shocking opening in which two of the most beloved characters of the series find themselves in mortal peril.Those of you local to where the books are set may recognise the location - it's the roof of the Sainsbury car park in Bicester and the stairs leading down to the shop.<br />
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The good news is you don't have to wait until the end of the month to read the prologue as I'm releasing it as a teaser right here right now. Hopefully this will whet your appetite for the book's release on 29th December.<br />
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What's in the new book, without giving too much away? It's a book of two halves, really. In the first half, Josh and the team get involved in some new experiments travelling back within their own time streams. This gives us a chance to see the Time Bubble team again when they were young, as Josh faces off against his old enemy Dan in a legendary pub crawl. Later, things take a more serious turn when a new and far deadlier foe emerges, tying in with this prologue.<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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<span class="gb kb" style="font-weight: bold;">Prologue</span></div>
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<span class="hb jb" style="font-weight: bold;">June 2025</span></div>
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Kaylee was crippled with fear in a way she never had been before. It was the kind of fear that people only felt at the very real prospect of imminent death, and it was consuming her whole body like a slug of poison coursing through her veins.</div>
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She was a lithe, fit woman in her mid-twenties but right now she felt as weak and helpless as a frail, old woman. Frantically she tried to suppress her body’s overwhelming reflex to be physically sick and to summon up the energy she needed to keep running from her assailant.</div>
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As she descended the stairs on the fire escape that led down to the ground below, the desire to throw up was too strong and she paused briefly, leaning over the metal bannister to projectile vomit over the side.</div>
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The staircase, behind the superstore, ran all the way from the top floor of the car park above to the entrance to the shop below. As the splatter of her semi-digested breakfast hit the floor some thirty feet below, she heard a woman’s voice further down the stairwell exclaiming, “Disgusting!”</div>
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That was all very well for her to say, thought Kaylee, but she hadn’t just seen her husband murdered in cold blood right in front of her.</div>
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Barely a minute ago, up on the roof, she had seen her beloved Charlie hit by a futuristic laser weapon that had made him briefly glow an incredibly bright blue before completely vanishing.</div>
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The unidentified, black-clad and masked assassin had then turned the weapon on Kaylee but the young woman had been nimble enough to just about scramble out of the way, leaving her abandoned Sainsbury’s trolley to be zapped into oblivion instead.</div>
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Despite being utterly traumatised at seeing the love of her life vaporised right in front of her, her survival instincts had kicked in and she had ducked behind a large, white Transit van that was pulling out of a parking space close to the sliding glass doors that led to the entrance.</div>
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From there she had managed to dive through the doors, despite a third thunderous laser blast shot taking out the van and presumably the unfortunate occupant within it.</div>
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Desperate to escape, she headed towards the lift doors, but she soon realised there was no escape that way.</div>
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A crude, handwritten note attached to the lift doors informed her it was out of order again, leaving her with a choice of the travelator or the stairs, a decision which needed to be made in a split second. She opted for the latter, figuring they were less open, making her a more difficult target for the assassin who she assumed would be coming after her. She could also see that there were people blocking the travelator with their trolleys – she would be a sitting duck.</div>
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As she burst through the doors and began to descend the stairwell, there was only one word in her mind and that was “why?”</div>
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Was this some random terror attack with some new type of weapon she had never seen or heard of before? Or was it a premeditated hit and, if so, why was whoever it was targeting her and Charlie? They were just a normal young couple doing their Saturday morning shopping. They didn’t have any enemies.</div>
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It had been the most ordinary of days until they had emerged onto the top floor of the car park. Charlie had been pushing the trolley and they had been chatting amiably about their plans for the weekend. Their friends Josh, Lauren and Hannah were coming around for dinner and they had just bought everything they needed, not just the food but also copious amounts of alcohol.</div>
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That dinner was never going to happen now, she thought, as she willed herself on, leaping down the stairs, three steps at a time. She was desperate for what she hoped would be the relative safety of the store: at least there were security guards there. Admittedly they were probably more used to dealing with shoplifters slipping bottles of vodka into their coat pockets than assassins with laser guns, but it was better than nothing.</div>
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These and countless other thoughts whirled through her head in the relatively short time it took to descend the stairs. This couldn’t just be some random terror attack. There had been other people around at the top of the car park, but the assassin had ignored them, focusing solely on her and Charlie.</div>
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There was no doubt it was the two of them the assassin had been after, and Kaylee knew that escaping through the doors had only given her a temporary respite. She felt a growing feeling of despair welling up inside her at the realisation that her chances of getting out of this alive were slim.</div>
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Part of her almost didn’t want to escape. Charlie was her whole life. Without him was it even worth surviving? Should she just give in and accept her fate, like a condemned prisoner at the gallows? But then she would never know the reason behind all of this, and she doubted that the assassin was going to give her the courtesy of an explanation before blowing her away into oblivion.</div>
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There was a tiny flicker of hope inside her that perhaps Charlie wasn’t dead. Perhaps the laser beam hadn’t been a weapon but instead had just transported him somewhere else. It was the stuff of science fiction, but after all the adventures with the Time Bubble a few years previously, her mind was open to all kinds of possibilities.</div>
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The only other comforting thought she had, and it was an extremely tenuous one, was that if the assassin did kill her, maybe she and Charlie would be together again somewhere. It was an odd thing to think of because she had never believed in any sort of deity, but the likelihood of impending doom had suddenly made the existence of some sort of afterlife an extremely appealing proposition.</div>
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<br />
By now she was halfway down the stairwell at the entrance to the middle level of the car park. As she swung around the corner towards the next flight of stairs, she almost knocked a mother with two young girls out of the way in her haste.</div>
<div class="hb jb" style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">
<br />
The woman gave her an extremely filthy look which suggested she was the one who had seen the contents of Kaylee’s stomach descending at high speed towards the ground floor moments before.</div>
<div class="hb jb" style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">
<br />
There was no time to apologise or issue a warning: what use would that be? If the assassin was only after Kaylee, these people would be safe, and if not, no one would be against the sort of weaponry the killer was toting.</div>
<div class="hb jb" style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">
<br />
Kaylee risked a quick glance back up the stairs but there no sign that she was being followed. Briefly she allowed herself a little hope that maybe she was going to get out of this alive after all.</div>
<div class="hb jb" style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">
<br />
Her hopes were swiftly quashed as she arrived at the bottom of the stairs and the assassin reappeared, right out of thin air directly in front of her. With a sinking feeling, she knew now that the game was up.</div>
<div class="hb jb" style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">
<br />
It was the first time Kaylee had got a proper look at her executioner, not that it gave her any clue as to the identity. The assassin was so heavily clad in black body armour and a mask that covered the whole face, bar the eyes, that she couldn’t even tell if it was male or female. Come to that, she couldn’t even be sure it was human – the armour was made of some strange-looking metallic material that made her wonder if it might not be some sort of robot or android. Could it be an alien, or something from the future?</div>
<div class="hb jb" style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">
<br />
“Why are you doing this?” cried Kaylee as the killer raised the weapon that had already killed her husband. They would be her final words as no reply was forthcoming.</div>
<div class="hb jb" style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">
<br />
There was a high-pitched whistling sound and then a single brilliant, bright blue laser bolt consumed her body, instantly annihilating her. Barely anything was left behind, just the single yellow flower that she had been wearing in her hair which was blown off her head by the blast. Other than that, there was nothing, not even a hint of smoke.</div>
<div class="hb jb" style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">
<br />
Beneath the mask, the assassin smiled, pulled a wand-like device out of a side pocket and pressed a button, before stepping forward and vanishing</div>
<div class="hb jb" style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">
<br />
Other than the small yellow flower fluttering slowly downwards towards the regurgitated bits of muesli and skimmed milk congealing on the floor, it was as if neither of them had ever been there.</div>
<div class="hb jb" style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">
To be continued... </div>
<div class="hb jb" style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LKDrv0tOTww/XfJKQRq0--I/AAAAAAAABjY/yIog2kCaqes4nTbyZGfswxCoa7O3PIr3QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/vanishing_point_ebook_cover_V2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1124" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LKDrv0tOTww/XfJKQRq0--I/AAAAAAAABjY/yIog2kCaqes4nTbyZGfswxCoa7O3PIr3QCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/vanishing_point_ebook_cover_V2.jpg" width="448" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Many of you will recognise this location. <br />
It's The Bridge of Sighs in Oxford which is featured in a key scene.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="hb jb" style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="hb jb" style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">
Vanishing Point will be released on 29th December 2019 and you can reserve your copy here: <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07YG5VVPJ/" target="_blank">Vanishing Point</a></div>
Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09218364637499192578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838890697900249749.post-41341664762107190072019-08-24T23:55:00.001+01:002019-08-25T00:12:39.936+01:00Absence makes the heart grow fonderWhat an awesome night out I had in Bicester last Sunday - significantly better than many of the ones I had when I was actually living there. I think this is one benefit of moving around - you make new friends wherever you go but the ones you made where you were before welcome you back with open arms when you return.<br />
<br />
The pessimist in me might suggest that people were only so pleased to see me because having been absent for almost two years they might have forgotten what a pain in the arse I am! The optimist in me hopes that's not the case and I am not actually one of those people who gets gets described as "alright in small doses" behind their back. I'm sure there is an element of absence making the heart grow fonder but that's not necessarily a bad thing.<br />
<br />
I had chosen this particular Sunday to revisit my old stamping ground after receiving an invitation to a Christening. My friends, Anne and Mark, had recently had a new baby, something that in itself had been news to me due to my sparse use of social media these days. I had completely missed the fact that Anne had been pregnant with baby Bevyn and that she had given birth until a chance meeting in Sainsbury in Bicester a couple of months ago. When I saw her pushing a buggy with a baby inside I asked whose baby it was. When she replied "mine" I realised how out of touch I am. But it was a nice surprise. Sometimes it's nice not to know everything that's going on so going off radar is not necessarily a bad thing.<br />
<br />
Thankfully she wasn't offended so when the invite came along I was only too delighted to accept. When it later transpired that my dear friend Laura was celebrating her birthday out on the same evening, I knew I had picked the right date to return home.<br />
<br />
The Christening itself was lovely, as these things always are, giving me a chance to reconnect with a lot of people I hadn't seen in a very long time. I can't even try to mention everyone here, there are so many, and if I try I am bound to offend the one person I'll forget so quite simply, thank-you everyone I spent time with that afternoon. And, yes, Funky Mike, I have subscribed to your YouTube channel! <br />
<br />
It was effortless to slip so easily back into conversations with people even after years of absence and if that's not a true test of long standing friendship, I don't know what is.<br />
<br />
In the evening, after what I believe is colloquially known as a "cheeky Nando's" I went to the karaoke at The White Hart, a night I founded over a decade ago when the pub was about half the size it is now. Today it is in the capable hands of Charlee and the night was everything I had hoped it would be. The drink flowed as I enjoyed moments with more friends of so many years standing. It was one of those nights that you hope will never end and without doubt the best night I have had out this year. Again I reflected that time doesn't dampen friendship, as the time apart I've spent from these people has made the bond stronger if anything. We may not have spoken and my fleeting Facebook time again means I may not have liked their statuses or commented on their posts as I simply haven't seen them but as I've said time and time again, that isn't how I think friendship ought to be measured. It's what you do in the real world that counts. And last Sunday I got to spend quality time with some really special people who know who they are. I promise I won't leave it so long next time.<br />
<br />
Now I am back home in Evesham, the new town I've come to call home and I went out last night to enjoy a few drinks with some of the friends I have made here these past couple of years. It's still early days and I don't have a shared history with the people here, but I firmly believe if you're friendly, approachable and make an effort to integrate, local people wherever you go will accept you, and you can build friendships with them. But you do have to make that effort, even if it's daunting walking into a new pub for the first time or entering a playground to pick up the kids at a new school where you know absolutely no-one. I was bold on my first day at Jamie's new school and walked straight up to two people and started talking to them. We're still chatting two years on. It's like anything in life - you have to put the effort in and step out of your comfort zone sometimes. If I hadn't, I wouldn't have the amazing back catalogue of friends I have built up through my life, moving from place to place, job to job and pub to pub! If you're reading this, chances are I met you somewhere along this amazing journey we call life and if you've been a part of mine - thank-you!Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09218364637499192578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838890697900249749.post-37897768777850922732019-08-01T01:28:00.000+01:002019-08-01T10:17:29.378+01:00Devon delightsWe're enjoying a well deserved break down in Devon this week and I do feel justified in saying well deserved. It's a phrase I see bandied about rather a lot but everyone in the family has worked really hard this year at work and school to move things forward and we really have earned this trip.<br />
<br />
I know I haven't posted endless details of what we've been doing all over Facebook but seriously who wants to see all that constantly anyway? I could post endlessly about how well the kids did at parent's evening, how well my latest book's doing and all that gubbins, but honestly, do people really want to see all that stuff? Too much of that gets you unfollowed faster than you can #hashtag your latest check in of where you're having your dinner - yes we get it - you're eating out tonight whilst the rest of us are at home. Good for you.<br />
<br />
This is why I rarely post to Facebook at all now, let's be honest it's all getting a bit old hat. I'd far rather chew the fat with my neighbours in the street or with a few pals down the pub than document the minutiae of my daily life online. I probably post once or twice a week now - there is also this blog of course, but my contributions are increasingly rare - that's what a busy life does for you. I'm only writing this now because I've found the time late at night on holiday (fuelled by a local brew I picked up from Skinner's brewery in Truro).<br />
<br />
I've been on a bit of a fitness drive lately, determined not to allow my waist size to keep up with my age any longer so have been doing ten laps, twice a a day of Charity Brook park on my bike. I was worried I might lose the slight fitness gain I have made due to not being able to cycle whilst away but need not have worried. Ilfracombe is very hilly and so are many other places we have visited. There are steep climbs everywhere which is just the job to keep things in check. This is just as well considering the inevitable seaside diet of fish and chips and ice cream.<br />
<br />
We've been eating out most evenings finding some really nice eateries in the area but I have been again annoyed by the increasingly ubiquitous "skin on fries" that seem to be cropping everywhere, even when not described as such. I think it started off being seen as upmarket and trendy in posh restaurants that didn't want to refer to them as just chips, but everyone's jumped on the bandwagon now. Personally I just think these places just can't be arsed to peel their potatoes properly. It seems I am in a minority with this opinion so I suppose I must just be being fussy. Thankfully we found a lovely place to eat tonight in Georgeham tonight called The Rock Inn which offered perfect hand cooked chips with not a piece of skin or an eye in sight! Bravo Rock Inn, the 5 star Tripadvisor review will be along at some point (if I ever get around to it).<br />
<br />
It's the third time in the last decade we've holidayed in this area and there is so much to enjoy. We've had a day on Croyde Beach (my third favourite in Britain) where Jamie famously ran into the sea fully clothed as a one-year-old, followed by a walk up to nearby Baggy Point. We've done the tunnel beaches in Ilfracombe and explored the stunning Lynton/ Lynmouth area. The views along the coastal paths around there are truly breathtaking.<br />
<br />
We walked all the way down from Lynton to Lynmouth and had planned to take the cliff railway back up but the queue for it was packed. This railway incidentally is incredibly environmentally friendly - and invented by the Victorians long before saving the planet became a pressing issue. The whole thing ingeniously runs on water. So we decided to walk up the path which whilst not quite a sheer cliff face was more challenging than anything I've encountered back home in Worcestershire, with the possible exception of the Malverns. It was worth it, though. I had caved in to temptation and had a cream tea shortly beforehand so this trek helped to undo that sin.<br />
<br />
I do so love this part of the world and have a long standing ambition to walk the entire length of the South West Coast path which runs from Poole to Minehead. Believe it or not this is a stunning 630 miles long! Obviously I can't do this anytime soon with two young lads to look after but in about a decade or so, I fancy the idea of doing this one summer over a couple of months. I could walk about ten miles a day and stay in a different seaside town every night. What an adventure that would be!<br />
<br />
In the meantime, I shall leave you with a piccie of the boys enjoying the beach, and I hope to see you all soon.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_AN9Hxg58xY/XUIshXCa6MI/AAAAAAAABiI/sZZdPScBnIwa1CYDSnMOj4tre5GpeL3OwCLcBGAs/s1600/2019-07-28%2B14.16.15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_AN9Hxg58xY/XUIshXCa6MI/AAAAAAAABiI/sZZdPScBnIwa1CYDSnMOj4tre5GpeL3OwCLcBGAs/s320/2019-07-28%2B14.16.15.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A postcard from Devon. <br />
Since I can't be arsed to send real ones any more.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Cheers,<br />
JasonJasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09218364637499192578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838890697900249749.post-45420486196786629622019-03-25T17:34:00.001+00:002019-03-25T17:34:37.876+00:00Time Bubble Movie - CastingSince my last post, Ross and I have been working away getting the Time Bubble script to the point where we are now confident we can bring the book to life. One of the most common questions I've been asked by fans of the book since I announced our plans is "You're not going to ruin it by changing everything are you?"<br />
<br />
The short answer to that is - no. Obviously we have to make a few tweaks to take into account that a book and a film are two very different mediums. These are for the most part very minor details that you'll barely even notice. Other than that this will be a pretty faithful adaption of the book you know and love.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-j2pjnJMwYQI/XJkQ7_ch-2I/AAAAAAAABg4/FyKaLrxLiwsiPp6vbdt2idYr_CHeH1CpQCLcBGAs/s1600/Timebubble-300dpi-3125x4167%2B%2528NEW%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-j2pjnJMwYQI/XJkQ7_ch-2I/AAAAAAAABg4/FyKaLrxLiwsiPp6vbdt2idYr_CHeH1CpQCLcBGAs/s320/Timebubble-300dpi-3125x4167%2B%2528NEW%2529.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You're read the book...<br />...now be part of the movie!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Most of the changes are largely cosmetic and don't impact on the plot at all. For example, I've made the teens eighteen rather than seventeen - primarily because it gives us the scope to cast some older actors. It should also avoid any criticism of the fact that these teenagers do have and talk about sexual relationships. This was something that was picked up on in some reviews of the original book, presumably by people who had forgotten what it was like to be a teenager! I don't want that can of worms opened up again, so eighteen they are! Other than that I can assure you that their characters will be true to their original portrayals.<br />
<br />
This brings us on to where we currently are, which is pre-casting. Now I know what you are thinking - we haven't even done the crowdfunding yet so aren't we getting ahead of ourselves? Well not really, and here's why. In order for this crowdfunding project to succeed, we have to demonstrate that we are serious about making this movie and have done some solid groundwork. Putting faces to some of the leading characters will be key to that. Not only will it allow us to design some pre-promotional material featuring the cast, it will also enable us to do a little pre-filming to produce a trailer than we can then include on the crowdfunding page. All of this will help build confidence in the project.<br />
<br />
Having more people invested in the project can only help the crowdfunding too - we need to get the message out to as many people as possible and I am sure any actors we pre-cast will be only too eager to help spread the word. After all they are going to have a paid role at the end of it.<br />
<br />
The profiles of the main characters are are looking to cast are up now on StarNow and can be found here: <a href="https://casting.starnow.com/listing/995433/?fbclid=IwAR2ztQq9LrEFozGE6dEtfWAlQS7H6_qf2zdsdUo9kh6JsuKMyRwFGnSor1U" target="_blank">StarNow - Time Bubble Casting</a> (add link). Those of you familiar with the books will already know all about these characters but for those who aren't there are handy bios of each.<br />
<br />
We will be holding auditions on Tuesday April 16th in Bicester so if you have any actor friends who might be interested in auditioning please encourage them to do so. Ideally they should apply through the StarNow site rather than to me directly, however I am more than happy to answer any questions anyone may have. <br /><br />I should also point out that the film is going to filmed primarily in Oxfordshire so it would be help to be local to the area.<br />
<br />
To say these are exciting times would be an understatement! More updates soon...Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09218364637499192578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838890697900249749.post-88661409352672109032019-01-30T00:25:00.000+00:002019-01-30T00:35:46.216+00:00The Time Bubble - The MovieApologies for the lack of recent posts but it has been an incredibly busy, yet rewarding few months on the writing front.<br />
<br />
Firstly, I finished and published Class of '92 on the 30th December. This has been an incredibly successful launch, with several hundred copies sold already and a massive boost to the rest of the range as a result. This has meant that January has been my most successful month to date. To be at a point where I have more income coming in each month than I had in my last full time job feels pretty special. I'm so glad I didn't listen to those early doubters with their "don't give up the day job" advice!<br />
<br />
It hasn't all been wine and roses and I have to say that there were times when I was writing Class of '92 when I had my doubts (we creative types all have them). But I knuckled down to it and burned the midnight oil, or more accurately the midnight Merlot on more occasions than I can remember as I was determined to get it right. There are authors out there who are churning out several books a year but I prefer to take my time and I won't put something out until I'm completely happy with it.<br />
<br />
Judging by the feedback I have had - and I don't just mean reviews but all the private messages (thank-you so much for them - I love hearing from my readers and reply to every one), that extra time was well worth it. I can't remember a book being better received than this one. Clearly tapping into the whole 1990s nostalgia thing was a good move.<br />
<br />
Now on to my current project. I have not started a new book yet. I have several different ideas I am toying with but nothing I am ready to start on just now. Instead my focus throughout January has been on turning The Time Bubble into a script. This is something which I have found immensely enjoyable. Writing scripts is not something I have ever done professionally, but I do have a lot of history behind me in this area.<br />
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ttf-WzRX3ug/XFDuZ3lzM-I/AAAAAAAABgI/X-1QY8nQeQga9tM0Hu8rryL2He4OVXe2gCLcBGAs/s1600/Timebubble-300dpi-3125x4167%2B%2528NEW%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ttf-WzRX3ug/XFDuZ3lzM-I/AAAAAAAABgI/X-1QY8nQeQga9tM0Hu8rryL2He4OVXe2gCLcBGAs/s320/Timebubble-300dpi-3125x4167%2B%2528NEW%2529.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coming to a movie theatre near you soon?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Well over thirty years ago now, back in school, my friend Francis and I started writing our own little plays in exercise books as an alternative to paying attention in boring lessons. The characters were all people we knew indulging in extremely libellous activities. No-one was immune - from fellow students to teachers to various celebrities of the day, These plays carried on throughout college and into my twenties and often verged into the realms of time travel in various ludicrous and humorous scenarios.<br />
<br />
I even showed one of them to a famous film director once, the legendary Roy Boulting who lived in my village and used to come into the shop where I worked every day to buy his copy of The Times and 20 Dunhill International. He did actually read it and was very kind in his feedback, suggesting I was a promising newcomer. In reality it probably came across as juvenile crap and he was just being polite. I was only 19 at the time after all. That was as far as things went back in those heady days of 1989 because due to various other important teenage commitments I had at the time such as work, the pub, and trying to get off with girls, my script writing career got put on hold at that point. For about three decades.<br />
<br />
Now that I'm turning The Time Bubble into a script, I'm reminded of those days and how different writing a script is to writing a novel. There are things that you can do in a novel that you can't do in a script - for example, showing people's feeling and motivations through their inner thoughts can be done easily in a book - not so easily on screen. This is just one difference. So it certainly isn't just a case of cutting and pasting the dialogue out of the book into the script - that's not enough. Like with everything I do - if I'm going to do something I'm going to do it properly.<br />
<br />
As I mentioned above, I have found the process very enjoyable and I do feel it plays to my strengths. I have always found the most difficult parts of writing novels the bits where I have to describe a scene or a person's appearance. This does not come naturally to me even though it's one of the first things they teach you on creative writing courses - so I am told. Dialogue, however, flows onto the page, especially the humorous bits. That's why you get so many scenes in my books with Kent and the other drinkers in the pub. These scenes may not always advance the plot very far, if at all, but I just love writing them. It's breaking the rules but I've never been one for convention. Maybe I should just write a sitcom set in a pub.<br />
<br />
When this script is finished, which won't be much longer, the real challenge will begin - getting it made into a film. I have been in discussion for a couple of years now with Ross Arrowsmith, a talented young film maker in Bicester, about doing this but for one reason or another we've not been able to look at it until now because we've both been too busy with other projects. One of the biggest projects Ross has been involved in has been producing the excellent sitcom <i>In Other News</i> which if you've not seen it, is well worth going over to YouTube to check out now. Here's a link to one of the episodes: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQvXqWavF6U" target="_blank">In Other News Series 1, Episode 1</a><br />
<br />
Ross and his team crowdfunded this project, raising several thousands pounds to produce it. I believe that we can successfully do the same for The Time Bubble, particularly with the large existing fan base I have built up. I know everyone's asking for money these days but I am sure that there are a lot of Time Bubble fans out there who would love to see a polished, professional production of the story. Crowdfunding isn't simply a case of saying "we want to make a film, please give us your money" - we would want to give something back. So for example, contributing twenty pounds might get you a signed DVD on release, a larger amount might get you an invite to the premiere, or your name in the credits. It is all very early days and Ross and I need to sit down and work out in fine detail what we need before we start the process.<br />
<br />
The biggest expense is likely to be paying actors and I think it's very important to have professionals on board. I certainly don't want this to look like some amateur production - I value my work too highly for that and so does Ross.<br />
<br />
There were other routes I could have gone down with this - such as trying to sell the script to a film studio but I love the idea of working with Ross and doing this ourselves. I am always seeking new challenges and have reinvented myself many times - becoming a successful entertainer and then a successful writer after deciding the rat race wasn't for me. If the dedication and will is there, there's no reason why I can't add scriptwriter and producer to my CV. The beauty of the internet age that we now live in is that there is virtually nothing you can't do yourself if you are determined enough to succeed.<br />
<br />
Your feedback and support on this would be hugely appreciated.<br />
<br />Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09218364637499192578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838890697900249749.post-488197844780122632018-08-22T23:51:00.002+01:002018-08-22T23:51:23.060+01:00The North WestThe annual Ayres family holiday is in full swing and this year we are up in the North West - Hesketh Bank, near Preston, to be precise.<br />
<br />
That might not sound like the most glamorous of holiday destinations but there is method in my madness. Whilst I may love Cornwall and Tenby and all those other tried and tested places, they don't expand my horizons and it's a desire of mine to see as much of these islands we call home as I can. This is quite a challenge. Britain looks pretty titchy on the world map, but there's so much of it!<br />
<br />
I'd like to say I saw a lot of it when I was working for Nielsen and cruising round the country in the company car, which sounds glamorous, but really it isn't. I could tell you I've been to Thetford, Faversham, Blandford and hundreds of other places, but the truth is, in many cases I saw nothing much of these places at all. In most cases it amounted to driving to some nondescript office building on the local industrial estate, spending the afternoon in a conference room and then booking into the Holiday Inn on the ring road for a riveting evening of pure soullessness. This can hardly be classed as seeing the world.<br />
<br />
Rejecting the rat race at the tender age of 35 has enabled me to open my eyes and enjoy the country properly, hence our ever changing holiday destinations. I like to pick an area and explore, with something for everyone. I want to give the kids a few cultural experiences, but you have to strike the right balance, so for every day in a museum or out exploring the countryside, it's only fair to have one on the beach or at a theme park too.<br />
<br />
I picked Hesketh Bank as a good central location for exploring an area of Britain I haven't really spent much time in before. We are roughly halfway between Blackpool and Liverpool. two places I had varying reasons for wanting to visit, and close to Southport and the beaches on Merseyside too.<br />
<br />
A bit of forward planning never goes amiss so after arriving at our cottage we headed out for dinner at the rather delightful Cock and Bottle pub in Tarleton, which I found on Tripadvisor. You know when you go out for a meal and everything it just absolutely perfect? Well this place ticked all the boxes. It's just the little things really - like the chips were homemade, as were Ollie's chicken goujons and Jamie's burger. My steak was sublime. When you compare somewhere like this to the generally dreadful Hungry Horse type places back home, well there's just isn't any comparison.<br />
<br />
On Sunday we went to Southport but the weather wasn't very good so it wasn't a beach day. Just as well really, as the sea was about five miles away which was reminscent of Weston-Super-Mare. We really must try to time our visits better around the tides. The rest of the resort was pretty decent - there is a lovely pier, devoid of all the usual tourist tat, with a wonderful arcade at the end full of fully working pre-decimalisation machines. You have to buy some old pennies to play them, and it's all great fun. And of course, there are all the usual things you associate with the seaside, like fairground rides and fish and chips, which is what we had for our tea.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VtjstSX04kM/W33g88VOEkI/AAAAAAAABeo/nOU9TBmXwUY7IWlhu_p-kWJQ_TiiWKzvACLcBGAs/s1600/2018-08-19%2B16.32.34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VtjstSX04kM/W33g88VOEkI/AAAAAAAABeo/nOU9TBmXwUY7IWlhu_p-kWJQ_TiiWKzvACLcBGAs/s320/2018-08-19%2B16.32.34.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jamie's got Ollie in his sights on the dodgems at Southport.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
On Monday I returned to Blackpool Pleasure Beach for the first time since 1981, so to all intents it was my first visit. I wasn't sure what to expect as to be honest, driving through Blackpool en route, I felt the area looked extremely run down. Thankfully that didn't apply to the park, which had more than enough to do. We were there eight hours and didn't manage to go on every ride.<br />
<br />
It's funny, people go on about the big name rides, but by far the most stressful experience for me was on the relatively old Grand National ride. This is an old wooden rollercoaster, and unlike the more modern fast and smooth rides, this old coaster shakes the absolute bones of you as it goes over the jumps. It was the only time I felt uncomfortable on the day.<br />
<br />
We probably did more at this park than at any other we have been to, largely because the children are now old enough (and more importantly, tall enough) to go on nearly all the rides.<br />
<br />
On Tuesday we visited Liverpool. This is one of the very few cities in England I had yet to visit, and one I have always wanted to. I have to say, I am very impressed by all the regeneration that's been done by the riverside and we spent plenty of time there, including a long stint in the Museum of Liverpool. learning all about the docks that previously stood on the site.<br /><br />Of course, a visit to the famous Cavern Club was in order, even if it is shamelessly touristy. There was a busker outside singing Oasis numbers which felt slightly out of place, but even so, there is a great atmosphere down the street.<br /><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XnH_c_PfbGM/W33jCopSchI/AAAAAAAABfE/DG9ByR25irEKaDTtxvm3qdrl8CLjYK5wQCLcBGAs/s1600/Cavern.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XnH_c_PfbGM/W33jCopSchI/AAAAAAAABfE/DG9ByR25irEKaDTtxvm3qdrl8CLjYK5wQCLcBGAs/s400/Cavern.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is actually outside the Cavern Pub, <br />opposite the Cavern Club, but who's quibbling?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
One other thing I did, which is probably more off the usual tourist track was visit the site of the former soap, Brookside. This is now just a normal close with normal people living in the houses which is just as well as I had no desire to get shot, stabbed, blown up, kidnapped, be brainwashed by a religious cult, struck down by a mysterious virus, become a lesbian, or have a helicopter crash on me while I was there.<br />
<br />
One thing I noticed was that the close is much smaller than it seemed on TV. If you get a chance to go, you will see what I mean. I guess that's the magic of TV. I have often heard it said that people from TV look smaller in real life too.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lYXrMA1JL2A/W33hAeUDsvI/AAAAAAAABew/jaHAa1TyZrUR93lTQXBQUNk3v29yfqRPwCLcBGAs/s1600/2018-08-21%2B11.21.43.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lYXrMA1JL2A/W33hAeUDsvI/AAAAAAAABew/jaHAa1TyZrUR93lTQXBQUNk3v29yfqRPwCLcBGAs/s320/2018-08-21%2B11.21.43.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Where's Barry Grant when you need him?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
All in all, I really enjoyed my trip to Liverpool. I've always felt an affinity with the place, despite never previously visiting, and it was all borne out by my visit. I also feel slightly less of a fraud now for making the lead character of my novel, <i>Happy New Year</i>, from the city. At least I have now visited the locations mentioned in that story - descriptions of which are admittedly brief for that reason.<br />
<br />
On to Wednesday and a trip to Lytham St Annes which is a quite delightful little gem by the sea just this side of Blackpool. Here we were able to enjoy a game of pitch and putt (with a few tantrums along the way, not by me on this occasion). Unfortunately the weather has begun to turn on us, so we were unable to enjoy the beach. It is typical, is it not, that in this hottest summer we have had for decades, we have unfortunately picked the one poor week to come away.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JSSraTN1c14/W33oV8lfRNI/AAAAAAAABfQ/4EUbdIOjW0QcLcAPDrbuWOd3fkHORqATACLcBGAs/s1600/lytham.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JSSraTN1c14/W33oV8lfRNI/AAAAAAAABfQ/4EUbdIOjW0QcLcAPDrbuWOd3fkHORqATACLcBGAs/s320/lytham.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bit cold for ice creams but it didn't stop them!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
A few days left, and then we shall be home to Evesham and school will be beginning before we know it. Already the year begins to grow old.<br />
<br />
<i>Jason Ayres is the author of eight time travel novels including his latest release, Happy New Year. You can find out more by clicking <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Happy-New-Year-Second-Chances-ebook/dp/B079H1RDMT/">here</a></i><br />
<br />Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09218364637499192578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838890697900249749.post-38257650562819446462018-07-26T23:47:00.003+01:002018-07-26T23:47:55.676+01:00Road TripAs I sit here on the decking in the garden of my dream home that I bought last year, on the umpteenth night of the best summer in over 40 years, I have to reflect that life can't get much better.<br />
<br />
If there was one thing I could change? I wish that I didn't live so far from the sea. I have always felt drawn to the coast, and am so envious of those that live close to it. Bicester was just about as far as you can get from the sea and Evesham is only marginally nearer.<br />
<br />
With temperatures of 30+ forecast for today, I declared to the Ayres family last night that we would be going on a road trip. I've been sat in my office working away on my latest novel and various other projects for weeks and felt in need of a well deserved day off.<br />
<br />
So with the car packed up with everything needed for a day at the beach, we set sail from sunny Evesham around 9.15am this morning, with the dulcet tones of Ken Bruce to help us along the way.<br />
<br />
Where to go? Well the nearest seaside spot to us is Weston-Super-Mare or Weston-Super-Mud as some have dubbed it, with good reason. It's fine when the tide is in, but unfortunately when it is out, the water retreats approximately half way to France. This leaves several miles of dangerous mudflats to negotiate to reach the shoreline if one is feeling particularly suicidal. That's what happened the last time we went and a quick check of the tide times suggested it would be the same story today.<br />
<br />
So instead we decided to try Barry Island, somewhere I've never been before. I'll be honest, I went with low expectations but was pleasantly surprised. It was an easy journey, in just around two hours we were on the beach munching our sandwiches under the watchful gaze of marauding seagulls. And the temperatures were very pleasant - whilst Heathrow was sweltering in it's hottest day of the year at 35c, we were enjoying a lovely 27c with sea breezes.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p3tS6mbsXTo/W1pN4I0VZrI/AAAAAAAABeM/BYGmFSzQkiYoZwPZYunAqejhd7uWF3uywCLcBGAs/s1600/seagull.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p3tS6mbsXTo/W1pN4I0VZrI/AAAAAAAABeM/BYGmFSzQkiYoZwPZYunAqejhd7uWF3uywCLcBGAs/s320/seagull.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What are you hanging around me for? Do I look like the sort of<br /> bloke who's going to have loads of food on him? Oh...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I couldn't believe how warm the sea was. It reminded me of when I was in Hawaii all those years ago. It's amazing how much difference three months of almost unbroken sunshine can make to the waters around Britain compared to your average summer. Rather than my usual paddling I actually went far enough out to start swimming - something I found absolutely exhilarating. Swimming in the sea is one of those pure and joyous experiences that really makes me feel alive, something that in a world full of adult responsibilities is something that we can easily forget how to feel.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AzPna6nYwJU/W1pL9KOIIQI/AAAAAAAABeA/PYxbl40wnTMcLO76w1ijbFzt3gIoB7ucgCLcBGAs/s1600/barry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AzPna6nYwJU/W1pL9KOIIQI/AAAAAAAABeA/PYxbl40wnTMcLO76w1ijbFzt3gIoB7ucgCLcBGAs/s320/barry.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me on the beach. I can't show you the topless ones <br />as I've sold the rights to them to Playgirl.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The one downside? Somehow I managed to step on and get stung by a weaver fish, necessitating a brief visit to first aid. That wasn't pleasant but I didn't let it spoil my day. After about four hours on the beach we went to the fair, where the kids made good use of the tokens I bought for them. We then wandered past a few gift shops selling tacky Gavin and Stacey memorabilia, finishing with a slap up meal at a lovely little cafe on the front. Then we headed home, returning to Evesham just before dark, All in all, a grand day out as Wallace and Gromit would say.<br />
<br />
Now here I am, 11pm, in the garden again with a glass of wine during the summer that just keeps giving. Cheers.<br />
<br />
<i>Jason Ayres is the author of eight time travel novels including his latest release, Happy New Year. You can find out more by clicking <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Happy-New-Year-Second-Chances-ebook/dp/B079H1RDMT/">here</a></i>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09218364637499192578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838890697900249749.post-49940974857012325632018-07-23T13:45:00.002+01:002018-07-23T13:45:26.500+01:00Bringing my words to life.It's been a busy few weeks here at Chapel Street Press - which is the name I gave to my modest little publishing empire when I set it up two house moves ago. It was back in those heady days at Chapel Street in Bicester where the concept of the Time Bubble first burst into print.<br />
<br />
I've been beavering away on the fifth book in The Time Bubble series recently. It is in fact my ninth novel in this series overall when you take the spin-offs into account. You know I love to come up with original concepts for my books and I'm quite confident that I've come up with another new twist with this story.<br />
<br />
Whilst I've been writing about Josh's latest adventure in 1992, I've also been working on another long term project to bring my books to life via the medium of audio books.<br />
<br />
I already dipped my toe into the waters of this area a while back when I got together with Paul Messingham, a voice actor from Brighton, to record the audio book of My Tomorrow, Your Yesterday.<br />
<br />
Over the past few months I've put some of the other books up for audition and have received an overwhelming response. The books have been flying pretty high in the Amazon charts now for some time which must certainly have helped because the number of auditions I got for The Time Bubble alone took me days to wade through. I was amazed at the number of high profile people expressing an interest - audio books are clearly no longer merely a niche market. In the end I went with a RADA actor I was already familiar with through his long running role in The Archers, in Big Finish Doctor Who audio productions and more.<br />
<br />
For Midlife Crisis and Rock Bottom, I've got two more great actors/ producers on board with huge experience within the BBC, ITV and elsewhere. I'm going to run features on each of these people as the audio books are released so watch this space.<br />
<br />
One of the things I'm finding absolutely thrilling about this whole process is when people who I've grown up watching on TV seek to connect with me. Only this morning I've been chatting to a female actor who had a long running role in Brookside. I was almost in awe when her name popped up in my inbox, showing interest in the next audio book I plan to commission. If you've read Happy New Year you'll know that Amy, the lead character, is from Liverpool. What could be better than having a native speaker with a proven track record from the greatest soap of all time?<br />
<br />
It's quite an amazing experience hearing some of these hugely talented people reading aloud the words I've written, particularly the dialogue sections. My characters have always felt very alive to me, but hearing their voices brought to life by these actors brings it to a whole new level.<br />
<br />
It also makes me think how much more potential there is in these stories. Hearing the voice of my characters is one thing, but how about seeing them in the flesh? It would be my absolute dream to see Lauren Kent, Kay and all the others brought to life on the silver screen or on TV. Who knows? Maybe these audios might bring that one step closer to reality.<br />
<br />
<i>Jason Ayres is the author of eight time travel novels including his latest release, Happy New Year. You can find out more by clicking <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Happy-New-Year-Second-Chances-ebook/dp/B079H1RDMT/">here</a></i>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09218364637499192578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838890697900249749.post-74560470721940304922018-07-08T00:49:00.002+01:002018-07-08T00:59:02.028+01:00It's coming home - but I don't want to watch it at home!For those of you that hate football look away now. I haven't posted excessively about it. so you're just going to have to forgive me this one post when it pops up on Facebook.<br />
<br />
It's only fair, after all. I mean, the World Cup is only once every four years, and England doing well at it is only about once every quarter century. Compare that to the endless shite that has dribbled down my news feed year after year about The X-Factor, Love Island and Strictly Come Wanking or whatever it's called, and I think you can cut me some slack this one time.<br />
<br />
Actually none of that stuff does come down my news feed anymore as I automatically unfollow anyone who mentions it. So if I haven't liked or commented on any of your statuses since about 2013, that's probably why. Sorry about that.<br />
<br />
Now I find myself in a bit of a quandary. Thus far, I have watched the England games mostly in the comfort of my own home and with my family, but now things are getting serious, the stakes are being upped. Today I was at Eynsham Carnival in Oxfordshire with family, and we had a good get together at my Dad's house to watch it. Even my sister, a confirmed non-football fan joined in. Everyone's getting in the spirit.<br />
<br />
So where do I watch from here on? Well in England's not so glorious past, before I had children, I invariably spent every agonising failure in some pub somewhere, drowning my sorrows at various missed penalties with the other desolate souls. Now things are different - I have children (7 and 10) so I can't just bugger off to the pub for the semi final and, dare I say it, a potential final.<br />
<br />
Well in theory I could - most pubs allow kids in these days so I could take them with me, but I am not sure my two would cope with an absolutely mobbed football pub crowd. I'm not sure even I would, come to that.<br />
<br />
Equally, I don't want to watch it at home, just the three of us. Not such a historic moment as this might turn out to be. I need to be in shared company.<br />
<br />
So I've got two ideas - one is to see if we can get some of the neighbours together and have a bit of a street or garden party - entirely possible in our street which is end of a cul-de-sac and mostly off road. Providing we can rig up some sort of visible outdoor TV it's a possibility.<br />
<br />
Or alternatively, maybe Wychavon council could spring into action and set up some sort of big screen mass event in Evesham in Abbey Park or Crown Meadow. What an experience that would be - especially with the amazing summer we are having.<br />
<br />
That would be an amazing experience and not too difficult to organise at short notice, I would hope? After all, Eynsham Carnival managed to get some big screens today, only a few days after they found out England were playing. I've seen plenty of footage on the BBC of such events taking place all over the place so how about it? Let's get families and their kids out there on the field to celebrate this fantastic adventure together as it enters the final stages.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IIbMStlQHwk/W0FSk3eQp7I/AAAAAAAABdQ/_ZyPDSW9g30Fbmzse443eCF098O9vsaqACLcBGAs/s1600/1280px-Flag_of_England.svg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1280" height="192" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IIbMStlQHwk/W0FSk3eQp7I/AAAAAAAABdQ/_ZyPDSW9g30Fbmzse443eCF098O9vsaqACLcBGAs/s320/1280px-Flag_of_England.svg.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Come on England!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<i>Jason Ayres is the author of eight time travel novels including his latest release, Happy New Year. You can find out more by clicking <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Happy-New-Year-Second-Chances-ebook/dp/B079H1RDMT/">here</a></i>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09218364637499192578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838890697900249749.post-33682386332113567982018-05-13T09:56:00.000+01:002018-05-13T10:34:38.618+01:00Class of '92Hi all! I hope you are enjoying <i>Happy New Year</i>. It's going great guns and ranking high in the Kindle store so thank-you for your continued support.<br />
<div>
<br />
Now it's time for me to start thinking about the next novel and the rest of May will be taken up with the planning process. As you can imagine, with time travel I have to map everything out very carefully to ensure it all ties up - not only within the current story but also with all the others. It's quite a task keeping track of it all!</div>
<div>
<br />
Here's what I have so far. It will be book #5 in <i>The Time Bubble</i> series and will be set predominantly in 1992. Nostalgia always seems to be about a generation behind in my experience. When I was a kid, everyone used to go on about the fifties. In recent years, it's all been about the eighties. So I think it's high time for an appreciation of that somewhat overlooked decade, the nineties. This book will give me a good opportunity to kick-start that.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pAtRe11TEtg/Wvf6H0DMA7I/AAAAAAAABcw/FUhPJFQzMY8uJRsmrmQ96X8iKbhoEmPjgCLcBGAs/s1600/Cornmarket%2BOxford%2B061193.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pAtRe11TEtg/Wvf6H0DMA7I/AAAAAAAABcw/FUhPJFQzMY8uJRsmrmQ96X8iKbhoEmPjgCLcBGAs/s400/Cornmarket%2BOxford%2B061193.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div>
<span style="font-size: small;">Cornmarket Street in 1992. Remember when you could </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;">hardly move for all the buses?</span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br />
It will focus on two main characters. One of these will be Peter, who we've only ever previously met in middle-age. In 1992, he'll be a twenty-one year old University student in Oxford, and we'll get a chance to explore the culture of the times through his youthful eyes. This shouldn't be too difficult for me, as I was that age and living and working around Oxford at that time.<br />
<br />
The other main protagonist will be Josh, who you'll recall at the end of <i>Splinters in Time</i> was heading back to 1992 in the hope of finding a way back to his own time. With several months to kill before he can attempt to get home, he'll need to integrate into the nineties culture from his twenty-first century perspective, which should prove interesting. I like the idea of pairing him up with Peter from their altered places in the timeline - Josh now middle-aged with a youthful Peter, who was once Josh's middle-aged teacher when Josh was at school.<br />
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="edtu0" data-offset-key="b9iq4-0-0">
<br />
Of course, there will be a big time travel conundrum for them to deal with, and this time I want to explore a concept that I touched on twice before, that of people from the past coming to the present. In <i>Global Cooling</i> there was the sailor who went missing for several months before popping up in the cave in Cornwall. Then in <i>Splinters in Time</i>, I wove the old English folk tale of <i>The Mermaid of Zennor</i> into the story, providing a time travelling explanation for the mysterious disappearance of Matthew Trewhella all those centuries ago.</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="edtu0" data-offset-key="b9iq4-0-0">
<br />
So, what if a malfunctioning Time Bubble started sending people from the past into 1992 Oxford? And how will Josh and Peter handle that? I don't know yet, I haven't figured all that out, but that's what this planning process is all about.</div>
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<br /></div>
My provisional title? <i>Class of '92</i> - which I think has a nice ring to it.<br />
<br />
<i>Jason Ayres is the author of eight time travel novels including his latest release, Happy New Year. You can find out more by clicking <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Happy-New-Year-Second-Chances-ebook/dp/B079H1RDMT/">here</a></i></div>
Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09218364637499192578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838890697900249749.post-40205955067316686162018-05-09T14:50:00.000+01:002018-05-09T14:50:13.614+01:00Ten albums in ten days<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Music is such a personal thing, isn’t it? Some people will
say they are into rock, others into metal, but the truth is that even if we identify
with a genre each of us will have our own unique soundtrack to our lives.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I don’t have a particular genre as such, but objectively, if
anyone was looking at what I have been listening to now and over the past few
decades, they might define it as a cross between electronica and shoegazing
(also known as dream pop). Neither of these are particularly popular these days
in the UK (if they ever were) and they certainly aren’t fashionable but I don’t care one iota about
that. I’ve always believed that one’s musical tastes should be true to one’s
self and not what’s “cool” or to fit in. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I should add that I also like lots of other stuff that doesn’t
belong to those genres. It’s why I go down The Red Lion most Fridays as they
have all sorts of live singers on down there doing different stuff.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I started doing one of those “ten albums in ten days”
things on Facebook recently but gave up because I didn’t see the point. One of
the things about it was “Just post a cover, no explanation needed”. But why do
that if you aren’t going to give an explanation? Surely that’s the whole point.
Otherwise how will anyone be able to share in how you feel? So, what I've decided to do is stick ten albums on here in one big hit instead plus a little caption for each. That way you can look at them all together or if you're not interested it is only one post on Facebook you will have to ignore rather than ten!<o:p></o:p></div>
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One drawback of being into relatively niche genres is that
it is very hard to find other people in real life who are into the same stuff. Therefore my music listening is an extremely solitary activity. I can read the comments under YouTube videos online to see what other people think but they aren't people I'll ever encounter in real life. Having no-one to share one's musical journey with is a great pity as I am incredibly
moved every day through the music I listen to. My favourite artists talk to me about
life, feelings, and situations in a way that I almost feel that they’ve written these songs personally just
for me. Which I guess was probably the artist's attention as it is with all us creative types. I have had feedback from people describing how my books have touched them in a similar way.</div>
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Sometimes I am lying in bed and a song comes on and whether it’s a joyful or melancholy moment, I so wish there was someone to whom I could say “Listen to
this song. Listen to the words. Then you’ll understand exactly how I feel!” </div>
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There is a way to do this in the modern world simply by posting a link to the song
on Facebook and asking everyone to listen to it. But I very rarely do this, because like I said at the
start, music is a very personal thing. A song that I find incredibly moving, speaking volumes to me about my own life, may mean nothing to the vast majority
of other people. They are likely to see a proliferation of such postings as self-indulgent,
attention seeking twaddle. Eventually they will get sick of seeing them and unfollow me. Well I assume they will - because I've done the same to other people who post too much. Haven't we all?</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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So it seems I must keep my thoughts wrapped up and continue
my long musical voyage alone. It’s sad because many is the time I’ve
listened to a song that’s made me think about a particular friend and longed to
tell them “Listened to this and thought of you” but most of the time I have held
back. In the past I used to make up mix
tapes or CD’s for friend and girlfriends, and most times that went well but I haven’t done
anything like that for a while. Most people are streaming music these days anyway so if I gave them a CD they wouldn't listen to it. What's the alternative? Spotify playlists? All very well if you're on Spotify but I'm not. I use Amazon Music unlimited.<o:p></o:p></div>
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For what it’s worth, whilst what I listen to changes from
time to time, at the moment I’m listening to a mixed up playlist of around 100
tracks from the following six bands: Client, Garbage, Ladytron, La Roux, Lush and Saint Etienne. Some of these you will probably never have heard of. Client have
spent a single week of their 14 year career so far in the Top 40, whilst
Ladytron have not even managed that in nearly twenty years, though both have
found greater success outside the UK. I’m not going to bother posting
any links to songs for the reasons I’ve already stated, but here’s ten album
covers in lieu of my failing to complete the Facebook challenge! </div>
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Note that these aren't necessarily my ten favourite albums of all time but a mix of what I'm listening to at the moment with some old favourites thrown in. I could quite easily have given you 50 or a hundred but we haven't got all day, so ten it shall be...</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ia5eHVqJPn4/WvL06xSL7ZI/AAAAAAAABbc/pbLYPtytozsCDX9D_Ydl3O_xeERSHuKegCLcBGAs/s1600/client-authority.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ia5eHVqJPn4/WvL06xSL7ZI/AAAAAAAABbc/pbLYPtytozsCDX9D_Ydl3O_xeERSHuKegCLcBGAs/s1600/client-authority.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The latest album from Client, still as good as ever despite<br />the departure of Dubstar singer, Sarah Blackwood.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Bj7x0aZ0f0s/WvL05rYMKfI/AAAAAAAABbI/fZKaCpoztL0Wc-SOZcl6DJJ34jQCO1QeACLcBGAs/s1600/Garbage_-_Version_2.0.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="220" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Bj7x0aZ0f0s/WvL05rYMKfI/AAAAAAAABbI/fZKaCpoztL0Wc-SOZcl6DJJ34jQCO1QeACLcBGAs/s1600/Garbage_-_Version_2.0.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hard to believe this classic is <br />now twenty years old!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-30yufZKSMPg/WvL05mLdpPI/AAAAAAAABbM/4vbVzmI0Ep02-jYd3kcv_v8Ezotn-IEAgCLcBGAs/s1600/Good%2BHumor%2Be775189bf42268ff4c4f0db8af6b3494.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-30yufZKSMPg/WvL05mLdpPI/AAAAAAAABbM/4vbVzmI0Ep02-jYd3kcv_v8Ezotn-IEAgCLcBGAs/s320/Good%2BHumor%2Be775189bf42268ff4c4f0db8af6b3494.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pure pop perfection. I could never get tired of this<br />album - undoubtedly their best.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-irtGeR84aMA/WvL05jbYThI/AAAAAAAABbQ/2euZZHzeBzg3ZKj0iJf71P74Oy5DLt_mACLcBGAs/s1600/La%2BRoux%2BR-5908122-1409797713-4479.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="292" data-original-width="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-irtGeR84aMA/WvL05jbYThI/AAAAAAAABbQ/2euZZHzeBzg3ZKj0iJf71P74Oy5DLt_mACLcBGAs/s1600/La%2BRoux%2BR-5908122-1409797713-4479.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The second album from La Roux that was nowhere near as<br /> commercially successful as the first but just as good!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2K8sArweLRk/WvL06Etg8tI/AAAAAAAABbU/UgBXEax2HV4XcJI11RIxoCDAfc_sPfxZgCLcBGAs/s1600/Ladytron%2B268x0w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="268" data-original-width="268" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2K8sArweLRk/WvL06Etg8tI/AAAAAAAABbU/UgBXEax2HV4XcJI11RIxoCDAfc_sPfxZgCLcBGAs/s1600/Ladytron%2B268x0w.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty hardcore electronica, the sort that goes down well in<br /> Japan and Germany but not so well in the UK.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Y-jB-83Abt8/WvL5SjeX2zI/AAAAAAAABb4/_vuVHOBs8NIyfXd_FDCT20hvooEsvOJ7wCLcBGAs/s1600/220px-CardigansEmmerdale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="220" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Y-jB-83Abt8/WvL5SjeX2zI/AAAAAAAABb4/_vuVHOBs8NIyfXd_FDCT20hvooEsvOJ7wCLcBGAs/s1600/220px-CardigansEmmerdale.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm a big fan of this band's early work, <br />particularly this debut album.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yRx3trnTaXM/WvL5S61bG7I/AAAAAAAABb8/mWHhp8lLodwb5SofB0wZ5DltKEirG7efwCLcBGAs/s1600/220px-Spooky_%2528Lush_album%2529_cover_art.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="220" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yRx3trnTaXM/WvL5S61bG7I/AAAAAAAABb8/mWHhp8lLodwb5SofB0wZ5DltKEirG7efwCLcBGAs/s1600/220px-Spooky_%2528Lush_album%2529_cover_art.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A shoegazing classic, before they embraced the Britpop movement<br style="font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> for commercial success, though that was just as good!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2wyO2Tkfglk/WvL5TfV3q0I/AAAAAAAABcE/VP3vT9qCeqMO-rG0yQjBu1T5SMBRk8fmgCLcBGAs/s1600/220px-Sundays-readingwritingarithmetic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="219" data-original-width="220" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2wyO2Tkfglk/WvL5TfV3q0I/AAAAAAAABcE/VP3vT9qCeqMO-rG0yQjBu1T5SMBRk8fmgCLcBGAs/s1600/220px-Sundays-readingwritingarithmetic.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another great indie band of the early 1990s<br /> and an album that never gets old.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0Zbw86YJHmE/WvL5TxucvqI/AAAAAAAABcI/psSoA7L9uZYGF8Ab0aGlXm7czWgf59E0ACLcBGAs/s1600/Dubstar%2B517snS3F3GL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0Zbw86YJHmE/WvL5TxucvqI/AAAAAAAABcI/psSoA7L9uZYGF8Ab0aGlXm7czWgf59E0ACLcBGAs/s320/Dubstar%2B517snS3F3GL.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sarah Blackwood's earlier band, with this slightly dodgy looking cover. <br />Is it just me or does the pencil case look like a fanny?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yXUbGGkwrqg/WvL5S7HO2JI/AAAAAAAABcA/ZoFPxbymNwg4q_nvN3pUO5GQRacFWOKuQCLcBGAs/s1600/220px-All_About_Eve_%2528album%2529_cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="219" data-original-width="220" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yXUbGGkwrqg/WvL5S7HO2JI/AAAAAAAABcA/ZoFPxbymNwg4q_nvN3pUO5GQRacFWOKuQCLcBGAs/s1600/220px-All_About_Eve_%2528album%2529_cover.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The band I have seen more than any other, and almost<br /> certainly my most played album of all time.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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In the unlikely event that you are reading this and just happen to love one
of those artists then get in touch! We’ll have something to talk about!</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09218364637499192578noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838890697900249749.post-57813937724888254972018-04-24T12:57:00.001+01:002018-04-24T12:57:22.038+01:00It's that time again...Yes, it's that time again. The release of my latest time travel novel is upon us and as on previous occasions I've a little sneak preview to whet your appetite.<br />
<br />
The good news is that you won't have to wait long for the main course. The paperback edition is available as of today and ready to order with the Kindle edition going live this Friday (27th April).<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4lWLKE2GkL4/Wt8OWOPS7qI/AAAAAAAABas/a899WV63FpALwyPrlftR5ouXtmZr7nsEwCLcBGAs/s1600/Happy%2BNew%2BYear%2BHardback.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="691" data-original-width="850" height="260" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4lWLKE2GkL4/Wt8OWOPS7qI/AAAAAAAABas/a899WV63FpALwyPrlftR5ouXtmZr7nsEwCLcBGAs/s320/Happy%2BNew%2BYear%2BHardback.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
So what's this one about? It's another spin-off novel in my <i>Second Chances</i> series. Unlike my <i>Time Bubble</i> series, all the books in this series can be read standalone. If you've never read a book of mine before, you can pick this one up without having to have knowledge of what happened in any of the other books.<br />
<br />
I know that many of you that have eagerly devoured all of my earlier books enjoy the way that characters and situations cross over between the different stories and this one is no exception. In my most recent release, <i>Splinters in Time</i>, you'll recall that Josh, the main protagonist, created multiple universes after a time travel accident in a hospital room. At the time of the accident, there were two other people in the room. One was Thomas Scott (deceased), whose story was told in <i>My Tomorrow, Your Yesterday</i>, and the other was a nurse, Amy, but we never found out what happened to her - until now<br />
<br />
In this book we pick up on the story told from Amy's perspective. Caught up in the accident, she finds herself thrust back in time, in a strange Groundhog Day style loop which sees her reliving every New Year of her life over again in reverse. What happens? Well you'll have to read the book to find that out, but in the meantime, here's a sneak preview from the second chapter. Here, we pick up with Amy, just before the accident, as she discovers Josh in the hospital room.<br />
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<b>As I opened the door to the private room I was taken aback
to see a very oddly dressed stranger inside, peering intently at the chart of
the bottom of Thomas’s bed.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>He was dressed in outdoor clothing, but with an old-fashioned
medical white coat draped over the top. If this was some attempt to disguise
himself as a doctor it was a pretty lame one, particularly as he was also wearing
a large hiker’s rucksack over the top of the coat.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>My first thought on seeing the rucksack was of terrorism. It
was a reaction I always had now when I saw anyone acting even slightly out of
the ordinary wearing a rucksack. It was an irrational fear brought on by
decades of terrorist attacks in London and elsewhere.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>This man didn’t look like your average terrorist, whatever
that was. I suppose my fears had conditioned me to imagine some young man of Middle
Eastern origin. This was prejudiced, I know, but too many images in the media
had imprinted this cliché indelibly in my mind.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>This man was white and middle-aged – in his early fifties at
a guess. Not only did he not look like a terrorist, but also it was illogical
to even think that he might be. Why would anyone want to blow up an empty
hospital room with nothing but a dead body and a cheap, plastic Christmas tree
in it?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>Whoever he was, he ought not to be there, and I had no
hesitation in challenging him.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>“Who are you?” I demanded, determined not to show any fear
despite the distinctly uneasy feeling flooding through my body. “What are you
doing in here?”<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>“I’m Doctor Gardner,” he said, in a ludicrously posh accent
that just had to be put on as he cast his gaze down at my name badge. “I’m a
specialist, visiting from Harley Street. I’m delighted to meet you, Amy.”<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>I wasn’t convinced for a moment by his overblown acting. Who
did he think he was, Hugh Grant? I was also not impressed by him ogling my
breasts during his laughably poor performance.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>“Don’t give me that,” I replied, “and stop staring at my
tits. None of the doctors in this hospital or anywhere else wear white coats
anymore. What they do wear is ID, so where’s yours?”<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>“Ah yes, one of the chaps down on security was going to
print it off for me earlier this evening,” he ventured. “I must pop down and
pick it up at some point.”<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>I just looked at him with a face that said, “Really?” I didn’t
even have to utter the word. He could see I didn’t believe a word of it and
changed tack.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>“Look, I’ll come clean,” he said, reverting to a normal
accent. “I’m not a doctor, I’m a scientist attached to the university carrying
out some research here. I just need a couple of minutes, that’s all. Then I’ll
be out of your hair.”<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>Was he telling the truth? With his backpack along with waving
a strange metal, wand-like device around in front of him, I guess he could pass
for a scientist, but not a lucid and bona fide one. He looked more like some
crazy character from a sci-fi movie. All he was lacking was the wild, Einstein-style
hair.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>A more likely explanation was that he was some sort of escaped
mental patient and if that was the case, I could well be in danger. Mindful of
last year’s incident on the ward, I decided the best course of action would be
to call for some help.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>“I’m sorry, that’s not good enough,” I replied. “People don’t
go around hospitals in the middle of the night wearing dubious disguises unless
they’re up to no good.”<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>“What can I get up to in here?” protested the fake Doctor
Gardner, gesturing towards the body on the bed. “It’s not as if I’ve come to
bump him off, is it? It’s a bit late for that: the Grim Reaper’s already been
and gone.”<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>“I’m calling security,” I replied, moving towards the
telephone on the wall beside the door.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>“No, don’t do that,” he protested, and began to move to cut
me off. That was all the provocation I needed. Issuing a silent prayer of
thanks for the recently improved security measures, I headed for the panic
button on the wall behind the bed instead, reaching it just before he was able
to stop me.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>His attempt to block my path had been more than a little
unsettling. I really hoped that whoever was on security was paying attention
and not snoozing on the job.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>Doctor Gardner, if that was his real name, backed off once
he saw the flashing red button on the wall.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>“Since when have hospitals had panic buttons?” he asked,
looking unsettled.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>He was on the back foot all of a sudden which gave me a
chance to seize the initiative. I had no intention of showing him any weakness
so, keeping my voice as level as I could, I spelled out the situation in black
and white.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>“Since last year when a patient assaulted a nurse on this
very ward,” I replied. “Do you have any idea how much abuse we get from the
drunks that get hauled in here every weekend? Now you’ve got less than two
minutes until security arrives from downstairs to escort you from the premises
– and that won’t be pleasant. They don’t take too kindly to women being
threatened and can get quite heavy-handed. If I were you, I would scarper now,
while you still can.”<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>This was a blatant lie. The aging head of security, Barry,
spent the vast majority of his time sitting in his office drinking tea and
eating biscuits. He hadn’t seen any action since his Army days, decades in the
past. Most of his colleagues were no better. But this stranger wasn’t to know that.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>“Fine,” he said, “but I’ll be back and you won’t even know
about it.”<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>I assumed that meant he was going to leave, but he didn’t
show any signs of departing by the traditional method, i.e. through the door.
Instead he pointed his weird device in front of him and started pressing
buttons on it. It was the first time I had seen it and it looked like something
out of Doctor Who.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>“What are you doing?” I asked, becoming increasingly
convinced that he was some sort of nutter.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>“Nothing for you to worry about,” was his reply.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>This man had seriously lost the plot. What did he think he
was going to do – teleport out of there with his home-made remote control TV
aerial?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Ironically, outlandish as that idea had seemed at the time,
given what happened next I may not have been far off the mark. Because this was
the moment when the weird sci-fi shit started happening, leading me to realise
that he was more than just a weirdo after all. Of course, it was too late to do
anything about it by then. I was caught up in whatever was going on and it was
too late to avoid it. I was well and truly over my event horizon.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>What happened was all over very quickly. Suddenly there seemed
to be two of him in the room, the second one seemingly appearing out of nowhere.
He hadn’t come through the door, that’s for sure, as I would have seen him from
where I was standing.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>This other version looked exactly the same, right down to
the white coat. Could they be twins or was it some kind of visual trickery? There
was no time to figure it out as something else was already happening.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>They had both been pointing their wands across the room,
close to Thomas’s bed. Then I heard a long-drawn-out cry of “Nooooo!” from one
or possibly both of the men, in the style of some overly dramatic movie scene. I
might have found this amusing if I had been watching from afar, rather than
being an unwilling participant.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Then everything descended into a kaleidoscopic, whirling
maelstrom of colour and noise. As multiple mirror images of myself, the
stranger and the body on the bed swirled all around me, I felt myself being
sucked by a hugely powerful force towards the centre of the room.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Like a spider in a bathtub being drawn towards the plughole,
I flailed my arms helplessly, completely powerless to escape. It was the last
thing I remembered before I blacked out.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<b><br /></b>
<b>And that is how all of this began. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<i>Happy New Year is released on 27th April 2018 and you can get your copy by clicking <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Happy-New-Year-Second-Chances-ebook/dp/B079H1RDMT/" target="_blank"><b>here</b></a></i>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09218364637499192578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838890697900249749.post-11466727450737765172018-01-23T18:00:00.002+00:002018-01-23T18:00:32.086+00:00Evesham goes to the polls in Meowxit referendum!Residents of a picturesque Worcestershire town were preparing to go to the polls last night to decide an issue that has divided the town like no other. In fact, one local historian went so far as to say that tensions had not run so high since the Battle of Evesham in 1265.<br />
<br />
The issue that has caused such a huge rift all revolves around local celebrity "Cooper", a seven year old cat who has been greeting visitors to the local Morrison's supermarket now for several years. Whilst bringing delight to some shoppers, others are not so keen. The situation has now escalated to a point where only a local referendum to decide whether Cooper should stay or leave can decide the issue.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lP60XSWMGnc/Wmd0HwWEEPI/AAAAAAAABaI/TFE-rls6XQkKVBQPKSF8IHT1GWPHhQZCQCLcBGAs/s1600/Coops%2Bsoup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="768" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lP60XSWMGnc/Wmd0HwWEEPI/AAAAAAAABaI/TFE-rls6XQkKVBQPKSF8IHT1GWPHhQZCQCLcBGAs/s320/Coops%2Bsoup.jpg" width="256" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Souper Cooper's deal of the day!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Fans of Cooper have been gathering outside the store, bringing him treats, and holding up banners in his support. One lady we interviewed said.<br />
<br />
"Coops is lovely and the reason I come to Morrisons each day for my shopping. He's a little ray of sunshine. I can't believe people are offended by him, but then, people seem to be offended by just about anything these days".<br />
<br />
A local councilor also came out in support of Evesham's most famous cat, saying "There is no doubt that Cooper remaining is very important for local trade. Many people come here specifically to see him and spend their money while they are here, helping to create new jobs and boost the local economy".<br />
<br />
Other were opposed, though. One man with a shaven head and a union jack T-shirt identified himself as a member of one of Britain's far right parties. He said "You may say he's doing no harm sitting on the kitchen roll in the foyer, but that's the tip of the iceberg. Before you know it he'll be in the store then bringing all his friends and family in and they'll be taking over".<br />
<br />
The councilor who had spoken up in support of Coops dismissed this man's words as bigoted rubbish, but there are others with less inflammatory motives who want Coops to leave too. Many believe that allowing Coops near food products in the foyer of the store presents a health risk, despite the fact that the products in question are all sealed in packaging.<br />
<br />
One young mother complained that Coops had brushed against the outer wrapping of some kitchen roll and it might trigger an allergic reaction in one of her children if she bought a product that had come into contact with the kitchen roll. She said she had invited an environmental health team to investigate.<br />
<br />
Another Meowxiteer we spoke to, a middle-aged woman from Hampton welcomed the investigation, making the following claim:<br />
<br />
"It's a little known fact that the Black Death which spread across Europe in the fourteenth century was not caused by rats and fleas at all. It was actually all started by a man from Weymouth who went across to fight in the crusades in the late thirteenth century. When he came back he brought a Persian cat as a souvenir. With no army pension in those days, he opened a shop on the seafront selling ice-creams to Medieval tourists and his cat used to sit on the counter when he was serving. A few decades later the plague broke out in England in this very spot. Co-incidence? I don't think so!"<br />
<br />
When our local historian pointed out the numerous inaccuracies in this statement, the woman stomped off in a huff muttering something about emailing head office and that she would be getting her potatoes from Tesco from now on.<br />
<br />
It's clear that Cooper has polarised local opinion more than the great love it or hate it Marmite debate leaving the referendum too close to call. But what does the great 'man' himself have to say on the issue? We caught up with Coops outside the shop and asked him if he intended to abide by the decision of the people. All he had to say was:<br />
<br />
"I'm a cat. I do what I want".<br />
<br />
<i>Jason Ayres is the author of seven novels, including the Amazon bestseller, The Time Bubble. You can find out more <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jason-Ayres/e/B00CQO4XJC/" target="_blank">here</a>.</i><br />
<br />
<br />Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09218364637499192578noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838890697900249749.post-36569943912633272442017-12-29T01:43:00.000+00:002017-12-29T01:43:02.338+00:00Gift Vouchers - the gifts that keep on giving...(grief).I am sure I am not the only one sitting around post-Christmas with a stack of gift cards wondering how/ what to spend them on.<br /><br />Before I commence the inevitable rant, let me just qualify that I am in no way having a go at the kindly folk who give gift cards as presents. After all, in principle, they are a good idea. They are the perfect half-way house between gifts and cash.<br />
<br />
The problem with gifts? How do you really know what to get someone? It applies to people of all ages. Grandad likes his allotment so let's buy him a trowel. Even though he's got a perfectly good one already. The kids were into Lego last we heard so let's buy them some of that. No - that's no good - Lego is old hat now and has been superceded by Minecraft. What about a nice bottle of wine for Dad? What? He doesn't like Malbec? Well how were we to know? Fussy, ungrateful bastard!<br />
<br />
And so on and so forth...<br />
<br />
What about cash? Well it seems a bit crass doesn't it. Besides how do we know they won't spend it all on sweets (kids), or drugs, fags and booze (grown-ups)? Or just paying next month's credit card off after the Christmas excesses? We don't.<br />
<br />
So that leaves that old standby - gift vouchers/ cards. Like I said, a good idea in principle but why do the retailers make it so hard to spend them? They of course love them because it's as good as money in the till. In fact, it is money in the till, money that might never be redeemed, particularly if today's experience is anything to go by.<br />
<br />
In the past, I've had vouchers and cards that have gone out of date, a real bone of contention. I recall getting some many years ago for some clothing retailer and by the time I went to spend them, only a year or so later, they had expired! That's money straight in the coffers for the retailer. And then of course you have to hope the retailer in question doesn't go bust before you get round to visiting them, a real possibility on Britain's beleaguered high streets these days.<br /><br />Vouchers for some places are better than others. For example, this Christmas we had some for Argos and for Gap. Now Argos, I don't have a problem with. Why? Because you can get a huge range of things at Argos as everyone knows. Sooner or later, there's bound to be something I need, so off I pop and get it - very handy. Plus there are Argos stores everywhere so you don't have to travel far.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bclcH5g3wxY/WkWbsoFm-BI/AAAAAAAABZc/lV95mA8wm2gf7k1RHfU7m8IMlII3OiKbgCLcBGAs/s1600/Gap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="178" data-original-width="283" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bclcH5g3wxY/WkWbsoFm-BI/AAAAAAAABZc/lV95mA8wm2gf7k1RHfU7m8IMlII3OiKbgCLcBGAs/s1600/Gap.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />Gap? Now there's a problem and here is where my tale of woe begins in earnest. I don't mind Gap clothing - like every man, woman and their dogs I walked around in a Gap hoodie back in 1999 or thereabouts. I don't really need any new clothes right now, but I figured Gap would probably have something I could use.<br /><br />So off I trotted to their website to see what I could find. Thankfully I could find some clothes to fit, being a somewhat larger gentleman at the top end of what major retailers offer, particularly after the annual Christmas overindulgence. Fortunately online clothes retailers seem to cater for us bigger chaps rather better than the actual stores which don't appear to offer much in the XL+ or 38+ waist jeans range. I can only assume this is because they don't want fat people blocking the aisles in their shops and putting other customers off. Either that or it's because they haven't kept up with Britain's fashionable obesity trend and have drastically under-stocked on all the 40 inch waist trousers and XXL shirts causing them to sell out.<br /><br />Not a problem for me - being someone who basically hates setting foot in a clothes shop I just buy all my clothes online. But what's this I find in the small print? My Gap gift card can't be used online. I have to go into a store. A sense of impending doom began to wash over me at that point. I had already clocked that the items I liked on their website were marked "online exclusive".<br />
<br />
I discovered that my nearest store is in Cheltenham, fifteen miles away and scheduled in a visit as part of my day travelling around visiting family etc. By the time we got to Cheltenham and finished queuing for the multi-storey car park, it was almost dark. And bloody freezing. Eventually, after much wandering around slipping on the snow, I managed to find the store.<br />
<br />
And the result? Nothing. I can't find hardly anything in my size, and what I do find I don't like. Gap's not a patch on the store I remember last time I set foot in it about fifteen years ago. By now I'm getting seriously hacked off. The wife has already had exactly the same problem trying to spend her River Island vouchers. In the end we give up and go and have a large KFC to get over it, in the process pushing me ever further away from high street waist sizes. It's a vicious circle, I can tell you.<br />
<br />
I'm moaning constantly on the way to KFC so eventually she buys the gift card off me to shut me up, saying she'll use it "at some point". I pay for the KFC as a thank-you, even offering to go large - well it's the least I can do, and we both sit there in moody frames of mind at our failed (and frankly unnecessary shopping trip). I make a mental note that however well husbands and wives get on most of the time, they should never be allowed to go clothes shopping together.<br /><br />We can't go anywhere else because the shops are all closing so we drive back to Evesham in the dark reflecting on a job badly done. Thank goodness I stocked up on wine this morning is all I can say.<br /><br />A couple of glasses of wine later and it's all better. Now I just have to hope that the relative who bought the Gap vouchers doesn't read this...and if they do, can I have Argos next year? You never know when the toaster's going to blow up!<br /><br /><i>Jason Ayres is a former Oxford Mail columnist and the author of the bestselling Time Bubble series and numerous other novels. His New Year's resolution is to give up clothes shopping.</i>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09218364637499192578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838890697900249749.post-30968093101874983692017-10-16T10:43:00.003+01:002017-10-16T10:49:25.956+01:00PotatoesThe subject of today's blog entry, as the title suggests, is the humble potato. At first glance this might appear a somewhat mundane topic. What on earth can he say about potatoes to fill a few hundred words, I hear you ask? Well, quite a lot. believe me!<br />
<br />
As a member of the potato buying public, I have become increasingly frustrated of late by the ever declining size and quality of my potatoes. As an old-fashioned chap at heart, I like to keep a lot of the traditions I grew up with alive and one of those is cooking the great British Sunday roast.<br />
<br />
Sundays aren't what they were when I was a lad. Much of what made Sunday special has now gone. You can't even listen to the Top 40 any more - not that you would want to considering the crap that's in it these days. Radio One in their infinite wisdom have moved it to Fridays. Bit that's another story.<br />
<br />
But no-one can stop me making my Sunday roast. Except when we have it on Monday, which is quite often, because Claire often works Sundays. But I still call it Sunday dinner, regardless. This caused the kids a bit of confusion when they were younger and learning their days of the week, but they've figured it out now. I don't see a problem. Munich have their Oktoberfest in September and no-one complains about that.<br />
<br />
One of the key ingredients of a Sunday (or Monday) dinner is of course the roast potatoes. 26 years after leaving home, I feel I've pretty much got them down to a tee. At least I had until the supermarkets started making things difficult for me.<br />
<br />
The first issue I have is that the potatoes seem to be getting smaller. My preferred choice of potato is Maris Piper, which is widely sold by most supermarkets. They are generally sold in 2.5kg bags which I find is enough for two meals - a roast on Sunday/ Monday followed by some home-made chips later in the week. Back in the day you might get around 12 decent sized potatoes in a bag which was great - peel them, cut them up, job done.<br />
<br />
Now, I get incredibly frustrated rummaging around the bags in Tesco to discover there are as many as thirty potatoes in a bag and most of them are way too small. To make decent roast spuds you need to cut them in half so you've got a flat surface. They are never as good if you do them whole, but some of these potatoes are so small it's not worth cutting them. They look more like new potatoes. Why are the farms that produce them digging them up so early? Let them grow to a decent size for goodness sake!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Wqo0IJ3noW0/WeR0aNb0uII/AAAAAAAABYg/eGoFokyO5N4eEM2fKJjkwEoVS2g953aDgCLcBGAs/s1600/small%2Bpotato.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Wqo0IJ3noW0/WeR0aNb0uII/AAAAAAAABYg/eGoFokyO5N4eEM2fKJjkwEoVS2g953aDgCLcBGAs/s320/small%2Bpotato.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A typical modern day bag of potatoes, <br />
which I argue, are too small.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
Not only do you waste more by peeling (the smaller they are, the more you cut out), but it also takes bloody ages. It's a hell of a lot quicker to peel six big spuds than twelve small ones and peeling spuds is bloody boring, to be honest, even if the end result is worth it.<br />
<br />
The second problem? The quality of the produce which at the moment is the worst it's ever been. When I peel a potato I expect to find some nice white flesh underneath, the odd eye perhaps that needs to be cut out, but generally a decent, fresh potato. I accept that I am bound to get the odd dodgy one, that's part and parcel of buying fresh produce, but recently it's been far more than that. Among the problems I have been encountering constantly are:<br />
<br />
a) Horrible brown mottling all over the potato, so you have to peel each area two or three times to get beneath it.<br />
<br />
b) Eyes/ yucky bits deep inside the potatoes where it looks like a collections of grubs have buried their way in and set up home.<br />
<br />
c) Whole rotten areas extending right through the middle of the potato, leaving me having to cut at least half of it away or in many cases, abandon the whole potato.<br />
<br />
These problems have been getting steadily worse for months now and reached a peak these past two weekends when I have had the two worst bags of potatoes ever. They came from two different shops (Aldi and Tesco) and were two different types (Maris Piper and Tesco own brand) so can't just be one bad batch. Last weekend I had to throw over half the bag away. There was barely enough to eek out a Sunday dinner for four and it meant I also missed out on my midweek chips. This Sunday it was just as bad. I would have taken some photos but the whole lot is in the bin and I'm not rummaging around in there now, you'll just have to take my word for it.<br />
<br />
So what is going on? Is there a particularly bad crop this year or some sort of blight we don't know about? Are supermarkets cutting corners, not storing stuff properly or leaving it in warehouses for months? The public needs to know. Or I need to know anyway. When I used Google to find out if anyone else was having these problems, I found absolutely nothing. This means this is either just a problem I have by being incredibly unlucky or fussy and I need to get a life, or I'm the first to champion a cause that needs highlighting.<br />
<br />
Either that or something even more sinister is going on and there really is some sort of evil blight infecting our potatoes but somehow the superpowers of the potato world are managing to suppress the information. I can imagine the following scene at an emergency meeting in Downing Street:<br />
<br />
"We can't let the public know the potatoes are all ruined Mrs May. Never mind all your other cock-ups, if the great British public thinks they aren't going to get their chips for tea, this Government will be doomed!"<br />
<br />
Maybe this is all in my mind. I do hope it's not. If just one person that reads this blog comments "Yes, I've been having the same problem" then I'll feel reassured.<br />
<br />
What's the solution? Try another shop? They all seem as bad as each other. Grow my own? Nice idea in principle but they won't be ready by next Sunday and the kids might protest if I dug up the lawn and turned it into a vegetable patch. I could try the greengrocers in town - they always say we should buy local and at least they'll be fresh. The one thing I absolutely refuse to do is go down the convenience route and start buying Aunt Bessie's or any of that rubbish. I tried them once in an emergency and they were horrible.<br />
<br />
Anyone out there got any other ideas/ solutions? Cheers.Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09218364637499192578noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838890697900249749.post-61545851652090314382017-09-27T14:36:00.001+01:002017-09-27T17:33:59.162+01:00Blog 101Panel shows aren't always my thing (especially if they involve Jimmy Carr) but you can't go wrong with Frank Skinner. Consequently, I'm a big fan of Room 101, currently airing on BBC1 on Friday nights. So much so, that I've been thinking about what topic I might choose in the unlikely event I ever find myself invited to take part in an episode.<br />
<br />
As someone hurtling at high speed towards the Victor Meldrew phase of life, I find there are no shortage of things to irritate me on a daily basis. However there is one thing that is currently irking me more than everything else and so here we go.<br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>My topic is...<b><u>Downsizing</u></b><br />
<br />
I don't mean making people redundant. Although undoubtedly an unpleasant experience for many, in my case it was a completely liberating one. No, I'm talking about the disgraceful habit of manufacturers of sneakily reducing the sizes of their food products and hoping we won't notice.<br />
<br />
We've got 10 Jaffa cakes in a pack instead of 12. Multipack Crisps and snacks that were once 25g now at 18g with "only 88 calories per bag" proudly displayed on the front. Well that's not going to solve Britain's obesity crisis if everyone now has to eat two bags because one isn't enough.<br />
<br />
Then there are chocolate bars are laughably small. Kit-Kat Chunky? Going by the ones in the last 4 pack I bought that title is a complete misnomer. Kit-Kat Dinky would be a more appropriate name.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oJ6veLedVnM/WcuoEXwZUDI/AAAAAAAABX8/wB2H6DxgiXg4Hmh0EIKEGwanwH6bTEVAgCLcBGAs/s1600/Tropicana.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="377" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oJ6veLedVnM/WcuoEXwZUDI/AAAAAAAABX8/wB2H6DxgiXg4Hmh0EIKEGwanwH6bTEVAgCLcBGAs/s320/Tropicana.jpg" width="241" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Honey, I shrunk the pineapple!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Tropicana litre bottles are now 850ml, Toblerone have put bigger gaps between the mountains and the next time you find yourself on the bog with not enough paper left to wipe your arse properly you can blame Andrex. You no longer get 240 sheets per roll - it's now 221.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FhgO3_mIHEA/WcuoPLe3oFI/AAAAAAAABYA/HSyFNBe-bEohaisP_yRJTj8EgvckruDCwCLcBGAs/s1600/Toblerone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="381" data-original-width="634" height="192" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FhgO3_mIHEA/WcuoPLe3oFI/AAAAAAAABYA/HSyFNBe-bEohaisP_yRJTj8EgvckruDCwCLcBGAs/s320/Toblerone.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You could hop between peaks before. <br />
Now some sort of mountaineering equipment is probably in order.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
As for an old favourite of mine, Peperami, well they've been well and truly hammered. At one time the length of a standard Peperami would have measured up favourably alongside the dong of your average porn star. As for the current pathetic offering, well all I can say is they even make me feel well-endowed.<br />
<br />
What annoys me is the surreptitious nature these manufacturers go about this. In the old days they just used to put the price up - fair enough, it was annoying but inflation is a fact of life we are all accustomed to. Prices go up - we live with it. So man up grow a pair and put the prices up. Don't try and treat us like mugs, shrinking your products and hoping we won't notice - we do!<br />
<br />
This needs nipping in the bud now before everyone starts doing it. Before long it'll be three-quarters of a pint in the pub, pizzas the size of CD's and movies at the cinema that only last 55 minutes, with a scaled down box of popcorn to fit the running time. Is that what we want? Because that's what'll happen...<br />
<br />
So Frank, please put downsizing (or shrinkflation as it has been dubbed by the media) into Room 101.Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09218364637499192578noreply@blogger.com0