Freddie Mercury, mate - you don't know that half of it !
A pressure shared is a pressure halved....
Isn't that what they say ?
OK let me try to halve my pressure. Will you help ?
Since the start of the year I have added SIX books to my Amazon Bookshelf. With little else to do in 2020 The Year That Never Was I have been writing an average of 2,500 words a day.
THE RAMBLINGS OF A SILLY OLD MAN - Published 22nd February 2020
THE FANTASIES OF A GERIATRIC DJ - Published 22nd March 2020
THE LOTTERY OF EVIL - Published 31st March 2020
THE LONELY GHOST - Published 19th April 2020
OUR REBEKAH - A LOVE STORY FROM THE NHS - Published 13th May 2020
ESCAPE FROM ARMAGEDDON - Published 14th July 2020
A lot of fun writing those six books and no pressure.
HERE IS THE PRESSURE.
In 1994 I published a paperback NOT THE CONCRETE COWS which was a kaleidoscope through the New City of Milton Keynes. It was a compilation of various newspaper and magazine articles I had written in the early 1990's. For a while I have wanted to write a follow up, lock down and little of my "normal" life happening I set about writing.
The book is called MILTON DREAMS THE CITY THAT NEVER WAS. This time I kaleidoscope through middle- age Milton Keynes. Although we never did become a city - we are just The Borough of Milton Keynes, in the book I try to fire a dream that one day we will be given city status.
I am going to publish this book on Monday 14th September 2020 - that is 28 years since my very first book was published.
The text is finished (I think) and runs to 65,874 words. I have not presented it to Amazon yet for their approval as I keep adding in new little bits and pieces.
I have not yet dedicated the book to anyone and was thinking I probably would not. However, I am toying with the idea of dedicating it to Sir Harold Wilson 1916 - 1995. It was Harold Wilson's government that designated an area of land in North
I could just make the dedication but I feel it would be a matter of courtesy to tell his family what I am doing. His son Robin is actually a professor at The Open University. Destiny ? The Open University, of course, features in the book.
What should I do ?
Not The Concrete Cows has been out of print for many years. It felt like a good idea to republish its 45,485 words on the same day as its squeal - Monday 14th September.
When I originally presented the text for publication I wrote it using an early word processor. Now I have a system on my laptop where I simply read the book aloud and the laptop, employing some crappy Microsoft programme, types up the words.
In true Microsoft fashion it imports three typo's for every two words ! It is a nightmare going through it all and undoing Microsoft's deliberate mistakes. Yesterday I found that instead of INSPIRATIONAL Bill Gates had typed SEXUAL ! Is that why Microsoft only employs Dick Heads !
On Monday I am going to speak with someone who I want to dedicate the re-publishing of Not The Concrete Cows to. Someone I have know for 39 years and who did something a bit special when the original book was published.
Putting two books on my Amazon Bookshelf is fair enough but to add a third on Monday 14th September - BONKERS ! Particularly as I have not yet finished writing it !
I have so far written 46,830 words and think I need another eight thousand words to finish it. I am writing every day but am under pressure.
This book does have its dedication, I began writing it for a good friend - Mrs Josh (aka Jelena Morgan) who I know will enjoy it. Who knows, her husband may even read it !
The story is set in 2017 where Philip Johnson is a disaffected and under-achieving fifteen year old. His grandfather was Trickie Dickie And The Diamonds, a great British Rock and Roll Star of whom it is said if it was not for The Beatles would have been bigger than Elvis Presley.
Granddad and Elvis Presley are working through a plan, a plan to turn Philip into Pip Diamond The Prince of Rock and Roll. The fifteen year old embarks upon a series of time travel adventures as the plot is outworked. Those around him completely transform in a very short time the world's music industry. That is the plan in which Pip is actually a pawn.
I am about to loop-de-loop the story to reveal exactly what the plan is and whose plan it is.
Getting the text ready and publishing all three works on Monday 14th September will be done. I will be happier when all is completed and submitted to Amazon but that is not the pressure.
Normally I write for myself, for pleasure, I am not bothered if I sell books or not. For these three it is different. I want MILTON DREAMS THE CITY THAT NEVER WAS to become a best seller and help outwork the dream. I am broadcasting music, contacting many people seeking help with promotion and
This week I am broadcasting two hours of music under the title - MILTON KEYNES THE CITY OF LOVE.
I have more:
EDUCATION A GIFT FOR LIFE
WARTIME MILTON KEYNES
LEGENDS OF MILTON KEYNES
MUSIC FROM THE CONCRETE COWS
PIP'S DISCO
and more.........
The pressure is to get people to read the books once they are published. Within Milton Dreams there is a chapter - WHAT IF, in which I explain what I will do with the royalties from one, two and even three best sellers.
Let me share the last few sentences from that chapter.
If my income were to suddenly leap from where
it is right now each month to more than three quarters of a million pounds what
would I do ? How would I cope ?
Simple, I would give most of the money away. I
would give it to good causes within Milton Keynes that are close to my heart.
That would mean supporting the most vulnerable and down in their luck people
within Milton Keynes.
In the chapter Iconic Music I have a number of
the icons who have given me autographed bits and pieces. These will be put into
a silent on-line auction to benefit a Milton Keynes charity. Throughout the
period of the auction royalties from every copy of Milton Dreams will also be
given to that good cause.
I love people and have a passion to support
all who need supporting but what is the point of caring for people while we are
all working like crazy to destroy the planet we ALL live on ? The word ALL
includes ALL life forms. Why should mankind be allowed to destroy the
home of ALL other species ? I would certainly want to throw the financial
success of my book and any book I write behind biodiversity and green issues.
If I ever do become an Amazon millionaire
please do not expect to find me alongside James Bond buying a new car from a
certain Newport Pagnell car maker. However, you will find me bidding to take
over certain Central Milton Keynes architectural eyesores then dynamiting them
to the ground ! Dynamiting them to the
ground before planting trees in their place.
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