On the English Country Wife …

Today you can find me on the English country wife … let me rephrase that—today you can find me being reviewed and interviewed by the quite lovely Debbie Skerten on her new and upcoming blog, The English Country Wife. Click on the snippet to read more!

If you could go back to the 70′s and speak to the educationalists, what advice would you give to them?

I could probably give them quite a bit of advice but I suppose it would boil down to “don’t let the agenda get in the way”. There was a lot of really good work done, don’t get me wrong, but I think much of it was a byproduct of professional and, in some cases, political ambition. And that, for me, is why it possibly didn’t succeed as well as it could have: political and professional climates change and what was once considered a good idea becomes outmoded and … the next thing you know, support for a particular way of doing something has been removed and the lessons learned are forgotten.

© 2013 Gary William Murning

Book Bloggers Wanted—Preferably Alive.

As some of you will already know, my next novel, The Legacy of Lorna Lovelost, is due for publication on October 5 this year. Determined to prepare well in advance with this one, I’m ensuring that review copies go out a good six months before publication date.

It’s therefore my pleasure to announce that a limited number of review copies are now available—as Kindle editions or paperbacks (though I’m afraid I cannot make paperback editions available to overseas reviewers … unless you have a huge following, in which case I might make an exception). If you have a reasonable number of readers and might be interested, please check here from further details and if you still feel it might be something you’d like to review, contact me either here or via the above-mentioned website.

Please bear in mind that only a limited number of review copies are available and that well-established blogs will usually take precedence over new sites. This, however, should not put you off contacting me: if your blog is well-written, interesting and obviously going to attract more readers in the future—who knows? Drop me a line and we’ll discuss it.

Also, around the publication date I will be doing a blog tour. If you would be interested in hosting me … well, ladies and gents, you know what to do!

Thanks in advance for the interest.

© 2013 Gary William Murning

The Legacy of Lorna Lovelost—Now Available for Pre-Order!

My next novel, The Legacy of Lorna Lovelost, is now available for pre-order—via all major retailers.

Pre-order now through Amazon.co.uk! (Please bear in mind that by pre-ordering now, you qualify for Amazon’s pre-order price guarantee: if you pre-order now and the price drops before publication, you will be guaranteed the cheapest price.

About The Legacy of Lorna Lovelost:

Worlds can end in many ways … and begin in many more …

For Tobias and Lorna Lovelost, an unretracted retractable bollard marks a beginning—a beginning that will see them reunited with an old friend and embark on quests driven by the need to shape the worlds that will, sooner or later, be left behind.

A novel that explores themes of loss and continuance, The Legacy of Lorna Lovelost, like its characters, never loses its sense of humour. A driven, passionate blend of wit and pathos, it will entertain, move and prompt that so often neglected question …

… what will my legacy be?

© 2013 Gary William Murning

Cover for The Legacy of Lorna Lovelost.

I’m happy to reveal the cover for my next novel, The Legacy of Lorna Lovelost—once again designed by the extremely talented Gudrun Jobst. As those of you on Facebook who were lucky enough to see early versions may notice, we have moved away from the blue theme and opted for a warmer and much more appropriate sepia tone. Hope you like it as much as I do! (Click on images to magnify.)

PLEASE NOTE: in response to all the enquiries, publication of Lorna is pencilled in for early October. Keep dropping by for further updates and, coming soon, FREE sample chapters.

A Blog Post Desperately Trying to Masquerade As an Alternative Christmas Message.

So, the season is well and truly upon us and I am, as ever, trying to think of something festive and yet original to say. And, naturally, failing abysmally. I mean, what can you say? It’s “Christmas”—and whatever form your celebrations may or may not take at this time of year, you can bet your bottom dollar that the hackneyed seasonal wishes and blessings have already been dished out aplenty and it’s all, quite possibly, already starting to sound just a little bit hollow.

Nonetheless, I think to not say something—to not look back and assess and analyse, at least to a degree—would be to waste an opportunity. And, so …

The past year has been a thankfully productive one for me. After a bumpy beginning to the year with a project that wasn’t quite what I was looking for, I settled upon a novel called Juniper Faraday and finally finished the first draft a few short weeks ago. Juniper Faraday (which may end up being called The Juniper Faraday Project) is, again, quite unlike anything I’ve written before. As I believe I may have already have said in a recent post, I was concerned that it would not come up to the level of The Legacy of Lorna Lovelost. I don’t think I needed to worry: the two are quite, quite different and, I believe, achieve what they were meant to achieve in their own individual ways. As they should.

From a creative point of view, I’ve also learned quite a lot. Primarily, I’ve once more come to realise that if I can’t trust myself as a writer, it’s a pretty rum deal. The opinions of other people are always welcomed and valued—but once again it has become clear to me that, as arrogant as it may seem, I do know damn sight more than many who claim to be “experts” out there. I’ve had over twenty-five years experience of writing and “working” on the fringes of the industry and while I would never claim to know everything, and relish the thought of working with a good editor, I will not let those with less experience dictate what I do or do not put out there. My decision to self publish Children of the Resolution and the customer reviews it has so far received proves, I think, my point.

My health and that of those closest to me has held out and there have been no significant setbacks. I’ve met some wonderful people, remained friends with many more, dumped a little deadwood and I’m looking forward to another creative and productive year in 2013.

So what do the next twelve months have in store? Well, essentially more of the same (random events allowing). After Christmas I will be working with Gudrun Jobst again on the cover for The Legacy of Lorna Lovelost (something I’m really looking forward to) and then prepublication copies of the novel will be getting printed ready to go out to reviewers. The publication of the novel itself is pencilled in for some time in October. Keep checking back here for updates.

This aside, the early part of the year will see me editing/rewriting Juniper Faraday and outlining/researching my next fairly major project—tentatively titled The Architect (though I may return to my earlier title of The Wisdom of Closed Worlds). Having a few novels backlogged for publication, I’m allowing myself more time than usual to work on this latter piece. Touching upon themes relating to identity perception, with special emphasis on people with disabilities, I nonetheless intend it to be a multilayered, tragicomic thriller—replete with psychics and serial killers.

And so it only remains for me to thank you all for the support you’ve shown over the past twelve months. Your considered feedback has, as always, helped immensely.

Have a wonderful and safe Christmas and a very happy New Year.

(And don’t forget! If you’re looking for last-minute gifts, for Kindle or in paperback, pop by here and see if anything takes your fancy. Thank you!)

© 2012 Gary William Murning

Ho Ho Fucking Ho—It Wouldn’t Be Christmas without It.

Yes, it’s that time again and, as I so often do, I would like to share with you one of my favourite Christmas songs … join in if you know it …

Read the free sample of The Realm of the Hungry Ghosts here.

Buy your copy of The Realm of the Hungry Ghosts now!

© 2012 Gary William Murning

Raising a Glass to The Hitch.

Today is the first anniversary of the death of the irreplaceable Christopher Hitchens. To mark this, I will later today be raising a glass to his memory and numerous accomplishments—but in the meantime I thought some of you might like to revisit the piece I wrote upon hearing of his death last year.

A Wager: Won or Lost?

 

 

Read the free sample of The Realm of the Hungry Ghosts here.

Buy your copy of The Realm of the Hungry Ghosts now!

© 2012 Gary William Murning