Jack Green: Blog

Two days ago one of my readers notified me that Demon and Demeanour, Book 4 of Poacher's Progress, has two chapters with different titles but with identical text. On investigation I discovered that Chapter 23 Business is business, had been overwritten with Chapter 24 Home thoughts from abroad. This seems to have occurred when I made amendments to chapter 24 in August 2018, when obviously I made a cock up when submitting the amended chapter.

Consequently any one who downloaded the story after July 31 2018 will have the corrupted copy. Today I have resurrected the missing chapter 23, and all is now as it should be.

I assure you this not some convoluted way of getting more downloads.

Three cheers to TheDruid for spotting the error --or should that be three chairs?

Best regards.
Jack G

After a false start I have loaded the fourteen chapters of Poacher's Progress Book 7, Dun and Dusted Part I, into the submissions hopper for upload to Sol. Two chapters will be posted twice a week - Sunday and Wednesday - and the end of the month will see the end of Part I.

My grateful thanks go to jackstraw117, who pointed out I had not linked Book 7 to the Poacher's Progress series, which was causing the problem with loading the submissions. A couple of long-time supporters of my stuff emailed to welcome me back, a gesture I really appreciate. Thank you both, and thanks to all those who have downloaded, and voted, the first two chapters. I will try not to be so tardy in posting Parts II and III.

Best regards
Jack G

My highly esteemed and highly regarded editor, Old Rotorhead, has recently jetted off on a Continental jaunt. Before leaving he finished editing the fourteen chapters that make up Part I of Poacher's Progress Book 7.

I am currently formatting the chapters for upload to Sol and hope to have them all loaded into the Sol posting hopper by Sunday 10th March. Four chapters a week will be posted; two on a Sunday and two on a Wednesday.

Regards
Jack G

I don't have a muse but I do have a conscience, and a small, but loyal, following. A few hardy readers(or should that be foolhardy readers?) have stuck with me since my first stumbling steps along this writing lark trail, and I owe it to them (him) to pull my finger out and get Poacher's Progress back on the road.

I have split Book 7 into three, and put maximum effort into polishing Part I, which is currently going through the edit/proofing procedure.

Old Rotorhead is an ace, greatly in demand editor, and has more than just my scribblings to whip into shape, so I don't expect all fourteen chapters of Part I to be ready for posting for at least a couple of weeks.

Whatever, I will give a heads up before posting.

Meantime I aim to get Part II in a state fit for editing - several months work there -- and after that Part III beckons.

At least I now have an outline for Part III, which I hope will help me through any 'can't be arsed' episodes encountered.

Regards

Jack G

I don't have a muse. I find the idea of some inner voice -- belonging to who knows what --that advises and/or decides what an author should write, rather twee at best and distinctly disquieting at worst.
'It were the voices wot told me to do it!'

That being said I know there are many successful writers here on SOL and out in the www, wider writing world, who ascribe their success to 'their muse'. Good for them; whatever floats your boat or oils your boils can't be bad.


Having no muse means I can't blame anyone other than myself when I f don't produce any new stuff in yonks. I started on Book 7 of Poacher's Progress not long after the last chapters of Book 6 were posted, sometime in July of last year. I had hoped to complete writing, and preparing to post, Book 7 by June of this year, but that is not going to happen unless something, or somebody, gives me a good kick up the khyber.

I am slothful, and easily diverted from writing, probably because I never write an outline for a story, as real writers are supposed to do. I write off the top of my pointed head, which is fine when the spirit takes me but not much good when in the lazy, 'can't be arsed ', mode that is my default position.
I also do a lot of research during writing a story - although Mr.Your mom blows goats would disagree. He berated me for my lack of knowledge of chemistry, and the production of cocaine. (See Chapters 11 and 12, Desire and Despair, Book 3 of Poacher's Progress). Mr.Your mom blows goats -a charming name for a charming fellow - is correct. At school I did neither chemistry nor coke. I was in the thickos stream at school, and took the jack of all but master of none subject known as General Science.

So, what with my natural idleness, coupled with a lack of direction, and a propensity to go delving into arcane and esoteric research, that has little to do with the current project (but I'm a whiz at Trivial Pursuits), the completion of Book 7 is a long way off, unless I do something drastic about it.
Fortunately, Book 7 splits neatly into three parts, much like Gaul back in the day of Julius Caesar, which would allow me to post each Part as a separate 'book', as others have done on SOL.
Part I is in a state fit to be sent to my illustrious editor when he is available. Part II is in rough draft. Part of Part IIII is in a rougher draft, but the greater part is in my head. I know how the story ends but I am having trouble plotting a logical path to get there.

Carpe diem!
At my age the diems available to be carped,are limited, so today I will bite the bullet (billet) and write an outline for Part III, and try not to go off- piste when researching. (It is possible I go off- piste when I am pissed off with what I have written). Maybe I could do with a muse. But where does one find a muse -- in a museum? (Oops, I've committed a shagrinism).

If anyone has a muse-going gash then feel free to drop me a line. - I'll try anything once.

Glossary: for those who have not enjoyed the benefits of a UK/ military education.
yonks = a long time
khyber = the posterior.
Going gash = surplus to requirements.

Regards
Jack G