Still Playing About With Old Thoughts

I'm thinking about writing a lot lately (as a precursor to writing a lot). In order to get this blog active again, I think I'm going to post a series of links to interviews or blog posts I've done about writing. I'll either signpost it and say I still agree with what I thought then, or challenge that past version of me by calling bullshit on whatever advice I have since learned is no pearl of wisdom.

Because of yesterday's post about my dad's upcoming play, The Blue Boy, set in Omeath (just across Carlingford Lough from Warrenpoint where I've set a bunch of stories myself), I figured I'd start with this fun interview we did for Owen Quinn's Time Warriors site in the midst of The Sweety Bottle's modest success.

Click here, people!

And while I work on the second Shannon McNulty novel (one of my Warrenpoint based works), I'll be thinking about these encouraging words from my father:

"Of course he got his skills from me. I won five shillings for writing, at the age of ten. That was forty eight years ago. I can still remember the two big silver half crowns, it was a fortune in those days. Seriously, I won’t try to take any credit for Gerard’s achievements, there was too much hard work and determination on his part to get where he is now. We worked very well together I think that was quite unusual."

This might be one of my favourite writing interviews. It's like a virtual pat on the head.

Pictures Mean Prizes

I'm running a giveaway on my Gerard Brennan (writer) Facebook Page.

It runs a little something like this:

"Check out the Blasted Heath newsletter about the "12 Days of Kindle" sale over at Amazon UK. WEE ROCKETS is one of the books selected! 

http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=78b2c3b60001073b7b7ee9941&id=91f24d59da&e=85aedef61b

Help get WEE ROCKETS up those charts by buying a Kindle copy for a mere 99p.

AND, if you post a picture of the cover to prove it's on your Kindle, iPad, tablet or whatever you read ebooks on (tag me in a Facebook post to alert me) [edit Sunday 29/12/13: screen-grab or take a digital photo with your smart phone, whatever works], I'll send you a copy of my novella, BOUNCE, anywhere in the world. Even if you bought WEE ROCKETS months ago, you're eligible simply by posting a pic.

I have 5 copies of BOUNCE here, so first five pics scoop the prizes.

gb"

You can listen to a few chapters from BOUNCE here, BTW.

EDIT: Sunday 29/12/13 20:48 GMT

Five winners(?) are:

Ryan Bracha
Garry McElherron
Katrina Tia Charles
Kieran Doherty
Brandon Nagel

I'll be sending the booklets out tomorrow.

#killerbooks reading

Check out this reading from my #killerbooks novella, BOUNCE. As far as I know, you can still get free copies at Eason in Derry. The recording isn't 100% perfect, but I'd practiced it a few times by this stage. Seems a shame to let the file sit there doing nothing.

Let me know if you enjoy it. Still thinking of releasing THE POINT as an audiobook in the near future.