Garalt Canton's "The Fifth Kingdom"

The first time I read this I knew that this project was going to be huge. The book has a dramatic sweep which boggles the mind. There is nothing small about this idea. As Gary himself says I am developing a project that will have the same impact upon the literary, gaming and online markets as The Harry Potter Series.

The Fifth Kingdom goes live at Easter 2009. You heard it here first.... for sneak previews head to Authonomy: The Fifth Kingdom.

Marcus Trefoil and the Tea Cosy of Doom

or "I'm Puce With Envy". Not only is this the funniest thing I have read in years (mental note to self, the consumption of beverages is incompatible with the reading of side splittingly funny books), as the shower of coffee that hit my laptop screen will testify, but it's genius is the plug has seen it rise 1941 places in two days with 36 bookshelves to its credit, a plug which began before it even appeared on our screens. Abu, my old china... you've cracked it. You've found the key to the kingdom.

Now you would have thought that a book written solely as an extremely ingenious way to plug another book, might just be a sort of half cocked attempt at humour, and promptly remain in the doldrums at the bottom of the pile. Not a bit of it. Markie is one of the funniest things I have ever read.... never mind that opening statement.... it's also beautifully and incisively observed. People have read out of curiosity and backed out of sheer unadulterated admiration (and perhaps a little carpet biting envy!).

If you don't believe me, follow the link, Marcus Trefoil and the Tea Cosy of Doom, taking care to put all beverages out of harm's way. You won't be disappointed. Exhausted, and with a curious ache in the region of your stomach muscles perhaps.

POD...The New Year's Shock Email

I've got very mixed feelings about this. I received the email from Authonomy as part of an exclusive crowd of approximately a couple of thousand. Some are angry, some are excited, me? I'm confused.

On one hand, a most attractive offer, it has HC behind it (as the owners of Authonomy), it offers you the chance to get into print (and isn't that what we all really want?). On the other hand, POD takes you book out of the running to get it in the hands of someone who might want to publish it in a conventional way.

Then there's the question of who will buy. Who will buy? Auth is mostly composed of other writers. So, other writers, friends, family and who else?? I would like to think that a few complete strangers who have never put pen to paper in the cause of writing a book would like to buy mine, and read it, may be release it into the wild to allow other complete strangers to enjoy it.

But.... this little voice keeps whispering in my ear.... you could get published in a month or so... quite seductive that little voice!

I'm going to stick to the game plan. Almost certainly. I've been too good at dilly-dallying and taking the wrong path before. I want my shot at a contract, and even if I have a pile of rejection slips at the end of it, I will have taken my best shot first.