Although my blog is essentially about my self-publishing venture I have decided to open up the scope of the content to include (when I have the time and energy to do so) other writing genres that I have dipped my toe in the water of – a couple of poems and short-stories. Why not? To this end I have created a couple of extra and appropriate pages into which I will place my offerings.
Below is a short-short-story. Actually, it seems like more of a riddle, so with that in mind I’ll pose the riddley question – what am I?
I Am Forever
I was nothing more than different among my kith and kin; a freak, perhaps, biding time, maturing, blossoming under my mother’s pure and natural love; ignorant of the effect I would grow to exercise. Unaware. Undemanding.
Attracted by my difference, men came. Uncontrolled, they raped. Unregulated, they pillaged. They wrenched me from my home in a display of wanton devastation; unconcerned for the havoc they wrought, the destruction they brought.
They all wanted me: the rich the poor; the old the young; the smart the stupid. I was worshipped, fought over, exchanged, sold, stolen, gifted. The lucky shared themselves with me for a while, fondling, caressing. I was helpless to their will; at the mercy of their whims. I made dreams. I ended lives.
Eventually, I was married in a show of strength and ceremony, and then, as was the custom, presented to the king for his pleasure. At first he loved me, but like all love his dwindled.
Still I am coveted, but my position and Royal protection are absolute. I am not to be relinquished, banished instead to an existence of confinement and occasionally eventful solitude.
Oliver Tidy 
Hi Oliver
Just finished your book Rope Enough, thought it brilliant. It was a freebee, but now you have me hooked, just ordered Making a Killing and was happy to pay for it. Looking forward to starting it tonight. Last year discovered Jo Nesbo and exhausted all his novels. His Harry Hole’s character, thought your main character was of similar style, but maybe an English version. Your plot was good, kept me interested, right to the end. Thought the end was a bit rushed, but like all good stories it has to stop somewhere. Maybe the end was just to neat and tidy, nobody gets that lucky. At the start of the book when the first police office (female) told Marsh that she thought Park was only pretending to be knocked out like some of her kids pretended to sleep, I thought this was critical information, but you really didn’t go back to it, just left me wondering why even float the idea, if you weren’t going to expand or exploit it.
Congratulations with this book, the detail, scenario, and general writing were good well constructed and feasible. You now have a fan. I can’t believe I’m actually taking the time to write and say these things, never did it before, but just saw the comment at the end of the book and said why give you some feedback, weither you rear it or not. I was a compositor in a former life and know the work that goes into producing the finished article, so well done on that score, and to be honest, didn’t notice too many typos, not like the recent couple of Jeffrey Archer books, they were loaded with them.
Keep you the good work and thanks for the entertainment and satisfying read, well done.
Regards
Henry Morgan
Belfast.
Hello Henry
I’m particularly touched by your communication. Naturally, I’m very pleased to see that you enjoyed the book and that Romney and Marsh have a new fan. Thanks for purchasing the next in the series by the way. Every little helps as that supermarket who shall not be named keep telling us.
I read The Snowman last year and now you mention it, Hole and Romney do have some similarities, which is good because I quite liked Nesbo’s creation.
I do accept that Rope Enough is a long way from a perfect crime book and I take on board all your valid comments. Writing crime novels is something that needs practice and study. Out of the three books I honestly think that the second is the best. I really feel that it was writing this novel that I realised where I wanted Romney and Marsh to go as a pairing. I look forward to your thoughts on Making a Killing when you’ve finished it.
I’m genuinely grateful that you did make the decision to take the time and trouble to contact me. I can’t speak for all authors, but I feel privileged when a reader has been moved to contact me, even if they want to fight me for Romney’s sexist views (doesn’t happen too often, I’m happy to say).
There are typos in all three books, but again readers have been on the whole very patient and helpful in pointing them out and when I get around to submitting revisions of the three to Amazon I hope that all these will be taken care of. I appreciate you saying that I didn’t make too much of a mess of Rope Enough.
Once again, it was a pleasure to hear from you.
All the best to you and BelfastOliver