Tales of The Tortoise

Best self promotion! by Neil Ostroff

2012-03-12T04:15:00.000-07:00

It’s been a while since I posted all the sites I use to market and promote my books. I figured since I have so many new blog followers (I’m up to 111 so far; thanks all for following) it would help anyone looking for greats sites to promote on. I’m just going to list them in no particular order. They’re easy to sign up and have friendly people in their forums. I recommend you download all your books to these sites for the exposure. I also post my blog on these sites and participate in groups. It has definitely driven sales.

The book marketing network.com

Authors Den.com

Bookblogs.com

Mycreativeintent.com

Booktown.com

Google stream

Wringroom.com

Storylink.com

Goodreads.com

Scribd.com

Linkedin.com

Kindle Boards

Kindle direct publishing

Amazon.com meet our authors forum

Twitter

Shelfari

Biblioscribe

Digg

Stumbleuponit

--I also highly recommend the sites below for writing advice. You can post samples, or stories, or just ask a question. The people here are very friendly and have given me great free editing and advice over the years. But DO NOT self-promote here.

Bestsellerbound.com

Absolutewrite water cooler.com

Mywriterscircle.com

Writers-network.com

InkN’it.com

Wherewritersmeet.com

Mywriterscircle.com

Authonomy.com

--Here is a list of sites I recommend all authors put their books on for display. I don’t participate much on these, but I always add my book, summary, and link to my account when I publish a new one. It’s all about exposure.

Writing forum.com

Figment.com

Writerface.com

Writing.com

Writersnet.net

Book daily.com

Published.com

Bookhitch.com

Writetobreathe.com

Indieauthorsunite.com

Worthyofpublishing.com

Booksie.com

Bookpleasures.com

Blogcatalog.com

--Well, there it is, the secret to my promotional efforts are now laid bare. I spend between two and five hours involved in daily marketing and promoting on these sites, including posting on forums without self-promotion. But as I posted earlier, Kindle Boards allows you to place a picture and link of your book after each post so it’s like promoting anyway. I hope this list helps. Feel free to print it.

http://www.neilostroff.blogspot.com

Why I am a Christian by Alan Moreton

2012-03-07T02:02:00.000-08:00

All the rational arguments in the world and all the so-called proofs of God’s existence did not convince me to become a Christian. These are merely a means of bolstering one’s faith after the event.

I became a Christian because God willed it. “For He says to Moses, ‘I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.’ So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.” Rom. 9:15-16

It is impossible to will yourself to become a Christian. You can will yourself to adopt the Christian religion but it takes a supernatural act of God in accordance with his plan and purpose for an individual to become a son of God. You cannot will yourself to be fathered, it is impossible!

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.” Rom 8;14.

Jesus makes this plain in John 3:3 “...unless one is born again (or born from above), he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

The situation that caused me to become a Christian at the age of seventeen was a supernatural confluence between my hearing John 3.16 and God’s spirit acting upon it to create spiritual life within me.

When I heard: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotton Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life,” I heard God speaking directly to me and He imparted to me the faith to believe it, which engendered new life in me from the seed of this word.

This was not something I did but something which happened to me by the will of God. Then I acted, by submitting to Christ as my Lord and Saviour.

I was not seeking God; I was not planning on becoming a Christian. I did not consider all the reasonable and rational arguments and then make a logical decision to serve God. No, all that came after God supernaturally intervened in my life. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Cor. 5:17

Why I Am a Christian by Michael Spencer

2012-03-04T06:27:00.000-08:00

1. It is reasonable that God might exist.

2. Further, it is reasonable (based on the evidence) that this God who might exist might be personal and therefore have communicated with human beings.

3. The world’s religions are a reasonable place to look for evidence of such communication.

4. Among those representing the world religions, Jesus of Nazareth seems to hold the consensus as the person most likely to provide convincing evidence of the God who might exist. (Since Jesus is- in some way- incorporated into all major world religions. If all the world’s religious leaders were locked in a basement until they could elect only one person to represent the best of their beliefs, I believe Jesus would be the person selected.)

5. The resurrection of Jesus is a reasonable explanation for the existence of Christianity as a distinct belief system from Judaism.

6. An examination of the various alternatives and existing evidence convinces me that the Resurrection is, in fact, true.

7. If the Rez is true, then Jesus’ statements about himself, God, Truth, Sin, etc. (The Christian worldview) are true by deduction.

8. Based on this conclusion, I relate to the God who I now believe exists through Jesus.

9. My experience matches what Jesus describes, providing personal verification of the truth of Christianity.

10. Based on Pascal’s wager, I await eventual verification of this conclusion after death, but haven’t lost anything if I am wrong.

http://www.internetmonk.com/

PRACTICAL RUSSIAN READER by Tamara Moreton

2012-02-29T08:58:00.000-08:00

The Tortoise is pleased to announce the publication of Practical Russian Reader Vol.1 by Tamara Moreton.

Practical Russian Reader is designed as both a reader and a workbook for Intermediate students of Russian. It contains sixteen short stories chosen for their interest and entertainment value as well aids to language learning.

Each story has been supplied with a variety of questions and exercises designed to enhance understanding of grammar points and to help in the acquisition of vocabulary.

A comprehensive vocabulary to each story has been supplied to enable the conscientious student to obtain an understanding of the gist of each story.

Some question keys have been supplied to clarify certain expressions, but as this is not meant to be a parallel text, full translation has not been provided except in the vocabulary lists.

It is the heartfelt wish of the author/editor that Practical Russian Reader will provide students of Russian with an interesting and informative reading experience as they come to grips with learning this fascinating and important language.

Practical Russian Reader can be used as a teaching manual in a classroom situation or by Intermediate students working on their own.

Practical Russian Reader is available in the US from the following Link:

Practical Russian Reader

Practical Russian Reader is available in the UK via Paypal at the following link:

Practical Russian Reader

Tamara Moreton is also the author of How English Pronouns Made Friends with Russian Pronouns

Available in the US from the following link:

Russian Pronouns

Available in the UK via Paypal from the following link:

Russian Pronouns

Review of The Book Traveller by Alan Moreton

2012-02-22T04:27:00.000-08:00

Amazon Four Star Review by Top Reviewer Angela Wolf “Bookangel”

Retired avid reader Thomas buys a chair from a mysterious bookshop (antique shop) owner. He discovers that the chair will transport him into the books he is reading. He becomes one of the main characters in several classic works.

As he reads different books he reflects on his life and tells his life story. (From the books he chooses, the reader can guess the way his life story is going to end.)

On top of that, there is a minor plot line involving his dog Sky. Sky can understand humans and communicate with some of them. He even follows his master into some of the novels. Additionally, he and a rival dog compete for the affections of his 'lady love.'

There is a lot happening in this book. Yet in spite of its length, I found it to be a surprisingly quick read. In some places it reads like a memoir and I'm wondering if it is slightly autobiographical.

This book was an entertaining read, and I would recommend this novel to those who enjoy getting lost in a good book.

Comment by Angela Wolf after re-editing and republishing The Book Traveller:

Hello Mr. Moreton - thank you for stopping by to comment on my review! I really enjoyed the book and found it very entertaining. I was very hesitant to mention anything negative about the book at all, but I felt it was best to be completely honest. In light of your changes to the book, I will edit my review. It's a book I would be proud to have written. Thank you...Angela

Top Ten Most Expensive Books In The World

2012-02-20T04:48:00.001-08:00

#1 - The Codex Leicester ($30,800,000)

A collection of scientific writings by Leonardo da Vinci, the Codex Leicester is officially the most expensive book ever sold. Purchased in a 1994 auction for $30.8 million by billionaire Bill Gates, the book is put on display in a different city every year.

#2 - The Gospels of Henry the Lion ($12,400,000)

Produced in the late 12th century (between 1175 - 1188) for Henry the Lion at the Benedictine Helmarshausen Abbey in Germany, the 266-page manuscript is considered a masterpiece of Romanesque book illumination of the time. It was bought by a German national group at a Sotheby's auction in 1983 for $12.4 million.

#3 - The Birds of America ($8,800,000)

First published in the early 19th century by painter and naturalist John James Audubon, The Birds of America is a series of life sized paintings of various birds and is often referred to as the greatest picture book ever made. In 2000 an original print copy sold at Christie's for $8.8 million, making it the most expensive printed book ever sold.

#4 - The Canterbury Tales ($7,000,000)

Coming in at fourth on the list of most expensive books ever sold is The Canterbury Tales written by English author Geoffrey Chaucer at the end of the 14th century. It is made up of a collection of short stories that paints a critical portrait of the Church and English society at the time.

#5 - First Folio: Comedies, Histories and Tragedies ($6,000,000)

Published in 1623 a few years after Shakespeare's death, 'Comedies, Histories and Tragedies' is a collection of almost all of the great writer's known plays. Often referred to as the First Folio, it is the only reliable source available for 20 of Shakespeare's plays. It became one of the most expensive books in the world when a copy was sold at auction in New York for just over $6 million in 2001.

#6 - The Northumberland Bestiary ($5,850,000)

A 13th century English manuscript, the Northumberland Bestiary is a collection of ink drawings of both real and imaginary animals, depicting moral stories and proverbs. It was bought at auction by a private collector in 1990 for close to $6 million, though it has recently been made available for display to the Getty museum.

#7 - The Gutenberg Bible ($5,400,000)

The Gutenberg Bible marked the new era of the movable type printing press developed by Johannes Gutenberg in the 1450s. Lauded for its artistic qualities, only 21 complete copies survive in the world today. Many argue that they are the most valuable books in the world, though they only come in at number 6 on our list after a $5.4 million sale in for an incomplete copy in 1987 (a complete copy hasn't sold since a $2.5 million sale in 1978).

#8 - Traité des Arbres Fruitiers ($4,500,000)

Literally translating to 'Treatise on Fruit Trees', this French manuscript is a collection of writings and illustrations compiled by Henri-Louis Duhamel du Monceau in the mid 18th century. Detailing a variety of species of fruit trees, it was recently sold for $4.5 million in 2006.

#9 - Ptolemy's Geographia ($4,200,000)

Also known as the Geography, Cosmographia or Geographike Hyphegesis, Geographia is one of Ptolemy's main works, produced in the 2nd century and detailing what was known about the world's geography at the time. Basically the first atlas ever made, Ptolemy's Geographia fetched a cool $4.2 million in a sale in 2006.

#10 - Mozart’s 9 Symphonies Manuscript ($4,100,000)

Closing out our list of the ten most expensive books ever sold might not be classed as a book by some, but a collection of 9 of the great composer's symphonies, autographed by Mozart himself, sold for a little over $4 million back in 1990.

A Thorough Edit of The Book Traveller

2012-02-15T10:11:00.000-08:00

I spent the last six working days in editing The Book Traveller.

I want to thank the following reviewers for their invaluable criticism of The Book Traveller, which has prompted me to a thorough edit as a result of their comments.

Thank you to Mary Spencer, who contacted me via my website and Angela Wolf on Amazon.com, who both enjoyed my story, but pointed out some technical errors.

All my existing books will now be thoroughly edited and all new ones will be thoroughly edited before release to provide an error-free read to my growing band of readers.

I extend my apologies to those comparatively few readers who received or downloaded my books with typographical errors or corrupted text. These have now been eliminated from The Book Traveller and it has now been re-published.

If any typos are detected I should be grateful if you would contact me using the contact form on my website.

www.the-tortoise.com

Review of Strange Tales of the Curiously Uncommon by Andrew Biss

2012-02-12T03:40:00.000-08:00

Strange Tales of the Curiously Uncommon byAndrew Biss is another batch of brilliantly witty stories in the tradition of Roald Dahl in Tales of the Unexpected.

There is not a dud among these five stories. Andrew Biss has certainly got into his stride and shows that he has mastered his art of surprising us in these expertly crafted stories.

In An Honest Mistake, Madge, the put upon wife of an obnoxious, verbally abusive husband, is a bit forgetful and mixes up a couple of jars while preparing his dinner with the inevitable result. Her blithe acceptance of her mistake makes this story both dark and amusing.

With superb psychological penetration Andrew Biss has created in Madge a living, breathing woman with whom it is easy to empathise, while at the same time being horrified at her cynical, if understandable, attitude.

In A Familiar Face, Eydie’s friend, Dora, has just buried her husband after 42 years of marriage. Eydie envied her friend her long and loving marriage. Or was it? Was Albert a philanderer who kept it secret from his wife all those years? Or was his secret something much more sinister? Or is it all a huge mistake? The jar that Dora finds under the stairs seems to reveal the truth. Or does it?

In a Slip of the Tongue, Miss Perkins is being sexually harassed by her employer. His dexterous use of the English language is open to interpretation until he makes a Slip of the Tongue too far. This is an amusing and disturbing story in which poetic justice is given full play.

An Embarrassing Odour is such a skilfully written story that Andrew Biss had me completely fooled by the outcome. I was convinced I knew the answer to the embarrassing odour halfway through the story but the humorous twist in the tale came as a complete surprise.

Ethel is a smelly old woman of seventy eight, or is she? Andrew Biss will keep you guessing right to the end in this extremely accomplished story from the pen of a master short story writer.

In A Stunning Confession Ron tells his wife Janice that he is not the father of their son, Craig, but how can that be possible? And how does Francesca, another woman, come into the picture? The answer is not what you expect in this skilfully contrived story.

Overall, it is difficult to find anything to criticise in this excellent collection, except the use of a few swear words and the odd blasphemy and the use of English slang, but these are in keeping with the nature of the characters that Andrew Biss has created and is in keeping with his style of narration.

Andrew Biss, in this superb collection of short stories has quite firmly taken on the mantle of Roald Dahl as a master story teller of the unexpected, and he deserves to be as well-known.

Review of The Darling Buds of May by H E Bates

2012-02-12T03:37:00.000-08:00

The Darling Buds of May by H.E. Bates is altogether delightful, irresistible, sensual and irrepressibly uplifting. That is what I wrote when I first read it in August 2001, and I feel the same way on a re-read.

This is the first book in The Pop Larkin Chronicles which is full of joie de vivre!

The story is about the Larkin family lustily romping their way through life in the English countryside. They eat and drink to excess enjoying life to the full, with their six children.

Mariette, their eldest, has been doing the naughty with a couple of local lads and she thinks she is pregnant, but is not sure which one of them it could be. She is an absolute stunner at 17. In the Yorkshire TV series she was played to electrifying effect by a young unknown actress by the name of Catherine Zeta Jones, which set all our pulses racing. She later went on to marry Michael Douglas.

In the story, a young naive tax inspector visits Pop Larkin’s farm and tries to induce him to fill out a tax form, but he is seduced, first by the irrepressible Ma and Pop Larkin, (played brilliantly in the T.V. series by David Jason) and their happy-go-lucky lifestyle and then by the obvious charms and beauty of Mariette, who makes him forget all about his job as a tax inspector.

See blurb and pics here: http://www.itv.com/ClassicTVshows/familydrama/TheDarlingBudsofMay/default.html

Nothing less than five shells would do justice to this book. Read it and enjoy.

Review of The Master of Ballantrae by Robert Louis Stevenson

2012-02-10T07:26:00.000-08:00

In The Master of Ballantrae by Robert Louis Stevenson none of the characters are either appealing or likeable.

The Master is a black-hearted villain. The old Lord is weak and shows partiality to his villainous son. The youngest brother is portrayed as semi insane due to thinking he had killed his brother, whom he hated anyway. I found this madness and its cause unconvincing.

McKellor, the family servant, who narrates the story, is a self-righteous prig and an old mother hen.

The wife of the young Lord is a cipher, who marries him for convenience instead of remaining true to the Master.

The story is often confusing, as it discusses future events before apprising us, the reader, of what led up to them. Several times I had to check back to see if I had lost the plot, but I hadn’t. The information I needed to understand what was happening was narrated after the event. I didn’t like this style of narration.

Although the story is titled The Master of Ballantrae, he is off camera most of the story and it is rather about the effect he has on the younger brother, who, as a character is less interesting and a bit irritating. As is McKellor, his dour servant.

I have satisfied my curiosity, as I did with Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Nothing I have read of Stevenson matches the incomparable Treasure Island.

Although, I dread reading it again, in case my memory has played me false and my youthful enthusiasm is betrayed by my mature critical faculties!

Perhaps I should allow the nostalgic glow to remain forever green in my memory.

The story of The Master of Ballantrae was interesting in parts and boring in parts, so three and a half shells.

Making A Drama Out A Crisis!

2012-02-08T07:08:00.000-08:00

Saturday 10 December 2011

In Luke 21:34 Jesus says: “...take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with (the) cares of this life...”

I find it is so easy for me to be caught up in material concerns and to become worried and anxious about the outcome of events in which I am involved.

At every adverse circumstance the temptation is to react with feelings of gloom and doom as though some great tragedy had occurred. Then to rant and rave, moan and complain until it becomes a big drama in which I am swept up and in which I am forced to involve all my emotions and energies.

Now that I am retired all I really want to do is to write and publish my books. I keep hoping that all the drama surrounding the work I am having done on the house will be over by the end of December, so I can look forward to spending my time on my creative endeavours in 2012.

I would like nothing more than to have a heart that is unburdened by the cares of this life, but just as in politics, it seems that we are driven by events beyond our control. It is not that Jesus does not expect us to have cares and concerns, but he warns us not to allow them to overwhelm us and distract us from what really matters. I keep on having to remind myself to step back from events and to get some much needed perspective. I think this is what Jesus meant.

Testing! Testing!

2012-02-05T08:27:00.000-08:00

Friday 10 December 2011

Jesus said: “In patience possess your souls.” Luke 21:19

One of the things I wish for is self-possession; the ability to react to extreme provocation with patience and forbearance. This is not easy because I am often worn down by continual negative commentary, which is often unrelenting and drives me to distraction.

James says: “...the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work.” James 1:3-4

The only consolation I can take from a difficult situation is that it is designed by God for the purpose of producing mature Christian character. But I often feel that I am only expressing my carnal nature as the worst aspects of my character are brought out in anger, irritation, annoyance, impatience, resentment and wrath.

Proverbs 16:32 says: “He who is a slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.”

But how is this to be accomplished? Only by continual testing and adjustment it seems!

Doing Business

2012-02-03T00:50:00.000-08:00

Thursday 8 December 2011

In the parable of the talents in Luke 19: 11-27 Jesus said: “Do business till I come.” It seems that we are to use the talents, abilities and opportunities we have without allowing the fear of failure to prevent us from taking action.

How often I have been tempted to give up in despair when things have not gone according to plan, but earlier in Luke 18:1 Jesus said “that men ought always to pray and not lose heart.” I suppose He knew that we would be tempted to lose heart and said that prayer is an ever constant resource when we do.

I have often taken calculated risks with varying degrees of success (and failure!) But I do not regret the failures, because I do not regret the fact that I tried.

Now I am trying to gain recognition as a writer and published author and anyone who is a fellow writer knows that in today’s market place despair is an ever present reality! The competition is overwhelming, but the point that Jesus makes is to never give up, to commit it to God in prayer and to be faithful in taking action.

Or as Jesus puts it in verse 17: “...you were faithful in a very little...”

Because by doing some little thing every day towards promoting our talents we are “doing business” and being “good servants.”

Review of A Bit of A Do by David Nobbs

2012-01-30T06:39:00.001-08:00

A Bit of A Do by David Nobbs is about two middle-aged couples whose long-term marriages break down.

In a series of six hilarious social gatherings they and their relations and friends interact with one another as they try to rebuild their shattered lives.

David Nobbs is a very witty writer and he handles these sensitive and moving issues with assurance.

Although I enjoyed this excellent book, towards the end I found that some of Nobbs’ humorous repetitive devices wore a little thin and thus would not bear rereading. However, it is well worth reading once.

Review of An Embarrassing Odour by Andrew Biss

2012-01-25T02:36:00.000-08:00

Ethel is a smelly old woman of seventy eight, or is she? Andrew Biss will keep you guessing right to the end in this extremely accomplished story from the pen of a master short story writer.

Told with characteristic wit, this story comes from the collection Strange Tales of the Curiously Uncommon. If An Embarrassing Odour is anything to go by then Andrew Biss has produced yet another superb short story collection. Highly recommended.

Buy from Amazon.com

An Embarrassing Odour

Buy from Amazon.co.uk

An Embarrassing Odour

Solar Panel Panic Mark 2

2012-01-22T08:50:00.001-08:00

Wednesday 07 December 2011 continued

After the Solar Panels were installed on our roof, Mrs. Tortoise happened to glance up at the ceiling of our study room and saw a wet patch above her head. More panic as we investigated in the loft and discovered that the roof was leaking through a large hole in the inner felt.

The builders came and filled up the hole in the felt with filler. I emailed to the Solar installation company to say that this quick fix was not enough and that the leak from the roof needs to be investigated.

Mrs. Tortoise told me about a second hole in the felt and I was annoyed with her because she hadn’t told me about it and she hadn’t insisted that it was filled when the builders were here.

The solar installation company told me that the Solar Panel fitters were in located in Manchester and that the local team would only be trained by the beginning of January!

I replied that the other hole needs to be filled now. But this was not the end of the story or the resolution of our leaking roof.

Our nerves were frayed today. We went to buy some paint for our new conservatory but Mrs. Tortoise irritated me by changing her mind as soon as we walked out into the car park!

Mrs. Tortoise and I were arguing and upset with each other the whole day as a result of the leaking roof. We tried to watch some TV to take our minds off the problem but as soon as we turned off the TV Mrs. Tortoise began going over the same issues again. I couldn’t stand it and escaped to bed.

I woke in the night and repented of my behaviour and attitude towards Mrs. Tortoise. I determined to be more patient with her on the morrow.

A Masterly Collection by an Excellent Writer

2012-01-19T01:26:00.000-08:00

In Andrew Biss’s superb collection of short stories The Impressionists there are six stories.

The first one is called Big Girl and is about Peggy who weighs in at a colossal 276 pounds. It is uncanny the way Andrew Biss has got so completely into the mind of an overweight woman and so accurately conveys her angst. At the end of the story I felt a sincere empathy with her and her plight, so brilliantly does Andrew Biss portray her. That he can convey such angst both with wit and empathy is remarkable. That she quotes from Nietzsche, Henry David Thoreau, Confucius, William Shakespeare, Andre Gide and Quentin crisp is a reflection of the erudition of the author, I think. Yet these quotations are woven so seamlessly into the story that they do not seem out of place.

The story contains some swear words, which I wouldn’t normally like, but in this story Peggy is justified in expressing her feelings in this way and if you read this brilliant story and you definitely should, then you will see that they are perfectly justified within the context of the story.

This lead story reminds me of A Ball of Fat by Guy de Maupassant and like that story it is worth the price of the book, a meagre couple of pounds or dollars, all by itself. The other five stories in the collection are a bonus and what a bonus they are.

The second story is called The Replica. It starts off in the first person by speaking about the replica in the mirror. Then she begins describing her husband. Then it describes her life as a writer in the third person. I didn’t like the constant shift between first and third person and ultimately I found this a depressing and dispiriting story. It is a story lacking Andrew’s characteristic wit and charm. He is strongest when writing in the first person.

With the third story A Small Act of Vandalism the wit reasserts itself. Malcolm has his mother’s ashes in a little porcelain box and he describes them as” a bit like instant coffee, you might say, only without the flavour.” This is another story skilfully told in the author’s authentic voice. He makes you really care and empathise with Malcolm and the dilemma in which he was placed. A really lovely story, lovingly told.

The fourth story, One Night Only is about a serial killer interviewing himself prior to his execution. It is funny in a gruesome way. Again the authentic voice of the author shines through this gritty story.

The fifth story is Organ Failure, which is set in a funeral home. This is a short, dark little story in which it is impossible to empathise with the woman telling the story.

The final story in the collection is WYWH, which is another very accomplished story, very witty and very poignant.

Like all short story collections it is a mixed bag, but a mixed bag ranging all the way from good, through excellent to masterly.

Replica and Organ Failure are good.

A Small Act of Vandalism, One Night Only and WYWH are excellent.

Big Girl is a masterpiece.

I like the way Andrew Biss, writing in the first person is able to express the feelings and emotions of an overweight woman, a young man, a serial killer and a middle-aged woman and to you cause you to empathise with them and to see them as real, individual people. This is a rare talent. I highly recommend this collection.

An Attitude of Gratitude

2012-01-18T00:18:00.001-08:00

Wednesday 07 December 2011

Luke 17:11-19 “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?”

Jesus healed ten lepers but only one returned to thank Him and to give glory to God. Gratitude is a very rare attitude and on that must be cultivated and especially taught to children. It is so easy to take God and people for granted and to assume that all our blessings are deserved and therefore not worthy of thanks.

Review of The Passionate Friends by H.G.Wells

2012-01-15T10:56:00.000-08:00

The Passionate Friends by H.G. Wells is told in the first person in the form of an autobiography of a middle-aged man to his son. That a man would write to his son about a passionate involvement with a woman that was not his mother is a strange construct, I thought.

The woman in question, Lady Mary Christian, comes from an aristocratic family. Stephen Stratton is a lifelong family friend. They become lovers but Lady Mary decides to marry a Lord for the social position and wealth it brings with it.

The story is interesting while the two are involved with each other.

Stephen goes away to South Africa for five years and Wells writes a boring chapter about social conditions there. When he returns the lovers take up where they left off, and the story becomes interesting again.

When it is discovered that Mary and Stephen are lovers, as part of the agreement between the parties he must go abroad again for three years. More boring chapters ensue while Wells writes a socialist essay, which has absolutely nothing to do with the story.

Several years go by and after Stephen returns to England he marries. Three years later he receives a letter from Lady Mary, which is absolutely preposterous in its content in that it is the voice of Wells expounding his views on the role of women in society, which is another boring chapter.

Finally, they meet in Switzerland by accident. The old passion is there but they only chat. The husband finds out and begins divorce proceedings. To save him from all the pain and anguish of a divorce case Lady Mary commits suicide.

Wells wraps up with another boring final chapter which kind of fizzles out.

This book was a love story and with socialist essays intertwined. I enjoyed the story but was infinitely bored by the essays.

Marketing and Promotion Efforts

2012-01-10T23:47:00.000-08:00

Tuesday 06 December continued

I revised The Book Traveller for publication and uploaded it to CreateSpace.

I did some more research on the Internet on Marketing and as a result I uploaded my book, The Confession of Sandy Harris and its links to Google Books.

I put together a Chapter Sampler of all my books in order to create a free PDF to put on my website, which can now be downloaded at: http://www.the-tortoise.com/index.html

I tried for the second time to create a signature with my links in my email, but I couldn’t make it work. I have limited techie skills!

Review of The End of the World by Andrew Biss

2012-01-07T08:24:00.000-08:00

Get ready for a zany roller-coaster ride that becomes more bizarre the further you get into this surreal story. Told with great verve and spiced through with wit, this hugely entertaining story will grab you, hold you and won’t leave you until the ride is over. Even then, the story will stick in the memory.

Andrew Biss says of one of his characters: “Hank, it appeared was either a brilliant, wildly imaginative entrepreneurial dynamo, or just stark raving mad.” This could, with equal justice be said of the author and after reading The End of the World I can but conclude that Andrew Biss is brilliant rather than mad.

He continues: “This concept of his, though certainly outlandish and bizarre-sounding on first hearing, still seemed to possess its own peculiar logic.” And so does The End of the World. This book can truly be described as novel which means new, strange, unusual, different, fresh, innovative, original, rare, singular, uncommon, unfamiliar, surprising and unique.

If you haven’t yet discovered the wit and wonder of this international playwright and author then prepare yourself for a rare treat.

And if you don’t find this unusual and imaginative writer exhilarating then you must be dead from the neck up!

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004RZ26E2

Doing our duty.

2012-01-04T09:56:00.000-08:00

Tuesday 06 December 2011

In Luke 17; 10 Jesus says: “...when you have done all those things which you are commanded to do say ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’”

From this I gather that we must not think we have done anything extra –ordinary or give ourselves praise for only performing what it is our duty to do. Every act of love and service is merely our duty and should be performed with humility without expecting either gratitude or praise.

Jesus says in v.9 “Does he thank that servant because he did all those things that were commanded him? I THINK NOT!”

Paul says something similar in Romans 12:1 “Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”

So why do I feel put upon when I do not receive either gratitude or praise when I think I have deserved it? Probably, because I forget that I have only done what I am required to do. Such is human nature!

A Reprieve!

2012-01-01T01:28:00.000-08:00

Monday 05 December 2011 continued

I received a letter from my Cardiologist today. I have been waiting for several months to discover the results of the tests I had earlier in the year after having had a heart attack and having had a stent inserted in my right artery in May this year.

I have been taking five tablets every day since and exercising by going for a walk for 40 minutes every day.

I had already been advised that I have extensive heart disease affecting my left arteries and that it was thought that a triple bypass might be the best treatment in the longer term.

After reading through all the medical jargon in the Cardiologist’s letter he suggested that because I am asymptomatic, not experiencing any Angina pain or breathlessness that I should continue with my medical therapy, as there is no indication to have surgical intervention at this time.

So hugs and kisses from Mrs. Tortoise and general relief all round!

I must admit that the thought of having my chest cut open, in spite of the success of bypass operations these days, was not one I particularly relished!

So I have been given a reprieve for the immediate future, for which I am thankful.

The New Covenant

2011-12-28T01:36:00.000-08:00

Monday 5 December continued

In Luke 16:16 Jesus said: “The law and the prophets were until John.”

The Commentary says that “the ministry of John the Baptist signalled the great turning point in redemptive history.” There are those who would base Christianity on the law and say that the keeping of the law, especially the Sabbath, is a requirement for salvation. But Jesus repudiates this, as does Paul in all his epistles, in which he distinguishes between law and grace.

See Hebrews 8:13 especially in which Pauls says: “In that He says, ‘A new covenant’. He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.”

In 70AD when the temple was destroyed the old covenant did, in fact, vanish away. “He takes away the first that He may establish the second.” (Heb. 10:9)

Also, “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord; I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them.” (v16)

epublishing consortium

2011-12-25T06:17:00.000-08:00

Monday 5 December 2011 continued

Doing some more research on the Internet I found another promotion website: http://epublishingconsortium.com

I posted my book details and links there. Every little helps.

Solar Panel Panic!

2011-12-21T09:13:00.000-08:00

Monday 05 December 2011

I recently had 12 Solar Panels installed on my roof. I had planned to have them installed in February 2012 but the government decided to reduce the Feed in Tariff by 50% for installations registered after 12^th December 2011. So, a big panic in the Solar industry to get as many installations done as soon as possible before the deadline.

I sent off my registration documents by recorded delivery to EDF, my electricity supplier, but due to a lot of activity surrounding the erection of a new conservatory being done at the same time, I lost the recorded delivery receipt. More panic!

Now I have to phone EDF to see if they have received my application. I am not looking forward to it because I suspect it may be time-consuming and frustrating, as they are probably being inundated with hundreds of calls.

As I suspected I spent ages waiting on the phone to EDF. When they finally answered there was no trace of my application! More panic!

I had planned to send it again by special delivery but the man at the other end of the phone gave me an email address to send it to, so I scanned all the documents and sent them by email only to discover that I had missed one! More panic!

I scanned it and added it and sent it again. I hope I haven’t confused the issue and that my registration will go through OK! More panic at the thought that I have messed it up!

Temporary things

2011-12-18T04:27:00.000-08:00

Sunday 04 December 2011 continued

Jesus says: “...whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be my disciple.”

The Commentary says: “In contrast to the cares of the rich young ruler (18:22) Jesus does not say a disciple should sell all his possessions and give everything away. “

I have always wondered about this. If I was to sell all my possessions and give everything away then I would become one of the poor and an object requiring charity.

The Commentary continues: “His thought probably is that of a continual abandonment of things, yielding up the right of ownership or the desire to cling to things, rather than outright disposal of them. The disciple of Jesus may be given the use of things in trust, as a stewardship, but they are no longer his or her own.”

I am reminded of this Scripture: “For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (2 Cor. 4:18)

AuthorsDen

2011-12-18T03:48:00.000-08:00

Sunday 04 December 2011 continued

I spent a couple of hours searching the Internet for marketing ideas.

I found a link to a website called Authors Den which can be found at:

http://www.authorsden.com

This site has over 1 Million visitors a month of both readers and authors.

I created an author page on it, which you can see here:

http://www.authorsden.com/alanmoreton

Mrs. Tortoise cropped a picture of me and I uploaded it to Authors Den.

And I also added it to my LibraryThing Author page, which you can see here:

http://www.librarything.com/author/moretonmralan

I let some of my contacts on LibraryThing know about my picture on my author page

as they have not seen my image before. One said that I look just like an author!

I have now added it to my About the Author page on my website at:

www.the-tortoise.com

Two other ideas I got about marketing were:

1. To create a free PDF with sample chapters from my books.

This is now available on my About the Author page at:

www.the-tortoise.com

2. To write articles on writing, promotion publishing, etc.

I have decided not to implement this as I prefer to write fiction and memoir.

It's electrifying!

2011-12-16T11:59:00.000-08:00

Sunday 04 December 2011 continued.

We have recently had a Conservatory built on the side of our house and the electrician came to fit the lights.

I was hoping for a nice, quiet, peaceful Sunday, but it was the only day he could come, but I knew I would regret it. Mrs. Tortoise laid into him as soon as he arrived about the position of the wiring for the lights, which was not symmetrically placed.

After about 30 minutes of wrangling I said we would mark out the positions of the lights and Mrs. Tortoise measured the distances between them to arrange them symmetrically.

The electrician had to cut new positions into the plaster and plasterboard to reroute the wiring.

If the positions had been properly measured out in the first instance he would not have needed to do it a second time.

After a stressful few hours with Mrs. Tortoise talking non-stop and in the electrician’s face the whole time, our Conservatory is now electrified and the lights look very attractive. They exude a warm glow, which Mrs. Tortoise said they would.

I had chosen some long, stainless steel encased lights, like lanterns, but Mrs. Tortoise put her little foot down and I had to return them and buy the lights of her choice, which are round and warm and glow like the sun. I have to admit that her choice was better than mine!

There's a moose aloose aboot this hoose!

2011-12-16T11:55:00.000-08:00

Sunday 04 December 2011

I woke with a start in the night as Mrs. Tortoise walked into the bed post and cried out. She had been downstairs and had seen another mouse in the lounge. The last one was a month ago and we thought it had been a stray mouse that had been disturbed when we knocked down our outside shed in preparation for our new Conservatory we are having built.

She set the traps for it. I don’t know how they are getting in to the house as we have lived here for eight years and have never had a mouse problem before.

Mrs. Tortoise is convinced a colony have moved in and have set up a permanent home under the Welsh dresser!

Tales of The Tortoise

2011-12-16T07:13:00.000-08:00

Every Wednesday and Sunday I plan to post Tales of The Tortoise, which will be an edited version of my daily diary detailing the trials and tribulations and triumphs of The Tortoise.

I hope you will follow The Tortoise and provide some comment and feedback.

Follow The Tortoise!

2011-12-15T09:23:00.000-08:00

Slow and steady often wins the race! I have waited util my 65th year to publish my books because I didn't want to be an impoverished author. It always seemed to me that feeding my wife and children was a priority although I have always been in love with all things literary. Now that I am retired and have written five novels and a memoir, I am devoting all my spare time to writing and publishing my books.
I feel a great sense of satisfaction that I put my family above my own selfish desires but now that I have fulfilled my obligations to my family I can at last devote myself to the to publishing and marketing my books without feeling that I am depriving my family of the basic necessities and some of the luxuries of life!