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IntroductionI've been a writer for as long as I've been a reader, in the sense of simply putting words onto paper. I wrote a "novel" at Quilters Infants School in Billericay which featured dinosaurs climbing out of the trenches at the side of the games field and attacking the school. I was less than seven years old and I remember filling an exercise book. I'm sure that it was truly awful and not as long as it seemed at the time, but at least I had felt the need to create something, even back then. I've dabbled here and there ever since, but started taking writing seriously after reading an article by Jerry Pournelle on writing (jerrypournelle.com). I began a daily writing project I called The Million Word March that was designed to improve whatever talents I had as a writer, by following Pournelle's advice to write, write, write; to finish what I started; and to reach a million words. While I shifted away from that focused project after a while, I never shifted away from its goal. I have no idea when my word count clocked past the million mark but it got there. I believe that my writing reached the point of quality where I could be deemed a Writer in March 2010 while reviewing films at Apocalypse Later Film Reviews (apocalypselaterfilm.com). I've lost count of the millions since then and count books instead (six in print, more to come). I do often cringe when looking back at what I wrote years ago, but then that's precisely the point. We're always learning and we have to hone our craft. BooksHome page for Apocalypse Later Press, which publishes my books.
ALP001: Huh? An A-Z of Why Classic American Bad Movies Were Made A Hundred in 2016 won the Alan Black Book of the Festival Award at Cirque du Livre 2017 (anthology.org). My Author Page at Amazon (amazon.com), where you can buy my books. Special ProjectsHome page for Special Projects (apocalypselaterfilm.com), which have ended up as books or are likely to do so.
Doc Savage Runthrough (apocalypselaterempire.com), reviewing a Doc Savage novel a month in the original pulp publication order. Film ReviewsHome page for Apocalypse Later Film Reviews (apocalypselaterfilm.com).
Indexes:
Centennials:
Other Special Projects: Book ReviewsHome page for Apocalypse Later Book Reviews (apocalypselaterempire.com) which I write for The Nameless Zine (thenamelesszine.org). Music ReviewsHome page for Apocalypse Later Music Reviews (apocalypselatermusic.com). Index to all my music reviews at Horns Ablaze (hornsablaze.com). BlogsLive: Archived: The Million Word MarchHome page for The Million Word March, my daily writing experiment in 2001.
Most Popular Piece: Pubic Hair in a To Go Box Major Articles
Norman F. Astell and the Raiding Support Regiment ScribblesHome page for Scribbles, my short stories, poems and peoms. Culture
Home page for Hal and Dee at the Movies. Travels
Home page for North American Tour '99. (Auto)biography and Family HistoryHome page for (Auto)Biography and Family History.
Norman F. Astell and the Raiding Support Regiment Guest PoetryHome page for Guest Poetry, works not written by me. |