Veronica's Travels, Book Marketing, A Grave Mystery and a Note About Contact

This is a picture of my neighbour down the street, Veronica Wakefield   Obviously, this picture is not taken in our street, but let me tell you about Veronica, who  had a lifetime in the travel industry.

What she doesn't know about travel would fit on a 1 cent coin. Wherever I go, I am likely to find that Veronica has already been - probably led a tour there - and knows all the best places to eat and stay. She's always kind and generous about sharing the information.

These days she takes groups to destinations of her choice.  I don't believe she advertises, or even has a website; it's done by word of mouth. Last Spring she took a group to the White Desert in Egypt. ENVY ENVY!!  I have yearned to visit Siwa oasis for years, but you might remember I was having a very difficult time of it, then.   Veronica wrote the trip up for our neighbourhood magazine and I liked it so much that I thought I'd give you the chance to read it too.

It can be read here and I hope she forgives the way I've laid it out and reduced her beautiful pictures. Oh well, I never pretended to be a layout artist...

Workwise, I'm still following the progress of the BBC project, quietly getting on with our Great War schools project and hammering my brains on something else which is frankly overwhelming. It needs to be finished fast and there's only so much creative work you can do in a day before the ideas stop coming.

As for the maze, and talking of writing, I've started subscribing to a writing site called Bestsellerlabs which has just had a post about negotiating the maze of book marketing.   Seems very sensible and practical to me, (and I like his taste in photos so much that I've pinched one of them.)  No, the author hasn't asked me to post this, either, I just like his blog.

I often wonder what other writers think is the most important thing about book marketing?  I am inclined to think it is "creating a brand" although that is not something I'm very good at doing myself.

Elsewhere on the domestic front, K has just returned from visiting family in Co. Cork, Ireland.  I was entranced by some of her pics. Quick, quick, I want to get on that plane to Cork! (but I can't).   Here's her photo of Sherkin Island.   Doesn't it look like somewhere from Middle Earth? Or somewhere else that is not quite real?

And we all puzzled over this warning notice below.   I mean what has been going on? Gravedigging parties?  Maverick gravediggers "disposing" of the real grave diggers?  And what about that comment on  "voluntary" grave digging?  I hate to think of what "involuntary" grave digging might be like...

Here's the notice in Irish, but it makes no more sense to me. Even less, in fact :)  There was nobody around who could enlighten K.  These pictures recall the sense of mystery which often envelops me when I go to Ireland.  I really must go back soon.

Finally, a few people have asked me to add my email address to the profile page so they can write to me.  I love to hear from people and I hate to say no to the request, but I don't put my email address online these days.  The "My Web Page" link (underneath "Contact Me" on the profile) connects to a webform, so I hope you won't mind using that if you want to drop a line.