Wednesday 14 March 2012
I Forgot the Title
Tuesday 6 March 2012
That 'Favicon' Thing - A Short (very) Update
Wednesday 22 February 2012
That Anoying Pop-Up Box: What is a 'Favicon'? From Whence does it Come?
Thanks to all who have been in contact for the messages of support! I am not entirely 'back' yet – not yet firing on both barrels – but I think I'm on the road to recovery. At least I have been able to summon up enough enthusiasm to play around with the idea of a redesign for the cover of INSTITUTIONALISED Vol 1. I'll be the first to admit that the layout of these two early offerings are somewhat... how should we say?... crap! (Perhaps 'confused' would be a kind comment) But at least I'm making a start.
In case anyone out there is wondering, by the way: Yes I was on antidepressants many years ago (early 80s and early – mid 90s) but they didn't ever seem to do anything other than give me a dry mouth and, on occasion, an upset stomach. The last time I got really bad -
back in 2001 when my dad was busy dying and I was trying to stagger on with my PhD (I had just lost my gran,too) - I discovered that (apart from beer) the herb, St Johns wort, seemed to help, albeit at several times the recommended dose! I usually fall back on the ale but booze is not really an option this time; indeed, I fear I may have already damaged my nervous system. Certainly there are hints of alcoholic peripheral neuropathy.
Now: If you are finding you are encountering pop-up box popping demanding some sort of password please ignore it. it is not of my making and I don't know where it has come from. You can close the box by clicking on the 'X' in the top right hand corner as you would any other dialogue box and then proceed as normal to read the blog, leave comments or whatever. Unfortunately this 'password box sometimes opens again, but it does so a maximum of 3 times. So if you find yourself obliged to close it again, please have patience and do so in the same manner, while taking comfort in the fact that the third time is always lucky in this case. But I have to admit that it really is annoying nonetheless!
The trouble is, I am at present unsure as to how to get rid of the bloody thing. As far as I can gather it is due to the author of one of the blogs that my blog houses a link to having set up some sort of 'hotlink' to something or other called a 'Favicon' whatever that is – I fervently wish he or she hadn't!
Something similar has happened before. But the last time it occurred it did so immediately following my having added a couple of blogs to my 'bog role' and so was easy to track down. Then it proved to have something to do with certain of the 'Thumbloger' blogs I had added - which is why all the 'Thumbloger' blogs are now listed in their own section of the sidebar, in a manner that allows no direct link back which is why there is no mention of their latest update nor any thumbnail, logo or what have you - as one might ordinarily expect to see in a conventional 'blog role'. On this occasion, though, there are few clues as to this annoyance's origination. This time it just seems to have manifested from thin air;; certainly I have added no new blogs to my blog role for very many
months. Because of the latter I am at a loss as to how to track down the culprit... any ideas out there?
Thursday 16 February 2012
An Update and a Money-Off Offer
Simply use the coupon code FEBRUARYCART305GBP at checkout and receive 30% off INSTITUTIONALISED or any other available title on Lulu.com. Maximum savings with this promotion is £50 You can only use the code once per account, (but you can make multiple titles / purchases at that time). This coupon works in US Dollars, Pounds and Euros and I think (but I am not sure) you can buy other author's work and other stuff with it too!
Friday 14 October 2011
A Moan, A Change of Title, A New Cover - and a Chance for YOU to Contribute some Ideas
But even as sales were taking off LULU was hard at work in the background putting a halt to it: "We are unable to distribute volume 1 as its title comes to close to the edge of the cover to print correctly" But INSTITUTIONALISED volume 1 had been distributed through Amazon et al via LULU since May 2008!!! (I have 3 printed proof copies myself). Then they came out with: "There are too many characters" in the full title of volume 2. But once again this was near-on two years after it had been published. Now they have removed all the PDF downloadable versions.
I am not sure how successful their new strategy is going to turn out commercially though, either for LULU as a company or their authors, at least insofar as my experience to date. Now I know we are not exactly talking 'Harry Potter' here in terms of sales but I had been shifting 2 or 3 most days, but since all the changes they have made at LULU I have yet to sell one single copy of any of my three volumes. In fact, sales just stopped dead after 21st of September (other than two print copies of the first title via distribution – Amazon or whatever - which obviously date to a much earlier time as they take a while to filter through).
And there are other concerning issues too:
My first volume in particular once had several really glowing reader reviews, all of which – bar two - have disappeared (and I had about eight on volume 1 including one that said "destined to be a classic of the genre" which I was particularly proud of!). Admittedly most of these reviews vanished a long time ago, after a previous reshuffle at LULU (about the same time that the ranking device seemed to cease to function and the hit counter that used to feature on their site disappeared).
Secondly: When I use the LULU book search facility, entering the usual keywords pertaining to books in the same genre as mine, I am hard pressed to bring up my own books, despite the fact that I know what I am looking for. In fact only my second volume surfaces at all now. And it is not just me that thinks there is a problem in that department, either. Several folks have emailed me saying that if not for following the links from my blog they would have never have stumbled across any of my books from a random search of LULU (though they had come across and bought others via LULU previously).
But all is not necessarily negative; I have a strategy of my own: What with my paid work now coming to an end and there being no sign of anymore in the pipeline for the foreseeable future I am at a loose end. I plan to spend a little time fixing the cover of volume 1 to keep LULU happy, but using it as an excuse for a cover redesign since my skills have come on somewhat since 2007 when it was created and I'd like to make it appear a little more like Volume 3 (volume 1 is apparently occasionally mistaken for a psychology text book!!!). While I am at it I plan to change the title: It will still say ‘INSTITUTIONALISED: BEYOND THE STANFORD EXPERIMENT’ on the front cover but will be recreated on LULU under an alternative title – one hopefully more eagerly grasped by their picky search engine.
Now this is where you - my readers and other visitors - come in to the equation. If you were given the task of re-naming this, my first ever book (or had you been its author) what would you call it? All suggestions welcome. Please bear in mind that from as far as I can tell LULU’s search engine looks for keywords in the title. So words such as ‘spanking’, ‘caning’, ‘corporal punishment’ and so on need to be incorporated as early as possible in the title but without it becoming too ‘cheesy’. Perhaps do a search on LULU with a few key words and see what crops (Ha, Ha!) up? Meanwhile I am going to carry out a quick (I hope) experiment involving volume three.
Wednesday 28 September 2011
Deviant Art for Deviant Days (or something like that)
Hello again! Less than a week since last time – blimey!Well, here we are, almost October and it's blazing here in London like a chubby teen's well-whipped backside. What a deviant, you are probably thinking, even applying spanking metaphors to meteorological phenomena. But the weather has been pretty deviant in recent years, so why not? And talking of deviance (a gossamer-thin link at best) having finished with the commissioned piece I was writing I have at last begun to turn my attention to exploring photo manipulation and computer art, albeit in the evenings as I am presently tied up earning a crust in the daylight hours.
All of which brings me to DeviantArt.com (there's a link in the sidebar somewhere I'm sure, listed under 'Useful Resources' ). It's a great vein of inspiration waiting to be explored. As a starting point try these examples drawn and produced by 'Jogbol' (not to worry, you legal minded types – I have the artist's permission). What I like about these images is the plethora of tales that pop into the imagination, partly because of the built-in uncertainty of the context, by which I mean the lack of background detail. By focusing on the subject and the more immediate surroundings greater scope is opened up for what I would call 'personalised imaginative embellishment' (Ok; fantasizing – if you must!). Anyway, if you like what you see just click on the artist's name to visit and then surf from there.
As for that commisioned work, in case you were wondering; I am pleased to be able to tell you that, from the feedback I have recieved thus far, the client seems happy – even delighted - and is apperently enjoying the piece, which is what it's all about! I have to say I was somewhat releived. It turned out to be not at all easy to avoid drifting into my own areas of interest and those other areas I have grown more accustomed to accomadating in my writing over the years. For the latter reason I had become a little concerned towards the end that I might not have placed sufficient emphasis on the client's more specific personal interests. All in all though, it turned out to be a rewarding and inspiring experience! Bye for now!
Friday 23 September 2011
A Back-to-School Adult - An Anonymously Penned Tale
Meanwhile an anonymous contributor sent in the following piece, inspired by the tabloid appearance of one Christine Bleakly, a UK television celebrity, back in school uniform. Originally appended as a comment to my last posting I decided to give it an airing here as not everybody reads through the comments added to blog entries (I know I often don't on other people's). Consequently I have deleted the corresponding comment to avoid duplication. I have also done a little judicious editing to make it clear it is a work of fiction based on a fictional character and merely inspired by the antics of the well-known newsreader – one cane never be too careful and it doesn't do to blatantly refer to a living character directly by name, not even in an obviously fictional context! They often don't take to kindly to it.
And if you are wondering what all the fuss is about here are a couple of the pics that are currently bouncing around all over the blogasphere – and now on with Mr (or Miss, Mrs, Ms) Anonymous’ tale of sting-in-the-bum delectation. But where should it go from here? Why not add your suggestions? There's plenty of inspirational potential in those shots, I think. Perhaps our anonymous might then incorporate the best into the next part (I hope there is a next part!).
.....
The Headmaster’s eyes twinkled as he watched the anxious schoolgirl “polish” the front of her left shoe on the back of her right calf. Three weeks before Christine had sat with her producer in this very office. In her smart red dress Christine had been the very picture of professional self-assurance: poised, confident, and in control.
In contrast, the nervous schoolgirl fidgeting in front of his desk looked like the gangly and awkward teenage daughter of the young woman who had arranged her visit.
The Headmaster smiled. Poor Chrissie! She had been so confident, so cocky! And now she was just another teenager, trying to look her best for uniform inspection!
“Your uniform is acceptable,” he said stiffly, secretly relishing the chance to grade the once self-assured ex-celebrity as if she were one of his pupils. “Assuming of course you don’t rub shoe polish onto the back of your socks!”
Chrissie froze, horrified at the thought, and the Headmaster’s chiding. She frantically twisted her to look at the back of her sock, afraid of what she might find, almost falling over in the process.
Pleased to have knocked her off balance, the Headmaster quickly issued his next command as he turned to finish mixing his drink. “For goodness sake, sit down before you break something. The last thing I need is another clumsy schoolgirl busting a lamp!”
Christine looked around the massive study for somewhere to sit. She was standing next to the incredibly comfortable and leather wingchair. But somehow, it didn’t seem right…
Much to the Headmaster’s surprise, when he turned around he found that Chrissie had selected the simple Windsor chair he kept against the wall, moving it across the room so that she could face him as they talked. It was a simple but sturdy low backed wooden chair, unpadded, with wooden spokes and a hard wooden seat. Clearly a relic of years gone by, somehow it seemed appropriate.
Chrissie squirmed awkwardly in her chair, clearly uncomfortable at the way the unbending seat was pressing into her tender bottom. The Headmaster considered offering her the other chair, but decided instead to simply sit back and enjoy the sight of her wiggling on the hard wooden seat.
“Rather uncomfortable, isn't it?” he said, chuckling in amusement as she fruitlessly attempted to shift her weight to one of the large armrests. “It’s the “naughty girl” chair. Of course in your day, girls usually used it for kneeling, not sitting!”
Seeing her puzzled look, the Headmaster crossed the room and opened the cupboard door. the one-time celebrity’s jaw dropped as the Headmaster revealed a razor strap and cane hanging on the inside door.
“You still have those?” she gasped.
“No, but I keep them here, on display, so that pupils know they are present. Scares the heck out of the little devils, even if they’re only for show, and to keep the little miscreants in line."
“It certainly kept ME in line!” Chrissie admitted, swallowing as she stared up in awe at the naughty schoolgirl’s nightmare. “The whole time I was here, I was terrified I was going to be caned! Fortunately, I was clever enough never to get caught.”
“Or lucky enough,” the Headmaster said, bristling at Chrissie’s absurd suggestion that somehow she had repeatedly outsmarted him. Chrissie grinned back at him, flashing him her best “cat-that-ate the canary” grin.
The Headmaster did not return her smile. Christine was a visitor, but she was also a student, even if it was only for the day. As a condition of her return she had cheerfully promised “to obey all of the rules” and there were certainly rules about impertinence and disrespect.
There was a certain cheekiness about this TV favourite, an impudence in her manner and tone, that suggested the need for an old-fashioned correction…