tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77546495565450559212024-03-13T12:57:10.516+08:00John's BlogAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17161730959995395087noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7754649556545055921.post-13479924363946325302014-07-14T11:47:00.004+08:002014-07-14T11:54:38.875+08:00<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Monday July
14 2014</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Vietnam a
‘High Risk’ country?</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Vietnam it
seems for Australians is a ‘high risk’ country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That’s what I learned from a grumpy Australian Immigration official who
‘interrogated’ when on my return to Australia at Brisbane airport a few days
ago. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I have been
visiting Vietnam for many years and this is the first time I have been subject
to such an ordeal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s no doubt due to
the frequency of my visits and perhaps reflects a change in the official view
of Australian Customs and Immigration.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When I asked
the purpose of the questions and told I had been to ‘a high risk country’ I
said, “in what sense?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Drugs and
paedophiles” came the curt reply.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
nearly laughed in his face because if that was the criteria, then I was about
to enter another ‘high risk country’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Australia has its share of paedophiles and an acknowledged big drug
problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By rights, when I entered
Vietnam, their Immigration should have pulled me aside because there is no
doubt using that Australian Immigration guy’s reasoning, Vietnam would have
been within their rights to interrogate me.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When the
questioning had finished, the guy scribbled a symbol on my entry form handed it
back to me and grunted, ‘all good”. As I stepped away from him I thought, “I
bet it isn’t.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I was right!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I gave it to another official, this time
in Customs, I was directed to an X-Ray machine and told to “sit down and wait
for someone to speak to you”.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A few
minutes later a 30+ something woman came and proceeded to search thru my
luggage, which consisted of my suitcase, small travelling hold-all and computer
case.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course she found nothing
untoward and I was allowed to leave.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I left the
airport tired after a long flight in which I barely slept a wink and a little
upset.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course I realise and
understand these people are only doing what is a very important and necessary
job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But when I thought about the
lovely, gentle Vietnamese people I had left who over the years, had shown me
nothing but kindness and friendship it made me sad to think that their country,
the safest in south-east Asia is still regarded as ‘high risk’ by my
country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Australia today has capital
cities awash with violence; bashings, shootings, home invasion, rape and petty
crime.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Major cities in Vietnam including
Ho Chi Minh and Ha Noi have nowhere near this level of violence, drugs and
paedohilia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For safety
and free of drugs and paedophiles, give me “high risk” Vietnam any time.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17161730959995395087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7754649556545055921.post-92076995616215985412014-06-05T11:26:00.001+08:002014-06-05T11:26:52.222+08:00
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<br /></div>
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%;"><div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">5th
June 2014</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">No one smiles in The Land of Smiles
anymore.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Next week, Tuesday 10<sup>th</sup>
June, I will return to Saigon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over the
years I have come to this city via Bangkok where I would spend a few days
visiting friends and get my Vietnam visa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Thailand in general and Bangkok in particular is a place I have come to
love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a great city full of
wonderful shops, department stores, markets and lovely people.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">But alas, my beloved Bangkok
is being torn apart; riven with hatred by rival groups causing the army to step
in and enforce martial law.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The effect
of all this will be like a stone being thrown into a pond.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It will send a damaging ripple throughout the
entire economy not the least of which will be their tourism industry upon which
the country relies so much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Millions on
the poverty line who rely on tourism for their meagre income will be further
disadvantaged perhaps causing even more unrest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">I do not know who is right
and who is wrong in this conflict but I do know this:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Thais are wonderful, gentle people with a
generous spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My fervent hope is that
sooner rather than later, wise heads will prevail and this great country will
return once more to becoming what we know it to be…“The Land of Smiles”.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">
</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">My latest book, “The Last
Tuk Tuk to Bang Na” is set in Thailand.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17161730959995395087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7754649556545055921.post-14249664275309695952014-04-15T16:13:00.004+08:002014-04-15T16:13:47.954+08:00<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;">Tuesday
15<span style="font-size: small;"><sup>th</sup> April 2014</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;">How
time flies. It’s been over three months since I last blogged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So what?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>John Locke who sells millions of fiction ebooks only blogs a couple of
times a year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What’s good for that John
is good enough for this John.</span><br />
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;">I’ve
been thinking about Blogging and wondering about all these people who spend
their life Blogging.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And from what I can
gather they write about all kinds of stuff a lot of which I reckon would bore
the backside of many people. </span><br />
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;">Why
do they do it? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is it some kind of
compulsive obsessive that makes them do it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Or are they just know-all pains in the bum who like to show the world
how much they know about something?</span><br />
<span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">I am a writer so supposedly I should love to
do it but frankly while I can sit down and write about Steve Conway’s
misadventures when it comes to finding something to blog about, as you can see
if you have read this far, I’ve got bugger all to write about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I look back on previous blogs and see I was
bleating about my health problems…and I am here complaining about what bloggers
write!</span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;">Things
have been quiet in recent times as I have lazily danced around the writing of
Conway’s latest adventures set in China in “The Last Rickshaw”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know about these bloggers but I do
know that many novelists (me included) can find 100 things to do rather than
write.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be brutally honest it’s fear
of failure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Will this one be as good as
the last? Will it be as popular? Bring in a wider audience? Or will it be
regarded as a load of crap that won’t rate at all. Of course there’s only one
way to find out and that’s to write the damn thing.</span><br />
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;">To
be perfectly honest I like writing Conway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I can see him and hear him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
actually like him and wish I was more like him. I think a lot of novelists feel
the same way about their characters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
bet a shrink could explain it all to me but for the moment I will continue to
avoid any professional critique, it might damage my ego beyond repair.</span><br />
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;">At
the time of writing Conway is in Shanghai.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Down Under Corporation for whom he works has decided to move into
China and have selected the exotic and booming city of Shanghai to put up their
shingle and have sent Conway in to scout out locations.</span><br />
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;">He’s
hardly hit the place when he meets a beautiful (of course) Chinese woman who happens
to work for the biggest gangster in town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Conway doesn’t know that yet but he is soon to find out and once again
find himself in the….well, a lot of trouble.</span><br />
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;">I
hope you will bear with me while I figure out how to get him out of this
current strife and be there when at the end…all is revealed.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;">Thanks
for reading my books and for your kind words…you’re the best.</span><br />
<span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">John</span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17161730959995395087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7754649556545055921.post-74728179882840155162013-12-23T07:24:00.000+08:002014-01-01T07:26:44.151+08:00<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-AU">December
2013 Blog<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">23<sup>rd</sup> December 2013<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-AU"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">I think it must be time for another blog. I
really don’t know much about this blogging business. You can go on Youtube and
sit through endless videos on how to blog and what to avoid. I can’t remember
any of it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">There is no doubt Youtube is a superb
educational tool and serves a great purpose with the amazing amount of
information on just about any subject.
It can also be a great time-waster and distractor because you look for
one topic and finish up an hour later still in front of your computer watching
something completely different.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">But I digress. The purpose of this blog was to review my
year. It started with a short trip to
China to gather material for my latest novel, “The Last Rickshaw”. I spent a pleasant week in Huizhou, southern
China. A beautiful clean, modern city of
lakes not unlike Hanoi. Would definitely
like to revisit. China is an eye-opener
in every respect and for those who have never been my advice is…go!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">A couple of trips back to Vietnam, one of
my very favourite countries this year resulted in two television interviews
with major TV stations, VTV3 and VTC10.
The focus of course was on my novels especially <i>The Last Cyclo to Thanh Da </i>set in Vietnam. I was greatly impressed by the professionalism
and expertise of the film crews of both companies. These interviews can be seen by clicking on
the “News and Events” segment of this website.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">Health problems forced me to return to
Australia prematurely in October. I arrived home on a Thai flight full of
bronchitis caused I am sure by a freezing air con above me although this was
not the health reason I came home. I
have three stents which means there is always the ever-present likelihood of
ongoing heart problems. A couple of
warning signs sent me scurrying to the airline office for a flight only to be
told all flights were full for the next three weeks.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">Right there and then those three stents all
tried to close up…or at least it felt like it!
But help was at hand. A lovely
Vietnamese friend who had previously worked for Thai came to my rescue and
somehow got me on a flight within a few days.
I was waitlisted so naturally had to take what I could get, thus a seat
with two large gents and a freezing aircon above me at the back of the plane
was my fate, but at least I was home and able to speak to my own doctor before
anything untoward happened.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
All this time I had been working on The
Last Rickshaw with the thought that it would be finished before Christmas but
sadly life interfered and it was not to be.
Surgery to remove another menacing melanoma shortly after I arrived home
didn’t help my creative juices especially after I had just embarked on a
fitness routine…that went straight out the window. However all is well now, stitches out and
will resume exercises again soon…but with Christmas and all that goes with it,
there will be more inches gained, so more to remove…!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">Anyway enough of all this stuff! I hope you have all had a very good year, and
that this Christmas is full of love, joy and hope…and next year is your best
ever!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">Many thanks for your support, it means so
much.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">Sincerely<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">John<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17161730959995395087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7754649556545055921.post-84165675593165408242013-10-07T13:41:00.001+08:002013-10-07T13:41:11.721+08:00<div class="MsoNormal">
Hello again from sunny Saigon. I came here this time from my native Australia for a number of reasons which included an appearance on VTV3, the largest TV channel in Vietnam for their program, <i>Trong Tim Toi, </i>Vietnam In My Heart. It turned out to be an interesting experience indeed with a very professional Vietanmese crew.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The focus of course was about my books, in particular, <i>The Last Cyclo to Thanh Da </i>set in Vietnam where our redoubtable hero Steve Conway, a Vietnam war veteran returns to look for an old war-time friend, falls in love with a Vietnamese girl and then all kinds of complications follow with cross cultural difficulties, a jealous local suitor and a deranged ex marine stalking our hero with murderous intent.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The director of the TV crew for this program cleverly decided that since there was a cyclo in the title of the book, the interview should take place on a cyclo. So for the best part of three hours the interviewer, Nguyen Khang and I rode around District 1 of Saigon on separate cyclos for the interview. It had its moments because anyone who has ever been to Saigon knows just how heavy and how crazy the traffic can be. At times one felt rather vulnerable as cars, buses, heavy goods vehicles and a million motorcycles roared by within inches of our fragile three-wheelers. Khang admitted it was the scariest interview he had done. We finished strolling in a park with the famous Reunification Palace as a backdrop.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Part One of the program went to air on Saturday September 7 all over Vietnam. Part Two followed the next day. I am pleased to say the feedback from Vietnamese people I have spoken to and who have contacted me by email and sms, has been positive. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Following the VTV3 interview I was contacted by a producer from another TV channel, VTC10 for their program “Vietnam Impressions”. We did a three-day shoot in various locations, including my apartment in District 1, and Thanh Da on the outskirts of Saigon. The final scenes were shot in District 2 looking across at the impressive cityscape in the final rays of the setting sun. I think these scenes could well be a highlight of the program. I will post the link to this program on this site and in my Facebook pages, John J Pullinger Author and John Pullinger.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My VTV3 interview is available in the “News and Events”section of this website.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thanks again to all my loyal readers for their support. I love you all and I promise to be a little bit more regular with my blogs. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Saigon 5<sup>th</sup> October 2013 </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17161730959995395087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7754649556545055921.post-21557374583712397912013-07-26T10:45:00.000+08:002013-10-07T13:44:09.971+08:00<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: inherit;">Hello Everyone,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: inherit;">Yes, I know I have been pretty slack of
late. It’s been months since I last blogged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Having read quite a few blogs by others which often seem nothing more
than an exercise in self-indulgence, I’m conscious of trying not to do the
same.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: inherit;">I am happy and relieved to tell you that
The Last Tuk Tuk to Bang Na has been very well received, some even saying they
felt it was my best book yet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However as
we all know, taste is subjective and each seems to have it’s particular
following among readers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Personally, I
am loath to choose<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a favourite, I leave
that up to you.</span><br />
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: inherit;">I was going to leave the Conway series at a
trilogy but the response from you and interest in Steve’s adventures has me now
writing a fourth book, tentatively entitled, “The Last Rickshaw”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From the title you will realise it is set in
China…well, that’s the idea but in process of writing a novel things<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Often, even I don’t know what is going to happen next.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a weird experience at times but as I
write it unfolds in my mind like a movie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I can see the characters, what they are doing and saying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But as American writer Elmore Leonard said,
“writing is rewriting” and I do plenty of that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My mantra is “Review, Revise and Rewrite”.</span><br />
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: inherit;">Thank you all for your kind remarks for all
of my books. It is so gratifying and humbling to know that they are so well
received by both men…and women.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: inherit;">Bye for now and see you in the next book.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: inherit;">John</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Saigon.
July 2013</span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17161730959995395087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7754649556545055921.post-76659168166778872212012-11-26T08:50:00.000+08:002012-11-26T08:50:03.680+08:00<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
last word of the manuscript has been written.
Every word, comma, full stop and punctuation mark has been pored over a
hundred times. Words have been changed,
sentences rewritten, paragraphs omitted, never to see the light of day. Countless pages have been screwed up and
thrown in the rubbish bin beneath my desk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
manuscript has been sent off to the publisher after much discussion and
sometimes dissention. The cover, font size and style, and interior layout is the subject of many
emails back and forth until agreement is reached with the fervent hope in the
author’s breast that what has been agreed upon will actually take place and please
both parties.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
author waits nervously for the masterpiece that has been sweated over for so
long and then the big day arrives…a knock on the door, a small parcel is handed
over, signed for and feverishly unwrapped and there it is…after months,
sometimes years…the author’s copy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It
looks and feels fantastic! The publisher
has done a wonderful job, the cover, the text, the layout, even the writing
looks better now it is in book form. It’s almost as if some kind of
metaphysical change has taken place.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But
now comes the hard part…the promotion.
These days whether the author is backed by a big publishing house or
self publishes, much of the promotion of the book into the public domain is in
the hands of the author. This is time
consuming, expensive and more often than not…frustrating and unrewarding. Certainly as most people would be aware, it
is not the most lucrative of professions and that is putting it mildly unless
you are a John Grisham, Lee Child, Jeffrey Archer et al however…when a reader
says things like, “loved your book” , “a great read” “couldn’t put it down”
and… “when is the next one coming out?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">That makes it all worthwhile and that
is what keeps us scribblers returning to the blank page and start again. The
bottom line is, we write for YOU. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We thank you for taking the time to
tell us, it means more than you will ever know.<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<i><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sincerely<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">John<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17161730959995395087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7754649556545055921.post-24464654316863340242012-08-24T13:53:00.001+08:002012-08-24T16:42:50.102+08:00<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hello again,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A few days ago I typed “The End” for my latest novel, <i>The Last Tuk Tuk to Bang Na. </i>This one is set in <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">Thailand</st1:country> and continues the adventures of Manila
hotelier and <st1:place w:st="on">Vietnam</st1:place>
veteran Steve Conway.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As usual, <st1:city w:st="on">Conway</st1:city> finds trouble
almost immediately when he is involved in a shootout on arrival in <st1:place w:st="on">Bangkok</st1:place> airport during
which he saves the life of a beautiful Thai girl. Our hero’s association with
this girl, the daughter of a high-ranking Thai police officer brings him into
conflict with a Romanian drug lord intent on murdering her father. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Once again <st1:city w:st="on">Conway</st1:city>
finds himself the target of the bad guys but there are compensations in the
form of a number of beautiful women including the exotic Lily Li, whom many
readers of my two previous novels insisted make a further appearance, a
female boxer and a dangerous French <i>femme
fatale.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>The Last Tuk Tuk to
Bang Na </i>has the usual ingredients of a <st1:city w:st="on">Conway</st1:city> adventure, sex, violence, a dash of
humour and a little philosophy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I hope to have this one out in the market place in the next
couple of months.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And finally thanks for the lovely comments I have received
about “The Last Cyclo to Thanh Da” the ending of which surprised many readers.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Happy Reading<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
John<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17161730959995395087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7754649556545055921.post-61796231844199738912012-07-10T07:47:00.000+08:002012-08-10T07:35:22.638+08:00<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Hello all,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
With this new website I have now dipped my toe tentatively further into
the world of digital technology. Well, I haven’t done too much dipping; the
work was all done by my brilliant, young Filipino website designer, Raffy
Limon. Without Raffy the website would
still be an unfulfilled dream.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Like most authors, I prefer to write and am really dragged kicking and
screaming into promotion. But sadly the
truth is today, authors have to spend as much time in promoting one’s
“masterpiece” as in the writing.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
So with the website, also comes the Facebook page, John J Pullinger
Author. Sounds impressive doesn’t
it? I had a Facebook page previously but
somehow stuffed it up and it had no provision to invite “friends”. So I never
had any idea if I had any friends or not.
Raffy set up the Facebook page too so now I can boldly go forth and let
the world of Facebook know I am back in business.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
He also set up Twitter. I had a
Twitter account previously but never used it much as I had no idea how to
tweet. (still don’t). Maybe I should ask Shane Warne for some tips. For those who don’t know, Shane Warne is an
Australian cricketer who seems to spend all his time these days
tweeting.…what’s cricket? Maybe I will
leave that for another time.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
I hope you enjoy my books as much as I do writing them. Steve Conway, a rather two-fisted character,
seems to be gathering a growing legion of female fans. I think I need to ask him for a few tips.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
See you
again soon<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
John<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17161730959995395087noreply@blogger.com1