Is there a Multiverse?

 To believe is to challenge reality.

On Netflix at the moment I am watching an engrossing science fiction series. The question is the multiverse theory expounded by some scientists and philosophers science or science fiction?

In short, the theory is that for every action we take, or don't take a universe is created for that action, this would lead to endless universes of mainly dead ends. On the other side of the coin, some people say that for each action we do NOT take any universe that would have been created for that action doe snot exist.

I have no views either way as I am not educated highly enough to argue for or against a side. Some philosophers say that when we get the feeling that somebody has walked over our grave that is a crossing of time lines.

If you have read my posts, you will know I believe  in what is loosely called "Fringe Science," that is science the world won't accept or believe in now. 

Doppelgangers are totally different thing; I do believe we have doubles as when I had a pen-friend when I was in Scotland, she told me I had a double in New Zealand.

Kon'nichiwa Japan

 Welcome to my audience in Japan.

I welcome the readers of my blog in Japan, the Land of the Cherry Blossoms had the most readers yesterday. Even after over a decade writing this blog, I still get amazed as to where it is read.

Mainly, because in the UK I feel I am the only person who reads it.

There was a time when I hoped reads on the blog would lead to e-book sales, but that was a long time ago when I was a dreamer, now, as a realist I am happy to see the blog still being read.

A hot day in San Juan

 Gonzo journalism.

Today fells like the last days of the Sun newspaper of San Juan, Puerto Rico as described in the book The Rum Diary by Hunter S. Thompson. The heat is a dry humid heat were the the wind blows no leaves move as they are too tired.

Some people who have read my work tell me I write like Hunter, it is called gonzo publishing, a style of writing where the writer puts himself in the story as a character; this is another compliment in my world. I have been compared to other writers as my writing covers several genres. The two best compliments paid to me are I write like an American, because most of my sales are in the USA, and I think like a Jew.

I have read the book and seen the film, in my opinion, the book is far superior to the book as it conveys the tensions of the writers at the time better; like most of the writers at the time Hunter was waiting for the story which would shoot him to a contract with a big publisher. He got it, but was still considered as an outcast as his work didn't sit well as he spoke about a side of life in the USA that people didn't wish to know about, but what do you expect when you take a 16-year-old and put a gun in his hand and make him pray he gets of the war alive, rather then have him playing softball and taking his girl to the movies.

Of all the writers I have been likened to, there is only one I didn't like that is Wilkie Collins.

Back to Angie's

 Freelancing on Angie's Diary.

It has been several years since I stopped writing short stories for Angie's Diary, an Amsterdam based online magazine, but I am pleased to be writing again for Angie's Diary; here is a link to my page https://angiesdiary.com/author/alplace/.

12 years as a writer and all I have to show is scammers asking me to write.

 Canary.co

I thought it was too good to be true, and I was right. Last night I was offered the opportunity to write for a magazine, it turned out to be a SCAM.The site uses click bait, a tactic where you get paid per click.

Some comments from my time writing for charity.

The story of how a blog became a novella.

This 35,000 word romance novella started life as 1,500 word blog short story on a friend's blog and grew as I wrote the story. 

I decided to end the story at this point because I realized it would probably not sell, and I had spent over 18 months doing masses of edits and revisions, the story could have gone onto become a novel length (40K+) with ease.

Writing for charity.

Here are some comments by my friend Paula Shene from the time when I wrote for our charity books for children - Alan Place is from Yorkshire, England, an area which features in some of his ghost stories as well as forming the background for the fictional towns mentioned in other stories. Alan tends to underestimate his abilities due to his shyness. He is a fan of history, mysteries and the unusual. He had his first short story published when he was only 16, and his first e-book The Old Church Ghosts in the early 1980's. Alan is an animal love and a supporter of Keep the Ban an anti-hunting group. He is non-political and his religion tends to spirituality which is why his ghost stories are so appealing to the readers.

This is entitled The Unseen Version because this is the original version of my popular ghost story which was only seen online during Halloween 2012, and I thought lost until a few years ago when I came across a copy of my story in some files I was transferring to a new laptop - there are other versions for sale on Draft2Digital.

 

If you want to be a writer get a degree

The first lesson I learned.

If you wish to be a writer the first step is to get a degree (it doesn't matter what subject), then publishers will take you seriously.

Without those letters, you could be the world's greatest writer but you'll have same chance of success as an ice cube in an oven.

You don't have to be a good writer to get a contract, I know as I tried to edit a book for someone once; it had so many errors to correct them I'd have to have re-written his book from page 1.

I kid you not, think of any basic writing error and it was in there, I know some writers use what they call "train of thought" which is where you type as you think, but this was a block of writing with no pauses.

It is enough to say the book passed the editors at Xlibris; they are the most inept group of scam artists I have come across. On the site Pissed Customer.com Xlibirs had over 50 pages of complaints the last time I looked which was many years ago. From half pages printed to words not fully printed, any typing/printing error and they had used it; not only that they are notorious for not paying the writers for the sales.

My life as an editor

Being a self-published writer is hell

For over a decade I struggled with the concept of writing and editing my short stories, and for what?

In the beginning, I believed I would get the opportunity of a contract; the only publisher who did offer me work was a publisher of porn in Miami who went to the wall the year after she offered me the contract. If you are thinking of being a writer, you should read my comments on my post in LinkedIn.

I cannot comprehend how many hours I spent editing my stories for a few cents (if I was fortunate to sell an e-book).

Be careful

Dermatitis

With the scare about the Coronavirus outbreak people who get obsessed about washing their hands leave themselves open to dermatitis and other skin complaints because over washing takes away the oils your skin needs as protection.

 

Worse than Covid 19

Anthrax- the hidden menace.

One of the reasons I am not concerned over the Coronavirus is I know there is a far deadlier menace in the land of the UK.

I am not talking about ordinary anthrax which is curable and can be controlled; I am talking of a genetically mutated variant that has no cure and cannot be controlled once it is released into the air.

Back in the days of the Cold War with Russia, when there was a threat of Communism, the scientists at Porton Down worked on a virus that could kill. To this day, no antidote has been found, there are hundreds of canisters buried on disused airfields around the Coventry area, what used to be called "Little America.

They are buried deep underground, but time rots the canisters and seepage occurs, all it needs is a small quake and the cans will split. 

I know about this because in the 70's I used to read science magazines; this is not one of my science fiction stories, though I was tempted to include it, this is a hidden fact.