My writing

[Rincewind]

I have now added another booklet to my PDF collection. About 204 poems which I have called Creaky Bones again. May just add it to the other on Ebay. 2 for the price of one.

Just got my short stories to do and then I may jus join them together.

I'll see how things go if I do get the job I was promised and how long it lasts and whether I can put something by for self=publishing. There may be a possibility I can get help from Leicester Libraries. Just need to contact the right people.

[Guest]

Free publicity - okay.

here's a link to a couple of mine.

If anyone wants to buy them pm me and I'll sort out a promo code for a reduction.

http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/stradford

cheers

[Rincewind]

PM'd you. Just looked at that site. Seemed to remember the name from some time ago but not with recent searches. I always look for snags and hidden costs. I may need the covers redesigning. If I merge everything it may sell better having more pages but may do that later. I will only sell mine at the lowest price for the time being.

I can send you PDF's files.

[Rincewind]

Printed some pages of the guide off. Need more paper so only did about 8 pages. 4 beginning 4 end. The middle bit seems important. May need one or both reformatting.

[Rincewind]

Don't know what to do now. Started to put everything on by Office Publisher and I don't think that site will accept it as it uses text boxes so would have to re save everything in a different format and go through it all.

It costs nothing to do initially but you are limited to selling through Lulu at their store. Not sure if my poems alone will be enough for a book now. If I put everything together it should be but then I won't have enough material for a follow up unless I do second editions with newer stuff.

I have printed the whole guide off so may just start again reformatting everything and saving for their specifications.

[Guest]

You are put on all the major sites: amazon, barnes and noble etc...

[DANGEROUS TIGER]

I have now added another booklet to my PDF collection. About 204 poems which I have called Creaky Bones again. May just add it to the other on Ebay. 2 for the price of one.

Just got my short stories to do and then I may jus join them together.

I'll see how things go if I do get the job I was promised and how long it lasts and whether I can put something by for self=publishing. There may be a possibility I can get help from Leicester Libraries. Just need to contact the right people.

Good luck Ken. Hope you achieve it.

[Rincewind]

Thanks. I have started to put everything in one file. Not sure if I have the formatting right. Thing is there is a mixture of stories and poetry and I have centred the poetry but now cannot get the first line indent right for the stories. I have changed the font to Times Roman. Is the Content page done automatically? Left that and title page off. All the poetry is in just got to sort the best of the rest stories and the series of five which I will leave till last.

Not signed up yet. Will do when I have everything together. Will be easier as an EBook ATM as I wont have to move text about so much.

Taking a break for a coffee.

[Guest]

You have to set your contents page and all the other pages

when you upload you'll get a file back to check it looks right.

nothing is permanent until you so it is.

[Rincewind]

I have put all the stuff I want to go in. So just the contents title to do then proof read. Only 44 A4's thought it would be more With it being partly poetry there are more than one on some pages. I suppose I could save it to PDF to see what it looks like.

Still a bit to do and I may start struggling with it now. I'll sign up and see.

[Rincewind]

I've set it up but Istill need to do the contents.n It will prob be rejected.

http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/kenlcfc

This might be the right one

http://www.lulu.com/...t-20017777.html

Not too thrilled by the cover My name is too small.

[Guest]

You could choose a pocket size book and then have more pages.

[Rincewind]

yes maybe. I may have to delete and start again. I cannot get the title page right. I posted on the forum and one reply said why publish it if it wasnt ready. Well I thought they would not let you. My feed back was they corrected all the errors but my contents were too few.

I have redone and moved things around. I have all the poetry at the beginning then the stories in the second part.

Is yours a book or ebook?

I just wanted to see if It would work. I now know I can get it on the market but will take more time. I was being impatient.

[Rincewind]

I have now put everything together. Just needs some proof-reading and checking for formatting etc. I could use Lulu's standard cover or come up with one of my own. With the poems I have put one on each page and the stories start on fresh pages so there are spaces. I could do with an illustrate if there is anyone out there. You would be given full credit for any design. All I would need is a simple sketch to fill some pages up The book will still be called 'Creaky Bones' cannot think of another title but I am biased so if it's crap tell me. For the cover I thought a skeleton could be used. I have pictures that I have downloaded but not sure where I stand with the copyright thing so that is why I thought an illustrator might be best.

I have had an offer of proof-reading and helping with the final touches. The poetry come to about 24 pages and the stories 80. Not enough on their own but together it will be a reasonable size for the type of book. The price will not be too high. No more than a fiver.

If I can do a discount for anyone on here I will do.I am not looking for a career move or making vast amounts of money out of it. Just a hobby and interest. Once this is done that is it my portfolio will be empty.

[Rincewind]

Found this on one of my memory sticks. Thought I had lost it.

Ken Duddle

ReadPoems by Ken Duddle

Form:

Rhyme | + Fav Poet | + Fav Poem | Comment | Email | Print

The General's Speech

A young man watched open-mouthed,

As he listened to the general's speech.

Who spoke of pinnacles of bravery,

That only a fearless man could reach.

The young man was given a uniform,

And a rifle placed into his hand.

He proudly stood on the ship's deck,

As it sailed to a foreign land.

Lying in a trench covered in mud,

He waited anxiously for the call.

hinking about going over the top,

Where he would see the enemy fall

At last the captain gave the order

,‘Righto chaps do your best.’

The young man ran but 20 yards

,Heedless of shells hitting his chest.

His memories spilled onto the ground

,Where his comrades were not far behind.

They trampled his short life underfoot,

Lost in the earth never to be found

The young man was laid beneath the grass,

Where he used to run and play.

On his old school's roll of honour board,

Was added another young man’s name

.A young man watched open-mouthed,

As he listened to the general's speech.

[Rincewind]

For Zangari

The Sniper

There were ten hours to go. Ten hours then the world would be changed.

The sniper raised his rifle and adjusted the telescopic sights on to the gathering crowd below the window of his lookout. A young mother was crossing the street, a toddler in tow. It so could have been himself many years before. He thought back to a time where he was playing contently with a train set. His father in a drunken state had come into the room and brought his size eleven shoes crashing onto the toy smashing it into small pieces. How he had wept as his father laughed then shouted 'Stop your whimpering little brat or I will take my slipper to you.'

There were nine hours to go. The gunman lay his rifle against the window and looked again out of the window. A woman dressed in black walked by, her face covered by a veil. Behind the veil he saw his mother's tears as she drew him close to her. She brushed his hair softly back as she gently said 'Your daddy has gone to a better place now he will not suffer any more.' But he did not shed a tear that day as he was just pleased that there would be no more beatings.

There were eight hours to go. The sniper looked across the street to an alleyway. He noticed two youths who had pinned a younger boy against a wall. He heard in his mind one say 'Give us your money dumbo.' He wanted to shout out 'No, don't give in, fight back.' But knew the younger boy would succumb eventually. Just as he had always done.

The gunman leaned against the wall of the small room on the 12th floor of an unoccupied office block. No-one knew he was here, no-one ever noticed him but soon he would no longer be a nobody. He drifted into a light sleep dreaming the same dreams, restless disturbing dreams. The fights in the playground, the name calling.

The sniper awoke with a start to noises below. Looking at his watch he saw that there was just one hour to go. Below the window the street was lined with onlookers, police and members of the armed forces. The sniper grimaced. 'Army, what a joke, they give you a gun, teach you to shoot then throw you out for doing your job.' He shook his head. 'Yes thrown out for shooting the enemy, for not asking their age. They always had it in for me anyway, now somebody’s going to pay. This Government sucks.'

The sniper picked up his rifle again. Five minutes to go, five minutes to world fame, no-one will be laughing at me when its over. Below he saw a young boy holding a red balloon. The balloon slipped out of the boys grasp and floated up to the gunman's window. The young boy tugged his mothers dress pointing. The sniper said out loud 'Stop pointing little squirt, you'll miss all the fun.' Lighting a cigarette he leaned out the window and burst the balloon as it floated by. Below a. long line of cars were now approaching. The crowd cheered as an open-roofed car came into view. The sniper adjusted the sights and moved his finger to the trigger. Suddenly he was aware of sounds behind him, a door being broken open and voices. He heard one shout 'Freeze, drop your weapon' The sniper smiled as he moved his finger closer to the trigger. Then he felt a pain in his chest and slumped to the floor. As he lay on the floor he heard some-one shout 'The Presidents been shot'

Another voice 'Where from?

'The warehouse across the street.'

The sniper smiled as he drifted into unconsciousness. 'I will be famous after all, as the assassin that never was.'

The End????????

[Rincewind]

Got a nice comment on this. Found it just before going bed. Not posted it before. It was in a compilation that I had put together. It's simply called What if. Wrote at a time when I did a few in the same genre.

Anyway it is now with others on http://www.poetrysoup.com/me/nightguard

What If

the shouts for peace were

heard over the sound of guns.

What if

the sweet smell of success

was smelt by everyone.

What if

the path of the powerful was not

built by treading on the weak.

What if

the sight of money did not

blind the way people speak.

What if

dreams were more

than just dreams.

What if!

"It is beautiful Ken! I think it can only be done by each individual at a time... Thank you for this meaningful expression... Love Diana"

You can dis agree if you want. Never expected that response although it is only one so different views would balance it.

[Rincewind]

Keep finding old stuff now. This is pretty crap .

Illusions.

Cough and splutter

In an empty room.

A juke-box is playing

Another dreary tune.

lonely man feeds a bandit

Spending next week's rent

Woman sits at bar

Smothered in make-up and scent.

Young men at pool table

In torn and holey jeans

And shouting in unison

About favourite football teams.

Soon elephants are pink

Leprechauns are green,

Unreality is the truth

That we have seen.

Cold cold beer

Brings on the confusion

It's the outside world

That is now an illusion.

[Rincewind]

Another rubbish one. Scraping the barrel.

Earths Last Battle

The last man on Earth

searched the city ruins

As a brave young soldier

he had served his country well

Under the debris and rubble

he found a beautiful woman

But when he saw her rebel badge

he shot her through the heart.

Then sang a victory song.

Earths last battle won.

The Lady

In the light of the ghostly moon

Through the whispering of the trees

The old house is deadly quiet

As the Lady walks the night.

The dark house oversees

With wise and open eyes

The still graveyard sleeps on.

As the Lady walks the night.

Many secrets are to be found

Under the gravestones so cold

But no one dares to ask why

The Lady walks the night.

A couple to cheer people up after the WW3 and conspiracy threads.

[Rincewind]

http://www.poetrysoup.com/me/nightguard

added some more here. Need to select the best or to look at it another way ditch the worst.

[Rincewind]

Just wrote and entered this in a contest on poetry soup site. It had to contain a Gordon Lightfoot song title. Good job some examples were given. It's in the form of a group of Haiku. Pathetic really but it was an instant write with a little bit of editing.

Thoughts

Do not just stand there

By the door laughing at me.

I can read your mind.

Your love for me gone.

Now clinging to someone else.

I can read your mind.

Now I do not care.

Where you go away today.

I can read your mind.

Do not turn around.

Try to explain why to me.

I can read your mind.

Do not ask my thoughts.

For you would run a mile if,

You could read my mind.

[Rincewind]

My version

Illusions.

Cough and splutter in a crowded room.

A juke-box is playing another dreary tune.

Lonely man feeds a bandit spending next week's rent.

Woman sits at bar smothered in make-up and scent.

Young men at pool table in torn and holey jeans,

Are shouting in unison about favourite football teams.

Soon elephants are pink leprechauns are green,

Unreality is the truth that we have seen.

Cold, cold beer brings on the confusion;

It’s the outside world that is now an illusion.

Moody Blues version

MOODY BLUES LYRICS

Send "Late Lament" Ringtone to your Cell

"Late Lament"

Breathe deep the gathering gloom,

Watch lights fade from every room.

Bedsitter people look back and lament,

Another day's useless energy spent.

Impassioned lovers wrestle as one,

Lonely man cries for love and has none.

New mother picks up and suckles her son,

Senior citizens wish they were young.

Cold hearted orb that rules the night,

Removes the colours from our sight.

Red is grey and yellow white.

But we decide which is right.

And which is an illusion?

[Rincewind]

Found this. The original 1609 Quarto version of sonnet XXX the one I based mine on.

WHen to the Seſſions of ſweet ſilent thought,

I ſummon vp remembrance of things paſt,

I ſigh the lacke of many a thing I ſought,

And with old woes new waile my deare times waſte:

Then can I drowne an eye(vn-vſ'd to flow)

For precious friends hid in deaths dateles night,

And weepe a freſh loues long ſince canceld woe,

And mone th'expence of many a vanniſht ſight.

Then can I greeue at greeuances fore-gon,

And heauily from woe to woe tell ore

The ſad account of fore-bemoned mone,

Which I new pay as if not payd before.

But if the while I thinke on thee (deare friend)

All loſſes are reſtord,and ſorrowes end.

[Rincewind]

The Original Sin

As Adam and Eve walked through the garden

Their love grew and grew

They gathered berries for their supper

And leaves for a brew.

Later as they lay naked under the stars

Adam kissed Eve and gently stroked her thighs

They heard a sound, turned in fright

And saw a vision before their eyes.

'Stop, sin no more or go to Hell'

Spake the fanged head

But then it spoke no more

As with a stone Adam hit it till dead.

Adam turned to Eve with a smile

'We still have much to learn and see

But what I'd really like to know

Is what was in that tea?

[Rincewind]

Got some nice comments on Poetry Soup. Am allowed to brag seeing as nobody is reading this thread?

http://www.poetrysoup.com/member_area/my_poetry_comments_inbox.aspx