Hi there...my name is Colin Bell and I have written an alternative to Sugar Girls, the popular story of life at Tate and Lyle's, not that I didn't enjoy it but this is my memoir of life in the 70's and 80's (along with a vivid imagination!). It is free on the link provided. It is not for the faint-hearted and contains a considerable amount of swearing and scenes of mild peril as I believe is the term nowadays. I worked in the sugar industry for 25 years and the characters portrayed are amalgams of people I have known although one or two are exactly as described! Hope you enjoy it. There is a sequel (in fact 2..Beer Talking and Sleep Talking, the former is on Smashwords and Kindle, the latter just Kindle and I have made a small charge for these...Sweet Talking is free)I've just found this forum and know it is more orientated to comedy screenplays but I was wondering what people thought of it with a view to converting it for the small screen...anyway it's free at the link below...Cheers
Colin Bell
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/436178
Sweet Talking
Thanks Colin I'll read that, nb you may garner more interest if you ask a mod to move it to Showcase.
Many thanks. ..just doing this...tried to put it on both...not allowed!
Hi Colin, I'll read it too, thanks for posting - have you sold many?
Hi Mikey...thanks for that...I've had 124 free downloads since putting it out for free on Smashwords. ..before that it was just on Kindle for £1:53 and I think I've sold about 50. So nothing earth shattering. Just want to get people to read it. Most people who have really enjoyed it.
Cheers
Colin
Put me in mind of the work of Georges Braque.
Nice one, I'm just finishing 2 different comedy books that I'm going to put on amazon. I know you don't get rich but it's nice to know you've sold some.
I've just read the first few chapters - it starts a little slow - nothing really happens for the first 2 chapters but it starts getting quite nice after that. I'll let you know about the rest when I've read it.
...more Hinge and Bracket than George Braque!
I'm aware I've left the best stories for the middle and end but it does need a little background before launching into them. Thanks for your comments though...at least some people are starting to read it...now just need to persuade my wife to look at it!
Anyone else managed to have a look at this yet...would be very grateful for some feedback.
Cheers
Colin
http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00FD4O53G
...more of my work here...featuring the same characters in a different location and time.
Hi mate, I've read it a bit more - upto about chapter 6 - it needs work I'm afraid. There's way too much description and it's kind of boring to read a lot of it. There are some funny bits though so please don't be disheartened but it's far from finished, If anything it's like a tidied up 1st draft.
If I was you I would employ a professional editor to look through it for you - you can find them on sites like fivver.
Also, the covers should all convey the same brand - at the moment, just from looking at the covers they don't look like they are connected - Beer Talking, Past Talking and Sleep Talking. If I was you I would have the same designer do all 3 and request that they are all in the same style.
Thanks for your comments. I'll take them on board. It started out as an exercise to amuse old work colleagues and I guess at the moment that's all it's done. I probably rushed into publishing and I realise it needed more editing. At some point I'll get around to a thorough rewrite taking everyone's constructive criticism on board. At least some people are now reading it outside of family and friends. If you can bear with it it is actually going somewhere and is not just a set of comic incidents. Thanks again for your input.
Colin
Nice one dude. I look forward to the rewrite.
I would recommend these books, that have really helped me:
On Writing - Stephen King
Writing Down the Bones - Natalie Goldberg
The First Five Pages - Noah Lukeman
Thanks Mikey...I'll have a look at those.
cheers
http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00FD4O53G
My author page...feel free to fill your boots!