About
Welcome to my blog-novel. Thank you for having a look. I hope you enjoy it and return to read some more. For those who like what they read: remember to subscribe to it via a RSS feed, so you will be notified of new chapters.
So why publish it as a blog-novel?
Simple, I want feedback! I want constructive-criticism. I want reviews, comments, encouragement and even abuse. I want to improve it. So, please, please, please, if you have taken the time to read any of this, then please add a comment to the relevant chapter or post. Even if it is just: ‘I like it’ or ‘I hate it.’ Although more detailed comments will be more useful. If you notice any typos, mistakes or other blunders, then let me know. Is something unclear? Then let me know.
I realize that everyone’s time is precious, so I do not necessarily demand massive critiques, but obviously the more you put the better for me. Her are two interesting posts with guidelines for potential reviewers: the first post has suggestion of what to ask from a potential reader of a draft and the second is how not to review. Personally I do not mind a quick ‘I read it and I liked/hated it’ review now and then, but I would prefer to have more to go on than that. But whatever you put I will be grateful that you took the time to says it.
“If you build assumptions, upon assumptions: you can go anywhere.”
William Swor, Defence Lawyer Detroit Sleeper Cell Trial*
“In essence the precautionary principle says ‘that not having the evidence that something might be a problem is not a reason for not taking action as if it were a problem’ that’s a very famous triple negative phrase that effectively says that ‘that action without evidence is justified.’ It requires imagining what the worst might be and applying that imagination on the worst evidence that currently exists. But once you start imagining what could happen then there is no limit…What it is?: is a shift from the scientific ‘what is?’ evidence based decision making to this speculative imaginary ‘what if?’ based worst case scenario?”
Bill Durodie, Director International Center for Security Analysis, Kings College*
“How will we ever know if it’s over? How will ever know when the threat has gone? In the mindset we are in: once we declare it over will be exactly the time that we will believe that they will strike.”
David Johnston, Intelligence Specialist, New York Times*
“Tens of thousands of children are being fingerprinted in school – often without the consent of their parents, a human rights group has complained.”
BBC News, 2006
*Quotes from Adam Curtis’ The Power of Nightmares, 2005
hi simon
read the first chapter so will say wish there had been more as it was getting interesting
reminds me of things i have read but then i have read a lot so thats probably not hard
but i will say that i want to find out what happens
Hi Teresa,
Thanx for your kind words.
Your feedback is welcome and has cheered me up from my foul mood. Cheers!
There will be more at some point in the future, but at the moment I’m shuffling writing for fun and doing a journalism course and due to my slack Xmas I’m well behind on work, so I hope you’ll bare with me. There are a total of 10 chapters already writen, which is about 25-33% of the story in total. However there are many elements I wish to tighten up with a re-draft (including this very chapter) before I go on.
Anyway, if you really can’t wait then email me (theenglishassassin@googlemail.com) and I’ll email you a link to the first draft on FictionPress.com or alternatively you can search for it yourself on there. All I can say is that some chapters will be changed more than others.There is function to add readers feedback on FictionPress (and I don’t think you have to be a member), so any suggestions as to how it might be improved will be welcome.
Same goes for anybody else who is interested.
Thanks again and Happy New Year
Simon