See you on the other side...
Gone to facebook
I've decided to, whenever I take the notion to, instead of doing what has been called blogging to scribble an odd line or two on my facebook notes page instead which should be found here. My main facebook account is found @ http://en-gb.facebook.com/davetodd7 and if you want to keep an eye on the sh1t I post there hit the friend request button and let's be FAKEbook friends.
See you on the other side...
See you on the other side...
30 Years ago, today...
Margaret Thatcher was in Dublin talking about the hunger strike in Northern Ireland.The song Super Trouper by Abba had been number 1 in the Singles Chart. I was living in Bangor at the time and remember how shocked I was seeing a report that John Lennon had been murdered. I remember where I was and what I was doing three years earlier when Elvis had died (I was in a Ford Transit milk van travelling out of Bangor @ 3am on the way to deliver milk) but only remember the news story about John Lennon. A few days ago I saw and heard what I call an amzing You Tube video by Anthony Toner which shows so much feeling and is a great tribute to John Lennon, a video which I'm sure you can take three minutes out to watch, enjoy and be impressed by. The title of the song is Me & John Lennon & You. The video...
A song from Belfast singer songwriter Anthony Toner, to mark the 30th anniversary of John Lennon's death. The idea for the song was planted a couple of years ago, after a chance remark by a friend about Lennon's death -- and how he and his wife had reacted, says Anthony. 'And the song was finished this autumn, somewhere between visiting the Imagine garden in New York in September and the 30th anniversary of Lennon's death on December 8th.'
Would you like Belfast Girls in your stocking this Christmas?
refered to is the title of a book and the stockings aren't as those shown in the self portrait I took earlier (joke -I'm not that much into Xmas yet) The story about the book has been well documented on this blog and also on BooksNI. Back in May I blogged about A first for a writer from Northern Ireland. The story continues and now the latest is...Award-winning Irish author, Gerry McCullough, releases her debut novel, 'Belfast Girls', on Amazon.com
The new full-length debut novel, Belfast Girls - from Ireland’s award-winning author, Gerry McCullough - has just been released on Amazon by new UK publisher, Night Publishing. This story of three girls growing up in contemporary Belfast captures the high life - and lowlife - of these post-conflict times, including drugs, high fashion, addiction and crime.
Gerry has been a successful short story writer for many years - with stories, poems and articles published regularly in magazines and anthologies in Ireland, UK and USA, and broadcast on BBC Radio. In 2005 she won the Cuírt International Literary Award in Galway, Ireland, for her short story, Primroses, and has been shortlisted/commended for other awards since then.
Says Gerry of Belfast Girls, “I’m bouncing off the walls! It’s something I’ve lived for and worked for my whole life, so I couldn’t tell you how happy I am. I’m hoping for a lot of support from the people of Ireland and beyond and I think the book is something everyone will enjoy.”
Her first novel follows the lives and loves of three girls from different religious backgrounds. In a city where such differences often separate, the girls manage to remain firm friends into adulthood. Their love lives are much more complicated, though. Sheila, the ‘ugly duckling turned beautiful swan’, becomes a successful super-model - dubbed the ‘ice maiden’ - but hides her unhappiness and dissatisfaction beneath the ice cool exterior.
Phil sets her heart on Davy, but he gets more and more entangled in the local crime scene, eventually dragging her down with him. Mary is wild and uncontrolled - until she almost overdoes it - then manages to re-build her life on a more solid foundation. John is all that Davy is not - solid, ambitious, serious, but also self-righteous, angry and conflicted. Drawn to one another, yet somehow repelled, John and Sheila’s love affair is more off than on. Where will it end?
Belfast Girls managed to make it to the top of the HarperCollins’Authonomy.com site last April, earning Gerry a review from this major publisher. But it was Night Publishing, a smaller UK company, which actually offered to publish her first novel - without forcing it into any particular ‘genre’ pigeon-hole. The result is a novel which has plenty for everyone - action, emotion, gunmen, kidnapping, glamour and despair.
This novel is a thriller, romance, comedy and drama, rolled into one - as Gerry says, “Like most people’s lives!” So, why not put Belfast Girls into your stocking this season?
If you've enough snow why not try...
Illustration stolen from the book by Chris McNab entitled The SAS and Elite Forces Military Survival Handbook
Hooley Water; thirst quenching, sanctified and blessed.
I was privileged a few days ago to be at the official launch of 'Hooley Water'. I understand that the 'Hooley Water' which to me tasted like some sort of weak brandy has some sort of connection to what's called a Holy lake in the Sperrin Mountains. A lake which St Patrick created so his followers could have something to drink.The same lake where it's said nothing can ever drown in.I also understand that the water is brewed , if water can be brewed, in the grounds of a community that live in a secluded valley near that lake, somewhere up the Sperrin mountains.The community which consists of mainly young women play continuously, music by their favourite band the Undertones.The music keeps them upbeat and active as without it young women living in such a remote location would tend to relax to much and not concentrate on their calling.
@ The Weekend.
TRUE STORY - A woman walked into the ladies toilet and noticed that one of only two toilets were in use. There was nobody else in the room so she started singing that Micheal Jackson song 'You are not alone, I am here with you...' The lady that was using the toilet came out of it smiling at her and said 'That's the first time I've been serenaded in the toilet'.
Some people are so nice, aren't they :-)
Some people are so nice, aren't they :-)
Are you longing to be ravished by rhythm & rhyme?
I was tagged on facebook on this, love the poster.
Party Girl.
There are some videos that leave a lasting impression on me and this is one, via the Guardian...
Multiple sclerosis: 'I hate the word can't'
Collette Waller reads from her poetry collection Party Girl, recorded before multiple sclerosis left her unable to speak or write
Your chance to meet the Godfather of Punk.
I'd the privilege this week of meeting and having a few drinks with a Northern Irish legend, the legend that is Mr Terri Hooley. What was planned as just a meeting for my wife to get his book 'Hooleygan
' signed took a wee bit longer than I'd expected.She was also fortunate to have the book signed by both Terri and Richard Sullivan, Richard I believe put a lot of hard work into both persuading Terri to have the book written and writing the book.I reckon this book will be the Northern Irish bestseller this Christmas.
If you want to get a copy of the book signed both Terri Hooley and Richard Sullivan they will be signing copies in Waterstone's Fountain Street, Belfast tomorrow, Saturday 13 November, from 2.00pm.
' signed took a wee bit longer than I'd expected.She was also fortunate to have the book signed by both Terri and Richard Sullivan, Richard I believe put a lot of hard work into both persuading Terri to have the book written and writing the book.I reckon this book will be the Northern Irish bestseller this Christmas.If you want to get a copy of the book signed both Terri Hooley and Richard Sullivan they will be signing copies in Waterstone's Fountain Street, Belfast tomorrow, Saturday 13 November, from 2.00pm.
If you haven't bought the book yet, buy it now! Did I mention it's called Hooleygan.
When Bedlam won't be.
I shouldn't really tell you about this as I might miss all the bargains.Last year I was at something similar run by Jenni and it was impressive and I left needing to purchase another bookcase...
WHAT ? - For two days only, in the front foyer of the Old Library in Great James Street, local online Bookshop, LITTLE ACORNS BOOKSTORE will have a stall at Derry's innovative and most exciting indoor weekend market – BEDLAM MARKET.
WHAT ? - For two days only, in the front foyer of the Old Library in Great James Street, local online Bookshop, LITTLE ACORNS BOOKSTORE will have a stall at Derry's innovative and most exciting indoor weekend market – BEDLAM MARKET.
With an overall stock of 7,000 books, stock has been specifically chosen for sale over the two-day period in keeping with the nature of the market and other stalls: vintage, retro, antiques, arts and crafts.
There will also be books on film, television, music (biographies, history, pictorial etc), literature (drama, poetry, study guides etc), fashion, arts, crafts, Irish/Ireland-related plus mixed fiction, alongside selected children's titles.
New and used books will all be discounted, many of which will be cheaper to buy than online and in the high street.
To compliment the books, a small selection of used and new CDs and cassettes – jazz, blues, film soundtracks, swing etc – will be on sale.
Other stock available:
As-good-as-new magazines on books, publishing, writing (Books Ireland, the Bookseller, Publishing News, the New Yorker, Writers' News etc). Plus arty postcards and second-hand film star prints/postcards (Marilyn Monroe, James Dean etc).
Local, hand-made, specially created gift cards and other small crafts from Marilyn McLaughlin.
And possibly a few other unique surprises – perfect for stocking fillers or Christmas gifts!
Please feel free to suggest or ask after any specific books/subjects in advance that can then be made available (if in stock) on the day.
This is a one-off Book Stall, so please do come along and feel free to spread the word!
Email: wonderfulworldofworders@yahoo.co.uk
Web: http://www.amazon.co.uk/shops/littleacornsbookstore
WHERE ? - Bedlam Weekend Market (Basement of Old Library)35 Great James Street, Derry, N Ireland
WHEN ? - Starts @ 10am this Saturday and finishes sometime on Sunday.
Live & Loud @ Charly's
I'll blame it on Alan Simpson and an interview with Clive Culbertson on his radio show last week meant that I ended up in Coleraine last night.I'd heard the name Clive Culbertson before but when I heard he played bass guitar, was a vocalist, songwriter, recording engineer and record producer and had a new album out I couldn't but miss heading up to Charly's. I was also curious as Clive had mentioned on the interview about being a Druid.Sadly last night there wasn't a hint on stage of anything Druidish. To find out about Druidism the best bet is checking out The Order Of Druids In Ulster website.
It was a pleasure to be entertained by a 5 piece totally live band called YAP and even listen to the single from Clive's latest album.The album is entitled Still Havin' Fun
and described as Radio-friendly pop rock from one of Northern Ireland's most talented songwriters, a former member of the Van Morrison Band. More about Clive...
and described as Radio-friendly pop rock from one of Northern Ireland's most talented songwriters, a former member of the Van Morrison Band. More about Clive...From his earliest days playing in covers bands in his native Coleraine, Clive Culbertson attracted attention as a fine bass player, singer and arranger. But it was when he started writing his own material, his command of the three-minute power pop genre catapulted him to success both as a solo artist and with his band The Sweat. After releasing a string of fine pop and punk singles on the Rip Off label in Belfast, the band landed an album deal with Dave Dee s Double D Records and the single Why d Ya Have to Lie picked up major airplay across the UK. The band played a string of promotional dates up and down the UK before Dave Dee s label folded and Clive returned to Northern Ireland to set up his own studio and develop his solo career. He quickly became an in-demand session player, performing on countless TV and live appearances, while establishing himself as an in-demand producer on the busy country music circuit. In the late 80s, a friendship with Van Morrison developed into an active role as bass player in Van s live band. Clive subsequently played bass on the Avalon Sunset album, which featured the massive hit single Have I Told You Lately . He also toured extensively with Van and The Chieftains, following their Irish Heartbeat collaboration. Since leaving Van s band, Clive has continued to develop his writing and performing career, notably with New Moon, a country rock band who were hugely popular on the country festival circuit in the late 90s and into the early noughties. With the current fascination with powerpop music in Japan, Clive s 80s solo punk material on vinyl had been changing hands for some time for not-insubstantial sums of money on the Japanese collectors market. Tokyo-based 1977 Records re-released two CDs of Clive Culbertson and The Sweat material in 2008, and Clive found himself reforming the band and going out to play two dates in Tokyo, where hordes of young people already knew all of his lyrics. With the flame rekindled, Clive went back to the studio and began working on songs of his own again. The result, Still Havin Fun, is a collection of pop love songs that bear the hallmarks of Clive s whole career, from straight-ahead powerpop to country ballads. Recorded at his own No Sweat Studios in Coleraine, the album features fine performances from some of the finest session players in the country.
YAP are playing again next Saturday night at Charly's and if you enjoy live music and can make it up to Coleraine it's well worth heading up there.
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Now Showing: Stephen Hall and the Moonshed Orchestra
We now have the opportunity to see a clip of Northern Ireland's Rolf Harris when he was on the Gerry Anderson show recently, sorry that should be the Gerard Micheal Anderson Show on BBC Radio Ulster.Stephen Hall and the MoonShed Orchestra joined Gerry Anderson for a session and to promote their new album, "The Wee Wee Man. Songs from the MoonShed".The musicians were Rohan Young( Bodhran), Michael Sands (Funk Banjo),Stephen Hall (Mandolin), Barry Tipping (Lead Guitar) and John McKeever (Guitar) Enjoy...
and more...
and more...
BooksNI
I've a blog/website BooksNI gathering dust and I'm feeling slightly guilty about it. It still has visitors even though the last blog post was in June. I've decided I'd like to open it up to authors, poets & publishers from and in Northern Ireland who want to use it to promote their books, book signings, appearances etc.It can be used to reblog blog posts or articles that have been written for other sites that can be reposted on BooksNI
I'm going to be sending out invites by email to people inviting them to start blogging @ BooksNI. If you are one of these people please feel free to blog about, as it says on the tagline of the site, books written by authors from and in Northern Ireland. Sadly the blog/website can only have up to 100 authors, so if your reading this and want to post on this site email me soon so I can add you as an author.I'm afraid there is no payment for writing/blogging on this site, it's just another avenue for people to find out about your latest book.
I'm going to be sending out invites by email to people inviting them to start blogging @ BooksNI. If you are one of these people please feel free to blog about, as it says on the tagline of the site, books written by authors from and in Northern Ireland. Sadly the blog/website can only have up to 100 authors, so if your reading this and want to post on this site email me soon so I can add you as an author.I'm afraid there is no payment for writing/blogging on this site, it's just another avenue for people to find out about your latest book.
Special Halloween edition of the Ballymena Times
and this...
I wonder is Des Blackadder opening up the offices of the paper for haunted tours on Halloween.I've heard stories about that place, stories you wouldn't believe...
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