Rip-Off on the Highest Level: A Cautionary Tale

How £300,000 was stolen from Jericho Writers
I want to make writers (and others) aware of an appalling situation that occurred to one of my favorite and one of the best writing websites I subscribe to: Jericho Writers in the UK. Harry Bingham is a superb writer in his own right, as well as a spot-on writing mentor. His group offers tons of free advice to us struggling writers and terrific workshops to better our craft, and they did not deserve this.  No one does.  It’s a horrific cautionary tale to all not to be hoodwinked by accountancy corporations, no matter how large and well known. It’s bad enough that a trusted employee ripped them off. SHAME on Blick Rothenberg.
 Please watch and share this video, even if you just keep it on as background noise: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QH6ZAPazP8Q
The more exposure it has, the better.  Blick Rothenberg should be banned. 

In Memoriam

On this day, March 15th, in 2015, one of the world’s funniest writers died–an exceedingly bright, curious mind, a kind and loving heart, and a clear-eyed (yet often righteously angry) view of the world–the late and very great Sir Terry Pratchett. Damn the “embuggerment!” GNU Sir Terry.

And in case you’re wondering about the meaning of “GNU” in this context, here’s a link to an article published just two days after his death: https://www.theguardian.com/books/shortcuts/2015/mar/17/terry-pratchetts-name-lives-on-in-the-clacks-with-hidden-web-code#:~:text=(This%20was%20also%20a%20realworld,his%20name%20is%20still%20spoken.%E2%80%9D

Shout out for my new favorite author, Ruth Hogan!

She’s the best-selling author of The Keeper of Lost Things, among other works of wonder. Ruth has a truly amazing ear and eye for language, a unique “voice” to be cherished. I just finished Queenie Malone’s Paradise Hotel and am utterly smitten. It’s one of my favorite novels of the decade: hilariously funny and poignant by turns, thoroughly satisfying and endearing. Magic. If this isn’t a book that you’ll hug to yourself, I’ll be very much surprised. You can follow her at ruthhogan.co.uk.

The fitting finish to a Deathy year …

As the cover to Alternative Deathiness suggests, life is but a dance with death—a topic all of us are familiar with and too often want to avoid. This is not a volume to avoid. 

Alternative Deathiness is a fantastic selection of short stories and poetry that includes works by veteran writers such as best-selling author Alicia Hilton, James Van Pelt, Larry Hodges and more, as well as up-and-coming voices such as Jim Wright and K.G. Anderson (and also yours truly, moi). https://www.amazon.com/Alternative-Deathiness-Bob-l-Brown/dp/1949476227/ref=sr_1_2?crid=11IC34B0Y15ED&keywords=alternative+Deathiness&qid=1640791331&sprefix=alternative+deathiness%2Caps%2C158&sr=8-2