Who writes them? How do they get there? How long do they typically stay? In the journal EPJ Data Science, researchers from Northeastern University analyzed eight years worth of data to provide some intriguing answers
FULL STORY.
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Saturday, 7 April 2018
What makes a Book a Best-Seller?
Who writes them? How do they get there? How long do they typically stay? In the journal EPJ Data Science, researchers from Northeastern University analyzed eight years worth of data to provide some intriguing answers
FULL STORY.
True Crime Madness
The following are all documented real life cases, which just shows that we really do live in a mad mad world. These stories were collected from the world wide web by someone who really should be doing something more productive.
The Bog Blocker - Police in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, appealed to the public for help in late March tracking down a most unusual perpetrator. "Over the past year and a half," the department posted on its Facebook page, "someone has been clogging the women's toilet (at the Deland Community Center) with a 20-ounce soda bottle. This is very strange ... and gross." The Sheboygan Press reported that the string of more than 25 incidents began in 2016. Joe Kerlin, the city's parks and forestry superintendent, says the suspect is likely an adult male, based on security camera footage from outside the restroom. The city's resulting plumbing bills have totaled between $2,000 and $3,000.
The Idiotic Thief - Ruan Rocha da Silva, 18, was caught in late March trying to steal five cans of deodorant from a supermarket in Sao Paulo, Brazil. His prominent tattoo might have given him away: A year ago, after Silva tried to steal a bike from Maycon Wesley Carvalho, 27, and Ronildo Moreira de Araujo, 29, the two men forcibly tattooed Silva's forehead with the words "I am a thief and an idiot." The Daily Mail reported that Carvalho and Araujo were caught after filming themselves inking Silva's forehead and sending the video to friends; both were sentenced to jail time. Silva is out on bail, awaiting trial for shoplifting.
The Drunk Driver - It was lucky 13 for Hot Springs, Arkansas, resident Patricia Ann Clanton, 55, as she was charged with her 13th felony DWI on March 26. Garland County Sheriff's Deputy Richard Garrett stopped to check on a Chevrolet Monte Carlo parked in the lot of Buddy Bean Lumber Co. around 1 a.m. on March 26, reported the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. An assisting officer noticed a strong smell of intoxicants and asked Clanton and her passenger to get out of the car. Clanton refused a field sobriety test but agreed to a Breathalyzer, which registered her blood alcohol level at more than twice the legal limit. Nevertheless, she entered an innocent plea in Garland County District Court. Since 1994, Clanton has been convicted of driving drunk in various Arkansas jurisdictions and served jail time.
Dickface - When police in Largo, Florida, arrested Jeffrey Forrest Poole on charges of violently resisting a police officer, the authorities made sure to list things like his age, weight and address in his arrest report.Officers also included an alias that Poole has allegedly used in the past ― and it’s pretty awesome. The Alias was Dickface Johnson.
The Parrot knows - An African gray parrot known for its very filthy mouth may be a key witness to the killing of his owner.The parrot, named Bud, belonged to Martin Duram until May 2015, when a killer shot Duram to death in his home in Ensley Township, Michigan. Duram's wife, Glenna, sustained a shotgun wound to her head in the attack, WOOD-TV reported at the time.Michigan State Police investigators initially suspected an intruder. But they now list Glenna Duram, who has since recovered from her injuries, as a suspect.
Police records obtained by WOOD-TV allege that Duram shot her husband five times with a gun that belonged to the family, then turned the weapon on herself. The couple reportedly had been having financial problems.Glenna Duram, who authorities said left three suicide notes, denied killing her husband when detectives interviewed her after she recovered.
Her in-laws, however, finger Duram as the killer and say the parrot can prove her guilt.
A few weeks after their son was murdered, Lillian and Charles Duram took a video of Bud repeating what sounds like an argument, complete with changing voices.At one point, Bud says, “Don’t f***ing shoot.”
Police records show an unidentified person asked a detective whether Bud could be used as evidence, but there is no mention of whether the detective responded. Newaygo County Prosecutor Robert Springstead told WOOD-TV that he’s aware the couple had a bird that talked, but hadn't seen the video of Bud's performance. He said he'll decide whether to file charges in two or three weeks, after Michigan State Police finish their investigation.
At least one parrot aficionado said it's entirely possible Bud is vocally recreating what he witnessed. Samuel Carr, a parrot buff in San Diego, California, said African gray parrots are very intelligent and can learn to mimic phrases quickly if there's a reason.
The Idiotic Thief - Ruan Rocha da Silva, 18, was caught in late March trying to steal five cans of deodorant from a supermarket in Sao Paulo, Brazil. His prominent tattoo might have given him away: A year ago, after Silva tried to steal a bike from Maycon Wesley Carvalho, 27, and Ronildo Moreira de Araujo, 29, the two men forcibly tattooed Silva's forehead with the words "I am a thief and an idiot." The Daily Mail reported that Carvalho and Araujo were caught after filming themselves inking Silva's forehead and sending the video to friends; both were sentenced to jail time. Silva is out on bail, awaiting trial for shoplifting.
The Drunk Driver - It was lucky 13 for Hot Springs, Arkansas, resident Patricia Ann Clanton, 55, as she was charged with her 13th felony DWI on March 26. Garland County Sheriff's Deputy Richard Garrett stopped to check on a Chevrolet Monte Carlo parked in the lot of Buddy Bean Lumber Co. around 1 a.m. on March 26, reported the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. An assisting officer noticed a strong smell of intoxicants and asked Clanton and her passenger to get out of the car. Clanton refused a field sobriety test but agreed to a Breathalyzer, which registered her blood alcohol level at more than twice the legal limit. Nevertheless, she entered an innocent plea in Garland County District Court. Since 1994, Clanton has been convicted of driving drunk in various Arkansas jurisdictions and served jail time.
The Parrot knows - An African gray parrot known for its very filthy mouth may be a key witness to the killing of his owner.The parrot, named Bud, belonged to Martin Duram until May 2015, when a killer shot Duram to death in his home in Ensley Township, Michigan. Duram's wife, Glenna, sustained a shotgun wound to her head in the attack, WOOD-TV reported at the time.Michigan State Police investigators initially suspected an intruder. But they now list Glenna Duram, who has since recovered from her injuries, as a suspect.
Police records obtained by WOOD-TV allege that Duram shot her husband five times with a gun that belonged to the family, then turned the weapon on herself. The couple reportedly had been having financial problems.Glenna Duram, who authorities said left three suicide notes, denied killing her husband when detectives interviewed her after she recovered.
Her in-laws, however, finger Duram as the killer and say the parrot can prove her guilt.
A few weeks after their son was murdered, Lillian and Charles Duram took a video of Bud repeating what sounds like an argument, complete with changing voices.At one point, Bud says, “Don’t f***ing shoot.”
Police records show an unidentified person asked a detective whether Bud could be used as evidence, but there is no mention of whether the detective responded. Newaygo County Prosecutor Robert Springstead told WOOD-TV that he’s aware the couple had a bird that talked, but hadn't seen the video of Bud's performance. He said he'll decide whether to file charges in two or three weeks, after Michigan State Police finish their investigation.
At least one parrot aficionado said it's entirely possible Bud is vocally recreating what he witnessed. Samuel Carr, a parrot buff in San Diego, California, said African gray parrots are very intelligent and can learn to mimic phrases quickly if there's a reason.
Friday, 6 April 2018
How Cardiff and the surrounding valleys faced the dreaded might of the Nazis.
I love this stage of the book production - of course the indexing can be a bit of a slog, but I enjoy the polishing. It is at this stage that I get to see how the work is going to look as a finished book, and I get to tease out any edits that may have escaped the proofreading team. Though, believe me the proofreaders know the business, and without fail they kick my humble scribblings into shape.
The JPG left shows the PDF proof currently on my desktop - I'm reading through it at the moment, have taken a few minutes to bash out this blog post. I may also have a coffee and some chocolate chip cookies before getting back to the grindstone. Hey, that's the writing life!
My association with Pen and Sword Books is something I'm very proud of - my two previous titles for the company - Cardiff and the Valleys During the Great War and the true crime study, Dark Valleys are doing well for me, and only this week I signed a contract to write another title for 2019 publication; this one will be another true crime study - entitled, A Date with the Hangman it looks at the history of capital punishment in the UK.
Not bad for a snobby nosed kid with little if any formal education!
Check out Dark Valleys
Check out Cardiff and the Valleys in the Great War
Cardiff and the Valleys at War 1939 - 45, looks at the Home Front during the dark years of WWII,
Of course the book also contains stories of incredible humour, of people pulling together - there are darker stories of the black market but even so there are heart warming tales within these pages. I was left feeling humbled and deeply proud to do my little bit to preserve these stories for future generations.
The people who lived through this war have often been called the greatest generation, and after researching this book I am inclined to agree with that assessment.
Cardiff and the Valleys at War will be available from December 2019
Find Pen and Sword Books HERE
Thursday, 5 April 2018
Doctor Who stuck in hospital corridor for nearly ten hours
The 74-year-old actor - who played the famous Time Lord from 1984 to 1986 - was suffering with a "very high" temperature when he took himself to the Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Aylesbury, Bucks. But he claims he spent half the day hanging around in corridors and waiting rooms until he eventually got to see a doctor.
Colin says that, six hours into his stay, staff lost him when he fell asleep in a side room. He eventually woke up at 2am and went in search of help. The Conservative Government have been underfunding the NHS for years and Doctor Who discovered just how bad the situation truly was.
"My problem was not life-threatening, but I had a very high temperature and felt unwell.' Colin Baker told the Bucks Free Press.
"I was admitted, put on an antibiotic drip and discharged thirty six hours later.'
"Forty-eight hours after that I was back in A&E for an eight and a half hour wait, with an even higher temperature. Six hours in, I was left in a side room, where I dozed off and woke at 2am and went in search of help.I was presented with an irate nurse, demanding crossly to know where I had been."
Coling went onto add: "When I was on the mend I enquired tentatively about the possibility of a TV to while away the idle hour lying in bed – which I hastily added I was prepared to pay for. The nurse replied ‘Why should you? Prisoners in jail get TVs in their cells but not ill people in hospital!'It’s a disgrace,' she added."
Almost 200 Stephen King References hidden in this poster...how many can you find?
Are you a true Stephen King fan? Well if so take a look at this stunning poster.
Artist Jordan Monsell has packed just under TWO HUNDRED eggs into a jaw-dropping new Stephen King poster printed below.
Below is the key...click on the image to enlarge but why not see how many you can find in the image above first.
Artist Jordan Monsell has packed just under TWO HUNDRED eggs into a jaw-dropping new Stephen King poster printed below.
Below is the key...click on the image to enlarge but why not see how many you can find in the image above first.
Speaking words of wisdom....'Fucking A'
Since debuting in The Walking Dead comic series and smash-hit AMC television show, the baseball bat-wielding badass known as Negan has quickly become a fan favorite for his crude humor, violent tendencies, and salty language
A new book, The Quotable Negan, brings together his best lines along with fun facts and incredible stats to create the ultimate homage to an iconic villain. From Skybound Books, The Quotable Negan is now up for pre-order. The first 1,000 to pre-order via the Skybound web store will receive a bookplate signed by Robert Kirkman.
The Mystery of Page 7
It's an intriguing story, every bit as complex as the De Vinci Code.
Library assistant Georgia recounted a tale from her job to Twitter on Tuesday when she sought to help an older lady who had found some strange pen markings in the books she was ... Most didn't have it, but a lot in this genre did - they're "wee old women" books (romances set in wartime Britain etc).
FULL STORY
Library assistant Georgia recounted a tale from her job to Twitter on Tuesday when she sought to help an older lady who had found some strange pen markings in the books she was ... Most didn't have it, but a lot in this genre did - they're "wee old women" books (romances set in wartime Britain etc).
FULL STORY
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