Hey everyone,

It’s been a week since I wrote anything.  If I haven’t been ill, I’ve been proof-reading reports for school or other such tasks.  I do have a couple of things to update you about, though.  One of them is particularly thrilling (for me anyway). No, I haven’t finished my Star Trek article for Taste of Cinema yet.  I’m getting there but it’s taking me a while to get into it.

1. The 13th Doctor –

I was pleasantly surprised by the announcement of Jodie Whittaker taking on the role in Doctor Who.  I have seriously lost interest in this series since David Tennant left (maybe half way through Matt Smith’s tenure) and I think with a new person in charge and this bold casting strategy, things are going to get interesting once again.  I was so worried it was going to be Kris Marshall.  I don’t have anything against him but I think that would have been such a gutless, vanilla decision.  The announcement has led to a flood of bile on social media which is incredibly unfortunate but I think everyone will be pleasantly surprised.  Jodie Whittaker’s work on Broadchurch is fantastic and I’m really glad that it was her.  I would have taken her or Olivia Colman in the role as being very positive steps.  I’d still like to see Chiwetel Ejiofor give it a shot at some stage, too.

To the naysayers, I say change is a good thing.  We never like it but we always adapt and accept our new reality eventually.  Just look how well Starbuck turned out; there was a massive outcry about that little gender reversal but it couldn’t have worked out any better.  Katee Sackhoff smashed it!

Look at it this way.  At one stage in history, women couldn’t even be actors.  The female roles had to be played by men.  That was how things were and people probably thought it was an outrage that women were eventually allowed to even act.  That sounds crazy, right?

Then women couldn’t be paid the same as their male counterparts.  Ancient histo.. oh sorry, that still happens, doesn’t it?

Come on, people.  Surely it should be about who’s the best person for the job.  If Jodie went in and auditioned and smashed it then why shouldn’t she get the gig?  Other people have said it – this is a fictional time travelling alien we’re talking about.  It’s not like they’ve hired her to play Martin Luther King.  I could see people’s point if that were the case.  I’ll bet she’s going to be fantastic.  I’m certainly not going to argue about it because, at the end of the day, I don’t have the right to.  I’m just a fan.  I have no input into the creative process here whatsoever.  If I don’t want to watch it, I don’t have to.  A lot of people seem to be forgetting that.  No-one is forcing the decision on anyone.  If I go to a party and the host has baked a chocolate cake, that’s that.  I can’t go up to the host and say he’s ruined the party for me because I wanted lemon drizzle.  It wasn’t my call.  I’ll just skip the cake.  What kind of person would I be if I range the host prior to the party and said, “If it’s not lemon drizzle, then I’m not coming?”  Would you even want me at your party if I did that?

“Oh, but it’s always been lemon drizzle before.  Why should it be chocolate now?  You’re only doing chocolate because that’s what the Social Justice Warriors want, right?”  Or could it be that they’ve just found a great chocolate cake recipe and want to give it a shot for a change.  Alright, I’ll end the cake/party metaphor now.  That’s my point though.  Plus, the brilliant James Callis has expressed an interest in being the new companion; now that would be the icing on the ca.. (sorry, stopping the cake metaphor now!)

2. Feedback for The Crossing

I’ve been trying to find the money to have the first draft of the Crossing professionally edited but, in the meantime, I decided to look for beta readers on some of the Facebook groups I belong to.  I was fortunate enough to get a message from a published author, Leslie E. Heath, who was willing to have a look at it.  I’m pleased to announce that I’ve had my first feedback on the book from someone who doesn’t know me and it’s very, very positive.

Here’s some of what she said:

“You’ve written a fantastic story, with the feel of a beginning. I hope this is the start of a series, and that you’ll allow me to read other stories as they become available.

Your characters are vivid, believable, and show growth and progression along their arcs. I wouldn’t change a thing about any of them. The same is true for your settings. Well done.

The plot is action-packed without any unnecessary action or scenes; everything contributes to the story and moves the plot forward.”

She’s also given me loads of pointers on little things I need to improve like words that I overuse and how I slip into passive voice more than I should.  I’ve got a whole load of work to do on the book and I can’t wait to get cracking in the coming weeks.  My plan is to make the changes, find someone else to have another look, get their feedback, maybe pay a couple of people to do a proof-reading job on it, then look to publish it at the end of November.  That’s what I’m aiming at.  To be honest, it just feels lovely to know that a professional has read it, liked it and even wants to read more.

So, I’m feeling really excited about what’s to come and I’ll keep you all updated on how it’s going.  Add to that the fact that I’ve got an episode of Twin Peaks AND an episode of Game of Thrones to catch up on tonight and things are looking great at the minute.

Thanks for reading,

Richard