Simon Maltman Blogs

- What will this mean for Indie authors? Personally I favour 'real' books over e books. I've never actually bought an e book, I don't think, but I own hundreds of books. I spend a lot of time encouraging others to buy my e books though! Today it was announced that sales of physical books have increased by 8% and e book sales have gone down by 3%. This is similar to the reversal we have also seen in vinyl vs. mp3. Yeah- I collect vinyl too! I think this is great in a way. We all know the aspects to love about a physical book, but what does it mean for authors, and in particular indie authors? For huge bestselling authors with major publishers, it will probably mean very little. However, most indie authors rely on e book sales and if habits change, this could have serious consequences. Many smaller publishers concentrate on e book sales and that is true certainly of my publisher. I sell very few physical books. The majority of small publishers use the Amazon co...

  Why does N.I have so many great crime fiction writers right now?  (I’m not including myself as part of this group by the way!) Colin Bateman, Stuart Neville, Brian McGilloway, Gerard Brennan, Adrian McKinty, Steve Cavanagh… the list goes on and on. We’ve now got New York Times bestsellers, multiple award winners, and bona fide crime fiction heavyweights. But why all of a sudden? Firstly, I think it is simply that there are a lot of good writers here. We didn’t ever have only C.S Lewis anyway, and the whole island of Ireland has always had a rich wealth of literary talent. We have also had crime fiction written here before too, Maurice Leitch, for example in, decades past. Like the tourist post-Troubles boom, perhaps it is in part that writers are just having the opportunity to be ‘discovered’ much more easily. The massive increase in book publishing and e books of course is relevant too. But Northern Ireland has always had many highs for a small co...

A Survival Guide to Norn Iron !  ( Northern Ireland ) Part 1 It is a beautiful place to visit, but here are some pointers. For any potential holiday makers, here are a few tips for getting on well if visiting, for enjoying the craic , and getting home in one piece! 1 ‘Norn Iron’- This is what we say, or rather how we say we are from ‘ Northern Ireland .’ First tip is to expect people to speak in a broad accent, very, very fast and using many odd sounding words. Northern Ireland also punches above its weight and people from Norn Iron are fiercely proud of its heritage and culture. Van Morrison, C.S Lewis, Liam Neeson, George Best and Titanic (‘she was okay when she left here’) all hail from here. 2 Prepare your body!- It is a cliché that the Irish like to drink, but also quite true. You will be offered ‘a wee dram’ (1 drink), ‘a braice’ (2 drinks) and maybe even ‘a chaser on the rocks’ (a whiskey to follow and also the title of my first novel!) If you do...

Free Today Only! Link to Amazon below. My publisher has made my bestseller free today only- grab your copy now- thanks! Chaser

Free Fire: Movie Review A shootout, a shootout and er a shootout Free Fire is a tricky one. It is not a bad movie. Part of the problem is though, that perhaps it doesn’t know quite what to be. It’s very, very funny in places; but it’s not a comedy. It’s got all the elements of a thriller; but not particularly thrilling. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good enough movie, but it could have been better, perhaps if the tone had been altered. It doesn’t manage to be a belting black comedy as successfully as Very Bad Things for instance, or more recently, The Nice Guys . The set up is that we have various parties coming together, to carry out an arms deal. Chaos ensues, along with many double crosses and many, many Mexican standoffs. To be fair; the majority of the movie is one protracted shoot out. In saying that- it is handled well and it is hilarious in places. Some of the best lines were given to Sharlto Copley and Michael Smiley. The cast in general are good, and it is an ...

Solo Parenting at the Park: A Noir (Based on a True Story) I swung the old Ford in beside a tree, as it wheezed its gratitude. It seemed pleased to have a rest out in the sun. My journey was only just beginning. I reluctantly switched off the engine and prepared myself. "Can I bring my bike?" asked the four year old from the backseat. "Gah," said the baby beside her, a warning-shot; I'd better get moving. What was I thinking? Taking both to a park... Alone! This, just after a trip to the doctor's, where the four year old had cunningly hidden polystyrene up her nose. Even the cops wouldn't have found it there. "Okay," I agreed, not thinking it through, not realising the torture that would soon follow. We made it to the park, the four year old running a few lights on her wheels, but nothing too serious. There were a couple of disagreements between my two associates on the way in as well- but only a slap or two exchanged. All was...

Thanks all for stopping by!! I'll be continuing to post the same kinds of things about writing, politics, Northern Ireland and dropping in a few music and film reviews. To check out my books on Amazon just click  Here

Thanks to everyone who hosted the Blog-Tour for my new book, which has become a Bestseller! Here are a few of the highlights! (just click the links) Thanks :) Col's Criminal Library Murder, Mayhem and More Chat About Books Crime Scene NI The High Window Arc of a Writer

10 things I didn't know before Fatherhood! ...and nobody told me :) Being a Father is the best thing in the world and I'm lucky to be largely a stay home Dad at the moment. But ..here is a lighthearted look at some of the things you don't know beforehand!  1. Priorities Most people expect their priorities to change, but maybe don't expect how much their perspective will shift on things. I was watching The Vikings last night and I turned and said to my wife, "He's got a great plait." Everything looks different after kids. 2. Needing new skills There are many new skills you must develop. For example, poo in the bath is trickier to clean up than you might think. Where do you pour the water? Should you try to 'fish' first? Never mind what to do with the now wet and poo-stained baby in the first place! 3. 8.15am is a lie in This is self explanatory and my wife and I let each other have this haven once a week. And yes y...

http://arcofawriter.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/novelist-and-short-story-author-simon.html?m=1 http://arcofawriter.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/novelist-and-short-story-author-simon.html?m=1 Thanks to Elena and ITW.