The International Writers Magazine JULY Editorial 2017

TRAVEL

COMMENT

LIFESTYLES

REVIEWS

FICTION

Welcome to this JULY edition of Hackwriters. Read us and our amazing archives too. 18 years on-line, 7431 articles - reviews - stories - travel - share any feature you like and pass them on using the links.
Hackwriters cited by HelloTravel.com as "TOP JOURNALISM/NARRATIVES TRAVEL BLOGS 2016"

*Taking a beak in London. Back in harness July 27th . Enjoy your summer

Editorial: JULY
July – brings so must promise. Hot weather, picnics and bugs, British Grand Prix, American Independence Day, Canada's 150th Birthday, those line-ups at the airports and inevitable strikes, followed by family rows. Here's wishing you survive the onset of school holidays and perhaps, if we are very lucky, a politics free month.
Brexit Means Exit as they say in France.

I’m just back from Biarritz where the weather changes a hundred times a day, but somehow is always charming, even when the heavens open.  You can be sure the sun will come out strong moments later.  There always seems to be a fete of some kind going on.  Traditional Basque music by the Market one night, then more, which mostly seems to be about drinking by shore, but who cares, it’s social.  Damn the women in Biarritz are beautiful; the whole darn place is picture perfect and the people friendly.  My generous hosts Lionel and Catherine provided a wonderful home and I am slightly jealous of their life well lived with amazing friends.

So back in Blightly where political chaos looms, Brexit stalks hope like hunters with night vision.  It’s cold, damp and everyone in power left and right is running from responsibility for covering all those nightmare 70’s tower blocks in flammable sheets of aluminium and plastic.  I totally understand why they wanted to make the brutalist towers more aesthetic, but not fireproof?   To save money on people’s lives?  To be honest a lot of town planners and construction companies and local politicians from every party responsible should be going to jail.  Ironically had they left the towers alone they would be fireproof.  Ugly, yes, but safe.  The obvious thing to do is to have a programme to tear them all down and built low rise (as in Australia), somewhere where people would have a pride in living in.  It might be best to inspect them monthly and place a limit on how many are living in them (and enforce it).  The reason no one knows the true number of dead is that indiscriminate subletting was going on with no registrations of tenants.  Greed has a price and I’m not sure the right people will pay for it. So many lives needlessly lost.

This month Sam Hawksmoor is working with his book designer Dominic on the last stage of his new book ‘Girl With Cat (Blue)’ - hopes to be available in August.  Slightly disappointed that Bayard – his French publishers took the trouble to translate and publish ‘VoLontaires’ this May but then did as good a job of hiding it from the public as Hodder did in the UK.  The business plans of publishers constantly amaze him.  Maybe French readers will find it on-line – finally persuaded a couple of book stores to stock it in Bayonne at least.  *Lily in Biarritz just read it, loved it and wants to know when the sequel is coming out. Can't ask for more than that. Sam was asked yesterday for a meaningful quote by a reader. He remembered this. 'Once I was young and foolish, now, regretably I am just foolish.'

This Sam is reading student work and I can say with confidence that the MA students I am supervising this summer are writing some pretty exciting YA fiction.  I look forward to seeing at least two completed and sold in the next 12 months.  (In case they read this – yes I want all of you to sell of course, but first you have to write 70,000 words!)

Reading can be a pleasure.  I sat by Milady Beach listening to the surf reading ‘The Lie Tree’ by Frances Hardinge last week and marvelled at her 19th Century gothic tale of mysterious plants, a strange death, a big lie and how quickly plans can unravel.  A wonderful story to take on holiday.  Well deserved the Costa Prize. Pan Macmillan paperback.

OK  - do read this month’s Hackwriters and share the stories and articles you like.
And if you do travel to Europe.  Savour it.  Next time you will need a visa.

© Sam North July 2017
samnorth.com
Read: ANOTHER PLACE TO DIE: ENDTIME CHRONICLES
Print or kindle

*As ever Hackwriters is supported by sales of our books - so do buy, print or kindle, we aren't picky.
**And thanks for those who do. The Heaviness, Another Place to Die: Endtime Chronicles are recommended.
also read The Repercussions of Tomas D

J&K 4Ever - Love and Devotion in the Wastelands Sixty years after the end of everything the city of Bluette survives, controlled by a malignant sect.  A place where men rule, girls receive no education and are matched at 16 to the highest bidder.  No one is ever permitted to leave the city and outside is a murderous wasteland of despair. Orphans Kruge and Jeyna have been devoted to each other through all the years of terror in this harsh regime and sworn never to be parted.  But the beautiful Jeyna has been betrayed by the Warden. Kruge has been swiftly banished to the Scraps, under the control of the Keeper. Jeyna is heartbroken; she will not accept her fate and escapes to find Kruge.  She is pursued by ruthless Enforcers on horseback, whose task it is to bring runaways back, dead or alive. 'A genuine romance in a bleak but plausible and terrifying setting'.

J&K 4Ever

MARIKKA- exclusively on Amazon Print and kindle 2 Based on a tragic real life event, Marikka flees from an arson attack on her home to the sea, where she meets Starfish boy – a runaway working for Jackson, a scarred man hiding a sinister secret from the world. Meanwhile her real father searches for her with the aide of Anya, ‘the girl who can read objects’. More about the writing of this book ‘Long after my tears dried, my heart stayed with Marikka, Starfish Boy and the strange girl who reads objects.’ CT You will smile, you will gasp with shock, and you will struggle to read the words through your tears. Gemma Williams - Amazon.co.uk 2015

The all new edition of 'ANOTHER PLACE TO DIE: ENDTIME CHRONICLES By Sam Hawksmoor and Sam North Could you live in a world where antibiotics no longer work? Print & Kindle Q&A interview with the authors here A city gripped by fear as a lethal virus approaches from the East. No one knows how many are dying. People are petrified of being thrown into quarantine. Best friends Kira and Liz once parted are scared they will never see each other again. Teen lovers, Chris and Rachel, prepare to escape to the islands. Do you stay and hide, or do you flee? Review from the First Edition: 'Beautiful, plausible, and sickeningly addictive, Another Place to Die will terrify you, thrill you, and make you petrified of anyone who comes near you...' Roxy West - Amazon.co.uk

Spy/Romance thriller set during the Blitz in WW2 - Kindle download All proceeds go to keeping Hackwriters going The Repercussions of Tomas D A Hero? Or Englands Greatest Traitor? USA Paperback here 'Disturbing and very poignant YA love story that presents a chilling alternate future for an England that lost the war.' Marcel d'Agneau 'A brilliant imagining of living in the Blitz, well researched.' Amazon UK 'This is Man in the High Castle for teens and scarily plausible with alternative facts ' *download the Kindle version or buy the paperback from Hammer & Tong

'The Heaviness' for any reader who likes to think about such things as betrayal, revenge, relationships and the laws of gravity. An original Genie Magee story Genie & Renée have just 36 hours to save Rian or he dies 'Without a doubt, one of the best YA Sci Fi series out there.' Evie Seo Bookish Kindle & print Thanks to readers who have been buying this title this year. If you enjoyed it, please post a remark on Amazon or Goodreads. It all helps. * Now published as Rüya by Marti Yayincilik - The Turkish publishers of TOZ & Golge

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