Phil Simpkin - Author

I said in a previous post, that I was finding interacting with other aspiring and / or experienced and published writers was becoming addictive. In the space of the last week, I have found the courage to move beyond my comfort zone. On a group 'The Writers Discussion Group' there is a weekly competition for members to write and submit a 600 word short story, the prompt for which may be a photo, or a few opening or closing words, or even a song. I have submitted two short stories in two weeks. One was what I would call 'sc-fi' and the second quite a dark sinister horror / dark humour. Moi? I have never written either before, nor have I ever had the inclination to do so. I have also joined a smaller group - 'Dark Humour' - and just written a very short, short merging a bit of 'Forest Gump' and a bit of 'Saving Private Ryan' and turned Tom Hanks into a murderous sociopath. What? I have also joined a Poetry group. My latest venture is a

Well; Eight episodes and mixed feelings. I am still not sure whether I have really enjoyed the series or not. In reality some bits I have, whereas others I have not. It has been an experience, and a great opportunity for me, as a writer of novels set in Victorian Leicester, to look at how a script-writer brings to life a bit of old England, but in this case, some forty years later than mine originate. There has been more than a fair share of violence, that must have existed given the nature of the beast that was 1890 England. There has been more than a fair share of turning a blind eye to Police ' doing things a little unethically' or being downright illegal themselves. Why? It catches viewers. Has the series done enough to encourage me to keep an eye out for series two? Of course it has! I am a hopeless optimist and pessimist and something might or might not improve upon what they have done. So, I will watch again. Was episode eight predicatable? Pretty muc

I have become an addict! My aversion to blogs and blogging has been cured, to the point that I have now become so involved in them and with them, that they are filling up my spare time! The danger is that they should not become a distraction from my main purpose, which is to write novels! What I have learned is that there are several GREAT discussion groups out there, and an awful lot of information sharing, mentoring, tuition and constructive criticism is openly available. I have added links to about eight or nine on my new website  www.1455bookcompany.com If you are not aware of them, or as a writer have yet to immerse yourself in them, give them a try. The Writers Community and The Writers Discussion Group have been incredibly welcoming and informative, and deserve special mention.

The new website for the company is now available at;- http://1455bookcompany.com/

Hi Guys; After a week off last week for some awards programme or other , I was really looking forward to last night's episode. I am bitterly disappointed. I thought I was watching a series set in impoverished Whitechapel, but last night it made a giant leap to Dodge City! BBC script writers, what are you thinking? First disappointment - back in my review of episode 4, I highlighted the role of the emerging PC Dick Hobbs (Jonathan Barnwell) who had all the makings of a bright young copper - just like Samson Shepherd in 'The Borough Boys' , my first novel. I did suggest that I hoped he would not be made a 'sacrificial lamb' like so many other young cops have in the past (Remember PC Sweet in Z-Cars?). Last night they killed him off! Spoo! That aside, the story was set around the arrival of a wealthy American businessman, and his minders, a gang of 'Pinkerton' men, with their own agenda - to seek out Long Susan and Homer Jackson and seek retributi

My new collection of 'Leicestershire Myth and Legend in verse' is now awaiting publication by both Createspace and Amazon KDP. This is a collection that I originally wrote as lyrics and short stories in verse form, for Leicestershire Folk evenings. Like everything, procrastination became the thief of time, and I still haven't got round to putting to music or having the courage to perform. So, I have decided to publish instead. The Myth and Legend covered includes;- Black Annis - the witch of Dane Hills Bel the Giant King Leir (that is the correct and original spelling Shakespeare fans!) Lady Jane Grey The Blue Boar Inn George Davenport - the Wigston Highwayman James Cook - the last man in the gibbet Joseph Carey (aka John) Merrick - the Elephant Man The prices are yet to be finalised, but the suggested price in paperback form is £2.99 sterling; $4 US dollars; 3 Euros. Title id: 4175733 ISBN - 13: 978 - 1482566437 ISBN - 10: 1482566435 The

I am going to pick up on one aspect alone from Tuesday's episode, which made the whole episode for me. I love the character that has been developed by Ben Miller, the bumbling, deep, shy, sensitive, cautious, hesitant, neurotic Inspector Richard Poole. Several critics of this programme have denounced it as rubbish. I think they are looking for something different! This is a good old fashioned, light-hearted, who-dunnit? in the realms of Midsummer Murders, but in a warmer climate! They (the so called professional critics) are missing the stories behind the stories. How many of you have been the victim of the bullying boss, team leader, dominant peer? I bloody well have!  And for ages I hadn't got a clue how to deal with them, or rather I hadn't developed the self-confidence to deal with them. In this episode, the neurotic, timid side of Richard Poole is totally exposed, as he comes face to face with a good, old fashioned, corrupt, bullying, arrogant, Met De

I find rejection letters from Literary Agencies quite a lot better than some comments had lead me to believe.  I also appreciate that some have also become adept at gentle let-downs. However, I have just had one of the most 'promising' rejection letters to date, from a major UK agency, who actually stated that they had 'read my first novel, and thought it stronger than many recent submissions, and an enjoyable read'.  Should I relish such a rejection letter? Yes! That actually gives me so much more hope, as the rejection was more about not identifying a publisher who would take the genre, rather than the text itself not being up to the mark. I wish all agencies could be so emphatic - for better or worse - and include a short constructive critique.  It might deter those who decide to put their draft back on the shelf!

I have been encouraged by family and friends to have a look back at some stuff I did a few years ago, when I started to teach myself Guitar, and I actually sat down and wrote quite a few sets of lyrics. I also transposed some into a collection of poetry addressing Leicestershire Myths and Legends. It has been an interesting exercise, and I have enjoyed looking at what I was writing then, and how I am writing now. One or two pieces I actually felt confident to submit for Poetry competitions, and have just sent off entries to the 'Bridport Prize' as a result of dusting them off and sprucing them up. I have also just submitted my first 100 word story competition for the 'Jeffrey Archer Prize' for Kobo / Curtis Brown Agency. That was quite an interesting exercise, with just 100 words to convey an entire concept from start to finish. The beauty of the 'dusting off' is also that it has furnished me with another short book that I shall look to publish in th

Hi everyone!  A break from Ripper Street this week with the BAFTAs, so little to compare and contrast. It has been a very enlightening week for me, as I am at a point where I am still awaiting one or two agents, a competition deadline that must pass before I can consider publishing in any format, so have been researching 'what to do next'. Reading other reviews of 'Ripper Street' I have begun to notice other Victorian fictional crime writers comparing the content of each episode for historical accuracy. There are some very interesting observations about cameras and cinematic equipment, firearms, explosives, and all indicate that the writer had allowed some license to introduce some of these before they were actually invented (or more accurately some were patented). The general consensus was 'so what if he did?'... That is an enormous relief to me as it means I can be less anxious about some ideas I have, particularly for the second novel in my 'B

Hi folks, I don't know why I didn't start to comment on this series earlier, as it is now five weeks into an eight week run! I have found this to be one of the most amusing and absorbing BBC series, other than 'Ripper Street', for some time. An appealing mix of Caribbean setting,  great casting, and imaginative 'who dun it?' plots, has made this a 'must watch' on a Tuesday night. Ben Miller, as the shyly reserved and constrained British detective, seconded to the island, in the role of Detective Inspector  Richard Poole, brings his humour to the fore throughout. Ably assisted by the delicious Sergeant Camille Bordey, played by Sara Martins, the counter-point to Miller's humour. Danny John-Jules plays the seasoned Saint Marie plod Dwayne Myers, who does everything the old way, wherever possible, and knows everybody. Best remembered as 'Cat' in Red Dwarf, his humour also comes through to bolster that of Miller. 'Cat' is never

Late today! Diverted from my routine... Episode six saw political unrest in the East End and the murder of an alleged Jewish anarchist, Joshua Bloom (Ferdinand Kingsley) in an explosion, that Special Branch try and manipulate to an 'own goal' by a Jewish bomb-maker. D.I. Edmund Reid (Matthew MacFayden) is drawn into not only a criminal investigation, but an internal struggle with Police Commissioner Monro (Michael McElhatton) and the devious and incompetent Special Branch, led by 'shadowy' Superintendent Constantine (Derek Riddell) and his bully boys. These were so much like the old style Bow Street Runners, who could do what they wanted with almost complete impunity! The fine line between legal or lawful and what constitutes the same when it comes to 'security of the state' becomes ill defined, and to many, crosses the line. When Reid begins his personal investigation, contrary to the dictate of the Commissioner, he is confronted with his past, and we l