Orangeberry Summer Splash - in Haikus

How would I go about summing up Hatred Ridicule & Contempt in a Haiku? Like this: -

Libel action trial
Lawyer partnership turmoil
Who will win and lose?

How tempting, then, to take this a step further for the Orangeberry Summer Splash and invite fellow authors to write their own. Here are the first six: -

Donna Brown, Double Take Tales: -

Three tales with a twist
And a glimmer of bright hope
All have a message

Darlene Jones, Embattled: -

Burqas and beaches
Mysteries and miracles
Two lives. Two lovers

Keri Nola, A Year On Your Path To Growth: -

A year of growing
Authentically each step
Empower yourself

Marie-Anne Mancio, Whorticulture: -

Antebellum life
Choose friend, lover, whore, or wife
Whose lie is biggest?

Gean Penny, Bobby Jay: -

Patches fill its cloth
Stories shared between those left
Lonely for Grandpa

And finally for now, Kim Dalferes, I Was In Love With A Short Man Once: -

Crazy Southern Irish gal
Grows up to become?
Heartfelt smiles and fun.

More to follow, no doubt!

Lulu Discount for Hatred Ridicule & Contempt

Not far behind my recent price reduction for the paperback version of Hatred Ridicule & Contempt in its own right, thanks to a formatting change, Lulu are offering a further discount up to and including this Friday for anyone visiting their site and using the code SILVERUK .

Interesting to note that they are referring to "Olympic savings of epic proportions" either in oblivion to the petty activities of the O-word censorship police, or have decided that they could not care less about them?

The general Lulu link is here - the specific link to Hatred Ridicule & Contempt is here and on the right. Keep a look out for the Orangeberry Summer Splash too.

Hatred Ridicule & Contempt: the Ford 99 Test

So what exactly, in the world of novel writing, is a Ford 99? The answer, a test for a new book devised by novelist Ford Madox Ford – read page 99 and let that be the guide to whether you wish to read more.

The Orangeberry Summer Splash has taken this a step further, inviting its author entrants to dissect page 99 of their books in pursuit of a positive answer to the question. Very ingenious. Here goes.

To have described Thursday 11^th March as simply One Of Those Days for solicitor Alex Harris would have been a woeful understatement.

With his newspaper clients’ libel trial only days away, he realises just how dirty a fight his opponents intend to contest, as they pull a last minute rabbit out of the hat in the form of printed apologies to past libel victims that Bill Holroyd, the editor, had been compelled to publish in days gone by. Apologies that are now to feature in the documents bundle that will be placed before the judge and jury, in the hope of poisoning their minds against the editor, regardless of the fact that he was then in charge of a downmarket tabloid, not the same newspaper that is now on trial.

Thinking on his feet, Alex finds a counter-measure to demonstrate that whenever Holroyd decided in his past editorial role to stand firm against a libel allegation and go to trial, he was never defeated. Little did Alex know that this would not be the last dirty trick…

But the clients’ problems and Alex’s fightback on their behalf almost pale into insignificance alongside a sudden escalation of his firm’s internal political struggle. Breaking into his working day, by way of direct response to his defiance of a recent personal affront, a decision from the Management Committee to spark off a formal process that will put his status and his livelihood on the line. And all because of what?

Just at the wrong moment, in comes Stewart Robbins, Alex’s head of department, for a private word, evidently knowing about the Management Committee’s intentions and looking to play the part of some kind of honest broker. If ever a man was in the wrong place at the wrong time…

Page 99 is where what had been a steady build up of tension in Alex’s working life becomes a virtual torrent. There is no turning back. From this point onwards, it is evident that neither the libel trial nor the partnership conflict stand any chance of striking a happy medium and reaching an outcome where everyone involved can make a concession or two, resolve the disputes and feel that they have achieved something. They will both move remorselessly towards an outcome where there can only be one winner. And one loser.

Orangeberry Summer Splash: Check This Out

As a participant, it's understandable - and indeed only right and proper - that I should provide some well deserved publicity for the Orangeberry Summer Splash.

In the words of Pandora Poikilos, who is putting all of the hard work into organising the promotion: -

"As Orangeberry Book Tours reaches its 100th book tour, I will be organising a special mini book tour marathon, Orangeberry Summer Splash from 1st August to 31st August. The goal is to get 100 authors and 100 book blogs to participate in this campaign that is set to raise awareness for all participating authors and books."

Great idea. Check it out here.