Welcome - The International Writers Magazine - February 2008 writing from across the globe.

Editorial

Ok. I must preface this. Kit, our publisher thinks I am being unreasonable. But here goes. Teaching in class last week I was astonished to discover that the majority of my undergrad class in young fiction had not heard of Einstein (although one did identify it as the name of the dog in Back to The Future - get an A young lady for that). But nevertheless, in a discussion about time-travel and the possibilities of it, only two out of 30 in the seminar knew who he was and what he had theorised. A day later, same topic, different class, students didn't know who or what Fidel Castro was, had never heard of Che or even John Fitzgerald Kennedy. (They knew JFK was an airport however.). This in revelance to Barrak Obama having the appeal of a young Kennedy. Thestudents, male and female are around 18 to 24. They are either on a degree programme or a Master's programme. There are other important figures or writers they could not name either or find any reference to in their memories. 'We didn't study history is their excuse'.
My arguement is this. If you are on a Creative Writing degree and you don't know anything about history or what and where we have come from, you have no business in considering you can be a writer. The business of writing is social comment, entertainment, but most of all, authenticity and if you can't fake any of that...
So I am being an arrogant twit (to quote Kit) or expecting too much from the British schooling system that young writers should be curious about what has gone before them. The 'I just want to write 'Chick Lit'' mantra is all well and good but shouldn't one aspire to more. (I emphasise, on a degree or Masters programme).

Meanwhile, I was talking to my sister the other day and mentioning the volatile stock market, the impending economic recession, fall in house prices and the general air of doom that has ushered in with 2008 and she had no idea what I was talking about. ‘I never read newspapers and never watch the news’ she told me and somehow this works for her. She remains optimistic, happy and stress free.

Whilst I am not advocating we should all stop reading papers or watching the news (except Fox News of course) I would recommend adding some scepticism to all that you read or hear to help you get through your day. Personally I would find it hard to get through a day without checking the news. I like to know what is going on and feel connected.

Friends in the USA bemoan the fact that gas is $3 bucks a gallon and predict the worst for the future, but spare a thought for us living under the Brown Dictatorship in the UK. 50% percent of the cars on the road now run on diesel and that is almost $10 bucks a gallon. (A UK imperial gallon is bigger than a US gallon at 4.5 litres to the gallon and we pay £1.10p a litre ($2.15) so hence almost $10 bucks.)
Imagine what life would be like in the USA at that price. Would the Americans even stand for it? A better question is why do we here in the UK?

Why do we complacently accept the Governments inflation figures? Especially when they exclude house prices and other essential items. This month alone heating gas, electricity and rail fares have risen by 15% and yet the government lies to us and says it is falling to 2%.

I have no idea why we are so complacent but I know, for a fact that my cost of living has gone up by 10% a month in the last three months. My salary hasn’t.

So is the sky falling? Well on the positive side advance bookings for summer vacations are only running 2% down on last year according to Thomas Cook (30.01.08) Consumer sales are up in most supermarkets and house prices are falling in areas where they shouldn’t have gone up to start with. Areas where the crime rate is soaring for example. Gun crime is on a huge rise and kids are dying as they dispute territory.

Confidence isn’t high but it isn’t shattered and more people remain in work than out of it. However, you can’t believe Government figures. There are around 2 million economically inactive people getting incapacity benefit who probably should be doing something. There is an amazing UK statistic about how 50% of the people of working-age living in state housing are unemployed. Some estates with a third generation of welfare families. For some reason the Labour party has only just noticed this! And now wants coucil tennants to prove they are looking for work or lose their house. No doubt the solution will be to send them all the University. I smell a whole new raft of social engineering coming along.

However, my guess is, both here in the UK and the USA, if you have a job, make sure you hang on to it, book your vacation, but reduce your debts and postpone any big spending. Prices will fall this year and there will be bargains to be had in houses, cars and electrical goods. As the sunshine returns to the West, we will all start to feel a little happier and if Obama wins in November, he can begin to heal the world in 2009. Looking better for him all the time. Time to throw in the towel Hillary?
Yes We Can!

© Sam North - Editor Feb 18th 2008

* The MA in Creative Writing at Portsmouth University started another year this October. Apply now for 2008 entry: The current students have all got their major projects under way now. Novels, screenplays, children's fiction, speculation fiction, crime novels, you name it... If you need support and like a good encouraging peer group, join us. Might do you good to live in Portsmouth for a year, but you don't have to. Students come down from London once a week and further afield. Apply now to avoid being disappointed. You do not have to be published to join us, but you do have to have a portfolio of some interesting writing already to hand. *Hackwriter published writers especially welcome. Come to Sherlock Holmes country (yes this is where it all started on Elm Grove in Southsea).

Meanwhile, you worried about your health this spring? Read my book '‘Another Place to Die'' . If you have the slightest worry about how to survive the coming flu pandemic, you need this book and all the proceeds go to keep Hackwriters going. In the UK newspapers 31.08.07 they were quoting a Home Office paper called: Planning for a possible Influenza Edpidemic and predicting 650,000 'extra' deaths this winter in the UK if it breaks out. There will also be a shortage of coffins, not that you need them in a mass grave. It's all in my book, you don't need this report. Another Place to Die is a guide on how to survive the pandemic. So order now for your autumn reading. (Maybe Amazon will do you a deal on a coffin too!) You will not be disappointed.
See the review from Ian Middleton.

Someone who just read it described it as: ‘Thought-provoking, horrifying and moving’ It’s essential reading for anyone who wants to survive the next flu pandemic. You just might want to be prepared. The Government is taking it seriously. Are you? Order the book now. If you want to be prepared for the coming flu pandemic you will need 'Another Place to Die'
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We at Hacks are self-supporting and if you want to support us, buy Sam's books - All the funds from the sale of the books go back into the site. If you live in New York they can be ordered at the Mysterious Bookshop at 58 Warren Street. These titles are able to be ordered at Amazon who keep stock see below and can be ordered from Waterstones all over the UK and Hatchards in London and for less cost direct from Lulu.com in the UK and USA

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Another Place To Die by Sam North ISBN: 978-1-84753-899-4 The Next Great Flu Pandemic is coming. Are you prepared? Reviews: 'It will keep readers in suspense, laced with gritty-gallows humor' Charlie Dickinson '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 Williams - Amazon.co.uk Fascinating, frightening and compelling, Another Place to Die is the ultimate page-turner which I guarantee will result in many late nights under the bedside light with you uttering, ‘just one more chapter!!’ Ian Middleton Read the first chapter on line Order Now direct from Publisher : Another Place To Die

The Curse of the Nibelung - A Sherlock Holmes Mystery by Sam North ISBN 1-4116-3748-8 $19.98 Retail - 300 pages - Lulu Press USA 'Chocolate will never be the same again' - Sunday Express Buy from your favourite on-line retailer Amazon UK Amazon USA Barnes and Noble & Waterstones

Diamonds - The Rush of '72 is also available from the publishers direct

Diamonds - The Rush of '72 By Sam North ISBN: 1-4116-1088-1 Buy now from Amazon.com 'a terrific piece of storytelling' Historical Novel Society Review Also printed in the UK and available from Amazon.co.uk & Waterstones

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