Like a lot of bloggers, I started this blog in the belief it was a necessary step towards publication of my novel. What I didn’t realise was how much I would enjoy blogging in its own right.
Since I started (in April 2014) I have published fourteen books, covering a mix of genres, some short fiction, poetry and a memoir – you can find out more about them from the side widgets or my author page, here – and written on a range of subjects, from walking to cooking, theatre, film and book reviews, travel to my writing process, London and my garden. This is an eclectic blog that defies categorisation. That will either charm and delight or drive you bonkers. I hope the former; if the latter, I’m sorry but you have been warned.
I have also met some fascinating people, both electronically and in the flesh as a result of this blogging lark. I’ve shared some of my writing and enjoyed others who have visited here as guests. Come and say hi and I’ll visit back.
I live in South London surrounded by all the varieties of life that London can throw at you. I will nail my colours to the mast here: I LOVE LONDON. There, said it. So part of this will be to proselytise about my city, and especially the bits where taxi drivers are fabled to hate to go after 10 pm (‘Sarf of the river, mate? Yer kidding me? I’d need inoculations and all sorts’).
I’ve been on the planet a fair few years now so my mistakes are many and varied; if I can help others avoid my pitfalls and pratfalls, well great; if not then at least you can have a laugh at what a twit I’ve been.
Me stuff
My name is Geoff Le Pard and for a few years now I have been trying my hand at writing mostly fiction. I’m a course junkie so have tried Arvon, a Birkbeck College evening class and summer school and, latterly, an MA at Sheffield Hallam. What have I learnt? That I still have a lot to learn. I have a few likes and interests – my incompetent cooking; my passion for walking with Dog and exploring the outside world and the inside me as I do; toiling as a jobbing gardener under the Textiliste’s careful instruction; reading of the good, the bad and the indifferent in fiction; doing some volunteering (as the boy scout picture above suggests); following many sports (as long as no horses are involved); sitting in darkened theatres and cinemas hoping that I am exhilarated and not anaesthetized; dancing both ballroom and Latin to a level which no longer (totally) embarrasses the Vet and the Financial Broker – you will note these labels; this is my website and I prefer to keep family and friends anonymous where possible.
I did have a career before all this; it is easy enough to find out what, given my somewhat unusual name, but I only blog about that when relevant to something current or to rise a smile
All the ideas here are mine, unless it is blatantly obvious they are not. Ditto with images. Feel free to share but do so with care and respect. And an acknowledgement wouldn’t go amiss. I hope it goes without saying (but I’ll say it nonetheless) that what I write is copyright me and that way only I can be blamed for it.
I think it is time for a PS. It’s now 2022; we have survived a pandemic, and the financial and societal consequences. The Vet and the Financial Broker have wed to, respectively, the Pest Controller and the Journalist. I remain happily wed to the ever creative Textiliste and the Dog maintains the fiction that I am the main man. Life is officially good. Long may that continue.
Oh and the reason you can’t comment is because I’m trying to reduce the tsunami of spam. Please feel free to leave a comment on a recent post if you want to get in touch. Or use the contact button above.
TanGental 
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Hey there Newbie Spikey!
(for your info, a Spikey is the term for folk who are part of the clan known to be followers of Uncle Spike 🙂
Thank you… I really appreciate that as I for one, know how many interesting and entertaining blogs are out there.
Blogging since June 2013, my aim is to deliver an eclectic offering of posts, from my ‘point n shoot’ attempts at basic photography, to the sharing of my travel adventures over the decades, as well as day to day happenings here on the farm. Oh, plus a few observations, opinions and lighter-hearted stuff thrown in for good measure.
I normally keep to a couple of posts a day, maybe 3-4 at weekends if I have something special to share. But if you are at a loose end one day, maybe you’ll enjoy trawling through some of my older stuff too. I have added plenty of categories to help in said digging process.
Thanks again and hope you have a great day…
UNCLE SPIKE
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Thanks Uncle. I will do that
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🙂 and hope your day is ok so far…
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Great to meet you Geoff and I love London too 🙂
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Ah Sherri, so pleased to find another Londonophile; I should blog a ten fav places to go in London and see what people come up with.
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Following you from Rereading Jane Eyre’s blog recommendation list! Looking forward to your content! 😀
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Thanks so much. It can be a bit of a mixture
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You’re welcome! Mixture is GREAT! My blog is the same. I’m still trying to find my ‘groove’, though. LOL! Best wishes to you! 😀
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Hello Geoff, I was looking through the “Feedback” menu in my WordPress back end and found a message from you from June 18th. It never made it to my inbox; it must have gotten lost in the occasional black hole of the Internet. I appreciate you taking the time to send the message through my contact form. There are so many interesting blogs, and having a connection with some of the writers makes those blogs even more enjoyable! I tried to answer but the email bounced back, so thought I’d leave a message here.
We were in London last summer for just five days. My Norwegian husband has been often in his 62 years on this earth, but it was the first time for this American living on this side of the pond. I LOVED it.
I’ve just begun reading your Dad’s mid-40’s letters. Such a gift to the world you’ve provided — a personal glimpse into that time in history.
I hope you have a lovely weekend!
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Your site was recommended to me by Cindi, over in Norway. It is a pleasure to meet you. Any friend of Cindi’s…..
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Great. Thank you for visiting. Cindi is too kind.
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Nice to meet you, Geoff! You have a lovely blog, I’ll be back for more, I’m your new follower. 🙂
All the best,
Dina
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And you Dina! Thank you for the follow. Glad to see you like Norfolk too. Odd place (my in laws come from there!) but very beautiful.
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Norfolk is my favourite place! 🇬🇧 After Norway. ❤️
Where about in Norfolk, in the North, maybe? 😊
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Mother in law from East Bradenhan (now in Wymondham), father in law from Swaffham. Always loved Wells and Holt and Cley. Having bought a place near Southwold we’re getting to know the Broads a little. Have a look at my friend Sherri’s blog on ghost and the Broads. You might like it. http://sherrimatthewsblog.com/2014/07/24/holiday-reading-ghosts-and-the-norfolk-broads/
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If you should come further north, give you us a sign and I’ll put the kettle on… 😊
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I’ll wave my Union Jack
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A writer and muser after my own heart! I shall be following closely behind you as long (as you’re not cycling!) Thanks for sharing – you are now linked on my blog too.
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Good to meet up. Mostly a walker these days; Dog tends to become tangled with the spokes and neither of us are happy about that..
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Hi Geoff,
As I wish to let others know how much I enjoy reading your blog, I have nominated you for a Very Inspiring Blogger Award.
You can check out the nomination in my post http://wp.me/p3O5Jj-k4 .
Participation is your choice. If you wish to nominate bloggers who inspire you, the rules are provided there.
Thanks for sharing so much wonderful content on your blog.
Best wishes, Norah.
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Aw Norah, I’m so touched. That is so thoughtful and kind. I will take a close look. Enjoy London!
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Nice to meet you Geoff! I’ve seen your moniker on several blogs and am happy to add another Brit to follow. Could have quite a party with all the people I’ve met from the UK via blogs! I love London, too – was introduced to her when my brother was living there, working for Lloyds, and wish we could afford to visit more often. It seems most of my favorite bloggers also like to cook and have a dog – is this telling me something?
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Hi Noelle. Pleased to meet you too having seen you mentioned in many blogs. Loved the post about the Silence of the Lambs. We bred acherontia atropos when I was a kid – dad and brother were mad entomologists so emptying the MV moth trap before breakfast was standard, as was dodging the hornets that were trapped too. Off to check out your book!
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Thanks for the follow. No insects in my books..yet. I’m on the third, have a new one being released in early February, But you’ve given me a great thought for my fourth!
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oh wow, that’s brilliant. Funny where the ideas come from, isn’t it?
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We have to learn. It takes courage in order to admit to this. You’re a writer and I am pleased to read the your the works of. Good luck.
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Thank you so much
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Hi Geoff,
I can see this visit is going to be the beginning of an ongoing thing and it amazes me how you can meet someone blogging across the world where you can not only have so much in common but actually find that out almost immediately.
As you might expect, I’ve come to your blog via the 1000 Voices Speak for Compassion movement. I had thought writing my post was the challenging part but now my journey of trying to read and comment on 1000 blog posts has begun and I honestly don’t know where this is going to lead me because I’m finding lots of great blogs and bloggers.
Like yourself, I started blogging to get my work out of my computer into the real world. I have transcribed my grandparents’ love letters witten as they planned their wedding at the height of the Japanese threat to Australia. My grandmother was living in Brisbane an dmy grandfather was a Pastor out west in Dalby and he was very concerned about a Japanese invasion and my grandmother being at risk, which when I first read the letters out of their historical context, seemed rather far fetched. I have read magazines and newspapers of he day and been quite surprised by my findings.
I also have a dog and my kids do Scouts while I volunteer as photographer and publicist for the school and scouts. Here’s a link: https://beyondtheflow.wordpress.com/2014/12/09/being-prepared-dogs-join-the-cub-scouts/
Time for a reality check!
xx Rowena
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Beautiful post Rowena. I visit the Edinburgh festival every year and an Aussi troop performed a piece about the Jap threat in Darwin from the perspective of two families. It is a hidden piece of history to us here in The UK and I didn’t know about bombing etc. tough times which that generation treated as prosaic, at least outwardly. And the letters are so touching with the humdrum next to the historic. Real young people trying to be in love at a distance with all the hope and uncertainty that creates. Thank heavens for paper. What will our grandkids find in the attic in this paperless age?
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I can assure you that I am very far from paperless and our attic is threatening to fall through the ceiling. WE are all book collectors and sentimental. There’s a mountain of stuff up there…and phots. How could I forget to mention photos?!!!!
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I’ve begun the slow process of digitalising mine but there is no way I can get rid of the originals. I often wonder, if we ever empty the attic how far the home might spring off its foundations.
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I’d never thought about that. I don’t know whether you read about my Border Collie, Bilbo, getting all his fur shaved off last week. Well, he is like a new dog and he is almost bouncing around with a spring in his step now. He is 8 years old and I’d thought he was starting to change “categories” but getting rid of the fur and all the tangles due to his avoidance of the brush, has made him a new dog. He has also lost some weight since our new dog Lady arrive. That said, Lady has gained some.
Yes, so without you things in the attic, your house might elevate itself a little..or a lot depending on which age group you were writing for!
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ours is short haired, not that that stops the tumbleweed fur-balls in the corner of the kitchen accumulating and his underside makes me thing Gloucester Old Spot rather than Jack Russell-Staffie cross- actually he’s a mutt, not a cross. I will find your post. Thanks
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Mutts have more fun and aren’t as screwed up as posh dogs!
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If only you could walk our dogs… They can be quite difficult to manage. We have not mastered the art of dog training.
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Ah yes. I do have a few little tricks! It might be a bit of a commute from South London, though!
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Unfortunately, yes.
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Hi Geoff,
I decided to follow up on your oblique reference to your past life and do some sleuthing…not that challenging given your unique moniker.
Your involvement in the London Olympics sounds fascinating and I loved your reference to “immovable deadline”. Talk about major egg on face if that got screwed up!! It’s bad enough when you mess things up with your kid’s birthday party. Mum’s best friend’s daughter has worked on the Australian end of the Olympics since the prelude to the Sydney 2000 Games. Would have been an amazing experience.
We went to the Sydney Olympics and saw Kathy Freeman, the Australian athlete, run. That was amazing as was seeing the Olympic Flame in the cauldron. We went into the Sydney CBD to watch the fireworks for the Closing Ceremony which were set off in Sydney Harbour and right out to the Olympic site in Homebush, in Sydney’s west. The city was absolutely packed and everybody was headig for the Harbour foreshore for the best view they could squeeze into. I do a lot of photography and had a lateral thought and we went behind the Sydney Harbour Bridge to the Wharf Theatre where the crowds were quite manageable and it turned out we were parked right in front of a barge letting off fireworks and I got some great photos.
The vibe around Sydney during the Olympics was amazing and strangers united becoming friends calling out: “Aussie! Aussie! Aussie! Oi!Oi! Oi!”,,,which I’d previously considered a yobbo embarrassment but became such a term of endearment. It was sad when it all ended. xx Rowena
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Hi Rowena. Thank you for such a full comment. My role started at my law firm before the bid when we acted pro bono for the Bid Co. After the win in 05 it was announced that for the first time ever professional firms would be sponsors so we decided we wanted to win. To keep up our knowledge base we and a dozen other firms offered cheap secondees to the Government backed infrastructure company to help with the planning and facility construction phase. As my expertise is real estate and construction I became the senior man in post. However in 2009 when the legal role was allocated (which we won) it meant the support moved to the operating company LOCOG. At first I thought my role had finished because my expertise wasn’t what they needed but soon they realised they still needed major support in my area and back I went in 2010 staying until the post Games wind down. Once that role ended at the end of 2012 I decided to stop being a lawyer and become a writer. And here I am! The time I had and especially the six weeks of Olympics and Paralympics were fantastic. I was there on super Saturday when Greg Rutherford, Mo Farah and Jess Ennis all won gold. I’ve been in countless sports arenas around the globe and never have I experienced the noise that night. Geoff
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Geoff, that sounds fantastic!! Good on you for stepping away from all that to pursue your writing. I don’t know whether it is easier to do that when you have some security behind you but are used to the income or slog it out when you’re young and don’t know what it’s like to have two coins to rub together. I must say that I personally don’t see much romance in the role of the struggling young writer squatting with nothing in the fridge.
The roar of the crowd sounds phenomenal. I don’t think I’ve ever experienced that but my parents went to see The Beatles when they came to Australia and they could only hear over all the screaming by covering their ears and hearing the music through the bleachers. That is something I would have liked to experience.
It is my son’s birthday today and and I out of bed way too late after making his cake. I am an exceptionally messy cook and after finding out too late that the lactose free cream wouldn’t beat and also seems to stop things from binding together, I spent an eternity cleaning up chocolate ooze and camouflaging my troubles with M&Ms. Every year, I have troubles with the birthday cakes despite being a good cook. I call it the birthday cake curse.
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The thing about that crowd was exemplified by Farah’s run. We were screaming our heads off yet even so the noise went up as he passed. You could feel that crescendo coming at you like an aural Mexican Wave, absorbing you in this joyous concophany and then breathing again ( because you sure shall hell cannot breathe when in the middle of that beast). And that’s 28 laps of sheer bloody mayhem that leaves you weeping and shaking and dry mouthed and, well, you need a damn good constitution to survive it.
Ah cake disasters. I’ve had a few. Mostly of the collapsing into a puddle of goo sort. Tastes fab but impossible to cut!
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Hello,
I have nominated you for a liebster award – see the details here http://wp.me/p3kG6h-157
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Love your blog Geoff. It’s wonderful to read your thoughts. Reminds me of our many and varied chats on life, probably when I should have been getting on with my work! Miss you and your wisdom.
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Hi Flick. Good you hear from you and glad you like the blog. I’ll DM you re a coffee!
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Geoff, I have nominated you for the Leibster Award http://wp.me/p1VeFf-jt
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Wow Ula thank you.
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I started blogging not to push myself to publish books but to push the book I was about to publish, which is now out in the world and on its own. But blogging, somehow, demands to be taken on its own terms and I find I’m now blogging because I blog. And because it’s changed me as a writer–I hope in a good way. I’m an American living in Cornwall, but when I do get up to London I love it. It’s a fantastic city. As for promoting the places cab drivers don’t want to go after 10 pm–well, I’m a former cab driver, well, we have our biases, and they don’t all make sense. I’m all for promoting those places.
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Your final line made me laugh,”what I write is copyright me and that way only I can be blamed for it.” yeah, I identify with that quote! Like you, I’ve started blogging as a way to take a small step towards eventually going ‘public’ as you say, to make connections, develop a few new skills. Along the way I have found out that I enjoy doing a bit of photography too, as well as the writing and the book reviewing, etc. So it’s a bit of a blogging journey I suppose, one I’m still on, and I’m hoping to get my novel published somewhere along the way. That’s proving to be difficult, but nothing worth it is easy, I suppose.
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Thanks. Keep going. This writing and publishing lark is a marathon for sure. But you’ll get there – wherever there is. As they say, everything will be alright in the end; and if things aren’t alright then it isn’t yet the end!
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Thanks for the wonderfully inspiring words, they lifted my spirit this morning as I read them. 🙂
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Hi, thank you so much for following my blog. It is nice to meet you Geoff
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Lovely to meet you too!
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Thanks for following The Immortal Jukebox Geoff. I hope you have found lots to entertain you and perhaps made some discoveries. If you haven’t visited for some time check it out again! Good luck with your blog and writing. Regards Thom.
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I’ll look today Thom
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Great!
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Hello Geoff I have nominated you for the Three Day Quote Challenge
The rules of the challenge:
Post your favorite quotes or your own quotes for 3 days in a row.
Thank the person who nominated you
Pass it on to 3 other bloggers.
Takes cover from sundry articles being thrown my way!
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Thanks Willow
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Geoff I’ve just rad your 5 photos 5 stories and loved them. You have a brilliant sense of humour and your imagination is second to none!
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That is so nice of you to say so. Thank you!
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Hi Geoff! Your blog was recommend to me by Gary (aka PedalWORKS) and he was right. I like it here. Glad to meet another Londoner too (well, I’m only a Londoner if you count the “resident” part). I’ve never been in Dulwich – here’s an idea for a week-end escapade!
I look forward to your future posts.
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If you are in London on 1st August maybe you’d like to join in the First Annual Blogger’s Bash? http://hughsviewsandnews.com/2015/07/13/the-annual-bloggers-bash-awards-join-us-on-august-1st-2015/
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Love the idea. I’ll most certainly join you!
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Marvellous
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Hi Geoff
THE FIRST POST CHALLENGE
The rules:
1 link your first post
2 name the type of the post
3 explain why this was your first post (reason for writing)
4 nominate fellow bloggers to participate in the challenge
I look forward to seeing your first post!
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lol ok. I still owe you my 3 quotes!
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Nominate on get one free! NOGOF ? 😉
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Ah, here you are. I just went to your profile first and there wasn’t a link to your site there.
I am not a computer geek. And generally in the mornings I tend to be a tad slower than what passes for normal.
Continued success with your writing and your blog.
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I tried to add one a whole back and it blew a raspberry. I should try again. Thanks for the comment Jules
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I’d tell you how I did it… but I forget.
(getting older does that.) I think, (and I have been told that could be dangerous) that you copy and past the whole http:… line of your blog – but I’m not sure how you get into the profile to change it. Could be one of those ‘it’s’ right before your eyes things… Good Luck.
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Hey it was easy. I think I’ve done it. Just logging off and on again to see!
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Sometimes I just don’t understand computer language. Glad if something I knew or remembered actually helped.
I’m not adept with photos either… and many have tried to help. One of these days I’ll figure it out. Thanks for stopping by my about page… I had to unspam you. But you should be Okey-dokey now.
I have three main blogs at an attempt to organize what I write. Hope to see you at Carrot Ranch now and again. 🙂
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I will be there. Why three blogs?
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One was started for small daily observances. And still is such, The other for longer poetic verse (mostly prompted and not everyday) and the other for flash and non- fiction. I generally have the title (though not for the daily pieces) the date and s for strands – the longer verse, and f for fiction so that when I get comments I know where to look. I started the ‘stones’ for a place that was originally called ‘A River of Stones’ which is now no longer. And they had a site that used to connect the blogs that participated. So I didn’t post anything that didn’t belong there, not their theme. So I started the long verse site. Then a couple of years ago I got into the fiction end and just thought it best to have a separate place for that as well. I actually have two others… but the ‘B’ Site is just for the daily, and for ease of commenting as not everyone has WP. And the fifth is for one particular story that I was using just word lists to connect the dots so to speak. But that kind of stalled. Though I added about five pages to it via another prompt either last year early this year. Some of the serial fiction stories have their own pages on the fiction blog. Most though just have links to the segments.
Like I said my attempt at organizing. I’ve been writing for a long time. I always write in my own documents and then copy and paste. I have the titles dates and sometimes the prompt listed so I can find what I am looking for. That was before I figured out how to use the searches on the individual blogs. And even my own documents.
While I’ve got family that understand computer stuff. I am the only blogger. And ‘they’ aren’t much help in the blog department. 🙂
I have met over the 4-6 years that I’ve been doing this… some very wonderful folks. Some in my same state of Pennsylvania, USA and many from around the world. It is a pleasure to met other poets, writers and artists.
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I will track back and have a good read. I’m impressed you keep so many afloat.
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No rush. Internet time is different than reality. Enjoy when you do visit. I tend to not follow too many sites. But I do try to get back to folks who visit, with a return visit.
Best to you. Jules
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I’ve nominated you for the Blogger Recognition Award (with no strange questions to answer) – my award post is here ==> https://timeformythoughts.wordpress.com
Feel free to disregard if you haven’t got the time or inclination.
Carol
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Woohoo thank you. I’m a bit reluctant about awards but I’m never ungrateful at the thought the nominator has put in. You really are too too kind. Thank you. I’m going to your blog to read about it.
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you’re very welcome – I have mixed feelings about the awards because they can be a great deal of work for little purpose – but I like having the opportunity to pass them on. 🙂
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Thanks Carol. I’m going to enjoy your blog anyway.
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Thank you!
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love your “about” – a lot of fun to read!!
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Thank you so much.
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I believe today is a day to say Happy Birthday, Geoffle!
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Thank you Sue; you are spot on!
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Happy Birthday Geoff!
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Hi Geoff! Your blog has just been recommended to me by Rowena over at beyondtheflow.wordpress.com and I must say I really do like it! I’m looking forward to reading more of your posts (especially those that are travel related!), happy blogging 😊
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Thanks Harriet. Did I say that already? It’s been a long year!
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Thanks Willow
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Thanks so much for the link.
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Thank you
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Thanks for the link
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Thanks for the link
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Thank you for the link
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Thank you for the link
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Hi Goeff! Came upon your blog through Susie’s and I think I’ll stick around. Just started on our dad’s letters. The one thing I don’t agree with you about, is I like sports that involve horses! But I’m willing to overlook this flaw 🙂
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Looking forward to reading more of your blog too ML!
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Hi Geoff, so great to find your blog which I’m really enjoying. Look forward to reading a lot more. Cheers from Australia.
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I’m pleased you found me. Hope you enjoy it here!
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Thanks. Sure I will.
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Thank you Sue
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Wasn’t sure where to put this comment, Geoff? The link ‘to the woods’ doesn’t work, either on your blog or through the link you sent me. Is it still in ‘drafts’ perhaps? 🙂 Sorry!
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Someone else said and when I checked it was fine but I will look again
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I’m not sure whether you partake of these but just in case you do – I’ve nominated you to do a three day quote challenge. I won’t be offended if you say No nicely…. but here’s the link if you’d like to join in: https://kyrosmagica.wordpress.com/2016/03/07/quote-challenge-day-2-nikos-zazantzakis/
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Thanks Marje. I enjoy challenges so I will do my best to join in. Thank you for thinking of me.
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That’s great Geoff.. thanks for joining in. 🙂
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Happy Saturday arvo to you, Geoffle! It’s now 4.00PM on Saturday afternoon. I you met me for the first time today, you’d describe me as a shameless couch potato. Indeed, a rotting one at that. The kids are away at a sailing/kayak regatta with scouts so we’re doing “nuffin”. Well, not doing “nuffin enuff”. The house has been recolonized by “stuff” during the week and the washing has multiplied. The usual.
Anyway, came across a blog I thought you’d enjoy. James walks through Northern England through the lens: https://smackedpentax.wordpress.com/ I am most envious of the brilliant green in his photos. We held a funeral for our lawn a few weeks ago.
xx Ro
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I’ll have a look thanks. Bit too green just now in truth – St Paddy I suppose – and we’ll be walking somewhere tomorrow. Made the most of the quiet!
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Hi Geoff, Loved your tilt on The Brothers Grimm and Sue’s picture prompt Through the Trees. Thought I’d nip over and say hello, then stick around for a bit. 😀
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Well hi. I’m on my way back too!
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Thanks. Enjoy.
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Thanks Sally
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Hello Geoff 😉 Stumbled upon you via Sue Vincent’s WritePhoto post, but Im looking forward to reading more of your words 😉
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That’s really neat. Hope you enjoy my mix of nonsense…
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🙂 nonsense is good in this overly-serious world 😉
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Thanks ever so Ritu
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Geoff! Hi! It’s been so long since I vanished from the blogosphere and I’m trying so hard to get back into it but things always get in the way (excuses, excuses…) I hope you’re doing well… When’s the next Blogger’s Bash again?
I have a huge favour to ask actually… could I possibly email you about it? xx
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June 10th and of course ask away. I can always say no. Email is glepard@saqnet.co.uk
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Ha! Goon
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Hi Geoff I know you will not be too pleased with me but I have nominated you for Song Challenge (Music That Means Something)
The rules are:
Post a song a day for five consecutive days.
Post what the lyrics mean to you. (Optional)
Post the name of the song and video.
Nominate 1 or 2 bloggers each day of the challenge.
willow xx
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I’ll think about it! But you are v kind to think of me
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🤗💝
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Enjoying your blog, Geoff. What’s the background photo?
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Southwold beach huts
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I borrowed your picture mussed it about and I thank you for it. I have put it in a new post I hope you forgive the theivery and maybe have a read.
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As I promised but be aware it is a tad out of my comfort zone as I experiment with genres https://ellenbest24.wordpress.com/2017/06/24/im-only-human-after-all/
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Thank you for the link and well done on the nomination
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My interest is piqued! I look forward to following.
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so glad; hope you enjoy the rummage
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Sounds like you and I have a lot in common. I too started a blog as the next step towards publication. A pleasant surprise came when I began to meet some amazing people. Looks like you are on a fun journey. This blogging thing is pretty cool. 🙂
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Nice to meet you, Geoff. You seem to have many of the same interests I do, so I look forward to hearing more from you. Thanks too for following me. 🙂
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Glad to be here! Jo is a good linker-upper!
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Thanks! Jo is the best! 🙂
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Hello Geoff. Our common friend Rowena sent me your way. I’m finding her to be one very wise woman.
I am the brains behind that Giant Innertube story you read a while back.
Having just completed a rare visit to the hospital for a much needed back procedure! I’m finally getting caught up with some planned blog touring. Your material looks both like fun and instructive. With your leave, I’ll be poking about some and hope we get to know each other.
Thanks again for the fun feedback and your great antidote about blowing a hole in your lawn as a youth. I needed friends like you back then to make me look like less of a walking hazard than I otherwise did.
Do you also love a great prank? I’d love to hear some from your side of the pond or I can offer you my “Kid Bomb” adventure – perpetrated when I was about 23. The affected girl friend was not happy but it still makes for a great tale & laugh to share with friends at a good pub – which is strikingly hard to find her in northern California.
My tour is starting so need to run.
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Gary, delighted to welcome you here; yes, it sounds like we had a few similar challenges in our ‘yoof’. I was never brilliant at pranks because they often, literally as well as metaphorically blew up in my face – I think my mother was grateful we have a free at point of service medical system here with the NHS – no insurer would have touched me. Happy touring
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How come I have never liked your about page? 😱😉💜
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It’s only about right so we’re all a work in progress
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We are indeed, I actually meant I had never read your about page before, not sure why 😊💜
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Hi Geoff, just a nod to let you know; your name has been bandied about a little on my part of the book tour for Dark Visions.. One of your stories reviewed in the thick of the creep.
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Dear Geoff, I hope you visit my new post; where you are included more than once. I truly hope you enjoy it. I have a full quota of links on the post and WordPress refused the last one to your page for a pingback. May I also wish you a fine and sumptuous Christmas and new year. x.
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Dear Geoff, your page is fantastic, very inspiring and your books seem interesting. Wishing you millions in book sales in 2019 and a fantastic new year
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What a unique blog. Loved it! 🙂
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Thanks so much
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Lovely Susie
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a course junkie?✏
good for u for enjoying learning! 👍
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Thank you for coming across
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I visited your website. Nice to see and read
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Very kind. Thank you
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Hi Geoff, nice to meet you. I came across your blog via Hugh news and Views 🙂 I love that you love London because I do too. And my hubby was 40 years a black cabbie 🙂 When the sun is out, you just can’t beat London.
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Hello there. Yes, it’s a splendid city. Grubby, full of the best and some of the worst of humanity, green and wonderful and gritty and grimy and ever dull. I’ve lived in the deepest countryside and a regional city and nothing gets close to this place. Glad the delightful Hugh sent you across. It’s a mixed old world hereabouts and if you stay i hope you enjoy it!
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Nice to hear from you Geoff, and I agree! I’ve lived by the sea (which I love), in the country (which was green and beautiful) and in this big ol’ city. It’s full of character, green spaces, cultural differences, and energy! You can stay anonymous or meet and befriend all kinds of people.
As Samuel Johnson famously said: “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life.” But despite the beautiful sights on offer and the myriad of food, music and cultures, there are certain things that you often hear that will eventually wear you down.
Caz
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Hi Geoff! Excited to know more about London. Recently I finished two books – The Splendid and the Vile, – I’ve got your number, both set in London. So, “London” is taking most of my attention! And then you are from London. Yay!
Enjoyed reading your About.
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Very nice. You love London, I love Paris!
Have a good day!
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Thanks. I love Paris too. It’s equally bonkers but in a more sophisticated way…
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Hi Geoff,
I came across a book and story which I thought you and the textilist would absolutely love and I’m going to order it myself, even though I’m needing to pull in the belt a bit after a few post-lockdown splurges. The book is Shelley Klein’s: “The See-Through House”
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2020/apr/25/people-fell-under-its-spell-shelley-klein-on-growing-up-in-one-of-britains-finest-modernist-houses
This house is the complete opposite of my grandparents’ home where they’d raised their 7 children and their were little nooks and hidey holes everywhere as well as the two grand pianos.
Anyway, had better get to sleep.
Best wishes,
Ro
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It does sound fascinating though the man was clearly a tyrant and I doubt we’d see eye to eye, but the idea of house as person is intriguing. Thanks Ro
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A bold and interesting ‘About Page’ can certainly make or break the responses given, but adding a photograph of yourself definitely improves those chance visits to be of a positive nature I think.
Blogging has taken quite a big hit over the past five years or so, and a lot of Word-Pressers have disappeared, but those that persevered have a rich presence, and are still producing their own thing for hundreds if not thousands of readers.
I like your presentation and will take a leap of faith by reading some of your postings here, I might even add a comment or three as I process your style and ponder what other things I might find along the way.
Have a really great Tuesday Geoff Le Pard.
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Good point re piccie. I need to review ‘about and see how it is performing currently…. thanks for the prompt and I hope you enjoy your rummage…
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I seriously do not know where this feeling came from but let me share it in short. I really thought you were a cricket umpire. Strange! But then I did see that you do like Cricket 🙂
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As 10CC sang I don’t like cricket, I love it!! Off to the Oval tomorrow for the ODI v India
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