About Me

Tollesbury, Essex, United Kingdom
I was born in the Summer of 1969 in Dagenham, just on the border of East London. School was largely unproductive but enjoyable, setting me up for something of a wayward but interesting life! On leaving school I had various jobs including putting up stalls at Romford Market, working in a record shop, putting up ceilings, gardening and road sweeping. After resigning from an insurance company to play in a band, I found myself unemployed for two years. Then finally I got back on my feet and I've been a psychiatric nurse since 1997. I wrote A Cleansing of Souls when I was 22 years old and followed it up with Tollesbury Time Forever almost twenty years later. I started writing The Bird That Nobody Sees in September 2011 and it was released in July 2012. In terms of writing, my heroes are Jack Kerouac and John Steinbeck. I would also include Kris Kristofferson, Bob Dylan and Tom Waits as literary influences. So that's me I guess - scruffy, happy and in love with literary fiction, music and life...

Wednesday, 26 October 2011

One thousand page views so far!

As the title suggests, the pages on this blog have been viewed just over a thousand times in five weeks. Thats two hundred a week. Now I didn't expect that. So it made me consider why it is that people look at blogs in general and, obviously made me wonder why so many people have shown an interest in this one.

Before starting this blog, I hadn't looked at any except the one run by my twin brother, Ian (see the Blog List at the side for a link). I certainly had no idea whether anybody would look at this one. The intention was just to raise a little awareness of the novel I am trying to get published. That was all. Yet people I have never met have joined it, commented on the posts and really shown an interest in my little endeavour. That's people from the UK, the USA, Canada, Australia, Germany, Switzerland, France and the like. It's a very strange feeling to think that these pages are being read in such far away places. But I guess we are all under the same sun and the same moon and stars. It's a pretty comforting thought.

Ironically, the response to the blog has led me to look at the blog itself not just as a tool to raise awareness of Tollesbury Time Forever but as a device for me to look further into the themes of the novel and perhaps in time why I have written it at all. But equally I am beginning to feel a creeping obligation to you good people who have taken the time to read these pages and especially those who have committed to joining and following the blog.

The route to publication is slow indeed so I would like to ask some questions if I may?

  • Why have you decided to check out this Blog?
  • What else would you like to see on it?
  • Who are you and what do you do?
  • When are the mighty Dagenham and Redbridge next going to win a game?
So please answer these if you get a mo - particularly the second one!

Cheers and take care everybody!

Stu

4 comments:

Nick Wilford said...

OK Stu, I'll try and answer your questions. Always a sucker for a questionnaire!

1. I guess because you're in a similar boat as myself - trying to get somewhere in this industry which is notoriously hard to break into.

2. Maybe more about what you're working on at the moment - being nosy, I always like to know what writers are writing. On a break? Planning a sequel?

3. My name is Nick and I'm a writer. As we like to say, what I am IS what I do!

4. Erm... pass, I'm afraid? Is that a football team? Two teams? My knowledge is sadly deficient in this area. But, I'll say I'm sure things will turn around for them!

Anyway, keep up the good work - enjoying the blog!

Stu Ayris said...

Thanks so much for your comments Nick! Yep, we are most certainly in the same boat, bobbing along on the frustration/excitement/despair ocean! Fine suggestions as to what to do with the blog, and yes, Dagenham and Redbridge are indeed a football team, perhaps the greatest team ever...from Dagenham and Redbridge.....

Unknown said...

Hi Stu. I got here via WW, and read one excerpt from your book. May I make a couple of sugegstions: 1. Have you had the book editted by a professional? If not, you should do so. Money well spent if you find a really good editor.
2. The title needs a makeover. I expect it probably means a lot to you, but it does nothing for a potential reader.

And the blog: You seem to be doing all right without this next suggestion, but could you change the colour scheme. I have an aversion to green, and it's not easy to read.

Best
JJ

Stu Ayris said...

Hi JJ. Thanks for taking the time to look at the blog and the excerpt. Unfortunately I don't have the money to pay for an editor. The title itself does, you are right, mean alot to me. I do appreciate your view though. And green? It reminds me of cricket - and I really love cricket! Have just toned it down a little so hope you approve!

Take care

Stu