Welshrogue

The patron saint of Wales is Saint David, or Dewi Sant in Welsh. Saint Davids day is March 1st, in commemorating his death. On that day, school children in Wales wear a daffodil (national flower of Wales) or sometimes a leek (also a national emblem).

Approximately 1400 years after Saint David was born, the patron saint of the Welsh abroad was born in Treforest, close to Pontypridd in South Wales. Tom Jones rose to stardom in the mid 60s with hits such as Its Not Unusual, Green Green Grass of Home, What’s New Pussycat?, Help Yourself, the theme from the James Bond movie Thunderball, and probably his most famous song, Delilah.

The song Delilah describes the murder of a cheating woman and the remorse the murderer feels as he waits for the police to arrest him. Outside of the Welsh border, Delilah is the song most likely to be sung by drunk Welshmen in bars around the world. It is so popular, it can be heard sung by crowds during rugby games.

Delilah

I saw the light on the night that I passed by her window
I saw the flickering shadows of love on her blind
She was my woman
As she deceived me I watched and went out of my mind
My, my, my, Delilah
Why, why, why, Delilah
I could see that girl was no good for me
But I was lost like a slave that no man could free
At break of day when that man drove away, I was waiting
I cross the street to her house and she opened the door
She stood there laughing
I felt the knife in my hand and she laughed no more
My, my, my Delilah
Why, why, why Delilah
So before they come to break down the door
Forgive me Delilah I just couldnt take any more

She stood there laughing
I felt the knife in my hand and she laughed no more
My, my, my, Delilah
Why, why, why, Delilah
So before they come to break down the door
Forgive me Delilah I just couldnt take any more
Forgive me Delilah I just couldnt take any more

Almost as famous for his singing, Tom Jones is known for having ladies underwear (the skimpy kind, not the granny knickers) and hotel room keys thrown on the stage that he is standing on. If that isn’t a good enough reason for being a patron saint, I don’t know what is.

In recent times, Tom Jones has had a resurgence of popularity due to string of cover hits with other artists such as Princes hit ‘Kiss’ with The Art Of Noise, Talking Heads ‘Burning down the house’ with The Cardigans, ‘Mama told me not to come’, a Randy Newman hit covered with the lead singer of the Welsh band Stereophonics that was featured in the recent movie Domino (which coincidentally was the name of the leading lady in the James Bond movie Thunderball), and a duet with Cerys Matthews of Welsh band Catatonia, ‘Baby, its cold outside’.

Perhaps part of the reason is Tom Jones is ‘The Man’ and continues to be long after his sixtieth birthday, partly because when you are born in Wales you are born into the land of song but for whatever the reason, Tom Jones is the Patron Saint of the Welsh Abroad.

Two brothers, each in different government agencies must try to stop terrorists from taking control of the Queen Elizabeth 2 with nine of the most powerful world leaders aboard.

A different idea, with two brothers getting into harms way but not a very successful one. Parts of the plot seemed to be pointless and nonsensical and others felt as if they weren’t complete. A lot of the talking done by the British characters was so much of a caricature that it took away any seriousness the book had. For example, a British SBS (Special Boat Service) commando has to have his tea before launching an assault. It spoiled what was at best, an OK book.

I don’t generally have faith. I am not religious, even though I work in a religious evironment, but I say this and it made me smile. It is now in on the wall of my office at work

When you come to the edge of all the light you have known and are about to step out into the darkness, faith is knowing one of two things will happen…
There will be something to stand on, or you will be taught to fly

1. One book that changed your life
Every book changes you in small ways

2. One book that you have read more than once

Every Alistair MacLean book, and my Desert Island Books 

3. One book you’d want on a desert island

See above link
4. One book that made you laugh

Any Terry Pratchett, Paul Levine, or Tim Dorsey book.

5. One book that made you cry

Haven’t read a book that made me cry but Nelson DeMille‘s last one, Nightfall, brought a lump to my throat at the end.

6. One book that you wish had been written

My own novel

7. One book that you wish had never been written
None

8. One Book that you’re currently reading

Attack on the Queen – Richard P Henrick

9. One book you’ve been meaning to read

All the books I have bought that I haven’t had chance to yet.

Did you know that the top ten most popular words are

the, of, and, to, a, in, that, it, is, was.

But also

Shit is 4499 while Poop is 46548

Where do I get this shit? I am glad you ask….

Wordcount is a great website to waste a couple of hours looking up words.

“Gonna write a classic,
Gonna write it in an attic”

I read a lot of books, more than 50 a year usually, and it makes me think. They say that everyone has a book inside them. It feels like mine wants to get out. But there are so many questions that I have about the process.

What comes first, the idea, the plot, the characters? What genre should I write about, they say to write about what you know but surely you have to know about something exciting to make it an interesting read. Should there be graphic sex in the story or should I take the ‘gentleman never tells’ approach. Bad language seems to be everywhere but how could I put it in a book that my parents might read? Do I go for a long winded story with little substance or go for a quick moving book that wallpapers over cracks in the plot. Does the title dictate the story or the story dictate the title?

In my head I have a location, a sub plot, no character names or a title. In my head I have a style in mind, first person with humourous comments to lift a perhaps dramatic story. I think I have a hook that will keep readers reading but I don’t have a plot. I also don’t exactly have the time to write, with two young boys at home taking up most of my free time, especially now that sports seasons are starting again.

What I do have in my favour is a huge love of books, a love of movies, tv shows and other such story telling mediums. I have a very supportive wife and I don’t have a deadline.

So many decisions, so little decided

Some days its hard to be a woman…

wait, let me start again.

Some days its difficult to think of things to write. Yes, there are the odd funny picture, and of course the book reviews, although with the later I seem to be dropping off the pace I was hoping to achieve this year. So what I need is incentive to write. A challenge as it were. OK here I go.

Since September starts with a ‘S’, I am going to deem it Science Fiction September, well Sci Fi September actually. And for each day that is in September, thats 30 btw, I am going to try and review a science fiction movie! There thats my challenge.

But wait, there more.

Since not only am I a Sci Fi freak, but a Bond fan too, and there is a new Bond movie due out on the 17th of November, what better way to celebrate but to write up the 20 Bond movies that have been released so far, and post one a day, building up to the  21st Bond movie release. And I shall call it 21 Days of Bond!

Now I have two challenges, I had better get writing.

But no, don’t go yet, there is still more.

I love Christmas, its a special time of the year. Snow and Christmas trees and things exploding…. wait, exploding? Yep, For December, the month of Christmas and happiness, I am going criminal, I am going to review 31 movies that feature crime, cops, and chaos. And to celebrate I am going to call it…… Criminal Christmas.

Nothing like a challenge

Found at  Go Flickr Yourself

Please indicate yes or no for each question.

1) Do you like sex?

2) Do you like it here or there?

3) Do you like it anywhere?

4) Do you like it in a house?

5) Would you do it with a mouse?

6) Would you do it in a box?

7) Would you do it with a fox?
Would you, could you, in a car?

9) Could you, would you, in a tree?

10) A train a train, would you, could you on a train?

11) In the dark? Could you, would you in the dark?

12) Would you, could you in the rain?

13) Could you, would you with a goat?

14) Would you, could you on a boat?

Apology’s to Dr. Seuss

Found here

1. First book to leave a lasting impression?

It was a big children’s book of stories and there was a great Christmas story about a kid who wanted a bicycle. He looked in his stocking and found an orange with directions to find the next present. He has a treasure hunt around the house until he finds his bicycle!

2. Which author would you most like to be?

Probably Clive Cussler. Writing books, collecting classic cars and looking for sunken ships sounds like a lot of fun.

3. Name the book that has most made you want to visit a place?

Probably the Antarctic or the Arctic so its either Target Five by Colin Forbes or Ice Station by Matthew Reilly

4. Which contemporary author will still be read in 100 years?

Alistair MacLean. Some of his books, HMS Ulysses, Where Eagles Dare, Fear is the Key, When Eight Bells Toll, are classic novels with great story telling.

5. Which book would you recommend to a teenager reluctant to try ‘literature’?

Colour of Magic – Terry Pratchett or Ice Station – Matthew Reilly

6. Name your best recent literary discovery.

William J. Caunitz who unfortunately is dead but wrote some great cop thrillers.
7. Which author’s fictional world would you most like to live in?

Discworld of course! Terry Pratchett’s fictional world. A flat round world that rests on the back of four elephants who in turn stand on the shell of a giant turtle swimming through space.

8. Name your favorite poet?

John Lennon

9. What’s the best non-fiction title you’ve read this year?

My life is completely fictional

10. Which author do you think is much better than his/her’s reputation?

Alistair MacLean. He had a reputation late in his career for writing crap books but even though the later books weren’t as good as his earlier books, they are still enjoyable reads and good ideas, if slightly silly.