Introduction

Welcome to all visitors.  My name is Penelope Wallace, and this is my first ever post.

So, at the risk of being dull instead of delightful, here are the basics.

My qualifications for writing this blog

I have no qualifications for writing the blog.

My reasons for writing the blog

There are three:

1. Publicising my work. If you have already viewed the rest of the site (if not, please do!) you will know that I have written a novel called “We Do Not Kill Children”, and am writing another, and I am trying to find ways to publish and ultimately sell them in today’s very very competitive market.  When asked what type of book WDNKC is, I usually say, “It’s a story about people waving swords around, swearing oaths of loyalty, and investigating a murder, so you can imagine what fun it was to write.”  Such books are not to everyone’s taste, and you will not offend me if it’s not to yours.
2. Expressing my opinions. Anyone who knows me knows how much I love the sound of my own voice.  Blogging means I can pontificate without interruption about anything I like, as often as I like.  I practically have a newspaper column!  How could I resist?
3. Glorifying God. As I am a Christian, everything I do should be to the glory of God.  The thoughtful reader will already have noticed that reasons 1 and 2 above are all, or almost all, about blatant self-promotion and egotism.  These are not noticeably Christian virtues, or virtues at all.  How then can I serve God in this blog?  I am working on a few ideas.

Topics that may be covered

Obviously, the book(s) and the fictional continent I have created (again, if interested, see the rest of the site); books and other forms of fiction; the trials and smiles of the wannabe author; life as a Christian in today’s world; politics of various forms; anything I find interesting.  There is some more information about me on the Author page, from which you can make intelligent guesses about what I might want to cover.  But see above under Qualifications – it cannot be too strongly stressed that I know nothing about anything… including what is covered in other blogs, and you have read before!  Over the next few weeks, I am planning to blog about (among other topics), subgenres and misogyny in fiction, the French, and possible Christmas presents for the reading Christian.

Topics that will not be covered

Music (to avoid embarrassing my friends and family)

Fashion (as in clothes and shoes; body issues may be mentioned)

Sport (except Wimbledon)

Modern Technology (other than the occasional imprecation)

My Family.  I have a husband and two adult children.  They are all wonderful, and it is for them to decide how much of their personal lives goes on the internet.

There are also unlikely to be pictures, as I am unartistic, and technically-challenged. The pictures on the site are by Ian Storer and Stephen Hall, not by me.

Serious Disclaimer

Of course, I alone am responsible for the views and opinions expressed on this blog (any guest bloggers or people who comment on the blog are responsible for their own material).  I have the privilege of being a churchwarden at Christ Church, Chilwell, Nottingham.  It is therefore particularly important to say that if I offend, now or in the future, and I probably will, no blame should be attached to the vicar, PCC (Parochial Church Council) or members of that church, or the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham, or the Church of England in general.

Your contribution

This is Post 1.   I am planning to post approximately twice a week, probably on Tuesday and Friday nights.  Having read this far (thank you) you can decide to do any or all of the following:

1. Click off, mourning the three minutes of your life you will never get back;
2. Explore the rest of the site;
3. Download and read the first chapter of “We Do Not Kill Children”;
4. Post a comment, either on this page, or on the SWM page (what is SWM?), or email me;
5. Subscribe to the blog;
6. Not go that far, but ponder dipping a toe into future posts to see if they are worth reading.
7. In extreme cases, tell your friends – in person, or via social media.

And there you are – it’s as easy as that!

Fare well until we meet again –

A Partial, Prejudiced and Ignorant Blogger