Ring of Kerry

Possibly the most beautiful place on earth on a day with clear blue sky ...

Sundown as the ferry leaves Bodrum for the Greek island of Kos.

This is a remarkable part of the world. From earliest times it hosted the birth of civilization. Greek philosophy came into being in this hallowed ground. The benign climate and abundant food created the cultural wealth that allowed the evolution of human intelligence to take a paradigm shift. Today we are still enjoying the harvest of that sublime period.

After more than five years of study I feel I am at last gaining a real understanding of Quantum Theory. Before you jump in and assert that anyone with the hubris to claim such understanding really doesn't come near understanding, let me tell you a secret. My understanding is intuitive and beyond words.

That presents the major 'catch 22' of explaining Quantum Theory (QT) to the general public. In a way QT is a form of 'irreducible complexity' - to explain my current understanding I must recount word for word, minute by minute the entire experience of exposure to the theory. Not likely!

In my latest book I try to explore this kaleidoscopic world of knowledge and sample the bits that are open to common discourse. As I edit the final drafts, I see the progression of my own thinking over the course of the two years it took to write. I realise that there is a lot more to do - a lifetime is hardly enough to perceive the real colours of reality.

Irish slow to adopt ebook revolution

The ebook road show is well advanced in the US where the market is valued at over $2 billion and rising exponentially. The UK is following at a snail's pace and Ireland is not at the races. Why is this?

Maybe it's because we are a conservative nation and slow to adopt new ideas? No! Look at how we transitioned to smartphones and other technology advances. The answer seems to be that we lag the UK trends in most areas and ebooks are no exception.

The reluctance of our media to engage on the ebook growth sensation is rather worrying. What is the agenda? Is it mere ignorance of the zeitgeist or is it a rearguard defense to protect paper publishing?

The evidence is there for all to see. There are no ebook reviews? There are no interviews with independent epublishers (authors to you and me). There is a gap in the communications model.

This blog is here to rectify matters.

Feel free to submit news of Irish epublishing developments or emerging trends. For my part I will keep posting on all developments whether at home or abroad. Stay tuned.

Quote from World e-Reading Conference......(an ostrich attitude)

Meanwhile the CEO of Random House Ian Hudson added that “We’ve seen e-book growth outstrip our (total) sales this year by a factor of 10. 2010 UK growth in consumer e-book sales of two percent could exceed eight percent this year and 15 percent next year… U.S. e-book sales will more than double in 2011, taking the total sales in excess of $2 billion this year.”

Hudson during his address focused on the relevance of traditional publishers, arguing even well-known self-published authors such as Joe Konrath and Stephen Leather needed to use editors. He said: “Editorial excellence is what we’ve built our business on and just because it is now possible to go it alone, it doesn’t mean that’s the best course of action for the author or their book. Indeed it almost certainly isn’t. This pre-selection and creative editorial role which has historically established a quality threshold gives readers a degree of confidence that the time investment they make in reading a book will be well rewarded. In a digital world this will be more important than ever as the internet and e-book sites become flooded with self-published titles.”

Memories of Summer

It is easy in these cold dark days to forget the glories of Summer!

The winter sun shines dimly...

The Sun.
Le Soleil, el Sol, die Sonne, il Sole,
de Zon, an grian,

I prefer to call it
the sculptor of beauty,
the painter of colour,
the source of all.