The 250th Post!
Author: Barry | Filed under: Brilliant Books, Children's Books, Personal, Site stuff, Writing Samples
It has been a long, bumpy ride, filled with danger, excitement, and some stuff about water pistols, but we made it, loyal readers. We made it to 250 posts.
Being a naturally lazy person, with little or no inherent motivation to do anything that requires any effort whatsoever, getting to post 250 is a big achievement for me. It gives me hope that one day I might reach as many as 260, or even 285 posts! Can you imagine?
But let’s not get carried away. For now, let us enjoy post 250 for what it is – one post more than 249, and one less than 251. Look at it sitting there, all quarter-of-1000-esque in its charm and beauty.
Of course, 250 is a special number anyway. We all know there were 250 Munchkins in the Wizard of Oz (of which 4 didn’t commit suicide on set). There were 250 drafts of the script to Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, each one infinitely worse than the one before. And, of course, there are 250 days in a year, if you take away 115 other days first. It really is a special, almost magical number, which is why I feel it must be celebrated.
But how to celebrate? A party? My house isn’t big enough for all of you to come. A special plaque of some kind? No, that costs money, and I’m far too tight to spend any.
So how about a giveaway? Two giveaways, in fact?
THE GREAT 250th POST GIVEAWAY #1
You’ve probably heard about my children’s horror novel, the frankly brilliant Invisible Fiends: Mr Mumbles. Maybe you already have a copy. But do you have a signed one? Signed and dedicate to YOU? Or to someone else you know? Do you? No? Well then this is the giveaway for you.
One lucky winner (just one, mind) will win a signed and dedicated copy of the book. To enter, you just have to leave a comment on this post, making sure you include your correct email address so I can get in touch with you if you win. The comment can be anything you like, as long as it makes some kind of vague, coherent sense. No single word/single letter comments, please. Say hello. Chat about the weather. Tell me you love me (you don’t ever do that any more). Whatever. Just leave a comment and you’ll be entered into the draw. The winner will be drawn on 27th April.
THE GREAT 250th POST GIVEAWAY #2
But like I said, there can be only one winner of the signed book. For those of you who don’t win (and for the lucky so-and-so who does) I’m offering another book for you to download and enjoy for FREE!
This is one of my early attempts at writing a children’s book. It’s a comedy sci-fi adventure for 9-12 year olds, called Johnny B. Weeyerd and the Cosmic Annihilator. It has everything – aliens, super-powers, purple hot dogs – they’re all in there somewhere, waiting to titilate and excite your eyes. It’s a first draft, so it’s far from perfect, but hopefully it’s enjoyable all the same.
The file is in PDF format, so you’ll need Adobe Acrobat Reader to open it, but that comes as standard on most PCs, so you shouldn’t have any problems. You are free to download the ebook, read it, pass it on to your friends, whatever takes your fancy. Try selling it or profiting from it in any way, though, and I swear to the gods I will hunt you down and beat you with a rubber hose. Capiche?
Grab your copy of the ebook by clicking here. You might need to right click and select “Save Target As”, depending on how your browser is set up.
So that’s it for post 250. Get leaving those comments to be in with a chance of winning a copy of Mr Mumbles, and if you read JBW, be sure to let me know what you think.
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April 19th, 2010 at 9:59 pm
Hello Barry. Congratulations on post 250! You know it’s funny – I was reading some of your recent blog posts earlier and I thought to myself that I never comment and I really should, because I am such a huge fan of your work! Now I know that sounds terribly sychophantic of me and you may be wondering if my motives are entirely honourable or if I’m just out for a free signed copy of Mr. Mumbles. Admittedly I am on the beg, but I do think the IF series frickin’ rocks and my boy would be over the moon if he was to get his grubby mitts in a copy of scary dude Mr. Mumbles dedicated to him
We love you!
Jon & Gabes
April 20th, 2010 at 7:41 am
Hey Barry! Don’t really know what to say so I’m gonna do a list of reasons why I probably won’t win.
1 This is probably generated at random so even if I beg there’s the same chance that I’ll win!
2 I’ll probably use the word probably so much you’ll get bored and not read the other points. Probably.
3 Uuuummmm I can’t be bothered to do anymore points. So as that shows you how dedicated I am my chances of winning…well let’s just say that this is anouther (lost) contest in the bag!
April 20th, 2010 at 9:46 am
Hi Barry well done on reaching the milestone of 250 posts. You could now have a well deserved rest!
I am not very good at writing witty stuff so I wont even try as I don’t wish to be laughed at, laughed with yes but laughed at NO.
Hope the book comes my way as I know a young lad who would really lap up the story of Mr Mumbles.
April 20th, 2010 at 9:51 am
Well done on 250 posts.
Would love to win, as this new book sounds just the sort of thing my children would like, and it is so difficult to find things children really want to read these days!
Love you xxx
April 20th, 2010 at 10:08 am
Hi Baz congratulations 250 – wow that’s a lot of hot air ;0) . Of course in the year 250 Roman emperor Maximum was born and Pope Fabian died (you knew that right?). Also a group of Franks penetrated as far as Tarragona in Spain – Wikipedia doesn’t say whether they had their Bettys with them but I do hope so! There is also the Ferrari 250 GTO which I understand is much coveted by many people – perhaps one of those would have been a good giveaway…………..but nah wouldn’t have been as exciting as a signed Mr Mumbles……will be keeping everything crossed (well maybe not everything couldn’t walk with crossed legs!) .
Congrats anyway x
April 20th, 2010 at 10:12 am
hi barry
congrats on 250 posts 
i know a little boy who would love Mr.Mumbles
but then again think i would
April 20th, 2010 at 10:22 am
Hey Barry,
250th blog! Some feat. So to celebrate here’s what I think…
LOOK UP IN THE ATTIC, LOOK UNDER THE BED,
MR. MUMBLES IS COMING, YOU’LL SURELY BE DEAD,
THIS INVISIBLE FIEND IS WAITING FOR YOU,
DON’T FALTER, DON’T STUMBLE, YOU’LL DIE – IT IS TRUE,
HIS MOUTH IS ALL STITCHED WITH SOME HIDEOUS THREAD,
BEWARE AND BE WARNED IT’S JUST WHAT I SAID,
TO BE SAVED FROM HIS CLUTCHES JUST READ THE BOOK,
MR. MUMBLES IS THERE IF YOU JUST STOP AND LOOK,
IF IT ISN’T ENOUGH AND YOUR HEART FEELS ALL SAGGY,
TRY THE NEXT ONE, YOU’LL LOVE IT, IT’S CALLED RAGGY MAGGIE!
April 20th, 2010 at 10:36 am
Your books look great, I think my boys would love to read them
April 20th, 2010 at 11:30 am
My grandaughter would love this
April 20th, 2010 at 12:06 pm
[...] enter the Invisible Fiends competition, just head on over to this post on my blog. Good [...]
April 20th, 2010 at 12:13 pm
Thanks for the comments everyone (and the poem!). Keep ‘em coming.
April 20th, 2010 at 1:27 pm
Barry, 250 posts, what’s that in blog years? As a lot of blogs stop getting updated long before that number, well done!
As others have said, I know a wee boy who’d like the book, but in the interest of full disclosure, he is only 7months old, so I’d just have to read it myself for a few years!
Allthe best of the next 250 posts.
Duncan
April 20th, 2010 at 1:56 pm
Thanks for the comp, Barry. I must admit, I’m not familiar with your work but my daughter would love your book – it’s right up her street! Thanks for the competition.
April 20th, 2010 at 3:49 pm
Hi Barry, My two Daughters are real bookworms, and would really appreciate owning this book.
April 20th, 2010 at 4:52 pm
Great comp. Thanks
April 20th, 2010 at 5:01 pm
Well done on 250 posts Barry!
A horror story for children sounds like a novel idea (groaan!) and I have 3 little darlings who would love to hear it
Good luck on the next 250 posts – we look forward to them! x
April 20th, 2010 at 7:54 pm
hi Barry. My grandaughter would love this book and my grandsons too!
April 20th, 2010 at 7:59 pm
Well done on the 250 posts! I love books so much
April 21st, 2010 at 1:42 am
Hi Barry, well done on hitting the 250 mark
I would like to offer you the services of my little horror, my tiny tyrant, mummys little nightmare. If you like kids and horror you’ll love him. If you refuse my kind offer they only way you can stop my soul from weeping is to send me a signed copy of your fantastic book so I can scare him into behaving
April 23rd, 2010 at 5:56 pm
hi barry im euan hopwood and a really big fan
loved mr mumbeles nice story line
April 23rd, 2010 at 9:15 pm
Hi Euan, thanks for the kind words! I removed your email address from your comment so other people can’t see it. I’ve got it, though, so you’re entered into the prize draw
Good luck!
April 24th, 2010 at 12:05 pm
hi barry i have read a little bit of your jonny weeryed story FANTASTIC i love the bit where he gets givven the purple hot dog p.s can not wait for raggie maggie to come out
April 24th, 2010 at 12:08 pm
p.s.s i reallyyyyy cccaaaannnnnttt wait for the gangreen comics to come out looks reeally good
p.s.s.s congrats on 250 posts
April 26th, 2010 at 11:06 am
Cheers, Euan! There’s just over 3 months until Raggy Maggie comes out. Not sure of the exact date for Gangrene, but if you keep checking on here you’ll find out as soon as I do!
Glad you’re enjoying Johnny B. Weeyerd. I wrote it before Invisible Fiends, so I hope my writing has got better since then, but I think it’s a fun story.
April 29th, 2010 at 5:20 pm
thanks barry. i thought that gangrene is like a modern frankenstien just wondering did mary shellys famous story inspire you ?
April 29th, 2010 at 8:59 pm
sorry frankenstiens monstor was what i meant to write
April 30th, 2010 at 8:48 pm
You’re right, Euan, Dan (the hero in Gangrene) is a lot like Frankenstein’s monster, although he still has all his old memories and intelligence. He’s also like a zombie, having been brought back from the dead a few weeks before the first issue starts.
As the story goes on, we discover that his body is rotting away, and he only has a short time to rescue the missing girl before he decomposes completely!
April 30th, 2010 at 10:39 pm
WOW sounds fantastic!!!!!! CAN NOT WAIT AT ALL NOW im really exited you’ve definatly got a reader here
May 27th, 2010 at 9:04 pm
Hi well done for getting over 250 comments thats amazing so congratz i love all of your books so keep writing!
Bye x
Erin
May 27th, 2010 at 9:10 pm
Thanks, Erin! Don’t worry, I’ll definitely keep writing. My publisher would beat me with sticks if I stopped now