S.C Newland - Writer

It was Ian Fleming's birthday yesterday and I noticed several lists popping up on the internet citing the best Bond books in order - a countdown if you like from 14 - 1. I haven't read them all, but when I do pick them up, I usually enjoy them. The books are not all novels. Fleming wrote two Bond short story collections: For Your Eyes Only and Octopussy.  One thing I noticed was that the least favourite story was: The Spy Who Loved Me. It's written in first person from the point of view of a female character called Viv. It's about her life. Bond doesn't appear until halfway through or so. I found this frustrating when I read it years ago in my teens, but did enjoy the gangster plot and the tension Bond brings to his scenes. It's become one of my favourite's over the years and doesn't in any way match the plot of the Roger Moore movie - which is cracking. An oddity in the Bond canon, but then Fleming also wrote Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang. Nuff said. Here...

It's world Dracula Day today. The seminal vampire novel written by Bram Stoker was published on May 26th, 1897. Bram Stoker's Dracula was meticulously crafted, drawing from folklore, history, and extensive research. Here are some fascinating facts about its construction: Epistolary Format : The novel is told through letters, diary entries, and newspaper articles, creating a fragmented yet immersive narrative. Historical & Folkloric Influences : Stoker researched vampire legends and historical figures, including Vlad the Impaler and Countess Elizabeth Báthory, though recent scholarship suggests he may not have directly based Dracula on them. Whitby Connection : While vacationing in Whitby, England, Stoker discovered the name "Dracula" in a public library and chose it because he believed it meant "devil" in Romanian. Extensive Notes : Stoker compiled over a hundred pages of notes while developing the novel, ensuring a rich and detailed world. Binary...

Today is Sherlock Holmes Day. A way to celebrate his creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's birthday. The author was born 22 May 1859. The great detective character first appeared in 1887 in the story A Study in Scarlet. His fame for deduction soon caught on and many came to believe he was actually a real person living at 221B Baker Street in London. Together with his side-kick Dr.Watson, Sherlock appeared in innumerable novels and short stories.  My personal favourite is The Hound of the Baskervilles. Doyle threw everything into the novel - Dartmoor, escaped prisoners, and a monstrous hound that make it still enjoyed to this day.