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David Porter » Online and Web Writing

No Lack of Madmen

No Lack of Madmen is my third self-published novel.

Drawing on my experiences in Parliament (1987-97) and my own ageing processes, I’ve set it in an East Anglian care home designed for one-time MPs, Lords and senior civil servants. Furthermore, the place boasts its own ‘Commons Chamber‘ for residents to relive their glory days.

The Protagonist

Prone to increasing falls and mobility issues, my former MP James Ellington reluctantly moves in to calm the worries of his family. Straightaway, he’s immersed in a nightmare world of deluded, confused, decrepit shadows of their former selves.

He’s attacked from a mobility scooter and a meat cleaver by a loopy fellow resident with an historic grudge. Gradually, he uncovers dastardly plans to hasten residents’ departures once they have left bequests to the home.

The Antagonist

Meanwhile, the man behind his troubles is a former, close Parliamentary ‘Honourable Friend’. Ralph Dines spends his days extorting money and herding madmen residents behaving not unlike cats.

Eventually, helped by his young family and after a crazy fight, Ellington exposes the plans. It does him no good as his own grip on reality crumbles.

Why this title?

My No Lack of Madmen title is from a Bible quote: ‘Am I so short of madmen that you have to bring this fellow here to carry on like this?’ It was when King David feigned lunacy. Yes, it’s a comedy about a deadly serious racket.

It’s published through IngramSpark. They are connected to the ordering systems of 40,000 independent and chain bookstores, libraries, and online retailers worldwide. This includes Apple, Kobo, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bertrams, Waterstones, Booktopia. I have published print-on-demand and ebook versions. This sits alongside my Old Men’s Dreams and Detestable Things, also self-published and set in East Anglia! I’ve put three collections of my short stories, Wild Beasts and Plague, Scoffers Will Come and The Scapegoat Keeper out there.

Filed under: Online and Web Writing, Writing

Online and Web Writing

On-line researching and writing every day!

Online writing, whether as blog, webpage text or articles is an increasingly specialised form of the art of writing. The issue of keywords and search engine optimization is only part of it. The need for different layouts, approaches and strategies from paper-based writing is becoming ever more acute.

Besides contributing articles to Suite 101, an online international magazine on a wide variety of topics, I have also published some work at MusicRadar.com.

The 11 Songs That Should Be On The Boat That Rocked, 11 Studios to Rival Abbey Road, A-Z of Bob Dylan , The 13 Essential Bob Dylan Albums A-Z of Folk Music, Jimi Hendrix, 11 Reasons Why The Yardbirds Were the Greatest Rock Cradle Ever and an in-person interview with Duane Eddy are on-line as examples of web writing that is particularly different from the paper page.

I have contributed to Alpine Leadership (Advanced Leadership Programs in Education), an article called The Seven Leadership Challenges of Tomorrow (August 2011).

I have edited and reworked website texts, including The Upper Room.

In late 2012 I started contributing blogs to Rolling Without Limits, for the wheelchair and limited mobility community. My first was called ‘It’s a stand-up world after all’.

I write about 3 blogs a week for MailBigFile, a data transmission company, about technology, the internet and related issues.

I can work with your business to meet its needs in blog, webpage, articles for publicity, news stories, customer focus online, instructions and manuals and explanations. If it’s web content you are after, I can write quality content for you and/or your business, either anonymously or by name. Get in touch and let’s talk about ideas for development.

Filed under: Online and Web Writing