These last four weeks having been a roller coaster of ultimate highs and desperately sad lows.

On January 31st I had the awful duty of making the decision of laying my adorable cat Widgett, and extra feline son, to rest. I struggled to make that decision and delayed it for one week only because he wasn’t in apparent pain. It enable my husband (self-isolating with Covid) to spend some quality time with him out on the lawn in the sunshine. I got to spend a couple of evenings cuddled up on the sofa and bed, but finally I could see, I was only prolonging the ultimate choice. It is a choice, but such a hard one. He’d stopped eating a couple of days earlier and when he looked up at me my heart broke each time. I could almost hear him in my head saying, ‘Is it time yet? How much longer before the end? I cried buckets and still am tearful writing this, the tears filling my eyes and making it hard to write…..

Most of my pets live on in my work, which has always been a combination of my life, my experiences, and my imagination. Widgett is no exception, he appears throughout the Witch on the Warpath trilogy as Tenamunday the dimension shifting cat. You will find chapter heading illustrations of Widgett taken on my phone and transformed by me into drawings. On the cover of Gristle’s Revenge is Onk the troll sitting on Ramsgate harbour with a purring Tenamunday/Widgett at his feet.
 
The following week, after my little one was buried, and in a complete reversal of emotions I attended a ceremony at the Turner Centre to receive the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service as part of the Ageless Thanet group MBE. Part of me felt a little bit guilty attending because I hadn’t done hardly anything compared to the Trustees and long-serving volunteers, just took part in an open day, attended a couple of meet-ups work permitting, and delivered a few meals during 1st Lockdown etc.

My husband reminded me that though I hadn’t managed to do a great deal with Ageless Thanet, I had in fact volunteered for 4 months during 1st lockdown at QEQM Hospital when everyone else was too frightened to leave their homes. So, I decided to accept the award with that knowledge too.

I met some wonderful people at this event, who I hope I meet up with in the near future. They were inspirations in themselves. I was also overwhelmed, as you may have seen in the press photos, when a lady, CEO of AgeUK was introduced to me as Debbie and I saw a woman I did my nurse training with in 1977. It was astounding and I was again a bit tearful…

And in between all this I write.

My book launch of Quest for Courage went well enough. I sold a total of 21 books and was pleased that a couple of were of my previous books. The Classroom Bookshop were great. So welcoming and friendly. My thanks go to Adam Taylor the owner for his tireless support in preparation and stocking my work. You can purchase all my work through The Classroom Bookshop in Westgate now.

The week after my award, I attended my writing support group Gremlins, and was attacked by a new inspiration, and thus Chicken Wizard was born. It came about during a discussion and suddenly the phrase appeared in my head and I blurted out “Chicken Wizard!” Rather loudly as it happens. It stayed with me most of the afternoon, with me adding it into conversations irreverently.

I remembered it the next day, Sunday. It boiled around my mind so much that Monday I had to write Chicken Wizard’s complete story. Aimed at 5 – 8 yr olds it’s a picture book, story of a cockerel and the hens who adore him and believe he is a wizard because he can tell which eggs hold his chicks. I’ve also come up with two further books in the series, Sheep Sorceress and Pig Prophet, but more of them later, if I manage to catch the valuable attention of either an agent, publisher or illustrator keen to draw for this colourful book.

Until next time. Love one another because you never know how much time you have. Life is far too short to stay angry with someone over silly slights. When they're gone you'll be the one left with negative feelings and memories' which you don't deserve to hold. Be the bigger person. I know its very easy for me to say this and equally hard to do, but do it anyway. Die happy, in the loving arms of your family just like my Widgett, 

 Where did Christmas go? One moment I was wrapping pressies, the next I was mourning over the last of the choccies in the boxes I received.  I haven't put on weight, fortunately my work, karate,  street dance and yoga keep that at bay. But, I did get used to snacking and now need to pull back on that habit, its not easy is it?

My new initiative for creatives, An Interview With... had a good start on my YouTube channel. Danielle William's interview sparked a lot of interest, so I'm hopeful other creatives will take the plunge and have their own interview. I can also expand it to video messages for folk with relatives abroad too.

Writing wise, I haven't progressed any further on A Sackful of Dragons at the moment, because I've been sorting out Witch on the Warpath, tightened up in spelling, punctuation etc. Its been re-formatted, and I'm awaiting the cover font re-design to match Gristle's Revenge and Quest for Courage.
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When it was a stand-alone novel that was fine, now its part of a trilogy I can't live with it looking different. I checked with Nielson's and it doesn't need to be re-issued as a 2nd edition because I haven't changed the story at all or the cover design. I've improved punctuation, discovered several spelling mistakes still present after three different folk edited it, and improved layout. Frankly I couldn't live (or rather die) with it being incorrect and me knowing about it. This occurred after I read it out on YouTube for Lockdown that time in April 2020.

I've not many copies left of the original edition in case you are interested in an investment and no more will be printed from this point onwards. See my Estore link for details of purchasing any of my work, or go to Amazon or Waterstones websites. As soon as I'm low, which will be after my next event, there will be a new print order going in. 

I'm excited that the launch of Quest for Courage is going ahead on Saturday 29th January as planned. The time is now 11am to 1pm at the Classroom Bookshop Station Rd, Westgate. (Near the train station)

I'm afraid there will only be me there. Faye Beerling reports moving out of area to be nearer family, and Jasper Cooper never replied to my query. I noticed that he has also moved, this time to Bournemouth, where he reigns supreme as the international Over 60's tennis champion.

The first event of 2022, after my launch, is not till April, when I have three events back to back. Starting with the Eventissima craft event at the Alexander Centre, Faversham on the 16th. Then the Midas craft event on the 23rd at Herne Bay High School, and finally as guest author to Birchington Literary Festival on the 30th.

That means I'm avialable for talks and workshops at weekends and evenings up till then. So, if you know a local group interested in having a free guest speaker, let me know.

Regards the Marvel Comicon at Quex in May. It doesn't look like I can manage this. First, its outside not good for books, and second the cost is way too much, more than I would ever sell at such an event making it a no-go, sadly.

​It feels like a lifetime ago that I attended the Reading Comicon. It was amazing, I did put the photos on FB, but you can view them more easily on my website page under PAST EVENTS & CONFERENCES. Again, I didn’t sell loads but it’s about P.R. and getting my name out there. Marketing is hard work with very little reward or recognition. Saying that, I did really well at the massive Christmas Fair at the Winter Gardens in Margate in December.
Thank you to everyone who purchased a book from there, or any of my craft fairs and Comicons over 2021.
Because I enjoy creating my podcasts, I’m branching out. As well as my own work, I’ve decided to produce podcasts by reading from selected authors—providing there is no copyright infringements. I’ve started with the poem, The Night Before Christmas, if you check it out, its only 3+ minutes long.

Plus, I’ve added an extra string to my proverbial bow. Wayside Publications has taken on the new venture of interviewing creatives, be they artists, crafters, authors etc. The series entitled, An Interview With… starts with Kent-based artist Danielle Williams. Listening to her interview will interest people who like to know more about those whose work they enjoy. Danielle excels at portraits and her love of animals comes through in her work.
If you are a creative and would like to have an interview of your work, please use my CONTACT PAGE to make further enquires.
 
One exciting point is I finally have a provisional date for the book launch of Quest for Courage. The Classroom Bookshop in Westgate has stepped forward to offer a venue on Saturday 29th January from 11 to 2pm. We are hoping to bring in other local children’s authors and I’ve approached Faye Beerling and Jasper Cooper to see if either are avialable.

Currently, I’m recovering from my third Covid vaccination. Although not as bad as the first one, (temp of 39C etc) I’m feeling achy all over and can’t lift my arm out to the side. It’ll pass and it’s a small price to pay for being able to stay alive should I catch that dreaded evil-doer.

On the bright side, I should have recovered by Christmas and look forward to working on Aquasapien Three Prodigy, Between Worlds and my latest draft novel A Sackful of Dragons.

I’ve booked several events for 2022. I’ve put forward an interest for London Fantasycon in Sept 2022. That’s in addition to Wyntercon the week before & Reading Comicon the following month. I’ve yet to figure out how to get my stock there It’ll likely be an expensive with hotels and transport, but I need to continue being positive with marketing. I have also discovered there will be a Marvel Comicon at Quex Park in May 2022. Hoping to get in there too.
 
I’d like to take this opportunity to wish everyone who reads my blog and my work, a safe and merry Christmas. Enjoy it. Treasure your loved ones and embrace the moments you share with them. Let 2022 take care of itself when it happens. Stay positive and focused, think I will, not What if? (Unless you're reading my novel LOL)
 
Speak again in the New Year. X Carol

Wyntercon was officially a blast. I loved being back inside, what at times seemed like another dimension. I frequently got the feeling that I’d fallen down the Alice in Wonderland’s rabbit-hole, as characters from my favourites films, and TV shows trooped by, together with bizarre creatures, and individuals made up from inside their own imaginations. Awesome! Okay I didn’t sell too many of my books, but the sights, sounds, and people surrounding me, more than made up for it. (See my Past Conference page for some brilliant photos.)
 
Following on from Wyntercon, last weekend I was pleased to have work selected for my first ever exhibition. Nathalie Banaigs, the power house that is Kent Creatives, put on the Home is a Feeling exhibition at the Alexander Centre in Faversham. 
It’s an interesting concept, Kent based artists, makers and designers exhibit their work showing art as part of everyday life. All work is presented in situ, in a room, transformed into a living space. With furniture, paintings, ceramics, tableware, soft furnishing, jewellery etc. the exhibition highlights how much art and design we have in our homes. We are surrounded by art and yet many do not realise how much is there, and what an impact it makes on our environment, and our moods.
Again, it didn’t make me rich, though I’m pleased some of my creative pals did okay. You definitely need to be putting some higher priced items out than my measly £8.99 books. I fell in love with several things and purchased a couple of small items, making yet another dent in my loss margin. I didn’t begrudge it, the things I purchased were lovely; cards of dogs made in 3D with felt and two large coasters one featuring a hare, the other a duck and its duckling – so cute.

And now I’m off to Reading Comicon for 27th & 28th November. I’m expecting a similar vibe to Wyntercon as I’m whisked away to another futuristic location. I hope my selling will go a bit better. Our hotel is on site so that’s less petrol and less chance of shopping in town. I do recommend attending a Comicon if you’re into everything, not of this world.

After that I’ve four more events in December, two further Christmas fairs with Eventissima at the Alexander Centre in Faversham on the 5th and 12th. An evening pamper fair (18+) at the Grosvenor Casino in Westwood Cross on the 8th. Entry for all is free and the Casino one offers a free glass of Prosecco on arrival.

So, what’s the fourth one? I hear you say—if you’ve read this far. The book launch of my fifth novel of course. Quest for Courage is released on Saturday 11th December. Only one snag, I haven’t found a business willing to let me hold the launch yet.
Waterstones didn’t answer my emails—nothing new there. Every time I visited the shop the manager, “just popped out, in a meeting, having her break, not on duty.” I got the hint—eventually.
I discovered a potential place in Ramsgate, but likewise, they haven’t answered my emails, despite me filling in their complicated application form before they’d  even consider a book to be sold there.

Now, I’ve resorted, yet again, to asking chums on Facebook, like I did for book three Gristle's Revenge in 2019. Fortunately, book four What If? was during the Covid era and I launched that outdoors at the Boating Pool Cafe in May 2021.

I’m wondering whether its going to be like this forever? I’ve at least ten more books in the pipeline that I'd like to see published, two of those in the wings already. I’m guessing it might be. I can see why folk only publish online these days. It’s an absolute headache.
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Printed books, a dying art in a dying world?      Not if I have anything to do with it.
 

Another hectic month has flown by, and in a few days hence, I'm off to Wyntercon in Eastbourne for my first Comicon in three years. How I've missed it! If you love anything to do with Sci-Fi, fantasy, paranormal, or Anime this is the place to go. Personally, I'd love to get one going in Thanet. Imagine Thanet Comicon so awesome. Contact me about it if you're interested in helping organising one.

Meanwhile at home, Quest for Courage is out at my printers and should arrive shortly. I'm fixing dates for the launch locally in Thanet at the moment, and my discovery of a local children's bookshop, Tales on Moon Lane in Addington Street, Ramsgate, has delighted me. I'm only hoping they will be as delighted to host it. I'm keeping my fingers crossed on that one.

I undertook two further book signing and selling events during the month. One at the lovely Alexander Centre in Faversham, run by the very able Eventissima Events company, and another at the Burlington Hotel, Folkestone, a new venue for the Carano events company. Was very excited to have someone come up and say they'd read Aquasapien and loved it, and another person who later purchased a copy was discovered in the lobby of the hotel—apparently unable to put it down. Its tiny snippets like this that keep me writing.

I was in London yesterday for some much-needed family time, and whilst sitting on yet another underground Tube journey I watched folk either on their phones or reading paperback fiction books. I realised then, that if I ever got on a train and someone was sitting there reading a copy of any of my novels I'd know I'd arrived—and not just on the train!

Also this month, I attended my first yoga and meditation retreat in many years. A five-hour event set in the most beautiful grounds of the Crescent Turner hotel Whitstable, inside their amazing clamping style wedding reception venue complete with dance floor, fairy lights, and bar. The far side is clear polythene and provides totally uninterrupted views across Graveney, The Swale, to the Isle of Sheppey and beyond. We had an extensive meditation and yoga session followed by a sumptuous Vegan Afternoon tea. I phoned the hotel beforehand to check they did have cake—I don't do vegan.
The cakes were all amazing, though the cream for the scones wasn't pleasant and the sandwiches, though works of art, were mixed up, a variety of colours and textures. I couldn't tell what any of them were, so I stayed well away. Following this, I did my first Yin Yoga class. It’s a style where you hold each position for several minutes motionless at a time, with a starfish pose in between each one. Takes some doing. I was expecting aches, pains and general struggling to move the next day, but thankfully came out unscathed.

And so to Wynter, I have purchased a variety of interesting clothing and jewels to adorn myself with, as you do for these events. If you’ve ever purchased something a bit zany and off the wall and then wondered “Where on earth am I going to wear it?” Comicon is the answer, you fit right in and look reassuringly normal amongst the party-goers dressed as Deadpool, Venom and Jedi warriors.

Since my last sojourn to Eastbourne, I’ve had two further books published; Gristle’s Revenge and What If? This time I'm taking my new assistant—yes you've guessed it my son—and we're booked into a classy hotel on the seafront. You'll be able to read about that element on my next Trip Adviser review. Don't forget you can follow me on Trip Adviser. I do oodles of reviews, just about to reach my 300th, with 95,000 readers, but I'd love more followers. Likewise on Twitter and my business page on Face book, Carol M. Salter. Seems other folk get trillions of followers not sure how much people pay them. LOL Was that a hint of bitterness I detected?
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So, next month be sure to check in, you'll get to see all the amazing photos I've taken of the wonderful and bizarre things I'll see this weekend. MIMO.

Still recovering from winning the Faversham Eye Competition in 2020, for my short story Life After Covid, imagine my surprise when I receive an email to say the writing group I run, Inspirations, has just received a national award from the National Association of Writers Groups no less. Not only am I an award-winning author, so are all my friends and members who submitted work for our Green Anthology. Amazing. Already, the group had managed to secure a Finalist place in the Kent Creative Awards, with our first ever anthology Red, in 2017, but to win the Denise Robertson National Award for a group Anthology is astounding. 

We met today to celebrate our success at Pierremont hall Broadstairs. The place has had a complete refit and looks perfect for anyone wishing to celebrate a special occasion and ours was no exception. I brought luxury Belgian chocolate cake and prosecco. We had photos, lots of them, and lots of ohhhs and ahhhs admiring the silver platter which is ours permanently - engraved and everything. Did Covid put us off, stop us writing? Did it hell. Take a lot more than a measly old virus to stop IWG members writing and that's a fact. We are currently considering our next anthology Indigo and there's still time to become a member and submit work for this publication due out in 2022.

Also this month, I had the good fortune to be a speaker at the Indie Author Café during the Canterbury Arts Conference (CArtsCon). I'd like to thank Julian and Brenden and their colleagues for making my time there such an enjoyable one. Warnborough College has a fantastic group of people running its activities and courses and I'm hoping to get invited back next year.

I between this I've travelled to Reeth in North Yorkshire to support a Charity Route march. I've never been to Yorkshire before, except passing through, and to visit the Swaledale moors was a revelation. I used to draw in the past, and the scenery had me re-visiting a long over-due skill that I had forgotten I had. Its something I shall start doing again because it feels more personal than a photo somehow.

And so to bed,  especially now I have manged to purchase some diesel this evening after three days of looking. What is wrong with people?

It seems ages since I last wrote my blog, several weeks at least. The fated football match has passed into history. The Para-Olympics have begun, another set of  people to inspire us and make me feel pathetic  when I complain about my petty injuries. 

On the family front, I've been sorting out the family crypt this month and its history. Yes, the Salter's have a mausoleum  locally and another in Highgate cemetery in London. I'm sure there's a story waiting to happen there. It appears one of my husband's ancestors designed the Globe theatre in London.

My husband and I finally went to Scotland for our long awaited wedding anniversary trip. I forget how many times it had to be cancelled and re-booked. You can read my reviews of all the hotels and restaurants on Trip Adviser. I can thoroughly recommend Edinburgh, an amazing city packed with awesome architecture. The trip provided me with yet more scenes and images for Aquasapien Four. Don't be surprised if Edinburgh features! Home now, with another charity trip to Yorkshire planned shortly.


Writing wise, Quest for Courage is almost there. Back from the formatters, I'm at page 305 of 339. Its surprising how long reviewing work takes. It is so much quicker to write a book than polish it. I love the new cover and have included a sneak preview here, for those of you who actually stop and read my words.
Although it should be printed by September, I'm not planning to launch until Halloween - 31st October. Considering my venue at the moment. I decided on Halloween because its the third, and probably final, story in the Witch on the Warpath series so publishing the 1st and 3rd on Halloween seems to feel right. Do you think Waterstones will be interested?


On a different note, I saw in the Isle of Thanet News on-line, that one of our well-known local authors died this month. I can't believe it, Jane Wenham-Jones wasn't someone I knew personally, but I knew of her work and how well she was respected. I was surprised to see I'm not the only author who includes local Thanet landmarks in their work. Its hard to believe I won't read Jane's column any more. She did so much for our community locally too. I can only hope to be a paler version of her.  My condolences go to her family and friends.

This weekend see's me busy at the big Sandwich Festival. This is a three day event covering life music and various events around the town as well as craft stalls. Its expected to be quite an affair. You can find me inside the church on Market Street so if you come over please pop in and say Hi! I might even sign your book if you bring it, or buy one.

I was going to regale you with the latest episode of my efforts to make a name as an author, but tonight, for the first time in my long life I watched a game of football. England played Italy in the European Cup 2021. I realised that this would be an event recorded in British history, no matter what the outcome. I had  heard my father and others talk about the 1966 World cup win, and later sometime in the nineties heard others bemoan about a close win, but I never actually witnessed a game.

Although football isn't a game I'm interested in, it felt important to see it, to have been there along with the millions of others, who are no doubt going to remember the match minute by minute. What did I make of it? What did I see? A group of men tackling something huge, not just a football, but their country's pride and belief in them. A belief I saw shining through the eyes of their fans. A belief so strong it carried their emotions along with it.

Then I watched, with the concern of a mother, as a nineteen old young man had the expectations of the entire nation placed on his shoulders. What a hard place to be. What a huge responsibility. Did he shrug it off? - No. Did he beg to be replaced with someone else? No. He concentrated, focused and gave it literally, his best shot. Was it good enough? Yes it was. He should feel proud for it was perfectly placed to score.  The fact England didn't win, wasn't because of it. They could have won at any time in the long, and to my mind, drawn out match. They could have scored at any time. They could have stopped the other goals. They didn't manage to do so, but they represented their country well. Continuing when injured, supporting each other, caring about the players on both sides and providing a positive image of England to the rest of the world.

They may not have scored a winning goal, but in my world that doesn't matter because I'm not interested in games people play. I'm interested in people who have commitment, focus, drive and passion for they are the people who children aspire to be. They are representatives of our nation and should be proud of the game they played, on English soil for English citizens.

​Thank you our England Squad.






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Things have been moving forward apace in my writing world. Waterstones have now requested and received two orders of What If? and I've received invoice requests from them also. Great news they are going to pay me! This means you CAN now order your books with ease at any branch of Waterstones, or on-line. And if you ever see me, I'll sign them too. If by chance anyone from Waterstones happens to see this blog, I am available for signings at most stores.

Writing wise, Quest for Courage is coming along nicely. I'm halfway through the final read through and have added several thousand more words to the story. It takes me roughly an hour to complete two pages to where I'm satisfied. I use Read Aloud, which is in Word in the Review tab at the top. Its brilliant and I thoroughly reccommend it to budding authors. The times it has picked up silly oversights, where I have read the sentence and believed it to be perfect, and haven't noticed the extra/missing word, or the incorrect punctuation is amazing.  It's also great if you write an important letter, or in my case a Trip Adviser review and you want to get it spot-on. Write it in word first then put it in your email etc. Nothing says sloppy writer more than basic errors.

I'm trialling a different illustrator for this story too. I started out giving Ellie some chapter headings to do and she did such a good job, I'm giving her a stab at the cover design - her first. Initial drawings are looking promising. This time rather than use a photo then overlaying the characters, Ellie is building the scene from scratch. Its slightly nerve-racking, but her work on it so far has been good, so I'm hoping it'll be awesome.

I've numerous events and fairs booked for the remainder of the year and the Canterbury Arts Conference have just asked if I'd like to run a session on creative writing during their event. I am already attending their opening event and the author chat evening. I've also applied to the Kent Creative Xmas event at the Turner - we'll see how that goes next.

On a different front, I'm extremely pleased to say that Inspiration Writers Group, of which I'm chair, has had one of their anthologies, Green, shortlisted at the National Associations of Writers Groups Awards. I'd very much like to go to represent the group, but 460 miles is a long way to drive on my own over a weekend. Plus, there's the price of the NAWG WordFest 2021 and Gala meal. If anyone reading this fancy's accompanying me to attend the event, please make contact to discuss it further. Or maybe you have relatives living in Staffordshire and fancy a weekend home. That's fine too. Its at Yarnfield Park, near Stone.


Lastly, I 'm hoping get another short story out on my YouTube channel tomorrow, so watch this space, or rather YouTube. Carol M. Salter.

Can't believe six weeks have flown by since I last posted a blog. So much has happened during that time. I signed up for Eventissima Events and have already done three signing and selling fairs in Faversham. People attending my stall, appeared genuinely pleased to meet the author who won the Faversham Eye Writing Competition in 2020. I was buzzing with good feelings from that feedback.

Two days ago, saw the successful launch of my fourth full-length novel What If? at the Boating Pool Café, Royal Esplanade, Ramsgate. I would like to formally thank Katie and her team for supporting the launch, or should I say launches, as not only was my novel out, but Inspirations Writers Group (IWG) also launched their fifth anthology Blue. Well done to them outselling my copies by miles.

I was very surprised to discover how many folk, living in Thanet, had never heard, let alone visited Ramsgate's gorgeous Royal Esplanade and specifically the Café there. Seriously folks, you need to get out more. You have no excuse with Covid being slowly exterminated (Well, some of you might have!). The Boating Pool Café doesn't just boast good food at great prices, but for those of you who like a tipple in the sunshine, there's now a full bar The Ravensgate Arms opposite the café. They purport to offer cocktails as well as the increasingly popular microbrewery  delights.

It was such a good venue that members commented on how nice it would be to have our meetings there. So, with Katie's support, the Inspirations Writers group is holding its next meeting at 10.30am on the 26th June outside at this venue - weather permitting - otherwise on Zoom as usual. Anyone is welcome to attend our meetings to discover if this is for you, you only need to bring paper and a pen - and a sense of humour. This is a disability friendly premises.

On the writing front, Aquasapien three Prodigy and Quest for Courage are now both complete. I'm prioritizing Q4C and doing a final read through, which so far has added an extra 3,000 words! At the same time, I'm overseeing the production of the drawings which have become a feature as chapter headings and working on the design  for the Q4C cover. My plan is to launch this fifth novel, the third in the Witch on the Warpath series,  later in the year. Remember you can purchase hard copies of all my novels, including the new What If? via my Estore and I deliver worldwide. Sadly, it appears that though Waterstones is advertising my work - which is very nice of them - feedback from customers across the UK tells me that though they have paid, no one has received a single copy yet! Come on Waterstones! My work is also avialable via Kindle.

Amongst all this, I've started reviewing places I've visited, eaten in or stayed at with the reduction of lockdown.  You can join my readership on Trip Adviser.

Another podcast will be on the cards soon as I read from the Inspirations Writers Group next anthology Yellow. Sadly no members have given me permission/or offered to read their work, for inclusion into future podcasts so you'll have to settle for my work for now.

Also had no contacts from creatives who I've offered to complete a podcast for too. Never mind, my own work and sales continues apace.