[neilmarr]

Some fascinating, thought-provoking posts appearing here, chaps. Thanks for the insight and the fun.

A wee tale for you: Up top of the list of the most successful authors in Europe (also well known in the US and elsewhere) are Val McDermid and Phil Rickman, two of my oldest pals.

Both came up with me, from forty-some years ago, as journalists on local and national newspapers. Both wrote literally dozens of novels during these years before cracking it.

And -- huge talent apart -- both are tough guys with thick skins, infinite perserverance, patience and optimism. Both still work their boots off at writing and promotion.

These qualities were not developed in the hard-knock world of tab journalism, they tell me, but in the even tougher world of fiction writing.

Cheers. Neil