In the good books....

It is always nice to celebrate success so it was good to celebrate the arrival (yesterday) in the post of a copy of my brother's book  and (today)  a copy of my friend and  former colleague Alasdair Allan's . 

I read both in manuscript and I am always happy to give , as an author myself, any advice or help I can.

"Encourage, always I encourage, always" said Thomas Hardy and he was as right about that as he was when he said  that whilst he had known twenty young men who wanted to be writers he was the only actual published author  because - simply enough- he sat down and wrote. 

He was right too when he observed that "there is no joy in writing, only in having written" - but that  considerable joy of having written is I am sure being felt by Peter and Alasdair today.