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just4kix

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first registered 15.05.09

last online 1 day ago

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about me

I have been scribbling (with moderate success) for about 25 years. Articles, humorous articles, short stories and a couple of poems have appeared in South African magazines, and a few in the UK and Dubai.
I co-wrote “Write from the Beginning – all you need to know about writing the short story” which was published by The Writing School.
I then had a turn at writing children’s books. Leon Chameleon PI and the case of the missing canary eggs, and Leon Chameleon PI and the case of the kidnapped mouse, were published by Gecko Books.
Bheki and the Magic Light was published by Penguin SA and Jake and Baby Bupe were published by Cambridge University Press.
Something to Read on the Plane was inspired by the number of people I overheard saying they were ‘just looking for something to read on the plane.’ Royalty cheques from my published books being less than moderate, I decided to self-publish. I have managed to sell over 1000 copies and the book is for sale on Amazon.com. $12.95 and on my website www.just4kix.jimdo.com. Price (incl postage) R95
But Can You Drink The Water? began as a draft for a TV sit-com. When that project came to naught, I turned the story into a novel and it was a runner-up in the Peter Pook humorous novel competition, and was also a semi-finalist in the 2010 ABNA comp (top 50 out of 5000).
The Breadwinners is an epic family saga set in South Africa in 1924 and is based on the baking industry. It was a runner-up in the SA Writers’ Circle novel competition.
I also have several more children’s books ready to upload at a later stage.
BACKING POLICY
If you back my books without a comment I will read your book and back it without comment if I feel it has merit. However, if I feel it would benefit from more work before being submitted to a publisher, I won’t back it and I won’t leave a comment.
If you comment on my book I will take the trouble to comment on yours. I will back it if worthy, and leave a comment. If I feel the book could be improved, I will comment on the areas that I think require more work, but I won’t back it. OK?:)

favourite books

The Fancy by Monica Dickens for its wonderful characterisation.
The Cat Who Came In From The Cold by Deric Longden for its delighful humour.
A Prisoner of Birth by Jeffrey Archer for its page-turning qualities.
Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean Auel for the fascinating story and the amount of research.

my websites

http://www.just4kix.jimdo.com    

HarperCollins is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Self-publish with CreateSpace

my books

The Breadwinners

Jan Hurst-Nicholson

When penniless immigrant Charles McGill seduces the unattractive daughter of a wealthy businessman their subsequent marriage leads to a bitter family rivalry spanning three generations.


An epic family saga set in South Africa.

It is 1924 and the fiery and volatile Charles McGill, a penniless immigrant, is devastated when he discovers that his friend, Lucas Connelly has become engaged to Addy Brody, the woman whom he hoped to marry himself. Charles drowns his sorrow in drink and seduces Hilde Richter, the unattractive daughter of a wealthy Durban businessman. When she finds she is pregnant, her father offers to set up Charles with his own bakery if he will marry her. Charles readily agrees, and unknown to Hilde the two men draw up a contract. It is the beginning of a bitter rivalry between Charles, Lucas, and Miles Davenport their former employer. The story spans a period of fifty years and leads us through the fortunes, joys and sorrows, successes and failures of the three families as they survive the depression, the war years and the isolation of South Africa.

The manuscript is complete, but only the first few chapters have been uploaded.

 

But Can You Drink The Water?

Jan Hurst-Nicholson

When Frank Turner informs his family they are emigrating from Liverpool to live in sunny South Africa he is unprepared for the consequences.


Frank and Mavis Turner and their 15 year-old son, Gerry - a working-class family who have never travelled farther than the Isle of Man – arrive in South Africa and find themselves thrust into a life of servants, unexpected African customs and wild life ('crocodiles' on the wall). As they try to settle into an alien lifestyle, and to overcome homesickness, each minor calamity is accompanied by Mavis’s assertion that “they never should’ve come. ” Gerry’s defiant, but silent protest turns into a liability.
When Frank’s contract is up for renewal they are unsure whether to stay in South Africa or return to England, and a holiday back home in Liverpool confuses them even more.
The book is full of humour, but also pathos.

Semi-finalist (top 50 out of 5000) in the 2010 ABNA/Penguin contest.

Now available as an e-book on Amazon $0.99 (over 12 000 copies sold)

(Thanks to Sheena Ignatia for the new cover)

 

Something to Read on the Plane....

Jan Hurst-Nicholson

And for your in-flight entertainment – A Bit of Light Literature, Short Stories & Other Fun Stuff to divert you from the tedium of flying.


If you've ever found yourself stranded on an aeroplane with nothing to read, then this book provides the answer. It is a light-hearted variety of humorous articles, short stories ranging from hypochondria to murder, plus a quiz, agony aunt column, limericks and a collection of malapropisms to keep passengers amused.

“He bought a sexual title flat.”

For your reading comfort we have used a decent-sized font and made the book pocket-sized, and for those who only read books with pictures we have included a few illustrative drawings.
A great book to keep with you whilst travelling, and a perfect gift (suitable for both men and women) for someone who is going on a trip.


REVIEWS
"Should be compulsory reading to keep incorrigible chatterers quiet" - Frequent Flyer.
"Could also be used to ram down their throats" - Flight Attendant.
"The stories about me are hugely exaggerated" - Author's Spouse.
"Shredded drafts of this book line my litter tray. Royalties from this book will go towards proper deodorized litter and reduce complaints about the smell" - Family Cat
"What a relief that will be" - Family Dog.

OVER 1000 COPIES SOLD

$12.95 ON AMAZON.COM



 

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patio wrote 5 days ago

I write with greetings and invitation to read a chapter or more of my....

Scott Bartlett wrote 6 days ago

Hi just4kix, A few years ago you left a positive comment on my hum....

The Knowledge wrote 8 days ago

Hi Jan, My book is simply called ‘Madeline’ (Link below) You may li....

Andrew Hughes wrote 9 days ago

Hi Jan, “Informers and blackmailers, phrenologists and dissectioni....

patio wrote 13 days ago

I write with greetings and invitation to read a chapter or more of my....

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my comments

latest

I wrote 535 days ago

Bulb by Bradley Wind. The pitch promises an unusual and exciting story. An original title, but not sure that it conveys very much. If it was something like ‘The mystery of the bulb’ or whatever, it might be more enticing. I think ‘pinky’ sounds a little twee for this story. You have some good de... view book

I wrote 610 days ago

Hi Pam, You have an interesting plot line and your story seems to flow well, but I would consider changing your first paragraph. Beginning the story in the middle of intense conflict is a good hook, but it gives action without context. The reader does not know the MC well enough to care what happ... view book

I wrote 613 days ago

The Harpist of Madrid Your pitch sounds intriguing and you have a good opening hook with your first line. I was confused about Marfisa and Arethusa. Is Marfisa playing the part of Arethusa? I think your story would benefit from tightening and this would increase the pace. Instead of: No one... view book

I wrote 636 days ago

Good hook with some lovely atmospheric descriptions, and characters that you care about. backed with pleasure. view book

I wrote 639 days ago

This has an interesting plotline that should appeal to readers of thrillers and of science-fiction. Writing in the first person can be tricky as reading about the narrator’s inner thoughts can become tedious, so you need to take care to keep this to the minimum. The first paragraphs tend to read a... view book

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