The photo above is from a filming base in Kent I was working out of a couple of weeks ago. A beautiful location, where the early morning sunshine really does make you feel lucky to be alive.
I've been busy... trying to get the author publishing club started but with little success. Who would've figured? Posters sent out to the council to put on their local notice boards, posters put up in a few shops and posters shared over Facebook message boards, but not one bite! I get it, I really do, people are too busy or nervous to join a club, especially from an author they've never heard from, so what do I do?
The council have had my request for month but no formal reply and the local library don't support local authors unless they have a traditional publishing deal, even if it is only to promote a non profit making (no fee actually) local club. That's what gets my goat. Libraries and local councils not supporting the local people. It is not the first time I have tried to get my books or events into them. About 10 years ago I approached my local library and it took a year to get them to stock my kindly gifted free copies in a few of the libraries. I shall push on, and look more into advertising, even if it's just to get a club going. Have any of you got any experience in this? A few hints that might help? Drop me a line if you do.
In the meantime, I've been a guest on great new podcast called the Idea Dimension, hosted by Tom Carter in a studio near the Longcross studios where lots of Star wars scenes were filmed. The link is: https://youtu.be/mmspho7iq2o?si=Ga6k9U84z6O64W7y
I've also signed up to Podmatch to try and get a few of these modern era virtual soap boxes done, so hopefully I can post a few more as the months go by.
And for any of those who have read my autobiography, Keep Moving or Die, you might be interested in what I'm up to in the film world these days. After spending 5 months in 2025 as Daniel Craig's double for 2027's latest Narnia film, The Magician's Nephew, it has been quiet thus far in 2026, but I've been booked up a prequel to Killing Eve, set in 1980's East Berlin. I can't say more but it sounds very interesting. Problem is, I've also been asked to go onto contract for 4 months as a stand-in. So I have to make a choice. Do I fulfil my obligation to my booking of about 10-15 days or accept the stand-in offer of about 60-80 days on higher pay. It would be a lot easier if I knew who I was meant to be standing in for or what the film was or even if I have a realistic chance of being booked on it if I say Yes! Such is the world of SA, Stand-in and doubling. We are always juggling offers and our home / personal lives to try sand make everything fit. It is frustrating, infuriating and exasperating... just to name a few words ending in ting. Ultimately, if I'm booked onto the stand-in work, I'll be struck off from the SA agency that booked me to be an extra. I guess I've just got to take the risk.
I'm 62 soon, so how many years have I got left of Stand-in work anyway? I've got to take my chances. Keep moving or die.
If you have any tip, questions, suggestions or just to say hi, it's always nice to hear from you.
All the best,
Mark (sometimes Adam).