Happy New Writing Year!

This is just a few lines to find out whether I actually exist on this blog.
I'm new to this game.
It would be a shame
if all my thoughts are running around in the ether -
Etherworld - is that a name used by anyone?
Anyway, I don't want to get caught up in the technostuff;
my intention is to write
and hopefully get a response from anyone interested in writing
like me (no, you don't want to "write like me").

What do I do?

I write novels and poetry.

The novels are - so far - for children from the age of about nine upwards.
the poetry is for almost anyone who likes poetry that is (usually) straightforward and understandable (but perhaps not too easy).

And I read. A lot.

Why Fried Blue Diary?

I started a small press called HALF-CUT PRESS to publish my own poetry and that of one or two friends about five years ago. Seems there's a group called HALF-CUT now, and they have a press office, so it's not such a great idea to use the name any longer. FRIED BLUE MANNFREDD PRESS was just a piece of madness that came into my head for no particular reason sometime last year, and I don't think anyone has that as a name (I googled it!), so here it is. Here in print on January 1st 2008.
No, my name isn't Mannfredd, and I'm not Fried Blue, but for now you can call me Mannfredd anyway. If I feel my readers are friendly, I'll tell you my proper name, but not today.

A short poem; not typical of my stuff, because I'm not sure that I do typical:-

Gorillas

Gorillas with bananas
dropping yellow peels,
gorillas falling down
make gorilla squeals.

Gorillas looking sheepish
with people in their nests,
gorillas looking outraged
on teeshirts and vests.

Gorillas having fun
playing at the zoo,
gorillas bringing laughter
from kids, from me,
from you.

Gorillas in the forest,
gorillas in the mist;
gorillas in the forest,
gorillas

will be missed.


King Cong and Fay Wray:
How romantic - made my day.

There you have it. I haven't written anything that I intended, but at least I HAVE MADE A START.

Signing Off...