Portfolio of C.A. Powell (Retro Brit)

Selfie of me and a work mate in the Fens

I work at Fenland District Council on the waste disposal and have worked at various district councils in south east England. Before this I was employed by Royal Mail for twenty years. I love my life but find it full of so many interesting things to do. So many, in fact, that there is not enough hours in the day to take on so many fine endeavours. 

I enjoy being out doors when working, though I'm happy at home when writing in a relaxed atmosphere. All this new multimedia thing is very compelling to me and I'm delighted with my gradual build up of knowledge, trying to plug my books. I know I'm often 'not seeing the wood for the trees' but then it makes the pursuit more enjoyable when I stumble upon something new.

Writing fiction and making up stories is something I find compelling. I've been to writing classes when I lived in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex. Here I learnt the value of constructive criticism and received great encouragement from many people who attended the class. I also indulged in my own constructive criticism and praise of other author's works. These were good times, but writers can't rely on other writers to sell books. Indie authors must learn that for themselves. 

My choice has been a blog. This has been a very rewarding experience in ways I did not think possible. Now my Retro Brit Blog has become as precious a tool, to me, as my novels are. Retro Brit continues to grow and the visitors are now approaching three quarters of a million. I get anywhere between 500 and 1,500 visits a day. This all started from very humble beginnings. The blog remains a continuous learning process too in the world of multimedia and blog marketing.

I'm a dreamer and go through life dreaming about fictional circumstances and what might be or might have been if... ?

I find contentedness and am happy with my out of doors work and my work friends too. I live in a small market town in the Fenland where we are surrounded by fields. Agriculture is a very prominent part of the Fen.

At home and outside of work, I delight in experiencing all sorts of things. This is why I keep my blog Retro Brit up to date with new and variable topics of interest. It is also a fine opportunity to plug my novels. As one can see below.

This novel publishing has also been a learning process. One BIG piece of advice to any would be indie author: 

Never publish without a credible editor going through your work. It will cost, but don't allow a well intentioned friend to do it. Look for the certificates and licences and make sure they do samples before you choose an editor. Don't get too upset by a bad review. Its part and parcel of the book world. Some reviews are good and encouraging, some can be stinkers. Take it on the chin and move on.