Welcome to Lemon Hog
In which we launch that small-press publishing company we’ve been talking about for so long..
Well, it’s been a big week on the words front, but instead of writing them, we have taken the step to provide a new way for them to get into the world.
After several years of talking about it on-and-off, Gill and I, in partnership with our eldest daughter and her husband, have launched our own publishing imprint.
May I present LEMON HOG PUBLISHING
To quote our mission statement:
Lemon Hog Publishing is a family-owned imprint dedicated to providing an outlet for new voices.
We will be starting slowly as he learn the ropes of being not only writers, but publishers too. Our first release will be Gill’s debut novel.
Trust Issues , the first in the Brightwater Series, will be released in eBook format across multiple platforms on April 30th, and in paperback at the end of May.
When her ex-husband is found murdered Ellie Brightwater must delve deep to find the strength to protect her daughter. Ellie has to break out of the protective shell she has created and learn to trust friends and ex-lovers while not being sure who is working with her or against her.
You can reserve a copy of the eBook right now at a special discounted pre-order price of just 99c at your favorite online book retailer or direct from Smashwords right HERE.
Exciting times are ahead and you can keep up with our progress at the Lemon Hog Publishing instagram account.
Alan
Other Stuff
Welcome new folks
Thanks to the new folks who have signed on in the last few weeks, and welcome.
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Brabazon Bits
Delighted to announce the first US event for the Brabazon book.
On September 13th, I will be presenting a talk on the ‘Mighty Brab’ followed by a signing at my local indy bookstore, Snug Books in north Baltimore.
And in other Brab news, I have been commissioned to write a piece discussing “Should the Brabazon Have Been Built?” for one of my favorite aviation magazines.
And of course, a regular reminder that we will celebrate the UK launch of the Brabazon book at the Aerospace Bristol Museum on Saturday, June 7th.
“Bristol Brabazon: The Ocean Liner of the Skies and its Ongoing Legacy” will be published on 30 MAY, 2025 in the UK and 30 JULY, 2025 in the US.
There is now an increasing list of online bookstores where the book is available for preorder
Bookshop.org (US) - helps independent stores
Pen & Sword (publishers) -
Waterstones (UK) - Free shipping in the UK -
Word Slinging
The last couple of weeks have been busy with getting the publishing company set up, my new role at The Ian Fleming Foundation, and Brabazon-related PR activity, so not as much progress on either the Casino Royale book, or the work-in-progress short story as I would have liked.
But I’m about to head out on a week’s business travel where I’m speaking on storytelling at the ConVEx content industry conference in California. I’m hoping that some focused hotel time will result in some productive word-slinging.
Podcast Procrastinations
The latest episode of THE FORGOTTEN BEATLES podcast series went live this week. This month we focus on the man who probably has the best claim to the title of “The 5th Beatle,” producer George Martin.
The latest edition of the monthly Before They Were Beatles newsletter also dropped this last week, in which I take a look at “How Robin Hood Helped Then Robbed The Beatles.”
If you want to check it out, you can subscribe below.
Back on the podcast front, the latest episode of the Chronological Christie podcast on The Murder on the Links is now available, so if you’d like to hear our thoughts on Hercule Poirot’s second outing.
And don’t forget our bonus mini-episode where we revisit some of the questions asked during our discussions over the last three Chronological Christie episodes.
You can check both out at https://creators.spotify.com/pod/chronologicalchristie
And for updates and reminders, you can also follow the podcast's Instagram account - https://www.instagram.com/chronologicalchristie/
Our next episode with our review and discussion on The Man In The Brown Suit is scheduled to drop in just over a week, on April 13th
Pages and Screens
Books Read in 2025 - “The Greatest American Football Story That Has Never Been Told” by Anthony Wootton
I must admit I’d never heard about the two USA vs Canada “Bowl” games of American Football played in London during WW2 between professional players from the NFL and CFL who were serving in the military.
It’s an interesting side note on how sport was used to maintain morale in the run up to D-Day, but I’m not sure it’s enough for a full book as this is padded with a lot of tangential side tracks including the last third of the book being focused on the rise of the current game and its popularity in Europe.
Over at our online bookstore at Bookshop.org I’ve now added a new section listing books read so far in 2025, so you can pick up copies of any that interest you, while also helping out local independent bookstores.
Weekly Web Round-Up
Batman On The Cover - We continue our chronological look at Batman’s publishing history as we start a whole new decade with a look at the new issues of Detective Comics, Batman, and a guest appearance in Teen Titans published by DC Comics, plus translated editions from Australia, Brazil, Belgium, Columbia, and Denmark in January 1970
My pick from the last two weeks is this fun cover from Brazil. No particular reason other than it makes me smile, while I try to figure out the reasoning for the twisted brown batmobile!
Forest Comics and Books - We just did a restock of our online store, and this time around we’ve added some actual comics (gasp!) along with the usual assortment of media tie-in related collectibles. - There’s more to come, so make sure to visit often.
Where on the Web is Alan?
You can now find links to all the places you can find me online, websites, newsletters, social media, and more in a single LINKS page on my personal website.
As always, thanks for joining me this week. If you know someone else who might enjoy the contents of this week’s newsletter, or just my weekly ramblings in general - please feel free to share by clicking the button below.
See you next time
Alan J. Porter
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