Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – Sunday Interview – Getting to Know You with Hugh W. Roberts.

Welcome to the Sunday Interview – Getting to Know you. This will be the last interview until September 23rd as I am off house and dog sitting for a couple of weeks. (And reading) I will still be popping in and sharing some regular posts and of course other bloggers, but the weekends will be very busy.

So to finish with a flourish until then…. my guest this week is author Hugh W. Roberts, who is also known for his excellent blogging tutorials, Blogging Tips for new bloggers and those of us who have fallen into bad habits!! Recently we have been enjoying a series that follows the events 49 Days in 1988 when Hugh lived in London. As well as sharing his story, he also invited fellow bloggers to suggest a song from the 1980s to play as well as promote their blog or books. This week it was another favourite blogger in our community The Story Reading Ape, Christopher Graham.

Here is an extract from the official word on  Hugh W. Roberts and you can find out more at Meet Hugh

My name is Hugh. I live in the city of Swansea, South Wales, in the United Kingdom.

My blog covers a wide range of subjects, the most popular of which are my posts on blogging tips. I’ve learned a lot about the world of blogging since I first discovered it in February 2014. All of the tips and advice I give are free of charge and will cost you nothing apart from, maybe, your time. To see all my posts that include blogging tips, click on the ‘Blogging Tips’ button on the menu bar.

I have always enjoyed writing, and the fact I suffer from a mild form of dyslexia has not stopped me from enjoying the passion I have for writing. Yes, I get things wrong with my reading and writing, but I now always find those mistakes humorous and always laugh about it. I no longer allow dyslexia get in my way.

Now in my fifties, I thought it about time I let my writing become public. Becoming a blogger seemed to be the perfect way for me to do this. Blogging has put me in touch with hundreds of other writers, many of whom have been supportive and helped me with my writing.

I’m a member of the committee of the Bloggers Bash, a group set up to organise annual get-togethers for all bloggers. Held in London, we had our fourth event in May 2018. Click here to meet the bloggers and authors who attended the event.

I lead a happy life and always try to stay positive. I share my life with John, my wonderful civil partner, and our two Welsh Cardigan Corgis, Toby and Austin.

Time to find out which of the questions Hugh has chosen to respond to………

Welcome Hugh and can you tell us what is your favourite TV show and why?

The Twilight Zone. If you’ve been following my blog for some time, you’ll know all about my pieces of flash fiction and short stories which often come with a twist at the end. Rod Serling, the creator of the show, is one of my writing heroes. He wrote many of the episodes for the show and I always admire the gift he has of leading people up the wrong garden path towards an ending they were not expecting. Of course, the clues are often in the episodes, but he’s brilliant at hiding them, even though they’re there right in front of your eyes. He’s the master of writing the way I want to write. I’d love to know what he thought of some of my stories, but sadly he passed away in 1975 at the young age of 51.

Are you a morning person or a night person?

Very much a morning person. Ever since I can remember, I’ve always loved to get up early and to make the most of my day. Who knows? It could be my last one, so I want to make the most of it. Even during the winter months, I get up early. It may be dark outside, but my creative mind is at its best during the morning, so it’s the time that I tend to sit down and write. I have written a couple of stories during the late evening, one of which frightened the life out of some of readers when I published it in my book, Glimpses. It was a weird story and came from deep in my mind. If you have a copy of Glimpses, the story is called ‘I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day.’

What is your favourite music genre and why?

Something by the name of ‘Hi-NRG.’ Not many people will have heard of that genre of music, but it takes me back to my days of being a part-time D.J when I lived and worked in London. Hi-NRG music was first played on the gay circuit, in nightclubs and pubs, it was very popular with gay men. As well as being a part-time D.J, I also had another part-time job selling records and, over the years I accumulated a rather large collection of 12-inch vinyl records which I played at the bars I D.J’d at. One of the best feelings I ever had was seeing a packed dance floor full of happy people dancing to the music I was playing. I was known, on the circuit, as ‘D.J the Lamb.’

Sally here: I hope that this is a good example of ‘Hi-NRG’ Hugh… Touch in the Night by Silent Circle...

What season is your favourite and why?

Autumn. I’m not a ‘summer’ person because I’m not good at coping with the heat or humidity our summers often bring. Autumn, however, is a beautiful season because of the colours she displays. As somebody who also enjoys and watches a lot of television, Autumn also brings a wonderful selection of shows to our television screens. I also enjoy Halloween, not because of all the chocolate, but because it always brings me so much inspiration for stories and pieces of flash fiction.

For the last few years, I’ve also insisted that my partner, a keen gardener, grows pumpkins so that we can carve Jack-o’-lanterns. I’m always disappointed if nobody knocks at our door on Halloween, even if it means I get to keep all the chocolate. Autumn is also, for us the northern hemisphere, the lead up to Christmas, another favourite time of the year for me.

Sally here: I love this time of year too, and I love this version of Autumn Leaves by Eva Cassidy.. just for you Hugh. Courtesy of David Borg

What is one thing (moral or practical) your grandparent taught you how to do that you still do today?

One of the quotes my Grandmother often said to me was ‘Treat others how you would like them to treat you.’ It’s something that has stayed with me since I first heard her saying those words. I’ve had a few jobs where I’ve been on the frontline of customer service, and the way some customers treat some of these employees was awful. We can all get angry when things don’t go to plan, but no amount of shouting, screaming, and rudeness is going to help. I always treat people with respect and, if I’m in the wrong, I’ll hold up my hands and say so. However, if I’m in the right, then I always quote to myself what my Grandmother said and don’t get angry with whoever I’m talking with. It’s a sad fact, but I think many humans have turned more and more un-respectful to each other over the last 40 years. If, however, every one of us could say that quote when waking up every morning, then wouldn’t it at least be a little better of a world we live in?

Sally here: It certainly would be Hugh and could not agree with you more…. a wise grandmother.

Now a look at Hugh’s short story collection Glimpses, which will be joined later this year, by a new release…

About the collection

After publishing some of his short stories on his blog, Hugh W. Roberts, who is dyslexic, received numerous requests to publish his short stories in a book.

Here, at last, are 28 short stories that will take your mind on a roller coaster of a ride into worlds that conceal unexpected twists and turns.

‘Glimpses’ allows the reader a peek into the lives of everyday people who are about to have life lead them on an unpredicted path. From a mysterious deadly iPad app to a hole in the fence that is not all it seems, to a strange lipstick that appears to have a life of its own, you will encounter terror, laughter, sadness, shock and many other emotions on journeys which promise a thrilling and gripping climax.

If you are a lover of shows such as ‘The Twilight Zone’ and ‘Tales Of The Unexpected’, then you are in for a real treat with this first collection of short stories from Hugh.

Dare you take a glimpse into the lives of these unsuspecting characters?

One of the reviews for the collection

A smashing collection of short stories By Robbie Cheadle

I found Glimpses by Hugh W. Roberts to be quite a unique book. It is a collection of short stories, mainly written along a supernatural theme. I am a great lover of supernatural and horror books and have been avidly reading Stephen King since I was ten years old, so this was right up my street. I had two absolute favourite stories/groupings of stories in this lovely book. My outright favourite was The Truth App which I read twice. It is a collection of a few short stories all in the same theme and it really “creeped” me out. Maybe I identified with it so much because it is all about blogging and bloggers which is a world in which I have recently become very immersed. I must say that I had to stop reading this tale in the evenings because it was giving me bad dreams. My advice to bloggers and other readers of this book, be careful what apps you choose to download!

My other outright winner was a short story about a woman who goes to India to have eye and dental treatment. This one stayed firmly in my mind because it made me reflect on the fact that, even if you read the completely incomprehensible list of ingredients on cosmetic and facial and other products, one rarely has any idea of what really goes into that cream that you are liberally apply all over your face. It also summoned up horrible thoughts of articles that I have read recently about testing medications and products on animals. A story that can make you think like that has got to be superb. 

Read the reviews and buy the book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Glimpses-Hugh-W-Roberts-ebook/dp/B01N757S3P

And on Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Hugh-W.-Roberts/e/B01N40ZABP

Read more reviews and follow Hugh on Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16123684.Hugh_W_Roberts

Connect to Hugh on his blog and social media.

Blog: https://hughsviewsandnews.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HughRoberts05
Google + : Hugh W. Roberts
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hugh.roberts05/
Mix: https://mix.com/hughwroberts
Flipboard: https://flipboard.com/@HughWRoberts

Thank you very much for visiting today and I hope if you have not met the wonderful Hugh Roberts before, you will introduce yourself and follow him on his blog and social media. Look out for his new collection of stories later in the year… it will be promoted here of course.