love it!!! Very funny book. Hurry up and publish!

Backed, when I can stop laughing long enough to hit the button. Joanna Fossil Farm

All I can say is - I laughed my ass off as soon as I started reading ... and I kept reading! Love the story, the characters ... and yes - the humor! Looking forward to buying this one in the local bookstore - backed with best wishes. Glenn (Darkling Child)

All I can say is - I laughed my ass off as soon as I started reading ... and I kept reading! Love the story, the characters ... and yes - the humor! Looking forward to buying this one in the local bookstore - backed with best wishes. Glenn (Darkling Child)

I may have backed this book before, but I love the way you write and your humour, so it's on my shelf for sure. Eunice - The Temple Dancer.

Bizarre, funny, nonstop, wacky, strange, sideways thinking all make this a great read that absorbs easily. Backed with pleasure.

James - This is hysterical. You had me at God saying "Bugger!" Glad to see the supreme being is human like the rest of us. Reading your prologue and first chapter, I couldn't help seeing Terry Gilliam, John Cleese and the rest of the cast of Monty Python acting it out. Still laughing as I back The Bibble. Best of luck with The Bibble, and I would love it if you could take a look at my book. -Jeff Lee THE LADIES TEMPERANCE CLUB'S FAREWELL TOUR

People have said it before, but this is Dogulas Adams-esque (dare I say better than his work) It's tongue-in-cheek intelligent wit at its best, and I was chirtling into my mug of tea. Fantastic from the first moment, and backed with pleasure. Abi xxx

I have written a book called 'Bernard and the Bibble'. This could not be more different. It's really quite hilarious. A true Douglas Adamsesque??? slice of surrealist profound fun, I mean it all starts with an absolute corker of an opening line and just carries on. It is clever, insightful and utterly bizarre and it's totally engaging and enjoyable. BAcked with pleasure. Carl The Time hUnters

The Bibble James Stanford James, This is a clever title you have for your book. When I first came across it, I simply saw "The Bible" because my eyes were trained to make a connection with my brain even though there were two "bbs" in there, which I simply did not notice. I thought it a curious title, after all, what would a "Bible" be doing as a title here? Anyway, I soon spotted the error of my way, and saw the two "bbs" and by this time, naturally I had to read your pitches. I think a good book starts with a good story, obviously, and this is a good one. Behind the questions you ask in your pitches, there's a lot of satire and food for thought. So, I naturally had to dip into the pages and I wasn't disappointed. This reads well and my only regret is that I didn't have the time to read more - but I will come back to it and I am glad you have uploaded the complete book here so I can see how it all ends, although I am not comfortable myself with uploading complete books (because of ideas beings easily transferred and transplanted - perhaps you might want to take down at least your last chapter? No advice here, but simply what I would do.)Anyway, I was happy to have given this a spin on my shelf and wish you success in finding a publisher. I enjoyed this very much. Best, Zan

It is funny! Strong pitch. I love to back your back.

I passed the story over the first time I saw it because I read the title as "The Bible" - and knew I'd already read that. On closer inspection, I realized there was an extra letter in there so opened it. And am glad I did. It's a funny, funny read. Dialogue is good. Descriptions are amusing. An overall good read. Burgio (Grain of Salt).

I have come to this completely unfamilair with the genre, but kind of familiar with the baggage and expectations if that makes sense? So what you have here is a book where the reader anticipates the style, the pace and the literary sight gags. If you don't know the genre, you don't always see them coming, or don't enjoy them to their full if you do. With me so far? So .. it took a few moments to realise God was less Charlton Heston, more Richard Briers (!?!). Then far too many ideas far too quickly. I know many people love this kind of stuff but for me personally I would have liked you to slow it down a bit. There are some gems in your descriptions, and I hope you keep it up for the entire book, but C1 reads like you had six coffees then sat at the computer. Jeez! I'm tired out and I've just been reading. Then the conversations. too many, too confusing. Assumes we know the characters already. You might, but we the readers do not. Take a cue from Elvis; a little less converation a little more action please. Despite how this might read( and I am writing at 11.25pm on Friday night and its been a long week), I can see this has an awful lot going for it. But I have freely admitted in other reviews to other writers here, I am an impatient reader and you have just too much going on, at least in C1 to keep my short attention span. but I wish you luck, and maybe if I read it again in the morning it'll make more sense. Best of luck with it. Cheers. Matt

This is very well written and so tongue in cheek _ nkept my interest in the first four chapters and i will come back for more - love it! BACKED Liz The Cheech Room

This makes me seethe with envy. Astonishingly good. Very best of luck (not that you'll need luck) John.

i'm with Jared here - your writing flows beautifully through your faultless dialogue. I'm a big fan of good dialogue - so much that is written lacks authenticity. Yours doesn't. Nice spiel at the start - and effortlessly imaginative - lovely stuff. Baked (like I needed to tell you) cheers and good luck with this Chris

BACKING you. I can use your comments on my book if you can spare the time. Cheers! JC The Obergemau Key

I backed this, blindly, a while ago, along with dozens of other books, to get myself out of a sticky wicket, and I am sorry that I did - the blind part, not the backing or the extraction from said sticky wicket - because this is definitely my kind of humor. I love anything steeped in irony and irreverence, and God yelling FORE! and sending the earth off into the universe is my idea of a divine madness. Please try mine, you'll enjoy it, too. Tim Chambers Moonbeam Highway: With Apologies to Miguel de Cervantes

There is another book the same as yours and it is doing very well, going up to the chart. i suppose you are doing other things quite often that takes your time from promoting this extraordinary work. i love the subject and it is so close to my heart. If i am not wrong your characters are God and Gabriel. that is facinating and in some parts it made me smile too. I dont have a great knowledge of English, but there are some books that just hook me, yours is the one for sure, backed with pleasure. shah

wonderfully irreverent!

Your book has the perfect title: it conveys all the wonderfully irreverent humor to be found inside. Take cover after you publish this one. For my part, I was laughing out loud at parts of it. Well done and backed!

With a tittle like that I couldn’t resist, and I was not disappointed very, very good, fantastic humour.

James, the Bibble is a great satirical piece, from the title, to the pitch, to the first line - as soon as I read it I was gripped and it kept going at a good old pace. This is one of those exceptions to my usual genres, precisely because of your witty approach and dialogue eg "we need to have that talk about corsetry" (this and many other lines had me laughing out loud). Happily backed Kati Jane (Little Guide to Unhip)

Sorry to mimic Jared but your opening line is fantastic! When a book has you laughing at the very start it’s a good sign, reading on I wasn't disappointed. Your plot is ridiculous and I mean that as a huge, huge compliment. Backed George (The Touch of God)

Hi James, The title alone, The Bibble, is alluring. What a refreshing, comedic approach to philosophical concepts of God, the universe and how things came to be. Your description of God, liking his balls (planets) and creating a golf club to whack the blue and green ball into space is amusing to say the least. I also love how you've made Gabriel such a likable, lazy glutton with chocolate on his face. It may be a matter of taste, but I feel your first chapter might be a bit too long--you might want to break it into two parts. I've also noticed a few possessive apostrophes missing. For example, "mans presence" should be man's presence and "fat mans nose" should be fat man's nose. This is one of the most original conceptual pieces I've read on this site. I'm glad to see you've uploaded the entire book. Wishing you all the best with the entertaining piece. Backed, Janine MY KIND OF CRAZY

Hi, I have backed your book because I found it eminently readable but have to cover 25 books a day just to keep my place on here. If you would like a more specific comment please return the favor. Good luck with it. Tim Chambers Moonbeam Highway: With Apologies to Miguel de Cervantes. Moonbeam Highway: With Apologies to Miguel de Cervantes.

Hi James, this is brilliant, really funny, I love your sharp sense of humor mixed with an ironic wit. It very english humor and I can never put my finger on what it is exactly but when it's done well its brilliant. I love the characters, the prologue is very funny, poor old god is having a hard time. Then the dialogue between thel and the little fat man is brilliant, I laughed out loud when Thel asked him who he was, you really are a master at dialogue, its really quick and sharp and as I said before extremely funny. On my shelf without a doubt, a mix of monty python and terry pratchett, not bad company! Helena (A Load of Rubbish)

James, I've looked at your first chapter. I could follow it logically. Good writing. It needs another round of revision, though. Chapter One, second paragraph, third sentence: "mans presence" should be "man's presence" Backed for the potential. Joffrey

Love this! The opening line is priceless. Then there were so many more ... "bob...bob...bob ... you look remarkably like a goldfish". This is so funny. And you write it smoothly with terrific descriptions. definitely backed Genevieve Under the Same Sky

Dear James Stanford, Thank you for sharing your story with us. Your opening paragraphs had me grinning immediately. I appreciate your whimsical and iconoclastic sense of humor. The dialog between God and that chocolate-grubbing Gabriel swept me into the narrative. In my fallible opinion, you could make your long pitch even better by making it shorter. You demonstrate your funny in the first paragraph as well as giving us an idea of a plot, and battling a demon is a sufficient cliffhanger. I suggest cutting the second paragraph, as the series of questions don’t add significantly to the tension you’ve built. If you wished to add more to your long pitch, you could throw in a few sympathy factors for your protagonist. This small matter aside, I enjoyed your story. Bravo! Backed. Best wishes, Alan Marling

Oh how this made me giggle! Funny! You have a great writing style. There's nothing I'd advise you to fix or change. Good stuff. My kind of story. This is the kind of story you have to share with others. You know, the kind with quotes, like movies. People are always saying "Movie quote" and then they quote thier favorite line. I could do the same with your book. Over and over! Book quote! "It's the feet thing, isn't it? It always seems to annoy people, that one." or "I like my balls, and I want to keep them. By which I mean spherical planets." This is great!!!! SD Gillen

Jimmy, I bet you are damn funny at a pub. I'm also betting tons have said K.Vonnegut and D.Adams to you already right? Chalk another check for me on those too. Very well done. You should contact a fellow named Dai Lowe on this site. He's often known to call the Bible the Bibble and your humor seems like he might enjoy...hard to say really (I barely know myself) but I bet if you made a movie of this book Dai would make an excellent Thelopius. Please excuse my ridiculousness. This is incredibly clever. This is mad. Yes, I loved the prizes at the bottom of the box. Could hardly believe it when they started putting them outside of the cereal bag. No more waiting or digging? What fun is that? I'd love an Insectosaurus. I want some Jumpy Mix. As Jared says below...it really is that good. minus one O of course. I hope your beard is bushy. I want this to succeed. Best to you. -=Bradley

Oh so clever and very amusing. Enjoyable. Backed.

james Intriguing little number. Found the dialogue quite amusing as they bantered away. Reminded me of a Monty Python sketch in some parts - hope that's okay me saying that? Anyway, spotlessly written, and a breath of fresh air. Backed. Rosali Webb Fieldtrip to Mars

This is very, very funny. had me laughing at the start. It's the that makes this type of comedy, the little funny bits that add up to a whole - Elvis & George formby arguing over scrabble, holding on the telephone, too many to list. Had a feel of pratchett as well as the obvious Hitchhikers. You've got a knack of making the characters instantly likeable and funny. I read chap 1 and bits of 13 & 27 to check it was still funny. And it is. I've read nearly 400 books on this site and I would buy about 6 of them, this is one of them. Obviously backed. I really hope you get this published. Charlie

This is very good. I read the first chapter and started the second but now I must work. I think the style is probably closer to DNA's that Eoin Colfer's attempt. The timing is great, the dialogue is spot on. I spotted what looked like one punctuation error and one clunky phrase ' Had he had' but otherwise I can see no reason why this wouldn't be snapped up - based on teh first chapter alone. Have you submitted it around the houses? One thing though, your pitch seems too close to DNA, try to distinguish yourself as you, as a brilliant sci-fi humourist. Drop the mention of the cocktail - it says 'I've copied the Pangalactic Gargle Blaster.' Well done. M.

Wonderfully hilarious! I think this should be required reading in some special school for some special kind of people. The question about WHAT special kind of people is open for discussion. I suspect that anyone who reads it becomes, in a special way, special. I have specially shelved it, so it will be ready when needed. Especially yours, Jedward (Knut)

Hi James, I didn't know quite what I was expecting when I read this. The word, Insectosaurus, makes me shiver. That aside, this irreverent romp of a read is highly amusing and I'm sure will do well! Shelved. JupiterGirl (Twins of the Astral Plane.)

As we say in Texas, this is a hoot! Snappy dialogue, wonderfully absurd descriptions, plenty of action. This has to be a winner. Shelved--Bill

I decided to start reading your ending - Chapter 35 was interesting - coming into this cold the names added an intriguing touch of humor and it seemed there were still in jokes to share with the reader (whatever floats your boat) as an example to keep this fresh. I did find though that the sentences were a bit wordy. My main recommendation would be to make sure that each and every word is necessary. For example: "Looking through the doorway Ted could see a number of the drones in a similar state; some were sitting...." Can be just as effective as "Ted could see a number of drones sitting...." We already know where he is in relation to the scene, and you tell me what 'similar state is' with the sitting -- so do I need those other words? Just a thought. Chapter 36 tidies the story up nicely - I liked the return to the music channel scene. A reader should be able to visualize this easily. Best of luck to you.

James, The short pitch struck me as not quite working, but then the long version is a tour de force and shows what you were aiming for in the short. Reading on I'm expecting something in the vein of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe. Love the prologue--or bit at the start if you prefer. Have you read the Carpe Trade here, By MrESheep? I think you'd like it. It's very funny--and so's this. Funny names (Li Ping), ridiculous situations described in a dry down to earth manner, and swipes at things that frustrate us all (call waiting). This is wel put together and easy to read. I've found little to comment on by way of constructive criticism. You seem to have the voice right for this, and that's the key to this sort of thing, I think. Your story meanders but it's well enough told that I don't mind. I keep finding new reasons to smile. I'm giving this a spin on my shelf.

This writing makes it easy to jump in with both feet and stay. It's got the sparkle and humor that we crave in our lives right now. backed with pleasure Sue Sohn

A very well written title and pitch. The first chapter introduces the story well and the dialogue flows nicely. Backed. Jonathon

Amidst all this formula genre that takes itself so seriously, it is refreshing to see humour for its own sake. The greats of the field (e.g. Douglas Adams) use satire and sarcasm, you chose bafoonery. Bafoonery can be effective but you have to watch it. Just go over your text and trim the "jollies" and the "bloodies." Superlative choice of title! A.P. Constantin The Crystal Butterfly Club

Hello James, I was browsing the sites of some people I respect and having come across the Bibble, I couldn't resist having a look. I loved it! Suited my sense of humour perfectly. Not only is it hilarious, it's also very well written, smooth and quickly engaging. I would happily buy a copy. Good luck with it, I hope it's successful. Backed with enthusiasm. Rheagan Greene Unwelcome Reflections. PS If you’d lkie to read mine, great. If it’s not your thing, don’t worry. No problem.

Hi James, I enjoyed this for the idea that everyday people might have a more important purpose than it seems - and the whimsical way that this is written. Loved Steve making his call to the beyond and being treated like a forgettable entity. And the bumbling in the shop. The dialogue is delectable, Angus' vernacular coming in with comedy. I can see it will take some fancy plotting to make Thelopius realize his important purpose. Well-written! Katherine (The Swan Bonnet)

"The Bibble" How can you possibly not read a bit of a novel that starts "Bugger," said God. I think what really got me though is the absolutely great dialogue: it's bloody funny, and I defy anyone not to want to keep reading once they start. Which means me. "FORE," he bellowed. I guess he didn't make a hole in one, but I think you may have. This is on my watch list until I can make room to back, and then I'm going to read a whole lot more. Nicholas ("The Warlock") - Horro/Thriller

Hi James, I backed this a few days ago and thought you might like my comments. Love it! I notice Douglas Adams name in your bio and the influence is clear and the connection is worthy of him. The only glitch I spotted is in Ch3, 'Thelopius looked supervisors back as it walked away. ' Good luck with this, SF p.s. I believe in Bob.

Can't believe I've taken so long to get round to reading this. This is tremendous fun that appeals to my love of all things absolutely barking mad. The dialogue here is great. You've mastered the fine art of snappy back-and-forth chatter (my favourite being the whole '...my left...' thing). This is a hilarious piece of work that deserves to do well. Good show old bean.

I really enjoy this genre of books. Besides being a fan of Douglas Adams, I love Terry Prachett, and his Good Omens book reminds me of The Bibble. This is a great read. backed

If no one else has said it (and they will), this will start off as a cult book passed around by the cognescenti in return for 10 Rothmans, will then be pinched by a BBC scriptwriter as a subplot for Dr Who, will then be the subject of a court-case for the use of big words like 'feculent', which will bring it enormous publicity, whereby it will top the best seller charts for ever. To say that I read Ch.1, tried to read 22 but pressed 'Report Abuse' by mistake, which I considered would be unfair to the author, and finally read 13 which is the date on which I was born. Backed.

Sci-Fi comedy... As others have noted, when this is published (as it will be), the publisher will write on the cover "If you like Douglas Adams, you'll LOVE James Stanford." Brilliant. Frank

Riotously funny! Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy meets The Life of Brian. I giggles all the way through this. Fantastic. On my watchlist for further reading. Tim H Hellbound

Hi James, This is quite simply brilliant. I loved it from thevery first sentence. Your sense of humour is right up my street and your imagery is spot on. I have real pleasure in placing this on my shelf. Good luck, James (The Lycetta Legacy).

Great another sci-fi book just what I need while I enjoy my morning coffee. I laughed at the ‘like my balls’. When I read you pitch I was thinking ‘Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy’ and I can see that your book is just as funny. Why don’t you have a comedy flag? This is extremely funny and that is hard to do with sci-fi, so well done. I would definitely buy this if I saw it in the book store. I love witty sci-fi – Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett, yours is up there with them. I will back your with very great pleasure and look forward to seeing it in print. Tony Life Bringer

Hilarious and very reminiscent of Hitchhikers Guide, I found this original and enjoyable and to misquote another well-known book - "Can anything good come out of Swindon?" Definitely on my shelf! Patrick

This is funny! What a fantastic start! I totally love the language in this, it appeals to my warped sense of humour! This is one I MUST come back to! I wish I had a second watchlist for all those books that I just want to come back and read more of... Backed Lorrii

There is definitely a market out there for this: well-written, of course, but also witty, irreverent, and crazy over-the-top funny. Shelved!

I came to read this as I was assured that it had THAT essence of 'Hitch-Hikers Guide' All I can say is Excellent. This book is a 42!

lol at the tittle, like the premise, added to watchlist will read later today ;)

The Bibble is one for the connoisseurs - if you are into Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy you'll love this. Backed.

Bob Huge thanks for comments and backing - and you're not wrong, I know the reference well, 'twas a favourite of mine. "Rubbish, Blackadders as sane as me. Baaah!" [QUOTE] It's all very 'Hitchhikers' Douglas Adams will very cross with you James! Ok, so I'll quantify that statement... Adams will be 'cross' because your book is funnier than his! Superb writing and laugh out loud funny! Backed with pleasure. Bob (Auctoratus) PS, 'Bibble' reminds me of 'Wibble' (Blackadder - pants over his head, pencils up his nose) I know that you'll understand that. [ENDQUOTE]

It's all very 'Hitchhikers' Douglas Adams will very cross with you James! Ok, so I'll quantify that statement... Adams will be 'cross' because your book is funnier than his! Superb writing and laugh out loud funny! Backed with pleasure. Bob (Auctoratus) PS, 'Bibble' reminds me of 'Wibble' (Blackadder - pants over his head, pencils up his nose) I know that you'll understand that.

I'd back this for The Ghost of Music Present alone. But, as the rest of it is just as funny, I'll back it for that as well.

Delicious! a hoot! (I thought I'd read this ages ago but discovered that was The Blibble, very confusing for my small mind.) I love this and will read it all but just to let you know it's shelved already. Together with Philip Gilliver, you offer up great humour and imaginative scenarios. Far too many bits to pull out as noteworthy so I'll just say, it's all fantastic and the dialogue is as laid back as the characters. (A few typos but perhaps if you could get rid of the capital letters after the dialogue, it would help with the readibilty.) Good luck with this, Carolyn.

A really funny book, of the Terry Prachett / Douglas Adams variety, and the world could do with as many more of these as it can get. I laughed my way through everything I read. Tel is a real and sympathetic character. So is Steve. The telephone experience was spot on. You have brought your characters beautifully to life. Your style is witty, smooth, professional. I'm looking forward to reading on. Backed. Gerry McCullough, Belfast Girls.

I've only had chance to read Ch1 and a random chapter from the middle (Ch18). I wish I had more time at present to read more as it really is jolly good fun. The witty, knowing prose carries the reader along and there are parts of this that are smooth as extra-creamy butter. From a personal perspective (and I think this is the first time I've ever said this) I find there's sometimes a little too much dialogue unbroken by direction (unfortunately, I am like the anti-you in this regard). You are implying action in the dialogue, but I'd prefer a few more 'he said, she saids', although observed in your own witty way, of course. I sometimes felt I was reading a script. When you are writing exposition it's very pithy, so I'd like more of it. jcm

God with a great sense of humor! Love it. Backed. --Sarah

God with a great sense of humor! Love it. Backed. --Sarah

Okaaaaay................... Read the first three chapter.....made me laugh....good fun.....Shelved No possible advice on this one. You either go with it or you don't, I did. Good luck with this John Booth (Shaddowdon)

Saw your thread in the forum and thought I would stop by. What can I say? I love this. The opening had me grinning like a fool. You certainly have a captivating and original read here. It was hard for me to put this down. You have a great knack with both narrative and dialogue. This is engrossing with humor threaded throughout and just enough description to allow the reader a picture of where it is being said, who is saying it and what it all looks like. There is a drive behind this that sets it apart from a lot of the reads on here. quirk and smirk. Delightful! Backed - T.L Tyson-Seeking Eleanor

This is joyously, outrageously indescribable. Shelved compulsively. Really! -Gev

I don't know why I backed this...I just did. =D In all seriousness, this is a splendid and original read. From the pitch forward, I found myself liking this particular work. L. Anne Carrington, "The Cruiserweight"

Really funny, extremely confident and polished writing. My only nit (yeah I have to have one) is that the font could do with being bigger or maybe I just need to wear my glasses more!! LOL On my shelf for sure. Melxx

Hi James. Your pitch promises a lot of fun in this novel. Read the first few chapters. Very nice writing. Good development. Comfortable to read which is a good quality in my opinion. All in all, I think it's a darn good job. Well worth backing. On my shelf and the best of luck with it. John Harold McCoy - Bramwell Valley

All I can think of by way of comment are two words: Thank you. From the pitch onward, this is relentlessly, mercilessly, take-no-prisoners funny. Given what the world is at present, near lethal doses of humor are survival kit essentials, along with hardtack, water, and duct tape. Backed without further ado, Andrea Levin (Last Day of the Transitional Objects Institute)

This is a distinctly silly book; delightfully surreal and irreverent. It made me smirk rather a lot.

I'm all in favour of blasphemy and wholesale lack of respect. Go for it!

Ha! Adams, Pratchett and co. rolled into one hilarious ride. Top stuff, shelved!

A very inventive title and strong pitches are great incentives to read this and the opening line is a cracker. I've read ten chapters without pause and would read on if I could. I'm loving this. I see you've included a Douglas Adams tag - inevitable I suppose, but this is the book the great man should have written. It really is that good. From "utterly normal bloke" onwards, you had a fan here. Very funny, relentlessly manic, a tour de force. Polish it and send it out to every publisher out there. If this doesn't get into print, there's no hope for anyone. Backed with admiration. Jared.

A very inventive title and strong pitches are great incentives to read this and the opening line is a cracker. I've read ten chapters without pause and would read on if I could. I'm loving this. I see you've included a Douglas Adams tag - inevitable I suppose, but this is the book the great man should have written. It really is that good. From "utterly normal bloke" onwards, you had a fan here. Very funny, relentlessly manic, a tour de force. Polish it and send it out to every publisher out there. If this doesn't get into print, there's no hope for anyone. Backed with admiration. Jared.

Dear James, The Bibble Heaven and hell are large enough for every imaginable mansions, based on all kinds of Bibbles. Through the cosmos in a camper van, great, fantastic fun, a welcome idot relief for some of the more presumptious cosmologies, be they outright murky or super-sane. Addictive read. Pia (Course of Mirrors)

Bloody hilarious! Reminded me of Mil Millington, and I've bought (and loved) every one of his books. I have no crits - Backed.

Steve is lovable..Thelopius is magnificent. This is so good, i read a few paragraphs, then chapters, enjoying it all..On my shelf and all the best......mikey

James I just left you a long comment and the system kicked me out.....and I cant remember what I said..... mid decision, mid air....sounded repetitive to me.... what you are....What you are.........(same phrase close together......I wasn;t keen on that) The word 'average' comes about 3 times in one paragraph..... On the plus,,,, dialogue and narrative shit the pace forward equally on an even keel.....I liked that..... Great premise....happy to read more..... Shelved with good wishes for 2010......

I liked this a lot. To be honest, once I'd got to the bit about the sound of broken crockery a shelving from me was in the bag. I like the humour, I like the characterisation, I like the texture of the writing and I loved your version of the creation! I've only read the first chapter but I would definitely read the whole thing if I found it somewhere like a library or a book shop. Very Douglas Adams if you don't mind my saying. That is a good thing by the way. My only caveat -and it's a small one - would be to do with the Adamsian side. I could imagine people reading your pitch and thinking the story might owe a bit too much to Hitch Hikers Guide... until they'd read it properly. Good luck. Cheers Mary Mc (Few are Chosen; comic fantasy)

I could tell from the first paragraph that your sharp, quick-witted sense of humour would appeal to me. There are some brilliant lines in here that make me feel all satisfied inside with their cleverness. You have a great piece of work here. Andrew

Bouncing on my shelf Attractive, totally readable and FUNNY You have lots of talent with words and the ability to make it all so reader friendly. Suggestions. If you´re updating it I`d put it in a larger font size. OK yiou can enlarge it but its a pain. cheers............Mikey (The Free)

HAHA. This is brilliance! Love the opening scene with God and your new twist on the creation story. I promise, I will make room on my shelf for this. Perhaps tomorrow. This needs to be shelved!

Hey James, this book somehow made its way onto my watchlist (possibly by itself) and although I can't remember how, I'm glad it did. I really like it so far, it's unique and funny and chaotic - my cup of tea exactly (although I prefer hot chocolate). I haven't read much so won't shelve yet, but if it stays this good as I read on then there's very little doubt that I will. Yours sincerely, Rob (Apple of my Eye)

Aaah James! This is a bloody great read! I'd buy this - in a HEARTBEAT. You combine all of my favorite things in a giant bucket of creative brilliance! Hehe. So mental, so funny - quirky and original is difficult to pull off in this day and age, but you do it! The Bibble has everything...there would be a massive market for this and you should get your ass on authonomy more often to promote this! I'll be recommending it to as many people as I can. Wholeheartedly backed, I look forward to buying it in Waterstones :) Melanie ~Dreamgate~

Hi Stanny An original idea for a book, which is...er...original. I back your book on the telephone queue paragraph alone. Funny, very very funny. My sort of read. Good luck. martin. Rick Bunion.

The Bibble... Golfers will love this one and so will anyone with half a sense of humour. A laugh a minute (well, maybe every two seconds), great dialogue (just shines), and a story that keep one glued to the screen. Once this gets published, people will be rolling on the floor and having to grab the book before it falls behind the sofa. Needs a line edit (e.g., mans when it should be man's, etc.) but not a single nit. When I stop laughing, I'll shelve this without a qualm. Cheers, Sheryl (In All The Wrong Places)

This is not a story I would have ever thought of. It's funny, well written and highly original. Backed. C.P

James, quite brilliant. Laughed myself into a decline. All the very best with it, Lynn

Hi James. I just love this. I love the style, I love the humour, I love Bob's balls...do you get the picture? I LOVE IT! Being nitpicky, I did notice quite a few missing apostrophes (mans v man's, etc) and one or two rogue capitals, esp after speech. Also one or two repetitions,i.e.: mid decision, mid air, and "You don't really know me..." "I really gave myself away.." And the doughnut question, "One more." needs a ? Other than that, a great way to start my day, thanks so much! Shelved, of course. Hope you enjoy KING'S ENVOY as much. Cas.

James, I love your humor. It shines through in everything from your premise to your dialogue and descriptions. This was a joy to read and I'd love a print copy so I could read it without the eyestrain of a computer screen. (Your font seems to be of the exra small variety, too.) More than happy to give this a turn on my shelf. Heidi Turning Red

Douglas Adams is reborn. Great wit and invention on offer here, in a rollicking sci-fi rollercoaster ride of laughs and humour. "FORE!" I bellow, and send this book spinning up the Authonomy rankings. Shelved.

At this point I want some of Daves really painful home made gut wrencher. And on the sixth day God created Golf. ANd on may 22nd at 3:36 local time I did shelf this book.

Stanford - you and I, sir, shall get along. Inkycreative pointed me in this direction, and I'm exasperatingly glad that she did. She'll get the good lovin' tonight, *I* can tell you. Right, enough bollocks. Have you read 'The Gospel According to Spike Milligan' (or something)? If not, o so immediately (although I think this is better. Yes.). What about Peter Ustinov's 'The Old Man and Mr Smith'? Ditto, sir, ditto. Right, random thoughts, as they occurred: - too many great one-liners to quote from memory. You have a fantastic comic eye, Stanford. I'm in capable hands here; - "extra[-]terrestrial": in your pitch, need the hyphen; - great name, Thelopius R; - you get a shelf for your use of 'feculent' alone; - "copious of": two things. First, don't miss out words; secondly, if the word omitted here is 'amounts', leave it out. 'Copious amounts' is a quite staggering cliche (yes, yes, with bloody acute accent), and a man of your talent can do far better. Emend immediately; - "Swindon": excellent. Perfect irrelevant town. If not this, then 'Ipswich'. Glad we agree; - "large[,] thick[,] leather": need commas; - "he announced[.]": need the full stop; - "red[-]faced": need hyphen; - go and read Keefieboy's 'Tybalt & Theo' on here, if you haven't already, and get him back here too. You will be friends, I assure you. Quality stuff, sir, and certainly shelved. Look forward to your thoughts on 'Pistols'. If you could drop by before the end of the month I'd be eternally grateful. Desperate to stay on the damned desk this month, if I can. Best of luck with 'The Bibble' - sestius

The Bibble Hi James, Brilliant, such excellent fun, Douglas Adams and Terry Prachett just got into a dodgy telepod and this gorgeous fusion is the result. Riotously brilliant fun, I completely enjoyed it and I would happily gobble up pages and pages of this stuff. God is a real piece of work, fantastic. SHELVED - Andrew W.

Hi James! In the genres for this book, for some reason I only see a few of them when I access your page. Hopefully comedy is one of them, because I found your work to be very funny. I love the beginning with God at home. Some of your lines should be classics: "I get a special deal for imaginary friends and family." All the different Doctors Where, Why, What, and Which. Etc. There are a few typos here and there, but nothing an editor wouldn't be able to pick up on. I wonder if you thought about using caps for He and His in the parts about God, or would that be too much for the readers. Also, I'd change "Chinaman" in Chapter 9 as that's considered offensive (unless a character says it who is offensive). Do you mean Chinese or Asian, even? All-in-all, though, this is a good read. Michael The Last Coming Out Story

This is very original and quite funny and there's something hitchhikers' guide about it. The writing is tight and moves quickly....weird rule following. in chapter 2 (and in a couple of other places) you did something like this "You can get up now." She whispered. I think (and I may be wrong), that the s in she should be lower case since it isn't a proper noun and the she whispered is part of the sentence (even though a period is in the quotes). I leave it to you to figure it out. Good Luck with your work. Armen (Urtaru)

This is remarkably English in its form and its conception, if you don't mind me saying so. You have what's often described as a 'gentle' sense of humour - ie, quirky and thoughtful - and I have the feeling you might be the new Douglas Adams, or at least the new Doug Naylor. You combine theology and science-fiction and humour in a way that's not overly aggressive and is thus unlikely to alienate the theologians. And strange to say, that's often the key here. There's also a hint of Lewis Carroll about your approach to the universe. Yes, I liked The Bibble. I won't go so far as to say it's become my Bibble. But I wouldn't mind seeing it in print. If it was an audiobook, I'd most definitely listen to it in my car. And I'd be very protective about the CD. Bookshelved.

Hi, I came across this and just started reading. Usually I start nitpicking but this just swept me away and I read you whole first chapter. It's very Douglas Adams if you don't mind my saying. I completely love your characters and your dialogue lifts them straight off the page. Great stuff. This is going straight on my shelf. Cealarenne

James, What a hilarious divinely inspired, irreverent look at the cosmos. Love that God et al. have British accents, that just is a given right? lol. This is so fun and imaginative. I love it. Shelved. Oh, only one suggestion. You need an original cover. The generic one does not do your book justice. Shelved! Jeff

James, What a fun bit of silliness, this! Great comedy. I enjoyed the read. I did notice there is a huge problem with the word "sat" in your work. See the following examples: "But I was sat here like a fool" should be either "but I sat here like a fool" or "but I was sitting here like a fool". Again, "but I've been sat here for over an hour" should be "but I've been sitting here for over an hour." If you clean up that and a few missed apostrophes, you'll have a winner on your hands. On my shelf, ML

Very funny stuff. You really are in the groove of Adams and Pratchett (a subgenre I think of as "SF Humor Cozies") with this. It would seem to me that there's a fanbase waiting for this. Good luck

James This reminded me of Monty Python. Good slapstick with a twist of God. Check through for punctuation. Right at the start “said God” (ie lowercase following speech). IN fact it’s more usual these days to write “God said.” Later you miss a period: “…he announced [period] “Gabriel!” ” After this I stopped checking for punctuation because it distracts from the bigger picture. However I did notice quite a few errors after speech marks with capitals where they shouldn’t be (typically “Said”) and periods instead of commas. I like to focus on chapter endings. The prologue ends well. End of Chapter 1 could be revised, but chapter 2 is good. Normally I look for a hook to keep the reader interested. Cliff hangers are obvious, but intrigue works as do lines that make an impact. For comedy you can obviously give us a punchline. You’re good at this, but consider alternatives (like for chapter 1) to give us variety. That’s it. Consider your book shelved! Chris I Dare You

You had me at bugger. :D This is a great parody, filled with real voices and unusual yet familiar situations. This deserves to get to number 1! Ed (Mutant Toe)

Hi James. Your voice is hysterical, a pure delight, which no one can resist being happy. Your catchy phrases and quirky descriptions brighten one's mood. Your "god" feels as though he has a booming tone and vivacious energy and is quite the rascal. Consistently hysterical, abrupt ending to the first scene. I like your god and he has my attention. No matter what you say from this point, you've got me. You keep my laughing. I have a sweet tooth also and the thought it could be a connection with angels is reassuring. I love the "lalalalala." I love the receptionist taking a break before telling the fat man no one is in the office. You could be a stand up comedian. Great energy throughout. Nice ending to chapter 1 with your Thelopius remaining unconvinced. On my shelf. Best wishes. Janet Marie - Spirit Prisoners.

Brilliant premise and wonderfully executed. You really do deserve a round of applause for this. Great work!

I will try to get this message to the right building but I can't guarantee getting the right cell. Wherever they are keeping you, keep writing. This is very funny and sharply observed. On my shelf to continue reading. Patrick Barrett (Shakespeares Cuthbert)

Completely insane and every line is a gem. WHy isn't this at the top of the charts? I bet you hate it when people say that, as if it's all your fault and you've been holding it back. Nah this is great. So many hilarious lines. 'I've been sat like a fool for quarter of an hour.' 'How you sit is up to you,sir.' Oh this is so... I dunno... I could say Monty Python or Spike Milligan but it's not. It's you and it's very very funny.

This is brilliant and funny and grandly original! Shelved! Elaina

Ha ha this is awesome. What a great idea for a story, and you have written it so well. I read enough to back this. I hope you enjoy the Ties that bind. Regards, Mark H

What a laugh! Pratchett/Fforde-esque and yet still identifiable as a unique piece of work. I will continue reading...

Really enjoyed the intros and chapter one, will get back to it whenever I can

GREAT!!!!!!! my lighthearted soul was buzzing from line 1. nitpick-i have to make 1-i like my balls and i want to keep them(by which i mean spherical planets) it doesn't need the explanation because it's HILARIOUS without it. looking forward to reading LOTS MORE- ENORMOUS SHELF_TJ

Hey Stanny WOW. This is brilliantly written, peopled by weird and wonderful characters and moves at a cracking pace. I love the hidden gems you've cleverly woven into the text - like Elvis and George Formby arguing about the correct spelling of 'uh-huh' and the inanimate object from the cereal box acting as silent commentator... Just flippin' brilliant. Like others have said, it's definitely Douglas Adams-esque but it also has echoes of Terry Pratchett and Jasper Fforde (no bad thing!). Congratulations and I'll read on with interest. Onto the bookshelf forthwith, sir! Miranda (Travels With My Teapot) :o)

Hi James, I read the first chapter and though that your creation stories is one of the best I have ever heard. I also thought it was all very enjoyable read. Satire is not really my thing so I can't really give any more criticisms or praise. Ryan

Hey, James, I've read through the first half dozen or so chapters. Very funny. The book that immediately comes to mind, of course, is Hitchhiker's Guide, although I must now embarrass myself by admitting that I've never actually read that much of Hitchhiker's Guide, so that comparison is based largely on the other book's reputation. The notion that the protagonist has problems with alcohol is a good idea, because it allows you to play games with the piece while at the same time maintaining a certain level of plausibility. I have only two problems, and I don't know for certain whether they are actual problems or merely questions of taste: the pace of the piece is very laconic, particularly in chs. 1-4--well, 1-2 more specifically--and I'm wondering if it's too laconic. There are long amusing exchanges of dialogue which are very funny themselves, but I'm wondering if it might help to trim them a little bit. Secondly, the only conversation I read that really bothered me was very early on, in which the protagonist is more or less negotiating service with his angel/hallucination, and he starts to get very down to earth all of a sudden, asking whether he will have food, etc. That's jarring to me for some reason--I think its just that in such circumstances, I can't imagine myself asking that sort of question. But again, it's not something really wrong with the piece, per se, it's just a matter of choice--my own tastes, I must confess, are so idiosyncratic that I sometimes think people should listen to my advice and do the opposite. But that inclusion of "sober'--if you'll pardon the pun--reality into the piece just jarred me directly out of the book. Great imagination and a very funny idea. I'll shelve this because I really suspect that, with some trimming, this can see print.

James, this isn't a genre that I follow, but my reaction was exactly the same as to the Hitcher's Guide to the Galaxy: terrific fun, the first chapter to be read and reread and shared with others, but a whole book is too much for my personal taste. I think you have a real winner here, I had to interrupt the family's TV evening to read them the beginning and the golf ball. Shelved! Good luck, Robin (If you have a chance to look at my Gospel According to the Romans and leave a comment, I'd be very grateful)

I have to say that I am not usually into Sci-Fi books. And it's hard for me to get into them. That being said, your book was really interesting and funny. I don't know whether you meant this to be funny, but it is. I think the writing and tone are fresh and it's a unique story. I like the characters and the cutting wit. I'll need to make room for my shelf. Rachel May Lowercase, “said” in the first line. You’re such a great writer, I think you can come up with something besides “fit as a fiddle” Just think about it. The bit about being in your MC’s head and hallucinating the angel. Very funny stuff. You had me laughing out loud in your first chapter. Reminds me a bit of the book the Naughtiest little Angel. Not sure if you’ve read it. Check Amazon.com. Anyway, great stuff so far. Reading on…The part about the mushrooms made me smile because in South Georgia they are in every cow pasture. Hahahaha. Now I’m up to Chapter 2 Li Ping. Your names are humorous too…Crispy. Me likey. Me likey a lot. The bit about Anderson’s Loosener and the next line, “Solid or cream” was funny. I’m not even sure if you meant this to be funny. But it is to me. Lord I hope you meant this to be humorous. It’s written so well. One thing I notice by the end of chapter 2 there isn’t much description and I’d like to see you break up some of the dialogue with some descriptor paragraphs. Chapter 3: I’m getting into this. “So, I’m a nutter then. Class A loony….” This line was great! The bit about if I’m not real then where are your donuts. That too made me chuckle. The fact that Thelopius can’t remember his parents is interesting and I keep wondering what’s going to happen next.

This is great, Stanny, The prologue is brilliant, love the image of God whacking Earth off into space with a four iron or whatever. Read up to end of chap 3 and found that parts remind me of Kevin Smith's film 'Dogma' which is a good thing! And loved the little details such as Eternal Denial Syndrome = Ed cases. Well worth a shelf and deserves to go far. Cheers, Simon

I was recommended by a friend to check out this book, having only read the start I can see it has potential. Reading some of other comments, specifically about Pratchett and Adams makes me want to read on, which I will do and further comment. I have to say the start is very promising...

James, If this book were a pudding it would be jam roly poly and custard. And I would cry as I've given pudding up for Lent. When this is published, pleeeease would you sign a copy for me? Shelved with a passion. And a dribbly bit of custard. Kat

James, If this book were a pudding it would be jam roly poly and custard. And I would cry as I've given pudding up for Lent. When this is published, pleeeease would you sign a copy for me? Shelved with a passion. And a dribbly bit of custard. Kat

Bugger it, I knew I should have backed this earlier, Stanny, or did I? Anyway, have come back for more and delighted to have delved into a genuine piece of well written humour. I hope you go far with The Bibble. Jim

Wow! That's one hell of a first line! This is funny, irreverent, zany, weird, intelligent and any number of adjectives you'd like to add on. It left me speechless. It would be easy, and wrong, to compare it to several other works, both literary and TV. And what would be the point? It is what it is. An original and very funny book. I guess it's the kind of thing you either love or hate. I loved it and will have to have it on my shelf. It couldn't be more different than my Common Places, but I would obviously appreciate it if you could see your way to giving it a glance. As I write this, Thelopius' words from chapter one come back to me: "Sometimes I sound like a real old fart." Despite that, a visit from you would be most welcome. Paul House (Common Places)

well... I've made the necessary shift in consciousness to be able to appreciate this. So, Tel's on board in more ways than one... I often wonder if the craft that patrolman Lonnie Zamora saw in New Mexico in 1964 had a spot of engine trouble ...

I've read the first Three chapters of this and I really want to read more. i'm going to shelf you now, but will be back to finish reading what's left. It's funny, captivating, and just a fun time! I am really enjoying it. It makes me think of Douglas Adams as I read it, which of course puts a smile on my face :) The only thing I can think to say is I think the writing could be tighter in spots where you get past perfect (had been, would have been, had, must have been) I think if you were to rewrite sentences like that it will strengthen the novel. Of course you'll need to keep some of them, but after awhile I started to notice there were alot of them. Good luck with your novel!

your book has a funny air, Your plot is intresting, I didn't like the begining, but then it became better, Good luck, Kimmy

Well Stanny, I haven't read anything quite like this before but it certainly has my attention. It is extremely funny and I like the style despite the typos. I won't dwell on them as you already have some myopic mates to help you out there. I'd have liked to see Christopher Pants last a bit longer; there was scope for him and his taxi. Now regarding your prologue, have you considered writing a book about God in the same fashion? I think, if not, then you should make this chapter 1 and extend it over a few chapters - that is unless God comes into this book later on at some stage. I'm not sure you would ever get it published however, even if you did, because publishers might think you'd be taking the piss too much, but you certainly have the humour within you to rip the bible apart and do your own take on its characters and stories much like The Life of Brian. My bookshelf is full at the moment but I will watchlist and later promote it; besides, I have to come back and read some more. Good luck and thanks for the laugh, Jim

Thanks to all for the comments, and fear not no feedback is never annoying, it's all good constructive stuff! Mick - Thanks for the grammatical pointers. I may well have let spellchecker run riot here, although I have to admit my grammar isn't always the best (child of 80's schooling I'm afraid!). Sheila - I see your point, and more editing is in the pipeline; I may not have got the point of Angus McBloodthirsty's name across. He's an accountant but wannabe thug - thus hechristened himself with a name he felt was suitably violent. May have to rethink that one! Banana - you're bang on, I was bored at that point and knew that 'the good stuff' was coming up. Really liked your comments ref the furniture descriptions and the Bubb scene, I will be using your advice for a future revision. Hope you all read on and enjoy, I will reciprocate however must depart now or the Mrs will duff me up for we're off out. Thanks again Stanny

I couldn't resist the title of this, so have read a couple of chapters. I am finding it funny, but I think (this isn't really a criticism) the jokes are too densely packed for me fully to appreciate reading it on the computer screen, though I might well enjoy it much more as a printed book. I think probably it could do with a bit more editing and perhaps although the names are funny, reconsideration of some of them - I am thinking particularly of Angus McBloodthirsty... Have watchlisted for now and will undoubtedly read more later. Sheila

The two sentence opening) Bugger and Said God. Must be intentional I think. but then ' 'HowcanIhelpsir?' Spluttered... ' tells me that you are treating ! and ? as full stops - defining them with the following capital. Thus: 'Bugger!' said God. - is more your intention I think, and: 'Howcan...sir?' spluttered... last sentence also: ...git,' said full stop though before GABRIEL! again if 'FORE' is what he bellowed then - , he bell... anyway, enough, it made me laugh... cheers

Keefieboy Thanks for the comments - as I said to Banana after her first comments, it's great to have honest feedback from folk I don't know, rather than friends who don't like to point out errors! Please keep reading, as I said in the forum I will be reading "Tybalt & Theo" ASAP. Must log off now though, the take away's just arrived and I'm ravenous! Cheers Stanny [QUOTE] Stanny: brilliant idea, and well executed. I love the idea of God having a dad. You have a fair number of punctuation issues: mans presence -> man's presence fat mans nose -> fat man's nose In the prologue I found the phrase 'bowl topped spike' a bit clumsy - just say 'fookin big golf tee' or something. The first call centre dialogue was too long, I thought. But a damn fine effort, and on my shelf. [ENDQUOTE]

Stanny: brilliant idea, and well executed. I love the idea of God having a dad. You have a fair number of punctuation issues: mans presence -> man's presence fat mans nose -> fat man's nose In the prologue I found the phrase 'bowl topped spike' a bit clumsy - just say 'fookin big golf tee' or something. The first call centre dialogue was too long, I thought. But a damn fine effort, and on my shelf.

I shall have stern word with my proof readers (i.e me and a couple of myopic mates!). Not being one to faff about, I have corrected chapter three. So glad you're still enjoying it - and that it helped avert any household unpleasantness! Your feedback is really helpful - and not just 'cos it's all been nice thus far, do feel free to advise any constructive criticism. Please read on, and I hope you continue to enjoy! [QUOTE] Chapter 3 . "where his was in reality coincided" - should be "where he was in reality" otherwise perfect! In my humble opinion. Today my husband and son were in very grumpy moods and sizing up for a day of flouncing and moodies. So I made them both sit down at their respective computers and read your book for 15 minutes. Hey presto two smiling blokes who now have something to talk about and bond over. Thank you James Stanford - you will save us a fortune on not needing to pay for family therapy. Do not remove this book without warning as it could prove injurious to mental health if we were suddenly deprived of our Bibble fix. [ENDQUOTE]