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Newsletter - 28th April 2026

For the first time in a while, I've published two new short stories in 'The Marathon Years' collection, all about Lena's long battle with dementia. Both stories are related, describing how I learnt to use comedians' Improv techniques to improve Lena's mood as her language skills and powers of concentration began to decline.

You'll find both stories on my Miles Posts website.

The Hungry Bin is very short, just 300 words. But if you're interested in finding out more about this Improv approach to care, I really recommend you follow the link in my story to the TED presentation from Karen Stobbe and Mondy Carter. Insightful, funny, and as my own experience shows in these two stories, effective.

Huwa-Hiya-Boo-Baa is all about this cutesy little fellow. Just follow the link to read his story.

There'll be more Marathon Years stories in the coming weeks. My aim is still to complete the book and publish in December 2026.

Meanwhile ...

Work continues on 'The Foreign Aide' as its publication date — June 9th — approaches. I've ordered final proofs of the book from the two print on demand companies I'll be using, and hope to have real books in my hand for final checking within the next week. Stand by for photos in the next newsletter.

I've completed recording the audiobook version. It's over 9 hours long, and the recording and editing has kept me fully occupied for the past three weeks. But I'm still not entirely happy with it. Later this week daughter Annelie, who slips into accents effortlessly after spending her school years surrounded by Arab and American friends, is spending time in the studio with me. We'll see how well it works with Annelie taking on the female parts ... and coaching me on my attempts to sound like an American.

So June 9th is the launch-date. At the moment it'll be just me and a couple of other friends standing on the quayside, pushing the book out. But that wouldn't be much of an occasion, would it? Better would be a crowd of people there on June 9th, all throwing their hats into the air and cheering as The Foreign Aide sets off on its voyage. But since we haven't got a quayside and you may not have a hat to throw, there's another way we can make this an event. Instead of cheers and hats, well-wishers — people who have already read the book and enjoyed it — celebrate the launch by posting their honest reviews, on Amazon, on Goodreads, on their favourite book sites.

If you'd like an advance review copy of The Foreign Aide right now and would consider writing a review for the launch, then here's the page where you can find out more and apply.

In closing I'd just like to thank you for opening this newsletter. If you're anything like me, your inbox is probably full of incoming mail — and if you're anything like me, you probably ignore a lot of it, promising yourself that one day you're going to clean up your subscription list.

I asked my email marketing provider, Mailerlite, what the average 'open' rate was for newsletters they delivered. Their answer was 41.31%. My open rate has consistently been over 70%! My subscribers have been incredibly loyal, and that's why I'm so grateful to all of you.

Where I have been less successful is in attracting new subscribers, finding new potential readers. I could certainly to do more in this respect, by actively and consistently participating on social media instead of occasionally dropping in. But, to be honest, I don't think I've ever started reading a new author after I heard them banging a drum for themselves; almost always, it's been because someone else — a reviewer or a friend — has recommended them.

That's where you can help. If you know just one person who might also enjoy reading the things I write about, please let them know. Direct them to the website. Let them know that at the bottom of the home page, there's a copy of the latest newsletter and a signup form. Or if you'd like to give them a shortcut, here's a QR code that will take them straight there.