MEET FIONA HOGAN

The last guest I’d like to introduce you to in 2017 is Irish writer Fiona Hogan. I always say that the best writers come from Ireland, (well I would wouldn’t I?) and when I was last in Dublin, I was both amazed and pleased to see so many roads named after famous literary scribes.  I’ve read two of Fiona’s books and I included The Lights Went Out among my best reads in 2016. I remember writing in my review that I wished I could string words together so beautifully. This is what Fiona sent me as her bio.

Fiona Hogan is a writer, blogger, editor and mother of five. She lives in the beautiful countryside of Laois, in the midlands of Ireland and spends a lot of her time daydreaming. She has two books published on Amazon under the name Fiona Cooke Hogan – The Lights Went Out and Other Stories; a collection of quirky short fiction and What Happened In Dingle, a rather long, short story. She also writes horror under the name FB Hogan and has two collections of gothic horror on Amazon  – Death Comes Calling and The Nightmare.

 

Next year she hopes to launch her first novel – Martha’s Cottage; a romantic fiction set in contemporary Dublin and also – The Mandrake Root, a psychological horror set in the South of England.

There is also a screenplay in progress and a book of poetry and a million other things that she hasn’t got around to yet.

“Greetings from icy Ireland. I’m sitting by the fire with a hot whiskey and beginning to feel a little bit Christmassy. It’s the perfect night to write, the teenagers have finally left the room for bed and I’m able to scribble down the first few lines of a new story – the muse visited today. I love it when that happens and I never take it for granted. This one will probably be another horror, although there are angels in there, so who knows? I’m a very greedy writer, I write in a lot of different genres, can’t be pinned down. My collection of short stories – The Lights Went Out is a smorgasbord of style and theme – with anything from fear, loneliness, romance to fairy changelings.

I am obsessed with Tolkien and have a huge love of nature, it helps that the place I live is scrubby, and pastoral, very much like the Shire and my blog – unusualfiction is filled with my musings and verbal ramblings on subjects such as Sunday strolls and the changing of the seasons.

I grew up on a diet of Edgar Allan Poe and HP Lovecraft and at certain times of year – Hallowe’en especially, I get seriously inspired to craft short sharp blasts of horror just in case we run out. It could be my favourite genre, but there are some genres I haven’t even touched upon yet – sci-fi, young adult, and fantasy, there is such possibility and scope when you’re a writer although I think I’ll give erotica wide berth, writing sex scenes tend to make me laugh aloud.

“When I’m not writing, promoting my work and editing I like to find a nice quiet space where the teenagers can’t find me and read in peace.”

Fiona tells me she has also set up an editing business called The EditingHub and hopes to aid authors in their journey to perfection.

You can find Fiona’s books here:

The Lights Went Out and Other Stories by Fiona Cooke Hogan

http://amzn.to/2Bm8dq6

What happened in Dingle by Fiona Cooke Hogan

http://amzn.to/2i6mqmo

Death Comes Calling by FB Hogan

http://amzn.to/2AwVBzf

The Nightmare by FB Hogan

http://amzn.to/2hRyxjp

And learn more about her on these links.

http://www.theeditinghub

http://www.unusualfiction.wordpress.com

http://www.facebook.com/theHazelHedge

Thank you for being my guest this week, Fiona and best wishes to everyone for a Happy, Healthy and Bestselling 2018!

 

 

LUCINDA’S BEST READS 2017 – PART 3

Firstly let me wish everyone a Happy Christmas, sufficient to eat and co-operative family and children. I wanted to put holly leaves around the edges and stuff like that, but you know by now how non-techie I am.

To go and find the buying links for the books I’ve chosen I’ve had to log on to the Big A, and I’m feeling quite sad that some of my choices, books that blew me away, are really low in rankings and have very few reviews. I don’t know most of these authors so I don’t connect with them on social media, but I suspect they are not actively marketing and tweeting and screaming ‘buy my book.’ This has reconfirmed my suspicion that not all good books get to the top and not all top books are good whether indie or traditionally published.

Now I admit to not having read The Girl on the Train, but I did go and see the movie which I was told was very close to the book. It’s quite a good storyline, but dragged out way too long, and most of the men in the audience were furious with their wives at having to sit through it. Call it an OK story, I’ve read much better from author friends and strangers. It all boils down to visibility as I suspected – getting the word out there, which is hard work for little indies like me.

On to the last 5 countdown (Wow isn’t this more exciting than ‘Who’s got Talent or whatever?’ No? Well you can’t say I don’t try!)

THE HOMEWORK CLUB (The Journal of Bobby Woods) by Paul Humphries

From poignancy to hilarity, this book made me laugh from the first page to the last.  Well that’s not quite true, the end was amazing, but I’m not adding any spoilers here. Rather too many naughty words perhaps, but the people and their lifestyle demanded it. It reminded me of the Adrian Mole series, but a little more grown up. The ridiculous situations the characters got themselves into were quite brilliant, but then the tone changes and I ended up in tears. This was another book that was not going to leave my hands until I got to the last page.

PHENOMENA by Susan Tarr

I suspect this was also a review for Readers’ Favorite as I can’t see a review from me on the ‘you know where.’ I had to include a book that made me cry over the sad story of a young boy abandoned in a mental hospital in New Zealand. His story was heartbreaking and the author took you into his world and for a short while I was Malcolm and I was in that asylum and I felt his desperation and his pain. It’s a book I won’t ever forget.

THE GIRL IN THE SPIDER’S WEB by David Lagercrantz

Like millions of other readers, I was entranced by the first three books in the series and was a bit hesitant about reading this book as of course it’s been taken over by a new writer. I needn’t have worried. All the same characters are featured and if anything, I enjoyed this book even more than the others as it was a little less complex, though sufficiently intriguing to keep me feverishly turning the pages. I’m thrilled there will be even more books in the future.

SHELL GAME by K H Bixby

This intrigued me from the first page as Sami’s older brother whirls the walnut shells asking the punters to guess which one conceals the bean. A political thriller which takes the hero from a fictitious middle-eastern country to New York and later involves those controlling, shadowy people behind the large corporates. It’s so real you wonder if it could be true. It’s fast paced and page turning, but I loved the way the ending tied in so neatly with the beginning. Well worth the read if you like this genre, certainly a very clever and entertaining book.

THE SURROGATE by Louise Jensen

I admit I bought this book by mistake as I was searching for another book by the same name I’d seen on Twitter and, as Amazon so often do, they popped this one up first. It’s not often I read a book, live it, feel bereft when it’s over and then immediately search for anything else by the same author. I now have two more on my kindle to read. Great story, high octane suspense, it keeps moving and kept me guessing. And yes, I was caught out by the actions in the last few pages. I wasn’t expecting that. Highly recommended.

Choosing my top 15  was a very difficult choice to make overall, though about the middle of the year I had only highlighted 4 amazing books and was beginning to worry. Then I found some excellent ones. I had originally intended to choose 12 but there were some I just couldn’t leave out and others I wanted to include, but I had to stop at 15.  Do remember, these are my own personal choices in genres I like.

Till next week when I’ll be back to the normal format have a great New Year and happy reading writing and arithmetic and take care.

MEET JOHN SEARANCKE

This week’s guest is also a member of the Facebook Group We Love Memoirs, so his name is familiar, although I’ve had to check several times to make sure I have spelled it correctly!  Over to John.

Hi everyone! Firstly, let me thank Lucinda for inviting me on to her platform. My name is John Searancke and my wife Sally and I live partly in the Canary Islands and partly at a new home that we have just bought in one of the Five Villages, near to Chichester, West Sussex. We moved in during August this year and spent the first couple of months living in overly close proximity to a mound of packing cases. Writing has been temporarily on hold!

I started out in life in the Leicestershire market town of Ashby-de-la-Zouch. I was sent off to Prep School at Seaford in Sussex, and then on to Rugby School. After a number of short-term jobs, I settled into the running of a small loss-making country hotel that my parents had somewhat foolishly purchased. My parents’ marriage fell apart and I was left to pick up the pieces. I built the hotel up to become a well-known business over a 35 year career.  A second marriage then took me to Lancashire and then, in retirement, to the Canary Islands, where we live in the lee of Mount Teide, the famous volcano that we can see from our terrace.

Lack of gainful employment (other than as restaurant reviewer for a Canary Islands newspaper) as I approached my 70th year impelled me to think about writing a book. Most people reckon that they have a book in them, don’t they? But how many take the plunge and actually do it? I cast around for ideas and came up with the storyline of making the move, lock, stock, and barrel, from the north of England to the balmy climes of the Canary Islands.

What could be more (we thought!) exciting than to drive our 27 year old red Mercedes all the way from England to our new home in the sun? How many times would a 27 year old car break down, and us without a word of Spanish? Would the car even make it?

I soon filled up a manuscript of strange goings-on and many tales of doggy derring-do as our Staffie, Freddie, an RSPCA rescue dog, settled in amongst new friends. Sadly, some years later as I write this, Freddie is no longer with us, but he lives on forever in our hearts and I remember him as my inspiration to get into print.

“Dog Days in The Fortunate Islands” was the result of my efforts. The title is a bit of a play on words, Dog Days relating to old sailing ships becoming becalmed and the latter part being the old name for the island archipelago that was to become home.

My wife came up with the title of my second book, “Prunes for Breakfast”, which is most apposite. I still had the writing bug and, reading through a cache of family letters left to me, detailing family life through WW2, I thought that I could pay belated tribute to my father who had played his part to the full during those heady years from 1939 to 1945, including his landing in Normandy and his later incarceration in a German POW camp.

My father and I had not got on as I grew up, so it was a cathartic experience to be able to tell his story.

A huge amount of research went into the production of that book, and it has latterly been issued in audio-book format. I achieved a dream when it got an Amazon #1 in its category, albeit probably only for a millisecond!

And so, to my third book…

A number of people who read “Dog Days in The Fortunate Islands” mentioned to me that I should write about my earlier life. I have difficulty grasping the fact that this could be particularly interesting to anyone. I realized that I had been self- employed for most of my life, that it was doubtful that anyone would actually have wanted to employ me and that, yes, perhaps, there were some stories to be told – some of them a little bit risqué. So, I am well over half way through this third book, at just over 50,000 words and it should be available in the spring of next year.

Here is the synopsis, the first time seen in print:

John Searancke came to the role of hotelier almost accidentally. After his parents’ marriage fell apart, he was dragooned in, at the age of 22, to pick up the pieces of their new venture, a barely trading country house hotel that had, frankly, seen better days. Not only was it posting an annual loss, but the fabric of the building was crumbling and there was no money left to make improvements.

There were to be battles royal with neighbours not wanting their status quo to be altered, the fire authority who sought to impose draconian new safety measures, and staff who were there just for their pay packets.

Over the years, and with the steepest of learning curves, the grand old building was renovated and transformed to meet the requirements of the modern discerning traveller. Accolades for the hotel and its restaurant were won; together they became a well-regarded destination for a number of celebrities – and those that deemed themselves to be celebrities, but were not. Stories abound featuring idiosyncratic guests, overbearing public bodies, fractured family life and animals of all shapes and sizes. The local fire station next door was demolished one foggy night, guests were frightened by flying dogs and snakes in the long grass, and there were, as befits a country house, strange goings on in the night. Guests checked in who really should not have been seen together, whilst others erroneously believed that there exists an incontrovertible law that the customer is always right.

A rescue mission originally thought of as a year or two turned into a 35 year lifetime love affair with a beautiful old building, turning a young man into a tired and grey haired hotelier; continuous improvements being made on the one hand as funds allowed, but with the stress of business dooming relationships along the way.

Then will come the part that I don’t like, because I am no good at it – the marketing and publicity. On that journey I hope, once again, to have the expertise of Sarah Jane Butfield of Rukia Publishing, to steer me along the way.

Please check my website for progress after Christmas, and leave messages for me…and in the meantime, a huge “thank you” from me to everyone who has read my books. I hope that you may like my next one even more!

John’s books sound like a fun read, and like most of us, he has dozens of addresses! You can find out lots more about him at any of these places. And thank you John for being my guest.

Website: www.johnsearancke.com
Amazon.co.uk Dog Days in The Fortunate Islands http://tinyurl.com/p6s7eku

 Amazon.co.uk Prunes for Breakfast http://tinyurl.com/ntpae84

Website: www.johnsearancke.com

Meet the Author at Rukia Publishing: http://www.rukiapublishing.com/meet-the-author-john-searancke.html
John Searancke Pinterest profile page: https://www.pinterest.com/johnsearancke/author-john-searancke/
Dog Days in The Fortunate Islands Pinterest board: https://www.pinterest.com/sjbutfield/featured-book-dog-days-in-the-fortunate-islands/
Prunes for Breakfast Pinterest board: https://www.pinterest.com/sjbutfield/featured-book-prunes-for-breakfast-by-john-searanc/
John Searancke Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/john.searancke.1
Dog Days in The Fortunate Islands Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dog-Days-in-The-Fortunate-Islands/867368390009475
Prunes for Breakfast Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/PrunesForBreakfast
Twitter: https://twitter.com/johnsearancke
Troubador Publishing: http://www.troubador.co.uk/shop_booklist.asp?s=john%20searancke

Thank you John for sharing this with us and like you, i shall be going to sit in the sun while I take a look at your books.

 

 

 

 

I JUST CAN’T GET IT LARGER!

How about a Christmas present for me? It won’t cost you more than a moment and very little effort. I’m asking all you FABULOUS people out there for a re-blog of this post (flatter them p 148 of How to Win Friends and Influence People).

You see I have been trying to build up my email list like, well forever. Everyone I know has thousands and thousands and thousands of names and I’ve struggled to reach even a limited number – (you may sigh here).  Now I know the fake news going around that the Big A is about to go bust is nonsense and that we will only be able to sell our books all by ourselves, but I do see it’s a very good idea to have a healthy mail list a little larger than your friends and family – and I have a very small family. I’m fed up with sending dozens of copies of my newsletter to DH and myself over and over again.  He’s now threatening to unsubscribe!

I am sending out my Christmas newsletter on Saturday, December 23rd and my subscribers will get a free copy of:

Amie African Adventure which has done really well and won lots of awards from individual readers and international awards and 173 reviews (unless some have gone AWOL while I type this!)

And that’s not all. Subscribers will be able to download Part 2 of The very Worst Riding School in the World – which is only available from my newsletter and will NEVER be on general sale.

Part 1 is available free on the Big A and wide and is also free so you can grab that short read if you have got this far.

https://www.books2read.com/u/bw8May

And that’s not all!!  (Amazing isn’t it?)

There are now 12 chapters of the Amie back stories and these build up month by month to download for free.

Sam, Amie’s spoilt brat of a sister, is taking her first overseas holiday with boyfriend Gerri and they are getting into all sorts of trouble in Spain – he’s landed in jail and she’s spent several hours in the lift between floors. The other character who features is Ben, who was Amie’s cameraman in book 1, she meets up with him in book 2 and he plays a huge part in book 5 which is still in progress.  DH has designed this lovely cover for the backstories.

Oh, and before I forget there is also a bit of rubbish blurb from me and if you would like me to feature your book, then let me know by this Friday morning (it takes me hours to sort out the techie stuff on MailChimp).  I’m not sure whose twisted mind designed it all but if you know who it is, advise them to steer clear.  So I think my newsletter is really good value and it only goes out once a month, twice at most. OK, I’ve finished groveling now and it only remains to wish you all a Wonderful Christmas with friends and family or a good book (preferably mine 🙂 )  and a Happy, Healthy and Brilliant 2018.  With love from Lucinda.

 

LUCINDA’S BEST READS 2017 – PART 2

This week the list of 5 more books that had me totally enthralled. I’ve only read about 120 odd this year, most previous years I’ve read more than that, but with all the marketing, and writing and entertaining DH, I’ve not devoured as many in 2017. This passion for reading began before I started school, and I’ve always been caught on those application forms when it said ‘list your hobbies.’ I’d put down reading of course, and then I’d be stuck! It would seem frivolous to add chatting with friends or occasional meals out, but that was the truth. I read in the bath, at the table, waiting in the car for the kids to come out of school, every spare minute I had. I never go anywhere (and I mean anywhere) without my kindle in my pocket or bag.

Here are the second five books I’ve really enjoyed this year, although it’s been really, really difficult to choose which ones to include.

NO DARKNESS by Mark Morey

You will not be surprised by this choice as Mark has set his story in Zimbabwe under Mugabe where a simple misunderstanding leads to terrible consequences. The interaction between the hero and his African girlfriend highlight the cultural differences and this is another fast action-packed story set against a background I know well. (That Amie is listed under the ‘also bought’ has no bearing on my choice of best reads!) From my experience, Mark had it just right with an exciting story that moved fast and furiously.

THE GOOD MOTHER by Karen Osman

This is a psychological thriller and it kept me on the edge of my seat. I admit to guessing the ‘twist’ at the end quite early on, but this was such a good book that it didn’t stop me from reading it as fast as possible. Writing to a convicted murderer in prison seems an unlikely scenario and I’m not sure now where I saw it advertised, but I thoroughly enjoyed it especially as it was that bit different to many other books.

CYPHER by Cathy Perkins

This was a good, solid family drama with murder, mayhem, mystery and a bit of romance thrown in. It had me guessing and I love that in a book. There were enough twists and turns to keep me happily turning the pages. The added bonus was I learned new facts about the world of finance and big business. A book that entertains and teaches at the same time is the kind I really like.

MY PRISON WITHOUT BARS by Taylor Evan Fulks

There is a good reason the front cover of this book is plastered in awards. It’s based on a true story and I was intrigued to see if I could separate fact from fiction. It’s about physical and mental abuse, I can relate to that, and it’s not for the faint-hearted. The book is beautifully written, you cannot help but connect with Taylor, live with her through her pain and hope that she finds peace and a happy, stable relationship in the end.

FIREFLIES IN THE NIGHT by Nalini Warriar

This is another award-winning book which is beautifully written. Set in India in the 50s and 60s and the Indo China conflict, a family is torn apart from differing attitudes between traditional customs and the modern world. It’s a conflict taking place in so many countries even today, but the author takes us back to a time when change was not as common. You expect the young to want to forge a different future, but a parent seeking to break away from tradition gives this book another dimension entirely.

Only five more books to go and you can find them here next Monday. Till then, take care.

 

MEET KRIS WILLIAMS

I never realised what fun it would be to have all these guest authors on my blog. I’m learning so much about so many people many of them new to me. One of them is today’s guest Kris Williams and she has yet another interesting story to tell.

Ever since I was a little girl growing up in a crowded house on a crowded street in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, I was always so very curious about other children around the world who were growing up in their houses on their streets in their hometowns.

Were their houses crowded, too? Did they have to take turns with ten other brothers and sisters to use a single bathroom, like I did? Did their mothers dole out breakfast oatmeal that became less and less creamy by the time it got plopped into the tenth bowl further down the table? Did younger children in other countries always wear hand-me-downs, or was there ever any piece of clothing given new, just for them?

My curiosity about other children around the world didn’t mean I was discontent with my life in Pittsburgh. Not at all. My mother was a good cook and we always had enough food to eat. My mother was a stickler for cleanliness and we always had clean clothes to wear and a clean bed to sleep (although my mother’s concentration on cleanliness didn’t stop us from having to sleep three-to-a-bed at times). And my mother was passionate about reading. She regularly encouraged all of her children to read.

It was this last thing which stoked my curiosity because the world I read about seemed to me a gigantic, fascinating place. Reading planted in me an ever-growing urge to explore.

After college (& earning a degree in Graphic Design) I nabbed a job as a flight attendant, which gave me the opportunity to continue my education in graphic design at the Allgemeine Gewerbeschule in Basel, Switzerland. (The job provided for two requirements: money to pay for the school, as well as the means to travel to Switzerland.)  I was so excited with the opportunity that lay before me! Who wouldn’t want to study with some of the most well-known graphic artists and typographers in the world?

Upon arriving in Basel I was calmed by the Swiss craziness for order and precision (something I had been longing for since my crowded house in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania …), and humored by Schweizerdeutsch, a musical Swiss-German dialect which calls all big things small.

This calm humor soon turned into enchantment with all things Swiss.

From Basel, where the teachers patiently imparted their knowledge of design and typography to me and other foreign students like me…slowly directing us along their path of perfection…I was able to direct my attention toward the rest of Switzerland.

Switzerland’s mountains were where physical and emotional senses I hadn’t even known I possessed were awakened. Taking trips into the Alps and learning about the traditions that enliven them developed in me a profound respect for this “tiny” country.

It is in Basel, Switzerland that I met Ruedi, the subject of Switzerland To Alaska: Just To Die. He worked at the design desk next to mine, and introduced me to his mountains.

When he told me of his dream to go to Alaska and spend a year in the wilderness there, I was one of the ones who thought he was crazy.

How far into darkness was it necessary to go to prove how tough he was? What were his limits?

He answered these questions simply.

“I’ll have to find out.”

What was the coldest temperature he could function in?

“I’ll have to learn,” he answered.

What animals could he elude or defend himself from? He’d have to wait and see which ones crossed his path. And if bears, wolverines, or even mosquitoes found him, would they be the death of him? Every circumstance could be dangerous, but he would test himself and see how he’d come out on the other side.

Ruedi’s trek from Switzerland into Alaska is a story of contrasts… a story that takes the reader from Switzerland — a tiny country full of well-mapped-out Alpine Mountains…quaint villages…well-honored traditions… to Alaska…a vast land of shifting rivers… frigid towns… unpredictable wildlife…and winters of unending darkness. The immediate question Ruedi had on his mind before leaving was: If I go in prepared, will that be enough? Will I survive?

After coming to know Ruedi-the-artist, I instinctively understood that because of his way of seeing, because of his way of expressing himself, because of his extraordinary journey into the wilderness, the world would be a poorer place if his story weren’t told.

Ruedi headed west in May 1982 to spend a year in Alaska. He took with him $5000 purposely saved for the journey, a mini-survival kit wrapped around his waist, a few woolen clothes, and a stout belief that he had the skill required to survive a year in the Alaskan wilderness. Five months after abandoning his mother, sister, friends, and job as a graphic designer, Ruedi found himself hunkered down in the Ray Mountains, having every one of his survival skills tested to the limit. How this Swiss explorer faced much more than he bargained for in the wilderness of Alaska is the extraordinary story of Switzerland To Alaska: Just To Die.

Glauser had wandered up and down the mountains and valleys of the Swiss Alps in his youth, always confident in his ability to endure whatever Nature sent his way. But Switzerland had become too tame. He needed a greater challenge. Settling into a routine lifestyle might have been more comfortable, but “settling” would never have forced him to face up to the insecurities so deeply entrenched in his being. Ruedi’s initial intent was to go it alone in Alaska or to have with him at most a pack of dogs. But in the end he opted for one solitary companion to go with him.

What challenged Ruedi were not only the unrestrained forces that nature presented but the constant inward journeys his circumstances forced him to undertake — journeys that required him to crawl deep into his soul. Ultimately, Just To Die is a book about survival. It is about what happened when one human being decided to test his ability to survive at one of the far ends of the earth. It is about one man who wanted to discover what his limits were.

Ruedi’s trek from Switzerland into Alaska is a story of contrasts… a story that will take the reader from Switzerland — a tiny country full of well-mapped-out Alpine Mountains…quaint villages…well-honored traditions — to Alaska…a vast land of shifting rivers… frigid towns… unpredictable wildlife…and winters of unending darkness.

Switzerland To Alaska: Just To Die is Ruedi’s story. I am simply the one who wrote it down.

For more information, to download the first chapter, or to order the book, go to:

http://www.kriswilliamsauthor.com

Although she didn’t mention it. I suspect that Kris is still working magic with her graphic designs so that may be worth checking out as well.

Thank you, Kris, for being my guest this week, and telling us about your book, such a different story to tell, and one to read by the fireside in winter.

 

LUCINDA’S BEST READS 2017 – PART 1

So far, this year I have read 126 books. I know this because I have a spreadsheet and mark up when I download, read, review and post. It might seem a bit %^%%^ retentive, but it’s the only way I can keep track. When you get on a bit, it’s easy to pick up a book and be into the second chapter before you realize you’ve read it before. Usually the Big A will tell you if you’ve already bought one, but DH’s friend passes on stacks of paperbacks and occasionally I read one of those as well.

The books I’m including in my Best Reads of 2017 include traditionally, and indie published but this last group probably makes up the bulk of my reads.

You are not likely to see any romance, fantasy or erotica on the list, as they are not my personal preferred genres. I like action and adventure and spy stories (well I would, wouldn’t I?) historical novels, humour, psychological thrillers and what I think of as ‘clever’ books – twists and turns that keep me guessing right to the last page – as a writer I like to think I’ve got it all worked out by page 3 – then be proved wrong.

The books in my list are those that so grabbed me I left the dirty dishes in the sink, read while I got dressed with one hand, or wandered around in my dressing gown eyes glued to the Kindle, neglected to feed DH, and shut out the rest of the world until I got to the end. They captivated me, kept my attention and made me think ‘I wish I could write as well as that.’

The first five in the countdown are:-

THE INDIGO REBELS by Ellie Midwood

The story of members of the French Resistance during World War II this covered two of my favourite genres, spies, and history in one book. I’ve also read the second in the series as I’m a great fan of this author I think I’ve read all of her other books many of which have won awards. Page turning excitement she took me back to the streets of Paris and a time when it was dangerous to be patriotic.

IS THAT THE SHIRT YOU’RE WEARING? A memoir in essays by Kristen Brakeman

I seldom read short stories or books compiled of essays but I picked this from the Readers’ Favorite comedy listings and I’m so glad I did. This lady writes for several top newspapers in the vein of Erma Bombeck who had such an influence on my own early writing. Kristen sees things with a sharp eye, makes the everyday seem supernatural and, most of all, makes you laugh.

HOW TO BREED SHEEP, GEESE AND ENGLISH ECCENTRICS by Valerie Poore

This has to be on my list as it brought home to me the Englishness of England possibly as it was several years ago. A light-hearted, fun read that I suspect is partly biographical. You couldn’t make up an eccentric mother who greets visitors wearing her old wedding dress and allows sheep to wander around the kitchen. A great book you can zap through on a day when you’re feeling down.

TABULA RASA by Gordon Bickerstaffe

This also has to be included as I’ve read all Gordon’s books and this is by far the best. I can see the difference in quality, character development, plot and attention to detail. I’m a great fan of this author and each book has got better and better. I particularly like his flawed and cowardly hero and heartedly approve of his strong heroine.

ULTERIOR MOTIVE by Jack Coleston

I reviewed this book for Readers Favorite. It’s an action packed thriller featuring two operatives in the CIA who are working to find the Caliph, a man who has united fractured terrorist groups in the Middle East. This is a great first novel by a New Zealand writer that I think deserves greater attention. It’s difficult to leave this book alone once started.

Next week there are the next 5 of my best books. Till then, take care and happy shopping.

MEET PATRICIA STEELE

Today’s guest is a prolific writer and I’m going to have to squeeze all her books in in tiny pictures! It’s Patricia Steele and I know a lot of people are already familiar with her work.

Patricia says, I’m a west coast girl that moved to the east coast and back again.  Twice. My imagination has always been etched in music, color and rose-colored glasses. I’ve had crazy characters and stories banging and fluttering around in my head, dying to get out, since I was old enough to hold a pen.  I’m a fan of historical fiction filled with adventure and romance.  And I’m addicted to genealogy! My sense of humor runs a little rampant at times, I’m no stranger to laughter, and I love a good anticipation scene.  I am proud to state that The Girl Immigrant, the first novel in my Spanish Pearls Series, is being whisked off my shelves. The second book in the series, Silván Leaves, is now available. My next project is a memoir titled, Fairydust to Daffodils about my daughter and her lost fight with Cystic Fibrosis.

As I mentioned Patricia is a prolific writer, here are a few of her titles.

Paperback_Cloisonne

Patricia has written six novels in two genres, which includes her series, Callinda Beauvais Mysteries, plus Tangled like Music, Cloisonné, two travel memoirs, a cookbook, two biographical family histories and a children’s book.  She writes for several Facebook pages: Hawaiian Spaniards, The Girl Immigrant, Patricia Steele Author Page, Silvan Descendants, Ruiz Descendants and her blogs, www.patriciasteele.blogspot.com and www.onspanishsoil.blogspot.com

She has been interviewed on the radio and online.  She is a speaker for the Arizona Genealogical Society.  Her work includes collaborating on a transcription project of the Spanish ship manifests (1907 to 1913 sailings from Spain to Hawaii) during the immigrations funded by the Hawaiian Sugar Plantations.

Patricia says she is a romantic who enjoys strolling through cobblestone streets and markets.  She is inspired by art and architecture, and thrives being surrounded by artists and intellectuals.  She enjoys the bustle of a city, but loves spending time in the smaller towns sitting at a café and having a glass of wine or cup of coffee.  Her soul is nourished by gentle friendships, a little romance and meaningful conversations about love, art and the meaning of life.

Thank you for being a guest on my blog. There is a lot more to find out about Patricia, so please check out her author page:www.patriciabbsteele.com

 

YOU MUST HAVE A CHRISTMAS PRESENT EVEN IF IT’S A DISASTER

I’m taking a break this month from the usual travel, history and ‘buy my books’ blurb because it’s the festive season and if you were ever going to buy my books, you probably already have them.  

With all the talk this year about refugees and religious difference I was surprised to see that Christianity still has the largest number of followers worldwide. Not that religious practices seem to be the main focus on 25^th December. No, it’s all about spending money – possibly even going into debt – to give our loved ones presents.

It doesn’t matter that they don’t even know what they want, or that they don’t need anything, they MUST receive a present from everyone near and dear on the festive day.

One good thing about being a writer is that you can unload all those first edition books that are cluttering up the shelves, as you’ve now re-published them in nice new covers. The relatives will probably never read them anyway, but it clears your conscience.

When I asked DH what he wanted for Christmas I was expecting the usual shrugs and grunts. 

To my horror, he’s asked for new binoculars – and I know he doesn’t want the Christmas cracker variety.  Nor is it going to be a massive surprise as he’ll comb the web for days choosing just the right ones. I’ll dig (as cheerfully as I can) into my book budget account and order them from eBay or the Big A and the parcel will arrive at the door.

Then I will stupidly cover the box with expensive foil wrapping paper, place a shiny red bow on the top and watch him rip that to shreds and express surprise on Christmas morning.

No, that’s not DH, he’ll smile, give me a kiss say ‘thank you’ and go and test them out by spying on the donkey in the farm below our terrace.

Last year I bought him an in-car camera. Now that was a surprise but it caused days of angst. Firstly, he didn’t want to attach it to the windscreen as per instructions. No, he wanted it on the dashboard. Weeks of finding the right sticky pad and it was ready for testing but to his horror, it recorded all his journeys upside down.

More hours were spent combing the internet, until he found a programme to download that promised to cure this problem. It did. But now it reversed the picture and showed DH driving on the left-hand side of the road – we live in Spain where they drive on the right. Not good if the police view it in the aftermath of an accident. How do you explain in broken Spanish you were kerb-crawling on the right when the camera tells them otherwise?

Emails flew back and forth from DH to the manufacturer until finally the camera was parcelled up and sent back (he had to pay the postage). A new one arrived and DH set it up only to discover – yes you’ve guessed it – it recorded everything upside down.

Now I come to think of it, I’ve not seen it around. He’s probably stuffed it in a drawer somewhere.

I’m happy to give at Christmas, but I hate wasting money – buying just because the advertisements on the television, newspapers, and radio tell us we must.

That said, DH will get his stocking. Oh yes, he gets one from Santa every year, but because Santa is buying the contents I don’t have to worry about spending my money. Luckily the old man from the North Pole is very practical and fills it up with chocolates, (particularly the ones I like) toiletries, an orange, nuts and other disposable and necessary things.

Nothing here goes to waste. If DH notices there were 3 oranges in the fruit bowl yesterday and only 2 today, he wisely says nothing. Even the Christmas we were away on a cruise, Santa managed to sneak DH’s stocking into my suitcase, probably an easy task for him after scrambling down all those chimneys!

Now if DH asks me what I want it’s always the same old boring thing – book vouchers. I’m happiest if I can keep my Big A account in credit so all I have to do is click on the ‘buy now’ button and not ferret around searching for the credit card.

I have thought of asking for the professional photo package, the makeup, hair and proper lighting, the works. But, I suspect it won’t up the sales in any way. I’m practical enough to know I was not first in the line when the visual images were handed out, and will more people want to buy my books because I have long, flowing, golden locks and eyes the size of flying saucers? They would get a horrible shock if they ever attended a book signing and compared it to the real me and, I’ve met several FB book friends and they could so easily give the game away. No, guess I guess I’ll stay as I am.

Next week I’ll be showcasing the first 5 of the best books I’ve read this year, so keep an eye open for that.

Till then, take care and happy shopping.