FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING + FREE BOOK

I thought I would quickly write this blog before WP push me on to the new format, and I can’t find my way around. I’ve told myself not to be paranoid about life but not only is WP changing, but so is FB, my main channels of communication with the outside world. I may be marooned on a desert island not able to talk to anyone and be forced to bug DH all day.

I wanted to share with you that I’m excited. Now, this does not happen too often, especially when I talk about my books. I’ve always been the same. When I made videos and TV programmes, I was NEVER satisfied with them. I always wanted them to look better.

I know this is a problem for independent authors. We doubt our own work.

However, I do feel differently about my new genre. I’ve no idea why I decided to write psychological thrillers. But I’ve so enjoyed scribbling them.

A Year in the Life of Leah Brand came out in August last year. I didn’t do much for the launch, but since then she has sold well with minimal advertising. –
Somebody is driving Leah to the edge of madness when everyday objects in the house take on a life of their own. Is it her imagination? Is she going insane? Why would anyone want to hurt her?

mybook.to/LeahBrand

I was away for 3 months from December and arriving back in Spain 8 hours before lock down, I had amazing peace and quiet to sit and write book 2 – A Year in the Life of Andrea Coe. Again, I gently pushed it out into the wide world with barely a whisper, hoping to catch a captive audience who were all Netflixed out.

How well do you know your best friend? Can you trust her?  Would you be driven to murder her?mybook.to/AndreaCoe

By now, I was so enthusiastic that I immediately began book 3 A Year in the Life of Deidre Flynn. I’m now waiting for the paperback proof and as soon as I’ve checked it out, I’ll set a publication date sometime next month.

For the first time ever, I’m really excited about a series that I’ve written. Each book is a standalone, but they do follow in sequence, continuing the story of the lives of the Brand family.

While there is an ending in Leah, some readers were left a little puzzled, or maybe unconvinced. Book 2 makes everything crystal clear, and the tables are switched back in book 3, set in the south of France as to who is behind the terrifying attacks. I have to admit, that I throw everything but the kitchen sink at them

I’m already into book 4, and I’ve relocated them from England, to France and Belinda the sassy teenager is now in to Los Angeles.

I’ve broken every rule in the book – my covers don’t follow tradition, and my titles are too long, but I’m excited about the series and I’ve had so much fun.

I’ve run two competitions, and had lots of participation and I’m searching for ways to hold a bigger, online launch this time, or at least advertise more.

WANT AN EARLY COPY?

This is a one off offer, which will expire on August 31st, but if you would like a pre-publication copy of the new book, in the hope you might write a comment or two on the ‘Big A’ when it comes out officially, then post in the comments below or send me a pm on Facebook.

And while you’re here, if you’ve read this far (thank you), how about signing up for my newsletter which is a mixed bag of news, authors, competitions, smiles and anecdotes.  You get a free novella for doing so and the link to part 2 in the month end newsletter where you can also win an exclusive paperback copy of the Worst Riding School which is not on sale anywhere. Oh, and I scribble your name in the front before I post it to you. Impressive eh?  http://eepurl.com/cz-Mpv

Feel free to share this. In the meantime, stay healthy and stay safe.

YET ANOTHER VIRUS BLOG

I have read so many posts and laughed at dozens of cartoons about this lockdown. So, let’s add a bit more.

I mentioned in my last blog I felt guilty. Yes, I do because I loved the serenity. The guilt comes from knowing that so many people out there are suffering the loss of loved ones, or are panic-stricken about work, or losing their businesses.

Huddled away here in our little rabbit hutch in Spain we have avoided all that. While I may worry about the future of our pension, for now we can cope.

The peace and quiet were exquisite – though one friend did mention that life was very little different for me as I am constantly welded to my laptop. No planes flew overhead, no traffic on the road and although we are rural since they re-tarred the road between the villages the noise has gone up.

As the figures of Corona Virus case rose alarmingly in Spain, I heard from people I’d not spoken to in years. They wanted to make sure we were still alive.

Here, we were in total lockdown and the Spanish were fantastic. Only one person allowed out just to the nearest supermarket and pharmacy, up to twice a week. No couples or families. No walks outside, except 50 metres if you had a dog to exercise. I saw one fantastic clip of a lady lowering her pooch swathed in a sling from her third-floor balcony.

It’s a long time since I’ve seen such creativity. There was singing and other entertainment from balconies, and the police and ambulance vehicles drove around with lights flashing and horns blasting to entertain the children who were locked in – especially on birthdays. Police even serenaded residents from the streets.

The police also found time to erect numerous roadblocks and there were plenty of fines. If you were turned back, you dared not argue. You do not mess with the Guardia Civil.

We found limited supplies in the shops, but managed to get everything we needed and we saw no panic buying.

Slowly we are being released, but slowly. We have moved from Phase Zero to Phase One and can drive within the province and some shops are open. Social distancing and masks are obligatory, and the size of the fines encourage me to obey even if my glasses fog up and I can’t see where I’m going. We were told we were going into Phase 2 last week, but this has now been rescinded.

There has been a sense of camaraderie which may not be accurate, as our Spanish is too poor to understand the probable infighting among the politicians.

Despite it all, the local people have remained cheerful and upbeat, even shocking DH as they identified him as eligible to go to the head of the queue outside the supermarket. I have mentioned to him he does not look 21 any longer, but not sure he believes me. He’s busy growing the lockdown beard which will come off, he tells me, the day ‘The State of Alarm’ is over. It’s now been extended until June 9^th.

Having no idea how long this was all going to last, I planned to learn fluent Spanish, de-clutter the house – spring clean throughout and plan the rest of my year.

What did I actually do? What else but write, write and write some more for most of my waking moments except for three short outings since March 13^th. I launched my latest book last week, though it was more a slide out, and I’m 12 words into the next one.

We are due out to supper next week and it appears a momentous occasion.

I’m a bit of a cynic in that I think we will not learn too much from all this. It will be too easy to slip back into the old ways although some people will prefer to work from home, I guess. And with the new apps for conferencing, what a lot of time and travel that would save. But then it’s fun to jump on a plane isn’t it? You feel more important than sitting in bunny slippers talking to some CEO on the other side of the world. I’m not sure man has learned very much since he was off hunting mammoths.

Have you read any of my books? If not why not grab as it’s free.

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

And if you enjoy it, check out the others here  author.to/Lucinda

Till next time, take care and stay safe.

Since my free edition of WordPress doesn’t allow videos, I can only post this link here. I laughed till I cried – it may strike a chord with you if you remember the Ladybird Books in school. https://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~jac22/The_Ladybird_Book_of_COVID-19.pdf

 

HOTEL AND HOUSEKEEPERS

TRAVEL – WELCOME TO PRAGUE

I so often cringe when I read the ‘proper’ travel blogs as mine are simply ramblings of a geriatric couple ‘sticky-beaking’ (one of DH’s favourite sayings) as we amble from place to place.

Overall impressions? Touristy. Crowded. Well Oganized. Pretty. Reasonably priced.

DH had booked an all in package of flights and hotel – and I am in real trouble here as I don’t think I kept a diary this time – well I can’t find it anyway. I think I was just too tired overall and decided to soak up the sights.

 

We drove up to Barcelona to catch the flight to Prague and booked into the Red and Blue Designer Hotel.  It didn’t look much from the outside and I thought this was rather a strange name, but everything was either blue, or red. It didn’t look much from the outside but it was nice inside.

 

We had a blue room which was enormous. It overlooked the park and had coffee making facilities which always makes me happy – though breakfast was included. We got in quite late at night by taxi from the airport so just in time for a coffee and bed.

 

 

There was one thing I’ve never come across before. There was a little note about the pillows they put on the bed – the size, density etc. We were asked to tell them if we wanted harder or softer pillows or a different dimension. I’ve seen room furnishings on sale in Hong Kong, but never asked what density I required my pillow!

 

HISTORY – ISABELLA OF SPAIN

Last time we left the young princess waiting for the arrival of her new bridegroom – an ugly, fat, dirty old man who was vain and vindictive and supposedly celibate too. Just what every young girl dreams of!

His family was ecstatic about this high-class marriage and Don Pedro Girona sets off with a huge party of people to come and marry the girl he never thought he would get his paws on.

But either miracles do happen or Isabella prayed extra hard because, guess what, at Villarubia, on his triumphal journey to Madrid, Don Pedro is taken ill after supper and dies!!  Saved again.

 

AFRICA FACTS

Coming home on leave after maybe two years spent in another country, was a really strange feeling. Your attitudes and mindsets had changed. Expats had a different view of the world and had to be very careful what they said. I remember putting my foot in it when I mentioned we had help in the house.

My friends were horrified my Ex and I were perpetuating the colonial system. I didn’t know how to explain why it was expected, and even demanded, by the locals. As a foreigner, you were not playing your part if you didn’t employ local people to help in the house and the garden.

I had many a discussion with hopeful maids – or should we call them housekeepers now? – that I honestly didn’t need dozens of them working, one was enough. At one point I caved in and employed two. In my case it didn’t mean me sitting round having cups of tea all day – it meant that I could cope with two jobs at once, including the weekends – teaching and running a riding school.

The discussion nearly turned into a mini riot in our local pub as we tried to justify a different way of life in a different culture. While we might have large houses, fair sized gardens and some had pools, most of us worked very hard – especially the men who had to cope with a lot of frustration. It was usually impossible to work without backhanders, fawning on local and powerful officials and waiting for the ‘fixer’ who promised something three weeks ago. Again, the remarks from friends that you shouldn’t perpetuate the system of corruption was not understood.

I’m hoping to launch Amie book 5 soon, until then, if you want to catch up this is the link to my Amazon page.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lucinda-E-Clarke/e/B00FDWB914

Till next time, take care.

 

MUSIC AND MUTI

TRAVEL

Everywhere we went in Vienna we were offered tickets to concerts. Now both DH and I love classical music, but we hadn’t packed evening dresses or a tux so we declined many of these historically dressed ticket touts. However, one particularly eager young man explained that the audience didn’t have to dress up for any of the smaller venues.

The programme was very much to my taste, Strauss x 2, Mozart and light opera – no rap or jazz and that suited me fine.

It was held in one of the minor palaces and sadly they didn’t allow pictures, though I did sneak this one before it started. My biggest fear was the tiny red velvet covered seats with very spindly legs, and DH is a large guy and my over active imagination could just see his chair collapsing – I mentally read the headlines, only I wouldn’t be able to understand them as they would be written in German.

HISTORY

 

The new princess born to King Henry and his Queen Joan is christened Joanna, but everyone whispers the name La Beltraneja.  Court gossip is “The Queen is a harlot, the King is a fool and the child is a bastard.”

Please note this picture was painted a little time after her birth.

 

 

 

Many say that Beltran de la Cueva (remember, he was the cool, skinny guy who was the Queen’s bit on the side) does everything for his king! – even produce a bastard heir.

For this, he is promoted and given the title Count of Ledesma. Here’s his pic to remind you.

 

AFRICAN FACTS   SANGOMAS PART 3

I heard many stories while I lived in Africa about spells being put on westerners. I was told my horses had been poisoned for muti (medicine) as a way of making me move the stables when we first moved to Francistown.

My head stable boy told me we were on sacred ground, although I’m sure the lady who owned the farm was unaware of this. She had allowed us to use the land in return for looking after her two horses which were barely fit for the knacker’s yard.

I was solemnly informed that I had been warned when two of the horses had their manes and tails cut off. However, I’d no idea it was anything more than wanton vandalism and came to the conclusion the hair was wanted for fly whisks. If only I had listened to them sooner.

You can read the whole story of the riding school for free  here

 

and by signing up for my monthly newsletter you get the second part free as well.

Link for newsletter  http://eepurl.com/c-GqWr

Till next time, take care.

 

 

 

A PALACE AND THE DEVIL’S CLAW

TRAVEL

To make up for not being able to have a seaside cottage for the summer holidays, the Habsburgs built lovely gardens round their holiday shack which stretch way into the distance. We were there in May and the flowers, despite me not knowing a dandelion from a tulip, were delightful. I was rather surprised I didn’t see a single gardener as we walked around – they don’t mow the lawns and tend the gardens at night do they?

There was also another surprise attraction I’ll share with you next week.

HISTORY

Last week I left poor little princess Isabella growing up lonely in a huge, dark, empty, dank castle in the middle of nowhere. (You may get the tissues out here).

Her father John II had arranged in his will for his children to be financially well cared for, but half-brother Henry doesn’t comply – either from a desire to keep his half siblings restricted or simply through ineptitude. Like his father before him, he is a totally incompetent king.

He just likes playing all day long and letting his advisors run the country (as you do when you’re king). Come on, be honest. Would you be bothered by your insane sister in law and her brats miles away when you could hunt, sit for your portrait, whore and play with your crown jewels all day long? Of course, you wouldn’t. So, he didn’t either.

 

AFRICA FACTS

There is a pharmaceutical company in Germany (I suspect there are several) who have discovered the benefits of a root growing in Africa that helps control arthritis. It’s called the Devil’s Claw. We were sent to make a programme about this which led to one of my most embarrassing moments.

The moment we stepped out of the car, we were greeted as we often were, with a group singing and dancing in national costume. I was then led into the village hall and to my horror up onto a stage and a paper thrust into my hands. It read “REASON FOR DAY MRS (REAL NAME)”

I was then asked to make a speech and I had no idea what to say. What I knew about their work digging up the Devil’s Claw roots you could write on a pin. This often happened to us, budget and time were so tight there was no chance of researching beforehand and no internet to take a quick peep.

This is what the root looks like and I’ll tell you more next time.

THE FINAL WORD

Till next time, take care.

Lucinda

 

THIS DOESN’T HAPPEN OFTEN

I’m trying to type this up with my eyes closed and that’s not easy for me as I’ve never learned to touch type. I do so hate this self-promotion stuff, but as DH informed me in ‘that’ kind of voice if I don’t tell anyone I write books then no one will buy them.

So I suggested he write this blog and got ‘that’ look. DH wouldn’t touch Social Media with a bargepole. He must be the only person on the planet who doesn’t have a Facebook page and has only learned that Tweets exist since they’ve been showing Donald’s efforts on the BBC news. He’s just told me to stop whinging and get typing. (Rumour has it he was browsing the yacht chandlers yesterday, but I’ll be lucky if I can afford a bath sized boat for him to play with – which I wouldn’t buy anyway as we only have a shower).

Big breath and here goes: My first memoir Walking over Eggshells is on sale until Monday at $/£0.99 if you want to grab it cheaply – available on all outlets. myBook.to/WoE

The blurb is:  Walking Over Eggshells is an autobiography that tells the story of a mentally abused child, who married a “Walter Mitty” clone. They moved from England to Kenya, from Libya to Botswana and on again to South Africa. It took all her courage to survive in situations that were at times dangerous, sometimes humorous, but always nerve wracking. She had a variety of jobs, different types of homes, and was both a millionairess and totally broke. She met royalty, hosted ambassadors, and won numerous awards for her writing and television programs. She also climbed over garbage dumps, fended off bailiffs, and coped being abandoned in the African bush with a seven-week-old baby with no money or resources. She admits to being the biggest coward in the world, but her survival instincts kicked in and she lived to tell her story. This book will make you laugh and cry and hopefully inspire others who did not have the best start in life either. 

This morning WoE rose to the giddy heights of 242 overall in paid Kindle books on Amazon but of course, I had a little help from BookBub, no, make that a lot of help! And, as they do, it’s sinking a bit now, but I was there with the screen shot. And the little yellow sticker has gone too and I only blinked once! You may say “Oh how sad Lucinda” here. But I am thrilled with over 600 sales since BB did not accept it for America. WoE is also up for a paperback giveaway on Goodreads, closing date September 10^th. That comes with a free bookmark and a pen – that’s the best I can do, I live in Spain and the postage is too expensive for mugs and aprons, wall hangings and Lucinda E Clarke pyjama sets. https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/241508-walking-over-eggshells

As I’m getting ready to put the 4^th book in the Amie series up on pre-order, I’ve also dropped the price of book 1 to $/£0.99.

Amie – African adventure – in case you might like to meet her. As far as I know she is the only female spy in Africa – though that doesn’t happen until book 3. And the blurb for that is:

Just an ordinary girl, living in an ordinary town, with nothing but ordinary ambitions, Amie Fish is plunged into hot water when her husband is posted to a country she’s never heard of. Amie’s ability to adapt and make a life for herself in equatorial Togodo lands her in more trouble than she could have imagined, her life is threatened and everything she holds dear is ripped away from her. She is left fighting for her life. If she could have seen into the future, she would never have stepped foot on that plane.

It’s got lots of nice reviews and you’re not taking a massive chance at that price, are you? And, if you’re enrolled in KU it won’t cost you a cent. myBook.to/Amie1   

 

And, there’s more. I launched part one of my free book The very Worst Riding School in the World at the end of June and to date, it’s had over 1,200 downloads pushing that to #1 in genre on 5 Amazon sites.  myBook.to/WRS

Finally, if you still need reading material here’s a final reminder for the big book competition http://bookhub.online/book-giveaways/super-summer-reads-giveaway  press the link to enter before it ends on Sunday.

That’s all from me until Thursday and another author to meet, I so prefer that 🙂  And if you’d like to share this post, I really won’t mind 🙂 (Luckily you can’t see me grovelling at this point, it’s not a pretty sight!)

Take care.

 

BOOK NEWS

An extra post this week as I wanted to share with you that Walking over Eggshells, my first book and biography, has been chosen as the Book of the Week by BookWorks. Here is the link to their nice colourful page.

https://www.bookworks.com/book/    If you do the control, click thing it will come up or it may work by just clicking on it.

As always technology has defeated me, as I wanted to cut and paste part of their page to put here, but of course it didn’t work did it.

However the nice sticker thing does, so you can look at that.

And while I’m at it, I’ll do the whole boasting thing and put in the 5 star badge from Reader’s Favorite as well.

I am very thrilled they have chosen my book, but it is a teeny, weeny bit embarrassing, since we are in the process of re-vamping the whole manuscript. Not that the story will change of course, but it’s going to have a nice new cover, and DH has decided he is going to reformat the pages and change the white pages to cream.

I did the original cover needless to say and at the time I was quite pleased with it as I thought it showed a little girl trying to run away from home. After several people asked me why I’d put a coat hanging on the back of a door, I began to have serious doubts about it. I’ve been searching for something new for a long time and here it is.

It’s amazing how much we’ve both learned this last (almost) three years about publishing and presentation and so hopefully in a about a week it will be on the internet with a brand new coat and if you buy paperbacks, in a nicer font and paper colour. Right at this minute DH is struggling to change the page numbers from the top to the bottom, (please don’t ask me why, he’s got a bee on his bonnet about it) so I’m typing very quietly. I do not like to disturb him when he’s being creative. I understand it’s far more important to be quiet and peaceful while formatting a mss than is necessary when it’s only the writing part.

Guess I better put in the link to the book?  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E8HSNDW

Will be back with an update soon and have a great week.