Tag: Books and Authors

What did I Read in April 2024 and My Birthday Extravaganza.

April is always one of my favourite months. When I lived in the UK it held the promise of Spring and Spring flowers and bluebell woods. Now, I’m living in Australia it’s the middle of autumn, with thankfully cooler days after a record-breaking summer. It’s also the birth month I shared with my Dad.

Is there any space more magical than a bluebell wood?

This year April has been incredibly busy, as I was racing to finish my elephant story for The Regent’s Menagerie. Mine is in the Sexy set, but both books promise to be so much fun. Currently, both books are available for Pre-order at a special 99c/ 99p price.

Release date is June 21st

Volume 1, Sweet:

https://books2read.com/SweetMenagerie?store=amazon

or shorter url https://tinyurl.com/4nkff89a

Volume 2, Sexy:

https://books2read.com/SexyMenagerie?store=amazon

shorter url: https://tinyurl.com/58pvnzs5

Additionally, I had my flu jab and sore arm for few days. My writing group was producing an anthology .They graciously held space for my contribution. There were birthday celebrations-more about that later, and I still found time to read!

Beautiful primroses.

Summer at The Santorini Bookshop by Rebecca Raisin.

A Greek island holiday. A fake-dating pact. A chance at true love?
After losing her job as a book scout, hopeless romantic Evie needs a fresh start. So when she hears that her eccentric grandmother has just taken on a small bookshop in Santorini, Evie jumps at the chance to visit her.
But life on the island is not as idyllic as it first seems. Gran has a tempestuous relationship with her landlord and he’s threatening to take the bookshop away from her. So when Gran asks Evie to fake a romance with her landlord’s Greek God of a grandson, Georgios, to keep the family on side, she reluctantly agrees.
As the sun sets on Evie’s Greek holiday, can she save the bookshop – and fake date her way to love?

352 pages, Paperback Expected publication May 7, 2024

My Review.

An enjoyable escape from humdrum reality. Evie’s family has a problem with Grandma. She has never behaved as a grandma should. Now she has bought a bookshop in Santorini. As Evie is currently unemployed it’s obvious, she’s the one to sort it out. For book nerd Evie, a bookshop is a paradise, but she’s not as well equipped to handle all grandma’s problems. These include an irate landlord who is threatening to sell the shop, his gorgeous nephew Georgios, as well as Grandma’s disappeared husband (no 9) and a pack of rescue dogs.

Despite knowing it would all end happily, I enjoyed the twists and turns of this journey. A great holiday read!

The Busy Body by Kemper Donovan.

It’s a dream assignment. Former Senator Dorothy Gibson, aka that woman, is the most talked-about person in the country right now, though largely for the wrong reasons. As an independent candidate for President of the United States, Dorothy split the vote and is being blamed for the shocking result. After her very public defeat, she’s retreated to her home in rural Maine, inviting her ghostwriter to join her.

Her collaborator is impressed by Dorothy’s work ethic and steel-trap mind, not to mention the stunning surroundings (and one particularly gorgeous bodyguard). But when a neighbor dies under suspicious circumstances, Dorothy is determined to find the killer in their midst. And when Dorothy Gibson asks if you want to team up for a top secret, possibly dangerous murder investigation, the only answer “Of course!”

The best ghostwriters are adept at asking questions and spinning stories . . . two talents, it turns out, that also comes in handy for sleuths. Dorothy’s political career, meanwhile, has made her an expert at recognizing lies and double-dealing. Working together, the two women are soon untangling motives and whittling down suspects, to the exasperation of local police. But this investigation-much like the election-may not unfold the way anyone expects.

336 pages, Hardcover First published January 23, 2024

My Review.

This book has created a lot of buzz and it certainly sounded intriguing. Of course, I was drawing comparisons between the fictional Dorothy Gibson and Hilary Clinton. It’s interesting to reflect on the difficulties for a ghostwriter to accurately convey someone else’s thoughts and feelings. Especially someone as guarded as a practised politician. The break with routine should provide them with time to do that, but then there is a murder. All the ingredients are there, but sadly the book didn’t gel for me.

The Wake -Up Call by Beth O’Leary

Two hotel receptionists–and arch-rivals–find a collection of old wedding rings and compete to return them to their owners, discovering their own love story along the way.

It’s the busiest season of the year, and Forest Manor Hotel is quite literally falling apart. So, when Izzy and Lucas are given the same shift on the hotel’s front desk, they have no choice but to put their differences aside and see it through.

The hotel won’t stay afloat beyond Christmas without some sort of miracle. But when Izzy returns a guest’s lost wedding ring, the reward convinces management that this might be the way to fix everything. With four rings still sitting in the lost & found, the race is on for Izzy and Lucas to save their beloved hotel–and their jobs.

As their bitter rivalry turns into something much more complicated, Izzy and Lucas begin to wonder if there’s more at stake here than the hotel’s future. Can the two of them make it through the season with their hearts intact?

356 pages, Paperback. First published September 26, 2023

My Review.

A fun, easy-to-read and engaging story. Misunderstandings, hurt feelings, competitiveness and rivalries are all compounded by the ticking clock of a post-Christmas closure.

 I Remember Paris by Lucy Diamond.

‘I enjoyed it SO much!’ MARIAN KEYES’As multi-layered, rich and enjoyable as a giant mille-feuille. You will adore it’ MILLY JOHNSON.

Jess Bright, single mum and journalist, feels her life has stalled. So, when she’s offered a writing job in Paris for the summer, she leaps at the chance to go. Hasn’t she always felt that she left a piece of her heart in the city years before. Her subject is the iconic artist Adelaide Fox, whose personal life has been steeped in scandal and intrigue. Now approaching eighty, she’s ready to tell her side of the story – and serve up some scalding-hot revenge in the process. Amidst a stormy working relationship, Jess and Adelaide must face up to their pasts. As passionate affairs, terrible betrayals and life-changing secrets surface, there may be more surprises in store than either of them dared imagine . . .Set in the city of love, with two unforgettable protagonists, I REMEMBER PARIS is a glorious, life-affirming novel about second chances, unlikely friendships and finding your way back to yourself

‘Escapist, romantic and a little bit scandalous, this is Lucy Diamond at her page-turning best’ VERONICA HENRY.

My Review.

Thoroughly enjoyed this. A writer is invited to ghostwrite an autobiography of an intriguing female artist.  Mistakes both past and present affect the future. Add in Jess’s family dynamic. Adelaide’s stubborn nature, old flames and secrets combined with Paris itself. There is so much to savour and enjoy

The Happiest Ever After by Milly Johnson

What if you could write your own perfect storyline…?
The heartwarming, feelgood novel from the much-loved Sunday Times bestselling author, Milly Johnson

Polly Potter is surviving, not thriving. She used to love her job – until her mentor died and her new boss decided to make her life hell. She used to love her partner Chris – until he cheated on her, and now she can’t forget. The only place where her life is working is on the pages of the novel she is writing – there she can create a feistier, bolder, more successful version of herself – as the ­fictional Sabrina Anderson.

But what if it was possible to start over again? To leave everything behind, forget all that went before, and live the life you’d always dreamed of?

After a set of unforeseen circumstances, Polly ends up believing she really IS Sabrina, living at the heart of a noisy Italian family restaurant by the sea. Run by Teddy, the son of her new landlady Marielle, it’s a much-loved place, facing threat of closure as a rival restaurant moves in next door. Sabrina can’t remember her life as Polly, but she knows she is living a different life from the one she used to have.
But what if this new life could belong to her after all?

My Review,

Many of us will identify with how Polly’s life was before she lost her memory.  What does it say about that life that no one was actively looking for her?  I was cheering Polly on as her new life unfolded, willing her to succeed. In my opinion, Milly Johnson has created a character many of us can relate to and care about. I think Milly has taken over Maeve Binchy’s mantle

The Siren of Sussex by Mimi Matthews

Victorian high society’s most daring equestrienne finds love and an unexpected ally in her fight for independence in the strong arms of London’s most sought-after and devastatingly handsome half-Indian tailor.

Evelyn Maltravers understands exactly how little she’s worth on the marriage mart. As an incurable bluestocking from a family tumbling swiftly toward ruin, she knows she’ll never make a match in a ballroom. Her only hope is to distinguish herself by making the biggest splash in the one sphere she excels: on horseback. In haute couture. But to truly capture London’s attention she’ll need a habit-maker who’s not afraid to take risks with his designs—and with his heart.

Half-Indian tailor Ahmad Malik has always had a talent for making women beautiful, inching his way toward recognition by designing riding habits for Rotten Row’s infamous Pretty Horsebreakers—but no one compares to Evelyn. Her unbridled spirit enchants him, awakening a depth of feeling he never thought possible.

But pushing boundaries comes at a cost and not everyone is pleased to welcome Evelyn and Ahmad into fashionable society. With obstacles spanning between them, the indomitable pair must decide which hurdles they can jump and what matters most: making their mark or following their hearts?

First published January 11, 2022

My Review.

Great title and an interesting read, parts of which would be of interest to those who know more about riding than I do. For me, the most appealing parts were the discussions on how to dress and also how the romance progressed.

The Cat Who Caught a Killer. by L.T Shearer.

Conrad the Cat Detective 1

Meet Conrad the cat. You’ve never met a detective like him before.
Neither has Lulu Lewis when he walks into her life one summer’s day. Mourning the recent death of her husband, the former police detective had expected a gentle retirement, quietly enjoying life on her new canal boat, The Lark, and visiting her mother-in-law Emily in a nearby care home.

But when Emily dies suddenly in suspicious circumstances, Lulu senses foul play and resolves to find out what really happened. And a remarkable cat named Conrad will be with her every step of the way . . .

318 pages, Kindle Edition First published October 27, 2022

My Review.

It seemed as if this book would be like catnip to me, a cat detective who is a talking cat. I wanted to like the book, but unfortunately, I didn’t.

 It was heavy-handed in the extreme with info dumps and non-sequiturs. It felt as if I was reading information straight from Google or Wikipedia. And then incidentally in the middle of the book was a recipe for how to cook fish.

As there are currently three in the series, I must assume that some people have found these books enjoyable.

The Most Dangerous Duke in London by Madeline Hunter.

Decadent Dukes Society 1.

Three sinfully handsome dukes, three scores to settle, three hearts about to meet their matches. All in one thrilling new trilogy from New York Times best selling author Madeline Hunter…


NOTORIOUS NOBLEMAN SEEKS REVENGE.

Name and Title :Adam Penrose, Duke of Stratton. Affiliation: London’s elite Society of Decadent Dukes. Family history: Scandalous. Personality traits: Dark and brooding, with a thirst for revenge. Ideal romantic partner: A woman of means, with beauty and brains, willing to live with reckless abandon. Desire: Clara Cheswick, gorgeous daughter of his family’s sworn enemy.

FAINT OF HEART NEED NOT APPLY.

Clara may be the woman Adam wants, but there’s one problem: she’s far more interested in publishing her women’s journal than getting married -especially to a man said to be dead set on vengeance. Though, with her nose for a story Clara wonders if his desire for justice is sincere- along with his incredibly innerving intention to be her husband. If her weak- kneed response to his kiss i any indication, falling for Adam clearly comes with a cost. But who knew courting danger could be such exhilarating fun?

My Review

It’s a pleasant change to read a book with an older heroine and one who has a purpose beyond matrimony. Clara’s thirst for independence runs counter to Adam’s desire to marry her. Having recently tasted freedom why would she choose to give it up?  Yet, she cannot deny in spite of the suspicions and doubts there is an attraction between them. Family secrets have to be probed and past events re-examined before they can hope to have a “happily ever after.”

Birthday! Actually Birthday months…

The stars aligned, I don’t know how it happened but I will be celebrating until June. All I can say is I have some wonderful friends. So far I have had a casual lunch, a luxurious and expensive lunch, a coffee catch up, where I was gifted with a manicure /pedicure voucher .There is another lunch next week taking my birthday well into May. But wait! There’s more… a dear friend bought tickets to a show I have been longing to see and that happens in June!

What else have I been up to?

Next week I’m writing a passion project close to my heart, a memoir of my late teens and early twenties. My life was far more complicated and challenging then and its something I’ve avoided talking about for a long time. Somehow now, it feels as if the time is right.

Why Was I Reading Murder in March 2024 and Not Romance ?

Simple! I was reading Murder because I was writing Romance and there was no way I wanted to inadvertently plagiarise or copy someone else.

 The only exception was a Regency romance I had read in December but was unable to comment on until its March release. I figured that by this time those words were out of my system as I had read and written the review back then.

Didn’t want to freak anyone out to much!

Once Upon A Murder by Samantha Larsen.

A Lady Librarian Mystery

Miss Tiffany Woodall must sleuth the slaying of a footman to clear her beloved’s name in the second Lady Librarian mystery, in the vein of Deanna Raybourn and perfect for fans of Bridgerton.

1784 England. Officially hired as the librarian for the Duchess of Beaufort, Miss Tiffany Woodall is through with masquerades and murders for good. That is, until she stumbles upon the frozen dead body of former footman Mr. Bernard Coram. The speed with which her peaceful new life is upended is one for the record the justice of the peace immediately declares her the primary suspect in the murder.

As Tiffany hunts for the truth to clear her name, she learns that Bernard got into a fight over a woman at the local pub the night of his death–but he was also overheard blackmailing Samir. The justice of the peace arrests Samir, and Tiffany realizes that her life may have more in common with a tragic play than a light-hearted romance.

With her love locked up in jail and her own reputation on the line, Tiffany must attempt to solve the murder before the book closes on her or Samir’s life.

My Review.

This is the second in a series and unfortunately, I had not read the first book. This left me at a bit of a disadvantage, but I assumed I’d pick the nuances of the story up. Sadly, it didn’t hold my attention which could be that I hadn’t a connection to the characters. If you are planning to read this series, I suggest you read it in order.

A Death in Diamonds by S.J Bennett.

The royally brilliant fourth book in the Her Majesty the Queen Investigates mystery series!

1957 – A young woman is found dead in a mews house a mile from Buckingham Palace, wearing only silk underwear and a a diamond tiara. An older man is discovered nearby, garrotted and pierced through the eye with a long, sharp implement.

According to the police, a high society card game was going on downstairs that night. One of the players surely committed the murders, but each of them can give the others an alibi.

When someone very close to her is implicated, the young Queen is drawn in to the investigation…

288 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 2024.

My Review,

I have thoroughly enjoyed this series and the journey back in time to 1957 is well-researched and conveyed. High society London had its own rules and caveats. The police are investigating , hampered at every turn by M16, HM the Queen for reasons of her own wants to know about the investigation too. A fun bit of nostalgia and a puzzling mystery.

What You Are Looking For Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama, Alison Watts (Translator)

For fans of The Midnight Library and Before the Coffee Gets Cold, this charming Japanese novel shows how the perfect book recommendation can change a reader’s life.

What are you looking for?

This is the famous question routinely asked by Tokyo’s most enigmatic librarian, Sayuri Komachi. Like most librarians, Komachi has read every book lining her shelves—but she also has the unique ability to read the souls of her library guests. For anyone who walks through her door, Komachi can sense exactly what they’re looking for in life and provide just the book recommendation they never knew they needed to help them find it.

Each visitor comes to her library from a different juncture in their careers and dreams, from the restless sales attendant who feels stuck at her job to the struggling working mother who longs to be a magazine editor. The conversation that they have with Sayuri Komachi—and the surprise book she lends each of them—will have life-altering consequences.

With heartwarming charm and wisdom, What You Are Looking For Is in the Library is a paean to the magic of libraries, friendship and community, perfect for anyone who has ever found themselves at an impasse in their life and in need of a little inspiration.

304 pages, Hardcover

First published November 9, 2020

My Review.

I loved this book! Everything about it appealed to me from the delightful cover design to the way the story evolved. Kudos to Alison Watts for such a great translation. A gentle story, which had an almost dreamlike effect. Thoroughly recommended.

Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo- Reum,Shanna Tan (Translator.)

The Korean smash hit available for the first time in English, a slice-of-life novel for readers of Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library and Gabrielle Zevin’s The Storied Life of AJ Fikry.

Yeongju is burned out. With her high-flying career, demanding marriage, and busy life in Seoul, she knows she should feel successful, but all she feels is drained. Yet an abandoned dream nags at her, and in a leap of faith, she leaves her old life behind. Quitting her job and divorcing her husband, Yeongju moves to a small residential neighborhood outside the city, where she opens the Hyunam-dong Bookshop.

For the first few months, all Yeongju does is cry, deterring visitors. But the long hours in the shop give her time to mull over what makes a good bookseller and store, and as she starts to read hungrily, host author events, and develop her own bookselling philosophy, she begins to ease into her new setting. Surrounded by friends, writers, and the books that connect them all, she finds her new story as the Hyunam-dong Bookshop transforms into an inviting space for lost souls to rest, heal, and remember that it’s never too late to scrap the plot and start again.

320 pages, Hardcover

First published January 17, 2022.

My Review.

By some weird coincidence, I read this just after What You Are Looking For is In the Library. It might have been better if I had read another book in between these two.The tone of this book is far more serious as it interrogates topics such as work-life balance, and whether your career always takes precedence. What if you fall out of love?  Do you need to be married to be happy?

Charlotte’s Control by Maggie Sims 

A young rake soon to inherit an impoverished estate…a lonely widow unable to produce an heir…a love they must renounce.

Widowed at thirty, Charlotte, Dowager Countess of Peterborough, finds herself on the lonely edge of Society, caught between the young chits vying for a husband and older matrons. In a moment of vulnerability, she meets a young rake who tempts her to forget propriety and reclaim her feminine powers of seduction…for a while. Their affair can only last until he marries a wealthy debutante who can give him what Charlotte cannot. An heir.

In his final year at Oxford, William Stanton, heir to the Earl of Harrington, is forced to manage the earldom for his drunken father and provide for his family. With the prospect of an advantageous marriage looming in his future, he yearns for the frivolity of his peers. But when he encounters a lovely widow, he’s drawn to her keen mind as much as he is to her beauty. She believes they are destined to part. To keep her, he must battle Fate, time, and the rules of Society that conspire against them.

311 pages, Kindle Edition Published March 19, 2024

My Review.

He falls first and hard, and Charlotte enjoys educating him.
Fans of the genre won’t be disappointed by this spirited tale of femdom.
This is an age-gap romance between an older woman younger man.
Charlotte is a young widow who doesn’t want to give up on life or love.
William, her younger lover grows and matures throughout the book.
There is lots of sexual tension, sexual chemistry, and some bondage and orgasm control. I received a special copy from the author, and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

                     

It’s been a busy month for me as I have been writing the latest novella for The Regent’s Menagerie Anthology, which releases in June but is up for pre-order now at a special introductory price. My story features Badala a baby elephant, what could be cuter than that?

There are two volumes. One is sweeter and the other is spicier to suit all tastes.

You can pre-order your copy now!

I’m back to reading romance this month, but I have another exciting project on the horizon.Until next time , happy reading!

What Did I Read in January 2024 and Why Wasn’t It More?

This time of the year is always more social than I expect and sometimes I’m just too tired to read. Time to turn on the TV instead!

I had an 81,000+ manuscript to read over Christmas, as well as a couple of smaller pieces to comment on. As the manuscript isn’t published I can’t add it to my reading list

Writers often ask other writers they trust to comment on their work.

This year I’m also supposed to be writing a story for the latest Regency anthology.

The Regent’s Menagerie is based on a true event. The Prince Regent (later George 4th) was extravagant and was always short of money. While acting for his father King George 3rd he discovered that they paid an enormous amount of money for the upkeep of the various exotic animals kept in the Tower of London.

George had a brainwave, a master- stroke. He would gift animals to people as a mark of esteem. In doing so getting rid of the expense while showing favour.

Can a saucy heroine tempt my hero? I hope so!

Our stories are in two collections either Sweet or Spicy and will focus on the animals,the adventures and of course, love and romance. My animal is a baby Asian elephant.  So I’ve been reading up about them. At the moment I’m trying to work out an entertaining plot, which doesn’t always come naturally to me. I usually just prefer to write and see what happens, but there is a looming April deadline to think about.

Elephants are social animals.

There were also a couple of Books I Did Not Finish. They weren’t bad books, just the wrong books for me at this time. So I won’t comment on them.

The Little Village of Booklovers by Nina George.

A young woman with the extraordinary power to bring soulmates together searches for her own true love in this tender, lyrical standalone novel inspired by the “bona fide international hit” ( The New York Times Book Review ) The Little Paris Bookshop

In Nina George’s New York Times bestseller The Little Paris Bookshop, beloved literary apothecary Jean Perdu is inspired to create a floating bookstore after reading a seminal pseudonymous novel about a young woman with a remarkable gift. The Little Village of Book Lovers is that novel.

“Everyone knows me, but none can see me. I’m that thing you call love.”

In a little town in the south of France in the 1960s, a dazzling encounter with Love itself changes the life of infant orphan Marie-Jeanne forever.

As a girl, Marie-Jeanne realizes that she can see the marks Love has left on the people around her—tiny glowing lights on the faces and hands that shimmer more brightly when the one meant for them is near. Before long, Marie-Jeanne is playing matchmaker, bringing true loves together in her village.

As she grows up, Marie-Jeanne helps her foster father, Francis, begin a mobile library that travels throughout the many small mountain towns in the region of Nyons. She finds herself bringing soulmates together every place they go—and there are always books that play a pivotal role in that quest. However, the only person that Marie-Jeanne can’t seem to find a soulmate for is herself. She has no glow of her own, though she waits and waits for it to appear. Everyone must have a soulmate, surely—but will Marie-Jeanne be able to recognize hers when Love finally comes her way?

272 pages, Hardcover

First published July 25, 2023.

My Review.

I enjoyed this lyrical novel-and you don’t need to have read The Little Paris Bookshop to enjoy it yourself. Marie-Jeanne knows which soulmates belong together, but getting them to connect can be a struggle. However, she can always help romance to flourish by recommending a book. One for the romantics amongst us

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth

It’s not just secrets buried at Wild Meadows. For as long as they can remember, Jessica, Norah and Alicia have been told how lucky they are. Rescued from family tragedies and raised by a loving foster mother on an idyllic farming estate, they were given an elusive second chance of a happy family life. But their childhood wasn’t the fairy tale everyone thinks it was. And when a body is discovered under the home they grew up in, the foster sisters find themselves thrust into the spotlight as key witnesses. Or are they prime suspects? A thrilling page-turner by New York Times bestselling author Sally Hepworth of sisterhood, secrets, love and murder.

My Review.

Secrets and betrayal, who was trusted and who to trust? Jessica, Norah, and Alison have bonded like sisters, but each knows only a little about the others’ current lives.  Now grown up, they are facing their own troubled pasts at the home known as Wild Meadow. My opinions shifted while reading this book as I was entertained and appalled in turn. A page-turner.

February already!

We could all use a little romance in our lives.

I’m getting down to work, I’ve cancelled Netflix and made a promise to myself to get this story done. My hero and heroine wait off stage for me to give them words and a memorable story. So watch this space!

December 2023 -The Books I Read.

Photo by Nathan Cowley on Pexels.com

I hope that you all enjoyed Christmas and the New Year. December seemed to go by so quickly and now it’s almost mid-January.

For me, December was a month that flew by between a mixture of social obligations and chores. Now, a confession- I didn’t make my reading goal to read 100 books in 2023. If I’d chosen to add books that I hadn’t enjoyed, I could easily have reached the target. I prefer not to do that, and simply because I don’t enjoy a book, it doesn’t mean that someone else won’t enjoy it.

Sadly, I only managed to read 95 of my self-prescribed 100 books.

She -Merchants, Buccaneers and Gentle Women: British Women in India by Katie Hickman.

The first British women to set foot in India did so in the very early seventeenth century, two and a half centuries before the Raj.

Women made their way to India for exactly the same reasons men did – to carve out a better life for themselves. In the early days, India was a place where the slates of ‘blotted pedigrees’ were wiped clean; bankrupts given a chance to make good; a taste for adventure satisfied – for women. They went and worked as milliners, bakers, dress-makers, actresses, portrait painters, maids, shop-keepers, governesses, teachers, boarding house proprietors, midwives, nurses, missionaries, doctors, geologists, plant-collectors, writers, travellers, and – most surprising of all – traders.

As wives, courtesans and she-merchants, these tough adventuring women were every bit as intrepid as their men, the buccaneering sea captains and traders in whose wake they followed; their voyages to India were extraordinarily daring leaps into the unknown.

The history of the British in India has cast a long shadow over these women; Memsahibs, once a word of respect, is now more likely to be a byword for snobbery and even racism. And it is true: prejudice of every kind – racial, social, imperial, religious – did cloud many aspects of British involvement in India. But was not invariably the case.

In this landmark book, celebrated chronicler, Katie Hickman, uncovers stories, until now hidden from history: here is Charlotte Barry, who in 1783 left London a high-class courtesan and arrived in India as Mrs William Hickey, a married ‘lady’; Poll Puff who sold her apple puffs for ‘upwards of thirty years, growing grey in the service’; Mrs Hudson who in 1617 was refused as a trader in indigo by the East Indian Company, and instead turned a fine penny in cloth; Julia Inglis, a survivor of the siege of Lucknow; Amelia Horne, who witnessed the death of her entire family during the Cawnpore massacres of 1857; and Flora Annie Steel, novelist and a pioneer in the struggle to bring education to purdah women.

For some, it was painful exile, but for many it was exhilarating. Through diaries, letters and memoirs (many still in manuscript form), this exciting book reveals the extraordinary life and times of hundreds of women who made their way across the sea and changed history.

400 pages, Paperback.

My Review

A fascinating and well-researched book on a topic that has until now attracted little scholarly interest. The women endured a lengthy sea voyage only to be thrust into both an unfamiliar and hostile environment. That so many thrived and survived seems almost miraculous. For some, it provided them with opportunities they could never have imagined. While for others it took their health and families.

The Paris Cooking School by Sophie Beaumont.

The Australian Women’s Weekly Great Read ‘there is a freshness and vivacity to this cooking school novel that is utterly beguiling.’ –The Australian Women’s Weekly Life rarely serves up the perfect dish, but second chances are always on the menu . . . There’s nothing quite so beautiful as Paris in the spring; and when you add in the chance to learn the French way of food, in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, who can resist? Not Gabi Picabea or Kate Evans who have come from Australia to Sylvie Morel’s Paris Cooking School. Both are at a crossroads, and learning to cook the French way in Paris, far away from all their troubles, seems like the perfect escape.  Still bruised from a shocking betrayal by her ex-husband, Kate is trying to find a new place for herself in life, and emotional peace, while French–Australian artist Gabi is struggling with a crippling creative block. Meanwhile, Sylvie is facing challenges of her own – a mysterious harassment campaign against the school and a reassessment of her relationship with her commitment-shy lover, Claude.  For each of the women, that extraordinary April in Paris will bring unexpected twists and transformations that will change the course of their lives.

A delectable novel about love, hope and the consolations of the perfect strawberry tart, The Paris Cooking School is a treat for the soul.

My Review.

The book is a love letter to Paris, you will feel that you are there, walking beside the Seine. My mouth was watering while I was reading as each week both delectable recipes and food ideas were discussed. It was easy to identify with all three women as they faced their personal challenges. Not forgetting about Nina, a most adorable fictional dog!

Crossing the Bridge by Nancy Cunningham.

Can two wounded hearts find peace in a time of war?
1944. Widow Poppy Guilford is fighting to save her farm, the one thing tethering her to her husband – and the legacy promised for their young son. But a devastating secret from her husband’s past threatens to derail her struggle to save the property and keep her son by her side. Former soldier JB Beaton’s wartime injuries and personal losses have left him with scars, both inside and out. Believing he’s too damaged to be the father his son deserves, he leaves him with his sister and takes on a job as a farmhand, far away from the city and his failures. Poppy, battling the elements and the heartache of her husband’s secret, finds the new farmhand is never far from her thoughts, and JB’s world is thrown into disarray by one of the most beautiful and capable women he has ever met. Neither can battle the surge of attraction they both feel. In a small town where gossip reigns, will they surrender to duty or follow their hearts?

367 pages, Kindle Edition Expected publication January 1, 2024

My Review.

Such a poignant and atmospheric book, which takes us back to wartime Australia. It reminded me of the Australian TV show The Sullivans. Set in the era of austerity, of make do and mend, and far more conservative behaviour than we see today.

In a small town where everyone knows everyone Poppy Guilford is a topic of speculation. Surely, she can’t keep managing the farm on her own. The town has decided on a suitable candidate for Poppy.

Then, JB arrives to help on the farm. He admires Poppy’s handling of the responsibility and workload of the farm. He’s far from perfect and has his own demons.  Yet he’s drawn to Poppy and she to him. Their relationship could be a small-town scandal.

I received an Advance Reader Copy through Net Galley

The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods

The Keeper of Stories meets The Lost Apothecary in this evocative and charming novel full of mystery and secrets.

‘The thing about books,’ she said ‘is that they help you to imagine a life bigger and better than you could ever dream of.’

On a quiet street in Dublin, a lost bookshop is waiting to be found…

For too long, Opaline, Martha and Henry have been the side characters in their own lives.

But when a vanishing bookshop casts its spell, these three unsuspecting strangers will discover that their own stories are every bit as extraordinary as the ones found in the pages of their beloved books. And by unlocking the secrets of the shelves, they find themselves transported to a world of wonder… where nothing is as it seems.

My Review.

The title was what initially drew me to this book, and it was such a delightful read. The characterisation and the dilemmas each faced made me speed through the book, eager to learn what was next. Then I would go back to read a passage again as it contained so much information. The story always came first, but there are many references to things literary. A top pick for me and I was sorry to leave Martha and Henry behind without a completely resolved happily ever after.

The Truth About Elephants: Seriously Funny Facts About Your Favorite Animals by Maxwell Eaton 111.

Did you know that an elephant’s tusks never stop growing?

Did you know that elephants can sometimes purr like giant cats?

And that they use six sets of teeth throughout their lives?

Impress your friends and teachers with these facts and more in The Truth About

Elephants, a wildly entertaining (not to mention hilarious) nonfiction picture

book offering everything you want to know about this majestic animal.

My Review.

I’m reading to learn more about elephants and this book is full of useful and surprising facts. That’s my top research tip when studying an unfamiliar topic- it’s to start with children’s books. There are all the basic facts in an easy-to-understand format.

Elephant Dawn: The Inspirational Story of Thirteen Years Living with Elephants in the African Wilderness by Sharon Pincott.

In 2001, Sharon Pincott traded her privileged life as a high-flying corporate executive to start a new one with the Presidential Elephants of Zimbabwe. She was unpaid, untrained, self-funded and arrived with the starry-eyed idealism of most foreigners during early encounters with Africa. For thirteen years – the worst in Zimbabwe’s volatile history – this intrepid Australian woman lived in the Hwange bush fighting for the lives of these elephants, forming an extraordinary and life-changing bond with them. Now remote from Robert Mugabe’s rule, Sharon writes without restraint sequentially through the years, taking us on a truly unforgettable ride of hope and heartbreak, profound love and loss, adversity and new beginnings. This is the haunting, all-encompassing story we’ve been waiting for. Powerfully moving, sometimes disturbing and often very funny, Elephant Dawn is a celebration of love, courage and honour amongst our greatest land mammals. With resilience beyond measure, Sharon earns the supreme right to call them family.[The book includes 32 pages of colour photographs.]

392 pages, Kindle Edition Published May 25, 2016.

My Review.

Like Africa itself, this book is beautiful and yet ultimately heart-breaking. Immerse yourself in what it is like to live in Africa and to be passionate about their wildlife when it appears that few others care. To fight the same battles again and again, over access to land, and to water. Feel helpless as shooters can pick off protected species. Face constant threats and intimidation, all in one of the most tumultuous periods of Zimbabwe’s’ history. A brave book and an enlightening one.

Royal Animals: A gorgeously illustrated history with a foreword by Sir Michael Morpurgo by Julia Golding, Emily Sutton ( Illustrator)

A beautifully illustrated history of royal animals in Britain from 1066 to the present day, with a foreword by Sir Michael Morpurgo.

Why do the three lions on the British crest look so much like leopards? When did the first elephant set foot on British soil? Was there really a polar bear who fished in the River Thames? Full of astounding facts and amazing true animal stories, delve in to discover royal giraffes, elephants, spaniels, parrots, ravens, pelicans and, of course, Queen Elizabeth II’s corgis. Royal Animals is engagingly written, with artwork from Emily Sutton, the illustrator of Everyone Sang, William Sieghart’s poetry collection. Emily is also the illustrator of Paddington creator Michael Bond’s Castle Mice series. This fascinating exploration of 1000 years of royal animals is written by Julia Golding, the author of The Queen’s Wardrobe, illustrated by Kate Hindley.

My Review.

A total delight to look at and to read. Any animal-loving child should enjoy it. For the purposes of my research, there was only a two-page spread, but that was informative.

Photo by Del Adams on Pexels.com

And now in January, it’s hot, far too hot. So what better excuse to curl up with a good book? So wherever you are and whatever you are and whatever your climate- Happy reading.

Photo by Asad Photo Maldives on Pexels.com

Chatting with Nancy Cunningham, About her January 2024 New Release Crossing the Bridge.

Are you in the cooler Northern Hemisphere or basking in the sun in the Southern Hemisphere? Either way, why not pause and give yourself the gift of time to rest and relax, maybe read a new book.

The pleasure of coffee and a new book.

It’s a pleasure to welcome author Nancy Cunningham to talk about her new book Crossing the Bridge.

Thank you for joining us- tell us about your book Crossing the Bridge which will be released 1st January 2024. You can pre-order it NOW

1944. Widow Poppy Guilford is fighting to save her farm, the one thing tethering her to her husband—and the legacy promised for their young son. But a devastating secret from her husband’s past threatens to derail her struggle to save the property and keep her son by her side.

Former soldier JB Beaton’s wartime injuries and personal losses have left him with scars, both inside and out. Believing he’s too damaged to be the father his son deserves, he leaves him with his sister and takes on a job as a farmhand, far away from the city and his failures.

Poppy, battling the elements and the heartache caused by her husband’s secret, finds the new farmhand is never far from her thoughts, and JB’s world is thrown into disarray by one of the most beautiful and capable women he has ever met. Neither can fight the surge of attraction they both feel.

In a small town where gossip reigns, will they surrender to duty or follow their hearts?

‘You’ll be cheering for this wartime Australian heroine well before the last page as she fights to find her voice, her feet and love after heartbreak. Nancy Cunningham’s emotional debut novel is a cracker.’ —Bestselling Australian author Victoria Purman.

‘Crossing the Bridge’ is available as an eBook through the Harper Collins/Escape website and all good online stores:  https://www.amazon.com.au/s?k=9781867299738&camp=247…

https://play.google.com/store/search?q=9781867299738…

https://books.apple.com/…/crossing-the-bridge/id6458265282

https://www.kobo.com/au/en/ebook/crossing-the-bridge-9

An early Christmas present for yourself or someone you know perhaps?

I was fortunate enough to receive an Advance Reader Copy through Net Galley ( you can see my review on Good Reads) and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

Nancy will be in conversation with Victoria Purman on Sunday the 21st of January at Payneham Library and celebrating Crossing the Bridge with a CWA-style afternoon tea. You will need to book your place

What drew you to this topic, why did you want to tell this story?

When I wrote the first draft of Crossing the Bridge, I happened to be reading a lot of historical fiction stories but was surprised to find that there weren’t a lot of 20th Century historical Australian stories on the shelf, and I wanted to write that story – basically, I wrote the story for me!

Are you writing anything else?

I have lots and lots of story ideas and currently have around 5 unpublished manuscripts, one I have out on submission, and the other I am polishing as just last week I had a request for a full manuscript and will also send it to my current publisher (Harper Collins) the other 3 are sitting waiting in a bottom drawer somewhere! I have too many ideas and too little time.

About Nancy

I am in awe of Nancy who works as a scientist- (please tell me your proper scientific title!) and also writes romance. That is quite a leap from the logical analytical part of the brain to the emotional, feeling part of the brain. Does it ever cause problems or confusion?

A Praying Mantis.

For me anyway. I find I can compartmentalise the different aspects of both being a research scientist and a romance writer and I rarely get confused between the two. I work as a senior (insect researcher) and am involved in entomological-related projects. As part of my role, I also curate the Waite Insect and Nematode Collection – a large collection of insects and arthropods – many specimens date back over one hundred years! Being the collection manager, it appeals both to my scientific curiosity but also the historical aspect of the collection is fascinating!

Nancy also contributes insightful and supportive comments to the Romance Writers of Australia Aspiring Writers Group.

Some quick-fire questions.

Late nights or early mornings?

Early mornings/mornings I find are when I am at my brightest. Night times are usually a little fraught as I am usually pretty tired and sometimes exhausted. It’s often the time I spend relaxing with my family.

What’s for breakfast?

I like to vary it, Weet-bix/muesli/porridge sometimes toast or a poached egg, I occasionally have fruit smoothies!

Night out or Netflix?

I’m definitely a homebody but not opposed to the occasional evening out.

G &T or Tea/Coffee?

Tea and coffee every day, G and T for those days you come home and its hot and you want to chill.

Perfect weekend?

Saturday – A little sleep-in followed by brunch out, come home, relax in the garden, or read. Yummy dinner, either home-cooked or takeaway, Sunday – rinse and repeat!

What did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be a zoologist, but also a scriptwriter (for the movies!)

What is for dinner tonight? Can you cook? What would you rather be eating?  

Tonight, it’s an easy stir fry with beef, veggies, and noodles (probably teriyaki). I can cook but find during the week especially I prefer really easy to prepare dishes. I think I feel like pasta tonight!

What brings you joy? Lifts your spirits, and chases away a down mood.

Going for a run

I have a relatively sedentary role both at work and as a writer, so I like going for a walk every day – usually with my dog and sometimes my daughter comes too. I love time just to relax and unwind either with family or friends but also, I love time alone just reading a book or occasionally going out and having a massage (there’s a place in every shopping centre these days!)

Your hero?

My partner – he really grounds me and makes me laugh! I am definitely richer for having him in my life.

If you could choose three people (living or dead) to invite to a dinner party, who would they be and why?

Marie Curie – a ground-breaking female scientist – I’d like to know what motivated her to continue when she had so many setbacks. Agatha Christie – because she writes the most wonderful murder mysteries where she hides everything you need to know in plain sight! David Attenborough – because he is utterly awesome and I’m sure we could discuss anything and everything!

Do you have any non-writing-related interests?

I like to draw, have made wooden furniture and like doing graphic design stuff (including making book covers!)

What would surprise people to know about you?

I love playing video games (usually with female protagonists in story-rich games) and have written many words of fanfiction (before I decided maybe to give this original fiction author business a go!)

Life lessons-what do you wish you’d known earlier?

That it’s okay to fail because what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger!

Questions about Writing.

What is your writing process like? 

I like to plan my first draft – I often spend a lot of time thinking about it before I’ve written a single word. Then I plan roughly each scene/chapter indicating beats – I like to use beat sheets and I write a rough GMC for each chapter. Then with my first draft, I read my GMC for that chapter and go for it. The first draft is very ugly – lots of grammar and spelling errors and I often have to do more research. 2nd draft is a tidy-up and to check structure, 3rd and 4th drafts are polishing and prepping for submission.

Do you have any other projects in the works?

I am currently working on another 1st draft which is a follow-up/sequel to Crossing the Bridge and will feature characters Ronnie (Veronica) and Charlie, set post WW2- fashion, wine, a little bit of espionage and a whole lot of love! I am also tinkering on a novella.

Have you ever resuscitated a project you’d shelved? What helped it work better the second time around?

I wrote a short story that failed miserably in a competition – some of the judge’s comments were odd and not really helpful (they didn’t like WW1 stories so marked me down) I shelved it and then about a year later Clare Griffin asked if I’d like to contribute with her and two other writers, Ava January and Sarah Fiddelaers, to a self-published anthology – 20th Century Historical Romance with an Easter theme.

I resuscitated/rewrote it into a longer story and I am very proud of that contribution! Clare, Ava, Sarah and I went on to do another anthology, this one based around a store in Paris, through the seasons and through four different time periods. We’ve been trying to organise a fourth but we’ve all been so busy!

What writing resources have been most helpful to you?

Scrivener is a fantastic tool and I love ‘One Stop for Writers’ which is the online version for all the thesaurus that Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi have produced (‘The Emotion Thesaurus’) I’ve also found the many writing groups on Facebook a font of knowledge for writing-related questions.

What do you know now that you wish you’d known at the beginning of your writing/publishing journey?

Do not ever compare your journey to others – you will only find discontentment! 

What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?

I like to write my first drafts in a very short amount of time (National Novel Writing Month is good for that!) then I edit and edit and edit and edit.

What inspired your new book?

I knew when I wrote Crossing the Bridge that my side character of Veronica Guilford was a fab character, in fact, she was one of 3 POVs (Point of View)in the original story! She had to have her moment in the sun – and now it’s time!

What is the most difficult part about writing for you?

I think getting the structure and beats right. If you miss those there is often something off about the story. Also, your main character’s goal motivation and conflict has to be rock solid. Sometimes that needs work!

Did you do any research for your current book?

I write historical so there is always the need for research! Today I was looking up Australian female jazz musicians who worked in bands in the 1940s and 50s!

Do you have a favourite character that you have written? If so, who? And what makes them so special?

That’s like asking me who my favourite child is (I only have one child so that’s kind of given she’s my favourite) but I love all my characters in different ways. Poppy and Ronnie from Crossing the Bridge I have a great fondness for. I love Poppy because the way I initially wrote her she didn’t have a great character arc (it was pretty flat, and she didn’t have a lot of agency) – I worked hard on her to make her all the things a reader would like without compromising what I loved about her. Ronnie is my sassy character and I have to say I love writing how rude and loud she is! I really loved writing from a male perspective too– and JB was a lot of fun to explore!

Do you think someone could be a writer if they don’t feel emotions?

Not necessarily – I did Becca Symes’s Strength for Writers’ workshops and discovered that my top five strengths are empathy, harmony, positivity, adaptability and woo (working others out). Most of these are in the relationship-building area not the areas that are supposedly related to writers – but the empathy one I had a real revelation as Becca said in the workshop that people with high empathy often have difficulty getting emotion onto the page. Which seems at odds with the very thing being experienced. The reality is that people with high empathy are so caught up in feeling the emotion they are writing – they think it’s been translated to the page when it’s not– learning to translate that to the page is a technical skill that must be learned. How many times has an editor or beta reader said to me when reading my work ‘Nancy, tell me how she feels!!!’

Best writing advice/ Worst writing advice you ever received?

Best – At my very first Romance Writers of Australia conference I was walking to the venue and I met this lovely lady on the street going to the conference. We talked about writing and romance, but it wasn’t until we got to the venue that I realised that it was the late great Valerie Parv, I was gobsmacked, and she wrote about our meeting in her memoir how for a moment we were just two writers talking – Valerie always said that perseverance for a writer is key. Finish that manuscript. Get a rejection? Submit again. Not getting traction? Keep writing, write another manuscript, then another and another. Keep learning, keep writing, keep submitting, it’s a long game and you must have the stamina to keep going if you are to be a success. For me, I like to think it’s a ‘when’ not an ‘if’.

Worst – you have to write every day. Working full time and having a family and other commitments makes it physically, intellectually, and emotionally impossible to write some days. To write you don’t need to flog yourself! A little bit each day goes a long way.

Best money you have spent as a writer?

Joining the Romance Writers of Australia.

Do you have a favourite author and why?

I absolutely love Beatriz Williams novels – honestly, every book she writes is like a dagger through your heart – the story, the characters, the settings, the beautiful writing. I read her work and think I will never ever be that good. She’s amazing!

What are you reading now?

I’m a multitasker – I usually have a few on the go – an audiobook for my commute to work- After the Forest by Kell Woods and I have just received ‘A Country Vet Christmas’ by Lily Malone, Alissa Callen, Penelope Janu, Stella Quinn and Pamela Cook

What books or authors have most influenced your writing?

Beatriz Williams, Amy Harmon, Victoria Purman, Penelope Janu, Soraya Lane

Favourite quote (does not matter the source)

“We’ve got to live, no matter how many skies have fallen.” D.H. Lawrence.

Favourite book/story you have read as an adult?

It’s gritty but I cannot go past Richard Flanagan’s The Narrow Road to the Deep North. I read it several years ago but there are still bits I think about that move me to tears. It was a book that touched my soul.

Favourite book/story you have read as a child?

Enid Blyton’s Magic Faraway Tree books were favourites of mine growing up!

Nancy Cunningham is a historical romance writer from Adelaide, with several award-winning short fiction and unpublished manuscript excerpts under her belt. When not working in her role as an entomologist, looking after family, reading, watching too many historical dramas and spider wrangling, Nancy writes about spirited and stoic heroines of the past overcoming adversity.

You can find Nancy at:

Where History and Science meets Heart

https://www.instagram.com/nan_writes

https://www.facebook.com/NancyMCunningham197

Thank you so much for spending time with us Nancy and best wishes for your book’s success.

What Was I Reading in November 2023?

November seems to have come around very quickly, and so has the heat in Western Australia. We’ve just survived a record ten days with daytime temperatures of over 30C. The last time that happened was in 1915 and it must have been unbearably hot given their clothing and housing then. These days, it’s no hardship to sit in air-conditioning and read.

Sizzling summer temperatures.
And There Was More

Additionally, we were having some house renovations done, which was neither quick nor quiet. Thumping and banging and radios on constantly. My reading choices were very much dictated by that- books were selected to be happy and accessible ‘comfort reads.’

Not my bathroom.

An Island Wedding by Jenny Colgan.

New York Times bestselling author Jenny Colgan brings us a delightful summer novel that will sweep you away to the remote Scottish island of Mure, where two very different weddings are about to take place…

On the little Scottish island of Mure–halfway between Scotland and Norway–Flora MacKenzie and her fiancé Joel are planning the smallest of “sweetheart weddings,” a high summer celebration surrounded only by those very dearest to them.

Not everyone on the island is happy about being excluded, though. The temperature rises even further when beautiful Olivia MacDonald–who left Mure ten years ago for bigger and brighter things–returns with a wedding planner in tow. Her fiancé has oodles of family money, and Olivia is determined to throw the biggest, most extravagant, most Instagrammable wedding possible. And she wants to do it at Flora’s hotel, the same weekend as Flora’s carefully planned micro-wedding.

As the summer solstice approaches, can Flora handle everyone else’s Happy Every Afters–and still get her own?

388 pages, Paperback.

My Review.

Jenny Colgan’s books are incredibly popular, and I’ve enjoyed reading many of them, including some of the Mure series. I’d have been confused with the story if I hadn’t read about Mure previously. It’s an enjoyable story with familiar characters and a feeling of warmth and acceptance. There are conflicts, jealousy and heartaches, but we know we and the characters will reach a happy ending. I enjoyed it.

The Wartime Bookshop by Lesley Eames.

The first in a brand-new nostalgic and heart-warming WWII series, perfect for fans of Donna Douglas and Elaine Everest.
Alice is nursing an injured hand and a broken heart when she moves to the village of Churchwood at the start of WWII. She is desperate to be independent but worries that her injuries will make that impossible.
Kate lives with her family on Brimbles Farm, where her father and brothers treat her no better than a servant. With no mother or sisters, and shunned by the locals, Kate longs for a friend of her own.
Naomi is looked up to for owning the best house in the village. But privately, she carries the hurts of childlessness, a husband who has little time for her and some deep-rooted insecurities.
With war raging overseas, and difficulties to overcome at home, friendship is needed now more than ever. Can the war effort and a shared love of books bring these women – and the community of Churchwood – together?

My Review,

Reminiscent of a Maeve Bincy for its warmth and characterisation. Each woman has her own challenges and problems to deal with. My heart went out to all of them but especially to Kate and I’m looking forward to further books in this series.

A Lady’s Guide to Scandal by Sophie Irwin.

Internationally bestselling author Sophie Irwin brings us another fresh, witty take on a romantic escape led by a deeply lovable heroine determined to start living on her own terms

When shy Miss Eliza Balfour married the austere Earl of Somerset, twenty years her senior, it was the match of the season–no matter that he was not the husband Eliza would have chosen.

But ten years later, Eliza is widowed. And at eight and twenty years, she is suddenly left titled, rich, and, for the first time in her life, utterly in control of her own future. Instead of living out her mourning quietly, Eliza heads to Bath with her cousin Margaret. After years of living according to everyone else’s rules, Eliza has resolved, at last, to do as she wants.

But when the ripples of the dowager Lady Somerset’s behaviour reach the new Lord Somerset–whom Eliza knew, once, as a younger woman–Eliza is forced to confront the fact that freedom does not come without consequences, though it also brings unexpected opportunities 359 pages, Paperback First published July 6, 2023.

My Review. The title alone beguiled me and of course, I was mentally cheering Eliza on. Breaking free of the shackles of conformity takes courage and at first, she doesn’t feel as if she has that. Each test provides another chance to remake her life and potentially scandalise society.

The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic by Breanne Randall.

For fans of Practical Magic and Gilmore Girls, The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic is a debut novel that explores the shields we build around our hearts to retain our own magic.

Sadie Revelare has always believed that the curse of four heartbreaks that accompanies her magic would be worth the price. But when her grandmother is diagnosed with cancer with only weeks to live, and her first heartbreak, Jake McNealy, returns to town after a decade, her carefully structured life begins to unravel.

With the news of their grandmother’s impending death, Sadie’s estranged twin brother Seth returns to town, bringing with him deeply buried family secrets that threaten to tear Sadie’s world apart. Their grandmother has been the backbone of the family for generations, and with her death, Sadie isn’t sure she’ll have the strength to keep the family, and her magic, together.

As feelings for Jake begin to rekindle, and her grandmother growing sicker by the day, Sadie faces the last of her heartbreaks, and she has to decide: is love more important than magic?

Readers who love the magic of The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake and the sense of community found in The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches will enjoy this warm, witchy novel.

322 pages, Paperback First published September 19, 2023

My Review.

Another book whose title drew me in, it kept me entertained and almost believing in magic. Sadie is a relatable character and her past with Jake has relevance throughout the book. The book has a gentle charm and I’m hoping for more from this author.

Villa of Sun and Secrets by Jennifer Bohnet.

Carla Sullivan’s 50th birthday is fast approaching when her whole world is turned upside down. Discovering her feckless husband is having yet another affair and following her mother’s death, she is in need of an escape. Finding an envelope addressed to her mother’s estranged sister Josette in the South of France gives Carla the perfect plan.

Seizing the moment, she packs her bags and heads to Antibes to seek out the enigma known as Tante Josette. But as the two women begin to forge a tentative relationship, family secrets start to unravel, forcing Carla to question her life as she has always known it.

A heart-warming tale on the beautiful French Riviera, which will keep you guessing.Perfect for the fans of Jill Mansell and Fern Britton.

Published August 8, 2019

My Review.

Finding yet another betrayal one too many, Carla defies expectations and flies to France on a whim. Meeting an aunt, she has never really known and feeling some form of connection. Despite her daughter’s suggestion that she return home and forgive her husband. Carla knows that this time it’s too late. A new life beckons if only she has the courage to face it.

Christmas Everyday by Beth Moran.

When Jenny inherits her estranged grandmother’s cottage in Sherwood Forest, she has nothing to lose – no money, no job, no friends, no family to speak of, and zero self-respect. Things can only get better…

Her grumpy, but decidedly handsome new neighbour, Mack, has a habit of bestowing unsolicited good deeds on her. And when Jenny is welcomed into a rather unusual book club, life seems to finally be getting more interesting.

Instead of reading, the members pledge to complete individual challenges before Christmas: from finding new love, learning to bake, to completing a daredevil bucket list. Jenny can’t resist joining in, and soon a year of friendship and laughter, tears and regrets unfolds in the most unexpected ways.

Warm, wise, funny, and utterly uplifting, what one thing would you change in your life before Christmas comes around?

My Review.

Just the right book for this time of year. Jenny escapes to her deceased grandmother’s cottage. She wants to hide but must engage with the community to survive. Little by little and one interaction at a time, she starts building a new life for herself.

Renovations Are Hell!

Because I knew the cats would be scared, I decided to stay home with them while the workmen were in the house. I was concerned about the cats escaping from the secure room they were confined in.

The front door was wide open, the front gates were open, there was knocking and constant banging, radios blasting out. Quite different from our normal quiet home environment.

Not a care in the world.

It was lucky I was home as one cat escaped, twice, moving a sheet of marine plywood, a 5 kilo bag of cat litter and 2x 2.5 kilo dumbells.I managed to get him back in the safe room.

In addition, with the renovation madness all around me, I attempted NaNoWriMo but didn’t manage to reach the targe fifty thousand words as I have in other years. That’s okay ,as I’ve got about 27,000 words down.

Just In Time for Christmas

And just in time for Christmas, these swoon- worthy romances are on sale at this special price for one week from December 6th. Dont order them earlier or you wont get it

www.books2read.com/Abdu or

www.books2read.com/knapp

That wraps up November for me, I will be back in about a week with an interview with Nancy Cunningham about her new book Crossing The Bridge.

Its set in WW2 and is a romance.I’m currently reading and enjoying it.

The Books I Read in March 2023.

My reading was quite a mixed bag in March as I read a memoir, contemporary fiction, domestic noir, historical fiction, as well as romance.

inspired by my reading I was mentally in Paris.

Lunch in Paris; A Love Story with Recipes by Elizabeth Bard.

In Paris for a weekend visit, Elizabeth Bard sat down to lunch with a handsome Frenchman–and never went home again. Was it love at first sight? Or was it the way her knife slid effortlessly through her pave au poivre, the steak’s pink juices puddling into the buttery pepper sauce?

Lunch In Paris is a memoir about a young American woman caught up in two passionate love affairs–one with her new beau, Gwendal, the other with French cuisine. Packing her bags for a new life in the world’s most romantic city, Elizabeth is plunged into a world of bustling open-air markets, hipster bistros, and size 2 femmes fatales. She learns to gut her first fish (with a little help from Jane Austen), soothe pangs of homesickness (with the rise of a chocolate souffle) and develops a crush on her local butcher (who bears a striking resemblance to Matt Dillon). Elizabeth finds that the deeper she immerses herself in the world of French cuisine, the more Paris itself begins to translate. French culture, she discovers, is not unlike a well-ripened cheese-there may be a crusty exterior, until you cut through to the melting, piquant heart. Peppered with mouth-watering recipes for summer ratatouille, swordfish tartare and molten chocolate cakes, Lunch in Paris is a story of falling in love, redefining success and discovering what it truly means to be at home. In the delicious tradition of memoirs like A Year in Provence and Under the Tuscan Sun, this book is the perfect treat for anyone who has dreamed that lunch in Paris could change their life.

First published December 21, 2010

My Review. It’s like having chat with a talkative and foodie best friend. Initially, I wasn’t sure if I would continue reading, memoir isn’t really my thing, but I was gradually won over. There was such a sense of exuberance and enjoyment at finding ingredients and cooking. As well as acute observations on French manners and their way of life. The recipes sound achievable too.

A Secret Scottish Escape by Julie Shackman

When Scotland’s sleepiest hamlet becomes the centre of hot gossip, Layla Devlin finds herself caught in a mystery…

When Layla’s fiancée has an unexpected heart attack and dies – in another woman’s arms, no less – Layla is determined to pack up and leave Loch Harris, the village she’s always called home. But an unexpected inheritance and love for her quiet corner of Scotland send her down a new path.

Now Layla finds herself facing a whole new kind of drama. Rumours swirl that a celebrity has moved into Coorie Cottage and Layla is determined to have him headline her opening night at local music venue The Conch Club. But the reclusive star is equally determined to thwart Layla’s efforts. Rafe Buchanan is in hiding for a reason, and soon his past comes to Loch Harris to haunt him…

My Review. I enjoyed this book although it is difficult to categorise it. Part romance, part mystery, it is written in the first person. Although on two occasions it jarringly left first person to tell us something the narrator could not have known. Apart from that it’s an engaging story, which perhaps needed a little more romance.

The Familiars by Stacey Halls.

Young Fleetwood Shuttleworth, a noblewoman, is with child again. None of her previous pregnancies have borne fruit, and her husband, Richard, is anxious for an heir. Then Fleetwood discovers a hidden doctor’s letter that carries a dire prediction: she will not survive another birth. By chance she meets a midwife named Alice Grey, who promises to help her deliver a healthy baby. But Alice soon stands accused of witchcraft.

Is there more to Alice than meets the eye? Fleetwood must risk everything to prove her innocence. As the two women’s lives become intertwined, the Witch Trials of 1612 loom. Time is running out; both their lives are at stake. Only they know the truth. Only they can save each other.

Rich and compelling, set against the frenzy of the real Pendle Hill Witch Trials, this novel explores the rights of 17th-century women and raises the question: Was witch-hunting really women-hunting? Fleetwood Shuttleworth, Alice Grey and the other characters are actual historical figures. King James I was obsessed with asserting power over the lawless countryside (even woodland creatures, or “familiars,” were suspected of dark magic) by capturing “witches”—in reality mostly poor and illiterate women.

My Review. This captured my attention in part by being set in my part of the world, Lancashire. On a trip back to Uk we visited Lancaster Castle and saw the bleak hole in the ground these supposed ‘witches’ were confined in. I had also studied a unit on witchcraft in Salem at university, so I had some background knowledge.
Without the benefits of modern medicine people often relied on cunning men or women to cure their ailments. This was fine until something went wrong. Diseases we recognise and can treat today were unknown then. It was a climate where misogyny could be dressed as virtue and poorer and troublesome women could be silenced. The King, James 1st of England had a pathological fear of witches. What better way for an ambitious man to worm his way into favour than by denouncing witches?
This book explores this in a story that will hold your attention and make you think how lucky we are today. I enjoyed this immensely.

Crossing the Lines by Sulari Gentill

Sulari Gentill, author of the 1930s Rowland Sinclair Mysteries, jumps to the post-modern in Crossing the Lines.

A successful writer, Madeleine, creates a character, Edward, and begins to imagine his life. He, too, is an author. Edward is in love with a woman, Willow, who’s married to a man Edward loathes, and who loathes him, but he and Willow stay close friends. She’s an artist. As Madeleine develops the plot, Edward attends a gallery show where a scummy critic is flung down a flight of fire stairs…murdered. Madeleine, still stressed from her miscarriages and grieving her inability to have a child, grows more and more enamoured of Edward, spending more and more time with him and the progress of the investigation and less with her physician husband, Hugh, who in turn may be developing secrets of his own.

As Madeline engages more with Edward, he begins to engage back. A crisis comes when Madeleine chooses the killer in Edward’s story and Hugh begins to question her immersion in her novel. Yet Crossing the Lines is not about collecting clues and solving crimes. Rather it’s about the process of creation, a gradual undermining of the authority of the author as the act of writing spirals away and merges with the story being told, a self-referring narrative crossing over boundaries leaving in question who to trust, and who and what is true.

My Review. Initially confusing reading, but as you get caught up in the story you acclimatise to making the brain switches required. Both protagonists claimed my attention, both for their stories, but also for their musings on the craft of writing and authorship. Is the author the creator alone or do we as readers share a part of that creation? Writers sometimes talk about a character rebelling about how they are written, which sounds absurd but does happen. Here we are left to grapple with just who is the author and who is the character.

The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth

THE HUSBAND
A heart surgeon at the top of his field, Stephen Aston is getting married again. But first he must divorce his current wife, even though she can no longer speak for herself.

THE DAUGHTERS
Tully and Rachel Aston look upon their father’s fiancée, Heather, as nothing but an interloper. Heather is younger than both of them. Clearly, she’s after their father’s money.

THE FORMER WIFE
With their mother in a precarious position, Tully and Rachel are determined to get to the truth about their family’s secrets, the new wife closing in, and who their father really is.

THE YOUNGER WIFE
Heather has secrets of her own. Will getting to the truth unleash the most dangerous impulses in all of them?

My Review. A friend recommended Sally Hepworth to me, and I came to the book with no preconceptions. It is simply put, a page-turner, and as each page turns you want to know more. Subtly layered to reveal portions of the story which allows you to make your own assumptions. Some connections seemed to me, while others were more opaque. Recommended.

The Marquess Meets His Match by Laura Martin.

Sparks fly in this fun, romantic Regency!

The marquess she loves to hate

…or the man she can’t resist?

Farmer’s daughter Charlotte Greenacre regrets attending a matchmaker’s party when she has to spend it avoiding her enemy, Lord Robert Overby! Until she learns that the handsome widower is not the villain she thought—and that after his unhappy marriage, he doesn’t want a new wife. It should mean she can now relax in his company…if it wasn’t for the irritating flare of attraction between them!


My Review. An easy and uncomplicated read, with enough dynamic tension between the couple. Charlotte is an engaging heroine and amuses Lord Overby who has little to be amused about for quite some time. He is predisposed to distrust love, but could an unpredictable young lady change his mind? I really disliked the cover.

The Second Lady Silverwood by Emma Orchard.

Sir Benedict Silverwood needs a new wife, an heir and a mother for his young daughter, but he can’t envisage any of the eligible young debutantes taking the place of his late wife. Then Kate Moreton, the granddaughter of a friend, an impoverished spinster and Italian teacher, is suggested and what seems at first an outlandish idea grows on him, alongside his attraction to Kate.

Kate has been hopelessly in love with Benedict for years so the idea of marriage to him is appalling, considering he doesn’t reciprocate her feelings, but also so very tempting…

When Kate steps into her new life as Benedict’s wife, sparks fly, but as it becomes clear that there are incendiary secrets that threaten their fragile new life together, the question is whether Benedict will be able to love and trust the second Lady Silverwood?

My Review.

Initially a bit of a slow-burn romance that turns sizzling hot. Kate has loved Benedict for years, after one magical dance with him. She saw him turn away from her, mesmerised by another young woman. Now fate has presented her with another opportunity. Can she risk her heart again and if he doesn’t reciprocate her feelings, will the status of being married to him be enough?  She learns that he is an enthusiastic and inventive lover, and she matches him, but will she win his heart?  A naughtily steamy romance. I enjoyed it. Thanks to Net Galley.

Mrs England by Stacey Halls.

When newly graduated nurse Ruby May takes a position looking after the children of Charles and Lilian England, a wealthy couple from a powerful dynasty of mill owners, she hopes it will be the fresh start she needs. But as she adapts to life at the isolated Hardcastle House, it becomes clear there’s something not quite right about the beautiful, mysterious Mrs England. Ostracised by the servants and feeling increasingly uneasy, Ruby is forced to confront her own demons in order to prevent history from repeating itself. After all, there’s no such thing as the perfect family – and she should know.

Simmering with slow-burning menace, Mrs England is a portrait of an Edwardian marriage, weaving an enthralling story of men and women, power and control, courage, truth and the very darkest deception. Set against the atmospheric landscape of West Yorkshire, Stacey Halls’ third novel proves her one of the most exciting and compelling new storytellers of our times.

My Review. This was an unsettling read, everyone seems to have secrets and a gradual sense of menace crept up on me. I felt the pacing was slow and yet I wanted to read on. It was such a contrast to the previous book of hers I’d read, The Familiars.  Perhaps if I had read this first I wouldn’t have chosen to read more by this author. She is certainly versatile.

The One and Only Dolly Jamieson by Lisa Ireland.

The One and Only Dolly Jamieson is a compelling feel-good novel featuring a proud and gutsy heroine with a truly unbreakable spirit.

Life is full of downs and ups . . .

Dolly Jamieson is not homeless, she’s merely between permanent abodes. The 78-year-old spends her days keeping warm at the local library, where

she enjoys sparring with the officious head librarian and helping herself to the free morning tea. It’s not so bad, really.

But it’s certainly a far cry from the 1960s, when this humble girl from Geelong became an international star of the stage. As the acclaimed lead in the Broadway production of The Rose of France, all Dolly’s dreams had come true.

So how, in her old age, did she end up here?

When Jane Leveson, a well-to-do newcomer to the library, shows an interest in Dolly, the pair strike up an unlikely friendship – and soon Jane is offering to help Dolly write her memoirs.

Yet Dolly can detect a deep sadness in the younger woman’s eyes. Perhaps by working together to recount the glittering highs, devastating lows and tragic secrets of Dolly’s life, both women can finally face their pasts and start to heal . . .

 My Review.

I galloped through this book, I wanted to know all about Dolly and through the dual timeline I learned of her past and present. In the swinging sixties, Dolly had a string of stage success, when she had it all. Looks, love and success. In the present, how did she come to need to seek refuge in the local library? There she is greeted with disapproval from some and welcomed by others.

Dolly knows the value of keeping up appearances but it’s particularly difficult when you don’t have a home. She is well aware that her appearance can be rather offputting. Yet, Jane speaks to her and over time a slightly wary and unlikely friendship is formed. Each seems to recognise something in the other.

Dolly doesn’t consider herself homeless, she just hasn’t got anywhere to live and in her seventies that’s not a comfortable position to be in. Once fawned upon, now she is dismissed and ignored. But Dolly has a story worth telling and Jane is the person to help her. Each woman has the ability to help the other.

This story examines uncomfortable topics with sensitivity and heart. I was cheering the indomitable Dolly on.

The Secret Diary of Shirley Sullivan by Lisa Ireland.

The Secret Life of Shirley Sullivan is a charming, nostalgic and heart-warming story for women of any age – and it all begins when 79-year-old Shirley kidnaps her husband from his nursing home for one final adventure. .

‘An endearing novel about one gutsy, smart and inspirational woman. I want to be Shirley when I grow up.’ Rachael Johns

‘Elderly. Is that how the world sees me? A helpless little old lady? If only they knew. I allow myself a small smirk.’

When Shirley Sullivan signs her 83-year-old husband, Frank, out of the Sunset Lodge Nursing Home, she has no intention of bringing him back.

For fifty-seven years the couple has shared love, happiness and heartbreak. And while Frank may not know who his wife is these days, he knows he wants to go home. Back to the beach where they met in the early 1960s . . .

So Shirley enacts an elaborate plan to evade the authorities – and their furious daughter, Fiona – to give Frank the holiday he’d always dreamed of.

And, in doing so, perhaps Shirley can make amends for a lifelong guilty secret . .

My Review. It’s very easy to sympathise with Shirley, who has been sidelined by her daughter in caring for her husband Frank. Fiona is a concerned daughter convinced she is doing the best for her parents. But she doesn’t know half of their story. Shirley wants to take Frank on one last adventure, she owes him that. While Frank can’t always remember things, he wants to go home and Shirley has a plan. It’s funny, it’s poignant and as anyone who has dealt with Alzheimer’s will tell you, it’s very true to life. I was cheering Shirley on, up until the last few pages where I felt rather let down.

Shaun Bythell owns The Bookshop, Wigtown – Scotland’s largest second-hand bookshop. It contains 100,000 books, spread over a mile of shelving, with twisting corridors and roaring fires, and all set in a beautiful, rural town by the edge of the sea. A book-lover’s paradise? Well, almost …

In these wry and hilarious diaries, Shaun provides an inside look at the trials and tribulations of life in the book trade, from struggles with eccentric customers to wrangles with his own staff, who include the ski-suit-wearing, bin-foraging Nicky. He takes us with him on buying trips to old estates and auction houses, recommends books (both lost classics and new discoveries), introduces us to the thrill of the unexpected find, and evokes the rhythms and charms of small-town life, always with a sharp and sympathetic eye.

The Diary of a Bookseller by Shaun Bythell.

My Review. A wry yet sympathetic look at owning and running a bookshop. Presented in the manner of a cautionary tale, with George Orwell’s quotes as chapter headings. His love of books and bookselling is reflected in the pages. The book is in part an advisory tale about the madness of owning a bookshop. Shaun tells dolefully that booksellers are prominent among bad back sufferers.

It’s more a book to be dipped in and out of than to be read in a sitting.

Final thoughts.

Eleven books that I read this month and as always it’s an idiosyncratic collection. I source books from my local library, they do a terrific job and usually have tempting to displays of new books. I also read on my Kindle, and although I prefer the physicality of a book the Kindle has it beaten for sheer convenience. These days I read on the Ipad, which is even easier.

I’m happy to take a chance on a book because the cover or its blurb appeal to me. I also review some books for Net Galley. Or, I choose a book because I read a review, or because a friend recommended it.

How do you choose books? At random? What appeals from the cover? The blurb- an industry term for the persuasive words on the back of a book that persuade you to read it.

Bookshops and libraries are the places where I feel most at home. The ambience, that sense of being surrounded by so many books, so many thoughts.

Books can connect us through time and space and reading enables us to travel when we have to stay home.







Excitement and Drama in the Life of a Writer.

 October 15th2022 was an exciting day after a frustrating week.

Imagine you have spent ages writing and rewriting a story until finally, it’s ready to be published. Your story with eight others is going to be part of a new anthology of steamy romance. You are all excited about the book launch.

The date is set, the pre-orders organised and all you and the eight other writers have to do is sit and wait for the book to launch.

One week to go and there is a glitch. The group moderator who had been tweaking details on one of her other books was locked out of the Amazon account. No one else could act.

it couldn’t be happening.

Sexy Scandals of Swain Cove disappeared and so did all those pre-orders. She was in daily contact with Amazon, and we were all in daily despair.

Finally, yesterday after the tensest week ever it was reinstated.

Available on Amazon.

In celebration, Sexy Secrets of Swain Cove will remain at 99cents for now.

Meet Hearts On Fire Author, Jenny Lynch.

It’s a pleasure to welcome author Jenny Lynch to talk about her new book.

Thank you for joining us- tell us about your new book Hearts on Fire which releases on 25th July 2022.

Jenny Lynch

“Hearts on Fire” is my new novelette, which began its life as a (long) short story. I wrote it to submit to Dragonfly Publishing earlier this year. They’d put a call out for submissions for a romance anthology. Unfortunately, the anthology is not going ahead, but I was offered a contract for my story to be published as a stand-alone novelette. I was rather flattered…and extremely excited!

A hot heartthrob features in Jenny’s book.

This fun-filled little book is going to be launched on Monday 25th July, at 2pm, at the Gosnells Bowling Club on Albany Highway, Gosnells. The event is free and anyone is welcome, but registration is essential through Eventbrite.

Perth Australia people book your tickets via Eventbrite

Are you writing anything else?

I’m currently writing another children’s Christmas book for Pink Ribbon Books (my fundraising project). Plus, I’m always writing something—whether it’s flash fiction, short stories or rhymes for my writing group (Gosnells Writers Circle), or a piece of writing for a writing competition.

Some quick-fire questions. Late nights or early mornings?

Definitely late nights (and lazy sleep-ins with breakfast in bed).

What’s for breakfast?

I’m not a huge big breakfast fan unless it’s for a special occasion. So, usually just cereal or toast, and definitely a nice hot cup of tea or two.

A light breakfast to start the day.

Night out or Netflix?

Netflix…or other streaming services, of which there are now plenty to choose from.

G &T or Tea/coffee?

Tea at home mostly, but a nice, large flat-white coffee when out. I must admit though, I am rather partial to a G&T on the odd occasion…with lemon or lime, and lots of ice.

Perfect weekend?

Spending time with family and friends is always a perfect way to spend a weekend. The simple things in life are usually the best.

Time spent together.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

Believe it or not, a teacher…which I never did become! I studied computer programming and systems design instead, gaining a Bachelor of Business degree. My husband and I ran our own computer consulting company for 34 years.

What is for dinner tonight? Can you cook? What would you rather be eating?

Dinner is whatever my wonderful Masterchef husband is cooking. I think tonight might be green chicken curry. I can cook (if I have to) but truth be told, I have been known to burn boiled eggs…more than once!

Curry and rice.

What brings you joy? Lifts your spirits and chases away a down mood.

Spending time with family and friends; doing good deeds for others; fundraising for worthy causes, especially breast cancer research—which is why I created Pink Ribbon Books. I donate all profits to the Breast Cancer Research Centre-WA, as I am a breast cancer survivor. It’s my way of ‘giving something back ‘for my good health.

Supporting breast cancer research.

Your hero?

I’d have to say, my mother and late grandmother. I can’t think of anyone else who could reach the height of their pedestals. Whatever good values I possess, they were instilled in me by these two remarkable women.

If you could choose three people (living or dead) to invite for a dinner party, who would they be and why?

Celebrity guests for an informal dinner party

J.K. Rowling (because I admire her literary success and creative imagination)

Celeste Barber (because that crazy woman cracks me up! She’s the only celebrity I follow on Instagram, and she’d be the life and soul of the dinner party.)

Regé-Jean Page from season one of Bridgerton (no explanation required J!)

I applaud your choice!

Do you have any non -writing-related interests?

I’m a wedding celebrant, so I enjoy being part of couples’ special day, creating a beautiful ceremony and taking care of all the legal paperwork. I also TRY and exercise, so I belong to a local walking group and exercise class.

Helping couples celebrate their special day.

Questions about Writing.

What writing resources have been most helpful to you?

Joining a local writers’ group has taught me so much about writing. We not only learn from various workshops, but we learn from each other, simply by sharing our written work. We have been taught how to edit each other’s work too, and that has been extremely beneficial to me.

Creativity can bond people of all ages.

What do you know now that you wish you’d known at the beginning of your writing/publishing journey?

How to ‘show not tell’, and what POV and head-hopping are!

What is the most difficult part about writing for you?

Trying to think up plots and characters that are unique but still believable, so that my story is unlike any others.

Did you do any research for your current book?

Answers can be just a tap away.

Of course. Google is my best friend!

Do you have a favourite character that you have written? If so, who? And what makes them so special?

From my novelette “Hearts on Fire”, I adore the character of Lizzie. She was such a fun grandmother to create! I hope I’m just like her when I’m in my eighties.

From one of my children’s picture books, “Bootsie and Snudge”, I adore the two cute little elves who help Santa out when he’s tired and has become forgetful. Obviously, the elves’ names are Bootsie and Snudge and they are adorable. Personally, I think ABC should turn them into a cartoon show…they’d certainly give Bluey a run for his money.

Do you think someone could be a writer if they don’t feel emotions?

I certainly think it would be hard to ‘show’ and not tell if the writer lacked emotions.

Creativity allows us to express our dreams.

Best writing advice: edit, edit, edit and then when you finish, edit again! And then get someone else to proofread your work.

Worst advice: Write what you know. With the internet at my fingertips, I have written lots of stories about places and events I’ve never visited or experienced. All you need is a little bit of online research time and a lot of imagination!

Best money you have spent as a writer?

Some money is worth saving and some is worth spending.

My annual fees at my writing group and an online ‘Writing and Editing’ course run by Nas Dean. I learnt so much from that course.

Do you have a favourite author and why?

I have several favourites actually: Jane Harper, Trent Dalton, and Liane Moriarty to name a few.

What are you reading now?

“Where the Crawdads Sing” by Delia Owens. I absolutely love it and I can’t wait for the movie to be released here in July. (But I always read the book first…that’s a golden rule!)

Favourite quote (does not matter the source)

“Believe you can, and you’re halfway there!”  (Theodore Roosevelt)

Words to live by!

Favourite book/story you have read as an adult?

“A Fortunate Life” by A.B. Facey. I can’t find enough superlatives to describe how much I loved this extraordinary book. It’s an autobiography of Albert Barnett Facey’s life, growing up in Western Australia in the early 1900s. I have actually read it several times now. It’s modestly written but is such a moving memoir, I highly recommend it to everyone. It certainly opened my eyes to how hard life was back then, and how privileged we are these days.

Favourite book/story you have read as a child?

Absolutely everything and anything written by Enid Blyton.

 Jenny’s book is available on Amazon for pre-order before it is released on 25th July.

I was lucky enough to read an early copy and I enjoyed it. My review appears on Good reads.

_________________________

Meet Ruth Morgan, Author of The Whitworth Mysteries.

It’s a pleasure to welcome author Ruth Morgan to talk about her  book The Whitworth Mysteries

Ruth Morgan.

Ruth lives in Lismore, New South Wales where the whole community has been devastated by flooding. We are talking unheard of flood levels of up to 14.4 metres. Lives and homes and businesses were lost. Even more cruelly, a month after the first flood, when the cleanup was well underway, Lismore endured a second flood. While helping out in her local area, Ruth is still writing. She is also promoting a re-stocking drive for the Lismore library which lost 29,000 books.

A sight to hurt any book lover.

DETAILS HERE. https://rtrl.nsw.gov.au/  – Flood Recovery Donation page.

So, I am very grateful that Ruth has taken the time to talk to us. We will discuss her writing later, but first some quick-fire questions.

Late nights or early mornings? Always early mornings.

What’s for breakfast? Toast and coffee.

Night out or Netflix? Night in, with a good book.

G &T or Tea/coffee? All three – but not at the same time!

A night in, with a good book.

Perfect weekend? Going for a walk, catching up over coffee with friends, and time spent in the garden getting dirty.

What did you want to be when you grew up? I’m not sure I’ve grown up yet! Everything! Reader, writer, dancer, nurse, vet, work in a zoo..

Cooking can be fun.

What is for dinner tonight? Can you cook? What would you rather be eating ?Love cooking. Dinner tonight – probably leftovers! Preference these days is vegetarian, and when the veggie garden is productive, whatever is in season is usually what’s for dinner. I love it though when someone else cooks.

What brings you joy? Lifts your spirits, chases away a down mood. Cats – always cats. The sound of a purring cat, being head-butted, sat on – magic. Or going for walk, sitting by the ocean, listening to beautiful music.

Two of Ruth’s cats.Muscat and Champurrs.

Your hero? I don’t know that I have a hero. If I look around me at the moment my community is full of heroes. To deal with two floods a month apart makes heroes of us all. A hero is someone who doesn’t quit, although they may want to, even when the odds appear overwhelming, they just keep going. Those who help clean up after the flood, those who listen, those who are running a business from their damaged premises and are operating through the back door, yet still going. The battlers, the fighters, those putting one put in front of the other… Those wonderful heroes who came from nowhere in droves to help, the wonderful Sikhs who drove 27 hours to come and cook the most amazing food for everyone, groups who turned up offering food, water and fruit to the mud army, those who run the Resilient Lismore FB group…

Ordinary people, emergency services, the fire service and even the army were called in to help.
Photo by Tim Marshall on Unsplash
It seemed perfect as a representation of the Lismore Heart symbol

If you could choose three people to invite for a dinner party,( dead or alive)who would they be and why?

Only three! Probably Laurens van der Post, Arthur Upfield, Agatha Christie and Carl Jung – maths was never my strong point!

Coco as a kitten

Questions about Writing.

Have you always written? I’ve been a storyteller since childhood. Growing up in a very isolated location threw me back on my own resources for entertainment. So I learned at a young age to see stories everywhere and in the most mundane events. In my first years of primary school, I began writing. There have been long periods when I haven’t though and always felt something was missing. Now it’s a full-time occupation, and I’ve never been happier.

What inspired your new book?

Mildura. My home town renamed Whitworth for the book. I love the wide-open spaces, the red dirt, the river red gums, the river… The breathtaking sense of solitude that standing in the middle of somewhere like the Hay Plains brings. The sense of peace. I grew up in Mildura when there were lots of interesting things going on – especially for a budding crime fiction writer. I wanted to explore links between events, characters, to explore what was hidden,  and always to learn why people do what they do.

What time of the day do you usually write? Much prefer mornings. Brain is fresher and ideas emerge more easily.

What is the most difficult part about writing for you? When my characters refuse to co-operate, or tell me what’s going on. Sometimes threats work, cajoling, offers of tea or something stronger. They fall silent when I’m taking the story in the direction I want it to go, rather than how they want it told. When we work in harmony it’s so much easier.

What is your work schedule like when you are writing? It depends on where I’m up to in the process. Always start early and often work through. If I have a deadline, I just keep going. If I have time, usually finish about lunchtime and do other things in the afternoon.

What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?  Being able to close my eyes and watch the characters interact, eavesdrop on conversations, see what’s unfolding through someone else’s eyes. And if the characters are playing nicely, be able to ask questions. That’s a fabulous quirk to have!

Did you do any research for your current book? Yes. Because it’s a police procedural I need to understand how things are done, interviews conducted, the treatment of a crime scene. A lot of information can be gathered by reading widely, asking questions, but in the end how you put the research together, which sections you use are all determined by how the story wants and needs to be told.

Do you have a favourite character that you have written? If so, who? And what makes them so special? It would have to be David. The man in my current novel who didn’t want to be the hero. His refusal to take on the role ground the entire story to a screeching halt. It was only when I asked a writing group I’m part of why he was being unhelpful that someone made the suggestion that perhaps the wrong person was in the hero role. I listened to the characters, to the story, and swapped the hero. A flood of ideas and events, layers and understanding emerged and I have to type more quickly in order to keep up.

Coco all grown up! .Cats just get everywhere..

Do you think someone could be a writer if they don’t feel emotions? Possible. But perhaps not fiction. So much of what goes on in a story, love, loss, anger, grief, hope – are strong emotions and for many felt physically as well as in the mind. It would be hard to be convincing if the emotion wasn’t felt.

Best writing advice/ Worst writing advice you ever received? Best advice – get the story out of your head in whatever way works for you. Worst advice – draft everything. That takes out all the fun of discovery.

Best money you have spent as a writer? The first course I did at the NSW Writer’s Centre, was in about 1996. I don’t remember now what it was, but I remember the teacher and her belief that I had the capacity to tell gripping stories. No one had ever given me that backup before.

Do you have a favourite author and why? Favourites change from month to month, there are always new discoveries to make. I always come back to Garry Disher and Peter Temple. I love the speed in Temple’s work, and the dark depths and how he handles dialogue. I love the spartan writing in Disher’s work and how the landscape is a powerful part of what unfolds.

What are you reading now?  Gary Jubelin’s I Catch Killers, and Fiona Macintosh’s The Spys Wife.

What books or authors have most influenced your writing? I think everything I’ve ever read has added something. The way of describing a scene, an emotion, a discussion between characters – I’ve taken some piece of information, view, learning from every book I’ve read. Some books show me how NOT to tell a story. The influences can be positive and negative.

Favourite book/story you have read as an adult? How much paper do you have! So many remarkable books and all have had a different impact on how I see stories. I loved the Far Pavilions, Len Deighton’s Hook, Line and Sinker series, Ruth Rendell, Simeon, Arthur Upfield. Arthur Upfield’s, Death of a Swagman has a special place in my memory. It was the first book set in a country that I knew well and had grown up in. Jon Cleary, Trent Dalton, Kate Forsyth….

Favourite book/story you have read as a child? Lord of the Rings was the first book I read as an early teen that has stayed with me and is reread on a regular basis. But I don’t write or read fantasy. There is such depth to the story that it always enriches anything I’m working on. LOTR is a place to retreat, to emerge inspired and restored and after, well, some decades, it always has something new to offer that I hadn’t discovered before.

Flood waters at the second floor of The Lismore library.Photo taken by Dannika from the Lismore library page.

If you would care to donate to the library appeal ,as I did,  more details can be found on the Lismore library home page.

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