Days of Wonder

Keith Stuart

(Review written on 26/05/2020)

I have absolutely no idea how I’m going to explain to you how this heart-wrenching story is also uplifting and inspiring! I’m sure if you’ve already read it you will understand what I mean. If you haven’t read it yet, then you really should. It is so beautifully written.

I LOVED Keith Stuart’s A Boy Made of Blocks, which I read and reviewed in October 2016, so I was very much looking forward to reading Days of Wonder. Keith Stuart is an amazing writer and I know I could buy one his books, without even reading the blurb, and be confident that I will thoroughly enjoy whatever story he is telling.

Days of Wonder introduces us to Hannah and Tom. Hannah is Tom’s teenage daughter. He has brought her up singlehandedly since her mother left them a decade previously to pursue her career. I absolutely adored Hannah and Tom. Their relationship is just so lovely. A very realistic father/daughter relationship which isn’t without it’s ups and downs. Not least as Hannah has a serious heart condition which they both struggle to deal with at times, understandably. Hannah has her moments, but generally prefers for life to carry on as normal as possible. She does, however, try not to focus too far into the future. She lives for now, which we all should really. None of us knows how long we will have on this earth, but to be faced with your own mortality so starkly must be so scary. I admired her bravery and strength. Tom obviously can’t help but feel extra protective of her and quite terrified a lot of the time. I can’t even begin to imagine! He always treats Hannah with the respect she deserves though which I found totally endearing.

There is so much I loved about this story. I loved the fascinating array of characters, all of whom add depth to the story. I loved Hannah’s friendship with Margaret. I loved how she so desperately wants her Dad to find new love and happiness. I love how Tom and their theatre group put on a show for every one of Hannah’s Birthday’s as she grows up. I love that none of them are prepared to give up on their beloved theatre. I loved Hannah’s relationship with Callum. I loved her letters to Willow……. I loved it all! It made me cry so many tears, but it also made me smile equally as often.

The epilogue just broke my heart but made me love Tom even more.

A highly emotional, thought-provoking, stunningly beautiful story. One I am sure will stay with me for a long time to come.

My favourite line (which had tears streaming down my face) –

(Hannah) ‘Thank you,’ she said. ‘There was always magic and wonder in my life.’

*Many thanks to the author and publisher for my review copy via Netgalley*

ICYMI

A Boy Made of Blocks by Keith Stuart *Review* @keefstuart

happy reading 🙂

I have just discovered this challenge via Nicki @ Secret Library Book Blog and thought I might just have to give it go! Are you joining in? 

Check out the details via the host blog 746 Books

Are you going to go for the full 20 books or set your own personal challenge? The choice is entirely yours. No pressure! 

I’m off to have a think about the 20 books I’m going to aim for and I’ll get back to you. I look forward to seeing your posts if you’re joining in! 

happy reading! 🙂

Luna Tree: The Baby Project

Maya Berger

(review written on 24/05/2020)

Luna Tree is Maya Berger’s personal story of her struggle with chronic pain, depression and her desire to get well so she can fulfil her wish to become a mother. I can’t say I could relate to Maya as I don’t suffer from chronic pain, enough to affect my everyday life, as in her situation, and I was lucky enough to have two healthy children, in my early twenties, without too many problems (other than gestational diabetes with my second pregnancy). I can fully appreciate how disheartening it must be for couples who struggle to conceive though, for whatever reason, as I know I would have found this extremely stressful. I do count my blessings daily.

I did find Maya’s story quite fascinating. Her determination to get well is admirable as I imagine it is only too easy to fall into the trap of depression, when things seem hopeless, and find it impossible to find a way out. She seems to quite literally try everything going to attempt to improve her situation. Her ultimate focus on positive Energy as a means to achieve physical wellness is quite inspiring. There is a lot to be said for having a positive mental attitude, although this is all too often easier said than done.

I’m glad Maya achieved her dream and I loved the ending where we learn the relevance of the Luna Tree.

Many thanks to Maya Berger for my review copy.

Via AmazonUK

Maya is kicking up her heels, living the fabulous and mostly carefree life of a twenty-something young woman. However, in the back of her mind continuous longing for a good marriage and family lingered. How do you find the right man, the one who sticks through thick and thin? Will he provide you with the things you find essential in a relationship?
Maya kissed a few frogs before finding her Prince Charming, but what followed was of higher importance.
She started feeling chronic pain in her lower back, the pain that wouldn’t let her neither sit nor stand. Thus Maya began her relentless quest for diagnosis and healing, which she ends after discovering Energy healing. She travels the globe to receive and raise her own stored Energy, the one that changes everything.
Her ultimate desires come true.

happy reading 🙂

Minty

Christina Banach

(Review written on 20/05/2020)

WOW! What a beautifully written story Minty is.

Minty and Jess are teenage twin sisters. The story is set in Scotland and begins with a promised day out being cancelled. The girls are taken on a trip to the coast instead, with their parents and two dogs, Remus and Romulus (which I think are fabulous names!). Minty and Jess rush on ahead with the dogs. When Remus ends up in the rough sea, in obvious distress, Minty tries to save him and soon finds herself fighting for her life amongst the waves too as Jess runs to alert her parents who were catching them up. From this moment on their lives will never be the same again. My heart was hammering at this point. As a parent, and a sister, I can only imagine the distress.

I don’t really want to say anything more about the actual story as I don’t want to spoil anything for future readers. It has been a highly emotional read, but also quite amusing at times. It is told from the point of view of a teenager after all. Minty is a lovely, endearing character. Her own rollercoaster of emotions is very real and believable.

My heart went out to Jess. I’m very close to my sister, who is five years younger than me, but I know twins generally share an extra special bond. Her reaction to Minty’s accident is just heart-wrenching. She made me want to wave a magic wand and make everything better. No-one wants to see a child in such pain. As the story progresses though and she becomes more hopeful she really made me smile. There’s no way of knowing how we would cope in the same situation. It doesn’t bare thinking about.

I could totally relate to their parent’s reactions to the situation. Everyone deals with these things in their own way and I truly felt for them both. The story is predominately focused on Minty’s and Jess’s relationship though and I was completely captivated. I loved their obsession with the Romans. This was an interesting aspect.

Jack plays a big part too. He’s a fascinating and loveable character with his own compelling story. I liked the friendship the twins shared with Iona and Kirsty also. They are quite integral to the story adding depth and different perspectives. The dogs are just brilliant!

This book is so full of love and heart-breaking devastation, but also hope. I finished it this afternoon with a massive lump in my throat and tears in my eyes. I could barely see what I was reading at one point if I’m being perfectly honest. Such a heart-warming, inspiring and hopeful conclusion to an emotional read. I have loved it and I highly recommend. My only regret is not reading it sooner.

Many thanks to Christina Banach for my review copy.

ICYMI

Q&A with author, Christina Banach

happy reading 🙂

Today I have the pleasure of welcoming Kellyn Thompson to Chat About Books 🙂 

For those who don’t know already, could you tell us about yourself and your book(s) please?

My interests include genetics, psychology, sociology, bioethics, and how technology influences society. I put elements of each of those topics in The Unexpected Inlander. I also like thinking of things from different perspectives and trying out ideas from different angles. In that sense, you can also expect the book and the characters to challenge your perspective.

I’ve loved writing for as long as I can remember, but I’ve always written for myself. So, writing for others is something I’m still learning how to do, but I am loving the process. To practice, I’ve been writing a lot of deleted scenes for The Unexpected Inlander and publishing them on Wattpad. I have learned so much over the last year, and I am excited to continue learning because I know I’ve just barely scratched the surface of what I need to know.

Where did/do you get your ideas from?

The idea for the plot and characters of The Unexpected Inlander emerged when I was thinking about what kind of movie I wanted to see. I rarely see movies in the theatre, but for some reason one day I really wanted to. I was sitting at home and just had the urge to sit in a massive room in front of a massive screen in the dark with a tub of popcorn and zone out for a couple of hours. When I looked up what was playing, however, nothing appealed to me. So I asked myself, “What am I in the mood for?” And from that answer, an assassin whose life is turned upside down when he is distracted during a mission by a woman who rocks his world was born.

As for the world of The Unexpected Inander, the geographical segregation of class (Coastals vs. Inlanders) and the rift between arbitrary unchosen identities (Modifieds vs. Purebreds) parallels that of today’s world, where socioeconomic class is often clustered and confused as being synonymous with race, causing individuals to struggle with their own personal identities, especially as societies around the world become more interconnected and globalized through travel, economic trade, and social media.

Are any of your characters based (however loosely) on anyone you know? 

Not really. The personalities of the characters were formed as a result of their circumstances. I thought about their histories and what they had each experienced in their lives up to the point of where the story begins and what it would have been like for them to grow up in the society of The Sectors.

How do you pick your characters’ names? 

That is an excellent question because I am still trying to figure that out myself! For the most part, I try to do names that “fit” without being cliche or cheesy.

Can you share your writing process with us, in a nutshell? 

I have heard debates about which is better: free writing or outlining. I guess my method is kind of a hybrid, and it works for me. I usually have a few scenes in mind. From them I make an outline that creates a plot to connect those scenes. Then I free write the parts of the outline that are not already written. This usually leads to rewriting the outline. And the “process” goes from there–process in quotations because that word sounds way too organized and purposeful for what actually happens.

Who are your top 5 favourite authors? 

In no particular order: Edith Wharton, Madeline Miller, Donna Tartt, Rainbow Rowell, and Jane Austen

If you could meet any author, who would it be and what would you ask them?

I would ask Rainbow Rowell if she ever had a different ending in mind for Eleanor & Park, and if so, what was it.

Were you a big reader as a child?

I tried to be, but I was a very slow reader, so it was very frustrating. I did not really get into reading a lot until after I graduated high school, when I had more time to read without the pressure of an exam or report due on the book.

When did you start to write? 

I wrote stories and poetry as a teen, but it was not until my mid-twenties that I got serious about it.

If you could re-write the ending to any book what would it be and what would you change? 

This is a tough question! I’m honestly not sure I would want to change the ending to any book that I’ve read. Even if I did not like the way a story ended, I feel like it was written that way for a purpose.

Is there a book you wish you had written? 

All the unwritten books in my head. It would be *AWESOME* if they were already done.

If you wrote an autobiography, what would your title be?

Life in Revision

If you could invite any fictional character for coffee who would it be and where would you take them?

I would take Edward Cullen to Zoka so I could hear Midnight Sun straight from the horse’s mouth while enjoying my favorite beverage (a Zoka mocha shake).

Tell us a random fact about yourself

I was once on a mission to write a travel book/blog about the best places to sleep in every airport, but I gave it up after a horrid night at Heathrow (that was my third airport to spend the night in at the time).

What are you working on right now? 

I am currently working on the sequel to The Unexpected Inlander, which I hope to release later this year.

Tell us about your last release? 

I think the number one thing you can expect when you pick up The Unexpected Inlander is to be immersed in a future that will challenge the way you see our present world and make you think about where we are headed as a global society.

One of the main themes of The Unexpected Inlander is the main character’s discovery of his own personal unconscious bias, even though he views himself as being more open-minded and accepting than the rest of his generation (and he is). As such, the story is designed to highlight how the essence of ignorance is not knowing that you don’t know something–and that’s okay. In fact, it’s important and necessary because it’s the only way you can grow and learn and get to know people. You have to admit that you don’t know something for your mind to open up and be receptive. Only then can you truly get to know someone and get to know what it’s like to be that person. That is what happens to Chris: as he gets to know Jenna, he gets to know what it is like to live in their world from her point of view, and in getting to know her and her perspective, he learns about himself.

Do you have a new release due? 

I do! The revised edition of The Unexpected Inlander was just released on May 10, 2020.

What do you generally do to celebrate on publication day? 

Pop a bottle and get back to work!

How can readers keep in touch with you? 

I can be reached on Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook, and MeWe

Is there anything else you would like us to know?

I would like to say a quick note of thanks. To Kerry, thank you for this opportunity to discuss my work and for providing a space to spread the word about The Unexpected Inlander.  (You are most welcome, Kellyn.)

I would also like to thank those who are reading this. By supporting blogs like this one, you help to push the envelope of publishing by increasing the demand for more platforms that provide access to books that may otherwise be disregarded because they are not as profitable as the current season’s bestsellers. It is because of you that independently published and self-published authors such as myself can share our stories. So, on behalf of the indie community, please allow me to say: THANK YOU!!!

For updates, blog posts, and deleted scenes, visit kellynthompson.com

To see inspiration for The Unexpected Inlander, as well as alternative covers, links to book blog reviews, and other fun stuff, visit my Unexpected Inlander board on Pinterest.

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions, Kellyn 🙂

Thank you for asking them!

They were never supposed to happen to each other.

A love such as theirs was never supposed to endure, not in the highly controlled society of The Sectors.

Yet, a chance encounter at dinner led to breakfast at a diner down the road. They each thought they had found their perfect soulmate, but neither could have imagined the awful truth they would face.

Detailed Book Description:

Agent Christopher Rockford has been the best assassin in the agency for eight years, and he loves his job.
He loves his solitary lifestyle.
He loves keeping the world safe by getting rid of anarchists who threaten their orderly society.
He loves his comfortable life as a member of the wealthy Coastal upper class.

But in pursuit of a target, he meets Jenna, a mysterious civilian who belongs to society’s lowest and most shunned group. Meeting her is a life-changing experience. She makes him feel for the first time, and he is instantly captivated.

She boldly stands in the face of everything he has ever known and was taught to believe. He begins to see the world through her eyes, causing him to question his job, his lifestyle, and The Order he so obediently serves. It’s not long before he can’t imagine his life without her.

There’s just one problem: He knows she would leave him if she ever found out about his job. He knows this because he asked her how she felt about assassins in their government, and she was utterly disgusted with the idea, even though she believes their existence is just a myth.

As their relationship grows and intensifies, he knows he cannot keep the truth from her for long.

But Jenna has her own secrets to keep.

Set in an orderly world of near-perfect surveillance, genetically modified humans, and extreme socioeconomic divide, The Unexpected Inlander will take you through Chris’s journey of self-discovery and learning that change begins within.

**************

***This edition includes a preview of the sequel at the end of the book.***

*Author’s unsolicited content warning: The main character is an assassin, so there is some violence in a few scenes.*

What I love about this book: It’s a thriller, even though there’s no twist or surprise ending. It’s still a heart-thumping read, even as you know both sides of the story. The book does not depend on a big surprise because it’s about a relationship and love and how the society that surrounds you can work its way into your subconscious.

What else I love about this book: It is so much more than a love story. It contains clean romance, intrigue, suspense, and world-building with futuristic science fiction elements. Additionally, it touches on discussion topics such as government control of equity, the ethics of genetic editing and surveillance, the importance of perspective-taking, unconscious bias, self-acceptance, and coming to terms with one’s unchosen identities.

It is a story of love, but it is ultimately a story of self-discovery and how meeting just one person can completely change your life.

happy reading 🙂

Many thanks to Alison Menzies @eandtbooks for the opportunity to join in with Paul Anthony Jones’ latest blog tour…..

I’m thrilled to be able to offer you the chance to win your very own physical copy of this lovely book…..

THE CABINET OF CALM

Soothing Words for Troubled Times

PAUL ANTHONY JONES

Publication date: 14 May 2020

*To coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week: 18–24 May*

Price: £12.99 B-format hardback

ISBN: 9781783964703

Open The Cabinet of Calm and discover a soothing word that’s equal to your troubles…

‘These are words to soothe an unquiet mind. To inspire our creativity. To encourage fellow thinking and community spirit, and to give us fresh hope. In essence, collected here are nothing but kind words, for these unkind times.’

For almost a decade, Paul Anthony Jones has written about the oddities and origins of the English language, amassing a vast collection of some of its more unusual words. Last year, doubly bereaved and struggling to regain his spirits, he turned to words – words that could be applied to difficult, challenging times and found solace. The Cabinet of Calm is the result.

Paul has unearthed fifty-one linguistic remedies to offer reassurance, inspiration and hope in the face of such feelings as grief and despair, homesickness and exhaustion, missing our friends and a loss of hope.

Written with a trademark lightness of touch, The Cabinet of Calm shows us that we’re not alone. From MELORISM, when you’re worried about the future of the world and AGATHISM, when you’re feeling disillusionment or struggling to remain positive to SELF-SOOTHE, when you’re struggling to sleep and STOUND, for when you’re grieving, someone else has felt like this before, and so there’s a word to help, whatever the challenge.

For your chance to win a copy of The Cabinet of Calm all you need to do is comment on this post!

(UK only please)

A winner will be chosen at random and will need to be happy to provide a UK address which I will pass on to the publisher for the purpose of sending out the prize only.

Good luck!

I have my very own copy, with many thanks to the publisher. (My photos really don’t do it justice!)

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Paul has a Masters in Linguistics and is a language blogger from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. His obsession with words began with a child’s dictionary he received as a Christmas present when he was eight years old. As @HaggardHawks he has tweeted obscure words since 2013 and now has a social media following of over 75k, including the likes of JK Rowling, Robert Macfarlane, Susie Dent, Richard Osman, Greg Jenner, Ian McMillan, Rufus Sewell, Simon Mayo, Michael Rosen and Cerys Matthews.

HaggardHawks.com brings together the entire HH network including a blog, books, quizzes & games, the 500 Words YouTube series, Instagram gallery and newsletter. He regularly contributes to the media.

BOOKS

He has written seven books, most recently Around the World in 80 Words: A Journey Through the English Language (hardback 2018); The Accidental Dictionary: The Remarkable Twists and Turns of English Words; The Cabinet of Linguistic Curiosities: A Yearbook of Forgotten Words and Word Drops: A Sprinkling of Linguistic.

‘I love this gifty and gorgeous compendium of beguiling words from which you can select to soothe the troubles that afflict you… [A] warm bath of linguistic remedies.’ Caroline Sanderson, The Bookseller (Editor’s Choice for May 2020)

ICYMI

THE CABINET OF LINGUISTIC CURIOSITIES A Yearbook of Forgotten Words by Paul Anthony Jones @paulanthjones @HaggardHawks @eandtbooks @alisonmenziespr #ForgottenWords

Shout Out – Independent Book Shop

As part of this blog tour we have been asked if we can include a shout out for a local independent book shop as many will be struggling during these difficult times. The only independent book shop in Newcastle-under-Lyme doesn’t have a website unfortunately but can be found on Merrial Street if you ever fancy a visit when it’s safe to do so! However, the very lovely Nantwich Bookshop sprung to mind and is kind of local to me (only a short drive, if hubby takes me, or train ride away). I have visited a few times and will do so again in future. They have a lovely café! You can follow their journey through Covid-19 lockdown on their Facebook Page and on Twitter. I hope to be visiting Nantwich again as soon as I can. Maybe we can meet there for coffee sometime?

In the meantime, stay safe & happy reading 🙂

5 out of 5 stars

Performance

5 out of 5 stars

Story

5 out of 5 stars

Kerry Parsons

15-05-20

Via AmazonUK

“If you want to see your daughter alive again, listen carefully.”

When the body of a snatched schoolgirl is found in an abandoned biosciences building, the case is first treated as a kidnapping gone wrong.

But Detective Kay Hunter isn’t convinced, especially when a man is found dead with the ransom money still in his possession.

When a second schoolgirl is taken, Kay’s worst fears are realized.

With her career in jeopardy – desperate to conceal a disturbing secret, Kay’s hunt for the killer becomes a race against time before he claims another life.

For the killer, the game has only just begun….

Scared to Death is the first book in a new crime thriller series featuring Kay Hunter – a detective with a hidden past and an uncertain future….

If you like the Kim Stone series by Angela Marsons, Peter Robinson’s DCI Banks series and the Erika Foster series by Robert Bryndza, discover Rachel Amphlett’s new detective novels today.

BUY ON AUDIBLE

happy listening!

I am delighted to welcome KT King back to Chat About Books today! The aim is to raise awareness for National ME Awareness week – May 12th as well as promote Little Eden Book Two 🙂

ICYMI

#Interview with #author KT King @KTKINGbooks #LittleEden

Author KT King

Raising awareness for National ME Awareness Week May 12th

Imagine if the self-isolation and social distancing you have been experiencing these last few weeks was going to continue for the rest of your life?
That’s right, for the rest of your life – without let up, without reprieve, without end.
On top of being stuck inside, unable to shop, see your friends, go on holidays, go to the pub, a café or the supermarket, you feel as if you have the flu 24/7. Your body won’t function. Everything aches. You find even the smallest tasks, like taking a shower, cooking a meal or reading a chapter in a book take all your energy.
Millions suffer from this misunderstood illness worldwide but there is little research and no known cause or cure. The World Health Organisation has registered it as an epidemic but governments are still not helping those affected.
It can happen to anyone at any age.
Living in isolation, often bed and housebound, without an income or state support, without medical help or carers, sufferers of ME are forgotten by society and rely on family charity to survive.
When you return to normal, we will still be in in lockdown without hope.

KT King has suffered for over 27 years with the chronic and invisible disability called Myalgic Encephalomyelitis also called Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. She is trying to help raise awareness for this terrible, debilitating and life destroying disease.
The main heroine of Little Eden, Sophie Lawrence, also suffers with CFS but she is still a heroine none the less.

You can follow the global campaign called MillionsMissing and/or KTKing on Twitter.
http://bit.ly/KTKingTwitter
For more information please visit the ME
Association website https://www.meassociation.org.uk/about-what-is-mecfs/

A bit about the author KT King

Many may wonder how I can write novels if I have ME/CFS. I am able to write when I don’t need to do anything else. The fluctuation of the illness baffles everyone as does the resolve of those with it to battle on trying to make a living. I lost my home, my income and my independence in 2012 coming back to live with my elderly parents on whom I now rely for physical daily help and financial support. By age 40 I had lost the battle with ME.
Writing too much gives me migraines so I can only write a few days a week for about an hour at a time on what is called ‘a good day’. I write through chronic pain and fatigue but it keeps me alive and it keeps me sane.
Mental and emotional health deteriorate for all of us because we can rarely socialise or see friends. We feel we have no purpose or usefulness and many of us are in terrible pain 24/7 with Fibromyalgia which often accompanies ME.
We can either give up or we can try to do something even if it’s just a little thing on ‘a good day’.
Becoming a published writer is a lifelong dream come true and escaping into Little Eden helps keep the suicidal thoughts at bay. I hope it’ll be a beautiful escape place for you too. One of the main things readers say is that they would love to live in Little Eden which makes it all seem worthwhile!
I’m an indie author, using my savings from before 2012 to publish. I can’t meet deadlines of publishers or do the usual sales promotions.
I can spend months, even years unable to get out of bed so I need all the help I can get spreading the word about my books, especially from kind book bloggers like Kerry.

I find crafting is good for mental and emotional health so when I can I make handmade jewellery to give to friends and to sell in my Etsy shop where all the gifts inspired by Little Eden. I rarely have the energy to bake but now and again I manage to make a cake or some cookies! Some of my recipes have made their way into the novels.

Come and browse in my little Etsy shop http://bit.ly/KTKingShop

Little Eden, Another Magic Book, Book Two

The story continues…

2012. Little Eden, London, England.
The beautiful sanctuary town of Little Eden is still under threat of sale and demolition.
The friends must re-awaken the past to change the future. But when the spirit world comes closer to help them, there is a price to pay that no one could foresee.

Reviews

Book Two has just come out so here is the very first review of Book Two by unseenwritings…

I loved reading Little Eden so much that I couldn’t put it down…It felt like KT was weaving a beautiful tapestry of magic rather than writing a novel…I enjoyed the mix of all types of spirituality and loved the way ME/CFS was presented. This book deserves all of the stars. Five just isn’t enough…

What readers are saying about Book One…
Magical…My heart is singing…Cosy and delicious….I literally couldn’t put it down…Quirky…Thrilling… Captivating…Enchanting characters…A rollercoaster ride…I was always on tenterhooks…Charming…
A great escape…I opened it and blue sparkles flew out…It really is a magic book…

To purchase Book One and Two as Kindle or paperback just click on my linktree https://linktr.ee/ktkingbooks

Little Eden Books thrillingly combine the supernatural and spirituality in a magical mystery set in the cosy, idyllic and ancient sanctuary town of Little Eden. The hero, Robert Bartlett-Hart, goes on a journey of self-discovery and enlightenment with the help of his friends and plenty of tea and cake! The novels are a comical yet genuine look at the spirit world based on the work of psychic, healer and ascension coach, KT King.

Excerpt from Book Two

Chapter 8
~ * ~
Thunder rumbled over the Sainte Chappelle. As she became aware of her surroundings, Sophie was overwhelmed by the scent of damp earth and fresh roses. Oh crap, she thought. I’m in another time portal. Wake up before something horrible happens! But Sophie didn’t wake up…
Five nuns stood, like sentinels, gazing into the stone font in silent prayer. An ivory talisman, carved with the scene of the crucifixion, shimmered beneath the holy waters. In the shadows Sophie couldn’t quite make out the faces of the sisters. She wondered if they were the ones in the photograph, or perhaps they were the saints from her vision dream, but she had a strong feeling this was a different time in history. A bolt of lightning flashed through the cobalt blue windows illuminating the hallowed scene with an unearthly aura. The nuns were unsettled and on edge. Sophie had an uneasy feeling that there was something clandestine about their gathering.
“There will come a time when Little Eden is under threat of being raised to the ground,” Mother Superior said softly to the others. “Not from plague, not from fire and not even from the Kings men, but from the Devil himself.”
A deafening thunder clap rumbled directly overhead and a flare of lightening was hard on its heels, flashing midnight blue, wildly through the Chappelle. The nuns crossed themselves. “The true faith is lost here in England,” Mother Superior continued. “Jesus Christ has replaced the protection of the Holy Mother. The spells of the crucifixion are used to perpetuate the evil men do. They build a false Heaven in the astral realms and it will be too late for those who follow the counterfeit God – they will find themselves trapped in an alternate spirit world instead of released into the arms of the Angels.”
The other nuns tried not to appear frightened, but as another thunderous roar rolled ominously overhead, a sharp fork of lighting pierced the gloom, and the fresco above them was thrown into sharp relief. The face of Jesus loomed down upon them from his cross – watching them with an evil eye. “One sacrifice to end all sacrifices,” one of the nuns muttered.
“If we deny our own sacrifices and follow blindly the King’s priests, we will never find our own way. The responsibility for our soul remains in our own hands, now and forever,” Mother Superior said as she rolled up the wide sleeve of her habit and plunged her hand into the icy water. She pushed aside the ivory plaque and delved deeper into the font. Pulling a leather bag out from the concealed central hole, she shook the water from it and placed it on the stone rim. “Even in our own church, if we do not have the courage to look the Devil in the eye, we will never see the truth,” she said. Thunder boomed as if it were in the room with them – rattling the towering glass and shaking the pillars. The full force of the following lightening fired up the Chappelle with an incandescent blue flame.
They all gasped in fright, including Sophie!

To buy your copies click here: https://linktr.ee/ktkingbooks

Both novels have recipes at the back based on the delectable delicacies served in the No.1 Daisy Place Café-Bookshop such as Strawberry and Cream Shortbreads, Late Night Cheesecake and Over the Rainbow Cake. The Ebooks have wiki-links and links to Utube for the soundtrack. You can find everything Little Eden on KT’s Blog http://www.ktkingbooks.wordpress.co.uk

Look out for…Little Eden, Book Three, Haunted or Not…

Available (hopefully) 2021

happy reading 🙂

Accidental Damage

Alice May

(review written on 10/05/2020)

Accidental Damage has been patiently waiting on my to-be-read list for FAR too long. My apologies to Alice May for taking so long to get to it.

Alice sent me a beautiful paperback copy of this book and I’m sure you can agree that it is the most beautiful cover! It’s actually a painting by the author herself. Stunning, or what!? Thank you again, Alice.

Bearing in mind that this is based on true events, it seems a bit wrong to say that I found a book about this family’s house literally collapsing around them highly entertaining, but the way Alice May tells this story is highly entertaining. That’s quite a talent given how hopeless the situation must have seemed at the time. I guess it’s partly the beauty of hindsight, but mostly proof of this family’s resilience in the face of disaster. They are such a lovely family and I truly felt for them and their plight. It must be absolutely devastating. I’m pretty sure I would have been found rocking in a corner somewhere! Don’t get me wrong our heroine has struggled. Struggled with guilt, blaming herself for an apparent insurance mix-up and as a result gave up one of her true loves, painting. It was good to know that this love wasn’t lost forever.

As a mother I totally understood the heroine of this tale and my heart went out to her. I loved that the four children are referred to by nicknames and her husband sounds adorable. A solid family unit, possibly closer than ever for sticking together through this tragedy.

This story is full of feeling. This family still managed to make many happy memories throughout a far from ideal situation. It’s quite inspirational really and told with endearing humour.

I LOVED it and I think you would love it too.

I’m looking forward to catching up with the family again in the second book of the trilogy.

Via AmazonUK

If you think the normal school run on a Monday is entertaining you should try doing it from a tent in your back garden surrounded by the jumbled up contents of your entire home. It is vastly more diverting.

Our heroine has survived the sudden collapse of her home – or has she?

Certain events two and a half years ago led her to deliberately destroy an important piece of herself, hiding away all remaining evidence that it ever existed. What happens when she decides to go looking for it?

Does she really deserve to be whole again?

Inspired by a true story, this is an account of one woman’s secret guilt and her journey in search of forgiveness!

Alice May is a multi-tasking mother with four not-so-small children and she is fortunate enough to be married to (probably) the most patient man on the planet. They live in, what used to be, a ramshackle old cottage in the country. Her conservatory is always festooned with wet washing and her kitchen full of cake.

Following many years exhibiting as a mixed media artist, Alice decided that 2016 was the year she would write her first fictional novel. ‘Accidental Damage – Tales from the house that sat down’ simply wouldn’t leave her alone until it was written. Over the two subsequent years, Alice wrote Restoration – more tales from the house that sat down, followed by Redemption – moving on from the house that sat down. Thus, the Trilogy from the House That Sat Down was complete.

happy reading 🙂

I am delighted to welcome Graeme Cumming back to Chat About Books today! 🙂 Graeme’s second book, Carrion, was published yesterday (check out my previous post if you missed it).

Today I have the pleasure of sharing this interview with the author himself.

For those who don’t know already, could you tell us about yourself and your books please?

After many years of ‘not getting on with it’, I started writing properly (i.e. reasonably consistently), about fifteen years ago, though it took five years for me to finish the first draft of a novel. Ready for a break from it, I decided to focus on another, which I completed in eight months (I’d learnt a lot in those five years), and took another year to get it into shape and ready to publish.

That book was Ravens Gathering and I decided to publish it myself after a lot of thought. Partly because of my age – I was fast approaching fifty – and the realisation it could take years to get an agent on board, let alone a publishing deal. Also the fact the book wouldn’t neatly slot into a genre meant I’d have to be exceptionally lucky to get a break. Besides, having worked for myself for twenty years, I liked the idea of keeping control.

Carrion was the first story I’d started and I have returned to it at different times over the years. It’s a story I felt I needed to tell, but have struggled to get right. I’m delighted, though, with the final outcome and feel the time and effort I’ve put into it has finally paid off. Now it’s available for the public to read and I’ll be interested to see what people think.

Where did/do you get your ideas from?

Ideas come from all kinds of places. You spot something and your imagination takes off as you wonder why it happened and what led up to it. But you can also be inspired by things you read or watch on TV or at the cinema. I remember reading the blurb for a book once and thinking it sounded like a great idea. I didn’t read the book, but I picked out an aspect from the blurb and included it in Carrion. Similarly with songs. I’m a massive fan of Thin Lizzy, and saw them live many times in the 1980s. Something that struck me is how many of their songs have their influences in pulp fiction. It’s a bit of a leap, but my thinking took me to the idea of a book series about an ex-cop living and working in the borderline between the law and the criminal underworld. I’ve already outlined the first four books in the series – and there will be more.

Are any of your characters based (however loosely) on anyone you know?

Not consciously. Some of my own traits might show up occasionally – though it’s probably better if I don’t declare which ones. But aspects of others put in an appearance sometimes, and I won’t realise it until I’ve written about the character for a while. It was only a year or so ago that I began to recognise something of my son in Salin, a key character in Carrion.

How do you pick your characters’ names?

It will vary, depending on the story. Carrion was an interesting one because I needed a lot of made-up names. The period I’ve written about is fictional so the names had to be different. Some of the characters have names specifically linked to the natural world – Flint, Beck, Sorrel – while others, as far as I’m aware, have no basis in reality. Even so, with a relatively large cast, it was important to make sure they can be distinguished from one another. As new names appeared, I made sure there weren’t many that sounded alike or started with the same initials.

Can you share your writing process with us, in a nutshell?

Plot it and plan it, including chapter plans. It doesn’t work out exactly how you intended, but it does make the process easier to follow. I did it with Ravens Gathering, but I didn’t with Carrion. I’ve no doubt at all that Carrion would have been published a few years ago if I’d planned it.

Who are your top 5 favourite authors?

This changes all the time, but at the moment the authors I go to when I want to be sure of a good read are:

Harlen Coben

Steve Cavanagh

Lee Child

Robert B Parker

Robert (but I call him Bob now, because I’ve met him) Crais

If you could meet any author, who would it be and what would you ask them?

Mark Billingham. And the question would be: “What are you drinking?” I wrote a blog post about not getting on with his first Tom Thorne book, Sleepyhead, but trying again later with the second, Scaredy Cat, and really enjoying it. In the post, I said I’d try to pluck up the courage to offer him a drink when I saw him at the Harrogate Crime Festival next time. He read the post and tweeted me to say he’d take me up on it! Just a shame I’ll have to wait until next year now.

Were you a big reader as a child?

Yes, but only when I dragged myself away from the TV.

When did you start to write?

I’ve been writing stories since I was a child, even getting a series published in the school magazine. But I’ve only really taken it seriously for the last 10 years or so.

If you could re-write the ending to any book what would it be and what would you change?

I don’t think I’d dare. I’d hate it if someone else rewrote the end of any of mine.

Is there a book you wish you had written?

Only all the ones still going round in my head…

If you wrote an autobiography, what would your title be?

Cumming By Name…

If you could invite any fictional character for coffee who would it be and where would you take them?

As I can’t stand the taste of coffee, nobody – though it’d be interesting to meet Flynn Patrick O’Flynn from Wilbur Smith’s Shout At The Devil. He was portrayed by Lee Marvin in the film, and I suspect there was some typecasting went on there, and we’d have to meet in what the great Phil Lynott would have referred to as a sleazy bar.

Tell us a random fact about yourself

I once walked across twelve feet of burning hot coals and it felt like walking on newly cut grass. So I did it again the following year, but wasn’t concentrating properly, so ended up with some minor burns on my feet.

What are you working on right now?

I’m just debating what to do next. The Thin Lizzy inspired series is calling to me, but I also have a crime trilogy vying for my attention. I’ve outlined all of those and done a first draft of the first one. Now Carrion has been launched, I know I need to make a decision and get on with one of them.

Tell us about your last release?

Like Ravens Gathering, Carrion is a blend of genres. This time, the setting lends itself to fantasy – and there are some fantasy-like characters in it – but it’s also a thriller, with lots of action, and a very dark villain in it.

Here’s a little teaser:

Cordane, Willow and Vangor had thrown themselves to the ground. As they began to sit up, Cordane looked across at Salin.

“All right, now I’m convinced about the sword!” he shouted.

“It wasn’t the sword!” Salin called back as he ran towards them.

“Well if it wasn’t the sword,” Willow demanded as she climbed to her feet, “what was it?!”

Salin had reached them now and was helping Vangor up, his head twisting and turning. “There!” he yelled.

And suddenly the troll didn’t seem very scary at all.

Do you have a new release due?

Not any more! Carrion was released on the 9^th May, so it’s out there for all to see and read.

What do you generally do to celebrate on publication day?

I’d love to think I had enough books out for publication day to be an event that I generally did something for. This time, though, my day was full of sharing stuff on social media so I could get the word out. These books don’t sell themselves, you know!

How can readers keep in touch with you?

They can follow me on my website and blog, Facebook page, or Twitter

www.graemecumming.co.uk

https://www.facebook.com/pg/Graeme-Cumming-1638108329841072/about/

www.twitter.com/GraemeCumming63

Is there anything else you would like us to know?

These are interesting times, unprecedented for most of us, but most of us aren’t as isolated as we could be. We still have phones, social media and other ways of connecting we didn’t have in times gone by. There are also some good things happening. People are exercising more, air pollution is falling, and more books are being read, according to some reports. As writer – and a reader – that’s great news. Buy a book. Read it. Escape from this world for a while. (If you’re feeling careful with your money at the moment, Carrion is only 99p until the end of the month.)

Whatever you do, though, look after yourself and the people around you.

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions, Graeme! 🙂 Keep well and stay safe.

CHOOSE YOUR WORDS CAREFULLY. WORDS HAVE POWER.

A sheet of black filled his vision as hundreds of birds dived at the cottage, pointed beaks thrust forward. From this angle, he couldn’t see many of them striking it, but the few he did see held nothing back as they hammered into the shutter. The scale of the attack was beyond anything he’d seen or heard of. And bloodied casualties littered the ground: skulls shattered, wings broken, innards spilling from them. The fact that so many of them continued with the onslaught in spite of this filled him with even more dread.

Salin has always wanted an adventure and, when the opportunity presents itself, he grabs it with both hands, taking his friends along for the ride – whether they want to or not.

With strange lands come strange creatures that stand between them and their goal. And that goal is the same for someone else, a man who believes the prize is worth every sacrifice – especially when the sacrifices are made by others.

The future is about to change. But who for?

happy reading 🙂