Christmas Book recommendations- part Deux! Black Shadows

Another book has caught my eye: Black Shadows by Simon Swift.

A crime thriller for Christmas to tease your powers of deduction and transport you into the past.


Synopsis:
Black Shadows is a crime novel blending fact and fiction. New Jersey 1935: rookie private detective, Errol Black, gets mixed up in the killing of Dutch Schultz. Ten years later, a young lady hires Black for a seemingly routine surveillance job. When one-time partner, Dyke Spanner is shot to death, Black is drawn into a violent and bloody quest for a priceless diamond.

"The strength of the writing led me to imagine that I was entering into a 1940’s movie with Humphrey Bogart in the wings.
I also firmly believe that with the right exposure, there is potential here for a film.
Many times during reading BLACK SHADOWS I was convinced that I had all the answers, only to be completely wrong footed by the superb, imaginative writing of Simon Swift," says Teresa Geering, author of 'The Eye of Erasmus'.

"Excellent read. One of the best detective stories I've read. Great characters and a very good plot. The pace is fast and really holds your interest. This one is well worth reading. I highly recommend it," says John Harold McCoy, author of 'Bramwell Valley'.


What I think is:
If you fancy being drawn into the world of film noir, slick private eyes and femm fatales, this is the book for you. Here's lookin at you, kid.

List of Books for Christmas!

To sum up my recommendations so far,in no particular order:

Belfast Girls, by Gerry McCullough

Little Guide to Unhip by K J Rigby

Postcards from Berlin and Angel of Retribution by Ryan Spier

The Eye of Erasmus by Teresa Geering

Amsterdam 2012 by Ruth Francisco

A Time for Living, A Time for Crying, A Time for Dying by Colt (Colin Theakston)

The Cruiserweight by L Anne Carrington

The Island of Whispers by Brendan Gisby

The Albion by Derryl Flynn

Walls of Jericho by Jonathan Hopkins

The Wishing Tree by Patricia West Hays

BUY FROM AMAZON WHILE THERE'S STILL TIME!

My own books for Christmas!

I thought I'd blow my own trumpet today!

My books 'Descending', 'Surfacing' and the compendium of the two have just become available in paperback and Kindle at Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=catherine+chisnall

Synopsis of 'Descending':
Emily is a lonely, disillusioned, teaching assistant at a college of Further Education. Jamie is a neglected, unpredictable student. Trapped together in a falling lift, wherever will this lead? Told from Emily's point of view, this story explores the ambiguity of relationships between staff and students, and reflects on who is actually in control.

Synopsis of 'Surfacing':
Emily is in shock. What happened with Jamie changed her life irreversibly - but will it be for better or worse? Should she confront him, or just move on?

Unsurprisingly, the compendium is called Descending Surfacing and in the words of my publisher, makes a satisfying read as it is longer.

Even though my books are only available from Amazon US, they only take a week to arrive, according to those who have purchased them.

Daughter of Christmas book recommendations- The Witness Tree

Okay, I'm running out of 'sequel' titles now LOL!

Today its 'The Witness Tree' by Patricia West Hays. This is a good nostalgic read for anyone who grew up in the 40s and 50s. Book is available from amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, and createspace.com. Website: thewitnesstree.net

Synopsis:
A woman sifts through her mother's recipe book, remembering what life was like in the 40s and 50s, and recalling the year that changed her life and the lives of those around her forever. Life was simpler and slower back then. Mothers sat on porches shelling peas while children made tree houses. But the way that family problems were handled in that time differered drastically from today. Secrets were swept under the rug and never talked about. This is the story of how one girl faced the consequences of her actions and how the resulting experiences led her to be a more compassionate adult. Each chapter is followed by recipes from those long-ago days.

"A lovely idea to combine recipes with memories, literary fiction with literal food, nourishing the body and the mind. A simply beautiful exploration of time and changes," says Sly, author of 'Stonefish'.

"We truly enjoyed both the structure of The WItness Tree and your writing. The recipes provide a beautiful template for the tales behind them of Torie sharing the kitchen with her mother and gathering the pieces of her mother's life that will help her make sense of the woman when Torie herself is an adult. You capture the poignancy of Torie's journey without ever becoming maudlin or treating her as an emotional victim." say Jeannine DeLine and Bobbi L'Huillier, authors of 'The Long Black Veil.'


What I think is:
I was brought up in the 70s, and I remember life being simpler, slower and more secretive. I learned to always put on a happy face, never tell anyone your problems, keep it all inside etc. I think this book will bring back many memories, good and bad, for many people, not just those brought up in the 40s and 50s.

Son of Christmas Book recommendations- Walls of Jericho

My recommendation for today: Walls of Jericho by Jonathan Hopkins,a 19th century tale of military derring do. The book is available from all main retailers (Waterstones, WH Smith, Amazon, Barnes + Noble, Book Depository etc) and can be ordered from any good bookshop. Or you can get a copy, signed, via the website.


In an age when cannon and musket decide the fate of nations, can horsemen still triumph?
www.cavalrytales.co.uk

Synopsis:
Young Joshua Lock saves the life of the Honourable John Killen and in the aftermath of the near fatal accident an unlikely friendship is forged. When both enlist in the 20th Light Dragoons, Joshua through necessity, John to take up a commission, they soon find themselves in the expeditionary force posted to Portugal to fight the French. Out on a patrol, Joshua is ambushed by the French and left for dead. He is rescued by the Portugese partisans however and nursed back to health by their leaders beautiful grand-daughter. John Killen has been told that his friend is dead, but fate has yet a card to play.

"Jonathan Hopkins has mixed a touching tale with the historical battles of the Napoleonic era. From fantastically described battle scenes with phrasing which will put you amongst the battles as they happen, to an unthinkable friendship of two men from contrasting backgrounds. Tragedy strikes on more than one occasion in this exciting novel. Lock`s demise, Killen`s internal battle to honour the memory of his father and other twists and turns before the story closes.

Hopkins has developed an excellent story born from factual events during the 19th century, making ‘Walls of Jericho’ an exciting and entertaining read." says All Review site.

"It is immediately obvious for the first chapter of this fantastic novel, that the author has put his heart and soul into creating a masterpiece which will transport you to the terrifying battlefields, where you will hear the cries of the men and smell the gunpowder. It is an absorbing, richly detailed and unmissable book. A classic in the making!" says Amazon reviewer C Thomas.

'...wish you loads of success with your book!' Bernard Cornwell, author of the Sharpe series.

What I think is:
This sounds exactly the sort of book which fans of 'Sharpe' and 'Horatio Hornblower' would like. I see a Christmas present for my husband on the horizon!

Books for Christmas with a Vengeance- The Albion

The Albion, by Derryl Flynn. A gritty portrayal of the tough life some people have to live, available from Amazon and Authorhouse.

Synopsis:
Fast approaching forty, life's experiences haven't mellowed Terry Gallagher any; angry and disillusioned; sickened by the mindless violence all around him and trying to come to terms with his own thuggish past, he decides to make good.
Here is a story of one man and his unwilling buddy who form a football team and strive to bring colour and self-esteem into the lives of a rag bag bunch of thirteen year old scallies. The season unfolds amidst a backdrop of manic depression, squalor, depravity, heroin addiction, yardies, guns and death; where a web of bizarre and tragic circumstances transpire to push the mental state of this reluctant philanthropist to the limit and ultimately tip him over the edge.


"This is an un-put-downable book. If you enjoyed "The Full Monty" or "Brassed Off" you will love this. Set against the stark background of the North a story of ambition and dedication which is often hilarious," says John Briggs, Amazon reviewer.

"Don't expect it to be "sweetness and light" reading, this is a story about hard folk in hard times demonstrating their love of life, their love for others and with a good dose of the bloody funny side of life." says Alex James, Amazon reviewer.


What I think is:
Its a story about the harsh side of life, about people who have nothing trying to make something out of their lives. A reminder to those who are well off to be sympathetic towards those who aren't.

Revenge of Books for Christmas- The Island of Whispers

A book that's been called 'Watership Down'with a difference. By Brendan Gisby and available on Amazon.

The Island of Whispers synopsis:
This is the story of a colony of rats living on an island under the Forth Rail Bridge. Ruled over by an `inner circle' of evil fat rats, and in fear for their lives, a group of lowly `watchers' attempts to brave the stormy waters and scale the giant bridge in a bid for freedom. But celebrations for the bridge's centenary are about to begin.... will they make it?

"Would I highly recommend this book? The answer is a resounding yes for all age groups, because The Island of Whispers is extremely well written and thought out, albeit highly gory in places." says Teresa Geering, author of 'The Eye of Erasmus.'

"He conjures up a variety of emotions which kept me turning page after page as I followed the journey of the main ‘character’ throughout a series of exciting and frightening adventures. Sometimes scary, sometimes grizzly and sometimes heartbreaking, this is a memorable book, and one I would recommend to anyone." says Marlene Lewis, Scottish Field reviewer.

What I think is:
This book would be the perfect antidote to wine fuelled sentimentality which can dominate at Christmas.

Books for Christmas ride again- The Cruiserweight

L.Anne Carrington's The Cruiserweight is next on my list. A novel which includes forbidden romance, action, sport... and much more, so I'm not sure what genre to put it into!

The Cruiserweight will be published in December and available on Amazon.

Synopsis:
Brett Kerrigan is a smaller than average cruiserweight wrestler who loves to entertain the crowds, giving it all for his fans throughout the world. In spite of his size, Brett proves he can be as strong, quick and fierce as his larger competitors. Coming in paperback from Night Publishing.

"'The Cruiserweight' is a first-rate book full of action, romance, friendships, sports, and overall fun. Brett is a guy we all want to hate in the ring, but want to be his friend in real life. We probably knew or know a Karen type sometime in our lives too. "CW" traces both sides of wrestling without being overbearing, and even non-fans of sports entertainment will find this easy and engaging." says Chuck Floyd, Smashwords reviewer.

"I never thought I'd find myself reading a book where wrestling was central to the story line, but here I am and not only that, but enjoying it too." says Leigh Fallon, author of 'The Carrier of the Mark'.

What I think is:I agree with Leigh Fallon. I never thought I'd enjoy a story about wrestling, but this book captured my interest and has not let me forget it.

Books for Christmas- the sequel. Colin Theakston

EDIT POST: Colin Theakston, alias Colt, sadly passed away a few days ago, at 82 years of age. I send my condolences to his family. His books are a lasting reminder of his talent, its a shame we will not see more of them.

Again, I'm recommending another author with many books up his sleeve: Colin Theakston, alias Colt the author.

Colt has written a trilogy, so far one is published: A Time for Living, and A Time for Crying will be available in two weeks time. A Time for Dying is a work in progress. All are/ will be available on Amazon and Smashwords.

Synopsis of A Time for Living (5 star ratings on Amazon):
Geoffrey Summers, a soldier of fortune, has a choice. Work for Al Qaeda or have his real identity revealed. He is forced to accept an assignment to deliver a weapons package to terrorists in Birmingham and decides to use a canal freight narrow boat to transport it from London. Josh Wilson, the canal narrow boat owner, unaware of the true nature of his cargo takes as a passenger, Samantha Ryder, a dying woman with a past. The journey by canal from London to Birmingham and beyond is one of love and happiness, deceit and despair, discovery and death. It seems that only Josh and Samantha can stop a major terrorist attack rivalling that of 9.11 or worse.

Synopsis of A Time for Crying:A simple substitution of a Chinese Bronze statue, sets a chain of events in motion that even Geoffrey Summers finds difficult to control. There will be death, terror and tears before the completion of this assignment.


"Colt has created a very clever and elusive character. This book is an excellent and well written story, with thrilling action, cleverly thought out plots and endearing tale. A must read which; I hope leads on to the next," said All Review site's Neil Kirby about A Time for Living.

What I think is:
Thrillers are not my thing... However, the reviews for Colt's books convince me that the stories are well crafted and well worth reading if you are a thriller fan.

Interview with Ruth Francisco, author of 'Amsterdam 2012'

I am very pleased to interview Ruth Francisco today. Her book, 'Amsterdam 2012' is a towering, terrifying and masterful work about the possibility of an East/West World War 3. It provokes such a range of emotions I can't really sum them up.

It is a book I strongly recommend but not a Christmassy read, so be warned!

The synopsis:

A young woman who witnesses a murder that starts a Muslim rebellion in Amsterdam, which touches off riots throughout Europe and leads to the Great Eurabian War--World War III.

This is her diary.


Welcome to my blog, Ruth.

What inspired you to write this book and how long did it take?

I started this novel in 2006 after I heard a report on NPR about Islamic tensions in France and Europe. This was soon after the civil unrest in late 2005, which tore through Paris and spread to Toulouse, Lille, Strasbourg, Marseille, and Lyon. I hadn’t been to Europe in about a decade, and I was curious what in the world was going on. I started researching, and discovered some quite alarming statistics coming out of Europe, such as the demographic changes in schools, which in many large European cities are half Muslim. Just last week it was reported by BBC that the number one baby name is now Mohamed. With growing populations comes growing political power. I am not an alarmist by nature, and at the time I wondered if some of the anxiety wasn’t the result of growing pains, the transformation of a singular European culture to a more American model, with many cultures making up the population. But the violence, the intense segregation of many of the Islamic communities, the rejection of democratic principals by fundamental Islamists, was all alarming. And Americans seemed quite oblivious to what was happening in Europe.

I did about six months of research before I started writing. The first draft took four months or so. But I always do a lot of rewriting, trying to get pacing and tone right. Amazingly, so many of the things I wrote about 3 years ago have come true—the election of a conciliatory liberal president, the oil crisis of 2008, the growing tensions in Europe, civil war in Somalia, the rise of a Tea Party movement. I don’t think I am prescient, but as a writer, I followed the logical consequence of what I saw.

You researched very thoroughly. Did that get you into trouble for looking up certain sites on computer? E.g. FBI investigations.

That’s funny you should ask. I read Al Jazeera and Jihad Watch every day, and visited a lot of “opinionated” websites. My boyfriend forbade me to access those sites from his computer—he didn’t want to end up on some list. I didn’t go undercover or anything, didn’t talk with jihadists. I think the FBI gets interested in writers and journalists if they think they may uncover information they don’t have. I didn’t really go that deep.

Have you had any backlash from individuals or groups about this book?

I wanted this to be a controversial book, and it does what controversial books are meant to do—stir up readers and open up discussion on difficult topics. I tried very hard to present all sides of the issue, the conservative and liberal points of view, and the Islamic extremist and moderate points of view. Yet it is interesting how some readers see it as anti-Islamic and polemical. One reader told me I should “be ashamed of myself”. Other readers have called it a “must-read,” which is enormously gratifying. On the other hand, I got a message on Facebook from someone who called himself a jihadist that said he was giving it to all his friends.

This novel could be seen as ‘anti Muslim’. How would you respond to that accusation?

It is dangerous any time religion and political agendas mix. Fundamentalism, whether Christian or Islamic, is frightening, anti-democratic, demanding conformity of everyone to its way of seeing the world. Islamic spirituality, on the other hand, is quite beautiful. I show this in Ann’s sister’s attraction to Islam, and in Ann’s own sensual response to visiting a women’s group in a mosque, and her jealousy of her sister’s Muslim teacher. I think I clearly show the difference.

You draw a strong parallel with your main character and Anne Frank. Why is this?

My main character, Ann Aulis, sees Anne Frank almost as her mentor. I use Frank’s diary as an emotional touchstone for Ann as she struggles to figure out what is happening to the world. Frank’s diaries are a huge turning point in many young women’s lives—often the first time history really touches them, when they first understand that all children don’t live like they do. Ann uses the diary to give her strength—if Frank could live through the siege of Amsterdam, than maybe she can too.

There are a tremendous number of parallels between World War II and what could easily happen again. For instance, the extreme rapidity in which Hitler took over Europe. Using Frank’s book seemed a way to give credibility to the story, and to remind readers that it wasn’t long ago that Europe was overtaken by extremism.

As the Eurabian war worsens, gender roles become more rigid with the men working and the women staying at home. Do you think the submission of women is inevitable in times of great hardship?

No. Sometimes in hardship, women make great strides, such as the large numbers of women entering the workforce during WWII. In times of hardship, people do whatever they have to do. If that means there are only half the jobs, probably the biggest earner (the male) will keep his job. If only half the children can go to school, do you send your son or daughter? If you have one car, who uses it the most? If you have to grow your own food, who tends the garden? In times of plenty, everyone has more choices. In times of scarcity, you make the best choices for your family that you can.

Your characters symbolize political standpoints e.g. Alex is the right wing isolationist American. The most tragic character is Cynthia, who is confused about Islam. What does she symbolize? And what does her ultimate fate symbolize? The end of uncertainty? The ultimate end of Islam?

I think fundamentalism eventually kills spirituality, which is why it is so important to have a separation of Church and State. Cynthia is completely in love with the poetry, mysticism, and the beauty of Islam, which ultimately is incompatible with political jihad. The paradox of Islam is “jihad” means both the spiritual struggle of one to submit to the will of God, and a political reclamation of all land once under the Caliphate. I do not believe the two are compatible.

Is the flu pandemic a metaphor for the spread of Islam as well as a storytelling device to allow local Muslims to step in ‘save’ America?

Very interesting! I never thought of the flu as a metaphor. But that works well. Civilization is sick, susceptible to disease and takeover. Charity is one of the great pillars of Islamic faith, and they must step in to help those in need. But it is also part of jihad, a way in which Muslims spread their influence. Again, the paradox of Islam.

The ending of this story strikes me as rather too upbeat: we will prevail, we are Americans etc. It is rather ‘Hollywood’- everything will end happily after all, don’t worry folks! Did you have a few different endings? Did you choose the upbeat one to ensure people feel reassured instead of worried?

I wanted to show how much Ann had changed. She is no longer ambivalent. She is a soldier. She must beat the drums of war, of victory. She cannot entertain the possibility of failure. It is not exactly a reassuring ending—they are in the middle of a war—but I did want to leave the story with a glimmer of hope. Just as democracy became the predominate ideology of the twentieth century, I think the strong desire in all of us for freedom, self determination, and justice will prevail.

In your novel, religions living together in tolerance leads to war; religions living separately leads to war, so what is ‘the third way’ to avoid war and confrontation? What would be your solution to an impending war between Islam and the West?

I think religions can live together in tolerance perfectly well, as long as they all agree on a completely separation of Church and State, and agree to practice their religions under the laws of the State. Europe needs to work very hard to integrate their Muslim communities into the mainstream culture. Taking the money and power out of religion would help, e.g., no tax-exemption, no religious schools, no religious political movements, etc. As far as aggressive Islamic States, I’ll leave that for the experts. But it seems obvious we should remove our oil dependence, and then use economic/diplomatic power.

Thank you very much for this interview, Ruth. Amsterdam 2012 moved and concerned me more than any book I've read recently and I personally think it is a 'must read'.

'Amsterdam 2012' is available at Smashwords and Amazon Kindle

Return of Books for Christmas- The Eye of Erasmus

Teresa Geering's 'The Eye of Erasmus' is my recommendation for today. A trilogy, this is the first book in the series, 'Erasmus the Omnipotent'. The book is available on Amazon.

Synopsis:'The Eye of Erasmus' tells of Erasmus, a baby born during a thunder storm, who is clearly destined to be special and, initially, especially obnoxious with his flashing black eyes and haughty ways, until he finds love. The trouble is that the girl literally of his dreams hasn't actually been born yet. No problem ...... Oh, but there is ....... Danger lurks ........

"A wonderful, enchanting book, made all the finer for the effortless ease with which it captures and captivates the reader. The Eye of Erasmus really stands out in a genre that is highly popular with writers and readers - no small feat. Thoroughly entertaining, and a definite 5-star choice," says Steve Jensen, author of 'The Poison of a Smile'.

"Teresa Geering has written an enthralling story with incentive to continue reading the series. The Eye of Erasmus will appeal to all ages alike. It is a book that you will read on more than one occasion and I would recommend this book to all readers," says All Review Site.


What I think:This book was a lovely surprise for me, as I don't usually like fantasy novels. Its an engrossing tale, simply and clearly told, with none of the usual trappings of the genre such as a large cast of characters with unpronounceable names, which put me off other books.

Books for Christmas Strike Back- Ryan Spier

Today I'm not recommending a book but an author with two books up his sleeve.

Ryan Spier has two e-books published by www.ma2books.co.uk

These books are more of an antidote to the warm, fuzzy Christmas spirit, so if you fancy getting away from the mistletoe and wine, try these books.

Angel of Retribution
Synopsis:
He could feel no heartbeat, there was a gaping wound where his beating heart should be. A man with no memory awakens in a morgue, only to find he has been murdered. A chance meeting with an old friend leads him to his first clue, a corrupt detective. The man, Richard, soon discovers he has been resurrected as an angel, sent back as his younger, virtually indestructible self.

Another, much older angel, Jacob helps guide him on his mission against a worldwide organisation who deal in people, drugs and weapons. He discovers his wife and daughter have disappeared and the criminal organisation is responsible.

Action, suspense, conflict and drama as the two angels have to live with the consequences of their actions and be judge, jury and executioner.

Postcards from Berlin
Synopsis:
Tuomas is not a good Nazi.

He's only 15 years old, but he knows he's expected to defend his hometown of Berlin from the approaching Red Army. He becomes a a soldier by killing an invading Russian and is even introduced to the Fuhrer, but then he's captured by the Allies. Luckily they're British and, on reading his diary, discover his true feelings about the fascist regime and recruit him to help them hunt down fleeing Nazis. So starts Tuomas's journey into adulthood as he comes to terms with the war-weary world around him, culminating in shoot-outs galore as the Nazi-hunters go about their business in Argentina.

He's called a traitor and disdained by his countrymen, because Tuomas, as he always knew, is not a good Nazi.

What I think is:
Both difficult subjects to tackle but they are both well told in a believable manner. If you want to take a break from your current life and think about possibilities of other lives, try these stories.

Books for Christmas continued... Little Guide to Unhip

Today my recommendation is K J Rigby's 'Little Guide to Unhip.' It is available on Amazon.

A synopsis of this amusing book:
When we are young, we all hope that even if we are not totally hip, we are not completely unhip. With age, we begin to realise that we have had more than a few embarrassing moments and tastes and, maybe more to our surprise, we don't really care. There are days when we are unhip and proud of it. Part social commentary, part autobiography, here are some of KJ Rigby's confessions of some of her less hip moments. And what about you?

Reviews:"One of the fun things about "Little Guide to Unhip" is realizing how silly it all is, this fussing over whether one is or one isn't "hip", all the things K. J. Rigby lists (there are 50 categories) that we fret about (or once did) as having real meaning," says George Polley, author of 'Grandfather and the Raven.'

"Rigby wickedly relates her run ins with hipness, and unhipness as the case often is, with regard to the items on her top 50 list of things unhip, and I found myself relating to so many of her stories. It made me feel a sense of camaraderie with every unhip person out there, knowing that in our communal uncoolness, there is something awesomely cool," says Tiffany Harkleroad, of 'Tiffany's Bookshelf.'

What I think is:
As a terminally and happily unhip geek, I am pleased to read just how unhip I am. This little book provokes a lot of chuckling and giggling, just right for the festive season when we've all had too much sherry.

Books for Christmas- Belfast Girls

Today I start my Christmas shopping list of book recommendations. They are in no particular order, just as I come across them.

The first is 'Belfast Girls', by Gerry McCullough. Published by Night Publishing.

Synopsis:

Three girls, friends from childhood. Supermodel Sheila Doherty is kidnapped. Can John Branagh rescue her? Her friend, Phil, is arrested. Mary takes an overdose.

Sheila, Phil and Mary, of different religions, meet as children and throughout their lives and loves remain close friends.

Sheila, a skinny, ginger-haired child, hates her own appearance. But she grows up, wins a beauty contest and to her amazement becomes a world-famous model. Many men love Sheila, but only one matters to her - her ex-boyfriend, John Branagh - who thinks Sheila is a promiscuous slut.

Phil has other problems. She is deeply in love with Davy Hagan, a drug-dealer (one of many who have sprung up since the ceasefires). Phil is torn miserably between her hatred of drug-dealing, and her love for Davy.

Mary, at first a wild child, moves from underage drinking to hard drugs. But she ODs, narrowly escaping death, and begins to re-evaluate her life and her beliefs.

When Sheila is kidnapped by mistake, John realises she still matters desperately to him. Ignoring the risk, he follows to try to rescue Sheila.

The police discover a gun and a consignment of drugs in the flat Phil shares with Davy, and Phil is arrested.
Now what?


"This is a character-driven story about the three women, their relationships with men and each other, and how they became who they are today. The setting is unusual but intriguing to American audiences, who might not know much about the political situation in Ireland." said the publisher, Harper Collins.


"the depths of the world Gerry has crafted are yet to be experienced in one chapter alone we begin to see only the edges." Suzannah Burke, author of 'Dudes Down Under' and 'Empty Chairs'.

"A world of glitter and privilege, full of promise and promises ... and lies. And a nightmare." Diane Nelson, author of 'Mounted Exercises.'

What I think is:
'Belfast Girls' is a great mixture of chick lit and thriller, two worlds colliding managed convincingly by Gerry. A book to get absorbed in while curled up safely by the fire.

Surfacing part 2

Tim, my publisher, says that Surfacing is coming out next week! It is the sequel to Descending. Tim wants to publish it separately from Descending, but also in a compendium with it.

We have been arguing- er- I mean discussing the new covers for Surfacing and the compendium. So you will have to wait and see what we decided... dun dun DUR!

I am so overwhelmed by all this. One year ago I felt so low and exhausted, but what a difference a year makes :-O

Also had a kind offer by Stuart Aken to re-publicise Descending in light of the sequel and compendium coming out.

I must have let about ten black cats cross my path earlier this year to be so lucky :-D

An interview with a magazine editor

I mean he was interviewing me! There is this new magazine starting up, Let's Think Local, and I know the editor as I wrote an article for him at his last magazine.

Anyway... I offered my writing services, he set up a meeting between me and 'the team', all very high powered.

Its all unpaid though, so not sure how far I'll be able to go with this, but all good experience.

My first 'assignment' is writing about organic, seasonal food, a subject very close to my heart, I can talk about that for hours!

Surfacing part 1

The sequel to Descending seems to be on its way into print! Yay! I am excited!

Winner of the October/November Night Reading poll is...

Charlie Boyd, with The Prodigal Prophet.

Charlie summarizes his work:

'The Wizard of Oz meets The Pilgrim's Progress. Tired of religion? - then read on! A captivating autobiography of religious disillusionment, burnout and Divine Love.'

Congratulations Charlie! The Prodigal Prophet will be published soon by Night Publishing.