SUNDAY SCENE: JENNIFER BOHNET ON HER FAVOURITE SCENE FROM VILLA OF SECOND CHANCES

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Everyone deserves a second chance, don’t they? But sometimes other people and life itself gets in the way of that happening.

The scene I am about to share with you is from ‘Villa of Second Chances’. In this book several of the characters find themselves at a crossroads where their lives can only move forward when they fully embrace their past. But those long ago secrets and mistakes all conspire to throw complicated shadows from the past into the present.

Freya and Marcus are re-marrying after realising their divorce a few years ago, was a mistake. In this scene, Freya is remembering their first wedding as she drives to have lunch with her mother Effie, in Antibes.

. . . The chosen day had been bathed in blue skies and April sunshine. Her dad had been alive then and had proudly walked her down the aisle of St. Petrox Church – the ancient church out on the Dartmouth headland. Clemmie and Angela had been her bridesmaids, and Marcus’s boyhood friend, Rufus, had been his best man. Marcus’s fellow officers had formed the traditional archway of swords for the two of them as she and her new husband took their first steps together as man and wife. The reception at the now defunct and much-missed iconic Gunfield Hotel on the banks of the Dart had been a wonderful, relaxed affair. . .

Gunfield Hotel (Jim Cozens Photographer)

The Gunfield Hotel on the banks of the River Dart did actually exist years ago and was, let’s say bohemian, in its dealings with guests. If you wanted formal perfection, you went to another hotel. The Gunfield Hotel was a fun place that did its own thing and plays an important part in my story as it unfolds.

Over lunch Effie turns to Freya and ask the question . . . 

‘So, what’s happening with Verity?’

Freya stiffened. ‘I’ve sent her the invite, as you wanted me to, but haven’t heard anything. To be honest, I’m hoping that it’s too short notice for her to come. She’s probably spending the summer on some Greek island or the latest “in” place she’s discovered.’

‘She’s family,’ Effie said. ‘Hyacinth would be turning in her grave if she knew her daughter was persona non grata at your wedding.’

Freya sighed. ‘She’s not exactly persona non grata, but even you have to admit Verity can be difficult. . .

. . . ’If she does accept, she’ll expect to stay with you and the others at the Villa Sésame. Is there room?’

Freya hesitated before shaking her head. She knew Effie would be cross when she told her the truth, that she was deliberately not mentioning the villa arrangement to Verity because there was no way she wanted her cousin spoiling the run-up to the wedding for the others. . .

. . .  ‘Clemmie is definitely coming?’ Effie asked as she picked up her cutlery.

‘Yes, and Angela.’ Freya had her fingers firmly crossed as she answered. No way did she want Clemmie backing out because of Verity’s presence, if indeed, her cousin decided to show up.

‘I’m really looking forward to having time to catch up with them properly – especially Angela, after all she’s been through with the accident and Paul’s death. Clemmie says the last time she saw her she was still a shadow of her former self. Only to be expected, I suppose, and it will take time. I’m hoping the invitation to Villa Sésame has given her something to look forward to.’ . . .

 

Find out more about Jennifer on her Facebook page:  https://bit.ly/3qglPh4

 

 

 

 

New Year – New Fragrance – Happy Soul From ChloBo – by award winning author Dr Kathleen Thompson

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It’s been a tough couple of years and we’re all hoping 2022 will be a wonderful new start. So maybe time to freshen our image – new dress style, makeup revamp, and how about a completely new perfume? I recommend you check out Happy Soul by ChloBo.

But, I hear you say, ‘Isn’t ChloBo that British company that make those fabulous bracelets and necklaces? Has Dr Kathleen Thompson lost the last of her few remaining marbles?’ Well yes … and maybe, but trust me, ChloBo now have a great perfume which complements their stunning handmade jewellery.

I love the name – Happy Soul – and couldn’t wait to try. The perfume is described as ‘flirty, fig-infused scent will have you drifting from day to night’. I would categorise the fragrance as Woody, with an Oriental undertone. Packed with layers, the fragrance lasts and evolves over hours. I personally would use it in the evening – I’m thinking summer evening, dining al fresco by the sea. Happy image? You’re welcome.

At £30 from the ChloBo website this is a good price for a quality perfume. Give it a try.

By Dr K Thompson, author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q

http://faitobooks.co.uk

Setting an Intention for Self-care 2022 by Alex Bannard, Wellbeing and Wellness Editor

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Did you know almost ½ of us will set new year’s resolutions but less than 10% of us will actually achieve them? Indeed, research by Strava using over 800 million user-logged activities in 2019 confirmed that most people have given up on their New Year’s Resolutions by Jan 19th – Strava call it Quitter’s Day.

Perhaps this is because resolutions are often quite lofty aspirations that are all about a huge lifestyle change, which ultimately set us up for failure.  We’ve all done it: I’m going to the gym everyday, go vegan, get more sleep, change the world, drop a dress size, run a marathon etc etc.  So if you are noticing your New Year’s Resolutions are already sliding why not start again & set an intention instead of a resolution?

Setting an intention is a powerful step in embodying how you want to be. As Wayne Dyer said: “Our intention becomes our reality”  Intentions send a powerful message into the quantum, they are our sign-post or compass, guiding us in our way of being. Intentions are a conscious guide to how we are living each day.

So how do you set an intention?

First think about what brings you joy, what lights you up. Maybe even journal on this. Base your intention around what makes you feel good.  Then think about how you can you can express that positively in a mantra or affirmation, a simple phrase that encapsulates this intention. This is a simple reminder to keep you on track when you need it.  And then finally let it go – we can’t force an outcome & if we try to it will just strangle it.

Imagine your intention is like a seed, you plant that seed & step out of the way allowing the Universe to fill in the blanks, allowing your intention to blossom & bloom when the time is right.  As you know I am a huge advocate of self-care. I believe that it’s not selfish or a luxury but a daily necessity. It has helped me navigate several international moves, a toxic divorce & more recently the menopause.  By embracing little rituals daily that make you feel better, you will begin to live your best life. By doing things that make you feel happier & healthier you will start to become more productive, creative & efficient.

So if you have decided to set the intention to develop your own self-care rituals how do you do it?

The most important thing I believe is to start small. The benefit of this is that you will easily achieve it, you’ll start to feel better & feel inspired to do more.   Keep it simple. Self-care can be powerful & life changing but it doesn’t have to be complicated. Indeed, if it is you’re more likely to find excuses not to do it.  Self-care is all about doing something that is easy, fun & makes you feel good, empowered even, something you look forward to doing.  Maybe your new self-care ritual is as simple as getting some fresh air & being out in nature everyday? It’s simple, easy to do & makes you feel so much better.  If you struggle to find time for yourself, why not schedule it in? Ear-mark time in your diary for the rest of January so that you commit to your self-care. Be unapologetic about it.

I commit every weekday to getting up before the kids to do my self-care. It’s my time in which I devote an hour or so to my own self-care rituals. I cherish & absolutely relish this time (& it MUST be good because I’m NOT a morning person!)

So there you have it: how to set an intention & 3 simple ways to creating your own self-care practice:

Start small, keep it simple & schedule it.  Sending all my love & intentions to you all for a wonderful 2022.  May it be filled with happiness & good health.  May you flow through the year with grace & ease.  May you commit to a daily self-care routine & enjoy the multiple benefits of making yourself a priority in your own life because you deserve it.

If you would like to find out more about creating your own self-care rituals love check out Alex’s FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/mindfulnessyoga4selfcare

Or on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexbannard/

Incorporate short yoga sequences & meditations as part of your self-care toolkit with guided practices on Alex’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQlKZJ7MeyYc6lqkv6seISw

For more info check out www.alexbannard.com

Alex is based on the edge of the stunning Cotswolds & has been sharing her love for all things yoga & mindfulness for almost a decade, not just in the UK but also around the world. Her mission is to help everyone discover a more mindful way of living & to encourage them to embrace regular self-care practices for a happier & healthier way of living & being.

SUNDAY SCENE: VIVIEN BROWN ON HER FAVOURITE SCENE FROM FIVE UNFORGIVABLE THINGS

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When I started to write my second novel, Five Unforgivable Things, I wanted to follow all the ups and downs of a family, from its beginnings when Kate and Dan first meet in the seventies right up to the present day, exploring the pivotal decisions and mistakes the couple make along the way and what impact they have on their children as they grow up.

Each of the now adult offspring is introduced in a way that reveals something important about their lives, and the ‘introduction’ scene I most enjoyed writing is the one featuring Natalie, the first of the siblings to appear on the page.

Natalie is entering a wedding dress shop alone. In the window she has spotted what could be the perfect dress for her Christmas wedding to childhood sweetheart Phil but, with no family or friends with her, how will she know if it’s the right one, with no-one ‘to oooh and aaah and spin her around in all directions and take sneaky photos on their phones?’

I well remember accompanying my own daughter to a bridal shop a few years ago, with her sister, the prospective chief bridesmaid, also in tow. That sea of long white dresses billowing on a seemingly never-ending rail right across one side of the room, and all the sparkling tiaras, floaty veils, beaded bags and very posh shoes – unforgettable! In the novel I describe the shop Natalie enters as ‘an oasis of beauty and calm. There was a deep cream carpet and floor-to-ceiling mirrors without so much as a smudge on their shiny gilt-edged glass. The sweet scent of jasmine drifted in the air…’

But it can be a bit daunting when the assistant hands out glasses of fizz and starts measuring and fussing. Ivory or white? Lace or satin? Shape? Style? How long a train? For Natalie, not only is she making these choices alone but the choices themselves are a lot more restricted. There are hints that something is different here as Natalie enters and a look of surprise flits across the shop assistant’s face before being ‘swallowed up in what was clearly a well-practised customer-friendly smile.’ It’s a look Natalie is used to, one ‘that told her she was not quite who, or what, had been expected to come rolling in.’

‘Sorry about the carpet,’ says Natalie, as her wheels leave a trail of dirt and leaves behind them. And so we learn that Natalie is in a wheelchair, and that the beautiful traditional dresses that sweep the floor as they flow along behind a walking bride will never be quite right for ‘someone like her’.

This is a very short scene but it gives the reader a peep into Natalie’s mindset as she ponders her sisters’ absence, realises that the last thing she really wants on her big day is to be the centre of attention, and that the dream dress in the window is never going to work for her.

Yet, I did not want the reader to pity her. Natalie is in many ways the happiest of the siblings, and the only one to have found true love with a man who adores her just as she is. Still, how she came to be disabled will form an important element as the story unravels, and is at the heart of the mistakes and tragedies that have rocked Kate and Dan’s marriage and family life and are so hard to forgive.

 

https://twitter.com/VivBrownAuthor

 

 

 

 

 

6 Fun Things to Do in Chicago

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Chicago, also known as the Windy City, has been listed as an alpha global city for its economy, high standard of education, and tourism. 

It is one of the top-visited cities in the USA as it has some of the most stunning attractions 

and several famous landmarks. It is also famous for its delicious food, varying further than the Chicago dog and deep-dish pizza. 

If you are new to Chicago, AmericanOtels.com can assist you with finding the best deals for your stay, one with cab facilities and close to where you want to explore!

While there are many exciting things to see, here are the 6 fun things you can do in Chicago.

  1. Visit the Museums, a few honorable mentions are:
  • The Field Museum: It is home to anthropological and biological collections. This enormous natural history museum covers 480,000 square feet. The main attractions include the ancient Egyptian artifacts and the “Evolving Planet” exhibit.
  • Art Institute of Chicago: Thousands of sculptures, paintings, drawings, and photos are displayed throughout its vast halls and galleries. If it’s your first time, be sure to visit the Modern Wing for contemporary art collections. Other notable mentions are the works of Van Gogh and Andy Warhol and the Thorne Miniatures Rooms in the basement. 
  • Chicago History Museum: Formerly known as the Chicago Historical Society, this museum has a range, it exhibits historical figures such as Abraham Lincoln down to the city’s delicacies like the Chicago-style hot dog! It houses several artifacts, photographs, and publications, documenting the city’s rich history.
  1. Don’t miss out on the street food
  • Deep dish Pizza and Hotdogs: The iconic deep-dish pizzas and hot dogs are commonly associated with Chicago, and rightfully so! They can be found anywhere in the city. The pizza is cheesy and comes with a variety of toppings and the Chicago dogs are seasoned with sweet and spicy sauces, spices, and herbs. They are commonly found in tourist spots such as malls, bars, hotels, and parks.
  • Italian Sandwiches: They are a very integral part of the street food in Chicago as they were created here. It is a must-try! 
  • Food trucks: The best way to truly enjoy the street food in Chicago are the food trucks. You can choose from a wide variety of food options: tacos, empanadas, grilled cheese sandwiches, ice-creams, and burgers. Cuisines from different cultures are available too such as Cajun food,  Korean delicacies, Indian delicacies, etc. 
  1. Ice Skating

If you’re in Chicago for the winter, you have to add ice skating to the bucket list. If it’s your first time and you’re not so sure if you’ll be able to, you’re in luck! Skating rinks in Chicago take into consideration both first-timers and pros alike. 

They have beautiful views of the skyline while nearby, serving hot drinks and snacks. Hyde Park for example has a massive rink that is an affordable option. 

  1. Music and Nightlife

There are so many options to choose from as Chicago has a plethora of bars and nightclubs.  There’s the Underground; the city’s most affluent dance club, Flash Dance Club; inspired by Andy Warhol’s Factory, The Second City Theatre Chicago described as surreal, musical, and entertaining all at once, The Whistler is a cocktail lounge bar that has an art gallery, in-house record label and is a live music venue weekly jazz series, DJs, LGBTQ dance parties, and so much more! 

  1. Learn of the City’s Gangster Era

Delve into Chicago’s gangster tour, visit historic crime scenes, and learn of infamous criminals like John Dillinger and Al Capone. Combine it with a ghost tour to get an added bone-chilling experience!

  1. Helicopter and Architecture Tour

The Windy City by day can be seen in its picturesque glory but by night, the skyline is absolutely magical when seen from a bird’s eye view. The pilot provides fascinating insights into the culture and history of the city.

Coming down to the waters of the Chicago River, there’s no better vantage point to admire the architecture, which is historic and unique. You’ll pass the Willis Tower, the old Post Office Building, the East Bank Club, and plenty more.

So, there you have it. Not everything in this beautiful city can be witnessed in one visit, use this as a guide to see as much as you can! 

Collaborative post.

Margaret and Dick make a New Year’s Resolution… Surely it won’t be another calamity?

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Margaret and Dick made a resolution on this New Year’s Eve morning to stay awake to see in the new year. Margaret and Dick tend to make this resolution. They always break it as cocoa beckons at 9.30.
‘I do wish we were party animals’ said Margaret.
‘No you don’t,’ said Dick. ‘Think of the uncomfortable shoes you’d have to wear.’
Rosie the Cockerpoo  looked at Polly  the Cavachon. ‘Dada’s right,’ she said. Margaret thought he was probably right too. Margaret doesn’t often think that, so she wrote ‘Dick was right today.’ in her diary. Margaret noticed at the same time she was to meet a friend for coffee at 10.00, when she had thought 10.30.
‘Besides’ said Dick,’We do our partying at lunchtime.’
But Margaret had moved on. She was rushing. It had to be the going out bra. She hated it. It was uncomfortable, but needs must, as her mother would have said. And on the subject of shoes… perhaps not her walking boots as it was New Year’s Eve so she put on her going out shoes. She saw then that she had a hole, a large hole in the heel of her tights which would show. Margaret said some words. Her mother would have called ‘Language’ and sent her to her room.
She put on her new tights. They were fleecy for extreme cold.  It was mild outside. But never mind.
On went the perfume. Polly raised an eyebrow at Rosie. ‘The lady is going to leave us, forever. again.’ They went to their beds, their backs to Margaret.
Margaret was ready. She called goodbye, reached the gate. Stopped, went back, because she had forgotten her phone. Dick was at the door. He handed her the phone. He handed her parcel she was taking, and which would fit in the bag. Margaret hadn’t realised she had left the parcel too.
Margaret put them in her new Christmas bag from her friend, Pat. ‘I wonder if one day,’ Dick pondered, ‘ you will get out in one go?’
Margaret doesn’t like smart alec remarks, and flounced off, calling, ‘I wonder if you’ll get the shelves up as you have said each day, so very there?’
Because they are new to the road, Margaret and Dick feel they must blend in, and be grown up. It’s very hard behaviour to keep up and Margaret hoped no-one had heard. It was a walk of a mile and a half. to town. She had gone a 100 yards when she felt something was slighty awry. A bit of sagging in the tights area.
She walked on, the slip sliding of the tights did not improve. In fact, there was definitely a feeling of uncertainty, of things amiss, of, in fact, things descending, of things not being kept up, a bit like their not quite grown up behaviour.
Half a mile further on clippetty clop Margaret realised she had Norah Batty wrinkles at her ankles, and very warm legs. Why had she worn her new fleecy tights, which felt very much as though they were slip sliding further down with every step? In fact, why had she worn her lined mac?
Margaret surreptitiously yanked up her new smarter, hotter tights, and on she went, because she didn’t want to go back home, and find Dick waiting for her with a different pair of tights, as he seemed able to read her mind.
On, and on, she walked along the road, now quite busy as people were driving into Thirsk to do their New Year’s Eve shopping. If it had been a quiet lane she could have stopped, taken the tights in hand, and given them a really good pull, even captured them by rolling the tights’ waistband over that of her skirt – but it was not an option.
By the time Margaret reached Thirsk she was glad of the mask she wore as she walked around groups of people, because no-one would recognise her and her funny walk. But ‘Hello Margare’ was called by  rather a lot of people, though kindly they made no mention of Margaret’s affliction as she was now walking from the knees down. Straight into the Fleece, she flew – well all right – strutted using very short strides She strutted past the reception desk into the little girls’ room. The pleasure of a really good yank and the capture of errant tights is not to be underestimated.
Much recovered Margaret and her friend had their coffee. Margaret thought a brandy in hers might help her recovery but it was only 10.00 so she had the maltersers that come with coffee in the Fleece instead.
Then there was the walk home, a little fraught, as her tights, though tucked over her waistband seemed to want to tug not just themselves but her skirt down.
On she clippetty clopped. Home at last. Dick was carrying a shelf into the house.
‘You are walking a little strangely,’ he said. ‘Sort of carefully.’
Margaret said, ‘I have a little local difficulty with my tights, they want to fall down. I think I must have lost a fair bit of weight.’
Margaret swept into the house ahead of Dick, but clear as day she heard him say. ‘Oh no, not from this particular perspective you haven’t.’
Rosie and Polly had rushed to meet Momma who had left them forever but had found her way home at last, after years and years. Yes, they had rushed, but they heard Dada’s words and went to their beds, wondering why Dada never learned the art of keeping his thoughts to himself.
Margaret thought the same, very much so. And as she threw her new tights into the bin ten minutes later, she was heard to say, ‘It might be New Year’s Eve, but one more word from you, Dick Graham, and you will be in the bin too.’
They were on no-speakers for quite some time, but after a nice meal, and a sit down they talked about the year that had gone, and the one that was to come, until at last it was midnight, and then one minute past and Margaret asked, ‘Cocoa?’
‘Oh yes,’ said Dick.
But a resolution kept at last.

The Rose Queen by Katie Flynn is out now – grab this springtime romance and enjoy

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It’ is 1938. Cadi is chosen as Rose Queen in the annual Rose Fete. She knows that though she will be treated like royalty for a day, Cadi is no longer happy  living in the Welsh mining community in which she grew up. After all, there is a world out there.

With the declaration of war, Cadi and her best friend Poppy grab a chance to escape to Liverpool.. Cadi leaves behind her parents and local boy Aled, who she is meant to marry. But what will Liverpool bring?

Unable to join the forces, the girls are left looking for work in poverty stricken Vauxhall Ward. It is the local pub which gives them a job, but not only that, Cadi has a blossoming romance with a dock worker, made more intense when he rescues her from a terrifying encounter.

So what will happen when Aled, handsome in his RAF uniform appears?

Katie Flynn, beloved by so many loyal readers, passed away in January 2019 but all is not lost. Her daughter Holly who worked as her assistant for many years, co-authoring several Katie Flynn novels, ensures that the  Katie Flynn legacy lives on ,  by writing new Katie Flynn novels, using in the main, ideas she discussed with her mother.

Give yourself a treat as we head into a new year and read about Cabi and her journey to ..? Happiness?

The Rose Queen by Katie Flynn. hb pub Century. £20.00. Also available in ebook and audio

Natalie Jayne Peeke, West Country Correspondent, has told Frost Magazine of her most memorable books of 2021

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Starting this year in yet another lockdown, most of my time was spent homeschooling my two young children, makig bannana bread or looking for my marbles which are yet to be found. However on the rare occassion i had time to myself i would pick up a book and escape for short while.

I have read lots of different books this year, some were in a different time or a different world, others made me laugh, cry or sent shivers down my spine. I have discovered lots of new authors this year as well such as Sharon Maas, Jina Bacarr. Diane Saxon, Anna Todd, Lucy Adlington ,Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti.

Any bookworm will relate to my issue, i have been asked to write abut my favourite book of 2021. I simply cannot pick just one, i can’t do it. That’s not me being defeatest I really cannot pick just one. So instead i am going to pick my top three.

In no particular order, The first book is Zodiac Academy The Awakening by Susanne Valenti and Caroline Peckham. This book is the first in a series of 8 books and it is utterly amazing. It is Harry Potter meets the TV show Fate: Winx Saga. I am obsessed with these books, I am currently reading book 6 and i have no idea what is going to happen next. Here is some of the blurb :

I’m a Gemini. Impulsive. Curious. Headstrong. A twin. Heir to a throne iIknow nothing about. And it turns out, i’m Fae.

But of course there’s a catch – all hI ave to do to claim my birth right is prove that I’m the most powerful supernatural in the whole of Solaria.

Secondly is Farringdon’s Fate by Linda Finlay. Any of my friends, family and followers would have noticed by now that one of my all time favourite authors is Linda Finlay. She captures the beautiful westcountry in beautiful fictional stories of the past. They feel so real, I know the characters, their little quirks and their life. Farringdon’s Fate is the fifth book of Finlay’s that iIhave read and each book is unique, the only similarity they have is how the are portrayed. I have also read The Bonbon Girl, The Seashell Girl, The Girl With The Amber Comb and The Girl With The Silver Bangle. However I will warn you, do not pick up a Linda Finlay book if you have something to do, you will get lost in the world she has created and will completly forget about your day. Here is the blurb for Farringdons Fate:

Nettlecombe Manor, nestled in the rolling hills of Devon, is home to the Lord Farringdon and his second wife , Lady Charlotte. As if running the vast estate wasn’t enough, Lord Farringdon has five daughters to keep him busy. Lady Charlotte is determined that the betrothal of the eldest, Louisa, should be celebrated with a ball which is the envy of Devon society and summons a corsetiere from Exeter to measure them up for new corsets.

Apprentice Jane Haydon arrives at Nettlecombe to do the fittings. Having never set foot in such a grand home, Jane is disturbed to hear tell of a gypsy’s curse which has haunted the family for generations, and a local wise woman’s vision that there will never be a wedding at Nettlecombe.

Last but by no means least is Fighting For Your Life , A Paramedic’s Story by Lysa Walder. This book was one of the first that I read this year and 11 months on it is still fresh in my mind. Lysa shares her stories of being a paramedic directly from the frontline of the NHS. It is an utterly fascinating read, some stories inspired hope and others broke my heart. I cherish our NHS and admire everyone who works for them, emergency workers are often taken for granted and this book truly has opened my eyes. Here is the blurb:

A teenage boy lies on the pavement, bleeding from a stab wound; a distraught mum watches, in mute shock, as her daughter suffers a terrfying fatal asthma attack, a young girl is gang raped and her stricken boyfriend has taken an overdose, a disturbed man flings himself in front of a speeding train on the stroke of midnigt on New Year’s Eve.

Few people can imagine living in a world where such situations are part of everyday life. Yet for veteran paramedic Lysa Walder, these and thousands of other emergency call outs are part of a day’s work; scenes of tragedy, heroism, loss and horror- but also stories of triumph and humour.

So there you have it folks, my top three reads of this year, I am looking forward to going on more bookish adventures next year. Thank you for reading and I would like to wish you a very Happy New Year.