The Golden Fleece by Shelagh Mazey. A book review by Milly Adams

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The Golden Fleece, by Shelagh Mazey – the Fourth novel in the Heart of Stone Saga. 

Frost Magazine has enjoyed Shelagh Mazey’s first three historical novels in the Heart of Stone Saga, and the first, Brandy Row, was admired by the judges of the Words for the Wounded Indie Author Award.

And here is the  fourth in the series. Such an evocative read, which hauls the reader straight in with a vicious murder that later enmeshes the lives of those who live on the Alvington Estate in the vicious criminal underworld. As with a good saga, it leads to an innocent man being imprisoned. So, will he, won’t he obtain justice?

Ah…

Let us tell you a little more: Billy Riddick is a stable boy who was at the Poor House until he found employment at Alvington Manor. When Lucy Warren, the love of his life from Home Farm, marries the arrogant Ashleigh Seymour, Billy is devastated and moves away to Wincanton. He finds work and a new home at Hatherleigh Farm, the original site of Wincanton Races. How interesting that is. However, his nemesis, Ashleigh Seymour turns up at the racecourse and Billy inadvertently becomes embroiled in his unsavoury drinking and gambling lifestyle.

Lucy begins to regret her marriage, but when Ashleigh’s gambling debts threaten to bring about his downfall, the good hearted Billy tries to help him. This leads to disturbingconsequences.

At the heart of all this is the continuing  life at Alvington Manor with its pulsing love stories, plus a few tragedies set amongst the local traditions, celebrations and customs. There are murders and weddings, a voyage to Australia and journeys to Europe, as this epic family saga continues in the way we have become used to.

Author Shelagh Mazey is based in the West Country and her knowledge of local history makes this series fascinating and illuminating. Written with pace and verve, it works. Enjoy just as much as we at Frost Magazine did.

Hopefully there will be a fifth?

The Golden Fleece   by Shelagh Mazey, available on Amazon.co.uk

A stand alone title which follows on from the earlier trilogy: ‘Brandy Row’ (9781780882451),’Dawn To Deadly Nightshade’ (9781783060238) and ‘Legacy of Van Diemen’s Land’ (9781784623067).

 

A Day in the Life of Sarah Roux – author of A Painted Samovar

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After my husband and son have left the house, the day is mine and is generally full of books and words; also neglected housework and uncooked recipes.

Somehow, I have negotiated for myself ownership of the spare room, which now houses my desk and shelves of books, papers and research. Large amounts of the day are spent there, with varying degrees of output. At the moment, I’m editing my second novel (set in Regency/modern day  times) A painful and protracted undertaking, when it’s all too much, I remind myself that a historical novelist is perfectly justified in spending a bit of time reading and browsing the internet for future research…especially if that means halting the edit at say, page 197, having realised I need to rewrite five of the existing seven paragraphs.

 

I’m compelled to write about people and events that have been lost or forgotten over time. When I discovered my maternal grandfather was one of four thousand Jewish immigrants expelled to Russia in 1917, I was inspired to write A Painted Samovar to memoralise this little-known episode. Of course, it is a work of fiction; my grandfather never spoke a word about his experiences, but it’s important to me that the history should not be forgotten.

I do have days away from my desk and on those I will most likely be doing something for our community library of which I am a passionate supporter, volunteer and trustee. I love pretty much all aspects of my various roles in the library – whether I’m on shift and serving customers, making a list of new books to purchase for the library shelves, constructing a themed book display or doing some committee work. I also love the free biscuits.

 

In the library, I run The Chalfont Writers’ Hub, a social gathering of local writers who meet once a month for encouragement. We are generally either moaning about rejections and writer’s block or celebrating our successes. In 2016, we were proud to produce an anthology of short fiction stories (St Peter’s Shorts) and have sold over 100 copies so far – all proceeds to the library.

After a day at my desk or in the library, of course I settle down with a book late at night, always hoping that somewhere, somebody else is settling down with mine. I am an Indie Author but I can always dream…

A Painted Samovar by Sarah Roux: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Painted-Samovar-Sarah-Roux/dp/1999795709/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1528377700&sr=8-1&keywords=A+painted+samovar+by+sarah+roux

A Painted Samovar by Sarah Roux gained 2nd place in The WforW’s Georgina Hawtrey-Woore Award

www.wordsforthewounded.co.uk

 

 

 

 

 

Frost’s Favourite… MASCARA

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The segment that brings you the lowdown on what we’re absolutely LOVING each week!

What’s wonderful this week?

Oh My How High mascara by butter LONDON

 

 

Prove it…

OK, so hear us out. Mascara can be your best friend or your worst enemy – we rarely find that it’s the ‘middle ground mate’. We can confirm, that Butter’s OMHH mazzy will be the yin to your yang, the Holly to your Fern and the Beyoncé of your make up bag (sorry ‘chelle and Kel’).

Its thick bristles helps to make your lashes really dense. Perfect if you’re a volume seeker.

The piece de resistance of this beauty though, is absolutely the length it brings to your flutterers. The curved wand can really connect with your lashes and helps to dramatically pull them up and the traditional thickness of them collects enough of the product to apply a generous coating in just a few sweeps.

Like any mascara, best results come once lashes are curled and primed however if you don’t have time for these steps, you’ll still get great results from OMHH only.

Hook me up!

Purchase this beauty essential here: https://www.feelunique.com/brands/butter-london/Eyes

NOTE: Frost’s Favourite is not influenced by any sponsor or gifting

 

 

LK Bennett branches into fragrance

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London based LK Bennett, mostly known for its clothes and beautiful handbags, has decided to take a slice of the fragrance market with the launch of Signature. At Frost, we can’t get enough of its fresh, citrus scent and stunning art-deco inspired glass bottle, dressed with the iconic LK Bennett branding.

Unlike some of our favourite perfumes, Signature’s distinct tones will be noticeable long after application and everything about this product screams luxury. If you buy just a 30ml bottle, you’re getting that luxury at a fraction of the price too!

Scents apparently include ‘hypnotic’ top notes of citrus, pepper and rhubarb. Heart notes of rose, jasmine and ylang ylang add a floral flavour, with base notes of warm woods, dry amber, musk and vetiver.

Signature is available in three sizes (30ml – £35, 50ml – £49 and 100ml – £69 and is available to buy on www.lkbennett.com

And Then it Happened By Linda Green | Book of the Week

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and then it happened

Frost’s book of the week is And Then it Happened By Linda Green. A stunning book about love, family and strength. The book gives you a reminder to live in the moment and make the best of life. A heart-warming novel that will stay with you. 

 

The only man you’ve ever loved is slipping away…

Mel and Adam were childhood sweethearts and remain blissfully happy twenty years on.

And then it happens…

When tragedy strikes, Mel is faced with losing the only man she has ever loved. But what if he hasn’t really been taken from her at all – he just can’t find a way to let her know…

From the bestselling author of While My Eyes Were Closed comes a heart-breaking story of love against all odds.

Available here.

Review: Me and My Girl, Chichester Festival Theatre

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Me and My Girl
Chichester Festival Theatre (until 25 August)
Tickets: 01243 781312; cft.org.uk

Credit: Johan Persson

Chichester Festival Theatre director Daniel Evans (also at the helm of the show) earned groans of disappointment in response to his on-stage announcement that Matt Lucas was under Doctor’s orders to rest his voice and would not be appearing. But all was not lost, he quickly reassured us. With just two hours’ rehearsal the understudy had gamely agreed to step into the role.
Ryan Pidgen can surely now step into any role he pleases. In a totally self-assured, flawless performance, had we not known that Lucas was the intended leading man then we would have been none the wiser. On note, in step and word perfect, not for a nanosecond were we even remotely short-changed.
Playing the South London cheeky chappie Bill Snibson who suddenly needs to ‘posh up’ in order to take up his birth right as the unlikely heir of Hareford, Pidgen was not merely competent. Giving Bill warmth, exuberance and sweetness, he bounced around the stage like an adorable scamp of a puppy and, as the kids say, performed like a boss.
The plot may be lightweight, but elsewhere performances are also rock-solid. Clive Rowe as Sir John twinkles in tweed, later revealing a shy and long-nurtured love for Caroline Quentin’s splendidly redoubtable Duchess. A feisty old matriarch with a good heart, by golly she can’t half hoof, too!
Alex Young as Bill’s ‘girl’ Sally is in sweetly soaring voice and balances cockney chirpiness with a touching vulnerability.
When it comes to musical numbers it is fair to say that the majority (give or take The Lambeth Walk and The Sun Has Got His Hat On) are not especially memorable, but the dazzling choreography (nice work, Alistair David) and superb singing (and you, Gareth Valentine, Doug Besterman and Mark Cumberland) make the very best of the raw material.
Lez Brotherston’s stunning set manages to be both traditional and fairy tale – Downton meets Hogwarts, interspersed with the London skyline and beautifully lit by Tim Mitchell.
The night, however, belonged to the heroic Mr Pidgen. As an understudy who endured several ‘thrust-into-the-limelight’ moments (albeit without anything like such professionalism and sheer talent) I absolutely salute you, sir.
The perfect shot-in-the-arm antidote to all things Brexit and Trump, Me and My Girl teems with Pearly kings and queens and exudes triple espresso energy. An unashamedly frothy and feel-good extravaganza, cor blimey you’ll miss out if you don’t nab a Wilson Pickett!

REVIEWING THE PERFECT CRIME

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Jane Cable reviews the latest novel by one of Frost’s four writers

As regular readers of this column will know, to my shame I don’t read many books. The problem being that when I’m in my own characters’ heads I don’t want to be in anyone else’s. And with a good book I like to totally immerse myself in the world that the author has gone to so much effort to create.

It speaks volumes for Jackie Baldwin’s Perfect Dead, set in a freezing Scottish winter, that I actually felt cold reading it during a Cornish heatwave. I saw the ice on DI Farrell’s windscreen, experienced the damp chill of the remote cottage where the murder victim, artist Monro Stevenson, is found. The setting was brought so vividly to life that I was actually walking through the streets of the little coastal village, the salt tang of the sea in my hair, and driving down twisting lanes to remote country houses.

I have to admit that crime fiction is not my usual genre these days, although I do rather love watching re-runs of Midsomer Murders (I won’t call it a guilty pleasure because I fundamentally refuse to accept that any pleasure should be guilty). Cosy crime. Count the murders, find out who did it, save the last potential victim in a dramatic crisis then all go home for a cup of cocoa. Perfect. But not Perfect Dead.

What I am never sure about is whether it’s a good or a bad thing to be able to guess the perpetrator. Writing mysteries myself, I know only too well how hard it is to seed the story with just the right number of red herrings and clues. And Baldwin has a superb red herring in Perfect Dead – one I didn’t see coming until right at the last moment and which adds an extra layer of emotion to what is already an intense and gripping story.

This is a book where the characters’ internal journeys are as much an incentive to read on as solving the crime. Not just DI Farrell, working with the pull of the Catholic church in and around him, but the issues in the lives of his various colleagues are beautifully drawn and you find yourself caring as much about how these work out as you do about having the murderer brought to justice.

Perfect Dead is the second book in the DI Frank Farrell series so the characters’ lives are bound to pan out over time. This, and the quality of Baldwin’s writing, would in itself be enough to bring readers back for book three and my one argument with the Perfect Dead is that a major strand is left hanging, and far from being intrigued it left me feeling frustrated and a little short changed.

There’s something else I’ve discovered about crime books during this process – it is almost impossible to write a review of any length without giving away spoilers. So I won’t. Read the book for yourself and find out what happens. I promise you it’s worth it.

 

Most common reason new mums choose not to breastfeed their baby

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According to a survey of almost 3,500 new mums, polled by leading UK pregnancy resource Emma’s Diary a resounding 94% chose to breastfeed their baby with 72% saying they did this to reduce their baby’s chances of contracting an infection or disease, a further 22% of mums breastfeed to bond emotionally with their baby.

The survey also revealed that the most common reason mums chose not to breastfeed was due to difficulty with ‘latching on’ or the positioning of baby, other common reasons included feelings of discomfort or soreness.

Professional midwife Hannah Harvey told Emma’s Diary: “Despite being an entirely natural process, breastfeeding doesn’t come easy to everyone. While many women take to it without difficulty, for some it can take longer to establish.  Breastfeeding can be the most wonderful and natural experience for you and your baby but what’s often needed is a little patience and practice. The most common reason for sore nipples while breastfeeding is incorrect positioning and means that your baby isn’t latched on properly and is sucking the nipple rather than the surrounding areola.”

“Soreness can also occur for a number of other reasons too, such as if your baby is taken off the breast without the suction being broken first, wearing soggy breast pads, using too much soap which can dry the skin and developing a sensitivity to certain creams or sprays. To avoid soreness, you need to first make sure your baby is attached to your breast correctly, explained Harvey.”

Top tips for avoiding soreness:

  • Keep nipples dry and expose them to the air as much as possible
  • Avoid using soap or other perfumed products on the nipples
  • Regularly change breast pads so they are fresh and dry
  • Wear a cotton bra to let the air circulate
  • Rub a couple of drops of your own milk into your nipple and areola after a feed

Once mastered, the majority of women will find breastfeeding the simplest and most satisfying way to feed their baby.  Emma’s Diary supports the Department of Health and UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) which recommends exclusive breastfeeding until a baby is six months old.

Faye Mingo, Marketing Director at Emma’s Diary explained: “There are numerous benefits to be had from breastfeeding not just for baby but for mum too, so we believe that getting the right advice from the outset will help to make the journey much smoother. Collaborating with medical bodies and practicing midwives means we can provide up to date, accurate information to support mums every step of the way.”

Did you know?

  • Breastfeeding burns at least 500 calories a day, so it can also support women getting back into shape post labour.
  • Breastfeeding for at least six months significantly reduces the risk of pre-menopausal breast cancer and can also protect you from osteoporosis, ovarian cancer and type 2 diabetes. You can read more here: http://www.emmasdiary.co.uk/baby/breastfeeding/benefits-of-breastfeeding

Top tips for ensuring your baby is ‘latching on’ correctly:

·       To get started, hold your baby close to you with her chest against your chest, her nose opposite the nipple (so that she can reach the breast easily) and her head, shoulders and body in a straight horizontal line.

·       Your baby needs to take a good mouthful of breast tissue – both the nipple and the surrounding dark area called the areola. With her head tilted back, bring her chin and bottom lip to the breast (rather than move your breast towards your baby) and get her to brush your nipple with her lips, which stimulates her to open her mouth wide.

·       Once her mouth is open really wide, bring her to the breast quickly. Aim her bottom lip below the base of your nipple. Her chin should be touching your breast and her nose should be free so that she can breathe easily. Your baby is properly latched on when her mouth is wide open and she has a big mouthful of breast.

·      She should settle into a feeding rhythm quite quickly, starting with short sucks then taking longer, deeper sucks with pauses and you will notice her jaw moving as she feeds.

Getting your baby properly ‘latched on’ and into the right position will help to make breastfeeding comfortable and feeding efficient.  Midwife, Hannah Harvey explores six of the most popular breastfeeding positions for mums to try:

Cradle – a classic breastfeeding position where baby nestles in your arms with its head resting on your forearm and its tummy facing towards. This position is popular with older babies who have more control over their head movement.

Cross Cradle – great for newborns who are learning to latch on correctly as it allows greater control. Baby’s body is placed across the front of your body, one of your arms runs along the length of the baby’s back and the other supports the neck and head. Breastfeeding pillows can also provide extra support.

Side Lying– very useful if you are recovering from a C-section or want a comfortable position for night feeds. This is great for relaxed feeding and bonding. Lay down on your bed with your arm tucked behind your head for comfort and support, latch your baby onto the breast closest to the bed and line up their tummy with yours.

Rugby Hold  – a favourite position of many new mums (also known as the under-arm or clutch position) it’s useful for smaller and premature babies and helpful after a C-section. Women with larger breasts or twins, may also find this position works well for them. Baby lies in a hold underneath your arm facing you, using pillows to support, your baby’s feet point in the direction of the sofa or chair you are sitting on.

Back Lying– also known as ‘laid back’ breastfeeding as it is a very comfortable and natural experience.  Baby lays tummy to mummy in a feeding-ready position. Lay back with a cushion to support your back, place baby onto your chest. This is a great position for early days and useful if you’ve had a C-section.

Twist Front Cross– (sometimes called double cross cradle) this is a good position for tandem feeding twins. Each baby is placed in the opposite direction to the other with their heads resting on the left and right crooks of your arms.

For more details, visit Emma’s to watch breastfeeding positions via this helpful video: http://www.emmasdiary.co.uk/baby/breastfeeding/how-to-breastfeed