Two fabulous novels launched in one day – do go – by Milly Adams

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Oliver Eade who won the Words for the Wounded’s Georgina Hawtrey-Woore Award, young adult fiction category with The Kelpie’s Eyes has created yet another belter of a book, The Parth Path.

 

With Iona Carroll author of Homecoming, he  is holding an exciting launch at Old Gate house, Scott Street, Galashiels on Saturday 14th July, and they would love to see you all any time between two and four pm. There will be refreshments, and the opportunity to support Words for the Wounded. Children very welcome.

 

The Parth Path is set in post-apocalyptic Scotland dominated by women, and Peter who has escaped from a mancamp hopes to reach the island with Rea, a beautiful clonie. How could he have known that this has all been engineered as part of the Parth Path’s parthenogenesis programme to create the Immortal Controller… an invincible leader whose clones will rule forever.

Homecoming is more contemporary as it explores the life of Oisin Kelly who has put down roots in the outback Queensland town of Kilgoolga. Here his life becomes entwined with Vietnam War veteran, Harry. Past traumatic events affect both men in similar and sometimes surprising ways. As Oisin discovers more and more hidden secrets he begins to wonder where his life is leading, and where his true home really is. Decisions have to be made as to which force is more powerful. Will it be the power of love over evil that will triumph and bring him home?

The third in the Oisin Kelly series, but a stand alone.

These are both heart warming and thought provoking books. Do pop in and chat to the authors.

Words for the Wounded was founded by author Margaret Graham, aka Milly Adams, and run by Margaret/Milly and two other grannies who raise funds to help injured and unwell veterans. The grannies absorb all expenses so every penny raised via literary events, and things like hoofing themselves over assault courses, or plunging to earth in skydives, goes to where it’s needed.

Supported by patrons including Julian Fellowes, Louis de Bernieres, Paddy Ashdown, work goes on unabated, because it is needed.

‘…We are honoured to be involved in this wonderful charity.’  Julian Fellowes

 

Words for the Wounded

Homecoming.

The Parth Path

Old Gate house, Scott Street, Galashiels on Saturday 14th July Between 2- 4 pm.

 

 

 

Love On The Waterways By Milly Adams Book Review

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love on the waterwaysReading a Milly Adams novel is like having the perfect cup of tea on the sofa and talking to a friend. It is comforting, entertaining, and you always learn something new. The second novel in the Waterway girls series is as good as the first. I raced through it and loved every word. Get yourself a copy now. 

 

THE SECOND NOVEL IN MILLY ADAMS’ BRAND NEW SAGA SERIES. Perfect for fans of Daisy Styles and Nancy Revell.

March 1944, West London: it’s been five months since Verity Clement fled home for a life on Britain’s canals and she could never have imagined how tough it would get. Yet hauling cargo between London and Birmingham is far easier to face than the turbulence she’s left behind.

When Verity’s sweetheart returns unexpectedly from the front line, she dares to dream of a brighter future. But life aboard the Marigold is never smooth sailing. New recruit Sylvia is struggling with demons from her past while crewmate Polly must carry on in the wake of devastating news. Verity does her best to help, but a shocking discovery is about to turn her own life upside-down.

As the realities of war begin to take their toll, the waterway girls will have to pull together if they are to survive the uncertain times ahead…

Available from Amazon.

6 Oddest Locations To Go This Vacation

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Looking to make your vacation special? Sure, you could go to Paris, and we are sure you would love to spend some time near the Eiffel tower. Or, you could go to India and make a visit to the Taj Mahal. 

However, if you are looking to make your vacation truly memorable, and want to do it by going somewhere, that doesn’t feature on everyone’s itinerary, here is a list of where you can go. 

The Top 6 Odd Locations that Can Also be The Perfect Vacation Spots

We are sure you are looking for new ways to take a holiday. Here is a look at some of the best places you can go to that you are sure nobody else has visited!

  1. Rosewell, New Mexico 

If you are a believer in extraterrestrial activities, then this is the place that fits right for you. In 1947, it was believed that an unidentified object crash landed at this site, with aliens. 

The area is now sealed as an extraterrestrial zone. There are various documents available in the International UFO Museum and Research Centre to support that incident. Every year, on 4 the of July weekend, a Rosewell UFO festival is organised which showcases alien costume themed parade, concerts, workshops and more. Don’t worry, while you may not be able to go to the site, you could head off to the city of Rosewell any day! 

  1. Salton Sea, California 

The largest lake in California is present right in between its desert. It is an unusual and amazing sight. The Salton Sea formed in 1905 after the Colorado River flooded, its water was directed through canals which led to the formation of the river. The most amazing fact about this River is that it is 220ft below the sea level and its water is 30% saltier than the Pacific Ocean. It is an unusual site to see a river in the middle of a desert.

  1. Meteor Crater, Arizona 

It is one of the biggest holes on the earth formed by a meteor which landed here around 50000 years ago. It is 1 mile in length and 600 feet deep. It is an out of this world experience to witness a mammoth hole inside the earth.

  1. Coral Castle, Florida 

It is known to be a testament of love Built by a Latvian immigrant Edward_Leedskalnin after rejection from his fiancee just a day before his wedding. It is believed to be made from 2.2 tons of Coral. It is said that Ed single-handedly built it by using reverse magnetism.   Some believe he even had a kind of supernatural power and could move and carve heavy stones. It is said to have unusual electromagnetic properties.

  1. Juel’s Undersea Lodge, Florida

It is an underwater lodge but in 22 feet under the surface which consists 20-foot chambers underwater with a transparent view through which we can see the creatures in the sea swimming by and all other attractions of the sea. Out luggage gets delivered to us in watertight containers, and we can even order food which will again be received in watertight containers.

  1. Carhenge, Nebraska

Jim Reinders built it in 1987 in the loving memory of his father. It is a replica of the Stonehenge. The unique feature about it is that it is built up by 38 vintage American cars. It is an amazing stop for a road trip.

Where are you planning your next vacation in? Let us know below! 

 

 

A Day in the Life of award winning author, Michael Forester.

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Michael Forester is the winner of the WforW Georgina Hawtrey-Woore Award for Independent Authors: Non-Fiction Category with If it Wasn’t for That Dog! A funny, and heart warming account of moving from the world of sound to silence in the company of Matt.

When I wake in the morning, my first act is to reach out, to check he is still breathing. He has been with me close on fourteen years now; fourteen years of inestimable joy, not only for me, but also for just about everyone whose life he touches.

His first job used to be to wake me in the morning when the alarm rang. Being close to profoundly deaf, I can’t hear it myself. Then he would delight to spend his day telling me about the other sounds I cannot hear in my home and workplace. When the doorbell rang, he would touch my knee and lead me to the door. If the smoke alarm went off, he would tell me in the same way, then lie down. You don’t want to be led into a fire, do you?

 

As the years rolled on, the light touch morphed into throwing himself at me – a quicker act than touching, then dashing to the door in frenzied excitement to see who was there. And there was always the reward, of course. Nothing does it for him like Bonios; or carrots. Later in life we discovered that carrots, too, transport him to a world of bliss – but only after dinner was finished. He knows the rules. But that doesn’t stop him negotiating for extra treats. He knows that once in a while I’ll melt at the sight of those eyes – the eyes do it to me every time. His love is in his eyes, and after all, I’m only human.

 

Matt has been my hearing dog for over thirteen years. Now, at well over fourteen years of age, his own hearing has gone and his eyesight is failing fast. I keep close to him when we walk at the New Milton Recreation Ground in the mornings, in case he panics at loosing sight of me and runs off home.

 

In the evenings we sit, watching the stars appear, his head on my lap, my hand stroking gently down the length of his body. Then it’s bed, where he snuffles and licks my face before settling for the night. He knows I’m only human. He knows I need to be told I am loved. Please be there tomorrow. Don’t go. Not just yet…

This article first appeared in New Milton Mail on 11.7.17 and Frost Magazine uses it with grateful thanks.

Michael Forester’s book If It Wasn’t For That Dog! is about his first year with his hearing dog, Matt, and is available, signed personally, from michaelforester.co.uk/books  .

Michael’s web site, michaelforester.co.uk is regularly updated with details of his activities and includes a widely read blog at michaelforester.co.uk/blog

Breaking News*
Michael  is delighted to offer a 20% donation direct to Words for the Wounded on the cover price of all purchases of If It Wasn’t For That Dog! that come by referral from WforW. This offer will draw to a close on 31st December 2018.
To take advantage of Michael’s kindness, customers will need to find their way to his web site, and the book’s page at that site. The full reference for the page is:
The following short link will also take you there and may be easier to use.
The method for ordering the book is obvious at the page – you need to click the ‘add to basket’ button.
At the checkout page, apply the coupon: words-for-the-wounded
(Be sure to click the ‘apply coupon’ button)
The donation will then be directed to Words for the Wounded.

If it Wasn’t for That Dog! by Michael Forester: pub Paralight Press. Available from Amazon.co.uk  in e-book and paperback.

Michael Forester’s new book, Vicious: a novel of punk rock and the second coming is available on Amazon at

http://tiny.cc/4xnsry

 

Good grief: how to write about death and loss in fiction

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By Nicholas Leigh, exclusively for Frost Magazine

author Nicholas Leigh with permission from anthony.harvison@palamedes.co.uk

Death happens many times a day – loss is as common as taking a train. But when it is you who loses someone you love, it becomes a moment of rare devastation.

To write about loss and the grief that comes with it is, then, to write about the utterly constant and the crushing rarity at the same time. It falls to the writer to reflect the existence of these contradictory feelings within a single moment – in other words, to reflect real life. The pleasure and comfort of reading comes, as wise folk have said in the past, from a complete stranger saying to you, I have been through what you are going through now – and I understand how you feel. A writer telling a story about loss and its grief takes on the mantle not just of storyteller but also counsellor, and perhaps even healer. 

To honour this considerable responsibility, the issues that any writer intent on creating a good piece of work – how to form living, breathing characters, bring to life the world they live in and tell their story in an exciting, gripping manner – remain. Added on top is the question of how you respect the loss your reader has experienced, and recognise their grief, without undermining the story, or making it unreadable to others who just want to immerse themselves in a good, if emotional tale. To achieve this, it may help to consider yourself an archaeologist.

Loss – and in particular grief – is a many-layered experience. You cannot help someone who is grieving by simply saying, let me help you. As another wise person once said, if you were capable of sharing my grief, I would gladly let you have it all. Instead, you have to start at ground level, and then dig down through each of the layers of that relationship, descending through your character’s experiences with the person they have lost, the happy times and the difficult periods, the reversals of expectation, the times when it was not they who let your lead down, but vice versa. All of these layers need to be explored, deciphered, decoded, and it is this exploration that could form much of your story.

You must keep on going until you reach what lies beneath it all: the love that causes this grief to be so painful. For at the heart of the matter is the heart itself. To write about loss is to write about love. The writer must ensure that the love story at the centre of a tale about grief is well-drawn, convincing – perhaps even a little complicated.

Stories remind us of the people in our lives, and how we feel about them. So when you cry from reading, you are often really crying for yourself, and for those closest to you. To give your story the heart it needs to have the power you desire, open up the best resource you have available: yourself and your experiences. Write as if you were talking about those closest to you, even if your story takes place in the Fourteenth Century, or on a planet light years away. The simple humanity that comes from talking about simple human experiences will emerge and could provide readers you will never get to meet with a helping hand in dealing with their own grief just when they needed it the most. 

Nicholas Leigh is a British author whose intelligent and individualistic novels are based on relationships and human interactions. His books include Blood Harmonies, The Condition, The Confession of Dieter Berenson, and his latest novella, Two Women. All are available now through Liborwich Publishing on Amazon UK

Jamaica Cove Black Pineapple Rum by Milly Adams

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A few years ago I learned to swim properly. By that I mean putting my face in the water … Yes, sad isn’t it. To celebrate we went on holiday to Jamaica so I could dive on the reefs. Show off in other words. It was sublime. One day we went on a trip to a rum plantation, distillery or whatever one calls it. And bought some, of course.

Therefore I was delighted to taste the luscious rumbustious Jamaica Cove Black Pineapple Rum. Heavens …

 

A 100% pure Jamaican rum, it is laced with pineapple, for a really tropical flavour.  it brought my holiday right back into focus, and with the weather as it us, rush out and buy some. Just the right drink for these sultry evenings.

This rum is aged for up to three years and has an ABV of 40%. Jamaica Cove Black Pineapple Rum is the perfect base for adding depth and pineapple ‘kick’ to classic Pina Coladas – currently tipped by bartenders as the “Next Big Thing” on the UK cocktail scene.

Jamaica Cove Rum draws its inspiration from tales of smugglers landing on Cornwall’s beaches in the dead of night in small skiffs. The coves around Falmouth became a favourite smuggler’s haunt; shipwrecks were marooned off the rock Cornish coast and the coves were used to conceal the plundered cargo – including Jamaican Rum and pineapple.

 

Pineapple is the fruit most associated with the Caribbean.  It was “discovered” by Christopher Columbus on his inaugural trip to the region and subsequently plantations were established by the British, Portuguese, French and Dutch to satisfy demand. The pineapple has been adopted as a symbol of hospitality across many cultures and has been enjoying a resurgence in popularity both as an ingredient and design motif.

 

The Pina Colada

50ml Jamaica Cove Black Pineapple Rum

25ml coconut cream

15ml Single cream

25ml pineapple juice

Put all the ingredients into a blender, add a scoop of crushed ice & blend.

Pour into a sour or Collins glass and garnish with thick slice of pineapple.

 

Jamaica Cove Black Pineapple Rum has an RRSP of £26 (70cl) and is available from:

Master of Malt:  www.masterofmalt.com

Drink Finder:       www.drinkfinder.com

Amazon:              www.amazon.com

 

www.jamaicacoverum.com | Twitter: @jamaicaicoverum  | https://www.facebook.com/jamaicaicoverum/

 

BUSINESS OF BOOKS: FIRST, LAST, EVERYTHING – CHILDREN’S AUTHOR CHRISTOPHER JOYCE

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What was the first piece of writing advice you received?

I armed myself with How Not to Write a Novel by Newman and Middlemark, which is both hilarious and packed full of tips, and The Art of Writing Fiction a rather more scholarly book by Andrew Cowan. 

The first book covers plot, character, style and much more. Each tip is accompanied by bad examples with headings such as ‘The Gum on the Mantelpiece’ where the author makes much play about said-piece of confectionery and then NEVER refers to it again. Anyone else guilty of that? Another of my favourites is a section entitled ‘Said the Fascinating Man” where the author tells the reader what you think of his writing. “Was it a fish?” the girl said eloquently.

The section on what not to name your cat in your story includes:

  • after a composer (Bartok, Mahler)
  • Mr + adjective + anatomical feature (Mr fluffy paws)
  • Magnificat – or similar pun

I think I got away with naming the cat in my book, The Creatures of Chichester – The One About The Smelly Ghosts. I decided on Purrcasso as she lives at the art gallery. What do you think? Did it stray into Magnificat territory?

Mr Cowan’s book is more learned with lots of writing exercises he used with his students at UEA, I believe. These include exercises on creating great dialogue, using all the senses and many more. I created a special notebook to do them all. It’s mostly still empty but – one day.

 

What was the most recent writing advice you gave or received?

Sometimes it really is okay to tell not show. Every course I’ve ever attended and blog you read talk about showing not telling. It can become obsessive. At some point, it’s better to just say: ‘it’s midnight’ rather than: ‘Bats passed silently by the ancient metal hands of the church clock as they moved into a vertical position.’ This is particularly true in children’s books where most kids want action. I am, however, a fan of using show not tell in dialogue though. Better to write His clenched fist was inches from her face, “I Hate you!” said Bob then “I hate you,” said Bob angrily. In fact, part of my editing process is to remove as many adverbs as I can.

 

What’s the piece of advice you’d most like to pass on?

Once you’ve written and edited your work get in proofread by a professional. This is not your sister, who is an English graduate; not your neighbour, who studied law and is very bright and NEVER yourself. It’s impossible. I would add that Grammarly is great at picking up many obvious errors, and it’s free too.

If you can afford an editor then this will also make a huge difference. There are lots of good books and courses on this but, like the proofreading tip above, it’s very hard to do this objectively yourself. reedsy.com is a great source of advice on what you need to consider and also provide experts who can do this for you.

Finally, if you decide to self-publish (as Mark Twain and the Bronte sisters did) then pay for a professional cover designer. If you’ve taken a year or more to write the best book you can, then surely this must be worth it? There are also lots of good books and webinars on this but it’s like me downloading a book on how to play the violin. All the information is there, but I can assure you that my mother would testify that even though I passed grade 1 at junior school, it does not make me a member of the orchestra. If you’re a good writer then write. Leave the editing, proofreading and cover design to somebody else.

 

Christopher Joyce has written six books in The Creatures of Chichester series and produced The Alien Cookbook with out-of-this-world recipes for kids of all ages. He also promotes self-publishing through CHINDI a group of independent authors in the UK. www.creaturesofchichester.com. www.chindi-authors.co.uk

 

The Tempest at St Paul’s Church, Covent Garden, London – Theatre Review by Paul Vates

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“The bats waft around during the closing scenes”

 

Iris Theatre has now opened its double-bill of open-air shows in the glorious ‘hidden’ gardens behind St Paul’s Church, in the very beating heart of Covent Garden. The theatre programme has some really fascinating articles and, to quote one of them: It is interesting that the term ‘tempest’ in Alchemy means ‘sifting impurities from a mixture’.

 

How prescient a statement, as this bold production itself is in need of a little ‘sifting’. It’s a promenade presentation – the audience moved each time there was a shift in the play: totalling five times.From one hard bench to another. I just felt it completely unnecessary as the poor actors had to keep picking up the dropped pace and atmosphere that they had so gallantly been creating.

 

 

Prospero holding Miranda

A small cast of six actors, most playing two parts, valiantly fight their surroundings to tell us this magical tale. There are illusions and trickery throughout – these sleights of hand adding to the fantastical mood. Holding the fort is Prospero – played by a booming Jamie Newall. Joanne Thomson is his daughter, Miranda: wide-eyed and flirty. A pure moment of theatre happened as she slept – placed under a spell by her father – as a bespotted blackbird chick flew onto the stage, resting on her thigh for a few seconds. It waited it had the audience’s full attention before flying off…

 

 

Ariel

The brightest star in this firmament is Charlotte Christensen, as Ariel. She dances, sings, plays instruments and flits about: her beautiful and piercing blue eyes reaching the back row.

 

St Paul’s Church

 

After the interval – for the overblown masque scene to occur – we are led into the church itself. The audience gasped in awe, making me question why the whole play wasn’t performed in this space: Prospero’s ‘cave’. Acoustically and visually stunning it felt like a wasted opportunity.

 

The comedy, as usual comes from the drunken servants Trinculo and Stephano.

 

Trinculo, Stephano and Caliban

 

Paul Brendan and Reginald Edwards are delightful and fun, adding to the gaiety of their scenes. They will, no doubt, get funnier as the run progresses. The ensemble is completed by Prince Plockey (who plays the slave Caliban, coming to life in the drinking scenes) and Linford Johnson (the love interest!). Linford’s Prince Ferdinand is a little too quiet and bland for my liking – maybe I prefer my Prince’s to have a tad more oomph!

 

The bats waft around during the closing scenes in the garden – even in central London! Who knew?! – and it all ends happily. Two and a half hours, with no onsite toilet… No wonder I was a little distracted from the play.

 

Photography:     Courtesy of Nick Rutter

 

Venue:               St Paul’s Church, Covent Garden, London WC2E 9ED

Running:            Until Saturday 28th July 2018 at 7.30pm, plus matinees at 2.30pm

(Please refer to their website for exact performance schedule)

Running Time:   2hr40m (with an interval)

Tickets:              £15 – £20

www.iristheatre.com

 

Twitter:               @IrisTheatre #IrisTempest

 

Producers:         Iris Theatre

Director:             Daniel Winder

Musical Director: Tim Shaw

Set Design:        Mike Leopold