Don’t forget that today is the last day you can get Viv’s Family Recipes for only £0.99, or $0.99.
http://mybook.to.FamilyRecipes
I’ve just seen that it has a 5* review on Amazon. Weh Heh!
Tag Archives: books
Book Offer
Starting tomorrow, 17th November, Viv’s Family Recipes will be on sale for only £0.99 or $0.99. This offer will last only until 23rd November, so be quick and don’t miss it.
The recipes in this book are from Viv’s family and friends. It is not only a recipe book for today, but also gives insight into how people cooked and ate in years gone by. The recipes date from 1909 to the present day.
There are also little anecdotes telling of the people whom the book mentions.
Get your copy by clicking on this link.
Addition of a new page.
Hi, Everybody,
I have been writing historical novels under the name of Emily Littler. I currently have one pubished, called Vengeance of a Slave. I started a website in order to promote it and get it known that it exists. However, I’m finding it well nigh impossible to keep up with both this site and that one so I’ve decided to add a page here dedicated to Emily’s novels.
Time on the World of Vimar
The time of Vimar, the planet on which the continent of Khalram stands, is calculated differently from that of Earth. Here is a little about it.
From early times, it was known that the planet Vimar took almost exactly three hundred and sixty days to travel around its sun, the people divided this into twelve months of thirty days each. This number, and the three hundred and sixty days in the year meant that the number six took on a significance, and so they further divided each month into five ‘weeks’ of six days each. This was called a ‘sixday’.
The months were unrelated to moon phases as the planet has two moons, Lyndor and Ullin, each with a different cycle, but the study of the moon phases became important as they were believed to indicate something of the future, both for individuals and the world as a whole.
The year was deemed to begin at the Vernal Equinox when life was beginning to spring anew, and each of the twelve months was named after one of the gods of Vimar. (See Appendix 2) the first month of Grilldar was called after the god Grillon, god of nature.
The months are as follows:
Spring Remit of God Ruling God
Grilldar Nature Grillon
Kassidar All Kassilla
Zoldar Knowledge Zol
Summer
Candar Weather and Sea Candello
Sylissdar Life and Healing Sylissa
Allendrindar Persuasion and deceit Allandrina
Autumn
Pardar Agriculture Parador
Rothdar Mining and Roth
metalworking
Bardar War Barnat
Winter
Bramadar Marriage and the family Bramara
Majordar Magic Majora
Khaldar Death and the underworld Khalhera
Days used to begin at dawn whatever the season or place in the world, but eventually it was seen fit to begin them at the time of dawn at the Vernal Equinox in all parts of the world, which was the equivalent of 6 am on Earth. Each day was about the same length as that of Earth, and because of the importance of the number six and its multiples, each day was divided, as on Earth, into twenty four hours and hours into sixty minutes. Seconds not usually considered on the planet as timing to that accuracy was neither needed nor for most people possible. Thus the second hour of the day would be equivalent to 8 am on Earth. Noon on Earth corresponds to the sixth hour on Vimar etc.
You can buy books 1 and 2, The Wolf Pack and The Never Dying Man by following the links below.
A freebie
From today, The Stones of Earth and Air will be free on Amazon until 18th September.
Don’t miss this chance to get your free copy of book 1 of Elemental Worlds.
Review of Judas by Roy Bright
Judas Iscariot. A name reviled down the ages. It was thought he committed suicide when he realised the enormity of what he had done in betraying Jesus Christ, but his punishment is far worse.
God condemned him to walk the Earth forever, never able to die.
Now he has been given a task. He has to look after a small girl until she passes her seventh birthday. Just a few days. that’s all. A simple task, you would think, but, of course, it’s never that simple. This is a special girl. One who will prevent Lucifer from entering the world.
Lucifer actively seeks the child, sending his devils in disguise. Murder and meyhem ensue…
I am not saying any more about the plot of this book. I don’t want to spoil it for you.
The character of Judas is well drawn. He is complex, as one might expect, having lived 2,000 years. The other characters are believable, too. There is the policeman who is forced to re-evaluate his religious beliefs when confronted with the evidence of his own eyes, and also the hooker dragged into the conflict, who shows courage she didn’t know she had.
Finally, Charlotte, the little girl. She is very much like a typical six-year-old, except for the fact that the horrors she witnesses do not seem to faze her. Yes, she is afraid, but a normal child of her age would be traumatised. But then, she’s not a normal child, is she?
The writing is good. The pace keeps you on the edge of your seat, waiting for the next event. At first, I thought I would not like the fact that it is written in the present tense, but as I got into the book, I realised it adds to the immediacy and tension of the story. It also helps wit flashbacks, which are written in the past. You know that this is a previous event.
There is one thing that I found a bit disconcerting, though, Towards the cmimax of the story, the author does rather a lot of ‘head-hopping’, jumping from one charachter’s point of view to another.
All in all, a good read,
An Interview with Magister Robiam, the chief Mage in the land of Grosmer. From The Wolf Pack–a fantasy adventure.
This month I have managed to prize an interview out of
Magister Robiam, the chief mage in the Mage Tower in 
Hambara.
Me: Thank you very much for allowing me this time in what must be a very busy schedule.
Robiam: Not at all, my dear. We must keep the press happy. Magic is still not fully trusted you know.
Me: After the Mage War and the Forbidding I suppose you mean. Arch-Mage Yssalithisandra told me about that.
Robiam: Yes. I can’t understand why it is taking so long for people to realise that
magic isn’t evil. It’s just a tool, and the users can equally put it to good or bad use. Just as a knife can be used to cut up food for the preparation of a meal, and also to kill or injure someone. The knife isn’t evil, just the user.
Me: Quite. You are a magister, sir. Tell me what that means.
Robiam: It is the highest rank that a mage can reach. When an apprentice passes
his or her tests, they are welcomed into the ranks of mages and go by the title
of simply ‘Mage’. The first year of their ‘mageship’ if you wish to call it that, is a
probationary year. They cannot ‘fail’ this year though. It is mainly to let people know
that this person is very newly qualified. Thus, folk know that their experience is limited
and not expect too much of them. The probation can be extended or shortened.
depending on the mage in question.
Me: What happens after the probation is finished?
Robiam: The mage continues to be a simple mage until, or if, they reach a certain
standard when they will become an Arch-Mage. Many do not progress beyond
being a simple Mage of course.
Me: And to progress to Magister an Arch-Mage must reach another, much higher
standard?
Robiam: You’ve got it; but the level for Magister is extremly high and few manage
to make it.
Me: So there are only 3 ‘levels’ in the magic profession?
Robiam: Yes. Of course, once there were many more. Newly-qualified mages were
known as a Conjurors, then they would progress to Magicians, Sorcerors, Wizards etc.
Me: Why was this scrapped?
Robiam: It was too cumbersome, and mages are rather fond of their independence. They are free spirits, if you like. They do not like to be regimented, and so it was simplified.
Me: Why not do away with ranks completely then?
Robiam: It was suggested, but the Magister in charge of the Tower at the time thought
that the general public should have at least some idea of the power of the mage they
were dealing with, and so it was decided to retain 3 ranks. (Although if you consider it,
there are really 4, including the probationary mages.)
Me: Thank you for making that clear, Magister. I was wondering, however, ahout those
who fail their mage tests. What happens to them?
Robiam: Unfortunately there are always a few who have a little magic but insufficient to pass the tests. We do not turn them out into the world to create havoc, which they could easily do. We make them associates of the Tower and they become entertainers, keep shops selling magic items, become adventurers etc.
Me: Thank you very much, Magister for your time.
If you would like to know more about the magic on Vimar, the world in which Magister Robiam and the other people I’ve interviewed live, you can buy the first two books in the Wolves of Vimar Series, available from Amazon in ebook ot paperback formats. They are The Wolf Pack and The Never-Dying Man. Follow these links.
If you have read either or both of these books I would be most grateful if you would post a review, Reviews are important to authors because it is the main way that other people find their books. If you have done so, or are going to do so, Thank you very much.
Cover Reveal
I’ve just received the covers for Book 1 of Elemental Worlds. Here it is.
Let me know what you think of it.
Review of Terry Ravenscroft’s Stairlift to Heaven 2. Further up the Stairlift.
For those of you who have never heard of Terry Ravenscroft, he is a writer of comedy. He has written for such people as Les Dawson and The Two Ronnies, and has also been the script writer for such shows as Alas Smith and Jones, Not the Nine 0’Clock News and many others.
This book does not fail to live up to the expectations such a CV would lead one to expect. It is full of humerous anecdotes of his escapades with his friend, Atkins.
Atkins seems to be just the same kind of person as Terry Ravenscroft and the two egg each other on to all kinds of misdemeanours from misleading someone in a charity shop to believe he had found a valuable piece of pottery to annoying cold callers on the telephone.
This is the second book Mr Ravenscroft has written about his life in retirement and I am looking forward to reading Book 3.
Definitely worth a read. I award it 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5 stars for Amazon.
The Legend of Grillon and Parador.
Grillon and Parador are two of the gods of Vimar, the world I created when I started to write The Wolves of Vimar Series.
Grillon is the god of Nature and wild things and Parador is the goddess of Agriculture. The legend is told each year on the first day of spring, which is also the start of the year on Vimar. The first month of the year is called after Grillon, and is known as Grilldar. It falls roughly the same time as mid-March to mid-April on Earth.
I hope you enjoy this poem, which also appears in the first book of The Wolves of Vimar, The Wolf Pack. The friends spend this day in Roffley on their way to find the Sword of the legendary king, Sauvern, who united the land of Grosmer.
On the eve of Grildar, morality is lax, and there are many children conceived at this time. They are considered as blessed, though, and are thought of as the children of the god, and not conceived of human males.
Legend of Grillon and Parador
One day the Lord of Nature was walking all alone
When beside a hidden pool a lovely sight was shown.
For bathing in the moonlight, where no-one should have been
Was a beauteous maiden, the loveliest he’d e’er seen.
Lord Grillon lost his heart to her
This maiden oh so fair.
He vowed that she would be his own
His life with her would share.
He showed himself at once to her
As forward he did tread.
She said “And who are you, good sir?
Should you not be abed?”
Oh lovely maid, my love, my life,
I ne’er will rest again.
Unless you come to be my wife
My heart will feel such pain.”
And so fair Parador was wed
To Grillon. She agreed
To always sleep within his bed
And others ne’er to heed.
But evil now will turn to dust
That love and bliss
For Barnat after her did lust
And swore she’d be his.
He poisoned Grillon’s mind and said
She was untrue
That she had been into his bed
And others too.
Lord Grillon he was truly sad
That she should treat him so.
He thought that he’d go truly mad
So far from her he’d go.
Now Parador had done no wrong
To deserve this fate.
She could not any more be strong
Beneath Lord Grillon’s hate.
So mourn she did and all the world
Did join with her in sorrow.
All green things died and creatures curled
All safely in their burrow.
But in good time, Lord Grillon found
How false the god of war.
He came to her and he reclaimed
The love of his wife once more.
So once again the land grew green
And springtime came again.
And summer’s warmth and life serene
While she forgot her pain.
And so each year the land remembers
The love of Parador
And autumn comes and winter’s embers
Till Spring returns once more.
