Tag Archives: books

A Halloween Poem.

Tonight is Halloween. This is an ancient festival that we have adapted to our own times. This poem harks back to those times when people really believed that the spirits of the dead could return to Earth, including demons and other malevolent creatures.

Hallowe’en

 

The moon has hidden her face tonight
Turned away from the Earth.
The clouds are scurrying away in fright
From what the night may give birth,
For tonight the veil is thin.

The wind is blowing the leaves around.
They hide in crannies and nooks.
Cowering, shivering, hope not to be found
By phantoms, ghosts and spooks,
For tonight the veil may tear.

Build a bonfire, create some light.
The spirits are afraid.
They like the shadows, shun what’s bright
And lurk within the shade
For tonight they cross the veil.

Ghouls and spectres, wraiths and shades
Return to Earth tonight.
We’re filled with dread as daylight fades.
The smallest sound will give us fright
For tonight the veil has gone.

This poem appears in my poetry book, Miscellaneous Thoughts. It is available in your favourite store, as ebook, or ‘real’ book.

There are more Halloween poems there as well as others from the various seasons, the countries of the UK, limericks, Haiku and many other things.

Most of my poetry is rhyming poems, so if you enjoy that kind of poetry, you will probably enjoy my poems.

Get your copy by clicking on the image of the book in the sidebar or the button below.

Did you like my poem? All comments will be read and answered. Add yours in the comments box.

Review of Nebula by Robert Scanlon

Overview

I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. 

In all honesty, I wish I’d read Book 1, Constellation, before reading this, as it’s the second book in the trilogy. Having said that, it is possible to read this without reading book 1 because Mr Scanlon skillfully fills in the gaps during the story without making it seem like an infodump.

The story is told in first person present tense. Not my favourite tense to read, but I got used to it as the story progressed. It seems to be the current fashion.

Story.

India Jackson is, for want of a better word, a Space Pirate. She is recruited to find out what Oberon, the leader of a different sector, is planning in order to capture Constellation, a ship that India secured for her sector. (Book 1)

A Space Station is destroyed, and India is accused of the deed. She flees with her crew to unsavoury parts of the galaxy in order to find out more, but with a price on her head, and possible traitors, it’s difficult for her.

I cannot say more without spoilers.

Blurb

Indy Jackson has had enough of war politics. After beating rival space fleets into submission and reclaiming a fabled battlecruiser, she refuses to kowtow to the derisive attacks from the military. But when an anonymous terror attack destroys a key space station command, she’s thrust into a power play that could be terminal.

She brought parts of the galaxy to their knees. Now one mouthy space pirate has become prey…

Forced on the run and accused of the horror assault that claimed thousands of lives, Indy ventures into lawless territory to find answers. But instead of gathering support, her reputation threatens to send her to the grave.

Can this fish-out-of-water and her ragtag crew save the entire sector from annihilation?

Nebula is the intense second book in the Blood Empire space opera series. If you like driven heroines, interstellar standoffs, and underhand political motives, then you’ll love Robert Scanlon’s intergalactic adventure.

Characters.

The book is told from Indy’s POV as it’s in 1st person, so we know her better than anyone else. She is a complex character, and can be unpredictable. Although she doesn’t mind breaking the law, she does have a strong moral sense and guilt feelings for people who die in her service, or because of her plans.

I think many people will know someone like Indy in their complexity. I certainly felt with her, and liked her.

Other characters are less well developed.

Writing

I have no complaints about the writing. 

Mr Scanlon does well in making us feel the dangers and excitement of space. Near the beginning, Indy performs a dangerous manoeuvre while escaping that we can almost feel.

His descriptions of the places visited are clear and we can easily visualise them.

Grammar is good. No typos that I spotted.

If you are a fan of Space Opera, then I suggest you read this book.

I give it 5*

My ranking of books. In order to get a particular number of stars, it is not necessary to meet all the criteria. This is a guide only.

5* Exceptional. Wonderful story. Setting well drawn, and characters believable–not perfect, but with flaws. Will keep you up all night. No typos or grammatical errors.

4* A thoroughly enjoyable read. Great and original story. Believable setting and characters. Very few grammatical errors or typos.

3* I enjoyed it. Good story. Characters need some development. Some typos or grammatical errors.

2* Not for me. Story not very strong. Unbelievable and flat characters. Setting not clearly defined. Many typos or grammatical errors.

1* I hated it. Story almost non-existent. Setting poor. Possibly couldn’t finish it.

Do you enjoy Space Opera stories? Have you read Nebula, or its earlier book, Constellation? What did you think of them? Let us know in the comments.

A Review of The Misery House by David Kummer

Overview.

I wish I hadn’t read this book yet. It is the first part of a trilogy and I can’t wait for the other books to come out. I am captivated by the story, and chilled at the same time.

Story.

I am finding it difficult to summarise the story without spoilers.

There is an abandoned house on a hill just outside the town of New Haven. There is something frightening about it, and no one goes there.

The Woods family farms just outside the town, and their son, Nate, is on the baseball team. When a new family arrives, the son also joins the team, but there is something the other boys find odd. 

Then a shop burns down with the owner and his son inside. The sheriff immediately suspects the newcomers, even though they were all at the baseball game. 

On a bicycle ride near the house, Naomi Woods and her son, Nate, see mysterious lights and are chased by a strange animal.

When Kaia Woods’ best friend disappears, things come to a head. 

I’m saying no more.

Characters.

Mr Kummer has given us a variety of characters, each one different.

Cliff Woods, the father of Kaia and Nate, wants to farm his land in peace and do the best he can for his family. He does not always make the correct decisions, though.

Naomi is a sensible woman. She tries to do the right thing, and she stands up for the new family. But she is afraid of the house because of something that happened to her when she was foolhardy enough to go into it.

The sheriff is a prejudiced man who is suspicious of anything new.

Kaia cares for her friend who has married a strange young man, but she is impulsive.

Nate is a typical young boy who would rather play on his x-box when not playing or practising baseball.

On the whole, the characters are believable with flaws we can all relate to.

Writing

Mr Kummer builds the tension excellently. I felt quite afraid in the parts where the house was involved.

The story is written from multiple points of view. Each point of view has its own chapter. When we are with a member of the Woods family the writing is in the first person, which is the majority of the book, there are chapters which don’t involve them, and they are in third person.

I did not find this a problem as it’s made quite clear in the chapter headings.

One negative in the writing is the overuse of the word ‘just’. It appears several times on most pages and it did become a distracy, especially since in most cases it wasn’t needed.

This was not enough to reduce the rating, and I give it 5*.

My ranking of books. In order to get a particular number of stars, it is not necessary to meet all the criteria. This is a guide only.

5* Exceptional. Wonderful story. Setting well drawn, and characters believable–not perfect, but with flaws. Will keep you up all night. No typos or grammatical errors.

4* A thoroughly enjoyable read. Great and original story. Believable setting and characters. Very few grammatical errors or typos.

3* I enjoyed it. Good story. Characters need some development. Some typos or grammatical errors.

2* Not for me. Story not very strong. Unbelievable and flat characters. Setting not clearly defined. Many typos or grammatical errors.

1* I hated it. Story almost non-existent. Setting poor. Possibly couldn’t finish it.

Would you like a free short story?

If you would like to receive an exclusive, free short story by me, called The Haunted Table, simply click the link. This will take you to the page where you can download it.

Maria and Tom have bought an antique table for the old cottage they bought. On hearing strange noises in the night that sound like crying, they worry their house is haunted, but the sounds seem to come from the table.

They set about trying to find what is causing the disturbances. The answer is stranger than either of them had thought.

(Clicking the link will add your email address to my email list, but don’t worry, you can unsubscribe immediately if you wish. Nor will you get any spam. I only send out an email each quarter, or if I have any exciting news–like a new release.)

Life, Death and Other Characters. Geoff Le Pard

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Blurb

What would you do if you were to host a dinner party and the sky wasn’t what you’d ordered? Could you find someone to shake out the creases from the clouds and tone down the wind to an acceptable zephyr? And what are the challenges facing a Portal Management Volunteer as they steer the recently departed to their chosen Hereafter? Or how would you organise your life if you were called to do God service just when you’d planned on making marmalade that weekend? Life, DEATH and Other Characters will inform and, where necessary, guide you through these and other complications amongst a lot of other short fiction that will educate inform and entertain. Well, maybe one out of three.

Review

As this is a book of short stories, my usual review is not applicable.

Geoff Le Pard has written a book of short stories that are not to be missed. Whoever you are, there is something for you here. I am not usually one for short stories, but I loved this.
There is such a variety of stories here. Some are irreverent, with tales of problems that God has; some are lough out loud funny; some are short; some are longer; some have deeper meanings for those who wish to search for them.
I love the tales where Death (or De’Ath as he has decided to call himself) is a character, but I can’t say I have a favourite story. They are all my favourites.
It is an easy read for when you have only a few minutes and don’t want to plough through a chapter of a full-scale novel. There will be a story that can fit into your time-scale. Or do what I did and start at the beginning and continue to the end.
Some of the stories are commentaries (disguised, of course) on modern life, and politics.
Whoever you are, I recommend this book to you.

I gave it 5*

If you enjoy short stories and would like to receive an exclusive, free short story by me, called The Haunted Table, simply click the link. This will take you to the page where you can download it.

Maria and Tom have bought an antique table for the old cottage they have bought. When they hear strange noises in the night that sound like crying, they worry their house is haunted, but the sounds seem to come from the table.

They set about trying to find what is causing the disturbances. The answer is stranger than either of them had thought.

(Clicking the link will add your email address to my email list, but don’t worry, you can unsubscribe immediately if you wish. Nor will you get any spam. I only send out an email each quarter, or if I have any exciting news–like a new release.)

Why Don’t People Read More

This post was inspired by on posted by Charles Yallowitz last Tuesday.

To read what he says, click here.

I always loved reading from a very early age, but not always the books we read at school. Sometimes I did. We read The History of Mr Polly by H.G.Wells for ‘O’ level (aged 16), and it was interesting and funny.

When I went on to higher education I chose English Literature as a subsidiary subject (I think it’s called minor in the US) because I enjoyed reading.

One book we studied I refused to answer any exam questions on it (we had a choice) because I felt that analysing it would ruin it for me. It’s this analysis of books we read where I think we go wrong. Everyone has an opinion about a book from whether it was enjoyable to what it means. (Same with poetry.) Many books people read and don’t see any extra meaning; yet in school we force them to find meaning, even if there may not be one. One of the comments said that in an interview with Pinter, he stated that An Inspector Calls has no meaning beyond the straightforward story. Yet children are taught to look for one.

As a writer, I read many posts and books on the craft of writing. One thing that constantly crops up is Theme. It seems as though we all have to have a message. Well, I’m with Pinter. Why can’t I just write a story without having to have a message and deeper meaning?

Poetry is the same, in fact, more so. Oddly, the posts of mine that get the most views are when I post a poem. Yet poetry books, we are told, don’t sell.

I also think that teaching is the reason people don’t review the books they read. Memories of doing book reviews at school (usually of the books they read independently) are not good. It’s work, and not easy work, either. I have quite a lot of ratings that do not turn into written reviews. I prefer to ask my readers to leave a comment rather than a review. I think this is less intimidating. So what if I receive some that are just one line. That’s better than none.

I read to my children. One has grown up reading, and loves a good book. The other never reads fiction. Hardly any books, in fact, preferring to get stuff from the net. My daughter read to her children, but they don’t read.

The way we teach our children should be improved. Not every child can be taught in the same way, yet in the UK at least, everyone seems to be taught in an academic way. This goes for all subjects. Some children respond to that well, but others are turned off.

And how many people remember much of what they were taught at school? Maybe they’d remember more if they were taught it in a less academic way.

We are told how important reading is, but turn so many of our children off it.

How I became a writer, and some of the books that led me here.

Image by Lubos Houska from Pixabay

I’ve always been a writer, although I didn’t understand that until late in my life. I wish I had realised earlier, but I didn’t. Nothing I can do about the past, but I can make up some of the time now.

I’ve always loved stories from being tiny. I can still remember my favourite story. It was about two little pandas called Pink and Ponk. I can still quote the first few lines, but I do remember the story quite clearly.

Later, when I could read myself, I devoured Enid Blyton books. Early on it was Noddy and The Faraway Tree. Later I loved Shadow the Sheepdog. I remember that the first ever story I wrote was about a dog, inspired by this story. I was only young–probably about seven or thereabouts – because my spelling was a bit dodgy.  I spelled ‘of’ as ‘ov’ , all the way through.

I also really enjoyed her Famous Five books, and the Adventure series. And although I read a couple, I was never really enthusiastic about Mallory Towers books.

Another book I loved reading was Black Beauty, about the life of a horse. It told of his life from his early days with his mother, through different owners, some good, some bad, to his retirement. 

When I graduated from the children’s section of the library, I discovered Jeffrey Farnol and Mary Webb. Later, I read many Agatha Christie books, and other books in that genre, and I loved Georgette Heyer and other historical novelists.

Of course, there were the classics. I always loved the Brontë sisters’ books, especially Wuthering Heights. 

I remember making a little fairy out of grass and telling my younger sister stories about him/her. 

At school, I loved it when we were given a title, or first line to write about. I can’t remember any of the stories I wrote then, but in my teens I wrote a very bad romance that I read to my friends. They said they liked it, but I suspect they were just being kind.

At Teacher Training college, I began my poetry writing. I had my first ever publication in the Manchester University Institute of Science and Technology magazine. The poetry era ended until I was teaching in 1990 when I wrote a poem for the staff Christmas party. I had to write one every year, by popular demand, after that. Sadly these have all been lost except the one in the UMIST magazine.

I loved reading Science Fiction, too and read all the well-known writers.

Then I found Fantasy. A young boy, by the wonderful name of Fred Spittal, asked me if I’d read The Lord of the Rings. He was reading it, but said I should start with The Hobbit. I found it in the college library and from then was hooked on fantasy.

I won’t go into all the fantasy books I’ve read. It would take too long.

Since writing Book 1 of my Wolves of Vimar series, I have published almost a dozen books. I have also drifted into historical fiction and begun writing poetry again. My first published poetry book is called Miscellaneous Thoughts.

So you see, I have always been a writer, but didn’t know.

Do you remember books that influenced you as a child? Tell us about them in the comments section.

Review of Missing Thread by June V. Bourgo

Overview.

This is Book 3 of the Georgia series by June V. Bourgo. Although it is the third book in the series, it can be read as a stand-alone novel. Anything that occurred in the previous books that is needed in this one is explained.

Story.

Georgia is a young woman who has gained fame by writing about her previous experiences. In this book, Georgia goes to a writer’s conference where she is to speak. While there, she uses a hire car to visit places, but is caught in a torrential rainstorm. She is forced off the road by a vehicle and into the river. Although she manages to escape the car, she is swept away and into a nearby lake.

Fortunately, she is rescued by a man and taken to hospital, almost dead and suffering from hypothermia.

Eventually, she recovers consciousness, but with no memory of who she is, or her life before waking in the hospital.

The story tells of how Georgia, helped by her husband and daughters, struggles to rebuild her life with, to her, total strangers.

Blurb

After a strange accident, Georgia awakens from a coma to a sea of faces she has no memory of, in a place she doesn’t remember.

Returning to a home she doesn’t recognize, Georgia struggles to mend the strained relationship between herself and her family, and rediscover a life she can’t recall ever having.

Through life-changing events and a mental struggle that challenges the very core of their family, Georgia realizes that her accident is linked to something in her past. But can she put the pieces together and learn the truth?

Characters.

I found I liked Georgia and her family, and was rooting for her to regain her memory. Ms Bourgo does an excellent job of drawing a picture of a woman with no memory of her past life, and the anguish she goes through as she tries to rebuild her life with total strangers. We feel Georgia’s confusion and her anxiety that she won’t be able to love the stranger who is her husband and the two little girls who are her daughters.

Georgia’s husband, Sean, is another character I could relate to. Sean does his best to be understanding and patient, but on occasion, as would we all, things get too much for him.

The two girls behave like most intelligent children would. Confusion and anxiety that their mother will no longer love them if she can’t remember who they are.

 I don’t want to spoil things for you and so I will say no more.

Writing

As said earlier, Ms Bourgo does an excellent job of making us feel like Georgia in her predicament. She gives us a sense of Georgia’s panic when in the sinking car, and how she feels about her unknown family.

Sadly, there are typos and grammatical errors, and while they were irritating, and did on occasion throw me out of the story, I think the story is so good, they did not detract too much.

I gave the book 4*.

My ranking of books. In order to get a particular number of stars, it is not necessary to meet all the criteria. This is a guide only.

5* Exceptional. Wonderful story. Setting well drawn, and characters believable. Not perfect, but with flaws. Will keep you up all night. No typos or grammatical errors.

4* A thoroughly enjoyable read. Great and original story. Believable setting and characters. Very few grammatical errors or typos.

3* I enjoyed it. Good story. Characters need some development. Some typos or grammatical errors.

2* Not for me. Story not very strong. Unbelievable and flat characters. Setting not clearly defined. Many typos or grammatical errors.

1* I hated it. Story almost non-existent. Setting poor. Possibly couldn’t finish it.

I enjoyed this story as much as the previous two. Have you read it? Did you enjoy it if you have? Let us know in the comments.

If you would like to receive an exclusive, free short story by me, called The Haunted Table, simply click the link. This will take you to the page where you can download it.

Maria and Tom have bought an antique table for the old cottage they have bought. When they hear strange noises in the night that sound like crying, they worry their house is haunted, but the sounds seem to come from the table.

They set about trying to find what is causing the disturbances. The answer is stranger than either of them had thought.

(Clicking the link will add your email address to my email list, but don’t worry, you can unsubscribe immediately if you wish. Nor will you get any spam. I only send out an email each quarter, or if I have any exciting news–like a new release.)

The Wolf Pack book 1 of The Wolves of Vimar series

All Carthinal wants is admission to the ranks of the mages. Traveling from Bluehaven to Hambara, where his rite of passage is to take place, he doesn’t expect to end up on a quest to find the long-lost sword of the legendary King Sauvern. With strangers he meets on his journey, Carthinal sets out on the seemingly impossible quest. Followed by Randa, the snooty aristocratic daughter of the Duke of Hambara, and the young runaway thief Thad, Carthinal and his companions face tragedy and danger. Watched by the gods and an implacable foe, they will have to accept help from the least likely sources and face their innermost fears. As the fate of their world hangs in the balance, they realize that this is more than an adventure. This quest will change them all.

This book came from a Dungeons and Dragons scenario I wrote for my D & D club at the school where I worked. I had been buying scenarios, then I thought I could write one myself. I wrote one from which this series has emerged.

I played Dragonlance, both as a player and a DM, and when I discovered that Weiss and Hickman had turned it into a series, I thought, ‘Why not?’ Thus The Wolves of Vimar series was born.

I only intended it to be one book, but it sort of grew into what will eventually be a five-book series. I’m unsure that my players will recognise it now, although some things are the same, such as searching for Sauvern’s Sword (Book 1) and the name of the antagonist.

HERE’S A REVIEW FROM AMAZON

Discerning Reader

5.0 out of 5 stars A solidly done, and crafted fantasy novel.

Verified Purchase

“The Wolf Pack” is an original and well crafted fantasy novel. If you like novels like the “Earthsea Saga” by Ursula Le Guin or “When the Heavens Fall” by Marc Turner then I suggest that you may well enjoy “The Wolf Pack.” British style and spellings throughout. Not really a negative, just a difference to be noted.

I found the characters well developed, and complex (in a good way).

The plot is unique and unusual. It is not easy to explain, but does unfold nicely as one reads through the book. I am trying to avoid spoilers, so I do not want to give too much away.

Dialogue is well written and each character has his or her own voice

To purchase from the seller of your choice click on the book cover in the sidebar, or on the button below.

The book is available as:

ebook, paper back, hard back, large print, pocket book and audio book.

The ebook is free on all platforms except Amazon where it is 0.99 (pounds or dollars.)

Review of Danny the Dog by Andrew Joyce

Overview.

Danny is a dog who lives with his human, Andrew, on a boat in Florida. He wrote a series of blog posts, and many of the adventures in the book appeared on his blog. This book is a compilation of Danny’s adventures, and how he trained Andrew.

Blurb

Danny the Dog is a prolific writer. He’s written articles for bloggers around the world and has his own very popular blog where he dispenses his wisdom on a monthly basis. He’s humorous, clever, charming, delightful, and sometimes irascible. Or, as he would phrase it, “I’m a purveyor of wit, wisdom, and words.”

In My Name Is Danny, Danny writes about his real-life adventures living on a boat in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with his human, Andrew. He tells of their trials and tribulations … and the love they have for one another.

Fans of The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein and A Big Little Life by Dean Koontz will enjoy this book.

Characters.

The main character is, of course, Danny. 

Danny tells his tales in an amusing way, usually at Andrew’s expense. 

One cannot help but like this little dog, with his many ‘brave’ exploits.

Writing.

The writing is good. We get a clear picture of Danny’s character from the tales, and laughs from the many humorous adventures he relates. 

Have you read this book? Do you know Danny from his blog?

I would be delighted to hear your thoughts in the comments.

I would also appreciate any reviews of my books, too. Reviews are important to authors as they help let the readers know about them. Millions of books are published each year and getting people to know they even exist is difficult.

If you wish to purchase any of the books, simply click on the cover in the sidebar and you will be taken to a page where you can buy from your favourite store. (The ebook versions of the first in each series is FREE.)

The Battle of Hastings.

Image by Gioele Fazzeri from Pixabay

I am now King of England. King William I. Doesn’t that sound great? However it wasn’t such an easy position to gain. Let me go back to the beginning.

Edward, my second cousin, was in exile in Normandy after Cnut had taken the English throne. I decided to go and see him as he was family, after all, and had no heirs.

While I was there, I played on the family connection, and reminded him that, although he might eventually get an heir with his wife, Emma of Normandy, if he should die suddenly, there would be no obvious claimant to the English throne.

Well, he hummed and hawed and didn’t make a decision then. I’m not surprised, really, because his mother had married Cnut and had a son by him. She supported her son, Harthacnut, and eventually he became king of England.

Edward was lucky. Harthacnut died, and Edward sailed unopposed into England to take the throne. Not long after, he sent his son-in-law, Harald Godwinson to tell me that he had decided to make me his heir. King William sounded good, I thought, but I didn’t trust Harald, so I had him imprisoned. Eventually, in order to regain his freedom, he swore an oath of fealty to me, the rat!

In the year of our Lord, 1066, King Edward, who had become to be know as The Confessor, due to his religious conviction, died. Harald, the rat, took the throne and was crowned the day after Edward’s death. He said that Edward had made him his heir on his deathbed. A likely story!

It was then I decided that I needed to go to England and sort this man out. He had broken a holy oath, and I was the rightful king. But it seemed I wasn’t the only one to want the crown of England. Harald’s own brother, Tostig, joined forces with the Norwegian king, Harald Hardrada, and launced an invasion.

They met initially at a place called Fulford, in the north of England, not far from the city of York. This was 0n September 20th 1066. It seems the invaders won, but Harald was not to be defeated so easily. He fought another battle five days later at a place called Stamford Bridge where both Tostig and Harald Hardrada were killed.

Well, this was too good an opportunity to miss. I had set sail, knowing that Harald would be occupied, and we landed at a place called Pevensey. There had been a Roman castle there, and we made use of that. I ordered a wooden fort to be built inside the Roman walls. It was a good defesive position.

The whole area was marshland, and the sea came up to the fort walls. I ordered the troops to begin marching over the marshes, heading towards the town of Hastings. Once we got there, I ordered a fort to be built, and we raided the land for supplies.

We waited for Harald to arrive from his battle at Stamford Bridge. We knew they would be tired after a forced march. I set a watch the night before the battle. I would not have put it past Harald to make a surprise attack, but he didn’t, and so on 14th October, at dawn, the battle began.

I won’t go into details here. Suffice it to say that it was hard fought and lasted all day. In the end, though, we won, and Harald was dead. I was now King of England.

I have begun the research for the next book in the series, A Family Through the Ages. This one will start in 1066 with the Battle of Hastings.

If you would like to catch up on the series, the first book, Vengeance of a Slave, is free as an ebook. Alternatively, you can get it from your favourite store, here.

Jealousy of a Viking, the second book, can be got from your favourite store, here.

Or click on the images in the side bar.

Both books are also available as audio books.

My publisher has released merchandise with the book covers on. These include: t-shirts, mugs, drinking glasses, jigsaw puzzles, tote bags and many more.

Why not go and take a look at what’s on offer? Click here to go to the Next Chapter store.

Please let me know what you think about the story and the books and merchandise in the comments.

Feel free to share this, and any other posts. Just link back to this blog. I will be ever so grateful!