270 PagesHistorical Mystery, Thriller and Suspense Fiction/British and Irish Historical Literature/British Detective Stories Having read and enjoyed many of April Taylor’s books, I was eager to see what this new novel had to offer. I was not disappointed.Moving away from her musical mysteries and alternative history series, she has tackled a subject few really know …
Continue reading Distant Shadows, by April Taylor: #BookReview.
Too revealing? There’s a good solid reason; it’s based on the story. You’ll notice the guy is also revealed. In fact, all six characters who star in this new novel find themselves in a situation where clothing is a low priority, or certainly should be. After all, wearing the clothes they normally sleep in, they’re …
Continue reading Revealing the Cover.
332 Pages Nonfiction Hardback Subtitled ‘Quest for the Lost Civilisation’, this book led to a major TV series on the UK’s Channel 4 network. Published in 1998, some of the content may now be a little out of date, as archaeological work is constantly updating information based on finds. The book is an attempt to …
Continue reading Heaven’s Mirror, by Graham Hancock & Santha Faiia: #BookReview.
I wrote it last year. Started the long, and somewhat convoluted, process of editing, both as self-editor initially and then with my publisher’s editors, early this year. We now have a launch date for my latest novel. So, I suppose I’d better let you all know what it’s called, especially now this information was released …
Continue reading The Time has Come!
Word cloud Via Wordart In writing science fiction, two areas of uncertainty arise before the start. Assuming it’s not Space Opera, the first barrier is the large number of readers who believe all sci-fi involves space wars, forgetting that at least two of the most brilliant works of literature were also science fiction: Aldous Huxley’s …
Continue reading Dealing with Difficult Themes in #Fiction
Stage Play script. This exploration of family unity, loyalty and dishonesty is structured through three acts to use time as a clever ingredient of viewing, and attempting to predict, the future. It depicts a typical upper middle-class family of the era, showing the inherent snobbery, their patchy understanding of the world they occupy, and how …
Continue reading Time and the Conways, by J.B. Priestley: #BookReview.
345 pagesWomen’s Action & Adventure/Romance/Contemporary Fiction Having enjoyed Anne Montgomery’s ‘A Light in the Desert’, I thought I’d give this new novel a try. I’ve never been to the USA, and frequently find novels set there both self-congratulatory and full of references that are meaningless to me as a UK reader. But the previous novel …
Continue reading Wild Horses on the Salt, by Anne Montgomery: #BookReview.
248 pages Photography Criticism & Essays/Photography Reference/Digital Art. This is an examination of photography employed as a contemporary art medium as things stood approaching 2009 (there’s an updated version from Aug 2020). There has been an ongoing discussion about the validity of photography as a means of such self-expression. Hopefully, that argument has long been …
Continue reading The Photograph as Contemporary Art, by Charlotte Cotton: #BookReview.
272 pagesPerspectives on Law/Government/Civil Liberties & Political Activism Subtitled ‘Transcending the False Left, Right Narrative’ this book is basically a plea for rational discussion to replace the current fashion for polemic and knee-jerk reactions to so many disagreements. It is also much more than this. The world seems to have descended into extreme factions, if …
Continue reading Depolarized, by Nick Airus: #BookReview.
231 pagesKidnapping Crime Fiction/Crime Action Fiction/Murder Fiction I came across this author and her books via comments on websites I visit. I tend not to read much crime fiction, but the comments led me to expect a good story from this author. And that was the case. The story is full of action, conflict, some …
Continue reading Options: Maye West Mysteries, Book 2, by Brenda Colbath: #BookReview.
353 pages: Women’s Crime Fiction/Coming of Age Fiction/Women’s Contemporary Fiction (It should, perhaps, also be included in ‘Political and Historical Fiction) Subtitled ‘Shelly’s Journey Begins’, this book is a prequal to the authors debut thriller ‘Secrets and Lies in El Salvador’, which I’ve also read and reviewed. Both books are well worth anyone’s cash and …
Continue reading Crimes and Impunity in New Orleans, by Sherrie Miranda: #BookReview.
It’s been a long slog, but it’s finally done! My latest novel deals with contentious themes and these proved a source of much discussion between me and my publisher’s editors. Usually, editing of my work has consisted in minor grammatical, structural and vocabulary changes. Nothing substantial, as the characters have always been accepted as well-rounded …
Continue reading The Pleasures and Pains of #Editing.
384 PagesWomen Writers and Fiction/Thrillers This is the latest in the Annie Raymond series, and, as usual, worth waiting for. As someone who doesn’t read much crime fiction, I’ve always enjoyed this series of crime novels, which is probably explained by the excellent writing and the way Penny Grubb delivers her characters.In this story, Annie’s …
Continue reading Boxed In, by Penny Grubb: #BookReview.
Kenneth Burden He died on this date in 1948, just 16 days before I was born, so I never met the man my mother always called ‘Daddy Ken’. She described him as a kind and wonderful man who never had a bad word for anyone. He spent his adult life as a car mechanic and …
Continue reading The Father I Never Knew
Space Opera/Science Fiction A short story full of action, and written in a style to keep that action moving. The title character is described on the cover as ‘half human, half machine, all badass’, and that comes across in the telling.Although I write science fiction, and read it, I’ve tended to stay clear of space …
Continue reading Mara’s Awakening by Leo Flynn: #BookReview.
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Antidote to the Novel
Stuart Aken 