Book Review Captain Corelli’s Mandolin #AmReading

Book Review Captain Corelli’s Mandolin  by Louis De Bernieres

Wow! This is one fantastic novel! I have to admit the book took me a heck of a long time to read, but only because it is very deep, very intelligent, and I started reading it soon after the birth of my baby when my body was going through all sorts of crazy hormone-related stuff. Therefore I think this book is probably one of the longest reading projects I have ever taken. I am so glad I persevered. The first few chapters were quite self-indulgent and fairly boring, but on the recommendations of my book club buddies, I kept going. And I loved it. It made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me cringe. I loved the descriptive language, the variety of characters, and the entertaining history lesson that it gave me.

Fabulous Fun at #MidLitFest!

Last weekend we celebrated the very first Middlewich Literary Festival, #MidLitFest in Cheshire. It was a fantastic event, populated by local readers, writers, illustrators and book lovers.

I was a guest author, along with my new friends Gill Hoffs, Lucy Pireel and Bernice Walmsley. We showcased our work, discussed our experiences in the industry, and ate lots of cake!

There are now big plans being hatched for #MidLitFest 2015, so watch this space...

Cheshire Events: Middlewich Literary Festival #MidLitFest

Friday 23rd May

Venue - Middlewich High School Library

*Refreshments provided*

5.30 pm         Official Opening with MP
5.45 - 6.15 pm Commended stories being read
6.30 pm         Prize giving
7 pm         Close

Saturday 24th May

Venue - Middlewich Civic Hall

*Café open all day onsite*

10:00am Opening announcements
Ken Kingston, Middlewich Deputy Mayor, Author Catherine Green
10:45 Author - Gill Hoffs
11:30 Holmes Chapel & Middlewich Book Club Reviewing Pure by Andrew Miller
12:15pm  Commended stories being read
1:00         Illustrator / children’s books
1:45         Author Lucy Pireel
2:30 Commended stories being read
3:15 Author Bernice Walmsley
4:00pm Close

Saturday 24th May

Venue - Middlewich Library

9:55 am       Introduction of the Read-a-thon
10:00       Reading starts with our Mayor, Cllr Paul Edwards
10:15       Janet Chisholm, BEM - Middlewich Clean Team
10:30       Mayoress, Cllr Sonya Edwards
10:45       Vivienne Johnson, U3A.
11:00       Jonathan Williams - Town Clerk
11:15       Liz Rosenfield, Cheshire Folk
11:30       Mike Walton, Middlewich Heritage Society
11:45       Bev Cope, Middlewich Viison
12:00pm      Close

MIDDLEWICH LITERARY FESTIVAL: from the official blog #MidLitFest

MIDDLEWICH LITERARY FESTIVAL: FESTIVAL INFORMATION: Middlewich  Literary Festival Photo: Middlewich Vision/Catherine Green General Information The winners of the short story...

Gathering Inspiration in Nature #amwriting

This past week I have been stepping away from my computer, and my work for the upcoming #MidLitFest, and out into the beautiful weather of a mini heatwave here in the UK. I have been walking in previously unexplored woodland in the Cheshire West and Chester borough:

 

I have visited the beach at Hoylake on the Wirral:

And I have enjoyed the delights of my back garden and my home town in Cheshire East:

All in all, a very delightful week. And now I am refreshed and prepared to enjoy the Middlewich Literary Festival that starts tomorrow, hooray! Check out #MidLitFest on social networks for details of guest authors, competition winners, book club reviews and more...

Preparing for the #MidLitFest #Cheshire

Hello everybody! Wow, preparations are well underway for our brand new upcoming Middlewich Literary Festival, #MidLitFest across social networks. Our authors are ready and waiting with their stacks of books (myself included), and we are currently planning our talks and workshops so that we may deliver a fabulous, informative and entertaining event to the people of Middlewich and beyond.

The #MidLitFest starts at 5:30pm on Friday 23rd May, in the Middlewich High School library, where the winners of our short story competitions will be announced and their work showcased for the assembled crowds. You can meet the mayor, meet the authors, and mingle with your fellow literary enthusiasts while we set out our vision for the future of this fantastic festival.

Middlewich Library will be a part of the #MidLitFest, playing host to a Read-a-thon session all morning on Saturday 24th May, while the main event takes place in the Middlewich Civic Centre from 10:00am - 4:00pm. You can chat to the authors, discuss your reading lists, any writing you might be doing as a hobby or a work in progress, your artistic abilities and lots more. There will be a cafe and book stalls as well. See you there!

#SampleSunday The Vampire of Blackpool

Today I share an excerpt from my new (unpublished) novel The Vampire of Blackpool for #SampleSunday. I am very excited about this one, and I cannot wait to see it in print! Enjoy…

“I know you are up there,” the man said suddenly, and I stifled a gasp, crouching still and silent, “Come out and face me, vampire.”

He was a hunter.  I knew immediately by the bitter tone of his voice, and the courageous nature of his words.  For the first time in over seventy years, I was facing a vampire hunter who wanted my head on his sword.  I felt nothing.  I could easily dispatch of him.  I had done so with all the other vampire hunters throughout the centuries.  In the early years they truly believed in the power of crosses, holy water and garlic.  At first these tools had caused a little discomfort, but I had learned to overcome them.  Wooden stakes were still a problem.  There was something about wood that simply disagreed with a vampire’s body.  It was one of the few materials from which we could only heal at human speed, unless it pierced our heart, in which case it killed.  We had the same problem with pure silver.  The metal contained a natural repellent, and it worked for both vampires and shapeshifters.  We were still unsure of the reasons why.  Our ancient texts and teachers believed it was all tied to the magic of the moon.  All I knew was that I avoided coming into contact with wood and silver at all costs.  

The man paced a few steps in a tight circle, looking up to where I crouched in the shadows.  He knew I was here.  He was not about to give up.  I found myself intrigued.  I could descend upon him now and kill him immediately.  I would drop his body into the ocean and nobody would be any the wiser.  But I still smarted from Samantha’s attack earlier that evening.  Despite my crazed feeding in the nightclubs, I felt weakened, exposed.  I was also angry.  How dare such a young upstart as her do that to me?  I warned her that she was in danger, and still she pursued me.  It was her fault.  She brought it on herself.  The anger that had been bubbling just below the surface suddenly burst forward, and I hissed, leaping down from my perch and aiming for the vampire hunter.  I landed on his shoulders almost immediately and he crumpled to the floor with a shout, sprawling in the soft, dry sand at the very edge of the beach.  


*Image courtesy of Squidoo.com