Come and meet ...

... friend and author Wendy Nakanishi. I first came across Wendy at a conference where she was talking about living in Japan.  My second encounter was over dinner in an Italian restaurant in Brighton. Like Wendy, I was in the city for a conference.  And now, Wendy is here on my blog.  Come and meet this fascinating writer...

I am Wendy Jones Nakanishi, an American, a long-term resident of Japan: my husband is an orange grower on Shikoku island.  I adopted the pen name of Lea O’Harra to write crime fiction, wanting to try my hand at a literary genre I’ve researched in a number of published articles as a Japanese university professor.  That Ian Rankin was a fellow postgrad at Edinburgh in the early eighties also played a part in my decision.  I wrote the Inspector Inoue thriller series first: Imperfect Strangers (2015), Progeny (2016), and Lady First (2017).  My fourth book, Dead Reckoning (2022), is a standalone murder mystery set in the American Midwest in a rural community not dissimilar to my hometown of Rolling Prairie, Indiana, population 500.  My fifth, Sayonara, My Sweet ((2025) is a standalone in small-town Japan. My books have been nominated/finalists in a number of literary competitions.

about her latest book ... In the summer of 1988, beautiful young Kaori Hirakata from a wealthy family resident in a town in Kyushu falls in love with Hiroki Sato – a local boy from the wrong side of the tracks – and decides to run away with him.

Is it a case of love is blind?  Kaori is horrified when Hiroki admits he once belonged to a yakuza gang in Tokyo.  She toys with breaking up with him but changes her mind after he apologizes and brings her a box of chocolates.

Her younger brother Aki is eavesdropping on the couple when he hears the sister he adores begin to cough.  An ambulance is summoned but too late: she dies, and it turns out some of the chocolates were poisoned.  Hiroki disappears.  Unable to find the main suspect, the police cannot solve the case, and Kaori’s family moves away.

Ten years later, Aki returns, determined to find out who killed his sister.

You can get the book Here

You can follow Wendy on her author Website and on her Amazon Author Page

If you are coming to the Death in the Dales Festival of Crime in October, Wendy and I will be taking part in a panel discussion about using foreign locations in our books.  You can read more about the Festival of Crime Here

Look out for a post about the third panel member - David Beckler - in September ...

 

Come and join me...

 ... and lots of other Yorkshire authors at the Live at the Libraries event next week.   Read on for more details ...

The Live at the Libraries Festival runs from August 13th to 15th.  You may recall that I blogged about this event in June, and you can read that earlier post Here  Live at the Libraries Festival will take place in Harrogate, Knaresborough, and Bilton

We have panels and workshops, and we are covering more than just crime, as we did last July.  This time around, we have events for poets, writing for children, and my favourite genre of crime.  So please do keep checking with your library to see what's coming up, meanwhile, here's some advance information about the content of the crime events.

Wednesday, August 13th

We will be at Harrogate Library and we will be Creating a Villain 13:00 - 14:30

I will be hosting this event and chatting with Gianetta Murray, Dawn Treacher, and Tom Sibson.  Just because there will be a panel of authors, it doesn't mean that the audience is just expected to listen and ask a few questions at the end. No, there will be audience participation, and I hope you will let us know your thoughts as we go through the session.

We're bringing back last year's Just a Minute. 15:00 - 16:30

Sue and Ged Williams will be hosting, and Pat Sutcliffe, Ian Walker, and I will be providing answers. Again, there will be audience participation, so please bring your questions along with you 

Ever wanted to write a mystery? Then join us for  Plotting a Crime 17:00 - 18:30

Gianetta Murray will host this event along with writers Roshan Pitteea, LK Pang, and Anne Wedgwood.  Bring your ideas with you and join in.

Thursday, August 14th

I will be at Knaresborough Library, Creating Criminal Characters - 10:00-12:00

This will be a workshop, so numbers are limited to 12. The aim is to make sure attendees leave armed with tips, strategies and references to enable them to create a Criminal Character for their own story. Please contact the library if you wish to attend

Who would you Murder and How would you do it? - 19:00 - 20:30

This workshop will be hosted by Sue Williams, and she will be ably supported by Roshan Pitteea and Tom Sibson.  Again, this is limited to 12, so please contact the library if you wish to attend.

Friday, August 15th

We will be at Bilston Library and Creating a Villain - 14:00 - 15:30

Sue Williams will be hosting on this occasion, and Roshan Pitteea and Tom Sibson will be taking the audience through the numerous considerations required to make your characters walk on the page.

Be great to see you there if you can make it.

I'm reviewing The Corisco Conspiracy ...

... by Raphael Sone on the blog today.  Read on to find out what I made of this fascinating memoir...

This book is a memoir, and as such, some may consider it to be a truth told from one individual’s point of view.  Because that is what a memoir is, right?  Erm… not in this case.  The central character is William Shakespeare, referred to as Musketman Shakespeare, who, it turns out, was a spy!

The opening of the story lets you know that Shakespeare arrives in Rome to meet a fellow playwright with whom he plans to work.  However, his friend had left the city several weeks before William’s arrival and had gone to Spain.  Before making a decision about what to do next, Shakespeare is visited by one Guy Fawkes – yes, it is he of the bonfire fame – and William is diverted to the Island city of Corisco. It is there that Shakespeare contrives ‘the most diabolical assassination plot in British history.’

With a set-up like that, and my lifelong association with the real William Shakespeare through his plays and poetry, I just could not ignore this book.

The memoir opens in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1616 with the writer looking back on his life, his family and his work, which all seems quite tame. However, the tension gradually ramps up until you find yourself reading a romp of an adventure story.  The twists and turns in the plot kept me turning the page, and I finished it in two reading stints across one weekend.  I could not put this book down.

The narrative voice is companionable and flows very easily across the page, and perfectly suits the content of the memoir.  I liked the use of quotes from the real William's plays for each of the chapter headings.  I recognised most of the quotes taken from thirteen of the plays, but there were a small number that were a little more obscure.  However, I really enjoyed looking those up and re-reading some of the original verse or prose, including the quote.

All in all, this was a great read.  I hope Mr Sóne is working on something else to entertain us.

You can get the book Here

You can find out more about the author Here

I'm Off My Beaten Track in ...

... Cadiz.  I’ve been going through my travel journals and discovered some notes about a short stay in Cadiz. Come and join me as I meander the streets of this ancient Spanish port.  Read on …

SPANISH SCRIBBLINGS

‘… after three days at sea, I’m really glad that we are finally berthed and have stopped moving.  I just can’t wait to get onto dry land again.  The boat is parked right next to the town, just as though a car has slotted into a standard parking spot!  It’s the relative sizes of everything that kind of blows my mind as I walk into the city centre…’

Cadiz, with a population of around 120,000, was founded by the Phoenicians around 1100 BC. The Phoenicians were renowned for their expertise as seafarers, navigators, and traders.  That wealth is eminently demonstrated here in the city of Cadiz, along with the marvellous architecture from various historical periods across four millennia.

‘It’s Sunday today, and as I meander through the streets, there are few people around.  I want to visit the cathedral, but there is a service going on, so I’ll have to wait.  But then, there are other churches if the number of spires and domes I saw from the restaurant where I was having breakfast, are anything to go by…’

‘The streets are mostly pedestrianised and the narrowness and height of the buildings keep the sun at bay in the hottest part of the day.  The artistry in the masonry surrounding very ordinary doors is a treat to see…’

‘Above, the narrow streets are decorated with theatrical masks from the Commedia dell’Arte - Harlequin, Il Dottore, Pantalone, Pulcinella, Innamorati and others whose names I can’t recall.

No matter where I walk, these theatricals look down on me, but I can’t find anything to explain why this and why here and now in February.  I decide to check this out once I get back to the boat.  But then I turn a corner.  A large square opens out in front of me, and at one side is the Gran Teatro Falla.  A stunning red and white brick building in Moorish style.  Suddenly everything becomes clear – the city is preparing for the Carnaval de Cádiz, which, according to the banner, will take place from February 27th until March 9th.  I want to stay here.  I would love to be here for that…’

'As I make my way back to the boat, I notice that the first square I came to as I started my stroll is suddenly full of people at the pavement cafes.  There are stalls with paintings, sketches, and handmade jewellery.  So I browse to the lilt of music from somewhere.  As I explore the stalls, I discover a musician playing an accordion ably supported by a group of automaton musicians playing various instruments.  Along with a crowd of others, I stop and listen for a while...'

 

Alas, I wasn’t able to stay; my time in Cadiz was fixed, but there is always the opportunity to come back another year.  I’ll let you know if I achieve that…

I am very pleased to announce ...

 ... that I will be one of the many authors appearing at the Death in the Dales Festival of Crime in October.  Read on for more info ...

The festival will take place in Sedbergh, a fabulous old farming community that has been in existence since the early Middle Ages, and will run over three days, from October 17th to 19th.  There will be a mixture of author panels, discussions and performance - a real murder mystery for you, the attendees, to solve!  There will be plenty of opportunities to buy books, too, if murder mystery is your bag.

The program has been finalised, and I can now let you know that I will be part of a panel discussion alongside David Beckler (author of the Mason and Sterling thrillers) and Lea O'Harra (author of the Inspector Inoue thrillers).  We will be talking about setting our books in foreign locations and all the joy, tribulations and research that using an 'over the hill and faraway' setting can bring to a writer's work and life.  Personally, I find my trips to France are essential for getting some of the details right.  But do join us to hear what David and Lea also have to say.  It will be, friend and author, Marsali Taylor who will be putting each of us under the spotlight.  Marsali has appeared on the blog and if you want to catch up with that post you can read it Here

The full programme of events is available on the Sedbergh website, along with full details of how to purchase tickets. I really hope you can make this fabulous event, which was a runaway success in October last year.  I am really looking forward to catching up with old friends and taking part in the whole weekend of bookishness!

  

Look out for my social media posts over the next few months.  The Sedbergh website is Here  and you can book your tickets Here

Rivers of France ...

… I’m picking up my route from where I left you on my last post - Orléans. Read on... 

I brought you into the city of Orléans on the D2152, and we will leave using the same road, heading west. I chose this thoroughfare because it skirts the river on the left through Meung, Beaugency, Mer and finally brings you into the heart of the city of Blois.

Blois, with a population of over 47,000 inhabitants, is a substantial city with an even greater history. Archaeological excavations of recent decades have revealed a substantial collection of hunter-gatherer camps in the area dating back to approximately 8,000 years ago. There are also Gallic traces that suggest Blois, as we now know it, was an important location on the ancient road linking Chartres and Bourges. The river has always been a major route.

Despite these ancient origins, the city of Blois has been a major source of power since the 9th century. The House of Blois has been in existence since then until it was ceded to the crown in 1397. With the power and wealth of the French Crown behind the city, you won’t be surprised to learn that a château was built here in the 13th century and later inhabited by Duc Charles d’Orléans. In 1462, his son Duc Louis was born in the château, and he would become King Louis 12. I have an earlier post about the magnificent château – it really is worth a visit - which you can read Here

But today I want to take you and show you something much smaller that is often forgotten. The city is built on high ground, so we will leave the river and climb the steep path up towards the cathedral – another magnificent building that has to be seen.

At the top of the path in place Saint Louis is a three-storey house referred to as La Maison des Acrobates. Everyone is so intent on seeing the Gothic architecture of the church that they often fail to notice this little gem among the other buildings opposite.

Built in the 1470s, it was originally referred to as La Bourse des Escholiers de Bourmoyen. The word bourse in a scholastic context means grant, so the house was for the use of the scholars who qualified for the support. It is timber-framed and the decoration on the exterior is worth the effort of the steep climb. It is the external decoration that gives the house its current name. If you look carefully at the wooden pillars, you will see that they are covered in carvings of acrobats in various poses. If you are familiar with medieval clothing, you will also notice that the acrobats' shoes are poulaines. These soft, flexible, and completely flat unisex shoes, with their long, pointed toes, were used throughout Europe in the Middle Ages. They were slip-ons and sometimes were secured with a short drawstring at one side or a pull-over toggle that slipped into a small loop.

These shoes were so comfortable and flexible that they were used by professional dancers and acrobats, as demonstrated in the carvings, to perform the moresque, a very lively and popular dance from the Middle Ages.

The rest of the house's history is shrouded in mystery. At some point in the 17th century, the house was occupied, but historians have been unable to identify who the occupant/s might have been. All the more reason to visit in my view!

Unfortunately, the house is now in private ownership, so visitors can only admire the exterior.

If you want to catch up on any posts you may have missed, click the following links: Rivers of France  La Loire  Digoin  Nevers  Orleans

The Seasonal Collective ...

... has been hard at work since our last publication.  If you like short stories, read on ... 

For the last four years, I've been working with a group of authors from the other side of the pond that we refer to as the Atlantic Ocean.  Over that time, we've produced four multi-genre collections of short stories, the first, Autumn Paths, being published in September 2021.  From the very first germ of an idea in January 2021, we took almost nine months to create the content and publish the book in both e- and print format.  We have continued to deliver three more miscellanies of stories since then, thereby forming the entire seasonal paths series.

If you haven't read any of them yet, perhaps some comments from a reviewer about the first book (see below) might encourage you.

'This enticing collection of short stories are [sic] sure to uplift, inspire, and satisfy hungry readers. With tales spanning multiple genres, including adventure, mystery, sci-fi, and more, you'll find something for everyone. I very much enjoyed the variety and impressive quality of the storytelling. Every story was developed and executed well, and each author brought a unique perspective and writing style to the collection. Autumn is the underlying theme, but these stories are perfect to read any time of the year. I look forward to reading more stories by these talented authors.'   Reviewer in Canada

Even though we have completed the 'Paths' series, we haven't been idle.  We've decided to create another series of related anthologies.  Thus far this year, we have created more stories, compiled them, designed a cover, and are now about to move to the proofreading stage.

For this new series, the writing team has changed and we've increased our number to ten.  The constitution of the Seasonal Collective may have evolved since we first started out in 2021, but the enjoyment, camaraderie, and support across the team are still very much alive.  I'm really looking forward to seeing our new anthology in its final form.

So, watch this space for some exciting news coming soon ...

If you want to try the first series of books then you can get them using the links below 

Autumn Paths   Winter Paths   Spring Paths   and   Summer Paths

June 24th - I'm reviewing The Paris Express ...

 ... by Emma Donoghue.  This is a fiction woven around an actual event.  Read on ...

I came across this book whilst I was browsing in my local branch of Waterstones.  The cover captivated my attention.  When I opened it at a random page and began reading - I never read blurbs - I was instantly intrigued.

In October 1895, the Paris Express left the Norman seaside town of Granville - then considered to be the casino town of the north - for Paris.  It was a regular route, and if you check the map, you will see that the rail line is still there.  Back then, the steam train took seven and a quarter hours to complete its journey, arriving at Paris Montparnasse at four in the afternoon.  Today, the same journey is about three and a half hours.  What makes the journey on October 22nd, 1895, so unique is what happened once the train reached Paris.  The engine entered the station at too fast a speed and derailed.  There is a photograph of the tragic accident, taken a few moments after the derailment occurred.  That photograph was reproduced in numerous newspapers across the world  - to use an anachronism, it went snail-mail viral - because the derailment was iconic.  If you've ever come across an old picture of a steam train hanging out of the first-floor windows of a large station building with steam still issuing from the boiler and its nose resting on the pavement amongst a load of rubble, then you've seen the express of the title.  If not, you can view it Here

In the notes at the back of the book, the author gives an insight into the amount of research she undertook to create her story.  So you discover which of the characters within her story were real and which were wholly or partially fictional.  She also gives a little more detail about what happened after the crash.

The story is told from multiple points of view: some passengers, some train staff, and some station staff.  But whichever character is speaking within the narrative, their voice is as individual as they are.  Throughout the book, there is a steadily growing sense of foreboding with the tension ramping up as the train speeds towards its destination.  In many respects, this story is as gripping as any crime or mystery thriller.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story, and having read the book, I will be taking it with me to France.  I will have to follow the train route, but rather than stop at each destination along the way for a few moments as the train did, I will explore each new place along the route.  Granville, Argentan, and Paris are already well known to me, but that doesn't mean I won't be making another visit!

You might also be interested in my reviews of Metropolitain or Clouds over Paris or Paris Echo

Summer's here and so is the ...

... Live at the Libraries Festival in Harrogate, Knaresborough, Bilton, and Ripon.  Read on for more details ...

The Live at the Libraries Festival runs from August 13th to the 15th, and the full programme is being finalised as you read this post!  But, this is an event that I will be involved in, and I can tell you a little more about it even though I can't yet release the full details.

The festival runs across three days, and there are events planned for all four sites - Harrogate, Knaresborough, Bilton, and Ripon.  We have panels and workshops, and we are covering more than just crime, as we did last July.  This time around, we have events for poets, writing for children, and my favourite genre of crime.  So please do keep checking with your library to see what's coming up, meanwhile, here's some advance information about the content of the crime events.

Wednesday, August 13th

What I can tell you today is that we have a Just A Minute event for the audience to ask the panel of authors questions, but each writer only has one minute to give a reply.

I will be hosting an event about Creating A Villain.  No matter what the crime there is always a baddie in the story somewhere, and some of those villains come back again and again - just like Flambeau of the Father Brown books or Moriarty of the Holmes stories. Speaking as a writer myself, I can also tell you that creating a villain can be fun. Afterall, the likes of Moriarty and Flambeau are just the kind of characters that everyone loves to hate.  There will also be three other authors helping out with what I think will be a really fun and interactive session.  Full details will be released soon.

Ever wondered how authors put their crime novels together?  Ever thought about plotting your own crime story?  Well, Live at the Libraries will be your opportunity to put those vague ideas into some sort of order.  With a panel of authors you'll be able to create a crime from the scene of a murder, plan red herrings and misdirections, and gather evidence. Plotting A Crime could be just the event you might need.

Thursday, August 14th

As well as audience questions participation, there will be workshops running during the festival.  I will be hosting a workshop on how to Create A Character for a Crime Novel.  By the end of the session participants will have a character sketched out, will have been taken through a methodology for creating that character and will have some additional information/references to enable them to take their character and research further

Through an audience participation event we be will asking Who Do You Want To Murder? and How Do You Plan To Get Away with It?

Some of the above events will take place at more than one venue and until the programme is finalised, I can't be more precise.  But as soon as I get the final details, I will post the full information here on the blog and across all my social media.

Keep watching this space, and I hope you will join me and other Yorkshire authors at Live at the Libraries in August. 

It's Summer and the Newark Book Festival ...

 … will be here very soon.  Read on for more detailed info ...

This year, the Newark Book Festival will run from July 10th up to and including July 13th. As with previous festivals, there will be plenty of events happening all over town during those four days.

Along with workshops, author interviews, specific events for children, and music, there will also be an amazing Book Fair.  In the Market Place, there will be loads of book stalls and I will be there, too!

So, please do join me on Sunday, July 13th, in the Market Place, Newark, NG24 1DU.

I will be there all day from 10.00 am and I will be signing and selling books. I will have all six of my Jacques Forêt Mysteries with me.  So, if you would like to chat about France, the Cévennes, the stories, or even Jacques himself, please drop by and say hello.  I will also be able to give you the latest info on the next book in the series.

I will be bringing the three fabulous Miss Moonshine anthologies as well.  If you are in need of a feel-good, heart-warming read for the summer, then these collections of gentle stories will see you through the holidays.  They are ideal for those few moments when the kids are busy, and all you need is a cuppa and a bit of me-time.

In addition, I will have the multi-genre miscellanies of tales from the Seasonal Paths Collection. All four are now available in print and E-format.

It would be great to see you there if you can make it.

A full program of events is available to consult or download Here  Let's hope that the weather will be sunny and warm.

Rivers of France ...

Photo by DXR

... I’m continuing my journey along the river La Loire.  I’m making a brief stop at Briare and then making my way to the city of Orléans.  Read on…

In my last post, I took you along the left bank of the Loire to La Charité.  If you want to continue your own trip along the quiet riverside roads, as I do, then leave La Charité on the D7.  This road meanders through to Herry and onwards to Couargues and Sancerre until it joins the D955.  This is a much busier road and it crosses the Loire at Cosne and joins the D907 to take you to Neuvy-sur-Loire and Briare.  Whenever I’m in the area, I always have to stop at Briare.  It’s a vibrant town with a pâtisserie I’ve visited often, and there is the Canal bridge across the river.  This magnificent piece of engineering is down to Monsieur Eiffel and was completed in 1896.  I have a previous post all about the bridge, and you can read that Here.  By all means, have a look at the viaduct and do spend some time here in town – it’s worth it.  But I’m going to move on.

Leaving Briare, you can still follow the river along the minor roads that take you to Ouzouer, Sully, St-Benoît, St-Martin, and St-Denis before reaching the heart of the city.  Orléans is both a city and a metropolitan urban area.  The ‘city’ has a long history and was originally a Gaulish settlement right on the river.  In 52 BC, Julius Caesar destroyed the original settlement and massacred the inhabitants.  I guess that was one way to make his presence felt!  In the 3rd century AD, Roman Emperor Aurelian rebuilt the city and named it after himself - Aurelianorum.  Over time and history, this became the name we use today.

Orléans sits at the most northerly point of the river.  If you look at a map, you will see the river follows a generally northern route from its source, but at Orléans, it kind of turns west and slightly south to cover the final section of the route to the sea at St Nazaire.  Whilst gazing at your map, you will also note that the point where the river turns is the closest it comes to Paris.

During earlier periods, and especially the Middle Ages, proximity to Paris was of great strategic importance.  Because of the river – a major transport and cargo route - Orléans became a rich and powerful city, it was the capital of the kingdom of Orléans, and eventually the principal city of a duchy held by the house of Valois-Orléans.  Through Louis 12, the family became the kings of France and one or two of them were crowned in the cathedral.  And that’s where I’m taking you next.

Once you hit the outskirts of the city, make sure you keep to the north embankment with the river on your left.  There are various areas to park along the road (D2152), and the nearer you can get to Pont George V, the better.  The bridge links in with rue Royale, a long straight road that is worth a look.  When it intersects with rue Jeanne d’Arc, please stop and take in the cityscape.  On your right, at the top of the street, is the magnificent Cathédrale Sainte-Croix.  You really do need to be that distant from it to be able to take in the fabulous architecture.  If you want a pic, be careful to avoid the trams!  They seem to appear from nowhere.

Along rue Jeanne d’Arc – the Maid of Orléans – there are loads of posh shops, so you can give the credit card some serious stress if you wish.  Personally, I just like the association with one of France’s most historic young women.  Born in Domrémy-la-Pucelle in 1412, into a farming family, she grew up to be called into service to save her country from the dominance of the English.  Charles 7 took a risk and sent her, along with more troops, to Orléans to lead his demoralised army and resolve the siege of the city.  Jeanne arrived in April 1429.  Nine days later, after fierce fighting, the English abandoned the city.  Rather than let the fleeing English army get clean away, Jeanne encouraged her men to pursue them to prevent a regrouping and any possible second assault.  The French army continued to rout the Brits until they reached the city of Rheims, where Charles 7 was crowned King of France with the still very young Jeanne at his side.

Regrettably, Jeanne’s personal history is not so great after that triumph.  She failed in the siege of Paris in September and the siege of La Charité in November 1429 – hence my reason for coming from La Charité to Orléans.  In another battle in Compiégne in May 1430, she was captured by Burgundian troops (great mates of the English at the time), and handed over to the Brits six months later.  Jeanne was committed for trial, found guilty of heresy, and burned at the stake on May 30^th, 1431.  And now, almost 600 years later, she is one of the most famous women in European history.  And for me, as an actor who has played the role of Jeanne when I was still a teenager myself, there is something really special about being on a street named in remembrance of her, in the city that is the site of one of her most decisive battles.

Photo by SelbyMay

But the basilica awaits.  Replacing the ruins of a Roman Temple, the cathedral was constructed between 1278 and 1329.  Jeanne reportedly visited the cathedral to pray during and after the rout of the city.  So, walking rue Jeanne d’Arc is something of a recreation of history, and I can muse about the fact that I may be treading in her footsteps!

The cathedral was partially destroyed by the Huguenots during the Wars of Religion in 1568, but it was rebuilt in the Gothic style, and that is what we can see today.  The vast nave is long with high vaulting, and the upper windows let in natural light, giving the impression of lightness despite the substantial size of the edifice as a whole.  The play of the light in this interior inspired a scene in the first of a new series of cosy crime stories.  And when you get here and take a look for yourselves, you’ll fully understand why!

There will be more from my journey along La Loire next month.  So watch this space.  If you want to catch up on any posts you may have missed, click the following links: Rivers of France  La Loire  Digoin  Nevers  

I'm reviewing Ravens Hill ...

... by friend and author, Garth Pettersen.  This is the fifth book in the Atheling Chronicles.  Read on to find out what I thought ...

I read a great deal, and not just particular types of fiction.  I also read non-fiction, too.  Some of the types of books I can’t resist are historicals.  I find they help fill gaps in my knowledge, and if the story is a good one, I get a lot of enjoyment out of living in a previous era for as long as it takes me to get from the first page to the last one.  I can honestly say that when I discovered there was another book in the Atheling Chronicles available for pre-order, I just had to buy it.

Battle-weary Harald, son of King Cnute, has returned from his warring exploits in Wales, and as a reward from his father, has been gifted land.  He and his wife Selia travel to their new estate.  Expecting to find the estate well managed by the incumbent Steward, Harald discovers he has walked into a feud.  There are tensions between the tenants and the Steward, there is open avarice about the estate from the neighbours, and there is general mistrust throughout the whole community.  It’s quite an undertaking that Harald, as the new Lord, has to handle with only Selia at his side, as he works out who he can trust, who he can’t.  When one murder becomes two, deliberate sabotage becomes obvious, and a significant threat to the whole community has to be dealt with, Harald and Selia really rise to the challenge.

I read a lot of crime novels and look to other types of stories to provide a little relief from that particular diet.  That being said, I also have to point out that this ‘who dunnit’ really kept me enthralled.  Whilst the murders are central to the plot, they are not the only threads running through the book.  The tension in the story gradually builds until it becomes a raging race to get to the end.  I read this book in two chunks because I just could not put it down.

It was really good to be back with Harald and Selia again in this, the fifth story in the Atheling Chronicles.  I enjoyed learning more about these two very well-defined and astute characters.  The ‘baddies’, and there are a few in this book, were equally as enticing to read – afterall, we all love to hate someone don’t we, and books most often gives us that opportunity!

The historical setting of the 11th century is very well handled and clearly fully researched – thanks, Garth, for the bibliography at the end of the book.  There are certainly a few of those that I will be reading in the future.  An excellent story that kept me turning the page right to the very end, and fully deserving of its five-star rating.

If you would like to know more about Garth and his books, check out my interview with him Here  You can read my review of the previous book, The Sea's Edge, Here 

You can get all of Garth's books on Amazon

Rivers of France

Photo courtesy of Rolph Kranz

… I’m picking up from where I left you in my last post about the rivers of France – Nevers.  You can read that post Here if you need to refesh your memory.  Otherwise, read on ... 

Nevers to La Charité-sur-Loire is a short hop, and the temptation is to head out of the city towards the RN7 and take the fast route to La Charité.  Please don’t!  If you leave Nevers on the minor road that leads to Cours-les-Barres and Fourchambault, but turn left onto the D40 and cross the river, you will be rewarded with a fabulous view of Nevers and the river. Once on the left bank of the Loire, take the D12 to Cours and then turn right onto the D45.  This much quieter route takes you through rolling countryside and follows the river, which is on your right.  The D45 eventually intersects with the RN 151, and you can head straight into the heart of La Charité.

However, if you choose to dally you will discover a path that runs along the bank of the Loire and, providing the vegegtation doesn’t get in the way, you can get some lovely views of the river and the town.

Heading into town from the left bank takes you across an island in the centre of the river. There are paths along each bank if you want to wander and have a more detailed look at the power of La Loire.  Again, you can get some fabulous views of the town and the river – see above.  Not one of my pics, but a far better shot than the ones I managed to get on a very dull day!

The route from the island in the river brings you right to the old part of the town.  The narrow streets are now fully pedestrianised, but beware of helmeted locals on mopeds!  The street from the bridge will lead you to the church of Ste-Croix-Notre-Dame.  You will also pass the pâtisserie a short way down on your left.  Naturally, I popped in for an amandine for my lunch!  I will find a lovely spot by the river to eat it later.

The church kind of stands right in the middle of the road, but there is pedestrian access and the interior is really worth a look.  The town was established in the 11^th century by a Cluniac Brotherhood who built a priory which was consecrated in 1107.  The town is named after the brotherhood.  Since then, La Charité has survived the Hundred Years War and was finally liberated by French forces in 1435.  Around 120 years later, in 1559, a substantial fire swept through the town, taking with it houses and businesses within the ramparts and inflicting significant damage on the church, which took over a hundred years to repair.  The restoration was completed in the late 17^th century.

By the time of the Revolution in 1789, the town had suffered further incursions during the Religious Wars, and few of the brotherhood remained in residence.  The priory was subsequently sold but has been preserved.  The church was not so lucky, as it was only deemed a monument worth saving in the mid-nineteenth century.  As an edifice full of light, the nave is majestic with simple lines.  I would have loved to have seen the original windows, as the aspect of the church, the nave and the vast windows behind the altar are perfectly aligned to make the most of the sunlight.  The ‘modern’ replacement window designs are pleasing enough and hint at what was once here all those centuries ago.

I leave the church for a meander along the streets, and I eventually find a sign for the campsite. It is by the river.  I find a bench with a view of La Loire and the town.  It’s a perfect place for lunch.

There will be more from my journey along La Loire on June 3rd.

If you enjoyed this post and want to read my earlier posts, you can find them using the following links: Rivers of France  La Loire  Digoin  Nevers

Please welcome, friend and author, Bill Yarborough ...

... to the blog today. Hi Bill, and thanks for taking the time out to talk to us about your book, Memories of MK-ULTRA. Over to you ...

Memories of MK-ULTRA is about three children forced to take part in a life-altering experience. The CIA places them in a covert operation, experimenting with psychoactive drugs, electroshock, and other techniques to mold the human mind.  The experience dramatically impacts their lives, but they don’t remember any of it—at least not right away.

What kinds of individuals will such an experience produce?  How will it shape their personalities, their relationships, their performance in school, and ultimately, their career choices?  And how will their lives change if, suddenly, as young adults, they begin to remember their traumatic background?

Several major themes that run through the novel, including coming of age, psychological thriller, historical, and metaphysical aspects.

The reader can witness the enormous influence of the unconscious mind through the story’s two interwoven narratives.  One follows Dr. Rudolf Holtzmann, an MK-ULTRA psychiatrist, with a secret agenda to create future political leaders.  The other tracks the quirky developments of Beth, Tommy, and Curtis Matthews as they come of age through the turbulence of the 60s and 70s into their early adulthoods in the 80s.

Invisible strings pull them toward their preordained destinies, but their puppet master’s plans are complicated by Holtzmann’s rash and dangerous CIA assistant and by one of the program’s subjects, a 14-year-old indigenous boy with shamanic gifts.  Besides mind control, MK-ULTRA delved into the metaphysical, which drove its interest in psychedelic drugs, such as the magic mushrooms of Mexican shamans.

It takes Curtis’s psychotic breakdown and Beth’s startling vision to open up the pathways to the sibling’s buried past.  These developments lead to the detective work of Lynn Snyder, a diligent therapist—but will it be enough to unravel the tapestry of deception?

Memories of MK-ULTRA is grounded in historical events.  There have been many nonfiction MK-ULTRA books, including Stephen Kinzer’s Poisoner in Chief, which documented MK-ULTRA’s widespread deployment of mind-control experiments, its recruitment of former Nazi SS officers, and its use of psychedelic drugs on adults, college students, and children.  The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and NPR’s Fresh Air all favorably reviewed the book.

As much as the story is about the appalling things powerful people sometimes do—it’s ultimately about healing and transformation.  The first book of a trilogy, Memories of MK-ULTRA, opens a window into the multiple dimensions of the human mind and soul and forces us to question memory, identity, and the fragile concept of truth.

... about the author Bill Yarborough’s debut novel Memories of MK-ULTRA is inspired by experiences from his early childhood, where he along with his brother and sister underwent experiments of the CIA’s MK-ULTRA mind control program.

As a result of his traumatic childhood, Bill engaged in an extensive healing journey during which he employed a wide range of traditional and innovative techniques.  He is currently working on a sequel to his first novel.  Bill lives with his informal editor and wife, Inge, in Northern California.  Besides embracing the joys of becoming a dad for three kids approaching their teenage years when he married, he served in the financial industry and was board president for two non-profits.  

You can get the book on Amazon

You can follow Bill on his Website on Facebook  LinkedIn  and on X

 

I hope you can join me ...

... in Ripon on Sunday.  Read on for more details ...

I will be at the Claro Lounge, 39 Market Square, Ripon (HG4 1BZ)  with lots of other Yorkshire Authors on Sunday, May 11th for the fabulous Promoting Yorkshire Authors' Book Fair.  The fair will be open from  

I will have all six of my Jacques Forêt Mysteries with me.  If you would like to chat about France, the Cévennes, the stories, or even Jacques himself, please drop by and say hello.  I will also be able to give you the latest info on the next book in the series.

The Miss Moonshine anthologies will be making an appearance, as well.  If you are in need of a feel-good, heart-warming read, then these collections of gentle stories will be just the ticket.

Gianetta Murray, (author of A Supernatural Shindig, an anthology and  Moved to Murder, the first in her cosy crime series) will also be at the fair with her books.  I’m sure Gianetta will be only too pleased to chat about how the work on book 2 is shaping up.

Lastly, all four of the Seasonal Paths multi-genre miscellanies of tales from the Seasonal Collective will be available to buy, too.  Gianetta and I both work with our fellow writers from North America to create these editions.  If you want to discover some new authors, these collections are just for you.

Please join me and Gianetta on May 11th from 10.00 am at The Claro Lounge, Ripon, HG4 1BZ.  It'll be great to see you there... 

I'm reviewing Discombobulated and Other Poems ...

... by Michelle L Feltham.  Read on ...

I had the great pleasure of meeting poet Michelle Feltham a couple of months ago. Our conversation moved from general pleasantries about the weather to comments about travel and photography.  But it was when we started talking about our respective passions for writing and reading that Michelle told me she had a book of poems out.  Naturally, I couldn't let her mention that without further questions, could I?  And I am so glad I delved deeper.

Michelle had a copy of her book with her, and very kindly let me have a look.  As I quickly flicked through the pages and stopped to read a stanza here of a couple of verses there, I realised I wanted to have a copy of the whole book.  One of the things I love about poetry is that it is so succinct in nature that a couple of lines can be enough to speak a thousand words because whatever the sentiment, it is conveyed with such power and understanding.  Those couple of lines were in a poem called Armistice.

Back home again, and I searched Amazon for copy of the book.  A few days later, it arrived and, as I was travelling again the following week I took it with me.  The constant rattle of the train in no way marred my enjoyment of these little works of art.  The 37 poems are brigaded into sections, 'Politics' being the first, followed by 'Our Natural World' and running through the seasons, to finally end with 'Reflections'.  So you can dip in and out depending on your mood and the time available.  As my train journey was two hours, I started at the first poem, the Discombobulated of the title, and gradually worked my way through to the last one, Life After Death.

Some of the poems made me laugh, some made me pause for thought, and some I went back to read again.  But it was the revelation at the very end of the book that caused me to sit up and think.  My thoughts were finally interrupted by the announcement from the train guard that I had arrived at my destination.  As a three-year-old, Michelle suffered in a severe vehicle accident which resulted in brain damage along with numerous other injuries.  She was not expected to survive.  But she did, and it was a great honour to have been able to speak to her all those weeks ago and to get an insight into the heart and mind of a poet.

Do I have a favourite amongst this collection?  Not exactly, there were so many phrases and linked lines that seemed to echo so much about today's society, the wars that are being conducted, the general poverty we see around us, and the need to be mindful of others.  But I will leave you with a snippet from Life After Death.

And if ever you should feel bereft,

Close your eyes and see that I never really left,

'Cause at the end of my life as at the start,

I'll forever be right there inside your heart.

I really hope Michelle continues to craft words and sentences and that further books of poetry will be completed and become available in the future.  But for the moment, you can get Michelle's book in print or e-format on Amazon.  Just click the link.  Please also be aware that all proceeds from the sale of this book go to charity.