tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49422303574463957602024-03-15T18:10:11.580-07:00Triskele Books BlogTriskele Books is a writers’ collective of stories, places and times.Words with JAMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16595838458076154912noreply@blogger.comBlogger328125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4942230357446395760.post-2635629495929672022018-11-03T04:23:00.001-07:002018-11-03T04:23:57.146-07:00New Triskele Book Release - The Swooping Mapgie<b><i>"Heartbreaking drama of lost innocence, deceit and a scandal that shook Australia."</i> Jill's Book Cafe</b><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4XhX7lLn3B5Ln5lyuyhyphenhyphenB8h97MTXV8A8uWcTxMv9ueUrz8tW6cIznOjYaDgfoTYEv456XVl6X-L3oM7DeiL4lR1y8_3G6jTRu4OODt39o7hL2D6u1HWWy_D7h0JxFt5NpDTKJp7tV5p8/s320/TSMEbook+Cover+MEDIUM+WEB.jpg" title="https://books2read.com/u/bMQdr7" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cover by <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" target="_blank">JD Smith Design</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
It is difficult for any Australian born after the feminist movement to understand the plight of being sixteen, pregnant and unmarried in 1970. The sanctity of marriage was still the vital cornerstone of society and it was impossible to envisage raising a child outside this union blessed by church and state.<br />
<br />
For a girl bringing such disgrace to her family, it was an unforgiving world. Rather than being able to rejoice at bringing forth this new life, these girls were shunted into a world of shame –– hidden at home or sent interstate to homes for unmarried mothers.<br />
<br />
But <i>The Swooping Magpie</i> isn't simply the story of a society refusing support to mothers battling to raise an infant alone. It also exposes the brutal adoption industry practices that targeted healthy newborns for infertile couples.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpN06hno8K9QYDDdW81JZ1q_jzGRYZRQ4t69hyphenhyphen0Yu_aGih4WJk4nP_2ThqnktPoPJ4cx7IUlUCr6PAX7ch9sSj6FeTh33kqOY7hQEMO61v3hpBz6ohcTokNCHTikwraWKeJLYD2teybEw/s1600/FishnChips1970WgongLibImage.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpN06hno8K9QYDDdW81JZ1q_jzGRYZRQ4t69hyphenhyphen0Yu_aGih4WJk4nP_2ThqnktPoPJ4cx7IUlUCr6PAX7ch9sSj6FeTh33kqOY7hQEMO61v3hpBz6ohcTokNCHTikwraWKeJLYD2teybEw/s320/FishnChips1970WgongLibImage.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1970s photo from the collections of the Wollongong City Libraries and the Illawarra Historical Society<span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"></span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:DoNotShowComments/>
<w:HyphenationZone>21</w:HyphenationZone>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>FR</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="false"
DefSemiHidden="false" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="375">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footer"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of figures"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope return"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="line number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="page number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of authorities"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="macro"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="toa heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Closing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Message Header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Salutation"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Date"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Mention"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Smart Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hashtag"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Unresolved Mention"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Tableau Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:8.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
line-height:107%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]--></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Until the mid-70s it was common practice to adopt out the babies of unwed mothers. In the 1960s, Sydney’s Crown Street Women’s Hospital was one of largest sources of Australia’s adopted babies. Patient documents from Crown Street and other maternity hospitals show that from the moment most unmarried girls arrived, their records were marked “for adoption”.<br />
<br />
From 1950 – 1980, an estimated 250,000 girls had their newborns taken. Many claimed they were duped into signing paperwork whilst under postpartum sedation, or made to feel selfish if they kept their babies. Forced to pay this terrible price for pregnancy outside marriage, thousands of women harboured their grief, in silence, for decades.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI6PRuLO3qlRxmar4cV2i2DkOa7-JGOGZkvwUorjW7HwW1cpShR-jfwetSrSnuLjYSa67rAYE2n664kcMNBpLsn2_IADCkvQCFsJUqGfrHGA8LAOIOl5VrFDA7UiGCNT50JLVgJ63MaLY/s1600/TSMMediaImage1.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI6PRuLO3qlRxmar4cV2i2DkOa7-JGOGZkvwUorjW7HwW1cpShR-jfwetSrSnuLjYSa67rAYE2n664kcMNBpLsn2_IADCkvQCFsJUqGfrHGA8LAOIOl5VrFDA7UiGCNT50JLVgJ63MaLY/s320/TSMMediaImage1.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo courtesy of Camille Perrat</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
We might ask ourselves how these women survived. Did they “just forget about it and get on with their lives” as urged by an arrogant and punitive society? The stories I heard demonstrate that frequently, the trauma of their loss never left them. Made to feel unworthy and unfit, they developed psychological problems. Some never married. Some never gave birth again.<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>The Swooping Magpie</i> is on NEW RELEASE promo for only 99c/p from your favourite retailer:</b></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://books2read.com/u/bMQdr7"><b>https://books2read.com/u/bMQdr7</b></a></div>
<br />
If you'd like to read book 1 (a standalone) in this 1970s Aussie family drama series, <i>The Silent Kookaburra</i> is also available at your <a href="https://www.books2read.com/u/4EyaqO" target="_blank">favourite retailer</a>.<br />
<br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:DoNotShowComments/>
<w:HyphenationZone>21</w:HyphenationZone>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="false"
DefSemiHidden="false" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="375">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footer"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of figures"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope return"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="line number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="page number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of authorities"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="macro"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="toa heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Closing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Message Header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Salutation"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Date"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Mention"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Smart Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hashtag"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Unresolved Mention"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Tableau Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]--><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></i><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglprhLhABAMiryxg0SijkyR6HdkV9YTJX0UfvtvHhAQZ1sSgqFm0mR3SDqqslSWZCXyEB43GwzxKTWd1r0mPjT0K9M_5Yy9F5P-D6k9fHBgeeTJBArbVWWuQtci_s1pb23xNNPk3-ZftE/s1600/The+Silent+Kookaburra+Cover+EBOOK+LARGE.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglprhLhABAMiryxg0SijkyR6HdkV9YTJX0UfvtvHhAQZ1sSgqFm0mR3SDqqslSWZCXyEB43GwzxKTWd1r0mPjT0K9M_5Yy9F5P-D6k9fHBgeeTJBArbVWWuQtci_s1pb23xNNPk3-ZftE/s320/The+Silent+Kookaburra+Cover+EBOOK+LARGE.jpg" title="https://www.books2read.com/u/4EyaqO" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cover by <a href="http://www.jdsmith-design.com/" target="_blank">JD Smith Design</a></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Unsettling psychological suspense blending the intensity of Wally Lamb with the atmosphere of Peter James, this story will get under your skin..."</span></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYCh9pci2skj10hkBWBcUmK_ExjSEdi6cQkqr74e4_7XzLKpEcqPqjsrElTs55dRH82mI2MfI8wc07CA2312FFfihr0lYcq3_zCpWcF5V7NoJXlvK8QbWfH7sBpyeT9bGonKxKv1TpN3E/s1600/TSKMediaImage4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYCh9pci2skj10hkBWBcUmK_ExjSEdi6cQkqr74e4_7XzLKpEcqPqjsrElTs55dRH82mI2MfI8wc07CA2312FFfihr0lYcq3_zCpWcF5V7NoJXlvK8QbWfH7sBpyeT9bGonKxKv1TpN3E/s320/TSKMediaImage4.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo courtesy of Camille Perrat</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4XhX7lLn3B5Ln5lyuyhyphenhyphenB8h97MTXV8A8uWcTxMv9ueUrz8tW6cIznOjYaDgfoTYEv456XVl6X-L3oM7DeiL4lR1y8_3G6jTRu4OODt39o7hL2D6u1HWWy_D7h0JxFt5NpDTKJp7tV5p8/s1600/TSMEbook+Cover+MEDIUM+WEB.jpg"></a><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJSCz9e8q1p7UERtNeNGigtOfEMbDzKPF2NDhmhGcENKRNFH1SDURnI4TpG4u5MMkkA2SBPivfLXMZx3VqeNlkppp6c9noeut2D2ofoFyIOqkgGO91AlHdTEHgX6cEBL7Z1igotCXQ1lw/s1600/CamKangaroo.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJSCz9e8q1p7UERtNeNGigtOfEMbDzKPF2NDhmhGcENKRNFH1SDURnI4TpG4u5MMkkA2SBPivfLXMZx3VqeNlkppp6c9noeut2D2ofoFyIOqkgGO91AlHdTEHgX6cEBL7Z1igotCXQ1lw/s320/CamKangaroo.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo courtesy of Camille Perrat</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Happy reading!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcVTxM68s8LpanJM82hsfwJRMx-epEG_VE3EDRLqfCk8Fb6qvWXJUSW0XNJzhctTSGzlbzYQumpjXA0CXqBi53m0vnAGZNtXYM4X4GQFC4e2qxpKe8GYVdFxS9cwzVkylBFzxYnGAba9Y/s1600/TSKMediaImage4.png"></a><br />
<br />Liza Perrathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00410516687044998154noreply@blogger.com124tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4942230357446395760.post-58123819741283483122018-09-28T00:54:00.000-07:002018-09-28T00:54:52.526-07:00News: Snow Angel and Boxset Bargain!By <a href="http://beatrice-stubbs.com/">JJ Marsh</a><br />
<br />
Beatrice Stubbs is back!<br />
The old girl retired at the end of <i>Bad Apples</i>, but there's no way she'll stop having adventures. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj22aWOxLl88s2KhgK5sl7I2RNiDTJPHReKBVPt1DIMnhmU2xcC-weZ2MaRrmeu14C6_3rYt0TjgHXzZ39ahEIjgVOpWBwx8lmYOUcmwDiESU7pt5wsLvBjtQG-Kl-L4yGAcHs932aqQf4/s1600/Snow+Angel+Cover+MEDIUM+WEB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj22aWOxLl88s2KhgK5sl7I2RNiDTJPHReKBVPt1DIMnhmU2xcC-weZ2MaRrmeu14C6_3rYt0TjgHXzZ39ahEIjgVOpWBwx8lmYOUcmwDiESU7pt5wsLvBjtQG-Kl-L4yGAcHs932aqQf4/s400/Snow+Angel+Cover+MEDIUM+WEB.jpg" title="mybook.to/snowangelebook" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">By <a href="http://www.jdsmith-design.com/">JD Smith Design</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This
book has been coming for a long time. I always wanted to write an
homage to the Golden Age of Crime and its literary ladies: Agatha
Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham, Josephine
Tey and Georgette Heyer. Even as a kid, I loved all that intrigue masked
as innocence and the mucky truth behind the public façade. Locals have
their own traditions and codes of honour, creating a wall of secrecy
outsiders rarely penetrate.<br />
<br />
The cover is by our resident genius JD Smith Design, and below is the blurb.<br />
Release date is 16 November for ebooks and 6 December for paperbacks.<br />
Pre-orders available at <a href="http://mybook.to/snowangelebook">Amazon</a> and <a href="https://www.books2read.com/u/mBP7Qp">all other retailers</a>.<br />
<br />
Then I have a present for you.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><b>Snow Angel: Old secrets, new lies</b><br /><br />Love is a driving passion.<br />So is hate.<br /><br />December in a small Devonshire village is the perfect time for a Yuletide fête, a wedding or a murder. Now retired, Beatrice Stubbs is busy with wedding preparations. Not for herself – co-habiting with Matthew is as far as she’s prepared to commit – but Adrian and Will are getting married. She’s Chief Bridesmaid and the theme is Narnia.<br /><br />When a local celebrity dies in suspicious circumstances, Matthew encourages Beatrice to do a little private investigating. Her enquiries turn up more than predicted and she discovers her nearest and dearest are capable of deceit.<br /><br />A snowstorm hits the village and Beatrice chases a lead, throwing everyone’s plans into disarray and threatening lives. Ancient forests conceal a complex web of connections and loyalties, false reputations and poison.</i></blockquote>
<br />
To celebrate the seventh book in the series, Boxset One is on sale until Sunday. This weekend only, you can get the first three novels at the criminally low price of £1.99/$1.99.<br />
On <a href="http://mybook.to/BeatriceBoxset">Amazon</a><br />
At <a href="https://www.books2read.com/u/bPJYKz">all other retailers</a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkPFgCX3Tt8L8mlewvvBZPiAFrmrGPE6aKJpuG2DANj8hzZUmA0vjI9qlYsR7oR_aPOaGAQviCY-pMVX0SyaZCxw61uD0YCkedFS_8m8-PZauZ85cttVlDXePMpZ6d0L-Zj7EECe36DWg/s1600/Boxset+1+Backgrounds+Facebook+Advert+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="838" data-original-width="1600" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkPFgCX3Tt8L8mlewvvBZPiAFrmrGPE6aKJpuG2DANj8hzZUmA0vjI9qlYsR7oR_aPOaGAQviCY-pMVX0SyaZCxw61uD0YCkedFS_8m8-PZauZ85cttVlDXePMpZ6d0L-Zj7EECe36DWg/s400/Boxset+1+Backgrounds+Facebook+Advert+3.jpg" title="myBook.to/BeatriceBoxset" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
If you're still not sure this is the series for you, why not try the prequel, free of charge?<br />
Subscribers to my mailing list get <a href="https://mailchi.mp/e707d31644d4/land_fb"><i>Black Dogs, Yellow Butterflies </i></a>as a welcome present.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF03Ebd4OrYrGx-tGdsatY2kBnMYtNQqw7daGyDVXchbpqTEgh74Zkkek86vsn8vXtLjca2l_gMeP51mjR1RijfAuoy5jnGdjnqgSAInltNSXiWH28Ll32xl24FIx_l1s5ZC0dTwN4VTQ/s1600/Black+Dogs%252C+Yellow+Butterflies+Cover+MEDIUM+WEB+A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF03Ebd4OrYrGx-tGdsatY2kBnMYtNQqw7daGyDVXchbpqTEgh74Zkkek86vsn8vXtLjca2l_gMeP51mjR1RijfAuoy5jnGdjnqgSAInltNSXiWH28Ll32xl24FIx_l1s5ZC0dTwN4VTQ/s320/Black+Dogs%252C+Yellow+Butterflies+Cover+MEDIUM+WEB+A.jpg" title="https://mailchi.mp/e707d31644d4/land_fb" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
Have a great weekend!
<br />
<br />JJ Marshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12708049070102426652noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4942230357446395760.post-5660550688727814692018-09-19T05:45:00.000-07:002018-09-19T05:45:13.670-07:00The Big 5 Winner!The Winner of the Triskele Books/Words with JAM 2018 Big 5 Mentorship Competition is ...<br />
<br />
<b>Philippa Scannell!!</b><br />
<br />
An incredibly strong field of entrants led to much wrangling over the shortlist. But once chosen, we were absolutely sure any one of the finalists would be worth a year of support, advice and shared expertise.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Over to judge Roz Morris, whose job was even tougher. Here's her report.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYbL9iRsSIBXLyLVKTLL8oFLRFUJ2tlOYEECtDQWuvSwBIDz5oO1FtKyliEhh8h6Npllhg4PlR9BBMeKqzcbOFRgdwVphVU-RIy1hPnlZtk4MoqY46hALKED9ji8IMjUTyA0yDQq_rTxQ/s1600/Roz-reduced-150x150.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="150" data-original-width="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYbL9iRsSIBXLyLVKTLL8oFLRFUJ2tlOYEECtDQWuvSwBIDz5oO1FtKyliEhh8h6Npllhg4PlR9BBMeKqzcbOFRgdwVphVU-RIy1hPnlZtk4MoqY46hALKED9ji8IMjUTyA0yDQq_rTxQ/s1600/Roz-reduced-150x150.jpg" /></a>How to choose a winner in such a breadth of entries? There were narrators who were unreliable or dreaming; narrators who were hiding or tormented or unsure if they could trust their senses. Narrators who were on the brink of terrible events. They wrote in voices that were defensive, or confidential or sassy or secretive. Some were fiction; some were not. You might as well compare apples to airspeeds. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>To begin with, I was at a loss. But as I read, I realised there was a common value I was picking up. It was this: the strength of the writer's relationship with the reader. It's a quality all books stand or fall by, how intimately they win the reader's confidence. Explaining this is not easy; it's more a feeling - a feeling that the author is in step with your thoughts as they place their words. Our job title even says it - an author has authority. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>And so I chose <b>Rape And The Road To Recovery</b>. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>The clincher was this sentence: </i><br />
<i>'Although I was raped, I promise never to say, ‘I know how you feel’. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>A simple statement. But reader, it knows your biggest question before you've even figured it out yourself. It creates a tone, too, of plain speaking, truth seeking. It establishes trust. Indeed, you might notice a charming paradox because its effect contradicts its literal meaning. By saying 'I don't know how you feel', it proves that it does. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>You might argue that this author had an advantage because the material was real experience. But that is not what gives it this power. The treatment is.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>The excerpt goes on to consolidate that relationship with the reader, with facts that speak of the author's scope and sensitivity. It mentions resources, words that survivors often use, experience teaching self-defence, research beyond the immediate subject on attitudes and education. Although the writer's journey may have started from a personal trauma, this book will be wider than that, and wiser. It has - in short - authority. </i></blockquote>
<br />
<br />
All of us at Triskele Books are delighted with Roz's choice. It is a privilege to work on such a book, not to mention a challenge. This is the first step on a journey which will educate all of us.<br />
<br />
But let's hear from the winner: here's how Philippa reacted to the news of her mentorship.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH6QvqorU3STWKkuzscHylK8rm9wT8qTz54IjoZ12hRyDkik8iBgKKYinF35JHskVrFNxyXkUnoPyc0apeLySLEH6Tq0e1uMYsyapzVFTuhajp8-vpqefnGp4ougMxIKSNGNVLpAqJZIg/s1600/Philippa+Spain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="368" data-original-width="329" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH6QvqorU3STWKkuzscHylK8rm9wT8qTz54IjoZ12hRyDkik8iBgKKYinF35JHskVrFNxyXkUnoPyc0apeLySLEH6Tq0e1uMYsyapzVFTuhajp8-vpqefnGp4ougMxIKSNGNVLpAqJZIg/s320/Philippa+Spain.jpg" width="286" /></a></div>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-GB</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/>
<w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:Word11KerningPairs/>
<w:CachedColBalance/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
</style>
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026"/>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1"/>
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--><i>I can't believe it! I created</i> Rape & the Road to Recovery<i> to give a voice to the voiceless and to show that rape can happen to
anyone, anywhere. Writing the book was a journey in itself and winning this
prize makes it feel like all the tears and rejections along the way were worth
it. I can't wait to tell all the people who contributed to the book.</i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>It is hard
to put in to words how happy I am to know that my book has a real chance of
getting published now and getting to the audience it was written for. Winning
this mentorship is such a huge opportunity. Thank you from the bottom of my
heart to Roz Morris and everyone at Triskele Books.</i></div>
</blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Philippa and the Triskele Team will check in regularly to report on progress. But for now, we raise a glass to say congratulations to Philippa and well done to the shortlisted authors. All the very best on your publishing journey!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFl7fKk7op9alZ4uwPNxZaC9ipX_JHhxcf7nTPKDgrPiHDuaCttuHwKWR0ljE4IAzV3mWVmeq9YzaLW7BNusZFdZR-oTBqyLnBp2lwzyls64bP8_xxeA9ZM3fui1t7-fU1kHWHjgYxyrg/s1600/Triskelites+June+13+crop+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="892" data-original-width="1542" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFl7fKk7op9alZ4uwPNxZaC9ipX_JHhxcf7nTPKDgrPiHDuaCttuHwKWR0ljE4IAzV3mWVmeq9YzaLW7BNusZFdZR-oTBqyLnBp2lwzyls64bP8_xxeA9ZM3fui1t7-fU1kHWHjgYxyrg/s400/Triskelites+June+13+crop+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />JJ Marshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12708049070102426652noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4942230357446395760.post-65894884465141061702018-08-17T03:31:00.002-07:002018-08-17T03:31:46.977-07:00SIX OF THE BEST : Literary Welsh Connections By <a href="http://www.gillianhamer.com/">Gillian Hamer</a> <br />
<br />
For a small country, Wales certainly has a huge amount of literary clout - not only in the talents of Welsh authors but as setting for some superb fictional triumphs. Below, I list six of my personal favourites. <br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZaunMgOF_0ihzooR5eo-IGIBHHH1Ba5OYL7zvQzt0HdZlwczFws-8Gc6wiZsb_3wIF1jMBBXgAl2yU5MCsS9-7DhKM7W8zF6EvXBGPVWOgPHYpdpL28UL_s2E-5VzkJoU33Gg7nzUklOW/s1600/MAB.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="258" data-original-width="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZaunMgOF_0ihzooR5eo-IGIBHHH1Ba5OYL7zvQzt0HdZlwczFws-8Gc6wiZsb_3wIF1jMBBXgAl2yU5MCsS9-7DhKM7W8zF6EvXBGPVWOgPHYpdpL28UL_s2E-5VzkJoU33Gg7nzUklOW/s1600/MAB.png" /></a></div>
<b>THE MABINOGION</b><br />
<br />
No foray into Welsh literature would be complete without a mention of this book; it is the original, earliest and probably the best collection of Welsh prose stories. Legend tells that the stories of the Mabinogion were carried down from oral versions and were translated and compiled in the 12th and 13th century into a collection of eleven stories that we know today that appear in either or both of two medieval Welsh manuscripts, the White Book of Rhydderch and the Red Book of Hergest.<br />
The topics are wide and varied from philosophy to tragedy to humour many heavy with Welsh folklore and Celtic traditions. The stories were translated into English and modern Welsh in 1838 and are today part of the Welsh national curriculum. <br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8mFa95y4mMcj-eeTnJHkdEPEb1y43ZtAsl6uy0f3aHY8sZX-g4nyIs3o6uK8szTC2TB_Q3GForMxTeppt-ZL9oCCXGtbRvpdYUvFlNI-vz2YArn8t5BM312uxTWSWx-izmbA5UErdhaBG/s1600/MILK+WOOD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8mFa95y4mMcj-eeTnJHkdEPEb1y43ZtAsl6uy0f3aHY8sZX-g4nyIs3o6uK8szTC2TB_Q3GForMxTeppt-ZL9oCCXGtbRvpdYUvFlNI-vz2YArn8t5BM312uxTWSWx-izmbA5UErdhaBG/s1600/MILK+WOOD.jpg" /></a></div>
<b>UNDER MILK WOOD</b><br />
I’m not a huge follower of much of Dylan Thomas’s work, but I fell into love at school with the drama Under Milk Wood from the moment our English literature teacher told our class that the name of the fictional Welsh fishing village – Llareggub – was actually Bugger All spelled backwards! With that kind of dark humour attracting me, I enjoyed both the 1954 BBC radio adaption and the 1972 film version.<br />
The narrator takes the listener on a journey through the dreams and nightmares of the inhabitants of Llareggub, showing the dark and innermost thoughts of those who no one believed had ever owned a dark side. With fantastic characters such as Captain Cat, Myfanwy Price, Jack Black and Evans the Death this is a fantastic exploration of real people’s desires and fears from a hugely talented writer who found it easy to explore human nature. <br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9gJpR54oGuxldPKOfA25Kw-POUfoLCsl0rFuy3HhnjgvhnViACZfH1svDG0fDtTTx-wYGb9IaPgwmDLy37B-xd0EtafFGNGi-ac5BrpqaYd7AtX7ojl8Ysakici4A6KEVDNLNg03i30KC/s1600/STRA.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="278" data-original-width="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9gJpR54oGuxldPKOfA25Kw-POUfoLCsl0rFuy3HhnjgvhnViACZfH1svDG0fDtTTx-wYGb9IaPgwmDLy37B-xd0EtafFGNGi-ac5BrpqaYd7AtX7ojl8Ysakici4A6KEVDNLNg03i30KC/s1600/STRA.png" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>THE LITTLE STRANGER</b> <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">And what connection can this iconic novel by Sarah
Waters have with Wales? Well, none is the honest answer. But the author
certainly did. Born in Neyland, Pembrokeshire in 1966 Waters has often
mentioned the beauty of the Pembrokeshire countryside as one of the greatest
inspiration for her work. The Little Stranger is a brilliantly told story of family, mistrust and
even ghosts if you believe in that kind of thing. It is currently being adapted
into film.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">For me there is a Celtic essence through much of Water’s
writing and for that reason I believe she should be included in the Welsh
connections.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
<b></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV3DO1szKXWcMEfMbW9XxLbxSSKoT-k_fZqgVsYylCLHaLRBvNRzlJ2ipnjdMGq9AyVxQiNyQsCTTdoRlb2l7SoSRUrmNot10kVj1Tv6TXBPFfcTqtYgwdDufTukJ5gSZaRBT__QbQrNfw/s1600/9781509848515fall+of+giants.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1056" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV3DO1szKXWcMEfMbW9XxLbxSSKoT-k_fZqgVsYylCLHaLRBvNRzlJ2ipnjdMGq9AyVxQiNyQsCTTdoRlb2l7SoSRUrmNot10kVj1Tv6TXBPFfcTqtYgwdDufTukJ5gSZaRBT__QbQrNfw/s200/9781509848515fall+of+giants.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
<b>FALL OF GIANTS</b><br />
<br />
Another author with strong Welsh connections. Born in Cardiff, Follett was a reporter at the South Wales Echo and said his love of literature was sparked by visits to the Cowbridge Road Library in Cardiff, which he joined when he was seven.<br />
My favourite work is his 2012 epic Fall of Giants, with follows the lives of five families through the trials and dramas of the First World War, the Russian Revolution, and the struggle for votes for women and features a coal mining family based in part on his grandfather’s experience of working in the pits from the age of thirteen.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYXyylPzW5tv4QnPJg0JZMsIiWHG0ZixglChjxBSua8qIYJnEG2P7Qoq_7ZcjVymrqH60XlBX1wDPTDVyQ-whrz-ZNl9QwVdBHxyHcoh1K-PrXwKQRJt_SR3-HuYOjl4fLTiYHoevCI08Z/s1600/Midnight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYXyylPzW5tv4QnPJg0JZMsIiWHG0ZixglChjxBSua8qIYJnEG2P7Qoq_7ZcjVymrqH60XlBX1wDPTDVyQ-whrz-ZNl9QwVdBHxyHcoh1K-PrXwKQRJt_SR3-HuYOjl4fLTiYHoevCI08Z/s200/Midnight.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
<b>MIDNIGHT SKY SERIES</b><br />
<br />
Jan Ruth's series of contemporary women's fiction novels is set in one of my favourite places in the world - the North Wales coastline. Her use of location as a character in its own right brings her writing alive for me. And her passion for horses combined with the beauty of the landscape gives the reader the feeling of being in safe hands. For anyone who doesn't understand the power of location, I certainly recommend this series, or any other book by this author, and can imagine many people have chosen to take a visit to Conwy and the surrounding area after reading this author's work.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPLaaHuMhZPoXN1bKTB2k8-hXgs79jYajB-YOIwsm1bw7TGzp4RzqTUraHnR0tIYUANZ3jL0e_w9xQiYYITfMp8t3rGi8BhtLwpe6ePxRwCsJqelNanuo6UwTwRqECGhsQRhknnianscyA/s1600/Habianic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="355" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPLaaHuMhZPoXN1bKTB2k8-hXgs79jYajB-YOIwsm1bw7TGzp4RzqTUraHnR0tIYUANZ3jL0e_w9xQiYYITfMp8t3rGi8BhtLwpe6ePxRwCsJqelNanuo6UwTwRqECGhsQRhknnianscyA/s200/Habianic.jpg" width="141" /></a></div>
<b>UNTIL OUR BLOOD IS DRY</b><br />
<br />
Written by Kit Habianic a fiercely proud Welsh author and based on the fiercely proud past generations of her Welsh forbears, this is a spine-tingling read about a period in history that put Wales in the news for all the wrong reasons. When the miner's strike devastated normal working families in the South Wales valleys in the mid-1980's there were a huge number of stories of individual triumphs and disaster like the one detailed here. This novel screams everything that it means to be Welsh - the history, language, passion, tragedy and the intensity of the time comes across brilliantly here. Highly recommended.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<br />Gill Hamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02676930874471518308noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4942230357446395760.post-4930338771088096302018-08-02T05:29:00.000-07:002018-08-02T05:29:27.342-07:00Six of the Best: Books Set in British Cities<b>by Catriona Troth</b><br />
<br />
You could often be forgiven for thinking – at least as far as fiction is concerned – that British urban life begins and ends at the boundaries of Greater London. In the immediate postwar period, books like John Braine’s <i>Room at the Top</i> and Alan Sillitoe’s <i>Saturday Night and Sunday Morning</i> featured northern cities. But it is hard to find modern equivalents. <br />
<br />
Birmingham is relatively well served, with books such as <i>Nice Work </i>by David Lodge, Jonathan Coe’s <i>The Rotters Club</i>, Meera Syall’s <i>Anita and Me</i> or – more recently – Kit de Waal’s <i>My Name is Leon</i>. But my beloved Coventry – so rich in music and stories – scarcely appears in novels at all. (If anyone knows better, I’d love to hear from you!) <br />
<br />
But here are six books that do capture a slice of urban life outside the Metropolis.<br />
<div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<h3>
BRADFORD: <i>Girl Zero</i> by AA Dhand</h3>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-6vcYIQsD8Vlq5_YZoRJ7dxeY_EJ1jzQ1w70gZCGFT99_3DJsbJlc3eKrmSCfTsvKPzuVg4E_jiwJsC1SOU4ZMB6q-mRFrsAmeYXXIpX112VQPcuihiAjRlZTRZWMEsLIHLvhgRipFCpv/s1600/girl+zero.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="319" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-6vcYIQsD8Vlq5_YZoRJ7dxeY_EJ1jzQ1w70gZCGFT99_3DJsbJlc3eKrmSCfTsvKPzuVg4E_jiwJsC1SOU4ZMB6q-mRFrsAmeYXXIpX112VQPcuihiAjRlZTRZWMEsLIHLvhgRipFCpv/s200/girl+zero.jpg" width="127" /></a>
Like all the best crime writers, Dhand explores the dark underbelly of the place he loves – and his Bradford can get very dark indeed. His first novel tackled drugs and racial violence. This second book opens with his detective, Harry Virdee, confronting the body of his own niece. To begin with it seems likely that her death is linked to his brother’s nefarious activities. But (reminiscent of Craven in the incomparable 80s television series, Edge of Darkness) he soon finds she has been uncovering some dark and dangerous secrets of her own – in this case the activities of a child grooming gang. These are modern atrocities crying out to be explored through the medium of crime fiction. Yet there is so much danger of either tarring a whole community with the sins of a few, or looking away for fear of causing offense, that perhaps it’s taken a writer from a British Asian community to dare to turn this into fiction.<br />
<br />
<i><a href="http://bookmuseuk.blogspot.com/2017/09/girl-zero-by-aa-dhand.html" target="_blank">Read my full review on BookMuseUK.</a> </i></div>
<div>
<br />
<h3>
BRISTOL: <i>The Shock of the Fall</i> by Nathan Filer </h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOYPbPwzxpUJFysRLu4qwxy0csE4_In2JaWREF7wlAvk2pgPrGDSdoecmhqVCQ-asFShXdK6Kzvi8LaSfbbHP7IMy5SngTZJGgn2kXXKprw55-CON4s8DDtgA7ljl4MtikCufmdLkh4Zga/s1600/shock+of+the+fall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="277" data-original-width="182" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOYPbPwzxpUJFysRLu4qwxy0csE4_In2JaWREF7wlAvk2pgPrGDSdoecmhqVCQ-asFShXdK6Kzvi8LaSfbbHP7IMy5SngTZJGgn2kXXKprw55-CON4s8DDtgA7ljl4MtikCufmdLkh4Zga/s200/shock+of+the+fall.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
This book won the 2013 Costa Book of the Year for mental health nurse Filer, who has used his experience to create a rare and honest portrayal of schizophrenia. But the book is also an examination of the impact of grief and loss on a family. And if this all sounds heavy, it is also at times both funny and touching. <br />
<br />
In the end notes, Filer describes envisaging the book as ‘the crumpled stack of Matt’s writing and drawings; the typewriter pages with their smudged ink; the letters from Denise; the words that Patricia cut up and stuck down with Pritt Stick.” What a joy that would be to discover in a book shop – if hopelessly expensive to produce.<br />
<br />
<i><a href="http://bookmuseuk.blogspot.com/2014/11/the-shock-of-fall-by-nathan-filer.html" target="_blank">Read my full review on BookMuseUK. </a></i></div>
<div>
<br />
<h3>
GLASGOW: <i>Psychoraag </i>by Suhayl Saadi </h3>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwgMo3F9kEZWo73qQdExw-hhNdQ8r9TBm-sAAG-Qmt740GHc7DmuzxBR3BXgcH-RJAa98jm8kxssg5CbYha0ojrs5keaPnny3_sfxbc9KIYaIlu9iNgtEdk3nEUVSeB_hwWodeSoYW5N2j/s1600/Psychoraag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="196" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwgMo3F9kEZWo73qQdExw-hhNdQ8r9TBm-sAAG-Qmt740GHc7DmuzxBR3BXgcH-RJAa98jm8kxssg5CbYha0ojrs5keaPnny3_sfxbc9KIYaIlu9iNgtEdk3nEUVSeB_hwWodeSoYW5N2j/s200/Psychoraag.jpg" width="130" /></a>
Psychoraag takes place in the course of one evening. It is the last night of broadcasting for an Asian radio station in Glasgow, and DJ Zaf is alone. Zaf’s thoughts range over the changing nature of the South Asian community who are his audience, his parents’ long journey from Pakistan to Glasgow, his sometimes rocky relationship with his girlfriend Babs, and his even rockier relationship with his ex-girlfriend, Zilla, whom he may or may not have started on a path that led to drug-addiction and prostitution. As the long night wears on, it becomes harder and harder to work out what is really happening and what is the product of Zaf’s exhausted brain. <br />
<br />
Written in broad Glaswegian dialect, peppered with expressions in Urdu, Arabic, Punjabi and even Gaelic, Psychoraag is a rollercoaster of a ride, not for the fainthearted.<br />
<br />
<i><a href="http://bookmuseuk.blogspot.com/2015/08/pyschoraag-by-suhayl-saadi.html" target="_blank">Read my full review on BookMuseUK.</a></i><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div>
<br />
<h3>
IPSWICH: <i>22 Britannia Road</i> by Amanda Hodgkinson </h3>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs_gubXAydKQAyXXpA_jIdme5IKb53BAo4gIvYSKeJFuGEVy23LXiRGd9lbmgfKSAIrR3CdeChIqFgde6fIhM1QWHEfBEXZA_jdZo8nznooqguFzNIe1YBAbsexW6YH3TLVZHUk7wwWdF0/s1600/22+Britannia+Road.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="323" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs_gubXAydKQAyXXpA_jIdme5IKb53BAo4gIvYSKeJFuGEVy23LXiRGd9lbmgfKSAIrR3CdeChIqFgde6fIhM1QWHEfBEXZA_jdZo8nznooqguFzNIe1YBAbsexW6YH3TLVZHUk7wwWdF0/s200/22+Britannia+Road.jpg" width="129" /></a>
A wonderful, lyrical novel exploring what is means for a small family to have been separated by a war, to have undergone terrible experiences and keep secrets from each other – and then to have to pick up the threads of their lives again after the war. The main characters are, like many others in East Anglia, Polish. The father fought with the Polish arm of the RAF; the wife and son are refugees, traced to a Red Cross camp after the War. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div>
<br />
<h3>
LIVERPOOL – <i>An Awfully Big Adventure</i> by Beryl Bainbridge</h3>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxvvQg7bv1zMzqeY3thkrEa-HQtDxnpdmexfzjzb18s-IuNj2FcbE35mbQcMQARTqx9c6R465QBG_mHdDJHfrKKaiw7BWUbUBLtGWvS3z764DqcqPuSsTawUCcZnbw5BSnZ0xIfUXuh-Uy/s1600/awfully+big+adventure.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="461" data-original-width="300" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxvvQg7bv1zMzqeY3thkrEa-HQtDxnpdmexfzjzb18s-IuNj2FcbE35mbQcMQARTqx9c6R465QBG_mHdDJHfrKKaiw7BWUbUBLtGWvS3z764DqcqPuSsTawUCcZnbw5BSnZ0xIfUXuh-Uy/s200/awfully+big+adventure.jpg" width="130" /></a>
Bainbridge’s classic captures life Liverpool as it must have been when my parents met there in the late 1940s. She also captures the now all-but vanished world of the repertory theatre, as the action is set in the midst of a Christmas production of Peter Pan – with the title referencing Peter’s chilling quote: “to die would be an awfully big adventure.” So much of post-War British society is encapsulated – from the shabbiness and deprivation to the entrenched classism and the repression of its sexual politics. You know this is a world that is on the point of vanishing. </div>
<div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<h3>
SHEFFIELD: <i>The Year of the Runways</i> by Sunjeev Sahota </h3>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmNDQjJthQ3BDkpZ4dUie3hFn4I1ibuMWcyCAuFqu1XYHKCVyeVG_Ifdw61lYpX7YueE5QFsQzJifSUj56Gr-iW6n-5-QLd7UPA9RHgiI5U3iWnGwzfTaL83JKo7KHRjFBxb4SlUbbu5SN/s1600/Year+of+the+Runaways.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="325" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmNDQjJthQ3BDkpZ4dUie3hFn4I1ibuMWcyCAuFqu1XYHKCVyeVG_Ifdw61lYpX7YueE5QFsQzJifSUj56Gr-iW6n-5-QLd7UPA9RHgiI5U3iWnGwzfTaL83JKo7KHRjFBxb4SlUbbu5SN/s200/Year+of+the+Runaways.jpg" width="130" /></a><
The story opens with a scene that echoes the early episodes of Auf Wiedersehen, Pet. Young men, far from home, packed together in cramped, basic conditions, working long hours on a construction site to send money back to their families. Through the lens of these four lives, Sahota reveals the human face of economic migration, the myth of return, and such headline fodder as illegal workers, scam marriages and abused student visas. This is a book that will shake your belief that we are in any way a ‘fair’ or ‘equal’ society. Like Dickens’ Victorians, we climb on the backs of an army of invisible poor. The only difference is the poverty is now globalised. <br />
<br />
<i><a href="http://bookmuseuk.blogspot.com/2015/12/the-year-of-runaways-by-sunjeev-sahota.html" target="_blank">Read my full review on BookMuseUK.</a></i></div>
LibraryCathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461629705267459809noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4942230357446395760.post-24188635299080007822018-08-01T04:33:00.000-07:002018-08-01T04:33:17.902-07:00Big 5 2018 Mentorship Competition Shortlist Announced! <div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="post-header-line-1">
</div>
<div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-5979885088459579889" itemprop="articleBody">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1djZ19XiCTOm2ARBBzXXZfG85swFJn8h4EMKSb3Sl16ryTcGs2uKIwApCuuJYxF9zD1BNlnVopW9G96OVdsSj2r6E2KG5JpAcmYB9DDxFTGIJAyVKBuv_pF0hmA9p2bYz72ETckICdKE/s1600/Big5Winners2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="85" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1djZ19XiCTOm2ARBBzXXZfG85swFJn8h4EMKSb3Sl16ryTcGs2uKIwApCuuJYxF9zD1BNlnVopW9G96OVdsSj2r6E2KG5JpAcmYB9DDxFTGIJAyVKBuv_pF0hmA9p2bYz72ETckICdKE/s320/Big5Winners2.jpg" width="320" /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMeE1lEhvwlu7HdyDgZ3X_rovxQEyzRZjyr7D6sR8cb6zXuDhtVHEluLYmUj8kE8e-DVN8MMWUZiLt1wXbdkKxkEbVUy7daZ3CpGWS0rh_ttvHh4_wywqmgidZ-Isx6do_-qfbDZBwrtM/s1600/Big5winners4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a> </div>
<a href="http://www.triskelebooks.co.uk/"><span style="color: red;">Triskele Books</span></a> and <a href="http://www.wordswithjam.co.uk/"><span style="color: red;">Words With Jam</span></a> are happy to announce the six shortlisted entries of our Big 5 2018 Mentorship Competition –– from manuscript to publication –– worth over £5000! <br />
<br />
Pleased with the multitude and quality of the entries, three members of the Triskele team read each and every one before finally coming to a joint decision. <br />
<br />
We enjoyed reading through the variety of genres: everything from non-fiction to young adult, crime thrillers, sci-fi-fantasy, historical and literary fiction.<br />
<br />
The winners have been contacted and invited to send the first 10 pages of their manuscript before September 1st to our independent judge, <a href="https://rozmorris.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Roz Morris</a>, who will select one winner to be announced on Friday 4 November 2018. <br />
<br />
Thank you to all who entered, ensuring our competition was a huge success. From the shortlist, I just know we’re going to have so much fun working on a great book to bring it up to publishing standard!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMeE1lEhvwlu7HdyDgZ3X_rovxQEyzRZjyr7D6sR8cb6zXuDhtVHEluLYmUj8kE8e-DVN8MMWUZiLt1wXbdkKxkEbVUy7daZ3CpGWS0rh_ttvHh4_wywqmgidZ-Isx6do_-qfbDZBwrtM/s1600/Big5winners4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMeE1lEhvwlu7HdyDgZ3X_rovxQEyzRZjyr7D6sR8cb6zXuDhtVHEluLYmUj8kE8e-DVN8MMWUZiLt1wXbdkKxkEbVUy7daZ3CpGWS0rh_ttvHh4_wywqmgidZ-Isx6do_-qfbDZBwrtM/s1600/Big5winners4.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
So, without further ado, here are the six shortlisted winners, in no particular order: <br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Eleven Bodies by Rachel McHale</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Doll Face by Dianne Stadhams</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>The Legend of Anon Ra by Elinor Perry-Smith</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Shadows From Yesterday by Natalie Smith</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Rape & the Road to Recovery by Philippa Scannell </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Still Breathing Air by Wendy Storer </b></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;">Look out for more details soon!</span></div>
</div>
Gill Hamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02676930874471518308noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4942230357446395760.post-26812936799773373512018-07-18T05:11:00.000-07:002018-07-21T02:50:49.064-07:00Six of the Best: Powerful Women in Historyby JD Smith<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYMEUs5WrkMO1b_S5ObgX6EcD5SEKG4asiT_AazT4JZnS7smeT4u7EGCZyf24HF06b7zWbYHRpikcFbSDd5FqzqpdPFZqirIgcWQ32dwtUBuwGje46PbD2Hip1-DvBbvAs7RaocD-Vv7VD/s1600/The_meeting_of_Grace_O%2527Malley_and_Queen_Elizabeth_I.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="250" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYMEUs5WrkMO1b_S5ObgX6EcD5SEKG4asiT_AazT4JZnS7smeT4u7EGCZyf24HF06b7zWbYHRpikcFbSDd5FqzqpdPFZqirIgcWQ32dwtUBuwGje46PbD2Hip1-DvBbvAs7RaocD-Vv7VD/s200/The_meeting_of_Grace_O%2527Malley_and_Queen_Elizabeth_I.jpg" width="200" /></a>We have all heard of Cleopatra, Boadicea, Helen of Troy, Elizabeth I. They are famed for their prominence in a man's world, but what of those who are lesser known yet equally influential, powerful and dominant. Here's a peek at my top six lesser known women in history:<br />
<br />
<b>Grace O'Malley (1530 - 1603)</b><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
O'Malley became lord of the Ó Máille dynasty in the west of Ireland following the death of her father, Eoghan Dubhdara Ó Máille, despite having a brother, Dónal an Phíopa Ó Mháille. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Marriage to Dónal an Chogaidh Ó Flaithbheartaigh brought her greater wealth and influence, reportedly owning as much as 1,000 head of cattle and horses. In 1593, when her sons and her half-brother were taken captive by the English governor of Connacht, Sir Richard Bingham, she sailed to England to petition for their release. She formally presented her request to Elizabeth I at her court in Greenwich, refusing to bow because she did not acknowledge Elizabeth being a queen.</div>
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb1EOgO-tBOBPuFWTosehjwTLl1muiJNR5QCEtcaWtCMo-oSF-tHxQ7JiBajP4WFUHvRGy4NdJHz5eJ1UWX4SnGtZ3tBOYKbLXdNmBHPNh4ANvMCaf-JVBiO2wXutumhNvz7c_rOINCQRd/s1600/ching-shih-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="900" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb1EOgO-tBOBPuFWTosehjwTLl1muiJNR5QCEtcaWtCMo-oSF-tHxQ7JiBajP4WFUHvRGy4NdJHz5eJ1UWX4SnGtZ3tBOYKbLXdNmBHPNh4ANvMCaf-JVBiO2wXutumhNvz7c_rOINCQRd/s200/ching-shih-1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
</div>
<b>Ching Shih (<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif;">1775 - 1844)</span></b><br />
<br />
Shih was a Chinese pirate who led one of the largest piracy fleets to ever exist, commanded up to 40,000 pirates. She enter into conflict with the British and Portuguese Empires, as well as the Qing dynasty.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The Chinese government attempted to destroy her fleet in a series of battles, but were unable to do so. Shih captured the government's ships and took them over, adding to her own fleet, and the Chinese were left with only fishing vessels and the like for military use. </div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggIRnOyKZ40kVJ3mAGuNL8sDMgIyJACrbvG9phe82GYO-nUL2j0ry9X3jQgB8R9OTRfwEA_JdLfDfMTjTGiAgYEronNgaqmxG4Hr_9zlcodRipU7hsK5BKxJYi1k2YwKueInptaM6qCnEK/s1600/250px-Artemisia_I_-_Caria.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="255" data-original-width="250" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggIRnOyKZ40kVJ3mAGuNL8sDMgIyJACrbvG9phe82GYO-nUL2j0ry9X3jQgB8R9OTRfwEA_JdLfDfMTjTGiAgYEronNgaqmxG4Hr_9zlcodRipU7hsK5BKxJYi1k2YwKueInptaM6qCnEK/s200/250px-Artemisia_I_-_Caria.png" width="196" /></a><br />
<br />
<b>Artemisia I of Caria (5th Century BCE)</b><br />
<div>
</div>
<div>
Artemisia was a Greek queen of the ancient Greek city of Halicarnassus and of the nearby islands of Kos, Nisyros and Kalymnos. She fought as an ally of Xerxes I, King of Persia against the independent Greek city states during the Persian invasion of Greece. She personally commanded her own five ships in the Battle of Salamis in 480 BCE. She is mostly known through the writings of Herodotus, himself a native of Halicarnassus, who praises her courage and the respect in which Xerxes held her.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO15yrYG2eu7BK9-RGpr-LajwWMSZMWXlPeTtxWlJ31A7lU7DyT1ldTUTTwowjWjfw1g5RD06d6tQlihZnH_mg0b24XgcHciAAqnCzB5RcQO-z9F3qPLNWrvedxKasnN1iWf8m00zruJNp/s1600/73547457bf0d673d769f4ba0d9661e36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="928" data-original-width="715" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO15yrYG2eu7BK9-RGpr-LajwWMSZMWXlPeTtxWlJ31A7lU7DyT1ldTUTTwowjWjfw1g5RD06d6tQlihZnH_mg0b24XgcHciAAqnCzB5RcQO-z9F3qPLNWrvedxKasnN1iWf8m00zruJNp/s200/73547457bf0d673d769f4ba0d9661e36.jpg" width="153" /></a><br />
<b>Borte Ujin (1161-1230)</b> </div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Borte Ujin was empress of the Mongolian Empire, the largest land empire in history. She was also one of Genghis Khan’s wives and most trusted advisers. Whilst many of Genghis Khan's wives accompanied him as he went to war for long periods, she ruled the Mongol homeland and managed her own court.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Wu Zetian (690 - 705)</b><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPvPlRXjnsRxlq1AmkQWMY6v1uTLX7iFwDmYuTfeKNFrld0A74oK7t5SHPj4lMDfl1xi0F_7ba__7SjuwZ9mgilLWouBGimoIGigqfGGV4YVSiwvXG1NTE-2Oft0a9NUd91vaGtG1Ry0pu/s1600/220px-A_Tang_Dynasty_Empress_Wu_Zetian+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="249" data-original-width="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPvPlRXjnsRxlq1AmkQWMY6v1uTLX7iFwDmYuTfeKNFrld0A74oK7t5SHPj4lMDfl1xi0F_7ba__7SjuwZ9mgilLWouBGimoIGigqfGGV4YVSiwvXG1NTE-2Oft0a9NUd91vaGtG1Ry0pu/s1600/220px-A_Tang_Dynasty_Empress_Wu_Zetian+%25281%2529.JPG" /></a>Wu was the sole officially recognized empress regnant of China in more than two millennia. Her political and military leadership includes the major expansion of the Chinese empire, extending it deep into Central Asia, and engaging in a series of wars on the Korean Peninsula.<br />
<br />
<br />
Wu's leadership resulted in important effects regarding social class in Chinese society and in relation to state support for Taoism, Buddhism, education, and literature.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Queen Hatshepsut (1507–1458 BC)</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl5hcXEkShiO0-9KVieS-ZWZUvDIDYOF4fatZPbZhLCbz1_QG236cItLie85VJvaEaHaj5rx_qOD6BHFfJyGOdkK_hyphenhyphenwN7WOdLQOQxXZsmUg5IuS7en58EWVa2q_RiFzGfbNASgjADOsgM/s1600/220px-Hatshepsut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="267" data-original-width="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl5hcXEkShiO0-9KVieS-ZWZUvDIDYOF4fatZPbZhLCbz1_QG236cItLie85VJvaEaHaj5rx_qOD6BHFfJyGOdkK_hyphenhyphenwN7WOdLQOQxXZsmUg5IuS7en58EWVa2q_RiFzGfbNASgjADOsgM/s1600/220px-Hatshepsut.jpg" /></a></div>
<div>
Hatshepsut was fifth pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt. According to Egyptologist James Henry Breasted, Hatshepsut is also known as "the first great woman in history of whom we are informed.<br />
<br />
Hatshepsut officially ruled jointly with Thutmose III, who had ascended to the throne as a child of about two years old. Hatshepsut was the chief wife of Thutmose II, Thutmose III’s father.<br />
<br />
During her reign she established many trade routes, funding trading expeditions and building the wealth of the eighteenth dynasty. She was also one of the most prolific builders in ancient Egypt, commissioning hundreds of construction projects. <br />
<br />
<br />
<i>Credit: Wikipedia</i></div>
Words with JAMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16595838458076154912noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4942230357446395760.post-73610658587822059722018-07-06T01:09:00.000-07:002018-07-06T01:09:46.463-07:00Six of the Best: Books on WW2 French Resistance<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
By Liza Perrat </div>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvtCrpuneNf5KCuaxifxz0Q48XjGkR7ef9lnC-X_2vxY4T73tDCMGUk1w7rUtTF1O6lURqRfPBMCkzUuozELzDB0VRALVZYTjywa1NDuLQJtMm-eVAP7sVaVynfocKwaNBnAJlBrK3JB0/s1600/P1120612.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvtCrpuneNf5KCuaxifxz0Q48XjGkR7ef9lnC-X_2vxY4T73tDCMGUk1w7rUtTF1O6lURqRfPBMCkzUuozELzDB0VRALVZYTjywa1NDuLQJtMm-eVAP7sVaVynfocKwaNBnAJlBrK3JB0/s320/P1120612.JPG" width="320" /></a>The French village in which I live originally inspired me for the first novel, <span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://mybook.to/SpiriteBook" target="_blank"><i>Spirit of Lost Angels</i></a>, </span>of my French historical trilogy, <span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://mybook.to/BoxsetBoneAngelEbook" target="_blank"><i>The Bone Angel</i></a>.</span><br />
<br />
An exhibition in a museum in Saint-Martins-en-Haut, a neighbouring
village, gave me the idea to base the second novel of the trilogy, <a href="http://mybook.to/WolfsangeleBook" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Wolfsangel</i>,</span></a> around the French Resistance to the Nazi occupation during WW2. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOTjRI4Tv1PY1phuaBtPJiDg1EqI6LVQu_zVgwISvkGpsQsFdZPp63J_vRr1gO2eFGyfKDhVuGGLA2G4OTovh10bJrk6huImlABBYmKXLbVMgYe2ykUo4ROf7Tf-USf8GL1NEaw0BVX2k/s1600/P1120616.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOTjRI4Tv1PY1phuaBtPJiDg1EqI6LVQu_zVgwISvkGpsQsFdZPp63J_vRr1gO2eFGyfKDhVuGGLA2G4OTovh10bJrk6huImlABBYmKXLbVMgYe2ykUo4ROf7Tf-USf8GL1NEaw0BVX2k/s320/P1120616.JPG" width="320" /></a> I realised that this region, like many others in France, was a hotbed of
French resistance. During my research, I was fortunate to speak with
several members of the Resistance, who were only too happy to relive
their days of fighting for the liberation of their country.<br />
<br />
But for
further information, I consulted both fiction and non-fiction books on the
subject.<br />
<br />
Here are six of my favourites, four non-fiction and two fiction
works, with Goodreads links: <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>NON-FICTION</b></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/203035.Outwitting_the_Gestapo" target="_blank"><i>Outwitting the Gestapo</i></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
by Lucie Aubrac</div>
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-BcXo0qT25KFKvT98zJmFpjl_PiJzevEemCu2hhPP2ytZ6F2Hfg_ZuoDAQAsKjvXyWaUQMYlYHKDuN4j9QaXIIfIcshN-Q90vBIEbU8hqw1AsQNtZj_eKo3aa6DHUXZH_f-BispAcfAI/s1600/Outwitting+Gestapo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="290" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-BcXo0qT25KFKvT98zJmFpjl_PiJzevEemCu2hhPP2ytZ6F2Hfg_ZuoDAQAsKjvXyWaUQMYlYHKDuN4j9QaXIIfIcshN-Q90vBIEbU8hqw1AsQNtZj_eKo3aa6DHUXZH_f-BispAcfAI/s320/Outwitting+Gestapo.jpg" width="195" /></a>Lucie Aubrac (1912-2007), of Catholic and peasant background, was a history teacher in Lyon, married to Jewish engineer, Raymond Aubrac, when WW2 broke out.<br />
<br />
The couple soon joined the Resistance movement in opposition to the Nazis and their collaborators, and <i>Outwitting the Gestapo</i> is Lucie’s harrowing account of her participation: of the months when, heavily-pregnant, she planned and took part in raids to free comrades—including her husband, under Nazi death sentence—from Montluc, the prison of Klaus Barbie, infamous Butcher of Lyon.<br />
<br />
Her book was also the basis for the 1997 French movie, Lucie Aubrac, which I greatly enjoyed. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i> </i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3017519-resistance?ac=1&from_search=true" target="_blank"><i>Résistance: A Woman’s Journal of Struggle and Defiance in Occupied France</i></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
by Agnès Humbert </div>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-jezWT1fhva5FH2IeHJQN0GKY_GKHQaqGQoT4YNH32Bi0YU0d8iPEsTnJxGyd7oJh1u1PCKz_suiv_FJRzvefePWby-fZmIkPY5HaDK9Vrngq8ebzwq2SpLE7eVmu9yUsbfdWNgOXE80/s1600/R%25C3%25A9sistance1.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-jezWT1fhva5FH2IeHJQN0GKY_GKHQaqGQoT4YNH32Bi0YU0d8iPEsTnJxGyd7oJh1u1PCKz_suiv_FJRzvefePWby-fZmIkPY5HaDK9Vrngq8ebzwq2SpLE7eVmu9yUsbfdWNgOXE80/s320/R%25C3%25A9sistance1.jpg" width="211" /></a><br />
Agnès
Humbert was an art historian in Paris during the German occupation in
1940. Stirred to action by the atrocities she witnessed, she joined
forces with several colleagues to form an organized resistance.<br />
<br />
In fact,
their newsletter, <i>Résistance</i>, gave the French Resistance its name.
During their struggle for freedom, the members of<br />
Humbert’s group were
betrayed to the Gestapo; Humbert herself was imprisoned.<br />
<br />
In immediate,
electrifying detail, Humbert describes her resistance against the Nazis,
her time in prison, and the horrors she endured in a string of German
labor camps, always retaining — in spite of everything — hope for
herself, for her friends, and for humanity. <br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i> </i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/332544.The_Silence_of_the_Sea?ac=1&from_search=true" target="_blank">The Silence of the Sea</a> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
by Vercors </div>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz1VHXuyHBmfPUhPKEt053wYgw10hQ3qi8qJZc8AgvUPxNAmka3MT4MjVq-rpWUUQVvC46U7pf5oS3X_drK579VP62pyDvJ9ESoTOMCHVHk3zWHAgit8cyISWvfnufkDUeJom0ED-Pg4Y/s1600/SilenceSea.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="319" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz1VHXuyHBmfPUhPKEt053wYgw10hQ3qi8qJZc8AgvUPxNAmka3MT4MjVq-rpWUUQVvC46U7pf5oS3X_drK579VP62pyDvJ9ESoTOMCHVHk3zWHAgit8cyISWvfnufkDUeJom0ED-Pg4Y/s320/SilenceSea.jpg" width="204" /></a><i>The
Silence of the Sea</i>, written in Nazi-occupied France, is an intensely
dramatic story of an old Frenchman and his niece, and of the German
officer billeted in their house. Both the story, and the circumstances
of its publication, bear eloquent witness to the triumph of the mind of
man over terrible circumstances.<br />
<br />
The identity of the author, “Vercors”
is unknown, though he was undoubtedly one of that large number of French
men of letters who, like the old man in “The Silence of the Sea”, refused to compromise with the Nazis in any way.<br />
<br />
This novel, written in
mortal peril, published clandestinely in France and smuggled to freedom,
is a real victory for the human spirit, showing that humans have cared
enough for things of the mind to risk their lives to breach the
impenetrable wall of silence the Nazis built around France. <br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30206563-moondrop-to-gascony?ac=1&from_search=true" target="_blank">Moondrop to Gascony </a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
by Anne-Marie Walters </div>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip8gVIoWPFlm47reJnHtdiQ6ANSBWLVMgLhdn9JbRDfr9GhZPDqR_2OuM1f7H3d8wBFNWkNrMs3TcvOHrFthakgchYOrFw-s3rZnjbd-pUb0TooxbJvqWU2HwvIvF_8rEUYTPn3OBq5gw/s1600/MoondropGascony.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="331" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip8gVIoWPFlm47reJnHtdiQ6ANSBWLVMgLhdn9JbRDfr9GhZPDqR_2OuM1f7H3d8wBFNWkNrMs3TcvOHrFthakgchYOrFw-s3rZnjbd-pUb0TooxbJvqWU2HwvIvF_8rEUYTPn3OBq5gw/s320/MoondropGascony.jpg" width="212" /></a>On
a cold, moonlit night in January 1944, Anne-Marie Walters, just twenty
years old, parachuted into southwest France to work with the Resistance
in preparation for the long-awaited Allied invasion.<br />
<br />
The daughter of a
British father and a French mother, she was to act as a courier for
George Starr, head of the “Wheelwright” circuit of the Special
Operations Executive. Over the next seven months, Walters crisscrossed
the region, carrying messages, delivering explosives, arranging the
escape of downed airmen, and receiving parachute drops of arms and
personnel in the dead of night, living in constant fear of capture and
torture by the Gestapo.<br />
<br />
Then, on the very eve of liberation, she was
sent off on foot over the Pyrenees to Spain, carrying urgent dispatches
for London. It is a tale of high adventure, comradeship and kindness, of
betrayals and appalling atrocities, and of the often unremarked courage
of many ordinary French men and women who risked their lives to help
drive German armies from French soil. And through it all shines her
quiet courage, a keen sense of humor and, above all, her pure zest for
life. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>*** </i></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>FICTION </b></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/239202.Shadows_of_a_Childhood?ac=1&from_search=true" target="_blank">Shadows of a Childhood </a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
by Elisabeth Gille </div>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEJaVtbI55-oE4nHE0f17bVOwk3K7Q9a2RFt6eZ1mtDtpaBfREh-9fBLwcZmhr35miT1F7gWD0HFpgX-TQblBioENHNrE9ZW8HqxIzow_RXR_98LiqV7K8mLIRVEEiMkQrn6R-gYsQOP4/s1600/shadowsChildhood.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEJaVtbI55-oE4nHE0f17bVOwk3K7Q9a2RFt6eZ1mtDtpaBfREh-9fBLwcZmhr35miT1F7gWD0HFpgX-TQblBioENHNrE9ZW8HqxIzow_RXR_98LiqV7K8mLIRVEEiMkQrn6R-gYsQOP4/s320/shadowsChildhood.jpg" width="212" /></a>A
haunting and powerful book written by one of the daughters of Irène
Némirovsky, author of <i>Suite Française</i>. Némirovsky and her husband died
in Nazi concentration camps, but their daughters were hidden and escaped
death.<br />
<br />
<br />
In this story, Elisabeth Gille gives a
fictionalized account of when, as five-year old Lea Levy, she was hidden
away by the nuns of a Bordeaux convent when the Nazis deported her
parents.<br />
<br />
<br />
But there is no happy ending for her after the fall of Nazi
Germany, which is what makes this book so powerful, to see the pain and
suffering for the Jews that came after liberation. <br />
<br />
<br />
<i> </i><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i> </i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/133937.Charlotte_Gray?ac=1&from_search=true" target="_blank">Charlotte Gray </a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
by Sebastian Faulks (French Trilogy #3) </div>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyAfWSxBNRyIG-q3NyRyuq-SmuOaJltx5AenEnzOzmMFy64DrqfhmoMD_m6MR6RJ7-GbmmpaaZmzfstL-sr8UHsiEfzH7IXiGy_UhGI5ZykV_HWZnnRBXe0wGcdWXS8h_i1967x8zxvv0/s1600/CharlotteGray.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="289" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyAfWSxBNRyIG-q3NyRyuq-SmuOaJltx5AenEnzOzmMFy64DrqfhmoMD_m6MR6RJ7-GbmmpaaZmzfstL-sr8UHsiEfzH7IXiGy_UhGI5ZykV_HWZnnRBXe0wGcdWXS8h_i1967x8zxvv0/s320/CharlotteGray.jpg" width="205" /></a><i>Charlotte
Gray </i>is the story of a young Scottish woman who becomes caught up in
the effort to liberate Occupied France from the Nazis while pursuing a
perilous mission of her own.<br />
<br />
In blacked-out, wartime
London, Charlotte Gray develops a dangerous passion for a battle-weary
RAF pilot, and when he fails to return from a daring flight into France
she is determined to find him.<br />
<br />
In the service of the Resistance, she
travels to the village of Lavaurette, dyeing her hair and changing her
name to conceal her identity. Here she will come face-to-face with the
harrowing truth of what took place during Europe’s darkest years, and
will confront a terrifying secret that threatens to cast its shadow over
the remainder of her days. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ySGO9P_x0z_-590io8lu1HvZ-httRAcSkSKyPFGoOzNIsT-ZesLgAfaA0CakK50oDv40uH-3wXVGEd63WK1MDfUTg_gb1re0r8Gdp-o2WQfwLyZXRi3-TV4Iw7n6H3RLD74o8flzc7o/s1600/P1120613.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ySGO9P_x0z_-590io8lu1HvZ-httRAcSkSKyPFGoOzNIsT-ZesLgAfaA0CakK50oDv40uH-3wXVGEd63WK1MDfUTg_gb1re0r8Gdp-o2WQfwLyZXRi3-TV4Iw7n6H3RLD74o8flzc7o/s320/P1120613.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Resistance museum poster</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDSwnTYt-oK3nHdus2wMFt-bCSLNehPfiCQjuF6H1UYulKI9v1wjCV0sdluzWNIkRh3o534IQRNdFw-h8nGSN1xZtnkSokWo5u9ZconxuABPXHlZdx4vuV699Xyak9v1WhK55IHw0MFYw/s1600/P1120623.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDSwnTYt-oK3nHdus2wMFt-bCSLNehPfiCQjuF6H1UYulKI9v1wjCV0sdluzWNIkRh3o534IQRNdFw-h8nGSN1xZtnkSokWo5u9ZconxuABPXHlZdx4vuV699Xyak9v1WhK55IHw0MFYw/s320/P1120623.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Resistance museum poster</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Liza Perrathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00410516687044998154noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4942230357446395760.post-69709168020134955622018-06-21T12:28:00.000-07:002018-06-21T12:46:12.512-07:00Six of the Best: Books set in European CitiesBy<a href="http://beatrice-stubbs.com/"> JJ Marsh</a> <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“<i>That’s the thing about books. They let you travel without moving your feet.</i>” – Jhumpa Lahiri, <i>The Namesake</i> </blockquote>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmhU5VJ6sdHgv-1lswWwSsc6aL2qymyK1cH13cQlc4dYOXA2QEokpAhwCE_pGqi4IOFwxcFLc5-dzjmrh0DTgly3LJ0M0xX_a7zW8suIIlkSGkjozkOelBMmq3Sx1GD7O_5VLFlThfJ64/s1600/IMG_2079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmhU5VJ6sdHgv-1lswWwSsc6aL2qymyK1cH13cQlc4dYOXA2QEokpAhwCE_pGqi4IOFwxcFLc5-dzjmrh0DTgly3LJ0M0xX_a7zW8suIIlkSGkjozkOelBMmq3Sx1GD7O_5VLFlThfJ64/s400/IMG_2079.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dubrovnik, Croatia</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
For someone like me, born in Wales who spent formative years in Africa and Asia, continental Europe has a attraction like nowhere else. There lies history, romance, culture and stories. It has a wealth of geographical attractions such as Portuguese beaches, Swiss mountains, Italian lakes and French vineyards. But my passion is for the cities.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Amsterdam</b> in January: discarded Christmas trees beside canals; bikes, bridges and gables.<br />
<b>Madrid</b> at Easter: dramatic daytime parades, roasted garlic and parties that start at midnight.<br />
<b>Porto</b> at São João: everyone out with squeaky hammers, eating sardines and watching fireworks.<br />
<b>Stuttgart</b> in the autumn: beer in open squares at communal tables, with new friends and brass bands.<br />
<b>Pardubice</b> in winter: frozen lakes, steaming saunas, freezing attics and extremely strong cheese.<br />
<b>Naples</b> in July: ripe tomatoes, brown skin, tiny trucks and the sensory overload of the harbour.</blockquote>
Each has an atmosphere all its own and I never tire of exploring their present - in person - and past through literature.<br />
<br />
I’ve chosen six books to transport you to another time and place while relaxing into the story. If you have any novel ways of exploring a city, I’d love to know. <br />
<br />
<br />
<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLSGhiPj1-RXFHf2zoz2f0UGwjsXmF1gHzblSrtsd6PyHnKg4c-BoTzzqk2TUCcMG07WNn9OqVip6YjXwbN38CiEa0w3GbW6ALg96iwZtFjfAUeP56YiBj7KAkZsTSCdkMbYIEoJNRlUI/s1600/girl+pearl+earring.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="292" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLSGhiPj1-RXFHf2zoz2f0UGwjsXmF1gHzblSrtsd6PyHnKg4c-BoTzzqk2TUCcMG07WNn9OqVip6YjXwbN38CiEa0w3GbW6ALg96iwZtFjfAUeP56YiBj7KAkZsTSCdkMbYIEoJNRlUI/s200/girl+pearl+earring.jpg" width="129" /></a>Delft 1660s: <i>Girl with a Pearl Earring </i>– Tracy Chevalier </b><br />
<br />
As delicate as a work of art, the book explores the complex relationships of the Vermeer household. The artist who has come to represent the Dutch Golden Age completed only two to three paintings a year, putting the household economy under pressure.<br />
When Griet, the new maid, seems to inspire the master, tensions build between his wife, his mother-in-law and the observant Griet. Delft’s canals, markets and Calvinist culture all spring to life on the page, creating a beautiful background to what might have been. <br />
<br />
<br />
<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXTrozzkqDbl_i9l-jJQAK0RLRO37XmgYngAjH-vZ9xq1ei0iZB6I7qpTC3VsaPoYX5NojZno2inVYO_dbmEyd0HZn1HFkYCvqlGkSnOUmGYJmFflMHN6tSfNKdrxHRRmk1sDXds05giY/s1600/pure+a+miller.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="746" data-original-width="480" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXTrozzkqDbl_i9l-jJQAK0RLRO37XmgYngAjH-vZ9xq1ei0iZB6I7qpTC3VsaPoYX5NojZno2inVYO_dbmEyd0HZn1HFkYCvqlGkSnOUmGYJmFflMHN6tSfNKdrxHRRmk1sDXds05giY/s200/pure+a+miller.jpg" width="128" /></a>Paris 1785: <i>Pure</i> – Andrew Miller </b><br />
<br />
Jean-Baptiste Baratte is summoned from the quiet town of Bellême to Paris, to complete a rather unusual task. He is to clear the cemetery of Les Innocents. Miller describes the city of Paris, the cemetery and its long-dead inhabitants, the local people and his own arc of change with such graceful sensory evocation, I was reminded of Suskind’s <i>Perfume</i>. <br />
The characters are fascinating, all portrayed through Baratte’s perceptions and prejudices. But it’s the setting that makes you feel you’ve been in another world, another time, another place and experienced it so vividly that you put it down feeling a little disorientated to find yourself on the bus.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPSbpuoppz6cHN1A-pGxVOig83rcckgjA0oSlnUCl5BjH82HzNxVZnKCa0VRNUPrWCtpbUfpDfzZYnK0typyNjlh6qaC6WvfYzGxiFwjOrlQO_Fst_4_6qWVUd66dIFZdAM3_Ifrr-nsY/s1600/shadow+of+the+wind.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="272" data-original-width="185" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPSbpuoppz6cHN1A-pGxVOig83rcckgjA0oSlnUCl5BjH82HzNxVZnKCa0VRNUPrWCtpbUfpDfzZYnK0typyNjlh6qaC6WvfYzGxiFwjOrlQO_Fst_4_6qWVUd66dIFZdAM3_Ifrr-nsY/s200/shadow+of+the+wind.jpg" width="136" /></a>Barcelona 1945: <i>The Shadow of the Wind </i>– Carlos Ruiz Zafón </b><br />
The Cemetery of Forgotten Books is where ten-year-old Daniel encounters The Shadow of the Wind. He is charged with protecting that copy as the only one in existence. The book enthralls him and he wants to find out more about the author.<br />
But Julián Carax is dead and Daniel’s commitment to the book is attracting enemies. Not least a mysterious man seeking out all Carax’s work with the aim of total eradication. Barcelona through the eyes of a child in a country under a different kind of shadow.<br />
<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>Naples 1950s: <i>My Brilliant Friend </i>– Elena Ferrante </b><br />
<br />
<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQBZ8WPmG6ZFtpS3iuYlVGpNBa1_qvidJiYdhQZVI_VR4MfnAdmLbfHo46hkd2GdZeFfmi3I0-2ziHhKSO6gtok4FaMR1u_l3gHCgR2rLWTTQGjFcrM49OUajEFwcTk0YBi54AT8910bw/s1600/my+brilliant+freund.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQBZ8WPmG6ZFtpS3iuYlVGpNBa1_qvidJiYdhQZVI_VR4MfnAdmLbfHo46hkd2GdZeFfmi3I0-2ziHhKSO6gtok4FaMR1u_l3gHCgR2rLWTTQGjFcrM49OUajEFwcTk0YBi54AT8910bw/s200/my+brilliant+freund.jpg" width="200" /></a></b>On the surface, this is a coming-of-age novel set in a poor, violent suburb of Naples. Yet it has depths of love, beauty, politics, social observation, spite, generosity and anger all rendered in sparkling prose.<br />
The reader is immersed in this Southern Italian environment, narrated by Elena Greco, whose entire story of her growth and development into her late teens is refracted through the lens of comparison. Ferrante’s cast of characters is broad and its hierarchy rigid. Brutal threats between
neighbours, families, lovers are rarely idle and an undercurrent of
honour, vengeance and blood runs just below the surface. <br />
Passions and dramas abound on the small stage of their little community, set against a greater backdrop of the recent war, political extremism and the importance of having the right connections.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmBB1iNE38pXyMLEELjfvR3qbpoq1y8eQJYUbVIW5SeOeyzV-GlXE29sf6fYLUFPh7KpCzQrSZmPNabgNmAmk4qqeKMzTeGyhyphenhyphenR3Ul5WZbJeTCyRpSeRS50L_VqW47l-K7kI2Pq4A0mrA/s1600/night+train+to+lisbon.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="330" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmBB1iNE38pXyMLEELjfvR3qbpoq1y8eQJYUbVIW5SeOeyzV-GlXE29sf6fYLUFPh7KpCzQrSZmPNabgNmAmk4qqeKMzTeGyhyphenhyphenR3Ul5WZbJeTCyRpSeRS50L_VqW47l-K7kI2Pq4A0mrA/s200/night+train+to+lisbon.jpg" width="131" /></a>Lisbon 1960s/1970s/now: <i>Night Train to Lisbon </i>– Pascal Mercier </b><br />
<br />
A chance meeting with a Portuguese woman on a bridge in Bern provokes Gregorius, a Swiss teacher of Classics, to follow his curiosity. It leads him to a book, ‘Um Ourives das Palavras’ (A Goldsmith of Words), written by Amadeu de Prado.<br />
In an uncharacteristic act of spontaneity, Gregorius walks away from his life and boards a night train to Lisbon, just to discover more about the author. He discovers the city as a stranger and the language through sheer determination, constantly learning the harsh truths about the recent dictatorship and effects on its people. <br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Moscow early 2000s: <i>Snowdrops</i> – AD Miller </b><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ETmZSUGON-_SDxpq5ukH6w0Tb8tRSw2_Osc_cCwfvylpBOsTlsohupSV_Ne30WxBtHlo7uUKsUfNYgh9kVArRxjeB2FvsjFM2gi1vh26iowC0y5YCjHzlUrPO8NaD1fPAc22EVejTcE/s1600/snowdrops.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="277" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ETmZSUGON-_SDxpq5ukH6w0Tb8tRSw2_Osc_cCwfvylpBOsTlsohupSV_Ne30WxBtHlo7uUKsUfNYgh9kVArRxjeB2FvsjFM2gi1vh26iowC0y5YCjHzlUrPO8NaD1fPAc22EVejTcE/s200/snowdrops.jpg" width="138" /></a>The eponymous snowdrop refers to a body buried under the winter snow which only comes to light in the thaw. The image is relevant both literally and metaphorically to AD Miller’s Moscow tale of corruption and moral erosion. <br />
The book is ostensibly a letter from Nick to his fiancée, cleaning the slate by confessing his past. He was working as a lawyer in Moscow, where he met Masha and Katya, and so began his decay. The author uses the setting of wintry Moscow, and the period just before the credit crunch, to great reflective effect. Nick’s moral choices are underpinned by a sense of ‘Right here, right now, this is just how it works’. But one day, the snow will melt … <br />
<br />
<i></i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<i> </i><i> </i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<i>JJ Marsh
is the author of The Beatrice Stubbs Series. Each book is more than a
heart-racing crime novel; it's a European adventure. From the
snow-capped peaks of Switzerland
to a deserted Welsh beach or golden vineyards in the Basque country of
Spain; each story is immersed in the landscape, culture, cuisine,
architecture and personality of its location. </i><a href="http://beatrice-stubbs.com/">http://beatrice-stubbs.com/</a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://amzn.to/2qrdtlH" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLusjcf9PEbYgGjqEy6wgMFHsjZmIwGZcU_TK-f-9LYNxBTHYNqRv5lW6npYOWYI-ZJcWDWRcKijKBB28A9XFeoXFrT8N3sHpyz9J1tM2sexC6_4q2RRjvJocmyFaM05G4fjxxoYLt4lI/s320/Beatrice+Stubbs+Box+Set+One+3D.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />JJ Marshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12708049070102426652noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4942230357446395760.post-59767235623937866002018-05-25T00:35:00.000-07:002018-05-25T00:35:19.687-07:00Story of a Novel: The Rise of ZenobiaA friend once told me I could write, and so I did. <i>The Rise of Zenobia </i>wasn't the first novel I wrote, nor the first I published, but it was one of my earliest pieces of work and was put through its paces on various peer review sites before finally being enshrined on the page.<br />
<br />
The stories of lesser known heroes have always intrigued me. There are many reasons they are untold, barely noted in the tombs of history, a footnote here and there.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvLJROfWN_WE-gUknPO8OgGzacshTgoc3KcUWN4A-iQ4HGQ4eWe1lGn_m4WyoewNbfRy4w6eAisOu-yn_ba0LAEW1_U9U8P-unAVYU0Ato3zTD4S_fIv-iyyCWKtfckuHNkrl-6w-jGenk/s1600/17156.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="260" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvLJROfWN_WE-gUknPO8OgGzacshTgoc3KcUWN4A-iQ4HGQ4eWe1lGn_m4WyoewNbfRy4w6eAisOu-yn_ba0LAEW1_U9U8P-unAVYU0Ato3zTD4S_fIv-iyyCWKtfckuHNkrl-6w-jGenk/s320/17156.jpg" width="208" /></a>Zenobia was one.<br />
<br />
Popular in the Arab world, she was lesser known to westerners. I first read about her in Antiona Fraser's <i>Warrior Queen, </i>giving me an insight into the life of this remarkable woman, who rose from the daughter of a merchant to marry the King of Palmyra, capital of Syria, and an important city on the eastern caravan route.<br />
<br />
Two things struck me about Zenobia. First was that she led one of the most threatening rebellions ever faced by the Roman Empire, yet it remained largely untold. The Empire relied heavily on Egypt for it's source of grain, with a third of the Empire's consumption coming from the land of the pyramids alone. Cut off, the Empire would starve.<br />
<br />
The second was the country in which she rose to a hugely influential position. It was a vast contrast to the middle east today; war torn, religious conflict and oppressive toward woman. In the third century Zenobia was not only given a voice, she held command over armies and was worshiped as a god. Further still was the descriptions of many religions living peacefully, side by side, with citizens choosing who they worshiped, many praying to several gods. Indeed Zenobia herself courted both Jews and Christians to name but two in a bid to secure friendship and support. These details fascinated me when in so many other areas of history you read of seemingly constant religious conflict, where religion is the reason for the story, the cause of war, the very character of conflict. Here was a story where religion was barely a player. An so I embarked on a mission to write a story where religion is constantly referenced, but it is the colour of the sea or the shape of the moon or the smell of spice. Not the cause or the reason for the characters' motives and interaction.<br />
<br />
The first draft of <i>The Rise of Zenobia</i> took years to complete and many rewrites, particularly of the first chapter, in a bid to introduce the characters that would see them live through several volumes of the series. The research was unending and still is. Little is known of Syria in the third century. Like the dark ages of Britain very little historical documentation existing and what does is unreliable.<br />
<br />
I left it too late to visit Syria to do any on the ground research. My children were babies when I first started writing and by the time I had the time and resources to make the venture war was, in real life as well as my book, tearing the country apart.<br />
<br />
From the clothes to the armour I made educated guesses. Syria was a client kingdom of the Roman Empire and would be heavily influenced by the language, customs and dress. But it was also close to Egypt and in perpetual war with Persia, so everything I imagined for the land ruled by my heroine would be a mixture of them all in a bid to demonstrate local and political influence.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_0Z3QjrVVO0hwXTfv5peR21ZNynCwXOJzRkZAQXFb3j72Xp-UrVdwM93eehLB8Ir2PSQTbhtZeCv2CoxQGBLQRwYCkyV9GILtoSlpFOnTGqNAe7gL0XLVr4IvhJcVcD2Ub1tooujbxp6M/s1600/51qCs6K-ypL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_0Z3QjrVVO0hwXTfv5peR21ZNynCwXOJzRkZAQXFb3j72Xp-UrVdwM93eehLB8Ir2PSQTbhtZeCv2CoxQGBLQRwYCkyV9GILtoSlpFOnTGqNAe7gL0XLVr4IvhJcVcD2Ub1tooujbxp6M/s320/51qCs6K-ypL.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<b>An Extract:</b><br />
<br />
We walked a long line of tents, taller than ours, but still the soldiers stooped in and out. We paused outside one, six soldiers standing sentry, and I felt a flutter of apprehension, our mission riding on the next few moments; our second and last chance. <br />
<br />
We ducked inside. Gallienus sat behind a table as Valerian had sat behind a desk in Rome, the tent otherwise bare. They were different in approach. Valerian did not wish to see us, made no pretence at humouring us, and believed what he had wanted to believe, what his own commanders told him. Gallienus sat with a serenity I had not imagined a man of war to emanate. Scars marred his face, cutting through a short beard, no thicker than my own. He stood up and genially gestured we take chairs opposite him. An aide stood to one side, four soldiers lining the walls, and the soldier who had come for us sat down at one end of the table. <br />
<br />
‘My sincere apologies,’ the emperor said. ‘You caught me on a long march home. I am not entirely sure who it is I address,’ he smiled, eyes flicking between Zenobia and myself. <br />
<br />
‘We are honoured to be in your presence, Caesar. I am Zenobia Zabdilas, consul of Palmyra, and this is my personal guard and cousin, Zabdas. We were sent to Rome on behalf of King Odenathus …’ <br />
<br />
‘Of Syria?’ Gallienus interrupted. <br />
<br />
‘Palmyra, indeed.’ <br />
<br />
Gallienus relaxed into his seat and traced a wide scar close to his ear. <br />
<br />
‘But you are not in Rome. You are west of Rome, seeking an audience with me.’ <br />
<br />
The man sitting at the end of the table gave a low snigger and leaned forward on the table. <br />
<br />
Gallienus appeared amused as he waited for a response. <br />
<br />
Zenobia remained unmoved. <br />
<br />
‘Indeed, Caesar. I am here to plead for reinforcements …’ <br />
<br />
‘Wait a moment,’ Gallienus said, and my patience tore. ‘Two questions. Firstly, why come to me? My father is at this very moment in Rome. Surely he could have listened to your plea?’ <br />
<br />
Zenobia did not hesitate. ‘We have pleaded with your father already, but alas to no avail. Roman commanders report that the east can hold for now, as it always has, against the Persian invaders. He makes his decision based on this.’ <br />
<br />
Gallienus closed his eyes momentarily. <br />
<br />
‘I see. And so you have come to me in the hope that my opinion might differ?’ <br />
<br />
‘Precisely.’ <br />
<br />
Gallienus chuckled, and the man at the end of the table laughed, too. <br />
<br />
‘I admire your honesty.’ <br />
<br />
‘You had a second question?’ she said. <br />
<br />
Gallienus tilted his head and studied Zenobia. <br />
<br />
‘Why would a woman come with only three soldiers and a guide? Surely you travelled from Syria with a larger escort?’ <br />
<br />
Zenobia shrugged off her cloak. <br />
<br />
‘We came with an escort of more than a hundred men. Our leader and company felt we had done all we could having spoken with your father.’ <br />
<br />
The emperor’s smile evaporated. <br />
<br />
‘I see. This man, this leader with whom you came, he thinks my father holds imperium, hmm?’ <br />
<br />
Zenobia said nothing. Clever, I thought. She touched on delicate matters. <br />
<br />
After a while Gallienus said, ‘What makes you think my answer will differ from my co-emperor’s?’ <br />
<br />
‘You are a lord of war,’ Zenobia replied. ‘You know enough to understand and sympathise with Odenathus’ position and the problems he faces. The Persians threaten Syria, but it is also under invasion from many other tribes, including the Tanukh.’ She leaned forward and they held one another’s gaze with ease. ‘My king has held the Syrian frontier — your frontier — for many years with success. But our enemies become more powerful, and yet the legions in Syria remain the same. It has become increasingly difficult to continue to maintain control. Numerous cities have been lost. My own father led men to the Euphrates two years ago. He came out of retirement to protect the Empire.’ <br />
<br />
My mind was filled with Julius, whether he still held the southern frontier, and if he were dead or alive. I felt the draw of home, a heavy pull in my stomach. I craved, then, to return to Palmyra. <br />
<br />
‘My father will have seen your problems in the east as part of a greater problem, as part of the Empire’s problems; something that weighs heavily on us both. When he and I became colleagues, Rome was close to collapse; it still is. Maintaining and securing the frontiers is a huge problem. A massive undertaking. If Valerian Caesar thinks you can hold, he makes his decision based on how much pressure he is under elsewhere.’ Gallienus barely looked at me as he spoke, eyes fixed intently on Zenobia. ‘It is an easy choice to make, when the people whose lives are immediately at risk are not people you know, when there are enemies closer to home. Believe me, I understand the troubles your country faces, and I have a great deal of respect for Odenathus. He is an incredibly loyal man.’ <br />
<br />
‘He is the best of men,’ Zenobia replied. ‘You could not wish for a more trustworthy ruler to a client kingdom.’ <br />
<br />
A mild hint that Odenathus could turn against Rome without notice was not lost on the younger emperor. <br />
<br />
‘You can leave us now, Posthumus,’ Gallienus said to the man sat at the end of the table. <br />
<br />
‘Caesar,’ Posthumus acknowledged. <br />
<br />
He bowed and stooped out of the tent. Only the guards, Zenobia, Gallienus and I remained. <br />
<br />
‘I understand,’ he said. ‘Odenathus has my full support in all matters, but whether it is physically possible to push more legions to Syria’s frontier is another problem entirely. That may be difficult to accept, but it is also quite probably the case. I know my own men are stretched.’ <br />
<br />
‘Give me a day,’ Zenobia challenged, ‘and I will change your mind.’ <br />
<br />
Gallienus grinned, boyish and amused. He rose from his seat, took Zenobia’s hand and assisted her to her feet. <br />
<br />
‘I have no doubt you would try. Your escort waits for you in Rome?’ <br />
<br />
‘They are camped on the outskirts of the city.’ <br />
<br />
‘Then you can travel back with me. And you can have two days to plead your case.’ <br />
<br />
Hope gripped once more.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br />
<b>Reviews:</b><br />
<br />
"If you're a fan of historical fiction and like Douglas Jackson, Bernard Cornwell, Simon Scarrow - then you will adore this novel. The Rise of Zenobia is the first in the series and I can't wait to read more from this talented author."<br />
<br />
"I do love a warrior queen! Boudica is perhaps the best known of all but this is a tale told of another, Zenobia, who also went up against the might of Rome. An intriguing and atmospheric insight into a part of history I knew very little about. It is very well written but easy to follow too - no mean feat considering all the unusual place and character names. Set in ancient Palmyra (modern-day Syria) the descriptions throughout, of the people, the places, are particularly vivid, transporting you to a bygone age. Packed to the hilt with tension and adventure, it kept me spellbound. Thankfully, as part of a trilogy, there is more to come!"</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="http://mybook.to/theriseofzenobiaebook">Available on Amazon</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Words with JAMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16595838458076154912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4942230357446395760.post-72018016839023879012018-05-09T02:48:00.001-07:002018-05-09T02:48:59.420-07:00BOOKCLUB: Smash All the Windows by Jane Davis<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyALdxiJB4VvJtgFLZCAkBcm5K4k89kVhMLA98u28h93GVKD78PXWg1__2YyHecKS5s6L8kmZ5bDoK_iLbpbffbVhEWJiY4GbRKOu4t08DcSX0QQIUtNdZ2Z_nwxZkk1tOUfZ1AsWo5r4/s1600/rsz_smash_all_the_windows_final_final_ebook_cover+325+x+521+for+website.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="521" data-original-width="325" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyALdxiJB4VvJtgFLZCAkBcm5K4k89kVhMLA98u28h93GVKD78PXWg1__2YyHecKS5s6L8kmZ5bDoK_iLbpbffbVhEWJiY4GbRKOu4t08DcSX0QQIUtNdZ2Z_nwxZkk1tOUfZ1AsWo5r4/s320/rsz_smash_all_the_windows_final_final_ebook_cover+325+x+521+for+website.jpg" width="199" /></a></div>
<i><b>It has taken conviction to right the wrongs.</b></i><br />
<i>
</i><i><b>It will take courage to learn how to live again.</b></i><br />
<i>
</i><i><br /></i>
<i>
</i><i>For the families of the victims of the St Botolph and Old
Billingsgate disaster, the undoing of a miscarriage of justice should be
a cause for rejoicing. For more than thirteen years, the search for
truth has eaten up everything. Marriages, families, health, careers and
finances.</i><br />
<br />
<i>
</i><i>Finally, the coroner has ruled that the crowd did not contribute to
their own deaths. Finally, now that lies have been unravelled and
hypocrisies exposed, they can all get back to their lives.</i><br />
<i>
</i><i><b>If only it were that simple. </b></i><br />
<br />
<i>
</i><i>Tapping into the issues of the day, Davis delivers a highly charged
work of metafiction, a compelling testament to the human condition and
the healing power of art.</i><br />
<br />
All the members of Triskele Books have long been fans of Jane Davis's books and there was no doubt we'd read her latest novel. Here, Gillian Hamer, Catriona Troth and Liza Perrat respond to JJ Marsh's questions about <i>Smash all the Windows</i>.<br />
<br />
<b>JJ: The first thing that struck me about the book was the structure. The book starts with the coroner's verdict. Then it moves back in time to before the disaster happened and to the aftermath. How did the fact that we know what happened in the end affect your experience of the story?</b><br />
<br />
CT: A chronological telling, with the focus on a sequence of events, would have made the book more like a disaster movie. By telling the story in the way she did, Davis ensured that the focus was on the impact of the events on the lives of the characters.<br />
LP: For me, the coroner's verdict was not the crux of this story; it was rather an exploration of the effects of the disaster on the different people involved. Therefore, my story experience was in no way affected by this beginning. <br />
GH: Yes, I agree with Kat, it changed the tone of the book completely because we already knew the people were without fault and helped us focus on the character's stories rather than the guilty or not guilty issue.<br />
<br />
<b>JJ: Davis employs a large cast of characters, and as a result, many different points-of-view. What do you see as the advantages of that?</b><br />
<br />
CT: There are so many different human responses to grief, loss and trauma. The multiple points of view of the families of the dead - all written in that close third person point of view that makes the reader inhabit the characters skin - allow us to explore and understand a huge range of those responses.<br />
LP: Yes, I agree with Kat and as such, each individual reader will certainly be able to identify with at least one of these characters. <br />
GH: I think it gave the book a much more rounded and balanced feel, each character had their own story, their own baggage, their own guilt and their own way of coping with their grief. <br />
<br />
<b>JJ: Was there a single character you identified with more than most?</b><br />
<br />
CT: Probably Gina. I have been through the phase of having two embattled teenage kids in the house. It's all two easy to imagine what it would be like to have that life cut short - to have everything frozen in a bad moment that you would otherwise have lived through and grown out of. (I've also been a London commuter through two pregnancies, so I had a lot of empathy for Cassie too.)<br />
LP: I identified with many of the characters, but mostly, I'd say, with Jules. I found it amazing the way he could sift through the physical and literal rubble, and create something beautiful and evocative. <br />
GH: I think I connected most with Maggie. I've walked streets and drove to places just to evoke memories and remember what it was like to be there with a loved one I've lost. And I felt a great deal of empathy both for her loss and what she went through trying to defend her daughter's name.<br />
<br />
<b>JJ: I was impressed by the way the author made a completely fictional disaster feel so convincing. What were the elements that contributed to its believability?</b><br />
<br />
CT Again, this has something to do with points of view. By showing it to us through the several pairs of eyes, Davis allows us to see it evolve as in a four dimensional reconstruction. But it is also to do with carefully chosen details that would conjure up the Tube to anyone familiar with travelling on it.<br />
LP: I think it was entirely believable as I could truly envisage this kind of disaster occurring. Coupled with the fact that we <i>have </i>actually experienced just these kind of disasters in real life. <br />
GH: There was something of the tragic events of Hillsborough that echoed through my mind as I read this book, and because we know these awful, life-changing events can happen, and that miscarriages of justice aren't as rare as they should be, it added to the whole believability factor that the author created.<br />
<br />
<b>JJ: The novel is full of powerfully affecting moments. Are there any that particularly stood out for you?</b><br />
<br />
CT: Very difficult to pick just one. The opening of Ollie's room, Eric's breakdown, Helene finding her role - they were all deeply moving. But I think the opening of the exhibition stands out for me, for all the reasons I explain below.<br />
LP: For me it would have to be when Ollie's room was finally opened. <br />
GH: Again, Maggie coping with her inner grief stood out for me because it felt so real. Gina's battle with her emotions and coming to terms with her son's death in gradual stages was also very powerful.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>JJ: There is a sense of closure for some of those left behind at Jules Roche's exhibition, <i>Objets</i>. Why does an artistic representation of people's pain and grief have such an effect?</b><br />
<br />
CT: Visual art, like poetry, distills emotion down to its essence, so it connects directly with our own emotional centres. The descriptions of art pieces probably shouldn't, in theory, be quite so powerful. But I was blown away by Davis's description of the different pieces in <i>Objets</i>. Envisaging each of those art works was a tour de force in itself. Not to give too much away, but crib was an especially stunning concept. I think Davis may be a visual artist manque!<br />
LP: I think because, as each of us is an individual, each person views, loves, hates and/or appreciates, art in completely entirely ways. Just as it is with each individual's perception of pain and grief. <br />
GH: I felt the exhibition acted as a form of closure because it brought everyone together in a 'beautiful' way - rather than in a courtroom. It's difficult not to give the plot away but the objects themselves had real meaning too that seemed to heal those left to cope with the aftermath.<br />
<br />
<b>JJ: Jane Davis recently wrote a guest blog for us on the ghosts of fictional characters. This book is shadowed with the spectres of lost individuals, even those not yet born. Yet it did not make me melancholy, instilling if anything a feeling of reverence. What was your feeling when you finished <i>Smash All The Windows</i>?</b><br />
<br />
CT: I think there was an immense feeling of hope, as if Jules has allowed the bereaved - those with whom we have shared this journey at least - to reconnect with those they have lost. This wasn't an anodyne 'everything's all right now' ending - more that each of the characters could now begin a healing process that had been denied them for years.<br />
LP: It definitely left me with hope too; that the characters had been able to acknowledge their grief and could thus continue their lives on a more hopeful and peaceful, arc. <br />
GH: A feeling of closure, not just in the book but in the journey of the characters. The victims' voices had been loud and clear in the earlier sections and flashbacks, and it was as if they had finally fallen silent. I felt sure that the bereaved would now be taking the first small steps towards the rest of their lives with the acceptance that they could never change what had happened but could finally start to learn how to live with it.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://bookmuseuk.blogspot.ch/2018/05/smash-all-windows-by-jane-davis.html">Read Liza's Bookmuse review here </a>JJ Marshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12708049070102426652noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4942230357446395760.post-35511021226100017642018-04-27T01:00:00.000-07:002018-04-27T01:00:54.191-07:00What Are You Reading? (3)By Gillian Hamer<br />
<br />
Spring is in the air …<br />
Goodbye winter blues and hello daffodils, frolicking lambs and budding hedgerows. Yes, at last spring is here!<br />
<br />
And it’s April’s turn to offer up a smorgasbord of literary delights.<br />
<br />
In the hope of discovering a few more masterpieces, or at least adding to our ‘to be read’ pile, Triskele members share our current reads with you - and ask for your latest hot reads in exchange. Please join in the discussion and let's spread the word about some of the great books out there - whether classics or latest finds.<br />
<br />
APRIL - What are you reading?<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>LIZA PERRAT</b><br />
<b></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifXwikWhDu_qa1Aa3UTWlOtVfEudocu799ovdS61DyAInWr6gtylSqPaXIVDhun8JehIpLG8CMqZHZfq6VkhE_unmt_wRmePzSD2WTT-zsXiN9heHHvQG-Iheyyy8CYf07fKJVEVJ7nbq3/s1600/ThisMustBeThePlace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="309" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifXwikWhDu_qa1Aa3UTWlOtVfEudocu799ovdS61DyAInWr6gtylSqPaXIVDhun8JehIpLG8CMqZHZfq6VkhE_unmt_wRmePzSD2WTT-zsXiN9heHHvQG-Iheyyy8CYf07fKJVEVJ7nbq3/s320/ThisMustBeThePlace.jpg" width="208" /></a></div>
<u>This Must be the Place by Maggie O’Farrell</u><br />
<br />
I found <i>This Must be the Place</i> an entertaining love story, spanning continents and expertly delving into a complicated family and marriage with its own web of intrigue, humour and affection. It wasn’t my favourite of Maggie O’Farrell’s novels though, as I found there was a few too many characters to identify with, and the story lacked a bit of focus. As always, though, her wonderful, lyrical prose carried me effortlessly to the end of the story.<br />
<br />
<b></b><br />
<b></b><br />
<b></b><br />
<b></b><br />
<b>KAT TROTH</b><br />
<b></b><br />
<b></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyE1lQxVEozt5XQAzJzqBCzsGIIHYQBlE8ArFuCfVZEiIhnPqlXeyps5b7kcJIr0EWUOyAJHYmKiuWvyK0Ebr3K9TZLwtRGECR1VN8tmWfcgpon8qjXv4Q0wSqL-cY8l4m75G-rCYZ3hxG/s1600/untitled.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="293" data-original-width="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyE1lQxVEozt5XQAzJzqBCzsGIIHYQBlE8ArFuCfVZEiIhnPqlXeyps5b7kcJIr0EWUOyAJHYmKiuWvyK0Ebr3K9TZLwtRGECR1VN8tmWfcgpon8qjXv4Q0wSqL-cY8l4m75G-rCYZ3hxG/s1600/untitled.png" /></a></div>
<u>When I Hit You, or Portrait of the Writer as a Young Wife by Meena Kendasamy.</u><br />
<br />
This is a story of domestic violence and rape within a short-lived marriage, told through the many lenses of a writer’s mind. It begins with the mother recounting, over and over, the state of her daughter’s feet when she fled home. It covers letters written to imaginary lovers, and deleted before her husband can come home and read them. It goes through story boards of films she will make of her experience, before dropping, intermittently into unvarnished accounts of a classic pattern of domestic abuse – control, isolation, verbal abuse, physical, sexual, and finally death threats. When the narrator finally escapes and speaks about what has happened to her, she faces the shaming women in her position so often meet. Why did she not run away? Why did she stay if things were as bad as she says? How much of this was really not consensual? Kandasamy answers these questions squarely within the narrative, taking you so deep inside her narrator’s head you are forced to understand, to acknowledge the funnelling of her choices into one, narrow conduit. There is poetry in this prose, and a humour so dark it’s like pepper on the tongue. An unforgettable read.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>GILLIAN HAMER</b><br />
<b></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIlb5VEO0iUsMfs1Pz2KRSUl1PXUzvIzHBcdO5uWjLKVvkqMQ3mCFBoQtVzOMGM1E1Af24VWd11PKXWFXArcnqt7AzGCIiHYr1mTQBK3RQ_TA1EdU_h3nC_LxuibLK-KeOO7p_EYxE1ZsX/s1600/tatooist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="226" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIlb5VEO0iUsMfs1Pz2KRSUl1PXUzvIzHBcdO5uWjLKVvkqMQ3mCFBoQtVzOMGM1E1Af24VWd11PKXWFXArcnqt7AzGCIiHYr1mTQBK3RQ_TA1EdU_h3nC_LxuibLK-KeOO7p_EYxE1ZsX/s320/tatooist.jpg" width="209" /></a></div>
<u>The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris</u><br />
<br />
I have a real affinity for war-time novels, if well written you always come away learning much and feeling the power of the human spirit. And never more so than in this book. Based on the true story of concentration camp survivor, Lale Sokolov and Gita, the woman who became his wife. The style of POV worked wonderfully well in that we were hit in the face with some of the worst atrocities ever known, but it was beautifully balanced by the power of love and the human stories going on within these terrible camps. Lale’s strength and courage take the reader through every known emotion and I would recommend anyone with a love of historical fiction to read this book.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>J.J. MARSH</b><br />
<br />
<u>Der Som Ger Sig In I Leken (rough translation - Playing with Fire)</u><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAMuM42EZ-hIVdZ39ZsPD3819teipT3g7TPvzNAtI_7nyyJaV5iibXkZHLvtyAbmLTxO5dRfkZMb2WpYvD4sKZEi1JovdIdS9yzKpDfL4CndyiIn3ptiyiAdIyojJflxzLqA5eYF9dsG4/s1600/PLaying+with+Fire.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAMuM42EZ-hIVdZ39ZsPD3819teipT3g7TPvzNAtI_7nyyJaV5iibXkZHLvtyAbmLTxO5dRfkZMb2WpYvD4sKZEi1JovdIdS9yzKpDfL4CndyiIn3ptiyiAdIyojJflxzLqA5eYF9dsG4/s1600/PLaying+with+Fire.jpg" /></a>This novel, by Luna Miller, is the Swedish original and I'm reading the soon-to-be-published English translation, by Aidan Isherwood.<br />
<br />
It's set in Stockholm and the atmosphere is rooted in the Swedish capital, so you get a real feeling of the different areas and kinds of people who frequent them. This is a crime novel with a difference. Retired surgeon Gunvor Ström may be in her sixties, her hands might be too shaky to continue performing operations and her body complains every time she works out. But her mind is as sharp as ever. She’s curious, intelligent and experienced – perfect qualities for a private detective. <br />
<br />
As the agency’s rookie, she gets a surveillance job. A straightforward case, they said. A domestic. Suspicions of infidelity. Follow the husband. <br />
But when the husband is attacked and viciously beaten, his wife calls off the assignment. Too late. Gunvor wants to know what happened. The agency aren’t paying her, but her free time is her own business. <br />
<br />
After intervening in an incident of bullying, Gunvor finds herself with two unlikely allies. David is a young, jobless waster who hangs about Fruängen tube station. 19-year-old Elin is shy and introverted, after spending too long in her bedroom hiding from her parents’ fights. <br />
<br />
Who’s going to notice two young people and an innocent-looking elderly lady strolling the Stockholm streets? Turns out they're not quite as forgettable as they think. And we all know what happens when you play with fire.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Gill Hamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02676930874471518308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4942230357446395760.post-86726530341825524592018-04-20T00:21:00.001-07:002018-04-20T00:21:33.051-07:00Story of a Novel: Tread Softly by JJ Marsh<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMnXFz3c-mOi3-kI4o8cuyjNQiht3mfSs3bWWU3hDLnpb5d0D0AR-rZhpT1FJ7W5UcjyDkqRr-saPNR43zINS4iOfv1Tlklzw0canT7mxVK_gzQOGoCTKVlJXxwDt8WgxBiLYBGaGtENo/s1600/Tread_Softly_Cover_MEDIUM.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="books2read.com/u/bMr69v" border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMnXFz3c-mOi3-kI4o8cuyjNQiht3mfSs3bWWU3hDLnpb5d0D0AR-rZhpT1FJ7W5UcjyDkqRr-saPNR43zINS4iOfv1Tlklzw0canT7mxVK_gzQOGoCTKVlJXxwDt8WgxBiLYBGaGtENo/s320/Tread_Softly_Cover_MEDIUM.jpg" title="" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cover design by<a href="http://www.jdsmith-design.com/"> JD Smith</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Story ideas can come from the slightest of impulses. Previous books originated from moral outrage, a magazine article, or a half-remembered story from my childhood. The trigger for <i><a href="http://books2read.com/u/bMr69v">Tread Softly</a> </i>was different.<br />
<br />
This was personal. <br />
This was wine. <br />
<br />
In 2010, the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France was rocked to its roots by <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/feb/17/gallo-conned-french-fake-pinot-noir">The Red Bicyclette Affair</a>. Several French winemakers were found guilty of selling premium and pricey ‘Pinot Noir’ to a well-known American distributor which was actually a blend of far cheaper Merlot and Shiraz. A €7m fraud and national shame. <br />
<br />
Reputations collapsed, viniculturists were jailed and everyone involved (and there were plenty) paid hefty fines for the deception. Yet a certain amount of glee remained at fooling the Americans. <br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDf0mHtWCKwsAqdMTu5Ttf7dg-JHa-C4S-ZsGDWXFi2d5_t7SijJmzUIfUjWkIYSbUn1hD8j4pY4J4I2KjnV-Ux0ps5W833Ws8hNPEHhGAKTrO2dnnCrMBNKsnYF_NlnaWur9_Y4c17zs/s1600/wine+glass.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="427" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDf0mHtWCKwsAqdMTu5Ttf7dg-JHa-C4S-ZsGDWXFi2d5_t7SijJmzUIfUjWkIYSbUn1hD8j4pY4J4I2KjnV-Ux0ps5W833Ws8hNPEHhGAKTrO2dnnCrMBNKsnYF_NlnaWur9_Y4c17zs/s320/wine+glass.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/quinndombrowski/">Quinn Dombrowski </a><br />
Courtesy of Creative Commons</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The story intrigued me so I dug deeper. French inspectors and accountants noticed more Pinot Noir was being exported than the region could actually produce. The numbers didn’t add up and they investigated. Bean-counters and bureaucrats spotted what was going on and raised the alarm. <br />
<br />
For the price of a coffee and a croissant, a local wine dealer allowed me to pick his brains. His generosity and expert knowledge gave me enough material for a whole series of books on wine fraud, but I stuck to my initial idea.<br />
<br />
What if someone simply performing due diligence pulls a loose thread and unravels a story of corruption woven through every level of society? What happens to the whistleblower? <br />
<br />
Once the wine fraud plot took shape, it was a matter of where to set it. Rioja country, in northern Spain, had everything I needed, including some old friends who knew the area and its eponymous export well. <br />
<br />
Another element I couldn’t ignore was the Basque Country’s fierce individualism and particular language which is quite different from the classic Spanish Castillian. But far more importantly, the region is known as the gourmet capital of Europe.<br />
<br />
With a set of individualistic characters passionate about wine and food, where else? <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtNRQuWTieEONll30_VbIB30zFNjBcI2rFN-2DrW8YLI7cBD4mlK3SbZ-VMx6J_5z033sXPNwnUknsMpa4uORJTSj6M_pbYGzmYmS8HEAfznck_acjIQ8uyFpWazcoeNwbhzKHrPFn_zQ/s1600/s+sebastian.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="672" data-original-width="1024" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtNRQuWTieEONll30_VbIB30zFNjBcI2rFN-2DrW8YLI7cBD4mlK3SbZ-VMx6J_5z033sXPNwnUknsMpa4uORJTSj6M_pbYGzmYmS8HEAfznck_acjIQ8uyFpWazcoeNwbhzKHrPFn_zQ/s400/s+sebastian.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />My insider contacts told me about the growing success of white Rioja,
lesser-known delicate cousin to the famous full-bodied red. Like any
committed author, I did my research, even taking a trip to San Sebastian
and Vitoria to sample their delights for myself. This enabled me to
build on the plot and characters with authentic tastes, scents, sounds,
textures and visual detail to transport the reader to an autumnal
Spanish vineyard or pintxos bar.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYj3EbNzbWfFG6JthkC3OM5GR0KHLm85XeKhASxW4qsOfgm6MfxpD5AgzZxUSAXjpfUr9NENAgHJ1GsmotGAHhyqYacqPOicdWHsX3k5-ZwixJPTWfwYP32ETtEWJBTNtW3K2r3ogCGN0/s1600/ts+ideal+accomps.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="765" data-original-width="1020" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYj3EbNzbWfFG6JthkC3OM5GR0KHLm85XeKhASxW4qsOfgm6MfxpD5AgzZxUSAXjpfUr9NENAgHJ1GsmotGAHhyqYacqPOicdWHsX3k5-ZwixJPTWfwYP32ETtEWJBTNtW3K2r3ogCGN0/s400/ts+ideal+accomps.jpg" width="400" /></a> </div>
<br />
I consider it a great compliment that the comment I get most frequently from readers and reviewers is ‘Don’t read this on an empty stomach’. Author Annemarie Neary agrees. “<i>Read this, and you'll be desperate for a seat on a Vitoria balcony with a glass of white Rioja, a plate of pintxos and the next Beatrice Stubbs to accompany them</i>.”<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Extract from <a href="http://amzn.to/2swPPKf"><i>Tread Softly</i></a></b> <br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
At least ninety percent of the men in the bar watched Ana walk to their table. Some even tore their eyes away from the football. She ignored them and sat with her back to the window. She hoicked one foot up to rest on the opposite knee and dropped her voice. <br />
<br />
“Enrique’s a good guy. And when it comes to the food and drink of the region, he’ll talk the ears off you.” <br />
<br />
“Sounds like we might get along. Although I do wish you’d warn me as to my undercover roles a bit earlier. Acting’s never been my strong point<span style="color: #0000ee;"><u>,</u></span>”said Beatrice.<br />
<br />
“But asking questions and eating will give you no bother. Here he comes.” <br />
<br />
Enrique joined them with a tray bearing glasses, two carafes of wine; one white, one red, and a selection of tiny canapés. <br />
<br />
Beatrice smiled. “Ana tells me you are an expert on local dishes.” <br />
<br />
“Not an expert. The expert. I know the best restaurants in San Sebastian, the best wines from the Rioja and the best recipes from Bilbao to Vitoria. What do you want to know?” <br />
<br />
Ana’s expression was pleasantly enquiring and innocent, a match for Enrique’s. Beatrice was on her own. Enrique opened his hands, offering his knowledge to her on a plate. <br />
<br />
“Well, for a start, can you tell me what these are?” she said, pointing to the little snacks on the tray. <br />
<br />
“Good question. Let me introduce you to some of our local delicacies. Salt cod croquettes with nuts. You will love them. Tell me you are not vegetarian.” <br />
<br />
Even if Beatrice had been a committed vegan, the hostile expression on Enrique’s face would have forced her to lie. As it was, she shook her head. <br />
<br />
“No, I will eat anything.” <br />
<br />
Enrique’s approval spread across his face. “Good. British and Americans with their fussy intolerances ...” He waved a hand in front of his face, rolled his eyes and then pointed at a terracotta dish. “This is beautiful. Prawn and bacon topped with a home-made vinaigrette. And Txalupa; mushrooms and cream, covered with cheese in a pastry boat. And the speciality of the house, our secret tuna mix topped with anchovy and chives. Try, please. These are for you.” </blockquote>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilYL3JYpbPJRrkRHxbLjyzwx-Kehii2lWX5vIcaGv4_ozcSc420140TkXWQCFG2libQ702ernWNbTUSI1RS5Ku1bcweZHJ5BIJmwzWh-lWucg4UjzlRINBrvvBw9Fs7XCArBbQ1V1S4bQ/s1600/HarveysCardBlack3-1-e1517588881375.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="418" data-original-width="652" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilYL3JYpbPJRrkRHxbLjyzwx-Kehii2lWX5vIcaGv4_ozcSc420140TkXWQCFG2libQ702ernWNbTUSI1RS5Ku1bcweZHJ5BIJmwzWh-lWucg4UjzlRINBrvvBw9Fs7XCArBbQ1V1S4bQ/s200/HarveysCardBlack3-1-e1517588881375.png" width="200" /></a></div>
<i><b>Adrian Harvey of Harvey’s Wine Emporium suggests the perfect wine to complement your read</b>:</i><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"There are myriad possibilities for a book about wine crime. I chose the obvious white Rioja, of course, but a particularly special bottle. I also recommend a passionate, beautiful rosé from Turkey. It’s bold and dry like the exceptional character of Luz." </blockquote>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaTW6ZqQykFNBmsWefz-BRPtf6-PKC3s0eQB8C_kw-dV-nOJvOIG0yrUcGIW0wvQRSnhRBF1bbRCRKh6G63yolNZktJg4n65okHInLJQMRujXYjukRCshNnI19_Y55g62qIzrwhzCI9yM/s1600/b%25C3%25BCy%25C3%25BCl%25C3%25BCba%25C4%259F-iris-rose-75cl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="511" data-original-width="360" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaTW6ZqQykFNBmsWefz-BRPtf6-PKC3s0eQB8C_kw-dV-nOJvOIG0yrUcGIW0wvQRSnhRBF1bbRCRKh6G63yolNZktJg4n65okHInLJQMRujXYjukRCshNnI19_Y55g62qIzrwhzCI9yM/s320/b%25C3%25BCy%25C3%25BCl%25C3%25BCba%25C4%259F-iris-rose-75cl.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<b>Marques de Murrieta, Capellanía Reserva, Rioja 2012</b>. The classic white with a soul of a red. Oaky and complex, one could grow dizzy on the bouquet alone. Subtle, surprising and the perfect companion to lighter dishes and bold flavours, this is grace in a glass. <br />
<br />
<b>Büyülübag, Iris Rosé 2015</b>. An island vinery in Turkey produces this bone-dry rosé from the Adakarasi grape. Sharp and berry-fruit layers give this delicate blush a confident and delightful structure. Savour every sip and never, ever underestimate a rosé.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<b>Amazon Reviews</b>:<i> </i></h4>
<h4>
<i> </i></h4>
<i>“The novel oozes atmosphere and JJ Marsh captures the sights, sounds and richness of Spain in all its glory. I literally salivated as I read the descriptions of food and wine. JJ Marsh is an extremely talented author and this is a wonderful novel.” <br /> <br /> “The research that must have gone into this is breath-taking. The eloquent descriptions of the Rioja region made me want to visit immediately. The images of the local food and wine, were sumptuous. The characters as always were authentic and solid. I love them all and can picture each one. The simple beauty of Ana, the very suave Jaime. Aguirre, charismatic and calculating, all exquisitely crafted.” </i><br />
<i><br /> "There are moments of farce and irony, there are scenes of friendship, tenderness and total exasperation - and underlying it all a story of corruption, brutality, manipulation and oppression with all the elements you'd expect to find in a good thriller, including a truly chilling villain.”</i><br />
<i> </i><br />
<br />
<a href="http://beatrice-stubbs.com/tread-softly/"><br /></a>
<a href="http://beatrice-stubbs.com/tread-softly/">Tread Softly is third in The Beatrice Stubbs Series</a>.<br />
<br />JJ Marshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12708049070102426652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4942230357446395760.post-16866994289401306192018-04-13T01:10:00.000-07:002018-04-13T01:10:05.046-07:00Do Fictional Characters Have Ghosts?<div style="text-align: center;">
By Jane Davis</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 19.85pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaicA50yjOJzkxiSym-qDQXh6495d8iet6-Uh-LbgTD_PUZwSzC0XF9H2ddLqLoXNa-7sIzZJKafFbW5vDSx2sYJSNp6z-hkPqv2S0zXA8jMMNh0cH3GWNgqTTJRUCmAyd0pL72eSRPo0/s1600/JD+Bench+034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1508" data-original-width="1577" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaicA50yjOJzkxiSym-qDQXh6495d8iet6-Uh-LbgTD_PUZwSzC0XF9H2ddLqLoXNa-7sIzZJKafFbW5vDSx2sYJSNp6z-hkPqv2S0zXA8jMMNh0cH3GWNgqTTJRUCmAyd0pL72eSRPo0/s320/JD+Bench+034.JPG" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">St Mary’s Church in
Beddington is normally bolted during the week, but on my mother-in-law’s tenth anniversary,
I found the doors unlocked, and so I stepped inside and lit a candle. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 19.85pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 19.85pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">But at
the same time as thinking how much Maureen would have liked the building (pointing
out that the vicar would never have agreed to play ‘Fat-Bottomed Girls’ at her
funeral, as hers did), I was aware of two other presences: Jim and Aimee.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 19.85pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 19.85pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Who are Jim and Aimee?
They’re old friends of mine. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 19.85pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 19.85pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">There’s something
transportative about living in the same neighbourhood all of your life; walking
around familiar geography, knee-deep in the history of the place. And
superimposed over a street map carried both inside and outside your head (the housing
estate that now stands on the site of your old high school), are important milestones.
When you learned to ride a bike. Your first kiss. The first flat you owned. But
when I started setting fiction within my personal geography, I added an
additional strata. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 19.85pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 19.85pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Let me explain. In<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> Smash all the Windows</i>, my character
Maggie takes several walks. I work in the City of London so I’m familiar with its
streets, so familiar that I was afraid I might neglect the detail. As research
for my novel, I walked her routes – from Tower Hill, down the Thames riverside
path, over London Bridge, through Borough Market and along Bankside to Tate
Modern. I made notes about all of the sights and sounds, notes that made it
onto the pages of my book. But now, when I take the same walk, I think, ‘Here’s
where Maggie saw the starling’, and ‘Here’s where Maggie bought her copy of the
Big Issue’. Her presence is real. Particular locations are now imbued with a
certain energy. And by some definitions, such a presence might be called a
ghost.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 19.85pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhio4fpeoDdVem5dM27lJCapmqXQP5zYzS2XvyxJF9m0en0tNSsREmSs424B6fzMKlffz6qlh_Y7ZQNnlr7ItPusUAFeBexr6q-qR1eaaKfVK14mecsNfcCgS0r_LM1Eh_IHuTxGoCINi8/s1600/rsz_smash_all_the_windows_final_final_ebook_cover+325+x+521+for+website.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="521" data-original-width="325" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhio4fpeoDdVem5dM27lJCapmqXQP5zYzS2XvyxJF9m0en0tNSsREmSs424B6fzMKlffz6qlh_Y7ZQNnlr7ItPusUAFeBexr6q-qR1eaaKfVK14mecsNfcCgS0r_LM1Eh_IHuTxGoCINi8/s320/rsz_smash_all_the_windows_final_final_ebook_cover+325+x+521+for+website.jpg" width="199" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 19.85pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">In fact, ghosts are
frequent visitors in my daily life. I might park in Shere at the beginning of my
favourite walks in the Surrey Hills, and see Sir James Hastings crossing the
square from his home, past the war memorial, to the pub he drank in, his elderly
German Shepherd called Isambard in tow. (<i>I Stopped Time</i>). I take a short cut
through Honeywood Walk in Carshalton and see the tree that caused the collapse
of the wall that Judy Jones was buried under (<i>These Fragile Things</i>). I cross
the small wooden bridge at the foot of the waterfall in Grove Park and Aimee
swirls round, elbows on the rail. (<i>A Funeral for an Owl</i>). I come across a lone stag
when out walking in Richmond Park, and somehow it is the stag that blocked
Alison’s path, looking her straight in the eye (<i>An Unchoreographed Life</i>). </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 19.85pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 19.85pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">We live with our
characters so long, they’re kin to us. In a way, we know them better than
friends and family, because we’ve seen through their eyes and know their every
thought. Every single one of these things was a memory of my own, a memory that
I’ve since given to a character, and in editing my novels – that constant
re-reading – I’ve made the memories more theirs than mine. You might even say
that I’m the intruder. Perhaps, inadvertently, I’ve become the ghost. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 19.85pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 19.85pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 19.85pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Publication Details, <i>Smash all the Windows</i>:</span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></span></b>
<br />
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 19.85pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">It has taken conviction
to right the wrongs. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 19.85pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">It will take courage to
learn how to live again.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 19.85pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 19.85pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">For the families of the
victims of the St Botolph and Old Billingsgate disaster, the undoing of a
miscarriage of justice should be a cause for rejoicing. For more than thirteen
years, the search for truth has eaten up everything. Marriages, families,
health, careers and finances.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 19.85pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 19.85pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Finally, the coroner has
ruled that the crowd did not contribute to their own deaths. Finally, now that
lies have been unravelled and hypocrisies exposed, they can all get back to their
lives.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 19.85pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 19.85pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">If only it were that
simple.</span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Smash all the
Windows</span></i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> will be released on 12 April, but you can </span><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://books2read.com/u/49P21p" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">pre-order</span></span></a></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> it now for
the special price of 99p/99c (Price increases to £1.99 on 12 March. Price on
publication will be £3.99).</span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:RelyOnVML/>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--></span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:HyphenationZone>21</w:HyphenationZone>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-GB</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>ZH-TW</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>AR-SA</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="false"
DefSemiHidden="false" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="375">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footer"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of figures"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope return"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="line number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="page number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of authorities"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="macro"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="toa heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Closing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Message Header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Salutation"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Date"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Mention"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Smart Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hashtag"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Unresolved Mention"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Tableau Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:8.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
line-height:107%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
</span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><i>Smash all the Windows</i> is available at <a href="http://books2read.com/u/49P21p" target="_blank">all of these retailers</a>.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: #999999;">
</span><span style="background-color: #999999;"><span lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span>
<br />
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">From 13 February to 10 March, US readers can also enter a </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38447206-smash-all-the-windows"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Goodreads
Giveaway</span></a></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> for a chance to win one of 100 eBooks. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 19.85pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">About Jane Davis</span></b>
<br />
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Hailed by The Bookseller as ‘One to Watch’, Jane Davis is the author of
eight novels. </span>
</div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Jane spent her twenties and the first part of her thirties chasing
promotions at work, but when she achieved what she’d set out to do, she
discovered that it wasn’t what she wanted after all. It was then that she
turned to writing. </span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Her debut, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Half-truths & White
Lies,</i> won the Daily Mail First Novel Award 2008. Of her subsequent three
novels, Compulsion Reads wrote, ‘Davis is a phenomenal writer, whose ability to
create well-rounded characters that are easy to relate to feels effortless’.
Her 2015 novel, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">An Unknown Woman</i>, was
Writing Magazine’s Self-published Book of the Year 2016 and has been
shortlisted for two further awards. </span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Jane lives in Carshalton, Surrey with her Formula 1 obsessed,
star-gazing, beer-brewing partner, surrounded by growing piles of paperbacks,
CDs and general chaos. When she isn’t writing, you may spot her disappearing up
a mountain with a camera in hand. Her favourite description of fiction is
‘made-up truth’.</span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRvmKVO6Sqf3OozBcvwtLy6Ww7r-9zS79cGsTcs8jYn1VwZ3sAoGsxHjbtVW3aLyzdWn5PaWpT9Xi_ucIvjtlLQG2cmgpWOWs7xFjw3SbJ6qvjzAVJvwQwKvPzriON6i7VP_LdzjB2KUA/s1600/IMG_2953.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRvmKVO6Sqf3OozBcvwtLy6Ww7r-9zS79cGsTcs8jYn1VwZ3sAoGsxHjbtVW3aLyzdWn5PaWpT9Xi_ucIvjtlLQG2cmgpWOWs7xFjw3SbJ6qvjzAVJvwQwKvPzriON6i7VP_LdzjB2KUA/s320/IMG_2953.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>CONTACT DETAILS</b></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;">
<a href="https://jane-davis.co.uk/" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; color: #111111; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Website </span></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #111111; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/JaneDavisAuthorPage" target="_blank"><span style="background: white;">Facebook Page </span></a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/janedavisauthor" target="_blank"><span style="background: white;">Twitter</span></a><br />
<a href="http://pinterest.com/janeeleanordavi/boards/" target="_blank"><span style="background: white;">Pinterest</span></a></span><a href="http://pinterest.com/janeeleanordavi/boards/" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">http://pinterest.com/janeeleanordavi/boards/</span></a></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Press enquiries: janerossdale@btinternet.com</span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">High resolution photos available from </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://jane-davis.co.uk/media-kit/"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://jane-davis.co.uk/media-kit/</span></a></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZtnDJLQgkErRlR9fyMD-Hq4q3aRqCe3yJuDPAWzLyX3FCgF0ZdVu17QirJsZJePSDbhlPgMwetDTk5RTRP9eh_Auk3mSE-JJV8swvmVQXgfIadVJAuZNYtSMc4KC5z4_HS6JcJAKMG5c/s1600/jd-3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="326" data-original-width="744" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZtnDJLQgkErRlR9fyMD-Hq4q3aRqCe3yJuDPAWzLyX3FCgF0ZdVu17QirJsZJePSDbhlPgMwetDTk5RTRP9eh_Auk3mSE-JJV8swvmVQXgfIadVJAuZNYtSMc4KC5z4_HS6JcJAKMG5c/s320/jd-3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Liza Perrathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00410516687044998154noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4942230357446395760.post-84048074028428432452018-04-06T00:06:00.000-07:002018-04-06T00:06:30.243-07:00BOOKCLUB: The Chalky Sea by Clare Flynn<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZBW52ENOKn6mu03bwUXkWFMQaZAa9Jpqb1n_55f7-cKjqJL0nKHjyoGTO5C3XOfVcEux-rMcTTmpk6NlrT1GufX1G2PZ4pt2XLlJATgnK8NZrVVx0ID1_flFmcT1mmKPo8tedlyXVdwkV/s1600/Chalky_Sea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZBW52ENOKn6mu03bwUXkWFMQaZAa9Jpqb1n_55f7-cKjqJL0nKHjyoGTO5C3XOfVcEux-rMcTTmpk6NlrT1GufX1G2PZ4pt2XLlJATgnK8NZrVVx0ID1_flFmcT1mmKPo8tedlyXVdwkV/s320/Chalky_Sea.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
In July 1940, Gwen Collingwood drops her husband at the railway station, knowing she may never see him again. Two days later her humdrum world is torn apart when the sleepy English seaside town where she lives is subjected to the first of many heavy bombing attacks.<br />
<br />
In Ontario, Canada, Jim Armstrong is debating whether to volunteer. His decision becomes clear when he uncovers the secret his fiancée has been keeping from him. A few weeks later he is on a ship bound for England.<br />
<br />
Gwen is forced to confront the truth she has concealed about her past and her own feelings. Jim battles with a bewildering and hostile world far removed from the cosy life of his Canadian farm. War brings horror and loss to each of them – can it also bring change and salvation?<br />
<br />
<br />
This month Triskele colleagues, Gillian Hamer (GH) and Jill Marsh (JJ) discuss our March book of the month - <i>The Chalky Sea</i> by Clare Flynn. <a href="https://bookmuseuk.blogspot.ch/2018/04/the-chalky-sea-by-clare-flynn.html">Read Gillian's review of the book here</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Much of the novel switches back and forth between two separate POV - from Canada/ Aldershot (Jim's story) and the Eastbourne thread (Gwen's story). How did this work for you?</b><br />
<br />
(GH) I found the alternating chapters really easy to follow and the author did well to give each character their own style and voice. I felt it was a given that the two threads would eventually come together, and it was one reason I found myself hooked, waiting for that to happen. I liked how these two characters were literally worlds apart and yet ultimately shared so many similarities. It was very well plotted and that made the story effortless to read.<br />
<br />
(JJ) Agreed. Jim's story was such a world away from Gwen's that you are curious to see what will happen when their worlds collide. One thing I found interesting is that when they meet, neither is the person we knew at the outset. War has changed them both. Thus we meet two new formed individuals with personal pain and and history, adapting to a new environment.<br />
<br />
<b>Both of the lead characters (Jim and Gwen) had hidden secrets and baggage they carried with them - did you enjoy how this helped develop them into much more layered characters?</b><br />
<br />
(GH) I think it's wonderful when you get to know a really complex character, but are also shown enough of the back story that you understand them. We saw how Jim's secular world was shattered and with Gwen, although we didn't witness the trauma of her past, we knew through her interaction with her husband, Roger, that she was carrying the weight of many issues. The repercussions of both incidents played through over and again with both characters throughout the book and made them much more believable and rounded.<br />
<br />
(JJ) The circumstances of war force characters to change and drop much of their cultural conditioning. That can be cruel and unfair, but with these people, adversity offers opportunity. This goes for the entire cast, who adapt to love, loss and moments of tenderness under bombardment. Jim has a bruised innocence whereas Gwen's stoicism is classic stiff upper lip. The almost incredible meeting of wounded optimists is deeply touching. <br />
<br />
<b>Pauline was an interesting character and cleverly thought out by the author as a way of contrasting Gwen's personality. What did you think about their relationship?</b><br />
<br />
(JJ) She could have so easily been a 'device' but in these hands, she comes alive. Her gutsy and brave attitude to her circumstances gave her daughters something to hold on to. Her interaction with Gwen reminded me of Sarah Waters's book, The Paying Guests. The typically distant classes are housed under one roof and learn understanding from each other. Attitudes to children, to sex and to manners become more about practicality than 'what the neighbours think'.<br />
<b></b><br />
<br />
(GH) Pauline was a delight, a real breath of fresh air, who despite her own tragedy, blew in through Gwen's life and completely changed her perspective of everything - love, life, loss and finally Pauline learnt Gwen acceptance. Their friendship was a real joy and opened Gwen up to become the woman we see at the end of the book. It was a friendship based on mutual need, but although Gwen seemed to give more to Pauline in terms of material help, it was Pauline's spirit and generosity that was the biggest gift.<br />
<br />
<b>I thought Jim was a really strong character, some of his internal thoughts were very in depth - one line I highlighted - "they had stolen his future and tainted his past, but the present would be his alone." What moment did you feel he had finally shaken off his past and started to live?</b><br />
<br />
(GH) I think his acknowledgement of his feelings for Gwen and yet his understanding that he could not plan a future with her showed that he was finally coming to understand not everything in life was quite so black and white. His relationship with his brother, Walt, even while over in the U.K. had stopped him moving on, but at the end of the book he seemed to have accepted that sometimes you had to do what was the right thing at the time.<br />
<br />
(JJ) For me, Jim is still on that journey, processing everything he's experienced. He's still in the oven, not yet baked. Old-fashioned honour is one thing, but flying across the ocean to fight a war is another. At the heart of this guy is a very brave person carrying a wound. He'll carry a lot more by the end of this novel and the way he deals with them make him the person he is. He hasn't yet shaken off his past but he can certainly see a future. <br />
<br />
<b>What were the main changes you saw in Gwen's personality and how did the author show this?</b><br />
<b></b><br />
(GH) Oh, there was so many changes in Gwen! When she acknowledged that while she hated the fighting, she actually had enjoyed the person she had become in the war was a real eye opener for her. Finally, after mundane years where suicide had often been in her mind, she had a purpose and that drove her finally let go and live. Remembering her abject horror on seeing Pauline kissing one of the Canadian soldiers, you would hardly believe where she allowed her own feelings to take her a short time later. I can imagine WWII reshaped many women like Gwen and this felt totally real to me.<br />
<br />
(JJ) Sex. Gwen's relationship with Roger was practical and unsatisfactory in every sense. When she begins to see other women enjoy and take pleasure from sex, it shocks and surprises her. This rang true as so many of my grandparents' generation 'lay back and thought of England'. Her gradual awakening to sex as mutual satisfaction and in combination with that, a consciousness of her own power, comes as an incredible liberation. Sex and sexuality have changed her forever. <br />
<br />
<b>The use of location is a main focus for Triskele Books, how did the authors descriptions of war ravaged Eastbourne work for you?</b><br />
<b></b><br />
(GH) I really enjoyed it and thought the author did a superb job of bringing the location to life. It's clear it's an area the author knows well, and it must have been fascinating trying to make as many details as accurate as possible. I thought some of the best parts were the times when the bombs weren't dropping and life could begin to get back to normal, and people could take strolls along the promenade and children could play in the parks. The setting of the house on the hill giving views across the town and across the ocean - a real vantage point - was a clever device.<br />
<br />
(JJ) All the locations felt vibrant, not just Eastbourne. The impact the war had on daily life is everywhere, from rationing to propaganda, and the reminder of Eastbourne's natural beauty brings the destruction into sharp relief. Flynn seems to be a sensory writer, giving the reader a fuller picture of the sights, sounds, smells, feelings and tastes of a world in a state of flux.<br />
<br />
<b>Research is a minefield in the genre of historical fiction, how do you feel the author handled it here?</b><br />
<b></b><br />
(JJ) Impressively well. Not only the detail of wartime facts and figures, but period detail like manners and behaviour, the increased sense of social position and even the fashions of the day appeared accurate and plausible. So much so that combined with the sensory touches, it was like watching a BBC period drama - everything fitted perfectly.<br />
<br />
(GH) As mentioned above, it must have taken a lot of hard work to get this story to flow so effortlessly. The details of the battles, planes, the dates and times of bombing and the routines in the army barracks at Aldershot all felt completely believable to me. There were no massive dumps of information that slowed the pace of the story, it was all cleverly woven into the narrative so it became part of the book.<br />
<br />
<b>What were your feelings at the end of the book towards Jim and Gwen?</b><br />
<br />
(GH) My predominant feeling was one of hope. I hope they both get the happiness they deserve in peace time. But then this is fiction, and it wouldn't make much of a story if they all did get to live happy ever after!<br />
<br />
(JJ) My prevailing feeling was one of curiosity. By the end, we feel we know what could happen next, but as Gilly says, stories never run smoothly. I want to see what they do with the gifts and knowledge they have gained in <i>The Chalky Sea</i> and how it will affect their futures.<br />
<br />
<b>'The Canadians' series continues with <i>The Alien Corn </i>- will you read it and what are your hopes for the characters in the next book?</b><br />
<br />
(GH) Yes, definitely. I'm just interested to see where the story goes next. If Jim returns home to his farm and how he'll handle the past. And if Gwen can finally accept Roger as a proper husband. The war has changed them as people so it will be really interesting to see how they adapt.<br />
<br />
(JJ) Of course I'll read it. I know Jim will do the right thing by Joan, but is it
the right thing for both of them? And what of Gwen now she's sexually
awoken? Her marriage is going to change for sure. And will this be a fondly remembered wartime romance or something neither of them can get over?<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Gill Hamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02676930874471518308noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4942230357446395760.post-54668411962988610952018-03-23T01:52:00.000-07:002018-03-23T01:52:32.714-07:00Story of a Novel: The Silent Kookaburra by Liza Perrat<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8DUe8FnytYY-EuoSGlStfc2I9Hpg-7dyWJ613fhw7_bRzjUg9LQ0y-GA2oRVl-Jx2HC6uKMh2YRqkizjEvzW3SncQQyf7k-KH7rgI9yBOWZuIrdYUkPH2IlVZSU2NIVlZfjf-x7tot-o/s1600/The+Silent+Kookaburra+Cover+EBOOK+LARGE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8DUe8FnytYY-EuoSGlStfc2I9Hpg-7dyWJ613fhw7_bRzjUg9LQ0y-GA2oRVl-Jx2HC6uKMh2YRqkizjEvzW3SncQQyf7k-KH7rgI9yBOWZuIrdYUkPH2IlVZSU2NIVlZfjf-x7tot-o/s320/The+Silent+Kookaburra+Cover+EBOOK+LARGE.jpg" width="213" /></a><i>The Silent Kookaburra</i> began its life as <i>Hosing Venetian Blinds</i>, over ten years before it was finally published. So, why did I write it and why did it take so long to see the light of day? <br />
<br />
Basically, it was a nostalgic trip down the Memory Lane of my childhood growing up in 1970s Wollongong, New South Wales. <br />
<br />
I wrote <i>Hosing Venetian Blinds</i>, then rewrote it over and over, but for reasons unknown to me, I could not “get it right”. Or as “right” as a novel ever will be. More and more dissatisfied with each draft, on I slogged until one wintery afternoon in 2007, when a phone call interrupted my writing. <br />
<br />
It was the Gendarmes of Grenoble informing me that my husband had suffered a nasty heart attack on the ski slopes and wasn’t expected to survive. Well, that was all I needed to completely abandon the novel. Onto a hard disk it went, with the vow that it would never see the light of day. <br />
<br />
Luckily my husband made a complete recovery and eventually I began writing again. But still I couldn’t face rewriting <i>Hosing Venetian Blinds</i>; couldn’t stop equating the novel with that awful period of my life.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxqp7HltFx0WQ7Svis3-vuMNHiNYpB7QBXL18g9en5WmUhpiXlFBlXladQBml__Yn5V5ZgwJ4AGgfakDupdqAYKo51ajv4GRMWaU0bf27_1QR14UhB_HcLt4JJ9rz_oNNRAQuKgN2Zerk/s1600/SmashwordsThe+Bone+Angel+Trilogy+Box+Set+2D+%2528002%2529cover.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxqp7HltFx0WQ7Svis3-vuMNHiNYpB7QBXL18g9en5WmUhpiXlFBlXladQBml__Yn5V5ZgwJ4AGgfakDupdqAYKo51ajv4GRMWaU0bf27_1QR14UhB_HcLt4JJ9rz_oNNRAQuKgN2Zerk/s320/SmashwordsThe+Bone+Angel+Trilogy+Box+Set+2D+%2528002%2529cover.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Bone Angel Trilogy Boxset</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So for the next few years I plunged into a French historical fiction trilogy: <a href="http://mybook.to/BoxsetBoneAngelEbook" target="_blank"><i>The Bone Angel </i></a>: Three heart-wrenching adventures of three midwife-healers during the Black Plague (<i>Blood Rose Angel</i>), French Revolution (<i>Spirit of Lost Angels</i>) and Nazi-occupied France (<i>Wolfsangel</i>). <br />
<br />
Once the third story was published I began taking peeks at <i>Hosing Venetian Blinds</i> again. Then I reread it closely and <i>voilà</i>, immediately saw what I thought was “wrong” with the story. I rewrote, and published it, within a year. <br />
<br />
Even though the book tackles some very dark and disturbing topics, it was fun travelling back to my childhood and teen years, seeing my friends, revisiting those familiar places, most notably the beach.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9OdfMMHQuoJ5P0Qt7ZEUlvMRl4cv6zLTe6lElbRTHL7hUvKs9UDRt9hIvx5_bjaPMrk2FOnRZPUyUvtrdKPTWfxqfvlly7dAHoSuycm5VjvR5JcWPhXh_gv5P6AxoUXO4F-eHASGn6xQ/s1600/IMG_4584_1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1054" data-original-width="1600" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9OdfMMHQuoJ5P0Qt7ZEUlvMRl4cv6zLTe6lElbRTHL7hUvKs9UDRt9hIvx5_bjaPMrk2FOnRZPUyUvtrdKPTWfxqfvlly7dAHoSuycm5VjvR5JcWPhXh_gv5P6AxoUXO4F-eHASGn6xQ/s320/IMG_4584_1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sulphur-crested cockatoo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The city has changed a lot since the 70s, but I’m still fond of Wollongong, and love going back there on my yearly pilgrimage home to Australia (I have lived in France for the past 25 years). <br />
<br />
Fortunately for me, my childhood wasn’t burdened with the same terrible dramas as my fictional character, Tanya. However, I could readily identify with her, as that was the case for some people I knew.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBRgeHt0X2a88y-YhBTyt5K02SmIA3_hXcAhFPoqsko8UdQtN3l1oM6bL4ZrbG6oNxyvy9tmT0hSEo4z9BHknQDmlcMg7elgAKHLH6P9951yM6yIwfosq06HhT3TUvhO5Jh3K3PLSTO14/s1600/kookaburra.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="118" data-original-width="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBRgeHt0X2a88y-YhBTyt5K02SmIA3_hXcAhFPoqsko8UdQtN3l1oM6bL4ZrbG6oNxyvy9tmT0hSEo4z9BHknQDmlcMg7elgAKHLH6P9951yM6yIwfosq06HhT3TUvhO5Jh3K3PLSTO14/s1600/kookaburra.jpg" /></a>Wollongong has a large European migrant community, attracted to the area post WW2 with the offer of work at the Port Kembla Steelworks, which, at that time, was the backbone of Wollongong. <br />
<br />
One of my very first jobs, at age fourteen, was distributing grocery store pamphlets into letter boxes in this area. Not the long-term career I envisaged, but it earned me enough to buy my first car at age seventeen –– and my independence –– the day I got my licence. So, at five am every weekday, my lovely father would help me distribute these advertising pamphlets into the letterboxes of Cringila, and this cosmopolitan community piqued my interest. I wanted to know more about them; where they came from, what their lives were like. That prompted me to include the Italian migrant aspect of <i>The Silent Kookaburra</i>. <br />
<br />
So why this title, when the kookaburra is anything but silent? Well, that’s just it: what might happen if your friendly backyard kookaburra <i>does </i>fall silent? <br />
<br />
I’m pleased that <i>The Silent Kookaburra</i> has been well-received by readers and garnered some lovely reviews, and very glad I stuck with it to the bitter end! I’m currently working on the next novel, also set in 1970s Wollongong. And there will hopefully be a third in this new trilogy of standalone novels. <br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Extract</b><b> from The Silent Kookaburra... </b><br />
<b><br />Chapter 1 <br /><br />2016 </b><br />
<br />
Knuckles blanch, distend as my hand curves around the yellowed newspaper pages and my gaze hooks onto the headlines. <br />
<br />
HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY. January 26th, 1973. 165-year anniversary of convict ships arriving in Sydney. <br />
<br />
Happy? What a cruel joke for that summer. The bleakest, most grievous, of my life. <br />
<br />
I can’t believe my grandmother kept such a reminder of the tragedy which flayed the core of our lives; of that harrowing time my cursed memory refuses to entirely banish. <br />
<br />
Shaky hands disturb dust motes, billowing as I place the heat-brittled newspaper back into Nanna Purvis’s box. <br />
<br />
I try not to look at the headline but my gaze keeps flickering back, bold letters more callous as I remember all I’d yearned for back then, at eleven years old, was the simplest of things: a happy family. How elusive that happiness had proved. <br />
<br />
I won’t think about it anymore. I mustn’t, can’t! But as much as I wrench away my mind, it strains back to my childhood. <br />
<br />
Of course fragments of those years have always been clear, though much of my past is an uncharted desert –– vast, arid, untamed. <br />
<br />
Psychology studies taught me this is how the memory magician works: vivid recall of unimportant details while the consequential parts –– those protective breaches of conscious recollection –– are mined with filmy chasms. <br />
<br />
I swipe the sweat from my brow, push the window further open. <br />
<br />
Outside, the sun rising over the Pacific Ocean is still a pale glow but already it has baked the ground a crusty brown. Shelley’s gum tree is alive with cackling kookaburras, rainbow lorikeets shrieking and swinging like crazy acrobats, eucalyptus leaves twisted edge-on to avoid the withering rays. <br />
<br />
But back in my childhood bedroom, behind Gumtree Cottage’s convict-built walls, the air is even hotter, and foetid with weeks of closure following my parents’ deaths. <br />
<br />
Disheartened by the stack of cardboard boxes still to sift through, uneasy about what other memories their contents might unearth, I rest back on a jumble of moth-frayed cushions. <br />
<br />
I close my eyes to try and escape the torment, but there is no reprieve. And, along with my grandmother’s newspaper clipping, I swear I hear, in the rise and dump of its swell, the sea pulling me back to that blistering summer of over forty years ago. <br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Amazon Reviews: </b><br />
<br />
Compelling psychological drama that delves into the dark heart of family secrets. Chris Curran, author of Amazon bestseller, Mindsight.<br />
<br />
An amazing domestic thriller with a gripping storyline, vivid dialogue, a palpable sense of place and time, and a compelling cast of characters that I can't get out of my head. Carol Cooper, Contemporary Women's Fiction author.<br />
<br />
I have to say this was one of the most compelling reads I have read. Carol Ravensdale, reader.<br />
<br />
... nothing better than a good twist or two in a plot, but this was a first for me - one final hammer dropping on the very last page that made my jaw drop! Cindy Taylor, BookBlogger.<br />
<br />
... as well-written psychological thrillers often do, it makes you question everything you thinkyou know, culminating in a true twist of an ending that both shocks and makes you ask "Why didn't I figure this out sooner?" Courtney J. Hall, historical fiction, romance and contemporary author. <br />
<br />
<b>Retail Links: </b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://mybook.to/TSKookaPbook" target="_blank">Paperback </a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://mybook.to/TSKEbook" target="_blank">Ebook </a><br />
<br />
<b>Connect with Liza online: </b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.lizaperrat.com/">WEBSITE</a> <br />
<br />
<a href="http://lizaperrat.blogspot.fr/">BLOG</a> <br />
<br />
<a href="mailto:@LizaPerrat">TWITTER</a> <br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Liza-Perrat-232382930192297/timeline/">FACEBOOK</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.lizaperrat.com/">Sign up </a>for her new book releases
and receive a FREE copy of Ill-Fated Rose, short story that inspired <i>The
Bone Angel </i>French historical series. <br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin4VHh8FB8tWp8IrJpTjB_EoJ6VNRj1DK8yeUXjmGK-vIVqOnhO4lN5e5ihEH3sc4ukedwbzMG7DZSpMcX_krAmBDtn1mRDSrsbQCM68TP0i53eDbPcWUrRmDnPte7zN3OyLAbSM3q658/s1600/Ozimage4.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="184" data-original-width="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin4VHh8FB8tWp8IrJpTjB_EoJ6VNRj1DK8yeUXjmGK-vIVqOnhO4lN5e5ihEH3sc4ukedwbzMG7DZSpMcX_krAmBDtn1mRDSrsbQCM68TP0i53eDbPcWUrRmDnPte7zN3OyLAbSM3q658/s1600/Ozimage4.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Liza Perrathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00410516687044998154noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4942230357446395760.post-18400954991939266192018-03-16T09:54:00.000-07:002018-03-16T09:54:05.877-07:00Thinking of Forming an Author Collective? A group of authors keen on self-publishing and forming an author collective, recently asked Team Triskele for some tips. Here are our (collective!) answers:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAmjzi0IUZnh_t6nHqkbCVyD_xsHXiGgVLVIAkgcFGNc-2hyphenhyphenAVIMcNl4-iSk5cEqWiUQRiZ0ucmAzpv1zgIom7yevSot3vepkF9M4zha_yoK8JMxX2YGsayNWF3m5w8p9c0LIedww6qdQ/s1600/triskele_group_041-bw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1143" data-original-width="1600" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAmjzi0IUZnh_t6nHqkbCVyD_xsHXiGgVLVIAkgcFGNc-2hyphenhyphenAVIMcNl4-iSk5cEqWiUQRiZ0ucmAzpv1zgIom7yevSot3vepkF9M4zha_yoK8JMxX2YGsayNWF3m5w8p9c0LIedww6qdQ/s400/triskele_group_041-bw.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">JJ Marsh, JD Smith, Gillian Hamer, Catriona Troth, Liza Perrat</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<b>Intro by JJ Marsh & Gillian Hamer</b><br />
<br />
Before answering these astute and vitally important questions, we need to state right from the start that we don't know all the answers. Many collectives we've spoken to have fallen at financial or personality hurdles while we've managed to survive and thrive. We're not quite sure how, as we've had a fair few scrapes and stumbles along the road.<br />
<br />
One thing we knew from the off is that we liked each other's writing and respected one another's critical perspective. But whether that would make us good business partners was anyone's guess. Triskele came into being as an act of trust - three independent partners, working together, sharing costs and maintaining individual rights.<br />
<br />
Now we are bigger and more experienced, we are an officially registered company with a bank account and administration system. But more important than all of that, we're friends, fellow writers and a well-honed editorial team.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<b>Did you set a maximum number of members of the co-operative at the start? If so, how many?</b><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQHsYxDq09c4M15vuGZHIic-y2QoAquxDLwIScp2Z6_epJHB_LJJihvXztZ_GVduEU2FyAk8y2oMYt4OygkVEGgb35NSVi0jrn2VsZrkZUU4MqBsC5Rs7guF3TsBLtQCy-SIAmOgGFDoI/s1600/liza+beret.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="197" data-original-width="245" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQHsYxDq09c4M15vuGZHIic-y2QoAquxDLwIScp2Z6_epJHB_LJJihvXztZ_GVduEU2FyAk8y2oMYt4OygkVEGgb35NSVi0jrn2VsZrkZUU4MqBsC5Rs7guF3TsBLtQCy-SIAmOgGFDoI/s200/liza+beret.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Liza Perrat</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
LP: No we didn't. We started off as three members from an online writing group, hence the origin of our 3-sided Triskele logo. It wasn't planned as such, more like an organic gathering of like-minded authors, all at a similar stage of the writing process and wanting to self-publish to the highest possible standard, and to help each other reach that goal. Very soon after, we welcomed two more members, whose work we also admired, and who had similar passions and goals. Personally, I think five is a perfect number. Enough people to take up the slack when someone is "out of order" for whatever reason. And that means four fresh pairs of eyes on each manuscript too, which I believe is a good number for an overall critique, and not too many that you end up with too many conflicting opinions.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<b>How do you deal with approaches from writers who want to join your collective? </b><br />
<br />
JDS: Currently we aren't actively open for submissions to join our collective. Mainly because we work well as a small team and have built up a huge amount of trust between us when it comes to advice and critiquing, and we don't want to spoil that balance. However we do encourage other authors who like the idea of a collective to create their own, find a bunch of friendly writery folk you get on with, whose work you admire and whose opinions you value and support one another. Writing doesn't have to be solitary and the support of a good network of friends who share the same passion as you makes for a great team.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Did you sign up for a fixed duration, or can members leave when they wish, subject to removing the imprint name from their books? </b><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Eg-6tc_XjMpagI1Ck38qg8WWm7V0WJx0MpGht2DUS7AVKpfpYffLkqqcRAE0bbi0dOhytzQlXz9KTihTMYDMcjCCfdrlcxCYsVmqQbvD_8qrydCX4yRVljREEcp8VvRRkJFve07dnWQ/s1600/JD+Smith+Bio+Pic+A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Eg-6tc_XjMpagI1Ck38qg8WWm7V0WJx0MpGht2DUS7AVKpfpYffLkqqcRAE0bbi0dOhytzQlXz9KTihTMYDMcjCCfdrlcxCYsVmqQbvD_8qrydCX4yRVljREEcp8VvRRkJFve07dnWQ/s200/JD+Smith+Bio+Pic+A.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">JD Smith</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
JDS: It's not something we've ever really discussed. We've all been part of the collective for a long time, when we published our first books. There's certainly no fixed duration, but of course any books published outside of the collective wouldn't feature our logo, for example. I personally published a book on cover design which doesn't fit the Triskele Books brand, so I did that as a standalone project and it doesn't carry the Triskele logo. Even so, my fellow members supported and helped me in its creation.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Do you put the collective’s name on the books, e.g. spine, title page, copyright page? </b><br />
<br />
JDS: We put the name/logo on our title page, spine, back of the book and then we also have a joint mailing list which we encourage readers to sign up to in the back of all of our books.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Did you formulate a written agreement? Including which points?</b><br />
<br />
LP: We have no written agreement as such. At the beginning, we had many Skype chats (since we live in different countries), and several face-to-face meetings to define our goals and working methods. This is revisited and overhauled from time to time, or if a problem arises. <b><br /></b><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>How do Triskele manage their joint funding? What rules and regs do they have in place to make it run smoothly? </b><br />
<b></b><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA76PQ_vbDoOCmhHY4CULDkF9nlg_ZMApCVsRngx868Xaek2nyRh5ExNZDizVfXUViDttuaBZGX4k9T7XXD8qJ-RMa7JWRaxa9IowncOXvjhW3krSMtuslKHnNz7MsOW84i1R7QetvUQQ/s1600/014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="622" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA76PQ_vbDoOCmhHY4CULDkF9nlg_ZMApCVsRngx868Xaek2nyRh5ExNZDizVfXUViDttuaBZGX4k9T7XXD8qJ-RMa7JWRaxa9IowncOXvjhW3krSMtuslKHnNz7MsOW84i1R7QetvUQQ/s200/014.jpg" width="194" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gillian Hamer</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
GH: Well, I am chief treasurer or top accountant or head of finance or what you will! Basically I just oversee the financial aspects of anything we arrange - be that physical launches or online competition, I just make sure the books balance. I pay the bills as they come in and ensure I send out invoices when required. I keep records of everything and share them with the other members so everything is transparent and I hope to think by now they trust me enough that they rarely bother checking!<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>I guess that in relation to charges, such as web hosting, website design, promotions, ISBNs UK, etc, a member is in charge of all financial transactions, like in an association? Keeping accounts and such?</b> <br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: black;">GH: Part of my role as detailed above is to keep the bank account in the black, and to ensure we have enough in the kitty to pay for the yearly fees that roll round. If we need extra funds, say to hire a venue for a physical launch in London, then every member involved in that particular event will all contribute equally. We are a Limited Company in the UK now, so I do use my book keeping skills from my day job to ensure we keep everything legal and above board.</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>How do you ensure everyone abides by the rules and pulls their weight? </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWpfubJ3gvHs5O13GZPDdw5sn-KSHNaGlxSMI3R3qY-QrLj52GbklRMMBJ6YKQqpc059O4yX1M6lmVfLZIixyHNPdrIbJX3S4oENTz5NsQ_WeSIdErkNkDxEfhyphenhyphen-FPzEaqzbg4kpqkzAg/s1600/Kat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWpfubJ3gvHs5O13GZPDdw5sn-KSHNaGlxSMI3R3qY-QrLj52GbklRMMBJ6YKQqpc059O4yX1M6lmVfLZIixyHNPdrIbJX3S4oENTz5NsQ_WeSIdErkNkDxEfhyphenhyphen-FPzEaqzbg4kpqkzAg/s200/Kat.jpg" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Catriona Troth</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
CT: I am not sure if I'd say that we have rules, exactly. But we do expect everyone to pull their weight. We have a pretty regular pattern of things we are each expected to contribute to, and a work plan (refreshed weekly) that sets out what's expected to go into each of those slots. Nominally, once every five weeks, when our turn rolls round, is when we make sure we have completed everything we are supposed to have done. In practice, most of us probably do those things as and when we can fit them in.<br />
<br />
That workplan is checked regularly, and if there are gaps that need to be filled, we get a nudge. Then at least once a year we do a big review of how everything has been going - if people have any ideas how things could be done better, or if anyone is struggling to cope. And we adjust accordingly.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>How do you manage dispute resolution, in the event of a disagreement? </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
CT: Perhaps because our joint financial commitment is minimal, we have been fortunate not to have any really serious disputes. But of course we have disagreements. The key is keeping channels of communication open, and talking things out, not bottling them up.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>How do you split group responsibilities (website, FB page, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest...?) </b><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: black;">GH:</span> <span style="color: black;">So, my other badge as well as finance is social media. I run the Facebook and Twitter accounts which are regularly updated daily or weekly. If I'm away or extra busy, someone else will always step in and help out. Other members take up the slack with Instagram and Pinterest when we have something to promote, and we all try to share our posts as much as possible. We took this approach as it got a bit confusing at times, not knowing who was posting what and when, so now if anyone has anything they want putting out on Triskele channels we share it internally first to keep things clean and ensure we don't duplicate posts.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>What joint marketing activities do you carry out? </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
CT: We have the Triskele website and blog, which we use, among other things, as a showcase for our work. This year, for example, we have having a once a month feature on the blog focusing on one of our books in particular and talking about the inspiration behind it.<br />
<br />
In addition to that, most years we try and do one Big Thing, where we are not necessarily pushing our own books, but promoting the Triskele name. We have run three so-called 'Indie Author Fairs' - pop-up bookshops where indie authors could come and sell their books directly to readers. The last of those was combined with a one-day Lit Fest, where panels of authors writing in different genres discussed their work. And this year we are running the second of two competitions to win a year's mentoring, with the aim of taking a finished manuscript and making it publication-ready, with editing, proofreading, page-setting, cover design etc. Our first winner went through the process, decided to try for an agent and got one in a matter of days!<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>What do you do about marketing when there are gaps in releases?</b> <br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWLkwW2PqLWYqv9nzuriTFP_2eQEMrQBuGqjlkjWNqOg2NnF2f6S_0KtuVeJStO0-xa9pIUO7TNvhVEQnIyZlSBbs6wFADq30U2FhEU_mPRbRNgRDsq-30T9DPxUGYbt9Vb9ux3314W4s/s1600/JJ+Marsh+green.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWLkwW2PqLWYqv9nzuriTFP_2eQEMrQBuGqjlkjWNqOg2NnF2f6S_0KtuVeJStO0-xa9pIUO7TNvhVEQnIyZlSBbs6wFADq30U2FhEU_mPRbRNgRDsq-30T9DPxUGYbt9Vb9ux3314W4s/s200/JJ+Marsh+green.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">JJ Marsh</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
JJ: We try to keep a bubbling profile, publishing a blogpost per week under the Triskele name. We also publish articles on Words with JAM magazine for writers and reviews on Bookmuse for readers. Aside from individual promotions and advertising, we watch out for opportunities and alert one another. We all jump in and trumpet a member's new release and usually have a physical event each year to promote all our releases and drink Prosecco. Every week, one of us is on duty, stoking the fires.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>In addition to a Triskele website, what other joint social media platforms would you recommend? </b><br />
<br />
JJ: We have a Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads and Pinterest presence<b> </b>in addition to the content delivery above. Others have had success with LinkedIn or Instagram - whatever feels right for you.<br />
<b></b><br />
<b>How do you co-ordinate your public face, i.e. website, blog, FB/Twitter, etc. Do you use a schedule? And perhaps use a shared Dropbox folder to share documents between all members?</b> <span style="color: blue;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: black;">GH: I may have covered this in my previous answer, but we mostly use our private Facebook group for internal chats and shares, or we add things to our weekly round up emails, and edit them via Google. Nothing goes public until it gets the thumbs up! Website updates are agreed internally and then either myself or Jane will add new books or information as needed.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeLhqTq_AQGrxiTJKplkkuCqePJkQwh86NDO_mHOVk_INIuKdInhJpjGHaBwZqztvp34vTif1dX1CmVVzVhLm2GxHZSx-rdKntQlprMoHQyj0TZG8M8yuudRdZdqiwjoBgyrWOGgbEghU/s1600/triskelites.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeLhqTq_AQGrxiTJKplkkuCqePJkQwh86NDO_mHOVk_INIuKdInhJpjGHaBwZqztvp34vTif1dX1CmVVzVhLm2GxHZSx-rdKntQlprMoHQyj0TZG8M8yuudRdZdqiwjoBgyrWOGgbEghU/s400/triskelites.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Indie Author Fair</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<b>Has your collective free short story anthology been a good draw and created traffic to your site with resulting sales? </b><br />
<br />
JJ: Our three collaborative publications - A Time and Place boxset, A Taste of Triskele short stories and recipes, plus our collaborative non-fiction book A Pathway to Publication - all earn us a steady trickle of income. On top of that we use an Amazon affiliate code to bring in regular pennies. The great thing about the boxset and story collection is they don't need any maintenance. I'd be hard pushed to define which of our myriad funnels brings most traffic to our site, but people do come.<br />
<br />
<br />
S<b>elf-publishing: A number of people mentioned that they’d find really useful a step by step guide to what needs to be done and by when, when you are self-publishing. </b><br />
<br />
JJ: Pick up A Pathway to Self-Publishing. You can get it for free by signing up to our newsletter. It covers everything we've learned and is constantly updated. Or poke about on our website and find many useful articles on your particular interest. Or join The Alliance of Independent Authors. Do Joanna Penn's Author 101 or David Gaughran's Let's Get Digital. <b> </b><br />
There's so much information but all of it is constantly changing. This is one of the biggest advantages of operating as a collective - five minds watching, testing, learning, writing, reading and communicating.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ5V1si5Kg_g2a8cpnNulGzinMUc_mzISjKi3Dp-nWB1Wb75dsT1cxxmurFIwouk12tFHiA3o5ZJOUmEuXZJQGx6hvfxLUHpJkFb_p0FLHQs6deIWzW2NNO3gUtDApbuS4ccgSoA-fx-M/s1600/Triskele_Group_018.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="981" data-original-width="1580" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ5V1si5Kg_g2a8cpnNulGzinMUc_mzISjKi3Dp-nWB1Wb75dsT1cxxmurFIwouk12tFHiA3o5ZJOUmEuXZJQGx6hvfxLUHpJkFb_p0FLHQs6deIWzW2NNO3gUtDApbuS4ccgSoA-fx-M/s400/Triskele_Group_018.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Team Triskele colours</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<b>Final point:</b> When we started publishing as a collective, it was almost unheard of. So we sought out other collectives to interview, compare notes and learn from each other. You can find all our interviews here and we would be so very pleased if you came back to tell us about your successes.<br />
<br />
Thanks for the smart questions!<br />
Jill, Gilly, Liza, Jane and Kat <br />
<br />
<br />Liza Perrathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00410516687044998154noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4942230357446395760.post-43983182150194623442018-03-09T05:31:00.000-08:002018-03-09T06:28:58.969-08:00Can You Brexit Without Breaking Britain?<i>Dave Morris, author of <b>Can You Brexit without Breaking Britain?</b>, talks to JJ Marsh about the book, the concept and the collaboration.</i><br />
<b></b><br />
<br />
<b></b><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp6vVLnEIYYDvPymBck_DcPvAv2_DZblM3_z-NkDy8Y5eE8lAXxkLOixctLnkHW7w1Y_jqPz-WQZwm7LkNLFCJ0Ww3oWhTFWjch292tvJuHSdnGxWqocAQglP0rFQ962QjfChX8kUkrg0/s1600/CYBWBB.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>Hi Dave and thanks for talking to us<i>.</i> For those unfamiliar with the format, could you briefly explain how an interactive gamebook works? </b><br />
<br />
<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp6vVLnEIYYDvPymBck_DcPvAv2_DZblM3_z-NkDy8Y5eE8lAXxkLOixctLnkHW7w1Y_jqPz-WQZwm7LkNLFCJ0Ww3oWhTFWjch292tvJuHSdnGxWqocAQglP0rFQ962QjfChX8kUkrg0/s1600/CYBWBB.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="324" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp6vVLnEIYYDvPymBck_DcPvAv2_DZblM3_z-NkDy8Y5eE8lAXxkLOixctLnkHW7w1Y_jqPz-WQZwm7LkNLFCJ0Ww3oWhTFWjch292tvJuHSdnGxWqocAQglP0rFQ962QjfChX8kUkrg0/s400/CYBWBB.jpg" width="258" /></a></b>The reader takes the role of the prime minister, it’s all told in second person, and the choices you make take you to different numbered sections. “If you want to explore a free trade agreement, turn to <b>123</b>. If you propose to stay in a customs union, turn to <b>456</b>,” and so on. <br />
<br />
The creative process is really just what any writer does as they construct a story. You imagine the things the characters might do and what the consequences will be, the only difference being that in a gamebook you don’t prune away all the other branches of the story tree. <br />
<br />
Of course, the choices you give the reader have to be interesting. Not just “what do you have for breakfast?” Well, actually that is one of the choices in the book, but it’s a subtext for a more important question about international trade. And as the reader picks from all the options, they’re effectively creating their own unique story as they go.<br />
<br />
<b>I’m guessing the genesis of this was a combination of passionate views on the handling of Brexit and the right combination of your and Jamie’s skills. </b><br />
<br />
We do both feel very strongly about it, although as a matter of fact we don’t share the same views about either the EU or UK politics. I found I kept getting sucked into arguments on Facebook that were just a waste of time, so one day I logged out of social media and decided, okay, let’s channel all this passion into a book. <br />
<br />
Jamie and I both used to write choose-your-own-adventure style gamebooks at the start of our careers, and we’ve also spent a lot of our careers working in the computer games business. I was a mentor in the American Film Institute’s digital content lab, which explored ways to connect emotion, storytelling and interactivity. So pulling all those strands together for this project made perfect sense. <br />
<b><br />Didn’t it seem like a daunting task? </b><br />
<br />
Fortunately I go into every book with rose-tinted specs and the feeling that I can fly. I thought this one might take four or five months at most. By the time I realized the real scale of the work I was, like Macbeth, stepped so far in blood (or in this case in IMF reports and select committee transcripts) that I figured I may as well keep slogging through to the other shore. <br />
<br />
<b>Tell us about how you and Jamie work together. </b><br />
<br />
I started out by designing a modular structure so that each of the ten major topics (trade, defence, the NHS, immigration, etc) could in theory be written by a different author. Jamie took a couple of those modules, but more than shouldering part of the work he came up with the voice of the book. If it had been left to me it would have been accurate and informative, which hopefully it still is, but Jamie has a great sense of humour (he won the Roald Dahl Award a few years back) and he found a way to keep it funny and entertaining at the same time. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFHCl-AjlCoj-YwH9S1FJJDrwh9XfZCBtlBggzB3zgyMXC9VkDTgvkoUhBObF5OJkM5-pJMvcLd8ICPEMPfy3mBz4Ka1hYe75ntuBxUeT4VPFB5Owl1PMYdyoF91PrYh_C5q1Fj1GxbrE/s1600/jamie+thompson.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="209" data-original-width="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFHCl-AjlCoj-YwH9S1FJJDrwh9XfZCBtlBggzB3zgyMXC9VkDTgvkoUhBObF5OJkM5-pJMvcLd8ICPEMPfy3mBz4Ka1hYe75ntuBxUeT4VPFB5Owl1PMYdyoF91PrYh_C5q1Fj1GxbrE/s1600/jamie+thompson.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jamie Thompson</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>Apart from posing the puzzle of trying to extricate the UK from the EU (or not), this book entertains the reader with acerbic political satire. It looks effortless but the knowledge behind such choices and wit must be considerable. </b><br />
<br />
It maybe says a lot that the first comparison I reached for was Macbeth. Every day I was looking at as many diverse sources on each topic as I could find, loading it all into my head, reading reports and economic models and what politicians had actually said again and again until the pieces of the jigsaw started to fit. They say you really have to understand something to explain it simply. I did the heavy lifting so the reader doesn’t have to. <br />
<br />
<b>The humour and insights have quite rightly been compared to <i>The Thick of It </i>and <i>Yes, Minister</i>, both of which place the real power in the hands of ear-whisperers – the civil servants and government advisors. As authors, the information you choose to give the PM casts you in that role, wouldn’t you say?</b> <br />
<br />
Where is the real power? Sir Humphrey would be holding his head at the prospect of a government issuing endless mission statements and no plan, but his position these days has been usurped by special advisors whose loyalty is to the party (or more often just to individuals) rather than to the country. <br />
<br />
What the reader will soon discover is that you can’t just point yourself at a goal. You have to contend with other elements in the party who will block whatever you try to do unless you can find ways to accommodate or outmanoeuvre them. In order to win, you have to stay in power – which incidentally explains a lot that’s happened since June 2016. <br />
<br />
<b>The issue of the referendum has caused much polarity of opinion. What kind of reader is this book aimed at? </b><br />
<br />
Lots of people really want to understand Brexit for themselves but they feel overwhelmed. Who can blame them? One politician says one thing, another is wheeled out to say the opposite. The debate soon becomes abstract and confusing. <br />
<br />
Yet there is a truth to be found, and people care about their future, so the point of the book is to give them a way of really getting to grips with the reality of Brexit. Then they can discuss it and make an informed decision. Democracy needs this. We can't just switch off such a vitally important issue because we’re bored. <br />
<b><br />Is your aim to change minds? </b><br />
<br />
We want to <i>open</i> minds. In the book there are ways to achieve a successful Brexit or to reverse it. But not every goal can be achieved, and you can’t get anywhere without a plan. There are trade-offs. Compromises must be made. That’s how the real world works. <br />
<br />
What I hope is that everyone who reads it will discover how to better examine and articulate their views, and to appreciate where they might make common ground with the half of the electorate who went the other way on 23 June. We need more tolerance, and we need everybody to open their eyes about what negotiating Britain’s new relationship with the EU will involve. I want to see an end to all the “enemies of the people” invective and to help restore some of that famous British common sense. <br />
<b><br />Obviously the advantage of your publishing now is that it’s extremely topical, but with the ground shifting every day, are you concerned the book will date? Or does that not matter? </b><br />
<br />
The book I’m currently reading is Graves’s <i>Goodbye To All That</i>, and I’m getting pretty steamed up about the botched military planning on the Somme a hundred years ago, so I don’t think these things suddenly cease to matter. There are lessons to be learned for the future. People are always going to want to look back and see what we could have done differently. <br />
<br />
Added to which, Brexit isn’t going to stop affecting us on 29 March 2019. Even ten years on we’ll still be feeling the effects of decisions being taken now. The generation who by then will have grown up in post-Brexit Britain and Europe will want to understand it for themselves. <br />
<b><br />Have you sent a copy to Theresa May? Or across the Camden/Islington border to Boris Johnson? </b><br />
<br />
I have a friend who knows Boris Johnson and offered to pass on a copy. I think he really ought to read it, but I see no sign that he’s been too bothered about details or planning up to now. If he changes his mind he can always let me know, and I’ll happily deliver a signed copy to the Commons. I’d like to send one to every MP, actually, as I genuinely do feel it’s a case of, “If you only read one book about Brexit, make it this one.”<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>About Dave Morris</b><br />
<br />
<i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMdx4GAsYaIsVdstI1D9q46MpuxNmJ_-KlzFpjHNoaOuEGKNjPT8j-wE4BCKHtzIsSK6sYysWOodJ686JS-wKLWDIR0ZqQ7Ot99YI7U5GFlmmBwlLcFgirP-PGinvyNb44vl4XjdAE0LE/s1600/Dave+Morris+Belmont+May+2017.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="677" data-original-width="677" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMdx4GAsYaIsVdstI1D9q46MpuxNmJ_-KlzFpjHNoaOuEGKNjPT8j-wE4BCKHtzIsSK6sYysWOodJ686JS-wKLWDIR0ZqQ7Ot99YI7U5GFlmmBwlLcFgirP-PGinvyNb44vl4XjdAE0LE/s200/Dave+Morris+Belmont+May+2017.jpg" width="200" /></a>I'm equally drawn to both stories and equations, to both
literature and science. Over the years I've written novels, textbooks,
comics, gamebooks and television shows and I've designed videogames,
boardgames and role-playing games. And co-authored a paper on the
propagation of light delivered to the Institute of Physics. What can I
say? I thrive on variety and I'm always looking for a fresh challenge!
</i>JJ Marshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12708049070102426652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4942230357446395760.post-7476527942758836832018-03-02T05:07:00.000-08:002018-03-02T05:07:09.775-08:00BOOK CLUB: Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqUhOfw0gU7v16DQrwwjkPznFKK2PMN0Nvxc384cjHJu5CodzDXpKBFJLWuG1Var-ugJifc3wLbd8OWmW1cqH4Z3UaHUTTJiWLB3s001x6EHto7k9DM0ZbfSecFMkFpnQEiLwafgutyN0/s1600/eleanor+oliphant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqUhOfw0gU7v16DQrwwjkPznFKK2PMN0Nvxc384cjHJu5CodzDXpKBFJLWuG1Var-ugJifc3wLbd8OWmW1cqH4Z3UaHUTTJiWLB3s001x6EHto7k9DM0ZbfSecFMkFpnQEiLwafgutyN0/s1600/eleanor+oliphant.jpg" /></a></div>
<i>Eleanor Oliphant has a routine. She travels to work by bus, keeps her head down in her accountancy job, eats the same meal deal alone in the staffroom while doing the crossword and doesn’t talk to anyone from Friday night (when she buys two bottles of vodka to get her through the weekend) till Monday morning. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>She’s built a bubble around herself and avoids contact with other people while at the same time being desperately lonely. Then an incident in the street draws her reluctantly into the lives of strangers. </i><br />
<br />
<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Here Gillian Hamer (GH) and JJ Marsh (JJ) discuss their thoughts on the book. </b><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>How did you react to the character of Eleanor? </b><br />
<br />
(GH) I think I went through a wide range of feelings and there were tears as well as laughter. At first I found her awkwardness funny, then quirky, then endearing, then sympathetic and finally understanding. It wasn't long before I found I could second guess things from her perspective which meant the author had achieved what she set out to do and connected the reader with her character.<br />
<br />
(JJ) I'd agree with that. You find yourself 'becoming' Eleanor, but not without a huge amount of wincing on the way. I read something in the news this week that one of the factors used to measure human happiness is one's connection to your community. Real interactions, on the surface meaningless, reinforce that you are part of something. By around the middle of the book, I was struck by how much has been
written about various human social disorders, but so little about the simple
fact of being lonely.<br />
<br />
<b>The perspective is tightly contained within Eleanor’s point-of-view of the world, allowing the reader both insights and distance. How well do you feel that worked? </b><br />
<br />
(JJ) The clash between the reader's understanding of social morés and Eleanor's is where the laughter, awkwardness and self-awareness happens in this book. When she asks Raymond for the money for his Guinness stopped me in my tracks. It's like being a foreigner in a culture you just don't understand. The other area I felt worked well was her obsession with the musician. She allows the reader droplets of information which we can decode, but Eleanor cannot. I came out of this book feeling slightly ashamed of myself and determined to make fewer assumptions.<br />
<b></b><br />
<br />
(GH) Really well and from a writer's perspective it can't have been easy to achieve. Like I said, I quickly saw through Eleanor's eyes and judged the world as she did. Her distaste at poor hygiene or text speak became natural as that is what we came to expect; her reliance on alcohol and the normality of this to her told us so much with about her inner pain without having to explain. But we were also given a glimpse at how the outside world viewed Eleanor through things like interaction (or lack of) with her work colleagues and her sessions with her counsellor which finally opened her up to the real world. In terms of distance, there is a clever balance. Societies' general contempt for mental health issues come under the spotlight here, and it can make for uncomfortable reading which is no bad thing.<br />
<br />
<b>Due to her profound isolation from the world, her encounters with the general public range from hilarious to cringeworthy. Which moments stand out for you? </b><br />
<br />
(GH) Oh there were some laugh aloud moments. One that had me in giggles was the description of Eleanor's first introduction to dancing the YMCA. There was no telling - all showing - and it was hilarious. Another was her first visit to a beauty salon and her first bikini wax - I think you can most likely fill in the gaps there. A cringeworthy moment was when she began to attend parties with Raymond and realised from a previous faux-pas that it's polite to take gifts even when the host says not to - so took what she thought would be most useful - a packet of cheese slices and half a bottle of vodka. As ridiculous as that would sound to anyone who hasn't read the book, to those of us who know Eleanor it's completely understandable.<br />
<br />
(JJ) The bikini wax had me in fits too. As did the discussion of a suitable drink with the barman. But I found her interactions with the owner of the corner shop quite touching. Most of all, I found her snobbish judgementalism - the root of which we grow to appreciate - so entertaining. "I often find those most likely to wear sports clothing are those least likely to practise it." She's not quite the 'idiot savant', but her observations veer close to the bone.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Eleanor may be the central focus but many of the minor characters played key roles. Which of the supporting cast did you love or hate? </b><br />
<br />
(GH) Raymond and his mother stood out for me. His mother in particular seemed to touch Eleanor in a way that confused her to begin with but then opened her up to most of the journey that followed. Such a simple gesture as making a cup of tea, and not having to ask how she took it, showed a caring side of motherhood that Eleanor had never experienced. Raymond was a perfect friend for Eleanor. His character came through right from their initial encounter with the elderly Sammy and his accident in the street. Raymond came along at a time in Eleanor's life when loneliness was finally having a profound effect on her even though she had spent so many years telling herself and everyone else that she was 'completely fine.' The way Raymond handled Eleanor through her meltdown was testament to his character. He bought her flowers for the first time in her life, he did her laundry, got her shopping in - all things that no one had ever done for her before.<br />
<br />
As a complete antithesis, if there was ever a character worth hating in a novel, it was Eleanor's birth mother. Even without knowing the real depths of her depravity for most of the book, by the time we came to the big reveal we already detested her with a passion. It was testament to Eleanor that she had survived to see her thirtieth birthday - not just physically but mentally too. This was a woman who had no business terming herself as a mother to anyone and how she manipulated and terrified Eleanor from afar was awful to read.<br />
<br />
(JJ) Oh her mother was a monster all right. But part of me felt Eleanor's relationship with her was something like 'better the devil you know'. Her own willingness to accept that bullying behaviour spoke volumes about her not being anywhere near 'completely fine'.<br />
The takedown of the musician really entertained me - hung by his own petard, or in this case, his own Tweets.<br />
Whereas her boss, Sammy and his family, Raymond and his mum showed all those little kindnesses that allowed Eleanor to develop the smallest of bonds. I found the scene in the hairdresser quite emotional.<br />
One other moment that struck me was when as a child, she went to a friend's house for tea. Served classic 'kid food', she is appalled. The friend's mother asks what they normally have for tea, to which she rattles off an absurd list of pretentious delicacies. My heart broke for her. Through no fault of her own, she has become insufferable.<br />
<br />
<b>The contemporary story is woven through with revelations about Eleanor’s past, building to a climatic end. Did it come as a shock or had you guessed? </b><br />
<br />
(JJ) The clues had pretty much spelt it out for me so there was an odd mixture of vindication and horror at realising what had happened. Somehow, the reader comes to terms with the past at the same time as Eleanor. We have to face those formative events with her in order to see a future.<br />
<b></b><br />
<br />
(GH) Without giving away the ending, I had mostly guessed where the story of Eleanor's past was leading us. I guessed there was a sibling involved but hadn't expected the final twist. It was like the missing piece of a jigsaw for me and suddenly everything made sense.<br />
<br />
<b></b><br />
<b>What was your take on the pace of Eleanor’s development? </b><br />
<br />
(GH) I think it was pretty dramatic considering she'd spent twenty years in some kind of self-imposed stagnation. But it was getting a taste of life and love - Sammy's family, her work promotion, meeting Raymond and her feelings for the musician - that combined and speeded up her development. But then the author cleverly chose to start the story at a point in her life when Eleanor was desperate for change - whether she'd acknowledged that herself or not.<br />
<br />
(JJ) Pace was the one thing about this book I didn't enjoy. For me, there was a circularity of hints and allusions to the past which began to drag. Whereas the steady luring of Eleanor for her solitary life moved as slowly as it must. Gilly, you're right in saying she was ready for a change, but I was a wee bit frustrated that it took so long to draw back the curtain after so many clues. <br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>The novel is Honeyman’s debut and Reese Witherspoon has bought the film rights. How do you think the book will transfer to screen? </b><br />
<br />
(GH) I am not totally sure and do have reservations. I guess it will depend on the skill of the director and producer. As so much is seen internally from Eleanor's perspective, I feel it will be a hard task to get the viewer onside as easily as the reader. But Hollywood clearly sees potential so let's hope they do the book justice.<br />
<br />
(JJ) Well, it's all going to depend on who they cast as Eleanor. Her personality is what drives this book and no matter how anti-social or misfit her behaviour, the viewers needs to be on her side. The readers have long since been lured in. I think if they don't add too much syrup, this could be a very enjoyable movie. JJ Marshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12708049070102426652noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4942230357446395760.post-16707170513607775592018-02-23T02:38:00.000-08:002018-02-23T02:38:02.742-08:00Story of a Novel: Ghost Town by Catriona Troth <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ57gi_PbRj1oqIyZx_lvL5gvzndK85N3x5jrtC36Fei9r5dxdY0AjC3lJEP6D-U87J0ObwBLwJIp3w04Y2NuUbOc2p2-tisVC8ZodkdTThFH-g8FujSY7zKCoMYshNbAncm_gFrK1hBze/s1600/Ghost+Town+Cover_MEDIUM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ57gi_PbRj1oqIyZx_lvL5gvzndK85N3x5jrtC36Fei9r5dxdY0AjC3lJEP6D-U87J0ObwBLwJIp3w04Y2NuUbOc2p2-tisVC8ZodkdTThFH-g8FujSY7zKCoMYshNbAncm_gFrK1hBze/s320/Ghost+Town+Cover_MEDIUM.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
It’s no secret that <i>Ghost Town</i> had one of the longest gestations in literary history. But what inspired me to write it and why did it take me so long to finish it? <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhprIqxYPqmB_SdqA91zghYK1O_k30oCDDjIyJ3PdGyjT-6B26NIEemR0FxW-uGqOTMuK06cSOo4VMnQZj7Pwo-FzN6O7W19f_e6y5DcXx0Ud2fNNm-GklzMu-bsyzOotEQcGg8fFjJ3dYP/s1600/IMG_1600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhprIqxYPqmB_SdqA91zghYK1O_k30oCDDjIyJ3PdGyjT-6B26NIEemR0FxW-uGqOTMuK06cSOo4VMnQZj7Pwo-FzN6O7W19f_e6y5DcXx0Ud2fNNm-GklzMu-bsyzOotEQcGg8fFjJ3dYP/s320/IMG_1600.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ruined cathedral of St Michael's - Coventry's symbol of reconciliation</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Back in 1981, I was a post-graduate student at the University of Warwick. I could not help but be aware, through that spring and summer, that tensions were building between local skinheads and the then relatively new British Asian community. There was an undercurrent of violence in the air and a sense that something was about to boil over. <br />
<br />
Years later, I had an idea for a story that seemed to fit perfectly with this background. As I began my research, I uncovered a story that was both darker and more shocking than what I remembered – but also profoundly hopeful. A story which – while still talked about in Coventry – itself is virtually unknown outside the city. <br />
<br />
What I had remembered simply as ‘rising tensions’ had in fact included firebomb attacks, an assault on a young girl as she minded her family’s shop, and two racially motivated murders – one of a young student and one of a doctor. The murder of the student galvanised the Asian community in to action. A series of protest marches were held – the last and biggest of which was met by a phalanx of skinheads giving Nazi salutes in the middle of the town centre, backed by senior members of Far Right groups like the National Front and the British Movement. Fights broke out between skinheads and Asian youths that were broken up by a charge of mounted police. And always in the shadows, grey men from Far Right, fanning the flames of hatred.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<i><br /></i>
<iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="300" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/401114958&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe>
<b>Audio Extract from Ghost Town, describing the day a protest march exploded into violence</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<span style="color: #0000ee; font-style: italic;">A collections of photographs from the Coventry Telegraph showing the real life protest march in May 1981</span><br />
<b><br /></b>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWBrqjknMyInZ-cflEGvsLywu9q6NmSK56qFjUkVgPh7sYvKZwQHcNJSfU__9OeNeG9kMbzww4rL5ciX76uONW6e8-JI6Q6TsXPswm0MsxgYab4ue1GDaWVZRN2AmgZd2eGUK_nUxlnS9e/s1600/IMG_3095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWBrqjknMyInZ-cflEGvsLywu9q6NmSK56qFjUkVgPh7sYvKZwQHcNJSfU__9OeNeG9kMbzww4rL5ciX76uONW6e8-JI6Q6TsXPswm0MsxgYab4ue1GDaWVZRN2AmgZd2eGUK_nUxlnS9e/s320/IMG_3095.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Members of the Specials and the Selecter outide the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry in 2014</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><br /></b>This was a time when Coventry identified with Two Tone and Ska the way Liverpool identified with the Beatles. Bands like The Specials and the Selector had been writing music with an explicitly anti-racist message. So when the band heard what had happened, the Specials' immediate response was to organise a Concert for Racial Harmony.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/history/gallery/specials-hazel-oconnor-racial-harmony-11505087" target="_blank"><i>Photographs from The Specials' Concert for Racial Harmony</i> </a><br />
<br />
Although everyone feared that would became a flash point for further violence, it didn’t. Within a couple of weeks, riots had kicked off in cities across the UK, starting in Southall. But Coventry remained one of the few major cities the riots never reached. It was as if the city paused, took stock and listened to its own conscience. The Specials and the other bands at the Concert for Racial Harmony bore witness to a different kind of future. <br />
<br />
***************************** <br />
<br />
My first draft came relatively fast. Allowing for the fact I was working and bringing up two small children, a year wasn’t a bad effort. I had the bones of a story not a million miles from the final plot of Ghost Town. But I knew some of it was built on pretty shaky ground. <br />
<br />
In autumn 2001, I took myself back up to Coventry and immersed myself in the archive of the Coventry Evening Telegraph. That was when I finally understood the enormity of what had happened in the city in the spring and summer of 1981.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8YBEHJtX-217vU1sfNlz2d7wjM7c8hrwebe0yHBiPWOstclWCvc8lheqTJSwdasbk9-iSB5VjGv7NUjnZhHVs0HUmg626bk7hoy_r95RNsvpOrWupMav3vXI4ocdR7V_gnfix96UG7lxc/s1600/PB200276.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8YBEHJtX-217vU1sfNlz2d7wjM7c8hrwebe0yHBiPWOstclWCvc8lheqTJSwdasbk9-iSB5VjGv7NUjnZhHVs0HUmg626bk7hoy_r95RNsvpOrWupMav3vXI4ocdR7V_gnfix96UG7lxc/s320/PB200276.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of Coventry's 'Concrete Jungle'</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The next draft of Ghost Town came very slowly. I became passionate about telling the story of what happened in Coventry that summer. I was soaking up a lot of research, reading books, trawling the internet, understanding a lot of things I hadn’t understood before. The story was fleshing out, but something wasn’t right. My female lead no longer fitted the book. So I took the drastic decision to rip her out and look for a new lead. <br />
<br />
That was when, luckily or unluckily, depending on your point of view, I lost my job. I had a year unemployed and I spent it feverishly finishing <i>Ghost Town</i>, with its new female lead. By the time I started work again, I had a completed manuscript. <br />
<br />
I proofread it, parcelled up a few chapters, and started sending it round to agents. According to my records, I had an encouraging number of people asking for the full MS. But that was all. I got busy with my new job, and the manuscript languished – until I discovered online critique groups. <br />
<br />
Hugely excited, I posted a few chapters. The initial response was scathing, to say the least. I felt like giving up. I remember telling someone that, if I had to rewrite this book one more time, I thought my ears would bleed. “Then let them bleed,” they said, “if that’s what it takes.” <br />
<br />
Finally, I started to find people who seemed to ‘get’ my story. They were critical, sometimes harshly so. But their criticism was constructive. One of the most painful things was that, chapter after chapter, I was told that my new female lead, the one for whom I had ripped the whole book apart, was ‘cold’ and ‘unsympathetic’. I can’t tell you how many tears I shed, until at last I reached a point where people started to connect with her. <br />
<br />
And well, there were a few more iterations after that. Some savage cutting of an overly long manuscript, courtesy of the sharp editing scalpel of Amanda Hodgkinson. A wonderfully sensitive reader, Sudha Buchar, helped me avoid more than one pitfall with the British Asian characters in the book. Finally, the MS went through the hands of a copy editor and proof reader. And <i>Ghost Town </i>was published with Triskele Books, with the gorgeous cover designed by Jane Dixon Smith. <br />
<br />
And that is how a series of events that made a deep impression on me back in the summer of 1981 found their way onto the page in November 2013. <br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />LibraryCathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461629705267459809noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4942230357446395760.post-57060105121353580662018-02-16T02:44:00.000-08:002018-02-16T03:00:24.259-08:00Marketing A Book - Ten Ways to Learn HowAt Triskele Books, we've spent a lot of time and money on learning how to market our books. And as a collective, we share everything we learn with each other. So today, we're sharing with you. Here are ten of the books, sites, resources and courses that we've found most useful. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6jFVdb6Xom6ENATajecmf8pYBo7Mk0RpnZeFb-WdjGdZ61urSM38F9PRMoKJulqT01uS9nz70ryQ5LeofF79Wrk78ny-7BCMMhT3dF-bOTkmmSLrmbsomLjBL9K6gCZVl8KhcZQzb34k/s1600/learning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6jFVdb6Xom6ENATajecmf8pYBo7Mk0RpnZeFb-WdjGdZ61urSM38F9PRMoKJulqT01uS9nz70ryQ5LeofF79Wrk78ny-7BCMMhT3dF-bOTkmmSLrmbsomLjBL9K6gCZVl8KhcZQzb34k/s400/learning.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<b>Books </b><br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00DMIWAIC/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=trisbook-21&creative=6738&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B00DMIWAIC&linkId=00e617b443c8e7ed237a04b55cec54e6"><br /></a>
<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00DMIWAIC/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=trisbook-21&creative=6738&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B00DMIWAIC&linkId=00e617b443c8e7ed237a04b55cec54e6">Your First 1000 Copies by Tim Grahl</a><br />
A great place to start, especially if the word marketing brings you out in a rash. Solid, helpful advice and a wise approach to the author-marketing mindset. <br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00QND75R4/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=trisbook-21&creative=6738&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B00QND75R4&linkId=18cc13a1c974420b1dcba31ee3902f87"><br /></a>
<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00QND75R4/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=trisbook-21&creative=6738&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B00QND75R4&linkId=18cc13a1c974420b1dcba31ee3902f87">Let's Get Visible by David Gaughran</a><br />
The partner volume to Let's Get Digital (also recommended), Gaughran understands the workings of the Kindle store better than most and offers practical, clear advice on how to use it. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1629550361/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=trisbook-21&creative=6738&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=1629550361&linkId=0cd76701b8674904b0854e9059b53199">Write. Publish. Repeat by Sean Platt and Johnny B. Truant</a><br />
This is a broader look at building a career from your writing, with a focus on craft as well as marketing. <br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B071NPVK28/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=trisbook-21&creative=6738&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B071NPVK28&linkId=7c986a990dd8c0b5668078ef86c5f48a"><br /></a>
<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B071NPVK28/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=trisbook-21&creative=6738&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B071NPVK28&linkId=7c986a990dd8c0b5668078ef86c5f48a">How To Market a Book by Joanna Penn</a><br />
Distilling her own experience and advice into one book, which is easy to read and useful for authors at every stage of the publishing process, Joanna is an inspiration. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://selfpublishingadvice.org/how-to-get-your-self-published-book-into-bookstores/">How To Get Your Self Published Book Into Bookstores by Debbie Young</a><br />
IN her typically approachable and friendly style, ALLi Publications Manager Debbie Young covers all the angles and some you hadn't even considered.<br />
<br />
<b>Websites </b><br />
<br />
<a href="https://selfpublishingformula.com/">Mark Dawson's Self Publishing Formula</a><br />
Mark and his team offer lots of free advice via podcasts and resource books, plus some powerful paid courses that have transformed many writers' careers. <br />
<a href="https://courses.kindlepreneur.com/courses/AMS"><br /></a>
<a href="https://courses.kindlepreneur.com/courses/AMS">Dave Chesson's Free AMS Ads Course</a><br />
Very useful 5-day course aimed at digging into the nuts and bolts of Amazon Marketing Services.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.blog.yourfirst10kreaders.com/">Your First 10K Readers by Nick Stephenson</a><br />
All kinds of helpful advice with a particular focus on growing a mailing list, Nick's blog and videos are an essential part of any author's marketing toolbox.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://annerallen.com/">Anne R Allen's blog with Ruth Harris.</a><br />
The pair are focused largely on craft, but have some excellent and easily digestible tips on marketing and self promotion.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.janefriedman.com/">Jane Friedman</a> is always at the cutting edge of changes in the publishing world and offers weekly updates and insights into what's afoot. A must read.JJ Marshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12708049070102426652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4942230357446395760.post-10232877048769935892018-02-09T00:53:00.000-08:002018-02-09T00:53:27.193-08:00What Are You Reading (2) ... and is it romantic? By Gillian Hamer<br />
<br />
So, February is the month of love. Ho-hum. Or so we are told. But in the spirit of all things romantic, in the second of our <i>What Are You Reading</i> articles we touch on love stories in all their guises.<br />
<br />
In the hope of discovering a few more masterpieces, or at least adding to our ‘to be read’ pile, Triskele members share our current reads with you - and ask for your latest hot reads in exchange. Please join in the discussion and let's spread the word about some of the great books out there - whether classics or latest finds.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<b>FEBRUARY - What are you reading?</b><br />
<u></u><br />
<br />
<u>LIZA PERRAT</u><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguFRP6DOSJ_ZBzeq2s-OmzfOpqbdXq1tIA-eIgBmgttgz2QsbTYvPz9axHsTw0P_jCv1GFeZ0DSyNyzEWHDxxy551q9RcpbK_EdFl1yXC0fEwJ5AXCQDJyYgOXCM6HHtL7t14-zxYHUWc8/s1600/LEE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="325" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguFRP6DOSJ_ZBzeq2s-OmzfOpqbdXq1tIA-eIgBmgttgz2QsbTYvPz9axHsTw0P_jCv1GFeZ0DSyNyzEWHDxxy551q9RcpbK_EdFl1yXC0fEwJ5AXCQDJyYgOXCM6HHtL7t14-zxYHUWc8/s320/LEE.jpg" width="208" /></a><br />
<i>The Lost Son of Philomena Lee by Martin Sixsmith</i><br />
<br />
Not a romance in the true sense of the word, but plenty of love features in this true and tragic story of an unmarried mother whose son was forcibly adopted (stolen and sold) from Ireland in the mid-1950s. <br />
The story follows firstly her atrocious experience with the nuns in the Irish convent, then the son's life adopted life in the USA, where he becomes a high-level Republican worker for Pres Reagan. His search for his mother and her search for him expose the crimes of the Catholic Church concerning forced adoptions. This books certainly pulled on my heartstrings far more than a classic tale of romance.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj_tKLCP79WXS6gDxmrbnQzYRDboQAtHAMKT4Pvm-WhulzKc5PyxG-X2Rp-nKi2CR5PhGpZDJfT1IBP8nD_aryFNaPwTdwzmINK5atYXU2IYb9_5I6hjapA748k9gPH5abiNjw4N7wTYb2/s1600/GREGORY.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="329" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj_tKLCP79WXS6gDxmrbnQzYRDboQAtHAMKT4Pvm-WhulzKc5PyxG-X2Rp-nKi2CR5PhGpZDJfT1IBP8nD_aryFNaPwTdwzmINK5atYXU2IYb9_5I6hjapA748k9gPH5abiNjw4N7wTYb2/s320/GREGORY.jpg" width="210" /></a><br />
<u>JANE DIXON SMITH</u><br />
<i></i><br />
<i>The Virgin's Lover by Philippa Gregory.</i><br />
<br />
The title says it all and the cover is very pink ... It follows Elizabeth I as she finally ascends the English throne, with many pushing for her marriage to secure the future of England. Her eye is on Robert Dudley, but as always, everyone at court is jostling for power and there are enemies in every corner.<br />
<br />
<u></u><br />
<u></u><br />
<u></u><br />
<u></u><br />
<u>GILLIAN HAMER</u><br />
<i></i><br />
<i>Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman</i><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm0cAdIXqylGsp6N8nG2-tDB_oyU4bW4XCr_lbkGy519OHkGpdkwCXbC9IrnVxLm-draFZdKyg1THftoS2QTovfQdmRDySG3bRGjI4bbe4A7Gnbz_YfAPjbWmdnbTa4c_P0KRErlYmHDUi/s1600/OLIPHANT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="226" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm0cAdIXqylGsp6N8nG2-tDB_oyU4bW4XCr_lbkGy519OHkGpdkwCXbC9IrnVxLm-draFZdKyg1THftoS2QTovfQdmRDySG3bRGjI4bbe4A7Gnbz_YfAPjbWmdnbTa4c_P0KRErlYmHDUi/s320/OLIPHANT.jpg" width="209" /></a></div>
Again, not a traditional romance, but there is love in there, mostly of the 'unrequited', 'unexpected' and 'search for unconditional' varieties. This is a cleverly written novel from the perspective of a character who sees the world through very different eyes than most, and survives each day the only way she knows how ... because no one has ever shown Eleanor Oliphant how to live rather than simply survive. When the layers of her life are slowly revealed, the reader is dragged through every emotion possible. <br />
Romance? Possibly not. But Valentines is probably a good time to read it to help you appreciate the good things in life.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGy_5t2RljHznuryVKd4wQ0_n2ALbga-L7mOglkllCFZFNRBxD1TTRavfUWTZssFVz3kcWDIzDnqHIMe5wdKMWf1PUJ38gXzcD2R4xHgTWua1Lgj4hVwfxav18SRobrBwCkfcAxAnHDkrT/s1600/MYTHOS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="325" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGy_5t2RljHznuryVKd4wQ0_n2ALbga-L7mOglkllCFZFNRBxD1TTRavfUWTZssFVz3kcWDIzDnqHIMe5wdKMWf1PUJ38gXzcD2R4xHgTWua1Lgj4hVwfxav18SRobrBwCkfcAxAnHDkrT/s320/MYTHOS.jpg" width="208" /></a><br />
<u>J.J. MARSH</u><br />
<br />
<i>Mythos by Stephen Fry.</i><br />
<br />
<i>Mythos</i> is a retelling of some Greek myths by Stephen Fry and it is most definitely romantic. <br />
Fry’s urbane tones shine through as he tells legendary tales of passion and drama, and reveals all kinds of quite interesting facts in his footnotes. <br />
Entertaining, educational and filled with genuine love for a good story.<br />
<br />
<br />
<u></u><br />
<u>CATRIONA TROTH</u><br />
<br />
<i>Sofia Khan Is Not Obliged by Ayisha Malik</i><br />
<i></i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8AmeFxN-DOauNDpqqzPaFrfD6JovSjnXtoEFImmuQ-kPrqvKyaLhpK6ptJM90MYKurzqV1dMZ7mwAV5s-NgeRBm976erp9ANczdLYh9STiRYiVNAaJRpSug1nPO2xqE0fZWGQt0-QfApa/s1600/SOFIA_KHAN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="326" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8AmeFxN-DOauNDpqqzPaFrfD6JovSjnXtoEFImmuQ-kPrqvKyaLhpK6ptJM90MYKurzqV1dMZ7mwAV5s-NgeRBm976erp9ANczdLYh9STiRYiVNAaJRpSug1nPO2xqE0fZWGQt0-QfApa/s320/SOFIA_KHAN.jpg" width="209" /></a></div>
Sofia Khan is a totally recognisable, flawed, modern young woman. She wears skinny jeans, smokes, swears, has issues with deadlines and agonises about getting fat while scoffing muffins and lemon puffs. So far, so Bridget Jones. On the other hand, she wears a hijab, doesn’t drink alcohol, prays five times a day and has no intention of having sex before marriage. And Sofia and her friends have to deal with things Bridget could never have imagined - from Muslim speed dating, to deciding whether it’s okay to become a polygamous second wife. As for emotional blackmail, Muslim aunties take it to new heights.<br />
<br />
But Sofia Khan has something BJD never quite achieved – a sense of real heart. Do not expect this to end with Sofia ripping off her hijab and going on a binge. Nor with her settling down to be a ‘traditional’ submissive wife. This is about how you can be modern, independent, strong-minded – and still a faithful Muslim. Something most Muslim women have always known; Malik is just letting the rest of us in on the secret. Gill Hamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02676930874471518308noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4942230357446395760.post-57895482979972653732018-01-26T03:39:00.001-08:002018-01-26T03:39:28.108-08:00Story of a Novel: The Charter by Gillian E. HamerBy Gillian E. Hamer<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzfWoX_SX3S-T6J5IqAYT4jP06-_qqe6Zr7UfKvNwaPxY3PGa7owX2iJyTxSRN1jciw-TxWnwG4Vhxe6Wgw7cBrpr02Ss5IDgMhwqwNz7SvBPkgf1bvKq-gdy3VdlsMGyRhwqn5MNYh9vJ/s1600/TheCharter_Cover_KINDLE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="962" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzfWoX_SX3S-T6J5IqAYT4jP06-_qqe6Zr7UfKvNwaPxY3PGa7owX2iJyTxSRN1jciw-TxWnwG4Vhxe6Wgw7cBrpr02Ss5IDgMhwqwNz7SvBPkgf1bvKq-gdy3VdlsMGyRhwqn5MNYh9vJ/s320/TheCharter_Cover_KINDLE.jpg" width="199" /></a></div>
I’ve told the story of the birth - or maybe that should be the inception - of <i>The Charter</i> a few times now, and it means as much to me today as it did at the start of my writing career. This novel sums up everything I am passionate about. It stems from my love of history, adventure and tales told by local folks that fire up my imagination.<br />
<br />
I can’t remember exactly how old I was when I first learned of the wreck of The Royal Charter off the coast of Anglesey in the great storm of 1859 claiming the loss of over eight hundred lives. But I think I was around eleven years old when the press were full of stories of gold bullion being recovered from the wreck by local divers after a winter storm, and an influx over several months the following summer of modern day treasure hunters.<br />
<br />
One weekend, armed with a second hand metal detector, our family headed to a local beach, Red Wharf Bay and I can still remember the burst of excitement each time I found a penny in the sand – only to find out later that a relative had buried them for me to find!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXBpNGk-MJLWX2W0X3xEqbvFcfOR78GgOO21gHNRqvrvge8ETQ6ejM6rLRdwgRR8NrRGlg9oh82QhBzugFGt3bepiwZEO_qZ2LwcQ88FP-GqWmR6MC8U0q51Y3ov5JX13qknWQxoAaL9qU/s1600/Charter3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="250" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXBpNGk-MJLWX2W0X3xEqbvFcfOR78GgOO21gHNRqvrvge8ETQ6ejM6rLRdwgRR8NrRGlg9oh82QhBzugFGt3bepiwZEO_qZ2LwcQ88FP-GqWmR6MC8U0q51Y3ov5JX13qknWQxoAaL9qU/s320/Charter3.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
The small Welsh island of Anglesey has been part of my life for as long as I can remember, and even now it still often surprises me with its beauty or stories of the past. I find Neolithic burial mounds I’ve not known existed, or, as happened on this latest New Year holiday, discovered a new beach I’ve never previously visited. <br />
<br />
There are hundreds of shipwrecks around the Anglesey coast, some you can see at low tide or even visit in estuary mud banks. But there was something about the story of The Royal Charter that touched my soul. It could have been the mystery around the missing Australian gold, or the fact Charles Dickens was so moved by the disaster he visited and wrote about it in his novel <i>The Uncommercial Traveller</i>. Or it could have been the visits I made as a child to the old churchyard in Llanallgo Church, where many of the dead are buried, and there now stands the anchor from the wreck along with a memorial to the missing.<br />
<br />
But when I sat down and started to write novels, there was always one story I would want to retell in my own style. And to this day I’m so proud to say that the prologue of this book managed to secure me two literary agents.<br />
<br />
And so <i>The Charter</i> became, if not the first novel I wrote, the first I published in June 2012. The audio version has become one of my best sellers, and even today sales of the book remain steady and more popular than others in the U.S.<br />
<br />
All my novels are set on and around Anglesey and the North Wales coast and I have notebooks of stories, ideas, local tales and research that I hope one day will make their way in books in their own right – but I doubt any will mean quite as much to me as <i>The Charter</i>.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv9ylojXXZX4J54OyesH72r4YUP3MVoUo7QoOlc2unprfUtvFJKoI0j6DUJbYF8JIOxZ89MTjPwVRoFPeLkU10fUElJUjBNlkEJmX_UdM4-AfIDDR7cd8L_8a_BsjGBiUtt1TcjlMEbCTi/s1600/Charter1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv9ylojXXZX4J54OyesH72r4YUP3MVoUo7QoOlc2unprfUtvFJKoI0j6DUJbYF8JIOxZ89MTjPwVRoFPeLkU10fUElJUjBNlkEJmX_UdM4-AfIDDR7cd8L_8a_BsjGBiUtt1TcjlMEbCTi/s1600/Charter1.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<b><u>Prologue</u></b><br />
<br />
<i>October 26 1859</i><br />
<br />
How can it be?<br />
<br />
I stand on the edge of a high cliff. Holding back hair that whips across my face, I shield my eyes and squint through the stinging wind. Lifeless bodies dash against the rocks beneath me.<br />
<br />
The ship disappears beneath the surface, battered by one huge wave after another. Rain mixes with tears that burn my eyes, and I feel as if I have woken from a nightmare of such terror my whole world has become horribly distorted. I know the sea. I have lived with the ocean all my life. I have been raised to respect Mother Nature, and to underestimate at my peril the power of the ocean. But I have never witnessed such a storm as this.<br />
<br />
How can it be?<br />
I have no memory of reaching this cliff. The last thing I remember is being wrapped in mother’s arms on the rolling deck as my da strapped a belt around my waist.<br />
<br />
“Women and children first,” he said. “Now, hush! You keep your hand on this belt; it’s all we own in the world, my angel. My precious angel. You keep it safe for Da. And you take good care of your mam. I’ll see you on the other side.”<br />
Cold lips press into my cheek. Calloused palms cup my face for the merest of seconds. The other side of where? I want to ask. But he’s gone and the ship is lurching violently beneath my feet.<br />
<br />
“Da! Help … help me!”<br />
<br />
A sound like a gunshot rips through the air.<br />
<br />
“Port anchor’s let go!” someone shouts. “Sweet Lord! Brace the yeards, lads, starboard won’t take the strain, else!”<br />
<br />
I bury my head in my mother’s bosom; she wraps her shawl around me. The shrieking wind carries away the sounds of crying children, sobbing women, men barking orders. I cover my ears as strong hands lift me, push me towards the lifeboat. I grasp my mother’s hand tighter.<br />
<br />
Bang!<br />
<br />
"Starboard anchor’s gone! We’re heading for the rocks! Get Captain Taylor!”<br />
<br />
Seconds later, a ripping noise shakes the whole ship. The wooden deck shudders, and the bow gives out a loud moan. The ship tilts and I lose my footing, screaming as I slide towards the inky blackness, pulled by the weight of the leather pockets about my waist.<br />
<br />
Water engulfs me.<br />
Coldness engulfs me.<br />
Darkness engulfs me.<br />
<br />
How can it be?<br />
I watch from the cliff edge as a pale dawn breaks. No golden rising sun, no blue skies, no welcoming warmth – just a gradual fading of blackness into misty grey.<br />
<br />
The Royal Charter – the steamship that has carried my family from Hobson’s Bay, Australia to a ‘better life’ in England – is still being pounded by the storm. With every massive wave that crashes over her, I expect the ship to disappear, but after each surge of the tide she reappears as if trapped by the jagged rocks and unable to find release.<br />
<br />
Bodies pulled and tossed by the furious tide, pushed inland one minute and dragged back into the white foam the next. Men I’d seen issuing orders; women I’d spoken to; children I’d spent many hours with over the past weeks. I close my ears to the screams and cries that circle my head like squawking gulls.<br />
<br />
I stand there for seconds, minutes, hours, days … I know not.<br />
<br />
The spray of the ocean is on my face. I hear the roar in my ears. I taste the salt on my lips.<br />
<br />
But I know it cannot be. I know this cannot be real.<br />
<br />
The truth hits me. Bile fills my mouth; I double over and retch.<br />
<br />
When I straighten, I stand in silence and calmness. The storm still rages all around me, but I am protected. As if in the eye of the hurricane, my own space is quiet and still.<br />
<br />
The answer is suddenly clear.<br />
<br />
My name is Angelina Stewart.<br />
<br />
I am eleven years old.<br />
<br />
And I am dead. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5TGch87uFUB9eT6vQfnmg9cRboipATwa_jT9MZW6ioZkAjrcciSV8O7XNZ-Vyi7_n0yr1_QIpq5xVoUybDYRzh19lvylkoA3gkGtFHN-PVaQzH4aJPnpbS4Mt3o8BE9B-4pvlip0BWEhe/s1600/Charter2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="400" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5TGch87uFUB9eT6vQfnmg9cRboipATwa_jT9MZW6ioZkAjrcciSV8O7XNZ-Vyi7_n0yr1_QIpq5xVoUybDYRzh19lvylkoA3gkGtFHN-PVaQzH4aJPnpbS4Mt3o8BE9B-4pvlip0BWEhe/s320/Charter2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b><u>Story</u></b><br />
<br />
The legend of The Royal Charter is almost as famous as the story of the dead girl who wanders the cliffs at Point Lynas – a victim of the 1859 shipwreck.<br />
After more than a decade away, Sarah Morton must return to her childhood home in Anglesey to bury her father. It’s her chance to say goodbye, and good riddance, to her past.<br />
Yet her father leaves her a legacy. A letter. And a safe full of documents about the ancient shipwreck.<br />
The Royal Charter had been carrying gold. Huge amounts of it. And her father’s death suddenly looks like murder.<br />
Determined to discover the truth, Sarah is dragged into a dangerous journey, discovering she and the girl on the cliffs have more in common than she could ever believe.<br />
Set along the dramatic and dangerous Anglesey coastline, The Charter is a story of greed and forgiveness – when the treasures of the past evoke the crimes of today.<br />
<br />
<b><u>Amazon Reviews</u></b><br />
<br />
5.0 out of 5 stars Story telling at it's best, 11 Jun 2012<br />
By <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/pdp/profile/AJN0TZIUF2Y2Y/ref=cm_cr_pr_pdp">pigginhell</a><br />
… If I was one of these obsessive types who orders my library in genre order, I would not know where to put this one. Crime novel? Ghost Story? Historic Account? Adventure Story? It doesn't matter. It all works beautifully together. The elements, as diverse as they seem, sometimes just fit, which of course is down to old fashioned, damn good story telling.<br />
<br />
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it..., 23 Sep 2012<br />
By <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/pdp/profile/AXH6PFYIFGIXG/ref=cm_cr_pr_pdp">jaffareadstoo</a> (England) <br />
(TOP 500 REVIEWER) <br />
… It's not often that a book comes along which covers all your favourite genres in one fell swoop, but… The Charter is definitely one such book. Gillian Hamer writes with the passion of one who knows Anglesey well, and with great skill and imagination has turned this passion into a cracking good story.<br />
<br />
5.0 out of 5 stars Wild and spooky Wales, 19 July 2012<br />
By <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/pdp/profile/A2RKU052KICUP2/ref=cm_cr_pr_pdp">Cathy "cathyagain"</a><br />
… A GOOD story well told is always great to read, and this one cracks along with atmosphere. The setting is wild Wales, the coast of Anglesey.<br />
Author Gillian Hamer has a way of gripping readers that goes beyond the twists of her plot. Her writing is superb. This is five-star stuff.<br />
<br />
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Book With A Wonderful Blend Of Genres, 18 July 2012<br />
By <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/pdp/profile/A2X3NDID9OY1LW/ref=cm_cr_pr_pdp">M. Stork</a> (North Yorkshire, England) <br />
… the drama and beauty of the writer's descriptions of the rugged Welsh coast. The descriptions were so breathtakingly beautiful I felt I was there, and could hear the waves crashing against the shore. The characters are wonderful … the pace was perfect<br />
<br />
<br />
If you'd like to read <i>The Charter</i> for yourself please <a href="http://mybook.to/TheCharterEB" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Gill Hamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02676930874471518308noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4942230357446395760.post-9216247307863725422018-01-19T05:58:00.000-08:002018-01-19T05:58:43.834-08:00Triskele Books - Time and Place<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8TQutGygRSU0OOyTre3zuK4JLTrdhysdsgwkCMn6RhTCXLXAmKuemwym0XfMHKHXxuUK1uAp4888FXoyoQDcb7UAI4_RfnNuC8aJ9PWuQN_tpJ10RTqV0iJWLnw9gDk_N4kYMWBPSJYQ/s1600/Collage+2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="http://www.triskelebooks.co.uk/home/4561070049" border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8TQutGygRSU0OOyTre3zuK4JLTrdhysdsgwkCMn6RhTCXLXAmKuemwym0XfMHKHXxuUK1uAp4888FXoyoQDcb7UAI4_RfnNuC8aJ9PWuQN_tpJ10RTqV0iJWLnw9gDk_N4kYMWBPSJYQ/s1600/Collage+2.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<a href="http://www.triskelebooks.co.uk/home/4561070049"><b>Triskele Books</b></a> is an author collective spread over three countries and two time zones. So it's no surprise that all Triskele novels have a strong sense of time and place.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://gillianhamer.com/">Gillian E Hamer</a>’s books are set in North Wales. She has written three novels which blend modern crime, ancient history and an otherworldly element. Currently she is working on the fourth in the Gold Detective series.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.beatrice-stubbs.com/">JJ Marsh</a> writes contemporary European crime. The Beatrice Stubbs series explores ethics, politics and blood – from Zurich to Brampford Speke.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.lizaperrat.com/">Liza Perrat</a>’s historical fiction novels are set in rural France against the backdrop of the French Revolution and the Second World War, from the perspective of two extraordinary women. Her Australian psychological thriller, <i>The Silent Kookaburra</i>, was published in 2017.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.catrionatroth.com/">Catriona Troth</a>’s novella, <i>Gift of the Raven</i>, takes place in Canada in the 1970s while her novel <i>Ghost Town</i> tackles the themes of race and identity in 1980s Coventry.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.triskelebooks.co.uk/jd-smith/4575017165">JD Smith</a>’s retelling of the Tristan and Iseult legend brings ancient Ireland and Cornwall vividly to life. The Overlord series takes the reader back to 3rd Century Syria to tell the story of Zenobia, Warrior Queen of Palmyra.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXkCK608Qf6fFce2lqY_W7Dnmzw33JEq8x49mdsFxmp5YEQTS5ebuhVslRtVKKfqnakcmw2eRvot4Q6n7DbA3nClcnohxKeiyz7DS5UBxsxNqYO9Tv4RKynnI3_B_TJK5axqdCp8kasAA/s1600/Triskele_Logo_Books_POS.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="http://triskelebooks.blogspot.co.uk/" border="0" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXkCK608Qf6fFce2lqY_W7Dnmzw33JEq8x49mdsFxmp5YEQTS5ebuhVslRtVKKfqnakcmw2eRvot4Q6n7DbA3nClcnohxKeiyz7DS5UBxsxNqYO9Tv4RKynnI3_B_TJK5axqdCp8kasAA/s1600/Triskele_Logo_Books_POS.png" title="" width="320" /></a></div>
Here they explain how their collective operates.<br />
<b><br />
How does an author collective differ from a small press?</b><br />
<br />
<b>Jill (JJ)</b>: It’s very similar to a small press, but the crucial difference is our independence. Legally, we wanted to retain our own rights, so we chose not to create a publishing house. Instead, we just act like one. We’re a group of people who can edit, proof, consult, advise, co-promote and market on a shared platform. Each of us works as an independent entity but we all benefit from mutual support. Financially, we contribute equally to any costs incurred, such as webhosting, print materials, etc, but each of us keeps the profits from our own books.<br />
<br />
<b>What factors triggered each of you to go indie?</b><br />
<br />
<b>Liza</b>: We’d met each other via an online writing group, and found ourselves in a similar situation: Gillian and I both had agents, but they couldn’t find our books a home. Jill stopped trying the trad route after an agent called her work too cerebral. Catriona was left dangling by a publisher for two years, until she wrote them a rejection letter. And Jane (JD) loved the freedom of creativity found by going indie.<br />
<br />
We got together and discussed our options. Going the independent route, as a team, felt more manageable. We established ideals: high quality writing and professional presentation, and committed ourselves to publishing the books we wanted to write, not what the market dictated.<br />
<br />
<b>How did your publishing cooperative come together, and what made you decide to establish it? How many of you are there?</b><br />
<br />
<b>Catriona</b>: I began reading about author collectives in the States. And I thought this has to be the way forward, the power in working together. So four years ago, the original members of Triskele met in London to decide if the idea really had legs. Turns out it did. Five of them.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf7IgC63dNnLoMP_wL1VSVO0sT9D6RrCIHonEp2pUhFeyCE5cxXUWJjGIyw_aKSk4WXTsrFP4qJum-EL01i32VLxnz3r9EPUeWG5xjpucM5uD2vthZ14h4zoUQZCRBSQITrrh9RS5nPXQ/s1600/fountain+soft.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="928" data-original-width="1600" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf7IgC63dNnLoMP_wL1VSVO0sT9D6RrCIHonEp2pUhFeyCE5cxXUWJjGIyw_aKSk4WXTsrFP4qJum-EL01i32VLxnz3r9EPUeWG5xjpucM5uD2vthZ14h4zoUQZCRBSQITrrh9RS5nPXQ/s400/fountain+soft.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_nj1cSWiZqI8pkw-WfMUVsCOEQqiDbTYqg4hZsh-qEVLcGCyqR6AUZddUpU9cj83wHUo7hjQ4_9jHRERaOWID55wAWzcoEcw-ryQmrIoUWVdCkNOphS9m2ID-IklEvpiazIwW_jdaxuA/s1600/P1000385.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_nj1cSWiZqI8pkw-WfMUVsCOEQqiDbTYqg4hZsh-qEVLcGCyqR6AUZddUpU9cj83wHUo7hjQ4_9jHRERaOWID55wAWzcoEcw-ryQmrIoUWVdCkNOphS9m2ID-IklEvpiazIwW_jdaxuA/s1600/P1000385.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS38RZP_gxn1c4fZx7YacZQbpzvISYod8gzk_xy5ywLhXGCDL7QYYx0LjOYoIg6yDYH2TRhjihfqzOZZUmxJQgX65WCNZKqn_NSizXc0LWJSteFH8xO0srRKDeKq6qqHHcPlfxrHMRVTQ/s1600/Raw+Material+Bookmark_PRINT_A3.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><b>What elements of the publishing process are done collectively? How do you handle the finances, such as royalties and so on?<br />
<br />
Gillian</b>: We critique, edit and proof each other’s drafts before they go for professional proofreadings. If needed we all give advice on cover design too.<br />
<br />
Finances have been relatively simple. We all keep our own royalties from sales of our own books. If we choose to market or advertise Triskele collectively, we all contribute equal shares. And for joint ventures, like The Triskele Trail, we divide initial outlay and profits go into our Triskele bank account to cover future overheads like webhosting, print materials, advertising etc.<br />
<br />
<b>Where does the Triskele name come from? Does a Triskele book have an identifiable style that sets it apart?<br />
<br />
Jane (JD)</b>: The name came from the Celtic symbol of the triskele, which shows three independent circles joining to form something greater than its parts. It represents the concept of our collective – authorial independence balanced by mutual support. Going it alone, together.<br />
<br />
Triskele books are top quality – they must be well-written, tell a good story and contain a strong sense of place, which is Triskele’s USP. They’re also thoroughly edited, proofread, carefully typeset and have a professional cover.<br />
<br />
<b>What about the design aspects? Do you share a designer? And do you try and go for a shared look or feel?<br />
<br />
Liza</b>: We’re lucky enough to have talented designer JD Smith on the team, so yes, we all use the same designer. We don’t go for a shared look since we range across different genres, but we try to harmonise all our visual material.<br />
<br />
<b>You are located in three different countries. How do you manage the communication issue?<br />
<br />
Gillian</b>: We have our own Facebook private page, for everyday communication and we also use email and Skype. We communicate every day but only meet physically three or four times a year. But when we do, it’s brilliant fun!<br />
<br />
<b>What do you see as the key benefits of being in a collective? Any disadvantages? What advice would you give someone thinking of doing the same?<br />
<br />
Catriona</b>: Two huge advantages! Firstly, you are not a lone voice crying in the wilderness. These days, it can be pretty hard to keep thinking of new and original things to say, so you don’t become one of those awful people on social media who just keeps bleating, ‘buy my book, buy my book!’ Being part of a group means you can take turns spreading the word in your own style.<br />
<br />
The second advantage is having someone to answer questions and give advice. Among the five of us, someone will have had the same problem and know a solution. <br />
<br />
Disadvantages? The classic downside of being a team player – if you mess up, it’s not just yourself you’re letting down. That adds a lot of pressure. But the flipside is the others are there to catch you if you fall.<br />
<br />
My advice would be to learn from those who’ve gone before, then find the path that’s right for you. There’s no one way to do this.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizQXHg0j5y8dABcHb2nvumWv7ivBvG61p3aHh2Q_8onza2x9fz7YK5Excr6SvnXt-RBbVMgbC58sL0aNA9jk5X4MmX9bwyvbJKfBsdIXnn_0Ok7Ftgr0uNFZZY6SW82brfpHW4HJ64ELg/s1600/Triskele_Group_018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="981" data-original-width="1580" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizQXHg0j5y8dABcHb2nvumWv7ivBvG61p3aHh2Q_8onza2x9fz7YK5Excr6SvnXt-RBbVMgbC58sL0aNA9jk5X4MmX9bwyvbJKfBsdIXnn_0Ok7Ftgr0uNFZZY6SW82brfpHW4HJ64ELg/s400/Triskele_Group_018.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>How do you know whether an author is a good ‘fit’ for Triskele Books? Are you actively seeking new members?<br />
<br />
Jane</b>: Writing good books is a given. We as a group need to ‘fit’. When working so closely as a team, it’s important everyone pulls their weight and believes in the collective as a whole. We share experiences, snippets of information, the highs and lows, opportunities for genres, news stories relevant to an author’s theme, place or period. We’re really supportive of each other and the group.<br />
<br />
We’re not seeking new members at the moment, no. We seem to have found the right balance.<br />
<br />
<b>What are your plans for the future?<br />
<br />
Jill</b>: Every six months, we stop and evaluate where we’re going. What’s working, what needs to be improved, and how best to move forward. We just launched The Big 5 Competition, in which someone will win a year's mentoring from us. Other than that, we're all writing new books and finding more ways to connect good books to discerning readers.<br />
<br />
<i><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Time-Place-Boxset-Triskele-Books-ebook/dp/B00V0I2P90?tag=geolinkerde-21">A Time and a Place</a> is a boxset of seven novels by the Triskele authors and associates. Grab it now at the bargain price of £7.99.</i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />JJ Marshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12708049070102426652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4942230357446395760.post-92133120876676725522018-01-12T03:50:00.002-08:002018-01-12T03:50:50.939-08:00BOOK CLUB: A Rising Man by Abir Mukherjee<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqfRrtQ-u23vmEKU0YlPBxOoN-eSp_uBaMaFCv1IPVctWAHmIBxsPVup7QRt-rPF0WjlXtF_zFVMf9p5dMMkGj6cdWbq0RUFFVJ8_9XIqmWnaXt8DNX2dsgceEPqx9qDOXNALXwVI9qu92/s1600/A-Rising-Man-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="401" data-original-width="260" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqfRrtQ-u23vmEKU0YlPBxOoN-eSp_uBaMaFCv1IPVctWAHmIBxsPVup7QRt-rPF0WjlXtF_zFVMf9p5dMMkGj6cdWbq0RUFFVJ8_9XIqmWnaXt8DNX2dsgceEPqx9qDOXNALXwVI9qu92/s320/A-Rising-Man-1.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>
<i>“Calcutta ... Our Star in the East. We’d built this city ... where previously there had only been jungle and thatch. We’d paid our price in blood and now, we proclaimed, Calcutta was a British city. Five minutes here would tell you it was no such thing. But that didn’t mean it was Indian.”</i><br />
<br />
<i>A Rising Man</i> is grounded in a very specific time and place: Calcutta, 1919. This is a time, in the immediate aftermath of the First World War, when the “Quit India” movement was beginning to gain momentum. When calls for violent uprising were clashing with Gandhi’s approach of non-violent noncooperation. When the British were doubling down on their control with an oppressive set of laws called the Rowlatt Acts.<br />
<br />
And in the midst of this, a senior British civil servant is found murdered in the ‘wrong’ part of town, with piece of paper stuffed in his mouth inscribed with a subversive slogan.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM9Wuihn_Ff6OvyCozlB0ucztCy-dzy3LSNsRRYDobGO4TfCFHWfMwsseVB03_J5tvYkDPnZvja6Y5wusWvBi7CXI8z78AoH2MtDrk0XqUT-3ibpMsNgMwKka4oSf6e3vwlWTzHenjt7v3/s1600/Mukherjee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="732" data-original-width="978" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM9Wuihn_Ff6OvyCozlB0ucztCy-dzy3LSNsRRYDobGO4TfCFHWfMwsseVB03_J5tvYkDPnZvja6Y5wusWvBi7CXI8z78AoH2MtDrk0XqUT-3ibpMsNgMwKka4oSf6e3vwlWTzHenjt7v3/s200/Mukherjee.jpg" width="200" /></a><i>A Rising Man</i> is the first book in a planned series and Mukerjee introduces two main characters: Captain Sam Wyndham, scarred from his experiences in the trenches and the death of his wife, and newly arrived in India and Detective Sergeant Surendranath Banerjee, known (because British tongues can’t manage anything too complicated) as Surrender-Not.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Here Gillian E Hamer, JJ Marsh and Catriona Troth talk about how the book affected them. Please join in in the comments section below!</h4>
<br />
<br />
<b>How do these two characters work as a pairing? And what do you think of Mukherjee’s choice to make the outsider, Sam, his point of view character?</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>(GEH)</b> I loved both characters! In a kind of Morse and Lewis vibe they worked off each other really well, with touches of humour and subtle sarcasm as they grew to know each other. Both were professional, and yet the reader knew early on that Banerjee was always going to be the unsung hero that saved the day. I think Wyndham knew that Banerjee was going to be a life-long partner, and that his local knowledge and expertise would always make an outsider’s job easier.<br />
<br />
I think having Wyndham as the central character worked really well because we saw Calcutta through his eyes, and the highs and lows of the city resonated with us from his British perspective which we understand as Westerners ourselves.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<b>(JJ)</b> They are the classic team. Initially awkward, rubbing each other up the wrong way on occasion but both have much to offer and by dint of mutual respect - one assumed, one earned - they achieve a harmony and understanding I would happily read and enjoy as it develops.<br />
<br />
Sam as POV is vital to my own appreciation of this book and this time. He's cognisant but not comfortable with the assumption of British superiority and challenges the status quo as who might have been a 'modern man' for the times.<br />
<br />
(CT) I fell in love with both of these characters at first sight, and that affection has only deepened with reading the second book in the series (<i>A Necessary Evil</i>). Surrender-not's wry sense of humour and his patient tolerance of Sam is irresistible. He's one of those apparently secondary characters that actually give the book its heart and soul.<br />
<br />
I think that Mukherjee's choice of Sam as the point of view character firstly gives him an 'all access pass' that simply wouldn't be possible for Surrender-not, given the restriction imposed by social hierarchies. Sam will also notice things that a local would simply take for granted, which gives us a eyes and ears in this unfamiliar world.<br />
<br />
<b>Mukherjee takes you down into the streets of Calcutta, from the stinking gullees of Black Town and the opium dens of Tiretta Bazaar, to the poky guesthouses for the itinerant British, where “the mores of Bengal were exported to the heat of Bengal,” the maroon-painted colonial neo-classic buildings of the Imperial civil service and the exclusive clubs of the rich.</b><br />
<br />
<b>Does Mukherjee successfully evoke Calcutta in the early 20th C for you? Any descriptions that particularly strike you?</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>(GEH) </b>Yes, I thought the sense of location was excellent. I loved how we discovered the city through an outsider’s eyes as Wyndham was clearly unprepared for Calcutta. I thought it was a very clever tool to use Annie Grant as our guide to the city, and I particularly liked the descriptions of the glitz and glamour of the bars and hotels they frequented being next door to some of the poorest slums. The contrast is meant to shock us and it does. And yet her explanation of how these stark differences were normal to the locals and how the different colours and castes were treated within the complicated layers of society was well researched by the author but came across very naturally.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<b>(JJ)</b> 100%. Not that I'd know, but his sense of alienation, endangerment and sheer confusion at this indescribable city thrusts the reader right into the middle of the heat, traffic and politics. The opium den is a curtain drawn back on a twilight environment, but I found dinners at the boarding house grimly familiar and entertaining in a gritted-teeth fashion.<br />
<br />
<b>(CT)</b> I thought the detail was extraordinary, without ever being heavy handed. I had a film playing in my head the whole time I was reading - in full technicolour and surround-sound.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>This is a world of strict hierarchies, where everyone is kept firmly in their place. How did Mukherjee convey the manners of the period?</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>(GEH)</b> I may have touched on this a little in the previous answer as Annie Grant was a very clever character as she saw things from both sides, and understood how these barriers worked. She was mixed race and gave a no nonsense account of how it had become accepted that English men brought over to run the country would consort with local women, but how the children of those unions were never fully accepted into society. The author showed through Annie his real feelings about society at that time, but didn’t shy away from the brutal manner of the period in either tone or language. We also saw the complex hierarchies of the police and military and who has the power and makes the decisions. I found this extremely interesting and liked the fact that the central characters did their best to stay true to their values.<br />
<br />
<b>(JJ) </b>That is one element of the book which made me continually uncomfortable. The privilege and entitlement of the British colonials made my toes curl, even with the historical perspective. Mukherjee uses his brush lightly, embedding the appalling injustice and arrogance as part of the scenery. The caste system also has a walk-on role, but is still significant. I found the social strictures artificial and outdated yet evidently functional.<br />
<br />
<b>(CT)</b> I agree with Jill that it can make for very uncomfortable reading - and so it should! To give just one excruciating example, Surrender-not - a police sergeant - is forced to wait outside a club when Sam goes inside to interview someone because of a sign that declares ‘No dogs or Indians beyond this point.'<br />
<br />
<b>We tend to view this period from the point of view of the British Raj (through stories such as <i>The Far Pavilions </i>or<i> The Jewel in the Crown</i>). Was there anything about the different slant that Mukherjee brings to the story that surprised you or made you change your view of the British role in India? </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>(GEH) </b>Yes, you’re right. Anything I’ve read or watched on TV has always been from an English perspective, along with a rallying cry for the might of the empire! Here the author makes you think about the real people of India, who watched as their city exploded into a kind of London suburb before their eyes. Some, like Banerjee, were able to find a foothold within the new regime, whereas many were simply left behind and forgotten. I think the treatment of these people by the British, particularly the police and military, was the most shocking for me.<br />
<br />
<b>(JJ) </b>The articulate, wholly justified and determined rebellion against British rule from a complex and divided society is something I appreciated learning more about, especially the nuances of political and geographical reactions. Mukherjee keeps our attention on the plot narrative while providing an informed and opposite-of-airbrushed context. Learning by stealth.<br />
<br />
<b>(CT)</b> I knew a little bit about the later stages of India's struggle for independence, but this early period was new territory for me. The sheer brutality used in suppressing the Free India movement and the contempt shown for the legitimate aspirations of the Indian people was a sharp jolt to the conscience.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>For all the seriousness of the underlying themes, <i>A Rising Man </i>is rich with humour (particularly in the relationship between Sam and Surrender-not). What was your favourite moment of humour?</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>(GEH) </b><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span>I think it was the subtle sarcasm and the way Banerjee gently mocked Wyndham without him even sometimes being aware he was the centre of attention. Along with the mutual respect, I liked the fact there was often a glint in the eye of one or other of the characters. One moment that sticks in my mind was how Banerjee tried to protect his boss when they were forced to visit the local brothel in the course of their enquiries. <br />
<br />
<b>(JJ)</b> Sam and Surrender-Not have so many whipsmart interactions but the one that stuck with me is when Surrender-Not explains his nickname. It's a moment which encapsulates the whole book for me. Intelligence, underestimation, gentle criticism, humour and yet still the nickname sticks.<br />
<br />
<b>(CT)</b> There is such a warm humour in the interaction between Sam and Surrender-not that it's hard to pick out individual moments. Also, it's a while since I read A Rising Man, and it was a library copy, so I can't refer back! I do know that my absolutely favourite interaction between Sam and Surrender-not came in <i>A Necessary Evil.</i> (<a href="http://www.wordswithjam.co.uk/2017/10/crime-calcutta-and-end-of-raj-interview.html" target="_blank">You can read about it in my interview with Abir Mukherjee.</a>)<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Is Mukerjee successful in blending the Crime and Historical Fiction genres? Is Crime Fiction a good way of exploring a less-well-known time and place like this?</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>(GEH) </b>I thought it was a perfect blend to be honest, but then I am a fan of mixed genre books – particularly crime and historical which I’ve written myself. You have the excitement of the murder enquiry, and yet learn so much about the period, and in this case the country, where the story is located. It adds another level of interest for me, as I love reading both genres anyway. This is the first book I’ve read in the series, or by this author in fact, but I’m already looking forward to rejoining Sam and Banerjee on another case in the future.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<b>(JJ) </b>This blend is a new one for me and I confess I tend to study periods of history and politics without the distraction of narrative. However, I found this book a compelling read for the tension of plot and drama, whilst absorbing the <i>hintergrund</i> as think-about-that-later. That said, the time and place, not to mention characters, have stuck in my mind far more powerfully than the story. I'll be reading much more Mukherjee in future.<br />
<br />
<b>(CT)</b> I think it works extremely well. What better way to examine any society than through the often cynical eyes of a policemen? And having the main plot of the book revolve around solving a crime distracts us from the fact that we are actually absorbing a fascinating history lesson!<br />
<b></b>LibraryCathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461629705267459809noreply@blogger.com1