Category: Book Extract

Dutch War Secret in my Handbag

Do you know the Dutch built a village for the Jewish community in World War Two?  Imogen Matthews tells the inspirational story in ‘The Hidden Village’.  She has written to her readers to explain more about the forgotten history and to introduce her dramatic extract.

Dear Readers

I’m so pleased to tell you about ‘The Hidden Village’, my novel set in WW2 Holland, deep in the Veluwe woods. It’s a story about survival, hope, despair, and ultimately, love, as a community pulls together to build a purpose-built village to shelter those persecuted by the Germans. The lives of young Sofie, Jan and Liesbeth become entwined with devastating consequences for their future.

About half-way through the book, Jan and his brother, Oscar, are arrested by the Gestapo for helping a fallen American pilot. This extract describes what happens after their terrifying journey in the back of the Nazis’ vehicle.

I chose this extract because it represents a dramatic turn in the story and shows how ruthless the Germans could be towards the Dutch people, even children.

I hope this extract will tempt you to read the book.  I am delighted to present more context about the novel.

Best wishes

Imogen Matthews

 

Extract

‘Is this a prison?’ he whispered to Oscar, who stood, white-faced, next to him.

‘It’s a police station but there are cells through that door,’ said Oscar.

‘They’re going to lock us up?’

‘Looks like it.’

Jan wished Oscar could be a bit more encouraging.

It was their turn next and they went up to the desk together.

‘Name,’ said the man behind the desk without looking up.

‘Oscar Mulder and Jan Mulder,’ said Oscar.

‘One at a time.’

‘We’re brothers. He’s only eleven,’ said Oscar.

Jan pushed close against him.

The man lifted his gaze for a brief moment, before going back to his form. After a short pause, he pulled out another from a pile and wrote Jan’s name in capitals across the top, followed by a line and a squiggle Jan couldn’t read.

Jan decided to let Oscar answer the questions. When he’d finished, they were both led by the smirking SS-er to the door leading to the cells. Again a feeling of panic rose from Jan’s abdomen at the prospect of being separated from his brother. They were marched along an echo-y corridor lined with closed doors. Jan had to break into a trot to keep up. At the end was a metal door that needed four keys to open it.

Jan and Oscar didn’t need telling. They walked through and the door swung back behind them with a decisive clang.’

 

More about the Novel

Deep in the Veluwe woods lies a secret that frustrates the Germans. Convinced that Jews are hiding somewhere close by, they can find no proof.

The secret is Berkenhout, a purpose-built village of huts, many underground, sheltering dozens of persecuted people.

Henk Hauer, head woodman, is in charge of building of underground huts and ensuring the Berkenhout inhabitants are kept safe, But could his friendship with certain German soldiers endanger the very existence of Berkenhout?

Sofie, a Jewish Dutch girl, is one of the first inhabitants of Berkenhout. At first she refuses to participate in village life and pines for her friends and family. But she realises there is no choice and comes to appreciate the support of the local community who make their survival possible.

Young tearaway, Jan, finds the woods an exciting place, but they pose danger from the patrolling German soldiers. His discovery of Donald, an American pilot, changes everything.

The Reviews

Ms E. Holmes-ievers: “From the first chapter you are engaged with the characters and I even found myself warning them when they were due to be raided – OUT LOUD! Sensitively written, with a page-turning plot, this is a wonderful new book from Imogen.”

Gilly Cox: “This skillful blend of fiction within the factual events happening to many at those times, holds you till the end. I couldn’t put it down, nor did I want to until the final page.”

Clarky: “Though the subject matter is tough, there are lighter moments and the book rattles along at a good pace. The varied cast of characters, especially the younger ones, keeps your interest. Highly recommended.”

The Characters

This was a story I felt I had to get down, so when I’d finished I was pleased I’d told a story that so many people won’t have known anything about. It left a big hole as I’d spent so long on the book and I realised just how attached I’d become to my characters.

I miss Sofie’s feistiness and determination not to let her life change by hiding away from the Germans. And I miss her best friend Liesbeth, who sticks by Sofie through thick and thin, even though she also has to make her own big sacrifices. I even miss the enigmatic Henk, the head woodman, who’s instrumental in getting the hidden village built, but struggles with his loyalties. I particularly miss Jan, who’s always getting into scrapes but is only trying to help others and do good. He goes through so much that I just want to give him a big hug and tell him that everything will turn out alright.

The Author

My Dutch heritage has shaped me and influenced the writing of this novel, which is set in the woods where my family and I have cycled for the past 27 years.

This is a story about events in WW2 that hardly anyone knows about. Once you start reading The Hidden Village you’ll be gripped and won’t want to let the book out of your sight!

‘The Hidden Village’ is a bestseller in the US with over three hundred reviews.  The novel explores wartime Holland and asks: Who can you trust?  You can read my review of this book at……

Imogen re-visited the setting of the novel and has mailed an article to Books in my Handbag Blog.

 

Please see all my extracts at Book Extracts and my blog at jessiecahalin.com.

 

Wishing you lots of laughter

The Little Book of Rude Limericks

Patricia Feinberg Stoner

 

Patricia Feinberg Stoner wrote the funniest book that I have read this year, and now she has written The Little Book of Rude Limericks.  I can’t wait to read more from this author with a keen sense of the ridiculous.

Patricia Feinberg Stoner has been writing limericks since she was ten and she has now compiled The Little Book of Rude Limericks.  I am incredibly privileged to present an exclusive extract from The Little Book of Rude Limericks, prior to the publication on 15th November.  I insisted that the brilliant comedy genius, Patricia Feinberg Stoner, introduce her limericks to the readers.

Dear Readers,

I just love limericks!  There’s hardly an occasion that can’t be turned to humour with one of these ridiculous five-line verses.  I’ve been writing them ever since I discovered the wonderful complete Limerick Book edited by Langford Reed.  The result is ‘The Little Book of Rude Limericks’.  Most of them are naughty rather than really rude but – beware! – there are exceptions…

What I love about this verse form is that you can shoe-horn in the most outrageous and far-fetched rhymes (for example, elsewhere in the book I’ve rhymed Norwich with porridge and storage).  As the limericks in the book are set on both sides of the channel, I thought that Paris versus Paree would be a perfect example.

I hope you’ll find room for this little book in your handbag.  As Oscar Wilde nearly said, you should always have something amusing to read on the train.  And if you should feel tempted to try your hand at the limerick, do please share your verse with me on Facebook (Paw Prints in the Butter).

Wishing you laughter,

Patricia Feinberg Stoner

 

A giggle of limericks extract especially for Books in my Handbag

It’s all in the pronunciation!

Two young fellows who went on a spree

In the town that the French call Paree,

Have come home with a germ

That makes them both squirm

And burns quite a lot when they pee.

Or alternatively…

You may try, but you’ll never embarrass

An insouciant native of Paris.

If caught in flagrante

They smile and say: ‘Santé!’

Quite impossible, really to harass

From the north of England…

A greedy young fellow from York

Was exceptionally fond of roast pork.

When he saw the dish come

He’d cry ‘Yummy, yum-yum!’

And excitedly flourish his fork.

to the south of France…

A cheerful young fellow named Trev

Went off for a romp in Lodève.

But he soon lost his smile

When he caught something vile

In a house of delight called Mon Rêve.

 

 

this little book of limericks – mostly naughty rather than downright rude (but there are exceptions!) – ranges far and wide.  Open it and learn how a knight-errant with a lisp can still command respect; how ladies on the autoroute don’t give their favours away for free, and how tajine is really only a posh word for stew.

Forget Christmas crackers and the tired jokes!  I suggest that you buy your guests a copy of The Rude Book of Limericks and enjoy a laughter battle as you search for the best limerick.  I have pre-ordered a copy of this book and will race to review this as quickly as I can.

Read my interview with Patricia to find out more about this wordsmith.

Read my review of At Home in Pays the d’Oc.

 

Patricia has also written a book of entertaining poetry about cats – Paw Prints in Butter.  An extract from this is coming soon.

Contacts for Patricia Feinberg Stoner
http://paw-prints-in-the-butter.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Paw-Prints-in-the-Butter-719210834795177/
Twitter:  @Perdisma 
All the cartoons in this post are by Bob Bond.

 

Please see all my extracts at Book Extracts and my blog at jessiecahalin.com.

A psychologist needed for my handbag

Letters to the Pianist

S. D. Mayes

 

 

 

 

 

Introducing S.D. Mayes and her debut novel – ‘Letters to the Pianist’

 

About the book

‘A Family Torn Apart. A Past They Can’t Escape.’

After their home is bombed in the London blitz, a chance connection brings the broken Goldberg family back together, but delivers rebellious and overweight Ruth Goldberg, into the hands of a murderer.

Letter from the author…

Dear readers,

I am delighted to present an extract from my new 1940s suspense novel, ‘Letters to the Pianist’.

This extract is taken from a third of the way into the story, when the pianist, Edward Chopard – a man with no memory of life before the London Blitz – is in New York, preparing to play a concert at Carnegie Hall. His good friend, psychologist Dr Oliver Jungston, has taken a sabbatical to help him on his concert tour.

This gives you a snapshot of the central theme of the story … how the protagonist, Edward is driven to make sense of the confusing events that are happening to him, as he attempts to discover who he really is.

Enjoy,

S.D. Mayes

Extract

The hospital psychologist Dr Oliver Jungston explains to his patient, Edward, about his troubled visions and the chance events unfolding in his life. 

‘These connections … the young boy, the blonde, the London Hospital, your lunch with John the chance meeting with the redhead, even our conversation right now – they are known as meaningful synchronicities.’

Edward looked baffled, rubbing his chin.

‘To explain, Jung’s philosophy is based on the principle that life is not a series of random events, but rather an expression of a deeper order, referred to as Unus mundus, Latin for one world or one energy. A meaningful coincidence occurs from a conscious or unconscious need, want or desire, that draws the observer and the connected phenomenon together through Unus mundus. Listen to me, Eddie,’ he said, standing up and waving his arms around like a conductor of an orchestra, ‘it’s all good.’

‘So you don’t think I’m slowly going insane?’

‘Not at all. These coincidences reveal a deeper realisation that something more powerful is at work. In short, the unconscious you, has brought about a chain of events so that you can rediscover your past. Your soul is pushing you to confront your emotional history.’

‘Hmm, sounds a bit mystical.’

‘Well, in a way it is. Jung believes these meaningful synchronicities direct us back to our spiritual nature.’ Oliver gazed into the distance. ‘There are links in every living thing. We magnetise them to us. There are no accidents.’

What the reviewers say…

‘Letters to the Pianist has a gripping and multi-layered plotline’ – The Daily Mail

‘Exceptional and unique … will remain with me for a very long time’ – Booklover Catlady

‘Mayes has written a masterpiece. Savour the words and let the pages turn themselves’ – John Winston, award winning author

‘This was an incredibly atmospheric novel that brilliantly depicted the effects of ww2 – loss, fear, grief, helplessness, poverty, evacuations and separations; whilst also being a very suspenseful and thrilling story. Detailing horrific acts committed against Jews – the torture made me somewhat uncomfortable – and conspiracies regarding the war.
I utterly loved the way this was written. It was immensely rich with descriptions and added great depth to the characters. The words flowed beautifully and created a vividly imaginable story, wholly capturing the ambience of war. The multiple POVs also gave an insight on the characters’ circumstances, thoughts and emotions.’ – Svetlana’s review

S.D.Mayes worked as a journalist for nearly twenty years before turning her hand to fiction. Originally from the West Country, she has one daughter and currently lives in Berkshire, United Kingdom.

The best of luck to S.D.Mayes with the unique and intriguing novel.

 

Please see my blog at jessiecahalin.com

Celebrating a slice of Italian history in my handbag

Angela Petch is an author of historical fiction, and she has written two wonderful novels set in Tuscany.  I completely lost myself in both novels. ‘Tuscan Roots’ and ‘Now and Then in Tuscany’ are based on her research into her husband’s family and his family’s region.  Angela and her husband live in Tuscany for six months of the year, thus her novels are written in the heart of the setting and culture. Angela’s intelligent and vivid style of writing is perfectly balanced with cultural and historical information. 

The ebooks of ‘Tuscan Roots’ and ‘Now and Then in Tuscany’ have been snapped up by Endeavour Press.  Angela has published short stories in People’s Friend and PRIMA magazine, and she won the Ip-Art short story award in 2008.

I simply adore Angela’s books and feel as if I have discovered a writer whose work will become classics.  I asked her to introduce the extract of ‘Tuscan Roots’ to prevent me from waxing lyrical for pages and pages. 

Cari lettori (Dear Readers),

It is 1944 and in a remote corner of German-occupied, war torn Italy. Ines, an eighteen year old Italian country girl is helping the partisans hide an escaped British POW. Meeting this young man will change her life forever.

There are two time threads weaving through “Tuscan Roots” and this extract from the story set in the past introduces Ines and Norman – two main protagonists. The diary extract is being read by her daughter, years later.

Saluti,

Angela

Presenting the extract:

“Rofelle, September 8th 1944

The inglese was still asleep on the planks above the cows. The nights were chilly and the animal warmth and dry hay made a comfortable bedroom – much better than mine. I have to share with nonna and she kicks and tosses at night. She snores like the pig we used to fatten for Christmas. There have been no pigs this year. The Germans have ‘requisitioned’ ours and everybody else’s in the area. ‘Pigs eating pigs,’ we muttered amongst ourselves.

‘Signore,’ I whispered.

There was no response. His face was long and pale, blond curls fell over his forehead which was bound with a dirty cloth. Blood had oozed and crusted onto the material. He was like a big baby.

‘Signore!’ I said it louder this time. There was still no response. I put the bowl of pasta down and gently shook him.

He opened his eyes, shouted and grabbed me round the neck. I pummelled him with my fists, I could hardly breathe. ‘Let me go, leave me alone!’ I shouted.

And then he recognised where he was and dropped his hands from round my neck. ‘Scusi, scusi. Sorry, signorina.’

‘You nearly knocked over the food.’

I was shaking and rubbed my neck. His grip had hurt me. The cows below seemed to sense something was wrong and they mooed and stamped their hooves.

(Extracted from Ines’ diary. Chapter 10 “Tuscan Roots”)

More words about the book from Angela:

‘Tuscan Roots’ is a story of two women living in two different times. In 1943, in occupied Italy, Ines Santini’s sheltered existence is turned upside down when she meets Norman, an escaped British POW. In 1999, Anna Swill and, their daughter, starts to unravel accounts from assorted documents left to her after her mother’s death. She travels to the beautiful Tuscan Apennines, where the story unfolds. In researching her parents’ past, she will discover secrets about war, her parents and herself, which will change her life forever…

What do the reviewers say about ‘Tuscan Roots’?

It is indeed noteworthy that the ‘Tuscan Roots’ has received over fifty reviews!

“A wonderful read – it is a great combination of a true account and fiction that I truly couldn’t put down” (Elizabeth Pepper – Amazon) ;

“Tuscan Roots is so much more than a literary take on ‘Who Do You Think You Are’ with its credibly fleshed-out characters, glimpses of life in war-weary occupied territory and dreary post-war London and a plot that keeps you on your toes but is never too convoluted – it’s a love letter to Tuscany.” – Ingenue Magazine. ;

“The way Angela has managed to capture in great detail the amazing natural beauty of this area and the culture of the Tuscan people is incredible.” Amazon Reviewer.

“If you love Italy, you will love this book. If you love history, this novel will show you an aspect of WW2 you may well not have encountered before. Angela Petch brings Tuscany to life; the customs, the people – you can taste the food, smell the wild flowers, see the scenery.” Amazon reviewer

Angela is a natural writer and describes herself as a ‘little bit nosey and always looking for stories’.  This piqued my interest and made me wonder how she had managed to weave such a beautiful story.

The inspiration behind ‘Tuscan Roots: A tangle of love and war in the Italian Apennines’

‘Tuscan Roots’ is my first novel and I wrote it for my lovely Italian mother-in-law who was ill at the time. She helped me with so many stories from her own life and allowed me to use them. I hasten to add that, although much of the book is factual and based on research, some of the story is fiction.  I missed the characters and so I wrote a sequel so I could mix with them again. Some of the main characters make a reappearance in “Now and Then in Tuscany” and …I am currently working on the third part of my Tuscan trilogy and the younger characters will tell their stories in this.

I cannot wait for the third novel in this series!

See my review of Tuscan Roots.

Angela’s contact detail:
Website: https://angelapetchsblogsite.wordpress.com
Twitter:@Angela_Petch
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AngelaJaneClarePetch/
Email:angela_maurice@hotmail.com

 

Please see all my extracts at Book Extracts and my blog at jessiecahalin.com.

 

Turkish Delights

Cherry trees bursting with flavour

Food is the heart of a culture and its identity, so I have invited authors to share the plates of food offered in their delicious words. Beth Elliott has invited me to join her at her table, in Turkey. Travel with me to enjoy the vibrant colours and fresh flavours of Turkish food.  A decadent Turkish feast awaits you in Beth’s travel article.

Friends,

A view of the Taurus Mountains at Aladag, in Adana province.

This is the end of a travel article called Cherries and Plums, about a Turkish mountain village [yayla] in the Taurus, north of Adana. My husband was Turkish and his kind relatives invite me to stay with them each summer. Of course, they like the coolest places they can find, hence a cottage as high up in the mountains as they could go.

Best wishes,

Beth

Extract – Cherries and Plumbs

The trees are always laden with fruit in season, sweet and tempting.

All the plum trees in everyone’s garden up in the yayla are bent nearly double under their load of purple-sheened fruit. It takes several days to pick all those we can reach. After making jam until we have used up all the sugar and run out of jars; after filling five kilo bags for each of a dozen friends and relatives in the city and after eating as many raw plums as we dare, the rest at the top of the tree are left for the birds.

In September in the main street of Tekir there is a slightly melancholy air. The summer crowds have gone. Now the weather is cooler down in Adana, the townsfolk don’t come up to their country cottages so much. A few elderly men in traditional baggy trousers shuffle along the street to their favourite café. There they will read the newspaper, talk with friends and watch the much reduced world go by.

Main market in Adana

The street is lined with mighty trees. They provide shelter from sun and rain. Little shops expand onto the pavement with displays of thick jumpers and woolly waistcoats, hardware, newspapers and strong shoes, in preparation for the snow of the coming winter. Alongside the general stores, are food shops. The large number of refrigerated stalls stocked with great tubs of thick, creamy yoghurt and pails of local white cheese reflect the importance of these items in the traditional Turkish diet.

Nearby, another shop also has a refrigerated display, this time of glorious plump green and black olives and turshu – mixed pickled vegetables. On the counter are oblong containers of honeycomb, oozing golden and sweet. The irresistible smell of fresh bread: loaves or the flat pide, wafts to our nostrils.

Everything is piled into the car. We set off slowly down the main street, across the bridge, turn sharply at the edge of town where the houses thin out and the fruit trees begin. The car twists and turns its way uphill. We go past the new mosque with its little pocket money shop underneath [useful for biscuits and matches].

Here the mountain sweeps out into a shelf where shepherds pasture their flocks in the hot summer months. The larch trees grow from this point up. Great cobbles are set in the track to stop wheels losing their grip in wet or snowy weather. The car creeps up in second gear and at last we reach the yayla, set so high above the valley but still far below the sheer grey wall of rock that makes a sharp outline against the sky. Somewhere over the ridge is the eagle’s eyrie.

Yayla soup, made from yoghurt, flour, an egg and broth, with some rice added in. You can add pepper sauce on top for a spicy version, as well as mint.

For the evening meal we have hot yoghurt soup – called, appropriately, yayla soup. This is followed by salad, cheese and olives. Then we fall upon the fresh bread and honey. To finish, there is a huge bowl of plums.

Jessie:  This is a wonderful article.  I would like to know more about Turkish food.

Beth: I have some photographs to tempt you.

Here is the main market in Adana. Four types of beans, three sorts of peppers, all fresh that morning. Turks won’t eat produce unless it’s of that day.

Breakfast at my aunt’s home

Breakfast at my aunt’s home. Four sorts of white cheese plus one hard cheese, kaymak, olives, salad, dried apricots, walnuts, honey and grape syrup [pekmez]. The boiled eggs and the freshly squeezed orange juice were added soon afterwards…

Another breakfast, at my brother and sister-in-laws’ home. Again, white and hard cheeses, olives, eggs, some fruit compotes, honeycomb and rosehip puree. All washed down with many glasses of tea.

The town of Akcatekir on the valley floor. The holiday villages are up in those pinewoods, near the rock wall, where the goats scamper along all day and the eagles fly out occasionally from over the top.

Scandalous Lady

Jessie:  The tables presented speak volumes about the generosity of the Turkish culture.  Tell me how your love of Turkish culture influenced your novel, Scandalous Lady.

Beth Elliott’s fiery, rebellious artist Olivia falls in love with the magical land of Turkey. When she encounters mysterious, ice-cold diplomat Selim, nothing goes to plan – for either of them. Is Olivia destined to live a life of solitude and regret? Or will her past stay buried long enough for her to have her happy ending?

Beth Elliott

From a young age, Beth made up adventure stories and persuaded her friends to act them out with her. Writing the novels came later, after a career as a Languages teacher in several countries. Her own Mr Darcy being Turkish, Beth adds a few exotic elements into some of her Regency Tales.

 

 

 

I hope you enjoyed a taste of Turkish culture.  Please contact me at mailto:JessieCahalin@aol.co.uk if you would like to share your cultural experiences via food and words.

 

Please see all my extracts and excerpts at Book Extracts and my website and blog 

 

The Missing Pieces of Us by Eva Glyn

‘The tide of Christmas visitors washed me down the High Street.’

Eva Glyn is celebrating the release of the paperback edition of The Missing Pieces of Us on my blog today. The Missing Pieces of Us is one of those novels that will gain a special place in your heart. I have invited Eval Glyn to introduce her novel and present an extract.

The Missing Pieces of Us tells the story of Robin and Izzie, who meet twenty years after their brief affair, only to discover their memories of it are completely different. Here we meet Robin for the first time, a homeless man and a far cry from the young graduate Izzie would remember:

The tide of Christmas visitors washed me down the High Street. The Salvation Army band was gathered near the Buttercross, the trumpet player’s scales rising into the air and mingling with the scent of roasting chestnuts. Further on, the traffic lights glowed into the leaden morning – red, yellow, green. The colours were coming back.

The paperback of this book is released on 14th October.

Opposite the bus station tourists streamed from a coach. I pressed myself against the railings of the park but in truth I need not have bothered. I seemed to have perfected the art of creating an empty space of at least a yard around me. Despite being invisible. One day I’d laugh about it – I hoped.

The Itchen was in full spate. A drake huddled on a flat rock, hunkering down to avoid the wind but finding himself splashed by the freezing waters instead. The gardens rising up on the other side of the river were stripped for winter, naked branches shivering. A single holly bush stood out, glossy green, a miserly few berries left by the birds. Red and green… Colours again. They pierced the fog in my mind, even as my body battled the cold.

I knew when the colours had started. I was on the steps of the Buttercross, nursing the empty paper cup. I turned it in my hand, royal blue with a firmament of Christmas stars. Izzie. A heart-stopping moment of joy, confusion, then shame. But all the same I couldn’t tear myself away. I waited for her there every morning, just in case. I could still taste the coffee – bitter, hot, and strong.

Although Welsh by birth, Eva Glyn now lives in Cornwall with her husband of twenty-six years. She loves to travel, and more often than not her books are inspired by a beautiful place and the secrets it could hide. The Missing Pieces of Us is her first book for One More Chapter, an imprint of Harper Collins. and is set in Hampshire. Her second, The Olive Grove, was inspired by a heart-breaking story she was told while on holiday in Croatia.

Eva Glyn on her travels.

Eva also writes as Jane Cable and can be found on Twitter @JaneCable and on Instagram as @evaglynauthor.

 

Please see all my Book Extracts and also my website and blog at JessieCahalin.com.

A Pesky Sleuth and Dutch Masterpieces in my Handbag

Jennifer S Alderson The Lover’s Portrait

Travel with Jennifer S Alderson to Amsterdam and find out what has happened to some missing Dutch masterpieces.  Jennifer asked me to hide the paintings in the Handbag Gallery, but if you read the novel then the secrets will be revealed.  A pesky amateur sleuth will guide you through the mystery.  Sit back in your armchair, turn back the clock to World War Two. Time to immerse yourself in a narrative, inspired by detailed historical research, and meet the author’s favourite characters.

 

Dear readers,

I am delighted to share an extract from my art mystery set in present-day and wartime Amsterdam – The Lover’s Portrait.

Home of Jacques Goudstikker, a prominent Dutch Jewish art dealer. His story, along with others, inspired the novel.

It is the second novel following the adventures of my travel and culture loving protagonist, Zelda Richardson. This time she’s discovered a cache of priceless artwork is hidden somewhere in Amsterdam. Trouble is, someone else is prepared to do anything to find the missing masterpieces first – even murder.

This extract is set in Amsterdam in the spring of 1942 when the Nazis occupied the city. Since the German Army stormed into the Netherlands two years earlier, bombing raids, neighbors disappearing, and food shortages have become normal occurrences. Philip Verbeet and Arjan van Heemsvliet are hiding the artwork Zelda will later search for. Their actions and conversation provide clues as to why these paintings must be hidden away.

I have chosen this extract because it introduces you to heart of the mystery, as well as two of my favorite characters in the novel.

Based on the many lovely reviews posted about my novel, if you love art, history and a good mystery, you will enjoy The Lover’s Portrait. And reading it now is a great way to prepare for the release of my next art-related mystery, Rituals of the Dead, on April 6th!

Happy reading!

Take care,

Jennifer

Presenting the extract

EXTRACT (From Chapter One):

June 26, 1942

Just two more crates, then our work is finally done, Arjan reminded himself as he bent down to grasp the thick twine handles, his back muscles already yelping in protest. Drops of sweat were burning his eyes, blurring his vision. “You can do this,” he said softly, heaving the heavy oak box upwards with an audible grunt.

Philip nodded once then did the same. Together they lugged their loads across the moonlit room, down the metal stairs and into the cool subterranean space below. After hoisting the last two crates onto a stack close to the ladder, Arjan smiled in satisfaction, slapping Philip on the back as he regarded their work. One hundred and fifty-two crates holding his most treasured objects, and those of so many of his friends, were finally safe. Relief briefly overcame the panic and dread he’d been feeling for longer than he could remember. Preparing the space and artwork had taken more time than he’d hoped it would, but they’d done it. Now he could leave Amsterdam knowing he’d stayed true to his word. Arjan glanced over at Philip, glad he’d trusted him. He stretched out a hand towards the older man, “They fit perfectly.”

Philip answered with a hasty handshake and a tight smile before nodding towards the ladder, “Shall we?”

He was right, Arjan thought, there was still so much to do. They climbed back up into the small shed and closed the heavy metal lid, careful to cushion its fall. They didn’t want to give the neighbors an excuse to call the Gestapo. Not when they were so close to being finished.

Philip picked up a shovel and scooped sand onto the floor, letting Arjan rake it out evenly before adding more. When the sand was an inch thick, they shifted the first layer of heavy cement tiles into place, careful to fit them snug up against each other.

As they heaved and pushed, Arjan allowed himself to think about the future for the first time in weeks. Hiding the artwork was only the first step; he still had a long road to go before he could stop looking over his shoulder. First, back to his place to collect their suitcases. Then a short walk to Central Station where second-class train tickets to Venlo were waiting. Finally, a taxi ride to the Belgian border where his contact would provide him with falsified travel documents and a chauffeur-driven Mercedes-Benz. The five Rembrandt etchings in his suitcase would guarantee safe passage to Switzerland. From Genève he should be able to make his way through the Demilitarized Zone to Lyon, then down to Marseille. All he had to do was keep a few steps ahead of Oswald Drechsler.

Just thinking about the hawk-nosed Nazi made him work faster. So far he’d been able to clear out his house and storage spaces without Drechsler noticing. Their last load, the canvases stowed in his gallery, was the riskiest, but he’d had no choice. His friends trusted him – no, counted on him – to keep their treasures safe. He couldn’t let them down now. Not after all he’d done wrong.

A collection of Jennifer S Alderson’s novels

More About the Story

The Lover’s Portrait: An Art Mystery

When a Dutch art dealer hides the stock from his gallery – rather than turn it over to his Nazi blackmailer – he pays with his life, leaving a treasure trove of modern masterpieces buried somewhere in Amsterdam, presumably lost forever. That is, until American art history student Zelda Richardson sticks her nose in.

After studying for a year in the Netherlands, Zelda scores an internship at the prestigious Amsterdam Historical Museum, where she works on an exhibition of paintings and sculptures once stolen by the Nazis, lying unclaimed in Dutch museum depots almost seventy years later. When two women claim the same painting, the portrait of a young girl entitled Irises, Zelda is tasked with investigating the painting’s history and soon finds evidence that one of the two women must be lying about her past. Before she can figure out which one and why, Zelda learns about the Dutch art dealer’s concealed collection – and that Irises is the key to finding it.

Her discoveries make her a target of someone willing to steal – and even kill – to find the missing paintings. As the list of suspects grows, Zelda realizes she has to track down the lost collection and unmask a killer if she wants to survive.

The Reviews

“Gripping mystery that explores the provenance of artwork that was hidden from the Nazis during World War II and reappears in 2015… As the narrative unfolds and the truth is revealed, the suspense is intensely magnetic and the characters equally captivating.” – BookLife Prize for Fiction 2016, No. 14 in Mystery category (8 out of 10 stars)

“Well worth reading for what the main character discovers – not just about the portrait mentioned in the title, but also the sobering dangers of Amsterdam during World War II.” – IndieReader

“The Lover’s Portrait is a well-written mystery with engaging characters and a lot of heart. The perfect novel for those who love art and mysteries!” – Readers’ Favorite, 5 star medal

Jennifer S Alderson, author

Jennifer: I am an avid traveler, journalist, art historian, and long-time expat, who draws inspiration from my own adventures and interests when writing.

Writing this novel was a three-year labor of love that combined several of my passions. Finishing it was exhilarating and frightening at the same time. Of all the characters I’d invented, I missed Arjan van Heemsvliet the most. He was such a kind soul; I’ll miss chatting with him.

In a nutshell my novel is about: missing masterpieces, Nazi blackmailers and a pesky amateur sleuth.

About Jennifer

Jennifer S. Alderson worked as a journalist and website developer in Seattle, Washington, USA, before trading her financial security for a backpack. After traveling extensively around Asia and Central America, she moved to Darwin, Australia, before finally settling in the Netherlands. There she earned degrees in art history and museum studies. Home is now Amsterdam, where she lives with her Dutch husband and young son. Jennifer’s travels and experiences color and inform her internationally-oriented fiction.

I am delighted to showcase Jennifer’s The Lover’s Portrait: An Art Mystery.  She has been inspired by art, travel and history – a perfect trio for me.  I adore books that give me an insight into an unknown history. The strapline is intriguing:

When a Dutch art dealer hides the stock from his gallery – rather than turn it over to his Nazi blackmailer 

Jennifer S Alderson Rituals of the Dead

Jennifer’s next mystery – Rituals of the Dead – is available as pre-order – release April 6th.

http://jennifersalderson.com/books/rituals-of-the-dead-an-artifact-mystery/

Rituals of the Dead

Zelda is pulled into a world of shady anthropologists, missionaries, art collectors, and smugglers, where the only certainty is that sins of the past are never fully erased. Set in Amsterdam and Dutch New Guinea, art, religion, and anthropology collide in the exciting thriller, book three of the Adventures of Zelda Richardson series

Contacts Details:

My Twitter: @JSAauthor
Facebook: Jennifer S. Alderson sent you a friend request. My author page is: http://www.facebook.com/jenniferSaldersonAuthor
Website: http://www.jennifersalderson.com/

 

Please see all my extracts and excerpts at Book Extracts and my website and blog at JessieCahalin.com.

 

A Picture Book for Grown Ups

The latest picture book

Have you ever indulged in a picture book for an adult? Well, I discovered the author of two picture books entitled It’s a Bright New World to Feel Lost In and She Ran Away From Love. As picture books for adults, these books are unique and perfect as gift books. 

Mawson Bear has followed me for many years in Twitter, so it only seems fair to introduce him and explain his purpose in the world.

Jessie:  Mawson Bear, please can you introduce yourself.

Mawson: I am called Mawson Bear, and I arrived in a large brown paper bag one day at Mark’s house. Mark was not allowed to properly look until Christmas. Not many, cough, middle aged grownups get a plump teddy bear as a Christmas present, but far more of us should if you ask me. Once out of the bag, I took an interest in everything and so became a Bear About Town, attending parties, weddings and all kinds of outings. But fate intervened in the form of -shudder- the washing machine episode. Well, I had got rather grubby. After that I decided to be an Indoors Bear devoted to pondering about Baffling Things.  Mark had to write the book for me and will explain them to you.

Mawson, Writer Bear

Mark: They are meant as gentle tales of love and loss, hope, self-esteem, and finding oneself, simply told with pictures of teddy bears. They are by Mawson Bear, one of this bright world’s very few writer-bears. Photos by Mark O’Dwyer, his guardian, cushion-arranger and hapless typist. Intended as gift books, they are short, colourful, with a square format and only a few words on each page, making for an easy little read. Because they are hopefully destined to become random gifts of kindness between friends, the text is more for grownups. Although children have enjoyed them too, I describe them as ‘picture books for grownups’.

Jessie:  I hear you have released another book.  What is this about?

Mark:   Mawson has dictated a letter to me.

Dear Readers,

It’s Me, Mawson, a writer bear, and I am delighted to present She Ran Away From Love.

I was having a nap when a small Teddette woke me up with large and baffling questions. This is the story of what Frilly did next.

I chose this extract because it has me trying to protect young Frilly. But she is more determined than perhaps a slightly small and lightly pink lass might at first look. She has decided to go on a Quest. And she does.

Frilly and Mawson

Here is an extract from the book:

Mawson: Frilly, why not quest at home? Lots of journeys go to where one is sitting.

Frilly: But I want to boldly Find Myself.

Mawson x

Jessie:  Why should I place She Ran Away From Love in my handbag?

Mark: This is a grand book to plonk in your hand bag because it has the world Love on the cover, and its the right size for hand bags (Frilly and I tested),and it’s just right to look at on a journey, and because if a friend  asks you about it you can give it to them as a random gift of kindness.

Jessie: How did you feel when you finished writing She Ran Away From Love      

Mark, Guardian of Mawson Bear, says: I felt surprised. It started out as a different book but Frilly solemnly asked more big questions as she struggled on, and so the first versions of the book turned into this one. I always knew Frilly would persevere and let Mawson know that she had made it, but didn’t know what paths she would take. Like Mawson I felt glad but also sad when her particular quest had to end.

She Ran Away From Love

The Light of Love pours down on Frilly. It shines so brightly that she quails and runs away.  Upset with herself for feeling scared, she wakes her good friend Mawson and pours out her confusions. She wants to learn how to be bold and is convinced that she can do this by going on a quest.  With muddled help from Mawson she sets off into the great Out There. But is a quest to find oneself really the answer?

Can Frilly embolden herself to face the Light of Love?

Who is Mason Bear?

Mawson, the big hearted, soul searching teddy bear, is here to help. He is one of this bright world’s few Writer-Bears. He speaks about Being One’s Best in an often baffling world. He is often muddled about things (well, he is a bear). But he is always confident that things are going to turn out All Right.

Contact details
Mawsonbear@bigpond.com
https://mawsonbear.blog
https://www.facebook.com/MawsonBear/
https://twitter.com/mawsonbear

 

Please see all the extracts and excerpts at Book Extracts and my website and blog at JessieCahalin.com.

A copy of my novel is available here.

Gail Aldwin’s Debut Novel: The String Games

I was honoured when Gail Aldwin sent me a postcard about ‘The String Games’.

Presenting an author’s debut novel is one of the great privileges of blogging, and I was honoured when Gail Aldwin sent me a postcard about The String Games. This debut novel is to be published later this month by Victorina Press. Gail’s poetic style of writing is charged with emotion and appeals to me.  I look forward to reading her debut novel to discover how she has painted the complex emotions involved in the challenging narrative.

Without further ado, I will hand over to my lovely guest, Dr Gail Aldwin.

I have long been a fan of Jessie’s writing (You Can’t Go It Alone is a super novel with memorable characters) and Jessie’s blog (always love being introduced to new writers) so I am delighted to be offered a post to celebrate the launch of my debut novel The String Games which will be published by Victorina Press later in May 2019.

About The String Games

The String Games is Gail Aldwin’s debut novel

When four-year-old Josh is abducted and murdered during a family holiday in France, Nim, aged ten, becomes an only child. To cope with the tragedy, Nim reinvents herself but continues to carry a burden of unresolved grief. As an adult she returns to France determined to find out more about the circumstances of Josh’s death. How will she deal with this new information and what are the implications for her future?

I love the variety of posts on Jessie’s blog and thought I’d take the opportunity to share an extract from the novel that brings food and unforeseen consequences together. Nim narrates the story of the holiday she shares with her brother and her mother, Jenny. Joining them at the caravan is Jenny’s lover Dee and her six-year-old daughter, Ella. In charge of the little kids, Nim takes them to the campsite shop to buy ice-creams:

When it was their turn to be served, Josh bashed his finger at the glass cabinet, pointing to the vanilla. It might be easy to read words in French but it wasn’t so easy to talk. Nim nodded at the lady and stuck three fingers in the air. It was easiest to order the same flavour but that didn’t stop Ella from moaning. She was lucky to have an ice cream at all, seeing as Dad’s money was meant for Nim and Josh. When the first cone was topped with a white wig, Nim passed it to Josh and the next went to Ella. When the last one arrived, Nim gave the lady the money.

‘Non, non, non!’ The assistant shook her head and wagged a finger.

Nim stood there. The little children licked their cones while ice cream ran onto Nim’s hand. What was the matter?

‘Zis English.’ The assistant spat the words.

‘Yes.’

‘Non, non, non!’

‘Is something wrong?’ It was a relief to hear an English voice. The man had a tanned forehead and lines showed on his cheeks when he smiled.

‘I don’t know,’ said Nim. ‘My dad gave me the money as a going away present.’

‘He should’ve given you francs. Never mind. Let me get these.’ He passed the assistant a brown note and returned the five pounds to Nim. ‘Save that for a treat when your holiday’s over – you can spend it back in the UK.’

‘I’m not sure.’

‘It’s not a problem. Let me do you a favour. Your dad would do the same in this situation, I’m sure.’

‘Hmm.’ Nim didn’t know what to say. She’d been told not to talk to strangers, but it was too late. Josh crunched the last of his cone.

‘What’s your name?’ asked Josh.

‘Shush,’ said Nim. Josh had been warned as well, but the man didn’t look like a stranger. He wore a shiny top, and Nim hoped Josh wasn’t going to say anything about football shirts.

‘I’m Geoff,’ he said.

‘What’s your job?’ said Josh. ‘And where did you get that shirt?’

‘Too many questions,’ said Nim.

‘Don’t worry. I know what boys are like. I’ve got nephews. They’re toddlers at the moment but I bet they’ll be the same as Josh one day.’

‘When I was little, I wanted to be a tractor,’ said Josh. ‘But now I want to be a policeman.’

‘Interesting career choice,’ said Geoff.

‘We live at Sank-on-Seas,’ said Josh.

‘Sank-on-Seas?’ Geoff repeated.

‘He means fifty-six in English,’ Nim corrected, but realising she’d probably said too much, she elbowed Josh. ‘We need to go.’

‘Goodbye.’ Josh scampered to the steps, where he turned.

‘You can come to my place any time you want ice cream. My freezer is full of it,’ said Geoff. ‘Just look for the caravan with the yellow door along the road from here.’

‘Okay.’ Josh skipped down the steps.

This is the postcard Gail sent me from Dorset. I’ll certainly take care if I ever need to walk on the bridge.

When Josh goes missing later in the novel, suspicions about Geoff are raised and Nim shoulders feelings of responsibility for bringing the two of them together.

Praise for The String Games

The String Games takes hold of the reader and the juncture of the head and the heart and simply does not let go. With courage and tenderness, and an unblinking eye, Gail Aldwin explores the ways in which the loss of a child explodes a family. Treat yourself and read this one.

JACQUELYN MITCHARD, bestselling author of THE DEEP END OF THE OCEAN

About Gail Aldwin

Gail co-writes short plays and comedy sketches that have been staged in Bridport, Brighton and Salisbury. She also performs her work at fringe festivals in the South-West.

Gail Aldwin’s published work includes Adversaries/Comrades, a poetry pamphlet (Wordsmith_HQ, 2019) and a collection of short fiction Paisley Shirt (Chapeltown Books, 2018) which was longlisted in the Saboteur Awards 2018. Gail co-writes short plays and comedy sketches that have been staged in Bridport, Brighton and Salisbury. She also performs her work at fringe festivals in the South-West. The String Games is her debut novel.

Twitter:              @gailaldwin
Facebook:          https://www.facebook.com/gailaldwinwriter/
Blog:                  The Writer is a Lonely Hunter

Gail’s anthology of flash fiction entitled Paisley Shirt captivated and moved me.  In the future, I will blog the flash fiction Gail’s work anthology inspired me to write.  I am excited to discover how Gail will stretch my imagination with The String Games.

 

Please see all my guests’ posts at Mail from the Creative Community and my website and blog at JessieCahalin.com.

A copy of my novel can be found here.

Mistletoe and Mayhem

There’s not just kisses under the Mistletoe this holiday season, dun-dun-dun!

You don’t have to wait for the festive fun.  Open the grand doors of a manor and experience Mistletoe and Mayhem.  Author, Veronica Cline Barton, invited her readers to celebrations.  But beware of mysterious events in this cosy/cozy mystery.

Dear Readers,

I am delighted to present Mistletoe and Mayhem, Yuletide at Castlewood Manor.

Rumor has it a Castlewood Manor feature film will be made to highlight the fan favorite period drama on the big screen. As Gemma and her family and friends prepare for the celebrity filled holiday celebrations, which includes television broadcasts, a visit by the queen to Cherrywood Hall, wedding planning frenzy and plenty of mystery, family drama and intrigue, you can bet that the tinsel will be in a deadly tangle in the stately halls of Cherrywood. Father Christmas has his hands full as revenge, mur-dah, sabotage, and bridezilla wannabes threaten to bring this ‘Tis the Season’ to a fiery and disastrous end.

Mistletoe and Mayhem is a delightful guilty pleasure read for the holidays with romance, mystery, family drama and tons of royal surprises—snuggle up by the fire with your favorite libation and enjoy!

Happy Christmas and Best to You in the New Year! Cheers!

Veronica

Veronica’s Extract

“Why you little darling, it’s about time you called me. We have a wedding to plan!”

I laughed at Max’s dramatic tone. I knew there was no way he was not going to be involved in choreographing my wedding, he was on a mission. “It’s been a bit busy here, Max. Mama said you have someone in mind that you’d like to introduce me to, a Mr. Reginald Gerard?”

The royal garden view that inspired the setting.

“Oh darling, Reggie is absolutely the best there is. He just got back from Denmark you know. He and I go way back to our university days. We both majored in interior design. Reggie branched out years ago to get in the wedding and party planning event business. Queen Annelyce and Lady Adela adore him. He did the queen’s last dinner party, you know.”

“Yes, yes, I’ve heard that. I must tell you Max, that Kyle and I have really not had a chance to discuss any plans yet, not with everything that has gone on with Evan.”

“Oh, I know, darling. It’s been so awful. That’s why I thought you could just let me and Reggie, get started planning all the details for you. We’ll take care of everything. You won’t have to lift a finger…”

Reviews

‘The fourth book in this well written series has everything you desire for a perfect holiday: Romance, a cozy mystery, British royals and a heart-warming, Christmas miracle.’ Star Traveler

‘I love this cozy murder, it has everything I could ever want in one book, including a lovely little dog.’ Mark Schultz

‘You will truly feel that you are living like the almost-royals at the family home. The story moves along and is vivid, entertaining and interesting and the ending is truly a “wow!”. Full curtsey to author Veronica Cline Barton!” – Jena C. Henry

Gemma’s favorite place to stroll at Hampton Court Palace.

Final word from Veronica

This book was a complete joy for me at the end. We go through a lot with Gemma’s family issues and changes, and of course the ‘mur-dah’ and mayhem, LOL. I think the ending with the slight change in course for the series will keep things fresh and give some new perspectives for the characters and storyline. I love getting together with my characters when I’m writing—this story was particularly fun being set during the holidays, and a few of the scenes actually take place at my favorite royal abode, Hampton Court Palace. It’s been Christmas at my house for all of 2019!

I love all things cozy mystery–in addition to the My American Almost Royal Cousin series books, I’m currently starting a new cozy mystery series titled An American Hygge & Bisous Mysteries, set for release in 2020.

Meet the author, Veronica Cline Barton

More about Mistletoe and Mayhem

There’s not just kisses under the Mistletoe this holiday season, dun-dun-dun!

A family’s legacy, a mother’s heartbreak, a highly anticipated feature film announcement, and bridezilla wannabes are set to rendezvous around the Christmas tree this Yuletide season. History is about to change by royal decree, impacting forever the life of American heiress Gemma Lancaster Phillips and the man she loves as she takes the reins of the family peerage and title—a move that places the British/American Lancaster family relations at risk.

 

Please see all my Book Extracts and Book Excerpts and also my website and blog at JessieCahalin.com.

A copy of my novel is available here.

The Man with Azure Eyes

As I sat on the train, destined for Paris, I was drawn to a man with ‘azure eyes’.

A man, with ‘azure eyes’, interrupted me during my journey to Paris. He assisted me with my tartan suitcases then handed me a letter from Elizabeth Gates.  I broke the wax seal on the envelope. The gentleman disappeared while I admired the script on the letter.  I pondered whether I should return to Scotland.

Dear Readers,

After taking a part-time bar job at the sports club she is gradually drawn in to the social scene of the area.

I am delighted to present The Wolf of Dalriada, introducing with this extract, the series’ hero, Malcolm Craig Lowrie and his ‘azure eyes’. This historical adventure novel – run through with sparkling and unashamed romance – draws its characters from the Scottish Isles and the Palace of Versailles and Robespierre’s Paris – with all the bloodshed and glamour that implies. A blend of mysticism and intrigue with humorous social commentary, it’s the ideal read for popping in your handbag for that long train ride.

I hope you enjoy reading The Wolf of Dalriada as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Lizzie Gates

I searched for Elizabeth Gates on Facebook and beseeched her to tell me more about the novel.  Mysteriously, she hopped on the train at the next stop, in Ashford.  She opened her novel and read to me.

Extract

Chapter 1

Watching from castle battlements, eyes – azure, intelligent – pick out the moon-cast shadows as the rider moves away in dusky night.

Dalriada, Argyll, Scotland 1st January 1793

GAELIC CALLS spin a web through the mist in arcs of soft sound. Fear unsteadies the unseen flocks on the scrub heather hillside as men and dogs weave a trap around them in the darkling night. Once the flocks are penned, then the lanterns are turned towards the south. The watchers wait in silence.

Meanwhile, down below, at Crinan Loch-side, a horse’s muffled hooves slither on the cobbled apron before the Castle Craig Lowrie gate. The slope is steep and wet with winter but the horse keeps moving forward. Then, at the forest’s secret edge, the muffles are removed, swiftly, deftly. The rider – dressed in groom’s clothes and wrapped in a stolen plaid – climbs into the saddle. Which way? They take the track north from Dalriada towards Oban.

***

Watching from castle battlements, eyes – azure, intelligent – pick out the moon-cast shadows as the rider moves away in dusky night. ‘Safer out there than here, at present,’ Malcolm Craig Lowrie thinks. ‘I will know where to find her – when I need.’

He pauses for the tiniest shard of a split moment. He wonders how it would feel to love and be so loved – as that young girl is. Then he turns back to his task in hand. A laird with five hundred armed men at his call, he is waiting – as always – for yet another attack.

Elizabeth Gates The Wolf of Dalriada

Jessie: The man with ‘azure eyes’ was not from our world. Tell me more about the historical context and the plot.

Elizabeth: It is 1793. Revolutionaries plan to execute the French Queen Marie Antoinette and, watching events unfold alongside the whole of Europe, King George III of Great Britain fears French-style rebellion in his Scottish lands.There, fractured truths, torn loyalties and bloody atrocities are rife and, in Argyll, the Craig Lowrie clan desperately need someone to keep them safe. Malcolm Craig Lowrie, the handsome, murderous ‘Wolf of Dalriada’, rises to the challenge. Then, with Adelaide de Fontenoy – a beautiful young Frenchwoman fleeing from debauched lawyer, Sir William Robinson – Craig Lowrie finds love and his dilemmas become as unforgiving as the land of Argyll itself…

Jessie:  What do the reviewers think about the novel?  I expect they were thoroughly seduced by the plot and characters.

Elizabeth:  I have been very pleased with the positive response.

‘Just stunning writing, historical turmoil and romance at its very best’ – Rhona Whiteford, novelist and independent publisher.

‘As Scottish as whisky’ – Deborah Jones, Novelist.

‘You won’t want to put this down’ – Carol Fenlon, Novelist.

Jessie:  How did you feel when you had finished writing the novel?

Elizabeth: I was quite bereft when I finished writing ‘The Wolf  of  Dalriada’. As I couldn’t imagine life without the riveting character of Malcolm Craig Lowrie and the urbane and evil Robinson, I immediately started my second novel, due out this year. I’m now creating a series.

Elizabeth Gates

More about Elizabeth

In the 1970s-80s, with a BA Hons English Language & Literature and an MA in Linguistics, Elizabeth Gates explored Europe as a teacher. After 25 years, in freelance health journalism, she began work on the ‘Wolf of Dalriada’ series. And now, while writing fiction, she runs workshops in Writing for Wellbeing.

Elizabeth Gates loves writing, history, travel, and spending time with family, friends, Labradors and other animals.

The Wolf of Dalriada sounds captivating.  The laird certainly sounds charming. I hope you are tempted to visit Craig Lowrie and his dilemmas.

Elizabeth’s Contact Details:
W: www.elizabeth-gates.com
E: egates3@gmail.com

 

Please see all my extracts and excerpts at Book Extracts and my website and blog at JessieCahalin.com.

 

Voice of an Australian convict in my handbag

Historical novelist, Rosemary Noble, is presenting an extract from her first novel entitled ‘Search for the Light‘. 

Rosemary’s novels are powerful and engaging explorations of historical periods: strong, empathetic characters and beautiful language transport the reader to the time and place.  

Rosemary researches the historical periods thoroughly, but the characters take over and tell their stories. In a letter to readers, Rosemary introduces the inspiration behind her moving novel, ‘Search for the Light’.

Dear Readers,

I am delighted to present an extract from my historical saga: ‘Search for the Light’.

This is a story of love and friendship, of three women out of the thirteen thousand transported to Van Diemen’s Land alone. Until a few years ago they had been written out of history, their contribution ignored, denigrated for behaviour unseemly in a woman of the times, constantly punished for minor misdemeanours. Some were strong enough to survive and their contribution deserves to be recognised.

I sat down one morning, and my character, Sarah, appeared out of nowhere, a victim and survivor of abuse. Readers love Sarah and I grew to love her. Once or twice I wondered if she should die but she told me, no, and I’m relieved she stayed my hand. Of all the characters, she did find the light and it was inside herself.

In the extract, Sarah has been given a life sentence of transportation for manslaughter. She is waiting in Newgate prison and Nora, the main protagonist, is another prisoner who has befriended her. Sarah is the only character written in the first person because I strongly believe she wrote her own story.

Thank you for your interest and your time.

Rosemary Noble

Words from the novel:

My name is Sarah Mawby I told her, but I don’t really know what my name is or even If my mother ever gave me one. Mawby was the name of the street where I was left. No, I don’t know who my parents are. No one claimed me. Why would they? Just another wailing mouth to feed.

I don’t know my age, about fourteen I think. I have never had a birthday. Some of us foundlings survived our childhood, but it was just luck, lots of children didn’t. We were given a cot to share, as many as ten to a cot, a few patched second-hand clothes, a morsel of food, if it could be called that; much worse than in here it was.

When sickness came, whole cotfuls of babies succumbed in turn. They told us they had gone to live with God. God obviously didn’t want me. I’m not surprised.

Oh yes, we were taught to read and count. They didn’t teach us to write. Too dangerous, we might write and tell someone how we were treated. Sundays, we went twice to church and heard all about hell fire and damnation, whilst we shivered in our thin smocks. What else did we get? Oh yes, the stick. There was lots of that. Was there love? I didn’t believe it existed. I’d heard of it but I never had any.

Then I watched Nora with her father today and saw love for the first time. It was the most beautiful thing I ever saw.

How Nora and Sarah fit into the story:

A moment’s foolish mistake costs sixteen-year old Nora her freedom and her family. Sentenced to transportation she has to grow up fast to survive prison, the long journey and then life as an assigned servant in Van Diemen’s Land of the 1820s. She is sustained by real friendships with other prisoners, Sarah and Helen. Can anyone of them overcome the pitfalls of convict life to become pioneering settlers of modern day Tasmania? This is a story of love and friendship amidst the trials of 19th century Australian colonial life.

Opinions of the reviewers:

“There were moments when I was doing the literary equivalent of shouting at the TV. It moved me, I felt alarm, indignation, great sadness and elation.” Ingenue Magazine Summer 2017

“Rosemary Noble writes with immense skill and takes great care with the characters in this story and I look forward to meeting some of them again in her next book.” John Charles Hall June 2017

“The characters are brilliantly defined; the narrative flows and the historical knowledge of the author is admirable. A fabulous read.” Catrin August 2016

More about the author:

I’m probably a frustrated historian but I’m making up for it now.

This was my first book, so a measure of relief in having achieved this goal. I thought it was going to be my one and only but at the end I wrote an epilogue, which is the daughter of Helen, another main character, looking back. And the sequel was born. So, in many ways I didn’t need to miss the characters, they were looking over my shoulder when I wrote The Digger’s Daughter and are still breathing down my neck as I write the third book in the series.

Reading ‘Ranter’s Wharf’, Rosemary’s latest release, made me feel passionate about my ancestors’ suffering. Following Rosemary’s extract and information, I have bought ‘Search for the Light’.  I am looking forward to finding out more about Australian history through Rosemary’s characters.  Digger’s Daughter, the second Australian Saga book, is also available now.

To find out more about this wonderful author, please visit my interview with Rosemary.

Please read my review of Ranter’s Wharf – it will give you a flavour of how Rosemary brings history to life.  Rosemary is the historical novelist with a social conscience. 


https://rosemarynoble.wordpress.com/

https://twitter.com/chirosie

https://www.facebook.com/RosemaryJaneNoble/

 

Please see all my extracts at Book Extracts and my blog at jessiecahalin.com.

 

An Opera Singer’s Debut Novel

Enjoy the Scandinavian landscape presented in this vintage postcard

Meet a Danish opera singer and artist, Hanne Holten, who couldn’t stop writing until she completed her debut novel.  Snares and Delusions explores myths, class and women’s situation in a time when their place was defined by their husbands.  Hanne agreed to write to her readers and present an extract of her unique novel.  As I discovered more about Snares and Delusions, I could not resist asking additional questions.

Dear Readers,

Snares and Delusions

I am delighted to present an extract from my debut novel: Snares and Delusions.

The protagonist, Hedda, faces her life — and death — in dreams and nightmares. The feisty teenager develops into an independent woman through traumatic events and brief moments of romance.

The extract is a central scene in the book where Hedda faces her abusive and — by then — insane husband. This is a pivot point that determines her future in both positive and negative ways.

Dreams and nightmares, Norse Mythology, romance, terror and the story of a life — all in one book that fits snugly in a handbag — what’s not to love?

Best wishes,

Hanne x

Jessie: What genre does your book fit into and is the writing like any other author’s style? 

Hanne: Basically, Snares and delusions is a historical novel of a literary cast. It may fit into other genres too, it certainly has elements of myth, suspense, humour, and drama. Is my style like another author’s? I’m not sure. I can think of a few authors who have written similar subjects, for instance, John Irving in Avenue of Mysteries, and Kazuo Ishiguro in The Buried Giant.

Jessie: The content of your novel seems challenging. Would you agree with this statement?

This portrait in Sepia’ presents Hedda, as I imagine her at the time of the extract.

Hanne: I’d have to agree with that. It is set in a period when men had absolute power over women, and my heroine, being dead set on winning her independence, takes up the challenge. Also, it deals with death, with pain, and nightmares on different levels.

Jessie:  What have your readers said about this unusual novel?

Hanne: The reviews have been positive.  Here are some quotes I have enjoyed:

‘Such a wonderful book.’

‘The writing style is detailed and is teleporting you directly into the story and its surroundings.’

‘Go for it! You will love it!’

Jessie:  This novel sounds unique, challenging and intriguing. Can you tell me more about the novel that takes Hedda to hell and back?

Hanne: The combined forces of opium and pain brings her face to face with her life. From rural Sweden in the late nineteenth century, over Silkeborg to the Danish Capital, and during the Great War, she experiences love and loss, poverty and betrayal.

Hedda gives up everything to win independence. She soon discovers that this is one thing to wish for and another to achieve. Life handles her roughly, but can she develop strength of character? Will she pay for her freedom in ways she doesn’t anticipate?

Jessie:  Reviewers have praised your style of writing. Please give us an extract to introduce us into Hedda’s world.

Hedda and her daughter

Inside the study, the French windows swing back and forth in the breeze. The curtains hang half off their pole, and there are mounds of twigs and moss on the tables. Most of Conrad’s books lie on the floor. Every surface is covered in bird droppings, and the stench makes Hedda gag. She enters the room step by step and whimpers when she crunches a mouse-carcass under her foot.

Out of the blue something grabs her hair. Hedda yells and waves her arms to dislodge the creature but it claws at her hands. She can’t see anything but feels its wings, flapping around her head. The bird screeches, pecking at her skull. She screams, but falls silent, as Conrad enters through the open French windows.  He carries an axe, and a raven perches on his shoulder. He turns his back on Hedda and takes place at his desk.

Then he whistles sharply. The other bird leaves Hedda and lands on his free shoulder. Conrad gets to his feet and grasps the claws of one of the ravens. He decapitates the sooty bird, using the desk as a chopping block. Wood splinters and wing feathers fly in the air, as the other raven tries to escape through the open window. Conrad throws the axe with uncanny precision, and the raven drops to the floor with a thumping noise, surrounded by broken glass from the window.

Hedda still screams. She tries to quell the sound with her hands, when Conrad turns towards her.

Jessie: How did you feel when you had finished writing your book, and did you miss any of the characters?

It was hard to let go of Hedda, so hard that she features in my second book, soon to be published. Hedda isn’t the main character, and this isn’t a series. Still, there is a connection in time and setting between the two books.

How has your life as an opera singer and artist impacted on your writing? 

No doubt, my life influences my writing. It is difficult to say whether my singing or painting has made a direct impact, but I tend to have a visual idea of the scenes as I write them. I also plan to write a book where the protagonist wants to be an opera diva.

About the Author

HM Holten

Hanne Holten was an opera singer and a painter who couldn’t stop writing. So far, that resulted in her debut novel, several poems, and a work in progress that explores of the history around and after the Great War.

She grew up in Denmark but lived and worked in London for fifteen years. A few years ago, she left the UK for Germany. After graduating as an opera singer, she turned to teaching. This way she acquired an eye for details that helped her developing Snares and Delusions.

Contact details
Email: hanne@holten.co.uk
FB Hanne Holten Writes: https://www.facebook.com/HmH24
Blog: http://blog.holten.co.uk
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HoltenHm @HoltenHm

 

Please see all my extracts and excerpts at Book Extracts and my website and blog at JessieCahalin.com.

Real Women and Real Dilemmas

‘Fly or Fall’ took me to the edge of the woman’s world

The front cover of Gilli Allan’s ‘Fly or Fall’ took me to the edge of a woman’s world and made me curious about her dilemma.  I adore compelling characters who need the supportive shoulder of the reader.  Before jumping into the woman’s dilemma, I needed to find out more. I asked Gilli, the author, to introduce the woman and present readers with an extract. 

 

 

Dear Readers,

Wife and mother, Nell, fears change, but it is forced upon her by her manipulative husband, Trevor

I am delighted to present Fly or Fall.  Nell has been coerced by her husband into moving and she feels displaced, isolated and out-of-tune with the society she finds herself in. But despite herself, she is gradually drawn into this frivolous world where her principles are threatened.

The extract I’ve chose is quite near the end, where Nell’s belief in her family life and her marriage have been completely undermined, and the pressure to strike out on her own has become irresistible. It shows both her misgivings, even at this late stage, but also her powerful attraction to sample the forbidden fruit that is within her grasp.

I believe that readers would like to have Fly or Fall in their handbags because most will be able to identify with the story on some level. Most women have been tempted at one time or another, even those with a strong moral code, but this is not a “how to” book on cheating; it’s just the story of one woman – how she dealt with a turbulent time in her life, and the decisions she eventually made.

All best wishes,

Gilli Allan

Extract

After taking a part-time bar job at the sports club she is gradually drawn in to the social scene of the area.

‘You’re not here on the pull, are you?’ He grinned. ‘Now that would keep you out of the house.’

My earlier confidence was becoming ever shakier. ‘Why do you think that?’

‘The challenging way you’re sitting there … on your own. The moment I walked into the bar I thought, now there’s a woman who means business.’

‘Are you saying I look like a tart?’

He laughed. [….] ‘Never. Far from it. Get you another drink?’

I held the new glass of Cabernet, its bowl in my palm, the stem between my fingers. The downlighter shone through the wine, throwing a reflection, like a pool of blood, into my cupped hand. As I took my first sip, he leant towards me.

‘Tell me, would anyone do or have you set your sights on a particular target? I don’t always turn down a proposition.’

The glass rattled against my teeth; my throat narrowed to a dry, choking, pinhole and I could barely swallow. I coughed, put the glass down clumsily, and the wine slopped onto the wooden counter. I clasped my hands together.

‘I’m sorry.’ He laid his hand over mine. ‘You’re trembling. I didn’t mean anything … you shouldn’t take me seriously.’

My fingers curled tightly around his. ‘Sometimes I wish I could.’

The smile died away from his face.

‘Come on, let’s get out of here.’ His hand was under my elbow as I stood, but other than that brief contact, we walked out of the bar apart, abandoning our drinks.

Blurb

Finding herself in a new world of flirtation and casual infidelity, she is torn (book cover)
Gilli Allan

Wife and mother, Nell, fears change, but it is forced upon her by her manipulative husband, Trevor. Moving to a house she dislikes, in a town she has no connection to, she feels lost, cast adrift from all her previous certainties. Her life is further disrupted by the renovations Trevor deems essential. She finds herself almost living with a firm of builders, one of whom – Patrick – exasperates and intrigues by turns.

After taking a part-time bar job at the sports club she is gradually drawn in to the social scene of the area. Finding herself in a new world of flirtation and casual infidelity, she is torn. Should she emulate the behaviour of new friends or stick with the safe and familiar? A man she only knows as Angel holds a powerful allure.

But everything Nell has accepted at face value has a dark side.  Everyone – even her nearest and dearest – has been lying. She’s even deceived herself. The presentiment of disaster, first felt as a tremor at the story’s beginning, rumbles into a full-blown earthquake. After the dust settles, nothing is as it previously seemed. When an unlikely love blossoms from the wreckage of her life, she believes it is doomed.

The future, for the woman who feared change, is irrevocably altered. But has she been broken, or has she transformed herself?

The Reviews

‘I found it deeply engrossing and sat up late into the night more than once, unable to put it down; it gathers momentum, like a snowball rolling downhill, hurtling towards its dramatic conclusion.’

‘Gilli Allan always delivers the best in realistic women’s fiction and FLY OR FALL soars; it’s an emotional tale encompassing motherhood, marriage, sexuality, painful pasts, rugged relationships and uncertain futures.’

‘The narrative is compelling, the characters are real and I believed every single word.’

Gilli Allan

Gilli writes ‘challenging and honest stories about women’s lives, documenting the downs as well as the ups.’  This commitment to real stories about real women is powerful. ‘Fly or Fall’ has been praised by the reviewers for gripping the reader until the end.  Who doesn’t love a book where you must, must answer the questions before you can rest?

Jessie:  Was it difficult to leave your characters?

Gilli:It was a wrench. Fly or Fall was complex and challenging and took me far longer to write than most books. I was sad to say goodbye to my main characters. Nell, who I’d put through such extremes of emotion, her close friend Elizabeth (the new-ager), whose close connections to the other players in the story are disguised, and David the beautiful young man who appears to have so much, yet is so embittered. And last but not least, Patrick – Jack-the-lad, chameleon, lothario, exasperating, attractive and unashamed liar.

Jessie:  Leave me with one sentence to hook your reader.

Gilli:  Will the allure of the unknown ever overcome the fear of stepping away from solid ground?

About Gilli

Always an obsessive writer, Gilli side-lined the hobby when she began work as a commercial artist. With motherhood Gilli resumed writing “seriously”. After the main-stream publication of her first two novels, Gilli went independent. Still a keen artist, Gilli has begun book illustration. She is now published by Accent Press.

Find Gilli @

http://twitter.com/gilliallan  (@gilliallan)
http://www.facebook.com/GilliAllan.AUTHOR
http://gilliallan.blogspot.co.uk/
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1027644.Gilli_Allan

 

Please see all my extracts and excerpts at Book Extracts and my website and blog at JessieCahalin.com.

 

A ghostly extract in the pocket of my handbag

Lay Me to Rest, Elizabeth Clark

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What is the book about?

‘Lay Me to Rest’ is the story of the newly-widowed, pregnant Annie’s attempt to overcome her depression, by renting a remote cottage in Anglesey. Her arrival, however, triggers violent, unexplained disturbances within the house and the “holiday” soon becomes the stuff of nightmares.

Why should I keep your book in my handbag?

You’ll want to keep the book to hand – there are several momentous events throughout, so you’ll probably want to keep turning pages!

Extract

Again, the same line, yet louder and more persistent. It seemed to reverberate round the walls. I was in no doubt now that the words had been uttered with venom; that someone – or something – meant me harm. My breath came in shallow, rapid gasps. I was filled with a feeling of unreserved dread.

As my eyes grew accustomed to the dimness, I could discern a silhouette, apparently seated at the foot of my bed. I opened my mouth to scream but the power of speech seemed to have deserted me. I could do no more than watch in sheer terror, as the mattress rose slightly and a nebulous figure drew to its full height, releasing a rush of icy air. I could not – dared not– conceive of what might ensue. I was petrified.

I stared helplessly at the apparition; through the gloom, its body resembled the shimmering negative of an old photograph; but the eyes receded deep into their sockets, as black and fathomless as a calm lake. My stomach lurched as the spectre brushed past me, only to vanish into the wall. I sat, rigid with fear, hardly daring to breathe. My heart pounded so loudly in my chest that it seemed to fill my whole head.

The tension shines through in this extract and involves the reader. Elizabeth’s debut novel is receiving very positive reviews. This is a gripping thriller; perfect for fans of Kerry Wilkinson, Sarah Wray and Stella Duffy. 

E. A. Clark

The novel is currently on offer.  Find out more about the book at:

Bag a Bargain

Elizabeth will talk more about her book in an interview on Friday. This ghostly book is released on Friday, 29th September. Warning!  You won’t be able to put this book down.

 

Please see my blog for more articles, book reviews, author interviews and adventures at jessiecahalin.com

A stolen painting in the pocket of my large handbag

Popular author, Anne Allen, released ‘The Betrayal’, on 22nd October.  ‘The Betrayal’ is the sixth book in the Guernsey Series.  Anne Allen has kindly selected an exclusive extract for Books in my Handbag.  The dual-time novel unfolds in the present day and during World War Two.  It is set against the backdrop of the German deportation of the Jewish community, in Guernsey, and involves a stolen Renoir painting. 

Treachery and theft lead to death – and love. 

‘The Betrayal’ is tense, powerful and spellbinding.

Anne will introduce her new novel, present an extract and tell you more about the intricate narrative.

Dear Readers,

I am delighted to present my latest in the Guernsey Novels series, ‘The Betrayal’.

This extract is from the beginning of the book and is the prelude to the modern part of the story, giving you a taste of the tension throughout the book.

Keep a copy of the book in your bag to dip into whenever you have a moment, you won’t regret it!

Happy Reading☺

Anne x

Presenting the extract:

Guernsey 2011

Something was wrong. The alarm didn’t blast out as he pushed open the back door of the shop. Standing still, he heard a noise. Someone was in the shop. Or more accurately, the basement. Nigel paused as he closed the door quietly behind him, his heart hammering against his ribs as he debated what to do. Whoever was in there knew how to disable a burglar alarm otherwise lights would be flashing and a discordant wail would be piercing the air. Best to shut them in the basement and call the police. Following the thought, he crept into the main shop, guided by the dim light coming through the rear window. His eyes adjusting to the dimness, Nigel tried to pick out the area where a rug should cover the trapdoor. For a moment he wondered who could have known about the basement, only discovered a few weeks before when they completed the renovations and replaced the flooring. Odd. And why the basement when the shop was full of valuable antiques?

Crouched at the edge of the hole, light from a torch casting shadows below, he was about to push the open door downwards when a hand snaked up and grabbed his arm.

More about ‘The Betrayal’…

Teresa Bichard and her baby are sent by her beloved husband, Leo, to England as the Germans draw closer to Guernsey. Days later they invade…

Leo, of Jewish descent, is betrayed to the Germans and is sent to a concentration camp, never to return.

Teresa returns to find Leo did not survive and the family’s valuable art collection, including a Renoir, is missing. Heartbroken, she returns to England.

Nigel and his twin Fiona buy a long-established antiques shop in Guernsey and during a refit, find a hidden stash of paintings, including what appears to be a Renoir. Days later, Fiona finds Nigel dead, an apparent suicide. Refusing to accept the verdict, a distraught Fiona employs a detective to help her discover the truth…

Searching for the true owner of the painting brings Fiona close to someone who opens a chink in her broken heart. Can she answer some crucial questions before laying her brother’s ghost to rest?

Who betrayed Leo?

Who knew about the stolen Renoir?

And are they prepared to kill – again?

What do the reviewers think of ‘The Betrayal’?

‘I am a huge fan of Anne Allen’s Guernsey series in which various locations are lovingly described. With the ‘suicide’ of her twin brother, this book has an orally different feel as Fiona tries to get to the bottom of it. With an undiscovered Renoir and links to WW2 this book has a much darker feel to it.’ Julie Ryan

‘Great characters and of course a love connection with a happy ending.’ Karen’s World

‘Having read Anne’s last book, Echoes of Time, I couldn’t wait to read her latest, and I wasn’t disappointed. The novel alternates between WW2 and 2011 and is set on the beautiful island of Guernsey. The Betrayal features twins, Fiona and Nigel, who discover a Renoir within the walls of their antique shop in 2011. When Nigel is found dead, and suicide is suspected, Fiona refuses to believe that her brother would end his own life and she sets out to uncover the truth. Unravelling the mystery will carry her on a journey back to 1940, and to the dark days of the German Occupation and the deportation of Jews.’ S. Charlton

And finally…

A late-comer to writing, Anne was a psychotherapist in a previous life.   Readers are lucky that Anne decided to tell her stories. Anne admits her characters do get under her skin and she misses Fiona and Michael, in particular. I look forward to discovering more about the characters and solving the mysteries presented by this delicious time-slip novel.

You can find out more about Anne Allen here.

 

Please see all the specially chosen extracts at Book Extracts and my blog at jessiecahalin.com. 

 

No More Mulberries with Mary Smith

Ali Baba and Hussain Ali sharing a bowl of mulberries

I was intrigued when Mary Smith asked me if she could present an extract about Afghan food.  Always keen to learn more about food and other cultures, I invited Mary to present an extract from No More Mulberries. The feast of food is a treat for the senses.

This extract from No More Mulberries comes at the start of the book. Scots-born Miriam, her Afghan husband Dr Iqbal and the two children are finishing their evening meal. Miriam and Iqbal are arguing because he has arbitrarily cancelled the English classes she teaches to some of the village boys.

Mary Smith’s book, No More Mulberries

Extract:

Iqbal’s eyes narrowed and his voice was cool. ‘The subject is closed.’

About to protest, Miriam became aware the two children were still sitting in the room. For once, Ruckshana had fallen silent, gazing round-eyed at her father. Farid’s head was bowed and she couldn’t see his expression, but knew his face would have the closed, tight look it assumed whenever there the possibility of an argument. She’d wait until the children were in bed before continuing this discussion. Hoping to dispel the tension in the room she rose to her feet, saying, ‘Come on, Farid, you clear the plates while I bring the toot.’

Mantu

The children whooped as she placed a large basin heaped with a pyramid of mulberries – white, red, purple – on the cloth. Washed in icy cold well water the berries glistened like jewels in the light of the oil lamps. Everyone gathered round, busy fingers searching expertly for the choicest fruit. At last, Miriam sat back. ‘My favourite, favourite, fruit. I wish they were in season all year round. I’ll put some up to dry tomorrow. They’re not the same dried, though, with their chewy textures and …’ she groped for the word she wanted, shrugged, ‘dustiness. Right, you two,’ she continued, pointing at Ruckshana and Farid in turn, ‘hands and faced washed before you get a story.’

‘I’ll get them ready for bed and read to them,’ Iqbal said. ‘I don’t need to go out tonight.’ She gave him a fleeting smile in outward acceptance of what she understood was a peace offering, though inwardly she still seethed. It would take more than a bedtime story to make peace.

End of Extract

When I lived in Afghanistan I, like Miriam, loved mulberries and was always sorry when their short season ended, though by then it was time for apricots and peaches. It really made me understand the meaning of eating seasonally. Besides, with such a great variety of things to eat it was no hardship not to have apricots in December – fresh ones, that is, there were always dried ones, which were delicious soaked and poached and served with yoghurt for breakfast.

Ash prepared for cooking and the nan fresh from the tandoor. The heat in the tandoor is fearsome.

In No More Mulberries, Miriam worked in the remote, mountainous region of Hazara Jat, as I did. The daily fare is simple: rice with lentils, yoghurt and sometimes ash, which is handmade pasta. Afghanistan was on the Silk Route so benefited from fusion cuisine long before it was fashionable here. The pasta is served with quroot, a rock-hard sour cheese made from buttermilk which is re-hydrated into a sauce and nan, baked in the tandoor. The heat in the tandoor is fearsome. When the weather is cold children sit with their feet dangling inside to warm them – I was horrified to find my three-year-old doing it.

Kabuli rice: rice cooked with lamb and topped with raisins, almonds and strips of carrot, vegetable dishes and firni a pudding made with milk and corn flour and heavily sweetened.

Shurwa is a meat-based soup (chicken or goat) into which we broke our bread – like I used to do with tomato soup when I was a kid – and once it was all nicely mushed, another piece of bread is used as a spoon.

Afghans love entertaining and at a dinner party, a minimum of seven dishes is served, including kabuli (sometimes seen as qabuli) rice cooked with lamb and topped with raisins, almonds and strips of carrot, vegetable dishes and firni a pudding made with milk and corn flour and heavily sweetened. I so admired how the women (often, it has to be said, helped by the men), working in the most primitive conditions, on a mud-constructed stove, smoke billowing around the kitchen produced these dishes, all cooked to perfection, all hot at the same time.

One of my favourite dishes – perhaps because it is easily reproduced at home – is banjan-sia borani.

In the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif people came from all over Afghanistan, bringing their own regional and tribal specialities. Little leek-filled dumplings are delicious as is mantu, a dish of steamed dumplings filled with minced beef and onions, topped with a yogurt sauce. One of my favourite dishes – perhaps because it is easily reproduced at home – is banjan-sia borani. This is egg-plant (aubergine) slices fried and served with cooked tomatoes, topped with a sour cream and yoghurt garlicky sauce and dried mint.

I still remember the tantalizing aroma of those lamb kebabs being cooked on street grills.

And kebabs! I still remember the tantalizing aroma of those lamb kebabs being cooked on street grills. Afghan sheep have what’s known as dumba – a fat tail – and pieces of this fat are interspersed with chunks of lamb on the skewers to add flavour. The kebabs were served inside round nan breads, which soaked up the delicious juices. I found sheep testicle kebabs particularly tasty, possibly because I’d eaten them before I knew what the succulent softness was.

This is a tiny taster of the varied foods on offer in Afghanistan. And yes, the most memorable meal I had was in the home of a very poor family. He had leprosy and we’d gone to give him his supply of medicines. The rules of hospitality meant he had to feed us, even though he had next to nothing. He brought us spring onions, salt and thin nan. We wrapped a spring onion in the bread, dipped it in salt and it was as good as eating at a banquet.

Biography and links:

Mary Smith is a writer, freelance journalist and poet based in Dumfries & Galloway in south west Scotland.

She worked in Pakistan and Afghanistan for ten years, where she established a mother and child care programme providing skills and knowledge to women health volunteers. She has written a memoir, Drunk Chickens and Burnt Macaroni: Real Stories of Afghan Women, about her work in Afghanistan and the country also provides the setting for her novel No More Mulberries.

Mary’s poems have been widely published in poetry magazines and anthologies and her first full length poetry collection, Thousands Pass Here Every Day, was published by Indigo Dreams.

She has worked in collaboration with photographer Allan Devlin on two local history books: Dumfries Through Time and Castle Douglas Through Time. Secret Dumfries comes out in June 2018. Her next project is to turn her blog; My Dad’s a Goldfish, into a memoir about caring for her dad through his dementia.

Donkey Boy & Other Stories is her latest publication.

Links:
Blogs: My Dad’s a Goldfish: https://marysmith57.wordpress.com
MarySmith’sPlace:  https://marysmithsplace.wordpress.com
Website: www.marysmith.co.uk
Twitter: https://twitter.com/marysmithwriter
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000934032543

Mary’s latest book is a collection of short stories: Donkey Boy & Other Stories. Shot through with flashes of humour the stories here will entertain, amuse, and make you think. Mary Smith’s debut collection of short stories is a real treat, introducing the reader to a diverse range of characters in a wide range of locations. A donkey boy in Pakistan dreams of buying luxuries for his mother; a mouth artist in rural Scotland longs to leave the circus; a visually impaired man has a problem with his socks; and a woman tries to come to terms with a frightening gift – or curse.

 

Please see all my extracts and excerpts at Book Extracts and my blog at JessieCahalin.com.

 

Are you ready for a real Game of Thrones? – 1066

Real Game of Thrones

Are you ready for a real Game of Thrones?  Glynn Holloway’s debut historical novel: ‘1066: What Fates Impose’ is now available.  I asked the author to explain why a reader should delve into his novel.

Dear Readers,

I am delighted to present, 1066: What Fates Impose, a novel about the fall of Anglo-Saxon England.

William the Conqueror

The extract I have chosen is from the opening chapter, which shows William the Conqueror on his deathbed. The dying king is filled with guilt and haunted by the horrors he inflicted on the English.

The reason I picked this extract is because it has a lot of impact. I felt I needed this, and also, I think the guilt he feels on his death bed and the consequences he feels he will have to face in the afterlife, poses the questions at the beginning of my novel:

Did William really think he had a claim to the English crown?

How much responsibility did he accept for the deaths of tens of thousands?

If you want those questions answered, and a lot more besides, put my novel in your handbag. If you do, you’ll be in possession of a book filled with: family feuds, court intrigues, papal plots, assassinations, loyalties, betrayals, a love triangle and a battle or two. Everything, in fact, that made living in the eleventh century such fun.

With Best Wishes

Glynn Holloway

Extract

1066 What Fates Impose

With the very last of his strength he raises his head to look around the room. There are his sons, the bishop, his brother and . . . ‘Oh God, oh God Almighty. No not him! Not now!’

His eyes bulge as he is gripped by terror. Before him, unseen by the others, stands a blood drenched warrior, tall and proud as an oak, fresh from the battle field, his lank and sweat soaked hair hangs down his shoulders, his once handsome face made ugly by an eyeless socket. As though to steady himself, he leans on his battleaxe, resting his hands on its iron head. He stares impassively at William with his single eye, blue and deep as the ocean, a stare mead all the more intense by its singularity.

William has seen him, or thought he had seen him, a number of times over the years glimpsed in crowds or spotted in enemy lines, but never has he seen him so clearly, so close and for so long as he does now.

‘Have you come for me?’ he asks.

A trace of a smile appears on the face of the apparition, who turns, swinging his axe over his shoulder as he does so, before stepping, with a swift backward glance, silently out of the room.

Hopelessness descends on the king; his temperature rises, and he feels hot again. He wants to break free from the heat, but escape is impossible. Was he like a pagan king of old to be consumed by fire?

The is hot, black and silent.

End of extract

About 1066 What Fates Impose

England is in crisis. King Edward has no heir and promises never to produce one. There are no obvious successors available to replace him, but quite a few claimants are eager to take the crown. While power struggles break out between the various factions at court, enemies abroad plot to make England their own. There are raids across the borders with Wales and Scotland.

Harold Godwinson, Earl of Wessex, is seen by many as the one man who can bring stability to the kingdom. He has powerful friends and two women who love him, but he has enemies who will stop at nothing to gain power. As 1066 begins, England heads for an uncertain future. It seems even the heavens are against Harold.
Intelligent and courageous, can Harold forge his own destiny – or does he have to bow to what fates impose?

Jessie:  What do the reviewers say?

‘An extremely promising debut – highly recommended’. Steve Donoghue – Historical Novel Society

‘A Brilliant and Entertaining Novel of the Events that led to 1066.’  Glenn Cook – Vine Voice – Amazon Hall of Fame – Top 100 Reviewer

‘Excellent and Gripping Story.’ Avid Reader – Amazon Hall of Fame – Top 50 Reviewer

Jessie:  How did you feel when you had finished writing the book, and did you miss any of the character?

I was pleased that I’d actually managed to finish it; there were times when I thought the day would never dawn. I did miss some of the characters, particularly King Harold and Earl Godwin.  completing my novel felt a bit like saying goodbye to friends I knew I’d never see again. Harold and Godwin won’t appear in any sequel but there are other characters who will put in an appearance, one of them I’d quite like to never hear of again, but that’s the price of a good villain I suppose.

Glynn Holloway

About Glynn Holloway

G K Holloway lives in Bristol with his wife and two children. After reading a biography about Harold Godwinson, he studied the late Anglo-Saxon era in detail. When he had enough material to weave together facts and fiction he produced 1066 What Fates Impose. 

http://www.gkholloway.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/G-K-Holloway-219766941394283/
@GlynnHolloway

 

Please see all my extracts and excerpts at Book Extracts and my website and blog at JessieCahalin.com.

 

A book from another world in my handbag

It is great to challenge ourselves with new genres, and ‘We Other’ is a dark fairy thriller. According to reviewers, ‘We Other’ is a magical novel to inspire the imagination. ‘In the book you will meet faeries you would never want to meet on a dark night,’ explained, the author, Sue Bentley. Intrigued, I asked Sue to address her readers, and tell us more about her novel.

 

 

Dear Readers – I am delighted to present We Other.

In this extract we meet Jess Morgan, a loner who doesn’t fit in and has few friends. Her life is about to change in ways she could never have imagined.

I chose this extract to introduce Jess, whose story this is. She’s feisty, difficult and street-wise – with good reason – but she’s vulnerable too, with a good heart.

The reader should be tempted to place my book in their handbag because it’s a complex and rewarding read, with many twists and turns which will keep them guessing.  I’m rooting for Jess and I hope you will too, once you get to know her.

Best wishes and I hope you enjoy the extract. Happy reading!

Sue Bentley

 

Words from the book…

And then looking through the opening into the final gallery, Jess caught sight of a large painting hanging by itself. Her breath quickening with excitement, she walked rapidly towards it.

There was a small crowd of people in front of the painting. She could only glimpse details through the shifting bodies, but she knew it was the one. She hung back, wanting to prolong the moment when she stood face to face with that figure wrought from shadows. Leave me alone with it, she thought. Go away. All of you.

Oblivious to the air around her tingling and shimmering, in a way that was beginning to feel familiar, she stared at the painting. As she moved forward, time seemed to shift into slow motion. A slew of sound echoed hollow and discordant in her ears as every person standing in front of the painting turned in a single movement. They looked at Jess with glazed eyes, before drifting sideways in a single body, moving as if in the steps of some tightly choreographed dance, and melting from the gallery.

Everyone else had somehow left too, she realised. She could see people strolling around the other galleries through the archways. But here, she was alone. In the sudden stillness Jess caught her breath. The painting was revealed to her in its entirety. Or as she thought oddly, it revealed itself to her.

She was not disappointed by what she saw.

More about the book…

Jess Morgan’s life has always been chaotic. When a startling new reality cannot be denied, it’s clear that everything she believed about herself is a lie. She is linked to a world where humans – ‘hot-bloods’ – are disposable entertainment. Life on a run-down estate – her single mum’s alcoholism and violent boyfriend – become the least of her worries. Drawn into a new world of rich darkness, she finds herself torn between love, family and a growing sense of a new, powerful identity.

Strapline for the book – Fairies you never want to meet on a dark night.

What the reviewers say…

‘Darkly delicious. Lights the blue touch paper and runs away.’ Peter J Goodchild

‘Absolutely magical. Compelling story and gorgeous writing.’  Freda Warrington – award winning author of 21 fantasy novels

‘Give yourself time. You won’t want to put this down.’ Ruth Webster

More about Sue…

Sue Bentley is fascinated by English Folklore, the extraordinary in the everyday and the darkness that hovers at the edges of the light.

Sue says…

Louis Armstrong says it best – ‘the bright blessed day and the dark sacred night’ You can’t have one without the other.

I always enjoyed ‘real’ fairy tales – not the sanitised Disney versions. For example, in some versions of Cinderella – the ugly sisters snip off their toes to be able to cram their feet into the glass slipper.

I was that kid in a class of pink tutus who was dressed as a vampire bat. I never wanted high-heeled dancing shoes, I wanted sturdy boots to go tramping around forests looking for the shapes of goblins in the trees.

As for characters – Goody, Goody is all very well, but it can get boring. We all love the ‘bad’ characters who do doubtful things – they’re much more fun to write about.

I am intrigued by Sue’s exploration of the ‘darkness that hovers on the edge of light’ and wonder what she presents to the reader in ‘We Other’.  The extract evoked my imagination, and I wanted to know why Jess ‘wasn’t disappointed’.  This novel sounds as if it will challenge the boundaries of the imagination, as it has done for the reviewers.

 

Please see all my extracts at Book Extracts and my blog at jessiecahalin.com.

 

The Art of Food

‘I’m going to try a different approach with this,’ he said. ‘We call them fantasy shots?’

In response to my request for foodie extracts, Susan Willis presented me with something that wasn’t quite what it seemed.  I marvelled at the glorious pictures of food, but there wasn’t any recipe or cooking.  Feast your eyes on the extract from The Girl in the Dark.  Find out what is simmering in the kitchen.

Extract

Kim arranged six of the Chantenay carrots.

When Kim carried coffee into the room they all busied themselves preparing for the shoot. Thankfully, her mind was occupied with preparing the carrots and green beans to look as appealing as possible, rather than staring at Alex. He looked even more attractive prowling around the room with the big camera in his hand. Editorial still shots of the vegetables were first taken on a plain black background. Kim arranged six of the Chantenay carrots with their green tops uppermost into an attractive pile all facing in the same direction. She looked at Alex, who smiled and asked her to slice one lengthways and balance it on top of the pile.

‘We need to make it look sweet and tender,’ he muttered. ‘I’m loving the bright orange colour on the black background, and I’m thinking of whizzing them around with water droplets.’

Kim blanched the green beans to help to keep the green colour bright

Kim agreed and began to pile the green beans with their trimmed ends uppermost in an attractive pile on a wood board. She smiled at Alex, as if to say she was on the same wavelength, in fact, one step ahead. Kim blanched the green beans to help to keep the green colour bright and they worked out a design scattering the cut ends on a white cloth. By the time Alex had finished cropping and working his magic on the computer, they looked amazing.

He stood beside Kim chatting while she trimmed the cauliflower for the overhead shot. ‘I’m going to try a different approach with this,’ he said. ‘We call them fantasy shots?’

Kim could feel his hot breath on the back of her neck and her knees trembled – she was having fantasies of her own, but they didn’t include cauliflowers!

About the Novel

The Girl in the Dark

The Girl in the Dark is the latest Grip Lit novel from Susan Willis. A thrilling romantic suspense story that will keep you turning pages long into the night.

When Kim goes to old friend, Sidney’s, photography studio to start a new food styling contract she meets his new assistant, Alex. Kim is catapulted from her mournful existence into an explosive romantic relationship with Alex. Sidney, however, is wary. He thinks, there’s something not quite right about Alex, and urges caution.

Will Kim look back and wish she’d listened…

Susan Willis

Susan Willis is a published author of three novels, and five novellas’. She lives in the North East of England surrounded by family and friends. Following publication of a love story about a chef and her boyfriend, she wrote more foodie-based love stories and wove them into her first novel, ‘Yes Chef, No Chef’.

Now Susan has ventured into romantic suspense with her latest novel, The Girl In The Dark.

Set in her home town of Durham City, this storyline is not a who done it thriller, but, a psychological page-turner which she loved writing. We can only hope the heroine hasn’t put her trust in the wrong man?

Best of luck to Susan with this novel.

I had never really considered the role of a food stylist until I read this extract.  When I take photographs of food for tweets and posts, I tend to photograph exactly what I have cooked.  Food is all about the taste for me.  However, recipe books are probably bursting with these creations.  

Have you ever followed a recipe from a cookbook and realised your creation looks nothing like the photograph?

 

Please see all my extracts and excerpts at Book Extracts and my website and blog at JessieCahalin.com.