You are here: Home / Archives for My Latest News And Musings

Wondrous Words Wednesday

February 22, 2012 By 19 Comments

-.-

‘Wondrous Words Wednesday’ is a weekly meme where we share new (to us) words that we have encountered in our reading.

It is hosted by Kathy, over at BermudaOnion’s Weblog. You can either stop by and leave a link to your own ‘mystery’ words of the week, or just browse the eclectic mix of words that others have discovered, there is always a great selection.

Don’t forget that Kathy and the rest of us, all love to read your comments  as well!!

-.-

My words this week, are all taken from ‘The Baggage Handler’ by Colin Browne

-.-

NB … A couple of these words have several meanings, some of which are either a little on the gruesome side, or even in one case, not suitable to be put to print in this environment.

I have therefore only highlighted the meaning as used in context with the extract taken from the book.

-.-

1. QUAFFED

 “He let her talk while he quaffed Bollanger, amusing himself greatly at the thought of the word quaff“

1. To drink (a beverage) heartily: quaffed the ale with gusto.

2. To drink a liquid heartily: quaffed from the spring.

3. A hearty draft of liquid.

-.-

2. CABOOSE

…and finally at Rich who had forced him onto a runaway train and uncoupled the caboose …

1. a ship’s galley

2. a freight-train car attached usually to the rear mainly for the use of the train crew

3. one that follows or brings up the rear

4. buttocks

-.-

 3. EVISCERATED

… mentally kicked himself, screamed at himself, tarred and feathered and eviscerated himself to rid himself of the indecisiveness …

1. to remove the internal organs of; disembowel

2. to deprive of meaning or significance

3. To take away a vital or essential part of

4. To remove the contents of (an organ).

-.-

 4. CHUGGING

He took a swig of his beer and she took a sip of her wine. He contemplated taking a chug …. Perhaps if he just kept chugging, she’d have to restart or stand there in silence….

1. Consume (a drink) in large gulps without pausing.

2. Loading up on alcoholic substance, power drinking.

There are some pretty awful videos of people ‘chugging’ on ‘YouTube’, if you are still curious. Just Google ‘How To Chug A Beer’

-.-

Filed Under: My Latest News And Musings Tagged With: , ,

A Must For All You Avid Romance Readers Out There …

February 19, 2012 By 2 Comments

-.-

This post is for the attention of all readers of romantic fiction out there, who would like the opportunity to read and review some great books for free!

The offer is a voucher code, entitling you to a free of charge, different titled, romance book, each day for the entire month of February.

Or at least it would have been if I had noticed the reminders earlier on in the month, as the codes are only valid for the day on which they are printed.

Nonetheless, thanks to it being a ‘leap year’ in 2012, there are still 10 more days worth of vouchers and books to collect and download, in a way to suit everyone.

The offer is courtesy of Stephanie Taylor and all the other lovely ladies at Astraea Press, as part of their first birthday celebrations.

The offer is in conjunction with Mark Coker and his team at Smashwords e-publishers, where you can also leave a review of each book as you finish it.

A couple of the books in this great offer, which have already passed me by, I have previously read and reviewed by direct arrangement with the authors:

‘Double Crossing’ by Meg Mimms

‘The Perfect Rose’ by Felicia Rogers

Both are available from smashwords, relatively inexpensively and are well worth the $3 each.

This is a great opportunity to get to know a couple of new up-and-coming businesses and a whole host of both well established and fledgling authors.

So hurry up and visit the Astraea Press blog, for today’s promotion code and get reading!

-.-

 

 

Filed Under: My Latest News And Musings Tagged With: , ,

A Happy Coincidence … And A Great New Mystery Novel From Ann Cleeves

February 6, 2012 By 8 Comments

-.-

I happened to be in our home gym on Sunday afternoon (not a very frequent occurrence I can assure you), with the television on. The programme which had already started minutes before, titled ‘Vera’, was not one which I had ever come across before, so I decided to keep watching for a while to see what it was about.

It transpired that Vera, was in fact DI Vera Stanhope of the Northumberland police and unconventional doesn’t come near to describing both her appearance and her style of investigating a crime. The character of Vera was played by the multi-talented, British actress Brenda Blethyn, with her very able (not to say ‘dishy’) and seemingly long-suffering Sergeant Joe Ashworth, played by David Leon.  I became so engrossed in the programme that my exercise programme lasted for a full 90 minutes, needless to say, by Monday morning I am now hardly able to move!

I came across this great interview with the two stars of the show and it was only then that I discovered that the series had first aired to television in the Summer of 2011 and was based on a series of books by one of the undisputed Queen’s of the mystery genre, Ann Cleeves.

I haven’t read anything by Anne Cleeves for several years and best associate her with books featuring her earlier created characters of George Palmer-Jones and Inspector Ramsay.

I shall definitely be ordering the four, already established stories featuring DI Vera Stanhope, together with a fifth newly published mystery for her to solve in The Glass Room (Vera Stanhope 5), especially as this case involves a group of aspiring authors, attending a workshop at a country retreat!

I also love the cover of this book, great perspective and light intensity

-.-

‘THE GLASS ROOM’ by ANN CLEEVES

DI Vera Stanhope is not one to make friends easily, but her hippy neighbours keep her well-supplied in homebrew and conversation so she has more tolerance for them than most.

When one of them goes missing she feels duty-bound to find out what happened. But her path leads her to more than a missing friend . . . It’s an easy job to track the young woman down to the Writer’s House, a country retreat where aspiring authors gather to workshop and work through their novels. It gets complicated when a body is discovered and Vera’s neighbour is found with a knife in her hand.

Calling in the team, Vera knows that she should hand the case over to someone else. She’s too close to the main suspect. But the investigation is too tempting and she’s never been one to follow the rules. There seems to be no motive. No meaning to the crime. Then another body is found, and Vera suspects that someone is playing games with her. Somewhere there is a killer who has taken murder off the page and is making it real . . .

-.-

Filed Under: My Latest News And Musings, New Titles Tagged With: , , ,

Mailbox Monday 30/01/2012

January 29, 2012 By 18 Comments

-.-

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house during the last week.

Be warned that Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

Mailbox Monday, is currently ‘on tour’ and being hosted by a different blogger each month.
So why not stop by, leave a link to your own Mailbox Monday post, oh! and don’t forget to leave a comment for Alyce, after all, we all like to receive them!
-.-

This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well… you never know where that next “must read” book will come from!

-.-

Although I have only received a single new book again this week, I am delighted to say that it is another author request, so that more than makes up for the lack in quantity.

It also means that so far this year, I have been able to keep on top of my aim, not to add any more books to my TBR pile, as all of the review requests to date have been delivered electronically. The bad news is that I have such a steady stream of author requests coming in, that my TBR pile just isn’t getting looked at, or reduced in any way! …  C’est La Vie!

After my recent review of ‘A Dangerous Harbor’, I have once again been fortunate enough to have received a second gift book, by its author Rebecca (AKA R.P.) Dahlke.

-.-

‘A DEAD RED HEART’ by R.P. DAHLKE

Available From Amazon

Lalla Bains, ex-model and Ag pilot has plenty to keep her busy during another long hot summer in the San Joaquin Valley of California. But when a homeless Gulf War veteran litters her vintage red caddy with paper snowflakes Lalla figures it’s time for a showdown. Unfortunately, someone else has the same idea leaving Lalla with a dying man at her feet and only his strange last words, “The more there is, the less you see,” as the only clue to his killer.

No one wants her involved in the investigation; certainly not the creepy detective who slithers across her path every chance he gets, and not the local newspaper reporter whose annoying high-jinks cause her to want to set fire to the last three hairs on his head, nor Lalla’s love interest, Sheriff Caleb Stone, who can only wish he could reign in Lalla’s enthusiasm for sleuthing where she’s not welcome.

Ultimately, the question, What would you do if the love of your life lost their chance at a heart transplant to a convicted felon? brings Lalla to the answer of the killer as well as the dubious responsibility of proving it before the killer strikes again.

-.-

This romantic/mystery/humour book, was gifted as a request for me to read and leave my comments about, by it’s author R.P. Dahlke and as such was free of charge.

This will in no way influence any comments I may express about the book, in any blog article I may post. Any thoughts or comments will be my own personal opinion and I am in no way being monetarily compensated for this, or any other article.

-.-

Filed Under: My Latest News And Musings Tagged With: , , ,

Mailbox Monday … 16/01/2012

January 15, 2012 By 18 Comments

-.-

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house during the last week.

Be warned that Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

Mailbox Monday, is currently ‘on tour’ and being hosted by a different blogger each month.
So why not stop by, leave a link to your own Mailbox Monday post, oh! and don’t forget to leave a comment for Alyce, after all, we all like to receive them!
-.-

This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well… you never know where that next “must read” book will come from!

-.-

I think that my luck must really be in, at the moment. My single new book into the house this last week, was another author request for a read and review. I am getting to read so many great new books, from established and debut authors alike and I am discovering a whole new raft of genres, which are stretching my reading preferences beyond belief …. and I am having a whale of a time with all my new discoveries.

-.-

‘THE BAGGAGE HANDLER’  by COLIN BROWNE

Available From Amazon

“Martin White, editor of The Shallow Review of Books, likes his life as he likes his work: shallow. Living in purposeful near-isolation in the middle of a crowded city, he keeps his relationships superficial and his life uncomplicated. His deliberate avoidance of social potholes prompts his colleagues to turn to him for assistance handling their own life and relationship baggage, which only strengthens his resolve never to allow any of it into his life. He’s pretty happy, albeit hollow and empty.

But then Kasia turns up. Young, Polish, focused on minding her own business, she neither invites, nor encourages Martin’s flailing attempts at romance, but he can’t help himself. For reasons that defy logic for an isolationist such as he, he falls for her, hard. Years of handling baggage have done nothing to equip him to handle his own however as he realizes with excruciating displays of ineptitude, again and again. He’s way out of his depth …

Faced with a challenge by Rich, his more socially adept colleague, to ask Kasia out within a week or Rich will, Martin has no option but to open the doors to all the complexity of modern life and relationships as he re-emerges from the shadows.

A twisted romantic comedy, written from the male perspective, The Baggage Handler is an acknowledgement that if you’re going to be serious about it, this love stuff is hard.“

-.-

As this was an author invitation to read and review, a copy of The Baggage Handler was sent to me free of charge by its author, Colin J. Browne.

This will in no way influence any comments I may express about the book, in any blog article I may post. Any thoughts or comments are my own personal opinion and I am in no way being monetarily compensated for this, or any other article.

I hope that you all had some great new arrivals this week, I would love you to share them with me.

-.-

Filed Under: My Latest News And Musings

Wondrous Words Wednesday 11/01/2012

January 11, 2012 By 18 Comments

-.-

‘Wondrous Words Wednesday’ is a weekly meme where we share new (to us) words that we have encountered in our reading.

It is hosted by Kathy, over at BermudaOnion’s Weblog. You can either stop by and leave a link to your own ‘mystery’ words of the week, or just browse the eclectic mix of words that others have discovered, there is always a great selection.

Don’t forget that Kathy and the rest of us, all love to read your comments  as well!!

-.-

My words this week come from my current read … a gutsy, fast paced thriller,

‘The Safety Expert’ by Doug Richardson

Available From Amazon

“Ben Keller lives life by one simple rule. Safety first. Ben is keenly aware of life’s hidden dangers. Ben never smokes. Ben always uses the crosswalk. Ben always drives within the speed limit. He has to be because safety is his business. From his home in Simi Valley, California, one of the safest cities in the United States, Ben works hard at living a perfectly normal, perfectly uneventful, perfectly safe life.

And life is good until the past reaches into the present. In the dark of the night, a man crosses a lonely intersection and is struck by a car, setting events in motion that will unravel the finely stitched strands of Ben’s cocoon, from a recently retired porn actress who is desperate to be a mother to the butch cop determined to shield her young son from the whisperings of the queen bee moms at his private school to the addict who is clawing to hold onto the sobriety which cages the violence within him.

A long dismissed demon has resurfaced, presenting Ben with a most unsafe dilemma: preserve the haven he has carefully built for himself or confront the evildoer who decimated his carefree young life all those years ago.

Ben is in danger. Ben’s world is unsafe. Ben’s life will be changed forever. Again.”

-.-

1. TROMPED …(I could have guessed this one, but it is such a great word)

‘As Stew tromped toward the rear of his site, he continued his phone conversation.’

TROMPED …  1.To walk heavily and noisily; tramp … 2.To apply heavy foot pressure on something … 3.To trample underfoot … 4.To defeat soundly; trounce.

-.-

2. PONTIFICATE

“In fact, Ben would sometimes pontificate, Americans by in large ignored any and all odds, astronomical or otherwise.”

PONTIFICATE … 1.To express opinions or judgments in a dogmatic way … 2.To administer the office of a pontiff … 3.The office or term of office of a pontiff.

-.-

3 &4. MOOKS & SHIV


‘… and then having to divide the dough with mooks half as smart as himself just to keep someone from sticking a shiv in his back.’

MOOK … An insignificant or contemptible person.

SHIV … A knife, razor, or other sharp or pointed implement, especially one used as a weapon.


-.-

5&6. GENTRIFICATION & BARRIO

‘And as much as the area had been slowly reborn from inevitable urban gentrification, some remnants of its barrio roots remained untouched.’

GENTRIFICATION … The restoration and upgrading of deteriorated urban property by middle-class or affluent people, often resulting in displacement of lower-income people.

BARRIO … 1. An urban district or quarter in a Spanish-speaking country … 2. A chiefly Spanish-speaking community or neighborhood in a U.S. city.

-.-

7. OMNIPOTENCE

‘It stripped the rage and left him with a cozy feeling of omnipotence.‘

OMNIPOTENCE … 1. Having unlimited or universal power, authority, or force; all-powerful … 2. One having unlimited power or authority.

-.-

All definitions are taken from ‘The Free Dictionary’ … http://www.thefreedictionary.com

-.-

Filed Under: My Latest News And Musings Tagged With: , , ,

Mailbox Monday 09/01/2012

January 8, 2012 By 18 Comments

-.-

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house during the last week. Be warned that Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

Mailbox Monday, is currently ‘on tour’ and being hosted by a different blogger each month.
So why not stop by, leave a link to your own Mailbox Monday post, oh! and don’t forget to leave a comment for Alyce, after all, we all like to receive them!
-.-

This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well… you never know where that next “must read” book will come from!

-.-

My single book this week, is an author request for a read and review. ‘Hoodie’ is Brendon Lancaster’s debut novel and although a little out of any of my usual reading genres, sounds hard-hitting, so ‘close to home’ for so many families, and controversial enough to warrant some serious reading, both for its intended YA audience and adults alike.

-.-

Available From Amazon

From the moment Ben Chapman ( ‘Hoodie’ to the other Shady Boys) crashes out of school, determined never to return and, incidentally, seeking his revenge on the school’s drug dealer by stealing and concealing his stash in his trousers on the way out, you know that this is a boy to whom caution and reticence are alien concepts. Outwardly, he maintains that all he wants is a job, his own money and to follow his heart towards the girl of his dreams, Isabelle. But, underneath that concealing hoodie, Ben has a rich inner life, fed by dope, wine and the belief that he is someone special. During his ‘summer of love’, we follow his attempts to engage with the real world with frustration and compassion. His adventures cause him to question today’s competitive, consumer-based values, eventually challenging his perception of reality and prompting him to reflect upon who and what his purpose in life is before finding himself faced with the definitive test of resolve and bravery. Hoodie’s blend of up-to-date realism, dream-like escapism, fast-paced, hard-hitting action, wistful musings, humour and tragedy, all while the story navigates its way on a magical mystery tour of Ben’s mind, ensures an enjoyable read. It provides the perfect antidote to alarmist Daily Mail reporting of youth issues, exploring the problems facing modern day Britain from the perspective of a disempowered, disaffected teenager.

On a deeper level, there is a moral/spiritual sub-text, fed by Ben’s belief that he has a secret weapon; the simian lines (fused head and heart lines) on the palms of his hands. These are extremely rare and noted as being a genetic abnormality shared by drug addicts, mass murderers, scientific researchers and religious fanatics (and, by sheer coincidence, Tony Blair). Could these lines hold the key to his future?

-.-

As this was an author invitation to read and review, a copy of ‘Hoodie’ was sent to me free of charge by its author, Brendon Lancaster.

This will in no way influence any comments I may express about the book, in any blog article I may post. Any thoughts or comments are my own personal opinion and I am in no way being monetarily compensated for this, or any other article.

-.-

Filed Under: My Latest News And Musings Tagged With: , , , , ,

Teaser Tuesday … 03/01/2012

January 3, 2012 By 16 Comments

-.-

What Is ‘Teaser Tuesdays’?

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of ‘Should Be Reading’.

Anyone can take part, by just doing the following:

1. Grab your current read.

2. Open to a random page.

3. Share a couple of  “teaser” sentences, from somewhere on that page.

4. Be careful not to share “spoiler” sentences, that give away too much about the book.

5. Remember to share the title and author too.

6. Head on over to ‘should be reading’ and leave a link to your post, so that others can share it and you can share other people’s.

It would be great if you then decided to leave a comment, as we all like to receive them and are interested in your thoughts.

-.-

My teaser lines this week, come from the book I am currently reading, although I have taken them from the half of the book that I have yet to read, so that I am in no way influenced to reveal too much about this amazing thriller.

-.-

So as not to show any ‘spoilers’, I have not included a synopsis for this book, however, if you want to find out more about it, just click on the book image.

If you don’t really want to read any ‘spoilers’ yourself, then you can ‘tease’ yourself a little more, by reading the first few lines of the story … here.

Available From Amazon

“To avoid the electrostatic shock which came upon touching the door’s handle after walking along the poly-blend carpeted corridor, Ben shouldered the door open.”

-.-

“Standing perfectly erect, arms at his side, and facing that wall of framed family photos was none other than Stew Raymo. His six-foot-four frame filled a navy suit jacket that had been tailored eight years and thirty pounds ago. His feet were fit snugly into a pair of brown, lightly scuffed, size-fourteen Rockports.”

-.-

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all followers of ‘Teaser Tuesdays’ a Very Happy, Healthy and Prosperous 2012.

-.-

Filed Under: My Latest News And Musings Tagged With: , , , ,

Mailbox Monday … 12th December 2011

December 12, 2011 By 18 Comments

-.-

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house during the last week.

Be warned that Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.
-.-
Mailbox Monday, is currently ‘on tour’ and being hosted by a different blogger each month.
Your host for the month of  December is Jenny Q @  ‘Let Them Read Books’
So why not stop by, leave a link to your own Mailbox Monday post, oh! and don’t forget to leave a comment for Jenny, after all, we all like to receive them!
-.-
Just another single book this week, although I did buy about half a dozen from the charity shop where I volunteer, however they are going to be leaving the house again very soon, when I give them to my father to read first.
My ‘keepsy’ book was another author request to read and review, which is fantastic and that it is from one of my favourite genres of ‘romantic mystery/suspense’, is even better.
-.-
‘A DANGEROUS HARBOR’ by R.P. Dahlke
‘Bleary-eyed and sleep deprived after a long overnighter into Mexico, solo sailor and SFPD police detective, Katrina Hunter, thinks the mermaid twenty yards behind her thirty-two foot Westsail is nothing more than a sailor’s hallucination But everything she knows about floaters convinces her to turn her boat around for another look.Now, alone and isolated in the Mexican port’s police station for six hours she’s convinced that reporting the body of a floater to authorities was a mistake. Even the arrival of a handsome, if somewhat dour, Mexican/Italian investigator does nothing to dispel her growing anxiety that she’s about to be charged with the murder.Chief Inspector, Raul Vignaroli, is as surprised by the attractive solo-sailor as he is to find that she’s a respected member of the San Francisco police force, and after some well-placed phone calls he’s sure that he’s found the perfect partner to help him solve a murder, if not the cure for his broken heart.Released, she’s free to go. But leaving the police station hits a snag when two policemen march in, dragging a listless prisoner between them. But before Katy can dodge them for the exit, the prisoner raises his head and a startling pair of aquamarine eyes meet hers.He straightens his back, wincing at the angle of his cuffed wrists. “What the… Whisper?”Suddenly, the sound of the ceiling fan is terribly loud. Blood pounds in her ears, her mouth goes dry, her palms are damp and her feet are nailed to the floor. In a knee jerk reaction, she hisses, “Don’t call me that!”’

-.-

As this was an author invitation to read and review, a copy of ‘A DANGEROUS HARBOR‘ was sent to me free of charge by its author R.P. (AKA Rebecca) Dahlke.

This will in no way influence any comments I may express about the book, in any blog article I may post. Any thoughts or comments are my own personal opinion and I am in no way being monetarily compensated for this, or any other article.

-.-

Hope that you all got some great reading goodies and have a fantastic week everyone!

-.-

 

Filed Under: My Latest News And Musings Tagged With: , , , ,

Mailbox Monday December 5th 2011

December 4, 2011 By 18 Comments

-.-

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house during the last week.

Be warned that Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.
Mailbox Monday, is currently ‘on tour’ and being hosted by a different blogger each month.
Your host for the month of  December is Jenny Q @  ‘Let Them Read Books’
So why not stop by, leave a link to your own Mailbox Monday post, oh! and don’t forget to leave a comment for Jenny, we all like to receive them!
-.-
Just one book received for review this week – but it looks like a great one!
-.-

Doug Richardson, is already a well respected and eminent voice in the world of novel authorship, script writing for cinema and film production.

Fiction Books has been fortunate enough to be contacted by Doug, who offers the chance for me to read and pass on my thoughts, about his latest thriller ‘The Safety Expert’, which will be available from December 7th 2011.

THE SAFETY EXPERT

Synopsis and cover image courtesy of the author

“Ben Keller lives life by one simple rule. Safety first. Ben is keenly aware of life’s hidden dangers. Ben never smokes. Ben always uses the crosswalk. Ben always drives within the speed limit. He has to be because safety is his business. From his home in Simi Valley, California, one of the safest cities in the United States, Ben works hard at living a perfectly normal, perfectly uneventful, perfectly safe life.

And life is good until the past reaches into the present. In the dark of the night, a man crosses a lonely intersection and is struck by a car, setting events in motion that will unravel the finely stitched strands of Ben’s cocoon, from a recently retired porn actress who is desperate to be a mother to the butch cop determined to shield her young son from the whisperings of the queen bee moms at his private school to the addict who is clawing to hold onto the sobriety which cages the violence within him.

A long dismissed demon has resurfaced, presenting Ben with a most unsafe dilemma: preserve the haven he has carefully built for himself or confront the evildoer who decimated his carefree young life all those years ago.

Ben is in danger. Ben’s world is unsafe. Ben’s life will be changed forever. Again.”

-.-

The shadowy world of the thriller is one of my most favourite genres, so I am doubly pleased to have the opportunity to read this book, whose plot reads like the stuff nightmares are made of and seemingly has more twists and turns than a snake in the grass.

-.-

 

As this was an author invitation to read and review, a copy of ‘The Safety Expert’ was sent to me free of charge.

This will in no way influence any comments I may express about the book, in any blog article I may post. Any thoughts or comments are my own personal opinion and I am in no way being monetarily compensated for this, or any other article.

-.-

Hope that you all got some great reading goodies and have a fantastic week everyone!

Filed Under: My Latest News And Musings Tagged With: , , ,
« Older Posts