A First Review for Dirty Work

So very pleased with this review for Dirty Work. It really can’t be said enough, reviews really do make an author’s day. Go on, readers,  write about the books you love and make an author happy!

‘Unsworth’s first novel – The Palaver Tree – will always be my favorite, because I too lived in Africa.

Her novel – Dirty Work – is another must read. The deceptively simple story of two couples morphs into a mystery with a number of surprising twists that kept me turning the pages. On the surface it would seem that Nathan, with all his money, his beautiful wife and stunning home, has the upper hand. Below the surface, however, things are churning – nasty things, that lead Nathan, his brother and his sister-in-law into a web they never could have imagined.

Well written with strong characterizations, great descriptions, and lots of action, Dirty Work is a story not to be missed if you like mysteries and even if you don’t.’

A New Book Out at Last!

At last, I am very happy and proud to announce the release of the third novel in my Berriwood Series.

Dirty Work will be available on Amazon tomorrow!

Each book in the series is a standalone novel; the link being the Cornish village and its characters.

This is a psychological drama with murder at its heart. Don’t be fooled by the pretty village of Berriwood; dark things can happen!

 

 

Here is a little bit about it:-

A shallow grave.

A body to find.

But no one is looking…

Caroline Duke and her sister-in-law Marcie lead very different lives, but blood is thicker than water; they are close, they share things.
Husband troubles.
Marcie has everything she could possibly want, funded by Nathan’s high-powered city job. She pays for her privileged position in lonely days and nights, while her husband works away.
Caroline is struggling with two jobs and out-of-work Pete, who brings in no money at all. He is never home either. He spends his evenings in bars and clubs and the occasional ditch.
But everything in the Duke family is set to change. And for the better. Pete declares he has given up drinking for good and is getting a job. Nathan announces his intention to work less, spend more time with Marcie.
A birthday dinner should be the perfect occasion to bring the four together. But when is a party not a party? When someone ends up dead.

i would be very grateful for any likes or shares.

Children’s Books and What They Mean to Me

Books. When I was a child, I couldn’t get enough of them. Picture books, children’s encyclopaedia’s especially the sections on Volcanoes, tropical islands and exotic animals! I loved Enid Blyton’s Secret Seven and Famous Five series, because those kids had such adventures. Also, just William by Richmal Crompton and Jennings and Derbyshire by Anthony Buckeridge for their downright naughtiness. Later I loved the Nancy Drew mysteries.

When my children were small I began to discover children’s books all over again, old favourites and bright, new books. Parents are so lucky, moving through a few short years of The Hungry Caterpillar and Dear Zoo to The Tiger Who Came to Tea, Mog and Winnie the Witch and on to longer stories. When we read together (long after the children could read for themselves) The Animals of Farthing Wood, Terry Pratchett’s Bromeliad Series, Diggers, Truckers and Wings, and of course Roald Dahl’s Fantastic Mr Fox and others I couldn’t wait for the next chapter any more than the children. I never got to read the Harry Potter books to my children as they came a little too late but I’m looking forward to that pleasure with my grandchildren.

At the time that I finished writing my first novel, The Palaver Tree, we also happened to be moving house and I came across an old box file of my writing from way back when I used a typewriter. In there was the outline for a children’s book that I had long ago imagined and named Kelly at Come-alive Cottage. I was excited by the story that I had forgotten and decided there and then that I would next produce a children’s book. After all, I told myself,  the process of writing a novel is a long and sometimes arduous task. I thought my little fifty page chapter book would be a breeze.

Wrong

It  was hard, just like any writing project, but it was fun and different and also gave me a new respect for children’s writers.

My blog is all about my love of and experience with books and, for a while I have wanted to separately feature some of the best children’s books, both old and new.  This is what Fridays will look like on the blog.

I started last Friday with a brand new and lovely book by Cat Michaels, The Magical Aquarium.

Which  children’s books have you loved and remembered? If you can recommend a favourite old or new or have written a children’s book please contact me with ideas for this feature. I will be choosy, I want to feature those that I would love to share with the next generation of readers (and parents!) I will be reading and reviewing each book, so please, none longer than about fifty pages. There  are still a lot of novels out there to read too!

Children are the next generation of readers. Who knows what publishing will look like by the time they grow up? Let’s give them all the encouragement we can with great books to start their reading journey.

My Come-alive Cottage Series

 

 

 

Goodreads Giveaway for Kellie at Come-alive Cottage

Today I would like to you invite you to take a look at my Goodreads Giveaway for

Christmas at Come-alive Cottage

Please click the image to be taken to the giveaway.

This is the fourth book in my Come-alive Cottage series but each works very well as a stand alone story.

This chapter book is about 50 pages long and illustrated throughout with fun line drawings.

Here is the blurb:-

On Christmas Eve, Aunt Kitty has a special wish-come-true spell to make for Kellie. But when a whole glass of her greenish, orangish, purplish, brownish, reddish, yellowish spell-mixture is accidentally spilled into the pot, everything starts to go wrong! Can Aunt kitty put everything right in time for Christmas Day?

And here is what some kind people have had to say:-

Christmas at Come-alive Cottage is a book of madcap adventures, spells gone crazy, lovable witches, laughs, fun… Highly recommended to anyone looking for children’s books with a lot of fun and without zombies/ the Undead/ farts/ burps.
Gita Reddy – Goodreads reader

…A perfect story for a perfect Christmas day and I hope this review encourages parents to get the book and read it to their children. Debra Jenkins -Goodreads reader.

 

 

 

Christmas at Come-alive Cottage is available in paperback at Amazon

http://getbook.at/christmasat

if you would like a free ecopy in the run up to Christmas please message me.

Any reviews would be most gratefully received!

Many thanks.

Aunt Kitty-cat from the Come-alive Cottage Series

Kellie Culpepper had no idea that Aunt Kitty was a witch until the first time she went to visit her at Come-alive Cottage. When a large cat jumped down from a bookshelf and began to talk, that was when Kellie realised that Aunt Kitty and her house were like no other she had ever visited before.

Aunt Kitty is the kindest, nicest witch in the world but, unfortunately, she is not very good at it. Most of the things inside Come-alive Cottage that come alive, do so because of gone -wrong spells. Aunt Kitty never has the heart to turn them back or even try; she can’t even stop herself being a sometimes-cat and never knowing when you might develop claws and a tail can be quite inconvenient.

Plates, taps, door knockers, bath mats and lamps are just some of the many things that might say hello if you were to visit Come-alive Cottage and, if you do,  watch out for the Grumpy Watering can, he can’t stand water.

 

5 things you may not know about Aunt Kitty

1. She once turned her sister into a dragon – by mistake.
2. When she turns into a cat she likes to sleep on the roof next to the chimney pot.
3. One of her best friends is a wooden ostrich called Lance.
4. Her favourite spell is made up of a greenish, orangish, purplish, brownish, reddish, yellowish potion.
5. Her favourite food is Cauliflower Upside-down cake.

All four Kelllie titles are available on Amazon and I am planning some promotions and giveaways in the run up to Christmas.

These are, short, fun, chapter books for children. If anyone would like to receive a free ecopy of any of these titles, to sample what they are like, please just let me know and I will forward an Amazon gift voucher.

A review, of course, would be massively appreciated 😊

 

Available in Paperback and for Kindle

Kellie at Come-alive Cottage

http://getBook.at/Kellie

Danger at Come-alive Cottage

http://getBook.at/Dangerat

Catastrophe at Come -alive Cottage

http://getBook.at/Catastrophe

Christmas at Come-alive Cottage

http://getBook.at/Christmasat

Introducing Kellie Culpepper

I would like to tell you all about some of the characters in my Come-alive Cottage series and, as she is the heroine of the stories, first up is the adorable Kellie Culpepper.
Kellie is ten years old, she is bright and fun loving and also quite a clever girl. Kellie’s parents are explorers and Kellie was born in Africa in a small village by the banks of the great Okiepokie River

Now she is growing up in England, Kellie sometimes goes to stay with her wonderful Aunts while her mum and dad are off exploring. Aunt Kitty and Aunt Sillime are very unusual Aunts. You’ll get to meet them another day!

5 Things You May Not Know About Kellie Cullpepper.

1. She once pulled a Royal Python out of a tree.
2. Her favourite food is Cherry Jam Tart
3. She has a hat with six Pom-poms on it.
4. Her pet is called Slowly and he is a Giant African Snail.
5. Kellie knows a real, live dragon (and it’s spotty)

All four Kelllie titles are available on Amazon and I am planning some promotions and giveaways in the run up to Christmas.

These are, short, fun, chapter books for children. If anyone would like to receive a free ecopy of any of these titles, to sample what they are like, please just let me know and I will forward an Amazon gift voucher.

A review, of course, would be massively appreciated 😊

Available in Paperback and for Kindle

Kellie at Come-alive Cottage

http://getBook.at/Kellie

Danger at Come-alive Cottage

http://getBook.at/Dangerat

Catastrophe at Come -alive Cottage

http://getBook.at/Catastrophe

Christmas at Come-alive Cottage 

http://getBook.at/Christmasat