Shh Purely Poetry #Arcs #poetry #booksirens @booksirens #reviewers #preorder

My latest poetry collection is available to request via booksirens:

https://booksirens.com/book/BT9LY3L/HLK0JPD

A poem from the collection, The Eagle:

Blurb

A collection of poetic pieces about love, sensuality and relationships with various sections including: love as fuel, (food and coffee love,) the summer and winter of love, lost love/discovering love, forgiveness, strangers in love, quirky aspects and nature as sensuality.Inspired in part by daily prompt poems written for #the365poetrypromptchallenge, observations of places and people on my travels.

Alternatively, I’d be delighted if you’d like to support me by downloading a copy.

Currently on kindle preorder, releases June 2nd, paperback thereafter.

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D12C3329/

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0D12C3329/Amazon Canada:

Amazon Spain:(English Edition) https://amzn.eu/d/biJvDBl

One of the poems in the collection is a collaboration between myself and the lovely originator of the amazing #the365poetrypromptchallenge, Melissa Davillio.

Blooms of Blossoming Mist.

Book Review: Summer Season At Sandy Coves, Book 1, Michelle E. Northwood #bookreview #cosymystery #summer #read @northwood_e

Blurb

Welcome to Sandy Coves Holiday Centre, where nothing is quite what it seems, and almost nobody can be trusted.
When Julia takes a job as a waitress to forget her cheating ex-boyfriend and cure her broken heart, she soon discovers she’s jumped from the frying pan into the fire.

Juan, the camp’s Spanish gigolo, is determined to entice her into his bachelor lair, but Francis, the shy sous chef, is resolute Julia will be his.

Worst of all, a thief is stealing from the kitchen, and Julia becomes linked to the crime.

The poor waitress can’t even find solace in her lodgings. She shares with Heaven, the potty chalet maid; a true ‘peace and light’ hippy who dabbles in white witchcraft. Julia soon finds herself dancing under the full moon and joining Heaven’s low-key coven. (The other members call them ‘girly nights’, where candles, wine, nibbles and forming strong friendships are the main priorities.)

Can Julia clear her name by teaming up with Francis to find the thief? Or will she lose her job?

This comical cosy mystery series isn’t just focused on the crimes. We learn about the characters, their lives, their hopes and dreams, failures and disappointments. Is everyone hiding a dark secret, while they plaster on a smile so the holidaymakers will have an unforgettable vacation?

Come to Sandy Coves Holiday Centre and see for yourself.

Review

Undoubtedly Michelle E. Northwood is a talented and interesting author who can turn her hand to any genre.

Michelle E. Northwood’s latest offering is Summer Season at Sandy Coves book 1.

This is book 1 in a lighthearted, fun story, a study of the vagaries of people in the working environment of a holiday camp. There’s never a dull moment from affairs between staff and holidaymakers, a serial philanderer, a thief, a peeping tom like character, lazy, immature, twin girls, and confusing relationship miscommunications. The characters are well drawn and entertaining. I really couldn’t stand Juan, who everyone seems to fall in lust with! And Julia’s room mate Heaven is a funny subsidiary character with her hippy tendencies and coven.

Julia’s back and forwarding was at times a little frustrating… I wanted to shake her shoulders and convince her to pick the right guy. But that is the charm of the story and life is a little like that. We often are unsure… and are prone to making bad choices.

What Julia decides and what happens… plus revelations, well, read the book to find out! It will have you giggling goggle eyed, I promise!

My recommendation – a comical cosy mystery summer read, or for anytime when you need an engaging fun story to lift your mood.

My rating 5 stars

About the author

Michele has a First Class Honours Degree in Modern languages, (English and Spanish) and also studied for a Master’s in Highschool Education. She currently lives in Spain, where she runs an English Teaching Academy. Michele shares her home with her Spanish husband, her dog, two cats and two terrapins. (Yes, she’s slowly building an ark!)

In her past life …. (okay, when she was a young woman,) she worked as a professional dancer, magician and fire-eater who toured the world for over twenty years in theatre, musicals and circus. During that time, she was in the Guinness Book of Records for being part of the world´s largest Human mobile, and worked as a contortionist with the Circus of Horrors as their first “Girl inside a bottle”. She has rubbed shoulders with Sting, Chris de Burg, David Copperfield, Claudia Schiffer and Maurice Gibb from the Bee Gees. She has also worked as a knife throwers assistant, assisted a midget in his balancing act, and took part in the finale of a Scorpions concert.

The author’s debut novel, ‘Fishnets in the Far East: A Dancer’s Diary in Korea’ has won two literary competitions. The sequel: “Fishnets and Fire-eating” has just been released, and the third book in the Fishnet series is due out soon.

Michele is concerned about climate change, the abundance of plastic pollution, and hates the way man-unkind treats the other species that inhabit this beautiful planet we are slowly destroying. Michele loves living in the countryside with views of the sea and likes nothing better than to sit on the terrace at the end of the day, look up at the stars and contemplate.

If you would like to contact Michele, she can be found at:

Twitter: @northwood_e

Facebook: Michele E. Northwood Author

And if you would like to be informed of future releases, giveaways, competitions and free books send her an email to antologiadeaguilas@gmail.com

New Audiobook Release: Golden Healer #audiobook #ya #fantasy #nextchapterpub @nextchapterpb

To listen free for 30 days (with trial,) follow these links:

https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Golden-Healer-Audiobook/B0BX7CPNQC

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0BX7DWK37/

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0BX7CHZK9/

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B0BX7CKGF2/

Reviews:

Christy Birmingham

Amelina Seems Like a Normal Teen, But She Has Magical Gifts!

Reviewed in Canada on February 6, 2023

Amelina Scott is the main character in Golden Healer. She seems like a normal teenager in many ways, living at home with her parents, dog, and cat. But she is quite extraordinary with special powers, thanks to the magical gifts she has received from Leanne. The crystals can do many things, each with its own abilities to help in some way.

The problem comes when Amelina discovers that her Bloodstone crystal is missing. Or was it stolen? She was entrusted with it, and now it might have fallen into the hands of someone evil (or something evil). And so starts this fascinating book!

Golden Healer has deeper messages within the fantasy elements. How author MJ Mallon handles the bullying issue, which is all too common with teenagers, might be enlightening for some young adults reading the book.

Other issues include anorexia and self-harm. Esme, a character who is caught in a mirror, has a butterfly project that offers a message of hope to those who self-harm. I didn’t realize the butterfly project is a real thing until I read Golden Healer.

The book has understanding notes, is never judgemental, and the author even includes links to resources for help. Yes, there is a trigger warning included in this book. That’s good so that you know heading into it what to expect. This book, which I was gifted, is the second installment in The Curse Of Time series, but you can read it as a standalone novel.

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/review/B09R2K4J2F/

Review D. L. Finn


“Golden Healer”  picks up where the first book left off with Amelina maneuvering through her teen years while embracing her magic as a Krystallos. Some of my favorite parts were the interaction with the girl in the mirror and Amelina and her dad. Not only did the plot take the reader on a rollercoaster, but there was also an actual one in the story. Many good characters all played into finding out more about the darker side, or shadows. Ryder is a character who could have an empathic side if he allowed it, but I did like how he developed in the story. Crystals and music added depth to Amelina’s learning quest. Her friendships are still strong and are tested with Ryder involved. There are some beautiful poetic parts, and I love the poetry at the beginning of each chapter. Although this book answers many questions, it also opened the door to new ones. I look forward to more stories from these characters.


https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4509340338

Review Richard Dee

A fantastic continuation of the series

This novel carries on from where the first left off, straight into Amelina’s world of crystals and magic.
It was good to catch up with the familiar faces, Amelina’s parents, her cat, Esme, Ryder and all the others. As you might have expected, her life is still just as complicated and exciting as before. But now she has a new purpose.
There’s plenty of angst to deal with, as Amelina juggles being a teen with her new-found destiny as a Krystallos. Her relationships will be tested, people will not be what they appear.
Through it all, she sticks to her purpose. Emotions abound, expertly described and dealt with as Amelina’s fortunes wax and wane.
The mystical symbolism and magic in the story are brilliantly depicted.
Not only that, each chapter has a short poem to introduce it, giving clues and guidance as the plot develops.
A rollercoaster ensues, in more ways than one. I hope that a third part of this fascinating tale is on the horizon.
Highly recommended.


https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/review/B09R1MTQPY/R2RVTJSDEDWXBE?ref=pf_vv_at_pdctrvw_srp

Review: Robbie Cheadle

Amazing fantasy creatures and gorgeous depictions wrapped up in an unusual storyline

Reviewed in the United States on July 16, 2022

Golden Healer is the second book in The Curse of Time series and continues this unique fantasy story with its unusual and intriguing storyline. Book one ended with a happy environment after Amelina’s father was finally restored to his family at the correct age and Esme disappeared from the mirror, presumably to a better place. Book two starts with small but obvious indications that all is not as it seems and the issues involving both Amelina’s father and Esme are not adequately resolved.

The beginning is a bit slower moving as the author skillfully unwinds the reader’s beliefs that all is well and hammers cracks into the happy environment. The stage is set beautifully with fascinating and intricate scenes and dreams spun like a spiderweb from the author’s pen. Amelina’s first dream travel in this book has catastrophic results as while she is away from her body her bloodstone is stolen and this accelerates the cracks in her home environment.

This book is not an easy read and you have to concentrate as you read in the same way you would while reading a classic novel. It is worth the effort as the descriptions and concepts are outstanding and beautifully depicted.

There are a few stand out scenes for me in this book, as follows: the grasshopper in the meadow, the clowns in the café, and Aunt Karissa’s chocolates. For me, these were unbelievably imaginative and full of mystery.

Aunt Karissa features plays a small role in this book, introducing some welcome lightness and humour as Ryder’s darkness and power continue to grow. The reader learns a bit more about Ryder and his origins and homeland.

Another memorable feature of this book is that each chapter or puzzle piece starts with a tanka poem that hints at what is to follow in the chapter. The author is also an excellent poet and the poems were a lovely addition.

A few memorable quotes from this book:

“The grasshopper monster propelled time forward in a steady, slow, rocking motion, as if he was devouring our lives in seconds, minutes and hours as we gazed upon him.”

“Hello my beautiful reflection. You came! You always come when I need you the most. I have been so anxious listening to the troubles of this family which has become my family. What have you been doing? I see sweet flowers covering the red cuts on your left wrist.”

“”She opened the wrapper with trembling fingers. Inside, there was a small, round milk chocolate. It grew in her palm. the chocolate split into two halves, one half dark, and the other half white. In the centre, a dividing line moved form side to side as if whipping up the chocolate angrily.”

In conclusion, I would like to add that when I was a girl of 10 years old, I discovered the books written by Eva Ibottson. Every book of hers I read was a complete delight to me with its amazing fantasy creatures and gorgeous depictions of the lives of hags in dribbles and wizards in towers surrounded by mist. Throughout my adult life, I have search for an adult author who can invoke the same magical worlds and belief in magical creatures that I discovered in Miss Ibottson’s stories, and in this series by M.J. Mallon, I do believe I finally found an adult equivalent.

Review: N N Light

https://wp.me/p2Eu3u-ila @NNP_W_Light

The author is a magician with words. She crafts scenes of sublime fantasy that are clear and easily pictured in the mind of the reader. The gift of description is also present. The scenes are very easy to understand, and the reader is swept into the story.


There is a real ‘arryesque feel to these stories. If you were a fan of the original wizard and his gang then you will be drawn to Amelina and her crew. Ryder is the ultimate character. The author was so able to capture the inner feelings of this character. It wasn’t more than a few pages when I loathed the existence of that waste of air.


Fans of the first book will simply love this book. This book carries on the craftily created story and takes it along an energetic ride to the end. Fans of this series will simply not be able to wait until they get their hands on the much-anticipated third book.


Her Rating: 5 stars

Books That Changed Me—Fall Edition 2022! @RituBhathal @Marjorie_Mallon @Dwallacepeach @MaeClair1 @stacitroilo #writingcommunity #topreads #readersoftwitter #whattoread #mustreads #booksthatchangedme #fallreading – Author D.L. Finn

Thank you so much to author Denise Finn for including my latest release The Hedge Witch and The Musical Poet amongst this blog post about great Fall Reads, including talented authors Ritu Bhathal, D Wallace Peach and Mae Clair and Staci Troilo. Delighted.

Source: Books That Changed Me—Fall Edition 2022! @RituBhathal @Marjorie_Mallon @Dwallacepeach @MaeClair1 @stacitroilo #writingcommunity #topreads #readersoftwitter #whattoread #mustreads #booksthatchangedme #fallreading – Author D.L. Finn

Book Review: Amanda In France by Darlene Foster #netgalley #arc #review @supermegawoman

Synopsis

Amanda explores the exciting streets of Paris, the fabulous Palace of Versailles and the gardens of the painter Claude Monet, while being drawn into the mystery surrounding the destructive fire of Notre Dame cathedral.

Amanda is in love! With Paris – the city of love. She’s in awe of the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre, and Notre Dame Cathedral. While there, she gets to work as a volunteer and stay in a famous book store, along with her bestie, Leah, and Leah’s eccentric Aunt Jenny. A dream come true for a book lover like Amanda.

Except, while she’s at the Paris Opera House there is a bomb threat. Then the lights go out during their visit to the Louvre. Worst of all, a devastating fire blazes in Notre Dame. Why does a mysterious man, who claims to be a busker, writer and artist, show up every time something bad happens?

Join Amanda as she explores the exciting streets of Paris, the fabulous Palace of Versailles and the gardens of the painter Claude Monet, all the time looking for clues as to who would want to destroy such a beautiful, historic cathedral.

Join Amanda as she explores the exciting streets and sites around Paris, all the while looking for clues as to who would want to destroy such a beautiful, historic place.

Be sure to read all the books in this exciting Amanda Travels series!
1. Amanda in Arabia: The Perfume Flask
2. Amanda in Spain: The Girl in the Painting
3. Amanda in England: The Missing Novel
4. Amanda in Alberta: The Writing on the Stone
5. Amanda on the Danube: The Sounds of Music
6. Amanda in New Mexico: Ghosts in the Wind
7. Amanda in Holland: Missing in Action
8. Amanda in Malta: The Sleeping Lady
8. Amanda in France: Fire in the Cathedral 

My Review

Amanda in France: Fire in the Cathedral by Darlene Foster

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This series of books set in different countries is a fun and clever way to introduce youngsters to different cultures.

Darlene Foster’s entertaining style draws the reader in and keeps their attention throughout. In this latest adventure, Amanda in France, we are treated to the wonders of Paris with mention of many famous places.

Amanda and her friend Leah are staying at Shakespeare and Company Bookstore whilst doing volunteer work there, accompanied by Amanda’s aunt. Jenny. The two girls are treated to wonderful sights such as Sacre Coeur, the Eiffel Tower, Versailles, The Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre, Monet’s Garden and unexpected panic at the Opera House! There is a topical focus on the destructive fire at Notre-Dame with Amanda, Jenny, Leah, and Philippe becoming part of the human chain to help.

Amanda becomes embroiled in a mystery… who’s behind the fire at Notre-Dame? And who are this gang of youngsters ? And what part do Jerome and Philippe have to play in this mystery?

Great fun for kids and adults too. It whisked me away to Paris for a short while and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

A fun, easy and enjoyable read, with educational elements. I particularly enjoyed the ending with the advice about terrorism, and bombs. That was a nice touch and wraps up nicely from the earlier discussions in the book about terrorism and the French Revolution. .

Many thanks to Central Avenue Publishing, the author Darlene Foster and NetGalley for this title. All opinions are my own.

My rating 5 stars.



View all my reviews

About Darlene Foster

Growing up on a ranch near Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada, Darlene Foster dreamt of writing, traveling the world, and meeting interesting people. She also believed in making her dreams come true. It’s no surprise she’s now the award-winning author of Amanda Travels, a children’s adventure series featuring a spunky twelve-year-old who loves to travel to unique places. Readers of all ages enjoy following Amanda as she unravels one mystery after another. When not traveling herself, Darlene divides her time between the west coast of Canada and the Costa Blanca, Spain with her husband and entertaining rescue dogs, Dot and Lia. www.darlenefoster.ca

Please support my review efforts by following my bookstagram:

https://www.instagram.com/mjmallonauthor/

All my links are available via: https://linktr.ee/mjmallonauthor

100 Ways to Write A Book @AlexBPearl #writingcommunity #release #book #writingskills

I’m pleased to be able to tell you that Alex Pearl’s ‘100 ways to Write a Book’, in which my piece is featured (along with 105 others) has now just gone live as a paperback on Amazon.

Alex Pearl will be publishing it in other formats so keep an eye out for that.

All author proceeds are being donated to PEN International.

Synopsis

These author interviews initiated by Alex Pearl during the Covid epidemic started as a small lockdown project. But before long, Alex’s requests for author interviews on social media elicited an overwhelming response, and the project soon took on on a life of its own.

Within these pages, authors from a wide spectrum of backgrounds wax lyrical about their backgrounds, motivations, and working methods. Among this throng, self-published newbies rub shoulders with award-winning bestsellers from all corners of the globe, including the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, Germany, New Zealand, Israel and Sri Lanka.

They provide a fascinating insight into this mysterious process of creating imagined worlds on the page.

Huge thanks go to the 100 authors who very kindly gave their time to participate in this project, as well as their consent for their words to be reproduced here in print. They are in no particular order:

Paul Waters, Jessica Norrie, David F. Ross, Drema Drudge, Chris Chalmers, Mark Farrer, Sue Clark, Hannah Tovey, Belinda Hunt, Glynn Holloway, Mark Eklid, Julian Dutton, Christopher Bowden, Alan Gibbons, Lily Mackenzie,
Ian Critchley, Jadi Campbell, Tom Atkins, Jane Risdon, Charles Harris, L. C. Tyler, Fran Hill, Malcolm Knott, Nikki Dudley, Jacqui Castle, Ron Impey, C. J. Booth, Ashok Ferrey, Jennifer Irwin, Beth Duke, Vicki Olsen, Pete Langman, Pauline Morgan, Jonathan Peace, Sandy Manning, Shelley Wilson, P. J. Roscoe,
Anthony Neil Smith, A. A. Chaudhuri, Jon Richter, Carolyn Hughes, Trish Moran, Madeline Dewhurst, Jeff Pollak, Louise Fein, A. B. Kyazze, Jack Byrne, M. A. Hunter, Tessa Harris, M. J. Mallon, P. R. Black, Nina Soden, Bill Arnott, E. Chris Ambrose, Paul Kane, Sam Blake, Douglas Skelton, Louise Mumford, Philip Henry, Hazel Prior, Lauren Emily Whalen, Laura E. Goodin, Simon Van der Velde, Dr. Manuel Matas, Jane Bettany, Regina Puckett, S. G. M.Ashcroft, Michele Kwasniewski, Judy Stanigar, Robert Craven, John Darling, Pramudith D. Rupasinghe, Richard Dee, Sophy Layzell, Lorna Dounaeva, Diana Stevan, Bradley Harper, Paul Gitsham, Sion Scott-Wilson, John Dean, Liz Martinson, C. J.Carver, Tony J. Forder, Sharron L. Miller, Patrick Osborne, Peter Turnham,
Jude Lennon, Anna Holmes, Chris Calder, Jane Buckley, Rachel Brimble, Gail Aldwin, Anne Coates, Ian Riddle, Christina Hamlett, James Morgan-Jones, Alison Huntingford, Gila Green, Helen Pryke, Emilya Naymark, Marcia Clayton, James L’Etoile, Edward Trayer, Mark Leichliter, Lindsay J. Sedgwick, David Liscio, Kate Reynolds

Buying Links:

AMAZON.CO.UK

AMAZON.COM

If you could share and get the word out. Many thanks…

IT’S MONDAY! WHAT ARE YOU READING? (March 8, 2021) – Carla Loves To Read @CarlaLoveToRead

A lovely blog post from Carla Loves To Read. Source: IT’S MONDAY! WHAT ARE YOU READING? (March 8, 2021) – Carla Loves To Read

It’s the start of another week. It’s Monday! What are you Reading is hosted by Kathryn from Book Date, this is a weekly event to share what we’ve read in the past week and what we hope to read, plus whatever else comes to mind.  I have several books on the go, and some others I hope to get to, so here goes.

To read more… What Are you Reading… click on the It’s Monday source link above.

Many thanks to Carla for including This Is Lockdown amongst this great celebration of reading!

Author Feature: Sheila Skillman: Paranormal Warwickshire #new #release #review


PARANORMAL WARWICKSHIRE


Thank you very much, Marje, for offering me this space on your blog to introduce my book Paranormal Warwickshire to your readers.

It is my pleasure Sheila.


Warwickshire is a county steeped in the supernatural, as befits the county of Shakespeare and the many ghosts and spirits that he conjured up in his works.


The towns and villages of Warwickshire, its castles, houses, churches, theatres, inns and many other places both grand and everyday have rich and complex stories to tell of paranormal presences.


In this book I investigate stories at places such as Guy’s Cliffe, the Saxon Mill, Warwick Castle and St Mary’s Church, Warwick; Kenilworth Castle and Stoneleigh Abbey; Nash’s House and the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon, as well as in the towns of Rugby, Nuneaton and Leamington Spa.


I explore the spiritual resonance of each location, recounting the tales of paranormal activity associated with it and examining the reasons for this within the history of the place.


What inspired me to write about this subject?
I’ve lived in Warwickshire for twenty-four years, at the time of writing. Though born in south-east England, I have, since coming here, grown to love and feel a deep connection with some of this county’s most iconic locations: castles, houses, abbeys and churches; and also some of its less familiar ones.


I began by frequently visiting these places, and then I wrote blog posts about them in my occasional series Places of Inspiration. Ultimately I was to draw those posts together into a book.

As a writer of psychological, paranormal and mystery fiction, I’m very interested in strong atmospheres in old houses. There’s a vast difference between a house which leaves you cold, and a house with a rich atmosphere. That seemed to lead me on naturally to paranormal events, though I’ll admit that I didn’t focus upon them until history publisher Amberley had expressed interest in my proposal and said they wanted it to fit into their paranormal series.


Amongst the places I write about, we may find Guy’s Cliffe House in Warwick, an atmospheric ruined gothic mansion near my home. As I say in my book,


Many stories linger within these ruins. As you wander around you may wish to climb the gaping staircases, or stand on one of the stone balconies and gaze at the view cross the river and over the surrounding fields; or imagine you see a shadowy figure flit past an empty window-frame.


In this, and so many other historical sites, I feel a distinct spiritual resonance; and that is why I’m drawn back to them again and again.

When I began to put my book together, it occurred to me that since this is Shakespeare’s county, and several of the locations have close personal connections with the Bard, it would be a good idea to base the book around the theme of Shakespeare’s ghosts and spirits. I hope you agree that the words of Shakespeare with which I have chosen to open every chapter in this book, capture the very essence of what these special places signify to us today.


One of my favourite quotes is this, from the mouth of Prospero the magician, in The Tempest:


These our actors,
As I foretold you, were all spirits, and
Are melted into air, into this air.
And like this insubstantial pageant faded,
Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff
As dreams are made on; and our little life
Is rounded with a sleep.


I love Prospero’s relationship with his servant, Ariel, whom he addresses as my tricksy spirit. Ariel obeys his master’s every command, until such time as the magician chooses to set him free to the elements.

And how I love Puck, that shrewd and knavish sprite who does Oberon’s bidding in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. One of my favourite speeches is the one he chooses to end the play with:


If we shadows have offended,
think but this and all is mended,
that you have but slumbered here
whilst these visions did appear…


No-one can be quite sure whether Shakespeare believed in ghosts and spirits, or used them purely as dramatic devices. One thing’s for sure; they make frequent appearances in his plays. It’s known that he himself played the spirit of Hamlet’s father, many times, and it was the top of his performance as an actor, according to his first biographer.


I’ve heard opposite points of view on Shakespeare’s own beliefs from an Oxford professor and from a Shakespearean actor leading the Stratford-upon-Avon town ghost tour. But Shakespeare’s ghosts and spirts certainly inspired me as I was writing my book!

To us now, entering these places as curious visitors separated from their living inhabitants sometimes by centuries, those long-gone people have all melted into air and are insubstantial, but have left an imprint of their lives in the very fabric of the buildings.


Paranormal Warwickshire will be published on 15 th November 2020 hope you will enjoy reading the stories as much as I enjoyed researching them!


Buy Links


https://www.amberley-books.com/coming-soon/paranormal-warwickshire.html
http://www.warwickbooks.net/preorder
https://www.waterstones.com/book/paranormal-warwickshire/s-c-skillman/9781445698267

It has been a pleasure hosting you on my blog Sheila. I have always been fascinated by the paranormal and this collection is one to treasure. Thank you so much with entrusting me with an advanced readers copy to review.

Review:

Paranormal Warwickshire by S.C. Skillman

My rating: 5 of 5 stars – Goodreads.


I have always been fascinated by the paranormal and have had a far few ghostly and strange experiences myself, so this book by S. C. Skillman caught and kept my attention throughout.

It’s a well-researched, detailed and beautifully photographed book. Some of the images within are by S.C. Skillman herself.

If you like tales of haunted castles, churches, theatres, hotels, manor houses and many more locations beside, (a ghost can hang out anywhere they feel drawn to,) this is for you!

The collection begins in Warwick and moves on to various locations in Warwickshire: Kenilworth, Stratford-upon-Avon, Lapworth, Alcester, Rugby, Nuneaton (Birthplace of George Eliot,) and Leamington Spa.

Some of my favourite tales within included ghostly tales from theatres: in Stratford-upon-Avon, Royal Shakespeare Theatre. The ‘grey lady’ ‘is thought by by many to be the spirit of Elisabeth Scott, and is one of the theatre’s most well-known ghosts.’ ‘She appears so real she is often mistaken for a lost theatregoer.’ ‘It seems that many who have loved this theatre in their lifetimes cannot turn away from this magical and evocative place.’

And in Rugby Theatre: ‘One of the stories told here is of a woman seen floating down the stairs. It is thought she was an usherette in former times…’

It’s an interesting collection and one that will encourage you to explore the paranormal. After reading, you will want to visit these locations first hand to see if you experience the haunting visitations described within. Who knows, you might even want to become a paranormal investigator!

View all my reviews

Author Bio

Sheila lives in Warwickshire, and writes psychological, paranormal and mystery fiction and non-fiction. She is a member of the Society of Authors and the Association of Christian Writers.

She began her publishing journey with a duology of novels Mystical Circles and A Passionate Spirit. This was followed by a non-fiction book Perilous Path: a writer’s journey. Sheila is currently working on the second novel in a new gothic fiction series.

She posts twice weekly on her blog at http://www.scskillman.com and she also gives author talks to local groups.

Sheila was born and brought up in Orpington, Kent, and studied English Literature at Lancaster University. Her first permanent job was as a production secretary with the BBC. Later she lived for nearly five years in Australia before returning to the UK.

She has now settled in Warwick with her husband and son, and her daughter is studying at university in Australia.

Social Media Links:
Website and blog: https://scskillman.com/
Amazon Author Profile: http://bitly.ws/9SK9
https://www.facebook.com/scskillmanauthor
https://twitter.com/scskillman
https://www.instagram.com/scskillman/
https://www.pinterest.co.uk/scskillman/_created/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sc-skillman-42347a47/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4692653.S_C_Skillman

Some news: My Blog Now Has A Mailing List!! Wannabe Subscribers!!!

I’ve finally taken the plunge after six years… yes it has taken me this long to add a subscribers email pop up. You can also subscribe by clicking on the image above, (that will take you to a landing page to subscribe.)

Newsletters:

04/12/2022 Newsletter Dec 2022 – New Poetry Book and Cover Competition for Golden Healer

29/09/2022 Newsletter May 2022 – Come Join My Team

27/01/2022 Newsletter – Launch of YA Paranormal Fantasy Golden Healer 

09/25/2021 – November Blog Tour, plus Reviews and Community News

08/22/2021 – Incredible 5 star reviews for Bloodstone, votes and MJ’s own reviews.

 07/23/2021 – An Invitation To Join My ARC Team  –  Book Sirens

05/06/2021 – Thrilled To Announce I Have A Publishing Contract!!!

03/02/2021 – FREE FOR SUBSCRIBERS NEW RELEASE!!!

 02/27/2021 – Welcome – New Release: Lockdown Innit Poetry

02/23/2021 – FREE FOR SUBSCRIBERS NEW RELEASE!!! 

01/22/2021 – January Newsletter: 5 star reviews of Mr. Sagittarius  and a free kindle offer today 22 January on Amazon

12/13/2020 – Happy Holidays! December Newsletter Kindle and Paperback Sales and much more! 

10/26/2020 – Halloween News, reviews and authors features

09/20/2020 – Want to Be Spellbound? Do You Dare?

08/12/2020 – Bookish News, and Photography Tips

 07/16/2020 – Blog Tour and Release of This Is Lockdown

06/30/2020 – First Official Newsletter – Book Alert & Free Book! 

Why?

I had a feeling it would be tricky to do and I was right.

In fact, it is probably the worst blogging job I’ve ever had to do… EEK…

But, the good old happiness engineers helped me. So, I hope it works…

I’d love it if you would test the subscribe to my blog via the pop up! Yes, there is a pop up on my blog which you can add your email address to. I promise not to spam you with lots of unnecessary emails. Just the odd hello, some freebies and news from time-to-time.

Thank you in hopeful anticipation.

I’ve created these three social media thingy me jigys via Canva

Charli Mills Flash Fiction Challenge

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February 20, 2020, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about a library cat named Rainbow who escapes. Use this situation to write what happens next. Where does this situation take place, and who else might be involved? Go where the prompt leads!

https://carrotranch.com/2020/02/21/february-20-flash-fiction-challenge/

Rainbow’s Heaven

While cats hide, rainbows emblazon the sky with short-lived brilliance!

Rainbow the cat crept into the library one rainy day and never left. A confirmed cat bachelor his colourful tail had never been turned before. Not once! Until… a beautiful white cat stuck her pretty nose into his favourite book. She turned the pages with her cute paws. His imagination went wild. Rainbow imagined her to be the softest, fluffiest, most angelic being he’d ever seen. He didn’t hesitate; he followed her out the door. Purring, he realised that heaven’s shelves overflowed with rainbow books!

 

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My new release: Mr Sagittarius Poetry and Prose

Kindle Buying Link: http://mybook.to/MrSagittarius

Paperback will be available soon.

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YA Fantasy:

The Curse of Time Book 1 Bloodstone

http://mybook.to/TheCurseofTime