Hello again

It seems that I have lost my account with Blogger.com. Therefore, I am back here after a long absence.

Anyway, just get started, I would like to mention that my novel, Murder on Tyneside is free to download for a few days. This is the first book in the Agnes Lockwood Mysteries, so if you haven’t yet read any of the series, then now would be a good time to start. You might even like to download Death on Tyneside (book 2) and get two books for the price of one – everyone loves a bargain.

Also, both Murder on Tyneside and Death on Tyneside are now available in audio versions. At the moment I have some free codes- if anyone is interested, then please get in touch via Facebook or Twitter messenger or, you could leave a message below.. You will need to tell me whether you are in the UK or US.

I am going to leave it there for the moment, as I am still trying to work this site out.

Have a great weekend

Cheers

Murder on Tyneside

 

Newcastle-upon-Tyne

Well, my husband and I took a trip to Newcastle-on-Tyne! You might recall that I mentioned it in my last post.

We stayed at the Premier Inn near the Millennium Bridge on the quayside. The trip was a great success. We both enjoyed it immensely. The weather was perfect, especially for the time of the year. We were able to walk along the quayside (when I say walk, I was walking, Phil was on his mobile scooter) and then sit outside The Pitcher & Piano without coats, sipping wine, while watching the people pass to and fro.

On the first day, we spent some time in the city visiting the shops and walking around past Grey’s Monument and other various landmarks.

The only thing I will say, and this is a big thing as far as I am concerned – bearing in mind that both Phil and I are from Tyneside and used to know the place inside out – the city is no longer car friendly! We had worked out how to get to the Premier Inn before we set off. However, we found the road we wanted to use was closed! As was another we tried! We did make it in the end, but decided there and then that we would use taxis to and from our trip to the centre of the city.

The taxi drivers were very friendly and exceedingly helpful. When we told them of our problem finding the motel, they agreed the routes were difficult to navigate. One went as far as to say that there were times when the routes changed overnight! One way streets were springing up all over the place,

On the morning of our departure, we worked out a route using Google Maps, only to find we had missed our turning and were forced to follow the flow over the Tyne Bridge and through Gateshead. We ended up at the Team Valley Trading Estate! Many reading this won’t know the area at all, so I will just say that we were travelling south when we needed to go north!

Anyway, we managed to get back home in one piece – no thanks to the other drivers, who seemed to want to travel at break neck speed and didn’t give a hoot for anyone who was struggling with the idiotic chaos of the route! Nevertheless, as I said earlier, we really did have a wonderful break!

So what’s next? Well, for a start, I will have to get back to working on my new novel and then there is the ironing to do. But not today! Today, I am popping around to a friend’s house for a drink and a natter.

So with that wonderful thought in your minds I will close now and wait for Sainsburys to deliver my shopping before I go out!

Have a great day!

Cheers!

A New Beginning!

Well I have made up my mind – after a gentle prod from a friend! I am going to put the novel I was working on into a drawer and start something new.

It was obvious that I wasn’t getting anywhere with the sequel to Divorcees.Biz, so I have changed direction. Not before time! Why on earth didn’t I do that some time ago? I could see my novel was going anywhere fast or even slowly, come to that so I should have done this a year ago.

Anyway, I will keep you informed as to how this new idea pans out. I am giving it the working title of A New Beginning because, in a way, that is really what it is. I might even keep the title, as the ideas I have floating around in my head are about someone starting life afresh. But that is all I am going to say about it at the moment, as it might not work out – but I am determined to give it my best shot!

Apart from that, things are very quiet in my life. But that is how things are just now, though tomorrow night I am going to a ‘Race Night’ at our local club. What I know about horses and racing wouldn’t fill a paragraph, so I the other ‘punters’ have nothing to worry about. However, I just feel it will be a fun evening with friends.

At some point I am going to Newcastle for a few days. Now that will be fun! I love the city. Probably because was brought up on Tyneside. You are probably wondering why I am not living there now, as I like it so much, but that is another story!

Changing the subject entirely, I would just like to say I have read two excellent books lately. You will find my reviews on Amazon.

On that note I will close now, but don’t forget to check out the two books I mentioned details below.

Have a great day wherever you are

Cheers!!

Captured Lies by Maggie Thom                                          Bravura by Lisa Kirasian

Stuck in a Rut

I am stuck in a rut at the moment. I say at the moment, but quite honestly this has been going on for months.

I started writing a new novel about a year ago, but I can’t seem to get on with it. I have absolutely no idea where it is going. To tell you the truth, I am not really sure where it is coming from… I can’t even say what it is about, because I am still trying to work that out myself. Oh I had such plans for this novel. It was going to carry on with the same characters as Divorcees.Biz They were going to open a completely new agency, but that is about as far as I got.

While I was writing Divorcees.Biz the four ladies seemed to take over. The words simply flew out from my fingertips onto the computer. It was almost as though the ladies carried on planning and working even when I had shut down for the night. This time, they are totally silent! They have let me down with a thump.

For some reason all my get-up-and-go has disappeared without trace. My imagination has switched itself off and refuses to turn back on again. What is the matter with me? I need someone to give me a poke, but not too hard 🙂   If anyone has any inspirational words for me, I would be delighted to hear from you

For those of you who don’t know, my novel Only Twelve Days was published last year. It’s a rather delightful love story set in the 1970’s before computers and mobile phones had taken over the world. It tells of two shy, lonely people who meet quite by chance and fall in love. But there are several obstacles on their path to happiness.

The Trojan Project is still going strong. It was republished last year by Creativia Publishing and has a gorgeous cover, designed by Dawne Dominique.

This novel is an action/thriller designed to keep you on the edge of your seat.

Perhaps you might like to check it out sometime.

Anyway, I think that is all for the moment.

Have a great day wherever you are!

Cheers!!

Catch Up – Well, sort of…

Before I write anything else, can I just mention that both my novels, The Trojan Project an action packed thriller and Divorcees.Biz are at a very low price on Kindle at Amazon at the moment. And I really mean low!  I’m not sure how long the offer will last, so if you are looking for a novel which will either keep you on the edge of your seat or one that will make you smile, then make your choice and download a copy right now.

 

I am sometimes asked why I decided to write the two novels in completely different genres. Most writers stick to one genre.  Well the answer to that is, I really don’t know. The best I can come up with was that when I decided to write The Trojan Project, I wanted to write something that would grab everyone’s attention. Something that would make the reader gasp and keep them glued to the edge of their seat.  I say glued to the edge of their seat here as I didn’t want anyone falling off their chair and needing medical attention.

 

However, when I came to writing the second novel, I felt I wanted to write something completely different. Something light-hearted, something which would make the reader feel good and relax and even make them smile. I must add here that I thoroughly enjoyed writing about the four women in Divorcees.Biz. Especially Sadie, the scatty one. She is a bit like me – grown up but not yet really got to grips with it. But then aren’t we all a little bit like that deep down?

 

Okay, so I have given my novels a little bit more than a mention. But you will understand that these two books took me some time to write and now, looking back, they are a real part of my life. They are me.

 

Sooo… moving on, you will be delighted to know that my friend and I managed to get to Newcastle last Monday. I can’t remember the last time we were there as my husband has been so poorly. I have really missed our visits to that wonderful city.  The only trouble was that because we hadn’t been there for so long, the time passed too quickly. Going on the bus from Jedburgh saves a a great deal of hassle with traffic and parking and everything else that spoils a trip anywhere. But it does mean that you have to watch the clock. There is only one bus per day and if you miss it, then you are stuck there until the next day.  Nevertheless, it is good fun day out and we did make time for our liquid lunch in the M&S Deli Bar Gosh it wouldn’t be the same without stopping off in the M&S Deli Bar. The staff there are so friendly and it is wonderful sitting there on the bar stools, sipping a glass of wine and watching the world go by.

 

Apart from my trip to Newcastle, my husband had three medical appointments last week, so that meant we couldn’t really plan to do anything else on those three days. Isn’t it amazing, some weeks we have nothing going on, no appointments etc., and then along comes a week when we can’t do anything else but visit the hospital, doctor’s surgery or clinic.

 

This morning was coffee morning at our social club. My husband gave it a miss, but I decided to go and catch up with all the local news. However, there wasn’t much news going around this week. But the club did have three events to promote running up to Christmas, so we all have something to look forward to.

 

My laptop is giving me trouble. It seems to freeze up when I want to do anything. I have no idea what is wrong with it, but I have given it a verbal warning. Any more messing me around and it will be joining my last laptop in the land of unusable computers – the council recycling dump. I will keep you posted. If it the reprimand works, then I will hire myself out to people whose computers need a good talking to!!

 

I called this post ‘Catch Up’, as I thought I could bring you up to speed on the week’s events. But it seems I don’t really have much to catch up on as I thought I had. Anyway, I think I have rambled on enough

 

But, as always have a good day

 

Cheers!!

Yes, I have some really exciting news I am a Great Aunt. How about that?

Our niece and her husband became the proud parents of a gorgeous baby boy on 20th June. And I do really mean gorgeous. His name is Christopher Ian and he is absolutely beautiful. Phil and I are so happy for them all.

The photo shows all three of them at home shortly after my niece was released from the hospital in Newcastle.

Phil & I only managed to get to see them all last Monday as Phil had so many hospital appointments the week before, but it was worth the wait. The little boy is just wonderful. I even got to hold him, though I have to say I was terrified I might break something.

There is only one teeny weeny little snag… I am not too sure sure about my new title – Great Aunt! Don’t you think that it sounds like someone has leaped from the pages of Great Expectations?

One person put forward the suggestion that I be called Grand Aunt, but truthfully, can you put your hand on your heart and tell me that it sounds any better? So I have decided Christopher shall call me Auntie Eileen or even better, Eileen. At least that sounds like I am his friend and not some crusty old aunt from the world of Dickens.

So now we are looking forward to our next visit. Perhaps I will feel more comfortable at holding him. However, it won’t be this week as are diaries are filled with visits to doctor, hospital and dentist. I have to say that this growing old business is no fun.

I think that is all for today except to add that I hope all is well in your world,

Cheers!!

(c)Photo: by kind permission of Helen Dobson Whitwell

Warm, Sunny Days …. and Worms!

Well the Borders Book Festival is over and everything is packed away until next year. The weather stayed dry and sunny, which is rather nice because one year when I was there the heaven’s opened and it poured with rain all day. 

You will recall I had six copies of Divorcees.Biz on sale in the Festival Bookshop. They were simply on the counter with hundreds of other books. I really didn’t think anyone would buy a copy as all the big named authors were speaking at the event and were all doing book signings.  Nevertheless three copies were sold, so I was really quite delighted about that.

 Tomorrow, with a bit of luck, I am going to Newcastle with my friend. We are going to spend a few hours looking at the shops and then finishing up in the M&S Deli Bar in the food hall. Okay, I know I have told you this before, it is really wonderful chilling out in there with a glass of wine and a light lunch, before we both rush back to the bus stop for the bus home to Kelso.  We can’t miss it, because it is the only one going all the way back up to Jedburgh where we have left the car…..  On the other hand – I have just had a lovely thought here – if we missed the bus we could spend the night in one of the motels on the Quayside and then do the whole thing all over again the next day.  Note to myself – must speak to Helen about that!!

 Meanwhile all else is much the same here in Kelso. Except for the streets, which have been in an uproar for the last few months, and are still in an uproar. Traffic lights, cones and lots of red barriers are all over the place. To tell you the truth I have no idea why it is taking so long. Okay the pavements are being relaid and no doubt they are looking better, but did they really have to have every streetin turmoil at the same time?

 But there must be more going on than new paving slabs being laid. Outside the Town Hall, right in the very heart of this lovely town, there is now a deep trench and, what looks like, new, green, concertina pipes are being laid. Or else there is one enormous green worm down there.

 oh my goodness, now there’s a thought! I don’t know whether any of you have heard about the Lambton Worm, which, as legend has it, lived in a deep hole in Northumberland. The little worm was thrown there by someone who caught it while fishing believing that was the end of it. But unfortunately, the worm grew and grew to enormous proportions and terrorized the local people. So, what if this is the same sort of thing. A worm waiting to take it’s revenge out on the locals… No! Leave it! Best not go down that road…

Well everyone, now that I have frightened the lives out of you, I am going to close and try to pick up the threads of the sequel to Divorcees.Biz.

Don’t forget, Divorcees.Biz can be found on Amazon UK and Amazon.com.  It’s a light-hearted, fun book to read while you are enjoying the sun, sand, sea and……. ice-cream. 🙂 Now what did you think I was going to say??

 

Cheers! 

My Novel

My latest novel, Divorcees.Biz is now available. Well, actually it has been around for the last few months. What I really mean to say is my publisher is allowing a FREE download to Kindle for the next few days. Therefore, if you would like a light-hearted, fun romance to while away the hours in the sunshine, then this is the book for you.  Check it out on Amazon UK and Amazon.com

The story tells of how four, thirty-something, divorced women decide to set up an online dating agency for divorcees. But does everything fall into place… Well you need to read the book to find out.

I say, ‘while away the hours in the sunshine’ but we have had very little sunshine this year. I agree the last week has been wonderful, but it seems to have turned cold again.  I hope that wasn’t the summer and we are now back to winter wear again!!

Okay, you are probably wondering where I have been over the last few months. Well to quite honest, I have no idea why I haven’t been here. I do think about my blog on WordPress, but then it somehow moves itself around to the back of my mind and sits there until it comes around again. But when that happens, I am usually in bed and I really can’t be bothered to leap out of bed to write a blog.

But then, I never leap out of bed anymore. I used to, but that was when I had a regular job and it was imperative that I got there on time. You see, I was the boss of the department and I needed to make a good impression. Well you do, don’t you. Especially when you want to get on in the job.

But these days, I don’t need to impress anyone.  Instead, I tend to wake up and then lie a while to get myself accustomed to the new day.  By then some people would say the day is half over, but what the heck, I enjoy it.

The Borders Book Festival is due to start tomorrow. (Thursday 13th June)The organizers have very kindly agreed to add 6 signed copies of Divorcees.Biz to their shop, so if you know anyone who is going there over the next four days, let them know.

Well I think that is all for the moment.  I hope you enjoy reading this little bit of nonsense and come back for more.

In the meantime, I hope you all have a great day wherever you ar,

Cheers!!

Sunny Days

We went to The Barn at Beal for lunch today. The views from the restaurant across towards Holy Island are stunning and, as the sun was shining, it beautiful. There were quite a few people there. They must have all had the same idea as us.

 Yesterday was lovely and sunny, too. They were holding a cream tea event in our local social club, but we didn’t go to that. Being diabetic, there wouldn’t have been much there he could eat. Okay, I could have gone and eaten for the two of us, but I decided to give it a miss. Instead, I did a few exercises on the Wii and it thanked me by telling me I had the fitness age of thirty. How about that!!  Those who know my real age will know how pleased I was, while those that don’t know me will just have to keep guessing! 

 I have been sent a book to review and I haven’t even started it yet, so I must get down to that today.  I have been putting the finishing touches to a short story, so I might get that posted off to a magazine tomorrow.  I even changed the title of the story during the editing. I wonder whether that will help.

 On Tuesday, someone is coming from BT to check out what we get on Freeview. It seems we can have a new box and pick up even more channels. That is the plan anyway. Whether it comes off or not, is anyone’s guess. Anyway, what I am getting around to saying, is that I will have to have a tidy up before the engineer comes – especially if he has to come into the room I have as an office. That is where the broadband router is or whatever it is they call it. I am not clued up on all these gadgets. I simply turn them on and hope that everything will spring into action. If it doesn’t, then I call my husband to check it out. Anyway, getting back to the engineer, I hope he is wearing blinkers, as my office space is always in a mess. But that is how I like it and I have a magnet on my notice board saying so.

 Well I had better get a start on that book – I hope they don’t want the review in a hurry.

 Have a sunny day wherever you are!

 Cheers!

Ups and Downs!

Must get down to some serious writing today.  I seem to have dabbled at it since I came back from our few days away.  It seems to take me a while to get back into the routine.  One moment I am full of ideas, but when I come to write them down I seem to have lost momentum.

Yesterday I went back on the Wii for the first time since our break. The bad news is that I have put on 2lb while I was away. The good news is that I my Wii fit age is 33, so the 2lb weight gain didn’t seem to matter too much. (It does really, but what the heck can I do about it?)  I’m not sure how they work out this Wii fit age, but while it is working in my favour, I won’t knock it. I will have another go this afternoon and see how I do then.  I also watched a couple of episodes of The West Wing. (You will recall that I am absolutely hooked on that series and watch it over and over again.)

Today, my husband went to the surgery for a blood test or at least that’s what he thought he was going for. It turned out it was for a Blood Pressure test. The one good thing was that he was supposed to there at all, as he had to set his alarm clock early to get there on time 🙂

I sent my romantic novel off to another publisher today. It was the first novel I ever wrote and is still unpublished.  Anyway, I have received an acknowledgement of receipt so fingers are crossed yet again. People must think that I am arthritic, as I always seem to have my fingers crossed about something. But what else can I do? Once I have sent off a manuscript, it is in the lap of the Gods – so to speak.  If it would help to get it accepted, I would swing from lamp-post to lamp-post in our village singing the National Anthem in full voice.  (Watch this space)

 Hope you have a swinging day,

 Cheers!