Debi Alper

Wow, who would have guessed that no take-up would transform into four superb entries that I can’t fit a gnat’s wing between. I’ve read and re-read, and gone out for a walk – and here are my conclusions, before I change my mind:

Sandra – Catalyst

A gritty, rich voice taking us through a concise, gripping read and an unexpected but brilliantly…[Read more]

Rose the Cat

One day when I was seven, my sister Rose turned into a cat. I expected it because Rose had said ‘You won’t catch me here much longer. Not like this.’ Mr Cobden, the old man at the end of the road next to where the people had little walls all over their garden that my mum said were ‘common’, said to us that we would both live long…[Read more]

Transformation

It’s easy to transform. You just change, from one state to
Another. Nothing much to worry
About. Examples are (quite literally) everywhere you
Look. Consider the universe. Just
Took the universe a picosecond to drag itself
Out of an incomprehensible
Mess, shrugging on the laws of physics, sorting
Its chaotic nature into f…[Read more]

last (24hr-ish) shout for the monthly comp (do we still want to keep this going in its current form?). Already we have two excellent entries, but one or two more would be lovely.

Congratulations, Sandra!

Thank you Jane – and Kate and Raine – it’s always good to get positive feedback, and Carol’s was more incisive that I could have managed. (I’m still grinning)

Fantastic review and blog, Sandra. She really understood your book and your writing! Bravo and well-deserved.

If anyone is wondering about splashing out on a print version of any of the ‘Love triangles with murder’ series, Blurb has a SHIP4FREE offer – at their usual rate of £6.99 for one book this is of considerable value, but offer ends 30th March

h t t p s://w w w.blurb.co.uk/user/SandraDavies…
Use the code SHIP4FREE

Thanks, Ath. I bought a copy of Carol’s novel, but as it only arrived yesterday I haven’t begun it yet.

What a brilliant review. I hope this generates some activity/interest/sales!

Incidentally, I see that Carol McKay wrote a pandemic novel that just beat the actual pandemic to publication, as did Kimmery Martin and Lawrence Wright. But they got splashed all over the papers and radio for it. Not a fair world.

One week left for the March comp, with one excellent entry as yet.

Wow, that’s not far from me at all. Half an hour by car. A pilgrimmage might be in order

That’s probably one reason it was chosen as a refuge for the band. And yes, it does sound worth a visit.

If you’re curious, this page has a photo of the house as it was when the band was there, though it appears to have been taken from the back garden. A click will blow it up.

Libby said:

Thanks, Richard. Have you been to Farley Chamberlayne? It’s worth a trip for anyone in the area. I can’t remember what the house looks like, and the internet isn’t obliging, but FC is a deserted medieval village with a pretty church. It feels remote and wild despite close proximity to Winchester.

R

Libby said:

Thank you for the blog, Richard.
A school friend was a fan of Fairport and Denny. I enjoyed listening but not enough to keep up an interest after school. Was the house in Hampshire Headley ?Grange. Led Zep recorded there. I still listen to them occasionally but after I left school I switched to classical and have stayed there ever…[Read more]