I read and enjoyed these books in December. I particularly recommend The Twyford Code. Don’t let the way it’s presented put you off – it’s very clever, original, engaging and kind of uplifting.
The Twyford Code by Janice Hallett
Telling Tales by Ann Cleeves
After The Funeral by Agatha Christie
My new book, the first in the Little Mallow cosy mystery series has been written, re-written, edited, formatted, proofread and uploaded to to Amazon and Ingram Spark (who distribute to bookshops and libraries). The official launch date is January 19th (it was my Grandma’s birthday, and she loved reading cosy crime stories) but very soon it should be possible to place orders.
If you’d like to read it before that, for free, you could join my ARC team. For that you need a kindle, or other way to read the ebook file and an Amazon account which allows you to leave reviews – and to commit to reading the (80,000 word) book and leaving an honest review on the launch date (19th January). If you’re interested, please email me at patsy@patsycolins.uk
Next year I’ll be releasing the first book in my cosy mystery series – Disguised Murder And Community Spirit In Little Mallow. Today, I’m revealing the cover!
As part of the marketing plan I’m trying to build up my newsletter mailing list. To help do that I’m taking part in a joint promotion with other authors of mystery, thriller and suspense books. Around 70 of us are offering a free book (some samples. some full novels) to those who join our lists. If you’re interested in reading that genre, take a look here and pick up some freebies. You can take part whether or not you’re on my mailing list and can sign up for as many, or few, as you wish – and of course you can unsubscribe from any of them at any time.
Campervanners often have to rummage. It can mean to search untidily and unsystematically. It doesn’t matter how tidily and systematically you pack your van, that kind of approach never works when it comes to finding the corkscrew and chocolate.
A rummage can be a confused miscellaneous collection. A rummager is someone who rummages. Once you’ve finished rummaging you will have rummaged for long enough.
To rummage out is to find amongst other things. To rummage about is to disarrange. (That’s another good word)
Rummage also refers to the arrangement of casks in the hold of a ship. That definitely needs to be done tidily and systematically or the ship will become unstable. Also it’ll mean the sailors have to rummage about to find their rum.
My story Stop Thief, which is in the current issue of Take a Break’s Fiction Feast is based on a true story. At least, it’s based on a true story to the extent that many historical films and TV programmes seem to be – extremely loosely!
I once worked somewhere which had security on the entrance/exit. One day a random* search revealed a member of staff had stolen some toilet rolls. It wasn’t even good stuff, but that awful tracing paper type stuff. They got the sack.
This was thirty years. Nothing I’ve ever witnessed is safe from being turned into a story!
Naturally I’m pleased the story has been published. Fortunately one of the illustrations provides a suggestion of how to celebrate.
*We were told it was random, but I’m not sure. Almost every random search seemed to reveal someone was up to no good, so I expect there were a few tip offs.
A crag is a steep or rugged rock. Craggy can refer to a human face or the landscape and means rugged or rough textured. There are other versions of the word, for example in Scotland* the scenery got craggier as we approached the highlands, it was craggiest on Skye where the landscape is craggily magnificent.
Btw the pictures are all to illustrate craggy landscapes. It’s purely coincidental that the same photographer just happens to be in all of them not long after remarking on the size of my bum.
*yes I have been to Scotland. I have some pictures if you’d like to see them …
I have a story in the current My Weekly Special. Isn’t that a fun illustration?
Of course I’m very pleased to have a story published, but it’s actually something in another issue which has really made me happy. A reader has written in to say that a different story of mine, published in My Weekly fairly recently was ‘fantastic’ and ‘brought a lump to my throat and was such a feel good story’.
It’s wonderful to know that my short stories have had the desired effect!
The story referred to is about the relationships between cousins and the grandmother they share. If you like feel good family stories you might be interested in one of my collections of 24 short stories on this theme. There are 5 books in total, including this one.
I’ve created a short ebook, The Inside Scoop And Stories From Little Mallow, as a kind of introduction to my cosy mystery series (which I’ll be launching next year). This book isn’t for sale, but you can get a free copy by using the form below to sign up for my newsletter. If you’re on my mailing list already, you’ll have received an email with the download link yesterday.
For a variety of reasons I didn’t get much reading time last month. I managed to squeeze one in though, and if your tastes match mine, you may enjoy this –
Death At Warbler’s End – Bellamy Beck
Quadrennial can either mean lasting for four years, or recurring every four years. That’s rather confusing, isn’t it? Suppose I told you I had a cake eating binge on a quadrennial basis – would that mean I stuffed myself silly for forty-eight consecutive months, or that I lasted almost four years between blow-outs?
Now you’re confused over the meaning of a word which you hadn’t previously even knew existed. There’s no need to thank me. I do this kind of thing out the goodness of my heart.