Merry Christmas/Yuletide once again, good people of the world. I thought now would be a splendid time to showcase some perfect authors I have come to know personally and love. If you are wondering what else to buy your loved ones other than personalised face masks or scented hand sanitisers, then you need look no further.
The books listed below cover a wide variety of age and tastes:
Isadora Stone and The Battle for Inner Earth: 2
by Laura Anne Whitworth (Author)
Isadora Stone and The Battle for Inner Earth is the second in the Isadora Stone series. Continue the journey with Isadora Stone and Friends! Isadora is once more reunited with her Agarthan friends of Inner Earth for another exciting adventure. The surface humans have been digging down into the Inner Earth realms and it has brought the different Inner Earth Civilisations near brink of war. Isadora must speak with the President of the United States and stop the digging before the Evil Raptors cause the Inner Earth factions to declare war. Continue the journey with Peets and David. Will they manage to leave Mars and reunite Peets with Chinga and family on Delavia? Will David ever make it back to Earth? Will Valdazar get his revenge on Isadora and Kaia and manage to re-take Delavia? Will Human ever be re-united with his family? Join Isadora Stone and Friends for another action packed adventure.
As well as writing and hypnotherapy, Laura also has a YouTube channel which discusses information ascertained from QHHT® sessions. You can find her on facebook on her page ‘Quantum Healing Hypnosis Chesterfield with Laura Whitworth’. Laura Anne Whitworth is based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, UK and is also a full time Mum to two beautiful daughters. Laura helped me with a QHHT session, it was mind blowing and a powerful tool for self growth, I cannot recommend her highly enough. “Thanks Laura!” https://laurawhitworthqhht.com
Hornbeam Hollow:
The Legend of Jack the Squeaker
by Kris Miners (Author)
The trick-or-treat buckets are empty and the pumpkins are going mouldy, but the critters of Hornbeam Hollow are already planning their next adventure – the Bonfire Night fireworks display. But things soon take a spooky turn! The children learn of a legend, one that has haunted Hornbeam Hollow for many years. The Legend of Jack the Squeaker! Who is he?
(This is the second book in the Hornbeam Hollow series.)
Kris Miners is an English children’s book author and illustrator. He is the creator of a book series set in the fictional world of Hornbeam Hollow. Kris’s debut book ‘Hornbeam Hollow: The Hunt for the Halloween Pumpkin’ was launched in 2019 and features hand-painted illustrations using traditional techniques that are rarely used today.
Kris regularly takes commissions and welcomes requests via his website if you’d like to talk with him about illustrating books, greetings cards, character creations or one-off illustrations.
As well as producing whimsical art, Kris has written many articles and stories for several clients and has been published in well over one hundred magazines and books.
https://www.facebook.com/krisminersart/
The Winter Promise
by Rosie Goodwin (Author)
1850.
When Opal Sharp finds herself and her younger siblings suddenly orphaned and destitute, she thinks things can get no worse.
But soon three of them – including Opal – are struck down with the illness that took their father, and her brother Charlie is forced to make an impossible decision. Unable to afford a doctor, he knows the younger children will not survive. So, unbeknownst to Opal, Charlie takes their younger siblings to the workhouse. When she finds out, Opal is heartbroken.
Charlie starts taking risks to try to support what’s left of the Sharp family and earn Opal’s forgiveness, but he takes it too far and finds himself in trouble with the law. Soon, he is sent on a convict ship to Australia.
As poor Opal is forced to say goodbye to the final member of her family, she makes a promise to reunite them all one day.
Rosie Goodwin is a million-copy bestselling author of more than thirty novels. She is the first author in the world to be allowed to follow three of Catherine Cookson’s trilogies with her own sequels. Having worked in the social services sector for many years, then fostered a number of children, she is now a full-time novelist. She is one of the top 50 most borrowed authors from UK libraries. Rosie lives in Nuneaton, the setting for many of her books, with her husband and their beloved dogs. Rosie recently read my children’s novel Saving Snow and was happy to endorse it. “Thank you, Rosie, and thanks for the coffee in your haunted home!” http://www.rosiegoodwin.co.uk
Song of the Nightingale: a tale of two castrati
by Marilyn Pemberton (Author)
Philippe, the narrator of this tale, is secretary to Count De Lorenzo, and lover to the Count’s young wife. He is tasked with buying young boys from poor villagers, having them castrated and taking them to Florence to be taught to sing as castrati. The parents are told that their sons are especially blessed with their wonderful voices and they do not object to the boys making a physical sacrifice in order to thank and praise the Lord; nor to the bag of gold they are given in exchange. The boys are innocents, victims of circumstances beyond their control. Surely they can have nothing to do with a barber’s mysterious death, or the suicide of an abusive Jesuit priest? This is a tale of passion, revenge, guilt, regret, loss and redemption.
At the age of 40 Marilyn did a part-time BA degree in Literature at Warwick, which progressed to an MA and then a PhD, her thesis being “Glimpses of Utopia & Dystopia in Victorian Fairylands”. During her research she “discovered” Mary De Morgan, a Victorian writer of fairy tales. Marilyn decided to write a fictional novel based on De Morgan’s life – the result being a true labour of love, “The Jewel Garden”. Marilyn is now retired and can spend more time on writing (when she is not singing in a choir, playing netball, walking her new dog, learning to paint…….). “Happy retirement Marilyn! I miss our literary chats. lets hope 2021 will be the return of good brews and plenty of biscuits, like the old days ;-)” https://writingtokeepsane.wordpress.com/author/marilynpemberton/
All the Good Little Girls Keep Quiet
by K. Kibbee (Author)
Olive Abernathy is a silver-tongued tomboy with a mean right hook, a fierce little spirit, and an inability to fit in. Her uncle mistook the Mayor’s toupee for a bigfoot pelt. Her Aunt found the baby Jesus in a bowl of cornflakes. Her Mama’s holding a paddle in one hand and the world’s biggest secret in the other. Olive feels her little Louisiana town closing up around her like a pill bug and she yearns for freedom; she yearns for adventure . . . she yearns to shed the Abernathy surname that everyone in town inexplicably detests and to strike out on her own. But when Olive convinces her besotted best friend Henry, “the world’s oldest living 12-year-old” to strike out and ride the rails like a starry-eyed hobo, the big city proves to her that while the grass over there might be greener, the dog in the yard’s also meaner. Olive’s forced to grow up hard and fast. Olive’s forced to feel the same hard touch that her Mama felt. And Olive’s forced to realize that great cruelty exists in this world. In the summer of ’79, hell bubbled right up through the loamy Louisiana bayou just outside of Lafayette Parish and set Olive Abernathy’s world on fire. Maybe it was the little devil sittin’ side-saddle on her shoulder that turned Olive into a murderin’, hitchhikin’, train-hoppin’ vagabond at the tender age of thirteen. Or maybe…just maybe…there were a few secrets itchin’ to claw their way out of that bayou along with her.
K (Kristine) Kibbee is a Pacific Northwest writer with a fascination for all things literary. Kristine’s passion for creative writing began in her early youth and led her to the doors of Washington State University, where she earned a degree in Humanities, with a focus in Professional Writing. Kristine is an author and magazine columnist. Her novels include Whole in the Clouds, Forests of the Fae (books 1-3), and Theodore and the Enchanted Bookstore (1&2). https://www.incorgnitobooks.com/authors/k-kibbee
Exodus (The Starsong Chronicles. Book One of the Exodus Arc)
by JJ Clayborn (Author)
An Irish athlete running for his life stows away aboard a secret colonisation mission. It’s a one way trip, but his destination might not be any better. Dangers await him that he can’t imagine, including those he thought he’d left behind.
If you love Science Fiction, then this is totally your bag!
Johnathan “J.J.” Clayborn is an author of many fiction and non-fiction books. He has a Master’s Degree in Educational Psychology and a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, with minors in English, Philosophy, and Education. He is passionate about education, science, and “understanding how the universe works”. John is most well-known for his science fiction series The Starsong Chronicles, which is hailed by astronomers and astrophysicists as being highly realistic. John is also my publisher and a great friend. “Thanks for putting up with me, John!” http://claybornglobal.com/author/the-starsong-chronicles/
The Bitter End: dark mystery full of twists
by Ann Evans (Author), Robert D. Tysall (Author)
After losing his wife, Helena in a horrific car crash, he has found love with Sally and moves into her country cottage. As a former high-ranking Naval Officer, Paul now works as Head of Security at MI5.
Paul has no memories from before he was ten years old. An accident left him in a coma for 9 months. But was it really an accident?
Soon Paul starts to have flashes of childhood memories, all involving his childhood friend, Owen.
Sally introduces him to her friend, Juliet, the owner of a craft shop. Paul is shocked when he meets Juliet’s partner, his old friend Owen.
Flashes of memories continue to haunt Paul, particularly the memory of his first wife Helena burning in the car crash.
As dark things start to happen, and local people begin dying in horrific accidents, Paul must face his past and will end up fighting for his life.
Ann writes for middle grade, YA, reluctant readers, plus romance and crime for adults. She also write non-fiction and has over 30 books published, the latest being this co-authored book with Robert D. Tysall, entitled The Bitter End. It’s published by Bloodhound Books.
Ann belongs to a few societies connected to writing: The Society of Women Writers & Journalists, The Crime Writers’ Association, The Romantic Novelists’ Association and the National Association of Writers in Education. This is Robert’s debut book. Rob is multi published on the photographic side of things with countless magazine articles published, having worked with writer Ann Evans for many years as a writer/photographer duo. Ann has helped me in the past during writing workshops to hone my craft. “Thanks, Ann!” http://www.annevansbooks.co.uk https://www.amazon.co.uk/Robert-D.-Tysall
The Coffee Break Collection: A selection of short stories, flash fiction, poetry and articles.
by The Wordsmiths (Author), Ann Evans (Author), Marilyn Pemberton (Author), Maxine Burns (Author), Margaret Mather (Author), Mary Ogilvie (Author), Alex Bartlett (Author), Ella Cook (Author), Catherine Wilson (Author), Robert Tysall (Photographer), M.A.Howland (Author),
An entertaining collection of short stories, flash fiction, poetry and other musings by The Wordsmiths. There are stories and poems that will make you smile, some will send shivers down your spine, while others will bring a tear to the eye. So, if you’re looking for a book to dip in and out of when you’ve a few minutes to spare, this is the perfect book for you.
Saving Snow
A Christmas book post would be woefully incomplete without this little gem:
Feeling sad and alone after moving to a new country, Eva is set on exploring her new home. She uncovers a mysterious tower that everyone believes is unsafe, but investigates anyway. A ghostly voice haunts the frozen, icy winds, and a strange boy appears with a quest for Eva – find Snow. Eva treks across the Scottish Highlands battling fierce blizzards, time, and self-doubt to complete her quest and solve the mystery. Will Eva be able to find Snow before Christmas and secure a miracle that will change the world?
Well, that’s my 2020 Christmas selection for you. These diverse authors are as wonderful to read, as they are in person. I am indeed a very lucky person to have gotten to know them and have become a better writer for doing so. Speaking of writing, I really must finish my next novel, Ghost Gifts, it was meant to be published this year! The problem with writers, particularly fictional writers, is that our imaginations can conjure up a thousand ways to procrastinate. But I think I can forgive myself, as this year has been… a little trying to say the least. Let’s all hope we are finally turning our collective backs on the most difficult period the world has seen in recent times.
Thank you all for your continued support. Without readers, the world would not need stories, and what a dark, colourless place that would be.
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