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Karm Currents - an excerpt.

6/19/2016

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Karm Currents is the forth and final book in the paranormal Moonstone series set in the little village of St. Ives, Cornwall, England. Each plot makes perfect sense without the other.

Apart from her telepathic sojourns of whispering advice to strangers, Liliha is an ordinary woman, separated from her teenage daughters in Australia. Her youngest daughter, Alissa, arrives to live with her, and brings her grandmother. As if that interference isn't enough, Liliha's ex turns up to take their daughter home.

Lovesick Harry steps in to help, bringing with him an ancient Egyptian necklace in the hope of compensating for the bracelet he lost. When more jewelry turns up, all seemingly connected, Harry, Alissa and Liliha's regressions reveal a previous relationship between them all.
​

Universal link for Karm Currents: http://bookgoodies.com/a/B01D0AW784

Free on June 21st.

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Liliha has inherited the moonstone ring which gives her the ability to slip into another mind during their distress, and whisper advice. But she has problems of her own.

Excerpt for Karm Currents:

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Harry produced a cushion. "Your throne, my lady."

Approaching the clear door, Liliha remained standing and slid her ring on, and then reached for the necklace.

"Let me help you." Harry grasped the golden pendants suspended from a central chain and reached behind her neck.

His touch sent a shiver of expectation into her body.

He spread the necklace so it sat over her throat and chest, closed the clasp behind her neck and stepped away, head to one side and a glow in his eyes. "That's where it belongs."

"Thank you." With an awakening calm, Liliha stretched her hand toward the bracelets.

"Wait." Alissa sprang to her feet. "How are you going to position them on your arms by yourself?"

"I'll make an effort. The necklace might make the process easier." Liliha reached for the bracelet without the black dot and stopped. According to what she'd recalled, they must be pushed up her arms together at the same level. She angled her left arm and grasped the other bracelet in a tissue. She brought them both toward her with crossed hands and got in a tangle when she tried to slide them on. Her head pounded and she panicked.

"Delphi, give me a hand," Alissa said.

"I guess it'll be a laugh." Delphi strode over.

Alissa handed Delphi a tissue. "Be careful not to touch it."

"If you both guard your hands," Liliha said. "It doesn't matter which one you're holding." She faced Sarah. "Will this end in disaster, like before?"

"I can't tell you, Liliha. Whatever happens, do the best you can."

"Somehow, that doesn't relieve me."

"You're just wearing an odd assortment of jewelry," Delphi said. "What's the fuss about?"

Sarah hissed, "Hold a still tongue in your head."

"With all this butting in I can hardly concentrate," Liliha said. "Let's forget the whole thing." She drew a breath past her constricted throat. "I didn't want to do it anyway."

Harry cast a leveled look at Delphi. "Behave, girlie, or I'll throw you out."

Delphi nodded and let out a sigh.

"Hold on." Alissa grasped the bracelet on the left while Delphi reached for the bracelet on the right. The bands of gold slid up her bare arms without much effort and stopped at the biceps. Alissa and Delphi maintained eye contact. Delphi's touch lingered a moment too long and Alissa gestured to her. They pulled their hands away and retreated.

The pressure in Liliha's mind floated away like a feather in the breeze. A steady beat of heat and strength radiated within her body. Her arms rose and spread like wings. Wondering what to do next, she searched the surrounding faces. The ring on her finger pulsed, drawing her gaze to the moonstone.
​

Sparks flashed, refracting light into a myriad of glints. She lost all feeling of contact with the floor. Using her outstretched arms for balance, Liliha closed her eyes. "It's happening," she whispered.


End of excerpt.


Free on June 21st.
Universal link for Karm Currents: http://bookgoodies.com/a/B01D0AW784
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Shattered Shells - an excerpt

5/12/2016

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Shattered Shells, the third book in the Moonstone series.

Liliha helps other people by way of a mental connection triggered by her star moonstone ring. In a rare occasion, she doesn't finish doing the job she is called upon to do. There must be a way to find the small-time crook and convince him to mend his ways. Could psychic detecting work?
​

If the concept interests you, you'll like the novel, Shattered Shells.

Universal link to Shattered Shells: http://bookgoodies.com/a/B00O94OHIY

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Excerpt from Shattered Shells, set in Cornwall, UK:

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A blast of the sweet, heavenly scent of attar alerted her to an oncoming vision. She'd be safe under the warm water for the short mental journey. Her sight dimmed. Footsteps alternated with scrapes and faint thuds. Pondering on the sounds, she spun into the swirling aperture.
* * * *
The familiar sensation of enclosure and random thoughts tell me I'm within another body already—a man, judging by the shape of the hand stretched out in front of me to touch a picture. I rely on what he sees to determine our location. The interior of a home comes into focus while we walk along a hall and pause at the doorway.

Our gaze sweeps an area set out in the manner of a typical suburban house in England, with a staircase opposite the entrance.

"Hopkins and Co is a thing of the past. From now on, it's just plain George Hopkins." Our chuckle resembles the recorded sound of a malicious fairground clown.

A bunch of keys hang from the wall papered with stylistic flowers on a brown background. The tag reveals a golden jaguar engraved with the XJ logo. We pocket the jangling cluster.

To probe deeper, I sift his inner dialogue until I reach his underlying reason for this visit.

Prompted, George goes over the memory again to strengthen his purpose. A client had canceled Hopkins & Co's services and switched to Bertie's protection. 'A deal gone wrong as the suits would say. All due to Bertie trying to muscle in. George had worked ... he couldn't say hard. His effort and particular skills paid off. But the crow, Bertie, had flown in to swipe the crust. Well, tit for tat. The boot's full already. The remaining goods will fit in the back seat'.

We walk while he rambles on. Partnerships never succeed. St. Ives is his town. Small businesses and holdings didn't need proper security with him patrolling the streets.

We enter the living room and lift a mobile phone from an occasional table—rough justice for the greedy sod who owned two phones. Tucking the device into our pocket, we swagger toward a pile of electrical equipment and cartons at the rear exit. Our mouth stretches in a sneer at perfect opportunity to get even, now Bertie's away for a two-day holiday.

I whisper, 'Don't do this. A man of your cunning can handle this another way. Think'.

He shrugs off my suggestion as if it's a cobweb.

We push the double doors open. The woodwork shows signs of George's forced entry. A gold ring flashes, engraved with an insignia of some sort. A horseshoe? We lift a weighty box with the ease of an athlete and carry the carton along the tiled drive. After a stumble, we admire our fancy, pointed-toed boots pacing beside the house.

'Leave everything there', I whisper. 'He'll notice what you've done. Returning goods to their right places will be enough of a bother. You don't need to steal them'. I attempt to deter him by concentrating hard. Sometimes mind force works better than whispered words. We stagger on uneven pavement and shift the burden while facing the street.

I use the opportunity to observe the surroundings.

When we reach the pale blue vehicle, we open the rear door, and dump the load on the floor before returning for more items. Soon, we've loaded the luxury saloon with a stereo, television and several more cartons.

'You've proved you can take everything. Settle your grievance with a note. Leave the goods in the car and walk away'.

We slam the door and pause, which makes me assume I've succeeded.

But no. We pace to the front of the vehicle.

Here's my chance to withdraw from him so I can read the number-plate. I concentrate, jerk, and envisage the physical shift.

Despite my effort, he slides in and turns on the ignition.

The engine purrs and we reverse out of the drive with a screech. Our hand reaches for the gear stick. With a twist of the steering wheel, the vehicle roars off to merge with traffic at the junction. We chuckle.
How can I break his obstinate resistance? I remain silent and observant for several blocks, wondering why I'm still trapped within him yet unable to stop his flight.

His thoughts are filled with his role in town. Shopkeepers and businessmen think he's acting the role of protector, yet he simply takes bribes to leave them alone. Nothing big enough to alert the police.

Poised for a final act, he stretches in luxury and admires the way the Jaguar nestles rock-solid on the road.
'Do something with your intelligence to give you pride. Consider making yourself a real security guard for everyone to admire'. I share an illusion of him wearing a blue uniform on his stroll in the town. People smile and wave. I replace the delightful daydream with an image of him in an official role of apprehending a thief.

George chuckles about fooling everyone. Our foot presses harder. The car accelerates to pass another with a surge of power.

I yell, 'Listen to your inner prompt'.

His own thought cuts in. 'Time to give Bertie a call. Rub his nose in how clever I am'. We retrieve the stolen mobile from our pocket, locate the number, and leave a gloating message to the person who answers.

After a surprised, "What?" from Bertie, we disconnect.

A sign flashes by the windscreen with the words, 'Hayle: 1 km'. So close to home? I scrutinize the landscape. On the left, the last rays of sunlight glint over an estuary. Boats float under a familiar bridge.

This is close by in Cornwall.

After the revelation, I'm released to hover over the waterway. I didn't achieve anything. Frustration rides with me inside the churning tunnel.
* * * *
Regaining awareness in the shower, Liliha groaned at her failure. George had discarded suggestions for his redemption.

This had never happened before during a vision. She should have converted his desire to punish his former associate into a joke rather than actual theft. Doubt about not having the fortitude to do the job lowered her mood.

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End of excerpt.

Universal link to Shattered Shells: http://bookgoodies.com/a/B00O94OHIY



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Karm Currents - an excerpt

4/5/2016

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If you like the possibility of living a past life, you'll like Karm Currents.

http://bookgoodies.com/a/B01D0AW784

Wearing an ancient ring, Liliha whispers advice inside the mind of strangers in need. But family matters arise, and regressions point to another time in ancient Egypt when they were connected.


Excerpt from Karm Currents:


A sudden shift in balance alerted Liliha to an approaching vision. The room tilted and the familiar lily perfume wafted over her. She swallowed and took a quivering breath. At the edge of her perception a high voice repeated one indistinct word while she twisted inside the tunnel to another location.

* * *

With the word 'Mum' reverberating, I arrive inside the familiar fog. After bright morning sunshine penetrates the gloom, I descend into the kitchen of a suburban house.

A boy of about ten years, in obvious distress, stands behind a woman sitting at the table.

I meld with him, and adjust to his comprehension.

His name is Jack and he's panicked about his mother whose upper body is jerking over a plate on the table. From our mouth comes a high call. Jack knows what's wrong. He learned what to do at school three days earlier. "Mom." We lean to one side of her head to check her red face and her flushed lips which are taking on a bluish hue with each gasp.

He hesitates, unsure of his ability.

I whisper, 'Use the menouver. Now.'

We stretch our short arms to encircle her waist from behind. Making a fist with one little hand, we grasp it with the other, and then give a sharp upward thrust. She lifts her head from the plate of half-eaten breakfast of bacon and sausages, but continues to choke.

He's so small, and I can't give physical assistance. I issue encouragement to use more force.

We whimper, drag in a shuddering breath and glance at the door.

'You're not alone. I'll help you,' I whisper. I concentrate all my inner strength on his effort.

We grit our teeth and jerk her midriff several more times. She stiffens. A piece of food shoots out of her mouth and lands on the plate. She sucks in a great breath, her face red and clammy.

"Wait, Mom. I know what to do." We push her sideways off the chair and grab her arm. In a desperate struggle of flailing limbs, we help her lie on the floor. She bangs her knee. "Sorry, Mom." All elbows, we turn her onto her side to the recovery position. She coughs in several weak bursts.

'Well done.' I whisper. 'But she needs expert help.'

"Thank you, God," we whisper. "Hold on, Mom." We grab the phone from the bench with trembling fingers and punch the emergency number. Our arms are shaking, but I absorb his pride about remembering his lesson from the First Aid course.

I remain until a siren sounds in the distance.

* * *

Years ago, Liliha had helped Mother when she'd suffered chest pains. Ambulance attendants had reassured them about the cause—indigestion rather than a heart attack. They'd laughed afterward.

End of excerpt.

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If you like the possibility of living a past life, you'll like Karm Currents.
Universal link to Karm Currents: http://bookgoodies.com/a/B01D0AW784




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STILL ROCK WATER - AN EXCERPT.

3/31/2016

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If you like the idea of communication between minds, you'll like Still Rock Water. http://bookgoodies.com/a/B009KNQ4RG
Liliha inherits a ring which gives her the ability to slip into another mind during their distress, and whisper advice. But she has problems of her own.

Excerpt from Still Rock Water:
​

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The vibrations charged in the air around Liliha. She reached out and grabbed the stair-rail for support. With a whiff of perfume her senses changed. Footsteps clomped along a hard surface and the disparity clouded her vision.


* * *


The mist swirls in front of me. This time, no periscope vision plagues me. I look down at the slender legs of a fifteen-year-old girl. I'm with Sue Lee already as she balances her few possessions in a basket on top of her head.

She tramps through a provincial town in the never-ending land of China, towards an uncertain future. Nothing to eat for two days except for a tiny bundle of rice wrapped in a banana leaf that her mother packed for her. Several hours ago she drank from a stream beside the road.

Duty calls. Her father sent her to find work to help support her family. Sue Lee struggles to contain her despair at what she will have to do when she gets to the municipality ahead. However, she puts that to one side and looks forward to visiting her aunt before she continues on the last leg of her trek.

Weak and exhausted from her long journey, she reaches the dwelling and plods around to the house to the family entrance. She calls at the door. "Greetings, honourable Aunt."

Her aunt's expression remains stern, but she invites Sue Lee inside the kitchen with a sweep of her arm.
"My father has sent me to the big city to earn money."

Wise and unapproachable, Aunt nods."It's as it should be." Sue Lee gulps water while trying to hide unseemly haste. A bowl of rice appears on the table before her. Between mouthfuls, Sue Lee looks around at the bare shelves.

I recognize the older woman's stiff formality and appeal to her selfish nature. 'Look at this lovely girl. She's strong and loyal. She would work hard with that attitude. She could be a help and support to you in your old age'.

After her bow of thanks over the empty bowl, Sue Lee looks up. The old woman's eyes sparkle. "An employee in my laundry business has retired due to ill health. I can offer you work, washing men's work garments."

"Oh, thank you, honourable aunt." Sue Lee sobs with relief. In an effort to express her thanks, her head lowers over the table.
​

While I drift away, I watch the aunt's formality dissolve.


* * *


Liliha focused on the moonstone ring. Joy and the wonder of being able to help throbbed with each beat of her heart. She hated to think of the poor child walking on the streets of a city to earn money for her family. Thank goodness that had been avoided.


####
End of Excerpt.
If you like the idea of communication between minds, you'll like Still Rock Water, THE FIRST novel in the Moonstone series.  http://bookgoodies.com/a/B009KNQ4RG


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March 13th, 2016

3/13/2016

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I'd like to welcome the author A.B. Funkhauser today to tell us about her latest release.

But first, let's learn something about the Author.

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Toronto born author A.B. Funkhauser is a funeral director, classic car nut and wildlife enthusiast living in Ontario, Canada. Like most funeral directors, she is governed by a strong sense of altruism fueled by the belief that life chooses us and we not it. Her debut novel HEUER LOST AND FOUND, released in April 2015, examines the day to day workings of a funeral home and the people who staff it. Winner of the PREDITORS & EDITORS Reader’s Poll for Best Horror 2015, HEUER LOST AND FOUND is the first installment in Funkhauser’s UNAPOLOGETIC LIVES series. Her sophomore effort, SCOOTER NATION, is set for release March 13, 2016 through Solstice Publishing. A devotee of the gonzo style pioneered by the late Hunter S. Thompson, Funkhauser attempts to shine a light on difficult subjects by aid of humorous storytelling. “In gonzo, characters operate without filters which means they say and do the kinds of things we cannot in an ordered society. Results are often comic but, hopefully, instructive.”

​
What does the title SCOOTER NATION refer to?
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The novel on surface is about a group of people linked by community, but separated by competing interests. Alliances are made and broken and, of course, only one can win. The ‘Scooter’ in the title refers to a person, Scooter Creighton, as well as the vehicles the aggressive protagonists roar around on while they’re wreaking havoc. The two—man and machine--are not always on the same side.



What genre is the story? Spec Fiction? Thriller? Crime-Thriller?
Crimes are definitely committed, but more in the white collar vein. The thirst for land and the desire for status and legitimacy will drive the characters to do terrible things; all for what they believe is for the common good.



Sounds interesting. When does the book come out?
I hoped to have it out by my birthday, March 13, but my Editor in Chief says that releases can’t happen on a Sunday, so we’re going with March 11. I’m thrilled! It’s releasing as an eBook first on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and the publisher’s site www.Solsticepublishing.com but can be ordered I paperback format.
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How many books do you have planned?
I thought seven at first, but it’s beginning to look more like nine. People working towards achieving a balance between ‘what is’ and ‘what should be’ never gets old for me. Plus, funeral service has a rich history not often spoken of because of the confidentiality component built in to every aspect of what we do. So I could probably write forever on the subject, but most likely won’t. I let the characters decide where I go next.



Are you a big fan of promotions? Not everybody seems to embrace it as enthusiastically as you do.
I think I was a Mad Man in another life because tweeting and tag lines seem to be my thing. I also like to design blip ads http://abfunkhauser.com/blip-ads/ and blog. Blog, blog, blog. Can’t stress enough the importance of blogging. I think we’re all pretty sure that E.L. James’ success with FIFTY SHADES OF GREY came in no small part from her website and fan blogs. And that makes sense. Writer’s need an audience; new writers get their audience from twitter followers, Facebook friends and through guest blogging. Oh, yes, and book reviews! Karmically I believe that we must read others in order to get read ourselves. We learn so much from our colleagues, and I like saying so through the reviews I do. It’s probably the altruist’s best way to get heard and do some good all at the same time. It’s a win, win.


You have a lot of bright, funny characters. Are they based on anyone you know, or are they bits and pieces of several people? If so, do they know about it?
I’ve said more than once that behind every fiction there’s a fact or two. I think my characters began as personal observations made either by me or by others over the last three decades. Things I’ve read in the news, places where I’ve worked, associations that I’ve belonged to gave rise to thoughts and feelings looking for a place to land. That’s where the characters emerged. They provided the voice; the novel: a place to hang them on.



Besides being an author, you’re a funeral director, do you find that helping others deal with their grief emotionally stressful? Is writing a way to deal with that?
I’m human so I felt it from time to time. But I never forgot what I learned in mortuary school: that the primary goal of the director is to be empathetic above all else, and to not bring the work home with me at the end of the day. A director is many things—artist, planner, communicator, and, most importantly, listener. When I was at work, the grieving family always came first. But when I went home, my own family took precedence. It’s a balancing act that I worked very hard at maintaining. And it worked. That’s how I did the job for so many years.
Writing, like funeral directing, was another calling that I had to follow. I carry stories from my life growing up in Scarborough (Ontario), from working in youth politics and later at the Legislature, and then four years with the auto lobby. Good times, rich with all kinds of mirthful fiction. I saw novel writing as a way of preserving some of this history. I’ve had a ball revisiting those times!



So, “Scooter Nation” is said to be book two in the “Unapologetic Lives” series. Tell us more about that. Will the same characters be featured?
Unapologetic lives and all that they imply came from two sources: some of the amazing people I’ve met over the years and the off planet writing of Hunter S. Thompson. Both sources keyed me in to the idea that messaging in novel writing can be strengthened if the characters operate without filters. That is, they are not governed by a societal rulebook of any kind. In reality, such a model would be disastrous—we’d be barricaded behind our locked doors if everyone said and did what they pleased. But in a world where this does not happen, where the sun rises the next day and our skins remain intact, the unapologetic get heard, often with comic results.
I’m working on my fifth manuscript now, so I can tell you that some characters come back either as living breathing people, or as memories to chew over in conversation. Others live on in portraits; one loses her earthly body to the grave, but lives on in essence inside a floor lamp. The joy of this series is that each book is stand alone, giving me the freedom to write non-sequentially. So a character that dies in 2017 at the end of book two is born in 1947 in chapter one of book four. This works for me because it keeps me interested, and it also allows me to comb over 20th century history, which is a favorite of mine.

        Fascinating subject. Can we have links to your works?

See the Trailer: https://youtu.be/oqmrW_t92jc

Website: www.abfunkhauser.com

Scooter Page: http://abfunkhauser.com/wip-scooter-nation/

Podcast: http://mhefferman.ca/author/podcasts/episode-3-an-interview-with-a-b-funkhauser/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/iamfunkhauser

Facebook: www.facebook.com/heuerlostandfound

Publisher: http://solsticepublishing.com/

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1FPJXcO

Amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Scooter-Nation-B-Funkhauser-ebook/dp/B01CT9GCQK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1457866379&sr=8-1&keywords=scooter+nation


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A writer who combines law with visions.

2/27/2016

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I'd like to introduce a writer who presents a different slant on the law.

Hello, Karen Millie-James.

1.    What is the title of your latest book?
 
The Shadows Behind Her Smile

'As soon as corporate forensic specialist, Cydney Granger, hears the crunch of tyres on her driveway, she knows they’ve come to report her husband is dead. After all, Captain Steve Granger had barely left for Afghanistan when she’d had the first of those terrible premonitions.' 
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2.    Do you want your reader to come away from reading your book with a strong message? If so, what is it?
 
I am not sure if my book has a message.  The title indicates that the protagonist, Cydney Granger, has things in her past which are constant reminders to her of pain and tragedy, but she smiles through it and does not give anything away.  The second meaning is of course the shadows of spirit around her with whom she can communicate.  
 
3.    Would you rather take your reader to another way of existence than share a message?
 
I would like to open the reader’s mind to possibilities.  
 
4.    Will your novel expand the reader's mind? If so, in what way?
 
I would hope so, whether that be to acknowledging that people can get through tragedies in their lives and overcome any obstacles, to learning about the highly competitive corporate world.
 
5.    How long have you been writing?
 
The book has taken nearly three years to write including a few months of editing.  
 
6.    How did you learn your craft?

 
My background is in business and languages therefore the craft of writing was not that difficult.  I love the classics and started reading those at a very early age.  
 
7.    Where do your ideas come from?
 
Possibly from life experiences as how else could you write but the development of the book and characters was something that flowed easily.  
 
8.    Give the reader links to your work.
 
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01BQ9OY3C?tag=relinks-21
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It's been good to meet you, Karen. I've really enjoyed reading your book. I'll post a review as soon as I can. I'm sure other readers will be eager to read The Shadows Behind Her Smile.
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A writer with a chilling concept.

2/20/2016

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​This one could affect us all.

I'd like to welcome a wonderful writer to be with us today. Geoff Nelder, writer of thrillers, humour, science fiction novels and shorts.

He asks the question in his latest novel, “Who’s that waking up next to you?”
Chilling thought, Geoff. But now on to my questions:

1. What is the title of your latest book?
ARIA: LEFT LUGGAGE is the title of the first book in my latest and only trilogy.

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2. Do you want your reader to come away from reading your book with a strong message? If so, what is it?
One message is that buying a new book is still a staple-diet investment and not just for crazies. ARIA is about something so unique no one has done it before: infectious amnesia. It’s fascinating, yet apocalyptic because no one is immune and memory is lost backwards at the rate of a year per week. Message? Yes, you’ll need to keep writing the most crucial message of your life so when you wake up you know the most crucial thing to keep you alive another day! Medicine? Who’s that waking up next to you?

3. Would you rather take your reader to another way of existence than share a message?
The whole point of writing is to give readers a ride, take them away from mundanity or to escape from the madness of reality.

4. Will your novel expand the reader's mind? If so, in what way?
Ironically, while the reader’s mind expands with new concepts, the book’s characters are experiencing their minds contracting with amnesia. Luckily, a few isolate themselves and the reader associates with them to seek survival skills and what many US survivalists call preppers – preparing for the apocalypse.

5. How long have you been writing?
My first story was published 58 years ago in a school magazine. Even while at uni I was editor of the rag mag but studies got in the way, as did full-time teaching for a few decades.

6. How did you learn your craft?
I thought I had writing sussed until every guide I wrote, as an ICT adviser, for other teachers had to be passed through an editor. I grew up very quickly then! Shortly after, I became an acquisition editor for a literary publisher, and a science fiction magazine. I met every kind of punctuation and grammar in the universe. Often they taught me what was possible to enrich reading.

7. Where do your ideas come from?
I cycle up Welsh hills every day. The pumping of my legs oxygenates my brain, bombarding synapses with fresh ideas. Overheard snippets of conversations and being warped make up the rest.

8. Give the reader links to your work.
Infectious amnesia doesn't exist but see what would happen if it did in ARIA
Kindle special price 99p UK and UK for limited time smarturl.it/1fexhs
Paperback Paperback Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/ARIA-Left-Luggage-Volume-1/dp/1905091958/
Paperback UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/ARIA-Left-Luggage-Geoff-Nelder/dp/1905091958/
Publisher’s website with more details and formats. http://www.ll-publications.com/leftluggage.html


Buy it quick before you run out of memory!


You tube video trailer
http://youtu.be/oh0AAXIe8VU

God preserve my memory for a few more years, Geoff. Thank you for sharing your talent.
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Extending the width of your mattress in the UK.

1/22/2016

8 Comments

 
​I made a terrible mistake last week. I don't know if anyone else has the same problem ordering online.

In a brochure, I found a mattress to replace our old one, dented with... cough... sixteen years of wear. To be fair, it still looked good, made of latex rubber, the manufacturers had made the product to last. Well, maybe not that long.

But, I digress. I went online to the store offering an amazing reduction on a memory foam mattress in king size. I wanted the store, Argos, to pick up my old mattress and recycle. After searching the page and chatting to an annoying customer service person between times, I found what I wanted on the page headed king size. There it was, a little cheaper than the brochure price. Plus, they gave me a discount. With everything totaled, the £19.99 for the pick up was knocked off by the discount. Good.

I ordered the mattress.

Delivered next morning, the product came condensed into a small roll. I laughed. “Will this fit on the bed?”

Apparently, the mattress needed time to expand in the fresh air. Gulping, I sent the old one away with the delivery man. This tiny roll would have to expand fast enough for us to sleep on that night.

But, it didn't fulfill my requirements in time. I made bedrolls of old sheets to wedge either side of the mattress for the night. Nothing wrong with the mattress, but the size would never be right. When I checked, I'd ordered a double bed size. Uggg!

I worried all night—working out what I could do. Just shows the power of the mind.

Next morning I Googled 'extension for mattress width'. The one on Amazon didn't deliver from USA to UK—of course. I needed a company which made offcuts in England.

After much difficulty with getting the right heading on Google, I found a foam manufacturer which specialized in making supports for furniture etc. You could type in the exact size you needed, get a stocking cover for the finished off-cut, and have it delivered.

This time, I got my husband to check my measurements, to make sure. “I'll never order anything over the internet again if this doesn't work,” I said to him.

A week later, my specified mattress wedge arrived. Fit perfectly. Problem solved. Now I have a king size mattress for a very cheap price. I feel clever instead of stupid.

The company I contacted, Mark Harris Upholstery Ltd , http://www.thefoamshop.co.uk/were extremely professional and made the whole process simple. So, if you have a mattress that's too small, consider using this method instead of buying a new one.
8 Comments

Avoid problems with hackers.

11/15/2015

37 Comments

 
Well, It's nearly a week since I last posted a blog.

I must admit, I'm enjoying the break.

It all started with a phone call last Friday from my service provider, BT Internet (UK). The man on the line told me they would have to remove my account from the internet for a few days because a hacker had got into my account and it was affecting them.

He then proceeded to give me instructions to connect with them. Because my computer is in the study, and the phone is in the living room, I had to hobble between locations to complete each task. I was getting hot, bothered and in pain. I went from the first caller, to another supervisor, then to the office manager while the patient men gave me directions.

I started to get suspicious. I still didn't have proof that they were who they said they were. Anyway, I couldn't do what they asked, being non-computer savvy. The upshot was that I refused to do any more and hung up.

I switched off the computer and called my PC engineer, who arranged to visit on Monday.

He said the distance between the computer and the phone could have been what saved me from being hacked. Apparently, many other companies are having similar trouble to Talk-Talk, even Microsoft. His advice was to ring the company back if I ever got another call—not on the number they gave either, but one I knew to be genuine.

So, I've learned two lessons:
1) Don't be too trusting.
2) I like the freedom of not blogging every day.

Have you ever had trouble like this?
37 Comments

Ever wondered why dogs tilt their heads?

11/6/2015

5 Comments

 
Picturethe head-tilt - www.mynameisgigi.com
You probably recognise the 'head tilt' on a dog you've loved or met.

Their eyes widen and they angle their head to the side. They might have learned this is a way to get your sympathy—to take them for a walk or give them some of the food you're just about to cram into your mouth.

But specialists have worked out two possible explanations other than your relationship.

According to Mental Floss, pooches empathise with humans and pick up on our emotions. Their experts have suggested another contributing factor to the head tilt: a dog's ear is constructed differently to our own. Their direction finder in the ear isn't as accurate as that of a human. So, they might be adjusting their outer ears to pinpoint the source of a sound.

Another scientist wrote in Psychology Today in 2013 of his theory that dogs with larger muzzles tilt their head more often.

This is because the muzzle impairs a dog's vision to prevent them reading human facial expressions. This applies to the lower half of their face, which gives away key clues as to how a person they admire is feeling when they are talking.

You can test this by holding your fist in front of your nose to get an idea of how a dog sees the world.
​
So, there you have it. Dogs tilt their heads because they empathise with humans. They want to make sure they don't miss anything. Whatever the reason, it's cute, right? Source: Mirror. 

I like to think the dog's head-tilt is an expression of love.

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    Francene Stanley
    From England, I use news items in my novels which you can see below, all linked to an Amazon near you.

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