Hello everyone! I'm a writer of historical fiction next to being a pensioned teacher. I like to share my views on life and actuality, along with bringing you interviews with bestselling authors and guest blogs.
To all those who read my blog: I want to wish you and your family all the best for the new year. May all your dreams come true! And hopefully we'll see the end of corona in the world...
2021 was a year to forget. A lost year. Let's pray thar 2022 will be better!
... and sleeping somewhat longer! On workdays we get up around 7 am, but now we sleep until 8.30 am. Neither me or my sister are people who can't sleep well at night. Even though I'm 65, I get into bed and I sleep until I have to wake up. I always have an undisturbed sleep. Lots of older people don't sleep a lot at night, and are up at 5 am. I just can't grasp how that is possible.
One and a half year to go, and then my sister will also be a pensioner. Then we can sleep as long as we like and do what we like. We're already making up plans how to renovate the house for the last time, once the flat is sold. Making plans is just so much fun!
These two weeks of school holidays will be quiet ones for us. Originally we had planned to make a trip through France. But we cancelled this as the situation got worse. Also, once you're over 65 you need to have had your booster jab. As mine was only planned for December 23rd, and only become effective two weeks later, the Christmas holidays was a no-go.
Keep the fingers crossed, because we hope to go the north of Norway at the next school holiday (end of February-early March). Chris wants to see the Northern Light. We have bought new gear for that purpose. Warm boots, jacks and pants, thermal underwear. Ready for polar temperatures! And later on, we'll be able to use that gear to visit Canada in winter, or go to Switzerland walking in the snow.
Chris gets her booster jab tomorrow and so we'll head for the coast on Wednesday. We'll stay until the end of the holidays. Not doing anything special, just what comes to mind. We ordered a take-away dinner for New Year's Eve (and spread that over two days, as it's always way too much to eat in one session). That's one of the effects of taking this much pills: I can't eat like I used to do anymore. Nowadays I have to be glad to be able to finish what's on my plate. No extra's for me!
As we head towards Christmas Eve, I'd like to wish everyone who reads this blog a Merry Christmas and all the best for the coming year.
Hopefully we'll see an end to the corona crisis. Here in Belgium, we're getting into the fifth wave of infections. Luckily the booster campagne is going ahead full steam. By the end of this month, most of the Flemish will have got their booster jab. I got mine yesterday, and my sister will get hers on Tuesday.
I really wish life would get back to normal. Now it's almost impossible to plan anything. You make plans, you have to cancel them. Where is the time when we could plan a trip a year before and see it pass without any problem???
Anyway, up to now we've stayed healthy, didn't get Covid. We are careful, as we stay mostly just the two of us. The most risk we take is when going out dining - and then not in every restaurant. In the restaurants where we visit mostly, the tables are far enough from each other and distances can be maintained.
What are your plans for Christmas? Here at home we'll take it quietly. Today is also Chris's birthday, so we'll cook her favorite dish, have a glass of bubbles (or two) and take the desert with us to watch some tv show. There is a Cirque du Soleil show on the second national channel.
Last Friday we headed to Antwerp (by train) to spend the weekend there. We just love that town. Our grandmother was born there and when we were kids we always went to"'t stad" (the city) when we needed something you couldn't find in Dendermonde. We still go there.
It was very busy in Antwerp. It was the last weekend before Christmas and there were many shoppers. And because of the total lockdown in Holland, the Dutch were there 'en masse'. Also our hotel was completely booked, all the rooms occupied. 99% of the guest were Dutch. I believe we and a couple from Ghent were the only Flemish staying there.
But we had a nice stay. The executive lounge was opened (already was the last time in October as well) and in the early evening there was time for an aperitif and some tidbits to eat. Luckily we had made reservations to go out eating, because the restaurants were full as well. I don't know how many people came asking for a table while we were dining.
The weather was not excellent, but it could be worse. Because of the corona measures there were no christmas markets in town, but there was an ice-rink and decorated trees galore. Gave at least some Christmas atmosphere and it was cozy to walk through the streets.
We did some shopping too. I needed new pair of mittens to keep my hands warm in winter. And because there was a sale at Esprit's I bought two pullovers for the price of one. I still need to add to my wardrobe, because all of my old clothes have become too wide.
Let's say hello to author Nancy Boyarsky today! Nancy is doing a Virtual Book Blast Tour for The Moscow Affair, a Mystery available now from Light Messages Publishing. The Book Blast Tour will take place December 13 - 17, 2021.
Nancy Boyarsky will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to
a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Please use the following link to place your comment:
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f4007/
Blurb
"The Moscow Affair is a thoroughly entertaining and unforgettable thriller punctuated by smart dialog, richly crafted scenes, and a topical plot." –Dave Edlund, USA Today bestselling author of Valiant Savage
In this fast-paced mystery, P.I. Nicole Graves agrees to an unusual, short-term assignment working for MI6 in Russia. It sounds straightforward, even pleasant: a two-week luxury riverboat cruise on the Volga, observing a group of fellow passengers and filing a daily report on their activities. It's simple enough, except for one caveat: No matter what these people do, she’s to tell her handler at MI6—no one else, especially not the Russian police. When one of the riverboat passengers winds up dead, Nicole realizes this assignment was anything but straightforward.
Soon, Nicole is immersed in a high-stakes game of murder and espionage where trusting a stranger can be as deadly as a bullet.
"Nicole Graves is the best fictional sleuth to come down the pike since Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone." –Laura Levine, bestselling author of the Jaine Austen Mysteries
The Nicole Graves Mysteries have been compared to the mysteries of
Mary Higgins Clark and praised for contributing to the "women-driven
mystery field with panache" (Foreword Reviews) as well as for their
"hold-onto-the-bar roller coaster" plots (RT Book Reviews).
When Nicole opened the door, Kolkov was even more abrupt than on his previous visit. No greeting, just, “Get dressed. I take you in for questioning.” He talked fast and fairly vibrated with impatience.
“Why can’t we do it here like before?” Nicole said.
“Get dressed!” He shouted, pointing to the bedroom. “I give five minutes.”
Kolkov was waiting at the door and seemed to be in a tremendous hurry. As she approached, he stepped toward her and firmly gripped her by the arm, as if he expected her to try to escape. She pulled back, pointing to the closet. “I have to get my jacket,” she said, pointing to the hall closet. He let go so she could pull out her zippered hoody and put it on. It was going to be cold out, and longed for her warm coat, but it was in the hamper, stained with Chet’s blood. Before she could finish zipping up the hoody, Kolkov took hold of her arm again and was pulling her out the door.
Other passengers stared as Kolkov led Nicole down to the main deck and across the ramp to the ship next to theirs. Surely they could tell she was being taken from the ship involuntarily; perhaps they recognized Kolkov from the day before. But no one stepped forward to ask what was happening. Nicole wondered what they were thinking.
The pair of them drew an even larger
audience as they walked through the four vessels anchored between Queen of the
Volga and the dock. Finally, they reached the street, where a boxy black sedan
was standing at the curb with a uniformed policeman at the wheel. Kolkov put
Nicole in back, not relaxing his hold on her until he was about to close the
door. He climbed in the the front seat, and they took off.
Author bio and links
Nancy Boyarsky is the author of the Nicole Graves Mysteries. Her sixth installment of the series will be released September 2021.
Nancy has been a writer and editor for her entire working career. She coauthored Backroom Politics, a New York Times notable book, with her husband, Bill Boyarsky. She has written textbooks on the justice system and contributed to anthologies, including In the Running about women’s political campaigns and The Challenge of California. She has also written for the Los Angeles Times, West magazine, Forbes, McCalls, Playgirl, Westways, and other publications. She was communications director for political affairs for ARCO.
In
addition to writing mysteries, Nancy is producer and director of the “Inside
Golden State Politics” podcast.
Nancy can be contacted through her website, www.nancyboyarsky.com You can find the other books in the Nicole Graves series at https://www.torchflamebooks.com/nancy-boyarsky
https://www.amazon.com/Moscow-Affair-Nicole-Mystery-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B095CSMTHT/ref=sr_1_1
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-moscow-affair-nancy-boyarsky/1138867170
Not long now before it's Christmas. The radio is playing Christmas songs all the time - btw, what's your favorite? I like hearing Mariah Carey's "All I want for Christmas" and also "It'll be lonely this Christmas" from Mud.
Our house has been decorated with not one but two trees and of course our inherited Christmas crib has been given a nice spot. It creates a cozy atmosphere in the house.
We've cancelled the trip to France we wanted to do during the holidays. A good decision, as a couple of days later we learned that I wouldn't have been admitted to the country. As of December 15th, all those of 65 and more have to had had a booster shot. And mine is only for December 23rd. It would only be effective after two weeks.
So we are going to stay at home and live quietly. We'll be cooking ourselves on Christmas, and for New Year's Eve we've ordered a take-away dinner from a fine restaurant. Celebrating at home is the best option with the new Omikron variant which is spreading like wildfire.
We only hope we can do some travelling in 2022. We have some plans, the first being a trip to the north of Norway (polar circle) to see the Northern Light. We'll have effective booster shots by then and up to now the entry conditions for Norway aren't too severe.
I just wonder when corona will become nothing more than a virus that gives people a bad cold...
Today we welcome author Liza Malloy. Liza is doing a Virtual Book Blast Tour for Mafiosa Princess, a Contemporary Romance available December 1, 2021 from Teal Street Publishing. The Book Blast Tour will take place December 6 - 10, 2021.
Liza Malloy will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Please use the following link to place your comment:
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Blurb
Two men
love her. But only one truly knows her.
College
Junior Giada Conti wants nothing more than to pursue a normal life fueled by
her own choices. Unfortunately, she doesn’t realize her father’s business isn’t
completely lawful, or how that fact will completely dictate her future.
Pre-law
student Adrian Patras is certain Giada is the perfect woman for him, until he
meets her family and grasps the extent of his girlfriend’s naivete.
As
Adrian finds himself unwillingly pulled into the family business, Giada grows
frustrated with his insinuations about her father. Meanwhile, Giada’s ex, the
notorious Luca Marino, pops back into her life with his own criminal agenda
that includes winning her back.
Mafiosa
Princess is the captivating first book in the steamy mafia romance series that
you won’t want to put down.
Excerpt
I shielded my eyes from the sun peeking in above my calypso blue sunglasses and gazed over at Luca. He was pacing back and forth ten or so yards away, clutching his phone tightly by his ear.
I tried to view him the way the other girls must. It wasn’t hard to see the appeal. He was indisputably good-looking, the quintessential Italian man. Lean muscle comprised his tall frame, long black eyelashes framed his rich chocolate eyes, and his dark brownish-black hair was soft and just long enough to run my fingers through. He carried himself with confidence, and everything about him oozed wealth and power.
I thought about what Luca said, how he’d admitted that losing me was a mistake. Had he actually meant that, or was he just trying to cheer me up? I wasn’t oblivious to the way he flirted with me, or the way he unapologetically checked me out whenever he wanted. But that didn’t necessarily signal anything except for a deep-seated sense of entitlement on his part
Years ago, I was more susceptible to Luca’s charms. Even at sixteen, he radiated control and dominance. The attention he bestowed on me in high school instantly ratcheted up my popularity and made me more sought after by all of the guys, but thanks to Luca’s smooth lines and ceaseless flattering, I had eyes only for him.
During the time we’d been a couple, my self-esteem had been at an all-time high. If the coveted Luca Marino loved me, I had to be beautiful, smart, and funny. He wouldn’t have wasted his attentions on someone unworthy. Besides, he could’ve had any girl at our school. Yet, he chose me.
Now, years later, my heart still
fluttered at the possibility that Luca still wanted me. It was flattering, and
it was precisely the ego-boost I needed after watching Adrian leave me for
Chicago. But could it be more than that?
Author bio and links
Liza
Malloy writes contemporary romance, women's fiction, new adult romance, and
fantasy. She’s a sucker for alpha males, bad boys, dimples, and muscles, and
she can’t resist a man in uniform. Liza loves creating worlds where her heroine
discovers her own strength and finds her Happily Ever After. When Liza isn’t
reading or writing torrid love stories, she’s a practicing attorney. Her other
passions include gummy bears, jelly beans, and the occasional marathon. She
lives in the Midwest with her four daughters and her own Prince Charming. Her
books are available in both paperback and ebook, and can be found on Amazon,
Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Google Play, and more!
Visit her website at www.LizaMalloy.com
Join
her email list for access to exclusive bonus content at http://bit.ly/34FrD71
Social Media Handles:
Twitter:
@AuthorLizaM
Facebook:
@authorLizaM
Instagram:
AuthorLizaM
Pinterest:
@authorLizaMalloy
Goodreads:
http://bit.ly/2EY0rps
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2wMUVW2
Buy Link:
https://www.amazon.com/Mafiosa-Princess-Romance-Liza-Malloy-ebook/dp/B09JGR84XY/ref=sr_1_1
Let's say hello to Scott P. Southall today. Scott's doing a virtual Name Before the Masses tour for The Order of Time Series, a middle grade fantasy/mythology/ancient history available January 20th, 2022 from Seaview Press. This tour will run every Tuesday and Thursday for 15 weeks starting on November 16th, 2021.
Scott is giving away a $50 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter. Please use the following link to place your comment:
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3965/
Blurb
About
the Series
Picture
two twelve-year-old fraternal twins who are like night and day. She is a smart
and highly organised MMA fighter. He’s not a fighter, he’s a lover of history,
art and Star Wars. Despite their differences they are one formidable team.
Together Anastasia and Edward Upston travel through time and navigate ancient
civilisations, angry gods and mythical monsters in their quest to protect the
integrity of human history.
About
The Order of Time
Anastasia
and Edward Upston are eleven year old twins who are different in almost every
way. Despite this they are inseparable and he best of friends. They tackle the
highs and lows of sixth grade together whether they are fending off bullies at
the elite Blake Academy or examining rare antiquities at the Smithsonian Museum
of Natural History. Then: life gets complicated.
They discover
that their friend and mentor, Dr. Gregorian, is part of a secret society called
the Order of Time. It turns out that time is not fixed, it’s a fluid continuum
where changes to the past can create ripples all the way through to the
present. It unwittingly falls to the twins to travel back through time to
ancient Egypt where they must overcome deadly assassins, evil high priests and
vengeful gods in order to prevent disaster. Together Anastasia and Edward must
navigate all obstacles to preserve the past and find their way back home.
About The Order of Time and Odin’s Door
The orange light bathed the snow-covered
fields as the fiery globe began to dip below the horizon. It was strange that
something so beautiful could signal the arrival of something so evil. One thing
twelve-year-old twins Anastasia and Edward Upston knew for sure was that when
mortals were caught between two bickering gods nothing good would come of it.
Surviving the Viking Age may be the hardest thing they ever do, if they can…
Excerpt from The Order of Time
They started to leave when the room suddenly lit up with a strange purple light coming from under a closet door.
“Why is the closet glowing?” asked Edward, his voice trailing up an octave. “Maybe we should get out of here.
“What if Dr. G’s in there? You know he always locks his door, but it was open tonight. Maybe he’s still here. He might need our help,” Anastasia said emphatically.
The light was getting brighter by the second. Now Edward could also hear a low humming noise.
“Stop being crazy, Anastasia! This is the part in the movies where you yell at the screen for the characters not to open the door. We are not going to open that door.”
“I’m not being crazy. If Dr. G is in there and needs help, we’ll never forgive ourselves.”
Edward looked at her pleadingly, but
she wasn’t giving in. His shoulders slumped in defeat. Oh god, please don’t let
there be a monster or anything really scary in there. Anastasia dragged him
over to the closet door. The light pouring out around the cracks was incredibly
bright and the humming was getting louder. She gripped the large, brass
doorknob, took a breath, and opened the door.
Author bio and links
Scott is an American author and banking executive who lives in Sydney, Australia. He grew up in the suburbs of Washington D.C. and attended Georgetown University. While he loves his job as a global banker, his true passion is making up stories with his children. His debut novel, The Order of Time, reached #1 in its category on Amazon and was the 2021 Reader’s Favorite Gold Medal Winner in the Children’s – Mythology/Fairy Tale genre.
Following are Scott's answer to a couple of questions:
Q: Any
weird things you do when you’re alone?
A: This is the kind of question that is asked because most people do something weird when they are alone. For me I sing. I sing a lot. I sing loudly. I don’t sing particularly well but I make up for it with enthusiasm (at least that is what I tell myself). I have an abnormal habit of remembering song lyrics that I hear word for word. When coupled with the fact that we have bluetooth microphones at home (for the kids of course), no singing artist’s work is really safe from me.
Q: What
is your favorite quote and why?
A: “It’s never too late to be what you might have been.” - George Eliot. I really love this quote. I believe that we are all capable of successfully reinventing ourselves multiple times during our lives. No one is stuck doing something for the rest of their life because that happens to be what they studied at college or it’s the field in which they got their first job. Just about anything can be done (except for professional singing) through a combination of passion and hard work. I’ve been fortunate enough so far to have been an accountant, management consultant, banker, author, illustrator (with my latest book), husband and father. I have loved all of these roles for different reasons. My sincerest hope is that I will enjoy many more roles before my time is up.
Q: Who
is your favorite author and why? What, in your opinion, are the most important
elements of good writing?
A: I
find “who is my favorite author?” to be an exceedingly hard question. I have a
lot of books which fill the shelves across two houses. I also have boxes of
books under the stairs which I just don’t have the room for but I can’t bear to
give away. Lack of space is the primary reason why I transitioned to ebooks in
the last ten years.
My favorite authors are all tied to the
two elements of good writing which I enjoy most: world building and story
telling. When I think of world building I think of authors who transport you to
another place altogether. By the time your done reading their books you feel
like those worlds or settings are like neighborhoods where you used to live.
They become that tangible and familiar.
Great World Builders
·
Patrick Rothfuss
·
Anne McCaffrey
·
Susan Dennard
·
George W. Martin
·
Anne Rice
When I think about great story tellers I
think of authors who get me heavily invested in their characters and keep me
turning the pages with anticipation. While world building leans heavily into
fantasy for me great story telling can be any genre.
https://www.scottpsouthall.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-southall-6bab5a4/
https://www.instagram.com/scottsouthallauthor/
https://www.facebook.com/scott.southallauthor
https://twitter.com/SSouthallAuthor
The book is on sale for $0.99 during the tour.
https://www.amazon.com/Order-Time-Scott-P-Southall-ebook/dp/B07Z3XWJQ
https://bookawards.com/book-award/the-order-of-time
https://readersfavorite.com/2021-award-contest-winners.htm#the-order-of-time
Most kids in Flanders, Holland and parts of Germany will know the answer to this question. On the night of December 5th, Saint Nicholas walks the roofs, along with his trusted horse and his helper Piet, to drop presents through the chimneys for all the kids who were good.
Americans can best compare Saint Nicholas to Santa Claus, with a couple of slight variations. Santa Claus has reindeer, Saint Nic a white horse.
Nowadays there is some controversy around Nicholas and his helper. Piet was always portrayed with a black face - creeping down chimneys makes you black with soot. But some people now see it as a sort of discrimination. Personally, I think this is going a bit too far (same goes for the Me too movement).
Saint Nicholas actually existed. Centuries back, he was a bishop in Turkey, Nicholas of Myrna. It's known he gave away some of his possessions to those in need.
In Flanders, we have not only Saint Nicholas, but also Saint Martin. It depends in which region you live. In our neighborhood it was Saint Martin. When I was around 4 years old, I concluded that St. Martin must be real (compared to Nicholas) because we got a day off (November 11th....) when he came!
But I can still remember the wonder you felt when coming down, earlier in the morning than usual, to see what the good saint had brought. All that chocolate, the toys, the cookies, .... And later, knowing how the presents came to be, it was still great. I still feel like a child when there's a surprise to be found at breakfast. I think it's nice you can keep being a child sometimes. What do you think?
