Last day of summer

And it goes out with a bang! Today they predict temperatures up to 31° Celsius. The sky is blue, the sun is shining. A fitting end of summer, isn't it?

As of tomorrow, the temperatures will drop some ten degrees, but then it's still nice weather. Not a lot of rain coming in the next week.

For everyone under 18 it's back to school on Monday (and also for the teachers and all other personel who man the school administration). Some will go gladly, others will weep.

It's strange, but since I'm pensioned I don't reckon with schoolyears anymore. That's because you don't have to work anymore (at least not at school - I keep busy enough with my proofreading and trying to keep the house more or less in order).

Before we'll know it, the year will be gone once more and then we're into 2020. When I was a young lass, that looked like a very, very far future! But now I'm hoping to put on a couple of years after that. Being a cancer patient makes you grateful for every day extra. I feel fine, up to now all results of blood testing and scans are good. Fingers crossed! And there is one positive effect too. I've lost all the fat I gathered since I was forty, and gone back to the size of my youth - a European 40 or 12 UK. I eat more than enough, but it doesn't stick!

Finally Home

Please welcome author L. Simpson today. The author is doing a virtual book blast tour for Finally Home (Alpine Valleys Book 3), a contemporary romance available now from Boroughs Books. The book tour will take place on August 26 - August 30.

The author will be awarding a $10 Boroughs Bucks 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/28e4345f3153/
Blurb

Ben McTavish is besotted when he sees a vixen in striped leggings own a cringe-worthy moment and turn it into a hilarious bit. He can’t stop thinking about her even though he puts his foot in his mouth every time he tries to get to know her. Ben would love to spend some time with this woman who has captivated him, but he needs to get his farm established before the bank takes back the land.

Kate Bloomington is all about whipping her life into shape, including getting to know her grandmother who she is now caring for. When she meets Ben, also known as Saint McT since he helps all comers, she pushes him away. Somehow, he shows up at every inopportune moment, mortifying her and enticing her at the same time. She learns that he needs help as much as she does, and together they create a love that is unbreakable

Excerpt

True to his word, Ben was at my door right before eight in the morning. I was running a little late because I was struggling to focus. My emotions were a tumble, and while I was unable to deny my excitement at seeing him despite the fact he was Saint McT and I was a hot mess, I was still trying to bury the events of Friday night. Images of Frank would pop up, and I questioned my decision to do nothing. But the system wasn’t fair. I needed to move on. I had just started to get my life back, to feel like I belonged, and after being alone for so long, I simply couldn’t go back. It wasn’t right, but I couldn’t see any other option.

“Do we have time for coffee?” he asked as I got into his truck.

“Of course,” I said trying not to turn into mush as I took him in. He was dressed casually again, and while I missed the suit I’d caught a glimpse of, his navy woolen jumper and fitted, faded jeans had my mouth watering.

“Great,” he said and drove us straight to the bakery. While we ordered coffees, every local in the place stared at us. Their gazes sharpened when Ben put his hand on the small of my back as we walked out. I wanted to tell them all he was just being Saint McT, but it was hard to concentrate because my body came alive at his touch and I was within smelling distance. Yes. That’s right. The pastries held no sway now. I was all about Ben and his sexy, fresh soap smell. This trip was going to be a nightmare. Would it be easier or harder on the back of his bike?

“Do you not ride your bike often?” I found myself asking, trying not to sound hopeful.

“Not as often as I’d like. I didn’t think you’d appreciate it in that skirt,” he said grinning wickedly at me. I blushed.

“Have you ever been on one?”

“No way, my mother forbade them.”

“Well, anytime you want a ride…” he trailed off and I laughed, blushing. 

Author bio and links

As a girl growing up in Australia, Laura was lost in the world of Anne of Green Gables and Little Women. During high school, volleyball dominated her life. There had to be something positive about being 6’1” with red hair. Representing Australia from a young age she eventually took a scholarship at the University of Iowa. Living in America and being a full time athlete in a college town was an eye-opening experience and lots of fun (from what she can remember). #gohawkeyes

Returning from the States, her career took a different turn as she started working at the Red Cross and completed her Masters of Law in Human Rights. As one of the few non-lawyers in the class, her essays were far more floral than the rest, something that caused the discerning professors to shake their heads. Through working and studying, she realised there are other ways to win hearts and minds.

While she’s spent the last 14 years as an advocate against poverty and homelessness, the desire to change the world through storytelling has only got stronger. She now lives in the Alpine Valleys of North East Victoria, Australia with her husband, daughter, son, two dogs and seven chooks. When she’s not doing the whole mum thing, working at a homelessness agency, renovating her farmhouse, or trying to do laundry bleary-eyed at midnight, she is writing.

Say G’day to Laura:

Website: www.lsimpsonauthor.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/l.simpson.romance

  

Twitter: @lsimpsonauthor

Instagram: @lsimpsonauthor

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/laura-simpson-47278971

Buy Link:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Finally-Home-Alpine-Valleys-Simpson/dp/1951055020/ref=sr_1_1

Star chef gives back his stars to Michelin

It's en vogue these days: when you have a restaurant worth 3 or 2 Michelin stars, you hand in those stars after a couple of years - because of the constand stress, financial troubles, lack of inspiration, whatever.

This time it's chef Bart Desmidt of restaurant Bartholomeus in Knokke-Heist who's decided to stop with his two-star restaurant. Sergio Herman, Geert van Hecke, Luc Bellings and Kobe Desramaults did it before him.

At the end of this year Bartholomeus will close. Then, after a couple of months, Desmidt will reopen a new concept at the same place and probably under the same name. More intimate, cooking in the middle of the restaurant.

We were dining there in May last. Now, between us we had decided not to go there anymore. The reason? Bart (we know him since he was a little boy) cooks with a lot of pure butter. All his sauces are very rich in fat. My system can't bear a lot of fat anymore. So that's why we now go to places where the cook uses more olive oil or less butter. Like for instance La Guera. Never got sick after eating there!

So we won't mind very much that the restaurant won't be there anymore. Because even with his new concept, Bart will continue to use the ingredients he's used to.

Heatwave at the end of August

The month of August began with bad weather - lots of wind, low temperatures, rain... We got it all. But then a couple of days ago, a high got in and the sun began to shine again. Since then the temperature has been going up day by day. Inland they already have temperatures over 30° Celsius. Here at the coast it's a bit less but it's  nice anyway.

We had a lot of washing needing to be done, and with this beautiul weather everything could dry outside. Hang it out around 11 am and by 2 pm it was completely dry.

My sister has already been working a day at her office, but she returned Friday afternoon to enjoy the weekend here. Tomorrow it's back home for the both of us.

We will be enjoying our last afternoon here. Relaxing on the terrace, having coffee and later on a cool cocktail, then having dinner.

And next ordinary life will start anew. Four more years to go, until my sister can take her pension. I'll be looking out for that, because then we'll have permanently vacation!

On my own

My sister returned home yesterday evening (and while near to the station, she remembered she had forgotten something, so I had to run back to the flat and fetch it before the train left...) to work at the office today. That means I'm all on my own for a while.

Yesterday evening I watched the film of Les Misérables and then went to bed. I woke up around 8 am and after breakfast I put in some washing. While the machine did its work, I did away with a bunch of ironing. Yes, I always keep busy when I'm on my own. That way times goes by faster.

Right now, the washing is done and the fresh linen hangs out to dry outside. I've just made some coffee and am now at my computer. I'll read the newspaper and then go out to fetch a sandwich for lunch.

After lunch I'll read half an hour, and then go cleaning the bathroom. The rest of the afternoon I intend to spend relaxing in the sun on the terrace.

How do you cope with being on your own? Do you also keep busy while waiting for the other one to come home?

Julian Fox: The Dream Guardian

Please welcome author E.J. Miranda today. E.J. is doing a virtual book blast tour for Julian Fox: The Dream Guardian, a YA Fantasy available September 18, 2019. The Book Blast Tour will take place August 19 - 23, 2019.

E.J. Miranda will be awarding a 1st prize: $50 Amazon e-giftcard, and a 2nd prize: $40 Amazon e-giftcard, to two randomly drawn winners via rafflecopter during the tour. Please use the following link to place your comment: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3133/

Blurb

It is said that dreams are just that: only dreams. But believe me, this is not always true. Some dreams are as real as the dreamer.

Thanks to their dreams, dreamers can receive the special visit of eternal wisdom that has inspired the creativity of great inventors, scientists, musicians, and even writers throughout the ages.

This creative wisdom is not always the type that appears to the eager conscience. Sometimes, a Defiler, a destroyer of dreams, is the one who tries to appear before the dreamer. These creatures were once humans, but they allowed their pain and desire for revenge to take over and seek the same miserable fate for the one who dreams.

You must not fear — Dream Guardians, also known as Kelsdrant, will always protect the one who dreams, even with their own life. They are people of flesh and bone, just like you and me, or at least they are on Earth.

The following story is dedicated to the fun, extravagant, and enlightening life of Julian Fox, the Dream Guardian.

Be prepared, dear reader. It is time to dream, laugh, reflect, and even maybe cry.

Welcome to the Land of the Wise Dreams.

Excerpt

Chapter 1: The Fox Family

           

There is no perfect family. This is a universal truth, but if the imagination of a pair of mischievous minds is added to reality, the result can be an explosive combination that shuts the door to normalcy.

Sonia and William’s marriage is an example of how patience can be extended to the absolute limits. After all, parental love can only tolerate so much nonsense from the ingenuity of their children, especially when they happen to be Julian and Nicholas Fox.

This outlandish story begins at the crazy end of a pleasant vacation. The two brothers, Julian and Nicholas, were enjoying the afternoon heat near the banks of the river that crossed their ranch. They lay in the shade of an enormous tree, listening to the torrent of water as if it were a magical lullaby.

Julian, the eldest, was twenty-one years old. He had just completed his university studies and the memories of experiences with his classmates were still fresh in his mind. Nicholas, the youngest and last of the two children, was twenty years old and he was still studying in college.

They stayed silent for several minutes with their eyes closed, hoping that a miracle would occur and the family vacation would continue for a while longer. But, resigned to returning home in just two days, they decided to make the most of nature’s sweetness.

Author bio and links

E. J. Miranda is an avid reader, an enthusiastic traveler, and a passionate author. Her great sense of humor and love for nature have granted her a rebellious writing style: Her approach describes the adventures of life but in such a way that each reader can have an individual take on the matter. Her inspiration comes from her curiosity about other countries’ cultures and peculiarities. A few countries in particular that spark her curiosity are Colombia, Italy, Costa Rica, England, Belgium, Mexico, Spain, and the United States. Her favorite places to visit are historical sites and museums, locations that allow her to explore important and even overlooked details. She currently lives with her husband in Colombia but frequently travels to Houston to visit her daughter and son. E.J. Miranda has a degree in tax accounting, but she prefers interacting with people to calculating their taxes. 

Links

To learn more about her life and work, visit www.ejmiranda.com

To check out the book on Goodreads, visit https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46288494-julian-fox

https://twitter.com/authorejmiranda

https://www.facebook.com/EJMirandaAuthor

Buy Links:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/julian-fox-the-dream-guardian-e-j-miranda/1132532225

https://www.amazon.com/Julian-Fox-Dream-Guardian-Miranda/dp/173379820X/ref=sr_1_1

The rise and fall of social media

Big title in the weekend paper: Facebook is in the decline. Not a wonder, really. These are just trends, and all trends end one day or other. Some take a bit longer, others go after a couple of days.

Who rembers MySpace? I don't actually recall when it was in fashion, but it was hugely popular at its time. I had numerous friends on it, I remember, among which some who were really important people like Sophia Coppola or singer Tony Christie (who actually mailed me a couple of times). The system was as it always it: someone makes a friendship request and the other one accepts.

And then came Facebook. I never thought it was clever to share a lot about myself on it (I'm not that kind of person) but it was a good way to learn what happened to old friends and schoolmates. Got into contact with some on them thanks to Facebook.

Young people nowadays tend to go for Instagram or Whatsap. Can't blame them. I also use Instagram a lot and neglect Facebook. Doesn't interest me anymore! Most of my old pals and ex-students are on Instagram too and it's fun to share pics.

I wonder what's going to be next?

Lazy weekend

What can you do when the weather doesn't play nice? Stay indoors and relax. Yesterday afternoon we braved the rain to get to some nearby shops and browsed around. I left with a great deal, because I could buy brand new pants for only 8€! And in the other shop my sister tried on a coat that had only seconds before been displayed - it fitted her nicely and so she has bought it as well. I also saw a nice skirt which was not too expensive; one you can wear winter and summer because of the color mix. Boots or sandals, everything goes.

Later in the evening we went out dining. Not in the bistro next door, but a couple of doors further down the promenade. Here in Heist (Knokke-Heist) you have restaurants everywhere! This one is called De Waterlijn and the cuisine is comparable with that of La Guera where we also like to dine. We had a very nice dinner (mainly fish) and thoroughly enjoyed it.

This morning we woke up again with rain, so we decided to run our errands later this afternoon when it's hopefully dry. Now after I finish this blog entry I'm going to read my online newspaper, the weekend edition is always full of nice articles. I especially like the entry of chef Luc Bellings who always tries out national dishes. This time he's trying out stoofvlees-friet (beef stew in beer with fries). He goes to several places along the coast and gives points from 0 to 10. A ten is not often given, though. That means perfection. Only one or two restaurants got that honor.

For us the long summer vacation nearly comes to an end. At the end of the coming week, Christine returns to work and so we're heading home on Thursday coming.

August 15th

For all catholics, August 15th is a feast day. It remembers the death and going to heaven of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Here in Flanders it is also Mother's Day in certain parts of the country (mostly the province of Antwerp - for all others Mother's Day is in May).

And here in Heist, they remember those who were killed at sea on this day, and the fishing fleet gets a blessing. We can watch most of the ceremony from our terrace. First there's a open air mass attented by practically all inhabitants of Heist (which is in itself a rather small village, in the earlier days a fishing village) and around noon all the fishing vessels whose owners and skippers  are from Heist sail to a spot near the beach from where they are blessed by the priest.

The number of fishermen died at sea grows larger year by year. Don't forget, fishing is a risky business.

When we were kids, we used to rent part of a house from a fisherman. Frans and his wife Marie shared with us their love for the sea and that's mainly the reason why we like it here so much. We also learned to eat fish from early on! Frans always brought home the last of the catch and he willingly shared it with us. So we were treated to salmon, shrimps, lobster, cod, hallibut and plaice, just name it. We still like to eat fish, and do this regularly. We don't eat meat very much, about once a week.

When the weather doesn't worsen (it's cloudy right now) we are going to walk to Zeebrugge where there are also festivities for today. There'll be a possibility to taste morsels of fish preparations and you'll be able to go on board of a fishing trawler.

In Pursuit of Perfection

Please welcome author Jacki Kelly today. Jacki's doing a virtual book tour for In Pursuit of Perfection, a romance available since August 1st from Intrigue Publishing. This tour will run from August 5th to August 30th.

Jacki Kelly will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes&Noble 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/28e4345f3118/

Blurb

The next man in Macy Rollins’s life must be perfect. She’s had enough impostors and isn’t willing to settle for anything less. All she has to do is get through the company contract negotiation season and she will get that promotion she has been working so hard for. Avery Malveaux – one of Philadelphia’s most eligible bachelors – has been hired to work with her as legal counsel for the company. From the moment they are forced to work together tensions are high and expectations are low. He questions her ability, she questions his intentions. After Macy is suspected in an accounting shortage, she accuses Avery of betraying her confidence. Has she once again been deceived by a man she thought she could trust? Can she clear her name and win her job back? And can there be any hope for Macy’s pursuit of perfection

Excerpt

Macy rubbed her forehead. Right now, wasn’t the time to fire Michelle and start interviewing for a new assistant. The world needed to stop spinning for just a few moments. Her job depended on finding that money. She picked up the phone and dialed accounting.

“Connie, I need your help,” she said. “Can you run monthly balances on my account, starting with January?”

“You want everything? That’s a lot.”

“Yeah. How soon can you get it to me?”

“Give me a day or two.”

“Connie, one more thing. I’m seeing a lot of new accounts. Several that I don’t recognize. I know we’re going after market share, but I didn’t expect this many. If I send you a list of the names, what information can you provide on them?”

“Well, I can tell you when the account was set up, by who, and purchasing activity. What else would you need?”

“That’s a good start. Thanks.”

Macy ended the call, but the nagging didn’t subside.

I asked Jacki why she chose romance as her genre? Here's her answer:

For years Romance novels have been looked down on in the Publishing industry. There have been times when I tell someone I write romance and I heard snickers. But I am a firm believer that romance is in more books, movies, and television shows than we realize. Even in the most action-packed drama, many times there is a love story going on behind the destruction of the building or the exploding car. There are more romance books sold each year than any other genre. There used to be a time when women hid the fact that they read romance novels, they hid them under book covers so that others couldn’t pass judgment. Those days are behind us now. Romance has experienced a renaissance.

In life what humans want most is someone to care for and someone to care about them. And I am no different. Writing romance is easy for me. I write what I enjoy. I love the magic that happens when two people find love.

I’ve always been an optimist so books with happy or satisfying ending appeal to me. When a reader picks up a romance novel, there is a guarantee that the story will end happily. This is true for all types of romance, paranormal, suspense, historical, inspirational, young adult and erotic. Where else can you get a guarantee like that?

To keep up with future releases, giveaways or other writing activities, please join my newsletter at https://jackikelly.com/ or join my Facebook group at Jacki’s Joint or Jacki Kelly Author.

Author bio and links

Men and women have always sought the promise that only love can offer. Jacki invites you into an intriguing world where romance abounds around every corner and down every street. You’ll be amazed at the crazy things we do and don’t do for the promise of love.

Jacki has been writing since her fourth grade teacher made her keep a journal for a grade. Now she does it to keep track of all the fascinating and heartbreaking moments that life throws our way. Poetry, personal essays, short stories and novels have all occupied space in her heart and her hard drive.

Jacki lives in the northeast where the winters are too cold and the summers are warm. But, she wouldn’t trade it for anywhere else, well maybe for a fabulous house on the sunny sands of Miami Beach in February. Her loveable husband and adorable floppy eared dog endure her long periods behind the computer creating happy-endings for her amazing hero and heroines. Romance makes the world go round and Jacki is enjoying the ride.

Website -  https://jackikelly.com/

Blog - https://jackikelly.com/category/blogposts/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Jacki-Kelly-Author-131421120280658/

Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Pursuit-Perfection-Jacki-Kelly/dp/1940758947/ref=sr_1_1?fst=p90x%3A1&keywords=%22intrigue+publishing%22&qid=1561476516&s=gateway&sr=8-1

Gone with the wind

Yesterday was a totally crazy day! The sun was shining, but at the same time there was a gale force (5-6 Beaufort) blowing. When we closed the entrance door to our block of flats, waves of sand came rolling in.

We made a rather long walk nevertheless. Luckily I have a hair coupe that doesn't allow the hair to blow into my face, but I suppose I looked like a crazy professor (Einstein type)! My sister had to tie her hair up because it was just impossible otherwise.

When we returned, we had sand everywhere on our body. A quick shower took care of that. But what was worse, we had to keep most windows closed, as the wind raged heavily on the rooftop. And I don't like it when there's no air.

Fortunately, late evening the wind began to lose power. By the time we got to bed, we could at last open up two (smaller) windows to let in some fresh air.

Did anyone else experience this gale force?

April in the Back of Beyond

Please welcome author P.M. Terrell today. The author is doing a virtual book tour for April in the Back of Beyond, a Romantic Suspense/Ghost Story available July 19 from Drake Valley Press. The tour will run August 5 - August 30.

P.M.Terrell will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN 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/28e4345f3120/

Blurb

Writer Hayley Hunter has arrived in Ireland to complete a book on Irish history. When she discovers the old carriage house she is renting is haunted, she is determined to uncover the truth behind the burned ruins of a nearby manor house and the abandoned British barracks it overlooks. With the assistance of Shay Macgregor, an Irish historian, her quest will take her to 1919 and the Irish War for Independence, exposing the murders of two young men and why their mother, April Crutchley, refuses to leave the back of beyond even in death. With a budding romance and the opportunity to begin life anew, Hayley finds her own life is now in jeopardy as she gets closer to a truth the villagers have long sought to bury.

Excerpt

I could not hear the cattle though we continued to approach. I saw a head dodge this way or that, could envision their mouths opening in snorts or grunts. Two dogs came into the picture as though there were curtains on either side, appearing from behind the veils to join the cattle on center stage. They ducked and darted, their heads held low, ever on the watch for a strayed cow and yet the yips and barks I should have heard were lost in the winds that blew through here a hundred years ago.

The road stopped and yet Shay continued to press forward, the terrain becoming steeper and rockier as we drew ever closer. I was panting now and my forehead was covered in perspiration and yet I knew I could not turn back. I had to remain with Shay. I longed to ask why we were moving steadily toward the ruins, or what he hoped we could possibly accomplish there, but the words were frozen on my lips.

The air grew icy but there was no wind, as if time itself was suspended.

Then the herd parted to reveal two young men, boys really; and they were looking at us.

Shay stopped and I was so mesmerized that I started past him but he reached out to grab my arm. I have no idea what amount of force he might have used because in that instant, I barely registered his hand upon me. I only knew my feet had stopped and I was staring uphill at two boys that stared back at me.

Their baggy pants were dark, their shirts light, but I could see the giant tree that stood behind them. My brain slowly registered that I could see it because I was looking through them; the combination of their light and dark clothing was casting the tree into curious shadows. I knew they were looking at us though I could not see their facial features, but rather judged their stance from the position of their bodies. Their faces glowed eerily, the outlines blurry. They grew even hazier as I realized they were beginning to run.

In an instant the cattle dispersed in a panic, rushing down the hill toward the pasture from whence they’d come while the two boys raced upward in the opposite direction toward the house. They reached the open doorway almost at the same time, catapulting over the threshold. As they stepped inside the walls, everything vanished: the boys, the dogs and the cattle were gone. All that was left were the skeletal ruins, dark and forbidding against a sky filled with ominous clouds.

I asked the author if she truly believes in ghosts. Here's her answer:

April in the Back of Beyond is both a mystery and a ghost story, one of several books I’ve written that included ghosts. I have always loved ghost stories; I think it began when I was just a little girl and my older sister Susan would tell me ghost stories that had me scared half to death. My dad had a car that seemed to be all windows and we would sometimes visit his sister, which involved driving well after dark on winding, shadowy roads while Susan told her stories.

The first time I saw a ghost was when I was in bed with my mother, sister, and two brothers. I was about 5 years old, and she was reading a book to us. All the sudden, she stopped reading and looked at the foot of the bed. I followed her gaze and saw a man at the foot of the bed just looking at us. She called for my father and when he entered the room, the man disappeared. My mother found out two days later that a man she had dated for nine years had passed away that night. He’d never married, had always carried a torch for my mother, and he was alone when he passed. I will always believe that was him saying good-bye to my mother as he departed.

Other members of the family have seen or felt loved ones as well. My aunt was busy making breakfast for my grandfather when she felt his hand strong on her shoulder. He was blind and increasingly infirmed and she blurted out, “Daddy, how did you get in here?” But when she swirled around, he was gone. She knew in that instant that he had died. She was a nurse and she rushed to his room but he had already passed over. She said she would always believe he was saying good-bye to her.

I’ve seen many ghosts in my lifetime. I am often asked if they frighten me. I believe each one is the spirit of someone that lived here in the past, some of whom I know and some that are strangers to me. Whether they frighten me depends on the spirit and the situation. It’s much like walking down a street and seeing someone that appears friendly and you smile, while someone else might appear threatening by their expression or their movements and they are frightening. Since I’ve begun writing ghost stories, I’ve had many people tell me of their own experiences, especially of sensing or seeing loved ones that have passed over.

Do you believe in ghosts?

Author bio and links

p.m.terrell is the pen name for Patricia McClelland Terrell, the award-winning, internationally acclaimed author of more than 23 books in multiple genres, including contemporary suspense, historical suspense, computer instructional, non-fiction and children’s books.

Prior to writing full-time, she founded two computer companies in the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area: McClelland Enterprises, Inc. and Continental Software Development Corporation. Among her clients were the Central Intelligence Agency, United States Secret Service, U.S. Information Agency, and Department of Defense. Her specialties were in the detection of white collar computer crimes and computer intelligence.

A full-time author since 2002, Black Swamp Mysteries was her first series, inspired by the success of Exit 22, released in 2008. Vicki’s Key was a top five finalist in the 2012 International Book Awards and 2012 USA Book Awards nominee, and The Pendulum Files was a national finalist for the Best Cover of the Year in 2014. Her second series, Ryan O’Clery Suspense, is also award-winning. The Tempest Murders (Book 1) was one of four finalists in the 2013 International Book Awards, cross-genre category. Her historical suspense, River Passage, was a 2010 Best Fiction and Drama Winner. It was determined to be so historically accurate that a copy of the book resides at the Nashville Government Metropolitan Archives in Nashville, Tennessee. Songbirds are Free is her bestselling book to date; it is inspired by the true story of Mary Neely, who was captured in 1780 by Shawnee warriors near Fort Nashborough (now Nashville, TN).

She was the co-founder of The Book ‘Em Foundation, an organization committed to raising public awareness of the correlation between high crime rates and high illiteracy rates. She was the founder of Book ‘Em North Carolina, an annual event held in the town of Lumberton, North Carolina, to raise funds to increase literacy and reduce crime and served as its chairperson and organizer for its first four years. She also served on the boards of the Friends of the Robeson County (NC) Public Library, the Robeson County (NC) Arts Council, Virginia Crime Stoppers and became the first female president of the Chesterfield County-Colonial Heights Crime Solvers in Virginia.

For more information, book trailers, excerpts and more, visit the author’s website at www.pmterrell.com

Twitter: @pmterrell

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pmterrell.author/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/pmterrell/

https://www.amazon.com/April-Back-Beyond-p-m-terrell/dp/1935970461

Cocktails

Normally, I don't drink cocktails. They're often too sweet. But since our trip to Firenze in July, I developed a like for Aperol Spritz.

It's a drink that's easy to mix. Just fill a big glass with ice cubes, then add a measure aperol, two measures prosecco (or even a bit more) and a slice of orange. Stir, and it's ready.

It's a great drink for when it's hot. Sitting on the terrace, watching everything go by (from where we are: ships entering and leaving the port of Zeebrugge, the traffic on the coastal road below, the pedestrians who take the underground tunnel to cross the road, ... we can even see the church towers of Bruges when the weather is clear), sipping an Aperol Spritz. Yes, life can be good!

Unfortunately, the weather isn't that great nowadays. There is some sun, but also some cloud, and the temperatures are around 23° Celsius. Not bad, but not good either. For me summer means temperatures of at least 25° and lots of sunshine.

And what about you? What's your favorite cocktail? Or what means summer to you?

Trip to London

Yesterday evening, we returned from London. We were there just for a short trip, mainly to see a musical show in the Palladium.

This time we stayed in a hotel in Islington, not far away from Angel tube station. Islington is quite a nice neighborhood, I must say. Lots of shops and pubs and restaurants - and quite a bit cheaper than in the center of town. From Angel you quickly reach St. Pancras/King's Cross and there you have practically every tube line available.

We had a nice and quiet room at the hotel and slept very well. No pubs around from which you can have noise - we arrived on Friday and the Brits are known to love pubbing in the weekend. At some places we were, they stayed on the pavement shouting and laughing until the wee hours of day.

We did go to the pub, but in the late afternoon during happy hour. We got a taste for aperol spritz after our recent stay in Florence!

Also had some nice lunches. One local in a restaurant named Desperados (Mexican style food) and another at Cicchetti's Covent Garden (Italian). Been there before and I can recommend it!

On Friday night we went to see the renewed version of Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, with Sheridan Smith as the narrator, Yac Yarrow as Joseph and Jason Donovan as the Pharaoh. After the show we waited at the stage door to get a picture and a signature. There were more than enough people, but we got in front and managed to get what we wanted.