Author name: Sayling@@Away

Author Jemima Pett is a long-time blogging buddy of mine. She’s a really good writer, having started writing stories when she was eight, designing fantasy islands, complete with maps and railway timetables by the age of ten. She took the science route through university and went into a business career, then retrained for environmental technology and started writing again, reports, papers and briefings. When she adopted her guinea pigs, they inspired her to write The Princelings of the East.  Now she designs planets and their civilizations, with occasional forays into spaceship design. Her science fiction novels are part of The Viridian System Series. The Quest For Orichalcum is a prequel to the Viridian System series, with the subtitle  ‘An Asteroid Miners’ Memoir. The book recalls how it all started – the revolution that transformed the galactic economy and space travel.  It is a memoir of how the two asteroid miners in the Viridian System met, got together after a bit of life experience, and decided to go and hunt for this stuff that might make them rich. Here’s an excerpt from the book: Peter Monk’s investigations of the detailed space ship workings were interrupted by a ping from the inboard messaging system. ‘Incoming for you on the bridge.’ That was from the captain, a genial but stern Scanian, as were most of the crew. Since his crew discovered Pete, stowed away in one of the smallest lockers on the Doris Jury, which fortunately he fit with enough air left to breath, Captain Grazki had been remarkably helpful. Pete worked at what he could, they taught him about the world outside his home planet, Corsair, and eventually he accessed the ship’s computer to pass the exams that he’d need to get into college.  The only likely ‘incoming’ for him would be about his application. Stomach churning, he sauntered to the bridge. The door slid open, and the Scanians beyond chorused ‘hah’.  “I win,” said the second engineer.  “What was the time?” another asked. “Forty-three seconds. You were one second early.” Grumbles and mild swear words accompanied the handing over of small tokens to the winner. “You ran a sweepstake? On me?” Pete’s astonishment was obvious. “Yes, you were remarkably slow, I thought.” Captain Grazki grinned at him, and waved him to his comms screen. “Read, digest, and tell us all the news. Pray to Odin that it is good. If not we will have to plan some other way to get rid of you.” ******** For lovers of science fiction, this book and the series it precedes, are sure winners! Since I am posting this before the launch date, anyone can buy the ebook early at Smashwords. Just click this link to go to the Presale page, and get it early, and for only $2.99 (published price will be $4.99).  While the launch date is August 12, between August 12 and 16, Jemima is offering a rafflecopter (closes August 16, 11:59 pm, 15th NY time.) To enter the rafflecopter, just click http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/af859da971to get an entry onto the rafflecopter form. Also, you can enter for a chance to win a US $20 gift card, or an e-book copy of the Viridian System series (3 e-books), or a copy of Quest for Orichalcum (1 e-book). Entries close at 11:59, 15th August, New York time. Open for entries in all countries and states where this type of raffle is legal. Some additional entry options may be added: please check back if this is important to you. 1 0

It’s been a while since I, Garfield the Magnificent, have regaled you from my two-legged’s blog. But it’s about time. She’s been in the hospital lately, and while I’ve missed her, it gives me an opportunity at the computer. The biggest change in the household, and indeed in my existence, is the arrival of another cat. That’s right, another cat. And not just any cat. A small female Manx, which I’m told has tiger stripes and a very, very short tail, so she fits the bill. Her name is Samantha. Samantha has been challenging to say the least. Since I outweigh her four times, I’ve been able to exert myself in certain areas, but over time there’s been Samantha creep. She used to stay in the other bedroom, but now she shares Mister and Missus’s bed with me. At least she has the good sense to stay at the bottom of the bed. One day she even took to sitting on the top of my cat tree, for all the world to see, but only that once. She has a cat tree of her own in the other bedroom. But I got even. I went and jammed myself into the house on her cat tree. Samantha is very finicky about water. She likes to sit in the bathroom sink and drink from the faucet, and she demands fresh water in our bowls every day. She is also a stranger eater. She likes dry food and will swill down a few spoonfuls of our favorite tuna with seaweed, but she leaves what’s left to me and eats my dry food. Samantha likes turkey and chicken, which I won’t eat. And she likes to be brushed – with my brush! The worst of it is, when I challenge her, which I have to do a couple of time a day to make sure she knows her place, she fights back, hissing and swiping. Then we chase each other from one end of the house to the other. I’ve never had so much exercise! Occasionally she will rub up against me, but I know it’s just a ploy. And I’ve given her head a lick or two, but just in preparation for a challenge. Missus told me Samantha had a rough life. She was captured as a stray, but not wild, somewhere far away in the state. She was pregnant, but no one knows what happened to her babies. Then she was shuttled here and there until she came here. Maybe her time living outside is why she likes to drink water from the faucet and picks up water with her paw to drink. Samantha told me she really wants to go outside. She’s escaped on her own twice, when she slipped out the front door while Missus was talking to a neighbor, but she only ran around the house and came when Missus went to get her. Once, Mister left the patio door propped open with a shoe. Samantha went out on the patio and persuaded me to go with her. I’ve never been outside. I didn’t like it much, especially when Missus screamed at me to get back inside and went after Samantha. I think Missus got Samantha a harness, which she might use to take her outside when the heat is no longer melting the sidewalk. So that’s what’s new in my kingdom. I’m not sure Samantha will ever be a loyal subject. Until then, I’m just going to relax. 2 0

I’m over the moon to tell lmy followers that Sally Cronin, benefactor of writers extraordinaire and a fine writer herself, promoted my new book, , on her website today’ Lots of wonderful comments that just made my day! Check it out! 0 0

In the late eighteenth century, with England seemingly beset on all sides, the War Office needs agents to spy for them and James Burke is a perfect choice: half-gentleman, half-soldier, and well-suited to the job of spying. As a spy, Burke has been to the Iberian Peninsula, to Egypt, to Paris, after Napoleon is exiled to Elba and Ireland. The book about this latter adventure I have reviewed previously. England needs spies everywhere, and Burke is the perfect chameleon. My knowledge of the War of 1812 is limited and I enjoyed the fact that this book focused narrowly on what predated the war, taking place in Canada. Burke has been summoned back to London from Portugal by General Gordon of the Horse Guards. Gordon is fearful of the growth and expansion of America and that the country will try to annex Canada next. He sees a way to gain an advantage in an inevitable war between England and America by arming and supporting the Indians of the First Nations, who are already antagonistic to Americans because of the loss of their lands to settlers. Sergeant William Brown, whom Burke knows well, will accompany him. His journey takes him to the heart of the Canadian wilderness and the tribal home of the Shawnee people, where he expects to find Tecumseh, who is trying to unite the different tribes to confront the Americans. He is taken on a long journey to a meeting with Tecumseh, while Brown stays behind, assimilating into the Shawnee culture and trying to train them to face an American sortie determined to wipe them out. Surrounded by a treacherous political landscape, Burke’s journey eventually takes him to Washington and then back to open conflict along the Canada-US border. There he has to make a decision about whether he in fact wants to be a soldier in the King’s Army or return to his life as a spy. The journey, the Shawnee culture, the surroundings, and the military confrontation are all written in meticulous and accurate detail. This book is full of tension and historically fascinating, and the descriptions of Burke’s journey and the characters that populate it are colorful and real –a  book about a war that I doubt few people know much about.I recommend it strongly to aficionados of historical novels and of American and Canadian history in particular.  About the Author: Tom Williams used to write books for business. Now he writes novels set in the 19th century that are generally described as fiction but which are often more honest than the business books. (He writes contemporary fantasy as well, but that’s a dark part of his life, so you’ll have to explore that on your own – ideally with a friend and a protective amulet.) His stories about James Burke are exciting tales of high adventure and low cunning set around the Napoleonic Wars. The stories have given him the excuse to travel to Argentina, Egypt, and Spain and call it research. Tom lives in London. His main interest is avoiding doing any honest work and this leaves him with time to ski, skate, and dance tango, all of which (before covid) he thought he did quite well. In between, he reads old books and spends far too much time looking at ancient weaponry.You can find Tom Williams On twitter @TomCW99 On his website: https://tomwilliamsauthor.co.uk Or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorTomWilliams 0 0

It’s finally here, the long-delayed release of my latest book. I am delighted that it is finally available to all! Blurb: When the two Corey children are orphaned in an Indian attack on the frontier of Kentucky, Daniel Boone tracks their escape through the woods and brings them to his home in Fort Boonesborough. There they will live with him, his wife Rebecca, and their eight children in their crowded cabin, where she and her brother Thatch learn much about Colonel Boone and why he is regarded as one of the greatest frontier explorers and hunters. Eliza is soon immersed in the hard life of a frontier woman – doing the many household chores, working gardens and crops, foraging for food in the woods, and hunting. After surviving a pivotal historic event in the Revolutionary War – the siege of Boonesborough, Eliza’s own story is integrated into the remainder of Daniel Boone’s life, his constant uprooting of his family to unexplored areas, his failed business ventures, and his growing fame. This is a tale of life’s challenges in frontier Kentucky, Eliza’s grit and determination in meeting them, and above all, high adventure. It offers a deep look into the long and amazing life of Daniel Boone through the eyes of a young girl. *********** Here is a review by a blogging buddy, who just happens to be a Chef! “Firstly, I have to admit to almost no knowledge of Daniel Boone before reading this book, though I’m sure a U.S. readership knows far more. The book is written from the point of view of Eliza, a 10 year old who tries to protect her four year old brother Thatcher after witnessing their parents’ murder by the Shawnee. They are rescued by Daniel Boone, who takes them to the fort named after him. At this point, I expected the book to be entirely in sympathy with the settlers, presenting the Indigenous Americans as bloodthirsty savages. What I hadn’t realised was that Daniel Boone actually had a great deal of respect for the Native Americans. The real villains of the piece are the British who armed the Shawnees during the War of Independence, and some of the settlers who accused Boone of treachery. Obviously Boone frequently engaged in warfare with American Indians, but also praised them for their honesty. The complex life of Boone is presented in an interesting and engaging way and we also see the difficult lives of the settlers, particularly Eliza and Boone’s wife and eldest daughter, Jemima. The story of Jemima’s kidnap is told, but she is not presented as a helpless victim. Instead she is shown as intelligent and capable, able to shoot and make bullets. The women of the novel are full of courage and determination. I certainly learned a great deal from the novel. It is a sensitive subject, of course told from the settlers’ standpoint, while acknowledging, particularly in the Author’s Note, the many wrongs done to the Indigenous American peoples. I would strongly recommend this book as a story worth reading. Whether you are American or not it is a first rate read.” Kevin Ashton My thanks to Kevin for this wonderful review. I hope it will convince my followers to dip their toes into the book! 2 0

A toast to all my friends with some verse written by a fellow blogger, Charles Yallowitz, who can be found at the Legends of Windemere. We raise a glass to all our friendsOf the past and present To those you knewWithin your youthful days To the ones you meetAlong your winding path To the pals who wandered far awayNever entering your realm again To the allies stuck to you like glueNo matter where you live We raise a glass to all our friendsIn hopes of making more A picture of my high school class’s Honor Society trip to New York City our senior year (1961). We were so young and beautiful and handsome! The best part is that we’ve remained friends over all these years, getting together every five years and now two. 2 0

My next book, Daniel Boone and Me, will be out soon. The final editing is done and the cover is ready. This is a book for YA and older readers and is novella length, under 40,000 words. I’m hoping to find some fellow bloggers who would like to read an ARC for their comments and perhaps a mention on their blogs. Here’s the book blurb: When the two Corey children are orphaned in an Indian attack on the frontier of Kentucky, Daniel Boone tracks their escape through the woods and brings them to his home in Fort Boonesborough. There they will live with him, his wife Rebecca, and their eight children in their crowded cabin, where she and her brother Thatch learn much about Colonel Boone and why he is regarded as one of the greatest frontier explorers and hunters. Eliza is soon immersed in the hard life of a frontier woman – doing the many household chores, working gardens and crops, foraging for food in the woods, and hunting. After surviving a pivotal historic event in the Revolutionary War – the siege of Boonesborough, Eliza’s own story is integrated into the remainder of Daniel Boone’s life, his constant uprooting of his family to unexplored areas, his failed business ventures, and his growing fame. This is a tale of life’s challenges in frontier Kentucky, Eliza’s grit and determination in meeting them, and above all, high adventure. It offers a deep look into the long and amazing life of Daniel Boone through the eyes of a young girl. If anyone who would like a ARC of the book for comments and a possible review on their blog, I’d be most grateful. And please be honest! If you are interested, let me know at sailingawayng@gmail.com. Many thanks! 1 0

I spent a good part of this week without my main computer and all the information it holds. My fault. I have an external hard drive that I could have used with my laptop if I’d bothered to save anything. On Monday morning, I booted my computer and the screen saver came up but I couldn’t get the mouse or keyboard to work. No problem, change all the batteries. No joy. My husband brought his mouse in with its dongle. I had no idea what the heck a dongle is but discovered it’s that small device able to be connected to and used with a computer, especially to allow access to wireless broadband or use of protected software. Hubs changed dongles and tried his mouse. No joy. Then he went back to his computer and now his mouse and keyboard wouldn’t work. Even less joy. Once again my son-in-law came to the rescue. It seemed we had a dongle disaster, along with a plug that had pulled out of some hub or other. Got the computer up and going but the mouse and keyboard still didn’t register. So he took all the dongles and the two mice and figure out which went with which. Finally, joy. I am truly a digital idiot. 1 0

A short while ago, Hubs and I took a trip to Utah to see my son and his family. The last time I was there, I slipped on ice and face planted on my son’s concrete porch. Damage? Raccoon eyes, a fat nose and seven stitches. My daughter warned me not to fall on my face this time. I bought crampons for my shoes so I wouldn’t slip on ice, despite the forecast for good weather. So what happened? I fell on the back of my head. In the Salt Lake City airport, I stepped onto an old escalator with narrow steps and a speed rivaling the Daytona 500, holding on to two carry-ons. My foot got caught under one and I slid sideways, leaning up against the side of the escalator. When I got to the bottom, I fell back, cracking my head on an escalator step. PAIN! I recall my husband yelling at someone to push the button and turn off the escalator, then many hands helped me to a standing position. I touched the back of my head and my hand came away thoroughly bloody. I thought, What a stupid thing for me to do, then reached into my bag and pulled out a wad of paper toweling (I always carry paper toweling) and pressed it to the back of my head. After thirty minutes of waiting for the required paramedic visit and pressing on the cut, the blood stopped flowing. And I could tell the nice guy with the stretcher that I was alert x 5, had fallen on the hardest part of my skull, my eyesight was fine and I only had a mild headache.  I also told him I had had my EMT license. He left. The bump on my head grew to the size of a tangerine, and I bled a little more into a towel on my pillowcase that night but slept well. But I am happy to report my diagnosis was correct  – all I have at this point is a one-inch scab in my scalp. Now my daughter tells me not to fall on my face or the back of my head. And take an elevator instead of an escalator. Which I did, on the way back. Here is the charmer we got to spend time with in Utah: P.S. She is a water baby and swims like a fish. 0 0

Yep, I did it again. I am hosting one of the more than 200 different viruses that can cause a cold. Most of them are highly contagious. Rhinoviruses are the most common, but other viruses, such as adenoviruses, coronaviruses, human parainfluenza virus (HPIV), and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), can also lead to mild or severe upper respiratory symptoms or common colds. I divide the colds I get into several categories: There are lots of colors this mucus can be: green, pink, yellow, cloudy white or brown. None on this color scale is particularly enjoyable, but you can almost diagnose yourself by the color. I am currently getting my only exercise by coughing.  2. The head cold. This sneaks up on you with either a runny nose or a nose you can’t breathe through. Sometimes it occurs in tandem with #1. You sound ridiculous when you talk with your nose stuffed and many people use some sort of nose drops to open themselves up. Unfortunately, you can get hooked on the nose drops and have to use them more and more frequently. I just stuff tissue up my nose since I can’t use it to breath anyway, and people just accept that I’m nuts. 3. The throat cold. This is strep throat, more common in kids. It comes on quickly, makes it painful to swallow, and your tonsils if you still have them (I still do, after many decades) are swollen with pockets of pus on the surface. Delightful. Right now I have a mild combination of 1 and 2. When we first moved to North Carolina and I became engaged in teaching, I had a cold of some sort from August to May of the following year. Having run through all of the germs I was likely to encounter in this state, I now only get to enjoy a cold one a couple of times a year (not counting Covid.) Of course, if I travel out of state, I generally come back accompanied by a new germ I met along the way.   The time line of my colds. Days 1–3: scratchy throat, coughing, runny nose or congestion, irritability, a continual longing for a nap. Days 4–7: Aches, fatigues, more naps, more irritability and an unwillingness to cook anything. Days 8–10: I should be getting over it but I’m still coughing and using the cold as an excuse not to do anything. Having written this, I’m heading off for a nap…. 1 0