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Poison Bay tells the story of a wilderness hike turned dark and deadly. Eight friends from high school embark on a trek into New Zealand’s most forbidding wilderness. All of the trekkers have something from their past to hide, related to the suicide of another classmate, Liana, in front of them at an end-of-high-school party. Each of them has a guilty conscience from their relationship with Liana. Their leader, Bryan, now lives in New Zealand, and has become an experienced trekker, orienteer, and survivalist. Bryan talks his classmates into joining him on the trek as a reunion celebration, a way to reconnect and work through Liana’s death. Bryan also tells them their expedition would establish an alternative to the famed Milford Track in Fiordland National Park. To ensure their participation, he pays for all their equipment and food. He then proceeds to take his classmates on a trek through unplotted and challenging wilderness at a brutal pace. By the time the classmates realize the sinister purpose of the trip, they are hopelessly lost and missing emergency communication equipment.  Have they learned enough from the trek so far to survive and find their way back? The author clearly has hiking experience in this park and has done a lot of research to make her story realistic. I felt myself trekking with them. I wish I could feel the characters as well. I wondered what they’d all been doing for the previous ten years (with the exception of Bryon and Callie) and they were rather two-dimensional, without character or dialogue quirks except for Rachel’s diabetes and Sharon’s lack of athleticism. There were long pages of dialogue I was tempted skip. I also could not fathom why the group would surrender themselves so willingly to Bryan’s tyrannical leadership and not question where he was taking them a day or two into the hike. Offsetting this were the challenges to the group’s finding their way out of the park – food, mudslides, avalanches, snow and torrents of rain. Plus a lot of surprises, all plotted in the darkness of Bryan’s need for personal revenge on each of his classmates. Three characters in the group searching for the trekkers – Sgt. Hubble and his trusted deputy, Tom Ganton, and Rachel’s mother – have more depth, and there are surprises in this side of the story as well. This is the author’s first mystery novel. Despite its shortcomings, I was compelled to read it to the end, pushed by the scenery, surprises, and tension of the trek. About the author Belinda Pollard is an award-winning Australian mystery author and former journalist who loves animals and wilderness. She loves mountain hiking despite bad knees and a fear of heights, and trekked the Milford Track as research for her Poison Bay, which was awarded a Varuna Fellowship and an IPPY Silver Medal. A specialist book editor since 1995 and a publishing consultant since 2001, Belinda has steered upwards of 60 books to publication, initially for traditional publishers, and more recently also for start-ups and self-publishers. Belinda lives in Brisbane, Queensland where she undertakes ball-throwing duties for a red dog named Rufus, and turns on the air-conditioning so she can dream of snow. You can find her on her two blogs: Write & Publish Like a Pro at www.smallbluedog.com Real Life on a Beautiful Planet at www.belindapollard.com. On Twitter: @Belinda_Pollard On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pollard.belinda?fref=ts Poison Bay is on Amazon: 0 0

Today is Sally Cronin’s blog’s third anniversary party and we’ve all been invited. Sally is well known in the blogosphere for her posts on Smorgasbord – Variety is the spice of life Blog with a view – on books, music, humour and health Here are just a few of the things this energetic woman does: She’s a writer herself and has serialized some of her books for our delight. She has tons of sound health and nutrition advice . She sponsors other authors with guest posts and book reviews. She advertises our books through her Café and Bookstore. She sends us humor in words, pictures and videos to give our days a smile and a chuckle. And best of all, she shares her life with us!      Happy anniversary, Sally. I don’t know a more generous blogger. To celebrate, I’m offering a free (real) copy of my third book as a present to someone she chooses, and I will mail it anywhere. Wishing everyone attending balloons, streamers, and party hats. Oh, and cake! 0 0

I’ll start by telling you how much I enjoyed this mystery. It’s a bit different from the mysteries I’ve read to date, but it is a smashing historical ‘who dun it.’ Set against an exquisitely detailed Victorian London – I could see myself there – the story is told from multiple points of view, each character fully developed. It begins with the discovery of the corpses of infants in the basement of an abandoned house on a street in the middle of demolition for the railway system.  Inspector Lachlan Greig of the Bow Street Police has become aware of dark practice of baby farming (women and men who will take someone’s child and a sum of money for “looking after” on a permanent basis) and it falls to him to find the murderers. A second thread involves two school friends – Daisy Lawton, daughter of a wealthy physician who lives in the lap of luxury and wants for nothing but marriage to a handsome man of social standing, and Letitia Simpkins, daughter of a penurious widower who treats her like a servant. She disdains marriage but craves for higher education and the employment that would bring, in order to get her away from her family. Daisy becomes engaged to a wealthy young man headed for Parliament but with a shadowy life with prostitutes and a decent woman carrying his baby. Letitia meets a librarian, Sarah Lunt, who believes Ladies should be educated and trained for a profession, and she quickly becomes the only light in Letitia’s gloomy life. Add in a couple of anarchists with catchy names — Edwin Persiflage and Danton Waxwing – who work as clerks but who have deep grievances against the rich and privileged and who are determined to blow up parts of London, and Inspector Greig has another problem on his plate. I loved the rounding of all the characters, major and minor, and especially gas-lit, crowded and filthy Victorian London, a character unto itself. The author is at once humorous and heart-breaking in her descriptions, never more so than in the plight of women in that time. The depth of her research and the colorful details with which she decorates the story lines is exceptional. Ms. Hedges breaks the wall and talks directly to the reader at the beginning of the book (which is when it should be done, if at all), and most charmingly pulled me into the story. Every aspect of this read was a delight, and I am looking forward reading her other books! Five stars About the author Carol Hedges is the successful UK writer of 11 books for teenagers/Young Adults. Her novel Jigsaw was long-listed for the Carnegie Medal. She is currently writing a series of Victorian Crime Fiction novels, set in 1860s London and published under her own imprint: Little G Books: Diamonds & Dust,  Honour & Obey, Death & Dominion and now Murder & Mayhem. In the past, she taught at secondary school. Currently retired,she tutors A and GCSE English. She lives in Hertfordshire, England, and is married with a grown-up daughter. You can find her on twitter: @carolJhedges and Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/carol.hedges.779 Her blog is: http://carolhedges.blogspot.com/ Murder and Mayhem can be found on Amazon: 0 0

I am torn between describing this book as compelling or interesting. I think I’ll go with the latter. It has been described as a noire drama, but I found the first half of the book quite humorous. Robert Svenson, a middle-age French teacher from the Midwest, receives a postcard and a Christmas present from his mother’s brother, a man believed to have died at Anzio during WW II. The gift is a valuable Etruscan amulet which Robert sells, ostensibly to pay for a two-month visit to Paris to work on his French. Instead he heads for Italy to find his uncle, lying to his wife, who to my mind is incredibly gullible and pretty laissez faire about his proposed trip. On his arrival in Rome, Robert has his luggage stolen, followed by his wallet, and is forced to find the means to support himself plus accumulate the funds to search for his uncle. Luckily, the owner of the hotel to which he had been directed from the airport takes him under his wing and gets him a job with a tenuous relative. The friend owns a restaurant and hires Robert, who doesn’t speak Italian and knows nothing about wine, as his wine consultant. Robert acquires other jobs and friends and eventually meets his uncle Jim. At this point, the novel transitions from humor to darkness, as Jim takes Robert on a tour of his Italy, where he has been living and working as a mine sweeper and finder of antiquities for the past decades. The characters are richly drawn and the reader becomes pulled into the journey, discovers Robert’s moral compass, and comes to understand Jim’s convoluted thinking about his troubled past. The book is in part a tour of the history of the west coast of Italy, focusing on Jim’s knowledge of the Etruscans and of WW II, and colorful friends or acquaintances of Jim’s pop in and out of the story, sometimes with meaning, sometimes not. The food, the wine and the Italian language become threads binding the story together. However, a sense that something terrible is going to happen increases with each step of the journey, as the meaning of the book’s title is revealed, along with the secret buried in Jim’s heart – one he feels he can only reveal to Robert. There were parts of this book where the exposition and dialogue were overlong or ponderous, but there is also much to appreciate. Like a moth to the flame, I had to read it to the end. About the authors Ian Lahey was born in Milan, Italy. He teaches English Language and Literature in Italy. He leads a quiet life with his wife, his two children and an invisible cat and can often be spotted taking long walks with his wife around his hometown near Udine. He can be easily wiled with offerings of fresh beer or Dr. Who marathons. Ian Lahey can be found on Twitter: @Ian_Lahey and Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/45thnail/ and https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=ian%20lahey%20author Michael Lahey was born in Cleveland, Ohio, but visited Italy in the 1960s and moved there to teach English and lean Italian. He lives in northern Italy with his wife and dedicated this book to his father, who was a US Marine. He is also the author of The Quest for Apollo, a fantasy novel. The 45th Nail can be found on Amazon: 0 0

Well, I am still suffering from the cruddy cold, and now one of my eyes is infected, so I look a bloody mess. On top of that, our leaves have refused to turn green and some of our other plants (azaleas etc) are blooming. The only things that show any indication of fall coming are the dogwood trees, which are burnished with lots of red berries. But normally this is how they are in mid-September! I love October and autumn, but I’m missing it! Oh well, the pool is still open and I’m enjoying swimming, when not down with the cruds! 0 0

Sorry to post this a day late –  have the chest cruds and spent most of yesterday sleeping. Today I am still coughing and hacking, but feeling more human. Now we are getting the torrential rains from Hurricane Matthew. https://zadahblog.wordpress.com is a blog about setting up yours to be a money maker: setting up your blog, how to generate content, email marketing. I’m checking this one out further to see if it might help an indie author! Anita Kevyn https://anitakevyn.wordpress.com Anita created her blog site for fashion enthusiasts who love to share, chat and try new ideas in fashion. Modeling is her life and she is a gorgeous model. It wasn’t until she walked her first runway that she realized fashion and modeling was her addiction, and if it’s yours, you will love this site. https://missbhukkad.wordpress.com/about/ Miss bhukkad has a passion for food and traveling, so her blog has delectable food and restaurant reviews, travelling-tips and planning, healthy eating, and recipes for some mouth-watering, quick homemade stuff. One of her recent blogs had me salivating, so other foodies out there, check this out. https://embracingauthenticityblog.wordpress.com This blog was created by Kristy. She’s 17 years old and loves art, journaling, sports, playing the piano and flute. Last year she was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa, and she has posted on her journey to recovery and what she plans for the future. I think this would be an excellent blog for any of my younger followers, and heck, older ones with daughters since AN has become almost epidemic in recent years. The Hedonist at https://theobviousoblivionblog.wordpress.com/ Anushka Mishra is the woman behind this blog. She works in financial services, so professionally she plays with numbers. However, the real person is more passionate about the words, for they can keep you spellbound. She has an urge to speak up about whatever comes to her mind and the heart. Her blog posts are solely based on my imagination or personal experiences. http://bangaloreepicure.com is the blog of Naveen. It started from eating, passionate and enthusiastic consumption. Unleashing the various shades of food to savor its essence is all about his journey. He calls himself a proud Foodie, in real life he is IT professional. , I dedicate most of my free time for food. Exploring new places for food and showcasing it for the fellow foodies is been my favorite pastime. He covers foods, reviews, travel guides and food photography. OMG, if you like food, you have to see this blog! https://barkhapareek.wordpress.com Barka is a brand new blogger, just starting out. She needs followers so give her a visit. https://xstephaniecvs.wordpress.com/ Stephanie is a teenage blogger, and I hope there’s a few of you out there who would like to share posts. Her quote for today is wise: Do not give your past the power to define your future. https://rainbowraftingcomalriver.wordpress.com/ And now for something really different! This blog is about rafting the Comal River in Indonesia. It looks like a lot of fun and something any world traveler would enjoy.  Today’s post gives a lttle history on rafting, founded by Major John Wesley Powell who introduced the first rafting down the Colorado River, using a small boat made from wooden planks. From this came white water rafting, something I’ve done. It is an adrenaline rush! https://sentientchristian.com This is a challenging, opinion-based and interesting blog about the good and bad of the world’s religions. I think you will enjoy taking a look! https://consultproblems.wordpress.com This is another interesting blog, designed to help people who are having lifestyle, stress, and relationship problems. The authors are there to consult and help one achieve their goals.  The posts are very thoughtful – there is one about a black dot you might enjoy! https://reviewtales.wordpress.com/  Jeyran Main is a blogger, consumer reviewer, and a freelance book translator. In addition to writing reviews on books, she guest hosts for blogs and writes articles for companies by request. She has had the pleasure of making friends with many publishers & authors, throughout her life and career. Her passion is to spread her positive energy to anyone that needs it. Okay, folks, that’s it for this week. Be safe. 0 0

Henry Philpot was a science fiction aficionado. Not an ordinary “liker” of science fiction, but a compulsive one. His obsession began with reading Heinlein, Azimov, and Clark when he was in his teens, graduated to hundreds of other books, both good and pulpy, and then spread to movies: older ones, like The Day the Earth Stood Still, right up to Star Wars and The Martian. He was always first in line at his local cinema for a new sci-fi movie. TV shows like Mork and Mindy and Star Trek were faithfully taped. Henry also collected all sorts of sci-fi memorabilia in addition to the books, tapes, and DVDs. He married a lovely woman named Sheila, who shared his passion, if not his obsession, for science fiction. Early on in their marriage, she made it clear that their house would not be cluttered with all of his purchases, and she helped him organize one room to house his collection. When the room was filled, she helped him organize the basement for storage. Henry was happy with his job. He was a talented commercial artist and was always ecstatic when he got a job that involved creating something futuristic. All in all, he had a perfect life. Until the day he first felt a gnawing pain in his abdomen. He tried treating it with antacids, thinking it was just gastric reflux, but when it became worse, he sought out his physician.  Dr. Kirby was conscientious and did a physical, blood work, an x-ray and an MRI. When Henry returned for the results, Kirby looked grave. “What is it, doc?” “It’s serious, Henry. Pancreatic cancer.” Henry fell back in his chair and grew dizzy and nauseous. The doctor, seeing his reaction, walked around the desk and had Henry put his head between his knees. “That’s a death sentence, isn’t it?” Henry’s question could hardly be heard from between his legs. “No, and that’s the good news. Do you feel like you can sit up now?” Henry nodded, and Kirby walked back to his desk chair and sat down. “So how is this good news?” “Well, as a fan of science fiction, I’m sure you know quite a bit about nanobots.” Henry nodded, leaning forward anxiously. “Well, I happen to be part of a large clinical trial using nanobots to rid the body of cancer. It’s simple really – we program the nanobots to recognize the patient’s specific cancer, inject them into the blood stream and let them go to work destroying the cancer cells. Do you have any questions?” Henry had a hundred, but the first thing that came to mind was: “Can you tell me what the results have been so far?” “No, I can’t reveal specific data until after the trial is over, but I can say what we are finding is very encouraging.” Typical doctor-speak, thought Henry. Then something else popped into his head and out of his mouth.  “How long do these nanobots hang around?” “We’re not sure if they do or how they are excreted, so testing for that is part of the trial.” Kirby looked a bit uncomfortable revealing that information. “But the animal testing showed that they persist only for a few days, and after that are inactive.” “Can I think about it?” “Yes, but don’t wait too long. Your cancer is progressing, and if you decide to go with either the trial or standard treatment, you need to begin soon.” Henry and his physician talked over his other options at length, and went Henry left he was leaning toward the nanobot treatment. After a long and painful discussion with Sheila, sharing tears and hugs, they decided together to enroll Henry in the trial. He even felt excited about it – he was going to undergo a treatment only dreamed of in science fiction. The day of Henry’s treatment came the early next week, but not until after signing what seemed like hundreds of waivers. Because it didn’t involve surgery, there were no preo-op instructions not to eat or drink for twelve hours before he arrived at the hospital, and except for the abdominal pain, which was kept to a minimum by prescribed opiates, Henry felt pretty darned good. In the treatment room, gowned and with an IV already placed, Dr. Kirby asked, “Are you ready, Henry? We’re going to make history here.” Henry, who was already relaxed from a small dose of Versed, gave him a big smile and said, “Fire away.” He awoke in his hospital room, feeling nicely sleepy, with Sheila holding his hand. He could see she was anxious. “How do you feel?” “Just fine, no pain, nothing.” “Are you thirsty?” Henry realized he had a raging thirst, drained the ginger ale in the cup that Sheila offered, and asked for more. A nice young man who had been sitting quietly in a corner came forward and noted the volume of Henry’s intake on his iPad. “Hi, I’m Justin. I’m going to be spending every day with you until you are released – except when you’re sleeping, of course.” He smiled. “I hope you don’t mind, but we have to make a record of everything you eat, drink or take by way of medicine. Dr. Kirby will be following the progress of your disease.” “Okay, I guess.” Henry was too relaxed to object. *** Over the next week, Justin seriously began to get on Henry’s nerves – he had no interest in science fiction, which left them with little in common. On the bright side, Kirby reported that Henry’s cancer was shrinking and by the second week, it had all but disappeared. The blood marker for his cancer had plummeted to almost nothing. Henry was ready to go home. Much to his dismay, though, Justin had to go with him. Henry resumed his normal activities, with Justin at his elbow. “I can’t even take a piss or a crap without him in there collecting it,” Henry complained to Sheila after the

Dear Followers: I just checked my site stats – probably should do that more often – and I have cracked the 500 followers ceiling at 507. I have no idea who was the 500th, but you all got me there. Thank you so much for following my blog. Later this week I will post the first chapter of my next book, Death in a Mudflat, as a thank you! Hugs to you all from a happy blogger! 0 0

One of these days I will catch up! https://steelinkisses.com/ is a blog on pregnancy, birth, and motherhood, intended as a safe haven for those who are or will become mothers. Included are research-based tips and tricks, positive stories, and much more so that more women can embrace motherhood and feel empowered, wherever they are on their journeys. I think this is a great blog for women of child-bearing age and potential grandmothers! http://soonev.com Amsang is a reluctant traveler and crazy photographer. He primarily writes on internet and tech, but does find time for his first love, nature. If you are not a digital native, this is where to go to find answers to all your questions about digitally technical topics: web site building, cyber security, cloud hosting, you name it.  I’m saving this one! Aria at https://alonetogetherweb.wordpress.com/ writes that time is precious and she is wasting it wisely. This is blog is eye-candy – gorgeous photos – and consists of all sorts of topics, from yoga, to ways to build trust to the benefits of stinging nettles. You can spend an hour or more just traveling around in her posts! Tara at https://tekehdddddddddddddddddddddddddddd.wordpress.com Flower in Rainy Day or Tara, is a 14-year-old girl from Slovenia. She writes a beautifully thoughtful bog with wonderful photos. It is inspirational to read what she writes. BEUBG at https://rishikeshu.wordpress.com is a sweet blog with posts about different topics. I particularly liked the one about butterflies but there was also one on moments in life and another on friendship that are well worth your reading. Delartista (Artista 10) at https://dellartista.wordpress.com writes a blog as it was traditionally intended to be, writing from quotes, thoughts on life, issues with panic and anxiety, stories, poems and more. She also shares her photography and artwork. There’s a zombie story currently being posted in parts that all you zombie fans should read! Safety Professionals at https://safetyprofessionalblog.wordpress.com/2016/08/09/enforcing-safety-as-law/  This blog is as advertised – a site for how to make your workplace and living spaces safe. Team Start Blog Writing at http://startblogwriting.com/blogger-facebook-disconnect/ This blog is a one stop Blogging Reference Guide. Bloggers always need to get equipped with the tools of the trade to chisel their blog into shape, and this site provides all sorts of blogging reference and resources under a single roof.  You might want to make a note of this! Miguel Olmedo Morell at https://miguelolmedomorell.com/about/ Miguel holds an Undergraduate Degree in English Studies and a Master’s Degree in Spanish Linguistics, both awarded by the Universidad de Granada. He is a writer, proofreader and translator who specializes in linguistics, and literary criticism. He works as the Head of the Philosophy, Social Sciences, and Education departments at the Blackwell’s bookshop in Oxford, Broad Street and frequently volunteers as a proofreader for Project Gutenberg, where he undertakes work on texts written in English as well as in Spanish. He does book reviews and gives advice on writing. I love this blog! https://puppycuties.wordpress.com/about/  This blog s exactly it’s title. Amazingly cute dog photos. If you need to get your aawww quotient this week, visit puupycuties. https://johnbonvoyage.com/aboutme/ John is a soon to be grad student taking opportunities to travel. His blog is a way of consolidating pictures, videos and thoughts from abroad. Recent posts have been from Thailand and Vietnam. Great photos and lots of interesting information! Piddlersue at Seasoned Expressions – https://seasonedexpressions.com/2016/08/13/reach/ The author is a retired Christian wife, mother and grandmother with too many projects on her “want to do plate.” She gardens, reads mysteries, cross stitches, travels and try new restaurants. Except for the grandmother part – and the gardening – she sounds a lot like me. Check out her shop www.expressionsofhome.com 0 0

This is the first Sgt. Windflower book I have read, and I was curious about a book with a Native American member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police as the protagonist.  The series takes place in Newfoundland on the east coast of Canada. Sgt. Winston Windflower is an RCMP officer and a Cree from Northern Alberta, who is stationed in the small town of Grand Bank. The story is fairly straightforward with a few twists:  A large crew of outlaw bikers terrorizing the town of Grand Falls leaves behind the bodies of two people, a man and a woman, shot execution style in the head. The bodies are believed to be linked to the Bacchus Motorcycle Club, whose members are professional criminals who deal in prostitution, drugs, and brutality. The club is not only the nexus for a large drug distribution ring but is fighting another club for the territory. Sgt. Windflower, whose wedding to Sheila Hillier is rapidly approaching, is called to the town to clean up the mess. Budget cuts, meaning fewer officers to cover the territory, means trouble not only in Grand Falls but also at home, where his future wife is the mayor.  A complication arises when the motorcycle belonging to Sheila’s cousin, Carol Jackson, is found abandoned by the side of the road outside of Grand Bank.  Windflower learns from Sheila that Carole has been a member of motorcycle gangs in the past. Windflower has to rely on his fellow Mounties to assist him in solving the crime and neutralizing Bacchus and its leader. He is supported by Sheila and his dog Lady, who is sensitive to his feelings and who is an important part of his life.  Windflower’s Cree background also figures into his emotional support – helping him interpret his dreams through his uncle and aunt who are dreamwalkers, and beginning each day with the smoke of his smudge pot to remind him to be kind, strong, and determined. The one word I can think of to describe this book is ‘nice.’ Such an overworked word, but it means good and enjoyable, kind, polite, and friendly. The characters in the book who are not part of the biker gang are believable, well drawn and, well, nice. The story moves along at a sedate pace, serene in its descriptions, and detailed in the police procedures.  Even the tension-filled scenes are not high octane, and the dialogue is almost stately. The lives of the police are realistically portrayed in this way with lots of detail and even the occasionally boring parts. Most significantly, their contributions to helping people and communities overcome new and very difficult challenges is emphasized. There is food in this book – delicious, mouth-watering in its description – and I am a sucker for food.  I was introduced to bakeapples, another term for cloudberries, which are somewhat similar to raspberries of strawberries, but found in cool temperate, alpine climates, arctic tundra and boreal forests. I can’t wait to try them. One other character that has to be mentioned is Newfoundland itself, an island whose natural beauty the author describes so well that I want to visit. This was a slow read, but a ‘nice’ one. About the author Mike Martin was born in Newfoundland and now lives and works in Ottawa, Ontario. He is a long-time freelance writer and his articles and essays have appeared in newspapers, magazines and online across Canada as well as in the United States and New Zealand. He is the author of Change the Things You Can: Dealing with Difficult People and has written a number of short stories that have published in various publications including Canadian Stories and Downhome magazine. The Walker on the Cape was his first full fiction book and the premiere of the Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series. Other books in the series include The Body on the T, Beneath the Surface and A Twist of Fortune.  He is a member of Ottawa Independent Writers, Capital Crime Writers, the Crime Writers of Canada and the Newfoundland Writers’ Guild. You can find Mike Martin on twitter, Facebook and his blog: @mike54martin https://sgtwindflowermysteries.com You can find A Long Ways from Home on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Long-Ways-Home-Windflower-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B01LDT7G6W/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1474901888&sr=1-1&keywords=a+long+ways+from+home+mike+martin 0 0