101 not out!

Image from wikipedia

 

I had the opportunity to visit my great-aunt this week. She celebrated her 101st birthday in June and is still the gracious lady that I remember from my younger years. Physically, she may be frail and her eyesight may be failing, but she still has her inquisitive mind; she is still interested in what we are all doing and takes pleasure in our achievements.
It makes me wonder what sort of person I would be if I ever reached that great age. I’d like to think that I will be pretty much as I am now – something that my son rolls his eyes at. He likes amusing his friends with his stories of ‘you’ll never guess what Mum said this time’. He thinks that I will probably get dottier, I like to think that I will mature with age and be a pretty special vintage. If I’m still writing this blog when I’m 101, you’ll have to let me know how I’m doing.

Milly Reynolds' new ebook: 'Manifesto'

Reblogged from restless art:

See Milly Reynolds' work here:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Milly-Reynolds/e/B0056IY4OE/ref=s9_simh_gw_p351_d0_al3?_encoding=UTF8&refinementId=368165031&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=09P41BQ8Y1KG91WBSJMJ&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=317828027&pf_rd_i=468294
available at amazon.com and amazon.co.uk

'Manifesto' is due out on amazon and kindle imminently!

Synopsis

Taking a break from crime fiction, Milly Reynolds' new ebook is an imaginative and quirky take on the state of current affairs as well as the meandering course of history.
Eleanor Cross, a disaffected Tory MP, takes us with her as she rides on the waves of destiny towards the formation of a new political party which will challenge old ideas.

Read more… 98 more words

New Mike Malone now available

Have just published the 6th book in the Mike Malone series. I thought that this time, I would not make Mike’s life quite so easy. He gets himself into a couple of scrapes this time, which I hope everyone enjoys. Fran will be able to put a picture up for me later, I’m not much good at the technical side of things, so for now have just added the link to the Amazon page.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/IOU-Mike-Malone-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B0095799B0/ref=sr_1_7?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1346679363&sr=1-7

The End of August

Christmas in the post-War United States (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

August has nearly finished and soon everyone’s thoughts will turn to Christmas. I don’t know about you, but I hate to see the shops full of Christmas cards etc. as soon as the calendar turns over to September.
When I was a child, Christmas planning didn’t start until mid – December. I always remember that Dad would take my brother and me shopping when he came home from work on Christmas Eve so that we could buy something for Mum. The week before Christmas, Mum, my brother and I would spend an evening writing Christmas cards – well, she would write them and I would add my name to the bottom and then pass it on to my brother to do the same – I was the eldest, my name always came first. And then there would be the present wrapping day when the whole table would be covered in wrapping paper and sellotape. The tree would go up the week before Christmas. Christmas then was a special time, it was something to look forward to and I feel that by being bombarded with it for four months, it loses something. The excitement and anticipation are lost. After all, who can stay excited for four months? I know I can’t.

However, Christmas aside, the sixth Mike Malone is almost finished. I’m on the last chapter, then it will be the re-reading, the tweaking and the editing. Hopefully, it will be available by the end of September , if not earlier. The new title – IOU.

Going down Memory Lane

English: Home Guard soldiers training with a ‘Blacker Bombard’ spigot mortar No. 3 GHQ Home Guard School, Onibury near Craven Arms, Shropshire (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Yesterday, I took my father who is nearly 91 to see a World War Two travelling museum. It was amazing how quickly his memories of his own wartime experiences soon came to the surface. His time in the local Home Guard before joining the RAF as ground crew and going out East. He handled guns similar to the ones that he had used all those years ago and kept the proprietor of the museum amused with his experiences.

In a few years, like WW1, there won’t be anyone left who remembers the horrors of war and this is why the proprietor of the museum also takes his travelling museum into schools. He feel it is important to give children the context – to let them understand that the uinforms were scratchy, the guns heavy, that life for families was hard with food rationing and bombs. It makes it a lot more real than the ‘reality’ of computer games. He showed us a letter that he had received from a parent of a child whose school he had visited. She thanked him because his talk had made her son have a lot more respect for soldiers and death. His talk had shown him that war was not a game.

An interesting debate maybe – but i think that it is vitally important for today’s children to understand war, the reality of war and the horror of war. Then, maybe, they will never have to fight in another.

Catching up

English: Mo Farah at the 2010 European Athletics Championships in Barcelona (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I have just realised how long it is since I last posted. Time certainly flies, doesn’t it.
The Olympics were great and I especially got caught up in the athletics. Being British, I was so proud of our athletes – Mo Farah, Jess Ennis and the rest. Real role models for our young people. Now in England the football season has started again and I’m not sure what it is like in America and other countries, but our footballers – some of them in particular – are bad role models for the thousands of kids that follow them religiously week after week. Some of our footballers are arrogant, only concerned with signing the next contract that will give them even more money and having a good time – getting their faces in the scandal sheets. Our athletes, showed determination, committment and a pride in their country. Some our footballers don’t even have a pride in their team. Sorry – I’ll get off my soapbox.
I have had a lovely break in Yorkshire while I have been away from the lap-top. Fran and I have found the perfect spot where we get peace and quiet. We can walk, or we can just sit and read or write. It’s secluded and beautiful. Needless to say, I am now over half way in the sixth Mike Malone. I’ll keep you posted.
So, now – back to the beautiful weather that we are, finally, getting in England.
Bye for now.

Opening Ceremony of Olympics

The team of the United States at the opening ceremony of the 1912 Summer Olympics (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A very late night last night watching the opening ceremony of the Olympics. I have to admit that I wasn’t that confident that we could pull it off, but I was impressed. I loved the petals of the torch all lifting to unify as a single flame. Brilliant.

Which country will come out top of the medal table? I’d like to think GB, but really, it’s all about thing part and competing. USA will top it, probably!

Now, I need to think about whether I could include an olympic theme in the Mike Malone series, but I can’t really see how gold medals and farmyards work together. I could always have an animal olympics, couldn’t I? The 6th book is started but I am busy editing the 2nd Jack Sallt at the moment. I’ll keep you posted.