This is part of the weekly meme over at the Caffeinated Book Reviewer, where book bloggers can share the books and blogs they have written.
It’s been another hectic week – a sentence I think I shall have to start to pin on the beginning of this post. On Monday, Sally and I attended a local school where they are using the CoPE syllabus we are intending to use with Tim, the fourteen-year-old with autism I tutor. A couple of teachers generously gave up their time to talk us through the pros and cons of the system – the biggest downside being the amount of admin it entails. I was teaching Creative Writing on Monday and Tuesday as usual, though classes were significantly depleted this week by various germlins hitting my students particularly a nasty cough that is going the rounds. On Wednesday, I had a planning meeting with Sally, where we worked out how to best apply the CoPE syllabus to Tim, then in the evening I attended my fortnightly writing group where once more I received valuable feedback on my rewrite of Miranda’s Tempest.
On Thursday, my mate Mhairi came round for the day and in amongst talking about the life, the universe and swapping ideas and advice on our various writing ails, helped me set up the necessary technology for a talk I gave on Thursday evening about the joys of reviewing books and how to share those reviews online to the West Sussex Writers’ monthly meeting. It seemed to go down well, and afterwards Mhairi came back and we talked waaay into the night.
On Friday morning I was teaching Tim, then in the afternoon over to Worthing for a meeting with two writing friends as we are planning a project for 2017. I can’t say much about it right now, but hopefully will be doing so in due course… Yesterday we went down to Ringwood for a gathering of the clan, as it was my father-in-law’s 80th birthday. It was lovely catching up with family members and great to see the birthday boy in such fine fettle after his cancer diagnosis last year.
This week I have read:
Penric’s Mission – Book 3 of the Penric and Desdemona novella series by Lois McMaster Bujold
Learned Penric, a sorcerer and divine of the Bastard’s Order, travels across the sea to sunlit Cedonia on his first covert diplomatic mission, to attempt to secure the services of a disaffected Cedonian general for the Duke of Adria. However, nothing is as it seems…
Do avoid the blurting blurb at all costs as it will really spoil the opening act of this plot-twisting treat. Once more Bujold provides a cracking adventure with a side-order of wry wit and a delightful protagonist.
The Silver Tide – Book 3 of The Copper Cat series by Jen Williams
Tales of the Black Feather Three and their exploits abound far and wide, and Wydrin of Crosshaven, Lord Aaron Frith and Sir Sebastian have become sell swords in demand. Having foiled powerful mages and evil magic, they now face a challenge unlike any before – in the form of Wydrin’s mother. Devinia the Red, notorious pirate and captain of the Poison Chalice, is intent on finding the fabled treasure hidden within the jungles of the cursed island of Euriale. She needs the skills of her daughter Wydrin and her companions to get there, and our heroes cannot resist the lure of coin and adventure. But no explorer has returned from the heart of the island, and it’s not long before the Three find themselves in the clutches of peril. Deep within the island of the gods, there are remnants of forces best left undisturbed…
It was a treat meeting Wydrin’s mother after following her madcap escapades through two previous books – and explains a lot. Williams’ gleedark, adventure-filled style hasn’t calmed down one jot with this third addition to this series, I’m delighted to say.
An Empire Asunder – Book 2 of The Scourwind Legacy series by Evan Currie
The coup that won traitor General Corian the Scourwind throne has been overturned, but his ongoing 
rebellion has left the empire divided. Lydia’s birthright regained, she adjusts to her role as empress at war, while Brennan begins training as an elite Cadreman soldier. With tensions rising between the empire and the Alliance, this momentary lull seems to portend a gathering storm…
I thoroughly enjoyed the start of this intriguing series that reads more like epic fantasy than a sci fi adventure and this sequel is equally filled with adventure and mayhem – fortunately, looking through his publishing history, it appears that Currie writes fast. Yippee!
My posts last week:
Sunday Post – 6th November
*NEW RELEASE SPECIAL* Review of The Hanging Tree by Ben Aaronovitch
Teaser Tuesday – featuring The Silver Tide by Jen Williams
Friday Faceoff – Falling off the rails… featuring Raising Steam by Terry Pratchett
Review of Frontier – an Epsilon Sector novella by Janet Edwards
Interesting/outstanding blogs and articles that have caught my attention during the last week, in no particular order:
Advertising Books Online: Getting the Best Value for your Money https://kristentwardowski.wordpress.com/2016/11/10/advertising-books-online-getting-the-best-value-for-your-money/ A brilliant, informative article for indie authors trying to work out where to spend their hard-earned cash on publicity.
Brilliant Book Title #61 https://librarystaffpicks.wordpress.com/2016/11/11/brilliant-book-titles-61/ The award-winning Ballyroan library blog has nailed it again – and friends and family please note – there will be a TANTRUM on Christmas morning if this book is not in my Christmas stocking…
Romeo and/or Juliet (A Chooseable Path Adventure) Book Review https://thetattooedbookgeek.wordpress.com/2016/11/11/romeo-andor-juliet-a-chooseable-path-adventure-book-review/ Drew at The Tattooed Book Geek wrote this quirky, enjoyable review about this enjoyable, quirky book. With Christmas looming, I thought I’d feature yet another book that might hit the spot with family members…
Leonard Cohen – Musician and Poet https://jeanreinhardt.wordpress.com/2016/11/11/leonard-cohen-musician-and-poet/ As you must already know, I’m a regular visitor to this site and Jean’s tribute to Leonard Cohen, along with this amazing video which I keep revisiting, is not to be missed.
Waterford Walls 2016 https://inesemjphotography.com/2016/11/11/waterford-walls-2016/
Inessa is a gifted photographer, who regularly takes us on wonderful walks through the lens of her camera. This is the latest offering – enjoy…
Many thanks for visiting and taking the time and trouble to comment – and may you have a wonderful reading and blogging week.
Brainfluff 
Thanks for the review shout out. 🙂
You’re welcome:)
Thanks for linking to my post, Sarah. I was delighted to see the link to Inese’s blog, she’s a fabulous photographer.
You’re welcome – and you’re right about Inese. I love her photos:)).
I love the cover of An Empire Asunder. Sounds like you had a busy week 🙂 Thanks for visiting my blog. Hope you have a great week. ~Aleen
Thank you for visiting – it’s a great series.
It looks like you have had a hectic, but gratifying week! All kinds of creative endeavors and intellectual stimulation. Thanks for sharing…and enjoy! Thanks for visiting my blog.
Oh yes – I’m blessed in being able to lead such a busy life where I believe in everything I do. But I would like to be able to earn some more money so keep us more secure financially…
You weren’t kidding about a busy week, Sarah! I think I’m going to check out The Silver Tide. There be dragons! LOL
My Sunday Post
Better… they’re SHAPESHIFTING dragons. This one is great fun and it’s due out in a couple of days:).
Looks like a hectic but productive week. Hope you are having a wonderful Sunday.
sherry @ fundinmental My Sunday Memes
I’m busy working, but it’s fun because it’s on the novel…:). Take care, Sherry and have a great week.
Whew sure sounds like you had a busy wee, but it also sounds like you got a lot done, which is good. It’s great when authors write and publish books fast although sometimes I run into the problem that i have trouble keeping up with all their new books then. I hope you’ll have a great week!
Thank you, Lola – yes… quite often I find it difficult to keep up, but I know Himself will be buying this series as he’s a solid fan of this author.
Thank you so much for the mention!
You’re very welcome:). I wouldn’t have given it a mention if I didn’t think it was exceptional and I wanted to share it. Have a great week:)
Thank you, and have a great week you too! 🙂
Oh my, The Scourwind Legacy sounds so good! I’m having a slow reading week and that blurb was freaking good!
It really is great fun – I’m certainly now a fan of Currie’s writing and Himself has been reading him avidly for some time, now.
Wow, you have been busy. You’ve got so much on, but I’m intrigued about the writing project and can’t wait to hear more.
We’re all excited about it – fingers crossed:)).
Wow does sound like a busy week! And happy bday to your father-in-law. I love the sound of The Silver Tide, with adventurers and a mysterious island… that one gets my attention. I’ll have to look into it. 🙂
Hope you have a fabulous week ahead.
Thank you, Greg:). I really enjoyed The Silver Tide – have you read this series? It’s worth starting at the beginning because is just so much fun. Hope you, too, have a great week.
It does seem like you always have such busy weeks! But they also always seem filled with such interesting and rewarding things like attending events and teaching. The birthday gathering sounds like it was nice, and I’m glad to hear your father-in-law is doing well 🙂 Have a great week!
Thank you, Kristen – I’m aware I’m very lucky to have such a full and busy life. And most of the time, it’s fun, too. Yes, it’s always great to catch up with family and what with one thing and another recently, we haven’t managed to make it to Ringwood as often as we’d like. I hope you, too, have a great week Kristen.
Your week was certainly a full one but rewarding too by the sounds of things – I’m looking forward to hearing more about your 2017 projects. Thanks too for linking to Jean Reinhardt’s blog – so many great artists have left us this year.
It hasn’t been the best year on all sorts of levels, has it? But it certainly has been a shocker when you think of the numbers of artists we have lost…
Goodness, you’ve been busy lately! But it’s mostly for good reasons, though, and I’m glad to hear your father-in-law is doing well. And I’m excited to hear about the new writing project you’re preparing for next year! 🙂
Yes. It has the potential to be great fun and I’m working with two vibrant, talented writers so it should be a blast:).
You have had a busy week. And, here, I thought mine was full! I, too, am intrigued by your writing project. I plan to do something about a mini-course-project I’ve been trying to get someone to accept (for free!) since the beginning of last summer. It has been frustrating. I always seem to be pitching things at the wrong time!
I don’t know – yours seems pretty packed from where I’m standing! Fingers crossed that you get your mini-course up and running soon.
Seems like another busy week indeed but it gives me feeling that “hectic” wasn’t actually a bad thing. I love your mentions of Mhairi: having a writing friend like that is a treasure!