This is part of the weekly meme over at the Caffeinated Reviewer, where book bloggers can share the books and blogs they have written.
I’ve now broken up from Northbrook and got all my notes for next term’s course photocopied. I now only have the Scheme of Work and lesson plans to complete.
On Wednesday evening the writing group I belong to all went out for our Christmas jolly – to The Lamb in Angmering. The meal was absolutely delicious – vegetarian menus can be a bit hit and miss, but the mushroom tart tatin was utterly scrummy and of course, the company was great. We hadn’t managed to meet up throughout most of November so it was brilliant to catch up with everyone
’s news
And on Thursday, I finally had the chance to be fully involved in the Launch Day for Dying for Space which was so much fun. Many, many thanks to those of you who sent messages of support, or retweeted about it. My lovely friend Mhairi came over, despite not feeling all that well and held my hand throughout the whole day – there is a solid reason why I dedicated Dying for Space to her… Though it was the second book I’ve released this year, the first time around I was in bed with flu.
On Friday, I woke up to the fact that Christmas is less than a fortnight away – eek! So got most of my cards written and sent and ordered a bunch of pressies online. Hopefully over the weekend I’ll be able to get the rest done.
This week I have read:
The Long Way Home – Book 1 of the Sequoyah series by Sabrina Chase
Webspace pilot Moire Cameron is one of the best–but even she can’t fly her way out of a 
catastrophic drive failure that triggers a time-dilation bubble. Left suddenly eighty years out of date, she is on the run in a world she no longer knows, caught in the middle of a human-alien war while agents of Toren hunt her for the information only she has–the location of the pristine world of Sequoyah.
Himself was on at me to read this one – and he was absolutely right. It’s excellent space opera – we start right in the middle of a space battle and the story just whips along with an intriguing, smart protagonist. Despite having a great deal on this week, this one proved to be impossible to put down until I’d finished it.
The Frequency of Aliens – Book 2 of the Sorrow Falls series by Gene Doucette
Becoming an overnight celebrity at age sixteen should have been a lot more fun. Yes, there were times when it was extremely cool, but when the newness of it all wore off, Annie Collins was left with a permanent security detail and the kind of constant scrutiny that makes the college experience especially awkward. Not helping matters: she’s the only kid in school with her own pet spaceship.
This is an enjoyable adventure around the spaceship that turned up in the first book in this series, which I haven’t yet read. Doucette manages to make the omniscient viewpoint work owing to his humorously wry take on the events that unfold around the hapless Annie. Review to follow after Christmas…
My posts last week:
Sunday Post – 10th December, 2017
Review of The Medusa’s Daughter – Book 1 of The Mask of Medusa series by T.O. Munro
Can’t-Wait Wednesday featuring The Shadow Weaver by MarcyKate Connolly
Launch of Dying for Space – IT’S HERE …AND Pippa Jay featuring an excerpt from Dying for Space
Friday Face-off – Hubble, Bubble, Toil and Trouble…featuring Strong Poison – Book 6 of the Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries by Dorothy L. Sayers
AND
Chuckles at Chuckles Book Cave promoting Running Out of Space and Dying for Space
AND
Mello & June, It’s a Book Thang featuring an excerpt from Dying for Space
*NEW RELEASE SPECIAL* Review of Fade Out by Patrick Tilley
AND
Bibliophile Ramblings featuring an excerpt from Dying for Space
Interesting/outstanding blogs and articles that have caught my attention during the last week, in no particular order:
Christmas During the American Civil War #Christmas #history @RichardBuxton65 http://maryanneyarde.blogspot.co.uk/2017/12/christmas-during-american-civil-war.html?spref=tw This excellent article is penned by ex-student Richard Buxton, author of Whirligig which I reviewed here. Both are worth reading…
We Look Forward to Your Next Submission http://liminalstoriesmag.com/blog/2016/8/7/we-look-forward-to-your-next-submission The marvellous Steph Bianchini – @SPBianchini – brought this one to my attention – and it’s well worth passing on.
Is This Cigar-Shaped Asteroid Watching Us? http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2017/12/scientists_are_watching_oumuamua_an_asteroid_they_think_could_be_an_alien.html?wpsrc=sh_all_dt_tw_top And just when you thought truth couldn’t get any more stranger than fiction…
10 Things Only People Who Read Ebooks Understand https://mccullum001.wordpress.com/2017/12/13/10-things-only-people-who-read-ebooks-understand/ These ten hilarious cartoons certainly cheered me up.
Give Your Answers in the Blog Comments, Please… https://blogging807.wordpress.com/2017/12/11/give-your-answers-in-the-blog-comments-please/ You’ve been kidnapped. You can call on one character from one book to come and rescue you. Who do you call?
Thank you very much for taking the time and trouble to visit, like and comment on my site and may you have a great week.
Brainfluff 
The Christmas jolly sounds like fun…and congrats on your launch! Your newest book has an awesome cover. Enjoy!
Have a great week, and thanks for visiting my blog.
Thank you! I’m glad you like the cover – as a matter of fact, I’m in the process of having them redone, as I’m not completely happy with them. I don’t think they reflect the genre sufficiently well. But the launch of the new covers, along with the availability of a print version will be in the new year. In the meantime, many thanks for popping by, Laurel and have a great week:)
Congrats on the book launch!!! It is really hard to believe that Christmas is just a week away. This year has flown by but I am ready for a new year. It’s been a rough one for me. Enjoy your Sunday!!!
Thank you Jenea – it’s been a tough year for us, too. Let’s hope that 2018 is kinder:). I hope you’re having a great Sunday, too.
The Long Way Home sounds like a fantastic space opera read. I’ll look into that one! And glad you had a good week! The meal sounds fantastic, and hope the book launch is going well. 🙂
I also cannot believe how close christmas is! I feel like time is going way too fast…
Oh yes – The Long Way Home is wonderful – I’m currently reading the second book in the series and enjoying it just as much. Thank you for your good wishes – the tour is going really well so far. I just wish there was a way of slowing the days so I can catch up. At this rate, I’ll be ready for Christmas on Boxing Day… Have a great week, Greg.
Ah the final week before Christmas in which we all run around wrapping, shopping, and baking. Your writing groups Christmas Jolly sounds like fun! Hope you have a wonderful holiday!
lol… that pretty much sums up the coming week! I’ve thankfully more or less finished the shopping bit, but quite enjoy the wrapping and baking. You, too, have a fabulous holiday adorned with some wonderful books – you’ve earnt it!
Congrats on the book launch!!! Christmas is so close and there is so much to do. Hope you have a great week!
Thank you, Grace:). Yes, I’m now going to thoroughly sink into the Christmas preparations and I hope your week is also wonderful.
Congrats on the book launch! Have a great week!
Thank you, AJ:). I hope your week is not TOO busy and sprinkled with wonderful books…
Oh what a great week you had. I haven’t met my friends for a while. Each of us has been busy with Christmas preps. Yay, glad that your new book is doing great. I hope you have a wonderful week full of great reads. Happy reading, my friend. 😁❤️
Thank you so much! Yes, I’m thrilled with the launch – and I hope that you, too, have a really good week, hopefully not TOO busy, with wonderful books to read.x
Your Christmas Jolly sounds like fun. And I can’t wait to share my spot on your tour this coming week, Sarah!
I’m looking forward to it, too, Laura:)). Thank you so much for stepping up and taking part – I’m so very grateful for your kind support.
Congratulations on your new book launch!! That’s always exciting. 🙂
Thank you so much, SJ:). I really appreciate your kind encouragement.
Great post as usual – I love your Sunday’s summaries – and thank you for the mention, Sarah. 🙂
You’re very welcome – I share the articles I think others would also appreciate:)
Another lovely week. It’s definitely the time to go on lots of jolly’s. Have fun.
Lynn 😀
Yes:). It was very enjoyable to catch up with all everyone was doing.
Isn’t it hard to believe that Christmas is only 6 days away?? I’m glad my shopping is done, but I realized this morning that I missed a couple people on my Christmas card list. 😮 I think there’s still enough time for the cards to arrive at their destinations ontime, but it’s more or less the thought that counts, right?
Congrats again on the release of Dying For Space. You should be so proud of everything you’ve accomplished this year, Sarah. 🙂
Your constant, kind encouragement has been so important to me throughout this year, Sara – often I’ve felt a bit panicked about what would happen if the worst were to happen regarding Himself’s job. But your words and practical wisdom have frequently steadied me. Thank you so much:)).
As for Christmas, I’ve been scurrying around and nearly finished writing Christmas cards and wrapping pressies – I’ve just got a cookathon ahead of me. But at least they are all scrummy, seasonal things I enjoy cooking:).
I love the E-reader cartoons! All are so true except that I still buy print books as well. How exciting on the launch of your newest book and sounds like you have some very good friends! I’m struggling with how close Christmas is! I actually got most of my shopping done but I’m so behind on so many other things! Not ready! Hope you’re having a great week!
Oh yes – join the club. I, too, am horribly behind with all the chores that go with Christmas. I’ve also got most of the shopping nailed, but as for getting all the wrapping done – and the cleaning, tidying and cooking – I reckon I’ll be ready on Boxing Day at this rate.
I feel bad commenting on your pre-Christmas rush in April, in yet another attempt to catch up with blogs. But I’m glad to see you had a great launch for book 2, and I’m looking forward to learn more about it as I progress into the “present” posts. 🙂
Actually, I haven’t really said much about Dying for Space, except when I changed the covers – which now feature in the sidebar…
Yes, I noticed. Waiting for the third one to join the ranks. 🙂
Yes – though I’m very heartened that I’m getting a steady stream of lovely folks who tell me how much they are enjoying the book…
That’s always great, isn’t it? 🙂
Very much so!