Sunday Post – 26th May, 2019 #Brainfluffbookblog #SundayPost

This is part of the weekly meme over at the Caffeinated Reviewer, where book bloggers can share the books and blogs they have written.

It’s been a very, very busy week – as is evident by the fact that I haven’t had time to post anything on my blog since last Sunday – other than the Friday Faceoff. This week it’s been allll about work. As the academic year speeds towards the close, a number of meetings regarding Tim’s progress all converged on this particular week. It meant I haven’t seen much of Himself, either – as this week he had Wednesday and Thursday off. We have half term coming up and I am looking forward to having a few days off just to catch my breath – and have the grandchildren to stay, which is always fun. Though predictably, the wonderful weather we’ve been enjoying is now fast disappearing.

I have now completed the first draft of Mantivore Prey which is a relief. I am going to take a bit of a break from writing until the summer holidays to give myself some time to focus on a major clean and declutter, which is desperately overdue…

Last week I read:
Red Moon by Kim Stanley Robinson
American Fred Fredericks is making his first trip, his purpose to install a communications system for China’s Lunar Science Foundation. But hours after his arrival he witnesses a murder and is forced into hiding. It is also the first visit for celebrity travel reporter Ta Shu. He has contacts and influence, but he too will find that the moon can be a perilous place for any traveler. Finally, there is Chan Qi. She is the daughter of the Minister of Finance, and without doubt a person of interest to those in power. She is on the moon for reasons of her own, but when she attempts to return to China, in secret, the events that unfold will change everything – on the moon, and on Earth.
This entertaining near future space opera was mostly great fun, though I thought the ending was a tad off if this is a standalone.

 

The Hound of the Baskervilles – Sherlock Holmes: The Definitive Audio Collection narrated by Stephen Fry
The death, quite suddenly, of Sir Charles Baskerville in mysterious circumstances is the trigger for one of the most extraordinary cases ever to challenge the brilliant analytical mind of Sherlock Holmes. As rumours of a legendary hound said to haunt the Baskerville family circulate, Holmes and Watson are asked to ensure the protection of Sir Charles’ only heir, Sir Henry – who has travelled all the way from America to reside at Baskerville Hall in Devon. And it is there, in an isolated mansion surrounded by mile after mile of wild moor, that Holmes and Watson come face to face with a terrifying evil that reaches out from centuries past . . .
This whole series has been a complete joy to listen to – I’m prolonging the pleasure by listening to other audio offerings in between each of the books.

 

The Liar in the Library – Book 18 of the Fethering Mysteries by Simon Brett
Having been booked to give a talk at Fethering Library, successful author Burton St Clair invites his old friend Jude to come along. Although they haven’t met for twenty years, Jude is not surprised to find that St Clair hasn’t changed, with his towering ego and somewhat shaky relationship with the truth. What Jude hadn’t been suspecting however was that the evening would end in sudden, violent death. More worrying, from Jude’s point of view, is the fact that the investigating police officers seem to be convinced that she herself was responsible for the crime. With the evidence stacking up against her, Jude enlists the help of her neighbour Carole not just to solve the murder but to prevent herself from being arrested for committing it.
This delightful cosy mystery is great fun with an unexpectedly poignant ending. I love the fact that Brett has plenty to say about the state of middle England and library closures in amongst the murder and mayhem.

My posts last week:

Friday Faceoff featuring A Discovery of Witches – Book 1 of the All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness

Sunday Post – 19th May 2019

Interesting/outstanding blogs and articles that have caught my attention during the last few weeks, in no particular order:

Odyssey Theatre
https://twitter.com/OdysseyTheatre_/status/1131638482441572352 Yep – this is me in proud mama mode. My son, Robbie, is busy rehearsing for this production of Loot which is running from 8th June-10th August.

#writerproblems: #characterdeath in #storytelling (Part 2: melting shoes and raising stakes) https://jeanleesworld.com/2019/05/23/writerproblems-characterdeath-in-storytelling-part-2-melting-shoes-and-raising-stakes/ Once more, a cracking article from my friend Jean…

Why Starve Fish in Spas for Pedicures?
https://chechewinnie.com/why-starve-fish-in-spas-for-pedicure/ How depressing – these poor fish are starved to force them to eat the dead skin on people’s feet…

Game of Thrones: A Song of ‘I Literally Can’t Even’ https://authorkristenlamb.com/2019/05/game-of-thrones-storytelling-cautionary-tale/ Kristen Lamb jumps into the controversy on the final series of GoT – what do you think?

Protecting Your Creative Mindspace https://writerunboxed.com/2019/05/23/protecting-your-creative-mindspace/ This nifty article is very helpful if you are struggling with writers’ block.

Many thanks for taking the time to comment, like and visit my blog – I will catch up with you as soon as I can, so thank you also for your patience. In the meantime, have a wonderful week!