A week or so ago I was at Cressing Temple Barns with my books to take advantage of their Christmas fair. Built by the Knights Templar, these barns date back to the 13th century. They are some of the oldest (and largest) wooden structures of their kind in Europe.
While I sat waiting for interested buyers, above me spanned an ancient, beamed roof. As the day progressed and the temperature rose a degree or two, fine wood powder started to collect in minute piles at one end of my table.
Was it the result of past woodworm activity falling like magic dust in the increasing warmth? Or had some new inhabitants of the beetle persuasion (woodworm are actually the larvae of woodboring beetles) worked their way into the ancient beams?
Diss Publishing Bookshop
In what seemed like the blink of an eye, but was in reality some days later, I was at the Diss Publishing Bookshop. Saturday 13th November to be precise, and I was promoting my latest novel in the Utterly Crime Series – Utterly Dredged. I had my book presentation set up again, but this time was surrounded by 20th century wooden tables and bookshelves.
Diss Publishing is a locally run business, in Diss, South Norfolk, first established in 1864. They are well worth a visit if you are in the area. As their website says – ‘We offer an ‘old-fashioned’ service, so you never have to be afraid to ask for help. At the Diss Publishing Bookshop the customer always comes first!’
As the day progressed and the temperature rose a degree or two there was no magic dust accumulating on the table. But there were mouth-watering aromas that drew me into the bookshop’s wonderful café. There I ate a slice of delicious cake made from finely ground almonds.
Mmm…fine powders, both ancient and modern, it set me thinking…
Five days ago I was up in the Lake District at an event near Carlisle touring with my latest book, Utterly Dredged. A quick pause for breath and time to dry out after all the wet weather, and then today – lockdown art!
Tesco Staff Tributes
It was so moving to watch my cover design artist, Rebecca Moss Guyver present portraits she painted during lockdown as a tribute and thank you to key workers. Today it was the turn of the key workers keeping the Stowmarket Tesco food store open during lockdown – shelves stacked, tills manned and ‘click & collect’ baskets filled. So – six wonderful portraits of Stowmarket Tesco staff with Rebecca in the centre of the store – a very special moment.
Cast your mind back to the first COVID lockdown in March 2020. It unfortunately coincided with the publication of Utterly Dredged (my ninth novel in the Utterly Crime Series).
As I was preparing for a whirlwind of book signings, live launches and promotions it was whisked away! All plans were cancelled and it became a bleak time for everyone.
I couldn’t complain too much – many faced harsher realities than me – but I didn’t want to let publication slip by unheralded. So I decided to enter Utterly Dredged for the Wishing Shelf Book Awards 2020.
You can imagine my pleasure when this April (2021), as we sit in the last (sic) COVID lockdown, I learn that Utterly Dredged is a RED RIBBON WINNER!
The judges’ summing up: “A cleverly plotted murder/mystery populated with an interesting array of characters. A RED RIBBON WINNER and highly recommended!” The Wishing Shelf Book Awards.
Hi everyone, my audiobook giveaway codes are now available in the UK and EU, as well as in the USA, Australia and Canada as announced previously
These giveaway codes for the first two audiobooks in the Utterly Crime Series:
- Utterly Explosive, and
- Utterly Fuelled
are limited in number, so why not quickly have a listen to a sample on my audiobook page, then contact me through my website contact page and I’ll send you a code. Just remember that the Giveaway Codes are only valid for listening through the Authors Direct mobile apps and can only be redeemed at https://authors-direct.com/redeem/.
They ONLY work on IOS and Android (non-Kindle) mobile devices, and are NOT available as a direct MP3 download for playback via desktop computers, etc.
Hurry, as I say, stock is limited!
Best wishes,
Pauline
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