Happy New Year everyone! Wishing everyone a wonderful 2016. May it bring you health, abundance, prosperity and much happiness.
Thank you to everyone who has read my stories and especially to those kind people who took the trouble to leave a rating or review. It makes all the difference when the muse is flagging a little!
I hope to have new story out this year, a ghostly tale which is already making me scared sometimes and introducing a fresh set of characters.
But first, it's time to relax and remember the highs and lows of 2015, take a deep breath before we all launch into the new year.
Author of novels including The Twisted Vine and the Katherine Wheel Trilogy (Daffodils, Peace Lily and Speedwell)
Thursday, 31 December 2015
Wednesday, 30 December 2015
New 5* review for Daffodils currently only 99pence thru January 16
Dec 29, 2015 new review on #Goodreads where the reader rated it - it was amazing - 5*s
"A fantastic story which was written beautifully. I have not read many books based around WW1 and this was just right.
The characters have some hard times and I found myself in tears at times, but overall the story was told in a way I could relate to and understand.
Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction. "
The characters have some hard times and I found myself in tears at times, but overall the story was told in a way I could relate to and understand.
Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction. "
Just found this review on #Goodreads. I couldn't ask for more. AND Daffodils is only 99 pence FOR THE WHOLE OF JANUARY 2016!
Sunday, 27 December 2015
New Look Website offering email and subscription
New year, new look.
Readers can now subscribe to this blog and sign up for a newsletter. Don't worry - you won't be inundated with emails. I hate spam too but a number of readers have asked me to alert them to new books coming out. This being music to my ears I have now changed this blog page to offer this service.
Please feel free to add your email address so you can find out when I'm launching a new book or posting about freebies, discounted books or events.
I'm hoping to publish a new story in 2016 called The Rose Trail. I've been working on this project for a couple of years now and it's a complex tale of different characters in different time zones and there is still a lot to do. I haven't finished the first draft yet but the outline is clear and crisp in my head. As the historical background is new to me - The English Civil War - I am wading through a lot of research before I can continue with the first draft.
I'm finding this era has a lot of parallels with the present day - the rich getting richer and absolutism provoking rebellious thinking. There were about twenty years when the rulebook got thrown out of British Society. It became a meritocracy - not for nothing were latter day Roundheads called Levellers - and was a time of extremely dynamic change. In this regard, it reminds me of the 'twenties, as depicted in Speedwell (http://amzn.to/1SjD4cD) when society was forced to reorder its hierarchy after the devastation wrought by World War One.
I don't choose to write about wars, by the way, it's the change they evoke that fascinates me!
I hope you will want to learn alongside me as I continue to delve into research for my stories and sign up for the email alerts.
(PS: as a thank you to all my loyal followers, I'm putting Daffodils (http://amzn.to/141yEIG) at half price through January to celebrate the new year.)
Happy New Year to one and all. May you enjoy peace and prosperity.
Readers can now subscribe to this blog and sign up for a newsletter. Don't worry - you won't be inundated with emails. I hate spam too but a number of readers have asked me to alert them to new books coming out. This being music to my ears I have now changed this blog page to offer this service.
Please feel free to add your email address so you can find out when I'm launching a new book or posting about freebies, discounted books or events.
I'm hoping to publish a new story in 2016 called The Rose Trail. I've been working on this project for a couple of years now and it's a complex tale of different characters in different time zones and there is still a lot to do. I haven't finished the first draft yet but the outline is clear and crisp in my head. As the historical background is new to me - The English Civil War - I am wading through a lot of research before I can continue with the first draft.
I'm finding this era has a lot of parallels with the present day - the rich getting richer and absolutism provoking rebellious thinking. There were about twenty years when the rulebook got thrown out of British Society. It became a meritocracy - not for nothing were latter day Roundheads called Levellers - and was a time of extremely dynamic change. In this regard, it reminds me of the 'twenties, as depicted in Speedwell (http://amzn.to/1SjD4cD) when society was forced to reorder its hierarchy after the devastation wrought by World War One.
I don't choose to write about wars, by the way, it's the change they evoke that fascinates me!
I hope you will want to learn alongside me as I continue to delve into research for my stories and sign up for the email alerts.
(PS: as a thank you to all my loyal followers, I'm putting Daffodils (http://amzn.to/141yEIG) at half price through January to celebrate the new year.)
Happy New Year to one and all. May you enjoy peace and prosperity.
Sunday, 20 December 2015
#FREE for the #Christmas Holidays! Holiday reading - set in rural France - escape with Roxanne to find love, mystery laced with wine.
The Twisted Vine is now #FREE until Christmas Day.
Grab your copy of escapism. The Twisted Vine is perfect holiday reading. Spend your downtime this Christmas in sun-drenched vineyards, across the mountains of Provence, solving a mystery and maybe even finding true love.
http://amzn.to/1JmMVda
Grab your copy of escapism. The Twisted Vine is perfect holiday reading. Spend your downtime this Christmas in sun-drenched vineyards, across the mountains of Provence, solving a mystery and maybe even finding true love.
http://amzn.to/1JmMVda
Thursday, 17 December 2015
#FREE holiday reading for the holidays
Advance notice that The Twisted Vine will be free for five days over Christmas from 20th December right through to Christmas Day.
Perfect holiday reading in sun-soaked French vineyards - curl up by the fire with your mince pie and sherry and be transported into deepest rural France while Roxanne is tested to the limit by her adventures.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ebooks-The-Twisted-Vine-Alex-Martin-ebook/dp/B0089M2TSM/ref=pd_sim_351_3?ie=UTF8&dpID=51LTHAnnagL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_UX300_PJku-sticker-v3%2CTopRight%2C0%2C-44_AC_UL160_SR107%2C160_&refRID=1R3S2VWKD6S3FXMNNHQ9
Perfect holiday reading in sun-soaked French vineyards - curl up by the fire with your mince pie and sherry and be transported into deepest rural France while Roxanne is tested to the limit by her adventures.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ebooks-The-Twisted-Vine-Alex-Martin-ebook/dp/B0089M2TSM/ref=pd_sim_351_3?ie=UTF8&dpID=51LTHAnnagL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_UX300_PJku-sticker-v3%2CTopRight%2C0%2C-44_AC_UL160_SR107%2C160_&refRID=1R3S2VWKD6S3FXMNNHQ9
Tuesday, 1 December 2015
And #Brooklands makes 3! http://amzn.to/1SjD4cD
Haha, make that 3 reviews all at once! This is from the editor of The Brooklands Bulletin, the magazine (paper) based at Brooklands Motor Museum. Paperbacks of Speedwell are now available in their gift shop. I met Diana Willows quite by chance on a research trip to Brooklands for Speedwell about 18 months ago. She asked me why I was there as she drove me around that famous curved banking in a replica vintage racing car. She's been supportive of the Speedwell project ever sinc...e and I'm delighted to report what she made of it:
"Speedwell is a compelling and intriguing story weaved against a backdrop of life in the 1920s. The adventure features the well-born Cassandra Flintlock-Smythe and her keen American racing driver husband, Douglas, who live on their Wiltshire estate. Running parallel are the lives of Katy and husband, Jem. Katy, formerly a maid at the Manor, is ahead of her time and as a qualified motor engineer is never happier than brandishing an oily rag and tuning up cars. She runs her own garage business and comes up with a clever invention that could have a major impact on the world of motor racing and beyond. The pair have risked their future on the garage and on making it a success. The story takes the reader on a roller-coaster ride as it tracks the ups and downs, triumphs and tragedies of all their fortunes. This is a fast-paced read, with many surprises along the way featuring racing at Brooklands and beyond."
See MoreNew 5* review for #speedwell http://amzn.to/1SjD4cD 'Formidable level of research & immensely readable'
It's funny about getting reviews. They seem to follow the mythical pattern of buses - you know, nothing for ages, then two at once. Yesterday I had a 5* review for Daffodils. It was short, but oh, so sweet: "Brilliant from first to last page" and from a bloke, which shouldn't make a difference, but somehow did.
Today I had another 5* for Speedwell. It was longer but still as sweet as honey to receive:
"It was an era of great social change when the upper classes began to slid...e ... 5*****
Today I had another 5* for Speedwell. It was longer but still as sweet as honey to receive:
"It was an era of great social change when the upper classes began to slid...e ... 5*****
"This is the third novel in the series and the author does an admirable job of blending hard fact with fiction. A lot of historical fiction can be plodding and bogged down with detail. A truly formidable level of research has gone into this novel, bringing a high level of believability and a strong sense of place, occasion and character. And although there are lots of historical facts underpinning this book, it remains immensely readable.
Speedwell takes us into the roaring twenties, and the advent of the motor car. It was an era of great social change when the upper classes began to slide into some decline and the rise of the working man, or woman in this case, began to rise. Refreshing that the heroine of the tale is a car mechanic and not the standard nurse.
A good solid read, with interesting development of all the characters through these exciting times. "
http://www.amazon.co.uk/…/pr…/B012ZWS6UG/ref=series_rw_dp_sw
Speedwell takes us into the roaring twenties, and the advent of the motor car. It was an era of great social change when the upper classes began to slide into some decline and the rise of the working man, or woman in this case, began to rise. Refreshing that the heroine of the tale is a car mechanic and not the standard nurse.
A good solid read, with interesting development of all the characters through these exciting times. "
http://www.amazon.co.uk/…/pr…/B012ZWS6UG/ref=series_rw_dp_sw
Saturday, 28 November 2015
http://rebeccastonehill.com/guest-post/guest-post-indie-author-alex-martin/
Lovely to meet and connect with the rather wonderful Rebecca Stonehill who has an excellent blog that I was honoured to attend as her guest. Rebecca is a wizard at getting children into reading and writing and is an author herself. I've just bought her book and am very much looking forward to reading it.
Here's a little window on Rebecca's world, which sounds a lot more glamorous than mine!
I’m from London but currently live in Nairobi with my husband and three children where I teach creative writing to school children. Many years ago, I spent eighteen months living in Granada, completely falling in love with it and being inspired to write The Poet’s Wife. I have also had many short stories published, including in Vintage Script, What The Dickens magazine and Ariadne’s Thread.
The Poet’s Wife is my debut novel and I am currently working on my second book, set in Kenya.

Rebecca's a delightful person whom I'm glad I met - social media is a wonderful thing sometimes!
Here's a little window on Rebecca's world, which sounds a lot more glamorous than mine!
I’m Rebecca Stonehill, author of The Poet’s Wife and creative writing teacher.
I’m from London but currently live in Nairobi with my husband and three children where I teach creative writing to school children. Many years ago, I spent eighteen months living in Granada, completely falling in love with it and being inspired to write The Poet’s Wife. I have also had many short stories published, including in Vintage Script, What The Dickens magazine and Ariadne’s Thread.
The Poet’s Wife is my debut novel and I am currently working on my second book, set in Kenya.
Rebecca's a delightful person whom I'm glad I met - social media is a wonderful thing sometimes!
Wednesday, 25 November 2015
"Wonderful writing" 5*s for 3 short stories #FREE for #BLACK FRIDAY! http://amzn.to/1BKwhM4
I've been knee deep in research for my new book, The Rose Trail - a complicated ghost story in 3 different time zones, so it was a delight to find a new 5* review for my little collection of short stories, Trio, which will be #FREE for #Black Friday!
Here's the link to this little taster of my work: http://amzn.to/1BKwhM4 It'll be a little while before a another big one arrives! And here's the review of Trio:
Here's the link to this little taster of my work: http://amzn.to/1BKwhM4 It'll be a little while before a another big one arrives! And here's the review of Trio:
Three short stories in one book.
The Pond: hardship and adversity versus easy and wealth.
A Tidy Wife: Mike takes early retirement; his wife decides to take a trip
The Wedding Cake: Alice makes and ices a cake for her parents’ ruby anniversary party, her brother and his wife and family have problems.
The writing is very evocative and emotional for such short stories. There is full characterisation of the main characters as well as the peripheral characters. The scenes are set perfectly for each story.
Wonderful writing for short stories.
The Pond: hardship and adversity versus easy and wealth.
A Tidy Wife: Mike takes early retirement; his wife decides to take a trip
The Wedding Cake: Alice makes and ices a cake for her parents’ ruby anniversary party, her brother and his wife and family have problems.
The writing is very evocative and emotional for such short stories. There is full characterisation of the main characters as well as the peripheral characters. The scenes are set perfectly for each story.
Wonderful writing for short stories.
Wednesday, 11 November 2015
#Armistice Day so #Peace Lily is only 99p as a tribute http://amzn.to/1zxG8aL
Armistice Day - when in 1918 Peace was declared on the 11th hour of the 11th day.
Long may it last.
My tribute: Peace Lily, set in the aftermath of that day, is half price.
http://amzn.to/1zxG8aL
Long may it last.
My tribute: Peace Lily, set in the aftermath of that day, is half price.
http://amzn.to/1zxG8aL
Sunday, 8 November 2015
Daffodils still #FREE for #Remembrance Sunday http://amzn.to/141yEIG
Daffodils is now #64 overall in the FREE section of Amazon UK and #214 in the US.
Thank you to everyone who downloaded it. It's my tribute to the fallen of WW1. I was very moved when I researched this book by the sacrifice made by an entire generation and I've tried to do it justice. When you discover what they went through and how little they were valued after the war, it is truly shocking.
WW1 had a profound effect on society in Britain. Not only were young men cut down in their prime, women had to take over many of their previous roles and found a new, if bitter, freedom.
The Katherine Wheel trilogy explores this phenomenon and how the effects kept rippling through, even to the 1920's. I found it interesting to look at the effects of this global conflict on both the rich and the poor and how it drew us closer to our allies in America.
The art of that time clearly demonstrates the mechanistic nature of this war, the first war to involve the whole world. Those denuded trees naked on the annihilated battlefields speak for themselves.
Thank you to everyone who downloaded it. It's my tribute to the fallen of WW1. I was very moved when I researched this book by the sacrifice made by an entire generation and I've tried to do it justice. When you discover what they went through and how little they were valued after the war, it is truly shocking.
WW1 had a profound effect on society in Britain. Not only were young men cut down in their prime, women had to take over many of their previous roles and found a new, if bitter, freedom.
The Katherine Wheel trilogy explores this phenomenon and how the effects kept rippling through, even to the 1920's. I found it interesting to look at the effects of this global conflict on both the rich and the poor and how it drew us closer to our allies in America.
The art of that time clearly demonstrates the mechanistic nature of this war, the first war to involve the whole world. Those denuded trees naked on the annihilated battlefields speak for themselves.
Saturday, 7 November 2015
#FREE THIS WEEKEND! DAFFODILS http://amzn.to/19iDLtI Poignant WW1 story
In honour of Remembrance Sunday I'm offering Daffodils #FREE this weekend only
Daffodils now has 60 reviews in the UK and 47 in the US average 4.6*s overall.
Grab a copy and get stuck into the whole Katherine Wheel trilogy.
http://amzn.to/19iDLtI
Daffodils now has 60 reviews in the UK and 47 in the US average 4.6*s overall.
Grab a copy and get stuck into the whole Katherine Wheel trilogy.
http://amzn.to/19iDLtI
Friday, 6 November 2015
http://amzn.to/141yEIG DAFFODILS #FREE THIS REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY
EARLY ANNOUNCEMENT - DAFFODILS WILL BE #FREE THIS WEEKEND IN HONOUR OF REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY. BE SURE TO GRAB A COPY. http://amzn.to/141yEIG
Lest we forget....
The Katherine Wheel Series and its readers #amwriting

I'm getting some very interesting feedback from readers who've read the whole Katherine Wheel Trilogy. It's about Katy's character development. Some of them, like me, have struggled to like her at times. I knew it was a dangerous game starting out the whole caboodle with an unsympathetic character but how many of us are totally together and mature in our teenage years? I know I wasn't! Katy was very young at the start of Daffodils. She was also pretty foolish, shallow, immature, selfish and naive. It's taken her all three books and a world war to really grow up. Even in Speedwell she had to wrestle with her conscience (always a little tardy to arrive) until she finally redeems herself. The other characters, especially Jem, her husband, have to go through hell and high water as the years and events roll by and naturally they have to grow and change and adapt, as we all do.
These perceptive, wonderful readers, have also seen how the theme of change and 'progress' are worked into the three books through the points of view of the characters. Cassandra, in particular, finds letting go of the past very difficult and resists the new mechanistic era, clinging to the traditional values she sees rapidly disappearing as the combustion engine drives the modern age, while all the time her husband, Douglas, embraces it wholesale.
But it is Katy who is the, excuse the pun, driver to this series. Faulty, flawed, ambitious and flighty Katy. Clever, resourceful, loyal despite temptations, hardworking and beautiful Katy.
See More
Monday, 2 November 2015
Daffodils has now notched up over 100 reviews! http://amzn.to/141yEIG =4.5*s average
I'm so pleased that Daffodils has now received its 60th review in the UK but has retained its average of 4.6 *s.
http://amzn.to/141yEIGhttp://www.amazon.co.uk/Daffodils-Alex-Martin-ebook/dp/B00BPUQAY4/ref=sr_1_1?
In the States it has had 47 reviews giving an average of 4.5*s overall.
That adds up to an amazing 107 reviews altogether with an average of 4.55*s out of a possible 5*s.
I'm a bit thrilled!
ie=UTF8&qid=1410546482&sr=8-1&keywords=daffodils+by+alex+martin
http://amzn.to/141yEIGhttp://www.amazon.co.uk/Daffodils-Alex-Martin-ebook/dp/B00BPUQAY4/ref=sr_1_1?
In the States it has had 47 reviews giving an average of 4.5*s overall.
That adds up to an amazing 107 reviews altogether with an average of 4.55*s out of a possible 5*s.
I'm a bit thrilled!
ie=UTF8&qid=1410546482&sr=8-1&keywords=daffodils+by+alex+martin
Sunday, 1 November 2015
Transience #amwriting
I've been musing lately on how impermanent we are, as people I mean. The houses, trees, the very earth itself will be here when we've gone and that's okay. It lifts the weight of responsibility to realise this, somehow.
I've been reading up about the English Civil War for my current project, The Rose Trail, and lately I've come across the outlaws who lived in the forests and woodlands. Like the myth of Robin Hood they lived amongst the trees, out of sight and governance of the local landlords and tax collectors. They selectively did rob the rich and protected the vulnerable.
It seems many people lived like this before, according to that excellent book, The Death of Nature, capitalism reared its ugly, long lasting, head in the 1300s. Before that, land wasn't enclosed or claimed by owners who built boundaries that kept out those who foraged within its leafy embrace. These people, and I don't think Carolyn Merchant wore rose coloured specs when she wrote this influential book, lived co-operatively. They shared income, food - deer, rabbits, mushrooms, berries - from the forest, together with their labour. The trees provided both shelter and fuel. I don't think it could have been a soft, easy life but it resonated with me in a surprising way. Reared in a family who believe fiercely in material success as a measure of achievement, I bonded with these ancient woodlanders, feeling that, across almost a millennia, I had found my true ancestors, who shared a more gentle set of aspirations about what constitutes a successful life.
These personal discoveries are fuelling some fruitful thoughts about the story. I'm not committing them to page yet but they are fomenting nicely in the back of my head and I hope the Rose Trail will be all the richer for it.
I've been reading up about the English Civil War for my current project, The Rose Trail, and lately I've come across the outlaws who lived in the forests and woodlands. Like the myth of Robin Hood they lived amongst the trees, out of sight and governance of the local landlords and tax collectors. They selectively did rob the rich and protected the vulnerable.
It seems many people lived like this before, according to that excellent book, The Death of Nature, capitalism reared its ugly, long lasting, head in the 1300s. Before that, land wasn't enclosed or claimed by owners who built boundaries that kept out those who foraged within its leafy embrace. These people, and I don't think Carolyn Merchant wore rose coloured specs when she wrote this influential book, lived co-operatively. They shared income, food - deer, rabbits, mushrooms, berries - from the forest, together with their labour. The trees provided both shelter and fuel. I don't think it could have been a soft, easy life but it resonated with me in a surprising way. Reared in a family who believe fiercely in material success as a measure of achievement, I bonded with these ancient woodlanders, feeling that, across almost a millennia, I had found my true ancestors, who shared a more gentle set of aspirations about what constitutes a successful life.
These personal discoveries are fuelling some fruitful thoughts about the story. I'm not committing them to page yet but they are fomenting nicely in the back of my head and I hope the Rose Trail will be all the richer for it.
Friday, 30 October 2015
200 Mile Light Car Race - Brooklands (1923) Just like in Speedwell http://amzn.to/1SjD4cD
Real footage of a race, just like the ones Katy and Douglas enter in Speedwell
http://amzn.to/1SjD4cD
Tuesday, 27 October 2015
#amwriting Dylan Thomas's Boathouse
I got so much from visiting Dylan Thomas's boathouse at Laugharne yesterday. You can just see his writing shed above amongst the autumn trees in this picture. It was this shed that inspired me to building my very own Plotting Shed up the end of my garden. I don't have a watery view like Dylan's but I can see the Welsh mountains, including the tips of the Brecon Beacons.
All I need now is a touch of his genius. Maybe some will have rubbed off...
Wednesday, 21 October 2015
#Speedwell background story. http://amzn.to/1SjD4cD #amwriting
I never thought I would be researching country garages in the 1920's but that's one of the best things about writing. Your imagination takes you down paths logic never would!
I started the story of Daffodils because I was fascinated by the history of the village we lived in when our kids were born. One thing lead to another, as it so often does. So, after writing Peace Lily, I had to find out what Katy Phipps would do with her engineering experience, how Jem would react to his wife becoming an entrepreneur and how it would test her friendship with the aristocratic Cassandra, and wrote Speedwell. http://amzn.to/1SjD4cD
My Dad, now nearly 94, had an uncle who had a garage in just this era. As a very young boy, he would ride, Toad of Toad Hall-like, through Battersea Park in London as the mechanics test drove the cars. He imparted that enthusiasm and excitement to me as he recalled the sheer joy of those trips in open-topped cars.
But as well as picturing the scene in my head, I had to do some serious investigation into, literally, the nuts and bolts of starting up an enterprise like The Katherine Wheel Garage in the post-war 1920's.
Here's some pictures from that fascinating journey:
I started the story of Daffodils because I was fascinated by the history of the village we lived in when our kids were born. One thing lead to another, as it so often does. So, after writing Peace Lily, I had to find out what Katy Phipps would do with her engineering experience, how Jem would react to his wife becoming an entrepreneur and how it would test her friendship with the aristocratic Cassandra, and wrote Speedwell. http://amzn.to/1SjD4cD
My Dad, now nearly 94, had an uncle who had a garage in just this era. As a very young boy, he would ride, Toad of Toad Hall-like, through Battersea Park in London as the mechanics test drove the cars. He imparted that enthusiasm and excitement to me as he recalled the sheer joy of those trips in open-topped cars.
But as well as picturing the scene in my head, I had to do some serious investigation into, literally, the nuts and bolts of starting up an enterprise like The Katherine Wheel Garage in the post-war 1920's.
Here's some pictures from that fascinating journey:
Very neat storage of tools |
Wednesday, 14 October 2015
Rosy Research
Yesterday, my dog, Sky, and I zoomed up and down the motorway for over 200 miles just to go for a walk. I'm researching a little known battle in the Civil War for my new story, The Rose Trail. It was a cracking walk, if a little far to drive to. The weather was perfect at home, bright and sunny with a crisp autumnal snap to it. At my destination I found a roiling sky of threatening clouds, which only added to the dramatic landscape.
Having fended off no less than three terriers who wanted to steal my picnic, I bumped into a lady with a kind, intelligent face. I had a hunch she'd know about the history of the place, which I needed, having jumped in the car on a whim that morning. I had not prepared for the trip at all. I had brought none of my helpful research books, or even a map of the territory. This lovely woman told me where the battle had started and that the rout covered the whole of the countryside next to me, literally for miles.
I stood alone, after she had left, having given instructions on where to walk, and pictured the scene almost 400 years ago. I swear I could hear thundering hooves.
Here's a few pictures of what I saw.
Having fended off no less than three terriers who wanted to steal my picnic, I bumped into a lady with a kind, intelligent face. I had a hunch she'd know about the history of the place, which I needed, having jumped in the car on a whim that morning. I had not prepared for the trip at all. I had brought none of my helpful research books, or even a map of the territory. This lovely woman told me where the battle had started and that the rout covered the whole of the countryside next to me, literally for miles.
I stood alone, after she had left, having given instructions on where to walk, and pictured the scene almost 400 years ago. I swear I could hear thundering hooves.
Here's a few pictures of what I saw.
Anybody recognise it?
Saturday, 10 October 2015
refreshing review of #The Twisted Vine http://amzn.to/XHVZeD
ByAlexandraon October 10, 2015
Format: Kindle Edition1 of 1 people found this review helpful
A very refreshing romance/adventure novel that will make for a perfect weekend read while you soak up the Autumn sun.
The main heroine, Roxanne, travels to France so she can have a break from all the drama that followed the breakup with her boyfriend. She decides to go grape picking, which sounds like a great way to keep your hands busy and mind distracted with the new scenery. She meets new friends and spends her time pleasantly in their company, drinking wine and tasting French cuisine… However, the stars have other plans for her, and her ‘escape’ turns out to be an adventure. Someone she meets there is hiding a twisted secret, and so this romantic suspense story turns into a mystery.
The original setting of this novel and the beauty of colorful places that Roxanne visits really drew me in. This book was a lot more than I’d expected, because aside from the romantic aspect, there’s a great deal of humor, fantastic friendship, and entertaining dialogue. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who likes women’s fiction.
The main heroine, Roxanne, travels to France so she can have a break from all the drama that followed the breakup with her boyfriend. She decides to go grape picking, which sounds like a great way to keep your hands busy and mind distracted with the new scenery. She meets new friends and spends her time pleasantly in their company, drinking wine and tasting French cuisine… However, the stars have other plans for her, and her ‘escape’ turns out to be an adventure. Someone she meets there is hiding a twisted secret, and so this romantic suspense story turns into a mystery.
The original setting of this novel and the beauty of colorful places that Roxanne visits really drew me in. This book was a lot more than I’d expected, because aside from the romantic aspect, there’s a great deal of humor, fantastic friendship, and entertaining dialogue. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who likes women’s fiction.
How lovely to receive this review after all this time.
I loved writing this book. I remember feeling that it was like getting a rubik cube to come together when the plot worked. (not that I've ever solved a rubik cube, you understand!).
Thursday, 8 October 2015
#Gower - my playpark
Richard writes Young Adult fiction and I'm currently enjoying his first book, Leap of Faith, which is set on Gower.
Here is the link for this book: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Leap-Faith-Richard-Hardie/dp/1909841269/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1444329493&sr=8-1&keywords=leap+of+faith+by+richard+hardie
It's a lively tale involving smugglers, caves and secret coves. A salty taste of time travel and, for me, animating the scenery and seascape I have come to love since I moved here way, way back in 1989.
The dogs weren't this well behaved the rest of the time! They got on like a house on fire and encouraged each other to wallow in muddy puddles.
The weather was sunny and breezy in defiance of the miserable forecast. Richard and I talked books the whole time.
Time well spent.
Tuesday, 6 October 2015
Pauline Barclay : Alex Martin Sitting Round My Pool
Pauline Barclay : Alex Martin Sitting Round My Pool: Sitting round my pool today is the lovely Alex Martin who writes poignant World War One dramas. Describe yourself in 3 words ...
Saturday, 26 September 2015
Peace Lily and Speedwell research - #Transport #http://amzn.to/1SjD4cD
I'm now getting engrossed in research for my new, very different book, but thought I'd post some of the pictures from the research for Speedwell, before moving on. These beauties were all photographed at Beaulieu Motor Museum - highly recommended for a visit. You get a ticket for two days, because there is so much to see.
For those of you who have read Speedwell, you will know that the inner workings of cars in the twenties are deeply involved in the plot twist that makes all the difference to Kate Phipps. She has a life-changing idea about cars, which is born of trying to help Douglas win some races on the Brooklands Racing Circuit.
I thought I'd share some of the gems I discovered while researching all this mechanical history.
Early motorcars looked more like horse-drawn carriages, similar, but even older than the one Kate's customer drove in Chapter One of Speedwell.
Here's another Sunbeam but a very different one! Obviously a racing car, it gives a good idea of how quickly cars became streamlined, once their drivers had tasted the thrill of speed.
Two wheels can sometimes be more convenient than four. This is the Triumph motorbike that Kate salvaged in Peace Lily, until the Army caught her at it! But if they hadn't, The Katherine Wheel Garage might never have gone into business.
For those of you who have read Speedwell, you will know that the inner workings of cars in the twenties are deeply involved in the plot twist that makes all the difference to Kate Phipps. She has a life-changing idea about cars, which is born of trying to help Douglas win some races on the Brooklands Racing Circuit.
I thought I'd share some of the gems I discovered while researching all this mechanical history.
Early motorcars looked more like horse-drawn carriages, similar, but even older than the one Kate's customer drove in Chapter One of Speedwell.
This is the type of car that Jem learned to drive on in Peace Lily. A Sunbeam Tourer, just like the one in Cassandra's old stables at Cheadle Manor.
Two wheels can sometimes be more convenient than four. This is the Triumph motorbike that Kate salvaged in Peace Lily, until the Army caught her at it! But if they hadn't, The Katherine Wheel Garage might never have gone into business.
Tuesday, 22 September 2015
Putting Speedwell ( http://amzn.to/1SjD4cD ) to bed in #ThePlottingShed
Just off up the Plotting Shed to clear away the debris of writing Speedwell http://amzn.to/1SjD4cD. All the random bits of paper will go into a file that I shall probably never read, but still, you never know when those little bits of research might come in handy. Could there be a fourth book in The Katherine Wheel Series?
The big advantage of a shed is its wooden walls. I can pin anything on them and they are currently covered in news bulletins of the 1920s, the weather at t...he time, leaflets about Brooklands Racing Circuit, postcards of Malcolm Campbell in one of his big racing cars and, most essentially, a timeline of the story. It will be very satisfying to wrap it up and start a fresh new project.
I have already written a third of The Rose Trail. It's a ghost story with the English Civil War as a backdrop to a modern narrative. It's a complicated tale with five different voices and three time zones. Can't wait!
See More
The big advantage of a shed is its wooden walls. I can pin anything on them and they are currently covered in news bulletins of the 1920s, the weather at t...he time, leaflets about Brooklands Racing Circuit, postcards of Malcolm Campbell in one of his big racing cars and, most essentially, a timeline of the story. It will be very satisfying to wrap it up and start a fresh new project.
I have already written a third of The Rose Trail. It's a ghost story with the English Civil War as a backdrop to a modern narrative. It's a complicated tale with five different voices and three time zones. Can't wait!
See More
Monday, 21 September 2015
#Tenby Book Fair a resounding success by Christoph Fischer
Posted by writerchristophfischer
Thanks to Christoph Fischer for this great pictorial memoir of a fantastic day at Tenby on Saturday. We hope next year Christoph will join our group of authors who made it such a success.
This weekend I’ve attended the Book Fair at the Tenby Arts Festival. Having seen the busy London Book Fair last year and on the other end of the spectrum some deserted halls with only two tables and four attendees elsewhere, I was pleasantly surprised to find a good vibe and a great buzz in a busy hall with lots of mingling and literary delights.
I got to meet some lovely authors, which I will introduce to you over the next few weeks in a series of blog interviews, named WELSH WEDNESDAYS.
For me it was particularly great because I finally got to meet the talented author Judith Barrow in person, who was one of the organisers of this fair. Watch out for my series WELSH WEDNESDAY – and if you are an author in Wales, get in touch.
Thanks to Christoph Fischer for this great pictorial memoir of a fantastic day at Tenby on Saturday. We hope next year Christoph will join our group of authors who made it such a success.

I got to meet some lovely authors, which I will introduce to you over the next few weeks in a series of blog interviews, named WELSH WEDNESDAYS.
For me it was particularly great because I finally got to meet the talented author Judith Barrow in person, who was one of the organisers of this fair. Watch out for my series WELSH WEDNESDAY – and if you are an author in Wales, get in touch.
Friday, 18 September 2015
#Tenby Book Fair Saturday 19th September hosted by Tenby Arts Festival #FREE!
Off to the Tenby Book Fair tomorrow. Always good fun and such a lovely bunch of authors. Here's the line up:

Well worth a visit as part of the Tenby Arts Festival. Looks like a sunny weekend - how about spending it in lovely Tenby. Tenby is in Pembrokeshire, south Wales and boasts not one but two town beaches, a picturesque harbour, beautiful Georgian architecture, an offshore island where monks who make chocolate live, lots of cafes, restaurants, pubs and shops.
Make a weekend of it - starting with the BOOK FAIR!

Well worth a visit as part of the Tenby Arts Festival. Looks like a sunny weekend - how about spending it in lovely Tenby. Tenby is in Pembrokeshire, south Wales and boasts not one but two town beaches, a picturesque harbour, beautiful Georgian architecture, an offshore island where monks who make chocolate live, lots of cafes, restaurants, pubs and shops.
Make a weekend of it - starting with the BOOK FAIR!
Monday, 7 September 2015
https://twitter.com/Alexxx8586/status/640811638711582720 SPEEDWELL
SPEEDWELL
The third book in the Katherine Wheel Series has already garnered 7 x 5* reviews on Amazon.co.uk
Please help to spread the word by tweeting the link in the title.
"Living in the fast lane tests everyone's limits"
The third book in the Katherine Wheel Series has already garnered 7 x 5* reviews on Amazon.co.uk
Please help to spread the word by tweeting the link in the title.
"Living in the fast lane tests everyone's limits"
Here's some of the comments from those reviews:
"Wow!! To put it in the vernacular of the era of Speedwell, what a rip-roaring book!"
"This is a book that leaves you weeping and cheering at the same time. "
"Life is full of surprises - some of them shocking - and in Speedwell, there are plenty of times when this feels true."
"There is such a richness of plot here to keep us glued to the characters' triumphs and defeats, loves, losses and surprises too."
"I simply loved this series and can't wait for the next one to be published. It has been a roller coaster of emotion reading books one to three and I have fallen for the characters and their stories. Kate, Jem, Douglas and Cassandra stole my heart."
Saturday, 1 August 2015
A profound meditation on love, loss, and the perils of war. #Bookbub deal #today DAFFODILS http://bit.ly/1DiaykM
Daffodils
by Alex Martin
by Alex Martin
As World War I upends England’s stability and class structures, three people — domestic servant Katy, soldier Jem, and missionary Lionel — are sent on paths that will change their lives irrevocably. A profound meditation on love, loss, and the perils of war.
#bargain! Daffodils only 99pence for #kindle edition for next few days http://amzn.to/141yEIG
To celebrate the launch of Speedwell, the third book in the Katherine Wheel Trilogy, Daffodils, which started the ball rolling, is on offer at a mere 99 pence for a few days.
Grab a copy today and find out how it all began....
Grab a copy today and find out how it all began....
Friday, 31 July 2015
Speedwell http://amzn.to/1SjD4cD 'Life in the fast lane tests everyone's limits' OUT NOW!
I'm proud, anxious and excited to announce that Speedwell launches today. The third book in the Katherine Wheel Trilogy covers the exciting decade of the 1920's when the modern age was born. Rapid changes followed the first world war and its survivors had to keep up with them, whether they liked them or not.
Here's the blurb:
Katy and Jem enter the 1920's with their future in the balance. How can they possibly make their new enterprise work? They must risk everything, including disaster, and trust their gamble will pay off.
and the link to Speedwell's page on Amazon UK http://amzn.to/1SjD4cD
and in the States its at: http://amzn.to/1LZgLVP Speedwell is available in both paperback and ebook formats.
Here's the blurb:
Katy and Jem enter the 1920's with their future in the balance. How can they possibly make their new enterprise work? They must risk everything, including disaster, and trust their gamble will pay off.
Cassandra, juggling the demands of a young family, aging
parents and running Cheadle Manor, distrusts the speed of the modern age, but
Douglas races to meet the new era, revelling in the freedom of the open road.
Can each marriage survive the strain the new dynamic decade
imposes? Or will the love they share deepen and carry them through? They all
arrive at destinies that surprise them in Speedwell, the third book in the
Katherine Wheel trilogy.
and in the States its at: http://amzn.to/1LZgLVP Speedwell is available in both paperback and ebook formats.
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