Let us Talk of Many Things; of Books and Queens and Pirates, of Mystery and Kings...

Saturday, 2 December 2023

my weekend spotlight SILVER DAGGER Tour Guest - Cookin' Up Murder by D.J. Adamson

My Weekend Spotlight Guest

Welcome to my Blog!
Wander through wonderful worlds
real and fictional,
meet interesting people,
visit exciting places
and find a few good books
to enjoy along the way!

About the Book

Tuesday Welsh, a witty and tenacious private investigator whose life takes an unexpected turn when she stumbles upon the lifeless body of Eric Kenny, owner of Mr. Yummy's donut shop. Yet, upon going to the home of Eric Kenny, she finds him standing in the doorway, ready to greet her.

Cookin' Up Murder (Davidson & Welsh Investigations Book One)

by D.J. Adamson

Genre: Cozy Mystery

"Cookin' Up Murder" is a lighthearted and captivating mystery set in Appleton, Oregon. The story revolves around Tuesday Welsh, a witty and a tenacious private investigator whose life takes an unexpected turn when she stumbles upon the lifeless body of Eric Kenny, owner of Mr. Yummy's donut shop.

Tuesday is thrust into a web of secrets and danger that extends far beyond the sugary confines of the donut shop. As she delves deeper into the investigation, determined to unearth the truth, she finds herself entangled in a sinister plot that will shock her community. And possibly gain Davidson & Welsh a new client.

Filled with a blend of humor and suspense, "Cookin' Up Murder" is sure to captivate readers who enjoy mysteries. It offers an engaging puzzle that will keep readers guessing until the satisfying reveal of the culprit.

“Neither snow nor hunky cops nor angry cats will keep intrepid P.I. Tuesday Welsh from the (sometimes tardy) commission of her appointed rounds, chiefly trying to figure out why the body she discovered shows up alive and kicking elsewhere. “Cookin’ Up Murder” offers a delightful demonstration of how small towns can cook up big problems, with an ever-resourceful (despite herself) heroine as your guide.” – Michael Mallory.

Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/COOKIN-UP-MURDER-Davidson-Investigations-ebook/dp/B0CL3MJBSJ

#CozyMystery #Cozy #Mystery #Murder #CookinUpMurder #DavidsonAndWelshInvestigations @authordjadamson @djadamson_author #books #readers #reading #booklovers #bookbuzz #bookboost #BookPromo #AuthorPromo #BookBlogger #Bookstagram #bookish #bookclub #MustRead #Writersofinstagram #AmReading #BookTour #Giveaway #writingcommunity #readerscommunity @SilverDaggerBookTours

Follow the tour for special content and a giveaway!

https://www.silverdaggertours.com/sdsxx-tours/cookin-up-murder-book-tour-and-giveaway

GUEST POST

KEEP IT SIMPLE S….

I must say this to myself at least ten times a day. Keep It Simple.

When my life becomes too busy, I tend to forget to live, which is the prime definition of life. I know I am not keeping it simple when I start thinking of what I need to do before I get out of bed in the morning. When at midday, I start thinking about what I won’t get done. Exactly how many moments have I been given in life? How many heartbeats? And how many do I want to waste?

I remind myself to take it moment by moment as much as I can. Be mindful.

Back to Simple… I wanted to write Cookin’ Up Murder just for fun. My other novels have complex themes. In the Lillian Dove Mystery Series, Lillian Dove stopped putting vodka to her lips and finds taking on life harder. How do you take on a day without self-medicating? The series starts with a historical arson murder case and moves to more complex cases. Without a Doubt (book five in the series (2024) sets Lillian on a quest to find her missing brother and realize she is exactly where she should be. Has she got to this point by free will or fate? Of course, there is a giggle or two. Lillian is a fun girl.

I take the weekend off from writing by writing something a little simpler-- with fewer dark issues. Cookin’ Up Murder, Harley Davidson and Tuesday Welsh have challenges, but their partnership and cases are challenging enough. When Tuesday goes to buy a Maple Bar at the local donut shop, she finds the owner in the fryer. Now, the what, who, when, where, and why need to be sorted. Harley helps with that.

The novel becomes a weekend crossword ( chapters) to finish before Monday. And I hope my readers get a weekend of enjoyment. I page the books specifically so they can be read in a weekend’s time.

Ah, if only it were that easy. But, the plot stays cozier thus, my writing time flies by.

Keep It Simple…Silly.

At least find that time in your week when you can unclutter and feel your heart beating, air inflating your lungs, and you take in what is around you. Plus! Be sure to pick up a fun book to read!

Let me know how you have made your life simpler. Or what type of books you find fun. You can contact me at dj@djadamson.com.

THE AUTHOR

I WRITE, THEREFORE, I AM

How do you identify yourself?

I am a wife. I am a mother. I am a professor.

I am a writer.

This last was the hardest for me to admit, yet I think it is the largest part of me. My mother said I came out of the womb holding a pencil and a piece of paper. OUCH! I think she meant that I have been questioning and writing for as long as she or I could remember.

I wrote my first book when I was about six. I didn’t appreciate the “isn’t that cute” comments. I wrote another book when I was ten. This time, I didn’t show it to my parents, expecting the same type of platitude; instead, I showed it to my teacher. She said I should rethink the idea of being an artist (I drew my graphics), but she thought I should be a writer.

“But I am a writer,” I quipped. Hadn’t I just shown her my new book?

After that, I secreted my writing. I didn’t show it to anyone. I did send it out to a couple of journals my librarian told me about. My first poem was published when I was twelve. I continued writing in whatever venue I found time for while swimming to stay afloat in the river of life. I journaled every night before going to bed. I wrote notes on what I had dreamed when I woke in the morning. I wrote down bits of conversation I overheard—my most favorite pastime is “eavesdropping.” The books I wrote, I put in a closet for some day when I had more time.

I am a wife. I am a mother. I am now a retired professor.

But, if you asked me what encompassed my soul, it would be writing. That is my spiritual self. The gift given to me to bring into this world. The one part of me that has never strayed as life got in the way or while I was doggie-paddling along.

I am, therefore, I write.

Who are you?

I hope you will write and tell me. You can contact me at dj@djadamson.com.

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~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Have you ever thought of saying 'thank you'?
https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2023/08/summertime-history-say-thank-you.html?fbclid=IwAR0aS4fWJXlQ70RLhyopReb1dIu5n-aL80R9q7w8MelmC_28mnBdMdttKNY

Friday, 1 December 2023

My Coffee Pot Book Club Guest: London Tales by Tim Walker

Welcome to my Blog!
Wander through worlds
real and fictional,
meet interesting people,
visit exciting places
and find good books
to enjoy along the way!

About the Book

Book Title: London Tales

Series: Short Stories, Book Two

Author: Tim Walker

Publication Date: 8th November 2023

Publisher: Independently published

Page Length: 203

Genres: short stories; historical fiction; contemporary fiction; dystopian

This collection of eleven tales offers dramatic pinpricks in the rich tapestry of London’s timeline, a city with two thousand years of history. They are glimpses of imagined lives at key moments, starting with a prologue in verse from the point of view of a native Briton tribeswoman absorbing the shock of Roman invasion. The first story is a tense historical adventure set in Roman Londinium in 60 CE from the perspective of terrified legionaries and townsfolk facing the vengeful Iceni queen, Boudica, whose army burnt the fledgling city to the ground.

Further historical dramas take place in 1381 during the Peasant’s Revolt, the Great Fire of London in 1666 and the last ice fair on the frozen Thames in 1814. These are followed by a romance set during the Blitz in 1941, then the swinging Sixties and wide-flared seventies are remembered in the life story of fictional policeman, Brian Smith. Moving on, an East End family get a fright from copycat killings that are a throwback to the 1888 Jack the Ripper murders.

There’s a series of contemporary stories that reference recent events, including the London terrorist bombings of 2005, a literary pub crawl and a daring prison break, building to the imagined death throes of London in a chilling, dystopian vision. These stories are loosely inspired by the author’s personal experiences and reflections on his time living and working in London in the 1980’s and 90’s. Adaptability, resilience, conformity and resolve are recurring themes.

London Tales evokes the city’s rich history and the qualities that were needed by Londoners at various times to survive and prosper – from the base and brutal, devious and inspired, to the refined and civilized.

Available from Amazon in e-book, paperback, Kindle Unlimited and audiobook formats, London Tales is a companion volume to Thames Valley Tales.

Book cover designed by Sean McClean, shows elements from stories.

Read An Excerpt

Burning Shadows

An explosion coming from the river caused gasps and glances in that direction. “A warehouse has exploded!” a man next to them exclaimed. “’Tis the Dutch - they are storing gunpowder in our city to attack us!” another shouted.

The sound urged the harried Londoners to redouble their efforts to escape the pall of black smoke rising from the glowing inferno barely three streets behind them. The fire was spreading quickly in a pernicious, swirling wind.

Reverend Swallow had removed the tall, black hat that marked him out as a Puritan to wipe the sweat from his brow. “’Tis the end of days as told in the Book of Revelation, in this cursed year bearing the number of the beast, 666.”

The stern expressions around him showed this was of little comfort to his group of family and fellow believers. Any further revelations were halted by the splintering of wood accompanied by the groan of collapsing buildings as the insatiable fire ate up the flimsy houses in its path. They felt a rush of hot air on their necks as they picked up their carts and guided them down Ludgate Hill towards the Ludgate - the most westerly gate out of the old medieval walled city.

“We must look for my father amongst the crowd,” Goody Swallow shouted above the noise of braying donkeys, honking geese, clucking hens, and the fretful utterances of the fleeing tide of humanity, most of whom had given up their homes and possessions to the greedy flames. A dog snapped at Ruth who cried out in fear, causing her mother to beat the dog away with her staff. The crowd was bunching together as they approached the entrance to the stone gatehouse that was their route to safety.

“Over here!” William Say’s firm, commanding voice floated out of the gloom of the gatehouse passage. The Swallows angled their carts towards the damp, brick wall of the ancient archway where William was waiting. He hugged his daughter and granddaughter. “I am much cheered on this miserable day to greet you all,” he muttered, shaking his son-in-law’s hand.

“Thank the Lord you’re safe, William,” Reverend Swallow said, reluctant to let go of his hand.

“And thanks to little Ruthie for finding me and warning me off from returning to your house.” He pinched the gleeful girl’s cheek.

“Aye, but the sheriff’s dogs will no doubt be on our trail. Come, let us hurry to my meeting house beyond the Strand.” They rejoined the throng moving west, crossing a bridge over the River Fleet that joined the Thames just a hundred yards to their left, then uphill along Fleet Street.

Authors Note:

The Great Fire of London started in Thomas Farriner’s bakery on Pudding Lane on the night of 1^st September 1666. It was speculated, in a television documentary, that the cause may have been that the oven door was left open and a spark jumped out to ignite a reed mat. The wind direction at the time was east to west, and the dry conditions allied with closely grouped and combustible houses, ensured the fire spread quickly. King Charles II didn’t flee London from the encroaching fire, as William Say suggests in the story. Perhaps on the advice of courtiers, the king and his brother, the Duke of York, took the opportunity to salvage their tarnished reputations by remaining to organise firefighters and the deployment of the cavalry to pull down houses to make fire breaks. Their efforts, perhaps aided by a dying wind, succeeded in stopping the fire’s spread and, on the fourth day, the Great Fire burnt out. The damage caused by the Great Fire was immense: 436 acres of London were destroyed, including 13,200 houses and 87 out of 109 churches. An accurate death toll was not recorded – the official figure was a mere six deaths.

Lawyer and Member of Parliament, William Say, was one of 59 signatories to King Charles I’s execution order in 1649, and is thought to have drafted the document. He was never captured, and an entry in Wikipedia tells us he is thought to have died in 1666, but where and of what cause, remains unknown. An entry in the biography of William Say on the British Civil Wars website tells us: “He joined [General] Ludlow at Vevey in Switzerland until 1664 and is believed to have been involved in plots against the government of England in 1665-6. He probably died in the Netherlands around 1666.” (www.bcw-project.org).

Many Regicides were buried in unmarked graves for fear their remains would be exhumed by vengeful Royalists (as were the bodies of Cromwell and Ireton) and their skulls displayed on spikes as traitors. The only other historical figure in the story, apart from Say, is Sheriff of London, Sir William Hooker. It is not known if William Say returned to England during his exile – I picked him for my story because of uncertainty over his fate and the suggestion he lived until 1666.

Buy Link

This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.

Universal link: http://mybook.to/LondonTales

about the author

Tim Walker is an independent author living near Windsor in the UK. Although born in Hong Kong in the sixties, he grew up in Liverpool where he began his working life as a trainee reporter on a local newspaper. After attaining a degree in Communication Studies he moved to London where he worked in the newspaper publishing industry for ten years before relocating to Zambia where, following a period of voluntary work with VSO, he set up his own marketing and publishing business. He returned to the UK in 2009.

His creative writing journey began in earnest in 2013, as a therapeutic activity whilst recovering from cancer treatment. He began writing an historical fiction series, A Light in the Dark Ages, in 2014, inspired by a visit to the part-excavated site of former Roman town Calleva Atrebatum at Silchester in Hampshire. The series connects the end of Roman Britain to elements of the Arthurian legend and is inspired by historical source material, presenting an imagined historical fiction of Britain in the fifth and early sixth centuries.

The last book in the series, Arthur, Rex Brittonum, was published in June 2020. This is a re-imagining of the story of King Arthur and follows on from 2019’s Arthur Dux Bellorum. Both titles are Coffee Pot Book Club recommended reads. The series starts with Abandoned (second edition, 2018); followed by Ambrosius: Last of the Romans (2017); and book three, Uther’s Destiny (2018). Series book covers are designed by Canadian graphic artist, Cathy Walker.

Tim has also written two books of short stories, Thames Valley Tales (second edition 2023), London Tales (2023); a book of verse, Perverse (2020); a dystopian thriller, Devil Gate Dawn (2016); and three children’s books, co-authored with his daughter, Cathy – The Adventures of Charly Holmes (2017), Charly & the Superheroes (2018) and Charly in Space (2020).

Tim took early retirement on medical grounds and now divides his time between writing and helping out at a Berkshire-based charity, Men’s Matters.

Find out more about the author at his website:

www.timwalker1666.wixsite.com/website

Author Links:

Goodreads Author Page: https://goodreads.com/author/show/678710.Tim_Walker

Amazon Author Page:

http://author.to/TimWalkerWrites

Facebook Pages:

https://facebook.com/TimWalkerWrites

https://facebook.com/LondonPostcards

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/timwalker1666