Hi all. Hope you’re still enjoying the ‘Crimson Cloak Publishing’ author interviews! Today, we meet Barbara Weitzner.

1)      Do you write books as a career, or are you currently still juggling your author time with a full or part time job?

I am retired and have started writing as a means to fill my time

2)      Have you always wanted to be an author, or did some time or event in your life set you on the path?

It took me eighty years to discover I wanted to write.

3)     Do you always write in the same genre, or do you sometimes like a change of theme? If you haven’t already, is there another genre you would like to write

I have written three novels, approx 15 short stories (some of which have been published, one which came in third in Writer’s Digest 2015 contest. Every story uses a different genre.

4)      As a writer, what is the best thing that has happened to you, and what is that most exciting thing that could happen to you?

As a writer, the best thing that has happened to me is joining a writing group and meeting some really wonderful, talented writers.

5)      How do you view the promotion, book signings etc. Is it something you enjoy, or do you prefer the writing stage?

The promotion is not enjoyable. I do not like to talk about myself, prefer creating interesting characters and unusual situations.

6)     Could you tell us something about your published books, and let us know what they are about?

My three published novels are available on Amazon, kindle, nook and e-book.

The Most Glorious Thing Ever-

Building a successful advertising agency has crowded out Jack’s sons and his feelings for them are more of exasperation and disappointment than of pride. Jack loves his wife, but has spent his cheerless life stumbling through sexual frustration and knows nothing of passion or deceit, until he embarks on a love affair with Lilly Lowery, canny, bawdy, thrice-divorced, and twenty-nine years his junior. Jack hires Lilly to represent a major new account at his advertising firm. Soon, Lilly has the office personnel sprinting back and forth to meet her demands. Jack finds himself being pulled further and further into Lilly’s world.

But all cheaters cause chaos. Jack learns there is no pleasure without a price. The longer his deception, the easier that deception becomes, until, in the end, it is his deception that forever alters his life.

The Most Glorious Thing Ever

A NEW START-

You plan your life, you look forward to retirement.

To those who have dreamed of this time—and who has not?—you will find all that is human unfolding in this portrait of three couples— each with their own irresistible appeal, dark and painful secrets, deceit and courage. Each struggles to recover lost happiness in a new setting.

Ben and Sara Horne have lived a life without gratifying sex.

Dominick and Valerie Califano suffered a crushing financial setback.

An incalculable weight has crippled the marriage of Neal and Isobel Storrie, the bitter knowledge that Neal failed to protect his son from harm.

What happens when they meet and become friends and to what extraordinary degree their dreams become matching ones, is the main subject of my, plot.

A New Start

THE PARRADINE ALLURE-

Angel Califano has planned her life, laid it out with precision. But what she doesn’t expect is every possible circumstance.

It is through her zeal for fame and wealth that Angel, Public Defender for the District of Colombia, attempts to define herself by marrying into a prominent Washington family. But the Parradine family does not accept her. Compounding her unhappiness, Angel realizes she is being stalked by a felon she has defended. Her marriage becomes a lie when she takes her only ally, her husband’s brother, as a lover, and learns that there is no illicit pleasure without a price paid, no protection from catastrophe.

The Parradine Allure

Wow! You have done so well after your late start as a writer. I admire your decision to follow your heart and make such a go of it! Hope you continue to love writing so much. Lynne North.

Thank you so much for having me Lynne, it’s been a real pleasure x

Hi all. Hope you’re enjoying the ‘Crimson Cloak Publishing’ author interviews! Today, we meet Paula Roscoe.

1) Do you write books as a career, or are you currently still juggling your author time with a full or part time job?

I write part time purely because I have a daughter with Autism and Dyspraxia so I can only write when she is in school. I also hold regular healing workshops so it takes time to organise and facilitate those. I consider myself as an author and it is a career I have decided upon, however everything else is important to me and so I try to focus fifty- fifty on my career as an author and workshop facilitator whilst being Mum, wife, goddess the rest of the time! For now I am happy and that’s what’s important.

 2) Have you always wanted to be an author, or did some time or event in your life set you on the path?

 As a fourteen year old I had been writing short stories for years but also enjoyed massaging and messing around with make-up. I couldn’t decide which path to take, so flipped a coin, beauty therapy won. I became a holistic therapist but writing never went away. It wasn’t until the death of our son eighteen years ago that I began to focus my life into writing. The peace and joy I get from it as I delve into my imagination cannot be described; however I am also glad I am a therapist and counsellor as it helps me with all aspects of my life. It’s wonderful having variety.

3) Do you always write in the same genre, or do you sometimes like a change of theme? If you haven’t already, is there another genre you would like to write?

My main theme is supernatural and historical. I love all things spooky as I am a medium, so it’s always been a part of my life. History is fascinating to me. Being adopted I don’t have any history past my 44 years so I love delving into other people’s!!

I do occasionally like to have a go at short stories that have nothing paranormal in them which always surprises my husband! I am also finishing a novella titled ‘Diary of Margery Blake’ which isn’t supernatural, but follows the life of a woman in the 19^th century when women were mere pawns in rich family’s affairs.

4) As a writer, what is the best thing that has happened to you, and what is that most exciting thing that could happen to you?

Gosh, so many wonderful things happen, it’s hard to choose one! Possibly the day ‘Echoes’ won the Paris book awards for the best e-book – that was pretty wonderful. Being taken on by two American publishers is also brilliant, but every time a reader contacts me or comes to a book signing and tells me one of my books made them feel an emotion – that is probably the best.

I’m working on Echoes screenplay – to have it made into a film or two part drama would be a dream come true, so I keep sending out positive thoughts because so many people have said it would make a brilliant film – so Ron Howard, get in touch!

 5) How do you view the promotion, book signings etc. Is it something you enjoy, or do you prefer the writing stage.

I love the writing stage obviously. I could lose myself in my head all day if I didn’t have other responsibilities! I am terrible at marketing, but I love to contact other authors, swop reviews, be interviewed by kind people and somehow, it works. I’ve been on radio shows in America and have one coming up in my own county of Flintshire, North Wales on 25^th. I’ve been in lots of magazines and blogs and met so many wonderful people. However, book signings and chatting to people is my favourite. I meet the readers who have honoured me by buying my book, it is humbling and I get emotional just thinking about it.

6) Could you tell us something about your published books, and let us know what they are about and where they are available?

Echoes is a supernatural thriller set in a fictional village outside of Shrewsbury, England. It moves between present day and 15^th century when Henry Tudor claimed the throne. There were many casualties of war, but some refuse to be forgotten.

Bronwen Mortimer moves to a secluded cottage hoping to start a new life after suffering years of abuse, but the echoes of the land will not lie quietly and when she witnesses a horrific murder, she must face the past and win to have any chance of living in the present.

Link to Echoes

Freya’s Child is a paranormal, historical fiction set on the Wirral. England. What would a parent do to save their child? Fight the dead? Defy the gods?

Helen Gunn moves to Frankby, England with her estranged husband Robert and their young daughter Charlotte in an attempt to save their marriage. When Charlotte starts talking with invisible friends and dark shadows roam the house, Helen must face her worst nightmare and win.

Einaar had never questioned the old ways, but when his child is accused of bringing death to his village, he must face the wrath of his people to save his family.

An archaeological dig has unearthed a Viking village. The gods have woken.

Link to Freya’s Child

Adventures of Faerie folk – Volume one is a magical collection of four faerie stories for young children. Each story teaches morals and how to live in harmony with nature – or there will be consequences!

I wrote these stories plus many more for my daughter when she was younger. I wrote ‘The Rose Faerie’ for her to show her that being different is okay.

All books are available on Amazon. Echoes is also available on CFA website and will soon be available in various retail stores in America. Freya’s Child will also soon be available on Crimson Cloak Publishing.

Link to Adventures of Fairy folk

They sound fascinating books, Paula. I’m intrigued too by the fact that you are a medium! The supernatural is a great interest of mine. Best of luck with all your writing! Lynne North.

Today starts a series of interviews with fellow authors of Crimson Cloak Publishing. Hope you enjoy their interviews! First we meet Jane Finch.

1) Do you write books as a career, or are you currently still juggling your author time with a full or part time job?

After working for over thirty years and dreaming of the time I could retire and just write – I am now living the dream!

2) Have you always wanted to be an author, or did some time or event in your life set you on the path?

I’m not sure I always visualised it as being an author, but I have always needed to write. Even from a young age I would sit and write stories rather than go out to play with other kids my age. When I had my son I used to take him into the local forest to watch the squirrels. I would make up stories about what they were doing and then he asked me to write them down so he could read them and I decided to write my first book – which was about squirrels.

3) Do you always write in the same genre, or do you sometimes like a change of theme? If you haven’t already, is there another genre you would like to write?

I started out writing children’s books and then decided to try my hand at writing adult novels. I now have sixteen published books including crime thrillers, historical, children’s and a book of comical poems about chickens!

4) As a writer, what is the best thing that has happened to you, and what is that most exciting thing that could happen to you?

It has to be my first book, which was published by a traditional publisher back in 1998. The thrill of holding the book was incredible. It’s a children’s animal adventure and I’ve scripted it so the most exciting thing that could happen is that it would be made into an animated film.

 5) How do you view the promotion, book signings etc. Is it something you enjoy, or do you prefer the writing stage?

This is the hardest for me. I prefer to sit in a quiet room and just write and am not comfortable with self-promotion. I have done some radio promotion and I don’t mind writing some press releases when a new book comes out, but I struggle to put myself out there. I even cringe if I post my book on Facebook. I’m not an ideal candidate for a literary agent or a publisher who expects massive self-promotion.

6) Could you tell us something about your published books, and let us know what they are about and where they are available?

Well, as there are sixteen I don’t want to bore your readers with listing all of them, but they are all on my website http://www.finchlark.webs.com/ I teamed up with an illustrator and we produced a number of children’s picture books; then there are three crime thrillers one of which – The Black Widows – I am scripting. My most recent book is something I have always wanted to write – a Christmas special. Twelve Days to Save Christmas has a little bit of magic and a shape-shifting elf, a mean mayor, and lots of animals. It’s published through Crimson Cloak Publishing. All my books are on Amazon. Twelve Days to Save Christmas

Thank you, Jane. I had the pleasure of reading your Christmas book, and a lovely tale it is. What an accomplished writer you are! Wishing you continued success. Lynne North

A very, very short story published on the 50-Word Stories website!

LYNNE NORTH: Progress

August 27, 2015 Artistic, Submissions civilization, Lynne North, nature, tree

‘People pass; most don’t notice my existence.

I lived through two world wars, bearing witness to horrors. I harmed no one.

Yet they want me gone.

They come to end my life. I hear the saws, suffer the cuts in my trunk. Soon I will fall.

They call it progress.’

Lynne North writes humorous fantasy novels for children. She decided it was time she tried something else…

And the winner of The Book Awards top Kindle book for July 2015 is…

it is so beautiful. I’m hooked already . best of luck

houda

I am delighted to say I have been taken on by a new publisher for my latest children’s humorous fantasy, ‘Be Careful What You Wish For’

”Finn is a bored young leprechaun who lives a quiet life with his family and friends in the sleepy village of Duntappin. He wants something exciting to happen, but never having been blessed by the Good Luck Fairy he soon gets far more than he bargained for. When he least expects his adventure to begin, Finn finds himself a long way from home in dire circumstances. Home begins to seem very appealing all of a sudden. Has he any hope of getting back? This is no fairy tale…

This funny and fast moving story filled by weird and wonderful characters will turn all your expectations on their head, but that’s a good thing, because it makes them all the more amusing’

My new publisher is the American based ‘Crimson Cloak Publishing’ The following extract is taken from their website.

‘Crimson Cloak Publishing was created by people who care about our authors, editors, artists, and customers. For without them, we could not exist.

Crimson Cloak Publishing is a new and exciting voice in the publishing industry. Our main goal is to provide quality literature to our audience at a fair price. We publish soft-covers and e-books, currently.  Audiobooks and hard cover will come later.’

Click on the link below to check out the great books for sale!

http://www.crimsoncloakpublishing.com/main_page.html

Hey very interesting blog!

The Fiery Sneeze

©Lynne North 2015

‘Go on, then!’ the villagers encouraged, pushing Ned forwards. ‘Go ON.’

With no choice in the matter, Ned shuddered, but did as he was told and edged forwards to the gaping mouth of the cave.

‘C…C…Cedric?’ he all but whispered. There was no reply. ‘He’s not in,’ Ned told the villagers, still using a very quiet voice.

‘Call him properly!’ yelled Tom, the blacksmith.

Ned heard movement from inside the cave, a heavy slithering sound. He turned to make sure he still had the support of his friends. Clearly he didn’t. Tom the strongest man in the village threw himself to the ground to hide behind some rocks, and the rest of the group soon followed. Ned swallowed hard. Before long all that was visible apart from him standing out in the open was a pile of boulders with the odd arm, hand, foot, part of a leg or top of a head sticking out from behind them. Ned began to shake, staring anxiously at the space where his friends had stood a few minutes before. He then stared back at the black hole from which echoed the thump of heavy steps getting ever closer.

Ned considered running, then heard the rumbling deep voice from within the cave.

‘Hello? Is someone there? Who is it? Ah, ahhhhh…’

Ned flattened himself to the ground, his hands covering the back of his head, just in time as the huge, bellowing ‘choooooooooooooo’ rang through the opening with a ball of flames that narrowly missed him.

Ned lifted his head slightly and saw the huge, scaly head appear through the flowers bordering the cave. The fearsome dragon stared down at the young man, his body still shaking from his nostril explosion. Ned remained still, not taking any chances.

‘Oh dear,’ began the dragon in his deep voice, ‘I’m so sorry, but what can I d,d,dooo?’ he bellowed, sending sparks flying over Ned’s head and narrowly missing Tom who had taken that unfortunate moment to peer over the boulders wondering what was happening. Ned saw him duck down again rubbing at the ends of his singed hair.

As the heat passed, Ned lifted his head and looked back at the anguished dragon, standing with a huge paw clasped over his quaking nostrils.

‘We must do something, Cedric.’ Ned muttered from his place on the grass. ‘NO!’ he continued, ‘don’t speak, Cedric. Please just listen.’

‘Mmm,’ mumbled Cedric the dragon through his scaly paw.

‘We’ve always welcomed you living so near to our village. You are a great protector for us,’ Ned continued, ‘but since your sneezing began in Spring our trade has almost stopped. Jack the baker arrived with a wagon full of charred bread after passing your cave. The horses run so fast when they hear you that visitors either leave town before they know they’ve entered it, or arrive head first! Cedric, what can I say?’ Ned asked, rising to his knees now. ‘We can’t go on.’ He spread his hands in a gesture of apology, his face and tone showing the sadness he felt in being chosen the spokesperson of the village.

‘Do you want me to l.l.leave? Ahhh CHOOO’ sneezed the dragon, narrowly missing Ned with a ball of flames as he threw himself flat on the ground again.

Cedric gripped his snout, tears clear in his eyes.

Ned couldn’t bear to say yes. ‘Leave it with me’, he replied. I’ll talk to the others.’

Sliding over to the boulders, still on his stomach just in case Cedric was overcome by another series of sneezes, Ned reached the tight pile of villagers. ‘I can’t do it! Could any of you?’ He stared them all in the eyes, which were about three inches from the ground, one by one. No one spoke up. ‘Right,’ decided Ned. ‘We can’t make him leave, so our only alternative is to cure him.’

‘How?’ asked Sam the stonemason. ‘Cut his head off?’

‘That kind of talk won’t get us anywhere,’ replied Ned. ‘Where’s Meggy?’ he suddenly announced, noticing someone missing from the pile of bodies.

Everyone stared over or around their hiding place in horror. While they had been discussing the dragon, the little girl had slipped out from behind the boulders and ambled over to the dragon! She was now stood singing to herself as she picked flowers from around the mouth of the cave.

‘Meg!’ yelled Ned. ‘Get back here!’ If Cedric sneezed now, anything could happen!

The child returned to them, unaware of the danger and still sniffing her small bunch of red and blue flowers.

Ned began to speak again, but was cut short by a high pitched ‘Atishoo!’

All the village folk buried their heads in the ground, before they realised that the air was not blistered with heat. The sneeze had come from Meggy.

‘Bless you,’ spluttered Ned through a mouthful of earth. He then stared at the flowers, a thought forming in his mind. ‘Wait, yes. That could be it. I’m sure it is…’

The next day Ned stood at his full height before Cedric, staring at the cleared cave mouth. Not a flower was in sight.

‘Thank you, Ned,’ said the dragon. ‘I haven’t sneezed once since the villagers moved all the flowers. I had no idea I had an allergy to them and they were making me sneeze!’

‘Glad to help, Cedric.’ Ned replied with a smile, patting the dragon on his scaly paw. ‘And if you see any more flowers start to grow there, breathe on them with your fiery breath. When no one else is around, of course!’

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In England we experienced a partial solar eclipse on Friday 20^th March 2015. The last full eclipse occurred in 1999 and the next partial eclipse we see will be in 2026. As a country we knew about it, we were expecting it, and we had been told what would happen. Imagine though what it must have been like to people in olden times to see their sun swallowed whole! Would the sun ever come back? Was the world coming to an end? Clearly many beliefs, fears and superstitions arose. So, we don’t experience the same fears these days, but just how much do we know about the wonder known as an eclipse?

What exactly is a Solar Eclipse?

A solar eclipse is a natural occurrence that we see when a new Moon moves directly between the Earth and our view of the Sun. In this way the Earth, Moon and Sun form a straight line. This is known as an occultation. The Moon’s shadow, divided into the dark umbra and lighter penumbra, can be seen on its journey across the Sun. This is quite a rare occurrence as the Earth, Sun and Moon have to be in perfect alignment. During the eclipse we see the Moon beginning to move across the Sun so that we see less and less of it and the light gradually dims. In a total eclipse this continues to happen until the entire Sun is blocked by the Moon for a few minutes and the sky becomes dark as night. The Moon takes about a month to circle the Earth, but we do not see an eclipse each month because the orbital planes of the Moon around the Sun differ from that of the Earth around the Sun. We will only see a solar eclipse when the Moon is directly in front of the Sun and the orbital planes intersect.

Different types of Eclipse

As we know, an eclipse is an astronomical event that occurs when one celestial body partially or totally covers another celestial object, but there are several kinds of Eclipse:

Total

In a total solar eclipse the Moon completely covers the Sun from our view on Earth dropping us into total darkness. An eclipse of this nature can only be seen from a relatively small area on Earth, one of around a hundred miles wide and about ten thousand miles long. Areas not in this area may be able to see a partial eclipse.

Partial

A partial solar eclipse, as we saw over England this year, occurs when the three celestial bodies do not align in an exact straight line. In this type of eclipse the Moon only partially covers the face of the Sun blocking only a section of it from our view.

Annular

The third kind of solar eclipse is known as an annular eclipse and occurs when the Moon looks smaller than the Sun when it passes across the centre of it. This happens when the Moon’s orbit is further away than usual. In this instance we can still see a bright ring of sunlight, or annulus, around the edges of the passing Moon.

Lunar eclipses

We also get to see lunar eclipses, total, partial and penumbral, when the Earth blocks the Sun’s rays from reaching the Moon. As the Moon does not have its own light it only shines because it reflects the Sun’s rays. Lunar eclipses only happen at Full Moon.

Why so rare?

 An eclipse is a rare occurrence and each year only between two and five will occur. For the UK there have only been eight total solar eclipses visible over the last five-hundred years! So, why do we not see a solar eclipse every new Moon? The reason for this lies in the tilt of the Moon’s orbit, approximately five degrees from the ecliptic. This results in the Moon usually travelling either too high or too low to block out the Sun’s light. The fact that we ever see eclipses is only because of a coincidence. The Sun is much bigger than the Moon, but also much further away. In this way they look close to the same size from our viewing point on Earth. We must have a full or new moon when the correct nodes line up, and this only happens on rare occasions. When conditions are favourable the smaller Moon appears to block our Sun giving us the amazing phenomenon known as an eclipse.

Royalty

 Throughout our history we have seen many accounts of eclipses being considered omens of evil for our royalty. The ancient Chinese took this so seriously that failure to predict eclipses could lead to the death of the astrologers! They considered eclipses to be linked to the success and health of their Emperors, so to not predict one and be unprepared for it was thought to put their Ruler in grave danger. The Babylonians concurred with this belief and took no chances. They went so far as to use substitute Kings during solar eclipses in order to swerve the ill luck away from their Ruler and perhaps from their astrologer’s heads too! The 1133AD eclipse in England became known as King Henry’s Eclipse as he died shortly afterwards which added to the belief of the ancients. King Richard III hated eclipses too, but for good reason. The death of his wife around 530 years ago coincided with one.

Religion

The Bible uses eclipses, both solar and lunar, in many of its verses. The strange phenomena happening in our heavens are seen to foretell future events. In the Gospels we are told the sky went dark during the crucifixion of Jesus, a sign of bad times to come. The ancient Greeks had similar beliefs, seeing an eclipse as a sign of their God’s anger and foretelling some kind of disaster. In ancient Hindu belief the serpent demons Ketu and Rahu were said to suck away the light of life. Rahu was beheaded by the supreme God Vishnu but his head still flew across the sky to swallow the Sun. The Prophet Muhammad’s son, Ibrahim, died at the time of the eclipse in 632 AD and this was seen as a sign from the Gods to mark his untimely death. Islamic scholars however say that Mohammad confirmed eclipses did not signify the birth or death of anyone. It is still a Hindu belief to bathe during eclipses in order to lead them to salvation from the cycle of life. This rare and unique solar phenomenon – the alignment of sun, moon and earth – is thought to generate curative properties in the holy waters of rivers and ponds.

Myth & Legend

 This rare phenomenon has been the subject of many myths and legends from ancient cultures right through to today. The belief tends to lean towards a bad omen, blacking out our world seen as a sign of evil and worrying times to come. This is understandable as having the life giving Sun taken away wouldn’t seem to predict anything fortuitous. Many believed the event signified the end of the world, a foretelling of doom. Various cultures see an eclipse as a time when demons or animals eat the Sun. To the Vikings it was eaten by wolves. In Vietnam the culprit was a giant frog or toad. It has been pointed out that the earliest word for eclipse in Chinese, shih, means “to eat.” On a more positive note, in Ancient Greece, a war was stopped thanks to an eclipse. It was understood by the armies to be a sign of peace. This is one of only a few positive beliefs to come from an eclipse!

Superstition

It is only natural that such an amazing event will have been the source of many superstitions throughout the years, many still paid heed to today. Some modern superstitions tell us that solar eclipses can be harmful to unborn children therefore they advise pregnant women to stay inside during the event. In India food cooked during an eclipse is believed to be at risk of poison so they fast until it is over. In some Asian countries it is still customary to greet eclipses with lots of noise. Banging pots and pans or lighting fireworks is commonly used to scare any potentially evil spirits away. During an eclipse even birds are said to stop singing due to their confusion over whether it is day or night! On a more positive note, in Italy some people say flowers planted during a solar eclipse will grow to be the brightest and most colourful of all.

Special Sights

 Baily’s Beads

Near the beginning and end of a total eclipse, the area of the Sun still visible around the passing Moon appears broken up into blobs of light These are known as ‘Baily’s beads’ after the British astronomer Francis Baily (1774-1844). We see them because the edge of the Moon is not smooth, but distorted by gaps in the mountains and valleys allowing light to pass through in only some areas.

Diamond Ring

As Baily’s beads as described above start to disappear, one last bead often remains for a few seconds longer. This final bead has been said to look like a diamond on the shining ring that surrounds the Moon.

The Sun’s chromosphere

Just for a few seconds after the diamond ring effect disappears we can briefly see the Sun’s chromosphere (sphere of colour). This consists of a narrow layer of red glowing tongues of gas flames leaping from the surface of the Sun.

The Sun’s corona

Only during a total eclipse, the Sun’s corona can be seen as a white halo around the black disk of the Moon. The light of the corona is made up of glowing atoms and the sunlight that shines off dust particles.

Shadow bands

For a short period of time on either side of totality, we might see weird bands of moving shadow racing across the ground, along the sides of buildings or across other light–coloured surfaces. These shadow bands are believed to be caused by irregular bending or refraction of the crescent sunlight by the Earth’s atmosphere.

Strange Facts

A total solar eclipse can happen somewhere on the Earth once every 1-2 years.

If the moon is too far away and too small to cover the sun’s ‘disk’ it causes an annular eclipse, leaving a ring of light.

The longest total solar eclipse can last up to 7.5 minutes.

Temperatures can dip by about 3 degrees during a solar eclipse.

The Moon travels at around 2,250 km (1,398 miles) per hour as it moves across the Sun.

The Sun’s diameter is around 400 times larger than the Moon’s; but the Sun is about 400 times further away from the Earth than the Moon – hence the exact overlap.

If any planets are in the sky at the time of a total solar eclipse, they can be seen as points of light.

Almost identical eclipses occur after 18 years and 11 days. This period of 223 synodic months is called a saros.

No more Eclipses?

We are likely to reach a time when we no longer see any total eclipses on earth, but not in any of our short lifetimes! The moon’s orbit tends to widen at a rate of about two centimetres per year moving it slowly further away from the Earth. Because of this movement, eventually the necessary celestial coincidences will no longer form total solar eclipses – in around 500 million years or so. This movement of the Moon is cause by the gravitational pull the Moon has over Earth. This pull, as we know, produces the tides we see in our oceans. Over time our oceans send a slight gravitational force back towards the Moon that results in a push away from the Earth and slows down the rotation of the Earth a little. In this way, in time the Moon will be too far away to cover the full face of the Sun any more.

It is with deep sadness that I heard about the death of my hero, Terry Pratchett, today. Terry has played the lead role in the books I read, and write, for many years. The world of fantasy will never be the same without him. Terry had a style and wit that no one will ever be able to replicate, he was a true genius.

I hope that Terry’s personification of DEATH met him with the love and respect Terry so richly deserves. Terry has moved on from the mortal plane, but will live forever in the hearts and libraries of all his fans.

A great man, and a fantastic author. We will not see his like again. My deepest sympathy goes out to Terry’s wife, Lyn, and to his family and friends.

Enjoy your afterlife, Terry. It is very lucky to have you…

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Caution: Witch in Progress is a humorous children’s fantasy aimed at the eight years of age to young teen market.
Gertie Grimthorpe comes from a long line of witches and grows up in Vile Vale. This is a village where it is quite natural to see flying broomsticks and animated furniture with a mind of its own. Most of the animations are courtesy of Grothilde, a witch who has eyes that look out at the world in two completely different directions. Vile Vale also boasts a cottage with a doorknocker that yells “GO AWAY!” at uninvited guests. Every home should have one. All in all, Vile Vale is just like any other witchy village.
Unfortunately, Gertie hasn’t really got the hang of witchiness. Being blonde-haired, blue-eyed and free of warts isn’t much of an advantage. She is beautiful and couldn’t be nasty if she tried.
When Gertie reaches the age of seven, Ma decides it is time to begin to teach her a few simple spells. It soon becomes clear that it is not just Gertie’s looks that are a worry. The poor little witch doesn’t have much of a gift for witchcraft at all. Her spells have a nasty habit of going wrong. Her greatest success is animating the wooden bat’s head handle of her umbrella. Unfortunately, ‘Bat’ hates rain, and now he can loudly tell everyone about it. He also tends to insult everyone he meets. He soon gets to spend a lot of time in the back of Gertie’s wardrobe.
Even Gertie’s ‘Familiar’, a short sighted Owl, isn’t much help to her. Unkind people may say that he is actually quite a hindrance.
Nevertheless, Gran insists that Gertie will grow to be very ‘Special’ one day.
By chance, the old witch sees an advert in the paper. It appears that ‘The Academy’, a famous witch’s school, is willing to take on some ‘paying’ students this term. Usually, only the most gifted witches and warlocks get to go there. Gran decides that the money she has put away for a stormy day will be well spent on paying for Gertie to attend The Academy. When Gertie finds out that she is to attend a private academy for magical children, she hopes to find her witchy way in the world. She soon has a best friend in the form of Bertha Bobbit, a big girl, with a matching appetite. Add to that a Moat Monster with a flatulence problem, the weirdest array of witch’s Familiars possible, and a warlock determined to ruin Gertie’s chances of success, and the story unfolds. Join Gertie as she struggles with growing up (and longing to grow her first wart), learning magic and working out how to deal with her grumpy enchanted umbrella.
Not to mention the demon…

Click here to buy a copy.

Caution: Witch in Progress is a humorous children’s fantasy aimed at the eight years of age to young teen market.
Gertie Grimthorpe comes from a long line of witches and grows up in Vile Vale. This is a village where it is quite natural to see flying broomsticks and animated furniture with a mind of its own. Most of the animations are courtesy of Grothilde, a witch who has eyes that look out at the world in two completely different directions. Vile Vale also boasts a cottage with a doorknocker that yells “GO AWAY!” at uninvited guests. Every home should have one. All in all, Vile Vale is just like any other witchy village.
Unfortunately, Gertie hasn’t really got the hang of witchiness. Being blonde-haired, blue-eyed and free of warts isn’t much of an advantage. She is beautiful and couldn’t be nasty if she tried.
When Gertie reaches the age of seven, Ma decides it is time to begin to teach her a few simple spells. It soon becomes clear that it is not just Gertie’s looks that are a worry. The poor little witch doesn’t have much of a gift for witchcraft at all. Her spells have a nasty habit of going wrong. Her greatest success is animating the wooden bat’s head handle of her umbrella. Unfortunately, ‘Bat’ hates rain, and now he can loudly tell everyone about it. He also tends to insult everyone he meets. He soon gets to spend a lot of time in the back of Gertie’s wardrobe.
Even Gertie’s ‘Familiar’, a short sighted Owl, isn’t much help to her. Unkind people may say that he is actually quite a hindrance.
Nevertheless, Gran insists that Gertie will grow to be very ‘Special’ one day.
By chance, the old witch sees an advert in the paper. It appears that ‘The Academy’, a famous witch’s school, is willing to take on some ‘paying’ students this term. Usually, only the most gifted witches and warlocks get to go there. Gran decides that the money she has put away for a stormy day will be well spent on paying for Gertie to attend The Academy. When Gertie finds out that she is to attend a private academy for magical children, she hopes to find her witchy way in the world. She soon has a best friend in the form of Bertha Bobbit, a big girl, with a matching appetite. Add to that a Moat Monster with a flatulence problem, the weirdest array of witch’s Familiars possible, and a warlock determined to ruin Gertie’s chances of success, and the story unfolds. Join Gertie as she struggles with growing up (and longing to grow her first wart), learning magic and working out how to deal with her grumpy enchanted umbrella.
Not to mention the demon…

Click here to buy a copy.

Caution: Witch in Progress is a humorous children’s fantasy aimed at the eight years of age to young teen market.
Gertie Grimthorpe comes from a long line of witches and grows up in Vile Vale. This is a village where it is quite natural to see flying broomsticks and animated furniture with a mind of its own. Most of the animations are courtesy of Grothilde, a witch who has eyes that look out at the world in two completely different directions. Vile Vale also boasts a cottage with a doorknocker that yells “GO AWAY!” at uninvited guests. Every home should have one. All in all, Vile Vale is just like any other witchy village.
Unfortunately, Gertie hasn’t really got the hang of witchiness. Being blonde-haired, blue-eyed and free of warts isn’t much of an advantage. She is beautiful and couldn’t be nasty if she tried.
When Gertie reaches the age of seven, Ma decides it is time to begin to teach her a few simple spells. It soon becomes clear that it is not just Gertie’s looks that are a worry. The poor little witch doesn’t have much of a gift for witchcraft at all. Her spells have a nasty habit of going wrong. Her greatest success is animating the wooden bat’s head handle of her umbrella. Unfortunately, ‘Bat’ hates rain, and now he can loudly tell everyone about it. He also tends to insult everyone he meets. He soon gets to spend a lot of time in the back of Gertie’s wardrobe.
Even Gertie’s ‘Familiar’, a short sighted Owl, isn’t much help to her. Unkind people may say that he is actually quite a hindrance.
Nevertheless, Gran insists that Gertie will grow to be very ‘Special’ one day.
By chance, the old witch sees an advert in the paper. It appears that ‘The Academy’, a famous witch’s school, is willing to take on some ‘paying’ students this term. Usually, only the most gifted witches and warlocks get to go there. Gran decides that the money she has put away for a stormy day will be well spent on paying for Gertie to attend The Academy. When Gertie finds out that she is to attend a private academy for magical children, she hopes to find her witchy way in the world. She soon has a best friend in the form of Bertha Bobbit, a big girl, with a matching appetite. Add to that a Moat Monster with a flatulence problem, the weirdest array of witch’s Familiars possible, and a warlock determined to ruin Gertie’s chances of success, and the story unfolds. Join Gertie as she struggles with growing up (and longing to grow her first wart), learning magic and working out how to deal with her grumpy enchanted umbrella.
Not to mention the demon…

Click here to buy a copy.

Here is the first newsletter for Crystal Pen Publishing, the new publishing name for my Kindle books. Hope you like it! Please give me some feedback about what you would like to see in the next issue!

Newsletter

Here is the first newsletter for Crystal Pen Publishing, the new publishing name for my Kindle books. Hope you like it! Please give me some feedback about what you would like to see in the next issue!

Newsletter

Here is the first newsletter for Crystal Pen Publishing, the new publishing name for my Kindle books. Hope you like it! Please give me some feedback about what you would like to see in the next issue!

Newsletter