Having recently returned from a trip to Africa, discovered half my emails have vanished and I’m in the middle of playing catch up trying to work out what needs blogging when, it seems fitting to welcome an author whose book was inspired by a similar event. Today Val Portelli, otherwise known as Voinks, stays in with me to discuss what happened to her.

If you’re an author who’d also like to stay in with me and tell me about one of your books, please click here for more details.

Staying in with Val Portelli

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag Val. Thank you for agreeing to stay in with me. 

Which of your books have you brought along to share with me and why have you chosen it?

I was dithering whether to bring my first published book Changes. Although it will always have a special place in my heart, it seemed more appropriate to bring my latest novel Spirit of Technology.  This book came about when my first publisher told me something her secretary had sent me ‘must have got lost in the ether.’ The thought stuck in my mind, I made it into a short story, and eventually extended and self-published it.

(I love hearing how narratives come about.)

What can we expect from an evening in with Spirit of Technology?

Something old, something new, (no, it’s not predominately a romance), a bit of humour, and a suggestion of what could happen when modern social media meets the equivalent of Beau Brummel. Has that piqued your interest?

(It certainly has Val!)

What else have you brought along and why?

Strong, aromatic coffee, without which most authors couldn’t function, but we might need it once we’ve finished off these two bottles of ‘bolly’. Purely for lubrication once we start chatting, of course.  If we get hungry there are some savoury nibbles and dips, and some Belgian liqueur chocolates just because. If we’re staying in, we might as well be decadent.

I’ve brought along some CDs for background music while we chat. There’s a range of styles as I wasn’t sure of your tastes, and finally, some flowers as a thank you for inviting me over.  

Oh! You’re the perfect guest. Flowers and chocolates mean you’re welcome any time – though I don’t drink coffee so if you could bring tea next time that’s be great! I have eclectic musical tastes as long as Bryan Ferry features somewhere there!

Thanks so much for staying in with me Val and telling me about Spirit of Technology. 

Spirit of Technology

A message from a stranger.

A modern day woman responds to an e-mail from an unknown contact. Against her better judgement she continues the correspondence with a man who tells her he was born in the 19th century.

Despite feeling an initial attraction, her concerns grow when he reveals secret details of her personal life.

Undecided whether it’s a friend winding her up, and worried it could be a stalker, the truth is the last thing she expects.

Spirit of Technology is available for purchase here.

About Val Portelli (Voinks)

Val Portelli’s pen name Voinks began many years ago. It started as a joke when a friend bought a holiday home abroad, then gradually spread through the family, so it was an obvious choice when her first book was published.

Despite receiving her first rejection letter aged nine from some lovely people at a well-known Women’s magazine, she continued writing intermittently until a freak accident left her housebound and going stir crazy.

To save her sanity she completed and had published her first full length novel. This was followed by a second traditionally published book before deciding self-publishing was the way to go. In between writing her longest novel to date at over 100,000 words, she publishes weekly stories for her Facebook author page and website.

She writes in various genres, although her short stories normally include her trademark twist of ‘Quirky.’ From having too many hours in the day, she is now actively seeking out a planet with forty-eight-hour days, to have time to fit in all the stories waiting to be told.

She is always delighted to receive reviews, as they help pay for food for the Unicorns she breeds in her spare time.

You can find Val on Facebook and visit her blog.