I’m a strong believer in the idea that books, literature and reading can offer support and solace to many and be a force for good.

Last week I heard all about The Pound Project’s attempts to raise funds for The John Hewitt Society through a campaign in honour of Birmingham-based singer, poet, guitarist and actor Paul Murphy, who died of cancer aged 66. Unfortunately, with my laptop in for repair I wasn’t able to find out more until today.

The Campaign

Storyteller, author, actor, poet, musician, activist, teacher, troubadour, father, grandfather: the next story from The Pound Project is written by the late Paul Murphy (1949-2016).

To coincide with Paul’s birthday at the start of August The Pound Project are working with his family to release an exclusive, previously unpublished short story from the great man to raise money for the John Hewitt Society – a Northern Ireland based charity that supports writers with invaluable funding, teaching and advice.

The contents of the little book are top secret. However, it is a brilliant story of journeys and identity. There is also a prologue to the story written by Paul’s son Daniel.

The good news is that for just £1 you can read the story online or download the audio. For just £5 upwards The Pound Project will deliver a beautiful little printed book of the story right to your door.

I’ve opted for the £5 pledge and only wish I could afford to do more. If you want to know more click here.

You can follow The Pound Project on Twitter @_pound_project and find them on Facebook.

The John Hewitt Society

The John Hewitt Society provides opportunities for individuals across Northern Ireland to explore issues of difference and identity through literature and creative writing. Inspired by the ideals and ideas of the poet and political writer John Hewitt, The Society was established in 1987 to promote Hewitt’s ethos of utilising literature and the arts as a medium for tackling prejudice, exclusive concepts of identity, and sectarian hostility.

For thirty years The John Hewitt Society has developed a range of literary and cultural activities to break down parochialism, narrow, exclusive concepts of identity, and hostility towards the ‘other’.

You can visit the website and follow The John Hewitt Society on Twitter @The_JHS and find them on Facebook.

There are so many ways a book appeals to a reader, and I’m delighted to welcome Trevor D’Silva to stay in with me on Linda’s Book Bag today as he has so many elements in his writing that are my favourites. I can’t wait to find out more so let’s get going.

Staying in with Trevor D’Silva

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

Thank you for having me. It is my pleasure to be here with you and take this opportunity to talk to you about my love for history and fiction.

Two of my favourite subjects! Tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it? 

I have brought my first novel, Fateful Decisions, which was published in October 2017. People love to read novels, as it allows them to forget the daily pressures of this world, helps them to relax, and slip into a different world. However, a lot of people do not like history. History was my favorite subject in school and I excelled in it. I love remembering dates and events and I can still recall them. Since I love reading novels and history, what better way to combine the two and make it an interesting read for people! They can enjoy the story and at the same time learn about the historical events that took place during the period the novel is set in.

(Brilliant! And as someone who loves both reading and history I think Fateful Decisions could be just my kind of book, Trevor.) 

My novel is set in America and Europe (England, France, and a small portion in Italy) between 1915 to 1946. Therefore, it is filled with historical events from that time period, starting with the sinking of the Lusitania, the Suffragette Movement, The Great Depression, The Russian Revolution and of course World Wars I and II. It is carefully researched (took me seventeen years to write it as I was concentrating on getting my degrees) and is full of historical facts, not usually taught in school.

(Crikey! That’s a lot of time spent researching. I’m not surprised though as Fateful Decisions seems to cover a very volatile and important part of our recent history. Sounds fascinating.)

What can we expect from an evening in with Fateful Decisions?

My book, Fateful Decisions, is a historical fiction novel. The book also contains romance, military history, suspense and also many thrilling events, which all come under the umbrella of historical fiction. The beauty of historical fiction is that, a lot of other genres can come under it and that is why it can appeal to people who love various other genres.

(Good point!)

It is about Rachel Williams meeting two men on the Lusitania in 1915. When the ship sinks, one of the men saves her. Two years later, she meets them at a fund raising event, when America goes to war. Both of them propose to her and she of course is in a dilemma and does not know whom to choose. She asks an elderly relative for advice and she is told to choose carefully. Here is an excerpt from the novel:

Rachel got up to leave and Aunt Victoria said, “My child, remember that the man you want to marry is your own decision, and that decision has consequences.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, about your life, the children you will have, and how everything will impact the world.”

Rachel smiled and went to her room. She knew that Aunt Victoria’s last piece of advice came from her wisdom, and she had to think carefully about making the correct decision. She had no idea that many years later, she would think a lot about this piece of advice.

(How intriguing. Of course, I want to know what happens to Rachel now… But I suppose that was your idea!)

She makes her decision and from then on, the story goes onto what happens to her, her family, the people that get involved with them, within a thirty year period. They too make decisions and their lives are altered due to the historical events they are involved in at that time. For example: one of the characters is stuck in Paris during the occupation by the Nazis and she has to make a decision whether to join the French Resistance or not. At the end of the novel, based on what has happened to her and to her family, Rachel has to come to a conclusion if she made the right decision to marry the man whom she chose to marry.

Now, from the synopsis or excerpt, most people would think it is a romance novel, solely for women. However, it is also for men as it contains suspense, thrilling episodes, and military history. From the reviews I have obtained, women usually tell me that they like Rachel and the men usually like the military history part and the main male character in the novel. The military history part takes place in Hawaii and in Europe. There are French and British characters featured in the novel along with the main American characters (real and imaginary). Many people told me that they could not put down the novel and it is pleasing to hear that I achieved what I set out to do with my first novel, which is, to write an interesting hard to put down novel, combining both history and fiction, set in the early part of the twentieth century.

(How lovely to have that kind of feedback Trevor. Congratulations.)

What else have you brought along and why? 

I like various kinds of food. So, I brought along some bread pudding because I have a sweet tooth and since wine is featured in my novel in more than one chapter, I brought one of the California wines which I love. You will have to read to see how wine plays an important part in my novel. I like lasagna and that goes very well with wine. Fresh salad with Romaine lettuce, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes and Catalina dressing.

(Oh! You can come back to stay in with me again Trevor if you’re going to bring food like this. Bread pudding is one of my absolute favourites!)

I read on your blog that you have just returned from India. I am originally from India and now live in America. If you want something spicier, I have brought basmati rice and chicken curry; simple but tasty. I know it is a lot of different foods, but like my story which has many genres, each dish has something to offer for everyone. All are welcome to join to eat while we discuss the book.

(I have indeed recently been to India and I can’t wait to return. I wouldn’t worry about the range of foods you’ve brought Trevor. I’m perfectly up to tasting them all except for the wine as it seems to make me ill these days.)

The photo that fits with an interesting part in the novel is the one of Prime Minister Winston Churchill on the balcony with the royal family on Victory Day in Europe when the war ended in 1945. The reason why I like this picture is because the character the men usually like and identify with, witnesses this event and also gets to dance with two people standing on the balcony. You will have to read to see who they are.

No, no, no Trevor. You can’t just leave us wondering like that. I suppose we’ll just have to read the book to get the answers! Thanks so much for staying in with me and telling me all about Fateful Decisions – and for bringing all that lovely food!

Fateful Decisions

It’s 1915 in the heat of WWI. Two friends heading to England aboard the British ocean liner, RMS Lusitania, meet and fall in love with a charismatic woman. After battling for her affection, Rachel Williams makes her decision, beginning a journey that no one can predict or soon forget. For the next thirty years, Rachel is forced to live with the choice she made, as the dominos fall around her, sequentially.

Is there a sinister force at work? Who can Rachel trust? Will Rachel ultimately regret her decision when she learns how it impacted others?

Set in America and Europe, history and fiction intertwine, commencing with the sinking of Lusitania. Historical events like The Russian Revolution, Prohibition, The Great Depression and World Wars I and II also play important roles in the lives of the characters and the decisions they make to love, betray, forgive, and reconcile.

Fateful Decisions is available for purchase from your local Amazon and on Barnes and Noble.

About Trevor D’Silva

Trevor D’Silva has a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering; M.S. degrees in Engineering Management, and Environmental Engineering; and an Associate degree in Accounting. He has lectured in mechanical engineering and environmental science subjects at various colleges. Fateful Decisions is his first novel, encompassing history and fiction from WW I to the end of WW II. He uses his free time to expand his knowledge in history and reading crime, thrillers, and mystery novels.

You can visit Trevor’s website for more details, follow him on Twitter @TrevorDAuthor, and find him on Instagram.

Everyone who regularly reads Linda’s Book Bag knows that I love travel as much as I love books so I was thrilled when Rosanna Ley wrote a fabulous guest post on Travel and Research when The Little Theatre by the Sea was published. You can read that post here. I also reviewed Rosanna’s Last Dance in Havana here and that book made it onto my favourite reads of the year here.

Today, as Her Mother’s Secret is about to be released in paperback on 14th June, I’m reviewing this latest book from Rosanna that transports me to another place once again. And if you have a look at this blog post, you’ll know why I’m thrilled to be featuring Her Mother’s Secret on the blog!

Her Mother’s Secret is published by Quercus and is available for purchase here.

Her Mother’s Secret

For many years Colette has avoided returning to her homeland – the magical island of Belle-Île-en-Mer in Southern Brittany – afraid to confront the painful memories she left behind. She is living on the Cornish coast when she hears about her mother Thea’s failing health and realises that the time has come for her to go home. But can Colette ever forgive Thea for what she has done?

Despite Colette’s wariness, romantic Belle-Île still fascinates her. She takes on the running of her mother’s flower shop and makes friends with Élodie from the Old Lighthouse where Thea once worked as a nanny and with the enigmatic Étienne who shares Colette’s mixed feelings about the island. As Thea opens up to her for the first time, Colette finds herself softening and being drawn back into the landscape of her past. But can Belle-Île also be a part of her future?

The ghosts of that past still linger. What happened all those years ago and how did it cause the rift between mother and daughter?

It becomes clear that the beauty of Belle-Île hides a devastating family secret – one that Colette is determined to unravel at any cost.

My Review of Her Mother’s Secret

Colette’s return to Belle-Île will bring more than just a reconciliation with her mother.

I expected that I would enjoy reading Her Mother’s Secret by Rosanna Ley, but I hadn’t realised just how much of a siren call this book would have. Life interfered so it took me a week to read it, but in between each reading session I found myself wondering how the characters were getting on without me and what was happening in Belle-Île.

The characters in Her Mother’s Secret are so three dimensional and realistic that it is impossible not to feel totally engaged with them. Indeed, although I understood Mark, I would quite happily have punched him quite hard on a couple of occasions and I’d like to have enveloped Étienne in my arms and held him close. Rosanna Ley employs the men partly as effective backdrops to the women in her narrative so that it makes them all much more vivid and human. I found it fascinating how Thea, who actually has little action as she is dying, is the glue that holds the whole story together, giving a coherence and emotion that ripples though every part of the book. What I found so moving is the exploration of how we not only deceive others, but often we delude and deceive ourselves too. There’s such a strong sense that life is for the living and a message that we need to make the most of our lives, to forgive others, and, more importantly, to forgive ourselves.

The plot is a cracker. So much guilt, so many half-truths and secrets swirl and settle, only to be shaken again, that Her Mother’s Secret is hugely entertaining and frequently quite mysterious. I thought the use of ellipsis was inspired as it tantalises the reader and the smatterings of French add authenticity and realism. Reading Rosanna Ley’s writing feels a bit like having silk next to the skin. It’s smooth and luxurious but a change of pace movement can create a gasp too! I also thought reading Her Mother’s Secret is a bit like watching the ocean around Belle-Île. It ebbs and flows like the tide. Occasionally it is calm and unruffled and occasionally stormy and tempestuous. It is ever changing and mesmerising. Her Mother’s Secret has a real ‘lingerability’ (and if you’ve read it you’ll appreciate that word) – through its story, but equally through its setting.

Rosanna Ley really has a skilful ability to transport a reader to another place. Every sense is catered for so that I genuinely felt as if I were in Belle-Île too as I read. The depth of research that has gone into the plant and flower references, the artistic elements and the geography and tradition of the region mean that the reader trusts the author entirely and can luxuriate in fabulous storytelling.

I so enjoyed this story. Her Mother’s Secret led me away from my own life for a while and I was completely absorbed by it. I think it is the perfect summer read because it has depth, emotion, a fabulous sense of place and, above all, wonderful storytelling. Don’t miss it.

About Rosanna Ley

Rosanna Ley is the bestselling author of novels including Return to Mandalay and The Villa, which sold over 310,000 copies. In February 2015 Return to Mandalay was shortlisted for the RNA Award for the Epic Romantic Novel. She has written numerous articles and short stories for magazines, and her novels have been published in the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, Norway, Hungary, Portugal, Lithuania, Turkey and the Czech Republic. The Villa is also published by Quercus in the US.

Rosanna has also worked as a creative writing tutor for over 20 years. She has led courses for colleges and universities in England, and runs her own writing retreats in the UK and abroad in Italy and Spain. She has worked with community groups in therapeutic settings and completed an MA in Creative Writing for Personal Development in order to support this. She also runs a manuscript appraisal service to appraise and mentor the work of new writers.  She is married with children and lives in Dorset.

You’ll find out more about Rosanna Ley on Facebook and you can follow her on Twitter @rosannaley. You can also visit her website.

Often we hear about how we never finding out about our past until it’s too late and the people we want to speak with have left us. Today I’m delighted to welcome M. Mc Donald to Linda’s Book Bag as Maria has managed to write a book about her great-grandfather that she’s come along to share with us today.

Staying in with M. Mc Donald

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag, Maria. Thank you for agreeing to stay in with me. Tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?

I’ve brought Charlie Mac as it is my first novel.  It is semi-biographical, historical fiction based on the life of my great-grandfather, Charlie McMullen.

(It must have been fascinating to research then Maria.)

What can we expect from an evening in with Charlie Mac?

Charlie lived during the most turbulent time in Irish history.  Born at the start of the Home Rule campaign, he died just short of 50 years later after the campaign died with the partition of Ireland.

But this story is not about the events of those 50 years but about the ordinary people who lived through those extraordinary times.  Charlie was a Protestant from East Belfast who married a Catholic girl from the Mourne mountains.  Theirs was a mixed marriage in a sectarian city but they only cared about each other and their family.

This book is an easy read, a lovely story about good people trying to do their best for their loved ones during traumatic times.

(I think we all need books like Charlie Mac at times so that we can experience lovely stories.)

What else have you brought and why?

I used to watch my granny McMullen bake soda bread on her griddle pan as a child.  We ate it hot off the griddle with the butter melting onto our fingers.  I made some this morning and brought it with me.  It is just as good cold, with real butter and strong cheddar.

(Ooh. That’s definitely my kind of food Maria. Thanks for bringing it!)

We can eat while we listen to Brian Kennedy’s version of ‘You raise me up’, it is the most haunting rendition of that song.  Like myself, Brian is a Belfast native.

Great choice of music! Thank you so much for staying in with me to introduce Charlie Mac. Maria. I think your great-grandfather would be delighted to find himself the subject of a book.

Charlie Mac

Charlie was born in East Belfast in 1873, at a time when Belfast was one of the leading industrialist cities in the British Empire. He was born at the start of a very long-running Irish Home Rule Campaign and he died just short of 50 years later after that campaign died with the establishment of the border dividing Ireland. He married a country girl, Mary Jane from Annalong, County Down, who had a completely different upbringing. Brought up on a small holding on the lowest slopes of the Mourne Mountains, Mary Jane practised a different religion but they both thought that the love they felt for each other was more important than any differences in upbringing. Their families disagreed, their neighbours disagreed but they persevered, happily devoted to each other and devoted to their family.
This story follows Charlie and Mary Jane from they met and set up home together until Charlie died, three days after being shot in his own home as he sat in his favourite armchair. It follows their lives together bringing up their six children, one son who died at eight months and the pain that premature death brought on them, one son who was seriously injured in World War 1 fighting with the Royal Irish Rifles in support of Home Rule, two sons who fought in the War of Independence with the Irish Volunteers while their section of Ireland was in the process of partition, one daughter who lost her sweetheart at the Somme and argued with her brothers over their choices at every stage and one daughter who played peacemaker at every stage.
It follows the divisions that existed in Irish society at that time, the differences and the similarities of each opposing section and the effect on those living through it. Charlie and Mary Jane had a mixed marriage in a sectarian city, a city which was divided by religion and politics and eventually led to the division of a country. Theirs is not a story of rebellion and heroism, of freedom fighters or socialists; their story is not even a love story. This is just an ordinary tale of ordinary people trying to live their lives in extraordinary times.

Charlie Mac is available for purchase here.

About M. Mc Donald

Maria McDonald lives in Kildare, with her family, an avid reader who loves to write.  Maria’s debut novel ‘Charlie Mac’ is available on Amazon.  She has had several short stories and articles published in Woman’s Way and Ireland’s Own among others.  Maria also writes a weekly blog here. https://mariamcdonaldblog.wordpress.com/

You can follow Maria on Twitter @mcdonaldkildare and find her on Instagram and Goodreads.

My grateful thanks to the author Winnie Mak Tselikas for a prize copy of London Hat Hunting Mission and a wonderful Parth doll. I have a confession, I didn’t actually realise I was entering a competition! I was just sharing the book love! However, I’m so glad I did. I shall be passing on this prize to my great-nephew and I know he’ll be thrilled.

Winnie has kindly signed the book for Luke too:

London Hat Hunting Mission is available for purchase with all the dolls directly through the website.

London Hat Hunting Mission

Four little friends, Lea, Hope, Jun and Parth are exploring London to look for magic hats to cure Mr. Globe’s headache! Where will they visit in this multicultural city? Will they find all the hats they need?

While you read the story and role play with your children, they will get to discover iconic places in London and learn how different children can play and work together in harmony! The hard cover London Hat Hunting Mission is the first one in “The Adventures in One Dear World” collection and your children will be able to travel around the world with our dolls in our future stories.

My Review of London Hat Hunting Mission

Four culturally diverse children set out on an adventure in London to try to cure Mr Globe’s terrible headache.

What a charming and delightful book London Hat Hunting Mission is. Firstly, I must comment on the quality of the production. There’s a smashing mix of images of the four children alongside photographs of London so that children can really get to see the places in the story. It would appeal to children living in the capital, but also enable others to travel there vicariously too so that the setting is just right for all. The paper is glossy and thick and the hard cover very durable so that I think this is a book that will last well over many, many readings.

The language in the book is a super mix of accessible and challenging words so that children can have the satisfaction of reading the story to themselves or younger siblings as well as extending their own vocabulary. I thought the inclusion of some phrases in other languages than English was inspired too as these really underpin the message of celebrating cultural diversity and friendship. Equally, London Hat Hunting Mission would lend itself really well to being read to younger children.

The inclusion of the game in the end papers to follow where the four children have travelled gives added value to the book too. However, the most important aspect of London Hat Hunting Mission is its underlying messages. The fact that these four children come from different ethnicities and have equal status regardless of gender gives important signals to children about how we can live together harmoniously. I really appreciate the fact they are carrying out a good deed to help Mr Globe too as children can learn that kindness brings its own rewards and working in a team is beneficial.

I thought London Hat Hunting Mission was a smashing book and I thoroughly applaud the author in her mission to celebrate, support and extend cultural diversity through a lively adventure.

Alongside the book I also have a Parth doll who is utterly delightful, well made and perfect for children of all ages!

About Winnie Mak Tselikas

Winnie Mak Tselikas is a believer in diversity. Born and raised in Hong Kong, she studied engineering, worked in commercial sales and in 2011 switched to education upon moving to London. There, she met her half-French, half-Greek husband and they had a son, who now has family in China, France, Greece, HK, the UK and the US. Winnie considers her son to be a world citizen rather than of a particular nationality or culture. Inspired by her family and London’s diversity, she founded One Dear World and created the lovely adventures of Mr. Globe and the little Londoner dolls.

You can find out more by visiting the One Dear World website finding them on Facebook and by following Winnie on Twitter @OneDearWorld.

I’m ashamed to say that I don’t often feature fantasy on Linda’s Book Bag but I do love YA fiction so I’m delighted to have the chance welcome Maria Vermisoglou to the blog to stay in with me and enlighten me a bit more today.

Staying in with Maria Vermisoglou

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag Maria. Thank you for agreeing to stay in with me. Tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it? 

I carry with me the first adventure of The Cursed Girl series. It’s the first book I have ever published and I am very excited about it. I started writing it four years ago and in 1st April 2018 (Yes, it is a joke!) I finally published it. It was a hard journey since English is not my first language and knew nothing about the process but I managed.

(Gosh. It’s hard enough writing a book without doing so in another language. Congratulations.)

What can we expect from an evening in with The Cursed Girl?

You can expect just about everything from The Cursed Girl. Love, friendship, backstabbing, twists at every turn. It’s an epic fantasy story unlike anything else you have ever read.

(It sounds very exciting.)

Here are some of the recent reviews:

The Cursed Girl is a fantastic story, set in a well-crafted magical reality

I just finished reading the book today and it left me speechless

Good reading and the name itself makes the novel a top academic story

(You should be very proud of those reviews Maria.)

What else have you brought along and why?

I’ve brought with me a photo of Venice. I visited some time ago and was fascinated with it.

(Oh. Yes. I love Venice – such an inspirational place to visit.)

I also have with me one of my favorite scenes in the book.

And now you’ve made me want to read The Cursed Girl even more. Thank you so much for staying in with me to tell me more about it Maria. 

The Cursed Girl

Sixteen-year-old Eva is a witch who lived in Spain, in the year 1230. She met a boy named Jonathan who would become her whole world. Everything was normal until she was faced with challenges that would change her life forever.

As a healer, her job is to help people, but there are forces that will try to prevent that. There is a war coming and Eva and her friends must do everything they can to survive.

Can they fight their way against the dark forces that are surrounding them?

Her wits and inner strength helped everyone who encircled her to survive but will she be able to survive herself?

Supernatural creatures, royal backstabbing and many more await you in this thrilling novel that will take your breath away.

The Cursed Girl is available for purchase through the links here. There is a smashing trailer for The Cursed Girl here.

About Maria Vermisoglou

Maria Vermisoglou is a librarian who lives in Greece. She has been a booklover ever since she learned to read. Her vivid imagination helped her create the magic world of ‘the cursed girl’. She loves trips, books and walks with her friends. Not necessarily in that order.
You can find more about her upcoming series here and find her on Facebook.

My grateful thanks to Clara Diaz at Little Brown for a copy of Daisy’s Vintage Cornish Camper Van by Ali McNamara in return for an honest review. I so loved Ali’s The Summer of Serendipity, my review of which you can read here, that I was delighted to receive a copy of Daisy’s Vintage Cornish Camper Van.

Daisy’s Vintage Cornish Camper Van will be published by Sphere, a Little Brown imprint, on 14th June 2018 and is available for purchase here.

Daisy’s Vintage Cornish Camper Van

Welcome to the gorgeous Cornish town of St Felix, where there’s magic in the air…

When Ana inherits a broken-down camper van from her best friend, she takes the chance for a quick trip to Cornwall – some sea air and fish and chips on the beach is just the tonic she needs.

But St Felix has bigger plans for Ana. She discovers a series of unsent postcards, dating back to the 1950s, hidden in the upholstery of the van. Ana knows that it’s a sign: she’ll make sure that the messages reach the person that they were meant for. And as the broken-down van is restored to gleaming health, so Ana begins to find her way back to happiness.

My Review of Daisy’s Vintage Cornish Camper Van

When Ana inherits a wrecked camper van from her best friend Daisy, it will be more than the vehicle that needs fixing.

Now, in the interests of complete honesty, I have one small niggle that I am going to get out of the way before I review Daisy’s Vintage Cornish Camper Van properly. Occasionally, the tenses seem to wander a bit and it took me a while to tune in to how they are used.

That small aspect aside I absolutely adored Daisy’s Vintage Cornish Camper Van. Ali McNamara writes with such genuine compassion and love behind her words that reading is Daisy’s Vintage Cornish Camper Van an uplifting and joyful experience.

The Cornish setting of St Felix is so well described that reading the book is akin to taking a holiday and I genuinely felt refreshed after reading the story. It was as if it had taken me out of the mundanity of life into a slightly magical world for a while. The 1980s references were perfect for me too, as that is a decade I remember only too well, so that as well as enjoying a lovely story, happy memories were rekindled for me.

All the characters are absolutely delightful. What Ali McNamara has done is to create both setting and characters that are positive and agreeable without them being saccharine or unbelievable. Noah and Ana have their flaws but they are never deliberately unkind and this makes such a refreshing change. Malachi in particular is a gladdening creation and the mystery surrounding him works both on a mystical or conventional level so that the reader can bring their own feelings and beliefs to the story too and enjoy it on a very personal level. Daisy’s Vintage Cornish Camper Van allows the reader to escape real life for a while in a totally satisfying and absorbing read.

I loved the plot. The romantic notion of trying to track down the writer of undelivered postcards thoroughly appealed to the idealist in me and I so wanted that element to have a happy ending. You’ll have to read Daisy’s Vintage Cornish Camper Van for yourself to find out what happens.

As well as the positive, uplifting and frequently humorous elements (especially where Malachi is concerned) Ali McNamara doesn’t shy away from deeper and more difficult elements to underpin her narrative. Themes of identity, illness, death and grief, looking for happiness and relationships are all explored so that although I thought Daisy’s Vintage Cornish Camper Van would just be a light, entertaining but possibly insubstantial story, I was quite wrong. It’s certainly entertaining, but there are many levels on which it can be enjoyed because there’s so much more depth than anticipated, making it a fabulous read.

Daisy’s Vintage Cornish Camper Van is sheer, magical escapism and I loved it.

About Ali McNamara

Ali McNamara attributes her over-active and very vivid imagination to one thing – being an only child. Time spent dreaming up adventures when she was young has left her with a head bursting with stories waiting to be told.

When stories she wrote for fun on Ronan Keating’s website became so popular they were sold as a fundraising project for his cancer awareness charity, Ali realised that not only was writing something she enjoyed doing, but something others enjoyed reading too.

You can visit Ali’s website, find her on Facebook and you can follow her on Twitter @AliMcNamara.

Anyone who regularly visits Linda’s Book Bag will know how much I love to travel. One of the places I have hardly been to yet is America (unless you count a cruise out of Miami and working in New York – which I don’t!). Consequently, it’s lovely to find authors who can transport me to America through their books and I have a feeling Milana Marsenich is about to do just that as we stay in together.

Staying in with Milana Marsenich

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag Milana and thank you for agreeing to stay in with me.

Hi Linda, thank you so much for inviting me to Staying In With…you and your readers!

Tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it? 

I have brought my second novel, The Swan Keeper. The Swan Keeper is an historical, coming of age novel set in Northwest Montana’s Mission Valley, with a little crime and mysticism thrown in. Lillian Connelly loves trumpeter swans. Dean Drake is killing them and leaving their carcasses for the wolves and coyotes to ravage. On her eleventh birthday, a family outing to the marsh to see the swans turns tragic when Lilly sees Dean Drake hide in the trees and kill, not only swans, but also her father. She tells the town sheriff, Charlie West, that she saw Drake kill her father. Charlie doesn’t believe her, thinks that she is mixing up facts, and is just trying to make sense of a senseless tragedy. With tremendous courage Lilly sets out alone to bring Dean Drake to justice.

(Ooo. Sounds really good!)

What can we expect from an evening in with The Swan Keeper?

This book was based on my volunteer work with the Montana Waterfowl Foundation, where I met my first trumpeter swan. The trumpeters are stunningly beautiful birds. They can weigh as much as thirty pounds and have a wing span of 7 feet. In The Swan Keeper you’ll meet several trumpeter swans, take a trip through Montana’s Mission Mountains, and cheer for a young, brave, heroine.

(I love hearing where authors get their inspiration Milana – even if it does reinforce the fact I have no imagination myself!)

I’d like to share a review with your readers Linda if I may:

Author Milana Marsenich has penned a dramatic page turner brimming with authentic detail. She knows this Montana countryside inside and out, her vivid descriptions capturing the spirit of the craggy Mission Mountains.

Maggie Plummer, author of Spirited Away – A Novel of the Stolen Irish and Daring Passage: Book Two of the Spirited Away Saga.

(It sounds to me like reading The Swan Keeper is going to take me on my travels both into the past and geographically Milana.)

What else have you brought along and why?

I’ve brought along, what else, a picture of a trumpeter swan, and her cygnets, taken by John Jarvis at the Montana Waterfowl Foundation.

(What a smashing image.)

And of course, some povetica, the sweet bread you’ll find in my first novel, Copper Sky, and good coffee.

(Ooh! I’ve never had povetica before. That looks scrummy.)

Food, drink, mountains, and a large beautiful bird make for a wonderful evening of Staying In!

They certainly do. Thanks so much for staying in with me and making such an interesting evening Milana. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it.

The Swan Keeper

On her eleventh birthday, Lilly’s family visits the Cattail Marsh to see the newly hatched cygnets. The family outing turns tragic when Dean Drake shows up with his shotgun. Lilly sees him kill her father, injure her mother, and slaughter the bevy of trumpeter swans.

The sheriff, her mother, sister, and best friend all think Lilly is trying to make sense of a senseless accident by blaming Drake. But Lilly knows the truth. Left alone she must bring him to justice.

Published by Open Books, The Swan Keeper is available for purchase here.

About Milana Marsenich

Milana Marsenich lives in Northwest Montana near Flathead Lake at the base of the beautiful Mission Mountains. She enjoys quick access to the mountains and has spent many hours hiking the wilderness trails with friends and dogs.

For the past 20 years she has worked as a mental health therapist in a variety of settings. As a natural listener and a therapist, she has witnessed amazing generosity and courage in others. She first witnessed this in her hometown of Butte, Montana, a mining town with a rich history and the setting for Copper Sky, her first novel.

She has an M.Ed. in Mental Health Counseling from Montana State University and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Montana.

She has previously published in Montana Quarterly, Big Sky Journal, The Polishing Stone, The Moronic Ox, BookGlow, and Feminist Studies. She has a short story included in The Montana Quarterly book: Montana, Warts and All. She has two published novels, Copper Sky and The Swan Keeper, both by Open Books.

You can follow Milana on Twitter @milanamarsenich and visit her website for more information. You’ll also find her on Facebook.

Having adored Keith Stuart’s debut novel A Boy Made of Blocks which I reviewed here and which made it onto my list of favourite books of 2017 here, I was thrilled to be invited by Clara Diaz to help celebrate the launch of Keith’s second book, Days of Wonder.

Days of Wonder will be published by Sphere, part of the Little Brown publishing group, on 7th June 2018 and is available for purchase through the links here.

Days of Wonder

Magical, heartbreaking, beautiful – Days of Wonder reminds us that stories have the power to save lives.

Tom, single father to Hannah, is the manager of a tiny local theatre. On the same day each year, he and its colourful cast of part-time actors have staged a fantastical production just for his little girl, a moment of magic to make her childhood unforgettable.

But there is another reason behind these annual shows: the very first production followed Hannah’s diagnosis with a heart condition that both of them know will end her life early. And now, with Hannah a funny, tough girl of fifteen on the brink of adulthood, that time is coming.

With the theatre under threat of closure, Hannah and Tom have more than one fight on their hands to stop the stories ending. But maybe, just maybe, one final day of magic might just save them both.

A tale about growing up, the beauty of a special bond between father and daughter, and finding magic in everyday life, Days of Wonder is the most moving novel you’ll read all year.

My Review of Days of Wonder

Hannah has a heart condition and she and Dad Tom need to come to terms with life as it is.

Now, I’m going to be completely honest. I don’t think Days of Wonder will be everyone’s cup of tea and I think some readers will find it slightly too sentimental – a bit like an old black and white movie. For me, however, it was a complete and utter joy to read. It touched me heart and soul and I loved it. And, after all, fairy tales play a vital role in this story so no wonder I thought it was a magical read.

Days of Wonder is such a cleverly structured book. As well as being a straightforward narrative about a girl, Hannah, and her father, Tom, it is a multi-layered allegorical tale in which the theatrical metaphor is beautifully handled and consistent throughout. It’s not just that the plot revolves around Hannah’s illness and her and her father’s link to Willow Tree Theatre, but that Keith Stuart illustrates perfectly how, just like actors, we have different roles and personas that we present to the world and how we can sometimes delude and convince ourselves far better than we can those witnessing our performance. He writes with such insight and compassion that I had to put my life on hold until I had read every word.

I love Keith Stuart’s style. His dialogue is natural and the way in which the Hannah and Tom’s narrative voices speak directly to the reader had me hooked from the first word to the last. I thought the title, Days of Wonder, was a superlative choice. We all need our ‘days of wonder’ and Keith Stuart illustrates this will incredible skill, so that I can honestly say reading Days of Wonder has actually changed me as an individual and I am approaching life differently as a result of reading this magical book.

I loved every character, especially Margaret and even those like Phil, because they felt so vivid and real. Whilst Hannah is the joint protagonist, it was Tom who appealed to me most. He’s hapless, flawed and so convincing as a father, struggling to do his best and not always being successful. I thought the balance of power in his relationship with daughter Hannah was perfectly poised so that I felt more like a fly on the wall in their home than a reader reading a book.

Enormous credit must also be given to Keith Stuart for the way he has tackled the emotive subject of heart conditions and their treatment with such skill, knowledge and humanity. The reader has no idea how much of a happy ending there might be for Hannah and this is what makes Days of Wonder all the more fabulous. Despite the fact that Hannah could face death at any moment, there’s such humour in the book too. I laughed, but certainly I cried quite a bit more. Reading Days of Wonder gave a kind of poignant ache in my heart and I found it a wonderful read.

I don’t feel I’ve done justice to Days of Wonder. I want to be eloquent in saying how wonderful a read it is but I’m finding it hard to convey what a glorious, uplifting and delightful book this is. Days of Wonder will bring you joy and break your heart. It certainly did for me.

About Keith Stuart

In 2012 one of Keith Stuart’s two sons was diagnosed on the autism spectrum. The ramifications felt huge. But then Keith and both boys started playing videogames together – especially Minecraft. Keith had always played games and, since 1995, has been writing about them, first for specialist magazines like Edge and PC Gamer then, for the last ten years, as games editor for the Guardian. The powerful creative sharing as a family and the blossoming of communication that followed informed his debut novel, A Boy Made of Blocks.

You can follow Keith onTwitter @keefstuart.

There’s more with these other bloggers too:

I’m at it again today on Linda’s Book Bag. I have promised myself I won’t take on any more books for review until I’ve reduced my TBR and along comes a new to me author, Elizabeth Crocket, with a new book and my bookish magpie mind is desperate to read it! At least Elizabeth has agreed to stay in with me today and chat about her latest publication.

Staying in with Elizabeth Crocket

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

I am so honoured to be here!

It’s a pleasure to host you. Tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?

I’ve brought along my women’s fiction, A Path to the Lake, released on April 29.

(I love the publication party display you’ve got there Elizabeth.)

What can we expect from an evening in with A Path to the Lake?

We can expect to be moved emotionally. Kate, my main character, has had such a tough time and needs to take care of herself.

(Aha! My kind of read. I love books with emotion.)

What else have your brought along and why did you bring it?

I brought coffee or tea for everyone from Cuppa Coffee, a funky little coffee shop, where there are quotes and poetry written on the blackboards in bright colours of chalk, with local art hanging on the walls. And art supplies to have fun with, as a couple of the characters are artists.

(Hang on a minute then whilst I get some plastic. This is a new carpet in here and I need to cover it up!)

Oh, and two men, Frank and Tom, as I need some help choosing between them. Most importantly, a bottle or two of Pinot, for those who like to imbibe!

(Well, whilst you’re deciding between Frank and Tom and drinking your wine, I’ll get my husband to put the kettle on for a cup of tea for me!)

Thanks so much for staying in with me Elizabeth. I think A Path to the Lake sounds very intriguing. 

A Path to the Lake

Kate Browning, longs to experience a life of her own again after caring for her parents the past two years. However, her sister Heather’s escalating depression threatens to thrust Kate into the role of family caregiver once again.

Hungry for companionship, Kate begins a relationship with Frank Fetiscina, who was there when she and Heather needed him.

A part-time writer, she is offered an opportunity writing an inspiration column for the local paper by the editor, Tom Smythe. Kate is instantly attracted to him, and they begin a flirtatious and sexual relationship with no ties between them.

While Kate is on a date at the bistro with Frank one evening, Tom walks in unexpectedly. Tired of the expectations Frank places on her and the lack of commitment from Tom, Kate tells them she is done and storms out, realizing it’s time to take charge of her own life again.

A Path to the Lake is available on Amazon in print and e-book, and the Crimson Cloak Publishing website.

About Elizabeth Crocket

Elizabeth’s women’s fiction, A Path to the Lake, is the first of three women’s fiction to be published by Crimson Cloak Publishing. She also writes Japanese short form poetry, and has had two chapbooks published by Red Moon Press. Her collection of haibun poetry, Not Like Fred and Ginger, was shortlisted for the prestigious American Haiku Foundation Touchstone Distinguished Book Award.

Elizabeth lives with her husband in Ontario, Canada, has grown children and six grandchildren she loves to the moon and back.

To learn more about Elizabeth you can find her on Facebook and to see samples of her work, you can visit her website.