It’s a couple of years since I reviewed three children’s book from EK in a post you’ll find here. Today I’m taking a look at three more – Anchored by Debra Tidball and illustrated by Arielle Li, Mama’s Chickens by Michelle Worthington and illustrated by Nicky Johnston and Easy Peasy by Ky Garvey and illustrated by Amy Calautti.

My enormous thanks to Kirsten Knight for sending them from the EK Children’s Books range. I’m delighted to review them all and with Easter coming up, these books would make smashing gifts as an alternative to chocolate.

All the books are available for purchase directly from EK Books.

General Views

What I find so attractive about EK Children’s books is that they are the perfect size for sharing with individual or groups of children and the hard back versions are always presented with strong, robust and durable covers that will withstand much use. The end papers are always as beautiful, vibrant or relevant as the rest of the illustrations.

Heading to the EK website will give teachers and group leaders teaching notes and the opportunity to find readalongs and other related material, making the books very good value for money.

An aspect that I find remarkably touching as well as giving me confidence in the books is that many of the themes explored are those directly experienced by the authors themselves.

Anchored

In this sensitive tale, Tug and Ship are connected by bonds of love despite being oceans apart. In a world where so many parents are separated from their children for periods of time due to work and/or living arrangements, sometimes the sense of attachment can feel a little vulnerable. Anchored is a reassuring book, reminding children that their attachment with their parents/caregivers can sustain time apart: they are firmly anchored in each other’s hearts.

Anchored will be published on 27th April and is available here.

My Review of Anchored

Tug misses Ship.

Oh for goodness sake! I really should be reduced to tears by a book aimed at 4-8 year olds but Anchored brought a lump to my throat and a tear to my eye because it is a beautiful and sensitive exploration of what it is like to be lonely and to miss someone.

The story is simple as Ship sails off leaving Tug working, but the message is universal and strong. As long as we take a piece of someone in our hearts they are always with us. I think Anchored would be perfect for children new to school and feeling a little out of place or lost. Teachers could share the story and give those children huge comfort as well as making them realise they are not alone in their feelings. It also shows that even though someone is much bigger, like Ship, it doesn’t necessarily mean they are braver or stronger.

The language in the story is pitched to perfection. There are so many learning opportunities here. The narrative models the structure of direct speech for example, and the efficacy of ellipsis in writing, with similes and adjectives used with a lightness of touch. There are opportunities for project work too as children might research and discover the kinds of places ship visits.

It’s also vital to acknowledge the way the illustrations enhance the narrative as they really do add depth and emotion.

I thought Anchored was totally brilliant and cannot recommend it highly enough.

About Debra Tidball

Debra Tidball is an award-winning author of picture books, short stories, poems and plays for children. With social work and children’s literature qualification, Debra is a children’s book enthusiast with a particular passion for picture books and the profound way they can touch children’s lives.

For further information, visit Debra’s website and find her on Instagram and Facebook or follow Debra on Twitter @debratidball.

About Arielle Li

Arielle Li is a Taiwanese-Australian illustrator based in Australia with a compelling new style. She has been passionate about creating art from a young age, and has been pursuing illustration as a career since 2019.

For further information, follow Arielle on Twitter @arielle_art, visit her website or find Arielle on Instagram.

Mama’s Chickens

Award-winning author Michelle Worthington uses backyard chickens to give us a child’s-eye view of early-onset dementia. As Mama loves and cares for her chickens, her kids learn lessons about disability and acceptance. Children will relate to the endearing chickens, while the author uses her own experience to depict early-onset dementia in a realistic but age-appropriate way. Dementia doesn’t only affect the elderly; this story shines a supportive, much-needed light on a reality many families face.

Mama’s Chickens will be published on 11th April and is available here.

My Review of Mama’s Chickens

Mama has chickens to care for.

What a lovely story. Mama’s Chickens can be enjoyed as a simple narrative but equally it can be used to exemplify what happens when someone we love, and who loves us, begins to lose their memory or suffer dementia. Indeed, both the writing and the illustrations have a literal and metaphorical meaning so that book is a sensitive exploration of a difficult theme. It would be a wonderful aid in school or, perhaps even more, in the home where such a topic can be difficult to broach with and be understand by young children. There’s a real poignancy here as the illustrations show that Mama is still young so that adults and children alike come to realise that dementia and memory loss are not confined to the elderly.

Aside from this very important theme, Mama’s Chickens can be used to explore other aspects of family life. There’s the acquisition of pets and looking after them, doing things together like crafts that might form the catalyst for young readers to try out new hobbies and a lovely message that despite how anyone might sometimes behave, it doesn’t mean that love isn’t still present.

I think Mama’s Chickens is a vital addition to books for children in a world where there are increasing young carers and emotional intelligence is needed all the more. It’s a super book.

About Michelle Worthington

Michelle Worthington is an international award-winning author, screenwriter and businesswoman. Shortlisted twice for the Children’s Book Council of Australia’s picture book of the year, two-time winner of the International Book Award and finalist in the USA Best Book Awards, Michelle also received a Gellett Burgess Award and a Silver Moonbeam Award for her contribution to celebrating diversity in literature. Michelle is dedicated to encouraging a strong love of reading and writing in young children and enjoys working with charities that support the vision of empowering youth through education.

In 2021, Michelle was diagnosed with Progressive Nonfluent Aphasia (PNFA) which is a form of dementia. It is a clinical syndrome associated with frontotemporal lobar degeneration and affects her short-term memory and her ability to speak, read and write. Michelle’s personal experience has given her a passion for educating the public that dementia doesn’t just affect older people.

For further information, visit Micelle’s website or find her on Facebook and Instagram and follow her on Twitter @michelle_author.

About Nicky Johnston

Nicky Johnston is an award-winning children’s book author and illustrator. She has several bestselling titles published in Australia and overseas, including At the End of Holyrood Lane, The Fix-It Man, Grandma Forgets, The Incredibly Busy Mind of Bowen Bartholomew Crisp, Saying Goodbye to Barkley, This is My Dad, Upside-Down Friday and Jørn’s Magnificent Imagination, all published by EK Books.

Nicky’s illustration style is often described as whimsical, playful, narrative, emotive and colourful. She loves to work in watercolour, ink, pencils and pastel.

As a primary teacher and acclaimed presenter, Nicky’s love of books sees her thoroughly enjoy taking illustrator workshops and visiting schools regularly. She is passionate about inspiring young children with a love for reading, writing and drawing, encouraging them to use their imagination and develop their own ideas. Nicky lives by the beach with her husband and four sons.

For further information, visit Nicky’s website, follow her on Twitter @_nickyjohnston, or find Nicky on Facebook and Instagram.

Easy Peasy

Easy Peasy follows Ruby, who has just received sparkly roller skates as a present from her dad. Ruby is convinced it will be easy to learn how to roller skate and dismisses her dad when he offers to help her. But after a few tumbles, Ruby realizes it isn’t as easy as she thinks and that she might need his help after all! Embracing themes of independence, perseverance, and family relationships, Easy Peasy is a fun, engaging story for children learning how to do something for the first time.

Easy Peasy was published on 14th March and is available here.

My Review of Easy Peasy

Ruby has new roller skates.

Easy Peasy is a fun, vibrant story of resilience and perseverance that children will love, enhanced by the cartoon style illustrations that are colourful and humorous, matching the narrative perfectly.

I loved the relationship between Ruby and her dad and appreciated the fact there is no mum in this story as not all households have two conventional parents meaning that the book represents a wide range of society.

The themes are smashing for children to learn. Firstly, Ruby finds that making assumptions – in this case that roller skating is ‘easy peasy’ – isn’t always the best course of action. She also discovers that initial failure, being prepared to listen and be guided and having another go can lead to dramatic success. This is a valuable motif for many aspects of life. Easy Peasy could also be a brilliant way to prompt children to share a skill they have in school oracy work.

The repetition with subtle changes throughout is great for supporting reluctant or emerging independent readers because they will have a sense of achievement in being able to read the story. The balance of text to image also helps this independence, although the story could equally well be shared with larger groups so that they can predict some of the vocabulary and increase their own store of words. Similarly, the illustrations are slightly more mature so that children who struggle with independent reading will not feel belittled. Ruby isn’t an infant, making her highly relatable.

I’d also say that whilst Easy Peasy is a children’s book, there is an important message for adults too. Here we see an adult supporting his daughter as well as allowing her some independence, but above all, he’s doing something with his child rather than simply scrolling through his social media on a phone! What could be better than that?

I think Easy Peasy is a fun, and accessible read that children will really enjoy.

About Ky Garvey

Ky Garvey is a mother to two boys who are both diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum Disorder and ADHD. Through her experiences with her boys, she has been inspired to write fun and engaging stories that turn challenges into triumphs. Ky aims to share supportive, inclusive and empowering stories for children.

Ky also writes and hosts the podcast Totally Lit! a monthly podcast celebrating reading, writing and creating literature. The podcast features amazing writers, illustrators and all types of creators of books and stories.

For further information follow Ky on Twitter @ky_garvey, and find her on Facebook and Instagram.

About Amy Calautti

Amy Calautti loved to draw from a young age and often made up games based around drawing to entertain her younger brother and cousins. She now lives with her small tribe of humans who inspire her every day.

Amy’s other books include Turning Cartwheels, Hector and his Highland Dancers, and Mr Ming & the Mooncake Dragon.

For further information visit Amy’s website, follow her on Twitter @amy_calautti, and find Amy on Instagram and Facebook.

My enormous thanks to Sarah Hembrow at Vulpine Press for arranging for me to stay in with Lucinda Hart on The Beautiful Blue publication day. I’m delighted to welcome Lucinda to Linda’s Book Bag.

Let’s find out what Lucinda told me:

Staying in with Lucinda Hart

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

I’m delighted you’ve invited me. Thank you.

Tell me (as if I didn’t know!), which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?

I would like to share my latest novel The Beautiful Blue. It’s a very personal book for me, and a lot of it is based on my own experiences in dealing with my father’s cancer.

Gosh. That must be very poignant for you Lucinda. What made you choose to write such a book?

I hope The Beautiful Blue will raise awareness for the people who lose their voices from laryngeal cancer and have to learn to breathe and speak again.

It sounds as if your father had an awful time, so what can we expect from an evening in with The Beautiful Blue?

I think it will be an emotional evening for anyone touched by cancer. But this is also a family drama set in Cornwall so expect nostalgia, romance, tragedy and triumphs. In other words, all the things that make up modern life, and which are going on in the background – even when something like cancer appears to blot out all else.

I think that’s the thing with cancer Lucinda. Ordinary life has a habit of carrying on even at the moment we feel it can’t possibly do so. I think The Beautiful Blue sounds highly relatable.

What else have you brought along and why have you brought it?

If I could I would bring my late father Chris Hart (known as Paddy). He was the bravest man I have ever met. Cancer came back for him again and again and he never gave in. But as I can’t bring him, I’d like to share this picture of him. It was taken only a couple of months before his death.

I’m so sorry he can’t be here in person Lucinda.

I will also bring my two girls, Rafi and Aelfrida. They are my most loyal supporters and, more than anything, I want to make them proud of me.

I imagine they are already immensely proud – and what beautiful names they have.

The book is also about swimming because when you learn to swim you have to learn to breathe in a special way, just as you do with a tracheostomy, so I’ll bring my swimsuit and goggles just in case you have a secret pool hidden in the basement.

I’m afraid I don’t. But there’s a birdbath and a pond if you don’t mind sharing with the frogs and newts.

It’s been lovely finding out about The Beautiful Blue Lucinda and hearing a little about Paddy. Happy publication day and thank you again for being on the blog. Now, if you’d like to change into your swimsuit, I’ll give readers a few more details about The Beautiful Blue.

The Beautiful Blue

HOW many words does it take to end a life?

On a rainswept hallowe’en night two decades ago, it was only five: “She’s there with him now.” These few syllables sealed the fate of Amy Langford, in one cruel moment turning a student navigating love and life into a corpse on a treacherous Cornish road. But who is to blame?

Her cheating boyfriend Olly? Her best friend Chloe? Or Kathryn, the girl he destroyed?

The answer is in the wind until they all return, years later, pulled inextricably back to Cornwall in search of answers. Some remain their old selves, despite the horrors of that night, but one wears a cloak, a new persona crafted like a butterfly from the chrysalis of their past.

Their old teacher, Guy Lovell, and his wife Heather may hold the answer. But just as their lives all begin to converge and they find their voices, Guy loses his, forever. Will the truth make the survivors swim, or drown?

They can only find the answers in The Beautiful Blue.

The Beautiful Blue is published by Vulpine Press today 30th March 2023, and is available for purchase in all the usual places including Fantastic Fiction, Waterstones and Amazon.

About Lucinda Hart

Lucinda Hart grew up in Cornwall and has been writing fiction since the age of three. She has a BA in Fine Art and Creative Writing and a MA in Creative Writing, both from Bath Spa University. The themes in Lucinda’s books are often of great relevance to her. Lucinda’s interest in medicine and surgery means there is often a medical aspect to the stories, something not often talked about (laryngeal cancer, stoma bags, disfiguring skin problems, and plain old age and loss of mobility are some subjects  she has chosen). Lucinda hopes her books might help raise awareness for some of these conditions.

Place is also important; she uses her favourite locations in novels and hopes they will interest the reader as much as they have inspired her. She lives in Cornwall with her two daughters. She is the author of The Broken Air, released 2022.

For further information, follow Lucinda on Twitter @Lucinda_Author, or find her on Facebook and Instagram.

The Bingo Hall Detectives by Jonathan Whitelaw has been on my radar a year so it gives me enormous pleasure finally to read it for my latest My Weekly online review.

Published by Harper Collins’ imprint Harper North. The Bingo Hall Detectives is available for purchase through the links here.

If you pick up a physical copy of this week’s My Weekly you’ll find a short story by J.D. Whitelaw there too!

The Bingo Hall Detectives

Jason Brazel is an out of work journalist who lives in Penrith with his family and mother-in-law, Amita. She knows everyone and everything that’s going on in this corner of the Lakes.

So when it’s discovered that Madeline Forbisher, one of Amita’s fellow regulars at the bingo club has died, found by the postman outside her crumbling country home close to Ullswater Lake, she senses immediately this is no accident. The trouble is, no one else seems to take her suspicions seriously.

That is, until she enlists the help of her friends at the Penrith Bingo Club. Dismissed by many as eccentric, over the hill or out of touch, it turns out that it’s unlucky for some that these amateur sleuths are on the case…

My Review of The Bingo Hall Detectives

My full review of The Bingo Hall Detectives can be found on the My Weekly website here.

However, I can say that The Bingo Hall Detectives is enormous fun with a cracking plot and some serious underpinning themes that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Do visit My Weekly to read more of my review here.

About Jonathan Whitelaw

Jonathan Whitelaw is a writer, award-winning journalist and broadcaster. After working on the frontline of Scottish politics, he moved into journalism, covering everything from sports to music to radioactive waste – and everything in between. He’s also a regular reviewer, panellist and commentator.

For further information, follow Jonathan on Twitter @JDWhitelaw13 and on Instagram.

I can’t believe it’s almost two years since Lynda Renham stayed in with me to chat about The Lies She Told (Lynda’s book – not her actual lies) in a post you’ll find here.

Today I’m spotlighting Lynda’s latest book Secrets and Lies out today, 28th March 2023, from Bloodhound.

Secrets and Lies is available for purchase here. Let’s find out all about it:

Secrets and Lies

A couple looks forward to a promising future in a new house—but a past darkness threatens to destroy it, in a new thriller by the bestselling author of Remember Me.

It’s Flora and Adam’s dream home: Hunters Moon, in the peaceful English village of Penlyn. Adam’s political career has just taken a turn for the better, and the only thing left to complete the couple’s happiness is a baby. Adam believes Hunters Moon will give them the new start they need—and help Flora overcome a recent miscarriage.

But Flora senses something odd about the house and soon realises it isn’t all it seems. Did the previous owner commit suicide or was she murdered? What are the villagers hiding? Is the lake at the bottom of the garden as peaceful as it seems?

Soon Flora finds herself entrapped in a web of deceit with no one to turn to—and her dream home starts to become her nightmare . . .

****

Let me tell you that I’ve read the opening to Secrets and Lies and it’s a cracker!

About Lynda Renham

Lynda Renham is the author of many popular romantic comedies and gripping psychological thriller novels. Lynda studied creative writing at the Open University. She lives in Oxford, UK. She has appeared on BBC radio discussion programs and is a prolific blogger. Lynda is also an avid photographer. When not writing, she can usually be found wasting her time on Facebook or crocheting blankets.

You can find Lynda on Facebook, Instagram and on Twitter @Lyndarenham. You can also visit her website for further information.

I think literary fiction is my favourite genre and I’m so lucky to have Lyrics for the Loved Ones by Anne Goodwin on my TBR pile. I have been waiting to reveal the cover for several months. It gives me enormous pleasure to be able to do so today.

The last time Anne appeared on Linda’s Book Bag we were taking a look at her book Sugar and Snails in a post you’ll find here.

Let’s find out more about Anne’s latest, Lyrics for the Loved Ones which will be published on 15th May 2023 by Annecdotal Press and is available for pre-order here. 

Lyrics for the Loved Ones

After half a century confined in a psychiatric hospital, Matty has moved to a care home on the Cumbrian coast. Next year, she’ll be a hundred, and she intends to celebrate in style. Yet, before she can make the arrangements, her ‘maid’ goes missing.

Irene, a care assistant, aims to surprise Matty with a birthday visit from the child she gave up for adoption as a young woman. But, when lockdown shuts the care-home doors, all plans are put on hold.

But Matty won’t be beaten. At least not until the Black Lives Matter protests burst her bubble and buried secrets come to light.

Will she survive to a hundred? Will she see her ‘maid’ again? Will she meet her long-lost child?

Rooted in injustice, balanced with humour, this is a bittersweet story of reckoning with hidden histories in cloistered times.

****

Doesn’t Lyrics for the Loved Ones sound fantastic? It’s not just me who thinks so:

 Advance praise for Lyrics for the Loved Ones

‘a smartly constructed, engaging and compassionate story about family, humanity and ‘lost loss’ ALISON MOORE, Booker prize shortlisted author of The Lighthouse

‘one of the best books I’ve ever read … a very funny and a hugely emotional read’ ALEX CRAIGIE, author of Someone Close to Home

‘vividly illuminates recent inequalities, with humour and humanity’ CAROLINE LODGE, Bookword

‘the author writes with intelligence, understanding and sensitivity’ ANNIE ELLIOTT, Left on the Shelf Book Blog

‘runs the whole gamut of emotions … one of the most memorable and heart-wrenching protagonists I’ve met’ OLGA NÚŇEZ MIRET, psychiatrist, author and translator

‘a well written, chatty book, with great characters’ EMMABBOOKS

 Don’t forget to pre-order Lyrics for the Loved Ones here. 

About Anne Goodwin

Anne Goodwin’s drive to understand what makes people tick led to a career in clinical psychology. That same curiosity now powers her fiction.

Anne writes about the darkness that haunts her and is wary of artificial light. She makes stuff up to tell the truth about adversity, creating characters to care about and stories to make you think. She explores identity, mental health and social justice with compassion, humour and hope.

A prize-winning short-story writer, she has published three novels and a short story collection with small independent press, Inspired Quill. Her debut novel, Sugar and Snails, was shortlisted for the 2016 Polari First Book Prize.

Away from her desk, Anne guides book-loving walkers through the Derbyshire landscape that inspired Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre.

Subscribers to her newsletter can download a free e-book of award-winning short stories.

For more information about Anne visit her website, follow her on Twitter @Annecdotist, or find her on Instagram or Facebook.

Having seen fantastic reviews of The People on Platform 5 by Clare Pooley, I was delighted when lovely Katie Roden got in touch to ask if I’d like a couple of copies of the paperback – one for me and one to give away. I’m thrilled to run that giveaway today and you’ll find how to enter further down this blog post. 

The People on Platform 5 will be released in paperback by Penguin on 30th March 2023 and is available for purchase through the links here.

The People on Platform 5

Every day at 8:05, Iona Iverson boards the train to go to work. As a seasoned commuter, she knows there are rules that everyone should follow:

• you must have a job to go to
• Don’t consume hot food
• Always pack for any eventuality
• You must never speak to strangers on the train

Iona sees the same group of people each day – ones she makes assumptions about, gives nicknames to, but never ever talks to.

But then, one morning, Smart-but-Sexist-Surbiton chokes on a grape right in front of Iona. Suspiciously-Nice-New Malden steps up to help and saves his life, and this one event sparks a chain reaction.

With nothing in common but their commute, an eclectic group of people learn that their assumptions about each other don’t match reality. But when Iona’s life begins to fall apart, will her new friends be there when she needs them most?

****

Giveaway

A Paperback Copy of The People on Platform 5

by

Clare Pooley

For your chance to win a paperback copy of The People on Platform 5 click here.

Giveaway ends at UK midnight on Sunday 26th March 2023.

UK only and I’ll need a UK postal address in order to send your prize but I promise not to share or retain it. 

About Clare Pooley

Clare Pooley graduated from Newnham College, Cambridge and spent twenty years in the heady world of advertising before becoming a full-time writer.

Clare’s memoir – The Sober Diaries – has helped thousands of people worldwide to quit drinking.

Clare’s first novel – The Authenticity Project – was a BBC Radio 2 Bookclub pick, a New York Times Bestseller and the winner of the RNA debut novel award. It has been translated into 29 languages. Her second novel is coming Spring 2022.

Clare lives in Fulham, London with her long-suffering husband, three children and two dogs.

For more information about Clare, visit her website, or follow her on Twitter @cpooleywriter and Instagram. You’ll also find Clare on Facebook. 

Tim Walker appears regularly here on Linda’s Book Bag, always with something slightly different and today we’re celebrating  the brand new audio version of Tim’s Thames Valley Tales. I asked Tim a few questions about his experience of introducing an audio book to his repertoire.

Before I share those with you, let me just remind you of the other occasions Tim has been on the blog. Last time we were sharing an extract from his Guardians at the Wall that you’ll find here.

We stayed in together to chat all about his book, Arthur Rex Brittonum, in a post you can read here.

Tim also introduced PERVERSE – a collection of short prose and verse, sharing a poem with us in a post you can see here.

It was my pleasure to share an extract from Arthur Dux Bellorum here and Tim has introduced his book Uther’s Destiny in a post you can see here, as well as previously writing a fabulous guest post about fiction and fear when the second book in his A Light in the Dark Ages series, Ambrosius: Last of the Romans, was published, and you can read that post here.

Let’s find about Tim’s latest venture as his Thames Valley Tales are available in audio from today 20th March 2023.

Thames Valley Tales, second edition, is available in audiobook, Kindle e-book and paperback from Amazon worldwide, and can also be found on Kindle Unlimited.

Thames Valley Tales

Thames Valley Tales is a light-hearted yet thought-provoking collection of nine stories by Tim Walker. These tales are based on the author’s experience of living in Thames Valley towns, and combine contemporary themes with the rich history and legends associated with an area stretching from the heart of rural England to London.

The collection includes The Goldfish Bowl, in which an unlikely friendship is struck between a pop star and an arms dealer in Goring-on-Thames; Maidenhead Thicket, where the ghost of legendary highwayman, Dick Turpin surprises a Council surveyor; The White Horse intrigue surrounding the dating of the famous chalk carving on the Berkshire Downs; Murder at Henley Regatta, a beguiling whodunit, and The Colnbrook Caper, a pacey crime thriller. Thames Valley Tales starts with The Grey Lady, a ghost story from the English Civil War, and features The Merry Women of Windsor in a whimsical updating of Shakespeare’s classic play. The Author’s Note explains the context and reasoning behind each story.

Thames Valley Tales oscillates from light-hearted to dark historical and at times humorous stories ideally suited to bedtime or holiday reading that will amuse, delight and, hopefully, inform the reader about the rich history of the Thames Valley as it winds 215 miles from the Gloucestershire countryside, past many towns and villages to London and out to the North Sea. The book also has a factual chapter and map of the Thames Valley showing the towns through which the 184-mile Thames Path passes. It’s a walk-through history and the natural beauty of England that will inspire and captivate.

On Audio Books

I asked Tim the following:

Did having an audio book make you see your own writing differently?

The biggest challenge was how my stories would work when voiced by an actor, and would the dialogue sound convincing. I chose nine stories that I felt had strong visual appeal, as I feel audio is halfway between written word and visual storytelling on television or film. It’s important that the story comes alive in the mind of the listener. I read my stories aloud and made adjustments to the dialogue between characters so that it was less formal. Also, I encouraged my narrator to tweak the dialogue to make it more realistic, and he also included some regional idioms with the accents he employed. A fascinating exercise!

How tricky was it to find the right voice?

I didn’t want to narrate my own audiobook and my first thought was to ask Richard James if he would do it. I know him as an author and he lives locally. We met for a pint and agreed a fee for the job. He is primarily a stage actor who has also written plays and a Victorian crime book series, Bowman of the Yard. I went to his book launch in 2019 (see picture). His voice is perfect, easily understood, and he has an array of regional accents to draw upon from his acting experience.

How easy or difficult would you find it to narrate your own writing?

Very. My voice is very deep and monotonous, and I can’t do accents! Also, I couldn’t record at home as I’m on the flight path to Heathrow Airport, with a plane thundering overhead every six minutes! There’s no soundproofing materials in the world that would insulate my pad from the outside world. Some DIY authors hire sound recording studios, but in my mind, that’s halfway to paying an expert to narrate and produce it.

Tell me a little more about Richard.

Thames Valley Tales audiobook is narrated and produced by actor, author and playwright Richard James who has been appearing on stage and screen for over thirty years. Most recently, he played a guest role in Miss Scarlet & The Duke for PBS and Alibi Films and was nominated for ‘Best Supporting Performance’ at the Off West End Awards for his roles in A Sherlock Carol at the Marylebone Theatre.

Richard is on Twitter as @RichardNJames.

It sounds as if you chose someone highly skilled to narrate Thames Valley Tales Tim. I wish you both every success with the audio book.

About Tim Walker

Tim Walker is an independent author living near Windsor in the UK. 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 2014, as a therapeutic activity whilst recovering from cancer treatment. He began writing an historical fiction series, A Light in the Dark Ages, inspired by a visit to the site of a former Roman town. The series connects the end of Roman Britain to elements of the Arthurian legend and is inspired by historical source material, presenting an imagined history of Britain in the fifth and early sixth centuries.

Book one is Abandoned (second edition 2018); followed by Ambrosius: Last of the Romans (2017) and Uther’s Destiny (2018). The last two books in the series, Arthur Dux Bellorum (2019) and Arthur Rex Brittonum (2020) cover the life of an imaged historical King Arthur, and are both Coffee Pot Book Club recommended reads.

In 2021 he published a dual timeline historical novel, Guardians at the Wall. This was inspired by visits to Vindolanda and Corbridge at Hadrian’s Wall, and concerns the efforts of archaeologists to uncover evidence and build a narrative of the life of a Roman centurion in second century Britannia… and find his missing payroll chest.

Tim has also written three books of short stories, Thames Valley Tales (second edition 2023), Postcards from London (2017) and 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).

He plans to re-work some stories in Postcards from London into London Tales, with the addition of new stories, for publication in 2024 in audiobook, Kindle and paperback.

To find out more you can visit Tim’s website. or follow him on Twitter @timwalker1666 and Tim can be found on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon and Facebook.

Now let’s get this clear. I am not a spiritual person. I’m rarely still and I tend to feel those who advocate any kind of meditation are a bit ‘hippy dippy’. However, in the last year I have been taking a mixed Pilates and yoga class and at the end of the class we spend a few minutes relaxing, focusing on our bodies and ‘letting go’. This has been a revelation and so I was delighted to have the opportunity to review Llewellyn’s Complete Book of Meditation by Shai Tubali. My enormous thanks to the author for having it sent to me in exchange for an honest review.

Llewellyn’s Complete Book of Meditation will be published in paperback the UK on 2nd April 2023 and is already available in audio and ebook here.

Llewellyn’s Complete Book of Meditation

Harness the power of meditation for a happier, healthier life. Appropriate for practitioners of all skill levels, this new addition to Llewellyn’s Complete Book Series features thirty-five fundamental meditation techniques from traditions around the world. It presents each with its historical background, cultural context, potential benefits, and clear instructions for practicing at home.Shai Tubali teaches well-known methods, like classical Zen meditation, and more obscure ones, such as Sufi Whirling. You will learn to align your mind and body, open your heart to love and compassion, use the hidden powers of sound, and more. This comprehensive and easy-to-understand guide introduces the magic of meditation in a way that is experiential, practical, and deeply researched, empowering you to journey farther into the world of meditation than ever before.

My Review of Llewellyn’s Complete Book of Meditation

A guide to meditation.

If I’m honest, I wasn’t expecting a great deal from Llewellyn’s Complete Book of Meditation. I thought I’d dip in and out, find a few interesting facts and ideas, enjoy the book and set it aside. As soon as I read the introduction and Shai Tubali’s perceptive comments about those who simply don’t give meditation full consideration I realised this isn’t a book to be rushed but that it might be one I needed in my life. It has taken me some weeks to read as I found it quite intense and packed with information so that I had to think carefully about the contents. 

The subtitle to Llewellyn’s Complete Book of Meditation is ‘A Comprehensive Guide to Effective Techniques for Calming Your Mind and Spirit’ and that could not be more accurate. The book is divided into ten chapters, the first three of which are more general and provide insight into more generic meditative practices that feel accessible, well explained and useful. There’s a pragmatism in the presentation as Shai Tubali is realistic about what an individual can achieve and is encouraging in helping the reader to build up their meditation skills rather than expecting them to be immersed immediately. 

In the second part of Llewellyn’s Complete Book of Meditation different forms of meditation linked to chakras are given, with a wide range of aspects that include the historical background and purposes as well as techniques and rationale. Whilst some meditations appealed more to me than others, I found this section of the book fascinating. I think Shai Tubali has authored a handbook that will guide and enhance the lives of those open to meditation, but at the same time he has produced an absolutely intriguing text for those who are simply curious or, as I was initially, sceptical. The use of footnotes and a comprehensive bibliography at the end of the book add to the sense of authenticity and authority. 

I found Llewellyn’s Complete Book of Meditation challenging. There’s a depth of information. I found some ideas and practices appealed more than others. There’s reference to religions and I am always mistrustful of religious organisations of any kind. I had to set aside my prejudices and cynicism in order to appreciate fully the contents. But to some extent, that’s the point. Whilst I may not incorporate seven chakra based meditations across my week with unerring regularity, Shai Tubali has taught me to be calmer, more thoughtful and more aware. I understand the need to be more open and reflective. I’ve a long way to go, but Llewellyn’s Complete Book of Meditation has started me on the journey.

Llewellyn’s Complete Book of Meditation will not appeal to everyone, but I think this book will be a life changer for some and I highly recommend reading it for yourself. At the very least it is completely fascinating, brilliantly researched and accessibly written with compassion and authority. Why not take a look?

About Shai Tubali

Shai Tubali is a leading authority in the field of self-development and self-empowerment. In his writings and teachings, he skillfully combines psychology, philosophy, Yogic traditions and Eastern thought and practices, into powerful processes of inner transformation.

Shai has written 23 books, which have appeared internationally for the past two decades in five languages and have been published by major publishers. His most prominent writings have been awarded in the United States and in Israel and others have become best-sellers, inspiring many thousands on their inner journeys of mental, emotional and spiritual transformation.

A trained Yogi, with 20 years of studies in the field of Eastern thought and Yogic traditions, Shai Tubali has become one of Europe’s experts in the field of subtle bodies and, more specifically, the ancient chakra system. Based on his own direct and ongoing revelation of cosmic consciousness since the age of 23, he has guided thousands in Israel and Europe towards deeper experiences of the hidden potentials of their hearts and minds. With time, Shai has created a significant list of methods that mix meditation, therapy, and self-empowerment into highly effective, integral processes. His most established methods – the “Expansion Method”, “Power Psychology”, and “Chakra Psychology” – have been applied by psychologists and psychotherapists throughout Europe.

Since 2012, Shai Tubali lives in Berlin where he runs the Human Greatness Center. At his center, he leads yearly schools and holds seminars, training, and talks, all broadcast online drawing participants from all over the world.

Born in Israel in 1976, Shai became very early in his life an active journalist and columnist in Israel’s major newspapers and one of its leading radio stations. His writing career started at the age of 19, where he became nationally recognized as a novelist.

Currently, he is conducting his PHD in philosophy in the field of mysticism, self-transformation, and Western philosophy at the University of Leeds, UK.

For further information, visit Shai’s website or find him on Twitter @STubali, Facebook and Instagram.

How can is be almost six years since lovely Jane Lythell appeared here in interview on Linda’ s Book Bag? I’m delighted to welcome back Jane today as we celebrate her brand new thriller The Exes which sounds an absolute cracker and is waiting for me on my TBR.

It’s a real pleasure to chat with Jane all about The Exes. Let’s see what she has to say:

Staying in with Jane Lythell

Welcome back at last to Linda’s Book Bag Jane and thank you for agreeing to stay in with me.

I rather think I know but tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?

It’s my fifth novel The Exes, and as it is published today by Bloodhound Books I wanted to chat to you about it.

Oo. Happy publication day Jane. What can we expect from an evening in with The Exes?

A few goosebumps, I hope. And a quest to work out who is gaslighting my heroine Holly.

The Exes is Domestic Noir and centres on a large and dilapidated Victorian house in Brighton called Penumbra House. I love books which are centred on houses. I’m thinking of Manderley and the anguish of the new Mrs de Winter! How the house became a place of misery.

That sounds creepy already. Tell me more!

Holly Hilborne, is stunned to learn that her reclusive aunt Lillian has left her Penumbra House. Holly wasn’t even sure that her aunt fully approved of her.

But when she sees the state the house is in Holly is daunted. She recruits two of her ex-lovers – Ray a builder and Spencer an artist – to help her renovate the house. And when her soon to be ex-husband James hears about this, he pushes her to let him have the top floor for use as his osteopath clinic.  He agrees to pay rent and Holly, reluctantly, lets him move in.

Holly, now single, isn’t clear on her motivation for inviting her three exes into her house. Is she is trying to create an alternative family for herself? What could possibly go wrong? Just one big happy family…

Ha! I bet! 

Of course, reality intrudes. Far from Holly’s shared house becoming a commune of four individuals living in harmony, dark emotions are unleashed. Two of the men fight like rutting stags to become the dominant Alpha Male of the house.

As the house starts to come together, Holly starts to fall apart. She is plagued by dizziness, nausea, killer headaches, and a host of unexplained things happening in the house. Is she imagining things? One of my inspirations was the 1944 film Gaslight.

I think The Exes sounds brilliant. What have others thought so far?

Three admired authors who read advanced copies have sent me their thoughts on The Exes:

‘The Exes is one of the most well-plotted and original premises in a domestic noir I’ve read. How would any of us cope with three exes under one roof? As the sinister plot thickened, I was gripped and found it unputdownable. Jane’s evocative writing is immersive and incredibly readable. One of my thrillers of the year – I just loved it.’

Emily Freud, Author of What She Left Behind

‘The Exes is a turn of the screw novel of festering resentment and growing horror. From the first page – the hiding of a body below the sweeping branches of a fig tree – to the twisty final scene, it is a helter skelter of possible poisoning, manipulation, lies and the sins of ancestors that sweep in to claim poor Holly’s sanity and maybe her life. An excellent read, but maybe not if you’re alone in a big dark house.’

P.D. Viner Author of The Call

‘Set against the backdrop of a crumbling Brighton house, this vivid domestic noir blends present-day relationships with the darkness of the past. Chilling, tense and compelling.’  Essie Fox, author of The Last Days of Leda Grey

I have a feeling I might need to read The Exes when my husband is definitely at home Jane. You must be delighted with those responses.

What else have you brought along and why have you brought it?

A favourite evening drink is red wine and I love Nero D’Avola, a Sicilian Red. It needs a bit of cheese on sourdough to go with it and some olives. Holly is dairy intolerant so she would have to have humus instead.

Holly can have my wine as I can’t drink it without feeling ill and I’ll have her cheese.

March is still often cold, so I’d like us to sit by a real log fire. But I’d be careful to choose logs that did not carry the beetles that attack Elm trees. The Exes is set in Brighton which is proud of its 17,000 elms and the ancient Elm of Preston Park (over 400 years old) which features in my novel.

I’ve lived in Brighton for eleven years now. My previous novels were set in London but after eleven years I felt I knew Brighton well enough to make it the location. I think giving your novel a strong sense of place does enhance its reality so the ruined West Pier, the quirky shops of the North Laine and seagulls all make an appearance.

You’re making me want to head back to Brighton. Haven’t been there for 23 years.

And I’d let you know that, in spite of warnings from friends, my idea for The Exes was also inspired by the fact that I’ve stayed friends with three of my exes. Like Holly I can’t quite let my exes go.

Oo. I think I’ll give Linda’s Book Bag readers a few more details about The Exes and you can tell me more about those exes of yours…

Thanks so much for staying in with me Jane and happy publication day again. I can’t wait to read The Exes.

The Exes

When Holly is bequeathed a large but derelict house, she wants to share her good fortune. So she gets in touch with former boyfriend Ray, a builder who can project-manage the renovation in exchange for the basement flat. The spacious middle floor would make a glorious studio space—perfect for her friend and first love, Spencer. And before Holly knows it, the upper floor is let to soon-to-be ex-husband James, who’s on a path of reinvention from city highflyer to osteopath. What could possibly go wrong?

But no good deed goes unpunished, and soon the house is riddled with tension, rivalry, and petty spitefulness. And as Holly is beset with migraines, nausea and spiralling self-doubt, even the house itself seems to be turning against her. But for someone, everything is going to plan . . .

Published today, 16th March 2023 by Bloodhound Books, The Exes is available for purchase here.

About Jane Lythall

Jane Lythell lives in Brighton, East Sussex, UK.

She worked as a TV producer for 15 years; moved to the British Film Institute as Deputy Director; was Chief Executive of BAFTA for one year followed by seven years at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. She now writes full-time.

Her two psychological thrillers The Lie of You and After the Storm were published in 2014 and 2015 and were USA Today bestsellers.

Jane’s debut novel The Lie of You has been translated into seven languages and inspired the film A Working Mom’s Nightmare starring Tuppence Middleton and Rupert Graves. This is currently screening on Lifetime Movies in the USA.

Her next, Woman of the Hour, revealed life at the TV front-line through the eyes of producer Liz Lyon. It came out in July 2016 and the follow-up novel Behind Her Back was published in 2018.

For further information, follow Jane on Twitter @janelythell and Instagram.