Although Halloween is almost over for us.. I will leave you with two topical reviews by Robbie Cheadle for Victoria Zigler’s two books – Vinnie the Vegetarian Zombie and The Witchlet.. still time to be terrified….
When Vinnie the zombie smashes his way in to the fruit and vegetable shop where six year old Annie is waiting in hiding for her Mother to come back for her, Annie isn’t sure what to do. But Vinnie isn’t like other zombies. A vegetarian in life, it looks like Vinnie may also be one in death, and it may not be Annie who’s in danger after all.
My review
Annie’s mother and father have gone outside to pack the car, leaving her inside with instructions not to go anywhere until they come back for her. They think Annie isn’t aware of what is going on but she has been listening carefully to their conversations and knows that the surrounding areas have been attacked by zombies and that it is only a matter of time until they reach her town. Annie is becoming…
One very happy photographer – Wayne Barnes of Tofino Photography welcomes home an old friend.. Romeo returns from the salmon spawning grounds. What wonderful images..
My buddy was around tonight! I was so happy to se him flying out to greet me! He’s been gone for several weeks. He went to the salmon spawning grounds.
A double dose of fun from The Story Reading Ape this week as he is sharing some of the ghouls and witches who have occupied his enclosure in protest against unfair discrimination 364 nights of the year…. head over and add your support.
First Debby Giesshares some of the funnies this week that she feels you should not miss.. ..D.G. Kaye Writer Blog is where you will find an archive full of wonderful posts across several subjects including writing tips, social issues and book reviews.
My thanks to Debby for spotting these.. and please give her a round of applause.
D.G. Kaye (Debby Gies) with some important sharing options that are available on other blogs you visit even if they do not have those share buttons visible. Also add-ons and plug- ins for self-hosted WordPress users.
Blogging – How to Add Extensions and Universal Share Buttons by D.G. Kaye
Today’s post is about sharing – not just sharing on blogs, but sharing from just about any page you come across on the internet and find an article of interest you’d like to share or capture to potentially use in a blog post or social media. The two options I’m going to write about today are the ‘Add Any’ Chrome extension and the ‘Press This’ marker.
I know I’ve written on these topics before, but it’s come to my attention many times through the years that some bloggers are still not aware of or how to use these must have tools to capture reblogs and/or any articles from anywhere on the web, as well as to be able to share an article from any page – including articles that don’t offer share buttons on their posts.
Add to Any
Let’s start with the Chrome extension. So what is that? On the top right-hand corner of your computer you will find the 3 vertical dots. If you click on that you will get a drop-down box. Move your mouse over ‘more tools’ and you will see the option to click on ‘extensions’. You will now be offered a list of extensions you can add, and the one you want to click on is the ‘Add to Any’. If by chance you don’t get that option, just type it in the above search bar. Once you’ve downloaded the extension, you will then discover the tiny blue blue icon with a plus sign in the middle, now resting on your top right-hand corner of the page. By clicking on that icon you will get a long drop-down box of social share buttons you can use from anywhere on the internet to share the current page you’re on.
Debby Gies is a Canadian nonfiction/memoir author who writes under the pen name of D.G. Kaye. She was born, raised, and resides in Toronto, Canada. Kaye writes about her life experiences, matters of the heart and women’s issues.
D.G. writes to inspire others. Her writing encompasses stories taken from events she encountered in her own life, and she shares the lessons taken from them. Her sunny outlook on life developed from learning to overcome challenges in her life, and finding the upside from those situations, while practicing gratitude for all the positives.
When Kaye isn’t writing intimate memoirs, she brings her natural sense of humor into her other works. She loves to laugh and self- medicate with a daily dose of humor.
I love to tell stories that have lessons in them, and hope to empower others by sharing my own experiences. I write raw and honest about my own experiences, hoping through my writing, that others can relate and find that there is always a choice to move from a negative space, and look for the positive.
Quotes: “Live Laugh Love . . . And Don’t Forget to Breathe!”
“For every kindness, there should be kindness in return. Wouldn’t that just make the world right?”
When I’m not writing, I’m reading or quite possibly looking after some mundane thing in life. It’s also possible I may be on a secret getaway trip, as that is my passion—traveling.
One of the common health complaints that would be noted on the questionnaire that I asked clients to complete when they came to see me, was chronic shoulder pain. Then when I was 52 years old I developed the same problem in my right shoulder that lasted 18 months and was very difficult to manage. I did go to the doctor who told me that I had obviously strained a muscle and to rest it and take painkillers. Not something I was keen on. So I decided to find out other treatments. I discovered that both man and women were suffering the same pain around the same age. It could not be a coincidence.
Why do so many people in their 50s suffer from a frozen shoulder?
A frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) can occur in adulthood and the simplest explanation is that it is the result of wear and tear. It usually effects the shoulder of the dominant hand and arm which makes sense particularly if you are a sportsman, regularly use heavy machinery or over exercise with weights.
However, if you suddenly begin to suffer from pain in your shoulder and upper arm in your early to mid fifties there might also be a number of other factors involved.
Usually the pain will continue for six months and sometimes even up to 18 months or two years. Whilst I am going to look at why it is likely to happen in the first place it is also interesting to note, that like many symptoms associated with both male and female menopause, a frozen shoulder usually recovers naturally, as the body re-balances itself in the two years following the reduction in hormones.
There are some other conditions that might have a link the condition. For example up to 20% of diabetics will suffer from a frozen shoulder at some point. Other diseases include Parkinson’s disease and heart problems. This why it is very important that you do have the pain investigated by your GP to rule out the possibility of a more serious condition.
Hormones and Collagen
Between the ages of 45 to 55 there is a natural reduction in the hormone oestrogen in women and testosterone in men. Both these hormones are involved in the production of collagen which is a major component of our skin. Obviously, the first thing we will notice is that we begin to have a few more wrinkles and our skin tone will thicken slightly. However, collagen is also the main component of ligaments and other soft tissues associated with our joints including the shoulder. Collagen production slows down from around 35 years onwards and as hormone levels also decrease there will also be a loss of tensile strength in the soft tissue causing instability in the joints.
Ligaments comprise two types of collagen. 90% Type 1 collagen which is very strong and takes around three months to form, 9% Type 2 collagen which is maturing into type 1 and 1% fibroblast cells which produce the collagen in the first place.
This is an ongoing process as with other cell renewal in the body but if some of the essential nutrients required for the process decrease or are eliminated you will experience an overall reduction in collagen, particularly Type 1 which is the strongest and keeps the joint stable.
Collagen is also the main component of two other connective materials. Tendons that connect with muscles to move our bones and Fasciae which connects muscle to muscle.
So as you can see if all three of these collagen based connective tissues are not being maintained there will be compromised joint movement.
(There is no actual evidence to suggest that supplements containing collagen or skincare containing it actually work – any good moisturiser will help keep your skin supple but it is more important to include the essential ingredients in your diet to take care of the soft tissues internally that we cannot see.)
Oestrogen
The three most influencing forms of oestrogen in the female body are: Oestrone, oestradiol and oestriol with oestradiol being the one that decreases the most after menopause. Women also produce amounts of testosterone but following the menopause serum levels of this have also declined.
There are two interesting points about this – not only are both of these hormones involved in the production of collagen but also cause an overall rise in LDL (low density lipoprotein) and V-LDL (very low density lipoprotein) cholesterol. With a corresponding decline in HDL (high density lipoprotein) considered to be the healthier of the three. This is significant when I move onto Synovial fluid later in the article.
The second point is that with oestrogen deficiency there is an acceleration in the reduction of bone density with an estimated 3% bone loss per year for about five years dropping to 1% every year after that. The progression can be seen in this photograph.
Combine loss in collagen strength of the connective tissues attached to porus bone structures and you have increasingly unstable joints such as the shoulder but also knees and hips.
Testosterone
Men obviously have much higher levels of testosterone which is why they have different skin thickness and texture, facial hair etc. But testosterone is also important in stimulating the fibroblast cells to produce collagen. As testosterone declines this will of course result in connective tissue reducing in strength.
Although these hormones do decline they do not disappear completely and it is important that dietary components of all hormones should be considered an essential part of our diet over 40 to ensure that levels are maintained enough to continue to stimulate the replacement of collagen.
What provides the ingredients for hormones?
All hormones require Amino Acids for their production. Amino acids are the building blocks that make up protein, which of course is what we are made of. Vitamins and minerals can’t perform their specific functions effectively if the necessary amino acids are not present.
The Role of Amino Acids in the body
Amino acids help make neurotransmitters, the chemicals that convey messages in the brain and also hormones like insulin. They are needed for the production of enzymes that activate certain functions within the body and certain types of body fluid and they are essential for the repair and maintenance of organs, glands, muscles, tendons, ligaments, skin, hair and nails.
The second very important ingredient to help our bodies maintain healthy hormone levels are Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) which are necessary fats that humans cannot synthesise and must be obtained through diet. There are two families of EFAs Omega-3 and Omega-6. Omega-9 is necessary but non-essential as it can be made by the body if the other two fatty acids are present.
The third vital ingredient is the demonic Cholesterol – if you strip away all the faffing about by some scientific researchers, various food lobbies and fad diet proponents over the last 30 years, you will come back to the fact that the body needs fats. Cholesterol is composed of various types, some prone to free radical damage which is the result of poor diet and lifestyle and therefore potentially dangerous, but each type actually has a function in the body and I go into that in more detail in the posts which I have linked too.
Basically, eating healthy fats in your diet moderately, is essential – the right fat in natural, unprocessed foods including olive oil, oily fish, proteins, and dairy.
Physical causes for a frozen shoulder.
It is no coincidence that the frozen shoulder is usually on the side of our dominant hand. Make a note of your daily activities and identify if there is one activity in particular that stands out as being repetitive.. This could be texting, driving, playing an energetic game such as squash or tennis, walking the dog and holding the lead with your dominant hand (probably one of the contributory factors to my own frozen shoulder).
If you can change to your other side for those activities then do so, and if not then I suggest that you at least build in rest periods regularly during the day. Later in the post I have a video showing some simple exercises that might help.
Vitamin D
Although called a vitamin -Vitamin D is actually what is called a prohormone produced primarily by an interaction with sunlight and 7-dehydrocholesterol in the skin. Molecularly it is more closely aligned with the other hormones that I have already mentioned eg. Estradiol.
The problem is that in the last 20 years we have been recommended to either stay out of the sun or cover ourselves with heavy factor sun-creams. Essential for bone density, hormones and our immune system and brain function, a growing deficiency world wide of this important nutrient is resulting in more cases of rickets in children and other serious diseases. We need around 45 minutes out in sunlight on our forearms and chest area as many days as we can from Spring through to Autumn. Additionally we need to include the few food items that also provide Vitamin D. I have put a link to bone health which outlines the essential ingredients.
Fats v carbohydrate diets.
Over the last 30 years the official advice has been to avoid fats of all kinds with a high carbohydrate diet recommended. The manufacturers have stepped up to the plate and provided us with plenty of artificial alternatives mixed with basically anything that extended shelf life and had a plastic origin. This included trans-fats and dubious sugars that have contributed to increased heart disease and conditions such as diabetes.
This means that those of us in our 50’s and 60’s going into, through and after the menopause may not have consumed as much protein to provide amino acids or healthy fats to maintain our cholesterol or hormone levels.
There are two types of amino acid, essential and non-essential. There are approximately 80 amino acids found in nature but only 20 are necessary for healthy human growth and function. We are made up of protein and we require adequate amounts of amino acids if we are to maintain and repair the very substance that we are made from.
We need to obtain essential amino acids from our diet and our body will produce the nonessential variety on its own if our diet is lacking in the essential type.
Refined sugars and acidic environment in the body.
Apart from the sugars produced from a mainly carbohydrate diet, particularly white carbohydrates, we have also been consuming high levels of refined sugars in the form of processed food which have been more readily available in the last 10 years. Sugars and the additives in food create an acidic environment in the body that results in raised cholesterol levels, diabetes, autoimmune diseases and hormone imbalance. It also contributes to the oxidising of LDL cholesterol which turns it into a harmful rather than beneficial substance in our bloodstream.
Currently there is a push to put everyone over the age of 50 onto Statins for life. This medication is designed to reduce the LDL (oxidised LDL the more harmful type) but actually reduces total cholesterol levels. So added to naturally reducing hormone levels there is the reduction in the basic ingredient needed to make them in the first place.
Long term Statin use data will not be available for at least another 30 years. One of the side effects of this reduction in cholesterol in men and women who do not have elevated levels is a reduction of essential hormones earlier and an increase in connective tissue and joint problems amongst other side effects.
Back to the frozen shoulder
To summarise:-
The decline in hormones oestrogen and testosterone in both men and women will effect the production and maintenance of collagen the main component of soft tissue material such as ligaments, tendons and also our bone density. All of which is likely to make joints unstable. Our hormone production requires certain nutrients and processes within the body.
A restricted diet will limit the amount of amino acidsavailable to the body and it will impact the production of collagen.
Vitamin D is essential for many functions within the body including bone density, immune function and other hormone reliant processes. It is primarily produced by the interaction of direct sunlight on our skin for at least 45 minutes a day. Over the last 20 years we have been told to stay out of the sun or wear high factor sun blocks.
Healthy fats are an essential ingredient for the manufacture of our hormones yet for the last 30 years we have been encouraged to consume a high carbohydrate, low fat diet.
Refined sugars in our diet cause an imbalance in hormones which in turn disrupts their various functions including soft tissue production.
Alternative therapies to help treat the pain of frozen shoulder – Acupuncture
One of the most effective treatments that I have experienced for both my knee problem which is ligament damage, and a frozen shoulder is acupuncture.
Acupunctureis believed to be Chinese in origin, although there is evidence that it might have been used nearly 5000 years ago in India. It is certainly one of the oldest and most respected medical procedures in use in the world. Not only for humans, but also our household pets, farm animals, race horses and exotic animals in zoos are being treated with acupuncture for many different ailments.
There is evidence that suggests that acupuncture has been used for at least 2000 years to treat frozen shoulder and surprisingly the point in the body stimulated by needles to ease the pain of a frozen shoulder is a just below the outside of the knee… Usually treatment can taken up to ten weeks.
Here are some simple exercises that you can do during the day from time to time to ease the pain. Thanks to Upright Health
MEDICAL TREATMENTS FOR FROZEN SHOULDER.
Nonsurgical Treatment
As I mentioned in the beginning most shoulder pain will naturally decrease over a period of 6 to 18 months. Doctors will usually prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatories although long term use of these is not good for your general health. Usually aspirin or ibuprofen which do have short and long term side effects.
Cortisone injections directly into the shoulder joint can bring relief but it the problem is associated with the soft tissue surrounding the shoulder then this may not be effective.
Physical therapy does help – there are exercises that can help restore motion to the joint. I found the most effective was a combination of deep massage to the shoulder, joint and upper arm with white Tiger Balm and acupuncture.
Surgical Treatment
If time and the basic treatments do not relief the pain then you may have to discuss surgical options with your doctor. These usually involve manipulating the joint under anesthetic forcing the soft tissue to stretch or even tear. Arthroscopy is a procedure where the soft tissue capsule that surrounds the shoulder joint is cut through to release the tension. Both these procedures may be combined.
You will need physical therapy following the surgery and recovery can take between six weeks and three months.
Nutritional recommendations.
If you have been reading my posts you will know that I advocate a diet comprising any fresh produce you like. Lots of vegetables, lean protein, healthy fats, fruit, fluids and dependent on age varying amounts of wholegrains.
I recommend if possible reducing the consumption of processed pre-prepared foods to about 20% which means that 80% is prepared from scratch.
The best food sources of amino acids are dairy products, eggs, fish, meat, soybeans, quinoa, nuts and seeds
Take in sufficient vitamin C in vegetables and fruit to improve your soft tissue health and collagen production.
If you live in the northern hemisphere and cannot get consistent exposure to sunshine between May and October, make sure that the foods that contain Vitamin D such as eggs broccoli, strawberries, nuts, avocado, dairy and particular Vitamin D3 in fish oils are part of your diet. This will up your intake of Vitamin E in certain foods which is essential for healthy collagen.
Vitamin D is one of the supplements that I recommend during the winter months that may make a difference to not just your soft tissue health but bones and immune system.
Keep hydrated.As we age are skin becomes dry on the surface but this also applies internally I drink a glass of coconut water every day with green and herbal teas and plenty of water. I find turmeric tea helpful for inflammation and for a reduction in pain and also drink chamomile which is calming and lemon and ginger to boost the immune system.
I am a qualified nutritional therapist with twenty years experience working with clients in Ireland and the UK as well as being a health consultant on radio in Spain. Although I write a lot of fiction, I actually wrote my first two books on health, the first one, Size Matters, a weight loss programme 20 years ago, based on my own weight loss of 154lbs. My first clinic was in Ireland, the Cronin Diet Advisory Centre and my second book, Just Food for Health was written as my client’s workbook. Since then I have written a men’s health manual, and anti-aging programme, articles for magazines and posts here on Smorgasbord.
As always delighted to get your feedback and questions. This is not intended to take the place of your doctor’s presence in your life. But, certainly in the UK, where you are allocated ten minutes for a consultation and time is of the essence; going in with some understanding of how your body works and is currently functioning can assist in making a correct diagnosis.
Some doctors believe that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. However, I believe that understanding our bodies, how it works, how we can help prevent health problems and knowing the language that doctors speak, makes a difference. Taking responsibility for our bodies health is the first step to staying well.
Thank you for dropping in today and I hope you have found useful.. thanks Sally.
What a wonderful way to start the day… Annika Perry has reviewed What’s in a Name Volume one and I would love it if you would head over to read.. thanks Sally
Shakespeare said it so well, didn’t he? Or did he?
“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet.”
Even as a sixteen-year-old studying ‘Romeo and Juliet’ I had quibbles with this assertion. Although I understood the particular references for this play, I felt, and still do, that our given names carry a certain ponderance. With our names we have a responsibility to our ancestors, to ourselves. Behind each there is a story.
With these thoughts swirling in my mind, I approached Sally Cronin’s book with deep interest. I couldn’t wait to read it. In these fictional short stories she explores the lives of twenty named individuals. This first volume which I’m reviewing here included names from ‘A’ to ‘J’. I was enthralled by the concept of the book, the names in alphabetical order, male and female.
Well, we are ten months into this Numerology thing. Do you think you have it mastered? All you need is a little more information compliments of the only month that IS a master.
Welcome to the 11th month, November!
Grab a cuppa and let’s do this…
As we have learned all year long, in NUMEROLOGY, ALL numbers are added down to the smallest number between 1 and 9. Then the vibrations of those numbers are interpreted to provide the PERSONAL ENERGY and UNIVERSAL ENERGY of whom or whatever. For instance, 15 breaks down as 1 + 5 = 6.
Sharp left turn here…
Of course, this is an exception to the rule and that exception is a MASTER NUMBER.
MASTER NUMBERS have a unique personality that identifies them on sight. They are the duplicate numbers! 11, 22, 33, 44, 55, 66, 77, 88 and 99 which are all MASTER NUMBERS.
Here we are dealing with the 11 of November. And while we will reduce it to a 2 for the sake of determining the PERSONAL and UNIVERSAL ENERGIES, it is always written as 11/2.
That way we have our reduced number while remembering the additional power of a MASTER NUMBER.
Imagine having the birthday, 11/11…
So, 2019 is a 3 UNIVERSAL ENERGY and we take that energy of staying in the present moment, integration and stating focused and add it to NOVEMBER’S 11/2 and it looks like this. 2 + 3 = 5. What? Where does the 11 go? We will use it for adding bling to the interpretation but not for determining the actual PERSONAL or UNIVERSAL ENERGIES.
The 2, is a balancing act of PERSONAL ENERGY for November. A time of keeping our lives in the balance, especially where our emotions are concerned. Now, the 5 from adding the 2 to the current year’s PERSONAL ENERGY, gives us a UNIVERSAL ENERGY of change, magic, and miracles. There are times when trying to balance all the changing going on around us without breaking down emotionally can be challenging.
Ah-ha! Enter the MASTER…
Now, we want the power of that 11 to take center stage. We do this by remembering we are spiritual beings having a physical experience and as such, we always have a power, higher than ourselves working with us side by side. We toss the stress our to the Universe and allow the guidance to light our path. Some say it’s more powerful to have two 1’s side by side. Others believe it’s a more enlightening time. You’ll have your own, unique experience, so enjoy it!
So, November is really a superhero…
Yes, yes, it is a superhero. People find strength they never knew they had and time they were sure didn’t exist. It is as though we have struggled through the shift from summer into autumn yet here is the comfort of November to that we can bring ourselves into balance in the highest of fashions.
Giving thanks…
To everyone who had read this monthly series. To everyone who has shared its contents. To Sally Cronin for offering me a platform. May November be a blessing for all. Remember, direct your Numerology questions to me at innerchildart (at) yahoo (dot) com.
A love of writing, began for Annette when she was but a small child. Of course, she gives all the credit to her parents, who read to her and her siblings from the moment they were born. Once in school, teachers took over the roles of main influencers, as they required the students to do a lot of (wait for it… wait for it…) WRITING!
Over the years, Annette has been blessed with having both hobbies and jobs that required her to write. This resulted in her winning the admiration of peers and industry professionals alike. Publication lead to awards, which provided even more encouragement and now, Annette Rochelle Aben is a #1 Best Selling Author!
These days, Annette writes poetry books, coaches others through the writing of their books, and edits articles for the digital magazine The Magic Happens.
Along the way, Annette found time to explore the worlds of Aroma Therapy, Astrology, Bach Flower Essences, Crystal Therapy, Feng Shui, Hypnotherapy, Music Therapy, Numerology, Reiki, and Tarot. Guided by her Angels as to what to study and with whom, Annette turned many of her studies into sideline businesses.
Annette Rochelle Aben has been a professional numerologist for over 20 years. She offers readings and instruction using numerology. Contact her at innerchildart (at) yahoo (dot) com.
About Think Tanka
Throughout time, the poet has used words to convey feelings, share ideas and unite the reader with their vision. Think Tanka uses the traditional structure of Japanese lyric poetry to unite the reader to the vision of the poet. if you can “see” what she is trying to “say” in every grouping of 31 syllables, then she has done her job. Think Tanka is a book for those who appreciate poetry, those who enjoy short reads, people who like to smile and those who know what it is like to be lost in a world of imagination. Whether you are buying this book for yourself or someone else, you’ll want to make sure you get an extra copy so you’ll have one on hand to share.
At the beginning of this beautiful little book, the author writes, “Tanka means short song.” That describes this book completely. Not only is it in alphabetical order according to topic titles, but it provides a daily reference for inspiration, a thought for the day, or a chuckle. The author touches on every topic from the deepest spiritual aspect of “Quiet & Space,” to the frolicking “Dance Machine.” There is a large dose of magic sprinkled throughout this book of Tanka. There is homage to our beautiful panet, Mother Earth and even a nod to our traditions. If you are looking for a book to make your day sparkle, you will enjoy the amazing Tanka from Annette Rochelle Aben!
It is Wednesday and almost Holloween and The Story Reading Ape has provided a mid-week pick ‘u’ up and a ‘get you in the mood’ for Halloween…Time to get your scary on….thanks Chris
Congratulations to Lucinda E.Clarke on the release of her latest book A Year in the Life of Leah Brand: A Psychological Thriller and for the terrific reviews it is already receiving.
About the book
Leah’s nightmare began the day the dog died.
A few years earlier a fatal car crash took the lives of Leah’s beloved husband and their two babies, leaving her disabled. Life looked bleak. She was approaching forty, unemployed, broke and desperate.
Then she met Mason. He was charming, charismatic, persuasive, and a successful businessman, well respected in the community. His teenage daughter did nothing to welcome Leah into the family, but life is never perfect.
Then, two years into her second marriage, Leah Brand’s world is turned upside down; inanimate objects in the house move, her clothes are left out for the rubbish collection, pieces of furniture change places, there are unexplained noises and hauntings.
As the disturbances increase, everyone accuses Leah of losing her mind. Soon she begins to doubt herself and she starts to spiral down into a world of insanity. Is she going mad, or is someone out to destroy her? And if so, why?
A gripping, psychological thriller for fans of Mary Higgins Clarke and Louise Jensen.
This author, Lucinda e. Clarke, writes great stories. Although this is not her usual genre, she sure knocked my socks off. This thriller begins slowly to gradually blow your mind, and to make you question how fragile one’s mind can become. Or is this not about the mind, but evil outside of her control?
I so enjoyed the beginning chapter. It was light, joyful, somewhat hilarious at times–then the laughing stopped. All her characters are fully fleshed out. I felt her protagonist’s struggles and doubts. Two other characters in this book, both female, came to life so fully, I was astonished at how one could describe a character as well as the author does, especially with the younger one.
The suspense builds up to a point where the reader is as confused as the protagonist. I imagined all kinds of things were occurring. Creepy is a mild word for the unexplained happenings in the main character’s home. Anyone would go mad with that kind of horror testing her day-after-day. Guessing throughout the book is fun, as thrillers always are, but this time I did not guess the ending. I finally met a ‘too clever’ conclusion.
It certainly is a story that held my attention, so I suggest you prepare your cup of coffee or tea, or maybe a cocktail? before you begin this book. You won’t want to put it down.
Lucinda E Clarke [not her real name] was born in Dublin, but has lived in 8 other countries to date. She wanted to write but was railroaded into teaching. She had a habit of “falling” into other careers, announcing on radio, then scriptwriting for radio and television. She has been a professional writer since 1986 winning over 20 awards for her work, including mayoral speeches, company profiles, drama documentaries, educational programmes for radio and television, adverts, news inserts, court videos, National Geographic, cookery programmes, to name but a few!
She lectured in scriptwriting, had her own column in various publications, and written for national magazines. She was commissioned for two educational books by Heinemann and Macmillan, and book reports for UNESCO and UNICEF.
She graduated into running her own video production company in South Africa.
Connect to Lucinda via her website and social media.
Christina Strigas is a Montreal, Greek-Canadian, who has self-published three novels. a trilogy based upon the real life of Zaharoula Sarakinis, a spiritual healer.
Smorgasbord Blog Magazine 