Smorgasbord Blogger Daily – Wednesday October 16th – Beetley Pete #Bookreview – Mary Smith #Afghanistan – Janet Gogerty #Essentials

This series is an opportunity to showcase posts from around our community and the brilliant bloggers who share with us. It would be amazing if you would follow the links to the post I have highlighted and whilst visiting follow and support the blogger.

The first post is from Pete Johnson – Beetley Pete with his review for Turncoat’s Drum by Nicholas Carter…

This title was ‘suggested’ to me by Amazon. It is set in a period I am interested in, and on offer at just 99 p for 377 pages, I thought it was good value too. This is book one in series of six, by the same author. It forms part of the ‘Shadow On The Crown’ set of novels, all set during the turbulent years of The English Civil War, from 1642-1651.

Like many similar books in the genre, it takes a series of real events, then peoples them with characters who actually existed, mixed in with fictional ones who mainly drive the plot. In this case, we see the effects of the Civil War in the Western sector of the conflict through the eyes of the opposing generals of the Royalist army, and the Parliamentary rebels seeking to overthrow the monarchy. Also individual soldiers and cavalrymen on both sides, as well as the officers and noblemen drawn to conflicting causes.

Head over and read the entire review and also follow the link to buy the book for only 99p currently: https://beetleypete.com/2019/10/14/book-review-turncoats-drum/

Get in touch with Pete and discover more about his writing – Blog: https://beetleypete.wordpress.com/ – Twitter: https://twitter.com/beetleypete

Time to catch up with the intrepid traveller author Mary Smith as she shares her journey into and through Afghanistan to reach the clinic she was going to be working in. It would have scared the ‘whatnot’ out of me…links to previous episodes at the bottom of Mary’s post.

Taking sheep to pasture

The additional weight of our armed guards made the bus even slower. I felt I could walk faster. Eventually, I dozed. The bus juddering to a stop jolted me awake. From outside I could hear yelling – it didn’t sound friendly. I peered through the window, spotting the tail end of a jeep blocking the road. Convinced we’d been ambushed, I turned to seek advice and comfort from Hussain only to discover he’d disappeared.

Before total panic paralysed me I heard his voice calling from the back of the bus, ‘Oh, Mudder, beroon beyee.’ (‘Oh, Mother, come outside.’) As I started to climb over the seat in front, thumping an unfortunate woman round the head with my bag, he called again, telling me to head for the back of the bus.

Changing direction, stumbling and staggering over bundles, tripping over shins and trampling on feet, I fought the terribly British urge to apologise to everyone I inadvertently assaulted in my scramble to the rear door. I paused. There were no steps. My exit became even less dignified as I launched myself into the arms of Moh’dullah, who deposited me swiftly on the ground. Hussain was by now beside himself with impatience. ‘Zoot! Zoot!’ he ordered. (‘Quickly! Quickly!)

Head over and enjoy the rest of this riveting post: https://marysmithsplace.wordpress.com/2019/10/12/marysmithsplace-travels-in-afghanistan-

Mary Smith, Buy: http://www.amazon.com/Mary-Smith/e/B001KCD4P0
Website: http://www.marysmith.co.uk/ – Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5239367.Mary_Smith

Please visit Amazon or Mary’s website to view all her books.

The final post today is from author Janet Gogerty with a look at ‘Getting out of the House’. I have to admit that we don’t do it often enough. We did go out yesterday and being so out of practice we forgot some of the essentials including an umbrella and a shopping bag. These days you almost need a checklist by the door.. But as Janet discovered, leaving the house in the USA requires even more diligence…..

Getting Out

One Saturday morning at 7am I got up and looked out of the bedroom window to see our next door neighbours standing across the road in their dressing gowns. I then noticed a fire engine standing outside their house. We had slept through the fire and the arrival of the fire brigade. A fire in their loft had prompted the hasty exit of three generations.

I sent Cyberspouse down in his dressing gown to bring them into our house, while I put some clothes and the kettle on. Over the next couple of hours, other branches of the family, who luckily lived close, arrived and we chatted more to all of them than we had since we lived there.

Head over and read the entire post and discover what is recommend for you to always take with you in the USA: https://tidalscribe.wordpress.com/2019/10/09/getting-out/

Buy Janet’s books: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Janet-Gogerty/e/B00A8FWDMU/ – Blog: https://tidalscribe.wordpress.com/ – Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Beachwriter/

Thank you for dropping in today and I hope you will head over and read the posts in full.. thanks Sally.