Smorgasbord Blogger Daily – Monday 12th April 2021 – #Anniversary Jessica Norrie, #Wisdom Staci Troilo, #Bookoffer Doug Parker, K.Lewis Adair

A small selection of posts I have enjoyed and hope you will head over to read in full.. thanks Sally.

The first post is from Jessica Norrie who is celebrating five years of blogging and shares some of the highlights along the way.

Five glorious years!

WordPress tells me I’m five this week! Not a message I expected to see when I wrote my tentative Welcome in 2016. Right now I’m very preoccupied by what’s best described as a Demanding Family Event so will keep this post brief (at last! you sigh). It’s a quick rundown of the posts you and I liked best every year. Thank you for travelling with me; do please revisit and return, and I’ll do my best still to be writing for you (and me) in 2026.

2016: My most popular post with (for me) a whopping 1,357 views obviously struck a chord with the teaching profession I was about to leave. Read my thoughts on teaching writing at Back to the Writing Bored. I haven’t changed my mind! But the post that pleased me most was The Great Amazon Dinner Party because my first novel The Infinity Pool had done so well. If Shakespeare had sat SATs was aimed at the same audience as the writing bored. I’m also pleased to reread my memories of a wonderful workshop with Professor Marina Warner at Dartington, which led eventually to The Magic Carpet. 

Head over to enjoy the rest of Jessica’s highlights over the last five years:
Jessica Norrie – Five Glorious Years

The next post is from Staci Troilo writing on Story Empire with some words of wisdom from two legendary figures… following a landmark birthday.

Words of Wisdom –  Staci Troilo

Ciao, amici! This will not be my usual post. I find myself being very introspective these days. Over the years, there are certain dates that take on different meanings to us. Days that used to mean nothing suddenly mark a happy occasion, like a baptism or anniversary. And days that used to mean something special we stop giving meaning to or try to forget.

As we get older, I’m not sure where our birthdays are supposed to fall. I know as a child, I wanted to grow older. I couldn’t wait to reach double digits. Then to be an official teen. Then sixteen, then eighteen. Twenty-one. By the time I reached a desirable age, time had speeded up and obligations had piled up and I wasn’t able to enjoy the age I wanted to be because it had already passed me by.

I turned 50 on April 4. My life is far different than I expected it to be. Hence a lot of the introspection.

So, today, instead of my donning my professor’s hat and imparting what little wisdom I’ve gleaned over the years, I thought I’d turn to two experts I share my birthday with who made more of their careers than I’ve managed to make of mine (so far). 

Head over to find out which legends Staci is sharing and their words of wisdom:
Story Empire – Words of Wisdom – Staci Troilo

Doug Parker has a FREE offer on his latest book until 17th April.  Rites of Passage: A contemporary fantasy action adventure. (The Rites Trilogy Book 1)

About the book

It’s a world full of magic…

…and ghosts aren’t supposed to be real.

Can two high school pariahs survive the path to adulthood?

Orphan Cassius is stuck with no girl, no car, and magic that breaks whenever he tries to use it.

His luck begins to turn when he sets his sights on righting an old wrong, but when a deeper evil is exposed it threatens the one person he holds dear.

Will their bond be strong enough to help them survive?

Can he master his magic?

And about that car…

You’ll love this fast-paced adventure, because of its captivating characters and thrilling twists.

Get it now! This is Book 1 of a 3-Book Novella Series.

An early review for the book

Ms. E. Smith 4.0 out of 5 stars Unique Magic  Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 February 2021

I really enjoyed this novella. The use of magic was unique and the characters were intriguing. I am definitely looking forward to reading more from this author, specifically about this story.  

Head over to download the book FREE: Amazon US – And: Amazon UK 

And the final post today is from K. Lewis Adair and it shares an offer on her ebook version of The Windmill that has recently been added to the shelves in the Cafe and Bookstore.

About the book

What is love at first sight? What do we mean by destiny? Are things sometimes just meant to be? And are there messages within our dreams?

Told through a lens of three snapshots in time that are connected by a ‘soul’s journey to reunite with past loves, K Lewis Adair’s astounding fiction debut, The Windmill, focuses on three people against a stunning historical backdrop. Both spiritual and historical, it is ideal for readers looking for an emotionally immersive read.

Virginia ‘Ginny’ Lewis Faulkner thinks her luck is in when she inherits a previously unknown property. Little does she know all that awaits her as she begins a genealogical investigation to discover more about her Great Aunt Florence Stanley, whom she and other family members have little knowledge of following her disappearance in war-torn Holland in 1940. But there are skeletons within the cupboard that were hidden for a reason…

One of the recent reviews for the book

Drew  5.0 out of 5 stars A real page turner…wants you wanting more  Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 6 February 2021

Well, that was a different read…and for good reasons. Was a real page turner and has left me thinking about what happens to our love when we pass, what might draw us to our partners and how we may sacrifice everything for love. This book has a lot of characters to engage with that at first seem distant from each other. However, the concept of connections pervades and the main character, Ginny, starts a voyage of discovery to link these connections and discover why she might have been left a house. What she finds is so much more…with more to come I suspect. It’s about friends, loves and tragedy. Set in three parts, the changes in time are marked on the chapter titles to help you keep on track with the fast-paced movements. I was interested in the use of historical information to drive the plot and engage with the characters. And I even found out some new things.

All in all, I’d recommend this book to anyone that wants to delve into a story and the subjects of who we meet, befriend and fall in love with during our lives. The Windmill is not a linear read in any sense, this makes it interesting and different for that. Twists and turns and clues, easy to miss if you skim through, help us the reader and the characters discover some of the answers.

A well-constructed book of substance, some moving sections with depth that will make you think and want more after you’ve finished.

Read the reviews and buy the ebook for 99p: Amazon UK –  And $1.36: Amazon US

Links to buy through Troubador can be found in this post:
The Windmill ebook special offer

 

Thanks for dropping in today and I hope you will head over to enjoy these posts and Doug Parker’s and K. Lewis Adair’s book offers.. thanks Sally.