Thursday Doors is a weekly feature allowing door lovers to come together to admire and share their favorite door photos from around the world. Feel free to join in on the fun by creating your own Thursday Doors post each week and then sharing your link in the comments below, anytime between 12:01 am Thursday morning and Saturday noon (North American eastern time).
Here are a few pictures of the doors at Hobbiton in New Zealand. I think they are so cute.
Jane Risdon began writing several years ago having had a successful career in the International Music Industry which has taken her all over the world working with everything from Rock, Thrash Metal, and R&B/Pop to Chinese Opera. Her work has taken her to North America, Europe, and Singapore: even to Taiwan.
She’s been involved in Music Production, Television, Radio, and Movies around the world.
In 2014 Jane signed a publishing contract with Headline Accent part of the Hachette group.
Her recent co-written novel with award-winning author Christina Jones is entitled ‘Only One Woman’ published by Headline Accent. Christina and Jane have a shared history of the 1960s and the music scene back then and have written a fictional story about two girls and a lead guitarist whose band is touring and recording in England when they meet. It is garnering rave 5* reviews from men and women.
Paperback: ISBN 9781783757312 Audio: ISBN 150037635 e-pub: ISBN 9781783757329
Jane has contributed to well over a dozen anthologies – some award-winning and others nominated for awards – as well as contributions to print and online magazines including The writing Magazine, and she has a regular series in The Writers and Readers’ Magazine. She is a regular blogger and guest author on blogs. She also appears regularly on internet radio online, such as The Authors Show, Brian Hammer Johnson Show, Chat and Spin Radio, and the virtual literary festival and library (video interview) on MYVLF.com
Her main focus remains on crime writing, however, she is a multi-genre author. She is working on a series of novels called ‘Ms. Birdsong Investigates’ centered around a glamorous ex MI5 Officer forced into early retirement, who is trying to keep a low profile in a rural village in Oxfordshire. Her past experiences come to the fore when she finds herself investigating a murder. Soon she finds herself back on old territory with Russian Mafia, Ukrainian People Traffickers and an old flame to deal with.
Jane hopes that this series of novels will be published in 2021.
Drop by Jane’s website and blog where she writes about her writing, entertains guest authors, and blogs about her ‘jollies,’ when she visits lots of interesting places, and she shares her photos and thoughts about her visits – she is an avid photographer and her blog is filled with lots of her photos. Visit her Amazon Author Page to find out more about her and her Facebook Author Page.
Cortés’ fleet wallows at the bottom of the ocean, and his army marches for Tenochtitlan. Aided by aggrieved vassals and rapacious soldiers, Cortés has assembled an army unlike any in all the One World. Even the Mexica, the undisputed overlords of the region, may not be able to best them on the field.
A shocking act of violence makes it clear, however, that conflict cannot be avoided. But is there an alternative to direct confrontation?
Motecuhzoma, leader of the Mexica Confederacy, thinks so. Ever one for creative solutions, he settles on a plan as devious as it is risky. If his approach succeeds, peace will prevail in the One World. If his approach fails, the Mexica will pay with blood. Filled with complex characters and soaring action, The Bend of the River returns readers to pre-Hispanic Mexico and offers gripping insight into one of the most famous military campaigns in all of history.
My review
The Bend of the River is the second book in this series about the Spanish conquest of Mexico in the 16th-century. It is not imperative to have read the first book in this series in order to enjoy this book, however, I would recommend it as the first book sets the scene for the events that take place in this second book. The Bend of the River starts with the ruthless and cunning, Hernan Cortés, leader of the Spanish invaders, setting out on the long march to the valley of Mexico and its capital city, Tenochtitlan.
The route is arduous and the Spaniards have to scale mountains, face frigid temperatures, and navigate rough terrain to reach the valley. They also need to overcome other vicious tribes intent on defending their territory. Cortés knows he needs to form alliances with these tribes in order to have any chance of overthrowing the Aztecs and their leader, Motecuhzoma II. His methods are shameful and make you cringe as a reader.
My dislike for Cortés and a few of his other leaders was far greater in this book than in the previous one as they used the most underhanded and devious of methods in their strategies, including rape, kidnapping, mass murder of innocents, and treachery. This book certainly put the Spanish invaders in a very bad light. The Aztec’s had some awful religious practices such as the mass sacrifice of humans to their gods and the enslaving of girls from conquered tribes into a life of prostitution, but they also had a well functioning and sophisticated society. They are portrayed as having certain morals and ethics in war which the Spaniards did not.
The author has clearly done extensive research into this period of time and the Aztec Empire and culture as well as that of the Spanish invaders and this leads to a fantastic book from a historical story point of view.
My criticism of this book is that there was no relief from the endless battling, blood, and gore. I found it a bit tedious towards the end and had tired of endless bloody scenes of death and destruction. It would have been nice if there had been a little relief from all the gore with some other descriptive distractions or a sub-plot. The author did tie up all the lose ends nicely and the book was well finished in a stand alone capacity.
If you enjoy a good historical novel and don’t mind a lot of battle scenes, then this book is an excellent choice.
Murder comes in 7 different genres. By 7 different authors. Are you a fan of courtroom drama? In the anthology’s first story, Abraham Lincoln defends a friend’s son against a charge of murder. For lovers of speculative fiction, Jason Fogg dissolves into mist to sneak through open windows and snoop for clues. How about a cozy? Jazzi, Jerod, and Ansel discover a dead body while renovating a kitchen, dining room, and half bath. Have a craving for a Regency? Lord Peregrine and his wife, Elizabeth, use their sharp minds and quick wit to solve a murder at a garden party. Need a bit of literary fiction? A young, lonely widow must deal with the theft of a valuable butterfly collection. And what about a little psychological horror? Twin sisters discover that their attic is haunted by not one, but two ghosts. Last, but never least, the anthology concludes with a historical mystery. A young, newly married knight is accused of murdering his obnoxious host at a holiday gathering in his castle.
My review
This anthology is a superb collection of seven short stories, all linked with a common murder mystery them, by seven excellent authors.
This collection was fun to read as all the stories approached the theme of murder mystery from a different angle including super hero fantasy, a variety of different historical eras, and some modern settings with an interesting and fresh twist.
Lincoln Uncovers the Real Story of How Preston Metzer Got Himself Kilt – a fascinating and well researched historical story involving a murder trial at which Lincoln defended the accused prior to his become president of the USA. The guilt or not of the accused is unknown throughout this intriguing story;
From the Files of Jason Fogg is an unusual take on a murder mystery story featuring a super hero of sorts as the main character. Jason Fogg has the ability to manifest himself as real fog and uses this ability to help him investigate difficult cases. I have read a few other books by C.S. Boyack and really enjoyed this character. I will be reading more books featuring Jason Fogg;
The Body in the Kitchen is an entertaining story about a trio of home renovators who are hired to renovate select rooms in a dilapidated mansion as part of a charity project. There are a number of other renovators and decorators involved in the project, all of whom have secrets, so when one of their number is discovered dead in a closet, there are plenty of suspects;
Murder at a Garden Party is a fun romp involving an Agatha Christie styled murder in the study of a mansion on the day of a garden party. All the well heeled and sophisticated guests have hidden agenda’s and any of them could be the murderer, which makes for an interesting investigation;
Swallowtail involves a woman from a disadvantaged background who has married well. Everything is fine in her life until her husband dies and some issues with his company come to light. How far would a person go to ensure the continuity of her lifestyle and position?
Within the Plum Attic is a captivating murder mystery story with paranormal and horror elements. Twin sisters move into an old and neglected mansion that their mother has had the good fortune to inherit. One sister is out-going and enjoys friends and socialising while the other is reserved and finds making friends difficult. The quiet one is dependent on the social sister. Unknow to them, a similar family scenario unfolded in the attic of the mansion with unfortunate consequences and the ghosts of these sisters from the past are stirring;
A Winter Reckoning is a well researched historical piece set in medieval times when Lords and Ladies lived in stone castles, women danced to the tune of the men, marriages were arranged for purposes of allegiances, and everyone complied with bidding of the king. Widowed Lady Lorraine is invited to a party by a powerful man who has designs on her. She is obligated to accept the invitation but, not wanting her hosts advances, she asks the son of one of her friends to accompany her as her protector. All of the guests have their own devious reasons for attending the party so when a murder takes place, all of them are suspects.
Murder They Wrote is an interesting and varied anthology including high quality and well written and researched stories.
Thursday Doors is a weekly feature allowing door lovers to come together to admire and share their favorite door photos from around the world. Feel free to join in on the fun by creating your own Thursday Doors post each week and then sharing your link in the comments below, anytime between 12:01 am Thursday morning and Saturday noon (North American eastern time).
Dan has featured gingerbread houses for Thursday’s doors this week so I thought I would follow in his footsteps and share pictures of some of my gingerbread, cake and chocolate houses.
WordCrafter is having a party today starting at 2pm MST.
Meet some of the contributing authors of three WordCrafter anthologies, who will be doing author takeovers, and will be available to engage and answer questions, including: Kaye Lynne Booth, Cynthia Vespia, Janet Garber, Margareth Stewart, Jeff Bowles, Jordan Elizabeth, Art Rosch and myself.
8 p.m. – Author Roberta Eaton Cheadle (5 a.m. Pretoria Central Time on 8 December)
8:30 p.m. – WordCrafter: Holiday Send Off
I have short stories in two of the WordCrafter anthologies, namely, Whispers of the Past and Spirits of the West. I am delighted to tell you that both of these books are now available as paperbacks:
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After completing the biggest case of his career, private detective Hank DeShear returns home to start treatment for a disabling genetic condition that could end his life, but he learns his partner on the prior case has just been murdered. Was he wrong to conclude the secretive killer known as The Greyhound had declared a truce? Or have disciples of The Greyhound surfaced to carry on with the murders? DeShear is able to attach himself to an overseas goodwill mission headed by the U. S. Vice President, enabling him to pursue leads in foreign hospitals he thinks could be offshoots of Angelus Genetics’ illegal organ harvesting programs and human trafficking operations. Determined to pursue the truth wherever it leads, DeShear must also keep a low profile so he doesn’t become the next murder victim—but the onset of his debilitating condition may kill DeShear before the murderer gets a chance. FANS OF ROBIN COOK, MICHAEL CRICHTON, AND AG RIDDLE WILL LOVE THE LATEST ADDITION TO THIS WELL-WRITTEN AND SUSPENSEFUL SERIES.
PRAISE FOR ROGUE ELEMENTS:
“WOW”
“Grabbed me right away and soon after got an actual “WOL” (WOW’D-Out-Loud)… seriously, I only stopped reading to feed the dogs and heat up a bowl of soup for myself. You’ve outdone yourself .”- Claire Nevins Reviews
“A MASTERFUL THRILLER”
“A riveting thriller by Dan Alatorre, the fast-paced plot is loaded with suspense, intrigue and chilling implications for the future of genetic research. I cannot wait for the next book in this spine-tingling series!” – J Barr Reviews
“ANOTHER WINNER”
“Another winner! 5 stars. What a surprise ending. Didn’t see that coming. Can’t wait for book 3. ” – Shirley Boerstler Review
My review
Rogue Elements is the second book in this series and I have read book 1. I am of the view that while it is nice to read the books in order as it gives you back story to the characters, it is not necessary to have read The Gamma Sequence to enjoy this book.
Rogue Elements gets off to an exciting start with private investigator, Hank DeShear, and his partner returning to the USA after the conclusion of their investigation in Indonesia. Hank is just about to start his life saving treatments to prevent the Gamma Sequence from triggering and killing him, when he gets a phone call saying that his partner has been brutally murdered on her way home from the airport. Hank believes that a killer called The Greyhound may not have died in Indonesia and may be the perpetrator of the murder. He prepares to leave for the murder scene having persuaded Maya, the lady who must administer his treatments, to accompany him and provide the treatments remotely. This is the start of another investigation which will take the pair to the United Kingdom and Hank on to Europe.
This is an exciting and fast paced book with plenty of intrigue and red herrings. There is lots of political intrigue with the Vice President of the USA once again offering to aid DeShear in the pursuit of his objectives and behind the political scenes corruption and profiteering. The genetic engineering premise in this book is well research and fresh, providing an exciting and horrifying new angle on this theme.
Who is the woman called Jaden Trinn and how does she fit in with possible further illegal activity by Angelus Genetics? I was pleased to see the introduction of a new strong willed and agile minded female character into this series and I also enjoyed the tiny flame of romance that seems to have ignited between Trinn and DeShear by the end of this book. Trinn is tough and clever with her own objectives and plans. She is loyal and determined and DeShear couldn’t have a better companion for this adventure.
DeShear lives up to his previous reputation of being a hero who allows nothing and no-one to stand in his way of saving innocent victims. It was an interesting twist to have him fighting a life threatening illness in this book and having moments of vulnerability and weakness.
If you enjoy exciting thrillers with a medical theme and strong and interesting characters, then this is the book for you.
Every story starts with a stranger in town or a journey. “Pa, we’re takin’ the wagon to Virginian City,” every story ends with “Golly gee, Wally. I thought we were goners.” True or False?
Tolstoy Said
“All great literature is one of two stories; a man goes on a journey or a stranger comes to town.”
Leo Tolstoy
I love Tolstoy’s stories, but do I agree with his observation?
I must be honest, when I first saw this prompt I had no idea what it was about. It was only after I visited Lela Markham’s post that I understood what the prompt was about. I copied the Tolstoy quote above out of Lela’s post which you can read here: https://aurorawatcherak.wordpress.com/2020/11/30/bring-on-the-tropes/
I realised the other day that all three of my books for older children and adults are about war and conflict of some kind or another. While the Bombs Fell is about a young child growing up in the small town of Bungay, East Anglia in the UK during WWII, Through the Nethergate is about a possible third world war incited through the use of targeted technology and the murder of leadership figures to stir up the masses, and my forthcoming book, A Ghost and His Gold, is about the Second Anglo Boer War in South Africa. I have recently started writing After the Bombs Fell, the sequel to While the Bombs Fell and this is about the end of WW2 and the aftermath of the war in Britain.
Hmmm! I definitely like reading, researching, and writing about war. When presented with the topic for this prompt, I gave it some thought, and realised that most war books fit into the ‘a stranger comes to town’ concept. In the case of a war, however, its not one stranger who comes knocking on the country’s door, but a whole army of them.
While the Bombs Fell features the German pilots and their bombing of London and other major cities in the UK, including Norwich, which is the closest city to Bungay. The little girl in the story [my mother] imagined Hitler as a wicked witch dressed all in black and knew that the German’s ate black bread. This made them strange and unfamiliar and increased her fear of them.
After the Bombs Fell continues to feature the German’s as invaders, but the strangers have evolved into faceless machines called Doodlebugs and V2 rockets. This book will also feature the Italian prisoners of war who occupied a camp at Flixton. Many of them worked on farms in East Anglia. The Italians were also ‘strangers’ in the eyes of the little English girl. They ate different foods, spoke differently, and had different customs. My mother remembers the Italian POW as being kindly and friendly.
Through the Nethergate has the stranger comes to town theme in the form of firstly, Hugh Bigod’s evil ghost, and then Lucifer coming into the lives of a variety of different characters in the book. This book also includes the concept of a man goes on a journey, as Margaret goes to a number of places, including hell, in this supernatural fantasy.
A Ghost and His Gold features both concepts too. Robert is the English soldier who is stationed in Mafeking in the Cape Colony when the war breaks out. He is a stranger to South Africa and an invader of the two Boer Republics. The other two ghosts, Pieter and Estelle, are both Afrikaners who were born in South Africa. As a result of the war, these two characters both end up going on journeys. The three ghosts are also strangers who enter the lives of the modern main characters, Michelle and Tom. The modern couple embark on a strange and horrifying journey to defeat the poltergeist, Estelle, and regain their normal lives.
Having analysed my stories in terms of these two concepts, I can see they both feature strongly in my books. They are not, however, the only types of stories I have read. I read a huge array of books and genres and there are a lot of stories that don’t fit into these two storylines. Romeo and Juliet, for example, doesn’t involve a stranger coming to town, all the characters know each other. I also doesn’t involve anyone going on a journey in the literal sense of the word. Unless one views first love as a journey. Memoirs and comedies also may, or may not, include these two storylines.
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![Undercover: Crime Shorts by [Jane Risdon]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61BBBkk8YtL.jpg)
![Murder They Wrote by [Judi Lynn, C.S. Boyack, Mae Clair, Kathleen Palm, Julia Donner, D.P. Reisig, Rachel Sherwood Roberts]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/512vQsU2jXL.jpg)
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