ABBA Disco Wonderland UK Club Tour Returns This September!

The ABBA Disco Wonderland returns to the UK this September for it's annual club tour!

Experience a night dedicated to one of the greatest pop bands of all time, ABBA. Mixed with incredible venue transformations which turn every space into a Disco Wonderland, you can expect the most magical club experience. Apart from ALL of ABBA's hits you can expect to hits Disco & Pop bangers mixed by resident DJ's ABBA Kadabra, DJ Bjorn Hub & DJ FABAULOUS.

Besides these fabulous resident DJ's you can expect live tribute bands, hosts & performers as well as incredible special FX.

The night is hitting 16 locations across the UK from September to October including London, Glasgow, Bristol, Coventry, Norwich,. plus many more!

Learn more information here: https://fixr.co/organiser/discowonderland

Back To School Book Sale - extra 10% off

Save on essential Back to School books and more besides!

• An extra 10% off in the Back to School sale

• Limited Edition Boxes for KS1 & KS2 – only £14.99 each (10 books inside)

• Books selected by their in-house teacher in ‘Teacher’s Picks’

• Parents unsure about books for their child can email teacherspicks@books2door.com for suggestions

As children head back to school ensuring they have their essential items is every parent's top priority, the more bargains that can be found, the better, obviously!

Online children’s retailer, Books2Door, have been busy finding different ways to make back to school books even more affordable including an extra 10% off in their sale.

Parents can also email their teacher (Jasleen) directly at teacherspicks@books2door.com with questions about which books are suitable for their child.

(Image courtesy of Steve Buissinne from Pixabay)

Aardvark Books the bookshop and café near the Welsh border

Aardvark Books is a unique bookshop and café which is situated in the Shropshire village of Brampton Bryan, which is near Bucknell. 

It's home is The Bookery, Manor Farm, the postcode is SY7 0DH. It's midway between Leintwardine and Knighton on the A4113 road. There is a Transport for Wales train service to Knighton which is approximately six miles away. You can book rail travel here https://tickets.trc.cymru

Opening hours are usually Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm, though some bank holiday Mondays they might be open, call them on 01547 530744 for details or to confirm.

There's free parking for coach parties, plus up to 50 cars, there's wheelchair accessibility and cyclists, walkers and dogs are welcome.

Bus services might be available check here for details  https://www.minsterleymotors.co.uk

Aardvark Books has in excess of 50,000 books in stock, from the latest releases to second-hand and rare titles.

Sections include cookery, history, non-fiction, books for children, art and much more besides. Books can also be bought on line, too.

Aardvark books is operated by Sheridan and Sarah Swinson who have been there for nearly two decades.

They also have the Aardvark Café at the very hub of the bookshop. With it's word-burning stove, a tempting range of hot drinks, soups, toasties and home-made cakes served on vintage bone china, it's an ideal place to rest a while after a day of book hunting. The ground floor is accessible for wheelchairs, there's wifi and it's dog-friendly. If you intend to turn up with a party of eight or more, please let them know in advance.

There's also a very special section of The Bookery called BookBurrow, which is an adventure for children of all ages.

They host a range of special events including car boot sales, art events and Christmas fairs.

https://www.aardvark-books.com

Leeds Libraries Unite for Festival

Books Up North

Home to in excess of fifty libraries, the city of Leeds has very good reason to celebrate the wide spectrum of support the information and knowledge sector offers its communities, businesses and public organisations. 

With libraries often forming health, academic, arts and heritage subgroups, the Libraries in Leeds network is a unique umbrella organisation in that the common feature of its members is their geographical location.

Not only does the city accommodate a thriving, vibrant public library service, the oldest surviving members’ Subscription Library, four universities and a Conservatoire, it's also the home of national records for DHSC, UKHSA and Royal Armouries. 

The British Library is also working towards establishing a permanent new site in Leeds city centre, powered by its existing site at Boston Spa, which is near Wetherby. Not forgetting the collections of regional and national importance preserved by the Morley team of the West Yorkshire Archive Service, librarians at the Henry Moore Institute and curators at the Thackray Museum of Medicine.

Over the past year the Libraries in Leeds network have been quietly supporting each other, sharing best practice, knowledge and information. This autumn is its first public festival. Everyone is warmly invited to learn, be inspired, get creative and have their say about the future of the public libraries in their own city.

With distinguished guests like Sue Williamson MBE, former director of libraries at Arts Council England, Emma Smith, who is Professor of Shakespeare Studies at the University of Oxford, and Dr Nick Barratt, genealogist and consultant researcher to the popular BBC series “Who Do You Think You Are?”, the talks programme is entertaining, relevant and very informative.

Chief Knowledge Officer for NHS Knowledge and Library Services and Chair of the CILIP Board of Trustees Sue Lacey Bryant will be there, discussing how to access reliable health information and highlighting the dangers of health misinformation. 

Also, taking place on Wednesday 6th will be a talk on the University of Leeds designated Cookery Collection, supplemented by a Cheese and Drinks reception close to the current exhibition “Becoming the Brontes” which will also be open to visitors.

From Monday 4th to Friday 8th September various libraries are offering a number of Backstage Tours, where people will be able to get a sense of a librarian’s working life at some of the city’s libraries and archives. And the launch of an exciting, unique exhibition will enable some of the city’s treasures to be viewed side by side in digital collection for the first time.

Saturday 9th September will be the day for families with a range of drop-in activities at the Central Library including the special screening of “I Believe in Unicorns”, a stage performance by Danyah Miller of Michael Morpurgo’s much loved story that celebrates the power of books and the sanctuary of libraries. 

Meanwhile at the Creatorspace at the University of Leeds families will be able to sign up to a two-hour ‘Get Creative’ session and enjoy seeing their ideas become reality. The festival events are either free or listed on Eventbrite as ‘Pay What You Decide’ to encourage maximum accessibility for everyone.

Not only is the purpose of the festival to raise awareness about the rich collection of resources that are based in Leeds, but the hope is also that local people will understand that the libraries are theirs to enjoy visiting and using. The Libraries in Leeds network’s website usefully highlights each member’s opening hours, visiting policy, contact details, location and a brief description of their offers.

As diversity, equality and inclusion are key to the sector’s continued success, Leeds Beckett University will be hosting an event during #Libraries Week on Thursday 5th October called “What’s it like to work in an academic library?” where a panel of employees from three of the city’s universities will be talking about their different roles and answering questions about their work.

“University of Leeds Libraries are proud to be part of and sponsor the inaugural Libraries in Leeds Festival. The festival celebrates the thriving libraries sector in the wonderful city of Leeds, highlighting the importance of libraries as critical social, knowledge, innovation, and cultural infrastructures. I look forward to our communities making the most of this festival and enjoying the wonderful collections and experiences that our sector offers,” said Masud Khokhar, University Librarian and Keeper of the Brotherton Collection, University of Leeds.

And Andrea Ellison, who is Chief Librarian of Leeds Libraries said "Libraries are pleased to have been one of the founding members of the Libraries in Leeds network. We value the opportunity that this vibrant and innovative network brings for our staff teams to meet and collaborate but also the opportunity through this festival to promote to residents and other stakeholders the rich diversity of the city’s library network.”

Sally Halper, Director of Research Services at the British Library said: “We're thrilled to be involved in the Libraries in Leeds Festival as we work towards deepening the British Library’s roots in Yorkshire and establishing a permanent new site in Leeds city centre. Libraries have a powerful unifying influence and we want to ensure as many people as possible, wherever they are, can discover and use the national collection and our services as part of the wider network of libraries and archives that make Leeds such a vibrant city.”

You can follow the latest developments on social media:

@Libs_in_Leeds

#lovelibraries

http://www.librariesinleeds.org

(Image courtesy of Lauren)

The Gruffalo named Britain’s most popular first read as nation celebrates National Book Lovers Day

As book lovers rejoice and join together on Wednesday for National Book Lovers Day, a new study has learned that the most popular first reads parents are picking up for their children today.

Commissioned by The Works, (EDITOR My favourite bookshop!) the survey discovered one in five parents are picking up Julia Donaldson books to read to their children for the very first time, with The Gruffalo leading the way as the most popular first read.

A number of classics featured on the list, including The Very Hungry Caterpillar which is still being enjoyed as a first read over 50 years on from its release. 

Also, the study also explored reading trends, uncovering that those parents who were introduced to reading later in their own childhoods, significantly more likely to read to their own children at a later stage in their development.

44% of parents read to children from birth

However, those parents who were late to reading themselves could be stunting their own child’s progression

As the nation celebrates National Book Lovers Day on Wednesday (August 9), a new study has unveiled The Gruffalo as the go-to book when it comes to reading to our children for the very first time.

The Survey, commissioned by The Works, aimed to uncover reading habits among parents and children and whether our own experiences of reading influences how we read to our children, as well as the top books we read to children today.

And the results proved overwhelmingly favourable towards Julia Donaldson titles, with The Gruffalo not only taking the crown as the number one read book to children, but with titles such as Zog and Room on the Broom also popular, a total of one in five children have a Donaldson book read to them as their very first story.

Donaldson books were joined by some old favourites, including The Very Hungry Caterpillar, which is still the second most popular first book read to children, despite being over 50-years-old, while the That’s Not My… series, written by Fiona Watt is the third most common set of books read to children as their first reads.

The full top 10 first books parents read to their children:

The Gruffalo

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

That’s Not My… 

Guess How Much I Love You

Peppa Pig

Spot 

The Tale of Peter Rabbit

Dear Zoo

Winnie the Pooh

Harry Potter

When it comes to the age in which we’re reading to our children, book lovers will be pleased to see 44% of parents pick up a book to engage their children in storytime from birth, with a further 27% of parents doing so from under the age of two.

But the study also revealed 10% of adults questioned for the survey don’t remember reading their first book until they were in secondary school, resulting in parents 20% less likely to read to their child under the age of two, while less than one in five parents that don’t recall reading until after the age of 12 will introduce reading to their own children from birth.

You can view the full study at: https://www.theworks.co.uk/theworks-blog/book-inspiration/the-first-book-we-remember.html

The Secrets of Life: From Big Bang to Trump

The Secrets of Life: From Big Bang to Trump is an amazing quartet of books by SS O'Connor.

He starts at the beginning, talking about the story of the theory of evolution, including why biologists talk about the 'gene-based theory' and the problems associated with DNA, how evolution works, especially considering how flawed DNA is, as a process?

He also raises some very interesting questions: How come genes, if they are merely a bunch of chemicals, can be so sophisticated?

Hoe come nothing good ever lasts forever? What has evolution allowed everything to develop a fatal weakness?

What's the point in parasites if they kill off their host?  Why does death exist? Why does reproduction cease when we become older?

What is it that makes different organisms help organisms of other species? What is it that makes organisms sacrifice themselves for others?

Natural selection. Is it enough to explain the theory of evolution?

If mankind did evolve from animals, how come humans are so different to everything else? How come after humankind only arrived on the scene after 99.995% of the existence of the Earth that mankind is now so totally dominant?

Mutations take generations to have any impact, why did humans manage to change in such a short period of time?

Humans trade. Why? How did this develop? 

Was an apple tree really the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden? 

What was the truth about the hunter-gatherer lifestyle? How violent were they?

China invented so many fantastic devices and concepts. If this was the case, what on earth went wrong?

It's believed that printing and reading changed our world. How did this happen? What took place as a result?

Learn about the mind-blowing and amazingly impactful ideas and theories of Adam Smith? Have you heard of Game Theory? If not, SS Connor will explain it all in a way that you can understand it.

If it's considered that humans are bad, why is everyone so obsessed with the concepts of trust, fairness and the care of others?

Would you reject free money? If so, why?

Life is like a game of poker. Well, is it? If so, why?

Have you read "Lord of the Flies?" If so, does it really explain human nature and human behaviour?

Is violence getting worse or not?

Are people becoming less moral? Or not?

How does capitalism work?

A reader has described the book as "As if I was sat round a table with three very good, intelligent friends, debating philosophy over a bottle or two of Merlot!"

There are four books in the series priced at £10.99 each and are published by the Otium Press.

They'll make an ideal Christmas present for the philosophically minded person in your life.

www.otiumpress.com 

Totnes community bookshop launches crowdfunding bid to secure its future

The stark warning is: “Too many independent, community minded shops are disappearing from our high streets."

Castle Books in Totnes, Devon, has launched a £135,000 crowd-funding campaign to acquire its premises at 4 Castle Street and to thus help secure the future of its community bookshop and outreach programmes.

With the building up for sale, and the shop’s lease coming to an end, the future of the historic and much-loved shop is in jeopardy. Now Castle Books’ dedicated team of volunteers are calling on book lovers from Totnes and around the world to support its campaign by visiting its crowd funding page, making a donation, and helping to spread the word on social media.

For over 50 years, readers, writers, and book collectors living in and visiting Totnes have made a beeline for the second-hand bookshop, located a few steps from the high street in the shadow of one of England’s best preserved Norman castles. 

The shop has changed hands just once in the past five decades, and since 2016 has been owned by a Community Interest Company (CIC). 

It is operated entirely through the good will of a its volunteers who also organise regular literary events for the wider community, including a monthly Book Group and Poetry Open Mic (without the mic!) There are no paid staff. All profits from book sales are channelled back into the local community to support local literary causes.

Among the beneficiaries are Totnes Library, which has received over £5,000 from the shop since 2021. The library staff have used this to help install a new ‘teen hub’, with the support of KEVICCs students, and to create a versatile and welcoming space for community groups and those seeking company and shelter during the energy and cost of living crisis. 

Eve Ashton, Centre Manager for Torbay Libraries commented: “We really can't thank Totnes Community Bookshop enough for their kindness and their generosity. The projects their funding has enabled have had such an impact on thousands of people, of all ages and backgrounds, who use the library.”

Another regular recipient is Grove School, Totnes, whose Headteacher Hilary Priest said: “The Totnes community bookshop at Castle Street has been a genuine and very real godsend to us over the years helping us to buy new books for our children. The donations they give have meant our children are really supported in their love of reading and their readiness for secondary school.”

The story of Castle Books began in 1969 when Belle Collard bought 4 Castle Street and opened Totnes’s first vegetarian and wholefood café. In 1972 Belle put a shelf of books in the upstairs dining area for her customers to enjoy. An advert described it as “The only restaurant in Devon where you can buy a first edition with your first course, and a print with your pudding.”

Gradually the books took over from the food and Belle began to put all her energies into buying and selling book stock. So much so, that in 1975 the restaurant gave way to ‘Collards Books’, filling all three floors of the building.

As Belle aged, she found climbing the stairs increasingly demanding and in 1991, aged 72, she took the decision to limit the shop to the ground floor where she continued working two or three days a week for another 20 years, with the help of some trusted volunteers.

When Belle sadly passed away on 15 September 2013, she bequeathed her entire stock of books to her volunteers who established a community interest company (CIC) to continue the shop’s operation. Her daughter Jennie, who inherited 4 Castle Street, generously granted the newly formed CIC a 10-year lease on the ground-floor shop before selling the building. And thus Castle Books was born.

Castle Books continues to be run by a 20-plus team of committed volunteers and is held in warm affection by both local customers and visitors to Totnes. The range, quality and affordability of the books are as notable as ever, with regular acquisitions backed by generous donations ensuring the stock is always fresh and always relevant.

“We recognise it's a big ask in these somewhat difficult times, but we want to do all we can to secure Belle’s legacy and keep Castle Books as a thriving literary and community hub for Totnes, hopefully for another 50 years!” said volunteer manager Francis Checkley. 

“Too many independent, community minded shops are disappearing from our high streets. Purchasing the fabric of the shop will allow us to secure our future for new, future generations of book lovers and ensure our community bookshop remains a vital part of Totnes’s heritage.”

Would you like to help secure a ‘happily ever after’ for Castle Books, its volunteers, and the community they serve? Then please visit the shop’s Crowdfunding page to donate and help spread the word via social media. 

“Customers from all corners of the world seek out (and stumble upon) Castle Books for our wonderful choice of books and friendly welcome. We’re sure many of them would be willing to contribute – if only they knew about our campaign,” said Francis.

https://www.castlebooks.org

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/save-castle-books-community-bookshop

That's Food and Drink: Baking Yesteryear by B. Dylan Hollis (Interview)

That's Food and Drink: Baking Yesteryear by B. Dylan Hollis (Interview): Baking Yesteryear by B. Dylan Hollis is a book that hold hundreds of (mainly) baking recipes from over the last 100 or so years, collated, t...

What We Don’t Know About Our Friends by L. Christie

This is a trilogy of stories from the past, present and future, exploring friendship, bereavement, identity, and AI.

“There’s a powerful sense of hope and positivity for the future in each of these stories.” – LoveReading ambassador review.

Meet me @

Whilst working at the reception of his local spa & beauty salon on the second anniversary of his best friend Sarah’s fatal accident, Kieron receives a mysterious phone call.

The Dialog Tree

Milton isn’t enjoying early retirement. His hopes of a rural idyll came partly true, but it’s not the same without his love. Milton had avoided the chatbots as Desiree wasn’t keen on a digital recreation unless Milton was the curator. Today, Milton is ready to take up the challenge, is he ready for the results?

Tia’s Inheritance

In an anonymous back alley in Zürich, 1847, Tia’s life is going nowhere fast. The daughter of a stage magician and Mer, the occasional supporting act, Tia’s life slowed when Mer went missing. When Tia receives a surprise marriage proposal her world is sent into a spin, then Mer returns.

Author L. Christie is based in England. They enjoy writing contemporary and historical fiction stories. They identify as neurodiverse and gender-fluid

"This is a new release for this collection, and this is the first time I've felt ready to share these stories on this scale" – L. Christie

Random facts:

• They are left-handed.

• They worked in partnership with the same Manchester Chamber of Commerce that the author J.K. Rowling worked for, when they worked for a joint venture organisation that included the Chamber.

• They are a decaff person. Although, they do like the odd 'proper' cup of coffee.

Pronouns: Them/they

Instagram: @lchristie.uk

Find out more via the author page at https://www.nextcreations.co.uk

PUBLICATION DETAILS

Publication date: 31 August 2023

Genres: Fiction, LGBTQ+, supernatural

Launch format: Amazon Kindle (Global)

Publisher: Next Creations

Preorder the digital edition via Amazon:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/What-Dont-Know-About-Friends-ebook

NEXT CREATIONS

Founded on meaningful, inclusive stories with relevance.

Eltham Lodge Where Perfection meets Convenience

Eltham Lodge Where Perfection meets Convenience is an absolutely sumptuous book by John H. Bunney.

Eltham Lodge is a stunning Grade 1 Listed Building which is said to be one the the best and finest surviving examples of Restoration architecture.

For almost a century it has been the home of The Royal Blackheath Golf Club, which is England's oldest golf club.

However, for some reason the long and diverse history and stories of the Lodge has been virtually ignored and neglected. The gifted and talented architect of the Lodge, Hugh May, had also suffered from neglect.

Author John H. Bunney has trawled libraries, collections and archives to ferret out fascinating details of the architect, the owners of the Lodge and its occupants, its architectural history and the growth and evolution of its truly stunning parkland setting.

The book is stunningly illustrated with photographs, paintings, etc and will be an excellent read for members of the club, golfing enthusiasts, those interested in the Eltham area and also those who are interested in Restoration architecture.

It's published by Impress at £40.00 in hardback. It's available on Amazon at about half price.

The Anglo-French Exchange

The Anglo-French Exchange is an absolutely stunning book by Dr. Allswell E.Eno.

It's described as an advanced English-French/French-English translation and grammar textbook. And it does exactly what it says on the tin!

It's a weighty volume of in excess of 730 pages.

It covers advanced French, how you can use it. You'll learn about meaning, ideas and inspiration, how to draw comparisons, expressing sequence, expressing preference, the expression of hopes, fears and outlook, plans and projects, expectations, foresight, preparation. 

How to express or deal with risks and challenges, anticipation, outcomes, results and turnout.

Success and failure, disappointment and how it should be expressed, crises and how to talk about it and deal with them.

Locutions and conjunctions. What they are and how to use them for emphasis.

How to deal with admission and concession.

Knowledge, recollection and conjecture. 

The expression of doubt and suspicion. 

Justification and rectitude and much, much more. 

It is exceptionally well formatted and very well laid out. 

It will help assist you to work toward complete command of the French language. It's certainly unlike any reference work that I have ever seen.

It deals with English and French at very advanced levels. There are copious and detail explanatory footnotes and notifications.

It's an absolutely vital book if you are looking to advance your French and English.

It's available in paperback and hardback paperback costs £20.00 from Amazon.

It's published by Bright Ink Publications. 

Urban Scarecrows

Urban Scarecrows is a terrifying novel from Jim Chambers.

This is an alternative history novel set in the immediate past. What if the Labour Party had won the election in 2019 and ushered in a genuinely radical socialist government?

A wealthy celebrity chef Dominic Green is a dedicated Labour Party activist, which harks back to his time growing up in a mining village. He is an enthusiastic backer of the new government, yet his Spanish wife Rosa isn't so sure.

However, rapidly the Labour Party's radical socialist government mutates and changes into a frightening and vicious totalitarian Marxist state and Dominic finds himself an unwilling spokesman for the opposition as his house is confiscated and he and Rosa are sent to live in a dingy, faded council flat.  

Children and young people are arrested, often on trumped up charges and taken away to mysterious re-education camps, including one of his own family members, and a brutal paramilitary force, the SNPS, enforce new, draconian and illegal laws and target Dominic as the government tags him as a terrorist, illegally incarcerating him with other dissidents. 

With the leader of the Conservative Party on the run hunted down as an enemy of the people, with Dominic himself illegally incarcerated and the Royal family spirited out of the country into exile in Canada and the UK declared a socialist republic and with Rosa fleeing the country for her homeland, what can Dominic do? And where is his other son? Is he a part of a secret resistance group, attempting to free the political prisoners?

And what is the meaning of the republican government's terror control tactic, Urban Scarecrowing?

And out of his circle of friends who, exactly, can Dominic trust? Will he ever see any of his family members again? Will the opposition succeed in taking down the illegal republic?

And what will the international community do as a result of the fact that Britain has become a dangerous and illegal Marxist state?

It's a extremely well-written book that is a terrifying look at a dystopian past and future.   

It's published by SilverWood Books at £12.99.

https://www.silverwoodbooks.co.uk.

Bobby and Bubba's Small Adventures

Bobby and Bubba's Small Adventures is a truly wonderful book about the big adventures of two fantastic canines, Bobby and Bubba Coombs who are two absolutely delightful British Bulldog brothers. Their human mum and dad are called Alexander and Michela and their human grandfather, Anthony Coombs was called upon to use his literary to write this charming canine autobiography. It is illustrated with a photograph but the main illustrations are some remarkably well-executed pieces of art by Adam Share. 

Readers (adults and children should the adults ever let this book out of their grasp!) will love to find out about what the brothers get up. The face that they own shooting jackets for the cold weather, that they spend their time between a lovely home in Chelsea and a big, rambling house in the Warwickshire countryside. They reveal that although they love the clean city streets they prefer the Warwickshire countryside as they need harnesses to keep them safe in London, but they have the opportunity to run free in the fields surrounding their Warwickshire home.

They have a special friend who is an elderly tramp called Alfie. The dogs have reason to believe that he lives on a bench not far from their home in Chelsea. The dogs? They thought the smells emanating from Alfie were interesting, but as for Michela, she wasn't so keen on his smells. Though she was pleased when he helped untangle the dogs.

Later on the dogs were able to return this act of mercy at least 100 fold, with the assistance of Alexander, a branch of Boots and a nearby Methodist Church.

There's more to the story of Bobby and Bubba and their new found friend, but you'll have to read the book to learn what it is.

There was an unexpected oracle wearing a Chelsea shirt, the trials and tribulations of COVID, the question if Bobby was a dunce or a genius, how the two loved sleeping, how they also loved eating and going out for walks, the mystery of cats, a deer made of old iron, constructed by an artist called Adam during the COVID lockdown, and what happened when a hard lesson had to be taught.

This book is ideal for parents, grandparents and for older siblings to read with young children.

It's published by SilverWood Books at £14.99 in paperback and £22.99 in hardback.

Author Anthony Coombs is a former MP, an avowed Aston Villa fan (up the Villa! says your reviewer) even though his father once owned Villa's rivals, Birmingham City. He's also a director of the board that runs the Birmingham Royal Ballet.

The Accidental Assassin

In the latest novel from author Maurice Perkins we read about a poor, deluded soul who is a bit of a loser,  somewhat hapless and who has morals that the charitable would describe as "questionable." 

Unfortunately he comes to the attention of someone who has no morals, questionable or otherwise, a man who is a ruthless serial killer.

The seedy underground community of society is unaware that they are being targeted and groomed for attention as part of a nationwide killing spree by a highly dangerous predator with a disturbingly kinky outlook.

But unbeknown to the killer, he is being doggedly tracked down by a skilled investigative journalist, a dedicated and skilled police detective who is nearing the end of his time with the police force, plus there's also an ambitious, young uniformed police officer who is involved in the case.

The Accidental Assassin is a somewhat dark comedy thriller that will have you laughing and cringing in equal measures as it races towards its thrilling climax.

It's available on Amazon as a Kindle book at £1.99, £15.00 hardcover or £7.00 in paperback.

The Logos Prophecy

The Logos Prophecy is an exciting, breathtaking novel from Martin Treanor.

Two people meet, by apparent chance. There's Ary Long, she is an actor, model and face double, who is heavily into conspiracy theories. And Jordon Burke who is heavily into science.

When they meet they find a symbol that is intriguing and bizarre and their lives will never be the same again.

They find themselves brought together by a strange and mysterious group and chased down by implacable and bitter foes as they race all over the world trying to seek out the origins of the mysterious, eldritch, ancient symbol.

But they also make some truly shocking and literally world shattering discoveries. Including the reality that lurks behind the existing world order and the arcane metaphysical wisdom known only as Logos.

There has been 13,000 years of exploitation of humanity. But that's fine. Because Ary and Jordon have three months to put everything right!

But who, exactly, are Ary and Jordon? Why are the Gnostic interested in them? And who are the Gnostics? And who is the enemy? Who can be trusted?

It's a wild ride of a book and is part one of the Fall of Ancients series. 

It's published by Fire Hornet Codex a DRPZ Publishing imprint. 

Mary and Her Seven Devils

In the novel Mary and Her Seven Devils we meet Mary Fleet, who is a very attractive young lady, intelligent, smart, serious, courageous, sensible and honest.

As a result she finds it relatively easy to navigate through the weird, delusional activities of many of her contemporaries. Despite it all she manages to become a right-minded and good-natured woman. She's confidant in her own self and has developed the ability to tell right from wrong and good from bad.

She manages to succeed in this despite working in the film world, which is not known for being "normal" for want of a better expression!

She's assisted and strengthened by her flat-mate and she has the backing of her loving but somewhat innocent mother and father. Her father is a Church of England Vicar, well-meaning but put upon by his parish officials.

Mary forms a band, attends university, and learns some hard lessons including that some people take the care out of caring, and that many of the people in the caring professions are corrupt, self-serving venal and some are even depraved.

This novel by Peter Morris is exceptionally well-written and is very readable.

It's published by Brown Dog Books at £13.00.

Brexit Unmasked

Brexit Unmasked is subtitled The memories of a nonagenarian and is written by Albert Kemp.

It's clear from the beginning of the book that Albert Kemp was avowedly pro-European union, even before that was an actual political reality.

We learn about Mr Kemp's attendance of a French language course at Strasbourg University, dining with, possible, Mormon missionaries on a train on the way to Paris, when he was a junior civil servant.

Albert Kemp also tells the story of his family, of his birth in October 1927 in the east London borough of Shoreditch. His family, he revealed was small and also politically aware.

He reveals the history of his family, how his uncle Jack, as a member of the Territorial Army from 1912, was mobilised immediately. 

His own father joined the army after he had made sure his family would be able to cope with his absence.

He had a supportive family although he didn't have a particularly close relationship with his older brother, due to the age gap between them.

His health was troubled by severe bacterial infections, having to spend two months in hospital and later was discovered to have tubercular cells in his lungs and scarring, spending time in a convalescence home in Folkstone for several weeks.

He later spent time at an open air school, seen at the time as important in the treatment of children who had experienced severe chest ailments.

We learn about his postwar experience in the army, his involvement in politics and his trenchant opinions on Brexit and related issues.

The book has several photographs which added some background to the book.

It's published by Brown Dog Books at £9.99.  

That's Food and Drink: For Father's Day: Single malt, shortbread and the ...

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In Search of Time. New book reveals a multi-dimensional perspective and analysis of time

In Search of Time, written by leading management consultant Jacob Dahl, reveals a multi-dimensional perspective and analysis of time, to give us a deeper understanding of its role and impact on our lives. 

By giving the reader a better understanding of time, the book offers ideas to manage and reduce unhealthy time practices in our society and in also our lives.

The word ‘time’ is the most used noun in the English language, followed by ‘year’ in third place and ‘day’ in fifth. This undoubtedly shows our obsession with time for a lot of very good and practical reasons, but also very unhealthy practices. 

Mastering time has been a crucial tool for the evolution of our modern civilization. However, it has also led to many bad habits, frustrations and inefficiencies both on a societal and individual level. We’re constantly driven by deadlines and goals for the future, rarely living consciously and mindfully in the present.

In Search Of Time presents time from ten different lenses ranging from physics, history, philosophy, anthropology to art, business and politics, biology and psychology. The author aims to bring us closer to nature and our experience of time by looking at it from different perspectives to improve our understanding of what time is and what it is not. He then encourages us to use that knowledge to improve how we organise ourselves around time and improve our lives.

Why did he write the book? “Humans have been puzzled by the concept of time for thousands of years, and a lot of books have been written about it. All time-related books, however, are looking at it through one narrow lens - be it physics, neuroscience, philosophy or something else. So far, no books have been dealing with time in a truly holistic way to honour the multifaceted nature of the topic - so I decided to write that book.”

Jacob Dahl is a Senior Partner Emeritus at McKinsey & Co, a board member and an investor. He has an MSc in Economics from Copenhagen University, and has worked as a management consultant for 26 years.

In Search of Time will be published on 24th November 2022, by LID Publishing.

www.lidpublishing.com

This book would make an excellent Christmas present for the person in your life who thinks about time.

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Nub TV - New Sky Show Pushing The Limits Of Paranormal TV

Here's some entertainment news for your information and entertainment. 

Series Two of Nub TV is coming to Sky TV Channel 186 (Ayozat) on Tuesdays at 9pm from 8th November!

The first series received rave reviews, plus a cult following and tens of thousands of viewers UK-wide for its bold, vital and honest approach to investigating the paranormal.

The I newspaper featured the series calling it: “a bizarre mix of music, conspiracies and the paranormal, pushing the boundaries of TV”

The Daily Star also called it “cult classic TV”

Besides featuring brilliant new music videos they interview their favourite UFO and paranormal experts about the weirdest subjects out there.

Guests include world leading UFO expert Nick Pope (former head of a British government UFO investigation project) plus actor John Altman (Eastenders’s Nick Cotton) talking about his own  ghostly experiences.

The show is presented by Mark Christopher Lee from indie band The Pocket Gods and Guy Thompson from electro pop band The Boy From Space.

More controversial moments in this series include a scene where Guy and Mark consider contacting the recently deceased Queen on a Ouija board!

Sizzle reel for the series: 

Highlights include:

Eastenders’s Nasty Nick (John Altman) talking about the night he stayed in a haunted hotel and woke up with his bed shaking furiously and an orb above floating above him opening up a portal to another dimension!

Ex UK MOD’s Nick Pope talks about the King Charles’s interest in UFO and the possibility of opening up the British X Files!

We also reveal the truth about TikTok time travellers, the English Bigfoot stalking Surrey’s Box Hill and chat with BAFTA award winning filmmaker David Rolfe who is convinced that the Turin Shroud is the real burial cloth of Jesus, and has issued a 1 million GBP challenge to be proved that it’s a fake!

Author Neil Nixon also chats about the UFO experiences both Elvis & John Lennon had.

We also chat with Matty Blake one of the stars of hit TV show The Curse Of Oak Island - the world’s longest treasure hunt who gives us the lowdown on the new series

Alongside that they'll have have music from Kick Pistol, Bycycle, The Pocket Gods, Determinated and John Altman!

Episode Guide:

Episode 1 - Haunted Houses - with guest actor John Altman

Episode 2 - First Contact - with guest UFO expert and ex MOD - Nick Pope

Episode 3 - The Turin Shroud Is Real -with guest BAFTA winning film-maker David Rolfe

Episode 4 - Weird Rock And Roll - with guest author Neil Nixon

Episode 5 - TikTok Time Travel - with guest Australian broadcaster - Plastic EP

Episode 6 - English Bigfoot - with guest Bigfoot researcher Andy McGrath

Episode 7 - The Curse Of Oak Island - with star of The Curse Of Oak Island Tv show - Matty Blake

Get more music from Amazon Prime

Amazon Prime members will enjoy an increase from 2 million on-demand to 100 million songs in shuffle mode, ad-free, and at no additional cost to their membership, either!

Prime members can also access the largest selection of ad-free top podcasts available, including those from Wondery, Crowd Network and The New York Times, and exclusive shows including Three Little Words, Built To Thrive and the MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories.

Amazon Music has expanded its offering for Prime members, bringing them a full catalogue of 100 million songs and the most top podcasts available ad-free,1 at no additional cost to their membership. With today’s news, Prime members can shuffle play any artist, album, or playlist, plus stream a selection of All-Access playlists on demand. Prime members can also access the largest catalogue of ad-free top podcasts, including the Amazon Exclusive shows Three Little Words, Built To Thrive and MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories. Prime members can get the Amazon Music app here to begin streaming.

“When Amazon Music first launched for Prime members, we offered an ad-free catalogue of 2 million songs, which was utterly unique for music streaming at that time,” said Steve Boom, VP of Amazon Music. 

“We continue to innovate on behalf of our customers, and to bring even more entertainment to Prime members, on top of the convenience and value they already enjoy. We can’t wait for members to experience not only a massively expanded catalogue of songs, but also the largest selection of ad-free top podcasts anywhere, at no additional cost to their membership.”

The most ad-free top podcasts, plus new exclusive shows

Starting now, Prime members can listen to the most top podcasts ad-free and on demand, including shows they already know and love from Crowd Network and The New York Times. Ad-free shows include the +44 Podcast, binge-worthy podcasts from Wondery including British Scandal, Who Killed Daphne, SmartLess, Morbid, My Favorite Murder and Even the Rich, and Amazon Exclusive shows including Three Little Words, Built To Thrive and the MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories.

www.amazon.co.uk

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Failed Redemption

Failed Redemption is a new novel from author R. A. Jordan's John England series of books.

At the beginning of the story we find John England living in the luxurious penthouse apartment at Peters  Tower, which was the 50 apartment tower block that had been constructed by his wife's family.  

He is living their with his new partner Fiona after the tragic death of John's wife and their children. John is in receipt of millions of Pounds in an inheritance. 

The Managing Director of Wall Holdings, Sandra Wall is under severe pressure to repay the bank at the time the financial crisis took place. So she had to borrow three million Pounds from Michael Fitzallen.

Moving on to current times John England has been subjected to several diverse attempts to recover the three million Pounds from a range of factions all involved with Fitzallen. However, Fitzallen is out of the loop as he is serving jail time the murder of Sandra.

But Fitzallen is only too aware that should he spend more than ten years in jail, he will have to forfeit the money. As a result he is more than willing to go to any lengths to recover what he still feels is his money.

John and Fiona are hiding out on a private yacht in the Mediterranean Sea. But now the Greek Secret Police have decided to become involved, adding more stress and tension to the situation.

Can John manage to find his way out of the constant cycle of threats and deaths? If so, how?

This is one hell of a wild ride of a read and is a fantastic addition to the John England Series of books.

It's published by Troubador at £9.99 and will make a fantastic Christmas present for the thriller novel lover in your life.

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Calibre Audio celebrates the contribution of its volunteers

Seven Calibre volunteers being presented with awards

"Calibre Audio is very passionate about being able to offer our free audiobooks to everyone who needs them and this would be impossible without our volunteers," said a spokesperson.

Calibre Audio, the nationwide charity that provides  free audiobooks for the print disabled, has marked the valuable contribution of its many volunteers with a thank you Garden Party at its offices near Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire recently.

Almost100 volunteer audiobook narrators, checkers and library staff from Buckinghamshire and across the country joined together, with many receiving awards for long service ranging from five years to in excess of 25 years. 

As well as enjoying a  buffet lunch, the volunteers heard an inspiring speech from renowned children’s Author, Bali Rai, who spoke of his passion for working with children who are reluctant to read and the importance of making books accessible for all. 

Karen Napier MBE, the CEO of The Reading Agency then outlined how audiobooks are uniquely accessible and are crucial to ensuring everyone has the chance to enjoy the health and wellbeing benefits that research shows are provided by reading.

The event also gave the charity the opportunity to recognise the particular contributions of some volunteers who were retiring, including Grace from Prestwood who was presented with a special lifetime award.

Grace is reluctantly hanging up her microphone at the age of 88 after volunteering as an audiobook narrator for 40 years. During this time, she recorded over 270 audiobooks which have been enjoyed by thousands of Calibre members with visual impairment, dyslexia and a range of other physical and neurological conditions.

Talking of her many years of volunteering, Grace said: “I've found my volunteering role to be hugely rewarding. All the staff at Calibre are always helpful, patient and a pleasure to deal with. 

"I've genuinely loved everything about being a volunteer narrator and would certainly encourage other people with good vocal skills to consider putting themselves forward. Bringing a book to life for someone who can’t do it for themselves really gives you a very special glow!”

Calibre Audio is a nationwide charity with a rapidly growing collection of over 14,000 audiobooks which are available totally free of charge to anyone who finds it difficult to read print. 

This could be because of a visual impairment, a physical or neurological condition, long COVID, or a learning difficulty like dyslexia. 

Calibre members can access the books via download or streaming or they can be posted to members’ homes on a USB stick.

Anthony Kemp, Calibre Audio's CEO said: “We 're thrilled to offer a massive thank you to our volunteers. 

"It's only through their skills and generosity that we’ve been able to continue to grow our collection of audiobooks so rapidly. We are passionate about being able to offer our free audiobooks to everyone who has need of them and this would be impossible without our volunteers.”

The charity is currently seeking out more volunteers to join its team. Ranging from narrators with voice skills, to those who love books and would like to run a book group for members and even people to help in the garden, as  there are a variety of different roles. 

Visit www.calibreaudio.org/support/volunteering to learn more.

(Picture of Seven Calibre volunteers being presented with awards by Karen Napier & Richard Balkwill, Calibre Chair of Trustees. Image courtesy of Calibre Audio) 

Best-selling author Matt Rogers reveals action thriller twist in new podcast

Matt Rogers

In a thrilling development, self-published author Matt Rogers is launching a new podcast that aims to probe a surprising plot twist in his own narrative.

At 24 years of age, Matt, a best-selling author, has forged an impressive and enviable burgeoning career: selling in excess of 1,000,000 copies of his 31 novels worldwide in just six years.

Matt’s ability to craft gripping action thrillers in rapid succession propelled him into the league of Australia’s top, best-selling authors. King and Slater, Jason King, Will Slater and Dante Jacoby are among the series for which Matt is best known by his loyal readers.

“I wanted to blur the lines of self-improvement and fiction,” explains Matt. “And to do that, I have started to embed life lessons within my action thriller novels.”

“Reading is more accessible than some think; it can be a pastime from which readers can be inspired and take away learning to apply in their own lives.”

“I believe fiction can teach us all lessons and I wanted to portray that in a book and then dive deeper into those lessons.”

Matt’s new podcast, Heroic Traits: A Best-Selling Author’s Guide, will explore themes of revelation and personal discovery via the lens of fictional storytelling.

Joined by host Billy Bentley, Matt discusses the confronting nature of the self-publishing industry, crafting an engaging protagonist, and how writers can learn from their critics to become successful authors.

During the first episode, Matt reveals how he blurred the lines between self-improvement and fiction in his new Dante Jacoby series. He speaks with Billy about his protagonist’s journey and how these lessons have connected with his own life and those of his readers.

Matt’s lifelong passion for writing turned from a hobby into a career when he released his first book at the age of 18.

“I wrote after school pretty much every day since primary school. So I had twelve years of writing experience before I produced my first self-published book. And I intend to write for as long as I live, even if there isn’t an audience!”

Matt draws inspiration for his books from the creative content he continuously and often subconsciously consumes.

“I voraciously read books, watch movies and TV shows which all get jumbled up in my head and allow me to come up with plots and characters on the fly,” he says.

The release date of Episode 1 is October 4th 2022

podcast@mattrogersbooks.com

mattrogersbooks.com

Martin Martin and the Death Express

Martin Martin and the Death Express is a new satirical action thriller by Sebastian Sullivan.

The book’s hero is Martin Martin, a mild-mannered youthful train manager who, after accidentally killing a passenger (as happens, sometimes!) finds himself involved in a Faustian pact with railway baron Silas March and his right-hand man, the murderous Mr Draconian. Draconian runs the Special Collections Unit, a paramilitary division of ultra-violent ex-ticket inspectors.

March became unaware that it is impossible for him to afford his franchise repayments to the government so formulated the idea to murder fare dodgers and other undesirable passengers, then stripping their funds via falsified wills and moving the money into a fake children’s charity.

Along the way, Martin blackmails a government minister, drowns a gangster in the toilet on a train and  narrowly evades death when a faded TV star tries to hurl him from a roof. 

Eventually Martin manages to trigger an international incident, thus making him a target for the world's espionage services.

The author, Sebastian Sullivan, is a train guard and has spent nearly two decades working in a variety of roles on Britain’s railways. 

Regular passengers on the Midland Mainline M1 corridor route between Sheffield and London St Pancras knew him affectionately as “Sebastian the train manager”, a reputation built on his witty onboard announcements warning passengers about “nefarious and downright shady behaviour” and advising them not to go to work but to go the pub instead. This has given him something of a cult following on social media. 

“The book is a love letter to staying up late as a kid with my older siblings and watching things on TV I shouldn’t have,” says the author from his Nottingham home.

“It nods to the world of Ian Fleming and John Le Carre, but it also has a violent satirical element reminiscent of writers like Chuck Palahniuk and Irvine Welsh. However, it’s forged in the great tradition of English satirists like Douglas Adams, Jasper Fforde and Tom Sharpe. 

The character of Martin Martin is that of a wide-eyed innocent surrounded by corruption and turpitude on all sides. I was inspired by the central characters in Ealing comedies like I’m Alright Jack and The Man in the White Suit as well as Evelyn Waugh’s Paul Pennyfeather. 

"To me there is something very English about the book. In addition, with the current cost of living crisis and currency crashes upon us, the book is very much about how we live now and our government’s paralysis to protect us from predatory capitalism.”

ISBN: 9781739661007

(paperback)

ISBN: 9781739661014

(E-PUB)

www.books2read.com/deathexpress

It's available on Amazon and via your local bookshops such as Waterstones and Foyles.

It looks to be an ideal Christmas gift for those who have a satirical sense of humour.