My home city of Birmingham, run by a Labour Council, has declared itself bankrupt. The Council leader has apologised to the city but has not resigned. This whole situation highlights the essential difference between the two opposing Parties. Labour has always seen itself as the ‘nice’ Party, championing those in need, and dubbing the Tories as ‘nasty’. The current Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer, is seen as a non-charismatic, middle of the road manager, dubbed ‘Mr Hindsight’ because he spends more time responding to the already-happened rather than proposing radical, innovative policies. Rishi Sunak, the PM (like every other country in the world) has the unenviable task of overseeing the inevitable economic fallout following the pandemic shut down of the whole country. But, as we rush headlong to the next General Election, what do we see? Labour is promising the earth, e.g. a childcare revolution but, like Birmingham City Council, has absolutely no idea of how they’re going to fund it. And the Tories, like accountants everywhere, are desperate to balance the books. As the ST put it, parodying Blair “things can only get bitter”.
11th September 2023
The G20 leaders are in India but their individual competence is a lottery. In the US, to stand for president requires lots of money. In the UK, anyone can choose to go into politics but with little assessment. The job of prime minister/president is the most important in the land, so it’s crucial we choose the right contenders. Nothing to do with personality, all to do with ability. Each election candidate should first be tested via a vigorous educational assessment, at least degree level attainment, including comprehensive, proven political knowledge not just of the candidate’s own country but globally too. Vocal skills and quick thinking should also be tested alongside a sound psychological assessment. These attributes should also be mandatory for each member of the leader’s Cabinet/team. The current Shadow Labour deputy leader in the UK has no school qualifications at all! She should not be allowed into politics. As a writer, I have written about the lead up to the last war in Germany, France, Poland, Austria and China, with another similar work in progress. So many past leaders were psychologically deranged, causing the deaths of millions. If we are to avoid another world war, we must choose more able leaders!
3rd September 2023
Tomorrow, it will be 54 years since I gave birth to our beautiful daughter. The 60’s teenage revolution was still in full swing. The Times They Were A’Changing, including my life. Elvis, The Rolling Stones and Marvin Gaye were in the charts, and there I was with a beautiful baby to nurture. There was no Google to consult in those days, nor extensive family support to advise and guide me, just a local welfare clinic. Yet, over those crucial early years of motherhood, somehow I survived. At four years old, when she first came home from infants’ school with a tin containing words to learn, I helped and guided her, glorying with her as she successively over-achieved at every stage. At 10, a year early, she passed for the exclusive King Edwards High School, followed at 18 by acceptance to read languages at St Andrews University. Today she’s Vice President of a big insurance company on Park Avenue, New York, and was a recent finalist in New England’s Funniest Comedian contest. Still over-achieving. I am a very proud mother. Happy Birthday Julie.
27th August 2023
Here in the UK there’s been a high-profile case about a young nurse who’s been convicted of killing seven new-borns, over a 4 year period, on the neo-natal unit of a Chester hospital. It wasn’t so much about the baby deaths - terrible as those were - but of how the hospital managers supported the nurse over the whole period. At one point, they even forced the accusing doctors to send her a letter of apology for their evidential accusations, and to offer the nurse a better job in a top children’s hospital in London. The crux of the matter is that there’s a culture in our hospitals and other top institutions of protecting their integrity and reputation at all costs. Looking back at my own life, I’ve noticed the same protectionism in many of my former workplaces but especially our universities. Nothing must rock the boat of the establishment! Something needs to be done to bring out the truth in this world, despite the opinions of those in exalted positions, who strive to sustain their own positions no matter what. Feel a book coming on….
20th August 2023
Did you read about that elderly couple’s nightmare with budget airline Ryanair? It’s a symptom of today’s digital world. The airline’s booking system was so complicated, the couple downloaded the return boarding pass by mistake. At check in, the airline said unless they paid £110, staff wouldn’t print their correct outward boarding pass! But at least the couple had managed the rest of the online booking system. It made me think of my late brother who never learned IT, didn’t possess a laptop or mobile phone, or even possess any credit or debit cards. How would he have got on in today’s world where human interractions (like physical banks, train ticket offices, etc) are being phased out? So many film franchises today - I’m thinking Game of Thrones, Avatar etc - and practically every TV ad have cartoon-like people and childish voiceovers - all aimed at the young. So, as hinted at last week, I decided to write my 14th book, but this time from the point of view of a very old person. There are a lot of us out there, a neglected commodity. Time to redress the balance.
13th August 2023
Watching the Lionnesses overcome all odds to win their game against Columbia yesterday, I thought how young they all were. Youth is such a fleeting thing. Tomorrow, a fitter plans to arrive chez nous to take up our small landing carpet and replace it with Karndean flooring. The carpet had been irretrievably stained by our old dogs and, despite my valiant efforts with a sure-fire mix of bicarb and white vinegar, the wet stains were now too ingrained to be removed. The fitter is an amazing 73, benefitting from decades of work experience, and still working. As a writer, it made me realise there was one topic that, in my previous 14 books, I hadn’t yet covered: a story from the perspective of someone very old. I’m one chapter in so far, my old head buzzing with ideas. So, to all you young people out there, remember the words of Charles Aznavour. Yesterday When I Was Young, the taste of life was sweet as rain among my tongue. I treated life as if it were a game and never saw the emptiness beyond…… So, young footballers everywhere. Enjoy your successes while you can. Here today, gone tomorrow. Come On England!
6th August 2023
When I started writing Pensioners in Paradis, the opening pages centred on a typical English shopping street, with its mix of vehicles and hordes of shoppers providing a pot pourri of life itself. Today, there have been so many essential urban infrastructure changes in the name of climate change, our local and city centre shopping streets are unrecognisable. Side roads deliberately blocked off, access impeded and vehicle owners hounded out of existence - effectively causing all those lovely department stores and small shops to close due to lack of shoppers. What they have done is channel shoppers away from the wonderful shopping experiences of yesteryear towards the anodyne anonymity of lonely, online purchases. No joy, no shopping pleasure, just functional ordering/receiving - ironically adding yet more delivery vans onto our closed off roads. Take a look at all the happy shoppers in this photo of Birmingham city centre in the ‘50s. Please can we go back? Simple really. Stop emission zones (which only push traffic jams to another nearby road), reduce shop business rates to encourage more traders, restore easy access and provide ample nearby free parking for shoppers. Only then can we all really live again. Voila!
30th July 2023
When we moved back to the UK in 2017, the house we bought was necessarily purchased off-plan (whilst we were still in France), so its exact location in the Birmingham area was a fluke. However, in light of this week’s findings by climate scientists, its location is perfect. A new study, published on Tuesday in the Journal Nature, has found that the Atlantic Gulf Stream might collapse by 2025! The previously-warm waters could not only plunge the UK and the US eastern seaboard into another ice-age, it would cause sea levels to rise alarmingly. There’s no doubt that climate change is happening, just like 2.4 million years ago when the earth’s climate repeatedly changed between very cold periods and very warm periods - just as it’s predicted now. But man wasn’t around all that time ago, so it must have been caused by a regular global shift. Back in the ‘50s I remember much colder winters, very heavy pollution and smog. Today the air is noticeably much cleaner here, yet ironically we are told it’s much worse. And me, the innate pessimist? I’m breathing a sigh of relief. Our house is on high ground (away from flood risk) and in the Midlands - far away from sea surges. And the fluctuating temperatures? Central heating and air-con. Sorted.
23rd July 2023
Fifty-six years ago today, we got married. In 1967 the world was a very different place. As a girl I wasn’t expected to go to university and was encouraged to learn shorthand and typing so that I could go into the traditional role of secretary to a man. Later, I followed all the ‘rules’: when we got married very young, as normal, I was expected to leave work, then save for a deposit on a house, then have the ‘correct’ number of children - two. Back then, no-one would have dreamt of changing that order, and woe betide any girl getting pregnant outside of marriage. Such girls were shunned by society and even by their own family. How different life is today for women. Yesterday’s Women’s World Cup symbolised the remarkable change in society’s attitudes. They even wear the same kit as male footballers. All sports should follow their dress code, especially beach volleyball! They’re not there to look pretty but as sportswomen.So, today, no longer must women follow ‘traditional’, subservient roles to men. It’s a lifetime away from the now-dated mindsets of 1967 - and, as a female writer in 2023, I’m grateful. But, another 4 years and we get a card from the King - some traditions die hard!
Sunday 16th July 2023
My first large book-signing event yesterday was certainly an experience. Birmingham’s iconic Council House was fabulous inside, all marble floors, sweeping staircases and expensive artwork on the walls. In the banqueting suite, all was prepared for the 60+ writers in attendance.
There were free refreshments available. Even doughnuts to tempt us! And we all had a goodie bag. I particularly liked the wooden fan - to go with my Shanghai book. Later, there were genre sessions, celebs and music bands, a pub gathering and barge trip. Thank you to all the organisers who worked so hard.
Today at 12 noon, I’m being interviewed by the lovely Lee Benson. The hour long show, including my choice of music, will be broadcast today on ‘Listen With Lee’ on Black Country Xtra. Below are the links to listen to it live, and to listen to it over the next 7 days.
9th July 2023
On the 15th I’ll be one of a multitude of authors from all over the country at a prestigious Book Event, in aid of Dementia UK, in the Banqueting Suite of Birmingham’s Council House. Despite being born in the city, I don’t recall ever setting foot inside this magnificent building.
As if that’s not enough, the following day, the 16th, I’ll be Lee Benson’s guest on his Black Country Xtra radio show. I was invited to go to Lee’s home in Halesowen to record the programme. It was fascinating to see how it’s all done. To whet your appetite, his show ‘Listen With Lee’ is a bit like the BBC’s Desert Island Discs in that Lee asked me questions, interspersed with my choice of music. Anyone who knows me will guess that there won’t be any punk or garage music; rather, it will be a selection of older melodies which fit what I’ll be talking about. The show will be an hour long, broadcast at 12 noon UK time on the 16th, but also available on your ipad for the following 7 days. Hope you enjoy it.
Thirdly, this week I’ve self-published the revised sequel to Pensioners in Paradis. It’s called Paranoid in Paradis. For all those who enjoyed the former, you can read the first few pages of the sequel by clicking the icon on the right.
2nd July 2023
25th June 2023
18th June 2023
High summer and we’re in sunny Bournemouth.
A group of us travelled down by coach from Birmingham, staying in a friendly hotel for the weekend. I like the fact that someone else has done all the organising so for once I can relax. The pre-planning was the usual panic trying to remember where I put the Kwells for the journey. After days of sweltering heat in Birmingham, Bournemouth’s a bit cloudy but still warm. Last Sunday I did a live video session on FB’s Fiction Cafe book club. It started at 8 pm. At 7.55 pm, after darkening skies, an enormous lightening storm began, plunging the conservatory where I was waiting to ‘go on stage’ in gloom. Fortunately, it didn’t affect the internet, but my voice had to compete with a full-blown orchestral weather symphony. How did my video session go? Well, there was certainly thunderous applause all around. And Bournemouth? Very nice. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Good company and welcoming hosts. Trying to pack - can't understand why things that fitted on the outward journey, just don't now. Life is always a puzzle.
11th June 2023
A few months ago, I read that those who believe they suffered after having the Covid jab, could claim damages from the NHS under its Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme. Despite the fact that no-one yet knows what causes Bell’s Palsy, I decided to apply. The forms I needed to complete were extensive, testing my memory banks to the extreme. I wonder how many of you remember all the ailments you’ve had throughout your life, plus the exact dates and names of treating medical practitioners! When you think I had to trawl back to pre-NHS days, you’ll get the picture. Anyway, yesterday I received the results of my application, a document covering 15 pages. The basis of my claim concerned the Pfizer jab because I contracted Bell’s Palsy two weeks afterwards. So, the result? “The independent medical assessor has informed us that, in their opinion and in all probability, your Bell’s Palsy is likely to have been caused by the Pfizer vaccination…. However, the resulting disablement from the vaccine is not the 60% as required by the Vaccine Damages Payment Act 1979….” So, no payment for me, as expected, but the exercise has been very useful as it’s the first time a medical practitioner has decided what caused it. Trouble is, now it’s in my bloodstream…….
Thursday 8th June 2023
Thank you to everyone who’s bought The Mandarin Seeds. Below are snapshots from Amazon’s US site. The best ranking I’ve ever had. But I know these things are fleeting, so I’ll enjoy them while I can…..so speaks the lifelong pessimist!
4th June 2023
Friday 2nd June 2023
After the full release of The Mandarin Seeds, I was delighted to see it appear on Amazon’s US site as #1 in its category for Hot New Releases. We should all emulate the wonderful, real life, hero in my novel by ‘doing the right thing’. Have you read it yet? Simply click on the icon on the right and it will take you to the Amazon buy page. Still only £0.99/$1.24, or FREE on Kindle Unlimited.
28th May 2023
21st May 2023
14th May 2023
You are but seeds of fortune, strewn eastwards by an unlikely Mandarin, towards the South China Seas. May you flourish and germinate in your new earth.
An epic story crossing three continents.
From the terror of pre-war Vienna to Shanghai and finally to post-war San Francisco, this is a saga full of fight against adversity. Added to this is a touch of romance and absolute, real-life, heroism.
In 1935 Vienna, the demi-monde enjoy the delights of the Grünberger patisserie. Eva and boyfriend Michael love dancing in the illicit American jazz clubs but Nazi terror is rising. Soon, the desperate situation for the Jewish civilians of Vienna forces Eva to try to leave, but where can she go?
Step forward an unlikely, real-life, Chinese hero called Ho Feng Shan, who miraculously helps Eva, her father and showgirl Marta to obtain visas for Shanghai. But, as Marta plans to seduce real-life Shanghai businessman Victor Sassoon, how is shy Eva coping in a totally unfamiliar world of sampans and rickshaws?
And what has happened to brave Michael, left behind in Nazi-controlled Vienna?
Cross continents to an electrifying and surprising ending in post-war San Francisco
To give this novel a flying start, the ebook is only £0.99 (paperbacks available next month), which won’t be debited until 30.5.23. It’s also FREE on KU. Here’s the pre-order/buy link: https://tinyurl.com/mua598r4
I look forward to reading your review on Amazon in due course. Hope you like it!
Thursday 11th May 2023
Age is an indefinable thing. It keeps on adding to the memory banks like musical chords to a symphony.
Cast your mind back to the 1940s and delve back to that post-war age of rationing, deprivation and community spirit.
Swiftly move through the decades, using the music of the time to remind you of a lost world, where common attitudes to everything from clothes, childcare and respect for authority were all subtly changing.
Sing along to the backdrop of past melodies and what life was like in a major English city through the decades.
Let the narrative show that life is a symphony.
Enjoy!
The ebook is available right now via this international buy link: mybook.to/Age, where you can take an exclusive peek at the first few pages. Just click on the book image on the right.
Only £1.99/or equivalent where you live.
Hope you like it. Write your review on its Amazon page in due course. Thank you.
7th May 2023
At last, a day of national celebration the whole world envied. ..
30th April 2023
I am the same age as the State of Israel and the NHS. Last Wednesday, the former celebrated Yom Haatzmaut, Israeli Independence Day. In the ancient land of Canaan, ca 1200 BCE, each of the 12 Israelite tribes settled a different region on either side of the Jordan river. All but 2 tribes were expulsed. This week independence day celebrations took place across Israel. On Mount Herzl, 12 candles were lit, symbolising the 12 tribes of Israel by 12 citizens. As far as the NHS is concerned, on 5th July the NHS will mark its 75th by “showcasing the best of its achievements”. The current NHS strife is caused by two main things: i) an over-large population, which is living longer, coupled with ever-increasing, expensive drugs and technology - meaning that Bevan’s wonderful 1948 idea can no longer cope alongside outdated systems and management; and ii) the shutting-down of the country 2+ years ago, creating such economic mayhem and inflation that unions think it can all be fixed by enormous pay rises. And me? How did I celebrate my significant birthday a few months ago? Not at all. I was ill. No cards/presents and I sat at home.
23rd April 2023
St. George’s Day - when we should be celebrating all that is good about England. Trouble is, the English keep running the country down. I’ve never seen anywhere else with the same attitude. When I was writing An Englishwoman in America (mybook.to/Ed2anenglishwoman), the contrast was enormous. The first thing every US child is taught is allegiance to the flag, the Stars and Stripes freely flying from buildings and homes. So, what’s wrong with the English? There are so many things we should be proud of: our world-class armed services, the NHS, our King, Prince William, our ceremonial excellence, the Red Arrows, Cadbury’s chocolate, our humour, etc. But these days there’s the irrational feeling, especially by those on the political left, that to overtly support England is somehow ‘unpatriotic’ and paradoxically ‘UnBritish’! And yet, in the US, JFK was very patriotic yet centre-left Democrat! So, if Americans on both sides of the political spectrum can love their country, why can’t the English? As JFK used to say: “..ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” So, when the emergency alert sounds at 15.00h today, let it remind ourselves that whatever your politics or faith, be proud of being English.
16th April 2023
I’d searched far and wide for a UK spa treatment to realign my facial muscles after Bell’s Palsy, but didn’t find what I was looking for. All seemed to cater for young people or the super fit, with treadmills, bikes etc. I don’t look good in Lycra! And the advertised prices were for one afternoon, per person. When I multiplied that by 2 people for 7 days, it was so dear that we decided to look further afield. At last, the perfect place, but an inconvenient time. Decision? Our health was more important. A very talented masseuse used warm Indian oils - a practice a thousand years old - concentrating on each side of my face and the back of my head and neck, whilst soothing Indian music lulled me into a trance-like state. (Afterwards, my oiled hair made me look like Ken Dodd!). OH had deep tissue treatment in the same room, with panoramic sea views. So, where did we go to find the perfect spa plus temperatures of 33C? Politically and monetarily it’s in Europe, but not geographically! Answer below. Here are some photos to give you a clue (the 3rd one was the view from our hotel room). And my face? Well, I was never gonna look like Penelope Cruz, but my eyebrows are at last in line - for now at least.
Answer: Lanzarote.
2nd April 2023
Last night huge flames from a neighbour’s garden bonfire were as high as our roof, embers on our fence and trees, but what did our Council/police/firemen do? Nothing. Elsewhere, our suburbs have been narrowed out of existence. Previously thriving shopping streets are now ghost towns, their customers prevented from getting anywhere near. Non-electric vehicles have been outlawed. Parking, even if you can find a spot, is a joke. Meters are being replaced by apps, causing mayhem. Twice now, parking in the same spot and paying by app, we returned to see a yellow penalty notice stating “you haven’t displayed a parking voucher on the windscreen.” The app company had wrongly recorded the street around the corner as our parking position, so the Council parking attendant thought we hadn’t paid! Each blames the other. Electric vehicles too are a problem. Because charging them can take hours, a van driver left his vehicle charging overnight only to find the following morning that he’d been charged(!) with overstaying at the charging point. How are already-overladen power stations going to cope with all the extra demand? You’ll need a second mortgage to replace the battery, and your life’s at risk if you end up in a river. City life today. We’re all in deep water.
26th March 2023
Aux barricades! The French are revolting - so the King’s visit has been postponed. Over the 12 years we lived in France, the French were always protesting about something. Phrases like gilets jaune have become commonplace. In many ways I found the French to have a sense of personal entitlement far exceeding that of the ‘lowly’ English. Along with the excellent French health system, their amazing carte vitale having personalised medical history encryption, their pension system is generous. Many French retirees receive 50% of their working salary. Claude, our erstwhile French neighbour in 2005, was able to take full retirement at the age of 55 from his job as an electrician with the EDF service, on two very generous state and occupational pensions. He lived the life of Riley, installing an indoor pool in his bungalow. Every day we saw him pootling around on his top of the range ride-on mower. But now, his countrymen are protesting loudly that, for entirely sensible economic reasons, Macron is moving the retirement age goalposts. So our King must wait. Otherwise, like past French royalty, he would be sent to the Bastille. Allons enfants de la patrie…
To read more about our tumultuous life with the French: mybook.to/Ed2paradis
19th March 2023
It’s Mothering Sunday today in the UK. Such a lot has happened since first I became a mother, but the greatest change has been the rise of IT. Whole new social rules have sprung up. I can tell immediately the likely age of an email sender by the use of punctuation, spelling and correct grammar! And woe betide an emailer using capital letters - anger personified. My biggest email worry is not noticing a huge mistake until after I’ve sent it. Once sent it’s too late. Forwarding can be useful, especially with attachments but, as I’ve learnt to my cost, always check before sending that there’s not something incriminating underneath! But even with fixed phone lines, there’ve also been social changes. These days, only old people seem to use them. When I was young, our first fixed line was a party-line, but no parties were ever arranged thereby. It was strictly for serious matters only. In fact, on the few occasions it rang, someone surely must have died. Ironically, today’s young people feel the same, but for different reasons. All their social interractions are via the ubiquitous cell phone, used on the go outside, even risking life and limb whilst crossing the road. Heaven forbid that, if killed by so doing, the family fixed line at home should actually ring with the dire news. To mothers everywhere, enjoy your day.
12th March 2023
5th March 2023
Life today is difficult. Yes, I know that home comforts have increased by leaps and bounds since the 1950s. And just look at how wonderful it is to be able to ‘Whatsapp’ with our adult children living in the US, as we did yesterday. But despite all of this, I still sigh. Some say that my generation has lived through more technological change over the past 50 years than anyone before. And, I admit to being grateful that iphone cameras weren’t around in my teens to incriminate me now! But today it’s the lack of courtesy and consideration for others which gets me down, good manners clearly not taught by parents or schools any more. Old people are rarely offered a seat on public transport, bags often occupying places for passengers, and in the literary world, if agents or publishers aren’t interested in your long-prepared submission, no response is sent at all. Some years ago I was walking home from work, wandering a little on the pavement through tiredness, when a jogger suddenly zoomed past me from behind, screaming at me to get out of the way! And don’t start me on road rage. When did good manners fly out of the window? These days, in the cut and thrust of modern living, everyone has their own agenda, stabbing in the back anyone who gets in their way. My message to them? Wait until you’re old.
26th February 2023
Been busy writing two very different genres: the fourth in my mid-grade series, and an adult non-fiction historical book set in my home city. Both require me to write about what I know, but my brain needs to constantly code-switch between the two styles. So, to relax, I turn to more excellent TV drama and watching my football team. This week I’ve been binge-watching BBC corrupt-cop crime drama, Better. And what a nice surprise to see Anton Lesser. His performance in this is superb. What an actor! He’s not only well-respected and Shakespearian-trained, but from my home city, Birmingham. I remember him well from when we both appeared on stage in local am-dram. As a writer, I use as much material as possible, especially for the Birmingham-based non-fiction book, so Anton could well feature as well as Aston Villa history. Meantime, I’m just 8 weeks away from the launch of The Mandarin Seeds, ed 2. And I’m delighted to have secured a cover byline from my friend Paul A Mendelson, the BAFTA-nominated screenwriter and author. Have also been asked to be interviewed soon by Lee Benson on his local radio show “Listen with Lee”, on Black Country Xtra. Meantime, I’m waiting to see what lovely Nikki from SpellBound Books comes up with for the imminent new cover design. Watch this space…
19th February 2023
Authors always say ‘write about what you know.’ It’s called witting testimony - recounting from actual, real-life events and memories, rather than research materials. But, when I watch today’s TV programmes set in times that I grew up in, I instantly spot the errors. It’s all too obvious when scriptwriters are too young to know the language and mindsets of ordinary people in the period they’re trying to reconstruct. I was watching the TV comedy Funny Lady, starring Gemma Atherton. As soon as I saw it was set in the 1960s, I knew they’d get things wrong. Great attention was paid to things like typewriters, cars, and furniture, but the language used was wrong. When I worked in a foundry in the 60s, amongst working class men, I never heard the F word, nor open talk about intimate things, yet Funny Lady was riddled with it as standard. And, although the background music was correct, they failed to show that there was a big divide in the 60s between what the teenagers and older people listened to. And in Call The Midwife, set in a similar time period, why does one of the lead nurses wear so much make-up? In the 60s, a woman looking like that would have been labelled a tart! Similarly on today’s book covers set in that era. Research sources, unfortunately, rarely include witting testimony - vital for true life realism. They should’ve asked me!
12th February 2023
In 1990, I was doing some filing in my top-floor office, when the drawer started to shake alarmingly. A minor earthquake, probably caused by old underground mines. But this week’s devastation in Turkey and Syria is another story. Mr Erdogan says “it’s part of destiny’s plan”, but is it? For 80 years Turkish law has required all buildings to have high quality concrete, reinforced with steel bars, but no-one checks. Experts say that if all regulations had been followed, many lives would have been saved. For 24 years Turkish citizens have had to pay an earthquake tax, bringing in £4billion, but no-one knows where this money has gone. Government changes have meant that the country’s armed forces were prevented from responding this week. Devastated roads hindered international rescue efforts whilst thousands lay dying. We can’t stop earthquakes but we can improve our preparation and reaction. In such zones, all buildings must be made quake-proof, built on stilts if necessary. But there’s nothing like natural disasters to show the utter futility of most man-made wars. It’s at times like this that politics must be forgotten so that all men can help one another in times of need. Our hearts go out to everyone caught up in this terrible tragedy.
5th February 2023
29th January 2023
Friday’s International Holocaust Memorial Day was marked by the murder of 7 leaving a synagogue in E.Jerusalem. In Gaza, the murders were celebrated with fireworks and the handing out of sweets. What sort of people would do this? Unfortunately, all Arab nations bring up their children to hate and attack Jewish people, so perpetuating the longest racism in living history. If those living in Gaza stopped attacking Israel, there would be peace. If Israel stopped defending itself, it would be wiped out. A century ago, there was a thriving Jewish population in N. African countries, living harmoniously with their neighbours, but they were forcefully ejected. Today there are none. Why no global outcry? In 1948 Balfour guaranteed a two state solution, Israel and Jordan. No-one criticises Jordan's 'right to exist'. Israel and its full capital Jerusalem existed 4,000 years ago, 2000 years before the birth of Islam. There has never been a nation called Palestine - it is the name of the whole area from Jordan to the Mediterranean. The people currently living in Gaza largely migrated there from Jordan. Proper education for all is needed in Gaza urgently. It's about time the long-suffering Jewish people were left to live in peace in their tiny, historic land. It's long overdue.
22nd January 2023
Dunoon Assassin (India and Scotland)
The Meleke Stone (France and Israel)
Lamplight (WWII Germany)
Vichyssoise (WWII France)
The Mazurek Express (WWII Poland)
Sci Fi Thriller
Project Kabala (England and Israel)
Thrillers for ages 9-14+, set in international locations
Ruby and The Ancient Temple of Petra (Jordan).
Tina and The Colosseum of Rome (Italy)
Saffron and The Taj Mahal (India)
(Four more in the series to come)
15th January 2023
Yesterday, a seven year old girl was shot in London, caught in the cross fire from a passing car. When, a few weeks ago, we heard that a six year old Virginia boy shot his teacher at an elementary school, we all thought that couldn’t happen here. Gun crime in the UK’s a thing of the past, isn’t it? Statistics show we normally only have 0.4 such crimes per 100,000 people, compared to 4 in the US, so what’s going on? When I wrote An Englishwoman in America, I included a chapter about gun laws in each country. After the Pilgrim fathers landed and brought over some of Britain’s old practices, we gradually modernised our gun laws, whilst the US essentially enshrined them in their ‘right to bear arms’ constitution. In the book I argue that men, consumed by testosterone, will always get inflamed by the many injustices in life. Therefore, it’s vital at such times that there must never be an accessible lethal weapon available, ever. A punch on the nose, however bloody, means that the victim gets up again to live another day. But for children to also be involved? My message to every country in the world: ban the manufacture and sale of all guns immediately, and provide an anonymous depository for existing weapons.
8th January 2023
A new year. The news is still full of the ‘wrong’ people blackmailing the country, crying about how hard done by they are, ignoring the millions who say nothing at all: the disabled and those on less than the minimum wage. Meanwhile, the ‘wrong’ books, written by ghostwriters, get worldwide publicity at the expense of excellent real writers earning a pittance. So, turning away from all that, I’m focusing on trying to recover from my 2nd bout of Bell’s Palsy. It’s infuriating that no-one knows what causes it so I’m trying an experiment. In the sales I picked up a large glass liquidiser. Glass is best to take hot liquids. Each day, instead of cereal, I blend whichever fresh fruits are available, e.g. banana, blueberries, kiwi, with natural yogurt (avoid low fat substitutes), and drink as a smoothie. Dinner (always with added turmeric and garlic) is better for you if eaten in the middle of the day. Each evening I make soup. Carrots here are very cheap (45p for a large bag.) Boil the carrots, a potato and a litre of chicken or veg stock, for 30 mins. Cool. Whiz in liquidiser with a handful of coriander. Makes at least 4 bowls. Excess can be frozen. Don’t know if it will speed up my recovery/aid my resistance to nerve inflamation in the future, but it all tastes great and is not made by a ghost cook. Just me.
