Tempus Fugit

And suddenly, my baby is 18.

It's a strange feeling. Looking at my daughter and realising she is, in fact, a fully-grown adult about to leave home. My daughter spent her 18th birthday with the obligatory lockdown 'party' - five friends shivering in the garden sitting two metres apart sipping Passionfruit Martinis. Not quite the mad celebration she imagined. But the grace and stoicism with which she accepted it made me proud.

It seems only ten minutes ago that she was a baby. My husband and I brought her home from hospital, carfully wrapped up against the cold. We nicknamed her 'Beanie' because she was like a little bean, all curled up. We deposited her in the middle of the sofa surrounded by pillows and looked down at her sleeping face. Both of us were thinking the same thing: "Now what?"

As the years unfolded we experienced the joy of her first words, her first steps, her first bike ride. We taught her how to read, brush her teeth, tie her own shoelaces. And we learned things too: her elbows dislocated freakishly easily and headlice are buggers to get rid of.

As she got older, the lessons changed. Don't drink too much, don't stay out too late, wear a coat or you'll catch your death. Who are you with? Isn't that skirt a bit short?! She accused me of nagging when I got upset that she wasn't home when she said she'd be, or when I wouldn't let her go to parties in London till the early hours with strangers. She thought I was paranoid when I demanded to know where she was at all times so I knew she was okay.

Teenagers think they're immortal, don't they?!

She taught me and her dad things too. She's funny. She's smart. She's fundamentally a fair and decent person. She and her fellow youths are determined to make a better world. They fiercely believe in equality and opportunity for all. And they're willing to demand change if things aren't right. My daughter, like many of the younger generation, is a firm believer that governments have to do more to halt global warming and she often went on marches and signed petitions. I know protests arent limited to young folk but honestly, to see her and her compatriots take to the streets made me hopeful that the world is in good hands.

Like every other A-level student in the UK, she completed her teacher-led assessments under the cloud of lockdown. Now we have to wait to see if she has the grades she needs to go to Manchester University, the place she's set her heart on. Wherever she goes, I know she'll be okay.

Being a parent has been a steep learning curve for me and my husband. And now, as she stands on the cusp of her future, we'll have to learn one more thing. How to manage without her.

She's ready to fly and we can only stand back and wish her a brilliant journey.

Virtual Reality

I don't know about you but I'm finding the constant zoom calls and video conferencing exhausting.

Silly, isn't it? It's hardly manual labour. But a lot of my work has moved online and there's something about spending hours speaking to people 'virtually' that leaves me jaded.

And it's not just work, of course. These days, internet is the only way to see friends and family. And yes, you can make it more fun with a cocktail or two... but it's not the same. Even talking to loved ones on a zoom screen can leave you exhausted.

And I'm not alone. Apparently 'zoom fatigue' is a thing, and it's something to do with having to focus on one small space for a prolonged period of time. Normally in a work meeting we'd be doodling or checking emails or having a side conversation with a colleague. But now we're all sitting in front of a screen hoping our other halves or our cat doesn't make an unexpected appearance in the background.

Sometimes I feel as though I'm glued to my laptop. When I'm not talking to it, I'm writing on it. I've managed to produce a novella, a short sequel to my urban fantasy Mark of the Djinn. It's called The Prince and his Thief and it's available to order now on Amazon. Check it out by clicking here.

I have two more virtual conferences this week and I'm strongly tempted to superimpose a virtual background for them just to liven things up. I have the TARDIS and the Liberator from Blake's Seven. What do you think? I reckon that might combat my zoom fatigue a little!

So what do you find hardest about online working? The lack of social interaction? The fact that your home is now your workspace? The extended screen time? Comment below, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Delayed Reaction

In 2001, I went on my honeymoon to Capri off the coast of Italy. In a sea cave known as the Blue Grotto, I nearly drowned.

I had swum inside the cave to find a young man treading water. He had been unable to find his way out  (the cave exit was beneath the waterline) and he was tired and in distress. In his panic, he tried to grab me and use me to keep him afloat. But of course his weight simply pushed us both under. 

I remember the air leaving my lungs and the strength leaving my limbs. The only reason I found the energy to break free was because I knew it would be horribly embarrassing to die three days into married life.

Luckily my husband was outside the cave and he was able to send in some life jackets to rescue the young man. At the time, when I’d recovered my composure, I just filed it away as a funny story to tell at dinner parties and put the whole thing to the back of my mind.

Or so I thought.

Several months later my husband and I were in Australia on a scuba-diving trip. We hadn’t dived for ages and I was really looking forward to it. We’re both qualified; in fact I’m a certified PADI Rescue diver.

But as soon as we entered the water, I panicked. The waves splashed against my mask, and I felt my chest close up. I couldn’t breathe, and I had to abandon the dive and get back on the boat.

What happened? It was a delayed reaction from my near-drowning months earlier in Capri. Something that I had laughed off as a strange experience suddenly resurfaced in the most dramatic way, and it was some time before I could dive again without hyperventilating.

The point of this story is that things can affect us even when we think they haven’t. And as we approach 2021, we need to be aware of the long-term impact of the coronavirus pandemic on our mental health.

Lockdown, social distancing, isolation – all have taken their toll. According to the president of the Royal College of Psychiatry, the coronavirus pandemic is the biggest hit to mental health since World War 2. And according to the charity MIND, there’s been a 15 per cent increase in urgent referrals of people suffering mental health crises since March. Even when the pandemic is done, many of us may continue to feel the effects for a while longer

So my New Year’s resolution is to take more time to check with my loved ones on how they're really doing. To not automatically accept their ‘fine, thanks’ at face value. And above all, to let people know it’s okay not to be okay. Because sometimes we aren’t, and we shouldn’t try to dismiss it.

 I’m also going to try and read more books. I see on Goodreads people reading 200, 300, 400 books in a year. I mean, how are you doing it? Do you speed read? Have you got ten books on the go at any one time? How do you concentrate? With that kind of laser focus, shouldn’t you be breaking codes for national intelligence or something?

 Anyway, for readers in the US, there's a fab competition running right now for fans of Mortal Instruments.  

If you love Cassandra Clare, Shadowhunters, urban fantasy or paranormal romance, click on the picture or https://bit.ly/3rFv4ac for a chance to win gifts and books including a box set of ”The Mortal Instruments” Series, a hardcover copy of ”The Shadowhunter’s Codex”, a paperback copy of ”From Blood and Ash” by Jennifer L. Armentrout, & a $20 Amazon Gift Card. Closing date is January 5^th  2021 at 11.45pm UTC.

 I hope you all managed to have a decent Christmas, despite the obvious limitations. And I hope 2021 will bring us some respite from the COVID crisis. In the words of Nina Simone, we’re all hoping it’s going to be a new dawn, a new day, a new life, and we’ll be feeling good.

Happy New Year, everyone!

December Tidings

 'Tis the season of good cheer. Not that we've had much to cheer about in 2020, have we? But now with news of one or more coronavirus vaccines on the horizon, next year is already promising to be better.

For my readers, I have a gift. The first book in my paranormal romance duology, Kingdom of Salt, is free to all from December 2nd to 5th inclusive. If you like fantasy kingdoms, feisty heroines, smouldering guys and slow-burn romance you can download your ebook by clicking on the cover.

AND as an added bonus, the sequel Realm of Sirens is now available to order. Click below to be taken to your local Amazon site. It has a good old Happy Ever After, which I think we all need more of right now.

It took me longer than expected to get the sequel out, I'll be honest. It was harder to be creative with all that's been going on. Not just coronavirus - I've also been hooked by the US Election. Whatever you think of Trump's presidency, it's never been short of drama, has it?!

I've also been watching a lot of Netflix. Some great series are on right now - The Queen's Gambit was a favourite, and I'm part way through the second season of The Mandalorian. I'm also enjoying Star Trek Discovery. Star Trek is one of those series that has managed to constantly reinvent itself, both on TV and on the big screen. 

I suspect reinvention is what a lot of us will be doing next year. How we work, how we shop, how we learn, how we spend our leisure time. Let's hope 2021 is a better year for all of us.

Happy Christmas, everyone!

It's Aliiiive!

 

I love October. Starbucks breaks out the Pumpkin Spice Latte, the lawn is covered in a red-gold carpet of leaves, and the spooky-shaped chocolate goes on sale in time for Hallowe'en.

I'm guessing Hallowe'en is going to be a little different this year. No door-to-door trick or treating, which is a shame as the whole coronavirus-mask aesthetic really lends itself to Hallowe'en. Scream, Mike Myers, Jason - all fabulous horror movies where the chills are intensified because the slasher is wearing a mask.

What's your favourite horror movie? Comment below. When I was little I loved the old classic Hammer Horrors, featuring the likes of Dracula, Wolf Man and Frankenstein's Monster. 

Then in the eighties, as a teenager, Freddy from Nightmare On Elm Street scared the bejesus out of me. 

These days, wolves and vampires are way sexier. Even Frankenstein's monster got a makeover in 2014 when he was played by the easy-on-the-eye Aaron Eckhart. 

So in the spirit of monsters-who-aren't-really-evil, here's a selections of books in Kindle Unlimited to prepare you for Hallowe'en. Vampires, wolves, dragons, demons, witches, you name it. And if you're not in KU, most of them are the price of a Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte with whipped cream! Click below for the bundle.

Happy Hallowe'en!

Genie Magic

 

My latest book is available for pre-order on Amazon! 

Mark of the Djinn is an urban fantasy romance chock full of magic and adventure, inspired by the stories of Aladdin and the Arabian Nights. It features Samira, a snarky pickpocket who has a strange ability to control the air, making her a super talented thief. And her nemesis Dhav, Prince of Ashfahaan, who doesn't trust her one bit but has to work with her to stop an ancient enemy from returning.

Prince of Persia meets Indiana Jones with a big splash of romantic tension - suitable for young adults and above.

Mark of the Djinn is scheduled for release on 31st August. But my newsletter subscribers can get their hands on a FREE review copy before then.

If you haven't already, please sign up to my newsletter for reviews/samples/giveaways. The form is at the bottom of the blog post, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Djinn or djinni, as any fantasy aficionado knows, is another word for 'genie'. They entered our lexicon with the popularity of tales from One Thousand And One Nights, also known as the Arabian Nights, which gave us the likes of Aladdin and Sinbad. 

Everyone will be familiar with the big blue genie from Disney's Aladdin, voiced by the late great Robin Williams. But who remembers these other magical lamp and bottle dwellers?

'Shazzan' was an American animated TV series that ran 1967-68. Shazzan was a genie who helped two kids who flew around on a magic camel. As you do.

'I Dream of Jeannie' was a romantic comedy series starring the gorgeous Barbara Eden as the eponymous Jeannie, a 2000 year old genie, and her master, an astronaut played by Larry Hagman. It ran for five seasons on NBC as a rival to ABC's Bewitched. Countless  arguments have been had about who would win a magical battle - Jeannie or Samantha?!

And my favourite...

This was my staple Saturday morning TV treat in the early seventies. Little known fact: the voice of Corey, the kid who finds Jeannie's bottle, was provided by Mark Hamill (AKA Luke Skywalker) in his first voice-acting job.

My genie is a little more sassy and streetwise than the ones above, but the inspiration for her obviously comes from my childhood! 

Mark of the Djinn is available for pre-order now. Click here to grab your copy. Thanks for your support!

Magical Beasts

Why do we love magical creatures so much?

Every country and every religion has its share of legendary beasts. Some of them are cross-cultural – dragons, or versions of dragons, turn up nearly everywhere. Human fascination with mythical creatures has persisted for centuries.

My love affair with magical animals started with Carbonel, a witch’s cat who could talk to you as long as you were holding the witch’s broom. Then there was Mr Tumnus in CS Lewis’s Narnia – a faun (part human, part goat) -  and the glorious Fledge, originally a cabby’s horse called Strawberry who was given wings by Aslan (a talking lion, obviously).

Maybe this is what we love about them. The ability to be more than just an ordinary creature. Maybe we all wish we could sprout wings or breathe fire. And maybe it also explains why we love vampires and werewolves so much.

Originally they were created as creatures of horror – let’s face it, Nosferatu was no-one’s idea of a romantic date. But they later morphed into love interests. These fantasy figures of terror became the heroes, not the villains. Even the less aesthetically-pleasing supernaturals have had a makeover of late. Terry Pratchett made an orc a hero in one of his last books, ‘Unseen Academicals’.

In writing, fantasy tends to go through trends. Maybe it’s witches and werewolves one year,  vampires and fae the next. But the fascination persists with creatures that are more powerful, more beautiful and more seductive than we are.

I’ve put fantastical beasts into all my books so far. My last book, Kingdom of Salt, was based on mermaids. My latest urban fantasy Mark of the Djinn is due out in August. It not only features a – the clue’s in the title – magical djinn (or genie), but there’s also another mythical creature which plays a small role. I won’t spoil the surprise, but it’s a legendary beast that fascinated me when I was a kid.

 If you want to get your hands on an advance copy of Mark of the Djinn, do sign up to my newsletter by clicking here.

 What are your favourite mythical creatures? 

 

 

The Day(s) The Earth Stood Still

It’s official – Groundhog Day exists, but without the entertaining presence of Bill Murray. The lockdown continues with mind-numbing tedium, so much so that I have trouble remembering if I’ve brushed my teeth, am constantly plundering the fridge, and wonder if anyone notices when I wear my pyjamas all day (answer: no.)

Online schooling, Zoom chats, Google hangouts and House Party are now an accepted part of daily life. The husband and I even share meals via Skype. (I should point out, he’s in Qatar and I’m in the UK. I haven’t banished him to another room because I’m sick of him). What on earth would lockdown have been like with out the internet? Thank you, Tim Berners-Lee – you envisaged a world where everyone would communicate freely with everyone else, and here we are. Bet you didn’t think a virus would underline your monumental contribution to the world.

And thank goodness for streaming services. Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video et al must be making daily ritual sacrifices to their entertainment gods for the massively increased revenue generated by coronavirus.

So what are you watching to beat the lockdown tedium? I know many people have blogged about what to watch, but I’m going to jump on the bandwagon. Because I'm bored and I have nothing else to do.

The Mandalorian (Disney+)

For Star Wars afficionados, this is set after the events of The Return Of The Jedi when the Empire has fallen. For those who aren’t nerds, it follows the adventures of a supercool bounty hunter in a galaxy far, far away. Mando is a warrior who abides by the strict rules of the Mandalorian Code (“it is the way”) who brings in the universe’s Most Wanted for a living. Then he’s tasked with delivering a ‘package’ which his moral compass won’t allow him to hand over. No surprise, when his client has ‘EVIL’ practically stamped on his forehead. Oh, and the ‘package’ turns out to be a Baby Yoda. You don’t have to be a Star Wars fan to enjoy this.

Sex Education (Netflix) 

Ah, the agonies of 16 year old Otis, whose sex therapist mother constantly tries to have frank chats with him about masturbating and intercourse. In a twist of fate, he ends up as a councillor to his fellow school-goers thanks to the business skills of his secret crush, badass Maeve. Warning – some scenes are excruciatingly embarrassing to watch with your teenage kids and it’s probably not suitable for under 15s. But it’s a glorious series, funny, moving, utterly absorbing, with outstanding performances by the cast.

Goliath (Amazon Original)

Billy Bob Thornton won a Golden Globe for his performance as a washed-up attorney, his glory days behind him, who suddenly finds himself in the middle of a high-octane case that threatens those around him. Thornton plays the anti-hero Billy McBride perfectly, a beguiling mix of fiercely intelligent lawyer and low-life scumball in this clever, twisty legal drama.

After Life (Netflix)

A dark comedy from Ricky Gervais, who plays Tony, a man sent spiralling into misery and depression after his wife dies of cancer. If that sounds like a downer, don’t worry. There are enough laugh-out loud moments to save this show from being a maudlin tearjerker. It explores grief, yes, but also hope and humanity.

The Good Place (Netflix)

And the total opposite of After Life is The Good Place, a feelgood comedy about heaven and hell. It follows the adventures of Eleanor, the kind of person who sells fake medicine to the elderly for a living, who ends up in heaven. A clerical error, surely, and she spends most of season 1 trying to hide the fact from angel Michael played by the fabulous Ted Danson. But then there’s a twist…. A heart-lifting piece of escapism about a band of lovable misfits trying to become better people. What’s not to like?

So what are YOU watching to beat the boredom?

We Got This

We’ve now been under lockdown restrictions here in the UK since March 23^rd, and it’s amazing what becomes important when your freedoms are curtailed.

Balconies and gardens. Open spaces. Internet. Board Games. Joe Wicks.

The coronavirus crisis has shown us who we are. And by and large, we have not been found wanting.

Yes, there are those who refuse to believe social distancing is something that applies to them, that a day at the beach with mates is perfectly okay during a pandemic crisis. I do not understand those people who put others, including our health workers, at risk.

But they are the exception, not the rule. Even with the temptation of sunny weekends, most of us are abiding by the rules. And it makes me so proud to see how we, as a nation, can come together when it counts.

When the call went out to help relieve pressure on the NHS, we didn’t shirk. More than 750,000 people signed up to join the "volunteer army" - three times the government's original target. And thousands of retired doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers offered to return to work during the coronavirus crisis.

We have a ways to go. Every day we eagerly scrutinise the figures to see if our sacrifices are ‘flattening the curve’, but the crisis won’t be over anytime soon. Many of us have lost loved ones, and many of us will continue to do so. The US is just starting to realise the full extent of what’s to come.

But as of now, it does seem as if Italy and Spain, the worse affected European countries, have managed to control the relentlessly upward trend of new cases. South Korea has largely contained the spread of the virus. And China, where it all started, today reported no new coronavirus deaths at all.

Even when the deaths stop, the economic hardship will continue. Jobs lost, industries shattered, and a global recession almost inevitable.

But if there is one thing we should take from this, it is the indomitability of the human spirit. We never give up. We never give in. We will not go quietly. We will come out of this stronger and better.

We are human. Hear us roar.

Love In The Time Of Corona

Well that escalated fast.

As of today, there are 216, 822 cases of coronavirus infections globally, and 8908 deaths. By the time you read this, those figures will be outdated. Schools have closed, flights cancelled and countries put on lockdown.

It is, without doubt, an incredibly scary time.

Here in the UK, as with every other country, the predictions are of rapidly increasing death tolls, unbearable burdens on the health service, and dire economic consequences.

We cannot escape the fact that life is going to look very different for all of us. But let us remember - this world has been through incredibly difficult times before and we've made it through.

We've faced the plague, the Spanish flu, two world wars, the threat of nuclear armageddon, 9/11, and various economic disasters. We'll get through this, too.

So in the interests of positivity, here are some developments I've gleaned from news reports and facebook, which I have fact-checked and which offer much-needed hope.

1. China has closed down its last emergency coronavirus hospital in Wuhan. Not enough new cases to support them. 
2. A team of hundreds of scientists has identified 50 drugs that may be effective in treating patients
3. Dutch researchers at the Erasmus Medical Center claim to have found an antibody which may help treat or prevent coronavirus.
4. A 103-year-old Chinese grandmother has made a full recovery from coronavirus after being treated for 6 days in Wuhan, China.
5. A medical centre in Cleveland, US has developed a test that gives results in  just 2 hours, not days
6. Good news from South Korea, where the number of new cases has dropped sharply.
7. Italy is hit hard, experts say, largely because they have the oldest population in Europe and their young mingle more often with the elderly.
8. About 35 companies and academic institutions are racing to create a vaccine
9. One of these - Boston-based biotech firm Moderna - is just about ready to enter human trials
10. Plasma from newly recovered patients could be used to treat others infected by coronavirus

Two more facts to hold onto: The WHO says the vast majority of people who get coronavirus (80%) experience only mild symptoms, and the survival rate is being put at between 96 and 98%. It could even be more than that, because we know not all cases of infection are being counted.

Courage, everyone. It will be a bumpy ride, but we'll get through it side by side (even if we're standing two metres apart and wearing masks)

Don't Panic!

It’s a bewildering thing.

I always thought we Brits were pretty stoic. But I went to my local supermarket today, and the shelves had been picked clean of toilet roll.

A lone assistant brought out a fresh stock of Andrex and was practically set upon by shoppers who snatched the packs up as if they held the secret to eternal life.

What the hell is happening?

Even if you have to isolate for two weeks... how many toilet rolls do you need?! (Actually I worked this out - a family of four each doing one poo and five wees a day would need 10 to 12 rolls for a fortnight.)

The comforting words on the front of the Douglas Adams classic Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy have never been more relevant.

Stop panicking.

Stop nipping down to your local supermarket and clearing the shelves of toilet paper. For a start, running out of toilet paper is not an earth-shattering calamity. There are entire countries which do not use it. When I was a kid growing up in India, we used a jug of water and air-dried our butts. I know, not terribly sophisticated, but it’s hardly the end of life as we know it.

Consider that there are thousands of people currently crammed into refugee camps without nappies, sanitary towels, toothpaste, paracetamol, Netflix… am I making the point?

Coronavirus is undoubtedly a threat to the elderly and those with other health problems. And it will place a huge burden on our health services if our efforts to 'flatten the curve' do not succeed. But fear and uncertainty is making things infinitely worse.

Hold onto the facts. The fatality rate is relatively low. Children tend to suffer milder symptoms. And the vast majority of people recover.

It's a difficult time, yes. But clearing out supermarket shelves is selfish and hysterical. Supplies will only become limited if you stockpile. Who needs ten packets of pasta?

If you absolutely DO have to panic-buy, may I suggest books? After all, when we are all forced to self-isolate in our bunkers with our secret stash of toilet roll, hand sanitizers and penne, we might enjoy some reading material.

Unsocial Media

Is anyone else sick of social media?

It’s supposed to be a place where we share news and ideas, where communities of like-minded souls are allowed to thrive and grow. Where thoughts and opinions are exchanged freely, and people living in the most isolated places or under repressive regimes are given a voice.  At its best, it’s the world we should have – open, honest, engaging and supportive.

But at its worst, it’s a toxic, small-minded gossip factory spewing bile and hate. Where fake news is born and reasoned debate goes to die. Where every bigot and moron can spout their ridiculous views and call it ‘free-speech’ - until of course someone says something they don’t like and then that user is immediately pegged as racist, sexist, or xenophobic, and hounded until they delete their account or lose their job.

And underpinning it all is a particular type of cringing cowardice. Hurtful things are said on twitter that would never be said to the recipient’s face.  It’s the digital equivalent of Monty Python’s insane French soldier yelling ‘your mother is a hamster and your father smelled of elderberries’ at complete strangers from the safety of the castle walls.

Most right-minded people would never, for example, walk up to someone they’d never met and say “Your legs are disgusting, they’re like tree trunks!”

But that is exactly what’s being tweeted about a certain contestant on Love Island. Now, while we are all entitled to question the value of this reality show – and indeed laugh at the juvenile antics of semi-naked young folk who honestly believe they’ll find ‘love’ under the glare of several million viewers (not to mention the chance of winning £50,000 prize money), what we are NOT entitled to do is troll them for their looks.

Body-shaming is not okay. Not even for people who’ve knowingly put themselves into the public eye for entertainment. Not  when we live in an age where social media is known to impact on young people’s mental health.

And it’s not just strangers passing comment on strangers. When the leader of the free world tweets slurs about his political rivals (Crooked Hillary Clinton; Crazy Nancy Pelosi; Lyin’ Ted Cruz) it legitimises social media as a way of trading insults.

Social media is an amazing, ground-breaking tool in the way we communicate and spread information. It plays a powerful role in all our lives.

Please, let’s not use it as a weapon.

2020 Vision

And we're off. 

The New Year lies ahead, an undiscovered country. As with all fresh beginnings, there is the thrill of endless possibilities as we look ahead to the next twelve months, and dust off our usual resolutions to exercise more/ eat less/ become more [insert adjective here].

But before we close the door on the last decade, let's take a quick look in the rear-view mirror.

2019 was a smorgasbord of highs and lows for most people.

Good bits: first all-women space-walk; the EU banning single-use plastic; the Humpback Whale recovering  from the brink of extinction; kids ditching their smartphones long enough to join a global campaign against climate change.

Bad bits: the continuing uncertainty over Brexit; England losing the Rugby World Cup; well-known  businesses going bust including Thomas Cook and Mothercare; Grumpy Cat dying; that Game of Thrones finale.

On a personal level, I wrote and published books 2 and 3 of my Daughter of Kali trilogy. Yay! But that means I now have to come up with a new idea for more books. Boo!

My daughter got a decent set of results in her GCSEs. Yay! Now we start the bumpy path towards A levels and beyond. Boo!

My husband got a fab new job with a big international broadcaster. Yay! He’s living abroad. Boo!

I could go on. I’m sure your lives are the same – an endless roller-coaster of ups and downs. When does it flatten out? Do we ever look at the road ahead and say to ourselves “Yep, I know exactly what’s coming and it’s all good”?

No, didn’t think so.

The Chinese have a curse – may you live in interesting times. As far as I can see, these days, it’s interesting all the time. 

So let me give you some things to look forward to in 2020;

1. Summer Olympics/Paralympics in Tokyo – the only time people can get genuinely excited about beach volleyball.
2. Trump’s impeachment trial – yeah, I know he’ll win it but it’s still fun!
3. Loads of new Superhero movies including the female-led Wonder Woman 2, Birds of Prey and Black Widow. So exciting. Oh, just me? 
4. NASA is sending a new probe to Mars to check if humans can ever live there.  So at least we have a plan B if we can’t save the planet we’re already on.
5. Killing Eve is back for  a new series. Enough said.

My hopes for 2020? Personally, after everything that's been in the news lately, I just want it to be the Year Of Being Kinder. I know, I'm wishing for miracles. But if we could all be even a teeny bit more tolerant and nicer to each other, that would be something. 

What are you hoping for? Let me know. Welcome to the Roaring Twenties everyone!

Present And Correct

Is it nearly Christmas again already?

Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas. The tree decorating, the purchase of festive pyjamas, the traditional baking of the Christmas cake, the annual attempt to make the cat wear reindeer antlers… all are beloved family traditions in our house.

But does anyone else struggle with buying presents?

Every year I dither over what to buy for the loved ones in my life. Especially for my parents. My mum and dad are both in their eighties. They literally have everything. What do you buy a couple who’ve celebrated more than 160 Christmases between them?

I tend to go for things I know they’ll use: clothes, spa treatments, restaurant vouchers and the like. (After the embarrassment of buying them the same presents two years in a row, I now keep a list.)

The most successful present my sister and I ever bought for them was Amazon Alexa. Once we’d all got over the trauma of setting her up and activating her, Alexa is now like a daughter to them. Their favourite daughter, probably, as she never causes a mess and is always happy to discuss the most trivial and random things for hours on end without wandering away for a cuppa.

My dad is particularly hard to buy for – he’s diabetic and partially sighted. I can’t even get him a good book and some choccies. If anyone has any bright ideas – and I really mean that – please let me know. This year I’ve settled on a hamper of low-sugar goodies from Diabetic Hampers UK which will be delivered just before Christmas (www.diabetichampers.co.uk since you ask).

My daughter is easier. Anything from a cool brand is fine by her. Of course, her definition of cool is very particular. It doesn’t include Debenhams or Marks and Spencer, apparently.  But Urban Outfitters and Brandy Melville are in.

Have you seen the clothes in Brandy Melville? Everything is one size, as long as that size is a twiglet.

But on a serious note, Christmas isn’t fabulous for everyone. I know you know that. If you want to help make Christmas better for the less fortunate, and give yourself a warm fuzzy feeling, here are three ideas:

1. Donate a Christmas present on someone else’s behalf. Lots of charities do this; Build Africa has a ‘shop’ where you can buy much-needed ‘alternative gifts’ that help families in Kenya and Uganda, like a school desk or a life-saving vaccination https://buildafricashop.org/
2. Secure a place at a shelter for a homeless person over Christmas. Crisis UK is running a campaign so those without a home don’t spend Christmas on the streets. It’s £28.87 per place https://www.crisis.org.uk/get-involved/reserve-a-place-at-crisis-at-christmas
3. Don't forget the elderly. A quarter of a million elderly people will spend Christmas alone. Many will go the entire Christmas period without seeing or speaking to anyone. Age UK has a list of things you can do which don’t cost money and don’t take much of your time, but could make a huge difference to a lonely person. https://www.ageuk.org.uk/

 Have a fabulous festive season everyone. See you on the other side! 

The Best Things Come In....

And it's here! Finally! 18 months after publishing the first in my Daughter of Kali series, I have just released the last book in the trilogy.

Infernal Destiny is now available on Amazon, almost four years to the day since I left Aljazeera to try my hand at writing young adult urban fantasy. And I don't regret that decision for a second. Writing fiction is the best fun you can have that a) isn't bad for your waistline and b) doesn't involve having to shower afterwards.

What's that, you ask? Have I made any money out of it?

Sweetie, if I'd made any money I would be writing my next book on a yacht moored up in the Med somewhere.

But it's not all about the money., is it? It's about the endorphins. And also, self-discovery.

For example, I have learned that I have quite a gruesome turn of mind sometimes. There's a lot of blood in the last instalment of my trilogy. A lot.

I'm also rubbish at self-promotion. I do the obligatory ads on Facebook and shout-outs on Twitter and Instagram, but to be honest, marketing is not my thing. So I am quite content to tell you guys about my book and... er... that's it really.

Choosing my book covers is one thing I have definitely improved at. Like the goddess Kali, my first book Awakening has had several incarnations.

Interestingly, it took me a year to write and publish book 2 after book 1, but only 6 months between books 2 and 3.  I'd be really interested to hear from other authors whether speeding up is common. Are we just getting the hang of it? Or are we getting less picky? Maybe writing books is like having children. You're really, really paranoid about the first one - but after that, you relax.

Or so I hear. How would I know? I have more books than kids.

Daughter of Kali: Infernal Destiny is available on Amazon. Click here and check it out.

Thrills and Chills

Hallowe'en is nearly upon us, like a scary shadow looming out of the dark.

And what better way to celebrate the spooky, the macabre, the downright frightening, than with a spine-chilling book on the scariest night of the year.

Below, I've listed some of my top picks of the horror books I read in my youth, usually at night under the bed-covers with a torch so my parents wouldn't yell at me to go to sleep. 

Back then, they scared the willies out of me. Do they stand the test of time? I'll let you be the judge. Read them alone, if you dare....

Salem's Lot (1975)

Stephen King is the master of horror. People normally point to The Shining or Carrie as his scarier tales, but for me it was his second novel that did it. Vampires! Taking over a town! The horror stayed with me for a long time.








The Little Girl Who Lives Down The Lane (1974)

Laird Koening wrote this gripping thriller about Rynn, a 13 year old girl who lives alone and murders people who threaten her. You actually end up rooting for her - but in 2015, readers voted her the 20th most evil child in literature. Psychologically creepy. 

The Rats (1974)

A classic of the 'killer creatures' genre. Giant mutant rats run wild devouring people and pets alive. Contains graphic details of mutilation and death. 10/10 for gross-out material. And it spawned three sequels. Can't say fairer than that.

Squirm (1978)

Man-eating worms on the loose! Okay, it doesn't sound great - but if you like your horror shlocky and gross, this is the one for you. Wierdly, this was a film first and then became a book. Not on a par with James Herbert or Stephen King, but it's a short read, and has some decent squirmy moments.

The Pan Book of Horror Stories (1959-1989)

My horror bible. A gruesome British series of short horror stories collected into thirty volumes. The anthologies cater to all tastes from the macabre, to the chilling, to the horrifically violent and feature tales from such famous authors as Peter Fleming, Bram Stoker, and L.P. Hartley.





There's also a fair bit of carnage in my latest book, 'Daughter of Kali: Infernal Destiny.' Those who have read the first two in the series will know book 2 ended with my main character, Kaz Deva, being taken over by a part-demon part-goddess supernatural force. And to say it's bloodthirsty is an understatement...

Infernal Destiny will be published on Amazon on 24th October. Reviewers and bookbloggers can claim an advance copy at StoryOrigin in exchange for honest reviews on Amazon and Goodreads by clicking here and requesting a free download.

Happy Hallowe'en! And remember... sometimes when things go bump in the night, it's not always nothing.... bwah ha ha ha haaaaaaaaa

Why Am I Here?

Do you ever get that feeling that you shouldn't be where you are? That you've managed, through sheer luck, to achieve something good but any minute now someone's going to find out that you don't deserve it?

I get that feeling a lot with my writing. Every time I offer a book for review, or create a Facebook ad, or tweet a link to it on Amazon, I can't help feeling like a fraud. Who am I to say you should read this? What if you hate it?  What if it's terrible? What if I can't actually write, and I'm just deluding myself?

Maybe you recognise the feeling? A reluctance to believe that anything you do well has value?

This is Imposter Syndrome and it's amazingly common. A study found it affects some 70% of individuals at least once in their life. It's linked, among other things, to perfectionism and a fear of being unsuccessful.  It's also prevalent among high-achievers and women of colour. So, that's pretty much all the boxes ticked for me, then.

Take heart people - we're not alone. Some incredible figures have suffered with Imposter Syndrome, including  Neil Armstrong, Michelle Obama, Tom Hanks, and the author Maya Angelou who once said: “I have written 11 books, but each time I think, ‘Uh oh, they’re going to find out now. I’ve run a game on everybody, and they’re going to find me out.’” This from someone who won multiple awards!

So apparently what we Imposters have to do is this: 
1) Recognise that sometimes, yes, we will do and say stupid things. IT'S NOT THE END OF THE WORLD!
2) Change your internal rules. You have just as much right to ask for help as the next person.
3) When you succeed - give yourself a pat on the back. Don't feel guilty - you earned this!

Here endeth the pep talk. By the way, I have a new book out, a humourous short story called Soul Quest. It's a 100-page fantasy novella which will hopefully appeal to fans of the late great Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams. 99p/99c on Amazon, or free to my newsletter subscribers.

I'm still feeling the effects of Imposter Syndrome so I'll just say it's, you know, okay, if you like that kind of thing. Click here to buy. Or don't. It's probably not that good.


Daughter of Kali books 1 & 2 on Amazon now. Daughter of Kali book 3 coming soon. Sign up to my newsletter for news of releases www.shiulieghosh.com/author

Animal Magic

Meet the animals who’ve been disrupting my writing this month.

The gorgeous horse at the top there is Lexi, my 15’2 mare. She’s beautiful and sweet, and was bought for my daughter to ride in XC competitions – that’s cross-country to non-horsey types.

Unfortunately, soon after we bought her, despite a full 5-stage vetting before purchase, it became clear Lexi was suffering from tightness on one side, making it hard for her to bend and stretch. Pretty crucial if you want to soar across jumps.

Normally when a horse finds it uncomfortable to be ridden, they kick up a fuss as they’re being saddled. Some bite, some buck, some run away. Lexi is such a patient mare she never did any of those things so it took a while to spot. When she tossed her head around and swished her tail, we put it down to youth and exuberance.

Thankfully, we had her checked out by a fully qualified equine physiotherapist. She spotted the problem right away; Lexi was stiff through her neck and back, probably as a result of being broken in too young and having a badly-fitting saddle before we bought her.

She’s now had ultrasound and massage (yes, there is such a job as horse-masseuse!) and is much more limber.

But my animal woes were not over. Meet Freddy.

He’s a young swallow we found flapping around pitifully on the roadside during a family holiday in the Lake District. Freddy had damaged one of his wings, and was unable to fly. So back he came to the holiday cottage with us.

I was supposed to be using this break to put the finishing touches to the third book in my Daughter of Kali series. Needless to say, taking care of Freddy took precedence. (I should add, I have no idea if Freddy is an appropriate name. It could be Frederica for all I know, but the kids named it and it stuck.)

We spent two days trying to tempt Freddy with seeds and grains before discovering what he really likes is insects. The livelier the better. Wriggly mealworms and skittery crickets go down a treat. You haven’t lived till you’ve hand-fed creepy-crawlies to a hungry bird.

Freddy put on weight, his wing seemed to get stronger, and by the end of the holiday he was managing short flutters across the room. He’s now with a lovely foster family being prepared for his return to the wild.

And so finally, I can turn my attention to the third book. It’s very nearly finished, it just needs some final tweaking and polishing.

If only I can get a few days to myself without an injured animal to deal with…

Daughter of Kali: Infernal Destiny will be published later this year. Books 1 and 2 available on Amazon now.

Enjoy the Trip (not)

I’ve never been particularly graceful. I did ballet and tap dancing as a child, but alas, I had all the footwork skills of a drunk centipede. As I got older I tried Zumba and aerobics. The women around me soon learned to keep a safe distance. So it wasn’t a great surprise when I managed to fall down the stairs this week.

I missed my footing because I had piled up a load of Amazon boxes at the bottom of the stairs. Damn you Amazon, and your one-click ordering.

As I bounced butt-first down the last three or four stairs, I had time to reflect that I had turned into my mother.

Mum came to stay for the Easter holidays. After precisely one day, she tripped and fell downstairs. I should point out, before you start questioning the safety of my staircase, it has not one but TWO handrails and is a perfectly normal set of steps. It’s just that my mum was doing what she always does – carrying books, glasses, cup of tea and a crossword puzzle as she headed to the kitchen. So she couldn’t save herself when she slipped, because her hands were full. It was not my stairs’ fault, I promise.

My poor mum broke her hip and spent Easter in hospital. This was possibly a more stressful experience for the hospital staff than my mum, who during her long medical career was a Midwife, Nurse, Ward Sister and Nursing Tutor. My mum knows hospitals like the back of her hand. She knows best practice, hygiene protocols, and ward systems. And boy, she wasn’t going to let these nurses take any shortcuts.

Mum was out of hospital within five days of her hip replacement. That has to be some kind of record. I’m sure it wasn’t because she told them all how to do their jobs. Well, probably not.

I should say here how amazing the British health service is. From the paramedics in the ambulance who took mum to hospital, to the admitting staff in A&E, to the orthopaedic doctor, to the ward nurses - yes, even the junior nurse who bore the brunt of mum’s wrath for suggesting she change the dressing on an open wound in a crowded ward and risk cross-contamination – they all do a fine job under difficult circumstances and with far fewer resources than they should have. No wonder Donald Trump keeps making jokes about buying it.

Luckily, I did not break my hip, though I do have a rather attractive bruise on my thigh and am now shuffling around like a poor imitation of Marty Feldman’s Igor. 

Note to self: stop ordering Amazon parcels. Or at least, stop piling them up at the bottom of the stairs.

Star-Spangled Visit

Donald Trump came to town this week. Britain rolled out the red carpet, the Queen was prevailed upon to meet POTUS and FLOTUS, and Theresa May extolled the virtues of the ‘best alliance the world has ever known’.

I spent several hours in a news studio pontificating on his visit. Was he interfering in British politics? Did he really just suggest the NHS could form part of a ‘phenomenal’ trade deal? And what was the secret assignation he had with Nigel Farage, spotted leaving the US ambassador’s residence?

Trump dearly loves the pomp and ceremony laid on for his visit. Yes, he may have been snubbed by several politicians who declined invitations to meet him; even Meghan Markle got out of it by playing the exhausted new mother card. (Perhaps she thought one person loudly demanding her attention was enough). But meeting with the Queen (“a fantastic woman”) and being the guest of honour at a State Banquet in Buckingham Palace clearly soothed all ills.

Meanwhile protesters were denouncing him as racist, misogynistic, and divisive. Not that Trump was aware – when asked at a press conference what he thought of the demonstrations, he dismissed them as ‘fake news’.  

Trump is rather like a battering ram, pummelling his way through diplomacy, shattering global agreements and throwing out whatever thought hits his brain at any given moment on Twitter.

Perhaps there’s a bright side. Perhaps it’s the wake-up call the world needs, a warning that we have to stand together to maintain the international order against such destructiveness.

But failing that, there's always humour. The Trump Baby Blimp inflated over London during his visit is British satire at its best. Apparently, it’s now joined the ranks of Dame Helen Mirren and Sir David Attenborough as a ‘national treasure’.

Who knows what Trump thinks of it? In his book, it’s probably fake news too.