Hello, and welcome to my June Newsletter.
Bryan and I have recently returned from a holiday on the beautiful Greek island of Kefalonia. We’ve been there a few times over the years, and we love it. We like to go in mid-May because we don’t like it too hot, and, as it turned out, it was hotter here in the UK than in Greece! Our son, Stuart, and his wife, Laura, joined us, and as it was their first time there, we enjoyed showing them around the island. As well as the stunning scenery, Bryan and I enjoy Greek food, and our particular favourites are Lamb Kleftiko, Lamb Shank, and Pork Souvlaki.
We don’t usually have a dessert, but we were tempted to try the Orange Pie, and it was amazing. I’m going to have to look for a recipe and see if I can recreate it. With all these lovely meals and Mythos, the refreshing Greek beer, a few pounds have inevitably crept on, so I’m thankful that I lost half a stone in preparation before I went. Nevertheless, there will be a lot of salad eaten in the next few weeks.
The photo on the left is of the picturesque resort of Assos, and the one on the right is of the delicious orange pie. If you visit Greece, do look out for it – it’s well worth the extra calories!
Old Saying of the Month
There’s the Rub
In this instance, the rub means an impediment or a drawback. It’s thought to have originated from the ancient game of bowls, in which a ball is rolled towards another stationary ball called a jack. The object of the game is to roll one’s ball and hope it stops closer to the jack than that of one’s opponent. A rub is a flaw in the playing surface that interferes with the ball’s trajectory, sending it off course. The term was used by William Shakespeare in Hamlet. When Hamlet was tempted to commit suicide, he said, “To sleep; perchance to dream; ay there’s the rub; for in that sleep of death what dreams may come?”
June Blog Post
Landkey to Bishops Tawton Walk
I live in a small village called Landkey in North Devon, and my blog is about a four-mile walk to the neighbouring village of Bishops Tawton.
The route is partly along the Tarka Trail, so named after the subject of a famous book called Tarka the Otter by Henry Williamson, which is set in the area. If you like picturesque scenery, do join me on my Devon walk:
https://marciaclayton.co.uk/landkey-to-bishops-tawton-walk/
This photo was taken near Bishops Tawton, so about halfway along the circular walk, and Bryan and I like to rest on the seat and enjoy the tranquil surroundings before climbing the next hill!
My Writing News
Book 8
Whilst I was on holiday, I read through the first draft of Book 8 – or at least as much as I have written. This was very helpful, and I’m thinking it might be called “A Night of Madness” or “One Night of Madness”, though that might still change. Since returning from holiday, I’ve been busy catching up on washing, ironing, shopping, and gardening, etc., but I’m ready now to get stuck into writing the rest of the book.
The Coffee Pot Book Club
Over the last few months, I’ve been acting as a Blog Tour Host for The Coffee Pot Book Club: The Coffee Pot Book Club and these are the ones I hosted last month.
The Enemy’s Wife by Deborah Swift
1941. When Zofia’s beloved husband Haru is conscripted into the Imperial Japanese Army, she is left to navigate Japanese-occupied Shanghai alone. Far from home and surrounded by a country at war, Zofia finds unexpected comfort in a bond with Hilly, a spirited young refugee escaping Nazi-occupied Austria. As violence tightens its grip on the city, they seek shelter with Theo, Zofia’s American employer. But with every passing day, the horrors of war and Haru’s absence begin to reshape Zofia’s world – and her heart. Can she still love someone who has become the enemy?
I read this book whilst on holiday and thoroughly enjoyed it. You can find The Enemy’s Wife here: mybook.to/EnemysWife
Rescued by the Rakish Lord by Sarah Mallory
A forced proximity, high-society romance set in the late Georgian era.
A man of such dubious reputation… that he was called Devil Blackbourne!
When Lord Deveril Blackbourne meets Selina Wynter, he is intrigued. For she has all the accomplishments of a lady, but the fiery temper and spirit of a tavern maid! Then she is abducted by a dastardly suitor, and Deveril—for all his roguish reputation— can’t stand idly by… Lord Deveril is Selina’s least likely rescuer, but when they’re stranded together in a snowstorm and her reputation is at risk, he surprises her with a gallant proposal! Deveril’s no honourable suitor, yet his actions say otherwise… Just who is the real Devil Blackbourne? Selina’s determined to find out.
You can find the book here: https://books2read.com/u/3RE7wx
Book Bargains This Month
Special Offers – 99p
All of my books are free to read if you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited on Amazon. However, if you want to grab a bargain, these books will be reduced to 99p on the following dates:
Betsey will be reduced to 99p from 4th to 11th June 2026
Set in 1820, Betsey is the prequel to the much-loved Hartford Manor Series.
Betsey, a sadly neglected child, is shouldering responsibilities far beyond her years. As she does her best to care for her little brother, Norman, she is befriended by Gypsy Freda, an old woman whose family is camped nearby. Freda’s granddaughter, Jane, is also fond of the little girl and is concerned about her. Thomas, the second son of Lord Fellwood, happens across the gypsy camp and becomes besotted with Jane. However, Jasper Morris, the local miller, also has designs on the young gypsy, and inevitably, the two men do not see eye to eye. Betsey is drawn into their rivalry for the attention of the beautiful young woman, and she finds herself promising to keep a dangerous secret for many years to come. You can find the book here: http://mybook.to/Betsey
The Rabbit’s Foot will be reduced to 99p from 17th to 24th June 2026
1885 North Devon, England
Mr Edward Snell was more than a little curious when Robert Fellwood, the heir to Hartford Manor, and his elderly aunt, Lady Margery, begged an audience on a Saturday morning. However, being such valued clients, the solicitor was happy to oblige. As his clerk showed the visitors in, he was intrigued to see them followed by an old man who, though respectably dressed, had something of a vagrant about him. The crisp suit in which he was attired could not disguise his weather-beaten face or his missing teeth.
Robert introduced his Uncle Sam and explained he had come to claim his inheritance. The solicitor was old enough to remember the extensive search for Thomas Fellwood when his father, Ephraim, died in 1840. However, that was some forty-five years ago, and the young man had never been found. Yet here was Sam, who claimed to be Thomas Fellwood’s son and, even more surprising, was the fact that the Fellwood family appeared to have accepted him as such.
The Rabbit’s Foot is an intriguing and compelling novel with many unexpected twists and turns. Set in the small seaside village of Hartford, it tells the tale of how an old man, who has spent his life with barely a penny to his name, suddenly finds himself rich beyond his wildest dreams. However, there is only one thing that Sam Fellwood truly wants, and that is to be reunited with his son, Marrok, whom he abandoned at the age of five. Will Sam find the happiness that has eluded him for so many lonely years?
You can find the book here: http://mybook.to/TheRabbitsFoot
My Book of the Month
The House on the Hill by S S Saywack
About the Book
Can a house be evil? A telegram Vince Ransome receives makes him wonder. The Martins stand on the brow of a hill, wreathed in mystery. If a house could choose solitude, perhaps that house did. Or perhaps it was the choice of its last owner, who died mysteriously in a fire fifty years ago. A boy witnessed it. Vince Ransome wonders: did he also witness the deaths of each owner of the house since it was built over a hundred years ago? If so, what is he? A ghost, maybe. And now, Vince’s sister owns the house. The House on the Hill is an English ghost story set in 1930, in the same vein as A Woman in Black.
My Review
I’m not usually a fan of ghost stories, but as I have read and enjoyed all the other books by this author, I was keen to read this one.
Vince Ransome was less than pleased when his sister, Poppy, bought The Martins, a derelict old house situated in an isolated spot on the Norfolk coast. The house is on the outskirts of Attwell St Peter, where the locals seem reticent in discussing the property.
The siblings learn that the house was originally inhabited by Septimus Martingale, an unpopular businessman, and then by his daughter and granddaughter. All three died at separate times in fires, and the nearby church also burnt down.
When Vince accompanies Poppy to see what renovations are needed, they encounter a foetid atmosphere, a sinister sense of foreboding, and the appearance of a strange and unhappy boy.
The book is well-paced, and the author’s talent for descriptive narration carries the reader on a sinister and horrifying journey. The story held my attention from the very first page, and I enjoyed the chilling ending.
You can find the book here: The House on the Hill by S S Saywack
That’s all my news for now, so thank you for reading my newsletter, and until next time, I hope you keep safe and well.
Best wishes
Marcia
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