Hello and welcome to my April Newsletter.
Since my last newsletter, I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy a trip to Lanzarote with our youngest son, David, and daughter-in-law, Jenny. It was so wonderful to feel the sun after such a long, cold winter. Although Lanzarote is one of the Canary Islands where the temperature is good all year around, being March we didn’t expect it to be that hot. However, we had a dry and sunny week with temperatures mostly around 25 degrees, and on one day, 34 degrees! More than hot enough for us and we used a lot of sun cream!
We had visited the island once before, and I would not have said it was one of my favourite holiday destinations with so much of the landscape being covered with lava, (I like greenery and flowers) but the most important thing was spending a week with family. However, this time we visited other parts of the island and discovered some beautiful scenery. David and Jenny are keen walkers and we wondered if we would be able to keep up with them. I’m pleased to say we managed walks of nine, seven and six miles during the week, which to some extent offset the extra food and drink. Now back to a drizzly North Devon, though our first day back was lovely, and gave me a chance to catch up on all the washing. However wonderful a holiday is, it’s always nice to come home.
Old Sayings
Here we go then – another old saying that I’ve investigated.
Cut to the Quick
I always thought the phrase cut to the quick referred to the quick of a fingernail which is found beneath the hard nail and is very sensitive. Certainly, this definition fits the bill, for cutting someone to the quick means to deeply distress them. However, when I investigated further, I found that the word quick is actually an archaic term meaning alive. The phrase, the quick and the dead appears in William Tyndale’s translation of the New Testament of the Bible, and in this instance, the word quick does mean the living.
High Days and Holidays
Have you ever wondered about this phrase? Do you know the dates of Michaelmas Day, and Candlemas Day, and what they signify? I remember hearing my mum say that’s only for high days and holidays and I understood, but never considered what it meant. I decided to investigate and you can find out what I discovered in my blog: High Days and Holidays
My Writing News
Book 5
I’m pleased to tell you that I’m getting on well with writing Book 5 of The Hartford Manor Series. It doesn’t have a title yet but I’ve now planned out the whole story and have written ten chapters. I’m catching up on a few other jobs (like writing newsletters!) before I get back to writing since I returned from holiday.
Anna Jacobs Books and Other Favourites
I was recently invited to join a Facebook page called Anna Jacobs Books and Other Favourites and I’m glad I did as the members are so friendly. There’s a bit of chit-chat every morning, with recommendations of good books to read. Several of the members have now enjoyed all four of my books, and have left some wonderful reviews that I’m grateful for. You might want to take a look at the page: (7) Anna Jacobs books and other favourites | Groups | Facebook
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:
The Rabbit’s Foot: 8 – 15 April
http://mybook.to/TheRabbitsFoot
Betsey: 29 April – 6 May
https://mybook.to/Betsey
Hartland Book Festival on Saturday, 29 April
I’ve been invited to the Hartland Book Festival again this year and will have a stall selling my books. I enjoyed it last year, talking to the other authors, and chatting with the people who visited. I don’t know many details yet but I think last year it ran from 10 am to 3 pm, and coffee and cake were available. If you’re in the area do call in for a chat!
Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour
The Hartford Manor Series went on a Blog Tour from 27 – 31 March and these are the 16 blog sites it was featured on. There are excerpts from all four books which you might like to take a look at if you’ve not already read them. The blog sites also have lots of other interesting information and are well worth visiting if you’re a keen reader:
Archaeolibrarian
https://archaeolibrarian.wixsite.com/website MJ Porter’s Official Blog
https://mjporterauthor.blog/
Let Us Talk of Many Things
https://ofhistoryandkings.blogspot.com/
When Angels Fly
https://whenangelsfly.net/
CelticLady’s Reviews
https://celticladysreviews.blogspot.com/
Catherine Meyrick’s Official Blog
https://catherinemeyrick.com/blog/
Eclectic Ramblings of Author Heather Osborne
https://heatherosborneauthor.com/blog/ Elizabeth St.John’s Official Blog http://www.elizabethjstjohn.com/
Brook’s Journal
https://www.brookallenauthor.com/blog
B for Bookreview
https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
Ruins & Reading
https://ruinsandreading.blogspot.com/
Linnea Tanner’s Official Blog
https://www.linneatanner.com/blog/
Judith Arnopp’s Official Blog
http://juditharnoppnovelist.blogspot.com/ The Historical Fiction Company
https://www.thehistoricalfictioncompany.com/home Let Your Words Shine
https://maryannbernal.blogspot.com/ The Coffee Pot Book Club
https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/
My Book of the Month
Gracie’s Pride by Lilly Adam
I’ve read several books by this author and have enjoyed them all. Gracie’s Pride is no exception. The story begins in 1851 with Joshua Browning leaving his wife, Gracie, and twin sons, Oliver and Archie, to run the small family farm whilst he sets sail to join the Californian gold rush. Gracie is not too upset to see the back of her cruel and selfish husband but finds it difficult to run the farm with just her young teenage sons. When a long-standing feud between the Browning family and Squire Cameron Marshall comes to a head, their lives change forever, and the family endures great hardship.
The story spans over thirty years and takes the family from scenic Cheshire to the city of Oxford. This is a captivating novel that I thoroughly enjoyed and I recommend it to all lovers of historical fiction. You can find Gracie’s Pride here: Gracie’s Pride: A Captivating Victorian Saga
Well, that’s all for now, so thank you for continuing to follow me. Until next time, I hope you keep safe and well.
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