In all of the buzz around the autumn release of The Jazz Files I almost missed this lovely review of my ‘first child’ The Peace Garden. It’s a romantic thriller cum coming-of-age novel set against the backdrop of Apartheid. Although it came out in 2011 people are still buying and reading it. It’s a special book to me as – although it’s not autobiographical – it contains so much of my feelings about living in South Africa, and England. Thank you Belinda for a thoughtful review. The reviewer, Belinda Chaplin, is a South African living in Bosnia so knows a bit about being a ‘stranger in a foreign land’. Read The Peace Garden review here.
The Yellow Wallpaper
I’m blown away by the latest review of The Jazz Files on Day 5 of Poppy’s blog tour. This reviewer has seen things in the book – things I’ve layered deep into the text – that (so far) no other reviewer has seen. I’m delighted! You can read the review here.
The Yellow Wallpaper which she refers to is a short story by the feminist writer Charlotte Perkins Gilman who wrote the story in light of her own post natal depression in which a woman imagines someone crawling behind the wallpaper in her convalescent room. It is a powerful story of insanity that could have been prevented if women and their ‘problems’ were treated differently. You can read it for free on the Project Gutenberg website.
Jazz Files on tour
I’m going on tour with The Jazz Files! But this time I don’t have to worry about forgetting my underwear (which friends will know I’m notorious for!) It’s a blog tour, starting today on Whispering Stories. The rest of the tour is listed below. I do hope to bump into some of you on my travels 🙂
Fiona goes to Hollywood!
Well, Darlington actually, to shoot the video promo of The Jazz Files. Now after 3 months of work I can reveal all of 58 seconds of film! Make sure your sound is switched on. Enjoy 🙂
In memory
Today is Armistice Day. At 11am we will stop to remember the millions who have lost their lives in wars and conflicts. Like many I am appalled at how this annual memorial – and the symbol of the poppy – seems to have been taken over as a military recruitment drive. And yet, I still will wear a red poppy. To remember what happened in those blood-soaked trenches and the blood that has been shed since. I also remember my parents who were married 51 years ago today. My mother died in 2013. Today is one of the days I particularly remember her. I started this cross stitch a couple of days after her death. This is for her and my dad as well as for everyone mourning someone’s loss.





