This is the eleventh appearance at BMR for today’s author, which means he’s been here since the beginning. I recently read his featured book and, although the description may not strike…

I was interested to read Pete Springer's post about retirement. I retired in 2023 and husband Sam retired last year. I was initially worried regarding being retired because I fretted about not feeling useful or productive. As soon as I retired from working as a medical secretary I joined the NHS Retirement Group's monthly meetings, and also their history group and Scrabble group.

Another terrific reading month and delighted to recap my recommendations for September 2026. Whilst I was laid up my husband passed along three books from his extensive library he has accumulated b…

Happy Fall! I’m excited to share that my new Christmas story comes out on November 1st, and it’s now available for preorder. When There’s Only a Christmas Wish BLURB Can a Christm…

Helen Martins’ Glass House Before creating the sculptures in her garden, Helen Martins decorated the entire inside of her house. Set out below are some interesting facts about her house called The …

I’m really looking forward to the Isle of Wight Literary Festival. I’m grateful to be accepted by the organisers as a local author (we spend quite a lot of our time on the Isle of Wight…

What are five simple exercises to do at home?View all responses Probably some of the exercises that I’ve been doing at home for the last 30 years.  I’ll list them below: Use a non-…

Welcome back to my Heroic-a series of empowering women of WWII. In this post I’m sharing another incredible woman of war, Marie Ljalkova, a Czechoslovakian Markswoman, one of only two female …

What are five simple exercises to do at home? View all responses Probably some of the exercises that I've been doing at home for the last 30 years. I'll list them below: Use a non-slip mat and a gym ball, which is placed on the mat. Sit on the ball and rotate the ball with your hips one way for 5 rotations, and then the other way for 5 rotations.

I'm really looking forward to the Isle of Wight Literary Festival. I'm grateful to be accepted by the organisers as a local author (we spend quite a lot of our time on the Isle of Wight), and I've been given a free table to display my books in the Local Authors' Marketplace on the afternoon of October 10th, alongside 5 other authors.

What are some life hacks that you practice?View all responses I had to look at other responses to discover what ‘life hacks’ was, as I haven’t heard this before in the UK.  A…

Welcome to another blog hop. Today's topic is given below: Outside the usual autumn stuff, what else does the season hold for you annually? I'm not really an autumn person. The days gradually get shorter and colder, leaves that gave us shade in the summer now fall from the trees, and I have to wear more layers when I go out walking.

Welcome to the series where I will be sharing the chart toppers and blockbusters through the decades… be prepared for some nostalgia and some foot tapping music. William 🎶   Shawn Colvin &#82…

Daily writing promptHow do you make time for self-care?View all responses Now I’m retired I have more time to look after this old body a bit more than I used to. The bones, muscles and heart …

What are some life hacks that you practice? View all responses I had to look at other responses to discover what 'life hacks' was, as I haven't heard this before in the UK. Apparently it's anything that makes your life easier. Well, to start with there is a washing machine and a tumble dryer that does away with the old washboard, mangle, twin tub and spin dryer that previous generations used.

Welcome to another blog hop. Today’s topic is: What section of the library would we find you hanging out in? I worked as a library assistant from October 1980 to June 1982, just before my eld…

Daily writing prompt How do you write what people actually want to read? View all responses How do I know what people actually want to read? I don't! After 13 years at it I'm still trying to figure it out. If you send a manuscript to a literary agent, they'll tell you 'Thanks but no thanks, and good luck with your writing career'.

Daily writing prompt What’s the most spontaneous thing you’ve ever done? View all responses Ha ha, this was back in 2011 when Sam and I were at the Bestival Festival on the Isle of Wight. We saw an inflatable chapel, and outside the chapel a sign said that a real vicar was in attendance. We read on, and apparently couples could get married there for the sum of £40.

Hubby is a huge fan of Dan Antion’s books. Huge is an understatement. As soon as Dan’s new book arrived, he snarfed it up, like a happy dog. The Museum Murders Doesn’t the title a…

This post was published on September 9th, 2019. Since we still take elevators, I think it might be useful Top Ten Things Not to Do in an Elevator 10 If you are in an elevator after inspecting the i…

Daily writing prompt How do you make time for self-care? View all responses Now I'm retired I have more time to look after this old body a bit more than I used to. The bones, muscles and heart need exercising, the cholesterol needs to be kept on an even keel with a good diet, the hair needs to be kept a shade lighter than it was in the 1970s, and I need to ensure all my teeth don't fall out.

Welcome to another blog hop. Today's topic is: What section of the library would we find you hanging out in? I worked as a library assistant from October 1980 to June 1982, just before my eldest son was born. In those days there were no computers. We stamped each book with a date to return, which was three weeks in advance from when it was taken out.

I’d waited 2 years for the latest new patient appointment from Moorfield’s Eye Hospital to arrive. First of all I’d been discharged because I was on holiday and didn’t know …

Welcome to my Sunday Book Review. Today I’m reviewing Calamity Spain by Alison J. Moore and Charlotte Moore – sisters. A fun memoir about a woman who wants to buy a home in Lanjaron, Sp…

I'd waited 2 years for the latest new patient appointment from Moorfield's Eye Hospital to arrive. First of all I'd been discharged because I was on holiday and didn't know about the appointment and so didn't turn up. Secondly, the GP who sent another referral didn't send it electronically, and therefore it wasn't processed by Moorfield's at all. In the meantime I waited nearly a year for an answer, which never came.

YouTube video by K. Williams

As We Age –  Scams to Beware – Especially for Seniors Welcome back to my As We Age series. In this installment I’m going to be going over some of the current scams going around to catch senior…

In January 2016 I began a series that I was intending to publish as a book but instead I shared on the blog in a series. I am going to share some of the posts from the series over the next few week…

I keep hearing on the news that as well as AI taking everyone’s job in the future, the development of AI technology needs to be regulated and slowed down or it’s going to cancel us all …

Welcome to another blog hop. Today’s topic is: Setting music aside, describe some of your favourite sounds. I’ll list them below, not in any kind of order, but as I think of them: Silen…

Daily writing prompt What’s the longest book you’ve ever read? View all responses I tend to favour novellas and short stories, but back in 2020 I read 'The Overstory' by Richard Powers. The story is told in 502 pages, and is basically about unrelated characters and their affinity to trees, and how these characters slowly come together hundreds of pages into the story.

Daily writing prompt What’s the best advice you’d give to someone younger than you? View all responses I wouldn't give out any advice to people younger than me unless they asked for it. I've found out over the years that people prefer to live their lives the way they want to, and in general do not want somebody older telling them how things should be done.

I keep hearing on the news that as well as AI taking everyone's job in the future, the development of AI technology needs to be regulated and slowed down or it's going to cancel us all out in 10 years' time. A researcher who left his job at Anthropic told the BBC that staff there are genuinely frightened for the future of humanity.

Welcome to another blog hop. Today's topic is: Setting music aside, describe some of your favourite sounds. I'll list them below, not in any kind of order, but as I think of them: Silence so absolute that you can hear it! The sea, as waves hit the shoreline. My grandchildren laughing. Sausages frying in a pan. Leaves on a tree rustling in the wind.

Welcome to my Sunday Book Review. Today I’m reviewing the next in Patricia Furstenberg’s historical fiction series – The Wife of Kronstadt. Gertrud is the town physician’s w…

Thanks to Carol Balawyder for this lovely review of ‘Holding Hands’. I’m sorry I didn’t see it sooner, because we’ve been away on holiday. The only quibble is that Tom…

Being multi-faceted as an author makes you a stronger writer. Don't mistake that that means you have to be as good at the other things as you are at writing to make it matter. That is far from the tru...

Greetings from sunny Suffolk. Today’s blog hop topic is: Do you ever act out your scenes to immerse yourself and test them out, to be sure they really work? Not to actual scenes, but what I d…

Thanks to Carol Balawyder for this lovely review of 'Holding Hands'. I'm sorry I didn't see it sooner, because we've been away on holiday. The only quibble is that Tom works as a volunteer in an eye clinic (not a dental clinic), but hey, the rest of the review is great!

In January 2016 I began a series that I was intending to publish as a book but instead I shared on the blog in a series. I am going to share some of the posts from the series over the next few week…

Greetings from sunny Suffolk. Today’s blog hop topic is: Do you ever act out your scenes to immerse yourself and test them out, to be sure they really work? Not to actual scenes, but what I d…

Daily writing prompt Have you ever regretted reading a book — which one and why? View all responses I first heard about the novel 'Shuggie Bain' by Douglas Stuart whilst watching the TV programme University Challenge, where one of the questions referred to this book. Here's my review of it on Goodreads: 'This is a gritty, depressing tale that I suspect is told by an author who has lived through exactly the same thing and that writing it all down has been somehow therapeutic.

50 Years As A “Heartbreaker…” That still stuns me. The rock band Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers turned FIFTY this year – a half century of classic rock! This iconic band …

Greetings from sunny Suffolk. Today’s blog hop topic is: Do you ever act out your scenes to immerse yourself and test them out, to be sure they really work? Not to actual scenes, but what I d…

Islam Abruev at pexels 💙 As you go about your day Plant seeds that will grow Our world is in need of nurturing Our beautiful Earth is suffering From the chaos and necessities of man Let’s spr…

Greetings from sunny Suffolk. Today's blog hop topic is: Do you ever act out your scenes to immerse yourself and test them out, to be sure they really work? Not to actual scenes, but what I do ensure is that dialogues are not too stilted; therefore I act out the part of both characters who are taking part in the conversation.

In all the years we've been visiting the island, we'd never before been to Mottistone Manor and its gardens. Yesterday we drove along the Freshwater road towards Mottistone, where there is a lovely 15th Century manor house and extensive grounds. The day was overcast, and because of the long, hot summer the gardens we not in their full glory. Nevertheless I was able to take some photos, which I have shown below.

In “Faust: Unravelling the Great Enigma,” Rebecca and journalist Eglund explore Goethe’s timeless work, emphasizing the importance of reading slowly and contemplating its profound…

Welcome to another blog hop – this time from the Isle of Wight and not from Suffolk. Today’s topic is: Name one thing that a writer should never do. I would say to never assume that lit…