Saturday, October 31, 2020

Photo Friday on Saturday: Fall color

 Blogging here has been pretty sparse the last couple of months, mostly because I've been on the road (and maybe because I haven't felt much like reviewing books). But I'm home at last, for the moment, and ready to share a few random fall color photos from my trip to Maine. There's no story with these--just photos. About half are from various parts of Maine, and the other half from New Hampshire.













Through my travels, I made a point of working at least a little bit on my novel every night. I missed a few when I was traveling with a friend, but most places I managed at least a paragraph or two!

Yes, you CAN write with gloves on!

All images and text ©Rebecca M. Douglass, unless otherwise indicated.
As always, please ask permission to use any photos or text. Link-backs appreciated!



Saturday, October 24, 2020

Cozy Mystery Review: The Killer Outdoors, by Jodi Linton

 


The Killer Outdoors (A Southwest Exposure Mystery) by Jodi Linton

About The Killer Outdoors

The Killer Outdoors (A Southwest Exposure Mystery) 

Cozy Mystery 1st in Series  

Independently Published (October 5, 2020)  

Digital ASIN : B08C72CMSV 

 

Welcome to Bushwhack, New Mexico: home to tourists, the great outdoors, and murder...

Tourist season has hit Bushwhack and Andie Sullivan--owner of Sullivan's Adventure Company--is ready for her town to fill up with city slickers, snotty teens, and the dollars she needs to keep her business afloat after her messy divorce from Bucky Gunn--local celebrity rafting guide and Sullivan's main competition. With all her guided tours booked, it finally seems lady luck is on her side. 

But then Bucky is found dead. Not great.

And she's the prime murder suspect. Double not great.

Being framed for murder sucks worse than a rabid chipmunk bite. Andie's determined to clear her name, and this time her survival training skills won't be used to fetch an ice pack. But how long can she stay one step ahead of a killer before she becomes the final victim?

My Review:

Jodi Linton's new series opens with a plausible murder and an engaging heroine. Andie is reasonably strong and independent, without being perfect. I found her book a quick and pleasant read, with a decently-plotted mystery (though I admit I pegged the killer well before the end). At only 115 pages (according to my Kindle), it's definitely on the short-and-quick side, and doesn't have a lot of room t develop complexity.

Nonetheless, the story was enjoyable, and the setting was interesting, a bit out of the usual run of mysteries! The denouement had plenty of drama, if perhaps still leaving a bit too much to be explained after the dust (or whitewater) had settled. 

I thought the romance-to-mystery balance was good, with room left for a love story to develop in future books but a heroine who is focused first on her own life and her business, not on swooning over men. In the end, my main criticism was not with the story, which was enjoyable, but with a need for a little more careful editing, as there were word-choices that grated some on this word-nerd. Doubt most readers will be bothered!

My Recommendation:

A good vacation read, for times when you want a bit of distraction and not too much tension.

About Jodi Linton

  

 Hey Y’all, I’m just a girl from Texas, minus the big hair…and oh, yeah, a horse. My crew consists of two kiddos, one which inherited my makeup addiction, and a husband still living out his garage band dreams, but in our closet next to my shoe collection. I love to hang out with my readers, discussing books, recipes and just everyday shenanigans. I got started in the romance community, which you might know a few of my books from there. Now, I’m all about the cozies…and the coffee. Yeah, can’t forget that. I’d love for you to come join my reader group, Jodi’s Book Corner, or come like me on Facebook to discover my books. And chat. Naturally.  

Author Links  

Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/JodiLintonBooks/
Website:
 http://jodilinton.com
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/JodiLinton1
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jodi-linton
Youtube:
 https://youtu.be/Y91K-Z2yhTM
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/jodi_linton_author/?hl=en
Jodi's Book Corner:
 https://www.facebook.com/groups/JodiBookCorner/
Newsletter: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/s2j2k6 

Purchase Links - Amazon

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS   

October 12 – I'm All About Books - SPOTLIGHT
October 12 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW

October 13 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT

October 14 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
October 15 – Moonlight Rendezvous – REVIEW

October 16 – I Read What You Write – SPOTLIGHT

October 17 – Baroness' Book Trove - CHARACTER INTERVIEW

October 18 – StoreyBook Reviews - REVIEW

October 18 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW

October 19 – Socrates Book Reviews- SPOTLIGHT
October 19 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

October 20 – A Blue Million Books – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
October 21 - The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
October 21 - Elizabeth McKenna - Author – SPOTLIGHT

October 22 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

October 22 – Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

October 23 – Thoughts in Progress – SPOTLIGHT

October 23 – Christy's Cozy Corners – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

October 24 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
October 24 – MJB Reviewers – REVIEW

October 25 – Cozy Up With Kathy – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

October 25 – The Ninja Librarian – REVIEW
 

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FTC Disclosure: I received an ARC of Killer Outdoors from Great Escapes Free Book Tours, and received nothing further from the writer or publisher in exchange for my honest review.  The opinions expressed are my own and those of no one else.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."  

Tuesday, October 20, 2020

WEP: Grave Mistake


 It's time for the October WEP challenge, and after missing several this year, I'm back with a tentative offering. I couldn't do any of the horror-type stories that the prompt and badge suggest. It's humor, and I hope you all enjoy it as a sort of palate-cleanser after all the spooky stories out there this month. But be sure to pop on over to the WEP and check out the other stories in the hop!

As for me--I'm back on the road again, and will be reading the stories when and as I  can, probably continuing into next month. If you leave a comment I *will* get back to you. Just don't hold your breath, okay? I don't want to be responsible for anyone turning blue in the face.

686 words.

FCA

Grave Mistake


“It’s a lovely piece, don’t you think, dear?”

“Mmm, yes. Is that the one you want, then?”

“I’m not sure. This has a lovely color, and the fine grain would look well, I think.”

“WIll it do the job?”

“Well, any of them will be cold enough. And I presume we can get whatever size we want, so I think I mostly need the right look.”

“Right, Dear.”

The salesman spotted the well-dressed couple studying the marble samples, rubbed his hands together, and approached the shoppers with anticipation in his eye.

“Is Madam looking for a slab or a stone?”

“Oh, not a slab. We could never afford to do the whole thing in marble. But for an accent—yes, I think this would do nicely.” She laid her hand on a piece of fine-textured pink-tinted marble. “Can it be cut?”

“Of course. Madam has particular dimensions in mind?”

“Well, naturally.”

“And is this for yourselves, or...” The salesman let the question drift off into a vague query.

“Oh, it’s for me,” the woman laughed. “I’m really the only one who needs it, you know.”

“I see.” The salesman assumed a solemn expression, and murmured something about regrets. The woman, distracted by another marble slab, didn’t hear. Her companion did, and a faint hint of interest, the first he’d shown since entering the showroom, crossed his face. He opened his mouth to say something, then shut it.

“Allow me to get your specifics, then, Madam,” the salesman said in a hushed and respectful tone. “Would you be having it engraved now, or, ah, after?”

“Engraved?” The woman appeared startled. Her companion pulled out a large handkerchief and blew his nose noisily. She gave him a dirty look.

“It is customary, my dear,” the man said, when he had his sinuses under control. He appeared to suffer from a curious tic that kept his mouth twitching.

“Oh, of course,” she said, not looking at all as thought it was “of course.” “What do you think would be best, dear? Dates? Some kind of wise or witty saying?”

“The dates, of course,” the salesman put in. He pulled a notebook from one pocket, a gold pen from another. “I’ll just note it down. Date of birth?”

“Oh!” The woman looked confused. “I don’t think that’s relevant. I was thinking more like, ‘Blessed be all that springs from this slab.”

Her husband considered that. “How about, ‘What is laid out on this stone will rise in the flames?’”

“Oh, that’s perfect,” his wife exclaimed. “It captures the spirit exactly!”

The salesman appeared ill. He had turned pale, and beads of sweat glistened on his face. “Are you quite certain?” He asked faintly.

“Of course we are,” the woman said.

Her husband said, “Engraved on the unpolished side, of course.”

“Oh, of course.” The salesman really didn’t seem to know what he was saying. His head was spinning. He collected the relevant billing information from the couple, and saw them to the door.

“Oh,” the woman added before they left. “How soon can you have that ready?”

“Um, we work quickly. Is Madam expecting to need it soon?”

“Oh, yes,” she said happily. “By the end of next week, if everything goes well, don’t you think, dear?”

“Rather. I’ll arrange to have the contractor pick it up.”

The salesman, thinking that rather a strange way to to speak of the usual sort who picked up his stones, headed to his office. He needed a drink.

Outside, the sleek black Audi pulled out of the parking lot. The wife, driving, was absorbed by the need to find a gap in traffic, and her thoughts about finally winning the prize for the best pie crust once she had her marble slab in place in the kitchen they were remodeling. Only her husband could spare the attention to the elegant sign for Simmon’s Granite and Marble, and to see the part of the sign they hadn’t noticed on the way in, perhaps because someone had bumped it with a truck and knocked it askew.

The part that read, “Headstones and Monuments.”    

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All images and text ©Rebecca M. Douglass, unless otherwise indicated.
As always, please ask permission to use any photos or text. Link-backs appreciated!


Check out the other entries in the hop!



Thursday, October 15, 2020

Photo Friday: Playing the Slots... in Utah??

 What's that you say? You're pretty sure slots are illegal in Utah? Well, not the kind I like! In fact, they thrive there, and in September I had some fun playing them. Well, okay, playing *in* them. Here's a bit of a photo essay from the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, some of the most amazing landscape on earth (which, not to get too political, is under grave threat from the people currently in charge in DC).

The expansive Navajo Sandstone of the Calf Creek wilderness

Approach to Coyote Wash

Now for some fun with slots!




On the approach to Zebra Gulch

Th
The author in Zebra Gulch. Photo thanks to Zebra Guy, the nice hiker who coached me through and shared the photos!

Zebra Gulch turned very wet and challenging. This final photo is about the point where I turned around and stowed my camera on dry ground!

My hiking companion chest-deep. The water got more like neck-deep on us before we got through!


So there you have it--My idea of slots worth playing with--and protecting.

 Now, back to enjoying the wilds of Maine :)

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All images and text ©Rebecca M. Douglass, unless otherwise indicated.
As always, please ask permission to use any photos or text. Link-backs appreciated!

Tuesday, October 13, 2020

Writer's Wednesday: NaNo, anyone?

Since I'm off in the Maine woods and more into kayaks and moose right now than I am writing (and this is an automated post because we're out of range of wi-fi), this is meant to be a quick update. 

The editing in which I rejoiced last week in my IWSG post is still going on at a pretty good rate. I've hit some of the harder bits, the places where I need to rewrite if not rethink stuff, but I'm still hopeful of finishing by the end of the month. Some of the 47K I've finished with are actually new words, part of the 10K or so I need to reach my target novel length.

Finishing the draft and sending it to my beta readers would be good, because I would really like to give the new cozy series that's brewing in my brain a chance to come to life. For now, I'm keeping it under wraps--it's too soon and I don't want to risk an early frost nipping it before it's even begun to grow. But much as I love my Pismawallops PTA crew, I'm excited to invent a whole new world for a new heroine to find corpses in. [Note: I simply cannot write that sentence without ending it in a preposition. Tough.]

And, I'm going to take a shot at flash fiction again, hoping for a story for the WEP posting next week. We'll see, but it might be a good test to see if NaNo is realistic.

 Because... yes, it's almost National Novel Writing Month again, and once again I'd really like to leverage the energy that creates to jump-start the next novel. In other years, I've had no doubts. This year, I'm simply going to give it my best shot and let it go at that. Any words written are a triumph, so I'm pretty sure to be a "winner" not matter what. 

And that's about it. I'm in Maine, so it's all about the fall colors.









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 All images and text ©Rebecca M. Douglass, unless otherwise indicated.
As always, please ask permission to use any photos or text. Link-backs appreciated!


Sunday, October 11, 2020

Non-fiction double-review

This isn't really a proper review post, because my mind just doesn't seem to be working that way. But I've recently finished a couple of works of non-fiction, one audio, one on the Kindle, and at least have a few thoughts. 

First, the books. Both were fairly random selections from the library's Overdrive collection, nabbed in something of a hurry for my road trips. As a result, the print book was read in snatches, the audio book with whatever attention was left after driving.

In general, for me the mark of a good work of history is that it makes me care about something I may not have known I was interested in. Both of these books managed that.

In print we have:

       40360266 

Title: Spearhead: An American Tank Gunner, His Enemy, and a Collision of Lives in World War II

Author: Adam Makos

Publication info: Ballantine Books, 2019. 395 pages 

From the author of the international bestseller A Higher Call comes the riveting World War II story of an American tank gunner’s journey into the heart of the Third Reich, where he will meet destiny in an iconic armor duel—and forge an enduring bond with his enemy.

When Clarence Smoyer is assigned to the gunner’s seat of his Sherman tank, his crewmates discover that the gentle giant from Pennsylvania has a hidden talent: He’s a natural-born shooter.

At first, Clarence and his fellow crews in the legendary 3rd Armored Division—“Spearhead”—thought their tanks were invincible. Then they met the German Panther, with a gun so murderous it could shoot through one Sherman and into the next. Soon a pattern emerged: The lead tank always gets hit.

After Clarence sees his friends cut down breaching the West Wall and holding the line in the Battle of the Bulge, he and his crew are given a weapon with the power to avenge their fallen brothers: the Pershing, a state-of-the-art “super tank,” one of twenty in the European theater.

But with it comes a harrowing new responsibility: Now they will spearhead every attack. That’s how Clarence, the corporal from coal country, finds himself leading the U.S. Army into its largest urban battle of the European war, the fight for Cologne, the “Fortress City” of Germany.

Battling through the ruins, Clarence will engage the fearsome Panther in a duel immortalized by an army cameraman. And he will square off with Gustav Schaefer, a teenager behind the trigger in a Panzer IV tank, whose crew has been sent on a suicide mission to stop the Americans.

As Clarence and Gustav trade fire down a long boulevard, they are taken by surprise by a tragic mistake of war. What happens next will haunt Clarence to the modern day, drawing him back to Cologne to do the unthinkable: to face his enemy, one last time.

 My thoughts: (Note I'm not claiming "review" status for this). 

With reference to my above comment on how to know if a history or biography is good, I can't claim I wasn't already interested in WWII. But I had no idea I cared about the tank war in particular, and in fact had never thought about the men who operated them. I had no idea there were so many in each of those tanks--they hardly look big enough for one or two crewmen, let alone a half a dozen. Makos brought those men to life, and brought home how young they were-- most of them around the ages of my sons, a sobering thought.

This was a good book to have chosen for reading, rather than listening, as there were lots of photos and maps. It would probably have been even better in print, where the maps are bigger and easier to reference as you read!

12963217 

Title: Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman

Author: Robert K. Massie.  Read by Mark Deakins

Publication Info: Random House Audio, 2011 (24 hours). Hardback Random House, 2011, 625 pages


The Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Peter the Great, Nicholas and Alexandra, and The Romanovs returns with another masterpiece of narrative biography, the extraordinary story of an obscure German princess who became one of the most remarkable, powerful, and captivating women in history. Born into a minor noble family, Catherine transformed herself into empress of Russia by sheer determination. For thirty-four years, the government, foreign policy, cultural development, and welfare of the Russian people were in her hands. She dealt with domestic rebellion, foreign wars, and the tidal wave of political change and violence churned up by the French Revolution. Catherine’s family, friends, ministers, generals, lovers, and enemies—all are here, vividly brought to life. History offers few stories richer than that of Catherine the Great. In this book, an eternally fascinating woman is returned to life. 

 My thoughts:

This one really was something I wouldn't have gone looking for. If I knew there was a Catherine the Great of Russia, that was as much as I knew. I was predisposed to be attracted once I saw the book, because Eldest Son is studying Russian, but I'd never have gone in search of such a book. 

It didn't take long to get me interested in the history, starting right off from the unexpected fact that one of the "Great" Romanovs wasn't even Russian, and was a Romanov only by marriage. On the other hand, since all the noble houses of Europe seemed to be related one way or another, it didn't seem to matter that much.

I was intrigued by the ways in which strong, intelligent women with a knack for leadership had to negotiate their times. The limitations on female power were real, and only partly went away when one was crowned Empress. If the book spends a lot of time talking about Catherine's lovers (and those of her predecessor, the Empress Elizabeth), it's because they had an outsized influence on the course of the nation's history for as long as each remained a favorite.

 The structure of the book did sometimes confuse (the overall progress was from beginning to end of her life, but each chapter seemed to follow one thread for a long way, then the next would jump back), but in general the narration was easy to follow while my attention was on the road, and I credit both author and narrator for keeping me awake.

 

My Recommendation:

Give history a chance. Check out random books and learn about something you never knew happened. 

 

FTC Disclosure: I checked the above-reviewed books out of my library, and received nothing from the writers or publishers for my honest review.  The opinions expressed are my own and those of no one else.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."    


Wednesday, October 7, 2020

IWSG: What's a "Working Writer"?

 


 It's the first Wednesday of the month, and that means IWSG posting! 

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

The awesome co-hosts for the October 7 posting of the IWSG are Jemima Pett, Beth Camp, Beverly Stowe McClure, and Gwen Gardner!

Every month there is an OPTIONAL question. This month's question:

When you think of the term working writer, what does that look like to you? What do you think it is supposed to look like? Do you see yourself as a working writer or aspiring or hobbyist, and if latter two, what does that look like?

 

Well, that's a fine question to ask as I struggle to keep myself convinced I'm a writer at all! Seriously, though, I think it's very relevant, and I have multiple answers.

On one level, I think of a "working writer" as someone who is  writing full-time, maybe making a living at it. That's a pretty narrow selection of people, and I imagine someone who approaches the work like a regular job, with the discipline to sit down and write at set times and to work on writer-stuff for a full work day. 

But I have another take on it I like better. In that one, many more of us are "working writers," because it looks like this: someone who writes or works at writer-business pretty regularly. Maybe not every day. Maybe it's only on Saturday nights, but it's something they prioritize and do routinely. In other words: anyone who is working at being a writer.

By that definition, of course, I'm a working writer, which is a better description (or one I like better) than "aspiring writer" (a term I really dislike; "aspiring" suggests to me someone who is thinking about it and wishing they were a writer, in which case... nope) or a "hobbyist." The latter comes closer to describing those of us who don't rely on our writing income, but it doesn't feel right, either. For me, watercolor is a hobby--I do it purely for my own pleasure, and would certainly never expect anyone to pay for the results. Writing is something more.

Maybe I'll put it this way: I pay taxes on my writing earnings not as a "hobby", but as a business. If the IRS says I'm a working writer, good enough for me! (For the record, the distinction does have to do with making money. I think you have to turn a profit 3 years out of 5 or some such. I've yet to lose money two years in a row, so I'm still paying self-employment taxes).

###

Okay, that was fun. So what about my writing? 

Well, I've been traveling again, and I'm still struggling with the focus issues that seem to come with grief and loss, so the writing hasn't been impressive. But aside from nights in the backcountry (backpacking) and a couple of reallllly long driving days, I've been working on Death By Donut every day. Maybe I just do edits on a couple of paragraphs, but I do something, and I'm working my way through it. 

Apropos of that... I'm hoping to have an edited draft by the end of the month, and will be looking for beta readers. If you are willing to help out, let me know. The book is the 5th in then Pismawallops PTA cozy mystery series, and I'd love to have at least one beta who hasn't read the other books, so I can find out if it works for new readers.

No short stories or submissions this month. But I've put over 5000 miles on the new car since the start of September, so maybe that's no surprise?

Here I am, working on the edits in camp at Great Basin NP:




Thursday, October 1, 2020

Book Release: Princelings Revolution, by Jemima Pett

 The chronicles of the Realms are concluded!

 POTE montage for video files

Princelings Revolution is out today! The day has finally come for the last in Jemima Pett's Princelings of the East series. She started writing it in the dim dark days of 2008, thanks to inspiration from some guinea pig friends. Today's post has an extract and a Giveaway, so there's a lot of reading! 

In 2008, the series was just meant to be a trilogy. But the characters wouldn't accept their fate and demanded more. And so the saga of the Realms wound its way from south to north, and even into Germany before returning to the east.

  1. The Princelings of the East
  2. The Princelings and the Pirates
  3. The Princelings and the Lost City
  4. The Traveler in Black and White
  5. The Talent Seekers
  6. Bravo Victor
  7. Willoughby the Narrator
  8. The Princelings of the North
  9. Chronicles of Marsh
    and...
  10. .......

Princelings Revolution

Jasmine's birthday party ends in disaster. George seems to have lost a phial of highly dangerous liquid. And King Fred is battling politics, relatives and self-seeking dignitaries in his aim to give the people a better way of living. But can Fred keep the promise he made to an engaging chap from another time when he was just a princeling? Or will all their hopes fail?

Jemima's favourite quotes from the book

  • "Hector, in charge? Couldn't lead a file of caterpillars, that one!"
  • The way Jasmine said it made Fred raise an eyebrow. It was exactly how Kira said it when she wanted to say something privately.
  • "The usual suspects are people we know. I reckon these are people we don’t know. And who don’t know us."
  • “Oh.” George considered all the other uses he had found for it. This was not a good one. “It’s called duct tape,” he said.

About the series

Ten books take us from 2009 through to 2021, with a prequel at Book 4, explained from Lord Mariusz's point of view. The feudal structure of the Realms, the changes wrought by new technology, largely promoted by Princeling George, Fred's brother. The demise of paranormal creatures, thanks to George's use of garlic in the fuel cells; the rise of an anti-monarchist group called the Causists, and the resilience of characters great and small, trying to keep their pleasant and friendly society together in the face of so-called freedom fighters. One simple book at a time creates a world of change that will be somewhat familiar to every reader on today's uncertain planet. Suitable for good readers 8 years and up, although some parental guidance may occasionally be needed. Generally listed as age 10 and up. The first three books in the series are also available as Audiobooks.

 

author Jemima Pett
Jemima at Bloggers Bash 2018

About the author

Jemima Pett started writing stories when she was eight. By ten she was designing fantasy islands, complete with maps and railways timetables. There was no call for fantasy island designers then, so she took the science route through university and went into a business career, then retrained for environmental technology. Once in a policy research organisation she started writing again, reports, papers and briefings. She didn't believe she could write fiction until her guinea pigs came along, and inspired her to write The Princelings of the East. Now she enjoys writing short stories and science fiction novels, and has been published by Third Flatiron Press, among others. She lives in Hampshire with Roscoe, Neville and Biggles, who all appear in Princelings Revolution. Jemima is on Twitter.... Amazon.... Goodreads.... Facebook.... Website

 

 

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Extract

George overhears a plot

The harbour at Castle Wash included a large store full of bits and pieces for ships as well as sails and larger fittings. George was ferreting around in the aisle of wing nuts and clips when he heard some people talking together on the next aisle, just the other side of the box he was checking in. 

“So, full moon, on the spring tide, then.” 

“Exactly. Bring the goods ashore, hand them to the party waiting for you, they’ll have blue sashes on. Low tide before dawn, poof! Up goes the causeway.” 

“And all for the Cause, I like that.” 

“The causeway for the Cause, he-he.” the second one chuckled, but it was an ugly sound. George stayed still, his hand poised over the wing nut he wanted. It didn’t sound like these people wanted to be overheard. How could he see what they looked like without being seen himself? If they checked down this aisle when they exited theirs… There was a shelf behind him just above his head height, with bundles of netting on it. He grabbed hold of the sides of the shelving and dragged himself onto it, grateful that he’d had to use a top bunk from time to time, and the technique hadn’t escaped him. He scrambled over the netting and peered through a loose bit of it. 

The two conspirators reached the end of their aisle, and sure enough, checked out George’s one for anyone listening. Why didn’t they do that before? George wondered. Was it a chance meeting? Maybe they’d had to move out of another aisle, and he’d been too quiet, inspecting the contents before he rummaged in the boxes. 

He saw their faces. One was a regular seadog, unmarked coat, dark brown, but with a spotted scarf around his neck. The other seemed vaguely familiar. But was he someone he’d met in the past, or did he just resemble someone he knew? He listened to their conversation as they left, chatting about eateries in the area, and realised. The second looked just like Py, proprietor (with Archi) of the Cheeky Parrot, Castle Wash’s famous inn. But Py wouldn’t be involved in conspiracy. Would he?  

Princelings Revolution © J M Pett 2020 

Badge for the Princelings Revolution launch tour

Why there isn't a review:

Regular readers will know that I usually like to review books, not just announce them. I have stopped reviewing Jemima's books because as an active beta reader I don't think I'm very objective... but I will say that I thought this was a fantastic conclusion to the series! I have thoroughly enjoyed all the books, and look forward to seeing what Jemima will do next!