Tag Archives: family

Smorgasbord Christmas Book Fair 2025 – #Africa #1980s #Adventure – Beneath A Copper Sky by Valerie Poore, #Africa #1980s #Apartheid – Sticks in a Bundle: The Decision by Pat Spencer, #Family, #Australia #Immigration Quarter Acre Block by Janet Gogerty, #YA #ComingofAge – Emmie of Indianapolis by Kay Castaneda

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Welcome to this year’s Christmas book fair.  I will be revisiting some of the  books I have promoted during the year and also some of the authors I have  recommended, with one of their other reviews with that ‘come buy me vibe’. Today..some books I can definitely recommend set in Africa, Australia and America

About the book

Apartheid still rules in South Africa when Angela and Stephen take on a job as caretakers of a remote farm in the Midlands of Natal. Things don’t go quite as planned from the moment they arrive, and the young couple find themselves coping with a situation they hadn’t bargained for. But despite their initial misgivings, their affection for the country and its people grows. Africa and all its ‘exoticness’ creeps under their skin and into their hearts. However, it isn’t long before underlying tensions in the area start to unsettle them. What are these undercurrents that are both alarming and dangerous? And who is their enigmatic neighbour?

One of the reviews for the book 

Beth Haslam
5.0 out of 5 stars A captivating novel

With such a gorgeous cover design, I knew I’d be in for a treat with this book. I certainly was!

A dreary English winter leaves Angela and Stephen with itchy feet. Almost by chance, they discover an opportunity to spend a year caretaking a farm in South Africa. Is it too good to be true? The young couple set off to find that all is not as it appears.

The abrupt departure of the farm owners leaves Angela and Stephen shocked and overwhelmed, but they don’t give up. Fighting for survival, they learn of an uneasiness consuming the community. A deadly conspiracy is unfolding, and they become innocently involved.

This novel, set during a period when Apartheid was still evident, captivated me on two levels. Through the author’s exquisite descriptions, just like the young couple, I was quickly mesmerized by the area’s wild beauty. I experienced the sights, scents and sounds of Africa, which got under my skin too. I was similarly engrossed by the underlying mystery, which is so skillfully woven into the story.

Beneath a Copper Sky is a cleverly thought-out, beautifully written novel. Val Poore causes readers to feel they are right there with the characters, and she achieves this from the first page. This, along with her other books, is another winner. Highly recommended. 

Read the reviews and buy the book: Amazon UK – And: Amazon US

A very small selection of other books by Valerie Poore

Read the reviews and buy the books: Amazon UK – And: Amazon US – Follow Valerie: Goodreads – Blog: River Girl Rotterdam – Facebook: Val Poore – Twitter: @vallypee – Bluesky: @vallypee.bsky.social 

About the book

Sticks in a Bundle: The Decision is the final piece of Eshile Mthembu’s powerful and poignant tale. Join Eshile on the bumpy road, leaving behind her teenage years and entering womanhood. On this journey, she struggles with the complications that come with maturity—love, duty, and accountability. She’s strong and resourceful yet battles self-doubt when called upon to resolve challenges greater than any she ever envisioned for her future.

The 1980s bring no relief from apartheid or the devastation it wreaks on Eshile’s family, friends, and community. Publishing her words and thoughts in South African underground newspapers places everyone she loves in harm’s way. Will she risk everything to fight prejudice and discrimination? Does she follow her dreams or accept the responsibilities asked of her? Eshile must balance what her heart craves against the safety and expectations of others. Which life will she choose to live?

Fans of historical and literary fiction are captivated by Eshile’s inspiring journey of love, strength, and resilience in the face of adversity. Comparable to best-selling titles such as The Color Purple and Homegoing, this extraordinary coming-of-age saga, Sticks in a Bundle: The Decision, is sure to have you sitting on the edge of your seat. Order your copy of this unforgettable story now.

One of the reviews for the book  

Carol Moran
5.0 out of 5 stars Sticks in a Bundle: The Decision

The Decision is the final volume in the trilogy Sticks in a Bundle, which is set in Soweto during the Apartheid. I have never traveled to Africa, so these three volumes were quite an eye opener, detailing the culture and illuminating the difficulties of a multi-generational, biracial family struggling to keep afloat, and at the same time managing to enjoy the little they have, and share it with their neighbors.

Spencer, who has traveled in South Africa, met Eshile Mthembu on a long bus ride where Eshile related her story. Spencer has done extensive research on the history, culture and customs of the Apartheid era, so the reader is able to understand what Blacks were forced to endure. There were severe limitations on where they could live, work, go to school, and travel, including with whom they could mingle. Even through the strictly enforced laws the family strength endured. Thus the proverb: “sticks in a bundle do not break.”

Not only do we hear the story of the family’s lives, but we learn about the abusive use of Black Africans, often underage, to work in the diamond mines for little pay and sometimes lose their lives to it. Still there are times when they could appreciate the gorgeous scenery and magnificent animals.

The main character, Eshile Mthembu, has a passion for writing and delivering difficult truths often through articles in underground newspapers. At the same time she cares for her family and maintains a strong relationship with her sisters even through sisterly rivalries.

Throughout The Decision, we encounter mistreatment, love, hate, theft, renewal, trafficking and surprising twists and turns that keep the reader engaged.

I recommend this book, and for that matter, all of Pat Spencer’s books. 

Head over to buy the book: Amazon US – And: Amazon UK

Also by Pat Spencer

Read the reviews and buy the books: Amazon US – And: Amazon UK – Paperback also available: Walmart – Follow Pat Spencer: Goodreads –  Website: Pat Spencer – Facebook: Pat Spencer – Twitter:@DrPatSpencer

About the book

In the nineteen sixties many ‘ten pound pommies’ had never left England before and most expected never to return or see loved ones again. George Palmer saw Australia as a land of opportunities for his four children, his wife longed for warmth and space and their daughter’s ambition was to swim in the sea and own a dog. For migrant children it was a big adventure, for fathers the daunting challenge of finding work and providing for their family, but for the wives the loneliness of settling in a strange place.

One of the reviews for the book  

Anita Dawes
5.0 out of 5 stars History remembered and relived…

I can remember the winter of 1962-63, also known as the Big Freeze. It was one of the coldest winters on record for the UK. The temperature plummeted and lakes and rivers froze. The sea actually froze in a few places, something I never expected to see!
Blizzards and the freezing cold probably had most of us dreaming of living somewhere warmer. I know my mother did.

She had heard about this new scheme where you could travel to Australia to start a new life and all for £10. That must have appealed to many people after suffering through that particular winter. I was only a child then, and don’t remember why we didn’t go, so when I saw this book all about a family who did go, I had to read it.

I followed this family as they made plans, packed up their belongings and travelled all that way. I discovered what it was like to find yourself in such a vastly different environment to the UK, and found it all fascinating.
The early arrivals were given a quarter Acre block of land to live on, which is a substantial amount of space, practically unheard of in the UK unless you had pots of money.

I learned what their new life was like through the eyes of the youngest daughter. She described an enjoyable journey as they slowly came to terms with their new life.

This was a light-hearted and fascinating read about something that almost happened to me. I often wonder what my own life would have been like if my mother had managed to swing it… 

Read the reviews and buy the book: Amazon UK – And: Amazon US

A selection of other books by Janet Gogerty

Read the reviews and buy the books: Amazon UK – And: Amazon US – Follow Janet: Goodreads – Blog: Tidal Scribe – Facebook : Beachwriter

About Emmie of Indianapolis

In 1963, a young teenage girl moves with her mother and sisters from the suburbs to the downtown of a Midwestern city after her parents get a divorce. Emmie, a naïve, curious and intelligent girl, wants the security of her suburban life but has always dreamed of adventure in faraway places. She must take risks, meet new people and become independent. The change is difficult for all because of her mother’s alcoholism and lack of a steady income. When Emmie’s mother takes a job, she cares for her sisters at night. In her new neighborhood, Emmie meets people from different cultures who are both good and evil. She defends her sisters and herself each day by confronting the evil, thus awakening her courage and inner strength. But she never gives up.

One of the reviews for the book  

Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars When I think of Indianapolis I now also think of Emmie.

When Henry James wrote “What Maisie Knew” all those years ago, he did a couple of things that were especially clever. He produced prose that was entirely suited to the story of a young child, and he merged Maisie’s world with his authorship. James’ “What Maisie Knew” is a child’s take on the inequities of adult life. And Maisie, as she grows, goes from borrowing adult words, without necessarily understanding them, to being able to comprehend the adult world and it effects on her. He also used prose entirely suitable for a child-centric story; prose different from his adult-centric stories. At least that’s what I made of James.

“Emmie of Indianapolis” by Kay Castaneda shares some similarities with “Maisie,” in that like James, Castaneda, has successfully produced a child’s story. (Cf an adult telling a story about a child – as is the case with most YA fiction.) The charm of Emmie’s year is that she tells us about it, and she tells us as a child would. It is this charm, in spite of some troublesome episodes in Emmie’s year, that made the story such a pleasure to read.

Too many YA authors feel the need to show their adult self in the narrative, where as Castaneda successfully avoids that pit fall. “Emmie of Indianapolis” reads as if Emmie is speaking directly to us, simply, succinctly, sometimes without understanding, and other times with deep understanding; but more often than not a sense of wonder. From time to time Emmie does use words from the adult world, and Castaneda’s prose choices makes it clear that Emmie uses them with a child’s appreciation – as borrowed words, rather than as her own.

With this approach Castaneda tells a story of the essentials of friendship; against the inequities that adults, through their needs and intolerances, visit upon the lives of children. And in spite of those inequities, and in spite of the failings all too present in Emmie’s world, the story is a warm one. A story, also, that makes it now impossible to think of Indianapolis without Emmie in it. I should finish by saying that I enjoyed the story as a story for adults, on adults terms, and I think that it stands in its own right as narrative fiction – rather than as a story reliant on being genre pigeon holed as Young Adult. 

Read the reviews and buy the book: Amazon US – And: Amazon UK – Website: Bookplaces – Follow Kay: Goodreads –Facebook: Kay Castaneda – Twitter: @KCastanedauthor –  Instagram:Kay Castaneda 90 – Pinterest: Kay Castaneda

 

Thank you for dropping in today and I hope you will be leaving with some books..

 

 

Smorgasbord Sunday Book Share – What’s In a Name? – Owen – Face to Face by Sally Cronin

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It is four years since I shared this collection so I hope you will enjoy again or if new to the blog… for the first time.

There are names that have been passed down through thousands of years which have powerful and deep-rooted meaning to their bearers. Other names have been adopted from other languages, cultures and from the big screen. They all have one thing in common. They are with us from birth until the grave and they are how we are known to everyone that we meet.

Owen – Face to Face

The old woman sat in the armchair in the dark. There was no need for light as she was blind. The disease had slowly eroded her vision, and then on a day when sun streamed through the open curtains; she lost sight of all that she loved.

She could hear her daughter Mary; clattering around in the kitchen preparing the tea tray with the best cups and a fresh baked chocolate sponge. The day had finally arrived when she would meet her great-grandson Owen. Her oldest daughter had gone to Australia forty years ago and she and her family lived in Sydney. Jennifer had returned a number of times to the UK, and on the last visit five years ago, she had brought a photograph of the youngest member of the family, four year old Owen, which was put in a silver frame on the mantelpiece.

Her eyesight was deteriorating at that time but she had managed to trace the lines of his dear little face with her fingers and smiled at the resemblance to her late husband Cliff. That same quirky grin and sparkling blue eyes that brought back such bittersweet memories.

Even though she could no longer see the photograph, the image remained in her mind and on winter days when the wind howled about the house, she imagined him on the beach near his home building sand castles.

The doorbell chimed and she listened as her daughter raced to the front door. There was laughter and exclamations of welcome and she imagined the crowded hall filled with her family. She tensed in the chair and held her breath as the door to the sitting room was flung open and she heard the click of the light switch.

‘Mum, they’re here,’ Mary announced excitedly.

She felt movement close to her and a faint smell of chocolate as a small warm hand clasped her own. She breathed out and smiled as she turned in towards the warmth of the cheek against her skin.

‘Hello Granny, I’m Owen,’ the strong young voice declared.

‘How do you do Owen,’ tears bathed her sightless eyes. ‘I have waited so long to meet you in person.’

Gently Owen took her hands, placing them side by side on his forehead. As she felt the springy curls under her fingers; small hands guided her palms down and across her great-grandson’s face.

She laughed as she touched the widely spaced eye-brows, the gentle swell of eyelids with the fluttering of their lashes. Beneath her fingers she traced the contours of the boy’s nose and recognised the shape as one belonging to Cliff. She continued down over the full lips and cupped the slightly squared chin in her left hand whilst placing her right over his beating heart.

The boy laughed delightedly and she smiled at the sound.

‘Now you have seen me in 3D Granny… do you recognise me?’

©Sally Cronin

Sally Cronin is the author of eighteen books including her memoir Size Matters: Especially when you weigh 330lb first published in 2001 which followed her weight loss of 150lbs and the programme she designed to achieve a healthy weight and regain her health. A programme she shared with her clients over her 26 year career as a nutritional therapist and on her blog. This has been followed by another seventeen books both fiction and non-fiction including multi-genre collections of short stories and poetry.

Her latest book Size Always Matters is an extended and updated version of her original book Size Matters and now includes the nutritional element to losing weight and some recipes with ingredients that provide the nutrients necessary for healthy weight loss and continued good health.

As an author she understands how important it is to have support in marketing books and offers a number of FREE promotional opportunities in the Café and Bookstore on her blog and across her social media.

After leading a nomadic existence exploring the world, she now lives with her husband on the coast of Southern Ireland enjoying the seasonal fluctuations in the temperature of the rain.

A selection of my books

You can read the reviews on my books page: Sally’s Books and Reviews

 

I hope you have enjoyed this story in this double collection and as always I love to hear from you.

 

Smorgasbord Posts from Your Archives 2022- ‘Lucky Dip – A Valentine Gift by Gwen Plano

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Since this series began in January 2018 there have been over 1000 Posts from Your Archives where bloggers have taken the opportunity to share posts to a new audience… mine.

The topics have ranged from travel, childhood, recipes, history, family and the most recent series was #PotLuck where I shared a random selection of different topics. This series is along the same lines… but is a ‘Lucky Dip’. I have posts scheduled for another few weeks but that will bring this current series to an end. Another series will begin in the new year.

In this series I will be sharing posts from the half of 2022

Today author and poet Gwen Plano shares a tribute to her grandfather that she posted in February in celebreation of Valentine’s Day.

A Valentine Gift  

Amidst the demands of the times, we pause and celebrate those we love. How wonderful is that! Stores are filled with bouquets of flowers, boxes of chocolate, and rows of cards. Today LOVE is getting needed attention.

With Valentine greetings spread across the blogosphere, there’s one special Valentine I’d like to share with you today – my grandfather Valentine F Butters.

Born February 14th, Val (as he was called), quickly became beloved by all who knew him.

For most of his life, he didn’t have much, and he didn’t care. He loved life – the challenges, the joys, and all the moments in-between.

What I remember most about my grandfather is his laugh. No matter the circumstance, peeling potatoes or reading me a book, he’d offer a heartfelt chuckle.

​My mom was a twin, and when she arrived, the whole community responded. They were the first twins in the farming community and quickly lost their names to be called “The Twins”.

​For Val, they were a miracle. He spent long hours in the fields caring for this miracle, and each year another arrived.

I never heard my grandfather say anything unkind or thoughtless. If he spotted one of his grandkids in tears, he’d pick them up and listen to their story, then he’d offer hugs and say, “It’s not so bad, now is it?” I heard this expression more than once, and it always made everything better.

Much like the Twins, my grandfather saw his grandchildren as miracles. But Papo (as we called him) was our miracle.

Thinking back over the years, there are many Valentines I cherish, but my grandfather tops the list. In his memory, I offer a simple Tanka poem and wish you a very happy Valentine’s Day.

©Gwen Plano 2022

My thanks to Gwen for allowing me to share the posts from her archives and I know she would love to hear from you.. hugsx

About Gwen M. Plano

Growing up in Southern California, Gwen M. Plano loved learning, and she loved imagining stories, some grandly epic, all personal and heartfelt. She taught and served in universities across the United States and in Japan, then retired and focused again on her stories.

Her first book, Letting To Into Perfect Love, is an award-winning memoir recounting some of her struggles in life while providing insight into the healing process.

Gwen shifted to fiction after this first book and joined forces with acclaimed author John W. Howell in writing a thriller, The Contract: between heaven and earth. Its sequel, The Choice: the unexpected heroes, soon followed – this time a solo effort. The Culmination, a new beginning, is the third book of the series.

Gwen lives in the Midwest with her husband, traveling and writing, sharing those stories only she can imagine.

Books by Gwen M. Plano

One of the reviews for Culmination

Mae Clair 5.0 out of 5 stars A Political Thriller with Strong Characters  Reviewed in the United States on January 16, 2021

Book three in a series, The Culmination reads easily as a standalone novel. A political thriller, that addresses denuclearization, tensions in the Middle East, and the fate of refugees, much of the story echoes current headlines. The plot is complex involving multiple heads of state, along with the strategical give and take of political maneuvering on a global level. The author clearly put an extensive amount of research into this book, and it shows. Adrenalin-fueled scenes alter with more cerebral moments, and even a few romantic interludes.

I especially loved the evolution of the relationship between the two central characters, Margaret Adler, VP of the United States and Ivan Smirnov, acting President of Russia. During the course of the novel those titles change, and we learn more about each, including richly developed backgrounds. I was thoroughly invested in the difficulties Margaret and Ivan faced, both on personal and political levels. Their scenes together were among my favorites of the book. There’s also a young refugee child who factors into the story and who stole my heart.

A unique combination of character-driven and plot-driven fiction, I recommend this compelling tale to readers who enjoy strong character development and complexly-plotted intrigue. 

Read the reviews and buy the books: : Amazon UK –and : Amazon US – As Gwendolyn M. Plano: Amazon US follow Gwen : Goodreads –website:Gwen Plano – Twitter: @gmplano

 

Smorgasbord Bookshelf 2022- Share an Extract from your latest book – #Family, #Dementia, Why Grandma Doesn’t Know Me by Abbie Johnson Taylor

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In this series you are invited to share an extract of 500 words from your most recent book published within the last 12 months. Details at the end of the post.

The aim of the series

  1. To showcase your latest book and sell some more copies.
  2. Gain more reviews for the book.
  3. Promote a selection of your other books that are available.

Today an extract from the latest release by Abbie Johnson Taylor…Why Grandma Doesn’t Know Me

About the book

Sixteen-year-old Natalie’s grandmother, suffering from dementia and confined to a wheelchair, lives in a nursing home and rarely recognizes Natalie. But one Halloween night, she tells her a shocking secret that only she and Natalie’s mother know. Natalie is the product of a one-night stand between her mother, who is a college English teacher, and another professor.

After some research, Natalie learns that people with dementia often have vivid memories of past events. Still not wanting to believe what her grandmother has told her, she finds her biological father online. The resemblance between them is undeniable. Not knowing what else to do, she shows his photo and website to her parents.

Natalie realizes she has some growing up to do. Scared and confused, she reaches out to her biological father, and they start corresponding.

Her younger sister, Sarah, senses their parents’ marital difficulties. At Thanksgiving, when she has an opportunity to see Santa Claus, she asks him to bring them together again. Can the jolly old elf grant her request?

An extract from Why Grandma Doesn’t Know Me

1: Natalie

I hated walking with my mom and sister down that long, bright hallway in the nursing home where my grandma lived. The white tile floor and the ceiling covered with fluorescent lights reminded me of school. The only difference was that there were handrails on either side that old people could hold onto while they walked, so they wouldn’t fall.

The blare of television sets from just about every room we passed, laughter and chatter from the nurses’ station, and announcements over the PA system made me wonder why Dad called this place a rest home. The sharp aroma of disinfectant reminded me of the monthly trips I’d made to the dentist years before to have my braces adjusted. I nearly gagged as I remembered the goop they put in my mouth so they could take impressions of my teeth before the braces were put on. The stench of poop and piss from some of the rooms was overpowering.

We finally reached Grandma’s room, and for once, there was silence and only the smell of her perfume. Her bed was next to the window, and she sat in her wheelchair, wearing white pants and a blue, checked blouse. Her curly gray hair was cut short and pushed away from her face. She had a roommate, but the other lady wasn’t there. It was just us.

When we walked into the room, her head was hanging down, but she raised it and gave us a blank look. My mother, as she did every Sunday when we came to visit, went up to her with a smile, kissed her cheek, took her hand, and said, “Hi, Mom.” Then she said, “Oh, I see you’re wearing that lovely blouse I got you for your birthday. It looks nice on you.”

Mom always complimented Grandma on the clothes she wore, most of which she had bought for her. It made me want to throw up.

She sat on the bed next to Grandma’s wheelchair and smiled as she said, “I’ve brought Natalie and Sarah to see you today.”

My younger sister walked up to Grandma without hesitating and took her other hand, as she always did when we visited her. “Hi, Grandma,” she said with a smile.

Grandma’s face broke into a big grin. “Sarah, how lovely you look today. How old are you now?”

“I’m ten,” answered Sarah with a grin of her own. “And my sister, Natalie, is here, too.”

She turned to me, but I stood where I was. I knew what would happen.

Grandma gave me one of her blank looks. “Who?”

“Mom, you remember Natalie,” my mother said. “She just turned sixteen last week. Natalie, don’t just stand there staring. Come say hello to your grandma.”

As I did each week, I walked up to her and said, “Hi, Grandma.”

She smiled, but I could tell she still didn’t recognize me. She said, “Martha, she doesn’t look a bit like you. Was she adopted?”

©Abbie Taylor 2022

A review for the book

Patricia Hubschman rated the book Five Stars

I just finished reading Abbie Johnson Taylor’s new book, Why Grandma Doesn’t Know Me. I really enjoyed it. It’s excellent. I highly recommend it. I can’t even remember when I last sat down to a book that held my attention like this one did. It’s a family story. It has conflict, suspense. I felt happiness, sadness, excitement. It triggered all my emotions. The book is in first person. Each scene is narrated by a different character and the dialogue flows beautifully and is right on target. It brought back memories from when I was a kid and made me smile.

Head over to buy the book: Amazon US – And: Amazon UK

Other books by Abbie Johnson Taylor

Read the reviews and buy the books: Amazon US: Blog: Abbie’s Corner WordPress Goodreads: Abbie Johnson Taylor

About Abbie Johnson Taylor

Abbie Johnson Taylor is the author of three novels, two poetry collections, and a memoir. Her short stories and poems have appeared in various journals and anthologies. She is visually impaired and lives in Sheridan, Wyoming, where for six years, she cared for her late husband, who was totally blind and partially paralyzed by two strokes soon after they were married.

Before that, she spent fifteen years as a registered music therapist, working in nursing homes and other facilities that serve senior citizens. She also taught Braille, facilitated a support group for the visually impaired, and served on the advisory board to a trust fund that allows people with blindness or low vision to purchase adaptive equipment.

Thank you for dropping in today and I hope you will be leaving with some books.. Sally

What will be in the post and how to get in touch

      • I will top and tail in the usual way with your other books and links, bio, photo and social media.
      • I will also select a review from Amazon or Goodreads that I feel has the best selling pitch for the book.
      • If your book is very recent and as yet has not received a review then I will share one from a previous book.
      • This series is open to all authors both those on the Bookshelf or new to the blog
      • I suggest an extract of approximately 500 words or a poem that you feel best reflects the theme of your collection.
      • If you have an illustration or images you can attach to the email for me to include. No need to send the cover as I will have that or will access from Amazon.
      • If you have not featured on the blog before then I will need Amazon link, Goodreads, blog or website plus your social media links (main three you use)
      • Please send your extract and any accompanying images to sally.cronin@moyhill.com