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Friday, December 29, 2017

ANOTHER WISDOM KEY FOR LIFE!



Here is another of bestselling Bahamian author Tanya R Taylor’s remarkable and usually very timely “Wisdom Keys”. You can read over a hundred of these valuable Wisdom Keys in her book “Wisdom Keys for Life”, available on Amazon as an e-book and in paperback! 

“Wisdom Keys for Life” is a handy guide of more than one hundred thought-provoking nuggets to give you daily inspiration and help you through life's most difficult moments.

Monday, December 25, 2017

NEW UPDATED COVER FOR LOVE AT SUNSET!



I had a lovely Christmas present this morning! – The beautiful new updated cover of my novel Love at Sunset has gone live on Amazon. Many thanks to the cover’s creator, best-selling author Tanya R. Taylor, who is so multi-talented!




Sunday, December 24, 2017

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Merry Christmas to all!
(Photos: Live Nativity scene by the young people of 
New Providence Community Church this morning)



Thursday, December 21, 2017

CERTIFIED AROMATHERAPIST PAMELA GOMEZ IN PUNCH WOMAN IN ACTION TODAY



This is my latest “Woman in Action” article that appears in “The Punch” on page 15 today about Pamela Gomez, Certified Aromatherapist, entrepreneur, published author, blogger and website developer. 

The Punch features an outstanding local woman in their “Woman in Action” column every Thursday, with my articles usually appearing every other Thursday.



Thursday, December 14, 2017

A BAHAMIAN AUTHOR WHO HAS BEATEN ALL ODDS!



Bahamian author Michael Wells is truly remarkable. He was born with severe disabilities that resulted from a difficult birth. He has cerebral palsy and cannot move his limbs or speak clearly. None of this kept him back from learning to write using a computer. During the past couple of decades he has published five issues of his magazine “The Unicorn” and written seven books of short stories. 

Michael's latest book of short stories “Golden Heart” has just been launched on Amazon. CLICK HERE to purchase a copy and support this creative, courageous and determined author.



Sunday, December 10, 2017

CHILLIN' AT ATLANTIS!


Me at Atlantis Marina, Paradise Island
Erskine at Atlantis Marina Village, Paradise Island

Atlantis Resort, Paradise Island, today. Bit of a cool breeze, so took a cardigan, but didn’t need to use it. The temperature was just right!


Apparently business is slow over there right now, with low guest occupancy. Erskine reminded me it’s usually a little slow after Thanksgiving, but should pick up soon with Christmas approaching.


Thursday, December 7, 2017

CAPTAIN GLORIA GILBERT SAILS TO SUCCESS!



Here's my latest “Woman in Action” article that appears in “The Punch” on page 15 today about certified Boat Captain Gloria Gilbert, who offers courses in the maritime industry for unemployed and “at risk” youths as well as training for entrepreneurs. The Punch features an outstanding local woman in their “Woman in Action” column every Thursday, with my articles usually appearing every other Thursday.

Thursday, November 23, 2017

THE VOICELESS DOGS OF NASSAU, BAHAMAS




This is my latest “Woman in Action” article that appears in “The Punch” on page 15 today about Chella Phillips Melnechuk, founder of “The Voiceless Dogs of Nassau, Bahamas”. Chella rescues stray dogs, many of whom are suffering from debilitating diseases, and finds them happy homes in the U.S.  The Punch features an outstanding local woman in their “Woman in Action” column every Thursday, with my articles usually appearing every other Thursday.


Wednesday, November 22, 2017

PIRATED E-BOOKS!





I was dismayed to discover that the e-book edition of my book "Sunbeams from the Heart - A Collection of Twelve Romantic Short Stories" was being pirated online! 

I reported it to Amazon and they said: “I can confirm that we have not authorized these sites to loan your book and have not provided your file to them. If you have found your work available on an unauthorized website such as the sites that you referenced, we suggest contacting that website to confirm your rights and request removal of your work. If you distribute your book through other sales channels, you might contact them to inquire as to whether they have authorized the inclusion of your book on other sites. Our lending program allows a purchaser to lend a title once and does not allow the recipient to re-loan that book.” 

Amazon gave me a link to more information about Kindle book lending. None of this was of any help to me. I haven’t distributed my book through any other sales channels and I am reluctant to contact the pirated sites direct.

Fortunately, I found the following most helpful article by Derek Haines on this topic. It seems that there's really nothing any of us can do; that people who access these pirate sites can have their computer infected by viruses anyway; and on the plus side these pirates even get the word out about our books and can indirectly bring us more sales! Some sensible book buyers wouldn't dream of downloading a book from a pirate's site, but they may take note of the title and go to a respected source to buy it!


I guess I could contact the pirates and ask them to cease and desist. Apparently this sometimes works for a while, but it’s not long before they start popping up again. And then there’s the risk of getting a virus on my computer from these rogue sites.

I suppose I should just take it all as a compliment, as “Jenny Martins” posted on one of these pirate sites: “Finally I get this e-book, thanks for all these Sunbeams heart collection romantic stories I can get now!” and “Markus Jensen” wrote: “I did not think that this would work, my best friend showed me this website, and it does! I get my most wanted eBook.”

As the saying goes: “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery”!




Monday, November 20, 2017

PASSING OF LEGENDARY BAHAMIAN MUSIC ICON RONNIE BUTLER

RONNIE BUTLER - PHOTO COURTESY
THE TRIBUNE AND NATIVE STEW

We were saddened yesterday to learn of the passing of legendary Bahamian entertainer and cultural music icon Ronnie Butler. Ronnie was born in 1937 and was made a Member of the British Empire (M.B.E.) in 2003.

We loved his singing, especially when we went dancing in the “Big Bamboo” on downtown Bay Street in the sixties. And when we moved to England for a year in the seventies I used to dance around the living room to Ronnie’s lively and charismatic records, feeling very homesick for The Bahamas!

More information at THE TRIBUNE 

Sunday, November 12, 2017

NEW LOOK FOR #1 BEST-SELLER CORNELIUS!



Tanya R. Taylor's #1 Best-seller CORNELIUS has a new look! Buy it at 

And Book 2 in "The Cornelius Saga", CORNELIUS’ REVENGE, is FREE right now, so you can get a taste of this brilliant series -


Saturday, November 11, 2017

HAPPY HAITIAN WORKERS!


A Haitian painter in Nassau, Bahamas
(Haitian workers are also not afraid to work at great heights!) 

Listening to Haitian workers chattering away as they worked, I commented to Erskine, “I wonder why they talk so much while they’re working.” He replied: “It’s because they’re so happy to be employed!”

That is very true. There is a large population of Haitians here in The Bahamas, many of whom arrived here on rickety boats, not knowing what their future would be if any.

Cap-Haïtien produces skilled workers, such as painters, carpenters and masons. The gardeners that are employed on many Bahamians’ properties hail from Port-de-Paix.



Thursday, November 9, 2017

WOMAN IN ACTION ROCHELLE BUTLER WINS WEIGHT BATTLE!


Here is my latest “Woman in Action” article that appears in “The Punch” on page 15 today about Rochelle Butler, who has lost a tremendous amount of weight and is an inspiration to all of those struggling with weight problems. 

The Punch features an outstanding local woman in their “Woman in Action” column every Thursday, with my articles usually appearing every other Thursday.

Tuesday, November 7, 2017

TERI M. BETHEL'S BAHAMIAN AUTHORS DIRECTORY


I’m honoured to have my author bio on Teri M. Bethel’s online directory of Bahamian authors. Teri is an author herself, as well as being an Interior Designer by profession, textile artist and handbag designer. Author Vera Chase kindly referred her to me. Teri is the author of empowering fiction, as well as non-fiction books for adults and children. Both in her daily living and in her books, she seeks to encourage and empower people to be the best they can be.

Here’s the link to Teri’s Directory: BAHAMIAN AUTHORS DIRECTORY


Monday, November 6, 2017

"LEAVE NOTHING BUT FOOTPRINTS" - AN EXCITING NEW ROMANCE BY PATSY COLLINS!


British author Patsy Collins has recently released her latest novel, an exciting romance entitled “Leave Nothing But Footprints”:

“Jessica Borlase always gets what she wants. From cocktails in the exact shade of her manicure, holiday on Capri with friends, to a spacious apartment, her father's money makes it possible. She enjoys the luxurious lifestyle and is grateful for his support, but frustrated to always be treated as Daddy's pampered little girl. She tries to break free, by leaving Borlase Enterprises and studying photography. Now what Jess wants is the utterly gorgeous Eliot Beatty; a world famous photographer who often uses his talents to benefit conservation projects.” 

Patsy lives on the south coast of England with her husband, photographer Gary Davies. Her short stories (500+ published to date) have appeared in a range of UK, Irish, South African, Canadian, Swedish and Australian publications. Some of her stories are available to download from Alfie Dog Fiction. Patsy's website is PatsyCollins.uk

“Leave Nothing But Footprints” is available on Amazon at LEAVE NOTHING BUT FOOTPRINTS



Sunday, November 5, 2017

ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLES AND MINI-MOKES!



Tourists are renting a lot of these ATVs (All-Terrain Vehicles) around Nassau. They remind me of the Mini-moke I drove across the Blue Mountains on our honeymoon in Jamaica!

We had flown into Montego Bay and took a “limousine” to the Hilton in Ocho Rios in the dark of night. The “limousine” was actually no more than a very packed, uncomfortable little bus! It was all part of the “Honeymoon Package” that had enticed us to book a room at the Hilton.

We had really wanted to stay at the Blue Mountain Inn near Kingston that we’d read about in a magazine, but in those days there was no internet, so I couldn’t email them, and phone calls were expensive. I’d sent them a snail mail letter of enquiry and never heard back from them.

The Hilton advertised their “Honeymoon Package” as “free champagne with first night’s dinner and double bed”! We discovered at dinner that “free champagne” meant one glass each and not the bottle we expected, and the room contained twin beds! After they shuffled us to another room, we decided to call the Blue Mountain Inn. There was “room at the Inn”, so a couple of days later we set off in rented Mini-moke, map in hand. I drove, as Erskine only had a scooter licence at the time. Of course, I’d really never driven anywhere before this, except once when my boss in England loaned me his car to attend a wedding and another time when I drove an old Ford around some Devon cliffs before I purchased it for my newspaper reporter job (I had to quickly resell it when I found out how much the insurance would cost!).

But with the courage of the young, I happily manoeuvred the Mini-moke around breathtaking bends in the road through the Blue Mountains, with cars that had run off the road hanging over the mountain sides.

The Blue Mountain Inn was everything we expected for a honeymoon – the trickling of a mountain stream outside our window, fresh fruit in our room every morning, and roses and candles on our table at dinner.

We explored the area in the Mini-moke, even venturing into the heart of busy Kingston.

So when I see couples in ATVs driving around Nassau, I wonder if they are having as much fun as we did with our Mini-moke on our honeymoon!


Thursday, October 26, 2017

ELBOW REEF LIGHTHOUSE LADY APPEARS IN PUNCH WOMAN IN ACTION!



Here is my latest “Woman in Action” article that appears in “The Punch” on page 15 today about Debby Patterson, Certified Oral Historian and Assistant to the Executive Director of the Elbow Reef Lighthouse Society, Hope Town, Abaco (the photo was taken while Debby was exploring caves for artifacts this past March). The Punch features an outstanding local woman in their “Woman in Action” column every Thursday, with my articles usually appearing every other Thursday.



Wednesday, October 18, 2017

$0.99 CENTS E-BOOKS SPECIAL!




Each of my three e-books is priced at just .99 cents right now!
              
Love at Sunset – Romantic Suspense Novel set in The Bahamas and Scotland

The Scottish Connection: A Journey Back – Mini-memoir

Sunbeams from the Heart – A Collection of Twelve Romantic Short Stories




Thursday, October 12, 2017

SANDALS "PLAYMAKER" ALEXANDRIA PINDER IS PUNCH WOMAN IN ACTION TODAY!



Here is my latest “Woman in Action” article that appears in “The Punch” on page 15 today about Alex Pinder - Miss Universe Bahamas 2016 entrant; “Playmaker” in the Entertainment Department of Sandals Royal Bahamian; Model with Profiles98 Model Management; and University of The Bahamas student. The Punch features an outstanding local woman in their “Woman in Action” column every Thursday, with my articles usually appearing every other Thursday.


Thursday, October 5, 2017

AUTUMN IN THE BAHAMAS!


Autumn (courtesy CamstockPhoto.com)

Believe it or not, we do have autumn here in The Bahamas! It started on September 22nd and there is a lovely cool feel to the air. Although temperatures are still in the eighties Fahrenheit during the day and seventies at night, the humidity has dropped, so the weather is much more comfortable.

Of course, we’ve had a lot of rain from a tropical wave and a cold front, which Erskine says met up with each other! That helps. They both went north and Florida is getting them now.

Winter starts December 21st!


Saturday, September 30, 2017

SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF THE ROCK!


Stirling Castle (courtesy Pixabay)

“Sons and Daughters of The Rock” - this statement refers to my birthplace, Stirling. On one of my visits there, I was delighted to be informed by the waitress in a little café that I am “a Daughter of The Rock!”, having been born in Stirling. Apparently, at one time anyone born in Stirling was a son or daughter of “The Rock”, the rock being the steep and rugged crag that Stirling Castle was built on.

However, from 2011 on Stirling women in labour have had to deliver their babies at the Forth Valley Royal hospital in Larbert, near Falkirk, and apart from home births there have sadly been no more “Sons and Daughters of The Rock”.

Gordon, the lead male protagonist in my novel "Dangerous Devotion" (formerly “Love at Sunset”), is a “Son of The Rock”! Much of Gordon and Violet’s Scottish adventures take place in the Stirling area. “Dangerous Devotion” is also set in The Bahamas. I had fun bouncing my characters back and forwards across “the pond”!




Thursday, September 28, 2017

WINDSOR SCHOOLS FOUNDER & DIRECTOR IS TODAY'S PUNCH WOMAN IN ACTION!


Here is my latest “Woman in Action” article that appears in “The Punch” on page 15 today about Lisa McCartney, Founder and Director of Windsor Preparatory School at Old Fort and Windsor High School at Albany. The Punch features an outstanding local woman in their “Woman in Action” column every Thursday, with my articles usually appearing every other Thursday.

Wednesday, September 27, 2017

HURRICANES MARIA AND LEE HEADING FOR SCOTLAND!

Scotland is now expecting a visit from hurricanes Maria and Lee on Sunday after they combine while crossing the Atlantic! According to the "Daily Record", weather in the Scottish islands will be worse than their mainland.

Tuesday, September 26, 2017

HURRICANE IRMA ARTICLE NOW ONLINE

I now have the link to my Hurricane Irma article that appeared in The Stirling Observer print edition on Friday, September 22nd, 2017.  As The Stirling Observer no longer has a dedicated website, their content is posted on The Daily Record's website. According to Wikipaedia, the Daily Record is the leading news brand in Scotland with a total audience of 3.1 million (rising to 3.4 million including the Sunday Mail).

I’m hoping that my article will help a little with Hurricane Irma’s relief efforts. I was born in Stirling, Scotland, so that’s why they have referred to me as a “Stirling Journalist and Author”! 

TODAY'S WISDOM KEY BY TANYA R. TAYLOR




Here is another of bestselling Bahamian author Tanya R Taylor’s remarkable and usually very timely “Wisdom Keys”. You can read over a hundred of these valuable Wisdom Keys in her book “Wisdom Keys for Life”, available on Amazon as an e-book and in paperback! “Wisdom Keys for Life” is a handy guide of more than one hundred thought-provoking nuggets to give you daily inspiration and help you through life's most difficult moments.





Monday, September 25, 2017

NEIGHBOURS HELPING NEIGHBOURS AFTER HURRICANE MARIA

The Bahamas is coming to the aid of students in Dominica displaced by Hurricane Maria, with plans to let them attend schools here.

Friday, September 22, 2017

HURRICANE IRMA IN STIRLING OBSERVER


Last week I received an email from the Senior Reporter at The Stirling Observer (a few of my articles have been previously published by this Scottish newspaper). She asked if I would like to write a piece for The Stirling Observer about my experience with Hurricane Irma, “particularly as it might be a chance for you to put out a ‘call’ to people here [Scotland] on how they can perhaps support efforts out there, what is needed, what the best way to give their support might be (cash or kind, what charities or organizations to go through etc.)” She said sometimes it’s better to ask people on the ground what is needed.

I wrote the article and sent it in to them. Above is a copy of the article published in The Stirling Observer today. I had also sent photos which were kindly supplied by international-award winning Bahamian photographer Eric Rose and Yontalay Bowe, Photographer for the Office of The Prime Minister of The Bahamas. Unfortunately, the newspaper only had room for one of Yontalay’s photos, but they hope to publish some more next week.

The Stirling Observer’s content is posted on The Daily Record's website. According to Wikipaedia, the Daily Record is the leading news brand in Scotland with a total audience of 3.1 million (rising to 3.4 million including the Sunday Mail). I’m hoping that my article will help a little with Hurricane Irma’s relief funds.

Thursday, September 14, 2017

WOMAN IN ACTION SHANAM CLARKE JUGGLES TWO JOBS!



This is my latest “Woman in Action” article that appears in “The Punch” on page 15 today about Shanam "Keisha" Clarke, who juggles two busy jobs, one at “Dunkin Donuts” and the other at “Club One Fitness Centre”. The Punch features an outstanding local woman in their “Woman in Action” column every Thursday, with my articles usually appearing every other Thursday.

Saturday, September 9, 2017

HURRICANE IRMA GONE!

Roof repaired after Hurricane Matthew has some shingles
missing after lesser winds from Hurricane Irma (not a good roof job!)

I’ve marked myself “safe during Hurricane Irma” on Facebook, a great facility that they offer!

Thankfully, Hurricane Irma took a western path away from New Providence, so we had quite moderate winds last night (perhaps 25 – 35 m.p.h.) and just light rain. We went to sleep around midnight and when we awoke everything was quiet. We are experiencing wind gusts from time to time, but Hurricane Irma has gone!

Unfortunately, the Southeastern Bahamas received the full brunt of Hurricane Irma. It has been reported on ZNS news that there are downed power lines, shingles blown off and sadly some homes lost, but there have been no injuries or loss of life. The "All Clear" has been given for those islands.

Long Island in the Central Bahamas has reported that their electricity is being restored throughout the island already!

The “All Clear” has now been given for New Providence, Abaco, Eleuthera and The Berry Islands, but “Hurricane Warnings” are still in effect for Andros, Bimini and Grand Bahama. Our power where we live in Nassau didn’t go off at all during the threat of Irma.

The Lynden Pindling International Airport reports no damage and that they will resume operations tomorrow.

Hurricane Irma is now pounding Cuba and forecast to head for Florida. We pray that the U.S. will be spared like most of The Bahamas has been.

Friday, September 8, 2017

HURRICANE BETSY VERSUS HURRICANE IRMA!



We are ready for Hurricane Irma! Our shutters are installed and we have stocked up with water and food to last us a few days.

Around this time fifty-two years’ ago Hurricane Betsy pounded Nassau. I had just arrived here on my journey “around the world”!

As a young woman, sharing an apartment with three other girls above the Verdant Gardens Coffee Shop, Dowdeswell Street, it was all very exciting to me! Our landlord had battened up the apartment, but left the bathroom window so we could see out of it. I remember balancing on the bathtub during the storm and watching a large roof flap on a tall building at the top of Collins Avenue!

Two guys the girls and I knew offered to camp out in our front room and “protect” us. Instead, they consumed a whole bottle of rum and passed out on the living room floor!

I believe Hurricane Betsy passed over Nassau on Tuesday, September 6th, 1965 (at 135 m.p.h. according to an online source). I met Erskine a week and a half later on Friday, September 17th, when a friend of his brought him to our apartment to meet us. We started dating the next day and he introduced me to his parents and some of his sisters about a week later on his birthday.

Hurricane Irma is a much more dangerous hurricane than Betsy was, but fortunately, it is travelling WNW of Nassau and we should only get tropical storm force winds here. Those in the South Eastern Bahamas have not been so lucky. We are waiting for news from those Family Islands and pray that they have not had any injuries or deaths. Most of the residents were evacuated to Nassau from those islands a couple of days ago, because Hurricane Irma was a Cat 5, said to be the largest hurricane to ever affect the Atlantic region.

Saturday, September 2, 2017

HURRICANE IRMA A POTENTIAL THREAT TO THE BAHAMAS

A gas station in Nassau, Bahamas, after Hurricane Matthew

We’re praying we won’t get Hurricane Irma which could possibly affect us within a week. If we do, Erskine says we’ll check into a hotel this time to ride out the storm! I don’t know if we really will, but we did stay in the Nassau Beach Hotel once during a hurricane. We parked our car in the hotel parking lot and when we emerged after the storm, our car had almost been crushed by a fallen light pole! It was stuck there for a while until the pole was moved.

Here's a recent article in The Tribune about Hurricane Irma: Hurricane Irma is a Potential Threat to The Bahamas

This is what I wrote at the time of Hurricane Matthew, which hit The Bahamas in October, 2016. My article was published in the Tribune, Nassau, and Buckingham and Winslow Advertiser, England.

HURRICANE MATTHEW GOES DOWN IN HISTORY

It was like an evil force determined to get through our walls and blow us and everything inside our Nassau home out into the elements. Hurricane Matthew pounded at our southern house wall and tore around the other sides of the building like a mad thing. The steel panels over our windows flexed frantically with the constant beating by the heavy rain and winds.

The first leak in the ceiling started in a weak spot, where there had been a leak in a previous storm. We rushed to get a bucket. Then, one by one, more leaks spurted from above us. We used up all of our pots to catch the streams of water and then started pulling out baking dishes.

The night before, I’d grabbed some of our family photos, memorabilia of nostalgic value, passports and important documents, and stuffed them into three small suitcases. I’d heard too many tales of families losing irreplaceable items in a natural disaster. I wanted to be ready if we had to evacuate. I’d also covered electronics, boxes we had in storage, and other objects with large plastic garbage bags. We still moved some of the items out of the way in case of a possible ceiling collapse.

We listened to a local radio station, but advisories didn’t seem to be up to date. Later it was reported in local newspapers that Nassau’s Meteorology department had problems with their radar equipment in the storm and they also had to be evacuated.

I attempted to follow the path of Matthew on my phone, having added a week’s data, but the internet was slow and online reports often conflicted with each other. Our sons in a nearby location kept us informed whenever they found a reliable advisory.

Our power company exercised a controlled shut down across the island. The city water supply went off from time to time, but we had saved water in the bathtub. With an electric stove, we couldn’t cook anything, so we ate leftovers, bread, fruit and cereal. Later, the ice that we had made in freezer bags to preserve the refrigerated food melted and we had to throw away the remainder of the perishables.

After Hurricane Matthew stormed away from here, looking for more victims to wreak havoc on, we ventured out of our apartment. We were not surprised to see the trail of destruction Matthew left behind. Many of our roof tiles had blown off, which had caused the leaks, but some people actually lost their roofs.

Now we are waiting until the long lines at the gas pumps die down, so we can top up our gas. There are also scores of residents anxiously queuing for cooked food at fast food restaurants and ice is currently a precious commodity. Empty shelves in food stores await fresh supplies. All of this can be tolerated though. Of paramount importance is that we have had no loss of lives here due to Hurricane Matthew, except sadly when a man died from a heart attack while he was securing his home.

Our electric supply was restored yesterday afternoon after fifty-six hours of being without power. Then it went off again for a few more hours today. However, we are very fortunate. There are many residents across the island whose power is not on yet, due to downed power lines or flooding. And some homes are still flooded in low lying areas. Others are badly damaged by the storm surge, which raged in from the ocean.

The Bahamas and its people are resilient though. They will rebuild their lives and in decades to come old Bahamians will tell their grandchildren about Hurricane Matthew, the devastating hurricane of October 2016.

(Written October, 2016)

Tuesday, August 29, 2017

A CONTRACT LIKE NO OTHER!



If you picked up a Tribune in Nassau today, you may have noticed best-selling Bahamian author Tanya R. Taylor's photo top right on the front page and a bar at the top saying "WOMAN: BESTSELLING AUTHOR READY TO RELEASE 18TH NOVEL"! Then over a half page spread in The Tribune’s “Woman” section (back page) is my article titled “A ‘Contract’ like no other”.

I believe the upcoming release on September 4th of Tanya R. Taylor’s new book “The Contract (Book 5 of ‘the Cornelius Saga’) - Murder in The Bahamas” will really be a phenomenal one! Click below to read the article.




Monday, August 28, 2017

ADVERTISING IN THE "ESTUARY" MAGAZINE




This is an advertisement I have placed in the September 2017 issue of the "Estuary" magazine, Topsham, Devon. Topsham is where my late mother lived for several decades, a lovely little town in England my family and I visited regularly.

I think the “Estuary” editorial team did a wonderful job with my ad.

Sunday, August 27, 2017

I LOVE MY KINDLE!




Although I still need to have regular paperback or hard cover books that I can actually feel and smell, I do love reading books on my Kindle.

The Kindle is handy to read with while on the treadmill at the gym. Also, when lights are dim at night the bright screen is a great help. I also find it easier to read outside, even on the beach. Paperbacks are difficult to keep open in the wind and the print gets smudged with suntan lotion!

And then there are those long trips, when I might want to take a few books with me. All of them are condensed on my Kindle, instead of weighting down my luggage. 

For those of you who don’t have a Kindle, no problem. The free Kindle app can be downloaded from Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/fd/kcp for most major smart phones, tablets and computers.


Monday, August 21, 2017

SOLAR ECLIPSE IN THE BAHAMAS!



For the past few nights birds have been tweeting loudly, waking us up about 4 a.m.! They say creatures predict occurrences of nature, so it might be because we will be experiencing a solar eclipse here today in The Bahamas.

Last night the birds were silent!

Thursday, August 17, 2017

PUNCH WOMAN IN ACTION INDIRA HOPKINS



This is my latest “Woman in Action” article that appears in “The Punch” on page 15 today about Indira Hopkins, who runs a successful messenger service, Reliable Messenger Service. I have had experience of Indira’s friendly, prompt and professional service. The Punch features an outstanding local woman in their “Woman in Action” column every Thursday, with my articles usually appearing every other Thursday.


Sunday, August 13, 2017

"SHARKS IN THE RUNWAY" BY CAPTAIN PAUL J. HARDING



Diver, pilot and owner/operator of Safari Seaplanes, Captain Paul J. Harding’s book "Sharks in the Runway: A Seaplane Pilot's Fifty-Year Journey Through Bahamian Times!" looks like a fascinating read!


This reminds me of the time I worked for a construction engineer on downtown Bay Street, Nassau. Once a week I had to walk over to the British Colonial Hotel, pull up my trousers and wade out in the clear blue water to a seaplane that landed just offshore. The pilot flew in once a week to pick up the payroll for staff on Lee Stocking Island. It was my job to make sure I delivered the money to him on time!




Thursday, August 3, 2017

JUSTINA WALLACE-WHITFIELD MAKES WAVES!


Women who lead active and fulfilling lives are always making changes and improvements in their careers and lifestyles! My “Woman In Action” article in The Punch on page 15 today tells of the onward progress in Justina Wallace-Whitfield’s life and that of her daughter Angelika who has now graduated and pursuing her own career.

Wednesday, August 2, 2017

CALLING ALL ANIMAL LOVERS!

For all of you animal lovers, there’s a little dog in my novel “Love at Sunset”! - Excerpt: “He took Snoopy for a quick walk in the wind and rain, made sure the dog had water and left a window slightly open, so his pet had enough air. The hurricane shutters would keep out any gusts of wind. Snoopy whimpered a little as Ian closed the doggy hatch and made preparations to leave. The dog lay in his basket, nose on paws, looking up at his master with worried eyes. His ears twitched at the increasing noise of the wind outside. ‘I’ll be back soon,’ Ian reassured his pet before he left."

Sunday, July 30, 2017

"CAN'T CHOOSE YOUR FAMILY!" - ANOTHER SHORT STORY COLLECTION BY PATSY COLLINS




Another lovely collection of short stories by British author Patsy Collins - “Can’t Choose Your Family” available on AMAZON. It’s an assortment of well written stories that evoked various emotions in me as I read them!

Patsy is the author of four novels and working on a fifth, Her short stories (500+ published to date) have appeared in a range of UK, Irish, South African, Canadian, Swedish and Australian publications.



Saturday, July 29, 2017

"THE GUEST CHILDREN" BY GEOFFREY BILSON

I’ve just started reading “The Guest Children – The Story of the British Child Evacuees Sent to Canada During World War II” by Geoffrey Bilson. The book has been loaned to me by a friend, now in her nineties, who was one of those children. It looks fascinating. Can’t wait to get into it!

Thursday, July 20, 2017

BAHAMIAN AUTHOR TANYA R. TAYLOR ROCKS!


This is my latest “Woman in Action” article that appears in “The Punch” on page 15 today about bestselling Bahamian author Tanya R. Taylor. Tanya is now working on her 18th book! All of her books have made Amazon Kindle’s Top 100 Paid Bestsellers’ List in several categories. The Punch features an outstanding local woman in their “Woman in Action” column every Thursday, with my articles usually appearing every other Thursday.

Thursday, July 13, 2017

"UP THE GARDEN PATH" - GARDEN THEMED COLLECTION OF SHORT STORIES BY PATSY COLLINS


British author Patsy Collins’ Collection of 24 short stories, “Up the Garden Path”, is available to download free until July 16th.

Patsy, the author of four novels and working on a fifth, lives on the south coast of England with her husband, photographer Gary Davies. When she's not writing, she says she travels with her husband in their campervan acting as his photographic assistant. She sometimes gives talks to writing groups.

Her short stories (500+ published to date) have appeared in a range of UK, Irish, South African, Canadian, Swedish and Australian publications. Some of her stories are available to download from Alfie Dog Fiction. Patsy's website is http://patsycollins.uk


CLICK HERE FOR "UP THE GARDEN PATH"




Sunday, July 9, 2017

THE DIARY OF A NOVEL!

I started writing my romantic suspense novel “Love at Sunset” on June 6th, 2014, the 70th anniversary of “D” Day. I finished writing Chapter Fourteen of the novel in a night time blackout on July 4th, 2014, scribbling the final few pages of the chapter in a notebook by flashlight and then typing them up in the morning after the power came back on. I finished the first draft of the novel (30 chapters and around 80,000 words) on August 3rd, 2014.

I spent two months editing and polishing it up. Then I started sending it out to literary agents and publishers in the U.K. and U.S. I had decided if I got to 100 submissions without my novel being accepted, I would consider self-publishing.

By the 70th submission, an author friend, who has had considerable success with her books on Amazon and other online retailers, suggested I put together a collection of my short stories and publish them on Amazon, which I did. The book, released December 13th, 2015, is called “Sunbeams from the Heart– A Collection of Twelve Romantic Short Stories”


Sunbeams was so successful that I decided to publish Love at Sunset on Amazon.

First I decided to do some more heavy editing of the novel and it was finally released on Amazon April 26th, 2016. 


Since then I completed a mini-memoir “The Scottish Connection: A Journey Back”, which was released December 6th, 2016, on Amazon. 


And there are more books in the pipeline!



Thursday, July 6, 2017

AUTHOR CHARMAINE L. SMITH AND HER DELIGHTFUL CHILDREN'S BOOKS!


This is my latest “Woman in Action” article that appears in “The Punch” on page 15 today about local author Charmaine L. Smith, who has published two delightful children’s books - “Skinny Minnie” and “The Hopeful Donkey”. The Punch features an outstanding local woman in their “Woman in Action” column every Thursday, with my articles usually appearing every other Thursday.


Tuesday, June 27, 2017

THE RAINY SEASON IN THE BAHAMAS


The Poinciana trees have started to bloom here in Nassau, Bahamas. And at long last the rainy season has arrived! It’s late this year and everything was drying up. The playing field at Goodman’s Bay Park was parched. I expect we’ll see green grass peeking through now.