WHY?

A fellow author in the U.S. reached out to me the other day, saying: "You've been quiet lately. Is everything OK with you and yours?"

That's a good question. I guess he meant because I haven't been continually writing, marketing my books and revealing plans for more books, as I usually do! Also, I haven't been saying anything about how things are in The Bahamas and there sure has been a lot going on.

I think a lot of writers worldwide are grappling with the current Corona virus situation. I see them discussing this on writers' forums. But I don't know what's up with me! I keep trying to pull myself together and get on with it. Get on with what though?

I do go through the motions - doing secretarial work for my family, cooking, cleaning, exercising as much as is currently allowed, and so on...... But something's missing and it's not just the writing or not being able to physically socialize with friends!

Why am I like this right now? I think this question will only be answered after everything gets back to "normal", whenever and whatever that will be!

Nevertheless, here I am writing again, so maybe this is the best way to go right now. If you are having difficulty applying yourself to whatever you love to do, don't worry about it. It will all come back to you at just the right time. I truly believe that!

UNDER THE TAMARIND TREE FOR NATIONAL POETRY MONTH!

In celebration of National Poetry Month, The Commonwealth Writers of The Bahamas are presenting “Under The Tamarind Tree” next to the Nassau Public Library downtown every Saturday during April!

Vera Chase, President of The Commonwealth Writers of The Bahamas, says: “The Commonwealth Writers of The Bahamas invite you to join us at our second week of events in down town Nassau. We are celebrating the Poetry Month of April. You don't have to be a writer or published author to join us. You can share your stories as well, at an open Mic, we will listen. If you have a book to publish, Photo Shoot, DVD or Film Idea, now is the time to inquire. Visiting on a cruise ship? Walk across the main street, Bay Street onto Parliament Street to the end. There you will find us ‘Under The Tamarind Tree’. ‘Pompey’ is our story.”

"ARE WE NEARLY FAMOUS?" BY AUTHOR PATSY COLLINS AND FRIENDS!

Author Patsy Collins 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, Finnish and Australian publications. Some of her stories are available to download from Alfie Dog Fiction. And now here is Patsy's collaboration with some other writing friends - a free book "Are We Nearly Famous?"!

PATSY'S WEBSITE

ORDER "ARE WE NEARLY FAMOUS?" HERE!

NEW WRITER'S GUIDE FEATURES IN THE STIRLING OBSERVER!

"THE STIRLING OBSERVER", SCOTLAND,
AUGUST 22, 2018, PAGE 13

“The Stirling Observer”, Scotland, ran a nice piece about my new writer’s guide “How to Be the Best Writer Ever!” in their August 22, 2018, edition, page 13.

CLICK HERE to buy the ebook or paperback of “How to Be the Best Writer Ever!” on Amazon

THE LOVE OF A READER

It is most heartening when a reader tells an author how much they enjoyed their book. And this goes for friends and family too! This morning a long time family friend, Bill Tizard, who bought a paperback copy of my romantic suspense novel “Love at Sunset”, told me that he loved it! Not only that, but he has read it twice and plans on reading it a third time after a brief break, so that it would all be new to him again!

Bill said he loves the main characters Violet and Gordon and finds the plot really exciting. He also said he immersed himself in the settings and felt like he was actually going to Scotland himself and “enjoying the atmosphere”!

Bill doesn’t have a computer and is not online, so I am happy that he can bury himself in a book and enjoy being whisked away to fascinating places and interesting people! Thank you, Bill!

Here’s the plot for “Love at Sunset”:

“Facing imminent danger and fierce opposition to love a second time around, Violet and Gordon seek a new life in Scotland, thousands of miles away from The Bahamas, but trouble soon catches up with them. The couple finds themselves in and out of one adventure after another!

”In the meantime, an unscrupulous attorney appears on the scene, along with a crooked realtor. What they do and the extent they would go to leads to a shocking ending. Greed, jealousy, family secrets and bitter grudges worm their way throughout this story!”

CLICK HERE FOR LOVE AT SUNSET

BAHAMIAN AUTHOR TANYA R. TAYLOR RIDING HIGH WITH STEPHEN KING!

The amazing bestselling author Tanya R. Taylor has done it again! Her latest release “Death of an Angel” (The Cornelius Saga Book 7) is on Amazon’s Bestseller List today with Stephen King and Anne Rice! 

This is a moving tale of a family’s love and support for each other while evil forces work against them.

CLICK HERE!

AUTHOR BEVERLEY TURNQUEST ENCOURAGES THE YOUNG TO READ

This is my latest “Woman in Action” article that appears in “The Punch” on page 15 today about author Beverley Turnquest. An avid reader as a child, she has the desire to inspire children to be their full literate self. 

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

MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO WIN KINDLE E-READER!

Author Tanya R. Taylor advises that you have more than one opportunity to win a Kindle E-Reader in her drawing!

She says: “For each share you do and can prove via a screenshot or otherwise by forwarding the information to my email address tanya@tanyartaylor.com, you increase your chances of winning. Each share via Facebook, Twitter or Email counts as one share -- thus one additional entry for you. Good luck!” 

AUTHOR INTERVIEW FOR BAHAMIAN AUTHORS IN SPOTLIGHT

Author and publisher Teri Bethel interviews me for her “Bahamian Authors in  Spotlight” - go to Fay's Interview! 

I was delighted to have been chosen by Teri to feature in her Bahamian Authors Directory, which she created at her website BooksByBethel to provide public awareness for Bahamian authors of family-friendly books, along with a resource page of local service providers.

Teri Bethel is author and publisher of several works of empowering fiction as well as non-fiction books for adults and children - Teri Bethel at BooksByBethel

PUNCH WOMAN IN ACTION TERI BETHEL

Here is my latest “Woman in Action” article that appears in “The Punch” on page 15 today about Teri Bethel, author and publisher of several works of empowering fiction as well as non-fiction books for adults and children. She has also created a free Bahamian Authors Directory on her website BooksByBethel.com to provide public awareness for Bahamian authors of family-friendly books, along with a resource page of local service providers.

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

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.

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.

THIS WEEK'S PUNCH WOMAN IN ACTION!

I guess it was inevitable! 

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 4^th 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.

Article: 'A "Contract" like no other

"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.

"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"

STIRLING OBSERVER FEATURES THE SCOTTISH CONNECTION!

Many thanks to The Stirling Observer, Scotland, for giving “The Scottish Connection” such a great spread! I am thrilled with the exposure for my new book. 

TODAY'S WOMAN IN ACTION - BESTSELLING BAHAMIAN AUTHOR TANYA R. TAYLOR

I always enjoy writing features for The Punch “Woman in action” column. I get to interview some really outstanding local women, who graciously allow me to write about them. My WIA article in The Punch today is about Bahamian bestselling author Tanya R. Taylor, who will be releasing her 15^th published book “10 Minutes Before Sleeping” next month.

BOOK TRAILERS ROCK!

What an age we are living in! Social media spreads word (or our words) like crazy. We can download or order books from online websites and receive digital books instantly on hand held devices or paperbacks delivered within a very short space of time. And no longer are trailers reserved just for big screen movies. These days we can watch a book trailer to see if a particular book tickles our fancy and even preorder it ahead of the release date.

Click the link below to watch an exciting trailer for internationally recognized and bestselling Bahamian author Tanya R. Taylor’s upcoming book 10 MINUTES BEFORE SLEEPING! Tanya is the author of Amazon No.1 Bestsellers “CORNELIUS” & “INFESTATION: A Small Town Nightmare.”

10 MINUTES BEFORE SLEEPING TRAILER

10 MINUTES BEFORE SLEEPING, “A Story of Abandonment, Domestic Terror & Bitter Revenge,” is now available to preorder at Amazon and other online retailers for a release date of February 25, 2017.

“10 Minutes before Sleeping is a powerful story of a young woman named Eva left on the doorstep of a neighbor as a child by her very own mother. She is abused, neglected, rejected and without a legal footing in the only place she knows as ‘home’. All the odds appear to be stacked against her and those looking from the outside in seriously wonder how one human being could be expected to battle such atrocities without making a fateful decision to end it all far quicker than it ever began.

“As a young girl, Eva struggles to obtain an education at the resistance of a woman who was left with the responsibility to raise her, but years later finally finds what she believes is true love. This event, ironically, progresses to a further downward spiral that costs this young woman her three most precious gifts in the world, thus evoking a snap decision that occurs ten minutes before sleeping.”

The trailer for 10 MINUTES BEFORE SLEEPING has definitely tickled my fancy. I can’t wait to read this book!

BAHAMIAN AUTHOR & HISTORIAN VERA CHASE - "PASSING ON A PASSION FOR WRITING"

The Tribune’s “Weekend” issue, November 25th, features my article about Bahamian author and historian Vera Chase on page 17. Click on the following link and then zoom in to read. They edited down some of the article, probably because of space constraints. The original sent to The Tribune was longer than the version that I sent to The Punch and written from a different angle.

I enjoy reading The Tribune’s “Weekend”, as it’s always full of interesting features. 

The Tribune "Weekend" November 25, 2016, page 17 - "Passing on a Passion for Writing"

Footnote: When I worked for Town Centre Mall, Nassau, I used to write articles about events and businesses in and around the mall. Then I would submit them to our local newspapers in various forms or from different angles for each publication, e.g. short and "punchy" for The Punch; aimed at the youth for The Tribune's former "Youth Beat" column; lengthier for The Bahama Journal and The Nassau Guardian.