Something happened on the way to the...

loo.

Yep, I was out with the lovely husband the other day, enjoying the sun on a nearby beach.

Or so we thought.

Until two things happened.

There was a sea fret. A haar or a soke, take your pick. Suddenly the atmosphere was misty. 

Eerie. Or asI said at the time, 'ooh how gothic'.

To which t'other'alf went "Uh?"

I thought it was anyway as cliffs and sand turned shadowy and in some cases, disappeared.

The seafront pub was...waiting.

Definitely eerie.

I know, what's that got to do with the loo?

That, not a lot, but as we walked back towards that pub in the distance, there was a lady tangled up with two dogs. A teenage lad was with her and was almost doubled up with laughing as the more she tried to untwist the leads, the dogs went in the opposite direction and made things worse.

The poor woman had her legs crossed ( and almost her eyes as well) and wailed.

"I need the loo." 

At which point one of the dogs cocked a leg the lad shook his head and the other dog pulled in the opposite direction to where away in the gloaming there are some public toilets.

"The bog's gone and got lost in the mist," the lad said. "Maybe you need to copy Timbo." 

Who I presume was the dog.

The lady glared at him, giggled and then said, "Grab them." 

The minute he did as she asked, she unclipped the leads and dashed of up the beach, shedding leads as she went.

That's got to go into a book!

And so has the atmosphere. It got me thinking.

(source for this and the previous one, pinterest)

Watch this space.

Happy reading,

love, Raven xxx

ps, nothing to do with this, but have you read any of the Castle on the Loch series?

The Drummond family of Castle Bearradh

Marcail, Baird and Bonnie.

Siblings with special abilities.

Some they accept, some they don’t.

All will change their lives—if they are prepared to accept the consequences.

Descended from Morven and her lover, who died at Culloden, each of them has a special place in the family history, with a job to do.

Nothing any of them relish.

Marcail has to accept the voices in her head are genuine, and only she can help Paden.

Baird has to accept he’s been sent to New Zealand for a reason, and although he might not like it, or agree with the woman he butts heads with, Helena will play an important place in his life.

As for Bonnie, the baby of the family? She’s happy, living on the island, weaving for relaxation and writing her books—because she wants to. What she doesn’t want is to be told by Lachan how to write her next story, or that she has to go to Skye to write it.

Whether they agree or not, they all hold the future of their family in their hands.

https://www.totallybound.com/book/the-castle-and-the-loch-box-set

Don't tell anyone I told you but....

Take your pick.

I was doing my usual, can't help but overhearing (yes, eavesdropping but not intentionally) a weird conversation the other day. I was waiting to see the optician, not that that has really got anything to do with it. It just might set the scene a bit. Or not.

Anyway, to continue.

Two ladies were sitting by the door to the shop. They reminded me of that old double act with British comedians where everything was discussed in a very 'well, don't tell anyone I told you, but', manner. Crossing their arms under their bosoms, and pursing their lips.

The gist of the conversation was about one **** (perhaps I'd be best not to put a name there)who 'was no better than she should be, but really.'...

The then to be unnamed woman was pulled to bits, shenanigan by shenanigan. 

Sadly they got up and left, before I heard the end of thier conversation but the last thing I heard made me want to laugh out loud.

'...to cap it all, she looks like a lugubrious bloodhound'

(source:pinterest)

What a way to describe someone. I could picture the dog not the person.

But it did get me thinking. how oftenyou hear something, often just a couple of words that conjure up all sorts of images in your mind.

One of the funniest—apart from the above—was several years ago, when I heard someone describe someone else as a hard as a knob end of bread. And went on to add—and a right heel.

Followed by what sounded as 'as bad as nugget's knocker.' Then, 'all A grades as well'.

 

That one had me flummoxed until I realised the speaker was talking about the expression which related to the colour of Newgate prison's door knocker. I still can't see how that reflected on someone getting good grades. It means things are very bad. 

Unless the person who was up to whatever—sadly I still don't know exactly what it was—had just acheived good grades in some exams. Oh how I wish we could just say, 'excuse me,  I couldn't help but overhear you and wondered...what comes next?'

As I can't, I can let my imagination run wild, think up all sorts of scenarios, and put them in a book!

There is something in the other saying, don't annoy me or you might find yourself in my next novel.

Happy Reading,

love Raven xxx

 

It’s true what we all say…

About the heat.

Especially in the UK

Ok not all from the Uk but places  where I’ve enjoyed the warmth.

Those old chestnuts about, ohhh the washing will dry quickly,..you could fry an egg on the pavement…it’s too hot to do anything…

We trot them out, and roll our eyes. They are of course true, but, we need to think of  some new things to say.

And don’t look at me…

It’s too hot to think!

So sorry this is a very none blog sort of blog, I promise to do better next time,

Love Raven xx

Is it a spider...is it a fly?

(source: pinterest)

No...

It's a 'floater' in my eye.

Yes, that is what it's called.

A black blob, of various shapes and sizes. Described as something that looks like dots, cirvcles, lines, clouds or cobwebs. (The spider and fly are my additions)

(source: pinterest)

The blob floats, drifts or zig-zags all over the eye after a laser treatment. 

or to be posh—a YAG laser capsulotomy in my case.

It's great because I no longer have a fuzzy vision in one eye.

Bad because I can now see the cobwebs so I'm going to have to be a not so domestic goddess and dust!

But that apart, (I hate bothering the dust bunnies—they just go forth and multiply when I do—) I now realise how lucky I am to be able to have such things done.

There's so much we take for granted where I live.

And I'm determined to 'open my eyes' see how lucky I am and appreciate it.

(Random photo of Bath)

All that apart, I'm getting on with writing my Christmas stories. In 25deg sunshine, writing about snow and ice. It seems a bit surreal, but I guess after all these years I'm used to it. Weirdly when I write about warmth and summer in our winters, I don't not feel the same.

Maybe because I've been lucky enough to go somewhere warmer at times and so can envisage it easier.

 Whichever it is, I've got the door to the garden wide open, I can see some fish in the pond, hear various birds tweeting, (and two pigeons having a fight,) a cockerel crowing, and a plane going over head.

Plus some idiot on a motorbike going much too fast down a nearby lane, and a tractor rumbling across a field.

It's early morning, and I love this time of day.

I'm the only one up, I have a cup of coffee and I'm chatting to you via my blog.

And—I'm about to get the last few thousand words of my Regency Christmas story written.

Have a great day, and take care, wherever you are,

happy reading,

love Raven xxx

If we all liked the same things...

 Wouldn't it be boring?

Can you imagine it? 

and if we all disliked the same things...

Can you imagine that as well?

I'd rather not.

(source:pinterst)

When someone says oh I don't like hot stories/same sex/historical/contemporary/mystery or whatever I smile and say what I've written up above.

'Wouldn't it be boring if we all only liked the same things.'

I try never to judge a person by what they read or don't read (there are some exceptions of course but I'll not get into that here). I myself don't like sci-fi, horror or what my mum called 'nasties'.

I prefer happy ever afters, some hot and some not. Just like I try to write.

With coffee of course.

It's all personal preference.

And on that note,

I'm off to indulge in my preference,

Happy Reading,

love, Raven xxx

A book for all seasons?

 It's May.

We've had several days of wearing factor 50 and walking by the coast or sitting outside in the garden. 

Sometimes in the shade.

Reading a good book, and at the appropriate time, a G n T or an AF spritzer.

Then today? Brr It says it's warmer than yesterday, but it sure doesn't feel like it. 

Jeans and a jumper. That's indoors.

It's typical of course that when it was hot, I was writing a chapter in my WIP where the weather was cold.

Today? It it's a day of writing about picnicking by a stream and having to sit under a tree to get some shade.

I am so grateful for a good imagination!

Just a short post today. the weeding, the writing and feeding the fish beckons!

Have a great day, take care and...

happy reading,

love Raven xxx

What’s in a name?

 Morning all…or whatever time of the day in your neck of the woods, hope you are all well.

(That sounds as if lots of people read this 🤔— but however many do…thank you.)

Anyway, it’s a real old ramble from me today. Or the wondering, thinking kind, not the walking sort— though I do try a bit of that most days.

Why do some names put you off?

Specifically people's names.

Now, I know it's a very personal thing. That some people just love a name and others hate it. I also realise that names go in and out of fashion. When I was a child, many moons ago, I had five girls in my class with the same first name. I also has a two lots of a girl and a boy with the same name, but with a different spelling. 

Got to be a bit confusing at times. 

But what I'm really trying to say, is why does a name put you off a character in a book.

(source: pinterest)

Sometimes, I reckon it's because it reminds you of someone you don't like for whatever reason. That's understandable. I mean why read about a hero who reminds you off a nasty kid at school who used to pinch you every time he walked by? Or someone you fancied and ignored you. 

Maybe you see a name as sounding prissy? Too posh, too complicated to spell or say. Too many people with that name. 

Or you just plain don't fancy it. 

It's a weird thing, really. The book sounds great, you read the blurb and then...ARGH. You can not read a book with a hero/heroine called whatever!

Or you're introduced to someone and think, hmm, I bet you do...(insert something that grosses you out) 

Even worse when a friend or thier family tell you the latest edition is called something you hate. Smile sweetly and say, oh how nice... through gritted teeth.

It must be even worse if a member of your family chooses a name you hate. Thankfully I've never had that.

But I have chosen not to read a book, and vowed never to call a character a name I don't like, even if it was/is in fashion when and where the book is set.

But neither would I use a name that wasn't of the era.

Which is right off topic, but when all is said and done...

what's in a name? 

Happy reading,

love, Raven xxx