Talks and Amazon Reviews

It’s been a busy week, though I’m winding down now and doing mundane things in preparation for our holiday next week.

Last Sunday, we went to M’s Auntie Bessie’s 90th birthday party. She’s a great character and you would imagine her to be about 70. Though of course these days, it seems quite appropriate to take 20 years off anyone’s age, for we are so much more youthful than a few decades ago. Anyway, we had a lovely birthday bash, with lots of family chats and good food. Lovely desserts of course. And once again I was tempted into chocolate roulade and just a smidgeon of strawberry Pavlova. I’ve given up on the diet. And no doubt things will be worse once we’re on holiday. I just hope I can fit into my swimsuit.

On Tuesday, I gave a talk on self publishing to the Creative Writing class at the Guildford Institute, which seemed to go down quite well. Stella has asked if I’ll talk at one of her other classes and maybe I will, though I have to get M to chauffeur me - I’m such a wimp about driving out of my territory.

We, the Goldenford girls, also gave a talk on the following day - also at the Guildford Institute, which has a regular weekly slot. Irene couldn’t make it, but Anne substituted for her. It all went very well and we had a lot of interest and appreciation and sales too.

Irene and Anne have both put great reviews of Tainted Tree on the Amazon site. I hope you don’t mind my including your words here:

Irene’s review: ‘Jacquelynn Luben's major new novel is everything one would expect from this wonderfully readable writer. American Addie has arrived in England to take possession of the house that she has mysteriously inherited. Her story is sometimes heartbreaking sometimes full of hope, passion and suspense, always compelling. The novel is well researched, absorbing and wise. Give yourself plenty of time to read this as once you pick it up, you won't be able to put it down. A highly recommended read.’


And Anne says: ‘This is a fabulous romantic saga, focusing on American Addie's search for her UK roots and the family secrets she's determined to uncover. Addie herself is a strong and very appealing character and the reader is quickly drawn in to her world, her search and the decisions she makes. Throughout the novel, there are moments of laughter alongside scenes of incredible poignancy. The story never fails to grip and the ending is wonderfully satisfying. I can thoroughly recommend it.’

Thank you, girls, very much. Typically, Amazon still hasn’t managed to get the front cover on show, despite having had weeks to get it sorted. They probably have a grudge against me because of the rude things I’ve said about them.

I finally finished the VAT and the cheque is ready to go off. So I can go on holiday with an easy conscience. I shall take some paper with me, and perhaps managed to dissolve the writers’ block that has been with me for some time. I also have North and South to read for the readers circle.

In the last few months, my thoughts have been with many friends and relatives who have or who are facing problems. Two friends who have had operations in the last week; a friend’s husband who has also had an operation; two women who have lost their husbands in the past month; two relatives who have potential cancer related problems; people who I know only via the internet who have had health problems or whose loved ones are in that category. Each of these events is a major one in their lives; when we are faced with a dramatic event like this, it fills the whole of our lives, leaving no space for other thoughts. And yet - in China and in Burma tens of thousands of people are dead or dying after natural disasters. It’s impossible to take in that number of people or to recognise that they are a hundred thousand individual tragedies. A news presenter reminded listeners that because of the one child policy in China, when a school is obliterated, a generation of children is wiped out. And as I listened a day ago to the sound of one woman who had just identified her own dead child, her cries of anguish represented for me all those anonymous people.