A THING DONE by Tinney Sue Heath – Reviewed by Louise Rule

 ‘It was a fool that began it, but it took a woman to turn it murderous.’

The opening lines of this novel A THING DONE by Tinney Sue Heath are more profound and poignant than you can imagine when you first start to read. It is only as you progress through this well-crafted novel that you begin to realise the web of intrigue which forms from those opening lines.

We are in Florence, Italy, in the year is 1216, and the protagonist, the Fool, is our commentator and guide through the remembered events. Tinney Sue Heath has a wonderful way of placing the reader beside the Fool, and equally, the Fool has such an eye for detail describing the materials of the women’s clothes, and those also of the men. He had an eye that, at first, I thought too feminine, but on reflection, as the story unfolds, you realise that this Fool has much time to observe those ‘people with surnames’ as the upper class were referred to. He observes in detail, their lifestyle, their homes, and their flamboyant clothes. For the reader it fills the imagination cinematically, and adds layers of texture to the story.

Neri, a lifelong friend is his partner in the Jesting act and plays an organetto which hangs on a thick leather strap around his neck. I imagined an organetto to be like an accordion, but on looking it up I find it to be a portable pipe organ, and quite a cumbersome thing to have to carry I would imagine.

Tinney’s knowledge of the history of this time in Florence is as though she had gone back in time herself. Her descriptions of the buildings and their proximity to each other lays before you a town plan that can be seen in your mind’s eye. The people, the smells, the sights, all come to life through the telling.

The Fool, whose given name is Corrado … ‘but no one ever uses it…’, and Neri have been hired, together with their other members, Rufino and Anselmo, to entertain at the celebrations of Buondelmonti, or messer Mazzingo, ‘…to give him his newly-minted knightly title…’  However, Buondelmonti has invited knights from both factions, the other being Oddo Arrighi dei Fifanti, and his men. So now they are grouped at opposite ends of the courtyard. The die is cast, we are now aware of the rift between these two factions, and a sense of brooding unease is in the air.

It is while the jesting and entertainment is in progress at the banquet, that the Fool executes a prank that has been asked of him to perform by messer Oddo Arrighi dei Fifanti. It is this prank that ignites the flame of revenge, and the novel then explodes into action and intrigue from that point.

As the story unfolds we are shown the stark differences between the upper and lower classes, all narrated by the Fool, who has an uncanny knack of embroiling himself into situations not of his own making. Because it is he who has performed the ill-fated prank, it is he who is summoned by Oddo to carry messages, for which the Fool is paid, and equally Buondelmonti also summoned the Fool to carry messages for payment. Now the Fool is working for both sides, one against the other. An involuntary double-agent, if you will. This leads to excruciatingly awkward situations for him. Firstly he has to keep it a secret from his friends, and secondly he has to keep it a secret from Oddo, and from Buondelmonti. This is a dilemma that he fights with throughout the story, creating many problems for himself.

It is while he is delivering these messages that the story lays itself open, and we see through the eyes of the Fool, the deception, planning and scheming that goes on behind closed doors to placate a situation that has been instigated by a prank. Honour has to be served and upheld.

I like the cover to this book. It has a shadow of a Jester/Fool set against castle walls. The Fool in the story lives in the shadows while he observes all that is going on around him. The title A THING DONE seemed to me to be abstract until I read the translation of a poem at the beginning of the book by Dante Alighieri, Inferno 28.103-108 quoting ‘… “A thing done has an end to it”, which was an evil seed for the Tuscan people.’

A THING DONE has a surprising ending with no loose ends. It is a truly fascinating read, an intriguing read, and an eye-opener to how life was lived in 13^th Century Florence.

If you would like to go in the draw to win a copy of A THING DONE then all you have to do is comment here, or on the Review Blog Page  Unfortunately Tinney can only give away the paperback version if you live in the USA; otherwise it will be the e-book version.

Marry in Haste, Repent (and murder) at Leisure

Muschat's Cairn looking towards St Margaret's Loch and St Anthony's Chapel

Marry in Haste, Repent (and Murder) at Leisure

At the foot of Edinburgh's famous Royal Mile stands the Queens' official home in Scotland, the palace of Holyrood House. To its rear and nestled below the tall cliffs and hills of Arthur's Seat is an oasis of calm and beauty; King's Park. Formerly a royal hunting ground it is now a great swathe of grass and shade giving trees popular with dog walkers and families seeking somewhere wide and safe to let their children run free in the heart of the city.

By this greensward runs a road known as Duke's Walk which replaces the original simple dirt track which once ran here. At the eastern extremity of this road stands, largely unnoticed by local and visitor alike, a simple pile of stone on the north side of the road. There is nothing to explain why these rocks are piled there or which reveals their grim history to the curious onlooker.

For explanation we need to travel back to 1695 and the birth of a boy to pious and God-fearing parents who will lavish their love and attention on the child. His name: Nicol Muschat. It is from his confession that the following is drawn.

With the early death of his father young Nicol becomes the centre of his mother's world and she wants only the best for him. Rather than have her boy engaged in trade she manages to have him placed in Edinburgh's famous Medical College where she hopes he will become a surgeon. To further this end she apprentice's Nicol at the age of 20 to a surgeon named Thomas Napier in Alloa. However Nicol, being constantly supplied with money by his doting mother, soon proves to be a poor student and Dr Napier releases him from his employ and the feckless youth eventually drifts back to Edinburgh with no clear idea of what he wants in life other than to be as indolent as possible. 

In Edinburgh he soon realises that even his mother's largesse has its limitations and from necessity he is forced to take work as a shop assistant near his lodgings in Anchor Close. It is while working there in 1719 he catches the eye of a young girl named Margaret Hall. Aged only 15, she is soon besotted with the handsome and rakish youth. Nicol is more than happy to allow young Margaret, the daughter of a wealthy wine merchant on Castle Hill, to spend time in his apartment at Anchor Close where he wastes no time in seducing her. In his confession he claims that the fact he could seduce her so easily was evidence of her 'whorish nature' and that he was repelled by her wanton behaviour.

Despite his professed dislike of Margaret, only three weeks after these young people first meet, they are married on September 5th and Nicol moves into the family home of his young wife. Later he will claim that he married the beautiful girl only on the urging of his friend, Archibald Ure, a Goldsmith, who persuaded him that the marriage was the ideal opportunity to raise his social standing. Muschat will deny that he was forced into the marriage by the irate father of Margaret who having discovered his daughter had been seduced, demanded that Muschat make good the damage done to the infatuated girl. 

Considering the nature of the reluctant groom it will come as no surprise to learn that the marriage was not a success. Muschat tired of Margaret almost as soon as he had seduced her while she, still infatuated with him, could only dream of sharing a happy and fruitful life with her soulmate. While she saw him through the prism of true love, he was already looking for a way out of the marriage and on the pretence of advancement he left Edinburgh seeking letters of introduction and recommendation to allow him to travel to Europe where he claimed he wished to perfect his 'skills' as a surgeon. As was typical of Muschat's great plans, this too failed and once again he was reduced to living with his despised wife and her parents until he finally rents an apartment for them both.

The King's Park from Salisbury Crags on Arthur's Seat.
photo by author.

It was about this time that a casual friend of his, named James Campbell, suggested that for a small fee, he would procure evidence of her adultery and give Muschat grounds to divorce her. Their scheme was simplicity itself. Campbell would invite Margaret to the home of a friend where her drink would be spiked with laudanum. Once insensible, Campbell promised that another man would ravish her and give sufficient proof of her infidelity. Their careful scheme collapsed when it was pointed out to them by another friend, a lawyer, that unless they could show Margaret had known the man who ravished her, their evidence would do them no good.

Nicol now turned to a cousin, James Muschat and his wife Grizzel, for assistance. In return for "a piece of money" they readily join the game of ridding Nicol of his devoted and besotted wife who remains blithely unaware of her husband's animosity and evil designs. Between them they decide that the best course of action is simply to poison the poor teenager and be done with her.

James and Grizzel happily set out to deliver the fatal potion and mixed a large measure of mercury to a drink of Brandy and hot water. Despite making the unfortunate girl dreadfully ill it does not kill her and she recovers. James, working on the principle that if at first you don't succeed, try, try again, does just that. Several more attempts are made to murder the girl but despite repeated doses her healthy young constitution shakes off their best efforts although the beautiful Margaret now looks pale and sickly. 

Facing the fact that poisoning her is never going to work, they turn their attentions towards other means to despatch her. Grizzel soon proposed taking her riding after heavy rain and to push her from her mount when fording a river in the hope that she is swept away and drowned. When it was felt that this was too chancy they next schemed to take young Margaret to Leith and to detain her there until late in the evening. When they made their way back towards the city they would seize her and drown her in a convenient ditch, the ever helpful Grizzel even suggested two suitable locations to commit the deed but her husband, James. refused to take any part in this scheme so it was dropped.

Things continued in this manner with the conspirators meeting almost daily to concoct fresh plans to rid Nicol of his still blissfully unaware and clingy wife. It wasn't until May 1720 that they finally settled on their next firm scheme which they were convinced would finally prove successful. Grizzel would invite young Margaret to dine with her and then detain her at the Muschat's apartment on St Mary's Wynd until late when James would offer to walk her home. When they passed through the darkness of Dickson's Close, James with a hammer would dash out her brains. In return for their part in this foul murder they expected to receive 20 guineas in payment. This scheme was put into motion at once but like their attempted poisoning of Margaret, it failed as there were always other people about in the streets and closes when James made ready to hit her over the head with the hammer.

Nicol Muschat had ran out of ideas and energy by this point. He was seemingly resigned to making the best of a bad situation with his wife who through it all remained devoted to him, but Grizzel had other plans altogether! She was loud and prolonged in scolding Nicol, pointing out "is it reasonable, think you, when my husband and I have spent so much time and pain to accomplish their design, and expectation of reward, now to give it up?". Nicol relented, and the planning to murder Margaret continued.

On the evening of the 7th of October 1720, Nicol and James made their way home after spending the afternoon drinking but as the clock approached seven o'clock they headed towards St Mary's Wynd where their wives awaited them. The intention was to make one more attempt to lure Margaret towards Dickson's Close where James would wait for her with his hammer. For some reason that evening Nicol decided to take matters into his own hands thinking that it was "but a light thing who was the executioner!".  In his own words from his confession - “I desired her to go down the Canongate with me and when she asked on what account, I bade her ask no questions, but go along with me ; and when we went the length of the Abbey, she asked, whither I was going? I said she was not concerned to know, but only she behoved to go with me. And when we were going through St Anne's Yards, she wept (Oh, how does my heart bleed to think on it) and prayed, that heaven might forgive me, if I was taking her to any mischief; and she desired to return, then I said if she would return I was not to stop her, but I was going to Duddingstoun, and if she would not go with me, she needed never expect to exchange one word with me after" With the thought of losing the man she loved most in the world the poor teenager relented and followed dutifully at her husband's side.

He had about his person a knife he had borrowed earlier that day and once he had fetched Margaret he led her, not homewards, down the slope of the Cannongate towards Holyrood and then onwards below the towering, dark mass of Arthur's Seat along the silent and frightening Duke's Walk. At the far end and distant from habitation and interruption he drew forth his knife before the now weeping girl's eye while she made the final, despairing cry of “My love! my love! do not murder me!". Her words were in vain and near the spot marked by the cairn, her life was cruelly ended. She was only 16.

With the deed done Nicol Muschat returned to rejoin James and Grizzel who along with James Campbell they celebrated the foul murder with happy toasts and laughter. Grizzel, ever looking for the main chance, pointed out that the murderer would have their full assistance, and all for but a small remembrance! Their silence could be bought by regular payments! An immediate payment was demanded, and given, before Nicol left to go home to his bed. Whether he thought about the empty space beside him as he lay there we can only guess.

Margaret's mutilated body was discovered at about ten o'clock the following morning with her throat cut to the bone. Her identity was soon revealed and the city was in an uproar that such a lovely young woman could be so violently, and heartlessly slain. While the Town Guard set out in search of her absent husband, Nicol took himself off to Leith to hide out until the furore died down. He returned to Edinburgh that evening to visit Grizzel who assured him that all was well and that if needs be, she would gladly perjure herself for him. Cash would be expected for this service obviously. Nicol made his way homewards but learning that the Town Guard were waiting there he fled back to Leith and began to make enquiries for taking ship to Europe to escape justice.

Grizzel starting to suspect that her own involvement with all that had went before may reflect badly on her and her husband decided the best course of action was to approach the Guard herself. She happily claimed a reward for identifying where Nicol could be found and personally led them to Leith and watched as he was taken into custody.

At first he denied any responsibility but soon admitted his guilt and made a full confession. He was sent for trial and it could not have been any great hardship for the jury to find him guilty. 

Nicol Muschat was hanged in the Grassmarket on the 6th of January 1721. Hopefully his hanging was slow and his suffering long. 

Of his co-conspirators in murder only James Campbell faced any charges. Two months after the hanging of Nicol, he was sent for trial for being "art and part" (aiding and abetting) in the numerous attempts to murder Margaret Hall. Unsurprisingly Grizzel and James were to the fore once again offering Kings Evidence against Campbell. He was sentenced to transportation to the West Indies for life.

Grizzel and her husband now vanish from history. It can be but hoped that their sins haunted them, but it seems they were not the type to loose any sleep for their part in the crime.

Margaret Hall is remembered by the afore mentioned cairn which was raised almost as soon as her poor body had been removed for burial. Horrified locals placed stones on the spot in remembrance of the unfortunate girl and while it has been relocated slightly over the centuries, it is still close to the fateful spot. The cairn also features heavily in Sir Walter Scott's novel The Heart of Mid-Lothian.

The stones are named Muschat's Cairn, although it may have been more fitting to have called them Margaret's Cairn.

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Stuart Laing is the author of The Robert Young of Newbiggin Mysteries

 His blog can be followed at 

stuartslaing.wordpress.com

From Carol McGrath A Conversation with Paula Lofting-Wilcox

Today I am interviewing Paula Lofting-Wilcox, whom we all know well at the review blog and whose novel Sons of the Wolf I can highly recommend.

Carol: I very much enjoyed reading Sons of the Wolf. Can you tell us a little about this novel and how you came to write it? 

Paula: Hi Carol, firstly thank you so much for having me on your blog slot here. I’m very     honoured to be interviewed by you. The idea for Sons was inspired by a book called 1066 – The Year of the Conquest by David Howarth.   

 

Mr Howarth was a historian and had written this book about the Conquest from the viewpoint of an English village – the village he was living in Sussex, one of the shires that was most affected by the invasion. The village was called Horstede and he described the place so vividly that as I read, I visualised the scene in my head, creating the framework of a novel. He gave me the name of the thegn who owned the land and that of his neighbour and a story slowly developed. I had been looking for a subject to write about and had become very interested in the Invasion and telling it from the English point of view, but there had already been some very good books written about Harold and William, Georgette Heyer’s The Conquest, Helen Hollick’s Harold the King, Valerie Anand’s Godwin series and Hope Muntz’s, The Golden Warrior. What could I bring to the subject that had not already been done? David Howarth’s book inspired me to write from the point of view of the ordinary men and women of the time and he provided me with the inspiration to write about Horstede, set in Sussex where I also live and Wulfhere, the thegn – a real person documented in the Domesday book.   With no other data available about him, I was able to create a fictional character and a storyline, centred around a bloodfeud between him and his neighbour Helghi, entwined with historical characters and facts from the day. 

Domesday Book, Wikipedia.    

Carol: There is much to bring to this subject and I think your approach terrific. The Review Blog which you have inspired has already proved very successful. It is an achievement. Can you tell us how you thought of this facebook linked blog and its associated pages and a little about how you would see it progressing. 

Paula

  

Paula: I got this idea one day that there should be a group for sharing and promoting books through the medium of reviews. There were so many writers and book groups on Facebook that promoted and shared links to buy books, but I thought what better way of promoting books and helping fellow authors than by people sharing how much they enjoyed the book. So I created the Facebook group and gradually built up a solid admin base with people who are readers, reviewers and authors. Stephanie Moore Hopkins and I developed the idea of a blog linked to the group and it grew from there. Aside from my lovely team of admins, of which you are one, we have a great team of reviewers. The Review Blog is not just about reviews though, we are more of a magazine type outfit with lots of different features as well as reviews and interviews.

Carol: It is an excellent idea so as an author I thank you for conceiving it. Now, you appear to be a super busy lady, Paula. How do you balance everything, work, writing and reviewing?

Paula: Haha, that’s a good question. My own writing has gone on the back burner for now until January when I may need to have a hiatus from the Review for a bit while I work on the sequel to Sons of the Wolf, The Wolf Banner. I’m almost there!

Re-Enactment

Carol: Good and I for one can’t wait so hurry up. I love the premise. You are also a re enactor. How often do you participate and can you tell us briefly, maybe a short anecdote, about one of your most fulfilling experiences whilst in Anglo-Saxon persona. And I am dying to know to what extent the Anglo-Saxon reenactor is authentic about gear or clothing or both. I mean, do you have a particular role?

Paula:  I belong to Regia Anglorum Re-enactment Society and am a proud member for 6 and a half years. I initially joined to help me with my writing, now the way I see it is how can my writing help my re-enacting! I absolutely love it. It gives me a feel of what it was like to be around in those days and we are the only UK based Re-enactment Society that has their own base, Wychurst,  a Saxon Long Hall, deep in the heart of Kent, surrounded by a nature reserve called  Wild Wood. It took 10 years to build and was totally built by the people in the society. They have done everything themselves. The first time I spent an evening round the huge hearth with likeminded friends, it was like, *sigh – This must be what it really felt like to live in a Longhall in the 11thc. Regia do pride themselves on their authenticity and are constantly updating their regulations as people do more research. Therefore we are very careful about how we present ourselves to the public. At shows there should be no makeup, no piercings on show, no modern accessories of any kind. We attempt to model ourselves on certain manuscript drawings. We have three types of authenticity, stuff that we are definitely sure about because the items have been provenance at least three times, stuff that is acceptable but the jury is still out and more research is being done, then there is the stuff that is totally NOT acceptable but may have in the past been thought of as authentic like horned helmets for Vikings lol!

That Hastings Hill! Was it there?

Carol: It must be a thrilling experience. Now, there has been controversy over the site of The Battle of Hastings. What are your thoughts?

Paula: Tricky. I’ve got to watch the Time Team programme again and go through it with a fine tooth comb, look at all the evidence before I am willing to commit myself to a firm view. What I will say is that the roundabout is a plausible place for the mustering point but that’s all I can say at the moment.

 Carol: It is not that far from the original site. A thought! I hope that the original still stands as well or one day it could be sold off. Ahem. Why am I so cynical. Finally, Paula, can you recommend three favourite novels, your inheritance novels, which you hold dear or perhaps which you find inspirational.

Paula:  Ah, that would have to be 1066 – The Year of the Conquest! (I often overlook this one).  2 – Oliver Twist and either Sword at Sunset or Dawn Wind by the marvellous Rosemary Sutcliffe. But this will be subject to change as I grow older.

What a lovely conversation this has been.  I, too, like Oliver Twist and I know the Howarth and loved it. It remains for me to say, thank you, and how much I enjoyed this. What an original thinker! Just get the new book out soon.

Carol McGrath Reviews: The Spice Merchant's Wife by Charlotte Betts

Charlotte is offering a give-away of The Spice Merchant's Wife. To enter comment at the end of the review, or alternatively on The Review Blog's facebook page. Link will show at the end of this review. 

Charlotte Betts is the author of the award winning The Apothecary’s Daughter. She followed this debut novel with The Painter’s Apprentice  and The Spice Merchant’s Wife, which, whilst the first novels are excellent, surpasses them as regards perfect pitch writing, superb plotting and importantly, very convincing characterisation. All three novels are set between the mid and late seventeenth century. I enjoyed each for differing reasons- The Apothecary’s Daughter is a riveting novel set during The Plague, remarkable for its Cinderella story and attention to historical detail; The Painter’s Apprentice is a court drama and a love story: The Spice Merchant’s Wife is set during the years following The Great Fire of 1666 and this one also contains a romance but it is a sinister thriller too. It has wonderful descriptions of London during the years following The Fire. It has already won one prize and I predict others will follow.

‘London August 1666’, and, ‘The summer had been swelteringly hot with barely any rain to wash away the dust and stench and I was not alone in wishing it to end.’ Not only is this a well-pitched first sentence, perfect in its simplicity but it draws the reader into this particular time and into this busy, commercial city alongside its protagonist Katherine whose story we follow closely as she faces trauma, extreme danger and falls in love. It is followed with ‘The city was hot and dry as a tinderbox and all anyone could do was to find a shady place to sit very still.’ Excellent first paragraph and I am there, hooked.

Katherine’s husband is a wealthy spice-merchant, their marriage arranged, her inheritance plundered by a greedy aunt. Although clearly unsuited, the couple are determined to make the best of things. As the story opens Katherine is looking forward to Robert’s return from a long voyage and to moving out of her in-laws home into one of their own. However, the fire sweeps through the city and puts an end to her hopes and aspirations. Everything, including their warehouse that is ‘stacked to the gunnels’, is lost. The family are utterly down on their fortunes. Debts cannot be paid, prison threatens, and, as London begins to recover, work is hard to find and the city is lawless. The narrative moves with as many twists and turns as the dark London lanes that is its landscape. Enter a rogue builder and the narrative’s thriller element follows. The plot turns on Katherine’s attempts to expose Mr Hackett the builder who is out to ruthlessly deceive and make his fortune out of Christopher Wren’s new plans for the city.

The Fire of London raged for days

Will Katherine survive as this man determines to destroy her future?  She does have a potential saviour, of course, in Gabrielle Harte, the perfume maker. Along with his wife, Jane, he befriends Katherine in a relationship that, as the story evolves, becomes a little reminiscent of Jane Eyre. The characters are all very well drawn, the in laws, husband Robert, Gabriel and the hideous, evil Hackett who could even be one of Dickens’ meanest 19^th C constructions, and Jane, who becomes Katherine’s close friend which presents yet another dilemma.

The narrative is written in first person past tense which brought me particularly close to Katherine. I stood in her shoes, saw others through her eyes and travelled London’s streets smelling and seeing as she did. The sights and sounds are there lurking about Fish Hill, Thames Street, Mincing Lane, Lombard Street and the wharves. There are link boys lighting the dim thoroughfares, swaying coaches, smells such as rotting fish, mud and rubbish and a dreadful cellar with a suspicious stink. I was especially party to Katherine’s emotions and wanted her not to make mistakes as she navigated this landscape. Most of all I wanted her to find happiness and, since Ms Betts presents her readers with a deal of jeopardy threatening this possible outcome, the novel is incredibly page turning.

The plotting is skilful. Ms Betts covers suspicion and blame, speculation and financial ruin with superb confidence. And isn’t it a universal theme that when disasters strike in no matter which era people do endeavour to recover and hold on to optimism as does Gabriel Harte. Yet, in this novel, I particularly admired the writer’s integration of small details of day to day life in a mid-seventeenth century world.  Her research is thorough and her writing beautifully crafted. The Spice Merchant’s Wife is a fast-paced narrative with engaging characters and a brilliant plot. It is as rich a story and delightful as the topaz silk out of which Katherine fashions a precious gown.

Don't forget to comment to win a copy of The Spice Merchant's Wife. The link to the Review blog page is here.

The Spice Merchant's Wife is available from all bookshops and as an e book.

Carol McGrath is the author of The Handfasted Wife published by Accent Press and available from Amazon and all other e readers. It is also a paperback.

PAULA'S PEOPLE: JIM Wills author of a Few Men Faithful

Jim Wills  is the author of the Kavanagh series set in WW1, today he is guesting on Paula's People. Welcome Jim!

About Me and the Novels
I’ve had many and varied careers. In more or less historical order, I’ve been a motorcycle mechanic, a race engine builder,graduate student, a teacher, an academic, a hard-rock miner (silver), a book editor and ghost writer, a commercial writer in print and video, a novelist, a mason, a wood-fired artisan bread baker and a teacher of that craft. Some, if not all, have overlapped in time and continue.
First off, I write fiction because I am compelled to do so.  I never once though it was a way to get rich and famous, but I do like to share what I see as compelling, carefully crafted stories.
My four part novel series that revolves around the Kavanagh family can only be called historical fiction in a very loose sense.  Certainly, the first two, A Few Men Faithfuland Philly MC, could be seen that way.  The last two, Shooter in a Plague Year and A Hard Gemlike Flame, however, are set in the immediate future.  My intent was to follow a single name through multiple generations, both in Ireland and North America, and to explore how they defend or deny the past.  Seen in this light, genre fiction is a restriction, although the historical legacy of the name continues from 1916 to 2020 from Crossmaglen and Dublin, Philadelphia to Belfast.  A fifth novel, with the working title “Fianna” is in the planning stages.  It’s set in Ireland, 1798.
Recently, A Few Men Faithful was awarded the IndiePendents Certificate of Good Writing, so “That no talent be lost to the chaos of the publishing explosion.”
The four published stories and reviews are available as ebooks here: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Kavanagh47 .  All popular formats are listed.  The paperbacks, as well as reviews, can be found on Amazon.com, .ca, .co.uk.  My baking book, Tools Are Made, Born Are Hands: Baking True Artisan Breads in a Wood-Fired Oven, is available as a paperback on Amazon and as a PDF on my website: www.marygbread.com .  It’s a bit of a surprise that this title sells more steadily than the novels, at least for now.  Marketing for it, in fact, seems to be unnecessary, unlike the novels.
On Writing
As a professional writer in many fields, from antiques to automobiles, I find it quite tiresome to see all the cyber-ink splashed about on words like “creative,” “inspiration,” “writer’s block,” and so on, ad nauseam.  To my way of thinking, this is a complete and misleading waste of time—a diversion from the task at hand.  Writing, fiction or otherwise, is a craft, one that can be taught and learned“Creativity,” so-called, cannot. Fiction is not a mystical visitation;more like bloody hard work. The well-crafted written word has not changed from Fielding to Dickens, Jane Austen to Roddy Doyle.  Ebooks have not altered that in the slightest, despite the outlandish claims, but merely made it easier for writers to get into digital print and reach a worldwide audience.  A large portion of them, I suspect responsible writers will agree, should never have seen the virtual light of day.  Why?  Because serious, dedicated writing becomes swamped.
There is no substitute for mastering the rules of the language (so they can be broken judiciously when necessary).  There is no alternative to thorough research and tireless reading. Successful fiction is impossible when the author alone tells the story,rather than letting the characters do it.  The latter is called verisimilitude; the former is just plain clunky.  The largest portions of my novels are dialogue, and I work very hard at giving each character a distinctive look and a distinctive voice.  Many writers, even best-sellers, use one dialogue voice—their own.  This is a mistake to my mind.  Think of the difference in speech patterns between Crook and Sir Lester Deadlock in Bleak House.  My own method is to read dialogue out loud, sometimes to tape.  If there’s a hesitation in the reading, then the writing needs work.  It’s far preferable to hone a spare 500 words, than to ramble on for 1000 to get to the same approximate place.  As I see it, a writer must be tough on the ego and the inner self.  Just because you wrote it, does not mean it is cast platinum.  Cut, refine, tighten up, be realistic, be judicious.  The term “potboiler” was coined in 19th century England.  The word remains, but the books have vanished.New crops will always be with us, unfortunately.
On Marketing, Sort Of
I have worked in advertising, so I’m supposed to know something about marketing and promotion.  I do, if it’s about the Fiat 500 or an electric toothbrush.  These are tools designed to move you from A to B or remove plaque.  Their utility is what makes them sell.  Sure, style has something to do with it, too.  Fiction is not like that; it’s a cerebral experience to enter a writer’s world, what S. T. Coleridge called “the willing suspension of disbelief.”  That is a very tough concept to market successfully, particularly for an indie author who is just one voice among tens of thousands.  Some indie authors get around this problem by writing in the “genre of the month.”  Back to potboilers again.There evenmight be short-term success, but longevity will not be there.  I, for one, truly hope that zombies and vampires will soon vanish from the landscape.  The drawback with this sort of approach, as I see it at least, is that far too much of the writing is formulaic, with plots and characters copied and repeated over and over.  No doubt there are original writers out there, but in my experience, many aren’t.
It’s really quite staggering to read an indie author’s biography, promotion piece, synopsisor book description on a group page and find it full of spelling errors, poor punctuation, repetitive vocabulary, horrific grammar.  This happens far too often and is hardly the way to gain an audience.  Plus, it makes us all look bad.  If an author can’t write a clear book description, what does that say of the book?  Such a writer commonly describes himself or herself as an AUTHOR!!!!!All of us will have to live with this, of course, but it’s jejune and galling at the same time.  No wonder the idea that “independent publishing is junk” persists.  One can only hope this will cease over time.  To those that say the rules of good writing have changed by some magical wave of the digital wand, I have a one-word answer: bunk.
On Editing and Presentation
In my time, I have been a freelance trade book editor, specializing in working with first authors who knew a lot about an interesting subject, but not much about book organization or writing.  With that background, I knew from the outset of my novel series that, beyond a certain point, it was not only impossible but also quite dangerous to edit my own fiction.  I was fortunate to find a very talented freelance fiction editor, Bobbi Speck.  We hashed out a few ground rules: 1. The writing style is the writing style and 2. I was mainly interested in her editorial advice on plot and characterization.  She was invaluable.
My advice is simple.  Hire a freelance editor with a track record.  Get testimonials; see a list of books edited.  Set your guidelines.  Listen.  It’s well worth it.  Run, don’t walk, away from a dictatorial editor who wants to make your book his or hers.Use the same response if the fees are exorbitant.  Freelance editors are not expensive, and you are the employer.  Friends and family are not reliable editors; they’re unlikely to tell what you don’t want to hear, or more likely have the experience to tell you what you don’t want to hear.
I can’t draw a realistic stick figure.  Again, because of my background, I was quite aware of the fact that I needed professionally designed covers for my books.  For the novels, I was very fortunate to find Sarah Orr of ArtPlus Ltd., a brilliant, adaptable and sensitive book-cover designer.  My procedure was to collect a folder of images during the writing of each title, then turn the folder over to her, with a sample chapter. Too many indie authors skip this vital part of their book, and end up designing it themselves, sometimes with woefully poor results.  The text might be fine, but if the cover looks amateurish, it’s more than likely the book will be ignored.  Think of it and professional editing as investments.
On Routine
Literary biography is replete with information about how authors go about the task of writing.  Two come immediately to mind: Charles Dickens and William Makepeace Thackeray.  Each treated his writing as a full-time job, with set schedules, set word limits, set production schedules.  Neither one fretted over writer’s block, creativity or inspiration, all modern maladies.  They just kept at it, day by day, and their outputs are legendary.  I haven’t produced anywhere near their numbers of books, but I find that a regimented approach works well for me, and I’m not afraid to cut a whole day’s writing if it isn’t working.  Mark Twain only had problems writing a commissioned work on the history of the cigar when he tried and failed to give them up.  Jack Kerouac’s iconic On the Road is another story entirely.
On Last Words
Don’t give up.  Hone your craft.  Cut, edit, rewrite, let it rest, rewrite again.  Hire professionals where needed.  Practice, practice, practice. The book will tell you when it’s ready.  The characters will tell you when they’re ready. Don’t rush.  Don’t panic.  After all that is finished, then you’re ready.

Jim Wills can be followed on Goodreads and his books about the Kavanagh's can be found on Amazon. 

Lisl's Bits and Bobs: Getting into the minds of lions

DVD Review: Into the Pride with Dave Salmoni

Into the Pride features Dave Salmoni, a zoologist and big cat trainer narrating his sojourn into the African bush to help calm a pride of aggressive “last-chance lions.” These are creatures who have been transferred from Namibia's largest national park to the Erindi Private Game Reserve owing to their cattle raiding and aggressive ways towards humans, behavior officials wish to see altered to avoid driving away sorely needed tourist dollars. If the lions continue to conduct themselves in ways that drive away fearful tourists, they will be destroyed, a fate Salmoni is recruited to prevent.

This series introduced me to a deeper layer of relations between animals and humans; while I was aware of cattle raiding and the anger it provokes, I had been unaware that animals were tracked so distinctly as to facilitate decisions to remove them to other parks or preserves--or that their status could ever be probationary. I suppose I was used to Animal Planet programs that show Landies and lions gamely (no pun intended) sharing the space for a few photo ops and observations to settle into tales brought back home. While I had heard of some tourist tragedies, I was under the impression they were rare, and didn't think the possibility of more were even of concern to those in charge (in a large sense, that is; I am sure the possibilities are always worrisome). 

Enter Salmoni, whose words and delivery ushered in my mixed response from the get go. His stated mission is to accustom the lions to humans and in so doing would get into their heads, and they into his, a statement that set me somewhat on edge. I doubted his claim to be alone outside business hours and speculated the possibility he thought himself more a friend of the lions than he really was--á la Timothy Treadwell, whose unsafe behavior around and anthropomorphic treatment of Katmai grizzlies directly resulted in the filmmaker's and his girlfriend's deaths. On the other hand, the absence of stiffness and occasional repetition in his words--"One thing about that natural vista thing--I forgot I'll be out here alone"--also indicated lack of scripting, at least in a formal sense. Is he speaking off the cuff with genuine words? Or is Salmoni a gifted ad libber? With his background he would have the verbal repertoire to present well, and I didn't doubt his concern for the lions. I did ponder, however, if his daredevil nature and comfortable relationship with the camera came with a bit of a price paid for by the cats. But I decided to trust him because at this phase, the aggressive lions didn't seem to stand much of a chance otherwise.

Salmoni brings his training, experience and skills to the project, where he decides he will, in stages, get himself closer to the 16-cat pride in order to show them he is not a threat, as he is convinced they remember a history of aggression and repression from humans, resulting in lack of trust beyond what is typical. We see Cleopatra, the largest and dominant lioness, along with her babies, and Winnie, a younger lioness with slightly older cubs. The alpha male is Brutus, his skin marred with evidence of fighting, along with his smaller brother, the "pretty boy" Otis. The filmmaker aims at different points to get close to the cubs in steps, to show their mothers they are safe and enable them to trust humans enough to forego charging and other aggressive behavior. While he also seeks to create a relationship with Brutus--if the protector trusts him the others also will--his aim is to eliminate the continuity of the "bad behavior" to the next generation. 

With baby steps Salmoni approaches the lions, speaking as he goes, lowering his gaze as well as body to show lack of threat, and backing away when communication indicates extreme discomfort. He does have a balancing act to consider: demonstrating to the grown-ups they don't have to worry about his presence, but also ensuring he leaves on good terms so as not to enable a bad attitude. He allows a lion cub to play with his ten-year-old "lion sweatshirt" (with the scents of at least ten other lions on it), and fashions a tether ball to offer as an extension of himself that they can more confidently approach, while keeping a distance for the safety of both parties.

"Safety," however, seems to be a mixed bag with Salmoni. He does concede the danger of some of his actions, such as his "patented bush walk" or crawling closer and closer to curious cubs perched on rocks when the mothers are off hunting. Sometimes, however, I couldn't help but wonder if these were at least partly daredevil stunts to enable his celebrity and satisfy producers demanding high ratings (which they aren't likely to get off of filming from a Land Rover). After all, tourists aren't likely to leap from their cars to play with lions, so why would the big cats need to become accustomed to that sort of human behavior? 

Salmoni himself answers this question with his observation that traditional scientists would critisize him based on their beliefs that they wouldn't want to affect the animals' behavior. While at the end of the day I remain undecided regarding the perhaps-extraneous nature of some of his methods, or the need for them, I would agree when he rightly points out that simply being there alters the cat behavior. Luke Hunter has much to say about Salmoni's technique, and while we share some concerns, I'm not altogether certain Salmoni's walking close to lions is in the long term as debilitating as Hunter claims it is. Of course, he has qualifications I do not, but the fact remains that though the statistics may be low, some prides are used to people and they will indeed just sit and watch the silly humans as their machinery goes click click click click.

This is what Salmoni states as his goal for this pride, an achievement that would prove to be a win-win: the lions are not destroyed and Namibia retains an industry that allows it to be more self sufficient. In the beginning, contrary to Hunter's claim, the lions were not sitting around watching as the vehicles drove by. In fact they ran off, hid or charged, behavior that would bore or frighten visitors, in the end drying up tourist dollars. While some may latch onto the "almighty dollar" argument, the fact remains that individuals and nations have to make a living, and Namibia has the means to do so while simultaneously acting responsibly with the incredible natural beauties and creatures they have been gifted with. They invested good money to recruit and hire Salmoni rather than simply write off a group of mere cattle thieves. 

That Salmoni cares for the critters is also evident, and he delves into information such as the danger of being a lion cub or the varying calls of Cleo to her offspring as well as to him. One was very much a warning, assertive: "Stay away from my babies." Another was gentle and loving, "Come, children, dinner is ready." He does indeed aim to obey these calls and takes them into consideration when he acts. He challenges them when Cleo or another lion extraneously charges, by holding out his shepherd stick from his perch on the rocket bike (later, on foot) and shouting, "Stop it!" (or some other demand to cease). I was fairly amazed that lions as aggressive as these were said to be actually listened to his directive. 

One of my favorite segments of the show came when Salmoni discusses lion interaction amongst themselves, including parent to child. Cleo returns from hunting to collect her babies, but not before Winnie had gone off with them further afield. Not finding her children, Cleo calls out to them repeatedly. Receiving no answer, she begins to panic. "For those of you who don't think animals have emotions…" he comments. This line re-plays itself later when arises the issue of sibling rivalry.

Salmoni is perhaps a bit of a show off and seems to wear some of his more reckless actions (in comparison, creeping closer to the lions on foot not necessarily being one of them) as a badge of honor. I also wish he had talked more of some human behavior that can trigger cattle raiding. But he does give us glimpses of a group of lions as they grow along with him, and as he is witness to some lion interaction (Brutus and Otis) rarely seen and less understood by people. Moreover, his angle is one I'd not before seen and the footage was absolutely spectacular--including asides featuring other animals. My mixed responses perhaps reflect the contradictory nature of human-lion relationships and what I learned and contemplated added to the already immense respect I had for lions as part of nature's great design. 

Dave Salmoni: Extreme daredevil? Show off? Effective? What do you think?



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Karen Andreas : A Few Men Faithful by Jim Wills

A Few Men Faithful

By Jim Wills

Review by Karen Andreas

Jim Wills’ A Few Men Faithful is the very best of reads.  It starts off with epic action and, before you know it, you are not only sucked into the story but also deeply involved with its protagonist, Danny Kavanagh.

This first in a series of four books about the Kavanagh family begins with the Easter Uprising in 1916.  Two of the three Kavanagh brothers literally ride into legend on a Triumph motorcycle, their arrival in and escape from Dublin breath-taking as the battle rages around them.  In brutally unsentimental prose, Danny crosses paths with the notables of the Uprising, including: Eamon de Valera, the mathematics teacher turned soldier; Joe McGarrity with his empty promises from Philadelphia; Countess Markievicz; Liam Lynch; Michael Collins, “the most dangerous, most enigmatic man in Ireland.”  Danny serves the Cause as an Irish Volunteer but, more importantly, as a member of the secret Irish Republican Brotherhood, the forerunner of the IRA.  This story follows his path from soldier battling to free Ireland from the British presence, to spy, assassin, husband, prisoner and, ultimately, survivor.

This is no glamorous, romantic look at the Irish revolt from 1916-1922.  It is instead an inside view of a cause that degenerated into civil war, Irish against Irish, and the cause for a unified, free Ireland bitterly fought, bitterly lost.  It sets out a moment in time when the Cause became the Troubles.  How it all came to that is the crux of the story.

Wills' unflinchingly illustrates the cost of the Cause through Danny’s story.  Danny’s actions resonate with everyone whose lives touch his, friends, family, church and, most importantly, his love for Sophie, whose father and sister are committed partisans.  Sophie’s devotion becomes an anchor for Danny as his life undergoes a metamorphosis from soldier to instrument of revenge to assassin.  Danny finds true albeit unlikely friendship with Sophie’s priest, Father Murtagh, whose care for and concern for the man transcends his religious vocation.   Father Murtagh’s rationalization for murderous retribution in the name of the Cause is a right fine dance indeed.

Danny struggles with the morality of his assassin’s role but remains steadfastly loyal to his convictions.  In the latter part of the book, Danny takes pen in hand and writes to his wife and his dearest friend – and finally opens up to the emotions he has had to manage – as well as providing an insider’s view of historical events.  The account of Bloody Sunday and its aftermath is chilling and fascinating. 

“Soon or never,” the characters say to each other.  Victory soon or it will never come.  You feel the urgency as the story progresses.  The disbelief as the war unravels is palatable.  Despair is just about always tempered by action, by resolve.  A Few Men (and women) Faithful matter.

Be sure to read the prologue, Beginnings.  Jim Willis brilliantly lays out the background of the story and describes the Irish psyche in uncompromising detail.  Here not only is laid bare the bitter promises never come to fruition but also descriptions of these people and their circumstances rendered with unvarnished truth. 

This is compelling reading indeed.   A Few Men Faithful is strong, fascinating historical fiction very well done. 

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This Review was written by Karen Andreas    

"My first introduction to historical fiction was in the mid-1960s, when I read Sword at Sunset; thus began a life-long love of reading this genre.  One of my dearest treasures is a hand written letter from Rosemary Sutcliff.  I am in awe of the masters of this craft.


My own background is in nonfiction.  I was editor of a fire service publication in Washington, D.C., and am currently the editor and chief writer of a quarterly botanical publication.  I live in Florida with my husband Michael, three cats (Yardley, Sparky and Boo Radley) and one horse, Mr. Bojangle"

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