tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32142282123161575192024-03-05T16:29:17.228-08:00Rosie Morgan writing in Cornwall - Of kings, knights and reluctant teenage heroes.Come with me to Cornwall, on the tip of England, ancient home of pirates and smugglers (and Rosie).
Travel with me to a world of mystery, magic and myth in the 'The Camelot Inheritance' series.
Follow the adventures of Arthur, Nick and Tamar, where King Arthur is more than just a legend, and where dragons really do fly.
Rosie Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05735584336794053685noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3214228212316157519.post-2046243811716081982023-12-18T08:57:00.000-08:002023-12-18T08:57:24.728-08:00<h1 style="text-align: left;">Hello from a Christmassy Cornwall . . . </h1><h2 style="text-align: left;">and Looe, or Pendrym, at Christmas -</h2><h3 style="text-align: left;">with fishing boats and tractors and lights.</h3><p style="text-align: left;">The inspirational Looe, not only the setting for <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Golden-Sword-Camelot-Inheritance-Book/dp/1497402247/" target="_blank">The Golden Sword </a>and <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Time-Smugglers-Camelot-Inheritance-Book/dp/1500531626/" target="_blank">The Time Smugglers</a> in The Camelot Inheritance, but now also for the acclaimed television series, <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m001jg5h/beyond-paradise" target="_blank">Beyond Paradise.</a> This lovely fishing port's reputation is growing. Every time Pete and I pop down there I'm inspired.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Yesterday evening we were there for the annual <a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/whats-on/tinsel-tractor-run-p4490901" target="_blank">Tinsel Tractor Charity Run</a>. More tractors than I could count, wonderfully decorated, driving through the local countryside and villages, it was brilliant. </p><p style="text-align: left;">I'm thinking that a tractor is going to to be a part of Daisy and Josh's story in my currently-bubbling book. More on this towards the end of this post, but for now back to Looe.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Rather than just talk about Christmassy Looe and equally Christmassy tractors, here are a few photos:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Looe's narrow streets are crammed with folk on holiday in the summer -</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> in winter they're delightfully quiet.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;">
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>We walked through the streets, down to the beach, as featured in The Golden Sword, and then turned back to walk along the tidal river . . . </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> and past moored fishing boats waiting for their next expedition.</o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhVm-9viztkM703xBnG5CJse42f8e4zRBKa295-r3MV8xyhUvLYZ8tijOgKmQHSEprFhC55UtXZsWTOYkO2bi1GThd80x2KDcltnS3BsvEiuTR711Jwdt2-JZ3np8Tmu-grGngcPNVF0uIgiFZipxlZbWOiOz-mvdC4Tlr6IW-037EEzixP7AoxAbpuTc/s4128/20231217_164636.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1956" data-original-width="4128" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhVm-9viztkM703xBnG5CJse42f8e4zRBKa295-r3MV8xyhUvLYZ8tijOgKmQHSEprFhC55UtXZsWTOYkO2bi1GThd80x2KDcltnS3BsvEiuTR711Jwdt2-JZ3np8Tmu-grGngcPNVF0uIgiFZipxlZbWOiOz-mvdC4Tlr6IW-037EEzixP7AoxAbpuTc/s320/20231217_164636.heic" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Then we waited while the sky darkened and caught just a glimpse of the moon above the town.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo-NfOpuHbgKlu76TJzfLQXluMehOATIWSVXEtpeldKHLXUb0tvHs4wFrmROZ9MA1DFs1unEq97AN0GJK93CWPv6INkQhJIkKfPGGdJnpa4vpbQLSLFZaui6JtA8JwOQ80QQbkCMxKkjRfzRWd3LEi7nlSDM3j9Xl3a_XMC6l_5-hCLjhhLAvYcPM-S_A/s4128/20231217_172003.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1956" data-original-width="4128" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo-NfOpuHbgKlu76TJzfLQXluMehOATIWSVXEtpeldKHLXUb0tvHs4wFrmROZ9MA1DFs1unEq97AN0GJK93CWPv6INkQhJIkKfPGGdJnpa4vpbQLSLFZaui6JtA8JwOQ80QQbkCMxKkjRfzRWd3LEi7nlSDM3j9Xl3a_XMC6l_5-hCLjhhLAvYcPM-S_A/s320/20231217_172003.heic" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Finally we heard tractor horns and saw approaching lights. The tractors were coming!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimKVMdngNCb4tyoC3xxBDQqwPQtSvlvwvZGJ7qVvJitJ-ZVNGoRPojNYyp6lVwuhjHe4vBMBxiNzj_xI_PSdDkuLmt2qtC9nf6KNYiLg8fhYWvmDQZYpDi4pozUmbPO0I5g7k7ERTV1KdomL5LC3e_HZw01rwsmrD0vYRCqlbx5SWoSlh_SjLK85ssoXY/s4128/20231217_174322.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1956" data-original-width="4128" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimKVMdngNCb4tyoC3xxBDQqwPQtSvlvwvZGJ7qVvJitJ-ZVNGoRPojNYyp6lVwuhjHe4vBMBxiNzj_xI_PSdDkuLmt2qtC9nf6KNYiLg8fhYWvmDQZYpDi4pozUmbPO0I5g7k7ERTV1KdomL5LC3e_HZw01rwsmrD0vYRCqlbx5SWoSlh_SjLK85ssoXY/s320/20231217_174322.heic" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiny6BHKqUdfXtuiScZ27r1FBSGfxT3enteLxKpNJJ03_0lBKKCRAfj113sGIAm2C5S3IFv3SeOeOIB-fu0cV2QNH1WNpp0ACSVBI25BJeXvPlsheNQPUN3ZLXqcmzMsXT7XG8DRSuR25JryGRsyF6HbE4rido_ADrK3jTwrNOUP8FUabpMqxTneE_2THw/s4128/20231217_174147.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1956" data-original-width="4128" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiny6BHKqUdfXtuiScZ27r1FBSGfxT3enteLxKpNJJ03_0lBKKCRAfj113sGIAm2C5S3IFv3SeOeOIB-fu0cV2QNH1WNpp0ACSVBI25BJeXvPlsheNQPUN3ZLXqcmzMsXT7XG8DRSuR25JryGRsyF6HbE4rido_ADrK3jTwrNOUP8FUabpMqxTneE_2THw/s320/20231217_174147.heic" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJCPSHeLWWz8hdk3FWMfAysi0iEbr_si0EGdOeFkMa8ZM2bhROPGykCvqwC0Walz9EDRnjRWQqqtFnI9M6XvhAvQzYxKzcEgPpsLhP7_G0dGdEs8xZ6BnBx1eewtoMR0UUou4CSjbevGyb97z1tymDxAc8iLFLQ9i1pC8Pqb7O3x3EdpIMUOpS4JfnbNA/s4128/20231217_173757.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1956" data-original-width="4128" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJCPSHeLWWz8hdk3FWMfAysi0iEbr_si0EGdOeFkMa8ZM2bhROPGykCvqwC0Walz9EDRnjRWQqqtFnI9M6XvhAvQzYxKzcEgPpsLhP7_G0dGdEs8xZ6BnBx1eewtoMR0UUou4CSjbevGyb97z1tymDxAc8iLFLQ9i1pC8Pqb7O3x3EdpIMUOpS4JfnbNA/s320/20231217_173757.heic" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhILQ345laCbWN1FwZoB9-rObXKwpc7_2UltaSdztnQTqach_CJ-buoVdjw0EmhlWRlLoSBaPehHhY4XqjAeJ0lXpsAHxhTzjAadLmmkn5NZjiKYlxFp57EJ_x83HPHL7pEu3syiDAhYEDdEJcgipnowi4mds15TOavnf8ufZfOIb2w2M3Z-_XHRyx54rU/s4128/20231217_173920.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1956" data-original-width="4128" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhILQ345laCbWN1FwZoB9-rObXKwpc7_2UltaSdztnQTqach_CJ-buoVdjw0EmhlWRlLoSBaPehHhY4XqjAeJ0lXpsAHxhTzjAadLmmkn5NZjiKYlxFp57EJ_x83HPHL7pEu3syiDAhYEDdEJcgipnowi4mds15TOavnf8ufZfOIb2w2M3Z-_XHRyx54rU/s320/20231217_173920.heic" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Then it was home and time to warm up by the fire with a hot chocolate and Oz and Pete's cat, James.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;">
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</tbody></table></div><br /><h4>This little excerpt is from the next book, and new series. </h4><h4>In this part Daisy is in Paddinton Station, London:</h4></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><b>Daisy Tailor and Time are getting to know one another. (I'm having so much fun writing this!)</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">In Paddington station, Daisy looked up at the clock above the platform and caught her breath. The hands were whizzing
round and round. <o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">‘No…’
Daisy said. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">A
crowd was gathering.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">She
moaned. ‘They shouldn’t be doing that.’ <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">A
woman in uniform, presumably something to do with the running of the place, ran
over.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">‘This
is just not fair,’ Daisy groaned. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Not
only were the hands spinning through the hours … the clock was chiming and Daisy
was pretty sure that it never chimed.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">She
watched, glued to the spot as the station manager hurried over and began
ushering the crowd away. Two young men in high viz jackets followed, lugging
orange barriers and slid them between the people and the clock.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">‘Please
stop,’ Daisy begged. ‘It’s too much.’<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">And
then the crowd watching, laughed and a few cheers went up because the hands were
slowing and rearranging themselves … until they were at exactly the right time.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
station manager scratched his head and stared at the clock.</span></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">‘Was
that really me?’ Daisy said. ‘Did the clock really reset because of me?’<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
minute hand touched the thirty and chimed once more and the clock face
winked - at Daisy. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">More will get written in 2024, but maybe you've read The Golden Sword and enjoyed it and are wondering what to read next. The Camelot Inheritance has four books, click on the titles and you'll be taken to their Amazon pages and meet more magical and menacing characters. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Golden-Sword-Camelot-Inheritance-Book/dp/1497402247/" target="_blank">The Golden Sword</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Time-Smugglers-Camelot-Inheritance-Book/dp/1500531626/" target="_blank">The Time Smugglers</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Merlins-Vow-Camelot-Inheritance-Book/dp/0995498202" target="_blank">Merlin's Vow</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">(and perhaps my favourite)</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Arthurs-Kingdom-Camelot-Inheritance-Book/dp/0995498229" target="_blank">Arthur's Kingdom</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">A very Happy Christmas to all my wonderful readers. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">May you enjoy your celebrations but perhaps also find a quiet, cosy place to curl up and lose yourself in a word-spun piece of magic.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br /></p></div><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>Rosie Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05735584336794053685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3214228212316157519.post-7389611564858253802021-06-20T09:48:00.001-07:002021-06-20T09:49:21.600-07:00Audio edition of The Golden Sword published . . . and over a million pages read.<h1 style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;">Ta dahhhh!!!</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: center;">Proudly announcing that the audio book of The Golden Sword is now available 😃.</div></span></h1><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WJwO5AKllKs/YM9oxc9_HMI/AAAAAAAAKoc/a-JpYL3cjh4xguApJldGjYr7Tk6pSzRXQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210620_170917.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WJwO5AKllKs/YM9oxc9_HMI/AAAAAAAAKoc/a-JpYL3cjh4xguApJldGjYr7Tk6pSzRXQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/20210620_170917.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It took a fair old time to get there, but we've finally done it. We've published The Golden Sword as an audio book - and it's getting wonderful reviews. Pete's voice has been likened to Stephen Fry (he's pretty famous in the UK) and, furthermore, it seems that the story works very well in this format too. Phew. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Some years ago Pete used to present television programmes, he's also DJ'd and worked on the radio so he's pretty used to speaking and presenting - <i>and</i> he's got all the technical know-how and equipment needed. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxieK0Nxx3DsTuADtlJM_UKTEFF7bGKJzyZwYP2pfu7v94h6EMt0ZjAG1uO0OjAQ2m2Kmz4qud6xdH_Ws_tq-svFqfFLICwsOsnWh-bGqWmqSMzjrKn5jbahb5v2X03NFdOaRRwbIP-mQ/s2048/20210620_165213.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxieK0Nxx3DsTuADtlJM_UKTEFF7bGKJzyZwYP2pfu7v94h6EMt0ZjAG1uO0OjAQ2m2Kmz4qud6xdH_Ws_tq-svFqfFLICwsOsnWh-bGqWmqSMzjrKn5jbahb5v2X03NFdOaRRwbIP-mQ/s320/20210620_165213.jpg" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The great thing about us working together was that I could help him interpret the characters until he got to know them as well as I do. Fortunately we get on very well - and he was always open to re-recording when the emphasis wasn't quite right. Aren't I lucky? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Here are just a couple of the reviews:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">'<span style="background-color: white;">This was one of the best audio books I have ever heard!</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;">The narrator has the most perfect voice for audio books- better than Stephan Fry reading Harry Potter!</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit;" /><span style="background-color: white;">The story was excellent! I’ll be listening to it again, very soon!'</span></span><div><span style="color: rgba(20, 20, 20, 0.650980392156863); font-family: Audible Sans, Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: rgba(20, 20, 20, 0.650980392156863); font-family: Audible Sans, Arial, sans-serif;">And another:</span></div><div><span style="color: rgba(20, 20, 20, 0.650980392156863); font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">'<span style="background-color: white;">I enjoyed every minute listening to this book. Right from the first sentence, I was drawn in and eager to find out what was going to happen next. Ancient myths and legends woven into an engaging modern day adventure. Fast paced, exciting but not frightening.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit;" /><span style="background-color: white;">Beautifully written and narrated. An absolute delight.'</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(20, 20, 20, 0.65); font-family: "Audible Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Audible Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red;">Furthermore - over a million pages of The Camelot Inheritance have now been borrowed and read! </span></span></h2><div><span style="color: #141414; font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white;">That's just by the folk who have used</span><span style="background-color: white;"> Kindle Unlimited (KU) or the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library.</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #141414; font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white;">I'm pretty chuffed because that doesn't include paperbacks or ordinarily bought kindle books. I absolutely LOVE that <b><i>so </i></b>many people have spent time reading my books. </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #141414; font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white;">If you're one of those people, whether you've read them in paperback or on your kindle, thank you!!!! </span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #797979; font-family: "Amazon Ember", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sB7dvrScEuA/YM9rvF9u6zI/AAAAAAAAKok/cAcNLam3_5oYjoweSujxwOnCrUJzC9zQQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210620_171735.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sB7dvrScEuA/YM9rvF9u6zI/AAAAAAAAKok/cAcNLam3_5oYjoweSujxwOnCrUJzC9zQQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/20210620_171735.jpg" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #797979; font-family: "Amazon Ember", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(20, 20, 20, 0.65); font-family: "Audible Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: rgba(20, 20, 20, 0.650980392156863); font-family: Audible Sans, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: rgba(20, 20, 20, 0.650980392156863);"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: rgba(20, 20, 20, 0.650980392156863); font-family: Audible Sans, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: rgba(20, 20, 20, 0.650980392156863);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /></span></span><p><br /></p></div>Rosie Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05735584336794053685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3214228212316157519.post-21953721102034757842021-03-07T09:52:00.015-08:002021-03-11T08:35:00.623-08:00<h2 style="text-align: center;">The Camelot Inheritance series</h2><div>It's the beginning of March 2021 and this morning Pete and I went to Looe - Pendrym in The Golden Sword and the other books.</div><div><br /></div><div>There's a chapter in The Golden Sword describing Arthur's adventure in the river. A seal is part of that adventure and last week we actually saw one in the river. You have to be very lucky to spot one as closely as we did, unfortunately I wasn't quick enough to film it.</div><div>So instead, here's a video I took this morning. It is a wintry day and the river was rushing out to meet the sea. You can see the waves breaking where the river and sea meet. The tide was very low, but the current is still strong.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dx2wx0kz5jkxt5mG8e2SohB-beJAiUEiLcbQXFfKr4bgO8HUhTP6T5DLftZhlBnHCntq178sJlkX1n-YXxt8w' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Our winters are generally more rainy than snowy, but just to prove we do sometimes get snow, I took these on the moors in January - again another setting in The Golden Sword.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BNv90L7eyUc/YBmW0IbxCII/AAAAAAAAJ_w/bQTa9oIVDKodQPszn8j9OS3nR4dcf9h0wCPcBGAsYHg/s4128/20210125_151429.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3096" data-original-width="4128" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BNv90L7eyUc/YBmW0IbxCII/AAAAAAAAJ_w/bQTa9oIVDKodQPszn8j9OS3nR4dcf9h0wCPcBGAsYHg/s320/20210125_151429.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">It really has been unusually cold for this part of Britain this winter.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rldsZtL9SF4/XwdKdiNkgZI/AAAAAAAAICQ/f8Fh7jfmlAQYfBZWgvFN8Z9jsS6G5dpHgCK4BGAsYHg/s4160/IMG_20200616_153401.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rldsZtL9SF4/XwdKdiNkgZI/AAAAAAAAICQ/f8Fh7jfmlAQYfBZWgvFN8Z9jsS6G5dpHgCK4BGAsYHg/s320/IMG_20200616_153401.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VRxKiDCZqPs/XwdOXRVWSQI/AAAAAAAAIDE/nvlLUZWcnYEwRqwYk_wxvsLilltuatRNACK4BGAsYHg/s3120/IMG_20200616_152301.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3117" data-original-width="3120" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VRxKiDCZqPs/XwdOXRVWSQI/AAAAAAAAIDE/nvlLUZWcnYEwRqwYk_wxvsLilltuatRNACK4BGAsYHg/s320/IMG_20200616_152301.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This photo (the one above) is from the beach at Downderry.</p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;">You can see the headland on the horizon, the little island is featured in the earlier books. </p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The island is a few hundred metres off Looe and is now a wildlife island. It used to be a handy spot for smugglers in the past - they could land barrels of brandy and other contraband brought over from France. Then they would wait until the coast was clear to bring them ashore. The penalty for smuggling could be hanging. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XOtF1v4hhtc/XwdKluSxwVI/AAAAAAAAICU/zHGVUHpUT90fsLmLCY8HkfPG2O9aQ7h6QCK4BGAsYHg/s4160/IMG_20200624_163918.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XOtF1v4hhtc/XwdKluSxwVI/AAAAAAAAICU/zHGVUHpUT90fsLmLCY8HkfPG2O9aQ7h6QCK4BGAsYHg/s320/IMG_20200624_163918.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is a gorgeous beach. It's called Daymer Bay and is on the opposite coast to us, the north coast. It was remarkably quiet - which is very unusual for this part of Cornwall because lots of people</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">love to come here on holiday.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lhjSrBoBgFo/XwdKvqo_hjI/AAAAAAAAICY/BrCRn6KiQVUnN_qyhMRdyhF5MNorJSIlQCK4BGAsYHg/s4160/IMG_20200604_150023.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lhjSrBoBgFo/XwdKvqo_hjI/AAAAAAAAICY/BrCRn6KiQVUnN_qyhMRdyhF5MNorJSIlQCK4BGAsYHg/s320/IMG_20200604_150023.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And here is a very local beauty spot to me. It's called Golitha Falls.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">When the weather is hot, this is a wonderful place to come and cool down.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--kwNi8Yz9WU/XwdK9MhghjI/AAAAAAAAICg/JioEMBlsGJ8YBHXA1JeMSf6z8nyz2b8vgCK4BGAsYHg/s4160/IMG_20200531_123831.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--kwNi8Yz9WU/XwdK9MhghjI/AAAAAAAAICg/JioEMBlsGJ8YBHXA1JeMSf6z8nyz2b8vgCK4BGAsYHg/s320/IMG_20200531_123831.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">High on the moors. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Old mine buildings are dotted throughout this wild landscape, I refer to them in The Golden Sword, in particular in the final chapters, but I won't go into more detail and risk a spoiler. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LyKCjMBwGYc/XwdLD8Lw7ZI/AAAAAAAAICk/_eNRIjKqbGIBrX_CrlerW-dJa6WkcA0GwCK4BGAsYHg/s4160/IMG_20200522_143710.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LyKCjMBwGYc/XwdLD8Lw7ZI/AAAAAAAAICk/_eNRIjKqbGIBrX_CrlerW-dJa6WkcA0GwCK4BGAsYHg/s320/IMG_20200522_143710.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Banjo Pier, Looe.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">You can guess why the pier has this name. The tides are pretty extreme in the UK, and folk who don't live near the sea can get caught out. Here at Looe, the water can go right out so that you can walk around the pier at a really low tide. Every year there are many rescues when the tide comes in and people find themselves at the foot of a steep cliff with the water rising and their way of escape cut off.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2stFMkoumrk/XwdNVFeeqVI/AAAAAAAAIC4/s8LTdAAwzZwsWdw5GccJC1G-vn8rh1ItwCK4BGAsYHg/s4160/IMG_20191220_154423.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2stFMkoumrk/XwdNVFeeqVI/AAAAAAAAIC4/s8LTdAAwzZwsWdw5GccJC1G-vn8rh1ItwCK4BGAsYHg/s320/IMG_20191220_154423.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And finally . . . a beautiful sea and sky to end this blog post.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div>Rosie Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05735584336794053685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3214228212316157519.post-41292718748109403862020-11-27T13:53:00.003-08:002020-12-07T12:44:50.219-08:00<h1 style="text-align: center;"> Released: Arthur's Kingdom (The Camelot Inheritance ~ Book 4) & Giveaway on Goodreads</h1><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PVeEE0w3pAw/X7_YzXZkTnI/AAAAAAAAJc0/2lQC1zadnb0rcdeGrClsVs7tk5rk8T47gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/ArthursKingdomFINALEbook2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PVeEE0w3pAw/X7_YzXZkTnI/AAAAAAAAJc0/2lQC1zadnb0rcdeGrClsVs7tk5rk8T47gCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/ArthursKingdomFINALEbook2.jpg" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">And finally, the fourth and last book in the series has been released! I know that it has been a long time coming, and for those of you who have been waiting, my apologies. However I am hoping that taking this amount of time making sure that it's as perfect as it can be will have been worth it.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">My very grateful thanks must go to my editor, Sally Vince. Without her eagle-eyed inspection and her suggestions, 'Arthur's Kingdom' would be a much poorer piece of work. I am absolutely thrilled with the cover too, Katie in Australia has worked wonders.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">And a very special thank you to Luke, who (rather a long time ago) entered and won a competition to name Dragon; however to find out what Nick's small, fire-breathing friend is called (courtesy of Luke), you'll have to read the book 😉!</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">And . . . if you would like to win a signed copy of the book and you live in the US or Canada - then enter the Giveaway on Goodreads. It's open until the 28th December 2020. (The link is on the sidebar.)</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">So now the final word will be up to all of you. I'm really hoping that you like it. If you do, I'd very much appreciate a rating or a review, it helps other people to find it and all writers need help . . . unless they're J.K. Rowling or David Walliams!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">To get a taste of the story, you can use the 'Look inside' feature on Amazon. These are the relevant links for the UK, USA and Canada:</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08N1BTDNG">UK</a><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08N1BTDNG">USA</a> </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B08N1BTDNG">Canada</a><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">As usual, illustrations start every chapter. I was very particular about these as well, so they took a while. Every morning I would retreat to our cabin at the end of the garden, pick up my pencils and pens and immerse myself. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O5afi70OBH0" width="320" youtube-src-id="O5afi70OBH0"></iframe></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">And a sample of what you'll find in the book:</p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_PeeyU7pKY0/X8Etq45akfI/AAAAAAAAJdQ/tfvaq8xtLQEWzkX6cbxkDXwh90WRynHzgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20201127_135110.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_PeeyU7pKY0/X8Etq45akfI/AAAAAAAAJdQ/tfvaq8xtLQEWzkX6cbxkDXwh90WRynHzgCLcBGAsYHQ/w240-h320/20201127_135110.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This illustration is based on a real statue in the British Museum, London, UK. It is ancient and many, many centuries since it was first created.</div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GM1iNM_94m0/X8EuD6vKFEI/AAAAAAAAJdY/PGhVD2R9xx4pil0wVSMAPYUKSUBq3j3HwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20201127_135231.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GM1iNM_94m0/X8EuD6vKFEI/AAAAAAAAJdY/PGhVD2R9xx4pil0wVSMAPYUKSUBq3j3HwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/20201127_135231.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The next post won't be so long is the writing (I promise). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </p>Rosie Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05735584336794053685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3214228212316157519.post-80636570287357125092020-02-29T10:44:00.000-08:002020-02-29T10:44:31.252-08:00Bookshops - my special place. (Plus an excerpt from Book 4 of The Camelot Inheritance series.)<h2>
Mr B's Reading Emporium:</h2>
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One of the most magical places in Bath, UK.</h3>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-77aJCoS_D20/Xj2xOS11HoI/AAAAAAAAGDA/11_kdj_tdOcbo9ZYIi4dtCkbx3Wp8xr4ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG-20200207-WA0003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-77aJCoS_D20/Xj2xOS11HoI/AAAAAAAAGDA/11_kdj_tdOcbo9ZYIi4dtCkbx3Wp8xr4ACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG-20200207-WA0003.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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If you love books as much as I do, then a bookshop as wonderful as Mr B's is a magical place.</div>
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And the best area is, of course, the children's books space.</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sdWqkV91LY4/Xj2qY5ScUkI/AAAAAAAAGCI/8X-4KVrFuZk8pNLSxcgE7h1v7XpSGVhbQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG-20200207-WA0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sdWqkV91LY4/Xj2qY5ScUkI/AAAAAAAAGCI/8X-4KVrFuZk8pNLSxcgE7h1v7XpSGVhbQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG-20200207-WA0001.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Recently the shop has been extended (they bought the shop next door) and within a remarkably short time, this mind-extending space was created.</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nC7wlANBnRY/Xj2tKJEcnoI/AAAAAAAAGCU/DA0B0CTPuCUemCdW2J_zy3ftdyERG75ZACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG-20200207-WA0004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nC7wlANBnRY/Xj2tKJEcnoI/AAAAAAAAGCU/DA0B0CTPuCUemCdW2J_zy3ftdyERG75ZACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG-20200207-WA0004.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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When last there I spent a very happy time perusing the shelves - and while inspecting a large variety of fantasy books for 'tweens' I found this book by Hilary Mckay.</div>
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'The Time of Green Magic', is a gorgeous, believable story. Although this is essentially a children's book, I can assure you that most adults will enjoy it as well.</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mhHrFwvgGi4/Xj2u9NKdCeI/AAAAAAAAGCw/-TGKZsS_hioPtqYToJ2P56pBUcCtIt0MgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_20200207_183341.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mhHrFwvgGi4/Xj2u9NKdCeI/AAAAAAAAGCw/-TGKZsS_hioPtqYToJ2P56pBUcCtIt0MgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_20200207_183341.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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But back to the shop. Mr B's is tucked away in little lane behind one of Bath's main shopping streets, at - 14-15, John St, Bath BA1 2JL</div>
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There are rooms and rooms full of books in every category, but every time I'm drawn back to the children's/tweens/teens space. </div>
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However there are some aspects of Mr B's which pander for all bibliophiles, whatever your taste, it's the perfect gift. A Mr B's Reading Spa. A knowledgeable member of the team will spend some time with you, discussing your favourite authors and genres and then come back laden with a stack of books for you to leaf through. It's a great way to discover new authors and a perfect way to spend an hour or two. Click <a href="https://mrbsemporium.com/gifts/?gclid=CjwKCAiAp5nyBRABEiwApTwjXpBeprNrBpWSLIlDZKV5Q2fsQ77Asva1yjqcSiDa4wGb2nI0xETivhoCZfgQAvD_BwE#reading-subscriptions" target="_blank">here</a> to find out more so that you too can receive or give the most delightful of presents.</div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PKa47JhhKZ0/Xkb9F0oQ53I/AAAAAAAAGH4/C7x3NaPEEpYKxL9jwkvSuxRjYf6ktyL7QCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG-20200207-WA0009.jpg" width="320" /></div>
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In a later post, I will feature another indie book shop. Possibly the one in my little town which features in The Camelot Inheritance series.</div>
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In the meantime, here's an excerpt from Book 4 of the Camelot Inheritance series. In my next post I'll be revealing the cover and the title. </div>
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Nick and Gawain are on a school trip in Cornwall while Arthur and Tamar are miles away in London. In this excerpt we're with Nick and Gawain in a Cornish museum with their teacher and fellow students.</div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">They
meandered after their group along a dimly lit passage. It began on the level
but then banked steeply, winding to the right. At the front their teacher was expounding
on various exhibits connected with Cornwall’s history, but Nick and Gawain
remained safely at the rear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
floor was cobbled. Hundreds of years before it had been used to transport
goods to ships by hand cart. The passages were old, very old. Gawain shivered.
He could feel the memories jostling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Suddenly
Nick gripped Gawain’s arm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Look,’
he hissed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘What?’
Gawain was miles away. Things that would bypass normal people were hammering on
his senses; shouts of long-dead labourers echoed in his head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘The
wheel on the wall at the back of the glass case; it’s spinning.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A
wooden ship’s wheel was nailed to the wall behind a model of the Titanic, somehow
it was rotating. To the right of the wheel, the ship’s clock ticked while a
small chandelier suspended from the ceiling above the display shivered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘That’s
weird,’ Gawain observed quietly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He
watched the wheel slow and stop as the clock’s hands stilled. Objects were
waking here too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Nick
checked the passage in front and behind them. ‘How could that happen?’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Gawain
rubbed his chin. ‘I don’t know, maybe …’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Go
on. Maybe what?’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He
hesitated. ‘Maybe she’s waking the memories like she did before.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A
shout echoed along the passage. ‘Nick, Gawain, hurry up!’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘The
Ice Lady?’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Gawain
nodded. ‘She woke the memories at Christmas didn’t she?’ He thought of the skeletons
crawling from the winter sea. ‘Maybe she can use memories buried in objects as
well.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Miss
Angell’s face appeared around the bend in the passage. ‘You two are holding us
up, come on!’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Sorry,’
Gawain mumbled, casting a quick look at the now-motionless wheel. ‘We’re
coming.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Remember
the barrel organ at Trezion’s fair?’ Nick said sotto voce as they followed
their teacher. ‘Arthur thought that had something to do with collecting
people’s memories, didn’t he?’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Gawain
nodded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘<i>And</i> there was the train at Christmas. We
were in the twenty-first century one minute and the next we were on a steam
train, a hundred years from now.’ A thought struck Nick slap bang between the
eyes. ‘It <i>must</i> be about memories – or
time.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He
looked around. ‘And here we are, stuck in a museum in Cornwall, while Tamar and
Arthur are miles away in London.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Divide
and conquer.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘What
do you mean?’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Well,
if you want to weaken the opposition, try to get them arguing among themselves,
that way they’re easier to defeat. We may not be arguing, but we’re separated.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Boy,
you really know how to cheer a person up!’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Sorry,’
Gawain said, mentally kicking himself. He should have kept that thought under
wraps.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">They
rounded the corner but their group had already moved on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
light here was a little brighter, and the displays were different with
mannequins set in ‘rooms’ like stage sets. One was dressed as a pirate captain,
complete with a black, large-brimmed hat and a leather waistcoat and breeches.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Gawain
stopped. He didn’t take in any of the props: the dagger, short sword or plastic
‘treasure’. It was the flag that had caught his attention. A white skull over
crossbones, set against a black background. He read the explanation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Pirate ships
had more than one flag.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A red
background stood for bloodshed. Black stood for death.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The pirate
captain wouldn’t give orders for either to be hoisted until they were close enough
to their chosen prey for it to be too late for them to escape.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The only choice
for their target would have been surrender or almost certain death.’<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He
recalled his imprisonment on the Ice Lady’s ship. If it hadn’t been for Tamar,
he would have died. But his thoughts came to a crashing halt as long, bony fingers
clutched his sleeve – and they didn’t belong to Nick.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Rosie Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05735584336794053685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3214228212316157519.post-170373088758834172019-05-25T09:51:00.000-07:002019-05-25T09:51:48.711-07:00Inspirational places: London and France<h2 style="text-align: center;">
The Camelot Inheritance ~ Book 4</h2>
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Here we are in 2019 and, drum roll … I’ve finished
Book 4! <o:p></o:p></div>
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Yes really.</div>
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Well, not the illustrations, those are just beginning; but the story is written and I’ve allowed my most honest critic (Pete) to read it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In the next few weeks it will be sent to my editor but
first off I’m going to allow a few other trusted beta readers to read and
criticise. Painful but necessary.<o:p></o:p></div>
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My clever cover designer, Katie Stewart in Oz, has been alerted - now all
that’s needed is a decision on the title.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Perhaps the reason that I’ve been able to type the last full
stop (or period) is because the past few weeks Pete and I have been in France. This wonderful country continues to be my creative haven. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Just so you know what I mean, here are a few of our favourite places:</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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La Roche Bernard (meaning Bernard's rock). This is our closest town. We love it.<br />
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If you know anything about French history you will have heard of the
revolution in the 1790’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This piece commemorates it. Sadly, there’s also a monument beside the
river to some folk who were in the French Resistance during WW II and didn't live to see the end of the war.<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
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Damgan is one of our happy places, it's not historical, just
beachy.<o:p></o:p><br />
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Vannes: A<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> f</span>abulous
walled medieval town with a port We enjoy mooching around its streets and lanes and
taking in the photography exhibitions.<o:p></o:p></div>
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And then there’s Nantes on the mouth of the Loire (where
many a chateau can be found). We drove down there on Friday to visit Les
Machines de l’Ile and to see the amazing, ENORMOUS, walking elephant. People
can ride on its balconies. The trunk moves and sprays the crowds. It flaps its
ears, opens and closes its eyes. And the best thing about it? It made everyone
smile and laugh and feel better. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I've made a tentative beginning to the illustrations. One will head up the introductory chapter which is set in the British Museum in
London - this photo is of the front of the Museum. If ever you go to London,
do visit .<br />
<br />
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I’m aware that there’s loads to see and do in that city but, of all the museums, that’s the one I’d recommend (although the Science Museum is another great day out).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
In this book there are scenes set in the museum, but also
on the underground and Tower Bridge. Other locations have been saved for future
books.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here is an excerpt. I hope it whets
your appetite for more.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘Don’t
look now, but that statue blinked.’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘What?’
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘The
statue behind you,’ Tamar said. ‘The one with wings and a human face … it
blinked.’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Arthur
spun round. ‘The one like a lion with wings?’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She
nodded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘O-kay.’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Catching
a statue moving wasn’t new to him. He’d come across one before - but that had
been on his side. He didn’t fancy finding out whether this one was friendly. It
was way too big. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He
caught hold of Tamar’s arm. ‘Let’s move.’ He lowered his voice. ‘Slowly.’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘It
can’t do anything can it?’ Tamar asked. ‘I mean, how can an ancient Assyrian
statue, in the British Museum in the centre of London, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">do</i> anything?’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘I
don’t know and I don’t want to find out.’ Arthur edged away. A memory rumbled.
‘It could listen.’ <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tamar
examined the statue’s head. A sort of headdress covered its ears.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘We
weren’t saying anything worth listening to, were we?’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘Think
what we were talking about!’ <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She
did a quick re-run of their conversation and realised that the stuff they’d
been discussing was most definitely worth hearing. She risked another look. The
statue was massive, probably several metres high. It towered above the tourists
and groups of schoolchildren. If it did anything there would be carnage.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Arthur
grabbed her hand, pulling her away as he whispered, ‘You’re the history geek.
Remind me: why were these statues made?’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tamar
didn’t need to check her notes. ‘They were meant to be gatekeepers against evil
spirits.’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘Oh
yes,’ he said softly. ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Now</i> I
remember.’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Arthur
flipped through his memories. It was two summers ago and he was standing
outside the Granite House marvelling at a couple of glowing stone statues just
before he was captured by the Crow Man and taken to meet Matearnas. One of the
maddest people he’d ever met. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He
cast another look over his shoulder. A Japanese tourist was taking a close-up
of the statue. She was standing directly beneath it. As far as Arthur could
tell, it wasn’t moving, but he wasn’t going to chance a closer look. He and
Tamar were probably the reason behind the blink. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘We
could be sending out vibes. After all, you <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">are</i>
the Time Keeper. You haven’t always been stuck in this century like the rest of
us.’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘That’s
true.’ Tamar’s hand instinctively sought out the Time Keeper’s watch hidden
deep in her pocket. Gentle, rhythmic ticks ran along her thumb. The fob watch
had her name inscribed on it: Tamar Tamblyn, the latest in a long line of Time
Keepers.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘Come
on.’ Arthur’s brown eyes were worried. ‘There’s a café on this floor. It might
be safer. We can get to it to through the galleries. Don’t look at any of the
statues.’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tamar
didn’t need to be told. A blinking statue is enough to worry anybody, even
someone who’d met ancient knights. When inanimate objects stir it is time to
retreat. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They
ambled from the human-headed lion, but the amble rapidly turned into a run. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Arthur’s
brain buzzed. ‘I knew this school trip was a bad idea,’ he muttered, as they skidded
past a group of excitable Italians. ‘We’re away from Cornwall <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and</i> we’re separated from the rest of the
Guardians.’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘Not
much we can do about that now,’ Tamar pointed out. ‘Where’s the café?’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘Through
here – come on.’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They
zoomed past statues and through galleries. Chatter bounced off stone pillars
and floors. Camera’s clicked. Under normal circumstances they’d love it here;
but these weren’t normal circumstances.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Arthur
checked the miniature sword hanging from the chain around his neck. The gold
was at body temperature so there couldn’t be an immediate threat. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘My
sword’s okay,’ he said to Tamar as they spun past a clutch of schoolchildren.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tamar
put her hand to her own silver sword. ‘So’s mine - and the watch is quiet too.’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sliding
over the polished floors, they rounded another corner. The café was in front of
them. It was glossy and modern with just one statue in the far corner of a man
on a horse. Arthur guessed the carving was probably a couple of thousand years
old. Roman probably. It didn’t <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">look</i>
threatening. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘Do
you think Mr Vennor will mind us taking a coffee break?’ Tamar asked.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Arthur
surveyed the café. ‘Doubt it. And anyway, we can hardly ask if we can take time
out because a statue moved.’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘True.’
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘I’ll
get us a couple of coffees. There’s a table over there in the corner. Why don’t
you grab it?’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tamar
inspected the other customers, expecting to see one of their enemies: possibly the
Crow Man and his pale companion, Hagarawall; or the Ice Lady and her silver-haired
son. But the café’s clientele were reassuringly ordinary. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She
relaxed. ‘Actually, can I have a hot chocolate?’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Arthur
took in her expression. Her brown eyes were almost black. Whatever she’d seen
had really frightened her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘Course
you can.’ <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They’d
been friends since nursery. Arthur knew her almost as well as knew his own
family. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He
knew that she loved her ugly dog, Mug Shot. That she fought with her big sister.
That she was one of the bravest people he’d ever met … and that hot chocolate
was her comfort drink. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She
was fishing in her bag for her purse. Arthur shook his head. ‘My turn.’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Unusually
she didn’t argue, just muttered ‘thanks’ and threaded her way between tables to
the corner furthest from the carved horse and rider. She slung her coat over
the back of a chair and flopped down. Her heart drummed.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pull yourself
together, </i>she
told herself sternly. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You’ve come across
worse things than a blinking statue.</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You’ve
seen skeletons come to life, you’ve been kidnapped by the Ice Lady… and you’ve
seen a man die.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It
was true. In the two years since she’d been knighted by Excalibur and been made
one of Cornwall’s Guardians with Arthur, Nick and Gawain, she’d experienced a
lot.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">There’s been
good stuff too, </i>she reminded herself. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Remember
last summer when Arthur was made the new King Arthur … <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and defeating the Ice Lady at Christmas!</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Wiping
her palms on her jeans, Tamar slid her hand into her pocket. She touched the cool
silver of the top of the pocket watch’s case and ran her thumb over the emeralds
set in the other side. Its ticks travelled along her fingers. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘Decided
I’d have a hot chocolate,’ Arthur announced, plonking the tray on the table. ‘I
got us a couple of doughnuts too.’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘Yay,
bring on the sugar rush.’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Arthur
swept the room. Since this had started he’d learnt a new way of operating:
Always know the exits; examine strangers’ faces; and sit with your back to the
wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Rosie Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05735584336794053685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3214228212316157519.post-62567404102582694962018-11-11T09:21:00.000-08:002018-11-11T09:21:29.524-08:00The Scillies, this author's inspiration.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAj9VrkBoiSqGuss6ssfvDrQ-Kg_0e3HBPWmeLPjgN7hgI8yJQ05F_E8uPhywrFwiUt9t_7G9Iru7Uhs0TXeyTVfGOEaoHVgksPUE9OVSOVXgMvLr7rkCa68zzxqNRjVyUznHsV-j-8hU/s1600/isole-scilly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="561" data-original-width="1600" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAj9VrkBoiSqGuss6ssfvDrQ-Kg_0e3HBPWmeLPjgN7hgI8yJQ05F_E8uPhywrFwiUt9t_7G9Iru7Uhs0TXeyTVfGOEaoHVgksPUE9OVSOVXgMvLr7rkCa68zzxqNRjVyUznHsV-j-8hU/s320/isole-scilly.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<h2>
Come with me to the Isles of Scilly - faraway Cornwall.</h2>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pEZRHAvNdsI/W-hgxxIXx0I/AAAAAAAACVM/grkhLSce4dI50DXAP3t4B5Z_arqAW1eZwCLcBGAs/s1600/WP_20180624_21_33_16_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pEZRHAvNdsI/W-hgxxIXx0I/AAAAAAAACVM/grkhLSce4dI50DXAP3t4B5Z_arqAW1eZwCLcBGAs/s320/WP_20180624_21_33_16_Pro.jpg" title="Hugh Town, St Mary's the Isles of Scilly" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view taken from our apartment.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><div>
<br /></div>
This year has been pretty full on.<br />
It's been a mix of building projects, mini Morgans, travel for writing - and actual writing.<br />
<br />
Although the building project is still underway, I now have a writing room at the bottom of the garden. (How lucky am I?) So as the house is ripped apart and drills hammer I can retreat and write. With these new and rather wonderful conditions the writing is flourishing.<br />
<br />
But this post is not focusing on writing space, the focus here is travel. After all where we went features in a most important chapter of the fourth in the Camelot Inheritance series.<br />
Our journeying didn't take us far. It was a mere hour and a half by car and twenty minutes by tiny plane to the Isles of Scilly; a group of islands off Cornwall's toe - and one of the most magical places you could choose to visit.<br />
<br />
The plane from Lands End airport took just six passengers, we were directly behind the pilot (he was called Sam). The view was astonishing, the start of an incredible week.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W-ZPKabdEr8/W-hOhiL9HqI/AAAAAAAACTI/-Ummey8MA3oeTcrcZFV5H-xWGr3W5QYggCLcBGAs/s1600/WP_20180622_12_48_34_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="899" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W-ZPKabdEr8/W-hOhiL9HqI/AAAAAAAACTI/-Ummey8MA3oeTcrcZFV5H-xWGr3W5QYggCLcBGAs/s320/WP_20180622_12_48_34_Pro.jpg" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from the plane behind the pilot.</td></tr>
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<br />Within minutes of our arrival in glorious sunshine, a minibus took us a short drive to our apartment. (Everything is very close together. If you're fit you could walk to most parts of the island. Cars are owned by the locals but not needed that much.) What a wonderful outlook we had! Over the harbour and out to sea. Yve was our warm and welcoming host, leaving home-made chocolates for us. There can't be anything better than that.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bEesaseUUfA/W-hPRwsMpCI/AAAAAAAACTQ/BkuLvMnEfiIwAQEuI4GN0-GThGsPHdvYQCLcBGAs/s1600/WP_20180622_16_51_47_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="899" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bEesaseUUfA/W-hPRwsMpCI/AAAAAAAACTQ/BkuLvMnEfiIwAQEuI4GN0-GThGsPHdvYQCLcBGAs/s320/WP_20180622_16_51_47_Pro.jpg" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our view for the week.</td></tr>
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<br />During the week we explored the main island where we were staying, St Mary's, and visited a couple of others. </div>
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We went to Tresco famed for its sub-tropical garden -</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FT2lYr5WoTw/W-hTerci82I/AAAAAAAACTc/mr3VEdsS-1wQp705A1N43HJw-JFDni3bgCLcBGAs/s1600/WP_20180624_11_25_15_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="899" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FT2lYr5WoTw/W-hTerci82I/AAAAAAAACTc/mr3VEdsS-1wQp705A1N43HJw-JFDni3bgCLcBGAs/s320/WP_20180624_11_25_15_Pro.jpg" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tresco</td></tr>
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<br /> and St Agnes the smallest of the inhabited isles. It has a primary school with about nine pupils. Who needs home-schooling with a school like that? (When the children hit secondary school age they go to the school on the main island.)</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9qcZb17BuWQ/W-hUxpN5IYI/AAAAAAAACTo/ajZe3UTfU487QJVXXP0CKH2iUlOQ-RnMwCLcBGAs/s1600/Agnes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="508" height="212" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9qcZb17BuWQ/W-hUxpN5IYI/AAAAAAAACTo/ajZe3UTfU487QJVXXP0CKH2iUlOQ-RnMwCLcBGAs/s320/Agnes.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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We saw Atlantic Grey seals on the rocks - and the sort of plants normally only grown in glasshouses. </div>
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We met many warm and friendly folk and passed dozens of stalls selling plants, books and honey with honesty boxes for people to put their money in. Trust is implicit. </div>
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We visited a Camera Obscura made and manned by one of the most entertaining and eccentric men you could choose to meet. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmhg35b8RX-fuPsF5RazfiUE3XmMbhFJlPzePI64k_m6RTp8U0ELrlZUGz1RYsXA08ikIsx-OC-AwLyFKvyQ0B7MH1NQolDMGErCsT4HKFcVLy_uKBFdCTlhcOMIbv__FbVpd9lSAy9dQ/s1600/isles-of-scilly-camera.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="413" data-original-width="550" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmhg35b8RX-fuPsF5RazfiUE3XmMbhFJlPzePI64k_m6RTp8U0ELrlZUGz1RYsXA08ikIsx-OC-AwLyFKvyQ0B7MH1NQolDMGErCsT4HKFcVLy_uKBFdCTlhcOMIbv__FbVpd9lSAy9dQ/s320/isles-of-scilly-camera.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Camera Obscura above Hugh Town. You know when it's open because the bunting is out.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3G8JU4UpIPU/W-hWktLiEJI/AAAAAAAACT8/R1-6Buw6SMMU7pMR36GAgyuxXsOAosaCwCLcBGAs/s1600/inside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3G8JU4UpIPU/W-hWktLiEJI/AAAAAAAACT8/R1-6Buw6SMMU7pMR36GAgyuxXsOAosaCwCLcBGAs/s1600/inside.jpg" /></a></div>
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We walked from coast to coast (the islands are very small), all the time becoming more and more enchanted. </div>
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We found beautiful windows in a tiny chapel on St Agnes all linked to the sea -</div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RbLgOoDSGOs/W-hW61D2-2I/AAAAAAAACUE/RYRgntyXOW0H4GYm_ls34gNFZ7LVI7U9wCLcBGAs/s1600/WP_20180627_10_56_36_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="899" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RbLgOoDSGOs/W-hW61D2-2I/AAAAAAAACUE/RYRgntyXOW0H4GYm_ls34gNFZ7LVI7U9wCLcBGAs/s320/WP_20180627_10_56_36_Pro.jpg" title="Stained glass window on St Agnes" width="179" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1qmhqUjaCU0/W-hXAB9a4PI/AAAAAAAACUI/EWOE3sMgIbgeqRY1Np7MqhVMClcrFP4kgCLcBGAs/s1600/WP_20180627_10_57_02_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1qmhqUjaCU0/W-hXAB9a4PI/AAAAAAAACUI/EWOE3sMgIbgeqRY1Np7MqhVMClcrFP4kgCLcBGAs/s320/WP_20180627_10_57_02_Pro.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nfcdoH1_Vmk/W-hXNoJtvmI/AAAAAAAACUM/WSH62G3HFD8r4iAfHFwT0EwXSSd64GgFQCLcBGAs/s1600/WP_20180627_10_58_55_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="899" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nfcdoH1_Vmk/W-hXNoJtvmI/AAAAAAAACUM/WSH62G3HFD8r4iAfHFwT0EwXSSd64GgFQCLcBGAs/s320/WP_20180627_10_58_55_Pro.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TZbEEvyDGtE/W-hXS6AESCI/AAAAAAAACUU/xXlN_N2Nw2Qfasi7BlkyEj8QkP8tQBb1wCLcBGAs/s1600/WP_20180627_11_00_48_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="899" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TZbEEvyDGtE/W-hXS6AESCI/AAAAAAAACUU/xXlN_N2Nw2Qfasi7BlkyEj8QkP8tQBb1wCLcBGAs/s320/WP_20180627_11_00_48_Pro.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
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And sunbathed on glorious white sand beaches -<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Vmn2nGgzCmY/W-hXxwBRsII/AAAAAAAACUg/XHMf3OgzUxM1KrL24D0O2YX-L9fmgyC0wCLcBGAs/s1600/WP_20180623_15_17_30_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Vmn2nGgzCmY/W-hXxwBRsII/AAAAAAAACUg/XHMf3OgzUxM1KrL24D0O2YX-L9fmgyC0wCLcBGAs/s320/WP_20180623_15_17_30_Pro.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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We talked to inquisitive cows -<br />
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Idled by charming cottages -<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h6L4Xzm4gAc/W-hYZnhWUlI/AAAAAAAACU0/3NQ8SvDSyTwEKy7FTTPqWB2vbF4qBKx-gCLcBGAs/s1600/WP_20180624_14_47_33_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="899" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h6L4Xzm4gAc/W-hYZnhWUlI/AAAAAAAACU0/3NQ8SvDSyTwEKy7FTTPqWB2vbF4qBKx-gCLcBGAs/s320/WP_20180624_14_47_33_Pro.jpg" title="Tresco cottages" width="179" /></a></div>
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And marvelled over breath-taking sunsets -<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e0CsMje3M4w/W-hYpoCfkHI/AAAAAAAACU8/eBhPhfMmk0AT-Cy-S7hFNcXNvA1v1ItAACLcBGAs/s1600/WP_20180624_22_00_11_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="899" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e0CsMje3M4w/W-hYpoCfkHI/AAAAAAAACU8/eBhPhfMmk0AT-Cy-S7hFNcXNvA1v1ItAACLcBGAs/s320/WP_20180624_22_00_11_Pro.jpg" title="Sunset over Scilly" width="179" /></a></div>
<br />
The culmination was a week packed with memories, ready to be decanted into my book.<br />
I'm on the final lap. editing and re-editing before it's sent away to my editor for her professional appraisal.<br />
I'm sorry that it's taken as long as it has but no book will be wrested from my grasp until I'm satisfied as I can be.<br />
Of course, the illustrations are yet to be drawn - but that's another story.Rosie Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05735584336794053685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3214228212316157519.post-19003547873453925082018-05-17T06:53:00.001-07:002018-05-17T06:53:55.098-07:00Unicorns and competitions <span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It's May - time for another competition; t</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">his one is geared towards the third in the Camelot Inheritance series, Merlin’s Vow.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If you’ve
read the book you’ll know (spoiler alert) that a unicorn makes an appearance. So, it
seemed only right that the prize should include a unicorn, albeit a toy one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The prize
includes a signed and dedicated copy of ‘Merlin’s Vow’ (the third in the
Camelot Inheritance series), the unicorn, and a ‘unicorns are real’ mug. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a9HBZrHgNAw/Wvxs64vGjuI/AAAAAAAACEQ/j1fnt-u5boMTQCBYaze4PCMLK-b4oNi1gCLcBGAs/s1600/WP_20180427_17_49_10_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="899" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a9HBZrHgNAw/Wvxs64vGjuI/AAAAAAAACEQ/j1fnt-u5boMTQCBYaze4PCMLK-b4oNi1gCLcBGAs/s320/WP_20180427_17_49_10_Pro.jpg" width="179" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ScBkmlOIIGs/WvxtCJgKgRI/AAAAAAAACEY/m4CiVqouohkX12BmkXcheAvySBfcucB4wCLcBGAs/s1600/WP_20180427_18_03_50_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1071" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ScBkmlOIIGs/WvxtCJgKgRI/AAAAAAAACEY/m4CiVqouohkX12BmkXcheAvySBfcucB4wCLcBGAs/s320/WP_20180427_18_03_50_Pro.jpg" width="214" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Interestingly and topically (with the imminent wedding of Meghan to Prince Harry), when Pete and I visited London to research the fourth in the Camelot Inheritance series, we were
staying close to Kensington Palace.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://cdn.londonandpartners.com/asset/kensington-palace-kensington-palace2783-bec26169c74be0d434d58302dac1c5d0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="180" src="https://cdn.londonandpartners.com/asset/kensington-palace-kensington-palace2783-bec26169c74be0d434d58302dac1c5d0.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> One evening we took a stroll and happened upon the palace. </span>Having written Merlin’s Vow, I was
particularly intrigued by the decoration on the gate. I later discovered that the
unicorn represents Scotland, whereas the heraldic lion represents England. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In Merlin's Vow wrought iron gates are one of the ways into Oakwood Manor, Merlin's house - and they're decorated too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It seems that unicorns
crop up in the most unexpected places - and palaces.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But I've deviated. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The competition is open to anyone in Europe, Scandinavia, the USA, Canada and Britain.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 14pt;">(My apologies that I can’t open it further afield but
posting can be complicated.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">To enter, put
these details in the contact box on the sidebar of the blog. (No one else will
be able to see it.) </span><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -18pt;">Your email address – it won’t be
given to anyone else.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -18pt;">Your name, of course. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -18pt;">And if you’ve read any of The Camelot Inheritance books, I’d
love to hear who is your favourite character. If you haven’t read any,
let me know the title of a book you rate highly.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The winner
will be picked electronically in mid-July. The decision will be final.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">While in
London researching, I found this statue in the royal park of Kensington
Gardens close to the palace. It’s a statue of Peter Pan, the boy who never grew up.</span> </div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KC6LNhdqPCc/Wvxt2oaMGsI/AAAAAAAACEs/Yj9XWfGJ3SYlppwqqYY97gVEUgzYYsM6ACLcBGAs/s1600/WP_20161122_16_11_35_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="899" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KC6LNhdqPCc/Wvxt2oaMGsI/AAAAAAAACEs/Yj9XWfGJ3SYlppwqqYY97gVEUgzYYsM6ACLcBGAs/s320/WP_20161122_16_11_35_Pro.jpg" width="179" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And this is where you can find it, if you're visiting London.</span><br />
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<a href="https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/staticmap?size=420x350&zoom=15&maptype=terrain&scale=2&markers=color:green%7Csize:large%7C51.508575,-0.175933&key=AIzaSyAeBuHUNnOJ2YrYMGsYaW6ZKKLdjpNXA84" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="800" height="266" src="https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/staticmap?size=420x350&zoom=15&maptype=terrain&scale=2&markers=color:green%7Csize:large%7C51.508575,-0.175933&key=AIzaSyAeBuHUNnOJ2YrYMGsYaW6ZKKLdjpNXA84" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrtJSryFPXFSev-E8Tj44I6F00-vbdKxkew_WSb0uLTN5moNHPFV7z7immEPOW9XYuU0RV92YZ9hmZMqSnvQpStW5F9jQ531LmAcT3apfso_BW_4VQw9JYqH_PfdzySgIe0pVkaGxU8C0/s1600/WP_20161123_10_57_32_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="899" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrtJSryFPXFSev-E8Tj44I6F00-vbdKxkew_WSb0uLTN5moNHPFV7z7immEPOW9XYuU0RV92YZ9hmZMqSnvQpStW5F9jQ531LmAcT3apfso_BW_4VQw9JYqH_PfdzySgIe0pVkaGxU8C0/s320/WP_20161123_10_57_32_Pro.jpg" width="179" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And for all fans of Doctor Who, this
well-known mode of time travel is outside the entrance to Earl’s Court underground
station. If you want to visit it yourself, here’s where it is:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.google.co.uk/maps/vt/data=ahcAnfIpRTKLHOafuIAPCjWuPz3SuSd2oNb_v14d7Ijx3yZAOZTYkNN92pHMbYoIpRnnkwCgnO1FzIHbjGN1bZz87Z-NiHByEQZ2cJ5W7XU2_MREKeiL34K13YP-BglXCSFtORMdzjZtjKOj9oX8bMsUicZ78KPYhCzw1FQTWm6OxgF4w97gjuPXwJAei4qRB4MycOfuazV3vN611ph1dpMFR9DiNJ5TLqmLfY7-X-keuZXXJlDDkqw" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="328" data-original-width="632" height="166" src="https://www.google.co.uk/maps/vt/data=ahcAnfIpRTKLHOafuIAPCjWuPz3SuSd2oNb_v14d7Ijx3yZAOZTYkNN92pHMbYoIpRnnkwCgnO1FzIHbjGN1bZz87Z-NiHByEQZ2cJ5W7XU2_MREKeiL34K13YP-BglXCSFtORMdzjZtjKOj9oX8bMsUicZ78KPYhCzw1FQTWm6OxgF4w97gjuPXwJAei4qRB4MycOfuazV3vN611ph1dpMFR9DiNJ5TLqmLfY7-X-keuZXXJlDDkqw" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">London’s streets may not be paved with gold, but it appears that they are littered with fantasy!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Speaking of
fantasy, I thought I'd include another taster of the fourth in the Camelot Inheritance series. It's a only a small excerpt, but hopefully not a spoiler.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I hope you enjoy it.</span><br />
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In a narrow alley, a
couple of hundred of metres from the harbour, the air wobbled. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There was a muted <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">woomph</i> followed by an exclamation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Fortunately for the
time-travelling Watcher, he’d landed in a secluded spot. Gradually his
molecules settled until he was all in one piece: cloak, shoes and bag all
together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Viatoris glanced up and down the high-walled lane and took in the stunted shadows and
blue sky. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Examining the granite stone walls he muttered, ‘Cornwall again.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A velvet bee hummed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘At least it’s
summer,’ he muttered. ‘The weather was foul at Christmas: snow, wind . . . storms.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Watcher, keeping
an eye on the lane’s entrance, swung his bag off his shoulder and hurriedly
pulled out a selection of clothes suited to twenty-first century Cornwall. He
had prepared carefully. This time he had both boots as well as the rest of
his outfit. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">On the other side of the wall a blackbird chattered. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">High overhead,
a plane droned. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Viatoris swept off his
cloak and pulled on a shapeless fisherman’s jumper. He slipped off his fine
Italian shoes, swapped them for a pair of sturdy boots, and pushed a
navy-blue cap on his head.</span><br />
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; text-indent: 14.2pt;">Cramming his fifteenth century clothes into the bag he stood up. He was ready. Most of
the time he wouldn’t be seen, but the Watchers’ training stressed the need to
be prepared.</span></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He tilted his head.
‘Mid-summer, I reckon.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Words rang in his
head. The Writer, his overseer, was checking he’d arrived.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />Rosie Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05735584336794053685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3214228212316157519.post-65187808993996301652018-03-30T04:55:00.000-07:002018-04-04T02:25:16.924-07:00Reviews<h4>
A sensitive topic!</h4>
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<span style="line-height: 17.12px;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 17.12px;">I assume that most folk reading this blog are people who may have come across my books, or folk interested in the county of Cornwall or its Arthurian link. </span><br />
<span style="line-height: 17.12px;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FCg0r90WOe4/Wr4cLxJTjwI/AAAAAAAACDE/os7pjKvHlaElnQ7SSsEqp9qp6Czt6gIvwCLcBGAs/s1600/rubin_eynon_gallos_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Rubin Eynon:Gallos" border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="180" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FCg0r90WOe4/Wr4cLxJTjwI/AAAAAAAACDE/os7pjKvHlaElnQ7SSsEqp9qp6Czt6gIvwCLcBGAs/s320/rubin_eynon_gallos_1.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">The beautiful sculpture of King Arthur at Tintagel in Cornwall</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="line-height: 17.12px;"><br />So I usually write about something to do with one of these topics. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 17.12px;">This time I’m going to touch on a particularly sensitive area. Reviews. </span></div>
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Bear with me - you'll understand why this is especially important to me in a moment.</div>
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<span style="line-height: 17.12px;">Anyone who makes or creates anything which can be reviewed knows the power of a few words. These words can make or break a product; they can build or demoralise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 17.12px;">A good review is the best thing that any maker or creator can ask for. To know that someone liked what you made, or in my case, wrote, is a like a bubble of joy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 17.12px;">When I was teaching I was only too aware of how easily a child could be discouraged. I knew the importance of constant encouragement to foster their growth and self-confidence. There was nothing better than heaping praise on a kid and seeing the glow plastered on their face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="line-height: 17.12px;">Whatever our age or stage in life, I think we all need encouragement. Even those who appear confident on the outside are probably harbouring secret doubts about themselves or their work. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 17.12px;">Consequently, a few months ago I was seriously discouraged when someone posted a very negative review of ‘The Golden Sword’ in the U.S.. Granted it was probably somebody young who doesn’t understand the power of his negativity (both on me and on other potential readers), but it still stung and it’s still there as the latest review.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 17.12px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 17.12px;">So I’m going to do something I’ve never done; I’m going to ask a favour of you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 17.12px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 17.12px;">If you have read one or other of my books, and enjoyed them, would you be prepared to take a couple of minutes to post a review on Amazon? I would especially welcome some in the USA and the UK; although wherever they are posted in the world, my day would be well and truly made.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 17.12px;">Thank you :) .<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 17.12px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 17.12px;">Meanwhile the latest in The Camelot’s Inheritance series is cooking nicely. That’s why there have been very few blog posts of late. I would estimate that I have maybe three chapters left to write - although the editing and illustrating will be a lengthy process at the end of all the scribbling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 17.12px;">Oh, and I nearly forgot! I was all set to run a competition this month but I’m waiting for some of the prizes to arrive, so keep watching this blog or my Facebook page for news. I’m hoping to have it up and running in April.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="line-height: 17.12px;">In the meantime, here are a few photos that I've taken of my beloved Cornwall from winter through to the promise of spring. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2nR35FCl-q8/Wr4dyUH-1CI/AAAAAAAACDQ/rTVFuwJ2zIQ8LcuzS8xkSCCZtyIKB7w8ACLcBGAs/s1600/WP_20171218_15_40_24_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="899" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2nR35FCl-q8/Wr4dyUH-1CI/AAAAAAAACDQ/rTVFuwJ2zIQ8LcuzS8xkSCCZtyIKB7w8ACLcBGAs/s320/WP_20171218_15_40_24_Pro.jpg" title="The Hurlers" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">The mysterious standing stones<br />
on Bodmin Moor - ten minutes from our front door.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjky87q6MB2prE1uEbvEsHkF13wq2v6yDjrWiBD99hyNZssPCgI2yaztDoaXG7OQL-Jp6410zpzg6bRkhhg6clBbWTUwDQG7hpMs3mXe2kL9BxfiLHv2xYNQi_Eqh3mJwdr9yuBvO-CvKw/s1600/WP_20171218_15_40_35_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="899" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjky87q6MB2prE1uEbvEsHkF13wq2v6yDjrWiBD99hyNZssPCgI2yaztDoaXG7OQL-Jp6410zpzg6bRkhhg6clBbWTUwDQG7hpMs3mXe2kL9BxfiLHv2xYNQi_Eqh3mJwdr9yuBvO-CvKw/s320/WP_20171218_15_40_35_Pro.jpg" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">An abandoned engine house<br />
above the mine workings on the moor.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TFsFGzkJKNQ/Wr4d6M_DkFI/AAAAAAAACDY/v7uPDCwCmyAonp0-95EqjYUaCHTg3aDtgCLcBGAs/s1600/WP_20171218_16_25_40_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TFsFGzkJKNQ/Wr4d6M_DkFI/AAAAAAAACDY/v7uPDCwCmyAonp0-95EqjYUaCHTg3aDtgCLcBGAs/s320/WP_20171218_16_25_40_Pro.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just beautiful.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--BWo5SP1RU4/Wr4d82BjFHI/AAAAAAAACDc/VQMVokVgESw8qUeI7aP1GkyZ3ILIUIiowCLcBGAs/s1600/WP_20180212_14_16_40_Smart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--BWo5SP1RU4/Wr4d82BjFHI/AAAAAAAACDc/VQMVokVgESw8qUeI7aP1GkyZ3ILIUIiowCLcBGAs/s320/WP_20180212_14_16_40_Smart.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">The south coast close to the setting for<br />
The Golden Sword</td></tr>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PBcnvUe2pYM/Wr4eDLoSCZI/AAAAAAAACDg/4fxFDd03oT0Df6Kd8J7iuBKOXHr_E8N1gCLcBGAs/s1600/WP_20180319_15_11_08_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PBcnvUe2pYM/Wr4eDLoSCZI/AAAAAAAACDg/4fxFDd03oT0Df6Kd8J7iuBKOXHr_E8N1gCLcBGAs/s320/WP_20180319_15_11_08_Pro.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Looe - known as Pendrym in The Camelot Inheritance series.<br />
The snow was melting so we were able to negotiate the lanes. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Cn20B2H-pAs/Wr4eHE_cmBI/AAAAAAAACDk/6r0ACZqKcFs-XxYL8wMqEBVvmeJ2CnfWQCLcBGAs/s1600/WP_20180325_14_25_38_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1300" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Cn20B2H-pAs/Wr4eHE_cmBI/AAAAAAAACDk/6r0ACZqKcFs-XxYL8wMqEBVvmeJ2CnfWQCLcBGAs/s320/WP_20180325_14_25_38_Pro.jpg" width="260" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Another gorgeous spot - just off from<br />
Kingsand on the Rame Peninsula.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
And soon - spring!<br />
<br />Rosie Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05735584336794053685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3214228212316157519.post-75649512679580864052018-02-08T10:09:00.000-08:002018-02-08T10:09:29.780-08:00Book news and kindle deals.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Before I write much more, you ought to know that
Amazon are running a deal (they approached me – I’m not paying for it) with the
kindle of ‘The Golden Sword’ over the next couple of weeks. It will cost 99p in
the UK and $1.40 in the US.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Here is the link to downloading it in the UK: <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Golden-Sword-Camelot-Inheritance-Book-ebook/dp/B00ANP31XA">https://www.amazon.co.uk/Golden-Sword-Camelot-Inheritance-Book-ebook/dp/B00ANP31XA</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And the US: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Sword-Camelot-Inheritance-Book-ebook/dp/B00ANP31XA">https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Sword-Camelot-Inheritance-Book-ebook/dp/B00ANP31XA</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As for me on this glorious afternoon, I’m sitting in
my lounge (sitting room), looking out at the bare trees and drizzle. The tops
of the moors are shrouded in cloud. It’s not great weather. It’s what we call
in Cornwall, mizzly (drizzle and mist). Even the cats aren’t impressed!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0znygGBQUbo/WnyOrmnpcEI/AAAAAAAACCM/qDM7YV_LxtQfq6HMA9Tqo6a5ezpPdDlhACLcBGAs/s1600/WP_20180208_16_53_49_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="899" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0znygGBQUbo/WnyOrmnpcEI/AAAAAAAACCM/qDM7YV_LxtQfq6HMA9Tqo6a5ezpPdDlhACLcBGAs/s320/WP_20180208_16_53_49_Pro.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">One of the great things about this weather though is
that if it’s too miserable outside, it’s better to stay in and write - cocooned in my very
own storyteller chair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Dwf96SRtuYA/WnyO_yw-tvI/AAAAAAAACCQ/zJYZrJz_YIMTu_rn9ARs6yr6jBk60x4CQCLcBGAs/s1600/WP_20180208_16_53_26_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="899" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Dwf96SRtuYA/WnyO_yw-tvI/AAAAAAAACCQ/zJYZrJz_YIMTu_rn9ARs6yr6jBk60x4CQCLcBGAs/s320/WP_20180208_16_53_26_Pro.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So that’s what I’ve been doing and the book - number
four in the Camelot Inheritance series - is forging along. It will still be a while
until it’s out there but it’s coming ever closer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt;">I’m going to put an excerpt on the end of this post, so
you can get a flavour.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">However, I also wanted to flag up the next competition
I’ll be running soon on here and on Facebook. It will feature a unicorn and
Merlin’s Vow. The two go very well together!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In the meantime, those of you in the UK and other cold
spots, keep an eye out for spring …<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NpvqU9rdF1A/WnyPVwg8n2I/AAAAAAAACCY/3xqTrs-dKswnQANhe2uAN0QuPAluW81SgCLcBGAs/s1600/WP_20171124_15_25_04_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="899" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NpvqU9rdF1A/WnyPVwg8n2I/AAAAAAAACCY/3xqTrs-dKswnQANhe2uAN0QuPAluW81SgCLcBGAs/s320/WP_20171124_15_25_04_Pro.jpg" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This one was taken recently on the coast close to us.<br />For those of you who've read any of my books, it's close to Pendrym. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">and keep reading. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt;">And should be interested in my latest
reads, pop over to Goodreads. Here’s the link: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7020563.Rosie_Morgan">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7020563.Rosie_Morgan</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And now, from the beginning of Chapter One -<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Tamar nudged Arthur.
‘Don’t look now … but that statue blinked.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">‘What?’ <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">‘The statue behind you, the
one with wings and a human face, it blinked.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Despite her instruction, Arthur
spun round. ‘The one that looks like a lion with wings?’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">She nodded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">‘O-kay.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Catching a statue moving
wasn’t new to him. He’d come across one before - but that had been on his side.
He didn’t fancy finding out whether this one was friendly. It was way too big. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">He caught hold of Tamar’s
arm, ‘Let’s move.’ He lowered his voice. ‘Slowly.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">‘It can’t do anything …
can it?’ Tamar asked. ‘I mean how can an ancient Assyrian statue, in the
British Museum in the centre of London, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">do</i>
anything?’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">‘I don’t know and I don’t
want to find out.’ Arthur said, edging away. A memory rumbled. ‘It could
listen.’ <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Tamar examined the statue’s
head. A sort of headdress covered any ears it might have.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">‘We weren’t saying
anything worth listening to, were we?’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">‘Just think what we were
talking about!’ <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">She did a quick re-run of
their conversation and realised that the stuff they’d been discussing had
definitely been worth hearing. She risked another look: the statue was massive,
probably several metres high. It towered above the tourists and groups of
schoolchildren. If it did do anything there could be carnage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Arthur grabbed her hand,
pulling her away as he whispered, ‘You’re the history geek. Remind me: why were
these statues made?’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Tamar didn’t need to
check her notes. ‘They were meant to be gatekeepers against evil spirits.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">‘Oh yes,’ he said softly.
‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Now</i> I remember.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Arthur flipped through
his memories and one slid to the front of his mind: of him outside the Granite
House on the moors, and the stone knights on the gateposts glowing - just
before he’d been captured by the Crow Man. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">He cast another look over
his shoulder. A Japanese tourist was taking a close-up photo of the statue,
standing under it and angling his camera upwards so that the photo would
demonstrate the statue’s dimensions. As far as Arthur could tell it wasn’t
moving, but he wasn’t going to chance a closer look; he and Tamar were probably
the reason behind the blink. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">‘We need to get away. We could
be sending out vibes. After all, you <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">are</i>
the Time Keeper. You haven’t always been stuck in this century like the rest of
us, have you?’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">‘That’s true.’ Tamar’s
hand instinctively sought out the Time Keeper’s watch hidden deep in her
pocket. Gentle, rhythmic ticks ran along her thumb. The fob watch had her name
inscribed on it: Tamar Tamblyn, the latest in a long line of Time Keepers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">‘Come on.’ Arthur’s brown
eyes were worried. ‘There’s a new café on this floor. It might be safer. We can
get to it to through these galleries … and don’t look at any of the statues.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Tamar didn’t need to be
told. A blinking statue was enough to worry anybody; even someone who’d met
ancient knights. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">They attempted a
nonchalant amble along the gallery, away from the human-headed lion, but the
amble quickly turned into a brisk walk and then their legs took over and the
walk turned into a run. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The first gallery was packed
with carved friezes of helmeted men on horses. Insanely, Arthur’s brain buzzed
with facts: the carvings had come from Greece and were over two thousand years
old. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">‘I don’t need to know this now!’</i>
he thought as they hurtled past. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Arthur knew without a
shadow of a doubt that if Tamar said that she’d seen a statue blink - it had
blinked. He also realised that when inanimate objects begin stirring it’s
usually time to make a retreat. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">‘I knew this school trip
was a bad idea,’ he muttered, as they skidded past a group of excitable
Italians. ‘We’re away from Cornwall, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and</i>
we’re separated from the rest of the Guardians.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">‘Not much we can do about
that now,’ Tamar pointed out. ‘Boy, this place is a maze, where’s the café?’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">‘Through here – come on.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">They ran past more
statues and galleries of antique objects. Lively chatter bounced off the stone
pillars and floors, and cameras clicked, storing memories. Under normal
circumstances, they’d love it here; but these weren’t normal circumstances. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Arthur checked the
miniature sword hanging from the chain around his neck. The gold was at body
temperature, which generally meant there wasn’t an immediate threat. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">‘My sword’s okay,’ he
informed Tamar as they spun past a clutch of schoolchildren.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Instinctively she put her
hand to her own silver sword. ‘So’s mine - and the pocket watch is quiet too.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Sliding over the polished
floors, they rounded another corner and there was the café in front of them; glossy
and modern with just one statue in the far corner of a man on a horse. From
what he’d learned so far, Arthur guessed that it was about a couple of thousand
years old; Roman probably. But at least this one didn’t look threatening. . .<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />Rosie Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05735584336794053685noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3214228212316157519.post-71314136505827048702017-10-23T12:56:00.000-07:002017-10-23T12:56:22.291-07:00Competition time<h2 style="text-align: center;">
For you or for someone special.</h2>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Dj-2S3K2wR8/We48h7IBaYI/AAAAAAAACBU/GqHsDAtY4vgYHKE96fVDd7MYY64vCeUKgCLcBGAs/s1600/WP_20171021_17_04_22_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="899" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Dj-2S3K2wR8/We48h7IBaYI/AAAAAAAACBU/GqHsDAtY4vgYHKE96fVDd7MYY64vCeUKgCLcBGAs/s320/WP_20171021_17_04_22_Pro.jpg" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The knight and his horse.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br />I realise that things have been a little quiet on this blog over the last little while, for which I apologise; I've had my head down while working on the fourth in The Camelot Inheritance series.<br />
It's going well (I'm about half way through), but it does need an awful lot of concentration. However, I've torn myself away long enough to post this competition.<br />
<br />
I really enjoy being able to run these. In the past I've sent prizes to winners in England,Wales, Ireland and further afield to the USA.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
This time<b> the prize is a signed and dedicated copy of 'The Golden Sword' - the first in The Camelot Inheritance series; a model knight and his horse, and a Cornish bookmark. </b></div>
<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N9G88gxQJc0/We5AykwG-EI/AAAAAAAACBw/H4TnZPdpqZwcowJ0Bb8ZFuFuMliOqDmMgCLcBGAs/s1600/WP_20171021_16_57_07_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="899" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N9G88gxQJc0/We5AykwG-EI/AAAAAAAACBw/H4TnZPdpqZwcowJ0Bb8ZFuFuMliOqDmMgCLcBGAs/s320/WP_20171021_16_57_07_Pro.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
<br />
I'm timing it so that with a fair wind behind us, the package should arrive in time for Christmas. That way if you're wanting to give it to someone special, it could be a surprise Christmas present.<br />
<br />
Entering is very easy.<br />
Simply put your name and email address in the contact box in the sidebar of this blog (scroll down on this page) by Friday 8th December 2017.<br />
I'll be pulling the winner's name out of the electronic hat on Saturday 9th December. Then I'll contact the winner for their postal address in time to send it off on Monday 11th December.<br />
<br />
One other thing. If you have time and you've read any of my books, I would be delighted if you could tell me if there was a particular character (animal or human), or episode that caught your imagination. It gives me immense pleasure to hear from my readers. Each and every letter makes a difference to my day.<br />
<br />
In the next few weeks for those of you who are so patiently waiting, I'll post an excerpt from Book 4. Of course it's unlikely to be exactly the same in the final, published story, but at least it will give you a flavour of how things will be for Arthur and his allies!<br />
<br />
(<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-size: 11pt;">(The official bit: There's one prize and
the draw will be electronic and unbiased. Once drawn it will be final. Entries
will be accepted from the UK and Ireland, USA, Canada, and throughout Europe.
Last entry 8/12/17.)</span><br />
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Rosie Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05735584336794053685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3214228212316157519.post-15729763076425788742017-08-08T13:24:00.000-07:002017-08-08T13:24:14.728-07:00Land of the Vikings and the midnight sun (well, almost) . . .<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<h2 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Let me introduce you to the Orkneys</h2>
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Hello!<br />
It’s been a while since the last post, partly due to
quite a lot going on here in Cornwall, and also because Pete and I have been travelling to carry out more research.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This time we didn't travel to London but to one of the other settings
for Book 4 - the Orkneys; magical, wild and wonderful Scottish islands.<br />
<br />
We flew from Newquay in Cornwall to Edinburgh in Scotland, and then on a small plane to Kirkwall on the Mainland, Orkney's largest island.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our first glimpse and introduction to these<br />magical islands.</td></tr>
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The Orkney islands are right at the top of the map, off the
coast of Scotland. They’re about 800 miles from where we live in Cornwall,
close to Britain's toe. (I won’t say Britain’s bottom!)<o:p></o:p></div>
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Although Scotland is another Celtic land, and the Orkneys
are part of Scotland, the Orcadians are also very proud of their Viking
heritage because hundreds of years ago this little group of islands was invaded by the fiery Vikings. </div>
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The Vikings settled here for many centuries before eventually giving the islands back to Scotland.<br />
I particularly liked some of the warriors' names: Thorfinn Skull-splitter, Havard Harvest-Happy, Sigurd the Stout! (If you want to find out more there's an excellent site:http://www.orkneyjar.com/orkney/index.html ).<o:p></o:p></div>
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Interesting fact: The DNA of 60% of the male Orcadians has been discovered to be Scandinavian.</div>
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However I wanted to find out about other aspects of see the Orkney's history as well - and to get a feel for the landscape. Top of my list of things to see were the standing stones which combine both the history and the land.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The standing stones on Orkney's Mainland.</td></tr>
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Another interesting fact: There are stone circles dotted throughout Britain. (It's thought that the earliest are probably those in the north.) For book purposes I wanted to get a feel of those in Orkney because we've got a stone circle which is just ten minutes drive from our house. The link intrigues me. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="529" data-original-width="800" height="211" src="https://www.cornwalls.co.uk/sites/default/files/photos/hurlers-mine.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These are the Hurlers, a ring of standing stones on Bodmin Moor<br />
close to my home.</td></tr>
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I also wanted to get a feel for the landscape. Photographs
give you some idea, but you need to go to a place to get
under its skin. For me, the setting is an integral and important part of any book. I found that although the Orkney islands are beautiful, they're also
windswept (there are few trees) and very wild. The sea and the wind dictate much of how life is lived. Because the islands are so northerly in the summer the sun barely sets. It's still quite light at past 11 in the evening in late June, whereas in the winter the days are very short because the sun barely rises above the horizon. Laurence (see below) told us that by 3pm in winter it's going dark! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A close-up of a standing stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Staggeringly high cliffs; home to hundreds of wheeling, screeching birds. <br />
If you like wild and lonely, you'd love it here.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A solitary Pete!</td></tr>
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And there was the wildlife! So much of it. Many, many birds. I'm not very good at bird photos, but the blobs in the second photo are seals in Scapa Flow which we spotted on a boat trip with the delightful Laurence of the Dawn Star. ( http://www.orkneyboattrips.co.uk/dawnstar.html )</div>
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He took us around Scapa Flow - a site very much linked with both WWI and WWII, and showed us the wrecks of huge ships sunk during the wars on his boat's sonar.</div>
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Apart from the standing stones and the birds and seals I wanted to see some of the other ancient sites. So we went here, to the Tomb of the Eagles.</div>
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Inside the tomb there were many skulls and skeletons and eagle remains, which explains why the tomb is called the Tomb of the Eagles. Once you get inside the tomb, it's high enough to stand up and big enough to fit several people. A Collie dog, like Lightning in The Camelot Inheritance series and one of my favourite breeds, was in there but it was far from happy. It's ears were flat and it was really keen to get out. It reminded me of the scene in The Golden Sword with Arthur and Lightning outside the Granite House.</div>
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And then we visited Skara Brea.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLlyqotdPtq0VMYofyAu-DucFHDp2IJGjT7CjhEI4WPOJcdR0lV8WlSA_se351sa4TWRcwgx0DZOcTzLKnVn0-Az9dBN3fI29qE_zNNvu96fD_msn0Y2DqELHVU-YETnXPuz9I0P5Wf0o/s1600/WP_20170702_13_18_19_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="899" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLlyqotdPtq0VMYofyAu-DucFHDp2IJGjT7CjhEI4WPOJcdR0lV8WlSA_se351sa4TWRcwgx0DZOcTzLKnVn0-Az9dBN3fI29qE_zNNvu96fD_msn0Y2DqELHVU-YETnXPuz9I0P5Wf0o/s320/WP_20170702_13_18_19_Pro.jpg" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skara Brae. I took this photo to show what is thought<br />
to be<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> a sort of dresser like a cupboard.</span></td></tr>
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Skara Brae is a wonderfully preserved neolithic village, thousands of years old. It shows just how clever our ancient ancestors were! It's not only the ancient Greeks and Egyptians and the Aztecs who were ingenious. (Although I must admit, a pyramid is pretty impressive.) </div>
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However our trip wasn't only lonely windswept cliffs and beaches and ancient monuments - we took in some other sights too.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-blHRc86AH3w/WYn3xuvS2ZI/AAAAAAAACAk/kXYOsRbUxWEUMsJPiQ-r8t4i717GKsbtwCLcBGAs/s1600/WP_20170701_20_07_21_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="https://www.facebook.com/kirkwallcitypb" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="899" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-blHRc86AH3w/WYn3xuvS2ZI/AAAAAAAACAk/kXYOsRbUxWEUMsJPiQ-r8t4i717GKsbtwCLcBGAs/s320/WP_20170701_20_07_21_Pro.jpg" title="https://www.facebook.com/kirkwallcitypb" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We were treated to a wonderful<br />display by Kirkwall City Pipe Band.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And then more live music in The Reel.</td></tr>
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Then there was the haggis and a trip to a distillery, but Book 4 is waiting for me so I'm going to leave it at that! </div>
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This post is going to be the last for a while, I want to be able to concentrate on the writing. The story is coming along but it needs some quality time without too many distractions. If you've got to this part, thanks for reading my post. Perhaps when you eventually get to read the fourth in The Camelot Inheritance, you'll be able to spot the links between our adventuring and what happens to Gawain.</div>
Rosie Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05735584336794053685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3214228212316157519.post-8265488152740747042017-05-27T02:32:00.000-07:002017-05-27T02:32:54.811-07:00And the winner is? <div class="MsoNormal">
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Who is going to be Dragon's owner?</h2>
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(Apart from Nick Borlase.)</div>
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It seems frivolous to be writing this blog post about books
and a competition within a few days of the terrible bombing in Manchester - so
I thought it right that competition and book news could come further down this
particular post.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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My parents came from Oldham, on Manchester’s outskirts,
before moving down to Devon – so I grew up regularly travelling the three
hundred miles to visit my grandad. It was a long drive, but it was worth it to
see him. (If you live in a country with space and the roads to match it might
not seem far, but believe me, it is when you’re driving over here.) I loved
going into the bakery for an Eccles cake (look it up!), or the newsagents for a
comic and sweets. I was fascinated by the cobbled alleys and the rows of
red-bricked houses. It was all so different to where I lived in Plympton. <o:p></o:p></div>
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But the main thing I noticed wasn’t the shops or the houses,
it was everyone’s friendliness. You didn’t need to know someone to have a
conversation; you just had to be somewhere nearby. <o:p></o:p></div>
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So it was no surprise to hear and read of the kindness and
heroism defiantly shown by strangers on Monday night, and the many acts of
love and care - the antithesis to such unimaginable cruelty: It was light in
the face of darkness.<o:p></o:p></div>
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As has been said by many commentators - Manchester is a
big-hearted place.<br />
And it's brim-full of big-hearted people. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Competition news. </h4>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_UkAm5XAE9A/WSlENHl21CI/AAAAAAAAB-A/3IpIlbvpJqg93Rxvj-VZf_FQ76vLiObJQCLcB/s1600/WP_20170404_16_41_29_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1095" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_UkAm5XAE9A/WSlENHl21CI/AAAAAAAAB-A/3IpIlbvpJqg93Rxvj-VZf_FQ76vLiObJQCLcB/s320/WP_20170404_16_41_29_Pro.jpg" width="219" /></a></div>
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And now onto the lighter stuff, and the competition:<o:p></o:p></div>
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‘The Camelot Inheritance’ series resolutely
features light against dark.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Some of you have been kind enough to write lovely reviews – so it’s wonderful that I can run a
competition to say ‘thank you’ to all my readers.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
Originally there was going to be just one winner – but in
the end I plumped for two; one from Facebook and one from this blog. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
Although it wasn’t compulsory some entrants also went the extra
mile and suggested names for Dragon (he will be named by the end of Book 4); one really grabbed my imagination.<br />
I’m not going to tell you what it is because I want it to remain a surprise, but I can tell you that the
winning name was suggested by Luke.<br />
So Luke, thank you. Your package will be on
its way to you very soon.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
The other winner is from Facebook; Amanda entered for her son Tom. Thanks for
entering Amanda, and I hope Tom enjoys it!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
<h4>
Book news. </h4>
</div>
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Book 4 is about five chapters in and features a couple of
well-known places in London which Pete and I visited last November. One of the
places is the British Museum. It’s a vast area and there is so much to see that
really you need more than a mere day, but here are a few photos which have inspired
the opening chapter of the book. <br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibmEhDPOnTiyaMKhhLlbGt3-CdCAF0O-Tj25FPNguTX46ysU-xfvBPjg3wT-QmAneal5-yksDSUgH12pBjmB2qBUj3ZLbIbYOtF-7WRhu93-dbe1oeYPGILxYEVEpTxIj7j3AtURp9fT4/s1600/WP_20161124_15_30_34_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="http://www.britishmuseum.org/" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="899" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibmEhDPOnTiyaMKhhLlbGt3-CdCAF0O-Tj25FPNguTX46ysU-xfvBPjg3wT-QmAneal5-yksDSUgH12pBjmB2qBUj3ZLbIbYOtF-7WRhu93-dbe1oeYPGILxYEVEpTxIj7j3AtURp9fT4/s320/WP_20161124_15_30_34_Pro.jpg" title="Assyrian statue, British Museum, London" width="179" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dJmpZnX6UqE/WSlCQkcep9I/AAAAAAAAB9w/rA2DwGbRoS8QjuEG2Mlc0rFoXZ7B2ap6ACLcB/s1600/WP_20161124_15_34_08_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="899" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dJmpZnX6UqE/WSlCQkcep9I/AAAAAAAAB9w/rA2DwGbRoS8QjuEG2Mlc0rFoXZ7B2ap6ACLcB/s320/WP_20161124_15_34_08_Pro.jpg" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I have no idea who this person is, but<br />he, very usefully, demonstrates the statue's size,</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yXDkVtjHrZc/WSlCgQatJtI/AAAAAAAAB90/7jn-oO6UJvsJMxjAHuJrR0XHN0PxZLIGgCLcB/s1600/WP_20161124_15_31_18_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="899" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yXDkVtjHrZc/WSlCgQatJtI/AAAAAAAAB90/7jn-oO6UJvsJMxjAHuJrR0XHN0PxZLIGgCLcB/s320/WP_20161124_15_31_18_Pro.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
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<h4 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
And a tiny excerpt from what<i> might be</i> the beginning of Chapter One of Book 4.</h4>
<div>
(Nothing is final until the last, fully-edited, copy is sent off!)</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
Chapter
One<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Tamar
nudged Arthur. ‘Don’t look now … but that statue blinked.’<o:p></o:p></div>
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‘What?’
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
‘The
statue behind you, the one with wings and a human face, it blinked.’<o:p></o:p></div>
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Despite
her instruction, Arthur spun around. ‘The one that looks like a lion with
wings?’<o:p></o:p></div>
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She
nodded. <o:p></o:p></div>
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‘O-kay.’<o:p></o:p></div>
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Catching
a stone statue moving wasn’t new to him, he’d come across one before, but that
one had been on his side. He didn’t fancy finding out whether or not this
statue was friendly. It was way too big. <o:p></o:p></div>
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He
turned and caught hold of Tamar’s arm. ‘Let’s move away.’ He lowered his
voice. ‘Slowly.’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
‘It
can’t do anything … can it?’ Tamar asked uncertainly. ‘I mean, how can an
ancient Assyrian statue, in the British Museum in the middle of London, <i>do</i> anything?’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
‘I
don’t know and I don’t want to find out.’ Arthur said, and began edging away. A
memory rumbled. ‘It could listen.’ <o:p></o:p></div>
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Tamar
examined the statue’s head. A sort of headdress covered any ears it might have.<o:p></o:p></div>
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‘We
weren’t saying anything worth listening to, were we?’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
‘Just
think what we were talking about!’ <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
She
did a quick re-run of their conversation and realised that Arthur was right.
The stuff they’d been discussing had definitely been worth hearing.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
She
risked another quick look at the statue. It was massive, probably several
metres high. It towered above the tourists and groups of schoolchildren. If it
did do anything, there could be carnage.</div>
</div>
<br />
<br />
I hope you enjoyed that piece. I will be posting other excerpts from time to time but until then, best wishes from Cornwall. Rosie X</div>
Rosie Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05735584336794053685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3214228212316157519.post-55363321058256026142017-04-10T03:27:00.003-07:002017-04-10T03:27:58.442-07:00It's spring, time for a competition.<h2>
Competition time -</h2>
<h3>
for you, or someone special.</h3>
Spring is here - well almost, and as a bit of a celebration I thought it would be great to run a little competition. It's open to everyone in Europe, Canada, the USA, or here in the UK.<br />
<br />
The prize includes a model dragon, a dedicated and signed Time Smugglers (for you or that special someone) and a Celtic bookmark sent to you from me.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0PMy8WV3OiI/WOZ5PZQxXlI/AAAAAAAAB9Q/uDaDQx_3FZ0z47VGgDqrI-K6LQ3c2ndrQCLcB/s1600/WP_20170404_16_41_29_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img alt="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Time-Smugglers-Camelot-Inheritance-Book/dp/1500531626/ref=pd_sim_14_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=QXHBZ529DAY66MZEV92K" border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0PMy8WV3OiI/WOZ5PZQxXlI/AAAAAAAAB9Q/uDaDQx_3FZ0z47VGgDqrI-K6LQ3c2ndrQCLcB/s320/WP_20170404_16_41_29_Pro.jpg" title="Competition" width="219" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h4>
<span style="font-size: small;">And the prize is . . .</span></h4>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Entering is easy.<br />
Just put your name and your email in the contact box in the sidebar. (Always check with an adult if you're under 18, or ask your adult to do it for you.)<br />
The competition runs until May 25th. If you win I'll email you for your postal address - and then you can tell me what you'd like as the dedication.<br />
And whether or not you've read The Time Smugglers, perhaps you could come up with a name for Dragon. If one of you comes up with and inspired suggestion, I may use it in Book 4. It would have to be one that Nick would choose. So remember, Nick's an outdoors sort of person. He likes his food, doesn't particularly like reading and rarely takes life too seriously. Over to you!<br />
<br />
(I'm also running this competition on my Facebook page. You can enter there as well. https://www.facebook.com/writingrosie )<br />
<br />
That's it - just a short post this time.Rosie Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05735584336794053685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3214228212316157519.post-42319456189028773682017-01-26T11:01:00.000-08:002017-01-26T11:01:16.239-08:00Meet Dragon's creator!<h2>
Helen - the talent behind the pencil</h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4nHJqwR4fQUhGNixUrfBnlKXSL7qdlGeEVck0CzF5CTd8nliYFHrrRl7B5t3BisT5Vv7cCXHk7eTYXgrMs0XhXGiQtpLVtp72jX1grE9J781JgpYOc-ifax_tJgGirkVBtRVmwdFEsMk/s1600/20161208_001439.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4nHJqwR4fQUhGNixUrfBnlKXSL7qdlGeEVck0CzF5CTd8nliYFHrrRl7B5t3BisT5Vv7cCXHk7eTYXgrMs0XhXGiQtpLVtp72jX1grE9J781JgpYOc-ifax_tJgGirkVBtRVmwdFEsMk/s320/20161208_001439.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div>
Too much time has elapsed since Dragon made his entrance in The Time Smugglers; too many months without me introducing you to his creator. </div>
<div>
Helen is one talented person, have a look at these illustrations they speak for themselves - and this is just a hobby! </div>
<div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8nV96Kgidu8/WIkE15UHf9I/AAAAAAAAB60/Csgr9XMtFA8Yo2CW5mGorvt9RchoWlluQCLcB/s1600/38%2Bdragon%2Bwings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8nV96Kgidu8/WIkE15UHf9I/AAAAAAAAB60/Csgr9XMtFA8Yo2CW5mGorvt9RchoWlluQCLcB/s320/38%2Bdragon%2Bwings.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zHsYcK1ka8A/WIkFIX5o_hI/AAAAAAAAB68/54_JgSEpHHk28Qvn2AzC8aOv8ajQBdV0QCLcB/s1600/12%2Bclaw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="199" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zHsYcK1ka8A/WIkFIX5o_hI/AAAAAAAAB68/54_JgSEpHHk28Qvn2AzC8aOv8ajQBdV0QCLcB/s320/12%2Bclaw.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Perhaps appropriately, Helen is training in animal psychology - she could start on Dragon, although our cats, Oz and James, could do with a bit of sorting out! </div>
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Yesterday I visited a school not far from where we live. It's a three class village school hidden in the Cornish countryside. (Having taught in village schools, I've experienced the invaluable family-feeling difficult to replicate elsewhere.)</div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-br0hjNpc-fE/WIkMD-B5-3I/AAAAAAAAB7Q/jziVFs8kKe4az3Ba-tU-hCRbxNJNNGU2ACLcB/s1600/Primary_school%252C_Cardinham_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1364281.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="http://www.cardinhamschool.co.uk/" border="0" height="232" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-br0hjNpc-fE/WIkMD-B5-3I/AAAAAAAAB7Q/jziVFs8kKe4az3Ba-tU-hCRbxNJNNGU2ACLcB/s320/Primary_school%252C_Cardinham_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1364281.jpg" title="Cardinham School photo by Humphrey Bolton" width="320" /></a></div>
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I had a wonderful time with Owl class and its mixture of Year 3 and 4 pupils. Although they're being read the first in The Camelot Inheritance series, I read extracts featuring Dragon from the second in the series . . . and then asked the class to do some writing for me. What a pleasure to listen to the results! </div>
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And then the fun when I asked them to draw a dragon of their own. Inspired by Helen's masterpiece's they set to work and produced dragons of every shape and size, each with their very own dragon personality. </div>
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I haven't space for every drawing, but have a look at this selection. Thank you Owl class for all your work. 😄 And a special thank you to: Abigail, Matilda, May Rose, Oliver, Theo, Blake, Emerald, Paige and Ben.</div>
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And Helen's reaction to these Dragon-inspired drawings? Rather pleased I think! Well done Owl Class. 😆<br />
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Rosie Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05735584336794053685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3214228212316157519.post-67741296662741524122016-12-10T03:23:00.001-08:002016-12-10T14:11:49.109-08:00A writer in the Tower of London. <h2>
Researching in London.</h2>
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Last week your intrepid writer ventured beyond the Cornish border, to a city bursting with culture and history.<br />
In the fourth of 'The Camelot Inheritance' series some of the action takes place beyond Cornwall's borders; specifically in London at the British Museum, Tower Bridge and the Tower of London.</div>
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It was a fascinating experience. I've been to London a few times but, maybe because it's approaching Christmas, it seemed more magical than before.</div>
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As I mentioned, Tower Bridge, which spans the river Thames is going to be one of the settings in the book.<br />
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There is a walkway above the road on the bridge, which is most definitely worth a visit, whether or not you're going to write about it. The views are tremendous, taking in St Paul's Cathedral in the distance, the Shard and of course, the Tower of London. A glass insert in the walkway enables you to look down on the road many meters below. One of the lovely guides coaxed me onto it but I didn't hang around for long!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">During the time we were in London, the bridge was <br />
closed to traffic. This view would usually be far more busy.</td></tr>
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The views up and down the river are quite stunning, as is the history behind the bridge's building. If you wish to time a visit to see the bridge lift (to enable particularly tall ships sail beneath it), click <a href="http://www.towerbridge.org.uk/tbe-full-visit/" target="_blank">here</a> to find out more from the Tower Bridge site.<br />
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Spot the Gherkin and the Tower of London. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ancient and modern architecture sit side by side.<br />
The Tower of London was built circa 1067 - the Gherkin is<br />
considerably newer.</td></tr>
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We managed to fit in a visit to the Tower of London on the same day, but if you're going to see these sites, I would recommend that you allow yourself longer.<br />
The Tower of London is bursting with history and with stories, and of course there are the Beefeaters . . . and the ravens.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Beefeater, one of the Tower of London's guards,<br />
chatting to a tourist.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The wall around the Tower of London.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ravens are extremely intelligent birds - <br />
and are part of the same family as crows. </td></tr>
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There is so much I could write about this visit.<br />
The Beefeaters should really be called the Yeoman of the Guard, they are part of the Royal Bodyguard.<br />
Here's a piece from the Tower of London's site: '<span style="background-color: white; color: #4e5050; font-family: "gotham a" , "gotham b" , "arial" , serif; font-size: 14px;">The Beefeaters nickname probably comes from their position in the Royal Bodyguard, which allowed them to eat as much beef as they wanted from the king's table.'</span><br />
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Then of course there are the Crown Jewels, here's another piece from the site. (The photograph is taken from the Tower of London's site too. Obviously, no one is allowed to take photos in this area!) 'T<span style="background-color: white; color: #4e5050; font-family: "gotham a" , "gotham b" , "arial" , serif; font-size: 14px;">he solid gold St. Edward’s crown (1661) is the heaviest crown in the collection. One of the smallest and lightest is Queen Victoria’s Small Diamond Crown (1870), which she wore with her widow’s veil, is tiny at only 9.4cm high.</span><br />
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<img alt="The&nbsp;sapphire&nbsp;of&nbsp;the&nbsp;Imperial&nbsp;State&nbsp;Crown&nbsp;" height="166" src="https://hrpprodsa.blob.core.windows.net/hrp-prod-container/8187/sapphire_on_imperial_state_crown-026_large_2.jpg" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="254" /></div>
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Crowns are made with the most expensive materials available at the time. The Crown of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, made for her coronation in 1937, is the only crown in the collection made of platinum.'</div>
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And the ravens . . . </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These birds are huge - and very clever.</td></tr>
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There's a legend which says, 'that the kingdom and the Tower will fall if the six resident ravens ever leave the fortress: 'According to the stories, it was Charles II who first insisted that the ravens of the Tower should be protected.' So now there are seven ravens (so that there's one 'spare') kept at the Tower at all times.</div>
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If you want to find out more about these birds, click <a href="http://www.hrp.org.uk/playlists/video-sequence/meet-the-ravens/" target="_blank">here</a> to be taken to the Tower of London's site and a video about the birds.</div>
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There is so much more to write about our London visit, I haven't touched on the British Museum yet. I think that will have to wait until the next post. But in the meantime I'll finish with a detail taken from the Christmas window in Liberty's department store. The theme this year is 'The Nutcracker Suite'.</div>
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Christmas is in a couple of weeks time. I'm blown away by the number of people buying 'The Camelot Inheritance' books for presents. If you happen to be one of the people who bought a book, thank you! And if you're one of those who receives a book, I <i>really</i> hope you enjoy it. Write to me here, or on Facebook (here's the link to my page: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/writingrosie/" target="_blank">Rosie - Facebook</a>), and leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and will always reply :).</div>
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Happy Christmas everyone.</div>
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Rosie Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05735584336794053685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3214228212316157519.post-59963186074948237422016-10-14T03:21:00.002-07:002016-10-14T13:19:25.688-07:00The story of a teeny tiny indie author - and a surprisingly friendly giant. Once upon a time, in the faraway and magical land of Cornwall (see picture below) there lived a <span style="font-size: xx-small;">teeny, tiny</span> author.<br />
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And this <span style="font-size: xx-small;">teeny</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;">, tiny </span>author lived in a normal-sized house with a very kind and normal-sized man called Peter and two normal-sized cats called Oz and James.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RHtGRcVsT28/WACs_LeBN2I/AAAAAAAAB4E/c407tHPw9gUHQqbRzAC47xq44Lth-TvUACLcB/s1600/WP_20160303_10_32_02_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RHtGRcVsT28/WACs_LeBN2I/AAAAAAAAB4E/c407tHPw9gUHQqbRzAC47xq44Lth-TvUACLcB/s320/WP_20160303_10_32_02_Pro.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
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<div>
Day after day, week after week, and month after month everybody in the normal-sized house lived very happily - until one day.<br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Day When Life Changed</span></b>. </div>
<div>
On that particular day the <span style="font-size: xx-small;">teeny, tiny </span>author woke up and thought, <i>I don't feel at all well, </i>and, <i>My legs don't work.</i> <i> </i></div>
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(Actually, on that day the author wasn't an author at all, she was a teacher who loved being with children because<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> <i>they made the world light up</i></span>.)</div>
<div>
But on <b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Day When Life Changed</span></b> the <span style="font-size: xx-small;">teeny, tiny </span>author had to stop being with children who <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>made the world light up</i></span>, because a nasty bug had carried all her energy to a distant land. </div>
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So<span style="font-size: x-small;">o</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;">o ...</span></div>
<div>
instead of being with children who <i style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">made the world light up</i> the <span style="font-size: xx-small;">teeny, tiny </span>not-yet author began writing words, and the words grew into sentences and the sentences grew into stories. In fact her <span style="font-size: xx-small;">teeny, tiny </span>head nearly EXPLODED with the ideas pushing and shoving to get her attention.<br />
And then there were the pictures - which grew and grew out of nothing at all!<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Dc_pjOkfhQg/WACtbGl_TkI/AAAAAAAAB4I/G-Q0y7kNsj0ul4sD02jpASUVt1dDFRFbgCLcB/s1600/Map%2Bfor%2Bmerlin%2527s%2BVow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Dc_pjOkfhQg/WACtbGl_TkI/AAAAAAAAB4I/G-Q0y7kNsj0ul4sD02jpASUVt1dDFRFbgCLcB/s320/Map%2Bfor%2Bmerlin%2527s%2BVow.jpg" width="192" /></a></div>
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But, sadly, when they were finished . . . the stories were very, very shy.<br />
They were so shy that they didn't<i> even</i> want to <u>creep</u> out of the front door.<br />
But one day they woke up and the door was wide open and Peter was pointing meaningfully to the big, wide world. The time had come to leave the safety of the normal-sized house.</div>
<div>
Which is when the stories and the <span style="font-size: xx-small;">teeny, tiny </span>author met the <span style="font-size: large;">giant. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">And it</span> wasn't any old giant, it was a world-famous giant.<br />
Some people were actually scared of it!<br />
BUT, the <span style="font-size: xx-small;">teeny, tiny </span>author took a <i style="font-weight: bold;">deep</i> breath and tapped the giant on his knee and the giant slowly turned and looked down.</div>
<div>
She took another <i style="font-weight: bold;">deep</i><span style="font-size: large;"> </span>breath. </div>
<div>
'Mr Giant, I know you like stories ...' she began nervously, 'so may I introduce you to some of mine?'</div>
<div>
The giant considered the <span style="font-size: xx-small;">teeny, tiny</span> author and the shy and frightened stories.</div>
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At first he didn't say anything; he just looked.</div>
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And then ...</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
very slowly</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
he smiled a <span style="font-size: x-large;">great, big </span>smile</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
and said,</div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">'I like the look of these stories . . . </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">I'd like to share them.'</span></div>
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<img alt="The Golden Sword (The Camelot Inheritance ~ Book 1): A mystery adventure book for teens and older children age 10 -14 by [Morgan, Rosie]" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51BGZ0XExIL.jpg" title="" width="133" /></div>
The <span style="font-size: xx-small;">teeny, tiny </span>author smiled a <span style="font-size: large;">great big </span>smile back at the giant and the pages fluttered and the letters skipped and the writing danced.<br />
<br />
Then the friendly giant asked, <span style="font-size: x-large;">'May I share these stories with my friends?'</span><br />
The <span style="font-size: xx-small;">teeny, tiny</span> author could hardly believe her ears but she nodded her head and said, 'Oh, yes please, I'd <i>love</i> that.'<br />
So the friendly giant told all his friends and LOTS of people got to know the stories and the <span style="font-size: xx-small;">teeny, tiny</span> author began to feel a little bit bigger, and her stories began to feel a little bit braver and the writing danced and the pages quivered with delight.<br />
But best of all the not-so <span style="font-size: x-small;">teeny, tiny </span>author was able to share her stories with children who <i style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">make the world light up.</i><br />
<i style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></i>
<i style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">And the moral of this tale is: Amazon can be quite a friendly giant.</i><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This <span style="font-size: x-small;">teeny, tiny </span>author is definitely smiling a <span style="font-size: large;">great, big </span>smile. And to all the other <span style="font-size: x-small;">teeny, tiny </span>authors out there - maybe you're not as small as you think you are.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I still feel quite teeny, tiny but I'm gradually getting bigger. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here's the US link:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="feature" data-feature-name="booksTitle" id="booksTitle" style="box-sizing: border-box;">
<div class="a-section a-spacing-none" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 22px;">
<h1 class="a-size-large a-spacing-none" id="title" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 21px !important; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.3 !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">
<span class="a-size-extra-large" id="ebooksProductTitle" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 28px !important; line-height: 1.2 !important; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; word-wrap: break-word;">The Golden Sword (The Camelot Inheritance ~ Book 1): A mystery adventure book for teens and older children age 10 -14</span> <span class="a-size-large a-color-secondary a-text-normal" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(85 , 85 , 85); line-height: 1.3;">Kindle Edition</span></h1>
</div>
<div class="a-section a-spacing-micro bylineHidden feature" id="byline" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 22px;">
by <span class="author notFaded" data-width="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="a-declarative" data-a-popover="{"closeButtonLabel":"Close Author Dialog Popover","name":"contributor-info-B00AWR0920","position":"triggerBottom","popoverLabel":"Author Dialog Popover","allowLinkDefault":"true"}" data-action="a-popover" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #0066c0;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">Rosie Morgan</span></span> <i class="a-icon a-icon-popover" style="background-image: url("https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/G/01/AUIClients/AmazonUIBaseCSS-sprite_1x-28bd59af93d9b1c745bb0aca4de58763b54df7cf._V2_.png"); background-position: -90px -5px; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: 400px 670px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0066c0; display: inline-block; height: 5px; margin: 5px 0px 0px 0.385em; opacity: 0.6; vertical-align: text-top; width: 7px;"></i><span style="color: #0066c0;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> </span></span></span><span class="contribution" spacing="none" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="a-color-secondary" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(85 , 85 , 85);">(Author)</span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="feature" data-feature-name="reviewFeatureGroup" id="reviewFeatureGroup" style="box-sizing: border-box;">
And the ranking as of Friday 14th October - always changeable though!<br />
<table class="a-normal a-spacing-mini" style="border-collapse: collapse; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 6px !important; width: 411px;"><tbody style="box-sizing: border-box;">
<tr style="box-sizing: border-box;"><td class="a-span4" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #111111; float: none !important; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-right: 0px; padding: 0px 3px 0px 0px; vertical-align: top; width: 205px;"><div class="a-spacing-none" data-asin="B00ANP31XA" data-ref="dpx_acr_pop_" id="averageCustomerReviews" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; margin-bottom: 0px !important;">
<span class="a-declarative" data-acrstarslink-click-metrics="{}" data-action="acrStarsLink-click-metrics" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="reviewCountTextLinkedHistogram noUnderline" id="acrPopover" style="box-sizing: border-box;" title="4.5 out of 5 stars"><span class="a-declarative" data-a-popover="{"max-width":"700","closeButton":"false","position":"triggerBottom","url":"/gp/customer-reviews/widgets/average-customer-review/popover/ref=dpx_acr_pop_?contextId=dpx&asin=B00ANP31XA"}" data-action="a-popover" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><i class="a-icon a-icon-star a-star-4-5" style="background-image: url("https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/G/01/AUIClients/AmazonUIBaseCSS-sprite_1x-28bd59af93d9b1c745bb0aca4de58763b54df7cf._V2_.png"); background-position: -175px -368px; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: 400px 670px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0066c0; display: inline-block; height: 18px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: text-top; width: 80px;"><span class="a-icon-alt" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-size: 1px; height: 1px; left: -9999px; line-height: 1px; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; top: auto; width: 1px;">4.5 out of 5 stars</span></i><span style="color: #0066c0;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> </span></span><i class="a-icon a-icon-popover" style="background-image: url("https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/G/01/AUIClients/AmazonUIBaseCSS-sprite_1x-28bd59af93d9b1c745bb0aca4de58763b54df7cf._V2_.png"); background-position: -90px -5px; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: 400px 670px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; height: 5px; margin: 5px 0px 0px 0.385em; opacity: 0.6; vertical-align: text-top; width: 7px;"></i> </span><span class="a-letter-space" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; width: 0.385em;"></span> </span></span><span class="a-letter-space" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; width: 0.385em;"></span> <span class="a-declarative" data-acrlink-click-metrics="{}" data-action="acrLink-click-metrics" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="a-size-base" id="acrCustomerReviewText" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0066c0; line-height: 19px; text-decoration: none;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">24 customer reviews</span></span></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 700;">Amazon Best Sellers Rank:</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> #7,687 Paid in Kindle Store (</span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/digital-text/ref=pd_dp_ts_kstore_1" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0066c0; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none;">See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">)</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></span><br />
<ul class="zg_hrsr" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<li class="zg_hrsr_item" style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span class="zg_hrsr_rank" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; text-align: right; width: 80px;">#1</span> <span class="zg_hrsr_ladder" style="box-sizing: border-box;">in <a href="https://www.amazon.com/best-sellers-books-Amazon/zgbs/books/ref=pd_zg_hrsr_b_1_1" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0066c0; text-decoration: none;">Books</a> > <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/books/4/ref=pd_zg_hrsr_b_1_2" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0066c0; text-decoration: none;">Children's Books</a> > <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/books/2977/ref=pd_zg_hrsr_b_1_3" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0066c0; text-decoration: none;">Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths</a> > <span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-weight: 700;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/books/2985/ref=pd_zg_hrsr_b_1_4_last" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0066c0; text-decoration: none;">Arthurian</a></span></span></li>
<li class="zg_hrsr_item" style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span class="zg_hrsr_rank" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; text-align: right; width: 80px;">#2</span> <span class="zg_hrsr_ladder" style="box-sizing: border-box;">in <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/digital-text/ref=pd_zg_hrsr_kstore_2_1" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0066c0; text-decoration: none;">Kindle Store</a> > <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/digital-text/154606011/ref=pd_zg_hrsr_kstore_2_2" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0066c0; text-decoration: none;">Kindle eBooks</a> > <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/digital-text/155009011/ref=pd_zg_hrsr_kstore_2_3" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0066c0; text-decoration: none;">Children's eBooks</a> > <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/digital-text/155192011/ref=pd_zg_hrsr_kstore_2_4" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0066c0; text-decoration: none;">Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths</a> > <span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-weight: 700;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/digital-text/155195011/ref=pd_zg_hrsr_kstore_2_5_last" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0066c0; text-decoration: none;">Arthurian</a></span></span></li>
<li class="zg_hrsr_item" style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span class="zg_hrsr_rank" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; text-align: right; width: 80px;">#5</span> <span class="zg_hrsr_ladder" style="box-sizing: border-box;">in <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/digital-text/ref=pd_zg_hrsr_kstore_3_1" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0066c0; text-decoration: none;">Kindle Store</a> > <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/digital-text/154606011/ref=pd_zg_hrsr_kstore_3_2" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0066c0; text-decoration: none;">Kindle eBooks</a> > <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/digital-text/155009011/ref=pd_zg_hrsr_kstore_3_3" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0066c0; text-decoration: none;">Children's eBooks</a> > <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/digital-text/155217011/ref=pd_zg_hrsr_kstore_3_4" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0066c0; text-decoration: none;">Science Fiction, Fantasy & Scary Stories</a> > <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/digital-text/7090602011/ref=pd_zg_hrsr_kstore_3_5" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0066c0; text-decoration: none;">Science Fiction</a> > <span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-weight: 700;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/digital-text/7006705011/ref=pd_zg_hrsr_kstore_3_6_last" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #c45500; cursor: pointer; outline: 0px;">Time Travel</a></span></span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> But, as I've said before, all of it is <span style="background-color: white; color: #6a6a6a;">grâce</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #545454;"> à Dieu - thanks to God</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">.</span> </div>
Rosie Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05735584336794053685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3214228212316157519.post-58068047581672057412016-08-18T04:05:00.000-07:002016-08-18T09:07:33.095-07:00Merlin's Vow Gallery now open<h2>
Merlin's Vow - where it happened</h2>
<div>
My apologies for the pause between publishing <b>Merlin's Vow</b> and uploading the gallery of pictures behind the story. However you can now click on the 'Merlin's Vow Gallery' and see some of the inspirational places I visited when researching for the book.</div>
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Right now I'm typing in my favourite spot for writing when I'm at home - in my very own storyteller's chair. Yes, it really <i>is </i>called that! (Here's a picture of the chair minus me.) One of our cats is curled up across the room and I'm looking out towards the Cornish hills through a honeysuckle arch. Wonderful.</div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KWysAiIRWyo/V7WQmA_BvnI/AAAAAAAAB2w/7DkIQDY6I_0Tky_zr1ovu1ieaBKHPnI9wCLcB/s1600/WP_20160818_11_22_49_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KWysAiIRWyo/V7WQmA_BvnI/AAAAAAAAB2w/7DkIQDY6I_0Tky_zr1ovu1ieaBKHPnI9wCLcB/s320/WP_20160818_11_22_49_Pro.jpg" title="Storyteller's chair" width="179" /></a></div>
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For those of you who've read <b>Merlin's Vow</b>, I hope you enjoyed it. One of the greatest pleasures is hearing from people who've read my books, I love getting feedback, whether directly on here in the 'Contact me' box, or as a review or rating on Amazon or Goodreads. (If you have the time, a review is very, very special - especially if you liked it!) </div>
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There won't be many updates on here in the next few weeks because we'll be in France and, although we will be able to pick up a signal, it's a VERY slow one. However, if you want to contact me, I'll get your messages and I'll make sure I reply! </div>
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I'll leave you with a photo taken beside a river in a Cornish valley, and one of an evening in my garden.</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TESwVofqaBw/V7WUCQc_lyI/AAAAAAAAB3E/FSb9YrxuK6cgVyLwc25yoG1X2WCYdvYzgCEw/s1600/WP_20160529_16_03_47_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TESwVofqaBw/V7WUCQc_lyI/AAAAAAAAB3E/FSb9YrxuK6cgVyLwc25yoG1X2WCYdvYzgCEw/s320/WP_20160529_16_03_47_Pro.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
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Rosie Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05735584336794053685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3214228212316157519.post-91774105713440491632016-07-14T10:13:00.001-07:002016-07-14T10:13:31.712-07:00Merlin's Vow released.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJdsD3t4HBzKfPA-8aBFdYLID9JZsjLmf-ZtEmliZ_8B82o7E2cNObwsWeN0YaMaauWedzjzTVX8fuW04ixMKD8lFDrrpz4J4D3NoBcqYQNcrg3AuV2jJ7OvbEB_KsRru_qeS35U9K7T4/s1600/St+Michael%2527s+Mount.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="http://www.stmichaelsmount.co.uk/plan-your-visit/" border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJdsD3t4HBzKfPA-8aBFdYLID9JZsjLmf-ZtEmliZ_8B82o7E2cNObwsWeN0YaMaauWedzjzTVX8fuW04ixMKD8lFDrrpz4J4D3NoBcqYQNcrg3AuV2jJ7OvbEB_KsRru_qeS35U9K7T4/s320/St+Michael%2527s+Mount.jpg" title="St Michael's Mount - as featured in 'Merlin's Vow by Rosie Morgan" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St Michael's Mount, Cornwall, a major part of Merlin's Vow -<br /> #3 The Camelot Inheritance.</td></tr>
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<h2>
Book 3 of The Camelot Inheritance hits the shelves.</h2>
<h3>
Magic from the word 'go'.</h3>
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Hi folks and sorry for the long silence - life has been full-on but, at last, the third in the series is out there!</div>
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Before I rabbit on, I must say a <i>huge</i> thank you to those people who've discovered the book in the week since it was published, and have already given it some lovely ratings on Amazon U.S. and Goodreads. What stars you are!</div>
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I've loved watching the story unfold as I've written it. Sometimes it's hard to believe that I've been involved - characters and events can take on a life of their own. Dragon has become even more important, Nick's humour more developed - and Tamar more challenged by her own very special gift. It takes guts to be a successful Time Keeper.<br />
You can get a glimpse of the characters and the story with the 'Look inside' feature on Amazon.<br />
Click here for <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Merlins-Vow-Camelot-Inheritance-Book-ebook/dp/B01HWN0GUG" target="_blank">Amazon UK.</a><br />
Click here for <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HWN0GUG" target="_blank">Amazon USA.</a></div>
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Pretty soon I'm going to put a gallery of photos together which were the inspiration for the settings in 'Merlin's Vow'. In the meantime, here's the map of Trezion - where most of the action takes place.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1SXeCjX6peI/V4e-aSZElUI/AAAAAAAAB0M/2J1SbW6L21oNMUvnvIhveks_bR370jyqQCLcB/s1600/Map%2Bfor%2Bmerlin%2527s%2BVow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1SXeCjX6peI/V4e-aSZElUI/AAAAAAAAB0M/2J1SbW6L21oNMUvnvIhveks_bR370jyqQCLcB/s320/Map%2Bfor%2Bmerlin%2527s%2BVow.jpg" title="Trezion in 'Merlin's Vow' (The Camelot Inheritance - Book 3)" width="192" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trezion - loosely based on Marazion</td></tr>
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<br />Whereas this is the real Marazion.</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TYCOMrVNz7w/V4fABAM-9dI/AAAAAAAAB0Y/0v7Y-BNnZf4i_R1fq4qm0H67N6AXTYy2QCLcB/s1600/Marazion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="http://www.cornwall-online.co.uk/westcornwall/marazion.htm" border="0" height="97" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TYCOMrVNz7w/V4fABAM-9dI/AAAAAAAAB0Y/0v7Y-BNnZf4i_R1fq4qm0H67N6AXTYy2QCLcB/s320/Marazion.jpg" title="Marazion - the basis for Trezion in Merlin's Vow by Rosie Morgan" width="320" /></a></div>
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And then there's the island - St Michael's Mount. On my map it's easily spotted. (If you look up Merlin's Vow on Amazon, you'll see the illustration heading Chapter 1, featuring the island.)</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-56JtrUZo89Y/V4fFPR2s1PI/AAAAAAAAB00/XYMEXgvZeS0IPzaulrWtJjRTHo7Vq9FKwCLcB/s1600/sunset%2Bisland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="http://www.stmichaelsmount.co.uk/history-legends/history-of-the-mount" border="0" height="171" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-56JtrUZo89Y/V4fFPR2s1PI/AAAAAAAAB00/XYMEXgvZeS0IPzaulrWtJjRTHo7Vq9FKwCLcB/s320/sunset%2Bisland.jpg" title="St Michael's Mount - the model for the Little Mount in Merlin's Vow" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St Michael's Mount - the model for the Little Mount in Merlin's Vow</td></tr>
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<div>
As ever the Cornish landscape has provided a beautiful backdrop. If you don't know the UK, Cornwall is a county (much like a small state in the USA or a department in France), on the very end of our country. The island and the village of Marazion are pretty close to the end of the county - and one of my favourite parts of my beloved Cornwall. </div>
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My thanks must go to Sally Vince, my wonderful editor who enabled my story to fly; Katie Stewart of Magic Owl design, my creative cover designer, for her patience and clever interpretation of my ideas; and to Helen Blenkhorn, Dragon's life-giver. Also THANK YOU to each and every one of my friends and family who have encouraged and spurred me on.<br />
And always, and at all times, grâce à Dieu.</div>
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Keep watching for the gallery, then you really will see the backdrop to Merlin's Vow!</div>
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Rosie Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05735584336794053685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3214228212316157519.post-83263690147219404652016-03-23T03:56:00.000-07:002016-03-23T03:56:06.772-07:00Writing, illustrating and editing in Cornwall<h2 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Cornwall in Spring (and a progress report).</h2>
<div>
I am the most fortunate of writers. I've been pointed in Sally Vince's direction - an editor with super powers. She's already begun work on the third in The Camelot Inheritance series and I'm in awe. It's all <i>really </i>coming together. </div>
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However the title is still being decided upon (see the end of this post). </div>
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And the illustrations are still being drawn. (Again see the end of the post.)</div>
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But I'm seriously hoping to have the book out by June. In the meantime I thought I's post a few photos of Cornwall... and some other bits and pieces. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yR3EYHg4GEw/VvBZXv1p3fI/AAAAAAAAByU/ZCjcNTcFW2QGWJ4Of2MKdVLpivp3WnsnQ/s1600/WP_20160210_16_48_05_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yR3EYHg4GEw/VvBZXv1p3fI/AAAAAAAAByU/ZCjcNTcFW2QGWJ4Of2MKdVLpivp3WnsnQ/s320/WP_20160210_16_48_05_Pro.jpg" title="On Bodmin Moor" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bodmin Moor looking towards Dartmoor.</td></tr>
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I've been snowed under with writing, editing and illustrating, so with spring nipping at our ankles I've collected a selection of photos of our beautiful moors and coast - the inspiration behind my books - as a sort of apology for being absent for so long.</div>
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These first two were taken a couple of weeks ago on Bodmin Moor; home to many sheep, wild ponies, Galloway cattle, rabbits, frogs...</div>
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Whereas the ones that follow are at the coast, at Looe - renamed Pendrym in the books.</div>
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Pete and I often pop down here, it's just a sort drive from our front door. It never fails to remind us how very fortunate we are to live in such a beautiful part of the world. </div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LeXP9HzGsyE/VvBaTGWq19I/AAAAAAAAByg/uTdvSfDW9Dk_LgrcYxx8lS8bo2PoWP04Q/s1600/WP_20160224_15_34_13_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LeXP9HzGsyE/VvBaTGWq19I/AAAAAAAAByg/uTdvSfDW9Dk_LgrcYxx8lS8bo2PoWP04Q/s320/WP_20160224_15_34_13_Pro.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
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This is just one of Looe's streets, dating back several hundred years. The building you can see on the left of this photo is called the Smugglers Cott - a gorgeous restaurant squeezed into a low-roofed cottage with beams pulled from the wreckage of the Spanish Armada.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JI6-U4xuIWg/VvBafL7KjFI/AAAAAAAAByk/mJnEZwi9QBIkvq0OCEzbVtXSHgQ6uZQZw/s1600/WP_20160224_15_21_00_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="www.looeguide.co.uk/" border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JI6-U4xuIWg/VvBafL7KjFI/AAAAAAAAByk/mJnEZwi9QBIkvq0OCEzbVtXSHgQ6uZQZw/s320/WP_20160224_15_21_00_Pro.jpg" title="Smugglers Cott, Looe, Cornwall" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Smugglers Cott in Looe</td></tr>
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And then of course there's the beach which features in the first of The Camelot Inheritance books, The Golden Sword. </div>
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In summer it's packed, but in winter and early spring it's quiet with just local families and only a few tourists.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgROJwPrj-4VeRGIh93g7-USTayD5ZxeKIfE2VVRGdjbcAtjd9KwU2pliu-oQiP9kh6moI5y8HVCf4kNm0V_RIxT4rLQTHxzUpReyNiRcXsjcKtszumdDM8XyQWu6XKUmjm3Kj7PNQs5U/s1600/WP_20160224_15_12_03_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgROJwPrj-4VeRGIh93g7-USTayD5ZxeKIfE2VVRGdjbcAtjd9KwU2pliu-oQiP9kh6moI5y8HVCf4kNm0V_RIxT4rLQTHxzUpReyNiRcXsjcKtszumdDM8XyQWu6XKUmjm3Kj7PNQs5U/s320/WP_20160224_15_12_03_Pro.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
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And this is the bridge over the river in Looe. In both my books there are maps, and in each map you'll find that this bridge is featured. Spot the stone-built arches that span the river.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5QLKJwog0pFHYZjWs6Kdz3KFTlQ3EFozmboi9DaQ1KvglQyRPsxNYYb22K8bVt9ODyRrPIKdkDqrZcI1RpVmbXBah7yidvuvcSRxsDBmV_LrM5dEZiVNaNVPfeOsa6nRGeYu7FUmAFxE/s1600/Map+with+bridge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5QLKJwog0pFHYZjWs6Kdz3KFTlQ3EFozmboi9DaQ1KvglQyRPsxNYYb22K8bVt9ODyRrPIKdkDqrZcI1RpVmbXBah7yidvuvcSRxsDBmV_LrM5dEZiVNaNVPfeOsa6nRGeYu7FUmAFxE/s400/Map+with+bridge.jpg" width="282" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-67ZaO6IYqVI/VvBbIZV5wjI/AAAAAAAABy8/ZYRBiP5onm8Wnxou1lUKvqrvY_KxNZokQ/s1600/WP_20160224_14_36_31_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-67ZaO6IYqVI/VvBbIZV5wjI/AAAAAAAABy8/ZYRBiP5onm8Wnxou1lUKvqrvY_KxNZokQ/s320/WP_20160224_14_36_31_Pro.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
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I just couldn't resist this photo. As any of you who've read either of my books will know, a crow is one of the more important central characters, and here was one sitting on one of Looe's signposts.<br />
Look carefully and you'll spot that the railway is signed. This is the same railway that joins Liskeard and Looe, and is featured in the Camelot Inheritance.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ENdIGUBg8hU/VvBbUh0rJfI/AAAAAAAABzE/VuOhbI8QWGs7f9evvmLBaMayUrapUgU0A/s1600/WP_20160303_12_53_37_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="https://www.pinterest.com/explore/illustrations/" border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ENdIGUBg8hU/VvBbUh0rJfI/AAAAAAAABzE/VuOhbI8QWGs7f9evvmLBaMayUrapUgU0A/s320/WP_20160303_12_53_37_Pro.jpg" title="The growth of an illustration" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The growth of an illustration.</td></tr>
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And now - evidence of my illustrating. This picture is for the third book. There's an episode involving a steam train. I won't elaborate because I could spoil it for you!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GXLvt-MR6es/VvBbggcumFI/AAAAAAAABzM/79khornJDFMHzqlBAhS8hW6UH0Wdm69sA/s1600/WP_20160303_14_21_27_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="https://www.pinterest.com/explore/illustrations/" border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GXLvt-MR6es/VvBbggcumFI/AAAAAAAABzM/79khornJDFMHzqlBAhS8hW6UH0Wdm69sA/s320/WP_20160303_14_21_27_Pro.jpg" title="Illustration for the third in The Camelot Inheritance series." width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A train steams through a valley.</td></tr>
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And of course, always at my side monitoring my work is Oz, my trusty cat.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oz checking out my work.</td></tr>
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I have a question as I work with my editor and commit drawings to paper - what should I call the book? I've two possible titles: Merlin's Vow or Arthur's Quest. Which do you prefer? If you've got a preference, please <i>do l</i>et me know. You can write your choice in my contacts box and don't forget to put your contact details.Rosie Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05735584336794053685noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3214228212316157519.post-76236721349342835832016-01-02T08:31:00.002-08:002016-01-02T08:34:49.026-08:00Happy New Year from Cornwall!<h2 style="height: 0px;">
Christmas and New Year wishes</h2>
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To my readers in the US, UK, Spain, Germany or France, my very best wishes for 2016.</h3>
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Christmas in Cornwall has been fun; filled with family-time and celebrations marking Jesus' birth.</div>
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I love all the paraphernalia that goes with Christmas... and the excuse to get together.</div>
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But before I go any further, I want to send a massive thank-you to indieBRAG for awarding 'The Time Smugglers' a medallion. It's an immense honour because the book has to pass several stages and then ten different readers have to agree that they liked it enough to recommend to other readers!</div>
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However on to Christmas in Cornwall.</div>
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A couple of weeks before the big day we went up to the moors (much of the setting for 'The Golden Sword'), and happened upon carol singers... on horseback (and in the mist!). Bizarre but strangely wonderful.</div>
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However whilst in the warmth of our sitting room we decorated a HUGE tree. It is beautiful, if a little on the large side! (It scrapes the ceiling.)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbhi7u3dUfItsQGTHDMBG2iY7rDEc5TO9rpsOC1H_gKrSJkXp9y4aJQodLiEOXF9uX8EH4jmLSX3k9tOQOay25vbvnG05ZkHJ2_GjLSyvtxSlJNb81syUq_ZsrNTYj7S9ZlaX-Tyd_QZ4/s1600/WP_20151214_20_25_09_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbhi7u3dUfItsQGTHDMBG2iY7rDEc5TO9rpsOC1H_gKrSJkXp9y4aJQodLiEOXF9uX8EH4jmLSX3k9tOQOay25vbvnG05ZkHJ2_GjLSyvtxSlJNb81syUq_ZsrNTYj7S9ZlaX-Tyd_QZ4/s320/WP_20151214_20_25_09_Pro.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
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Meanwhile I had fun buying and wrapping pressies and sending numerous cards and we had the MOST fun staying in a cottage over Christmas with four generations of our family. AND ...</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2mEmdAqVA7o/VobextQa8tI/AAAAAAAABwU/M1gQCROybuk/s1600/WP_20151224_12_42_24_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2mEmdAqVA7o/VobextQa8tI/AAAAAAAABwU/M1gQCROybuk/s320/WP_20151224_12_42_24_Pro.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
... we visited some great places.<br />
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Every year volunteers and gardeners on the National Trust's Cothele estate (on the banks of the river Tamar), create a beautiful, dried-flower garland for the Christmas season.<br />
So during Christmas Eve afternoon, Pete and I paid a visit. It was spectacular.<br />
If you visit the Tamar Valley I strongly recommend a visit to Cothele, even if it's not at Christmas. <a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/cotehele">http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/cotehele</a><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1sG0gM0r45c/VobgD_nn_vI/AAAAAAAABwg/kE4z7hBEFHU/s1600/Christmas%2Bgarland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/cotehele" border="0" height="140" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1sG0gM0r45c/VobgD_nn_vI/AAAAAAAABwg/kE4z7hBEFHU/s320/Christmas%2Bgarland.jpg" title="Cothele Christmas Garland" width="320" /></a></div>
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We also popped along to the market town of Tavistock,<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qhsBjnLouP0/VobjIV_aDMI/AAAAAAAABw0/hv4lpIcaCOs/s1600/Tavi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qhsBjnLouP0/VobjIV_aDMI/AAAAAAAABw0/hv4lpIcaCOs/s320/Tavi.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Great shops and a pannier market with everything from clothes to flowers to chocolates. I bought Pete a train in a tin :)<br />
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And Boscastle was pretty impressive. It's a harbour a little way along the coast from Tintagel, legendary home of King Arthur - so I would like it wouldn't I?! Click here for their website: <a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/boscastle">http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/boscastle</a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p9amWvl2UCc/VofyxGxLAbI/AAAAAAAABxs/10fd_pMRlQk/s1600/WP_20151223_15_01_48_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/boscastle" border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p9amWvl2UCc/VofyxGxLAbI/AAAAAAAABxs/10fd_pMRlQk/s320/WP_20151223_15_01_48_Pro.jpg" title="Boscastle seas" width="177" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boscastle's entrance</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YwAQukLCA9E/VofyoVrxpHI/AAAAAAAABxk/hUyI6J8zhbg/s1600/WP_20151223_15_04_41_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/boscastle" border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YwAQukLCA9E/VofyoVrxpHI/AAAAAAAABxk/hUyI6J8zhbg/s320/WP_20151223_15_04_41_Pro.jpg" title="Boscastle" width="177" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boscastle's seas in winter - beautiful.</td></tr>
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Cutting to New Year and welcome to an evening with friends and games- May I recommend TFI' Friday's 'Epic Malteaser Challenge'?<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IwltEnDK5LY/VoblS2SmVNI/AAAAAAAABxI/iWas89rTix4/s1600/packet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IwltEnDK5LY/VoblS2SmVNI/AAAAAAAABxI/iWas89rTix4/s1600/packet.jpg" /></a></div>
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It's easy. Take a steel tape measure, stretch it, hold it up and link to a friend's open mouth and send the Malteser down. We tried it down a flight of stairs. T'was fun.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DuP60_wV6QU/Vobk5YiEDYI/AAAAAAAABxA/GyQ6IxG2rZ8/s1600/Malteser.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DuP60_wV6QU/Vobk5YiEDYI/AAAAAAAABxA/GyQ6IxG2rZ8/s320/Malteser.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Yeap, okay, we've some growing-up to do!<br />
And before I finish, a promise of what's to come in the next few months.<br />
Book 3 will shortly be on its way to the editor and the illustrations are already underway.<br />
Meet Tyto the Barn Owl.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5BaWp1yEhprbwYfii0UHzeke5HfLVWINn7qmthyFwbdIwuJjvIQ7pkwLl94pK3c9SWQglZA25Ltq4D5JCdk2sZoe3uBA3bE0AhxO-5UnnqqtMKV5LX0J6yAhn19U56nt22VOJFyBTs4Q/s1600/WP_20151202_09_24_44_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Golden-Sword-Camelot-Inheritance-Book/dp/1497402247" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5BaWp1yEhprbwYfii0UHzeke5HfLVWINn7qmthyFwbdIwuJjvIQ7pkwLl94pK3c9SWQglZA25Ltq4D5JCdk2sZoe3uBA3bE0AhxO-5UnnqqtMKV5LX0J6yAhn19U56nt22VOJFyBTs4Q/s320/WP_20151202_09_24_44_Pro.jpg" title="Tyto the Barn Owl as in #3 The Camelot Inheritance series" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tyto the Barn Owl</td></tr>
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I've sent airborne communications to the v. talented Katie W Stewart who will be designing the cover; if the last two are anything to go by this one will be a stunner. </div>
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And Helen the Dragon artist will again be conjuring our little green friend to life. Can't wait.</div>
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Thank you for popping in. Do send me a message via the contact box, I love to hear from you and I always reply! X</div>
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Rosie Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05735584336794053685noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3214228212316157519.post-82904983226687100502015-10-16T12:23:00.000-07:002015-10-16T12:23:26.518-07:00Travels with my laptop.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Nf0cFnKHycI/VhQi1YCkcoI/AAAAAAAABso/-cXcgQwqOAM/s1600/012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Nf0cFnKHycI/VhQi1YCkcoI/AAAAAAAABso/-cXcgQwqOAM/s320/012.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">La Roche Bernard, Brittany, France</td></tr>
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<h2>
My laptop, my notebook and me.</h2>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This year has been a year of rattling along roads, sailing seas and flying skies. It's been months of packing and unpacking, flinging cases into cars, trains and planes. Together, my notebooks, my little Hewlett Packard Mini laptop and me (and Pete of course!), have</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> covered many miles and written many, many words.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But now we're home and w</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">e're not going anywhere for some months. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, with a fair wind behind me, the third in The Camelot Inheritance series should be finished and published by spring 2016. Originally I'd promised by the end of this year... but hey, life happens.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pete and I always aim to travel as cheaply as possible, so this means no package holidays but as D.I.Y as we can manage.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the early summer we popped down to west Cornwall to do a spot more research for the third book.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FfXNSWYHsfY/VhQc4YaZDMI/AAAAAAAABsE/dPQ0Aj9Z_O0/s1600/WP_20150514_16_18_16_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FfXNSWYHsfY/VhQc4YaZDMI/AAAAAAAABsE/dPQ0Aj9Z_O0/s320/WP_20150514_16_18_16_Pro.jpg" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Michael's Mount, Cornwall</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">...An essential weekend at St. Michael's Mount and the village of Marazion, the setting for Book 3 and one of my favourite places in the world. Every time I go there, I cannot get over how fortunate we are to live near here.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9QQGIvt2uFc/VhQdWV7CzAI/AAAAAAAABsM/haEI81gpFN4/s1600/WP_20150515_14_29_24_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9QQGIvt2uFc/VhQdWV7CzAI/AAAAAAAABsM/haEI81gpFN4/s320/WP_20150515_14_29_24_Pro.jpg" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">West Cornwall</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It happens to be here in Cornwall that the <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/nbVFGmB7lFVmJJKpjrCQV/poldarks-cornwall-locations" target="_blank">Poldark series</a> is filmed and <a href="http://www.tv.com/shows/doc-martin/" target="_blank">Doc Martin</a> is set. It's a wild and beautiful landscape, infinitely inspirational and climatically changeable... and the perfect place to set 'The Camelot Inheritance' series; after all it does have a spot of magic in it.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXKnqY3pXoJFG0ZEkB2oQzPOtXIBH088TPsUj-QISFXph4dOwRTNrJu1MtdS7u2q8JL5WoHJll2tDnpH5LrV2OrQLWbb9Zs0vieatTt4D0zkSOOAqWsA3fLcu2NH_jQuo0V7nFwDG2S-0/s1600/WP_20150816_15_25_07_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXKnqY3pXoJFG0ZEkB2oQzPOtXIBH088TPsUj-QISFXph4dOwRTNrJu1MtdS7u2q8JL5WoHJll2tDnpH5LrV2OrQLWbb9Zs0vieatTt4D0zkSOOAqWsA3fLcu2NH_jQuo0V7nFwDG2S-0/s320/WP_20150816_15_25_07_Pro.jpg" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The little-known Tamar Valley</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And then on the border between Cornwall and Devon is the beautiful Tamar Valley, a gem of a place. So peaceful and far from the holiday crowds.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But this was all close to home. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We've also been to the north of England, on the edge of the Peak district and to the south, to Bath - a setting used by Jane Austen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We've been in Brittany, northern France...</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.vacances-location.net/holidays-rental/map-town/morbihan/la-roche-bernard.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.vacances-location.net/holidays-rental/map-town/morbihan/la-roche-bernard.png" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">La Roche Bernard, on the border of Morbihan and the Loire Atlantique. A gorgeous little town.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zipLFCYqTAY/VhQinRE5gWI/AAAAAAAABsg/keXVsrSMw-E/s1600/007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zipLFCYqTAY/VhQinRE5gWI/AAAAAAAABsg/keXVsrSMw-E/s320/007.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">La Roche Bernard, Brittany</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And then down to Marseilles in the south...</span><div>
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<a href="http://www.traildino.com/img/upload/Europe/France/Map/Map-of-GR98.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.traildino.com/img/upload/Europe/France/Map/Map-of-GR98.gif" height="217" width="320" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J_wzWSr5heA/VhQjpJNuwgI/AAAAAAAABs4/ktz4CDxVVYM/s1600/WP_20150926_16_16_25_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The Old Port Marseilles" border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J_wzWSr5heA/VhQjpJNuwgI/AAAAAAAABs4/ktz4CDxVVYM/s320/WP_20150926_16_16_25_Pro.jpg" title="" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Old Port, Marseilles</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> and while there visited the old port. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We dawdled past shops hidden up narrow alleys, selling soap, suitcases, perfume, olive oil and wine and cheese. I'm not a travel writer, but if you happen to have the opportunity to visit this city, you must take in this wonderful spot.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--m-gdHnPxaQ/Vhq9F9uz5_I/AAAAAAAABtY/M4gzGU6UV3o/s1600/WP_20150926_16_32_20_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--m-gdHnPxaQ/Vhq9F9uz5_I/AAAAAAAABtY/M4gzGU6UV3o/s320/WP_20150926_16_32_20_Pro.jpg" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the more original shop fronts.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x-IJhLrQ9VA/Vhq9bljz9PI/AAAAAAAABtg/tNTKPC9B_po/s1600/WP_20150926_16_16_46_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x-IJhLrQ9VA/Vhq9bljz9PI/AAAAAAAABtg/tNTKPC9B_po/s320/WP_20150926_16_16_46_Pro.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T82auBPdtnU/Vhq9qquWWSI/AAAAAAAABto/5v-vyKmVe5w/s1600/WP_20150926_16_18_35_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T82auBPdtnU/Vhq9qquWWSI/AAAAAAAABto/5v-vyKmVe5w/s320/WP_20150926_16_18_35_Pro.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And then we happened upon a piece of street theatre, several floors up... on the <u>outside</u> of an apartment building. I couldn't watch </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(!) but a huge crowd, braver than me had gathered, and they watched. I can't imagine Health and Safety allowing that in Britain (there were no wires or nets), but it was magnificent. And so,so French.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q9riKXDeydY/Vhq-16nw0_I/AAAAAAAABt0/5vDdUG-ecco/s1600/WP_20150926_16_40_36_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q9riKXDeydY/Vhq-16nw0_I/AAAAAAAABt0/5vDdUG-ecco/s320/WP_20150926_16_40_36_Pro.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Our ultimate destination was Porquerolles, a tiny island facing Provence, for a belated holiday after a busy year.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.porquerolles-provence.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/carte%20Hy%C3%A8res%20Porquerolles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="http://www.porquerolles-provence.com/voyage-porquerolles" border="0" src="http://www.porquerolles-provence.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/carte%20Hy%C3%A8res%20Porquerolles.jpg" height="188" title="Porquerolles" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How to find Porquerolles</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We took the train along the coast from Marseilles to Hyeres, and the ferry from Hyeres to the island. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As it turned out we were fortunate to be able to visit in September because the island is a nature reserve; unspoiled, but much visited.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The seas are crystal clear and the sand soft. Few cars are allowed and few 'proper' roads cross the island - bikes and feet are the way to get around.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It was a perfect place to write but to be honest as long as there's somewhere to plug in my HP, almost anywhere is a perfect writing place.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Our hosts were the immensely kind Claude and Veronique (we loved their studio). It was a week to treasure... and we will. Thank you Claude, thank you Veronique.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the beautiful bays in Porquerolles.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The seas really were these colours.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But the very best thing about this year hasn't been the sand and warm seas... May I introduce our brand new granddaughter.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Gorgeous eh? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Enough said.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Until the next time x</span><br />
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Rosie Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05735584336794053685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3214228212316157519.post-37452382966986009422015-08-31T13:23:00.001-07:002015-10-17T04:12:32.284-07:00A fairy-tale island <h2>
The magic that is St Michael's Mount in Cornwall, UK</h2>
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I was going to introduce you to more of Cornwall's magic in the last post, but was sidetracked by talking about Netgalley. This post, however, is to be dedicated to the Mount, the backdrop for the third in The Camelot Inheritance series.</div>
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I love this place and could visit it many times over... in fact I think I will be popping down there again very soon, West Cornwall has a personality all of its own; quite beautiful and, at times, mysterious.</div>
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The Mount is situated off Cornwall's north coast towards the very tip of the county and Britain.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mounts Bay, home to St Michael's Mount</td></tr>
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Zoom out and you can see where Cornwall lies in relation to the rest of Britain.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cornwall is right at the bottom of the map.</td></tr>
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And now the island as seen from the shore.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St Michael's Mount, Cornwall. </td></tr>
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At low tide it can be reached on foot over a stone causeway but at high tide it can only be reached by boat.</div>
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At the foot of the island there are cottages where the folk who help run the castle, and island, live.<br />
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From here you have to walk up another stone path which climbs steeply up the hill towards the castle.</div>
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You can see just how steep it is!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Um... sorry about the thumb!</td></tr>
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Dramatic eh? The castle has been in use for hundreds of years, although not always in this form, it was originally used by monks. Now it has some very comfortable touches but the canons hint at a much more troubled past.</div>
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On one side of the island they face inland and on the other they face out to sea. To reach the castle's entrance you have to scramble up some more steps and finally enter the castle through this beautiful arched door.</div>
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And once you're through the door, you enter a hallway festooned with swords and weapons linked with the castle's past. They're magnificent...</div>
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At one end of the room, the family's crest decorates a wall. The dark bird at the top of the design is the Cornish Chough - pronounced 'chuff' - which is also Cornwall's emblem.</div>
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So I've taken you through the front door and into the very first of the rooms, but I'll save the rest of the castle's interior for a later post.</div>
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If you want to know anything about visiting the island, you can follow this link:<a href="http://www.stmichaelsmount.co.uk/" target="_blank"> http://www.stmichaelsmount.co.uk</a>/</div>
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In a couple of weeks I'll be featuring another interview with a fellow author, until then folks thanks for stopping by and please drop in again. x</div>
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Rosie Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05735584336794053685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3214228212316157519.post-57025958466635323842015-08-09T10:02:00.000-07:002015-10-17T04:13:11.057-07:00Inspirational Cornwall - the stuff fantasies are made of.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Sun + Cornwall = A truckload of ideas</h2>
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Sometimes it's important to take time out and chill, and it's so much easier when the sun is shining and the sky is wall-to-wall blue.</div>
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Cornwall is gorgeous at any time of year, even when it's raining and blowing a gale, it always has its own special sort of magic. However on a day like yesterday, it has a sort of Enid Blyton feel about it; a sort of living childhood memory.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spot my home town, Liskeard, in Cornwall's heart.<br />
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I live between the moors and the sea, in Liskeard. It's an ancient town with some houses dating to the 1600's. Pretty often Pete and I walk on the moors, we can see them from home; they're only a ten minute drive away and part of the setting for 'The Golden Sword'.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking out from the path mentioned in 'The Golden Sword'.</td></tr>
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There are spectacular views on every side, this was just one of the inspirational places that started me on my writing journey.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Cheesewring, a granite natural wonder, towering over the moors.</td></tr>
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But yesterday it was a warm, blue-skied day, so we headed for the south coast, about twenty minutes in the other direction. We lay on the beach, Pete had a dip while I day-dreamed... and then the ideas began popping; by the time I reached for my notebook I could barely write quickly enough! Sand, sea and sun is an awesome combination to get those creative juices flowing.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Downderry is along from Looe towards Plymouth.</td></tr>
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Fortunately I'd remembered my phone, so I took some photos to show you guys just how beautiful it was.<br />
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Last year when we were here, I brought my trusty sketch pad and pencils and spent a happy afternoon laying down the outline of the illustration that ended up in 'The Time Smugglers'. (I was delighted that the judges for the 2015 International Rubery Book Award mentioned the illustrations as well as the story in 'The Time Smugglers'!)<br />
The picture below is the result of that afternoon in 2014.<br />
The island is called Looe Island and lies just about a mile off the coast, opposite the fishing port of Looe, (I've popped a photo of it at the top of this post.) You can't quite see either Looe, or the island, in this photo but you'll just have to trust me that it's there! In the book it's called Lemayne Island and Looe is renamed Pendrym.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the illustrations in 'The Time Smugglers'. </td></tr>
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Only the previous afternoon we'd walked the glorious coast path between Talland Bay and Polperro which also feature in 'The Time Smugglers'. It doesn't get much better than this!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Polperro_harbour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Polperro_harbour.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Polperro harbour.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.visitcornwall.com/sites/default/files/styles/product_image/public/Talland%20Bay.jpg?itok=0dMw0G7C" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="209" src="https://www.visitcornwall.com/sites/default/files/styles/product_image/public/Talland%20Bay.jpg?itok=0dMw0G7C" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Talland Bay, Porth Talant in 'The Time Smugglers'.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RKzpxXn2sU0/VcdDoUIwz8I/AAAAAAAABpM/07YE-goOxec/s1600/Porth%2BTalant%2Bwith%2Bcaption.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="282" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RKzpxXn2sU0/VcdDoUIwz8I/AAAAAAAABpM/07YE-goOxec/s400/Porth%2BTalant%2Bwith%2Bcaption.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Talland Bay or Porth Talant<br />
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So there you are, one summer's day in Cornwall. </div>
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The third book is coming along well. I'm very close to the end but there's a lot of editing and proof-reading before it makes its way into the world, so here's a tiny taster of the intro.</div>
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'<span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: justify;">The
dragon completed his third circuit of the bedroom, flicked his tail, landed on
the desk and eyed the dried beetle held between Nick’s finger and thumb
suspiciously.</span>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">‘I
know you prefer fresh insects,’ Nick said, ’but it’s winter and there aren’t
many around.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
dragon yawned. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">‘I
can’t get anything else now, it’s this or nothing.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
miniature dragon flapped its wings, shuffled towards the edge of the desk and
swished its tail, sending a stack of empty coke cans clattering to the floor.
Nick put the beetle in his palm and opened his hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">‘I
promise that as soon as it’s spring, I’ll be on my hands and knees lifting
every leaf to find you the very best insects in all of Cornwall.’ <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
dragon teetered on the edge of the desk before launching himself towards Nick and
landing heavily on his outstretched hand. Nick grinned as the minute snout
tickled his skin while the animal licked the remnants of the dried snack. All
the difficulties and complications of owning a small dragon faded away at times
like this. He held the tiny creature against his chest and began to stroked its scaly back. Dragon clicked
contentedly, a dragon’s purr, and his eyes began to close. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">It
was then that the book chose to flick into life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
dragon’s eyes snapped wide open as the pages began to turn – by themselves. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">This
was the first time that Nick had witnessed the book in action and although he’d
guessed that it must do something like this, he’d never actually been there to
see it. He’d sometimes come back to find it lying open at the page it had
chosen, but being in the room while it selected just what it wanted was another
thing entirely. He held the fascinated dragon close, he couldn’t risk it
pouncing on the unsuspecting book. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
pages picked up speed, pictures flashing past followed by pieces of text, a
blur of colour and words in the book’s hurry to get to the page it wanted to
reveal. Dragon watched, mesmerised, until finally the pages came to a stop.
Nick leant over and stared. It wasn’t a person or an animal; it was a place,
and one that Nick knew very well. Immediately Nick’s phone buzzed and Arthur’s
name flashed across the screen. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">No
one would be sleeping much tonight.'<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Until the next post folks :) x</div>
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Rosie Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05735584336794053685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3214228212316157519.post-85316364730741567462015-07-05T06:48:00.000-07:002015-10-17T04:13:56.813-07:00Shortlisted and nominated!<h2>
To have one nomination is amazing, to have two is quite wonderful.</h2>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I was delighted and amazed to have 'The Time Smugglers' shortlisted for the 2015 International Rubery Book Award.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">To find out , just a couple of days later, that both 'The Golden Sword' and 'The Time Smugglers' were nominated for the 2015 Holyer an Gof awards was incredible.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JQCDNcr29-w/VZkxahmyPEI/AAAAAAAABnA/2ulcsBZEWnA/s1600/Rubery%2Bfor%2Bblog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JQCDNcr29-w/VZkxahmyPEI/AAAAAAAABnA/2ulcsBZEWnA/s1600/Rubery%2Bfor%2Bblog.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The International Rubery Awards is judged by a panel that includes <strong style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.5px;">Judith Allnatt</strong><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.5px;"> an acclaimed short story writer and novelist; </span><strong style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.5px;">Paul McDonald a </strong><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.5px;">senior lecturer in English and Creative Writing at the University of Wolverhampton, and </span><strong style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.5px;">Clare Morrall </strong><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.5px;"> an author whose</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.5px;"> debut novel, Astonishing Splashes of Colour, was short listed for the MAN Booker Prize.</span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Oqx6dBPCmUQ/VZkyp1GFTZI/AAAAAAAABnM/142bRX7EvA8/s1600/550.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="http://www.ruberybookaward.com/2015-winners.html" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Oqx6dBPCmUQ/VZkyp1GFTZI/AAAAAAAABnM/142bRX7EvA8/s1600/550.gif" title="" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The judges at work!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.5px;">This is what they said about 'The Time Smugglers':</span></span></div>
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<strong style="background-color: white; color: #3f3f3f; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Time Smugglers </span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #3f3f3f; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;">Rosie Morgan</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #3f3f3f; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #3f3f3f; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;">This is the second in a series of books set in Cornwall. </span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #3f3f3f; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;">The four protagonists, based on Arthur and his knights, are drawn into a secret parallel world where nothing is as it seems, and where the Crow Man and his colleagues are plotting vengeance and destruction. </span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #3f3f3f; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;">t’s a world where apparently ordinary people possess secret knowledge, and help comes from unexpected sources. Fast moving, dramatic and exciting, with pleasing pencil drawings placed throughout, and with a promise of further adventures to come.</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #3f3f3f; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.5px;">The Holyer An Gof award is a Cornish award for books with a Cornish slant. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.5px;">I'm deeply honoured to have <i>both </i>my books shortlisted and nominated for this award. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.5px;">The awards evening is set for Tuesday 14th July, and I shall be there! Whether or not I win anything it will be exciting to be able to go along and meet other authors. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.5px;">(I'm hoping Philip Marsden, the author of 'Rising Ground' will be there. My lovely dad gave me his book last year. It was the last present he gave me. x)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.5px;">Thanks for popping in, I'll keep you posted on my progress! x</span></span></div>
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Rosie Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05735584336794053685noreply@blogger.com0