Free books – hurry now!

It’s offer time in the book world. T B Markinson is offering her first novel A Woman Lost for 99 pence or cents, depending on whether you use Amazon UK or US.

When I read her novel Marionette (she sent me a review copy), I read the preview chapters of A Woman Lost, and told her it sounded interesting. Whereupon she offered to send it to me. When do I turn down a book?

A Woman Lost by T B Markinson

While both novels deal with lesbian relationships and moneyed families, the similarities really ended there for me. A Woman Lost concentrates very much on relationships, those of family, of friends and of partners compared with the harsh and sometimes violent discrimination that was portrayed in Marionette.

Our main character, is suitably strong and feisty, but doesn’t feel she wants to get trapped into commitment with her current partner. Meanwhile, Lizzie’s obnoxious brother is marrying a perfect stunner, who tells Lizzie that she is bisexual, leaving Lizzie to fantasise gaily about sex with her future sister-in-law.

I liked the characters, they were very different and well sketched. Uncommunicative father, bitter whisky-drinking mother, and point-scoring brother always trying to undermine Lizzie. The alluring fiancée, the loving partner who avoided being a doormat, and the good friend who she shares her problems with. All these were developed over the course of the book, leaving us with a real insight into Lizzie’s life. There is lots of dialogue, which makes for an easy and pacy read, and one of TB’s strengths is to write good believable conversations.

If you like romance, relationships, with a dash of sex and good dialogue, buy now while the offer is on. Closes 11 June.

Jabberwocky by Medeas Wray

Reading Kev’s blog, I came across another offer. A freebie, so I’ll be taking advantage of that. Wray’s Jabberwocky sounds an interesting and unusual read, so perfect for this immobile invalid. More info about the author, Jabberwocky and other novels, plus the limited offer freebie at Kev’s Blog. Free offer closes midnight, 8 June.

Early Daze by Jennifer Gilby Roberts

Another freebie I happened on (via TB’s blog) was Early Daze about a woman having a premature baby. Normally I would shy away from all things baby-related, but in the interests of broadening my mind and reading books for free, I clicked.

In this one, our heroine has her baby three months premature, and it, I mean she, weighs a mere two pounds and three ounces.

What was really interesting, for me, was that my partner was born three months premature, and weighed … yes, two pounds and three ounces. As did his brother who the last time I saw him, was grossly overweight. But both of these were born in the 50s, more than half a century ago.

They were the tiniest babies born in the hospital, and years later, the hospital wrote to ask them to take part in a follow-up study. They didn’t.

But if they were small, the record for the tiniest baby for more than 50 years belonged to Marian Chapman, born in South Shields UK in 1938 at 34 weeks and weighing a mere ten ounces. Tinissimo!

This was ten years before the inception of the National Health Service (NHS) in 1948, yet Chapman survived. Her doctor fed her for 30 hours on brandy, glucose and water from a fountain pen filler. No neonatal intensive care units back then. In fact there weren’t any in the 50s either. Partner and his bro were just dropped in an incubator and maybe they would survive.

So what of Early Daze, which is based on the author’s personal experiences? Well, if I made it through a baby book it can’t be that bad. It was quite interesting reading about what she had to go through, pumping milk, and doing everything through holes into the incubator. There were some relationship issues, and some family, friends, and lesbian/bisexual ones. Not remotely like A Woman Lost in terms of story, but Early Daze was about the main character growing older and wiser. In fact, it felt to me like I was reading about a teenage mum, rather than someone in her mid twenties. Regardless it was an interesting read, and an even bigger reason not to ever think about getting pregnant!

I’m currently reading Island in the Clouds by Susan Toy, which certainly has a promising start. Other ebooks are lined up, along with hard copy, so if you want a review, please mail me, but it is likely to take a few weeks.

Sloppy journalism

Let’s move on to some nice errors I spotted this week on some web sites. First up the BBC. Reading about the abdication of King Juan Carlos of Spain, I read an interesting one that said …

Felipe and his wife – former television presenter Princess Letizia – …

No.

Felipe and his wife, Princess Letizia – the former television presenter – …

To my knowledge, she was not Princess Letizia the TV presenter. She became a princess when she married Su Alteza Real Felipe. And she had stopped presenting the news by then. Putting the two together without a break carries the wrong implication.

From happy royals to a happy valley. (The BBC series, ended this week)

I think I read this one on a private blog so I won’t be too rude. Those of us who blog, largely don’t get paid, so we can afford the odd error. Unlike staff working for the beeb and other nationals and internationals.

Referring to the boat where villain Tommy Lee Royce was holed out – ‘a two-birth boat’. Love it. Did said boat have two little baby boats rather than two berths?

What did I think to the last episode, seeing as I said how good the previous ones were? Bit of a let down. But I think they overdid the kiddy thing with Royce. All I could see was a nasty murdering rapist violent bastard who should have been kicked head first into the canal. Still at least he got a kicking :)

Onto other website errors, and less dramatic, but countless ifs instead of ofs. Missing words. Just, really really sloppy journalism from people who are being paid. Well, I assume they are. Send people back to skool say I. Get rid of tablets. Teach ’em three Rs. It is the norm to read something on a commercial journalism website and find at least one error. I find it worrying. I doubt anyone else does.

And not a word about the broken ankle! Until now. No outpatient appointment this week and it is still broken or still mending, whichever is most appropriate. Def still hurting. I’m not sure I can shuffle down the stairs on my arse to get out of the building and escape to Spain.

Still here is a hospital pic with a difference.

Gib’s former Naval hospital

During World War 1, wounded service people were brought in to Gib by ship and brought to the Royal Naval Hospital for treatment.

Both this and the header picture are taken from the Gibraltar Heritage Trust 2014 calendar, which commemorates the centenary of World War One. The header photo is of WW1 graves at North Front Cemetery in Gib. As today is also the 70th anniversary of D Day in 1944, a war-related header seemed appropriate. And it happens to be the calendar photo for June.

Blog issues

Victoria wants me to put back ‘likes’ on this blog. I don’t have it because I don’t like lots of people who neither read nor comment yet hit ‘like’ as soon as a post is published and comes up on Reader. If you read and don’t always comment that’s fine by me. I know some people do that because they have commented to say so (!). And after all, you can always click on ‘like’ in Reader when you have read a post.

Sonel wants me to introduce smilies. I think they are over-used, I certainly over-use them and I don’t like them. My theory is, writing should be good enough and clear enough not to need the addition of smilies to avoid misunderstandings. And they detract from serious topics.

You can always bypass the no-smilie option with an emoji keyboard 😉

So here is a nice poll, you can vote for more than one option.