Rock'n'Roll Murders

Like nostalgia? This story goes back to the late 1950s - Elvis Presley was doing his national service! Long John Silver and the Pirates had a record climbing the charts and in the summer were doing a tour along south coast resorts. All going very well until someone killed the Assistant Stage Manager. Here is the opening:

Before he had even cut off the last note of the song the audience was cheering and clapping.  As he finished, bowed and waved, Harry Jones was awed by the adulation.  It was incredible that after all his years in the business it had taken this rock and roll invasion from America – and his new incarnation – to bring about such success.

He turned to his backing group, The Pirates (Sid and Johnny on guitars and Olly on drums) to thank them and invited the audience to applaud them.  If it wasn’t for them he wouldn’t be here now.  He was the new “teenage” sensation, Long John Silver, a glittering figure in silver trousers and blouson top.  With, of course, the regulation black hair cut in the style made popular by film stars such as Tony Curtis (and copied by Elvis Presley who, now doing his military service, sported a much shorter cut) – a quiff on top and the sides brushed back into the style called a DA (duck’s arse).

The Pirates?  They were dressed as pirates in black trousers, white frilly shirts, red bandanas and long black hair tied back at the nape.

“Oh!  Wow! You’re fantastic!” Harry told the audience.

“No, you are!”

“I love you, Long John!”

“You’re the best!”

These were just some of the replies from the teenagers in front of him.

Having entertained them with his new song, he broke into the one they had all been waiting for – his latest hit.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B007BBJMB4

ALSO available on KOBO

War Records - Family info

My Dad was in the RAF during World War 2, but he rarely spoke about his experiences. I did learn from Mum that he was supposed to be trained as a pilot. As he didn't want to do that he overstayed a 24hr pass. Ended up in the camp 'prison' but didn't care. He was the only one there and was very happy to have his sketch pad and pencils with him. At night the two guards went off duty and left him with the keys - in case of an air raid. Very trusting.

His next non-experience was driving a lorry which he crashed. (He was a lousy driver!)

So, not knowing exactly what he did during the war I did some internet research. He was with 110 Repair and Salvage Unit. I do know he was stationed in a couple of places in the UK, one being Blackpool. Can't remember the other camp and, of course, there may have been some other(s). In 1945 he was in Italy, somewhere near Venice - have some of his watercolours to prove it! As well as snaps that he took en route from wherever they landed (from a ship) to Venice.

If you are looking for information about about anyone who served during the war the web site is:

www.forces-war-records.co.uk/namesearch

Back to writing - at last!

Having been ill most of this year I haven't been able to get into the writing mode but.... At last!

I had an idea based on World War II - which I lived through as a child. Started listing things that I remembered - went to several pages! Now I am trying to fill out each point so that I can see what I have that can be used but.... have not idea yet what genre it will be in. A case of watch this space.

In the meantime I have now put my books onto Kobo in addition to Amazon Kindle (where some are in paperback format). 

Got my Mojo back!

Hi everyone,

Sorry I've been a bit 'slow' this year but I was, unfortunately, unwell (to say the least). I ended up having surgery and am now gradually getting my act together.

Now, as well as having my books on Amazon Kindle they are available on Kobo. (Paperbacks of some are available on Amazon).

Will try to keep you updated.

Sky Arts Painting Programmes

Two of my favourite television programmes are Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year and Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year. I suspect because art is in my blood – my father was an artist – watercolour, pastel and pencil and I loved watching him at work. Yes, of course, he helped me with school projects!

Portrait Artist of the Year

It is fascinating watching the artists at work. Their models are three celebrities with three painters per celebrity each week. Oils, acrylic, watercolour, pastel, charcoal, pencil and even scratching on metal. Incredible. The winner gets to paint a commissioned portrait of a celebrity. This year it was Sir Tom Jones and, as he was relaxed, I saw a whole other side to him.

Landscape Artist of the Year.

Nine artists a week are taken outdoors to paint – maybe a castle, a house, ruins, gardens, coastline, mountains. As with the portraits a variety of mediums are used. One that recently amazed me was a lady with fabrics and a sewing machine!

………

I don’t envy the judges – artist Tai-Shan Shierenberg, Arts Curator Katherine Soriani and Art Historian Kate Bryan. They have a very hard job, but neither do I always agree with their choices! It would be a boring world if we all liked the same things.

And the programmes are brilliantly presented by Dame Joan Bakewell and – for a light touch – Stephen Mangen.

Although the programmes are shown on Sky Arts, they are repeated on Channel 4.

Cleaning Ladies I Have Known

The first – and best – cleaning lady I had was in the 1970s when living in Mallorca. Rosario was fantastic. She came in for a couple of hours a week to clean up after me and, if I left any clothes lying around she would take them and do them with her family wash. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t get them back until the following week and was doing 7 days a week/10 or 12 hours a day so got through a lot of clothes!

I have had a lot of cleaning ladies over the years, some were good but there were some who left a lot to be desired.

In the late 1980s when living in London I tried a cleaning lady. First tip – if your cleaning lady tells you she takes off her glasses to do the work because she doesn’t want to break them – don’t employ her! As the weeks went by I began to get a tad suspicious. Then one evening when I got home I could smell cigarette smoke. Got me thinking. We had a man who came to cleaning the communal areas and I had a word with him. He thought she wasn’t doing the two hours so next time he arrived before her and parked his van in the car park. She arrived – and about 15 minutes later she left. We reckoned she went in, made a cuppa and had a fag then left. Bye-bye!

Other funny things some ladies have done/not done…..

Unwrapped a package of 12 loo rolls and lined them up on the floor (along the wall). As she had thrown the wrapper away I ended up with 12 individually wrapped loo rolls. (Kitchen paper, of course).

When interviewing I emphasized that due to my disabilities the most important jobs for them were dusting and using the vacuum cleaner. Without exception they insisted in starting in the kitchen and leaving the vaccing until last. Consequently only the centre of the living room carpet, one push up the hallway and around the bed and that’s yer lot!

It seems to me that if you want a cleaning lady to do the job properly you need to supervise. Of course you also have to listen to her life story and who did her wrong during the past week.

And friends keep telling me that now I am 80 years old and disabled I should have a cleaning lady!!!!!

Ghosts in the Guest House

Here is the opening to Book 3 of the Cleo Marjoribanks Murder Mysteries.....

'Thank gawd we came Business Class and were first off the plane,' I commented as we reached a crowded Passport Control.  'I thought Arrivals at Gatwick was bad enough.'

'Come on, love, EU Passports over here.' David touched my elbow and guided me in the right direction.  What would I without my friendly cop?  He is a Detective Chief Inspector in Hampshire, where we live.

We had just flown into Malaga for this well earned holiday and, of course, to get away from a wet English summer.

'I'm still not quite sure how it's happened that you got away.  Especially now that the murderous culprit is behind bars.  Didn't the Super want you to stay for all the Whoop-de-do?’

DCI 'Steaming' Kettle sighed and repeated - for the umpteenth time, 'That's all over bar the paperwork.  I've done my lot, now the rest of the team can get on with theirs.  There's nothing more for me to do.  And I'm owed holiday time.  Just be thankful that no one got knocked off just before we left.  Go on, your turn.'  He shoved me forward towards the booth to show my passport. (Wondering why Kettle has the nickname of Steaming?  Think about it.)

It doesn’t seem like it was only a few weeks ago that someone killed three people and abducted me.  The plan was to kill me but the cavalry arrived in time.   This clever clogs had killed three victims in three different ways. 

Once we'd collected our suitcases we headed for the car rentals area to deal with paperwork and collect the keys for a silver Mercedes Benz C220.

I gave them to David and he gave them back.  'You drive, Cleo, I'll navigate.  If you try to find the way we'll either end up in Madrid or Gibraltar.'

Bloody cheek! I sighed.  'Okay, but don't criticise my driving.'  Not that he's ever done so in the past but there's always a first time.  Anyway, we got to the hotel in one piece with no wrong turnings.

The welcome was terrific.  No sooner had I stopped the Merc at the foot of a flight of steps leading up to the front door than a fit young man ran down them to collect our cases.  And standing in the doorway was a very impressive man with a pencil thin moustache and one of them tufts of beard on his chin.  Reminded me a bit of Peter Cushing.  'Reckon he's the owner?' I whispered to David.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B010ZSYL38
.