Slow Progress

Since I've been publicizing the fact that I am writing a new 'Cleo Marjoribanks Mystery' people keep asking when will it be published?  Please be patient - it takes time to create a well written book.  And, of course, life tends to get in the way.

Since starting 'Poltergeists in the Parador' I've visited Cuba where I caught a virus and ate some contaminated food which meant that for two weeks after the holiday I was too ill to write or even think.  Then it was necessary to deal with publicizing 'Antiques in the Attic'.

Eventually I got back to Cleo, who was getting impatient.

The next interruption was the London Book Fair last week which meant a couple of days in London.  I had forgotten how large Earl's Court is and, unfortunately, there weren't enough places for a good sit down.  The result for me was that by midday on the first day my back (a damaged lower spine) and one foot (arthritis) were rebelling.  I had no choice but to return to my hotel so that I could put my feet up.  And decided not to go to the Book Fair the next day.

Note to whoever organizes the Authors' Lounge in future - make it at least twice as large.  It was divided into two, one part being a mini auditorium which became so overcrowded that it was standing room only.  The other half did have a few tables and chairs but it was more for companies to chat with authors rather than a comfortable space where authors and agents could network.

I saw several fellow authors with whom I wanted to touch base but the density of people made it impossible.  Sorry to have missed you!

Yes, alright, Cleo, I hear you and will get out my notebook and pen as soon as I can.  (For those of you not in the know, Cleo Marjoribanks has so far solved mysteries in Homicide in Hampshire and Dirty Deeds in Downdene.)

The Hemingway Trail



Hotel Ambos Mundo



There are times when I have to put up with a single size hotel room and want to scream. But…. looking around at Room 511 at the bed in the alcove and typewriter on a desk in the centre of the room I am amazed.

Ernest Hemingway and his wife lived in this room? The guide told us that friends also visited. All I could think was that they either sat on the bed or on the floor. It may be a corner room but how small it is.

Where is Room 511? At the Hotel Ambos Mundo in Havana, Cuba.

Hemingway stayed here in 1932 and again in 1933 where he made it his home until his wife Marta Gellhorn (they married in 1939) decided she couldn't live there and found the farmhouse where they subsequently lived.

Hanging in a small cupboard are some of Hemingway's clothes and on the walls are displayed photos of him with various famous friends. And, as already mentioned, his typewriter is on a small desk in the middle of the room.

Not far from the hotel is one of his favourite bars, La Bodeguito del Medio. In this small space it was standing room only and I bet Hemingway wouldn't have recognized it.

The Hemingway Trail usually includes a visit to the farmhouse at San Francisco de Paula which his wife persuaded him to buy. Unfortunately, for me, it had been raining quite heavily for a couple of days so there was no chance of going there. Presumably because the narrow road was impassible. (I was told that you can only look into the rooms from the outside - as it is a three storey structure do they provide ladders?)

Among the books that Hemingway wrote whilst living in Cuba are The Old Man and the Sea and For Whom the Bell Tolls.

Winnie-the-Pooh Country

Looking North

With spring on the horizon lots of us are thinking of long rambles in the quiet of the countryside.  In East Sussex the Ashdown Forest is always popular as here, apart from the birdsong and the wind soughing in the tall grasses and occasional trees, all is quiet.  And there are the scents of the flowers and herbs which are delicious.  Of course it depends on the time of year you are there as to what you see and smell.  For example, in spring it is possible to find cushions of pale yellow primroses, drifts of bluebells, bright yellow gorse and, someone once told me, they had seen wild irises and orchids.  Later in the year the moors acquire a lavender carpet as the heather blooms.

 

Ashdown Forest is an ancient forest upon which, fortunately, builders no longer encroach to create more towns.  The 10 square miles/2,396 hectares of woods themselves consist of oaks, ash and beech with a floor of ferns.  Deep in the forest look out for the Fallow deer.  Shy creatures and delightful to watch.

Probably the most famous resident of Ashdown Forest is Winnie-the-Pooh.  A.A. Milne, who wrote the Christopher Robin stories, lived on the northern edge of the forest and in his books re-named some of his favourite places.

For example, Gills Lap became Galleons Lap where there is now a memorial to A.A. Milne and E.H. Shephard, the illustrator of the Pooh books.  There are also designated Pooh Walks which start from here.

All of Pooh’s fans have to visit the Poohsticks Bridge and I am no exception.  Obviously playing Pooh Sticks is more fun when there is more than one of you, but I usually manage by using ‘competing’ sticks.

The Bridge is just outside the village of Hartfield which is a good excuse to go and visit Winnie-the-Pooh Corner, a shop in a 300-years-old building, and buy yet more souvenirs.  The Church of St. Mary the Virgin is even older – 13^th century.  It is more famous for its high points - these are the West Tower and the Broach Spire.

Like Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends, Piglet and Roo, at the end of the day it is time to head for home after a day of adventures in the Enchanted Places of Ashdown Forest.

Photographing the Royal Family

A Smiling Queen

I’ve often wished I could take photos of the Royal Family just like the ones we see in magazines.  Not the posed ones but those taken at events, walkabouts and on casual occasions.  I know I never will because I don’t have one of those big expensive cameras with all the bells and whistles.

Like the majority of us my cameras are small and basic.  They have changed over the years from the wind-on by hand to the general point and shoot and now digital.  But I still have problems.

There was the occasion when one cold day I stood in The Mall to see The Queen and Prince Philip heading for the State Opening of Parliament.  She looked lovely with a flashing diamond coronet and a white fur wrap.  Camera up, finger poised and - click!  Photo of the hand of the lady standing beside me as she waved.  I waited for over an hour for the return but as I was on my lonesome I wasn’t spotted.  I did get a photo but Her Majesty wasn’t looking my way.

With older cameras taking so long to wind on I did get quite a few photos of royal chauffeurs and the back of the car.  When the Queen Mother visited the Guildhall in the City of London the person standing beside me told me she had given me a lovely smile.  Wish I’d caught it on camera.

When Princess Diana once attended a concert at the Barbican Hall I managed to get a distant photo of her receiving a bouquet.  As the camera took so long to wind on, by the time it was ready for the next snap she was climbing a staircase.

So far as distance photos are concerned, you definitely do need a good telephoto lens.  For the 50th Anniversary of VE Day I got myself to Buckingham Palace at about 6.00 a.m.  And only just managed to squeeze myself in at the railings between a tall Australian and one of the concrete pillars.  Yes, I took several balcony photos but when printed all they showed were small figures.  Mind you, now I’ve put them onto the computer I’ve managed to improve them slightly.

During the late 1990s The Queen and Prince Philip visited Croydon, not far from where I was living.  By this time I was an accredited journalist and was allowed into the press photographers enclosure outside the building they were visiting.  After the Royal Party had gone in all the photographers left to take up positions behind the crowds from which to take their photos.  (They stand on step ladders).   I stayed where I was.

A Royal Smile would have been nice.

I have a wonderful photo of Her Majesty looking at me - and frowning.  There I had been hoping for a smile and she was probably wondering who I was.  A stranger in the camp!  I did, a bit later, get a snap of her smiling.  But I wish I had had a more professional camera.

None of my Royal photos are very good, but to me they are precious.

Roman Ruins and Walking in Solin, Croatia



The Church of St. Mary in Solin



Croatians are very proud of their history and love showing it off to visitors so when visiting the country do be prepared for plenty of visits to ruins.

The Cellars below Diocletian's Palace

In Split (the nearest town to Solin) is Diocletian's Palace. Don't be misled into thinking that it is just ruins. Despite several centuries of changes and additions, some of the original palace still exists. Nowadays this area is known as the Old Town which is confined within the palace walls.



I found it fascinating to stand in the main street watching people strolling and looking in the shops - exactly as they may have done 2,000 years ago. (I had visions of Frankie Howerd's 'Up Pompeii' sitcom). But where to start looking at the remains of this Roman palace - at the Cathedral, the Golden Gate, the Piazza or any one of several other locations. Best idea is to pick up a map at the tourist office and follow the walking tour.



On the outskirts of Solin are the ruins of Salona which was the original capital of the Roman province of Dalmatia. Now all that remains of this city are the ruins showing temples, an amphitheatre, the governor's palace, the forum, Christian churches and cemeteries.




Discovering the Fort of Klis

On clear days in the pass between two mountain ranges can be seen the fort of Klis which was very strategically placed to ward off enemies. It was originally built by an Ilyrian tribe and from the 7th century it was the castle of the Croatian kings. It subsequently became a fortress to repel such enemies as the Turks.

My bad luck was rain. On each of the three trips it rained - to a lesser or greater degree. So if you are planning a visit to this area in the winter there are two important things you need - wet weather clothing and some warm clothing - especially if planning a trip to Klis!

I chose to stay in Solin because I wanted a quiet and restful holiday, but it is also an excellent location if you enjoy walking as there are many walks available. There are also plenty of buses to Split and other surrounding towns.  There is just the one hotel - The President Solin - which is a 5*. Built in 2011 it overlooks Our Lady's Islet and the church of St. Mary. I enjoyed strolling along the footpath around the edge of the park alongside the River Jadro and its tributaries. The hotel is beautifully decorated, the staff are friendly and efficient, the rooms and public areas are kept clean and the food is excellent and plentiful.

One last word of warning - if you are even slightly disabled and need help dealing with steep steps (which often don't have a handrail) or cannot easily cope with hills or rocky footpaths, take a walking stick. I recently bought a folding one which is very useful as it can be packed into my suitcase.

This last bit of info may not come as a surprise - I went with Saga. The rep, Tatiana, is one of the best Saga reps I've ever met. Even though there were only a few of us she worked really hard and organised lots of local walks for those who wanted them.

Looking across the park towards the hotel.

Irresistible You by Jemma Linley

I had hoped to publish this romantic novel before Christmas but it was a case of the best laid plans going awry.  Eventually I managed to publish it a couple of days before flying to Croatia for a couple of week rest (and to avoid the snow and ice in England!).  Rest?  I started writing another book - the third about Cleo Marjoribanks and Steaming Kettle.

But, back to Irresistible You.  The idea came about following several visits to Miami Beach, Florida.  I was living in Florida at the time and enjoyed several breaks in this city famous for its colourful Art Deco architecture.

Mel Sheridan, singer, and Andy Lomax, guitarist, once worked on the same cruise ship.  Now after failed marriages they meet again - on Miami Beach.  Andy is playing with a jazz combo and Mel is on holiday and they fall in.

When Mel left the ship moved to California and married singer Charles Prince.   He didn’t live up to his name and Mel divorced him.

Andy left the ship to form the combo with his friends.  He married Joanna who had also worked on the ships. 

Now Mel is considering moving to Miami Beach - provided she can get a Green Card, which can take a long time to obtain.

Although she has to spend time in England (between visits to Miami) both she and Andy have problems with their former spouses.  But that doesn’t affect their love for each other.

Will they live happily ever after or will a tragedy destroy that dream?

I should also mention that I once spent a year working on a cruise ship that sailed out of Miami.  And my experience of getting a Green Card also came in useful in the creation of this story.

No, I’m not going to tell you how it ends - you’ll have to buy the book to find out.

Irresistible You is available on Amazon Kindle, Kobo, I-Pad, Sony and other e-readers and can also be downloaded to computer via Smashwords.  (www.smashwords.com/profile/view/barbarabothwell).

"I'm writing a book".

All writers hear this admission from strangers. My most recent one was whilst in Spain.


As my books are e-published I always carry some brochures with me and, whenever I see someone with an e-reader, I try to get chatting to them and hand over one of my brochures. The first evening at the hotel I did meet a lady with an e-reader and did my public relations bit. A little later in the evening I was chatting to a couple - or rather, he was doing the talking. His wife said barely a word and, as I soon realized, it didn't matter what I said, he wasn't listening.

Eventually he brought the conversation round to the brochure he had seen me give that lady. I handed him one…. "I'm writing a book. Doing it all by hand." And, no, I didn't believe that he was doing it in the way so many of us do - write then type. I remembered that during his chatting he had mentioned that they don't have a computer.

Having told me what it was about - no, don't ask, my eyes glazed over. I assume it was the usual retired man's expertise on running the world. Eventually he wound down with those famous words, "I'll send you a copy and you can let me know what you think." Didn't ask, you notice. (This was the same man who wished his wife on me so that he didn't have to bother going on excursions - see blog on www.auntiestravels.blogspot.com)

I side stepped the issue every time it came up during the week. On the last day I sat down and wrote a 'dissertation' on what he needs to do if he wants to get published - including the various expenses. That was followed with information on publicizing oneself via Twitter/blogs/web pages. After dinner that evening I handed it to him. He glanced at it and said "Oh I know all about that," and stuffed it in his pocket. Then told me, "I'll go to Waterstones to buy your books."

You should have seen his face when I told him he won't find them in there. Of course he hadn't read the brochure properly nor had he listened to what I had told him. Once he had recovered he told me that my address and telephone number aren't on the brochure. "No, I don't have them on there. Neither do I have any business cards with me." Bye-bye, sweetheart. Did he really think I was that stupid? Probably. Especially as he had offered to share his profits with me. The way I see it, 50% of nothing is nothing.