Blog Archives
2025 Christmas Newsletter: Highlights and Upcoming Novels
Hi everyone and welcome to my Christmas Newsletter. Some of you may have received a shortened version of this letter with your Christmas card but here is the extended version should you wish to read it.
I spent most of the first quarter of 2025 publicising my latest novel Winter Star in the Scottish Highlands because, as an indie author, if I don’t get word of my books out there, who will? Winter Star is the sequel to Dark Highland Skies . I am currently writing the last in the series (title to be announced) for publication in 2026. If you want to know how Halley and Tor’s love story pans out, subscribe to my blog and keep in touch.
I’m also updating the last of my novel covers: Take Me I’m Yours. A proof copy is on pre-order but won’t arrive until after Christmas so I don’t have anything to show you. But you can download a copy (with the old cover) on Amazon for 99p or read FREE via Kindle Unlimited. .
The highlight of 2025 was the five weeks we spent in Scotland in August when we had the most am-az-ing weather. We made it over to Tobermory on Mull for the best fish in chips in the world and, to top it off, saw white-tailed sea eagles soaring over moorland/pine forests. It was so hot when we reached Arisaig I bought Factor 30 suncream from the local Spa and came home with a tan (not rusted up as usual).
We spent three nights in Drimnin in ‘Airship2’ which features in Winter Star in the Scottish Highlands as Tor and Halley’s hideaway – Beag air Bheag (little by little). When we saw it through the trees it took our breath away, it was like a film set. As for midges, the garden came complete with an anti-midge machine (the Terminator) which zapped the little blighters before they could get us. We have booked to stay there in June 2026 including the Longest Day when it never gets dark. So romantic.
I’m always looking for authentic touches to add to my novels. When we were in Mallaig we came across the Vintage Horsebox Deli which served delicious cake and coffee. I filed it away for future reference. I envisage a scene in #9 where it could be used to good effect. We also came across the Jac-o-bite cafe but that was too cheesy, even for me.
Upon checking the map I saw that we were very close to the village of Pennan and twisted Dave’s arm to drive us there. Pennan is where the movie Local Hero was filmed and we couldn’t resist standing by the iconic phone box. I love that movie so much that we downloaded a copy to re-watch in the caravan before we we visited there !!
After Pennan we headed south, and managed a quick visit to see Maggie in Lenzie before spending the day in Edinburgh and heading home. I’ll be updating the blog with more of our Scottish adventures after Christmas, so if you don’t already subscribe, please consider doing so.
In case you are unaware, my sister Phyllis King is a very talented artist and these are the covers of some of the Christmas cards she’s created. I used the stag’s head to make labels for my cards this year and it looked fantastic. Coincidentally, I found a stag’s head garland in the local Age UK, added new ribbon and batteries and it now hangs on our door in pride of place. Well, to be honest, Dave added the ribbon etc but I did order it off Amazon! Cute, or what?
Looking ahead . . . In 2026 we will be celebrating 53 years of marriage, 30 years in our current home, 20 years of retirement and Dave’s mum’s 98th birthday and, hopefully, a new novel(!). We’ll be heading out with the caravan in March to celebrate my birthday and I can’t wait. (I won’t say which one) 😊Remember, you are always welcome at Chez Lamb for coffee, cake and a chance to sit by the wood burning stove and share the craic. I promise to turn the telly off . . .
Much love and warmest wishes from Lizzie and Dave
A Room of One’s Own
My Writing Space: From Promotion to Planning
Growing up, I shared a bedroom with my two sisters.Then, when I went to teacher training college in 1969, I found myself sharing a room with another student. I’ve always wanted my own room; a space in which to write and dream. It wasn’t until I married in 1973 that I was able to achieve this. Our first home was a large three bedroom pallisaded villa and my husband turned the smallest bedroom into a study for me.
Scroll forward a few years to when we were able to take early retirement and pursue our hobbies. Me – writing my first novel, and husband Dave restoring classic cars and metal detecting. (He still hasn’t found the elusive Saxon horde but lives in hope). I live in hope of writing that award winning novel and seeing it made into a movie! Well, a girl can dream, can’t she? My ambition is to have ten novels to my name and I am about to start writing number nine for publication next spring.
My study
I’m old school and call my writing den/office ‘my study’. It has everything I need and more besides, including a mug from the Literary Gift Company bearing Virginia Woolf’s eponimous book: A Room of One’s Own. The room overlooks the garden, has a window into our conservatory straight in front of my desk and, to my left, a shelf which my husband erected so I can spread out papers etc. In the winter, we have a wood-burning stove in the conservatory to keep us warm and in the summer, the doors open directly onto the patio. I sit at an old desk I bought years ago out of the local paper. My chair is new and supports my back. The desk is wide enough to hold my PC, printer, pens and notebooks, etc. I’ve also added a piece of wood over the top right hand desk drawer which provides me with extra space for my diary and in-tray. I have thought of installing a coffee machine but decided that would be a step too far.
Recently, I’ve had a massive clear out and have donated some of my paperbacks to charity shops. You can’t keep everything, right? Some books I can’t bear to part with – my ancient ‘penguins’, Mary Wesley, Jilly Cooper and Georgette Heyer novels; and of course all of my research materials. I figure that one day someone will have to empty my study so I want to make the task easy for them.
Where else do I work ?
When I’m planning the next novel I use post-its and large sheets of A3 paper, I like to work at the dining room table with MacBook, pens, highlighters, etc to hand. Again, it has everything I need, and through the double doors, I can see the sitting room where I can go to relax and watch TV/DVDs and videos for inspiration and research. My current fixation? HIGHLAND COPS ON BBC iPLAYER.
Research, caravanning and holidays
Followers of my blog will know that we try to spend most of the summer caravanning in Scotland. This year will be no exception. Once there I manage to get down to some writing each day using my MacBook Air. I save the manuscript each day on Dropbox and back up on Microsoft. Belt and braces, that’s me.
Recently I bought a keyboard to work alongside my Ipad and that takes up even less space. I do like music in the caravan (when I’m not writing) and take my blue-tooth speaker along to listen to music on Spotify. This summer , I hope to work on the sequel to Winter Star ready for publication in 2026. If you haven’t read Winter Star and the pre-quel Dark Highland Skies you can read an extract on their Amazon page.
Here is one of my favourite reviews – from Sue Baker of Facebook group – Rivetting Reads and Vintage Vibes, who recently organised a Burns’ Night celebration of my books
Well, I guess that about wraps up February’s blog post. Please be sure to follow my blog as over the coming months I will be organising a couple of giveaways . . . signed paperback copies of my novels. Until then, stay warm and look forward to spring.
Happy New Year from Lizzie and her kilted hero
We might be a long way from the highlands but we know how to party.
An extract from the Ghillies’ Ball in Winter Star in the Scottish Highlands –
Lights and music greeted them as they disembarked from the Land Rover and entered the barn, transformed under Lady Strachan’s expert guidance. Industrial-size machines pumped heat into the air of the cathedral-like building, melting the snow on its slate roof. In lieu of seating, straw bales draped in rugs and tartan shawls were arranged around three sides of the barn. As the temperature rose the scent from the bales reminded them of the successful harvest gathered in thanks to unseasonably good weather.
The Ghillies’ Ball was the family’s way of thanking their staff and tenants for their hard work and looking forward to the new year with hope and enthusiasm.
Behind the bales, along the bottom edge of the barn, large trestle tables had been erected and staff, under the critical gaze of Mrs Robinson, were unloading food from catering vans. At the opposite end of the barn on a temporary stage draped with a large saltire, musicians were tuning their instruments in readiness for the ceilidh: bagpipes, snare drums, accordion, fiddle, electric guitar and a small Celtic harp.
Chains of fairy lights, strung along the sides of the barn and as high as staff could safely reach, made everything festive and inviting. Soon folk arrived, stamping their feet to clear their boots of snow, and blowing on frozen hands to ward off chilblains. Arranging their coats over individual bales to reserve their place for the night and exclaiming at the barn’s transformation they greeted friends noisily. Once they’d bagged their spot, they removed outdoor shoes and replaced them with trainers. Or, in the case of the older generation, dancing shoes.
Tor and Halley’s party were as impressed as the other guests at the barn’s makeover and exchanged knowing looks as they recalled discussing the barn’s potential as a wedding venue. Leaving Halley in Lexie and Rowan’s capable hands, Tor walked over to the band to check everything was ready, keen to ensure Halley’s first Ghillies’ Ball would be a night to remember.
If you’ve enjoyed reading this extract from my novel then read a longer sample and maybe even download a copy of the novel. All my other Scottish themed romances are currently priced at 99p/99c.
HOLDING OUT FOR A HERO
When I started writing Dark, Highland Skies I thought long and hard about the hero: Hector Strachan, known as ‘Tor. I’d already created heroes with typical highlander colouring: dark hair, blue eyes and fair skin that blisters at the first touch of the summer sun. (see Ruairi Urquhart in Tall, Dark and Kilted). Some of my choices were influenced by Jamie Frazer in Outlander – who could resist the combination of auburn hair and blue-grey eyes. Then I thought, no, Tor is going to be more like his Viking ancestors who harried the west coast of Scotland and left their DNA behind: tall, blonde – the image of a young Robert Redford sprang to mind. Well, a girl can dream, can’t she!
It appears that readers and reviewers have fallen for Tor, too. Here’s what they’ve said …
It’s great to see our military heroes so well understood, with life changing injury and post traumatic stress explored sympathetically (in Tor’s case)
It is not just the story itself which I loved but also the description of all the locations and in many cases the history behind it, I would say it was all extremely well researched
I must say I rather fell for Tor – not only because he looked like my kind of guy but because of his infinite patience and gentleness, too.
The chemistry between astrophysicist Halley Dunbar and veteran Tor Strachan, a soldier suffering from PTSD and veteran Tor Strachan simply sizzles.
A former career soldier, he was invalided out of the army following horrific wounds sustained in a dreadful incident in Afghanistan
An extract from Dark Highland Skies
‘Look.’ Tor pointed skywards to where a golden eagle was circling above them, its wing tips spread open like fingers, yellow talons tucked neatly into its body. It turned its head and looked down on them, as if demanding to know what they were doing on its land. Its high chirruping cry cut through the bright, still air, drawing everyone’s gaze away from the coffin and heavenward. ‘It’s a sign that Tam is ready to leave us and that all will be well,’ Tor murmured, bending his head close so only Halley could hear.
Lizzie and Dave’s Newsletter 2023- take #1 – January- June 2022
Happy New Year and Welcome to 2023 – I wonder what the year has in store !
First of all, let me apologise for not blogging for quite some time. Life and writing novel #7 got in the way but I’m now on top of thing (famous last words). So, I would like to bring you up to date on everything (well, almost) that we did last year. So, grab a cup of coffee, kick back and enjoy. Although this is primarily MY BLOG, I wouldn’t have accomplished half of what I have without the love and support of my husband Dave. Here he is wearing the T-shirt I bought him for Christmas and (above) I’m in my favourite velvet dress from Seasalt – where else?
January 2022
Having survived Christmas and our third dose of the Covid and flu vaccines, we decided to forget all about the pandemic and get on with life. I sat down to finish and then edit the manuscript of DARK, HIGHLAND SKIES with a view to publishing later 2022. One morning I awoke to find BT digging holes in the pavement in front of our house and discovered this image by our front gate. The hero in my new novel is Hector (TOR) Strachan and I took this as I sign i should get on with finishing the book. Spooky – right?
February 2022
I hosted a writers’ workshop with Adrienne and Jocelyn which covered planning, character arcs and proofreading amongst other things. On a cold, dark February evening Adrienne and I gave our first author talk of the year to members of Hallaton WI. As usual, Dave played roadie and accountant and used my ‘sum-it-up’ machine to collect money from the ladies who attended. Adrienne and I regaled the audience with tales of the amusing and sometime bizarre things which had happened to us on our journey to publication . . . such as bumping into Dustin Hoffman on Kensington High Street.
March 2022
I was able to celebrate my birthday with friends for the first time in two years and life felt as if everything was slowly returning to normal. My niece Vicky who teaches English at Uppingham Independent School invited Adrienne and I to talk to sixth formers about the ins-and-outs of writing a novel. The jays returned to the garden and cheekily eyeballed us through the window to tell us that spring was on the way. We had our first caravan outing of the year at Chew Valley, Bath where I met up with fellow author Jo Lambert.
Dave took me to my first – and possibly last, auto jumble. I purchased a Fortnum and Mason basket and we spent more money on the entry fee, coffee, burgers and ice cream than we made selling stuff. While he was wheeling and dealing (ahem) I managed some writing in the back of the van on MacBook. So glamorous – not!
April 2022
The highlight of spring was heading south to a campsite near Milton Keynes. There we met up with Carole and Kevin, rejoined the National Trust and explored Buckinghamshire. One of the highlights was a visit to Waddesdon Manor and Ascot House – well worth a visit. The location where we camped only allowed five caravans and banned dogs, so in the morning we were treated to the site of hares grazing just outside the door to the van. Precious.
I love this selfie of the four of us at Stowe, which is Pride and Prejudice personified. Our niece Vicky has also taught at the school there !!
May / June 2022
This slideshow is a record of our time in the Isle of Wight where I arrived with a humongous cold (NOT COVID – I tested) and which hung around for most of the month. We spent most of our time with sister Phyllis and husband Andy before heading for Exeter and our niece Hannah’s wedding. I bought the white trainers for my hols, almost killed myself crossing the road in Shanklin whilst wearing them and donated them to charity shop when I returned home. Whilst we were there, our street held a Jubilee Party for HM The Queen.
The art work I bought in Bembridge which personifies the IOW for us.
So, that’s me until the next blog post which will take us through to the end of the year and contain news about my forthcoming romance – Dark Highland Skies.
In the meantime, here’s a link to my other six novels which are available for download on all Amazon sites, Kindle Unlimited subscribers and as paperbacks.
Bye for now, Lang May yer Lum Reek .
Happy Samhain (Halloween) – novel extract, book news & a new price
As a writer of Scottish romances, I thought I’d blog about a halloween party featured in my Girl in the Castle –
I hope you enjoy the extract. I’ve also added some photos taken at a recent Halloween party I attended to celebrate Halloween. Make a note – Girl in the Castle is 99p from today for a VERY limited time. You can download and read FREE if you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited. 
Extract – When Henri entered the Great Hall, it had been completely transformed by the purple gloaming outside the windows, strategically placed candles and the roaring twin fires. A harpist was playing a selection of melodies on a clarsach, and in another corner, children were dookin’ for apples in a barrel of water, supervised by nannies or older siblings. The young guisers, dressed as ghouls, spirits or favourite superheroes, took great delight in frightening the grown-ups with turnip lanterns hanging from sticks and fake Dracula fangs.
Henri had dressed so as not to draw attention to herself, however, the other guests showed no such restraint. They were celebrating Samhain in style; the men in kilts, ‘Bonnie Prince Charlie’ jackets over matching waistcoats, dress shirts, black tie, and brogues. The women in long plaid skirts/kilts, silk blouses with lace jabots or, like herself, in simple black dresses worn with clan tartan in the form of a shawl or a sash. Clearly, this was an evening for showing off, because heirloom tiaras, necklaces and bracelets had been taken out of the bank vault. The jewels caught the candlelight and added extra glamour to the evening. One man stood apart from the rest, and it took several seconds before Henri realised that it was Keir. She’d never seen the Master of Mountgarrie other than in his work clothes. But this Keir, wearing full Highland dress with unconscious grace and style was every inch the laird she’d dreamed about in the library. In her dreams. Grasping her silver caman for good luck, she stepped out of the shadows and into the hall.
If you’d like to read the opening chapters of Girl in the Castle on your kindle, click on this link. You can also buy a paperback for your bookshelf.
Here are the hallowe’en photos – (thank you, hostess with the mostess, Adrienne Vaughan)- lots of spooks and demons, but not a kilt in sight. Unfortunately. You might also catch a glimpse of fellow New Romantics Press’s June Kearns hiding behind one of the masks (!)
If you like spooky stories then check out the best selling anthology Adrienne and I contributed to.
Alternatively, check out my blog post about a real life spooky event which happened to me and my siblings in the sixties.
Just to bring you up to date, Adrienne and I have published a new novel apiece since this blog post was written. Check out TAKE ME, I’M YOURS and That Summer at the Seahorse Hotel . As for June, she’s finally come out from behind that mask and hopes to publish her new novel summer 2020.
My review of 2016 – January – June
January kicked off with a BANG. New Romantics Press put on their best bibs and tuckers and headed to Lunnon Tah-an for Jill Mansell’s Book launch. There we bumped into many fellow RNA members who’d wandered over from another book launch to join us. A great time was had by all and we went away inspired to finish our WIP in 2016.
Read on to see if we achieved our goal . . .
In February, our baby boy Jasper was 20 and he received lots of cards. One from a Facebook friend and reader Lotte Sutton in Australia, which was such a kind thought. I just hope he appreciated it. He’s 21 on February 2nd 2017 – I predict that there might be a little celebration on that day involving the Bridget Jones DVD, cocktails, canapes, cake and coffee. All the things he likes (cough, cough).
Adrienne and I have both had parents who’ve died from cancer, so we decided to raise some money for HOPE AGAINST CANCER, in their memories. In February we organised a literary lunch at swish Kilworth House Hotel, gave a hilarious (if I say so myself) talk about writing romance – and raised over £500 for the charity.
I also gave a talk on self-publishing to the Birmingham Chapter of the RNA, and to students at De Montfort University during February. March was a busy month, too. Apart from it being my birthday, I made the final of the Exeter Novel Prize with Scotch on the Rocks so we took the caravan down to Exeter and fitted in a spring-break holiday after the ceremony. I took good care of my precious trophy, but a certain person thought the award belonged to him!
April was rather more family orientated as it was my father-in-law Geoffrey’s 90th birthday which we celebrated in style. A moment to cherish. A friend of long-standing, Maggie, who regularly buys several paperback copies of my novels and POSTS them to Australia (at great expense) joined us for the celebrations. 
I got stuck in with the WIP and vowed to finish it before Christmas.
May was a busy month with the fabulous Romance in the Court which Adrienne and I attended. Passing through St Pancras I bought something in Aspinall’s and, after talking to the manager, we were invited back to hold an author event there in November.More of which in part #2. I’m looking forward to attending the same event in May of 2017, thanks to Goldsboro Books and David Hedley.
Next, I gave a talk in Chippenham, to aspiring authors to prove to them that self publishing was within their grasp and took along novels which New Romantics Press have published to make my point. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
What we didn’t plan on last year, was trading in our caravan for a slightly bigger one with a FIXED BED. But that’s what we did, two days before we set off on our month’s stay in Bonnie Scotland . . . No more setting up/dismantling the bed every morning so we can have breakfast. I’ve also gained more writing space, so #winwin. Just writing about it makes me long to go on the road again. 
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about the first half of 2106.
Do join me for #2 when I’ll mention:
- a character from Scotch on the Rocks who came to stay
- the historical novel society conference in Oxford
- NRP book launch and another author presentation
- our gig at Aspinall and meeting Tom Parker-Bowles
- the RNA winter party
- Chatsworth all decked out for Christmas
- the last chapter meeting of the season and some surprise guests
- a cover reveal for #4
Bloggy McBlogface #3 – Culloden
This summer I spent a month touring Scotland, getting the vibe for my fourth novel which I am currently 87% of the way through. It was a fabulous holiday and I was able to touch base with friends, en route. The weather behaved itself while we were in Inverness and so, feeling ‘gallus’, we erected the awning and put out our sunloungers.
sunloungers getting an airing at Banchory, Royal Deeside.
On this stretch of our road trip we planned to visit Culloden, Loch Ness and Castle Urquhart. I’m a great fan of Outlander and DK Broster’s Jacobite Trilogy. And, IMO the Broster novels give a more balanced view of the conflict and there’s less of the #highlandersgood/ #Englishbad subtext found in the Outlander novels. After all, many clans fought on the side of the English at Culloden and had no wish to see the Stuarts back on the throne. For them, the battle provided an opportunity to settle old scores. The downside of the Highland Trilogy is, no Jamie Fraser!
(click over each image to read the caption/copyright details)
If you’ve never visited Culloden, here’s a video to give you a sense of the place. The battle site has a haunting and mournful quality and it’s sad to reflect that, after Culloden, the clan system disintegrated and wearing tartan was punishable by seven years hard labour in the colonies. George IV) visited Edinburgh in 1822, and everything “Scottish” became acceptable once more, a tradition continued by Victoria and Albert who bought Balmoral as their highland retreat.
Balmoral Castle 2016 (c) Lizzie Lamb
Sadly, by then many of the tartans had been forgotten and those which we see today are a recent reinvention.
(Above- a fragment of Thomas Fraser of Struy’s plaid said to have been worn at Culloden in 1746) image –
http://www.scottishtartans.co.uk
Next, we visited the Prisoner’s Stone where seventeen highlanders were taken out and shot, after the battle. Legend has it that one survived and lived to tell the tale. If you do not feel the weight of history pressing down on you when you visit the site, you have no soul. It’s hard not to stand there and weep for those on both sides who lost their lives.
I found it very poignant that clans from the same highland region fought side by side at Culloden – the Stewarts of Appin and the Camerons of Lochiel, for example. In my mind, this was an echo of WWI when adjoining villages joined the Pals’ Regiments and marched off to war together. (click over each image for further details)
Of course, Outlander – the books and the TV series have helped to reignite visitors’ passion for this beautiful part of Scotland. While we were there, many Americans were visiting the site, anxious to find the cairn erected to Clan Fraser and to lay flowers there. I still don’t understand why the Outlander series hasn’t been shown on UK television and why so few of my (UK) friends have heard about it. Here’s a link to my OUTLANDER pinterest board . . .
Prince Charles Edward Stuart – Battle of Prestonpans memorial
It’s interesting to reflect how differently things could have turned out had Bonnie Prince Charlie pressed on to London instead of turning round and heading back up north after reaching Derby – just miles from where I live in Leicester.
On a more personal note, one highlight of our trip was finding ourselves camped right next door to Facebook friend Sharyn Farnaby. Here she is with a copy of Tall, Dark 
which I gave to her to thank her for reading and reviewing my novels.
I have been inspired by the Battle of Glenshiel (1719) to write my next #contemporary Scottish romance which I hope to publish in March 2017. It contains history, a lost treasure, a gorgeous hero (Keir) and a heroine fighting to regain her reputation after an unfortunate incident at university, (Henriette).
In the meantime, here is my current selection of novels. Something to help you cope with the long, dreary winter days, perhaps? See you soon when I’ll be writing about visiting Balmoral and Royal Deeside and meeting up with another friend. 
Bloggy McBlogface #2 – Rosslyn Chapel and the Royal Yacht Britannia
This post is part #2 of our tour of Scotland this summer, from Edinburgh to Balnakeil in the north west corner of Scotland and back to Glasgow.
I’d always wanted to visit Rosslyn Chapel – and the Royal Yacht Britannia, and that’s exactly what we did.
I was intrigued to compare the actual chapel to the scenes from the movie – but was disappointed to discovered they only filmed the scene in the crypt there. So no cabalistic signs, Knights Templar or hidden symbols connecting the chapel to the Virgin Mary, but lots to see, otherwise. The chapel is full of the most amazing carvings, including a frieze of maize or Indian Corn surrounding a window. This was constructed fifty years before Columbus discovered America in 1492 – so, go figure, as they say.
(sadly, no internal photos so you’ll have to go to the website for those.) Here are my photos . . . click on each one for a description.
If you arrive before 11am you can join the FREE guided tour, which is well worth it. The guide said that the chapel was falling down around their ears and they prayed for a miracle. God sent them one in the shape of Dan Brown and the Da Vinci Code. Now the chapel is being preserved for posterity. Great cafe, too, in case you wondered.
The Royal Yacht Britannia – well worth the money
We spent a very happy three hours looking round the RY Britannia. With our headsets we explored the yacht at our own pace and you really do have ‘access to all areas’, including HM’s bedroom. Parking is free and the tour cost £13.50. Amazingly, the yacht is moored at the end of the Britannia Shopping Mall, Leith and, if at the end of your time you still have energy, there’s a great shopping centre there, too. Here are the pics . . . click on each one for a description. Of course, being us, the tour started in the restaurant where we had tea and scones (not silly prices, either).
tea and scones, anyone?
We spent a lot of time practising saying: The Leith Police dismisseth us, in order to prove we were sober, so we felt we’d earned our tea break.
We’ve spent many summer on the Isle of Wight and the ferry took us past the Royal Yacht moored off Cowes in the Solent. It was sad to see this grand old lady moored next to a shopping centre, IMHO, but at least we had a chance to look round which otherwise would have been denied to us. Of course, we were interested to see the bedroom and sitting rooms and they were all of show, along with boiler rooms etc.
Everything is very simple and pared back. Apparently, Her Maj rejected for the first set of plans for being ‘too grand’, she wanted a ‘country house interior’, and that’s what she got. As I was peering into Charles and Diana’s bedroom – the only one with a double bed, which Charles ordered specially for their honeymoon – the ladies behind me were quite vocal on their opinion of ‘how he done her wrong,’ even after all this time.
The yacht had to be functional as well as ceremonial and it had its own laundry, dentist’s surgery, operating theatre and sick bay. You can see why everything has to be ‘shipshape and Bristol fashion,’ can’t you?
The lone figure at the end of the pier is an Antony Gormley sculpture (creator of the Angel of the North et al) and was is life-like that, apparently, people keep ringing the police thinking someone’s about to throw himself into the Firth of Forth.
I hope you’ve enjoyed my second blog post and that you may be tempted to visit Edinburgh and East Lothian for yourself. Scotland is a fascinating, beautiful, mystical country and has something for everyone. Next time, we’ll travel across the Forth Road Bridge and head for Inverness, Culloden and the Black Isle. I hope you’ll travel with me. In the meantime, do check out my novels on Amazon and feel free to sign up for my newsletter.
I can’t leave Edinburgh without sharing the last four photographs taken by author Helen Barrell who took Tall, Dark and Kilted back to its roots in Scotland. Thanks Helen!
HOW TO WRITE A REVIEW AND HELP YOUR FAVOURITE AUTHORS
Authors know how difficult it is to build a following of loyal readers and to gently persuade those readers to review their book once they’ve read it. To help redress that, August 2016 has been decreed Write An Amazon Review Month! By @TerryTyler4 #AugustReviews and we’re going to do our bit to help.
On Monday 25th July, book blogger Rosie Amber wrote this post encouraging readers and writers alike to post a short review on Amazon for any book they’ve read and enjoyed ~ following this up, Terry Tyler is starting this initiative along with other writer-bloggers including Rosie, Cathy from Between The Lines, Barb Taub, Shelley Wilson and Alison Williams. The idea is that, from August 1st, everyone who reads this uses their Amazon account to post just one review on one book that they’ve read (but feel free to carry on if you get in the swing!). You don’t even have to have read it recently, it can be any book you’ve read, any time. The book does not have to have been purchased from Amazon, though if it is you get the ‘Verified Purchase’ tag on it; however, if you download all your books via Kindle Unlimited, as many do these days, they don’t show the VP tag, anyway.
Remember, this isn’t the Times Literary Supplement, it’s Amazon, where ordinary people go to choose their next £1.99 Kindle book
No one expects you to write a thousand word, in-depth critique; I don’t know about you, but I’m more likely to read one short paragraph or a couple of lines saying what an average reader thought of a book, than a long-winded essay about the pros and cons of the various literary techniques used. Yes, those are welcome too (!), but no more so than a few words saying “I loved this book, I was up reading it until 3am”, or “I loved Jim and Vivien and the dialogue was so realistic”, or whatever!
Why should you write a review?
- They help book buyers make decisions. Don’t you read the reviews on Trip Advisor before deciding on a hotel, or any site from which you might buy an item for practical use? Book reviews are no different
- If the book is by a self-published author, or published by an independent press, the writers have to do all their promotion and marketing themselves ~ reviews from the reading public is their one free helping hand
- The amount of reviews on Amazon helps a book’s visibility (allegedly). If you love a writer’s work and want others to do so, too, this is the best possible way of making this happen
- It’s your good deed for the day, and will only take five minutes
Off we go, then! A few more pointers:
- If you need any help with writing your review, do click on Rosie’s post, above.
- A review can be as short as one word. The shortest one I have is just two 🙂
- You don’t have to put your name to the review, as your Amazon ‘handle’ can be anything you like.
- No writer expects all their reviews to be 5* and say the book is the best thing ever written; there is a star rating guide on Rosie’s post.
Would you like to tell the Twittersphere about your review? If so, tweet the link to it with the hashtag #AugustReviews ~ and thank you! 
One last thing . . . if you haven’t read any of my books but like well-written romantic comedies with lots of sassy humour, great characters, fabulous locations and heroes to swoon over – give one of them a try. And don’t forget that review (!)
Lizzie Lamb - author 