Carved, stone pillars guard
Lattice gate, hiding treasured
Stories still unheard.
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This post was written in response to Sue Vincent’s weekly photo prompt
#TuesdayBookBlog #BookReview ‘The Two Hearts of Eliza Bloom’ by Beth Miller @drbethmiller @Bookouture
I found The Two Hearts of Eliza Bloom, quite by chance, browsing new releases on Amazon. I was especially looking for humorous and uplifting titles. Having read too many thrillers recently, I needed a break, and I found a heartbreakingly beautiful novel, which stole my heart.
BLURB
Eliza Bloom has a list of rules: long, blue skirt on Thursdays, dinner with mother on Fridays, and never give your heart away to the wrong person. Nothing is out of place in her ordered life…
Then she met someone who she was never supposed to speak to. And he introduced her to a whole world of new lists:
New foods to try – oysters and sushi
Great movies to watch – Bambi and Some Like It Hot
Things I love about Eliza Bloom
Eliza left everything she knew behind for him, but sometimes love just isn’t enough. Especially when he opens a hidden shoebox and starts asking a lot of questions about her past life. As the walls Eliza carefully constructed threaten to come crashing down, will she find a way to keep hold of everyone she loves, and maybe, just maybe, bring the two sides of her heart together at last?
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My Review
The Two Hearts of Eliza Bloom is a wonderful novel about love, marriage, complex family dynamics, intercultural marriages, friendship, and last but not least, parents coping with adolescent children!
The writing style is wonderful. Eliza’s first person point of view, draws the reader in as we follow Eliza,’s life from her strict, childhood and upbringing, her arranged marriage, romance and elopement with an ‘unsuitable’ Londoner, pregnancy, and married life up to her 40th birthday, when she’s coping with her own teenage daughter’s rebellious nature.
The novel has two parallel timelines, 2000-2001 and 2016. This dual timeframe works well as a narrative device, creating suspense by gradually unfolding the plot, which is basically the story of Eliza’s marriage to Alex and the numerous challenges they face, told piece by piece, until we finally get the whole, heartbreaking picture.
The characterisation is perfect, both their families and friends jumped out of the pages and came to life as real people. Leah, the teenage daughter is brilliantly and vividly portrayed, and the family dynamics which developed throughout the novel was believable, sometimes humorous and others touching.
Eliza and Alex’s relationship is challenging due to their very diverse cultural and family backgrounds. Eliza is more complex, because she is torn between two worlds, and sometimes, understandably, can’t seem to decide where she wants to be. Alex is patient, loving and considerate, but it’s not always enough, and he has his own limits and hang-ups to deal with, too. Leah, like every teenager, is a constant source of stress in their relationship until she, selfishly, albeit unwittingly, manages to push her parents and the whole family to the very limit.
I’m so glad I found this uplifting novel, which I read in one wonderful sitting (fortunately I was able to read it over a long, lazy Sunday).
I can’t imagine anyone not loving this novel. It’s realistic, inspiring, poignant and heartwarming.
And it’s a real gift at its present, very low price, of well under the cost of a coffee.
Go on, indulge!
Read more of my #TuesdayBookBlog reviews.
#MondayBlogs ‘Write from the heart’ #WritingTips @BathFlashAward #FlashFiction
I was recently browsing the Bath Flash Awards website when I came across an interview with this edition’s (March-June 2019) Flash Fiction Award Judge, Christopher Allen. You can read the whole interview here.
It was the final question and answer that has mesmerised me all weekend. I quote the question and answer here:
- Any final suggestions for writers entering our award?
Yes. Write from the heart. Edit it and edit it and edit it. Have other people read it. Ask them if it has an emotional impact. Did it make them feel something? Write something you think the world needs.
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So much advice in so few words, a true ‘flash answer’ to a complex question.
My thoughts on this priceless and concise advice:
‘Write from the heart’
Inspiration is entwined with emotion. Whatever we write should spring from passionate feelings about an issue. That’s an easy one to fulfill. Most of us write stories about people, places and events that are meaningful to us.
‘Edit it and edit it and edit it’
First drafts are necessary, but also messy and too long. Most of us need to ramble to ourselves to get to know our characters and understand their thoughts and actions, and yet those ramblings need to be carefully edited, more than once, thus the repetition, before they can be shared with readers.
‘Have other people read it’
We all know and appreciate the invaluable task of alpha and beta readers, friends, agents, editors, proof readers, and an array of generous and professional people who are usually acknowledged by authors in their books.
Ask them if it has an emotional impact. Did it make them feel something?
Words need to go beyond an aesthetic use of language in order to make an impact on the reader. It’s not only about organisation, expression, wording, pace, and grammar, but about the inspiration and feelings conveyed in the writing.
Write something you think the world needs.
Finally, the most important attribute which distinguishes good writing from outstanding writing, the content or message of the text.
Is there an intention beyond entertaining readers? And secondly, is the idea worth writing about? Do readers need to know or think about the characters or issues in your flash/novel?
Christopher’s answer is great advice for writing, a haiku, a birthday card, a flash, a letter, a short story, a novella, a novel and everything else.
If it’s worth writing, it’s worth doing it from the heart.
My twenty-word flash conclusion:
Write with passion about a meaningful issue, edit, aim for emotional impact, edit, share and test, edit, publish. Start again.
And now, let’s finish that flash/novel and start the next one…
#SilentSunday ‘Heaven’ #Haiku
I found this beautiful photograph on Twitter. It was taken by nature photographer Carl Bovis @CarlBovisNature
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Spread your wings and fly
High in sky
Heed wise advice
Then aim for heaven
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Carl has a little corner of the ‘Celebrate Wildlife’ nature photography exhibitionat the Baptist Church Hall in Fivehead, Somerset. 😊
Exhibition starts on Monday 4th March for 5 days, 10am to 5pm.
Coffee & cake available! ☕🍰👍
I wish I could go! Such beautiful pictures!
#Haiku ‘Ripples on the Shore’ #FridayFeeling
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Softly swaying waves
Dissolving troubled thoughts like
Ripples on the shore
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#WordlessWednesday ‘Oslo Evening Sky’ #Haiku
Heart sings, eyes rejoice,
Moving towards lighter times,
Oslo evening sky.
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This photo was sent by me dear friend Kumi, this evening from Hosle, half an hour from Oslo.
I hope winter is treating you well.
I can’t complain. Lovely weather in southern Spain.
Beach photos coming soon!
#TuesdayBookBlog #BookReview ‘The Taking of Annie Thorne’ by C J Tudor @cjtudor #Audible
I recently finished reading ‘The Taking of Annie Thorne’ a chilling thriller by C J Tudor, which was recommended by Linda Hill, book reviewer extraordinaire. Visit Linda’s blog for fabulous book reviews, author interviews and lots of other bookish posts!
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One night, Annie went missing.
Disappeared from her own bed. There were searches, appeals. Everyone thought the worst.
And then, after 48 hours, she came back.
But she couldn’t, or wouldn’t, say what had happened to her.
Something happened to my sister. I can’t explain what.
I just know that when she came back, she wasn’t the same.
She wasn’t my Annie.
I didn’t want to admit, even to myself, that sometimes I was scared to death of my own little sister.
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My Review
The Taking of Annie Thorne is a brilliant thriller and a compelling read. I started it on Friday evening and finished it on Saturday after lunch.
It’s difficult to write a review without giving anything away. There are plenty of twists and turns, and a few red herrings, too! Most characters are not who they seem to be.
The beginning is intriguing as the story unfolds. The events are mostly told from Joe Thorne’s first person point of view, in the present tense, with some flashbacks to his childhood and his sister’s disappearance.
Joe is a flawed, but likeable character. I’m not sure why, because he’s done some unlikable things! I appreciate his fierce honesty as he grapples with his psychological issues and moral dilemmas. He knows he’s the main actor in a tragedy, yet in spite of the hopelessness of his situation, he’s struggling to make amends, help others and be a better person. He’s also a genuinely good teacher, concerned with his students’ wellbeing.
Joe does a lot of lying, however, he’s honest with himself and consequently the reader. Unfortunately, Joe doesn’t know all the truth himself, so he occasionally misleads us, especially at the beginning.
Joe and the reader will gradually discover what happened to his sister, who wrote the anonymous email asking him to return, and who is responsible for what has happened to other children in Arnhill.
The atmosphere is chilling and sinister, with some scary scenes, which aren’t too gory, except for the creepy beetles, which I can’t stand.
The last third, where the whole plot is resolved, is fast paced, surprising and satisfactory. Although there are some supernatural elements in the story, the storyline and ending are believably wrapped up.
I’d recommend this novel especially for readers who enjoy engaging and bloodcurdling thrillers.
By the way, I thoroughly enjoyed Richard Armitage’s reading on Audible.
Amazon Author Page with book links
#FridayFictioneers ‘Aunt Sarah’s Dresses’ #FlashFiction
It’s Friday, time for another Friday Fictioneers Flash Fiction story featuring Alice Pendragon and her family! On this occasion, Alice is coping with her grandmother’s deteriorating health.
Thanks to Rochelle Wisoff-Fields for hosting the challenge and for this week’s photo prompt.
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Aunt Sarah’s Dresses
‘I’ll take the roses.’
‘Grandma, we can only bring one of your belongings to the hospital.’
‘I never told you about your aunt’s dresses, did I?’
My aunt Sarah had died long before I was born, so I changed the subject. ‘What about your photo collage?’
‘She wore the white dress at her christening.’
‘Your radio?’
‘The red one at her graduation.’
‘Your bible?’
‘The yellow one on her 21st.’
I looked closer at the handmade flowers.
‘And the mauve one the day before the accident.’
‘The flowers will be on your nightstand, grandma.’
She smiled. ‘They were beautiful dresses, Alice.’
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My ‘Alice’ flash fiction written for the Friday Fictioneers Challenge can be mostly read as standalones, but if you’re interested in reading previous stories of Alice’s adventures, here they are!
#Writephoto ‘Sunset’ #Tanka
This Tanka was written in response to Sue Vincent’s weekly photo prompt.
Sun will always rise
Let’s catch this fleeting moment
Sun will always set
Let’s keep this precious instant
#CarrotRanch #FlashFiction #99Words ‘Cup Cakes, Lawns, and True Love’
This post was written in response to Charli Mills at Carrot Ranch’s weekly #99 word Flash Fiction Challenge. This week’s prompt is to write a story about valentine. Check out other entries or take part yourself!
Cup Cakes, Lawns and Real Love…
“I don’t want anyone to say you’re a thief, Billy.”
“You stole my heart, why can’t I steal a tiny cup cake?”
Alice rolled her eyes.
“I promise to pay it back with my first wages.”
“We’re only twelve, it’ll take years!”
“Please accept my gift, Alice.”
“Only if you pay for it.”
“How?”
“Let’s visit my granny.”
“I don’t want her money.”
Alice laughed. “Granny’ll make you work for it.”
Billy’s eyes lit up. “I’ll mow her lawn for a whole year! And I’ll see you every day!”
“I’d like that much better than a fancy cup cake.”
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Rereading Jane Eyre 