THE HEALING PATHS OF FIFE by Diana Jackson ~ Revised and Updated

It was also time, following the pandemic, to revise and update the popular The Healing Paths of Fife by author Diana Jackson. Since it was a fantasy memoir, not only has Diana’s life moved on somewhat, having lived permanently in Fife now for eight years, but also the towns and villages and their facilities have changed. She would like to mention that Alec and Moira to whom the original book was dedicated, the owners of the Wee Shoppe on Kinghorn Beach, had to retire due to ill health. She is still in touch with them but they are missed by many.

Here’s the new cover:

Diana has raised over £700 in profit from the book for The Kirkcaldy Foodbank, and will continue to do so.

Available at Amazon

and Waterstones

Diana has raised over £700 through the profits of the book for Kirkcaldy Foodbank and so not only would you be reading a good yarn, but you would also be supporting a worthwhile charity.

Advertisement

Writers ~ Do the wave of amendments to novels from the past, affect how you write in the present?

Here’s the latest news from the Guardian James Bond books to be reissued with racial references removed.

Then there’s the provocative heading from the New York Times: The Truth About the ‘Censorship’ of Roald Dahl

And what about the news about Kate Forbes and whether she is fit for office in Scotland. Can someone’s personal religious views restrict the public office they hold? This isn’t to do with publishing and writing, but it is relevant.

On the face of it we could all perceive these issues as a great thing. After all we are living in enlightened times … Aren’t we? We respect everyone’s way of life as long as it does not impair our own.

We are far more aware of racism, sexism, fatism and all the other isms and I’m sure as authors we see it as our responsibility to watch out for the words and phrases we use which might upset.

As a publisher we have an even greater responsibility don’t we, to ensure that the books we launch out to the public will not offend anyone?

Another question to you:

How can we do all of this without affecting creativity as an author, constricting the richness of the English language and living in fear of offending someone?

We don’t have the answers but do you?

Novel Writing Trends ~ Are Themes Ever Unique? ~ Post by author Diana Jackson

All authors are readers. All editors are readers. All publishers are readers. Right?

I’m an avid reader of fiction and in the last couple of years I’ve noticed some unusual trends in the novels.

I started thinking this way several years ago, in fact, with the theme of forgotten libraries and ancient libraries, beginning with the famous The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón. The visual idea of the idea of a cemetery of forgotten books, imprints on an authors mind, and several books of the same essence have since followed.

The next repeated theme I noticed was mermaids. An unusual one for adult novels. The first one I read was The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock by Imogen Hermes Gower. A querky book, but enjoyable nevertheless. More recently The Mermaid of Black Conch by Monique Roffey.

Much more recently the theme which made me sit up and think was adult literature but a link with fairy tales, for example on The Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Coggan. There have been a couple of others I’ve read in the last year or so too.

And finally Trees which play a role in themselves and even ‘talk.’ The Island of the Missing Tree is a brilliant narrative set at the time of the partition in Cypress. Once I had finished the book I thought ‘ Wow! That’s a unique and precious book.’ …But … I am now towards the end of reading Still Life by Sarah Winman, an excellent novel set in Florence and London during and after WW2. It is a powerful novel; perfect for its time and for today too; would have been shocking had it been released last century. But …. there it is again. Trees play a role, both here in London and over in Italy. They speak too; as does the charming parrot but that’s another part of the story entirely. The Lord of the Rings springs to mind too.

In fact, speaking trees are in vogue at the moment in spiritual and mindfulness books, as well as environmental ones. Fascinating subject.

on amazon

Now, there’s a thought. Maybe we’ll have a run on parrots playing and important role in novels in the near future. Who knows?

And so I ask my initial question. Are themes in novels unique? Do publishers spot these trends or are they pure coincidence? What do you think?

New Edition of ‘An Unassuming County’ by Brian Kerr is now available

Author Brian Kerr decided that the time was right to update and revise his first book.

About the Book

“Landscape provides a rich recording of our past. In this revised and updated version of an earlier text, Brian Kerr traces the changes which have shaped the countryside of #Bedfordshire. Beginning with the fundamental #geology, the author describes the natural landscapes and then charts how these have been used, giving us the familiar pattern of #countryside, we see today.

There is a renewed interest in farming, #food security, the establishment of new #woodlands, and the impact of #climate change. Written in non-technical language, this book will appeal to a wide audience interested in the future of our countryside in Bedfordshire and beyond. This second edition of, ‘An Unassuming County’, has been substantially updated and includes many new photographs.

Brian Kerr is a soil scientist, living in Bedfordshire and is a Visiting Fellow at #Cranfield University.”

About the Author

Brian Kerr on one of our longest standing authors at Eventispress. He trained as a soil scientist and has applied this knowledge of the environment in unravelling the landscape history of Bedfordshire. He has published three books; the first two focusing on the shaping of the Bedfordshire landscape, and the second on the people who made the greatest impact. His third, ‘How to Value a Skylark’, debates current topics and controversies regarding decision making impacting the land in the UK. All are readable accounts, which will be of interest to anyone with an interest in the #countryside. Brian previously worked as a consultant on #agricultural projects worldwide, and during the past decade has engaged in land projects in the UK, Ireland, Rwanda, and Tanzania. He presently holds a post as a Visiting Fellow at Cranfield University in Bedfordshire, UK.

This revised and updated edition of ‘An Unassuming County ~ The Making of the Bedfordshire Countryside’ is now available for bookshops to order through:

Book Distributors Gardners

and for the reader to order at

Waterstones or any good bookshop

Amazon UK

or directly from ourselves, especially if you would like a signed copy as a gift; orders@ eventispress.com