I first met Sylva Fae around three years ago in a Facebook author group run by a mutual friend. We interacted in that group, on occasion, and became casual friends, as you tend to do in Facebook groups.
At that stage, I didn’t know much about Sylva or her books. However, as our Mom’s Favorite Reads project developed we interacted more often and I did get to know Sylva and her books. In a short space of time, she became a key member of our team producing beautiful graphics and supporting other authors in tireless fashion.
The first thing to say about Sylva is she is a beautiful person. And that cannot be said of everyone in the world these days. She also writes and produces beautiful children’s books. These books are amongst the finest on the market and I highly recommend them. Her books are a joy to read. Sylva’s books not only entertain and educate, but they are items that children will treasure and look back on with great affection.
Sylva also writes a lovely blog about life in her woodland. If you have an interest in nature and the outdoor life there is much to enjoy by visiting and following her blog. https://sylvafae.co.uk/blog/about-sylva-fae/
Most writers write for the love of the story. Along the way they hope to establish a readership. And, if they are lucky, they connect with fellow authors like the talented Sylva Fae.
One of the joys of being an author is interacting with fellow authors in our vibrant online community. Around five years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Paulette Mahurin and reading her books. Paulette writes in a number of genres, but her main focus is historical fiction and stories based on intolerance. In novels such as To Live Out Loud, The Persecution of Mildred Dunlap, The Day I Saw the Hummingbird, The Seven Year Dress, Irma’s Endgame and A Different Kind of Angel she has tackled a range of topics including: homophobia, racism, anti-Semitism and women’s abuse.
Paulette’s books are immaculately researched, beautifully written and highlight the true soul of humanity. A native of Southern California, where she lives with her husband and two dogs, she has a Master’s Degree in Science from UCLA.
Paulette’s books are a great read. However, added to that she donates all her profits to rescue dogs from kill shelters. To date, Paulette has rescued well over 2,200 dogs. A remarkable achievement. So, if you are looking for a great read this summer and would like to rescue a dog into the bargain, please check out Paulette Mahurin’s books.
Spike the dinosaur had not always been so nice. In fact, not too long ago, Spike was a bit of a mean dinosaur. He didn’t like to share, didn’t understand honesty and didn’t know how to say he was sorry. He loved eating the other dinosaur’s sandwiches. But that was before Mike, the microraptor, showed him what kindness was and how he too could learn to get along and be the good dinosaur friend. Activities included.
Pearseus Bundle: The Complete Pearseus Sci-fi/Fantasy Series by Nicholas C. Rossis Ancient Greece—in space
Could you save the woman who killed your son?
Combining fantasy with science fiction, Pearseus is filled with passion, warfare, and betrayal. Described as “ancient Greece in space,” it gives readers who want a different kind of fantasy an exciting new series to devour.
Terrified of an ominous prophecy and spurred on by a shadowy advisor, a cruel ruler sends the young son of her favorite General to be executed. Soon, however, she must beg the grieving father to save the country from an invading army. Now, the General faces a stark choice between revenge and honoring his vows, unaware that his son’s fate and that of the entire planet are inextricably linked.
This bundle includes all books from the best-selling sci-fi fantasy series, voted as one of the 100 Indie books you should read before you die, plus bonus material.
He is a record collector -a connoisseur of vinyl, hunting out rare and elusive LPs. His business card describes him as the “Vinyl Detective” and some people take this more literally than others. Like the beautiful, mysterious woman who wants to pay him a large sum of money to find a priceless lost recording on behalf of an extremely wealthy, yet shadowy, client. So begins a painful and dangerous odyssey in search of the rarest jazz record of them all…
So, You Say I Can’t Vote! Frances Connelly: The working-class woman’s route to the vote by Sheena Macleod
Women were granted the legal right to vote in Parliamentary elections in the UK in 1918. This right, however, extended only to property-owning, renting or university educated women over the age of thirty.
Seven years before this, Frances Connelly, a working woman walked past suffragists protesting outside the polling station in Yeovil, England, to cast her vote in an election. Her vote, and others like it, helped to keep the question in people’s minds — If one woman can vote, why not all?
Frances Connelly’s name is now largely unknown or forgotten. Her story is told here within the context of other women who voted in England before 1918, the struggles and complexities of the times in which these people lived and the contributions made by working-class women to women’s suffrage.
Want to create crafts but need ideas and a plan? Do you have ten thumbs? Let Lacey guide you to crafting success. Learn how to make candle holders, jewellery, childrens’ play things, storage solutions, decorations for your house and much more. Simple, beautiful, and practical crafts are just one click away.
Recommended Reading, books that have captured my interest and authors I admire.
Tumbling Dice by Lesley-Ann Jones
In this startling, funny and agonizing book, Lesley-Ann Jones relives the glory days and walks again on the wild side with tears, laughter and a whole lotta love. LAJ, the acclaimed biographer of Freddie Mercury, David Bowie and Marc Bolan, began her career as an intern at London’s Capital Radio, and worked with Debbie Harry and Blondie, Spandau Ballet and Leo Sayer at Chrysalis Records. She experienced 15 minutes of fame as a television presenter at the inception of Channel 4. She subsequently reinvented herself as a reporter and celebrity interviewer on the Sun, the Daily Mail, the Mail on Sunday and the News of the World.
The Gloria Gaynor of the written word, she survived not only the toughest street on Earth and near-fatal illness but also life-changing divorce, culminating in the killing of her lawyer. TUMBLING DICE offers, at its heart, the evolving psyche and growing awareness of a green-gilled hack on a quest for exclusives and a thrilling lifestyle, but essentially, of course, for love.
For as long as she can remember, something has plagued Gaby. She could never quite put her finger on the cause of her doubts and anxieties, until one day, the reflection in her mirror is not her own.
As she investigates the girl in the mirror, Gaby discovers a story of romance, tragedy and injustice, in which the past drips into the present, forcing her on a journey of self-realisation.
Marry the Wrong Man? Marriage Crumbling? Think You’re a Failure?
Ladies, We Are Not Alone. 3 Great Stories. Which One is Yours?
Are you at that pivotal point in your life when you look back and wonder when it all went wrong? The Fix It or Get Out Series explores the inner workings of these ladies’ minds and hearts, and the value they place on family and love. They encourage us not to judge but to understand, with scenarios that many women can relate to. Clearly when you think you’re going through something alone, there are many other women going through exactly the same difficulties and emotions. If you like books that make you feel something and you can empathize with the characters, then take a ride with three stories that will stay with you long after you read The End.
Mrs. Fitzroy: A Captain Savva Mystery by Rachael Wright
Brash, streetwise, Captain Alexander Savva of the Hellenic Police is called to investigate the crumpled mess of a car, and the body inside it, being battered by the sea. With the brakes compromised, John Fitzroy had no chance of surviving the steep roads along the coast. Where many investigations struggle for suspects, Savva has no lack of them.
Davonna tugs the thorny weeds, the purple hand-shaped bruise on her neck screaming. Had it really been ten years since she sat in a cushioned chair in the Palais des Nations translating Hebrew to German? Now she meticulously plans her days to avoid disaster. It’s so common, so very common for a woman to find herself captive, where escape only comes in dreams after her husband leaves her bruised on the bed.
As secrets are revealed, Savva is drawn to John’s widow, Davonna, questioning her every word. He hovers around the periphery of her life, discovering that behind the doors of her pink mansion and its manicured walled garden, a sinister secret rots. It all begs the question: who killed John Fitzroy?
A gritty, emotionally-charged, mystery, Mrs. Fitzroy is a profound exploration of the lies we tell ourselves to survive.
Asiago Eddy and the Mascarpone Mob: A Warren Peace Detective Novel by Cusper Lynn
For Midifiles Estates’ Detective Warren Peace – loner, culinary contrarian, and sole heir to the Peace family fortune – the bomb array found wired into the sub-basement of the Casio Keyboard Towers Hotel is more than an interruption to his off duty partying. It is a call from a culinary revolution that he was certain was dead and gone. Peace had been a boot fresh from the academy when the last bombing had occurred. The targets had been the elite of the Estates’ culinary and entertainment community. That case had been solved by the current Chief of Police and tied to a dead revolutionary. Now, Warren Peace is going to relive the horrors of the revolution and its consequences in his search for the truth.
Partnered with a former Military Explosive Ordinance Disposal specialist, Peace Travels, though the seamy underbelly of the culinary world facing organic dealers, farm to table terrorists and the sleazy Big Agriculture thugs. As the lines between the criminal and the ruling caste blur Peace and his team will find themselves pitted against enemies within the department and within their own families, as the discovery of the real bomber will unmask an ugly truth no one is ready to face.
Recommended Reading, books that have captured my interest and authors I admire.
Sparky by Millie Slavidou
Sparky is a newly-hatched dragon with a problem: he can’t breathe fire. Not wanting to stand out from all the other dragons, he leaves the nest and sets off on an adventurous journey to solve his problem. Finally, he meets Nicky, who is determined to help him on his quest to find the secret of fire.
If you like my Sam Smith Mystery Series then you will enjoy Robert B Parker’s Spenser series. Promised Land is book four in the series and offers a good insight into all the main characters at their best.
Harvey Shepard’s wife has run away and private detective Spenser has been hired to find her. A seemingly easy mission, but there may be more to this case than meets the eye.
The Unborn Hero of Dragon Village by Ronesa Aveela
The day fire and ice erupt from the sky, everything changes forever for twelve-year-old Theo. He discovers that dragons are real when Lamia, a three-headed monster, kidnaps his sister. A witch and a talking magpie help him open the portal to Dragon Village, a land he knows only from myth, a place filled with terrifying creatures. A young woodland nymph befriends him when he arrives. He must learn to trust his instincts as he searches for a way to defeat Lamia before the dragon sacrifices his sister. In his journey, he uncovers secrets that reveal that only he can save the mystical land.
In this book, you will discover some of the terrifying creatures from Bulgarian and Slavic mythology. Some you may know by other names: Samodivi are Veelas from Harry Potter fame, only here they’re shown as supernatural creatures of the forest. Baba Yaga, Harpies, and other creatures find their way into these pages, as well as the dreaded Lamia.
Tangwstyl is a story of love and murder, of loyalty and betrayal. Set in the medieval town of Kenfig in the year 1399, the story centres on a prophecy made by Merlin and the birth of a girl, named Tangwstyl. Based on historical fact, Tangwstyl tells the story of King Richard and a plot to assassinate him, of Owain Glyn Dwr and his struggle for personal and national justice, and of the medieval Church and its desire to suppress all forms of heresy. Tangwstyl also tells the story of the common men and women of Kenfig, ordinary people caught up in extraordinary events, events that would alter long held beliefs and reshape lives.
Griffin Barley is a friendly local Vicar, the curate of an inner city church, in a troubled parish. His mentor wants him to find a wife, his sister wants him to find a life, and trouble just keeps finding him. These are the adventures of a sleuthing priest, who has no desire to keep finding mysteries.
Hannah Howe 