Tag: Cardiff

Categories
Sam Smith Mystery Series Sam's Sunday Supplement

Sam’s Sunday Supplement #11

Welcome to Sam’s Sunday Supplement #11, a weekly digest of news from Sam’s world.

The Sam Smith Mystery Series is based in Cardiff. Here is a view of Cardiff Bay. At present, Sam is working from a houseboat. Her office houseboat is moored to the right of this picture, on the River Taff.

800px-Cardiff_Bay_Aerial_View

I am researching background material for my 1944-5 mini-series. Although cars were rare in country areas during the Second World War, and petrol was rationed, my heroine, Ann Morgan, will have access to a vehicle because her husband is a flight lieutenant in the RAF seconded to M15, the security service. The Morgan’s car will be this stylish 1938 Jensen S-type. Anyone fancy a ride! 😃

1938Jensen3.5litre

Currently, I’m reading Above Suspicion and Assignment in Brittany, the first two novels written by espionage novelist Helen MacInnes, pictured. These novels about the Second World War were written during the war, so they carry the stamp of authenticity. Furthermore, Helen MacInnes was married to Gilbert Highet who served in MI6 as a British intelligence agent. It is believed that Highet provided espionage details for many of MacInnes’ books.
An all-male cast, filmed in one room, no special effects…focus groups would never allow this film to be made today, yet it is spellbinding. Twelve Angry Men and Dog Day Afternoon (see below) were directed by Sidney Lumet. The films receive a mention in my book, Mind Games, which incidentally is on course to break the record for pre-orders in the Sam Smith Mystery Series.

Poster-12-Angry-Men_01

Three posters from Dog Day Afternoon, one of my favourite films, and a film that has influenced my writing. There is a realistic feel to this movie enhanced by the natural interaction between the characters, the lighting and the ad-libbed lines, including the classic Wyoming line. Al Pacino is outstanding, and that can be said for all of the cast. Cinema doesn’t get any better than this.
An interesting insight into the creation of a detective series.

If you would like to follow Ann’s War, my Second World War mini series, on Facebook please follow this link Ann’s War

awm-artv00332-a-second-world-war-poster-representing-the-womens-services_kindlephoto-513254194

Categories
Sam Smith Mystery Series Sam's Sunday Supplement

Sam’s Sunday Supplement #10

Welcome to Sam’s Sunday Supplement #10, a weekly digest of news from Sam’s world.

Mind Games has been edited and proofread, and the manuscript will be uploaded to Amazon next week. The book is currently available for pre-order and will be published on the 3rd June 2017. A print version will also be made available. All my books are in print and available at discount prices through the Goylake Publishing link on the Amazon product pages.

Studio_publicity_Gene_Tierney

I have been having fun this week casting actors and accesses from the 1940s in roles for my 1944-5 mini-series. So far, I have found parts for Gene Tierney (pictured), Joseph Cotton, Dana Andrews, Judith Anderson, Mary Astor, Vincent Price, Trevor Howard and Clifton Webb 😃
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
One of the chapters in Digging in the Dirt is set in Victoria Park, Cardiff (pictured). As the name suggests, the park was named after Queen Victoria and was created to celebrate her sixty years on the throne. The park also contains a sculpture of Billy the Seal who lived from 1912 to 1939 in what is now the paddling pool. Apparently, Billy got tangled in a trawler’s net and was rescued at Cardiff Docks. Billy was popular with the locals and they were saddened when he died in 1939. However, upon Billy’s death it was discovered that he was a she, and maybe should have been called Billie.

marie-madeleine-fourcade

There are several Second World War strands to Digging in the Dirt. One of those strands is loosely based on the life of Marie-Madeleine Fourcade a remarkable woman who in her early thirties became head of the French underground intelligence network, “The Alliance”. The Alliance’s assignment was to gather information about German troop and naval movements and logistics inside France, and transmit this intelligence to Britain, using a network of clandestine radio transmitters and couriers. It was extremely dangerous work. Many of Fourcade’s closest associates were captured, tortured and killed by the Gestapo. Some, however, escaped, including Fourcade herself, on two occasions. On the first occasion, 10th November 1942, she was arrested with her staff, but escaped to London. After returning to France she was captured a second time. Her second escape was more harrowing: in the small hours of the morning, she forced her petite body between the bars of a cell window. At the conclusion of the war, Marie-Madeleine Fourcade was decorated for her outstanding contribution in the fight against fascism.

Falconm

In general, I tend to prefer books to movies. However, with the Maltese Falcon I prefer the movie to the book. One of the finest detective films ever made.

Categories
Sam Smith Mystery Series Sam's Sunday Supplement

Sam’s Sunday Supplement #5

Welcome to Sam’s Sunday Supplement, #5, a weekly digest of news from Sam’s world.

Yesterday, April 1st, was Sam’s birthday and to help her celebrate Sam’s Song reached #3 on the Amazon private detective chart. I’m also very proud to make this list…Robert B Parker #15, Marcia Muller #17, Hannah Howe #22, James Patterson #25, Max Allan Collins #48 Amazon’s hot new releases 😃 This relates to Mind Games, which is now available for pre-order. Please click on the book cover on the sidebar for the Amazon link.

mind-games-ebook-cover-rgb

As usual, Sam has been wandering the streets of Cardiff this week. She also ventured to Monmouth. The Romans established a fort in Monmouth and a thousand years later the Normans built a castle there. The House of Lancaster took possession of the castle and, in 1387, King Henry V was born there. One of Monmouth’s claims to fame is its medieval stone-gated bridge, pictured, the only one of its type remaining in Britain.

Gatehouse_on_Monnow_Bridge_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1241351

While researching details about Cardiff Docks I stumbled across the following information, along with this fascinating film clip, which offers a flavour of the docks in 1926. In relation to women, 420 prostitutes worked the docks in 1860, while during the Edwardian era local women had the back-breaking job of unloading sacks of potatoes. During the Second World War women served as porters, wheeling trollies to and from the warehouses.

Mind Games features a young female chess player, though chess is incidental to the book and you don’t need any knowledge of the game to enjoy the story. That said, chess is full of interesting characters including Vera Menchik, the first women’s world champion. Vera defeated many male grandmasters including world champion Max Euwe. Sadly, Vera died in 1944 during a Nazi air raid.

Vera_Menchik_1933

Mind Games also features a storyline about Faye, Sam’s assistant. If you have read the books in the series you will know that Faye has endured a difficult relationship with her mother. This link might help people in a similar situation  Psychology Today
I would like to end this week with these beautiful words. More news next week. As ever, thank you for your interest and support.

16712038_1916951528527598_5362465941067423957_n

 

 

 

Categories
Sam Smith Mystery Series Sam's Sunday Supplement

Sam’s Sunday Supplement #4

Welcome to Sam’s Sunday Supplement, #4, a weekly digest of news from Sam’s world.

A highlight of recent months has been a growing readership in France for the Sam Smith Mystery Series. This week, Smoke and Mirrors, Sins of the Father and Stardust all featured in the top thirty of Amazon France’s female sleuths chart. Furthermore, Stardust was ranked #5 in the new releases 😃

received_1263636277065334

As usual, Sam has been wandering the mean streets of Cardiff this week. She also attended a dog show. Did you know that there are 339 breeds of dog?

125448-124268

Sam also wandered close to the River Rhymney, which brought to mind Idris Davies’ poem, Gwalia Deserta, later set to music as The Bells of Rhymney by Pete Seeger and performed here by the Oysterband. Idris Davies’ poem was inspired by the 1926 General Strike and by the abusive policies of the mine owners. Dedicated to my coalmining ancestors.
Oh what will you give me?
Say the sad bells of Rhymney.
Is there hope for the future?
Say the brown bells of Merthyr.
Who made the mine owners?
Say the black bells of Rhondda.
Who killed the miners?
Say the grim bells of Blaina.
They’ll plunder willy-nilly,
Say the bells of Caerphilly.
They have fangs, they have teeth,
Shout the loud bells of Neath.
Even God is weary,
Say the moist bells of Swansea.
What will you give me?
Say the sad bells of Rhymney.
Put the vandals in court,
Shout the loud bells of Newport.
All will be well if, if, if,
Say the green bells of Cardiff.
Why so worried, sisters, why?
Say the silver bells of Wye.
What will you give me?
Say the sad bells of Rhymney.
Oh, what will you give me?
Say the sad bells of Rhymney.
Is there hope for the future?
Say the brown bells of Merthyr.
Who made the mine owners?
Say the black bells of Rhondda.
Who killed the miners?
Say the grim bells of Blaina.
Who killed the miners?
Who killed the miners?
Who killed the miners?
Who killed the miners?

One of the characters Sam encountered this week suffered from the compulsion to self-harm. If you have friends or relatives in a similar situation this article might help them and you Psychology Today

HH Book 1 Sams Song FINAL RGB

I have been fortunate enough to receive some wonderful five-star reviews, including this one, this week, for Sam’s Song.
“I so enjoyed getting to know Sam Smith, a private investigator with an abundance of wit and compassion despite her past. Sam’s Song is well-written and contains vivid descriptions of the characters and settings. While the story touches on some difficult topics (drug and alcohol use, violence against women and children) there are no overly graphic scenes. Mixed in are some laughs as well as a blossoming romance that keep the overall feel of the book fairly light. This is the beginning of a series and I look forward to seeing how Sam’s character develops.”
As ever, thank you for your support. More news next week.

optimism_design4_03

 

Categories
Sam Smith Mystery Series

Here, There and Everywhere

received_1519221044770353

The idea of setting the Sam Smith Mystery Series in my home city of Cardiff seemed a logical and natural one. Initially, I thought that most of my readers would come from Cardiff. However, two years later, I’ve discovered that they are in a minority because the Sam Smith Mystery Series is now being read in America, Australia, Canada, England, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, the Netherlands, Scotland, Spain, Wales and the West Indies. Most of the stories will continue to be set in Cardiff, though following the example of book five, The Hermit of Hisarya, other books in the series will be set in Europe, with America and Australia as further possibilities.