Impossible Puzzles

Oops.
I forgot to give the answers to the last set.
Here they are:
a. 34, 29, 24, 19, 14, 9
b. 0.5, 2, 4.5, 8, 12.5, 18        (it's my old friends, square numbers, but halved)
c. o, t, t, f, f, s                    (the first letters of English numbers One, Two, Three etc.)

Yep, sorry about that second one. Seems I've lost you by making them too hard, too quickly.


Here's one that stumped me for ages when I first saw it.
What are the next 2 in this sequence?

Edinburgh Fringe Festival

 Unfortunately, due to Covid, this year's live shows were cancelled. Here's the official announcement:

Following the announcement that the Edinburgh Festival Fringe will not be going ahead as planned in 2020, the Fringe Society has unveiled alternative digital plans taking place this summer, complementing a variety of activities planned by Fringe artists and venues.

If you are one of those who needs an annual comedy fix, try here: https://www.edfringe.com/learn/news-and-events/a-fringe-reimagined-how-were-supporting-venues-and-artists-during-crisis

And here's the artwork - "The Heroes of the Fringe."

What has this world-renowned festival got to do with anything?

For me, I was blown away when my daughter, Jo and I first shared the long drive up there to be rewarded by the end of the Jazz festival with some awesome acts. We were just enchanted by the atmosphere of the place - proper full-on dancing in the streets all day long. And then I watched this Celtic drummer band, and that was me smitten. Tu Bardh and his awesome Clanadonia have appeared in one guise or another in a number of my stories.

A couple of years after that, my youngest, Steph, made her first appearance there. In 2018, Brian and I flew up to watch her in another show, Love over Gold. Just awesome.

And as for Rory - this was the place where she first met Geoff - although she didn't know it.

In Chrysalis, you can share some of my awesome experiences of the Edinburgh fringe through Rory's (and Archer's) eyes. Enjoy.

The other story - well actually a jukebox musical novella - is entirely set at the fringe. My tribute to Journey, it features a dozen of their songs and is called Don't Stop Believing.
It was released by my alter-ego Ro Green because it's neither YA nor historical.
Here's the blurb:

A failing marriage. A union separated by distance. An accidental encounter. Can the Edinburgh Fringe Festival work its magic?
Kathy's life is a mess. Sure, the job's great and her home is to-die-for, but she spends way too much time on the midnight train to catch a few fraught hours with her musician husband, Jimmy. While he's away, Dan-next-door looks dangerously attractive.

On paper, Jimmy has it all. A talented wife, a successful rock band and nights in smart hotels. The gig at Edinburgh's hottest arts festival is the culmination of years on the road, but the lack of harmony in his marriage makes him feel like a failure. As they interact with colourful characters drawn to the Fringe, he and Kathy fight to stay together, but events conspire to break them apart.
In this rock-music-inspired tale, three love stories intertwine as each player is forced to take stock of their lives and discover what is truly important. And big bonus - not one, but three Happy Ever Afters.

This romantic, uplifting story is based on a musical written many years ago, featuring twenty of Journey's best-loved hits. In true musical style (think Mamma Mia, We Will Rock You, Rock of Ages), the characters are larger-than-life and the scenarios stretch credibility, but if you free your mind, visualise the sets and lights, and even make a playlist, it will all come to life.

Careful what you wish for

You know me, cliche-girl. Here is a salutary lesson.

For the past three years, my hubby, Bri, and I have stumped up the cash for the annual ground rent on my uncle's static caravan (that's trailer for US readers). After many decades of enjoying the benefits of a bolt-hole in his native Wales, he could only manage a couple of visits a year. However, he was in two minds whether to sell as several of his relatives appreciated a stay in this glorious site, set betwixt a babbling stream and a pine forest, less than ten minutes from a mountain and twice that to the sea.

Many of you who have ever read a newsletter from me, will know I've spent many a happy hour down there, with words pouring out as my muse gets enhanced by the beauty and sheer power of the place. Here's a few places I love to visit/write:

"So what has this to do with what you wish for?" I hear you ask. As in "Get On With It!!!"

In January, we paid a raft of money to buy it as my uncle finally decided to sell. We were all packed up and ready to open it up on March 22nd when the UK got locked down, and Wales a couple of days after. In my May newsletter, I bemoaned the fact we couldn’t get down to the van and this continued for the whole of June and half of July. (Ok, now you can pay attention).

Since they relaxed lockdown in Wales, we’ve been back and forth 3 times, a total of 17 days out of 25. "Nice," you say. Except all but 2 of those days were spent cleaning, repairing and renovating. No rest for the wicked.
And now I'm back down again hoping to lay down a few words but I'm way too distracted by thunder, lightning and torrential rain. Ho hum.

Kudos for Creatives

Dunno if it's the same where you are, but here in Blighty, so many creative people, especially in the performing arts are having a really bad time of it. So I'm taking the opportunity to wish all of them good luck, and the hope that theatres and the like will all be back to fullfilling their important role of entertaining, delighting and uplifting. We miss you guys.

I'm counting my blessings that one of the most talented designers I know, Icy Sedgwick, has found the time and energy to provide me with some enchanting covers to replace the temporary ones I used to launch the first couple of Colour of Light books. The transformation is astonishing.

The third book, Captive, has my favourite cover of all of the books I've ever published, and it reflects one of the scenes exactly.

SPOILER ALERT!!! - look away if you've not yet read the second book and intend to.
The cliff hanger ending at the end of book 2 had Rory kidnapped by Archer's psychotic brother, Geoff, aka Hengest, the evil so-and-so who's been holding Archer's world to ransom. The gist of this book is all about a bunch of spanners which get thrown in the works when he tries to save her.

Here's a wee hint:
A kidnapped girlfriend. A deranged psychopath. An impossible puzzle. 
Rory struggles to combat Geoff’s mind-control while Archer roams the UK solving infuriatingly smug clues to find them. All is lost as Stockholm syndrome kicks in.

Check out the read-inside here: Captive. If you like what you see, I'm keeping it at $1.99/£1.57 for a week or too longer, then it's up to full price.

And so you can share in the gorgousness, here's the proper cover for the 2nd book, Chrysalis. This sees Rory finally spending some time with Archer after he spurned her teenage crush (on strict orders) and realising it's not always good to get what you wish for.

Here's a wee hint:
An unrequited teenage crush. A suppressed super-power. A world under threat from evil incarnate.
Rory's new powers harm her and only Archer can help. Their long-suppressed attraction unleashes a devastating energy which threatens both their worlds.
Good old spanners again.

Check out the read-inside here: Chrysalis. If you like what you see, I'm keeping it at $1.99/£1.57 for a week or too longer, then it's up to full price.