Blogs

Behind the Eyes

BEHIND THE EYES RESTLESS THOUGHTS LIKE A CHILD’S SPINNING TOP. CAUGHT BETWEEN SEED THOUGHTS AND REALITY. THEY SURFACE UNDIDDEN; WITH PAST AND FUTURE EVENTS. AS THEY’RE DEMANDING TO BE ADMONISHED. IDEAS FOR SALE ON FIRST IMPULSE, YET IDLE: THEY DRAIN ENERGY MEANT FOR FOCUS. WHILE STEALING BRAINPOWER, WITH HOLLOW WORDS: RESTLESS A NEED TO BE AFRIMED. THEY SURGE LIKE A DRUG IN THE BLOODSTREAM, AN ELECTRIC GYPSY DANCING FROM EAST, TO THE WEST, NORTH...

Satu Rämö  (2024) The Clues in the Fjord. Translated by Kristian London.

Satu Rämö has written a trilogy of books featuring Icelandic police detective Hildur Runarsdottir. Hildur did her police training in Reykjavik, the world’s most Northern capital, population around 200 000, but much prefers the quieter life in her hometown Isafjurour, where she’s a child protection officer but expected to chip in and do everything from traffic control to getting involved in domestics. Hildur is well up for it. She’s described as...

Story and Poem of the Week and Inspiration Point

Thanks to everyone for all the wonderful pieces of writing you've posted this week, also for the support you give each other - there's nothing more valuable than letting someone know you've enjoyed something, or offering suggestions as to how they might improve My choices for this week are as follows: Story of the Week goes to RJF for their enchanting 'While the Lion Sleeps', and our Poem of the Week is Ralph's 'The Editor' which packs a punch...

Denise Mina (2023) The Second Murderer.

Award-winning Scottish author, Denise Mina, gets to play gumshoe in a Philip Marlowe Mystery. She’s a hired hand, in the same way that Marlowe’s a hired hound. Marlowe’s a man’s man that likes to drink and have a dame on his arm. He takes all kinds of cases but he’s got a code and a line that won’t be crossed. He’ll do the right thing and money be damned. A heatwave in LA makes everybody cranky. But that’s not what’s bothering Marlowe. Something...

Callum McSorley (2024) Paperboy.

Callum McSorley’s Squeaky Clean won the McIlvanney Prize and had the kind of reception any debut novelist would sell his granny for and would fling in his grandad as a freebie. Job done. You’re number 1. But here’s the rub, you need to write something else, pronto. People walk into doors. Open the fridge and put their shoes inside instead of the milk (I’m making that bit up. Never done that—yet). Why not write the same book and call it something...

Josiah and Archibald on Fire!

Or any other brand of Kindle you may own! After the launch of the 'Dead Reckoning' paperback, I'm pleased to say that the Kindle version is available to pre-order NOW at the special introductory price of just £1.99. Pre-order now and have your copy delivered to your device on Friday, 20th June https://mybook.to/DRKindle

Story and Poem of the Week and Inspiration Point

Posted by airyfairy. Hope everyone has had a good week, and enjoyed all the wonderful stuff on ABC Tales as much as I have.

Douglas Jackson (2024) Blood Roses.

Blood Roses is the first in a quartet of books which feature Jan Kalisz. He’s a detective investigating a serial killer. So far so mundane. You know the type. Psychopathic killers. They have their own reason for killing, which relies on a tautology. Their reason for killing is because they’re psychopathic killers. What makes it different isn’t Douglas Jackson’s undoubted talent, but the timeline. It’s 1939 and the Germans have just invaded...

Dr Matt Morgan (2023) One Medicine: How Understanding Animals Can Save Your Life.

Start with the bad news. Flipper is dead. He drowned himself (or herself) in a small pool of water. He couldn’t take the isolation. Humans aren’t good at isolating either. We call it loneliness. You remember Flipper ? Saturday morning telly. It was a bit like Poirot but without the moustache or French accent. Flipper whistled to say ‘there’s the body over there.’ Or he’d rescue somebody. That seems improbable. But Kevin was relatively lucky. He...

Story and Poem of the Month

Our Story and Poem of the Month for May, very kindly chosen by Di_Hard: It is great to have so many superlative pieces of writing to read this month, but it makes choosing only one poem and story much harder, and I am so sorry I could not list everything I loved. Here are a few examples : As well as completing her (definitely should be published) Parcel For You, Jane Hyphen gave us this magical first day in a new job : https://www.abctales.com/...

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