Sherrie Lowe's Blog

May 3, 2018

Competition Time

It's been a while since I've posted or been on this site as I've been busy writing, knitting for my new baby granddaughter plus mittens for my other granddaughter and grandson, changing my car, then my washing machine which flooded the kitchen but that is another story, now back to the writing.

2017 was a good year writing wise. Now it's competition time again in my local area and I've had a go at a couple, the Arnold Bennett Book Prize, which will be judged later in the year and the more recent Too Write competition run by The Sentinel and Staffordshire University in which my short story Arms of Angels was a runner up in the adult category last year, 2017. It can be found in my short story collection Just A Moment http://www.sherrielowe.co.uk/just-a-m...
I'd be lying if I said I don't want to win, but I love the buzz of taking part, preparing a story, polishing it, submitting it, then hoping but not daring to hope. Last year's award ceremony at Trentham was such a wonderful event and I felt honoured and privileged to be a part of it. It would be great to be a part of this year's but I've sent in my submission. All I can do now is hope.
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Published on May 03, 2018 02:51 Tags: awards, books, competitions, grandchildren, knitting, writing

September 29, 2016

BOOK LAUNCH Newcastle Staffs Library

From Monday 26th September to Monday 3rd October 2016 Newcastle library are very kindly organizing a book launch for me for my latest release OVER A SPITFIRE. As it's set in World War Two it will be a part of their local and community history festival. I originally approached them to ask if I could donate a hardback copy of the book to their stock and Terry Heath the activities officer agreed, with also a copy for Kidsgrove library.
Terry asked me if I'd like to come in and give a talk on the book and self publishing, which I would have loved to do but as I suffer from M.E my health is very unpredictable and I can never guarantee being well enough to be anywhere at a given time so although I would have loved to do that - I do like to talk - I had to decline. That was when Terry said they could arrange the launch, for which I was very grateful.
I am however hoping to be well enough to pop in on Saturday 1st October for a short while, around lunchtime, thanks to my son and his fiancee doing the driving, which I struggle with now, so if anyone is around then it would be great to meet you. I apologize if I'm not well enough to go but I've got everything crossed that I will be. Hope to see you there and if not there are always signed copies of the books.Over A Spitfire
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Published on September 29, 2016 03:37 Tags: booklaunch-spitfire-library

August 3, 2016

Confused

This site baffles me. How can somebody rate a book when they haven't even read it?!
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Published on August 03, 2016 23:37

July 2, 2016

Over A Spitfire review

Just received this lovely review for Over A Spitfire - when Amazon deem fit to show it! Many thanks Maureen Turner, fellow author from Twitter.

This is an easy book to review because I loved it. What an unusual concept for a story, a love affair that spans decades and even endures the death of one of the characters.
I have to say that I had never heard of the organisation, Air Transport Auxiliary which operated during W.W.ll. All credit to Ms Lowe for her research into this.
I easily connected with the main characters, Ava, Will, Henry and Michael as all were very believable.
There is nothing like a good shock to startle the reader and this is achieved by the unexpected death of one of the leading characters early on in the book. From here on we are drawn into the possibility of re-incarnation.
The story spans four decades and the reader is allowed to follow the lives of Ava and Henry as they leave the war years behind, moving on through the fifties, sixties and seventies. Along the way Ava connects with Ethel and Charlie a couple who would be responsible for bringing Ava's past back to haunt her. I make no apologies for being cryptic because this is a novel worthy of reading and I won't give away any spoilers. Another very deserving five star rating for Sherrie Lowe's latest book.
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Published on July 02, 2016 07:26 Tags: reincarnation, spiritual, wwii

June 19, 2016

Update to my website

Just an update to the Over A Spitfire page. Added to the prologue and cover picture are a video trailer, a video chat about writing with M.E and a short reading from chapter one of the book. I hope you'll take a look. Thank you.
http://www.sherrielowe.co.uk/over-a-s...
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Published on June 19, 2016 06:30

June 7, 2016

Germination of Over A spitfire

The Germination of Over A Spitfire

Summer 2011


“I’ve got a great idea for a book for you,” my son Mark stated as soon as I’d got my bum on their settee, “it’ll make you a fortune.” (Ha, we wish!) He continued. “You’ve got a couple, he dies, then comes back reincarnated and they meet again.”
“I’m not writing that!” I said aghast. “It’s tempting Fate.”
“You can’t think like that or you’d never write anything.”
“They’d be different ages.”
He shrugged. “Well think about it.”
I did. My stories have a habit of happening. I’m very wary of killing characters off. I wrote about a car accident, it happened to Mark, although fortunately the outcome wasn’t as bad as in the story. My village was called Willow’s Dip. Some years later Mark and Harriett moved into Willow Drive. I wrote about breast cancer, a friend told me she had it.
“I can’t tempt Fate,” I said to Ellis as we lay on the lawn one sunny Saturday and I told him of his brother’s idea.
“You could make it a gay couple,” he replied drowsily, “we don’t know anybody gay so that wouldn’t be tempting Fate.”
I didn’t know anyone gay at that time but I’ve known a few people since. Thankfully they are fit and well and untouched by my scribings.
When Ellis left I set about a plot. What era would it have to be for a realistic relationship into a subsequent life? I thought about World War Two. I’d recently seen a programme called Spitfire Women about pilots in the Air Transport Auxiliary and it fascinated me.
I’ve always loved Spitfires, proud to be Stoke-on-Trent born like Reginald Mitchell. The first one I’d actually seen was in The Potteries Museum and Art Gallery in Hanley, my local town many years ago when the boys were small and we’d gone for a visit in the school holidays. I thought it was such a marvellous machine as I climbed the steps and looked at the cockpit from the viewing platform. I always felt very patriotic on Remembrance Sunday when one flew over the Cenotaph at 11a.m even though the war ended ten years before I was born. I used to see my dad there and Remembrance Sunday always reminds me of him. It was my parents stories of the war years that I grew up with.
I always had a notion to fly when I was young but sadly it was a dream that was never realized, I’ve not even flown as a passenger but the reason why is another story. Perhaps I was Will, my character in the book in a former life. Maybe that’s where this story has come from. Who knows? It is neither a lesbian nor a heterosexual romance, more a story of two souls connecting across time and realm regardless of their gender.
As I progressed I reported the regression idea I’d had to Mark and Harriett.
“I’d start it on the hypnotist’s couch,” said Harriett, so I did.
Two years later Ellis met Holly, who told her pupils that she didn’t like the word ‘said,’ there are many more interesting words to use, so I’ve kept it to a minimum.
I knew I wanted a Spitfire for my cover and a young woman of that era, preferably in ATA uniform, but I’m paranoid about breaching copyright so I decided to use a photograph of my mum. I’d followed The Cover Collection on Twitter and they’d followed me for some years so I contacted them and Debbie created this fabulous cover for me. I hope you can see why I love it.
I’m also thrilled to bits with the fabulous promotion video done for me by Rachel McGrath. It really captures the essence of the story.
If you download the book, a huge thank you. If you like it could you just take a few moments to review it on its Amazon page please, it will be a massive help. Can I ask you not to do the review as invited by Amazon at the end of the book as they don’t appear on the Amazon page for some reason, they vanish into cyberspace, but instead use the link I’ve added which will take you straight to the page.
Many thanks.


https://www.amazon.co.uk/Over-Spitfir...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBSCA...
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Published on June 07, 2016 03:23

September 8, 2015

Reviews for Angel Breaths

I haven't posted anything for a while as I didn't think I got much response. Imagine my surprise - nay joy - to find several four and five star reviews for Angel Breaths!

I'd clicked on to look at a review I was told about and found the others waiting there. It was so heartwarming to find that some people had found the story a comfort after losing their own angel babies and an honour to have it likened to The Lovely Bones - twice!

Thank you so much to all who reviewed. I truly appreciate you taking the time and for purchasing the book in the first place. Angel Breaths
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Published on September 08, 2015 03:14

August 1, 2015

Online friendships

Since publishing my first book I have made some lovely online friendships. These are mainly authors whom I've got to know as we've read each other's books. My newest online friend is Rachel McGrath. I have read her book Finding the Rainbow, a heart rending story of a difficult time in her life. She has read my book Angel Breaths and not only has she given me a lovely 5* review but she has also created this beautiful trailer for me. Thank you so much Rachel, I'm truly grateful. Here it is if you'd like a look.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbDnV...
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Published on August 01, 2015 10:33

June 15, 2013

Indie Spotlight

I have recently taken part in two Indie Spotlights set up by Ricki Wilson @hacktothefuture
and Nicole Hill @nicolehill17

I'd like to thank them both immensely for their contribution to my book promotions and to wish them the very best for their own work.

Here are the links. I hope you'll take a look.

http://rickiwilson.com/4/post/2013/06...

http://nicolefaithhill.blogspot.co.uk...
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Published on June 15, 2013 04:03

June 2, 2013

A nice surprise

I haven't checked my books for a while and on doing so today I noticed that a number of people have marked some of them as 'To Read.' A huge thank you to all of you. If you like them I'd appreciate a review on Amazon please if you have time. I've just looked on the Awesome Indies website to see what their requirements are and one of them is to get a 4-5* review from someone with a degree in English Literature. If there is anyone out there reading this, I would be most grateful! Thank you.
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Published on June 02, 2013 04:10 Tags: english-literature-graduates, reviews