Clare O'Beara's Blog, page 11
April 4, 2017
April - Fools, Families and Fitness
Read down for April Fool news (yes, really!) and this month's free book.
Human Obesity Explored was the theme of an interesting talk I attended in the RDS by Professor Mike Gibney. He looked at how diets and lifestyles have varied over the centuries. Literature through the ages has mentioned large and very obese people. Today's lifestyles don't involve as much physical work for many of us so we burn fewer calories. Children are driven to school instead of walking or cycling, and play indoor games, burning less energy than children of yesteryear.
I asked if any studies are being done into heat and climate. When I went to a good secondary school the building was always cold. It was not insulated and had large expanses of single glazed windows. The nuns would not put on the heating as oil was dear. The result was that I sat on my hands all winter, with my coat on, often with wet socks from cycling to school in the rain. My hands were white and my nails were blue. I was too cold to write. We had no hot food or drink unless we'd brought a flask. I used all my energy shivering and trying to keep warm.
Women wore long skirts and dresses, wore gloves, hats or scarves with their coats. When they went to shops or church, it would be cold. Today's children are taller not just from better food and vaccinations, but because they are warmer. If Irish children go to Australia for a year, they come back much taller, because they have never been cold. The professor, who is Director of the UCD Institute of Food and Health, was interested and said no studies had been done on the effects of heat and climate.
I also saw a history of Italians in Ireland at a photographic exhibition in the RDS Library, using material drawn from the collection of the late Cavaliere Barbato Borza and other sources. There are about three thousand Italians in the country, and many of them went into businesses like fish and chip shops and ice-cream. During the time of Mussolini, Italians overseas were obliged to have a card saying they were members of the party. However judging by the photos, they were far too busy having family weddings to worry about that kind of issue.
Another RDS Library event was the launch by Irish Life and Lore of their Irish Life and Lore Heritage Collection Recordings website. These dedicated people have gone around the country recording interviews with the older generation, including centenerians, to capture their memories. The site is searchable by county, date, event and name. We heard clips dealing with politics, daily life and ladies' competitive horse riding. Well done!
April's Fool jokes are always popular with the media, and I have found a collection of April Fools released by videogame studios. My favourite of this year's crop is the plug and play AI which learns your moves so it can take over during an online game and support your friends while you have to be AFK.
http://kotaku.com/the-best-and-worst-...
And last year's releases were even better, my favourite involving the horse from The Witcher 3. I also enjoyed the looks at the game studio workplace.
http://thebests.kotaku.com/the-best-a...
Advisory: These links are to a site which may contain some material not suitable for children.
Here's a brief excerpt from one of my SF books, Dining Out With The Gas Giants.
“Love the April Fool, guys,” Angie told us on the phone.
April Fool jokes are a long established part of the media canon, and some zines like to run them while others are above that sort of tomfoolery. The item tends to be provided by a department like features which does lighter work.
COFFEE CRISIS – IMPORTS FROM MERCURY
That inside page headline had caught the attention nicely. Due to bad weather for two years in Central America and South America, the globe was running short of coffee, we’d said. Shipments from Mercury had proved satisfactory, though there was no caffeine in it as Mercurians could not safely metabolise caffeine. About twenty percent of coffee imported to Britain during the past year had come via Stansted, so if you had drunk decaf or thought that your coffee wasn’t giving you the same buzz, there was a good chance that it had come from Mercury. We’d commented on the balance of trade, the good quality of Mercurian production and shown a graph of the constantly rising price of coffee due to climate change.
The table of coffee imports via Stansted was genuine. We just had omitted to explain that the giant antigrav shuttles were shipping more high-value freight around the world, and the only place in the British Isles they were permitted to land was Stansted. Much of this coffee went up to the mines. Mercury didn’t grow coffee.
“Thanks,” we said. “Kipp loved it too.”
“Perry’s staff are rushed off their fingers keeping up to it,” said Angie with a chortle. Perry was the social media editor who picked up breaking news and buzzed headlines around the sites. Media commentators love to search for April Fool items. Generations ago, an Irish paper had run a story about a German man called Mr Lirploofa whose wife had accidentally thrown out his lederhosen containing his winning lottery ticket. He was up at the county dump going through bags of rubbish. Even earlier, a British vid documentary had shown the spaghetti harvest being picked off bushes. Today’s media consumers expect something more sophisticated, so they can have a good laugh at the people who fall for it. The harder commentators had to look, the more they had to speculate, the more coverage we got.
This month's free book will be Silks And Sins, a racy racing romance set in Ireland. Download for free on Kindle 8th - 10th April.
http://amazon.com/Silks-Sins-Clare-OB...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silks-Sins-Cl...
To see more of my travels visit my website and look on the News and Events page. You can also sign up to my quarterly newsletter which will keep you informed of special offers and new releases. If you read one of my books, please consider leaving a review. Reviews help other readers as well as the author.
FREE READ of my 2014 award-winning crime short story 'London Calling' on the Simon and Schuster website:
http://the-dark-pages-blog.blogspot.i...
Check out my latest books, blog, writing tips, puzzles, events and more on my website:
http://www.clareobeara.ie
Human Obesity Explored was the theme of an interesting talk I attended in the RDS by Professor Mike Gibney. He looked at how diets and lifestyles have varied over the centuries. Literature through the ages has mentioned large and very obese people. Today's lifestyles don't involve as much physical work for many of us so we burn fewer calories. Children are driven to school instead of walking or cycling, and play indoor games, burning less energy than children of yesteryear.
I asked if any studies are being done into heat and climate. When I went to a good secondary school the building was always cold. It was not insulated and had large expanses of single glazed windows. The nuns would not put on the heating as oil was dear. The result was that I sat on my hands all winter, with my coat on, often with wet socks from cycling to school in the rain. My hands were white and my nails were blue. I was too cold to write. We had no hot food or drink unless we'd brought a flask. I used all my energy shivering and trying to keep warm.
Women wore long skirts and dresses, wore gloves, hats or scarves with their coats. When they went to shops or church, it would be cold. Today's children are taller not just from better food and vaccinations, but because they are warmer. If Irish children go to Australia for a year, they come back much taller, because they have never been cold. The professor, who is Director of the UCD Institute of Food and Health, was interested and said no studies had been done on the effects of heat and climate.
I also saw a history of Italians in Ireland at a photographic exhibition in the RDS Library, using material drawn from the collection of the late Cavaliere Barbato Borza and other sources. There are about three thousand Italians in the country, and many of them went into businesses like fish and chip shops and ice-cream. During the time of Mussolini, Italians overseas were obliged to have a card saying they were members of the party. However judging by the photos, they were far too busy having family weddings to worry about that kind of issue.
Another RDS Library event was the launch by Irish Life and Lore of their Irish Life and Lore Heritage Collection Recordings website. These dedicated people have gone around the country recording interviews with the older generation, including centenerians, to capture their memories. The site is searchable by county, date, event and name. We heard clips dealing with politics, daily life and ladies' competitive horse riding. Well done!
April's Fool jokes are always popular with the media, and I have found a collection of April Fools released by videogame studios. My favourite of this year's crop is the plug and play AI which learns your moves so it can take over during an online game and support your friends while you have to be AFK. http://kotaku.com/the-best-and-worst-...
And last year's releases were even better, my favourite involving the horse from The Witcher 3. I also enjoyed the looks at the game studio workplace. http://thebests.kotaku.com/the-best-a...
Advisory: These links are to a site which may contain some material not suitable for children.
Here's a brief excerpt from one of my SF books, Dining Out With The Gas Giants.
“Love the April Fool, guys,” Angie told us on the phone.
April Fool jokes are a long established part of the media canon, and some zines like to run them while others are above that sort of tomfoolery. The item tends to be provided by a department like features which does lighter work.
COFFEE CRISIS – IMPORTS FROM MERCURY
That inside page headline had caught the attention nicely. Due to bad weather for two years in Central America and South America, the globe was running short of coffee, we’d said. Shipments from Mercury had proved satisfactory, though there was no caffeine in it as Mercurians could not safely metabolise caffeine. About twenty percent of coffee imported to Britain during the past year had come via Stansted, so if you had drunk decaf or thought that your coffee wasn’t giving you the same buzz, there was a good chance that it had come from Mercury. We’d commented on the balance of trade, the good quality of Mercurian production and shown a graph of the constantly rising price of coffee due to climate change.
The table of coffee imports via Stansted was genuine. We just had omitted to explain that the giant antigrav shuttles were shipping more high-value freight around the world, and the only place in the British Isles they were permitted to land was Stansted. Much of this coffee went up to the mines. Mercury didn’t grow coffee.
“Thanks,” we said. “Kipp loved it too.”
“Perry’s staff are rushed off their fingers keeping up to it,” said Angie with a chortle. Perry was the social media editor who picked up breaking news and buzzed headlines around the sites. Media commentators love to search for April Fool items. Generations ago, an Irish paper had run a story about a German man called Mr Lirploofa whose wife had accidentally thrown out his lederhosen containing his winning lottery ticket. He was up at the county dump going through bags of rubbish. Even earlier, a British vid documentary had shown the spaghetti harvest being picked off bushes. Today’s media consumers expect something more sophisticated, so they can have a good laugh at the people who fall for it. The harder commentators had to look, the more they had to speculate, the more coverage we got.
This month's free book will be Silks And Sins, a racy racing romance set in Ireland. Download for free on Kindle 8th - 10th April.http://amazon.com/Silks-Sins-Clare-OB...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silks-Sins-Cl...
To see more of my travels visit my website and look on the News and Events page. You can also sign up to my quarterly newsletter which will keep you informed of special offers and new releases. If you read one of my books, please consider leaving a review. Reviews help other readers as well as the author.
FREE READ of my 2014 award-winning crime short story 'London Calling' on the Simon and Schuster website:
http://the-dark-pages-blog.blogspot.i...
Check out my latest books, blog, writing tips, puzzles, events and more on my website:
http://www.clareobeara.ie
March 5, 2017
March - A Great Month To Be Green!
Greetings from Ireland! Read on to see how I am making my books as carbon-neutral as possible. To celebrate St. Patrick's Day, I have put my 2016 mystery release into Kindle Unlimited, meaning that readers who subscribe to that programme can now read Murder Against The Clock
as well as all my other books, for no extra cost. Enjoy this story based around the Dublin Horse Show.
I have always lived in an environmentally friendly manner and the internet has opened up new ways to be green in this sense too. I have been in discussion with Carbonfund.org about declaring my e-books Carbon Neutral. Linda G. Kelly, Business Partnership Manager of Carbonfund.org Foundation, told me that she had never been asked about this before! I offered to help construct a template for e-books; but in the absence of a certification, Linda suggests that I explain to my readers how I offset carbon on their behalf and minimise my carbon use.
During 2016 I bought a new efficient computer and A rated LED monitor, recycling the old equipment, and swapped the lightbulbs I use for LED ones. As my e-books are being read all over the world, on devices which are used to read many other books, I believe e-books use a more efficient form of manufacture and distribution than paper books.
From January 2016 to date, Care2.com says I have offset 290 pounds of carbon and planted 86 trees, as well as protecting over 100 square feet of rainforests. In addition through a different system, Care2.com says I have offset 199 days of computer use via CarbonFund, protected 50 acres of big cat habitat and 19,900 square feet of ocean habitat, plus 1,473 square feet of rainforest.
Offsetting carbon alone is not enough - to live sustainably we need to minimise our use of carbon and resources as well. For example, this year my 17 year old washing machine broke down, so I have replaced it with an A++ rated machine. Normally, Carbonfund works with giant companies which want to offset giant footprints. But to quote Robert Swan, the greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it. I believe in doing my part.
During March so far I have attended a talk at the Royal Dublin Society by Richard Ovenden, the senior executive Librarian of the Bodleian Libraries in Oxford. He kindly told us about the history, modern renovation and programmes at the public access and research library he manages. This sounds like a fascinating place to visit, while many of their collections are now available to study online.
I also attended the awards ceremony for the RDS Spring Forestry and Farm Awards. Well done to all concerned, who are living up to the ideals of best practice while helping to work against climate change and for food and energy security.
To see more of my travels visit my website and look on the News and Events page. You can also sign up to my quarterly newsletter which will keep you informed of special offers and new releases. If you read one of my books, please consider leaving a review. Reviews help other readers as well as the author.
FREE READ of my 2014 award-winning crime short story 'London Calling' on the Simon and Schuster website:
http://the-dark-pages-blog.blogspot.i...
Check out my latest books, blog, writing tips, puzzles, events and more on my website:
http://www.clareobeara.ie
as well as all my other books, for no extra cost. Enjoy this story based around the Dublin Horse Show. I have always lived in an environmentally friendly manner and the internet has opened up new ways to be green in this sense too. I have been in discussion with Carbonfund.org about declaring my e-books Carbon Neutral. Linda G. Kelly, Business Partnership Manager of Carbonfund.org Foundation, told me that she had never been asked about this before! I offered to help construct a template for e-books; but in the absence of a certification, Linda suggests that I explain to my readers how I offset carbon on their behalf and minimise my carbon use.
During 2016 I bought a new efficient computer and A rated LED monitor, recycling the old equipment, and swapped the lightbulbs I use for LED ones. As my e-books are being read all over the world, on devices which are used to read many other books, I believe e-books use a more efficient form of manufacture and distribution than paper books.
From January 2016 to date, Care2.com says I have offset 290 pounds of carbon and planted 86 trees, as well as protecting over 100 square feet of rainforests. In addition through a different system, Care2.com says I have offset 199 days of computer use via CarbonFund, protected 50 acres of big cat habitat and 19,900 square feet of ocean habitat, plus 1,473 square feet of rainforest.
Offsetting carbon alone is not enough - to live sustainably we need to minimise our use of carbon and resources as well. For example, this year my 17 year old washing machine broke down, so I have replaced it with an A++ rated machine. Normally, Carbonfund works with giant companies which want to offset giant footprints. But to quote Robert Swan, the greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it. I believe in doing my part.
During March so far I have attended a talk at the Royal Dublin Society by Richard Ovenden, the senior executive Librarian of the Bodleian Libraries in Oxford. He kindly told us about the history, modern renovation and programmes at the public access and research library he manages. This sounds like a fascinating place to visit, while many of their collections are now available to study online.
I also attended the awards ceremony for the RDS Spring Forestry and Farm Awards. Well done to all concerned, who are living up to the ideals of best practice while helping to work against climate change and for food and energy security. To see more of my travels visit my website and look on the News and Events page. You can also sign up to my quarterly newsletter which will keep you informed of special offers and new releases. If you read one of my books, please consider leaving a review. Reviews help other readers as well as the author.
FREE READ of my 2014 award-winning crime short story 'London Calling' on the Simon and Schuster website:
http://the-dark-pages-blog.blogspot.i...
Check out my latest books, blog, writing tips, puzzles, events and more on my website:
http://www.clareobeara.ie
February 12, 2017
February: Scouts, saws and Chinese culture
My brother's family Cub Scout Troop asked me to go and demonstrate saws and safety. So I went along with a basket of variously sized logs, several different hand saws and some twigs with dry leaves. I soon realised that I would have to use the lion-tamer's maxim. First, you have to get the lion's attention.
I asked for volunteers and every Cub put his or her hand up! Before doing anything I asked them what is the first thing to know about saws. "They're sharp" I heard or "They're dangerous." This was a great start so I told them about protecting head, hands and feet. Then I said to use the right tool for the job. If someone handed them one of my tools, would they use it to cut firewood? I held up a long handled secateurs, bush saw, carpenter saw, hacksaw and a folding saw and told them about each.
Picking two volunteer Cubs I asked them to build a graduated woodpile. "I don't know what that is," I got. "What would you think it might be?" I asked. "If we stack up the logs according to size?" Perfect. In no time we had a woodpile just right for camp, so I asked for a round of applause. Dry twigs with leaves on are great to kindle fires, I explained and a large log is good to add later when the fire is burning well. I passed around some twigs and wood, especially birch. Then we let the Cubs try out the bush saw and secateurs under one-to-one supervision. They all wanted a go.
When I was growing up I was a Brownie Guide and my brothers were Cub Scouts, but nowadays we have mixed groups which is very nice. Everyone enjoyed the evening and I've been asked to help out with a tree identification walk. Fantastic fun.
For Chinese New Year Allan and I ate a Chinese meal locally, then we attended two talks in Trinity College, Dublin. The first by Dr Isabella Jackson was history as seen by a woman on the Years of the Rooster through the twentieth century. We saw interesting photos and film clips including rebuilding the Great Wall, and I asked about the lack of horses, donkeys or mules which would have been in use in Europe. Apparently European travellers at those times made that comment too. Human labour in China was very cheap and plentiful.
The second talk was on the environment in China, again on Years of the Rooster intervals from 1957 to present day. Attitudes were originally to dominate or remove nature. When the leader Mao ordered that sparrows be killed because they ate grain, the insects that the birds had eaten multiplied. Mao had to order everyone to kill cockroaches instead and import sparrows from Russia. The talk continued through China taking its seat at a UN conference and signing up to CITES, and today China has severe smog problems in the major cities due to traffic and industry. But great strides are being made on renewable energy and eco city planning.
I asked about the attitude shown in the book The People's Republic of Chemicals - that America had exported its manufacturing to China in order to have the manufactured goods without having the pollution. Did the Chinese people see it this way? Our lecturer Heidi Ningkang Wang-Kaeding said they did, and some used this as justification for not turning to a cleaner economy. Journalists are often nature activists and try to work for a better environment, both for people and for nature. But China is so large that people in a rural area don't concern themselves with pollution in Beijing. Two fascinating talks from the Dublin Chinese New Year Festival.
To see more of my travels visit my website and look on the News and Events page. You can also sign up to my quarterly newsletter which will keep you informed of special offers and new releases. If you read one of my books, please consider leaving a review. Reviews help other readers as well as the author.
FREE READ of my 2014 award-winning crime short story 'London Calling' on the Simon and Schuster website:
http://the-dark-pages-blog.blogspot.i...
Check out my latest books, blog, writing tips, puzzles, events and more on my website:
http://www.clareobeara.ie
I asked for volunteers and every Cub put his or her hand up! Before doing anything I asked them what is the first thing to know about saws. "They're sharp" I heard or "They're dangerous." This was a great start so I told them about protecting head, hands and feet. Then I said to use the right tool for the job. If someone handed them one of my tools, would they use it to cut firewood? I held up a long handled secateurs, bush saw, carpenter saw, hacksaw and a folding saw and told them about each. Picking two volunteer Cubs I asked them to build a graduated woodpile. "I don't know what that is," I got. "What would you think it might be?" I asked. "If we stack up the logs according to size?" Perfect. In no time we had a woodpile just right for camp, so I asked for a round of applause. Dry twigs with leaves on are great to kindle fires, I explained and a large log is good to add later when the fire is burning well. I passed around some twigs and wood, especially birch. Then we let the Cubs try out the bush saw and secateurs under one-to-one supervision. They all wanted a go.
When I was growing up I was a Brownie Guide and my brothers were Cub Scouts, but nowadays we have mixed groups which is very nice. Everyone enjoyed the evening and I've been asked to help out with a tree identification walk. Fantastic fun.
For Chinese New Year Allan and I ate a Chinese meal locally, then we attended two talks in Trinity College, Dublin. The first by Dr Isabella Jackson was history as seen by a woman on the Years of the Rooster through the twentieth century. We saw interesting photos and film clips including rebuilding the Great Wall, and I asked about the lack of horses, donkeys or mules which would have been in use in Europe. Apparently European travellers at those times made that comment too. Human labour in China was very cheap and plentiful.
The second talk was on the environment in China, again on Years of the Rooster intervals from 1957 to present day. Attitudes were originally to dominate or remove nature. When the leader Mao ordered that sparrows be killed because they ate grain, the insects that the birds had eaten multiplied. Mao had to order everyone to kill cockroaches instead and import sparrows from Russia. The talk continued through China taking its seat at a UN conference and signing up to CITES, and today China has severe smog problems in the major cities due to traffic and industry. But great strides are being made on renewable energy and eco city planning.
I asked about the attitude shown in the book The People's Republic of Chemicals - that America had exported its manufacturing to China in order to have the manufactured goods without having the pollution. Did the Chinese people see it this way? Our lecturer Heidi Ningkang Wang-Kaeding said they did, and some used this as justification for not turning to a cleaner economy. Journalists are often nature activists and try to work for a better environment, both for people and for nature. But China is so large that people in a rural area don't concern themselves with pollution in Beijing. Two fascinating talks from the Dublin Chinese New Year Festival. To see more of my travels visit my website and look on the News and Events page. You can also sign up to my quarterly newsletter which will keep you informed of special offers and new releases. If you read one of my books, please consider leaving a review. Reviews help other readers as well as the author.
FREE READ of my 2014 award-winning crime short story 'London Calling' on the Simon and Schuster website:
http://the-dark-pages-blog.blogspot.i...
Check out my latest books, blog, writing tips, puzzles, events and more on my website:
http://www.clareobeara.ie
January 14, 2017
A Flying Start In January
Happy New Year! This is a good time to look back over the past year. Here are a few of my book-related highlights:
• Wrote and published my latest Cara Cassidy mystery, Murder Against The Clock
• Read and reviewed 433 books
• Attended a literary salon at the Embassy of Luxembourg, Kensington
• Attended the Irish National SF Convention, Octocon
• Attended three book launches
• Met authors including Thomas Pakenham, Ruth Dugdall, Daniel Pembrey, Ellen Gunning, Diane Duane, Peter Morwood, Rhianna Pratchett, Oisin McGann, Rachael Kelly, Eileen Gormley, Caroline McCall, Michael Carroll, Peadar Ó Guilín, Maura McHugh, Wolfgang Steinicke.
• Started blogging on topics requested by readers: horse books; books on the environment; and accessible locations.
Daniel Pembrey
Ellen Gunning
Peadar Ó Guilín
Ruth Dugdall
January shows that I am already off to a flying start in 2017. I am halfway through writing a non-fiction book and plotting an SF one. I've been to Somerset with my husband Allan and we met fantasy author Jan Hawke, author of
Milele Safari: An Eternal Journey for lunch.
While travelling we visited the Fleet Air Arm Museum in Yeovilton. Stored in a hangar on a Royal Navy airfield are planes ranging from early 'stringbag' biplanes to the Concorde, with rescue helicopters and military planes carried by Navy vessels in between them. Paintings include the Ark Royal while a gallery displays the work of the WRNS who took on tasks from mechanic to codebreaking during wars. This is a fascinating venue, packed with history and personal memories, which has been adapted to be accessible to wheelchair users. A ramp between floors was installed, and opened by Douglas Bader.
If you know a particularly good accessible venue, please mention it in the comments.
To see more of my travels visit my website and look on the News and Events page. You can also sign up to my quarterly newsletter which will keep you informed of special offers and new releases. If you read one of my books, please consider leaving a review. Reviews help other readers as well as the author.
FREE READ of my 2014 award-winning crime short story 'London Calling' on the Simon and Schuster website:
http://the-dark-pages-blog.blogspot.i...
Check out my latest books, blog, writing tips, puzzles, events and more on my website:
http://www.clareobeara.ie
• Wrote and published my latest Cara Cassidy mystery, Murder Against The Clock
• Read and reviewed 433 books
• Attended a literary salon at the Embassy of Luxembourg, Kensington
• Attended the Irish National SF Convention, Octocon
• Attended three book launches
• Met authors including Thomas Pakenham, Ruth Dugdall, Daniel Pembrey, Ellen Gunning, Diane Duane, Peter Morwood, Rhianna Pratchett, Oisin McGann, Rachael Kelly, Eileen Gormley, Caroline McCall, Michael Carroll, Peadar Ó Guilín, Maura McHugh, Wolfgang Steinicke.
• Started blogging on topics requested by readers: horse books; books on the environment; and accessible locations.
Daniel Pembrey
Ellen Gunning
Peadar Ó Guilín
Ruth Dugdall
January shows that I am already off to a flying start in 2017. I am halfway through writing a non-fiction book and plotting an SF one. I've been to Somerset with my husband Allan and we met fantasy author Jan Hawke, author of
Milele Safari: An Eternal Journey for lunch.While travelling we visited the Fleet Air Arm Museum in Yeovilton. Stored in a hangar on a Royal Navy airfield are planes ranging from early 'stringbag' biplanes to the Concorde, with rescue helicopters and military planes carried by Navy vessels in between them. Paintings include the Ark Royal while a gallery displays the work of the WRNS who took on tasks from mechanic to codebreaking during wars. This is a fascinating venue, packed with history and personal memories, which has been adapted to be accessible to wheelchair users. A ramp between floors was installed, and opened by Douglas Bader.
If you know a particularly good accessible venue, please mention it in the comments.
To see more of my travels visit my website and look on the News and Events page. You can also sign up to my quarterly newsletter which will keep you informed of special offers and new releases. If you read one of my books, please consider leaving a review. Reviews help other readers as well as the author.
FREE READ of my 2014 award-winning crime short story 'London Calling' on the Simon and Schuster website:
http://the-dark-pages-blog.blogspot.i...
Check out my latest books, blog, writing tips, puzzles, events and more on my website:
http://www.clareobeara.ie
December 2, 2016
December Delights, Accessible Sites
While looking forward to Christmas, this is also a good month to think of helping others. My website blog which reviews really accessible places of interest, is getting great reactions, so I am going to place some of the most recent posts here. If you have visited an extremely good accessible location, please let me know in the comments. I like to know about wheelchair access, food availability, touch and scent interest, and assistance dog access among other items.
This week I would like to draw your attention to accessible London Transport, specifically the Docklands Light Rail. This line mainly serves the east of London including Canary Wharf and Greenwich, and meets the Tube at both north and south stations. If travelling through Stansted Airport and Liverpool Street, you should head for Bank or Stratford to join the DLR routes. If flying in to City Airport in Docklands you are directly on the DLR. The Jubilee Line is an accessible Tube line.
The DLR is driverless and was built to be accessible - no steps, none of the famous 'mind the gap' on Tube lines. To use public transport in London now, you need to buy an Oystercard and tag on and tag off to be debited for the length of your journey and how many zones you use. On buses, wheelchairs are free. Each bus has a sliding automatic ramp, usually at the middle door. Assistance dogs are welcome.
This link shows the London Transport website page where you can see how to plan and make accessible journeys around London. Four people in wheelchairs are filmed getting river boats, buses, Tube and DLR trains. You can see that the Jubilee Line, being very modern, has step free access to platforms via lifts, and at other stations there is a blue and white wheelchair symbol on the ground for a wheelchair to use this spot to board. A call station can be used to summon a platform assistant to help a person needing a portable ramp. The staff will also help a person through barriers and direct them to the stations and routes they need. Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson DBE, Paralympic gold medallist, is featured in one of the films. Her message is "Give it a go. Come on board."
https://tfl.gov.uk/transport-accessib...
This week the place of interest is recommended by my roving reporter Ellen. I love visiting garden centres and these days they have so many additional ways for you to enjoy the afternoon.
"Otter Nurseries, at Ottery St. Mary. Devon, a short way over the border from Somerset and about 8 miles east of Exeter. They have a good collection of wheelchairs at the doorway and you may use them for the day at no cost. This is a garden centre, with a good restaurant, clothes shop, country craft place, sells homemade jams, chutneys etc is huge, really, and has a great Christmas display each year. The only drawback is the small number of designated disabled car places there are. However, even when these are used you can drive to the door, drop off your disabled passenger and settle them in a wheelchair under cover, then go off and park your car."
With flowers, plants and aromatic herbs, a garden centre has plenty of fragrances, and contrasting plants to touch as well. I'm really pleased to hear that this business took the initiative and has made all their customers so welcome. Their restaurant advertises a gluten free option and locally sourced foods, including meats; they suggest that you can ring ahead if you have special dietary requirements.
http://www.otternurseries.co.uk/
To see more of my travels visit my website and look on the News and Events page. You can also sign up to my quarterly newsletter which will keep you informed of special offers and new releases. If you read one of my books, please consider leaving a review. Reviews help other readers as well as the author.
FREE READ of my 2014 award-winning crime short story 'London Calling' on the Simon and Schuster website:
http://the-dark-pages-blog.blogspot.i...
Check out my latest books, blog, writing tips, puzzles, events and more on my website:
http://www.clareobeara.ie
This week I would like to draw your attention to accessible London Transport, specifically the Docklands Light Rail. This line mainly serves the east of London including Canary Wharf and Greenwich, and meets the Tube at both north and south stations. If travelling through Stansted Airport and Liverpool Street, you should head for Bank or Stratford to join the DLR routes. If flying in to City Airport in Docklands you are directly on the DLR. The Jubilee Line is an accessible Tube line. The DLR is driverless and was built to be accessible - no steps, none of the famous 'mind the gap' on Tube lines. To use public transport in London now, you need to buy an Oystercard and tag on and tag off to be debited for the length of your journey and how many zones you use. On buses, wheelchairs are free. Each bus has a sliding automatic ramp, usually at the middle door. Assistance dogs are welcome.
This link shows the London Transport website page where you can see how to plan and make accessible journeys around London. Four people in wheelchairs are filmed getting river boats, buses, Tube and DLR trains. You can see that the Jubilee Line, being very modern, has step free access to platforms via lifts, and at other stations there is a blue and white wheelchair symbol on the ground for a wheelchair to use this spot to board. A call station can be used to summon a platform assistant to help a person needing a portable ramp. The staff will also help a person through barriers and direct them to the stations and routes they need. Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson DBE, Paralympic gold medallist, is featured in one of the films. Her message is "Give it a go. Come on board."
https://tfl.gov.uk/transport-accessib...
This week the place of interest is recommended by my roving reporter Ellen. I love visiting garden centres and these days they have so many additional ways for you to enjoy the afternoon. "Otter Nurseries, at Ottery St. Mary. Devon, a short way over the border from Somerset and about 8 miles east of Exeter. They have a good collection of wheelchairs at the doorway and you may use them for the day at no cost. This is a garden centre, with a good restaurant, clothes shop, country craft place, sells homemade jams, chutneys etc is huge, really, and has a great Christmas display each year. The only drawback is the small number of designated disabled car places there are. However, even when these are used you can drive to the door, drop off your disabled passenger and settle them in a wheelchair under cover, then go off and park your car."
With flowers, plants and aromatic herbs, a garden centre has plenty of fragrances, and contrasting plants to touch as well. I'm really pleased to hear that this business took the initiative and has made all their customers so welcome. Their restaurant advertises a gluten free option and locally sourced foods, including meats; they suggest that you can ring ahead if you have special dietary requirements.
http://www.otternurseries.co.uk/
To see more of my travels visit my website and look on the News and Events page. You can also sign up to my quarterly newsletter which will keep you informed of special offers and new releases. If you read one of my books, please consider leaving a review. Reviews help other readers as well as the author.
FREE READ of my 2014 award-winning crime short story 'London Calling' on the Simon and Schuster website:
http://the-dark-pages-blog.blogspot.i...
Check out my latest books, blog, writing tips, puzzles, events and more on my website:
http://www.clareobeara.ie
November 15, 2016
November News
Octocon was tremendous fun. I went both on my own account and representing Fresh Fiction. Peter Morwood and Diane Duane were joint Guests of Honour and the gaming GOH was Rhianna Pratchett. Other authors present included
Oisin McGann who writes YA and Rachael Kelly.
At the closing ceremony a special Creative Content Award was presented to Diane and Peter for their unstinting support of fandom.
The Royal Dublin Society hosted a fascinating talk by lecturer and founding member of the Society for Irish Latin American Studies, Dr Edmundo Murray, from Argentina. He told us when, how and why Irish people had gone to work and live in South America. The main diaspora was after the potato famine, when Irish people who had a farm of twenty acres decided to swap it for a sheep station of thousands of acres on the pampas. They would go out with a family and work as shepherds, taking a percentage of lambs each year as pay, and so earning their own flock. However the people were extremely isolated and some of them returned to Ireland. Not only visuals were shown, but radio interviews from the 1930s and songs from Irish-Argentinian artists were played for us. This was one of the most interesting talks I'd attended in a long time.
I have been requested to blog on a few topics so I am combining them. Each week I will mention a place of interest to visit which is particularly friendly to visitors with disabilities. The first was the Museum of Liverpool, next the Dunbrody Famine Ship in New Ross, then the Riverside Museum of Transport in Glasgow. I keep noticing how well adapted a location is and mentioning it to friends, so making the information available to more people seems helpful.
I was also asked to recommend good horse books I'd read and reviewed, so I'm providing one each week.
And as I review many books on environmental issues I'm recommending one book on aspects of nature or environment each week as well. This blog is on the author side of my website.
To make my website more of a resource, I've added a long list of non-fiction books I recommend on the environment, also specific aspects like birds, animals, water, trees. Many thanks to my husband Allan for carrying out the actual work. These books are listed on the tree side of my website. I'll keep adding.
This month's free book is
Murder At Scottish Mensa which will be on free download from Amazon Kindle, 19 - 21 November.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Murder-At-Sco...
http://amazon.com/Murder-At-Scottish-...
To see more of my travels visit my website and look on the News and Events page. You can also sign up to my quarterly newsletter which will keep you informed of special offers and new releases. If you read one of my books, please consider leaving a review. Reviews help other readers as well as the author.
FREE READ of my 2014 award-winning crime short story 'London Calling' on the Simon and Schuster website:
http://the-dark-pages-blog.blogspot.i...
Check out my latest books, blog, writing tips, puzzles, events and more on my website:
http://www.clareobeara.ie
Oisin McGann who writes YA and Rachael Kelly.
At the closing ceremony a special Creative Content Award was presented to Diane and Peter for their unstinting support of fandom.
The Royal Dublin Society hosted a fascinating talk by lecturer and founding member of the Society for Irish Latin American Studies, Dr Edmundo Murray, from Argentina. He told us when, how and why Irish people had gone to work and live in South America. The main diaspora was after the potato famine, when Irish people who had a farm of twenty acres decided to swap it for a sheep station of thousands of acres on the pampas. They would go out with a family and work as shepherds, taking a percentage of lambs each year as pay, and so earning their own flock. However the people were extremely isolated and some of them returned to Ireland. Not only visuals were shown, but radio interviews from the 1930s and songs from Irish-Argentinian artists were played for us. This was one of the most interesting talks I'd attended in a long time.
I have been requested to blog on a few topics so I am combining them. Each week I will mention a place of interest to visit which is particularly friendly to visitors with disabilities. The first was the Museum of Liverpool, next the Dunbrody Famine Ship in New Ross, then the Riverside Museum of Transport in Glasgow. I keep noticing how well adapted a location is and mentioning it to friends, so making the information available to more people seems helpful.
I was also asked to recommend good horse books I'd read and reviewed, so I'm providing one each week.
And as I review many books on environmental issues I'm recommending one book on aspects of nature or environment each week as well. This blog is on the author side of my website.
To make my website more of a resource, I've added a long list of non-fiction books I recommend on the environment, also specific aspects like birds, animals, water, trees. Many thanks to my husband Allan for carrying out the actual work. These books are listed on the tree side of my website. I'll keep adding.
This month's free book is
Murder At Scottish Mensa which will be on free download from Amazon Kindle, 19 - 21 November. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Murder-At-Sco...
http://amazon.com/Murder-At-Scottish-...
To see more of my travels visit my website and look on the News and Events page. You can also sign up to my quarterly newsletter which will keep you informed of special offers and new releases. If you read one of my books, please consider leaving a review. Reviews help other readers as well as the author.
FREE READ of my 2014 award-winning crime short story 'London Calling' on the Simon and Schuster website:
http://the-dark-pages-blog.blogspot.i...
Check out my latest books, blog, writing tips, puzzles, events and more on my website:
http://www.clareobeara.ie
October 10, 2016
October and Octocon
To celebrate Octocon, the Irish National SF Convention, I am making one of my SF books free. 15 - 17 October, grab a Kindle download of the third in my SF series, Dining Out with the Gas Giants.
You can read the first chapters on my website, http://www.clareobeara.ie
This shows how future Londoners, including an Irish journalist, prepare to celebrate St. Patrick's Day by trying to persuade the Jovians to turn the Millennium Dome green. Most of the tale is set in London, but the last part of the book explores future South America. Enjoy! The series is called Dining Out Around The Solar System.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dining-Giant...
https://amazon.com/Dining-Giants-Arou...
If you are attending Octocon, in Dublin, come and say hi! I am supporting Dublin's bid to host the 2019 WorldCon. Guests will include Diane Duane
Peter Morwood
Rhianna Pratchett the game writer, Michael Carroll, Eileen Gormley,
Maura McHugh
and more.
To see more of my travels visit my website and look on the News and Events page. You can also sign up to my quarterly newsletter which will keep you informed of special offers and new releases. If you read one of my books, please consider leaving a review. Reviews help other readers as well as the author.
FREE READ of my 2014 award-winning crime short story 'London Calling' on the Simon and Schuster website:
http://the-dark-pages-blog.blogspot.i...
Sign up for my quarterly newsletter, which will give newsflashes of my free books and new writing. Check out my latest books, writing tips, puzzles, events and more on my website:
http://www.clareobeara.ie
You can read the first chapters on my website, http://www.clareobeara.ie
This shows how future Londoners, including an Irish journalist, prepare to celebrate St. Patrick's Day by trying to persuade the Jovians to turn the Millennium Dome green. Most of the tale is set in London, but the last part of the book explores future South America. Enjoy! The series is called Dining Out Around The Solar System.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dining-Giant...
https://amazon.com/Dining-Giants-Arou...
If you are attending Octocon, in Dublin, come and say hi! I am supporting Dublin's bid to host the 2019 WorldCon. Guests will include Diane Duane
Peter Morwood
Rhianna Pratchett the game writer, Michael Carroll, Eileen Gormley,
Maura McHugh
and more. To see more of my travels visit my website and look on the News and Events page. You can also sign up to my quarterly newsletter which will keep you informed of special offers and new releases. If you read one of my books, please consider leaving a review. Reviews help other readers as well as the author.
FREE READ of my 2014 award-winning crime short story 'London Calling' on the Simon and Schuster website:
http://the-dark-pages-blog.blogspot.i...
Sign up for my quarterly newsletter, which will give newsflashes of my free books and new writing. Check out my latest books, writing tips, puzzles, events and more on my website:
http://www.clareobeara.ie
September 11, 2016
New Mystery Release September
This month I have released my latest crime book, Murder Against The Clock. This tale features showjumping and my cover photo was taken on a visit to the famous Dublin Horse Show, which features in the story.
This is my fourteenth book to date. I celebrated with my husband Allan and friends at a book launch in Hodges Figgis bookshop in Dublin.
My friend Ellen Gunning, PR guru and journalist, was launching her latest book Ten Red Hot Tips To Promote Your Business.
This sounds like a fascinating read with mentions of the Newbridge Silver ambassador Amy Huberman and her famous tweets, in-depth interviews with business people who shared tips and accounts of successes, and more. It's definitely on my to-read list.
Imagine my delight when Murder Against The Clock started selling right away! My crime, equestrian and SF / technothriller books are consistent sellers so I hope to please my fans. I am already working on another book which is non-fiction and will soon be back to SF. I have learned that I can write fiction and non-fiction at the same time, as it is easier than jumping between fiction plots.
Ireland has been cheering home two Olympic silver medallists and as I write we have gained two Paralympic medals as well. Great work, Team Ireland!
Preparations are under way for Octocon, Ireland's national SF convention. 14th - 16th October at the Camden Court Hotel, Dublin - see you there! We will be promoting Dublin's 2019 WorldCon bid as well as enjoying the guests, panel discussions, film shows, dance and awards. Cons are friendly and respectful events so if you have not visited one yet, do come and join in the fun.
To see more of my travels, and photos of the book launch, visit my website and look on the News and Events page. You can also sign up to my quarterly newsletter which will keep you informed of special offers and new releases. If you read one of my books, please consider leaving a review. Reviews help other readers as well as the author.
FREE READ of my 2014 award-winning crime short story 'London Calling' on the Simon and Schuster website:
http://the-dark-pages-blog.blogspot.i...
Sign up for my quarterly newsletter, which will give newsflashes of my free books and new writing. Check out my latest books, writing tips, puzzles, events and more on my website: http://www.clareobeara.ie
This is my fourteenth book to date. I celebrated with my husband Allan and friends at a book launch in Hodges Figgis bookshop in Dublin. My friend Ellen Gunning, PR guru and journalist, was launching her latest book Ten Red Hot Tips To Promote Your Business.
This sounds like a fascinating read with mentions of the Newbridge Silver ambassador Amy Huberman and her famous tweets, in-depth interviews with business people who shared tips and accounts of successes, and more. It's definitely on my to-read list. Imagine my delight when Murder Against The Clock started selling right away! My crime, equestrian and SF / technothriller books are consistent sellers so I hope to please my fans. I am already working on another book which is non-fiction and will soon be back to SF. I have learned that I can write fiction and non-fiction at the same time, as it is easier than jumping between fiction plots.
Ireland has been cheering home two Olympic silver medallists and as I write we have gained two Paralympic medals as well. Great work, Team Ireland!
Preparations are under way for Octocon, Ireland's national SF convention. 14th - 16th October at the Camden Court Hotel, Dublin - see you there! We will be promoting Dublin's 2019 WorldCon bid as well as enjoying the guests, panel discussions, film shows, dance and awards. Cons are friendly and respectful events so if you have not visited one yet, do come and join in the fun.
To see more of my travels, and photos of the book launch, visit my website and look on the News and Events page. You can also sign up to my quarterly newsletter which will keep you informed of special offers and new releases. If you read one of my books, please consider leaving a review. Reviews help other readers as well as the author.
FREE READ of my 2014 award-winning crime short story 'London Calling' on the Simon and Schuster website:
http://the-dark-pages-blog.blogspot.i...
Sign up for my quarterly newsletter, which will give newsflashes of my free books and new writing. Check out my latest books, writing tips, puzzles, events and more on my website: http://www.clareobeara.ie
August 7, 2016
Lively Liverpool in August
July and August have been immensely busy so far. I and my husband went to a friend's birthday party in the Midlands of England, which gave us a chance to see wonderful history such as a Roman hoard, canals and village inns. While there I volunteered my services as a tree surgeon. Moral: always travel in practical shoes. As before we offset the carbon cost of our travels.
Liverpool was our air hub for this trip and it was the first time I'd passed through John Lennon Airport. We explored the Cavern Club on Mathew Street, where the Beatles first played. There was a tremendous, lively atmosphere and I remarked that it is wonderful to see a street dedicated to making people happy.
We also visited the waterfront where the old docks and warehouses have been turned into museums and cafes, and ate scouse, a local meat stew. We toured the Museum of Liverpool, the Maritime Museum, Customs and Excise, and Emigrant exhibitions, and the International Museum of Slavery. At one time more slaves and slave goods such as sugar passed through this port than any other. The Titanic is also remembered here along with the Lusitania.
On a more cheerful note a special exhibition celebrated the work of the maritime pilots who guided ships safely in through the notorious sandbars at the entrance to the River Mersey. Pilots are still needed today even with GPS and radar. We were able to tour a retired pilot cutter boat with volunteers to show us around and explain the life of the apprentice and qualified pilots. I particularly visited a statue commemorating the Working Horse of the dockyards. We hear a lot now about the past use of human labour but very little about the horses which gave their lives of hard service.
There are plenty of books set in Liverpool and I recently read The Mersey Girls. If you ever get a chance to visit Liverpool, do. This is an inexpensive city to stay in with lots to visit concentrated around one area, friendly citizens and good disability access.
A couple of weeks ago, I e-mailed a comment to my supermarket that a rival supermarket had Fair Trade stickers on their bananas. I said I was sure this place also responsibly sourced its fruit, but I would like to see the stickers. Lo and behold, a week later I shopped and there were Fair Trade and Rainforest Alliance stickers on all the bunches of bananas. For every one person who comments to a supermarket, they know there are a hundred people thinking the same thing and not commenting. So making a positive suggestion to a supermarket is one of the best ideas you can have.
To see more of my travels visit my website and look on the News and Events page. You can also sign up to my newsletter which will keep you informed of special offers and new releases. For instance, I am making Silks and Sins free 13 - 15 August.
This is a romantic suspense story set in the Irish flat racing world. If you read it, please consider leaving a review. Reviews help other readers as well as the author.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Silks-Sins-C...
https://amazon.com/Silks-Sins-Clare-O...
FREE READ of my 2014 award-winning crime short story 'London Calling' on the Simon and Schuster website:
http://the-dark-pages-blog.blogspot.i...
Sign up for my quarterly newsletter, which will give newsflashes of my free books and new writing. Check out my latest books, writing tips, puzzles, events and more on my website: http://www.clareobeara.ie
Liverpool was our air hub for this trip and it was the first time I'd passed through John Lennon Airport. We explored the Cavern Club on Mathew Street, where the Beatles first played. There was a tremendous, lively atmosphere and I remarked that it is wonderful to see a street dedicated to making people happy.
We also visited the waterfront where the old docks and warehouses have been turned into museums and cafes, and ate scouse, a local meat stew. We toured the Museum of Liverpool, the Maritime Museum, Customs and Excise, and Emigrant exhibitions, and the International Museum of Slavery. At one time more slaves and slave goods such as sugar passed through this port than any other. The Titanic is also remembered here along with the Lusitania. On a more cheerful note a special exhibition celebrated the work of the maritime pilots who guided ships safely in through the notorious sandbars at the entrance to the River Mersey. Pilots are still needed today even with GPS and radar. We were able to tour a retired pilot cutter boat with volunteers to show us around and explain the life of the apprentice and qualified pilots. I particularly visited a statue commemorating the Working Horse of the dockyards. We hear a lot now about the past use of human labour but very little about the horses which gave their lives of hard service.
There are plenty of books set in Liverpool and I recently read The Mersey Girls. If you ever get a chance to visit Liverpool, do. This is an inexpensive city to stay in with lots to visit concentrated around one area, friendly citizens and good disability access. A couple of weeks ago, I e-mailed a comment to my supermarket that a rival supermarket had Fair Trade stickers on their bananas. I said I was sure this place also responsibly sourced its fruit, but I would like to see the stickers. Lo and behold, a week later I shopped and there were Fair Trade and Rainforest Alliance stickers on all the bunches of bananas. For every one person who comments to a supermarket, they know there are a hundred people thinking the same thing and not commenting. So making a positive suggestion to a supermarket is one of the best ideas you can have.
To see more of my travels visit my website and look on the News and Events page. You can also sign up to my newsletter which will keep you informed of special offers and new releases. For instance, I am making Silks and Sins free 13 - 15 August.
This is a romantic suspense story set in the Irish flat racing world. If you read it, please consider leaving a review. Reviews help other readers as well as the author. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Silks-Sins-C...
https://amazon.com/Silks-Sins-Clare-O...
FREE READ of my 2014 award-winning crime short story 'London Calling' on the Simon and Schuster website:
http://the-dark-pages-blog.blogspot.i...
Sign up for my quarterly newsletter, which will give newsflashes of my free books and new writing. Check out my latest books, writing tips, puzzles, events and more on my website: http://www.clareobeara.ie
July 21, 2016
Jumping July
This month I upgraded computer equipment, learnt about Leonardo and paid homage to showjumping history. I have a free YA horse book to download as well!
The RDS hosted a talk by Siobhan Campbell, to coincide with an exhibition in the National Gallery of Ireland of ten of Leonardo da Vinci’s finest drawings, on loan from the Royal Collection. This was a great chance to learn about the man behind the art.
Born illegitimate, which is why he took his surname from the town, Leonardo was unable to become a lawyer or civil servant. He turned his hand to drawing, anatomy and engineering. Moving water appears as plaited hair or draped robes in his art while he paid attention to details like geology and plants. He sketched a man, a lion and a horse all with teeth bared to suggest anger for a battle painting, and copied not only bones but major and minor blood vessels in extraordinarily correct drawings. He also designed a visionary bridge which has recently been constructed in Norway.
I just bought a new LED computer monitor. I insisted on an A rated efficiency one. Most of the monitors in the shop did not have a rating sticker and of those which did, the power use varied from 65 watts to 20 watts for a 20 inch screen. The sales assistant who seemed to have a clue about this tech told me that nobody else had asked for an A efficient rating. Monitor power efficiency helps in determining the usage of the whole house, just like LED lightbulbs. This would improve the house Building Efficiency Rating.
We also attended a reception to celebrate 90 years of the Aga Khan Trophy at the Dublin Horse Show.
In 1926 showjumping was a cavalry contest as nations sought to use armies in ways not related to warfare. His Highness the Aga Khan took a great interest in horses and kept some in Ireland, and he kindly sponsored this trophy. The Army Equitation School still sends a horse and rider to compete on the Irish team each year, and may provide a chef d'équipe as well. The Dublin Horse Show is early this year so as not to clash with the Rio Olympics in August.
Rodeo Finn is free 23 - 25 July to celebrate summer.
This YA book is about a girl from Ireland who visits her uncle's ranch in Arizona and learns to ride Western. Aged fifteen, Finn learns some major life lessons. Enjoy! If you do not have a Kindle you can download using Amazon's free Kindle app, provided you have ever bought anything on Amazon. If you read it, please consider leaving a review. Reviews help other readers as well as the author.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rodeo-Finn-C...
https://amazon.com/Rodeo-Finn-Clare-O...
FREE READ of my 2014 award-winning crime short story 'London Calling' on the Simon and Schuster website:
http://the-dark-pages-blog.blogspot.i...
Sign up for my quarterly newsletter, which will give newsflashes of my free books and new writing. Check out my latest books, writing tips, puzzles, events and more on my website: http://www.clareobeara.ie
The RDS hosted a talk by Siobhan Campbell, to coincide with an exhibition in the National Gallery of Ireland of ten of Leonardo da Vinci’s finest drawings, on loan from the Royal Collection. This was a great chance to learn about the man behind the art.
Born illegitimate, which is why he took his surname from the town, Leonardo was unable to become a lawyer or civil servant. He turned his hand to drawing, anatomy and engineering. Moving water appears as plaited hair or draped robes in his art while he paid attention to details like geology and plants. He sketched a man, a lion and a horse all with teeth bared to suggest anger for a battle painting, and copied not only bones but major and minor blood vessels in extraordinarily correct drawings. He also designed a visionary bridge which has recently been constructed in Norway. I just bought a new LED computer monitor. I insisted on an A rated efficiency one. Most of the monitors in the shop did not have a rating sticker and of those which did, the power use varied from 65 watts to 20 watts for a 20 inch screen. The sales assistant who seemed to have a clue about this tech told me that nobody else had asked for an A efficient rating. Monitor power efficiency helps in determining the usage of the whole house, just like LED lightbulbs. This would improve the house Building Efficiency Rating.
We also attended a reception to celebrate 90 years of the Aga Khan Trophy at the Dublin Horse Show.
In 1926 showjumping was a cavalry contest as nations sought to use armies in ways not related to warfare. His Highness the Aga Khan took a great interest in horses and kept some in Ireland, and he kindly sponsored this trophy. The Army Equitation School still sends a horse and rider to compete on the Irish team each year, and may provide a chef d'équipe as well. The Dublin Horse Show is early this year so as not to clash with the Rio Olympics in August. Rodeo Finn is free 23 - 25 July to celebrate summer.
This YA book is about a girl from Ireland who visits her uncle's ranch in Arizona and learns to ride Western. Aged fifteen, Finn learns some major life lessons. Enjoy! If you do not have a Kindle you can download using Amazon's free Kindle app, provided you have ever bought anything on Amazon. If you read it, please consider leaving a review. Reviews help other readers as well as the author. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rodeo-Finn-C...
https://amazon.com/Rodeo-Finn-Clare-O...
FREE READ of my 2014 award-winning crime short story 'London Calling' on the Simon and Schuster website:
http://the-dark-pages-blog.blogspot.i...
Sign up for my quarterly newsletter, which will give newsflashes of my free books and new writing. Check out my latest books, writing tips, puzzles, events and more on my website: http://www.clareobeara.ie
