Devon Book Club discussion
Introduce yourself
>
Saying Hello
Sam wrote: "Angela wrote: "Sam wrote: "Hi Ian and all! Glad I found your group! I've lived in the same village in Devon all my life and can't see me ever moving (I'm going to die in this village!)
I love r..."
Just been approved by your publisher for your book, Sam - I'm very much looking forward to reading it and will forward my review and links to you too.
Mod
Glad I found your group! I've lived in the same village in Devon all my life and can't see me ever moving (I'm going to die in this village!)
I love reading but am a..."
What is netgalley?
Ian wrote: "Angela wrote: "Sam wrote: "Hi Ian and all! Glad I found your group! I've lived in the same village in Devon all my life and can't see me ever moving (I'm going to die in this village!)
I love r..."
Hi Ian, NetGalley.com is a company where authors and publishers (for a charge) put books, usually ARC's, for review and reviewers and bloggers (no charge to join) choose books to review. It's a good way of publicising and reviewing new books.
Angela wrote: "Sam wrote: "Angela wrote: "Sam wrote: "Hi Ian and all! Glad I found your group! I've lived in the same village in Devon all my life and can't see me ever moving (I'm going to die in this village!..."
Brilliant! Thanks so much Angela. Hope you enjoy it! :)
Ian wrote: "Sam wrote: "Hi Ian and all! Glad I found your group! I've lived in the same village in Devon all my life and can't see me ever moving (I'm going to die in this village!)
I love reading but am a..."
Sorry - yes, Ian, I'm local to Newton Abbot.
I will definitely keep you updated with how the book is going! Thank you.
Mod
Glad I found your group! I've lived in the same village in Devon all my life and can't see me ever moving (I'm going to die in this village!)
I love read..."
Great thanks - we have a number of people in that area. Do you know Chris Tetrault-Blay? - he is also an author and lives in your neck of the woods - you'll find him in the members list
Mod
Glad I found your group! I've lived in the same village in Devon all my life and can't see me ever moving (I'm going to die in this village!..."
I didn't know that. I'll have a look - are the books sent to you electronically?
Mod
hello! I'm Lucy and I live in Exeter - I was thrilled to see that there was a Devon group. In terms of favourite authors, I love Margaret Atwood, Neil Gaiman, Stephen King... But to be honest, I'll happily give any author a go. I've got my own book coming out next year...and guess what? It's set in Exeter (I just can't keep Devon out of my writing, hee hee).
Nice to meet you all!
Lucy wrote: "hello! I'm Lucy and I live in Exeter - I was thrilled to see that there was a Devon group. In terms of favourite authors, I love Margaret Atwood, Neil Gaiman, Stephen King... But to be honest, I'..."
Hi Lucy. Welcome to the group.
Mod
I'm Lucy and I live in Exeter - I was thrilled to see that there was a Devon group. In terms of favourite authors, I love Margaret Atwood, Neil Gaiman, Stephen King... But to be honest, I'..."
HI Lucy - was away for the weekend so sorry for the late reply. Great to have you with us. Id love to catch up with you about your work - a major part of this Group is to celebrate Devon's authors. I work in Exeter but live in North Devon - perhaps we can get a coffee sometime and chat through your work?
Hi Lucy,Good to 'meet' you. I lived in Exeter years ago and loved it! Whereabouts are you? Also, like you, I can't keep Devon out of my writing, although, having said that, none of my non-fiction books, published back in the 1980s and 90s were set here. However, I've remedied that with the novels I now write. Time to Shine - the mystery surrounding a broken marriage - is the first of the Evie Adams series. Evie's a counsellor who lives and works in Exeter - Cathedral Green to be precise. The second book in the series, Chosen? includes Kingswear and Dartmouth and involves a dashing American seeking to discover the mystery behind his adoption. With Evie's help, of course. Both are available on Amazon. Would love to hear more about what you're writing and, perhaps, to meet one day?
Hi Lucy,I lived and worked in Exeter years ago and loved it! Whereabouts are you? Also, like you, I can't keep Devon out of my writing.
Having said that, all my non-fiction books, published in the 1980s and 90s, were not, but now I'm writing fiction. . . Time to Shine, the first in the Evie Adams series, is set in Exeter, where Evie, a counsellor located in the Cathedral Yard, helps to solve the mystery surrounding her client's broken marriage. Chosen? the second in the series, includes Kingswear and Dartmouth, and is the story of a dashing American seeking answers to the mystery surrounding his adoption. Both are written in Jodi Picoult style.
So what sort of thing do you write? Would love to hear more.
Mod
I lived and worked in Exeter years ago and loved it! Whereabouts are you? Also, like you, I can't keep Devon out of my writing.
Having said that, all my non-fiction books, published in the..."
Hi Mel - great to see people making connections through this group and thanks for sharing a bit more about your work. Be great if you could keep us in touch with your work in the "writers corner" section - that way we don't lose it amidst the wider discussions.
Thanks Ian. Sorry - have never really got to grips with Goodreads. Must make amends and do it properly.
Mod
No need to apologise - I just want to make sure that we don't lose your updates. Author comments are always so interesting :)
Hi Mel - sorry, I didn't have notifications set up, so had no idea anyone had replied! I'm up in the Mount Pleasant area - previously we used to live down in St Thomas. I love that you're also using the area for inspiration! My books are about a supernatural agency, set just off Gandy St (of course, where else?) - book 1 mainly stayed in Exeter, book 2 roamed to Lyme Regis, and book 3 has strayed into Beer Quarry Caves and London... with about 50,000 words still to go!
They're a bit of a comedy / supernatural blend - I never seem able to take myself too seriously! Have you completed yours yet?
Hi Mel - sorry, I didn't have notifications set up, so had no idea anyone had replied! I'm up in the Mount Pleasant area - previously we used to live down in St Thomas. I love that you're also using the area for inspiration! My books are about a supernatural agency, set just off Gandy St (of course, where else?) - book 1 mainly stayed in Exeter, book 2 roamed to Lyme Regis, and book 3 has strayed into Beer Quarry Caves and London... with about 50,000 words still to go!
They're a bit of a comedy / supernatural blend - I never seem able to take myself too seriously! Have you completed yours yet?
I've just had a snatch victim turn up in the boot of a Beamer in the car park in Mary Arches Street
Lucy wrote: "hello! I'm Lucy and I live in Exeter - I was thrilled to see that there was a Devon group. In terms of favourite authors, I love Margaret Atwood, Neil Gaiman, Stephen King... But to be honest, I'..."
Hi Lucy, sorry for the delayed 'Welcome!'
My heroine works in Exeter, where I worked for twenty years. It would be difficult NOT to include this beautiful city in one's writing! I think it's easier to write about a place one knows well rather than try to imagine one. I have also strayed up north to the Lake District and across the sea to Ireland.
I look forward to reading your book when it's finished :)
Mod
I'm Lucy and I live in Exeter - I was thrilled to see that there was a Devon group. In terms of favourite authors, I love Margaret Atwood, Neil Gaiman, Stephen King... But to ..."
So much going on in and around Exeter - supernatural events, murdered bodies and much more! Great to know the city is inspiring so much creativity.
Delighted that you've joined us Lucy and looking forward to getting to know you
Hello everyone.I'm from Plymouth. I read a wide range of genres, my favorite authors are Daphne Du Marier, Anne Rice, Liz Fenwick and Victoria Holt.
Lizzie - Barista in training. wrote: "Hello everyone.I'm from Plymouth. I read a wide range of genres, my favorite authors are Daphne Du Marier, Anne Rice, Liz Fenwick and Victoria Holt."
Hi Lizzie. Delighted to welcome you to the group. I believe we also know each other from the Happily Ever After Cafe. Daphne du Maurier is also one of my favorite authors. LOL.
Lizzie - Barista in training. wrote: "Hello everyone.I'm from Plymouth. I read a wide range of genres, my favorite authors are Daphne Du Marier, Anne Rice, Liz Fenwick and Victoria Holt."
Hi Lizzie. Welcome! Barista in training sounds good. Are you enjoying it?
Absoloutely loving it, just waiting for a phonecall to know if I got the job or not.
Mod
I'm from Plymouth. I read a wide range of genres, my favorite authors are Daphne Du Marier, Anne Rice, Liz Fenwick and Victoria Holt."
Welcome Lizzie - great to have you with us. Hope you will drop by and contribute often. If you want to start any new threads please feel free or let me know and I'll do so
Mod
I've just joined the group and Goodreads having heard about both through Ian - thank you! I have to admit, I've not done much reading lately and am looking forward to getting back into it. I'll..."
You are very welcome Teresa - it was lovely to meet you - amazing how a shared love of books connects people. I'm just finishing A Hero of Our Time by Mikhail Lermantov - loving it - such a rich, character driven novel but I am a sucker for the Russian authors. I hope you enjoy the group and will drop by often. If you cant see a topic that particularly interests you please start a new one or let me know and i'll get it going.
Hello All,I've been away from Goodreads for quite some time. Life got in the way - or should I say two operations for cancer, so I've been 'otherwise occupied.' The good news on the health front is that the operations appear to have been successful and there is no evidence the cancer spread. It's been a wake up call to lifestyle issues in general - although many have said to me that I was the last person they expected to get such an illness. Nevertheless, I did stop creative writing and writer's groups in particular. I found them remarkably stressful on various levels and Plymouth is quite a difficult city for writers. You only have to look at the vicious attacks on the Poet Laureate from those in Plymouth University and associated institutions to realise you should 'exit stage left' and leave the prima donnas to it.
So, what have I been up to? Well, I resurrected a novel I wrote yonks ago. The summary - or back cover blurb - is thus:
'Dartmoor is a shadowy, mist-shrouded frontier largely unknown to Isabella Cole, a young woman who resides in Plymouth and is employed as a valuations clerk to a local auctioneer. It is 1898 and her occupation is uncommon for a woman. Her employer is invited to a working weekend at Hazelwood Grange, the moorland country house of Sir Sholto Lelawne, a reclusive scientist and world traveller, who extends the invitation to Isabella. Entering a world far different to the one she grew up in, Isabella encounters the elusive Galene, a beautiful young woman with spiritual powers who is introduced as Sir Sholto's sister. Isabella begins to uncover a complex web of lies and mysteries. Not all is as it seems.
Meanwhile in Plymouth, under the foundations of his valuations business near Charles church, her employer, Thomas Northcott, while renovating the building, uncovers an extensive chamber filled with antiquities from Roman times. Isabella finds herself wrapped up in an intrigue of both ancient and Victorian power struggles involving the Freemasons and the churchmen, who will stop at nothing to claim the highest prize of all - and she is key to its discovery.'
Galene by Ruth Snell
ISBN: 978-1-5376-6225-1
I self-published through Create Space. Not a bad tool and I did pay for their service to put it all together. I don't know if this is the right 'page' or forum thread to discuss that in but I'd be interested to know what other people thought of it.
Best Wishes
Ruth
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Galene-Dartm...
Mod
I've been away from Goodreads for quite some time. Life got in the way - or should I say two operations for cancer, so I've been 'otherwise occupied.' The good news on the health front ..."
Hi Ruth - welcome back to Goodreads and especially to our group. So pleased you've found us. Most importantly, I'm delighted that you have recovered and that your creative juices are unleashed again.
Sorry for my delay in replying - I've been a way for a few days and hard to keep up by phone
The book sounds really interesting - Dartmoor is such an inspiration for so many writers isn't it?
Feel free to engage other writers through these pages - the best section to do so is the one headed writers corner (mainly so it doesn't get lost) but I don't police the posts too energetically so happy for you to post anywhere.
Also, worth you looking around the discussion threads as they don't all show at any one time.
I hope you will enjoy the group and drop by often
Hello to Ian and everyone, I'm Richard Dee, an author living in Brixham.
I write Sci-fi and Steampunk, both novels and short stories.
I currently have three novels available, with a new release due early next year. I have also published a free eBook of short stories and was part of a collaboration celebrating the 950th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings in the collection "1066 Turned Upside Down."
I read mostly sci-fi and fantasy but I'll try most things.
Mod
I'm Richard Dee, an author living in Brixham.
I write Sci-fi and Steampunk, both novels and short stories.
I currently have three novels available, with a new release d..."
HI Richard - you are very welcome and glad you have found your way to us. Please feel free to leave posts about your writing in the writers corner and keep me in touch with any events that are significant for you so I can help to promote your work if that's helpful. As well as your writing, what do you most like to read?
I'm a big fan of classic Sci-fi, Asimov, Ray Bradbury or Philip K Dick etc but also William Horwood and George Martin. But anything that catches my eye really, I'm a sucker for a good cover!
Have you read the two by Alfred Bester, Richard? The Stars my Destination and The Demolished Man. I enjoyed them both very much.
Cathie wrote: "Have you read the two by Alfred Bester, Richard? The Stars my Destination and The Demolished Man. I enjoyed them both very much."No, but thanks for the recommendation. I'll investigate them and put them on my TBR list (it's long but I'll get there). I'm setting up for NaNoWriMo at the moment so reading is taking a bit of a back seat. That's what I like about groups like this one though, you get to hear of all sorts that you'd never find otherwise.
Mod
No, but thanks for the recommendation. I'll investi..."
Check out the recommendations thread - you'll find some wonderful books there
Thank you for accepting my application.I'm the author of something over seventy books, according to my wife (who does the counting!), most of them under my main writing name, John Grant. I lived in Devon (Buckfast/Ashburton/Newton Abbot/Exeter) for about a quarter of a century before falling in love with my second wife, an American, in 1999 and moving to New York City (briefly) and then New Jersey,. where we still are. Although I was born in Scotland and lived for quite a few years in London, Devon is the place where I've spent the longest and the place to which, so to speak -- I'm an expat Devonian, in other words, I feel almost as much allegiance as I do to Scotland. I still set occasional short stories in a version of Devon.
I'm looking forward to this group. I tend to lurk a lot and comment only rarely, but . . .
Mod
I'm the author of something over seventy books, according to my wife (who does the counting!), most of them under my main writing name, John Grant. I lived ..."
All lurkers welcome. You can take the man out of Devon but you can't take Devon out of the man eh! Great to think we can help you keep in touch with your roots. If you'd like to talk about your work feel free to do so on our writers corner section but, in the meantime, it would be great if you'd give us a flavour here of what you write and what you love to read.
Hope you enjoy the group and drop by whenever you can.
Hello. I'm happy to be part of this group and look forward to connecting with other Devon writers, readers and fans. I live in Spain but am Devon born and bred!I have just co-authored the book The Last Treasure of Ancient England, which is set in Devon (of course) and am now working on the second book of the series.
Mod
I have just co-authored the book Th..."
Sounds great - please keep us posted on how things develop. The Last Treasure of Ancient England will be added to my TBR list
John wrote: "Thank you for accepting my application.I'm the author of something over seventy books, according to my wife (who does the counting!), most of them under my main writing name, John Grant. I lived ..."
Hi John, nice to meet you - I'm currently based in Exeter - hope you're enjoying your time in the US!
hope you're enjoying your time in the US!Not right now, to be honest.
John wrote: "hope you're enjoying your time in the US!Not right now, to be honest."
I can imagine - what a week it has been! (And now Leonard Cohen - sob!)
Hi Ian, I grew up in Chulmleigh and went to school in North Devon, I now live in Caithness but my heart is still in Devon :-) I like the online idea as I can't always get to the local group meetings up here (held in a cafe overlooking the Pentland Firth and Orkney Islands which is a distraction) I like the idea of online and hope to be able to participate even if only occasionally.
Mod
HI Ruan - you are very welcome. No regular commitment here - very much a join in when it suits you kind of group
Mod
I recognise quite a few names on here from the Devon Book Hour chats on Twitter, but I have only just joined the group on here today.
I'm from Exeter and love books in a wide range of genres,..."
Hi Anya - glad you've joined us here too - a stalwart of our #devonbookhour. You are really welcome - hope you'll take a look around all the posts (noting that only the top 5 for each topic are showing at any one time). By the way - were you able to join us at the cocktail evening this coming Thursday at the Hotel du Vin in Exeter? Be great to meet you in person
Mod
Thanks! Unfortunately I can't make it on Thursday, but I hope you all have a great time.
Anya"
That is a shame but thank you. Hope to see you on #devonbookhour tomorrow
Hi, hope I'm doing this right, I don't belong to any other Goodreads groups (or none that I've posted to, as far as I know) but was invited to join by Ian. I live in Holsworthy, Devon, but have only been there 18 mths. Came from Cornwall, and the Midlands before that. Bit of a wanderer.
I write books for a living, under this and other names. :)
Cheers, Jane
Mod
I live in Holsworthy, Devon, but have o..."
You are very welcome Jane - for those who have not spotted the link may I introduce Jane Holland, who has kindly donated copies of her new book Lock the Door- one for our new competition and the other for our giveaway.
Devon Book Club
Books mentioned in this topic
The Ice Palace (other topics)The Light Between Trees (other topics)
Sixteen Trees Of The Somme (other topics)
The Garden of Evening Mists (other topics)
Germinal (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Hazel Manuel (other topics)E.C. Huntley (other topics)
Elena Ferrante (other topics)
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (other topics)
Andrey Kurkov (other topics)
More...
Glad I found your group! I've lived in the same village in Devon all my life and can't see me ever moving (I'm going to die in this village!)
I love reading but am a relatively ..."
Welcome Sam - you don't say which part of Devon you live in - if you let us know other people may be able to hook up with you.
Very exciting news about your book - be great for you to keep us updated on how that goes. Good luck with it.