You are never going to believe it.  I have been nominated again.  Actually, twice since last time.  I was going to turn it down and then I thought about the writers I wanted to pass this on to and it seemed mean not to accept,  so here I am again.

The Next Big Thing, Blog Hop – this is where writers collaborate with each other to share their information and links in the hope that their readers and followers will take a look at the other writer’s blogs, and author pages, and so widen their readership.  I do hope anyone visiting here today will take the time to do just this.   I know many of you were kind enough to enter into this last time I was nominated.  

I have been nominated by authors, Jennifer Garcia and Penelope Hellyer (individually, unknown to each other), so I do hope they won’t mind sharing this with me as I really cannot see how I can do a third Next Big Thing again, so soon.

My thanks and appreciation to:

Jennifer Garcia author of ‘My Mr. Manny’.

http://jenniferfgarcia.com

penelopehellyer.blogspot.com

It is a bit difficult to find something new to write about here when I have already been nominated for The Next Big Thing, (see my blog of November 20th 2012), back then I wrote about my career, projects I am working on, and my inspiration for ‘Ms Birdsong Investigates’ – visitors to my blog and Facebook Author Pages – www.facebook.com/JaneRisdon2 –  will be very familiar with her especially.

MI5 where Lavinia Birdsong worked until her forced retirement to Ampney Parva

As I write Lavinia Birdsong is busy concluding her investigations and it looks as if there are going to be some arrests in Ampney Parva very soon.  A blast from the past has ruffled her normally cool reserve and has given her food for thought!

I have written some background information about all my Works in Progress and Published Stories which can be found under the heading ‘About’ on my Home page.

There are ‘Tasters’ (extracts) from some of my work under the heading – your guessed – ‘Tasters’. Let me know what you think.

My wonderful followers here will have read little snippets from time to time about my character-driven, humorous series,  ‘God’s Waiting Room’,  which is based on conversations I have over-heard at village bus-stops, and in other situations where conversations between ‘locals’ have inspired and amused me no end.

Bus stops feature a lot in the series God’s Waiting Room (c) Jane Risdon 2012

One of the Short stories from the series is featured in the Anthology, ‘Telling Tales’, by Writers for Welfare,  –  sadly no longer in print – which was in aid of The Norfolk Hospice charity, and is called ‘The Ghost in the Privy’.

The Privy (c) unknown

Another Short story in the same Anthology, ‘The Debt Collector’, is a tale of revenge and murder in the Music Business.

I have added both these to ‘Tasters’ today – these are the original  unedited first drafts – not the published versions.

The Most Famous Night Club in the World back in the mid 1980’s. (c) unknown

Telling Tales Anthology which features two of my stories: The Debt Collector and The Ghost in the Privy.

Another of my short stories is  featured in the Anthology ‘I Am Woman’, volume 1, in aid of the Charities, Breakthrough, Women for Women and Women’s Aid.  There is a dedicated Facebook page for this movement – do pop and take a look.

https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/228646277234544/

The Anthology  is available  following this link    amzn.to/MDkDc6

I Am Woman Volume 1 Anthology featuring my short story The Look

 My story is called ‘The Look’, and is another tale of revenge which involves Social Networking.

The river where events take place in The Look. (c) Jane Risdon 2011

A second Anthology, ‘I Am Woman’ Anthology Volume 2,  has also been published (I’m not a contributor) and it is available:

http://amzn.to/SqMBxB

Both books are published in aid of women all over the world who have no voice, either through violence, war, poverty, lack of educational opportunities or abuse.  The contributing authors are also women from all over the world.

morgenbailey.wordpress.com

 ‘The White Witch of England’, was published there December 2nd 2011 and Pod-cast on January 2nd 2012.   It is based on a TV show I was involved in researching and producing, back in the early days of Satellite TV.

Witches, Covens and Satellite TV in the 1980’s feature in The White Witch of England

morgenbailey.wordpress.com/contr…

The most recent Flash Fiction piece, ‘The Honey Trap’, was published there November 30th 2012 and the Pod-cast is due March 24th 2013.  A story of murder set in the world of Foreign Relations and Spies….back on home ground for me.

wp.me/p18Ztn-4ID

(c) Jane Risdon 2012

Morgen was also kind enough to published my Short Story, ‘A Walk to Destiny’, which was written following a walk through some wonderful countryside near my former home.  This is neither a crime story nor a humorous piece, but a story about someone making decisions about changing her life.

morgenbailey.wordpress.com/2012/…

This stile features in my short story; A Walk To Destiny. (c) Jane Risdon 2012

Those familiar with me know I have also been co-writing a book with a long time friend – a successful, award-winning author of numerous books, and I have now completed my contribution to this.  Hush is the word on this for now…!

I have several other short stories completed and I am considering putting them into a book of short stories, possibly for Kindle, some time in the year.  These cover a variety of topics including murder and revenge, and what I call ‘observational humour.’

‘It’s A Long Way To Tipperary’, is almost complete, this is a Family History inspired story with a lot of humour, based on the visit of a family to their long-lost and recently found-again relations in Tipperary.  I am three-quarters of the way to completing this book.

There aren’t any murders in this tale of two families divided not just by country but by politics, although, as I mentioned in the synopses for this book, there is the case of the dead not finding a place to rest!

Family Tree Research leads to Tipperary. (c) Jane Risdon 2013

Another book based on auditions held in the USA in the late 1980’s, for a famous ‘Icon’s’ touring band, hasn’t got a title at the moment and is half way to completion.  The working title  of it is ‘La La Land.’  I have been messing with this for some time and giving it a lot of thought. 

It captures the  buzz of the Music Industry in Los Angeles in the late 1980’s, and is all long flowing locks, leather, and tight, tight satin trousers, snake-skin cowboy boots and groupies…..and describes the antics of English rock musicians living their dreams in Hollywood and  on Sunset Strip. There is a lot of humour…..but that’s another story for another time!  More about this later.

Hollywood Los Angles where The Auditions take place in latest work in progress

So I am busy and writing a lot.  I just need a 36 hour day and a longer week.

I would like to nominate:

Elle Amberley      http://www.elleamberley.co.uk/

Anita Stewart        www.ancientbreeds.co.uk

Linda Jackson      http://www.facebook.com/TwistedBloodlines?ref=hl

http://lindajacksonblog.wordpress.com/

for The Next Big Thing, Blog Hop. 

Please visit them and see what their books are about…I know you will find it worthwhile. Thanks for visiting me once more.  Check out ‘About’ for more information on my projects and ‘Tasters’ for some extracts.  Leave a comment please.

I appreciate all your visits and comments and do please, keep coming back and keep letting me know your thoughts.  I love it.  Thanks again to Jennifer Garcia and Penelope Hellyer for this nomination.  Good luck to you both, and to  my nominees.