Five star reviews!

16 August 2022 / darkislethebooks / Leave a comment

So excited by the five star reviews that are coming in for Greed. Thanks to everyone who took the time to leave a review. I really appreciate it. If you have a minute, and have read the book, would you also mind leaving a review on Amazon? Every single one matters and it’ll help get my book further up the charts. Thanks.

Right, now that’s done, on to the blog. How are you today? Hope you’re all hail and hearty. Me? Well, I’ve been busy cranking up my social media for my writing and for Greed. It’s tiring, I can tell you, but I’m already seeing more people beginning to follow me and I got some more book sales, so that’s great. I haven’t gone viral on Tik Tok (yet, fingers crossed) but you never know. If there’s anything you’d like to see me put up on social media (for instance, answering authorly questions), then comment on this post or email me on dawn@danelsonauthor.com or DM me on my author page on Facebook, which is D A Nelson Author.

So, we’ve been basking in sunshine lately in Scotland and it’s been nice, but too hot. I’ve had to have a fan running all night in my room because it’s so hot in the room and my poor elderly pug, Bonya, gets too hot and pants… loudly. The fan seems to work though and we can all get a rest. The last couple of days, however, the weather has become pretty overcast and wet. Torrential rain yesterday, but it was good as the plants needed a good watering.

What’s been happening? I’ve gotten around 30,000 words written of my next book, Envy, which is due out in November. I’ve also got a short story due for an anthology in October and I’ve signed up for a different series next year. I also want to write my historical fantasy steampunk series. I have started it, I have notes, but I really need to finish my other projects and get on to it. I’m very excited about it. There are another two books I have finished, but not polished, in my computer and I’d love to get those out too. Busy, busy, busy.

What I’ve been watching… I’ve become addicted to Help! We Bought a Village which is a series about people who’ve bought rundown villages in rural France and Portugal and are redeveloping them. I love programmes like this.

I’m also feeling bereft having binge watched The Sandman series, which I loved. What a series. I was hooked. However, the prequel to Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon, starts next Monday at 2am. I CANNOT WAIT!! You all know I’m a huge fan of Game of Thrones and this new series will hopefully be as great.

I’ve also been watching (again) my guilty tv watching secrets, which are Father Brown and Murdoch Mysteries. I love a good mystery, especially if it’s set in the past, and these two are just fab. They give me a lovely hour of gentle murder! 😉

Right, I’m going to love you and leave you. Til next time,

Dawnx

Two books down and Volker Kutscher

8 April 2021 / darkislethebooks / Leave a comment

Hi everyone! How are you? Hope you’re all well. How’s your week been? Well, I’ve got a couple of exciting things to share.

Firstly, I finally finished editing my Sisters of Sin novel. It’s called Greed and is romantic suspense story about a female assassin. As it’s part of a series, it won’t be published until early next year, but I’ll keep you posted. I have another one to write – about an assassin code-named Envy – for the series and plan to start on it next week.

Secondly, my Paisley book is finished and, as part of it, I’m just about to draft up a short graphic novel depicting one of the historical facts from the book. Once I have some images to show you, I’ll do that. The illustrations are being done by my very good friend and fab illustrator, Mandy Sinclair.

It’s so nice to have some good news to share. Something different from the norm. It still feels like Groundhog Day, but at least now I’ve had my first vaccination, I can see a tiny speck of light at the end of the tunnel!

On to TV and film. Well, I have just finished binge watching Call the Midwife and thoroughly enjoyed it, although Barbara’s demise did leave me in tears. The thing I like about this series is that it’s gentle, you don’t have to concentrate too hard to enjoy it, and the styles and music are fantastic. It’s one of my guilty pleasures and I can’t wait for the new series which starts very soon.

On to books, I’ve been trying to read, but I’ve been so busy lately that I’m shattered by the time I crawl into bed and switch the light out. I normally go up at 9pm and read for a while, but I’ve been going up at the same time and going to sleep. I’ve had a couple of extra clients for my business plus I had to complete an assignment for university, so that’s probably why.

I have got a book to start which is Babylon Berlin by Volker Kutscher. I really LOVE LOVE LOVE the tv series, so wanted to read the books. Got the first one to start and I can’t wait.

I’m also reading Bruce Block’s ‘The Visual Story’ which is about creating the visual structure of film, tv and digital media. It’s useful to know this stuff for my scriptwriting, but it should also feed into my novel writing and maybe even other parts of my working life. Only just started it and am hooked already.

Right, so you are up-to-date on everything at the moment. I’m sorry I’ve not had much to tell you. It’s so difficult to be exciting about writing when most of it is hard slog. However, I’m getting there with my novels and have already started planning my next series – a steampunk, fantasy set in Victorian Glasgow. I’ll tell you more about that in the future, it’s way too early just now.

Til next time,

Dawn xxx

Dogs, Chickens and 1920s Actresses

10 January 202111 January 2021 / darkislethebooks / Leave a comment

So, it’s been a couple of months since I last wrote a blog and that’s because November and December were pretty busy what with various birthdays and Christmas to organise. Not that we saw anyone over Christmas – my entire family stayed at home in their separate houses. We saw each other on Christmas Day via Zoom, but apart from that we didn’t get together. I also had a lot of work on before Christmas and had a chicken pen to erect which took a lot longer than I imagined (more on that soon).

Anyway, sorry for not being around. It’s been a weird time recently what with the pandemic, Brexit and what’s been going on in America with people storming the Capitol building. But, I’m not going to talk about either because they are just too depressing, so I’m going to start this blog off with something funny. Here’s some great animal videos I got on YouTube:

So, how are you all? Hope you’re well. Hmmm let’s see what’s been happening? Well, due to the pandemic I have not been going out. We’re now in total lockdown in Scotland, which means we can only go out for vital things (such as food and exercise). Even before this lockdown, I was pretty much staying close to home anyway. I have been taking the dogs out for walks though and it’s been lovely to speak to other dog walkers (socially distanced of course) along the way. The dogs have been a Godsend in this pandemic. They are just so full of joi de vivre and ours are such cuddly, loving wee munchkins that they’ve made being stuck inside more bearable.

I do still have the aforementioned chickens who have not laid an egg since October (gurn – I miss their eggs, they were gorgeous), so are not pulling their weight!! Ha hahaha. I’ve bought them a bigger, walk-in pen for two reasons: firstly, I had to get them under cover as there’s Bird Flu about and it’s the law that your domestic fowl have to be kept away from wild birds. They are not enjoying being incarcerated, but there’s nothing I can do about that. They’re original pen was too small, so I bought and constructed a new one. It’s much better, they have far more room.

Secondly, I was thinking about doing it anyway. They had been free range, but they cause chaos in the garden. I can’t plant anything as they eat anything that resembles tasty greens and they make a mess. So, into the pen they went and that’s where they’ll stay.

For the first time, I created and sold a calendar on Etsy. My Amazing Actresses of the 1920s and 1930s was packed full of beautiful black and white images of famous actresses of the time. And they are selling quickly. More coming soon. If you are looking for a calendar and fancy this one, buy it here: Amazing Actresses of the 1920s and 1920s Calendar 2021 | Etsy

I’m definitely going to do them again for the end of this year along with some other ones. Watch this space for more details!

What else have I been doing? Been back knitting for my Etsy shop. This time it’s vintage tea cosies. Will get those up for sale soon.

Books

Books I have been reading include Lady in Waiting: My Extraordinary Life in the Shadow of the Crown by Lady Anne Glenconner. It wasn’t as good as I had hoped. Although, in saying that I don’t know what I expected it to be like. It was nicely written and a great account of Anne Glenconner’s life as Lady in Waiting to Princess Margaret, the wife of Colin Glenconner and as a mother of five. She had a lot of good times and some tragedy, but this is not the tell all I’d expected. There aren’t any truly juicy stories, which I’m sure she knows a lot of, but was still relatively interesting.

I’ve started back reading the Harry Potter series and here’s why: my interest in rereading them started up again through watching the entire film series with my daughter. We’ve only just today finished watching them. I really like the films, but the books are SOOOOO much better. So, will be starting The Philosopher’s Stone tonight. For films, we’re starting on the Star Wars franchise.

TV over Christmas wasn’t great. There were A LOT of reruns. However, I did watch a few things that I really enjoyed including the All Creatures Great and Small Christmas special, Bridgerton (wow, the Duke – you know who I mean ladies) and (oh joy!) the second series of A Discovery of Witches (which only came out on Friday and I’ve watched the entire series). I also watched The Alienist on Netflix and it was really good. If you like Victorian crime drama, The Alienist is for you.

Cooking

Other things I have been doing over the festive period include getting back into cooking again. And it’s been quite enjoyable. I lost my love of cooking around the same time as Ian becoming ill and never really regained it. But I started up again over Christmas and I’m enjoying it again, which is great. I’ve made various dishes – most of which my daughter has turned her nose up at – including a very lovely Chicken Korma curry at the request of my son. Weirdly, he did not eat it, but the girl did. So that was a sort of win.

Right, that’s all I’ve got to say today. Going to feed the dogs and get the dinner on. It’s sausage and mash tonight…or should I make sausage and mash and Yorkshire pudding? Oh yes! The latter sounds great! Til next time.

Dawn xxx

Is it just me or is lockdown becoming really tedious?

2 October 2020 / darkislethebooks / Leave a comment

The lovely Matt Bomer in White Collar.

How’s your week been? Much like last week, I’ll bet. This virus stuff is getting tedious isn’t it? I know we have to stay away from other people as much as possible, but it’s hard. I daydream about going out as normal, meeting friends and family for lunch and having a laugh. However, in Scotland we’re not allowed anyone else in our houses. We can go out and meet them for lunch, but it’s just not the same. It’s not as relaxed. It’s always at the back of your mind that you could have Coronavirus and not know it and then pass it on to someone else, even though you do your best to stay two metres away. I see Donald Trump and his wife have now been diagnosed with it. I really hope this is a wake-up call to him. I don’t wish him or anyone to be seriously ill or killed by this disease, but he’s been so casual about it all in the past that it does feel a bit like karma that he has it. I hope he takes it more seriously now and starts listening to the experts about wearing a mask etc.

A wealth of lovely patterns and hand-knitted items at my shop.

Anyway, that is my moan for today. So, what have I been up to lately? Well, it’s much the same as always: I work on our script, I write my SOS book, I work on my social media business and my vintage knitting business, Vintage Knit Treasures (that’s got some items for sale in it now including scarves and hats, see here for more info). It’s been very much ‘Groundhog Day’ for us, as I’m sure it’s been for everyone else. I have been comforting myself with watching tv (yesterday I decided to start watching White Collar again cos I love it and Matt Bomer is just yummy). Watched Enola Holmes and really enjoyed it, although I thought the ending was a bit flat. Really hope they do another one. Millie Bobby Brown is really good in it and Henry Cavill (does that man ever smile?) and Sam Claflin play her brothers Sherlock and Mycroft beautifully. Plus they are both good to look at. 😉 What? A girl needs a bit of eye candy every now and again. Widowhood can be quite dull you know!

Millie Bobby Brown leads the cast in Enola Holmes.

That about sums up my week. It feels lately that we’re just sitting in limbo at the moment. We can’t look forward to Halloween or Guy Fawke’s because that’s been cancelled. I had to tell the kids they couldn’t go out guising this year (guising is the Scottish word for trick or treating) and they were disappointed. Our local Guy Fawke’s Night celebration at our scout hut has been cancelled due to the Coronavirus. Tell you a laugh, my American friend, the lovely Terry Wells Brown asked me why the British celebrate Guy Fawke’s Night and I told her about the bomb plot to blow up parliament and the king in 1605 and how it was stopped and ever since then we celebrated every November 5. Then it occured to me: do we celebrate because it was stopped or because he tried to blow up parliament?? I hadn’t really thought about it before. Obviously, the celebration must be about because the plot was stopped, but if you speak to people about him they talk about the Gunpowder Plot with glee and Guy Fawke’s almost like a hero. It’s almost like it’s a bit of a joke that it happened. 🤔 On Guy Fawke’s Night, we let off fireworks, have sparklers and have a party. There’s always a bonfire where an effigy of Guy Fawke’s is burned (the real Guy Fawke’s was tortured and hung for his part in the plot). Hmmm.

Guy Fawkes was also known as Guido Fawkes.

Moving on to Christmas and I fear we won’t be able to visit family on Christmas day. It will be rubbish, but if it has to be, it has to be. The worst case scenario will be that I will set up a Zoom call with them. Anyway, we have 12 weeks (?) til then. Hopefully something good will happen and the virus will die off (miraculously) and we will be able to get together after all.

Right, enough of my musings. I am away to do some work (I’m always working, keeps me out of mischief!). Til next time.

Dawn xx

New business, new FB group and a busy week

26 August 2020 / darkislethebooks / Leave a comment

So, how are you all this week? Hope you are all well. We’re all good here at Nelson Towers. The kids are back at school full time now, which is great for me because I get more peace during the day to write. As usual I’ve been busy, busy with all the projects I’ve been involved in. That includes scriptwriting, my SOS novel and some articles I’ve been writing for Medium (follow me here).

I’ve started up a vintage knitting pattern business on Etsy selling knitting patterns from the 1940s onwards. Some of these patterns are rare so you won’t find them anywhere else. My shop is called Vintage Knit Treasures and there’s a range of patterns for men, women and kids. If there’s something you’d like, but you don’t see it in my shop, contact: vintageknittreasures@gmail.com and ask me and I’ll see if I can source it for you. I’ve been knitting some vintage things to put up for sale too and I’ll do that once I’ve made a few.

My time over the past week has been taken up not just with writing, but with my social media business. I have a few new clients, which is great, so I’ve been busy creating and scheduling posts for them. I use Canva to create the posts – I love it because it’s easy to use and the images are great. For videos, I use Win Movie Maker. I’ve been working on developing some videos for clients and they’re working well.

So, what else has been happening? Not much. All that I’ve been talking about before has been taking up most of my time. In my downtime, I’ve been relaxing and binge watching The Borgias, which I think I spoke about in my last post. I love that series. Can’t believe I never watched it before. It’s SOOOOO good.

Reading-wise, I’ve finished The Mistress of Mayfair and am reading a book on the history of the lost gold from the Reichsbank in Berlin. The Nazis took it out of the bank and hid it before the Russians and Americans entered Berlin at the end of the Second World War. I’m fascinated by that era and I love a good treasure hunt, so this book, which is factual, is just the ticket.

Anything else? Nope, I think that’s about it. I’ve joined a new group on FB called The Debt Free Divas. It’s a group of women supporting each other, sharing tips on being more frugal, sharing recipes and highlighting any deals that are going on. There’s info on how to get out of debt (I’m not in debt, but am interested in a whole lot of other things the group is doing), paying off mortgages, how to plan for early retirement and business. It’s only just started, but if you’re a lady (35-75-ish) who’s interested, go here and request to join. We’d love to see you there.

Right, am away now. Got some more writing to do before the kids come in from school. Have a great week and I’ll see you next week.

Dawn xxx