Spunky Lesley Cookman Is Quintessentially English

 Lesley started writing almost as soon as she could read, and filled many exercise books with pony stories until she was old enough to go out with boys.

Since she's been grown up, following a varied career as a model, actor, air stewardess and disc jockey, she's written short fiction and features for a variety of magazines, achieved an MA in Creative Writing from the University of Wales, taught writing for both Kent Adult Education and the WEA and edited the first Sexy Shorts collection of short stories from Accent Press in aid of the Breast Cancer Campaign. 

The Libby Sarjeant series is published by Accent Press, who also publish her book, How to Write a Pantomime, with a foreword by Roy Hudd.   Lesley is a member of the Romantic Novelists' Association, the Society of Authors and the Crime Writers' Association. 

LESLEY SAYS:
I’m very pleased to be invited to this blog of which, as an English writer, I had never heard! My books, available in print or ebook, are quintessentially English and fall into what is now known as the “cosy” category, but follows the pattern of the Golden Age British Detective story.

They were my favourite reading from the age of nine, when my parents first allowed me to read a book by Carter Dickson. I went on to become a model, an actor, British Airways cabin crew and finally, a free lance journalist and editor. I also wrote short fiction for women’s magazines and pantomimes, that peculiarly British form of Christmas entertainment. The pantomimes are still performed in theatres across Britain every year. 

Murder by Magic is the tenth in the Libby Sarjeant series, and you can buy it here:

http://www.amazon.com/Murder-Magic-Sarjeant-Mystery-ebook/dp/B00883BFV4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1346933552&sr=8-2&keywords=Murder+By+Magic

Amazon UK Link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00883BFV4

You can reach Lesley at:
www.lesleycookman.co.uk
http://lesleycookman.blogspot.com/
Follow Lesley on Twitter @LesleyCookman

Please welcome Lesley Cookman to Spunky Senior Authors and Talents by Leaving a Comment.

Almost 86, Spunky Senior Author Jane Toombs Still Does Crossword Puzzles and Writes

  Our guest today will generously give away an ebook of Taken In to one lucky person who comments, so be sure to leave your email address to be notified.


Jane Toombs



Not only that, Jane will also send a CD with read-only excerpts of her recent books to any responders who take the trouble to go to her website at http://www.JaneToombs.com  and click on her email addy there. They would then need to send Jane their snailmail addy so she'll know where to send the CD.

And Now, Here's Jane Toombs, a Spunky Senior With Many Talents -

 



When my first book, a gothic called Tule Witch, was published back in 1973, I never thought I might one day be labeled as a senior, much less a Spunky Senior.  But I certainly am because to survive as an author, old or young, you sure better be spunky. 

Two days after Christmas I’ll be eighty-six and I’m still having  books published.  Why do you suppose that is? 

Here’s my seven takes:

   1. I’ve been lucky enough not to suffer from early senility.

Is that luck?  Maybe partly, because certainly heredity or disease  plays its part in senility at any age. But I do strive to stay active mentally. Who knows, maybe the thousands of crossword puzzles I do plays a part. 

   2.  I’m physically quite healthy despite surviving treatment for cancer ten years ago.  Also my SO has Parkinson’s. I take care of him at home and try to do the same exercises that PT gives him.

   3.  Screaming and kicking, I advanced into the computer age.  While I’ll never be a techie, I do enjoy writing on a computer instead of a typewriter with, ugh, carbon paper. 



Jane Toombs at WisRWA 4 years ago



   4. I’m a charter member of RWA, and belong to my own special interest RWA loops online. If you’re going to write romance, it pays to belong to an organization that promotes it. Not that I don’t find fault with the group at times.

  5. I’m usually up for trying something new, be it writing or clothes, music, shows, etc. Might not like it, but I’d never know that if I didn’t try.  Same goes for writing. 

I recently wrote my first YA, The Turquoise Dragon, not too long ago.  Not on purpose, but that’s how it came out. Mostly I write paranormal suspense romance, which is really what many of the early gothics were.  

  

   6. I write for multiple epubs today.  I do still have an agent if I ever decide to write for NY pubs again, but I enjoy the shorter format of novellas. Do I write about sex?  Sure, if it seems appropriate to the story, which it usually is. I’ve never been a prude.  Also I’m open-minded about most all the usual sexual variations, although I don’t write that kind of sex.

   7.  I keep trying new things. Right now  I'm scanning some of my old written-on-a-typewriter rights-back books for resale.  Making mistakes, but, hey, how else can you learn?  I also am smart enough to know there are some things I will never be good at, so why not let other people do them for me? 

My most recent sale was to Champagne Books, the first book, Taken In, in a trilogy called DAGON HOUSE.

                                    

About Taken In:

Gail flees New York City after witnessing a murder.  Afraid the hit man has seen her, she heads for the Adirondacks.  Jason, a secret agent, reaches her before the hit man, but with the hit man on their tail, Jason swerves onto a narrow mountain road, losing the hit man, but crashing.  Both are forced to take shelter in a old Victorian called Dagon House where a terrible danger awaits…

Jane's Amazon Author Page:
http://www.amazon.com/Jane-Toombs/e/B004B35EX0

Please welcome Jane Toombs to Spunky Senior Authors and Talents by leaving a comment and you'll also be in the drawing for an e-book.

Summer Time, Busy Time

We're into the busy summer months, which means a slowdown here at Spunky Senior Authors and Talents. Jane Toombs will be our guest soon, after the date is confirmed.

In the meantime, enjoy your summer. I'll let you know when things are percolating here!

Morgan Mandel

Sheila Newberry Invented Stories In Her Cot

A few years after Dancing in the Street (also the title of my memoir) at the end of the war, we girls at grammar school who were about to launch ourselves into the world of work,were questioned about our choice of future careers.  Most girls wanted to be teachers or nurses, one a scientist, all choices which were greeted with approval. When it was my turn, I blushed and said:simply  "I want to be a writer..."  A pause, then came the answer:  "But Sheila, don't you know there is a shortage of paper?"  I have been conscious of that ever since...

I learned to read and write at three years old, but my mother said I was telling stories to myself in my cot.  She and Dad used to listen outside the door.  I guess it was my way of getting off to sleep. I was a premature baby, almost born in an Austin 7 en route to Suffolk where Mum was going to care for her sister who had just had a baby herself!  She made it to the top step of the stairs at Auntie's house and I decided to put in an appearance!  I was bright yellow with jaundice and baptised hurriedly.  I always say I am allergic to shellfish because Mum ate a pint of shrimps on the journey because that was one of her "fancies!"

Sheila at 7

When I was seven I entertained the school on a Friday afternoon in the village hall to a long-running saga about a black-eyed pirate called Bill.  I made it up as I went along and was so absorbed in the story I wasn't self concious, until the hall caretaker told my aunt (with whom we stayed at times during the war, after being bombed out) how he put down his bucket and mop, and like my parents, "listened outside the door."  Then I felt too shy to continue.  However, I was writing all the time.  Shortage of paper then indeed:  kind friends cut the flyleaves from old books for my use!  I wrote my first "book" before I was ten, in purple ink, all sixty pages of it, probably purple prose as well!  

Later, when I was fifteen, I won an essay prize.  The subject was Waste Paper, just up my street.  I was an avid collector, especially of ancient comics, though my mother pointed out to me that there wasn't much point in replying to the reader who wanted a penfriend, as "she must be thirty by now!"  I nearly didn't enter this inter-schools competition set up by the local paper, because I had dashed off pages in my usual awful scrawl, "You let your pen run away with you," as Dad said. The Head mistress appeared with my script and said:  "The deadline is tomorrow.  Stay after school and rewrite this with no blots!"  Reluctantly, I did, and my form tutor kindly delivered my effort by hand.  I thought no more of it until one morning I was puzzled by girls coming up to me, and saying "Well done!"

I had come first out of 3,000 entries.  I was embarrassed because the Head Girl had come second....  Years later, my old Head Teacher wrote to me, "You have a gift, Sheila, I do hope you use it!"  Well, I try, I really do, Miss C.



Sheila's first 5 children



I married young and John and I brought up our five boys and four girls on a smallholding in the Weald of Kent.  I called my memoir of those days Knee Deep in Plums, because we were, when we arrived at our orchard paradise  The house was in a poor state of repair, we had mice under the floorboards and bats in the loft, but we loved it all.  We had numerous pets (as well as the "pests") - I never stopped writing, and the children were a great inspiration!  I wrote articles on family life for magazines, including MY WEEKLY  and PEOPLE'S FRIEND.  Also short stories for the American bible-belt for children.  With the welcome dollars we purchased a large portable swimming pool.  The children all learned to swim in it, but all I could do was float in an old tyre with the current baby on my lap!

Much later we lived in a chapel, and that's another story - related in Who Stirs the Porridge in the Pot - plus mention of the many pantomimes I wrote for the village and the primary school.  I appeared in these myself, not as Cinderella, but as an Ugly Sister in that one.m  Acting has always been another love.  As I tussled with my "sister" front stage before the Ball, she cried:  "That frock does nothing to camoflage flab, In that pink you look like an overdressed crab!"  As she ripped off the skirt and revealed my baggy, spotted bloomers, there was a chorus of sympathy from the audience, "Aaah!" and I knew I was an "old ham"

I was also village correspondent while we lived in that village.  I wrote a short story for WOMAN'S OWN competiton at that time, and was a runner up.  The story was published in the magazine.  Emboldened, I began to write romantic short stories, set in the past, and had wonderful feedback from readers.

My editor at the now sadly defunct WOMAN'S REALM told me I should write books, "because we all want to know what happened next!"  So I did. I also joined the Romantic Novelists Association, and am still a long time member.

I have now written  20 books, the latest is The Poplar Penny Whistlers (Hale) and the next one is published in July, Young May Moon (inspired by the Punch and Judy.)There are always children and animals in my stories!  I am writing the biography of my great-grandmother Emma, a story-teller herself, and a remarkable woman.  I have reached 1862 right now - it is entitled Nelly Has Made You a Chocolate Cake.



Great-Grandson, Alexander Jonathan,
with Molly, the lab



We have 22 grandchildren now and one great-grandson! 

I am thinking of writing a story for them. I have a heroine, a little white hen which has adopted us.  Title?  Blanche and the Ivy Ladder....

I will go on writing, I hope, until I drop.   Yes, there are many more stories to write - thank you for reading this!

Sheila Newberry  (Mrs. Sheila Everett)   

Find Sheila on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Sheila-Newberry/e/B0034OMX90

Also find Sheila Newberry at http://haleauthors.blogspot.com/

Please leave a comment to welcome Sheila to Spunky Senior Authors and Talents.

Please Welcome Shirley Brosius, Former Stringer Turned Author, Speaker, and Teacher



Shirley Brosius

 I was almost a spunky senior when I debuted as a writer at age 53. I needed to make a job change and had a yen to write. My husband suggested I try it for a year and see what happens. Almost 20 years, five grandchildren and two books later, I’m still clicking those keys.

Starting out as a newspaper “stringer” helped me learn to express myself concisely. My editor’s red pencil taught me to “kill my darlings,” those flowery little descriptions that add nothing but word count. I loved interviewing people who had won awards, served their communities or excelled in one way or another. In those days, newspapers used more feature stories and I completed almost weekly assignments.

Of course, if I wouldn’t have had a husband to buy the ice cream, I would not have been able to write. 

Shirley doing a presentation
including her memorization of
the entire book of Philippians.

One of my interests is memorizing scripture, then presenting it from memory at women's events. I've memorized the entire book of Philippians, the first three chapters of the gospel of John along with a few Psalms. Don't ever think you're too old to memorize. I'm still at it at age 72.

I also taught classes at a seminary as an adjunct, and it was there I stumbled upon the idea for my first book. Researching a course on women in ministry opened my eyes to the many ways women have contributed to the church down through the centuries. I thought this was important for all women to realize, but who sits around reading history books?
 
 

So I wrote Sisterhood of Faith: 365 Life-Changing Stories about Women Who Made a Difference. The profiles include martyrs and missionaries, teachers and writers, singers and homemakers, to name just a few categories. God uses ordinary women in so many ways, and I wanted to spotlight what women had done. The book was released in 2006.
Buy Link: http://amzn.com/158229576X

Long before that book was a flicker behind my eyelids, two women, Janine Boyer, Kim Messinger, young enough to be my daughters, had asked me to mentor them. We began meeting weekly to discuss Christian books. Eventually we decided we wanted to serve God together, and we offered to lead women’s retreats for area churches. We call ourselves Friends of the Heart and lead about 17 events a year throughout the East.


Kim Messinger, Janine Boyer, and Shirley Brosius doing a skit at a women's retreat.

 At a writer’s conference an agent suggested that because we speak together we should write together. Since guilt is always poking one of us and we noticed guilt is a common denominator of the women who attend our retreats, we chose it as the topic of our book.

Turning Guilt Trips into Joy Rides offers six months worth of daily readings that open with “A Guilt Trip to Avoid.” For instance: Faulting yourself for messing things up; wanting ministry to be perfect; setting a poor example, living an imperfect life, and the list goes on. After offering a scripture verse to consider, we share a personal story that relates to the guilt trip. Each reading closes with a way to “Take the Joy Ride,” a paragraph that applies the day’s scripture to the guilt trip. The book was released earlier this year.

http://amzn.com/B006QLFEVC Kindle Link
 http://amzn.com/1449732631 Paperback
We got dozens of good reviews during a recent Blog Tour with LitFuse. While the contest has ended, you can read lots of comments about the book at this site:
http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/13480254/guilttrips

Besides writing, I love playing board games with my grandchildren. I just added an app to do Word Games on Facebook. I also am a regular at chair aerobics and besides speaking with my friends, I am a Stonecroft Ministries speaker.

For fun, I love walking, embroidering and watching Jeopardy and American Idol.


After a lifetime of raising kids and working hard—eight years as a public school teacher and ten years as a director of Christian education—what could be better than being a spunky senior who writes?

Visit http://www.friendsoftheheart.us/ or www.shirleybrosius.blogspot.com.

--

Shirley Brosius

Author and Speaker

http://www.shirleybrosius.com/

http://www.friendsoftheheart.us/

http://www.shirleybrosius.blogspot.com/

CoAuthor of Turning Guilt Trips into Joy Rides

Author of Sisterhood of Faith: 365 Life-Changing Stories about Women Who Made a Difference

Member of Friends of the Heart, three women who share God’s love through personal testimony, drama and song.  

Prolific Spunky Senior Author, Anna Jacobs, Leads A Double Life

A  DOUBLE  LIFE

By Anna Jacobs

My husband and I live a double life. We spend half the year in Australia, to which we emigrated years ago when our children were small, and half the year in England, where we were born and to which we’ve now partly returned.

I’m a novelist, producing three books a year, alternating modern and historical stories, set in both countries, so this lifestyle is part work, but part pleasure too.

Nobody handed this life to us on a plate. We’re at an age where many people have retired, but we’re both working harder than ever. I’m never going to retire from writing novels if I can help it. Why would I? I love telling stories.

Our main home is in Australia, on a marina development where dolphins swim past our jetty. We live at a watery T junction, where the main canal meets another, so have 180 degree water views.

My office looks out on to the canal. Idyllic? Yes, in a way. But I don’t actually spend much time on the view, because I’m usually busy writing - I produce three novels a year. And when I write I’m wherever my heroine is - whether it’s in 1860s Australia and Singapore (at the moment) or modern England (next book). I save my canal watching for early mornings when the water is still, no one is around and I feel as if I own all that gleaming water.

We have another home in England, this time in a golf course leisure village, where we look down a slope to a tiny lake about a hundred yards long, fringed by willow trees. That’s lovely too. My husband enjoys the golf but I’m pitiful at any sport. Besides, I’m still writing while we’re there.

I do take time out for other things, seeing family above all. We have two daughters and a grandson in Australia, siblings in England. And I enjoy being with friends. But I confess to being so addicted to my story-telling that I get twitchy if I have to spend more than a few days away from it.

‘You’re so lucky having this lifestyle,’ people tell me. Hmm. Not much luck about it. I had a dream of becoming a novelist. For many years, I got up at 4am before I went out to work, learning how to write. That’s how I learned my craft and got my first novel published. As far as I’m concerned what my granddad used to say is right: the harder I work, the luckier I get.

Not only do I work long hours, but I employ my husband as my business manager (no sinecure, that) and he works part-time for me. So I keep him busy too.

Living in two countries takes a lot of organizing. Two houses to maintain, security concerns - though actually, anyone burgling our house would be extremely disappointed. We both love reading and spend most of our fun money on books. I buy and read at least three a week. I’m not interested in jewellery or fancy electronic gadgets, either. Being rich to me is being able to buy any book I want any time I feel like it.

Nowhere on earth is perfect, but each of our countries has its pluses and the differences enrich our lives. I hope I can continue enjoying a double life - and my writing - for a long time to come.

ANNA’S BOOKS

Please try one of my books sometime. I’ve had 57 published now and over half of them are still in print. You can try before you buy and read the first chapters on my website at http://www.annajacobs.com  Each book has its own page with links to buying them on line. And of course they’re available as ebooks as well as in paper.

THE TRADER’S SISTER. My latest historical novel is part of a series set in Ireland, Australia and Singapore in the 1860s. It was fascinating to research. Each book can be read on its own as they focus on a different member of the Deagan family each time. Two published, two more to come.

Ismay Deagan has one wish in the world – to leave Ireland and join her brother, Bram, in Australia. But her father has other ideas and orders her to marry their vicious neighbour Rory Flynn. After Rory brutally attacks her, Ismay runs away. When she meets Adam Tregear on the ship, she finally starts to believe her dreams of future happiness may come true.

Before she reaches Australia, however, she’s flung into adventures in Suez, Ceylon and Singapore. Dare she tell Adam the truth about who she really is? Does he have secrets of his own? Or will her past catch up with her and ruin her new-found happiness?

WINDS OF CHANGE. My latest modern novel is set in Australia and England.

When her elderly father dies, 47 year old Miranda Fox is free at last. He’s promised an inheritance that will give her independence. But her domineering half-brother controls the money and has very different ideas as to how she should live her life

A new friend helps Miranda take the first steps towards freedom, but her actions uncover painful secrets from the past which still have the power to hurt. Her sister escaped the family by leaving Australia. Can Miranda do the same?

In England an old friend reappears in her life and brings further turmoil. She must make difficult choices if she’s to be free. Will she have the courage to stand up for herself this time? Or will her family still control her life?

Anna Jacobs: Historical: 'Destiny's Path', 'Cherry Tree Lane', ‘Elm Tree Road’, ‘The Trader’s Wife’, 'The Trader's Sister' (4/12) Modern:  'Moving On', ‘Short and Sweet’, 'Winds of Change' (3/12) 

 http://www.annajacobs.com

Anna's Author Page on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Anna-Jacobs/e/B000APUKFU

Please leave a comment to welcome Anna Jacobs to Spunky Senior Authors and Talents.

More Guests on the Way

We have some great guests lined up for Spunky Senior Authors and Talents. Anna Jacobs will be here on June 14, Shirley Bosius on June 28 and Sheila Newberry on July 13.

In the meantime, I'm busy promoting The Corner Cafe: A Tasty Collection of Short Stories, in which two of my stories are included.

What they're about:
In What Nice Blessings, tragedy strikes a young adult, testing her courage and teaching her the value of friendship.

The Closing of the Corner Cafe describes the rise and fall of a cherished eating establishment.

Mark your calendar to check over the weekend of June 9 and 10, since we will be offering our book for free at:
http://amzn.com/B0085YDO7E

Our authors are doing a Blog Book Tour to get folks acquainted with us and our short story book. You're welcome to follow along. Here's the lineup of where we'll be. Note, I'll be on Helen Ginger's blog on June 14, at http://straightfromhel.blogspot.com/, & she'll visit me June 18 at http://morganmandel.blogspot.com/ .

June 4 Blog Book Tours Kick-off http://blogbooktours.blogspot.com/
June 5 Bob Sanchez http://bobsanchez1.blogspot.com/
June 6 Red Tash http://redtash.com/
June 7 Magic Dog Press http://www.magicdogpress.wordpress.com/
June 8 Heidi Thomas http://heidiwriter.wordpress.com/
June 11 Marian Allen http://www.marianallen.com/
June 12 W.S Gager http://wsgager.blogspot.com/
June 13 Chris Verstraete http://candidcanine.blogspot.com/
June 14 Helen Ginger http://straightfromhel.blogspot.com/
June 15 Kathy Wheeler  http://kathylwheeler.wordpress.com/
June 18 Morgan Mandel Double M http://morganmandel.blogspot.com/
June 19 Pat Bean http://patbean.wordpress.com/
June 20 Shonell Bacon http://chicklitgurrl.blogspot.com/
June 21 Alberta Ross http://albertaross.wordpress.com/
June 22 Karen Casey Fitzjerrell http://karencaseyfitzjerrell.blogspot.com/
June 25 Pat Stoltey http://patriciastoltey.blogspot.com/
June 26 SB Lerner http://www.susanblerner.com/
June 27 Maryann Miller http://its-not-all-gravy.blogspot.com/
June 28 Mary Montague Sikes http://marymontaguesikes.blogspot.com/
June 29 Stephen Tremp http://breakthroughblogs.blogspot.com/

Spunky Senior, Morgan Mandel, writes mysteries, romances, thrillers and short stories. She also has a pit bull named Rascal, likes country music, going to the casino, playing Bingo, going to rummage sales, garage sales, and festivals. Morgan is the owner of this blog.

Go To http://morgansbooklinks.blogspot.com/ for Excerpts & Links to Morgan's books.