This Writer’s Reading Round-up July to Dec 2021

Chris Hall34 Comments

As 2021 draws to a close, although there are aspects of the year I’d prefer to forget, I’m looking back with a happy and satisfied smile on the books I’ve enjoyed in this second half of the year.

I love to read almost as much as I love to write, and I firmly believe that the more good writing I read, the more my own writing improves.

Here’s what I read as our wet and windy winter gave way to a hot and breezy summer. The most recently read books are shown first.

The books I’ve read, listed on Goodreads

Once again I’ve enjoyed my half-year’s reading. Books I’ve frequently found via reviews and recommendations here on WordPress, including a nice helping of works by fellow indie authors. I’ve read a mixture of old books and new – mostly prose and poetry – a long, long history/geography of Africa, and a witty and instructive writer’s manual. Thanks to the latter, written by Kathy Steinmann, my latest MS is all the more sparkly and shiny!

More news on my new release coming soon.

As a writer I know how exciting it is to receive a review from a reader, and I offer a big, big thank you to my readers (and listeners, now I’ve two books published as audiobooks) who’ve taken the time and trouble to rate/review my books. That aside, to know someone has read one of my books is enough.

I continue to faithfully post a review of all the books I’ve read on Goodreads and usually on Bookbub, so long as the book comes up in a search. It’s good to recognise fellow writers and give something back for the enjoyment I’ve had from their words.

Happy reading, happy writing and a Happy New Year!

Do you believe in faeries? ~ episode 19

Chris Hall41 Comments
Illustration from the Rose Fyleman Fairy Book

Previously

The afternoon wore on and languid shadows yawned and stretched their fingers across the emerald-green lawn. Beetle-Queen Florigia regarded the blank-windowed frontage of the pink palace with her multi-faceted eyes, bending her antennae into a quizzical frown, while in response Lobelia’s lacy wings began to flutter in graceful agitation. Greta voiced their joint thought: ‘can it be that the charm hasn’t worked?’

Florigia’s colourful subjects were also becoming restless, some meandering about the lawn like bored holiday-makers waiting for a long-anticipated show, while others remained stationary, their wing cases fanning noisily like the droning engines of over-heated cars halted in grid-locked traffic.

Around the back of the palace, driven on by the developments he and Bryony had observed inside, Mr Eyre was grimly prying open the grimy window with a discarded poker, while Bryony kept up a hushed commentary as beyond the glass, her sister retreated from the three squat figures who had emerged from under the Owl-King’s flowing robes and who were tottering about in front of her, as if having imbibed too much brandy.

‘Quickly, Mr Eyre,’ Bryony urged, seeing Bethany scurry behind the jewel-encrusted throne while the trio advanced, staggering and swaying in a strange drunken dance.

next episode

Written in response to two challenges:

Di of Pensitivity 101’s Wednesday’s Three Things Challenge: TRAFFIC, HOLIDAY, BRANDY
Denise Farley of GirlieOnTheEdge’s Sunday’s Six Sentence Story Word Prompt: CHARM

Bryony, Bethany and Mr Eyre first appeared in my historical fantasy fiction novel, Following the Green Rabbit. They’ve been begging to go on another adventure and now they’ve got their wish!
The novel is now also available as an audiobook – free on Audible with a 30 day trial.

MORE SIX SENTENCE STORIES HERE – DROP IN AND SEE!

Light a Candle

Chris Hall82 Comments
We see flowers and a candle floating on water; candlelight is reflected in the water.

Reflecting
on the year that has passed
on the year before that
on how our lives have changed.

Remembering
the loved ones taken
without goodbyes, without a hug
or a gentle brush of a cheek.

Thinking
of those we couldn’t comfort
grieving behind closed doors
spending a first Christmas alone.

Lighting
a solitary candle
watching it flicker
pushing away the darkness.

Reminiscing
about the happy times
the laughter and the smiles
knowing they will return.

Wiping away
the tears that stain the page
the flame sputters, then strengthens
and burns again anew.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Image credit: Being.the.traveler@ Pexels

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #114 photo prompt

Around the world…

Chris Hall62 Comments
A summer garden with lush green shrubs growing beyond a covered stoep where there is a table and chairs. Four painted coffee cups are set out on the window sill.
The view through my kitchen window today

Making preparations for the coming festivities, modest though they are again this year, I gaze out of my kitchen window. Carols from Cambridge are playing in the next room as I chop and stir. Craning up at the wide blue African sky, I think of all the friends I’ve made across the globe. The storytellers, the poets and the bloggers who through their words, thoughts and dreams make my world all the richer every day.

warm wind blows
while thoughts from abroad
embrace me

Be happy, be safe, and let us look to a better future for the world, my writing friends!

Do you believe in faeries? ~ episode 18

Chris Hall54 Comments
Illustration from the Rose Fyleman Fairy Book

Previously

Muttering to himself, the Owl-King marched slightly unsteadily down a long passageway; Bethany, who was walking just behind him, had the distinct impression that not just one voice, but three different voices were holding a hushed conversation beneath his flowing golden robe, although annoyingly she couldn’t make out what they were saying.

The passageway ended in a large door, decorated with an owl holding a drooping lily flower in its beak; the doors swung open and Bethany followed the now-tottering figure over the threshold. The Owl-King steadied himself, leaning on the back of an opulently appointed throne, which was one of the few items of furniture in the room; he turned to Bethany, ‘you say you know my secret, but I know yours too!’

The Owl-King bent forward; his helmet twitched, then suddenly he crumpled to the floor; his helmet rolled away and three small figures scurried from beneath the golden robe.

‘This is Owlet Hall and we are the Owlets!’ the three of them danced around Bethany, hooting with mischievous laughter, ‘drop the pretence, you’re not the golden-haired child at all!’

Undeterred, Bethany planted her hands on her hips, ‘well, to be fair, you three aren’t the Owl-King either.’

/….to be continued.

Written in response to two challenges:

Di of Pensitivity 101’s Wednesday’s Three Things Challenge: LILY, LETHAL, PRETENCE
Denise Farley of GirlieOnTheEdge’s Sunday’s Six Sentence Story Word Prompt: FAIR

Bryony, Bethany and Mr Eyre first appeared in my historical fantasy fiction novel, Following the Green Rabbit. They’ve been begging to go on another adventure and now they’ve got their wish!

MORE SIX SENTENCE STORIES HERE!

Home thoughts

Chris Hall50 Comments
The images shows a parcel wrapped in gift paper and tied with a string. There are a few Christmas decorations scattered near it.
We see a parcel wrapped in gift paper and tied with a string.
There are a few Christmas decorations scattered near it.

As the festivities commence
my thoughts turn north
to the country of my birth
where snow crunches underfoot
and darkness is driven away
by constant pools of light.

Where ice sparkles
and children exhale
frosty breath
making snow angels
on silvery lawns.

Now I’ve put down roots
where summer’s sun
bakes the thirsty earth
and children dance
on dusty paths.

Here, where velvet darkness
draws in quickly
and Africa’s golden moon
smiles down, I know
I’m already home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Image credit: Jonathan Borba @ Pixels

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #113 photo prompt

New audiobook out now!

Chris Hall56 Comments

Following the success of the audiobook version of ‘Song of the Sea Goddess’, I’m delighted to announce that my popular historical fantasy fiction novel, ‘Following the Green Rabbit’ is now also out on audio. It’s currently available on Amazon ~ Audible ~ Kobo and within the next week or so should be available from most other audiobook sellers. Narrated by the same wonderful narrator, Terry Lloyd Roberts, and produced by Devon Martin at Audioshelf, here in Cape Town, I couldn’t be more pleased with it. You can listen to a sample here:

If you’ve been following my current Six Sentence Story serial, ‘Do you believe in faeries?‘ you’ll see from where characters Bryony, Bethany and Mr Eyre originated. Their first adventure took them back in time from 1911 some 200 or so years (I was never precise), but our present mini-series, which picks up from where the novel left off, has taken them on an even more fantastical adventure!

For ‘readers of words’ the novel is of course still available in paperback and as an ebook.

“This is one great tale…especially if you want to have a Sunday afternoon tea and a book. Chris is a brilliant story teller.” ~ Kindle Customer

Do you believe in faeries? ~ episode 17

Chris Hall58 Comments
Illustration from the Rose Fyleman Fairy Book

Previously

Mr Eyre and Bryony looked at one another in concern as Bethany disappeared inside the Owl-King’s palace, whilst the exchange which passed between Greta and Lobelia was one of quiet satisfaction; Beetle-Queen Florigia whispered soothing words to her many-hued subjects, who folded their bright wings, preparing to wait.

Ten minutes stretched to twenty and Mr Eyre began to pace, long strides repeatedly carrying him the length of the palace’s pink frontage with its blank-eyed windows, which offered no clue as to what was happening inside.

Bryony rose to her feet and joined her troubled tutor, increasingly anxious for her sister, despite their companions’ placid insistence that all would be well; she tugged at his sleeve and muttered, ‘if only we knew what was going on!’

Mr Eyre jerked his head, gesturing his young charge to follow him, before ducking around the side of the palace, where they were greeted by a surprising sight: it was as if the entire contents of the building had been dumped outside.

As they picked their way through the heaps of junk, they heard the murmur of voices; they peeked in through a grimy window. Mr Eyre’s jaw dropped, while Bryony inhaled an astonished gasp.

/….next episode.

Written in response to two challenges:

Di of Pensitivity 101’s Wednesday’s Three Things Challenge: VOICE, CARRY, BRIGHT
Denise Farley of GirlieOnTheEdge’s Sunday’s Six Sentence Story Word Prompt: JUNK

Bryony, Bethany and Mr Eyre first appeared in my historical fantasy fiction novel, Following the Green Rabbit. They’ve been begging to go on another adventure and now they’ve got their wish!

HOP OVER HERE FOR MORE SIX SENTENCE STORIES!

Tender is the night

Chris Hall66 Comments
The image shows a huge stone angel guarding a city within its two wings.
We see a huge stone angel guarding a city within its two wings.

Sun’s last liquid rays slip silently beneath a purple-clouded horizon, while birdsong fills the twilight air. Wings, skimming softly over a wide velvet lake, whisper gentle goodnights, and from night’s star-bright firmament, a pearlescent figure appears, bathed in lunar light.

angel’s wings descend
cocooning the sleeping town
in tender embrace.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Image credit:  Kellepics @ Pixabay

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #112 photo prompt

Note: It seems that some of my spam woes have returned. So if I seem strangely silent, my comments may well have slid into your spam folder. Please, if I’ve just popped in a ‘like’ on one of your posts and run away, would you mind having a hunt for me and fishing me out!

Just Being

Chris Hall60 Comments
A view of the beautiful beach at Gordon's Bay. The blue sea lapping on white sand a few rocks in the foreground, trees and the mountains beyond. The sky is clear and very blue.

Nothing but a beautiful view of my favourite beach today.

A slow walk on the sand, tasting the salty air, the breeze brushing my skin. Strolling over warm silky grains, washed by gently breaking waves; picking up shells and peering in rock pools. Gazing out over the azure ocean, eyes resting on a ruby-sailed yacht. And later, sitting on a sun-warmed rock, waiting for the glowing golden orb to sink beneath distant Table Mountain in a sudden flare of scarlet.

Have a pleasant and peaceful weekend, wherever you are in the world.