Commonwealth Games come to Brum

July 27, 2022 horticultural 'Obbit

In just over 24 hours, The Commonwealth Games will open in the city of Birmingham, United Kingdom.

I qualify that as UK, as there is another Birmingham in the USA.

Anyway. The City of my Birth, welcomes athletes from across the world to participate in what are the dubbed ‘The friendly’ games.

Birmingham, is friendly to it’s core. Here in Birmingham, the city of a thousand trades, we all come from somewhere. The former workshop of the world has connections to so many places. It’s richness and diversity is what makes it tick.

The City of Birmingham is also a backdrop for at least four of my books. I’ve been thinking for months, how could I make a link with the games?!

I didn’t figure that bit out. Only that I like Birmingham. So whether we think about the Bull Ring, the BMAG, Gravelly Hill, the Jewellery Quarter or the canals; you’d be making a bingo card for all things Birmingham.

It’s not often that Birmingham makes it into books. That’s to say, I’ve rarely encountered it. May be in an Austen, or even Jilly Cooper’s Appasionata, where there’s a bit of ragging towards the CBSO.

(I love the CBSO, and one day, I’ll write a story around them)

I feel positive about the Commonwealth Games coming into town, I hope they happen well.

And if you get time between the events, why not check out the books.

Books

The Fragments Universe

June 29, 2022 horticultural 'Obbit

The Fragments Universe first came into being in 2017.

It started with Fragments. A book with sixth inter-linked stories based upon loss and bereavement.

Then came Kangana, with Gorbind Phalla in a contemporary romance.

(He also has his own spin-off The Battle For Gravelly Hill Interchange)

Now, we have a third.

Koby Anand was also a character in Fragments. A young boy, we read about how his family cope with the lost of his mother.

Now, he is older, mature, and arguably even more dramatic. The latest addition is a contemporary romance.

And it’s not all that fluffy!

Books

New release. Koby Anand 7th July 2022

June 29, 2022 horticultural 'Obbit 1 Comment

Available on kindle 7th July 2022

Pre-order today!

https://amzn.to/3A9dDFS

At last. Koby Anand appears to have it all. A good job, a beautiful wife. A family that would do anything for him. They have been with through thick and thin. They help him stay standing.

Koby has been broken, bruised and in both physical and emotional pieces. His road to recovery, hasn’t been easy. The road he travels, is about to get bumpier and then some.

But his life isn’t all that it seems.

Koby has his secrets, as does his wife Arya.

They both have a story. A story with two sides.

Books, ebook

Behind The Scenes: A flash fiction Fragments Compendium

June 18, 2022 horticultural 'Obbit

get your ebook copy https://amzn.to/3O2Dun6

Apparently, today is National Flash Fiction day.

This automatically made me thing of Behind the Scenes. The first third of the book at least.

The first third of the book is a compendium of Flash Fiction that relates the to the Fragments Universe.

What is the Fragments Universe?

Well, it stared with the book of the same name. Fragments, a book based upon a grief model that had six inter-related stories. There have been subsequent spin-offs; Kangana for one, as well the Gorbind Phalla Novelette that is The Battle of Gravelly Hill Interchange.

This selection of flash fiction is a behind the scenes peek into the lives of fictional characters. What is it, that they get up to when they aren’t clogging up my fountain pens.

We have Gorbind, Padmi, Devan Coultrie as well as Hades,Lord of the Underworld and the vampire, Lady Aurelia. Some of them, are established characters from fountain pens. Aurelia and Hades are waitig in the wings.

To be honest, Aurelia and Hades have two interesting stories in Behind the Scenes. Aurelia’s a business woman in the eighties, with Hades visiting The Women’s Hospital where meets The Angel Gabriel.

They both have respective works in progress sat next to my desk.

Aurelia also has a second book, that involves werewolves and a cabal of vampires.

When it comes to flash fiction, there is a second volume to be worked upon and developed. We see more of Gorbind and Padmi, which might be rather interesting.

Books

7. Books the Breakdown: Battle of Gravelly Hill Interchange

June 1, 2022 horticultural 'Obbit

A bit like dragon realm, what happens if Zombies come to Birmingham,

Oh, and what’s Gorbind doing with himself.

This Gorbind Phalla Novellete was originally part of Behind the Scenes.

However, it felt to special, to nice to be left there.

Published as book in it’s own right, we see Gorbind, Padmi and other sights of Birmingham cope with a pandemic

Yes, yes; we’ve sorta seen what feels like.

This is an apocalypse in Birmingham. Gorbind Phalla is the de factor Lord of the Manor. This is not Birmingham as we know it.

And what’s Spaghetti Junction got to do with it?

Well, have a look inside.

Books

6.Books the Breakdown: Dragon Realm

June 1, 2022 horticultural 'Obbit

Whilst Tolkien was inspired by Sarehole Mill, I’m at a loss to identify other pieces of fantasy, apocalypse or such drama to be set in the West Midlands.

I mean, why do aliens, zombies and creatures otherwise unspecified go to other geographic locations?

Why shouldn’t Birmingham not be a backdrop?

Please don’t get me wrong. I love Birmingham; Brummie Born and Bred. I am not tempting fate, being disparaging. Not in the least.

Working with Author city for the book event anthology, I picked the theme of a city of a thousand trades.

And chose to marry that with Dragons.

Here we have ten short stories that see Birmingham become home to some rather interesting creatures.

Books

5.Books the Breakdown: Behind the Scenes

June 1, 2022 horticultural 'Obbit

Writing assorted characters is rather fun, to be honest.

Imagine though, what they might get up to when I’m not trying to write them.

Behind the scenes contains three different things.

First, an insight into the lives of the characters that I write, beyond my ink pens and my imagination.

Second, there are short stories inspired by the City of Birmingham. We have some historical romance with Lady Eleanor. A counsellor-there’s a surprise-romance in Digbeth. There’s even a space ship!!!

And what might happen, if Hades Lord of the Underworld came to The Women’s Hospital.

Second, GORBIND!!! Gorbind and zombies. But hold on. I’ll tell you about that in abit.

This was a book-of a few- that I wrote as the world started to get to grips with global pandemic. As such, it’s got a little bit of everything in there,

Books

4.Books the Breakdown: Kangana

June 1, 2022 horticultural 'Obbit

What started with Devan Coultrie moves on with Gorbind Phalla

(Gorbind is my favourite. Please don’t tell Devan)

I’ve not come across many romance books with characters of South Asian Origin. I felt that there was something missing. In all the mills and boon’s that I would walk past in the library, there was something missing.

As with Devan. I decided to do something about it.

This is a sweet romance between Gorbind Phalla and Padmi. A romance that integrates family dynamics and cultural experiences.

Yes, Gorbind is my favourite.

I might date a Devan-get my heart broken in the process-but I’d marry a Gorbind. Or try to, at least.

He is also my attempt to broaden out books, add characters from diverse backgrounds. Tell stories that might not otherwise get told. He like Devan is a slightly different male lead for a romance.

He started off a bit-part character in Fragments, and he continues to grow.

You’ll see how, in the rest of the book breakdown.

Books

3.Books the Breakdown: Devan Coultrie #PEACESERIES

June 1, 2022 horticultural 'Obbit

Well! This is a book adventure and a half!

Who is, this Devan Coultrie?

There are three books, and a movie currently in editing that help us understand who he is.

A former hedge fund manager from Rugby, UK who flies off to Montana, USA to start a new life.

He sticks a pin a map, and off he goes.

Devan Coultrie was my first foray into Contemporary Romance. I grew frustrated with the lack of South Asian Characters in books that I was reading. There were also so many not so savoury tropes in these books. So I decided, with the help of the Peace Novella Series Authors to create one.

Start with Retreating to Peace, where we meet Devan. He’s about settle in the fictional town of Peace in Montana. He’s all for a new beginning, and has a bruised heart.

He then settles, his life get busy with Postcards from Peace. It all seems okay, with the odd bit of drama thrown in,

Then, things take a turn, and we have Peace Betrayed. Devan does things that might stretch our love for him.

Now, I mentioned a movie!!

Yes, a short film is in the works. Devan Coultrie is Unwell is currently in Editing. The exact mid-point of the Devan Coultrie Saga was shot and developed last summer/autumn.

WE HAVE A VERY REAL DEVAN COULTRIE!

There is also a real Aditi Rao.

More news on that later. In the mean time, go read the books!

ebook

2.Books the Breakdown: Fragments

June 1, 2022 horticultural 'Obbit

Having made a foray onto non-fiction, I took a turn and into fiction. I was going through my Counselling Training and also had experienced bereavements. This was part of that interesting journey.

Loosely using Worden’s tasks of grief, Fragments is six inter-linked stories about grief and bereavement.

As a society, we don’t tend to talk about such thing. Very often, we sweep such experiences and the emotions associated with them under the carpet.

This is a book about the human condition, about human stories. There is love in there, loss but also the human ability to change, develop and grow.