Hi,

I hope you are keeping well, and content with your life.

I had a milestone birthday yesterday, and I'm now officially retired! All those wasted years earning money to make other people rich are fast disappearing down the funnel of bad dreams. Onward and Upward! Many books to write, and the time to do it. Whooey, as Dee would say (in The Silence of Children).

We had a late start to spring, with some cold weather, but finally it's been warm enough to plant out the veg I've been bringing on in the poly tunnel - after a massive weeding and mowing exercise. As usual, what grows in Ireland best is grass, tons and tons of the stuff. The South of Ireland is less the Emerald Isle these days, with its historic Forty Shades of Green, than a green desert as the wonderful, rocky outcrops, with their pockets of wildness are being systematically flattened by modern machines to create more fields for more cows. We have seen hundred-year-old oak trees uprooted and left to rot, to gain that extra few yards. Isn't it sad that commercialism trumps the wonders and beauty of the natural world? In the meantime, we have added a few more tiny trees to our future forest... I must look into the possibility of this being preserved in the future, after we have departed this mortal coil.

Keep reading for ebook and audiobook offers...

REVIEWS

Now, I am going to blow my trumpet a little. I just received this review on The Silence of Children from a highly literate reviewer at Reedsy Discovery:

This was a sensational thriller about vigilante justice, self-sacrifice, and the ties that bind. Despite her childhood memories being a blurry haze of pampered indulgence and vague notions of paternal love, the adult Deirdre still bears the weight of gut-wrenching doubt: He’s my father for God’s sake, he can’t be a pedophile. But what if he is?

Her sister’s unease at an unwelcome visitor dredging up the past summons Deirdre’s sleuthing skills, and she sets off to investigate if there may have been any truth to the rumours about their father. Far from your typical damsel-in-distress, Deirdre is a former psychiatrist turned legal investigator who has never quite found her niche in life, and shudders at the memory of a time she’d once contemplated marriage as “an alternative to boredom”.

Her life pivots swiftly from this “boredom” into a thrilling action ride when a rescue mission goes wrong, and her mettle is tested when she must break the law to save an endangered child. In the aftermath, she feels energized — a feeling that stays with her, even as the world around her seems to be devolving into madness as law enforcement and dangerous criminals are hot on her heels. As she stumbles down an illegal path of no return, she is torn between loyalty to her father, and her own reticence to ever step beyond her comfort zone. Even as she faces death, she worries at the mark — or lack thereof — that she’s left on the world: I have to ask myself: before Dad brought me into his world, what had I done to help anyone else? I’ve never deliberately harmed anyone, but actually, have I done anything at all philanthropic?

Deirdre was a refreshing female protagonist with an engaging voice that echoes traits of women’s fiction interwoven into this thrilling joyride of a novel. As she careens from one suspenseful moment to the next, putting her faith in the sketchiest characters to be her guardian angels, her aplomb is awe-inspiring. I appreciated the character development of all the players in this game of catch-me-if-you-can. Small touches breathed life into the details: her father’s double life that he hid from his children to protect them, her sister’s banal cookie-cutter marriage and motherhood that Deirdre somewhat despises, the good-guy-bad-guy-combo cop, her boss’ shady manipulations — and of course, the enigmatically enticing Greg, who always keeps you guessing.

The writer’s talent is undeniable as it weaves a plausible, visceral tale that effortlessly injects a dose of self-reflection alongside the soaring and plummeting of the plot points. It leaves you wondering if you, too, would rise to the occasion if you had the opportunity to sacrifice yourself to save the innocent.

This was an excellent, fast-paced thriller that felt all too real, with the poignant, relevant subject matter of child abduction and exploitation. Despite the overarching oppressive elements of criminality, there are also darkly funny streaks in the main character’s acerbic wit that string together to thoroughly engage the reader and put you right there in the moment with her — terrified for your life, but also wondering if your life has ever been that worthwhile in the grand scheme of things. With unforgettable characters and a riveting story with more than enough meat to lock your jaw into, I can see this being turned into an absolutely amazing film or dramatic series, and I can’t wait to read the follow-up to this novel (or anything else!) by this author.

Sacha Fortuné

If any of you subscribe to Reedsy, please upvote this book.

My thanks to everyone who reviewed The Silence of Children, but if you haven't yet, I'd be really grateful if you could take the time do do so. Preferably on Amazon or Goodreads. And if you enjoyed the story, and are prepared to sign up for the sequel, I'd be most chuffed. I'm still writing the sequel, by the way...

I still haven't heard anything back from the publishers to whom I've sent Legend of the Selkie. It seems that presently no one is reading unsolicited books. Surely, of all people, editors can work better from home? And surely, this is the time to catch up on the backlog they are always complaining about? I will probably hold off on self-publishing this one for a while, but patience is wearing thin.

STORYBOARD

This month's storyboard is another event in my husband's paleoecology studies. Following on from the core we took in the bog, a short distance from the lake, we went out on a lovely spring day to take a core from the lake sediment. I was curious about how this could actually be done, and went along to record the event.

RECOMMENDED READING

If you are into literary fiction, I received A Girl Made of Air as a review copy, and was stunned by the author's ability - also a little envious! Literary fiction can be dry, storyless, and to my eye, often unenjoyable... This isn't a light read, but it's a good one, drawing the reader inexorably into the seedy yet magical world of a small circus. The characters are so well drawn one can love, hate, admire and loathe each one in turn. And also understand how they came to be the way they are.

BOOKS FREE OR ON OFFER

I don't have any book funnel promotions this month, but have three exchanges with other authors. I can vouch for the quality of the Steven Moore's thrillers. He is a very competent author, and I've enjoyed a couple of his books. If you don't want to purchase the set, he does have two novels on offer on Amazon at the moment (99c). I haven't read anything by the other two authors.

And for those who like listening to audiobooks, there are two promotions, respectively including Jessie Running and Death of a Dream. I'd be delighted if anyone would choose to listen to one of these and provide feedback.

These audiobooks are on offer at 99cents via Nook throughout June

I welcome feedback on my newsletter and on my writing!

www.chrislewando.com

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