Golden Healer – The Curse of Time Series

I have had the pleasure of meeting Marjorie Mallon, author of The Curse of Time Series, and I am very excited to share the news of her new book, Golden Healer. Marjorie has worked hard over the past year to produce the second book in the series which follows the paranormal adventures of Amelina Scott on her destiny to becoming a magician of light. If you enjoy paranormal young adult books, then this series will keep you enthralled with the characters and setting, not to mention the action and suspense. Inspired by Corpus Christi Chronograph clock in Cambridge, England, the series mixes reality with ethereal in a seamless storyline that transports the reader into a magical world where we all wish we could exist.

What is the book about?

Amelina Scott’s destiny is to be a Krystallos: a magician of light, chosen to learn the ways of crystal magic on her 16th birthday. Located on a river pathway in a mysterious part of Cambridge, the Crystal Cottage is guarded by mythical beings.

Unfortunately, there are those who seek to harm this haven of light. Learning of Ryder – a Shadow Sorcerer with hypnotic powers – Amelina discovers that her own magic is now threatened, and that the Curse of Time might be unleashed again.

As secrets abound and the creatures of the Chronophage come alive, can Amelina become the true magician she needs to be?

A unique, imaginative mystery full of magic-wielding and dark elements, Bloodstone is a riveting adventure for anyone interested in fantasy, mythology or the world of the paranormal.

About the Author:

‘My alter ego is MJ – Mary Jane from Spiderman. I love superheros!’ M J Mallon

M J Mallon was born in Lion city Singapore, a passionate Scorpio with the Chinese Zodiac sign of a lucky rabbit. She spent her early childhood in Hong Kong. During her teen years, she returned to her father’s childhood home, Edinburgh where she spent many happy years, entertained and enthralled by her parents’ vivid stories of living and working abroad. Perhaps it was during these formative years that her love of storytelling began bolstered by these two vivid raconteurs. She counts herself lucky to have travelled to many far-flung destinations and this early wanderlust has fuelled her present desire to emigrate abroad. Until that wondrous moment, it’s rumoured that she lives in the UK, in the Venice of Cambridge with her six-foot hunk of a rock god husband. Her two enchanting daughters have flown the nest but often return with a cheery smile.

Her motto is to Do what Your Heart Desires.

And her favourite genre to write is fantasy/magical realism because life should always be sprinkled with a liberal dash of extraordinarily imaginative magic!

Accolades: M J is a finalist in the Fantasy category of N. N. Light’s Book Award for her novel Bloodstone and a finalist in the International author. She has also contributed best-selling short stories to Dan Alatorre’s Box Under The Bed anthologies.

Winner of the Blogger’s bash blogging prize with her flash fiction piece The Queen’s Dress Down Day. https://mjmallon.com/2018/03/21/the-bloggers-bash-blog-post-competition-2018-the-queens-dress-down-day/

Winner of Carrot Ranch Flash Fiction Contest with her murderous piece: Mr. Blamey https://carrotranch.com/2017/12/19/winner-of-flash-fiction-contest-7/

Purchase your copy of Golden Healer here. Click on the pics below.

Other books available by M J Mallon:

Peppermint Tea anyone?

I can’t remember the last time I visited the coffee shop in the ether. The bell tinkles above the door and I am greeted by the smell of freshly baked cakes that bring back happy memories of sitting on the yellow sofa close to the bookshelves at the back, sharing news of my week with you.

The cafe is surprisingly full with familiar faces. It’s good to be back. I make my way to the counter and order a peppermint tea – no cake today as I have a strict diet to adhere to. Searching the crowded space, I spot a seat near my favourite yellow sofa and gently shove my way through, barely making it to the low table and mottled red armchair without spilling. It’s so good to see your friendly face. As we are still under Covid restrictions, I won’t give you a hug. A big smile will have to suffice.

I ask you how you have been and what you have been up to over the past two years. Yes, it feels like a lifetime since we have chatted and so much has happened, I don’t think I will fit in all the news. So I begin with the biggest shocker and leave the trivial bits out for later. Since last year, my kidneys have failed and are working at 3%. Apparently my little organs were attacked by my own antibodies known as Anca Vasculitis. It destroyed the kidneys and the doctors were afraid that if it was still active, it could attack my lungs or my brains next. Over the past few months, I have been receiving chemo treatments to suppress my immune system and hopefully kill the vasculitis. I was going to receive my fifth treatment this week but I’ve caught Covid which has delayed the process. Plus my white cell count is low and other little issues are rearing their ugly heads which makes the doctors think it best not to dampen my immune system further.

As I take a sip of the peppermint tea, I tell you that it is not all doom and gloom. The dialysis is going well and I am still running my writing clubs and literacy booster private lessons. The mentoring has taken off too with more clients signing up for advice and help. It is thrilling to meet them and I appreciate their efforts to become the best version of themselves through the process of writing. My own writing has slowly come back and I am hoping to finish my next crime thriller this year. I missed the opportunity to submit my book to a publisher who was interested because I didn’t finish the script but I guess time and tide will tell whether it was meant to be or not. I am not stressing over it as I know how hard it is to complete a story with the right ending.

My mug is lovely and warm on this chilly Monday morning and I watch as the sun plays hide and seek behind the fast moving clouds outside as I listen to you telling me about your weekend and what you hope to achieve this week. We both can’t believe that January has already passed and we are into the second month of the year. Where did the time go? I think of how different life is now, living with an affliction that has changed my sleeping and eating habits, as well as my family’s. The ‘no salt’ rule in my house has been re-enforced. Unfortunately, rebel forces represented by the Hubble and oldest sprog mean that salt still finds its way into the food if they are in charge of dinner. The rest of us continue to battle to be healthy but it is very difficult when the rebels order salty, battered goods. My weakest point is when they buy Burger King Big Whoppers – my favourite! The struggle continues and though I do relapse into bad eating habits – overall, I think I have improved.

The mickey mouse clock with the moving eyes chimes, announcing the hour. It’s time for me to go. I take in a deep breath, trapping all the smells and tastes of the coffee house . It might be a week or a month till I visit again but when I do, I will be happy to see you here again. So save me a seat and let’s share our news the next time I visit.

Have a great week.

Expiry Date

It doesn’t creep

in the middle of the night.

It’s not that cold shiver

you experience as the

first golden leaves fall

at the end of summer.

It’s not the cold ache

biting into your skin

in the middle of winter,

or the silence that slips in

behind the laughter.

Our fallibility falls like dust motes,

coating one and all equally

in the inevitable: our expiration.

Copyright held by Eloise De Sousa (2021)

The Final Journey

What Is Our Life

by Sir Walter Raleigh (1552–1618)

What is our life? The play of passion.

Our mirth? The music of division:

Our mothers’ wombs the tiring-houses be,

Where we are dressed for life’s short comedy.

The earth the stage; Heaven the spectator is,

Who sits and views whosoe’er doth act amiss.

The graves which hide us from the scorching sun

Are like drawn curtains when the play is done.

Thus playing post we to our latest rest,

And then we die in earnest, not in jest.

For Sue, on her final journey to rest. 🌸

Glub, Now Under New Management!

Some books are most than just words on paper. They are the flesh and bones of writers’ journeys from obscurity and misadventure to their well deserved happily ever afters.
This is Glub’s story:

By Samantha Webb

I am so delighted to be writing this blog post. Glub, my curious purple creation has had a rough start of it and has been on a real adventure but I feel like he has finally found his true home.

Glub

I wrote the story of Glub around 12 years ago, after a trip to Paignton where we always go in to the arcades and have some wholesome family fun. My husband was adamant that he wanted to win a particularly unflattering teddy of Micheal Jackson because in his words “it is so bad, it is brilliant?’. Our then one year old daughter Lilly was horrified and was grabbing for the cute teddies and really no one would blame her. Sadly that day we walked away without any prizes but an idea was beginning to form in my mind.

Concept art by Jamie Webb.

On reading the first draft my…

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Without Saying Good-bye

They fall through the cracks, slip by

The keyholes; each holding the branch

Of humanity. I cry for your hand

To keep hold of fading memories

That twist like wisps of smoke

Into the darkness. You sigh with your head

Raised up to where heaven might be,

Praying for the romance of a final

Good-bye.

@eloise_writes

Copyright 2020 ©Eloise De Sousa

So long. Fare well.

It’s time to say good-bye to the year of change. Not only have we learnt, as humans, just how destructive we can be, we have found that love, compassion and kindness still exist. It survives and thrives on the burning embers and scattered remains of humanity’s desperate attempt to survive.

In the midst of the horrors that have occurred over 2020, we have witnessed the re-establishment of communities fighting for their weakest, holding up institutions filled with heroes willing to martyr themselves in their battle against an invisible enemy. Some of us less brave souls could only clap in unison to express our gratitude to them at assigned times each week, whilst others made sure those warriors were fed and watered during their most enduring of wars.

it is sad to mention a minority who formed a thick layer of denial against the truths of what was occurring. They rallied support through social media to defend their stance that a dystopia movement was imminent; our rights were slowly being eroded. Yet, they used those same rights they were afraid to lose to undermine the safety of others, choosing to be conduits for the deadly enemy, both mentally and physically.

And here we stand now, with the weaponry to keep the enemy at bay but racing against a ticking clock. How fast can we vaccinate humankind before more souls are taken or our enemy mutates again?

As we count down the hours to a new year, let us think of those brave enough to battle for our rights to live. Let us think about the souls already lost and those willing to use their bodies as conduits to test the resistance of vaccines against an enemy capable of mutating itself into new strains of monster.

Use these thoughts to help you cope with the silent nights and empty streets. We are all in the void together. Yet, we move. This won’t be forever. So, stay strong. Stay in. Stay safe. Tomorrow is a new year.

Happy new year to you all. I hope to see you on the other side soon.

Book review by a 2-year old : Moofy and Flo by Eloise De Sousa

There’s nothing better than receiving reviews from readers, especially when they are two years old!
A huge thank you to Cecily for sharing her grandson’s review of Moofy and Flo. I hope you enjoy this review as much as I did – I’m still smiling from listening to his little voice! It makes me think of Christmas and curling up by the Christmas tree, watching movies and reading stories to my children (who are to big to fully appreciate that now!).

Cecilyswritings

Ask a child and they’re brutal with the truth. Sometimes it’s not what you want to hear, other times it’s just right. Whatever they tell you, it’s genuine and from the heart. There is so much we can learn from a child. If they like something they’ll show it, usually by their actions. The cuddle, the kiss, the pouting face.

My friend and mentor, and published author, Eloise De Sousa sent me an advance copy of her video book Moofy and Flo to show my grandson, Sebastian, we call him Sebbie. 

Sebbie came over to our place on a gorgeous, hot Sunday afternoon.

He dashed around the garden, chasing both my husband and I (oh! the exercise!!)

He played hide-and-seek

Rode on his little balance bike

Had a picnic on the lawn

Blew bubbles

Talked to the flowers

And the birds and bees

Picked a few flowers

Helped mow the…

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What is turmeric

What is turmeric? Turmeric is a common spice, which comes from the turmeric plant. It’s known as curcumin. Usually, people in Asian countries add …

What is turmeric

Day Three of the, This Is Lockdown. Blog Tour.

Marjorie Mallon has compiled a collection of stories and poems that capture our days in lockdown.

Hi everyone welcome to a socially distanced tea and chat with the very talented and lovely Marjorie Mallon.  Well make yourself comfortable and enjoy…

Day Three of the, This Is Lockdown. Blog Tour.