Continuing my recent tradition of posting more photos that words, here are some for your Saturday collection. I’ve been a bit brief with words over the last couple of days as things have been a bit busy what with book launches and film festivals, but I am very pleased to report that ‘The Saddling’ has already had a review on Amazon and it’s a five-star review. Thank you for whoever it was that posted, “Wow another fascinating thriller from James. Gripping storyline full of intrigue and danger.” Find your copy here: The Saddling.
Now here are some random Symi photos. Have a good weekend!
At churchAt PediSymi KastroMisty morningsGetting the perfect shotA peaceful morning in springOn-street fish dealingNeil the cat
A few more photos today. I am in a bit of a hurry, lots to do. You know how it is, you get up at six and start work at ten past, and the next thing you know it’s midday and the cat litter needs cleaning out. Well, it’s one of those days. But, very quickly:
In village news, Taverna Zoi is now open for dinner and maybe lunch, and The Olive Tree is also open for breakfast and lunch until 15.30 each day.
And, for those who want the print copy of the new novel, ‘The Saddling’ just click there and you will get to the page.
Where is this wall? (No need to email me.)Ready and waiting in YialosPedi at dawnThe same old sunSunriseWork to do, but the sun’s out
It was quite appropriate that I took a morning walk yesterday (when I was finally able to release my latest book for publication) and saw the sun coming up. Perhaps this will herald the start of a ‘best-seller’, though, without a massive publicity machine and the finances to distribute the book to shops myself, I rely totally on my friends and blog readers to share the news and sell the books.
A new day dawns on a new book release
Finally, it’s out there. My new novel, ‘The Saddling’ is now available to buy. For a change, we were able to get the Kindle version ready and published before the print version, you should be able to get hold of that today or tomorrow from Amazon. It will start to show up in other outlets in a few weeks. Click here for the Kindle copy of ‘The Saddling’ by James Collins.
I just searched for it on Amazon and was amused to be asked, by their search engine, ‘Did you mean The Paddling?’ No, actually, I didn’t. The Saddling came up first in the list, closely followed by the alarmingly tempting ‘Saddling Her Stallion’ by Olivia Myers, then a record called ‘Saddling Up’ by Darcy Slade, and ‘From Haltering to Saddling’ which looked like it had something to do with horses. I am in good company. Well, I am in the company of a heroin who ‘finds her heart fluttering for the dangerous bandit with stunning eyes’, a guitarist, and the English translation of a German book the cover of which shows a woman kissing a horse. None of which has anything to do with my mystery thriller set on the Romney Marshes in Kent, I am pleased to say.
About 6.30 yesterday
As I have mentioned here before, having reviews of books put up on Amazon does a great service to the writers. The more reviews, the more likely Amazon is to promote the book. Also, sharing posts like this on Facebook or Twitter, or anywhere else, is an excellent way to help the authors along, so please feel free…
As usual, there will be a drink for the first person I see reading a copy on Symi – a print version, I should add. Something you can buy and bring with you and then, when you have read it, leave it at an airport, or a hotel, or somewhere where someone else can read it and, hopefully, be interested enough to buy a couple of my other titles.
Here are the back blurb and the book cover, so you know what you are looking for the next time you go book shopping.
“Their faith was stronger than his reason.”
To inherit his aunt’s fortune, Tom Carey must unlock a one-hundred-year-old family mystery. The solution lies on the Romney Marshes where the village of Saddling lives by an ancient Lore. Unknown to Tom, the villagers set in motion a chain of calculated events that will ensure that the winter solstice will witness their last ever ‘Saddling’ festival.
Unaware that his life is in danger, Tom befriends two village youths. Through the mists of fear and confusion, their friendship forces Tom to confront a secret of his own.
Tom finds himself the unwitting hero in a struggle between superstition and sense, denial and love, with no escape from either.
“Meticulously imagined in the eerie mists of Romney Marsh. A wonderfully evocative landscape of mystery.” Ann Butler Rowlands (Author of ‘Heaven’)
Praise for James Collins:
“Comparable with the best of Stephen King.” Charles Allenden
“Very gripping, imaginative read.” Amazon
“He has mastered that technique of forcing you to start the next chapter as you really care what happens to these people.” Derek Stephen
“A real page turner and kept me guessing right to the end.” David Hendry
Monday was a bank holiday. I spent a day at home working, writing, doing some odd jobs, watching the view, and getting some washing done in the super-fast new washing machine.
Take your tree to work day?
Tuesday started with an alarm at 6.00, a short walk up to the ‘Mousecastle’ (I’ll take my camera next time) and back, some work and some browsing around trying to find an idea for the blog. Then I came across an article that two of my blogging friends had picked up on. The news came from Fonier.gr, a site I’d not found before. The article starts: “A British couple were in the Old Town of Rhodes in a taverna, in the belief that they could eat and drink whatever they wanted, without paying, because……they had booked an all-inclusive holiday package!!”
Local cat reacts to dim tourist news
It’s mildly amusing, except that it is not. As that short article goes on to point out, this isn’t the first time something like this has happened, and the ‘all inclusive’ deal is killing smaller business. It looks like it’s spreading beyond the package hotels and stalag-style resorts. So, here’s a gentle reminder: If you are on an all-inclusive holiday, a) it only relates to your resort, b) get out of it and see the island around you, there’s more to Greece than free beer and a swimming pool/pissoir, and c) if you like the country, help the local businesses by venturing into them and using them. I know, many people do the dreaded all-in because of the cost and with a large family to feed and water they are cost effective, but if you can, do try and support small local business. You will be, after all, not just putting your money into a huge conglomerate but helping a family feed its own children and pay its own bills, the tax from which will stay in the country and help out everyone else.
Thanks to my two blogging mates for highlighting this horror story. Amanda has her Rhodes based blog, Olive, Feta and Ouzo with great pics and posts about life in Greece, recipes and other handy things, and Rebecca has Life Beyond Borders where she talks about travels as a professional travel blogger and Rough Guide reviewer (Dodecanese islands) and traveller. Rebecca is also the author of ‘Girl Gone Greek.’
‘Ocean Victory’ at Symi yesterday
And back to the desk, from where I have just seen the ‘Ocean Victory’ hanging about out in the bay. This is a 140m long Fincanteri super yacht belonging to Viktor Rashnikov, a Russian businessman ranked 407th richest man in the world (Forbes, 2016). The yacht is the 10th largest in the world. I bet that’s all inclusive and I wonder if they will come ashore and spend some of their wealth in some small Symi businesses.
We are getting close to publication date for the new you-know-what. I’ve put up a preview of ‘The Saddling’ at Amazon. If you follow the link, you can find a PDF file of one of the chapters. You can download that for free and have a read. Here’s the link to that. https://www.createspace.com/Preview/1217097 (please give a rate). We are still sorting out last minute bits and pieces, and they are working on the Kindle version.
Working on the boats
In other news, closer to home, the under 11 football team won the quaterfinals, winning 7 – 1, and will be playing in the Semi-Finals next Sunday the 7th May in Rhodes. This group of boys and their parents will be off to Britain soon, playing matches down on the edge of Romney Marsh, where I was born and brought up. Thanks to the generosity of both the residents of Symi and the public at large by providing substantial donations, this has enabled two Symi Football Teams the opportunity of travelling to the U.K. at the end of May to take part in an International Football Tournament. All the expenses for a total of 20 children have been paid for thanks to this generosity – the mothers who will be travelling with the children will be travelling at their own expense. Symi will be entering an Under 11’s Team as well as an Under 12’s Team at the UEFA Sponsored Tournament at Camber Sands where they will be playing on brand new football pitches on Saturday the 27th and Sunday the 28th May. Ex-Arsenal and Aston Villa midfielder, Paul Merson, will be presenting the prizes – so anyone living in the area, please go along and support the Symi Football Teams. None of this would have been possible without the Football Coach, Spiros Hatzipetros, giving so much of his free time and commitment to the Team. (Thank you to Jean and Dawn for the info and organisation.)
I’m going to see if I can drum up any of my old mates from the locale to go along and support.
Waiting for a boat
Up in the village, there were two baptisms on Sunday, lots of bells and lots of smartly dressed people eating at Georgio’s afterwards. It was packed. We managed to get squeezed into a corner for dinner, which was very kind of them considering they had so many other guests to attend to, but others who came later were no so lucky. Koukoumas was also announced to be held on Sunday evening, so there was a lot going on.
Fixing on that all-important selfie-body-cam
And now I must get back to setting up the new novel and getting it ready for sale. I’m not into doing all that free copy publicity for a launch, though I probably should be. If I put it up for free for a few days in the hope of getting some good reviews, no-one will buy a paperback copy. I know I can trust my readers here to write reviews for me (he adds a big smiley face icon but it doesn’t come out so takes it out and uses 26 words to paint a small picture instead), and I do put my other titles up for free on Kindle from time to time. I did that with ‘Jason and the Sargonauts’ over Easter, which reminds me: I have been tracked down and asked to sign a copy of ‘Jason’ this afternoon. What a lovely thing for a reader, here on holiday, to do.
