Your Moment of Zen

Take a moment to kick off your shoes, pour a glass of wine, and hunker up to your screen to immerse in this photograph of a swan gliding along the glass-still moat of the Bishop's Palace, Wells, Somerset.

I took it in the early morning.  It's quiet. There's no one about. Can you hear the bird song coming from the trees? Can you sense the swan's serene motion?

Ahhhh! There, that's better, isn't it?

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the genius behind Sherlock Holmes, died on this day in 1930

Conan Doyle had been suffering for some time from angina pectoris before his death. Despite this, the paranormal investigator embarked on a psychic tour of Holland, Denmark, Sweden and Norway. The journey, however, took its toll, and upon his return to England he had to be carried ashore. 

He remained bedridden from then on, but rose from his bed one chilly spring morn to venture into the garden. He was discovered lying on the ground, one hand clutched to his heart, the other holding a single white snowdrop.

The author embarked upon the "the most glorious adventure of all" on Monday, July 7th 1930. Surrounded by his loving family, Conan Doyle's final words were to his beloved wife Jean: "You are wonderful."

To the right is my favorite photo of Conan Doyle, looking fit and dapper, right down to his waxed mustaches. This is the Conan Doyle I have in mind when I sit down to write The Paranormal Casebooks.

The British Museum's web site features a manuscript page, in Conan Doyle's own hand, from a Sherlock Holmes story, "The Adventure of the Missing Three Quarter," which was published in 1904.

Also on the web page is a rare audio recording of Conan Doyle (regrettably, no recordings exist of Wilde's voice) explaining how he came up with the concept of Sherlock Holmes as a young medical student in Edinburgh, inspired by Dr. James Bell, an instructor whose uncanny powers of observation were the inspiration for his fictional "consulting detective."

Sample of Sherlock Holmes Manuscript

All My Authorial Secrets Laid Bare in a Revealing New Interview!

I was recently interviewed by online magazine British Weekly. You can read the very comprehensive interview at the website below.

The interview, entitled "Doyle Goes Wilde" (Great Title!) asked probing questions about the origins and inspiration for THE PARANORMAL CASEBOOKS series. Learn who was my choice for Conan Doyle's sidekick before Oscar Wilde gatecrashed the scene and stole the novel!

!http://www.british-weekly.com/?p=15059

The Revenant of Thraxton Hall Selected by "Those Witty Brits" Book Club at Indianapolis Library

Googled the novel recently and found this on the web page of the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana. I must have a fan there who read the book and suggested The Revenant of Thraxton Hall for their "Witty Brits Book Club."

Hope they still think I'm a "witty Brit" after reading it. If you're a member, please email me and let me know what the consensus was. : )

Bibliophage Book Lady "Loves, Loves, Loves . . ." The Revenant of Thraxton Hall! A Five Star, Must-Read Review!

While I continue to rake in mostly positive reviews of the book, I am definitely finding that The Revenant has a specific audience who absolutely groove on it. 

If you're a fan of hard-boiled detective stories it may not necessarily be your cup of Jack Daniels. But if you are open to a work that is whimsical and slightly tongue-in-cheek, then you will probably agree with Book Blogger Jen Flem who recently reviewed the novel on her Bibliophage website and gave it an unequivocal Five Star review and ranked it amongst her "Must Reads".

Check out her review at Jensbookbloggin.wordpress.com  

Here's the link: http://wp.me/p3WAse-ag 

I Love a Mystery Newsletter Awards The Revenant THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION!

Holy peanut butter, Batman! Just received this amazing review from the I Love a Mystery Newsletter, one of the oldest and most respected sites reviewing Mystery Novels.  Laurence Coven wrote a lengthy and detailed review. His final verdict on the THE REVENANT OF THRAXTON HALL? He awarded the novel THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION! Yee-ha!

http://www.iloveamysterynewsletter.com/LAURENCE%20COVEN.html#REVENANT

A Cozy New Review from Canada!

Recently received this warm and wonderful review from "Beatnik Mary" who runs her blog, Cozy Little Book Journal from Nova Scotia, Canada. (Shout out to my Canadian homies!)

Mary loved The Revenant and was kind enough to also post a five star review on Amazon. Thank you, Mary! Read her terrific review at:

http://www.cozylittlebookjournal.com/2014/04/the-revenant-of-thraxton-hall.html