#BookClub admin and members: look no further for the ideal book list!

Top book blogger Rosie Amber is now providing a valuable resource for all book clubs, both online and off (see end of article for link).

Rosie's book review team comprises over 30 members (including me!), and she asked us to recommend books we've rated at 5* and think would make suitable book club choices.  The authors are happy to provide a Q&A to add interest to the book, for your members; knowing something about why and how a book was written, and the author's background, can make it come to life so much more, can't it?

Amazon and Goodreads links are provided for each book, so that you can read other reviews, see how much it costs and whether it is available on Kindle Unlimited.  Some authors will supply free copies (Kindle or paperback).

The list contains books from all genres, and Rosie also supplies details of upcoming literary festivals, for your members' informaton.

It's an ongoing project, so please do keep this link safe, take a look and get in touch with Rosie if you are interested in any of the choices.

The article and book list can be found HERE

The Devil You Know ~ out on October 4th!

Every serial killer is someone's friend, spouse, lover or child....

Young women are being murdered in the Lincolnshire town of Lyndford, where five people fear someone close to them might be the monster the police are searching for.

One of them is right.

Juliet sees an expert's profile of the average serial killer and realises that her abusive husband, Paul, ticks ALL the boxes. 

Everyone likes Pru's new boyfriend—except her teenage daughter, Maisie.  Is she the only one who can see through Gary's friendly façade?

Jake fancies Tamsin.  Tamsin loves Jake.  But then her love turns to suspicion...

Steve is worried.  Is his childhood friend, Dan, just being his usual, misogynistic self, or has a new friend's influence taken him down a more sinister path?

Dorothy's beloved son, Orlando, is keeping a secret from her, and a chilling discovery forces her to confront her worst fears.

THE DEVIL YOU KNOW is a twist-rich, character-driven psychological drama/thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end!

Who is #Negan's victim? Your opinions, and some 'inside' (?!) info....! #TWD

*See John Cleese's 4 minute recap of Season 1-6 HERE!*

Last week I published THIS POST giving my opinions on the big question of 2016 ~ forget Brexit, we want to know who Negan kills!

Now, I think it's going to be Eugene because of the following: 

• He gave Rick the recipe for the bullets
• He did the 'not a dry eye in the house' bonding thing with Abraham
• He's finally started to get his courage together, sadly too little too late?

I asked for comments and received them via the blog post and Twitter.... here's what others think:

Lydia thinks it's either Glenn or Maggie: 'it would also provide interesting character development for whoever is left behind.'
She agrees with me that 'the writers wouldn't dare get rid of Michonne, Rick, Daryl or Carl.  They'd lose way too many viewers and the ones that stayed would be furious!'

@SamTongeWriter, @TudorTweep and @ThatGirlGenius all think it's Glenn.
@DamianSomebody thinks it's a double - Glenn and Eugene.  Maybe a bit like Lord Shoog on The Apprentice, when he does a surprise second 'You're Fired', eh?

Soo thinks it's Glenn because 'it would bring the whole thing back into the comic book territory' ~ hmm! I haven't read that far in the comic books yet.

Anthony agrees with me that it's Eugene: "All that bonding with his AhBroham was a set-up for a fond farewell kiss from Lucille."

Shelley and her family think it's Abraham, because 'the whole him and Sacha bond is to make us feel all fuzzy and warm before they rip our hearts out!!'

Lynn hopes it's Carl because " 'cos if I have to look at his dodgy eye makeup again or that really infuriating haircut lurking beneath an even more infuriating hat...I shall personally take it upon myself to send one of my own undead around to sort him out!"  No!!!!  I love Carl! And speaking as someone who doesn't do teenagers, that's saying something!

Steffany hopes it's Sasha because she nicked Abraham off Rosita (I lay the blame more at Abraham's feet, but then if you fall out of love, you fall out of love....), but thinks it's either Abraham or Eugene; she thinks Glenn is too obvious.  As she says, though... 'Gosh it's all so confusing, it really could be (almost!)anyone! ;-0'

Karen and Julie from FB both think it's Glenn, and Julie thinks that 'the whole Eugene, Abraham, Sasha and Rosita stuff lately has been a total red herring.'

   
Now for some possible 'inside' info...!!

Machel says that based on a site called 'Spoiling Dead', it's two people: Glenn and Abraham. However, AMC knows about the site and have threatened them with a lawsuit, so if it's right maybe they will change it??? Hmmm!

Another person who has tried and failed to comment on my blog but happens to live very close to me (!) has told me that Ladbrookes won't take bets because the information is already out, and that according to his research the answer is that TWO people die in the first episode, the first being Eugene, and the second either Maggie or Michonne!

It had better not be the latter.... 

So, there you have it.  Any more comments welcome (I have fixed the reply problem and can now do so, and will update this post if there are some more opinions).... and roll on October!

No way am I doing a TWD post without a Daryl pic.... this one looks as if it was when he was looking at Buttons the horse (one of the saddest bits of Series 5).  Love the relationship between Aaron and Daryl, btw :)

 

The only tips you need to finish your novel

• Stop browsing Amazon for books about how to write a best seller.
• Stop writing blog posts about being a writer.
• Stop spending four hours a day voting in polls/looking for gifs to post for Twitter's #WritingCommunity.
• Stop chatting to your friends on Facebook writers groups about your lack of motivation/time.
• Open the document.  Write.
  

#TWD Okay, so who did #Negan kill....?

(People who aren't Walking Dead addicts, please leave now...)

What's your TWD persona according to your star sign? HERE  

Who do you think it is, then?  Not long until we find out :) 

Now, I haven't joined discussion forums or gone over and over the final scene with a microscope, studying the angles to see which way Lucille fell, or searched the Season 7 trailers looking for hidden clues; this is just what I reckon...  your comments welcome!  

Who will it be?  My opinion:

~The Definitely Nots~

• Rick ~ because he's the star of the show, basically. And because Negan said that thing about feeding Carl's eyeballs to his dad, or whatever it was (look, I've only watched it three times and I have a lousy memory!).
• Carl ~ for the reasons above.  And who would take care of Judith?
• Daryl ~ no way on earth are they going to get rid of the TWD hearthrob!  There would be a global outcry!
• Michonne ~ far too popular with the viewers.  Would the producers really get rid of Rick's love interest?  I don't think so.  Bloody hope not, anyway!

~The Possibles~

• Abraham ~ possible, but unlikely, because they've made more of him in the last series, and given him a new relationship... but then again, he's feeling all positive about him and Sacha, and sees hope for the future, so it could be just the sort of horrendous thing they'd do...  he has the best lines on the show, so I certainly hope he doesn't go.
• Aaron ~ hmmm... but I don't think he's been around long enough for there to be enough impact about his demise, sad though it would be (I really like this guy!).  Also, he is one half of the token gay couple, so they won't get rid of him without a replacement (article about tokenism taking shape in my head...).
• Glenn ~ hmmmm.... we all love Glenn-and-Maggie.  Alas, it would have such impact on the group that they'd all be raring to fight back: thus, great storylines.  If  Negan kills lovely Glenn, who's been there since he rescued Rick from the tank in episode one, the rest of them would be gunning for him... big time.
• Maggie ~ Possible, because it would be so tragic for Glenn, and could turn him hard and embittered, a new direction for him.  Then again, she is the last of the Greenes...  Urgh.  No, no, please not Glenn-and-Maggie; too ghastly!

~The Likelies~

• Sacha ~ at first I thought it unlikely because of her new relationship with Abraham; why would they have bothered to do all that if only to destroy it?  But it could turn Abraham into an insane killing machine, so perhaps a good story line... the programme is all about terrible tragedy.  Also, she could be seen as kind of the 'Happy Shopper' Michonne.  Harsh and hard with a whole mass of baggage, and a soft side that can come out if you work at it, but perhaps not quite as viewer-friendly as Michonne.  I do like Sacha (I watched her being reunited with Tyreese after Terminus the other day, and cried!), but I can see that the writers might consider her expendable.
• Rosita ~  Now they've ended her relationship with Abraham, what is her role in the series, apart from being another fierce soldier who happens to be pretty gorgeous?  Also, it would put a strain on Abraham, because he would feel guilty about making her last days so unhappy, which is just the sort of thing the writers would love!  On the other hand, they've developed her personality more in the last series, and her association with Deanna's surviving son has legs ~ but is that just to make us care more when she gets killed?
• Eugene ~ based mainly on his bro-hug with Abraham, and the fact that he gave Rick the bullets recipe.  Oh, and because he had finally come into his own and stopped being scared, which would make it doubly sad.  For me, he's the most likely, although it does also seem to be the most obvious ~ which, of course, makes it less so....
•  

Just love this picture of happier times...!

As for the rest of it, I have to admit to seeing Morgan pushing Carol in a wheelchair in the trailer, I think Jesus may turn out to be someone we all love, after a shaky start (and he is pretty hot too, of course), and I have high hopes for the chaps in armour on horses!  AND there must be a reason for Heath and Tara having been sent off on a fortnight run, mustn't there (I love Heath, btw)?  Aren't they due back around now?  Perhaps they are going to leap in on the way back and make some dashing rescue....

I'd love to hear what you think...if more than a couple of people comment I'll do a post featuring excerpts!