Dear Readers,
Forbidden
They say you should love them all equally. Your children that is. Well, my books are progeny. I like to think of them as my kittens. But do I love them all equally? The awful truth, which I shall share with you now … is … no. But I shall come to that later.
More importantly, with absolute freedom and without risk of breaching taboo …
Do You?
This question occurred to me a few months ago, and I have been pondering it ever since. You see, gratifyingly, and thanks to you, dear readers, the ratings numbers on 
Amazon and Goodreads, where kind readers have been attributing 1-5 stars to one or more of the books, have been growing. Each of the first 6 books has over a hundred. However, even though most who pick up Book 1 do read the entire series, not all of the books have received quite the same number of ratings, and this made me curious. Could it be that some volumes in the series are more enjoyed than others? Do you, in fact, have favourites?
A Genuine First
And so I resolved to pluck up the courage to ask you. However, initially, I have had to work out how to add a poll to this page and now, here is my debut:
I hope that was fun. If you thought so, then we could do some more. Even better than that, though, is if you write to me and let me know about your favourite stories, settings, characters, lines or anything else you enjoyed and or would like more of in the coming volumes.
Fessing Up Time?
So which is my favourite? I promise to tell you next time after the vote. I’ll just say this: it’s probably not the one that you expect.
Cast List and Kind Words
I was delighted when Anne Pritchard. from Number 9 Reviews contacted me, offering to write about the first book in the series. Her kind words are now up here, if you’d like to see what Anne said about it. You can also follow Anne on her Facebook page.
Just as pleasurably, I discovered that Flora Gatehouse, who was my very first beta
reader and who handed me onto my glorious editor Kim Brockway, has posted Holly’s Dream Cast – my chosen ideal dramatis personae for an Amanda Cadabra TV series or film, no less. If you’re curious (and even would like to assistant-casting direct with your own suggestions), do click and enjoy the fun with me.
Book 8?
With my Cornish exams now concluded (for this year anyway), I am almost caught up with the to-do list that has accumulated during the writing of Book 7 and Cornish revision. This means that Book 7 is about to hoist its sails. With a fair wind, who knows how soon it might arrive at your quay?
Happy July,
Holly
PS If you want to start the series now:
Available on Amazon
Paperback, Kindle
and Large Print
Dear Readers,
Welcome to all you new wonderful readers who have joined me on Facebook, in the blog and as subscribers in the last couple of weeks.
Three Landmark Events
First of all, today, we reached 400 followers on the Holly Bell Facebook page, so thank you to everyone who has made that possible.
Second. All of the first six books in the series have now accumulated 100 or more ratings on Amazon.com, so I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to everyone who has rated and even reviewed any of the books.
Third. My Cornish language Grade 3 exams are over! And now the fun begins.
Mystery?
Yes, I say fun. After three years of learning grammar and vocabulary, as well as how to speak and converse, I have reached what I regard as the meat of the feast: the texts! The oldest extant plays in Kernewek (the Cornish word for well … Cornish) date from the 14th century. The Ordinalia is a cycle of mystery plays: the Bible story sort (rather than the cozy sort,) which were set in churches. These originated in the 5th century but hit the big time during the medieval age. By this point, they had moved out into the marketplace and were performed by companies of actors to enthusiastic crowds, especially on high days and holidays. The Ordinalia trilogy is comprised of The Creation of The World, where things go pear-shaped in the Garden of Eden, The Passion of Christ which leads without pause straight into The Resurrection, where it all ends happily.
It is one of the Ordinalia plays that I shall be studying: Passio Christi, which I read has a host of ‘colourful characters’. There are also more modern texts set in the 18th and 19th centuries. No doubt, in all of these, there will be inspiration for the Cornish elements in the Amanda Cadabra series to entertain and delight you.
The Best Part: The Magic of Connection
Even for its own sake, textual analysis is something that gives me particular pleasure. The Ordinalia could be regarded as the Cornish equivalent of the works of Geoffrey Chaucer, whose Canterbury Tales are an absolute riot, so I anticipate humour in amongst the gravity.
There is something about words written hundreds of years ago connecting us with not just the author but the audience of that time that is thrilling: being moved by the same narrative, being surprised by the unexpected, laughing at the same jokes.
And this is not only in the case of works from our own language or culture, but this link can be felt across the centuries and miles, regardless of the language or country of origin. Just think of Arabian Nights, The Jungle Book (inspired by old Indian texts), and Mulan (from an ancient Chinese poem). We can even time-travel 4000 years back with the Gilgamesh Epic, the oldest story we have so far discovered.
Sequel?
However, back to the present, and where are we with the next Amanda Cadabra sequel? I can report that at The Counting, it was over 17,000 words in.
I shall be back with more news presently. Meanwhile …
Happy Summer to all in the northern hemisphere and to my dear readers under the southern stars, wishing you a cosy winter.
Holly
PS If you want to start the series now:
Available on Amazon
Paperback, Kindle
and Large Print
Dear Readers,
The Cozy Connection
This weekend we here in the UK and throughout the Commonwealth of Nations are celebrating the 70th year of 
Queen Elizabeth II’s reign. Something of both a marathon and a record – the longest in our history. The occasion is called the Platinum Jubilee and it’s the first. The question is, is there any connection between the royal family and the Queen in particular in the Amanda Cadabra series. The answer is yes.
In the very first book, Amanda Cadabra and The Hidey-Hole Truth, when Senara Cadabra is putting Inspector Trelawney in his place, during his questioning of her regarding the strange demise of her entire family:
‘Did you notice the vehicle?’
‘I did. It obscured the view of our Princess Margaret roses,’ said Mrs Cadabra indignantly.
‘And what did it —?’
‘Horse manure.’
‘I beg your pardon?’ asked Trelawney, startled.
‘Oh, I mean no disrespect to the dear Princess herself,’ Mrs Cadabra assured him. ‘No, indeed. Just that it’s the best thing for roses. But only after three years of composting. Not when fresh. I’m sure Her Royal Highness would echo my every word.’ Having successfully diverted the subject to horticulture, she placed one still delicate hand over the other, signifying that she considered the discussion of the transport to be closed.
But that, of course, is a reference to the late sister of the Queen, Princess Margaret. What about Elizabeth herself? Yes, again.
Amanda and The Queen
In Book 5, Amanda Cadabra and The Hidden Depths, a new character is introduced. The centenarian Mr Frumbling, a retired piano tuner and restorer, comes to Amanda’s aid to get The Grange instrument into working order in time for the St Valentine’s Day ball. He endears himself to Amanda, particularly in this exchange:
‘Mr Frumbling, may I ask you something?’
‘Of course, duck.’
‘Is it true that you carry the telegram the Queen sent you on your 100th birthday around with you?’
‘Well, the palace doesn’t send out actual telegrams any more. Instead, you get a very special card. And yes, I have it right here,’ he said, putting a hand into his pocket. ‘Now, it’s not the original. I have that framed on my wall. This is a copy, but a good one.’
He took out a wallet from his inside breast pocket and opened it for Amanda.
‘There … see that? That’s the Princess Elizabeth’s signature.’
‘My word!’ exclaimed Amanda in admiration.
‘Of course, she’s queen now,’ Mr Frumbling added, ‘but it’s how I always think of her. I was eight years old when she was born. Not a princess then. That came later. Can you imagine me at eight, looking at me now? White hair and a lot of wrinkles!’
He gave her a roguish twinkle, and suddenly Amanda saw him. There he was before her: a boy with a lot of untidy thick brown hair, a missing tooth, grey shorts and lace-up boots. She grinned. ‘Yes! Yes, I can, Mr Frumbling. It’s my belief that you haven’t changed a bit.’
For Real?
So what is afoot at Monkey Hadley, the real Sunken Madley? Well, on Thursday night, I attended a gala at St Mary-the-Virgin, parish church of Monken Hadley.
An operatic performance delighted us until dark when it was time … to light the beacon. The fire was lit first by the local borough deputy mayor, who, having been born in Sri Lanka, was also representing the Commonwealth. Soon it was hoisted by cable up to the tower (saving the long climb up there), and the beacon was kindled to cheers from below where I was photographing and filming. Finally, we sang what we refer to affectionately as ‘The Queen’, a song wishing her well which is used for the National Anthem.
In celebration of this extraordinary day, beacons were lit all across the kingdom and the Commonwealth, from Tonga and Samoa in the South Pacific, to the final one in Belize, in Central America. Historically, the church has been part of the tradition of beacon-lighting. The tower overlooks the land below, dipping into the London basin. It is topped, admittedly, by Chipping Barnet church which is the highest point in London, reaching 427 feet above sea level (next stop at that elevation is the Urals), but there was no beacon up there, probably for safety reasons. However, St Mary-the-Virgin is a worthy representative.
Flaming History
The most famous beacon lighting story in our checkered history is the telegraphing of the warning of the 
approach of the Spanish Armada back in 1588. The tale goes that the approaching ships were spotted off the south coast of mainland Britain and the chain of fire was the quickest way of getting the news to London and elsewhere. Vice-admiral Sir Francis Drake, handily located in Plymouth, reputedly finished his game of bowls before he set off, raised sail and led the fleet to a climate induced victory as, typically, the weather was appalling, but both sides, no doubt did their best. The Brits tried a follow up counter-Armada the following year without the meteorological advantage. It did not go well.
The outcome to one side, and we’re good friends now anyway, the point is that at the time of the Armada, we lit lots of fires on high places across the land, and the idea is all rather thrilling. So we did it again. Only this time, I was there, and I can tell you that it set my spine a-tingle and my heart a-glow as the flame gathered strength and reached into the night sky, carrying the chain of light across this green and pleasant land.
What It Means Now
It’s a tradition for beacons to be lit at coronations and weddings, and other joyful events of that nature. What was once used as a warning system is now a symbol of togetherness. But this is a first. Yes, the first time that so many beacons, perhaps over 3,000, were lit across five continents, and not just in Commonwealth countries but even in the USA.
I have to admit that this makes me very emotional. Why is that then? Because the truth of the matter is that the British Empire did not by any means have the best track record, and Elizabeth saw out its last days, and although I am only half English, I am still somewhat conscious of this uncomfortable fact. Nevertheless, people throughout the world are large-heartedly setting aside this historical baggage in favour of remembering and appreciating the best of a lady who has been our ambassador and representative from long before I was born.
To You
Also, because I have yet to meet the vast majority of you, and somehow the beacons gave me a link to you, if only in my imagination. And that’s enough.
For example, it connected me with Cornwall, as the beacon was lit in Camborne, home to my dear Cornish language mentor, Kensa, and my treasured friend and study partner dwells nearby. When I stood below the tower of Monken Hadley Church, I was linked to many lovely people in Cornwall whom I met through the books. All I can say is, that I did my best not to fog up my camera lens!
Tea on the Lawn
Today, we’re expecting the rain to clear for the Jubilee garden party on the church hall lawn. There will be bunting, there will be vintage songs, there will be a tombola stand, there will be Pimms. For a couple of hours, like Amanda (although without the danger! Or the cat), I will step back in time to the very best of a by-gone age. I promise to do my best to bring you photographs. I include here a pic from the church fayre three years ago of the fabulous singer Angela Henckel who sang for us on that occasion, and at the jubilee, dazzled, delighted and brought us to our feet in a standing ovation.
I will have to find a reason to have Sunken Madley’s St Ursula- without-Barnet’s beacon lit in a future book. Hm …
Common What?
In case you’re wondering about this Commonwealth thing, it’s an international sort of club mostly made up of
countries that used to be part of the British Empire. During the last century, it was decided country by country that it made no sense to be told what to do by people on the other side of the world and more sense to have independent government.
However, many people from the UK over the centuries made their home in these countries, and many from there came and settled here, so there were strong ties of culture and heritage. Furthermore, there were good things about being part of the empire, so they kept those and made an organisation where all countries are equal and together pursue peace, prosperity and democracy. This is generally regarded as A Good Thing. The sun never sets on the Commonwealth. Somewhere a beacon burns for those three principles.
Jubilee?
And if you’re curious about where the word jubilee comes from, it’s the Hebrew word yōbhēl. This referred to a kind of trumpet blown on special occasions, especially every fiftieth year. This jubilee signified an economic reset. Slaves were freed, debts cancelled, and if you’d had to sell your land to make ends meet, you got it back. A cause for … jubilation. And today’s personal cause for that emotion: I’m now up to 12,000 words on the new book.
There is another reason why a gala concert was held at Monken Hadley church, but I’m going to save that for another day. That’s because it’s connected to one of the books which is going to get a makeover in the next few weeks.
That’s all for now. Wherever you are inside or outside the UK and the Commonwealth, may I wish you a happy, peaceful weekend with just the right amount of excitement. Thank you for all the times that you are with me in spirit.
May you find something to celebrate every day.
Holly
PS If you want to start the series now:
Available on Amazon
Paperback, Kindle
and Large Print
Dear Readers,
Just seven weeks from the launch of Book 7, and now the question is, what about t
he next book? As I mentioned on Facebook: I’m on the case. But …
First things first
Thank you to everyone who has joined us on the Holly Bell Facebook page, who has begun reading here, who has subscribed and my favourite of all, who has written to tell me of your enjoyment of the books.
Cornish Focus
As soon as Book 7 had had its send off and the post-launch bits and pieces were attended to, there was an urgent matter that needed my attention. As you know, all of the books are set partly in Cornwall and Book 6 almost entirely. The magical language in the series, Wicc’yeth, is formed from a mixture of Old English and … Cornish. This language outstrips English in its antiquity and has been undergoing a significant revival and modernisation in recent years. All of the main characters in the books are Cornish too.
Consequently, soon after I began writing the first book, I started studying Kernowek – the Cornish language, and am now taking my Grade III exams (there are three). As you might expect, no sooner had the confetti and streamers from the release of Book 7 settled than daily cramming commenced. For hours a day, I was beavering away at revision, imagining that once the exams were out of the way, then Book 8 would begin in earnest.
A Life of Its Own
But I have much less say in these matters than you might imagine. You may have heard or read these words before:
‘The sculpture is already complete within the marble block before I start my work. It is already there; I just have to chisel away the superfluous material.”
These words are, correctly or not, attributed to Michaelangelo at the unveiling of his celebrated statue of David. This monumental work was carved from a single block of marble, and now stands in pride of place in Accademia Gallery in Florence. Regardless of precisely what was intended by the remark or how it has been used or interpreted since, it resonates with me when it comes to the emergence of each new book.
Kitten Concept
Another way of looking at it is to think about a kitten. Everyone likes thinking about kittens, surely. From the point of conception, physical characteristics are determined, and to some extent, their genetics influence the trend of our personalities. But it is now set in stone whether the kitten will be ginger, tabby, white or … grey. Sleek, shaggy or … thick-furred. Blue, grey, green, brown or … citrine-eyed. I make reference here to Amanda’s grumpy familiar who, of course, arrived fully formed.
But I digress. It feels to me as though each book knows what it is going to be before I do. That may sound fanciful, but the experience of writing is more of the books forming themselves, like a pot on a wheel, under my hands guiding the clay, except they arrive in snippets or sections or ideas.
The moment of Creation and Early Stages
So when was the point of conception for Book 8? It was when I was writing Book 6. I knew where this new book was going to be set. And that’s all. During the writing of Book 7, I began to have vague ideas about the plot. Then came an epiphany. Daniel, our illustrator, sent me seven sketches for the cover of Book 7. One caught my eye, and I knew that it was going to be the cover for Book 8, or at least, that moment that he had so cleverly captured was going to be featured in the story. How? Well, that was a matter for the future.
A few weeks ago, while writing the Letter to my dear subscribers, suddenly the title came to me. I had various notions of parts of the book but no clear idea of how they would link together.
And then …
Pre-dawn, brain awake and popping with ideas, instead of turning to my Cornish books, for two hours, the plot for the new book formed itself in the cauldron of my imagination as I pattered it out on the keyboard, stopping to follow my lines of research. The day-star rose. By the time that sleepiness concluded my session, I had the bones of the plot laid down.
Since Tuesday at Dawn
From the following day until now, my brain has been in Cornish revision mode. My oral exam, at the time of writing, was looming large. There will be Cornish in the next book, as usual. The story may even take to that beautiful land in the Southwest of mainland Britain. The point is that all of the hours, months and even years of Cornish study feed into the writing process. It’s all part of the joyful ride that has brought new friends, new ideas, inspiration and new sources of pleasure my way.
Curious?
If you’d like to know more about how and why I came to learn the language and the process, if you put Cornish into the search bar, then the articles should come up.
If your curiosity about learning the language has been piqued, you can visit gocornish.com or drop me a line, and I will be delighted to help you.
That’s all for now. Be assured that I have things in store for you that I think you’ll enjoy. I’ll be back soon.
Meanwhile,
Happy reading.
Holly
PS If you want to start the series now:
Available on Amazon
Paperback, Kindle
and Large Print
Dear Readers,
The new book in the series, number 7, Amanda Cadabra and The Hanging Tree, was duly christened, released from its moorings and slid down the slipway into open water last Sunday. It now flies its cozy paranormal mystery flag high, thanks to everyone who has so kindly reviewed, bought or downloaded it so far.
How Did it Go?
It went well, especially considering that the occasion landed on Mother’s Day when most people who might have been online were busy with family. Why release it on that day, then? Because I had promised to bring out the book in March, and the 27th was the last one on the shelf.
Nevertheless, the new book has more sales than any of its predecessors on their launch days. The free offer of Book 6, Amanda Cadabra and The Strange Case of Lucy Penlowr, had some 2,800 downloads which I’d say is respectable. Out of that number, hopefully, a goodly percentage will stay with the series and continue the voyage with us.
And Now, Your Gift
This is for you. My thank you for your support in all its wondrous forms. Your name may be mentioned here, but the point is that if you’re reading this, then you are definitely included. I hope that you like it. It comes from the heart.
Next Time?
I will be back, possibly with a new collection of photos I have mentally entitled ‘Spring Comes To Sunken Madley’. A new project beckons. One that I have essayed in the past, but this time there is a better possibility of success than ever before. We shall see. I hope to bring you news in due course. In the meantime, if you’d like to keep in touch, you can find my email in the Contact section or find me mainly on Facebook. I’m always joyfully moved to hear from you..
Happy Spring (or Autumn depending),
Holly
PS If you want to start the series now:
Available on Amazon
Paperback, Kindle
and Large Print
Dear Reader,
It’s Here!
You can find the new sequel in the Amanda Cadabra cozy mystery series on Amazon from today. Yes, it’s a sequel (Book 7) but it’s also a standalone, so you can jump in with Amanda Cadabra and The Hanging Tree. The Kindle edition is at a 20% discount today.
A Double Launch
If you prefer your books touchy feely, as I do, for the first time (drumroll …) simultaneously with the ebook, the paperback edition is launching too today! You can find it here:
Viewbook.at/AC7-paperback
Free
Plus, free today and tomorrow from Amazon, you can download the previous volume, Amanda Cadabra and The Strange Case of Lucy Penlowr. This story is set in Cornwall and is also a standalone.
It would be superb if you could also spread the word and share the coziness.
Movie Time
Now here is the launch video, for your entertainment.
Back next time with news of how it went today and a little thank you present for all your support.
Happy reading,
Holly
PS If you want to start the series now:
Available on Amazon
Paperback, Kindle
and Large Print
Dear Reader,
The Launch Date is Confirmed
The official release of of Amanda Cadabra and The Hanging Tree, will be on Sunday, 27th March. With just 3 days to go, here is the penultimate revelation: Chapter 1, laid bare below.
What Does Chapter 1 Mean?
There is something special about having written the first chapter of a novel. It isn’t usually the first part of a new book that I write, you see. The opening scene or paragraphs may come to me early on in the process, but the rest of the chapter could take its time. However, when it is in place, the collection of notes – scenes, dialogue, even a complete chapter here and there – suddenly, in my mind, becomes ‘The Book’. There is the feeling of acceleration and the certainty that it will, at some point, go forth into the world of dear readers, fully formed.
As so, it is about to happen. What can you expect on Sunday?
Sunday’s Line-up
The brand new Book 7 Amanda Cadabra and The Hanging Tree, the standalone sequel, will be available on Amazon in both ebook and paperback.
The Kindle edition will be available, for a limited time, at a 20% discount.
Book 6, Amanda Cadabra and The Strange Case of Lucy Penlowr, will be free to download for the day and Monday.
Oh, and of course, there will be a launch display video for your entertainment.
For You
Finally, I would like to thank you for your patience. Almost immediately after Book 6 was published, some of you loyal readers were asking for the next in the series. Now, I am delighted to say that the new book’s release into your hands is just hours away.
Until Sunday, I leave you with this. Just scroll down and you will be transported to the world of Sunken Madley with:
It was difficult to make out what it was. The fog was being compounded by smoke from a nearby garden bonfire. Amanda ventured closer. Oh … just a sack of old leaves, wasn’t it? Probably from last autumn. Strange though. It wasn’t like Irene to be untidy.
Another few steps, No … She stood stock-still, the mist clinging to her skin. Amanda looked up at the branch above her … then down at the form beneath. The rope attached to it lay there like a pale dead snake. … Surely not … not this. … not here …
***
The day began promisingly. Amanda awoke naturally after a full night’s sleep to the song of the blackbird; there’d been some hazy dream or other. One of the downsides of being a back-sleeper was that she often surfaced to find a cat on her stomach. And not just any cat. Tempest, her familiar, was thick-furred in a collection of storm greys, citrine-eyed and constitutionally disgruntled.
Tempest, sensing his human was stirring, moved up to her chest and pushed his head out from under the quilt. Amanda smiled blearily, rubbing one blue eye, and stroked his head.
‘Good morning, Tempest.’
He stared at her meaningfully.
‘Yes, I know,’ she acknowledged tolerantly, ‘Breakfast. I must get up anyway. I have magic practice.’
Forty minutes later found Amanda, clad in green boiler suit and trainers, mouse-brown hair in a messy plait, kneeling on the floor of her furniture restoration workshop. But not yet engaged in restoration. She was instead screwing spare antique bow handles next to the four edges of an old flat-surfaced door. Observing Amanda, with a mixture of ennui and amusement, was Tempest.
‘There,’ she pronounced optimistically, ‘that should do it. First, a test run.’
‘Aerevel ynentel,’ she pronounced, and the door rose gently into the air until she halted its progress with ‘sessiblin’ and landed it with ‘sedaasig.’ This was Amanda’s particular gift, inherited through Perran, her grandfather, from the Cadabras. Since his elopement with Senara, née Cardiubarn, of the nefarious neighbouring witch-clan, he had been, ostensibly, estranged from his family. Yet, he had never regretted the union with his beloved Senara.
Of course, as far as the village was concerned, the couple were now, in what the ‘transitioned’ regarded as vulgar parlance: dead. They were, in fact, enjoying a somewhat different plane of existence, from which they made frequent visits either spontaneously or at Amanda’s request.
However, currently she and Tempest were the sole occupants of the workshop. It was here, where Perran had taught all, or at least, most of what he knew to Amanda, to whom he had bequeathed it together with the Vauxhall Astra. The vehicle was in British racing green, and along each side bore the legend in gold script: Cadabra Furniture Restoration and Repairs.
His granddaughter was presently regarding the door on the floor with satisfaction coupled with a degree of hesitation.
‘Good,’ she pronounced. ‘And now ….’
Amanda took a deep breath and stepped onto the door, sat down, and took hold of each of the two handles on the long sides. She focused and issued the command,
‘Aerevel ynentel.’ Amanda opened her eyes wide at the strange sensation of rising off the floor, inch by inch. Distracted, she lost her concentration, the surface tilted wildly, and she cried out instinctively,
‘Grandpa! Help me!’
Instantly a tall, silver-haired man appeared and, smiling, steadied her with a gesture and landed the door.
‘Oh, thank you,’ said Amanda with relief, putting a hand to her chest. Then, as a shocking thought occurred to her, she added, ‘Grandpa, did you put a spell on me?’ Casting magic on humans was absolutely vetoed. It had got her, and even the village of Sunken Madley, into far too much trouble in the past.
‘No, bian,’ Perran Cadabra assured Amanda, addressing her by his pet name for her, Cornish for ‘baby’, ‘just the board and the air around you.’ Calmed by his soft accent, hailing from the far south-west of the British Isles, and unfailingly kindly manner, she sighed,
‘Ah.’ Now, her tell was clear to see. In the presence of magic, the tiny brown islands in the sea of her blue eyes expanded into continents. Her close-work glasses helped to hide it, but anyone who knew what to look for could observe the singular effect.
‘All right?’ asked Grandpa. ‘Ready to try again? Just an inch or two off the ground this time.’
‘Yes … I don’t have all that long to practice, by the way.’
‘I know,’ replied Grandpa, nodding. ‘You’re meeting the inspector at a quarter past nine to give him the official Sunken Madley tour.’
‘That’s right. Ok, I’m ready. Back on the horse. Or, should I say … door?’
***
The somewhat wayward village of Sunken Madley, to which Detective Inspector Thomas Trelawney of the Devon and Cornwall Police was now assigned, lay 13 miles to the north of the Houses of Parliament, and three miles south of the border of Hertfordshire. Its roots in the rural landscape, from which it had grown over a period of 800 years, were still in evidence to those who cared to look. It was embraced by ancient orchards and the sheltering Madley Wood. The village was a long way in every sense from the Cornish coastal town where Trelawney had been born and bred.
The inspector was a study in unobtrusiveness, in classic, well-cut grey suit and quiet, self-patterned matching tie. His short, light-brown hair was neither styled in a dated manner nor at the edge of current fashion. His features were pleasant, he was well-spoken, accentless, his manner mild and courteous. The sort of man, Amanda had often thought, one did not notice, until one really noticed.
Trelawney looked at his watch. He decided that he had sufficient time to make a diversion to The Corner Shop for a snack pack of almonds. There’d been a toaster crisis at his mother’s – which had been the school-holidays home of his youth after his parents’ divorce – and breakfast had turned into a rather vague affair.
His arrival at the nerve centre of the village coincided with the approach of Dennis Hanley-Page, a septuagenarian whose exuberant progress through life was entirely uninterrupted by the passing of the years.
Dennis was at that moment manifesting his eclectic musical taste. The final few bars of Rock the Casbah by The Clash echoed down the street, followed by the opening of Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5, as Dennis approached at 70 miles per hour. A red Triumph Spitfire, Dennis’s latest acquisition as proprietor of Vintage Vehicles, raced into view. The village had somehow managed to maintain a legacy speed limit from either the 1930’s or 70’s. Trelawney was simply grateful that he was not there to police the traffic, and entered The Corner Shop, while Dennis parked and secured his car.
Ding! The door heralded the inspector’s entrance.
‘Pen hates therapists,’ Joan the postlady was saying to Mrs Sharma, proprietor, and Sylvia, the hi-vis-vest-clad octogenarian lollipop lady. She was but recently arrived at the establishment from her labours of safely ushering the school children across the road. This duty she performed with the aid of her round stop sign on a long pole, hence her job title.
‘Hello, Inspector,’ they chorused in warm welcome. Joan brought him up to speed.
‘We’re talking about the new renter of the Sharma’s shop at the end of the High Street here. And I was about to say as no one could hate our new therapist. He’s a sweetie.’
‘Oh I know,’ enjoined Sylvia. ‘That would be like hating … Mother Theresa.’
‘Or Stephen Fry,’ returned Joan.
Ding! went the shop door.
‘Or Dolly Parton,’ chimed in Dennis, debonairly sweeping off his tweed cap. ‘Everyone likes Dolly Parton.’
‘We know you do,’ returned Sylvia with a grin, after they had greeted him.
‘Well,’ commented Joan, ‘my Jim says what with my hair and my curves, that I’m a tall, size 16 ringer for Dolly, bless ‘im.’
‘You’ve got a good man there, Joan,’ Sylvia remarked.
‘Oh, I have, I have. You know, when we was courting, and I mighta told you this story before …’
Trelawney was aware of the time and his appointment with his landlady-to-be and his new partner Miss Cadabra. However, he was even more conscious of his new status in the village, with its upgrade from ‘Honorary Village’ to ‘Village’. He had been warned that Sunken Madley was not like his Cornish home town of Parhayle, and they would have their own pace.
This was the last place he’d expected to end up and the last business he’d ever imagined he’d be embroiled in. Detective Inspector Thomas Trelawney had regarded magic as a lot of mumbo jumbo and himself as a modern man, living in a modern world, solving modern, and also admittedly age-old, crimes, with the aid of modern techniques.
And then …
To be continued in Chapter 2
I hope that you enjoyed that. See you on Sunday.
Happy reading,
Holly
PS If you want to start the series now:
Available on Amazon
Paperback, Kindle
and Large Print
Dear Readers,
Here Goes The Fifth Veil
As I wrote to you last time, the process of bringing out a new novel is a dance, The Dance of the Seven Veils. With the news that the new book is in the offing, the title reveal, the partial and then the full cover reveals, the first four have wafted to the floor. And now, for the fifth, the trailer:
On Location With The Trailer
I hope that you enjoyed the film. Some of it was shot especially for such an event, including the footage at the beginning, which was recorded in the picturesque village of Aldenham in Hertfordshire. On the Inspiration page, you can see some photographs from there. The video was shot from opposite the church, which dates from the 13th century and looks over the spacious village green. The final village scene was captured in another Hertfordshire village: Letchworth Common. For the rest of the trailer, I have several talented photographers to thank, who are credited at the end of the video.
If you are curious about my process for creating these trailers, you can read about it here: making movies
The Sixth Veil
Next time, a little peep inside the book: Chapter 1 of Amanda Cadabra and The Hanging Tree, right here. And now I must be off, to prepare for The Seventh Veil, the launch video.
Happy Spring,
Holly
PS If you want to start the series now:
Available on Amazon
Paperback, Kindle
and Large Print
Dear Readers,
The Curtains Part
The cover of Amanda Cadabra and The Hanging Tree is revealed!
Who Dunnit?
All credit must go to our esteemed and talented illustrator and visual developer, Daniel Becerril Ureña. Daniel has travelled the world, enhancing his skills as an artist, bringing to the Amanda Cadabra series a blend of drama and cosiness that is a perfect fit. All of the books have had the full Ureña treatment except for Book 3. Hence, a new cover for Amanda Cadabra and The Flawless Plan is a treat anticipated for this year.
How does a new cover come into being? you may ask. If you’d like to discover the process, I described it in exciting detail when the last sequel, Amanda Cadabra and The Strange Case of Lucy Penlowr, was in the making: Cover Magic.
I would love to know your reactions to the look of the new book. Please let me know, in the comments, on Facebook or, my favourite, by email.
The Seven Veils
I like to think of the emergence of each new story as a dance. Not just any dance: the Dance of the Seven Veils during which they are dropped one by one. The first falls when the announcement comes that a new book is in the making. The second is cast off with the title reveal, which was two weeks ago. In the last Letter to Readers, veil number three was let fall with the partial cover reveal. Today, the fourth veil is relinquished as the cover is displayed for your enjoyment. Next week, the fifth veil is lifted for the trailer. After that, the penultimate covering is drawn off as the first chapter is laid out here. Finally, the last veil flutters to the ground: the launch.
Next
The fifth veil. Heypressto, the publisher of the Amanda Cadabra series, under the aegis of Chartreuse, will be bringing you the trailer video for Amanda Cadabra and The Hanging Tree.
Happy Mid-March,
Holly
PS If you want to start the series now:
Available on Amazon
Paperback, Kindle
and Large Print
Dear Readers,
A Veil is Dropped
This week it’s time for the partial cover reveal of Amanda Cadabra and The Hanging Tree.
What to Expect: Three Bonuses
Over the coming days, not necessarily just on Sunday, there will be a string of reveals: the full cover, the trailer and the first chapter, leading up to launch day.
There will be three special events for this release. First, we are working on releasing the paperback on the same day as the ebook.
Second, one of the books in the series will be free on the day of the launch.
Third, there will be a 20% discount for a limited period on the new book.
Spring Comes To Sunken Madley
Amanda Cadabra and The Hanging Tree begins almost the day of the release, at this time of year. At the end of the previous book, Amanda Cadabra and The Strange Case of Lucy Penlowr, the village, Amanda and Trelawney, enjoyed the Spring Equinox Ball. Join them as they move through the end of the month and April towards the May Day Ball. Here is a visual reminder of our village at this time of year to be going on with.
Happy Spring!
Holly
PS If you want to start the series now:
Available on Amazon
Paperback, Kindle
and Large Print
