It's Friday - What Can Possibly Go Wrong?
A weekly newsletter from Jodi Taylor
This week we have:
The Ladder of Great Terror by Jodi Taylor
When January Marries May - A Sands of Time Story by Julia Hawkes-Moore
History Briefing: The Tower of London: A Historic Fortress of Power and Intrigue
Jodi Taylor Book Recommendation: The Cautious Traveller's Guide to the Wastelands by Sarah Brookes💙📚
The Book of the Month is Bad Moon watch a new interview and extract from Jodi Taylor
There’s plenty to read this week and you can see everything new on the blog too. CLICK HERE for the blog.
So – at what age does common sense finally turn up?
At what age do we stop flinging ourselves around the landscape on unroadworthy bicycles? Riding horses whose stated aim is to kill the human race? Walking the tightrope on a barbed wire fence? Breaking our arms falling out of buckets?
Twenty years old?
Thirty?
Forty?
Seventy?
I honestly thought I was slowly getting there. Approaching the zone, so to speak. For example, I was looking at shoes the other day.
My heart said, ‘Black and white spotted stilettoes with four inch heels and red ribbons.’
My feet said, ‘Sketchers.’
My feet won. Common sense had arrived.
On the other hand – last week I disgraced myself utterly. In public. In a church, even.
Brace yourselves for a shameful tale.
There’s a rather wonderful mural been discovered in a church close to me and I was invited to go along and have a look.
Obviously I went to the wrong church – that’s the sort of thing that can happen to anyone when they’re thinking about Thurii instead of looking where they’re going but we got it all sorted eventually and I pitched up at the right church.
The mural – more of that another time – is about thirty feet off the ground and approached by a preternaturally bendy ladder leading to an apparently completely unsupported platform with another ladder leading to yet another even higher platform
‘Come on up,’ they said, so up I went. Rung by rung by rung. A good brisk pace and doing my best to ignore the shuddering of the suddenly very fragile-looking and completely inadequate ladder which I was, by now, clutching in some kind of death grip.
‘All right?’ they said.
‘No,’ I said. Which was just about the only sensible thing I did that afternoon.
‘Go back down,’ they said. ‘We’ll come to you.’
Oh – if only!
Going down was a million times worse than going up. And I had to keep looking down to see where my feet were. I had no idea I was so high up. So high. So very high. Vision blurringly high. The closest I’m ever going to get to Heaven.
Three or four leg-trembling minutes later I did eventually make it back down to terror firma.
‘You look a bit pale,’ they said. ‘Can we get you a drink.’
‘Brandy,’ I said.
‘This is a church,’ they said. ‘But we can do you a squash.’
So common sense did prevail. Eventually. I could have done with it making itself known before I embarked on the Ladder of Great Terror but late is better than never.
They say.
Love Jodi x
When January Marries May by Julia Hawkes-Moore
It was May Day when they first came to our village, and she was the spirit of May herself. They rode down the path from the wildwood, past our little church, and out into the orchards belonging to my brother. Her companion rode a tall black horse, and she rode a dainty white pony with small bells jingling on its red leather harness.
She was round and plump and as pink and white as appleblossom. Her glistening hair streamed over her shoulders, shining like a river of silver. We stared at her from our places around the trestle-tables laden with new bread and roast lamb.
Her companion dismounted and helped her down from her saddle. As she walked toward us, her eyes sparkled and her smile made every man amongst us want her, but I had been betrothed to Susan Lacey when we were both children, and now I am thankful for our fathers having made that vow.
Fancy yourself a sci-fi storyteller? Here's your chance to shine.
David Sands, the much-loved character from The Chronicles of St Mary's by Jodi Taylor, becomes a science fiction author. Now it’s your turn to step into his shoes.
The Tower of London: A Historic Fortress of Power and Intrigue
The Tower of London is one of Britain’s most iconic landmarks, rich in history, mystery, and tradition. Located on the north bank of the River Thames, this formidable fortress has stood for nearly a thousand years, serving as a royal palace, prison, treasury, armoury, and execution site. Today, it remains one of the UK’s most visited attractions and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, offering a fascinating insight into England’s past.
Jodi Taylor Book Recommendation: The Cautious Traveller's Guide to the Wastelands by Sarah Brookes💙📚
I loved this. So unusual and such a sense of unease as the train creeps slowly across the Wastelands.
Have you enjoyed this book too?
The Book of the Month for May is Bad Moon
The Cautious Traveller’s Guide is my sister’s book! Really glad you enjoyed it, thanks so much for highlighting it :)