It's Friday - What Can Possibly Go Wrong?
A weekly newsletter from Jodi Taylor
This week we have:
A free short story: The Girl With The Pearl In Her Nose
Really Not A Great Fire by Karen Millard - A Sands of Time Story
History Briefing: The Culture and History of Kush, and Its Conquest of Egypt featured in Hope for the Best
Jodi Taylor Book Recommendation: A Case of Mice and Murder by Sally Smith💙📚
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.
I was in Sick Bay with a cold. Actually, I was in Isolation, partly because Dr Stone said nothing was ever just a cold at St Mary’s, and partly because Leon said he was sick of being snorted and snotted all over and could anything be done or were we looking at end of life care?
Dr Stone said to sit down and he’d take a look. He spent a few minutes peering up my right nostril and describing what he could see. I still object to his use of the word ‘cavernous.’
Climbing out, he switched off his torch thingy and announced it was probably my sinuses. I said I thought as much and it wasn’t the first time my nose had tried to kill me.
Leon said it should stand in line like everyone else.
I enquired why he was here and Dr Stone said he’d wondered that himself.
Leon said, ‘Protection,’ but failed to specify for whom.
Dr Stone disappeared up my other nostril. I waited for comments on echoes, Cheddar Gorge, stalactites and sticky.
‘Oh,’ he said, suddenly. ‘That’s not right.’
‘What isn’t?’ I said, panicking.
He didn’t answer. Humming the dwarf song from Snow White he armed himself with an implement very similar in size and construction to the prong things on a JCB and announced he was going in, adding that he might be some time.
He was some time – firkling away like an Egyptian embalmer removing brain tissue from an embalmee. Except that I was living, conscious, and complaining every inch of the way.
‘There’s something here,’ he said which I think everyone will agree is exciting news when you’re looking for treasure. Less so when you’ve got a doctor half way up your nose.
Really Not A Great Fire by Karen Millard
I stood there looking at the metallic cuff on my wrist. It wasn’t much larger than one of those bracelets that counts how many steps you take, and I had serious doubts that it could do what was claimed. But, hey, it wasn’t like I had any other plans for the weekend. And if I pressed the button and it did absolutely nothing – which I pretty much expected – there was no one but me around to know.
A little background on the cuff: it was loaned to me by Miriam, my historian best friend who swears that it actually allows you to travel through time.
We were discussing the history of London the other day, and I commented that I would have liked to have a chance to see what it looked like before the Great Fire in 1666. She was quiet for a minute, with an odd expression on her face, then said that if I was serious she had a way for me to have a look.
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 Culture and History of Kush, and Its Conquest of Egypt
The Kingdom of Kush was a powerful and influential civilisation located in what is now modern-day Sudan. It flourished along the Nile River and played a crucial role in shaping the political, economic, and cultural history of Northeast Africa. The Kushites were renowned for their rich culture, advanced society, and military strength, which enabled them to conquer and rule Egypt for a period during the 8th century BCE.
Origins and Early History
The Kingdom of Kush emerged around 2000 BCE as a regional power in Nubia, south of Egypt. The region was known for its vast natural resources, particularly gold, which made it, at different times, a trading partner, a rival, and a part of the Egyptian empire. Due to long-standing interactions between the two civilisations, the Kushites adopted many aspects of Egyptian culture, including religion, art, and burial customs.
Kush was first dominated by Egypt’s Middle Kingdom (c. 2050–1650 BCE), and later by the New Kingdom (c. 1550–1070 BCE), during which Egypt ruled over Kush and integrated it into its empire. However, as Egyptian power declined, the Kushites reasserted their independence and established a strong kingdom centred around the city of Napata.
Jodi Taylor Book Recommendation: A Case of Mice and Murder by Sally Smith💙📚
Such a lovely murder mystery in an unusual setting. And the mouse is very important. The first of a new series.
Have you enjoyed this book too?
The Book of the Month for May is Bad Moon
I thoroughly enjoyed Of Mice and Murder - you can really see the area through the author's descriptions, and the characters are so vivid, too. Excellent denoument - really satisfying!