It's Friday - What Can Possibly Go Wrong?

A weekly newsletter from Jodi Taylor

and

Aug 01, 2025

This week we have:

The results are in! Feedback on the poll
A David Sands Writing Competition entry by Victoria Axon
This Week in History: George I and the Beginning of the Hanoverian Dynasty
Jodi Taylor Book Recommendation: Stranger Times by C. K. McDonnell 💙📚
A joke from the #SillySunday thread in Jodi’s Fans and Readers Facebook Group
NEW! The Book of the Month is Saving Time by Jodi Taylor
There’s plenty to read this week and you can see everything new on the blog too. CLICK HERE for the blog.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the poll and added comments. It is wonderful to know how much the weekly newsletter is appreciated. With over 50% voting to keep it weekly, we will stick with that format. Please add comments with suggestions and idea for features or articles that you’d like included in the newsletter.

Many thanks, Hazel

Vision Without Action Is Merely A Dream by Victoria Axon

“Vision without action is merely a dream” - quote from Joel Arthur Barker

Emily shivered, the rain was soaking through her thin anorak and it clung to her skin. The neon-pink name sign shimmered in the rain. She knew it was time so allowed herself to be drawn into the brightly lit building. She could back out of at any moment - the therapist on the phone assured her it was very common and besides, they’d taken payment in advance.

Every patient had to see a therapist before their procedure - it was law for them to understand the full ramifications of their decision and the clinic had a responsibility to ensure that the patients were not under duress. Of course, it was relatively easy to get around the questions if you wanted to - a bit of Internet searching would give you the right things to say.

As she pulled open the door, she was met with a blast of humid air and music from a radio turned down so low, the drums sounded like a heartbeat. A young woman with short black hair and a nose ring sat behind the counter, scrolling on her phone.

This Week in History:

George I and the Beginning of the Hanoverian Dynasty

On 1 August 1714, George I, Elector of Hanover, ascended the British throne following the death of Queen Anne, the last monarch of the House of Stuart. His accession marked the beginning of the Hanoverian dynasty, a ruling house that would continue through the reigns of several monarchs, including the long-serving Queen Victoria.

The death of Queen Anne presented a significant challenge to the stability of the British monarchy. Despite having borne 17 children, none of Anne's offspring survived to adulthood. This left the line of succession uncertain and politically sensitive. In response to the potential for a Catholic claimant to take the throne, the Act of Settlement 1701 had previously established that only Protestant descendants of Sophia of Hanover (a granddaughter of James I) could inherit the crown.

Although over 50 individuals had a stronger genealogical claim than George, they were all Catholics and therefore barred from the throne under the Act. As the Protestant great-grandson of James VI and I, George was the closest eligible heir.

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Jodi Taylor Book Recommendation: Stranger Times by C. K. McDonnell 💙📚