It's Friday - What Can Possibly Go Wrong?
A weekly newsletter from Jodi Taylor
This week we have:
What I did on my holidays! by Jodi Taylor
A David Sands Writing Competition entry: The Times of Sand by Claire Milano
This Week in History: The Battle of Bosworth: A Turning Point in English History
Jodi Taylor Book Recommendation: The Gun Seller by Haugh Laurie💙📚
A joke from the #SillySunday thread in Jodi’s Fans and Readers Facebook Group
Highlighting HARD TIME, which is just 99p/cents on Kindle this month
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.
What I did on my holidays!
A lovely visit to Battersea Power Station on what was probably the hottest day of the year. So far, anyway.
I was there with my brother and sister-in-law. She’s a graphic designer and we were putting together a floor plan for TPHQ – more about that another time – but this is us so we were able to combine business with cocktails, Bao buns, Lift 109 – the glass dome at the top was somewhat greenhouse-like – strawberry and lime smoothies, tapas – quite a lot of tapas, actually – wine, and checking out the shops.
Top Tip from Markham – don’t go asking for a Jo Malone fragrance in Penhaligon’s. There was frostiness.
All in all, a very enjoyable day. Obviously, the power station was the star of the show and here are some piccies for you. My favourite is the one of the aura behind the chimney which I thought looked exactly like one of Mikey’s experiments going horribly wrong.
I’ve just heard that Smallhope and Pennyroyal 2 – A Family Affair – is now available for pre-order. I haven’t quite finished it yet so I’m not panicking at all. Who am I kidding – of course I’m panicking. Back to my laptop.
Jodi x
The Times of Sand by Claire Milano
“If only we had a time-travel machine.”
It was early in the meeting for this to be expressed. Usually it was in the after-presentation roundtable, or even in the pub at the end of the day.
Looking at the slide, Isabel squinted at the image of a 17th century page of scribbles. There were inkblots, tears in the page and what looked like a water – or maybe wine? – stain running down the middle of the page.
“What is it measuring? Temperature? What are the units?”
“Celsius?” someone suggested.
“Wasn’t born yet”, came a reply.
Less than a dozen paleoclimatologists ¾ “historical data scientists”, or “weather data recovery agents”, or “climate reconstruction specialists”, depending on who they were trying to persuade to give them funding ¾ were sitting in a small room in the community library. This was the latest in a series of meetings that had been going on for decades, the participants for the most part well known to each other, though there were sometimes one or two bemused people who wandered in. Today there were two people sitting towards the back. Although they were actually dressed in smart casual, even chic, clothes, they somehow gave the impression of wearing trench coats and trilbys.
“If we could go back in time, we could tell them how important it will be to the future to take these observations properly,” Piotr said in a grumbling tone.
“We could take them proper instruments”, chimed in Isabel.
“And the metric system” added Elspeth.
There was a collective sigh around the room. The two strangers at the back of the room glanced at each other.
This Week in History: The Battle of Bosworth: A Turning Point in English History
The Battle of Bosworth, fought on the 22 August 1485, marked a significant turning point in english history. This pivotal engagement not only brought an end to the Plantagenet dynasty, but also the long running wars of the roses, heralding the beginning of the Tudors and changing the course of the english monarchy for generations to come.
The Battle of Bosworth features in the book What Could Possibly Go Wrong? where the team from St Mary’s becomes entangled in the events leading up to and following the battle, including the discovery of Richard III's grave in a Leicester car park.
Jodi Taylor Book Recommendation: The Gun Seller by Haugh Laurie💙📚
I first found this book – literally – when I was living in Turkey. Wedged into a tree. The book – not me. I thought it rather an unkind thing to do to a book and tried to jiggle it free. It took a fair bit of wriggling but we got there in the end and out it came, surprisingly undamaged and, most importantly, insect free.
Initially I didn’t believe it was the Hugh Laurie – I mean, the guy acts – Blackadder, House, Jeeves & Wooster – sings, directs, plays multiple musical instruments and rides a motor bike. And now it seemed he’d written a book.
Full of excitement, I moved into full reading mode – door shut, feet up, mug of tea, biscuits, the full monty and got stuck in.
It’s brilliant. Imaginative – as you’d expect, clever, sharp, funny and sarcastic. As if House himself had written a spy spoof.
The story opens with our hero, the really rather dashing Thomas Lang – in deep trouble. Something that happens to him on a regular basis throughout the book as he wins some and loses others. There are twists and double-crosses and it’s only in the closing sentences do you realise what the book has been about.
As you know, I don’t like to give plots away but the written Mr Laurie is just as talented as the verbal Mr Laurie and the musical Mr Laurie and the biker Mr Laurie. Give it a try – see what you think.
Have you enjoyed this book?
A joke from the #SillySunday thread in Jodi’s Fans and Readers Facebook Group
This week’s joke is from Angela Krey
If you're attracted to both women and men but neither of them are attracted to you that means you are Bi-Yourself.
Hard Time is just 99p/cents on Kindle this month in UK and USA
There have always been idiots who want to change history. But now temporal tourism is on the rise. Highly illegal, highly risky - and highly lucrative.
The Time Police despatch their toughest undercover agents to take out the perpetrators. Then the unthinkable happens. Replacements are needed fast and who better than three young officers who barely look the part?
Step forward Team Weird - Luke, Jane and Matthew. They might still be in training. Their methods might be unorthodox. But, as the Time Police face their greatest ever threat, Team Weird might be their only shot at survival.
The Book of the Month is Saving Time
