The Rushford Times - A weekly newsletter from Jodi Taylor

Sent on Wednesdays to paid subscribers and Fridays to free subscribers

This week we have:

• Jodi writing about The Odyssey and upcoming books

• An exclusive audio extract from A Family Affair

• Get Jodi’s books on Kindle Unlimited

• A new guest feature: Travelling With Cheese by Stella Gambling

• Short Story of the Month: Christmas Past

  There’s plenty to read this week and you can see everything on the blog too. CLICK HERE for the blog.

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I’ve been looking forward to The Odyssey so much and yesterday was the day I finally got to see it.

First impression – Jason and the Argonauts this was not. Nothing against Jason and his mates – and the bit with the giant Talos is great – but this film was in a different league altogether.

First things first – Matt Damon is brilliant. I never thought he’d be otherwise but he really is, becoming more battered, more careworn, more overwhelmed by events as the film progresses. It can’t be an easy task to portray a slowly disintegrating hero but our Matt manages well.

And I loved that Homer is credited as a writer.

And I loved that the film was given an historical context. The imminent collapse of the Bronze Age with the coming of the Sea People is mentioned several times.

I loved the portrayal of Agamemnon – High King and a giant figure of silent menace whose face is never clearly seen. And that he gets his comeuppance at the hands of his wife. And that she gets hers at the hands of her son, showing us very clearly that the ramifications of the fall of Troy rumbled on for decades afterwards. For good or ill no one ever escapes the consequences of their actions. Which is, of course, a recurring theme in Greek mythology.

I loved the music – perfect for the film. And the visuals. And the special effects.

And I loved that even Odysseus says that Helen was just an excuse. That the whole war was really about the trade routes. Just as Max said all those years ago. So – yay Max!

And I loved that nothing was bright, shiny and new. These men and their ships had been at war for ten years and it showed. As did their deep desire to get home and yet, every day, every adventure, not only reduced the number of survivors but increased the distance they still had to travel.

And a very satisfying ending, too. Highly recommended. Go and see it but be warned – it’s not for the faint-hearted. As I said – Jason and the Argonauts it is not.

I haven’t had as much time for reading as I would like, but I have managed to finish the second part of Sarah A Parker’s powerful series. This one is entitled The Ballad of Falling Dragons and is just as hard hitting as the first title – When the Moon Hatched. I never like to give away the plots, but I don’t think – given the title – that I’m revealing too much when I say that the prophecy comes true in this one. Fossilised dragons are literally dropping from the sky. What is that all about?

And I’ve got the third of Robert Jackson Bennett’s Ana Dolabra series on pre-order because I literally cannot wait to find out what happens next. A Trade of Blood is released on 4^th August this year. I remember I downloaded a free sample of the first book – The Tainted Cup – and for some reason it didn’t really register with me at the time. I reread it a couple of months later and completely revised my opinion. A lesson to me for the future, I think.

And, for fans of T Kingfisher, the next in the Swordheart series is available for pre-order. Daggerbound is out on 25^th August. I loved Swordheart and can’t wait for this new one.

And – and please don’t quote me because I can’t remember if this is a fact or just wishful thinking on my part – but I believe, Lexie Conyngham is working on the next in her Orkneyinga series. All her series are good, but the adventures of Ketil and Sigrid are my favourites,

So – lots to look forward to. I have a horrible feeling I’m not going to get a lot of writing done over the coming weeks.

Love Jodi x

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Enjoy an exclusive audio extract from Chapter One of A Family Affair

Pre-order now on Audible - CLICK HERE

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Get Jodi’s books on Kindle Unlimited

The St Mary’s and Time Police books will soon be available on Kindle Unlimited in the UK, USA and Australia - yes, we heard you down there! This will not prevent them being available on other retailers platforms. Click the links below to get Kindle Unlimited.

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Guest Post: Travelling With Cheese by Stella Gambling

Like Jodi, I’m a lover of cheese – the smellier the better. Sadly, not everyone feels the same way. As a teenager (long ago!) at school in Westminster, I often dropped into the wonderful food hall at Army and Navy Stores on my way to catch my train home from Victoria. They often sold off stock which would now be deemed past its ‘best before’ date. I’ve never understood this in relation to cheese, which to my mind, and nose, only improves with age. One day they were offering a camembert which was certainly on the mature side. I snapped it up and stuffed it in my bag, and set off for the train station. The rolling stock at the time was already (like the camembert) past its sell-by date, and consisted of single compartments with six-seater bench seats facing each other and, crucially, no corridor. Once in, you were stuck there until the next stop. The train was already busy, but I managed to find an empty compartment and jumped in. Just before we set off, a pin-striped gent climbed in and glared at me as he opened his newspaper. We set off, and I got stuck into my homework. At first I thought my fellow passenger had a cold – he kept sniffing. The sniffing got more pronounced and was clearly aimed at me. I guessed he didn’t like sharing a compartment with a schoolgirl, and wasn’t surprised when he got out at the next station. A middle-aged lady replaced him and gave me a smile, but as we set off, it slid into a grimace. She disappeared at the next station. At each station, I got a new companion, who climbed in delighted to find a seat in a crowded train, but who gradually lost that feeling. Rosy faces paled and slowly went green. I smiled at them all as they studied me with horror. Passengers opened the door on a virtually empty carriage, only to slam it shut and back away. I completed my journey in blissful solitude. Mind you, my mother made me go down the bottom of the garden to eat my prize.

Would you like to write a guest post for the newsletter? We'd love to hear from you. Whether it's history, travel, a book review or a humorous anecdote, please send a brief outline of your idea to hazel@rushford.ltd. We can't wait to read it!

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Christmas Past - available for Kindle and is included in Long Story Short anthology

The First Farrell Family Christmas.

Max, Leon, and their son Matthew prepare to celebrate their first Christmas together at St Mary’s—a season known for extravagant feasts, spirited antics, and the traditional, albeit unauthorised, festive time jump. This year, the adventure becomes a family affair.

Max takes Matthew on a journey back to 19th-century London to deliver a parcel of Christmas cheer to his former companions. However, their plans lead them into a confrontation with the formidable Old Ma Scrope, adding an unexpected twist to their excursion. Despite the pain of the past, they discover that goodwill and family ties can transcend time itself.

Jodi Taylor says…

‘The one where Matthew and Max take their first steps towards an understanding. The king-sized picnic they take to the starving boys was personally researched by me. I don’t think anyone realises quite how many sausages authors must force down for the sake of verisimilitude. A little more sympathy, please.’

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