Here’s my weekly summary of-up. Please share yours in 25 words or less.
Children’s book published
Flowers, biscuits and encouragement
Miss mum, dad and Auntie Jean
They’d have been so proud.
Sum up Sunday
Author: my word (s)
Flaunt it Friday
I admit that I find it really hard to push myself ‘out there’ in terms of promoting my children’s book. I’m feeling really pleased with myself that I have not one but two bookings at local libraries in the summer. I’ll be reading from my book and getting the children who come along to do some drawing and writing. It feels like a massive achievement.
What are you feeling pleased about this week? I’d love to hear from you.
Wordy Wednesday
We are all familiar with the use of a ‘smith’ meaning a craftsperson, for example a blacksmith or silversmith. My word for today is wordsmith, simply meaning ‘a skilled user of words’ (New Oxford English Dictionary of English).
It is a very timely word, my debut children’s book, The Clocker, having been published yesterday. I like the idea of being a wordsmith. It is a craft shared by many around the world, in different languages, styles and genres. Where would we be without wordsmiths?
A special shoutout to all my fellow bloggers and to the Let’s Write group at The Writers Bureau.
https://www.writersbureaucourse.com/courses/let-us-write
Publication Day
The day has arrived. Today, 28th April 2026 my children’s book, The Clocker, is officially published. There were times when I nearly gave up, days when I didn’t believe it would ever happen, struggles and challenges along the way but I couldn’t be happier that I’ve made it. I am a published children’s author.
I have already had some very positive reviews and it’s an amazing feeling to read that others enjoy what you’ve written. Although writing a book involves a lot of time being shut away, tapping the keys on your PC, the help of others can often go unnoticed. I’ve found Troubador Publishing to be an incredibly supportive, knowledgeable and helpful team. My partner, my daughter, wider family, friends, and writing group, Let’s Write, have all played a part. Without turning this into an Oscar speech (!) thank you to everyone.
As well as now having a box of my own copies of the book, Troubador distribute to bookshops around the UK. The Clocker is on Amazon in paperback and kindle formats, and on Apple Books for those with Apple devices. If you do purchase and read the book, please do write a review.
I am available around The Midlands for author events and to visit schools to read extracts and talk about my book. Please contact me via my Contact page Contact me
Sum up Sunday
What have you been doing this week and can you sum it up in 25 words or less? I’d love to hear from you. Here’s my week preparing for the publication of my children’s book, The Clocker.
Free Apple Books codes
For readers and reviewers
Email, WhatsApp, message, call
My first book review
Warms my heart.
Flaunt it Friday
My Flaunt it Friday this week is a small achievement but one I’d been putting off. Each year, as Spring arrives, I think about the vegetables I might grow in the garden. We now have 2 large raised beds for this purpose, our garden being small. This year, though, we’d made the decision to completely empty the beds. One was bulging underneath, the other we wanted to move to a different place. The reason I’d been holding back is that my right hand and wrist have been very painful; rheumatoid arthritis has taken its toll. I don’t like to give up though so, on a day I felt okay-ish, I put on my wrist support, took some painkillers and we got to it.
Sometimes, the small things give the greatest satisfaction. Now I can get planting, which is much easier.
What have you achieved this week, however big or small? I’d love to hear from you.
Wordy Wednesday
To pootle or to poodle, that is the question. It’s been an ongoing debate between my partner and myself for some time now, whose family used to go for a poodle in the car at the weekend. My family, however, went for a pootle, definitely not a poodle.
I finally decided to settle this friendly feud and looked it up. What I discovered is that pootle is a variant of poodle, although, of course, poodle also refers to a breed of dog. To pootle, or poodle, means to travel or go around in a relaxed manner, as in, “I think I’ll have a pootle round the shops”.
Debate settled, now we’ll have to find another word to disagree on.
Do you poodle or pootle, or do you have an entirely different word for a leisurely stroll or run out in the car?
Myths and Magic by Esther Moonstomp
Today, I’m welcoming Esther on her blog tour. Congratulations on her second book in this series. I’ll hand over to Esther to tell you more.
My enormous thanks goes out to Liz for being part of the blog tour for my second children’s book, Myths and Magic. I’m now on stop three.
So, what’s it all about? My main character is Saffy, and she found a magical dragon at the bottom of her garden. The dragon is called Lily and she and her world are in danger. In The Secret Dragon, the first book in the Saffy’s Secret Quest Series, the pair discovered they had a series of clues to uncover and solve in order to restore Lily and her magical world to their magnificent selves.
Book two is due out on the 28th May but the paperback is available now to pre-order. The series is for 5-7 year olds, so it’s ideal for parents to read to children or for those that have just started to read on their own. It’ll make a great gift for any young children you know!
The Blurb:
Saffy has solved the first clue in her quest to save the magical world of Mandoreum from danger. Now it’s time to find the second.
She isn’t alone. Her new friend, Lily, a dragon from Mandoreum, wants to help. Together they take a trip and uncover special stories and unexpected surprises.
But Saffy soon learns that first appearances are not always what they seem. And plotting in the background is a witch who will do everything she can to stop them…
Extract:
Knights with silver swords towered above her, while kings and queens stood royally. Fairies fluttered from one corner of the room to another and cute creatures scampered amongst thick green grass. She was sure Lily would be sneaking a look, taking it all in.
A roar echoed through the room.
Saffy shuddered, afraid. Could it be one of Narla’s workers? Lily had explained that Narla had workers who would try and stop them – and those workers could be in any form. Saffy had already fought off witches’ hats when they discovered the first clue. Was this the next one?
“Aaah,” Lily yelped. “An ogre!”
Saffy caught sight of a huge, menacing ogre looming over them.
Author bio:
Esther has been a freelance writer for over twenty-five years, regularly writing articles and short stories for magazines and newspapers.
Winner of several competitions, including those run by Writing Magazine and The Global Short Story Contest, she has also had the privilege of judging writing competitions and relished being given the role of head judge of the Writers’ Forum monthly short story competition.
Esther loves writing but equally enjoys helping others, which she achieves in her role as a tutor for The Writers Bureau.Always on the lookout for a new challenge, she is taking the distance learning college over at the end of July.
She has had two how-to books on writing published, with a third due out later this year, as well as two collections of short stories. Her second children’s book is coming out in May, where she writes under the name of Esther Moonstomp.
Blogs: https://estherchilton.co.uk
Buying links:
UK: Paperback: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Myths-Magic-Saffys-Secret-Quest/dp/1806342103
Ebook: details to be released soon.
US: details to be released soon.
Sum up Sunday
Bluebells nod in wistful breeze
I carry home their scent
Their memory eases me
Through my week.
Can you sum up your week in 25 words or less? I’d love to hear from you.
Flaunt it Friday
I’ve got bookmarks. I ordered them to give out at events promoting my debut middle grade children’s book, The Clocker. They arrived on Tuesday and I’m so excited. I think they look fantastic and I hope children and adults will enjoy them.
Have you done something, however big or small, worth shouting out about this week. I’d love to hear from you.
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