Author: my word (s)

Knaresborough

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When you’ve seen somewhere in a film and long to visit, there’s always the fear of disappointment. I’d held that viaduct in my mind, the chattering cafes clutching the River Nidd, whilst it towered above holding history in its giant hands.

Finally, I was there. There wasn’t the sultry sunlight of recent months, instead Yorkshire gave rain but I didn’t care. I was there, I had made it and it was more than the combination of all my imaginings. The viaduct, of course, was my focus but I hadn’t known of the black and white checkered patterns on some of the buildings. Most famous of these is the Old Manor House on Waterside, believed to have been inspired by one of its owners’ love of chess.

Undaunted by the weather, I saw a couple head off in one of the many, brightly coloured rowing boats, an umbrella arched protectively over them. How perfectly romantic. Just like in the film I saw.

Book Tour: The Secret Dragon by Esther Moonstomp

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I’m delighted to be on the next leg of my book tour with Liz. Thank you for having me, Liz. I’m bringing you all details of my new children’s book for 5-7 year olds. It’s called The Secret Dragon and is the first in the Saffy’s Secret Quest series. Publication day is 28th July, but the book is available for pre-order. Here’s a little bit more about it:

The blurb

When Saffy discovers a dragon statue at the bottom of her garden, her boring summer holiday becomes full of excitement.

The statue is a real dragon called Lily. She’s from the magical world of Mandoreum, a place that’s in danger and in need of Saffy’s help. 

There are clues to solve, a wicked witch to battle and secrets to be kept at all costs. Will Saffy be able to save Mandoreum before it’s too late? 

Extract:

Saffy watched anxiously as Lily raced towards Narla, ferocious flames flying from her mouth. They turned into hundreds of bubbles which quickly burst. Lily’s legs stretched out for Narla, ready to grasp her. In the moment she reached the witch, cotton wool balls replaced her claws and now Lily looked like the dragon Saffy held in her hand. 

She shook her head, unable to believe what Lily was showing her. Little by little, Mandoreum and all its people were becoming tattered and torn. Magical stars, sparkles and shimmers whipped up into a whirlwind. They leapt into the tip of Fairy Godfather Freddie’s wand which was held tightly in Narla’s hand. 

“You poor things,” Saffy said. “I don’t think I need to see any more.”

Author bio:

Esther has been a freelance writer for over twenty years, regularly writing articles and short stories for magazines and newspapers such as Writers’ Forum, Writing Magazine, The Guardian, Best of British, The Cat, This England, Yours and The People’s Friend.  

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. She also runs their monthly writing club, Let’s Write. 

She has had two how-to books on writing published as well as two collections of short stories. Her first children’s book is coming out in July, where she writes under the name of Esther Moonstomp.

Blog: https://estherchilton.co.uk

https://esthermoonstomp.co.uk

Buying links:

UK: Paperback: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Secret-Dragon-Saffys-Quest/dp/1836283881

Ebook: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FCMZ6LMW

US: https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Dragon-Saffys-Quest-Book-ebook/dp/B0FCMZ6LMW

Blog Tour

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On Tuesday 24th June 2025, I will have a visitor to my site. This is new experience for me and I look forward to telling you all about her and her new children’s book.

Watch this space to find out more.

Hello again

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On Saturday, I went to the Hello Again Show at Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham. This is the story of Neil Diamond through his songs. Neil Diamond was a great favourite of my mum. She had all his CDs and once, when her house was broken into, was more distraught that they’d stamped on, and broken, one of the CD cases than anything that may have been stolen. We played Hello Again at her funeral in 2017. This poem is about how a song can touch us and bring back memories, happy or sad.

Hello again tears start to fall,

cascade to music’s rhythm,

slideshow casts a shadow,

reaches pain of loss

and all the days, the months

years now fall together,

implode to a single song,

hello, again, hello.

© Liz MacKenzie

The photo is my mum, taken in 2016

Snail mail

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On the eighth of the eighth, 1988, I ordered a kettle. Over the phone; in those days there was no internet superspeed shopping. I was exuberant as I hadn’t had a new kettle since 1960 and the naughty wee thing had finally conked. I suppose it had lasted well. It was my first electric kettle and I was so proud of it; I used to smile at myself in its shiny copper coating. My 80s one was to be a tall, slim model; a Morphy Richards.

Having ordered it, I somewhat forgot; life events took a rather odd turn and I continued to use the old hob kettle I’d inherited from Gran. On the eighth of the eighth 2008, exactly 20 years since my order, the kettle arrived. It actually had a hand-written apology note for the delay. I guess that’s why they call it ‘snail mail’ these days?

©️ Liz Mackenzie

Not the foot of the Dee then?

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Here’s five facts about Footdee: 

  1. It’s an old fishing village by Aberdeen harbour 
  2. There’s been dwellings there since medieval times
  3. Architect, John Smith designed Footdee’s cottages in 1809 to rehouse fishermen
  4. It is known, by locals, as Fittie 
  5. Though many believed the name Footdee referred to ‘foot of the Dee’ it is actually a corruption of a dedication to St Fothan

So armed with these facts, why visit this tiny place? It has the Silver Darling restaurant, a nod to the old Scottish name for herring. There’s an obelisk, Scarty’s Monument; you could be forgiven for thinking it’s a memorial but it’s really the ventilation shaft of a disused sewage point. The war memorial commemorates Footdee folk who died in first and second world wars. The roundhouse was the former harbour master’s station and the marine operations building is shapely in gleaming glass. 

All these pale to nothing when you meet the enchanting network of cobbled walkways hosting quaint cottages and quirky sheds. It’s said upcycling gave birth here long before television shows claimed its popularity. Rusting mangles and fishermen’s boots host flowers and trailing plants; lifebelts become the means to name a shed. It’s a time stands still, steeped in history (almost) hidden gem.

How had I missed it in the 60 years I’d been visiting Aberdeen? I spoke to my  aunt, the Aberdeen oracle who’s lived in the city since she was five. Her face lit up. “Fittie? I love it. We used to go there often, walking round each path admiring the little cottages all dressed up.” If you’ve been, you’ll know what she means. If you haven’t, don’t overlook this  fascinating, model village style piece of social history. Can you resist? 

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©️ Liz Mackenzie