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All 3 books in the Memorable, Inspirational and Life Changing Stories series will be free on Kindle from December 23rd - 27th. mybook.to/40Series   Get your copy here: mybook.to/15FFT
Great news. The 2023 Edition of 50 Intriguing Personal Insights is available to pre-order on Amazon Kindle. The release date is December 10th. You can reserve your copy here: mybook.to/50IPI at the special launch price of only £2.49 ($2.99). A paperback version can already be purchased via this link: mybook.to/50IPI-PB. There is also another book in the pipeline containing the short stories from this year’s Fiction Showcase. It is called 15 Fascinating Fictional Tales and will be published before the end of November. Many thanks to everyone who contributed to the 2022 Creative Writing Showcase and congratulations to those included in these new books.  As the 2022 Creative Writing Showcase draws to a close, it is fantastic to be able to feature a fourth memoir contribution from Patsy Hirst. You can read Patsy's story Berlin Spirit here. Patsy Hirst describes herself as an island girl, accidently born amidst the cornfields of Indiana. After living in a few other states, she visited St. Croix, in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and knew that was where she belonged. She moved there in 1976 with her two daughters, aged 8 & 10, and began looking for ways to support the three of them. Working as a bartender was quite a challenge for a teetotaler who didn’t know a brandy from a Beaujolais, but the waitressing part was easier, with her natural hospitality instincts. After several years in various hotel and accounting jobs, she started her own destination wedding business. Acting as planner, florist, officiant, whatever was needed, she declared it the best job ever: she could go to work barefooted on the beach. Shortly after moving to St. Croix, Patsy met her future husband, Jack Hirst. They both retired in 2005, declared themselves the ‘Gypsy Hirsts’, and began a delightful 14 years of housesitting. They spent six months or so sitting in Europe or Canada, returning to St. Croix for the winters. After 11 countries, 37 different locations, 61 cats, 24 dogs, 18 chickens, 10 cows, 5 tortoises, 2 horses, and assorted birds and fish, not to mention zero remaining funds and no chance of any inheritance for the girls, they had to call it quits. Covid made the decision easier and final, though Patsy still drools reading the housesit listings. She is, however, quite happy in her role as Beachbum Grandmum.  For our next contribution in the Fiction Showcase, it is a pleasure to feature a wonderful piece of writing from Sue Bavey. You can read Sue's story The Chance Encounter here. Sue Bavey is an English Mum of two, living in Massachusetts since 2003 with her husband, two teenage kids, a cat named Midnight, a bunny named Nutmeg and a leopard gecko named Ziggy Stardust. She wrote her grandfather's biography: 'Lucky Jack' during COVID lockdown and recently published her late father's memoirs and poetry in a volume titled 'Daydreams & Narcoleptic Nightmares'. www.amazon.co.uk/S-Bavey/e/B09MDBC5SR/ Email: sue.bavey@gmail.com (Emails welcome). Twitter: @SueBavey  On the penultimate day of the 2022 Creative Writing Showcase, I am really pleased to be able to feature a fictional contribution from Lynn C. Bilton. Lynn's story is called Carnations Can’t Keep Secrets and you can read it by clicking here. Lynn C. Bilton Lynn has always lived in Ontario, Canada, moving numerous times throughout the province. Each change of address has created an opportunity to meet a wonderful cast of new friends. Her occupations have included every aspect of the florist industry, as well as farming and social worker, and she has served as a church organist and a librarian. In the past few years, Lynn added writer to that list. She enjoys song-writing, singing and playing piano. Lynn has short stories published in four anthologies, plus numerous articles (featuring her own photography) have appeared in Our Canada magazine. Lynn’s story “Grand Skating” was voted winner in the fiction category of the “Winning Words” literary competition. The contest was offered by Spirit of the Hills Arts Association, located in Northumberland County where she resides.  As this year's showcase nears its end, it is an honour to feature another memoir piece from Captain Denis Dextraze. You can read his contribution Life in Marina Hemingway, Cuba, before year 2000 here. Author Bio Canadian born Captain Denis Dextraze started traveling internationally at age 18 when he hitchhiked around Europe during a summer break. After graduating from two U.S. universities, he specialized in international high-tech marketing which took him around the world. He retired early to enjoy sailing his 45 ft. ketch. Between his career and his port-o-calls on Aventura, he visited close to 100 countries. He is currently completing the last chapters of a book called “Once upon a time in Cuba” which is about a two years time capsule of Cuban history, starting in May of 1998, when he was living on his sailboat in Marina Hemingway, near Havana. All events reported in his book really happened no matter how ludicrous, illogical or incredible they appear. These were interesting times. The docks of the Marina were hosting an array of adventurers not representing any normal and organized society in the world. They ranged from millionaires, drug smugglers, Hells Angels members, pedophiles, smugglers, tough Vietnam vets, world class sailors, escaped refugees. For more info on the coming book, please, contact Captain Denis at: dextraze@yahoo.com.  Today we welcome back Susan Mellsopp with her fourth entry this year in the memoir section of the 2022 Creative Writing Showcase. You can read Susan's contribution Il Pomodoro here. Susan Mellsopp is happily retired and lives in Hamilton New Zealand with her cream and gold Labrador guide dog Maya. She also has her retired guide dog, a golden retriever named Jay. Much of her life has been spent as a dairy farmer, and also working as a librarian, archivist and accessible transport researcher. She runs a writers group and is constantly being challenged to write in genres other than travel and memoir. Susan has published two school histories, written for an alumni magazine, and writes for a national magazine which is published monthly. She is a voracious reader; usually having two talking books and a kindle book on the go at once, loves to travel, listen to classical music, cook, spend time with friends and use modern technology.  Our next Memoir Showcase contribution is a superb travel piece written in diary format from a regular supporter of ours, Syd Blackwell. It details his fascinating trip with his wife Gundy to Bolivia in 2016. You can read Illegal Entry here. Syd Blackwell I was born and raised in a small mountain town in southeastern British Columbia, Canada. This inspiring, protective, and nurturing environment was important to my growth and paths in life. I spent twenty-five years in education at schools and colleges. I followed with a decade building and operating a ten-room bed-and-breakfast inn; and then, a few years as an assisted living operator. My wife and I retired to the Atlantic coast of Uruguay in 2007. It was here that I finally made time in my life for writing and art and now only think of myself as a writer or an artist. I like this change a lot. My writings have appeared in many places, including all previous editions of Robert Fear´s anthologies.  |
2023 CREATIVE WRITING SHOWCASE OPEN TO ENTRIES FROM SATURDAY APRIL 1ST
2023 NEW RELEASES
5* RECOMMENDED READ
Summer of '77
Beaches, bars and boogie nights in Ibiza by Robert Fear 
Available in Paperback
and on Kindle (including Kindle Unlimited) Archives
March 2023
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