With the 2019 Authors Showcase rapidly coming to a close, I am pleased to be able to feature this sixth and final entry from James Robertson.

I am sure James will not mind me sharing the following comment he made regarding this year's showcase. "Just wanted to say that I've had a wonderful time writing these pieces, and it has been a great exercise for me as a writer to undertake. I look forward to the future."

Enjoy James' latest memorable life experience The Cassowary and the Sea Turtle here.

A warm welcome back to Val Vassay with her second contribution in the 2019 Authors Showcase (which closes to submissions at midnight tomorrow UK time).

Enjoy reading Val's memorable life experience WEDDING IN THE CATHEDRAL here.

Val Vassay

I was born and brought up in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland, but have been fortunate enough since the age of 19 to spend most of my life in hotter climes. After spending 27 years in Bahrain where I produced two sons and was a secretary for many years before eventually turning my hand to English Language Teaching for Adults, my husband and I retired in December 2005 to beautiful Marbella, Andalucia, Spain. Since then I’ve spent most of my time relaxing by the pool, walking in the unspoilt countryside, reading, and writing with much help from the Writers’ Workshop section of Marbella U3A. So far I’ve had a couple of articles published (and paid for!) – one in the British women’s magazine “My Weekly” and the other in “Scottish Life”, a magazine published in the USA and Canada. I’ve also had several interviews and letters published in various magazines. I’m still writing and I’m hoping to have some of my short stories published soon through Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), so watch this space! I also enjoy proofreading and may take this up more seriously at some stage – if it doesn’t seem like too much hard work, so watch this space also!
 

With the 2019 Authors Showcase drawing to a close, it is a pleasure to feature this sixth and final contribution from Syd Blackwell.

I am sure you will enjoy reading Syd's latest memorable life experience, which took place in Uruguay more than a year ago. You can read BUYING A VEHICLE – AN URUGUAYAN EXPERIENCE here.

Although my new memoir - Summer of '77 - will not be published until October 27th on Kindle, a select group of beta readers have had access to the pre-publication version. 

Three of them have already finished the book and posted their reviews on Goodreads. If you are a Goodreads member you can read the originals here: 
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48126395-summer-of-77​

Otherwise, you can read copies of the reviews below. 

​I enjoyed it so much!

This was a very enjoyable memoir. Well-presented and polished, this is written from letters etc. the author has kept from his time working a summer season in Ibiza when he was 21. I love memoirs written from diaries and letters. Good to see actual extracts from the letters included here, also pictures of memorabilia of his trip, eg. a ferry ticket.

He says, the summer that changed his life. Intriguing. And what followed was certainly honest and revealing.

After leaving school Robert Fear worked in a bank. He'd holidayed in Ibiza before and looked forward to going back there. He wanted to go abroad for six months. This trip was in 1977, a few years before his 1981 trip covered in his earlier book, ‘Fred's Diary 1981: Travels in Asia’. I do like diary format and enjoyed his other travel book. But I know some don't enjoy that format as much. I like the way this is written and it will perhaps have wider appeal. I can see how his writing has matured since his other book. I think it is his best book yet.

I started this straight away, even though I was 70% of the way through a true crime book. I found it interesting, and quick, easy reading.

I liked the links to YouTube-eg. the Boogie Nights track (and others). Atmosphere. Sort of like a book soundtrack. Being a musician, it really added to it for me. Some World News at the time is included, via a letter from his father.

Another trip of a lifetime, an important time in his life, not just a short holiday, but a whole season in these parts. Certainly varied adventures! Lots of things happen in these few months. Not repetitive at all.

A fun book. Many people I know have worked abroad for a summer season, or a year. At holiday resorts, or nannying. A scary experience for me, so not one I would have had the courage to do. Fair play to those who do, and when they write of their experiences, to let us have a nosy-it can be very entertaining!

I like the way this is written. It's been very easy reading. Entertaining and enjoyable.

I read many selling up and moving abroad memoirs. This is a little bit different for a change. A young man, widening his travel, working a season in Spain. You would imagine work, play, sleep, and that it would be repetitive. It's not. It’s an honest, revealing, and thoroughly entertaining account of a memorable time in the author's life.

​Fred decided to work for a year before going to college and got a job at a bank but the pay was so good he ended up working there for 3 yrs. Back in the good ole days before tourism became such big business Fred and some of his mates went to Es Cana, Ibiza for a summer holiday. Of course they all loved it there and made a pact to return the next year. In '77 when Fred went back before his friends he realized that he would have to get a job and was fortunate enough to work as a laborer on a construction site--with a tan and muscles with his blond hair he was a "chick" magnet. This book is written so you feel like you are there among friends. I am amazed that Fred is still alive and would think that his liver is pickled. One thing he realized is going on vacation for 2 weeks is nothing like going when you have to work to live there. I love the letters from home that he adds and the one from his dad with current events was very interesting. This is a great book that will make young ones wish they were around back in an easier time. I highly recommend this book.

What a terrific read this is. Written retrospectively about the time he spent in Es Cana, Ibiza in 1977. How many of us have gone on holiday and thought ‘I’d love to live here ‘or ‘I must come back here’? Well, as a young, adventurous man Fred did just that. He had to find accommodation and of course find work. He worked as a labourer on a building site and then as a waiter in a bar. Neither of these were easy jobs at all. It certainly wasn’t all fun in the sun although there was definitely a fair bit of fun to be had.
Fortunately the author had kept a diary of his time there as well as the many letters he received from family and friends at home. It was great to see these incorporated into the story as well as some excellent photos of Fred as a handsome young man. No wonder the girls liked him! As well as that there are links to music and other relevant information from that time. Excellent stuff.
It’s well written, in a diary form and it’s also very honest and entertaining. It was a life changing thing to do as it gave him the urge to travel the world and seek further adventures. Highly recommended.

PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY HERE:
getbook.at/Summerof77

With just over two weeks left in the 2019 Authors Showcase, I am really pleased to welcome a newcomer to the blog, Dawne Archer.

Enjoy reading Dawne's contribution Correfoc here. 

Dawne Archer

Dawne always expected to end up living amongst the vineyards in France. As it happens, she has ended up amongst the vineyards of Mallorca, at least some of the time.
 
Despite suffering life threatening blood clots in her 20s, her lifelong passion for travel has taken her across the world, (to places as far apart as Patagonia, Alaska and Morocco) both on holidays and for work.
 
Dawne discovered THROMBOSIS UK in 2012 and decided to raise funds for the charity by undertaking a trek across the Sahara Desert. A step too far? It was certainly outside of her comfort zone.
 
Her aim was to raise funds for their work in education, research and support and this is still a major priority as she continues to raise awareness about blood clots. Dawne has inherited a genetic mutation which makes her predisposed to thrombosis, affecting her life on a daily basis.
 
‘TREKKER GIRL MOROCCO BOUND’ is her first published book, describing some of the trauma she suffered after losing her father to a clot and her own dramatic experience aged only 26. The unexpected rekindling of a teenage friendship is an underlying theme to the story, both prior to and during the trek. This book will have you laughing and crying at her antics as you join Dawne on her journey.
 
All royalties are donated to THROMBOSIS UK.
 
Dawne still travels widely, along with finding the time to cram in as many other experiences as possible, including concerts, festivals and radio presenting.
 
Universal book link on Amazon https://mybook.to/TrekkerGirl
On facebook https://www.facebook.com/trekkergirl2012/
Find her on twitter as @DawneArcher19

Credit: phoenixmediamallorca.com

It is a pleasure to feature this latest (and last) contribution from Susan Mellsopp in this year's Authors Showcase,

Enjoy reading Susan's very personal story My Father’s Writing Desk  here.

Susan Mellsopp is retired and lives with her golden retriever guide dog Jay in Hamilton New Zealand.  Much of her life has been spent as a dairy farmer and also working as a librarian, archivist and accessible transport researcher. She belongs to a writers group and is constantly being challenged to write in genres other than travel and memoir. She has published two school histories and writes for a national magazine. She is a voracious reader, loves to travel, listen to classical music, cook, and enjoys learning to use modern technology.   
​

​Susan at Government House

It is an honour to feature this sixth and final contribution from Ronald Mackay in our 2019 Authors Showcase.

​Enjoy reading Ronald's latest story entitled Chad here.

During the ’80s and the ’90s, Ronald Mackay combined mixed farming in Ontario with teaching at Concordia University in Montreal in the neighbouring province of Quebec. It was a time when traditional farmers were retiring, commercial farms were growing in size, and technology was taking over from more conventional methods that relied principally on human labour. During these years he hired many young people on a casual basis to help with the seasonal work of stone-picking, hay-making, the management of cattle and of the myriad tasks it takes to keep a 100-acre farm viable. Never having had any children of his own, he took an interest in many of the young people who worked for him and, where he could, gave them encouragement and the benefit of experience and what little wisdom he possesses. Some still keep in touch.

Our contribution to the 2019 Authors Showcase today is from James Robertson. This is his fifth submission so far. 

Enjoy this latest memorable life experience Snapshots of Scotland here.

As we enter the last month of our 2019 Authors Showcase, it is my pleasure to welcome Sarah Owens with her very memorable life experience.

Sarah explains, 'It is a travel piece about my experiences cycling in Vietnam in 2007 and believe me, quite an experience and an incredible challenge.'

Read and enjoy her story Tour de Vietnam here.