Sunday 16 October 2016

"Josiah Stubb" - A Review - "A Remarkably Intelligent Book...."

d. arcadian has taken the time to write reviews for others of my books for which I am deeply grateful. Without exception they are thoughtful, chock-filled with insight, and are a writer's dream in that she 'gets it.'

Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
An amazingly complex story told in a disarmingly simple and easy to read style that keeps the reader turning from page to page. The narrator is the title character, Josiah Stubb and it is his story and is his struggle to rise above the life into which he was born and become someone that he, himself can respect. It is a remarkably brave and confident author who can tackle the subjects in this book, subjects that should never be taboo but sadly often are, with tact, sensitivity and without any hint of smuttiness or gratuitous sexual content. C. W. Lovatt has proved, yet again, that his work is up there with the best of the classics and this book deserves to be one that is still on shelves and being read in a hundred years, not just for the meticulously researched and told battle scenes, but for the extremely accurate and vivid portraits of social history and life at that place at this point in history. It is exceptionally fine, honest and tells a labyrinthine and enthralling tale in an approachable and easy to digest manner.
The siege and battle scenes are so well described that the reader actually feels to be part of the action and coupled with the photographs of the areas on the author's own website, somehow give an almost three D aspect to a war that is still causing controversy today.
The historical detail is incredibly accurate and has some very fascinating little snippets of information that bring the era and the place to life. The author has gone to considerable lengths to keep the content honest and accurate within the framework of the personnel who inhabit the pages and has also undertaken many, many hours of painstaking research and fieldtrips to ensure that each detail is absolutely accurate.

The story is told with warmth and compassion and occasionally with big hearted humour. Josiah Stubb and the people who surround him, are more than just characters in a book, they become real living human beings for whom we, the reader, develop feelings and to whom we can relate. C W Lovatt has pulled off a master stroke in creating Fat Sally as a warm and humorous woman, making a character whose actions could make the reader thoroughly dislike and despise her into one who we embrace with warmth and laughter. As always with this incredible writer’s work, every word has been measured and placed just where it belongs for maximum impact and that gives the book a very clever extra dimension. There are two, maybe three story lines going on - Josiah as a child, Josiah as a young adult male in love and Josiah at war – but the clever use of words makes the narrative – narratives!- able to be read in two different ways, as a simple story as told and as a much deeper insight into the workings of the human psyche, making it appealing to many different readers. Furthermore, whilst it is Historical Fiction, there are other genres in which it could confidently sit.
It is a remarkably intelligent book from a remarkably intelligent author.
The book should be reviewed on its merit and not on one person’s view of what is right or wrong. It should be judged with the highest of praise for its historical accuracy and literary brilliance.

As always when reading anything by this incredibly talented writer, I experienced a whole range of emotions, not just as surface feelings but as deeply as if they were happening to someone I know.

Saturday 8 October 2016

"And Then It Rained" - Post Promotion

Well the week long promotion for "And Then It Rained" is over and I have to say that I was pleased with the results, placing #1 in Short Stories and #2 for Anthologies for most of the week in Canada, and placing well in both the US and UK, coming as close as #3 for Anthologies in the UK.
For those of you that thought to take advantage of the promotion, I hope that you enjoy my collection of stories (many of them award winning) snd if you do, tell your friends, and it would be lovely if you took the few minutes of your time to write an honest review. It seems a small enough thing to ask in return.


"And Then It Rained" - Two More Five Star Reveiews!!

It was a delight to recieve this one. Thank you Terry! Much appreciated!

Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
Another winner from this excellent author. I was gripped from page one of the first story. Wonderful stories, beautifully crafted. I would recommend this to anyone.

Equally delightful to receive, this one is from Elaina J Davidson; a damn fine author in her own right!

Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
This is the most AMAZING collection of stories and I am utterly blown away by Mr Lovatt’s ability to tell a tale well.

From ‘Sean’s Lament’, a tale about greed, you will be hooked until ‘A Word’, a clever and insightful ending, this I guarantee you. Some are sad, such as ‘Highway Driving’ and ‘Angel’, while others are laugh out loud funny. ‘Angus Breaks Free’ caused me to snort laughter, while Mr Lovatt’s non-fiction insert about pantyhose made me laugh so hard I’m sure he heard me up there in Canada!

Thoroughly enjoyable; this collection kept me up many nights reading! I cannot recommend enough to do it the justice it deserves. Read it and I know you will agree!

Click here to purchase your own copy of "And Then It Rained."



Monday 3 October 2016

"And Then It Rained" - Currently Free!

Just found out that my eclectic anthology of short stories, "And Then It Rained," is currently free on Amazon, but I don't know as yet for how long.

"From the best-selling author of the Charlie Smithers books.
A collection of award-winning short stories.
Rain, that natural wonder, so natural, in fact that often it comes and goes scarcely noticed. However, metaphorical or otherwise, there are times when rain brings with it great change, causing the breath-taking beauty of rainbows or the cataclysmic destruction of floods, with equal indifference. This collection - an eclectic mix of humour, drama, and fantasy - is about those uncertain times. Dark clouds are forming, so you had better be prepared for the coming storm…"

Click here to get your copy!