Gallbladder Summer followed by Children’s Respiratory Illness Autumn

Nenna, smiling in her new pyjamas with pineapples on them.

If you follow me on social media at all, you’ll know that Littlest has been in hospital for a couple of weeks now. She went in with a respiratory infection that necessitated us flying back from our holiday/respite break and she’s having trouble throwing it off. She’s been in and out of the local ICU, swapping between there and the children’s ward HDU. There isn’t a dedicated PICU locally and we are waiting for a bed in the children’s hospital in Bristol. They are snowed however, because the Children’s Respiratory Illness Season ™ has come early this year.

She doesn’t currently need non-invasive ventilation and is on nasal oxygen of either the high-flow or low-flow kind; IV antibiotics; and having a lot of chest physio and suction. Her SATS keep swinging up and down and she is getting very tired. Last week we had a very difficult conversation with her doctors about the pros and cons of invasive ventilation. It needed to be had, but it was emotionally gruesome.

I’m updating every couple of days on tiktok, more for myself than anyone else really–it feels good to talk about it a bit, it releases some of the pressure inside me. She’s a strong-minded little girl–not so little now at fourteen–and we are hopeful she will throw this off. But also, we have been living with the knowledge that she is life-limited since we were first referred to the children’s hospice when she was four.

Every time she is poorly like this, her overall health and wellbeing steps down. Even if she throws it off, it’s probable she won’t ever regain the strength she had before. One of the reasons Bristol want her there is so they can assess her for overnight non-invasive ventilation when she is well enough to come home.

I am swinging between bursts of activity on social media and managing to write as displacement, to not being able to do anything. My own health still isn’t back to normal after my Gallbladder Summer and I’m having to pace myself. Consequently Mr AL is spending most of the time in hospital with Littlest–because of her communication issues and special needs she needs someone who knows here there pretty much all the time. I’m trying to do a few hours in the morning and early afternoon and he’s doing the late afternoon and evening; and when we don’t have help from one of her lovely carers, the night as well. No-one needs me overdoing it and having a seizure on the ward, although they’ve been very nice when I have.

Talking Child is bottling it all up, as are we all I suppose. Every so often they have a meltdown, completely understandably. We are taking it in turns.

That’s the news, anyway. If you’d like to contribute to a crowdfunder to help with additional carer costs and for hospital food when we don’t have enough spoons to take sandwiches and a thermos, I have set one up here. Alternatively if you’d like to support us by buying one of my books, you can find them here. Any help is very gratefully received <3.

#ReadAroundTheRainbow: My favourite creepy story

Read Around the Rainbow

As you’re probably aware, #RAtR is a blogging project I am doing with a few friends who also write LGBTQIA romance. You can find everyone by clicking here or on the image to the right.

This month we are, obviously, writing about our favourite creepy or Halloween story. This is a dead easy post for me to write, as I have an outstanding all-time-favourite Halloween story–The House on Druid Lake by Isabelle Adler.

It’s kind of a cosy mystery as well as a Halloween story, which should be counter-intuitive but turns out not to be at all.

The House on Druid Lake

Oliver’s a bit of a mess–his last relationship was abusive and he’s moved from Florida to Baltimore for a new job and a fresh start. He moves into a flat in an interesting old house, sight unseen except for the photos in the listing on the internet. The very attractive landlord is a bit odd as are the rest of the tenants. It was such a set-up…creaky old house, mysterious tenants…I loved it and immediately began working out what particular kind of entity each person was.

The house turns out to be the target of an unscrupulous developer and Oliver and his new landlord have to outwit them. Nym, the landlord, has his own secrets and hang-ups and I found their relationship development satisfying and well-rounded. There are some pleasingly inexplicable little bits…I don’t like my magic systems to be spoon-fed to me and there were little loose threads independent of the main story that gave me things to ponder once I’d finished. It’s a very happy Halloween book and I love it!

Here’s everyone else who wrote this month:

Amy Spector : K. L. Noone : Ellie Thomas : Nell Iris : Holly Day

#SampleSunday: Sleeping Dogs

I finally got Sleeping Dogs out in time for Halloween! Here’s an excerpt so you can see whether you fancy a slightly spooky low-heat short sapphic short story. It’s $1.99 on Amazon and also in KU.

Sleeping Dogs

Alice doesn’t think she’s ready to start dating again. Or even to make new friends in the village where she’s come to live with her sister’s family. Will a rainy autumn day and an encounter with a mysterious black dog, a beautiful woman, and a fox cub change her mind?

A 10 500-word Halloween short story in the Celtic Myths Collection. With dogs, bats, a camper van with a woodburning stove, and a fox cub.

Available at Amazon and in KU

Excerpt from Sleeping Dogs

As she picked her way down the steep, stony path toward the stream, she was pulled out of her thoughts by a dog barking in the distance. And, perhaps… someone shouting? She stopped and cocked her head as she listened. Where was it coming from? Difficult to say but she thought it was in front of her, down in the valley. It could be echoing around though, bouncing off the hills. She pulled a face and hurried down the path. As she moved forward, both the barking and the shouting got louder and as she rounded the corner that finally took her to the stream, the culprits came in to view.
It was a woman, and the barking was coming from a black Labrador. The woman wasn’t shouting any longer, but she was holding the dog’s collar apparently to prevent it from lunging into the water. On the other bank stood a fox, with three fat cubs ranged behind her, snarling back. Between them in the water was a fox cub, struggling against a rock in the middle of the stream, trying to scramble out of the current. It was having problems and was getting weaker as she watched.
“Can you help?” the woman gasped, struggling with the dog. “I think it’s hurt. I can’t let the dog go because she’ll go for the vixen.”
Alice was already stripping. She didn’t bother to say anything. She ripped off her coat and boots and plunged in up to her hips, gasping at the cold. She could just… just… reach it. She overbalanced and nearly lost her footing as she grasped the struggling cub, but she recovered her balance and backed out as carefully as she could. The fox was limp in her hands.
She passed it up to the woman before scrambling out. “I think it’s dead,” she said. The woman had to let go of the dog before she could take the cub and instead of running off after the vixen, it lay down and crossed its paws. Oh! Her memory tumbled into place like a key in a lock. The dog was the one from yesterday.
And the woman was Morwenna.

Available at Amazon and in KU

Guest Interview: Anne Russo

Today we welcome Anne Russo to the blog to answer some questions. Morning Anne! Thank you for dropping by.

Firstly, why are you doing this interview?

Hello! Thank you so much for letting me stop by today! I’m here to talk about my new release, The Dead Don’t Dream, the third book in the Dead Generations series which was released on October 1st. 

What started you writing?

I’ve been writing as long as I can remember. I wrote my first short story sometime around the age of eight, and my first novel (though not a good one by any means) around sixteen. I have also written poetry, short stories, and many half-finished books off and on as well. But, the Dead Generations series is the first of what I hope to be many future published works.

Where do you write?

I have a home office that I retreat to, where I let my imagination run wild, and where I can be alone with my thoughts, and my characters, and just have the freedom to let go, and see where that takes me. Ideally, I’d love to retreat to a lake-side cabin deep in the woods. There is something about solitude, and nature that really fuels my creativity.

What do you like to read? 

I read almost an equal mix of fiction, and nonfiction, biographies of historical figures being my go-to. I also enjoy most fiction genres: contemporary, historical, sci-fi, fantasy, and horror novels being what I vary between. If they have elements of romance, even better! I prefer stories with queer and/or diverse characters but I’ll read anything that makes me feel and fuels my imagination. 

What are the three books you’d take to a desert island? Why would you choose them?

Oh boy, that’s a tough one! I’m going to go with pure entertainment reads since you know, stuck on a desert island and all. I would have to say The Stand – by Stephen King, The Passage – by Justin Cronin, and The Queen of the Damned by Anne Rice. All amazing, super engrossing reads, and a great way to pass the time. 

Writing is an intrinsically solo occupation. Do you belong to any groups or associations, either online or in the ‘real’ world? How does that work for you?

I do not, besides a few group chats which are enormously helpful, encouraging, and a fabulous support system. I love being part of the writing community, and lending my help where and when I can. It’s great to have a tribe, and while I’m still looking for mine, I’m going to try and be as helpful as I can. I especially love beta reading for other authors, and helping them with brainstorming projects they might be stuck on, it really helps my own work as well. 

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

Besides writing, I love to read, bake and listen to podcasts (I’m especially into ones covering topics like true crime, history/science, and the paranormal.) I’m a huge movie buff and absolutely love classic films, so I’m big into that. I also love spending time outdoors, and in nature when I can. Traveling, and exploring new places is another love of mine. I love visiting local museums, and bookstores when I do. But mostly, I prefer being home with my partner, relaxing, I enjoy being a homebody.

Tell me a little bit about your most recent release. What gave you the idea for it? How long did it take to write? What did you enjoy about writing it? What did you hate?

My newest release, The Dead Don’t Dream is the third book in the Dead Generations series. Dead Generations tells the story of a complicated, and tortured assassin, Ian Abbott, and a idealistic, and brilliant doctor, Adam Morrow, whose chance encounter leads them both on a dangerous path, where they soon learn the connection they share is far deeper than mere attraction.

It’s a dark read, full of many twists, and turns, and while an emotional read, at its heart is a love story that is as equal parts beautiful as it is tragic. I’m immensely proud of it, and how far it’s come. It began as a small nugget of an idea, a few years back and it grew, and grew until I finally had no choice but to sit down and let Ian and Adam tell me their story. I’m so glad they did!

 It’s been a crazy, wild ride, and what I’ve enjoyed most was creating a cast of characters, and a love story (however dark it may be at times) that readers seem to truly enjoy! I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of writing these two, and as I plan on writing six books total for this series, I hope that sentiment continues to hold true. 

As for what I’ve hated about writing it, not much. Writing is my true love! But there have been a few periods of self-doubt throughout this process, as well as wondering if I made the right decisions with certain plot points, and characters actions. Not to mention struggling from time to time with the one thing every writer dreads, writer’s block. All and all the entire process has been incredible. I wouldn’t change any of it, even the tough times for anything in the world.

The Dead Don’t Dream

Sequel to The Dead Don’t Mourn

After Katherine foils Ian and Adam’s plans, Ian self-destructs, drowning himself in alcohol and murder while Adam fights to stay sane under Katherine’s watchful eye, biding his time as he plots his revenge. Determined to keep them apart for good, Katherine takes her evil schemes one step further, leaving Ian and Adam unable to separate reality from fiction, friend from foe.

Still seeking answers to who betrayed them, Ian’s quest for vengeance puts him on a brutal path of destruction, setting off a devastating chain of events that changes everything for the group and leaving him more alone than ever. Broken and losing hope, Adam deals with a vengeful face from the past, one who will stop at nothing to claim Ian for himself. Locked in a battle for survival, Adam must do everything in his power to stay alive.

Their precarious situation takes an even more dangerous turn when Adam runs off and Katherine tasks Ian with bringing him back. It is a journey that will lead both men on a collision course with the ghosts of their shared and twisted past, and ultimately, each other, as they struggle to protect a future worth fighting for.

NOTE: This story contains scenes of torture, violence, death, substance abuse, suicidal ideation, and a brief scene of bullying and hate speech. This book ends on a “happy for now” ending with the promise of more to come. 

Amazon US : Amazon UK : JMS Books

Find Anne on Social Media.

Guest Post: Ellie Thomas and Trick of the Light

Thank you so much, lovely Ally, for having me as your guest. I’m Ellie Thomas, I write MM Historical Romance, and I’m here today to chat about A Trick of the Light, my October release for JMS Books.

For this Halloween submission call, authors were requested to pick either Trick or Treat for their stories. Although I picked Trick for last year’s story, A Tricky Situation, making the same choice was deliberate rather than an oversight. Honest!

A Tricky Situation was Kit and Ned’s story, two young men of different colour and class in 18th century Bristol. After a dramatic encounter, when Ned rescues Kit from being mugged by some thugs, Kit, who is from the wealthy merchant class, struggles to stand up to his overbearing and ambitious father to fight for his own life direction and his growing bond with Ned.

That story lingered in my mind. So, not long afterwards, I got the idea of a parallel story, set in much more recent history featuring another young man living in the same house that Kit inhabited, struggling with similar issues. As this seemed suitable as a Halloween story, it seemed entirely appropriate to have Kit feature as a friendly and sympathetic ghost!

What engaged me about both stories was the idea of Kit and now Kenneth, my main character in A Trick of the Light, emerging from their haunting fears and insecurities at Halloween to be free to be themselves. Both are young gay men wanting to pursue a relationship without having their life ambitions dictated by an unsympathetic parent.

Despite draconian laws, many gay couples throughout history must have managed their happy ever after. After all, it was common for men to share lodgings as a matter of course. By choosing to set the second story in the late 1950s, I could imagine a more relaxed future for my modern couple, Kenneth the would-be aeronautical engineer and Gino, the son of an Italian immigrant café owner.

With the social reforms in the UK in the 1960s, not least the implementation of the 1957 Wolfenden Report, Kenneth could achieve his ambitions, and in time, he and Gino could live together as a couple without fear of the law. Knowing there were opportunities and happiness ahead for him and Gino, rather than feeling angst when writing about Kenneth’s moment of crisis, I felt uplifted and inspired. 

Trick of the Light

Kenneth Taylor has bright plans for a future as an engineer. In the summer of 1957, as soon as he returns home to Bristol from two years of National Service in the Royal Signals, a furious row with his dad means he’s thrown out of the house, and his prospects are in jeopardy.

He finds lodgings in the hilltop, bomb-damaged suburb of Kingsdown, determined to be independent and juggling night school with his humdrum day job. He soon meets Gino, the good-looking son of a local café owner and is thrilled when the attraction proves to be mutual. As their romance blooms, Kenneth finds unexpected encouragement from an apparition in the mirror who inhabited the house in the late 18th century.

When the ghostly vision of Kit also appears to Kenneth in his dreams, it seems they have much in common when Kit reveals his dilemma at a similar age, concerning his growing attachment to a young man, Ned. Past and present intermingle as Kenneth faces parallel and difficult decisions. But can he trust Kit? Or is it all merely a trick of the light?

Buy at Amazon : Buy at Publisher : Buy Elsewhere

Read an Excerpt

Kenneth got in the habit of dropping into the café when not in a rush for the bus. It wasn’t only the charms of the waiter but the hospitable atmosphere of the family-owned establishment that helped him pine less for his mum and sister.
Despite unprepossessing beginnings, his room on Kingsdown Parade was starting to take shape. The hilltop area might be a bit worn and battered, but he had all he needed nearby and was grateful for the convenience of the Co-op store at the top of the road. Also, his mum had sneaked a few items to give to Pamela to pass on to him, so his digs looked a bit more homely. 
But as autumn began, he had to admit he was cold. He only switched on the two-bar electric fire for a short while in the evenings as he couldn’t afford to keep the electric meter ticking over too fast. One blustery Saturday afternoon, when his fingers nearly froze as he sat at the desk in front of the draughty windows trying to complete his homework, he decided he needed a change of scene.
Grabbing his bag of dirty washing to take to the launderette, he snagged his satchel and required textbooks and headed off down the hill. Once his laundry was in the machine, and the woman on duty kindly promised to put the wet load into the drier, he crossed the road to the café. He hoped that by now, he was enough of a regular customer to get away with ordering only the milky coffee he’d acquired a taste for. 
He’d missed the lunchtime rush and was glad he’d had a sandwich at home beforehand since the scent of hot food was always tempting. Instead of the waiter, it was a girl who served Kenneth today. She looked young enough to still be in school, most likely expected to help out at the weekends, the resemblance to her brother evident in her dark eyes, olive skin, and wide smile.
She didn’t quibble at his order of coffee, so Kenneth arranged his books on the table and started to study. He was so focused on his calculations that he was taken aback when a voice asked, “Would you like a top-up?”
He looked up from his exercise book to see the waiter smiling down at him. Hesitating, he started to scrabble in his pocket for any change remaining from his trip to the launderette when the waiter said, “It’s alright. It’s on the house.” With another smile, he took the cup and saucer, allowing Kenneth to admire his departing backside.
When the waiter returned, he seemed inclined to chat further, asking, “What are you studying, then?”
“Engineering,” Kenneth replied. “Well, the bare bones of it anyway.”
“Smart fellow,” the waiter retorted, raising his elegantly arched eyebrows. “Dad would like me to study,” he said with a nod to the man behind the counter. “But I’m flat-out here most days, and anyway, I'm not brainy enough,” he added with an eloquent shrug of his shoulders. It seemed unfair to Kenneth that someone so attractive and personable should lack confidence in his ability. Without pausing to feel self-consciously tongue-tied, Kenneth replied, “If you can remember every order and give the right change all day, every day, then you must be savvy. There’s plenty of education growing up and working in a café."
“Maybe so,” the waiter agreed with that charming smile. 
He seemed about to continue the conversation when a call came from the counter. “Gino, service for table two!”
“Speak of the devil,” he said. His smile deepened as he lingered. 
“Doesn’t your dad need you?” Kenneth asked. As soon as the comment was out of his mouth, he wished he hadn’t spoken aloud. 
“Nah, my sister’s helping too, so there’s no rush,” Gino replied. “Dad would soon let me know if it’s urgent. And anyway, I’m not usually in the habit of dawdling at the tables chatting up pretty boys, so I’m sure he’ll let me off this once,” he added with a dazzling grin as Kenneth felt a blush rising over his face to his hairline. 
“Arrivo, Papa,” Gino called over his shoulder, before sauntering back towards the counter with a distinct sway of his hips.

Buy at Amazon : Buy at Publisher : Buy Elsewhere

Meet Ellie

Ellie Thomas lives by the sea. She comes from a teaching background and goes for long seaside walks where she daydreams about history. She is a voracious reader especially about anything historical. She mainly writes historical gay romance.

Ellie also writes historical erotic romance as L. E. Thomas.

Website : Facebook : Twitter : Goodreads : Bookbub