ONCE UPON A DREAM; Professional Reader

 

It's just after 8pm and it is already quite dark.  Now that summer has reached its end, the nights are starting to draw in again and the dark season is making a welcome return. At least it is in my house.  I live for the darker nights of autumn and winter and I am already in the swing of the cosy, spooky season.  Last night I watched Crimson Peak, the night before that it was The Nightmare Before Christmas - so yes, it is fair to say that I am welcoming the darkness with open arms, as I do every year.

For me, autumn and winter are all about curling up in cosy nooks, with great books and the warm glow of scented candles around me.  I like to make my home a snug retreat from the outside world, a place that I have to be prized out of because it's the most comforting place I know.   I see my entire house as something of a hyggekrog - that is, a comfy place to rest, relax, escape and drift away into a wonderful book, film or piece of music. 

It is time to coorie down, snuggle in and enjoy the great indoors and I have a stack of fabulous dark season books to get through.  Having said that, my book collection has taken over the house - not that I'm complaining, I love them! But I've now got so many books, I'm having to use the pedal platform of my piano as an additional book shelf, and it's already half full.

So I was delighted today when I was accepted as a Professional Reader on NetGalley.  This means that publishers will now send me free books to read and review, prior to their publication.  So I get first dibs on all the new books, and they will be sent straight to me before they are even released!  This is fantastic news for a lifelong bookworm.  Not only will it save me a fortune, it means that I can still do what I love, which is to enjoy and share books, regardless of space issues in my little house.

I am aware that this is a great privilege and it is not an opportunity that everyone would be offered.  My work in the publishing industry as an author and columnist, plus my MA degree, has no doubt helped to open this door for me.  Nonetheless, it is a significant milestone, because it indicates that I have now been recognized by the publishing industry, as a professional book reviewer.  Of course I have reviewed books and music in the past for magazines, but I have never been offered a steady stream of soon-to-be-published books for review purposes.  Until today.

I already have a few on my review list but I am most excited by the fact that Harper Collins sent me this book today, The Lighthouse Witches, which is one I have been wanting to read and I think it will be my first publishing house endorsed review, so I will always be grateful to Harper Collins for that. 

I started reading the novel this afternoon and I can almost smell the sea as I read.  It helps that the book is set in a part of the Scottish Highlands that I have visited a lot and am very familiar with, Cromarty and the Black Isle, so it sucked me straight in!

For the rest of the late summer bank holiday, I am going to curl up with this spooky book and a glass of red wine, enjoying a restful evening, hopefully the first of many, as a Professional Reader.  I'm going to light a few candles and be all coorie beneath my tartan blanket - there is likely to be a cream tea involved as well, as a brief nod to the departing summer.  Look out for many more book reviews, hopefully lots of witchy ones too! 

Blessed Be

Marie x

BOOK NOOK; An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson

"...I could smell him; the spice of crisp dry leaves, of cool nights under a clear moon, a wildness, a longing..."

An Enchantment of Ravens is a fairy-lover novel, a love story between a mortal woman and a fairy prince, in this instance the Autumn Prince, Rook.  It is by the same author as Sorcery of Thorns, so if you enjoyed that book you might like this one too.   The fairy-lover trope is a popular one.  It beguiles readers with the notion of a man who is different, Otherworldly and powerful, with magic at his fingertips.  Fairy-lovers are also beautifully handsome, with a magnetism that can draw mortals in, against their better judgement. 

This is exactly what happens to Isobel, the protagonist of the story. She is a talented artist and she is commissioned to paint the portraits of the royal Fey Court, in particular Rook, the Autumn Prince. He is a shapeshifter, often taking on the form of a raven. He is arrogant and conceited on the surface, but he holds onto a secret sorrow. It is this sorrow that Isobel notices with her artistic eye and paints into his portrait, thus angering the Prince, who spirits her away, taking her through the seasonal Courts of the Fey, to stand trial for her crime of making him look weak. 

As they progress on their journey, they make the mistake of falling in love. Relationships between mortals and the Fey are forbidden, and falling in love is punishable by death.  Pursued by both the Wild Hunt and the Alder King, Isobel and Rook have to find a way to be together, no matter what.

Featuring enchanted nanny goats and hares, fairy balls and banquets, this is a lovely fairytale romance that will leave you longing for a fairy-lover of your own. Full of falling leaves and misty rides through the forest, it is the perfect book to read now that the nights begin to draw in and the first breath of autumn stirs in the air.  It's a short book, but one that will draw you into the romantic world of the Fey from the very first chapter. Enjoy! 

BOOK NOOK; Half Sick of Shadows by Laura Sebastian

 

"Nimue used to say that there was peace in knowing the future, but I have never felt that way.  Knowing the future set me on edge, it made me act rashly, and I used it to drive wedges between myself and the people I loved.  It did not bring me peace."

I had been waiting eagerly for this book to be released at the end of last month and I finished reading it today.  It did not disappoint.  It is, of course, as the title suggests, a novel retelling based on Tennyson's famous poem, The Lady of Shalott.  I've loved the poem since I was a teenager, along with the painting by Waterhouse, which is featured on art prints and cushion covers dotted around my house, and also a pretty locket I like to wear.  I've written about it before, here on my blog. 

The novel tells the story of Camelot, but from the perspective of Elaine, the Lily Maid of Astolat and the Lady of Shalott.  In this novel, Elaine is a Seer, gifted with the ability to foretell the future.  Her loom is a scrying vehicle and the tapestries she weaves are images of future events - romances, tournaments, wars - all play out upon the loom, her hand guided by a powerful, psychic gift, nurtured in Avalon by the Lady of the Lake.  

Elaine has been given the job of trying to prevent the tragedy of Arthur's last battle against Mordred.  She travels with him to Camelot, determined to see him crowned king and along the way she falls in love with Lancelot.  However, her gift makes her distrustful, for how can she really trust someone when she has already seen and felt the pain of their future betrayal?  She is plagued with visions of treachery by her friends, of Camelot's destruction and the fall of the king, even of her own death by drowning.  Night after night, she feels the water close in above her head, the weight of it pressing her down, keeping her under as her lungs burn for air. 

As Fate pulls her along its path, Elaine does all she can to effect a different outcome for Arthur and her friends, but eventually, she lets go of control and allows Fate to take her where it will.  Her gifts weighs heavily upon her. It is one thing to be able to share foresight of happy events such as a pregnancy, but quite another to be compelled to foretell the death of a loved one, knowing that there is nothing to be done to save them, only prepare them to face the worst.   Elaine pushes people away because all she can see in the end is her own powerlessness to protect them, her own limitations, their betrayals and eventually, her loneliness and drowning. 

The book is nicely written, but there are some stonking inaccuracies you will need to overlook. As an example, the author has hung lace curtains at the castle windows and has her characters drinking hot cocoa and tea from porcelain cups!  As these beverages didn't reach English shores until the mid-seventeenth century, it is highly improbable that they would have been enjoyed in pre-Medieval Camelot! Ditto with the lacy curtains, but if you can get past such inauthentic bloopers, then you will probably enjoy the book.  The story also veers into the realms high fantasy for a few chapters, and while this doesn't diminish one's enjoyment of the novel, I did wonder what real purpose it served.  Just bear in mind that it is written by an American - which kind of explains it all. 

Overall though, inaccuracies and lycanthropian monsters aside, I did enjoy the book.  It wasn't quite what I was hoping for. but it was entertaining and a good read. It's also the first newly published novel I've read in a long time that hasn't jumped all over the gender-bending, LGBTQ, WOKE diversity bandwagon - and that in itself was a wonderfully refreshing change!  I don't know about you, but I get thoroughly annoyed when I pick up what I think is going to be a straight forward novel, only to be aggressively spoon-fed political agendas. This book, however, is just a classic boy-love's-girl tale of Camelot's once and future king.  And for that reason, I recommend it to anyone who enjoys novels of Arthurian legend. Happy Reading!

 

ONCE UPON A DREAM; Good Harvest

Corn and grain, corn and grain, all that falls shall rise again...

August marks the beginning of the harvest season and it has been a lovely harvest for me this year, full of abundant achievement!  Tonight I completed and submitted my final dissertation for the Masters degree.  I'm three weeks ahead of deadline, because I like to work ahead on all my writing projects and because it has been so much fun to work on this extended assignment.  So now, all the academic work is done and I just need to sit back and wait for the results to come in next month.  I'm keeping everything crossed that this assignment passes as well as all my others have. Then I should be attending the post-grad graduation ceremony this November.  I've already bought a new dress and matching shoes for that event and I'm quite looking forward to it.  I will be a bag of nerves, just like last time, but I'm sure I'll enjoy it once the formal stagy bit is over and done with.

Harvest is when we reap what we have sown earlier in the year and in years gone by, and next month I should be attending the long postponed launch of the university anthology that features my work of flash fiction, inspired by my soldier friends.  It should have launched last autumn, but due to Covid, it was postponed. Now we have an actual date for the launch event next month and I'm very much looking forward to it.  It should be a fun night out - or as much fun as academic events can get!  I've got a new dress for that too. 😊

I've had a bad flare up of M.E. chronic fatigue these last few weeks, so I've been resting as much as possible.  I'm hoping to be well enough for the events I have coming up this autumn as I have worked hard for them all.  Fortunately, I can still write, even when I'm on bed rest, so I have still been able to meet my academic commitments and deadlines.  It's going to be strange not returning to university next month, but now that I have completed my Masters course, I am making plans for alternative study.  September just wouldn't be the same if I didn't have some kind of studying to look forward to starting!  I enjoy all the back to school buzz, because you're never too old for education. I have my eye on a new learning environment and I'm hoping to enroll there next month.

I also have new projects in the pipeline that I'm working on, one of which I am very excited about, as it's a dream come true for me. To be asked to collaborate in this way, on such a lovely project, is an honour.    Creative projects take time to evolve, but I am working with a fantastic team and I'm sure it will all run smoothly.  But suffice to say, this is something I have wanted to do for years - so I'm thrilled that I'm finally going to get the chance!  It's all so exciting!

So this autumn will bring with it new achievements, new projects, new studies, new qualifications and celebrations - and as always, new victories - because all that falls shall rise again, no matter what. That is the law of nature. And to celebrate, you can bet that there will be more afternoon teas like this one on the cards...hopefully I'll look at lot healthier next teatime...this was taken in the midst of the M.E. flare up so I look poorly, because I was! It was a delicious tea though. 

Happy harvest, may you reap as you've sown. 

BB Marie x

xxx

 

BOOK NOOK; The Shadow in the Glass by JJA Harwood

 "All the colour and softness would be leached out of her. It had already started. Wasn't she always tired, always sore, always cold?  How long had it been since she'd crept down to the library and let her imagination carry her away?  What if she forgot how to do it - what if one day she she would never be able to escape, not even in her own head?"

Isn't that the dread of all bookworms - that one day the books will fail to offer the escapism that bookworms, who are usually introverts, crave and need to thrive?  It doesn't bear thinking about and it's enough to make one shudder!  

It is just one of the themes explored in this fantastic novel, Shadow in the Glass, which explores the concept of what would happen if Cinderella's fairy-godmother came from a dark place?  What if she granted wishes, not to bring about a happy ever after, but more of a Faustian deal, where one's very soul is bartered and up for grabs?

I have read lots of fairytale re-tellings, but never one like this, where all the benevolence of the popular story is flipped into subversive malevolence.  It tells the story of Eleanor, an orphan who works in service in a large crumbling old house.  There she lives in the poorest of conditions, while surrounded by decaying wealth and nobility.  She works hard and dreams of escaping into a more luxurious life, as she tries to avoid the lecherous master of the house, who is notorious for impregnating staff and then sacking them without a reference.  

It would seem that the odds are stacked against Eleanor and her dreams are all she will ever have, until late one night she creeps into the forbidden library and finds an enchanted book,  which releases a dark specter who offers to grant Eleanor seven wishes.  She can wish for anything she likes, the only stipulation being that she must ask out loud for her wish to be granted. But there's a catch - if she uses the seventh wish, she will lose her soul.

Determined never to make all seven wishes, Eleanor embarks on a magical journey to improve her life and the life of her friends.  Because how much trouble can a little bit of self-improvement and social climbing cause? All she wants is a safe house to live in, a warm bed to sleep in and plenty of hot food and pretty clothes.  It's not too much to ask for. Or is it?

This book explores how far one impoverished young woman will go to better her lot in life and create her own wealth, once she discovers that the wealth must come from somewhere and that there is always a price to pay for it.  It is a dark, atmospheric fairytale with all the staples of Cinderella - a pair of glass slippers, a luxurious ball, a handsome prince and a clock striking midnight - but there the similarities end.  JJA Harwood has succeeded in creating a completely fresh new version, with a satisfyingly Gothic twist to the tale. 

Shadow in the Glass is a wonderful trickster novel, best read in a library at midnight - or at least tucked into bed with a candle burning beside you as you read.  Enjoy and be careful what you wish for!

Marie x

BOOK NOOK; House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland

 

"Use the gifts you have been given," she said to me. "No one should be able to lay a finger on you.  You can bring them to their knees,  if that's what you want.  You can make them pay."

It has been a rainy day, full of thunder storms and lightning, so it seemed like the perfect opportunity to spend a day reading.  House of Hollow has held me in it's grip all day and I have enjoyed every single page.  It tells the story of three sisters who go missing from an Edinburgh street when they are children, only to be found a month later, with no memory of where they have been or what they have been doing, and with hair that has turned pure white from the shock of the trauma.

Years later, the sisters are all getting on with their own lives, trying to put the past behind them.  The eldest, Grey, has become a super model and fashion designer - her clothes are described in the book in great detail and it made me wish her clothes were real, because they sound simply gorgeous and I would love to wear one of her creations!

Meanwhile, Vivi, the second sister has become a member of a rock band and the youngest, Iris, is finishing school.  All three sisters have been changed by their childhood trauma, becoming extremely beautiful and having the gift of compulsion, which is the ability to makes others do what you want via the power of suggestion.

Bad things happen to people who cross these sisters - unhappy incidents and accidents plague their enemies, accidents that can always be passed off as rotten luck or misfortune.  But is it vengeful magic, or a curse that follows in the sister's footsteps?

The Hollow sisters are certainly different, and there is lots of mystery attached to them, which only increases their glamour.  Are they sirens, witches, Fae?  Whatever their gifts, they always seem to get what they want, but when a stranger begins to stalk them, their three worlds collide in a fight for survival.

This is an eerie novel of secret doors and darker realms; of pretty flowers that smell like death; of glitzy Paris fashion shows and crumbling haunted houses.  There is a rift in the family that Iris is trying hard to understand, Vivi's free-spirit verges on rebellion, while Grey is the beauty and the brains of the trio, the one who always calls the shots.   So when the stalker eventually catches up with Grey, it is left to Iris and Vivi to rescue her.

Part mystery thriller, part dark fairytale The House of Hollow is definitely one of the best books I have read so far this year.  It is an otherworldly book that tempts the reader deep into its heart of darkness, then swallows you whole.  I'm hoping that there might be a sequel. Enjoy! BB Marie x 

 

WISE WOMAN; Narcissistic Abuse

 

A few years ago I had a series of very unpleasant interactions with a woman who took an instant dislike to me because I was a published author, while she kept on having her work rejected.   There was duplicity in everything she did. She would be nasty to my face, but then contact one of my publishers and drop my name as if we were friends, because she thought that would get her book published by association. When that didn’t work, she began to try and discredit me with my editors, which also proved ineffective. 

In discussing this with my editors and fellow therapists, it soon became clear that we were dealing with someone who had a personality disorder - Narcissistic Personality Disorder or NPD to be precise.  In this sense narcissism is far more than simply thinking too much of oneself, or posting too many selfies on Instagram. It is a psychological disorder which means that people who have it are basically incapable of healthy, well-adjusted relationships and they suffer from deeply ingrained jealousy. 

Narcissists have certain traits that mark them out from the rest of us, which will help you to identify when you are in the presence of someone with NPD. These traits include a rather grandiose sense of self, a fantasy of being powerful, an obsession with appearances which leads to fabricated stories of their ‘achievements’ – they might even adopt false titles to make themselves look more successful than they are.  They tend to believe that they are special and superior to everyone else, deserving of special treatment, demanding excessive attention and admiration wherever they go and they will demonstrate excessive amounts of envy.  In addition, they are manipulative and exploitative towards other people, including and sometimes especially, their nearest and dearest.  A narcissistic spouse will expect to be waited on like a royalty and will use the kids as weapons; a narcissistic mother will try to rule your life and that of your family long after you’ve flown the nest; and a narcissistic boss or mother-in-law can make your life hell!

The main issue with dealing with a narcissist is that they lack empathy, so they can never see your side.  They don’t acknowledge when they are wrong and they never apologise, because in their narcissistic world, they are never wrong and it is everybody else who is in the wrong.  This makes negotiation and compromise virtually impossible, because every interaction is a power play to their self-perceived superiority.

They often demonstrate a strong sense of entitlement, expecting that everything they want will just come to them without them having to work for it, and just like the narcissist I was dealing with who tried to use my name to get herself published, narcissists are happy to use other people – even people they don’t like - to further their own ends.  Basically, if they can tear you down and take your place, they will.

Furthermore, narcissists absolutely thrive on drama – it’s like mother’s milk to them; in the therapy room we call this the narcissistic supply, which basically means that they get a high off dramatic altercations and this is why they like to cause trouble – because it feeds them.  Conversely and somewhat annoyingly, narcissists can also be extremely charming, which is how they draw people into their toxic web in the first place and what makes it so difficult to get away from their influence. 

 So what do you do?

Well, the first thing to do is take a deep breath and step back a little bit.  Realise that it isn’t really personal, it’s just who they are. Identifying the person as a narcissist is half the battle, because now you know exactly what you are dealing with.  Then tread carefully. Exposing a narcissist’s lies, or telling them they have a personality disorder, will only induce narcissistic rage, which will set them on the path to vengeance. A narcissist can hold a grudge forever and they will immediately set about discrediting you by any means possible.  Their favourite method of vengeance is the smear campaign – this is when they will use all that charm to try and turn others against you, to damage your reputation both personally and professionally, and to make others question the state of your mental health.

So if you shouldn’t confront them, what should you do?  The best way to end a narcissists interest in you is to cut off their narcissistic supply.  In psychotherapy we call this the grey rock method – that is, being as dull and boring as a grey rock, which cuts off their supply. This means not engaging with them in any altercation – just because they invite you to an argument doesn’t mean that you are obliged to attend.  Tell them simply and politely that you’re sorry they feel that way, but you don’t; that they are entitled to their version of reality, but yours differs; that their emotion (anger, jealousy etc.) is their own responsibility, not yours. 

Because you are refusing to engage in a battle of wills, they don’t get the supply they want and so they will eventually move on to someone else.  Refuse to offer them any personal information too, because to a narcissist, information is ammunition and they will try to use it against you, so keep conversations to safe ‘grey’ topics like the weather. This gives them absolutely nothing to work with, or to work against you. If they accuse you of being boring, or of living a boring life, simply agree with them. If at all possible, cut off all contact with them completely.  Remember that they can use social media to glean information about you too, so be very careful what you post, even if you block them.

It may take some time, but once the narcissist realizes that you are not an easy target or a push-over and that you are not playing the game by their rules, they will find another target and source of narcissistic supply.  Being the target of a narcissist, their vindictive vengeance and abuse, can be an unpleasant experience.  I was lucky in that my psychotherapy training helped me to quickly identify it and deflect it effectively, but if you are struggling, don’t be afraid to seek out counselling to help you to work through the aftermath of narcissistic abuse.

Unfortunately, narcissists are unlikely to ever change, but you can at least console yourself with the fact that you are always free to walk away from them and cut them out of your life completely, while they are stuck with themselves forever, so who has the last laugh really?  Until next month,

Serene Blessings

Marie Bruce x