Engaging with Fellow Writers

During the past few weeks myself and fellow authors of The Watford Writers group have been engaging with other writers and readers as part of Watford’s Big Word Fest.  On the Friday evening of 20^th April some of us read at an “Open Mike” event at Watford Museum and on Saturday 28^th April a few of us exhibited some of our books and took part in a self publishing workshop at Watford Central Library.  Thanks to the staff at both venues and to those who took part, I had an amazing time.  I recommend that anyone visiting Watford should visit both venues which are open most days and are outstanding examples of their type.

Keith Jahans

 

Watford Museum

 

Watford Central Library

 

Self Publishing Workshop

 

More photographs can be seen at https://www.facebook.com/watfordwriters

 

 

 

 

Book Review – Dead Simple by Peter James

This is the first book in Peter James’s detective series featuring Roy Grace.  The author has hit on a winning formula as the jacket states that 14 million copies of have been sold of this book alone.  It is certainly a rattling good read for anyone who loves police procedural crime novels.  The plot kept me riveted right to the end with many unsuspecting twists along the way.  Peter James is certainly an expert storyteller.

Keith Jahans

Published in 39 formats and editions and easily found
on Amazon & other major book stores

Book Review – The Assassination of Margret Thatcher by Hilary Mantel

This is the title story in a collection of shorts by author Hilary Mantel known for her award winning novels about Henry VIII’s “Fixer” Thomas Cromwell.  I have not read these novels but have seen the BBC adaptation of Wolf Hall which was the first of the Cromwell stories and it is clear from these that she is a talented storyteller.

The stories in The Assassination of Margret Thatcher collection are expertly written with well crafted descriptions of the characters and the settings in which the action takes place.  But apart from the title story, which is the last in the collection, I found the narratives hard to follow.  However, I am glad I persevered with the stories as short story writing is a difficult art to master and I was intrigued to see how a writer with Hilary Mantel’s reputation went about tackling them.  The collection has received many excellent reviews so it might just simply be that the stories are not to my taste.

Keith Jahans

The assassination of Margret Thatcher is published by Fourth Estate
and is available in hardback, paperback, as an ebook and audiobook