| The latest update from Amanda Giorgis, best-selling author of the Applecross Saga. |
| Home news Spring is here in the southern hemisphere. The garden is growing apace, birds are building their nests and wildlife abounds. As I write, I can see 2 ducks and 5 rabbits on the lawn, and can hear the skylark’s song rising into the sky. Mind you, we have had our fair share of storms in the last few days. It has been so cold that we rather regretted having cleaned the wood burner out and put the log basket away, and we had such strong winds that a lot of blossom has blown like confetti across the garden. We have guests in our field! Our neighbour’s 4 Wiltshire sheep, have taken up residence, and they will soon be joined by 4 of this year’s lambs too. Wiltshire sheep shed their fleeces without the need to shear them. I am gathering handfuls of wool to use as garden mulch. I wonder what James Mackenzie would think of sheep who don’t need shearing? |
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Yes, I know it is meant to be ‘Bird of the month’ but….. In a controversy as big as Australia entering Eurovision, the Long-tailed Bat (pekapeka-tou-roa) has been added to this year’s New Zealand Bird of the Year competition. Now, the clever ones amongst you may be aware that a bat is not a bird. However, it does fly, it is our only endemic mammal and it is critically endangered. These criteria are enough for it to be considered alongside the current incumbent, the kākāpō and all the other favourites like Hoiho, Kiwi, Kaka and Tui. This annual competition, run by Forest and Bird, is a chance to showcase our native birds and is well supported by politicians, sports personalities and celebrities. Read more about the competition here. |
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| Book News There has not been much time for reading this month, but I would like to recommend ‘Two Shakes of a Lamb’s Tail’ by Danielle Hawkins as a great book to dip into. It is written as a diary, but don’t expect any dry or dusty records of a day in the life of a vet. On a couple of occasions I have found myself laughing out loud at Danielle’s descriptions of her day. Somewhat embarrassing when you are sitting in the doctor’s waiting room. Thank goodness for a mask covering at least part of my face! If you are looking for something in the Historical Fiction genre, you may find a bargain here – Fall for Historical Fiction Mixed Blessings, the 5th book in the Applecross Saga, will be available in early 2022. |
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| Competition News |
| This month I have a competition for you avid readers. It won’t be easy, and you will need to have read all four books in the Applecross Saga already, but I do have a prize of an Amazon voucher. There are 40 questions, and they run in order through the 4 books. Please submit your answers by email to amanda.giorgis@icloud.com by the end of October 2021. I will randomly select a winner from those who submit correct answers, and my decision is final. I’ll be in touch with the winner in early November, and I will print the answers in next month’s newsletter. Hopefully, looking back through the 4 books will bring you up to speed in readiness for Book 5, ‘Mixed Blessings’ – due out in early 2022. Click here for the 40 questions – The Applecross Quiz |
| An Applecross Companion You will find a list of Applecross folk and their dogs in The Applecross Companion. I will be adding more to the companion as time goes by, including updated information for Book 5. (no spoilers yet, though!) It is still a work in progress, but you are welcome to dive on in there and take a look. Go to https://amandagiorgis.com/the-applecross-companion/ – use the password ‘Applecross’ to get access. What do you think? Any ideas of other things to include? Please do email me at amanda.giorgis@icloud.com with any thoughts and suggestions. I do love hearing from my readers with feedback (good and bad, of course). Finally, may I make a plea? When you have finished reading any of my books, please consider writing a review online, on the platform you used to buy the ebook, or on Goodreads, or wherever you can shout it from the rooftops! Not only does it help to increase sales, but it gives me a great boost of confidence as I write Book 5. Thank you. |
Amanda Giorgis
Author of the Applecross Saga
October 2021 Newsletter
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