The noble firs around our balcony have gone crazy creating cones. Every tree has a big crown of pale green cones newly grown in the last few weeks. They’re beautiful.
I’m still working on Jake PI, Book Three of Lies He Told. Almost finished the proofing. Will let you know the release date any day now. Hope you are keeping safe and happy in these strange times. Best, Sylvie
Well, I’m back. My website was hacked a month ago, and it is finally functional again. I was afraid everything would be lost, but apparently not. Thank you to the people who managed to scrub it clean and make it work again. Hello to my readers. I have missed being in touch with you.
These are junior skunk cabbages, also known as Yellow Arum, just coming out of the ground. They grow in the ditches and hedges all around on Vancouver Island and are related to a similar plant in Asia. Below are the more mature plants, taken about 10 days later. I took these pictures while out on my bike rides, something I was able to do while social distancing. 🙂
See how big they are? They grow fast once spring hits. Do they have a scent? Oh, yes, they do. Thus the name – skunk cabbage.
How have you all been? Safe and healthy, I hope. I have managed a bit of writing, but very much miss my get-togethers with my writing groups, as well as being able to post updates here. Hopefully, things will be back to normal soon–the new normal–whatever that is going to look like.
Stay well, hang in there, Best wishes, Sylvie
Did you get it?
Khandarken Rising, The Last War: Book One
is free with one click
https://dl.bookfunnel.com/52m0ugmlm6
The best way to start this series.
Sci fi/fantasy at it’s best. Here’s a way to escape for a while 🙂
Major Dante Regiment must find a way to protect Beth, as the Emperor is not the only one causing chaos in Khandarken
The Emperor has been defeated. New countries have arisen from the ashes of the old Empire. The citizens swear they will never need to fight again.
Bethlehem Farmer is helping her brother Abram run Farmer Holdings in south Khandarken after their father died in the final battles. But when Abram takes a trip with Uncle Jade into the northern territory and disappears without a trace, suddenly things are not what they seem and no one can be trusted.
Dear Readers,
How are you holding up? Is cabin fever setting in? I have to admit I took a drive the other day just to get out of the house. What alarmed me was there were no cars on the highway. Well, okay, there were some cars, but so few I hardly noticed them. And most of the vehicles were delivery trucks—probably making sure we don’t run out of toilet paper, which is a good thing.
My question today is – Do you need something to read?
These are tough times and I’m happy to send you a link for a free download of the first book in The Last War series
Khandarken Rising, The Last War: Book One.
Just click on the link and download your copy – https://dl.bookfunnel.com/52m0ugmlm6
Major Dante Regiment must find a way to protect Beth, as the Emperor is not the only one causing chaos in Khandarken
The Emperor has been defeated. New countries have arisen from the ashes of the old Empire. The citizens swear they will never need to fight again.
Bethlehem Farmer is helping her brother Abram run Farmer Holdings in south Khandarken after their father died in the final battles. But when Abram takes a trip with Uncle Jade into the northern territory and disappears without a trace, suddenly things are not what they seem and no one can be trusted.
Readers comments
5 Stars – . I could not put this down. This is full of mystery, romance, obsession. I can’t wait for the second book. It kept me guessing, with all the twist and turns. Will we get our happy ending ? No spoilers here means u gotta read this, I promise you will enjoy it
5 Stars – Major Dante seeks justice for Beth in the tough world of Khandarken. Loved this book and couldn’t stop reading. Ready for more in this superb story.
5 Stars – I couldn’t help but think to myself while reading this a feeling of deja vu. Like I had heard this story before or like it reminded me of something. And then it hit me. It sounded similar to the fall of the Ottoman Empire after WW1. The new countries that came forth. The battles. The new rulers and emperors fighting to keep their territory. And the citizens, adjusting to the new normal. When I made that connection, I instantly became more excited to keep reading. And then I realized that this story is one of a kind in its own and couldn’t be truly compared to anything but itself. It has so many unique characteristics to it. The personal relationships are intriguing and different from many other fictional relationships. The names are cool, the plot gets thicker with each page, and I loved the author’s style. It became evident that I was addicted to reading the book once I was sad to be finished. I’m going to give this a strong recommendation. It’s my kind of book.
Just click on the link and enjoy the read. Let me know what you think.
https://dl.bookfunnel.com/52m0ugmlm6
Till next time— Stay safe
Follow me on BookBub at https://www.bookbub.com/profile/sylvie-grayson
Click the ‘Follow’ button in the lower right corner if you haven’t already. You get to see all the latest news. Or you can email me at sylviegraysonauthor@gmail.com.
Love when we connect.
All my best,
Sylvie
*** ~ ~ ~ ***
Spring has sprung, the grass has riz,
I wonder where them flowers is?
My father quoted this every year in spring, usually when the snow was still in the process of melting on the ground, no flowers in sight. However, wonder no more. Here are some flowers from around my garden. Can you name them? (the answers are at the end of the post).
The first one is of daffodils, of course. I thought I’d start you off easy. 🙂 Next is heather. This plant likes less water than most of my garden so it grows on the side of the stairs going up to the driveway, where the irrigation doesn’t reach it. The third one is mahonia, or oregon grape, an extremely prickly bush that grows wild in the pacific northwest. The berries have a strong, slightly unpleasant flavour, but if you mix them with blackberry and a bit of apple, they make the best jelly. Next is hellebores. I have about six such plants in my garden, each a different shade of rose to wine tones–one of the earliest plants in my garden. After that is the trillium, you knew that. I don’t know the name of the following plant, but love the look of the little green buds in the spring. Perhaps you can tell me what it is. The last plant is a cranberry bush. I had one planted when the garden was first developed, but it died last year. I was devastated. the blooms are beautiful, have a lovely scent, and it is the first bush to flower in the spring, usually in late February. I searched everywhere, no one knew what it was, let alone had one to replace it. Then a tiny bush bloomed last spring, and i realized the dead bush had populated a new branch below it in the garden. It is still small, but I will put some good earth around its roots to encourage it to grow tall like it’s daddy did.
To follow Sylvie's blog, click on the friendly Follow button on the lower right of the site.
