Joan reached out to more than just me!

Today I was researching for the final book in my trilogy and decided I needed to recap how it all came to pass. Why had I started writing my books?

It came as a great surprise to me to discover that the interview with Professor Brian Llewellyn had struck a place in the heart of more than myself!

In an article by Emily Jane Davies dated 13th May 2024 she told of a University in Exeter who had taken Tricia Goddard at her suggestion and had decided to rewrite the script for Punch and Judy to make it less about violence as per her suggestion.

You may remember that it all started with an interview on 28th July 2018 on Good Morning Britain with presenter Kate Garraway and her guests Professor Brian Llewellyn and Tricia Goddard...more...

I'm so excited!

I'm so excited!

I'm so excited and I just can't keep this to myself, but I've finally finished the first draft of my next book! YAYY!

It's thrilling when you finally know how your characters want to end the story. 😛I've a bit more work to do on it before I can release it as a book, but it's power for the cause and, pretty much the boring part of writing, but as soon as I can, I'll get the book published and I hope you'll enjoy it! YAYYYYY! 

Available for pre-order only on Amazon

Chapter 15 - Should a scene be cut?

 An extract from my Work In Progress 'Nicholas' waiting to be cut!

I feel this is a good scene, but it would make one of my characters a murderer and I'm not sure I should... the scene might yet get cut... does anyone think the scene should be kept in? There's time to save it if you send a reply... to carol.m.mottershead@gmail.com -

I" believed he was my love, for the rest of my life. I can’t believe how I can still be hurt by his memory. The loss of my friend... and lover... he can still hurt me... yet he is no longer the one causing me the pain, it is myself! Why? Other than let him kill me, I did everything I could to try to make things work between us. I had to survive him. To wake up every morning wishing you hadn’t... it couldn’t go on. It was me or him in the end and I had every reason to live now... my child... the child now growing inside me... the child he will never get to know, the child he must never meet. For now, my only reason for living is to look after my baby, our baby... it is the only good thing to come out of this horrible mess!  I’ll make sure he has the best life I can give him. He is my priority... I would give my life for my child..."

Have you read 'Joan put on a happy face' by Carol M Mottershead?

Click Here

Chapter 14 - A new book is near completion!

 Work In Progress

'Nicholas'

In my last blog I was telling you about my problems with Amazon and the sales of 'Memories Of...' and I thought - to heck with it! I refuse to chase the tales of yet another set of algorithms ha! I got tired of changing things that I was doing to accommodate a computerised system and decided 

"Onward and upwards!"

So I moved onto as third book. This one directly follows on from my first this time, so probably should have done this before, but my characters just weren't speaking to me ha!

Nicholas had been sent to the family crypt in my first book in the series you may remember. His father was tried and condemned as his murderer. He wouldn't defend himself. He spoke to no one and that's where we pick up this next story...

I've called it just 'Nicholas' for now, but this will probably change when the book in published. I hope you'll keep an eye on my blogs as I'll keep you posted as to when it is set for releases, so 

'Watch This Space' 

If you've already read my earlier books don't forget to spread the word by writing a review on Amazon or wherever you bought your copy from. Here are some links to facilitate your review...

AMAZON Reviews - 

Joan put on a happy face

Memories Of...

Thank you for following my blogs and HAPPY READING!

What people are saying about 'Memories Of...'

What People Say

 Review are coming in for 'Memories Of...' and I'd just like to say THANK YOU to those who take the time to write a review rather than just ticking a box.

Kindle customers love 'Memories Of...' too -

"History meets Fiction in a seamless blend! Love it! - A feel good story in which we catch up with our old friend John whilst using fiction to redeem one of the biggest injustices in American history. Once again Carol M Mottershead makes history her playground in this amazingly detailed retelling of historical events. C'est Magnifique!"

Why's everyone speaking to me in French? 😆Not that I mind, as long as everyone enjoys the story!

We're back to Amazon for this one from a reader called McFarlane - 

"A real window on to history in an engaging love story - I really enjoyed the attention to detail in this novel, which gave a real sense of place and time to an exciting romp of a love story. It took me to a place in history, about which I previously knew very little, and really set the scene to enjoy the twists in the unfolding story. A good read!"

There's more twists and turns to come, so keep uptodate by joining my email list!

Goodreads reader Alun Littlefair loved 'Memories Of...' too with this review -

"A feel good story in which we catch up with our old friend John whilst using fiction to redeem one of the biggest injustices in American history. Once again Carol M Mottershead makes history her playground in this amazingly detailed retelling of historic events. C'est Magnifique!"

Just goes to show, my books are enjoyed by both women AND men - Thanks Alun!

Susan Lake left her review on Facebook, but that's OK, it doesn't matter where the word is spread, she gave a lovely review -

"Well worth a read, a beautiful love story. Set in a time when hope and love, were precious".

Glad you enjoyed it Susan!

A lady calling herself LizFev, an Amazon reader responded with "Great follow on book, so captivating. Not disappointed, just as an enjoyable read as "Joan put in your happy face". I enjoyed the relationships developing, the historical element made me think and reflect on my understanding. Another fantastic read, I hope there is more to follow". 

There certainly will be more Liz, just watch this space!

"What a nice love story, Carol." said Tom Edwards, Director of Gwynn's Island Museum before he went on to add a spoiler alert "A happy ending for all". 

Thanks Tom, lol!

Want to keep uptodate about my writing? Join my email list at carol.m.mottershead@gmail.com today

If you've not read any of my books yet, you can purchase copies of paperbacks on any good online bookstore or as an ebook on Amazon. Also available in Kindle Unlimited

My books are both available on Amazon sites worldwide, just sign into your nearest Amazon story

"JOAN Put on a happy face"

"Memories Of..." 

Don't forget, a few words of feedback it much better at spreading the word than a click.

Add your reviews at

For "JOAN Put on a happy face" Click Here

For "Memories Of..." Click Here

 HAPPY READING!

Chapter 13 - How's the new book 'Memories Of...' coming along?

' Memories Of...' 

by Carol M Mottershead

So how's the new book coming along?

Well, I have to admit 'Memories Of...' has been off to a bad start! Not because it's a rotten book but because there has been changes in the way Amazon runs things with regards to categorizing of books! It's been all over the place since the new book launched... Lots of authors and specialists in Amazon algorithms have been struggling to get to grips with the way the new algorithms work! 

The first thing to change was instead of being able to upload ten categories... two basic categories and eight additional categories added via KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) they claimed that they were 'improving' categorization; they were giving us the chance to choose three basic categories yayy!!😍 But then came the catch... there NO MORE THAN THE THREE! 😞

Now it seems, Amazon algorithms decide what categories to place our books in!

For this I would like to apologize to any readers who may feel mislead by choosing a book from a category that doesn't fit the book... it is beyond the control of any of the authors!

I'm told by teamsters from Bryan Cohen's Ad School, that this is by no means a personal problem. Everyone who changed to the new categorization have been affected. (Some authors didn't do it until Ad School advised it), but I thought I was being 'uptodate' and ahead of everyone else - I went ahead in ignorance, and my poor book 'Memories Of...' has got caught in the changes 😔

Amazon ad campaigns which I pay for 'per click' aren't working and the only sales being generated are from posts on social media that I've put out myself, which are free - crazy isn't it?

Amazon dot com have even stopped blogs being posted on the Amazon site now, so I don't even know if anyone gets to read these blogs, ha!

But for anyone who is enjoying reading blogs, I hope you'll check out my books

Memories Of... (HERE) and JOAN put on a happy face (HERE)

   

Memories Of...: 17th Century Historical Fiction set in Colonial America eBook : Mottershead, Carol M: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store

Joan - Put on a happy face: (A highly unique and imaginative mix of history and fiction) eBook : Mottershead, Carol M: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store

If you've already read a copy of my books and want to review, drop an email

carol.m.mottershead@gmail.com

or add it to the site from which you bought it, that would fantastic - and THANK YOU!

If you enjoy a different genre such as Epic Fantasy, check out the books by Susan and John Ruff

Susan and John Ruff, Authors | This is a site dedicated to the fiction writing of authors Susan and John Ruff

'Til Next Time - HAPPY READING! 😄

Chapter 12 - So who won the battle to be heard next?

 I've said from the very beginning that I have never dreamed in my wildest dream I'd be a writer. I can't believe, even now, that I have written and published two books, but I have and I've really enjoyed the journey!

To my mind, fiction has got to be the most rewarding sort of writing. Your mind is free to write whatever it wants to write... of is it? That's what I used to believe, haha!

In reality, it's the characters in your book that seem to come to life. Their story pops into your head and you find yourself 'having' to write their story! It's strange but true!

So who won through to be the lead protagonist in my next book?

I had thought it was going to be young Nicholas, but I was wrong. His half-brother young John had more to tell. You may remember that young John left Joan, Pulcinella and his brother young Nicholas to seek adventure in the colonies of America. As he boarded the ship, he had been asked his name - 'John' he'd said, then called out to Punchinella (as he always called his Father) just at the same time that the boson asked for his last name. Hearing the name Punch, that's what was written down - John Punch (OK it's a bit of a stretch, but it's literary licence - right!)

Anyway, I found that there was a real person called John Punch who had lived in the Virginian colony during the exact same period, so I chose to research his life and make it the basis for my second book. That seemed fair enough.

As it turned out, the 'real' John Punch is quite famous in his own way. He is known as the first slave of Virginia, the 11th generation great grandfather of Barack Obama (first black President in USA) on his mother's side, and the 10th generation great grandfather of Ralphe Bunch (first African American to win a nobel peace prize) on his father's side, quite a famous family!

To my good fortune, despite his fame, there are only two recorded documents that even prove he existed. Many of the records in that area of Virginia were burned to the ground leaving me carte blanche to make up a fictional life for John. It's been great too, for although only two documents exist for John himself, the owner of his indentures 'Hugh Gwynn' has much written about him one way or another. Married twice with two children by his first wife and one by a lover, later to become his wife and long lost love of his life. Haha! There was definitely a story brewing and the story has been written.

'Memories Of...' by Carol M Mottershead

tells the life and memories of John Punch, his family and friends. It's currently available only on Amazon but will be joining the expanded distribution shortly. I hope you'll enjoy reading this romantic historical and biographical fiction - HAPPY READING!

If you've not yet read the story of 'JOAN - put on a happy face' by Carol M Mottershead CLICK HERE and once again - HAPPY READING!

If you have already read a copy of 'JOAN - put on a happy face' by Carol M Mottershead maybe you would be kind enough to spread the word and write a review on Amazon, Goodreads or on the site you bought your copy from and help a poor starving writer to become a number one best seller! haha!

All the best, til next time... Keep smiling!