Would you like to be an advanced reader for me?

Would you like to be an advanced reader for me?

Although I posted September’s blog on line on the first of the month as usual, there was a glitch on my website and it wasn’t emailed to all you folk who have subscribed to my mailing list. That’s why I’m sending the post out again in the hope that the problem has been sorted.

The launch day for Journey to Casablanca is now official. It’s the last day of this month – September 30^th.

Here is the blurb:

The Great Ernesto is brutally attacked while rehearsing on stage for his next performance. Graham finds the dying man and becomes the prime suspect for his murder. Can Amanda cut through the intrigue, solve the enigma of the magician’s past and track down the culprit before her husband is arrested?  No one on the ship has a good word to say for Ernesto, but who has sufficient motive to want him dead?

 

As I mentioned in last month’s blog, the itinerary in the novel follows that of the cruise we did in January. My first shore excursion was called the Flowers of Madeira, and this photo is one of those I took during the amazing orchid workshop in the grounds of a very exclusive hotel.

 

 

The hustle and bustle of a Moroccan market is a sensory experience like no other. A heady mixture of glorious colours, exotic smells and a cacophony of noisy stall holders advertising their wares.

 

 

The Berber Show in Agadir was a photographer’s paradise with bands and dances from several different tribes, acrobats, a snake charmer all leading up to the highlight of the show – the horse race.

 

In all three of the Moroccan ports we visited, I had plenty of time to indulge my obsession with Moorish architecture, but the highlight for me had to be in the hotel in Tangier where we stopped for mint tea and a Moroccan pastry on our walking tour of the town.

 

As one of the last to be served, there was no room for me to sit on the small balcony overlooking the lower slopes of the town down to our ship below. I was sent upstairs to the balcony above. However, when I reached the top of the stairs, I decided to explore the corridors, admiring the spectacular glazed tilework.

 

 

I even took a rare video. I managed to get lost, and it was only by following the distant sounds of chatter from the rest of the party that I managed to get back before we were due to leave.

 

From the balcony of that same hotel, we had a magnificent view over the town below. We could see the ship lying in the port plus the beautiful Syrian Mosque with its tall, tapered minaret which is unique in Morocco.

 

 

 

On the sail back home, the ship called in at Lisbon. My husband and I decided to take a ship’s tour to Sintra, a small village in the hills were the Portuguese Royal family built a summer palace. It was another enjoyable day, where once again we were in dire danger of being left behind when we explored the palace in our free time.

 

 

Our final port was Leixoes, but rather than visit Oporto which we had done several times in the past, we took another tour together to the little port of Aviero for a canal ride to admire the Art Nuevo architecture for which the town is famous.

 

If you fancy learning more about these trips, why not take a vicarious cruise with Amanda and pre-order Journey to Casablanca at the discount price of £2.99. Less than a cup of coffee! (Or the equivalent sum in your own currency as shown on your Amazon store.) The day after launch day, the price will increase to £4.99.

Alternatively, if you are prepared to read and post a review on your Amazon store on launch day – September 30^th – I’m happy to send you an advanced reader’s copy at the end of this week for FREE. We all know how easy it is to have books sitting on our Kindles we never get round to reading, so please don’t request a free copy unless you have time to read it in the following couple of weeks ready to post a review on launch day on Monday the 30^th.

Looking forward to hearing from you. The more reviews on launch day, the higher it will go on Amazon’s charts.