What to do in Self-isolation

These are difficult times. We are all facing unprecedented restrictions to our lives. We are told to stay at home and keep our distance if we do go out.

Some people find this difficult. Some more so than others. If you are used to an active social life, and work with many people, you will undoubtedly find all this hard to do.

For those of us who are used to working from home, like writers, it’s not so difficult to keep on working. We are used to working in isolation, but for people who work in restaurants, cafes, and the like it must be very hard. Some people can work from home, but many cannot. What to do to fill the time?

Some people have decided, stupidly, that this is a holiday. The weather is good and they’ve nothing else to do, so they go off to the seaside, or National Parks. We’ve all seen the pictures of the crowds in these places. What are they doing but risking spreading the disease? It can spread fast enough on its own without stupidity helping it.

This sort of behaviour will force the government to create a lockdown when people are not allowed to go out. Do we really want that?

So what can you do in this self-isolation? Well, read a book. (Of course I would say that, wouldn’t I?) Or even several.

If you have been following the serialisation of Carthinal’s story, you might like to read this to find out what became of him in later life.

As it happens, from today (23rd March) until Friday 27th March, the ebook version of my fantasy novel, The Wolf Pack, will be FREE on Amazon. Why not pick up a copy while you can?

All Carthinal wants is admission to the ranks of the mages. Traveling from Bluehaven to Hambara, where his rite of passage is to take place, he doesn’t expect to end up on a quest to find the long-lost sword of the legendary King Sauvern.

With strangers he meets on his journey, Carthinal sets out on the seemingly impossible quest. Followed by Randa, the snooty aristocratic daughter of the Duke of Hambara, and the young runaway thief Thad, Carthinal and his companions face tragedy and danger.

Watched by the gods and an implacable foe, they will have to accept help from the least likely sources and face their innermost fears. As the fate of their world hangs in the balance, they realize that this is more than an adventure. This quest will change them all.

What have you got to lose? After all, it’s absolutely FREE, and you’ve now got time to read.

What are your opinions on this self-isolation? Will it work, or are there just too many people who are too stupid to understand what it’s all about?

Will this behaviour cause the government to impose even more draconian laws?

Let me know via the comments box.

Some cleaning hints and tips, and an offer

Image by ds_30 from Pixabay

Some years ago, I was trying to clean a very greasy surface. I tried all the things on offer in the supermarket that said they ‘cuts through grease’. They made it a bit better, but didn’t get it off properly.

Then I tried a liquid detergent. That which we more commonly call ‘washing-up liquid’. It worked like a charm.

It got me to thinking that perhaps we are being conned by the large companies that make these products.

Why should we need a different product for bathrooms and kitchens? People buy ‘bathroom cleaner’, and ‘kitchen cleaner’. Weird. They do exactly the same job.

Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay

I find that ‘washing-up liquid’ (aka liquid detergent) is often the best thing for cleaning. Yes, we might occasionally need a scouring powder if something is ground in or dried up, but why do we need all these different products that are essentially the same thing?

If your sink gets blocked up, use washing soda (sodium carbonate). It’s excellent for dissolving grease. Forget the stuff called ‘sink unblocker.’

Image by sandid from Pixabay

Use a scrunched up newspaper for drying windows (or mirrors) after cleaning. Hey presto! Streak-free glass.

Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay

Lemon and vinegar are excellent cleaning things. Lemon mixed with a bit of salt is excellent for cleaning chopping boards.

In Viv’s Family Recipes, there are some more tips. These are ones gathered from my Aunt’s old recipe book that I inherited. Our parents and grandparents didn’t have all the ‘modern’ cleaning products we have now.

From today until Monday, the ebook version of Viv’s Family Recipes is FREE on Amazon. So if you would like some more old-fashioned tips click here to go to Amazon where you are. Or click on the book cover in the side bar.

The book also contains recipes gathered from Viv’s family and friends over a century. Some date back to 1909. It is interesting to see the kind of things that people ate over 100 years ago.

Here are the current ratings for this 5* book. (February 20th)

13 in Culinary Arts & Techniques (Kindle Store)

15 in Weight Loss Food Counters

11 in Low Budget Cooking

I would love to hear from you. Please leave a comment in the comments box.

A catch up on my #writing and an #offer.

I’ve been working on both the next book of The Wolves of Vimar series. It’s book 4, and will be called Immortal’s Death.

It will follow on after the friends, who call themselves Wolf, have discovered disquieting things about the Master of Erian and his designs on the land of Grosmer.

Duke Larrin of Sendolina has been missing, and all contact with Sendolina lost. The friends, who call themselves Wolf, send the little dragonet, Muldee, to find out what has happened.

When he returns with the news that Duke Larrin has been imprisoned in his own castle, five of them set off to rescue him.

Meanwhile, there have been riots in Hambara, and Thadora is dispached to find out what is happening. She finds the populace starving because there are no jobs, the richer people, who, by and large provide the jobs, having left in the riots.

I am about half-way through at the moment, and hope to get it finished in the next few months, Then I need to submit it to Next Chapter. It will be some time before it’s released.

In the meantime, I’ve submitted a prequel to the publisher, and am waiting for the next step. It’s the story of the parents of Carthinal, the protagonist in The Wolves of Vimar. I am looking forward to that being released, but as yet have no idea when that will be. I’ve also finished the story of Carthinal’s early life. Just a bit more editing, then I’ll submit that to Next Chapter.

Wolf Moon, Book 3, will be FREE in ebook format from tomorrow, 8th February until Wednesday 12th February. Get your copy soon or you’ll miss the opportunity. If you’ve not read the first two books, you can buy them at the same time by clicking on the covers in the sidebar.

Thank you for reading. Please add a comment in the comments box.

Another Freebie

From tomorrow, the Stones of Earth and Air will be free on Amazon, until 24th December. This is book 1 of Elemental Worlds, so if you got book 2 the other day, now’s you chance to get book 1.

Something is wrong with Crown Prince Torren. He is behaving out of character. Pettic, his best friend and companion, sets ouut to find out whata is wrong. with the help of Princess Lucrenza and the court magician, he finds that the prince has been kidnapped and a doppleganger put in his place.

In order to free the prince, he must first enter the 4 elemental worlds and retrieve a gem associated with that element. He cannot leave the world without it, and on each world he has to perform a dangerous task to help the people.

Click here to go to Amazon where you are and buy the book, or click on the cover image in the sidebar.

And don’t forget the release of Vengeance of a Slave is in just 1 week. You can pre-order by clicking here. If you then send me a copy of your receipt, I will send you a free preview chapter of the next book in this series, Jealousy of a Viking. Email me at vivienne.sang@gmail.com

Please share this with your friends and followers and I will be pleased to receive any comments in the comments box,

Special offer

The Stones of Fire and Water, Book 2 of Elemental Worlds will be FREE from TOMORROW, DECEMBER 15th until Thursday December 20th

Pettic , having found the gems associated with the worlds of Terra and Aeris, now needs to go to the worlds of Ignis and Aqua in order to find the gems associated with those elements.

These worlds are stranger than he could imagine. He meets with a dying race of dragons and merfolk. The requirements to find the stones means he has to help them overcome their problems. He needs to find a solution to the death of the dragons, and to help find a magical sceptre that is needed if the king of the merfolk is not to waste away.

Once back on his own world, Pettic needs to find a way to get to the mini-plane where his friend, the Crown Prince is imprisoned, rescue him and return before an imposter takes the throne. But the imposter looks just like the prince. How can he convince people which is the real one?

Don’t miss this chance to get the book free. And if you wait, Book 1 will also be free very soon.

Click here or on the book image in the sidebar to go to Amazon where you are.

And don’t forget the release of Vengeance of a Slave is in just 2 weeks. You can pre-order by clicking here. If you then send me a copy of your receipt, I will send you a free preview chapter of the next book in this series, Jealousy of a Viking. Email me at vivienne.sang@gmail.com

Please share this with your friends and followers, and add a comment in the comments box.

Free, Free, Free

 

Did you get your FREE copy of The Never-Dying Man? Now you can get Book 3, Wolf Moon free from today. 24th April until Sunday 28th April.

Don’t miss this opportunity to find out what happens to the other members of Wolf who escaped in The Never-Dying Man.

The group called Wolf have been enlisted into the Erian Army against their will, and they soon learn that an invasion is planned into their homeland of Grosmer.

As the heroes make their escape, they accidentally stumble upon an old Dwarven city, and become friends with them.

Facing enemies on all sides, the five must find where their loyalties lie, and save their homeland from certain destruction.

You can get Wolf Moon by clicking here, or on the picture.

If you want to buy the other books in the series click here for The Wolf Pack (book 1)

or here to buy The Never-Dying Man (Book 2)

If you buy any of these books, I would be very grateful if you would post a review on Amazon or Goodreads. Reviews are important to both authors and readers as they help authors get visibility and readers to find out if they think they would like the book.

With thousands of books being published each day, you can see it might be a problem to get people to know the book exists.

Please leave a comment in the comments box. 

 

Another Chance at a Freebie.

From tomorrow, April 15th, the second book in The Wolves of Vimar Series, The Never-Dying Man, is FREE for 5 days only. The offer ends on Friday 19th April.

Hurry and get your copy before it’s too late. You can get it by clicking on the title or the book cover. You will be taken to its Amazon page where you are.

You can also get Book 1, The Wolf Pack, by clicking here,

and Book 3, Wolf Moon, here.

On Tuesday, I will be hosting a new member of the Creativia family. Sean Robbins has his very first book on pre-order. It is a scifi tale, so especially if you are a fan of that genre, don’t forget to come around and find out more about Sean and his book. It sound interesting.

Historical Recipes FREE.

Do you enjoy cooking? Do you like history? Well, you will enjoy Viv’s Family Recipes.

This little book is a collection of recipes from the author’s family, collected over the 20th century from 1909 to the end. It gives an insight into how we ate and cooked throughout the last century, as well as a few comments about the people whom she got the recipes from.

The book  also contains a few hints and tips from long ago about cleaning, as well as cures for coughs and colds.

From today, 5th February, until 20th Feb, Viv’s Family Recipes is FREE on Amazon.

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to get this interesting book absolutely free. Just click on the book cover.

if you buy this book, please leave a review on Amazon. Reviews are important to authors. That’s the way most of us get our books in the public eye.

Thank you for reading, and if you have, for buying this book. Leave a comment in the box. I’d love to hear from you.

Looking for reviewers

Is anyone willing to do a review of Vengeance of a Slave in return for a free copy of the book? Please let me know if you would do this. I can send you a file in any format you wish.

There will be no obligation to review the book, but if you do, please say in your review it was a free copy. Amazon gets a bit sniffy sometimes.

Let me know if you would do this and what format you would like by emailing me at vivienne.sang@gmail.com

If you are unsure about what to write in a review, I did a post about it on Nove 20th Follow this link here.

Thanks.

Here’s a bit about it.

Adelbhert is only six years old when he is forced to watch his father and other men from his village being crucified in revenge for an attack on the Roman city of Modiglianum.
Then he and his little sister are taken as slaves. They are sold to a merchant who takes them to the distant and mysterious island of Britannia. Here he is treated like a pet until he grows up and is no longer a pretty child.

His experiences make him hate the Romans and he resolves to escape one day and have revenge. but his hatred is eating away at his soul.

Will he get the chance to escape, and if so, can he remain free? And how can one ;young man take on the might of the Roman Army and win?

Free Book

 

 

Book 1 of The Wolves of Vimar is FREE from today until 22nd. Don’t miss your chance to get your copy. You can also buy the paperback version. Visit Amazon’s website at http://myBook.to/TheWolfPack