Well, we're so close to release day for Beneath A Darkening Sky , and I've celebrated this by becoming a member of the Horror Writers' Association ! I also had a set of author photos taken in a local graveyard, complete with an entire flock of sheep watching me as some previous visitor had left the gate open for them. So now, I'm faced with the decision of which story to share with you. We've been through a few for this blog series, and I'm left with three: Guidman Trowie (a tale set in Orkney and inspired by the unique folklore of the islands); Moonsong (a love song from a werewolf to the moon); and Eaves-Drip , which is the story I'm going to talk about in this blog. It's no coincidence that these three stories have been left. Along with Ay Atomics , they're the short and (not-always-very-)sweet ones. Eaves-Drip was written while we were on holiday in Perthshire one autumn, but it goes back to Lincolnshire, where I grew up. Lincolnshire is ful...
"Black Water" by Barbara Henderson
One of the first things that struck me about the book was how great the cover is. I love the picture, and I love the font. What makes this book even better is the awesome illustrations that appear at the chapter headings. The book is wonderfully formatted and a pleasure to have.
I started this book at tea time on the 5th November, thinking I should really give some time to a book I'd committed to reviewing. I finished the book at half 9 on the exact same day. Within minutes of starting, I realised I couldn't put the book down, but I didn't want to finish at the same time.
What I really liked about this book was that it included real people, which was described at the end. One of these real people was none other than celebrated poet Robert Burns, who was written exactly as I imagined him. I knew he was an Excise Man but I didn't make the connection that he'd be a great character in the book, even when I saw the chapter title "The Poet".
This book would make a very good class read. After Christmas, my topic with my P4s is "on the water", and I'm thrilled that this book has come out in time to be the perfect class novel. Closer to the topic, I will make some classroom resources that could be used in conjunction with this book. Teachers need all the help they can get!!
I was thrilled to be part of the book tour for this book, and I wish it every success through the coming months. Barbara Henderson will be appearing at the John o' Groats Book Festival in April if anyone would like to come and meet the author.
You can buy the book at any book shop worth it's salt, and here on Amazon.
Blurb
Down by the coast, black water swirls and hides its secrets...
Dumfries, 1792. Henry may only be thirteen, but he has already begun his training in the Excise, combatting smuggling like his father does. But when a large smuggling schooner is stranded nearby, the stakes are high—even with reinforcements, and the newly recruited officer, a poet called Robert Burns.
Musket fire, obstructive locals, quicksand and cannonballs—it is a mission of survival. As it turns out: Henry has a crucial part to play...
This book would make a very good class read. After Christmas, my topic with my P4s is "on the water", and I'm thrilled that this book has come out in time to be the perfect class novel. Closer to the topic, I will make some classroom resources that could be used in conjunction with this book. Teachers need all the help they can get!!
I was thrilled to be part of the book tour for this book, and I wish it every success through the coming months. Barbara Henderson will be appearing at the John o' Groats Book Festival in April if anyone would like to come and meet the author.
You can buy the book at any book shop worth it's salt, and here on Amazon.
Blurb
Down by the coast, black water swirls and hides its secrets...
Dumfries, 1792. Henry may only be thirteen, but he has already begun his training in the Excise, combatting smuggling like his father does. But when a large smuggling schooner is stranded nearby, the stakes are high—even with reinforcements, and the newly recruited officer, a poet called Robert Burns.
Musket fire, obstructive locals, quicksand and cannonballs—it is a mission of survival. As it turns out: Henry has a crucial part to play...
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