What do you do when you catch a cold?

Do you pretend you’re perfectly all right and insist on spreading your germs everywhere you go? Or do you go to bed and stop trying to keep fit? I try to keep going but I had to admit I had to cancel all face-to-face events and even wore one of my Covid masks when I went out. And yes, I had the dreaded cough that went on and on, interrupted by phone calls from some organisation which kept ringing me to say, ‘Please hold and we will connect you . . .’ Which it didn’t. I assume it’s one of those automated thingies which searches for someone to scam but never manages it.

I did have a scam the other day supposedly from an old friend who was asking a favour . . . and I thought they might be asking me to talk to a church group . . . so I answered. Silly me. They wanted me to buy a gift voucher for an old friend whom they hadn’t seen in a while and their voice had gone, so could I oblige? Er, no. I did reply, though, to suggest they take lessons in typing and grammar as theirs were sub-standard and suggestive of someone with a poor education.

                              What went well . . . .?

The second Ealing Book Festival. The room was packed. I was invited to sell myself and my Ellie Quicke books in two minutes at the Local Author Showcase. I made the company laugh, I told them about how Ellie came into being, I emphasised the local setting . . . and sold out of all the copies of MURDER WITH PROFIT! Hurray. I talked to some writers with fascinating stories to tell and made plans to meet with them soon. Yes, it was tiring as I was in recovery mode. (See above) but enjoyable.

                                           The short story is: Snakes & Ladders

This is about the legacy we may leave behind us. Is our legacy that of money wisely distributed or is it kindnesses shown to others? This story was in the Easter issue of the Methodist Recorder, but I’m giving it here because the subject matter has been on my mind for a while and it’s not really tied to any one season. You can read it here.

                                               FALSE GOLD is now out . . .

Hurray! The story continues on from FALSE WITNESS as the supposed rough sleeper Bea finds on her doorstep in FALSE NAME inherits a stately home and tries to make sense of problems there. Julian, Polly and Bea are plagued by rumours of buried gold, resentful relations and a missing security man and his dog. Also by a bossy estate manager who thinks everything Julian does is rubbish.

A blessing on gardeners whose flowers give passers-by so much pleasure.

Veronica Heley