Erin the Literary Cat

Free Style Tumbling . . . on my bed.

noreply@blogger.com (Erin the Cat Princess) — Sun, 18 Oct 2026 05:01:09 +0000

Hello, and welcome to our latest Sunday selfie from the Chumley & Hudson Investigation Team!

This week it is just your's truly in the limelight.

The good news is Mrs H seems to have shed here UTI. The not so good news is that she has to still drink over two litres of water and non-dehydrating fluids a day going forwards, she said. I asked if she could drink less if she waked backwards, but she just gave me a withering look for some reason?

In other news, the new cover for book 1, and the cover for books 2, and 3 have now been completed. This process has been to harmonise the covers going forwards (not backwards!). Which means that soon books 2 & 3 will be published! Yay. Unlike book 1, we have opted not to have any interior art to help speed up the overall publishing process which is now over a year in. Hopefully we will have at least one of these new adventure books out for Christmas. More news on the next 2 adventures in the coming months 🙂.

Without further ado, here is little me performing a somersault. At least in my mind I was, playing out a particular action from my adventure in Egypt. To find out more about that you will just have to wait for the book release 😉.

Do you guys have any adventures set down that you can share? If so, please let us know in the comments as well as adventures and escapism from the awful state of things globally is what we all need a little of these days. . .

We are joining the Sunday selfies, hosted by the wonderful Kitties Blue and their mum, Janet Blue, from the Cat on My Head blog in America. Click this sentence to visit Janet Blue's site.

Or copy and paste this link: https://thecatonmyhead.com/

Till Laters, and remember to play safe and hard, nap long, eat and drink plenty and often, and do not spend too long in the sun!

ERin & Mrs H.

A Casual Selfie.

noreply@blogger.com (Erin the Cat Princess) — Sun, 04 Oct 2026 05:42:15 +0000

Hello, and welcome to our latest Sunday selfie from the Chumley & Hudson Investigation Team!

Well, October is upon us, and yet with the changes in the seasons things have not changed too much here. There are still plenty of leaves on the trees, and some of our flowers are still blooming.

One thing that is also still blooming is Mrs H's UTI which seems intent to linger on till Christmas. So despite best efforts, Dr Hatchette was called, more meds issued, and more gallons of water than seems possible for one human to drink, have been drunk, and will continue to be so for the foreseeable!

Anyways, here is MY selfie. I was trying to show off this lovely new IKEA chair that Mrs H bought ME as Mr Mins is so huge when he stretches out on MY sofa, I cannot get on.

Mr Mins decided he wanted in on the act so wandered in and sat down and posed.

I kind of actually like this shot as it is very natural, uncontrived, and at least both of us, mainly me, are actually not napping.

Do you have your own furniture? If so, is it a human sized chair or sofa that is yours and only yours? Please let us know in the comments as well as ideas as to how to regain possession of a usurped sofa; asking for a friend 😉

We are joining the Sunday selfies, hosted by the wonderful Kitties Blue and their mum, Janet Blue, from the Cat on My Head blog in America. Click this sentence to visit Janet Blue's site.

Or copy and paste this link: https://thecatonmyhead.com/

Till Laters, and remember to play safe and hard, nap long, eat and drink plenty and often, and do not spend too long in the sun!

ERin & Mrs H.

Big Feet and Rabbit Foot Selfie!

noreply@blogger.com (Erin the Cat Princess) — Sun, 20 Sep 2026 05:04:08 +0000

Hello, and welcome to our latest Sunday selfie from the Chumley & Hudson Investigation Team!

September is proving to be a bit stressful. Between my annual check up visits (of which there are two a fortnight apart, Mrs H's UTI, visits to the Dr for her, opticians for her, and the car's annual check up (its leaking oil rather than water unlike some I could mention😉), it has been rather busy and expensive.

"But what else would we do with the money?," she says. Me, I'd buy more treats and catnip!

Anyway, Mr Mins has been here a lot, and he sleeps most of that time. So we have two selfies for you this week. First up is Mr Mins, showing off his frankly HUGE paws and what looks like a goatee beard style smudge on his chin.

@Erin the Cat Princess

And here is my selfie.

©Erin the cat princess

Do my feet look large in this, like a rabbit's? Mrs H saw this and said I look like Thumper! I shall exact my revenge in due course, MOL

We are joining the Sunday selfies, hosted by the wonderful Kitties Blue and their mum, Janet Blue, from the Cat on My Head blog in America. Click this sentence to visit Janet Blue's site.

Or copy and paste this link: https://thecatonmyhead.com/

Till Laters, and remember to play safe and hard, nap long, eat and drink plenty and often, and do not spend too long in the sun!

ERin & Mrs H.

September Sunless Napping Selfie.

noreply@blogger.com (Erin the Cat Princess) — Sun, 06 Sep 2026 04:46:37 +0000

Hello, and welcome to our latest Sunday selfie from the Chumley & Hudson Investigation Team!

September has come in with a much needed change in weather. Heat waves have retreated with summer, to be replaced with cooling autumn rain and winds. Of course, such things bring their own problems. But for now, we take succour from the grass greening up and fire risks subsiding. Of course, this is just the UK, and droughts take time to reverse so far as water supplies are concerned. So Mrs H and I are praying each day for the planet to be saved, saved from the ravages of the corrupt in power people globally that cause this to be inflicted upon us, the peoples.

In other news, on a very local level, Mrs H has been suffering from a water infection that continues to lay her low. She now feels, somewhat tongue in cheek, that she is experiencing what the environment must feel like when it gets polluted. An interesting analogy for sure. And whilst antibiotics are now prescribed, it will take a lot of will power and change of habits to resolve. No tea or coffee, plenty of water, and absolutely no sherry. Rumours that this arrived from sampling her latest batch of 'cloudy cider', are unfounded, and we suspect spread by a farmer Clarksin who wants to take first prize at the upcoming Autumn Fete.

Now without further ado, here is this week's selfie. As the weather changes, so have my trips outdoors. So unlike recent weeks, and encouraged by some ongoing drizzle, I made a rare midday appearance indoors. Here I am catching an economical twenty winks. We all need to tighten our belts these days as poor crops and price rises are being felt everywhere . . .

We are joining the Sunday selfies, hosted by the wonderful Kitties Blue and their mum, Janet Blue, from the Cat on My Head blog in America. Click this sentence to visit Janet Blue's site.

Or copy and paste this link: https://thecatonmyhead.com/

Till Laters, and remember to play safe and hard, nap long, eat and drink plenty and often, and do not spend too long in the sun!

ERin & Mrs H.

Selfie Ecstasy with Mr Mins

noreply@blogger.com (Erin the Cat Princess) — Sun, 16 Aug 2026 05:12:11 +0000

Hello, and welcome to the latest Sunday selfie from the Chumley & Hudson Investigation Team!

Well, I am not sure about you all, but I am fed up of the heat. Another week of soil baking and crop wilting temps have meant that harvests have been brought forwards for fear that wild fires might consume them before the combines can get to them. There was talk of hand scything the crops to minimising the risk. This idea was quickly dismissed as, quite frankly, giving villagers lethally sharp implements so soon after the village fete judging (which left a lot of animosity) was deemed to be far too risky.

I have spent most of my days hiding anywhere other than where anyone can take a picture of me for the selfies. Mr Minstrel, however, has been only to happy to come and stay, and without fail has been taking up the guard position on the sofa in old Ned's cottage. The fact that AC unit is directly above and the food bowls below, might have something to do with this. In any event, as he didn't even bat an eyelid when asked if he minded doing the selfies, he has been volunteered.

His pose and chilled smile, bordering on ecstasy if you ask me, pretty much sums up how welcome a cool breeze is these days.

Do let us know how things are in your neck of the woods, and how you are keeping cool . . .

We are joining the Sunday selfies, hosted by the wonderful Kitties Blue and their mum, Janet Blue, from the Cat on My Head blog in America. Click this sentence to visit Janet Blue's site. Or copy and paste this link: https://thecatonmyhead.com/

Till Laters, and remember to play safe and hard, nap long, eat and drink plenty and often, and do not spend too long in the sun!

ERin & Mrs H.

Rare Sunday Nap Selfie

noreply@blogger.com (Erin the Cat Princess) — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 05:11:55 +0000

Hello, and welcome to the latest Sunday selfie from the Chumley & Hudson Investigation Team!

Mrs H and I are still on holiday, though we will be extending it slightly as events elsewhere have meant we both have had 'other' things to do and sort out.

The UMM summer heatwave has thankfully dropped to mid 20s centigrade, though the A/C continues in the main rooms of the Manor House. I prefer the sofa in the gardeners cottage to lounge on as there is a lovely early morning breeze flies through the open stable door and the wafting incense sticks, and the sound of the dawn chorus lull me into a welcome early nap.

Here you see me this morning, yes it was actually a selfie taken ON Sunday, catching some shuteye after a night of patrolling the grounds.

Hopefully your own Sunday selfies will be as as cool and blissful . . .

Till Laters, and remember to play safe and hard, nap long, eat plenty and often, and do not spend too long in the sun!

ERin & Mrs H.

Too Hot to Hop – well almost, Sunday selfie.

noreply@blogger.com (Erin the Cat Princess) — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 06:05:47 +0000

Hello, and welcome to the latest Sunday selfie from the Chumley & Hudson Investigation Team!

Whilst Mrs H and I are still on our 3 month holiday, we have not been lounging around enjoying the Upper Much-Mousing summer and sipping catnip juleps. Sadly temps have been so high this year - think high 30s centigrade with high humidity - it has become unbearably hot and not safe to be out and about for all but the wee small hours of the day.

Mrs Singh, she of the World Food Emporium in the village, has been staying open up way into the night for the older residents to shop in comfort. Being the entrepreneurial lady that she is, she has arranged for a summer license to sell take away foods and has placed benches outside her shop for families to enjoy the best street food from guest chefs. So far Mrs H an I have enjoy the mild Mexican beef chilli (cat friendly versions available), Japanese sushi with salmon, Chinese stir fry that is heavy on the chicken light on the noodles.

The highlight for the summer will be the local food festival. Due to the sign maker receiving a garbled message on his answerphone, what should have read The Upper Much-Mousing World Food Food Festival, got turned into "Munch Fest" on the banners, fliers and T shirts! Given the brevity of the logo, it actually was far cheaper than expected and the idea and goods stuck.

This year the village will once more host the UK's Curry World Championship. Villagers who make their own versions of curry recipes are also invited to join in the event and pit their recipes against the pros.

The local bookmaker has Mrs Bradley down as hot favourite with her mild vindaloo turnip and pea surprise curry. Hopefully the surprise this year won't be the addition of Brussel's sprouts that she put in last years entry. In the words of Gladys, who helps Mrs H in the kitchen sometimes, it gave it a "gale force ooomph effect" the likes of which she'd not felt since her time on the North Sea trawlers!

And now for a Sunday Selfie, which I took time for away from my long summer nap and night time escapades. This is about as lively as I get these hot days, and was not prepared, for fear of exhaustion, to raise even an eyelid.

Till Laters, and remember to play safe and do not spend too long in the sun!

ERin & Mrs H.

Just a Min Sunday Selfie!

noreply@blogger.com (Erin the Cat Princess) — Sun, 21 Jun 2026 05:02:20 +0000

Hello, and welcome to the latest Sunday selfie from the Chumley & Hudson Investigation Team!

Mr Minstrel, aka Mr Mins, would like to thank everyone who wished him the best last week, and offered prayers for his visit to the Doctors and speedy recovery.

Miss Carroll, our neighbour with whom he is now lodging, took him for his check up and treatment. He was seen by the head practitioner, Doctor Nicholas, and it seems that he has arthritis in his shoulder, acquired no doubt through a life spent trying to survive on the streets. Forced to be ever on the alert, forever travelling, and fighting for territory and food, he will have had little chance to rest from injuries and recover. And whilst he has had a home, there certainly has been little warmth in his life for many years.

Dr Nicholas pronounced that he was a big (and growing) and loveable mancat. He has had his first injections to protect him in his new life, and will return for the final course in a few weeks. He has, in true Mr Mins style, been laid back about it all.

Armed with pain killers, warm places to sleep, and a now a worldwide family of friends here in the blogosphere, he is eternally grateful to everyone to be able to live out his life in comfort with Miss Carroll, and here at the Manor House in Upper Much Mousing.

So here is his post Dr's visit Selfie, taken in advance Friday just gone, when he called in to inspect my sofa. In true Mr Mins style, he also placed an order for second lunch claiming he was starving after such a long (actually short) walk from from Miss C's house down the road. Mrs H rolled her eyes, but quickly caved in and sorted out out a little something for him. That old tomcat habit of eating as much as possible for fear of hard times ahead, has not quite left him it seems 😉.

Till Laters!

ERin & Mrs H.

Mr Mins Takes a Rest(ful) Selfie!

noreply@blogger.com (Erin the Cat Princess) — Sun, 14 Jun 2026 07:10:30 +0000

Hello, and welcome to the latest Sunday selfie from the Chumley & Hudson Investigation Team!

Mr Mins (aka Mr Minstrel), who you met a couple of weeks ago, has hurt his leg somehow and now has a pronounced limp. He will be heading to see the Dr next week to find out what he has done.

So whilst the sun was out, he took the opportunity to soak up the healing rays. When Ol' Ned the gardener pottered by with the camera, having taken some plant pictures, Mins said he would love a picture to show all his old pals just what a cool and relaxed life he now leads.

The best of all lives for a stray who fell on his feet. Ironically we think it was falling on his feet that has hurt his leg!

As Mr Mins is not one to complain or ask for help, Mrs H and I would appreciate any healing purrs and mantras you can send his way.

Till Laters!

ERin & Mrs H.

Sunday Selfie R&R

noreply@blogger.com (Erin the Cat Princess) — Sun, 07 Jun 2026 05:07:49 +0000

Hello, and welcome to our latest Sunday selfie!

OK, so maybe not the charming kind of selfie you all expect, but it mirrors how I feel about this week. With rain and wind dominating the village weather, little laundry has been hung out doors for fear of the items getting wetter than when it was being washed and ending up i the next county!

So, with various rooms in the Manor House now decorated with bed linen and Mrs H's own items, and believe it or not, a TENT!, my normal surroundings have been turned into a kind of Bedouin encampment. So I retreated to Ol' Ned's cottage for a bit of R&R, which in this picture captured by the shaky old gardener, means Relaxation and Roaring!

However and wherever this week's weather finds you, we wish you a lovely, roaringly good week!

We are joining the Sunday Selfies, hosted by the wonderful Kitties Blue and their mum, Janet Blue, from the Cat on My Head blog in America. Click this sentence to visit Janet Blue's site. Or copy and paste this link: https://thecatonmyhead.com/

Till Laters!

ERin & Mrs H.

The Hidden Library

noreply@blogger.com (Erin the Cat Princess) — Sun, 31 May 2026 04:12:02 +0000

Written by Sharon Gosling

An Adventure Book Review by Erin the Literary Cat©, International Book Reviewer.

Hello, and welcome to my latest Book Review featuring this an amazing adult contemporary fiction light romance and adventure by one of the UK's best (and one of my fav's too) novelists.

Without further ado, and with my trusty housekeeper, Mrs H, planning a writing trip to Northumberland as we speak, let's get on with the review.......

AUTHOR: SHARON GOSLING

Illustrations by: N/A at this time

Published by: SIMON & SCHUSTER LTD UK

Publication date Paperback: 27 AUG 2026

Paperback 13 digit ISBN: 978 1398 538 917

UK Cover price for Paperback: £9.99

Amazon KINDLE price: £6.99

Audible price: Listed as 1 credit

Pages: Listed as 400 on Amazon for paperback at this time.

Age range: Adult

Any dogs or cats? Wait and find out! 😉

SPOILER ALERT

Some as to plot direction and characters.

Thank you to...

We are exceedingly grateful to Simon & Schuster for contacting us to see if we wished to review. OF COURSE! was our reply, as I have not read a bad book by Sharon, be it adult or kids fiction.

As ever, our views are our own, and we only share reviews of books we have bought, received as gifts, or received in exchange for an impartial review.

First and foremost, the books we review are those we select to read, like, and feel our global readers deserve to know about and will enjoy.

The plot

Helen Thorne, writer, has gained fame for writing a book called ‘All of the Above’, described in the press as the new feminist bible. During a girls’ get-together to announce and celebrate the making of the movie of Helen’s book, she gets a text. It is the inciting incident for everything that follows and sets a tone that runs through till the end.

The text is from a past lover, a married man who ten years earlier, when Helen was just young and naive, had led her on into the affair with his oh-so-charming ways, and promises–all unkept. The affair ended painfully, but the man seemingly jokingly said he’d want part of her fame should things go well. Now he is back for his share; blackmailing her by threatening to expose the romance, making her the villain of the piece. The other lady involved is one of the country’s most loved actresses.

Things turn nasty when Helen’s friend tells him to get lost via text. The next day, hung over and sleepy, she discovers that he has exposed her sins and the movie deal is off. In fact, her career, all she seemed to have stood for in her novel, appears to be nothing more than hypocrisy and lies.

She needs to escape the inevitable pack of bad-news hunting journalists out for salacious details, and ready to paint her the villain of the trio.

Her mother, a solicitor, offers her a lifeline. One of her firm’s clients, a reclusive book fanatic, Cyril Gissing, has died. He lived on a remote Northumberland island called Rathbrooke. With no internet and no mobile phone signal, it offers the perfect place to hide out until matters quieten down.

As to what Helen will do there, her mother advises that she needs to find Cyril’s will as well as catalogue his collection of valuable books. After all, she has a Master’s degree in that area.

Helen arrives on the island one stormy night, guided through a most treacherous storm by Rufus; handyman and gardener on the island who lives in the now unused lighthouse near its harbour.

The ten-hectare island is being battered by the storm, but soon she is safely within its thick stone wall building. Fed and watered by Mr Gissing’s housekeeper, Martha Darling, she is shown her rooms and rests for the night in front of the roaring fire, but with no electricity. But as she tries to settle, she hears a child’s footsteps running through the dark and hulking building.

Later the next day she gets to meet Cora, Martha’s sullen daughter (of indeterminate age, possibly pre-teen) from an abusive marriage that she managed to escape from–not unlike the situation Helen finds herself in. When asked about the sounds of children, she is told there is nobody else on the island.

It is clear from conversations with Martha and Rufus that they are all very worried about what will become of them if no will is found. For Cora, who loved Cyril and his work, things seem particularly hard-hitting. She runs the large, ornate greenhouse that helps feed them as well as helping with the rare breed sheep peculiar to the island that bring in funds when sold on the mainland.

But as Helen digs deeper through the books in search of the elusive will, she discovers some of Cyril’s notes, as well as letters received over many years from someone called Thiago Montera. Cyril was clearly obsessed with something, but what she is reading seems to be in some code. Pursuit of the will takes second place as Helen tries to solve this new mystery.

Cora is no help, even though she knew the old man better than anyone and had his trust. In fact, she manifests a lot of animosity towards Helen, as though she is to blame for the collapse of their onetime idyllic life and all the recent woes, including Cyril’s death. What secrets she holds, secrets only she and Cyril shared, she is determined not to let go of.

One rainy night, a stranger arrives in another storm. Like an elegant storm-washed pirate, Thiago Montera arrives and bangs the building’s massive doors to be let in. It turns out, as we the readers have already been privy to by side notes in the story, Thiago is a longtime friend and book hunter for Cyril, and seeks out rare and forgotten tomes for his collection. Driven by not hearing from his friend for too long, he has sailed his own boat to the island from afar.

With no means of validation if this man is the same as the one Helen had found in correspondence in Cyril’s library, can she trust him? Soon, his passion for books is clear, and Helen becomes trusting of his good intent. The search for the will goes on, but threads of information about Cyril’s obsession lead to fresh revelations and discoveries about something very important, rare, and extremely valuable. Something that could change the whole situation of the island and its inhabitants.

The twists and turns that take place from this point, the values that we place on trust, who we trust and why we do what we do, ramp up the suspense to storm pitch and ferocity and get thoroughly shaken, much like the burgeoning love that Helen feels sparks of for Thiago. There are lies told, half truths and crimes yet to unfold, like the very best of a stormy Hitchcock movie. Be prepared for a roller coaster finale that delivers 110% on all storm-washed levels.

So, what did we think?

Gosh and golly. This really did capture the imagination and kept us turning pages. The passion in the scene-setting – so natural and light a touch that clearly belies the effort, skill, and patience to create such an atmospheric read. A locked-island mystery? Well, this very nearly is, save for a few forays to the mainland. There are plenty of locked doors and secrets to be revealed, not least being a particular Mulberry Tree that lives sheltered in the middle of the enclosed grounds. It would be too big a spoiler to give away what Cyril and Thiago were communicating on, his passion, so I won’t, but it too is woven into the story from centuries past to present and, dare I say, into the future.

We have little injections of correspondence from various characters throughout the book, which add an extra dimension and little plot clues and twists. We initially, like the stormy and dramatic prologue that ably sets the island and North Sea for what they can be, wondered what was going on. But soon things became clear.

As to the ending, well, I was very happy. More than that, I dare not say, as it was a cliffhanger to the final few pages.

So, Crunch time.

A refreshing, very readable tale, filled with tangible heart, passion, and adventure, from an author who loves books and writing. A perfect summer read for any time of the year.

Sharon Gosling's web site is currently expired, but you can follow her and her delightful cat, Newt, on Instagram. Newt is such a nice girl, and full of her own human ways and antics. Sharon's (and Newt's) lovely Instagram page (elements of her gardening, crafting, writing, life) can be found HERE OR type this:- https://www.instagram.com/sharongoslingauthor/

Simon & Schuster's UK's web page can be found HERE. OR type this:- https://www.simonandschuster.com/

***

And now for the selfie, which is what makes Sunday special and why the globe and and its worries shrink that little bit more because of the friendship, kindness and respect we sentient beings show to each other . . .

Caught napping?! A rare event, Mrs H said, though I swear she had crossed fingers behind her back when she did.

My reply was that I was just ~~dreaming~~ thinking of what sort of prince I wanted to whisk me away in my next adventure . . .

I hope you enjoyed that book review (and our selfie). If you get to read this book, and we hope you do, please let us know your thoughts. 🙂

Till laters!

ERin

Selfie with a new part time team member!

noreply@blogger.com (Erin the Cat Princess) — Sun, 24 May 2026 05:29:01 +0000

Hello, and welcome to our latest Sunday selfie!

This week we have had a visit from a guest. Almost long forgotten, always welcome, at least until they outstay their welcome by being too fervent and unrelenting in their endeavours to make everyone feel happy.

Yup, like a whirlwind, a summer heatwave has arrived in Upper Much-Mousing! With temps in the high twenties, and destined for mid to high thirties the village has been transformed. Washing lines, full with maritime pennant flag-like multicoloured arrays of knickers, hankies and frivolous frilly bedtime wear, raise eyebrows of the old, giggles from the young and make magpies curious.

Winter bedsheets, their final wash over, now flap languidly in the light breeze. The artificial fabric conditioner fights with early scents from nearby gardens soon to be open to all to view in the villages open garden scheme.

Mrs H, ever one to have a hands on approach to looking after the farmland we have, has been out spot spraying some of the pernicious weeds. Gladys, who helps Mrs H in the kitchen and comes to stay here at the Manor House whilst Mrs H is off on one of her missions for the NAFFI, says she looks like a cross between a bee keeper, and an astronaut!

Me, I have been chatting with a newcomer to the village. Onetime travelling cat, who we first met in a recent adventure; more of that to follow nearer its publication. Minstrel by name and nature, Mr Mins, as we like to call him, has been staying with Miss Carroll – fellow WI member who lives nearby – until he can find permanent lodgings of his own. Just as well he chose Miss Carroll and Mrs H to befriend as both cook very well, and he has an appetite to match a horse!

Anyway, I said to Mr Mins, "Why not do a selfie to introduce yourself to the Blogosphere and future adventure book readers?"

He said he thought that to be an excellent idea, and far better than the mug shots of his one time life as a henchcat.

So without further ado, here is Mr Minstrel taking the sun and letting its natural warm healing properties sooth way the aches of the mission . . .

Till Laters!

ERin & Mrs H.

A Sad Sunday Selfie

noreply@blogger.com (Erin the Cat Princess) — Sun, 10 May 2026 05:33:00 +0000

Hello, and welcome to our latest Sunday selfie!

First of all we want to pay our respects to Jackie Avery, long time blogger, friend, and friend to us all. Jackie's passing came as a terrible shock to us – to everyone, and I think she will be universally missed.

Our deepest sympathy goes to Ivor, her husband and forever companion. The world truly has lost a light that shone so very bright, cheered so many lives, and garnered so much friendship through her own travel blog as well as Eric and Flynn's adventures. Till we meet again, Jackie, have a good and wonderful rebirth.

Thank you Ann Adamus for this wonderful badge for Jackie

This week's selfie is subdued and how we feel and have felt for a while. But curling up is not the answer to everything, that we know. But it does help when it comes to a good nap.....

Till Laters!

ERin & Mrs H.

VAMPIRE EMPIRE: RED TIDE.

noreply@blogger.com (Erin the Cat Princess) — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 05:55:00 +0000

Written by Curtis Jobling

An Adventure Book Review by Erin the Literary Cat©, International Book Reviewer.

Hello, and welcome to my latest Book Review featuring this week an amazing first part to a Viking, Pictish and Vampire YA duology.

Without further ado, and with my trusty housekeeper, Mrs H, brandishing a silver blade, lets get this boat in the water.....

AUTHOR: Curtis Jobling

Cover Illustrations by: Gavin Reece

Published by: Fox & Ink Books

Publication date Paperback: 7 May 2026

Paperback 13 digit ISBN: 978 191 789 4050

UK Cover price for Paperback: £8.99

Amazon KINDLE price: £3.99

Pages: 319 in paperback (excludes glossary etc.)

Age range: YA and above

Content warning: As this is a YA adventure, it has some scenes that show vampire actions, as well as vampire and Viking violence, threat, and the results there of. Given the nature of such things, we would not recommend this for younger readers, or those that dislike such themed books.

SPOILER ALERT

Some as to plot direction and characters.

Thank you to...

We are exceedingly grateful to the Publishers FOX & INK BOOKS and Graeme Williams Publicity for offering us a chance to Read & Review this AMAZING story.

As ever, our views are our own, and we only share reviews of books we have bought, received as gifts, or received in exchange for an impartial review.

First and foremost, the books we review are those we select to read, like, and feel our global readers deserve to know about and that we hope they, their family, friends and students will enjoy.

The plot

The place is the island of Unst, part of the Shetland Isles. The year is 900 AD.

On Unst, the once fierce Viking warrior 'shieldmaiden', Frida Blackheart, is now the Jarl (a status like an earl, and a king's representative) of the island. The Vikings and Picts now live in harmony and relative peace together as farmers. Frida's daughter, Hilde, who has just become a woman after fifteen winters, is much like her mother: proud, strong for her age and sex, and not above a fight if provoked. And she often is, by the butcher's son, Aidan, the biggest boy in the village. It is after one such fight, goaded by Aidan, that Hilde lets rip and, in a red mist of rage, nearly kills the lad. At a village gathering for a feast in the Jarl's lodge later that day, in front of her mother, Hilde is forced to apologise.

But Hilde has a friend in Cormac, the blacksmith's son. He is of her age, and whilst a pict like Aidan, he does not hold Aiden or Aidan's father's dislike for Vikings.

It is at that very same feast that a man appears and seeks to reintroduce himself to Frida. His name is Hydyr; later, we'll see him revealed as Hydyr the Hungry. It is an appearance and conversation that leaves Frida cold and unusually scared in her own house. And rightly so, as he is a former Viking crew member when she, as the crew's captain, sailed the oceans, fighting and pillaging as they went. It was a time she turned her back on, and for a very good reason. They had raided a sacred treasure trove and killed all the guardians thereof. And before he was slain, the priest there cursed them to a non-life; never dying or able to be killed. They quickly discover that eating normal humans was the best way to get the sustenance they need to quell the thirst. They all, including Frida, became the Harrowed Men.

But wanting a better life for her yet unborn child, she abandoned them and arrived at Unst. And that she thought was the end of it. Until now.

Hydyr wasn't just passing by and there peacefully just to say hello as he claims. He has come for something very special that was taken from him, and to reclaim his partner and one-time captain. He now captains the Harrowed Men, but he has ceased to be like them. He has been bitten by Hastur, King of the Vampires, and in turn has become one. To survive, he just needs blood and to stay out of the light.

Soon after his arrival, the village is sacked and the inhabitants slain, or worse, taken captive to be treated as livestock – food for the men on the journey home.

Cormac, who was not at the feast, was spared the worst of the fight, as were Aidan and Hilde, but for different reasons and circumstances. In the aftermath, Cormac finds himself on board the Harrowed Men's ship, a captive, but not yet food as Hydyr says he has skills and worth to him. Just so long as he behaves....

With Frida held captive on the boat also, weakened by injuries but not taking the flesh or blood she prefers to food to help herself heal, her fate is one she hopes will be of her own making. Going back to the blood lust of the old days is not now an option for her.

Hilde, Aidan, and an elderly hermit boat maker have survived the sacking of the village, but only just. And as all good heroes-in-the-making must, they start a journey to rescue Frida as well as Cormac. As well as seek justice along the way.

With the initially unwilling talking head of one of the Harrowed Men as a guide – his body having been left in the sacking of the village, they set off on the first half of an adventure that has seen the best, most dramatic and pacy, heart-racing set of scenes we can recall for a long time.

What and who they come across, the delightful twists and nuances along the way, we have deliberately left out, as that is essentially what drives their half of the story.

Which means it is time to say that is where I must leave the review. Rest assured, I have not given too much away.

So, what did we think? Spoilers here!

This is the second book by Curtis Jobling that Mrs H and I have read together for review, and neither has let us down. The author has written many more books, all to good reviews, so we are encouraged to read on through upcoming new releases without fear of being let down.

It is fair to say that Mr Jobling has very much his own voice and an undoubted talent for world-building like the very best and well-known storytellers. And he can do it across genres and for different audiences. Please see our review HERE of WYRDWOOD by Curtis Jobling, or use the link below to find out more about his other literary works, and background in writing, movies and television.

Vampire stories have, since watching the movie Salem's Lot (by Stephen King and featuring David Soul), given me a gross dislike for horror movies in general, and the vampire genre specifically, be it in the movies, on television, or in book form.

Comparing movies to books is, some would say, foolhardy or impossible, as the film usually bears scant resemblance to the book. So, taking the book as the true form and intent of the writer, we rely on dipping our toes in to check things out.

This tale works for us because of the different backgrounds and imperatives for the three protagonists, four if you include Frida. Then there is the partly factual historical background, and the true setting. Of course, these are crucial to any good read, but especially if it is for a younger, more demanding audience.

Without going overboard, this has a sensually stunning yet subtle backdrop that feels as redolent of the period as any period drama, without burdening the reader with facts, figures and fashions. For instance, the sacrifice at the very beginning is bold, yet completed with a reverence relevant to the act and what it meant. A stark contrast to what will come, and undoubtedly a way to provide a reference point for time and place. For info on names and meanings, there is an appendix, and very handy it is too for those who want a little more depth.

Splitting our protagonists up from early on and assigning/titling each chapter to a character was a stroke of genius. I thought this might spoil the flow, segment it up too much, but it actually added to the tension as the multiple threads to the first half draw closer together in one way or another, come the closing chapters.

The reader isn't short of action or adventure to enjoy along the way, and twists and turns come regularly as the timelines develop.

This is not a teen-only based adventure, far from it. The three main protagonists may be teens, but from the start, we inhabit a world of adults. Indeed, we must remember that the line between child and adult at this time was so blurred, and childhood and innocence a luxury. All adds to making the story even more compelling.

Finally, there are undercurrents in this book about friendships and acceptance, about loyalty to old ways and new, gods and demons– both within and without.

All interesting things if you care to dig deeper yourself, and or have the conversation with readers old and young. But that is pleasingly left below the surface and not the overriding reason for this adventure.

To say we are keen to read the sequel and the concluding part is an understatement. 2028 is slated for the release, and it really will take too long to arrive, but we both feel it will be satisfying when it does.

And to slake our own literary hunger in the meantime, and for those of you who enjoyed 'Wyrdwood', the sequel entitled 'Greenteeth' will be released in 2027! That is one we are very keen to Read and Review!

So . . . .

Crunch time.

The author has created an enthralling story that immerses the reader in the everyday and sometimes bloody world of Vikings and Pictish Britain from the off. It is penned with passion, creating drama and adventure that is sure to enthral the upper YA reader and adult alike.

AUTHOR: Curtis Jobling. Click here for their web page.

Illustrations by: Gavin Reece. Click here for their Instagram page.

Published by: Fox & Ink Books. Click here for their web page.

SUNDAY SELFIE TIME

Sunday needs a selfie, so here is ours. Certainly, if you have finished your Sunday breakfast and lunch, may well be in need of a nap, just like me!

Till Laters!

ERin & Mrs H.

Red Tide and Selfie, Sans the Chicken

noreply@blogger.com (Erin the Cat Princess) — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 05:42:00 +0000

Hello, and welcome to our latest Sunday selfie!

This week there has been nothing wonderful here weather wise, just a cycle of wind, rain, hail, sun, then repeat.

One of the bright spots of the week has been our latest 'Read and Review' book: RED TIDE. This is by the wonderfully creative author, Curtis Jobling. We reviewed his recent middle grade horror story, WYRDWOOD, last October. And my what a fabulous read it was too, one worthy of Stephen King. And just look at that cover which features the three teenage protagonists.

This new read is about Vikings, Picts, and . . . vampires.

I won't spoil our upcoming review, but let me say this is a fantastically creative read, with modicum of humour too. It hasn't given us any nightmares, and is the first half of a mini series that has us now nicely poised and desperate for the grand and gripping conclusion.

So whilst Mrs H and I haven't got much editing work done, we have been happy to let the weather and world pass on by.

Moving on, this week's selfie is a picture Mrs H snapped on Thursday. I think I was dreaming of catnip toys and a plate full of nice tasty chicken. . . neither of which I got!

Oh well, maybe I will in my dreams. Hopefully your week has been better than ours, food wise if nothing else. And please do share what books you are reading, and if you would recommend.

Till Laters!

ERin & Mrs H.

ERin's Up Close & Personal Selfie

noreply@blogger.com (Erin the Cat Princess) — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 06:57:00 +0000

Hello, and welcome to our latest Sunday selfie!

This week we have been contemplating the new book covers for books 1 to 3 of our series. Yes, we are redoing the cover for book 1 which is already published. Whilst we all loved it, some criticism levied at it was that its relevance to the actual plot was not clear, I was not as prominent as I could be, and that it did not appeal to the younger target audience through action, colour and adventure.

As authors, these criticisms can be hard to take, and take on board, especially when so much artistic time and money has gone into creating the covers.

But as time passes, and attitudes mellow, you can see through pride and discover that a book's cover can not just live in the mind and aspirations of the authors who live most of the time in their own world. As we buddhists know and understand, there is nothing that exists independent of anything else, be it a person, piece of furniture . . . or a book cover.

So with that in mind, and the 1920s rose coloured glasses removed, we, Mrs H, our amazing artist, Craig Howarth, and I, have been working on a new action filled and topical cover theme for the first three books at least.

More will be revealed in due course, lets just say that the new covers allow us to map out the shape of adventures to come.

This week's selfie is a head to foot shot, sans the middle bit. It was an inspired image captured last week with the aid of Mrs H. Here's looking at you, kid (fellow felines and humans, too!)

Till Laters!

ERin & Mrs H.

A Half Faced Whiskery Selfie

noreply@blogger.com (Erin the Cat Princess) — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 05:55:00 +0000

Hello, and welcome to our latest Sunday selfie!

This week's selfie is, maybe unsurprisingly, another bed shot.

As Mrs H is very busy looking at some editing, (I hasten to add she is doing more looking than doing!) I had wandered into Ol' Ned's room and pestered him to take a Selfie.

After half an hour of getting comfortable (Ned, not me), the pose is supposed to be one of, well, I'll let you decide and comment below. One thing for certain, it seem as though I have lost most of my whiskers on one side. Though the other side looks quite full and majestic. I assure you no whiskers, save Ned's, were hurt in the taking of this selfie!

In other news, the wars around the world seem to be escalating, and the weather and mood here in Upper Much-Mousing is an unhappy reflection of the bad, and stupidity of leaders that there is elsewhere. Thankfully, we know there is a lot of good out there. As Buddhists we dedicate prayers to guide us to help stop this dangerous folly and cycle of destruction and death.

May your own weeks be filled with happiness and the causes of happiness and be free from the upset and the causes thereof.

For now, I am heading off to see if I can get Mrs H to add some whiskery highlights to restore my inner and outer balance.

Till Laters!

ERin & Mrs H.

The Upside and Downside of Life

noreply@blogger.com (Erin the Cat Princess) — Sun, 22 Mar 2026 06:40:00 +0000

Hello, and welcome to our latest selfie Sunday selfie!

This week's selfie is brought to you courtesy of Ol' Ned, who awoke from one of his impromptu naps to see me checking him from above for signs of life.

His short naps are famous in these parts, mainly due to their length which often exceeds his working hours. Mrs H thinks that he mistook our advert for a sleep-in handy-person to mean quite literally he had to sleep whenever and in whatever was to hand.

Thankfully all was well, and Ol' Ned was just dozing on his sofa under the window. Having got up to make Mrs H a cup of tea he set off on foot to fetch the morning papers from Mrs Singh's World Food Emporium, aka Upper Much-Mousing's corner shop.

After that we are hoping to make the best of the last of this week's sunshine, before more gloom and cloud and rain head in this afternoon.

Spring is most definitely with us, and the early blooms are doing their best to fight off all the bad news in the world.

May your week bring you health and happiness, and may peace reign supreme in your world as well as ours.

We are joining the Sunday Selfies, hosted by the wonderful Kitties Blue and their mum, Janet Blue, from the Cat on My Head blog in America. Click this sentence to visit Janet Blue's site.

Till Laters!

ERin & Mrs H.

A Sunday Selfie, Lint Roller Not Included

noreply@blogger.com (Erin the Cat Princess) — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 06:19:00 +0000

Hello, and welcome to our latest selfie Sunday!

In a week full of bad news, anything positive, seems a real rarity.

And when Mrs H accidentally dropped a spanner across the battery terminals of our Vauxhall 30/98 E type tourer, things were far too positive. There was a shower of sparks and the spanner jumped a few feet into the air. Fortunately, no body, be it spanner, feline or human were any the worse. The battery is likely toast now, so Mrs H has bought a new one to be on the safe side.

As the weather and Mrs H's tooth hole have shown some improvement, Mrs H, feeling a lot jollier, has tried to start on book 4 of our adventure series. But as I dictate the post for today, the dark clouds once more march across the sky, and it looks like more rain will spoil what is left of the weekend. I suspect it will be (another) Sunday spent laying on the bed grooming, napping and thinking of warmer, happier, peaceful days.

On the subject of work, here is my selfie. It was taken on Friday, and shows me at MY desk. I told Mrs H that great things happen at this desk and on this chair, and my naps are power thinking naps, rather than an opportunity to shed some hair on the chair's stiff fabric. To which Mrs H rolled her eyes and went to get the vacuum and lint roller . . . .

Whatever fluff your day finds you in, be it good, bad, or self inflicted, we hope you find some joy and warmth in knowing there is a lot of good out there. And if all that joy gets united, it can change the badness into goodness. And not just in stories.

We are joining the Sunday Selfies, hosted by the wonderful Kitties Blue and their mum, Janet Blue, from the Cat on My Head blog in America. Click this sentence to visit Janet Blue's site.

Till Laters!

ERin & Mrs H.

Erin's Surprisingly Sunny Selfie!

noreply@blogger.com (Erin the Cat Princess) — Sun, 08 Mar 2026 07:29:00 +0000

Hello, and welcome to our latest selfie Sunday!

I was going to skip the bit about the weather continuing to be rainy, when it turned warmish and dry. But on getting up this morning at 2am, Mrs H came back to bed and advised that, yup, you guessed it, it was back to rain again! So it's a no change day after all.

It seems the world, nature, is screaming that we need to do something quick or else we will be washed away in torrents of rain and misery. Most of which Ol'Ned attributes to the greed of political animals, and big business. Which Mrs H and I have to agree with.

That said, we won't sit back and wait for others to act. Mrs H has been researching a home battery to go with the solar panels we had installed on the manor house's roof many years ago. She says we could, by buying our electricity at the cheap rate and storing it for use when it is expensive, save a small fortune.

I went away and did some sum math, and figured that will keep her in sherry and me in catnip for eternity!

Anyways, the whole, hole in tooth affair seems, like the hole, to be drawing to a literal and metaphoric close. The gums are drawing together and pain easing.

Soon she will be fighting fit and off light duties. Though to be fair, the only thing she has really been grateful for missing is the taste testing of Mrs Granites home made rock cakes, which live up to her name, especially the bullet like raisins within!

Anyways, here is my not so stone-like selfie, taken earlier in the week with the coming of the sun, albeit a short coming ;)

Whatever the weather, we hope you have a good week, filled with sunshine, love and joy. And to feel the force, do consider a home battery and solar panels!

We are joining the Sunday Selfies, hosted by the wonderful Kitties Blue and their mum, Janet Blue, from the Cat on My Head blog in America. Click this sentence to visit Janet Blue's site.

Till Laters!

ERin & Mrs H.

Sore Tooth Sunday Selfie

noreply@blogger.com (Erin the Cat Princess) — Sun, 01 Mar 2026 05:54:00 +0000

Hello, and welcome to our latest selfie Sunday!

I shall skip the bit where I tell you about how bad the weather has been, and rather tell you about Mrs H's sore tooth. Not mine thankfully, but a decidedly cheeky molar that has been her personal burden for some years. Despite taking her previous dentist to task and saying how it hurt, she was told no issues.

Thankfully, good karma bought a new dentist surgery in Much Deeping-Hollow and the dentist, Dr Ali, said after a re-exam and new X-Rays, that a filling had likely been leaking! Have it out, Mrs H advised straight away, and wasn't contradicted by Dr Ali, who said even with a crown on it the tooth would slowly rot away and cause more issues.

I am not sure why Mrs H would warrant a crown, I mean, that is my place and position. But the day arrived, and after a necessary double dose of pain killing injections (Mrs H is a tough old bird and of the 5% that cant be numbed in the usual places (maybe due to too much sherry!)) she was soon safely numbed up and the tooth duly extracted.

The down side is she is on soft food and warm drinks only for a few days as well as paracetamol (which does not cause autism) and Ibuprofen. It also means she is now unusually crotchety. So with that in mind I have been spending more time at Ol'Ned the gardeners place.

Normal service will be resumed in a week or so. Thankfully, I am not forced to eat mushy food, or drink warm tea!

Anyways, here is my not so numbed up selfie taken an hour ago by Ol' Ned.

Whatever room or cottage today finds you in, or however your teeth may feel, we hope you have a good week, filled with sunshine, love and joy.

We are joining the Sunday Selfies, hosted by the wonderful Kitties Blue and their mum, Janet Blue, from the Cat on My Head blog in America. Click this sentence to visit Janet Blue's site.

Till Laters!

ERin & Mrs H.

Sunday Selfie and a new fun gift....

noreply@blogger.com (Erin the Cat Princess) — Sun, 22 Feb 2026 07:39:00 +0000

Hello, and welcome to our latest selfie Sunday!

I really wish I could report that the weather held less of the wet stuff, but sadly it has remained windy, wet, and decidedly boring.

No new physical books read, but we have been steaming through MC Beaton's Agatha Raisin series. If you are not familiar with the series, MC Beaton, who is sadly no longer with us, was a prolific writer of murder mysteries, and has been dubbed the queen of the village murder mystery series and genre. She was prolific, and had a style that pleased across all her separate character lead series, which included Hamish Macbeth.

Easy going at times, the audio books have a beautifully narrated flow, and nice twisty turny plots that never fail to please, despite their being familiar long running themes and backdrops throughout the 30 plus books in each series.

One surprise this week, was the arrival of a gift from ol' Ned, the gardener. "Something that would raise a smile on any guests that visit the manor house", he said.

Mrs H and I couldn't help but laugh, her more than I to be honest, but I did see the bright side and think this is a lovely gift for cat lovers who will undoubtedly have experienced the situation too.

There are quite a few on Amazon, if you do a search for cat bathroom signs, so if it takes your fancy there are plenty of shapes and images to choose from.

And now a picture selfie of me. I may or may not be upside down, but I definitely am not in the bathroom or loo!

Whatever rooms today finds you in, we wish you all a happy and hopefully dry and warm week.

We are joining the Sunday Selfies, hosted by the wonderful Kitties Blue and their mum, Janet Blue, from the Cat on My Head blog in America. Click this sentence to visit Janet Blue's site.

Till Laters!

ERin & Mrs H.

Loafing around Sunday Selfie

noreply@blogger.com (Erin the Cat Princess) — Sun, 08 Feb 2026 06:54:00 +0000

Hello, and welcome to our latest selfie Sunday!

This week has, to put it mildly, been extremely wet. Floods and wind abound our small county of East Lambtonshire. Thankfully, since our village of Upper Much-Mousing has slid as far as it can down the nearby hill, and the river was widened many years back, we have been saved any more flooding.

Rain did not deter Mrs H flying off to get supplies, but not by plane. She braved the weather on foot, saying it was easier to dry herself off than the motorcycle or bicycle. Which, save for her unruly hair, was true. She returned from a sortie to Mrs Singh's World Food Emporium (aka the corner shop) with many bags of flour.

The bread making machine is going great guns, and Mrs H is proud of her successful run of 4 perfect wholemeal loaves. So cheap too, and we estimate for a small 400g loaf only 84 pence. And that includes electricity.

Do any of you guys make your own using a machine, and how do you find it?

Here is a very special 'LOAF' selfie!

And because we really would not just leave your with a picture of that bread, no matter how tasty, here is what you really came for, a picture of ME!

However your selfies turn out, be they well done loaves or snoozing, we wish you a dry, rain, wind, and snow-free safe week . . .

We are joining the Sunday Selfies, hosted by the wonderful Kitties Blue and their mum, Janet Blue, from the Cat on My Head blog in America. Click this sentence to visit Janet Blue's site.

Till Laters!

ERin & Mrs H.

Sunday Star(e) Selfie

noreply@blogger.com (Erin the Cat Princess) — Sun, 25 Jan 2026 07:16:00 +0000

Hello, and welcome to our latest selfie Sunday!

I had nipped into the guest room at Ned's place for a snooze, as part of my mandatory bed testing regime, and thought "You know what, let's take a selfie whilst I am here." Given the size of Ol' Ned's fingers, as well as shaking, it is a miracle they managed to press the shutter button. But with the aid of bale twine and a cunning balancing act using various garden implements, including fork, spade and two trowels, this was the net result.

Mrs H, who was busy in the kitchens experimenting with a new bread making machine from those nice people at Panasonic land, was suitably impressed and said I had an air of Queen Victoria about me. Maybe I can see that in the royal forehead. What do you think? Queen Vic or our dear Queen ER11?

However you week and selfies turn out, be it covered in soil or elbow deep in flour, we wish you a regal, happy, healthy and safe week . . .

We are joining the Sunday Selfies, hosted by the wonderful Kitties Blue and their mum, Janet Blue, from the Cat on My Head blog in America. Click this sentence to visit Janet Blue's site.

Till Laters!

ERin & Mrs H.

Wet and windy, NOT how I like my cream!

noreply@blogger.com (Erin the Cat Princess) — Sun, 18 Jan 2026 04:07:00 +0000

Hello, and welcome to our selfie sunday!

With mainly wet, wet, wet (not the boy band) performing this week with wind as the backing band, I have been spending my time, you guessed it, examining the weave of this cotton bed spread.

Not much else to do these days of mid winter, so likely you'll get to see more of such similarly posed shots in the coming weeks.

Hopefully you all will be faring better weather wise, and activity wise?

Let us know what weather is like where you are, and if sunny and warm/hot, where the nearest airport is, MOL

Have a lovely week!

We are joining the Sunday Selfies, hosted by the wonderful Kitties Blue and their mum, Janet Blue, from the Cat on My Head blog in America. Click this sentence to visit Janet Blue's site.

Till Laters!

ERin & Mrs H.