So, post dentist...aw shucks it was nuthin'...only pain as we used to say in the Marines. Anyway, as usual I planted a mistake in the blog to see who would see it. 14 people spotted it, two of whom came from Devon. The name of the Montgomery Hotel used to be The Dolphin....
And so to the town meeting of some of the candidates for Police Commissioner. We in Devon vote tomorrow. So 15th November will be a great day for some...like some 65 year olds, who I am sure don't look their age...rather like me....yes, I belie my age after living a life of frugality, hardship..(pass the bucket) but wait, I haven't finished. Of careful dieting, like Chinese and Indian ta....Okay leave it at that.....and yes I have put on weight.....er...
Back to why I went to hear the candidates. Only one stuck out for me and he was Independent.......the Labour candidate ticked all the boxes, she was bright and clearly had the gumption to be a commissioner.
Christmas....do you quake with fear when you hear this word...In all my years I have never spent Christmas with my grandchildren. It isn't that I am persona non grata, I can see them whenever I like, in Southport or Hungerford,but not at Christmas...any other time yes..but Xmas is reserved for my ex..or the 'other' grandparents ...As someone so very dear to me once said...It's not fair.' Words forever burned into my conciousness....If only I could make amends...if only.
I could go to see the bankers in Jersey of course....or I could travel...I guess you could put that down to the gypsy in me, or rather as my DNA tells us, we are Immigrants from a district in Norway where the vikings built their little ships....Viking...yes..its odd isn't it, lots of people who hail from Liverpool have in their DNA, a little string which under the microscope spells out the word. SCOUSE and when archaeologists examined Viking ships they discovered an old Norse word...yes, you've guessed it.....scouse.
LES LUNT.COM
Les Lunt is the best selling author of Logan's Touch, The Ghosts of KG40, Unintended Consequences and his latest novel, A Hurricanes Tale. Find Les at - www.leslunt.com
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
November 15 is just more than a birthday...(tongue in cheek!
It's not a good day today...why should it be? Well, for one thing I am off to the dentist...thankfully not for an extraction, just a bit of repair work. Tomorrow is an important day...not just a special birthday for someone...but a vote for Police Commissioner....Now I am not too sure about this. If the job goes to an ex-policeman...all well and good. I don't like the idea of either Tory or Labour..(perhaps even worse a Lib-Dem) running the cop shop. And the cost? Why not appoint more police officers? This crazy idea must have come from the brain of someone who thought people like George W were the bees knees. Did it emerge from the brain of Tony Blair while taking prayers with George W? As my mum would have said..it's crackers.
Enough. Two books on the stocks now of equal length and are likely to go to editing together. The Battle of Britain....(there is more to this title but I shall for the present leave it at that, and my favourite book so far: The Surgeon....this is my best so far...what can I tell you about it without giving the rival camp an idea? Okay.....To begin with the term surgeon is somewhat of an oxymoron..he's a consultant cardiologist who believes heart disease can be beaten without cutting, in other words, surgery. A well trodden pathway in the USA with surgeons like Dr Dean Ornish in San Francisco, this brilliant young surgeon/ doctor has written several books on the treatment of cardiac disease by careful diet and complete change of life-style. Others in the USA tread the same path, Dr Glen Goldberg of Seattle, Lester Morrison, and Dr Walther Kempner speculated that coronary heart disease could be reversed by low-fat diet.
But I have given too much away, save to say that Dr Marc d'Angelo discovers he has a sister; long ago adopted away by his mother when she was a student at The Slade. His mother ( a widow) meets her ex lover who now lives in the USA. Is she sure it's him? One word passes between them, a word known only to them that expresses their love....
It doesn't end there, and what of Katy, the 'child' adopted away? Where does she come into this tale of long lost love, a new found sister, and a surprizing end.
I point out that the town in the book is Honiton, my adopted town...where I drink coffee at Cafe Bar 102 with mates, and where I struggle weekly in the council (as a councillor) trying to understand the modalities of modern politics....The Council, I swiftly point out does not enter the pages of my book.
So there we have it. A week where I expect to hear from Leicester, a town I love but have not darkened its streets for many years....as I said, my pal is an archaelogist at the Uni....Richard 111 lies
in State under a sheet awaiting an identity. everyone is speculatling, it's him I am sure...
I mentioned in my tweet about a trip to Penrith where there is pub that Richard (as a young prince) stayed. I was shown his room, now partly derelict, a bed headboard certainly dating from the period, and artifacts that set my heart a buzzin' This was Richard's house, no doubt in my mind.
Lastly, having a beer in the Montgomery Hotel in Honiton I learned two facts.The Montgomery was once The Pelican Inn....where in 1944 General Montgomery and Dwight D Eisenhower stayed overnight due to bad weather conditions on their way down to the south coast beaches.
And, Henry V111 was kept waiting for his future Spanish wife, expected at Southampton, a storm intervened and she ended up in Plymouth (Guzz) of all places. Katherine of Aragon arrived late...who can blame her. She stayed the night in Honiton, and continued on to London and into the history books.
LESLUNT.COM
Enough. Two books on the stocks now of equal length and are likely to go to editing together. The Battle of Britain....(there is more to this title but I shall for the present leave it at that, and my favourite book so far: The Surgeon....this is my best so far...what can I tell you about it without giving the rival camp an idea? Okay.....To begin with the term surgeon is somewhat of an oxymoron..he's a consultant cardiologist who believes heart disease can be beaten without cutting, in other words, surgery. A well trodden pathway in the USA with surgeons like Dr Dean Ornish in San Francisco, this brilliant young surgeon/ doctor has written several books on the treatment of cardiac disease by careful diet and complete change of life-style. Others in the USA tread the same path, Dr Glen Goldberg of Seattle, Lester Morrison, and Dr Walther Kempner speculated that coronary heart disease could be reversed by low-fat diet.
But I have given too much away, save to say that Dr Marc d'Angelo discovers he has a sister; long ago adopted away by his mother when she was a student at The Slade. His mother ( a widow) meets her ex lover who now lives in the USA. Is she sure it's him? One word passes between them, a word known only to them that expresses their love....
It doesn't end there, and what of Katy, the 'child' adopted away? Where does she come into this tale of long lost love, a new found sister, and a surprizing end.
I point out that the town in the book is Honiton, my adopted town...where I drink coffee at Cafe Bar 102 with mates, and where I struggle weekly in the council (as a councillor) trying to understand the modalities of modern politics....The Council, I swiftly point out does not enter the pages of my book.
So there we have it. A week where I expect to hear from Leicester, a town I love but have not darkened its streets for many years....as I said, my pal is an archaelogist at the Uni....Richard 111 lies
in State under a sheet awaiting an identity. everyone is speculatling, it's him I am sure...
I mentioned in my tweet about a trip to Penrith where there is pub that Richard (as a young prince) stayed. I was shown his room, now partly derelict, a bed headboard certainly dating from the period, and artifacts that set my heart a buzzin' This was Richard's house, no doubt in my mind.
Lastly, having a beer in the Montgomery Hotel in Honiton I learned two facts.The Montgomery was once The Pelican Inn....where in 1944 General Montgomery and Dwight D Eisenhower stayed overnight due to bad weather conditions on their way down to the south coast beaches.
And, Henry V111 was kept waiting for his future Spanish wife, expected at Southampton, a storm intervened and she ended up in Plymouth (Guzz) of all places. Katherine of Aragon arrived late...who can blame her. She stayed the night in Honiton, and continued on to London and into the history books.
LESLUNT.COM
Friday, August 24, 2012
Harry of England. Or to put it correctly Harry of Wales. No one can deny the young prince has spirit. I asked mysef, how would I feel if I were about to go Afghanistan. One has just to look at the Paralympics participants, especially those who served in the British Army. Heavens only knows how many young American ex-Iraq or Afghanistan veterans are about to grace our shores, those and others from different theatres of war. Heroes they are, to a man and woman. Harry a captain ,in the Army Air Corps should perhaps ease himself off the front pages. But I offer no criticism of his antics. Young officers'. I've seen worse behaviour.
I finally got permission to publish The Justice of Revenge on Kindle. It was of course previously published in an abridged form, that version lacked the impact I desired. This version is explosive. I make no apologies.
Les Lunt.
I finally got permission to publish The Justice of Revenge on Kindle. It was of course previously published in an abridged form, that version lacked the impact I desired. This version is explosive. I make no apologies.
Les Lunt.
Thursday, August 02, 2012
A summers evening in Devon.
So, where do you go to celebrate your wife's birthday when you live in one of the most beautiful places on the planet? Why, you go to your local 16th century pub, which sells real ale. And so to Totnes, in Devon. A swift half at the Royal Seven Stars Hotel (often portrayed in my books)...before boarding a ferry to Dartmouth.
Now Dartmouth is special to us both, my wife taught English to foreign cadets at the Royal Naval College, and as a Reserve Officer, I taught navigation to cadets and for my sins I trained a group of cadets to take part in the Ten Tors...(an expedition on Dartmoor, some of the cadets actually did the 50 miles overland hike!).
However, to continue. On to Bow Bridge at Tuckenhay....The Watewrman's Arms. Go there as soon as you can! Dine by the river, you can even feed the ducks! But I digress, just down the road is The Maltsers Arms, a pub where we held our weddding reception all those years ago...onced owned by a great chef and piss artist, Keith Floyd, it's further down the river at Bow Creek...We had to check it out....my how it has changed, great beers, Palmers, it has to be tried... back to Totnes and The Steam Packet pub on the river...Doombar, a last pint. I look up and above on the hill is the house I bought while working in Paignton and Brixham. Cherry Cross overlooked the river with magnificent views down river and across the town.We spent many a cold winter night huddled around a fire in the Steam Packet, empty, cold and those days lacking in character.
When Peter took over it changed. He had great plans and vision, although he later sold it, it's now one of the best pubs in the UK...it also had four real ales on...My how pubs are changing!
An American hero died yesterday. Gore Vidal, how I wish we had an English version. As I said in my tweet, politicians lie, even when confronted, they lie even further. Cameron is reported to have been furious about the NHS spectacular at the opening ceremony of the Olympics...(showing the magnificent work done in the National Health Service) one of Cameron's henchmen called it a socialist extravaganza..Shame on you Cameron and you Cleggy, just how much damage can these two clown do before the British ship sinks....they agreed to pay millions to a private security firm who by all accounts shouldn't guard a chicken shed. The government called in the army, the same lads who are nursing their P45's in their backpockets...shame on you Cameron.
And finally as Gore Vidal said: "Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say, and not give a damn." Beautifully put!
Oh how I wish I could emulate him....
And finally, finally, reports of Tony Blair wishing to get back into politics..in the Labour Party! Which I understand he has never left... Just how much pain can he inflict on innocent people?
tweet @LesLunt
www.LesLunt.com
Now Dartmouth is special to us both, my wife taught English to foreign cadets at the Royal Naval College, and as a Reserve Officer, I taught navigation to cadets and for my sins I trained a group of cadets to take part in the Ten Tors...(an expedition on Dartmoor, some of the cadets actually did the 50 miles overland hike!).
However, to continue. On to Bow Bridge at Tuckenhay....The Watewrman's Arms. Go there as soon as you can! Dine by the river, you can even feed the ducks! But I digress, just down the road is The Maltsers Arms, a pub where we held our weddding reception all those years ago...onced owned by a great chef and piss artist, Keith Floyd, it's further down the river at Bow Creek...We had to check it out....my how it has changed, great beers, Palmers, it has to be tried... back to Totnes and The Steam Packet pub on the river...Doombar, a last pint. I look up and above on the hill is the house I bought while working in Paignton and Brixham. Cherry Cross overlooked the river with magnificent views down river and across the town.We spent many a cold winter night huddled around a fire in the Steam Packet, empty, cold and those days lacking in character.
When Peter took over it changed. He had great plans and vision, although he later sold it, it's now one of the best pubs in the UK...it also had four real ales on...My how pubs are changing!
An American hero died yesterday. Gore Vidal, how I wish we had an English version. As I said in my tweet, politicians lie, even when confronted, they lie even further. Cameron is reported to have been furious about the NHS spectacular at the opening ceremony of the Olympics...(showing the magnificent work done in the National Health Service) one of Cameron's henchmen called it a socialist extravaganza..Shame on you Cameron and you Cleggy, just how much damage can these two clown do before the British ship sinks....they agreed to pay millions to a private security firm who by all accounts shouldn't guard a chicken shed. The government called in the army, the same lads who are nursing their P45's in their backpockets...shame on you Cameron.
And finally as Gore Vidal said: "Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say, and not give a damn." Beautifully put!
Oh how I wish I could emulate him....
And finally, finally, reports of Tony Blair wishing to get back into politics..in the Labour Party! Which I understand he has never left... Just how much pain can he inflict on innocent people?
tweet @LesLunt
www.LesLunt.com
Sunday, April 22, 2012
THE BATTLE of BRITAIN
Goodday!
So, how many noticed the spelling mistake in my last blog? Well, I can tell you, 123 and the mistaks? Barbican...that place in Plymouth where the Pilgrim fathers set off for the New World. However, all I can do is blame it on my recent cataract operation...I am pleased to say not only has my eye sight improved, I can now read without glasses...amazing.
I don't often have a rant, but on this occasion I feel justified. I had a slight muscle injury through running...it happens occasionally. So, armed with the knowledge that Ibuprofen eases the muscle ache...Into Boot's Pharmacy in Plymouth, Devon, and was told the cost was £4, 20 for a small pack of 400 mg strength tabs. Whoa, whoa, wait one cotton pickin' minute. How much I wailed?. Nah....cheaper in the Co-op... I walked down the street and bought 24, 200 mg tabs for 72 pence. Boots, have been found guilty in my court, and the Co-op....pass on every count. Message, I shall give Boots Pharmacy a miss.
Had breakfast in a place mentioned several times in my book The Mystery of Conan Blake... in Honiton, Devon. Just as it was in my book, (my agent and I had a working breakfast there) it is the best coffee in town, beats Costa...and cheaper.....Costa's 'Flat White' is Aussie....or tries to be. The reason they just haven't got it, it's just as I mentioned in my book: Conan... I mentioned the coffee bar in the Berlin, Humboldt University. The young person who operated the coffee machine operated it like a maestro. If only we could emulate the Spanish and Germans...and the French...?
I think I had better point out, I have no business connection with Cafe Bar 102, except that it has atmosphere and those running it are polite, and professional. Nuff said on the matter.
This year there is a special interest in the Battle of Britain, that battle fought above the skies of the southern and eastern counties of England. I mentioned part of the Battle in my book, A Hurricanes Tale and my new book, working title: The Battle of Britain, sub title..St Crispins Day 25th October 1940. If you should ever go to the church on Biggin Hill airport, (an ex-Battle of Britain base). Look at the memorial window, dedicated to the pilots who fought from Biggin Hill or as it was known, 'The Bump'. There is a quote from Shakespeare's, Henry V. We Few, We Happy Few.. To be published in June. My book is a follow up to A Hurricanes Tale.
Just checkin' the time, is it 15:03 on Saturday or is it...er...or...? I suppose I could ask the Home Secretary...!
LesLunt.com
www.leslunt.blogspot.com
So, how many noticed the spelling mistake in my last blog? Well, I can tell you, 123 and the mistaks? Barbican...that place in Plymouth where the Pilgrim fathers set off for the New World. However, all I can do is blame it on my recent cataract operation...I am pleased to say not only has my eye sight improved, I can now read without glasses...amazing.
I don't often have a rant, but on this occasion I feel justified. I had a slight muscle injury through running...it happens occasionally. So, armed with the knowledge that Ibuprofen eases the muscle ache...Into Boot's Pharmacy in Plymouth, Devon, and was told the cost was £4, 20 for a small pack of 400 mg strength tabs. Whoa, whoa, wait one cotton pickin' minute. How much I wailed?. Nah....cheaper in the Co-op... I walked down the street and bought 24, 200 mg tabs for 72 pence. Boots, have been found guilty in my court, and the Co-op....pass on every count. Message, I shall give Boots Pharmacy a miss.
Had breakfast in a place mentioned several times in my book The Mystery of Conan Blake... in Honiton, Devon. Just as it was in my book, (my agent and I had a working breakfast there) it is the best coffee in town, beats Costa...and cheaper.....Costa's 'Flat White' is Aussie....or tries to be. The reason they just haven't got it, it's just as I mentioned in my book: Conan... I mentioned the coffee bar in the Berlin, Humboldt University. The young person who operated the coffee machine operated it like a maestro. If only we could emulate the Spanish and Germans...and the French...?
I think I had better point out, I have no business connection with Cafe Bar 102, except that it has atmosphere and those running it are polite, and professional. Nuff said on the matter.
This year there is a special interest in the Battle of Britain, that battle fought above the skies of the southern and eastern counties of England. I mentioned part of the Battle in my book, A Hurricanes Tale and my new book, working title: The Battle of Britain, sub title..St Crispins Day 25th October 1940. If you should ever go to the church on Biggin Hill airport, (an ex-Battle of Britain base). Look at the memorial window, dedicated to the pilots who fought from Biggin Hill or as it was known, 'The Bump'. There is a quote from Shakespeare's, Henry V. We Few, We Happy Few.. To be published in June. My book is a follow up to A Hurricanes Tale.
Just checkin' the time, is it 15:03 on Saturday or is it...er...or...? I suppose I could ask the Home Secretary...!
LesLunt.com
www.leslunt.blogspot.com
A day out in Paradise
The new cycle path from Exmouth in Devon to Exeter is to be experienced, though I admit I only went as far as Topsham where my favourite coffee shop serves one of the best...however, I digress. The cycle path passes along one of the most beautiful views in the whole of Devon. The River Exe and the estuary.
A heart stopping moment when passing the Commando Training Centre, Royal Marines. It's quite a few years since I was there. From the bike path it looks as if there are major changes taking place...I think to myself, good, because it means the government we have, might at least recognize the work undertaken in Afghanistan (Excercise Herrick)...In my book Logan's Touch, I do mention the CTC(RM)...and one of my characters is based on a real person..However...
The tide is out, and most of the waders, Avocets, Curlews, Oyster Catchers are in abundance...I am pleased that my latest book, The Mystery of Conan Blake is doing well in the Kindle charts. and I am thinking of a follow up to A Hurricanes Tale. Two books are already in progress, I shall refrain from naming them in case of name theft.....It does happen.
LesLunt.com
A heart stopping moment when passing the Commando Training Centre, Royal Marines. It's quite a few years since I was there. From the bike path it looks as if there are major changes taking place...I think to myself, good, because it means the government we have, might at least recognize the work undertaken in Afghanistan (Excercise Herrick)...In my book Logan's Touch, I do mention the CTC(RM)...and one of my characters is based on a real person..However...
The tide is out, and most of the waders, Avocets, Curlews, Oyster Catchers are in abundance...I am pleased that my latest book, The Mystery of Conan Blake is doing well in the Kindle charts. and I am thinking of a follow up to A Hurricanes Tale. Two books are already in progress, I shall refrain from naming them in case of name theft.....It does happen.
LesLunt.com
Monday, April 02, 2012
A little touch of Cleggy in the night
....I am in Plymouth, Devon, walking around the Brabican, from where the Pilgrim fathers set off in the Mayflower. I have been here many times before, this was once my 'patch' and I look out for familiar faces. There are none.
I am looking for Robert Lenkiewicz, not him personally, because I know he is dead. I am seeking his mural, painted on the side of a house in the Brabican. There is a reason. In my latest book, The Mystery of Conan Blake, I mentioned Lenkiewicz as one of the few artists who could replicate the work of the 17th century masters who painted the ceiling in Schloss Charlottenburg, Berlin. Lenkiewicz certainly could have painted in the style of Hann Trier, one of the artists who painted some of the Schloss Charlottenburg's ceilings when they were restored after the war.
For a few minutes I was distracted by finding a pub by the name of The Dolphin. I have many happy memories about the Dolphin. But first let me tell you about its history. When the Tolpuddle Martyrs returned from Australia in 1836, they stayed the night at The Dolphin, in a room overlooking the harbour. I remember my pal Billy Holmes, the landlord, serving some of the best Bass around, and it's a great pleasure to find the pub now sells, Tribute beer, a Real Ale..
On with the search for Robert Lenkiewicz, artist, of exceptional talent, and a character, often seen in the pubs in the Barbican. I stumbled upon his truly magnificent work on a wall just past the Plymouth Gin factory...it has almost disappeared. A criminal act perpetrated by someone...the city council perhaps, or the landlord, who knows? It's certainly neglected, I suppose after the artists death. (he was quite young, and had previously had a heart by-pass-operation....All it needed to protect it was coat of varnish....
Bare discernable were some of the Plymouth characters I knew from being a social worker in the district. (Lenkiewicz painted many people he found 'interesting'. I searched for a pal, 'Gordon' who worked at the Wolseley office on North Prospect...featured on the 'Mayflower' in armour....he was fading fast...
But most important, I remembered a lecture Lenkiewicz gave in a Plymouth theatre. It shook me rigid when he virtually admitted he was a paedophile. He admitted to an audience of around 200 people that he found children sexually attractive....I wanted to stand up and protest, ( I was a social worker in the Brixham and Paignton office in Devon, and it turned my stomach...a strong hand held me back...
But I digress, turning towards the harbour I found the Mayflower steps where tradition tells us the Pilgrim Fathers left to go to America. They weren't all they are made out to be either, but that's another story. I walked to the Hoe, that magificent ampitheatre where Francis Drake played bowls then defeated the Spanish. I like Drake, first of all he was a pirate, so he can't be all that bad....or was he? Whatever, maybe he was, maybe not.. his family still farm near where I live in East Devon. He once owned a pub which is reputed to be 1000 years old...yes, you read it right. 1000 years, mentioned in The Doomseday Book...It had originally been a monastery. It serves Tribute and Otter ales, and Doombar of course. It is now owned by the village. Unique I say!
Onwards...overlooking the harbour, from where in 1967 I saw Sir Francis Chichester return from his round the world trip, in his little yacht, Gypsy Moth, and knighted by the Queen. I could not but help noticing, there was not one Royal Navy ship around. Shame on you Cameron and Clegg. A million old sea dogs will curse you both, (as well as a few million ex-Royal Marines, which very neatly brings me to one of my best sellers, originally published in the USA, and now on Kindle, Logan's Touch,'with a sub heading: Once a Marine always a Marine.
It was Charles Schulz of Peanuts fame who encouraged me to write, I met him in the cardiac wing at Santa Rosa hospital, a wonderful man. he passed on in 2000.
So there it is, six books on the amazon web-site....two on the stocks...
A Happy Easter....2012.
http://www.leslunt.com/ http://www.leslunt.blogspot.com/ vantagebooks@rocketmail.com
contact me anytime. Les Lunt
I am looking for Robert Lenkiewicz, not him personally, because I know he is dead. I am seeking his mural, painted on the side of a house in the Brabican. There is a reason. In my latest book, The Mystery of Conan Blake, I mentioned Lenkiewicz as one of the few artists who could replicate the work of the 17th century masters who painted the ceiling in Schloss Charlottenburg, Berlin. Lenkiewicz certainly could have painted in the style of Hann Trier, one of the artists who painted some of the Schloss Charlottenburg's ceilings when they were restored after the war.
For a few minutes I was distracted by finding a pub by the name of The Dolphin. I have many happy memories about the Dolphin. But first let me tell you about its history. When the Tolpuddle Martyrs returned from Australia in 1836, they stayed the night at The Dolphin, in a room overlooking the harbour. I remember my pal Billy Holmes, the landlord, serving some of the best Bass around, and it's a great pleasure to find the pub now sells, Tribute beer, a Real Ale..
On with the search for Robert Lenkiewicz, artist, of exceptional talent, and a character, often seen in the pubs in the Barbican. I stumbled upon his truly magnificent work on a wall just past the Plymouth Gin factory...it has almost disappeared. A criminal act perpetrated by someone...the city council perhaps, or the landlord, who knows? It's certainly neglected, I suppose after the artists death. (he was quite young, and had previously had a heart by-pass-operation....All it needed to protect it was coat of varnish....
Bare discernable were some of the Plymouth characters I knew from being a social worker in the district. (Lenkiewicz painted many people he found 'interesting'. I searched for a pal, 'Gordon' who worked at the Wolseley office on North Prospect...featured on the 'Mayflower' in armour....he was fading fast...
But most important, I remembered a lecture Lenkiewicz gave in a Plymouth theatre. It shook me rigid when he virtually admitted he was a paedophile. He admitted to an audience of around 200 people that he found children sexually attractive....I wanted to stand up and protest, ( I was a social worker in the Brixham and Paignton office in Devon, and it turned my stomach...a strong hand held me back...
But I digress, turning towards the harbour I found the Mayflower steps where tradition tells us the Pilgrim Fathers left to go to America. They weren't all they are made out to be either, but that's another story. I walked to the Hoe, that magificent ampitheatre where Francis Drake played bowls then defeated the Spanish. I like Drake, first of all he was a pirate, so he can't be all that bad....or was he? Whatever, maybe he was, maybe not.. his family still farm near where I live in East Devon. He once owned a pub which is reputed to be 1000 years old...yes, you read it right. 1000 years, mentioned in The Doomseday Book...It had originally been a monastery. It serves Tribute and Otter ales, and Doombar of course. It is now owned by the village. Unique I say!
Onwards...overlooking the harbour, from where in 1967 I saw Sir Francis Chichester return from his round the world trip, in his little yacht, Gypsy Moth, and knighted by the Queen. I could not but help noticing, there was not one Royal Navy ship around. Shame on you Cameron and Clegg. A million old sea dogs will curse you both, (as well as a few million ex-Royal Marines, which very neatly brings me to one of my best sellers, originally published in the USA, and now on Kindle, Logan's Touch,'with a sub heading: Once a Marine always a Marine.
It was Charles Schulz of Peanuts fame who encouraged me to write, I met him in the cardiac wing at Santa Rosa hospital, a wonderful man. he passed on in 2000.
So there it is, six books on the amazon web-site....two on the stocks...
A Happy Easter....2012.
http://www.leslunt.com/ http://www.leslunt.blogspot.com/ vantagebooks@rocketmail.com
contact me anytime. Les Lunt
Sunday, March 18, 2012
A word about 'The Mystery of Conan Blake.'
The phone rings, you pick it up...and there is no one there...only there is. On these occasions I don't get angry, and most importntly I don't press the 'call back' button. Whoever it is who calls, it is imoortant to me that they keep calling, for I know it is not a nuisance call. To me its important. Someone WANTS to speak to me, but for some unknown reason to me, they can't bring themselves to do so. It's not a problem..
Now, there is always a reason for this.just maybe it's an old 'flame,' who wants to hear my lovely scouse accent again... Which isn't really a scouse accent anymore...or they fear that I'll turn up on their doorstep with a buch of roses!...i would never do that. cos friends are valuable to me, and I treasure them.
Maybe it's some old rival...there must be some out there ....somwhere!..perhaps not. I never got into singing like Bizet's Pearl Fishers, which does remind me of college days...maybe that's a clue...college days....'up the M1..she said..when really it was the M6..I hope she finds that as amusing as I do. Woodiwiss East will never be the same.
Which brings me to my latest book which will be on sale next week sometime. In my last blog I mentioned the working title...It will now be called The Mystery of Conan Blake. And it is a mystery. Berlin is the backdrop but Devonshire in England is featured, so to is The Royal Devon & Exeter hospital (My mate is an orthopod) We are real ale buddies and birdwatchers, although I confess we do spend too much time down at the Devon Locks pub on the canal tow path in Exeter. What a beautiful city Exeter is. If you are ever passing by pop into the Well House Inn in Cathedral Square, goes back centuries and is actually owned by the Cathedral.....so they say!.. ,
In The Mystery of Conan Blake the main character is a dcotor...and I keep mentioning real ale...Sorry, but my main charactyer Conan likes his real ale..and its an intrinsic part of the book...but so too is Berlin and a pub we found called The Inn of the Last Instance...I'm not kidding...and the food..great stuff German food...but heavy...
that brings me to diet. I am overweight....so with this in mind I have rtreived my bike and now am a regular along the tow paths in Exeter..but I digress...
In my last blog I mentioed my book A Hurricanes Tale, and in the book I mentioned the lady in the Ice Cream shop in Honiton who worked in the shop for 70 + years. I spoke to her son on Tuesday, he confirmed her age, but as I said she has now passed on...
On the cover of the book you will see The Brandenburgr Tor...and The Cafe Bar 102... This is our hangout in Honiton, Devon. The reason being is you get a real cup of coffee. Other coffee shops are getting there slowly, like Starbucks and Costa who insist on putting hot water in the coffee and far too much milk. Do that in Italy or Spain or even Berlin and they'd chop your hand off...I still say the English don't know how to make good coffee...too much milk. While in Spain try a Cortado!.Enough!.
I must record here that we (my agent) are pleased with the response to the recent promotion of Logan's Touch. It is selling well and reached almost Jack Reacher in the sales charts.!
I called in at The RD&E hospital last week, (my eyes were misbehaving)...and now learn I have to have a cataract operation. I mentioned it to my mate, and he offered to do my cartilage while I was there...I politely refused....one surgeon in my eyes the other scrabbling in my knee cap..I think not.!
But, if you care to look at amazon and my page les lunt on Kindle, you will see The Ghost's of KG40 has a new cover... as usual wireframecgi.co.uk/publishing did a magnificent job, and well done to the artist, Phil.
If there are any mistakes in this blog, ie, grammar or spelling, my excuse this time is cataracts..I'll let you know how I got on!
www.leslunt.com
Now, there is always a reason for this.just maybe it's an old 'flame,' who wants to hear my lovely scouse accent again... Which isn't really a scouse accent anymore...or they fear that I'll turn up on their doorstep with a buch of roses!...i would never do that. cos friends are valuable to me, and I treasure them.
Maybe it's some old rival...there must be some out there ....somwhere!..perhaps not. I never got into singing like Bizet's Pearl Fishers, which does remind me of college days...maybe that's a clue...college days....'up the M1..she said..when really it was the M6..I hope she finds that as amusing as I do. Woodiwiss East will never be the same.
Which brings me to my latest book which will be on sale next week sometime. In my last blog I mentioned the working title...It will now be called The Mystery of Conan Blake. And it is a mystery. Berlin is the backdrop but Devonshire in England is featured, so to is The Royal Devon & Exeter hospital (My mate is an orthopod) We are real ale buddies and birdwatchers, although I confess we do spend too much time down at the Devon Locks pub on the canal tow path in Exeter. What a beautiful city Exeter is. If you are ever passing by pop into the Well House Inn in Cathedral Square, goes back centuries and is actually owned by the Cathedral.....so they say!.. ,
In The Mystery of Conan Blake the main character is a dcotor...and I keep mentioning real ale...Sorry, but my main charactyer Conan likes his real ale..and its an intrinsic part of the book...but so too is Berlin and a pub we found called The Inn of the Last Instance...I'm not kidding...and the food..great stuff German food...but heavy...
that brings me to diet. I am overweight....so with this in mind I have rtreived my bike and now am a regular along the tow paths in Exeter..but I digress...
In my last blog I mentioed my book A Hurricanes Tale, and in the book I mentioned the lady in the Ice Cream shop in Honiton who worked in the shop for 70 + years. I spoke to her son on Tuesday, he confirmed her age, but as I said she has now passed on...
On the cover of the book you will see The Brandenburgr Tor...and The Cafe Bar 102... This is our hangout in Honiton, Devon. The reason being is you get a real cup of coffee. Other coffee shops are getting there slowly, like Starbucks and Costa who insist on putting hot water in the coffee and far too much milk. Do that in Italy or Spain or even Berlin and they'd chop your hand off...I still say the English don't know how to make good coffee...too much milk. While in Spain try a Cortado!.Enough!.
I must record here that we (my agent) are pleased with the response to the recent promotion of Logan's Touch. It is selling well and reached almost Jack Reacher in the sales charts.!
I called in at The RD&E hospital last week, (my eyes were misbehaving)...and now learn I have to have a cataract operation. I mentioned it to my mate, and he offered to do my cartilage while I was there...I politely refused....one surgeon in my eyes the other scrabbling in my knee cap..I think not.!
But, if you care to look at amazon and my page les lunt on Kindle, you will see The Ghost's of KG40 has a new cover... as usual wireframecgi.co.uk/publishing did a magnificent job, and well done to the artist, Phil.
If there are any mistakes in this blog, ie, grammar or spelling, my excuse this time is cataracts..I'll let you know how I got on!
www.leslunt.com
Friday, February 10, 2012
A thought about my books
The small town of Totnes in Devon is famous for a few things, not least Babbage's computer. If you don't know about Babbage, then go the Totnes Museum. While in Totnes, spend a night in The Royal Seven Stars Hotel...if you are lucky, or pay more, you might get a four-poster bed.
It is the Royal Seven Stars Hotel which features in two of my books, the Best Selling The Ghosts of KG40 and Unintended Consequences. Both are now available on Kindle.
The Ghosts of KG40 , unlike the paper back edition, the Kindle edition has many photos given by the families of the German and British crews involved including the burial sites of the German crew, and the farmhouse on Anglesey, plus much more.
Now as someone has pointed out to me, The Ghosts of KG40 deals very little with the German Geschwader, and focuses a lot on 101Squadron RAF, based at Ludford Magna. True. Much of the book is based on real people, Charlotte for example. However, Merv Shipard and Doug Oxby were a famous Night Fighter team, in fact Doug was one one of the highest scoring Night Fighter navigators. (eleven victories). And Merv Shipard , an Australian fighter pilot was an 'Ace'. So...
Totnes features in those two books., I am often asked, 'Is there any truth the story about the German airman found up on Galleons Bower?' Well, there is. First, Galleons Bower. I moved that from Dartmouth to Totnes as it suited my purpose. Secondly, a body was discovered, and it had all the Luftwaffe regalia, including a Knight's Cross.....but read Unintended Consequences. The real answer lies in there. Yet another mystery I set my readers...
My latest novel, will be published in March 2012. It is not the much vaunted Zen and the Art of Social Work, that is a long term project and ready for late 2012. its working title is: The Mystery of Andrew Redkite. Bear with me on this one. My trip to Berlin has borne fruit. What a wonderful place Berlin is, and the Alexanderplatz is so evocative it makes you want to tell a story. Evocative I hear you ask? Well, yes. its perfect, ex-Eastern Sector, still remnants of intrigue...what more does a writer need. plus of course a good story.A divorce in the offing and of course murder...
Now...I have a lot of mail about A Hurricane's Tale. From the outset let me tell you this story is fiction, however, with that out the way, I wanted to write something for the younger reader, but readable by adults as well. I had one email asking, is it suitable for kids as someone dies in the book. Well, lady, people do die, and they did die in droves during the war, let's not forget that. We can protect our kids from certain aspects of life,. but dying....er no... get on with it.. .
One email asked if it was true, in the book, about the young lady who served Max ice cream in 1938 and was still serving in the shop some seventy years later. True. In Honiton, Devon, there is an ice cream shop at the top of the town, (her son now owns the business). What a character! Unfortunately she has now gone to that great ice cream factory in the sky. ...Forgive me Nancy!
Publication date of my new book. end of March 2012.
LESLUNT.COM @LESLUNT (Twitter)
It is the Royal Seven Stars Hotel which features in two of my books, the Best Selling The Ghosts of KG40 and Unintended Consequences. Both are now available on Kindle.
The Ghosts of KG40 , unlike the paper back edition, the Kindle edition has many photos given by the families of the German and British crews involved including the burial sites of the German crew, and the farmhouse on Anglesey, plus much more.
Now as someone has pointed out to me, The Ghosts of KG40 deals very little with the German Geschwader, and focuses a lot on 101Squadron RAF, based at Ludford Magna. True. Much of the book is based on real people, Charlotte for example. However, Merv Shipard and Doug Oxby were a famous Night Fighter team, in fact Doug was one one of the highest scoring Night Fighter navigators. (eleven victories). And Merv Shipard , an Australian fighter pilot was an 'Ace'. So...
Totnes features in those two books., I am often asked, 'Is there any truth the story about the German airman found up on Galleons Bower?' Well, there is. First, Galleons Bower. I moved that from Dartmouth to Totnes as it suited my purpose. Secondly, a body was discovered, and it had all the Luftwaffe regalia, including a Knight's Cross.....but read Unintended Consequences. The real answer lies in there. Yet another mystery I set my readers...
My latest novel, will be published in March 2012. It is not the much vaunted Zen and the Art of Social Work, that is a long term project and ready for late 2012. its working title is: The Mystery of Andrew Redkite. Bear with me on this one. My trip to Berlin has borne fruit. What a wonderful place Berlin is, and the Alexanderplatz is so evocative it makes you want to tell a story. Evocative I hear you ask? Well, yes. its perfect, ex-Eastern Sector, still remnants of intrigue...what more does a writer need. plus of course a good story.A divorce in the offing and of course murder...
Now...I have a lot of mail about A Hurricane's Tale. From the outset let me tell you this story is fiction, however, with that out the way, I wanted to write something for the younger reader, but readable by adults as well. I had one email asking, is it suitable for kids as someone dies in the book. Well, lady, people do die, and they did die in droves during the war, let's not forget that. We can protect our kids from certain aspects of life,. but dying....er no... get on with it.. .
One email asked if it was true, in the book, about the young lady who served Max ice cream in 1938 and was still serving in the shop some seventy years later. True. In Honiton, Devon, there is an ice cream shop at the top of the town, (her son now owns the business). What a character! Unfortunately she has now gone to that great ice cream factory in the sky. ...Forgive me Nancy!
Publication date of my new book. end of March 2012.
LESLUNT.COM @LESLUNT (Twitter)
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Logan's Touch
Some years ago, in fact many years ago now, I was in hospital in a place called Santa Rosa, California. Now, you must be wondering where this is going, but bear with me, please.
It was one of those occasions that we now call 'life changing'. I was in the cardiac unit, a place to avoided at all costs. I was puzzled. For most of my life I had been very fit, I had served in the Royal Marines and done the commando course at a place called Lymstone in Devon England. (I mention this in my book Logan's Touch') I had also been a teacher of physical education in England...could run 20 miles without effort. But heart disease is insidious. However, thanks to three brilliant doctors to whom whom I shall be eternally grateful, Dr Greg Gullow, my GP in Sonoma, CA. Dr Stan Mogelson, a cardiologist, and Dr Keith Korver, surgeon. Without their intervention I would not be here. No kidding!
And one more and I reach the point of my blog, but he wasn't a doctor. He was a cartoonist by the name of Charles Shultz. Okay he's famous. But he visted the cardiac unit regularly where he had had by pass-surgery. He encouraged patients, (like Henry V before the battle of Agincourt)...in Shakespeare, 'For forth he goes and visits all his hosts, bids then good morrow with a modest smile and calls them friend, brother'....I digress. he was a great hospital visitor, and in the unit, there were cartoons on the walls....a great guy, sadly no longer with us.
I looked forward to his visits after my surgery, (I had a triple-by-pass)...we talked about Europe, Germany where he obviously had a connection....and he was interested in my past. Being in the field of child protection was close to his heart.... no pun intended. I had worked the streets of Liverpool, England, and later as a social worker ( this part part of my life will be published in Zen and the Art of Social Work later this year, 2012.).
It was Charles who encouraged me to write. and here we are, some twenty years later, four books on amazon.co.uk and amazon.com with two others published in the USA, and two 'on the stocks' and a third being planned which involves yet another visit to Berlin. (This is a city, for some very odd reason I find fascinating. Everywhere I go I feel I have been there before. I cannot explain it...maybe on my return I will find the answer.
I had a similar experience when visiting Stuttgart for my book, The Ghosts of KG40....In my book the old grammar school Eberhardt Ludwigs Gymnasium is featured, (a 15th century school, where two of the students were involved in the plot to assasinate Adolph Hitler, (also see previous blogs re Hitler family) Graf Claus von Staufenberg and his brother Berthold. Coincidntly I picked up the school's Blue Book, and Charles Shultz's name is in it....another book, Fred Uhlman's 'Reunion' is a brillant book about the school before the Nazis came to power. Persecuted by the Nazis Fred later left Germany for the USA, where he had a career in writing..
So, the circle is nearly complete. it remains to be see where I go from here...maybe that archaeological dig in Leicestershire at the site of Richard the third and Bosworth, The battle of Bosworth....(the real site is a mile up the road by the way!) or Azicourt, my favourite (Agincourt to every Englisman) ;We Few, we Happy Few. We band of brothers'. I think Bill Shakespeare got it right, don't you!
leslunt.com tweet @leslunt. vantagebooks@rocketmail.com
It was one of those occasions that we now call 'life changing'. I was in the cardiac unit, a place to avoided at all costs. I was puzzled. For most of my life I had been very fit, I had served in the Royal Marines and done the commando course at a place called Lymstone in Devon England. (I mention this in my book Logan's Touch') I had also been a teacher of physical education in England...could run 20 miles without effort. But heart disease is insidious. However, thanks to three brilliant doctors to whom whom I shall be eternally grateful, Dr Greg Gullow, my GP in Sonoma, CA. Dr Stan Mogelson, a cardiologist, and Dr Keith Korver, surgeon. Without their intervention I would not be here. No kidding!
And one more and I reach the point of my blog, but he wasn't a doctor. He was a cartoonist by the name of Charles Shultz. Okay he's famous. But he visted the cardiac unit regularly where he had had by pass-surgery. He encouraged patients, (like Henry V before the battle of Agincourt)...in Shakespeare, 'For forth he goes and visits all his hosts, bids then good morrow with a modest smile and calls them friend, brother'....I digress. he was a great hospital visitor, and in the unit, there were cartoons on the walls....a great guy, sadly no longer with us.
I looked forward to his visits after my surgery, (I had a triple-by-pass)...we talked about Europe, Germany where he obviously had a connection....and he was interested in my past. Being in the field of child protection was close to his heart.... no pun intended. I had worked the streets of Liverpool, England, and later as a social worker ( this part part of my life will be published in Zen and the Art of Social Work later this year, 2012.).
It was Charles who encouraged me to write. and here we are, some twenty years later, four books on amazon.co.uk and amazon.com with two others published in the USA, and two 'on the stocks' and a third being planned which involves yet another visit to Berlin. (This is a city, for some very odd reason I find fascinating. Everywhere I go I feel I have been there before. I cannot explain it...maybe on my return I will find the answer.
I had a similar experience when visiting Stuttgart for my book, The Ghosts of KG40....In my book the old grammar school Eberhardt Ludwigs Gymnasium is featured, (a 15th century school, where two of the students were involved in the plot to assasinate Adolph Hitler, (also see previous blogs re Hitler family) Graf Claus von Staufenberg and his brother Berthold. Coincidntly I picked up the school's Blue Book, and Charles Shultz's name is in it....another book, Fred Uhlman's 'Reunion' is a brillant book about the school before the Nazis came to power. Persecuted by the Nazis Fred later left Germany for the USA, where he had a career in writing..
So, the circle is nearly complete. it remains to be see where I go from here...maybe that archaeological dig in Leicestershire at the site of Richard the third and Bosworth, The battle of Bosworth....(the real site is a mile up the road by the way!) or Azicourt, my favourite (Agincourt to every Englisman) ;We Few, we Happy Few. We band of brothers'. I think Bill Shakespeare got it right, don't you!
leslunt.com tweet @leslunt. vantagebooks@rocketmail.com
Thursday, January 12, 2012
A wonderful day out in England
Birdwatching...Yes, true, I went to Topsham in Devon, and as a member of the RSPB I found Bowling Green Marsh...a 'hide' where we could watch many waders of all kinds..(it is here that I show my ignorance as I am fairly new at the is game in England). But there were Snipes and Avocets, a gent standing next to saw a Kingfisher, but there were many many more.
In Spain I belong to the Costa Blanca Birdwatchers......and the birds are as one might except, quite different. Saw a Golden eagle and Buzzards feeding up in the mountains around Xativa, and many many more.
Getting back to Devon, it is no secret that CTCRM is just along the River Exe, to the left of the hide. Now that brings back many memories! A mud-run (just for fun) said the corporal Marine. It was a long time ago and I am sure commando training has changed, but I must point out, I was only a Reservist...Ah, as someone pointed out, there are Reservists in Afghanistan....I take my hat off to those lads. Again, CTCRM is mentioned in my book, 'Logan's Touch.'..Major Harry Kewell....meets Wes Van-den-Heuval in the Mess....
Which brings me to the end of a five mile walk (all around Topsham) with coffee in a great coffee house (I don't know the name)....it's on the left as you head out of town...But before I leave I must point out the Globe Hotel. (This is a 16th century old coaching inn....They have Doombar beer...to the uninitated, it's in the league of Spitfire, or Tribute..even Otter beer, which reminds me of a second book..A Hurricane's Tale. Flying along the Otter Valley....magic!
What a wonderful day, the estuary bathed in sunlight...easy enough now to forget the mountains around Xativa, and bask in the beauty of the River Exe.
In Spain I belong to the Costa Blanca Birdwatchers......and the birds are as one might except, quite different. Saw a Golden eagle and Buzzards feeding up in the mountains around Xativa, and many many more.
Getting back to Devon, it is no secret that CTCRM is just along the River Exe, to the left of the hide. Now that brings back many memories! A mud-run (just for fun) said the corporal Marine. It was a long time ago and I am sure commando training has changed, but I must point out, I was only a Reservist...Ah, as someone pointed out, there are Reservists in Afghanistan....I take my hat off to those lads. Again, CTCRM is mentioned in my book, 'Logan's Touch.'..Major Harry Kewell....meets Wes Van-den-Heuval in the Mess....
Which brings me to the end of a five mile walk (all around Topsham) with coffee in a great coffee house (I don't know the name)....it's on the left as you head out of town...But before I leave I must point out the Globe Hotel. (This is a 16th century old coaching inn....They have Doombar beer...to the uninitated, it's in the league of Spitfire, or Tribute..even Otter beer, which reminds me of a second book..A Hurricane's Tale. Flying along the Otter Valley....magic!
What a wonderful day, the estuary bathed in sunlight...easy enough now to forget the mountains around Xativa, and bask in the beauty of the River Exe.
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