The Lake District National Park.

The Lake District is a wonderful place to be close to. So much beauty to experience with all the senses, but especially with one's sight.No matter where you go there is beauty. No matter the time of year there is interest. Colours and shadows, sun and mist, textures and reflections and movement. This photograph was taken on a day of showers. Rainbows abounded but hard to capture as they came and went so quickly! Whenever we feel like a relaxing hour or so, a drive around the Lakes is a true delight.

WHEN ANGELS LIE now available as an E-book

Mythica Publishing has made my When Angels Lie available to a very wide audience. The E-book can be bought at Mobipocket and most major outlets.

Love, hate, lust and betrayal. When Angels Lie is a dramatic and romantic story involving taboo love within the Anglican Church. The Reverend Paul Stringer intends keeping his love affair with his rural dean secret, but did not bargain for his ‘angel’ secretary, Angela, falling in love with him. Nor did he expect his charismatic lady organist to play such a powerful role in his life. The story is set within country parishes coping with the tensions of challenging situations and controversial changes. Dedicated and sensitive leadership is called for. But dramatic events, involving powerful and memorable characters, threaten both the relationship with his partner, and all that has been achieved during his ministry.
Abbreviated Reviews:
The book - When Angels Lie - is cleverly constructed and moves at a very good pace. There was urgency, on my part, to read on and on.
Reviewed by Jean Cowgill...(Weastmorland Gazette)

Hobson is a writer of the first class, able to build a story quickly and maintain excitement throughout the book. Her characters are full and multidimensional—at times, the reader is torn by compassion and empathy for one and then the other. Such is the making of a fine novel and a book well worth reading. It is unfortunate that books such as these, so worthy of recognition, go unheralded by the literary establishment. I, for one, give it “tens” across the board.
Andrew F. O’Hara, editor, The Jimston Journal
author, The Swan, Tales of the Sacramento Valley
“…moves along at a good pace, while keeps the interest moving along nicely, and I found that I really did want to know what happened in the end.
Certainly the book could provoke a storm in the Church and make the general public look at the Anglican Church, its clergy, and its adherents with new eyes.”… Churchwarden

Press release:
http://www.1888pressrelease.com/images/1888pressrelease-pr-logo.jpg

Lake District National Park

We live within a short distance of some of the most beautiful landscape in the world. I count myself most blessed to live where we do, for even here the scenery is lovely and the people friendly. When I was a child I hoped one day to visit the Lade District. We never had holidays, in fact I was seventeen and earning my own living, before I went away for a week's holiday. And here we are — what better place to live? You can keep town and city life, peace and tranquility is beyond price.

Awakening Love wakes up to sales!

Awakening Love - now DESIRE softback published by AG Press available Amazon.com
Apart from the more recent excellent reviews of the book I found a couple done a few years ago from the manuscript. The first is a long reader review but I put here just a few snippets:

"This is a story of suppressed urges, a story of deep unbridled passions.
June, a young and attractive adolescent, is bursting with an upsurge of passion as she blossoms into a young adult.
Gladys Hobson has captured the moment in a way I found personally delightful. It is a story that I found hard to put down until I read the last chapter.
... paints a picture so vividly that one feels present in the room with the characters.
... dexterity in her ability to lead the reader to like or intensely dislike the different characters...
This is a jolly good read. (Penelope Blake)

And an appraisal by Norman Price with excellent marks almost across the board plus a note to say that he enjoyed reading it.
Men usually do enjoy my stories, as Bob Taylor — singer and poet — said:
Being a mere male, I don't normally read Romance, but I found myself mesmerised by Gladys's perception of the inclinations of the male psyche. Worst of all, I fancied I could see my own described - in my earlier years, I must hasten to add - within the various situations that June (the heroine) found herself.
And Gladys has a superbly delicate touch when it comes to realistic male sexuality...
`Awakening Love' is well-written, it has a good plot, and I recommend it to anyone - regardless of their gender. Perhaps even... feminists?

Of course, the good news about the book’s position is also good news for The Badge Of Life as royalties are promised that very deserving charity!
Go to
http://www.badgeoflife.com/aboutus.php
Watch the very interesting video. Suicide, and not just of police officers, affects many people with society. We all need to be aware.

Internet 'angels' in the authors/small publishers world of books.

Today I had my book Awakening Love (Stonehedge Publishing Ebook version) showcased at http://authorsandtheirbooks.blogspot.com by author Ernie Johnson.
There is a picture of the book cover and another of the author, plus a good snappy synopsis and one of the places to buy.
The synopsis reveals why the locket on the cover picture is highly relevant.
Visit http://www.ernierjohnson.net to find out more about this remarkable Ernie Johnson with his vast range of activities.

Not only that, but When Angels Lie (AG Press) is featured on http://bookeventcenter.ning.com/page/all-books. Carol, Author 101, is another remarkable author. She has showcased a great assortment of books by lesser known authors which are available on Amazon. It is worth taking a look. if you are an author in need of a good bit of publicity how about joining us?

Here is the synopsis for Awakening Love:
A tale of love, lust and passionate desire, authentically set in late 1940’s class-conscious Britain. Innocent, naive teenager, June Armstrong is determined to rise above her working class roots and succeed as a top dress designer. Her sexuality is dramatically awakened by war hero, and socially advantaged, Major Arthur Rogers (retired), twenty years her senior. The relationship, sealed by a gift of a locket containing a diamond for an engagement ring, is to be kept secret until June is eighteen. Various events, involving his family, job prospects and unforeseen factors to do with affairs of the heart, prove to be a challenge to their relationship.
Arthur’s ‘ladies man’ brother, Charles, is also in love with June but ruins his chances when he sexually assaults her. June becomes the catalyst for his remarkable redemption. She finds herself falling in love with the “new Charlie” when Arthur is abroad on business. Out of love for his brother and June, Charles withdraws from the blossoming relationship and returns to the Royal Navy.
But first Charles helps June gain employment as a trainee designer. Her boss and mentor — dynamic, sexy entrepreneur, Robert Watson — realises June’s potential and sweeps her along on a tidal wave of ambition. He has plans for a totally new business and she is to be his lynch pin. June is mesmerised by both Watson’s charisma and his renowned erotic sexuality (which she inadvertently witnesses in the stock room).
Robert Watson’s ability to draw out June’s creative genius eventually creates a bond, dangerous but thrilling, which he ruthlessly exploits — to the full!

Awakening Love is twice award winner!
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A Change is as good as a rest!

Feel better for a bit of a change. Back to the computer. Being a compulsive communicator I guess I am addicted to writing and would find it just too difficult to stop! Apart from which, it is a challenge and as much as I might squeal and moan there is no help for it — I have to complete everything I begin and see each 'baby' born and succoured.
Finding solutions to accomplish tasks that are beyond my power has been difficult. I know I will never achieve complete mastery over necessary computer skills needed for promoting my image and books. I think I may have found a solution. No, not stretched out on a sofa while I dictate — Barbara Carland style — no money for that! Neither could I find me a hunk of a guy ready to exchange favours, interesting though that may be, and good research for future novels. Come to think of it, a hunky guy just might have a fetish for wrinkly writers after feasting on gorgeous females. But, no! After 56 years of marriage I can't see myself as a toy-boy cuddler. So I have found me a solution that I will report on IF it works!
Yesterday we had a drive up to the Coniston-Windermere area. Not bad weather for February. The cloud s came over but the weather is warmer.

When the joy has gone, time to stop?

It is a long while since I felt so depressed. Odd how so many writers have bouts of depression. Or maybe not — so many factors that cause states of both elation and depression.
I tried getting away from writing last week. I designed and made two nightdresses. One might ask how I managed to see what I was doing! My eyes need a strong contrast to see properly and one can hardly sew with a contrast thread! But I steered by the edge and tried to run straight. It was not easy to do a bit of unpicking but there are ways and means. What a delight to get two successful results within a few days. (Other jobs had to be done too) That bucked me up a bit. I am wondering now if I can manage a bit of art work. Colour might be a problem though but then that was so with certain famous artists.
I started painting in oils 45 years ago. It was after I had had a life-changing spiritual experience. After oils came pen and ink drawings, then pen and ink tinted with pencil crayons, followed by water colours. At least results were pretty quick, the outlay modest, and appreciation abundant. Practical too. Most of the pictures hang on our walls. (Although the 'Nude On A Beach' is large - big enough to go over a mantelpiece - it hangs in an upstairs bedroom. We do not wish to embarrass guests!)