tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49539690834444343792024-03-19T02:24:34.509-07:00My Writing JournalFarida Mestekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387474593734284763noreply@blogger.comBlogger195125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4953969083444434379.post-3727868842987793212024-02-18T09:30:00.000-08:002024-02-19T02:12:08.967-08:00February book picks<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">THE VAN HELSING PARADOX, Evelyn Chartres (ebook)</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii0IQ9W8IW_ahX1VJokJejozcaYPWehpN3KKs6FwgMC2ULZOQw4IUZUxQhjmiUEBcmGFtkiupWBwGwqYXgw8osml9mKVU9jtp30N4A4eJH78dVU2Ac636-_3r5ziGBKO1OLW2vhF5E796ElB9JzXEp8B_oqUPCkID17kWCoem351U-jueN6Zp2KHaD-A/s2738/van_helsing_paradox.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2738" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii0IQ9W8IW_ahX1VJokJejozcaYPWehpN3KKs6FwgMC2ULZOQw4IUZUxQhjmiUEBcmGFtkiupWBwGwqYXgw8osml9mKVU9jtp30N4A4eJH78dVU2Ac636-_3r5ziGBKO1OLW2vhF5E796ElB9JzXEp8B_oqUPCkID17kWCoem351U-jueN6Zp2KHaD-A/s320/van_helsing_paradox.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>I found the story quite intriguing and interesting but there were many instances when the style of narration was so confusing that I had to reread the same sentence or passage more than once in order to figure out what the author meant. In fact, as I kept reading, more and more ‘buts’ began to pile up. I found the main character, Clara, too distant and mechanical – rather like an automaton than a real person, but that could be explained by her calling and things that she saw and had to do. I suppose she had to be detached and cold-hearted but it stood in the way of my liking her. Additionally, I found Clara’s isolation daunting and I keenly felt the lack of interaction between her and the other characters. There was a lot of telling and little showing in this respect, with the exception of occasional back-and-forth between her and her tutors. I thought that once Edith appeared on the scene we would get to see Clara interact more with someone other than herself – the author’s description of Clara’s thoughts on the subject was quite promising – but their relationship never amounted to anything in the end. There really were very few actual conversations as though the author is allergic to dialogue. I kind of felt that the story wasn’t really moving forward. Clara didn’t seem to learn anything, even though we were often told about her training and learning. However, every single time she would leave the Tower, she would blunder her way into trouble and blunder her way out through sheer dumb luck. Miraculously, she always managed to accomplish things that apparently no one else ever could before her, even though her knowledge and experience were often lacking. Honestly, I felt more sorry for the creatures that she killed than glad that she did it. I guess it was the ease with which Clara dealt with all those creatures that made me feel that it wasn’t a fair fight at all. She might have ended up the best hunter out there, because that was the author’s intent, but because she failed to form any meaningful and lasting relationships, she failed to develop as a person. I felt disconnected from her throughout the book and struggled to understand her.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">A WIZARD OF EARTHSEA, Ursula Le Guin (paperback)</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiluJzuILH17qpurjelr-V2yAt8qdbSepdheq1cklkIYjug-XF5AM6WppPPiKST_Hq-5zfTNqv1RJ_LeH152JQayhpQr6Cs3_GVOD9mO58jJJKQxvKL6_ZuvdYWcOl9Tbi3TbDNLpTaX0piHGDk5jBWd4kaaSuolJKxeEXrkp-J6gYTiXF45Ol9Hk4Mvw/s800/a%20wizard%20of%20earthsea.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="524" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiluJzuILH17qpurjelr-V2yAt8qdbSepdheq1cklkIYjug-XF5AM6WppPPiKST_Hq-5zfTNqv1RJ_LeH152JQayhpQr6Cs3_GVOD9mO58jJJKQxvKL6_ZuvdYWcOl9Tbi3TbDNLpTaX0piHGDk5jBWd4kaaSuolJKxeEXrkp-J6gYTiXF45Ol9Hk4Mvw/s320/a%20wizard%20of%20earthsea.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>A masterfully woven, perfectly crafted, beautifully written old-school fantasy tale that just wasn’t my cup of tea. I enjoyed reading it as a linguist but as a lover of the fantasy genre it failed to entertain me, even while its language kept me completely spell-bound. Just like in the previous book, I was ultimately put off by the main character’s isolation and didn’t feel any connection to him. However, I understand that back in the day the representatives of what I term ‘classic fantasy’ (just like in classic literature, I suppose) treated their characters as tools that moved the plot along, whereas nowadays many authors tend to write character-driven stories. I definitely prefer the latter approach. I like to fall in love with characters I’m reading about. If I’m not invested in the characters, I don’t care about the story, no matter how well-written it is. I know that there are three more books in the series and if I ever come across them I’m sure I’ll buy them and read them but for now I will be moving on.</span></div>Farida Mestekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387474593734284763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4953969083444434379.post-58178153906753694542024-02-04T23:09:00.000-08:002024-02-05T00:42:49.202-08:00January book picks<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">This year I’ve decided to go through as many books as I can, both standing on my bookshelves and gathered on my Kindle. So each month I’ll try to read one ebook and one physical book.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>January book picks:</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>WAYWARD SON, Rainbow Rowell (hardback)</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz3ZWIPn0NaIh67cIgKkq5jdvR4ch64NmaxcPEzAI3rJtF_2lnX5qsJZ-MfTp86UX4C0nIheWQEQs2ZmyRz2ZiZqV_gIIu2oXiS59yQNZo193TyvYCzBR8rWoyLGd2balvaazL0tmokukrxi3vHK6G1m1LcDJalorCpj5mqXlabDeq48GpWgV61O6TbQ/s1000/Wayward%20Son.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="652" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz3ZWIPn0NaIh67cIgKkq5jdvR4ch64NmaxcPEzAI3rJtF_2lnX5qsJZ-MfTp86UX4C0nIheWQEQs2ZmyRz2ZiZqV_gIIu2oXiS59yQNZo193TyvYCzBR8rWoyLGd2balvaazL0tmokukrxi3vHK6G1m1LcDJalorCpj5mqXlabDeq48GpWgV61O6TbQ/s320/Wayward%20Son.jpg" width="209" /></a></div>I really don’t know what to say. I feel like this is the silliest and the most ridiculous book I’ve ever read. There were some sweet and touching moments, I grant you, but most of the time it reminded me of complete descent into madness. As a writer myself I’m sometimes genuinely concerned about the books that actually get published and that people apparently enjoy reading. The only thing that kept me going was my fondness for Baz. I know that there is another part but I’ll probably need at least a year before I’m ready to tackle it.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>WIDDERSHINS, Jordan L. Hawk (ebook)</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRIZvnfiCNv7o2izSrZve5OYAuJJnEdJuSkEgogm2uTIRhL4ex509IAkx_8ZqL6iibdrmKalr5PH1PY9SEG6RRI0ALFhxDZ0iHTLVLyjmkaDSL1rzM82uRDjp1HB7CVFzXs5LTsKsWhf9nAB1x0LBrFqyT0d7ZzeTz54PbxUW0OBEoAVPLiUdmeUuTUA/s1500/Widdershins.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRIZvnfiCNv7o2izSrZve5OYAuJJnEdJuSkEgogm2uTIRhL4ex509IAkx_8ZqL6iibdrmKalr5PH1PY9SEG6RRI0ALFhxDZ0iHTLVLyjmkaDSL1rzM82uRDjp1HB7CVFzXs5LTsKsWhf9nAB1x0LBrFqyT0d7ZzeTz54PbxUW0OBEoAVPLiUdmeUuTUA/s320/Widdershins.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! I suppose I could call it a comfort read for me. It had just the right amount of history and pace and a perfect balance between good and bad, sweet and gory, romance and adventure. I got really attached to the main characters that I found very easy to like and to understand and I feel like I would really love to go back and reread it. I enjoyed following the development of their relationship during their investigation, learning more about their backgrounds and backstories, and exploring their characters. I know that there are many more books in the series and I’m looking forward to getting into them at a later date.</span></div>Farida Mestekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387474593734284763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4953969083444434379.post-60723476970038018172024-02-02T10:03:00.000-08:002024-02-19T02:15:08.738-08:00I want a new Harry Potter book!<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I will probably be crucified if I so much as mention her name, but I miss the times when J.K. Rowling was writing and releasing new Harry Potter books. No other book or series of books have such a claim upon my heart as the Harry Potter books. I wish there was a new Harry Potter book coming out. I always wanted J.K. Rowling to write a novel about Harry, Ron, and Hermione’s first few years of their work at the Ministry of Magic. Though, honestly, I would read anything at this point as long as it was Harry Potter-related. "Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore" by Rita Skeeter would be an excellent read, I bet! I would absolutely love to read an Albus Dumbledore-centered story.</span></div>Farida Mestekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387474593734284763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4953969083444434379.post-43170044531991650222024-01-07T03:34:00.000-08:002024-01-07T03:42:23.295-08:00Welcome!<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Welcome to my blog! My name is Farida Mestek. I’m a self-published author. I write Fantasy novels and novels set in Regency England. Here are my currently published books. Have a look! Maybe you might find something to your liking? So what are you waiting for? Click on the titles to read sample pages!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Highland-Court-Chronicles-Almendras-Quest-ebook/dp/B08G1KJLJY/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2KEVTP6DTKN5O&keywords=farida+mestek&qid=1704627368&sprefix=farida+mestek%2Caps%2C193&sr=8-2" target="_blank"><b>ALMENDRA’S QUEST</b></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvSjyZXMg2imFbP-7RaTTNTGXswxFn6T9DtOr0QsV0_vuNFZZWtFSk2KbgjgZKgFWt_hr_7erTd7nnKiornD3TBTukDzZgepNryV7j11RlqmldynPjKGYYKZmEFOkvN2eHFLM5C91phWb3RsQnjJmgVa6sYgyAjlX-VoJgg80Xq3yokEkqHH8aopT8Ew/s2048/Almendra's%20Quest.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvSjyZXMg2imFbP-7RaTTNTGXswxFn6T9DtOr0QsV0_vuNFZZWtFSk2KbgjgZKgFWt_hr_7erTd7nnKiornD3TBTukDzZgepNryV7j11RlqmldynPjKGYYKZmEFOkvN2eHFLM5C91phWb3RsQnjJmgVa6sYgyAjlX-VoJgg80Xq3yokEkqHH8aopT8Ew/s320/Almendra's%20Quest.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Almendra Ravenlock, 17, has never been outside her kingdom in all her life. So when an unexpected messenger arrives and tells her that the prince, she has been waiting for, is at death’s door and that she is the only one who can save him, Almendra grabs at the chance to take her life into her own hands.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">As she travels through her kingdom with her wolf companion and her new friend, Almendra unearths a horrifying secret buried deep under the ground, discovers that her life and her kingdom are in as much danger as ever, and that the prince she is determined to save might not be the one meant to save her or her kingdom after all.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Margarets-Rematch-Farida-Mestek-ebook/dp/B095XP6PRF/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2KEVTP6DTKN5O&keywords=farida+mestek&qid=1704627418&sprefix=farida+mestek%2Caps%2C193&sr=8-3" target="_blank">MARGARET’S REMATCH </a></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF4X7AuV4SaYWMhNRXaKMUWVf6a4MhAbcE264VdFAMO4V4D2UBcibIse78SP_OI1L6GziekRlxHhZMRO692gfwml6rnovmRi5zeELjkWir_jdpcVqcbxBtrKBRwaykppUeu79zvjvxT1J7P6QoWlpi1vGG2WmQK8fbQRMOgl4CRldgW6OPrD-lynpUwA/s2100/Margarets%20Rematch%20(dark).jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2100" data-original-width="1400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF4X7AuV4SaYWMhNRXaKMUWVf6a4MhAbcE264VdFAMO4V4D2UBcibIse78SP_OI1L6GziekRlxHhZMRO692gfwml6rnovmRi5zeELjkWir_jdpcVqcbxBtrKBRwaykppUeu79zvjvxT1J7P6QoWlpi1vGG2WmQK8fbQRMOgl4CRldgW6OPrD-lynpUwA/s320/Margarets%20Rematch%20(dark).jpg" width="213" /></a></div>Afraid of scandal that might very well ruin her reputation should she stay in London, Margaret Fairfax accepts a reluctant invitation from Mr Westfield, her late sister’s husband, to come and stay in the country with his family. It is no secret that Mr Westfield greatly dislikes Miss Fairfax due to their long-standing feud, which is why Margaret makes it her mission to change his mind and to prove him wrong on her account. It is not an easy task, to be sure, but Margaret has many charms and virtues (not to mention allies) that gradually turn the tide in her favour, securing Mr Wesfield’s good opinion as well as his heart. However, things take a most unfortunate turn with the arrival of her deceitful friend, who is determined to ruin it all in order to see Margaret married to her brother instead.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Arrangement-Farida-Mestek-ebook/dp/B08GJPNPZX/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2KEVTP6DTKN5O&keywords=farida+mestek&qid=1704627418&sprefix=farida+mestek%2Caps%2C193&sr=8-1" target="_blank">A SECRET ARRANGEMENT</a></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5otjMvxqiTUc-ojy_4T2BkSvRH8TAlo8cpqdLMCJwNa6tGZpWg4O394DWCprIixO4LxMKNyMdmerN-3HdQ974eTEECH6CovtaRh1d98B372n0Vvq5apQ6nxqElYb9JgdVioCY27WC9WnKezNFU8B2ROGtILzT2M-U2JyTAjuFiPiIAIGuCqphqa9ROw/s1793/A%20Secret%20Arrangement.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1793" data-original-width="1400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5otjMvxqiTUc-ojy_4T2BkSvRH8TAlo8cpqdLMCJwNa6tGZpWg4O394DWCprIixO4LxMKNyMdmerN-3HdQ974eTEECH6CovtaRh1d98B372n0Vvq5apQ6nxqElYb9JgdVioCY27WC9WnKezNFU8B2ROGtILzT2M-U2JyTAjuFiPiIAIGuCqphqa9ROw/s320/A%20Secret%20Arrangement.jpg" width="250" /></a></div>Henry Chadderton's father earned his wealth in trade, but he looks to elevate his son to the gentry through marriage into a titled family. And so it is that Edward Montford, the second son of an impoverished baronet, accompanies his twin sister Emma to London in order to introduce her to her future husband.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Henry neither appreciates being ordered around nor has any intention of marrying anyone. Then he meets Emma—and Edward—and falls in love with the wrong sibling, setting off a chain of events that will cause arguments, bloodshed, jealousy, and scandal. But Henry will endure it all if it will eventually lead Edward to him.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sins-Secrets-Farida-Mestek-ebook/dp/B08YY94MC1/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=Yunzf&content-id=amzn1.sym.cf86ec3a-68a6-43e9-8115-04171136930a&pf_rd_p=cf86ec3a-68a6-43e9-8115-04171136930a&pf_rd_r=144-5692078-7063555&pd_rd_wg=VU0Ho&pd_rd_r=fddd18c0-1765-4c96-b027-a33c11af45be&ref_=aufs_ap_sc_dsk" target="_blank">SINS AND SECRETS</a></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJLzkrHtqybow_8xMJ9HBgUp26_ZDOy7UCVthz1-xOQm03IEqnJKp5vlHXEv5CHjzngh9s1YyKjY34NCwzc5u40Yr5GwO1WlI8zrIJ-s0p9CAuEKB0WA6mMMIRA9XDqz1gnoEFt8IOXkgbVhWg4uxtOrcEZ63z-yjQ76xR_V_wQOR6zYUaNCYeHwaRjw/s1920/c906b5b2-0121-4eff-9337-388637cab24f.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJLzkrHtqybow_8xMJ9HBgUp26_ZDOy7UCVthz1-xOQm03IEqnJKp5vlHXEv5CHjzngh9s1YyKjY34NCwzc5u40Yr5GwO1WlI8zrIJ-s0p9CAuEKB0WA6mMMIRA9XDqz1gnoEFt8IOXkgbVhWg4uxtOrcEZ63z-yjQ76xR_V_wQOR6zYUaNCYeHwaRjw/s320/c906b5b2-0121-4eff-9337-388637cab24f.png" width="200" /></a></div>Robert Hayward is an extremely pious young man. He is determined to live a life of devotion, obedience, and self-denial, devoid of all passions and pleasures. His ambition is to become a clergyman. His mission in life is to atone for his mother’s sins.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">His plans are irrevocably ruined when Frederick Wainright returns to England. He disrupts his well-established routine, disturbs his peace of mind, provokes sensations Robert has never allowed himself to feel before, and gradually seduces him into his bed.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Following his newly-awakened desires, Robert accompanies Frederick to London. However, he gets more than he bargained for when Frederick’s past affairs and a secret that he intends to keep from Robert at all costs threaten to tear them apart.</span></div>Farida Mestekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387474593734284763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4953969083444434379.post-85052796996516822102023-11-29T02:13:00.000-08:002023-11-30T05:59:17.887-08:00my short reading update<p style="text-align: justify;">I have once again neglected my blog. I keep meaning to make consistent posts about my writing and reading progress but I never get around to actually doing it. So, let's see, in terms of reading, I have read several series:</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>"The Last Kingdom" by Bernard Cornwell </b>- LOVED IT! I started with watching the show, which I fell in love with, and then I devoured twelve books in a row, both as ebooks and as audibooks. I haven't read the last book yet, simply because it's hard for me to say good-bye to this series, but I'll get there eventually.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>"The Last Hours" by Cassandra Clare</b> - not too bad at all. I actually liked it much better than I expected, considering that I had trouble getting into it, but the third book is so very long and convoluted that I'm struggling to even start reading it. Or, maybe, once again, I don't want to start because it's the last book in the series...</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>"A Court of Thorns and Roses" by Sarah J. Maas</b> - SO VERY BAD. Dear God, I can't believe just how many people love this series. It makes me wonder why I even bother writing anything at all if that's what readers need. I read only the first book and that was torture enough. I kept wondering if it was some sick publishing joke. I'm team Tamlin, by the way. Feyre and Rhysand can burn in hell.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>"All For The Game" by Nora Sakavic</b> - LOVED IT! LOVED IT! LOVED IT! Really, what's more there to say? I love exy! I love Foxes! Go Foxes! I love their messed-up relationships as a team and as a family. I like that they are complicated and problematic. I love how they finally became the team that went on to win the championship.</p>Farida Mestekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387474593734284763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4953969083444434379.post-15943285152224361472023-11-29T01:59:00.000-08:002023-11-29T02:01:00.984-08:00"All For The Game" by Nora Sakavic<p style="text-align: justify;">OMG! I can't believe that it took me ages to get through "All For The Game" trilogy. I downloaded the first book some years ago but never read it. But I listened to the audiobooks now and I loved these books so very much! So I listened again - and again - and again. Probably my new favourite series. I just can't get enough of it and I hear that there's a new book coming soon... </p>Farida Mestekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387474593734284763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4953969083444434379.post-91022477037905748442023-09-17T10:14:00.000-07:002023-11-29T01:55:33.057-08:00Red, White and Royal Blue<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">It's been a week since I saw "Red, White and Royal Blue" for the first time and I'm still not over it. I've been watching it every day for the past week - sometimes twice a day! It's just such a perfect movie! I love it so much! </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Though, I must confess, that while I adore the film, I could barely get through half of the book. Normally, I love all the extra stuff that doesn't make it into the film, but in this case I actually don't like the rest of it. </span></p>Farida Mestekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387474593734284763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4953969083444434379.post-76873827481269513082023-03-23T13:12:00.003-07:002023-03-24T08:40:58.720-07:00trying something new...<p style="text-align: justify;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-3e7fc06a-7fff-47ec-589f-eb0e17e7665f"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Clifford Stockley smashed the second-floor window of a respectable house in a fashionable part of London with his Hessian boot and jumped out onto an empty street in an ear-splitting shower of glass a second before the door to the room above burst open and Lord Granger stormed his daughter’s bedchamber, bellowing like a bull, in order to get his hands on the scoundrel audacious enough to have found his way inside its well-protected walls.</span></span></p>Farida Mestekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387474593734284763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4953969083444434379.post-22091682213267718352022-09-25T07:15:00.006-07:002022-09-25T07:21:38.402-07:00blog entry #8<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">In the beginning I never questioned my vocation as a writer. I always knew that I wanted to be one, because I’ve always been writing and I could never imagine my life without it. Unfortunately, I’m no longer sure that being a recognised author is my destiny. I doubt that I’ll ever see my books in bookstores. Which is why I keep asking myself whether I’m actually any good at one thing I’ve dedicated all my life to. It doesn’t seem like it or I would have already written something worthy of being published. I just feel depressed and also bitter, because there are all these authors who are much younger than me who seem to have more talent or luck or both as they show their books in all these shiny and glossy editions and I guess they must have written something really great to have so many editions of their debut novels, while I’m still muddling my way through my first original idea twenty years hence… Is it time to admit that I’m just not a good writer? Is it time to give up and do something else? I just don’t have any hope left. I thought I was improving as a writer, but maybe I was just fooling myself. I guess you either have it or you don’t and it only takes one book to prove it. I’ve written more than a dozen – but where are they and how many people know about them?</span></div>Farida Mestekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387474593734284763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4953969083444434379.post-13380491087349425912022-07-30T14:50:00.004-07:002022-07-30T14:50:50.982-07:00blog entry #7<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Today I’d like to touch upon my attitude to sex in fantasy novels. I’ve seen it discussed on Twitter recently and, while I haven’t participated in the discussion myself, I’ve been thinking about it now that I’m starting writing the second novel in my “Highland Court Chronicles” and debating whether I should include some sexy times or not. Cassandra Clare’s fantasy novels have a great deal of romance (sometimes way too much for my taste) as well as intimate scenes of different levels of hotness or spiciness or whatever you wish to call it between her characters. Personally, I don’t mind sex scenes as much as I mind romance. I’m just not a fan of romance in general. If I wanted romance, I would read romantic novels. Yet there’s no denying that when we’re talking about YA fantasy novels, for example, which is my preferred fantasy genre, romance is an integral part of their storylines, because their coming-of-age characters not only fight epic battles but also discover who they are and who they want to be with along the way, which leads them to romance (in different stages of development) as characters explore their relationship, which, at some point, must lead them towards exploring each other’s bodies. So how much of that exploration should there be on the pages and how far should we allow the characters to go? As a writer, I’m still figuring that part out. I suppose much depends on the character and how far they’re ready or willing to go with their chosen one. As a reader, I don’t have any problem with sex in fantasy books and I don’t really care how much of it the characters are having. I have a different problem – a notion stuck in my head that interferes with my perception of what I think should be in a published book without turning it into fanfiction. I have this fixed idea that once things become too explicit, which usually involves calling different sexual acts by their actual names, it all moves into fanfiction territory. To my knowledge, there’s no censorship in fanfiction, but I’m pretty sure that there must be some kind of censorship when it comes to fantasy novels that are destined to find their place on the bookshelves of bookshops around the world. Could it be that my idea has been cemented by the fact that in traditionally published books that I’ve previously read the actual intimate process is usually wrapped in poetic words and vague analogies, neatly drawing a sheet or a curtain or mist of darkness over the characters’ bodies before it has a chance to become too anatomical? I’m so used to that type of depiction of sex scenes in established fantasy books that anything more explicit instantly makes me wonder whether I’m reading an actual book or fanfiction. In the past, I didn’t have any inclination to put too much romance or sex in my fantasy books, but, having read Cassandra Clare’s books, I got a feeling that I might need to consider making my characters a little bit more romantic and sensual with each other. I assume that readers like to follow the development of a romantic relationship between the main characters (who have already been through so much) and it seems foolish not to explore it with all its discoveries and struggles and whatever consequences such explorations could potentially lead to. However, if my characters do end up having sex at some point, I don’t want to cross that line that will turn my novel into a fanfic. So is it just me? Is my notion based on an entirely mistaken misconception? Does anyone feel that way too?</span></div>Farida Mestekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387474593734284763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4953969083444434379.post-78410607951055892862022-07-23T11:38:00.005-07:002022-07-28T23:35:46.278-07:00blog entry #6<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>I’m currently editing two books: my Ukrainian-language YA fantasy novel set in Edwardian era and my English-language fantasy novel set in Regency England. From time to time I dip my toes into my next fantasy novel. I’ve already got three drafts of the first chapter, one of which I’ve completely forgotten about. I’ve also been getting deeper and deeper into the Shadow World of Cassandra Clare’s creation. I’ve finally finished “The Mortal Instruments” series, which left me wanting more, which is funny, considering that there are six books in the series and the final one is simply enormous! I’ve also started reading “The Infernal Devices” series from the same universe, though set in Victorian England. Mainly, I wanted to know more about Magnus Bane and his connection to Jem, Will, and Tessa, who have been mentioned on and off throughout “The Mortal Instruments” series. I was pleasantly surprised to find myself greatly enjoying the series. I guess I should have known that books taking place in the 19th century England would instantly win over my heart along with Jem, Tessa, Will, Charlotte, Henry, Sophie, and – yes – Gideon and Gabriel Lightwood. These two have some delightfully hilarious moments in the third book. And, obviously, I’m always giddily happy to see Magnus and learn more about his past. However, I’ve also been learning a lot about writing along the way. Truly, I think you can learn a great deal about writing the kind of books that readers will love and obsess over from Cassandra Clare – incidentally, these are exactly the kind of books that I want to write. I think that she has proven that her stories and characters have the power to conquer readers’ hearts and stay with them for years to come. I love that there are several big series within the series and that most of the books are connected through these beloved characters that appear here and there. I know that there is no exact formula to how to write a successful book series – you never really know what will work and what won’t – but I also know that there are certain elements that work (it’s almost like magic or alchemy) and she seems to have mastered the art of creating stories that make her books appealing even when you’re certain that you don’t like them. In the end, you can’t help it – you’re magnetically and magically drawn to them by powers that are beyond your control. I used to have a love/hate relationship with “The Mortal Instruments” when they first appeared. But a few months ago I was struck by a sudden feeling of nostalgia and decided to finish reading the series. Now I feel that I can’t get enough of these books and these characters and this world, so familiar, that they inhabit. Here are some of the elements that I’ve mentioned: intriguing characters (for example, bad boys with sharp blades and soft hearts and badass girls); sacred covenants, friendships, forbidden relationships, heartbreak, secrets of the past, family drama, lurking darkness, love, danger, betrayal, loss, high stakes, magic, feelings, so many feelings – not to mention extremely shippable characters and a very distinct world that you just want to explore. I haven’t felt like that about a book for a long time now. I definitely want to implement some of these elements within my own “Highland Court Chronicles” next, because this is the type of series – a whole book universe – that I’ve always wanted to create.</span></div>Farida Mestekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387474593734284763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4953969083444434379.post-87866082699475138282022-06-25T11:57:00.003-07:002022-06-25T11:57:27.878-07:00blog entry #5<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">It’s only my fifth blog entry and I’m already losing momentum and any interest in keeping it up. I mean, what’s even the point, right? Here I am, baring my heart and soul and no one gives a shit. Anyway, I’ve completed another book this week. So go me! It might very well be my tenth full-length novel, give or take. Though, at this point, I’m pretty certain that it’ll be my tenth failed attempt at getting published. I’m going to give it a try, of course. I’m nothing if not a masochist, who likes to have her hopes and dreams dashed by perfect strangers with their stupid rejections. That’s why there’s no excitement or elation or hope that I used to have once upon a time upon finishing a new book. It’s quite sad, really. I can hardly convince myself that this is it – the novel that will finally make me famous – not after all these years. On the other hand, there’s a definite feeling of accomplishment that I’ve written another novel. I love writing and that’s what ultimately keeps me going despite rejections and failures. I’ve already started editing the first chapter and it’s all red. I must say that nothing wakes my inner perfectionist like editing, turning it into a never-ending process – my personal writing hell. Eventually, I will have to put my foot down and tell myself to stop and be happy with what I have already done. I’m looking forward to going back and rereading everything that I’ve written. It took me over a year to finish this book and I barely remember most of it, apart from a few parts that stand out quite vividly in my memory. For a while there I struggled with the ending, because the ending that I had been planning to write just didn’t work, and that’s when I had an idea for a continuation of the story. It was so vivid that I didn’t have any trouble writing it down. It was quite fun too and I hope that I’ll get to write it at some point. It’s just that once I finish editing this novel, there’s another novel (another continuation) that’s been waiting in the wings for far too long, so I’ll be working on that next. However, all these books and book ideas belong to the same universe and it’s pretty exciting to see how many different stories it provides me with. I can’t wait to write them all. If nothing else, writing for the sake of writing, writing because there are stories in my head that must be told, is what makes me happy indeed. So I’m off to the editing land now, because the sooner I finish working on this novel, the sooner I’ll be able to start working on a new one!</span></div>Farida Mestekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387474593734284763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4953969083444434379.post-10459150666556490652022-06-18T08:23:00.003-07:002022-06-18T08:23:52.488-07:00blog entry #4<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I think it was two years ago that I finally watched “Peaky Blinders” for the first time. I immediately fell in love with the show and its aesthetics and became so obsessed with it that I watched it several times in a row – then two more times with my mom. I just couldn’t get enough. Unfortunately, even the best shows can’t fully escape the fate of going sour at some point and, as I’m watching the final season of “Peaky Blinders” on Netflix, I’m sorry to say that the spark, the heart, and the soul of the show is quite gone. I’ve seen too many shows in my life to know that it’s a disturbingly common tendency among showrunners to make each new season bigger and darker – until there’s nothing to speak of but darkness and dullness and drudgery of watching something that has become barely palatable, which is exactly what happened to “Peaky Blinders” in the end. Unlike the previous seasons, the sixth season lacks everything from plot to tension that was particularly palpable during the final minutes of the fifth season. Now not only is there no tension, there is no dynamic or action of any kind – apart from some sporadic explosion or other. Mainly, it’s just a rambling, disjointed, and repetitive exposition. There’s no balance between dark and light. There’s no light. Period. No humour. No love. No sense. No brilliance. No wit. The story lost its grip and any meaning. I knew that the sixth season would be difficult to watch for a number of reasons, but I wasn’t prepared to watch something so… dead. Just like Tommy’s eyes. I push myself through each episode of barely tolerable acting and boring conversation between bored to death people that cannot stand each other. Even music is not what it used to be. It’s jarring. Every note rings false: loud and out of tune. All the bonds are broken and no Polly to keep everything and everyone together. Helen McCrory’s terrible loss is too painful. I don’t feel like I’m inside the story anymore. I just don’t feel it. Perhaps, making fascism, nazis, and their sympathizers part of your main storyline wasn’t such a brilliant idea, after all, because any normal person will feel instant rejection and revulsion upon seeing them, and that’s even before they open their mouths and spew out all those horrible things. It’s one thing to watch your protagonist deal with an imaginary antagonist, however repugnant, and it’s quite another matter to watch him rubbing shoulders with actual historic figures, obviously too bored with their lives, who smoke and drink and reminisce about how they made Jews eat grass while drinking coffee, as though it’s something normal. I’m sorry but that’s not the show that I started watching and that’s definitely not the show I want to continue watching. There’s something very wrong there. In the past “Peaky Blinders” had so many iconic scenes and dialogues, but now it’s just one dull scene after another. With two more episodes left to watch I feel like the show is beyond salvation just like Tommy Shelby himself. The only good things so far have been occasional glimpses of Ada’s badassery, even rarer glimpses of Alfie’s idiosyncrasies, and Cillian Murphy’s acting. With one more episode left to watch I feel like it has been a massive waste of my time. Well, I guess the final episode wasn’t as bad as the others. I think it tried to recapture some classic moments of the past, but, generally, the whole season was a massive disappointment and wasn’t worth the wait. Tommy’s story was meandering at best and as for the rest of the characters they didn’t seem to have anything to do at all.</span></div>Farida Mestekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387474593734284763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4953969083444434379.post-45706450422568134432022-06-11T10:38:00.005-07:002022-06-11T10:48:30.633-07:00blog entry #3<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Do you know that I started this blog back in 2012? I know it’s a stupid question. Of course, you don’t know that. Why should you? You’re probably wondering who the hell this person is and why the hell they’re rambling on and on about things that no one cares about, right? Well, sheesh, I know that you don’t care, so there’s no need to tell me that. I don’t have any illusions – well – delusions, really, about that anymore. And it’s not like you’re even reading this, so why should I care what you think? You’re not even here. I’m writing to myself. Anyway, I vaguely remember that I started blogging much earlier than that – around the time I started writing <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B095XP6PRF/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=farida+mestek&qid=1622093079&sr=8-3" target="_blank">“Margaret’s Rematch”</a> for the first time (in order to establish my ‘online presence’), so that was years and years back – and that there had been another blog before that and that it had been way more popular than this one but that I had to abandon it at some point because I messed up my account somehow or other and there was just no going back, which really sucked, because I never regained a rather large number of my followers after that and I always regretted that. I might have taken a prolonged break between the two blogs, I guess. I just don’t remember anymore – water under the bridge and all that. I do remember that there had been quite a few other blogs in between, with various entries dedicated to different subjects that all perished into the void in the end. But I’m glad that I managed to keep this blog running, even after the whole blogging thing became pretty much obsolete. I’m actually sorry that I got rid of all my other ‘side’ blogs, because as I set off down the memory lane here, scrolling all the way back to 2012, I realized how precious all these little memories are. Well, they’re precious to me, obviously – not to anyone else out there. As I’ve said before, I’m no longer holding onto the delusion that I’ll ever become so famous an author readers will scour every nook and cranny of the Internet in search for information about me and – most importantly – my books. I found it interesting to read through some of the older entries that were all about documenting my writing progress, hopes, and dreams, as well as reading excerpts from different writing projects, some of which have become actual books and some of which have been abandoned or forgotten. I envy Cassandra Clare in this respect: she went from a fanfic writer herself to a world-famous, best-selling author with thousands of fanfics about her own characters (not to mention a movie and a TV show!). Anyway, this blog was supposed to record my writing journey and my eventual publishing success and triumphant rise to the author stardom of Cassandra Clare’s caliber. Instead, it became a miserable record of my writing struggles and failures with sporadic mentions of my old and new book-, film- or show-related obsessions in between (or occasional relapse and return to my old fanfic-junkie days). I sometimes think that I’m the worst writer there is in terms of writing success (or its complete lack thereof) rather than in terms of my writing skills. After all, no matter how many times I take up blogging again and no matter what book I’m currently working on, I always end up here: back at square one with nothing to show for it. I guess some things never change.</span></div>Farida Mestekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387474593734284763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4953969083444434379.post-83901413913536116562022-06-04T06:35:00.004-07:002022-06-04T06:35:52.901-07:00blog entry #2<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">In recent years I seriously began to question my ability to read as fast and as much as I used to do in the past. Turns out all I needed in order to start devouring books again was to find a book series that actually interested me enough to do so. I’ve been on the look-out for a new fantasy series I could fall in love with for a long time now, but I never thought that it would be “The Mortal Instruments” by Cassandra Clare. But this May I read six books in the series in a space of a few weeks, proving that I still had it in me. On the other hand, it could be that the books are well-written and easily read, the world is well-shaped, and the characters aren’t too bad either. It’s not a new discovery for me. Not at all. In fact, I read the first three books in the series many years ago – probably soon after they had come out. I watched the film based on the first book in the cinema just as many years ago and I actually liked it a lot, so I was sorry to hear that there would be no continuation. I even re-watched it not so long ago. However, I couldn’t completely like the series, because I’m not a huge fan of the main characters: Clary and Jace. Normally, I need to love the main characters in order to enjoy the books, but these two just annoy me to no end. Still, I’ve kept an eye on the news about the Shadow World all these years and watched as more and more books joined the series, expanding the world that held a certain irresistible attraction for me. I love its structure and hierarchy and laws and all the problems that come with them, so I guess it was just a matter of time before I came back to devour the rest three books. A few years ago I chanced upon a used copy of “City of Fallen Angels” and bought it without any clear idea to ever actually read it. I just knew that I wanted and needed to have it. Well, this spring it finally came in handy and I was happy that I got my hands on it when I had the chance. Earlier this spring I finally watched “Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments” TV show and loved it much more than I’d expected to. In fact, I had been convinced that I wouldn’t like it at all and the only reason why I even started watching it was because I had always been impartial to Alec and Magnus and the loveliness that is Malec. So I shifted my focus from the main couple to my favourite couple and with that new view in mind reread “City of Bones”, “City of Ashes”, and “City of Glass” before continuing with the rest of the series. It was like coming back home to familiar settings and friendly faces and I love when books make me feel like that. Along the way I’ve read some stories from “Magnus Bane Chronicles” and “The Eldest Curses”. I’ve already read “The Red Scrolls of Magic” and I’m currently reading “The Lost Book of the White” before returning to finish “The Mortal Instruments” series with the humongous volume of “City of Heavenly Fire”. For years I’ve felt this strange pull towards this series and it looks as though my longing to plunge headfirst into the world of Shadowhunters and Downworlders has finally won over. And I can’t say that I’m sorry!</span></div>Farida Mestekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387474593734284763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4953969083444434379.post-90589933880956022962022-05-28T11:33:00.004-07:002022-05-28T11:36:50.474-07:00blog entry #1<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I don’t really know what the point of this entry is. But I’ve always toyed with the idea of keeping a journal or having an online blog and I can’t count the number of times I’ve tried both only to lose my interest before it could turn into something. I feel like I have a whole collection of missed chances and lost opportunities and they just keep piling up. I feel like I’m always too little too late to every trend and every party; unseen and unheard. I was here when blogging was a huge deal and I even managed to make friends while working on my first or second novel, but then I just let it go by the wayside. I guess that’s the story of my life. I always do that. That’s my thing. I even remember the time when LJ and Yahoo groups were popular and I was an active member! I started writing when I was still at school, ages ago, but wasted precious years on working and reworking the same novel so many times I somehow must have missed that point when I had a chance of finding an agent. But maybe I’m just deceiving myself: maybe there had never been a chance of that happening. Then, while others kept churning out novels and gaining readership, I stopped writing. I had reasons, health-related ones. By the time I started writing again, I lost touch with writers and bloggers I used to know when we all just started out. I envied their success, but deep down I knew that it was my fault that I was back at square one. The thing is that life goes too fast and I just watch it go by as I grow older and older without having accomplished anything of importance – without having accomplished anything I set out to accomplish. I’ve always wanted to be a writer and a beloved author. I wanted to have my books published, read, loved. I had big plans! I’ve written so many books that no one knows anything about and I have so many ideas that I want to turn into books, but what’s the point of putting them on paper when no one but me (with a few rare exceptions) likes what I write? And yet I keep writing as though anything will ever change. Though, to be perfectly honest, I write because I can’t live without writing and I think I’m pretty good at it, even though I have very little proof of that in terms of sales or readers or reviews. I think I know what the point of this entry is: it’s self-pity. Good thing that no one reads anything I write or gives a damn, really. Next time I might blog about a famous book series that I’m currently reading. I have a lot to say on the matter. Would anyone care to read about that? I might point out that there’s a comment section below, but I doubt that you have read that far.</span></div>Farida Mestekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387474593734284763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4953969083444434379.post-79901907674619885292022-03-21T11:19:00.008-07:002022-03-21T11:24:45.461-07:00MY BOOKS<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>ALMENDRA'S QUEST</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoJettbQKTualBUR6YOfE_-TWS4RCNbXyFygL8sFeOiAQvqJbWPle2VXr4sDX41TJkwAElGHWg8rsBojNjjvcYbQFNdfjO6J1fg0cUYHkxWKGRBaFZKRUxuZIK0Ww513eLb35w-px4KqGL7o23Rxwj9V0Qp0dLXL9N0RBsP_ITNWX8C_VjkopbI_g/s2560/Almendra's%20Quest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoJettbQKTualBUR6YOfE_-TWS4RCNbXyFygL8sFeOiAQvqJbWPle2VXr4sDX41TJkwAElGHWg8rsBojNjjvcYbQFNdfjO6J1fg0cUYHkxWKGRBaFZKRUxuZIK0Ww513eLb35w-px4KqGL7o23Rxwj9V0Qp0dLXL9N0RBsP_ITNWX8C_VjkopbI_g/s320/Almendra's%20Quest.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Almendra Ravenlock, 17, has never been outside her kingdom in all her life. So when an unexpected messenger arrives and tells her that the prince, she has been waiting for, is at death’s door and that she is the only one who can save him, Almendra grabs at the chance to take her life into her own hands.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">As she travels through her kingdom with her wolf companion and her new friend, Almendra unearths a horrifying secret buried deep under the ground, discovers that her life and her kingdom are in as much danger as ever, and that the prince she is determined to save might not be the one meant to save her or her kingdom after all.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>A SECRET ARRANGEMENT</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjigsisajW6XpAm7xrVgFKEATVaWzAlraLu9AnFrL6nHYQ12GQ-k5cXU6yQ93PbVaXZ1e0W6OnZSD-MIW8SiiUp2zfD6xQpokmPlFhpkpcgJd4X5Cn_PJ8VPXF8BAJCOGk6SDWL55nhOf8JRKuqKIbbswCNmylv6GOhcVZpgmJT6zx-SKPrEe_EMjU/s1793/A%20Secret%20Arrangement.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1793" data-original-width="1400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjigsisajW6XpAm7xrVgFKEATVaWzAlraLu9AnFrL6nHYQ12GQ-k5cXU6yQ93PbVaXZ1e0W6OnZSD-MIW8SiiUp2zfD6xQpokmPlFhpkpcgJd4X5Cn_PJ8VPXF8BAJCOGk6SDWL55nhOf8JRKuqKIbbswCNmylv6GOhcVZpgmJT6zx-SKPrEe_EMjU/s320/A%20Secret%20Arrangement.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Henry Chadderton's father earned his wealth in trade, but he looks to elevate his son to the gentry through marriage into a titled family. And so it is that Edward Montford, the second son of an impoverished baronet, accompanies his twin sister Emma to London in order to introduce her to her future husband.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Henry neither appreciates being ordered around nor has any intention of marrying anyone. Then he meets Emma—and Edward—and falls in love with the wrong sibling, setting off a chain of events that will cause arguments, bloodshed, jealousy, and scandal. But Henry will endure it all if it will eventually lead Edward to him.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>MARGARET'S REMATCH</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ_LHwLAxlHmv8TR3zqAacqQHEXC3nCalROG314--kx6qSLgXbebKc49iTs6_eqdhukKTiIUSPnTUDe-o9iM9t5TZjS1TopZ6bRGI_gUILTkfdTcJZBtkSti4B5ueqfY6oklgW3mFpAIj4e6ESGff2ogoPq39L915gDZ5ER27oqL6b3wU9b4boUfw/s2100/Margarets%20Rematch%20(dark).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2100" data-original-width="1400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ_LHwLAxlHmv8TR3zqAacqQHEXC3nCalROG314--kx6qSLgXbebKc49iTs6_eqdhukKTiIUSPnTUDe-o9iM9t5TZjS1TopZ6bRGI_gUILTkfdTcJZBtkSti4B5ueqfY6oklgW3mFpAIj4e6ESGff2ogoPq39L915gDZ5ER27oqL6b3wU9b4boUfw/s320/Margarets%20Rematch%20(dark).jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Afraid of scandal that might very well ruin her reputation should she stay in London, Margaret Fairfax accepts a reluctant invitation from Mr Westfield, her late sister’s husband, to come and stay in the country with his family. It is no secret that Mr Westfield greatly dislikes Miss Fairfax due to their long-standing feud, which is why Margaret makes it her mission to change his mind and to prove him wrong on her account. It is not an easy task, to be sure, but Margaret has many charms and virtues (not to mention allies) that gradually turn the tide in her favour, securing Mr Wesfield’s good opinion as well as his heart. However, things take a most unfortunate turn with the arrival of her deceitful friend, who is determined to ruin it all in order to see Margaret married to her brother instead.</span></div>Farida Mestekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387474593734284763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4953969083444434379.post-46249373911243348532022-01-14T05:13:00.012-08:002022-01-22T01:59:22.006-08:00Fun (or not so fun) facts about me :D<p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I’m sure that we’re all prone to some kind of
addiction. My addiction is, thankfully, harmless: I’m addicted to characters
and their stories. If I like a set of characters, be it in a book, a film or a
TV show, I become completely obsessed with them. That’s why I have a tendency
to reread or rewatch the same thing over and over again. My recent obsession is
“The Gentlemen”, a film written and directed by Guy Ritchie, through which I
finally took notice of Charlie Hunnam (Raymond Smith) and recollected that I
used to have a huge crush on Colin Farrell (Coach). I can’t get enough of this
film and of their characters in this film, but because there’s only so many
times you can watch the same film over and over again (and, unfortunately, it
doesn’t look as though Guy Ritchie is planning on making that sequel after all),
I’ve decided to look through the rest of their filmography.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I’m sorry to say that Charlie’s filmography isn’t very
long or particularly exciting, but I totally became hooked on “Sons of Anarchy”
and “King Arthur: Legend of the Sword”. I also liked “The Ledge”, “Frankie Goes
Boom”, “Queer as Folk”, “Nicholas Nickelby”, “Undeclared”, “Pacific Rim”, “Papillon”,
and “Triple Frontier”. I think Charlie was absolutely excellent in “The Lost
City of Z” and “Jungleland”, though the films themselves weren’t quite my cup
of tea. At the moment I’m looking forward to watching “Waldo” aka “Last Looks”,
which comes out on January 27, and “Shantaram”. I’ve even read the book!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Colin’s filmography, on the other hand, has over 60
films! In the last two or three weeks I’ve watched: “Phone Booth, “The
Recruit”, “Miami Vice”, “In Bruges”, “Triage”, “London Boulevard”, “Total
Recall”, “Seven Psychopaths”, “Dead Man Down”, Miss Julie, “True Detective”,
“The Lobster”, “Solace”, “The Killing of a Sacred Deer”, and “The North Water”.
A few days ago I watched “S.W.A.T.” and “Ondine” for the first time and I can’t
tell you how much I loved them! Naturally, I watched them again the following
day. I also loved “Roman J. Israel, Esq.” and “Pride and Glory” – truly powerful
films. I tried watching “Winter’s Tale”, “Tigerland”, “Daredevil”, and
“Cassandra’s Dream”, but I have trouble liking or finishing them. Among my old
favourites are “Minority Report” (the very first film I saw Colin Farrell in
years ago) and, of course, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Last year it was Cillian Murphy when I became totally
obsessed with him after watching “Peaky Blinders” :D<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I’m not sure why I felt compelled to writing it all
down and posting it here, but let’s just assume that it’s a “Fun Facts” post
about me ;)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Update (22.01): I continue to go through Colin
Farrell’s filmography, so this week I’ve watched: “Widows”, “Dumbo”, “The
Beguiled”, “Cassandra’s Dream”, and “A Home at the End of the World”. I didn’t
like any of these films, though I did bawl my eyes out watching “Dumbo”. To get
rid of the unpleasantness that these films left behind, I’ve rewatched “The
Gentlemen” again :D I probably should make a post about why I love this film so
much, though methinks it hardly needs an explanation once you’ve seen it. At
the moment I’m watching “The New World”, but it’s a hell of a long film. I’ve
also started watching “Ava”, but I’m not sure whether I’m going to finish it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p></p>Farida Mestekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387474593734284763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4953969083444434379.post-62125831741001796172021-08-13T01:57:00.005-07:002021-08-13T01:57:44.037-07:00Depression writing style<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">There was a time when I read and wrote voraciously. There was a time when I had dreams about getting my books published. There was a time… I started out on this writing journey more than ten years ago: young, hopeful, enthusiastic and determined. But mostly stupidly naïve, believing that anyone would be interested in anything I have to say. Nowadays my writing is like a series of tides that ebb away as quickly as they come. I don’t have a plan anymore. I don’t believe that my dream of having a writing career will ever come true. I have no faith in my own books or abilities. Don’t get me wrong: I love my stories and my characters and my worlds but hardly anyone else does and at some point another rejection becomes one too many to handle. I haven’t written anything new in almost two years and my editing process usually takes so long I eventually lose any determination or desire to publish the book I’m working on. My latest attempt was a complete fiasco. It was quite unfortunate that after several years of editing the first Regency-set novel I’ve ever written in order to re-publish it, it was bought and reviewed by someone who must have expected a Julia Quinn kind of romp and, having found it to be a very different kind of novel, gave it a one-star rating along with a review that pretty much destroyed its chances. No one bought another copy ever since. Unsurprisingly enough. For me it was like that final nail in the coffin that put me off writing just as I was gearing myself up for what I knew would be a challenging writing journey to begin with. So here I am drowning my writing-related depression by obsessively watching the same shows and movies over and over again, reading fanfics and drifting further and further away from my own characters and stories and not really caring anymore. Maybe I’ll get back on that writing horse again. Maybe not. I’ve had long writing slumps and many setbacks before and I always found my way back. But at this point in time I just don’t feel like it and that’s that.</span></div>Farida Mestekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387474593734284763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4953969083444434379.post-69972615363603212032021-05-26T01:40:00.004-07:002021-05-26T02:29:50.786-07:00MARGARET'S REMATCH: a look behind the scenes<div style="text-align: justify;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixOJRfKtXkRVuDySmLaBL5jbaf2BjATrKv4qNHAJXTFaXwIpXzPZowl33FyIKVlt-dYYdxaxLoQCdhlsuuN9mJluXmAimk3nUw-ibPfINhrjjqxcLTevnEcfTqdso944idzMQNUOFPqaU/s2048/Margarets+Rematch+%2528dark%2529.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixOJRfKtXkRVuDySmLaBL5jbaf2BjATrKv4qNHAJXTFaXwIpXzPZowl33FyIKVlt-dYYdxaxLoQCdhlsuuN9mJluXmAimk3nUw-ibPfINhrjjqxcLTevnEcfTqdso944idzMQNUOFPqaU/s320/Margarets+Rematch+%2528dark%2529.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;">MARGARET'S REMATCH - my Regency Romance - is going to be published this week and here is a behind-the-scene interview about the book and my writing process that I did some months ago at <a href="https://historicalfictionreader.blogspot.com/2020/11/authorinterview-historical-fiction_16.html" target="_blank">Historical Reader Fiction</a> blog, which I'm reposting here.</span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Welcome to Historical Fiction Reader Farida. It’s a pleasure to have you with us. To start things off, please tell us a bit about Margaret's Rematch.</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Thank you very much! It’s a real pleasure to be here! Margaret’s Rematch is a slow-paced novel set against the backdrop of Regency England. Here is what it is about: After the loss of her sister, Margaret Fairfax leaves London and settles at Northbrook Hall - the country estate of her brother-in-law, Mr Westfield, whose dislike of her is legendary. There she faces a major challenge of reconciling their many differences and proving to him that despite the rumours of schemes and scandals that followed her all the way from London, she is worthy of his regard. With time and many an exertion, Margaret succeeds in gaining his approbation and affection. In fact, she is on the verge of triumph when her deceitful friend arrives determined to ruin it all. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Where did the idea for this story originate?</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The thing about story ideas is that with the passage of time I never quite know or never actually remember where they came from or how they originated. They usually ambush me and demand to be written down and haunt me until I give in. On the other hand, the idea to write what is generally known as “regency romance” was influenced by my passion for Jane Austen’s books. I thought of it as my homage to her and initially wanted to call my novel “Imitation”. I was actually quite scared to write something like that. It was more than twelve years ago and I didn’t feel myself equal to it. However, on a lark I showed a piece of what I’d already written to a friend – another Jane Austen fan – and she loved it so much that she encouraged me to proceed.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">What historical resources helped you bring Margaret’s world to life on the page?</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I meticulously studied Jane Austen’s books and spent a lot of time researching everything I could online, collecting tons of material along the way. Google Books proved to be an invaluable source of material about that period of time. I read diaries, letters, memoirs, advice columns written by people of that time, as well as different manuals on all possible subjects I could possibly need; newspapers, magazines, novels. Basically anything I could get my hands on! Nowadays I always keep a volume of Belle Assemblée and The Gentleman’s Magazine on hand. It really helps me to get into the heads of people of that time, understand their mindset and nurture and attune my language in order to make it sound more authentic.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Which character in Margaret's Rematch do you feel you have the most in common with?</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Funny you should ask that! Just the other day one of my students, who read the book, looked at me apologetically and confessed that she preferred Anne Westfield (the sister of the main character) to Margaret Fairfax. She was afraid that I would be upset, but I just laughed and told her that I knew exactly what she meant and that I felt exactly the same. I’m afraid I did it on purpose. Anne is a lot more relatable than Margaret in many ways, but, mainly, I think it is because she isn’t quite as perfect as the latter. Additionally, I made her an excellent artist, which has always been a dream of mine and I thought that she might as well make it come true. Just now I’ve been editing a piece where Anne is talking and talking and talking about her love for cakes, reminding me all over again why she is so relatable and why I like her so much!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Which character do you feel you have the least in common with?</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Margaret Fairfax is definitely very different from me. I don’t think that we have anything in common at all. She is young, beautiful, rich, very popular with the opposite sex, and is quite opposed to reading. We have literally nothing in common! So I had lots of fun telling her story. I don’t want to give you the wrong impression about Margaret, though! While she is very beautiful and is well aware of it, she is not at all arrogant or conceited. In fact, she is very kind and sweet, but she does have a bit of a temper and her brother-in-law knows that better than anyone else! Her temper was actually the reason why they became bitter enemies in the first place and then continued to nurture their animosity towards each other for years.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Did any scene in Margaret's Rematch challenge you as a writer?</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Oh, pretty much everything challenged me as a writer when working on this novel! I was basically just starting out and I was still learning and sometimes it was really hard to put into words what I wanted to say. I remember that it took me roughly a month to write each chapter and for some unfathomable reason I favoured really long chapters back then!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Authors are often forced to make sacrifices when composing their stories and I always wonder what ended up on the cutting room floor. Is there a character, scene, or concept you wish you could have spent more time on while writing Margaret's Rematch?</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I hate doing that and it usually takes me a long while to come to terms with the necessity of cutting out anything, even when I know perfectly well that it has got to go. The only thing that helps in my case is the passage of time. For example, having returned to Margaret’s Rematch many years later, I had a lot less qualms about cutting out whole passages. I became quite ruthless about it. Though, I must say that I replaced them with new pieces right away! In fact, ever since I started editing the manuscript, my word count increased by 10K. In my defence, I believe I cut out irrelevant pieces and substituted them with important ones. Speaking about a specific scene… I wrote a cute little scene where Margaret was telling her nephew about how his mother and father met at a ball. I liked it very much but there was no place to fit it in and so it never ended up in a book.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">If you could pick a fantasy cast - anyone at all, living or dead, at any point in their careers - to play your characters in a big-screen adaptation of Margaret's Rematch, who would you cast?</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I feel kind of silly mentioning it, but when I was writing it twelve years ago (or was it more?), I was a big fan of Smallville and my dream cast was the cast of Smallville at the time. I even saved their photos on my old computer and called them with the names of my characters. Nowadays, I’m a fan of Supernatural and at least as far as Mr James Westfield (the main hero) and Mr Clifford Stockley (Margaret’s close friend and the brother of the main villainess) are concerned, I have no trouble imagining them being played by Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles respectively. I’d love to see them in period drama costumes, talking with a British accent!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">What do you hope readers take from their experience of Margaret's Rematch?</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I just want them to enjoy it and to spend a lovely time on its pages, away from the troubles and problems of the world we live in.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>What’s next for you? Any new writing projects in the wings?</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Quite so many! I have two more Regencies lined up to be published as soon as I’m done editing them and then there’s a fantasy novel set in Regency England that I’m planning on self-publishing after that (unless my dream comes true and I find a literary agent before that), and then there’s the continuation of my YA fantasy novel that I’ve recently self-published and, hopefully, many more projects!</span></div>Farida Mestekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387474593734284763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4953969083444434379.post-32763830920324615992021-05-24T00:59:00.003-07:002021-05-26T03:10:05.009-07:007th and 8th REVIEW for ALMENDRA'S QUEST<div class="reviewHeader uitext stacked" style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"><a class="user" href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/124478979-nicole-sperber" itemprop="url" name="Nicole Sperber" style="color: #00635d; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Nicole Sperber">Nicole Sperber</a> </span>rated it <span class="staticStars notranslate" style="background-repeat: no-repeat; display: inline-block; font-size: 0px; height: 15px; vertical-align: top; white-space: nowrap; width: 75px;" title="it was amazing"><span class="staticStar p10" style="background-image: url("data:image/png;base64,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"); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: 15px; float: left; height: 15px; width: 15px;">it was amazing</span><span class="staticStar p10" style="background-image: url("data:image/png;base64,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"); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: 15px; float: left; height: 15px; width: 15px;"></span><span class="staticStar p10" style="background-image: url("data:image/png;base64,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"); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: 15px; float: left; height: 15px; width: 15px;"></span><span class="staticStar p10" style="background-image: url("data:image/png;base64,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"); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: 15px; float: left; height: 15px; width: 15px;"></span><span class="staticStar p10" style="background-image: url("data:image/png;base64,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"); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: 15px; float: left; height: 15px; width: 15px;"></span></span></div><div class="reviewText stacked" style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer3976278743" style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 21px;">Highly imaginative; charming and energetic narrative voice; all-female cast with a believably flawed lead. Inverse damsel-in-distress in which the prince needs to be rescued. Has a slow start, but an engrossing mid-section. A perfect read for anyone who enjoys fanciful, magical escapism with a very, very tidy and optimistic ending.</span></div><div class="reviewText stacked" style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="readable" style="font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></div><div class="reviewText stacked" style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="readable" style="line-height: 21px;"><div class="reviewHeader uitext stacked" style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 10px;"><span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"><a class="user" href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/59276952-judy-ferrell" itemprop="url" name="Judy Ferrell" style="color: #00635d; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Judy Ferrell">Judy Ferrell</a> </span>rated it <span class="staticStars notranslate" style="background-repeat: no-repeat; display: inline-block; font-size: 0px; height: 15px; vertical-align: top; white-space: nowrap; width: 75px;" title="it was amazing"><span class="staticStar p10" style="background-image: url("data:image/png;base64,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"); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: 15px; float: left; height: 15px; width: 15px;">it was amazing</span><span class="staticStar p10" style="background-image: url("data:image/png;base64,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"); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: 15px; float: left; height: 15px; width: 15px;"></span><span class="staticStar p10" style="background-image: url("data:image/png;base64,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"); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: 15px; float: left; height: 15px; width: 15px;"></span><span class="staticStar p10" style="background-image: url("data:image/png;base64,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"); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: 15px; float: left; height: 15px; width: 15px;"></span><span class="staticStar p10" style="background-image: url("data:image/png;base64,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"); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: 15px; float: left; height: 15px; width: 15px;"></span></span></div><div class="reviewText stacked" style="line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer3965707658" style="line-height: 21px;"><span id="freeTextContainer5575951332068983741"><strong style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Magic returns!</strong><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Almendra sets out to save a prince. in this highly enjoyable book by Farida Mestek we get to see a princess save the prince for a change. I found this to be such a fun book. I would highly recommend it!!</span></div></span></span></div></span></div>Farida Mestekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387474593734284763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4953969083444434379.post-60399674953897236182021-05-10T02:29:00.004-07:002021-05-26T03:10:47.307-07:00MARGARET'S REMATCH - Regency Romance - EXCERPT<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTtx34puj0rH66XAoHI3axOBZayDmd9xE-Y12Eo1QFGFeuOi-R5MmoCCXK3Reo_abB9KiLTjwgaOUioci49Y8pCxbiDXDi3OA0eS38qqMxklQ-ohcE0pUA-f-jQUGrN6EXl12DD1Ov6_I/s2048/Margarets+Rematch+%2528dark%2529.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTtx34puj0rH66XAoHI3axOBZayDmd9xE-Y12Eo1QFGFeuOi-R5MmoCCXK3Reo_abB9KiLTjwgaOUioci49Y8pCxbiDXDi3OA0eS38qqMxklQ-ohcE0pUA-f-jQUGrN6EXl12DD1Ov6_I/s320/Margarets+Rematch+%2528dark%2529.jpg" /></a></div><i>Mr James Westfield was not an idle man and was never known to neglect his duty, unless, of course, it concerned his sister-in-law, in which case, like any man facing an unpleasant task at hand, he was in no hurry to fulfill it.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><span> </span>It was no secret within their small family circle that James Westfield disliked Margaret Fairfax with a passion that completely defied his common sense; and the fact that he allowed his emotions to affect him to such a degree so as to render his actions non-existent was rather shocking for a man who always prided himself on doing his duty and who had never been known to avoid responsibility before.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><span> </span>No one, who had any notion of his steady character and exemplary conduct, would ever believe upon hearing that it had taken James Westfield almost four years to act upon a solemn promise, concerning his sister-in-law, given to his late wife under the most grievous of circumstances.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><span> </span>On this particular afternoon, Mr Westfield was seated within the solitary comfort of his study with a cup of tea, a frown rapidly taking hold of his face, and a newspaper reluctantly put aside for later perusal, as he was once again pondering the unfortunate matter of his sister-in-law and her impending return to Northbrook Hall.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><span> </span>He had been prompted into this unpleasant contemplation by a report of the most alarming nature that he had received early in the morning: it concerned her latest display of shocking indiscretion and impropriety, made his tea taste bitter, the aforementioned lady’s arrival as unwelcome as ever, and the longing to read the newspaper greater still.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><span> </span>It so happened that while Margaret’s elder sister, Isabella, held such a special place in his heart, she herself occupied a singularly inferior position in his esteem; and as far as his heart was concerned, it had been quite hardened against her. It appeared that he had made up his mind to dislike her and nothing short of a miracle would ever change that.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><span> </span>The roots of his dislike went back to their very first meeting during which Miss Margaret – no more than ten years of age at the time – spoke with great outrage on the subject of Mr Westfield’s intentions of marrying her sister; she had been quite against the whole thing and told him as much without a hint of compunction then or thereafter.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><span> </span>Mr Westfield had been shocked and offended by her impertinent address, not having been accustomed to such preposterous and unjustified (in his opinion) displays of sisterly affection. The scene had created an inevitable rupture between the young lady and her prospective brother-in-law, which both parties eagerly maintained to this day.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><span> </span>However, looking back at the letter, which contained the unfortunate report, Mr Westfield knew that, unless he wished to see Miss Margaret’s reputation and name ruined forever, he had to put his personal sentiments aside and fulfill the task entrusted to him by his dearest Isabella without any further delay.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>COMING SOON!</b></span></div>Farida Mestekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387474593734284763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4953969083444434379.post-42733963718258252272021-05-01T05:03:00.002-07:002021-05-26T15:11:24.632-07:00MARGARET'S REMATCH - COMING SOON!<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_61AudATd9hHnSNz9-OoLk2-4bGt6BkGjwNqTl4k2SiLre57T0JU5O9V-AkOMMvx3vSoxRkhXL4mq95KTaYXafEnxq8FuIavpUJDOqS-p27SblWB8pJMD11mptaAux8Rgq0F61qvw9ls/s2048/Margarets+Rematch+%2528dark%2529.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_61AudATd9hHnSNz9-OoLk2-4bGt6BkGjwNqTl4k2SiLre57T0JU5O9V-AkOMMvx3vSoxRkhXL4mq95KTaYXafEnxq8FuIavpUJDOqS-p27SblWB8pJMD11mptaAux8Rgq0F61qvw9ls/s320/Margarets+Rematch+%2528dark%2529.jpg" /></a></div>After the loss of her sister, Margaret Fairfax settles at Northbrook Hall – the country estate of her brother-in-law, Mr Westfield, whose dislike of her is legendary. There she faces a major challenge of reconciling their many differences and proving to him that despite the rumours of schemes and scandals that followed her from London, she is worthy of his regard and affection. With time and many an exertion on her part and that of the other members of Mr Westfield's family, Margaret succeeds not only in altering his opinion of her but even in attaching his heart. In fact, she is on the verge of triumph when her deceitful friend arrives determined to ruin it all.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>COMING SOON!</b></span></div>Farida Mestekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387474593734284763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4953969083444434379.post-89584099773575289222021-04-15T02:36:00.003-07:002021-04-15T02:37:38.703-07:00SIXTH REVIEW for ALMENDRA'S QUEST<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd1WyxsGudLcRb17zNlzWbJaPAd2WXgFaVXUfe0PY7wDsqs9-P78hagbuBaC65GVYqsg9XHdrW1eeowRbX4Eb6leGe3bWxzmhnvlHnYCmd0Rysjn-La9Qf_ItQCYkeQ2BT3P8tfyPz9x8/s1889/IMG_20210415_120209.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1889" data-original-width="1079" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd1WyxsGudLcRb17zNlzWbJaPAd2WXgFaVXUfe0PY7wDsqs9-P78hagbuBaC65GVYqsg9XHdrW1eeowRbX4Eb6leGe3bWxzmhnvlHnYCmd0Rysjn-La9Qf_ItQCYkeQ2BT3P8tfyPz9x8/s320/IMG_20210415_120209.jpg" /></a></div>A great and very detailed review from Emmy Foster on Goodreads:</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">3,5 stars from me, and a big thank you to the author, because I enjoyed this read. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Almendra's Quest was my first introduction into Farida Mestek's Highland Court Chronicles fantastical world, and what a good one! I must admit this story surprised me in probably every way possible. Highland Court Chronicles is a true YA fantasy book. Most of the story unfolds during a journey from one fantastical place to another where MC Almendra comes face to face with mysteries, violent enemies, magical wonder and surprising friends.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">When I started the story, for the first few pages I wasn't quite sure if it was labelled properly as YA and I wondered if it would have been better off as a late middle grade.....I was wrong. Not only is the MC in her late teens, and goes on a journey that a middle grade student should never realistically take on by themselves, but the story also contains a few villainous situations that might be just a bit outside of the middle grade comfort zone (this is not to say that the story is very gory, but there are one or two moments in the story where the details might be a bit too much for a young student under 10 yrs).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The reason I originally wondered about the category is because Almendra has a very playful, young and slightly naive personality which comes especially to the foreground at the beginning chapters. Throughout the book we see how come she's developed this way though, and that the themes of the story are a bit more mature. So that was surprise one for me.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Surprise two was Mestek's humorous tone, which I absolutely loved. I would probably pitch Almedra's Quest as: Harry Potter & Terry Pratchett's stories had a high fantasy hero's journey baby. I LOVED the interactions between Almedra and her animal companion Woo the wolf. I really enjoyed her excited, but cheeky nature and her passion and it was so easy to root for her from the beginning of the story till the end.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The rest of the surprises I think I'll have to leave unsaid as they have to do with the plot twists and the ending. However, I will say that throughout the first 1/3 of the book I thought I had the story quite well figured out and that knew roughly how it would end. ......I was wrong. Highland Court Chronicles had some very surprising plot twists, and I quite enjoyed the ending. I'll be looking forward to book 2 in the series.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">So if I loved it, then why not 4 stars? I really missed more frequent chapter headings. The book consists of a few big parts, and I like to finish a reading session with the ending of a chapter. Because there weren't many clear chapters, I ended up either reading really big chunks in one go, or having to finish in, what felt like, the middle of a story. So that's something I would have preferred.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Another thing is that I sometimes felt like the big important moments in the story felt just a little anti-climactic. Not all of them, and the story definitely gave me 'the feels' in a good way and was immersive, but I felt like sometimes it could have done with a little longer lingering on certain moments, if that makes sense.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Sexual content: none</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Coarse language: none</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Violence and gore: moderate</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">In conclusion</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">My three favorite aspects of this story were:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">1. The super creative, non-cliché, worldbuilding that was just done SO well, and was such a breath of fresh air;</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">2. The surprise plot twists in the second and third parts of the book;</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">3. Farida Mestek's humour that just made the tone for this story so very enjoyable.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">So if you like a classic fantasy story, and the above three things sound like fun to you, then I would definitely say Highland Court Chronicles may very well be your thin</span>g!</div>Farida Mestekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387474593734284763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4953969083444434379.post-70795495335391349572021-04-01T02:44:00.002-07:002021-04-01T02:47:12.142-07:00Henry Chadderton through other people's eyes<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhytySXMkPnd3w71__aypaAEyfC-c1ZRCqbI6CV_uEMyA-El-T4wV6IaAu1jrwYbye7nrSC33zjm-XfWOnaBa6YJxiObuueH0XBnOR_IniTucoJaCp6PG7mXHGGdy4KvGfn_Q6LqUs52H4/s1793/A+Secret+Arrangement.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1793" data-original-width="1400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhytySXMkPnd3w71__aypaAEyfC-c1ZRCqbI6CV_uEMyA-El-T4wV6IaAu1jrwYbye7nrSC33zjm-XfWOnaBa6YJxiObuueH0XBnOR_IniTucoJaCp6PG7mXHGGdy4KvGfn_Q6LqUs52H4/s320/A+Secret+Arrangement.jpg" /></a></div>Lady Sophia –</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">There is not a single woman, young and unattached, recently engaged or happily married these ten years, whose head has not been turned by the man. I declare his appearance always causes a stir in my drawing-room and all the young ladies inevitably flock towards the entrance in order to be the first to get a glimpse of his dashing person, while all the young men take a note of his carriage, his hairstyle and his attire so as to adopt them the next day. Well, I can hardly blame them. Henry Chadderton is vastly handsome, charming and witty, and his manners are excellent. He always smiles, pays compliments, tells anecdotes and dances every dance with a new partner. In fact, one hardly remembers that his father is a tradesman, for in all respects, but that of his birth, Henry Chadderton is a perfect gentleman. His fortune is large; he has several estates and the finest cottage that he inherited from his grandparents. I wish he would take one of my nieces off my hands for I have ever so many. It is a pity, though, that he prefers to spend so much time in the company of his gentlemen friends and, from what I gather, has no intention of taking a wife.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Eliza Grant –</b> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">We grew up together, Henry and I. Henry's father has been my guardian since I turned five and I love Henry as a brother. He is the most caring, funniest and absurd person that I know. Mr. Chadderton says that he is obstinate and headstrong and only ever does what he pleases and that it was a mistake to give him so much freedom as a youth and indulge his every whim for now he is quite ungoverned. But I think that Henry is a sensible man and as such one can rely on him and trust his judgment. I always do. When I was a child he gave me riding lessons and, when his father was away, taught me how to fish and shoot, for, I dare say, my accomplishments in the latter he would disapprove of. It is a pity that once I left school I was not allowed to stay at Spencer Lodge anymore, even though Henry said that I was the only woman who would ever set foot inside the house. But Mr. Chadderton believes that now when I am out it will be highly improper if we were to live under the same roof as we are not blood relations. I do not agree, but I cannot act against my dearest guardian's wishes. He has been as much a father to me as Henry a brother and I am determined to act in such a way as would leave him in no doubt of my deepest affection, gratitude and deference. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Emma Montford –</b> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Well, you shall certainly hear no encomiums from me on the subject of the illustrious Mr. Henry Chadderton. He is a commoner and a scoundrel and neither his money nor his fancy dress will change that. I was once duped by him like the rest of the world and I paid a high price of a broken heart and tears that would not dry. But I have long since availed myself of the knowledge of his true person and am thus at liberty to warn others against him, for I speak from experience rather than appearances. They say that he is a devil at cards and that he has no conscience. But his dueling skills, I've heard, are lacking and nowadays he has a weakness in the person of my brother Edward. It is beyond my comprehension in what manner he became the man's dearest friend, but I am certain that the only reason why Edward has become his friend at all was to aggravate me. He has always suffered from neglect and was always overlooked by all our friends and he must have envied my place in the family. Naturally, when Mr. Chadderton offered him his friendship, instead of refusing, he chose to accept it, knowing perfectly well how much his association with the only person who had ever snubbed me, would injure me. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Mr. Hartley –</b> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I'm afraid I have made quite an exhibition of myself the other day, frothing at the mouth with pique and calling for retribution. I was not myself, having consumed a large quantity of port that was made by the Devil himself. I was all aflame with passion and could not control the imaginings of my agitated mind. Therefore, I beg you to forgive me for such an unbecoming display and forget whatever I might have said in the feverish agony that consumed me. You must not think that I am plotting against Henry and his plaything. I confess I despise Montford with all my soul and I wish him nothing but ill. However, whatever ill might befall him, it shall not come from me. You must believe me when I tell you that I am not the villain of this story. For it was not I who betrayed the most devoted and lasting of friendships. But how can I speak ill of my dear friend? How can I scheme and act against someone I consider a brother? I shall not be responsible for any blemishes that may ever darken Henry's good name! I shall not bear the blame for such treachery! I shall never turn my back on him and he will always be welcome in my home that I now share with my darling wife!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>BUY on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08GJPNPZX" target="_blank">AMAZON</a></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>READ with <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Secret-Arrangement-Farida-Mestek-ebook/dp/B08GJPNPZX/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=a+secret+arrangement&qid=1616063886&sr=8-2" target="_blank">KINDLE UNLIMITED</a></b></span></div>Farida Mestekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387474593734284763noreply@blogger.com0