23 December: Night Before Christmas Spoofs

In 1823, the poem, A Visit from St. Nicholas by Clement C. Moore ("'Twas the Night Before Christmas...") was published anonymously in the Troy (New York) Sentinel. It has been spoofed many times since then - here are ten examples of Night Before Christmas parodies:

1. 'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house, Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; so I took their stereo.
2. Whereas, on or about the night prior to Christmas, there did occur at a certain improved piece of real property (hereinafter "the House"), a general lack of stirring by all creatures therein, including, but not limited to a mouse...
3. 'Twas the night before Christmas, When all through the flat, Not a creature was sober, Not even the Cat.
4. Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the states not a creature was stirring, not even Bill Gates. "Tis the night before Christmas," I thought with a frown. I was stuck at the office. The network was down.
5. 'Twas the nocturnal segment of the diurnal period preceding the annual Yuletide celebration, and throughout the place of residence, kinetic activity was not in evidence among the possessors of this potential, including that species of domestic rodent known as Mus musculus (mouse). Hosiery was meticulously suspended from the forward edge of the wood burning caloric apparatus, pursuant to our anticipatory pleasure regarding an imminent visitation from an eccentric philanthropist among whose folkloric appellations is the honorific title of St Nicholas.
6. Twas the day after Christmas, and all through the house, Every creature was hurting--even the mouse. The toys were all broken, their batteries dead; Santa passed out, with some ice on his head.
7. 'Twas the month before Christmas, and all through the store, Each department was dripping with Yuletide decor.
8. 'Twas Christmas on Facebook, when all through the house, Every parent was posting, and clicking their mouse...
9. 'Twas the night before Christmas and Santa's a wreck... How to live in a world that's politically correct? His workers no longer would answer to "Elves", "Vertically challenged" they were calling themselves.
10. 'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. 'Cuz the cat had pounced on him and tore him apart - Ate his mousey intestines; And chewed up his heart.

Here's ten facts about the original poem: The Night Before Christmas

My Christmas Novella!

A Very Variant Christmas

Last year, Jade and Gloria were embroiled in a bitter conflict to win back their throne and their ancestral home. This year, Queen Jade and Princess Gloria want to host the biggest and best Christmas party ever in their palace. They invite all their friends to come and bring guests. Not even the birth of Jade's heir just before Christmas will stop them.

The guest list includes most of Britain's complement of super-powered crime-fighters, their families and friends. What could possibly go wrong?

Gatecrashers, unexpected arrivals, exploding Christmas crackers and a kidnapping, for starters.

Far away in space, the Constellations, a cosmic peacekeeping force, have suffered a tragic loss. They need to recruit a new member to replace their dead colleague. The two top candidates are both at Jade and Gloria's party. The arrival of the recruitment delegation on Christmas Eve is a surprise for everyone; but their visit means one guest now faces a life-changing decision.

Meanwhile, an alliance of the enemies of various guests at the party has infiltrated the palace; they hide in the dungeon, plotting how best to get rid of the crime-fighters and the royal family once and for all. Problem is, they all have their own agendas and differences of opinion on how to achieve their aims.

Not to mention that this year, the ghosts who walk the corridors of the palace on Christmas Eve will be as surprised by the living as the living are by them.

Available from Createspace, Amazon and Amazon Kindle

New!

Secrets and Skies

Jack Ward, President of Innovia, owes his life twice over to the enigmatic superhero, dubbed Power Blaster by the press. No-one knows who Power Blaster is or where he comes from - and he wants it to stay that way.

Scientist Desi Troyes has developed a nuclear bomb to counter the ever present threat of an asteroid hitting the planet. When Ward signs the order giving the go ahead for a nuclear test on the remote Bird Island, he has no inkling of Troyes' real agenda, and that he has signed the death warrants of millions of people.

Although the island should have been evacuated, there are people still there: some from the distant continent of Classica; protesters opposed to the bomb test; and Innovians who will not, or cannot, use their communication devices.

Power Blaster knows he must stop the bomb from hitting the island. He also knows it may be the last thing he ever does.

Meanwhile in Innovia, Ward and his staff gather to watch the broadcast of the test. Nobody, not even Troyes himself, has any idea what is about to happen.

Part One of The Raiders Trilogy.

Amazon Paperback

Amazon Kindle

22 December: Pantomime

Today's anniversary: on this date in 1716 Lincoln's Inn Theatre, London, put on England's first pantomime. A good time to present you with 10 facts about panto. (Oh, no it isn't! Oh, yes, it is.)

1. Pantomime, as we know it today, is quintessentially English form of theatre. It's rare for anyone to put on a pantomime in the United States, for example, where the word actually means something totally different. In America, "pantomime" means mime, the sort of thing Marcel Marceau would do.
2. The origins of pantomime aren't English at all, though. The word comes from the Latin word pantomimus, panto meaning all and mimos meaning dancer. The first pantomimes were performed in Ancient Rome and took the form of one male dancer who would act out myths and legends. He would play all the parts, with the help of masks, stock gestures and hand movements.
3. The next step in the evolution of the pantomime was the English mummers play, which, like modern pantomimes, was traditionally performed at Christmas. The plot was generally based on the St George and the Dragon story. Elements of today's panto began to appear - good vs evil, coarse humour and stage fights.
4. Panto could be described as the love child of the mummers play and an Italian form of theatre called commedia dell'arte. The latter was performed by professional actors who would take their productions on tour. The characters would generally include a pair of young lovers, old men and servants. By the 18th century this form of theatre had reached Britain and was known as a harlequinade. The young lovers were Harlequin and Columbine, who were eloping and being chased by Columbine's father, Pantaloon, and his servants. The plot didn't vary much for 150 years, although in later years, a comedy policeman was added to the mix. The last harlequinade was played at the Lyceum Theatre in 1939.
5. Panto as we know it began to emerge in the early 18th century and the person generally credited with starting it was John Weaver, the dancing master at Drury Lane, who put on a show called Tavern Bilkers, which combined classical stories with opera, ballet and comedy. This show bombed, but in 1716 he put on two more - The Loves of Mars and Venus and Perseus and Andromeda. This time, the idea did catch on and we've been watching pantomimes ever since.
6. Gender reversal is a pantomime tradition. In a modern production, the male romantic lead, or principal boy, is always played by a young woman. The Queen and Princess Margaret used to perform pantomimes at Windsor Castle as young women, with the Queen taking the principal boy role. There will be an older female (or in the case of Cinderella, two older females, the ugly sisters) played by a man in drag, the Pantomime Dame. Other characters which may appear are a fairy godmother, a villain, and an animal, usually a Horse or a Cow, played by two people, one at the front playing the head and forelegs, and one at the back playing the rest of the animal's body.
7. Another tradition is that the good fairy or fairy godmother enters from stage right (the audience's left) and the villain enters from stage left (the audience's right). This dates back to the mummers plays and their religious content. The right side of the stage symbolised Heaven and the left side symbolised Hell.
8. Audience participation is another feature no pantomime is ever without. A hero or heroine will ask the audience to warn them when the villain shows up, which he or she always does, creeping up on the hero/heroine from behind and moving with them as they turn around. This usually goes on for a while, as the audience yells, "It's behind you!" Another one is the mock argument where a character makes a statement and the audience respond with "Oh, no, it isn't!" and the character says, "Oh yes it is!" Early pantomimes were intended to involve the audience a lot more. They'd be set in a romantic version of the town and the audience would be the chorus.
9. Victorian pantomimes could feature as many as 600 actors and last as long as five hours.
10. The first ever principal boy was played by Eliza Povey, who played Jack in Jack and the Beanstalk at Drury Lane in 1819. The Pantomime Dame was introduced and developed by an actor named Dan Leno, a music-hall performer.

My Christmas Novella!

A Very Variant Christmas

Last year, Jade and Gloria were embroiled in a bitter conflict to win back their throne and their ancestral home. This year, Queen Jade and Princess Gloria want to host the biggest and best Christmas party ever in their palace. They invite all their friends to come and bring guests. Not even the birth of Jade's heir just before Christmas will stop them.

The guest list includes most of Britain's complement of super-powered crime-fighters, their families and friends. What could possibly go wrong?

Gatecrashers, unexpected arrivals, exploding Christmas crackers and a kidnapping, for starters.

Far away in space, the Constellations, a cosmic peacekeeping force, have suffered a tragic loss. They need to recruit a new member to replace their dead colleague. The two top candidates are both at Jade and Gloria's party. The arrival of the recruitment delegation on Christmas Eve is a surprise for everyone; but their visit means one guest now faces a life-changing decision.

Meanwhile, an alliance of the enemies of various guests at the party has infiltrated the palace; they hide in the dungeon, plotting how best to get rid of the crime-fighters and the royal family once and for all. Problem is, they all have their own agendas and differences of opinion on how to achieve their aims.

Not to mention that this year, the ghosts who walk the corridors of the palace on Christmas Eve will be as surprised by the living as the living are by them.

Available from Createspace, Amazon and Amazon Kindle

New!

Secrets and Skies

Jack Ward, President of Innovia, owes his life twice over to the enigmatic superhero, dubbed Power Blaster by the press. No-one knows who Power Blaster is or where he comes from - and he wants it to stay that way.

Scientist Desi Troyes has developed a nuclear bomb to counter the ever present threat of an asteroid hitting the planet. When Ward signs the order giving the go ahead for a nuclear test on the remote Bird Island, he has no inkling of Troyes' real agenda, and that he has signed the death warrants of millions of people.

Although the island should have been evacuated, there are people still there: some from the distant continent of Classica; protesters opposed to the bomb test; and Innovians who will not, or cannot, use their communication devices.

Power Blaster knows he must stop the bomb from hitting the island. He also knows it may be the last thing he ever does.

Meanwhile in Innovia, Ward and his staff gather to watch the broadcast of the test. Nobody, not even Troyes himself, has any idea what is about to happen.

Part One of The Raiders Trilogy.

Amazon Paperback

Amazon Kindle

21 December: Benjamin Disraeli Quotes

On this date in 1804 Benjamin Disraeli, first Earl of Beaconsfield, British Conservative statesman, was born. Here are ten things he said:

1. Like all great travellers, I have seen more than I remember, and remember more than I have seen.
2. The secret of success in life is for a man to be ready for his opportunity when it comes.
3. Most people die with their music still locked up inside them.
4. The best way to become acquainted with a subject is to write about it.
5. Be amusing: never tell unkind stories; above all, never tell long ones.
6. What we anticipate seldom occurs; what we least expected generally happens.
7. Nurture your mind with great thoughts, for you will never go any higher than you think.
8. Action may not always bring happiness; but there is no happiness without action.
9. If you don't believe in magic, then you can't believe in reality.
10. Next to knowing when to seize an opportunity, the most important thing in life is to know when to forego an advantage.

My Christmas Novella!

A Very Variant Christmas

Last year, Jade and Gloria were embroiled in a bitter conflict to win back their throne and their ancestral home. This year, Queen Jade and Princess Gloria want to host the biggest and best Christmas party ever in their palace. They invite all their friends to come and bring guests. Not even the birth of Jade's heir just before Christmas will stop them.

The guest list includes most of Britain's complement of super-powered crime-fighters, their families and friends. What could possibly go wrong?

Gatecrashers, unexpected arrivals, exploding Christmas crackers and a kidnapping, for starters.

Far away in space, the Constellations, a cosmic peacekeeping force, have suffered a tragic loss. They need to recruit a new member to replace their dead colleague. The two top candidates are both at Jade and Gloria's party. The arrival of the recruitment delegation on Christmas Eve is a surprise for everyone; but their visit means one guest now faces a life-changing decision.

Meanwhile, an alliance of the enemies of various guests at the party has infiltrated the palace; they hide in the dungeon, plotting how best to get rid of the crime-fighters and the royal family once and for all. Problem is, they all have their own agendas and differences of opinion on how to achieve their aims.

Not to mention that this year, the ghosts who walk the corridors of the palace on Christmas Eve will be as surprised by the living as the living are by them.

Available from Createspace, Amazon and Amazon Kindle

New!

Secrets and Skies

Jack Ward, President of Innovia, owes his life twice over to the enigmatic superhero, dubbed Power Blaster by the press. No-one knows who Power Blaster is or where he comes from - and he wants it to stay that way.

Scientist Desi Troyes has developed a nuclear bomb to counter the ever present threat of an asteroid hitting the planet. When Ward signs the order giving the go ahead for a nuclear test on the remote Bird Island, he has no inkling of Troyes' real agenda, and that he has signed the death warrants of millions of people.

Although the island should have been evacuated, there are people still there: some from the distant continent of Classica; protesters opposed to the bomb test; and Innovians who will not, or cannot, use their communication devices.

Power Blaster knows he must stop the bomb from hitting the island. He also knows it may be the last thing he ever does.

Meanwhile in Innovia, Ward and his staff gather to watch the broadcast of the test. Nobody, not even Troyes himself, has any idea what is about to happen.

Part One of The Raiders Trilogy.

Amazon Paperback

Amazon Kindle

20 December: The number 20

On the 20th, some things you may not know about the number 20.

1. An alternative word for twenty is a score. Multiples of twenty may be referred to as a number followed by the word score - eg fourscore meaning eighty. The word is also used to mean an indefinite number, for example, "scores of people turned up."
2. A solid with 20 faces is called an icosahedron.
3. In religion, 20 represented the Sun god for the Maya, and there were 20 days in a Mayan month. The number 20 is used 117 times in the Bible but only once in the Quran.
4. In sport, there are 20 sectors on a standard dartboard and a maximum of 20 horses in the Kentucky Derby.
5. A couple who have been married for 20 years are celebrating their China anniversary.
6. In old fashioned measurements, there were 20 shillings in a pound, 20 sous in a franc and 20 hundredweight in a ton.
7. In numerology, 20 is seen as a complete and perfect number. Its energy relates to family, health, harmony, compassion and teamwork.
8. 20 is the atomic number of calcium.
9. There is a small village called Twenty in Lincolnshire, England. The name is thought to have derived from the fact that it stands where, in the mid-19th century, the North Fen Drove crossed the 17th-century Twenty Foot Drain.
10. The term 20/20 vision is commonly used to mean perfect eyesight. It refers to normal vision at 20 feet, so strictly speaking would only apply to places using the imperial system. Where they metric system is used the term should really be 6/6 vision.

My Christmas Novella!

A Very Variant Christmas

Last year, Jade and Gloria were embroiled in a bitter conflict to win back their throne and their ancestral home. This year, Queen Jade and Princess Gloria want to host the biggest and best Christmas party ever in their palace. They invite all their friends to come and bring guests. Not even the birth of Jade's heir just before Christmas will stop them.

The guest list includes most of Britain's complement of super-powered crime-fighters, their families and friends. What could possibly go wrong?

Gatecrashers, unexpected arrivals, exploding Christmas crackers and a kidnapping, for starters.

Far away in space, the Constellations, a cosmic peacekeeping force, have suffered a tragic loss. They need to recruit a new member to replace their dead colleague. The two top candidates are both at Jade and Gloria's party. The arrival of the recruitment delegation on Christmas Eve is a surprise for everyone; but their visit means one guest now faces a life-changing decision.

Meanwhile, an alliance of the enemies of various guests at the party has infiltrated the palace; they hide in the dungeon, plotting how best to get rid of the crime-fighters and the royal family once and for all. Problem is, they all have their own agendas and differences of opinion on how to achieve their aims.

Not to mention that this year, the ghosts who walk the corridors of the palace on Christmas Eve will be as surprised by the living as the living are by them.

Available from Createspace, Amazon and Amazon Kindle

New!

Secrets and Skies

Jack Ward, President of Innovia, owes his life twice over to the enigmatic superhero, dubbed Power Blaster by the press. No-one knows who Power Blaster is or where he comes from - and he wants it to stay that way.

Scientist Desi Troyes has developed a nuclear bomb to counter the ever present threat of an asteroid hitting the planet. When Ward signs the order giving the go ahead for a nuclear test on the remote Bird Island, he has no inkling of Troyes' real agenda, and that he has signed the death warrants of millions of people.

Although the island should have been evacuated, there are people still there: some from the distant continent of Classica; protesters opposed to the bomb test; and Innovians who will not, or cannot, use their communication devices.

Power Blaster knows he must stop the bomb from hitting the island. He also knows it may be the last thing he ever does.

Meanwhile in Innovia, Ward and his staff gather to watch the broadcast of the test. Nobody, not even Troyes himself, has any idea what is about to happen.

Part One of The Raiders Trilogy.

Amazon Paperback

Amazon Kindle

19 December: Lino

On this date in 1863 Linoleum was patented by Frederick Walton. Here are a few things you might not know about lino!

1. The word linoleum was coined by its inventor, Frederick Walton. It's from the Latin words "linum" (flax) and "oleum" (oil). At first Walton called his invention "Kampticon", which was deliberately close to Kamptulicon, the name of an existing floor covering made from rubber.
2. As early as 1855, Walton was experimenting with using solidified linseed oil (linoxyn) to replace India rubber, after noticing how a skin formed over a can of oil based paint. His initial idea was to dip cloth in the stuff to make waterproof clothing and patented this as an idea in 1860. However, it never caught on. The cotton cloth wasn't durable enough and it took a long time to make. It didn't help, either, when his first factory burned down.
3. He didn't give up on his idea, though, and kept looking for better ways to make it. He found that hanging the cloth up and sprinkling the oil from above worked better, and that it helped to mix it with sawdust or cork dust to make it less tacky. He applied for the patent for his new method in 1863.
4. Walton established the Linoleum Manufacturing Company Ltd., with a factory at Staines, near London. It was an uphill struggle at first, with the company making a loss for the first five years because the competition from Kamptulicon was too intense. Still Walton didn't give up. He advertised his product and opened two shops in London which sold nothing but lino.
5. In due course, others jumped on the bandwagon and came up with better and quicker ways to make lino. By 1877, Kirkcaldy in Fife, Scotland was the largest producer of linoleum in the world, with no fewer than six lino factories in the town.
6. One of these was Michael Nairn & Co. Walton tried to sue them for using the name linoleum for their product, but he lost because, although he'd patented the product, he hadn't trademarked the name. The court ruled that, even if he had, the product was so widely used the name had become generic. Hence linoleum is considered to be the first product name to become a generic term.
7. Walton took his invention to what would then have been called "The Americas" and opened a linoleum factory in Staten Island. Up until 1930, the town where the factory was located was called Linoleumville. In 1930, the town was renamed Travis.
8. Linoleum was a popular floor covering for around 100 years as it was durable and easy to clean. In the 20th century, however it was largely replaced by vinyl or PVC flooring. The stuff in your hose which you refer to as lino probably isn't, it's probably PVC. That said, lino is making a comeback because it is made from natural ingredients and is therefore more eco-friendly. It's made from linseed oil from flax, wood powder, limestone, resins and some coloured pigments. The backing is made from jute.
9. Heavy duty linoleum, the kind used in office buildings and other high traffic areas got the name “battleship linoleum” because it was used by the US Navy on the decks of warships. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, however, most of them removed it because it was considered too flammable, although Submarines continued to use it.
10. Lino laid nowadays is expected to last about 40 years. There isn't much original 19th century lino around but if you're a lino geek and want to see some, the National Trust property, Tyntesfield, in Somerset, has some on show in one of the bathrooms.

My Christmas Novella!

A Very Variant Christmas

Last year, Jade and Gloria were embroiled in a bitter conflict to win back their throne and their ancestral home. This year, Queen Jade and Princess Gloria want to host the biggest and best Christmas party ever in their palace. They invite all their friends to come and bring guests. Not even the birth of Jade's heir just before Christmas will stop them.

The guest list includes most of Britain's complement of super-powered crime-fighters, their families and friends. What could possibly go wrong?

Gatecrashers, unexpected arrivals, exploding Christmas crackers and a kidnapping, for starters.

Far away in space, the Constellations, a cosmic peacekeeping force, have suffered a tragic loss. They need to recruit a new member to replace their dead colleague. The two top candidates are both at Jade and Gloria's party. The arrival of the recruitment delegation on Christmas Eve is a surprise for everyone; but their visit means one guest now faces a life-changing decision.

Meanwhile, an alliance of the enemies of various guests at the party has infiltrated the palace; they hide in the dungeon, plotting how best to get rid of the crime-fighters and the royal family once and for all. Problem is, they all have their own agendas and differences of opinion on how to achieve their aims.

Not to mention that this year, the ghosts who walk the corridors of the palace on Christmas Eve will be as surprised by the living as the living are by them.

Available from Createspace, Amazon and Amazon Kindle

New!

Secrets and Skies

Jack Ward, President of Innovia, owes his life twice over to the enigmatic superhero, dubbed Power Blaster by the press. No-one knows who Power Blaster is or where he comes from - and he wants it to stay that way.

Scientist Desi Troyes has developed a nuclear bomb to counter the ever present threat of an asteroid hitting the planet. When Ward signs the order giving the go ahead for a nuclear test on the remote Bird Island, he has no inkling of Troyes' real agenda, and that he has signed the death warrants of millions of people.

Although the island should have been evacuated, there are people still there: some from the distant continent of Classica; protesters opposed to the bomb test; and Innovians who will not, or cannot, use their communication devices.

Power Blaster knows he must stop the bomb from hitting the island. He also knows it may be the last thing he ever does.

Meanwhile in Innovia, Ward and his staff gather to watch the broadcast of the test. Nobody, not even Troyes himself, has any idea what is about to happen.

Part One of The Raiders Trilogy.

Amazon Paperback

Amazon Kindle

18 December: New Jersey

It's New Jersey Ratification Day. Here are a few things you might not know about the US state of New Jersey.

1. New Jersey is the most densely populated state in the USA - 1,030 people per sq. mi., which is 13 times the national average. New Jersey has 21 counties, all of which are classified as urban areas. Not surprising then that New Jersey also has the densest road and rail network of any state. It has more engineers and scientists per square mile than anywhere else in the world. The fact that the number one industry in the state is chemicals probably contributes to that. Perhaps more surprising is that New Jersey has more Horses per square mile than any other state.
2. The second largest industry in the state is tourism - so some tourist highlights. Atlantic City is one of the biggest attractions and the place the street names in the US version of Monopoly come from. New Jersey also boasts the oldest seaside resort in the US (Cape May - lots of beach resorts actually since New Jersey is completely surrounded by Water except for about 40 miles along the New York border), the longest boardwalk in the world (in Atlantic City), the tallest water tower in the world, and a spoon museum featuring over 5,400 spoons from every state and almost every country. It has the most diners in the world and is sometimes referred to as the diner capital of the world, and holds the record for the most shopping malls in a 25 square mile area - seven. On a less positive note, it also has 108 toxic waste dumps, more than any other state, and North Jersey is the car theft capital of the world. More cars are stolen in Newark than in New York City and Los Angeles put together.
3. Ask anyone where the Statue of Liberty is and they'll probably say New York. Technically, though, Liberty Island is in New Jersey. The island is an exclave of the New York City borough of Manhattan, so portions of the island that are above water are part of New York, while all the submerged land surrounding the statue belongs to New Jersey.
4. The Dutch, Swedes, and Finns were the first European settlers in the area, although there were Native Americans living there before them. In 1664 the Dutch lost control of the land to British. Duke of York (later King James II) granted the land between the Hudson River and the Delaware River (the land that would become New Jersey) to two friends who had remained loyal through the English Civil War: Sir George Carteret (who was in charge of the east side) and Lord John Berkley (who was in charge of the west side). Carteret had been governor of the island of Jersey in the English Channel and he named the colony after it.
5. The capital, Trenton, which was made capital in 1790, is only the 10th largest city. The largest city is Newark and the rest of the top five are Jersey City, Paterson, Elizabeth, and Edison.
6. The state symbols are: state insect, Honey Bee; state seashell, the knobbed whelk; state dinosaur, Hadrosaurus; state tree, red Oak; state bird, eastern goldfinch; state flower, purple Violet; and state mammal, horse. The motto is liberty and prosperity. Some sources said New Jersey is the only state without an official state song, but there were several mentions of a song called I'm From New Jersey, which is notable for being adaptable to any municipality with a two or three syllable name.
7. Famous people from New Jersey include Jack Nicholson, Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, Queen Latifa, Whitney Houston, Frank Sinatra, Grover Cleveland, David Copperfield, Abbot and Costello, Tom Cruise, Danny DeVito, Michael Douglas, Kirsten Dunst, Jerry Lewis, Bette Midler, Christopher Reeve, Susan Sarandon, Kevin Spacey, Meryl Streep, John Travolta, Bruce Willis, Connie Francis, Deborah Harry, Paul Simon, Patti Smith, Frankie Vallie, Buzz Aldrin, Anne Morrow Lindberg, Toni Morrison, Dorothy Parker, Walt Whitman, "Stormin" Norman Schwarzkopf and Thomas Edison. The latter was nicknamed the "Wizard of Menlo Park" as this was where he came up with several of his major inventions - the phonograph, light bulb, and motion picture projector.
8. Ever wondered why bottled Water which originated in the high mountains millions of years ago has a sell by date? It's because New Jersey has a law requiring a sell by date for absolutely everything. It's also one of two states where self service petrol stations aren't allowed (the other is Oregon). There are some even wackier laws. Ice cream cannot be sold after 6pm unless the purchaser has a doctor's prescription. Cats in Cresskill must wear bells to warn the birds they are coming. Women must not walk down Broad Street, Elizabeth without wearing a petticoat. It's illegal to slurp your soup, frown at a police officer (or anyone at all in Bernards Township), delay a homing Pigeon or offer Whiskey or cigarettes to the animals in Manville Zoo. If you are a man, you may not knit during the fishing season.
9. New Jersey was the location of the first drive in movie, the first Indian reservation, the first organised Baseball game and the first professional Basketball game.
10. About 10% of all known minerals in the world can be found in the Sterling Hill Mine in New Jersey. 35 of these minerals have never been found anywhere else. 91 of the minerals are fluorescent.

My Christmas Novella!

A Very Variant Christmas

Last year, Jade and Gloria were embroiled in a bitter conflict to win back their throne and their ancestral home. This year, Queen Jade and Princess Gloria want to host the biggest and best Christmas party ever in their palace. They invite all their friends to come and bring guests. Not even the birth of Jade's heir just before Christmas will stop them.

The guest list includes most of Britain's complement of super-powered crime-fighters, their families and friends. What could possibly go wrong?

Gatecrashers, unexpected arrivals, exploding Christmas crackers and a kidnapping, for starters.

Far away in space, the Constellations, a cosmic peacekeeping force, have suffered a tragic loss. They need to recruit a new member to replace their dead colleague. The two top candidates are both at Jade and Gloria's party. The arrival of the recruitment delegation on Christmas Eve is a surprise for everyone; but their visit means one guest now faces a life-changing decision.

Meanwhile, an alliance of the enemies of various guests at the party has infiltrated the palace; they hide in the dungeon, plotting how best to get rid of the crime-fighters and the royal family once and for all. Problem is, they all have their own agendas and differences of opinion on how to achieve their aims.

Not to mention that this year, the ghosts who walk the corridors of the palace on Christmas Eve will be as surprised by the living as the living are by them.

Available from Createspace, Amazon and Amazon Kindle

New!

Secrets and Skies

Jack Ward, President of Innovia, owes his life twice over to the enigmatic superhero, dubbed Power Blaster by the press. No-one knows who Power Blaster is or where he comes from - and he wants it to stay that way.

Scientist Desi Troyes has developed a nuclear bomb to counter the ever present threat of an asteroid hitting the planet. When Ward signs the order giving the go ahead for a nuclear test on the remote Bird Island, he has no inkling of Troyes' real agenda, and that he has signed the death warrants of millions of people.

Although the island should have been evacuated, there are people still there: some from the distant continent of Classica; protesters opposed to the bomb test; and Innovians who will not, or cannot, use their communication devices.

Power Blaster knows he must stop the bomb from hitting the island. He also knows it may be the last thing he ever does.

Meanwhile in Innovia, Ward and his staff gather to watch the broadcast of the test. Nobody, not even Troyes himself, has any idea what is about to happen.

Part One of The Raiders Trilogy.

Amazon Paperback

Amazon Kindle