Author Archives: Fiona

Letters to Enid part 73: From volume 4 issue 10

Previous letters pages can be found here. NB – a warning again for the use of wording that is considered derogatory and offensive in the UK (and potentially elsewhere) today. As I am transcribing these letters exactly as written by … Continue reading

Rate this:

Posted in Magazines | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

June 2025 round up

It’s July already (and it has rained pretty much every day so far) so let’s look back at June. What I read I continued with the Val McDermids at the start of June, then finally took a break once I … Continue reading

Rate this:

Posted in Personal Experiences | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Monday #636

I took last week off as I realised it was the last week of term and it was my last chance for peace during the day for SEVEN WEEKS. Now it’s the first week of these really long holidays, so … Continue reading

Rate this:

Posted in Blog talk | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Blyton references in non-fiction books

I have finally compiled enough references to make another non-fiction post worthwhile (the first was references in memoirs). That means that shortly after posting this I will undoubtedly find another reference and have to start a third post. Lego Lost … Continue reading

Rate this:

Posted in Other Authors | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Maps in books

Having shared the map Eileen Soper drew of her own garden in a recent post I made the same comment again – about how much I love a map in a book. That got me thinking that I should then … Continue reading

Rate this:

Posted in Illustrations and artwork, Other Authors | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Monday #634

Maps in books and Blyton references in works of non-fiction I am paraphrasing like mad here because I didn’t take a note of this at the time! Unlike, say, the Famous Five who never seemed to learn their lessons. Let’s … Continue reading

Rate this:

Posted in Blog talk | Tagged , | Leave a comment

If you like Blyton: The Challenge of Palores Point by Zöe Billings

Following on from The Mystery of Tully Hall and The Secret of Flittermouse Cliffs, The Challenge of Palores Point is the third book in the Great Friends at Grey Owls series by Zöe Billings. I read this from September to … Continue reading

Rate this:

Posted in Book reviews, Other Authors | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Letters to Enid part 72: from volume 4 issue 9

Previous letters pages can be found here. NB – a warning again for the use of wording that is considered derogatory and offensive in the UK (and potentially elsewhere) today. As I am transcribing these letters exactly as written by … Continue reading

Rate this:

Posted in Magazines | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Monday #633

I was reading an un-put-down-able book last night so didn’t get around to doing the Monday post (yes, another Val McDermid but I am seeing her talk later this week, so I’ll probably stop binge-reading her stuff after that. Probably.) but … Continue reading

Rate this:

Posted in Blog talk | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

If you like Blyton: Cherry Ames by Helen Wells

I have had two of the Cherry Ames books sitting on my bookshelf for years. I’m not sure how many years exactly, but here they are (sixth and seventh from the right) back in 2019 when I did my series … Continue reading

Rate this:

Posted in Book reviews, Other Authors | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

May 2025 round up

What I read I have been reading a lot this month – I am going to see Val McDermid talk soon so I thought I had better read a few more of her books (I’d only read two when I … Continue reading

Rate this:

Posted in Personal Experiences | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Monday #632

May has been a month of two parts – the first part where it was warm and sunny all the time, and then when it was cloudy and rainy almost all the time. Perhaps June will strike a better balance! … Continue reading

Rate this:

Posted in Blog talk | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Eileen Soper’s artwork

I’ve been promising this for a few weeks and yet I almost never managed it tonight either as my scanner decided it was firmly offline and couldn’t be persuaded otherwise. Luckily I bought a cable for it recently and so … Continue reading

Rate this:

Posted in Illustrations and artwork, Other Authors | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Letters to Enid part 71: From volume 4, issue 8

Previous letters pages can be found here. Letters page from Volume 4, issue 8. May 9th – May 22nd, 1956. OUR LETTER PAGE A letter from Jennifer Bursnall, Llandudno. Dear Enid Blyton, A few days ago some friends and I … Continue reading

Rate this:

Posted in Magazines | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Monday #631

Yes, I know it’s Tuesday, but better late than never, right? For a moment I couldn’t remember why I didn’t manage to sort this post out yesterday evening but then I remembered – I was binge reading a Val McDermid … Continue reading

Rate this:

Posted in Blog talk | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Famous Five and the Forgotten Treasure part 2

Last time I ran out of time to finish the review let alone scan any of the illustrations or the map, but hopefully I can put that right this time. Last time I got a far as the Five having … Continue reading

Rate this:

Posted in Book reviews, Other Authors | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Monday #630

As much as I enjoy the sunshine we haven’t had any rain for weeks and it’s starting to feel weird. Plus there are now low water level warnings across the country. One of those rare times I’m actually hoping for … Continue reading

Rate this:

Posted in Blog talk | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The New Famous Five: Five and the Forgotten Treasure

Having taken this out weeks ago I then procrastinated over actually reading it. What if it was really, really bad? First thoughts My very first thought was that I still did not like the cover, but I did appreciate the … Continue reading

Rate this:

Posted in Book reviews, Other Authors | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Letters to Enid part 70: From volume 4, issue 7

Previous letters pages can be found here. NB – a warning again for the use of wording that is considered derogatory and offensive in the UK (and potentially elsewhere) today. As I am transcribing these letters exactly as written by … Continue reading

Rate this:

Posted in Magazines | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Monday #629

As I write this the sun is beaming down, so I’m hoping to get this done quickly so I can head out into the garden to enjoy it, once I’ve hung the washing out of course. We’ve been having a … Continue reading

Rate this:

Posted in Blog talk | Tagged , , | Leave a comment