Hear all about it!

Today I will be on Black Country Radio, on the Leigh Perry Drive Time Show, around 3pm.  I'll be talking about AutoAngels, why we do what we do and how you can get involved. 

I hope you can catch it. xx

All hail the ale!

Just off the Stourbridge Ring Road, only a minute or two by foot from the main shopping area, lies Craddock’s Brewery.  Yesterday I paid it a visit.

Situated behind a quaint and cosy pub, this brewery defies all expectations, because for all its compact nature, it manages to supply the pub to which it’s attached, and three others owned by the company, with a constant supply of ale.

Now you know me, I don’t drink ale. But I had booked the brewery tour as a present for my partner, and so for that reason, plus the fact that I seldom turn down new experiences, I accompanied him.

To be truthful, I wasn’t expecting much. Our admission ticket included pie and mash at the end of the tour, and prior to the event I thought that would most likely be all I got out of the experience.

I was wrong.

The owner of the brewery, David Craddock, conducted the tour himself and proved to be witty, approachable and exceptionally knowledgeable, not just about the process of making good beer, but the history of it.

Along with the others in the tour I sniffed hops, tasted some of the ingredients used to flavour the drink and asked numerous questions. All were answered with ease and appreciation.

At the end of the tour came the sampling. Generous volumes of ale were handed out and I did take a sip of each one and even as a novice and proclaimed wine drinker, I had to admit that there were subtleties of flavour I hadn’t expected.

And I was particularly interested to learn that David plans to open a bar right in the heart of Birmingham, funded by Crowdfunding, where profits will go to charity. As a true believer in giving back to the community, I think it’s a great idea and wish him well.

So if you like ale, or you’re just looking for a novel day out, take the Craddock’s Brewery tour. Oh and by the way, the pie and mash was great too!

On Air with the Fizzogs

I had the privilege recently to be invited onto Black Country Radio, to talk to the Fizzogs about my latest book, Ascension. Whilst I had a wonderful time with these inimitable ladies, it required a huge amount of concentration to have to answer questions fired at me from all sides. I have been told by friends who listened in that I came across well, but believe me, that was a real fluke, as these ladies are both funny and gregarious, and therefore apt to hijack every innocently meant comment, and turn it into something completely different!

But what stuck me most about them is how different they are to their alter egos, the Dancing Grannies. I was curious to find out more.

How did you come up with the concept of the Dancing Grannies?

Sue: They were originally part of a comedy sketch - from two separate things. We just added some dancing at the end of the sketch and it went down a storm.

Then we decided to do flash mobs to hand out flyers about our shows. We did it as the Dancing Grannies and then suddenly, there was a video which went viral around the world. Since then we have had 19 viral videos with over 270 million views.

The Dancing Grannies are our most popular characters.

You've recently done Freezin', a Black Country take on the animation Frozen.

Sue: We enjoy doing non-traditional pantos, which is what Freezin' was. It's for adults, not children. It was so popular that we did a ten date tour that sold out, so we had to add another two dates to it.

And you have found fame with your radio show too!

Sue: Well we have a slot on Friday morning because it fits into our busy schedules. But we have such a good time on the show and I think that's what the listeners enjoy. We are totally unplanned and unprepared and we just go for it! You get to hear the real Fizzogs, not something planned and premeditated.

Well readers having been there and done that, I can attest to the truth of that statement.

So Fizzogs, keep on fizzing! We love you.

Happy reading!

Calling All Black Country Bibliophiles!

On Friday I will be live with the wonderful Fizzogs, on Black Country Radio, 102.5fm. We will be  talking about my published books and my forthcoming release, Ascension, due out early next year.

Acerbically witty and wickedly talented, these ladies have become a world-wide hit and have productions to their credits as diverse as Freezin'  [a comedic take on the animated film Frozen], Fifty Shades of Fizzog, Kippin Beauty [ Black Country  colloquialism for sleeping],  as well as their hilarious routine as the Dancing Grannies.

It was as these alter egos that I first encountered them. Loud cardigans pulled over cavernous, drooping chests, they were a sight to behold. When they danced, the whole room became still and focused. Not a single glance was stolen away from their performance, and the applause was raptutrous.

So what will they make of me and my books? Of all the interviews and talks I have given, they are probably the most likely not to bat an eyelid when I tell them that in my dystopian science fiction series, humans are kept as pets by other, larger, feathered creatures called Eyons.

And I am sure that they will love the premise of Split Decision, where the main characher has a life-changing decision to make, even if she doesn't know it at the time.

But of Ascension, dark and brooding and beautifully dystopian - what might they make of that?

Well if you are keen to find out, join me at 9.10 on Friday, live on the radio. I'm so excited!

Until then, as ever, happy reading!