Z-Day 2

“You’ve got red on you”  – Shaun of the Dead, 2004 If you’ve been around this blog for a while you may have noticed that I am drawn to post-apocalyptic fiction. Indeed, during the twitterview I had with Dan Haight (author of Flotilla) we ended up talking about the zombie apocalypse and contingency plans.  The thing is, I was only half joking. A few months ago I wrote a little about my fear of zombies.  The idea that humans could become infected with some sort of man-made contagion is perfectly plausible to me. 28 Days Later  (with it’s fast moving Rage infected/fuelled “zombies”) is […]

Review: Ophelia Adrift

So today (1st July 2016) Helen Goltz‘s first Young Adult book is released.  I was lucky enough to get a copy pre-release and (despite being about 15 years past the age of the target audience) I found it an engaging read and will be recommending it to the step-daughter and eldest niece. So, let’s start with the synopsis provided by the publisher: “In her wildest dreams, Ophelia Montague never imagined she would leave the city, her friends, her school and move to a seaside village. But when her parents die in an accident, that’s just where she finds herself – ensconced in […]

Review: Flotilla (Pac Fish #1) 1

Sometimes the internet is a gift that gives.  A little while back I reviewed the Codebreakers Series by Colin F. Barnes and the inner workings of this website sent a tweet announcing as such over on Twitter and one of the responses to the review of the first book was rather unexpected….   @Dizzyfy Hey Dizzyfy, can I tell you about my #scifi thriller available for review on Netgalley? https://t.co/WSnagwI0BD — Flotilla Online (@FlotillaOnline) May 2, 2016 That was Dan Haight, author of Flotilla a story narrated by Jim, a teenage (recovering) alcoholic from a near-future Pacific coast USA.  At the point Dan tweeted me I […]

366: A Year of No-Poo

…you’ve probably already decided I’m some sort of smelly hippy and don’t have a “normal” life where I have a job/social life… twirliegirly 24/05/2015 That was me, writing one of my first entries on this re-boot of my blogging life, exactly 366 days ago (gotta love a leap year).  That was me right at the start of my No-Poo journey.  Armed with (what are generally considered to be) the no-poo staples: bicarbonate of soda, apple cider vinegar (ACV) and a bristle brush.  My go-to reference was Happy Hair[A] and, well, it got referred to quite a lot! So before I tell […]

Review: Alice’s Adventures In Steamland

“He was a March hare, a species filling any job that permitted marching, which they were obsessed with.” –Alice’s Adventures in Steamland: The Clockwork Goddess If you have ever wanted to read something truly bonkers then try Alice’s Adventures in Steamland: The Clockwork GoddessA. This has to be one of the strangest tales I have ever read – and that’s including the psychedelic tale that is Gregory Maguire’s WickedA. If I had actually thought to check out author, Wol-vriey‘sA. I would have maybe got an inkling of what to expect. His portfolio includes titles such as “Vegan Zombie Apocalypse” and the “Bizarro 101” flash fiction stories. […]

Just Purrfect 5

Relationships, our lives are built on them. My Facebook says I am “in a relationship”.  This refers to my relationship with my partner, the man with the other end of our red string, but really, technically speaking, everyone on Facebook could say the same thing… every one on the planet could.  From birth to death we are making (and breaking) relationships.  Some are fleeting and some last a lifetime, they evolve, deepen, strengthen and weaken but they are an intrinsic part of who you are.  They can be with anything, animal, vegetable, mineral, emotion, location…. so when I was given the […]