Anita Birt's Note Book

After reading in the paper recently about The Honest Toddler and his words of wisdom, I wondered if there was space in the wide, wide internet web for words of wisdom from "The Honest Old Lady," that would be me, of course. Have lived a long and interesting life. Lived in seven different countries. Had a long and happy marriage. Raised two interesting and challenging children. Had a mother who wrote adventure stories for girls. Have written five romance novels and one non-fiction book myself. 

I await a comment or two.

Change of subject. Check my publishers web site and have a look at the cover of my book, TOO YOUNG TO DIE. www.ellora's Cave.com. Easy to order with one or two clicks.

 How would you fare if you had to escape into the Cascade mountains with a three month old baby to avoid being tortured and then shot. Not a pretty picture. Buy my book and see how my heroine manages to keep herself and the baby alive.

Anita
www.anitabirt.com

Anita Birt's Note book

I have been out of service for over a week after my computer crashed. I had technicians in to find the problem. Seems there was an obscure bit of software that had  been corrupted and caused the problem.

I have heard from my publisher to-day that my murder/mystery TOO YOUNG TO DIE is now available in print as well as in e-pub format. You can order my book directly from my publisher at www.ellora's cave.com or at Amazon.com (in Canada, Amazon.ca) Baker and Taylor, LS1/ingrams, and Barnes and Noble.


We are finally getting summer weather here on Vancouver Island after a miserable cold, rainy spring. There is always a bit of a chilly wind blowing because we are by the sea. We don';t get that awful sticky hot weather covering parts of the United States. I hope that soon gives way to clement weather.

About writing. I have finished my memoir, ON BEING SIX and it's ready to go to my family. If you'd like to read it, send me a comment at the end of this note. It all happened in 1929, a life time ago, but still fresh in my memory.

Life goes on apace. I am still mulling through a ghost story that takes place in a senior's residence. I shall keep my creative juices flowing and suddenly the first page will appear to start my book. A first line will also do the trick. I started one of my romance novels with these words: "Of course you will consent to marry me."
I am sitting on that book waiting until feel ready to do more editing. Various health problems have slowed me down.

Anita
www.anitabirt.com

Anita Birt's Note book

ATLANTIC CROSSING  I can't upload my story about crossing the Atlantic Ocean in 1944 and coming close to being torpedoed.
 BLOODY HELL, SOMETHING HAS SCREWED UP MY FONT AND I AM STUCK WITH CAPITAL LETTERS. I SHALL CEASE AND DESIST FOR THE TIME BEING AND RETURN WHEN MY SANITY RETURNS.

IN THE MEANTIME I HOPE YOU ARE  BUYING MY BOOKS FOR YOUR E-READERS. SOMEONE IS BUYING A LOT OF MY HISTORICAL ROMANCE, "A VERY DIFFICULT MAN' TO DOWNLOAD ON A KINDLE. I AM GETTING MY  ROYALTY BUT THIS PERSON  COULD BE RESELLING THEM. WHAT DO YOU THINK?

ANITA
WWW.ANITABIRT.COM

Anita Birt's Note book

I am writing a short memoir titled, ON BEING SIX. I am serious. When I was six years old in 1929 my grandmother, mother, my sister and two brothers travelled on the luxury ship, The Lady Hawkins, to the West Indies as they were known then.

Moymother rented a large house on the island of St.Vincent.The house overlooked a small bay. My brother, Douglas, was ill,. The valves of his heart had been damaged after he caught rheumatic fever. We lived in London, Ontario, and the doctor thought it would help my brother get well to spend the winter in a warm climate.

My brother, Harry was 18 months younger than I and we had wonderful adventures on St. Vincent. I have a remarkable memory of that time and decided to write them for my family. What do you remember when you were six?

The scent of afternoon teas on the ship. The drive through fields of lilies in Bermuda. The wonder of gas lighting. The bath house in the garden where a big tarantula spider lived high up in a corner. Dreaming of pirates and hoping they would come and visit.

I shall not go on. I have three single spaced pages of On Being Six already and not quite finished. Tell me what you remember about Being Six.

Anita
www.anitabirt.com

Anita Birt's Notebook

I am trying to copy my Atlantic Crossing story to my blog but haven't figured out do do it. My blog is sadly neglected. I flew to England to attend my Grandson';s wedding in April. In the course of my travels I flew the Atlantic twice in eight days thereby losing hours of sleep. Then I caught a horrible cold and was sick. Then I started radiation therapy. That is now finished so here I am.

I sailed across the Atlantic Ocean in 1944 and came close to being torpedoed by a German U-boat. The u-boat sunk the ship sailing behind my ship in  the convoy and then torpedoed the rescue ship come to pick up survivors. I have vivid memories of the ensuing problems when the captain forbade us to go out on deck. The explosion that lifted me right up off my bunk struck at 5.30 am.  White clad stewards assured us all was well. The explosion and subsequent bangs  were navy boys practicing dropping depth charges. Not true but we didn't know that.

Had we gone out on deck we would have seen the debris of the Empire Heritage and sinking of the Pinto the rescue ship for the convoy. Because my ship was sailing ahead of the Empire Heritage we wee lucky to have missed the torpedoes. We were quite a long way apart. The convoy had 97 ships in long lines. We were two weeks at sea. The convoy could only travel as fast as the slowest ship.

I shall try and download Atlantic Crossing to my blog. There has to be a way.

In the meantime continue to buy my books. A VERY DIFFICULT MAN, ISABELLE'S DIARY, ISABELLE'S STORY, RING AROUND THE MOON, AND TOO YOUNG TO DIE.

I promise you will enjoy every one of them. Each story is quite different from the others,
www.anitabirt.com

Anita

Anita Birt's Note book

What do do when a company threatens to blacken your credit rating because of an unpaid small bill? When I had a working cell phone my service provider was KOODO. My phone died and I didn't replace it. Month after month I returned their invoices asking them to cancel my contract,. I thought I was falling down a rabbit hole until a gentleman phoned me from their office in Toronto. I told him I no longer had a cell phone and to cancel my contract. He agreed to do so.

But...I have just received an invoice that covers two month's service and if it is not paid by the due date they will send information to credit service rating agencies as a bad debt. I will have a black mark against my impeccable credit rating, as if I am a felon of some kind. I am so angry I could spit nails and hammer KOODO to the wall., But they are powerful and I am not.

I have sent letters to KOODO in Montreal and Toronto expressing my anger at their stupidity. Will anyone pay attention? Stay tuned.


In the meantime. The wedding was perfect and all went according to plan. Francesca's dress was fabulous and she looked beautiful and happy. My grandson looked terrific as well in his morning clothes. A hundred guests enjoyed the day.

I am still trying to recover from travelling through eight time zones. In the meantime, do pop into a book store or go on line toi buy one or more of my books. My historical romance, A VERY DIFFICULT MAN, is selling well. Pick up a copy and enjoy a really good story. Check out my other books at: www.anitabirt.com

I shall return after a nap or two.

Anita

Anita Birts' Note Book

I am flying away tomorrow to attend my grandson's wedding in England. Enjoy the spring weather - if you are having any. The weather gods have sadly neglected us on Vancouver Island. Tomorrow will be better. Tell me ghost stories. A ghost that haunts a senior's residential complex.

Must go and finish packing.

Remember to buy my books. You'll find covers and short introductions to each book. Try one and you'll become addicted.

Anita
www.anitabirt.com