Thursday 22 December 2016

SEASON'S GREETINGS TO EVERYONE & HAPPY NEW YEAR


 AND 
A HAPPY NEW YEAR 
*
HAVE FUN FRIENDS



A couple of posters designed for Christmas 2016

All designed to accompany links on amazon to the four novels
about the lives of The Dudley Sisters in WW2
- for Twitter.









Thursday 15 December 2016

Christmas Posters


This poser designed by Gary Walker at www.look4books.com




This poster, Churchill's Secret Army, worked.  The Christmas tree poster didn't work.
Both designed and created by me with Canva and Serif



The Applause poster was successful. 
Designed by me, as was the summer one of Margo sitting on her suitcase.




My design. Tells some of Claire's story.
    I like this poster. I like all the China Blue Ads.



This is the first of the 9:45 To Bletchley posters.                           My favourite Poster.




 Gary Walker's original line-up


My design - Canva and Serif





More posters to follow.


Saturday 10 September 2016

A go at making a postcard with Serif.


Having a go with Serif. 

I bought the software a couple of years ago, looked at it, decided it was too complicated for what I needed and used Canva. Canva is good, I shall still use it, but you can do so much more on Serif. Saying that, Canva is a great  tool for beginners. It got me used to creative technology. 

I shall print my novels onto a postcard to give out when I do talks. 
And I did. 
However, blank postcards and the amount of ink needed would have cost more than 
Vista Print charge, so, when they VP were advertising a voucher with 30% off I ordered 150.  

4 Novels of The Dudley Sisters' Saga

On the back of the card/flyer

Links to the novels on Amazon. 







First I designed a post card that could be posted, then I remembered that I might not be able to use the photograph of the lady on the station with the policeman on a postcard,so it's a hand-out. 









Monday 29 August 2016

The 9:45 To Bletchley

Two new posters for The 9:45 To Bletchley


The first poster: Four books added to an original 1940s photograph of a woman in a book shop.
Links to the books on amazon are listed in book order on the right of the poster.






The second poster: The 9:45 To Bletchley is on a large signpost in front of the mansion.
Links to amazon will be listed separately at the time of Tweeting.



There are a lot of good books on Amazon - Kindle and paperback - therefore advertising
needs to be kept interesting to catch the eye of potential readers.

Sunday 14 August 2016

Friday 17 June 2016

Trailer for The 9:45 To Bletchley by Madalyn Morgan


Trailer for the novel, The 9:45 To Bletchley.
Ena, the youngest of the Dudley sisters, is accused of sabotage.

Determined to prove her accusers wrong, Ena sets out o clear her 
name, and the names of her colleagues and friends.



Tuesday 7 June 2016

The 9:45 To Bletchley. Review from the USA


Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com

4* Review. “Intrigue and Romance Set Against Britain During WWII 4 Jun. 2016”
By Sophia Rose - Published on Amazon.com

“In a swirl of curiosity over the title, cover, and blurb, I was eager to try this British WWII era romantic suspense. Following along as young, intrepid Ena Dudley does her part for the war effort through her top secret work at the factory and later as she seeks to find out who stole and sabotaged her work was a source of delight.

I discovered after I finished and read the afterwards that I had actually snagged the fourth book in a series telling the story of each Dudley sister. And with that in mind, it's obvious that this one at least could be read out of order or as a standalone. It also left me excited that I can go back and get the stories for each of Ena's sisters who all ended up doing different work during the war.

The story opens with Ena Dudley and the other women at the engineering plant fearful during a German bombing raid on nearby Coventry. Ena's work is important and secret so that not even she is sure what her delicate component work is for. Her boss and his assistant, her friend Freda, are the ones who carry the finished work to Bletchley Park each week. Ena is eager to one day be able to accompany them. The bombing of Coventry and another of the engineering plants there give her the opportunity.

Soon, she is regularly helping to deliver her work to the Colonel at Bletchley Park, but then one fateful day, she is robbed and comes under suspicion for a time that she sabotaged her own work. She didn't, but someone close to her did. Ena is bright and starts putting together the events and agrees to help trap a German spy.

Going about her daily life, continuing her work, and expanding her attentions to Bletchley, Ena slowly closes in on who is sabotaging the work from her plant. In the meantime, Ena has an American working with British Intelligence interested in her and also the attentions of an old family friend who works at Bletchley. Ena has feelings for both, but also can't let her guard down ever with co-workers, friends, or anyone else now that she is on the hunt even while she herself may become the hunted.

I was already interested knowing this would follow a heroine working on intricate and secret components for top secret intelligence and communication work and also her investigation for a saboteur, but the author really pulled me in with her attention to the historical setting, the characters fitting well in the setting, and the thoughtful even pace of the story. The detail work was fascinating and added color and depth. Ena's family life, holidays during the war, work, dances, thinking, fashion, music, war romance, and living with the fear- all well drawn and blended with the plot nicely.

The story is passive much of the time, but once I got used to the writing style, I got along fine with it. There are jumps in time and there is also leaps in the relationship development which I wish had had the time to tease out more. Ena herself is well developed as is her daily world. She's a bright and intelligent heroine. Yes, there were two men she was interested in, but one really wasn't a serious contender so no worries about a love triangle.

The suspense was good. I caught on to a few things, but there were still a couple surprises for me. Ena's role is important in the investigation, but she was also working with the real professionals of British intelligence. She was great when she bearded the Colonel in his office and stood her ground about things.

The ending is left a little open-ended, but not exactly a cliffhanger as it sets up for the next book which I really must have. This was a gently paced story that I would easily recommend to the lovers of historical mystery and historical romantic suspense.

I got this book from Net Galley to read in exchange for an honest review.


Thursday 2 June 2016

Chill with a Book!: The 9:45 To Bletchley by Madalyn Morgan

Chill with a Book!: The 9:45 To Bletchley by Madalyn Morgan: Sharing the launch of the fourth book in the Dudley Sisters Saga, The 9:45 To Bletchley, with the authors and readers at Chill With A...

Saturday 21 May 2016

The 9:45 To Bletchley, June 1st

The 9:45 To Bletchley 
is Ena Dudley's story.

The fourth novel in the Dudley Sisters Saga

Publication on Amazon, Kindle, June 1st.
Paperback shortly afterwards. 




The 9:45 To Bletchley (The Dudley Sisters Saga Book 4)


In the midst of the Second World War, and charged with taking vital equipment via the 9:45 train, Ena Dudley makes regular trips to Bletchley Park, until on one occasion she is robbed. When those she cares about are accused of being involved, she investigates, not knowing whom she can trust. While trying to clear her name, Ena falls in love.

Thursday 28 April 2016

Sneak preview of the bookcover for The 9:45 To Bletchley

The 9:45 To Bletchley
The fourth novel in the Dudley Sisters Saga 
by
Madalyn Morgan


Ena Dudley, the youngest Dudley sister, works in a local engineering factory manufacturing dials and rotors for a secret location that she only knows as Station X. In November 1940 - after the bombing of Coventry - a set of circumstances lead Ena to Bletchley Park. Some months later Ena becomes involved with sabotage and spies, and while trying to clear her name, she falls in love. 


Date of publication for the fourth book in The Dudley Sisters Saga
June 1st on Kindle and shortly afterwards in paperback.


A sneak preview of the fabulous photographs for the book cover 


Photograph courtesy of: Toni Frissell / Universal Images Group/Getty Images




Image courtesy of Living Archive Milton Keynes





My new author photograph

Visiting Bletchley Park before publication of, The 9:45 To Bletchley.


Click the link below to see the photographs and read about my wonderful day at Bletchley Park.


Madalyn Morgan's Writing Blog: Visiting Bletchley Park to check my research befor...: On April 22nd I went down to Bletchley to visit Bletchley Park, not on the 9:45 train, but the 9:59. I went down to check out details and...

Saturday 23 April 2016

A review from a fellow novelist.



Hi Madalyn, welcome!

The Second World War still holds a fascination for people. This is evident in the popularity of books generally covering this subject. Madalyn we, as novelists, have an opportunity to bring fact to life through fiction and you do this so well. We can tread in our parents’ footsteps and re-visit the scenes that are still etched into so many memories. Some of these are so painful they are never spoken about. Storytelling is a great healer and Madalyn’s insight into how four young women dealt with the challenges, dangers and heartache they faced during World War Two, each in their own unique way, lifts the lid on the personal life that went on behind closed doors.

Madalyn Morgan’s latest novel: China Blue, tells Claire’s story…

Wednesday 17 February 2016

Chill with a Book!: WWII Family Drama at it's Best!



WWII family drama - The Dudley Sisters’ Saga, by Madalyn Morgan.  


 Available in Kindle and Paperback.

China Blue by Madalyn Morgan | Review | Historical Novels Review



CHINA BLUE
by
MADALYN MORGAN



China Blue is Claire Dudley’s SOE Code name. We follow Aircraftwoman Claire from recruitment for special services, due to her exceptional language skills, through her secretive training. Along with her friend, Edwina, she develops the skills required, including learning to parachute and spending time living with a French family in Northumberland. Eventually she is airdropped into Occupied France.
Claire is bold and efficient in her nerve-wracking work, but against all the rules she falls in love. The Gestapo arrests her lover, but despite this she continues to work with the resistance.
The author must have done a lot of research, and I found the details of the training and methods of resistance work interesting. The situation that develops is touching and at times heart-wrenching.
There were a few awkward gaps in the narration and the ending was slightly hurried. Some of the most exciting action is related by other characters, rather than witnessed first hand. A little more editing could perhaps have avoided this and made the story more immediate.
The writing is clear and easy to read and the book presentation is excellent, with an appealing cover design.
 REVIEWED BY