The Emerald of Burgos

Burgos Cathedral: where Esmeralda and Susana took refuge on the night they left the city.

Hello visitors to my blog!

Just to let you know that my second novel is almost finished. I’ve only a couple of chapters left to write and I’m dying to know how it finishes! It has been a total labour of love, mine and Esmeralda’s and I hope you enjoy reading it when it’s published.

It is 1599. Terrified because she has commited a ghastly killing, young Esmeralda flees fom Burgos. Her orphan friend, Susana, goes, too. Soon, but after a gypsy tells their fortune, they reach their goal: the city of Madrid. There they search for work. Tempted by better rewards, they are recruited to a back street brothel.

They leave after three clients are mysteriously murdered and decide to become camp followers. They work for General Spinola’s army on its march to Flanders. Then witness the bloody siege of Ostende.

Is Susana capable of love? Will Esmerald find her long lost brother? How does she cope with a terrifying death? Does she succeed as a spy?

What a read!

The cover

In case you’ve not been to my site before, welcome!

My name is Gordon Thomas.

I’ve written a novel about a 17th century Spanish composer who played his harp for the King.

It starts with a naked actress and rolls with good rollicking sex. The composer becomes a spy – what a combination – and joins the Inquisition. He cannot escape from scandal, intrigue, insanity and death. He learns to love and makes love.

You”ll love him and his character packed adventure. It will make your hair curl and blow you away!

New Signings!

Welcome to my blog or back again if you’ve visited before.

Good news! I’ve agreed with Nick, the manager of W H Smith in Kingston-Upon-Thames, to do a signing in his shop in the Bentalls Centre on Saturday, 16th June from 11am to 3pm. So worth putting in the diary and I hope to see you there!

Michelle, the manager of Waterstones in Sutton has also agreed that I do a signing in her shop in August. More details on that one to follow.

I’m so pleased to be doing these signings and I’m very grateful to Nick and Michelle for agreeing to them.

For more about me, type About Gordon in the search box and click on search!

Great signing at W H Smith!

Welcome to my blog or back again if you’ve visited my space in the bloggosphere before!

The weather was little short of hideous as lovely Jan and I made our way to W H Smith’s Sutton High Street branch on Saturday to do my second book signing there.

W H Smith's, Sutton High Street

The weather definitely affected people. There were nothing like the numbers in the shop that there were when we did the signing in early and sunny March. The upside was that this gave us more opportunities to speak to people about The Harpist and answer questions about the book. We met some especially interesting people. A lady who works at an art gallery in London, whose daughter is a composer, spoke to us, as did a man who has been commissioned to write a book about Ian Fleming and James Bond. Another man had served with the Army Supply Corp. and he was a fascinating fellow, too. So we had a very interesting three hours in the shop. And we sold some books: 12 this time, fewer than last time but we put that down to the weather. No one wanted to be out in it. That was my excuse, not that we spent so much time chatting with the customers!

Gord, the author!

Anyway, Simon Bruckland, the manager was delighted with our efforts. We’ve sold nearly forty copies of The Harpist in his shop and, once again, I’m so grateful to him and Sarah Wiseman, in charge of books there, for giving me this great opportuity to promote The Harpist of Madrid!

I just wonder where our next book signing will be. Watch this space, or blog, anyway!

Gordon Thomas (for more about me, search About Gordon)

What a display!

Second book signing: W H Smith

P&O cruise ship Ventura: what a size!

Inside the Pantheon, Rome

Port of call: Monte Carlo at dusk

Welcome to my blog or back again if you’ve already visited. I’m sorry to have been so quiet for the last three weeks but lovely Jan and I have been away on a last minute cruise. We’ve had a lovely time and met some great people on the P&O ship ‘Ventura’. I’ve attached a few pictures to show some highlights. By the way, there’s now a copy of my book in the ship’s on board library!

I left my pen at home so did no writing while away and must say that I quite enjoyed the break. But as soon as I returned I was back at work and have completed another chapter of ‘Esmeralda’ and started the next one. I’m hoping to finish her by the end of May. We’ll see!

My main aim in puttting up this post, apart from proving I am still alive, is to tell you about my latest book signing. Those who have been following me will know that at the first signing at W H Smith’s Sutton High Street branch Jan and I sold 21 copies of The Harpist. Well, Simon Bruckland, the manager, has asked me back to have another shot. The second signing will take place next Saturday, 28th April at 11am to 3pm.

I hope as many of you as you can will turn out to support me. You don’t have to buy a copy of my novel but it would be great if you just popped in to say hello! I’ so grateful to Simon and to Sarah Wiseman, head of the book department at the store. They have both been brilliant in promoting the cause of The Harpist. Sales have gone well and I’m now in discussion with my pubishers, Olympia of London, about a second print run. Maybe a few more this time around!

For sale at…

Waterstone's spectacular shop in Sutton

W H Smith's shop front in Sutton High Street

Mr Shukla's Post Office in Stoneleigh

Hello there and welcome to my blog. Or welcome back again if you’ve been here before!

I thought I’d let you know where you can buy hard copies of my book, The Harpist of Madrid. Many people are unhappy buying books on the internet. To begin with they cannot see what they are buying and some just don’t trust the banking system to make the correct transaction on line. Part of my reason for telling you where my book is for sale is to publicly thank those who are selling it in their shops.

The Post Office, Stoneleigh, Surrey.
Just before Christmas I went into the Post Office and introduced myself to Mr Shukla, the manager of the shop. He was so keen to sell my book, I had to go straight home and get some copies. The shop is not a mile away so that was quite easy. Mr Shukla and his wife have already sold four copies and I’m so grateful to him. If you can sell them at a Post Office where you wouldn’t expect to go to buy a book, you should be able to sell them anywhere!

W H Smith, High Street  Sutton
I’m just as grateful to the manager and staff at W H Smith’s Sutton High Street Branch who have been so good to me and The Harpist. Not only did we have a book signing there on 3rd March but they’ve asked me back to do another one on 28th April. Needless to say, I’m really looking forward to that. It’s a Saturday so there should be lots of people visiting the shop whom I can talk to about the book. I really enjoy that aspect of the event, whether or not customers actually decide to buy it.

Waterstones, Sutton
I’ve also been lucky enough to attract interest from Waterstones in Sutton which is about a hundred yards further up the street from W H Smith. Don’t they have a spectacular shop? You just can’t help but admire this beautiful building which is just as attractive from the inside as the out. The manager has ordered four copies of The Harpist and they will be on sale in the shop as soon as they arrive. I thank her profusely.

Foyles, the biggest bookshop in Europe

The main difference between Waterstones and the other two shops is, of course, that Waterstones is known principally as a bookshop. I’ve no idea how many books they have in stock but it’s very humbling for me to have The Harpist displayed alongside works of true brilliance. It will be very exciting for me to see it there!

The Cobham Bookshop, Cobham, Surrey

Other outlets

I’m also very grateful to the Cobham Bookshop, The Regency Bookshop, Surbiton and Foyles in Charing Cross Road for stocking The Harpist.

The Regency Bookshop, Surbiton

Thank you, Janet!

A lovely lady called Janet has posted a nice, complimentary review of my novel, The Harpist of Madrid. She wrote it as a comment to my blog post, Announcing Esmeralda, which tells of my new book, The Emerald of Burgos.

Janet says,

Read the book and loved it! A bit saucy but a thoroughly good read. Cannot wait to see what Esmeralda gets up to! Glad your signing went well. The pictures are really good. From another Janetx

Thank you, Janet. You are kind!

This follows hot on the heels of a review written on amazon.co.uk by an R Vernon of Kent, England who says,

A beautifully realised historical novel. I find myself agreeing with the other reviewer. Clearly the author has spent a great deal of time researching this novel but this does not detract at all from the narrative flow and the story telling itself is very well done. For a first book this is very good indeed and am looking forward to the next one.

The ‘other reviewer’ R Vernon refers to was a lady called Elsee who also enjoyed reading the book.

So thank you R Vernon, too!