Alex Stuart (January 2, 1914 – August 1986)

Vivian Stuart, née Violet Vivian Finlay (born 2 January 1914 in Rangoon, Burma – d. August 1986), was a British writer from 1953 to 1986. She was published under different pen names; she signed her romance novels as Vivian Stuart, Alex Stuart, Barbara Allen, Fiona Finlay, and Robyn Stuart, she signed her military sagas as V.A. Stuart, and she signed her historical fiction series as William Stuart Long.

In 1960, Stuart founded the Romantic Novelists' Association with Denise Robins, Barbara Cartland, and others; she also was the first elected Chairman.

Violet Vivian Finlay was born on 2 January 1914 in Rangoon, Burma (now also known as Myanmar). She was the daughter of Alice Kathleen (née Norton) and Sir Campbell Kirkman Finlay, the owner and director of Burmah Oil Company Ltd., whose Scottish family also owned James Finlay and Company Ltd. The majority of her youth was spent in Burma and India, and during her life, she frequently journeyed between Rangoon, Singapore, Java and Sumatra.

Finlay married three times during her lifetime, and had four children: Gillian Rushton, Jennifer Gooch, and twins Vary and Valerie Stuart.

Finlay studied medicine at the University of London and obtained a pathologist qualification at the University of Budapest in 1938, after which she emigrated to Australia with her second husband, a Hungarian Doctor with whom she worked. In 1942, she obtained a diploma in industrial chemistry and laboratory technique at Technical Institute of Newcastle. Finlay joined the Australian Forces during World War II and was attached to the IVth Army. She was later transferred to British XIV Army in Burma.

On 24 October 1958, she married her third husband, Cyril William Mann, a banker.

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Vivian Stuart’s Books on Amazon: Vivian Stuart

Alex Stuart’s Books on Amazon: Alex Stuart

William Stuart Long’s Books on Amazon: William Stuart Long

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vivian_Stuart

( Vintage Covers )

Alex Stuart (January 2, 1914 – August 1986)

Vivian Stuart, née Violet Vivian Finlay (born 2 January 1914 in Rangoon, Burma – d. August 1986), was a British writer from 1953 to 1986. She was published under different pen names; she signed her romance novels as Vivian Stuart, Alex Stuart, Barbara Allen, Fiona Finlay, and Robyn Stuart, she signed her military sagas as V.A. Stuart, and she signed her historical fiction series as William Stuart Long.

In 1960, Stuart founded the Romantic Novelists' Association with Denise Robins, Barbara Cartland, and others; she also was the first elected Chairman.

Violet Vivian Finlay was born on 2 January 1914 in Rangoon, Burma (now also known as Myanmar). She was the daughter of Alice Kathleen (née Norton) and Sir Campbell Kirkman Finlay, the owner and director of Burmah Oil Company Ltd., whose Scottish family also owned James Finlay and Company Ltd. The majority of her youth was spent in Burma and India, and during her life, she frequently journeyed between Rangoon, Singapore, Java and Sumatra.

Finlay married three times during her lifetime, and had four children: Gillian Rushton, Jennifer Gooch, and twins Vary and Valerie Stuart.

Finlay studied medicine at the University of London and obtained a pathologist qualification at the University of Budapest in 1938, after which she emigrated to Australia with her second husband, a Hungarian Doctor with whom she worked. In 1942, she obtained a diploma in industrial chemistry and laboratory technique at Technical Institute of Newcastle. Finlay joined the Australian Forces during World War II and was attached to the IVth Army. She was later transferred to British XIV Army in Burma.

On 24 October 1958, she married her third husband, Cyril William Mann, a banker.

( Read more... )

Vivian Stuart’s Books on Amazon: Vivian Stuart

Alex Stuart’s Books on Amazon: Alex Stuart

William Stuart Long’s Books on Amazon: William Stuart Long

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vivian_Stuart

( Vintage Covers )

Furlough Bridge by Jardonn Smith

This is a bittersweet Christmas tale, and even if there is an hot sex scene in the middle of it, it’s quite different from what I’m used to read by Jardonn Smith.

Forrest Barton is 44 years old and waiting for his partner, Ernest, to come back home from the IIWW. It’s not that Forrest doesn’t understand how difficult it’s for Ernest, he himself was a soldier during the IWW, but he misses his man. Especially on Christmas time when they have traditions together to share with Forrest’s cousin, Wilton and his partner Gaither (both men are in Grit by Jardonn Smith and William Maltese). Ernest told Forrest to respect their tradition, and that is the above sex scene I mentioned: when they gathered together with Wilton and Gaither, Forrest and Ernest shared their bed with the other couple and they do the festivities on their own way. This year, and for the past three years since Ernest left, Forrest moved to a ménages a trois, and that is the only sex he has and only since Ernest told him to, in a way Forrest is faithful to Ernest.

After the sex scene, the story moves immediately to the bittersweet tale, with Forrest helping a young soldier, Vernon, to deliver some Christmas gifts to his 3 and 4 years old sons and his wife at home. It’s a wonderful and tragic tale, an old fashioned holiday tale that had me almost in tears. I so wanted for it to have a different ending, as I always want when reading war novels, even if I know that a different ending is almost always impossible. War was not generous, and many, many men succumbed to its wrath.

I strongly recommend this novella, aside for the little paranormal element, it’s also a good historical setting, with right references to the time and war period.

http://www.mlrbooks.com/ShowQuickies.php?15

Amazon Kindle: Furlough Bridge
Publisher: MLR Press,LLC (December 29, 2010)

Reading List: http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle

Cinnamon Sticks: The Last Noel by Kris Klein

Strange coincidence wanted this is the second Christmas tale I’m reading in August, and even stranger coincidence is that it’s from an author I was not expecting to be so sweet and romance like.

Ryan is middle thirty and alone, even more bad when it’s around Christmas time; Ryan has also another reason to not like this period, he had his heart broken when he was 16 right under Christmas by a sweet boy named Noel. Now almost 20 years later, he meets another Noel, again at Christmas, and again he is a sweet and innocent boy. Is the past repeating itself?

We are in full Christmas swing with this novella, with all the right seasonal romance rules: everything seems too good to be true, Noel is pretty and sweet, good-hearted; his family is supporting and approving of Noel’s relationship with Ryan, so approving that even if they met only days before, Ryan is invited to spend Christmas over at Noel’s parent’s home. And on an on in full Christmas swing as I said. It’s nice, and good, to be able to dream like that, especially in a period when lonely heart needs some warmth. But also when it’s not Christmas, sometime you need to simply switch off from reality and immerse yourself in that type of atmosphere.

http://www.shadowfirepress.com/excerpts_2009/CS_The_Last_Noel_kk_excerpt.html

Reading List: http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle

Cinnamon Sticks: The Last Noel by Kris Klein

Strange coincidence wanted this is the second Christmas tale I’m reading in August, and even stranger coincidence is that it’s from an author I was not expecting to be so sweet and romance like.

Ryan is middle thirty and alone, even more bad when it’s around Christmas time; Ryan has also another reason to not like this period, he had his heart broken when he was 16 right under Christmas by a sweet boy named Noel. Now almost 20 years later, he meets another Noel, again at Christmas, and again he is a sweet and innocent boy. Is the past repeating itself?

We are in full Christmas swing with this novella, with all the right seasonal romance rules: everything seems too good to be true, Noel is pretty and sweet, good-hearted; his family is supporting and approving of Noel’s relationship with Ryan, so approving that even if they met only days before, Ryan is invited to spend Christmas over at Noel’s parent’s home. And on an on in full Christmas swing as I said. It’s nice, and good, to be able to dream like that, especially in a period when lonely heart needs some warmth. But also when it’s not Christmas, sometime you need to simply switch off from reality and immerse yourself in that type of atmosphere.

http://www.shadowfirepress.com/excerpts_2009/CS_The_Last_Noel_kk_excerpt.html

Reading List: http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle