Ask Arthur discussion

Welcome - I love to chat about the Philippines and it's lovely people - and, sadly, it's many problems - join me and let's learn from each other. My books reflect my view of the country - help me to write more - tell me your stories......

Well I've known you long enough that you know most of my story! I'm a first time Author, and a recovering addicted gambler, in recovery 6+yrs. My story is written in my first book, which by the way is listed on Arthur's Blog. I just wanted to say.....NO more Doggie Pic's....It's all Kitty"s or Nothing!....LOL...I'd like to know, HOW did you meet your Soulmate???...and you have a Beautiful Family! Hugs & Blessing, Author, Catherine Lyon

Thank you, Catherine, for your comments on my beautiful family. I am blessed - I hav four great kids. three living in the UK and one in Texas. The two youngest are coming here for a holiday NEXT WEEK - I am excited.
I met Lance (Lynnie) my soulmate on a train station in Hong Kong more than two years ago now. I persuaded her to come for a starbucks (not a eupehmism!) and it went from there....

Congratulations Arthur on your Goodreads group. As you know I have self published my first book, 'Life of a Double Agent'. I am retired after a great career in international business which took me to your part of the world. I never lived in the Philippines, but visited many times on business. A part of my book also takes place in the Philippines when the lead character has to gain the freedom of his co-workers who were kidnapped on Mindanao.
I have had a great summer at our lake home in Michigan. Our daughter was able to spend several weeks with us which was a real joy. I even managed to sell a bunch of books to our Michigan friends. I have two more book signing events in Michigan before we head back to Hilton Head. Hope 'Deadly Election' sales are taking off.

Thank you so much Ken. The passages in your book about the Philippines are spot on. I am having a good summer two. My two kids are coming fro the UK for a vacation next week. I am really looking forward to showing them Hong Kong - they have not been here before.

Hello Arthur! Cool idea you have here with the goodreads group. I like it!

So my question is, what made you decide to write a book about your time spent in the Philippines?

Hi Arthur! Thanks for the invitation! I would love to know more about the Philippines as I've never been out of the U.S. I really love to hear about other countries and customs. As you know, I am a reviewer and working on my first novel. It is a paranormal/historical mystery. No zombies, vampires, or werewolves though. Just a friendly, and very colorful, ghost. :) Anyway, I'd love to hear more about the customs and what endears the country to you. Why did you choose Hong Kong over the UK?

Hi Chris,
My first book is not really about my time in the Philippines, but it certainly draws extensively on what I saw and heard about - there is no doubt that it certainly COULD have happened. It is a lovely country in many ways - but a dangerous and very corrupt place - as many foreigners have found to their cost. But the people generally are nice, I will go back there.

Hi Rebecca,
I hope some day you are able to visit other parts of this very wonderful world. I have changed my views and my tolerances so much since I left the British shores eleven years ago. It is so good to see other cultures and peoples. The Philippines in particular - apart from the people in charge who are wicked and corrupt - just like in my book - are generally very friendly. They are always happy and smiling - despite many of them being hungry. There is high unemployment there and no free health service.
I am pleased you are working on your novel now, and pleased you have not followed the trend for paranormal nasties - just a colorful Casper!
I am writing my second book now - Ninety Percent - more about that later.....

Well, I have totally neglected this group since starting it in a rush of enthusiasm! I have been busy preparing for my book giveaway. Who would have thought it would be such hard work to GIVE something away! It will be all over by next week. My book will be free from 13th to 17th Sept on kindle. Lets's see if it helps my sales and readership - here is the link mf.tt/l2lWp - I do hope you (and ALL your friends and family!) will get it and post a review for me on Amazon. Thank you in advance, and please respond - it's lonely here......

That is great news about your book. I would like to download it. I have a terrible memory when I get lost in my own fiction, so would you please remind me on the 13th so I don't miss it? I would love to read it! I have two murders to solve in my book, so I am still trying to plan everything out, but it is coming along great! :)

I will Rebecca - I will send out an 'event reminder' to you when it is up for free. Good luck on solving your murders - in my books, I spend more time planning how to murder people!

I had the how, I just didn't have the why and whodunit! I think I've figured that one out, now I have to go back in time and do it again! :) Thanks for the heads up reminder on the download. I look forward to it! :)

There's a deafening silence here! My fault for not writing more comments. There are too many things to do. Feed the cat. Write a few words. Feed the cat again. Write some more. Feed cat. Scrap what I've written and start again. Clean up cat sick - there just aren't enough hours in the day...

Arthur wrote: "There's a deafening silence here! My fault for not writing more comments. There are too many things to do. Feed the cat. Write a few words. Feed the cat again. Write some more. Feed cat. Scrap what..."

Arthur wrote: "Thank you, Catherine, for your comments on my beautiful family. I am blessed - I hav four great kids. three living in the UK and one in Texas. The two youngest are coming here for a holiday NEX..."

Hey My Friend,

Sorry I didn't get back to you Sooner! It has been a nightmare here in Arizona, trying to settle and one of Tom's brothers is *HELL ON WHEELS*.....So I'm desperately looking for a little place of our own to rent. The situation had turned violent with his brother, and the siblings take it! and look the other way or pretend it didn't happen. Very POOR FAMILY DYNAMIC going on here.
I have some applications in with Health & Human services to help us with getting in a place, but it takes time.

I WILL get your book finished, read by early next week, so I can get Reviews done for you. I'll also add my Review on my Simplesite Book Blog as well, and leave it up for a month or so, as I'm getting an average of 1300 visits now PER WEEK.....Should help get you some Extra Exposure here in the US. Hope all is well your way.....and the family all good!

Hugs & Blessings, *Catherine* xxoo :-)

Thank you Catherine. Sorry to hear of all your continuing troubles. Please let me know how you get on. Take care x

Thanks Arthur! Have a Great Weekend! Tom and I are Blessed to call a Good Friend :-) <3 *CAT*

Ok, so. New Year, New Project. I have started to write a novel about Ivory poaching in Africa, and its subsequent transport to China - then how it is sold - and the pathetic attempts by authorities everywhere to stop it. I am researching what I can, but if anyone has any knowledge or experiences about this I would love to Know about it. Thanks.

Arthur wrote: "Ok, so. New Year, New Project. I have started to write a novel about Ivory poaching in Africa, and its subsequent transport to China - then how it is sold - and the pathetic attempts by authorities..."

I don't know much about it, other than it is deplorable, but I have a Facebook friend who does. She is an activist against Ivory poaching. I will write her tonight and ask if she could help. If she can, would you like me to have her contact you directly? If so, please leave me your email address, (you can inbox me) and I will give it to her. If you don't want to do that, tell me what you want to know and I will try to help. :)

I haven't popped in for awhile. Hope all is well Art. Things are good here in Arizona. Are you the one writing about poaching? I've seen a few PBS Specials about this, and it saddens me for the wild life. Wish more could be done.

I was SO outraged about what Denmark's Copenhagen Zoo did, killing a healthy giraffe, then took it steps farther to show all of it why families with their with young kids!! WTF? My blog post about it never got picked up by the many sites I share my blog links, as I think I may had TOO MANY Cuss Words in the Post!...LOL. I look forward to the this book!

Hugs! Catherine Lyon

I returned to California after living in Southeast Asia for 30+ years; mostly in the Philippines - Manila and Dumaguete City. I have completed my debut novel, an espionage thriller. The settings in the novel CHINA SEA are the USA, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. An exciting true-to-life spy thriller. To be published in June 2015.