Georgette Heyer Fans discussion

This is our thread for talking about what is going on in our lives - when we are not reading Georgette Heyer that is!

Main news for me is that our son has decided he wants to move to Canada. Both my kids have dual nationality.

I'm going to miss him like anything!

Wow, that’s a huge change—and a long way to travel to see one another!

Wow! Canada? What a big move! Good luck to your son!

I start the year with a nice pay raise! Still very part-time work but it's a huge help to make much more than I've ever made before.

My parents are hoping to take my nephews to London this summer. Any fun suggestions for tween boys that aren't to be found in guide books and tourist blogs?

QNPoohBear wrote: "Wow! Canada? What a big move! Good luck to your son!

I start the year with a nice pay raise! Still very part-time work but it's a huge help to make much more than I've ever made before.

My paren..."

Congratulations on the pay rise!

Depends what the boys like. Mme Tussaud's is the obvious one, as are the museums.

Punting could be fun. https://www.visitthames.co.uk/towns

Abigail wrote: "Wow, that’s a huge change—and a long way to travel to see one another!"

My sister's three kids all moved to Canada - they have been back for a holiday (the eldest will be back again in March) but will never live here again.

Her partner's 2 kids live in the UK - there is a remote chance the son may come back one day.

QNPoohBear wrote: "Wow! Canada? What a big move! Good luck to your son!

I start the year with a nice pay raise! Still very part-time work but it's a huge help to make much more than I've ever made before.

My paren..."

The last time I went to London I stayed in Hammersmith, and somebody recommended I go to the WWT Wetland Centre, which is just on the other side of the river. It was the perfect thing for getting over jet lag and easing into the bustle of a big city. If the boys like the outdoors, that might be an option.

QNPoohBear wrote: "My parents are hoping to take my nephews to London this summer. Any fun suggestions for tween boys that aren't to be found in guide books and tourist blogs?."

... depends on their age, obviously. HMS Belfast and the Golden Hind were big favourites of my son. Plus Greenwich (the driverless light rail and the tunnel beneath the Thames were a hit) and the Natural History Museum.

Carol She's So Novel ꧁꧂ wrote: "This is our thread for talking about what is going on in our lives - when we are not reading Georgette Heyer that is!

Main news for me is that our son has decided he wants to move to Canada. Both ..."

Wow, that’s a big change, but good luck to him, and I see some travel in your future, mum! Lucky you like to read on those flights - hope Marty is a reader? Or likes watching movies?

QNPoohBear wrote: "Wow! Canada? What a big move! Good luck to your son!

I start the year with a nice pay raise! Still very part-time work but it's a huge help to make much more than I've ever made before.

My paren..."

Congratulations! No suggestions on London, I haven’t been..

Abigail wrote: "QNPoohBear wrote: "Wow! Canada? What a big move! Good luck to your son!

I start the year with a nice pay raise! Still very part-time work but it's a huge help to make much more than I've ever made..."

Oh, that sounds lovely! I’ve always wanted to see the gardens, but doubt that would interest the boys…

sabagrey wrote: "QNPoohBear wrote: "My parents are hoping to take my nephews to London this summer. Any fun suggestions for tween boys that aren't to be found in guide books and tourist blogs?."

... depends on the..."

Ok, now I want to go there, too! Right after my brain surgeries, before the pandemic, I thought I’d never get to go anywhere, but I do Pilates every day for strength and balance, now I think I could, but would need breaks in between! Maybe someday…

Carol She's So Novel ꧁꧂ wrote: "This is our thread for talking about what is going on in our lives - when we are not reading Georgette Heyer that is!

Main news for me is that our son has decided he wants to move to Canada. Both ..."

That is a huge distance between you but the very best of luck to him! A lot of the young people here in Ireland seem to be going to Canada too. My cousin's son moved to New Zealand and she was heartbroken. It's definitely not easy.
Going to visit my daughter in London next month. I'm a big wuss because I'm terrified of flying and I haven't been over since 2016!!!

I think we will wait until he is settled in one spot.

At this stage, he has a friend to join in the States. & he is talking about going to SE Asia as well.

Selfishly, I'm hoping that he ends up somewhere near PEI. I've never been there & it is home to Anne of Green Gables & my favourite Canadian band, The East Pointers.

I went to PEI and Green Gables many years ago. It made me appreciate L M Montgomery’s writing so much more as it was just as beautiful as she described. It was really lovely to see the colour of the soil as the ferry approached the island. I hope you get to visit it.

Ooh yes PEI is lovely! When I was 12 we drove up there (3 days in the car with two senior citizens, two parents and we three kids = NOT recommended) and back for a vacation when I was 12. We rented a cottage by the sea and my grandmother and great-aunt cooked, my mom and I did a Lucy Maud Montgomery pilgrimage and my dad took my siblings to the beach and amusement park. It was a lot of fun staying up late and running around with other kids. My dad insisted on driving straight through to Massachusetts from Maine. We had to stop somewhere overnight at the last minute and I shared a room with two snoring old ladies. That was not fun.

QNPoohBear wrote: "Ooh yes PEI is lovely! When I was 12 we drove up there (3 days in the car with two senior citizens, two parents and we three kids = NOT recommended) and back for a vacation when I was 12. We rented..."

But oh what memories to have!!!

Teresa wrote: "QNPoohBear wrote: "Ooh yes PEI is lovely! When I was 12 we drove up there (3 days in the car with two senior citizens, two parents and we three kids = NOT recommended) and back for a vacation when ..."

Yes, great stories from that trip!

I can't see where to access the Poll to vote!

Hey Teresa, if you look in the upper right hand corner, under the picture of Heyer, there are choices you can click on for the group, like “Group Home”, “Discussions” and one of the choices is “polls” - click on that, will take you to the poll page. (Hope this works, I’m on an iPad, it’s what I see on the page) ;o)

Or, here’s the link: https://www.goodreads.com/poll/list/1...

Thank you so much Susan. Carol always included the link in the comment about the Poll and that's the only way I ever accessed it.

Teresa wrote: "Thank you so much Susan. Carol always included the link in the comment about the Poll and that's the only way I ever accessed it."

You are very welcome, dearest! ;o)

Teresa wrote: "Thank you so much Susan. Carol always included the link in the comment about the Poll and that's the only way I ever accessed it."

Oh, sorry! I haven't done this before and wasn't sure of the routine! I'll go back and add it.

Jenny wrote: "Teresa wrote: "Thank you so much Susan. Carol always included the link in the comment about the Poll and that's the only way I ever accessed it."

Oh, sorry! I haven't done this before and wasn't s..."

Jenny, thanks for all you’re doing for the group!

I thank you too Jenny. We'd have lost the group if you hadn't stepped up!!

Could I ask are any of you getting a flood of friend requests at the moment? Something seems a little off about it to me. When it says 'friends in common' it's always the same six friends. Also the first lot all joined 'Sept 2023, the second lot October 2023. Maybe it's genuine but it doesn't feel right. Just wondering if anyone else is seeing this!!

You’re right, that does seem a bit bot-ish….no, not currently having any problems.

Thanks so much Susan for taking the time to reply! I'm glad it's not just me thinking that way. I don't really know what to do with it.

You’re welcome! I would ignore or block them, if I were you - or I always click on the person’s profile, compare books, see if they have any friends, books read or currently reading, etc. I hate to be suspicious, but I remember in the past, you and I were comparing notes and had both accepted friend requests from some guy who went on to try and send direct messages a lot. Not about books!

I remember him Susan and that's why I thought I'd ask. I'm not inclined to accept friend requests if the person doesn't give much information.

I haven't gotten any friend requests lately, Teresa, but you never have to accept one if you aren't comfortable with it. I only accept if it's clear we like similar books.

Teresa
I'm not having that problem right now (I have been posting so little recently I probably am not attracting enough attention). However, I've had a few very weird friend requests that I've marked 'Ignore' because they didn't look right...

Thanks Jackie. I'm normally do that, compare books, look for info, the usual stuff but there was something strange about this. I'm ignoring them all anyway, just in case!

Barb in Maryland wrote: "Teresa
I'm not having that problem right now (I have been posting so little recently I probably am not attracting enough attention). However, I've had a few very weird friend requests that I've mar..."

Thanks Barb. Yes, you know when something is off.

I am being notified that a person that I don’t know likes my review. I’ve tried to block them by increasing my privacy settings but it doesn’t seem to have worked. Yesterday I was notified that another person - unknown to me- liked my reviews. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I can stop this happening? I’m finding it rather creepy.

I have no clue what to do! I ignored the requests and hopefully that'll work for me. Don't know what to suggest for you Anne. Usually blocking them works.

Anne wrote: "I am being notified that a person that I don’t know likes my review. I’ve tried to block them by increasing my privacy settings but it doesn’t seem to have worked. Yesterday I was notified that ano..."

I don't think liking a review is intended as any kind of personal approach - it's just a sign that you're writing good reviews (or at least reviews that people agree with!). I'm always rather pleased when someone likes one of my reviews; none of those who've done so have ever made any other contact.

Anne, I like reviews done by people I don't know. Just a way of agreeing with them.

Jackie wrote: "Anne, I like reviews done by people I don't know. Just a way of agreeing with them."

Me too. Just saying "Good review. Thanks!" I have a challenge question so if someone can't answer it, they can't ask to be my friend. Then they follow me and I have the option of choosing to be their friend or not. I have very little time to read big books these days so I'm not going out of my way to accept new friends.

Yes, when I first joined Goodreads, I just loved reading reviews - would read up to 50 a day. I still read 6-10 most days. I'm most likely to read someone I don't knows reviews after I get the Bookbub newsletter or other reviews of a book I have read.

You can't stop someone liking your review, but you can stop non friends commenting on your review. If you go into edit profile then click on the Settings, then uncheck Allow non-friends to comment on my reviews or notes and highlights. I wish I could set that for just one particular review.🥴

Anne wrote: "I am being notified that a person that I don’t know likes my review. I’ve tried to block them by increasing my privacy settings but it doesn’t seem to have worked. Yesterday I was notified that ano..."

I’ve gotten those - suddenly, several people in a row like one of my older reviews. I always just thought a group was reading a book I’d reviewed, and members were checking out reviews (that’s what I do, to give me an idea of whether I’d like it, want to participate).

But I’m a Luddite and have no idea how algorithms work…

Jackie wrote: "Anne, I like reviews done by people I don't know. Just a way of agreeing with them."

Me, too.

Thanks to everyone who has responded about my reviews. I actually don’t write reviews so all I’m putting up, usually and certainly in the last few cases, is a star rating so that’s why I find it weird.

Ok, I admit, a like for just a star-rating is odd - but I don’t think there’s anything you can do about it. Like I said, when I first joined GR in 2008 and for may years after, I just gave star ratings, and sometimes still get likes for books I don’t even remember reading! When I click on it, I see I just left a star rating, so I don’t get it either…I have an email notification in my settings, I wonder sometimes if it’s not a bot to draw you back in…”wow, getting a few likes in a row, what was this book about, what did I say?” So I’ll click and refresh my memory, and they got me back in the app, where they can suggest books my “friend “ who I don’t remember adding, have never engaged with, and who apparently enjoys books I wouldn’t touch with a ten foot barge pole!

I’m getting cynical in my old age, I guess, but living in our hyper-consumerist culture, I automatically assume someone is trying to sell me something…;o)

Teresa, I’ve not noticed an increase in friend requests. Unless it’s someone I know, I usually check how many books they’ve read and if it’s fewer than 100 - I tend to reject them.i always reject the ones that claim to be male, military etc on GR and on FB. Cynical me always assumes they are scammers!

Susan in Perthshire wrote: "Teresa, I’ve not noticed an increase in friend requests. Unless it’s someone I know, I usually check how many books they’ve read and if it’s fewer than 100 - I tend to reject them.i always reject t..."

No, I think you’re likely correct!

Susan in Perthshire wrote: "Teresa, I’ve not noticed an increase in friend requests. Unless it’s someone I know, I usually check how many books they’ve read and if it’s fewer than 100 - I tend to reject them.i always reject t..."

Or trying to use it as a dating site as both Susan in NC and I found with one guy!!

Ugh, yes…

Anne wrote: "Thanks to everyone who has responded about my reviews. I actually don’t write reviews so all I’m putting up, usually and certainly in the last few cases, is a star rating so that’s why I find it we..."

OK yes that is a little odd but I would give it the benefit of the doubt unless they message you or comment something creepy.

I'm half afraid to ask this but do we know what we're reading in August yet? For those of us who need to organise the book we could do with knowing now.

How's everyone doing with the extreme heat? We had a fierce storm blow through my corner of New England the other night and it cooled things off. Today was pleasant, very warm in the direct sun but not so bad. I hope everyone has access to cool spaces. The libraries have been packed with people. They have bottles of water for free too and a doggie dish by the door of the neighborhood branch I walk to.