Semblance of Storms In Audio Format

Posted on by
Reply

Semblance of Storms in audio format is now available narrated by Tobey Alvarez. It can be found on Audible, Amazon and Apple iTunes.

A novel of mistakes, secrets, lusts and relationships.

Semblance of Storms ACX

Semblance of Storms Retail Sample

Semblance of Storms RS Narrated by Tobey Alvarez

All that is required, by his publishers is to write a fourth book, not like the flop that was his third. His successful first two books bought him fame, some fortune and disputes with his terminally ill father. He wants his son to help with his half-sister. If only her mom, wouldn’t give confusing messages on what she wants; possibly him. A family friend and lawyer will help, as he always has done but there are secrets in his past too.

His new book will be a tale of boy meets girl in his usual elaborate and descriptive style. His agent, wants him to produce it soon but he has his own pressures from his new investors. There might be a movie deal to be negotiated. The new investor is represented by an attractive woman who is infamous for other reasons.

His editor, wants him to finish the book so she can stop his publisher asking for the advance back. She hopes he has written something as good as his first published book. He does too. He needs to concentrate on writing this book not drafting anything else. Old lost, and possible new loves and lusts, keep distracting him. The idle beach lifestyle diverts him as do post pandemic visitors.

Just when he begins to make progress on the last chapters a hurricane approaches his home in North Carolina. If he goes to visit his father, another storm may await in Houston. His neighbor and that family add further complications and secrets that need to be hidden or avoided, especially from the FBI.

Semblance of Storms and Other Audio Books

All my audio books can be found here

Landscape in Audio Book Format

Posted on by
Reply

Landscape in audio book format is now available narrated by CC Kline. You can find it in Audible US, Audible UK, Amazon and Apple

Landscape ACX

Landscape Retail Sample

Landscape – CC Cline

In Landscape – She is a PA who dreams of running her own art gallery. He is an IT technician gambling away everything he wants. They meet and fall in love. Their relationship is threatened by endless bets even whilst they share their love of paintings.

Years later some dreams are fulfilled others are dashed. Will the former lovers meet again? This is a contemporary romance now available in Audio format.

The book is also available from Amazon in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Canada and selected other Amazon sites

All my audio books can be found listed here

Sail Chains in Audio Book Format

Posted on by
Reply

Sail Chains narrated by Kevin Redson is now available in audio book format. This is the second part of the Sailing Clear series Part one Sailing Clear is also available in Audio

Sail Chains is available at Amazon, Audible USA, Audible UK, and Apple

Sail Chains Audio

Sail Chains Retail Sample

Sail Chains Audio Sample narrated by Kevin Redson

Captain Tom Larring barely escaped alive from a mission in Afghanistan. He now has another task. Effi Miani has been undercover in the Middle East but is needed for the same operation. Together they must find Bravo-One-One who is the highest priority target for MI6. He is believed to be building a chemical weapon in Northwest Pakistan. A previous MI6 operation has already failed. A leak or a traitor inside MI6 may have destroyed that mission, so extra precautions must be taken otherwise, this team will also fail.

Tom and Effi need a faultless back story before embarking on their mission. The operation needs financing and a cover story. The help of a former disgraced MI6 officer, Michelle Houston, and her lover, Hugh Turnbill, is sought. They successfully control the laundering of black funds for the security services whilst sailing clear of the security services. Some of the MI6 leadership wants to gain direct control of the money and the couple, despite previous agreements. They want that control regardless of the risks to the operations in Pakistan. They think they may get leverage using two former teenage runaways connected to the couple.

The hunt for whoever leaked the information continues. Suspicions are raised. The internal security team needs to prevent the traitor putting the financiers and the operation at risk. An MI5 team is on the trail of a suspicious Saudi diplomat. He may be connected to Bravo-One-One.

Closed missions should not be re-opened. The NSA and GCHQ are monitoring and tracing communications using secret programmes and techniques, but some secrets should not be shared with allies.

The book is also available from Amazon in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Canada and selected other Amazon sites

All my audio books can be found listed here

Powerwall Installed and Configured – Happy the Solar Battery Is Included

Posted on by
Reply

Today we had our Tesla Powerwall installed which prompted another bunch of configuration changes and application use. See Batteries. We can’t of course go off-grid. The system does let us run off backup for a few hours based on capacity and use of the >13kw/h battery

The installation by Sprit Energy lasted most of the day and included the battery itself, the backup gateway and a new earth rod. All wired into the new consumer unit and existing systems. Unfortunately a new house, and solar roof is not included with the battery,

The Complete System

Powerwall Complete

Powerwall Configuration

Simple to add to the Tesla application (Same one as the car) just the usual fiddling with the wi-fi settings.

Powerwall in the app

We now have the fun of setting up schedules, energy rates and deciding how we will charge and when. The wall allows configurable dates, times, varying rates, seasons as well as how much you want it to use.

Powerwall Installation Dates
Powerwall Time schedules

It also allows the system to use the location for storm watches should severe weather risk mains power supplies.

Time now to configure it and schedule it to work with the other components and get the apps and devices talking with each other. Looking forward to starting to repay the costs of the system as well as improving our own green credentials.

Sails is Published

Posted on by
Reply

Sails is published today. It’s the third part of the Sailing Clear Series following on from Sailing Clear and Sail Chains. Sails is available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats worldwide

Sails Cover

Sails

Sails is the third part of the Sailing Clear Series

Despite the declared end of the pandemic, there are still threats to the UK, particularly from Russia. Friends from across the Atlantic who like to meddle continue to track and follow the shadowy financing team supporting the UK’s security services. They assured the UK they would not, but disparate agencies in the USA have different agendas.

Michelle and Hugh Turnbill are now married. The couple still manage MI5’s and MI6’s clandestine funds. They occasionally sail around the Greek Islands with the Harper sisters or stay at their new house in Mykonos. They desire a normal life but are aware that caution must still be exercised, and complacency avoided. A Treasury probe investigating missing funds puts their way of life and lives in danger.

An unhappy assistant in the Treasury has been leaking information to someone who appears to be a journalist but he is actually sending the reports to Russia. The Russian security services launch an urgent investigation and may well take more direct action. They discover names and some photos. Information previously covered up by a Russian general.

MI6 needs to protect the system, but some elements still want more control. Kathrine commences an operation to protect them. One of her old assets needs to escape Russia.

Russian forces are closing in and are keeping an eye on the Treasury. MI5 is keeping an eye on them in an effort to identify the source of the Russian information. The finance team needs to dodge all the other teams trying to take control of them and the money.

Not Too Much, in Audio Book Format

Posted on by
Reply

Not Too Much in audio book format narrated by CC Kline is now available.

Available at Amazon, Audible US, Audible UK and Apple iTunes/Books

Not Too Much Audio Book
Not Too Much Audio Retail Sample

Not Too Much – Alex has everything. He’s one of the most eligible bachelors in the world. He’s chased by the Paparazzi and once went out with a communist. Now he hides from publicity whilst trying to find a soul mate.

Victoria is a struggling waitress in a London restaurant. She shares a flat with Sophie an aspiring actress whilst trying not to give up a dream of making a success.

They meet and try to make it work in this contemporary romance now out in Audio Book format.

The book is also available from Amazon in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Canada and selected other Amazon sites

All my audio books can be found listed here

The Persuasive Man, in Audio Book Format

Posted on by
Reply

The Persuasive Man in Audio Book format is now available narrated by Liam Carolan

It can be found on Audible UK, Audible US, Amazon and Apple.

The Persuasive Man ACX
The Persuasive Man Retail Sample

A tale of greed, insider trading love and misfortune. Spanning the globe as a terminally ill businessman realises his luxurious existence will not help him. He tries to account for his past behaviour, his life, and loves.  Ranging from London to Shanghai, via New York, Hong Kong, and Dubai, his greed and behaviour alters businesses and his personal relationships.  His persuasive ability brings him success, but at what cost?

Whether he is in his New York apartment, his French Château, or his St Kitts home, he does not know which relationships are real and which are false. All due to his past behaviour. Now, he has to decide what to do with his money, and how to say goodbye.

The book is also available from Amazon in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Canada and selected other Amazon sites

All my audio books can be found listed here

Intervention in Audio Book Format

Posted on by
Reply

Now out, Intervention in audio book format narrated by Monica McIntyre – ACX profile here.

Available at Amazon, Audible US, Audible UK and Apple iTunes/Books

Intervention ACX
Intervention Retail Sample ACX

Intervention is the continuation of The Observer Series of Science Fiction books  for more details please visit The Interplanetary Geographic Service Home Page or see Part One – The World of Fives

The continuing story of Cathy Rodriguez – a Senior Observer in the Interplanetary Geographic Service.

Cathy is recalled from her Observer duties as she is asked to establish first contact with a new life form.

Meanwhile, the Conspiracy to prevent humans changing their non-Intervention policy continues to try and kill her. Together with Marta De Jaste, a Senior Investigator, and Tony Briggs her former jailer and security officer, they travel to the chosen planet.

On the planet Tullymeade, Karloon Niesta, a disgraced scientific observer, detects a strange anomaly. A discovery that will change his planet forever.

In deep space, two groups of survivors try and recover from their battle in orbit above the planet Freevur

The Observer Series Part One – The World of Fives

All my audio books can be found listed here

EV Tesla Road Trip and Holiday – Good and Useless Charging

Posted on by
Reply

We’ve just completed our first EV Tesla Road Trip and Holiday, with a trip to two main locations in Cornwall. Although we had the driving experience over a longer distance for the first time, we also combined the trip with walking some parts of the Cornish Coastal path and attending a wedding. This is not Trip Adviser….

Cape Cornwall

Overall the car was brilliant to drive. Smooth and quick. Tesla superchargers brilliant. Other suppliers useless! No wonder people are scared of changing. Why with ubiquitous contactless charging do we need a different app for every type of charger? We don’t but the EV charging industry seems to think we do. Maybe it has something to do with money……

EV Tesla Road Trip – The Journey West

Preparation for the trip started by making sure that charging the car was satisfactory. This was via our mains charger as installation of the Zappi wasn’t due until we got back. On Saturday 9th Sep we used our home solar excess power to charge up to 90% ready for departure. The car swallowed the load easily without us having to be too tidy. Including plenty of room for the dog.

On Sunday 10th we set off for the planned break in the journey at Darts Farm in Exeter. They have 4 x 220kw chargers and 8 x 150kw. Most were empty and the car. We spent 40 minutes getting 38 Kw/h and paying £12.92 for more than 200 miles additional range. The supercharger we used was so quick we hadn’t finished our lunch when we stopped it at just under 90% full.

We then drove on to the Cape Cornwall Club which also has a golf course on site. Excellent location, nice hotel with lovely food. Narrow single track roads in big new car created some scary moments – more later.

Missing Charger

Our first charging problem was immediate. The hotel stated they had an EV point. They did. unfortunately the Rolec EV was not wired in. We’d arrived on the Sunday. An electrician was due on the Monday.

EV Tesla Road Trip and Holiday - Rolec

After our walk from Cape Cornwall to Land’s End and return, sure enough the charger was working – except it wasn’t. The payment system wasn’t set up so despite plugging in we couldn’t pay or charge. Had to download the app which was for home use and installation but that was unclear. We were promised it would be set up – it wasn’t.

We needed to charge for the rest of the trips in our stay (range anxiety) and therefore, on the Tuesday, after another walk, we headed out to the Minack Theatre,

Minack Theatre

amazing place after dinner) but first there are chargers in Penzance

Penzance

Charging Verdict worse than useless….

We drove to Penzance, seeking a charger. The Wharf car park promised 8. Sure enough there were 8. The problem was they are inside a pay-and display car park. They are Swarco chargers with a proud sign stating they were paid for by public grants etc. They looked like below i.e. two chargers A and B per station:

EV Tesla Road Trip and Holiday Swarco

One bay was blocked off stating not in service. Others were empty. So far so good. We park.

Swarco

We use our Tesla supplied Cable. Lights look good. Go to pay – access denied. Check cables, connections as signs state unplug. We try again. We try 3 different chargers. Try different contact less card. No joy. No instructions on device. There is a help number. Amazingly get through. Told we needed to use Website. No link from main web site have to go to a payment one. Fill in forms. Need to set up payment card. Fill in forms. Then have to type in charge number onto form to begin charging. Charger not recognised. Different charger not recognised. Perhaps the blocked bay actually applied to all bays. Pay the £2.20 pay and display and drive to another Penzance car park which has 4 charger stations.

Oh no same type but some one is using one of those. They must be working. Try contactless. Nothing. Try web site – charger not recognised. Approach lady in EV Mini and ask how she does it. She has RFID Card from Swarco which allows contactless. Give up. Can’t magic one of those. No idea idea if they are any good, what speed the chargers do or if they would actually work at what payment rate – Utterly useless.

Tesco PodPoints

Kind EV Mini lady tells us Tesco have free charging at their superstore. OK! Only few miles off our dwindling range to get there. They are PodPoint chargers

EV Tesla Road Trip and Holiday - Pod Point

Plug-in (7kw/h same as home charger option we decided against) Get Green lights then nothing. It’s supposed to be free, but no. I must download app, register payment card and pre-load some money. Then starts charging. After getting cup of tea in closing Tesco cafe, we have recovered charge used getting to Penzance. We wait a bit longer but have a few more minutes watching range creep up. Was actually 2.7 kw/h taking 26 minutes for no cost. Almost useless. These need to be faster i.e. higher power.

We spend time calculating how much range we will use that night, following day and then to move to second accommodation location. We can do it. Stop range anxiety we have 70 miles in the tank and only need 50 for all of that and there is a Tesla super charger site on the way… Yippee!

Penzance

Meanwhile Penzance – not good enough! Having the chargers behind a barricaded pay as you go car park with high minimum charges is bad enough but for them not to be working despite advertisements and web sites stating they were is not good enough.

EV Almost Disaster

Heading back from the theatre. It’s dark. Programme in Sat Nav to take us back to hotel. In St Just (nearest village) we go off down a road following the instructions. Road changes to single tarmac. This isn’t right we say to each other but the map is showing directions. Tarmac changes to dirt track then is climbing up hill with drop on one side and hill the other before stopping with bollard blocking way. It’s late, very dark and we’re near cliffs, and we now need to turn around, retrace, and take a different correct road. Not happy. No idea why Google Maps ( the system in use Tesla Sat Nav) sent us down this road. It’s not the one we we came down before. Tense 180 point turn (Okay it was three in dark field gate entrance) Re-track route and ten minutes later we are on correct road. Anxiety for range increased but also worried about us and car on such roads. Even proper roads are very narrow and not well lit.

EV Tesla Road Trip and Holiday to Rock St Minver

Wednesday morning we set off for our Air B and B near St Minver. Ask Tesla for a car route to charger and we arrive with < 20 miles in the charge status. We use the Fibre Hub site in Camborne. Excellent. We add over 62kw/h in <45 mins. Excellent coffee shop with free high speed Wi-Fi connected broadband. Cost of charge £21.70. It’s peak morning time therefore higher priced, but only a Tesla Taxi is also using the site.

Topped up we arrive at Air BNB. Range anxiety cleared and now we have a few more days mostly walking in the area but a couple of trips out too including various coastal villages and Tintagel Castle. One day we walked 14.5 miles – another story

Trip Back Home

Our initial plan was to head back to Exeter to recharge but we decided to charge earlier at the Arundell Arms Hotel which has 8 x 150kw chargers. We topped up enough to show that we could get home with >10% to spare. This was 42kw/h and cost £15.12. We ended up with 17% to spare as the breaking system added to charging.

EV Tesla Road Trip and Holiday Totals

We used 142Kw/H from Tesla Supercharges at total cost of £49.74 plus the 2.7kw/h at £0.00 from PodPoint. (Ignoring the pre-pay we had to put on i.e. we have credit.) The car has now done 850 miles of which only 3 were pre-pick up. Tesla’s App states this has cost £72 of which £19.66 would be home solar (£3.60 from first Park Royal charge but I had 100 free miles) and therefore, most of this was free. Anyway, even if charged as per app costs per mile are 11.76p per mile. More likely they are under 10p per mile with total charging at 245kw/h or 29p per kw/h.

Solar Battery Decision Made

Aside

Reply

After more thought and planning a solar battery decision has been made. I discussed this and the various options here.

After lots of quotes and possibilities we have gone with the Tesla Powerwall

Solar Battery Decision Made Tesla Powerwall

Solar Battery Installer

We have ordered the Powerwall through Spirit Energy. We now await an installation date 6-8 weeks we’ve been advised.. (Update – 18 Sep – we have an installation date of 30 Oct and DNO permission.) (Update – 5 Oct – we have an installation date of 6 Oct)) We also have to get some extra work done with RCDs on a couple of house circuits to allow the backup capability to work for the whole house. (Update – 18 Sep – we have to have a new Consumer unit awaiting install and of course increase in costs) (Update 5 Oct – all completed) This is one of the key benefits of the Tesla – whole house backup. We won’t be off grid but hopefully a very low user. So low the daily standing charge rises for electricity (Power companies getting more money despite consumption price cap) we have seen are noticeable.

DNO

Another complication is the DNO permission. This is the Distributor Network Operator permission to install generation (the battery potentially sending power to the grid). We didn’t need DNO for our existing solar. This is a 3.5 kw/h system so doesn’t need full approval. The Powerwall can be installed at this level and software limited to 3.5 kw/h until permission comes through. (Update 5 Oct – all approved) The battery can supply 5kw/h or >16 amps which we want for EV charging. Spirit Energy blog on DNO. The battery has >13kw/h capacity or approx 4hrs of charging at pre-DNO rate.

In this case, our supplier will handle getting permission and Tesla will adjust rate after DNO comes through. As with most government things at the moment it will probably be New Year.

I’ll also add some more details to the main battery page including costs