Statement from the Author of 'The First Sense' Novel

Subject to the hijack of my blog (below) and on the advice of my solicitor, I would like to confirm the following points:

1) I am not a fictional character in one of my books 

2) I am a living, breathing human author (the last time I checked) and not a shapeshifter

3) I have never travelled through time 

4) All the characters in The First Sense are fictional 

5) There is going to be a character assassination in the next novel 

Thanks, N P Postlethwaite 

Hijack of An Author's Blog

Picture of Me - Eiko

I’m Eiko Jansen, the main ‘character’ in The First Sense by N P Postlethwaite and I’m hijacking this blog.

Unlike Thorsen from The First Sense, I wasn't invited to guest blog by ‘author’ N P Postlethwaite and we are not on first name terms, because she and I do not have a connection any longer.

I’m going to tell you exactly what I think, but I first I want to get one thing clear: I’m not bitter towards Thorsen who is a sweet and good person and one of the few people in my life who didn’t let me down. 

I was very impressed Thorsen managed to guest blog from the future, but from where I am writing is a much more impressive place - you'll know where I mean if you've read about me. If not, tough.  

The thing is, I see much more deeply into people than they would like me to, due to unusual shadows that tell me all sorts of interesting things. A recent event has allowed me to interpret the shadows correctly the first time round – so no more mistakes, either. 

What’s really interesting is that I’ve seen the ‘author’ N P Postlethwaite’s shadow but I can’t describe it to you because it changes shape too quickly... like a shapeshifter. She must have multiple personalities or something,  I mean, I've never, ever, seen a shadow change so fast.

So people, ask yourself, is N P Postlethwaite what she seems? How does she write about people that exist in the future?  I’ll give it to her, she’s got to cheek to call The First Sense  ‘fiction’  when she’s simply listened to our stories and wrote them down.  

I didn’t see any acknowledgements either – not for me, Thorsen and …. I can hardly bear to type his name, but not for Zach either or anyone else mentioned in her novel. So, how did she leave her comfortable life in your time to come and meet us in ours, to find out everything that she did? Is she one of us? Or is she the real work of fiction? 

You should be asking several more questions about N P Postlethwaite and her novel ‘The First Sense ’ because I am telling you, it certainly isn’t a fantasy. It is real.

I’ve got to go before she comes back, but before I do, I have a warning for N P Postlethwaite. Don’t think you’ve got away with it, because I can come back any time I want to and hijack your blog!  

I've also hijacked the blog on her author's website at www.nppostlethwaite.com  I'm good at this aren't I? 

Why I will never leave the English Lake District

The stunning landscape and waters of the English Lake District inspired some of the most celebrated poets and writers in English literature: William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Beatrix Potter and Arthur Ransome, to name a few. The Lakes’ rugged terrains, rolling lands, historic villages and towns sparked the idea for an alluring, green city of the future in my novel The First Sense , the hub of which is the Lake District. Like many people I know, I moved to the Lake District from a city, but now I could never leave . Here are my top 9 reasons why:

1) In all seasons, torrential rain, snow storms or on dark moody days, the Lake District is hauntingly beautiful 

2) In the Lakes, it’s often too far to get a taxi back home from dinner at a friend’s house, so we sleep over in our van and wake up to an amazing Lakeland landscape

3) At a party, no-one bats an eyelid if you swap your heels for trainers or put a windstopper jacket over your party dress

4) If you pop to your local shop for a newspaper, the fact there’s usually someone there with an American, South African or Australian accent makes you feel like you’re on holiday

5) There are animals to be seen everywhere: nestling under pub tables or punctuating and colouring the landscape

6) If you ask for a beer at a pub, there are at least eight different types, including several real ales  

7) The Lake District is a food lover’s paradise; there are some of the best gourmet food producers, brewers, farm and eateries in the country  

8) When someone finds out I live in the Lake District, they automatically think I’m a really good climber/mountain biker/hiker (all completely untrue) 

9) I’ve finally got a surname originating from the Lake District, thanks to my husband

My favourite finds in the Lake District (this is South Lakeland only, this time):

Low Sizergh Barn – a charming farm shop, craft shop and tea room from where you can watch cows being milked

Staveley Mill Yard - a wealth of retail businesses and artisans including the relaxing Wilf’s Café, and craft ale brewery:  Hawkshead Brewery & Beer Hall 

Gillam’s Tea Room and Shop, Ulverston – a beautiful tea room and shop with an organic menu

Café Ambio, Newby Bridge stunning river views, great food and a motor museum  

The Swan Hotel & Spa, Newby Bridge - great décor, cream teas and a gorgeous setting by the lake 

The Gilpin Hotel & Lake House, Windermere – delectable food and accommodation  

For cinema : Warehouse Café at Brewery Arts Centre , Kendal - enjoy a comfy leather sofa, bottle of wine and pizza with your film

The Eagle & Child Inn, Staveley - a great pub in a fantastic village  

The Strickland Arms, near Sizergh - a beautiful setting and great food 

The White Hart at Bouth - great beer, food and beer garden to watch the sun go down

The Wilson’s Arms, Torver – delicious food, drink, views of the Old Man of Coniston, interesting animals in the beer garden and a fish tank phone box

What are your reasons for living where you do? Do you have any favourite Lake District places to add to my list?  

You can find out more about me and The First Sense novel at www.nppostlethwaite.com 

Falling - A Poem about the Changing of the Seasons

I couldn’t breathe under the tangled branches

The rain didn’t help and the sky had fragmented

I closed my eyes to the earth for my lungs to betray me

I gasped in the air and choked on your needles

Your ancient wood thrives on life-giving-sap,

But my skin dries and cracks, my world had turned black

Your ground hit my fall but you ignored my fear

The warmth of your world is so far, yet so near  

As your branches withdraw from the edge of our summer

I hope you’ll think of me still, think of me there   

I feel the dark swirling silence chilling my skin

I don’t know how long we have left or when the light will begin

Absorbed by your land and torn by your hands,

We move further apart from each other again

I would love to know what your favourite poems are about Autumn, mine are :

110. Autumn(To My Mother)

by Jean Starr Untermeyer

Sonnet 73 

by William Shakespeare

Fall, leaves, fall 
by Emily Jane Bronte

My author's website 

You can connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest 

A Guest Food Blog from The Future - Thorsen’s Recipe

If you’re read The First Sense novel by N P Postlethwaite  – you’ll know I’m a key character: Thorsen. The author N. P. or ‘Nisha’ I call her (I think I know her well enough - she wrote all about my unusual abilities and some deeply personal stuff) asked me to guest write on her blog. 

Of course, being from the future, it wasn’t an easy ask, but I found a way to do it; I can’t tell you how - although knowing Nisha and her over-inquisitive nature - she’ll find out and reveal all in her next book, despite what I think. 

I’m sorry if I sound a little harsh: Nisha has depicted my café and talent for cooking brilliantly, but she’s been a little bit too honest about my moods and alcohol consumption. You wouldn’t judge me if you’d read what I have had to deal with, and I know Nisha doesn’t either, but it was raw reading back some of the darkest times of my life in The First Sense ebook. 

 Anyway, on to brighter things: I thought I’d share a recipe for my fish soup – Nisha makes a fleeting reference to it in Chapter 4 of The First Sense eBook, but it definitely deserves more attention on the page: 

Thorsen's Fish Soup Recipe 

Wash 8-10 razor clams in cold water to remove any grit. Heat 175ml of dry white wine in a pan and steam the clams for 30 seconds until they open. Discard any unopened clams & pour yourself a large glass of wine for your effort. Chop the clam meat into chunks; strain the cooking liquid & set aside. 

Add a slab of butter & a drizzle of olive oil to the pan & gently fry 2 sliced red onions until sweet & caramelised. Add a handful of sliced fennel, 2 cloves of grated garlic & 1 chopped finger-sized purple-striped chili. (Nisha’s just said purple-striped chillies don’t exist yet, so use what medium strength chili you can get). 

Gently fry for a few more minutes but don’t let the mixture burn, then 500ml of good fish stock, the clam liquid, 400ml of pulped tomatoes, a good pinch of saffron, a tbsp. of grated orange rind & two tbsps. of fresh orange juice – I’ve heard some fruit in your time’s grown with pesticides (I’ve never known it) but make sure the orange is not. Simmer the soup for 20 mins, cool and blend. 

Before serving, poach your preferred quantities of firm fresh fish in the soup and add the clam meat, I generally use halibut, salmon & chopped octopus. Add half a tsp. of crushed blue peppercorns – I’ve been nudged again - use black peppercorns as you can’t get blue. Add sea salt to taste - I use Maldon Sea Salt – it’s been around forever, but it’s the best. 

Add a drizzle of fresh ginger & coriander blended in olive oil, to the soup & serve with warm bread. My roast fennel and lemon bread goes perfectly, but that’s another recipe, for another time. Enjoy.

 I’ve got to go back to tomorrow and my Edible Remedy café. Now I know how to, I’m sure I’ll visit another time.
Regards, Thorsen 

You can find out more about me at www.nppostlethwaite.com