Displaying items by tag: Cheryl SawyerAuthor

This is a chateau near the town of Joinville in the Haute Marne region of northeast France. I don't know its name--I saved the image when I was exploring along the wide valley of the Marne with an unlikely hero in mind: a mere private in France's military police corps in the 1730s.

What chances might Cavalier Constant have to uncover anything useful about the rural aristocrats who live in a place like this? The approach on horseback, through the picturesque hills and farms that surround it, then across the well-tended grounds, is not too difficult. But what happens when he fronts up to the grand entrance? Are the privileged people inside these imposing walls obliged to even open their doors to him?

Discover more about Constant's risky investigation in Murder at Cirey on Amazon.

As you know, Murder at Cirey is on pre-order on Amazon and will be released in a week's time. Meanwhile the publication date of Death in Champagne, the next Victor Constant Investigation, is confirmed by Sapere Books: it comes out on 18 September, also on Amazon. If you're new to the exploits of Victor Constant and you're a reader of masters like Bernard Cornwell, Donna Leon and Peter James, you may be tempted by his first adventures. And for lovers of Mary Higgins Clark: an earlier edition of Murder at Cirey was once partnered with her The Melody Lingers On in Reader’s Digest Select Editions. Welcome to the darker side of the wonderful Champagne region of France!

Hey, this is Cheryl Sawyer, librettist and choral lyricist posting--I've never been so happy to carry a showbag around! Cork City in May 2026 was completely taken over by choirs and choir enthusiasts and I was there to discover how passionate and committed today's ensembles may be to the words they sing.

Answer--those at the cutting edge believe as much in the poetry they're singing as the music, and with their conductors they achieve moments of sublimity wherever they happen to be: on stage in the great City Hall, in churches and cathedrals, in pubs and even in the streets. I was blown away by 30 choirs on my recent trip around the UK. During my three days in Cork I suppose the most illuminating performances for me were those of the Dublin Youth Choir under Lynsey Callaghan, but all were impressive in their way. Hats off!