​​Hello, and thank you for stopping by JKTalla.com. This is our first monthly letter, a quiet corner to settle into with a cup of tea.

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Inside, you will find a free short story, a trip to Tobermory, a little news, a look at the classic car world, a few thoughts from my writing desk, a quiz to test yourself, and a spotlight on something worth a second look.

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Harry Hogg

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Short Story: The Maid On Park Avenue

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This month’s free story is The Maid on Park Avenue, and you can read it in full without signing in.

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Her father’s ultimatum was simple: work as a maid for thirty days, or don’t come home. So Bess Fortin, a reckless girl from Montana, arrives at a Park Avenue mansion, where she is handed a maid’s uniform she hates and a booklet of rules that restrict her from leaving the premises. Then Cord Mitchell, the house's thirty-year-old investment banker, looks straight at her and says, “A new face.” Twenty-nine days to go.

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A note for my American friends: I write in British English, so you will find a few extra u’s and some spellings that look odd to you. My apologies in advance, and I hope you enjoy the story anyway.

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Read it free at JKTalla.com

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Travel: Tobermory, Isle of Mull

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Tobermory is the colourful harbour town on the north-east of Mull, and for me it is more than a place on the map. It is where my roots are, and it runs through much of my fiction and my songs. The British Fisheries Society established the town in 1788, and the painted houses along Main Street are still the first thing every visitor remembers.

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If you come, here is where I would start:
 

• Main Street and the harbour. Grab an ice cream from the Isle of Mull Ice Cream shop down to the water and watch the boats come in.
   

• Mull Museum. A small, volunteer-run museum on Main Street, packed with island history. One of my personal favourites to tell friends about. An intimate museum run by local people. If you think you know a lot about the Hebridean island, you might think again after a visit. 
  (See video at the end of this letter)
   

• Aros Park. A woodland walk a short way from town, with an easy half-hour stroll around the Lochan a Ghurrabain. Walk by the waterfalls, and don't miss MacGochan’s pub. 
  (See video at the end of this letter)
   

• Tobermory Distillery. Whisky and guided tours. I’ve been many times. I've probably drunk a couple of bottles by now. 
  (See video at the end of this letter)
   

• Mull Aquarium. A catch-and-release aquarium in the harbour building at the end of Main Street. This place is unique. You’ll learn its approach to animal care and visitor engagement. The right way to see the local fish.
   

• Rubha nan Gall lighthouse. A hike from the town, and the lighthouse you see as the ferry comes in. 
  (See video at the end of this letter)
   

Wildlife boat trips to Staffa and the Treshnish Isles are best from April to August, so for a November visit, think walks, whisky, and a seafood supper. Two or three days is enough to enjoy it properly. Opening hours often shorten in winter, so check before you travel.

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From the Writing Desk
 

I have been writing stories for more than fifty years, and I still write from the heart before I write from the head. The trouble is, I overwrite. When a story comes from something I have lived, the feeling pours out, and the real work comes afterwards, in cutting back to what matters.
 

I also have a habit of short sentences. They carry emotion well, but too many in a row can leave a page feeling stinted. So much of my editing is joining them up, so the story flows without losing the feeling underneath.
 

This month I have been reviving old stories that were found in briefcases and storage boxes, and editing them for the site.
 

Do you write yourself? I would love to hear what you find hardest.

 

News from JKTalla.com
 

A few things have changed on the site this month.
 

• Join the mailing list. The homepage and Stories page now have a sign-up box, so you can receive this letter every month.
   

• The free story changes monthly. The story on the homepage, with its “Read It Here For Free” button, will be swapped each month. From here, the free story will appear ONLY in the Newsletter.
   

• Children’s Stories are moving behind the membership door. The Hedge Family tales for under-sixes, written to be read aloud, become members-only around early November.
   

• The Studio Lounge. The page once called The Listening Room has a new name, and membership still brings three free music downloads a month.
   

• Membership. It is $5 a month or $30 a year, and it opens the member areas of the site.
   

You can also find us on Facebook as JKTalla, on Instagram as @jkta11a5 and on X as @JKTalla.
 

Classic Car Corner
 

The biggest date for classic car fans this month is 13 to 15 November, when the Classic Motor Show returns to the NEC in Birmingham with more than 3,000 vehicles. Here are four shows in the second half of November:
 

Dates: 13 to 15 Nov

Show: Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show

Where: NEC, Birmingham, UK

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Dates: 19 to 22 Nov

Show: Rétromobile New York

Where: Javits Center, New York

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Dates: 20 to 22 Nov

Show: InterClassics Brussels

Where: Brussels Expo, Belgium

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Dates: 28 Nov to 6 Dec

Show: Essen Motor Show

Where: Essen, Germany
 

Dates can change, so check each organiser’s website before you travel.
 

Back at home, the Classic Car Blog has 28 posts to browse, including Philip’s pieces on a 1957 Cadillac Coupe de Ville and the Rally of the Giants at Stonor Park. You will also find “The Rascals”, the song written for the Hogg and Rascals car group, playing on the blog page.
 

Visit the Classic Car Blog
 

Quiz: Four Questions On Classic Cars
 

No prizes, just bragging rights. The answers are at the bottom.
 

1. Who designed the original Mini, launched in 1959?

   • A. Colin Chapman

   • B. Alec Issigonis

   • C. William Lyons
      

2. At which motor show was the Jaguar E-Type launched in 1961?

   • A. Paris

   • B. Detroit

   • C. Geneva
      

3. The London to Brighton Veteran Car Run is open to cars built before which year?

   • A. 1905

   • B. 1925

   • C. 1895
      

4. Which famous marque carries the Spirit of Ecstasy on its bonnet?

   • A. Bentley

   • B. Aston Martin

   • C. Rolls-Royce
      

Answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 C.
 

Want more? Try the classic car quiz on JKTalla.com.
 

Spotlight: Beyond Coincidence
 

This month’s spotlight is Beyond Coincidence, a thriller from the Story Vault. Samantha Jarvis lies under oath to see a man convicted. Fifteen years later, the truth comes looking for her.
 

If you enjoy a story that keeps you guessing right to the last page, start here.
 

Find it in the Story Vault
 

Until December
 

That is all for this month. If a friend would enjoy this letter, please pass it on, and they can join the mailing list at JKTalla.com.
 

Thank you for reading.
 

Harry Hogg