When I’m not writing I love to paint. Here are several paintings that I have done over the years. Each one is made using just household paints, and canvas blocks. I found that I could repaint the canvas many times. This proved very useful in the early stages, as I hadn’t painted for years. I particularly like lighthouses and seascapes. The man standing in this one is my husband in silouhette. A lovely desert scene. It shows a sandstorm raging in the background. The ice scene is made using pearlescent paint mixed with household paints. This one, is a project still to be finished. I really enjoyed painting these pyramids. Another lighthouse, with dramatic sky. This really is an inexpensive way of creating dramatic art work. Be assured that all the paint used is just household paints. In effect these are acrylic based paints, and work particularly well. After the painting is ready, I spray with a protective layer of varnish. Hope every one has a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New year Jan

I just had to share an email I received from someone who read ‘The Return’. It makes all the writing worth while. I just finished reading The Return. I absolutely loved it. The story line was very moving. It just made me think of how this situation is affecting other families in real time. The characters and situation was so real, the story just flowed off the pages. I had a hard time stopping at times. My children were very impatient with me. Again thank you for the story. It was excellent. I have mentioned the story to many friends who have expressed interest. emailed by K What lovely feedback. Thank you K.

I just had to share my review from Long and Short reviews. The reviewer went into great detail about the characters and sub plots. I’m really bowled over. The Return by Jan Bowles The Return by Jan BowlesPublisher: BookStrandGenre: ContemporaryLength: Short (147 pages)Heat: SpicyRating: 4 BooksReviewed by Edelweiss Whilst on assignment in Iraq, English TV presenter and journalist Robert Tremayne is captured by Islamic Jihadists and held hostage. His soul mate, Marielle, can barely come to terms with her loss but tries to move on with her life. Two years later Robert is discovered alive. Marielle is overjoyed, but her life has changed beyond all recognition, and the man she loved is now very different. His time in Iraq has left him cold, emotionless and detached. There’s much to tell, and each wants desperately to return to the way things once were. With the past always there to come between them, will they be able to recapture their lost love? Will they ever be happy again? In Jan Bowles’ The Return, two former lovers grapple with a past strewn withbetrayal, misfortune, and bad judgments. Robert is a renown journalist andauthor who is captured and killed in Iraq by the Islamic…

Sometimes opinions change. Sometimes ideas that have stayed with you a lifetime suddenly alter and shift, and you find a different angle with which to view. Take poetry. Apart from having a poem published in the school magazine I really couldn’t see what all the fuss was about. For years, the well formed verses never quite did it for me. They were just words, structured, yet with little meaning. Then everything changed. Life changed. Feeling at a particularly low point in my life, I just happened to be browsing a large book store. I picked up book after book. Just glancing briefly at them, and then placing them back on the shelf. Then I pulled one particular book off the shelf. The Nations Favourite Poems as voted for by the British public. I scanned the pages, then read the poem that had been voted No.1. This poem had received twice as many votes as any other poem in the book. The words leapt from the page. Surely the poem had been written for me. Every word had meaning. I remember tears streaming down my face. The author had connected with me. Years after he’d died he actually spoke to me….

I finally received my first review for The Return from Mind Fog Reviews: “This book, at times, reminds me of Castaway the movie. The book is well written and has a couple of hot and steamy love scenes for those of us that love the hot stuff in a romance novel. The cute little father and daughter moments are so cute that it makes your heart melt.” 4 BookmarksCarol Langstroth, Manager Mind Fog Reviews Then later this week I received another review for The Pen and Muse: “What I liked: Jan tells such a beautiful story about a couple who love each other very much, but yet to the war things have changed. Jan portrays the life of these two characters as a real life drama that you could sit and watch unfold. Positively brilliant! A must read for those who love contemporary romance or are just fans of romance!”4 StarsPosted by Denisse AliceaThe Pen and Muse I am very happy, it makes all the hard work worthwhile.

Blurb: Whilst on assignment in Iraq, English TV presenter and journalist Robert Tremayne is captured by the Islamic Jihad and held hostage. His soul mate, Marielle, can barely come to terms with her loss but tries to move on with her life. Two years later Robert is discovered alive. Marielle is overjoyed, but her life has changed beyond all recognition, and the man she loved is now very different. His time in Iraq has left him cold, emotionless and detached. There’s much to tell, and each wants desperately to return to the way things once were. With the past always there to come between them, will they be able to recapture their lost love? Will they ever be happy again?A note to the reader: The reason why I wrote the Return. Being English, I vividly remember watching the news when journalist John McCarthy was released from captivity in 1991, after 5 years as a hostage in Lebanon. His girlfriend Jill Morrell was there to greet him, and it looked as though their emotional turmoil would soon be over. They could continue their lives together. Sadly John McCarthy and Jill Morrell split up unable to resume their relationship. The Return is…

Hi everyone, release day is finally here. I hope to see you all soon. If you need more information on the book The Return please CLICK HERE

THE RETURN Coming 1st December 2009 A Siren-Bookstrand release. Whilst in Iraq English journalist and upcoming TV personality Robert Tremayne is captured by the Islamic Jihad and held hostage. His sweetheart Marielle is devastated when she is told he has been executed. She had so much to tell him, now she must continue her life without him. Two years later she learns that Robert is alive and well and returning to Britain. How can they continue where they left off when so much has changed? Can they forgive each other? Will they ever find love again? The Return is a roller-coaster ride of emotion and passion on their road to happiness. Release day Tuesday 1st December. Find out more CLICK HERE

Music supplied by www.freemusicplay.comMy new novel The Return is due for release on 1st December 2009.Whilst on assignment in Iraq, TV presenter and English journalist Robert Tremayne is captured by the Islamic Jihad and held hostage. His soul mate, Marielle, can barely come to terms with her loss. When she’s told he’ll never return home, she’s devastated, but tries to move on with her life. Two years later Robert is discovered alive. Marielle is overjoyed, but her life has changed beyond all recognition, and the Robert she loved is now a very different man; his time in Iraq has left him cold and detached. There’s much to tell, and each wants desperately to return to the way things once were. Can they find a way to recapture their lost love and be happy together again?The video portrays some of the emotional turbulence that the couple share together. Whilst a haunting melody plays in the background.