Laura

I'm Laura. I started Novel Kicks back in 2009 as I wanted a place to discuss books and writing - two loves of my life. As someone who has anxiety, these two things give me, and I am sure countless others, a much needed escape. There is a monthly book club, writing exercises, prompts, reviews, author interviews, competitions and guest posts. I cover many genres and I hope there is something for everyone. I grew up by the sea in Dorset and currently live in Poole with my husband, Chris and three cats. I love writing and have a BA (Hons) in Creative Writing from Falmouth University. I am writing my first book. If only I could stop pressing delete. Chris has threatened to stop it from working. Haha. I have always loved creative writing since I was in first school and would very much like to meet my teacher, Miss Sayers, to say thank you for all the encouragement she gave me then. When not writing, I love reading, cats, Disney, singing (I can't sing but this doesn't stop me,) and falling into a good TV show or film. If I could step into any fictional world, it would be amongst the characters in ABC's Once Upon a Time. I love reading many genres and discovering new authors.

Writing Room: Freestyle

Published March 15, 2016 | By Laura

rp_writeanything-300x19911-300x1991-300x1991-300x199-300x1991-300x199-300x199.jpg Tuesday 15th March 2016: Freestyle.

It’s all about just letting yourself write today. Set a timer for ten minutes.

Using the word ‘block’ as inspiration, write solidly for ten minutes. Don’t think, just write.

It’s up to you whether you read what you’ve written once you’re done.

How did that go?

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Author Interview: Rebecca Lim

Published March 14, 2016 | By Laura

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Photo Credit: Eugenia Lim

Rebecca Lim is the author of The Astrologer’s Daughter and the very popular Mercy series. Her latest book is called Afterlight and was realised by Text Publishing Company on 25th February 2016. Hello Rebecca. I am so pleased you are joining me today. Could you describe your typical writing day?

Hello and thank you for hosting me on your gorgeous site! My typical writing day is pretty manic these days because I juggle a part-time legal practice with freelance writing and creative writing. I find I work better when people are holding up little red flags all over the place and screaming at me to run at them.

I work whenever and wherever I can and have been known to pull the laptop out in a parked car…

Could you tell me a little about your new book, Afterlight and how the idea originated?

I haven’t really spoken about it much until Afterlight came out, but I had a visit once as a child, from a shining presence that stood over my bed, that I don’t think I imagined/hallucinated/dreamed. It’s one of those weird, defining things that—as a highly rational, scientific, logical person—has always stuck with me. What if there are things out there that we can’t explain? And what if something you couldn’t explain came to you and asked for help and sent your life in a completely new direction? That was the impetus for Afterlight.

I’m fascinated by the possibility that real magic exists.

Which fictional character would you like to meet and why?

There are so many (because I’m such a nerd). But I’d love to meet Rachel Morgan from the Kim Harrison Hollows series because I feel like I know her already, Daniel Silva’s Israeli spy/assassin/art restorer, Gabriel Allon, and cool intellectual and naval physician/spy, Stephen Maturin, from the Napoleonic era Aubrey-Maturin books by Patrick O’Brian.

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Competitions: Win a copy of Shylock is my Name by Howard Jacobson

Published March 14, 2016 | By Laura

Hogarth, February 2016

Hogarth, February 2016

THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED.

Thank you to the lovely people at Hogarth, we’ve three copies of Shylock is my Name by Howard Jacobson to give away.

This book was released by Hogarth on 4th February 2016, is part of the Hogarth Shakespeare series and is a retelling of the Merchant of Venice set in the modern world.

How to enter:

Comment on this post by the closing date of Sunday 20th March 2016 at 23.59. Three winners will then be chosen at random from the entrants and announced on the Novel Kicks blog on Monday 21st March 2016. UK and Ireland only. Good Luck.

(The winners will also be contacted via e-mail so be sure to check your junk folder. The prize is being sent directly from the publisher so allow at least fourteen days for delivery.)

About Shylock is my Name….

‘Who is this guy, Dad? What is he doing here?’

With an absent wife and a daughter going off the rails, wealthy art collector and philanthropist Simon Strulovitch is in need of someone to talk to. So when he meets Shylock at a cemetery in Cheshire’s Golden Triangle, he invites him back to his house. It’s the beginning of a remarkable friendship.

Elsewhere in the Golden Triangle, the rich, manipulative Plurabelle (aka Anna Livia Plurabelle Cleopatra A Thing of Beauty is a Joy Forever Christine) is the face of her own TV series, existing in a bubble of plastic surgery and lavish parties. She shares prejudices and a barbed sense of humour with her loyal friend D’Anton, whose attempts to play Cupid involve Strulovitch’s daughter – and put a pound of flesh on the line.

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Competitions: Winner of the Signed Copy of The Choice by Nicholas Sparks

Published March 11, 2016 | By Laura

51apxj+IVRL To celebrate the release of the film tie-in for The Choice, Sphere has given me a signed copy to give away. The person picked at random from all the entries was IAN YATES. Well done, that signed copy will be on its way to you shortly.

About The Choice:

Travis Parker has it all: a good job, loyal friends and his dream home in North Carolina. The last thing he’s looking for is a serious relationship. That is, until Gabby Holland moves in next door.

Despite Travis’s attempts to be friendly, the alluring redhead simply will not warm to him. But Travis feels compelled to get closer to her, leading them both down a road where they will face tough decisions, shocking revelations and devastating consequences.

To read my review of The Choice, click here.

The Choice was released by Sphere on 11th February 2016 and is available in most UK bookshops.

Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Stranger Than Fiction

Published March 11, 2016 | By Laura

Friday 11th March 2016: Stranger Than Fiction

Fiction Friday is our weekly writing prompt. The aim is to write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can. Once you’ve finished, don’t edit, just post in the comments box below.

Today’s Prompt: Pick a book you’ve recently read. It doesn’t have to be one that you liked. The plot of this book has suddenly become your character’s reality. What is your character like, how do they react and what happens to them?

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Latest Book Releases

Published March 10, 2016 | By Laura

It’s time to share some of the new book releases this week. There is a nice mixture of genres and authors this week. Which one are you looking forward to reading?

Song of the Skylark by Erica James (Orion, 10th March 2016.)

I do have a thing for covers and this one is beautiful. This book sounds so interesting too.

Lizzie has always had an unfortunate knack of attracting bad luck, but this time she’s hit the jackpot. Losing her heart to her boss leads to her losing her job, and with no money in the bank, Lizzie finds herself forced to move back home with her parents. When she reluctantly takes another job, she meets Mrs Dallimore, a seemingly ordinary elderly woman with an astonishing past . . .

Now in her nineties, Mrs Dallimore is also coming to terms with her situation. Old age is finally catching up with her. As she and Lizzie form the bond of unexpected friendship, Mrs Dallimore tells the story of a young girl who left America before the outbreak of World War Two and, in crossing an ocean, found herself embarking on a new life she couldn’t have imagined.

As Lizzie listens to Mrs Dallimore, she begins to realise that she’s not the only person to attract bad luck, and that sometimes life has a way of surprising you . . .

Sleepless in Manhattan by Sarah Morgan (Mira, 10th March 2016.)

I know I do go on about covers but again, this one is beautiful and very whimsical. It’s also based in New York which is one of my favourite cities. This sounds like a lovely romantic comedy.

Great friends. Amazing Apartment. An incredible job. Paige has ticked off every box on perfect New York life checklist. Until disaster strikes and instead of shimming further up the career ladder, Paige is packing up her desk.

Her brother’s best friend Jake might be the only person who can help her put her life back together. He also happens to be the boy she spent her teen years pining after, and Paige is determined not repeat her past mistakes. But the more time she spends with Jake, the more Paige realises the one thing that was missing from her world all along: The perfect New York love story…

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Author Interview: Joanna Barnard

Published March 10, 2016 | By Laura

Hello Joanna. Thank you so much for joining me today. Can you tell me a little about your book, Precocious which has been released today and how the idea originated?

Hi Laura. Thanks for having me! Precocious is about a pupil-teacher relationship that’s rekindled when the two meet again 15 years later. It was a ‘slow burn’ idea in that it originated with a short story I wrote while at university. I wanted to write a kind of Lolita story but from the perspective of the girl. Unfortunately the theme is still very topical as there are lots of examples of these stories in the media today.

What’s your writing process like? Do you plan much before beginning a novel? Do you edit as you go etc?

I’m afraid I’m not much of a planner. For me the preparation is thinking about a cast of characters and their situation. They brew in my mind for a while before I put anything down. Then I tend to start by writing a scene (usually the opening) and just see where it goes from there. With a novel, I will get about a third of the way through and then decide I should probably start planning the rest! It can be a bit of a chaotic way of working but it seems to work for me.

Where do you like to write? What conditions do you like to write in – silence or noise?

At home, I write longhand on the sofa or in bed and then type up at my desk. I get loads of writing done on trains, I think because I’m rooted to the spot and can’t do anything else. I don’t mind a bit of noise. The radio is constantly on in my house but when I’m really engrossed in what I’m doing, I’m not really hearing it.

How long does it typically take you to write a book?

There is no typical – Precocious evolved over about six years! But with the second one, I’d left my job so could focus on it pretty much full-time. The first draft took about nine months. I think of it a bit like gestating a baby! But I’m still working on the final version. I know some people can write a book in a month or two but I think I need at least a year!

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My Recent Book Haul (February and March)

Published March 9, 2016 | By Laura

I love me a good book haul. Buying new books is one of my favourite things to do. Recently, I have brought or received so many lovely books. It was hard to pick which ones to feature (I’ve managed to narrow it down to nine.) Here is my selection.

Room by Emma Donoghue (Picador, 2011.)

This book is not a new release but I am not sure why I haven’t got around to buying it until now. The premise sounds intriguing. Jack and his mother are prisoners in one room. I’m a few pages into this book and am already enjoying it. I am also wanting to see the film based on the book but I think I want to read the book first before I see it.

Jack is five. He lives with his Ma. They live in a single, locked room. They don’t have the key.

Jack and Ma are prisoners.

Room by Emma Donoghue is an extraordinarily powerful story of a mother and child kept in isolation, and the desire for, and price of, freedom.

Winter by Marissa Meyer (Puffin, 2015)

Winter is the fourth book in the Lunar Chronicles. These books are all based on well-known fairy tales. I have not read any of this series yet but having received this book for review by the publisher, I can’t wait to get started and Cinder is also here waiting to be read. The series sounds fantastic and right up my street.

Princess Winter is admired for her grace, kindness and beauty, despite the scars on her face. She’s said to be even more breath-taking than her stepmother, Queen Levana…

When Winter develops feelings for the handsome palace guard, Jacin, she fears the evil Queen will crush their romance before it has a chance to begin.

But there are stirrings against the Queen across the land. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even find the power to launch a revolution and win a war that’s been raging for far too long.

Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter claim their happily ever afters by defeating Levana once and for all?

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My Writing Ramblings: Keeping a Writing Journal

Published March 9, 2016 | By Laura

I can’t believe how quickly this week has gone. I can’t believe we’re already into the second week of March. Time seems to be going doubly fast at the moment. My shifts at work have had a little bit of a say in that I guess. Five, twelve hour shifts in a row does have a tendency to suck my time away. As a result, I have not got as much done this week as I had hoped but no matter. It’s a new week and a new to-do list.

Due to work, I’ve only managed to do a couple of days on preparation and planning of my novel. Going by the fact that I wasn’t managing anything previously, it’s a large step. I am seeing it as a positive. One thing I have been enjoying this week is my writing journal. I have always tried to jot down my ideas for things when I think about them. I do this mostly because I don’t trust myself to remember it (and that has happened more times than I care to admit.)

About a year ago, I did a writing course who encouraged the students to keep a writing journal. It was one of the elements of the course that I most enjoyed (and another excuse to go out and buy a new notebook.) Once I had finished the course though, I got out of the habit of keeping one.

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Writing Room: Working on Plot

Published March 8, 2016 | By Laura

Tuesday 8th March 2016: Working on Plot.

For today’s writing room, write down eight major plot points on your current work in progress, (you can use a published novel if you prefer,) onto individual cards and lay them in the current order.

Once you’ve put them in order, spend five minutes moving them around and putting them in different orders.

Has this improved the plot sequence of your novel/story? Is there anything you need to add or take away?

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Author Interview: Alison May

Published March 7, 2016 | By Laura

I’m very pleased to be welcoming author, Alison May to Novel Kicks today. Hello Alison. Thank you for joining me.. For people who are new to your books, can you tell me a little about your novels and writing style?

I write romantic comedies. When I’m being flippant I say I write books about twenty and thirty-somethings getting drunk and making bad life choices. When I’m not being flippant I try to make it sound more serious and important than that, but really it’s mainly drinking and bad decisions.

What is your typical writing day like?

Morning: Get up. Wonder about putting proper clothes on. Eat toast in pyjamas. Accidentally get sucked into watching episodes of The Gilmore Girls I’ve seen about eighteen times before. Get cross with self and actually turn laptop on. Answer email and look at social media (which is totally definitely work and not procrastinating at all). Realise it’s lunchtime and resolve to definitely do better in the afternoon.

Afternoon: Much like the morning, but hopefully ending up with a phase of frantic writing of words which will almost certainly turn out to be terrible.

Where do you normally like to write? Do you normally like to write in silence or surrounded by noise?

I mostly write at home in my tiny purple office, but I try to mix things up, so I’ll turn music on and off over the course of the day, or I’ll move with my laptop and write in bed or on the dining table for a bit. I do that because I’m a huge procrastinator, and I find that changing the environment can trick my brain out of faffing and get it to refocus on whatever it’s supposed to be doing. For the same reason I sometimes drag myself to the local library (The Hive in Worcester – it’s very big and very gold). I usually go to the library if I’ve got one big task that I’m procrastinating at home, and set myself a rule about when I’m allowed to leave the library eg. ‘You can’t go home until you’ve drafted that short story’ or ‘You can’t go home until you’ve finished reading that draft.’

What is your process like in regard to planning, daily word count and editing?

It’s different for every book to be honest. For my first novel I just wrote 2000 words a day with no planning at all until I had a first draft. It was an awful first draft, but it had the right number of words at least. Now it varies – I plan more than I used to, but I invariably abandon the plan as soon as I start writing. I sometimes find notes I made at the start of a book and I can barely recognise which book they were supposed to relate to.

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Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Genie in a Bottle

Published March 4, 2016 | By Laura

Friday 4th March 2016: Genie in a Bottle.

Fiction Friday is our weekly writing prompt. The aim is to write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can. Once you’ve finished, don’t edit, just post in the comments box below.

Today’s Prompt: Your character finds a genie in a bottle. He is granted the usual three wishes. He can only spend the wishes on himself and he must make them. He can’t just decide to change his mind and put the genie back in the bottle. However, there is also a further catch. For every piece of fortune your character bestows upon himself, it means misfortune for someone else.

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Blog Tour: Review and Win a Signed Copy of The Choice by Nicholas Sparks

Published March 4, 2016 | By Laura

READ IT BEFORE YOU SEE IT: WIN A SIGNED COPY OF THE CHOICE BY NICHOLAS SPARKS…THIS COMPETITION HAS NOW CLOSED.

I’m very happy to be part of the blog tour for the film tie-in release of The Choice by Nicholas Sparks. I’ve reviewed the book below but first, thanks to the lovely people at Sphere, we have a signed copy of The Choice to give away to one lucky winner.

Travis Parker has it all: a good job, loyal friends and his dream home in North Carolina. The last thing he’s looking for is a serious relationship. That is, until Gabby Holland moves in next door.

Despite Travis’s attempts to be friendly, the alluring redhead simply will not warm to him. But Travis feels compelled to get closer to her, leading them both down a road where they will face tough decisions, shocking revelations and devastating consequences.

How to enter:

Comment on this post by the end of day on Thursday 10th March 2016. I will then pick a winner at random using random.org and announce on Friday 11th March 2016. UK and Ireland only. (The winner will also be contacted via e-mail so don’t forget to check your junk folder as well as your inbox. The prize is coming directly from the publisher so please do allow at least fourteen days for your prize to arrive.)

Good Luck.

My verdict on The Choice by Nicholas Sparks.

If you’ve been following my blog for a while then you will know that I am a huge fan of Nicholas Sparks so I was excited when Sphere asked me to be a part of their blog tour for the release of the film tie-in for The Choice. It was not one I had read before.

Travis is a popular, successful guy who is not looking for love and is seemingly happy with his life. He doesn’t feel that he has a lot lacking until Gabby Holland moves in to the house next door. Gabby also isn’t looking for a new relationship. She has a boyfriend and a job she enjoys. However, after spending the weekend getting to know each other (after some reluctance from Gabby,) Travis soon realises that Gabby is someone he can’t be without and that he has fallen in love with her.

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This Week’s New Releases

Published March 3, 2016 | By Laura

There have been some great novels been released this week so some potentially great books to add to your collection. These include…

Last Night on Earth by Kevin Maher (Abacus, 3rd March 2016.)

The paperback edition for Last Night on Earth has been released today. The premise for this novel looks very interesting.

Jay adores his small daughter, Bonnie, and nothing matters more to him than being a good father. But Bonnie’s traumatic birth puts an unbearable strain on his marriage with Shauna and the couple eventually separate.

Despite this, London is the place to be: New Labour is in power and the city is buzzing with optimism. Jay is slowly putting his life back together, snagging a job on a TV documentary about the Millennium Dome and, crucially, spending time with his beloved three-year-old daughter, Bonnie.
Indeed, things might have even begun to look up. Until, that is, the arrival of The Clappers. Six foot tall, all muscle and plenty of heart, she insists on making the world right for Jay. But, inevitably, she makes it wrong…

You Sent Me A Letter by Lucy Dawson (Corvis, 3rd March 2016.)

Both the paperback and electronic versions of this book have been released today. Again this is another great sounding novel and I actually can’t wait to read this one.

At 2 a.m. on the morning of her fortieth birthday, Sophie wakes to find an intruder in her bedroom. The stranger hands Sophie a letter and issues a threat: open the letter at her party that evening, in front of family and friends, at exactly 8 p.m., or those she loves will be in grave danger.
What can the letter possibly contain?
This will be no ordinary party; Sophie is not the only person keeping a secret about the evening ahead. When the clock strikes eight, the course of several people’s lives will be altered for ever.

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Courses and Competitions: Mslexia Woman’s Short Story Competition 2016

Published March 2, 2016 | By Laura

Mslexia are still excepting entries for their Woman’s short story competition for 2016.

They are welcoming writers of all levels and experiences and you can write on any subject and style as long as it’s within the 2,200 word limit.

First prize not only includes its publication in the June issue of Mslexia, it also includes £2,000 and optional extras of a week’s writing retreat and a day with an editor at Virago Press.

The person who comes second will receive £500 and third place will receive £250. An additional three finalists will receive £100 and all six will be featured in the June edition of Mslexia.

The judge for this year is author, Michele Roberts.

Entry is £10 per story and the closing date is 14th March 2016.

For more information on the competition, how to enter and the terms and conditions, head to https://mslexia.co.uk

My Writing Ramblings: To-Do Lists Are My Friends

Published March 2, 2016 | By Laura

This week has been a mixture of being productive and retreating into a book with an occasional need to hide over the covers. The weather is less than inspiring. I am one of those annoying people who love snow as long as I don’t have to drive in it. I think snow is what we should be getting if it’s going to be this cold.

It’s certainly one day at a time for me right now but I am still constantly thinking about my novel and have been setting myself the challenge this week of doing thirty minutes a day of novel planning. It’s amazing how much you can get done in that time provided you don’t get distracted.

My seven hundred and fifty words streak is still going strong. I am currently on my four hundredth and twenty-seventh day. It is such a good tool as I can use it to bash out ideas, write fiction or just empty my head. My latest habit has been to include a hundred words inspired by a prompt so it’s at least making sure I am writing a piece of fiction every day as well as giving me some great ideas for future work.

This week, I’ve also been making the most of to-do lists. I have always been a list maker. I love them and have always been a fan. When I was a teenager, I couldn’t start my homework without making a list of what I had to do (I will forget the fact that I still left some of it until the last-minute.)

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Competitions: Blind Date With A Book – March

Published March 1, 2016 | By Laura

THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED.

It is very easy to judge a book by its cover. I know I do it. Here’s your chance to win a blind date with a book.

I’m not going to reveal what the title of this month’s book is nor will I reveal the cover. All I will reveal is that the themes include ‘friendship, love, relationships and missed opportunities.’

How to enter:

All you have to do is comment below with your name and county. The closing date for entries is Wednesday 30th March 2016. I will then pick out a winner at random and will announce it on the Novel Kicks blog on Thursday 31st March 2o16. It’s not needed to enter but if you wanted to have a go at guessing what the book is too. UK and Ireland only this time around. Good Luck.

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Author Interview: Alena Graedon

Published March 1, 2016 | By Laura

I am very happy to be joined today by Alena Graedon, the author of The Word Exchange. Thank you for joining me today, Alena. Can you tell us a little about what your typical writing day is like?

This semester has been so busy that I haven’t had many typical writing days. But when things are a bit calmer, my writing day starts with trying to wake up quite early (around 6am), drink an alarming amount of coffee, going into my office, and reading for a bit–maybe 30 minutes–before sitting down to work. I often read things that evoke the same sort of mood that I’m going for. (For example, I’m writing something fairly dark at the moment, and one of the things that I often read a few pages of in the morning is Roberto Bolano’s 2666.) Then I generally start off by reworking the page or so that I wrote the day before, and then I start (slowly, slowly) writing that day’s work–maybe a couple of pages. I try not to check my email or the internet until I break for lunch. Then I usually have freelance projects and other work to get to in the afternoon, and then I usually go for a run or do some other exercise in the late afternoon. (That’s what helps me keep sane and focused after being in my head all day.)

Can you tell us a bit about your book, The Word Exchange?

In a nutshell, The Word Exchange is set a few years in the future (but really, like, two). It imagines the possibility that we’ve become so integrated (including biologically) with the electronic devices that help to support and augment our realities that a virus is able to spread from a machine to human beings. The potentially fatal illness that it transmits affects people’s language and speech, garbling their words and making it impossible for them to communicate with one another. (It’s colloquially known as “word flu.”)

It’s an interesting and scary premise. How did the idea originate?

I think that it probably came from my own love affair with/dependence on/wariness about technology. I grew up at a time when we were really making this big cultural shift from print to digital technology. My friends and I used to send lots of letters to one another, and I kept a physical diary. And now it’s surprising if we can even find time to email each other. I think I became very aware of the ways in which my life really had become totally augmented and interrupted by devices and digital tools, and I wanted to think a bit more deeply about what that might be doing to my ability to connect with other people and with my own thoughts.

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Writing Room: Looking Back

Published March 1, 2016 | By Laura

Tuesday 1st March 2016: Looking Back.

Today’s workshop is going to be using dialogue. Pick one of your characters from your current work in progress. It doesn’t have to be the main character. It can be the villain. If you’d prefer, pick a character from one of your favourite novels. Using just dialogue, have this character have a conversation with their younger self. Think about the circumstance in which they meet – setting etc. What would they talk about?

If you feel like you want to share your work, post in the comments below.

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March’s Book Club: The Virgin Suicides by Jeffery Eugenides

Published March 1, 2016 | By Laura

Fourth Estate, 2013

Fourth Estate, 2013

Welcome to the Novel Kicks online book club.

We love books and we love chatting about them even more. Every month, we pick a new book for discussion. We will post a question to kick things off in the comments box below. The best thing about our book club is that everyone is welcome to take part. It’s open to all. You can read the book at any point in the month or if you’ve already read it, tell us what you think.

For March, it’s The Virgin Suicides by Jeffery Eugenides.

This is the story of the five Lisbon sisters – beautiful, eccentric, and obsessively watched by the entire neighbourhood.

The boys that once loved them from afar are now grown men, determined to understand a tragedy that has always defied explanation. For still, the question remains – why did all five of the Lisbon girls take their own lives?

This hypnotic and unforgettable novel treats adolescent love and death with haunting sensitivity and dark humour, and creates a coming-of-age story unlike any of our time.

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Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Knowing Your Enemy

Published February 26, 2016 | By Laura

Friday 20th February 2016: Knowing Your Enemy.

Fiction Friday is our weekly writing prompt. The aim is to write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can. Once you’ve finished, don’t edit, just post in the comments box below.

For today’s prompt, write about when your character swaps places with an enemy and they have to work together to get swapped back.

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Five Books I’m Looking Forward To Reading In 2016

Published February 23, 2016 | By Laura

2016 is bringing so many new books and I can’t wait to get my hands on them. I have a feeling it’s going to be a great year for books. Here are five of the books being released in 2016 that I am most excited to read.

Harry Potter & The Cursed Child by JK Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany (Little, Brown, 31st July 2016.)

I can’t, can’t can’t wait for this to be released and on Harry Potter’s birthday too. The eighth story in the series, this is a script of the upcoming stage play. It’s written by Jack Thorne and is based on an original story by JK Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany. This is the closest I am going to get to the play (unless some magic grants me a ticket) so July can not come quick enough.

Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, a new play by Jack Thorne, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is the eighth story in the Harry Potter series and the first official Harry Potter story to be presented on stage. The play will receive its world premiere in London’s West End on 30th July 2016. It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband, and father of three school-age children. While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places.

I Found You by Lisa Jewell (Century, 14th July 2016.)

Also due to be released in July, I Found You is the latest novel from Lisa Jewell. I adore Lisa’s novels. I always look forward to being able to escape into her fictional worlds for a while and so I am eagerly awaiting her new book. It sounds fantastic.

‘How long have you been sitting out here?’
‘I got here yesterday.’
‘Where did you come from?’
‘I have no idea.’

East Yorkshire: Single mum Alice Lake finds a man on the beach outside her house. He has no name, no jacket, no idea what he is doing there. Against her better judgement she invites him in to her home.

Surrey: Twenty-one-year-old Lily Drew has only been married for three weeks. When her new husband fails to come home from work one night she is left stranded in a new country where she knows no one. Then the police tell her that her husband never existed.

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Writing Room: Betrayal

Published February 23, 2016 | By Laura

Tuesday 23rd February 2016: Betrayal.

Today’s prompt: There are two people sat at opposite sides of a table. The setting and whether there are people around them is up to you. One of them has betrayed the other. Write 300/500 words from the person who has been betrayed and then do the same but from the other persons point of view. Do the accounts differ in any way?

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My Writing Ramblings: This Week I’ve Been Mostly….

Published February 19, 2016 | By Laura

This week has mostly consisted of large bouts of wanting to crawl back under my duvet and not come out again until the summer. However, I’ve armed myself with a thick jumper and continuous cups of tea (as much to keep my hands warm than the fact that it helps makes everything better which tea does.)

To try and fight off anxiety this week, I’ve been reading a lot. I began reading The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger at the beginning of the month and finished it this week. It took me a little while to get in to I have to say. I am not sure why.

I’ve also finished Kill Me Again by Rachel Abbott. Novel Kicks took part in the blog tour for her latest novel (click here to view the post.) I started this book and finished it within two days. I couldn’t put it down.

I absolutely devoured Kill Me Again. It was a great crime/mystery and has ignited a reading phase, as I had not read much since the New Year started. I never like when I have slow patches in my reading, as I love reading.

I am now currently reading The Virgin Suicides by Jeffery Eugenides and liking it so far. Has anyone read any of the books above or read anything good and have a recommendation?

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Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Overhearing

Published February 19, 2016 | By Laura

Friday 20th February 2016: Overhearing

Fiction Friday is our weekly writing prompt. The aim is to write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can. Once you’ve finished, don’t edit, just post in the comments box below.

Today’s prompt:

Your character suffers severely from OCD. After hitting his/her head, he/she discovers that they can hear other people’s thoughts and they accidentally hear plans for an upcoming alien invasion.

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Blog Tour: Kill Me Again by Rachel Abbott

Published February 19, 2016 | By Laura

I’m so pleased to be part of the blog tour for Rachel Abbott’s latest novel, Kill Me Again which was released yesterday by Black Dot Publishing. Rachel is with me today to talk about how to get away with murder.

In the very first of my novels, Only the Innocent, I wanted a man to be murdered and I wanted his killer to get away with it. I didn’t mind that people might guess who the killer was – the book wasn’t really about that. It was about why he had to die. The most important part for me, though, was creating an unbreakable alibi for his murderer, and that took some thinking about. If you want to be credible, it takes a lot of research – checking out train timetables, flight routes, maybe even tide tables. You might also want to check details like the time of sunset according to the month and location of your murder, if that’s relevant. Every detail has to be considered, or readers will see straight through it.

So, alibi is top of my list of techniques for getting away with murder. They couldn’t possibly have committed the crime, because they were in another part of the world or the country, and lots of people saw them there. I could tell you how to set that up – but perish the thought that this blog post becomes a reference manual for would-be murderers! In my latest book, Kill Me Again the alibi set-up works so well that the police are fooled for a long time – yes, even DCI Tom Douglas! But to talk about that here would be a spoiler, so I will resist.

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A Moment With….Tara Guha

Published February 18, 2016 | By Laura

Tara

Tara receiving her award for the Luke Bitmead Bursary

Tara Guha won the Luke Bitmead Bursary in 2014 and her first novel was published on 1st September 2015. Tara talks to me about how she feels about being a writer...

Two years ago I didn’t describe myself as a writer. Mother, of course. Charity project worker, self-evidently. But writer – one who writes (and had in fact written an entire novel) – not a chance. For years I’d been saying apologetically “I’m writing a novel” but never felt able to use the term writer, fearing questions about publication and generally being “found out.”

Then one night in late November 2014 everything changed. From 8pm to 8.01pm I went from being one who writes to a Writer. Of course, nothing had changed in terms of my abilities or passions, but suddenly the world and I accepted me as the thing that I had in fact been since the age of five. That crucial minute saw me named as the winner of the Luke Bitmead Bursary 2014, an award for unpublished novelists with a publishing deal as first prize. It was the most mind-boggling experience of my life.

I’d spotted the ad for the Bursary back in May. Luke Bitmead was a talented young writer, Legend Press’s first signed author, who tragically took his own life in 2006. His inspirational mother Elaine launched the award with Legend Press to help struggling writers to get a foot in the publishing door – one that is so often closed politely in your face. I was delighted to be short-listed but my expectations of winning were truthfully non-existent. I went along to the Bursary night to enjoying the experience of a night in London, a new dress and the chance to meet fellow “writers.”

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Courses and Competitions: BBC Radio 2’s 500 Words Competition

Published February 17, 2016 | By Laura

Are you a budding writer or do you know one who is between 5-13 years? Well, BBC Radio 2’s 500 Words writing competition is back for 2016.

It’s an opportunity for young children to write, submit their story and win an amazing prize.

According to the 500 Words website, the story needs to be an original piece of fiction. It can be on any subject or theme. It just needs to be five hundred words or fewer.

The winning story could be read live on the radio by a superstar celebrity such as Hugh Bonneville, Sir Kenneth Branagh, Sherlock’s Benedict Cumberbatch or Jeremy Irons (Scar from The Lion King) and it could be heard by the millions of Radio 2 listeners.

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Writing Room: Introducing Your Characters

Published February 16, 2016 | By Laura

Tuesday 16th February 2016: Introducing your characters.

Today’s Prompt:

Something I am realising as a first time author is getting to know your characters is really important before sitting down to write. Today, write down five facts about your character and use these to write a bio about them. Write it in the first person as though they are telling someone about themselves. Make the facts go beyond their physical features. For example, what song do they like? What’s their earliest memory etc.

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Author Interview: Hannah Vincent

Published February 16, 2016 | By Laura

I am pleased to be joined by author, Hannah Vincent today. Her novel, Alarm Girl was released by Myriad Editions in August 2014. Thank you for joining me, Hannah. Can you tell us about Alarm Girl and how the idea originated?

I was travelling in Africa when I came across a newspaper article about a woman who died on the eve of her young daughter’s birthday. The image of a mother preparing for her child’s birthday which she will never see caught my imagination.

It’s a rite-of-passage story, told partly from the point of view of a child who hasn’t been told enough about the circumstances surrounding her mother’s death. To fill in the gaps she makes up her own version of the truth. Set in South Africa, the book’s location is a metaphor for the strange emotional world a child inhabits after the death of a parent.

What’s your writing process like? How much do you plan and do you edit as you go?

I make notes for scenes for a long time and when the time is right (and judging this is crucial, I think) I start ‘joining up the dots’, filling in the gaps in between these scenes. Edit as I go, yes. Writing is rewriting.

You’re also a playwright. How did this contribute toward writing the novel?

My experience of writing plays means I am confident writing dialogue. Also, I visualise scenes, with characters moving about and relating to one another physically.

In a play, the writer only reveals the tip of the iceberg – what characters say to one another and what they do on stage. In prose, the writer has the freedom to show the reader a lot more of the iceberg but writing plays taught me how to be economic and show only what is necessary to the drama.

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Book News: Recent Releases

Published February 15, 2016 | By Laura

There have been some great titles released over the last week. Below is a selection. Let me know in the comments below which ones take your fancy.

Time to Say Goodbye by S.D. Robertson was released on 11th February 2016 by Avon.

I am looking forward to reading this book. I have a copy waiting to be read. The plot sounds compelling and the cover is beautiful.

HOW DO YOU LEAVE THE PERSON YOU LOVE THE MOST?

Will Curtis’s six-year-old daughter, Ella, knows her father will never leave her. After all, he promised her so when her mother died. And he’s going to do everything he can to keep his word.

What Will doesn’t know is that the promise he made to his little girl might be harder to keep than he imagined. When he’s faced with an impossible decision, Will finds that the most obvious choice might not be the right one.

But the future is full of unexpected surprises. And father and daughter are about to embark on an unforgettable journey together . . .

This House of Grief: The Story of a Murder Trial by Helen Garner was released on 11th February 2016 by Text Publishing Company.

Not completely fiction but this book sounds very interesting and one that I will definitely be reading at some point especially as it’s based on a real case and sounds similar to Making a Murderer on Netflix.

On the evening of September 4th 2005, Robert Farquharson, a separated husband, was driving his three sons home to their mother, Cindy, when his car left the road and plunged into a dam. The boys, aged ten, seven and two, all drowned. Was this an act of revenge or a tragic accident? In a tale reminiscent of In Cold Blood (1966), Helen Garner decided to reveal every aspect of this complicated and highly emotional case.

The case became Garner’s obsession; she followed it on its protracted course until the final verdict was delivered, and attended every day of the trial (and subsequent retrial). She was there alongside countless journalists and family members – exposing with great compassion the emotional complexity of a case that gripped the nation.

In this utterly compelling book, Helen Garner tells the story of a man with a broken life – she presents the courtroom as a theatre with its actors and audience, all gathered for the purpose of bearing witness to an often uncomfortable truth.

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Book Vs. Film

Published February 15, 2016 | By Laura

There is always one thing that is certain when there is a beloved book adapted into a movie and that is everyone will have an opinion as to which one is better. Book worms will insist that the book will always be better. I loved the Bridget Jones films for example but the books will always be better (an opinion that will not be changed post third film.)

The company www.cartridgediscount.co.uk have designed this beautiful graphic comparing the books vs. film for some of the most loved series. The books and films analysed are Harry Potter, Twilight, The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, The Hunger Games and Fifty Shades of Grey. It’s interesting to see the comparison. Can a film ever outdo the source material? Take a look….

Book Worm Vs Film Buff

Harry Potter is one of my favourite series and some of the best-selling novels of all time. The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings is the same. According to this, it takes twenty hours to watch all the Harry Potter films and two and a half days to read all the books. It would take twenty hours to watch all of The Lord of The Rings films although it may be more if you have the extended versions. I feel these series have been adapted so well. With Potter, I would have liked to have seen Peeves though.

The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings

The Hunger Games is also a book series I loved. I liked it more than I thought I would and I devoured the novels. I was disappointed when they had to end to be honest. I was definitely team Peeta. I was also happy with the way it ended. The films were great but I think I preferred the novels. According to this, it takes seventeen hours to read the novels. With Twilight, it was the other way around. I actually liked the film more than the novel.

The Hunger Games

Fifty Shades of Grey is a trio of books which gripped the UK when it was released. The first film in the series was released last year and the other two are expected. It originally began as Twilight fan fiction. The books apparently take one day and three hours to read. At the moment, the film will take you a little over two hours but in its defence, there is only one.

There are so many interesting facts in these. Do you agree? Which one is your favourite and why?

My Five Favourite Books For Valentine’s Day

Published February 12, 2016 | By Laura

Harper, 2012 edition

Harper, 2012 edition

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. I am not against Valentine’s Day although I am usually so disorganised, I end up joining the people who go to the shop to collect something last-minute. For me, it’s a perfect excuse to avoid all the overcrowded restaurants and to curl up with a book instead (especially as this year, my husband is at work.) It was hard to pick but I wanted to share five of my favourite love themed books that I think are perfect to be reading over this weekend, especially on the 14th itself.

Which books would be in your list? Let me know in the comments section.

P.S I Love You by Cecelia Ahern.

Holly has a guardian angel; her husband Gerry who has recently died of a brain tumour. Letters from him mysteriously appear giving her advice and teaching her how to move on. This book is such a beautiful love story for me and is perfect for February. This is the book where I fell in love with Holly and Gerry and with Cecelia’s novels. There is just something magical about this story which is why it is in my top five favourite love stories and will remain there for a long time.

Everyone needs a guardian angel…

Some people wait their whole lives to find their soul mates. But not Holly and Gerry.

Childhood sweethearts, they could finish each other’s sentences and even when they fought, they laughed. No one could imagine Holly and Gerry without each other.

Until the unthinkable happens. Gerry’s death devastates Holly. But as her 30th birthday looms, Gerry comes back to her. He’s left her a bundle of notes, one for each of the months after his death, gently guiding Holly into her new life without him, each note signed ‘PS, I Love You’.

As the notes are gradually opened, the man who knows Holly better than anyone sets out to teach her that life goes on. With some help from her friends, and her noisy and loving family, Holly finds herself laughing, crying, singing, dancing – and being braver than ever before.

Life is for living, she realises – but it always helps if there’s an angel watching over you.

Sphere, 2007

Sphere, 2007

The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks.

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My Writing Ramblings: The Month Where I Don’t Write

Published February 12, 2016 | By Laura

February could be renamed ‘the month in which I don’t write.’ I get my notebook out, I open my laptop but then I lose the motivation. Life has got in the way a little this month. It’s amazing how much that has played havoc with my productivity and it is something I need to work on. Life is something that does happen though and there is not a lot I can do about that. It doesn’t stop me from feeling guilt about not writing.

However, even though I have not been physically writing, I have been thinking about my novel. When I’ve been driving, I’ve developed plot lines, when I am sat watching telly, I am thinking about my characters; these people who seem to not want to leave me alone. I see this as a good sign as it means that the book is still churning away in my head even though I have not written anything.

I know I can’t carry on like this. I know that at some point I am going to have to fight through the procrastination and the other things in my life that seem to be sucking up my time but I am feeling a little happier about where I want my book to go and that can’t be bad.

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Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Fish Out Of Water

Published February 12, 2016 | By Laura

Friday 12th February 2016: Fish out of Water

Fiction Friday is our weekly writing prompt. The aim is to write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can. Once you’ve finished, don’t edit, just post in the comments box below.

Today’s prompt: Your character is usually a confident person. However, they suddenly find themselves completely out of water and in a situation they don’t know how to deal with. Maybe they’ve realised that they can’t speak (the charm of their voice is usually what worked for them,) or they go from being rich to poor or lucky to unlucky. Anything goes.

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Writing Room: Confessions Prompt

Published February 9, 2016 | By Laura

Tuesday 9th February 2015: Confessions.

Your character is shown into a room. There is a circular table in the middle the room with six chairs around it. Eventually, five other people are shown into the room. These five people along with your character are told to take a seat. They are each told that they are connected and they need to confess what they have done to the people around them. Carry on the story….

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February’s Book Club: The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

Published February 9, 2016 | By Laura

Black Swan, January 2012 edition.

Black Swan, January 2012 edition.

Welcome to the Novel Kicks online book club.

How it works…

We love books and we love chatting about them even more. Every month, we pick a new book for discussion. We will post a question to kick things off and then you can talk about any of your thoughts about the book in the comments box below. The best thing about our book club is that everyone is welcome to take part. It’s open to all. You can read the book at any point in the month or if you’ve already read it, tell us what you think.

For February, we are getting into the mood for Valentine’s Day. This month’s book is one of my favourite books, The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella.

About the book:

Meet Rebecca Bloomwood.

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Blog Tour: The Last of The Bowmans by J. Paul Henderson.

Published January 31, 2016 | By Laura

I am very happy to be a part of the blog tour for the latest book by J. Paul Henderson, The Last of The Bowmans.

After an absence of seven years, Greg Bowman returns home from America to find his father lying in a bamboo coffin, his estranged brother Billy stalking a woman with no feet, and his 79 year-old Uncle Frank planning to rob a bank. While renovating the family house, he is unexpectedly visited by the presence of his dead father and charged with the task of ‘fixing’ the family. In the course of his reluctant investigations, Greg discovers an unsettling secret of his father’s, and one that brings him face to face with the consequences of his own past.

Lyle Bowman is eighty-three years old. Taking a break from painting his house he decides to go and get a Double Decker from the local shop. What he has not realised is that he has drunk a glass of white spirit and his inability to walk results in him being knocked over and killed by a double-decker bus.

His youngest son, Greg returns from America for his funeral. It is the first time he has been home to see his family in seven years – his Uncle Frank and his older brother, Billy (a brother with whom he has been estranged.) Whilst staying in his father’s house, Greg’s Dad suddenly appears. What ensues is a look at this dysfunctional family who has to learn how to be a family again.

This book was not what I expected. There were elements of the story that took me completely by surprise especially the ending. There is a thread of sadness running through it but it is also done with great humour. There were some bittersweet moments, some strange moments and some outright funny moments – my favourites involving Greg’s Uncle Frank. I think out of all the characters, he was my favourite.

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Writing Room: Fictional World

Published January 19, 2016 | By Laura

Tuesday 19th January 2016.

Today’s prompt: Fictional World.

Pick a fictional world or a fictional character. When your character wakes up one morning, they find themselves either in this fictional world or sitting next to this fictional character. What are they like? What do they get up to? What happens next….

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Blog Tour: What a Way To Go by Julia Forster

Published January 11, 2016 | By Laura

I am very pleased to welcome Julia Forster to Novel Kicks and her blog tour for her debut novel, What a Way to Go. Hello Julia, thank you so much for joining me today. Can you first tell us a little about your new book, What a Way to Go which was published last week by Atlantic Books and how the idea originated?

It is lovely to be here today to talk about What a Way to Go. Thank you for having me.

The novel is a coming-of-age tale, set in the east Midlands in 1988, told by twelve year-old straight-talking Harper. Her parents, Mary and Pete, divorced when she was little, so she divides her time between her Mum’s rented house, which is being sold from underneath her, and her Dad’s mouldering cottage in a sleepy Midlands village. It’s a bittersweet tale about growing up and discovering some surprising home truths along the way. Harper’s a resourceful kid with an old soul, an infectious sense of fun and a sideways glance on the adult world around her.

The idea originated when I was successful in getting a £1,000 bursary from Literature Wales to pay for six months of nursery fees in order to begin a novel. When I started, I had no plan for how to approach it, no characters and no plot. All I had was a blank page. The idea originated when Harper’s voice exploded out of the blinking black cursor on the very white page about half way through the bursary period. The two of us got on like a house on fire. What a Way to Go is told in the first person and in the present tense, so there is an immediacy to how she narrates the story. It is very much a voice-driven piece of work.

The book features 80s music. Which 80s pop song best describes you?

That is definitely the hardest question that I shall be asked in the entire blog tour, Laura!

I created a Spotify playlist as I wrote the book and I listened to it a lot as I wrote. However, it isn’t one from this playlist which I would like to choose. I would pick ‘Solsbury Hill’ by Peter Gabriel.

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My Writing Ramblings: Reflections on 2015

Published January 8, 2016 | By Laura

Happy New Year everyone.

I can’t quite believe that 2015 has come to an end and we’re already eight days into 2016. Last year went so fast. I know that this year will probably do something similar. The older you get, the quicker it goes right?

I’ve been thinking a lot about 2015. I am a member of the New Writers Scheme which is part of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and last year, I didn’t manage to get any of my novel in for appraisal by one of the readers. I am not sure what happened. I just seemed to run out of time and what I had written didn’t seem good enough. I lost my confidence a little. So, if I have any goals for this year, it is to get my novel into the NWS by August.

As well as my writing and throwing myself into planning and writing my book, I’ve been thinking about the books I read in 2015. I read so many brilliant novels and escaped into so many stories and met so many characters. I went through the list and tried to pick my favourites (which was so difficult to be honest.) However, here is a list of my favourite novels from last year. What were your favourites?

Stranger Child by Rachel Abbott.

(Black Dot Publishing, 2015.)

This was a great book; a thriller mixed with mystery. This novel had me gripped from the first page and I couldn’t put it down. I couldn’t guess what was going to happen and a mystery novel that can have me guessing until the end is good.

It focuses on Emma and David who seem to have the perfect life. However, David has known sadness when his wife was killed in a car accident and his six-year-old girl goes missing. When his daughter suddenly reappears, Emma has to question everything that she knows.

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Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Message in a Bottle

Published January 7, 2016 | By Laura

Friday 8th January 2015: Message in a Bottle

Fiction Friday is our weekly writing prompt. The aim is to write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can. Once you’ve finished, don’t edit, just post in the comments box below.

Today’s prompt: Your character is walking along the beach and cuts their foot on a piece of glass. On closer inspection, they realise that it is from a bottle that is laying nearby. There is a piece of paper with a message on it inside the bottle. Write about what happens next. What’s the message?

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January 2016 Book Club: The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler

Published January 6, 2016 | By Laura

Anyone is welcome to join in our monthly online book club.

How it works…

We love books and we love chatting about them even more. Every month, we pick a new book for discussion. We will post a question to kick things off and then you can talk about any of your thoughts about the book in the comments box below. The best thing about our book club is that EVERYONE CAN TAKE PART. It’s open to all. You can read the book at any point in the month or if you’ve already read it, tell us what you think.

With it being December, this month’s book is: The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler.

About the book:

Six people – five women and a man – meet once a month in California’s Central Valley to discuss Jane Austen’s novels. They are ordinary people, neither happy nor unhappy, but each of them is wounded in different ways, they are all mixed up about their lives and relationships. Over the six months they meet, marriages are tested, affairs begin, unsuitable arrangements become suitable – under the guiding eye of Jane Austen a couple of them even fall in love…

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Blog Tour: Winner of the Paula Brackston Novel Set

Published December 16, 2015 | By Laura

To celebrate the release of her new novel, Paula Brackston and Little Brown have given me a set of novels to give away to one lucky winner, her latest, The Silver Witch was released on 3rd December 2015. Click here to read my review.

Congratulations to Sally Jenkins who has won the set of four novels from Paula Brackston.

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Silver Witch

About the books:

The Witches Daughter:

An enthralling tale of modern witch Bess Hawksmith, a fierce independent woman. Desperate to escape her cursed history, she must first confront the evil witch who has haunted her for centuries.

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Blog Tour: Win a set of Paula Brackston Novels…

Published December 9, 2015 | By Laura

To celebrate the release of her new novel, Paula Brackston and Little Brown have given me a set of novels to give away to one lucky winner, her latest, The Silver Witch was released on 3rd December 2015. Click here to read my review.

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Silver Witch

If you fancy winning some books to read over the festive period or you think a friend or family member would enjoy these books, we are giving away one gift set.

This gift set includes The Witches Daughter, The Winter Witch, The Midnight Witch and The Silver Witch.

The Witches Daughter:

An enthralling tale of modern witch Bess Hawksmith, a fierce independent woman. Desperate to escape her cursed history, she must first confront the evil witch who has haunted her for centuries.

The Winter Witch:

In her small Welsh town, there is no one quite like Morgana. She has not spoken a word out loud since she was a child, and her silence – as well as the magic she can’t quite control – makes her an oddity, a magnet for rumour, mystery . . . and resentment. Concerned for Morgana’s safety, her mother arranges for Morgana to marry Cai Jenkins, the widower from the far hills who knows nothing of the nasty things folk say about her daughter. It isn’t long before a dark force makes itself known – a force which will stop at nothing to turn everyone against her.

The Midnight Witch:

Lady Lilith Montgomery is the daughter of the sixth Duke of Radnor. She is one of the most beautiful young women in London and engaged to the city’s most eligible bachelor. She is also a witch. When her father dies, her hapless brother Freddie takes on his title. But it is Lilith who inherits their father’s role as Head Witch of the Lazarus Coven. And it is Lilith who must face the threat of the Sentinels, a powerful group of dark sorcerers . . .

The Silver Witch:

One year after artist Tilda Forwells loses her husband, she is finally ready to move into the secluded Welsh cottage they were meant to be sharing together. In the valley below her mountain home is a mystical lake which inspires a strange energy in her. She starts to experience potent dreams, visions, presentiments which all lead her to Seren, the witch and shaman who legend has it lived on this lakeshore in Celtic times. As Tilda explores the lake’s powers and her own, her connection to Seren grows stronger. And when she comes under grave threat, she must rely on Seren and this ancient magic to save her.

How to enter:

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Blog Tour: The Silver Witch by Paula Brackston

Published December 9, 2015 | By Laura

One year after artist Tilda Forwells loses her husband, she is finally ready to move into the secluded Welsh cottage they were meant to be sharing together.

In the valley below her mountain home is a mystical lake which inspires a strange energy in her. She starts to experience potent dreams, visions, presentiments which all lead her to Seren, the witch and shaman who legend has it lived on this lakeshore in Celtic times.

As Tilda explores the lake’s powers and her own, her connection to Seren grows stronger. And when she comes under grave threat, she must rely on Seren and this ancient magic to save her.

I was very happy to be asked to take part in the blog tour for Paula Brackston’s new novel, The Silver Witch. I had not read any of Paula’s previous novels so I was not sure what to expect. I was very intrigued by the description of this book.

The cover of this book is so beautiful. Bravo to the cover designers.

Paula’s style of writing drew me into the story straight away. With it being the third book in the Shadow Chronicles, I was a little worried that I wouldn’t know what was going on but it can be very easily read as a standalone novel. The description of the setting and characters are so lovely and vivid and is so atmospheric. I could really feel myself being pulled into the novel. It is also set around Christmas so reading it under the light of my Christmas tree really helped with the atmosphere (when reading Tilda’s chapters anyway.)

Books that combine history and fantasy appeal to me and so I couldn’t stop reading this book. The story is told from the perspective of two women.

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My Favourite Christmas Books

Published December 3, 2015 | By Laura

Christmas, hands down has got to be my most favourite time of the year. I love singing all the Christmas carols and songs, an excuse to watch Christmas films (I know these are cheesy but my Christmas is not complete without Santa Claus: The Movie, The Holiday, The Snowman and Love Actually) and I adore getting a real tree and decorating the house. Christmas just makes me smile.

What I also love is being able to pull out all of my favourite Christmas books. There is nothing I like more on a cold, festive feeling evening than to snuggle up in my chair with warm jumpers and socks, a cup of hot chocolate and a festive smelling candle and read one of my favourite, festive themed books. I wanted to share some of my favourites with you.

The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Anderson (Jerry Pinkney)

I can remember first reading this at school and even then, I couldn’t get over how incredibly sad this story is. It’s certainly a reminder of all we have to be grateful for and not just for his time of year too. Whenever I read this book I end up crying (it never fails.)

This wonderful story is an ageless chronicle of a young girl struggling to stay warm on New Year’s Eve using the very matches she is supposed to be selling to earn money for her family. With each strike of a match the little girl sees wonderful things in the flames which warm both her heart and soul.

The Snowman by Raymond Briggs.

This story never fails to put a smile on my face. It is just classic and timeless and it is a book that has been a part of my Christmas since I can remember. Whenever I see anything to do with the Snowman, I just launch into Walking in the Air in my head. To me, this story is amazing. I love it and if I am ever lucky to have children, it is one I look forward to sharing with them too.

One winter’s night, a snowman comes to life and an unforgettable adventure begins. Raymond Briggs’ favourite classic is a true piece of Christmas magic – narrated entirely through pictures, it captures the wonder and innocence of childhood and is now recognised throughout the world.

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My Writing Ramblings: Reflections on National Novel Writing Month 2015

Published December 2, 2015 | By Laura

Wow. We’ve reached December. My countdown to Christmas has begun. My Christmas Card list has been made (and they sit on the side waiting to be done.) I have my beautiful Christmas tree up (nothing like a real one) and I can legitimately sing Christmas songs without getting funny looks from people (well, kind of. My singing is terrible.)

This time of the year also means that National Novel Writing Month is once again over for another year. I always have a mixture of emotion when I finish NaNoWriMo. On the one hand, I am relived and pleased that it is done. 1,667 words a day is a lot to commit to and it is easier said than done to reach on a daily basis when all you want to do is curl up and sleep or have family commitments or in my case, a holiday. On the other hand though, I am sad it is over. By now, I am in the bubble of the NaNoWriMo thing. I have got into the swing of my story. It is around now that I am past the moments where I have found it hard going and the threat of my laptop meeting my wall have been temporarily suspended.

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Writing Room: Helping Out

Published December 1, 2015 | By Laura

Tuesday 1st December 2015:

Today’s prompt:

Your character works for a secret agency and has a secret identity to match. As a favour, they agree to pretend to be someone’s love interest to help them out at a family gathering and it all gets a little out of hand. What happens? Does the identity of your character get revealed?

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December’s Book Club: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Published December 1, 2015 | By Laura

Vintage Children's Classics, Reprint Ed. August 2012

Vintage Children’s Classics, Reprint Ed. August 2012

Book Corner is our monthly online book club. Anyone can join.

How it works…

We love books and we love chatting about them even more. Every month, we pick a new book for discussion. We will post a question to kick things off and then you can talk about any of your thoughts about the book in the comments box below. The best thing about our book club is that EVERYONE CAN TAKE PART. It’s open to all. You can read the book at any point in the month or if you’ve already read it, tell us what you think.

With it being December, this month’s book is: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott.

About the book:

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Writing Room: Identity Crisis

Published November 17, 2015 | By Laura

Tuesday 17th November 2015: Identity Crisis.

Today’s Prompt:

Your character works as a waiter/waitress in a small greasy spoon in the middle of a busy town. They have no family and only a small group of friends. However, one day a stranger walks into the cafe. They look identical to your main character. Write in third person. Try to write mostly in dialogue. Continue…

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My Writing Ramblings: The Second Week Block

Published November 13, 2015 | By Laura

I’m nearly through the second week of NaNoWriMo 2015. It’s inevitable in a challenge like this that at some point, I was going to lose a little bit of motivation to carry on and eventually my will to live. It happens every year and usually around the halfway mark.

This is why I love the NaNo community. Everyone is so supportive and other people will be having the same thoughts as me (or similar thoughts; mine include locking my laptop in my car so I don’t have to see it and then retreating to my duvet, hiding and not coming out for a few days.)

It’s also usually around now that I begin to question why the hell I put myself through this every year. It’s not as though I am being forced to do this. I could just quit and not get myself stressed.

However, I do this because I love to write, I love the challenge. I love it because some of my best friends also take part and write ins are fun. I do it because I couldn’t imagine my November without it.

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Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Another Unlucky Day

Published November 13, 2015 | By Laura

Friday 13th November 2015: Another unlucky day

Fiction Friday is our weekly writing prompt. The aim is to write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can. Once you’ve finished, don’t edit, just post in the comments box below.

Today’s prompt:

It is Friday 13th and for some, that is unlucky. How about if your character has to keep reliving it but for every mistake he sees coming, another one soon takes its place. Nothing is the same. Why does he keep repeating the day and what does he have to do to escape it?

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Quick Spotlight/Review: Everyday by David Levithan

Published November 12, 2015 | By Laura

Egmont, August 2013

Egmont, August 2013

Every day I am someone else.

I am myself – I know I am myself – but I am also someone else.

It has always been like this.

Each morning, A wakes up in a different body. There’s never any warning about who it will be, but A is used to that. Never get too attached. Avoid being noticed. Do not interfere.

And that’s fine – until A wakes up in the body of Justin and meets Justin’s girlfriend, Rhiannon. From that moment, the rules by which A has been living no longer apply. Because finally A has found someone he wants to be with – every day . . .

I did not know what to expect when I picked up this book. I found the blurb for it very intriguing. A wakes up in a different body, in a new location every day. He has no say in where he goes, who he becomes. He is only there a day and he moves on. It’s his consciousness but a stranger’s body. This was such a great idea to me. I wish I had come up with it.

I find the idea that this kid has a say in people’s lives but doesn’t get to stick around to see the result of his decisions in that one day fascinating. How a decision he makes can affect the person he is ‘visiting.’ Also, I would have loved to know where these people go when they have been replaced by A.

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Writing Room: A Nice Event

Published November 10, 2015 | By Laura

Tuesday 10th November 2015.

Today’s prompt:

There are many stories that begin with an unpleasant thing or event. How about beginning your story with a nice event? Maybe your character sees someone they have been excited to see? Maybe someone gains something they’ve always wanted? Pick a nice event and write from there. Once you’ve finished, have a read through? Did your story remain nice or did something bad or sinister happen?

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My October Favourites

Published November 9, 2015 | By Laura

I can’t believe we’re into the second week of November. Christmas is next month! I know I am a little late off the mark but I wanted to share some of my October favourites.

Composition Book from Knock Knock.

I love the stationary from Knock Knock. They are the company that usually do all of the cute sticky to do pads with little funny sayings on them. This book was kindly sent to me from the guys over at Chronicle Books. This is part of a little series. As well as the purple one which is the important topics notebook, they do a pink one titled the funny one and a blue one too titled, hyper organised so you can pick the one that suits your personality the best. I’ve always loved the look of the composition books that I used to see on TV shows like Degrassi Junior High and films like Struck by Lightening and now I have one (almost.)

Santa’s Little Melter Candle.

I light a lot of candles. If I am at home, you can usually find a candle lit in the room I’ve decided to hang out in. This is the Santa’s Little Helper candle from Bomb Cosmetics. I originally got one of these last year for my birthday. I fell so in love with the scent that I had to buy another one. It’s such a lovely, sweet scent and reminds me of all the sweetie goodness of Christmas (it has a little cinnamon in it I think.) Along with this one, I am also loving the Berry Trifle candle from Yankie Candle. So many lovely candles, so little time to burn them.

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My Writing Ramblings: Reaching That Word Goal

Published November 6, 2015 | By Laura

I am almost at the end of the first week of National Novel Writing Month. I can’t believe a week has nearly passed already. From experience, I know how hard NaNoWriMo can be. To make 50,000 words by 30th November, it is recommended that you reach 1,667 words per day. It sounds easy and some days, when the writing gods are in your favour, it can be as simple as sitting down, typing and getting to 1,667 in no time at all. However, if you’re like me, more often than not, it doesn’t work that way.

Don’t get me wrong, some days are better than others. However, during NaNoWriMo, I have to really fight to keep my inner critic at bay so it sometimes takes me longer to get to my word count than it should. The further I get into the month, this becomes less than a problem but it has taken me a few days to lock my inner critic away and to let the first draft breathe.

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Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: A Picture Paints…

Published November 6, 2015 | By Laura

Friday 6th November 2015: A Picture Paints….

Fiction Friday is our weekly writing prompt. The aim is to write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can. Once you’ve finished, don’t edit, just post in the comments box below.

Today’s prompt:

Use the picture for a story. What does the picture inspire? Maybe your character is meeting someone?

Maybe whenever they take a step forward, the horizon seems to stay at the same distance and everything depends on them getting to the other end?

Where is this? Has your character travelled far to be here?

Have they just appeared here out of nowhere and people surrounding them think they are magic or are they scared of them?

Has your character travelled back in time?

What you choose is up to you. Just have fun.

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Review: The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

Published November 5, 2015 | By Laura

Bloomsbury, April 2014.

Bloomsbury, April 2014.

EVEN A DREAMER CAN START A REVOLUTION

Nineteen-year-old Paige Mahoney works in the criminal underworld of Scion London. Her job: to scout for information by breaking into people’s minds. For Paige is a dreamwalker, a clairvoyant and, in the world of Scion, she commits treason simply by breathing.

This book took me a few chapters to get into. I had to fight a little to stick with it but once I got into the swing of the story, I was hooked. I suggest that you do stay with it if you are also struggling as it does eventually find its feet. There is simply a lot of information to begin with – I found it hard to keep up with who was who and who could do what (there is a glossary at the beginning of the book.)

Once I did get into the story, I found it completely compelling. Paige is an interesting heroine. After being taken after committing a crime, her secret is revealed as the group holding her find out she is one of the most powerful clairvoyants. I got a Hunger Games/Harry Potter vibe from it. There are a few twists and turns to keep you guessing as to what is going to happen to the characters.

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My Favourite Books: The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

Published November 4, 2015 | By Laura

One of the books that will always be in my top ten would be The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella. This was the first book that not only introduced me to Sophie Kinsella, it introduced us all to Becky Bloomwood – a love, for me that has spanned nearly a decade now.

First of all, the cover is pink. Pink is my favourite colour.

I adore this book. The main reason I like this book series is that I love Becky. She is my kind of heroine. She is not perfect. She has her faults and weaknesses and real problems that are incredibly relatable. She doesn’t always learn by her mistakes on the first go around but her heart is in the right place.

The books are full of humour, awkward moments and lovely scenes too. Luke is a great hero and he loves Becky. It is all very romantic.

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