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.

Gill Paul

Published June 14, 2013 | By Laura

Gill Paul is the author of Women and Children First. Her latest book, The Affair was recently published by Avon.

What’s your writing day like?

I’m at my desk at 9am and spend half an hour pottering on Twitter and answering emails that came in overnight before I settle down to edit what I wrote the day before and continue with the next chapter. There are dozens of stops for tea but while waiting for the kettle to boil I’m thinking about the sentence to come. I swim every day in an outdoor pond on Hampstead Heath and in winter it closes early so I’ll go up there at lunchtime to break the ice and get my endorphin rush. (Yes, I’m aware it sounds completely mental…) In summer the pond is open later so I go at 6ish when the light is beautiful. I generally work until 6 or 7 then try to go out somewhere in the evening so I’m not a completely boring hermit.

Can you tell us a little about your novel, The Affair?

Continue reading →

The Fear of the First Blank Page.

Published June 14, 2013 | By Laura

A blank page makes me nervous but the first sentence makes me even more anxious. I have an idea – an idea that won’t go away but getting it down on the page seems to be more of an issue.

I sit down at the computer, I open up a word document and I begin. The motivation and momentum is strong but it’s not long before these run out and the lack of confidence creeps in, at which point I will stop writing, read what I’ve written and then decide it’s not good enough despite it being a first draft.

Continue reading →

Lezanne Clannachan.

Published June 13, 2013 | By Laura

Lezanne Clannachan’s debut novel, Jellybird was released by Orion earlier this year. We chatted to Lezanne about her book, what makes her happy and her advice for new writers.

Can you tell us about your debut novel, Jellybird?

Jellybird is a chilling tale of first love, loss and murder. Jessica Byrne’s childhood sweetheart, Thomas, disappeared seventeen years ago under violent circumstances, presumed drowned. The discovery of an old postcard sends Jessica in search of the truth. Risking her marriage and career to discover what happened the night Thomas vanished, she unearths lies and secrets, including an unsolved murder.

What’s your writing day like?

Continue reading →

Woman’s Prize For Fiction Competition Winner…

Published June 13, 2013 | By Laura

Thank you to all of you who entered our competition to win the Woman’s Prize For Fiction shortlist.

Well done to Catherine from Leeds. Sh has won all six books. She is looking forward to reading Flight Behaviour the most.

Faber & Faber.	DoubleDay.	Granta Books.
Hamish Hamilton.	Weidenfeld & Nicolson.	Fourth Estate.

Inferno by Dan Brown.

Published June 11, 2013 | By Laura

Bantam Press, May 2013.

‘Seek and ye shall find.’

With these words echoing in his head, eminent Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon awakes in a hospital bed with no recollection of where he is or how he got there. Nor can he explain the origin of the macabre object that is found hidden in his belongings.

A threat to his life will propel him and a young doctor, Sienna Brooks, into a breakneck chase across the city of Florence. Only Langdon’s knowledge of hidden passageways and ancient secrets that lie behind its historic facade can save them from the clutches of their unknown pursuers.

With only a few lines from Dante’s dark and epic masterpiece, The Inferno, to guide them, they must decipher a sequence of codes buried deep within some of the most celebrated artefacts of the Renaissance – sculptures, paintings, buildings – to find the answers to a puzzle which may, or may not, help them save the world from a terrifying threat.

Dan Brown’s books are not everyone’s cup of tea. They are a guilty pleasure of mine.

Continue reading →

9th June…

Published June 9, 2013 | By Laura

On this day in:

1860 – The 1st US ‘Dime’ novel was published.

1790 – ‘The Philadelphia Spelling Book’ became the first book to be copyrighted in the US.

1956 – Patricia Cornwell was born.

1939 – Charles Webb (the author of The Graduate,) was born.

Blott Notebook Competition Winner….

Published June 8, 2013 | By Laura

Thanks to the lovely people at Blott, we had this gorgeous notebook to give away. Thanks to all of you who entered.

Congratulations to Beverley Kirwin from Salford. This notebook will be on it’s way to you shortly.

Check out Blott’s website for some lovely and inspiring stationary. Go on, treat yourself.

Win a copy of A Language of Spells by Sarah Painter.

Published June 7, 2013 | By Laura

Carina, May 2013

We’re pleased to have been one of the stops on Sarah Painter’s blog tour.

Thanks to Sarah and her publisher, Carina, we have a digital copy (kindle or e-pub format,) of her debut novel, The Language of Spells to give away.

To enter: Continue reading →

The Language of Spells by Sarah Painter.

Published June 7, 2013 | By Laura

Carina, May 2013

Gwen Harper left Pendleford thirteen years ago and hasn’t looked back. Until an inheritance throws her into the mystical world she thought she’d escaped. Confronted with her great-aunt’s legacy Gwen must finally face up to her past. The magic she has long tried to suppress is back with a vengeance but gift or burden, for Gwen, it always spells trouble. She has to stay – she has nowhere else to go – but how can she find her place in the town that drove her out after branding her a witch…?

This book has such an interesting premise. I love books that hint at magic and so this was right up my street.

I liked Gwen from the first page (she was a great protagonist,) and I immediately wanted to know what had happened to her and what was going to happen. Cameron was a great love interest and, to me, he had a slight ‘Mr Darcy,’ air about him.

Continue reading →

Sarah Painter

Published June 7, 2013 | By Laura

Novel Kicks is very pleased to be part of Sarah Painter’s blog tour. We had a chat with Sarah to talk about her typical writing day, her favourite word and her ideal dinner guests…

Can you tell us about your novel, The Language of Spells?

Certainly! It’s funny, romantic fiction with a touch of magic. Gwen Harper has the uncanny ability to find lost things and a family with a history of magic. What she most wants, though, is to be normal. At eighteen, she left home and vowed not to go back, but when she inherits End House from her mysterious great aunt Iris she has no choice but to return and face the town that branded her a witch.

What’s your typical writing day like?

Continue reading →

#3: Losing something important.

Published June 7, 2013 | By Laura

Week 3:

Write a story where something important is lost.

As usual, write for 5-10 minutes without stopping and don’t edit – just post in the comments below.

Book News: Miranda is back…

Published June 6, 2013 | By Laura

Harper, 20th June 2013.

Revenge Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger.

Everything’s in place for the season’s hottest launch:

Tall latte (with two raw sugars)? Check.

Gucci trench (draped over desk)? Check.

Outrageous, unreasonable demands? Check.

Andy has just turned thirty and is an incredibly successful magazine editor, working closely with her best friend Emily, another Runway survivor. She’s about to get married – life’s on track and she’s been careful to stay clear of Miranda Priestly, her dreadful first boss. But Andy’s luck is running out. Miranda Priestly isn’t the kind of woman who hides in the background.

She’s back… and more devilish than ever.

Three books and a desert island…

Published June 5, 2013 | By Laura

If I were to be stranded on a desert island (and I couldn’t request a boat to get back to mainland again) I would wants books with me so I could sit in the sun.

I ask this question a lot as the varied answers interest me.

I’ve been thinking about the three books I would want to choose. Would I want books I love but have read before or would I risk taking three that I’ve not read but always wanted to?

Which three books would you want with you on a desert island?

Win the Women’s Prize For Fiction Shortlist…

Published June 5, 2013 | By Laura

The Woman’s Prize For Fiction Prize ceremony takes place in June.

We have one set of the shortlisted titles up for grabs. That’s all SIX books.

Fourth Estate.

Weidenfeld & Nicolson.

Hamish Hamilton.

Granta Books.

DoubleDay.

Faber & Faber.

To enter:

Continue reading →

Andrew Clover’s best writing moment so far…

Published June 4, 2013 | By Laura

“Thank you for joining us, Andrew. So, what’s been your best writing moment so far?”

Thank you so much for asking that! Mostly you never get to describe these to anyone. So… the best one? Okay… my friends Piers and Becky had leant me their flat, and so I spent three weeks finishing off my book there. My concentration got more and more intense. I felt as if, by the end of it, my brain was finally fully switched off and I was free to hear the characters’ voices as they told their story…

Author Andrew Clover (Photo by Maria Head.)

Andrew’s writing space.

Continue reading →

Win an inspiring notebook…

Published June 3, 2013 | By Laura

We love notebooks here at Novel Kicks. I am slightly obsessed with them actually. You can never have too much stationary right?

Thanks to the lovely people at Blott, we’ve got this gorgeous notebook to give away.

To enter:

Continue reading →

June – Senses

Published June 1, 2013 | By Laura

For June, it’s all about senses.

The scene: a tea shop in a small village in Scotland.

Write one paragraph per sense describing the scene above.

One paragraph on what it looks, smells, sounds, tastes and feel like.

Post work below in the comments box.

June’s book: The Fault in our Stars by John Green.

Published June 1, 2013 | By Laura

Penguin, January 2013.

Here’s the blurb:

“I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, then all at once.”

Despite the tumour-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel’s story is about to be completely rewritten.

The Fault in our Stars explores the funny, thrilling, and tragic business of being alive and in love.

Laura’s Verdict:

Continue reading →

Fayette Fox

Published May 31, 2013 | By Laura

Fayette Fox

Fayette Fox’s debut novel, The Deception Artist is about childhood, make believe, truth and lies. It was published by Myriad Editions in Spring 2013. Fayette stopped by for a chat about her new book, her approach to editing and who’d she’d like around for dinner…

Can you tell us about your debut novel, The Deception Artist?

“The Deception Artist” is literary fiction, set during the recession of the late-80s. The protagonist is eight-year-old Ivy who has a vivid imagination and lies so people will like her. When the story begins, Ivy’s brother is sick in the hospital and their dad loses his job. Ivy’s best friend hates her and she’s afraid her parents might divorce. Ivy copes the best she can, through make-believe and lies, before abandoning her fantasies to try and uncover the truth.

What’s your typical writing day like?

Continue reading →

#2: Lost Love Letters.

Published May 31, 2013 | By Laura

Week 2:

Write a letter to your lost love. What would you want to say?

(Write for 5-10 minutes and then post your writing in the comments section. Remember, no editing.)

Continue reading →

Helen meets Gill Paul at the launch of her new book, The Affair.

Published May 30, 2013 | By Laura

Helen and author Gill Paul.

By Helen Jackson.

I was lucky enough to get invited to Gill Paul’s The Affair Launch Party.

The party was held in The Green Rooms near Oxford Circus.

It was an Italian 1960s setting (as the novel is set in Rome in 1961/2), with pizza and prosecco for all.

Gill wore an amazing blue 1960s dress. The room was decorated with photos donated by a living member of the cast of Cleopatra, John Gayford, who snuck a camera onto the set amid the high security. Continue reading →

Which fictional character is your favourite?

Published May 30, 2013 | By Laura

One of the things I love most about reading is the characters that you get to meet. If you are anything like me, there are many that you wish you could meet in real life.

As a writer, one of the most exciting things is creating the character and getting to know them. Eventually, you hear their voice in your head and they become your friends.

Continue reading →

Kate Harrison – ‘My Best Writing Moment…’

Published May 28, 2013 | By Laura

My best writing moment – well, it’s almost 10 years now since my first book was published, so I have loads of great moments, especially when a lovely email from a reader pops into my inbox and makes me feel like a ‘proper author.’ I had one from Syria the other day!

Kate Harrison

Kate’s writing space.

But I think the most exciting part of the process is getting to see the cover for the first time – I always hold my breath when I open the email but it’s the first sign that the book is REALLY happening, and it still gives me a thrill to see books – my favourite things in the world, since I first learned to read – with my name on them… My workspace: doesn’t it look tidy? But the table-cloth is wipe-clean due to coffee stains, and you can’t see the chaos behind me. Neither can I, when I work, which is a good thing. The candle, coffee and Chinese kitchen timer are all there to help me focus – I use the timer to keep me off the internet for an hour at a time…

Follow Kate onTwitter @katewritesbooks

Summer Releases

Published May 28, 2013 | By Laura

The summer may be taking a while to catch up but here are some upcoming book releases…

Midsummer Magic by Julia Williams

Avon, 6th June 2013.

Recently engaged Josie is visiting her parents in Cornwall with best friend Diane, fiancée Harry and his pal Ant. Josie can’t wait to start wedding planning, if only Harry was more interested, and Diane and Ant weren’t at war with each other. As the four make amends over a drink in the local pub, they meet Freddie Puck, a well known TV hypnotist and find themselves agreeing to a dare – to stay out all night on the hills by the standing stones. Local mythology says a young married couple will find true happiness if they can last a whole night there on Midsummer’s Eve. But as night time falls, not everyone seems to have remembered the boundaries of love…

Continue reading →

The Twelve Days To Christmas by Michelle Gorman.

Published May 28, 2013 | By Laura

CreateSpace. 2012

Twelve Days To Christmas by Michelle Gorman.

Here’s the blurb:

Hannah’s in a bit of a pickle. In twelve days she flies from Hong Kong to the US with Sam, where he’s finally going to meet her parents and ask to marry her.

Since overcoming a rather rocky patch in their relationship (which was totally his fault), he really is a new man, and they’re completely in love. The problem is, she feels panicky every time she contemplates matrimony. Which is perfectly normal, isn’t it? Isn’t it?! She has no idea but she’s got to find out before he pops the question… because she’s not 100% sure she’s going to say yes. Which will make for a very uncomfortable family holiday. He’s got to ask her before they go. So Operation Proposal begins.

Continue reading →

Ali McNamara’s tip for new writers…

Published May 28, 2013 | By Laura

Never give up! If this is what you really want to do and you genuinely believe your novel is as good as or even better than what’s already out there on the bookshelves, then keep going. Listen to the feedback to get along the way, take it on board, be brutally honest with yourself and then alter your manuscript if you think it’s valid (they’re not always right.) Then just keep trying…because one day it might just happen.

It did to me.

Read Ali’s interview.

The Mountain of the First Draft.

Published May 24, 2013 | By Laura

I have wanted to be a writer for a long time but the hurdle of becoming a writer is that, at some point, you have to actually sit down and write a book.

Many people say that they’d like to write a book but few get through their first draft.

Ah yes, the dreaded first draft. I’ve been working on my manuscript for a long time and it’s been through many stages and false starts. I have an idea but getting it down on to the page terrifies me.

I’ve taken part in National Novel Writing Month for about five years now and it’s strange how differently I approach that challenge. As I know no one else is going to see my draft and that it IS just for me, I can write (my record was 23,000 words in one evening. A productive night that I, to this day, don’t know how I managed and have never since.)

Continue reading →

Billy and Me by Giovanna Fletcher – Winners Announced.

Published May 24, 2013 | By Laura

Thank you to all the people who entered our competition to win a copy of Billy and Me by Giovanna Fletcher.

Penguin, 2013.

The winners are…..

Laura from Spain who would like to meet John Keats, (who wouldn’t with some of the poems he produced.)

Shannon from Cumbria who would like to meet Giovanna Fletcher, (me too. A girlie chat with cake and coffee.)

Mona from Germany who would like to meet the Queen of England because she seems adorable. (I’ve always imagined her to have a brilliant sense of humour away from official life.)

Billy and Me is was released this week and is now available from Amazon (a link is on our widget on the right hand side.)

Before I Met You by Lisa Jewell – Winners Announced.

Published May 24, 2013 | By Laura

Thank you to everyone who entered our competition to won a copy of Before I Met You by Lisa Jewell.

Arrow, 2013

The winners are (drum roll) …..

Val Leath, Eliza from Exeter, Trish from Blackburn, Natasha from Leighton Buzzard and Jacqueline Pye. Well done all. You’ve all won a copy of Before I Met You.

Before I Met You is available from Amazon UK.

NK Fiction Friday #1: Introductions.

Published May 24, 2013 | By Laura

NK Fiction Friday.

Every Friday, we’ll post a prompt. The idea of this is that you then write for 5 -10 minutes and then post the result in the comments section. There is only one rule. NO EDITING. It’s all about getting the words down on paper.

Week One:

Introductions. You meet a stranger in a lift that then gets stuck. Try to get all the essential information out in dialogue.

Five books to kick start your writing.

Published May 23, 2013 | By Laura

There are many books out there that will tell you how to create characters, plot your story and get published. These books will help you kick start your writing…

The Write Brain Workbook by Bonnie Neubauer.

(Writer’s Digest Books, 2006.)

I’ve used this book and have found it very helpful. It contains 366 exercises to help kick start your brain. It’s a workbook so you can write and draw straight into the book (For someone who never writes in books it took a while to get used to but great fun once I had.) One exercise a day. It will help warm up the brain before jumping in on the work in progress.

Continue reading →

Chris Baty’s tips for new writers…

Published May 23, 2013 | By Laura

Chris Baty was one of the founders of National Novel Writing Month. He’s now become a full time author and public speaker.

1) Follow your heart. Don’t write the book you feel you should write. Write the book that excites you.

2) Know that the books that inspired you to write started out as craptastic first drafts. Don’t be discouraged by the quality of your early drafts. They’ll get better over time.

3) Turn writing into a social activity. The sound of other people writing will make you want to write. Find other folks who are working on books and pick one night a week (or more!) to get together and write.

4) Use mini-deadlines to break up large, daunting projects into smaller, achievable tasks.

5) Remember that completion is more important than perfection. You have a lot books left to write. Get this one done and move on to the next.

To read his interview with Novel Kicks, click here.

Andrew Clover

Published May 22, 2013 | By Laura

Andrew Clover (Photo, Maria Head.)

Andrew Clover is the author of the Dad Rules column published in The Sunday Times Style. Learn Love in a Week is his first adult novel. We talk about his brilliant solution to writers block, who’d he like around for dinner and his new novel…

Can you tell us about your novel?

It’s called Learn Love In A Week. It’s about a wife called Polly who chucks her husband, because he’s too grumpy. He has a week to win her back. The reason is she gets an offer that no woman could refuse… She meets a man called James Hammond. He’s her ex. He’s her Road Not Travelled. He’s also attractive and rich and in a week’s time he’s inviting her to his hotel in the countryside, because he wants to give her the job she’s always wanted. He also wants her. Should she accept? Her best friend says: ‘Go’, but she’s stuck with a skanky man who resists commitment the way a dog resists the bath. Polly’s husband says: ‘Stay… I can change.’ But can he? After ten years, can you learn to love again? And if you could, would you still choose your partner?

Continue reading →

The Time of my Life by Cecelia Ahern.

Published May 21, 2013 | By Laura

Harper, 2012.

Sometimes we need to make time for our life.

Lucy Silchester is taking her life for granted. She’s busied herself with other stuff – friends, work and her car (which is on it’s last legs.)

It’s time for a wake up call.

Only Lucy knows the truth and she’s deluding everyone else.

It’s time for a meeting with her life. It turns out that Lucy’s life is a kind but rather rundown man in an old suit who is determined to bring about change and not to let Lucy off the hook.

I’m a fan of Cecelia Ahern. I like the mix of reality and fantasy; how Cecelia takes the ordinary and adds a little magic. Continue reading →

Fayette Fox, “How I tricked myself into writing a novel”

Published May 20, 2013 | By Laura

Fayette Fox

Fayette Fox’s debut novel, “The Deception Artist” is literary fiction about childhood and make-believe, truth and lies. It was published by Myriad Editions in May 2013.

I needed to put my other interests aside. No cooking elaborate Thai curries, no crafternoons, or hikes in the English countryside. And no meeting up with friends for a drink. I had to focus. I had a novel to write. It was late October 2006 when a colleague told me about NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), a personal challenge to write a 50,000-word novel (about 175 pages) during November.

The longest thing I’d written for my Creative Writing BA was short stories and I hadn’t written fiction for several years. So writing a novel in a month sounded like fun. How do you plan a novel in two days? I’d been living in London, but decided to set my story in northern California in the late Eighties, the time and place of my own childhood. Less research, I figured. I dreamed up Ivy, a child protagonist with a vivid imagination who lies a lot.

I scribbled a few plot points on index cards and on November 1st, started writing. Every day after work, I worked on my novel. Focused and determined, nothing could stop me. Then a friend invited me to see a play with her. Sure, why not? Then another friend wanted to catch up over a drink. Before I knew it, I was slipping behind in my word-count. By the end of the month I’d written about 60 pages, way short of my goal, but also a personal record. Continue reading →

Win a copy of Billy and Me by Giovanna Fletcher.

Published May 18, 2013 | By Laura

Thanks to the lovely people at Penguin, Pixiwoo and Giovanna, we have three copies of Billy and Me to give away.

Penguin, 2013.

To enter: Continue reading →

Blog Tour: Q&A with Giovanna Fletcher.

Published May 18, 2013 | By Laura

Giovanna Fletcher

Giovanna very kindly had a chat with us as part of her blog tour. We had a chat about her typical writing day, how she combats writers block and how she’d like to eat cake and drink champagne with Marilyn Monroe…

Can you tell us about your route to publication and the moment when you got your book deal?

I was encouraged to write by others after years of reviewing books for magazines and my blog. Sitting down and writing it was one thing, but nothing prepares you for the anxious wait once it’s been sent out to publishers. I loved the book, and so did my agent, but would anyone else? Luckily, yes! I was on the way to a wedding dress fitting when I got the news that Penguin had offered a deal… Needless to say it was quite a special day.

Can you tell us a bit about your debut novel, Billy and Me? 

Billy and Me follows Sophie May as she falls for teen heartthrob Billy Buskin – a huge movie star. Like most of us, Sophie comes with baggage, and as a result she doesn’t cope very well in BIlly’s world.

When starting a book, are you a planner or do you have an idea and just see where it leads?

Continue reading →

Billy and Me by Giovanna Fletcher.

Published May 18, 2013 | By Laura

Penguin, 2013.

Billy and Me by Giovanna Fletcher.

Penguin, May 2013.

Sophie May has been keeping a secret – one that she’s managed to keep for years. With her dreams of going to university and travelling the world given up, Sophie is satisfied to live in her little village, living with her mother and working in the local teashop where she’s worked since she was a teenager.

When the gorgeous Billy arrives in the village, Sophie’s world is turned upside down. An actor with ambitions, Billy wants to make it to the top but it’s not long before he sweeps Sophie off her feet and whisks her away into Billy’s glamorous and ruthless world.

After shying away from attention for so long, can Sophie handle the scrutiny that comes with being with Billy? Also, is she ready for her secret heartbreak to be shared with the nation?

Billy and Me is the kind of debut novel that I some day want to write. It’s warm, charming, engaging, grounded and funny. Continue reading →

Blog Tour: Giovanna Fletcher.

Published May 18, 2013 | By Laura

I am very pleased to be the sixth stop on the blog tour for Giovanna Fletcher’s debut novel, Billy and Me which will be released by Penguin on 23rd May 2013.

My review of the book plus an exclusive Q&A with Giovanna will be posted shortly.

All of us on the tour were asked what our impressions were of the cover of Billy and Me. When I saw it, I felt warm -like I was getting a hug. I fell in love with the cover. It’s beautiful.

Giovanna matched our emotions by drawing an exclusive cupcake. I LOVE IT.

Tomorrow, the tour is stopping off at Fairy Tale Ending Book Reviews.

Previous stops on the tour:

Jess Hearts Books.

Reading in the Sunshine.

Chick Lit Chloe.

Dot Scribbles.

I Heart Chick Lit.

Win a copy of Before I Met You by Lisa Jewell.

Published May 17, 2013 | By Laura

Win a copy of Before I Met You by Lisa Jewell.

Thanks to the lovely people at Arrow, we have five paperback copies of Before I Met You by Lisa Jewell to give away.

Arrow, May 2013.

To enter, simply comment with your name and where you’re from. The competition closes on Thursday 23rd May 2013 at 23.59. The five winners will be picked at random from the entered comments on Friday 24th May 2013. Good Luck.

About the book… Continue reading →

Book News: Little White Lies by Lesley Lokko.

Published May 17, 2013 | By Laura

Little White Lies by Lesley Lokko.

Orion Books.

Published – May 2013.

In a gorgeous beachfront mansion in Martha’s Vineyard, Annick and Rebecca have left their young children in the care of their life-long friend Tash. Tash has made millions from her fashion business and treating her friends to a luxury holiday makes all the hard work worthwhile. But by the end of the afternoon, one of the children will have vanished. Continue reading →

Marian Keyes competition winners.

Published May 17, 2013 | By Laura

The Mystery of Mercy Close by Marian Keyes.

Penguin, April 2013

Thank you to all who entered our competition to win a copy of The Mystery of Mercy Close.

Well done to Zoe, Jools and Roisin who have all won a copy of the book.

What’s your favourite book?

Published May 16, 2013 | By Laura

I have loved reading since I was a child. The first book I can remember reading were the Winnie The Pooh stories and the love of books has just continued to grow into adulthood.

I do go through periods where I don’t read much (but not very often) and would much rather have my head in a book than channel hop on the TV.

I don’t think I could say which book has been my favourite. There are many that have had an impact on me or remind me of a particular point in my life – The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood reminds me of my last year at school (as that’s when I read it,) and Ralph’s Party by Lisa Jewell will remind me of the time I was in the first few months of the relationship with the man who’s now my husband.

What’s your favourite book? Is there one that has remained with you and jolts the memory?

Julie Cohen’s best Writing moment so far…

Published May 14, 2013 | By Laura

When I was a little girl in Rumford, Maine, USA, I used to go to my local library every week, and sometimes more. It was a short walk for me down a steep hill, and even though the walk back was up that steep hill, laden with books, I never minded because I could read all the way.

Julie’s Writing Garret.

As a teenager, I got a job in the library shelving books and I read all of the books I possibly could. Quite often I read the books instead of shelving them. I always dreamed that one day, one of my books would be on the shelf there, along with my favourite authors. Now, every summer, I take a hardback copy of my latest book to the library in Rumford, Maine. And the librarian puts it on the shelf, along with my favourite authors. Every time it is a dream come true.

Book News: Inferno by Dan Brown.

Published May 14, 2013 | By Laura

Inferno by Dan Brown is the fourth book in the Robert Langdon series and is released today via Bantam Press. Being a bit of a fan of the Robert Langdon books I have been looking forward to this one. I like all the mystery and history that usually comes with this type of book.

Here’s the blurb….

‘Seek and ye shall find.’

With these words echoing in his head, eminent Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon awakes in a hospital bed with no recollection of where he is or how he got there. Nor can he explain the origin of the macabre object that is found hidden in his belongings. Continue reading →

Marie Maxwell.

Published May 13, 2013 | By Laura

Bernardine Kennedy, under the pen name Marie Maxwell is the author of the novel, Ruby. Her latest book, Gracie was released by Avon in April 2013.

Can you tell us a little about your new book, Gracie?

Gracie is set in the 1950s and is about a young woman who grabs at the chance to draw a line under the mistakes she made in her past and move on with her life. The book starts with Gracie accepting a marriage proposal from Sean who she’s known for a long time. She’s so thrilled to be a step nearer her dream of a family life she jumps in with both feet and doesn’t listen to all the advice she’s given about thinking first and not keeping secrets from her fiancé! Gracie has a traumatic time over the course of the book as her life unravels ………….

Continue reading →

Win a copy of The Mystery of Mercy Close by Marian Keyes.

Published May 10, 2013 | By Laura

We have three paperback copies of The Mystery of Mercy Close by Marian Keyes to give away.

Penguin, April 2013.

To enter, leave a comment for this post. Closing date is Thursday 16th May 2013 at 23.59. Three winners will be picked at random and announced on Friday 17h May 2013. Open to UK and Ireland residents.

To read Laura’s thoughts on The Mystery of Mercy Close, click here.

The Mystery of Mercy Close by Marian Keyes.

Published May 10, 2013 | By Laura

The Mystery of Mercy Close by Marian Keyes.

Paperback edition. Penguin, April 2013.

Helen Walsh doesn’t believe in fear. She thinks it’s just something invented by men to get more money and better jobs, yet she’s sinking. Her job as a PI has dried up, she’s lost her flat and has had to move back in with her parents and now some old demons have resurfaced – her ex-boyfriend, Jay for starters.

Jay turns up with a load of cash and a missing persons case. Having no money herself, Helen is forced to help Jay find Wayne Diffney, ‘the wacky one’ from boy band, Laddz.

Helen’s not happy about having to work with Jay. Things didn’t end well with him plus Helen has a new boyfriend now – the very sexy Artie Devlin. Jay’s reappearance is stirring up way too many feelings Helen thought she’d left behind.

Helen is drawn into a dark and glamorous world where her worse enemy is her own head and where she only really feels connected to Wayne, a man she’s never met.

Continue reading →

Sophie Kinsella winners.

Published May 10, 2013 | By Laura

We had three copies of Sophie Kinsella’s new book, Wedding Night (Bantam Press, April 2013,) to give away.

Well done to Vicki from Southampton, Tina from Devon and Theresa from Wakefield who have all won a signed copy of the book. Well done ladies.

Do you have to read to be a writer?

Published May 9, 2013 | By Laura

I have been an avid reader much longer than I have wanted to write. From the time I was little, books were a way to use my imagination and to extend my understanding of the world. Plus they were a good way to escape into another world for a while.

When I was a teenager, I read anything from the Sweet Valley High books, to Anne Fine to Judy Blume. I could be found with my head in a book much more than watching TV (which is strange considering I now watch TV for a living.)

I couldn’t imagine trying to write without reading as many books as I do. Many writers I have spoken to say that reading is an important pastime for anyone who is looking to write a novel.

Do you agree? Do you have to be a big reader to be a writer?

The President’s Hat by Antoine Laurain

Published May 7, 2013 | By Laura

The President’s Hat by Antoine Laurain.

Gallic Books, March 2013.

Daniel is dining alone in an elegant but expensive Parisian Brasserie and can hardly believe his eyes when President François Mitterrand sits down to eat at the table next to him. It’s once the President has left that Daniel finds Mitterrand’s black hat. After a few moments of soul searching, Daniel decides to keep the hat as a souvenir – a reminder of an extraordinary evening. The hat is a perfect fit. When Daniel wears it, he starts to feel somehow different.

This book had such an unusual premise. From the first few pages I was hooked into the story. I started to read and before I knew it, I was already halfway through. The plot interested me – the thought of one object being the link between different people. I am always fascinated when fact is mixed in with fiction (which is what I liked about The Chaperone by Laura Moriaty.) At the beginning, I thought that Daniel was going to be the main protagonist but it was a surprise when other characters were introduced as the hat found them. It could be a co-incidence or it could be magic and destiny. Daniel, Fanny and Aslan were fascinating characters and I want to know what happened to them beyond the end of the story. Bernard was the character I liked/related to the least but when the plot surrounding him develops, I could see his place in the book. There was also a nice twist at the end too which I didn’t really see coming. I like it when a book pleasantly surprises me and this was certainly one of them. If you like stories that hint at destiny and have a little magic in them, then you’ll like The President’s Hat. I did.

May: Random Combinations.

Published May 3, 2013 | By Laura

For May, try dividing a piece of paper into four columns.

In the first column, list as many types of people as you can. For example, fireman, Grandparents or Teacher.

In the second column, list as many places as you can like a petrol station in Scotland or a hill in France.

Continue reading →

Win a signed copy of Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella.

Published May 2, 2013 | By Laura

We have three signed copies of Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella to give away.

Bantam Press, April 2013.

Photo by Blake Little.

To enter, simply comment on this post making sure you give us your name and where you’re from. The winners will be picked at random from the entries after the closing date which is Thursday 9th May 2013 at 23.59. The three winners will be announced on Friday 10th May 2013. Open to UK and Ireland residents.

A bit about the book:

Lottie is tired of long-term boyfriends who don’t want to commit to marriage. When her old boyfriend Ben reappears and reminds her of their pact to get married if they were both still single at thirty, she jumps at the chance. There will be no dates and no engagement-just a straight wedding march to the altar! Next comes the honeymoon on the Greek island where they first met. But not everyone is thrilled with Lottie and Ben’s rushed marriage, and family and friends are determined to intervene. Will Lottie and Ben have a wedding night to remember or one to forget?

Stella Newman

Published May 2, 2013 | By Laura

Stella Newman is the author of Pear-shaped. Her latest novel, Leftovers was released last month.

What’s your typical writing day like?

I don’t really have a typical writing day as such because I have a full time job. On a weekday I’ll go to work, and if I have any energy by the time I’m home, I’ll write for a few hours after dinner. At the weekends and on holidays I’ll try to do as full a day as possible, so up to 12 hours. Either way, I drink a lot of tea and coffee while I’m writing!

Do you plan or simply wing it?

I do plan quite a bit. Years ago I went on an Arvon creative writing course which I found incredibly inspiring, and one of my tutors, Kate Long, talked about how you should know your characters inside out, even if you don’t end up showcasing every detail about them on the page itself. So for example, you should know what was the first record each of your characters bought, even though that sort of info probably won’t be in the finished novel. I thought it was great advice, as it means your characters are fully formed in your head before you start pulling their strings.

Continue reading →

To plan or not to plan?

Published May 1, 2013 | By Laura

I’ve been trying to write my first book for a while now. I submitted a few chapters of it to the RNA New Writers scheme last August and the feedback told me that I should know my characters and to go back to the beginning and research them (even if certain details don’t end up in the book.) It also didn’t help that through panic, I rushed the writing process… a lot. Continue reading →

Leftovers competition winners.

Published May 1, 2013 | By Laura

Leftovers by Stella Newman.

Avon, April 2013

Thank you to all our entrants. Congratulations to Carol Peace, Rosie D and Katarina Micallef who have all won a copy of Leftovers.

May’s Book

Published May 1, 2013 | By Laura

The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick.

Picador, 2009.

Pat Peoples has a theory that his life is actually a movie produced by God, and that his God-given mission in life is to become emotionally literate, whereupon God will ensure a happy ending – which, for Pat, means the return of his estranged wife Nikki, from whom he’s currently having some ‘apart time.’ It might not come as any surprise to learn that Pat has spent several years in a mental health facility. When Pat leaves hospital and goes to live with his parents, however, everything seems changed: no one will talk to him about Nikki; his old friends now have families; his beloved football team keep losing; his new therapist seems to be recommending adultery as a form of therapy. And he’s being haunted by Kenny G. There is a silver lining, however, in the form of tragically widowed, physically fit and clinically depressed Tiffany, who offers to act as a go-between for Pat and his wife, if Pat will just agree to do something for her.

Continue reading →

Upcoming Titles

Published April 30, 2013 | By Laura

New books that have arrived at Novel Kicks this week.

Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella.
Bantam Press, April 2013.

Lottie is tired of long-term boyfriends who don’t want to commit to marriage. When her old boyfriend Ben reappears and reminds her of their pact to get married if they were both still single at thirty, she jumps at the chance. There will be no dates and no engagement-just a straight wedding march to the altar! Next comes the honeymoon on the Greek island where they first met. But not everyone is thrilled with Lottie and Ben’s rushed marriage, and family and friends are determined to intervene. Will Lottie and Ben have a wedding night to remember or one to forget?

Continue reading →

“My favourite writing moment so far” – Ilana Fox.

Published April 29, 2013 | By Laura

“I’ve got two favourite moments of being a writer. The first was when I encountered a stranger reading my second novel, SPOTLIGHT, on the tube. I felt very awkward watching her, but when she laughed out loud while reading it I couldn’t stop smiling. It’s a treasured memory!

Ilana Fox

How I tend to work, in the living room with a cat on my lap.

My second favourite moment was at my launch party for ALL THAT GLITTERS – I invited all my favourite book bloggers to come along as well as my friends and family because I wanted to give something back. People often forget that book bloggers are real people too (and not just people to send press releases to!), and it was so nice to finally meet people who I know virtually.”

Win a copy of Leftovers by Stella Newman.

Published April 26, 2013 | By Laura

Leftovers by Stella Newman.

Avon, April 2013.

Thanks to the lovely people at Avon, we have three copies of Stella Newman’s new book, Leftovers to give away. Continue reading →