Novel Kicks

About Novel Kicks/Laura... Novel Kicks was founded in 2009 and is run by Laura who is currently living in Hampshire, and lives with husband, Chris and her cat, Buddy. She would love to be a writer. She’s trying to write the novel she thinks so much about. She’s loved reading and writing since ‘Creative Writing’ classes in primary school. When not trying to write the novel or writing snippets of stories on anything she can get her hands on, she loves reading, dancing like a loon, and watching Project Runway and Ugly Betty (her two TV guilty pleasures.) She also has an obsession with chocolate and Jammie Dodgers.

Review: The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom

Published January 27, 2015 | By Novel Kicks

I love Mitch Albom’s previous novels (he sits alongside Nicholas Sparks in the ‘authors who succeed in making me cry’category.) The Five People You Meet in Heaven would easily make my top ten. As a result, there was a high expectation for this book (first impressions – I loved the cover.)

It focuses mainly on three people: A young girl (Sarah) who wants to stop time forever. An older man (Victor) who wants to do all he can to extend his time and finally Dor, the time-keeper, who becomes obsessed with measuring time and eventually becomes Father Time. He is sent on a journey to find Sarah and Victor in order to be able to complete his mission and escape the prison he has found himself in.

This book is only 256 pages and so I read it over the course of twenty-four hours. The chapters are short which for me makes it very easy to read. Mitch has a very relaxed style to his writing that I love and therefore I find that the themes he covers are easier to digest as a result.

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Novel Kicks attends An Audience With David Nicholls

Published January 27, 2015 | By Novel Kicks

I was very excited to hear that David Nichols was returning to his home town to host ‘An audience with.’ I was very fortunate to be able to attend this recent event at The Point in Eastleigh, Hampshire (In association with Eastleigh Library 25th Anniversary events.)

When we arrived, we promptly found our seats in the main auditorium. I have to admit, I didn’t quite know what to expect. I had never been to The Point before despite having lived near Eastleigh for nearly two years. I have quickly become a fan of the venue. It’s big enough to not feel cramped and small enough that I didn’t feel a million miles from the stage area where two chairs and a table had been placed in the middle.

To begin with, David talked about how Libraries play a huge part for him and how he will often find himself writing in the British Library as well as the London Library. He then chatted about his time in theatre and how through working there he found his love of words.

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Mick’s Musings: Looking for an Agent!

Published January 27, 2015 | By Novel Kicks

Okay, first things first, let’s be polite. May I wish each and every one of you a very Happy New Year and I hope you had a great Christmas too. So far as my Lady Wife and I are concerned, we’re still ploughing through the store of Christmas chocolate – it’s a dirty job, but someone’s got to do it! As for writing, 2015 for me is going to begin with unashamed ‘pleas’ (right word/expression?) as I am now stepping up my search for an Agent.

So, to refresh thy memories, I’m now in my 3^rd year as member of the Romantic Novelist’s Association, New Writer’s Scheme (blurb just arrived to confirm in the post) and the tome I sent off to the Reader last year was deemed ready to send out to Agents, once the few amendments were made. It’s currently with 4 of these wonderful people and I did mean to send out for a few more prior to Christmas, but then I thought it wasn’t the best time at which to send it off, holidays on the way, parties etc., but now it’s time to hit the ‘Send’ button on my email and also get some ink for my printer. In the meantime, I’m going to put in the Synopsis below (resulting in a slightly longer blog post than normal.) Continue reading →

Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Reunion

Published January 23, 2015 | By Novel Kicks

Friday 23rd January 2015: Reunion

Fiction Friday is our weekly 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: You’ve been invited to your school reunion. It will be the first time you’ve seen this group of friends since you left and things didn’t end the way you planned. Write about the reunion.

Novel Kicks Chats To Chevy Stevens

Published January 21, 2015 | By Novel Kicks

Hi Chevy, thank you so much for joining us. Can you tell is a little about your new book, That Night and how the idea originated?

THAT NIGHT is about eighteen-year-old Toni Murphy who is falsely convicted of killing her sister. Toni and her boyfriend, who was also convicted, spend years in jail. When they are released, Toni just wants to rebuild her life, but Ryan is determined to clear their names. Toni has to face her past and find out what really happened that night and who killed her sister. The spark for the story came from a show I watched about someone who’d spent twenty years in prison for a crime they didn’t commit.

Do you plan much before a novel and do you edit as you go?

I do plan quite a bit. I’m on contracts, so my editor has to approve my story idea, but I also like knowing that she is happy with my idea and we often end up brainstorming and she can notice some pitfalls before I do, which saves lots of rewriting. I try to do as much planning beforehand and get to know my characters as I find things flow better. However, lots of surprises still happen during the actual writing process when the story comes alive.

What is the hardest part of the writing process for you and which has been the most enjoyable?

I like the beginning stage when an idea is coming to life. Not the first, first part, when I’m not sure if the story is going to hold or if my editor is going to like it, but the stage right after that when we are brainstorming a really great idea and I can see how it’s going to unfold. But then the tough part begins, which is sitting down, day after day, and writing it! I like the editing stage, when it’s fine-tuning and adjusting. It’s like when you are cleaning your house and putting everything in order and you can see how nice it will look when it’s finished.

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