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.

Novel Kicks Chats To: Jo Mazelis

Published November 15, 2014 | By Novel Kicks

Jo is the author of non-fiction, poetry and short stories. Her first novel, Significance was released by Seren Books last month. We had a chat with Jo about her book, her ideal dinner guests and her favourite word…

Hi Jo, thank you so much for joining us. Can you tell us about your novel, Significance and how the idea originated?

The idea for the novel came from two sources; first, a sort of unease about reading and watching stories about murder. Like a lot of people I have enjoyed the recent Nordic Noir TV series The Killing and The Bridge, and I’ve also enjoyed novels on the same theme. On the other hand real murder as it hits our headlines is brutal and awful and it has often been said that while we remember the names of the killers the victims’ names are forgotten. I think the book is also informed by a series of murders in the town where I lived of three girls the same age as me at the time. Two of them had been to the same club as my friend and I on the night they died and so obviously this had an impact, and while I never knew them I have never forgotten them. So it was exploring these memories and ideas that provided the backbone of the book.

Out of all the books you’ve read, which three have made the most impact on you?

So many books come to mind, but for different reasons – if I think about impact my first thoughts go to those books that had a real emotional impact – for example, Sophie’s Choice by William Styron, one passage of which made me weep loudly and uncontrollably on the London underground. Edna O’Brien’s The Country Girls Trilogy has also remained memorable for its tragicomic scenes and O’Brien’s droll understated humour. Ian McEwan’s collection of short stories, First Love, Last Rites impressed for the strangeness of the situations his characters found themselves in, the borderlands of loneliness and love with dark undertones of decay.

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Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Memory Loss

Published November 14, 2014 | By Novel Kicks

Friday 14th November 2014: Memory Loss.

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 wake up in a strange hotel room. You appear to be alone but the room is messy and there were signs of a party. You don’t remember anything. You spot a digital camera on the bedside table. On it is a photo of you with a mystery person. This is the first clue as to what happened the previous evening. You begin to try to work out the chain of events….

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Novel Kicks Chats To: Kerry Barrett

Published November 14, 2014 | By Novel Kicks

Kerry is the author of the Could It Be Magic series. The first in the series is Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered followed by I Put a Spell on You. The third book in the series, Baby, it’s Cold Outside was released at the beginning of last month. We had a catch up with Kerry where we chat about her book series, her writing rituals and Chocolate!

Can you tell us a little about your Could It Be Magic Series?

The series follows Esme, who’s a lawyer, and her cousin Harmony, known as Harry. Harry runs her own business and is a successful, sassy, together 30-something. Esme’s a few years younger. She’s more relaxed than Harry – about some things. Oh, and they’re both witches. Esme is reluctant to use the powers she’s inherited from her mum while Harry embraces them and has built her whole life around them.

Is there a fictional character you’d like to swap places with for a day and why?

Oooh, that’s a good question! I think I’d like to swap places with Becky Bloomwood from Sophie Kinsella’s brilliant Shopaholic novels. She always has so much fun!

Out of all the books you’ve read, which three have impacted you most and why?

At the moment I can’t stop thinking about The Woman Who Stole My Life – the latest novel by Marian Keyes, which I have just finished. It’s really staying with me and I keep wondering what I would do if I found myself in Stella’s position. It’s very thought-provoking. Another book that has stayed with me is Life After Life by Kate Atkinson, which I absolutely loved because of all the alternatives it offered. I find myself thinking about that a lot. And Possession by AS Byatt is the most perfect novel I’ve ever read. I remember when I finished it thinking I’d never have to read another novel again because that was always going to be the best. In fact, I’ve read hundreds – thousands probably – of novels since then and I must go back an re-read it to see if I still think that way!

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A Moment With…. Margaret James

Published November 12, 2014 | By Novel Kicks

Day twelve of National Novel Writing Month. So far we’ve heard from Jill Mansell who talked about planning a novel, Victoria Fox who gave us advice about discipline and Milly Johnson who chatted to us about heroes. Today, Margaret James joins us. She talks to us about what elements she believes creates a great story.

A great story needs a great premise – think of the tag lines and/or memorable quotes from some of the movies you’ve seen and you’ll soon come up with one yourself. Here are a few to get you thinking.

Love means never having to say you’re sorry.

You killed my father so prepare to die.

Houston, we have a problem.

Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas any more.

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Novel Kicks Chats To: Carla Caruso

Published November 12, 2014 | By Novel Kicks

Carla Curuso lives in Adelaide and as well as being the author of Catch of the Day, Mommy Blogger and Unlucky for Some, she is also involved in the Adelaide Chick-Lit Book Club and the Life, Love & Laugh blog. Her novel, A Pretty Mess is available on Amazon and Pretty Famous will be available on 1st February 2015.

We chat with Carla about her novel, Sophie Kinsella and Gossip Girl.

Hello Carla, thank you so much for joining us. Can you tell us about your novel, A Pretty Mess, and how the idea originated?

Yes! A Pretty Mess is the first in my ‘Astonvale’ rom-com mystery series. (Following on from it is Pretty Shore and Pretty Famous.) It surrounds a neat-freak professional organiser – Celeste Pretty – who gets caught up in messy mysteries with a sexy builder (Lenny Muscat)! I’ve always had a bit of a fascination with professional organisers who de-clutter people’s homes and offices for a living. Maybe because my mum was such a clean-freak Virgo. We weren’t allowed to wear our shoes in the house and the family home always looked like a magazine spread, seriously

Can you tell us about your route to publication?

My background is in print journalism (newspapers and magazines), so I’ve always written for a living. But being a novelist is what I REALLY wanted to do since I was, like, five. I just took a while to get serious about it and actually send anything anywhere! I reckon it took about three years, when I went freelance as a journalist – working from home – that I focused more on the novel dream and properly did anything.

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