NK Chats To… L A Johnston
Hello. Thank you so much for joining me today. Can you tell us a little about your novel, Manhattan Melodies Azorean Dreams and what inspired it?
Manhattan Melodies Azorean Dreams is deeply personal, as it draws from my own experiences from a trip I have taken to the island of Sao Miguel. The novel follows two individuals in different stages of their lives, who find each other when they need each other the most, despite being from vastly different worlds.
The inspiration came during a visit I made to the Azores, a place that holds a special significance for me. Walking through the lush landscapes with my fiancée, the Atlantic stretching endlessly on the horizon, I couldn’t help but reflect on how different life felt there compared to the city. The reason I selected Manhattan as the home location for the protagonist Olivia, I had anticipated getting engaged there, but alas the Covid virus vetoed my plans. That contrast—between the hectic, concrete jungle and the tranquil, almost timeless feel of the islands—sparked the idea of a character caught between these two places.
Through the novel, I explore themes of identity, cultural heritage, and belonging. Like my protagonist, I’ve often felt the pull between these two worlds, trying to navigate the fast-paced city life while being deeply connected to the quieter, introspective rhythms of the Azores. The novel became a way for me to reconcile those feelings and celebrate both the rush of the city and the profound beauty of the islands.
What’s your typical writing day like? Do you have any writing rituals like writing in silence, a favorite place to write, coffee or tea?
I start writing usually in the evenings, usually with a bucket sized cup of tea perched on the arm of my sofa. I prefer writing in silence, though sometimes instrumental jazz or classical music sets the mood. I write for several hours, aiming for a balance between disciplined output and creative flow.
Were there any challenges when writing your novel?
One of the main challenges was capturing the essence of two vastly different places—New York and the Azores—while making them feel interconnected. Balancing the pacing was tricky as well; I had to ensure that the slower, reflective moments of island life didn’t drag down the story’s momentum, while also letting the hustle of Manhattan breathe naturally into the plot.
With my homeplace being situated up a single-track country road, that in places is only marginally wider than a patio door, and being constantly surrounded by birdsong, painting a vivid landscape of the island of Sao Miguel using appropriate diction to keep the reader invested is second nature to me, almost to the extent wherein the Sao Miguel itself almost becomes a character However, I have my doubts that I have been able to pull this off in the Manhattan landscape where the early chapters of the novel is set.
Which songs would make up a playlist for your book?
The playlist would be comprised exclusively of long songs. Top three songs would include:
by 
Novel Kicks Chats To… Nova García
Hello Nova, thank you so much for joining me today. Can you tell me about your novel, Not That Kind of Call Girl and what inspired it?
Not That Kind of Call Girl is in many ways, my personal story. It’s about a young newspaper call center manager with post-partum depression juggling a colicky newborn, a meddling mother and a skirt-chasing boss while working, undercover, to untangle a vulnerable employee’s mysterious relationship with a Hollywood icon. Saving the employee part is the fiction, but the rest mirrors my life.
My mission in writing this novel was three-fold. (1) Tell a highly relatable & humorous story about a woman experiencing post-partum depression so those who’ve been through it know they’re not alone and open the gate for conversation. (2) Make the protagonist, Julia, a Latina. Latinos make up 19% of the U.S. population according to the 2023 U.S. Census, and yet, we aren’t featured much as primary characters in the literary industry. While the lack of representation is improving , there’s still a long way to go. (3) Shed light on an injustice most often inflicted on powerless women, that isn’t often in the public consciousness.
What are the challenges you found when writing your novel?
When I first wrote the book, I loved it and couldn’t wait to find an agent to represent me. The trouble was, after more than a hundred tries, no one offered me a contract. Yes, more than a hundred! Dejected, I put the book away for three years then started up again. I felt connected to my lead character (probably because she and I are one and the same), so I kept her, deleted every chapter but one and started again. Luckily, The Wild Rose Press offered me a contract the second go around. So, what was the challenge? Staying motivated after a staggering number of no’s and no responses.
What’s your typical writing day like? Do you have a favourite writing spot and any daily writing rituals?
I really should follow a schedule, but I don’t. I write when the mood strikes. Sometimes, I’ll go a month or more between writing stints which gives my brain time to recoup. If my head’s not in the game, there’s no sense in sitting down and staring at my computer. I do my writing in a home office, but admittedly, our two little dogs distract me from time to time with their need for attention, which I happily oblige.
What songs would make up a playlist for your book?
by NK Chats To… Donna Levin
Hi Donna. Thank you so much for joining me today to talk about your book, The Talking Stick. Can you tell me about this particular novel and what inspired you to write it?
Some years ago I was having coffee with a novelist friend, we talked about how we would both like to write a novel about a magical object. His idea was a device that would make people fall in love with him. Mine was about an object that would allow the possessor to read minds. We each went back writing our novels then in-progress.
Meanwhile, I was invited to join a new writing group in Marin. This was a group of women who’d been together a long time, and I’m cynical enough that I worried about what effect I’d have on their dynamic, but in fact it was a revelation. They made room for me. At this later stage in life, I discovered the healing power of women’s friendships. And by the way, they’re all sharp critics, too.
What’s your typical writing day like? Do you have any particular writing rituals and a particular place you like to write?
Run to the neighborhood Starbucks and get the venti mocha. Home to semi-recline on the futon on the 3rdfloor with my laptop where it belongs — on my lap (hence the name). My children AT LAST are grown, and now I have two cats, Cabernet and Chardonnay, to keep me company. Alas, they shed so badly that I can only camp out on that futon after changing into some kind of “loungewear,” which is a euphemism for pajamas.
What were the challenges you found when you were writing your novel?
by Book Review: The Hollywood Governess by Alexandra Weston
I’m excited to be welcoming Alexandra Weston to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her novel, The Hollywood Governess.
A governess bound by her own strict rules, a movie-star tormented by grief, a forbidden love story you won’t forget.
Hollywood, 1937
Hester Carlye has no wish to look after the pampered offspring of the rich anymore, in spite of being a highly sought-after governess. But with her elderly father frail, and the roof of their rundown cottage falling in, she has no choice but to accept a dazzling new placement.
Movie star Aidan Neil is box office gold, but after the tragic death of his wife Dinah Doyle, he needs Hester’s help to raise their young daughter Erin. Aidan and Dinah were once the perfect Hollywood couple, but stars don’t shine forever…
At Aidan’s glittering Hollywood mansion, Hester finds a family struggling with their grief. Hester knows she can help little Erin, but Aidan’s torment is palpable. Brooding and reclusive, he is far from the picture-perfect hero Hester’s seen in films. There’s an edge to him that makes Hester wonder if he’s hiding a dark secret of his own….
Was the marriage between Aidan and Dinah as perfect as it appeared to be? Was Dinah’s death really a tragic accident?
When it finally comes, the truth is more shocking than Hester could ever have imagined. And she knows that if revealed, it will destroy the family she has grown to love and ruin Aidan’s Hollywood dream forever…
*****
It’s 1937. Hester Carlyle is a successful Governess. Having recently returned to Yorkshire from New York, she’s not in a hurry to return to the United States. However, bills need to be paid. When she receives a job offer that will mean a journey back across the Atlantic, she knows she can’t refuse.
If you’ve been a long term follower of this blog then you know I can’t resist a good cover and the one for The Hollywood Governess is one of the things that initially drew me to this book. There’s something very glamorous and romantic about it.
by NK Chats To… Amber Cooper
Hi Amber, thank you so much for joining me today and inviting Novel Kicks onto the blog tour for your latest book. Can you tell me about your novel, A Cask of You and what inspired it?
A Cask of You is the first of a seven book series (eight if you count the free prequel) following siblings who come from a whisky distilling family on the Kintyre peninsula in Scotland.
The story is about a down on her luck American romance author, Bea who travels to Edinburgh, Scotland to write her next book and find a Scotsman for inspiration. She meets aloof Cal Butler and gets a job in his bar. Cal has a lot on his mind: his father is terminally ill and his difficult ex is pregnant, possibly with his child. He tries to resist Bea, but their chemistry is too intense, so they agree to a three-month fling. Feelings develop on either side, and Bea struggles with Cal possibly being a father due to self-doubt her ex planted in her. The novel is passionate, sweet and steamy and if you enjoy being transported to Scotland and meeting hot Celtic heroes, you may very well love it.
In terms of inspiration, my memory is fuzzy as I began the book in 2019, but the idea came when I was doing a course in romance writing with the Professional Writing Academy, here in the UK. Fragments came to me each week as I wrote different elements of a romance novel – meet cute, sex scene, no way scene, etc. For example, Edinburgh was the setting, whisky would be a part of it, the FMC would be a romance writer, the MMC was from a big family. It all pieced together bit by bit until I realised I wanted to write a whole series. I wanted the vibe of the book to be evocative of Scotland. I am a bit obsessed with whisky, in that regard: its colours, its vibrancy, its integration with the land itself. That is why I made the whisky distillery the fulcrum for the whole Butler family. And I chose the Kintyre peninsula as I wanted them to be hardy Scottish surfers from a place where whisky is made
What’s your typical writing day like? Do you have any writing rituals and a particular space you like to write in?
I dream of having a typical writing day, of getting up early with a cup of coffee and going to a lady shed at the bottom of the garden to write all day. But I live in a wee third floor flat so I find a space wherever I can. Because I have a chronic illness, I operate on the system of doing what I can when I can and taking time off if I need it. Some days, I have to accept that doing anything at all is an achievement. But when I work best is from around 7am, starting with a wee hot chocolate, until mid afternoon. The afternoon might be for lighter admin duties and small tasks that are easier to manage. I don’t have a desk but sitting up for long periods of time is difficult for anyway, so it’s usually the couch or bed. One day, I will have a lady shed with a chaise longue in it. #believe
What are the challenges you found when writing your novel especially as it’s book one in a series?
by Book Club
