Blog Tour: The Magic Touch by Kelly Florentia
I am very pleased to be welcoming author, Kelly Florentia to Novel Kicks today. I’ve reviewed her debut novel, The Magic Touch below but first, I get to chat to Kelly about her novel, her writing process and Eric Bana.
Hi Kelly. Congratulations on the release of your new book, The Magic Touch, Can you tell me a little about it and how the idea originated?
Hi Laura, thanks for your good wishes, and thanks so much for having me on your blog today. The Magic Touch is my debut novel, so it’s an incredibly exciting time for me. It’s a paranormal romance about a 39-year-old divorcee who seems to have slipped into complacency with her partner of five years. Perfectly normal, she thinks, for couples who’ve been together for several years. But then when she stumbles across a flirtatious text message on her boyfriend’s mobile phone from a female colleague, sparks fly. Emma’s sole aim is to get to the bottom of Harry’s secret affair, which she does with the help of friends, her ninety-three-year-old neighbour, and a little intervention from a psychic App, The Magic Touch.
The idea for the story came from my fascination with mobile phone applications. There seems to be an app for everything these days. My phone is bursting with them – from social media apps to photography apps. I even plan my week around a weather app (I’ve got three, by the way). Then I thought, what if there was an app that could predict your future with alarming accuracy, what then? And The Magic Touch was born. I enjoy writing about everyday issues that people can resonate with, to a point. So, I based the novel on a couple who suddenly find, after five years together, that they want different things in life, and I went with it.
Can you tell me about what your typical writing day is like?
On a writing day, I’ll grab a coffee, fire up my computer and start tapping away at my keyboard. Of course, this is punctuated by a thousand tweets, a hundred Facebook posts and constantly checking my email.
How do you approach the process – do you plan much, edit as you go? Any rituals?
I’m a planner. I can’t write the story unless I know what’s going to happen, and I have to be incredibly excited about the ending before I can even begin. I get the first draft down quite quickly and then I start editing. Probably three drafts in total. I don’t have any rituals, I’m quite boring, apart from necking copious cups of coffee, but that’s normal, right?
by 
My Writing Ramblings: Dream a Little Dream
For the most part I’ve always enjoyed dreams. I will go to sleep wondering what awaits; what strange or fascinating montage my subconscious has waiting for me. There is the occasional bad dream which I am not so fond of. However I mostly just find them interesting even the bizarre ones.
I can usually remember most of what I’ve dreamt. As I am waking up, if I can tell myself to remember, I usually can (although this wasn’t the case this morning and not being able to remember my dream is annoying me.)
I’ve been using my dream journal a lot at the moment and I am enjoying looking at the dreams. My dreams recently have included having a lounge area set up in the middle of a road in a quiet suburban street. A well-known you tuber happened to walk past and have a chat with me, I’ve been stuck in a library (this one wouldn’t have been bad if I wasn’t trying to hide from someone,) to having a ‘Night Manager’ version of Hugh Laurie hiding out in the attic behind a wall hidden by a bookcase which moved. That bit was pretty cool.
by Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Animals
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 is about animals.
Your characters all share a house. They don’t always get on but are forced to interact. Your characters are a cat, a dog, a hamster and a snake. Your first line is ‘I can’t live with him anymore.’
by This Week’s Current Book Releases
It’s that time of the week again. I wanted to share some of the new books that have been released today. All of them look great. Which ones are you excited to read?
The Night That Changed Everything by Laura Tait and Jimmy Rice (Corgi, 24th March 2016.)
Laura and Jimmy’s book covers are always so pretty. This book sounds great and I can’t wait to read. It’s released today in Paperback.
Here’s the blurb….
Rebecca is the only girl she knows who didn’t cry at the end of Titanic. Ben is the only man he knows who did. Rebecca’s untidy but Ben doesn’t mind picking up her pieces. Ben is laid back by Rebecca keeps him on his toes. They’re a perfect match.
Nothing can come between them. Or so they think.
When a throwaway comment reveals a secret from the past, their love story is rewritten.
Can they recover from the night that changed everything? And how do you forgive when you can’t forget?
Gone Astray by Michelle Davis (MacMillan, 24th March 2016.)
I like a good thriller/mystery so this book looks up my street. Here’s the information…
When Lesley Kinnock buys a lottery ticket on a whim, it changes her life more than she could have imagined . . .
Lesley and her husband Mack are the sudden winners of a £15 million EuroMillions jackpot. They move with their 15-year-old daughter Rosie to an exclusive gated estate in Buckinghamshire, leaving behind their ordinary lives – and friends – as they are catapulted into wealth beyond their wildest dreams.
But it soon turns into their darkest nightmare when, one beautiful spring afternoon, Lesley returns to their house to find it empty: their daughter Rosie is gone.
DC Maggie Neville is assigned to be Family Liaison Officer to Lesley and Mack, supporting them while quietly trying to investigate the family. And she has a crisis threatening her own life – a secret from the past that could shatter everything she’s worked so hard to build.
As Lesley and Maggie desperately try to find Rosie, their fates hurtle together on a collision course that threatens to end in tragedy . . .
Money can’t buy you happiness.
The truth could hurt more than a lie.
One moment really can change your life forever.
by Writing Room: Starting at the Close
Tuesday 22nd March 2016.
Today’s prompt is all about starting at the close.
Take your current work in progress or an idea to which you have an idea of a beginning, middle and ending.
Pick a section or write a small section. Rewrite it or start it from the end and work your way backwards.
As always, if you’d like to share your work, put it in the comments section below.
by Competitions: Winners of a Copy of Shylock is my Name
Hogarth, February 2016.
Shylock is my Name is a modern retelling of The Merchant of Venice and is part of the Hogarth Shakespeare series. Thanks to Hogarth, we had three copies to give away.
Congratulations to Rhoda K, Jinger and Caron Edwards who have all won a copy. An e-mail will be on its way to you all shortly (be sure to check the junk folder.)
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.
Howard Jacobson’s version of The Merchant of Venice bends time to its own advantage as it asks what it means to be a father, a Jew and a merciful human being in the modern world.
by A Moment With… Lynne Shelby
I am very pleased to be welcoming Lynne to Novel Kicks today. She talks to me about her writing process….
I never know when I’m going to get an idea for a novel. I love travelling, and very often, when I’m exploring a foreign city I’ve not visited before, I think of a story that could take place in that locale, but it could be a photograph, a piece of music or an overheard conversation that suddenly makes me want to open my laptop and start writing. The idea for my debut novel, ‘French Kissing,’ grew out of a phone conversation I overheard when travelling back from Paris to London with my family on the Eurostar. A young Frenchman sitting across the aisle spent the entire journey calling his English friends on his mobile, telling them that he was coming to London, and suggesting that they meet up. Unfortunately, none of his friends seemed to want to see him, which made me feel very sorry for him – and gave me the scenario for ‘French Kissing,’ in which a Frenchman coming to work in London is made very welcome by his English friend – who happens to be a girl…
When I start writing a story, I know the beginning and the ending, but have only a vague notion of what is going to take place in between. I jot down a few notes, just the outline of the plot, and then begin typing, throwing my hero and heroine together, and seeing what happens as they interact. I already know a lot about my hero and heroine at this point, and I note their age, appearance, etc on index cards, adding more details that as I go along. There does seem to be a moment when the characters I’ve created take over and start telling their own story! Sometimes I realise that the story arc I have planned for them just doesn’t work with the person they have become on the page, and I have to change it. A minor character in ‘French Kissing’ ended up in a romantic sub-plot, although I had no idea that this was going to happen when I first put her in the book – she was just supposed to be my heroine’s confidante.
by My Writing Ramblings: Distractions and Procrastinations
I am not entirely sure where this last week has gone to be honest. This is my main problem when I am on shift for the day job. Twelve hour shifts really do mean that the days go like lightening. I am really having to try and look after myself so things, like they have this week do sometimes get put to one side.
I have been struggling with motivation and things over the past couple of days. The beginning of the week, I was getting many things done. I’d prepare my to do list, set a timer and get much of it achieved but the lack of sleep is taking its toll which has meant that my productivity level has dipped right down.
Not that I am beating myself up about it. I have good days and bad days (which is par the course if, like me you have anxiety.)
Due to been easily distracted these last couple of days, (my brain has had the concentration span of a child,) I have been doing anything but writing. I’ve been doing other things like watching films, listening to music, reading and playing games on the phone.
This is where I find the apps and games on the phone to be really good for getting me focused on something fun. My shift pattern makes me feel tired which then makes me feel out of it so it is very easy for me to loose days off to nothing.
by Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: The Round Table.
Friday 18th March 2016: The Round Table.
Today’s prompt, as you’ve probably guessed centres around a round table. Your character has been taken by a group of people and put into a white van.
The character, male or female are driven to an unknown destination and shown into a dark room.
There is a round table in the centre with six chairs. Your character is told to sit in one of the chairs. Five people occupy the other seats.
Who are they and why has your character been brought here?
by This Week’s Latest Releases
It’s Thursday and time for another week of new releases. I have three titles to share with you today. All of these sound so good and I can’t wait to read.
The Unforgotten by Laura Powell (Freight Books, 17th March 2016.)
This has been released today. This book feels as though it would be right up my street and yes, I am in love with the cover.
Summer, 1956. Fifteen-year-old Betty Broadbent has never left the Cornish fishing village of St Steele or ventured far beyond the walls of the boarding house run by her erratic mother. But when the London press pack descends on her village to report on a series of gruesome murders, Betty’s world changes. In particular, she is transfixed by mysterious and aloof reporter, Mr Gallagher.
As the death toll rises, an unlikely friendship blossoms between Betty and Gallagher. But as their bond deepens, they find themselves entangled with the murders and each is forced to make a devastating choice, one that will shape their own lives and the life of an innocent man forever.
Hold Still by Tim Adler (Urbane Publications, 17th March 2016.)
This book sounds like a fantastic read. Even from the blurb, it has me wondering what is going on and how I would react if I were the character. It would be devastating.
‘I photographed the moment of my husband’s death…’ So begins HOLD STILL, a nerve-twisting thriller from bestselling author Tim Adler. How much do we really know about those we love? Kate is visiting Albania with her husband Paul, a much-needed break from Paul’s stressful website business. ‘Hold still,’ says Kate, taking a picture as Paul steps onto the hotel room balcony. ‘We’ll always be together,’ Paul responds. Suddenly there is screaming below and a blaring car horn. Kate stares down from the balcony at the broken body of her husband lying lifeless in the street. Overcome with grief, Kate can’t accept the truth of Paul’s tragic death, and replays the incident over and over again, searching her pictures for a vital clue to what really happened. When she meets the enigmatic Priest at a grief support group, they journey together into a dangerous world of violence and secrets as Kate realises what Paul really meant when he said he would never leave her……
When I’m Gone by Emily Bleeker (Lake Union Publishing, 15th March 2016.)
This book was released in paperback on Monday and again, it’s a really gorgeous cover. I have this book on my TBR pile and am looking forward to reading although it does sound heartbreaking so I might need to have the tissues ready for crying purposes.
by Courses and Competitions: Start Writing Fiction
Future Learn, in association with The Open University is offering this FREE online course called ‘Start Writing Fiction.’
This is suitable for anyone who is writing a book or is thinking of writing one. It’s held completely online so all you need is your computer, a notebook and a comfy chair. You’ll have a chance to give feedback on the work of fellow students as well as gain feedback for your own work.
This course focuses on creating characters, developing ideas as well as editing. It will look at the ritual of writing as well as the importance of keeping a journal.
You’ll also hear from writers such as Louis de Bernières, Alex Garland, Monique Roffey and Michèle Roberts as they talk about their approach to things such as research as well as how they got started with writing.
The latest course will run for 8 weeks and begins on 4th April 2016 so there is still plenty of time to sign up. Future Learn recommend that the course will need approximately 3 hours a week.
by Mick’s Musings: Strange and exciting things are a happening!
You may recall my telling you about my ‘current WIP’ and a certain feline that was in the process of taking over the story? That’s still ongoing, but I haven’t actually added to the word count since the middle of January – naughty Mick. But, I have an excuse and it’s a good one, but not so good in that I’ve had to put a temporary halt to this story. So, please put on your ‘understanding-type’ hats.
In the middle of January, I was driving back from a hospital appointment, the radio was on and as I hadn’t dropped dead from the tests, it was turning out to be a pretty good day. Then IT happened again. There was an interview being broadcast and two lines embedded themselves in my mind. Ah! There’s a good idea for a short story, I thought. So, quickly pulling over, I entered the lines into my phone and set off back for home.
Upon arrival, I kissed the Lady Wife hello, snaffled a hug off her and then, upon doing the husbandly checks to see if there was anything I could do, booted up the laptop, brought up a fresh page in Word, and scribbled down the two lines. They were perfect for the opening hook (well, in my humble opinion anyway) and then, I started to hammer out what I envisioned as a short story of about 2,000 words…and typed…and typed…and…you get the picture.
by Writing Room: Freestyle
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?
by Author Interview: Rebecca Lim
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.
by Competitions: Win a copy of Shylock is my Name by Howard Jacobson
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.
by Competitions: Winner of the Signed Copy of The Choice by Nicholas Sparks
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.
by Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Stranger Than Fiction
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?
by Latest Book Releases
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…
by Author Interview: Joanna Barnard
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!
by My Recent Book Haul (February and March)
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?
by My Writing Ramblings: Keeping a Writing Journal
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.
by Writing Room: Working on Plot
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?
by Author Interview: Alison May
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.
by Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Genie in a Bottle
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.
by Blog Tour: Review and Win a Signed Copy of The Choice by Nicholas Sparks
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.
by This Week’s New Releases
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.
by Book Review: The Girl on The Train by Paula Hawkins
Doubleday, January 2015
Rachel catches the same commuter train every morning. She knows it will wait at the same signal each time, overlooking a row of back gardens. She’s even started to feel like she knows the people who live in one of the houses. ‘Jess and Jason’, she calls them. Their life – as she sees it – is perfect. If only Rachel could be that happy. And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Now Rachel has a chance to become a part of the lives she’s only watched from afar. Now they’ll see; she’s much more than just the girl on the train…
Have you ever looked out of the window of a train at the houses passing by and wondered what sort of people live in them and maybe even created fictional lives for them? Rachel does this everyday as she catches the same commuter train. However, simple curiosity turns into something much more and she must decide just how far she will go to get involved in these people’s lives, of which, in reality she knows very little about.
Rachel, a divorced alcoholic still thinks about her ex-husband who still lives in their old home with his new wife and child. This is probably not helped by the fact she passes the house every day whilst on the train. Her ex husband, Tom also happens to live a few doors down from the couple that she becomes enthralled with and soon starts making up stories about in her head. With plenty of time on her hands whilst commuting back and forth she becomes a bit too emotionally involved in the woman she names Jess. Then when she witnesses something out of the ordinary her curiosity overwhelms her and she forces her way into the couple’s life.
by Courses and Competitions: Mslexia Woman’s Short Story Competition 2016
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
by My Writing Ramblings: To-Do Lists Are My Friends
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.)
by Competitions: Blind Date With A Book – March
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.
by Author Interview: Alena Graedon
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.
by Writing Room: Looking Back
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.
by March’s Book Club: The Virgin Suicides by Jeffery Eugenides
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.
by Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Knowing Your Enemy
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.
by Five Books I’m Looking Forward To Reading In 2016
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.
by Writing Room: Betrayal
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?
by My Writing Ramblings: This Week I’ve Been Mostly….
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?
by Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Overhearing
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.
by Blog Tour: Kill Me Again by Rachel Abbott
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.
by A Moment With….Tara Guha
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.”
by Courses and Competitions: BBC Radio 2’s 500 Words Competition
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.
by Writing Room: Introducing Your Characters
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.
by Author Interview: Hannah Vincent
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.
by Book News: Recent Releases
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.
by Book Vs. Film
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….
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 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.
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?
by My Five Favourite Books For Valentine’s Day
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
The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks.
by My Writing Ramblings: The Month Where I Don’t Write
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.
by Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Fish Out Of Water
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.
by Mick’s Musings: Authors Meet Up
(L-R) Georgia Hill, Mick Arnold, Linn B Halton and Tora Williams
I went to an author/blogger meet up in Birmingham recently and I’d like to start by thanking the wonderful Kim Nash for not only taking the trouble to arrange it, but also for being such a gracious host; thank you Kim.
To those of you whom I didn’t get around to meeting, I’m sorry and, if like me, you’re down to go to the next one in London, I hope to at least be able to say hello and maybe share bookish experiences with you. I’ll be the one in the corner, looking not unlike a startled rabbit (but with slightly less hair).
Swift hello’s to a few that I did manage to meet, starting with the lovely Sue Moorcroft (always great to catch up) and the other members of her Facebook Team Moorcroft whose names I can recall. Louise Styles, hi and very good to meet and talk to you; Mark West, Sue told me about a short story you wrote (think it was yourself?) about someone with a foot fetish, thanks for the nightmares; Kim Nash, thanks again and very nice to put a person to the face. Bookaholic Holly, Georgia Hill, Janice Preston, Linn B Halton and undoubtedly others whose names I can only apologise for forgetting. Just think of a goldfish with amnesia and that’s me with names.
This was my first meet up of this kind and there are already two others this year that I’ve accepted the kind invitations to go to. If you’ve never been to one of these and you find an invite drop into your Facebook account, then I can honestly say that (assuming you’re either an author or blogger, or for that matter a keen reader) you won’t be in the company of such a warm and welcoming group of people – ever!
by Writing Room: Confessions Prompt
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….
by February’s Book Club: The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella
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.
by Blog Tour: The Last of The Bowmans by J. Paul Henderson.
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.
by Mick’s Musings: Fun! Fun! Fun!
Doesn’t time fly when you’re having fun…now I need to find the time to have that fun.
When I’m writing, after the first few hundred words, so long as it’s flowing, it is fun. Characters I’ve created/am in the process of creating, stand up and wave their little paws at me (I like cats, heck knows why half the time, but my latest WIP has a quite prominent feline who seems to be making a bid for freedom) for attention and sit down to share a metaphorical cup of tea with me. Then there’s the (mostly) welcome appearance of a new character that I hadn’t even considered when the idea for the story first came to mind, and even after I’d actually done some planning!
With this WIP, it looks very much like it’ll now be starting at chapter three. So, what does that mean for the Prologue and the first two chapters? Well, not really wanting to throw anything away, I do believe that quite a bit can be incorporated into forthcoming chapters and I also have to admit, it does start off the story a lot better. It’s straight into mini-crisis, always a good way to start.
Thank you Kate T for the suggestion.
As far as these new characters? It’s a welcome to Tippy’s Posse. Okay, so she’s currently called Poppy, but I have a few too many characters whose names begin with the letter ‘p’, but I still like ‘Poppy’ so it’s really a case of watch this space.
by Writing Room: Fictional World
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….
by Blog Tour: What a Way To Go by Julia Forster
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.
by My Writing Ramblings: Reflections on 2015
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.
by Book Review: Able Seacat Simon: The Wartime Hero of the High Seas by Lynne Barrett-Lee
Simon is discovered in the Hong Kong docks in 1948 and smuggled on board the H.M.S Amethyst by a British sailor who takes pity on the malnourished kitten. The young cat quickly acclimates to his new water-borne home, establishing himself as the chief rat-catcher in residence while also winning the hearts of the entire crew.
Then the Amethystis ordered to sail up the Yangtze to take over the guarding of the British Embassy, and tragedy strikes as the ship comes under fire from Communist guns. Many of the crew are killed and Simon is among those who are seriously wounded. Luckily, with the help of the ship’s doctor, the brave cat makes a full recovery and is soon spending time with the injured men in the sick bay, purring and keeping their spirits up. News of Simon’s heroism spreads and he becomes famous world-wide – but it is still a long journey back to England for both the crew and the plucky little cat known as ‘Able Seacat Simon’…
To discover a new author is one of the joys still to be found in life, and that is exactly what I’ve just done having finished this new book by the very talented Ms Barrett-Lee.
Based on true events during the Chinese Civil war, in its continuation phase after the Second World War, this is told from the point of view of the cat in the title. If you’ve not heard the story of HMS Amethyst, then this is actually a very good introduction to this riveting episode in the history of the Royal Navy.
by Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Message in a Bottle
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?
by January 2016 Book Club: The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler
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…
by Blog Tour: Winner of the Paula Brackston Novel Set
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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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.
by Book Club
