Blog Tour: Review – The Quality of Silence by Rosamund Lupton
On 24th November Yasmin and her deaf daughter Ruby arrive in Alaska.
Within hours they are driving alone across a frozen wilderness, where nothing grows, where no one lives, where tears freeze and night will last for another fifty-four days.
They are looking for Ruby’s father. Travelling deeper into a silent land. They still cannot find him. And someone is watching them in the dark.
This was the first book i’ve read by Rosamund Lupton so I was not sure what to expect. The premise of the book sounded interesting though. I started this book and finished it the day after I had started. I could not put it down.
Yasmin and Ruby arrive in Alaska expecting to see Matt standing there waiting for them. Instead, they are met by the Police with news that Matt has been killed by a fire in the small village he had been staying in, Anaktue. Not convinced that he is dead and determined to find him, Yasmin and Ruby set off on a perilous journey across Alaska. Not only do they battle with someone following them (where you assume he wants to hurt them) but also against the fierce and unrelenting elements.
by 
Competitions: Win a Copy of Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
As part of the blog tour for Red Queen and to celebrate the books release, Orion and Victoria have given us THREE copies of Red Queen to give away. To read our review and an interview with Victoria, click here.
This is a world divided by blood – red or silver.
The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change.
That is, until she finds herself working in the Silver Palace. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power.
Fearful of Mare’s potential, the Silvers hide her in plain view, declaring her a long-lost Silver princess, now engaged to a Silver prince. Despite knowing that one misstep would mean her death, Mare works silently to help the Red Guard, a militant resistance group, and bring down the Silver regime.
But this is a world of betrayal and lies, and Mare has entered a dangerous dance – Reds against Silvers, prince against prince, and Mare against her own heart . . .
HOW TO ENTER:
by Blog Tour: Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
I am very excited to be welcoming Victoria Aveyard to Novel Kicks. Her novel, Red Queen was published by Orion on 2nd July and we are so happy to be a part of the blog tour. We review the book and also have a chat with Victoria but first, here’s the blurb:
This is a world divided by blood – red or silver.
The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change.
That is, until she finds herself working in the Silver Palace. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power.
Fearful of Mare’s potential, the Silvers hide her in plain view, declaring her a long-lost Silver princess, now engaged to a Silver prince. Despite knowing that one misstep would mean her death, Mare works silently to help the Red Guard, a militant resistance group, and bring down the Silver regime.
But this is a world of betrayal and lies, and Mare has entered a dangerous dance – Reds against Silvers, prince against prince, and Mare against her own heart . . .
Hi Victoria. Thank you for joining us. Can you tell us a little about Red Queen?
RED QUEEN is the story of Mare, a girl who lives in a world divided by blood, split between normal redbloods and superpowered silverbloods. Even though she’s normal, bleeding red, Mare discovers she can control electricity, an impossibility that plunges her into a devastating court of betrayal, danger, and corruption.
Do you have any writing rituals (do you plan much, need lots of tea, writing in silence etc.)
by My Favourite Book: Have You Met Miss Jones?
Picador, 2001
Bridget Jones’ Diary by Helen Fielding will forever remain one of my favourite books. I can’t remember whether I read the book first or saw the film but I remember being quite late to the book – discovering it a few years after it got published. I was in my early twenties but still found it relatable all the same.
Not knowing what to expect, once I started reading, I devoured it. For me, it’s one of those rare books that I feel really transferred well onto screen from the page and it is a relatable story to a lot of people, especially women of any age. I lost count of how many times I said out loud whilst reading “this is me.”
For me, Bridget is a great heroine. She is very flawed (along with a lot of us.) She strives to be better but something always seems to go wrong. She’s the type of character that would get her skirt caught up in her knickers, walk down the road and get spotted before she notices and I love that about her. She’s not perfect – she is a real and relatable person who is just trying to find love. Also, like her I’ve had a few awkward moments at social gatherings where I have stood there in silence not knowing what to say and then when I do speak, just sounding like a complete idiot.
by Competitions: July’s Which Book is This Anyway?
Fancy a book surprise through your letterbox? It’s July. Summer is officially here and it’s time for this month’s Which Book is This Anyway?
Many of us judge books by their covers and make our choices based on that and the accompanying blurb. Our competition adds a little mystery.
The prize for this competition is a book but the identity of that book will not be revealed until the lucky winner receives it. It could be a recent new release or a well-known classic. Who knows? We won’t even reveal the genre. It’s a surprise. If you feel like having a guess in the meantime though, that’s OK, just comment below (you don’t need to guess to enter. You just need to leave your name. The guessing is just for fun.)
All we will reveal about July’s choice is ‘this book has been described by one reviewer as the perfect book. It’s about rediscovery, a trip of a lifetime, determination, falling in love and everything going wrong.’
How to enter:
by Author Interview: Howard Robinson
Howard Robinson
Hello Howard, thank you for joining us. First, could you tell us about your route to publication?
It’s such a complicated route for most writers that sometimes I feel like I need a sat-nav to get there. I self-published my first book and was fortunate that Micah Seven Five was picked up by a great little independent press, Inspired Quill. It’s really tough without an agent and finding an agent is really tough because most publishers won’t even look at submissions unless they’re from an agent. It’s like trying to break into a very closed shop. I have so many emails being very positive about my writing but saying they’re just not in a position to take things forward. So each book needs to be pitched from scratch, which is both time-consuming and, at times, a bit soul-destroying especially when the emails come back so quickly, you just know they’ve not even been read. Hopefully, somebody will pick up the new one; we’ll see. So the answer is there’s no easy route – you have to just keep banging on doors.
If you were told you could only own three books, which three would you pick?
Empire Of The Sun by JG Ballard, The Five People You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom and Charlie & The Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
Are you much of a planner and do you edit as you go?
I’ve tried being very planned and very unplanned and my favourite way of working is somewhere between the two. I like to have a general route map of where I’m going and how I’m going to get there but then I like the freedom to change as I write or to move off into slightly unforeseen directions. I tend to write everything and then go back and edit quite severely afterwards. I usually do two or three redrafts.
by July’s Book Club: Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
Orion, February 2012
Book Corner is our monthly online book club. Anyone can join.
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.
This month, our pick is: Attachments by Rainbow Rowell.
About the book…
It’s 1999 and for the staff of one newspaper office, the internet is still a novelty. By day, two young women, Beth and Jennifer, spend their hours emailing each other, discussing in hilarious detail every aspect of their lives, from love troubles to family dramas. And by night, Lincoln, a shy, lonely IT guy spends his hours reading every exchange.
At first their emails offer a welcome diversion, but as Lincoln unwittingly becomes drawn into their lives, the more he reads, the more he finds himself falling for one of them. By the time Lincoln realizes just how head-over-heels he really is, it’s way too late to introduce himself. What would he say to her? ‘Hi, I’m the guy who reads your e-mails – and also, I think I love you’.
by Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook 2016: Winner
Thanks to Bloomsbury, we had one copy of the 2016 edition to give away.
Well done to Clair Bendle who has won herself a copy.
With 80+ articles, the Yearbook is now in it’s 109th printing.
The new edition is to be published by Bloomsbury on 2nd July 2015.
The yearbook is acknowledged as the indispensable companion to navigating the world of publishing. This book provides guidance on writing for newspapers, magazines, scripts for film, radio and TV; advice on writing and submitting plays, poetry, non-fiction and fiction of all genres and how to contact publishers and agents; managing finances as a writer; negotiating legal issues, such as copyright; understanding the editing process; self-publishing and conventional routes; digital and print.
by June’s Which Book is This Anyway: Winner
It is time to announce the winner of June’s Which Book is This Anyway? Did you guess which book it was? (May’s book was Daughter by Jane Shemilt.’)
All we said about it was that ‘this is a book from a popular Irish author which focuses on large changes in the lives of the characters, their relationships and the importance of friendship.’
Well done to Caron Edwards who is our winner this month. The competition for July will be open soon.
About ‘Which Book is This Anyway?’
Many of us judge books by their covers and make our choices based on that and the accompanying blurb. Our competition adds a little mystery.
by Blog Tour: The 3rd Woman by Jonathan Freedland
Photo Credit: Philippa Gedge
HarperCollins, July 2015
I am very pleased to welcoming author, Jonathan Freedland to Novel Kicks today. His latest novel, The 3rd Woman is due to be published later this week on 2nd July. Here’s the blurb:
SHE CAN’T SAVE HER SISTER
Journalist Madison Webb is obsessed with exposing lies and corruption. But she never thought she would be investigating her own sister’s murder.
SHE CAN’T TRUST THE POLICE
Madison refuses to accept the official line that Abigail’s death was an isolated crime. She uncovers evidence that suggests Abi was the third victim in a series of killings hushed up as part of a major conspiracy.
SHE CAN EXPOSE THE TRUTH
In a United States that now bows to the People’s Republic of China, corruption is rife – the government dictates what the ‘truth’ is. With her life on the line, Madison must give up her quest for justice, or face the consequences…
Jonathan is an award-winning journalist, author and broadcaster. He writes a weekly column for The Guardian and his also presents BBC Radio 4’s The Long View. He has written seven books (two are non-fiction) as Jonathan Freedland and has also written best-selling novels under the pseudonym, Sam Bourne.
As part of the blog tour, we review the novel but first, Jonathan (and HarperCollins) have kindly shared an extract. Enjoy.
Nothing that suggested a struggle. Maddy recalled the words and, above all, the expression on the detective’s face as she had said them. How dared she imply that Abigail had been some kind of willing participant in her own death? Of course it was murder, of course it was. Madison just had to get the police to realize it. And soon: she had covered enough homicide cases to know that speed was critical. They always talked about that ‘golden hour’, the period immediately after a homicide has been discovered when detectives are able to gather the most, and the best, forensic evidence from a crime scene. Maddy feared that time had been and gone. That while they played around with their absurd sex-game theory, valuable evidence might be vanishing.
by Review: A Little in Love by Susan Fletcher
Paris, 1832. A street girl lies alone in the darkness, clutching a letter to her heart.
Eponine remembers being a child: her swing and the peach tree, and the baby brother she loved. But mostly she remembers being miserable. Taught to lie and cheat, and to hate the one girl, Cosette, who might have been her friend.
Now, at sixteen, the two girls meet again and Eponine has one more chance. But what is the price of friendship – the love of a boy.
I am only familiar with Les Misérables as far as the Hollywood film version (with Hugh Jackman.) I know, I know. The book has been on my to read pile for so long and now, after reading A Little in Love, I might have to get around to reading it.
The story of A Little in Love begins when Eponine is sixteen and it then goes back to when she was a child. Out of all the characters in Les Misérables, Eponine is the character I have always been intrigued with the most. She wants to be a good person – decent and kind but the circumstances of her life conspire against her.
She does not have the best start in life and in trying to gain her mother’s love, she turns her back on the one girl who may have been her friend – Cosette. I found Eponine’s story so heartbreaking. Anyone who has an idea of the story knows what happens to her but that did not stop me from willing it to end differently.
by Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Four People
Friday 26th June 2015.
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 four people (it could be anyone.) Your character is having them around for dinner. What would the conversation be about? Do they all get on? Write this entirely in dialogue.
by Book Haul: Five Books For June
It is time for another book haul. I have brought and been sent some great and interesting titles this month and I wanted to share five of them with you. The five books below have been sent via publishers. What books have you received/brought this month? I’d love to know in the comments box below.
The first book is The Astrologer’s Daughter by Rebecca Lim.
I am loving this cover. This is the first book I will have read by Rebecca Lim (she is the author of the Mercy series) and I am looking forward to reading this book. It sounds very interesting. It is published by Text Publishing on 25th June 2015. It’s available in paperback and also as an e-book. Here’s the blurb:
The Astrologer’s Daughter is the story of Avicenna Crowe, whose astrologer mother has suddenly gone missing. Avicenna Crowe’s mother, Joanne, is an astrologer with uncanny predictive powers and a history of being stalked. Now she is missing. The police are called, but they’re not asking the right questions. Like why Joanne lied about her past, and what she saw in her stars that made her so afraid.
The second novel is The Word Exchange by Alena Graedon.
This book is one I am particularly looking forward to reading. It sounds very intriguing and I very much like the sound of the premise. It was one of those ideas that, when I read the blurb, I said to myself ‘I wish I had thought of that idea.’ Available in paperback and electronically, it’s published by W&N (18th June 2015.)
by Mick’s Musings: Would You Call This ‘Procrastination’?
Arguably the most important part of any book written is the first chapter, in particular, the first page. Get this wrong, not only would you lose the reader, but more likely, you wouldn’t have had the novel published in the first place.
Now, for the latest story I’m writing I’m on the third different opening/prologue/first chapter. What this says about me as a prospective writer, I don’t know, but I suspect that it’s more of a common problem than I’m making it out to be. Have I hit on the opening? I don’t know. Two of my lead characters though are suddenly opening the book whereas before it was looking like they wouldn’t be making an appearance until at least the third chapter. But it feels right!
Does it read right though? Actually, yes and even more surprising since I had to decipher the scribbled notes I made before going to bed on Friday night! My Lady Wife is always saying I should have been a doctor, the state of my hand-writing. It’s short, just shy of 1,200 words, but just because it’s short, doesn’t mean to say it isn’t right. But, this is only a first draft, so undoubtedly there will be changes as the story progresses. At least it’s nice to meet these guys sooner rather than later.
So why did I bring up the dreaded ‘P’ word? Because it’s taken me a while to start up writing again. Yes, I know the old adage that you should write at each and every opportunity, no matter how rubbish it may come out. Continue reading
by Competitions: Win a Copy of the Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook 2016
With 80+ articles, the Yearbook is now in it’s 109th printing.
The new edition is to be published by Bloomsbury on 2nd July and we have ONE copy to give away.
The yearbook is acknowledged as the indispensable companion to navigating the world of publishing. This book provides guidance on writing for newspapers, magazines, scripts for film, radio and TV; advice on writing and submitting plays, poetry, non-fiction and fiction of all genres and how to contact publishers and agents; managing finances as a writer; negotiating legal issues, such as copyright; understanding the editing process; self-publishing and conventional routes; digital and print.
This year’s edition includes articles from Alison Weir, Ben Schott, Susan Hill and Rose Prince.
The 2016 edition is available to pre-order in paperback and eBook (e-book will be published on 6th August 2015.)
Thanks to Bloomsbury, we have a paperback copy of the 2016 edition to give away.
How to enter:
by Bella’s Scribblings: Sell! Sell! Sell!
So I’ve been out of the writing closet for a while now and friends, family and work colleagues have got used to the idea that I have another life as a writer. So when I see people they often ask “how is the book going?” (which is jolly nice of them to show an interest). I usually reply with something along the lines that my editor is very pleased with how it’s doing for a debut novel and that I’m thrilled with the fab reviews I’ve received which shows that most people are enjoying it. At this point I usually get an odd look from them, followed by “So how many have you sold?” To which my answer is “I have absolutely no idea.”
Am I alone in really not being that interested in how many it’s sold?
My original intention was to see if I could actually finish a whole novel (I was a serial novel starter who got distracted and then started another one). Getting it published was never in the plan, because I knew how unlikely this was, but with a lot of luck and good timing my MS landed on the right desk at the right time.
by Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Clown in Training
Friday 19th June 2015.
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: After loosing a bet, a clown in training robs a series of banks. All goes to plan until the third bank. Continue the story.
by Review: Dream a Little Dream by Giovanna Fletcher
Penguin, 18th June 2015
Dream a Little Dream is the third novel from Giovanna Fletcher. It’s released today (18th June) by Penguin and is available in paperback and as an e-book.
I have to say, I absolutely ADORE this cover. It reminds me very much of Lisa Jewell’s earlier covers – beautiful and romantic. Love, love, love!
Here’s the blurb for Dream a Little Dream:
Sarah is doing just fine. Sure she’s been single for the last five years, and has to spend an uncomfortable amount of time around her ex-boyfriend and their mutual friends, and the rest at her tediously mundane job, but it’s fine. She’s happy(ish).
But it’s not surprising that when Sarah starts dreaming about a handsome stranger, she begins looking forward to falling asleep at night. Reality isn’t nearly as exciting. That is until her dream-stranger makes an unexpected real-life appearance, leaving Sarah questioning everything she thought she wanted.
Because people never really find the person of their dreams… do they?
I was a big fan of Billy & Me and I recently read You’re The One That I Want and loved that too so I was really excited when the review copy of Dream a Little Dream got delivered.
by Events: The Jerwood Fiction Uncovered Prize
British writing will be celebrated later today when the winners of the Jerwood Fiction Uncovered Prize will be announced in London at the Jerwood Space.
Fifteen books in total have been long listed (this is the first year the list has been released prior to the winners being announced.) The prize, established in 2010 is now in its fifth year. The prize is unique and it aims to showcase great British fiction.
“With writers from Swansea, Newcastle upon Tyne, Bath, Brighton, Lancaster, Edinburgh, Nottingham, Glasgow and London, and publishers from Yorkshire, Wales, Scotland and Norfolk, this year’s longlist presents an exciting snapshot of contemporary British fiction writing and publishing,” said Founder and Director Sophie Rochester.
Later today, eight winners will each be awarded £5,000. WH Smith Travel will be running an eight-week summer promotion featuring all eight winning Jerwood Fiction Uncovered Prize titles. Titles will feature in stores across the UK from 25 June 2015.
The fifteen books in contention for the prize money are:
by June’s Book Club: Daughter by Jane Shemilt
Penguin, August 2014.
Book Corner is 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.
This month, our pick is: Daughter by Jane Shemilt
About the book…
Jenny is a successful family doctor, the mother of three great teenagers, married to a celebrated neurosurgeon.
But when her youngest child, fifteen-year-old Naomi, doesn’t come home after her school play, Jenny’s seemingly ideal life begins to crumble. The authorities launch a nationwide search with no success. Naomi has vanished, and her family is broken.
by The Island Escape by Kerry Fisher: Review and Extract
The Island Escape is the latest novel from author, Kerry Fisher. It was released by Avon on 21st May 2015. It’s available in paperback and as an e-book. The cover is absolutely beautiful.
Kerry and the lovely people at Avon have shared an extract with us today. Enjoy!
That was three hours ago. I prayed I’d be able to hold on all night. I perched on the mattress, sitting with as little buttock touching it as possible. I wondered if Alicia was asleep. I hated the thought of her going to school in the morning all strung out and exhausted. The memory of her bewildered face as the police marched me away, that teenage bravado long gone, threatened my fragile composure. I hoped she’d heard me shout, ‘Don’t worry, darling, it’s just a bit of a misunderstanding,’ over my shoulder as I ducked into the squad car. I hoped – probably in vain – that Scott had been more interested in comforting her than making sure she understood that ‘I’d driven him to it’.
There was no air. Every time someone opened the door outside in the corridor, the smell of stale urine wafted around. I saw the occasional shadow move past the opaque window to the outside, convincing myself every time that it must be Scott coming to save me. A man was singing ‘Why are we waiting?’ in the cell opposite. Whoever was next to me was trying to batter the door down.
A fetid gust signalled the arrival of someone. The metal shutter was pulled back. Then a dark-haired policeman I hadn’t seen before came in, carrying a paper cup. Another person to feel humiliated in front of. Sitting there in a garb more suitable for carrying out a crime scene investigation made normal interaction impossible. I didn’t even dress up for fancy dress parties. The hairs on my arms lifted with static as I crossed them over my chest.
by Competitions: June’s Which Book is This Anyway?
It’s June and a new month of Which Book is This Anyway?
Many of us judge books by their covers and make our choices based on that and the accompanying blurb. Our competition adds a little mystery.
The prize for this competition is a book but the identity of that book will not be revealed until the lucky winner receives it. It could be a recent new release or a well-known classic. Who knows? We won’t even reveal the genre. It’s a surprise. If you feel like having a guess in the meantime though, that’s OK, just comment below.
All we will reveal about June’s choice is this: ‘a book from a popular Irish author which focuses on large changes in the lives of the characters, their relationships and the importance of friendship.’
How to enter:
by Writing Room: Take a Letter
Writing Room is our online writing group.
We post an exercise. Once you’ve written your piece, feel free to post it in the comments box below for discussion. Anyone is welcome to take part and it’s an opportunity to post work plus give and gain feedback.
Today’s exercise: Take a Letter…
Pick a character from a current work in progress or if you’re not working on anything at the moment, pick a character from a favourite book. Get them to write a letter. It could be to their nemesis or it could be a letter themselves to be opened in the future or it could be to their past selves. What would they say? What does it reveal about your character or the plot of your story. Could you use it in either what you’re currently writing or use it to begin a new story?
by Review: The Turning Point by Freya North
The Turning Point by Freya North is released by HarperCollins and is available to buy from today (4th June 2015.)
Everyone deserves a new beginning. But sometimes fate isn’t on your side…
Over one short weekend, when Canadian musician Scott Emerson and British children’s author Frankie Shaw meet by chance, a profound connection is made. Their homes are thousands of miles apart: Frankie and her children live by the coast of North Norfolk while Scott’s roots lie deep in the mountains of British Columbia. Against all advice, they decide to see where this might go.
Over oceans and time zones, they make sacrifices and take risks, discovering along the way new truths about love and family. For the first time in a long while, it seems life could be very good. But fate has a tragic twist in store, one that could destroy all that was hoped for.
I was excited when I received a review copy of The Turning Point from HarperCollins. I knew little about the plot when I started the book but from the first few pages, I was hooked. I wasn’t sure where the story was going to go at first but I quickly became invested in the characters and wanted to know what was going to happen to them.
by Winner of May’s Which Book is This Anyway?
It’s time to announce the winner of May’s Which Book is This Anyway? Did you guess which book it was? (April’s book was The Rosie Project.’)
All we said about it was that ‘this book has been a part of Richard & Judy’s book club. A story that asks us how well do we know our children?’
Well done to Leila Benhamida,who is our winner this month. The competition for June will be open soon.
About ‘Which Book is This Anyway?’
Many of us judge books by their covers and make our choices based on that and the accompanying blurb. Our competition adds a little mystery.
The prize for this competition is a book but the identity of that book will not be revealed until the lucky winner receives it. It could be a recent new release or a well-known classic. Who knows? We won’t even reveal the genre.
by Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Randomness
Friday 29th May 2015:
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: Randomness. Place all of these random things into a story where your main character is a man named Mike. The items you need to put into your story are: A set of scales, eyes, a magnet, a house, a tent, insects, a compass, a magic wand and happiness (or lack off.)
by Bella’s Scribblings: Research
“Are you busy?” asks my husband.
“I’m doing research,” I reply.
Dictionary definition of ‘research’ – investigation esp scientific study to discover facts.
Reality of my ‘research’ –
• Type in key words to Google
• Follow first link
• Read and jot down a couple of interesting and informative facts on subject for novel
• See link to something unrelated but interesting – click
• An hour later realise you are watching funny cat videos again
• Try to find original Google search results on one of ridiculous number of open tabs
• Get distracted by Facebook update from friend, follow link to quiz…
• Notice another hour has disappeared
• Get a cup of tea and give self a good talking to about time-wasting
• Close down distracting tabs and stare at Google page – what was I researching again?
Whilst watching cats on the internet is highly entertaining it really is not moving my novel forward. I am particularly liking animal photo bombs at the moment. However, the reality is that even with all the distractions I know I can find out what I need to know and a million other things in a nanosecond (assuming I can stay focused for that long!)
by Blog Tour: The Invisible Man From Salem by Christoffer Carlsson
Photo Credit: Anna-Lena Ahlström, 2013
I’m very pleased to be welcoming Christoffer Carlsson to Novel Kicks. To celebrate the release of his novel, The Invisible Man from Salem (published in the UK by Scribe Books and translated by Michael Gallagher,) we will be taking part in the blog tour by reviewing the book but first, we had a chat with Christoffer about his novel, his favourite word and the three books he couldn’t live without…
Hi Christoffer. Can you tell us a little about The Invisible Man from Salem and it’s main character, Leo Junker. How did the idea originate?
The Invisible Man From Salem is part crime noir, part coming-of-age drama. It’s about two friends who come from the same place but grow to be very different people, and a story about the mysteries of friendship, love, guilt, and betrayal.
The idea really came from the work I was doing in criminology at the time. I was hired to write a PhD, based on life history interviews with a sample of juvenile delinquents born in Stockholm during the 1940s and 50s. As I began doing interviews with then in 2010, they were around 60 and had lived long and interesting lives. My interest was the field we call continuity and change in crime, that is, why did some of these juvenile offenders cease to do crime whereas others continued to offend well beyond the transition to adulthood? In other words, me interest was why some fare better than do others. As it turned out, some of the people who we – based on childhood risk factors – predicted would do bad, they did bad. But many of those we thought would do bad, actually turned out to live quite good lives. And, reversely, several of the people who we predicted would do good, actually lived quite crime-intensive lives. So, doing that work, it just got me thinking about what shapes a person’s life and, of course, the answer to that is very basic: it’s the relations we have to people and places, our location in the various dimensions of our social structure, and it is our own dreams and fears and aspirations.
I’m not claiming that I have written a criminological, fictionalized account of real lives or anything like that. I just wanted to write a crime drama based on the idea of what shapes people’s lives, and it was from it that the idea of the Leo Junker series grew.
What drew you to this genre?
Oh man, you know, I was born and bred on crime fiction. I’ve always loved it. The beauty in crime fiction is that it, when it’s done good, is much more than just a story about a crime. You know, much crime is the result of very basic dimensions of human existence. Love, friendship, greed, sex, guilt, betrayal, and various forms of drug use – all these things are very human things. But when they are taken to their extreme, the end result is sometimes crime. So when crime fiction is at its very best, it shows us what can happen when the most human elements in us go wrong. It tells us, in a sense, who we are and what we are capable of. I’m, by the way, not claiming that we are all equally prone to do murder or armed robberies; clearly, we’re not. But crime fiction can make us understand what is actually going on when such things do happen.
by Review: Polly and The Puffin by Jenny Colgan
Polly and The Puffin is the first children’s novel from author, Jenny Colgan whose previous novels include the Little Beach Street Bakery series.
Here’s the blurb:
Polly heard a CRASH downstairs. Was it a monster? NO! Was it a spider alien? NO!
It was a little puffin with a broken wing…
When Polly discovers an injured puffin, she and her mummy look after him in their cottage by the sea.
Slowly, Neil’s wing heals and Polly must prepare herself to say goodbye to her new friend. Will she ever see him again?.
Let’s get straight into it… I love this little book. It is so cute. When it arrived from Little Brown, it came with a sweet little cuddly puffin (whose name is Neil and he now sits on my desk.) For people who are not familiar with Jenny’s previous novels, Neil the Puffin first appeared in the Little Beach Street bakery series.
With it being a children’s book (I definitely don’t fit into the age range of its target audience,) I didn’t know whether I was going to like it but it’s so sweet and adorable.
by Novel Kicks Calls on Avon
Laura, Parastou, Claudia, Helen and Amy.
Recently, Helen and I were invited to attend an author event at Avon Publishers HQ in London (Avon’s Digital event to be more precise.)
With a mixture of excitement and nerves (which always seem to strike when I go to these types of events,) I made my way up to London. As someone who would love and is trying to write her first book, I am always so grateful to get the opportunity to chat with other writers (even if I spend most of the time trying not to gawk at these amazing, talented group of people who have published many novels between them.)
We arrived at Avon HQ which is situated near the Shard in London (The Shard looks both amazing and intimidating up close.) After being led up to the top floor, we were met by the lovely Parastou from Avon. It was great to meet her. Plus, she gave us a tote bag full of books. Always a bonus. We were then greeted by the most spectacular panoramic view of the London skyline. Helen and I couldn’t stop looking at it.
by Blog Tour: Always The Bridesmaid by Lindsey Kelk
I am so excited to be welcoming Lindsey Kelk back to Novel Kicks. We’re the final stop for her ‘The Bridesmaid Blog Tour’ for her new novel, Always The Bridesmaid which was released by Harper on 7th May. We’ve reviewed the book plus Lindsey and Harper have shared an extract with us but first, we chat to Lindsey about her new book, fictional places and books…
Hi Lindsey, thank you for joining us. Which fictional place would you like to visit?
OOH. Narnia might be nice for a getaway. I bet their wifi reception is terrible, I might actually get some peace.
Is there a fictional character you’d like to swop places with for a day and why? What would you do?
My mind has gone completely blank. Is there a character who can fly and make themselves invisible who is utterly, blissfully happy all the time? No? Oh. Then I’ll just be Frog from Frog and Toad Forever because he had a lovely life.
Can you tell us about your new book, Always The Bridesmaid and how the idea originated?
Like most of my stories, it came from my friends and our lives. We’re mostly all in our early to mid-thirties but we’re all over the place on the relationship spectrum, married, happily and unhappily, single, divorced, with kids, without kids. I wanted to tell a story from someone in the middle of the two intense situations happening at the same time – one friend getting married and the other getting divorced. From there, Maddie just came into her own.
by Blog Tour: Hunted by Paul Finch
I am very happy to be welcoming Paul Finch onto Novel Kicks today. His new book, Hunted was released by Avon on 7th May 2015. We review the latest adventures of DS Mark ‘Heck’ Heckenburg but first, Paul talks to us about his process for writing Hunted.
In some ways – at least at the start of the process – HUNTED was quite an awkward novel to write. Not least because late in the day we had to change its place in the schedule. Originally, it was slated to come third in the DS Heckenburg series. But then, due to reader demand to see the Nice Guys again – those were the villains in the first book, STALKERS – it was moved to fifth.
This in itself wasn’t a major problem, though obviously it necessitated some rejigging of characters and relationships given the tumultuous events in the third and fourth Heckenburg novels, THE KILLING CLUB and DEAD MAN WALKING. The real complication with HUNTED – if you could call it a complication, and I hesitate to actually use that term – arose because I always feel it’s important in these novels to take the central character, Heck, into different environments each time.
He frequently moves from the town to the city to the country, and back again, though inevitably most of these journeys see him trawling the badlands: impoverished urban zones, chaotic city centres – places where villainy most often occurs. Even in DEAD MAN WALKING, most of which Heck spends in the glorious Lake District, I found it important to ‘toughen’ things up. So I looked for as remote and isolated a location as I could, I set the book in late November and a thick winter fog, and introduced a deranged and seemingly unstoppable killer. For all these reasons I wanted a complete change of atmosphere and tone with HUNTED. This drew my attention to Southeast England, in particular the Home Counties, specifically Surrey, the place where allegedly there are more millionaires than anywhere else in the country. So the backdrop this time would be leafy lanes, comfortable commuter towns and well-heeled villages. I also opted to set the book during a hot summer, not just because it was scheduled for publication in May and therefore would arrive on most people’s e-readers or bookshelves with the sun shining outside and a feeling that the holiday season was just around the corner, but because I wanted to create a deceptively relaxed and peaceful mood.
Nothing bad could happen on a day like this and with such scenery around us, you might think. And if you do think that, good … that was my intention.
Because bad things, of course, do happen. This is a Heck novel, the trademarks for which are gruesome modes of murder and high body-counts. But this was another aspect of the book I also wanted to tweak slightly.
If you are writing about a dedicated investigation team like the Serial Crimes Unit, and you want it to be authentic, you are almost inevitably dealing with sexual homicide. This can be very discomforting for both the author and the reader. My crime novels are essentially entertainment, and yet sex murders are such a brutal and hideous reality of life that it’s not something we should take lightly. That said, I don’t think that as crime writers we do our readers any justice if we skate around this kind of unpleasantness. But it’s important not to be gratuitous with it. And so, though Heck has investigated sex crimes before, and will do again, I try, whenever possible, to move a little bit away from that – more into the realms of macabre craziness, dealing with horrible but baffling crimes and with criminals who in normal circumstances would be classifiable as insane.
by Bella’s Scribblings: Bringing Characters To Life
Could there be a better place on the planet for an excitable individual like me than Walt Disney World Florida? If there is I haven’t discovered it yet.
I have more bounce than Tigger, more manic a laugh than Stitch and I’m more playful than Pluto! So to be lucky enough to be able to go with my family to Disney World meant that I fitted right in and could skip around the Magic Kingdom without anyone batting an eyelid. For the child, Disney is also an amazingly magical place – the stuff of dreams. She saw the characters she has grown to love and the stories she knows so well actually come to life in front of her. She could watch them on stage, experience their world through rides, meet them and have a photograph with them and best of all be able to give them a hug! This is the ultimate holiday for her.
For me this is what writing is like. I have these characters that appear in my mind and they act out their story. Getting it down on paper is the first step in bringing them to life, it makes them more real; with a backstory, a goal and a personality. Seeing them come to life on the page of an actual book and being able to talk about them with readers is very similar to a trip to Disney World.
by Competitions: May’s Which Book is This Anyway?
It’s May’s Which Book is This Anyway?
Many of us judge books by their covers and make our choices based on that and the accompanying blurb. Our competition adds a little mystery.
The prize for this competition is a book but the identity of that book will not be revealed until the lucky winner receives it. It could be a recent new release or a well-known classic. Who knows? We won’t even reveal the genre. It’s a surprise. If you feel like having a guess in the meantime though, that’s OK, just comment below.
All we will reveal about May’s choice is this: ‘A book that’s been a part of Richard & Judy’s book club. A story that asks us how well do we know our children?’
How to enter:
by Blog Tour: The Chateau on the Lake by Charlotte Betts
1792. As a teacher at her parents’ Academy for Young Ladies in the heart of London, Madeleine Moreau has lived her life sheltered from the outside world. But on the night of a dazzling Masquerade, tragedy strikes and she is left alone in the world. Desperate to find the family she never knew, Madeleine impulsively travels to France in search of them. But with war around the corner, and fearing for Madeleine’s safety, the enigmatic Comte Etienne d’Aubery offers her protection at his home, Chateau Mirabelle.
Chateau Mirabelle enchants Madeleine with its startling beauty, but it is a place of dark and haunting secrets. As the Revolution gathers momentum and the passions of the populace are enflamed, Madeleine must take control of her own destiny and unravel events of the past in order to secure a chance of future happiness.
I was enthralled with this novel from the first chapter. I have a love of history and this book very much appealed to that interest. It is set during the French Revolution and so I couldn’t wait to get started.
The prose is beautifully written and it sets the scene so well. I really did get the feeling that I was in Paris during the Revolution. There has obviously been a lot of research going into details – the danger and the atmosphere was palpable.
by Review: The Happy Ever Afterlife of Rosie Potter (RIP) by Kate Winter
Falling in love is never simple. Especially when you’re dead.
When Rosie Potter wakes up one morning with what she assumes is the world’s worst hangover, the last thing she expects is to discover that she’s actually dead. With a frustrating case of amnesia, suspicious circumstances surrounding her untimely demise, and stuck wearing her ugliest flannel PJs, Rosie must figure out not only what happened last night, but why on earth she’s still here. (Warning: Small spoilers.)
The title for this book alone made me intrigued. It also made me laugh so I was looking forward to reading it. From the first page, I was pulled into the story. The writing style made it so easy to read and so before I knew it, I’d been reading for a while and not realised that time had passed (when I should have been sleeping. I blame this book for a want to snooze at work. Haha.)
I did think that the main character dying at the beginning would put a downer on the story but Kate Winter writes with such warmth and humour that I found myself laughing out loud in many places throughout the book.
Rosie is unusual in that from the offset, she’s dead. The point of view is quite unique in that respect. She is likeable, funny and relatable and I liked her from the beginning and this kept me turning the page as I wanted to find out what happened to her.
I loved Charles. He is a lovely hero and the story is so bittersweet as you know that, despite the fact that the promise of love is there with him, you know that it is too late. Jenny was a lovely best friend and, like with Rosie, I felt sorry for her and what she had been through prior to the story starting. I did not like Jack. He is a great character if you love to hate him.
by May’s Book Club: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Book Corner is 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.
This month, our pick is: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.
About the book:
HERE IS A SMALL FACT – YOU ARE GOING TO DIE
1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier.
Liesel, a nine-year-old girl, is living with a foster family on Himmel Street. Her parents have been taken away to a concentration camp. Liesel steals books. This is her story and the story of the inhabitants of her street when the bombs begin to fall.
by Competitions: April’s Winner – Which Book is This Anyway?
A little late but it’s time to announce the winner of April’s Which Book is This Anyway? Did you guess which book it was?
All we said about it was that ‘this story includes a loveable, quirky character who likes order and making lists.’
Well done to Martin Turner who is our winner this month. The competition for May will be open soon.
About ‘Which Book is This Anyway?’
Many of us judge books by their covers and make our choices based on that and the accompanying blurb. Our competition adds a little mystery.
The prize for this competition is a book but the identity of that book will not be revealed until the lucky winner receives it. It could be a recent new release or a well-known classic. Who knows? We won’t even reveal the genre.
by Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Short Story
Friday 1st May 2015: Short Story
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: Write a story based around the following prompt: ‘Able to hear others’ thoughts, a TV presenter goes on a blind date.’ What happens? Try to aim for at least five hundred words.
by Bella’s Scribblings: Paperback Writer
I am riding along on the tip of the foaming crest of a magnificent wave of excitement. I have been really lucky to have received so much support from brilliant bloggers, lovely readers and my ever-enthusiastic friends and family. My novel came out as an e-book on 12th February and has been bouncing around in the Amazon and KOBO charts each day since (my husband is obsessively monitoring it’s fortunes). Yesterday saw my novel ‘It Started At Sunset Cottage’ enter the world as a paperback – an actual real, hold in my sweaty palm (I’m excited and roll-on doesn’t doesn’t work on that part of my anatomy), proper book with paper pages and everything! I have avoided stroking the beautiful cover so far, but it’s been hard. I thought I was excited when the e-book came out but seeing it in real life is a whole new level of excited!
So next week on Wednesday 29th April I am joining four other local authors to hold a joint book launch at Coventry library. We have exchanged e-mails and decided that we will each talk about ourselves and our writing for ten minutes and then read an extract from our book. It suddenly struck me (like a chair in the face) that our audience of lovely readers (assuming someone turns up) will be coming along expecting to see real authors. Right now I feel like I’m masquerading and have sneaked in alongside these multi-published individuals experienced at such book events and there will be a line of proper authors and then… me. I feel it will be a little bit like putting Miranda Hart on Prime Minister’s Question Time – which would be fun for all the wrong reasons.
by Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Myths
Friday 24th April 2015: Myths
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: Write a story that has elements of mythology in it. From what time period is up to you.
by Author Interview: Ben Adams
Ben Adams is the author of 6 Months to Get a Life. Thank you for joining us, Ben. Can you tell us a little about your new book?
Thanks for inviting me on to your blog.
Six Months to Get a Life is the story of a man trying to come to terms with his divorce. The book follows Graham Hope as he strives to get over his ex, to maintain his relationship with his children, to build new friendships and to work out a way of having sex again at some point in his life.
How did the idea for the book originate?
I recently went through a marriage break-up myself. I started writing Six Months to Get a Life as a way of capturing my own thoughts. If you like, it was therapy for me.
So is it about you then? I thought it was fiction?
It is fiction. About two days into the writing process, I realised that the book shouldn’t be about me. It shouldn’t be about my ex or my children either. What right did I have to write about them? And who would want to read it if I did? If it had been about me, people would have slit their wrists by the end of Chapter 3.
So instead of writing a memoir, I created a fictional tale. I invented a new ex, new friends, new children, new events and new debacles. Did the marriage guidance scene happen to me? No. Did I meet my ex in a sexually transmitted diseases clinic? Er, no. Have I ever twerked in a nightclub? Maybe, but that’s another story. Have I got a big ego and a small penis? No comment.
by My Favourite Books: Harry Potter
Copyright: JK Rowling
I have always been a big reader. Even at a young age, you were more likely to find me reading than watching TV (the only rival to my reading would have been colouring books.)
I have loved going on different adventures, falling in love with characters and loving to hate the villains. I’ve been thinking back to the books that have stayed with me even years after I’ve stopped reading the last page and in this new feature, I wanted to share some of my favourites with you.
One of the books that has stayed with me, is Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Azkaban by JK Rowling.
I was late coming to the Harry Potter series. I think the books came to my attention when browsing in a book shop one day around the same time that the first film had appeared in cinemas. As the film had just been released, I’d been hearing a lot about the series (or the books that had been released up to that point,) and I was intrigued so I picked up the first book in the series. Let’s just say, within three days, I had to buy the rest. One of the things I love about this book series in particular is that it appeals to all ages and covers a variety of themes. I am fascinated by how these seven books all interconnect – how a small piece of information in the first book, like the fact that the wands are brothers is the thing that ends up saving his life later on.
by Book Haul: Five Books I’m Excited To Read
I have a HUGE obsession with books. I have been sent some great books over the past few weeks and I have also brought a few new books too. Despite the fact that I have quite a large TBR pile, it doesn’t stop me from adding to it on an almost daily basis. You can never have enough books, right? It was hard to pick but I wanted to share five of them with you – five I am looking forward to reading and reviewing soon. Let me know in the comments if you’ve read any of the books below and what you thought? Do you have any more you’d recommend?
The first book is We Are All Made of Stars by Rowan Coleman.
I love Rowan Coleman. Simple. I am also adoring this cover for her upcoming novel. It’s beautiful. It is due to be released on 21st May 2015 by Ebury who were kind enough to send me a review copy. I can’t wait to get stuck into this book and going by the blurb, it sounds great.
The blurb… Do not miss me, because I will always be with you…I am the air, the moon, the stars. For we are all made of stars, my beloved… Wherever you look, I will be there. Stella Carey exists in a world of night. Married to a soldier who has returned from Afghanistan injured in body and mind, she leaves the house every evening as Vincent locks himself away, along with the secrets he brought home from the war. During her nursing shifts, Stella writes letters for her patients to their loved ones – some full of humour, love and practical advice, others steeped in regret or pain – and promises to post these messages after their deaths. Until one night Stella writes the letter that could give her patient one last chance at redemption, if she delivers it in time…
The second novel I wanted to share is Freedom’s Child by Jax Miller.
This book sounds like such a roller coaster and it sounds so intriguing. I like mysteries (if you’ve not already guessed.) This is the debut novel from Jax and it is due to be released by Harper Collins on 30th July. I love it when books arrive with little surprises from the publisher. This review copy arrived at my house with a mini bottle of Southern Comfort which the husband will enjoy immensely.
The blurb…A heart-stopping debut thriller about a woman named Freedom, who will stop at nothing to save the daughter she only knew for two minutes and seventeen seconds. Call me what you will: a murderer, a cop killer, a fugitive, a drunk…There’s a lot people don’t know about Freedom Oliver. They know she works at the local bar. They know she likes a drink or two. What they don’t know is that Freedom is not her real name. That she has spent the last eighteen years living under Witness Protection, after being arrested for her husband’s murder. They don’t know that she put her two children up for adoption, a decision that haunts her every day. Then Freedom’s daughter goes missing, and everything changes. Determined to find her, Freedom slips her handlers and heads to Kentucky where her kids were raised. No longer protected by the government, she is tracked by her husband’s sadistic family, who are thirsty for revenge. But as she gets closer to the truth, Freedom faces an even more dangerous threat. She just doesn’t know it yet.
by Review: The Red Notebook by Antoine Laurain
The Red Notebook tells the story of Laurent Letellier, a bookseller living in Paris. One day, he finds an abandoned ladies handbag. Looking inside with a hope to reuniting it with its owner, he finds no money, wallet or personal contact information. What he does find is a small, red notebook which is full of handwritten private thoughts, lists and jottings. The longer he spends in possession of this notebook, the more it reveals someone who Laurent wants to get to know – a woman named Laure. This book is his journey to try to find her in a city full of strangers.
Written by Antoine Laurain, this book has been translated from French by Jane Aitken and Emily Boyce. I’d previously read The President’s Hat so I had a small idea of what to expect. I loved that book so I was very excited and intrigued when The Red Notebook arrived. I love the covers of both this book and The President’s Hat. They are beautifully drawn and adds to the whimsical theme of the book.
This book isn’t very long. It is under 200 pages so I read it in a couple of sittings. It’s perfect for if you want a book for a train journey or a lazy afternoon. The style of writing is easy to get into and I was reading it not realising a huge chunk of time has passed.
by Bella’s Scribblings: When Stupid Strikes!
I have often read criticism of Women’s Contemporary Fiction, Romantic Comedy, Chick Lit – call it what you will. A frequent comment is that the seemingly intelligent heroine suddenly does something rather stupid. Readers condemn this as ridiculous , out of character and unbelievable. Now, please bear this in mind as I tell you my sorry tale…
I am not a genius (neither Mensa nor NASA are beating down my door and begging me to enlighten them) however, I am also not stupid. I did well at school (I was a bit of a girly swot, actually) I got good grades in my exams and I hold down a fairly pressured job. Even so I have discovered that ‘stupid’ can strike any of us and any time.
I was printing off copies of papers that needed to be stapled together in pairs – a fairly simple task for someone of my experience and deep knowledge of stationery items (I have a serious stationery buying habit) and a task I have accomplished before unaided and without incident.
by Competitions: April’s Which Book is This Anyway?
It’s April’s Which Book is This Anyway?
Many of us judge books by their covers and make our choices based on that and the accompanying blurb. Our competition adds a little mystery.
The prize for this competition is a book but the identity of that book will not be revealed until the lucky winner receives it. It could be a recent new release or a well-known classic. Who knows? We won’t even reveal the genre. It’s a surprise. If you feel like having a guess in the meantime though, that’s OK, just comment below.
All we will reveal about April’s choice is this: ‘this story includes a loveable, quirky character who likes order and making lists.’
How to enter:
by Writing Room: Varying View Points
Writing Room is our online writing group.
We post an exercise. Once you’ve written your piece, post it in the comments box below for discussion. Anyone is welcome to take part and it’s an opportunity to post work plus give and gain feedback.
Today’s exercise: Varying View Points.
Today, it is a short story (minimum of 600 words.) The scene is a doctor’s surgery. It is 10 o clock in the morning. The decor of the room is cream and there are leaflets and posters up on the wall.
by Blog Tour: His Other Life by Beth Thomas
We’re pleased to be welcoming Beth Thomas to Novel Kicks. She is the author of Carry You. Her latest novel, His Other Life has just been released by Avon. We’ve reviewed it below. As part of the blog tour for her new book, Beth has shared an extract. Enjoy.
CHAPTER TWO
Twenty minutes after Adam has left finds me pacing the living room. I’ve put plates in the oven, got some wine ready and selected a few DVDs for Adam to choose from, but that only took a minute or two. Now I’m walking from the back window to the front, lifting up the curtain, peering out at the street then turning and walking to the back again. There must be a long queue in the Indian. And of course we never actually got round to ordering the food so he will have to wait while it’s prepared and cooked. It could take, ooh, at least, I don’t know, half an hour. But it’s already been… Never mind, never mind, if there’s a queue he could wait fifty minutes, easily. An hour, even. It’s possible. Maybe he’s had to try a few different places. Maybe he’s bumped into someone he knows and has lost all track of time. Maybe he’s bumped into Leon.
After about two hours, I’ve stopped pacing and am now sitting on the edge of the sofa, rocking backwards and forwards and occasionally biting the hard skin around my fingernails. I’ve got my own mobile phone loose in my hand but it’s as good as useless when the one, the only person I want to contact has apparently switched his phone off. That sodding phone of his, full of mysteries and unknowns, always always with him, constantly lighting up and vibrating all over the place; but now, when I really need to use it, when it will be of more use than it ever has before – to me, anyway – in his pocket in complete darkness. Oh my God, why would he do that? Why would anyone? What’s the arsing point of having an arsing mobile if it’s arsing switched off, for arse’s sake?
by Review: All My Friends Are Superheroes by Andrew Kaufman
All Tom’s friends really are superheroes. Tom even married a superhero, the Perfectionist. But at their wedding the Perfectionist is hypnotized by her ex, Hypno, to believe that Tom is invisible. Nothing he does can make her see him. Six months later, the Perfectionist is sure that Tom has abandoned her, so she’s moving to Vancouver. She’ll use her superpowers to leave all the heartbreak behind. With no idea that Tom’s beside her, she boards the plane. Tom has, until they touch down, to convince her he’s there, or he loses her forever.
I had seen this book recommended a few times by various people on You Tube. I had also read The Tiny Wife (also by Kaufman ) and loved it so I was excited to read this one. It is only about eighty pages long so it is perfect if you’re looking for a quick read through a train journey or before going to sleep. I read it in pretty much one sitting. This book is quirky and it has a lovely idea behind it.
The writing style makes the story engaging in my opinion and it is easy to read.
Looking at some of the other reviews, I feel that perhaps it is a little bit of a marmite book. You are either going to love it or hate it – you get it or you don’t. Personally, I loved it. Tom is an Continue reading
by April’s Book Club: We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler
Serpent’s Tail, June 2014.
Book Corner is 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.
This month, our pick is: We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler.
About the book:
Rosemary doesn’t talk very much, and about certain things she’s silent. She had a sister, Fern, her whirlwind other half, who vanished from her life in circumstances she wishes she could forget. And it’s been ten years since she last saw her beloved older brother Lowell.
by Competitions: March’s Winner for Which Book is This Anyway?
March’s Which Book is This Anyway?
The prize is a book but we’ve not revealed the title and won’t until the winner receives it.
Many of us judge books by their covers and make our choices based on that and the accompanying blurb. Our competition adds a little mystery.
It could be a recent new release or a well-known classic. Who knows? We’ve not even revealed the genre. It’s a surprise.
All we did say about this book is that ‘A young girl’s tale about her strange family. This story has been described as clever, moving, fascinating and funny.’
Thank you to every one who entered and well done to Carol Peace who has been drawn out of the hat this month. Your book will be on its way to you soon.
Keep your eye out for April’s competition.
by Bella’s Scribblings: Holiday Planning
I ragged my holiday – well not exactly.
Any of you lovely people who have read my column before may have picked up the fact that sometimes I quite like to plan things. Okay, maybe it’s a bit more than sometimes and perhaps I really like it… Okay! I admit it I have to plan things and I love it – there are you happy now?
So it should be no surprise that when it comes to holidays these too are planned. I am very proud to say that all of 2015’s holidays were booked by October 2014 and 2016’s main holiday is in the bag. (Smug grin). Now usually that would be sufficient but this year things are a little different, this year we are going to Walt Disney World in Florida and it is a return visit so we have the benefit of our ‘Lessons Learned’ from our trip three years ago (dusts off file).
My husband was not surprised when I counted out the days on the calendar and placed reminders at 180 days before our holiday (that’s when you can make Disney Dining reservations), 60 days before (that’s when you can book your Fastpass Plus times for specific rides you want to go on), up to 30 days before you can customize your Magicband (a very clever bracelet that is your room key, your park entry ticket, your Fastpass Plus selections and a contactless wallet so you can tap and pay and it charges to your credit card!)
Husband and child were not surprised when a spreadsheet was produced that detailed all the information that had been booked and noted down reference numbers and the outcomes of the family discussions we had held e.g. what was our top priority at Universal? Character breakfast with Winnie the Pooh or Lilo and Stitch? Fireworks at Epcot or Magic Kingdom? (Answers were Minions, Lilo and Stitch and Epcot – I voted for Harry Potter but was outvoted – glum face).
by Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Reversing
Friday 27th March 2015: Reversing
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: What would happen if you woke up one day to find that you were ageing in reverse? You weren’t getting older, you were getting younger. What would you do first? What would happen? How would it end? Can you stop it and would you want to?
by Review: The Day We Disappeared by Lucy Robinson
Annie has a secret. But if she’s not going to tell, we won’t either. It’s a heart-breaking secret she wishes she didn’t have – yet Annie isn’t broken, not quite yet. Especially now there’s someone out there who seems determined to fix her.
Kate has run away. But she’s not going to tell us why – that would defeat the point of running, wouldn’t it? It’s proving difficult to reinvent herself, however, with one person always on her mind.
Scratch beneath the surface and nobody is really who they seem. Even Annie and Kate, two old friends, aren’t entirely sure who they are any more. Perhaps you can work it out, before their pasts catch up with them for good . . .
A gripping and unpredictable story of two young women running from their pasts. We defy you to guess the twist . . .
Lucy Robinson’s books have always been on my TBR list, but they’ve never made it to the top. I loved the blurb on this book, so couldn’t help myself.
I loved this. I couldn’t put it down once I got into it. I was reading in lunch breaks, which I never usually take, when I wasn’t reading it, I was thinking about it. When I finished it, I couldn’t get the characters out my mind.
by Author Interview: Miranda Richmond Mouillot
A Fifty-Year Silence is the new book from author, Miranda Richmond Mouillot and was released today. Miranda has joined us to chat about her new book. Firstly, she tells us a little about A Fifty-Year Silence and what inspired her to write it?
In 1953, my grandmother, Anna Munster, packed her bags and walked out on my grandfather Armand Jacoubovitch, taking the typewriter, a grapefruit knife, and their two children.
Five years before that day, in 1948, Armand and Anna bought a ruined stone house in the south of France a month before moving to America to start a new life.
Eight years before that day, in 1945, Anna gave birth to their first child while Armand prepared to begin his job at the Nuremberg Trials as one of just two or three court interpreters who were also victims of the accused.
Eleven years before that day, in 1942, Armand and Anna climbed over the Alps in a snowstorm, reached the border an hour after the guards had gone off duty, and escaped Nazi-occupied France to neutral Switzerland.
Thirteen years before that day, in 1940, when France fell to the Nazis, Armand walked three hundred kilometers to hide out with Anna in a village in the French Pyrenees.
And seventeen years before that day, in 1936, Armand and Anna met in a café in Strasbourg and fell passionately in love.
Or did they?
Here’s the thing: I never knew.
The story of what happened between my grandparents both before and after their divorce was total enigma to me throughout my childhood and young adult life. No one could tell me when or how they had met, or when or why they had gotten married. No one could explain just what had made their separation so acrimonious. No one knew, because half a century later, they still wouldn’t speak to one another. If they referred each other at all, it was in cryptic half-sentences. My grandfather couldn’t even bear to utter my grandmother’s name. All that remained of their life together were a few snapshots in a faded photo album. Those snapshots, those tiny, beautiful remnants of a life the war had completely destroyed – they were the beginning of writing this book: from a young age, I desperately, desperately wanted to know what had happened between them.
by A Moment With: Holly Martin
Holly Martin is the author or The Guestbook, The Sentinel and One Hundred Proposals (as well as One Hundred Christmas Proposals. All published by Carina.) She lives in Bedfordshire in a house with round windows.
She shares her five writing tips:
Read everything, the good, the bad, the ugly, the amazing. See how things work and how things don’t.
Watch people, listen to what they talk about, how they talk, walk and dress so you can create real life characters
Get people you trust to read it and give you feedback.
Don’t take any criticism or feedback personally
Never, ever give up
Learn more about Holly and her books at her blog: https://hollymartinwriter.wordpress.com
by News: Barbara Taylor Bradford Launches Writing Competition
Barbara Taylor Bradford OBE has joined forces with The Sunday Times to help discover the next generation of young female writers.
Barbara is an ambassador for the National Literacy Trust, an independent UK charity that transforms lives through literacy.
The Write Stuff short story competition is aimed at girls aged 11-18 and who live in the UK. It was launched nationwide on Sunday (22nd March.)
The competition has been initiated following research by National Literacy Trust of more than 14,000 girls revealing that only one in four girls aged 14 to 16 (23%) see writing as cool, and almost half prefer watching TV to reading (49%).
“I feel it’s critical to reach out to girls and young women who want to share a story they have created and inspire a new generation of female writers and readers. It’s really important that female authors like myself take the lead as role models for girls and young women and encourage them to reach their full potential,” says author, Barbara Taylor Bradford who is due to release her 30th novel, The Cavendon Women on 26th March 2015.
by Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Switching
Friday 20th March 2015: Switching
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: Think about something that has happened to you. It could be something strange, unusual or funny that happened to you as a child, or a teenager or something that happened last week. Once you have something, write about it from the perspective of someone else. You could also think of a situation someone you know has been in and put yourself in their shoes.
by Book News: Upcoming Releases
Spring will soon be on its way. It is only two weeks until the clocks go forward and there is a promise of longer evenings and lighter mornings. It also means new books. I wanted to share with you five of the books that I am most looking forward to reading so far this year…
The Girls by Lisa Jewell.
I love Lisa’s books and so I can’t wait for this one to be released. This one sounds very intriguing. The cover is so pretty too. This is due to be released by Century on 2nd July 2015.
Dark secrets, a devastating mystery and the games people play. You live on a picturesque communal garden square, an oasis in urban London where your children run free, in and out of other people’s houses. You’ve known your neighbours for years and you trust them. Implicitly. You think your children are safe. But are they really?Midsummer night: a thirteen-year-old girl is found unconscious in a dark corner of the garden square. What really happened to her? And who is responsible?
by Book Club
