Cover Reveal: Journey To The Scottish Highlands By Julie Shackman
I hope you’re as excited as I am as we reveal the cover for Journey To The Scottish Highlands, the upcoming novel by Julie Shackman
Daisy’s career hasn’t exactly been going to plan and the last thing she wants to do is stay home and wallow in self-pity. So, when an opportunity arises to escape her London home, and make some money working a fancy event at a stately home, she jumps at it.
Determined to make the most out of the situation, she decides a road trip to the Scottish Highlands would be the perfect way to reset and take control of her life.
When devilishly handsome Evan finds himself stranded at the event following a cancelled flight to Scotland, Daisy does the kindest thing she can think of and invites him to join her. As they embark on their journey north, will the scenic trip help them rediscover themselves, and possibly even find something they weren’t expecting…
Now we know about the plot, it’s time to reveal the cover.
Drumroll…three…two…one….
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Novel Kicks Writing Room: Your Project’s Roadmap
Welcome Back To The Novel Kicks Writing Room.
Today, it’s all about our WIP’s. I know I need to focus on mine. If you’re in-between projects, think about an idea you’ve had for a while and been meaning to develop.
First, write down everything you do know about your plot and story.
Write the title of your WIP in the middle of an A4 piece of paper. Then write about what you do know about your main plot, sub-plots, characters, setting, genre, what it needs to meet in terms of beats? Are any elements of it connected to another – for example, if you’re doing a suspense novel, does part of your reveal at the end rely on one of the side characters?
Once you’ve filled in as much as you can with in terms of what you know, try and fill in the gaps. Remember, the novel you write is a living, breathing thing and subject to change but I’ve found this exercise helpful in giving myself a clear overview of the shape of my story.
Here’s an example I made earlier (excuse the handwriting).
by Book Extract: The Truth About You by Michael Clark
It’s a pleasure to be welcomng Michael Clark to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for his book, The Truth About You.
Some stories keep us turning the pages, and others leave us wrestling with questions long after we’ve finished. Michael Clark’s The Truth About You manages to do both.
Lucy and Meg believe their mother will finally be safe after her husband, Greg, is arrested for assault. But when she chooses to stay with him, the sisters take drastic action to protect her: installing hidden cameras in their home. What they capture is nothing like what Lucy expects. Instead of clear evidence, the recordings reveal complexities that defy black-and-white assumptions about abuse, loyalty, and justice.
With echoes of Celeste Ng and Miranda Cowley Heller, The Truth About You is a gripping and emotionally charged novel that explores the unsettling gray areas of family, morality, and truth.
Michael has shared an extract from The Truth About You with us today. We hope you enjoy.
*****beginning of extract*****
Setting: After Greg is arrested for battering his wife, Paula, Paula remains in a relationship with him. Time has passed, and Paula’s friends determine they need to stage an intervention to “hold him accountable.”
*****
Shortly after 7 p.m., Greg and Paula pulled into the driveway in Greg’s SUV. They stayed in the car for several minutes. Stacy peered through the family room curtains to check what was happening. “They’re still sitting in the car,” she reported.
“Is he hitting her?” someone asked.
“No. At least not as far as I can tell,” she said.
“Are they arguing?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Should someone go out there?”
“I’m not sure about that, either.”
Finally, the doors to the SUV opened and Greg and Paula got out. Greg went to the back and started filling his arms with bags from their shopping trip. Paula headed for the kitchen’s side door.
“Are you okay?” Christine asked Paula as she came through the door.
by Book Extract & Giveaway: A Taste of Christmas Spirit by Susan Buchanan
I’m so happy to be welcoming Susan Buchanan back to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her latest book, A Taste of Christmas Spirit.
AN ALL-NEW CHRISTMAS SPIRIT BOOK FOR 2025
CAN LARA ADD A DASH OF MAGIC THIS CHRISTMAS?
The Sugar and Spice bakery sparkles with holiday spirit as Jacob serves up more mouthwatering festive treats, and Christmas spirit Lara tries to sprinkle her magic over those finding the time of year difficult.
Ollie is at his wits’ end. A debt from years ago comes back to haunt him just as he and his girlfriend are buying their dream home.
Rose is dejected as her college sweetheart has dumped her now they’re in their final year. She’s not looking forward to Christmas alone, nor her twenty-first birthday on Christmas Eve.
Sacha has recently moved to Winstanton following the failure of his business. He’s too embarrassed to confide in his family, but can he find the friendship he so desperately needs and begin to trust again?
Diana tries to find her new normal after the unexpected death of her husband earlier this year. All her plans for retirement have been thrown out the window and she feels lost. She needs a renewed sense of purpose and to find her place in the world.
Can Lara provide the answer to a joy-filled Christmas?
A story of hope, love, friendship, community, and of course, Christmas spirit. For fans of Sarah Morgan, Philippa Ashley, Jenny Colgan and Cathy Bramley.
There’s a chance to win a signed and dedicated copy of A Taste of Christmas Spirit below but first, Susan has shared an extract below. We hope you enjoy it.
*****beginning of extract*****
Sixty-something Diana is sitting in Sugar and Spice, one of her main haunts, whiling away the day.
*****
Diana was on her second latte, reading the final three chapters of A Christmas Carol in preparation for the first Christmas book club event that evening. It had been so many years since she’d last read it that she’d quite forgotten how much she’d enjoyed it first time around. Of course, she’d also watched the various adaptations over the years on TV, but it wasn’t the same as reading the story, particularly from the special edition hardback she’d picked up at Tom and Jerry’s. How handy the bookshop was next door to the café. The only thing that could make it any better would be if they created a door between the two.
Once again, Diana tried to remind herself of all the things she should be grateful for. She had clubs and classes she attended. She had friends. She had wonderful children. A delightful grandson. She was educated. She had a little haven right here in Winstanton, in the form of Sugar and Spice. For a moment tears threatened. These affirmations were all very well, but telling herself of everything she had to be grateful for didn’t diminish the pain she felt at the absence of Martin from her life. Life could be very cruel.
by Book Extract: A Mirror Murder by Helen Hollick
I’m excited to be welcoming Helen Hollick to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her book, A Mirror Murder, the first instalment in The Jan Christopher Cozy Mystery Series.
The first in a series of quick-read, cozy mysteries set during the 1970s in North East London and North Devon, featuring the characters of Jan Christopher, her Aunt Madge, her uncle, DCI Toby Christopher and romantic interest DC Lawrence Walker – plus several other endearing, regular characters.
The background of Jan’s career as a library assistant is based on the author’s own library years during the 1970s, using many borrowed (often hilarious!) anecdotes, her life in suburban north east London on the edge of Epping Forest, and her present life in rural North Devon…
July 1971
Eighteen-year-old library assistant Jan Christopher’s life is to change on a rainy evening, when her legal guardian and uncle, DCI Toby Christopher, gives her a lift home after work. Driving the car, is her uncle’s new Detective Constable, Lawrence Walker – and it is love at first sight for the young couple. But romance is soon to take a back seat when a baby boy is taken from his pram, a naked man is scaring young ladies in nearby Epping Forest, and an elderly lady is found, brutally murdered… Are the events related? How will they affect the staff and public of the local library where Jan works – will romance survive and blossom between library assistant Jan Christopher and DC Walker? Or will a brutal murder intervene?
There’s some more information on the upcoming novels in the series below but first, Helen has shared an extract from A Mirror Murder with us today. We hope you enjoy it.
*****beginning of extract*****
CHAPTER TWO
Summer 1971
Detective Constable Walker
(It’s home time after a long day at work for young library assistant, Jan Christopher…)
by Book Club
