Book Review: The Comfort of Others by Kay Langdale
Hodder & Stoughton (June, 2016)
Sometimes friendship springs from where you least expect it.
Minnie has always lived with her sister Clara in her family’s beautiful, grand, yet increasingly dilapidated house Rosemount. Now in her seventies, she finds herself looking back to a life that has been shrouded with sorrow, and a painful secret that she has guarded since her teens.
Eleven-year-old Max, who lives opposite Minnie on the housing estate built in Rosemount’s grounds, has grown up happily with his single mother. But his mum has begun a new relationship and suddenly life is starting to change.
As each of them tell their stories, she via a resurrected childhood journal, him via a Dictaphone, they spot each other through their bedroom windows and slowly and hesitantly an unlikely friendship begins to form.
A friendship that might just help Max come to terms with the present and enable Minnie, finally, to lay to rest the ghosts of her past…
The Comfort of Others is told from two people’s point of view and focuses on two main characters – Minnie, who is in her seventies and Max who is eleven years old. Max lives with his mother on a housing estate. He begins to feel a little pushed out when his mother gets a new boyfriend. He finds his mum’s old dictaphone and so decides to keep a diary.
Minnie lives in the big house opposite. Her family used to own the land Max’s house is built on. She has lived there all of her life and for many years, has lived alone with her older sister, Clara. Around the same time that Max finds a friend in speaking into the dictaphone, Minnie also starts writing down things from her past – things she has previously run away from.
Whilst both working with their journals, they begin to wave at one another through the window and eventually they form an unlikely friendship.
I quickly got sucked into this story. Both of them are heartbreaking and bittersweet in their own way. The writing in this novel is beautiful. Kay painted such a vivid picture of Minnie’s house and the surrounding area. It all sounded so pretty that I wanted to move there.
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Competitions: A Family Holiday Tote Bag Winner…
To celebrate the release of her new book, A Family Holiday (read my review here,) we had a limited edition A Family Holiday tote bag to give away.
Well done to Wendy Jones who has won herself that tote bag.
About A Family Holiday:
She’ll do whatever it takes to keep this family together…
As the nanny to four quirky but loveable children, Charlie French has learnt that if there was ever a cement shortage Weetabix would be a viable substitute and that YouTube videos can go viral in seconds, much to her horror. But, most importantly, she’s learnt that whatever happens you stick together as a family.
When tragedy strikes, Charlie is forced to decide whether it’s time to move on or fight to keep the children she loves. With the distraction of the children’s gorgeous Uncle Felix and the chance of a holiday in stunning Antigua, she’s left wondering if turquoise seas can wash away their present troubles. Is the pull of white sand beaches too tempting to resist or will paradise fail to keep them all together?
A gorgeous summery beach read, perfect for fans of Katie Fforde, Carole Matthews and Jill Mansell.
by
Hi everyone.
It’s been a while eh?!
2016 for me has been an eventful one (a little bit of an understatement actually.) I have wondered whether to talk about what has been happening in my life recently and whether it would do any good to write about it but I have always gone to the written word to express my feelings. I’ve always kept diaries over the years (not always good at keeping them up though.) Whenever anything happens, I go to the page. Not to write a novel but to just express myself. Recently, I’ve been mostly doing this on seven hundred and fifty words. That blank page listens and it helps.
For me, this year has handed me some pretty intense experiences. Firstly, a miscarriage. This was back in January and it broke my heart. Chris and I had been trying for eight years. The day we found out, I felt as though I was walking on air. All the anxiety and fear I had been feeling had melted away. All that mattered was the baby.
A few weeks later, I needed to have an appointment for a scan as a problem developed. That moment when they confirmed what I think I already knew…time had never slowed like that for me before.
Miscarriage is one of those things that is not really spoken about but once you go through it, you realise that it is something people around you have been through. You get your head around the idea that you are going to be a parent and then…. nothing. You’re left with nothing but this real enormous feeling of sadness and loss for someone whom you never met and yet incredibly miss.
by Novel Kicks Writing Room: Write Down The Conversation
Tuesday 28th June 2016: Write Down The Conversation.
Today’s prompt..
Create two characters. One wants to do something and the other one doesn’t. Each decision has consequences.
Each person believes that they have the winning argument.
Write an exchange between these two people showing the conflict and allowing each to get their argument across.
Don’t use anything but dialogue.
Do they resolve things?
Try to write at least five hundred words.
by Author Interview: Lynne North Talks About Be Careful What You Wish For
I’m happy to be welcoming author Lynne North back to Novel Kicks today to talk about her latest book, Be Careful What You Wish For.
About Be Careful What You Wish For:
Finn is a bored young leprechaun. He lives with his mum and dad in a small village named Duntappin, and goes to the local school there. He spends most of his free time with his best friend Dallan, but craves some excitement in his life. Unfortunately, Finn missed out on being blessed by the Good Luck Fairy and soon gets far more than he bargained for. He finds himself a long way from home in the hands of a travelling circus where he is little more than a ‘freak’ to amuse the customers.
Hi Lynne, thank you so much for joining me today. Can you tell me a little about your latest book, Be Careful What You Wish For and now the idea originated?
‘Be Careful What You Wish For’ is a children’s humorous fantasy tale about Finn, a young leprechaun. It was published by Crimson Cloak Publishing on St Patrick’s Day, 2016.
So, it’s a happy story about a lucky chap with a liking for green clothes? Well no, not exactly. Finn is far from lucky. His parents missed his blessing with the Good Luck Fairy, the reasons why will be revealed in the book. Anyway, if there is bad luck to be had, Finn finds it. Despite knowing he isn’t the luckiest leprechaun in the village, he still craves adventure and excitement. Something he believes to be in short supply in the peaceful village where he lives with his parents. Somehow though, when Finn’s big chance of adventure does come along, he soon discovers that all adventures are not necessarily as much fun as he expected…
Anyone who has read my books before, like ‘Caution: Witch in Progress’, will know that I like to turn the expected on its head. I’m not entirely sure where my first thoughts of Finn began, but there he was winding his way through my head. All leprechauns are lucky, I thought, but what if this one isn’t? The ideas began to flow quickly. I also delved into Irish myth and folklore for some great characters. You might not have heard of a lot of them, but even if you do know about them, you won’t recognise my versions. I can guarantee that no character in this book will be quite what you expect!
How do you approach the process? Do you look at characters or plot first? Do you edit as you go?
I like to find my characters first. Or they find me, and insist on being written about. As I said, Finn wheedled his way into my thoughts until I just had to write about him. I tend to write in longhand in the first instance. In that way I can fling my ideas down in any scribbled format I choose. Once a chapter is completed in this way, it then meets my computer and becomes more legible and professionally written. So yes, I edit as I go along, though of course once the book is complete it undergoes one, or more, final serious and structured edits and proofreads. It’s a long process, but what matters is my satisfaction (and my publisher’s of course!) with the final product.
by Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Fill in the Gaps
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: Fill in the Gaps:
Fill in the gaps in this story. There should be five words (of any length) between each of them and it has to make sense.
….. ….. ….. ….. ….. snowfall ….. ….. ….. ….. …..elephant ….. ….. ….. ….. ….. double ….. ….. ….. ….. ….. massive ….. ….. ….. …… ….. again ….. ….. ….. ….. ….. clown ….. …… …… …… ….. disagreed ….. ….. ….. ….. ….. health ….. ….. ….. ….. ….. travel ….. ….. ….. ….. ….. season.
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I am extremely happy to be welcoming Bella Osborne back to Novel Kicks and her blog tour for her new novel, A Family Holiday.
She’ll do whatever it takes to keep this family together…
As the nanny to four quirky but loveable children, Charlie French has learnt that if there was ever a cement shortage Weetabix would be a viable substitute and that YouTube videos can go viral in seconds, much to her horror. But, most importantly, she’s learnt that whatever happens you stick together as a family.
When tragedy strikes, Charlie is forced to decide whether it’s time to move on or fight to keep the children she loves. With the distraction of the children’s gorgeous Uncle Felix and the chance of a holiday in stunning Antigua, she’s left wondering if turquoise seas can wash away their present troubles. Is the pull of white sand beaches too tempting to resist or will paradise fail to keep them all together?
A gorgeous summery beach read, perfect for fans of Katie Fforde, Carole Matthews and Jill Mansell.
I’m reviewing the book below and we also have a great competition (details of which are also below,) but first, we chat to Bella about her favourite holiday themed films (which features some excellent choices). Welcome back, Bella. It’s so good to see you…
Hi Laura and thank you so much for having me on the Novel Kicks blog it is brilliant to be back! My latest novel is ‘A Family Holiday’ and as you may be able to guess a holiday is rather key to the story. So that got me thinking about what were my favourite films that featured a holiday as a key part of the plot and here they are:
My Top 10 Favourite Holiday Films
by Books I’m Looking Forward To Reading in 2016: Part Two
2016 is shaping up to be a great year for book releases and I for one can’t wait for what’s to come (can anyone say Harry Potter and The Cursed Child?)
I wanted to share some more of the titles I am most looking forward to reading. What about you?
(Click here to read Books I’m Looking Forward to Reading in 2016: Part One.)
Falling by Jane Green (MacMillan, 14th July 2016.)
There is not long to wait for the latest novel by Jane Green (who is one of the most nicest women on the planet incidentally.) I’ve been a massive fan of Jane’s ever since a friend introduced me to her novels (I think the first one of hers I read was The Other Woman and since then, I’ve been a fan.) The sleeve for this book looks beautiful too.
Eight years ago, Emma Montague left behind the strict confines of her upper-crust English life – and rather dull boyfriend – and moved to New York City, where she immediately found success in the world of finance. But her soulless, cut-throat, all-consuming job has only led to another life she didn’t want.
Answering an online ad, Emma finds a tiny beach cottage to rent in the small town of Westport, Connecticut. It needs work – lots of work. But it’s the perfect project to satisfy Emma’s passion for interior design and gardening, if her new landlord, Dominic, is agreeable to the small changes she yearns to make.
To Emma, Dominic is also something of a fixer-upper. A local handyman with a six-year-old son, he’s a world away from the men she should be interested in, but he’s comfortable in his own skin, confident, quiet and kind. Slowly, over a shared garden, time spent with his son and late-night conversations, Emma finds herself falling for Dominic.
From friends to lovers happens as naturally as the changing seasons. But laying down roots doesn’t come easily when two lives as different as theirs merge into one. And Emma will realize that the seeds of happiness must be nurtured and cherished to grow into something strong enough to shelter all their hopes and dreams . . .
Three Sisters, Three Queens by Philippa Gregory (Simon & Schuster UK, 9th August 2016.)
I love history (especially the Tudor and Elizabethan era) and so this book looks right up my street. Also, just a heads up but The Other Boleyn Girl is going to be the book club title for July so keep an eye out for that.
“There is only one bond that I trust: between a woman and her sisters. We never take our eyes off each other. In love and in rivalry, we always think of each other.”
When Katherine of Aragon is brought to the Tudor court as a young bride, the oldest princess, Margaret, takes her measure. With one look, each knows the other for a rival, an ally, a pawn, destined – with Margaret’s younger sister Mary – to a sisterhood unique in all the world. The three sisters will become the queens of England, Scotland and France.
United by family loyalties and affections, the three queens find themselves set against each other. Katherine commands an army against Margaret and kills her husband James IV of Scotland. But Margaret’s boy becomes heir to the Tudor throne when Katherine loses her son. Mary steals the widowed Margaret’s proposed husband, but when Mary is widowed it is her secret marriage for love that is the envy of the others. As they experience betrayals, dangers, loss and passion, the three sisters find that the only constant in their perilous lives is their special bond, more powerful than any man, even a king.
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Picador, March 2016
When four graduates from a small Massachusetts college move to New York to make their way, they’re broke, adrift, and buoyed only by their friendship and ambition. There is kind, handsome Willem, an aspiring actor; JB, a quick-witted, sometimes cruel Brooklyn-born painter seeking entry to the art world; Malcolm, a frustrated architect at a prominent firm; and withdrawn, brilliant, enigmatic Jude, who serves as their centre of gravity. Over the decades, their relationships deepen and darken, tinged by addiction, success, and pride. Yet their greatest challenge, each comes to realize, is Jude himself, by midlife a terrifyingly talented litigator yet an increasingly broken man, his mind and body scarred by an unspeakable childhood, and haunted by what he fears is a degree of trauma that he’ll not only be unable to overcome – but that will define his life forever.
At 720 pages this is probably one of the longest books I have read in a while but it is also one of the most moving, well-written novels I have read for some time.
Hanya Yanigahara is a fantastic writer and this book is an emotional rollercoaster ride you will still be feeling even after finishing. This is not a happy, light read. It will break your heart at times and make you want to cry; it will also take hold of you, strap you in tight and won’t let you go until you make it to the end.
We meet the boys in their first dorm together during college. Their friendships are still reasonably fresh and new and we see each character as a young student working towards their chosen career. As the book progresses we see each of them start jobs, fall in love, break up, go on holiday and generally live their lives. However, the main focus of A Little Life is on Jude, who has many deep, dark secrets about his horrific past. As we see him grow older the past comes back to haunt him again and again and we see how he struggles to live a normal life compared to the rest of them.
by Courses and Competitions: Mslexia’s Children’s Novel Competition 2016
Are you an unpublished female novelist or are you thinking of writing a children’s novel? Mslexia are now taking submissions for their 2016 Children’s Novel Competition.
This competition welcomes books written for children (who are able to read for themselves) as well as Young Adult and can be in any genre.
The first prize is £5,000 and five finalists will also receive an invitation to a special networking event with literary agents.
It is £25 per novel to enter and you’ll need to submit the first 3,000 words of your completed children’s novel (which needs to be at least 15,000 words to qualify.)
by Writing Room: One and Then The Other…
Tuesday 21st June 2016:
Today’s prompt – One and Then The Other…
Find a news article that catches your eye. This news article needs to involve more than one person. It can be from a newspaper or an online site.
Write 500-700 words about the incident from someone involved. Whether you write in the first or third person is up to you.
Once you’ve done that, write 500 – 700 words again but from the point of view of another person mentioned in the article.
Re-read both of the pieces you’ve written. Are there any differences or similarities?
If you like, you could now merge them together with dialogue between the two.
by Author Interview: L.R Garner
L.R Garner is the author of The Golden Princess (which is published by Xlibris,) and I’m pleased to welcome him to Novel Kicks. Hello. Thank you so much for joining me today. Can you tell me about your book, The Golden Princess and how the idea originated?
The idea for the book came from our mother. She was afraid of the family splitting up and losing contact with each other. My contribution was to write to each of us sibling families. As each had a girl and not a son, I decided on a girls story. However, I included a general letter with each chapter I wrote. The best subject I could come up with was the royal family as they were well-known to everyone. I have always has a good imagination.
Alice uses her supernatural powers – which superpower would you like to have?
The power I would like to have would be mind reading.
Can you tell me about your typical writing day?
I do not have a typical writing day. I write when I have an idea to record and the situation allows.
What were the challenges of writing The Golden Princess?
The challengers I had to face were the differences in ages of the girls I was writing for. 6 t0 8 year olds and how to keep both age groups interested.
How do you approach the process? Do you plan a lot, edit as you go? Did the characters come before the plot?
I planned the book to fit the idea of long-term contact. I decided to write a chapter each three months so each chapter had to be complete in itself. Only a few of the chapters had the “more next chapter” final paragraph.
by Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Turn To Your Right…
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: Turn to the Right.
Write about the thing you see when you turn immediately to the right. Write down as much detail as you can.
Is it a person or an object? What happens if this object suddenly begins to start moving by itself?
Give this object an actual name.
by Courses and Competitions: Creative Writing For Beginners
Have you always wanted to write a novel but haven’t known where to start? (Yes. I have.)
The Writers’ Academy (Penguin Random House) is running a Creative Writing Course for Beginners.
Through this course you will gain insight into writing techniques employed by best-selling authors, Contributors include Audrey Niffenegger (author of The Time Traveller’s Wife,) SJ Watson (Before I Go To Sleep) and Rowan Coleman (The Memory Book.) You will also benefit from the knowledge of the Random House editors.
Rowan Coleman
Whatever genre you’d like to write, this course can help equip you with the literary tools to start writing.
In this course there will be weekly activities that will guide you through topics like character, plot, point of view and description.
There are various start dates throughout the rest of the year. The next course begins on 27th June 2016 so there is still time to enrol. The next available start date after this current run is September.
by Writing Room: Getting Down To Detail
Tuesday 14th June 2016: Getting Down To Detail.
Today’s exercise: Write about five hundred words about yourself, a friend or someone you don’t like. It can also be about a character in progress. Write about physical appearance, likes, dislikes, hobbies etc.
If you can, once you’re done, try to then leave your writing for twenty-four hours.
Once you’ve returned to it, re-read it. Edit it down. Cut it in half to two hundred and fifty words. Only leave in what is necessary.
by Wild Life Book Trailer by Liam Brown
Wild Life is the latest novel from Liam Brown, author of Real Monsters.
It’s been released today (13th June 2016) by Legend Press. Check out the great book trailer below.
‘When we moved into the wild, the wild moved into us.’
When a troubled advertising salesman loses his job, the fragile wall between his public and private personas comes tumbling down. Fleeing his debtors, Adam abandons his family and takes to sleeping rough in a local park, where a fraternity of homeless men befriend him.
As the months pass, Adam gradually learns to appreciate the tough new regime, until winter arrives early, threatening to turn his paradise into a nightmare.
Starving, exhausted and sick of the constant infighting, Adam decides to return to his family. The men, however, have other plans for him. With time running out, and the stakes raised unbearably high, Adam is forced to question whether any of us can truly escape the wildness within.
by Author Interview: Lauren Westwood
Lauren Westwood is the author of Finding Home and I’m pleased to be welcoming her to Novel Kicks. Hi Lauren, thank you so much for joining me today. Can you tell me about your debut novel, Finding Home and how the idea originated?
Thank you for having me and Finding Home on your blog today!
The idea for the novel started over six years ago when my partner and I were looking to move out of London when our daughter was born. We both love old houses, and were looking for ‘the right’ house within commuting distance of our workplaces. Unfortunately, our search area kept expanding and pretty soon, we were looking in a huge area that had estate agents scratching their heads. Let’s just say, I encountered many during this process! When we did eventually find ‘the right’ house – three of them, in fact – and put in offers, we ended up getting gazumped by other buyers. It took several years before we finally got lucky. Overall, it was quite an emotional process – sometimes stressful, sometimes exciting – and I sometimes felt like I was living in a novel. Based on my own experiences, I could see how a young, somewhat quirky, romantic like Amy Wood could find the process captivating – and fall in love with a crumbling old house like Rosemont Hall.
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How do you approach the process of writing – do you plan much? Edit as you go?
I normally have the basic idea in my head and also some plot milestones – so I know point A and point B in advance, but not necessarily how I’m going to get there. In general, I try to write the first draft through without going back too much. For me, that makes the ideas flow more freely, and I’m often surprised how a scene ends up. However, I am trying to be a little more disciplined with my next novel, and doing more plotting in advance. It has more of a mystery focus, and that requires more early thought on pacing, clues, and structure.
Can you tell me a little about your typical writing day and do you have any rituals (writing in a particular place, must have a hot drink, write in silence?)
I wish I had a typical day! When I first started writing almost ten years ago, I did a lot of writing in a notebook during my commute. Back then I had more time, and longer quiet moments to write. Nowadays, life is pretty full-on with three children, working as a lawyer, writing, and doing publicity. I rarely have a quiet moment, so I’ve learned to work more efficiently, and with more distractions.
My best writing time is usually mornings. I get up very early, put the coffee maker on, and type away in the kitchen before the children get up and it’s time for work and the school run. When I’m working on something new, I try to do at least 500-1000 words a day. If I have more time, I try to do some editing on something else. My favourite part is ‘getting in the zone’ and putting the words down for the first time. I’m less keen on the editing part!
by Book Review: The Versions of Us by Laura Barnett
W&N, May 2015
Eva and Jim are nineteen, and students at Cambridge, when their paths first cross in 1958. Jim is walking along a lane when a woman approaching him on a bicycle swerves to avoid a dog.
What happens next will determine the rest of their lives.
Have you ever considered what if? “What if I said yes to that guy” or “what if I said yes to going to that party?” This book explores three what if situations involving the main characters, Eva and Jim. In each situation or “version” as the book calls it Eva makes different decisions, which sets her on different paths throughout her life.
However, just like in real life, certain events do still occur in all 3 versions; the events that cannot always be controlled by decisions such as birthdays and death. This makes the story much more realistic and adds another layer to each story as we see how each different version of Eva copes with these events.
I love the character of Eva as you see how she adapts to different situations. She is loving, kind-hearted but is also a strong female shown through how she copes through many difficult situations. She will do everything she can to protect her family, even sometimes if that means sacrificing her own happiness. In this book we see many different sides to Eva as well as Jim. We see the highs and the lows of their relationship and how one small decision can have such a major effect on their lives.
by Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Looking at Things From a Different Angle.
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 situation from real life experience or from somewhere online like a news article or maybe take a section of your favourite story.
Look at the story from a different angle. Write it as though something in the story happened differently. For example, what if it were the white rabbit just sat there reading and minding his own business outside his burrow in Wonderland and Alice walks by. The rabbit then follows her into our world. What if the villain is really the good guy and vice versa?
by Latest Book Releases
Happy Thursday everyone. It’s time for another round up of the recently released books. Any take your fancy?
End of Watch by Stephen King (Hodder & Stoughton, 7th June 2016.)
This had its hardcover and electronic release today. Although it is a standalone novel, it’s also the last in the Hodges Trilogy. I have to admit, I’ve never read any of Stephen King (his book ‘On Writing’ has been recommended to me so many times.) I might have to start though.
Retired Detective Bill Hodges now runs a two-person firm called Finders Keepers with his partner Holly Gibney. They met in the wake of the ‘Mercedes Massacre’ when a queue of people was run down by the diabolical killer Brady Hartsfield.
Brady is now confined to Room 217 of the Lakes Region Traumatic Brain Injury Clinic, in an unresponsive state. But all is not what it seems: the evidence suggests that Brady is somehow awake, and in possession of deadly new powers that allow him to wreak unimaginable havoc without ever leaving his hospital room.
When Bill and Holly are called to a suicide scene with ties to the Mercedes Massacre, they find themselves pulled into their most dangerous case yet, one that will put their lives at risk, as well as those of Bill’s heroic young friend Jerome Robinson and his teenage sister, Barbara. Brady Hartsfield is back, and planning revenge not just on Hodges and his friends, but on an entire city.
The clock is ticking in unexpected ways …
The Fireman by Joe Hill (Gollancz, 7th June 2016.)
This book has been on my TBR pile for a few weeks and I’ve been trying to get to it. It looks so interesting. I am looking forward to reading.
Nobody knew where the virus came from.
FOX News said it had been set loose by ISIS, using spores that had been invented by the Russians in the 1980s.
MSNBC said sources indicated it might’ve been created by engineers at Halliburton and stolen by culty Christian types fixated on the Book of Revelation.
CNN reported both sides.
While every TV station debated the cause, the world burnt.
Pregnant school nurse, HARPER GRAYSON, had seen lots of people burn on TV, but the first person she saw burn for real was in the playground behind the school.
With the epic scope of THE PASSAGE and the emotional impact of THE ROAD, this is one woman’s story of survival at the end of the world.
by Mick’s Musings: And It’s Goodnight From Him….
And it’s good night from him.
A simple line, but by gum, I wish I could have written it! So, another of the great entertainers takes their final curtain call in a year that so far, I for one wish we could do without. We’ve lost so many already this year. You’ll be missed Ronnie Corbett.
As writers, we’re always hoping to come up with that ‘killer’ line, those few words that, on their own don’t mean anything, but put them together in the right order and bam! Of course, it’s the 400th anniversary of a certain gentleman’s birth this year who’s become the go-to writer for killer lines. Yes, I am taking about the Bard of Avon, William Shakespeare, but don’t worry, this isn’t going to be another half-baked celebration, for a start, and please don’t tar and feather me, I’m not a huge fan. I can just about take some of his comedies, but any of his serious plays usually send me to sleep – sorry.
My point is simply that we use his killer lines in our everyday speech, most of the time without knowing it, and wouldn’t we all love to be quoted! In the good way of course. It’s only six words, ‘And it’s good night from him’, but so memorable. I think we could all quote scenes from our favourite novels, but most of us wouldn’t be able to quote a favourite line, or perhaps rather one that would stand out for longer than a few months in our minds.
Which brings me onto the update on my present WIP. I talked in my last Blog update about how hearing a radio interview had interrupted the flow of what I was writing at that time, if you recall. The new one, tentatively entitled ‘Three Little Words’ (but very likely to change. Not because I don’t like it, but because it’s already been taken a number of times), and as of the last few days, I have finished the first draft with the word count standing at 81,986 words. Deciding that I’d like to get about 10,000 words done from Monday to Friday kept me on track.
by Novel Kicks Writing Room: You’re The Boss.
Tuesday 7th June 2016: You’re the boss.
Today’s prompt: Write about a day in your life if you were running a country. What would you do if you were in charge for a day?
Write from 8am until 23.59pm. Write in the first person.
Include as much as you can about your surroundings, how you feel, who you work with and what you have to deal with.
What kind of leader are you? Continue reading
by Courses and Competitions: Luke Bitmead Bursary 2016
Entries are now being accepted for the 2016 Luke Bitmead Bursary.
Luke was the first author to be published by Legend Press and the bursary was set up shortly after his sudden death in 2006. Now in its ninth year it is the UK’s biggest prize for unpublished authors.
It’s an annual award that was set up to support and encourage the work of novel writers whilst also raising awareness of mental health.
The top prize is a publishing contract with Legend Press as well as a £2,500 cash prize.
There is a £10 fee per submission which goes directly to the Luke Bitmead Memorial Fund. This needs to be paid before you submit your entry.
The novel must already completed before you enter and it must be over 60,000 words to be considered. Also, submissions should be from authors who have not been previously traditionally published and who are 16 or over.
by
It is very easy to judge a book by its cover. I know I do it. Our competition is one with a twist. It’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 ‘Family, Mystery, Secrets and Sibling Relationships.’
How to enter:
All you have to do is comment below with your name and county. The closing date for entries is Wednesday 29th June 2016.
I will then pick out a winner at random and will announce it on the Novel Kicks blog on Thursday 3oth June 2o16.
by Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Word Association
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:
Grab a blank piece of paper and a pencil. Fold the piece of paper in half or draw a line through the middle. Using one of the prompts below, start playing word association with yourself until you’ve filled both columns.
Elephant
Ticket
Extend
Dishonest
Snow
by Blog Tour: Author and Character Interview with Steven Scaffardi and Dan Hilles
Today I am taking part in the Lad Lit Blog Tour, and I am delighted to be joined by lad lit author Steven Scaffardi, and the star of his two books in the Sex, Love and Dating Disasters series, Dan Hilles.
Gentleman, welcome to Novel Kicks. Steven, if we could start with you. What were the main challenges of returning to an already established character or did it make writing the second novel slightly easier?
Hi Laura, thanks for having us! When I wrote The Drought, I never set out to write a series but I guess I fell in love with the characters, especially Dan and his three best friends, Rob, Jack and Ollie. At the end of the book, I started thinking what would the boys do next? It set the wheels in motion for a series of ideas that became The Flood.
In a lot of ways, already knowing the characters so well did make it easier as I knew how they would react in certain situations, but at the same time you also have an audience who already knows these characters so you have to remain true to who they are, so from that point of view you can’t suddenly change course completely like you might with a new book and a new set of characters.
Dan, you make a drunken bet in The Flood that complicates your life somewhat when you accept the challenge from your friends to date four women in eight weeks. What were your main motivations for taking the bet?
As you mentioned Laura, alcohol played a big part in me making that stupid bet. Basically, after going through the sexual drought in the first book, the boys were on my case and giving me a lot of stick about not being very good with the opposite sex, especially Jack who once he gets started, simply can’t stop taking the micky!
Anyway, after one drink too many I made the bet. I’m not proud of it, and you could say that I got bit on the backside by karma as I ended up dating a stalker, my crazy ex-
girlfriend, the office ice queen, and the one who got away before. To be honest, I wish I could go back and change it all. It was a nightmare, especially trying to keep them all apart.
Steven, do you cast your characters and if so, who do you have in mind for Dan, Rob, Ollie and Jack?
The four original boys in The Drought (Dan, Rob, Jack and Ollie) were based on people I knew. Dan is loosely based on me I guess, but most of the personalities and the things the boys get up to are based on fact, and then exaggerated for comedy effect.
Some of the best stories I pick up come from friends when we are standing around in the pub reminiscing about old dating stories. That is a big reason why I wrote The Drought in the first place. Some of the things guys think or get up are to are pretty hilarious, so I tried to build a story around dating disasters. I wanted to tell a story from a man’s point of view about relationships. Most of the time, it’s not as perfect as chick lit makes it out to be, so I wanted to bring some balance to the world!
by Latest Book Releases
Wow, I can’t believe that we are already into June. With a new month comes a bunch of new books. Here are some of the new releases available this week. Which one do you want to read?
Always With Love by Giovanna Fletcher (Penguin, 2nd June 2016.)
How excited am I to be able to revisit Rosemont Hill? Lots, that’s what. I can’t wait to catch up with Billy and Sophie in the sequel to Billy & Me. A gorgeous cover too.
Sophie’s got used to being the girlfriend of Billy Buskin, the biggest movie star in the world. Sort of.
But when she and Billy take a trip to visit his family in Los Angeles, she quickly discovers she’s totally unprepared for the chaos of Hollywood, the paparazzi and Billy’s controlling mother.
And when Billy extends his stay in LA, leaving Sophie to fly home to Rosefont Hill alone, it seems there’s more than just miles between them.
Now Sophie must decide if they can overcome their differences for good. Because not every love story lasts the distance . . .
The Butterfly Garden by Dot Hutchison (Thomas & Mercer, 1st June 2016.)
This cover is lovely and the plot to this novel is very intriguing.
In this garden grow luscious flowers, shady trees…and a collection of precious “butterflies”—young women who have been kidnapped and intricately tattooed to resemble their namesakes. Overseeing it all is the Gardener, a brutal, twisted man obsessed with capturing and preserving his lovely specimens.
When the garden is discovered, a survivor is brought in for questioning. FBI agents Victor Hanoverian and Brandon Eddison are tasked with piecing together one of the most stomach-churning cases of their careers. But the girl, known only as Maya, proves to be a puzzle herself.
As her story twists and turns, slowly shedding light on life in the Butterfly Garden, Maya reveals old grudges, new saviors, and horrific tales of a man who’d go to any length to hold beauty captive. But the more she shares, the more the agents have to wonder what she’s still hiding…
Cross Kill by James Patterson (Bookshots, June 2016.)
This is a book in the Alex Cross thriller series and has been released in paperback today.
ALEX CROSS, I’m coming for you – even from the grave if I have to.
Along Came a Spider killer Gary Soneji has been dead for over ten years. Alex Cross watched him die. But today, Cross saw him gun down his partner. Is Soneji alive? A ghost? Or something even more sinister?
Nothing will prepare you for the wicked truth.
by June’s Book Club: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Collins Classics, April 2016.
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. A good 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.
The best part… it’s all from the comfort of your armchair/sofa/bed/comfy place.
For June, we’re reading Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
This is one classic I’ve actually never got around to reading so I am looking forward to visiting Alice in Wonderland.
‘Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and of having nothing to do: once or twice she had peeped into the book her sister was reading, but it had no pictures or conversations in it, “and what is the use of a book,” thought Alice, “without pictures or conversations?”’
by
How many ways can one woman love?
When Tamara Rix’s sister Lyddie is involved in a hit-and-run accident that leaves her in need of constant care, Tamara resolves to remain in the village she grew up in. Tamara would do anything for her sister, even sacrifice a long-term relationship.
But when Lyddie’s teenage sweetheart Jed Cassius returns to Middledip, he brings news that shakes the Rix family to their core. Jed’s life is shrouded in mystery, particularly his job, but despite his strange background, Tamara can’t help being intrigued by him.
Can Tamara find a balance between her love for Lyddie and growing feelings for Jed, or will she discover that some kinds of love just don’t mix?
Where to start? Are there enough superlatives to describe this story? No. there you go, one of the shortest book reviews you’ll ever see.
Seriously? Yes, seriously, I finished this book about half an hour ago and have since being thinking, cogitating and generally mulling over how to put into words my thoughts on this story. I’ll do my best, though for those other fans of hers, I doubt if anything I’m going to say will come as a surprise.
Ms Moorcroft doesn’t pick easy subject matter, that much you already know if you’ve read any of her other books, for this, she should be congratulated. No picking the tried, tested, or easy route for her and perhaps other writers in the Contemporary Romance genre would do well to take a leaf from her book.
There are three central characters in ‘Is This Love?’ Two conventional, Tamara and Jed, around whom the conventional love story is centred and then there’s Tamara’s elder sister Lyddie. Lyddie is the glue that binds Tamara’s family together; Lyddie is a kind, generous thirty-something woman; Lyddie is a kind, generous, thirty-something brain-damaged woman. That got your notice.
by Blog Tour: Rare Objects by Kathleen Tessaro
Photo credit: Gregg Liberi USE
I am so happy to be welcoming Kathleen Tessaro to Novel Kicks today and her blog tour for her new novel, Rare Objects which is due to be released by Harper on Thursday.
Mae Fanning seizes on a job at a tiny, exclusive Boston antiques shop as the fresh start she desperately needs. It opens a window to new world, one peopled with rare and rich characters. But the day that enigmatic socialite Diana van der Laar walks in, Mae’s hidden past returns.
As a moth to a flame, Mae is unable to resist Diana’s heady, seductive glamour and glittering life. Yet, like the rare objects in the shop, very little is what it appears – Diana included.
Moving from Jazz-Age New York to Boston in the grip of the Great Depression, Rare Objects is a rich and gripping story of what it means to reach for a braver, bolder life.
Hello Kathleen. Thank you so much for joining me today. Can you tell me a little about your typical writing day?
Thank you for inviting me!
My normal day involves getting up at 6am, walking the dog, and getting my son off to school. Then I drink lots of strong coffee, research, write, walk the dog again, spend far too much time looking up useless information and then give up entirely around 2:30. The nice thing about historical fiction is that when you get stuck in your writing, there’s always interesting reading or research to indulge in.
How do you normally approach the process – do you edit as you go? Plan? Write in silence or with noise and where do you like to write?
I normally write at home, in relative quiet, and often in bed (though it must be made and I must be dressed – otherwise one is simply asking for trouble). I like to get the first 50 or so pages out before I go back over anything, just because one can get stuck quite easily in re-working the first three paragraphs over and over and never move forward. (Chances are the first three paragraphs never make it to the final cut anyway.) I do plan and sometimes even outline but have never managed to stick to it.
Congratulations on the release of your new novel, Rare Objects which is due to be released this week. Can you tell me a little about it and where the idea originated?
Thank you! The idea came from my fascination with found objects and the stories behind them. I’ve always wanted to write about an antiquities shop so that I would have a constant influx of characters and stories coming in and out. And the reason why different people collect certain things intrigues me. Add into that mix two young women from very different social classes with a shared secret, the glamour and despair of the Prohibition period and a mythical object that acts like an omen to everyone who comes across it and before you know it, an entire world is up and running!
by Novel Kicks Writing Room: Everything Has Changed
Thursday 28th April 2016: Everything has changed.
Today’s prompt has your character lose themselves.
They get up, they get washed and dressed, grab their things and walk out the door.
When they get outside, their car isn’t there. After they call the police, they walk to work.
They walk in the reception area and apologise for being late and yet, no one knows who they are. Carry on the story….
by My Favourites: My Latest Stationery Haul
Stationery, stationery, stationery. Beautiful stationery. I’ve gone a little mad over the last few weeks. I am all about finding things that are going to make my life a little easier or just buying stationery because it is so pretty. I have to make sure I use them though. My pile of new notebooks gets bigger by the week and yet I can’t stop buying stuff.
Uni-ball ‘Air’ Pen.
My first favourite stationery item that I’ve got is this pen from Uni-ball. It’s the Air pen and it writes like a fountain pen. I was in the supermarket and was just, cough, browsing the stationary section when i can across these pens.
I do love writing with fountain pens. I always have done ever since I was a kid. This was why these pens caught my eye.
I really like these pens. They are not as fine as my fountain pen (I think it would be impossible for a rollerball to be) but it is the next best thing if you want something to have handy to write notes with but don’t want to bother with a proper fountain pen.
This brings me onto the Blue Sky Day Designer.
My pen is resting on the Day Designer from Blue Sky. I am a big hoarder of diaries. I find it hard to find one that fits the exact thing I am looking for in a diary. I like to keep up with everything that is going on (and I need a lot of help in that department as I will think I will remember what I am doing and then I will forget something,) but I also like enough notes pages for ideas and lists.
I saw this diary pop up in a YouTube video and managed to get one via Ebay.
What I love about this diary is that there a section for appointments but there is also a section for to do’s (heaven.) There are also plenty of blank pages for notes at the back as well as a monthly glance page which is handy for blogging.
Where this was brought from America it does have the American holidays instead of the British ones but that is not a big deal. There is also not a lot of space where the weekends are listed but it’s my ongoing battle with diaries and working weekends.
The blue is beautiful. It is also small enough to fit in my bag. Overall it’s all I need in a diary.
by Blog Tour: Somewhere Inside of Happy by Anna McPartlin
I am very pleased to welcoming Anna McPartlin to Novel Kicks today and the blog tour for her new novel, Somewhere Inside of Happy which was released by Black Swan on 7th April 2016.
‘And just like that my boy was gone.’ Maisie Bean is a fighter. A survivor. Seventeen years ago, she went on a first date that went so badly it was enough to put the girl off chips. The marriage that followed was hell but it gave her two children: funny, caring Jeremy and bullish but brilliant Valerie. Just as it seems everything might finally start going right, sixteen-year-old Jeremy goes missing. The police descend and a media storm swirls, over five days of searching that hurtle towards an inevitable, terrible conclusion. Maisie is facing another fight, and this time it’s the fight of her life. But she’s a survivor. Whatever the odds, she’ll never give in.
Thanks to Anna and Black Swan, I have an extract to share with you today. Enjoy.
Prologue
Introducing Maisie Bean Brennan
The room was silent, but for the sound of shuffling, an unidentifiable clicking and Maisie’s own heartbeat. Shuffle, click, boom, shuffle, click, boom. Calm down, ya silly old cow. It’ll be OK. She could feel her husband’s hands on her shoulders. He was standing right behind her, at the side of the stage, and she could hear him talking in her head. It’s all good, lady, you’re doing fine. Forget the sweats. Just smile. She watched her daughter Valerie limp in and lean against her stepfather, then pull off her shoe and shake out a piece of gravel. Her face and head were on fire: her latest hot flush had drenched her scalp, frizzing her lovely blow-dry at the roots. She tried to smile but her lips stuck to her upper teeth. Oh, brilliant. Now I’ll look mental. The distinguished, learned man introducing her to the stage had been talking for several minutes; clearly he liked the sound of his own voice. It was a nice voice, to be fair, posh and plummy, and he was so softly spoken it had a lulling effect as you listened.
by My Favourite Books: Sweet Valley High
I have many books that I loved growing up. The Mallory Towers series for example was the first series I remember reading. My sister used to sit and read it with me. However, nothing has stuck with me quite as much as The Sweet Valley High series.
Originally created by Francine Pascal, this series made up the majority of my reading for a long time.
I discovered one of these books in the library at school. I think it was the one called Too Good To Be True. I can’t remember how old I was but from that moment I was hooked.
There was nothing I liked better than to come home from school and disappear into the world of Sweet Valley for a while.
Jessica and Elizabeth were like the cool friends I didn’t have (I was quite shy at school and definitely not a cool kid although everyone seemed a lot cooler than me. The perils of senior school.)
There was something just so exciting about these stories that I couldn’t get enough of them. I devoured as many as I could find from the school or local library.
You can imagine my excitement when I also discovered the TV series. Looking at that now, it was all so poorly acted but I still couldn’t resist watching it. If you know of it, is the theme tune stuck in your head yet?
by Book Review: In The Light of What We See by Sarah Painter
Brighton, 1938: Grace Kemp is pushed away by the family she has shamed. Rejected and afraid, she begins a new life as a nurse. But danger stalks the hospital too, and she’ll need to be on her guard to avoid falling into familiar traps. And then there are the things she sees…Strange portents that have a way of becoming real.
Eighty years later, Mina Morgan is brought to the same hospital after a near-fatal car crash. She is in terrible pain but recalls nothing. She’s not even sure whom to trust. Mina too sees things that others cannot, but now, in hospital, her visions are clearer than ever…
Two women, separated by decades, are drawn together by a shared space and a common need to salvage their lives.
I came across this book after listening to Sarah Painter’s podcast called Worried Writer. This podcast is brilliant if you are a writer and I have been hooked since the first podcast I listened to. This is the first book I have read of Sarah Painter’s and after having finished this one I will definitely be getting hold of her backlog to add to my ever growing TBR (To Be Read) pile.
I have one word to sum this book up: amazing. You could tell that everything about this book was well thought out and I loved every bit of it.
by Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Transformation
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 transformation.
Write a story in which something transforms into something else. What happens once this transformation occurs? What is it that has transformed?
What are the consequences of this transformation and can things be changed back?
by
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. A good 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.
The best part… it’s all from the comfort of your armchair/sofa/bed/comfy place.
For April, we’re reading Room by Emma Donoghue.
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.
by This Week’s Latest Releases
It’s Thursday which means another batch of new books. I love this time of the week. Here’s just a selection of new releases. Are there any new books you’re looking forward to reading?
Half Lost by Sally Green (Penguin, 31st March 2016.)
I’ve made no secret of the fact that I love this book series. Half Lost is the last in the Half Bad trilogy and I am anxious and excited to know what becomes of Nathan who I see as a very relatable character. If you’re a fan of Red Queen, then you’ll love the Half Bad series. I’d say you’ll need to have read the first two books though before starting this one…
Nathan Byrn is running again. The Alliance of Free Witches has been all but destroyed. Scattered and demoralized, constantly pursued by the Council’s Hunters, only a bold new strategy can save the rebels from total defeat. They need the missing half of Gabriel’s amulet – an ancient artefact with the power to render its bearer invincible in battle.
But the amulet’s guardian – the reclusive and awesomely powerful witch Ledger – has her own agenda. To win her trust, Nathan must travel to America and persuade her to give him the amulet. Combined with his own Gifts, the amulet might just be enough to turn the tide for the Alliance and end the bloody civil war between Black and White witches once and for all…
One Stary Night by Tilly Tennant. (31st March 2016 on Kindle)
For fans of Tilly Tennant or for people new to her books, this is book four of the Once Upon a Winter series. This cover is so Christmassy. I love it.
They say the darkest hour is just before dawn, and for the first time Hannah is starting to truly understand what that means. With Gina’s husband misbehaving, Ross under attack, and bad news for Mitchell that only Hannah can tell him, things seem to be falling apart around her. How will she be the rock that everyone needs when she can’t control any part of her own life? It’s going to take a special kind of courage to see this dawn break, but when it does the future might just be the brighter for it. The problem is that Hannah’s not sure she can be that strong…
by Competitions: Winner of March’s Blind Date with a Book
It’s time to announce the winner of March’s Blind Date With a Book competition.
It is very easy to judge a book by its cover. I know I do it. I didn’t reveal what the title of this month’s book was nor did I reveal the cover. All I did reveal was that the themes included ‘friendship, love, relationships and missed opportunities.
Well done to Wendy Janes from London who has been picked at random from our entrants. Your book will be on its way to you soon (e-mail on its way) and I hope you enjoy it. Thank you to all who entered and April’s competition is coming soon.
by Writing Room: Pictures Say a Thousand Words
Wednesday 30th March 2016.
Today’s prompt is about using pictures. Look through the internet (Pinterest and Tumblr are good for images.) Find pictures that inspire or interest you.
Taking each one in turn, note down what you like or don’t like so much about the image. What drew you to it and whether it inspires anything.
Does anything inspire a story? Using the image that you’re drawn to or inspires you the most, begin a short story.
by
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
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
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.
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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 Book Club
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