Writing Room: Changing the Tense
Tuesday 20th October 2015.
Today’s Prompt:
Today is all about changing the tense. Take a page out of your favourite fiction novel. Rewrite the first few paragraphs changing the tense as you go. If it’s past, change it to present and vice versa.
How was it? How has it changed the story. If you want to, try it with a section of a work in progress and see if it helps in any way?
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My Writing Ramblings: Creating Characters
I have been busying myself this week by going back to basics with planning my novel. One of the main pieces of feedback from both submissions to the RNA New Writers Scheme is that I don’t seem to know my characters very well. This feedback is completely fair especially as I am realising that I seriously get stuck if I have no idea where I am going or who I am talking about.
Planning has always scared me mostly because I feel guilty at the thought of it. I should be writing and I’ve previously seen planning as just another distraction or worrying that it would sap all of the spontaneity out of the plot. That is not true. Planning, for a writer like me is very important. I need that road map.
What I have found is that, instead of hating it, I have had serious fun getting to know my main characters. It’s like having a legitimate reason to have imaginary friends in adulthood and I think that is pretty cool.
Being a little new to the planning stage of a novel, I wanted to share some of the things I have been doing in my character building process; what I have been asking my characters for anyone who might find something like this helpful especially if, like me, you are trying to write your first book.
As I said, I have been trying to get to know them so I made a character list including all the small characters (mostly so a Daniel doesn’t suddenly become a Stephen halfway through.)
by Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Carrying on the Story
Friday 16th October: Carry on the Story….
Fiction Friday is our weekly writing prompt. The aim is to write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can. Once you’ve finished, don’t edit, just post in the comments box below.
Today’s prompt:
Use the following first line as a starting point and then try to carry the story on as long as you can.
‘Congratulations, you’ve won.’
by Author Interview: Bridget McNulty
Hi Bridget. Thank you so much for joining me on Novel Kicks today. First, can you tell us about your website, Now Novel and what inspired you to start it?
After my novel Strange Nervous Laughter was published in South Africa and the US, people were constantly asking me how to write a book and – perhaps even more than the actual writing how to find the motivation to finish. I wanted to create a platform for this.
What are you hoping people will get out of Now Novel?
A supportive, motivating space that helps them improve their writing and follow through on their novel writing dream. The end goal? A finished first draft.
There are various packages available for people wanting to use Now Novel. Can you tell us a little about what each package offers? Is there a minimum term you’d need to sign up for?
Basic access to the website (including our critiques system for giving and receiving writing feedback and our writing groups) is free. We have three paid options. The first, ‘The DIY Writer’, is our plan for writers who don’t want personalized help. It includes the Now Novel Story Builder, our online tool and step by step process for working out a blueprint for your story. If you need extra motivation, our middle tier plan, The Aspiring Novelist, includes having a mentor whom you can correspond with via email for extra help and motivation. Our top tier plan, The Experienced Writer, is ideal for writers who are serious about getting their novels written. It includes biweekly Skype calls with your mentor and editing of 3000 words of your writing per month by professional editors.
You can pay for any of the three plans month on month, if you prefer, or you can pay for a six or twelve month package that provides a substantial discount on the usual monthly rate. There’s also a 30 day money back guarantee on all our plans.
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Time is an abstract concept, and I don’t even know where I was going to go with that, only that I was going to point out that when you have too much of it, you tend to waste it, and when there’s not enough, we moan that we don’t have enough. I guess what I’m trying to say, in a very roundabout way, is that I wish I could go back in time this year and start it off by writing what I’m currently writing about.
As (in my case still a ‘would-be-writer’ – I refuse to assign myself the title Author until such a time as I manage to get myself published) this year, I’m now on my third ‘Work-in-progress’ and so ran out of that precious commodity to be able to submit a completed, not even first draft, to the New Writers Scheme for the first time since I was fortunate enough to join the hallowed ranks of the Romantic Novelists Association. I’ve been metaphorically smacking myself over the head ever since the realisation that I’d ran out of time hit me as I left this year’s conference.
Slight aside – thank you to all who put together this year’s conference (if they may be reading) particularly Jan and John (hope that’s right), a now expected highlight of my year that well lived up to hopes and expectations.
So, back to my subject for this long overdue new blog entry, what caused me to make such a foobar? You know how it is when you get that light bulb moment, that idea pops into your head and you go, ‘I must write about that. There’s a story that’ll knock your socks off!’ I had that three times this year.
The first came in about January and was a pure children’s story, a bit like The Animals of Farthing Wood meets Harry Potter – damn, that’s a good elevator pitch! The trouble was, about three chapters in, it wasn’t flowing as nicely as it needs to and I decided to leave it before I got too bogged down. But I still intend returning to it, the title alone keeps coming back to me, especially when I’m skimming through my writing folders on the pc; The Four Hedgehogs of the Apocalypse shall ride again!
by My Five Favourite Inspiring Quotes for Writing
I have to admit, I am a sucker for quotes especially inspiring ones. I have many pinned up around my computer and I write a few in my notebook if I find one I particularly like. For me, they are important especially if I am having one of those days where writers block is rampant. They just give me that little bit of a positive push to keep going and write through any block I may have in my head. I have picked out five of my favourites.
‘The worst thing you write is better than the best thing you did not write.’
I am not sure of the origin of this quote but it is so true. I have not done a lot of writing lately and the one thing that makes you a better writer is practise. You can’t edit nothing after all. You need something on the page and I think this quote hits the nail on the head.
‘A word, after a word, after a word is power.’
I have seen this quote by Margaret Atwood many times and I love it. I am not sure why but to me, it is very very true. One word leads to another and then another and then another and before you know it, you have a first draft. The Handmaid’s Tale is also one of my favourite books so what better than to take inspiration with a quote like this.
‘Where’s the fun without a bit of risk?’
by Events: Literary Kitchen Writing Festival
The Literary Kitchen is the only festival in London devoted to Writers and Writing.
It kicked off on Monday and is going on until 18th October 2015. It’s a riot of writers, artists, musicians, publishers, agents and pets. Over 150 writers are taking part in the events over the week in twenty venues across South London.
The festival is featuring some of the UK’s best young authors alongside cabaret, parties, pub crawls, walks, talks and more. There is also a two-day publishers’ fair with a chance to meet agents too. It sounds absolutely fantastic.
Other events include Unwriters’ Anonymous where you can share procrastination stories and leave with tips and techniques on how to resist it, Lit Live where there will be Prose and Poetry and Masterclasses.
For more information and to book sessions, visit http://www.literarykitchen.co.uk/festival/
by Writing Room: Working Backwards Writing Prompt
Wednesday 14th October 2015.
Today’s prompt:
Begin a story from the last line and work backwards. You can either start something new or use the current project you’re working on (something you’re maybe struggling with?) If you need inspiration for a story, here are some suggestions below:
A wizard, a London flat and the secret of life is revealed.
A gambling addict, train and a character overhears a shocking conversation.
A parent, the dock and a character must tell a lie.
If you’d like to share your work, feel free to leave it in the comments below.
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I’m thrilled to welcome author, Diane Chamberlain and her blog tour to Novel Kicks today. Diane is the best-selling author of The Silent Sister and The Dance Begins. Her new novel, Pretending to Dance was released by Macmillan on 8th October 2015.
About Pretending to Dance:
When the pretending ends, the lying begins . . . Molly Arnette is good at keeping secrets. As she and her husband try to adopt a baby, she worries that the truth she’s kept hidden about her North Carolina childhood will rise to the surface and destroy not only her chance at adoption, but her marriage as well. Molly ran away from her family twenty years ago after a shocking event left her devastated and distrustful of those she loved. Now, as she tries to find a way to make peace with her past and embrace a healthy future, she discovers that even she doesn’t know the truth of what happened in her family of pretenders.
To celebrate the release of her book, Diane has shared with us the twenty four things she’s learnt when writing a novel. Over to you, Diane…
- Figure out your ending first. Although it may change ten times during the writing, it gives you a target to aim for.
- Don’t stress about formatting. I once asked an editor what font and margin size she preferred. She responded “I wish writers wouldn’t worry about that sort of thing. Just give me a good story.”
- It takes an hour to sign your name 250 times. When my novel Necessary Lies was a Target Bookclub Pick, I had to sign 5000 copies. It took 20 hours and half a bottle of Tylenol. (But so worth it!)
- No matter how brilliant your novel is, several people will still give it one star on Amazon. Get over it.
- Editors are your friends, not your enemies. They want your book to be every bit as extraordinary as you want it to be. Take their suggestions to heart.
by Review: The Curvy Girls Baby Club by Michele Gorman
Ellie is fresh back from her honeymoon and can’t wait to share her news with her best friends Katie and Jane. To everyone’s surprise, mother-of-two Jane has news of her own… The women are due a day apart and Katie can’t wait to be an honorary auntie to the babies.
But it’s hard to keep your sense of humour, not to mention your self-esteem, in the face of hemorrhoids and elasticated waistbands. Add a clingy mother-in-law, a career in cardiac arrest and a sex life that makes Mother Theresa look lusty, and soon their lives are as out of control as their bodies.
As the co-founders of The Curvy Girls Club, where loving yourself is the only rule, will the friends be able to practice what they preach?
I was very happy to hear that Michele has written a follow up to her novel, The Curvy Girls Club. This novella returns us to Ellie, Katie and Jane not long after the end of The Curvy Girls Club ended.
Ellie announces her pregnancy and not long after, so does Jane. The characters are delighted to be going through this event together, especially when Katie makes a surprise announcement.
by Bella’s Scribblings: Dabbling in Different Genres
I understand it is quite common that writers like to have more than one project on the go or at the very least like to have an alternative writing outlet that they can indulge in. For example the lovely Miranda Dickinson, famed for her best-selling Romance novels, talks opening about The Mystical Wombat’s Guide to Life and the T-Cup spy network of tea ladies which are her other writing projects that she dives into when not writing romance.
I’ve heard it said that it’s a good thing to regularly flex your writing muscles and apparently Twitter and Facebook posts don’t count. Whilst writing Romance is my main writing focus, from time to time I do have a break and switch to a different genre. So I too have a pet project that I drift off to when not engrossed in a Romance story and it’s a children’s adventure.
This came about because my wonderful writing tutor, Gill Vickery, sets the class a variety of challenges and encourages us to try new things. One of the exercises she set had me scribbling merrily away and before I knew it I had a coupe of well-formed children’s characters. This combined with a story I wrote in my teens, that filled a whole exercise book and was dutifully marked by the ever accommodating Mr Bundy, produced a whole set of stories in my mind.
by Blog Tour: Love You Better by Natalie K Martin
I am very pleased to be welcoming Natalie to Novel Kicks today and her blog tour for her new novel. To celebrate the release of Love You Better, Natalie tells us about her typical writing day. Over to you, Natalie.
Being a bit of a nomad, typical days are few and far between now, let alone a typical writing one, but one thing I always try to incorporate is yoga. It’s a nice way to stay constant with so many physical and environmental changes and I find it really helps to get my mind settled, especially because I tend to have a million things going around in my head at once and it only increases when I’m writing.
After yoga and breakfast, I usually start with checking my social media, emails and then get a cup of tea going. I tend to go back and re-read a couple of the previous chapters to get me back into the groove again, and start from there. My ideal working spot is somewhere quiet, where I can disconnect from the distraction of the internet and plug in my music, but since I’m travelling a lot I tend to end up in buys hub cafe’s. It can sometimes stretch my day out by a few hours with people dropping by to say hello, but it can also be pretty precious, and let’s face it, working in a cafe in Goa, or Cornwall by the beach is hardly a chore! I’ve met lots of people in situations like that who’ve inspired aspects of my characters, or situations.
by Writing Room: Continuing the Story…
Tuesday 6th October: Continuing the Story…..
Today’s prompt:
Continue on the story by using the following opening line. Also, your two characters are called Charlie and Alison. The setting and when the story is set is up to you. Don’t think about it, just set a timer for fifteen minutes and write. Once you’re finished, edit it and cut the word count by half. If you’d like to share your story then I’d love to see them in the comments below.
Use the following line as your starting point, ‘There are two times when you need to stay absolutely still. The first time is…’
by My Very Late September Book Haul
Morning all. I’ve more books that I would like to share with you today. I love this time of year as we start to edge toward Christmas (yes, I am one of those very annoying people who go completely childish when it comes to Christmas.) There have been some fabulous books that have come my way this month. All the books mentioned are either available now (when stated) at most UK bookshops or are available to pre-order.
What books have you got recently and are looking forward to reading or have enjoyed?
See Me by Nicholas Sparks (Sphere, Oct 2015.)
This was sent to me by Sphere and I was very excited to get a copy of this book. I am a long-term fan of Nicholas Sparks. This man has serious Jedi powers. He can make me cry loads whilst reading one of his books and I am sure this one is going to be no exception. If you’re a fan of Nicholas’s books, we are taking part in the blog tour for this novel and will be giving away a special prize to one lucky winner so stay tuned.
Colin Hancock is giving his second chance his best shot.
At twenty-eight, he’s focused on getting his teaching degree and avoiding all the places and people who proved so destructive in his past. The last thing he’s looking for is a serious relationship. But when he crosses paths with Maria Sanchez one rainswept night, his carefully structured life is turned upside down. And when Maria, a hardworking lawyer, meets Colin she begins to question every notion she has ever had about herself and her future – and what truly makes her happy.
Before the couple has a chance to envision a life together, menacing reminders from events in Maria’s past begin to surface. And as the threat of violence begins to shadow her every step, she and Colin will be pushed to breaking point.
by Events: Cheltenham Literature Festival
Photo Credit: mcphersonstevens.com
The Cheltenham Literature Festival 2015 kicked off on Friday 2nd October and is running through until 11th October.
The festival is themed around defining moments. There are 500+ events/panels/interviews happening over the 10 days and there are some fantastic speakers appearing too.
Speakers appearing include Bill Bryson, Nigella Lawson, JoJo Moyes and Carrie Hope Fletcher. Paula Hawkins will also be talking about her book, The Girl on the Train.
Terry Wogan, Mark Billingham, Merra Syal, Bill Oddie, Marian Keyes and SJ Watson will also be attending.
For more information and to book tickets for this fantastic event, visit their website: http://www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/literature
by My Writing Ramblings: Writing Around Work
It has been a bit of a mixed bag with the writing this week. As like many of the people trying to write a novel, I work full-time. I work shifts and that involves day and nights. My productivity level can vary depending on whether I am working and the twelve-hour shifts can stifle my word counts.
I am lucky that I do have a job where I am sat down in one place so that does give me ample time to think through plots and character development. However, at three am in the morning, the last thing I want to do is think (beyond what I have to do for my job, obviously.)
As a result, I am not always getting the word count I am after.
When on shift, it’s all about the organisation for me. Organisation is not always my friend but is needed if I am going to get anything done. If I know I want to get so many words done per day, I will either try and be up a little earlier or I will write in my break. I will have no distractions. I will just try to write through to it. I will treat it a little like NaNoWriMo. I will just concentrate on getting the words down.
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Book Corner is our monthly online book club. Anyone can join.
How it works…
We love books and we love chatting about them even more. Every month, we pick a new book for discussion. We will post a question to kick things off and then you can talk about any of your thoughts about the book in the comments box below. The best thing about our book club is that EVERYONE CAN TAKE PART.
This month, I am doing things a little differently. As it’s October, and also the launch month for Books are My Bag 2015, I am going to be doing the Booktober challenge. Four weeks, four books. I’ve picked four books that I will be reading over the next four weeks. You can either read along with me or pick four of your own. Please do let me know in the comments if you’d decided to read along and which books you’ve picked.
Also, to celebrate Booktober, anyone who takes part and comments on any of the books they are reading in the comments below will go into the draw to win a £10 Books Are My Bag gift card which is accepted in bookshops nationwide.
(Competition open to UK only. Draw will close on 31st October 2015 at midday and the winner will be drawn at random soon after and announced on the Novel Kicks blog.)
So, to the four books I’ve picked….. The Day we Disappeared by Lucy Robinson, The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon, Us by David Nicholls and The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins.
by Author Interview: Megan Tayte
Hello Megan, welcome to Novel Kicks. Firstly, how much planning do you undertake when beginning a novel and do you edit as you go?
I let ideas come freely for a long while, and then I start planning. Once I have a detailed plan down, I start writing, but from that point on I still follow the creative process as I write. Sometimes that leads to a deviation that doesn’t work, and I cut the whole lot and go back to the plan. Sometimes the deviation turns out to be great, and I go with it and amend the plan accordingly.
My day job as an editor can be quite a hindrance to writing – I automatically slip into editing mode, and that pulls me out of being in the pure creative flow. My solution is to try very hard to resist the urge to edit as I write. So I write the first draft quickly, letting the words flow out. And then, some weeks later, I begin to edit. And edit. And edit.
Is there a fictional character you’d like to meet?
Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights. It seems to me he could do with a friend – and some relationship advice.
Who’d you like to invite to a fantasy dinner party?
Oliver Queen (the Arrow), James Corden (presenter), Dawn French (comedian), Ed Sheeran (singer), Bear Grylls (adventurer), Kathy Reichs (author), Stephen Fry (actor), Beaker (Muppet). Oh, and we’d better have someone to cook, or we’ll be eating cheese on toast – Gordon Ramsey will add a bit more colour (and volume) to proceedings.
Five pieces of advice for new writers?
1. Explore. Go places, meet people, challenge your assumptions. Thoreau says it best: ‘How vain it is to sit down to write when you have not stood up to live.’
2. Read. The single best way to improve your writing is to learn by osmosis, to read and read and read. Not just in your favourite genre; all kinds of books by all kinds of writers. Literary, mass market – even the bad ones have plenty to teach you.
3. Believe. If you don’t have faith in yourself, why should anyone else? You’ve nothing to lose by believing you can write, and everything to gain.
4. Enjoy. Always remember why you want to write – for the sheer love of it. Don’t get bogged down in the business of writing. Love every minute.
5. Keep writing. In his bestselling book Outliers Malcolm Gladwell lays down the 10,000-Hour Rule: to succeed at anything, you need to practise your craft for 10,000 hours. That’s a lot of writing!
by Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Historical Figures
Friday 2nd October: Historical Figures
Fiction Friday is our weekly writing prompt. The aim is to write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can. Once you’ve finished, don’t edit, just post in the comments box below.
Today’s prompt: Pick four historical figures (all from different time periods) and place them at a round table. What would they talk about? Write this mostly in dialogue.
by Bella’s Scribbling’s: Shelfies
You may have noticed that a well known UK Superstore is now stocking my novel – ‘It Started At Sunset Cottage’ and if you haven’t then I suggest you hot foot it down to the store where ‘Every Little Helps’ to check it out for yourself. To be honest I’m guessing most folk are not quite as excited as I am to see it on a shelf (I could stand there staring at it for hours but apparently they’re not very keen on that, or so the nice security guard man said as he showed me out).
So how did this happen? (Grab a cuppa and I will update you).
Apparently my lovely editor at Harper Impulse, Charlotte Ledger, has been encouraging everyone she knows to read my book and one of the people she offered it to was Caroline Kirkpatrick from Avon (no not the curly paged magazine that gets poked through your door and then an odd-looking man comes to demand it back a few days later – not that. This Avon is another imprint of Harper Collins and thankfully has no curly pages or odd-looking men). Luckily Caroline enjoyed the story and this is where I get a little hazy as to what happened next, so I may have to make bits up.
After various discussions deep within the nooks and crannies of the News building in London they decided to repackage my novel and make it ‘supermarket friendly’. I wondered if this meant it would have a sell by date and come with two packets of custard creams (well, a girl can dream). Apparently, the supermarkets are very specific about what they want and what their experience tells them will sell. So with that in mind my cover was tweaked – it gained some bunting and the cottage was thatched but sadly we lost the dog in the handbag and the pineapples hidden in the floral arrangements. But overall the revised cover was definitely striking.
by Blog Tour: Little Girl Gone by Alexandra Burt
I’d really like to welcome Alexandra Burt and her blog tour to Novel Kicks today. Her latest novel, Little Girl Gone was released by Avon on 24th September 2015. To celebrate, we have an extract from Little Girl Gone. Enjoy….
A baby goes missing. But does her mother want her back?
When Estelle Paradise’s baby daughter is taken from her crib, she doesn’t report her missing. A week later, Estelle is found in a wrecked car miles from home, with a gunshot wound to the head and no memory. The only thing she can remember is the blood…so much blood.
She knows she holds the key to what happened that night – but what she doesn’t know is whether she was responsible.
The blood lingers. There’s flashes of crimson exploding like lightning in the sky, one moment they’re illuminating everything around me, the next they are gone, bathing my world in darkness. Then the bloody images fade and vanish, leaving a black jittering line on the screen.
Squeaking rubber soles on linoleum circle me and I feel a pat on my shoulder.
This isn’t real. A random vision, just a vision. It doesn’t mean anything.
A nurse gently squeezes my shoulder and I open my eyes.
‘Mrs Paradise,’ the nurse’s voice is soft, almost apologetic. ‘I’m sorry, but I have orders to wake you every couple of hours.’
‘Blood,’ I say, and squint my eyes, attempting to force the image to return to me. ‘I don’t understand where all this blood’s coming from.’ Was that my voice? It can’t be mine, it sounds nothing like me.
‘Blood? What blood?’ The nurse looks at my immaculately taped central line. ‘Are you bleeding?’
I turn towards the window. It’s dark outside. The entire room appears in the window’s reflection, like an imprint, a not-quite true copy of reality.
by Competitions: September’s Which Book is This Anyway Winner
It’s time to announce the winner of our Which Book is This Anyway book competition for September.
Many of us judge books by their covers and make our choices based on that and the accompanying blurb. Our competition adds a little mystery.
The prize for this competition is a book but the identity of that book will not be revealed until the lucky winner receives it. It could be a recent new release or a well-known classic. Who knows? We may reveal the genre but the book title is a surprise. It’s like having a blind date with a book.
All we revealed about September’s choice is this book includes a murder mystery. Continue reading
by Writing Room: Seeing Things Differently
Tuesday 29th September 2015: A Different Perspective.
Today’s prompt:
Today, it’s all about looking at the well-known stories and seeing them a different way. Place a famous nursery rhyme or fairy-tale into a modern-day setting. What if Jack didn’t fall by accident but Jill pushed him over a cliff? What if Cinderella was the one stopping her step sisters from going to the launch of a new nightclub where the famous young owner would be attending? What if Ariel was trying to bribe herself off an island where she was being held prisoner? There are many possibilities.
by My Favourite Fictional Characters…
Which fictional character would you like to meet and which fictional character is your favourite is a question I ask authors a lot and it got me thinking about my own favourites. I wanted to share some of my favourite characters. I have many and so it was hard to pick a few.
Ron Weasley (Harry Potter Series by JK Rowling.)
I could not have a character favourites list without Ron being mentioned. He is my favourite Harry Potter character. He is so well written. His lines and humour are brilliant and is made all the better by Rupert Grint’s facial expressions. Harry is the main character but he is so much stronger when he is with his friends. Ron is very loyal. I can relate to him. He’s not always very confident. He’s the youngest son (I am the youngest in my family) and he does sometimes struggle with faith in himself.
Penguin, 1999
Ralph (Ralph’s Party by Lisa Jewell.)
Ralph’s Party is in my top five favourite books (I have mentioned it recently.) Ralph is one of my favourite heroes. He is very shy, unassuming and lives in Smith’s (his best friend) shadow a little bit.
I really warmed to him as a character when I was reading the book and he is such a contrast to the more confident and slightly cocky Smith. He seems a lovely, gentle man. He’s uncomplicated.
Ebenezer Scrooge (A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.)
by Book Review: Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
Orion, February 2012
It’s 1999 and for the staff of one newspaper office, the internet is still a novelty. By day, two young women, Beth and Jennifer, spend their hours emailing each other, discussing in hilarious detail every aspect of their lives, from love troubles to family dramas. And by night, Lincoln, a shy, lonely IT guy spends his hours reading every exchange.
At first their emails offer a welcome diversion, but as Lincoln unwittingly becomes drawn into their lives, the more he reads, the more he finds himself falling for one of them. By the time Lincoln realizes just how head-over-heels he really is, it’s way too late to introduce himself. What would he say to her? ‘Hi, I’m the guy who reads your e-mails – and also, I think I love you’.
After a series of close encounters, Lincoln decides it’s time to muster the courage to follow his heart, and find out whether there really is such a thing as love before first-sight.
Attachments was a book I had been looking forward to reading. I had heard great things about it. It was my introduction to Rainbow Rowell.
Lincoln works nights at a newspaper. He spends his shifts monitoring the e-mails of his colleagues in a time where e-mail was still pretty new to offices. The e-mail exchanges between two of his colleagues catches his eye and soon he feels as though he knows Beth and Jennifer. He even starts to fall in love with one of them.
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Orion, January 2015.
If you’re a frequent visitor to Novel Kicks then you will know that I have a thing for book covers. It is bordering on obsession if I am honest. It was a little hard to pick but here are a few of my favourite book covers…
That Part was True by Deborah Mckinlay.
I think this is one of my favourite covers ever. I read this at the beginning of the year and loved it. Eve writes to Jackson to praise a scene from one of his books and they discover a mutual love of cookery and food. They are soon exchanging letters.
The plot was great. It’s a gentle kind of book. I completely adored this cover. The blue cover and the decoration is so beautiful I almost didn’t want to read it because I didn’t want to ruin the cover.
Penguin, 2008.
Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen.
This particular cover was re-released as part of Penguin’s hardback clothbound classics series and was designed by Coralie Pickford-Smith.
The story of Pride and Prejudice is so well known. Lizzie and Darcy’s story will always be one of my favourites. There has also been so many editions of this book but I think that this cover is one of my favourites. It’s so pretty.
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Lost: One big dose of motivation. If found, please return.
I have been suffering from a serious lack of motivation this week. I was doing well . I have been planning. I have even decided on an idea for this November’s National Novel Writing Month.
Then towards the end of this week, it’s all screeched to a halt.
Where has it gone I wonder? It has stopped somewhere for coffee and chocolate I think.
I do get incredibly frustrated with myself when I am in this mood. It’s not just the writing that suffers. All of the things I am supposed to be doing somehow gets sidelined.
I make to-do lists (these usually do help,) that go undone. I find writing prompts but I can’t seem to get going.
I can’t explain why I do this every so often. It’s like my creativity stalls/runs out of steam and it decides to go on a holiday (I know the feeling and could do with one myself.)
Things that seem to suck out all my motivation:
by Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Time Travelling
Friday 25th September 2015: Time Travelling.
Fiction Friday is our weekly writing prompt. The aim is to write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can. Once you’ve finished, don’t edit, just post in the comments box below.
Today’s prompt: Write a story that involves time travel in which you change a significant historical event.
by Author Interview: Nadine Matheson
Nadine Matheson is the author of The Sisters and I’m pleased to be welcoming her to Novel Kicks today. Nadine, can you tell us a little about The Sisters and how the idea originated?
The Sisters are Lucinda, Jessica, Beatrice and Emma LeSoeur. In the 1990’s Lucinda, Jessica and Beatrice were Euterpe; Britain’s biggest girl band until Lucinda meets a successful music producer, Paul Morgan, and decides to leave to seek solo success in America. Lucinda’s announcement is a shock not only to her fans but also to her sisters; especially Jessica who takes Lucinda’s departure the hardest. Twenty years later, the sisters are living very different lives. Jessica owns a successful PR agency; Beatrice is a lawyer and Emma, the youngest works for Jessica. After living in New York Lucinda is divorced with two children and is forced to return back to London as she’s facing financial ruin. When she returns home, she doesn’t get the happy reunion that she was hoping for.
The idea for ‘The Sisters’ originated after watching one too many episodes of ‘The Real Housewives…’ There was one particular episode when I realised that one of the characters was actually broke. Even though on the outside she had the designer bags, shoes and drove an expensive car she was actually a bit skint and I based the character of Lucinda on her.
Do you have any writing rituals?
I need some sort of background noise. I’ve tried but I can’t work in complete silence. The sound of my fingers tapping away on my laptop for hours on end would drive me mad, so I’ve always got the radio on listening to BBC London 94.9 or have iTunes on shuffle mode.
Which fictional character would you like to swap places with and why?
I wouldn’t want to actually live her life, because to be honest it’s a bit depressing but I would swap places with Miss. Havisham from Great Expectations. Miss.Havisham is one of my favourite fictional characters and I would swap places just so I could get her out of that old, mouldy wedding dress, throw the rotting cake in the bin and enjoy her wealth and her life. The woman needs to get some sunshine on her face.
by Books I’d Like To See Adapted into Films…
I will 90% always prefer books to any movie made that is based upon them. For example, although the movie was great, I will prefer Where Rainbows End to Love, Rosie (same with P.S I Love You for that matter.) My Sister’s Keeper is another example. I preferred the book and definitely preferred the novel’s ending to the movie adaptation. It is always tricky when it’s a book you love so much. You have such an idea of what the scenery looks like, the appearance of the characters; a solid picture is formed and it’s hard to shift.
However, there are exceptions – Bridget Jones’ Diary, I’m talking to you. I adore the film as much as the book. The second movie not so much but it was always going to fall short because of its lack of the Colin Firth interview scene which couldn’t be done for obvious reasons. I did think the adaptation of The Fault in Our Stars was quite faithful to its source material. I will read things though and I will wonder what the scenes would look like if they were to be adapted into movies or I will think that what I am reading would make a great film.
Here are seven novels I’d like to see adapted (seven because I couldn’t pick just five)…
Penguin, 2014
The Friday Project, 2011
The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion.
I adored this book and Don Tillman is one of my favourite fictional characters. Rumours are that this has already been put into pre-production/development and this makes me very excited. There are some humorous and very touching moments in this book and I think it will translate well to film (especially if Simsion has anything to do with the script.)
The basic premise is that having never had a second date, Don Tillman devises the Wife Project – a scientific experiment to find the perfect wife for him. Then in walks Rosie, the girl that doesn’t fit into any of his criteria.
According to IMDb, Jennifer Lawrence has been cast as Rosie. In my opinion, Jennifer has proven that she can do serious and quirky (she was great in The Silver Linings Playbook.) I am eagerly anticipating this adaptation.
The Tiny Wife by Andrew Kaufman is another book I’d love to see turn into a movie.
I loved this book. The plot is so interesting and I took away a great message from it and so I think it would make a great film. A robber walks into a bank but instead of taking money, he steals an item of sentimental value from each of the people in the bank. After the robbery, strange things start happening to these people. It’s a book about appreciating what you have before it is too late.
The plot is a great premise and I’d be interested to see where they would go with the film. There is such an atmosphere to this book. The only thing about this book if it were to be adapted is that it’s only about eighty pages long so there would be a bit of script padding which isn’t always good.
Another book I’d like to see adapted is Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard.
by Writing Room: Rewrite and Edit Writing Prompt
Tuesday 22nd September 2015: Rewrite and Edit…
Today’s prompt:
We all have a list of novels that are our favourites and equally we have a list of ones we didn’t like so much.
Take a scene from either your favourite novel or one you didn’t like and rewrite it in under two hundred and fifty words. If you can’t pick, here is a list of suggestions:
Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen.
Me Before You by JoJo Moyes.
The Girl on The Train by Paula Hawkins.
High Fidelity by Nick Hornby.
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.
by Author Interview: Sarah Winman
Sarah Winman is the author of the brilliant When God Was A Rabbit. Her latest novel, A Year of Marvellous Ways was released by Tinder Press at the beginning of the summer and I am very pleased to be welcoming her to Novel Kicks today. Hi Sarah, thank you so much for joining us. Can you tell us a little about your latest novel, A Year of Marvellous Ways.
A Year of Marvellous Ways is set in 1947, in Cornwall. At the start of the book, old Marvellous is in her 90th year and coming to the end of her life. She has one last thing to do before she dies, but she doesn’t know what it is yet, because the message came to her in a dream, and the dream said, Wait, for it’s coming. So she waits, sitting on the bank of her creek.
When a young soldier, Drake, broken by war, washes up in her creek, Marvellous realises that she has been waiting for him. And the last thing she has to do is to re-ignite the flame of hope in this young man’s heart. And she does this by telling him the story of her life. The book is about the redemptive power of storytelling.
Do you cast your characters and if so, did you have someone specific in mind for Marvellous and Drake?
Marvellous would have to be the wonderful Judi Dench – playing older, of course. She would be terrific and heartbreaking in the role. In fact, I can totally see her doing it right now! I would cast an unknown alongside her, though.
Do you have any writing rituals (writing in silence, writing longhand, a cup of tea etc.)
I do write in silence – never any music playing as that can influence me emotionally. I write on a laptop at home, breaking for copious amounts of tea! When I go out I always carry a notebook and therefore write in longhand. I wrote a lot of Marvellous in bed, strangely enough, as cocooned as possible, with a candle burning.
Who is your favourite fictional character and what’s the one thing you would ask him/her if you were to ever meet?
I would ask Owen Meany to tell me a secret.
Are you much of a planner and are you the type of writer that edits as you go?
No, I edit as I go. But, most importantly, I always start knowing the ending, knowing where I need to get to. I will not start without an ending.
Do you have a favourite word?
For this book, it would probably be ‘nonsense’.
by My Writing Ramblings: Can I Call Myself A Writer?
After starting off with a load of enthusiasm, this week has not been the best for me in terms of productivity. Netflix is partly to blame. The horrible weather is completely uninspiring too and the only thing I have wanted to do is curl up in a warm place and escape into a published novel (I blame you Penguin for sending me JoJo Moyes’ new book. Only kidding. I love you.)
I have this conversation inside my head a lot. It usually begins with me asking myself, can I be a writer if I’m not writing anything? I have been trying to plan my book (although I’ve not even managed a lot of that this week – work does tend to get in the way sometimes.) However, unless you count seven hundred and fifty words, I have not written a lot.
I can’t help but feel guilty about my lack of productivity. This book is not going to write itself after all. Being hard on myself isn’t going to help me in the long run though.
by Cover Reveal: A Christmas Cracker by Trisha Ashley
The wonderful thing about this time of year is that we are starting to get all of the Christmas themed novels and novellas. I love Christmas and I adore snuggling up with a duvet, a cup of tea and a festive themed book. I am very happy to asked by Avon to be part of the cover reveal for Trisha Ashley’s new Christmas themed book, A Christmas Cracker.
Ta-Da! Gorgeous. What do you think?
It’s due to be released by Avon on 22nd October 2015.
About A Christmas Cracker…
by Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Once Upon A Dream
Friday 18th September 2015: Once upon a Dream…
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:
Using a dream you’ve recently had as inspiration, begin a story with the following line “the door to the vault was heavy.” You could always mix up a couple of dreams if you can remember more than one.
by Blog Tour: Marianne Kavanagh Talks About Writing Her Latest Novel, Don’t Get Me Wrong
I’d like to welcome author, Marianne Kavanagh to Novel Kicks today and her blog tour for her latest novel, Don’t Get Me Wrong which is due to be published by Text Publishing on 24th September 2015. Today, Marianne is talking about her writing process for her latest book, how it was different from writing her previous novel and that it was mostly down to one of her characters. Over to you, Marianne.
Writing DON’T GET ME WRONG was much harder than writing FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE. I blame Kim. Right from the beginning, there she was, angry and illogical. She resisted all attempts to soften her, although I did try to show how often she cried in private. As a result, the plot kept hitting a brick wall, as she simply refused to compromise. You or I would have gone in for some soul-searching. Where am I going wrong? Should I try to get to know Harry better? But Kim just blunders on, infuriating all those who love her, until she is faced with the one event she can’t control.
My second difficulty was that the central tragedy was based on personal experience. So writing the middle part of the novel was very painful. I felt angry and lost all over again. My husband Matt kept having to remind me it was fiction. I think now, looking back on it, that living through it a second time was a way of finally making peace with the past. But the end of 2013 was not a good time.
by Writing Room: Reworking Writing Prompt
Tuesday 15th September 2015: Reworking.
Today’s prompt:
Today, take a story you’re working on (maybe one you’ve been struggling with?) Rewrite a scene where a secondary character becomes the main focus rather than your current hero or heroine. If you’re not working on anything at the moment, pick a favourite novel and rework a scene from there (Harry Potter from Ron’s point of view? Mark’s point of view in Bridget Jones.)
by Author Interview: Ben Fergusson
Ben Fergusson
Hi Ben. Thank you for joining us. Can you tell us a little about your book, The Spring of Kasper Meier and how the idea originated?
The Spring of Kasper Meier is a novel about a black-market trader, Kasper Meier, who is just about surviving in the ruins of post-war Berlin. He is blackmailed by a young rubble woman, Eva Hirsch, and the novel follows the twists and turns of that blackmail, but also the uncomfortable friendship that develops from it.
The idea came from two places mainly. I’d already had the idea of a Kasper-like character for a Chandler-esque novel some years earlier that didn’t quite work out. Then I moved to Berlin about 6 years ago, and while living there became very inspired by the city and its history. The two things came together and I had the idea of this first scene with Kasper and Eva. It all grew from there.
If you could travel anywhere in history, where would you go and why?
I suppose Ancient Rome in its heyday. I never quite got over going to the Forum when I was a kid; the everyday life of the city seemed so tangible.
Are you a planner and do you edit as you go?
I do plan, but I do have to write to make sense of where the novel is going. This means that I write a lot that gets not used. I will often write myself into a cul-de-sac plot-wise, discover what’s wrong and then have to go back 50 pages and start again. I would love to be able to plan it all in an Excel sheet and then write it all out in one go, but that just doesn’t seem to work for me.
Do you have any writing rituals?
I have a day job, so I don’t really have the luxury to have rituals. I just squeeze in the writing around it in any way I can.
by Book Haul: September (So Far…)
I do love buying books. I love it even more when friends give me books and that is what one friend did recently (I was a very happy girl.) I like the look of all these novels and I wanted to share these books with you.
The Last Honeytrap by Louise Lee (Headline, 4th June 2015)
The first one is The Last Honeytrap by Louise Lee. I really love the look of this book. This looks great – a good, old-fashioned romantic comedy and I am really looking forward to reading this.
Scot ‘Scat’ Delaney is a world famous jazz singer. He has ample opportunity to stray and his girlfriend, Alice, needs to know she can trust him. Introducing Florence Love, Private Investigator. Florence has just ten days to entrap an A-Lister. Whilst sticking to her cardinal rule: One kiss, with tongues, five seconds – case closed. A master of body language, evolutionary science and nifty disguises, her approach is unconventional, her success rate excellent. But targets are rarely as beautiful as Scat. Never fall for the target. That is very bad form indeed.
View at The Book Depository.
I Followed The Rules by Joanna Bolouri (Quercus, July 2015.)
The book cover for this one is so lovely. The plot for this book looks great and it sounds as though it will be a great read. I am looking forward to reading this.
Rule 1: Never ask him on a first date. Rule 2: Laugh admiringly at all his jokes. Rule 3: Always leave him wanting more.
. . . wtf?!
Have you heard of The Rules of Engagement? It’s a book that promises to teach you to find the man of your dreams in ten easy steps. Unsurprisingly, I don’t own a copy. What is it, 1892? But I’m a journalist, and I’ve promised to follow it to the letter and write about the results. Never-mind that my friends think I’m insane, I’m stalking men all over town and can’t keep my mouth shut at the best of times.
My name is Cat Buchanan. I’m thirty-six years old and live with my daughter in Glasgow. I’ve been single for six years, but that’s about to change. After all, I’m on a deadline. I Followed the Rules and this is what happened.
View at The Book Depository.
by Quick Spotlight: Shiraz Notebook from Paperblanks
Drawing inspiration from one of the most glittering periods in artistic history, The Shiraz collection from Paperblanks is a glimpse into the elegance of the 16th century Ottoman Empire.
The original cover artwork from which this dish hails was commissioned by one of the Princes of Shiraz, decorated with rows of golden lockets and overlaid with filigree. This royal Persian design provides the ideal place to house your history.
If you’ve been visiting my blog for a while then you will know my obsession with notebooks. I am a writer, I need notebooks. You never know when you’re going to need one…. right?
I’ve been sent this lovely Shiraz notebook from Paperblanks and this made me very excited. I’ve always been a fan of these notebooks. The particular one I’ve been sent is A6 in size and is lined.
The cover is stunning and what I love about these notebooks in particular is that the covers are also very good quality. I also like the fact that there is also a black elastic band to hold the book together which means it’s not got damaged whilst I’ve been using it. I tend to carry the kitchen sink around with me and so notebooks can get damaged in my bag.
by Blog Tour: Sewing The Shadows Together by Alison Baillie
I am very happy to be welcoming Alison Bailee to Novel Kicks today and her blog tour for her debut novel, Sewing The Shadows Together. Thank you so much for joining me, Alison. Can you tell us a little about your writing day?
I don’t write as regularly as I should. I tend to write in bursts – and at the moment I’m not really writing because I’m concentrating on getting Sewing the Shadows Together launched.
Do you have any rituals when writing?
Not really – I’ve got more rituals about avoiding writing. I’m really bad about getting started – I have to sharpen numerous metaphorical pencils and get myself into the right writing mood before I can begin. But once I’ve started I get so immersed in my other world that I lose contact with the real world and can’t stop..
Your book is called Sewing the Shadows Together. Can you tell us a little about it and how the idea originated?
Tom and Sarah have both been scarred by the murder of Shona more than thirty years ago. They meet up again and their lives are thrown into turmoil when the supposed killer is proved innocent. The people around them fall under suspicion, and they uncover dark family secrets before the truth finally comes to light. The idea has been in my head for more than thirty years, since I was teaching in Edinburgh secondary schools. There were several high-profile murders at that time, and even after the cases were closed I couldn’t stop thinking about the people left behind. How do you ever get over something like that?
What’s your writing process like – do you plan much and edit as you go?
My novel was in my mind for a long time so I had a pretty good idea of what was going to happen before I started – even though I hadn’t written anything down. However, the story did take on a life of its own as I wrote and then I always went back and rewrote the earlier chapters if anything was changed.
by
I really want to be a writer. I want to write a novel that I can be proud of. This is what is constantly going through my head at all times. That is when my lack of confidence sweeps in and gives those words a slap and tells it to be quiet (this is the constant battle in my head.) This week, I have been really trying to overcome this huge attack of no confidence and get down to planning my novel, the book I have been trying to write for so long.
There have been a few distractions this week. I have been working nights with the day job which does a very good job at making me feel like a zombie like vampire with permanent jet-lag. Therefore all I want to do is lie in bed snuggled up under the duvet and watch endless episodes of Once Upon a Time and Friends (my current obsessions.) This type of mood does not lend itself to being productive with writing my book.
Aside from my lack of energy due to working 12 hour night shifts, my main problem when writing is the way I disrespect my first draft. I don’t give it a chance and I don’t allow it to be the one thing it needs to be which is to be absolute rubbish and a complete mess.
I recently attended the RNA’s annual conference and attended a session run by the brilliant Julie Cohen. Hearing her speak about how much of a wreck her first draft usually is and how that was fine with her really did make me feel better about my own. It gave me a new perspective on things.
I did not get anything sent in for the RNA’s New Writers Scheme this year (it’s a long story,) so I am doubly determined to not let this be the case next year. The feedback I have received in previous years is that I don’t seem to know my characters well or where my story is going which have been very fair comments.
by Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Investigations Writing Prompt
Friday 11th September 2015: Investigations
Fiction Friday is our weekly writing prompt. The aim is to write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can. Once you’ve finished, don’t edit, just post in the comments box below.
Today’s Prompt: Your character is a private eye and does not look like someone who would be one. They have got themselves into an unforeseen situation. Start with the line, ‘You will never get away with it.’
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One of the questions I ask many of the authors I interview is ‘if you were only allowed to own three books, which three would you pick?’ I know, it’s a wicked question but it always yields such an interesting answer. Of all the times I have asked this question, I have never had the same selection of books (very rarely do people pick the same books at all.)
It got me thinking which three I would pick. It is so hard to decide on just three and in the end, I just picked three from my list that really meant something specific to me. (although it would have been easy for me to just say all the Harry Potter novels as I love them.)
Which three would you pick?
Ralph’s Party by Lisa Jewell (Penguin, May 1999.)
Meet the residents of 31 Almanac Road …
Ralph and Smith are flatmates and best mates – until, that is, the gorgeous Jemima moves in. And suddenly they’re bickering about a lot more than who drank the last beer. Of course, Jem knows that one of them is the man for her – but is it Ralph or Smith?
Upstairs, Karl and Siobhan have been happily unmarried for fifteen years – until, that is, Cheri moves into the flat above theirs. Cheri’s got her eye on Karl and doesn’t see why she should let a little thing like his girlfriend stand in her way …
Sooner or later its all got to come to a head – and what better place for tears and laughter, break ups and make ups than Ralph’s party?
The first one I thought of when thinking about this question was Ralph’s Party. A friend recommended this novel to me. This was the first of Lisa’s novels I read and it was the beginning of a life long love of her novels. I adore this book. It focuses on the five people living at 31 Almanac Road but the main story is about Ralph and Jem and their blossoming love story. These two characters were perfect in my opinion.
by Book Review: All The Things You Are by Clemency Burton-Hill
All The Things You Are by Clemency Burton Hill.
Headline Review, April 2014.
When New York journalist Natasha Bernstein loses her job and discovers her fiance has been keeping a dark secret, her world collapses. Turning to her family, she takes inspiration from her formidable grandmother Esther, who runs a community centre in downtown Manhattan. As she starts to rebuild her life, Natasha’s friendship with Rafi – the enigmatic architect working on Esther’s centre – restores her sense of wonder at the world and her faith in who she is. But when Rafi and Natasha take a trip to Jerusalem, they are plunged into a story far deeper than their own. Here, questions of family and loyalty mean more than life itself, and they must ask themselves what they are ultimately prepared to fight for. In a divided world, is it history or love that makes us who we are?
Natasha is a successful journalist but her life quickly seems to fall apart when she loses her job after taking a risk on a story. Around the same time, she finds out that her fiancé has been keeping a secret from her. In her time of crisis, she turns to her family, especially her inspirational grandmother, Esther who runs a community centre in downtown Manhattan.
Natasha tries to rebuild her life and so she begins to collaborate with her grandmother by agreeing to write her memoirs. Esther is a survivor of the holocaust. She is a strong and formidable character and I warmed to her straight away – I think because of how she was portrayed. It reminded me a bit of my own Nan and I liked that (although the two women don’t share the same history.) As a result of this, she was probably one of my favourite characters.
by Writing Room: It’s a Secret Writing Prompt
Tuesday 8th September 2015: Don’t tell anyone, it’s a secret….
Today’s prompt:
Your character is known to be a little bit of a gossip. After begging a friend for days to trust him/her with a big secret, your character accidentally tells the secret; blurting it out before he/she can stop themselves. It all starts to go wrong after that….
If you fancy sharing your story, feel free to post it in the comments below.
by A Moment With: Ellie Campbell
Pam, one half of the sisterly writing duo who writes under the pseudonym Ellie Campbell, talks about her favourite novel. Over to you, Pam.
My favourite book is Compromising Positions by Susan Isaacs.
I sound like an old record when I talk to people about this novel but it’s always by my bed when I need cheering up. Written by Susan Isaacs it tells the story of Judith Singer – a Long Island ex-journalist now housewife who turns super-sleuth when she finds out that the local dentist has been murdered.
It’s got such fabulous humour all the way through and yet there’s a believable plot. Susan’s writing is phenomenal, witty, full of twists and turns, funny, insightful. You can turn to any page and in seconds you’ll find yourself laughing out loud, or identifying with the lead character. As the book goes on, Judith can’t leave the investigation alone and keeps putting herself in dangerous circumstances.
There’s also a good part of the novel that deals with some very real life issues. Judith’s basically bored in her marriage. Her husband works long hours. Their sex is tepid, predictable and routine. Continue reading
by Quick Spotlight: Dream Journal by Knock Knock
Intrigued by sleep time stories? This dream journal is a guided place to record and reflect. Sigmund Freud described dreams as “the royal road to a knowledge of the unconscious.” Dream logging leads to improved dreaming and self-understanding – and it couldn’t be easier in this concise, fill-in-the-blank, fully explained and historicised, place-by-your-bedside format. This book includes fascinating yet digestible “dreaming 101” and a section of helpful tips on how to sleep better, dream well and make sense of the things you see at night.
I love it when I can remember dreams (except when they are nightmares.) For me, dreams are a huge source of inspiration for story ideas so I’m very happy when I can remember them long enough to find a piece of paper and write it down. As a result of this, I’ve ended up with ideas scribbled on scrap pieces of paper (usually old receipts.)
I really adore this journal. Published by Knock Knock (August 2013) and sent to me by Chronicle Books, it has a gorgeous, colourful cover. It allows me to make a note of all the strange and bizarre things I dream about at night (which is a regular occurrence at the moment.) I find dreams fascinating and being able to have one place where I can write them down has been fantastic.
In the book, each section per dream is spread over two pages so there is plenty of room. My writing is quite big and I’ve not had a problem fitting all the information in. In this you can also make a note of the date of the dream, as well as a chance to record your emotions, reflect/give your interpretation on it and you can even give it a title.
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Hi Joan. Thank you for joining us. Can you tell us a little about your books, I am Ella. Buy Me, and The Killing of Mummy’s Boy as well as your latest novel, Guilt?
I am Ella. Buy me – ‘I am a ginger tom. I am a boy racer. I am a housewife. I am a pain in the arse.’ Ella David is Bridget Jones meets Peggy from Mad Men. Based on my experiences in Soho’s mad, bad Adland, the book is a ‘laugh-out-loud’ tale about Ella David, a girl in a man’s world. Set against a backdrop of Thatcher’s Britain when money trumped morals and lust was a must, Ella spends her time dodging her sleazy boss and getting hooked on bad boys. Can two unlikely friendships help her go from the firing line to a girl calling the shots?
The Killing of Mummy’s Boy – a chance meeting with a killer was the inspiration for my first psychological thriller. Trapped with a murderer on a train for almost two hours, listening to his tales, I was horrified, terrified and disgusted but never bored. What better start to a novel.
‘‘I slit someone’s throat,’ the man told the woman on the 4.20 from Waterloo to Portsmouth.’ Two strangers. One shared interest. Murder. Ben slit a man’s throat. Sandra’s son, Carl witnessed a murder. When Sandra discovers she is being stalked, she turns to the least likely person for help with horrific consequences.
GUILT is about a little girl is left alone with her younger brother and he dies. The guilt informs the rest of her life. When it threatens to ruin not only her life but her relationship with her new baby she must revisit the path to discover the truth. What she uncovers is as hopeful as it is disturbing. Elements of the book are based on a real life tragedy. I wanted to explore the notion of guilt and blame and how these two imposters can exert power over the most innocent lives.
‘You died a month before your fifth birthday. You were probably dead long before Mum downed her third gin with Porky Rawlings.’ Seven-year-old Susan is alone with her younger brother when he dies of an overdose. The guilt informs the rest of her life. When it threatens to destroy not only her but also her relationship with her new baby, she sets out to discover the truth. What she discovers is as disturbing as it is magical.
What’s your writing process like? Do you plan much and do you wait for a full draft to edit?
I start with the basic premise and rough outline. My characters are my best friends. Without them, I’d be lost. I enjoy getting to know them and allow them to flesh out the plot and write the book for me. I write, read, reread and edit every chapter as I go along and repeat the process as many times as necessary with the final draft.
by My Favourites: August Stationary Haul
I am obsessed with stationary. I used to work in one of the big office stores so you can imagine how much of my monthly wage I actually ended up keeping hold of. You can never have too many pens, notebooks, pencils and colouring pencils. I don’t care how old I get, I will always love this time of year as its an excuse to browse all the new stationary. Why should it only be the kids and teenagers going back to school having all the fun in buying stationary? Exactly!
I wanted to share some of the stationary that um, cough, fell into my basket or more accurately, made a flying leap. I love things that help keep me organised (I need all the help I can get,) and seriously, I have so many pens but that still hasn’t stopped me buying more so my haul is a mixture of various things. Where I can, I have put a link to things in case you want to check it out (I have not been paid to feature any of these products – they are things I have brought and just wanted to share.)
Firstly, it’s The Weekly Times from Fox & Star. £11.95 + postage and packing.
I’ve previously mentioned this on social media. I saw this in a haul I watched on You Tube and absolutely loved the look of it. There are fifty sheets in total and what I love about it is that it includes Saturday and Sunday too. A couple of desk planners I have brought in the past only cover Monday to Friday and for what I want to use it for, which is blog planning, this is ideal. It’s also not dated so it’s flexible in where in the year I decide to use it. I love the fact that it has a protective plastic cover and it’s so smart in appearance. I adore this desk planner and it is going to become a permanent item in my stationary pile.
The second item in my haul are these Harry Potter themed notebooks from The Literary Emporium (£4 each.)
If you’ve not guessed by previous posts, I love Harry Potter and get excited when I find Harry Potter themed things. I adore these three notebooks from The Literary Emporium. They are A5 in size and have 80 recycled pages so they are perfect for slipping into my handbag. I have been using the ‘Advanced Spells’ book for my to-do lists and it’s great for that too. The quality of the paper is lovely and the covers are quite sturdy (mine has survived a few trips in my bag which is a little like Mary Poppins’ carpet bag.) You can buy just one book at £4 or all three for £10. Bargain I reckon and a must for Potter fans who also love to write.
by Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Enemy Swap
Friday 4th September 2015: Enemy Swap.
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: Enemy Swap. How about a different beginning of a day for your character. They end up swapping places with their arch-enemy and they need to work together to figure out how to swap back. Can they work together?
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Book 5 in the Charton Minster Series, London-based PR and promotions consultant Rosie Denham has just spent a year in Paris where she’s tried but failed to fall in love. She’s also made a big mistake and can’t forgive herself.
American IT professor Patrick Riley ‘s wife has left him for a Mr. Wonderful with a cute British accent and a house with a real yard. So Patrick’s not exactly thrilled to meet another Brit who’s visiting Minnesota, even if she’s hot.
Pat and Rosie couldn’t be more different. She’s had a privileged English upbringing. He was raised in poverty in Missouri. Pat has two kids, a job that means the world to him and a wife who might decide she wants her husband back.
So when Pat and Rosie fall in love, the prospects don’t seem bright for them.
But magic sometimes happens – right?
Who doesn’t like a story with an opening scene that grips you and won’t let go!
This is my second Margaret James novel (the wonderful ‘The Wedding Diary’ was my first) and being a dedicated Choc-Lit follower I had a pretty good idea of what to expect and was certainly not disappointed, being up to the exacting standards set by the first novel I read by this lady.
Moving swiftly along from one viewpoint to the next, the pace of the story never gives up. With the added bonus of revisiting past members of the Dehham family, this is like curling up on the sofa with familiar friends and enjoying a cost night in.
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Fancy a book surprise through your letterbox? Welcome to September’s Mystery Book Competition.
Many of us judge books by their covers and make our choices based on that and the accompanying blurb. Our competition adds a little mystery.
The prize for this competition is a book but the identity of that book will not be revealed until the lucky winner receives it. It could be a recent new release or a well-known classic. Who knows? We may reveal the genre but the book title is a surprise. If you feel like having a guess in the meantime though, that’s OK, just comment below (you don’t need to guess to enter. You just need to leave your name. The guessing is just for fun.)
All we will reveal about September’s choice is this book includes a murder mystery. The main protagonist is an interesting narrator who likes investigating, lists and patterns. This has been described as a remarkable book.
How to enter:
Comment on this post before the closing date which is Tuesday 29th September 2015 at 23.59. One winner will then be chosen at random from the entrants and announced on the Novel Kicks blog on Wednesday 30th September 2015. If you fancy having a go at guessing what book it could be, that’s OK too although it’s not compulsory.
by Writing Room: Current Affairs Writing Prompt
Tuesday 1st September 2015 – Current Affairs.
Today’s prompt…
Pick up a newspaper or go online to any news site. Pick a news article that interests you and use that as inspiration for a story. Put in an unexpected twist. Try to write at least seven hundred and fifty words and feel free to share by posting in the comments below if you wish to.
Have fun.
by Blog Tour: Gilly MacMillan Talks About Her Writing Process
I’m pleased to welcome Gilly MacMillan to Novel Kicks today. As part of the blog tour for her novel, Burnt Paper Sky, Gilly shares details about her writing process.
After I finished writing Burnt Paper Sky, I made a resolution, and that was to make sure that my writing process for my second book would be much more organized and efficient.
I had started Burnt Paper Sky with little more than an idea of the type of book I wanted to write, an opening scene, and a vague concept of what I wanted the fate of the missing boy to be. I also had a piece of paper with a rough pencil sketch showing where the plot points should probably go, once I’d thought of them. That was it. The rest I made up as I went along, with the result that I got so much wrong in my first draft that I had to spend over a year rewriting it.
So, for my second book, I had better intentions. I would plan it, I thought, I would organize the material and map out the plot, the pacing and the characters and do all the things that I’m probably supposed to do, and might have been taught to do had I been on a course.
That resolution lasted about two days, during which I stared at a blank page that had ‘synopsis’ written at the top and couldn’t think of a single bit of detail to put down. I was absolutely paralysed. I had an idea for the book, and a main narrator, but still I couldn’t do it. Grey mist had descended.
What that showed me is that I am, resolutely, a seat of my pants, make it up as you go along writer, and that’s because, simply, I get my best ideas when I’m actually writing. That’s when the characters develop and interact with one another, and become rounded, and that’s when ideas begin to spark. I get some fireworks in the grey mist.
So I’ve had to accept that, much as I’d like it to be different, and more predictable and controlled, my actual process is a bit messy and very intense.
by September’s Book Club: The Word Exchange by Alena Graedon
Book Corner is our monthly online book club. Anyone can join.
How it works…
We love books and we love chatting about them even more. Every month, we pick a new book for discussion. We will post a question to kick things off and then you can talk about any of your thoughts about the book in the comments box below. The best thing about our book club is that EVERYONE CAN TAKE PART. It’s open to all. You can read the book at any point in the month or if you’ve already read it, tell us what you think.
This month, our pick is: The Word Exchange by Alena Graedon.
About the book…
Imagine a world without words. A world in which books, libraries and newspapers are things of the past. A world where personal devices provide all you could want or need.
Anana Johnson and her father, Doug, are hard at work on the final edition that will ever be printed of the English Dictionary. But one evening, Doug disappears and Anana unearths a single written clue: ALICE.
by Competitions: Which Book is This Anyway – August Winner
It’s time to announce the winner of our Which Book is This Anyway book competition for August.
Many of us judge books by their covers and make our choices based on that and the accompanying blurb. Our competition adds a little mystery.
The prize for this competition is a book but the identity of that book will not be revealed until the lucky winner receives it. It could be a recent new release or a well-known classic. Who knows? We may reveal the genre but the book title is a surprise.
All we revealed about August’s choice is this book is contemporary fiction. It’s a whimsical tale of romance, good friends, Mr Right and dreams. I loved this book when I read it. Plus it has a BEAUTIFUL cover.
by Blog Tour: Higher Ed by Tessa McWatt
I am pleased to be welcoming author, Tessa McWatt to the blog today and her blog tour for her new novel, Higher Ed (published on 27th August 2015 by Scribe.)
Hi Tessa, thank you so much for joining us. Can you tell us a little about your new book, Higher Ed and what inspired the novel?
The novel was inspired by teaching in higher education and by current issues of austerity and funding cuts in the public sector. I wanted to examine how in difficult financial times people cope and how these issues affect relationships. I also wanted to see if I could write a novel the way a filmmaker makes a film, by editing elements together that exist separately, outside of the ‘frame’ of one another. So I wrote each character’s story separately and then interwove them in the editing process.
How much planning did you do before beginning Higher Ed? What elements needed to be in place before you started?
I planned to write 4 different strands of the story and then weave them together. I added the fifth strand because it seemed like the right balance, the right number of voices. I saw the whole thing as a hand, with the five fingers contributing to the whole picture of how we work together.
Your book features five people who live in London. What challenges did you face writing from five peoples point of view?
I loved the challenge of writing from five points of view. In each one I had a special relationship with character and voice. The challenge was to make them sound distinct.
by Writing Room: Another Galaxy Writing Prompt
Wednesday 26th August 2015: Another Galaxy.
Today’s prompt: Your setting is another galaxy where there is a small cluster of planets ruled by a council made up of one person from each.
Some of the planets have a human population and others are not. Your character is part of the council’s secret intelligence agency and you get information that could spell disaster.
Write a minimum of 1,000 words but names, the amount of planets etc is up to you. Have fun. Continue reading
by Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Mirrors
Friday 21st August 2015: Mirrors
Fiction Friday is our weekly writing prompt. The aim is to write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can. Once you’ve finished, don’t edit, just post in the comments box below.
Today’s prompt: Your character is cleaning a room. The relationship they have to that room is up to you whether it’s their room or a relative or friend or enemy. When cleaning the mirror, you find something hidden behind it. Begin with the sentence, ‘it fell to the floor.’ Carry on the story.
by Book Club
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