Review: That Night by Chevy Stevens
That Night is the latest novel from author, Chevy Stevens. Here’s the blurb:
Eighteen-year-old Toni and her boyfriend, Ryan, were wrongly convicted of the murder of her younger sister.
Seventeen years later, she’s out on parole and back in her hometown, but she’s struggling to adjust to a new life on the outside. Ryan is convinced he can uncover the truth; her mother still doesn’t believe Toni’s innocent; and the former high school girls who made Toni’s life miserable may have darker secrets than anyone can imagine. Before Toni can move forward, she must take a terrifying step back to her past to find out the truth and clear her name, before it’s too late.
I am new to Chevy’s books and so I didn’t know what to expect but reading the blurb, I found I was definitely intrigued. This book certainly appealed to my love of mysteries as I love trying to figure out what is going on.
That Night follows Toni through three stages of her life – her life as a teenager prior to the death of her sister, her situation through the trial and finally her life once she’s released from prison after serving her sentence for her sister’s murder.
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Bella’s Scribblings: Editing – The Benefits of Memory Loss
Just a short column this week as I am busy with all the usual commitments plus organising cake and wine for my debut novel publication day (eek) as well as trying to finish off all the Christmas chocolate by Easter (it’s a hard task but someone has to step forward) my only escape has been an afternoon with the child watching a bit of Disney’s Frozen. So my debut novel has a publication date of 12th February and we have now finished the editing. I’m not entirely sure what’s been going on as this is the first time I’ve been through this process and I’m still trying to manage my excitement levels which did reach a peak after seeing my lovely cover (by the very talented Jane Harwood).
Editing is when you really appreciate the wonder that is track changes. It makes it so easy to flick to the next query or amendment. It’s also good to go back to your manuscript with fresh eyes and to try to read it as a reader. It’s funny because I very rarely read the same book twice (I have a To Be Read pile to rival the Eiffel Tower so must keep forging ahead). The big exception to the not reading twice rule is my own novel because I have to read it to edit it, so I have read it many times. It does make you wonder if you have some sort of split personality disorder or acute memory loss when you read whole chunks that you can’t remember writing. Continue reading
by Book News: Neil Gaiman
Great news for Neil Gaiman fans.
The author of Stardust and The Ocean at the End of the Lane is due to release the third collection of short fiction. It’s called Trigger Warning: Short Fictions and Disturbances and it’s due for release on 3rd February 2015 in hardback and e-book formats.
Trigger Warning mixes horror, ghost stories, science fiction and fairy tales and this also includes a never before published American Gods story, Black Dog.
Here’s a bit of the blurb:
In this new volume, Neil Gaiman pierces the veil of reality to reveal the enigmatic, shadowy world that lies beneath. Trigger Warning includes previously published pieces of short fiction-stories, verse, and a very special Doctor Who story that was written for the fiftieth anniversary of the beloved series in 2013-as well as BLACK DOG, a new tale that revisits the world of American Gods. Continue reading
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We’ve been so delighted to be part of the blog tour for Campari for Breakfast. To celebrate the paperback release of Sara Crowe’s debut novel, thanks to Sara and Transworld, we have two copies to give away.
How to enter:
Simply comment on this post by the closing date which is 23.59 on Tuesday 3rd February 2015. The two winners will then be chosen at random from the entrants and announced on the Novel Kicks blog on Wednesday 4th February 2015. UK only. Good Luck!
(The winner will also be notified via e-mail. We will use the address you provide when you enter the draw. Don’t worry, it’s safe with us. Also don’t forget to check your junk folder. I try to get the prizes to you as quickly as I can. In this instance, the prize is coming directly from Sara’s publisher so please allow up to 28 days for delivery. If you’ve not received your prize after this time, please contact us via the blog and not social media as there is a danger with social media that we may miss your message.)
About Campari For Breakfast:
by Blog Tour: Campari For Breakfast by Sara Crowe
We are very happy to be welcoming Sara Crowe back to Novel Kicks to celebrate the paperback release of her debut novel, Campari for Breakfast (which is released by Transworld tomorrow.) Sara has kindly shared an extract from her novel. Enjoy.
(Warning: some bad language.)
Sue
Sunday 4th January 1987
It was easy persuading Dad to let me leave. In my heart I’d hoped he would object, but since it would give him more time alone with Ivana, he didn’t. Persuading myself was easy too. Stay in Titford or go to Egham? Most of my friends are having gap years picking strawberries, living in communes, whereas I want to go straight into life with no gap, and earn good money doing it. And so Titford holds nothing for a girl of my ambition any more.
It’s an understandable and terrible fact that Dad’s taste has deserted him since we lost mum. I think he just got so lonely that anybody would do. He met Ivana at Titford golf club. She was playing a round with his boss and Dad was to take them to dinner. She’d really been after the boss, but settled for Dad’s attentions because the boss was a terrible lecture. I don’t know much about her, other than she comes from somewhere in Denmark. She just appeared out of nowhere like bad wind.
The only things I have to show for my life so far are a love of words and some interesting relatives, and mum always drilled me to make the best of what I’ve got. So in the end my decision has absolutely nothing to do with Dad or Ivana. Ultimately I think Green Place will be a good place to write.
by Review: Campari For Breakfast by Sara Crowe
Campari For Breakfast is the first novel for actress and author, Sara Crowe.
Sue is mourning the loss of her mother and is not happy that her father seems to be moving on so soon after her mother’s death. Estranged a little from him, she goes to live with her Aunt at Green Place in a home that is pretty much falling down around them. Sue begins to try and rebuild her life as she tries to find the truth about her mother. In the process, she discovers a lot about herself and the people closest to her. This book is told from the point of view of Sue in 1987 and of her Aunt Coral, in the form of journal entries starting from when she was a girl.
I have to admit, I didn’t know what to expect from this book when I read the blurb but from the first few pages, I was hooked and could not put it down. Sue is a wonderfully original voice who is trying to discover who she is. She wants to be a writer and her short story, snippets of which are featured occasionally through the book are very witty.
Sue is very innocent and naive at the beginning of her story but I found that she’d come into her own a bit by the end.
The supporting characters were a cross between wonderful Continue reading
by Review: The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom
I love Mitch Albom’s previous novels (he sits alongside Nicholas Sparks in the ‘authors who succeed in making me cry’category.) The Five People You Meet in Heaven would easily make my top ten. As a result, there was a high expectation for this book (first impressions – I loved the cover.)
It focuses mainly on three people: A young girl (Sarah) who wants to stop time forever. An older man (Victor) who wants to do all he can to extend his time and finally Dor, the time-keeper, who becomes obsessed with measuring time and eventually becomes Father Time. He is sent on a journey to find Sarah and Victor in order to be able to complete his mission and escape the prison he has found himself in.
This book is only 256 pages and so I read it over the course of twenty-four hours. The chapters are short which for me makes it very easy to read. Mitch has a very relaxed style to his writing that I love and therefore I find that the themes he covers are easier to digest as a result.
by Novel Kicks attends An Audience With David Nicholls
I was very excited to hear that David Nichols was returning to his home town to host ‘An audience with.’ I was very fortunate to be able to attend this recent event at The Point in Eastleigh, Hampshire (In association with Eastleigh Library 25th Anniversary events.)
When we arrived, we promptly found our seats in the main auditorium. I have to admit, I didn’t quite know what to expect. I had never been to The Point before despite having lived near Eastleigh for nearly two years. I have quickly become a fan of the venue. It’s big enough to not feel cramped and small enough that I didn’t feel a million miles from the stage area where two chairs and a table had been placed in the middle.
To begin with, David talked about how Libraries play a huge part for him and how he will often find himself writing in the British Library as well as the London Library. He then chatted about his time in theatre and how through working there he found his love of words.
by Mick’s Musings: Looking for an Agent!
Okay, first things first, let’s be polite. May I wish each and every one of you a very Happy New Year and I hope you had a great Christmas too. So far as my Lady Wife and I are concerned, we’re still ploughing through the store of Christmas chocolate – it’s a dirty job, but someone’s got to do it! As for writing, 2015 for me is going to begin with unashamed ‘pleas’ (right word/expression?) as I am now stepping up my search for an Agent.
So, to refresh thy memories, I’m now in my 3rd year as member of the Romantic Novelist’s Association, New Writer’s Scheme (blurb just arrived to confirm in the post) and the tome I sent off to the Reader last year was deemed ready to send out to Agents, once the few amendments were made. It’s currently with 4 of these wonderful people and I did mean to send out for a few more prior to Christmas, but then I thought it wasn’t the best time at which to send it off, holidays on the way, parties etc., but now it’s time to hit the ‘Send’ button on my email and also get some ink for my printer. In the meantime, I’m going to put in the Synopsis below (resulting in a slightly longer blog post than normal.) Continue reading
by Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Reunion
Friday 23rd January 2015: Reunion
Fiction Friday is our weekly 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: You’ve been invited to your school reunion. It will be the first time you’ve seen this group of friends since you left and things didn’t end the way you planned. Write about the reunion.
by Novel Kicks Chats To Chevy Stevens
Hi Chevy, thank you so much for joining us. Can you tell is a little about your new book, That Night and how the idea originated?
THAT NIGHT is about eighteen-year-old Toni Murphy who is falsely convicted of killing her sister. Toni and her boyfriend, who was also convicted, spend years in jail. When they are released, Toni just wants to rebuild her life, but Ryan is determined to clear their names. Toni has to face her past and find out what really happened that night and who killed her sister. The spark for the story came from a show I watched about someone who’d spent twenty years in prison for a crime they didn’t commit.
Do you plan much before a novel and do you edit as you go?
I do plan quite a bit. I’m on contracts, so my editor has to approve my story idea, but I also like knowing that she is happy with my idea and we often end up brainstorming and she can notice some pitfalls before I do, which saves lots of rewriting. I try to do as much planning beforehand and get to know my characters as I find things flow better. However, lots of surprises still happen during the actual writing process when the story comes alive.
What is the hardest part of the writing process for you and which has been the most enjoyable?
I like the beginning stage when an idea is coming to life. Not the first, first part, when I’m not sure if the story is going to hold or if my editor is going to like it, but the stage right after that when we are brainstorming a really great idea and I can see how it’s going to unfold. But then the tough part begins, which is sitting down, day after day, and writing it! I like the editing stage, when it’s fine-tuning and adjusting. It’s like when you are cleaning your house and putting everything in order and you can see how nice it will look when it’s finished.
by Bella’s Scribblings: Learning a New Language
So here we are at the start of a new exciting year with all the promise and potential that it holds. People around me are shunning chocolate, joining the gym and taking up new challenges. Someone said to me that their goal for 2015 was to learn a new language which I think is most admirable and it got me thinking…
Two years ago I embarked on the challenge of finishing my first novel and to help me achieve that I joined the RNA New Writers Scheme. The RNA has been simply brilliant at introducing me to like-minded people and I’ve made some terrific friends but most importantly I’ve learnt shed loads about writing and publishing. It occurred to me that one of the things I’ve learnt is a new language – the language of writing and publishing.
Let me explain: The new people I had surrounded myself with were using familiar words but my understanding of them was very different. For example – talking about an ‘Advance’ (Advance To Go on the Monopoly board perhaps?), ‘WIP’ (useful item wielded particularly well by Indiana Jones) ‘Jackets’ (Easy one – they are either potatoes or an item of clothing), ‘Royalty’ (jolly nice posh family that appear in magazines), ‘Beta Readers’ (people still struggling with the big words), ‘POD’ (Home for peas or trendy Eco house?) and asking me if I was a ‘Pantser’* too. I mean really, I wanted to make friends but it all seemed too soon for underwear discussions.
by Review: The Curvy Girls Club by Michele Gorman
Katie, Ellie, Pixie and Jane have all struggled with their weight. They all belong to Slimming Zone and are the best of friends. When they get a little fed up with defining their lives by their waistline, they decide to form a club where size doesn’t matter and they can all be themselves – The Curvy Girls Club.
Very soon, the club becomes very popular as more people sign up and it becomes more successful than all the girls could imagine. However, things aren’t as good outside of the club as each girl struggles with the ups and downs of life.
As someone who has always struggled with her weight there was a lot in this book I could relate to and I thought I was going to find it a little hard going to read because of that. This book handles the subject matter well and there is a lot of humour, fun and four great, strong, female characters. Each woman has their own personal stories and all are going through slightly different things.
Katie is in love with a guy at work and makes some bad decisions for herself (not realising that she has to practise what she preaches,) Pixie is a strong woman but needs to find the courage to leave a bad relationship and start over (her behaviour toward Katie wasn’t always good,) Jane who has forgotten how fabulous she is and Ellie who needs to tame the Continue reading
by Events: An Audience with David Nicholls
Picture credit: Hal Shinnie
If you’re a fan of One Day and Us, there are still tickets available for An Audience with David Nicholls.
In association with Eastleigh Library 25th Anniversary events, David Nicholls will be at The Point on Saturday 24th January 2015.
He will be talking about screenwriting and his novels, including One Day and his latest bestseller and Booker shortlisted novel, Us. David will also be available for a book signing after his talk which will then be followed by a screening of One Day (12A.)
The event starts at 3pm and tickets are still available for £8. One Day will be shown at 4.30pm.
For more information or to book tickets, visit The Point’s website: http://thepointeastleigh.co.uk
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Book Corner is our monthly online book club.
How it works…
We love books and we love chatting about them even more. Every month, we pick a new book for discussion. We will post a question to kick things off and then you can talk about any of your thoughts about the book in the comments box below. The best thing about our book club is that EVERYONE CAN TAKE PART. It’s open to all. You can read the book at any point in the month or if you’ve already read it, tell us what you think.
This month, our pick is The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom
About the book:
Banished for centuries, as punishment for trying to measure time, the inventor of the world’s first clock is finally granted his freedom, along with a mission: a chance to redeem himself by teaching two people the true meaning of time.
by Spotlight: Our Favourites Reads of 2014.
Happy New Year. As we say hello to 2015, it’s time to say farewell to 2014 but before we do, we wanted to have a quick look at the books we enjoyed reading in 2014.
Firstly Bella, our Bella’s Scribblings columnist talks about her favourite book of 2014:
My favourite book of 2014 was Mad About the Boy by Helen Fielding. I was more than a little concerned before I started reading this as I had heard the spoilers and I totally loved the first two books. I had no need to worry. The writing was as superb as ever and so was Bridget. She is still an amazing character who is now coping as a single parent and trying to date again with expected hilarious results. The characters were all vividly drawn and I was quickly immersed in Bridget’s world. A terrific story and a top holiday read. Loved it!
About Mad About The Boy (Jonathan Cape, 2013.)
What do you do when a girlfriend’s 60th birthday party is the same day as your boyfriend’s 30th? Is it wrong to lie about your age when online dating? Is it morally wrong to have a blow-dry when one of your children has head lice? Does the Dalai Lama actually tweet or is it his assistant? Is technology now the fifth element? Or is that wood? Is sleeping with someone after 2 dates and 6 weeks of texting the same as getting married after 2 meetings and 6 months of letter writing in Jane Austen’s day? Pondering these, and other modern dilemmas, Bridget Jones stumbles through the challenges of single-motherhood, tweeting, texting and rediscovering her sexuality in what SOME people rudely and outdatedly call ‘middle age’.
Click here to read Bella’s Scribblings.
by Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Resolutions
Friday 2nd January 2015: Resolutions
Fiction Friday is our weekly 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: New Year Resolutions. Have your character make a new year resolution list. Include things that ordinarily they would avoid. Then pick one or two and write about it. How does it go? What happens? Do they make a anti resolution list instead?
by Competitions: Christmas with Billy & Me Winner
Penguin, November 2014
We had one copy of Christmas with Billy & Me by Giovanna Fletcher.
Well done to Lynne Cox who has won a copy of this lovely Christmas novella.
About Christmas with Billy & Me:
Christmas has come to Rosefont Hill and it’s destined to be a particularly special festive season for Sophie May.
When a smitten stranger emails Sophie to ask her if he can propose to the woman he loves in her little teashop, the romantic in her finds it impossible to refuse. Even though Christmas is her busiest time of year she has her own sweetheart, Hollywood actor Billy Buskin, to lend a helping hand. How could she say no to making someone’s dream come true?
As Sophie and Billy work together to plan the perfect fairy-tale proposal for this couple, excitement in Rosefont Hill is mounting. Who is this mysterious man? And who is the lucky lady he’s about to get down on one knee for?
To view the e-book edition on Amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk
To view the e-book edition in the ibooks store: https://itunes.apple.com
To view the paperback edition exclusive to Waterstones: www.waterstones.com
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Penguin, November 2014
We’re giving you the chance to win a copy of Christmas with Billy & Me by Giovanna Fletcher.
We have one copy to give away. It’s a great book to curl up with through Christmas. Scroll down for details on how to enter.
About the book:
Christmas has come to Rosefont Hill and it’s destined to be a particularly special festive season for Sophie May.
When a smitten stranger emails Sophie to ask her if he can propose to the woman he loves in her little teashop, the romantic in her finds it impossible to refuse. Even though Christmas is her busiest time of year she has her own sweetheart, Hollywood actor Billy Buskin, to lend a helping hand. How could she say no to making someone’s dream come true?
As Sophie and Billy work together to plan the perfect fairy-tale proposal for this couple, excitement in Rosefont Hill is mounting. Who is this mysterious man? And who is the lucky lady he’s about to get down on one knee for?
How to enter:
by Bella’s Scribblings: Christmas Hiccups
So here it is, my last Novel Kicks column of 2014. I have had a brilliant time doing Bella’s Scribblings and I truly hope someone has been reading them (if it’s you Thank you!.
Now it’s time for Christmas!
We three kings of Leamington Spa, one in a taxi, one in a car… Oops sorry got carried away with the festive spirit (it’s Baileys again this year although I did find myself teetering near the Sherry which is a worry.) So here we are, you can almost smell the turkey. I am getting more excited by the day as I count down the sleeps till Christmas! We are munching our way through the advent calendars and ticking off the jobs on the festive to do list. Only a couple of hiccups so far:
We merrily skipped off to the local garden centre last Friday after school to see Father Christmas (I did take the child in case you were wondering – but only because they wouldn’t let me in last time without one) but our trip was cut short as we were told that he only works weekends! Seriously? He only works one month of the year as it is – this flexible working thing has got totally out of hand!
by Author Interview: Susan Fletcher
Hello Susan, thank you so much for joining us. Can you tell us a little about A Little in Love and how the idea originated?
A Little In Love is the tale of Eponine from Les Miserables – an account of her childhood, and of her own role in the events of Hugo’s classic book. The idea was not, in fact, my own: I was approached by Chicken House and asked if I’d consider writing of Eponine for them. But as soon as the idea was shared with me, I loved it. I accepted very quickly – because of all the characters in Les Mis, it’s always been Eponine who I’ve found the most intriguing. She’s complex, feisty, flawed, selfless – and yet she is only peripheral in Hugo’s tale. It has been a joy to spend time with her, and finally give her a voice.
What were the challenges of writing a book around a character that was already so established and well known?
The most intimidating part of the project was the idea that I might create an Eponine that others wouldn’t like – that she might not seem like their Eponine, the one they’d always imagined and loved from the book, musical or play. We all have our own idea of what a character looks like, sounds like or behaves: instinctively, I think, we can be protective of them! I knew who my Eponine was, but would she be other peoples’? I’m also aware that Les Mis has an extraordinary following and fan base; it has inspired passion in so many, and fierce loyalty. All this was quite overwhelming! But ultimately I felt that all I could do was treat Eponine with tenderness and deep affection, and to stay as faithful to the novel as I could.
by Courses and Competitions: Mslexia Short Story Competition 2015
If, like me, an early new year’s resolution is to enter more competitions and to get writing, then Mslexia are once again looking for entrants for their Women’s Short Story competition for 2015.
The closing date is 16th March 2015 so there is still plenty of time to get your entry in.
The stories should be up to 2,200 words in length and can be on any subject you like.
The 1st prize will be £2,000 plus two optional extras: a week’s writing retreat at Tŷ Newydd Writers’ Centre (accommodation only,) and a day with a Virago editor (click on the link further down for more information on what is and isn’t included with these options.)
by Blog Tour: I’ll Take New York by Miranda Dickinson – Review
Have you ever given up on love?
When her boyfriend lets her down for the last time, Brooklyn bookshop owner Bea James makes a decision – no more. No more men, no more heartbreak, and no more pain.
Psychiatrist Jake Steinmann is making a new start too, leaving his broken marriage behind in San Francisco. From now on there’ll just be one love in his life: New York.
At a party where they seem to be the only two singletons, Bea and Jake meet, and decide there’s just one thing for it. They will make a pact: no more relationships.
But the city has other plans . . .
Bea James and Jake Steinmann have both found themselves coming out of serious relationships. Bea has ended it with her boyfriend, Otis when he lets her down too many times and Jake has most recently moved back to New York after his wife unexpectedly files for divorce. After meeting at a party, Bea and Jake decide to make a pact against relationships.
The characters in this book are wonderful. I fell in love with Bea and Jake and immediately wanted them to be a couple. Bea is a lovely character and like Jake, she is lost after the end of her relationship and is trying to find a way to stop herself getting hurt. I found Bea a very relatable character and I love the sound of her bookshop. Some of my favourite parts of the book (apart from her developing relationship with Jake,) were the e-mail/letter exchanges she had with her grandmother. I think these really added another element to the novel.
Jake is also a warm, likeable character and I did feel so sorry for him. I liked Bea and him together and so wanted to keep reading to find out whether it would be a happy ending for them and what would happen before they got there.
by Blog Tour: Red Rose, White Rose by Joanna Hickson
We are delighted to welcome Joanna to our blog today. Her new novel, Red Rose, White Rose focuses on Cicely Neville and her half-brother, Cuthbert. It was released by Harper on 4th December 2014. Joanna talks to us today about what inspired her to write Red Rose, White Rose.
Red Rose, White Rose: It only takes one little fact to set off a chain reaction…
When people ask what inspired me to write a novel about Cicely Neville they are surprised when I say it was the discovery that she was the youngest child in her family. Nothing very unusual about that you may think but when I add that the family consisted of no less than twenty-two children perhaps you might begin to understand why my curiosity was piqued? Then consider the following additional facts; that fifteenth century England was about to plunge into the Wars of the Roses, that the Nevilles were staunch Lancastrians (Red Rose) and that Cicely married the Duke of York (White Rose) and I think you might appreciate that this struck me as the framework for some fascinating historical fiction.
Cicely’s father was the Earl of Westmorland, which used to be a county in north-west England but has now been subsumed by the county of Cumbria and no longer officially exists, except in the name of a local newspaper and a motorway service station on the M6! However, in the fifteenth century it was the heartland of one of the kingdom’s most powerful families, the Nevilles. Ralph Neville was granted the Earldom of Westmorland by King Richard II towards the end of the fourteenth century but when Henry of Lancaster usurped Richard’s throne in 1399, Ralph had recently taken Henry’s half-sister Joan Beaufort as his second wife and therefore felt obliged to support his new brother-in-law. It turned out to be a good move because the new king heaped honours and wealth on those lords who had backed his seizure of the crown.
by Blog Tour: Red Rose, White Rose by Joanna Hickson – Review
Harper, December 2014
In fifteenth century England the Neville family rules the north with an iron fist. Ralph Neville, Earl of Westmorland, a giant of a man and a staunch Lancastrian, cunningly consolidates power by negotiating brilliant marriages for his children. The last betrothal he arranges before he dies is between his youngest daughter, nine-year-old Cicely, and his ward Richard, the thirteen-year-old Duke of York, England’s richest heir.
Told through the eyes of Cicely and her half-brother Cuthbert, Red Rose, White Rose is the story of one of the most powerful women in England during one of its most turbulent periods. Born of Lancaster and married to York, the willowy and wayward Cicely treads a hazardous path through love, loss and imprisonment and between the violent factions of Lancaster and York, as the Wars of the Roses tear England’s ruling families apart.
Red Rose, While Rose is told from two points of view – Cicely who ends up married to The Duke of York, Richard (who is not the easiest man to live with,) and Cuthbert, her illegitimate half-brother. I liked the fact that there were two points of view as it gave me an insight into both sides. Cicely on her own would only have been able to take the story so far and so Cuthbert gives us an insight into the time on the battlefields – information Cicely would have no knowledge of as her story is from the domestic side.
I love it when fiction is mixed in with fact. Cuthbert is fictional but I found that I really liked his character and I connected with him in a way that I didn’t quite with other characters. He felt very real in my mind and the author has done such a great job giving him a voice. I found his situation interesting. He is seen to be accepted into Cicely’s immediate family but has to fight for his legitimacy as far as everyone else is concerned.
The two points of view also gave a very interesting account of how different it was for men and woman but in my opinion, it also shows how much importance the women’s behaviour had on their husbands and how they were forced to make difficult choices once married.
by Quick Spotlight: Map My Heart by Dom & Ink
It’s so near to Christmas now. I can’t believe we are only two weeks away. I am forever on the look out for great christmas presents for the writers in my life and I think this would make a great gift.
It’s called Map My Heart. I am loving this book. It is a relationship journal, similar to The Art of Getting Started. I am getting a slight obsession with these interactive books.. can you tell?
It’s from Huck & Pucker and it’s currently only £5 inc post and packing so it’s a bargain (until 12th December 2014.)
This book is about relationships. It’s about how people meet, fall in love, break up, wallow, and then pull themselves together again for round number two. It’s about dating and rejection and all the joy and the crap that goes with it. It will make you laugh and think, pour out your innermost thoughts and doodle away your angst. It will be your best friend and your counsellor; you can’t drink cheap wine with it but you can scrawl swear words on it and rip it up, should you feel the urge. In short, this book will make you feel better when your heart is being battered and bashed on the rollercoaster of love.
by Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Christmas Lunch
Friday 5th December 2014: Christmas Lunch.
Fiction Friday is our weekly 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: You have a mix of people coming to dinner. Whether some if all of them know one another is up to you but write about the meal. What happens?
by Book Review: Love, Rosie by Cecelia Ahern
Harper, film tie-in edition, October 2014.
Sometimes fate just can’t stop meddling…
Best friends since forever, Rosie and Alex have shared their hopes, dreams, awkward moments – and firsts. But their bond is threatened when Alex’s family move to America. They stay in touch, but misunderstandings, circumstances and sheer bad luck seem to be conspiring to keep them apart. Can they gamble everything – even their friendship – on true love?
(Warning: review may contain spoilers.)
I remember reading this when it first came out in 2004 (released as Where Rainbows End.) I had been a huge fan of P.S I Love You previously so it wasn’t surprising that I would read Cecelia’s second novel. I loved it and since then, it’s been my favourite of her novels.
As it had been ten years since I’d first read it, I decided to give it a re-read when it was released with a new title (Love, Rosie,) and cover to tie in with the release of the film. I actually saw the film which then made me want to re-read the book. The film was great (Sam Claflin was perfect as Alex especially,) but the film only spans a small amount of their lives (until they are in their 30’s,) whereas the book spans from childhood until their 50’s which felt more realistic. I know you can’t fit everything into a film and it’s hard to age the actors but the book captures their lost love perfectly.
What I love about Rosie Dunne is that she is ordinary. She has dreams, plans and an idea of what her life was going to be like and then it suddenly throws her a curve ball she wasn’t expecting and she has to remap her life around it whilst her best friend is on the other side of the world living the life she could no longer have but somehow, through everything, they manage to sort themselves out in the end.
by Carla Curuso’s Five Writing Tips
Carla Curuso lives in Adelaide and as well as being the author of Catch of the Day, Mommy Blogger and Unlucky for Some, she is also involved in the Adelaide Chick-Lit Book Club and the Life, Love & Laugh blog. Her novel, A Pretty Mess is available on Amazon and Pretty Famous will be available on 1st February 2015.
Carla shares her five writing tips…
1. Don’t follow trends.
2. Be yourself and find your own unique voice.
3. Write every day – it’s the best way to keep ‘inside the head’ of a story/character and stay excited by it. Even if you only write 300-600 words a day, it’s amazing how the word count builds up overtime. I find I can only write in a few-hour blocks anyway, then I’m not inspired anymore! It’s a marathon not a sprint. Plus, you’ll have a better story if you have ‘creative thinking time’ in between, pushing the novel in different directions you might not have thought of earlier.
4. Write the kind of book you’d feel excited to pick up from a shelf. (Sophie Kinsella said something like that and it’s so true!)
5. Write your ‘own’ story. Your life experience might seem boring to you, as compared to, say, Gwyneth Paltrow’s life, but it’s actually a goldmine. Nobody has experienced exactly the same kind of things as you have – the people you’ve met, the places you’ve been, the emotions you’ve felt. Draw on it and you’ll write authentically and keep people captivated!
Read our interview with Carla.
Find Carla at www.carlacaruso.com.au and information about her latest works at http://www.harpercollins.com.au
The Adelaide Chick-Lit Book Club is on Facebook and the Life, Love and Laughs blog can be found at http://www.lifeluvnlaughs.blogspot.com.au/
by Quick Spotlight: Memory Stick
I am a HUGE fan of interactive books. Not only does it help with the creativity of finding new ideas (as you never know how they are going to strike,) it also gives my critical editor a night off and lets me just have fun where my writing is concerned.
Memory Stick by Polly Smart is available from Huck & Pucker (August 2014.) I love this book and I think it’s great for storing all your ideas for stories and creative projects and there is no danger of it corrupting like a computer USB stick would. It’s a scrapbook of your ideas and thoughts and I am liking making my way through it.
Here’s the blurb:
Need a place to store all those moments, ideas and experiences, both crazy and everyday? Fill this journal with memories to create a record of who you are and what makes you tick. Download your brain into MEMORY STICK! A scrapbook of thoughts, happenings, hurrahs, ideas and conversations I have had.
by Mick’s Musings: Jealous?
Jealous? Nope, not the right word. Envy? Getting closer, if I’m being honest, but certainly very happy and proud are correct words to describe what I’d like to chat with you about today. If you’re a regular, or even if you’re not, on this wonderful site, then you may be aware of my good friend Bella’s column, Bella’s Scribblings-https://www.novelkicks.co.uk/bellas-scribblings-christmas-shopping/ – click the link for updates folks! But the reason for my kind of cryptic start to this column is the wonderful news that she’s got a two book contract with Harper Collins and the first, ‘It Started at Sunset Cottage’ is set to go on sale in February next year. I first met Bella at the Romantic Novelist’s Association Convention in Sheffield last year. Two newbies to the New Writer’s Scheme, both nervous and not sure what was going on, nor what to do, but she’s become a good friend and now, if I may say, an inspiration to those of us still hoping to get published. She’s worked very hard on this novel and without giving anything away, I would put it on your wish lists for a nice Valentine’s Day (yes, I’m fully aware that Christmas hasn’t even come along yet) present to yourself. So, where does that leave me? Well, I’ve submitted to just seven Agents/Publishing companies so far and, sniff, the first rejection came through this week. I slightly surprised myself but not cracking up completely when that email came through; though it was tempting, but I didn’t think my boss would understand a teary bloke at work. It’s actually made me more determined to approach others. I still have a couple on the list I was given by the RNA, so will have to print (yep, I did say ‘print’) out a couple and see if I can get those off shortly. Continue reading
by December Book Club: Christmas Themed Books
Penguin, November 2014
Ebury Digital, November 2014
Book Corner is our monthly online book club.
How it works…
We love books and we love chatting about them even more. Every month, we pick a new book for discussion. We will post a question to kick things off and then you can talk about any of your thoughts about the book in the comments box below. The best thing about our book club is that EVERYONE CAN TAKE PART. It’s open to all. You can read the book at any point in the month or if you’ve already read it, tell us what you think.
This month, our pick is Christmas.
As it’s December, we invite you to come and chat about any book you’ve read or are reading that is Christmas themed from A Christmas Carol to something more current. We are going to be reading Christmas with Billy and Me by Giovanna Fletcher and Secret Santa by Scarlett Bailey (two festive short stories.)
You are welcome to read these or pick your own festive themed book and then come and discuss what you loved or didn’t love about it.
by Competitions: Writing Maps Gift Pack Winner
Writing Maps think that good writing should be encouraged, shared and published.
Devised by writer and creative writing tutor, Shaun Levin alongside a wide range of designers and illustrators, Writing Maps are full of inspiration for writers. Each map contains at least 12 writing prompts and each map is beautifully illustrated. Maps available include; The Character Map, Writing People (for crowded places,) and My Writing Life.
Well done to Julie Mcfarland who has won herself the lovely Writing Maps gift pack. Check your e-mail (including junk and spam folders,) as an e-mail is on its way to you, Julie.
Writing Maps are a great gift idea for Christmas for either the creative person in your family or a gift to yourself. If you would like to find out more about Writing Maps, visit their website at http://www.writingmaps.com.
by A Moment With…Talli Roland
Day thirty of National Novel Writing Month. Earlier, author Julie Cohen took us through her editing process and now Talli Roland talks to us about her experience with self publishing.
Self-publishing provides another route for authors to get their books directly to an audience. I think it’s wonderful to be living in a time when authors have choices. No longer do they need reach readers through a publisher – they can decide what is right for them and for the book.
I had a wonderful relationship with my publisher, but as a small independent, their distribution reach was limited. Most of my sales were ebooks, and I’d spent a great deal of time building up my platform. It made sense for me to go out on my own, hire a cover designer and an editor, and keep my profits. It was very scary jumping ship – jumping off the ship! – but I’m so pleased I did.
It’s been an amazing journey – hard, challenging, and somewhat obsessive – but I’ve really enjoyed having control over everything from cover to content to timelines. And it’s been wonderful to make living from writing, too. That said, like any business, sales can fluctuate, depending on many factors. You don’t have the security of an advance from a publisher, so that can be a little daunting.
by A Moment With…Julie Cohen
This is it. Day thirty of National Novel Writing Month. Well done to all who have finished, good luck to all the people who are still going and if you didn’t manage it, you’ve still got words written that you didn’t have when you began which is fantastic. Today, Julie Cohen joins us to chat about her editing process (she uses Post-its and I have to say I like her style.)
After I’ve finished the first (very rough) draft of my novel, I usually have a list of all the things I want to change. I write it all down as instructions to myself.
After that, I often spend some time analysing what I’ve written. I find that Post-Its are really handy for this. I outline the entire book, event by event, using colour-coded Post-Its for each story thread. Then I arrange in them in order on the wall, or on paper.
This method lets me see all of the story at a glance. It can make it much easier to understand where you’ve got problems, and to see where new parts can fit, or irrelevant parts need to be cut.
Here’s a picture of one of my novels after it’s had the Post-It treatment.
Julie is the best-selling author of Getting Away With It and Dear Thing and Where Loves Lies (which was released by Bantam Press on 31st July.) To find out more about Julie, visit her website: http://www.julie-cohen.com
by A Moment With…Jane Fallon
Jane Fallon’s books include Getting Rid of Matthew, Foursome and Got You Back. Her latest, Skeletons was released by Penguin earlier this year. She’s also a producer whose credits include Teachers and This Life. On day twenty-nine of National Novel Writing Month, she talks to us about supporting characters:
Your supporting characters create your world. They’re your colour and texture. Without them your book will feel two-dimensional and flat. Every character, however small a part they play needs to feel authentic and alive. It’s always a temptation to try to use shorthand to get across a character who is only going to appear a few times in your book. Everyone understands a cliche. But if you do that your reader is going to lose their sense of disbelief. You’ve asked them to immerse themselves into the world you’ve created so it’s important that world never feels cliched or flimsy. Make sure they’re as real as your leads.
Lesser characters can also be like a breath of fresh air – light relief, a pause from the intensity of the main story. They can throw a different light on your main characters. allowing us to see our heroes in a different way. They are what makes us feel we have entered a world that exists whether we’re there or not. Don’t underestimate them.
To find out more about Jane, visit her website: http://www.janefallon.co.uk
by A Moment With…Cathie Hartigan
Cathie Hartigan-
National Novel Writing Month finishes tomorrow. I can’t believe we are almost at the end of another year. I hope you’ve had a good month. If you’re still going; that 50,000 word goal still being elusive, you can do it! Today, Cathie Hartigan talks about whether there is a right place to write:
Is there a right place to write? Perhaps there is, but it certainly isn’t the same place for everyone. I’ve met writers who can only work in a café or with the television on and those who need complete silence and become all night long writers. My friend and colleague, novelist Sophie Duffy writes in a lovely shed at the bottom of her garden, although she also recommends writing in bed. Hopeless for me! I fall asleep almost immediately.
My writing space is doubles as the HQ for CreativeWritingMatters and it’s chock full of files, books, several computers and stationary for England. We all know writing is sedentary so in order to get some exercise and not be distracted by a sudden need to turn on the washing machine, I take myself to the wonderful Devon and Exeter Institution (it’s a library, honest!) as often as I can. There I can sit at a huge mahogany table, which has nothing on it except a fabulous shine. Perfect. I’m nose to screen until from across the green I hear the Cathedral clock strike five and it’s time for the library to close.
by Bella’s Scribblings: Christmas Shopping!
So here we are on the downward straight to Christmas – isn’t it exciting?! There is probably no easier way to divide an audience than to ask them about Christmas. As many people that relish it and countdown from August (No, that isn’t me) and get their festive jumpers washed and ready in October (OK, that might be me) there will be the same number of people that either don’t care or actively loathe it.
And just like religion and politics it is very unwise for any of the ‘Happy Christmas’ gang to try to persuade the opposition to defect – it’s just not going to happen. I accepted this years ago and I am a lot happier for it. I will still continue to wear my reindeer jumper with pride and extoll the virtues of roasted chestnuts.
Some people carry on regardless, mumble obscenities under their breath (yes, I do do that but it’s not Christmas related) they try to block it out, pretend it’s not happening and avoid all things festive. But however you feel about the season of good cheer there is one thing most people cannot avoid and that’s Christmas shopping.
Again the camp will be divided into those that get excited about finding the perfect gifts and those that anything will do, those that plan out trips to specific stores and those who grab a few things at the local petrol station.
It will be no surprise to regular readers that I obsessively plan out my approach to Christmas. There is a spreadsheet with columns for budget, ideas, actual items purchased, cost and a column to tick when the items are wrapped. I know this would drive many to the gin bottle but it works for me. It also means that most of my shopping is completed by now with just a few things left to buy (mainly so I can enjoy the late night shopping and Christmas markets – so much better when you are buying things).
by A Moment With…Suzanne McCourt
Suzanne McCourt also joins us on day twenty-seven of National Novel Writing Month. Her debut novel, The Lost Child has been released today. She shares with us her writing process and route to publication.
It took me almost ten years to write The Lost Child, in part because I tried to control the process: I thought writing came from my head and it took some time to discover that it needed to come from my heart. Losing my mother and having four family deaths within eight months, taught me a lot about letting go of control. So did Barbara Turner-Vesselago’s freefall writing workshops. But it was only when I let myself trust the voice of a child who’d tried to take over a previous novel—only when I allowed Sylvie to tell her own story—that The Lost Child began to unfold without interference from me.
Nabokov suggests that a writer is part storyteller, teacher and enchanter, and that by far the most important of these is enchanter. One of the great joys of writing from Sylvie’s perspective was that I was able to enter a child’s world of innocence, spontaneity, vulnerability and humour and lose myself in the process.
by Review: Dead Man Walking by Paul Finch
His worst nightmare is back… 
As a brutal winter takes hold of the Lake District, a prolific serial killer stalks the fells. ‘The Stranger’ has returned and for DS Mark ‘Heck’ Heckenburg, the signs are all too familiar. Last seen on Dartmoor ten years earlier, The Stranger murdered his victims in vicious, cold-blooded attacks – and when two young women go missing, Heck fears the worst. As The Stranger lays siege to a remote community, Heck watches helplessly as the killer plays his cruel game, picking off his victims one by one. And with no way to get word out of the valley, Heck must play ball…
When the review copy of this landed on my doormat and I read the blurb on the back I instantly decided that this would be the next book I would read. Although I have not read any of the other DS Heckenburg thrillers, I was not left in the dark as the book stands well on its own and the writer fills you in on any critical information from the other books in a very slick way that feels natural.
The story centres around a small village in the lake district and their two person police team including ex-big city police officer DS Mark ‘Heck’ Heckenburg who is looking for the quite life but ultimately fails to find it, as a serial killer starts picking off the villagers one by one. Continue reading
by A Moment With…Ali McNamara
Day twenty-seven of National Novel Writing Month and Ali McNamara joins us today to talk about returning to a character.
It’s lovely to write again about a bunch of characters you’ve got to know in a previous book. It’s like meeting up with old friends again, and that’s exactly how I feel when I return to Scarlett and her Notting Hill friends.
I’ve written about them three times now, and it becomes easier with every book. Both you and the reader already know so much about each character, that you know just how they’ll behave in every situation.
There aren’t many drawbacks – trying to keep a new reader who might not have read the other books in the series, up to date with what’s gone on in previous stories is probably the trickiest thing, as you don’t want to bore fans of the series with lots of information they already know. But hopefully I usually find a way to suit all!
I love writing the Notting Hill series, and I really hope to write more in the future.
Ali is the author of the Notting Hill series which include From Notting Hill with Love Actually, From Notting Hill to New York, Actually and her new novel, From Notting Hill with Four Weddings Actually which was released by Sphere in October.
To find out about Ali and the fantastic Notting Hill series, visit her website: www.alimcnamara.co.uk
You can also follow her on Twitter @AliMcNamara
by Review: A Girl Walks into a Blind Date by Helena S. Paige
Internet dating is a tricky game to play, but you’ve done your homework and narrowed down your list to three international men of mystery. All that’s left to do now is meet them . . .
* Will you head to Amsterdam to get hands-on with a bohemian sculptor?
* Or does the idea of adventure in New York City with a heroic fireman light your fire?
* There’s also the impossibly handsome Italian count who sends you poetic praise from his palazzo in Venice . . .
Whichever way you decide to go, each twist and turn will lead to an unforgettable encounter. Can you choose the ultimate sensual experience? Remember: if your first choice doesn’t hit the spot, then start over and try something (and someone) new. The power is entirely yours in this fully interactive, choose your own destiny novel.
I have not read many Erotica novels. In-fact, I have only read two (both Sylvia Day,) and I’m also on the list of people who has not read Fifty Shades of Grey so it’s safe to say that Erotica isn’t my novel of choice. I am not sure why. It never normally appeals. What did intrigue me with this novel though, is the chance to be able to pick where I went in the story.
by A Moment With…Tracy Buchanan
NaNoWriMo is almost over. Most of you will be almost at the end. Tracy Buchanan talks to us about plot twists.
The best plot twists are the most believable ones. Don’t you hate it in novels or films where a twist is thrown in for the drama, and while it might be a ‘wow, really?’ moment, it doesn’t feel true to the characters as it sinks in.
The actions that lead to that twist need to be completely convincing and not out of character. Subtle hints (foreshadowing, as we call it) need to be littered throughout the novel, so subtle that it’s only when you read those final pages that you realise how it all ties together.
A little technique I use (and this doesn’t just apply to plot twists, it can also apply to ‘reveals’ in general, so elements of information held from the reader until later on) is to list the reveals I want to unveil. Then beneath each one, list how I can hint at these reveals throughout the novel without giving anything away.
by Quick Spotlight: The Art of Getting Started by Lee Crutchley
http://leecrutchley.co.uk/
For fans of books like Wreck This Journal and The Pointless Book.
The Art of Getting Started is a little interactive journal. It’s great to kick-start creativity or if you’re like me, something to do when you need time away from a project that is giving you trouble and you want to distract your mind.
What drew me to this book is all the fantastic activities in it. There’s drawing and writing exercises (including list making. Perfect for me. I love lists.) This book had me at the first page as it asks you to fill it with positive words. It’s also filled with great quotes to inspire you too. A small thing but it’s also small enough to fit into your handbag so you can carry it with you if you wanted to.
I am enjoying making my way through this book and I wanted to share it with you.
About The Art of Getting Started:
The ideal companion for all creative minds – The Art of Getting Started is the long missing piece of the creative puzzle. As a self-professed procrastinator, illustrator Lee Crutchley knows the ‘first blank page’ all too well and has used his expertise to devise a unique variety of impulsive habits to kick start the brain. Through a series of hand-written tasks and challenges Lee leads the reader through a range of lively prompts to shift the perspective and get those creative juices flowing again in new and surprising ways.
by A Moment With…Portia MacIntosh
With NaNoWriMo, the pressure to write anything in the thirty days is tough. Should you make it easier for yourself and write what you know? Does it help or hinder your writing? Portia MacIntosh tells us whether she thinks it does or doesn’t…
Stick with what you know, that’s what they say. Well when it comes to writing, sticking with what I know is something that has served me well so far.
The truth is that I never set out to become a writer, it just sort of happened. As a teenager I got ‘in’ with a few pretty big bands at the time. This lead to me spending a lot of time around touring musicians and eventually getting a job in the industry. With lots of cool stories to tell and lots of empty hours waiting around for soundchecks or struggling to sleep on the tour bus, I started thinking about ways to show people what life behind the scenes was like – not the approved version you read about in autobiographies or see in documentaries – and I knew that it was important to keep things anonymous, lest I get sued or, even worse, kicked out of the inner circle and no longer invited to the cool parties.
It was during the writing of my first two books about the music industry that I realised I loved telling stories, and that I wanted to write lots more books about lots of different things. That’s when I realised that I didn’t need to keep writing about showbiz to benefit from letting my real life influencing my fictional work. You don’t need an unusual job or to have been through something out of the ordinary, anyone can let their day-to-day life influence their writing. Here are some of the pros and cons.
by Sneak Peek: Half Wild by Sally Green
Sally Green’s novel, Half Bad has made the Guinness world record as the most translated book and the most translated children’s book by a debut author before publication. The second book in the series, Half Wild is due for release in March 2015 and I CAN’T WAIT. I absolutely loved Half Bad.
For us fans of Half Bad, there are two special bits of news. Firstly, there has been a new e-short released. It is set in the months prior to Half Bad. It’s called Half Lies: A Half Bad story.
Secondly, Sally and Penguin have released the first chapter of Half Wild which is below. Enjoy!
(Warning, there is some bad language and may not be suitable for small children.)
1
a new day
a crossbill calls
another bird replies,
not a crossbill
the first bird takes over again
and again
the crossbill ñ
by A Moment With…Sue Watson
Day twenty five of NaNoWriMo. Only five days left. Today, Sue Watson tells about whether she thinks character or plot is more important.
If a great character doesn’t have a reasonable plot it won’t work and at the same time, if a fantastic plot has cardboard characters then neither will work, so it’s a tough question. However, if I had to choose, I’d say for me the character is absolutely the most important. Well developed, believable characters drive the plot, and sometimes even change the direction of a novel.
I always plan a novel through my main character or characters; for me it may be a woman who has a problem/ a sadness/ or something in her past that has brought her to this point and causes her to behave in a certain way. I like to know my character’s star signs, their favourite colours, foods and preferred music – all these elements help to build the character and help me to imagine their choices and the way they live. It may never be necessary to reveal all this minutiae to the reader – but it helps me as the writer to really get under my character’s skin, create realistic dialogue and decide how they would react to a situation or another person.
by Joan Ellis: Why I Set My First Novel In Soho
80s Soho. So sexy. So sassy. So sordid. So the right time, right place to set my first novel.
Soho was never so-so. What better backdrop for my first book: I am Ella. Buy me?
Working in advertising agencies in the heart of the city allowed me to get up close and personal with one of the most exciting places on earth.
Boys dressed as girls, and women competing in a man’s world – everywhere I looked sisters were ‘doing it for themselves’ to quote the lexicon of 80s cool, Annie Lennox.
By night, Madame Jo-Jos was, and I hope always will be, home to the beautiful people – impossibly tall, exotic creatures sashaying across the stage in vertiginous heels and feathered frocks.
By day, after a bad morning, my analgesic of choice was usually a glass of something cold dispensed by the latest bar. Staggering out of one of those dark, smoky caverns, my eyes slowly adjusting to the stark afternoon light, I would often collide with an ageing celebrity darting furtively from a sex shop, clutching guilty pleasures in brown bags.
by A Moment With…Rob Pateman
Rob Pateman (Photo Paul Stuart)
Author, Rob Pateman is with us today (day 24 of NaNoWriMo,) to talk about creating believeable characters.
The grit in the oyster cell makes the pearl – and it’s the friction between the antagonist and the protagonist that lies at the heart of a good book.
The conflict between them drives the narrative, so establish early on what’s at stake for both characters. It could be life or death, financial ruin, the moral high ground, the end of civilisation as we know it, property, family happiness or something more tenuous, like love or truth.
With the basic tension set up, your characters’ personalities, attitudes, beliefs, and life circumstances will begin to follow. One might be demure, conventional, social and funny. The other more calculating, secretive and moody. And the social and funny one might not necessarily be your protagonist!
People aren’t all black and white – so your characters can’t be either. There has to be some light and shade to make them believable and make your readers more likely to engage with them.
Rob writes under the name, R.S Pateman and is the author of The Second Life of Amy Archer. His new book, The Prophecy of Bees was released earlier this month (both published by Orion.) For more information on Rob and his novels, visit his website: http://rspateman.com/
by Review: Before I Go To Sleep by S J Watson
Black Swan, August 2014.
Memories define us. So what if you lost yours every time you went to sleep? Your name, your identity, your past, even the people you love – all forgotten overnight. And the one person you trust may only be telling you half the story. Welcome to Christine’s life.
This book had been recommended to me by so many people. I am always in two minds about a book many people tell me ‘I must read.’ I am then worried that it won’t meet expectation (this is also why I stay away from most nominated films during Oscar season. I find that the hype sometimes ruins the book or film.) I shouldn’t have worried.
Before I Go To Sleep focuses around Christine, who following an accident years earlier, looses her memory every night when she goes to sleep. Every morning, she has to learn who she is all over again from her husband, a man she doesn’t know. Eventually, she begins to keep a journal and everything begins to unravel around her. Like Christine, you begin to realise something isn’t quite right but you can’t quite figure out what.
I love books like this where there are puzzles to solve. The only small thing I had to get my head around was, with having started to read this around the time I heard a lot about the movie, it was hard to imagine the characters in any other way than the actors who were playing them on screen. No disrespect to Mark Strong (he’s a great actor,) but I imagined the doctor being a little younger.
by A Moment With…Kelly Florentia
Kelly Florentia is the second author to join us today for our collection of posts to coincide with NaNoWriMo. Kelly joins us to talk about short stories.
I love reading short stories. There’s something quite gratifying about a sharp, tight tale with a satisfying or clever ending. Although not as widely read as novels, short stories are a lot more prominent than some people may think. Breakfast at Tiffany’s is a film adaptation of Truman Capote’s novella (1958). And Alfred Hitchcock’s 1963 classic The Birds was inspired by Daphne Du Maurier’s short story of the same name taken from her anthology The Apple Tree (1952). Oscar Wilde, one of my favourite authors of all time, mainly wrote plays and short stories.
Producing fine, short literature requires great skill and tenacity. Unlike a novel, you only have a few hundred or a few thousand words to create a strong, believable plot with convincing characters and a fulfilling conclusion. Your aim is to engage readers within the first sentence, keep them connected, and not let them down in the last paragraph with a poor or predictable finish. Most of the stories I write have a twist or surprise ending simply because that’s what I like to read, but not all short stories need to take this form. Stories can be humorous, moving, romantic, inspirational or chilling. But, primarily, they must be entertaining.
Personally, the most challenging aspect of short story writing is coming up with new ideas. Magazine editors are always on the lookout for fresh material, and the last thing you want is for your reader to find your story predictable or worn. So when ideas arise I jot them down and work on them later. Ideas are everywhere. A comment someone makes, a newspaper article, a conversation, something I see on T.V. or read on the internet.
by Writing Room – Game Show
Writing Room is our online writing group.
We post a prompt. Once you’ve written your piece, post it in the comments box below. Anyone is welcome to take part and it’s an opportunity to post work plus give and gain feedback.
Today’s prompt: You are forced to be a part of a game show where peole watch for fun. To survive, you have to win and that comes with tough decisions. What happens to you if you win? What happens if you loose? Is everything as it seems?
by A Moment With…Christina Jones
In our second post today to coincide with National Novel Writing Month, we talk to author, Christina Jones about her route to publication and how all started with a boy called Tony…
My route to publication was – to quote every contestant X-Factor has ever had – a bit of a roller-coaster… And a lifelong roller-coaster at that… I’d always enjoyed writing stories and making things up, and I had my first short story published when I was 14 (in a teenage magazine – remember them?). I wrote about Tony from the chip shop who I was madly in love with and who ignored me and went out with my best friend instead. I poured every bit of teenage heartbroken angst into that story I can tell you! I sent it to the magazine without ever thinking it’d be published – but they loved it, bought it and paid what was a fortune to me then, and it opened up a nice little niche for me – and I carried on writing short stories, serials, articles (I became the pop correspondent for “Jackie” – was the envy of all my friends!), and anything else they’d pay me for (!) for the teenage mags while I was still at school, and then did the same for the women’s magazines for years. It was my hobby – and I was earning enough pocket money from it to have a couple of nice holidays each year – and that was about as far as I ever imagined my writing career was going.
by
Writing Maps think that good writing should be encouraged, shared and published.
Devised by writer and creative writing tutor, Shaun Levin alongside a wide range of designers and illustrators, Writing Maps are full of inspiration for writers. Each map contains at least 12 writing prompts and each map is beautifully illustrated. Maps available include; The Character Map, Writing People (for crowded places,) and My Writing Life.
Thanks to Shaun, we have a wonderful chance for someone to win this lovely little gift pack. It contains the City of Inspiration Writing Map (I have it and it’s fantastic and so helpful,) a notebook, a pen and a postcard with an additional prompt. It’s perfect for any writer or will be great as a Christmas present for any writer. They really are useful in helping the creative process.
How to enter:
by A Moment With…Rob Sinclair
We are now into the last week of National Novel Writing Month. I can’t believe we are almost at the end already. If you’re having a month like me, it’s going to be a marathon to the end or if you’re near the end or have finished already, I applaud you. Today, we chat with author Rob Sinclair about the challenges of writing his debut novel.
For Dance with the Enemy, the biggest challenge for me was that I when I first started writing it I hadn’t really learned the craft properly. Writing was something entirely new to me. I’d never been on any courses or anything like that. I’m certainly no expert now even, with only three books under my belt, but I know I’ve learnt a lot on the way already. So Dance with the Enemy was a really steep learning curve for me – there were things I tried which didn’t work, mistakes I made in terms of my approach to writing including style, plotting, structure etc. All those have been ironed out over time but it meant that Dance with the Enemy was really quite a belaboured project by the end. Continue reading
by Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Unreal Becomes Real
Friday 21st November 2014: unreal becomes real.
Fiction Friday is our weekly 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: Recall a story that you’ve been told that at the time you didn’t believe. Now write about it as though it was true and set it in modern times.
by A Moment With…Hannah Beckerman
We are twenty days into National Novel Writing Month. How is everyone getting on? Today, we have the author of The Dead Wife’s Handbook, Hannah Beckerman who is sharing her five writing tips…
1. Write a lot. That’s not meant to sound glib. Writing’s like a game of pass the parcel: you have to wade through all the boring, tedious layers of wrapping on the outside before you get to the prize in the middle. And with writing, it can take an inordinate amount of time to reach that prize.
2. Be brave. I don’t just mean in terms of what you write (although obviously that too). But allow other people you trust to read and comment on what you’ve written. It’s scary putting yourself out there but it can be invaluable in helping your work develop.
3. Suit yourself. Some people will insist that you have to write in a particular place or according to a particular routine. But writing’s one of the most personal things you can do and you need to find what works for you.
4. Be disciplined. Wherever you choose to work on your writing, don’t forget that it is work. Lots of people ask me if I wait for inspiration to write. The answer is a resounding no. You have to write through the days when you’re not in the mood and when you know what you’re writing will end up in the virtual (or even the real) bin. But that’s how you get to the days when you write something that you know just might be okay. Sometimes, on really good days, something that’s even better than okay.
by Book News: Bella Osborne To Release Debut Novel
Bella Osborne
Harper Impulse, Feb 2015
I am so delighted that Bella Osborne (from our Bella’s Scribblings column,) has secured a two book deal with Harper Impulse (an imprint of Harper Collins.) The cover for her debut novel, It Started at Sunset Cottage has been revealed by Harper Impulse and I LOVE IT. So pretty.
It sounds fantastic and we want to say congratulations to Bella. Her novel is due for release in electronic form on 12th February 2015 followed by the paperback release on 23rd April 2015.
About It Started at Sunset Cottage:
Kate Marshall is slowly getting her life back on track after losing her fiancé. As an author she has been able to hide herself away from the world and its expectations – but now one of her books has been optioned for a film and Hollywood suddenly comes knocking on her door!
When Kate is given the opportunity to stay at a beautiful country retreat and concentrate on the screenplay, it’s an offer she can’t refuse. Encouraged by her best friend, sharp-tongued single mum Sarah, Kate sees it’s finally time to stop letting life pass her by.
Looking for confidence and inspiration in the idyllic Cotswolds countryside, the last thing Kate expects is for Timothy Calder, A-list actor and leading man in the movie adaptation of her book, to turn up on her doorstep, hoping to lie low after his latest tabloid scandal! But after a rocky start, with Tim narrowly avoiding death by watering can, they find they have a few things in common: a liking for Lady Grey tea, walnut whips and bad ‘knock knock’ jokes. Actually, the bad jokes are just Tim.
by A Moment With…Nicci Gerrard
Nicci Gerrard is one half of the writing team, Nicci French. On day nineteen of National Novel Writing Month, Nicci talks to us about the challenges and advantages of writing as part of a team
Writing can be solitary and also rather frightening – and sometimes it can feel like going mad (and I write in an attic). Writing with Sean is less solitary and less frightening, and there’s something rather exhilarating about going mad with another person – folie a deux. In many ways the actual process of writing isn’t so different from when I write solo novels, because Sean and I actually never write together (we did try once, at the end of our first book, The Memory Game, in an act of symbolic unity – but it was dreadful: we took about an hour to come up with one drab sentence, and squabbled throughout).
There are things that are straightforwardly lovely and fun – like the planning, when we go for long walks, or sit over coffee and tea and wine, and bounce ideas off each other without fear of being ridiculous. But usually the advantages are also the challenges – what’s good about writing together can also be what’s hard. We have to trust each other and to be vulnerable in front of each other. We have to allow the other to edit an even to erase our precious words. And there’s nowhere to hide – most relationships thrive with areas of separation, with boundaries .
by Let’s Go Round Again – the ups and downs of writing a second novel
Rob Pateman (Photo Paul Stuart)
R.S Pateman is the author of The Second Life of Amy Archer. His new novel, The Prophecy of Bees is due for release on 20th November. Rob talks to us about writing the second novel.
Sometimes it seems as if the writing life is one big obstacle course. Don’t get me wrong – I love what I do and feel blessed for being able to do it. But it isn’t all plain sailing.
There’s the anxiety of getting the first novel written; you’re isolated, not certain if what you’re writing is any good and the dream of publication seems distant and unlikely.
Then there’s the stress and disappointment associated with finding an agent, the lack of any concrete feedback, the finality of ‘sorry, no, not for us.’ Until of course, that magic day when someone finally says yes.
But you’re not done yet. Next up is submitting your novel to publishers, which is even more nerve-wracking than the search for an agent as the dream is that bit closer. Until, if you’re lucky, a publisher makes an offer on your novel.
The package my agent, Oli Munson at A M Heath, sent out to publishers included the manuscript of The Second Life of Amy Archer – and a synopsis for a second novel, The Prophecy of Bees.
by Book Club
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