What happens when a mother and her daughters are separated; who do they become when they believe it might be forever?
1953, the eve of the Cartwright’s departure from Malaya. Eleven-year-old Emma can’t understand why they’re leaving without their mother; why her taciturn father is refusing to answer questions.
Lydia arrives home to an empty house – there’s no sign of her husband Alec or her daughters. Panic stricken, she embarks on a dangerous journey to find them through the hot and civil-war-torn Malayan jungle – one that only the power of a mother’s love can help her to survive.
Not a book I would normally pick out from the shelves, I was very pleased that this book was brought to my attention and I had the opportunity to read it. I was hooked on this story from the moment I picked up the book and started to read.
The plot is compelling and in some places, it’s outright heartbreaking. The plot was paced so well. It’s told from two point of views – Lydia and her daughter Emma with each character taking up alternative chapters. I don’t think I can pick which character I preferred. To begin with, I was really interested in Emma’s part of the story but as the book went on, I couldn’t wait to read what happened to Lydia, who doesn’t seem to have much luck throughout the first half of the book especially as she tries to come to terms with tragedy and the idea of living without her children.
by 
Competitions – Trisha Ashley Competition Winners
Every Woman For Herself by Trisha Ashley.
Thank you to all who entered our competition to win a copy of the new novel, Every Woman For Herself.
Well done to Annegret and Carol who have both won a copy of the book.
Every Woman For Herself is published by Avon and is available in e-book and paperback.
About the book:
First comes marriage. Then comes divorce. Then it’s every woman for herself …
When Charlie’s husband Matt tells her that he wants a divorce she has to start from scratch. Suddenly single, broke and approaching 40 she is forced to return to her childhood home in the Yorkshire moors.
Living with her father and eccentric siblings could be considered a challenge but soon Charlie finds her new life somewhat refreshing. Now that she’s single she’s got no need to dye her roots nor to be the perfect wife and she can return to her first love- painting.
But just as she begins to feel settled, handsome, bad-tempered actor Mace North moves in down the road and starts mixing things up for Charlie in more ways than one.
Published by Avon, May 2014. Available in paperwork and e-book.
by Going Back Blog Tour – Music and Memory
We’re very pleased to be welcoming Rachael English to our blog today. As part of her blog tour for her new release, Going Back, she chats to us about Going Back, music and memory.
She closed her eyes as tightly as possible, so tight that the blackness faded to a caramel brown, the way it had done when she was a schoolgirl and the class were told to put their heads on the desk and go to sleep. She pretended she was on her own. Music spilled in from one of the other apartments: Tracy Chapman, ‘Fast Car’. She must have heard it a thousand times that summer.
This morning, I sent a hundred dollars to Stephen Sondheim. Not, I suspect, that one of the world’s most accomplished composers is in urgent need of money; it was payment for permission to use lyrics from one of his songs in my next book. Anyway, it got me thinking about music and songs and about the role they can play in books, especially when it comes to their power to bring you back to a certain time and place.
My book, Going Back, is a story in two parts: the first half is set in Boston in 1988, the second in present-day Dublin and Boston. For the early chapters I needed to evoke what it was like to be young and Irish in America at the end of the 1980s. I was helped by the fact that I did spend the summer of 1988 in Boston, so, to begin with, I wrote a list of all the things I remembered about those months.
The big stuff was easy; in no time at all, I’d scribbled down pages of notes about my job, Continue reading
by
Win a copy of Going Back by Rachael English.
To celebrate the release and blog tour of Going Back, we have three copies of the book to give away, thanks to Rachael and Orion.
How to enter:
Comment on this post with your name and county. UK and Ireland only. The closing date will be Wednesday 28th May 2014 at 23.59. The three winners will then be chosen at random from the entrants and announced on the Novel Kicks blog on Thursday 29th May 2014. Winners will also be notified by e-mail.
About the book:
How do you know where you belong?
In June 1988, Elizabeth Kelly’s parents think she belongs at home in Ireland. Her boyfriend is certain of it. Unwilling to settle down just yet, she decides to spend the summer in Boston with her college friends. But the next four months change all of them, especially Elizabeth. Quiet and dutiful at home, she surprises herself and everyone else by falling for Danny Esposito, a restless charmer with a troublesome family. Continue reading
by Going Back Blog Tour – Review
Going Back by Rachael English.
How do you know where you belong?
In June 1988, Elizabeth Kelly’s parents think she belongs at home in Ireland. Her boyfriend is certain of it. Unwilling to settle down just yet, she decides to spend the summer in Boston with her college friends. But the next four months change all of them, especially Elizabeth. Quiet and dutiful at home, she surprises herself and everyone else by falling for Danny Esposito, a restless charmer with a troublesome family.
More than 20 years later with opportunities in Ireland scarce once again, a new generation looks to America, awakening memories of a golden summer for their parents. When a crisis occurs, Elizabeth returns to Boston where she is drawn back into the life she once lived. But will she be able to reconcile the dreams of her 20-year-old self with the woman she has become?
This book interested me when I read the blurb and it was a story I got engrossed in very quickly, reading it in almost one sitting. It does jump around a little between characters but once I was used to that, I flew through it.
Elizabeth sounds a little like me when I was her age in that I was a serious person so I could relate to that. Her behaviour is a little questionable Continue reading
by Fiction Friday – When I Grow Up.
Fiction Friday
Friday 23rd May 2014 – When I Grow Up…
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: We have such big imaginations as children and anything is possible. What did you want to be when you grew up? An astronaut? A fireman? A princess? Write about what would happen if you suddenly got a chance to be what you wanted to be as a child.
by Review – The Accident by C.L. Taylor
Published in April by Avon, The Accident is a gripping psychological thriller about the deadly secrets your children can keep …
Sue Jackson has the perfect family but when her teenage daughter Charlotte deliberately steps in front of a bus and ends up in a coma she is forced to face a very dark reality.
Retracing her daughter’s steps she finds a horrifying entry in Charlotte’s diary and is forced to head deep into Charlotte’s private world. In her hunt for evidence, Sue begins to mistrust everyone close to her daughter and she’s forced to look further, into the depths of her own past.
Sue will do anything to protect her daughter. But what if she is the reason that Charlotte is in danger?
The Accident is recommended for people who enjoyed Before I Go to Sleep (one of my top ten ever books), Gone Girl (brilliant) and Sophie Hannah (only read The Carrier – wonderful) so I knew I HAD to read this.
From the first chapter I was gripped. The whole novel is written from Charlotte’s mother’s perspective, with it beginning as she’s sat by her bedside wishing her to come round from her coma. We find out that her Continue reading
by Book News – Lindsey Kelk
What a Girl Wants is due to be released on July 17th.
It’s the latest book by Lindsey (her other books include the I Heart series,) and it’s being published by Harper. We think the cover is very pretty and we’re looking forward to reading.
About the book:
Tess Brookes was the girl with a plan. Now she’s the girl with a choice.
Should she stay in London and start her own advertising agency with her best friend and potential boyfriend Charlie? Or should she head to exciting Milan to pursue both a new career as a photographer and a new man, the enigmatic and elusive (and highly irritating) Nick?
by Five Writing Themed Bags
If there was one thing other than books that I love, its bags. It’s more of an obsession really. One of the things I struggle with (despite the fact that my laptop is quite small and thin,) is finding a bag that’s big enough to carry everything I need (I do tend to carry the kitchen sink too.) I’ve hunted through the internet and picked out some writer themed bags that I thought were great and most importantly, practical for all the writing stuff you may need to carry around. Which one is your favourite?
Last Term at Malory Towers Bag – £44.00
Mini Book Handbag by the Literary Gift Company.
Love this, love this, love this. It’s from their books turned into handbags range and I love them. Continue reading
by
Win a copy of Trisha Ashley’s latest novel.
Trisha’s latest novel, Every Woman For Herself, was released by Avon on 8th May. Thanks to Trisha and Avon, we have two copies to give away.
To enter:
Comment on this post with your name and county. The closing date for entries is Monday 26th May at 23.59. Winners will then be announced on Tuesday 27th May 2014 on the Novel Kicks blog. They will be picked at random from the entrants. Winners will also be notified by e-mail within 24 hours of the winners being announced.
Good Luck.
About the book:
First comes marriage. Then comes divorce. Then it’s every woman for herself … Continue reading
by A Moment With Janey Lewis
Janey is the author of The Sweetness of Liberty James, released by The Book Guild in March 2014. Her book is about Liberty deciding to open up her own patisserie after going through a traumatic life changing event.
Today, Janey shares her five writing tips.
Only write for yourself.
Write about something you are passionate about. Books, like food, show if you put love into them.
Only write if you feel like it.
Read.
Read more.
The Sweetness of Liberty James is available to buy in hardback and e-book.
by A Moment With Renita D’Silva
Renita D’ Silva
Renita D’Silva’s novel, Monsoon Memories was released in 2013 and her second novel, The Forgotten Daughter was recently released by Bookouture. Renita talks about the books that she’s read that have made an impact on her.
Oh there are so many. I am reading constantly and I try and read as variedly as I can. While writing ‘MonsoonMemories’, some of the books that made a huge impact were Julie Myerson’s ‘Something might happen’,Chimamanda Ngosi Adichie’s ‘Purple Hibiscus’, MaggieO’Farrell’s ‘The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox’ and Rose Tremain’s ‘The Road Home’.
While writing ‘The Forgotten Daughter’ I read Margaret Atwood’s ‘The Blind Assassin’ and was blown away by the sheer beauty of her prose.
The book that made a big impact on me growing up was Arundhati Roy’s ‘The God of Small Things’. I obsessed over it – the plot, her prose, her beautifully evocative descriptions, Continue reading
by Book News – Fiona Walker
Escape to the country with best-selling author, Fiona Walker.
Fiona’s previous novels include, The Love Letter, Kiss and Tell and The Summer Wedding and fans of Fiona Walker will be very pleased to hear that her new novel, The Country Escape, is due for release by Sphere on 5th June 2014. It’s available to pre-order now in paperback and e-book.
Here’s the blurb:
Hidden amid lush parkland, Eardisford is the ultimate English country retreat and it’s just been sold for the first time in its history. Romantic daredevil Kat Mason has been bequeathed the estate’s lakeside sanctuary, Lake Farm, until she dies or marries. But the new owners want her out now . . .
In rides charming playboy Dougie Everett, the man hired to sweep Kat off her feet and off the property. Dougie loves nothing more than the thrill of the chase, but does he risk losing his heart along the way?
by Courses and Competitions – Writing Maps Writing Contest
Writing Maps think that good writing should be encouraged, shared and published.
Writing Maps are full of inspiration for writers. Each one 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.
Each month, to coincide with the launch of a new map, they hold a monthly Writing Maps Writing Contest
The challenge is to write and share a 150-word piece in response to their Prompt of the Month. This month, they launched the new box set and so, the word BOX is the prompt for May.
If you are one of the two winning entrants, Continue reading
by Novel Kicks Chats With William Thacker
Charm Offensive was published by Legend Press in March 2014.
William is an author and scriptwriter and this book is his debut novel. We chat with him about Charm Offensive, his writing rituals and his favourite word.
Can you tell us about Charm Offensive?
It’s a contemporary novel about a retired politician’s recovery from a scandal. It contains tragedy and comedy – two of my favourite bedfellows.
Which authors do you admire?
I admire many of the novelists and playwrights who are closely associated with the 1930s and 1940s – the likes of Steinbeck, Orwell and the neglected-until-recently Patrick Hamilton. I admire the moral integrity to their works which came amid economic depression and war. They had soul as well as style. I once wrote my dissertation on the great American playwrights – Arthur Miller, Eugene O’Neill and Tennessee Williams – for the same reasons.
by Fiction Friday – Carry On The Story…
Friday 16th May 2014 – Carry on the story.
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: Carry on the story, using the following line as a starting point.
‘Miranda was sat next to Tim when she saw the article. She quickly snatched the magazine from him.’
by Bella's Scribblings : Finding The Time To Write
Bella Osborne
“I would like to write a book but I haven’t got the time.” How many times have you heard that? How many times have you thought that you don’t have the time to write. My bet is that it’s more than once.
This is where I can help. Firstly, you can find time, if you really want to. It is so very easy in today’s busy world to think that you don’t have time to write. But I guarantee that if a friend called you now and you needed to drop everything to help them, you would do it. Because you’re a good person and you would find a way to accommodate their request. So why can’t you find a way to accommodate your writing? Don’t you deserve the same level of dedication as your friend?
The issue is time stealers. Time stealers are everywhere (they may have even been in an episode of Dr Who) they are the little things that eat away at your precious allocation of time almost unnoticed. If you could just grab back a fraction of those minutes even just the odd twenty minutes here and there it will make a big difference. Here are some suggestions of where to look for those elusive nuggets of time:
You could look at the ends of the day – could you get up a little earlier and write then? Or stay up a little longer and write then? Can you grab time in lunch and coffee breaks or boring meetings?
If you watch television regularly, start adding up the hours – you will be shocked. Continue reading
by News – Film Adaptation For Second Ahern Novel
Harper Collins, 2004.
Fans of Cecelia Ahern will soon be able to see her second novel adapted for the big screen.
Love, Rosie is due for release in October. Directing is Christian Ditter and it stars Lily Collins (The Blind Side, Mirror Mirror,) as Rosie Dunne and Sam Claflin as Alex Stewart. Sam has recently starred as Finnick Odair in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.
Love, Rosie is adapted from the novel, Where Rainbows End. It is about two best friends, Alex and Rosie, who have known each other since childhood but are then separated when Alex moves to America with his family. Their friendship carries on through letters and e-mails (well, in the book anyway.)
This is the second 0f Cecelia’s novels to make its way to the big screen. Her debut novel, PS, I Love You was released in 2007 with Hilary Swank and Gerard Butler in the lead roles.
by Courses and Competitions: Get going! The Writing Project Starter Kit
Give your writing project the best possible start with acclaimed writer and critic Erica Wagner and The Faber Academy.
Maybe that great idea is ready to be put down on paper or you’re in the middle of something but need some support to get it finished? Wherever you are in your writing project, over the course of five summer evenings this course will give you the equipment to take your work to the next level.
You’ll share your work with the rest of the group in a lively workshop environment, and get feedback on new writing through exercises and assignments. You’ll learn tips and tricks to get yourself started and discover tools to develop your writing. Come with your notes, chapters, or even just an idea.
The course will be 2-hour evening sessions Continue reading
by A Moment With…Michelle Scott
The author of the Lilith Straight series, talks about writing urban fantasy.
I’ve always liked books that take me away from the humdrum of everyday life and into a world of monsters and heroes, demons and angels. My first introduction to these books came in the form of my mother’s old copy of Grimm’s Fairytales. Mind you, these weren’t the sanitized, Disney versions, but the raw, scary tales. There was a murder in nearly every story. Fingers were cut off. Eyes gouged out. People were eaten…
Fun times.
Yes, I was drawn to the scariness of the stories as much as I was the incredible world of fairies and giants and talking animals. I liked to think that one day I might run across something as rare and wonderful as a magic horse or a house made of sweets. I guess, in some ways, I’m still waiting for that day.
As I matured, so did my tastes. As a teenager, I fell in love with Anne Rice’s vampire novels. Instead of dreaming about knights and princes, I started dreaming about the vampire Lestat and his friend Louis. After those books, it was Sunshine by Robin McKinley. And then Mercy Thompson and Sookie Stackhouse.
Years have passed since then, but I’m still as into the supernatural now as I ever was. Of course, I’ve upgraded to werewolves and vampires and demons, but still. The same principles apply. Scary is good and the fantastic is awesome.
by Book News : Veronica Henry
New novel due for release in July.
Get your suntan lotion and your bucket and spade ready. The Beach Hut Next Door is the upcoming release for Veronica Henry. She recently won the Romantic Novelists’ Association, Romantic Novel of The Year award for her book, A Night on the Orient Express.
This book is due for release by Orion on 3rd July 2014 and is available to pre-order in hardback and e-book.
Heres the blurb:
The sun is out and the beach huts at Everdene Sands are filling up once again. Jemima is artist in residence for the summer, capturing the antics of the holidaymakers on canvas. But it’s not long before she becomes embroiled in their tangled lives. Vince and Murphy are best mates, and misspent their youths in the waves and bars of Everdene. Now they are making plans for the Lobster Shack, eager to make their fortune. But Vince’s life has been touched by tragedy, Continue reading
by Mick's Musings : How are things going with the edit?
Thought it was about time I brought you up to date with how my ‘BIG’ edit is going. Well, so far the first eight chapters have gone out to my ever-so kind readers, who right at the moment, are ploughing valiantly ahead through the fog and mire of my writing. Honestly, if there were some kind of award that I could give for this service, I would. At least with a couple of them I have the honour and pleasure of returning the service.
I’ve found that when I open each chapter again, it’s like settling back into conversation with old friends. It’s not exactly been months since the words were written, but it’s the same kind of feeling you get when you’re walking down a street you’ve not been down for a while and approaching from the distance is a shape that’s familiar, yet at the same time somewhat of a stranger. So, open arms and embrace time.
Reading the words aloud gets me looks from my work colleagues when I do this at lunch-times, but I think most of them know what I write by now and have given up asking me where all the blood and gore is. That may be in the next one which is in the early planning stages – hello Mills and Boon Medical! And please don’t ask me where that idea came from. Actually, I think it was a song? BBC Radio 2 has a lot to answer for as I was driving in to work a while back and there was a Tina Turner song – Private Dancer – playing and I had to scribble down another idea when I got to work before I forgot.
by Fiction Friday – Observation.
Friday 9th May 2014 – Observation.
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. 0
Today’s prompt: Set your timer for a minute. In that minute, write down everything you notice whilst looking out your window – people you see, objects, colours. Do you have the window open? What can you smell? Write down everything that you notice within that minute. Once you’re done, start putting all of your notes into a story.
by Book News -Milly Johnson to release an e-book exclusive.
New e-book being released in May.
Sunday Times best-selling author, Milly Johnson, is due to release her new book, The Teashop on the Corner, in June but first, she’s releasing an e-book exclusive. It’s called Here Come the Boys. It’s available to pre-order now and is released on 22nd May 2014 by Simon & Schuster.
Here’s the blurb:
Angie Silverton and her husband are taking a much-needed holiday on the cruise ship Mermaidia, so the last person she hopes to bump into on the first night is her one-time best friend Selina and the man Selina stole from her and married twenty years ago.
And what she needs even less is to be marooned in Malaga with Selina when both of them manage to miss boarding the ship in port.
It will take three days for them to travel across Europe to catch up with the ship again in Croatia. And in the company of each other twenty-four/seven, a lot of old baggage is going to be unloaded.
by Courses and Competitions : WoW Creative Writing Matters Short Story Competition 2014
Could you wow with a wonderful story in one thousand words?
The people over at Creative Writing Matters are running a short story competition.
The first prize is £200, second prize is £100 and the third prize £50
There is still time to enter with the closing date being the 31st May 2014.
The entry fee is £5 through Paypal.
To enter:
In the subject line of your email, type WoW followed by the title of your story. In the body of the email type your name, contact details (postal address and phone number, mobile and/or landline) and the title of your story. Email your story as an attachment (in doc, docx, pdf or rtf format) to creativewritingmatters@virginmedia.com. Your attachment should have the same title as your story.
Continue reading
by A Moment With CL Taylor – Five Writing Tips
CL Taylor’s novel, The Accident, was released in April by Harper Collins.
Today, she shares with us her five tips for new writers…
1.Don’t write what you know, write about something you feel passionately about. When I wrote THE ACCIDENT I wanted to explore how an abusive relationship continues to affect the victim long after it ends. I think readers can sense when the writer feels passionately about a theme and it makes the novel a more powerful, compelling read.
2.Wait for the voice of the character to appear in your head before you write a word. It makes writing your novel a million times easier. Don’t force it, just wait. She or he will speak to you when you least expect it, just make sure you write down whatever they say as quickly as you can.
3.Don’t compare yourself to other writers or assume that they have it easy or are brimming with confidence. Published authors blog and tweet about their successes and keep their failures to themselves. I know so many authors who’ve had books rejected by their agents and their editors, even after they’ve been published to critical acclaim. EVERYONE, even multi-published and award-winning authors, feel insecure about their writing ability at some time and we all reach a certain point when writing a book where we’re utterly convinced that it’s rubbish and we should ditch it and start something new. The secret is to keep writing through those insecure periods (and stock up on chocolate and wine).
by Fiction Friday – Superhero School
Friday 2nd May 2014.
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 just found out that you’ve got superhero powers and have been enrolled in superhero school. Write about your first day. What’s your power? Have you been enrolled by accident? Do you earn yourself an arch-enemy? Do you come from a family of superheroes and now have a lot to live up to?
by Courses and Competitions : Luke Bitmead Bursary 2014
Luke Bitmead
Submissions are now being excepted for the 2014 Luke Bitmead Bursary.
This award was set up by Luke’s family shortly after his death in 2006 to support and encourage the work of fledgling novel writers and is now the UK’s biggest award for unpublished authors.
Luke Bitmead was the first novelist to be published by Legend Press. His novel White Summer was released in 2006 shortly before his death. Two novels have been published posthumously – The Body is a Temple and Heading South (co-authored by Catherine Richards).
This is the bursary’s seventh year. Previous winners include Andrew Blackman and his novel, On the Holloway Road, Ruth Dugdall and her book, The Woman Before Me, Sophie Duffy with The Generation Game, J.R. Crook and Sleeping Patterns, Joanne Graham and her novel, Lacey’s House and finally last year’s winner Jo Gatford. Her novel, White Lies was published on 1st May 2014.
The top prize is a publishing contract with Legend Press, and a £2500 bursary. Continue reading
by Book News – Get Started in Creative Writing
Teach Yourself: March 2014.
New Edition from Teach Yourself Series.
I have always been a fan of the Teach Yourself series and this new edition for getting started in Creative Writing has recently been released. It’s available in paperback and e-book. I find these books great in terms of dipping in and out of the sections where I need specific help. It’s also great as a whole for first time writers. I am looking forward to checking out this new edition.
Here’s the blurb:
Get Started in Creative Writing will help writers at the very beginning of their creative journey to gain confidence and find inspiration, and then support you in the completion of your first pieces of creative writing – a short story, a poem, a draft of a novel or screenplay. Each chapter includes a central writing exercise and four shorter ones, while key quotes, key ideas and focus points will be clearly signposted and will summarise important concepts and advice. At the heart of each chapter is a ‘Workshop’. The Workshop is a key exercise, in which you will gain a deeper insight into the craft of writing.
by Writing Room : May – Write a Letter
Writing Room is our monthly online writing group.
Each month, 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.
May’s prompt: Write a letter from you to someone who you’re either angry or in love with. The person in question can be made up if you are worried about it being too personal. If you’re working on a novel or short story, maybe you’d prefer to write it from the point of view of your main character or a secondary character to your main character? What would you tell them? Maximum word count is 500 words.
by Book News : Freya North
New book due for release in June.
Freya North’s previous novels include Rumours, Chances and Pillow Talk. Her new book, The Way Back Home is due for release by HarperCollins on 19th June 2014. It will be available in Hardback and e-book.
We absolutely adore this cover and I’m looking forward to reading. What do you think of the cover?
If you can’t wait until June, a free sampler will be released for kindle on 8th May 2014 and is available for pre-order via Amazon.
About the book:
One summer, something happened that changed everything forever…
by Book Corner :
Penguin: Re-issue edition, January 2012.
Book Corner is our online monthly book club.
How it works…
Anyone can take part in our book club. 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.
This month, our pick is The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 3/4 by Sue Townsend. It was the first book in her brilliant series about teenager, Adrian Mole.
About the book:
The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾ is the first book in Sue Townsend’s brilliantly funny Adrian Mole series.
Friday January 2nd Continue reading
by News -Harper Lee
Mockingbird to be made available for e-readers.
In a rare public statement, Harper Lee has announced that her iconic novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, will be available to buy as an e-book for the first time. Due for release on 8th July, it will also be available in downloadable audiobook.
Harper Lee announced the news on Monday, her 88th birthday in a statement released through her publisher, HarperCollins. She said, “I’m still old-fashioned. I love dusty old books and libraries. I am amazed and humbled that Mockingbird has survived this long. This is Mockingbird for a new generation.”
The Pulitzer prize winning novel was first released in 1960 and was later adpated into a movie. The novel has sold more than thirty million copies.
by Literary Fact of the Day
Thursday 1st May.
Joseph Heller, the author of Catch-22 was born on this day in 1923. He was born in Brooklyn, New York. His book, Catch-22 was published by Simon & Schuster in 1961.
by Bella's Scribblings :
Bella Osborne
So here we are at a key point in the year and one that involves copious amounts of chocolate – what is not to love about that? I have to say that I may well have overindulged as I am having nightmares about drowning in a sea of mini eggs and I believe I may have suffered from the first ever chocolate hangover – it wasn’t pretty.
Thanks to Mr Fry producing the first chocolate Easter Egg in the UK in 1873 we see them on the shelves from 1st January and then the week before Easter we remember that we need to buy them for friends and family at which point all the good ones have gone and there are just Toffee Crisp and Power Rangers ones left. (There is definitely a comparable analogy about men in there somewhere but I’m going to let it go).
So given the chocolate hangover situation I felt duty bound to do a bit of research – so please bear with me.
People claim that chocolate has a variety of effects on them; that it’s addictive, it perks them up or in some cases it gives them headaches. To understand that we need to know how it works. Well, it’s all to do with brain chemicals known as neurotransmitters, which charge around the brain telling the body what to do (like Dr Who and whoever his latest sidekick is). They have an impact on our emotions, mood, thought patterns, energy and concentration. (The neurotransmitters, not Dr Who). Continue reading
by Competitions : Of Love and Other Wars Competition Winners
Thank you to all who entered our two competitions to win a copy of Of Love and Other Wars by Sophie Hardach.
Well done to Victoria, Katherine, Aly, Carol, Janet, Maggie, MCM, Tamalyn, Phamie and Doug. You’ve all won a copy of the book and a poster of the book cover. You will all be contacted via e-mail in the next 24 hours.
At a rally in the Royal Albert Hall, two Quaker brothers, Paul and Charlie Lamb, sign a pledge of peace that only one of them will honour. Meanwhile, in a draughty Victorian mansion in Hampstead, Mr. Morningstar wonders why his wife, a crystallographer from dynasty of diamond cutters, turns into a cursing somnambulist at night, while their daughter, Miriam, comes home from her shifts at the munitions factory with her stockings inside out. As the streets throng with khaki, the Lambs and the Morningstars must decide how to do good in a world transformed by evil. Should a scientist use her skills to maximise civilian casualties? Should a Quaker stand by as millions are murdered? And is it possible to LAOW Posterlove someone if you hate their convictions? When the two families are torn apart by war, Paul is forced to choose between his conscience and the woman he loves.
by Competitions :
Of Love and Other Wars – seven more copies still to win.
THIS IS NOW CLOSED
Thanks to Sophie and the lovely people at Simon and Schuster, we still have seven copies of, Of Love and Other Wars, to give away. As well as the book, each winner will also receive a poster of the stunning book cover.
About the book:
At a rally in the Royal Albert Hall, two Quaker brothers, Paul and Charlie Lamb, sign a pledge of peace that only one of them will honour. Meanwhile, in a draughty Victorian mansion in Hampstead, Mr. Morningstar wonders why his wife, a crystallographer from dynasty of diamond cutters, turns into a cursing somnambulist at night, while their daughter, Miriam, comes home from her shifts at the munitions factory with her stockings inside out. As the streets throng with khaki, the Lambs and the Morningstars must decide how to do good in a world transformed by evil. Should a scientist Continue reading
by NK Chats To.... : Victoria Fox
Victoria is the author of Temptation Island, Hollywood Sinners and Wicked Ambition.
We chat to Victoria about her ideal dinner guests, her favourite author and her approach to writing.
What’s your writing style like?
Bonkbusters should have a great sense of humour and fun, and be a bit tongue-in-cheek, so that’s what I aim for. My characters are larger than life and get up to some seriously outrageous antics, so I try to keep my writing light and funny to accommodate this. All the bonkbusters I read as a teenager – Jackie Collins, Jilly Cooper, Shirley Conran – have influenced my style. The thing I love best about these women is how ballsy and brave they are. I don’t want my sex scenes to be watered down or uninspired – they have to be confident, assured and blazing-hot!
Are you working on anything at the moment that you can tell us about?
I’m finishing the final draft of my new book POWER GAMES, which is published July 2014. This one’s about seven celebrities who fall victim to a shocking revenge plot: their private jet gets sabotaged and they must fight for survival in the Borneo jungle! It’s my most ambitious novel to date and I’m very excited.
Who is your favourite author? Continue reading
by Book News – Julie Cohen
Cohen’s new book due for release in July.
We love Julie Cohen and can’t wait for her new novel. It’s called Where Love Lies and it’s due for release by Bantam Press on 31st July 2014 in hardback and e-book.
About the book:
Lately, Felicity just can’t shake the shadow of uncertainty that has pervaded her life. Her husband Quinn is the kindest person she knows and loves her peculiarities more than Felicity feels she deserves. But suddenly it’s as if she doesn’t quite belong.
Then Felicity experiences something extraordinary: a scent of perfume in the air that evokes memories and feelings that have been settled deep within her for a long time, untouched and undisturbed. As it happens again and then again, the memories of a man Felicity hasn’t seen for ten years also flutter to the surface. And so do the feelings of being deeply, exquisitely in love…
Which would you trust: your head or your heart?
by A Seaside Affair Blog Tour – We Chat To Fern Britton
Photo: David Locke at Headshot London
A Seaside Affair by Fern Britton was released by HarperCollins on 24th April.
We are very pleased to welcome Fern and her blog tour to Novel Kicks. We had a chat about her book, the fictional character she’d like to meet and her advice for writers.
Can you tell us about A Seaside Affair?
A SEASIDE AFFAIR is my new novel, out on the 24th April, and it’s all about the theatre. The Pavilions theatre in Trevay specifically, which is the fictional Cornish village I write about, based on the real village of Padstow. Left to rack and ruin, not supported by the local people or the local council, it’s on the brink of closure, until a giant coffee chain step in and prepare to buy it. Of course, the community quickly rallies round and a host of villagers decide it’s worth saving! Actors and celebrities descend on the town, and there are affairs, flings, misunderstandings – lots of fun. I was partly inspired by my tour last year with Strictly Come Dancing. I used to be a stage manager myself in the 70s, and when I was on tour I spent a lot of time with the stage management crew, sharing stories about all the scandals that went on, and thinking, yes, I want to write about the theatre next!
Who has been your favourite character to write?
My favourite character – and it’s hard to choose them – Continue reading
by The Seaside Affair Blog Tour: Review
A Seaside Affair by Fern Britton.
We’re happy to welcome Fern to our blog today with her blog tour for her new novel, A Seaside Affair.
The Blurb:
When the residents of the Cornish seaside town of Trevay discover that their much-loved theatre is about to be taken over by coffee chain, Café au Lait, they are up in arms. It is up to Penny Leighton, hotshot producer and now happily married Cornish resident, to come up with a rescue plan. Armed with only her mobile phone and her contacts book, she starts to pull in some serious favours.
The town is soon deluged by actors, all keen to show their support and take part in a charity season at the theatre. One of the arrivals is Jess Tate, girlfriend to TV heartthrob Ryan Hearst. His career is on the rise while hers remains resolutely in the doldrums. But when opportunity comes calling, it isn’t just her career prospects that are about to change. Trevay is about to put on the show of its life – but can the villagers, and Jess, hold on to the thing they love the most?
This book was my introduction to Fern Britton’s novels and so I didn’t know what to expect. I did also read that there were recurring characters from her previous books but as I discovered, you don’t need to have read the previous novels to keep up with this one. All the old characters are reintroduced in a concise way without holding the plot up. Continue reading
by Mick's Musings : Planning
Right, that’s the easy part over; coming up with the title of this Blog entry. So let me tell you why this is going to be my subject. As you will know if you’ve been following me, I’ve now finished my latest book and am in the process of going through an intense edit. Well, I was discussing it with a work colleague and friend at the end of last week and I asked him, “What did you think of that bit in the last chapter?” ‘What bit was that?”
You know that sinking feeling? You got it! When I came up with the idea for this book and was fortunately able to come up with the ending too, I came up with something that was a “MUST”. It would clearly show evidence of closure for my heroine’s journey. So, opening up the file again, I started reading but the closer I got to the end the deeper the feeling became in my stomach. Sure enough, guess what didn’t make it in. Okay, this will obviously be included when I get around to this chapter, but does this mean something?
Have I subconsciously left it out because Continue reading
by Fiction Friday – Transportation
Friday 25th April 2014.
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 below.
Fiction Friday
Today’s prompt: You are transported into your favourite book or movie. Which character are you? What changes in the story now you are there? Do you alter something significant?
by Cover Reveal – Tracy Buchanan
The Atlas of Us by Tracy Buchanan
The debut novel from Tracy Buchanan is due for release by Avon on 31st July 2014. We are very excited to be amongst the first to reveal the cover for Tracy’s novel. We think this cover is beautiful. What do you think?
About the book:
The Atlas of Us is about family, loss, resilience, reconciliation and hope…
When Louise Fenton flies to Thailand to find her mother, Nora, after the Boxing Day tsunami, she fears the worst when the only trace she can find is her mother’s distinctive bag. In the bag is a beautifully crafted atlas owned by travel journalist Claire Shreve, Continue reading
by Book News : Mark Billingham
New Tom Thorne novel is available to pre-order.
Tom Thorne is back in Mark Billingham’s latest novel, The Bones Beneath which is due for release by Little, Brown on 22nd May 2014.
About the book:
The Deal
Tom Thorne is back in charge – but there’s a terrifying price to pay. Stuart Nicklin, the most dangerous psychopath he has ever put behind bars, promises to reveal the whereabouts of a body he buried twenty-five years before. But only if Thorne agrees to escort him.
The Danger
Unable to refuse, Continue reading
by NK Chats To.... : Jennie Ann Rake
Jennie and her writing space.
Jennie Ann Rake was a primary school teacher before opening her fair trade shop in 2005.
Deception, Lies and Chocolate Muffins is her debut novel and was released by Book Guild Publishing in September 2013. We chat with Jennie about her writing process, her ideal dinner guests and superpowers…
What was the experience like writing your novel alongside running your own business?
Writing in my shop was – overall – the ideal location. I had a nice flat surface, and a strategically placed display and pot plant behind which I could hide my notebook. Also, there are many times when you don’t get a customer in the shop for twenty or more minutes and it was great to ignore the dusting and speed on with my writing. Sometimes a customer might tell me something that gave rise to a spark of an idea. I never quote anything. I’d hate to think that I might be reprimanded about disclosing part of a private conversation. I don’t work full-time in the shop – although I run it and am responsible for ordering, paying suppliers, doing shop display – so I’d type up the latest chunk of story when I got home.
by
I am stationery crazy. I can spend hours in a stationary shop browsing the shelves of notebooks and journals. My love for all things notebooks and pens is bordering on obsession. My bank balance never likes me after one of these visits. One thing I have always tried to maintain is a journal and there are some beautiful journals available.
We’ve had a look around the internet. Here are five of our favourite journals.
The Q&A A Day Journal is a five-year diary. With a section for each year, it’s easy to keep a small record of your thoughts and then look back at them as each year passes. Each page has a specific question (some of them unusual.) I have this journal and it’s fun to use. I love this. It’s available from Potter Style and it’s currently £10.34. Continue reading
by Book Reviews :
Across The Pond Press, April 2014
A Crouch End Confidential Mystery.
Cathy is riding high in her brand-new job at a (surprisingly bitchy) top London advertising agency working with best friend Rosa. But when Rosa’s pregnancy goes amiss and enemies sabotage her new career, she finds herself leading a chaotic double life of lies and deception, hiding a shameful secret from all, especially husband Declan who appears in the throes of a nervous breakdown. Meanwhile she’s agreed to unmask the notorious Crouch End Creeper, a burglar terrorizing their neighbourhood. Little does she know that her meddling, assisted by fellow mothers (the Wednesday Once Weeklies) and the Neighbourhood Watch, will lead their dangerous opponent to murder. And that it’s not only the tall elegant transvestite who is placing herself at risk…
I was attracted to this novel for totally the wrong reasons – it’s set in Crouch End, which is an area of London I love, and I’ve got a friend who lives there; and there’s a red-head on the cover – I’m a red-head and feel a pull towards others. Whatever the reason, I’m glad I was.
It’s a very light, easy read, exactly what I needed after a couple of ‘deep’ books I’d read just before. It was gripping though; I read it quickly, over a weekend.
by Courses and Competitions : How To Write For Children
Guardian Masterclass: write stories to fascinate and entertain the toughest audience in literature.
This one-day workshop will teach you the skills essential to keeping a young audience enthralled by your storytelling.
The Boy Who Fell From the Sky, by Lucy Coats, illustrated by Anthony Lewis Photograph: guardian.co.uk
The aim of the masterclass is for all participants to go away equipped with a wider knowledge of what writing children’s (aged 7–12) books is all about and there is still time to book a place.
The tutor will be editor and writer, Lucy Coats and the speaker will be historical fiction author, Michelle Lovric.
This course is running in London on Wednesday 7th May or Saturday 31st May 2014 from 10am -5 pm. The course price is £220* and will cover a range of topics including how to build a good children’s book character, planning a perfect plot and an overview of the children’s book world.
This course is for people who have an interest in writing for children as a possible career, a casual source of income or simply for a unique and personalised way of creating fiction to read to your own children.
For more information and booking information, click here.
*price correct at time of publication.
by News : Sue Townsend Planned New Mole Novel
Puffin: Re-issue Edition, 2002
Author was working on new Adrian Mole novel.
Sue Townsend was working on a new Adrian Mole novel before her death. The new book was provisionally titled Pandora’s Box. The author of the fantastic Mole series died at the age of 68 and had written ‘some wonderful pages’ according to her publisher.
The unfinished book would have been the ninth of the Adrian Mole novels and it was due for release in the autumn.
The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 3/4, was released in 1982 and along with the other novels, Continue reading
by
Of Love and Other Wars – we have ten copies plus ten posters to give away.
THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED.
Thanks to Sophie and the lovely people at Simon and Schuster, we have ten copies of, Of Love and Other Wars, to give away. As well as the book, each winner will also receive a poster of the stunning book cover.
About the book:
At a rally in the Royal Albert Hall, two Quaker brothers, Paul and Charlie Lamb, sign a pledge of peace that only one of them will honour. Meanwhile, in a draughty Victorian mansion in Hampstead, Mr. Morningstar wonders why his wife, a crystallographer from dynasty of diamond cutters, turns into a cursing somnambulist at night, while their daughter, Miriam, comes home from her shifts at the munitions factory with her stockings inside out. As the streets throng with khaki, the Lambs and the Morningstars must decide how to do good in a world transformed by evil. Should a scientist use her skills to maximise civilian casualties? Should a Quaker stand by as millions are murdered? And is it possible to 
love someone if you hate their convictions? When the two families are torn apart by war, Paul is forced to choose between his conscience and the woman he loves.
To enter: Continue reading
by Discussions : Only One Book?
Today’s discussion – Are you able to only pick one?
We will read many things in our lifetime, get engrossed in many stories, care about a variety of characters as if they were real people – friends we’ve known, loved or lost and we will visit lands and countries without even leaving our homes.
Books have that magical ability to completely transport us to somewhere else. Novels give us a glimpse into another world.
Of course, if you ask anyone who is into reading, they will probably be able to list many books that they have enjoyed or not liked and will give you many reasons for their decisions.
There are also so many lists Continue reading
by Book News : The Creative Writing Student’s Handbook
Creative Writing Matters, 2014
A new creative writing handbook from the founders of the Exeter Novel Prize.
Being a new writer can be scary and there is a minefield of information available. I have my fair share of ‘how to’ writing books. However, this one looks particularly helpful. Margaret James was my tutor for a writing course I did with the London School of Journalism a couple of years ago and her advice was very valuable. Now, along with Cathie Hartigan, Margaret has placed her writing wisdom into one e-book. I will definitely be getting my hands on this one.
The blurb:
This new handbook takes students through the entire creative writing process. You will find plenty of practical advice, helpful exercises, lots of tips and links to useful websites in this indispensable handbook for new and seasoned writers alike. Continue reading
by A Moment With Pippa Croft
Pippa Croft is the author of The First Time We Met.
What was that first moment that you realized you wanted to become a writer?
I can tell you exactly. I was watching a BBC period drama called North & South in November 2004. Although I’d always worked as a journalist and copywriter, I’d shied away from writing fiction. I was worried that I’d be rubbish at it and I didn’t have any inspiration. North & South suddenly – and out of blue – inspired me to have a go at writing some fan fiction, which was quite a new thing back then. I shared my story on an Internet forum and haven’t stopped writing since. In my role as a journalist, I also actually got to do a phone interview with the sexy star of North & South, Richard Armitage.
What authors, books, or ideas have influenced you most?
Jane Austen, definitely, Continue reading
by Literary Fact : Henry Fielding
22nd April.
Henry Fielding was born on this day in 1707. Born in Somerset, England, he was educated at Eton College. He was an english novelist and his works included Tom Jones and Amelia.
His sister Sarah was also a successful writer and John, his brother, was a magistrate.
by The Illusionists Blog Tour – Review
The Illusionists by Rosie Thomas.
London 1870.
A terrifying place for a young, beautiful woman of limited means. But Eliza is modern before her time. Not for her the stifling if respectable conventionality of marriage, children, domestic drudgery. She longs for more. Through her work as an artist’s model, she meets the magnetic and irascible Devil – a born showman whose dream is to run his own theatre company.
Devil’s right-hand man is the improbably named Carlo Bonomi, an ill-tempered dwarf with an enormous talent for all things magic and illusion. Carlo and Devil clash at every opportunity and it constantly falls upon Eliza to broker an uneasy peace between them. And then there is Jasper Button. Mild-mannered, and a family man at heart, it is his gift as an artist which makes him the unlikely final member of the motley crew.
Thrown together by a twist of fate, their lives are inextricably linked: the fortune of one depends on the fortune of the other. And as Eliza gets sucked into the seductive and dangerous world her strange companions inhabit, she risks not only her heart, but also her life…
by The Illusionists Blog Tour – We Chat to Rosie Thomas
The Illusionists by Rosie Thomas.
We are very happy to welcome Rosie and her blog tour for The Illusionists which has just been released by HarperCollins. We chat to Rosie about her book, her fantasy dinner party guests and where in history she would like to go…
Can you tell us about The Illusionists and how did the idea originate?
In one sense The Illusionists is about imagination and reality, and I have taken stage magic as a means of illustrating how we don’t always know the difference between the two. Devil Wix, my anti-hero hero, is struck as a young boy by the gift of ‘wonder’ in a harsh world, and he sets out to create wonderment through magic and illusion. The setting is Victorian London, starting in the 1870s, so it’s quite creepy and gothic in places. It’s also a love story between Devil and Eliza Dunlop, who is a modern woman looking for more from her life than marriage and motherhood. There’s also a cast of strange characters including a dwarf, an engineer of automata, and a woman made of cogs and springs. Their theatre of magic and illusion, the Palmyra, is a character too. The idea for the story came to me when I was researching a classic ‘box trick’ for a scene in The Kashmir Shawl.
Which authors do you admire and is there a book that’s stuck with you?
I like Anthony Trollope. There’s so much sly wit and energy in his books, but he is full of human sympathy too and he doesn’t caricature the way Dickens does. I’ve always loved Georgette Heyer – such lightness and sparkle. Continue reading
by Fiction Friday – Opposites
Fiction Friday
Friday 18th April 2014.
Fiction Friday is our weekly prompt where the internal editor is asked to step out. We post a prompt. Use it as inspiration to write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you like. Once you’ve finished, post in the comments below. Don’t edit, just post.
Today’s prompt: Take a story you love. Maybe one you liked as a child or a snippet of a book you’ve read recently. Swap all the characters around. Make the hero the sidekick and the villain the hero? Maybe the adult who offers advice is the nervous and unknowing character? What if the hero’s best friend is actually the villain? Have a go at swapping everyone around.
by Quick Spotlight – Uglies
Simon & Schuster Childrens Books (29 Mar 2012)
Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
Set in the future, in a time when people live in small independent cities and everyone is pretty. Well not at first, but on your sixteenth birthday you are given an operation to turn you from an ugly into a pretty. For 15-year-old Tally Youngblood, this day cannot come quick enough. That is, until she meets another young girl named Shay, who is not so eager to get the operation. Tally quickly learns that all is not as it seems and that being ‘Pretty’ may come with a price.
I quite enjoy reading young adult books, as they are often fantastic and supernatural; easy reading with lots of action and this book did not disappoint. I read it in a night as I just had to keep turning the pages to find out what would happen next. The characters are well-formed but not overly complex and the storyline is predictable yet very well delivered; all the things to look for in an easy, fun read. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. So much so that I went out and bought the sequels.
by Bella's Scribblings : I don’t do Marmite or a Short Story by any other Name
Bella Osborne
I don’t do Marmite (it is the work of the devil) and I also don’t do short stories. Short stories are incredibly difficult to get right, whether you are writing them for magazines, for competitions or just for fun. They will almost always come with a word limitation (hence the short) and despite this huge restriction there is an expectation that there is a whole story wrapped up in the prose (hence the story).
My track record with stories has seen me fill a whole exercise book at school with one story much to the mixed reaction of my English teacher who was wonderfully encouraging but with a pile of other marking to do, my lengthy witterings were not always timely. My next attempt at a finished story was my novel ‘Acting on Impulse’, the first draft of which came in at one hundred and twenty-eight thousand words. So you can see my ability to be succinct has not improved over the years.
So when my writing tutor asks the class to write a Short Story I break out in a cold sweat (and curse the fact that I sit next to both the radiator and the draughty window), my mind goes a complete blank and I decide categorically that I can’t do it. I will then spend the whole week trying to think about a plot based on whatever criteria has been set and will almost always conclude that it’s impossible to fit any of my ideas into anything shorter than ‘War and Peace’ or ‘Ivanhoe’ at a push (approx. 587k and 192k word counts respectively, in case you were wondering).
by Book Club
Recent Comments