We have two copies of Half Bad to give away.
To celebrate the blog tour for Half Bad by Sally Green, we have two copies to give away.
A bit about the book:
Half Bad is about one boy’s struggle for survival in a hidden society of witches. You can’t read, can’t write, but you heal fast, even for a witch. You get sick if you stay indoors after dark. You hate White Witches but love Annalise, who is one. You’ve been kept in a cage since you were fourteen. All you’ve got to do is escape and find Mercury, the Black Witch who eats boys. And do that before your seventeenth birthday.
How to enter:
To be in with a chance to win a copy of Half Bad, all you have to do Continue reading
by 
Half Bad Blog Tour: NK chats to Sally Green
As part of her blog tour for Half Bad, we chat with Sally Green.
Sally lives in north-west England with her husband and son. We loved her debut novel, Half Bad and were thrilled to be part of her blog tour. We chat to Sally about her book, her advice for new writers and which magical ability she’d like to have…
Thank you for joining us today, Sally. Can you tell us a little about Half Bad and how the idea originated?
Half Bad is my first novel and the first book of a trilogy. It’s set in the present day and most of the action takes part in the UK. It’s the story of Nathan a teenage witch. At the beginning of the story Nathan is a prisoner of the White Witches. He is being kept in a cage, not because of anything he has done, but because of what he is – a Half Code (half White Witch and half Black Witch) – and because his father is the most feared of the Black Witches. The story traces Nathan’s life from birth to his seventeenth birthday by which time he must escape White Witches and go through a Giving ceremony (receiving three gifts) to become a true, adult witch. Nathan’s life is full of physical hardship, even torture, but his mental struggles are as difficult as his physical ones. He is alone, abused and afraid of both the White Witches and the Black, and added to that he is not sure how he himself is going to turn out – whether his Black half or White half will dominate.
I think my first inspiration came from a storytelling festival I went to in 2009 (Festival at the Edge in Shropshire). I was steeped in folklore for three days and loved it, but it was noticeable that in virtually all the old stories three was a significant number (three suitors, three branches on a bramble, three wishes etc.). Continue reading
by Half Bad Blog Tour: Review
A wonderful debut from author, Sally Green.
Nathan is between good and evil. He is a half code: he’s half white witch and half black and therefore is on the edge of conflicting worlds – not really belonging anywhere. This is a fact that the council, his half-sister and the purest white witches don’t want to let him forget.
He is a prisoner of the council, being put through assessment after assessment, wondering whether each time is going to be the moment he’s given freedom as a white witch or whether he will be condemned and will face a darker future, if one at all.
His father is the most notorious black witch and the more he learns about his dark ancestry, the more he has to try and live down a reputation in the real world as he approaches his seventieth birthday and the traditional giving ceremony. He also wonders about his father. He wants to search for him and meet him.
This book is the first part in the series focusing on Nathan as a child and his struggles as a teenager. Continue reading
by NK Fiction Friday : Phone Call
Fiction Friday: Phone Call.
Fiction Friday
The aim is to use the prompt and 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.
Today’s prompt: Your character gets a phone call at three am in the morning. It wakes you up. When you answer, do you recognise the voice and know who it is? Is it a stranger?
by Book Reviews : The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
The Goldfinch is a story of loss, obsession, survival and self-invention.
Little, Brown. Oct 2013.
Aged thirteen, Theo Decker, son of a devoted mother and a reckless, largely absent father, survives an accident that otherwise tears his life apart. Alone and rudderless in New York, he is taken in by the family of a wealthy friend. He is tormented by an unbearable longing for his mother, and down the years clings to the thing that most reminds him of her: a small, strangely captivating painting that ultimately draws him into the criminal underworld. As he grows up, Theo learns to glide between the drawing rooms of the rich and the dusty antiques store where he works. He is alienated and in love – and his talisman, the painting, places him at the centre of a narrowing, ever more dangerous circle.
This was my ‘real life’ (as in not on NK) book club book in February. Usually one person suggests three or four novels, and the group votes their favourite. In January one of our members was raving about The Goldfinch, so we decided we’d skip the vote and just read this.
Four of us went to the meeting in March. Continue reading
by Bella’s Scribblings: Ideas Are Everywhere
Those of you that have ever admitted to another living person that you are a writer whether ‘wanna be’ or official will at some point
Bella Osborne
have had the question ‘So where do you get your ideas from?’ fired at you. Unlike me you may well have a very articulate response to this. You see, I’m not entirely sure where my ideas come from, they either just materialise (sometimes at night like a spider from the skirting board) and sometimes it’s a Batman style POW moment.
Just the other day I had a POW moment and of all places it was at the vets. Now you need to understand that whilst I am friendly, I am generally not flirty. So after a tedious wait where me and the child had learnt about what plants are poisonous to rabbits and had both developed spontaneous itching thanks to the poster about fleas, at last the vet called out “Claude Osborne”. There’s an opportunity right there for a comedy moment or two but you need a good quality surname to start with like Ramsbottom or Butts or Winkle … you get the idea. Anyway, a rather good-looking man hiding behind outdated glasses was beckoning us and our protesting cat carrier forward with a welcoming smile.
by The Book That Has Impacted Me Most: David Horn
Self published author, David Horn talks about the book that’s impacted him the most.
In just under 1000 days between 1347 and 1351 the black death swept across Europe. When it finally left, 25 million people lay dead. In “The Great Mortality – An Intimate History of the Black Death,” published by Harper Perennial in 2005, John Kelly takes us into the fascinating and often frightening world of 14th century Europe and into the lives of the people who lived there. We spend time in community after community, city after city, and country after country, where simple people going about their lives are stalked by a menace that cannot be seen, cannot be understood, and cannot be stopped. Continue reading
by Discussions : Only Six?
How many of these have you read?
There are many surveys about how many books you should have read. Everyone’s list will be different. The BBC (probably based on an average thing,) have claimed that you would have only read six of these hundred books listed. I spotted about fourteen that I’ve read (that’s if you count The Harry Potter series as a whole.) There are a few I’d like to read ( I turn my head in shame at some of the titles that are on this part of the list,) and then some others that I have no interest in at all and will probably never read – War and Peace for example. That’s not my cup of tea. How about you? Which ones have you read? Are there any you feel should be on this list but aren’t?
Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen
The Lord of the Rings – JRR Tolkien
Jane Eyre – Charlotte Bronte
Persuasion – Jane Austen
Bridget Jones’s Diary – Helen Fielding
The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe – CS Lewis Continue reading
by My Advice: Anna Stothard
Anna Stothard offers her five writing tips.
I often imagine I’m dying. It stops me from Googling pointless things.
When you’ve finished a first draft, put it away for a month before showing any one.
Read your book out loud, or at least some of it. How things sound, the rhythms, make a difference.
You can’t please everyone and shouldn’t aim to. Write for yourself, but ideally with humility (don’t be boring!).
Keep a notebook and record overheard Continue reading
by Book News : Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor
The conclusion to the Daughter of Smoke and Bone Trilogy.
The last book in the series by Laini Taylor is called Dreams of Gods and Monsters and is due for release by Hodder and Stoughton on 17th April 2014. Helen reviewed The Daughter of Smoke and Bone and absolutely loved it. You can read her review here.
Here’s a little about the book:
Common enemy, common cause.
When Jael’s brutal seraph army trespasses into the human world, the unthinkable becomes essential, and Karou and Akiva must ally their enemy armies against the threat. It is a twisted version of their long-ago dream, and they begin to hope that it might forge a way forward for their people.
And, perhaps, for themselves.
by News : Romantic Novel of The Year.
Awards ceremony taking place in London this evening.
The Romantic Novelists’ Association will be announcing the winner of the Romantic Novel of the Year later on this evening. As well as this award, they will also be revealing the winners of contemporary romantic novel, the epic romantic novel, the historical romantic novel, the romantic comedy novel and the young adult romance novel, as well as the recipient of the RoNA Rose award at a glittering ceremony at The Gladstone Library in London.
Darcey Bussell CBE will be presenting the awards and once she’s revealed all of the category winners, she will announce the winner of Romantic Novel of The Year. The winner of this will receive a crystal trophy and £5000.
President, Katie Fforde said, “the RNA came into being to encourage good writing of romantic fiction in all of its many forms. This year we’ve seen a record number of books submitted for our Awards, and this clearly demonstrates that romantic fiction plays a big part in the UK book industry. Continue reading
by Courses and Competitions : The Brighton Prize
A new annual short story competition.
The Brighton Prize is being run by Rattle Tales and they are looking for new, original writing.
The competition is for short stories of any genre or subject, between 1,000 – 2,000 words.
The first prize is £400 plus two runner up prizes of £50. All three winners will be invited to attend The Brighton Festival Fringe Show on 14th May to read their stories.
This competition closes on 1st April (and you need to be 18 or over on this date to enter,) and entry is only £6.
The Judges are Bethan Roberts and Laura Lockington.
For more information on The Brighton Prize and Rattle Tales, click here.
by Mick's Musings : It’s Been A Strange Week
By Mick Arnold.
In my last column I said I was taking a wee break from my book, reading young Bella’s next chapters and then going back to starting an edit on my finished masterpiece (ok, that was part of a dream I won’t inflict upon you right now). Part one – check. part two – check and very enjoyable it was too. Now, we get to part three…I’ve got a good excuse though guv. Honest!
Well, it goes something like this. In the first chapter of the book ‘that-must-not-be-named’ (couldn’t resist it, sorry) there’s a scene which kind of inspired a (very) short story that went on Amazon over Christmas. I was just sitting down, minding my own business and before I knew it, there was the first draft of what turned out to be a Christmas Love/Ghost story. After about six or seven drafts and running it by the kind friends who beta/proof-read for me, I was happy with how it ended up and I was persuaded to put it up. As it was so short and it was meant to be a tester to see if anyone reviewed it and basically told me to go forth and multiply and ‘for heaven’s sake never pick up a pen again!’, it was put under the pen-name of Micah Arnold. Continue reading
by NK Fiction Friday : Using Your Words
Fiction Friday: 14th March.
Fiction Friday
Using all your words.
Fiction Friday is our weekly prompt. The aim is to use the prompt, write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can. Once you’re done, post in the comments box below. Don’t edit, just post.
Today’s prompt:
You have six people sat around a table, three men and three women. The reason as to why they are there is up to you. Your first sentence is from one of the women and it’s Continue reading
by Blog Tour: Take Mum Out by Fiona Gibson
Take Mum Out is a wonderful summer read.
Review by Laura.
Take Mum Out is about a woman called Alice who is fast approaching her fortieth birthday. She is the mother of two teenage boys, Logan and Fergus and she has her own business.
Her three friends decide that it’s time that she got back into the dating game and each decide to set her up with someone they think would be perfect for her. Cue three first blind dates where she meets Giles, Stephen and Charlie.
I am not a mum so I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to relate to this book. Truth was, I couldn’t put it down. It was charming, funny, warm and very nice to read. Alice was a great character and I warmed to her straight away. She was funny and is cooler than she thinks she is. She is a strong woman. I liked this. I liked the fact that Alice didn’t feel as though she desperately wanted to get back into dating but saw it as an adventure.
by Take Mum Out Blog Tour: We chat to Fiona Gibson.
We’re delighted to be part of Fiona’s blog tour for her new book, Take Mum Out which is published by Avon today.
Fiona Gibson is also the author of other titles including The Great Escape and Mum on the Run. We will be reviewing Take Mum Out later today but first, we chat to Fiona about her new book, her favourite night out and her advice for writers.
Can you tell us about your book, Take Mum Out?
Alice is a single mum to two teenage boys. Although she’s not desperate to meet a man, her three best friends have other ideas. They hatch a plan where they’ll each present her with an eligible, hand-picked man – all Alice has to do is choose her favourite. This book was huge fun to write, as there are first date horrors galore – plus, Alice has to deal with her sons’ scathing remarks, who can’t understand why she wants a boyfriend at all. ‘Presumably,’ she says, ‘I should interact only with tradespeople and the staff at Tesco Metro.’
What would be your idea of a perfect night out?
A few G&Ts in the Sheraton Hotel in Edinburgh – they have a mind-boggling selection of gins! Then dinner at somewhere like The Dogs, which is lively, fun and delicious. And my best friends from London would have come up for the occasion.
by NK Chats To.... : Sue Moorcroft
Sue Moorcroft is the author of Want to Know a Secret, Starting Over and Is This Love?
Sue Moorcroft
Sue also contributed to Truly Madly Deeply which is a collection of stories with other authors including, Carole Matthews, Adele Parks and Katie Fforde. We chat to Sue about her advice for writers, whether she’s a planner and her favourite word.
What makes you laugh?
Verbal wit, usually. I don’t watch a lot of TV but I do love QI and Have I Got News for You? I’m also a huge fan of The Big Bang Theory, which is one of the best and most consistent comedies I’ve seen. I love sharing chat and laughter over a meal with my friends. And teenagers are just inherently funny. It’s their world view, I think.
Is there a fictional character you’d like to meet? Is there one you’d like to swap with for a day?
This is incredibly self-important of me, but I’d love to meet one of my own characters, Ratty, from Starting Over. I think he was the first hero I got right, and he’s been one of my most popular; the only one of my heroes to have received his own fan mail. If I’m allowed to choose Ratty then I would like to be Tess, my heroine from the same book. Preferably on one of the days when Ratty’s not irritated with her.
by Deeper by Robin York.
Piatkus, Jan 2014.
Deeper is the first book in the Caroline & West Series.
Book Review by Laura.
Caroline has a promising future as a lawyer. That’s until her ex boyfriend posts some sex pictures of her on the Internet in an act called ‘revenge porn.’ Now her future isn’t looking so bright and she doesn’t know what to do to make things right. Then, when a boy she barely knows punches her ex, Caroline finds herself getting closer to a boy that she knows isn’t good for her.
West is not someone she should be with. She knows this and even though they both tell each other that they are just friends, their feelings intensify until they can no longer pretend.
In this time, Caroline doesn’t know what she wants to do but has to find courage to fight back.
I didn’t know whether I was going to like this book because I have to admit, I assumed it was going to be a little ‘shades of grey’ genre but I was very pleasantly surprised and once I began to read, I couldn’t put it down and I feel so bad for having mentally put it in that category. Caroline and West were interesting characters to get to know. Apparent complete opposites but both of them are searching for something. It was good to see their relationship develop and it got to the point where I was willing them to kiss.
by Robin York/Deeper Blog Tour: NK Chats to Robin York.
Robin York, also known as Ruthie Knox, is a USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance.
Robin York
We are very delighted to be part of Robin’s blog tour for her new novel, Deeper, which was released on 6th March. Robin tells us about her new book, her best moment as a writer so far and her advice for aspiring writers.
What is Deeper about?
Deeper is a love story and a coming-into-adulthood story. It focuses primarily on Caroline, a college sophomore who is struggling after her ex-boyfriend publishes sexually explicit pictures of her on the Internet, along with her full name, her location, and her Facebook page. Caroline is smart and ambitious — she wants to go to law school and become a judge, like her father — so when these pictures go viral it threatens not just her sense of self-worth, but also her future. What we see over the course of the novel is how Caroline adjusts and comes to terms with what happened to her, partly on her own, partly in a relationship with West Leavitt, a guy she’s always considered dangerous but who she can’t seem to stay away from. Eventually, we get to see her grow into a kind of fierce righteousness that is very satisfying.
Is there a book you’ve read that has made an impact on you?
I’ve never read another book about revenge porn, but certainly I’ve been influenced by all sorts of novels. One of my favorite New Adult novels is Charlotte Stein’s Sheltered, which is a beautiful story of a young woman from a very strict fundamentalist religious family who is falling in love — and experiencing a sexual awakening — with a dangerous-seeming stranger.
by Books Need Us : Events
By Maria Vassilopoulos.
Book events can be held at any time of year and either in store, online or at literary festivals. It is a chance to tell your direct audience about your product. It is a chance to sell your product. Christmas may seem like an ideal time to hold a book reading or event, but bear in mind just as your social calendar may get busy, so will the bookstores. They will be gearing up for their busiest time of year and might not have the facilities to host events at this time (Think staff and more demanding customers).
However some stores hold Christmas events where a number of authors attend and get table space in order to sign copies so it may be worth doing some research in your area to see whether this happens at your local bookstore – you may even want to suggest it.
Other good times to hold events are during the spring when festivals start happening and stores need to keep customers coming into them – Christmas is only once a year and so events provide community interest in the bookstores when that’s not there.
There are a few types of event format: Continue reading
by NK Chats To.... : Barbara Taylor Bradford.
Novel Kicks talks to Barbara Taylor Bradford.
Barbara Taylor Bradford started writing fiction when she was seven years old and sold her first short story when she was ten. Her first novel, A Woman of Substance was published in 1979. She’s had 29 novels published including her latest book, Cavendon Hall released in January.
What do you think appeals to people when it comes to the saga?
Someone once suggested that I write novels about large families because I am an only child. And my husband is an only child. But I don’t think this is really the reason. I love writing about large families because of the relationships, and the most terrible things happen in families. So I have plenty of drama, emotions, and intrigue to carry me through.
by NK Fiction Friday : Magical Objects
Fiction Friday: Magical Objects.
Fiction Friday
Every Friday is Fiction Friday. We post a prompt. You write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can. Once you’re done, you don’t edit. Just post in the comments box below.
Today’s Prompt: You come across a seemingly ordinary object. It can be anything – a scarf, shoes, a lamp, a remote for the TV. You almost discard it but then magical things start to happen. When you realise it’s this object making things happen, you decide to keep and use it. What happens next?
by Book Reviews : Gretel in The Dark by Eliza Granville.
The mysterious fairytale based novel set across two different centuries.
Hamish Hamilton, Feb 2014.
Gretel in the Dark focuses on two time zones – 1899 in Vienna with Dr Josef Breuer and then years later in Germany around World War II which is where we are introduced to Krysta.
Dr Breuer has a new patient who brings mystery. Found in the middle of the night and brought to his home, the girl has no name and claims to not even be human and that she is there to kill the monster.
Krysta is a young girl who is sheltered by her father, (he works in the infirmary with the ‘animal people.’) She spends her days listening to the fairy stories made up by Greet, the house servant. Tragedy then strikes and Krysta is forced into a concentration camp.
The idea of this book intrigued me from the moment I read the synopsis and when I started reading, I couldn’t stop or put it down (even when I was meant to be sleeping before a night shift.) Continue reading
by Book News : Paige Toon Reveals The Cover For New Book.
Simon & Schuster, 2014.
Thirteen Weddings by Paige Toon.
Paige Toon revealed the cover for her new book earlier this week and we think it’s very pretty. The novel is called Thirteen Weddings and will be released on 22nd May 2014. It sounds great.
About The Book:
Last year, Bronte left Sydney for a wedding in England, where she met newly single Alex. After a night of passion they parted ways, and Bronte returned to Australia. Now working on a picture desk for a magazine in London, Bronte is about to meet her new colleague, who turns out to be all too familiar. Although awkward at first, as Alex is now engaged to the girl he was on a break from when they met, they soon become friends. In her free time, Bronte is a wedding photographer, so Alex enlists her to do his wedding. Unable to refuse, Bronte is stuck with the job. But as the two get closer, and the wedding day looms, it is clear that Alex and Bronte have unfinished business… Will Alex leave his bride at the altar, or will Bronte be forced to photograph the wedding of the man she herself should be marrying? A charming bittersweet novel from the author of The Longest Holiday.
by Books To Movies – Part Two.
Films being adapted into movies.
Last week we listed some of our favourite book to movie adaptations. With so many books still being the inspiration for movies, there are quite a few being adapted into films over the coming year. Here are some of the ones we’re looking forward to seeing.
The Fault in Our Stars.
Adapted from the novel of the same name by John Green, this is about Hazel Grace and Augustus Waters who meet at a Kids Cancer Support Group. The two teenagers bond over many things, including the novel, An Imperial Affliction by Peter Van Houten. I am fairly new to John Green’s novels and blogs but from the moment I began reading this book last year, I fell in love with it. It’s such a beautiful, bittersweet love story and proof that young adult novels don’t have to be confined that audience. I am looking forward to seeing this adaptation. Anyone who follows John Green’s ‘Vlog Brothers’ posts will know that Green has been a regular visitor to the set. This has somehow given me confidence that the movie is being done right. The trailer had an enormous amount of hits within twenty-four hours of its release and it looks great. The film will star Shailene Woodley as Hazel Grace, Ansel Elgorth as Augustus and Willem Defoe as Peter Van Houten. It’s due for release in June 2014.
(Temple Hill Entertainment/20th Century Fox.)
by A Moment With : Portia MacIntosh
My Constantly Changing Writing Space.
I started writing novels as a way to tell the world about my experiences touring with bands – something I have been doing since I was fifteen-years-old, and I’m in my mid twenties now. I wanted to tell my stories anonymously, so using them to inspire works of fiction seemed like the best way to do it.
The thing is, when I started working on Between a Rockstar and a Hard Place and How Not to be Starstruck, I had no idea that one day a publisher like Carina would pick them up, so I had to keep up the day job, and I had to keep myself in material. This meant touring with more bands (I’m not complaining, I love it) and trying to fit writing in around that, which was tricky at first.
When Novel Kicks asked me about my writing space, I realised that I didn’t have one. I hadn’t give it much thought, but soon realised that most people have their desk or place where they write and that’s where the magic happens – one thing I can say for certain, I haven’t ever written at a desk.
by Bella's Scribblings : Seasonal Writing
Bella Osborne
By Bella Osborne.
So here we are heading for March and it’s still cold and soggy and generally miserable outside. Am I utilising the impact this is having on my mood in my writing? Am I drawing on my surroundings to make my scenes in my novel more believable? Err, no, actually I’m writing about summer in Antigua!
You see I may well be an uber forward planner (actually I am, there are few to rival me) but what I hadn’t thought through when I plotted about book number two was what time of year I would be writing which scenes. The novel is set in the summer and I have written pretty much all of it during the winter. I guess the real question is – Does that matter?
I know that with book number one I felt the snow scene worked well because I had written it as the snow was tumbling down outside. I had written it as a ‘candy’ scene (I understand this is the correct term for a scene written out-of-order because you are compelled to write it). I think my scene in the rain was perfectly acceptable too, let’s face it living in the UK I have regular material and plenty of it to work with on that subject.
by Postbag : New Arrivals.
New and Upcoming Arrivals.
We’ve received some great new books here at Novel Kicks and they are giving us a very good reason to snuggle up under a blanket with a book and a warm cup of tea. It’s all about romance this week….
The Sweetness of Liberty James by Janey Lewis.
First up is the new release from Janey Lewis. There seems to be lots of romance which is good enough for me.
Sweet-natured Liberty believes the recipe for her own happiness is making others happy, and she sets about gathering the ingredients for the perfect life. She does well at school, makes glamorous friends and marries her university sweetheart Percy, the heir to the Radley Bank fortune. Now all that’s missing is the icing on the cake: a baby. When a traumatic event changes everything, she finds herself on a journey to rediscover her love of food that takes her from Florence to the French Riviera and finally back home to the Sussex village of Littlehurst, with a crazy plan to open her own patisserie. With flirtatious Fred the blacksmith and the dark, brooding Edmund on her doorstep, will she finally find that elusive ingredient: love?
(Published by The Book Guild – 27th March 2014)
by Discussions : Stick With What You Know?
As a new author, should you stick to what you know?
So you want to write a book? You have an idea, so now what? I have read so many fantastic books through my life so far. I have read romance, mystery, crime and historical novels and the one thing they have in common is that the author makes the act of writing a book look so easy… of course, it isn’t. It can be rewarding and fun but can be frustrating; sometimes banging your head against a brick wall seems more productive than trying to complete the word count you’re trying to write.
Writing what you know may in many ways make it easier, right? Does it though? Yes, I think in some ways it can. Having previous knowledge of something adds depth to a plot or character.
by Book News : Jane Costello
The new novel from the author of The Wish List and Girl on The Run.
We love romance here at Novel Kicks (if you’ve not guessed already,) and we are looking forward to the new novel from Jane Costello, The Time of Our Lives.
Three best friends. One five-star hotel. Will it be the holiday of a lifetime …? Imogen and her friends Meredith and Nicola have had their fill of budget holidays, cattle-class flights and 6 a.m. offensives for a space by the pool. So when Meredith wins a VIP holiday at Barcelona’s hippest new hotel, they plan to sip champagne with the jet set, party with the glitterati and switch off in unapologetic luxury. But when the worst crisis of her working life erupts back home, Continue reading
by Courses and Competitions : Jane Austen Short Story Award 2014
Short Fiction inspired by Austen’s Novels.
This competition celebrates the life and works of Jane Austen. The closing date is 31st March 2014 so there is still time to enter.
They are looking for short stories of 2,000-2,500 words in length.
The theme is ‘a character from one of Jane Austen’s novels’. You can be inspired from any character, male or female. He or she must be recognisable in terms of personality and name but your story can be set in any location and in any time period. All genres are acceptable (crime, romance, literary, ghost stories, sci fi, etc but not children’s stories.)
First prize is Continue reading
by The Novel That Has Made The Most Impact : Jon Rance
Jon Rance is the author of Happy Endings and This Thirtysomething Life.
Today, Jon talks about the book that has had the most impact on him..
There have been quite a few books that have influenced me over the years from the brilliant Catcher in the Rye as a teenager, to Mike Gayle’s Turning Thirty, but today I’m going to talk about One Day by David Nicholls.
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For those who haven’t read it (which is probably no-one), it’s a heartbreaking, funny, poignant, and romantic book following two people (Dex and Em) over twenty years on the same day each year.
The reason this book had such a huge impact on me is because it wasn’t just wonderfully written, the characters weren’t just incredibly well thought out and the plot wasn’t just gripping, but above all that it had this perfect and novel idea at the heart of it. Two people. Twenty years. One day.
You see the thing is, Continue reading
by Writing Room : Writing From A Different Perspective.
Writing Room is our online writing group.
Anyone can take part and post their work and this month, it’s all about seeing things differently.
Write about a past family gathering. Write the story in as much detail as possible, explaining what you saw, what you did, and how you felt. Then rewrite the same story from the perspective of someone else who was there. You can keep writing until you think it’s done or you could time yourself?
Once you’re done, post in the comments below.
by Book Corner : March – Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn.
Phoenix, 2013.
Book Corner is our monthly online book club.
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn is our pick this month. We’ve heard good things about this book and we’re looking forward to reading it. Have you read it? Are you planning on reading it?
How this works: Anyone can take part in our book club; just simply comment below. I will be adding some questions relating to the book throughout the month.
A little about the book:
Who are you? Continue reading
by Mick's Musings :
That elusive ending…
I was sat in front of my PC a couple of days ago thinking, so what shall I write about in this my second Blog post? What pearls of wisdom shall I share? As usual when you have these thoughts, nothing comes to mind. Not really a surprise! Then, miracle of miracles, the clouds parted and blew away the cobwebs.
For about a week, I’ve been trying to write the ending of my second book, but I just couldn’t get that last paragraph right. No matter what was put down, it never looked or sounded ‘it’. Of course, what’s down now I’m not 100% happy with and I doubt if when I finally decide that I can’t make it any better that I will be either. But, it does mean that it’s finished. Approximately 6 – 7 months of toil. Okay, I did enjoy writing this much more than my first, but perhaps that’s because I actually like my lead character this time. Don’t ask me why I didn’t like her in the first, it just ended up that way and I’d rather not dwell on it.
So, it’s finished. Is it? Of course not, the hard work has only just begun. I believe there are those talented individuals out there Continue reading
by NK Fiction Friday :
Fiction Friday
Which three things would your character like to try?
Fiction Friday: 28th february 2014.
List three activities that you could have your character doing. It could be anything from sky diving to a road trip from one end of the country to the other. Once you have your three things, pick one. If you are working on something at the moment, use your main character and write from the point of view of your character whilst they try this activity. If you’ve not got a character, open the book nearest to you and pick a name from there.
Write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going. Once you’re done, don’t edit. Just post.
by Book Reviews : Undreamed by Paul Western-Pittard
Published by Paul Western-Pittard -Sept 2012)
Review by Helen Jackson.
Undreamed is a dark psychological thriller that tells the tale of Alice, a woman trapped between reality and a dream.
Alice is trapped in a nightmare. She leads two lives, both real to her, both flawless in their logic and texture, both filled with people that she loves and hates. One of these is a dream. She has no way of knowing which. A borderline junkie-heiress in Manhattan, or a recovering psych patient in Sydney, when Alice sleeps in one life, she wakes into the other.
Other than her own memory of them, her worlds are separate and seamless. In both her lives she tries to find clues to discover the root of her sickness, but nothing crosses over. She may as well be two completely different people. Caught in this impossible status quo, never able to bring herself to believe that the life she’s leading is true, Alice is trapped. Not believing either, she believes nothing. Then one day, her lives are fractured when something does cross over. First in Sydney then Manhattan, Alice meets a girl dressed in green. She knows this girl for what she is: the key to her escape. But as she unravels the girl’s secret, the realities of not one but both lives are challenged.
The question becomes: who is it that she’s really waking?
by
It was hard to pick but here are some of our favourite book to film adaptations.
I love books. I try to read the book before I see a movie else I can’t form it properly in my imagination and it spoils the book if I do then try to read it. I prefer the stories in book form but these are five of the adaptations we think were great.
The Taming of The Shrew/10 Things I Hate About You.
Yes, OK, this is essentially a teen movie adapted from one of the great Shakespearian plays. It’s been given a modern twist and is set in a Seattle high school but I just happen to think it’s a great film. There were many Shakespeare references too, (Stafford sisters.) Of course it’s not a serious film (the part with Can’t Take My Eyes off You is testament to that,) but it’s funny and by the end, you have a warm fuzzy heart-warming feeling. Plus there was Heath Ledger. It was worth watching just for him. A fun, tongue in cheek, light-hearted adaptation that you can re-watch and still love – definitely one of our favourites.
(The Taming of the Shrew: William Shakespeare, Folger Shakespeare Library. 10 Things I Hate About You: Touchstone/Buena Vista, 1999.)
Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption/The Shawshank Redemption.
This film was adapted from the novella by Stephen King. Although The Green Mile was Continue reading
by NK Chats To.... : Graeme Simsion
Graeme Simsion (photo: Michael Clayton-Jones)
Graeme Simsion’s brilliant debut, The Rosie Project has been our book corner title this month.
It began life as a screenplay before he wrote the novel. Graeme joins us to talk about his new book, his favourite word and editing.
Can you tell us about your book, The Rosie Project?
The Rosie Project is the story of Don Tillman, a socially-challenged genetics professor, and his search for a life partner. Don constructs a 16-page questionnaire to find the perfect woman. Instead he finds Rosie, a woman who ticks none of the boxes, but who requires his help to find her biological father through surreptitious DNA testing of the candidates – every male student in her mothers’ medical graduation class. It’s a comedy – but I like to think it explores some serious ideas and may provoke a few tears as well as laughter..
What’s your writing day like?
There’s no such thing as a typical writing day for me. I don’t write every day because I have other commitments (meeting readers and booksellers, answering questions from bloggers…) and because I spend time thinking about what I’ll write, or how I’ll improve what I’ve written. When I was working on the sequel Continue reading
by Diary of a Wannabe Writer, aged 32 : Giving The First Draft A Chance
Your first draft needs faith.
I have been thinking about my first draft a lot recently. When I am not trying to start it, I am thinking about it – how I want the story to go, the characters and their backgrounds, the odd piece of description or dialogue that I think could work (most of the time I manage to write things down before they disappear out of my head forever. I have had things disappear and then I curse myself for not keeping a notebook nearby but that’s for another post.)
There are a few ways in which I have attempted to begin my story as I try to figure out where to begin. Should I start it with dialogue? Inner monologue? That’s the problem – you over think and then the false starts pile up and before you know it, you have 1,000 words of roughly the same scene. I end up going back to the beginning as I convince myself that what I am reading isn’t good enough. I worry Continue reading
by The Novel That Has Made The Most Impact : Bella Osborne
Bella Osborne
Bella picks the book that’s impacted her the most.
This is a very difficult question to answer. A few obvious answers immediately flew to mind, like the Boden catalogue as this is a book that impacts my bank balance on an all too frequent occurrence. A little more thought brought my favourite childhood book to the fore which was ‘The One Hundred and One Dalmatians’ by Doddie Smith although the only real impact I think that book has had is my compulsion for things that are spotty (see earlier reference to Boden addiction).
There was a chicklit book that I once read that when I had persevered to the end it gave me the encouragement that if they had been published then I at least stood I fighting chance – book and author will of course remain nameless.
When you sit down and really think about it, it’s amazing how many books you have read and loved and remember fondly. I love a bit of poetry so Wendy Cope would always make it into my top five books but to choose just one is a hard task.
So after a few cups of tea Continue reading
by Discussions : Which Classics?
Which Classic Novel Should You Read?
There are many novels that are considered classics. When I began to list the ‘great novels,’ it amazed me to see how many of them I’d not read. Despite reading many things about it, I’ve not read A Catcher in the Rye. I own a copy but have never got past that. It just sits on my shelf hoping that one day I will get around to reading it.
Lord of The Rings is another example. I read The Fellowship of The Ring but then gave up in the middle of The Two Towers and never got to The Return of The King. I decided to watch the movies instead.
There are many other great novels Continue reading
by Rosie Blake: How To Get A (Love) Life Blog Tour : Rosie Blake
How To Get A (Love) Life is the brilliant debut novel from Rosie Blake.
It was published by Novelicious Books in January and we are very delighted to take part in Rosie’s blog tour. Rosie joins us for a chat – favourite words, ideal dinner guests, Albus Dumbledore and Charmed.
Hi Rosie, can you tell us a little about How to Get a (Love) Life?
The story focusses on Nicola Brown, an uptight and introverted young woman who has never had a date on Valentine’s Day. Following a bet with a work colleague, Nicola has to put aside her hang ups to go on as many dates as she possibly can in order to find the perfect man in time for February 14th. Of course, lots of hijinks ensue including a disastrous date or two.
Can you give us a few fun facts about Nicola?
Fun facts about Nicola! Of course! She likes to eat her chocolate mini roll at a certain time of the day, keep the cellophane on all her furniture and make long lists about … wait … did you say fun? Oh. Erm. Yeah.
by Rosie Blake: How To Get A (Love) Life Blog Tour : We Review How To Get A (Love) Life by Rosie Blake
The Dare: To Get a Love Life by Valentine’s Day.
Nicola has success in her professional life (she enjoys her job working for a talent agency,) she loves her family (even though her mother can be hard work,) and she has lovely friends. However, she doesn’t have a boyfriend and when her colleague, Caroline, discovers that Nicola has never had a boyfriend for Valentine’s Day, she sets Nicola a challenge to get a love life and that she needs to find herself a man by Valentine’s Day. For a girl set in her ways (and frankly has a case of OCD,) this isn’t an easy task.
Nicola’s important quest begins with some awful dates with horrible sounding men and at times, it was cringe worthy to read – I felt sorry for Nicola. The book was great and had me laughing out loud in some places.
by Book News : JoJo Moyes
The One Plus One is the new novel by the internationally bestselling author Jojo Moyes.
We’re huge fans of JoJo Moyes and we’re not embarrassed to admit that the ending of Me before You made us cry…just a little. We’re looking forward to reading the latest book which is called, The One Plus One. It’s being released by Penguin on 27th February. No long to wait.
About the book:
One single mum
With two jobs and two children, Jess Thomas does her best day after day. But it’s hard on your own. And sometimes you take risks you shouldn’t. Because you have to . . .
One chaotic family
Jess’s gifted, quirky daughter Tanzie is brilliant with numbers, but without a helping hand she’ll never get the chance to shine. And Nicky, Jess’s teenage stepson, can’t fight the bullies alone.
by Competitions : Rosie Project Competition Winners
Penguin, 2014
And the winners are…
Thank you to all who entered our competition to win a copy of The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion.
Well done to our three winners: Caroline Stockwell from Clacton on Sea, Theresa Baker from Wakefield and Danny from London.
About the book…
‘I’m not good at understanding what other people want.’‘Tell me something I don’t know . . .’Love isn’t an exact science – but no one told Don Tillman. A thirty-nine-year-old geneticist, Don’s never had a second date. So he devises the Wife Project, a scientific test to find the perfect partner. Enter Rosie – ‘the world’s most incompatible woman’ – throwing Don’s safe, ordered life into chaos. But what is this unsettling, alien emotion he’s feeling?
The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion is published in paperback by Penguin, £7.99 paperback.
by Courses and Competitions : Mslexia 2014 Woman’s Short Story Competition
Mslexia’s Short Story Competition is now open.
Mslexia are looking for entrants to submit an unpublished short story for their 2014 Short Story competition.
Stories can be up to 2,200 words and can be on any subject so you can pick your theme and content. All winning stories will be featured in the Jun/Jul/Aug edition of Mslexia.
The judge will be Jane Rogers.
The first prize will be £2,000 plus you get two optional extras – a week’s writing retreat at beautiful Chawton House Library plus, you can also opt to have a day with a Virago editor.
by Books Need Us : Easy Ways to Promote yourself…
By Maria Vassilopoulos – Organic Books.
When I worked as a bookseller, there were three main ways I would get asked for books by customers. One was if a certain celebrity or known person had written a book, people would come in and already know what they wanted – for example, the new Jamie Oliver or *insert celebrity’s name here’s* biography. The other one was by title or cover, some customers would actually ask for “that red book” or “that tractors in Ukraine book”. The last one was for children’s books and centred around the age suitability of chapter and picture books, “is this ok for my *age* child/friend’s child to read?” kinds of questions.
It’s important to think about these questions when promoting your book and others that customers may ask. Also, it’s paramount to make sure that the booksellers know about them too. I only recommended books I knew something about.
By something I am meaning any extra information or activity that goes with the actual book, including launches, events, media coverage (big or small) and the main gist of the plot. This helps when people walk into bookstores wanting booksellers to tell them about good content.
by NK Fiction Friday: Money Money Money
Fiction Friday
Fiction Friday – 21st February 2014.
The prompt for today’s fiction friday: You find a money clip on the ground whilst walking down the high street. It contains £10,000. What do you do next? Which problems does it create? Solve?
Write for five minutes minimum and then keep going. Once you’re finished, post in the comments box below.
by Favourite Character Names
Five of our favourite character names.
There have been many characters with great names over the years. Who would not have a soft spot for a bad boy named Rupert Campbell Black? Or want to look after a boy called Pip? Here are five of our favourites. Which ones would you add?
Vivien Leigh in Gone With The Wind, MGM (1939.)
by Book News : Giovanna Fletcher’s Second Book Announced
Giovanna Fletcher reveals the title and cover for her latest book.
We loved her debut novel and have been waiting with excitement for the follow-up to Billy and Me. The book is called You’re The One That I Want and it’s due for release by Penguin on 22nd May 2014. A beautiful cover, don’t you agree?
by Bella's Scribblings : Valentines Day – inspiration or constipation
Bella Osborne
By Bella Osborne.
So it’s Valentine’s Day this month. You know this by the sharp hike in the cost of wilting flowers and the sea of pink hearts that assaults your eye balls when you enter a card shop. Love it or hate it, it usually incites a reaction in most people. I have to say I’m a bit ambivalent to it, well I thought I was…
When I was at school I used to find Valentine’s Day hugely entertaining as a few cheap cards delivered to key individuals could cause all sorts of havoc. I suspect poor old Mr Midgely always wondered why the attractive new Chemistry lab assistant had pledged her undying devotion to his home knitted tank tops and why the spottiest boy in class got the most valentines much to the chagrin of his better looking contemporaries.
I, of course sent my long-suffering husband a card on Valentine’s Day but that was all. We have tried going out for a meal to mark the occasion but it is usually a bit of a disappointment as the restaurant is full to the gunwales and the food often suffers because of it. I once managed to pour hot soup over my fingers when out for a Valentine’s meal and spent the whole Continue reading
by My Advice : Victoria Fox
Victoria Fox offers her five writing tips.
1. Don’t stop until you reach ‘The End’ – you must have something entire to work on and edit, and it doesn’t matter if your first draft is raw.
2. Never give up. It’s trite, but true. You will face rejection at some point, no author gets away with this, and you must have faith and a thick skin.
3. Love what you’re writing. Is this the kind of book you would be excited to read? Have fun with it – this will inject so much life and energy into your voice.
by Book News : Robert Galbraith’s Second Novel Due in June
The Silkworm
A second outing for Cormoran Strike.
The second novel by Robert Galbraith (the pseudonym of J.K Rowling,) will be published by Little Brown. It will be the second novel to feature private detective, Cormoran Strike and his assistant, Robin Ellacott, the first book being, The cuckoo’s Calling.
This one, called The Silkworm, will feature a novelist who is brutally murdered after writing poison pen portraits of people he knows. Little Brown have described it as ‘a compulsively readable crime novel with twists at every turn.’
When novelist Owen Quine goes missing, his wife calls in private detective Cormoran Strike. At first, she just thinks he has gone off by himself for a few days – as he has done before Continue reading
by A Moment With : Lynne North
Lynne North
Lynne North’s Best Writing Moment.
That has to be having my first book accepted by Ghostly Publishing, and having it launched at Earl’s Court Book Fair in London. You don’t get much bigger than that for a launch, do you?
Lynne North is the author of two children’s books, Caution: Witch in Progress’ and ‘Zac’s Destiny. For more information on Lynne and her books, visit her website.
by Discussions :
Which Novel Has The Best Ending?
The beginning of any book is important. That first sentence is used to draw your reader into your story, but it’s usually the ending of the book that stays with me. The great ones have you thinking about them long after you’ve read that last page and put the book down.
The Hunger Games is one example. A surprising ending (especially with the changes in power. I don’t want to give too much away,) and as a consequence, one that I am still thinking about and I finished that in the middle of last year.
I adored the ending to PS I Love You by Cecelia Ahern. I was sad that Gerry was gone but optimistic that Holly was going to be OK.
by News :
Have you ever wanted your name immortalised in a book?
An amazing selection of authors have joined CLIC Sargent for the ‘Get in Character’ campaign. It’s a chance for you or a loved one to have your name used for a character in a book.
It’s a unique 10-day Ebay auction and the aim is to raise £10,000 to help provide clinical, practical and emotional support to children and young people who are fighting cancer as well as support for their families.
Authors taking part include, Continue reading
by Mystery Postbag
New and upcoming books that have arrived with us this week.
We are feeling the mystery this week with the recent arrivals at Novel Kicks and we like a good puzzle. Here are a selection of new and upcoming releases that are on our to read pile.
The Accident by C.L Taylor.
About a week ago, I started receiving black envelopes with 10th April 2014 stamp on the back. Inside, was a diary page saying, ‘this secret is killing me.’ I got two of these in total before a black box arrived, containing a copy of this book. It really helped build the mystery and I now can’t wait to read. It’s due for release in April.
Fast-paced and suspenseful The Accident is perfect for fans of Before I Go to Sleep, Gone Girl and Sophie Hannah. A gripping debut 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?
by The Novel That Has Made The Most Impact :
Simon & Schuster, 2012
Trisha Ashley talks about a book she’s read that’s made an impact on her.
One of the most memorable books I’ve read recently is Leah Fleming’s novel, The Captain’s Daughter. The story begins with the sinking of the Titanic and something that happens amid the ensuing carnage and confusion, which will have repercussions that echo down decades.
There’s more than one love story in this huge and sweeping epic and more than one kind of love, as the stories and lives of several families are entwined over the years. To say a novel took you on a journey is a cliché, but this one certainly did – and a mystery tour at that, since I found it impossible to guess where we were going until we got there. I don’t want to give anything away if you haven’t read it, but the resolution literally hangs by a lacy thread…
by Diary of an UnSmug Married Blog Tour: Novel Kicks chats to Polly James.
Polly James
We are very happy to be part of the blog tour for Polly James and her debut novel, Diary of an UnSmug Married.
We had a chat with Polly to ask about her book, her ideal dinner guests and who she would like to swap places with for a day…
What’s the best piece of writing advice you’ve been given?
I can’t recall who it was who told me to read everything I write out loud, but it’s definitely the most useful advice they could ever have given me. It’s so much easier to tell if your dialogue sounds natural or whether something makes sense if you say it aloud, and it helps with comic timing, too.
I write a lot of dialogue, as I think it’s one of the best ways to help the reader get to know the characters you’ve created, and Diary of an Unsmug Married is written in the first person, so it was particularly important that Molly (who’s the main character) should have a distinctive and believable voice – because she’s the one telling everyone else’s story, as well as her own.
I found it much easier to decide if something I’d written sounded like something she would actually say when I read it out loud, and I think doing that is what helped me to bring her alive – or that’s what I hope readers of Molly’s story will think, anyway!
by Book Club
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