Book Review: Diary of An Unsmug Married by Polly James
Diary of an Unsmug Married by Polly James is published by Avon (February 2014,) and is available in paperback and e-book.
The blurb:
What happens to love when life gets in the way?
Meet Molly Bennett. Married to Max and mother to two warring teenagers, she’s just ‘celebrated’ a significant birthday. Bridget Jones would call Molly a “smug married”. So why doesn’t she feel it? Is it because everyone seems to be having a better time of it than her? Or is it that Max has started showing more interest in ‘business trips’ and less interest in their sex life? Molly begins to despair. And then an old school friend starts flirting with her through Facebook …
I had not read the fictional columns on which this book is based so I had no idea what to expect (however, I am a huge fan of Adrian Mole and Bridget Jones. This book has been compared to both.)
Molly is what Bridget would describe as a smug married. She has a job working for a back bench labour MP called Andrew (who she calls the boss.) He’s a little bit of a liability to her and Greg (a colleague.) She has a mother who has a Continue reading
by 
Competitions :
Penguin, 2014
We have three copies of The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion to give away.
To celebrate The Rosie Project being our book club title for February, we’ve got three copies of the book to give away.
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 Continue reading
by News : International Book Giving Day – 14th February.
Today is International Book Giving Day.
International Book Giving Day is a day dedicated to getting new, used, and borrowed books into the hands of as many children as possible, to share the love of books & the generosity of giving … all on a day synonymous with love. It’s run on a purely voluntary basis by a team of dedicated children’s book enthusiasts from around the world, highlighting the importance of books for children.
It was built and created by Amy Broadmoore, founder of the American children’s book website, Delightful Children’s Books, in 2012. Inspired by her son’s desire to ‘invent a holiday when people gave books to each other’, the determination to link that with Valentine’s Day was born just 10 days before the day itself!
‘People not only give books to kids in their communities, they also share stories and photos via Twitter, Facebook and International Book Giving Day’s website. Connecting with others who are giving books to kids, is part of what makes this an inspiring holiday,’ says Amy.
by Competitions :
Published by Corgi, Jan 2014
Five winners announced in our ‘It Felt Like A Kiss’ competition.
Thank you to all who entered our competition. Five winners have now been picked at random.
Well done to: Dawn Totton from Newcastle Upon Tyne, Victoria Cunniff from Wigan, Gail Reid from Catterick Garrison, Diane Moston from Southampton and Clint Howat from Carlisle who have all won a copy.
About the book:
Ellie Cohen is living her dream. A great job at an exclusive Mayfair art gallery, loyal mates, loving family, and really, really good hair. Well, there’s the famous rock-star father who refuses to acknowledge her and a succession of ‘challenging’ boyfriends, but nobody’s Continue reading
by Mick's Musings : Musings of an Aspiring (Male) Romantic Writer
Mick Arnold
We’re happy to welcome Mick Arnold to his very own column, Mick’s Musings.
I suppose you could trace my writing aspirations back to Christmas 2010 when my wife had just finished reading what I generically termed a ‘Chick-lit’ book and insisted that I must read it and kept on persuading me until I relented. Two days and not much in the way of sleep later and I’d finished. Then I read it again; and again and after another two days, I woke up with this idea for a story in my head. I recall that I was reminded that I hadn’t eaten ten hours and about thirty (probably unreadable) pages of A4 later.
Annie Sanders; ladies, you have a lot to answer for. Prior to this book, I was likely an a typical male reader. You know the stuff. Science-fiction, fantasy. I still read Terry Pratchett, so I can still claim a degree of expected male testosterone, but now my shelves show a majority of Carole Matthews, Trisha Ashley and Miranda Dickinson alongside Mr Pratchett. So perhaps, in hindsight, it’s not that surprising that I write in the genre I do. Whether these Continue reading
by NK Fiction Friday : Is it Love?
Fiction Friday
Fiction Friday: Friday 14th February 2014: Is it Love?
For today’s prompt, it’s all about love (as it’s Valentine’s Day.) Your two main characters are Lucy and Tom. Have they just met? Are they are at a turning point in their relationship? Is it about to end? That’s all your choice. What will you have happen to Lucy and Tom?
Write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can. Don’t edit, just post in the comments below.
by My Advice : Writing Tips – Graeme Simsion
Graeme Simsion (photo: Michael Clayton-Jones)
Graeme offers his five writing tips.
1. Enrol in a writing class – or at least join a writers’ group. A class will give you theory, discipline, feedback, industry savvy and encouragement.
2. Plan. Yes, some writers write by the ‘seat of their pants’ without a plan, and if that works for you, good luck and I’ll shut up. I bet it won’t. I bet you’ll get stuck about 25,000 words in, or later you’ll find you’ve written an unstructured mess. If that happens, go back and write a synopsis, then a chapter-by-chapter summary. Then start writing again with confidence you know where you’re going.
3. Write for Continue reading
by Wish List : Book Themed Necklaces
Five Literary Themed Necklaces.
There are some wonderful literary themed jewellery available and they can make lovely, unique gifts for people who are into books. With it being Valentines Day tomorrow, here are five that would be on my wish list.
I thought this necklace was beautiful. It quotes one of my favourite poems (which I have to admit, I first heard a Cameron Diaz film,) i carry your heart by e.e. cummings. It’s handmade too. It’s available from Etsy for £19.81. Continue reading
by Sneak Peek : The First Time We Met by Pippa Croft
Extract from The First Time We Met by Pippa Croft.
The First Time We Met is the first book in the Oxford Blue Series. Released today, it is now available to buy in ebook format. We had a chat with Pippa yesterday (you can read our interview here.) Today, we’re featuring an extract from the book and we can’t wait to read it and find out what happens.
“By the time I get out of the hall, the tears are pouring down my cheeks. I tried, I really did, but apart from Immy and a few others, they’re a bunch of snobs and creeps, Rupert most of all. Why did I think this was a good idea?
Leaning against a wall, I gulp in the cool air and it helps a little, but it’s raining again and my dress is getting soaked. I’ve only been here a day and I already hate the weather and the people. So much for my big dreams of sophisticated independence when I can’t even handle a welcome dinner!
In my head, Todd’s laughing at me, clucking his tongue with his ‘Poor little Lauren, I told you you’d be better off staying home.’
No. I will not give up so easily. The Cusacks don’t quit. My father taught me Continue reading
by Book Reviews : Calling Mrs Christmas
Review by Mick Arnold.
‘Calling Mrs Christmas’ is that rare breed of seasonal tale, in that behind the story of someone finding their calling to help them over a personal crisis (unemployment here) there are some serious social issues dealt with here that from a lesser author could have easily taken a lowly second place. Of course, this doesn’t detract from the main storyline as we follow Cassie through a Christmas certainly never to be forgotten, such is the skill of this author.
The story centres around Cassie, at the start deep in the depression caused by unemployment. She’s in a long-term relationship with the stoic Jim, a caring warder at the local Youth Detention Centre. Deciding to put her organisational talents to use, she starts up a business – the title of the book. As the business booms, from wrapping presents and decorating trees, to arranging corporate parties, life starts to look good for her again and the two of them have never been happier. Enter a rich client called Carter, Continue reading
by Diary of a Wannabe Writer, aged 32 : That Elusive First Sentence
That first sentence has become my nemesis.
I’ve now settled into the New Year and have just about stopped writing 2013 when I should be writing 2014. The new year brought new but familiar writing goals which is to get the first draft finally written in time to submit to the RNA in August (especially as I didn’t manage it last year.)
I have been thinking a lot about the first sentence as I attempt the first draft. How do you pick the moment and the words that will begin your novel? It has caused a little bit of stress particularly as it’s easy to overthink. Of the many books on ‘how to write a novel,’ that I own, having a good first sentence that grabs readers attention seems to be a common thread.
Of course, I know that Continue reading
by The Novel That Has Made The Most Impact : Cathie Hartigan
Cathie Hartigan-
Cathie Hartigan was a pianist and a music teacher until she swapped keyboards and became a writer and teacher of creative writing. She talks to us today about the novel that has impacted her the most…
The sheer size of Vikram Seth’s A Suitable Boy creates an impact. Its fat spine takes up four books-worth of space on the shelf. I took this monster thirteen hundred page novel with me on holiday twenty years ago and although I was in Italy, for much of the time I was transported to India.
But it wasn’t the foreign travel that provided the book’s greatest hook for me. At the heart of the novel is a simple question. Continue reading
by NK Chats To.... :
The First Time We Met by Pippa Croft is due to be published by Penguin on 13th February 2014.
The first in the Oxford Blue Series, it promises aspirational glamour alongside a steamy and captivating love story. On the eve of publication, we catch up with Pippa, to ask her about her new book, what’s currently on her desk and what we may not know about her…
The first time I fell in love, I was :
At Oxford! This may seem really lame (as Lauren might say) but I had a massive crush on a boy from my VI form but it wasn’t until I went away to university that we got together. He turned up one night very late at my room, having driven down from Manchester as a ‘surprise’. Well, I could hardly let him sleep out in the Quad, could I? And … er… Reader, I eventually married him.
You might not know this about me, but I:
Am terrified of heights. You know, the whole sweaty palms/heart racing/compelled to jump off type of terror. I decided to go abseiling as research for my first novel and while I survived, I would never ever do it again. It didn’t help that the radio was playing ‘Don’t Fear The Reaper’ as we drove up to the rock face, but I did use the terror in the book…
When I’m feeling down, I find that I’m always cheered up by:
A phone call from my daughter, finding my husband has booked a surprise day off work or checking the surf conditions on MagicSeaweed.com (I can’t really surf but I do try very hard.)
by Discussions : Right Casting?
Does it ever live up to expectation?
When I write, I cast my characters. I find it helps to develop the person in my head. I also like to have a clear vision when I am reading a book. Imagination is great as it allows for so many possibilities. I try to read the book before I see any kind of adaptation, otherwise, I can’t visualise the characters correctly – as was one of my problems when I tried to read Twilight.
I watched the trailer for the upcoming release, Continue reading
by Competitions : The Illusionists by Rosie Thomas – Winner
The Illusionists by Rosie Thomas.
Thank you to all of the people who entered our competition to win a copy of The Illusionists by Rosie Thomas.
Well done to Janet E from Scunthorpe.
About the book:
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 Continue reading
by A Moment with The Editor : Charlotte’s Working Space.
Charlotte once again joins us from Harper Impulse for A Moment with The Editor. This week, we ask – What’s your working space like?
I think the photo says it all… books, books and more books.
Also,
“I do not have OCD OCD OCD.”
Charlotte Ledger began working in publishing in 2011 and has always been a book lover but, since watching her first episode of Dawson’s Creek when she was 13, she’s found it impossible to resist a good love story! Pacey Witter stole her heart and her life it seems as her addiction for all things romance eventually led to her working at Mills & Boon. Thrilled to be at Harper Impulse, she Continue reading
by It Felt Like a Kiss by Sarra Manning – Blog Tour: Sarra’s Writing Space
Where the magic happens * wink, finger gun *
By Sarra Manning.
This is as tidy as I ever get, which is practically minimalist compared to how my desk used to look when I was on magazines. The piles of paper, mags, CDs, books, were so high that I literally could not see over the top of them. One of my proudest yet shaming moments was when an ergonomic expert took a picture of my workspace and showed it to the entire company as a good example of a fire hazard. So, progress!
Desk – Fifties, formica kitchen table, I got for free when I bought a 1930’s lounge suite, which fell apart within six months. The table is still going strong.
Chair – 1960’s chair that started life in a French hairdressers.
Macbook Pro – I have NEVER been PC, never will. Don’t even get me started. Although I write on a laptop, I have to work at my desk, no sprawling, legs akimbo on the floor in madcap Carrie Bradshaw-esque abandon for me.
Papers – that’s the marked up manuscript of the first draft of the novel I’m working on right now. Unfortunately, most of the bits I did mark-up I’ve now decided to cut and the bits I didn’t mark up, I wish I had. It’s a process. That notebook also has about version five on my outline.
Books – Continue reading
by
Published by Corgi, Jan 2014
It Felt Like a Kiss by Sarra Manning.
THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED.
To celebrate the release and blog tour of It Felt Like a Kiss by Sarra Manning, we’ve got five copies of the book to give away.
About the book:
Ellie Cohen is living her dream. A great job at an exclusive Mayfair art gallery, loyal mates, loving family, and really, really good hair. Well, there’s the famous rock-star father who refuses to acknowledge her and a succession of ‘challenging’ boyfriends, but nobody’s perfect. But when a vengeful ex sells Ellie out to the press, she suddenly finds herself fighting to keep her job, her reputation and her sanity. Then David Gold – handsome, charming but ruthlessly ambitious – is sent in to manage the media crisis . Continue reading
by It Felt Like a Kiss by Sarra Manning – Blog Tour: Laura reviews It Felt Like a Kiss
Published by Corgi, Jan 2014
It Felt Like A Kiss by Sarra Manning.
Ellie is living her dream and thinks she has everything pretty much together. She has a job that she loves, great mates, a loving family and a great boyfriend, Richey. The only bad point is the rockstar Dad who refuses to acknowledge her existence.
However, when her friends stage a relationship intervention, saying they saw Richey doing something he shouldn’t, Ellie goes into denial until she sees it for herself.
She breaks up with him not realizing he will carry out revenge in a horrible way. He steals a box containing Ellie’s biggest secret and before long, the British press is camped on her doorstep, painting her as a fame hunter, obsessed with getting herself in the paper and using the fact that Billy Kay is her father to do it.
David Gold, Kay’s lawyer is assigned to look after the problem… and Ellie.
David doesn’t trust Ellie and to begin with, Ellie doesn’t care much for him either so falling in love is the last thing on their minds – especially as Ellie’s life is falling apart around her.
I loved Ellie. She’s essentially a good person who wants to do right by all around her, although that does sometimes mean she is swept along with other people’s ideas. She loves her job and has great mates (Lola and Tess were hysterical in places,) and I did feel so sorry for her when everything began to go wrong and the more that goes wrong, the more she looses control. David Gold does sound like a scrummy hero and definitely someone I would want on my side if I needed a lawyer (he was endearing even though I did want to slap him across the face for some of his behavior towards Ellie.)
The book is quite long and when I started, I did worry I was going to find some of it hard going to read because of the length (which I have found with some books of late,) but the plot had me turning the page, desperate to find out what was going to happen next and whether Ellie would finally get to come face to face with the man who abandoned her when she was a child. This book, at one point, had me shouting ‘you go girl,’ out loud. I cheered, felt badly for Ellie when she was finding it difficult and I wanted her to have a happy ending.
I was actually a little disappointed when I finished this book because it ended and did miss Ellie and David for a while after. This book was great and I recommend it – especially if you want to curl up with tea and a book or are escaping to where the sun is and want a holiday read.
It Felt Like A Kiss by Sarra Manning is out now published by Corgi, £6.99
by Books Need Us : Stay Creative
By Maria Vassilopoulos- Organic Books
When you are writing your book(s), it is with the creative brain. Even with non-fiction there is a creative process involving having the vision to see the end result and manipulate the content to be easy on the eye as well as informative and educational if needed. When it’s all printed and bound and ready to go, don’t stop the creativity.
You have to play a bit of a game here – imagine you had all the money in the world, a totally receptive audience and all the time a person could need to think and really get behind your product (yes, your book once printed is a physical product that people don’t know they want until you find a way of communicating to them) and write down what you would do to promote your work. Some ideas: Continue reading
by Courses and Competitions : Writers’ Forum
Writers’ Forum Monthly Short Story Competition.
The Writers’ Forum runs a short story competition every month and the winner is featured in the magazine.
Entry is £6. It’s £3 if you subscribe. The prizes range from £300 for first place to £100 for third place. All types of stories are welcome for submission whether they are comedy, romance, thriller, horror, sci-fi or literary themed as long as your submission is between 1000 words to 3000 words.
It’s also a rolling competition Continue reading
by Literary Fact : Friday 7th February
On this day in…
1812, Charles Dickens was born to John and Elizabeth in Landport, Portsmouth. He was an English writer and social critic and is regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era.
He has created some of the most memorable and beloved characters in fiction including, Oliver Twist, Fagan, The Artful Dodger, Pip and Ebenezer Scrooge. After publishing a series of sketches under the pseudonym, Boz, Continue reading
by NK Fiction Friday : If You Go Down To The Woods Today…
Fiction Friday Prompt: 7th February 2014.
Fiction Friday
Today’s prompt: If you go down to the woods today…
What does the picture below inspire? Does it conjure up wonder? Fear? Curiosity? Write down everything that comes into your head when you look at it and then try to craft it into a story. Write for five minutes minimum and then keep going as long as you can.
Once you’re done, Continue reading
by NK Chats To.... : Julia Williams
Julia Williams
Julia’s books include A Merry Little Christmas, The Bridesmaid Pact and Midsummer Magic. We chat with Julia about her writing day, her ideal dinner guests and the character from The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe that she’d most like to meet…
Can you tell us about your latest book, Midsummer Magic?
Midsummer Magic focuses on Josie and Harry who have just got engaged and are spending the weekend in Cornwall planning their wedding with their respective best friends Diana and Ant, who turn out to have history, very bad history. While they are away they meet Freddie Puck, a TV illusionist who persuades them to be hypnotised for a TV programme, which involves them spending the night at some local Standing Stones, where legend has it those who plight their troth at midnight on Midsummer’s eve are bound together forever. Cue mayhem, Continue reading
by Book Reviews : The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
Penguin, 2014
Somethings in life are unexpected….
Don Tillman likes routine and he has pretty much accepted the fact that he’s not going to be in a relationship. That is until he stumbles on the idea for the Wife Project. Using a series of questions, he is sure that he will be able to find himself the ideal woman. Then we meet Rosie. She is not who he had in mind at all. She smokes, is never on time and is not at all acceptable to the Wife Project criteria but little by little, Rosie and Don become friends and he becomes aware of a life he could have – a life that he previously thought was for everyone else.
I loved Don. He’s a very endearing character. Told in the first person narrative, his voice took me a few pages to get used to as he is very matter of fact Continue reading
by My Favourite Leading Men.
My five favourite heroes of literature.
Throughout history, there have been many literary heroes in many different plots and portrayed in a variety of ways. Fictional heroes can inspire you, anger, frustrate or make you fall in love with them as much as any real, living and breathing person can do. When I came to looking at the male heroes, there are many to pick from and it was a struggle to pick five.
What do you think? Do you agree with my five? Who would you add?
Mr Darcy/Mark Darcy (Pride & prejudice by Jane Austen & Bridget Jones’ Diary by Helen Fielding.)
Colin Firth as Mr Darcy. BBC.
I couldn’t really compile a list where Darcy wouldn’t feature. He is one of my favourite literary men of all time. Whether it’s Mr Darcy in Pride & Prejudice or Mark in Bridget Jones’ Diary, he is a hero of mine because he is a gentleman. He loves Elizabeth/Bridget and he’s endearing even though he isn’t forthcoming with his feelings to begin with. He’s the nice guy. Unlike Daniel/Wickham, he is the dependable one and the character I trust. I love him.
by NK Chats To.... : A Moment With… Sophie King
Sophie King, shares the best piece of writing advice she’s even been given?
An editor at Orion who gave me some advice on viewpoint. It was before I was published. Although she didn’t take me on, she called me into her office and kindly told me I had ‘potential’. She then explained that it wasn’t a good idea, in her view, to jump around people’s heads on one page. You had to think yourself into someone’s mind and stay with it until a line break or a new chapter. It was as if someone had turned a light on. After that, I realized I wanted to write multi-viewpoint novels where I follow the lives of two or three people who are joined together by the plot.
Sophie’s latest release is an ebook edition of her novel, Second Time Lucky. She’s also the author of School Run and numerous non-fiction titles.
by Bella's Scribblings : NaNoWriMo Revisited
Bella Osborne
By Bella Osborne.
Back in July I was at the Romantic Novelists Association conference and I was lucky enough to be befriended by the Birmingham Chapter of the RNA who I sat with at dinner. After a few too many glasses of the fizzy stuff they started making pledges (apparently they do it every year). I was quickly caught up in it and a couple more glasses of fizz later I was signed up for NaNo (whatever that was). I was caught up in the buzz of the evening and nearly everyone else was pledging to NaNo (I was guessing it was the God of Writing or something similar) so added myself to the metaphorical list.
The next day NaNo cropped up again and I thought it wise to seek out a few more details, I was informed that it was actually fifty thousand words in a month. Oh right… WHAT??? After a glass of wine (for the shock you understand) I was suitably reassured that it was doable. Lots of them had done it before and had all become ‘Winners’ Continue reading
by Competitions :
The Illusionists by Rosie Thomas – We have one copy to give away.
THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED.
About the book:
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 Continue reading
by Competitions : The Engagements – Winners
The Engagements
Our The Engagements competition is now closed.
Thank you to all of the people who entered our competition to win a copy of The Engagements by J. Courtney Sullivan.
Well done to Maggie from Ireland, Marie-Claire from Poole, Glenys Titcomb, Lynne from London and Rosie from Ireland who have all won a signed copy of The Engagements by J. Courtney Sullivan.
by Discussions : At Which Point Can You Call Yourself A Writer?
When Can You Call Yourself A Writer?
When Can You Call Yourself A Writer?
I have been trying to write a novel for a while but I would still class myself a beginner. It’s a big step to go from an idea for a novel or a short story to getting it down on paper. Getting it out to a publisher is an even bigger step.
When people ask me what I do, the voice in my head wants to scream out loud, ‘you’re a writer.’ However, I find myself trying to hide the fact that I am a writer and so I will omit it from any job description Continue reading
by Writing Room : Now For Something Completely Different.
Writing Room: February 2014.
Now for something completely different. For this month’s writing room, it’s about changing history.
Pick an event in history that particularly interests you and that you know a little about or something you can easily research.
Now, think about what could happen if you change the facts. For example, Continue reading
by A Moment with The Editor : Which Plot Has Been Done To Death?
Charlotte Ledger
Charlotte joins us again from Harper Impulse. This week, we ask her, what kind of plot do you think has been done to death?
Ooo tricky… I guess it really depends on the writing and the author’s voice… if it’s a fantastic story that makes you laugh, cry, fall in love, and keeps you up all night turning the pages then a familiar plot isn’t so much of an issue… Having said that though, Continue reading
by
The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion (published by Penguin, 2014,) is our book club title for February.
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’ – Continue reading
by NK Fiction Friday : Who’s Coming To Dinner?
Fiction Friday
Fiction Friday – 31st January 2014.
Today’s prompt: Pick three to five guests that you’d like to invite over to dinner. It could be anyone you like; friends, celebrities, people you admire. Write about the evening starting from the moment your first guest arrives.
Write for five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can. When you’re done, post in the comments below.
by Book Reviews : The Bookshop Strikes Back by Ann Patchett
Bloomsbury Paperbacks, August 2013.
A sweet little book that shows us the value of a book shop.
Ann Patchett is the author of six novels and three works of non-fiction. She was very unhappy when she realised that there were no longer any more bookshops in her home town of Nashville, Tennessee. When she released her next novel after the last shop closed, she realised that the only place she could sell her book in her home town was in the local Framing shop. She met her business partner, Karen Hayes and Parnassus Books is now a thriving independent bookshop. This book chronicles the idea and eventual opening of the shop.
This book is only about twenty pages long but it was such a great thing to read. I will admit, I do have a kindle but I love going into book shops, browsing the shelves, picking up the book and flicking through – something you can’t do when buying a e-book or buying online.
In the current economy, Continue reading
by Book News :
The Postcard
How far will she journey to uncover a long lost family secret?
It’s 2002 in Australia. When Melissa discovers a postcard addressed to ‘Desmond’ among her recently deceased father’s effects, she is determined to discover this person’s identity and his relationship to her father. She soon embarks on a journey that will take her across oceans and to 1930’s, London.
Caroline grew on a secluded Scottish estate with her ‘Aunt’ Phoebe. Now, the shocking realisation that Phoebe is actually her mother fuels a rebellious streak in Caroline, who elopes to Cairo to get married. But her marriage quickly turns Continue reading
by Literary Fact : First Impressions
Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen, 1813
In January 1813…
Austen’s Pride and Prejudice was first published on in 1813. She first started writing in 1796 and had originally titled, First Impressions it’s now one of the most popular classics in literature and has one of the most famous opening lines, ‘“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.” It has also been the basis of many adaptations including the BBC version with Colin Firth, Bridget Jones’ Diary and it was even given the Bollywood treatment with Bride and Prejudice.
by Discussions :
Are setting goals important or a distraction?
Many writers approach their writing in many different ways. Some plan whilst others wing it. Others set goals when others wait to see what happens.
Setting goals is important for me. I lack focus when I don’t have something to work toward, like a deadline. I don’t have the discipline to not set goals.
I find them important.
That’s not to say I am not always good at keeping my deadlines Continue reading
by A Moment with The Editor : What kind of books are you currently looking for?
Charlotte Ledger
We welcome back Charlotte from HarperImpulse. Today, we ask about what kind of books she is currently looking for?
Our mission is to make HarperImpulse the home for good story telling, however you want to write it, however you want to read it – so really I’m looking for anything! Saying that, I’m a big fan of WWI Literature – Pat Barker’s Regeneration trilogy, Birdsong, Susan Hill’s Strange Meeting – and with 2014 marking 100 years since the Great War, it would be wonderful to publish some fantastic stories Continue reading
by My Advice : Claudia Carroll’s Five Writing Tips
Claudia Carrol
Claudia Carroll, the author of Me & You offers her five writing tips.
First tip, Persevere, persevere, persevere! And write every single day, as every day that you do is a day that your work is improving, trust me.
Second tip? Be brave too; remember it’s highly unlikely that a publisher is going to knock on your front door and ask if you’ve any manuscripts lying around they could publish. Nothing will happen unless you take the first step and get your work out there.
Third tip, an agent is your best friend though, and I’d advice anyone starting out to secure and agent first and the rest will follow.
by Literary Fact : Monday 27th January 2014
Lewis Carroll
On this day in…
Lewis Carroll (Charles Lutwidge Dodgson) was born on this day in 1832 in Cheshire, England. Alice Liddell, the daughter of a friend, asked Carroll to complete a story he’d started telling her on a boat trip. These eventually became, Alice Adventures Underground which was then renamed Wonderland.
by Competitions :
We were very happy to be invited to take part in the blog tour for J. Courtney Sullivan’s, The Engagements.
Here’s the blurb:
1947: Mary Frances Gerety, a young copywriter in an eminent advertising agency, has to convince the world of two things – that marriage means a diamond ring on every woman’s finger, and that she is as good at her job as any man. And then, in one moment of brilliant inspiration, Mary Frances writes down four words which will achieve both her aims . . .Moving from a Harvard swim-meet in 1927 to the three-martini lunches of 1940s advertising, from the back streets of 1980s Boston to an exquisite Parisian music shop in 2003, The Engagements is a novel about love, marriage, commitment and betrayal; it is as sharp, as fiery and as beautiful as the stone we have taken to represent our dreams.
We have FIVE signed copies to give away.
To enter:
Comment on this post with your name and town before the closing date of Monday 3rd February 2014 at 23.59. The five winners will be picked at random from the entrants and announced on the Novel Kicks blog on Tuesday 4th February 2014. The winners will also be notified via e-mail.
UK and Ireland only.
Good Luck.
by Book Reviews : The Engagements by J. Courtney Sullivan
An interesting look at relationships and the attitude toward that diamond ring.
1947: Mary Frances Gerety, a young copywriter in an eminent advertising agency, has to convince the world of two things – that marriage means a diamond ring on every woman’s finger, and that she is as good at her job as any man. And then, in one moment of brilliant inspiration, Mary Frances writes down four words which will achieve both her aims . . .Moving from a Harvard swim-meet in 1927 to the three-martini lunches of 1940s advertising, from the back streets of 1980s Boston to an exquisite Parisian music shop in 2003, The Engagements is a novel about love, marriage, commitment and betrayal; it is as sharp, as fiery and as beautiful as the stone we have taken to represent our dreams.
The Engagements focuses on five different decades and five apparently unconnected people who are all at varying stages of their relationships. Continue reading
by Books Need Us : Think Big
By Maria Vassilopoulos- Organic Books
You are the author of your book (s) and that makes you, by default the king of their world. Without you, they wouldn’t exist. If you hadn’t been inspired, nobody would now own your masterpiece. Correct.
However, now you are king (or Queen) you have to decide how to rule. There are a few types of reigning authors:
The dictator– You believe your book is the greatest thing ever read and that if people aren’t paying attention to it or doing enough for it they have a problem.
The Laid Back Larry– It’s done, you are sure somebody will read it and you are far too busy to tell everyone about it – that’s what the bookshops are for – right?
by Courses and Competitions : Purbeck Literary Festival
The Purbeck Literary Festival is taking place between 17th February – 2nd March 2014.
Tickets are now available for events happening over the two weeks in areas including Wareham, Swanage and Bere Regis.
The events include story slams, poetry and writing workshops. There will also be guest authors including Julie Cohen, Freda Lightfoot, Jason Goodwin and Katie Fforde.
For more information and to book tickets for events, visit the website.
by NK Fiction Friday : Interviewing Your Character.
Fiction Friday
Friday 24th January 2014: Asking your character questions.
The Fiction Friday prompt this week is about getting to know your character. Do you have a piece of fiction you are currently working on? If so, ask these questions about your main character. If you don’t, pick a random name out from a newspaper or a book you’re currently reading.
Ask these five questions:
1. Who is your hero and why?
2. What is your earliest childhood memory?
3. Does your character have a secret? Continue reading
by Wish List : Five Bookmarks
We love these five bookmarks.
I have almost as big an obsession with bookmarks as I do with books. I am not the kind of reader that likes to turn down corners (although it does occasionally happen,) and I am always on the look out for pretty or cute ones. These bookmarks would be some of the ones on our wish list…
These book clips are just adorable. I love them. Available from Etsy (Imaginative One,) they are a bargain at just a £1 each (before postage) and there are four designs: Heart, Flower, Gift or Cupcakes.
These are just brilliant. We love Jane Austen Continue reading
by Book Reviews : Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
Daughter of Smoke and Bone
Review by Helen Jackson.
Errand requiring immediate attention. Come.
The note was on vellum, pierced by the talons of the almost-crow that delivered it. Karou read the message. ‘He never says please’, she sighed, but she gathered up her things. When Brimstone called, she always came. In general, Karou has managed to keep her two lives in balance. On the one hand, she’s a seventeen-year-old art student in Prague; on the other, errand-girl to a monstrous creature who is the closest thing she has to family. Raised half in our world, half in ‘Elsewhere’, she has never understood Brimstone’s dark work – buying teeth from hunters and murderers – nor how she came into his keeping. She is a secret even to herself, plagued by the sensation that she isn’t whole. Now the doors to Elsewhere are closing, and Karou must choose between the safety of her human life and the dangers of a war-ravaged world that may hold the answers she has always sought. (Daughter of Smoke and Bone is published by Hodder Paperbacks, July 2012.)
This is my book club January book.
When we were discussing books in December, I complained that there hasn’t been a really good book for a while, and that The Night Circus was still my favourite ever. The person who chose the book (or the selection of books, which we then vote on) Continue reading
by Book News : The Illusionists by Rosie Thomas
Rosie Thomas is the Sunday Times bestselling author of over twenty novels, including The Kashmir Shawl which has sold 300,000 copies.
The Illusionists (HarperCollins) is due for release on 27th February 2014.
There is no such thing as magic. There is only truth.’
London, 1870. A terrifying place for a young, beautiful woman of limited means. Life on the streets is relentlessly tough, where fortunes can be bought or sold and danger lurks around every corner. But Eliza Continue reading
by Literary Fact : Wednesday 22nd January 2014
On this day in 1788…
George Gordon Byron, commonly known as Lord Byron was born on this day in 1788.
He was an English Poet and a leading figure in the romantic movement. His works included Don Juan and She Walks in Beauty.
by Bella's Scribblings : Desk Disappointment & Lame Excuses
Bella Osborne
By Bella Osborne.
Those of you who follow me on Twitter (and if you don’t then please do @osborne_bella) will already know the outcome of the desk delivery, so please bear with me.
As you know I was very excitedly awaiting the delivery of what I was terming my ‘forever’ desk. It had been a long while in the choosing and it was made of oak so I hoped it would be something that would accompany me on my writing expedition over the foreseeable years. I say ‘expedition’ as I hate the overused word ‘journey’ and a journey implies knowledge of destination whereas an expedition is a whole lot more unknown and exciting, so expedition it most definitely is!
I was counting down Continue reading
by My Best Writing Moment : Laurence O’ Bryan
Laurence O’ Bryan
Laurence O’ Bryan’s latest novel, The Manhattan Puzzle (Avon, 2013) is available now. Laurence tells us about his best writing moment so far…
Getting offered a global three book publishing contract by Harper Collins. I have never felt such exhilaration. I had waited ten years for the moment. I felt light, dreamy, and was filled with an anticipation that ached.
Read our review of The Manhattan Puzzle.
by NK Chats To.... : Garrett Addison
Garrett Addison
Garrett Addison is the author of The Traveller.
He grew up in Perth, Western Australia and now lives in Melbourne. We chat to Garrett about his book, what makes him laugh and what he would want with him on an Island…
Welcome Garrett. Can you tell us about your latest book, The Traveller?
It’s the story of a family man failing on all fronts; travelling too much to be a good parent and husband and yet still failing at work at the whims of a merciless manager nicknamed variously ‘the bitch’ and ‘the antichrist’. But when he is strangely metamorphosised into a higher functioning corporate genius on an otherwise usual trip, he enjoys a walk on the dark side and inevitably embraces the lure of revenge on his boss … but nothing lasts forever.
It’s a good fun roller-coaster Continue reading
by Discussions :
Diaries or Journals have always been a popular thing to keep.
I have kept a diary on and off since I before I was a teenager. If something is bothering me, I tend to want to write it down. This is common practise amongst many – whether it’s to work through an issue or simply to keep a memory of your life at the time of writing. Some write for themselves and others write on a blog for public viewing. My blog tends to be about general thoughts and opinions Continue reading
by Literary Fact : Tuesday 21st January
George Orwell
George Orwell, whose real name was Eric Arthur Blair, died on this day in 1950. He died in London at aged forty-six. He was known for works like Animal Farm (1945) and 1984, which was published in 1949.
by The Novel That Has Made The Most Impact : Rebecca Braunton
On The Air
Rebecca is the author of On The Air. Today, she talks about the book that has made an impact on her.
I moved house recently, and when faced with my monolith-like bookshelf I decided it was time for a little cull. A few books that I had read once and enjoyed were tossed (sorry: placed, lovingly) into a hessian bag and ferried across the road to the local Age Concern shop, but there was one book I knew I wouldn’t have parted with in a million years.
I first met Captain Corelli and his mandolin at college (steady on, I’ll make the jokes). I’d been given a beautiful virgin copy of the book ready for my annotations, and as a class we began to read through certain chapters in class, ending each ‘lecture’ as we called it with a series of questions on each chapter. This method had been practiced before with many texts from Shakespeare to McEwan. Normally the books you study at college or uni are groundbreaking and vastly important, but oftentimes boring and irrelevant; especially for a lovelorn sixteen-year-old who thought her life made up the centre of the whole universe.
by A Moment with The Editor : What does an Editor Do?
Charlotte Ledger
We’re very happy to welcome Charlotte, an editor at Harper Impulse.
We ask, what does an editor do?
Wow what a start to our new feature… And such a good question – I know lots of people think editors just sit and read all day! 🙂
Obviously, reading is a big part of our job, whether that’s reading new submissions with the view to buying new books or reading existing authors manuscripts in order to give them feedback on how the story is shaping up. Continue reading
by Book News : Skeletons by Jane Fallon
It’s all about secrets and lies….
We are stupidly excited about this upcoming release from Jane Fallon. Skeletons is due for release in March. It’s published by Penguin.
Here’s the blurb…
Jen has discovered a secret. It’s not hers to share, but is it hers to keep?
If she tells her husband Jason, he might get over the shock but will he forgive her for telling the truth? She might drive a wedge through their marriage.
by Courses and Competitions : West Sussex Writers 2nd National Short Story Competition.
Courses and Competitions
Entries are now open for the 2nd West Sussex Writers National Short Story Competition.
The maximum word count is 3000 words and there is no specific theme.
The closing date for applications is 31st March 2014. The fee to enter is £5.
1st prize is £200, 2nd Prize is £75 and 3rd prize is £50.
The winners will also Continue reading
by Book Club
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