NK Chats To.... : Samantha Tonge
Samantha Tonge
Samantha Tonge’s debut novel, Doubting Abbey (published by Carina,) was released on Kindle earlier this month. Samantha chats to us about her new novel, her favourite word and who she’d like to invite round to dinner…
What’s your writing day like?
With both children at school, I am lucky enough to write full-time, so most days I’m at my desk by 8.30am and more or less stay there until 3pm, balancing the hours between novel and short story writing – unless the dust is an inch high or the cupboards bare.
Can you tell us about your debut novel, Doubting Abbey?
Doubting Abbey was inspired by Downton Abbey – I was fascinated by the public’s obsession with this period drama, and wondered what would happen if I put a thoroughly modern gal into a stuffy, aristocratic environment. In Doubting Abbey, pizza waitress Gemma must pass herself off as posh Abbey for two weeks, to help run-down Applebridge Hall win the reality show Million Dollar Mansion. Her stay is not without mishaps! Nor the tempting presence of gorgeous Lord Edward…
by 
Discussions :
It is becoming clearer to me that, the more of my book I write, the more I am finding that I am the type of writer that needs to get the draft finished before I go back and edit a word. Stopping and reading what I’ve written as I go is only serving to slow me down and it is, a lot.
Each writer handles editing slightly differently and I am always interested to know how each does so because no two answers are the same.
How do you approach editing? Do you wait for a draft? Do you edit as you go?
by NaNoWriMo Author Advice: Day Eighteen
It’s day eighteen of NaNoWriMo. Crime author, Mark Billingham talks to us about creating suspense…
Crime writers are often asked how to create suspense. Now, of course there are tricks of the trade and we all use our fair share of twists and cliffhangers. We all choose when and how to reveal key pieces of information. BUT, for me, they key to creating genuine suspense is really very simple. You need to give the reader characters with whom they can genuinely engage. If you do that, if you create well-rounded characters, you will have suspense from the very first page.
by Book News : Jack Sheffield
Silent Night by Jack Sheffield.
Published by Bantam Press. 5th December 2013.
1984 – and it’s an important time for the children of Ragley-on-the Forest school. Their school choir is to sing a carol in a church in York, and is actually going to be on television! Helping to keep his excited children, not to mention their parents, under control during these momentous events taxes Jack and his staff to the limit. At the same time, Jack has his own problems to deal with…
by NaNoWriMo Author Advice: Day Seventeen
Rob Pateman (Photo Paul Stuart)
We are on day seventeen of NaNoWriMo and today, Rob Pateman, the author of The Second Life of Amy Archer, talks to us about keeping your reader gripped….
Keep your readers gripped by giving them enough new information/action to keep them guessing and interested – but not so much that it falls onto them in one go. Pace is vital.
If you’re not sure if your ‘reveals’ are in the right place, make a graph with chapter number on the left and plot on the bottom. Chart each plot point/reveal with a mark by the chapter it appears in. Your flat points will soon be exposed.
by NaNoWriMo Author Advice: Day Sixteen
M. Jonathan Lee
On day 16 of our NaNo Author Advice, author of The Radio, M. Jonathan Lee tells us about the feeling you have when the first draft is done…
“It took me an age to actually sit down and start writing. All the fears as to whether I could actually do it and whether I was good enough. And then, one day I sat down and I started.
All you need to do it sit down and start. Write, write and write. Forget quality control. Get your story down, let the words flow from your brain to the page. Live and feel your story. Become the characters. And keep the momentum going by continuing to write. Whenever you can.
The feeling when it’s all down is immense. You did it, you told the story that you dreamed you would. You are halfway there. And now your story is a huge screwed up ball of paper that with a lot of careful editing will soon have all the creases flattened out.”
by NaNoWriMo Author Advice: Day Fifteen
Photo by Blake Little.
We’re midway through National Novel Writing Month. Well done to everyone who is still going toward that 50,000 word goal. Author, Sophie Kinsella has some great advice for the halfway point…
Halfway through your project it will all seem impossible and you will be tempted to jack it in and begin another, far more exciting idea. Trust me, that idea will get difficult halfway through, too. Don’t be afraid to experiment. You may not find your voice or style straight away. Write the book you would love to read yourself.
by Competitions :
The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks was published by Sphere in September 2013.
Thanks to the lovely people at Sphere, we have ONE copy of The Longest Ride to give away.
To enter:
Comment on this post with your name and town by the closing date of Wednesday 20th November 2013 at 23.59. The winner will be picked at random from the entrants and announced on the Novel Kicks blog on Thursday 21st November 2013. UK and Ireland only.
Read our review of The Longest Ride.
About the book: Continue reading
by Competitions : Step Back in Time Winners.
Published by Sphere, November 2013
Thank you to all who entered our competition to win a copy of the fantastic Step Back in Time by Ali McNamara.
Congratulations to…. Lindsay Healy from Cambridge who would like to go back to the 60’s and height of Beatlemania, Vicki Macdonald from Chesterfield who would like to go back to the 50’s and Karen, who would like to go back to the roaring 20’s.
by Fiction Friday: Family Celebrations
Fiction Friday: Friday 15th November 2013.
It’s Friday. Every week, we have a fiction prompt and the aim is just to write, not edit.
Today, it’s all about family celebrations. Your character’s name is Mark and he is going back to his family home for a get together for the first time in five years. Who is there? Why has he not been back for so long and what happens once he gets there? Does he bring anyone with him and how are they received?
Write for five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can. Once you’ve finished, post on here. Don’t edit.
by NaNoWriMo Author Advice: Day Fourteen
On day 14 of NaNoWriMo, Victoria Fox chats to us about editing.
My advice? Keep going, keep going, keep going. Don’t look back. If I stop after every chapter and try to edit what I’ve done, I get sucked into changes and tweaks and I never push on with the word count. This can shake your confidence, especially if you’re a perfectionist. So much will change when you’ve finished – scenes you thought were terrible suddenly have a new significance; likewise others you loved might no longer be needed. You can’t know your parameters until you’ve written ‘The End’ and you have an entire book. Keep going until you get there, a little every day.
For more information on Victoria, visit http://www.victoriafox.net/
by Book Reviews : Raising Steam by Terry Pratchett
Rising Steam by Terry Pratchett published by Doubleday, November 2013.
I have long been a great fan of the writings of Terry Pratchett, not just his Discworld works but everything he has done.
His latest offering, Rising Steam rose to the occasion and is a thumping good read. Steam is coming to Ankh-Morpork, much to the dismay of the Patrician, and this wonderful new invention will change the lives of everyone it touches.
The book follows the opening days of the steam engine, from one man’s shed in a small village, to a race against politics across the plains and into Uberwald.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and read it in just over a day. It was un-putdownable. It is wonderful to see the evolution of Discworld continuing and I really like the ‘cameo’ appearances from many of the characters whom I have come to love from other books in the series. Continue reading
by Literary Fact : 14th November 2013
Swedish author, Astrid Lindgren, creator of Pippi Longstocking was born on this day in 1907. Pippi was named by Lindgren’s nine year odl daughter, Karin who had requested a get well soon story from her mother.
by NaNoWriMo Author Advice: Day Thirteen
It’s day thirteen of National Novel Writing Month. Today, Michele Gorman, the author of Single in the City and Christmas Carol, talks about recurring characters…
Hi Laura, thanks for asking me on the blog today, and best of luck to everyone participating in NaNoWriMo!
Writing recurring characters is a bit like visiting an old friend. Of course you love her, but you also know all about her flaws. And so do your fans.
Plus: You already know the character. This makes it easy to put her into a new situation and know how she’ll behave.
Minus: You already know the character. It can be difficult to sustain your enthusiasm for the book over 80,000-100,000 words.
Plus: Continue reading
by NK Chats To.... : Bee Ridgway
Bee Ridgway is the author of The River of No Return which is her debut novel and was released by Michael Joseph in May 2013. Bee chats to us about her writing day, the character from fiction that she’d like to meet and her ideal dinner guests…
Hello Bee. Thank you for joining us. What’s your writing day like?
I either have a writing day or I don’t. A non-writing day is either a workday, or a day for doing errands, or for seeing friends and family – everything, in other words, that isn’t writing. A writing day begins with a cup of coffee, and ends with a bath. In between, for as many hours as I can cram in, I sit in my red chair in my office and I write write write write write. These are my favorite days, by the way. Nothing at all is as much fun as writing.
Can you tell us a little about your debut novel, The River of No Return?
The River of No Return Continue reading
by NaNoWriMo Author Advice: Day Twelve
Freya North
Day twelve of National Novel Writing Month. Freya North gives us her writing advice.
Write because you want to tell stories, not because you ‘want to be a writer’
Look after your posture – this is ESSENTIAL!
Don’t spend too long faffing and editing – that’s just a fancy way of procrastinating.
by My Writing Space: Meredith Goldstein
Meredith Goldstein is the author of The Wedding Guests. She chats to us about her writing space.
I used to have to leave my apartment to work on “The Wedding Guests.” I’d lock myself in my friend’s beach house where I had no cell phone reception, or I’d go to my Aunt Nancy’s and hide in the basement where there was no TV. I had to block out all distractions. I had no attention span whatsoever. But I’ve matured since then. (Sort of.) Now that I’m writing my second book, I don’t have to hide in remote locations. I can write in my bedroom, and the décor is all the motivation I need. On the wall in front of my writing spot (my very fluffy bed) is a painting of cotton candy, my favorite sweet. My friend’s ex-husband, a professional artist, made it for me as a housewarming present. They decided to divorce shortly after I hung the piece on my wall. I almost took it down after they split, but then I remembered that it’s my friend’s hand in the painting. She was the model, holding up the cone of cotton candy while he tried to get it down on canvas. There’s something inspiring about having the finished product nearby as I write. My friend’s hand looks so tough, so determined — just like she was in real life after the divorce. I see her strong grip and I think, “Keep moving.”
by NaNoWriMo Author Advice: Day Eleven
Matt Dunn is the author of A Day at The Office. On day eleven of National Novel Writing Month, he tells us how we need a good plot…
Whether you’re an author writing a novel, a gardener on an allotment, or an evil genius planning to take over the world, if there’s one thing you need, it’s a good plot. Assuming you’re reading this because you’re doing NaNoWriMo (so we’re talking about novels here), put simply, a plot is the sequence of events that make up a story – and while the order of those events (and of course, the events themselves) are up to you, getting that order (and the events) right is crucial if you’re going to engage the reader. I’m a romantic comedy novelist, and while everyone knows how romantic comedies go (girl meets boy, stuff happens, girl and boy end up together), it’s always helped me to think about my plots (the stuff that happens) not as HOW they get together, but as what STOPS them from getting together. Some writers plot their whole novels before writing a word, others just sit down, start writing, and see how the plot develops. I’ve tried both approaches, and probably prefer the latter. But if you like to plot beforehand and are having trouble, you’ll be pleased to hear seven ready-made ones already exist for you to choose from for FREE (don’t believe me? Just type ‘The Seven Basic Plots’ into Google). Presumably you know the start and end points of your novel – then ‘all’ you need to do is pick the one that applies to your story/setting/characters and get writing!
by Book News : Mitch Albom
The First Phone Call from Heaven by Mitch Albom
Published by Sphere, 12th November 2013.
The gift of heaven on earth. It will become the biggest story in the world …When the residents of a small town on Lake Michigan start receiving phone calls from the afterlife, they all become the subject of widespread attention. Is it the greatest miracle ever or a massive hoax? Sully Harding, a grief-stricken single father, is determined to find out. This is a story about the power of belief — and a page-turner that will touch your soul.
by NaNoWriMo Author Advice: Day Ten
Cecelia Ahern
Day Ten of National Novel Writing Month. Today’s advice comes from best selling author, Cecelia Ahern.
Find your own voice. I think it’s so important for writers to write what they feel passionate about, what moves them, instead of looking to others and seeing what’s popular or what moves other people. Readers respond to a unique voice and they can tell whether it is honest or not. Writing what you’re passionate about means that your well of ideas and emotions is endless and it is easier to stay motivated.
Believe in yourself. It’s a basic tip but with writing, so many people will have so many different opinions of your work. If you try to appeal to them all, then what is true and yours will change and the essence of your work will change. It is important to take on advice but never lose what makes you different. When faced with rejection and negative comments, believe in your abilities.
by NaNoWriMo Author Advice: Day Nine
Day Nine of National Novel Writing Month. Julie Cohen, author of Dear Thing, talks about writing space:
While I need to have a permanent writing space, somewhere I can spread out and make as much of a mess as I like, I often find that changing where I write can help me be more productive. Last week I spent eight hours writing in a cafe. I was stiff and hyper-caffeinated afterwards, but I got a lot of work done. My local library also has study carrels, which are great because they’re anonymous cubes with no distractions at all…though occasionally I think I startle the person in the next carrel by laughing aloud! Sneakily, against the rules, I smuggle a flask of tea into a carrel and spend hours making that bland space full of my imaginary characters.
by Competitions :
Published by Sphere, November 2013
Step Back in Time is the wonderful new novel from Ali McNamara. We have three copies to give away.
About the book:
How many lifetimes would you travel to find a love that lasts for ever?
When single career girl Jo-Jo steps onto a zebra crossing and gets hit by a car, she awakes to find herself in 1963. The fashion, the music, her job, even her romantic life: everything is different. And then it happens three more times, and Jo-Jo finds herself living a completely new life in the 1970s, 80s and 90s. The only people she can rely on are Harry and Ellie, two companions from 2013, and George, the owner of a second-hand record store. If she’s ever to return from her travels, Jo-Jo must work out why she’s jumping through time like this. And if she does make it back, will her old life ever be the same again?
To enter: Continue reading
by NaNoWriMo Author Advice: Day Eight
It’s day eight of National Novel Writing Month. Ali Mcnamara talks about what you should be writing….
When people ask me for advice about writing, I always say the same thing: Write what YOU love. Then your writing will come across as genuine, and heartfelt, and if you enjoy it reading it back, then someone else definitely will.
Also if you think your story is just as good or preferably better than those you’re seeing on the bookshelves, then never give up on your dream, no matter how many rejections you may get at first. Because someone some day will read your work and love it just as much as you!
by Book Reviews : Step Back in Time by Ali McNamara
Published by Sphere, November 2013
In 2013, JoJo runs an accountancy firm. She’s a workaholic who is pretty much letting life pass her by. However, when a car hits her, she finds herself transported back to 1963. She has travelled through time and she has to figure out why before she can get home again. From the 60’s she travels to the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s.
The concept of this book intrigued me before I even started reading it. I am fascinated by time travel (and yes, I have watched Back To The Future and Quantum Leap a few times.)
I loved this book. I liked how elements of JoJo’s 2013 were ever-present when she travelled but were in different guises and I liked how each time zone found her in a slightly different circumstance.
The references to the years which she travelled to, Continue reading
by Ali McNamara’s Time Traveling Tour: Swinging 60’s Fashion
We are happy to welcome Ali McNamara and her blog tour for her new book release, Step Back in Time. Today, we go back to the decade of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and mini skirts….
60s Fashion 101
Women’s fashion evolved so much in the 1960’s that it’s difficult to pinpoint just a few trends…
At the beginning of the decade the height of fashion was the style favoured by Jackie Kennedy, the first lady of the United States. Her quintessential look was the smart suit, pillbox hat, and neat court shoes.
Then is 1964 hems shot up when Mary Quant introduced the first mini-skirt, and the monotone black and white look, that is so synonymous with the sixties today became popular. Make-up was pale, and the androgynous look made famous by the British model, Twiggy was the style to aspire to.
Towards the end of the decade – the hippie movement also exerted a strong influence on fashion, with bell-bottom jeans, tie-dye and batik fabrics being extremely popular amongst the young, hip and trendy set.
If I’d been a teenager in the 1960s….I think I’d have been a Mary Quant girl!
Step Back in Time by Ali McNamara is published by Sphere and is available to buy now.
Ali’s blog tour continues on Monday where she is stopping by One More Page and Life on Magrs
by NaNoWriMo Author Advice: Day Seven
On day seven of our NaNoWriMo advice feature, Adele Parks says that you need to take writing seriously…
‘Write. Seriously, it astonishes me how many people tell me they want to be a writer but then confess they never write anything more elaborate than a shopping list. Write everyday even if it’s only for 20 minutes. Discipline is key. You also need to listen. Be inspired by everything that is going on around you.’
by Book Reviews : Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy
Our Rating: 3 out of 5.
Bridget Jones is now in her fifties. She’s a widow and a single mother of Billy and Mabel. She’s trying to juggle family life with a toy boy and a job as a screenwriter with the same humour and grace as she’s done in previous novels.
OK, let’s get this out of the way. I wasn’t happy when I found out about Mark Darcy’s absence in this book. He was part of what made Bridget Jones’s Diary so great for me. Due to his absence, I had a mixture of excitement and nerves before reading as I didn’t want this addition to ruin the others in the series for me.
However, once I started to read it, it was evident that Mark couldn’t be in this book. If it were just a case of them being separated or divorced, it would be all about Continue reading
by Diary of a Wannabe Writer, aged 32 : A Novel in Thirty Days. Am I Mad?
My writing world this week has mostly been working on National Novel Writing Month. Anyone who has taken part in it before knows it’s a marathon. It’s frustrating and hard work but it’s such good fun all at the same time.
After wondering whether to work on a new idea, I decided that due to my false starts, I was close enough to the beginning of my current work in progress to work on it for National Novel Writing Month in the hope that it will get me far enough into the draft to not be able to start again (and thus the end of the false starts.) There is some logic in my madness I am sure.
I am about 10,000 words into it now (at the end of the first week) – so far so good. One trap I have nearly fallen into though Continue reading
by NaNoWriMo Author Advice: Day Six
Day Six of National Novel Writing Month and I hope that everyone is having a great first week. Continuing on with our NaNoWriMo Author Advice, Sue Moorcroft, the author of Want to Know a Secret and All That Mullarkey, tells us about why she thinks social networking is important for writers:
‘I find social networking useful in all kinds of ways. It makes me visible, it allows readers in interact with me (which is a privilege) and allows me to get news about new books or workshops out into the world. It’s also a great source of research – not so much factual research, but opinions and ideas. For example: Is it OK to use text to ask for a second date? (Answer: yes!) My hero’s going to a fancy dress party. What should he go as that’s hot? (Answer: devil in lycra.) Twitter and Facebook seem to know the answers to any question in the world.’
For more information on Sue and her books, visit her website at www.suemoorcroft.com
by Book News : Ali McNamara
Step Back in Time is published by Sphere and is available in paperback and on e-book format on 7th November 2013.
We’re very excited to be taking part in Ali’s blog tour to coincide with the release of her new novel, Step Back in Time. Ali is stopping by Novel Kicks on Friday.
How many lifetimes would you travel to find a love that lasts for ever?
When single career girl Jo-Jo steps onto a zebra crossing and gets hit by a car she awakes to find herself in 1963. The fashion the music her job even her romantic life: everything is different. And then it happens three more times and Jo-Jo finds herself living a completely new life in the 1970s 80s and 90s. The only people she can rely on are Harry and Ellie two companions from 2013 and George the owner of a second-hand record store.
If she’s ever to return from her travels Jo-Jo must work out why she’s jumping through time like this. And if she does make it back will her old life ever be the same again?
by NK Chats To.... : Amy Bird’s Writing Room
Amy Bird is the author of Yours is Mine, published by Carina UK. She chats to us about her writing space…
I’m lucky enough to have a separate study for my writing, so I do most of my work there. The desk overlooks the garden. I love that; it means that in front of me, I have a free open space whilst behind me, the books on the shelves provide a comforting support. Everything is very green, very tranquil – the trees, the leather of the desk, the curtains. If I feel myself getting stale, I’ll retire to the leather sofa at the back of the room or pace about a bit.
 Amy Bird |
 Amy’s Writing Space |
I don’t always write in my study, though – sometimes I have to bribe myself with an afternoon working on the living room sofa with my laptop. Or when I commute (I work four days a week as a lawyer) I write on my iPad on the London Underground. Plus the trusty iPad recently came on a boating holiday with me – I curled up in the cockpit, clocking up my word count against the beautiful backdrop of the Norfolk Broads.
I suppose it’s odd to write thrillers in such benign settings. But the lighter the space, the freer my mind, and the darker my books can become.
‘Yours is Mine’ is available now from Carina UK, the new digital imprint of Harlequin, at http://www.carinauk.com/yours-is-mine and via Amazon http://www.amazon.co.uk/Yours-is-Mine-ebook/dp/B00DP220YY, Kobo http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Yours-is-Mine/book-u1u9U5e7aUm9JztScFyNOA/page1.html and iBooks/iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/yours-is-mine/id667517004?mt=11. You can follow Amy’s progress at www.amybirdwrites.com, on twitter at https://twitter.com/London_Writer and on facebook at www.facebook.com/amybirdwrites
by NaNoWriMo Author Advice: Day Five
Lucy Clarke
On the fifth day of National Novel Writing Month, Lucy Clarke, author of The Sea Sisters, talks about who you should write for…
Write for yourself. Write the type of book you love reading, or on a subject you’re passionate about. That honesty will feed through your work.
Be open to inspiration. It’s all around us. Start keeping a notepad and pen on your person and make yourself write one thing in it every day, whether it’s a snippet of conversation, an interesting sight, or something you watched on TV that caught your imagination. Inspiration is out there; you just need to tune in.
by Discussions :
I’ve been trying to complete the GoodReads challenge for a couple of years now (I set a low goal and then reset it too high.) It has got me thinking though, about all the books I have read in my life, so far. There have been dozens, from The Mallory Towers series and The Sweet Valley High books that I used to read religiously when I was at school to now where I have read varied genres.
I have enjoyed many books (and there haven’t been many where I’ve not managed to get to the end,) and my top five will change on a regular basis. However, when I think about my top five at this moment, they are, in no particular order…
by NaNoWriMo Author Advice: Day Four
Ilana Fox
We’re on day four of National Novel Writing Month. Today, Ilana Fox, the author of Spotlight and All That Glitters talks about the importance of finding the right place to write.
Everyone says you should write at a desk – and that you should save yourself the agony of a stiff back should you work anywhere else! – but I find it hard to be creative when writing feels like work. I really do suffer for my art! I wrote my first two novels in bed, and my second two on my sofa. Some people feel more inspired if they write in a coffeeshop or in a shared working space, but I find I can’t lose myself to my manuscript unless I’m completely alone.
by Book News : Jenny Colgan
It’s getting close to Christmas and I know I shouldn’t admit it but I am very excited. Also, it means there are lovely Christmas themed books being released…
Christmas at Rosie Hopkins’ Sweetshop by Jenny Colgan (published by Sphere, 7th November 2013.)
Rosie Hopkins is looking forward to Christmas in the little Derbyshire village of Lipton, buried under a thick blanket of snow. Her sweetshop is festooned with striped candy canes, large tempting piles of Turkish Delight, crinkling selection boxes and happy, sticky children. She’s going to be spending it with her boyfriend, Stephen, and her family, flying in from Australia. She can’t wait.
But when a tragedy strikes at the heart of their little community, all of Rosie’s plans for the future seem to be blown apart. Can she build a life in Lipton? And is what’s best for the sweetshop also what’s best for Rosie?
by NaNoWriMo Author Advice: Day Three
Day three of National Novel Writing Month and Lucy Robinson, author of The Greatest Love Story of All Time. talks about getting through the first draft…
Just write. It doesn’t matter if your idea isn’t yet fully-formed. Mine never are and so far they seem to end up being something that works!
Give yourself time off! Do other things in between writing periods! Take it slowly!
by Literary Fact: Stephen King
In 2007, Stephen King started signing some of his own books in an Alice Springs bookstore. The staff thought he was a vandal as they didn’t initially realise that he was signing his own books.
by NaNoWriMo Author Advice: Day Two
On day two of National Novel Writing Month, Rowan Coleman, author of Dearest Rose, talks to us about research:
For me, research is an important part of understanding your character and your plot. I will always try to go to a place I set a book in person, take photos, talk to people and if possible write in situ. When it comes to characterisation, if your characters are facing a real life problem, then research can be invaluable. When researching ‘Dearest Rose’ I spoke to many women who had found themselves in a similar situation to Rose. Her character was created out of all of those stories, and as a result she is one of my most powerful heroines.
by NaNoWriMo Author Advice: Day One.
Over the month, to coincide with National Novel Writing Month, authors will be offering pieces of advice to help whether you’re taking part in the NaNoWriMo craziness or writing your first draft at your own pace.
On day one, it seemed only fitting that one of the founders of National Novel Writing Month kick things off…
“Don’t be discouraged by the quality of your first drafts. They will get better in time. Know that all the books which inspire you to write all started out as craptastic first drafts. Follow your heart and write the book that excites you, not the book you feel you should write.”
Chris Baty.
by Book Corner: November 2013
The Knot by Mark Watson.
(Published by Simon & Schuster, June 2013.)
Dominic Kitchen is a wedding photographer. Every Saturday since his career began in the sixties he has photographed a bride and groom on the happiest day of their lives, captured the moment they tied the knot forever, and then faded away into the background. But throughout his life, Dominic has felt a knot inside him tighten, threatening his own chance of a happy ever after. And as the years go by, it becomes more difficult to ignore, until the ties that bind threaten to tear him apart… Continue reading
by Writing Room :
November 2013.
As its National Novel Writing Month, I thought it would be fun for all of us to write a story.
I’ll write the first line below and then just keep the story going. Let’s see how far we get. At the end, I’ll tally up the word count and see how many we manage. It doesn’t matter if you go to post the next part and someone gets in before you. It’s all part of the fun.
First line:
He told me to keep it. How was I meant to know what would happen if I didn’t.
by Discussions :
The more I write, the more it’s becoming obvious to me that I am the kind of writer that needs routine. If I don’t write every day, a week or sometimes a month will pass and my word count will be sat at zero.
There are days when the words pour onto the page and others where even getting to a hundred words is like taking a walk through treacle but it’s still a hundred words more than I had before I started. However, is it a waste of my time to write for the sake of getting words down on paper? Continue reading
by Competitions : Bridget Jones Winner
Thank you to all the people who entered our competition to win a copy of Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy (published by Jonathan Cape, October 2013.)
Well done to Sally Boland who was picked at random from the entrants.
by NK Fiction Friday : Ghostly Happenings
Friday 25th October 2013:
As Halloween is nearly upon us, today’s prompt has a ghostly theme. Write a ghost story. For example, a relative who has recently passed on is now sitting on your sofa, talking to you.
Write for five minutes then keep going. Don’t edit, just post.
by Literary Fact : 25th October 2013
Geoffrey Chaucer died on this day in 1400. He is widely considered to be the father of English Literature. Some of his works were adapted by the BBC. The series was called The Canterbury Tales.
by Book Reviews :
Kindle Edition, Notting Hill Press, 2013.
One winter wedding, two happy couples, three ex-boyfriends… And a very uncomfortable weekend.
Carol hates Christmas. Being recently dumped, she’s not crazy about weddings either. So her sister Marley’s nuptials, over the Christmas weekend, are making her positively Scrooge-like.
When she arrives for the weekend at the stately home in rural Scotland to find her three ex-boyfriends in attendance, Carol has no choice but to face her ghosts to discover what really happened in those relationships, learning a lot about herself in the process. As the snow falls outside and the fire crackles in the hearth, might one of the wedding guests become the harbinger of Christmases to come?
This was a lovely modern take on Charles Dickens, The Christmas Carol. Romance and fiction, this story was great for me from the first page. Carol seems to have it together – she’s single but successful at her job. Her sister, Marley, is getting married and not being a fan of Christmas, Carol is forced a little into the festivities. Carol would rather be at work with her blackberry. Continue reading
by NK Chats To.... : M.Jonathan Lee
Jonathan’s debut novel, The Radio is now available in paperback and for Kindle. We’re very happy that Jonathan stopped by to chat about his book, his writing process and what superpower he would have…
Can you tell us about your debut novel, The Radio?
The Radio centres around the decline of the lovable, yet hapless George Poppleton, a middle-aged, henpecked father and husband who stumbles across an old transistor radio in his loft. His obsession with listening to the radio drives him on an unexpected journey, fuelled by the painful memories of the suicide of his only son many years before. It ends with an unimaginable twist and is the first part of a trilogy.
Do you plan?
I begin with an idea. Maybe one or two sentences with the overall story and where I want to go with the story. The characters are then designed to fit the story. I usually pick two main characters, and summarise their three main traits. I then begin writing. Continue reading
by Competitions :
Jonathan Cape, October 2013
The long-awaited third book in the Bridget Jones series, Mad about The Boy was released this month and we have ONE copy to give away.
How to enter: Comment on this post with your name and town by the closing date, Sunday 27th October 2o13. The winner will be picked at random from the entries and announced on the Novel Kicks blog on Monday 28th October 2013.
UK and Ireland only.
About the book:
What do you do when a girlfriend’s 60th birthday party is the same day as your boyfriend’s 30th?
Is it wrong to lie about your age when online dating?
Is it morally wrong to have a blow-dry when one of your children has head lice?
Does the Dalai Lama actually tweet or is it his assistant? Continue reading
by NK Fiction Friday : Close Your Eyes
Fiction Friday: Friday 18th October 2013.
This week, close your eyes. Write about the first thing you see or think about. Add a what if to the mix.
Write for five minutes and then keep going. Don’t edit. Just post.
by Diary of a Wannabe Writer, aged 32 : Finding Your Own Path
This week, I have been thinking a lot about my writing process and how to approach it. I have to confess that, at the beginning, I did read interviews with authors, looking at how they approach their writing, trying to pick up tips to assist with mine. If it worked for them then surely it should work for me, right? Not necessarily.
The belief that published authors will somehow have some magical formula; wisdom that they can impart that will suddenly help you produce your book all comes down to many of them, in my experience, saying the same thing. There is no magic formula, aside from sitting down and actually writing.
That’s half the battle with writing a first draft, at least with me and that’s finding what works for me. I am forging my own path, my own way of working – finding which elements work for me and putting them into practise so that I can sit down and write.
by Book News : Revenge by Martina Cole
From the author of Hard Girls and The Take, comes Revenge (published by Headline, 24th October 2013.)
Michael Flynn is untouchable in a world of power, money and violence. He fights for what he wants and he takes it, whatever the cost. He learns the rules of the Life from the best and when his mentor, legendary Face Patrick Costello, is taken out, no one questions that Michael Flynn is his natural successor. For Michael, loyalty – and crime – pay.
Michael rises to heights beyond anything the criminal underworld has seen. He owns everyone and he rules his empire with an even but fierce hand. No one would dare challenge him.
Then the unthinkable happens.
Perhaps Michael Flynn is not so untouchable after all.
by Literary Fact : Monday 14th October 2013
American writer, EE Cummings was born on this day in 1894 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. One of his most famous poems was ‘I Carry Your Heart With Me.’
by NK Fiction Friday : Hide Out
Friday 11th October 2013:
Using mostly dialogue, write about someone who finds a person hiding out in their garage or attic. Has your character met this person before?
Write for five minutes and then keep going. Don’t edit, just post.
by NK Chats To.... : Jon Rance
Jon Rance is the author of This Thirty Something Life. His new book, Happy Endings is available now. Jon popped in for a chat about his new book, his ideal dinner party and his favourite word.
Hi Jon, thanks for joining us. Can you tell us about your latest novel, Happy Endings?
I’d be honoured. Happy Endings is the story of Kate, Ed, Jack and Emma, four late-twentysomethings all trying to find their own version of a happy ending in modern-day London. Its four inter-connected stories about love, growing-up, and, of course, the search for happiness. It’s a novel that’s very close to my heart because it took a long time to evolve from the initial idea to its finished state. I always knew I wanted to write a novel about happiness and how we’re all trying to find it, yet not many of us actually know what it is that we need to make us happy. It’s about that journey and I’m very happy with it.
Do you plan?
A little bit. I read a quote today that said there are two types of writers, architects and gardeners. I’m definitely a gardener. I plan as little as possible really because for me the story evolves organically as I write it. It comes from the characters and how they react to situations and I don’t know the characters enough at the beginning to plan a whole novel. It’s a bit haphazard at times, but it seems to work.
How do you approach editing? Continue reading
by Book News : Happy Endings by Jon Rance
Hodder Paperbacks, Oct 2013
From the author of This Thirty Something Life comes a novel about people just like us. Four people. Two couples. Six months that will change their lives forever.
Kate wants to go travelling before she reaches the big Three-O, while her long-term boyfriend Ed just wants to settle down.
Jack is desperate to be a published writer for many reasons, but mainly to save his relationship with fiancée Emma. Emma wants to be an actress more than anything in the world, or at least that’s what she thought until she finds out she’s pregnant.
Told uniquely from all of their perspectives, this is a story about love, growing up and, of course, the search for a happy ending.
Published by Hodder Paperbacks, 10th October 2013.
by Diary of a Wannabe Writer, aged 32 :
This week, I have been thinking a lot about the research and planning of my novel. Before, I’ve not always bothered with it as much as I maybe should have done. It actually scares me a little. It all seems overwhelming. I’ll have a vague idea of the plot and who the main characters are but will then find that names will change half way through.
I continuously ask myself ‘how much is enough’ before it stops being helpful and starts becoming procrastination and a distraction from the actual writing of the novel.
The idea of planning also has me wondering, if I know too much about my characters and my story, what surprises are left for me to find let alone the eventual reader? The answer…probably more than I think.
by Discussions : Different Endings?
Many of us have been at the end of a book willing it to end a certain way. Sometimes, it does and then other times, a twist will send it in another direction and we won’t see the ending coming.
Some endings are brilliantly done and others disappoint. I either shut the book happy with how it finished or thinking, ‘I wouldn’t have ended it that way.’
Harry Potter, for me, ended the way I hoped in some ways but I wasn’t ever keen on the ‘many years later,’ chapter. I can understand why JK Rowling decided on that course but I maybe wouldn’t have gone that far into the future. I loved the end to The Hunger Games trilogy and thought it ended where it should have (although it would have been great to see Peeta completely returned to his old self.)
Which book have you read where you got to the end and thought, I would have ended it differently? Why?
by Book News : Lindsey Kelk
I Heart Christmas by Lindsey Kelk. Released by Harper on 21st November 2013.
It’s that time of year where all the Christmas themed books come out which also means beautiful Christmas themed book covers, including this one….
Angela’s planning her very own fairytale of New York…
• Enormous Christmas tree
• Eggnog
• Eccentric British traditions
• Gorgeous man
But Santa’s throwing her a few curveballs – new job (as if it’s not mental enough already), new baby-craze from her best friend Jenny, and Alex determined they should grow up and settle down. Once friends start turning up uninvited on her doorstep (and leading her astray), can Angela really have a merry little Christmas? So much for happy holidays – something’s got to give
by NK Fiction Friday : Alternative Fairy Stories
Fiction Friday: 4th October 2013
We all know many fairy stories. For this week’s fiction friday, how about you rewrite one. What if it were the princesses who went off to slay the dragon? What if Cinderella was horrible to the ugly sisters? You can pick any fairy story and rewrite it.
Write for five minutes and then keep going. Don’t edit, just post.
by Book Reviews : Happy Birthday, Mr Darcy?
Happy Birthday Mr Darcy has been released in the same year as the two hundredth anniversary of Pride and Prejudice. It’s the summer and Katherine and Warwick are getting married in a romantic, Jane Austen themed wedding but will they make it to the altar?
I am a little new to Victoria Connelly’s books and although this is part of the Austen Addicts series, you can read this book on its own without having read the previous books and still have a good understanding of what is going on and who everyone is. Victoria explains this without stalling the story at all and I picked it up quickly (in a good way.)
As a result of not being overly familiar with the previous two novels, I didn’t know what to expect. Continue reading
by Book Club
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