Competitions :
We have three paperback copies of The Mystery of Mercy Close by Marian Keyes to give away.
Penguin, April 2013.
To enter, leave a comment for this post. Closing date is Thursday 16th May 2013 at 23.59. Three winners will be picked at random and announced on Friday 17h May 2013. Open to UK and Ireland residents.
To read Laura’s thoughts on The Mystery of Mercy Close, click here.
by 
Book Reviews :
The Mystery of Mercy Close by Marian Keyes.
Paperback edition. Penguin, April 2013.
Helen Walsh doesn’t believe in fear. She thinks it’s just something invented by men to get more money and better jobs, yet she’s sinking. Her job as a PI has dried up, she’s lost her flat and has had to move back in with her parents and now some old demons have resurfaced – her ex-boyfriend, Jay for starters.
Jay turns up with a load of cash and a missing persons case. Having no money herself, Helen is forced to help Jay find Wayne Diffney, ‘the wacky one’ from boy band, Laddz.
Helen’s not happy about having to work with Jay. Things didn’t end well with him plus Helen has a new boyfriend now – the very sexy Artie Devlin. Jay’s reappearance is stirring up way too many feelings Helen thought she’d left behind.
Helen is drawn into a dark and glamorous world where her worse enemy is her own head and where she only really feels connected to Wayne, a man she’s never met.
by Blog : Sophie Kinsella winners.
We had three copies of Sophie Kinsella’s new book, Wedding Night (Bantam Press, April 2013,) to give away.
Well done to Vicki from Southampton, Tina from Devon and Theresa from Wakefield who have all won a signed copy of the book. Well done ladies.
by Discussions :
I have been an avid reader much longer than I have wanted to write. From the time I was little, books were a way to use my imagination and to extend my understanding of the world. Plus they were a good way to escape into another world for a while.
When I was a teenager, I read anything from the Sweet Valley High books, to Anne Fine to Judy Blume. I could be found with my head in a book much more than watching TV (which is strange considering I now watch TV for a living.)
I couldn’t imagine trying to write without reading as many books as I do. Many writers I have spoken to say that reading is an important pastime for anyone who is looking to write a novel.
Do you agree? Do you have to be a big reader to be a writer?
by Book Reviews : The President’s Hat by Antoine Laurain
The President’s Hat by Antoine Laurain.
Gallic Books, March 2013.
Daniel is dining alone in an elegant but expensive Parisian Brasserie and can hardly believe his eyes when President François Mitterrand sits down to eat at the table next to him. It’s once the President has left that Daniel finds Mitterrand’s black hat. After a few moments of soul searching, Daniel decides to keep the hat as a souvenir – a reminder of an extraordinary evening. The hat is a perfect fit. When Daniel wears it, he starts to feel somehow different.
This book had such an unusual premise. From the first few pages I was hooked into the story. I started to read and before I knew it, I was already halfway through. The plot interested me – the thought of one object being the link between different people. I am always fascinated when fact is mixed in with fiction (which is what I liked about The Chaperone by Laura Moriaty.) At the beginning, I thought that Daniel was going to be the main protagonist but it was a surprise when other characters were introduced as the hat found them. It could be a co-incidence or it could be magic and destiny. Daniel, Fanny and Aslan were fascinating characters and I want to know what happened to them beyond the end of the story. Bernard was the character I liked/related to the least but when the plot surrounding him develops, I could see his place in the book. There was also a nice twist at the end too which I didn’t really see coming. I like it when a book pleasantly surprises me and this was certainly one of them. If you like stories that hint at destiny and have a little magic in them, then you’ll like The President’s Hat. I did.
by Writing Room : May: Random Combinations.
For May, try dividing a piece of paper into four columns.
In the first column, list as many types of people as you can. For example, fireman, Grandparents or Teacher.
In the second column, list as many places as you can like a petrol station in Scotland or a hill in France.
by Competitions :
We have three signed copies of Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella to give away.
 Bantam Press, April 2013. |
 Photo by Blake Little. |
To enter, simply comment on this post making sure you give us your name and where you’re from. The winners will be picked at random from the entries after the closing date which is Thursday 9th May 2013 at 23.59. The three winners will be announced on Friday 10th May 2013. Open to UK and Ireland residents.
A bit about the book:
Lottie is tired of long-term boyfriends who don’t want to commit to marriage. When her old boyfriend Ben reappears and reminds her of their pact to get married if they were both still single at thirty, she jumps at the chance. There will be no dates and no engagement-just a straight wedding march to the altar! Next comes the honeymoon on the Greek island where they first met. But not everyone is thrilled with Lottie and Ben’s rushed marriage, and family and friends are determined to intervene. Will Lottie and Ben have a wedding night to remember or one to forget?
by NK Chats To.... : Stella Newman
Stella Newman is the author of Pear-shaped. Her latest novel, Leftovers was released last month.
What’s your typical writing day like?
I don’t really have a typical writing day as such because I have a full time job. On a weekday I’ll go to work, and if I have any energy by the time I’m home, I’ll write for a few hours after dinner. At the weekends and on holidays I’ll try to do as full a day as possible, so up to 12 hours. Either way, I drink a lot of tea and coffee while I’m writing!
Do you plan or simply wing it?
I do plan quite a bit. Years ago I went on an Arvon creative writing course which I found incredibly inspiring, and one of my tutors, Kate Long, talked about how you should know your characters inside out, even if you don’t end up showcasing every detail about them on the page itself. So for example, you should know what was the first record each of your characters bought, even though that sort of info probably won’t be in the finished novel. I thought it was great advice, as it means your characters are fully formed in your head before you start pulling their strings.
by Discussions : To plan or not to plan?
by Blog :
Leftovers by Stella Newman.
Avon, April 2013
Thank you to all our entrants. Congratulations to Carol Peace, Rosie D and Katarina Micallef who have all won a copy of Leftovers.
by Book Corner :
The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick.
Picador, 2009.
Pat Peoples has a theory that his life is actually a movie produced by God, and that his God-given mission in life is to become emotionally literate, whereupon God will ensure a happy ending – which, for Pat, means the return of his estranged wife Nikki, from whom he’s currently having some ‘apart time.’ It might not come as any surprise to learn that Pat has spent several years in a mental health facility. When Pat leaves hospital and goes to live with his parents, however, everything seems changed: no one will talk to him about Nikki; his old friends now have families; his beloved football team keep losing; his new therapist seems to be recommending adultery as a form of therapy. And he’s being haunted by Kenny G. There is a silver lining, however, in the form of tragically widowed, physically fit and clinically depressed Tiffany, who offers to act as a go-between for Pat and his wife, if Pat will just agree to do something for her.
by Postbag : Upcoming Titles
New books that have arrived at Novel Kicks this week.
Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella.
Bantam Press, April 2013.
Lottie is tired of long-term boyfriends who don’t want to commit to marriage. When her old boyfriend Ben reappears and reminds her of their pact to get married if they were both still single at thirty, she jumps at the chance. There will be no dates and no engagement-just a straight wedding march to the altar! Next comes the honeymoon on the Greek island where they first met. But not everyone is thrilled with Lottie and Ben’s rushed marriage, and family and friends are determined to intervene. Will Lottie and Ben have a wedding night to remember or one to forget?
by NK Chats To.... : “My favourite writing moment so far” – Ilana Fox.
“I’ve got two favourite moments of being a writer. The first was when I encountered a stranger reading my second novel, SPOTLIGHT, on the tube. I felt very awkward watching her, but when she laughed out loud while reading it I couldn’t stop smiling. It’s a treasured memory!
 Ilana Fox |
 How I tend to work, in the living room with a cat on my lap. |
My second favourite moment was at my launch party for ALL THAT GLITTERS – I invited all my favourite book bloggers to come along as well as my friends and family because I wanted to give something back. People often forget that book bloggers are real people too (and not just people to send press releases to!), and it was so nice to finally meet people who I know virtually.”
by Competitions :
Leftovers by Stella Newman.
Avon, April 2013.
Thanks to the lovely people at Avon, we have three copies of Stella Newman’s new book, Leftovers to give away. Continue reading
by Book Reviews : Leftovers by Stella Newman.
Avon, April 2013.
Leftovers by Stella Newman
Review by Helen Jackson.
A novel about friendship, hope and the power of pasta from the bestselling author of Pear Shaped.
According to a magazine, Susie is a ‘Leftover’ – a post Bridget Jones 30 something who has neither her dream man, job, nor home. She doesn’t even own six matching dinner plates.
According to her friend Rebecca, Susie needs to get over her ex, Jake, start online dating – or at least stop being so rude to every guy who tries to chat her up.
But Susie’s got a plan. If she can just make it the 307 days till her promotion and bonus, she can finally quit and pursue her dream career in food, then surely everything else will fall into place. If only her love life wasn’t so complicated…
A sharp, witty and refreshing novel about love, friendship and enjoying what’s left on the table.
by Blog : Mslexia subscription winner.
Thank you to all the people who entered our Mslexia Competition.
Well done to Emily, who has won a one year subscription to Mslexia Magazine.
Emily’s entry:
“I get up. The cat doesn’t answer when I call. The laptop whirs to life. I write, the keyboard speaks to me with a tap tap tap. I say hello to the postman. I write some more. I teach online. I write some more. I have dinner with my partner. Jon Snow presents the news. I chat with my partner but his voice is a little too deep, the timbre not quite right. I miss women’s voices.”
by Discussions :
Blogging has become very popular over the past few years. I have a blog (although I don’t update it as much as I should do.) I take part in A Round Of Words in 80 days and it’s used primarily to check in with that. Some people find plenty to say whereas I struggle. I’m certainly not a natural when it comes to knowing what to blog about.
Many writers, along with their website, have blogs as well as Twitter and Facebook pages. Blogging is a good way of keeping people informed and for me, as a new writer, I find it’s a good way to continiously practise my writing skills too.
Do you need to have a blog to be a writer? I personally don’t think you do. It’s more of a social tool than a required one where the writing is concerned.
What do you think? Do you need to be into blogging to be a writer?
by Postbag : Upcoming releases.
Some of the upcoming releases that have arrived at Novel Kicks this week…
Lacey’s House by Joanne Graham.
Legend Press, May 2013.
Lacey Carmichael leads a solitary life. To her neighbours she is the mad old woman who lives at the end of the lane, crazy but harmless. Until she is arrested on suspicion of murder. When Rachel Moore arrives in the village, escaping her own demons, the two women form an unlikely bond. Unravelling in each other tales of loss and heartache, they become friends. Rachel sees beyond the rumours, believing in her innocence, but as details of Lacey’s life are revealed, Rachel is left questioning where the truth really lies. Winner of the Luke Bitmead Bursary.
by Book Reviews : The Ugly Sister by Jane Fallon.
The Ugly Sister by Jane Fallon.
Penguin, 2011.
Review by Laura Parish.
When it comes to family, you can’t pick them. Abi should know; she’s been in the shadow of her older sister, Cleo for as long as she can remember. It’s made worse when Cleo is spotted by a modelling agent and is whisked away for a life of fame and glamour. Cleo has been all but lost to Abi for the past twenty years. When, out of the blue Cleo invites Abi to come and stay with her and her family over the summer, Abi sees it as an opportunity to build bridges and spend some time with her sister, getting to know her again. What Abi didn’t bargain for was for Cleo to be preoccupied with other things and to be left with an unhappy brother in law and two spoilt children.
by Competitions :
Novel Kicks has a one year subscription to Mslexia Magazine to give away.
To enter, simply leave a comment telling us why you’d like to win the subscription. One winner will be picked from the entrants. The competition closes next Wednesday (24th April 2013) at 23.59. The winner will be announced on (or soon after) Thursday 25th April 2013. Open to UK and Ireland residents.
(The first issue will be sent to the winner with instructions on how to activate your subscription.)
For more information on Mslexia, visit their website.
by Blog : Mslexia Woman’s Novel Competition 2013.
A great competition open to unpublished woman writers.
Mslexia Women’s Novel Competition
The closing date is 23 September 2013 and the entry fee is £25.
The competition is open to unpublished women novelists writing in any genre for adults including literary fiction, women’s fiction, young adult fiction, science fiction, fantasy, chick-lit, crime fiction, thriller, romance and historical fiction, (no nonfiction or fiction for under 13s.)
To constitute a novel, your book must total at least 50,000 words. To enter the competition, send up to 5,000 words – which must be the first 5,000 words of the novel.
The First Prize is £5,000
by Discussions :
Can movie adaptations really do a book justice?
Summit Entertainment, Mr.Mudd, Entertainment One.
I am a fan of both film and novel. However, i am always a little sceptical when I see films that have been adapted from novels especially if it’s a novel I have read and loved.
Many films have been adapted from novels, The Silver Linings Playbook and The Perks Of Being A Wallflower are just two examples from last year.
I love reading but I find that if I see a movie before reading the book then I find it difficult to read the book on which the film is based (The Time Travellers Wife.) I also find that if I read the book and then see the film, if it’s not been adapted well, I sit there the entire time comparing the film to the book.
by Postbag : Upcoming Titles…
Here are some of the upcoming releases that have arrived at Novel Kicks this week.
Billy and Me by Giovanna Fletcher. 
Penguin, 23rd May 2013.
Sophie May has a secret.
One that she’s successfully kept for years. It’s meant that she’s had to give up her dreams of going to university and travelling the world to stay in her little village, living with her mum and working in the local teashop.
But then she meets the gorgeous Billy – an actor with ambitions to make it to the top. And when they fall in love, Sophie is whisked away from the comfort of her life into Billy’s glamorous – but ruthless – world.
Their relationship throws Sophie right into the spotlight after years of shying away from attention. Can she handle the constant scrutiny that comes with being with Billy? And most of all, is she ready for her secret heartbreak to be discovered and shared with the nation?
by Book Reviews : Stalkers by Paul Finch.
Stalkers by Paul Finch. 
Avon, February 2013.
Review by Helen Jackson.
Time’s up. You’re Next.
“All he had to do was name the woman he wanted. It was that easy. They would do all the hard work.”
Detective Sergeant Mark ‘Heck’ Heckenberg is investigating the disappearance of 38 different women. Each one was happy and successful until they vanished without a trace.
Desperate to find her missing sister, Lauren Wraxford seeks out Heck’s help. Together they enter a seedy underworld of gangsters and organised crime. Continue reading
by Book Reviews : God Says No by James Hannaham.
God Says No by James Hannaham.
McSweeeney’s Publishing, 2009.
Review by Laura Parish.
Gary Grey and his girlfriend love Disney. They are fellow students at Central Florida Christian College. They are young, god fearing and are eager to start a family but a week before their wedding; Gary goes into a rest stop bathroom and lets something happen. God Says No is Gary’s testimony. It’s the story of a young, black Christian man struggling with desire and belief. It gives a picture of how a life like his can be lived and how it can’t.
I would never have independently picked up this book but this proves the cliché ‘never judge a book by its cover.’ Some of its themes would have been something that may have put me off if I had spotted it in a bookshop. I am glad that I gave this book a chance. Yes, this book has serious themes but it was still an enjoyable read.
by A Notebook for writing inspiration.
Anyone who knows me will tell you that I have an obsession with stationery particularly notebooks. I have many dotted around at home (most with scribbles occupying a couple of pages and then the rest is blank – a sure way to know that I had moved on to another notebook I simply couldn’t be without.)
A writer can’t ever have enough notebooks right?
This one I like. It’s from Blottshop.com and it’s £4.00. I love inspirational quotes and this one will come in handy if I were trying to write my novel in it. Blott have some stores in the UK too. I walked into the one at Meadowhall and had to eventually drag myself out of there forty minutes later. It’s amazing!
by NK Chats To.... : Lulu Taylor
Novel Kicks chats to author Lulu Taylor. Lulu is the author of Beautiful Creatures, Midnight Girls and Heiresses. Her latest novel, Outrageous Fortune was released in 2012.
Can you tell us about your latest novel, Outrageous Fortune?
It’s a reversal of fortune story, with two girls born on the same day, one to great privilege and the other to a life of hardship. But events bring great changes, and Daisy, our rich girl, finds herself facing a huge challenge, while Chanelle, who’s grown up in poverty, does whatever it takes to get away from her background. And, of course, their lives become intertwined in unexpected ways…
Describe your typical writing day?
The writing day depends really on how close my deadline is. I always spend ages over the beginning of the book and then realise that time is disappearing, so then write much faster. Ironically, my endings are always better than my beginnings. I have written at home in the past, but I find that so distracting now that I’ve just got an office space outside home. And it’s great. It helps me treat writing more like a 9 to 5 job, and paying rent for my work space helps focus the mind wonderfully.
by Writing Room :
For the month of April, the writing exercise is to write about a 60 year old woman who can sometimes be a little petulant. It can be from third person or first person point of view. 
Post your contributions in the comment box.
by Postbag : Upcoming Titles.
Some of the upcoming releases that have arrived at Novel Kicks…
Leftovers by Stella Newman (Avon, April 2013.)
A novel about friendship, hope and the power of pasta from the bestselling author of Pear Shaped.
According to a magazine, Susie is a ‘Leftover’ – a post Bridget-Jones 30 something who has neither her dream man, job, nor home. She doesn’t even own six matching dinner plates.
According to her friend Rebecca, Susie needs to get over her ex, Jake, start online dating – or at least stop being so rude to every guy who tries to chat her up.
But Susie’s got a plan. If she can just make it the 307 days till her promotion and bonus, she can finally quit and pursue her dream career in food, then surely everything else will fall into place. If only her love life wasn’t so complicated…
by Book Corner : April’s Book
Instructions for a Heatwave by Maggie O’ Farrell
It’s July 1976. In London, it hasn’t rained for months, gardens are filled with aphids, water comes from a standpipe, and Robert Riordan tells his wife Gretta that he’s going round the corner to buy a newspaper. He doesn’t come back. The search for Robert brings Gretta’s children – two estranged sisters and a brother on the brink of divorce – back home, each wih different ideas as to where their father might have gone. None of them suspects that their mother might have an explanation that even now she cannot share..
by Trisha Ashley’s advice for new writers…
I often hear people say they’re going to write a novel…eventually, when they retire, or the children have left home (do they ever, these days?) and they have the right computer, or pen, or the wind is coming from the south west…
I’ve never really understood this, because if you’re a writer, you write. You burn to write. It’s part of who you are. And its fun, too – in fact, Stephen King says writing is the most fun you can have on your own and he’s quite right.
Perhaps it’s a fear of failure or success, but you won’t experience either unless you actually get the words down on the page, so why not start today? If your writing U-bend needs unblocking first, you should read Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones, and all will soon be flowing freely. And I’m going to quote Stephen King again (you should read his book, On Writing) when he says that you should write your first draft with the study door closed, i.e., just for yourself, then the second draft with the door opened, rewriting it with an eye to your readers. That’s great advice – write with a red-hot pen, let the words rush out onto the page, then hone and polish till it sparkles.
For those going the traditional route and submitting to agents or publishers, a little market research in the Writers and Artists’ Yearbook beforehand can work wonders, so that you’re submitting to an agent or editor who actually handles/publishes the genre of fiction you write.
Of course, to do this you actually need to know what kind of novel you’ve written and make this clear in your synopsis, because if you don’t know, then the agent/publisher certainly won’t.
And once it’s gone, don’t wait for the novel to come back, but crack on with the next one straight away.
by NK Chats To.... : Jacqui Rose
Jacqui Rose is the author of of the novel, Trapped which has just been released by Avon (Harper Collins.) Jacqui chats to us about writing and her new book.
Can you describe your writing style in fifteen words or less.
Lyrical, passionate, intuitive and at times poetic.
What’s your typical writing day like?
I’m contracted to write two books a year which I love but instead of spacing it out sensibly, I leave actually sitting down to write the book until almost the last minute because I thrive under pressure and I think it makes my writing better. So then I’m left with long writing days. I could start early in the morning and not finish writing till midnight. This will go on for about six weeks, writing between 2-3000 words a day and on crazy days up to 7,000 words, but those days are few and far between. And as much as it becomes very intense I wouldn’t have it any other way.
by Book Reviews : You Had Me At Hello by Mhairi McFarlane
You Had Me At Hello by Mhairi McFarlane
Avon, 2012.
Review by Helen Jackson.
What happens when the one that got away comes back? Find out in this sparkling debut from Mhairi McFarlane.
‘Think of the great duos of history. We’re just like them.’
‘You mean like Kylie and Jason? Torvill and Dean? Sonny and Cher?’
‘I think you’ve missed the point, Rachel.’
Rachel and Ben. Ben and Rachel. It was them against the world. Until it all fell apart. It’s been a decade since they last spoke, but when Rachel bumps into Ben one rainy day, the years melt away.
They’d been partners in crime and the best of friends. But life has moved on: Ben is married. Rachel is not. Yet in that split second, Rachel feels the old friendship return. And along with it, the broken heart she’s never been able to mend.
Hilarious, heartbreaking and everything in between, you’ll be hooked from their first ‘hello’. Continue reading
by Book Corner : March’s Book
The HitchHiker’s Guide To The Galaxy by Douglas Adams
It’s an ordinary Thursday lunchtime for Arthur Dent until his house gets demolished. The Earth follows shortly afterwards to make way for a new hyperspace bypass and his best friend has just announced that he’s an alien. At this moment, they’re hurtling through space with nothing but their towels and an innocuous-looking book inscribed with the big, friendly words: DON’T PANIC. The weekend has only just begun….
by Matt Dunn talks about creating characters.
If there’s one question a novelist (well, me, at least) always gets asked (apart from “where do you get your ideas from?”, to which I always reply “there’s a great website – IdeasForNovels dot com”), it’s “is the central character based on you?”. 
I’m never offended – after all, I don’t write books about serial killers – but though I don’t always like to admit it, the answer is quite often a resounding “yes”.
And I sometimes apply a similar approach to the supporting characters too. There’s a saying that goes something like: “when you write a novel, half your friends will be annoyed because they think they’re in it, and the other half will be even more annoyed because they’re not.” Most authors will probably smile wryly at this, but there’s a reason why, at the front of very novel, you’ll read a disclaimer that says something like ‘any similarity between characters and persons alive or dead is purely coincidental’, and that reason is, well, because any, ahem, similarity isn’t always, you know, purely coincidental. Well, at least in my books!
Of course, while most of us writers – me included – wouldn’t stoop so low as to completely and accurately reproduce our friends and family in the books we write, it’s probably fair to say that many of us do occasionally ‘borrow’ or exaggerate facets of people we know’s personalities, or pinch things they’ve said, or even the way they speak, in order to give life to characters on the page.
Certainly, the supporting characters in my first two books – Best Man and The Ex-Boyfriend’s Handbook – were based loosely on friends of mine. At the time – and it was early on in my writing career – it just seemed easier to imagine someone I knew, then just write that down. And it seemed to work.
I now know most novelists take a much more formal approach – spending ages writing full character CVs, or even question-and-answer profiles so they know exactly what a character’s like. This works well – I’ve done it myself recently. But strangely enough, I’ve found my best received characters have all had a dose of reality about them.
by Book Reviews : The Casual Vacancy by JK Rowling
The Casual Vacancy by JK Rowling.
(Little, Brown. September 2012.)
Review by Laura Parish
Parish Counsellor Barry Fairbrother is dead. This has caused a casual vacancy on the Pagford Parish Council. It’s not long before the town is divided into two camps; the people, like Barry Fairbrother who believe that a council estate called ‘The Fields’ should stay part of Pagford and the people who wish to disassociate the estate from the town.
It’s not long before the people standing for election see their darkest secrets posted anonymously on the Parish Council’s online forum and their election hopes are put into question as well as the revelations having an effect with other aspects of the lives of the people of Pagford.
I am a HUGE fan of the Harry Potter books and therefore was both nervous and excited to be reading this book. I had the opportunity to visit the Southbank Centre and hear Jo Rowling talk about The Casual Vacancy and found that very interesting. Due to that and the hype surrounding its release, I wanted to wait to read it once everything had settled down, (a little like not seeing the films nominated for an Oscar until the ceremony has been and gone.)
Anything she wrote post Potter was going to be a hard sell. Having been placed into a genre that was suitable for a wider audience and creating a series of books that was so well loved, she had a hard task on her hands.
by Book Reviews : The Ghost of You and Me & Between Today and Yesterday by Joanna Lambert.
The Ghost of You and Me
By Joanna Lambert.
Authors Online, 2010.
Review by Laura Parish.
The Ghost of You and Me is the third book in the Behind Blue Eyes trilogy.
It’s been a year since Matt and Ella had last seen one another in Meridian Cross. Now, back with Andy, Ella is trying to move on and is hoping that the arrival of their daughter will help things in their marriage. Things are going OK until Andy hears about his ex-girlfriend’s imminent wedding and he puts a plan in motion to stop it.
In the meantime, Matt is over in New York about to embark on a UK tour with his newest singing sensation, Marcie Maguire who is secretly in love with Matt and is trying to do everything in her power to get him to fall in love with her.
by Book Corner : February’s Book
Pear Shaped by Stella Newman
Sophie Klein walks into a bar one Friday night and her life changes. She meets James Stephens: charismatic, elusive, and with a hosiery model ex who casts a long, thin shadow over their burgeoning relationship. He’s clever, funny and shares her greatest pleasure in life – to eat and drink slightly too much and then have a little lie down. Sophie’s instinct tells her James is too good to be true – and he is. An exploration of love, heartbreak, self-image, self-deception and lots of food. Pear-Shaped is in turns smart, laugh-out-loud funny and above all, recognizable to women everywhere.
by NK Chats To.... : A Night with Avon.
Novel Kicks was very exicted to be invitied along to meet some of the authors and lovely people at Avon Books.
Helen and Laura had the opportunity to meet with Julia Williams, Claudia Carroll, Gill Paul and Fiona Gibson. We were able to chat about two of our favourite things – books and writing. A good night was had by all.
On arrival, we recieved name badges. Yes, we did get stupidly excited about name badges.
Laura with author Fiona Gibson who’s new book, Pedigree Mum is due out at the end of February.
by Book Reviews : The Girl You Left Behind by JoJo Moyes.
(The Girl You Left Behind by JoJo Moyes.
Review by Helen Jackson.
France, 1916. Sophie Lefevre must keep her family safe whilst her adored husband Edouard fights at the front. When she is ordered to serve the German officers who descend on her hotel each evening, her home becomes riven by fierce tensions. And from the moment the new Kommandant sets eyes on Sophie’s portrait – painted by Edouard – a dangerous obsession is born, which will lead Sophie to make a dark and terrible decision.
Almost a century later, and Sophie’s portrait hangs in the home of Liv Halston, a wedding gift from her young husband before he died. A chance encounter reveals the painting’s true worth, and its troubled history. A history that is about to resurface and turn Liv’s life upside down all over again . . .
In The Girl You Left Behind two young women, separated by a century, are united in their determination to fight for what they love most – whatever the cost.
by Book Reviews : All That Glitters by Ilana Fox and introducing our latest contributor, Helen.
All That Glitters by Ilana Fox
(Orion, Sept 2012.)
Helen’s verdict on ‘All That Glitters’ by Ilana Fox.
Ella Aldridge seems to have it all. Married to Danny Riding, one of the Premiership’s leading goal-scorers, she lives the dream – the mansion, the car, the freebie designer clothes. But Ella and Danny have a secret. Their marriage is not what is seems. Between them, it takes a lot of hard work to fool the press and the nation that they really are Love’s Young Dream, when deep down Danny’s desires lie elsewhere.
With Ella’s star in the ascendant, the world is at her feet – a TV show, a fashion column. But then she meets Johnny Cooper, the bad boy of British television. He’s ruthlessly charming and sexy, and he can see through Ella’s sham of a marriage in a heartbeat. Drawn into a risky, high-octane affair, Ella suddenly realises how much she has to lose and how quickly it can be taken from her…
by Book Reviews : Bared to You and Reflected in You by Sylvia Day.
Bared To You/Reflected in You
Sylvia Day
Penguin, 2012.
Bared to You and Reflected in you are the first two books in the Crossfire series. Eva is new to New York. Trying to escape a troubled past, Eva has a new life, a new apartment and a new job in an Advertising agency situated in the impressive Crossfire building. It’s not long before Eva meets Gideon Cross, the charming and mysterious owner of the Crossfire who is as gorgeous as he is rich but he’s also hiding an abusive past that he’s as eager to forget.
They are drawn together with a powerful sexual attraction but the road to love isn’t smooth for Eva and Gideon and they are as bad for each other as they are good.
by NK Chats To.... : Mac Logan
Mac Logan is the author of ‘The Angels’ Share’ series.
DarkArt, the second in the series is due next month.
Can you describe your writing style in less than fifteen words.
Focus on story, character, pace, edge, tension, conflict; with elements of romance, empathy and compassion.
What’s your typical writing day like?
Deal with needful business first thing and get it done (or procrastinate … big time). Go to the writing space in my head and pick up where I left off. Break for a walk every day, rain or shine; out over the fields and up an old tree-arched lane – about 3 miles. On the walk I can ponder aspects of the story I’m working on or just ‘be’. Write in two hour chunks then stretch, make tea, smile. Keep track of time – my computer speaks the time every fifteen minutes to help me keep track. My aim is to write 4-5K words per full writing day. When I’m on a roll I can do more. If I side track into editing or other stuff it can be much less. Better focus and productivity comes from practise.
by Book Corner : January’s Book
Rumours by Freya North
Everybody’s talking – but what’s really going on?
Rumour has it that Stella Hutton landed her new job thanks to family connections. She’s guarded about her past and private about her new life. Over in Long Dansbury, there’s always a rumour circulating about Xander – but the eligible bachelor shrugs off village gossip. Then a rumour starts that Longbridge Hall is up for sale. Home to the eccentric Fortescues, it has dominated Long Dansbury lives for centuries.
Stella is summoned to sell the estate. But Xander grew up there. His secrets and memories are not for sale. He’ll do anything to stand in Stella’s way. Anything but fall in love.
by NK Chats To.... : Chris Baty
Chris Baty is an author, a public speaker and a blogger and one of the founders of National Novel Writing Month.
What’s your typical writing day like?
My writing sweet spot has always been the three or so hours after the coffee first hits my brain cells. So I try to reserve my mornings for creative work. After lunch, my artistic focus shifts to refreshing Twitter and procrastinating on returning important emails by looking at photo galleries of basset hounds running.
You started National Novel Writing Month. Did you have any idea it was going to be as successful as it is and are you taking part this year?
Never in my wildest dreams. When I organized the first event back in 1999, I honestly didn’t think the 21 of us who signed on would last the month. None of us knew what we were doing, and few of us had bothered to plan our books. The saving grace of the whole endeavor was that we met up after work and wrote together. That camaraderie made the inevitable difficult stretches endurable. Which in turn gave us the focus we needed to bring the stories to life. It sounds corny, but finding out we had these novels inside us that we hadn’t known was there was a little like discovering we could fly. And I thought: Dang. If we can do this, anyone can.
I am taking part in NaNoWriMo this year for the 14th (!) time—I’m about to wrap up a tale of two monsters who find a VHS tape and set out to return it. It’s pretty ridiculous, but I’m loving it.
by NK Chats To.... : Milly Johnson.
Milly Johnson is the Sunday Times bestselling author of An Autumn Crush, White Wedding and The Yorkshire Pudding Club. Her latest novel, A Winter Flame was published by Simon & Schuster in October 2012.
Can you tell us about your latest novel, A Winter Flame?
Milly Johnson
It’s about a woman – Eve – who hates Christmas, especially after her soldier fiancé was killed on Christmas Day, and is left a Christmas theme park by an eccentric old aunt – to be jointly run by herself and Jacques a man she has no knowledge of. Eve can’t move on from the loss of her fiancé and has become a semi-recluse but her mad business partner and the people of the park force Eve out of the past and into the here and now. I had great fun in writing it – Jacques is one of my favourite heroes and I wanted Eve to have her happy ending after so much sadness in her life. It’s fantastical of course – but if you can’t have a bit of magic in a Christmas story, when can you? Oh and it picks up the story of Violet in White Wedding so best to have read that one first if you want to avoid any spoilers.
by Blog : Bridget Jones – Book 3.
Exciting news for all the fans of Bridget Jones (including me.) Publisher Jonathan Cape has announced it is publishing the third Bridet Jones book. It’s expected to be published in Autumn 2013.
Helen Fielding (Photo by Alisa Connan)
The first two Bridget Jones novels were huge international bestsellers, published in forty countries and selling over 15 million copies worldwide.
Dan Franklin, Publisher of Jonathan Cape, said: ‘Great comic writers are as rare as hen’s teeth. Helen is one of a very select band who have created a character, Bridget, of whom the very thought makes you smile. Like millions of others I can’t wait to see what’s happened to her.’
Helen Fielding said: ‘I’m thrilled to be published by Jonathan Cape but want to register my huge appreciation of Bridget’s original publisher, Picador, and the success they made of the two early Bridget Jones novels. The new novel is set in present-day London, with an entirely new scenario for Bridget. If people laugh as much reading it as I am while writing it then we’ll all be very happy.’
Bridget Jones’s Diary started life as a weekly column in the Independent in 1995 and charted the life of a thirty-something singleton in London in the 1990s. The column was subsequently adapted into a novel and published in 1997, becoming a huge international bestseller. As was its sequel, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, published in 1999. The novels were adapted for the big screen in 2001 and 2004, starring Renée Zellweger, Hugh Grant and Colin Firth.
Can you wait? I can’t……
by Book Corner : November’s Book
My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult
‘A major decision about me is being made, and no one’s bothered to ask the one person who most deserves it to speak her opinion.’
The only reason Anna was born was to donate her cord blood cells to her older sister. And though Anna is not sick, she might as well be. By age thirteen, she has undergone countless surgeries, transfusions, and shots so that her sister, Kate, can somehow fight the leukaemia that has plagued her since she was a child. Anna was born for this purpose, her parents tell her, which is why they love her even more. But now that she has reached an age of physical awareness, she can’t help but long for control over her own body and respite from the constant flow of her own blood seeping into her sister’s veins.
And so she makes a decision that for most would be too difficult to bear, at any time and at any age. She decides to sue her parents for the rights to her own body.
by NK Chats To.... : Meredith Goldstein
Meredith Goldstein is an advice columnist and entertainment reporter for The Boston Globe. The Wedding Guests (released by Penguin,) is her debut novel. We met up with Meredith at Penguin HQ in London. We asked her about her favorite novel, which character from fiction she’d like to meet and her advice for new writers.
How did you begin the process of writing The Wedding Guests?
I started with Rob first and wrote his story from start to finish – almost like a short story. As I think with a lot of first time writers, I then realized nothing was in the present tense…
If you could do anything differently, what would it be?
I would put more fiction in my fiction. It’s counter intuitive as a journalist to lie.
by NK Chats To.... : Victoria Connelly
Victoria’s first novel in the UK was Molly’s Millions. She’s also the author of the Jane Austen Addicts’ trilogy and The Runaway Actress. Her latest book is a novella sequel to The Austen Addicts’ trilogy and is called Christmas with Mr Darcy.
Can you tell us about Christmas with Mr Darcy?
Christmas with Mr Darcy is a light-hearted novella sequel to my Austen Addicts’ Trilogy. All of the main characters from the first three books meet for a special Christmas conference at Purley Hall but, when a first edition of Pride and Prejudice goes missing, the fun and festivities stop as everybody turns detective.The novella was enormous fun to write and it was lovely to meet up with all of the characters again and see how they’re all getting on but readers don’t need to have read the trilogy first although they might get more out of the novella if they have.
by Book Reviews : Letters From Yelena by Guy Mankowski.
Letters From Yelena by Guy Mankowski
(Legend Press, Oct 2012.)
Yelena is a Ukrainian Ballerina who is brilliant but flawed. She has come to the UK to fulfill her dream and dance one of Ballet’s most prestigious roles: Giselle.
Yelena soon meets Noah – a writer visiting the school whilst researching for his new book and both of them are soon on a journey of discovery. Life then takes an unexpected turn and the two of them begin writing letters to each other. During this process, Yelena visits dark areas of her life and her past soon catches up with her.
by Pauline Barclay talks about Famous Five Plus.
Novel Kicks would like to welcome back Pauline Barclay to our blog….
Laura, thank you for having me here on your fantastic web site and thanks to your hospitality, I’m not a stranger here having appeared twice before. Though this time, as much as I would love to talk about my books and of course my new book due out at the end of this year, I will save all of that for another time if you’ll have me back.
Today, I’d like to tell you about Famous Five Plus which is an Indie Author Group. As an Indie author I know how hard it is to get your name out there to the widest audience. And of course whilst you are marketing yourself, you are not writing. Added to trying to balance writing and marketing you can often feel isolated having no one to talk to, to bounce ideas off or to share any success that might come your way. Writing is for many a solitary occupation and being an Indie author you can often feel even more isolated, but by sharing thoughts and ideas can make you feel less on your own. These are just some of the reasons I decided to set up Famous Five Plus to bring like mind people together who could share their experiences and support each other. So on 31st October 2011, I launched Famous Five Plus. To get the group off the ground I invited five authors I had become friendly with to join me. Since then many authors have asked to join the group.
Famous Five Plus is about working together as a group and supporting each other. Everyday I update the FFP web site with a new post, an extract from a member’s book, highlight an author, highlight one of the member’s trailers and more. All members are asked to promote these changes through social media: Twitter, Facebook or their own Blog / web sites. What is wonderful is that during the month everyone is promoted and everyone gets involved.
by Book Corner : October’s Book
The Hunger Games bySuzanne Collins.
Scholastic (2009.)
In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games – a fight to the death on live TV.
Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister’s place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to death before and survival for her is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.
by NK Chats To.... : Tracey Garvis Graves
Tracey is the author of the New York Times Bestseller, On The Island.
Tracey, your debut novel is called On The Island. Can you tell us a little about it?
On the Island is a story about a thirty-year-old teacher named Anna who has been hired to tutor sixteen-year-old cancer survivor T.J. Callahan. They were supposed to be spending the summer at the Callahan’s vacation rental in the Maldives. Unfortunately, the plane Anna and T.J. are traveling on crash-lands in the Indian Ocean. They make it to the shore of an uninhabited island and wait for a rescue that never comes.
Can you sum up your writing style in five words?
Fast-paced, sparse, emotional, easy, storyteller.
by NK Chats To.... : Richard Foreman
Richard Foreman runs Chalke, a freelance publicity and consultancy agency for authors. Richard is also the co-founder of Endeavour Press (endeavourpress.com), the UK’s leading digital publisher. Richard is also the author of the historical novel A Hero of Our Time. He lives in London.
What was your route to publication?
I have an agent for my novels, which she is trying to sell for an orthodox print deal, but the Raffles series of novellas are published with Endeavour Press, the UK’s leading digital publisher. As I am co-owner of the company, the acquisition meeting went smoothly.
I work with a number of authors, both as a publicist and publisher, and it’s apparent that there are as many different routes into the trade as there are writers. And I can add one more by saying that should you be interested in writing short fiction, or non-fiction, please visit the endeavourpress.com website. Please read the submissions page. You are likely to narrow down your odds further by reading Raffles and citing this piece.
by NK Chats To.... : Lucy Robinson
Lucy Robinson’s latest novel, The Greatest Love Story of All Time was published in 2012. Her new novel is due to be published in 2013.
What was your route to publication?
A silly part of me believes that to be a worthy author I should have had to drag my manuscript around the publishing houses of London, begging someone to publish me. In actual fact I got spotted by an editor who encouraged me to write a novel. So I did just that and within six months I had a publishing deal. Had she not found me (via my Marie Claire blog) I probably wouldn’t have written a novel. I’d always wanted to be an author but it had genuinely never occurred to me to try – I just presumed I’d never make the grade.
Your latest novel is titled The Greatest Love Story of All Time. Can you tell us about it?
The Greatest Love Story of All Time is about Fran, a slightly bonkers journalist who, at the beginning of the novel, is living like a badger in her bed having just been dumped by the man she thought she was about to get engaged to. Her friends, who are now seriously fed up of her moping, break into her flat and demand that she pull herself together and get back out there on to the dating scene. Fran is appalled by this idea but eventually caves in, signing up to a bizarre eight-date deal that her friends have set her. But as she sets out trying to find love online she gets sidetracked by a beautiful woman called Nellie, by her increasingly alcoholic mother and by her evil cat whose life’s mission it is to eat Fran alive.
by NK Chats To.... : Joanna Lambert
Joanna Lambert is the author of the Behind Blue Eyes trilogy. Her fourth book, Between Today and Yesterday has just been released.
You’ve just completed work on the fourth book in the Behind Blue Eyes series. Can you sum up the plot in a few sentences?
As with all my other novels there’s a strong central plot with sub-plots woven around it, so it’s not always easy to describe. However, I did an interview last year while I was in the middle of writing Between Today and Yesterday and one of the questions I was asked then was to sum the plot up in around thirty words. This was my response – The birth of a band; the death of a matriarch; a family in crisis; the search for a lost love child and someone from the past is back looking for revenge. I think that covers everything quite well and believe it or not, although they appear to be totally unrelated, they all blend quite seamlessly to become one story.
by Book Corner : September’s Book
The Ice Cream Girls byDorothy Koomson
As teenagers Poppy Carlisle and Serena Gorringe were the only witnesses to a tragic event. Amid heated public debate, the two seemingly glamorous teens were dubbed ‘The Ice Cream Girls’ by the press and were dealt with by the courts. Years later, having led very different lives, Poppy is keen to set the record straight about what really happened, while Serena wants no one in her present to find out about her past. But some secrets will not stay buried – and if theirs is revealed, everything will become a living hell all over again . . . Gripping, thought-provoking and heart-warming, The Ice Cream Girls will make you wonder if you can ever truly know the people you love.
by NK Chats To.... : Jane Rusbridge
Jane is the author of The Devil’s Music.
Her latest novel, ROOK, was released this month. We asked Jane where she finds inspiration, about what she’s currently reading and which one of her characters is her favourite…
Your latest novel is titled ROOK. Can you tell us about it?
Set in the ancient Sussex village of Bosham, where King Cnut is said to have proved even he could not command the waves, ROOK is a story of family, legacy and turning back the tides.
Nora has abandoned her career as a cellist, returning to her childhood home and her mother Ada, a fragile, bitter woman, who distils for herself a glamorous past as she smokes French cigarettes in her unkempt garden. A charming young documentary-maker arrives to shoot a film about King Cnut’s illegitimate daughter, whose body lies beneath the flagstones of the local church. As Jonny disturbs the fabric of the village, digging up tales of ancient battles and burials, the threads lead back to Ada and Nora, who find themselves face to face with the shameful secrets they had so carefully buried.
Rook explores the mystery surrounding Harold II’s burial place, the hidden histories of the Bayeux Tapestry and connections forged through three women’s stories.
by NK Chats To.... : Julia Llewellyn
Julia is the author of The Model Wife, Love Nest and Amy’s Honeymoon. Her latest novel, Ten Minutes to Fall in Love is now available. Novel Kicks chat’s to Julia about her new book.
Your latest book is called Ten Minutes to Fall in Love. Can you tell us a little about it?
Ten Minutes is about a mixed-up young woman called Zu. Her mother was an alcoholic, who made her teenage years a misery. After she died, Zu left home, hoping never to return. But now she’s been forced back and she decides to clear her conscience she needs to find a new girlfriend for her father, Tony. Nothing goes to plan, however. There are dominatrixes, drug addicts and a trip to Ukraine with men who are desperate for a wife. Action-packed in other words.
Can you tell us about your writing day? Do you have a favourite time and place to write?
I try to write in my home office from 9am to 6pm four days a week, but the reality is probably three hours writing a sentence here and there, interspersed with three hours internet shopping, an hour on Twitter, an hour separating fighting kids and unloading the washing machine and an hour having lunch with my best friend (writers need to get out and about and talk to real people, you see!).
by Book Club
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