NK Chats To.... : Sally Gardner
Sally Gardner is an award-winning novelist who’s sold over 1.5 million books in the UK. Her fourth novel, The Double Shadow is realised on 3rd November 2011. Novel Kicks had a chat with Sally and asked her about her typical writing day and the novel she wished she’d written.
What was your route to publication?
I started writing illustrated books for 5 to 8 year olds and I have to thank my then editor at Orion, Judith Elliot, for seeing I had potential. I had worked in the theatre before where my dyslexia had proved to be a problem, and I was quite convinced when I wrote my first book for small children that again it would be seen as a huge hurdle. It was a complete surprise to me to find that it was no bar to being writer. In fact, Judith believed it’s what gave me my voice.
Describe your typical writing day.
I usually work in the mornings in my dressing-gown in the hope that I can hold back the day – I’m always shocked to discover that it’s 12.30pm. In the afternoon I find myself to be slightly sleepy so I tend to go for a walk and then I usually work until about 1am.
by 
Book Corner : November’s Book
The Haunting by Alan Titchmarsh
How can the mysterious disappearance of Anne Flint in 1816 and the drowning of a young girl in a chalk stream so long ago possibly affect the life of schoolteacher Harry Flint some two centuries later?
Having left his job and a failed marriage behind him, Harry begins to research his ancestors. The deeper he digs, the more he realises that the past is closer than he had ever imagined.
The Haunting is a story of love and betrayal, intrigue and murder. Where people are not what they seem, and the past is no more predictable than the future….
by NK Chats To.... : Pauline Barclay
Pauline Barclay is the author of three novels, Magnolia House, Satchfield Hall and her latest Sometimes it Happens.
Novel Kicks were very happy to be able to catch up with Pauline and see what was happening since we last spoke to her.
You’ve recently got involved with loveahappyending.com. Can you tell us what the website does, what it means to you and how important you think Associate Readers are?
I am one of just 30 authors invited to show case their writing. Loveahappyending.com is a new and exciting web site that concentrates on two main areas: reader power and helping new authors to the market place. It is through the activities and involvement of each member and particularly the Associate Readers that a wider audience is getting to know about all of the authors. Being part of group creates more opportunities to spread the word rather just a single voice. Since being invited to join, I have seen more reviews on my books and *blushing* several more 5 star ratings.
Loveahappyending.com is international there are Associate Readers and authors from the UK, USA, Canada and even me from the Canary Isles! If anyone is interested in becoming an Associate Reader, please visit http://www.loveahappyending.com There is so much going on. In fact, I am the editor for the online chatty magazine The Fizz and also Head of Communications. Everyone in the group gets involved giving some of their time to helping other members.
Where do you find your inspiration?
Anywhere and everywhere! I find inspiration and ideas from sometimes just a word or a phrase, listening to music, reading, watching people, talking to people, out walking the dog. Just being aware of others. Life is so interesting and fascinating.
by Book Corner : October’s Book
Foursome by Jane Fallon
Rebecca, Daniel, Alex and Isabel have been best friends since university. Rebecca married Daniel, Alex married Isabel and, for twenty years, they have been inseparable. But all that is about to change. When Alex walks out on Isabel, Rebecca thinks things can’t get any worse. But then she finds out the reason why and she’s left harbouring a secret she’d rather forget. And there’s more upheaval to come in Rebecca’s life as her emaciated, neurotic, self-obsessed colleague, Lorna – her arch nemesis at work – suddenly becomes a regular feature in her social life.
Rebecca’s once-happy foursome is now a distant memory and with hearts broken and friendships fractured, it seems that change is never a good thing. Or is it?
by Jane Fallon Bloggers Event – The Club at the Ivy, Monday 26th September 2011.
What do you do when you get invited to meet Jane Fallon at the Ivy? You get yourself down there as quickly as possible.
Jane, Helen and Laura
Joe from Penguin and Helen.
Novel Kicks got to go to the Club at the Ivy to meet the lovely Jane Fallon, author of Getting Rid of Matthew, Got You Back, Foursome and her latest, The Ugly Sister which is due out on 29th September 2011. Thank you to the guys and girls at Penguin for a wonderful night.
Helen and I arrived and we were immediately taken aback by the Ivy. I’d never been to anywhere like that before and I was so excited to go in and have a nosy around (and not actually be thrown out again.)
by Book Reviews : Notes on a Scandal by Zoe Heller.
Notes on a Scandal by Zoe Heller.
Penguin (2004)
Review by Laura Parish.
From the first day that the beguiling Sheba Hart joins the staff of St George’s, history teacher Barbara Covett is convinced that she’s found a kindred spirit.
Barbara’s loyalty to her new friend is passionate and unstinting and when Sheba is discovered to be having an illicit affair with one of her young pupils, Barbara quickly elects herself as Sheba’s chief defender. But all is not as it first seems in this dark story and, as Sheba will soon discover, a friend can be as treacherous as any lover. Continue reading
by Book Reviews : Love, Lies & Promises by Joanna Lambert.
Love Lies and Promises by Joanna Lambert.
(Authors online, 2010.)
Review by Laura Parish.
Love Lies and Promises follows on from where When Tomorrow Comes concludes.
When her romance with Matt Benedict doesn’t go as planned, Ella and Matt aren’t reunited until 1969. Things seem to be going well until Ella finds out he’s to marry someone else. Trying to put the heartache Matt causes behind her, Ella marries rich bad boy, Andy Macayne. Thinking she has it all, it’s not long before Ella’s past comes crashing back. Continue reading
by Book Reviews : Grace Williams Says It Loud by Emma Henderson.
Grace Williams Says it Loud by Emma Henderson. 
(Sceptre, March 2011.)
Review by Laura Parish.
Grace Williams Says It Loud tells the story of Grace, who, when the doctors tell her parents that nothing else can be done for her, is sent to The Briar Mental Institute. Seen by the doctors as nothing more than an object, on her first day, at aged eleven, Grace meets Daniel who is a fellow patient. Daniel befriends Grace. He sees beyond the disabilities. He sees someone to be friends with, to share secrets with and someone to love.
by Book Corner : September’s Book
One Day by David Nicholls
15th July 1988. Emma and Dexter meet on the night of their graduation. Tomorrow they must go their separate ways. So where will they be on day next year? And the year after that? And every year that follows?
by NK Chats To.... : Jaishree Misra
Jaishree Misra is the author of Ancient Promises, Secrets and Lies, Secrets and Sins and her most recent novel, A Scandalous Secret. Novel Kicks had a chat with Jaishree and asked her about her route to publication and who’d she’d have to dinner…
What was your route to publication?
I’d had to give up my radio journalist’s job at the BBC because of childcare commitments (my daughter has special needs) and I found myself sitting at home at a loose end, feeling terribly downcast. We’d bought a new computer at the time and I’d promised my husband I’d write four pages of text so he could teach me Word functions. It sounds a bit crazy but, once I started writing, I couldn’t stop and, very soon, my planned four pages had grown into a 300 page memoir! That went on to become my first novel, ‘Ancient Promises’ (and, yes, by then I had learnt to use Word to do all that nifty spell-check stuff). I was one of those lucky few who didn’t have to search too hard for an agent, even though I did get my share of rejections at first. It seemed to make sense to look for an agent who had already had success with a book set in India so I located David Godwin, Arundhati Roy’s agent, and sent three sample chapters to him. You can imagine how chuffed I was to get a call from him a few weeks later asking to see the rest.
Where do you find inspiration for your novels?
From all over the place – chance conversations, overheard remarks, a story in the newspaper. The latter was the genesis of my most recent book, actually – ‘A Scandalous Secret’ – which sort of emerged from a picture I once saw in the newspapers of Claire Short with the long-lost son she’d given away at birth. Sometimes ideas implant themselves and quietly germinate away and then quite suddenly spring to life when you’re least expecting it. Essentially a novelist has to be deeply interested in life and in people and enjoy a bit of amateur psychology to figure out what makes them do the things they do.
by Book Corner : August’s Book
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
Isabella Swan expects her new life in Forks to be as dull as the town itself. But her new classmates don’t seem to mind her awkward manner and low expectations. They seem to like her – with the expectation, that is, of Edward Cullen. The problem is that Bella finds herself fascinated by him. What she doesn’t realise is that the closer she gets, the more she is at risk. And it might be too late to turn back.
by Blog : A book for a good cause.
The Cat Profiles by Chris Wade and Linzi Napier. 
Foreword by Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson.
(Wisdom Twins Books, 2011.)
Are you a cat lover? This is a cause we’d like to support here at Novel Kicks. Continue reading
by Book Reviews : Meet Me At The Cupcake Cafe by Jenny Colgan.
Meet Me At The Cupcake Cafe by Jenny Colgan.
Sphere, April 2011.
Review by Laura Parish.
Izzy can bake. When she loses her job and her boyfriend, she decides to pursue her dream and open a bakery. With her best friend and bank manager behind her she whole heartedly jumps into her new venture but not without facing challenges along the way. Continue reading
by NK Chats To.... : Chris Wade
Chris Wade is the author of the surreal love story ‘Cutey and The Sofaguard.’ He also runs Wisdom Twins Books (his publishing house based in Leeds.) Novel Kicks were very excited to be having a chat with Chris about his typical writing day and who’d he’d invite to dinner…
What was your route to publication?
I never even considered sending my book to a “proper” publishing house. My instinct was to release it myself via the net. My first one published was a book on the actor Malcolm McDowell.
You’re also head of Wisdom Twins Books, which is based in Leeds. Can you briefly explain the history of Wisdom Twins Books?
I started it in about October 2009. Just before that I had the Malcolm McDowell book out via a publishing service which was instantly, as I learned, a mistake. But after that I had the permission to write this book about the ex Stranglers’ singer Hugh Cornwell and his latest album. It was really exciting putting it together, interviewing the band and producer and getting exclusive unseen pictures for it. I was a big fan at the time. But I couldn’t even think which publisher could get it out and printed in a month, because his tour was coming up in November and they wanted to sell it at his concerts. So when I had finished it in late October I started up the site “Wisdom Twins Books.” I got the name from two characters in a book of mine called Cutey and the Sofaguard. From then, it just made sense to release things via that site. At first it was the free magazine Hound Dawg, then the audiobook read by Rik Mayall of Cutey and the Sofaguard. So for me starting it was a great thing and it all was really exciting and satisfying from the beginning.
by Book Reviews : Lessons in Laughing Out Loud by Rowan Coleman.
Lessons in Laughing Out Loud by Rowan Coleman.
(Arrow, July 2011.)
Review by Laura Parish.
Willow and Holly are identical twins and are everything to each other. They are alike in every way but one. Willow harbours a secret, one that makes her very afraid. It’s a secret that binds the sisters together but has meant that their adult lives have taken very different paths.
Willow feels that large parts of herself are missing – qualities she knows exist because she sees them in Holly.
One event, one moment in time has separated Willow and Holly and when it’s time to face her past, can Willow learn how to laugh out loud once more. Continue reading
by Book Corner : July’s Book
e. by Matt Beaumont
e is a tale of everyday sleaze, dishonesty and incompetence in Adland. It tells the story of the Miller Shanks agency’s desperate chase for the Coca-Cola account and it tells it entirely in emails.
by NK Chats To.... : Isabel Ashdown
Isabel’s debut novel, Glasshopper (Myriad Editions 2009) helped win her the Mail on Sunday Novel Competition and was then published to critical acclaim. Her second novel, Hurry Up and Wait (Myriad Editions, 2011) has just been published and is available to buy now. Novel Kicks was very happy to have a chat with Isabel about all things writing…
What was your route to publication?
In my mid thirties I gave up my career to study English & Creative Writing at university. In the five years that followed, I worked on my first novel, and at the advice of my tutors, entered lots of writing competitions in the hope of publication. My first prize was for a shortlisted poem in the Bridport Prize, and after a couple more small awards, my big break came when an extract from Glasshopper won the Mail on Sunday Novel Competition in 2008. My novel was quickly picked up by an agent, Adrian Weston, and went on to be published by Myriad Editions in September 2009.
Where do you find inspiration for your novels?
So far, the stories have always started with a clear character and the idea of one specific drama. For example, in Glasshopper, Jake came along pretty fully formed, and the initial drama was the idea of ambiguous parentage, sparked by watching some terrible reality show on TV. This didn’t remain the vital point of drama in the story, but it was the seed that grew. In Hurry Up and Wait, the starting point was the idea of vulnerability, and it developed into a story about the treachery of friends and inappropriate relationships.
For someone new to your novels, can you briefly describe your writing style.
That’s a hard one! I like to write in real, accessible language – but about the complex emotions in everyday situations. I’m fascinated by family and by the cultural world around us, which is probably why my first two novels are set in the 1980s. It was a decade of enormous social change, impacting on the family and the individual – which makes it ripe for storytelling. I love Maggie O’Farrell’s writing for that reason – she writes about the extraordinary within the ordinary.
by Book Reviews : Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult.
Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult.
Hodder and Stoughton, April 2011.
Review by Laura Parish.
Zoe and Max have been trying to have a baby for ten years and, just as it looks as if their dream will come true, tragedy strikes. After heartbreak and divorce, Zoe meets Vanessa when working as a Music Therapist. When a business relationship between Zoe and Vanessa turns into something more, Zoe eventually lets herself begin to think about children and remembers that there are still frozen embryos that she and Max never used.
However, after finding solace in alcohol and then redemption in a church, Max has other ideas and Zoe isn’t going to find it so easy to get Max’s permission to take his unborn child. Continue reading
by Book Corner : June’s Book
Glasshopper by Isabel Ashdown
Portsmouth, 1984. Thirteen-year-old Jake’s world is unravelling as his father and older brother leave home, and his mother plunges into alcoholic freefall.
Despite his turbulent home life, Jake is an irrepressible teenager and his troubled mother is not the only thing on his mind: there’s the hi-fi he’s saving up for, his growing passion for Greek mythology (and his pretty classics teacher), and the anticipation of brief visits to see his dad. When his parents reconcile, life finally seems to be looking up. Their first family holiday, announced over scampi and chips in the Royal Oak, promises to be the icing on the cake – until long-unspoken family secrets begin to surface.
by Pauline Barclay talks about self publishing.
Laura has asked me to write a few words about Indie publishing as my latest book, Sometimes It Happens… is published on Amazon Kindle. The ease in which you can publish your own book has changed dramatically over the last year. E-book publishing is now extremely fashionable with sales souring and in some cases outselling conventional paperback / hardback books. Adding to this, the launch of the Kindle and iPad has created a whole new experience in reading.
I choose the route to Indie publish for several reasons, but one main reason is that I don’t live in the UK. I live on the beautiful island of Lanzarote in the Canary isles. There are many good reasons to live here, but it does distance me from agents and publishers who like their clients to be closer at hand. So in light of my location, I decided to publish my books independently.
Independent publishing does mean you do everything; from publishing to marketing, and you can do much of the necessary steps yourself, but there are stages in your writing when you do need to use a professional. For my third book, Sometimes It Happens… I was fortunate enough to work with the brilliant author, Helen Hollick. www.helenhollick.net
Helen has been my writing guide and editor and saw me through the entire manuscript of Sometimes It Happens… Her expert eye checked for continuity, believability, repetition and so much more. These are areas that as a writer you cannot always see yourself and a fresh, experienced set of eyes can. My published book as to compete with all the other well written books in this highly competitive market, therefore it not only must be a good read, but a professionally polished publication. I cannot stress enough the importance of having an editor to check your writing. Helen’s help has been invaluable and her knowledge and experience has taught me so much more. Continue reading
by Book Reviews : The Making Of Us by Lisa Jewell.
The Making of Us by Lisa Jewell.
Century, 2011.
Review by Laura Parish.
The Making Of Us is a wonderful, heartwarming story that had a original plot and likeable characters.
Maggie sits at the bedside of her friend Daniel, a dying man with a secret he’s kept most of his life.
Lydia is a self made woman but not before she escaped the small town she grew up in and the bad memories within.
Dean’s life falls apart in just one night. He’s lost and he doesn’t know what to do next.
Robyn has the life she has always wanted but when her mother hands her a file on her eighteenth birthday, something in her life shifts and she then has to search to find what’s missing.
Dean, Lydia and Robyn don’t know each other but they are all facing different challenges in their lives. When they find each other, everything starts to change and secrets are revealed. Continue reading
by Ghosting Austen
This is a post from Lynn Shepherd (taken from her blog) about how she went about ‘Ghosting Austen’
I was writing Murder at Mansfield Park when The Duchess came out on film, and I heard it being reviewed on BBC Radio 4. The critic said she loved the authentic settings and costumes, but felt it was let down by the script – especially the reference to Georgiana offering to ‘make a deal’ with her husband, when what she would actually have said was ‘make a bargain’.
It was a salutary reminder of what I already knew – even relatively small things like this will cumulatively detract from the authenticity of your prose. Right from the start, I’d always been determined to get this aspect of the book right – perhaps it’s the academic in me – but I knew my novel would never pass muster with the true Austen fan if it didn’t pass the accuracy test.
In practice this meant downloading all the novels, and checking pretty much every word as I went along. It sounds time-consuming – and it was – but imagine trying to do that before computers and wordsearch! The other key aspect of this process was to check not just if a word was used, but the context in which it appears. For example, my copy-editor came back to me after her first reading, and asked if we could change ‘the mood in the room’ to ‘the atmosphere in the room’ in one scene. I said I wished I could, but Austen never used the word ‘atmosphere’ except in the context of the weather. Again, it’s the little things. Continue reading
by Book Corner : May’s Book
Notes on a Scandal – Zoe Heller
From the first day that the beguiling Sheba Hart joins the staff of St George’s, history teacher Barbara Covett is convinced that she’s found a kindred spirit.
Barbara’s loyalty to her new friend is passionate and unstinting and when Sheba is discovered to be having an illicit affair with one of her young pupils, Barbara quickly elects herself as Sheba’s chief defender. But all is not as it first seems in this dark story and, as Sheba will soon discover, a friend can be as treacherous as any lover.
by Book Reviews : Chocolate Wishes by Trisha Ashley.
Chocolate Wishes by Trisha Ashley
Avon HarperCollins, 2010.
Review by Laura Parish.
Life is sweet for chocolate maker Chloe Lyon! In the picture-perfect Lancashire village of Sticklepond, Confectioner Chloe dispenses inspirational sweet treats containing a prediction for each customer. If only her own life was as easy to forecast – perhaps Chloe could have foreseen being jilted at the altar! But when a new Vicar arrives in the village, the rumour mill goes into overdrive. Not only is Raffy Sinclair the charismatic ex-front man of rock band ‘Mortal Ruin’, he’s also the Chloe’s first love and the man who broke her heart. Try as she might, Chloe can’t ignore this blast from her past. Could now be the time for her to make a wish – and dare to believe it can come true? Continue reading
by NK Chats To.... : Trisha Ashley
Trisha has written eleven romantic comedies. Her latest, ‘Twelve Days of Christmas’ was a Sunday Times Bestseller. Her upcoming novel, ‘The Magic of Christmas’ is to be published by Avon HarperCollins in October 2011. We were very happy to get a chance to chat with Trisha, to ask her about her typical writing day. how she approaches editing and the fictional character she’d like to meet….
What was your route to publication?
That’s a long story! I wrote satirical novels for years without getting published, then wrote two light Regency Romances which were published by Hale and large print editions. But after that I went back to the satire and remained unpublished again until I was taken on by top London agent Judith Murdoch. She called me down to London and during three hours tore my current novel to shreds, then told me how to put it back together again.
Almost the first thing she said to me was: ‘Trisha, this romantic comedy hasn’t got any romance in it!’ Which of course it hadn’t, because it was satire. But once I realised that simply adding a romantic element to what I was already writing would enable my books to fit into the romantic comedy genre (which is a very wide one), I went straight back home and did just that. Good Husband Material was published by Piatkus, the first of my romantic comedies.
My fourteenth novel, Twelve Days of Christmas, came out at the end of last year and my next, The Magic of Christmas, will be out this October. I’ve been shortlisted for the Melissa Nathan Award for romantic comedy two years running, and Every Woman for Herself was recently voted one of the three best romantic novels of the last fifty years: both were great honours.
by Book Reviews : Getting Away With It by Julie Cohen.
Getting Away With It by Julie Cohen.
Headline Review, 2011.
Review by Laura Parish.
Wherever there’s trouble there’s Liza Haven….
That’s what the villagers of Stoneguard used to say. But when your identical twin sister’s the local golden girl, sometimes it’s more fun to be the bad twin.
Now working in LA as a stuntwoman, Liza can be as wild as she wants. But when she loses her job, and almost her life, she’s forced to return home.
Only, things have changed in Stoneguard and her sister Lee has gone, deserting their difficult mother, a flagging family business and a dangerously attractive boyfriend. What’s more, the whole village thinks Liza is Lee.
Can Liza get away with pretending to be the good twin? Or is it finally time to discover who she really is? Continue reading
by Book Corner : April’s Book
Wicked – Gregory Maguire
When Dorothy triumphed over the Wicked Witch of the West in the classic novel The Wonderful Wizard of OZ, we heard only one side of the story. But what of her arch-nemesis, the mysterious witch?
Long before Dorothy drops in, a girl is born in OZ with emerald-green skin. Elphaba, who will grow up to become the infamous witch, is a smart, prickly and misunderstood creature who challenges all our preconceived ideas about the nature of good and evil.
by Book Reviews : Secrets of the Tudor Court by Darcey Bonnette
Secrets of the Tudor Court by Darcey Bonnette. 
(Avon, 2011.)
A bit about the book:
When young Mary Howard arrives at the grand court of King Henry VIII to attend his mistress, Anne Boleyn, she is overjoyed. Mary is certain Anne will one day become Queen. But Mary has witnessed the kings fickle nature before and knows how quickly he can turn on those he claims to love.
Despite all of Mary’s efforts to please him, she soon becomes a victim of the King’s wrath. Not until she becomes betrothed to Henry Fitzroy, the Duke of Richmond and illegitimate son to the King, does Mary find the love and approval she’s been seeking.
But when Mary believes she is finally free, the tides turn. She has uncovered an intricate web of secrets within the palace walls, secrets that she must guard with her life…
by NK Chats To.... : Julie Cohen
Julie has written six novels for Harlequin Mills & Boon, another five single-title romantic novels for Headline’s Little Black Dress. Her latest novel ‘Getting Away With It,’ published through Headline Review, was released in paperback this month.
What was your route to publication?
I started writing with the goal of publication in 2000, and as soon as I’d finished my first manuscript (which was aimed at Harlequin Mills & Boon), I joined the Romantic Novelists’ Association (RNA) in the UK and Romance Writers of America (RWA). I submitted my first ms to Harlequin and it was quickly rejected. I then submitted it to the RNA’s New Writers’ Scheme, which gives unpublished members a critique of their full manuscript by a published author. The critique told me I was pretty much doing everything wrong—but that I did have an engaging writing voice, and, occasionally, a way with words.
I was encouraged enough by that to keep on writing and submitting (and being rejected). In March 2004 I was thrilled when my fourth manuscript, Featured Attraction, finalled in the RWA Golden Heart contest, which is the biggest contest for unpublished romance writers in the world. Three months later, I got a phone call from an agent telling me she was interested in representing my fifth manuscript, a stand-alone romance novel called Spirit Willing, Flesh Weak. And a month after that, in July 2004, I got a call from the senior editor at Harlequin saying they wanted to publish Featured Attraction.
So after years of hard work, the getting-accepted bit happened very quickly. Publication of my first book was delayed, but I kept on writing and selling, with the result that in 2006 I had five books released by two different publishers. Since then I’ve moved on to writing commercial women’s fiction for Headline Review, which is a dream come true.
by Book Reviews : The Hell Of It All by Charlie Brooker.
The Hell Of It All by Charlie Brooker.
(Faber & Faber, Oct 2012, Paperback Edition.)
Review by Rebecca Welch.
I’m a big, massive fan of Charlie Brooker and have been for a few years. I used to read the free papers in college and he occasionally writes for The Guardian. Nowadays he has two of his own flagship shows (Screenwipe and Newswipe) and a quizcom show (You Have Been Watching).
For Christmas, I got his book, ‘The Hell of it All’ – third in a series of compilation books comprising Guardian columns, random blogs and ideas for columns that never were. Continue reading
by Book Reviews : The Bird Room by Chris Killen.
The Bird Room – Chris Killen.
(Cannongate, 2010)
Review by Laura Parish.
When Will meets Alice, he can’t believe his luck. She’s smart, sexy and, much to Will’s surprise, in love with him. Alice brings meaning to his urban existence. But true love never came easy and soon devotion leads Will to something darker. Continue reading
by Book Reviews : I’d Tell You I Love You, But Then I’d Have To Kill You by Ally Carter.
I’d Tell You I Love You, But Then I’d Have To Kill You by Ally Carter.
(Orchard Books, 2010.)
Review by Laura Parish.
Gallagher Academy might claim to be a school for geniuses – but it’s really a school for spies. Cammie Morgan is fluent in fourteen languages and capable of killing a man in seven different ways. But the one thing the Gallagher Academy hasn’t prepared her for is what to do when she falls for an ordinary boy who thinks she’s an ordinary girl.
Sure she can tap his phone, hack into his computer, and track him through a mall without him ever being the wiser, but can she have a normal relationship with a boy who can never know the truth about her? Continue reading
by Book Corner : March’s Book
Secrets of the Tudor Court – Darcey Bonnette
When young Mary Howard arrives at the grand court of King Henry VIII to attend his mistress, Anne Boleyn, she is overjoyed. Mary is certain Anne will one day become Queen. But Mary has witnessed the kings fickle nature before and knows how quickly he can turn on those he claims to love.
Despite all of Mary’s efforts to please him, she soon becomes a victim of the King’s wrath. Not until she becomes betrothed to Henry Fitzroy, the Duke of Richmond and illegitimate son to the King, does Mary find the love and approval she’s been seeking.
But when Mary believes she is finally free, the tides turn. She has uncovered an intricate web of secrets within the palace walls, secrets that she must guard with her life…
by Book Reviews : The Importance Of Being a Bachelor.
The Importance of Being a Bachelor by Mike Gayle.
(Hodder & Stoughton, 2011.)
A bit about the book…..
Adam, Luke and Russell Bachelor are three brothers who, as their surname suggests are anything but settled…
Adam is addicted to The Wrong Kind of Girls; Luke bears the scars of a savage divorce; and Russell’s love life contains nothing but heartache.
When, months shy of his 40th wedding anniversary, their dad announces that he’s leaving their mum to try his hand at the single life the boys are thrown into turmoil. Now as well as sorting out their own complicated love lives, the Bachelors have got to sort out their parents’ too…or face losing the one thing they always count on.
by NK Chats To.... : Mike Gayle
Mike is the author of ten novels which include, Mr Commitment, My Legendary Girlfriend and the To-Do List. The latest, The Importance of Being a Bachelor has just been released in paperback…
What was your route to publication? 
I started my career as a journalist working for the teen magazine Just Seventeen. After going freelance I decided to have a go at finishing the novel that I’d begun when I first moved to London and a year and several million rewrites later it was done.
Had you always wanted to be a writer?
Absolutely. I started out wanting to be a music journalist because I was a huge music fan and then moved into the teen stuff because growing up I’d been a huge fan of mags like Smash Hits. I think the truth of the matter was that I wanted to write stuff that made people laugh but also told the truth in some small way.
Where do you find inspiration for your novels?
The basis of all my novels are relationships between men and women mainly because I find them so fascinating. No one relationship is the same and so it feels like there are as many stories to tell about relationships as there are relationships. Also, they’re funny. Few things in life beat the joy of watching a couple arguing in IKEA.
by Book Reviews : A Tiny Bit Marvellous by Dawn French.
A Tiny Bit Marvellous by Dawn French
Michael Joseph, 2010
Mo is about to hit the big 50. She doesn’t understand either of her teenage kids, which as a child psychologist, is fairly embarrassing. She has become entirely grey. Inside, and out. Her face has surrendered and is frightening children. Dora is about to hit the big 18 . . . and about to hit anyone who annoys her, especially her precocious younger brother Peter who has a chronic Oscar Wilde fixation. Then there’s Dad . . . who’s just, well, dad. A TINY BIT MARVELLOUS is the story of a modern family all living in their own separate bubbles lurching towards meltdown. It is for anyone who has ever shared a home with that weird group of strangers we call relations. Oh and there’s a dog called Poo. Continue reading
by Book Reviews : Twelve Days of Christmas by Trisha Ashley.
Twelve Days of Christmas by Trisha Ashley. 
(Avon, 2010.)
Review by Laura Parish.
Christmas is not a happy time for widower Holly Brown. When she gets the chance to look after a remote house on the Lancashire Moors, she jumps at the chance to escape the festivities and be alone. However, as the family of the owner descends, the blizzards set in and the owner himself returns, Holly finds that the escape she planned is not going to go to plan. Continue reading
by Book Corner : February’s Book
A Tiny Bit Marvellous – Dawn French
Mo is about to hit the big 50. She doesn’t understand either of her teenage kids, which as a child psychologist, is fairly embarrassing. She has become entirely grey. Inside, and out. Her face has surrendered and is frightening children. Dora is about to hit the big 18 . . . and about to hit anyone who annoys her, especially her precocious younger brother Peter who has a chronic Oscar Wilde fixation. Then there’s Dad . . . who’s just, well, dad.
A TINY BIT MARVELLOUS is the story of a modern family all living in their own separate bubbles lurching towards meltdown. It is for anyone who has ever shared a home with that weird group of strangers we call relations. Oh and there’s a dog. Called Poo
by NK Chats To.... : Ali McNamara
Ali McNamara is the author of ‘From Notting Hill with Love…Actually, released in 2010. We were excited to be having a chat with Ali. We asked her who she’d have over for dinner and about her route to publication.
What was your route to publication & did you always wanted to be a writer?
I first began writing when myself and a fellow fan began writing a story on singer, Ronan Keating’s message board, the story became so popular the website would sometimes crash because there were so many people trying to log on to read it. Such was its popularity we eventually sold the story for charity, and I went on to write a further two more stories to raise money for Ronan’s cancer awareness charity -The Marie Keating Foundation. It was after that I thought I should have a go at writing a ‘proper’ novel!
From Notting Hill with Love…Actually was the third full length novel I wrote after the stories on Ronan’s website. So I’ve had my fair share of rejections like most other authors, but for some reason I just kept going with this book even though like the other two the pile of rejection letters was starting to get higher and higher, but I just had faith in my story and knew that one day someone would love it just as much as me and want to publish it, and luckily I was right!
Where do you find inspiration for your novels?
‘From Notting Hill with Love…Actually’ came to me when I was watching one of those countdowns on the music channels – ‘100 greatest Movie theme tunes.’
As each of the songs came on to the screen I realised the movies were so well known I knew exactly what was happening even without dialogue, and I thought wouldn’t it be wonderful if I could get all those great movies into one story, and that’s how the idea began to take shape. And I got the idea for my next novel ‘Breakfast at Darcy’s’ from a conversation I had with my husband when we were on holiday in Ireland about the difficulties in living on a remote island if you were to buy one, or in my main character Darcy’s case, inherit one!
by Book Reviews : From Notting Hill with Love…Actually by Ali McNamara
From Notting Hill with Love…Actually. 
Ali McNamara
(Sphere, Nov 2010.)
I loved this…actually.
From Notting Hill with Love… Actually follows Scarlett and her adventures whilst she house sits in Notting Hill. Scarlett loves movies, which causes her trouble with family and friends. Being a fan of movies myself (i’m a self confessed IMDB obsessive), I could fully understand why Scarlett loves films so much. I rooted for Scarlett all the way though as she tries to find the answers to the questions in her life and work out which path she should take. Continue reading
by NK Chats To.... : Adele Parks
Adele’s first novel ‘Playing Away,’ was published in 2000. The Evening Standard placed her as one of London’s ‘Twenty faces to watch’ the same year. Since then, she’s constantly been on the Times Top Ten bestseller lists. Her latest, ‘Men I’ve Loved Before,’ was released in July 2010. We were very excited to catch up with Adele to ask her how she came to be published and who she’d have to dinner….
Describe your route to publication? 
I’ve always dreamed of being a writer but I bided my time. I wrote one novel and didn’t even submit it, it wasn’t up to it. I waited until I was at a stage of my life where I knew I had something compelling and different to write. I worked on my novel three times a week for three hours and for five hours at a weekend, while holding down an extremely busy day job. I was very disciplined and determined. I then did lots of research on which agent might be interested in my kind of work and yet more research on how to present my work to best advantage. It paid off because the agent I approached did like my pitch and encouraged me. It took just 3 months from my initial approach to my agent until he secured me a deal for my first novel, Playing Away.
How do you approach a typical writing day?
I tend to write in term times to coincide with my son’s school schedule. So I’m normally at my desk at 8.30am ish and I work through until 3.30pm, stopping for a quick lunch. I do my best work in the mornings, so after lunch I often re-read, self edit or research. Obviously kids hols are longer than the normal hols or a working parent so sometimes I am writing when my son is not at school, it requires a lot of discipline (from both of us!) especially on sunny days. I think ‘waiting for the muse’ is an indulgence. I sometimes don’t feel like writing, but I just force myself to get on with it and I’ve found that it’s often when it’s hardest that the work is best.
by Book Corner : January’s Book
Life of Pi
One boy, one boat, one tiger… After the sinking of a cargo ship, one lifeboat remains bobbing on the wild, blue pacific ocean. The only survivors from the wreck are a sixteen year-old boy named Pi, a hyena, a zebra (with a broken leg), a female orang-utan and a 450- pound Royal Bengal tiger.
by Book Reviews : Heart of The Matter by Emily Giffin.
Heart of the Matter – Emily Giffin. 
(Orion, 2010)
Review by Laura Parish.
Tessa Russo can’t help but contemplate how fragile life can be. She has witnessed her husband Nick’s sombre mood when he returns from a call-out, knowing that another child has been hurt. She looks at her two perfect children and thinks that she is one of the lucky ones.
Valerie Anderson’s world collapses when she takes a phone call. As a single mother, she’s always been protective of her son Charlie and will always regret how one decision leads to a terrible accident. It’s only when she meets Nick Russo, Charlie’s surgeon that she finds hope.
As the lives of these two women intersect, they are forced to question everything they hold dear – and face a future that neither one had ever envisaged. Continue reading
by Book Reviews : Circle of Fire by Riva Shaw.
Circle of Fire by Riva Shaw.
(YouWriteon.com, 2010.)
Review by Laura Parish.
A great beginning to a promising trilogy.
Part One of the Circle of Fire trilogy.
In the kingdom of Subia, Nick Trayer became the youngest ever Warrior of the Circle of Fire it was widely predicted that a great future lay ahead of him. Now, years later, he is content to live as a farmer, working side by side with this tenants, trying in vain to forget the tragedy which caused him to turn his back on glory. On the day that Nick is due to marry Catherine, his childhood sweetheart, the King of Subia is killed in a hunting accident. His fourteen year old son, Rowan inherits the throne and Nick is once more called to his King’s service. Nick must confront his past and fight a new battle between love and duty. Continue reading
by Book Corner : December’s Book
A Christmas Carol – Charles Dickens
A Christmas Carol is a timeless classic that is a must at Christmas. Scrooge is a lonely, mean man who, one Christmas Eve is visited by three ghosts and shown what will happen if he continues on his current life path.
by NK Chats To.... : Riva Shaw
Riva Shaw is the author of the ‘Circle of Fire’ trilogy, the first in the series is available now. Novel Kicks was excited to have a chat with Riva. We asked her who she’d have round to dinner and what tips she had for new writers.
Describe your route to publication?
My novel is published through YouWriteOn.com which is effectively self-publishing. I decided to go it alone because Circle of Fire is not easy to categorise and agents and publishers are not happy to take on something that falls between two genres. I know that I risk being told that I am not a proper writer, but hopefully readers will just judge the books on their own merits.
How do you approach a typical writing day?
I don’t really have a typical writing day. I write wherever and whenever I can, either straight on to the computer or in notebooks to be typed up later. Sometimes I will write more if I snatch a few moments here and there than if I have a whole day to play with.
by NK Chats To.... : Lucy Dillon
Lucy Dillon is a successful author. Her latest book ‘Walking Back to Happiness’ has just been released. Lucy kindly had a chat with us here at Novel Kicks. We asked her where she finds her inspiration and which character from fiction she’d like to meet.
Where do you find inspiration?
All over the place. I read a lot of newspapers – you find the most fascinating ideas and stories in the corners, and in the announcements sections. Small ads. Births and deaths. Court reports. It’s all a real story that’s happened to someone, and affected their lives in extraordinary ways. I browse the internet constantly (far too much, actually), especially American eBay, and wonder about how things got there and why. I also gossip, and eavesdrop. A LOT.
Briefly describe what your latest novel ‘Walking back to Happiness’ is about.
When Ben Falconer dies unexpectedly at the age of 32, Juliet loses her childhood sweetheart, and their terrier Minton loses the master he worships. Juliet’s mother Diane feels terrible about interfering with Juliet’s self-imposed isolation in her unfinished ‘forever house’, but she needs someone to petsit the family Labrador while she, in turn, babysits her other daughter, Louise’s, toddler during the week. Since dogs are the only company Juliet can face, she agrees, and soon she’s walking all over Longhampton with her growing team of silent but friendly companions. But the dogs are easier to manage than their owners, and when Juliet starts to petsit a beautiful spaniel, all sorts of secrets are unleashed…
(I’m not very good at synopses – they tend to go on for pages, which is why I hand all cover copy duties to my excellent editor, Isobel!)
by Book Reviews : A Tapestry of Love by Rosy Thornton.
A Tapestry of Love by Rosy Thornton.
(Headline Review, 2010.)
A wonderful story, written like a beautiful painting.
Review by Laura Parish.
A rural idyll: that’s what Catherine is seeking when she sells her house in England and moves to a tiny hamlet in the Cévennes mountains. With her divorce in the past and her children grown, she is free to make a new start, and her dream is to set up in business as a seamstress. But this is a harsh and lonely place when you’re no longer just here on holiday. There is French bureaucracy to contend with, not to mention the mountain weather, and the reserve of her neighbours, including the intriguing Patrick Castagnol. And that’s before the arrival of Catherine’s sister, Bryony… Continue reading
by NK Chats To.... : Rosy Thornton
Rosy Thornton is the author of four novels. Her latest, The Tapestry of Love was released in October. When Rosy isn’t writing, she teaches at Cambridge University. Novel Kicks was very excited to be chatting to Rosy. We asked her where she finds her inspiration and which character from fiction she’d like to meet.
What was your route to publication like?
My first attempt at writing fiction was internet fanfic: a pastiche sequel to Elizabeth Gaskell’s ‘North and South’. I had a go at getting it published, without success – mainly because it was embarrassing tosh! But straight after that novel I began another – contemporary, humorous – and that was what became my first published novel, ‘More Than Love Letters’.
Publication wasn’t a smooth ride. I must have tried every literary agent in the known universe – and in the end found my own lovely agent by pure fluke. He was listed at the time as handling non-fiction only, and I approached him by mistake, but he just happened to be looking to get into fiction, liked the book and took me on.
Where do you find inspiration?
‘Inspiration’ always seems the wrong word to me – like something external and sudden and mysterious. The reality is far more mundane: I just write what I see about me. I tend to choose settings I know, and I draw upon observation of the people and relationships that surround me.
by Book Corner : November’s Book
Jonathan Livingston Seagull – Richard Bach
For most seagulls, life consists simply of eating and surviving. Flying is just a means of finding food. However, Jonathan Livingston Seagull is no ordinary bird. For him, flying is life itself. Against the conventions of seagull society, he seeks to find a higher purpose and become the best at doing what he loves.
by Book Reviews : When Tomorrow Comes by Joanna Lambert.
When Tomorrow Comes (Authors Online, 2009)…
Review by Laura Parish.
‘1967: When eighteen year old Ella Kendrick moves to the Somerset town of Abbotsbridge to live with her mother Melissa and stepfather Liam, she is looking forward to getting to know someone who has been absent from her life for eleven years. However, living in the Carpenter household doesn’t turn out to be the idyllic experience Mel promised her daughter.
After Ella also loses her boyfriend to her best friend and career aspirations have been trimmed to a college course, ambitious Mel puts her main plan into action – finding her daughter a wealthy boyfriend. But Mel’s plans stall when, on a cold January evening, Ella meets Matt.’ Continue reading
by NK Chats To.... : Joanna Lambert
Joanna Lambert (the pen name of Audrey Hawkins) is the writer of the ‘Behind Blue Eyes’ trilogy; When Tomorrow Comes, Love, Lies and Promises and most recently, The Ghost of You and Me. She’s about to embark on her fourth novel.
We were very pleased to be able to chat with Joanna about her writing life…
What was your route to publication like?
I completed In Sunshine and in Shadow, as the manuscript was originally called, began submitting, failed to interest any agents and then decided to shelve for a while and get on with some short story writing. Then a conversation at work about hobbies resulted in the manuscript being circulated for a few book lovers to read. Up until that time my work had been for my eyes only so I had no idea how it would be received. I asked for honest, constructive feedback and what came back was so positive that I knew I had to finish the journey and get it published.
Describe your typical writing day?
As I work full time I have to squeeze my writing into evenings and weekends; it’s whenever I can tuck time in. I do, however, make sure I have protected periods to actually put my thoughts onto the PC. I usually manage a couple of hours each evening and, social life permitting, at least five hours at the weekend. Also a notebook and pen in my bag are a must so I can scribble ideas down as soon as they come into my head.
by Book Reviews : The Planets (Book 1) by Phamie MacDonald.
‘The solar system is an exciting place – full of planets, moons, asteroids, comets and many other remarkable characters. But have you ever wondered what they get up to when we’re 
not looking?’
Review by Laura Parish. Continue reading
by Book Reviews : Desire by Louise Bagshawe.
Desire by Louise Bagshawe. 
(Headline Review, 2010.)
Review by Laura Parish.
‘Lisa Costello has all the expensive clothes and exotic vacations that come with dating a rich man. But her relationship with Josh Steen is a sham. Yet nothing could have prepared Lisa for the morning after their decadent wedding in Thailand. Josh is dead – and it looks like Lisa killed him.’ Continue reading
by NK Chats To.... : Kathryn Stockett
‘The Help’ by Kathryn Stockett was our book club title for September. Here’s the complete Q&As that Kathryn and her publisher (Penguin) contributed to our book club discussion.
Are you Skeeter?
No, I am definitely not Skeeter. I was never that brave. Growing up, I don’t recall giving a second thought about the situation between blacks and whites. Honestly, it wasn’t until twenty years later, after Demetrie’s death, that I started to think about how complex, and imbalanced, our relationship was. Not to mention, I am five foot two. My hair tends to frizz year round, but I have yet to find a Shinalator that works.
Is there going to be a movie?
The option for film rights have been sold to Tate Taylor and Brunson Green, both filmmakers living in Los Angeles, originally from Jackson. I am so proud and so excited that the film is in the hands of Mississippians. They saw and lived it right along with me.
by Book Corner : October’s Book
The Handmaid’s Tale – Margaret Atwood
The Republic of Gilead offers Offred only one function: to breed. If she deviates, she will, like dissenters, be hanged at the wall or sent out to die slowly of radiation sickness. But even a repressive state cannot obliterate desire – neither Offred’s nor that of the two men on which her future hangs…
by Book Reviews : Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella.
Mini Shopaholic – a great addition to the series.
2nd September 2010, Bantam Press.
Review by Laura Parish.
The latest book in the ‘Shopaholic’ series was released this month and we’re very excited about it…
Becky Brandon (nee Bloomwood) thought motherhood would be a breeze and that having a daughter was a dream come true – a shopping friend for life! But two-year-old Minnie has quite a different approach to shopping…
Cue havoc in the toy department at Harrods and a spectacular performance at her own christening, a near disaster when Minnie starts bidding on eBay and the discovery that her penchant for Balenciaga handbags might be just as bad as her mother’s. Continue reading
by NK Chats To.... : Sophie Kinsella
Sophie Kinsella is the author of eight number one bestselling novels including the fabulously popular Shopaholic series as well as the number one bestsellers Can You Keep A Secret?, The Undomestic Goddess, Remember Me?, and Twenties Girl.
Where do you find your inspiration?
I find inspiration from all around me. I love to sit in coffee shops and just take in the chatter.
Describe a typical writing day?
When I’m planning a book, I head to a coffee shop with a notebook, where I sketch out the plot, bits of dialogue and scenes. When I’m actually writing, I start first thing and aim to write a thousand words. I then take a break, but might return to edit what I’ve done in the evening.
Mini Shopaholic has finally arrived in shops. Was it nice to return to Becky Bloomwood?
It was an absolute joy! I love Becky so much, not to mention all her family and friends, so to return to her is like catching up with a world which has been continuing on all this while.
by A sneak peak at the cover to Walking Back To Happiness by Lucy Dillon.
Here is the fabulous new cover for Lucy Dillon’s new book ‘Walking Back to Happiness’ which is due out towards the end of the year. The lovely winter scene on the cover is stunning. Lucy recently won the Romantic 
Novelists’ Association’s ‘Romantic Novel of the Year 2010’ award for her book ‘Lost Dogs and Lonely Hearts.’ I’m looking forward to reading this latest book from Lucy.
Here’s the synopsis….
Juliet’s been in hiding. From her family, from her life, but most of all from the fact that Ben’s not around anymore.
Her mother Diane can’t do anything to help. But, when she insists Juliet look after her elderly Labrador, it becomes clear that perhaps the dog, Coco, could help her daughter where she couldn’t.
Catching on, her neighbours ask Juliet for help with their pets too. But then so does Mark, the gorgeous spaniel-owner she meets out dogwalking. And before she knows it, Juliet realises she’s somehow become the town’s unofficial petsitter, and is now privy to all the lives and secrets of everyone whose animals she’s caring for.
But as her first winter alone approaches, she finally begins to wonder if it’s time to face up to her own secrets? To start rebuilding her own life? And maybe – just maybe – to fall in love again?
(Walking Back to Happiness published by Hodder & Stoughton.)
by Book Reviews : Review
The Happy Home for Broken Hearts by Rowan Coleman.
Arrow, 2010.
Review by Laura Parish.
Ellie Woods spends her days immersed in the escapist pages of the romantic novels she lovingly edits. But her reality is somewhat less rose-tinted. Once upon a time, Ellie had her ‘happily ever after’ moment when she married her beloved Nick, but fifteen years later her husband’s tragic death leaves her alone with their soon-to-become-a-teenager son, faced with a mountain of debt, and on the verge of losing the family home. On the brink of bankruptcy, Ellie finally succumbs to her sister’s well-meant bullying and decides to rent out some rooms. And all too soon the indomitable Allegra with her love for all things lavender, Sabine on secondment from Berlin and estranged from her two-timing husband, and unreconstructed lads’ mag aficionado Matt enter her ordered but fragile existence – each with their own messy life in tow. And Ellie finds herself forced to step out of the pages of the romantic novels she hides behind, and learn to live – and love – again. Maybe a new chapter is about to begin for them all… Continue reading
by Book Club
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