Today I have the absolute pleasure of welcoming Rachel Amphlett back to Chat About Books 🙂

Kay Hunter is back!

Call To Arms is OUT NOW!!

Happy Publication Day, Rachel 🙂

Interview with Rachel Amphlett…..

For those who don’t know already, could you tell us about yourself and your book(s) please?

 

I’m originally from the UK and currently live in Brisbane, Australia. I write the Kay Hunter crime thriller series and two espionage series: the English Spy Mysteries and the Dan Taylor spy novels.

 

Call to Arms is the fifth in the Detective Kay Hunter series and is published on 11 March 2018.

 

Where did/do you get your ideas from?

 

A lot of the time it’s through browsing news stories, overhearing a snippet of conversation, or getting distracted by a passage in a non-fiction book – ideas can come from any source, which is why I always keep a notebook handy in case my phone has gone flat and I can’t use that to jot down an idea!

 

Are any of your characters based (however loosely) on anyone you know?

 

No – all of them are fictional. I might see an interesting tic in a passer-by that I’ll incorporate into a character, but that’s about it.

 

How do you pick your characters names?

 

On rare occasions they pop into my head at the same time as the idea for a character, but other times it’s a case of sifting through lists of names via a search engine until something resonates. I had a hell of a time with Kay Hunter’s name because I couldn’t settle on it until about 8 weeks out from publication of the first book in the series, Scared to Death! It was simply caused by the fact I wanted a name that could carry a series, not just a standalone book – it caused some sleepless nights, I can tell you!

 

Can you share your writing process with us, in a nutshell?

 

Once I have an idea, I’ll do some initial research to get me going and then it’s a case of jotting down a couple of bullet points for each scene that’s already popped into my head and sorting out a basic sequence. I’ve studied screenwriting, so I tend to work in a five Act structure, which gives me an indication of where the big “lift” points are in the story – those bits that make you go “woah!” and turn the page.

 

I’ve got a production schedule I work to during the year, so as soon as I start I know when I want to publish the book. I can plug that information into the Scrivener writing software that I use, and that tells me what my minimum word count is every day. After that, it’s a case of getting my bum in the seat every morning and hitting that word count.

 

If I don’t know something, or I haven’t got a name for a character, I’ll simply put “XXX” and keep going – for me, the first draft is about momentum. I can go back and fix things later.

 

Who are your top 5 favourite authors?

 

Only five? That’s hard! Okay, I’m going with Peter Robinson, Ian Rankin, Ann Cleeves, Peter James and Michael Connelly because I always learn something from them whenever I hear or read an interview with one of them. If I hear them talk on a panel at a crime festival, I’ll always take notes and be inspired either from a writing or business perspective.

 

If you could meet any author, who would it be and what would you ask them?

 

I’ve been so lucky over the years to meet a lot of my writing heroes, but I’d love to get the chance to meet and ask Michael Connelly how he pushes himself as a writer each time he publishes a new book – I think there’s a lot to be learned from authors who have been around for a while and have sustained a high quality of storytelling.

 

Were you a big reader as a child?

 

Absolutely – we were taught to read before we started infant school, so by the time I got there my teachers wouldn’t believe that I was getting through the books so fast – I got into a lot of trouble with that before my parents explained it. The only way my parents could afford to keep up with my reading habits was to rely on the local library and sometimes treat us to a visit to a second hand bookstore so we could stock up.

 

When did you start to write?

 

I’m not going to count my early attempts at six- or seven-years old. I had some success with competitions and publication of short stories back in 2009, but I started writing my debut novel White Gold in 2010.

 

If you could re-write the ending to any book what would it be and what would you change?

 

Well, some books can be a bit bleak, but I think certain endings happen for a reason so I wouldn’t want to change anything.

 

Is there a book you wish you had written?

 

Robert Crais’ Hostage – that’s a really fast-paced thriller and very entertaining. I love the premise and the fact you can’t stop turning the pages once you start.

 

If you wrote an autobiography, what would your title be?

 

“Don’t try this at home, kids”

 

If you could invite any fictional character for coffee who would it be and where would you take them?

 

That’s a great question! I’m going to pick Robinson Crusoe and take him to the Hotel du Vin in Tunbridge Wells, because after being on that island for so long, he could probably do with a slap-up meal!

 

What are you working on right now?

 

Book six in the Detective Kay Hunter series – I’m really enjoying it, so the words are flying at the moment!

 

Tell us about your last release?

 

Call to Arms sees Kay Hunter back at work after the events in Hell to Pay – not only has she got a lot to prove, her mentor is under investigation too and it’s up to Kay to solve a cold case to prove his innocence. It’s fast-paced, and brings the team together in order to help one of their own – but it comes at a price, both personally and professionally for Kay.

 

Do you have a new release due?

 

Call to Arms will be published worldwide on 11 March 2018 in eBook, paperback and audiobook formats from all retailers.

 

What do you generally do to celebrate on publication day?

 

We usually have a nice bottle of wine to celebrate, but that’s about it – I’ve usually got my head down working on the next book!

 

How can readers keep in touch with you?

 

The best way is to join my Readers Group at www.rachelamphlett.com so you can come behind the scenes of the Kay Hunter series and find out more about my writing life.

 

Is there anything else you would like us to know?

 

I’m always grateful to readers and book bloggers for the tremendous support – I really couldn’t do this without any of you, and it’s very much appreciated, thank you!

 

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions, Rachel 🙂

Call To Arms…..

Loyalty has a price.

Kay Hunter has survived a vicious attack at the hands of one of the country’s most evil serial killers.

Returning to work after an enforced absence to recover, she discovers she wasn’t the only victim of that investigation. DI Devon Sharp remains suspended from duties, and the team is in turmoil.

Determined to prove herself once more and clear his name, Kay undertakes to solve a cold case that links Sharp to his accuser.

But as she gets closer to the truth, she realises her enquiries could do more harm than good.

Torn between protecting her mentor and finding out the truth, the consequences of Kay’s enquiries will reach far beyond her new role…

Call to Arms is a gripping police procedural, and the fifth in the Detective Kay Hunter series:

1. SCARED TO DEATH
2. WILL TO LIVE
3. ONE TO WATCH
4. HELL TO PAY
5. CALL TO ARMS

A page-turning murder mystery for fans of Peter Robinson, David Baldacci and Harlen Coben.

If you haven’t already read the previous books in the series then you will find them all HERE

About the author…..

Before turning to writing, Rachel Amphlett played guitar in bands, worked as a TV and film extra, dabbled in radio as a presenter and freelance producer for the BBC, and worked in publishing as a sub-editor and editorial assistant.

She now wields a pen instead of a plectrum and writes crime fiction and spy novels, including the Dan Taylor espionage novels and the Detective Kay Hunter series.

Originally from the UK and currently based in Brisbane, Australia, Rachel cites her writing influences as Michael Connelly, Lee Child, and Robert Ludlum. She’s also a huge fan of Peter James, Val McDermid, Angela Marsons, Robert Bryndza, Ken Follett, and Stuart MacBride.

She’s a member of International Thriller Writers and the Crime Writers Association, with the Italian foreign rights for her debut novel, White Gold sold to Fanucci Editore’s TIMECrime imprint, and the first four books in the Dan Taylor espionage series contracted to Germany’s Luzifer Verlag.

Her novels are available in eBook, paperback and audiobook formats from worldwide retailers including Amazon, iBooks, Kobo, and Google Play.

A keen traveller, Rachel holds both EU and Australian passports and can usually be found plotting her next trip two years in advance, usually with a crime fiction festival tacked on for good measure! You can stay in touch with Rachel via her Reader’s Group at http://www.rachelamphlett.com.

My reviews, so far…..

Scared to Death (Detective Kay Hunter series Book 1) by @RachelAmphlett #BookReview

Will To Live (Detective Kay Hunter crime thriller series Book 2) by Rachel Amphlett @RachelAmphlett #BookReview

My review…..

I have to say that I have thoroughly enjoyed Will To Live (Book 2 in the Detective Kay Hunter mystery series). Having read, and loved, Scared To Death (Book 1) last year I am sad that’s it’s taken me this long to read this, but all good things come to those who wait as they say.

I love Rachel Amphlett’s writing style. She has a way of drawing you in from the very first page and this book is as gripping as the first. I know I am going to love the rest of this series.

Kay and her team find themselves facing an horrific crime scene which, at first, appears to be a suicide on the railway, until evidence of foul play is spotted amongst what little is left of the poor victim. I can’t even imagine witnessing anything so horrendous and hope I never have to. Thankfully (not for her, of course) in this case there was a witness who saw this poor soul lose his life and although she was unable to save him she was able to confirm that he was crying for help before the train hit him which casts further doubt about his death being a suicide. Who could be sick enough to murder someone in such an evil way (not that there’s a nice way!) and is it even their first time?

Will To Live is an excellent police procedural. The end of each chapter is written in a way that made me want to read on as I NEEDED to find out what was going to happen next. I think the short chapters help to create the tension that builds during this investigation. I thought I had it sussed on more than one occasion, but the twists and turns kept me guessing right until the very end. I was holding my breath at one point, panicking along with Kay! A fast-paced and at times an emotional read.

Kay has a back story, unknown to the reader, which I am still intrigued about. We are drip fed snippets of info throughout this book, but I’m still non the wiser, so I’m keen to find out more.

Kay is a likeable character and one I am looking forward to catching up with again soon. She’s professional and very real. I like that we have an insight in to her personal life.

I love that the pregnant Molly is featured in this story! There has to be some happiness in a world of tragedy and heartache.

Many thanks to Rachel Amphlett for my kindle copy of Will To Live. I am more than happy to recommend!

Buy a copy…..

https://payhip.com/b/5LcM/af5b3d2b8972e61

(Please note this is an affiliate link)

About the author…..

Before turning to writing, Rachel Amphlett played guitar in bands, worked as a TV and film extra, dabbled in radio as a presenter and freelance producer for the BBC, and worked in publishing as a sub-editor and editorial assistant.

She now wields a pen instead of a plectrum and writes crime fiction and spy novels, including the Dan Taylor espionage novels and the Detective Kay Hunter series.

Originally from the UK and currently based in Brisbane, Australia, Rachel cites her writing influences as Michael Connelly, Lee Child, and Robert Ludlum. She’s also a huge fan of Peter James, Val McDermid, Angela Marsons, Robert Bryndza, Ken Follett, and Stuart MacBride.

She’s a member of International Thriller Writers and the Crime Writers Association, with the Italian foreign rights for her debut novel, White Gold sold to Fanucci Editore’s TIMECrime imprint, and the first four books in the Dan Taylor espionage series contracted to Germany’s Luzifer Verlag.

Her novels are available in eBook, paperback and audiobook formats from worldwide retailers including Amazon, iBooks, Kobo, and Google Play.

A keen traveller, Rachel holds both EU and Australian passports and can usually be found plotting her next trip two years in advance, usually with a crime fiction festival tacked on for good measure! You can stay in touch with Rachel via her Reader’s Group at http://www.rachelamphlett.com.

Previous posts featuring Rachel Amphlett and her books…..

Scared to Death (Detective Kay Hunter series Book 1) by @RachelAmphlett #BookReview

#ScaredtoDeath (A Detective Kay Hunter Novel) @RachelAmphlett #BlogTour Q&A

One To Watch #BlogTour @RachelAmphlett @emmamitchellfpr #Extract

#HellToPay #BlogTour @RachelAmphlett #kayhunterbookfour #Extract @emmamitchellfpr

Rachel Amphlett’s Amazon Author Page

Enjoy!

Far Cry From The Turquoise Room

Told from both daughter and father’s perspectives, Far Cry From The Turquoise Room is a coming-of-age, riches-to-rags tale of loss, resilience, and self-discovery, set just before the millennium. It is also about the passage of childhood into puberty. Leila is the eight-year-old daughter of Hassan Nassiri, a wealthy Iranian property owner, and younger sister to the adored Fayruz, her father’s favourite daughter. But a holiday narrowboat tragedy has far-reaching consequences for the surviving family. Hassan withdraws into reclusive grief, when he’s not escaping into work, or high jinks with his men friends at his second home in Hampstead, leaving Leila to fend for herself in a lonely world of nannies, chess and star-gazing. Leila eventually runs away from home and joins a family of travellers in Sussex, and so follows a tale of adventure, danger and romance – and further anguish for her surviving family. But how will she fare at such a young age and will her family ever find her?

Purchase Links:

Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004ZF80N0 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Far-Turquoise-Room-Kate-Rigby/dp/1463611102

Barnes & Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/far-cry-from-the-turquoise-room-kate-rigby/1100125576

iBooks https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/far-cry-from-the-turquoise-room/

Kobo https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/far-cry-from-the-turquoise-room-1

About Kate Rigby

Kate Rigby was born near Liverpool and now lives in the south west of England. She’s been writing for nearly forty years, with a few small successes along the way, although she has long term health conditions. Having been traditionally published, small press published and she is now indie published.

She realized her unhip credentials were mounting so she decided to write about it. Little Guide to Unhip was first published in 2010 and it has since been updated.

However, she’s not completely unhip. Her punk novel, Fall Of The Flamingo Circus was published by Allison & Busby (1990) and by Villard (American hardback 1990). Skrev Press published her novels Seaview Terrace (2003) Sucka!(2004) and Break Point (2006) and other shorter work has appeared in Skrev’s avant garde magazine Texts’ Bones.

Thalidomide Kid was published by Bewrite Books (2007).

She has had other short stories published and shortlisted including Hard Workers and Headboards, first published in The Diva Book of Short Stories and as part of the Dancing In The Dark erotic anthology, Pfoxmoor Publishing (2011). Hard Workers is to republished for a third time – in an anthology called ‘Condoms & Hot Tubs Don’t Mix’ – an anthology of Sexcapades – which is due to be published by Beating Windward Press in the US in February 2018. It is her shortest ever story and yet the most popular in that sense! All proceeds will go towards planned parenthood.

She also received a Southern Arts bursary for her novel Where A Shadow Played (now re-Kindled as Did You Whisper Back?).

More information can be found at her website: http://kjrbooks.yolasite.com/

Or her occasional blog: http://bubbitybooks.blogspot.co.uk/

Social Media Links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Kate-Rigby-Books-127908180613508/ https://www.facebook.com/Kate-Rigby-Paperbacks-478473378983822/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1120685.Kate_Rigby

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/brontebrothers/

 

The Torcian Chronicles

Mesham sits dejectedly in a tiny garret above an inn, as the lands of Torcia fall to the magically-enhanced army of the infamous Mivirian Horde. One of the last surviving ancient warlocks of Torcia, Mesham knows he is marked for death. The Torcian king knocks on Mesham’s door later that evening and offers him the chance of rejuvenation in return for a seemingly impossible mission into the heart of Mivir. Mesham reluctantly agrees, only to realise the evil of Mivir has spread to the very top of the Torcian government. As Mesham undertakes his quest to complete the mission, he finds himself hunted by his king, by the mighty Torcian warbands, and by the Horde. But he cannot fail, for the fate of Mesham’s beloved Torcia rests in his hands.

Purchase from Amazon:

http://amzn.to/2lDC4nR

Author Bio –

P.J. Reed –

Writer of warlocks and other magical creatures. P.J. Reed is a writer and poet from England. She holds a BAEd from Canterbury Christ Church University and an MA from Bradford University. She has been widely published in anthologies and collections. P.J. Reed currently lives in Devon, with a handful of teenagers, one feral cat and a dog called Fizz.

Social Media Links –

Website – http://fantasyworlds.jigsy.com

Twitter- https://twitter.com/PJReed_author

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/TheTorcianChronicles

Check out the rest of the blog tour for reviews and more with these awesome book bloggers…..

Enjoy!

Hiya! Today I have the pleasure of welcoming Linden Forster 🙂

For those who don’t know already, could you tell us about yourself and your book(s) please?

I started writing my first novel when I was seventeen, but put it to one side when I went to university to study marine biology. When I graduated I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do with myself. I didn’t have a plan for where I was going, so I didn’t know what the next step should be. I remembered enjoying the little creative writing I had done in school, so I signed up for a part time course.

As one of the components of the course, every week someone would email a piece of work, usually a short story and everyone else would critique it and during class the writer would have to sit and listen to everyone else’s comments. When we came back to class after Christmas nobody had anything to submit, and I remembered about the first chapter of a novel I had written almost five years previously and sent that in. People were really complementary about the characters and wanted to know what was going to happen next.

That was a great inspiration for me. I got my head down and four months later I had the first draft. Now it is just about to be released.

Where did/do you get your ideas from?

Everywhere and anywhere. From talking to people. From not talking to people. From going for a walk. From sitting in. From reading a book. From browsing the internet.

I wouldn’t describe myself as someone who has specific technique or formula when it comes to ideas. I need to mix things up. I don’t like writing in the same place several days in a row for the same reason. I find change stimulates me and helps me to think about different topics.

Whenever I do have an idea, I send myself a text and once a month these texts are entered into a big file called “concepts” to be dealt with at a later date.

Are any of your characters based (however loosely) on anyone you know?

There aren’t very many characters in The Hero’s Arc who if I squint at I don’t see myself.

How do you pick your characters names?

Usually when I come to a new character in my writing, I maybe think up two or three names for them in that moment and pick the one I like the best. A few days or weeks or months down the line I might change the name, sometimes it sticks.

Can you share your writing process with us, in a nutshell?

One of the things that makes my writing life easier right now is I am solely working on The Hero’s Arc series, which has been in my head for seven or eight years. So when I’m writing, I know what I’m writing. I know the major events that need to happen. I know where things are going. I just need to write it. There isn’t the added pressure of needing to take time to get my head around things.

Past that, there isn’t much process. I have to write a book from start to finish. I can’t dive in here and there until all the strings connect. So it’s just putting one word after another until I reach the end and occasionally I get to check off a line from my “concepts” document.

Who are your top 5 favourite authors?

Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman, Philip Pullman, J.R.R. Tolkien and Douglas Adams

If you could meet any author, who would it be and what would you ask them?

I would meet Neil Gaiman and ask him all about his friendship with Terry Pratchett. What they talked about, how they worked together.

Were you a big reader as a child?

I wasn’t, no. I read a bit. I read Harry Potter as that was what kids read in my generation and His Dark Materials and I must have read The Hobbit at least once a year, but I never really started reading a lot until I read Going Postal when I was sixteen and was shocked to find that books could be side-splittingly funny.

When did you start to write?

When I was seventeen, probably as a direct result of discovering Terry Pratchett and having an English teacher who really made the subject interesting for me.

If you could re-write the ending to any book what would it be and what would you change?

Oh, that is a mean question and I wouldn’t dream of answering it.

Is there a book you wish you had written?

Hogfather by Terry Pratchett. I love the way he incapsulates the essence of humanity in that book.

I am also a little upset that I never got a chance to create hobbits. They are perfect little creatures.

If you wrote an autobiography, what would your title be?

I wasn’t always like this.

If you could invite any fictional character for coffee who would it be and where would you take them?

Discworld’s Death. I’d take him to a cat café; I think he would like that.

What are you working on right now?

Book three in The Hero’s Arc. Book two is written, but I want to get to grips with the third before I go back and get it edited.

Tell us about your last release? Do you have a new release due?

Well, we are in a bit of a time warp here. At the time of this interview I do not have a last release, but at the time of your reading I will have. Divine Invention, my debut novel came out on the third of March. I hope to have another release for the sequel later in the year, we’ll see if that materialises.

What do you generally do to celebrate on publication day?

I can say with some surety, that part of my day will consist of signing books at my local Waterstones. I hope in the evening I will be celebrating, but the jury is still out on that one. Fingers crossed.

How can readers keep in touch with you?

My blog at https://lindenforster.wordpress.com/ or on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. I’m easy to find @lindenforster for all of them.

Is there anything else you would like us to know?

Divine Invention is a fantasy/satire/comedy adventure store, which follows the story of an island community who have exhausted their food supply and have just invented the world’s first boat.

If this sounds like something you would like to read it is available on amazon and to order in to your local Waterstones if you prefer.

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions, Linden 🙂

Most stories begin with either an unforeseen turn of events or a problem.
Krank has a problem. For centuries, the people of the island have lived on the animals and plants to be found there. It was bliss and so the population grew. It was not until very recently anyone noticed that the quantity of plants and animals had not. The delicate balance of the ecosystem has tipped and food is dwindling.
The King assigned the island’s two resident self-proclaimed geniuses, the Creators, to find a solution. The fruits of their labour ripen into the invention of the world’s first aquatic transportation device and promises to provide passage from the island to search further afield for food and resources.
So, there it is. Problem solved. End of story. Barring any unforeseen turn of events…

Enjoy!

Today I have the pleasure of welcoming J. F. Kirwan back to Chat About Books. This time I have a great interview with the man himself to share with you all.

Many thanks to Rachel for arranging the following interview.

Interview with J. F. Kirwan…..

For those who don’t know already, could you tell us about yourself and your book(s) please?

I’m an ex-scuba diving instructor, and have dived all over the world, including a few rescues and close calls. In my day job I work in aviation safety, looking at human error and how to overcome it. I wrote the first book following back surgery, when I couldn’t dive for a year, and I was missing it. Then HarperCollins offered me a three book deal so I had to write the other two!

Where did/do you get your ideas from?

Sometimes I get a lot of insomnia, and I wake up with ideas in my head, so I get up and write them down. For 37 hours, the centrepiece is Chernobyl, and I used to work in the nuclear industry, so know a lot about it. Its history has some fascinating stories and myths, and I borrowed one or two. Another key section is in a fictional place called Anspida, based on a real place I used to dive, where I encountered some rather large sharks and a cavern known as turtle tomb.

Are any of your characters based (however loosely) on anyone you know?

In 66 Metres, there were a couple based on friends I knew as former diving buddies, but for 37 Hours I kept it clean.

How do you pick your characters names?

That’s a good one. I think of a name, then think again, and maybe one more time. Usually by the third time it feels and sounds right. Once the name ‘takes’, for me it is locked in, and becomes inseparable from the character and the context. I recall during 37 Hours someone asked why I’d called a particular character so, and couldn’t change their name. I replied simply, ‘it’s his name.’ When pressed, I repeated, ‘You don’t get it, I can’t change it, that’s his name!’ Authors are a strange breed…

Can you share your writing process with us, in a nutshell?

11pm – go to sleep thinking ‘how will Nadia get out of this?’

3:15am – wake up with the solution.

3:20am – start typing, end it on a cliff-hanger

6:00am – shut down computer and get ready for work.

10:30pm – wonder why I’m so tired.

11pm – repeat.

Who are your top 5 favourite authors?

Lee Child

David Baldacci

Andy McNab

James Patterson

Jack McDevitt

If you could meet any author, who would it be and what would you ask them?

Lee Child. I’d ask him how often he’s been in a real fight. [I have some issues with his fight scenes]. Then, if he’s still talking to me, I’d ask him his writing process. Then I’d get drunk with him and ask him his real writing process.

Were you a big reader as a child?

Yes, my first book was Scott of the Antarctic, then Homer’s Iliad, and then the Fantastic 5. Never looked back. Funny that the Fab5 and Ladybird books (for adults) are making a comeback.

When did you start to write?

When I was around fifteen, I wrote a little rag for my schoolmates, called the Adventures of Blackie the Cat, about a cat who was a spy. I put sex scenes in there, though I didn’t really know much about it, but then neither did my mates. The beauty of fiction.

Is there a book you wish you had written?

Lord of the Rings

If you wrote an autobiography, what would your title be?

Just add water

If you could invite any fictional character for coffee who would it be and where would you take them?

Nadia Laksheva. I’d take her out for ice cream and tell her I’m really sorry for what I put her through.

What are you working on right now?

An idea that came to me just a few days ago. Working title is The Ghost Detective.

Do you have a new release due?

Not for a while. 88 North, the finale and sequel to 37 Hours came out just before Xmas.

What do you generally do to celebrate on publication day?

Hide. Drink a glass of champagne surreptitiously. Sneak a peak every now and again on Twitter and Amazon. Okay, every hour.

How can readers keep in touch with you?

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kirwanjf

Website http://www.jfkirwan.com

Twitter @kirwanjf

Is there anything else you would like us to know?

(a) You don’t have to be a diver or like diving to enjoy the books. (b) Sharks aren’t really that dangerous to humans.

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions 🙂

37 Hours

The only way to hunt down a killer is to become one…

After two long years spent in a secret British prison, Nadia Laksheva is suddenly granted her freedom. Yet there is a dangerous price to pay for her release: she must retrieve the Russian nuclear warhead stolen by her deadliest enemy, a powerful and ruthless terrorist known only as The Client.

But her mysterious nemesis is always one step ahead and the clock is ticking. In 37 hours, the warhead will explode, reducing the city of London to a pile of ash. Only this time, Nadia is prepared to pull the trigger at any cost…

The deadly trail will take her from crowded Moscow to the silent streets of Chernobyl, but will Nadia find what she is looking for before the clock hits zero?

The gripping second novel in J.F. Kirwan’s brilliant spy thriller series. Perfect for fans of Charles Cumming, Mark Dawson and Adam Brookes.

Purchase from Amazon UK –

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hours-Nadia-Laksheva-Thriller-Book-ebook/dp/B01N3KP711/

Author Bio

J. F. Kirwan is the author of the Nadia Laksheva thriller series for HarperCollins. Having worked in accident investigation and prevention in nuclear, offshore oil and gas and aviation sectors, he uses his experience of how accidents initially build slowly, then race towards a climax, to plot his novels. An instructor in both scuba diving and martial arts, he travels extensively all over the world, and loves to set his novels in exotic locations. He is also an insomniac who writes in the dead of night. His favourite authors include Lee Child, David Baldacci and Andy McNab.

Website: http://www.jfkirwan.com

Blog: http://www.jfkirwan.com/blog

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/kirwanjf/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/kirwanjf

Check out the rest of the blog tour for reviews and more with these awesome book bloggers…..

 

Previous post featuring J. F. Kirwan and his books…..

66 Metres #BlogTour J.F. Kirwan @kirwanjf #GuestPost @rararesources

 

 

Today I have the pleasure of rounding off Jo Merrett’s Reading Between The Lines blog tour 🙂

This sounds like a great read!

READING BETWEEN THE LINES BRINGS THE BONKBUSTER BACK WITH A BANG

Read Between the Lines of this debut novel and savour shameless shades of sexy

Woking, Surrey – Ballsy reporter Kate Cleaver doesn’t wait for things to happen. A modern woman with a voracious sexual appetite she takes life – and men – by the balls – and makes things happen! Sassy Kate wants to leave cat shows and council meetings behind her and hit the glamour of national journalism – but not before she gets her hands one particular exclusive: the delicious but elusive Chief Reporter, Aidan Tindall.

Reading Between the Lines is a rollercoaster of sexual freedom and angst-ridden rejection, office flings plus desire and ambition and 2am gin soaked confessions.

Former Mirror features writer turned stay-at-home mum of two Jo Merrett’s first book takes her early days as a journalist and spins them into an erotic chick lit, where ambition and sex rule. Acting on an idea that had pole-danced around her head for a decade, 44-year-old Jo finally got creative after watching Fifty Shades at the cinema.

She said: “I was halfway through watching the first film and thought, ‘I can write erotic fiction, what am I waiting for? I started writing it that afternoon! Reading Between the Lines is a book every woman who is in or has been in her 20s can identify with. Kate’s ambitious and confident but isn’t immune to the hurdles life throws at her. You will laugh, cry and cringe – maybe all at the same time!”

Enjoy!

Check out the rest of the blog tour for reviews and more with these awesome book bloggers…..

Many thanks to Kelly Lacey

Hi all, I’d like to introduce you to Regina Timothy…..

Thanks Kerry for inviting me to chat about my debut book Full Circle, a contemporary fiction tale of friendship, family, and hope.

For those who don’t know already, could you tell us about yourself and your book(s) please?

My name is Regina Timothy and I grew up in Kenya.

I’ve always had active imagination and I’ve written most of my life. I find myself with a lot of ideas and different scenarios I’d like to see incorporated in a novel setting. I don’t know if everyone has that. I write a variety of genres in both fiction and fiction.

I’ve written short stories and poetry but Full Circle is my debut novel. The story follows the main character Samia-al-Sayyid, a 33 year old Iraqi immigrant living in the U.S. She overcomes a lot, and works so hard to make a good life for her teenage son. In the end, it seems all her all her efforts are not enough.

Where did/do you get your ideas from?

A great source of writing inspiration for me is what I observe around me. People, events, and sometimes things get me thinking.

I’ve always loved books and movies with a strong female leads, especially books that highlight that inspire and explore human connections. I wanted to be one of the million voices in the world that gives a voice to these remarkable characters. So, Full Circle was born.

Are any of your characters based (however loosely) on anyone you know?

No. All my characters are fictitious.

How do you pick your characters names?

I don’t have a set formula per see. Sometimes I’m lucky and a name comes naturally and when I try it out it fits perfectly. Other times I hit a rut. In such cases I make Google my friend. I research the names, see if the name has a meaning and if the meaning of the name will reflect the character’s personality, and makes sense for the era and region.

If the name checks all these checkboxes I then try out the names out aloud and listen to how it sounds. If I like what I hear, then I consider my search over.

Can you share your writing process with us, in a nutshell?

I don’t have any process that’s set in stone. When it comes to writing I consider myself a panster as opposed to a plotter. For most of my writing, when starting out, I normally have a general idea of what I’d like a story to look like or what I’d like to cover, but I usually don’t have a fixed idea about who I’m going to meet or what’s going to happen. The minute I begin writing the story my imagination runs wild and the story evolves in ways that sometimes surprise even me.

Who are your top 5 favorite authors?

Reading has been one of the greatest pleasures of my life. I’ve read thousands of books by different authors in my lifetime and it is kind of hard narrowing it down to five favorite authors.

But if I were going to do it off the top of my mind, in no particular order I‘d go with Khaled Hosseini, Maya Angelou, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Robert Kiyosaki and J. K. Rowling.

These are a few of the authors I greatly admire.

If you could meet any author, who would it be and what would you ask them?

I would love to share a cup of tea with Jane Austen. Her books often covered the dependence of women on marriage in an era when marriage was an integral part of society and what was considered an eventual rite of passage. I’d like to know how difficult that was for her confronting the societal norm at the time and what trouble, if any, she got into for her opinions.

Were you a big reader as a child?

Yes I was. I’ve always loved reading a good book. It didn’t matter what genre it was, as long as it was good, I would read it. I got into a lot of trouble in school because I always got caught reading a novel when I was supposed to be listening to what was going on at the front of the class.

When did you start to write?

I began writing when I was quite young. I enjoyed writing essays at school and was encouraged by a teacher to hone my ability. I kept writing even after leaving school but I didn’t take it seriously until a few years ago.

If you could re-write the ending to any book what would it be and what would you change?

This is a tough one, but if I was to pick one from my favorite list it would be Jane Austen’s Pride or Prejudice.

It would have been nice if all the girls including Mary got a happy ending – I’m a sucker for happy endings.

But that isn’t a good enough reason to change its ending. This is because if you changed anything it simply would not be the story which we all love.

Is there a book you wish you had written?

I consider myself an avid reader of all genres and I’ve enjoyed many books in my lifetime. But there are some books that appeal to the emotions of a reader and stay with you long after the last page. An example is The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. Other books that appeal to me include ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings’ by Maya Angelou and ‘Half of a Yellow Sun’ by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. These are a few of the books I greatly admire and would have loved to write.

If you wrote an autobiography, what would your title be?

Footprints – Building castles in the sand. I don’t know why I came up with that or if it makes sense.

If you could invite any fictional character for coffee who would it be and where would you take them?

Daenerys Targaryen in the book Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin. Who wouldn’t want to meet the mother of dragons? I would probably take her to King’s and watch her reclaim her Iron throne.

What are you working on right now?

I have several projects that I’m currently working on. The one closest to completion is a non-fiction self-help book.

Tell us about your last release?

My last release is titled Full Circle.

Full Circle is a contemporary fiction tale of friendship, family, and hope. It explores the devastation of loss, the great capacity to forgive and the lengths our loved ones will go to protect us.

The book follows the life of Samia-al-Sayyid an Iraqi immigrant living in the U.S with her son and the relationships she creates with two women – her employer and her best friend. When a terrorist attack destroys these relationships, she feels responsible and she is forced to flee back to Iraqi where imminent death awaits her.

Do you have a new release due?

Full Circle debuted last Christmas Eve. It’s been a rollercoaster of months trying to promote the book. So I’d taken some time off to concentrate on Full Circle, but I am now currently working on a new book due for release later in the year.

What do you generally do to celebrate on publication day?

Take a deep breath, pour myself a healthy dose of white wine in my Olivia pope wine glass, take a seat, and try not to obsess on sales.

How can readers keep in touch with you?

I love connecting with readers from different places and getting their thoughts on my books.

Readers can find me on the following platforms:

Amazon – https://t.co/dIHcck2L0Z

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17539626.Regina_Timothy

Librarythings – https://www.librarything.com/profile/Regina-Timothy

Twitter – https://twitter.com/gina_wann

Blog – http://reginatimothy.wordpress.com

Get in touch with me and I’ll definitely get back to you

Is there anything else you would like us to know?

My book Full Circle is available on Amazon

I am really eager to hear what people think so if you do read it please post a review on Amazon or Goodreads.

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions, Regina 🙂

Thanks too Kerry for having me. I’ve had so much fun.

Book Blurb

Eight years after the 9/11 attacks, Samia-Al-Sayyid an Iraqi immigrant is living a quiet life in New York City after she fled her home to avoid imminent death.

She works hard for her cold, heartless, high-strung boss, loves her seventeen-years-old-son, and cherishes the close friendship she has formed with her best friend Susan.

Nothing can go wrong, or so she thinks – until the estranged brother she left back in Iraqi shows up on her door step. Then she finds herself in a cab, on her way to the hospital to identify her son, a terror suspect who has blown the city, and with it her boss’ husband, and her best friend’s son. With everything lost, she is forced to flee to Iraq where she confronts her past. Will she make peace with her past? Can she get forgiveness for all the damage she has caused?

Full Circle is a contemporary fiction tale of friendship, family, and hope. It explores the devastation of loss, the great capacity to forgive and the lengths our loved ones will go to protect us.

Author Bio

Regina lives in a picturesque village in Kenya where she enjoys amazing landscapes, exotic wildlife, and beautiful sunsets and sunrises. She always had active imagination. By chance, she started blogging in 2010, which rekindled her love for writing and telling stories. When not writing she enjoys watching classic movies (she’s a movie buff), going to the theater and auto shows. You can join her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/gina_wann and visit her blog at https://reginatimothy.wordpress.com/

Buy Details

Release date: December 24th 2017

ISBN: 978-1981839438

ASIN: B078M7KFDG

Price Mass Market Paperback: $14.75

Price E-Book: $2.99 Buy Link: http://amzn.to/2EdNl5L

Enjoy!

Today I am thrilled to welcome Jean McNeil to Chat About Books as part of her Fire On The Mountain blog tour, with Legend Press.

*Many thanks to Imogen Harris at Legend Press for arranging the following interview and for kindly offering a giveaway prize*

Interview with Jean McNeil…..

For those who don’t know already, could you tell us about yourself and your book(s) please?

I’m something of a veteran now. I’ve been published since I was 21 and am the author of 13 books, including Fire on the Mountain, my most recent book, published by the fantastic London indie Legend Press. Most of my books are novels but I’ve also published one collection of short fiction. I started out writing Rough Guides travel guides in Latin America, which was a very good apprenticeship. Rough Guides’ standards of writing are very high. They worked all of us authors hard but it paid off, I think, in my future writing. I also teach creative writing and run a graduate programme at the University of East Anglia.

Where did/do you get your ideas from?

Experience. At least I often get the kernel of the idea from what happens to me, or what I observe. I don’t get many ideas from history, say, or pure imagination.

Are any of your characters based (however loosely) on anyone you know?

No that would be a very bad idea. They might sometime be based on me, or rather alternative me’s. That’s a safer strategy.

How do you pick your characters names?

This is a good question. Names are like book titles, they either come to you immediately as soon as you are writing, or you have to go and find them. The latter is harder. Names are absolutely key. They communicate the essence of the character, they can be symbolic, they have to be somewhat memorable. The thing about names in books is it’s not like names in life – it’s perfectly possible in life to have a sister and a friend both named Rachel but if you try to do that in a novel your editor will insist on changing it so that readers can follow who’s who. We don’t seem to have that problem in life.

Can you share your writing process with us, in a nutshell?

I sit down and write. That’s all that’s really required. Writers are sometimes too precious about ‘process’. But I’ve noticed I write well on ships – I’ve done a lot of ship-based research, often on long trips across the Atlantic ocean or in the polar regions. Ships are absolutely the best places to write, ever. Even when I’ve had to bolt my chair to the desk to avoid being flung across the room.

Who are your top 5 favourite authors?

Tough one. I deplore having favourites. It’s not fair to the many, many phenomenally good writers out there. Here is a list of the writers I am reading currently and who I think are very good:

Anne Carson

Damon Galgut

Andre Aciman

VS Naipaul

Ben Lerner

If you could meet any author, who would it be and what would you ask them?

Proust, but he is dead so it would have to be his ghost. How do you achieve the psychic density of your prose?

Were you a big reader as a child?

No, I grew up almost without books, apart from Reader’s Digest. But I made up for lost time once I was 12 and moved to the city and discovered the library.

When did you start to write?

At university, when I was around 18. I started writing poetry and fiction to avoid having to work on my macroeconomics essays.

If you could re-write the ending to any book what would it be and what would you change?

I feel endings are sacrosanct. Some of them are very, very hard to take – bittersweet, they really undo you. Like the ending of Milan Kundera’s The Unbearable Lightness of Being, which I think is one of the most affecting endings in literature.

Is there a book you wish you had written?

Call Me By Your Name, by Andre Aciman, which I first read some years ago and have since re-read. It’s so intense, psychological and sensual. It’s just been made into an exquisite film.

If you wrote an autobiography, what would your title be?

Don’t Do it Like This

If you could invite any fictional character for coffee who would it be and where would you take them?

Virginia Woolf’s Orlando, to ask what it is like living as both a man and a woman. I’d take him/her to 193 Wardour Street, the coffee shop I meet my literary agent in and which for me has become a literary oasis in London where I can read and think.

What are you working on right now?

A new novel. It’s very early days so I don’t want to say much, but it starts out in ‘the now’: January 2018, in Hackney, so I’m having an interesting time turning what I see outside my window and experience every day into narrative. I haven’t written anything in set in the exact here-and-now in London in awhile.

Tell us about your last release?

My novel The Dhow House was published by Legend Press in the UK in 2016 and in North America by ECW Press in 2017. It’s a sensual story of politics and passion set on the Indian ocean coast of East Africa, where I live for part of the year. It is the most astonishingly beautiful place and readers who know it tell me I managed to evoke it well in the novel. That was my goal, apart from telling a compelling story, so I’m satisfied.

Do you have a new release due?

Not yet, apart from Fire on the Mountain.

What do you generally do to celebrate on publication day?

Breathe a sigh of relief. The real celebration (champagne, headaches etc.) happens when I hear a publisher will publish one of my books.

How can readers keep in touch with you?

Readers are very welcome to email me via my website http://www.jeanmcneil.co.uk, or via Instagram or Twitter.

Is there anything else you would like us to know?

Thanks very much for the interesting questions and I hope you and readers enjoy Fire on the Mountain!

Many thanks for taking the time to answer my questions, Jean 🙂

When NGO worker Nick drops unexpectedly into the lives of Pieter and Sara Lisson, he feels he has found the parents he never had. Nick is enraptured by their lives of splendour and acclaim as much as the stirring setting of the African city where they live, but he soon senses a secret at the heart of his new family. Nick then meets Riaan, the Lissons’ son, and so begins an intense connection that threatens to erupt into a relationship neither had ever considered. In the shadow of the Brandberg, the glowing mountain that stands at the heart of the desert, Nick will discover that his passion for Riaan is not the only fire which threatens his newfound home.

Giveaway…..

For your chance to win a paperback copy of Fire on the Mountain (UK only, due to postage costs) just comment ‘Yes please’ on this post and a winner will be chosen at random.

Thanks in advance for entering! 🙂

Good luck!

Enjoy!

Hiya!

Wow, these months are just flying by, faster than ever it seems!

Welcome to my #FlashbackFriday feature. On the first Friday of each month I like to have a little look back at what I was reading during the same month in previous years. Here are my reviews from March 2017 & a link at the end to last years March #FlashbackFriday

https://chataboutbooks.wordpress.com/2017/03/23/mystery-at-maplemead-castle-by-kitty-french-kfrenchbooks-bookouture-blogtour-bookreview/

https://chataboutbooks.wordpress.com/2017/03/18/aftershesgone-by-maggie-james-mjamesfiction-tastpublicity-blogtour-bookreview/

Rome Is Where The Heart Is by Tilly Tennant @TillyTenWriter @bookouture #BlogTour #BookReview

The Mercury Travel Club by @Helen_Bridgett @RedDoorBooks #BlogTour #BookReview

 

Evie’s Year of Taking Chances by Christie Barlow @ChristieJBarlow @bookouture #BlogTour #BookReview

The Abattoir of Dreams by Mark Tilbury @MTilburyAuthor @Bloodhoundbook #BlogTour #BookReview #AuthorInterview

Flashback Friday with @lucydawsonbooks @TAWilliamsBooks @monicajames81 @TanyaBullock15 @Marcie_Steele

Have you read any of the above?

Please feel free to join in with #FlashbackFriday. Don’t forget to share a link to your post in the comments if you do.

Thanks!

Kerry x