Chat About Books

Today I am delighted to welcome Claire L Brown! 🙂

Claire’s twitter bio states: ‘Independent author; Movie fan, dog lover, Home design junkie. Experimenting in beauty & fashion. Making my way one page at a time.’

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

Hi my name is Claire L Brown, I was born in Sunderland, Northeast England where I currently live with my dog Hero and my family.

I’m a BA Honors Graduate in Media Studies with American History from Sunderland University and was an exchange student attending Western Washington State University, USA for period of time.

As well as writing her novels, I’m a blogger charting my lifestyle and I’m the Chief Executive of The Poppy Garden Appeal a charity established to fund a recuperation centre for service personnel and their families.

My latest book, The Poppy Garden is a romantic drama based on how my grandfather developed his own methods of coping with PTSD following his experiences in WW2. I used his example and inspiration from the women in my life who have dealt with caring for their partners through times of trouble.

The book has also inspired the set up of a charity to support veterans and their families by providing support and recuperation assistance.

Where did/do you get your ideas from?

Life is like a book with every day and every experience you have filling in another page to your story. While I know some of the pages in my grandfather’s book there were many that are left blank. I know the basic outline of the pages but not the detail and unfortunately I can no longer ask him directly to fill in the blanks. I always wanted to tell his story but while I have some of the facts a lot of the detail isn’t available to me. So one day while working in my own garden I was thinking about him and realised all the times I spent with him as a child in his garden was part of his way of coping with what had happened to him. He focused his stress, his fears, his upset and channelled it in to his garden creating his own safe haven and his own place of sanctuary.

As I worked I realised there was a different side to his story I could tell just in a different way.

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

Elements of my two main characters, Sky and Nick, come from My grandfather and my grandmother. I also looked to my mother and other strong women I knew who had dealt with situations that needed them to be strong in ways they had never imagined.

How do you pick your characters names?

I have chosen the names in this book carefully as I wanted them to be characters in their own right but also have links to the people who were involved in my grandfather’s story, in a way dedication to thank them for the sacrifices they gave which ensured I am living my life today and am able to write freely.

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

I would call myself an organic writer. I tend to work in the best way that suits the story. For this book, I started with an outline roughly jotted down after the spark of the idea. I then developed the characters and kept a profile for each of them which I added to and edited as I worked.

The chapters were written without much planning – I knew the major themes and a rough outline but generally the story just flowed and grew as it went.

Who are your top 5 favourite authors?

Agatha Christie

Arthur Conan Doyle

Gaston Lerox

Shakespeare

Julian Fellowes

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

I would love to chat to Agatha Christie about her characters and how she worked out her mysteries also I would love to know what happened in the missing week of her life that still remains a mystery!

Were you a big reader as a child?

Yes, I was taught to read by my Parents and Grandparents at an early age. I used to read all the time and also had a large collection of audio books. I loved fairytales and still do but the story from my childhood that stays with me to this day is the Phantom of the Opera – not a children’s book but it was something I loved to read.

When did you start to write?

I don’t remember a time that I didn’t write. I was quite a lonely child and filled my time in telling stories to myself. I would also rewrite a book if I didn’t like it’s ending or if there was a character I thought deserved their own story. My best friends were book characters and my greatest adventures were in the pages of the books I read.

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

I always thought as a child I would change the ending of the Snowman – Raymond Briggs – as I didn’t want him to melt!

There are so many stories where I wonder what if -what if it worked out differently. IN fact that is the theme that runs through my second novel Jonah Axe and the Weeping Bride which takes place on board the Titanic.

Is there a book you wish you had written?

I think The Poppy Garden is the book I’m most proud of so far in my career and I hope that I have a lot more stories to tell. While other writers inspire me, I don’t think there’s a book that I covet as my own. I just hope I can write as well as some of my favourite authors and inspire others to write they way they have inspired me.

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

I think it would be Miss Marple – I would take her to an old fashioned tea room, for tea and cake and listen to all of her stories. I always imagine her the way Geraldine McEwan played her on TV and think people often over look the unassuming grandmother sitting knitting where as she sees everyone and notices everything.

What are you working on right now?

I’m just starting on my forth novel, and I’m venturing in to the Chick-Lit drama, it’s not a genre I’ve tried to write before so I’m challenging myself to try something new and develop my self as a writer.

Do you have a new release due?

The Poppy Garden was released on the 11 November 2016 and is available for Kindle and in paperback from amazon

How can readers keep in touch with you?

I’m on social media and can be found at the following;

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ClaireLBrown.MyLifeAsAWriter/

Twitter @CLBrown_author

Website clairebrownempire.wix.com/clairelbrownauthor#

My Life as a Writer Blog – http://clairelbrownauthor.blogspot.co.uk

My Life as a Writer; When I’m Not Scribbling – http://myifeasawriterwhennotscribbling.blogspot.co.uk

Bloglovin’ – https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/my-life-as-a-writer-14287437

Pinterest – https://uk.pinterest.com/clbrown34author/

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/clbrown_author/

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions, Claire.

The Poppy Garden

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 1 edition (31st October 2016)

What would you do if the love of your life didn’t know who you were? What if he forgot you? Forgot the first time you met, your first kiss, the day he proposed and the day you married? What if six months after your perfect start it was all taken away in the blink of an eye? Sky Flynn thought she had it all, she was the happiest she’d ever been from the moment she met Nick Robinson until the moment a military officer showed up at her door, then things changed. Fighting to save her marriage and help her husband recover from both physical and mental scars of war Sky has to find away to cope and overcome. Inspired by memories of her grandfather and how he channeled his PTSD into his garden she sets out to create somewhere for recovering service men to go, to assist in their recovery and create a place of beauty to share with their families. But will the beauty of the garden heal her husband’s wounds and bring him home to her forever?

I will certainly be adding The Poppy Garden to my reading list and I’m sure you will want to also. You can buy your copy HERE

You will find all of Claire’s books on her Amazon author page

Enjoy!

Today I am thrilled to welcome Alice May! 🙂

Hi Kerry, thank you for giving me the opportunity to take part in your Q&A.

For those who don’t already know can you tell us a bit about yourself and your books please?

My name is Alice May and I am the author of ‘Accidental Damage’ which is book 1 in the series entitled ‘Tales From The House That Sat Down’.

I am currently working on the sequel ‘Consequences’. There is also a third book (as yet un-named) in the series which is in the early planning stages. In addition to these projects I am writing and illustrating a children’s book.

‘Accidental Damage’ is the tale of a family of six (mum, dad and four kids) who suddenly find themselves homeless after their old cottage falls down completely out of the blue one day. With nowhere to go they are forced to move into a tent in the garden. The tent is supposed to be a temporary solution but when their house insurance company refuse to help them the tent becomes a more permanent fixture.

Told retrospectively from the mother’s point of view, ‘Accidental Damage’ is packed with both humorous anecdotes and brutally honest emotional reactions to what it is like to live in your garden whilst working out how you are going to rebuild your home.

It is a tale of family love and loyalty, proving that if you pull together as a team and look after each other you can survive anything.

Where did/do you get your idea(s) from?

‘Accidental Damage’ was inspired by a real life event. My husband, four children and I spent a year living in our garden after our house fell down.

I felt it was such an unusual experience to go through that it was important to write about it. In spite of the horrible circumstances it was a time of massive positivity and growth for the whole family. Once we accepted that we couldn’t live in our house and couldn’t really go anywhere else we just had to knuckle down and get on with life.

So many funny and ridiculous things happened to us on our journey to rebuild our home it made such a cracking story on which to base my first fictional novel.

In fact there were so many ideas developing in my head from that time that I had to accept that it was going to be a series of books and not just the one.

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

The characters of the family in ‘Accidental Damage’ are based (loosely) on my own family. Nobody else would do I am afraid. The book is written retrospectively from the mother’s point of view and I wanted to convey to the reader the complex interactions of a large family under such uniquely stressful circumstances. (Don’t worry my husband and kids have all read the book and approve.)

No other characters in the book are actually based on real people but over the years I have been involved in a number of building projects so have had a lot of interactions with various builders, roofers, electricians, architects and structural engineers etc. As a result some vague characteristics may well have been drawn on during the creative process to develop the personalities within the plot but the characters themselves are fictional.

The cat is definitely our cat.

How do you pick you character’s names?

Character names are a difficult one as it is important to make your character as approachable to your reader as possible. I have used specific personality traits for each person as the main basis behind the choice of name.

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

Writing ‘Accidental Damage’ was a bit of an out-of-the-blue event because I literally sat down one day and started writing.

Once I started I couldn’t stop and so I wrote day and night for three weeks. My beloved husband thought I had gone nuts but just kept bringing me cups of tea and snacks in the hope that I would eventually return to the real world. When I finally ground to a halt I had 60,000 words and the first draft of my novel.

With subsequent pieces of work I am a little less manic. I generally try to spend the mornings writing (after the school run) and the afternoons and evenings sorting out the children and the house.

However I always find that the best ideas come when I am too busy to stop and focus on writing. As a result I always have a notebook on hand to scribble ideas down. Then then next day during my official morning writing hours I trawl through my illegible scrawls and translate them into the computer documents I am working on.

Ideas don’t always come fully formed, I just have to make notes and wait for the ‘light-bulb’ moment that pulls all the strings together. It is very exciting.

Who are your top 5 favourite authors?

As a prolific reader I have to admit that this is hard question. Picking only 5 authors from so many talented people is difficult. So in no particular order my top 5 favourite authors are:

Lisa Gardner.

Lisa Gardner writes the most amazing crime fiction. I particularly enjoyed ‘Love You More’ but have read many others of her books. She also writes as Alicia Scott.

Anne McCaffrey

I was introduced to Anne McCaffrey’s world of Pern in my early twenties and it has been a delight to read her books ever since. I had thought I didn’t like science fiction at the time but she opened my eyes to a whole new genre and I cannot thank her enough.

Kate Fenton

I really enjoy the irreverent humour in Kate Fenton’s books my particular favourites are ‘Too Many Godmothers’ and ‘Picking Up’.

Katie Fforde

I love the way that Katie Fforde’s characters are strong independent women overcoming the odds. I particularly enjoyed ‘The Rose Revived’, ‘Stately Pursuits’ and ‘Thyme Out’.

Trisha Ashley.

Trisha Ashley’s books are packed with quirky, different but highly believable characters. Reading one of her books is like sinking into a warm hug. I look forward to treating myself to each new book as it is published.

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

If I could have met Richard Adams author of ‘Watership Down’ I would ask him how it felt to have influenced so many generations of children with his amazing story. This was the first book I remember buying with my pocket money at the age of ten and it completely mesmerised me. I read it so many times the book eventually fell apart.

Were you a big reader as a child?

Yes I was a prolific reader as a child and that hasn’t really changed as I have grown older. (I won’t say I have grown up because I really haven’t.) Fortunately my Beloved Husband puts up with the fact that I have always got my nose in a book when I am not writing.

I do try to remember to feed the children and do some housework but reading is so much more fun than doing chores.

My best decision was to encourage the children to love books as much as I do because then we can all pile on the sofa with a book or two each and I can pretend its educational time. 

When did you start to write?

I have always written short pieces and played around with storylines and ideas, but I never sat down with the intention of writing a book until last year when I wrote ‘Accidental Damage’.

Now I have seriously started writing I don’t seem to be able to stop.

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

I think I’d like to go for a coffee with Pamela Torres the female lead character from ‘Undercover Thief’ and the sequel ‘Thief Underground’ both part of the ‘Victoria Institute series by H. T. King.

Pamela is a sassy go-get-em-girl with such character, skills and energy. I’d love to spend some time chatting with her. We’d go somewhere in Cornwall on the cliffs where they serve fantastic coffee and we can look at the sea and just chill.

Is there a book you wish you’d written?

I rather wish I had been clever enough to write ‘Winnie the Pooh’ by A. A. Milne. Such a classic piece of work and so beautifully illustrated. Deeply meaningful and yet deceptively simple. Ingenious!

What are you working on right now?

I am currently engaged in two projects at the moment. Firstly I am half way through the first draft of ‘Consequences’ Book 2 – More Tales From The House That Sat Down. I am finding this immensely inspiring and am thoroughly enjoying the creative process.

I have plans for the third book in that series and another completely separate general fiction book but they will have to wait their turn. I am constantly surprised how so many plot ideas can arrive at once leaving hardly a moment to write them down let alone follow them through to completion. All in good time!

I am also in the process of publishing a children’s book that I wrote and illustrated a few years ago. Having learned a very great deal through the publishing of ‘Accidental Damage’ I feel that now is the time to move that project forward.

Do you have a new release date due?

Yes, ‘Consequences’ will be published this summer (2017) hopefully on August 1^st to coincide with the anniversary of the release date of ‘Accidental Damage’ but we shall see……

How can readers keep in touch with you?

Readers can contact me through my website www.alicemay.weebly.com

via my Alice May Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/AliceMayAuthor/

or on

Twitter @AliceMay_Author

Is there anything else you would like us to know?

Accidental Damage is available from Amazon.co.uk as a paperback or in kindle format. I really hope you enjoy my story. Please let me know what you think.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Accidental-Damage-Alice-May/dp/1535450371/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484833748&sr=8-1&keywords=alice+may

Thanks for answering my questions, Alice 🙂

Alice sent me a lovely signed paperback copy of Accidental Damage, so watch this space for my review!

Accidental Damage

If you think the normal school run on a Monday is entertaining you should try doing it from a tent in your back garden surrounded by the jumbled up contents of your entire home. It is vastly more diverting.

Our heroine has survived the sudden collapse of her home – or has she?

Certain events two and a half years ago led her to deliberately destroy an important piece of herself, hiding away all remaining evidence that it ever existed. What happens when she decides to go looking for it?

Does she really deserve to be whole again?

Inspired by a true story, this is an account of one woman’s secret guilt and her journey in search of forgiveness!

Today I am thrilled to welcome Anna Franklin Osborne 🙂

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

I am a new author but also a chiropractor, teacher, singer, mother and wife, not necessarily in any discernible order! In a determined attempt at a (spectacularly early) mid-life crisis, I joined a wonderful choir, and now sing with the fabulous, Bournemouth-based choir, ‘Chicken Soup.’ This helped me explore my more creative side, but as I haven’t picked a paint brush up since I was about 6, I felt that writing could be my outlet. I began with late night typing into the note section of my smart phone, resulting in a severe case of RSI and several short stories, but Walking Wounded is my first novel.

The idea for the book, a war story and family saga based on family folklore mainly from my mother’s side of the family, was born whilst walking on a D-Day beach waiting for a ferry back to England after a camping holiday in France, describing to my children the events of D-Day, and how three of my great-uncles stormed that very beach, while paratroopers jumped with silk parachutes that my grandmother had toiled laboriously to stitch. I always said ‘I couldn’t write a novel’ and that short stories were ‘more my thing,’ but my husband Neil looked at me that day and said – ‘well there’s your story.’

The story focuses on those left behind whilst their men folk went to war, how they survived and how their relationships evolved through periods of violence, loss and reunion. It is a very personal story set upon a world stage whose history has shaped us all through its effect on our close relatives in the generations above us.

It spans the period from the Armistice of the First World War to the exodus of the Ten Pound Poms to Australia in the 1950s. It is a family saga whose internal violence is mirrored by the world stage upon which it is set, but what I hope shines through is a story of courage and survival.

Walking Wounded was launched in October, and is available to order through www.goosewingpublications.com, Amazon, and all good bookstores.

Where did/do you get your ideas from?

Mostly from my mother’s family, but also taking poetic licence and picking stories from my father’s side too. What I find fascinating about this period of history is that it is still so tangibly close. We all have stories, even now, of what people really quite close to us did in the Second World War, it is a history which still touches us all.

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

Yes, very much so. They are all figures from my fairly immediate ancestry, May, for example, was my gran, and Lydia my fabulous ‘Auntie Lil.’ Lots of the events were true, but I blended the story with fiction as there was lots I didn’t know, and lots that I could certainly never ask. The violence, for example, was true (although I don’t really know the details) and I wanted to explore the different kinds of courage – what makes you brave enough to stay? What makes you brave enough to leave??

How do you pick your characters names?

Again, some were real, some were a mix of family names from that era. I am struggling now with my next book on this one! I HAVE to like the name, and it HAS to mean something to me!

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

I wrote Walking Wounded in the car, on the school run. I have kids and 2 jobs, so I have to write around the edges… the only unspoken-for time in any given day was the time I spent parked in the school car-park waiting for my kids to emerge- so I bought a tiny tablet and typed furiously for 10 minutes every day for 2 years… in fact, my tiny ‘office’ is about to be featured in the March edition of Prima magazine!! I am trying to reinvent my writing time now though, as my daughter now exerts the right to walk home and I’ve lost my tiny window of time… but I have just bought a little camper van and I hope to type the next book parked by the beach with my dogs at my feet and a coffee at hand. That’s where I am now, typing this!

Who are your top 5 favourite authors?

I really find this a difficult question, I love so many different genres!

But if I look at which books I have bought the most of, then it woudld be Patrick O’Brian ( I live in the past, especially in the Navy around Nelson’s time!), Jodie Picoult, Cecilia Ahern, Louis de Bernieres and Julia Donaldson (my kids and I can recite the Snail and the Whale word-perfect).

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

Isabelle Broom, and ‘can I come with you, please?’

I have just read A Year and A Day, then immediately after that, I read ‘My Map Of You.’ Not only did I love the stories, but she made the places so real that they felt like travel guides but without the boring bits! I would very much like to go wherever she deems it important to write about!

Were you a big reader as a child?

Massive, to the exclusion of all else. I blame Enid Byton, I was hooked early. This got to the point that my parents got quite worried – each week I was allowed to read a book of my choice and one of theirs ( I think they were trying to slow me down and also hoping to bore me a bit so that I might go out and actually play with my friends) so I read Anna Karenina at the age of nine… it didn’t stop me, though! It’s possibly the reason I read anything and everything now.

When did you start to write?

Tortured poerty as a teenager, then nothing until I was 44.

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

Any of Anita Shreve’s! I love her writing but the endings are always so desperately traumatic – to the point that I have repressed them, and although I can remember the stories, I simply cannot recall any of the endings! Beautiful, beautiful writing but so, so sad – not like me to only read a book once but I am afraid to revisit these!

Is there a book you wish you had written?

yes – my next one!! I just want to get on with it and I am champing at the bit – I am so frustrated that I am not finding the time right now! I urgently need to win the lottery so I can give up my day job and just immerse myself in it…

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

Stephen Maturin, of Master and Commander fame. I love this sensitive, witty, complicated character. I would take him to my sailing club and try to explain the ‘weather gage’ to him, just as Jack Aubrey tried to do, so many times.

What are you working on right now?

Theoretically, my next book – historical fiction again. But honestly? I am focussing on trying to rearrange my life a little to make more time…

Do you have a new release due?

Walking Wounded took me 3 years from the idea through to publication. Realistically, I am just going to plug away – being an Indi publisher and having day jobs, at least I don’t have a dead-line, although in some ways I probably need one..

How can readers keep in touch with you?

I’d love people to stay in touch! Probably the best way is through FB on GooseWing Publications, but I am also getting to grips with Twitter and my handle (is that really what it’s called?!) is @HomeOsborne

Is there anything else you would like us to know?

Yes – my 11 year old daughter is my cover model (she cost a hot chocolate and a muffin) and my 13 year old son created my website, www.goosewingpublications.com. This cost a little bit more. I seem to have spawned rather fabulous children, for which I may also thank my lovely husband, Neil!

I’d just love you to read Walking Wounded. It is a scary feeling, putting out not only your first book but a departure from treating patients and my teaching… I badly want it to be enjoyed!

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

Walking Wounded

Publisher: Amolibros (30th September 2016)

Born at the end of the First World War, a young girl struggles to find her own identity in her big family and is pushed into a stormy marriage through a terrible misunderstanding from which her pride refuses to let her back down. As her own personal world begins to crumble, the foundation of the world around her is shaken as Germany once again declares war and her brothers and young husband sign up with the first wave of volunteers.
Walking Wounded tells the story of those left behind in a Blitz-ravaged London, and of the web of loyalty, guilt and duty that shapes the decisions of the women awaiting the return of their men-folk as the war draws to a close.
Spanning the period from the Armistice of the First World War to the exodus of the Ten Pound Poms to Australia in the 1950s, Walking Wounded is a family saga whose internal violence is mirrored by the world stage upon which it is set.

Buy your copy HERE

Enjoy!

Today I am delighted to welcome Tess Makovesky 🙂

Tess’s short stories have darkened the pages of many magazines and anthologies. Her psychological novella ‘Raise the Blade’ is out now from @caffeinenights

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

I’m Liverpool born and bred, but after half a lifetime of bombing around the British countryside I’ve finally settled in the Far North of England (as the weather reporters like to call it), where I roam the fells with a brolly, dreaming up new stories and startling the sheep.

I write psychological crime and noir fiction, often with a thread of dark humour running through it, and almost always in the form short stories. To give you a taster, you can find my most recent short story, ‘Troubled Waters’, at Pulp Metal Magazine. I also have a psychological noir novella, ‘Raise the Blade’, out at Caffeine Nights Publishing. This examines the theory that certain people contribute to their own downfall through the choices they make, whilst referencing Pink Floyd’s brilliant track Brain Damage – and the odd elephant or two.

Where did/do you get your ideas from?

Ideas pop out at me from all sorts of sources. Often, it’s an obscure news item in the press that kick starts a story – the very first inspiration for ‘Raise the Blade’, for instance, came from a news report about a body being found in a Birmingham canal. But I also get ideas from books, TV series, music, dreams, and ‘what-if’ conversations with other people.

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

To an extent, yes, although I would never simply plonk a real person, unaltered, into one of my books or stories. More typically, elements of several people I know go to make up each character. For instance, Gillian the religion-obsessed dog owner in ‘Raise the Blade’ was loosely based on a neighbour of my parents, but with other characteristics thrown into the mix.

How do you pick your characters names?

I find names are important, and colour the way I perceive the characters, so it’s an important process. Mostly, they come to me on an instinctive level, but if I’m stuck for names for male characters I’ll often scour the squad lists from football (soccer) teams for inspiration.

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

I get an overall idea first. What if this happened? How would certain characters react? Then I need a title, a feel for where the book or story will end up, and the first few lines. And then I simply plunge in and start writing. It’s a risky approach as I sometimes (often!) end up in a complete muddle, but I can’t do detailed outlines, plots or notes because it sucks up all my creative energy and I have nothing left to actually write the book.

Who are your top 5 favourite authors?

Oh dear, I hate questions like this because I tend not to stick to favourite authors, but devour anything that interests me and love discovering new authors and new genres. However, in modern crime probably Ann Cleeves and Peter May (I love the sense of place they bring to their novels); in classic crime Dorothy L Sayers; and outside of the crime world, Tolkien. And yes, I know that’s only four. But the rest of the list would take up this whole blog!

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

I’m tempted to list a few here with the question ‘what were you even thinking’! But being serious, I think it would have to be Mark Mills (author of ‘The Savage Garden’ and ‘The Whaleboat House’ amongst others). I’d love to find out more about the inspiration behind ‘The Savage Garden’, a wonderful mix of whodunnit and garden design with a mystery dating back to the sixteenth century.

Were you a big reader as a child?

Always. I had a relatively unhappy childhood and took refuge in books, reading several a week at the very least. I devoured almost anything but from the age of about twelve I developed a taste for classic crime (Agatha Christie, Dorothy L Sayers, Ngaio Marsh) which seems to have stayed with me for life. I’d have been happier in a book world than my own half the time – and there are times when that still applies!

When did you start to write?

I wrote my first story at the age of five, and it was always my dream to be a writer. Having to support myself for many years put paid to that, but once I met my husband I was able to give it a go, and have been writing ever since.

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

This is a hard one. Like most readers I get frustrated when a book doesn’t end the way I think it should (I’m not usually keen on sudden, perhaps unnecessary deaths of major characters in the final pages). But on the other hand, the author has deliberately chosen to finish their book that way and just because I don’t like it doesn’t mean it’s wrong. However, the book that ended with the Archangel Michael rescuing the hero and heroine from an impossible dead-end has to be a strong candidate…

Is there a book you wish you had written?

Loads! Usually to the point of ‘why do I even bother’ if I’ve just read something really good. I’m envious of authors who can write long, beautiful descriptions, or whose characters are so strongly drawn that you feel you could meet them on the local streets in real life. But on a specific level it would have to be ‘The Lord of the Rings’ for the sheer storytelling skill and the ability to keep readers sitting on the edge of their seats for the entire duration of such a long book.

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

Am I allowed to cheat and specify a real person? I’d love to take Jeremy Clarkson to Birmingham. He’s famous for saying it’s horrible and has nothing on offer but Sixties concrete. I’d like to take him to the Edwardian tea rooms at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, or the café in Cannon Hill Park, or the café in Kings Heath Park, or any one of dozens of fascinating and beautiful venues in what is actually a lovely city. Okay, I’m biased because I lived there for many years and base most of my books there. I’ll stop ranting now.

What are you working on right now?

A re-write of a crime novella called ‘Embers of Bridges’ which is set in Birmingham and involves a bizarre getaway on a canal boat! Like most of my longer works, the title is taken from the lyrics of a Pink Floyd song – in this case High Hopes – and seemed appropriate as the book is about loyalty and the burning of bridges amongst close friends.

Do you have a new release due?

Not immediately, no, but I have a book under consideration with a publisher and new short stories appearing every now and again, so do watch this space!

How can readers keep in touch with you?

I tend to pop up all over the internet with monotonous regularity. I have a web page, blog, Facebook account, Twitter account, and I’m also on Goodreads and Linked-In. Feel free to ‘friend’, ‘follow’ or link to me – I hope to see some of you there.

Is there anything else you would like us to know?

Only that in spite of the content of some of my stories, I don’t have a criminal record! And if I’ve whetted your appetite for more, you can find my psychological noir novella ‘Raise the Blade’ (Caffeine Nights Publishing) at Amazon.

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

Thank you for the opportunity to witter about myself! There were some really thought-provoking questions in there – I enjoyed the challenge.

Publisher: Caffeine Nights Publishing (25th August 2016)

Like a spider wrapping flies…

When psychopath Duncan leaves a trail of duct-tape-wrapped bodies scattered across the suburbs of Birmingham, there’s nothing to link the victims except his own name and address, carefully placed on each new corpse.Six very different people follow his clues, each convinced they can use Duncan to further their own selfish or naïve ends. Is there a reason Duncan’s driven to target these particular individuals, or does their very nature contribute to their fate?Will any of them be strong enough to break the cycle and escape a painful death? Or will Duncan reel them in and rearrange them to his own insane ideal?

“Raise the Blade is a gloriously gruesome read, riven with the very blackest of humour. And I loved it.”Ian Ayris, author of ‘Abide With Me’ and ‘April Skies’.

Buy your copy HERE

Enjoy!

Today I am over the moon to welcome Barbara Copperthwaite! 🙂

Barbara is a crime novelist. Author of INVISIBLE and FLOWERS FOR THE DEAD. She is a lovely lady and is very supportive of other authors and book bloggers.

Now, I have to confess that Barbara’s books have been waiting patiently on my kindle for far too long already. I have seen many glowing reviews for these books which makes me all the more ashamed to admit that I haven’t had the chance to read them, yet. I will be rectifying this as soon as I can, I promise!

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

Hello! My name is Barbara Copperthwaite, and people have always said that with a name like that I ought to write books. That wasn’t the only reason I decided to start writing, though. I’ve been a journalist for over twenty years, writing features, and working my way up to become a magazine editor. I’ve always loved the buzz of it. But I needed a new challenge and had an idea that refused to be ignored any longer…

That idea turned into my first novel, Invisible. The psychological thriller is told in the form of a diary; the diary of a woman in an unhappy marriage, whose mundane life explodes one night and she becomes the most hated woman in the country.

Flowers For The Dead is my second novel. It is told across two timelines. In the present, Adam, a serial killer, is stalking his latest prey, Laura. In the past we discover Adam’s back story. I loved exploring how he was warped from an innocent child, who loved fairy tales, into a monster.

Both novels have been Amazon bestsellers. In December I signed a four-book deal with Bookouture and am really excited about the future.

Where did/do you get your ideas from?

Anywhere, really. Invisible came as a result of a short stint working in Glasgow’s high security men’s prison when I was in my early twenties. Many of the men in there seemed perfectly normal and chatty; it fascinated me that they could hide their dark side so well. From that moment, I always wondered how well people can ever know each other. That thought drove a lot of my journalism, too.

Flowers For The Dead came to me randomly, courtesy of a carton of milk! One day I opened my fridge to use the last of it. But it wasn’t the last, there was another full carton beside it that I must have bought and forgotten about. 

“It must have been me, there’s no one else who could have done it,” I shrugged to myself. Then I laughed: “Unless there’s a crazed stalker breaking in just to leave me milk.”

From that moment came the inspiration for Adam, a stalker who wants to do kind, thoughtful things for the woman he loves. Right up until the moment he kills her. I kept thinking about how creepy it would be to have someone doing things around your home, and how easy it would be at first to write them off as absent-mindedness. No one would realise what Adam was doing until it was too late…

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

As a general rule my characters are a thing apart from the real world. I write mini-biographies about them, which includes not just their age, height, weight, eye colour, mannerisms, etc, but also background information which explains why they are the way they are now. Although much of it may not make it into the book, it helps to create a rounded, realistic character whose thoughts and feelings make sense.

How do you pick your characters’ names?

Names are important, as they provide a subtle indicator of social status, age, even location. More than anything, though, I try to choose names that fit the character’s personality. Laura Weir, in Flowers For The Dead, has a tumultuous background, hence the surname of ‘weir’. I chose Adam for the serial killer because he is so alone, and unique, and the biblical connotations appealed to me. His surname is Bourne to reflect the fact that, although he is a murderer, in some ways he is almost an innocent. It’s fair to say he’s a complex character!

The first names simply have to ‘feel’ right to me, and it’s something I can’t really explain. I annoy myself no end by spending ages going through names and rejecting them for no real reason. When I finally settle on one that is right, though, everything feels better.

But in Invisible, the main character is never named. She is almost literally invisible, with even her husband only ever referring to her as ‘babe’ or ‘gorgeous’. It seemed the perfect choice for her.

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

I usually start with a skeleton of an idea, with some ideas for key scenes which I write out. Then it’s just a question of head down and get on with it. I’m a big believer in research, though, thanks to my journalistic background, and that can often spark more scenes and plot-drivers, too.

Who are your top 5 favourite authors?

Gosh, that depends on my mood! Today, I’ll say Peter Swanson (twisted plots and complex, unlikeable characters), John Lewis-Stempel (stunning, lyrical prose about nature – a passion of mine), Patricia Highsmith (crime queen, in my opinion), Elizabeth Haynes (psychological thrillers extraordinaire), and Terry Pratchett (brilliantly funny look at the world, from a whole new angle, transposed to a whole new planet).

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

I would love to meet Charles Dickens. The journalist in me would insist on us sitting down and doing a full interview – I’d love to hear about his childhood from his own lips, and how that influenced him as a person as well as his writing. I’d like to know more about his process as a writer, too, particularly as his characters were so often larger than life, and he enjoyed acting them out.

Were you a big reader as a child?

Huge! I always had my head stuck in a book. I was read to a lot, but the moment I became a reader myself was when my mum handed me The Children of Cherry Tree Farm, by Enid Blyton. It had an orange, hardback cover and some of the leaves were loose, and mum explained that I had to be very careful with it because she had read that exact copy herself when she was my age. It underlined how precious words were – and of course the story inside was fabulous.

I suppose my crime fascination began as a child, too. I was addicted to Enid Blyton’s ‘Mystery’ series, and was reading ‘The Mystery of the Pantomime Cat’ when I figured out whodunit a whole page before the big reveal. To this day, I remember the feeling of pride at that moment, as I announced to my mum my thoughts. Clearly even as a nipper I was obsessed with crime fiction!

When did you start to write?

I’ve been a journalist since I was nineteen years old, starting out on my local weekly, and moving up to write on national women’s magazines and newspapers. I even edited a couple of mags, which was wonderful. But I didn’t write fiction until I was thirty-nine, and was suddenly hit with the burning desire to create a novel, mainly because I’d had the idea for Invisible and genuinely believed it was a unique tale that needed to be told.

I bought a cheap laptop, and started tapping away during my commute and lunch breaks. Writing again was great after so long running magazines (when you’re an editor there is no time to write features yourself). But soon, stolen moments weren’t enough for me. A few months later I decided to take voluntary redundancy. It’s possible it was a mid-life crisis! A week before my 40^th birthday, I became a freelance journalist – and an aspiring author. At the same time, I moved from my home in Colchester, Essex, to be with my partner, Paul, in Birmingham. From the start he was fully supportive of me chasing my dream.

My first novel, INVISIBLE, was published eight months later, in April 2014. I can honestly say I have never regretted my decision to give in to my mid-life crisis!

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

Ooh, no, I would never do that. It’s the author’s decision, so whether I wish the ending had been different or not, I couldn’t possibly rewrite it. Though I admit, I wish I could give happy endings to books such as The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas…but it then wouldn’t be the incredible, powerful book it is, would it.

Is there a book you wish you had written?

Every time I read a brilliant book, I wish I had written it!

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

I’d buy Bathsheba Everdene (from Thomas Hardy’s Far From The Madding Crowd) a large slice of cake and a hot chocolate at my local café, and I’d tell her to stop mucking about and settle down with Gabriel Oak from the start. It would save a whole lot of heartache on everyone’s part if she did. I’ve a feeling we’d also end up having a glass of wine or two, as it might take her a while to be persuaded – she’s quite stubborn!

What are you working on right now?

Right now, I’m finishing off my second book for Bookouture, which will be out later this year. It’s another psychological thriller, with a very tense countdown…

Do you have a new release due?

Coming soon is my first Bookouture novel. It’s an exciting new psychological thriller out in spring, the title and exact date are going to be announced soon. I can’t wait to share it with you all!

How can readers keep in touch with you?

I love keeping in touch with readers, so am on Facebook, Twitter, and have a blog and a website!

www.facebook.com/AuthorBarbaraCopperthwaite

www.twitter.com/BCopperthwait

www.barbaracopperthwaite.wordpress.com

http://www.barbaracopperthwaite.com

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

Publisher: Barbara Copperthwaite (31st March 2014)

THERE’S ONE VICTIM OF CRIME NO ONE NOTICES…
Something is wrong. With her marriage, with her husband, with her. But as she pours her heart out to her diary, it’s clear she doesn’t know what.
Until one explosive night she finds a possible answer.
Suddenly hated and vilified by everyone, she clings to her relationship – even while wondering if she really knows her husband at all…
INVISIBLE is a stunningly powerful, gripping and original psychological thriller of subtle insight that takes you on a twisted journey through one woman’s marriage.
Perfect for fans of THE WIDOW and WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN.

“Totally gripping and scarily believably characters. One of the most assured debuts of the year” BELLA
“Dark, gripping, twisted – we loved it!” REAL PEOPLE MAGAZINE
“This psychological thriller will stay with you for a long time after you’ve put it down” CRIME CONFIDENTIAL
“Seriously impressed. Such a powerful psychological thriller… Monumental character development” MANY BOOKS, MANY LIVES
“Totally and utterly convincing,” POSTCARD REVIEWS
“Quietly brilliant,” BY THE LETTER BOOK REVIEWS
“All-consuming. I lived and breathed this book. An absolutely gripping read, and quite unforgettable,” BEING ANNE

Buy your copy HERE

Publisher: BLC Publications; 1 edition (21st September 2015)

ADAM WILL DO ANYTHING TO MAKE YOU HAPPY. EVEN IF IT KILLS YOU.
Adam Bourne is a serial killer who thinks he is a saviour. When he murders young women and cuts off their lips, he believes he has done it to make them happy.
How did he become warped from the sensitive four-year-old who adored his gran and the fairy tales she read to him? What turned him into a monster who stalks his victims? And what is he trying to say with the bouquets he sends?
When he meets Laura Weir, Adam weaves a fairy tale romance around them. A tale she has no idea she is part of. As he hatches his twisted plan for their fairy tale ending, can anyone stop him before he creates the ultimate sacrifice to love?

“A chillingly drawn serial killer. Will have you looking over your shoulder and under your bed… Original, gripping, with a deep psychological impact,” Sunday Mirror

“Enthralling, tense and moving,” Real People magazine

Buy your copy HERE

Enjoy!

Today I am thrilled to welcome Clare Pedrick 🙂 Clare is the author of Chickens Eat Pasta: Escape to Umbria, published with Troubador Publishing.

Clare and her house

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

Hello everyone, and thank you Kerry for inviting me here today. My name is Clare Pedrick and I’m a British journalist living in Spoleto, which is a beautiful town in the central Italian region of Umbria. I’m also the author of a book called Chickens Eat Pasta: Escape to Umbria. It’s the story of how I bought a crumbling old ruin outside a medieval hill village some years back, and all that the adventure led to. Now you might think that this sounds familiar. But my tale is rather different from most of the well known books in this genre. That’s partly because it’s also a love story, and it’s written more like a novel than a memoir. I hope that gives it more of a sense of suspense and drama, and I’m told it’s quite a gripping read. The other difference is that Chickens Eat Pasta is not a foreigner’s view through rose-tinted spectacles. It’s quite a warts-and-all vision of life in this part of Italy, especially from a young woman’s perspective, which I was at the time, and some of the experiences described are fairly raw.

Clare’s house, as it is now

Clare’s house, when she first saw it

Where did you get your ideas from?

This was really a book that was waiting to be written, so I didn’t have to look too hard. It tells the story of how aged 26, I left my comfortable life in England, together with a rather good job and a very pretty Regency house that I owned in Brighton, all on a total whim after watching a video showing chickens eating spaghetti in the courtyard of an old but very picturesque Umbrian village. I was on a plane three days later to buy a house – if you can call it that, as it had no roof, water or electricity – triggering a series of events that was to change my life forever. So there was no shortage of material at all, or of colourful characters for that matter. It was really just a question of finding the time to write the book, and doing it in a way that was entertaining, but also moving. I reworked the book five times before it was published, so I hope I got it right.

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

Yes, all of them actually! The entire cast is taken from real life, and most of them are people I met once I bought my old house here in Umbria. I had an extraordinary amount of help and was shown great generosity by people who had no real reason to display such kindness. I often wonder why that was, and the only answer that I can come up with is that people felt sorry for me, as I was all on my own, in a very remote part of Italy, at a time when young women simply didn’t do that kind of thing, cavorting around without a family, or at least a husband! That’s the question people asked me the whole time at first. “Where is your husband?” “Or what do your parents think of you coming over here, all alone?” They just couldn’t understand. Of course, as the book shows, there were a few people who tried to capitalise on this, and take advantage of the fact that I was single and vulnerable, but luckily, my new friends always rallied round to protect me.

The village that became Clare’s second home

Just around the corner from Clare’s home

How do you pick your characters names?

Aside from members of my immediate family back in England, I changed all the characters’ names in the book. I thought it was only right, to protect their privacy, as none of them asked to be part of my story. The person I was most worried about was Ercolino – not his real name, but not far off. He is one of the central characters in the book, and many readers have really grown to love him, and his English wife Angela (not her real name either), who virtually adopted me as their daughter. Ercolino is a larger-than-life person, who is also very comical, in an extremely loving way, and I was concerned that he wouldn’t like my portrait of him, or enjoy being thrust onto the pages of my book. But on the contrary, he absolutely loved Chickens Eat Pasta, and always asks me how the sales are going when I see him, which is very often. Sometimes, as we sit and talk over a glass of wine, he will start reminiscing about one of the anecdotes described in the book – and which really happened in real life. And then his eyes almost disappear into the rest of his face as he starts laughing and crying at the same time. He really is quite a character, in every sense of the word.

Ercolino with Mamma outside their house in the village of San

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

As I said, I’m a journalist, so the business of sitting down to write is not a problem at all. I’m used to having deadlines and having to produce a certain amount of words in a given time, whether I feel inspired or not. So there was never going to be any question of the blank page syndrome. But strangely enough, the fact that I write for a living proved a drawback in some ways. After I had finished my first draft of the opening chapters, I sent them to my agent in London and she called me over for a chat. I was rather taken aback when she told me that the story was written too much as a journalist would write it – someone who is indeed concerned with meeting deadlines and getting the facts out as quickly as possible.

“It’s all so breathless,” she told me. So I was sent back to rewrite the whole thing, taking much more time to develop the characters and draw the narrative out. It wasn’t easy at first, but it was very satisfying once I got into the swing of it. And my agent was right. It makes for a much better read.

Who are your top 5 favourite authors?

I have a weakness for really good travel writers, so I love Norman Lewis and H.V. Morton, who wrote extraordinarily vivid accounts of their journeys and the people they encountered, including some memorable portraits of Italy. I’m also very fond of the books of British author and – funnily enough, former journalist – Robert Harris, who has a wonderful talent for portraying fictional stories against a historical background. His Pompeii, the story of the eruption of Vesuvius, is quite spellbinding, and really takes you there, even though the actual events happened more than 2000 years ago. I still have a very soft spot for Charles Dickens, whose wonderful characters always bring a smile to my face, or send a shiver down my spine. And my fifth choice would definitely be Graham Greene. I’m just rereading Brighton Rock, and enjoying every minute. His portrait of the main character Pinkie is a mesmerising study of pure evil.

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

Well in a way I’m cheating here, as it would be Graham Greene, and I’m proud to say I did indeed meet him, one evening many years ago at a reception when I was working in Brighton as a reporter on the local paper, the Evening Argus. I’m afraid I can’t recall what I asked him, although I know we chatted for several minutes. But I can well remember his demeanour, which was quiet and extremely poised, modest and unpretentious. He made quite an impression on me, and I think his writing is really outstanding.

Were you a big reader as a child?

Yes I always had my nose in a book, even on car journeys, though I’ll never understand how I didn’t get car sick. I read just about anything that I could get my hands on, and luckily there was never a shortage of books in our home. My father was a prolific reader, and always had books piled high on his bedside table, a habit that I have inherited, as has my son. And of course the local library was a wonderfully rich source of books, and one of which I made full use. That’s something I miss greatly here in Italy, for although libraries exist, they are nothing like as well stocked as the English ones.

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

I think it would probably be the ending to One Day, the otherwise captivating best-selling novel by British author David Nicholls. Like many people, I think I felt rather cheated when, after all the trials and tribulations of the on-off relationship between Emma and Dexter, it all ends in tragedy, and rather banal tragedy at that. I hope I’m not ruining the story for anyone – so stop reading here if you don’t want to know what happens. But killing her off in an accident with a pushbike just didn’t seem right, especially when things were at last going well between them. It almost seemed as if Nicholls couldn’t think how to end it and wanted to be done with the whole story. I’m not one for schmaltzy endings, but this one should definitely have been changed!

Is there a book you wish you had written?

A great many, starting with just about any of the books written by my five favourite authors, as described above. But most of all, I wish I had more time to devote to writing, and could sit down day after day and give myself over to planning and researching ideas for a really good novel. But I have to earn my bread and butter as a journalist, which is quite a demanding job that involves travelling from time to time, and I certainly couldn’t afford to give that up. I know some people manage to combine writing and a day job, but I suspect that means giving up your social life and just about any other form of pleasure if you do it for long. As I discovered when I wrote Chickens Eat Pasta, writing a book is incredibly time consuming. If I had known that at the beginning, I might never have started, so it’s just as well that I didn’t.

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

I think that would probably be Marcus Attilius Primus, the young engineer in Pompeii, who arrives in the Bay of Naples from Rome at the start of the book to take charge as hydraulic engineer or aquarius of the Aqua Augusta. This is the aqueduct that supplies water to the many towns in the region, including Pompeii itself. Actually, we probably wouldn’t go for coffee, as I don’t think it existed in those days, so it would have to be a glass of wine, which is fine by me. And I’d probably take him to my local bar in Piazza del Mercato here in Spoleto. These days it’s called the Caffe degli Artisti, but I’m sure there was a bar there even then, as it’s right on the corner of Spoleto’s ancient Roman Forum, so a great location. I’d love to chat to Attilius about his unusual job, and hear him explain some of the astonishing hydraulic engineering feats of those times, which are still in evidence today. Hydraulic engineers like him were responsible for building a network of aqueducts throughout the ancient Roman Empire – many of which were very beautiful architectural constructions in their own right – drawing water from often distant sources into cities and towns, supplying private households, fountains, and of course public baths. The other thing I would like to talk about to Attilius would be his plans for August 24 of that fateful year AD 79. I think I’d advise him to take a break, go on holiday, but at all costs to keep away from Pompeii, which was obliterated when Vesuvius erupted. Spoleto is lovely in August, as it’s in the hills so there is always a slight breeze. They would be very welcome here! I’d also tell him to bring his girlfriend Corelia, who he goes back to rescue as Pompeii is covered in ash and rubble.

Roman aquaducts

How can readers keep in touch with you?

I have a blog, which mainly tells stories from my Umbrian village, or other parts of this beautiful part of Italy, along with showing photos, so that readers have an idea of just how lovely it is. Oh yes, and there are one or two recipes too, as food plays a very important role in this part of the world.

Chickens Eat Pasta also has a Facebook page and I have a Facebook profile and Twitter account (@ClarePedrick). I’d be delighted to hear from readers through any of these channels.

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

CHICKENS EAT PASTA
The love affair between Clare
Pedrick and an old, Umbrian ruin
she bought on a whim that started
a new life in Central Italy

“I am always being asked how I ended up living in Italy and what brought me here in the first place.
Most people assume it must have been a man. But actually it was a love affair with a house – which led to a love affair with a man.”
Clare Pedrick was just 26 years old when she decided to buy a beautiful old ruin in Umbria on a whim after spotting
a newspaper advert one rainy Sunday morning. She was entirely alone when she embarked on her adventure, which
eventually led to a love affair with a man who is now her husband.
Unlike some other recent bestsellers, this is not simply an account of a foreigner’s move to Italy, but a love story
written from the unusual perspective of both within and outside of the story. As events unfold, the strong storyline
carries with it a rich portrayal of Italian life from the inside, with a supporting cast of memorable characters. Along
the way, the book explores and captures the warmth and colour of Italy, as well as some of the cultural differences –
between England and Italy, but also between regional Italian lifestyles and behaviour. It is a story with a happy
ending. The author and her husband are still married, with three children, who love the old house on the hill (now
much restored) almost as much as she does.
“I wrote the book partly for our children, who have grown up spending their weekends and summers there. The house has been
completely restored – it’s hard for the children to understand how dilapidated and basic it was when I was first bewitched by the place.”
Chickens Eat Pasta is primarily a love story – of Clare’s love for the house that she saw one day and decided to buy, of
the man she met there and went on to marry, of the children that they have and of the country that is now their home.
CLARE PEDRICK is a British journalist who studied Italian at Cambridge University before
becoming a reporter. She went on to work as the Rome correspondent for the Washington Post
and as European Editor of an international features agency. She still lives in Italy with her
husband, whom she met in the village where she bought her house.
PUBLICATION DATE 28th July 2015
ISBN: 9781784623517

Buy your copy –

http://www.troubador.co.uk/book_info.asp?bookid=3313

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Chickens-Eat-Pasta-Escape-Umbria-ebook/dp/B012GZXOPY/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1484817839&sr=8-1

Publisher: Cornerstone Digital (1st September 2016)

Well, this is an emotional roller-coaster of a read.

I can’t say I particularly liked any of the characters, especially the rich and somewhat entitled ones, but their story is completely captivating.

The story switches between 1980, when 17 year old Kelly Lund is convicted and jailed for the murder of a seemingly well respected Hollywood director, John McFaddon, and her teenage life prior to her murder charge, and 2010 when Kelly is free, but living an odd existence with her husband, Shane, who stood by her throughout her prison sentence. They don’t have an intimate marriage, they don’t even share the same bedroom, and Shane is very understanding. Kelly blames her struggle with intimacy on being in prison for 20 years. I did feel quite sorry for Shane.

We get to know two very different Kelly’s as the story progresses. Teenage Kelly, prior to 1980, hanging out with and getting high with her Hollywood friends. Spiralling out of control as she grieves for her sister and learns that John McFaddon isn’t the man he is portrayed to be. 2010 Kelly is much quieter. Grown up, but somewhat detached from the world. She only seems happy when in the arms of her neighbour, Rocky 3.

When her Father-in-Law is found shot dead, Kelly is obviously a prime suspect, but did she really risk her future by killing again? Was she ever guilty of killing anyone?

I hope that has piqued your interest because I don’t want to say much else for fear of giving anything away, but I totally recommend you read it then I’d love to have a chat with you about it. What Remains Of Me is thoroughly gripping. There are many twists and turns, some shocking and totally unexpected. I didn’t have a clue what was going on for most of it, although I thought I had it sussed a few times. It kept me guessing the whole time. Quite complex characters with far from straight forward secrets to reveal. Brilliantly written with all the pieces of the puzzle fitting together nicely by the end.

Many thanks to the author and publisher for approving my request on Netgalley.

Buy your copy HERE

Description

People don’t need to know you’re a murderer.
They just have to think you could be…

June 1980: 17-year-old Kelly Lund is jailed for killing Hollywood film director, John McFadden

Thirty years later, Kelly is a free woman. Yet speculation still swirls over what really happened that night.

And when her father-in law, and close friend of McFadden is found dead – shot through the head at point-blank range – there can only be one suspect.

But this time Kelly has some high-profile friends who believe she’s innocent of both crimes.

But is she?

‘You’ll stay up late to read this’ Laura Lippmann

‘Full of crackling energy and heartache’ Megan Abbott

‘An exceptional book by an exceptional writer’ Alex Marwood

I am delighted to welcome Catherine Hokin today 🙂

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

My name is Catherine Hokin. I’m a Glasgow based writer and my debut novel Blood and Roses, a work of historical fiction about Margaret of Anjou and her role in the fifteenth century Wars of the Roses, came out in paperback and kindle in 2016. I also write contemporary short stories which are a bit twisted!

Where did/do you get your ideas from?

My historical fiction is based on real people, strong women who have played an important part in history but whose voices have either been forgotten or distorted. Margaret of Anjou, for example, was turned into a mad witch by Shakespeare and that stuck even though it’s completely wrong! When I’ve found the character who interests me, then I go hunting for the ‘gaps’ – the things that they did/which happened to them that we know about but we don’t know the reasons why. That’s where the story telling starts.

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

I do use personality traits from people I know that I think will fit the character – like a lot of writers I’m always collecting quirks – and I also use myself. I used my experience as a mother of a teenage boy in Blood and Roses – he’s read it and he forgave me! There’s a mad tyrant in book 2 who’s based very much on a real person but I’m not saying who…

How do you pick your characters names?

A lot of them are real but for supporting characters I use common period names. For my short stories I use ones that match with a particular characteristic: Alice in Stolen Moments lives in a macabre fantasy world, Cara in Kitchen Nightmares is very caring.

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

I’m a planner. Lots and lots of research with masses of notes, pinboards and Pinterest; a first draft which is a research/story dump and then storyboarding. I’m a big fan of Story by Robert McKee – it’s my template.

Who are your top 5 favourite authors?

AL Kennedy, Angela Carter, Emma Donoghue, Terry Pratchett, Kate Atkinson

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

Gabriel Garcia Marquez – I want to know how he managed to hold all the crazy plot strands of One Hundred Years of Solitude together and write such an amazing book. And George RR Martin – seriously, how can it be taking this long…

Were you a big reader as a child?

Huge, I read anything and everything I could get my hands on. I’ve always loved stories.

When did you start to write?

I wrote my first pieces about 25 years ago but life and children got in the way and I put it all aside. I started properly again about 4 years ago when I could find headspace to do it. For the last 6 months I have been writing full time which is an absolute joy – it may not last so I’m relishing every minute.

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

That’s a toughie – being honest probably The Handmaid’s Tale as I loved it but didn’t think the ending worked. Although I’d prefer Margaret Atwood to do it than me.

Is there a book you wish you had written?

One Hundred Years of Solitude, it’s a breathtaking sweep of genius – I don’t think my brain is big enough though.

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

The Chance sisters, Nora and Dora, from Angela Carter’s Wise Children. Afternoon tea at the Savoy and then cocktails – they’d have a wealth of stories and hopefully a few tricks to help us get away without paying.

What are you working on right now?

I’m in that strange writer place of being involved with 3 books at different points. I’m still doing a lot of promotional stuff round Blood and Roses, my second novel (set in the fourteenth century) is with my agent and I’m at the first draft/nervous breakdown stage of book 3 which is set in the twelfth century, sort of.

Do you have a new release due?

My lovely agent is sending out book 2 and we are keeping everything crossed. It’s tough out there – she is looking for a different publisher and it’s not easy. At least she gets the rejections first though…

How can readers keep in touch with you?

Through my website at https://www.catherinehokin.com/, on twitter @cathokin and through my author Facebook page Cat Hokin Please say hi at any or all!

Is there anything else you would like us to know?

I blog on the 22^nd of every month for the History Girls author collective – there’s 30 of us and there’s some great stuff on there.

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

Buy your copy HERE

Publisher: Yolk Publishing (11th January 2016)

Blood and Roses tells the story of Margaret of Anjou (1430-82), wife of Henry VI and a key protagonist in the Wars of the Roses. This is a feminist revision of a woman frequently imagined only as the shadowy figure demonised by Shakespeare – Blood and Roses examines Margaret as a Queen unable to wield the power and authority she is capable of, as a wife trapped in marriage to a man born to be a saint and as a mother whose son meets a terrible fate she has set in motion. It is the story of a woman caught up in the pursuit of power, playing a game ultimately no one can control…

Wow!

I’m not very good at reviewing short stories, but when Dan Klefstad sent me a copy of The Caretaker, which is to be published on 1^st February in the lit journal Crack the Spine (Issue 210), I read the first page as my curiosity got the better of me. I do like a vampire story! Needless to say, that first page ensured I read the rest. It might not be many pages long, but they are captivating and chilling. It’s a vampire story, but quite unique.

I have permission from the author to share this quote with you all, from the opening page –

“Dear Applicant, Congratulations. Out of hundreds of applications, yours stood out…..But, I must warn you: The more you read, the more my employer will consider you a threat if you decline our offer. If you have no intentions of taking the job, delete this message now before reading further.”

I’m sure you can see now why there was no way I could not read the rest!

I liked how the story starts as a job interview of sorts, leading to initial training, for a job which is far from conventional. That first contact would have had scared the **** out of me, but I guess the generous salary and benefits would more than pique the interest of many!

We learn how Daniel started his career. He offers his advice and shares his initial experience with the new applicant.

Well written, creepy and brutal!

I’m glad to hear that Dan Klefstad hopes to expand this in to a full length novel. I think it will prove to be a great read.

Many thanks to Dan Klefstad for sending me a manuscript of this intriguing vampire story.

I will share the link when The Caretaker is published on 1st February.

In the meantime, you will find Dan’s other books on his Amazon author page

And if you missed it, check out my Q&A with Dan here – Q&A with author, Dan Klefstad

I am delighted to welcome Tracey Sinclair to my blog today 🙂

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

I’m an author and freelance writer and editor who lives in Brighton and I write in a mix of genres – including a romcom set in my hometown of Newcastle, Bridesmaid Blues, and a series of funny, snarky paranormal books set in London, called Dark Dates.

Where did/do you get your ideas from?

Everywhere! Sometimes from life – the basic plot of Bridesmaid Blues, in which the heroine has to be bridesmaid at a wedding where her ex was best man – came from my life (really!), but otherwise I’m inspired by lots of things.

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

Yes! I do weave a lot of my own traits into my protagonists – both Luce in Bridesmaid Blues and Cass in Dark Dates have a lot in common with me – and I often base characters on people I know, albeit it very loosely. I don’t want to make someone too close a fit in case I offend them, or have to kill them off!

How do you pick your characters names?

That’s always a struggle – though I did name Laclos, the vampire in Dark Dates, after one of my favourite authors. But often characters go through several names before one sticks.

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

I tend to scribble down ideas, scenes and characters sketches in long-hand for a few weeks – or even months – before I start a first draft, which I then write long-hand: sometimes I do a second long-hand draft then type them up and do multiple rewrites. As someone once said, most writing is rewriting!

Who are your top 5 favourite authors?

Oh, god, this changes all the time, but consistent favourites are Terry Pratchett, Jim Butcher, John Connolly, Barbara Kingsolver and A L Kennedy.

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

Alas I will never get to do this, but I would have very much liked to have had a pint and a chat with Terry Pratchett.

Were you a big reader as a child?

Oh, yes – I’ve always read voraciously.

When did you start to write?

I’ve been writing as long as I remember, but I had my first short story published when I was 17.

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

I wouldn’t, but there are scenes I would rewrite or omit, or small things I would change. I don’t think anyone is ever completely happy with their final version.

Is there a book you wish you had written?

Whatever I am reading at the time, if it’s good. I’m currently reading Samantha Ellis’ biography of Anne Bronte and envying her light but informative style, and I just finished Michelle Paver’s Thin Air and wanted to be able to write so eloquently and creepily.

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

Ooh, tough one. I would happily have a night out with either of the hot guys from my books: Cain would want to go to the pub, Laclos to a trendy bar, I’d be happy to just stare at them!

What are you working on right now?

I’m working on a sequel to the last Dark Dates book, Angel Falls, which ended on a cliff-hanger so I feel I have to keep reassuring people I’m writing the next one, and a few other projects at the moment. Lots in the pipeline, hopefully.

Do you have a new release due?

Nothing immediate – I put out 2 books last year so I’m still in the drafting stage of things now.

How can readers keep in touch with you?

Via my website, Facebook or Twitter:

www.facebook.com/darkdates

www.darkdates.org

@thriftygal

Is there anything else you would like us to know?

I love interacting with readers and bloggers so do come say hello…!

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

Luce knows she should be thrilled when Jenna asks her to be bridesmaid – after all, they’ve known each other since childhood and Jenna is the best friend any girl could have. But it’s hard to get excited about weddings when you’re terminally single and the best man is the boy who broke your heart: Jamie, the groom’s dashing and irresistible brother. How can she face the man who dumped her when she’s still so hopelessly in love? Then again, maybe this is the perfect opportunity – after all, where better to get back together than at a wedding?

So Luce has six months to figure out how to win back her ex, but she has plenty else on her plate – from an old friend returned to Newcastle with an announcement of her own, to a youthful colleague who may or may not have a crush on her and a mother who is acting very strangely indeed… and that’s all before a mysterious, handsome American walks into her life.

Sometimes being a bridesmaid isn’t all confetti and champagne…

‘A smarter, funnier Bridget Jones’ Diary for the 2010s – great pithy writing and instantly likeable characters’ Caroline Green, award-winning author whose books include Dark Ride, Cracks and Fragments.

All Cassandra Bick wants is to be left to get on with doing her job. But when you’re a Sensitive whose business is running a dating agency for vampires, life is never going to be straightforward – especially when there’s a supernatural war brewing in London, a sexy new bloodsucker in town and your mysterious, homicidal and vampire hating ex-lover chooses this moment to reappear in your life…

Witty, sharp and entertaining, Dark Dates is a heady mix of vampires, witches and werewolves – with the occasional angel thrown in – and introduces Cassandra Bick, a likeable heroine destined to join the ranks of fantasy’s feistiest females.

After narrowly averting a supernatural war in London, Cassandra Bick just wants life to get back to normal. Or as normal as life can be when you run a dating agency for vampires, your best friend is a witch and the oldest, strongest and sexiest vampire in town is taking a very personal interest in your business. But when a vicious new supernatural enemy threatens her friends, Cass finds herself once again fighting for the fate of her city – and having to face some demons of her own.

Snarky, sexy and fast paced, Wolf Night will leave you breathless.

Wolf Night is Book 2 in the Dark Dates series, the Chronicles of Cassandra Bick.

It isn’t easy to surprise Cassandra Bick. When you run a human-vampire dating agency, your colleague is a witch who is engaged to a shifter and your business partner is one of London’s most powerful (and sexiest) vampires, there’s no such thing as a normal day at the office.

But when a mysterious Dark Dates client brings a dire warning of a new threat to the city’s supernatural community, Cass and her friends realise they are up against their deadliest foe yet – and that this time, the danger is far closer to home than they could ever have imagined.

Sexy, snarky and with more bite than a crypt full of vampires, Angel Falls is the latest in the Dark Dates: Cassandra Bick series.

The hunter just wanted to be left alone – one last drink before leaving London forever. Then the vampire Laclos walked into the bar, and suddenly his night wasn’t looking so quiet after all…

There’s a new hunter in the city and he’d targeting Dark Dates – the vampire/human dating agency run by Cassandra Bick, who also happens to be the woman that both Cain and Laclos love. These two fierce rivals must work together to stop him before he drags London’s vampires into the spotlight and destroys Cassandra’s life – that’s if they don’t kill each other first.

It’s Christmas in London but Cassandra Bick, owner of the human/vampire dating agency Dark Dates, doesn’t feel much like celebrating. There’s a rogue vampire running loose on the streets and Cassandra and her friends must try to stop him before he strikes again – even if that means enlisting the help of Laclos, the flirtatious vampire with very definite ideas of what (or who) he wants to unwrap this Christmas…

You will find all of Tracey’s books on her Amazon author page

Enjoy!