Chat About Books

Today I have the pleasure of being the next stop on Simon Maltman’s A Chaser On The Rocks Blog Tour.

Simon very kindly agreed to answer my questions. Enjoy!

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

I’m a crime fiction writer from Northern Ireland and up until now I have written short stories that have been published in some magazines and anthologies. My debut novel A Chaser on the Rocks was released by Solstice Publishing on 13^th September. They accepted my initial draft and have been very supportive in editing, designing and getting it ready to be released. It is about a PI called Brian Caskey, who works in Belfast. He has mental health problems and writes crime fiction as a form of therapy. The novel is a ‘story within a story’ and follows his character, Billy Chapman, who is also a PI, solving mysteries during WW2 and The Belfast Blitz. It is perhaps best described as a psychological mystery. It has elements of noir and thriller and hopefully people will find it funny too.

Where did/do you get your ideas from?

I think from all over the place really! I think some small idea usually forms and then I plan some particular themes or plotlines that I think will work for it. That’s one of my favourite stages, before you actually start writing anything at all. Often visiting somewhere will kick-start the idea, like a museum or in the case of this novel, The Giant’s Causeway. The dramatic scenery was a real catalyst and the mythology attached to it too. The two main characters in the novel, I had used before in short stories and I think when you get to know a character a little, it’s part of the fun- trying to insert them into new scenarios.

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

I have to be careful what I say, haha! There’s a whole scene in the novel that is based on an incident in a pub with a friend of mine. He doesn’t know it’s in yet, I’d like to test out if he reads my novel first! Yes, I certainly use real life things that happen and people’s personal traits end up in characters sometimes. I suppose protagonists will often have elements of the author in them, but I’ve tried to avoid that as much as possible. That was also one of the interesting parts for me, of following the character that had been written by my other character.

How do you pick your characters names?

I usually do base them on people. It’s usually just a couple of names of people I know or the amalgamation of a few musicians I like or something like that. Sometimes there may be an element of using a name of someone to give me a bit of revenge satisfaction haha!

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

Once I have the initial ideas I was saying about, I would usually make a lot of notes. I’ve just started my next novel and I’ve passed that stage and onto doing some research. I like checking up facts online and visiting museums and going to the real places I’m going to set the story in. Then it will be lots and lots of writing and re-writing!

Do you have a favourite author?

I have a lot but my all time top three would be Raymond Chandler, Richard Stark and Iain Banks.

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

That’s a really difficult one. I think maybe Roald Dahl would be great to sit and have a chat with. It would be something to hear how he came up with his ideas, never mind the spying and being a Fighter pilot ace!

Were you a big reader as a child?

I wasn’t great at reading for pleasure actually, I kind of had stops and starts. In my teens I got into poetry quite a bit with people like Philip Larkin. It wasn’t until I started university and my early twenties when I really got into a lot of authors and then very much into crime fiction.

When did you start to write?

I used to write a lot of poetry and I’ve been always involved in various bands recording and gigging. It wasn’t until about four years ago that I started to write crime fiction stories.

What are you working on right now?

Along with the second novel, I’m editing a collection of my short stories. Hopefully that will be published also in the near future. I’m also finishing off a short story for a charity crime anthology with the excellent Bloodhound Books.

When can we look forward to a new release?

My novel will be released as an ebook on Amazon on 13^th September and as a paperback shortly afterwards.

How can readers keep in touch with you?

You can request me on Facebook and I have a writer page /simonmaltmancrimefiction. I’m also on Twitter, @simonmaltman

Thanks for having me Kerry, I really enjoyed those questions!

Many thanks for answering my questions Simon 🙂

Publisher: Solstice Publishing (11th September 2016)

Hardened by the mean streets of Belfast, ex-cop Brian Caskey works as a struggling PI. He is isolated and erratic, often losing the battle to maintain his fragile mental health. Caskey escapes the real world by writing crime fiction stories about a 1940’s PI investigating mysteries during the Belfast Blitz.
‘A Chaser on the Rocks’ follows both of these characters in parallel as a ‘novel within a novel’. The two stories collide in adramatic conclusion set against the backdrop of The Giant’s Causeway.
Simon Maltman has created a modern noir with a new twist, a dash of black humour and a fresh approach and comment on storytelling.

Buy your copy HERE

Watch this space for my review!

Happy Publication Day to Mark Edwards and Thomas & Mercer!

This brilliant book is out today for you all to enjoy! You’ll find the link to buy below.

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer (13th September 2016)

Wow, another awesome read by Mark Edwards!

I thoroughly enjoyed Follow You Home so I was very excited to receive a review copy of The Devil’s Work. I was sure I would love it and I haven’t been disappointed! If you love a good psychological thriller you won’t go far wrong with this one.

Sophie is going back to work after having her daughter. She’s had a lovely 4 years off, ensuring she didn’t miss those precious first years, but Daisy is now going to school and Sophie is over the moon to be starting a new chapter in her life, a fabulous new career with Jackdaw Books. I couldn’t help but share Sophie’s excitement. Who wouldn’t want to work for a successful publishing company? I would be over the moon too, as well as incredibly nervous. She had never left Daisy before, but she was in safe hands with her father, Guy.

Sophie soon starts to have issues with Cassie, a very clever and determined young lady on her team. Cassie is obviously very ambitious and seems to Sophie like she would stop at nothing to further her career. Would she lie and manipulate herself to the top or is Sophie just being paranoid? What really happened to her predecessor, Miranda? No-one seems to have a clue where she is. As things start to fall apart around her, Sophie becomes more and more convinced that Cassie is behind it all.

Quite early on we are introduced to Jasmine, but we don’t immediately know what happened to her. When we first flashback to Sophie’s University days we learn that Jasmine was Sophie’s best friend at the time. They were chalk and cheese, but very close. That is until Liam came along to complicate things.

The Devil’s Work is dark and disturbing in parts. Full of suspense. I really love Mark Edwards’ writing. The story flits effortlessly between 2015 and Sophie’s University days, gradually revealing the shocking truth. Brilliantly written, it kept me turning those pages as I had to know what Cassie was playing at and what happened to Jasmine.

Although it was clear early on that Sophie’s new job wasn’t going to be as glamorous as she’d imagined, I had no idea where the story was going until almost at the end when I started to have my suspicions. I still didn’t get it entirely right though! An excellent, excellent read! I highly recommend.

Many thanks to Mark Edwards and Thomas & Mercer for my paperback review copy. This is sure to be a bestseller!

Buy your copy HERE

Description:

A gripping psychological thriller from the bestselling author of Follow You Home and The Magpies.

It was the job she had dreamed of since childhood. But on her very first day, when an unnerving encounter drags up memories Sophie Greenwood would rather forget, she wonders if she has made a mistake. A fatal mistake.

What is her ambitious young assistant really up to? And what exactly happened to Sophie’s predecessor? When her husband and daughter are pulled into the nightmare, Sophie is forced to confront the darkest secrets she has carried for years.

As her life begins to fall apart at work and at home, Sophie must race to uncover the truth about her new job…before it kills her.

If you haven’t already and would like to, you can read my review of Follow You Home here – Follow You Home by Mark Edwards

About the Author

Hi all! I’m delighted to bring you my first ever #AskMeAnything!

First in the hot seat is Christina Huber.

Christina agreed to answer 20 random questions sent to me from readers, by email. Thank you so much for joining in Christina 🙂

“My name is Christina, and the Tomes and Tequila blog is my little empty-nester hobby after reviewing books elsewhere for quite a few years. I don’t enjoy talking about myself, I would much rather talk about books, Michael Fassbender or my dog…so this will be a short and awkward bio! I am a married mother of two whose day job is cataloging books at a military installation library. This means I get to touch everything that comes into my library…first! I have lived all over the world, so I enjoy reading about different backgrounds and cultures. I love birds, margaritas and hard cider, makeup (VIB Rouge card holder!) the Bee Gee’s, snapchat and anything French!”

Thank you to all you lovely people who sent me questions for Christina. Here’s her Q&A for you to enjoy…..

1 – What makes a book jump from 4*s to 5*s for you and keeps you reading well past bedtime?

I am a huge fan of smart…clever…witty books. I will read virtually any genre; I am not really picky. And I give a lot of 4 star reviews because chances are, if I’m reviewing it I finished it, and I normally don’t finish books I’m not enjoying. I think life is too short to read bad books, and my To Read pile is way too large. But the difference between a 4 and a 5 is akin to the difference between American and British television. A lot of American television spoon feeds it’s viewers…and British television expects you to have a little bit of a noodle between your ears.

2 – Hi Christina,

Let me introduce myself before I ask you my question. I’m Penny Fernandes and I have a Bachelors degree in Nursing and a Masters degree in Cardiovascular Thoracic nursing. Suffice to say that I have worked in hospitals a lot before I decided that I wanted to follow my long time passion ‘writing’. I would dream of writing ever since I was a little girl.

For the past two years I renounced nursing, got married and started writing. I started with my first book and I’m currently in the process of editing it. Now coming to my question. I’ve heard that getting a book out into the market is difficult but marketing of the book is even more difficult. Can you help me understand how that works? I’m really scared. To me writing seems like the easy part.

Hi Penny!! I am so sorry, but I really don’t have a good answer for you. Here is my take on book marketing right now: I think it is easier than it used to be, purely from a social media stand point. Now, in the palm of your hands, you have the capability of putting together a marketing kit, finding the info to send it out, and all the social media publicity you can wrangle. Is it that easy to get your book into the big guy’s hands? Clearly it’s not…but I think that right now is a great time to write a book. Plus, you obviously have the gumption or you wouldn’t have made it as far into the process as you have. Whatever you do, don’t lose hope. If you feel passionately about what you’re doing, it will clearly show in your work and your enthusiasm will jump off the screen at people and make them want to see what you’re up to.

3 – “Does cataloguing military books put you off ever looking at one in your free time, or does it do the opposite and make you want to rush out to read Tom Clancy & Co.? I know people who work with computers all day; I had always assumed they were computer nerds in their spare time, but it turned out that many couldn’t face a PC out of work, they were totally sick of them!”

I LOVE this question! The main difference between a military library and a regular public library, I would say, is the size and budget…although most libraries have budget issues right now. We have a little bit of everything in a small space, so try very hard to keep our collection uber current. I read all of the old Tom Clancy stuff when I was pregnant with my youngest…and we definitely have a lot of military-related fiction and nonfiction. The military section I find most interesting is the Chief of Staff of the Air Force selections, which are new each year. The Chief of Staff comes up with 10 or so new books every year that he recommends active duty read that are mainly leadership centric, but an interesting take on what is important in the military currently.

4 – I’d like to ask Christina, if she could sit down at a dinner party with 3 authors past or present, who would they be and why?

William Shakespeare, because I have always loved his plays, and I think his humour was ahead of its time. J.K. Rowling, because I think she’s a fascinating writer and an interesting character. And A.J. Jacobs…because he knows a little bit about everything, and would ensure we never ran out of conversation!

5 – What are your 5 favourite characters from books you have read, across any genre??

Isabel Spellman, Lord John Grey, Nina Popkin (The Survivor’s Guide to Family Happiness!!), Lily the Unicorn, and Scorpius Malfoy (I am laughing hysterically as I type this!!)

6 – If you were told you could never read another word again, what would you do instead?

I would fill the void with music, my second favourite hobby.

7 – If you were on Desert Island Discs, what book would you take with you?

I’m going to have to go with Bear Grylls Man vs. Wild book…or the Bible. Save my body or save my soul!

8 – Who’s your favourite fictional rogue or antihero?

Severus Snape. If I answer any differently, my son will kill me.

9 – What is your proudest achievement?

Right now, my proudest achievements come frequently…every time an author retweets me, or lets me know that they enjoyed a review. My book blog is the culmination of a passion of mine. And I’m just dorky enough to jump up and down every time I get that little bit of validation!

10 – Who is your favourite author, who you have met?

For Favourite author I am going to have to go with Diana Gabaldon because I am a HUGE Outlander fan…and her sassiness online just kills me. I appreciate clever and sarcastic people, mainly because I try so hard at it and normally fail. The only author I have met is Kaylie Newell. She writes romantic fiction (I enjoyed her Wolfe Creek series) and I went to school with her as a kid. That counts right?!?

11 – What’s your favourite bread?

They sell a pretzel bread at my local grocery store that I just can’t get enough of! But really…you can’t beat hot homemade bread fresh out of the oven/bread maker, regardless of the type.

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

It’s not necessarily an ending, but I was very unhappy when in Room by Emma Donoghue the Ma character attempts suicide. For some reason, it just didn’t feel right to me. She had struggled so much, and worked so hard to escape with her boy. And then to try and kill herself once they are finally safe? And leave her little boy with family she hadn’t seen in ages? I just didn’t buy it.

13 – What has been the most challenging moment of your adult life?

I would have to say that raising two children overseas with a husband deployed has to be the most challenging moment of my adult life. My husband was gone for almost 20 month total, and I went through a couple sets of friends who were my support system and life line. I think it is very hard to explain to people who haven’t done it. It really made me more empathetic to single parents. Really, I had it good because I was able to stay home with my children during this time, but it was a very trying period in my life.

14 – Which author would you really like to meet?

Right now I’d love to meet Jennifer Weiner because her Twitter is pretty damn funny, so she’d probably be a hoot to shake hands with.

15 – Would you like to write a book?

Honestly, for some reason I never felt I would be good enough to write a book…but the more I write on the blog, the more I entertain the notion of at least trying my hand at a short story.

16 – A book you’d love to see made into a film? (Maybe with casting?)

I would love to see the Cuckoo’s Calling made into a film (and I believe they’re doing it). As for Dream casting, I am going to fail at this miserably! My son does this to me all the time, and I’m never a good at it as he is! LOL I see a young scruffy Clive Owen as Cormoran Strike. A blonde Karen Gillan as Robin. Hmmm, I am failing at this because I don’t normally see actors when I’m reading books.

17 – What’s your favourite time of the year?

I would’ve said Winter, until I moved to North Dakota! I will have to go with Fall. I love when there is a chill in the air, and a brisk wind is blowing…

18 – What’s the best surprise you’ve ever had?

Best surprise ever (or at least that I can think of right now) happened when my husband had deployed “over there”. He left the beginning of December, and right before Christmas I received a very large and surprising package in the mail containing 2 beautiful paintings of Paris. I am a HUGE Francophile, and this came out of nowhere! The hubby had apparently purchased them before leaving as a Christmas present…and it was perfection.

19 – Do you have a holiday destination you return to time and again or do you like to discover new places?

Since the longest I’ve lived in a location since I was a teenager is 5 ½ years, I haven’t been able to vacation at the same place year after year…and I think I enjoy seeing new places much more. BUT, if I could go back to a favourite location RIGHT NOW it would be Desenzano del Garda in Northern Italy. My family lived there for a few years, and have gone back on holiday since…and it is a beautiful peaceful place. Everyone talks about Lake Como because of the celebrities who live there, but I would choose Lake Garda any day!

20 – Favourite read so far this year?

Ooh, this is a tough one for me! I would have to say that Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling) is still my favourite 5 star book for this year, even though I was a little late to read it. I just find her adult writing to be impeccable. As for nonfiction books, Find Your Brave by Holly Wagner is hands down my favourite. My copy is filled with highlighter, and I rarely do that to books.

Thanks again to Christina for joining in with #AskMeAnything 🙂

Christina blogs at http://www.tomesandtequila.com/ Make sure you check it out!

If you’re a book blogger or author who would like to take part in #AskMeAnything, please email me – bellaboobos11@outlook.com

Today I am very pleased to welcome Catherine Byrne to my blog.

Catherine very kindly agreed to answer my questions 🙂

Enjoy…..

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

I’ve written four books, one contemporary novella Song for an Eagle, and three full length historical novels in the Raumsey series, Follow the Dove, The broken Horizon and The Road to Nowhere. These begin in Orkney in 1899 and follow the ups and downs of the Reid family. My stories take you to Hell’s Kitchen in Manhattan, to Europe during WW1 and the prairies of Canada. Although they follow each other, each novel is stand alone. Number four Isa’s Daughter, Takes the reader from the island of Raumsey to Glasgow and to Barcelona in the years between the wars, where my characters get involved with the political scene of that time.

Where did/do you get your ideas from?

I was born on the now uninhabited island of Stroma, and always wanted to write something about the island. A factual book had already been done. Then an elderly woman from Canada got in touch with me through Genes Reunited. She was researching her Genealogy and her grandparents came from Stroma. She could find no trace of her Grandfather’s death certificate, or where he was buried. There was no record of him being on the ship that took her grandmother and her children to Canada.

In spite of my best efforts, I could not help her, but the story of Davie Reid and Isa Muirison (not their real names) intrigued me. I had very sketchy details, but, with my Canadian relative’s permission, I developed a story around the facts. I had grown up with tales of the island life of a different generation from my mother and grandmother so was fairly knowledgeable about my subject. That was Follow the Dove. The others followed organically.

Unfortunately, neither the Canadian lady nor my mother lived to see the finished novel.

My novella Song for an Eagle was prompted by a photograph of my granddaughter and an eagle.

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

I do have charismatic but rather evil character in The Broken Horizon, and the picture of him I had in my mind was Cain Dingle from my favourite soap opera, Emmerdale.

How do you pick your characters names?

Since my books are set in the north of Scotland, I chose local names that were popular at that time. Back then, most forenames names were shortened or changed. For instance, my grandmother was Georgina, but she was always known as Mina.

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

I have no set plan. I write when the muse visits me. I edit as I go along. I like to know roughly what my ending will be, and write towards it. However, in Isa’s Daughter, my characters decided to do their own thing, and the ending took me by surprise.

Do you have a favourite author?

My favourite authors change with the years. At the moment it’s Peter May who wrote the Lewis trilogy.

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

I don’t read horrors, but I used to many years ago. I think I’d like to meet Stephen King. I’d love to know what goes on in the mind of someone who can come up with that degree of horror. I’d ask him if he sleeps easy at night.

Were you a big reader as a child?

Yes, always. The first book I read was Tom and the Waterbabies.

When did you start to write?

When I was about eight, my teacher told us that, if we knew of any little poems, we could take them to school and recite them for the Christmas Treat. I found a little poem in a book, and I wrote one myself. Tactfully, the teacher said, ‘They’re both nice, but we’ll just use this one.’ Predictably, it wasn’t the one I wrote!

About that time I was making up stories and drawing comic strips complete with the dialogue. In my teens, I wrote song lyrics and rhyming poetry. None of which anyone else ever saw. Then, I’m afraid, life got in the way and my writing took a back seat. In my spare time I indulged in my other passion, painting.

What are you working on right now?

I’ve just finished Isa’s Daughter. I only ever meant to write a trilogy, then try my hand at murder mysteries, but my readers demanded to know what happened next to the Reid family. Once I finished Isa’s Daughter, I missed my characters so much, that I’ve now started number five. My working title is Mary Rosie, but that might change.

When can we look forward to a new release?

Isa’s Daughter is with my editor. I was aiming for a December release, but it might be sooner.

How can readers keep in touch with you?

Face book https://www.facebook.com/FollowTheDove/?ref=bookmarks

Web page www.catherinebyrne-author.com

Twitter https://twitter.com/Katrine66

I’m always happy to interact with my readers.

Many thanks to Catherine for joining me on my blog today 🙂

You will find Catherine’s books on her Amazon author page HERE

Publisher: Orion (25th August 2016)

Joanna has suffered at the hands of her abusive husband for years, until one day she finds the strength to escape with her daughter, Laurel. It isn’t long, however, until she can see and hear the police sirens catching up with her. She panics and the next thing she knows she’s waking up in a strange house, to find herself and Laurel being cared for by kind strangers. She is in a place called Morro. They’re safe.

She soon starts to realise that not all is as it seems though and she is given a choice, to stay or go back and face her demons head on.

I won’t say much more as I don’t want to spoil it for anyone, but this story does deal with domestic abuse, so some parts will be upsetting for readers. I would, however, highly recommend that you add it to your reading list as I’m sure you will enjoy it as much as I have.

The Hummingbird’s Cage is a cleverly written, unique story, quite unlike anything I have read before. A story of hope with an unusual twist.

I’m amazed this is a debut novel! I’ll be looking forward to more from this author.

Many thanks to the author and publisher for approving my request on Netgalley. I am more than happy to recommend!

Buy your copy here – The Hummingbird’s Cage

Description:

Joanna has spent ten years married to a monster.

Everyone thinks she has the perfect life, but behind closed doors she lives in constant fear of her husband.

Escape seems impossible – and then a stranger offers her a chance to flee.

On the run with her young daughter, Joanna finds herself in the mysterious town of Morro. With no memory of how she got there. And no idea of what the town truly is.

Joanna faces a rare and terrible choice – stay safe, or return to face the fight of her life, to save herself and her little girl.

About the Author

Today I am very pleased to welcome Laura Briggs to my blog.

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

Well, I live in the country, on a sort-of farm—that is, we have chickens, goats, dogs, and cats, etc. I love to work outside with various plants and landscaping projects and have dreams of learning to bake really elaborate cakes (my favorite way to spend a Saturday morning is binge watching episodes of The Great British Bake Off). My first published work was Only in Novels, a romantic short story about a bookstore owner who teams up with a handsome author to rescue her struggling business. I’ve written several Jane Austen-themed works and several wedding-themed romances, including my latest novella, A Wedding in Cornwall.

Where did/do you get your ideas from?

Oh, everywhere. A lot of them come from talking with family and friends. Some of the best ideas are born from conversations on long car ride trips, I’ve found.

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

Not really. I tend to draw inspiration for certain characters by thinking what actor would play them best in a movie adaptation. It really helps me picture all the little quirks and characteristics that would help them come alive on the page.

How do you pick your characters names?

A lot of them come from the baby name book my parents used. Others come from favorite characters in TV shows and books.

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

A laptop and a playlist of favorite songs for inspiration.

Do you have a favourite author?

A lot of them, yes. Jane Austen is one I tend to read again and again. I like several of Anne Tyler’s books and some by Amy Tan. I’m also a big fan of mystery and historical suspense authors. Agatha Christie, Mary Roberts Rinehart, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Lynn Shepherd, Alex Grecian, and too many more to name.

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

That is such a tough question! But, you know, I think it would probably be Jane Austen. She was so talented and perceptive, but she didn’t really get to see the impact her novels would have on readers all over the world. I think I would ask her what she thinks about all the modern continuations and variations on her novels. Hopefully, she would see them as a compliment!

Were you a big reader as a child?

Not at all. I read a few books a month from the library, but I far and away preferred watching TV. I really didn’t appreciate reading until I was thirteen or fourteen. Then, I started reading some of the classic books like Jane Eyre and Sense and Sensibility. I’m still a big fan of classic books, especially those by Charles Dickens. It does take a little more patience and effort to read them, though.

When did you start to write?

I didn’t seriously start to write until I had graduated from college. I sent off my first manuscript, the short story Only in Novels, not really expecting anything to come of it. I was completely surprised when they sent a contract a few weeks later.

What are you working on right now?

The sequel to my romantic novella, A Wedding in Cornwall. Called A Christmas in Cornwall, it continues the story of American event planner Julianne, as she adjusts to her new job at the beautiful Cornish country house—and grapples with her romantic feelings for the handsome gardener, Matt.

When can we look forward to a new release?

A Christmas in Cornwall will be available on October 18^th and can now be purchased as a pre-order from Amazon.

How can readers keep in touch with you?

They can catch up with me on Twitter via @PaperDollWrites, or on Facebook, here: http://on.fb.me/1JjeMoI

Thanks to Laura for answering my questions 🙂

Laura’s latest release…..

It’s the career move of a lifetime, and Julianne can’t believe it’s hers: a position as an event planner at a country house in Cornwall, England, beginning with the wedding of a celebrity! If her old firm’s senior planner back in the States hadn’t fallen suddenly sick with the chicken pox, Julianne would never have found herself chosen for a life in one of England’s most beautiful coastal counties, surrounded by rugged shores, quaint cottages, elegant gardens and a house to die for.

But life in Cornwall isn’t exactly as Julianne imagined it. Her first bride-to-be is a resentful, petted snob, the groom is immature and bored, and the Cornish staff of Cliffs House has a difficult time believing that an event planner from a mid-level position can handle a wedding this big. And then there’s a personal matter — the handsome, sometimes charming, sometimes standoffish gardener Matthew Rose. He and Julianne have a strangely complicated relationship somewhere between friendship and attraction. But with a secret in his past, and a scheming bridesmaid plotting to have Matthew all to herself, will Julianne find a way to untangle her feelings and the problems of planning a perfect Cornish wedding?

Buy your copy HERE

Check out all of Laura’s books, on her Amazon author page, HERE

Watch this space for my review!

Hi all!

Thanks so much to all of you who have shown an interest in my new blog feature, #AskMeAnything 🙂 I hope you have your questions ready!!

In case you missed it  – An idea…..

First in the hot seat is fellow book blogger, Christina Huber. Thanks so much for joining in Christina 🙂

Christina blogs at http://www.tomesandtequila.com/

A little introduction from Christina…..

My name is Christina, and the Tomes and Tequila blog is my little empty-nester hobby after reviewing books elsewhere for quite a few years. I don’t enjoy talking about myself, I would much rather talk about books, Michael Fassbender or my dog…so this will be a short and awkward bio! I am a married mother of two whose day job is cataloging books at a military installation library. This means I get to touch everything that comes into my library…first! I have lived all over the world, so I enjoy reading about different backgrounds and cultures. I love birds, margaritas and hard cider, makeup (VIB Rouge card holder!) the Bee Gee’s, snapchat and anything French!

Now it’s over to you lovely people……. Ask Christina Anything! Please email your question to me – bellaboobos11@outlook.com (Please don’t post questions as a comment on this post as I don’t want anyone else to see the questions until I publish the interview, thanks).

Just one question per person please.

The first 20 questions in my inbox will be forwarded to Christina 🙂

Ready…… set……. go!

Today I have the pleasure of welcoming Ralph Webster to my blog.

Ralph is the author of a Smile in One Eye: a Tear in the Other, self-published in June 2016. Ralph very kindly agreed to answer my questions and I’m sure you’ll enjoy his answers…..

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

I am a first time author. As a 65 year old retired guy I never entertained the notion of writing a book. The vast portion of my working years was spent behind a computer writing software – a different form of writing and composing. I started an accounting software company in 1980 and was fortunate to sell it to my employees in 1997. Since then my wife and I have become active volunteers in our community. We both became Emergency Medical Technicians and drove the ambulance and fire trucks for a number of years. We have been involved in historic preservation projects, local fundraising activities and the like. We travel a great deal. Hiking is a passion. We make it a priority to spend quality time with our grandchildren. My wife Ginger is a strong advocate for coastal protection. Since we live in a coastal area we have driven ATV’s in search of turtle nests. We live on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, where the Wright brothers flew their airplanes. No, writing a book was never part of the plan. My aptitude was always numbers – never words.

A Smile in One Eye: a Tear in the Other is the story of my father’s family. They lived in the German state of East Prussia. They were proud, prosperous, patriotic, flag waving Germans. Baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran church, their ancestry was Jewish. They never denied this heritage but they were never taught to embrace it. They did not consider themselves Jews. When Hitler came into power, suddenly they were told they were Jewish. It was a distinction that made a life-and-death difference. This wasn’t about religion. It was about race.

Where did you get the idea from?

Obviously, there have been many written accounts of the holocaust. The world is replete with tragic stories and writing a holocaust story is certainly not a new idea. Writing the book using my father’s voice allowed me to present the story through a different lens. How can an entire family be Lutheran one day and told they were Jewish the next? Their entire world changed overnight. A lifetime of dreams and accomplishments was taken and there was nothing they could do. They were helpless.

Last year my wife and I took an extended hiking trip across Europe. Our trip took us from Croatia to Sweden travelling by train to all parts in between. At the time the international news was flooded with images of the refugee crisis. Thousands of people were fleeing Syria and Afghanistan. Most were headed to Germany in search of employment and opportunity. We saw this firsthand. Much like World War II, the world continues to be confronted with issues of ethnic cleansing, immigration and how to cope with the influx of refugees. Seeing this prompted me to write this story.

We saw history repeating itself. There is no end to the story of people forced to leave the homes of their mothers and fathers through no fault of their own. I wanted to make the reader feel that sense of helplessness – what it is like to have to run for your life – what it is like to leave the country where your family has always lived – what it is like to leave family behind – what it is like to be totally disconnected and not know who has survived and who has not – what it is like to try to survive in a place with a different language and culture. In today’s error of terror and violence, I believe we too often forget that the refugees of the world are not the enemy. They are the innocent victims. They are the bystanders. They are people like you and me.

Tell me about your characters. How did you create them? What was your writing process?

The people, the places, and the timeline are all real. None of the names have been changed. To create the story I had to connect many dots and imagine the reality. Think of it this way. I had all the reminders and visuals – old pictures, old letters, various documents like military records and passports. I had the broad outlines. What I had to do was bring the personality to paper – to convey the feelings. My father never shared his story. He was too busy living his circumstance.

To write the book, I needed to get into my father’s head, to see the world as he saw it. The process required a lot of digging and figuring out how to connect the pieces. The actual story was real. The written story had to be genuine and believable. I have been told that the final result reads more like a historical novel than a memoir or biography.

Do you have a favourite author?

There are so many past and present. Carlos Ruiz Zafrόn always jumps out. I thought the Shadow of the Wind was an absolutely wonderful book.

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

Tough question. Certainly Carlos Ruiz Zafrόn would be high on the list as would be Leon Uris and John Le Carre. I would ask how they could start with a blank canvas and create what they created. And, with all that imagination rolling around in their heads how could they ever sleep?

Were you a big reader as a child? What about writing?

My mother loved to read and always encouraged me to learn about the world through books. I never saw my father read a book. I suppose I was somewhere in the middle. As for writing??? Most would tell you that I excelled at talking and never writing. Like I said at the beginning, numbers were more my style.

Are you working on a new book at the moment?

No. I think I am a one and done kind of author. I am not sure what I will do next. It may be time buy a van and spend time driving across America. When my head swells, Ginger tells me we could put a sign on the side of the van that says Author Inside – Please honk for a signed copy.

How can readers keep in touch with you?

They can email me anytime at ralphwebsterobx@gmail.com or go to my website http://www.smileinoneeye.com. I always enjoy the conversation.

Thanks to Ralph for joining me on my blog today 🙂

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (28 Jun. 2016) 

Near the edge of the Baltic Sea, in a small East Prussian town, lives a happy and prosperous family. The Wobsers are patriotic Germans and faithful Lutherans with four beautiful children: chatty Trude, fearless Lotte, careful Ilse, and precocious Gerhard. The decade-older sisters treat Gerhard as their little prince. He is the apple of his father’s eye. Then, one day in 1933, their world falls apart. They have been identified as Jews, a heritage never denied, but a religion never embraced.

This chilling true story follows the four Wobser siblings as they struggle to survive a Nazi regime intent on their extermination. Even those that manage to flee will find themselves without a home or country to call their own.

From Edinburgh to Shanghai, the Wobsers will travel the world in search of a place they belong. Author and historical chronicler Ralph Webster (a descendent of the Wobsers) deftly connects their story and survival to the struggles modern refugees face every day. In addition to serving as a fascinating piece of history, A Smile in One Eye: A Tear in the Other is a passionate call to arms for organizations and individuals to properly protect and help the world’s refugees.

Buy your copy here – a Smile in One Eye by Ralph Webster

Watch this space for my review!

From the author / publisher…..

 (Advance paperback copy from publisher)

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer (13th September 2016)

A gripping psychological thriller from the bestselling author of Follow You Home and The Magpies.

It was the job she had dreamed of since childhood. But on her very first day, when an unnerving encounter drags up memories Sophie Greenwood would rather forget, she wonders if she has made a mistake. A fatal mistake.

What is her ambitious young assistant really up to? And what exactly happened to Sophie’s predecessor? When her husband and daughter are pulled into the nightmare, Sophie is forced to confront the darkest secrets she has carried for years.

As her life begins to fall apart at work and at home, Sophie must race to uncover the truth about her new job…before it kills her.

 (Kindle copy from Leslie Garland)

Publisher: Leslie W P Garland (2 Dec. 2015)

Comprising four intriguing novella length contemporary folk or fairy stories, which contain a hint of the supernatural, together with more than a passing nod towards philosophy and religion:-

The Little Dog.
A story of good and evil, and retribution.
This first tale of The Red Grouse Tales is told by Bill, a retired forester, and takes the form of most of the stories in our lives, namely, that we have no idea that we are living a story until later when previous events suddenly seem to fall into place and make some kind of sense. Bill recounts a week in his early working life when he was paired with an older, unsavoury and unpopular colleague. While driving to their place of work they find a little dog sitting beside the forest haul-road way out in a remote part of the forest. Bill wonders what the little dog is doing there and as the week progresses finds himself becoming emotionally attached to it while also becoming increasingly concerned about just who is his objectionable workmate. His concerns heighten when he notices that the little dog is no longer present at his usual spot and cannot help but feel that his workmate has something to do with the dog’s disappearance. Troubled, Bill has a conversation with his local priest in which they discuss the nature of sin and evil. The next day events suddenly take an unexpected turn and the young naive Bill starts to learn some awful truths.

The Crow.
A poignant tale of misunderstanding, dying, blame and bitterness.
The second story in The Red Grouse Tales series centres on our almost desperate desire to leave something to mark our life upon this earth. It is told as a history recounted by Dave, of the time when he, as a child, was taken by his mother to a hospice where he met a dying and embittered old Irish priest known as Mad Father Patrick, who told him about the school days and subsequent rise of a local councillor, Reginald Monday, and of his (Monday’s) involvement in the construction of a dam which flooded the valley. The tale is told with a blend of fantasy, biblical quotations and philosophical musings, but how does Mad Father Patrick’s fantasy end and just why is he so bitter?

The Golden Tup.
A dreadful tale of paradise being cruelly taken by latent evil.
The third The Red Grouse Tale explores the possibility of evil being in a place. It is told by Verity, a farmer’s wife, who opens her story by recalling how a young couple were arrested a few years previously for killing their new born baby. Through a series of flashbacks we learn how this couple had created their rural idyll, how an enigmatic man had come into their lives and how their idyll and relationship had gradually fallen apart. With references to Milton’s Paradise Lost, though the story is not about the Fall of Man, we learn how their paradise was lost. As the young wife gradually reveals a dreadful past, Verity realises that she is holding something back, but what? What is the terrible truth that caused her and her husband to kill their baby?

The White Hart.
A happy ghost story, if there can be such a thing!
The fourth story in The Red Grouse Tales series is told by a bachelor and keen fell-runner, Pete Montague and takes the form of his recalling three strange incidents which he initially thinks are unconnected. The first is his encounter with a little albino deer which he finds in the forest when he is out for a jog. The second is that of a chance meeting with a beautiful girl at a remote chapel and of their conversation in which she tells him the story of the daughter of the family which built it. And the third incident ……

 (e-book from Simon Maltman)

 (e-book from Rosalie at Blackbird Digital)

 (e-book from Laura Briggs)

It’s the career move of a lifetime, and Julianne can’t believe it’s hers: a position as an event planner at a country house in Cornwall, England, beginning with the wedding of a celebrity! If her old firm’s senior planner back in the States hadn’t fallen suddenly sick with the chicken pox, Julianne would never have found herself chosen for a life in one of England’s most beautiful coastal counties, surrounded by rugged shores, quaint cottages, elegant gardens and a house to die for.

But life in Cornwall isn’t exactly as Julianne imagined it. Her first bride-to-be is a resentful, petted snob, the groom is immature and bored, and the Cornish staff of Cliffs House has a difficult time believing that an event planner from a mid-level position can handle a wedding this big. And then there’s a personal matter — the handsome, sometimes charming, sometimes standoffish gardener Matthew Rose. He and Julianne have a strangely complicated relationship somewhere between friendship and attraction. But with a secret in his past, and a scheming bridesmaid plotting to have Matthew all to herself, will Julianne find a way to untangle her feelings and the problems of planning a perfect Cornish wedding?

 (e-book from Dan Klefstad)

Most people take comfort knowing their family and friends will remember them after they die. For Susan Shepherd, “remembering” is bullshit. She wants an eternal shrine to her sacrifice: a book that never goes out of print.

Shepherd served her country in the Gulf War, got shot while serving her community as a cop, raised an ungrateful daughter by herself — and for what? A diagnosis of terminal cancer and she isn’t even fifty. If you were in her shoes, you might agree that nothing short of national perpetual acknowledgement will do.

She’s glad you feel that way; she just wrote a memoir and sent a flurry of query letters, hoping a publisher will memorialize her with a best-seller. After hitting Send, she waits not-at-all patiently for an editor to decide if her story will sell enough copies — that is, if her life really mattered.

 (e-book from publisher)

Dani, Meg, and Charlotte have bonded over babies, barbeques, and backyards, but when they escape for a girls’ weekend away, they can’t bring themselves to return to lives that don’t seem to fit anymore.

Harried Dani can’t explain why she feels so discontented until she meets a young gallery owner who inspires her to rediscover the art that once made her happy.

Dependable Meg faces up to a grief that threatens to swallow her whole and confronts a marriage built on expectations.

Flamboyant Charlotte, frustrated with her stagnated life and marriage, pursues a playboy Irish singer and beachside business opportunities.

All three of these women thought they would be different. None of them thought they’d be facing down forty and still wondering when life starts. What they do when they realize where they’re headed is both inspiring and wildly entertaining.

GIRLS’ WEEKEND is a fun, yet poignant romp through the universal search of who we are, why we love, and what makes us happy by an author who is quickly emerging as one of our most incisive storytellers.

 (e-book from PA)

***This novella is the prequel to Luminosity****
***Re-edited March 2016, with new scenes and a few surprises***
Life was full of nothing but darkness for Nathan Stevenson until Jasmine appeared in his life. She brought his innermost desires to the surface. She burned her way through to his heart to become embedded in his soul. He knew she was dangerous but would she break down his wall as he dreamed of her touch and fought against the impulse to protect her?Would their love be enough to defeat his demons? Was he strong enough to resist her or would her light burn irrevocably?

 (e-book from PA)

***Re-edited with new scenes****
Jasmine Johnstone’s life was relatively normal until she was forced to live with the Stevenson family. As she stayed she found she had no choice but to battle mythical creatures. Strengths she never knew she possessed began to surface, surprising those around her. Her only chance of surviving the rising tide of evil was Nathan Stevenson. Could she really trust him as he fought against his love for her? With the world against them and time running out, would their love be enough to defeat demons?

 (e-book from PA)

Life has never been easy for Jasmine Johnstone, but failing for Nathan Stevenson brings a whole new level of difficulty. Since she arrived at his home he’s blown hot and cold with her, turned against her and revealed a deadly threat. He is sworn to kill her, and fights against his love for her more than ever, but he knows he can’t live without her.
As they run from monsters, and each other, can their love survive?

 (e-book from Jean Nicole Rivers)

In the remote, eastern European town of Borslav there is St. Sebastian orphanage, a place where people discard their unwanted children. For the American, Blaire Baker, it’s the perfect place to volunteer her services. Paired with a cheerful volunteer nurse, Blaire is enthusiastic about the possibilities, but is quickly discouraged when she encounters the nefarious nature of the staff and the deplorable conditions of the facility and the children.

From Netgalley…..

Pub Date 01 Dec 2016

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

Pub Date 15 Sep 2016

Callum has a family secret. Yasmine wants to know it. Juliette thinks nobody knows hers. All Ruby wants is to reinvent herself. They are brought together by circumstance, torn apart by misunderstanding. As new relationships are forged and confidences are broken, each person’s version of events is colored by their background, beliefs, and prejudices. And so the ingredients are in place for a year shaped by lust, betrayal, and violence. Sometimes growing up is seeing someone else’s side of the story.

Pub Date 06 Oct 2016

The remote Irish village of Duneen has known little drama; and yet its inhabitants are troubled. Sergeant PJ Collins hasn’t always been this overweight; mother-of-twoBrid Riordan hasn’t always been an alcoholic; and elegant Evelyn Ross hasn’t always felt that her life was a total waste.

So when human remains are discovered on an old farm, suspected to be that of Tommy Burke – a former love of both Brid and Evelyn – the village’s dark past begins to unravel. As the frustrated PJ struggles to solve a genuine case for the first time in his life, he unearths a community’s worth of anger and resentments, secrets and regret.

Darkly comic, touching and at times profoundly sad, Holding is a masterful debut. Graham Norton employs his acerbic wit to breathe life into a host of loveable characters, and explore – with searing honesty – the complexities and contradictions that make us human.

Purchased / freebies…..

 (Kindle first, Prime member August freebie)

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer (1 Sept. 2016)

The body of a young woman is found on the streets of East London, in the shadow of the City’s gleaming towers. No ID on her, just hard-earned cash. But there is no doubting the ferocity of the attack.

DI Simon Fenchurch takes charge but, as his team tries to identify her and piece together her murder, they’re faced with cruel indifference at every turn—nobody cares about yet another dead prostitute. To Fenchurch, however, she could just as easily be Chloe, his daughter still missing after ten years, whose memory still haunts his days and nights, his burning obsession having killed his marriage.

When a second body is discovered, Fenchurch must peel back the grimy layers shrouding the London sex trade, confronting his own traumatic past while racing to undo a scheme larger, more complex and more evil than anything he could possibly have imagined.

 (Paperback from book sale on holiday)

Publisher: Harper (13 Aug. 2015)

One lied. One died.

When one sister dies, the other must go to desperate lengths to survive

After a tragic accident, still haunted by her twin sister’s death, Abi is making a fresh start in Bath. But when she meets siblings Bea and Ben, she is quickly drawn into their privileged and unsettling circle.

When one sister lies, she must protect her secret at all costs

As Abi tries to keep up with the demands of her fickle friends, strange things start to happen – precious letters go missing and threatening messages are left in her room. Is this the work of the beautiful and capricious Bea? Or is Abi willing to go to any lengths to get attention?

When the truth outs, will either sister survive?

 (Paperback from book sale on holiday)

Publisher: Penguin (23 Oct. 2014)

One abandoned baby. Two sisters with a secret. One chance to rewrite the past.
Over seventy years have passed since sisters Rose and Connie Doughty found an abandoned baby near their home on the island Scribbly Gum. With no one to take care of it, Rose and Connie took the baby in as their own.
Since then the ‘Munro Baby Mystery’ has brought fame and fortune, putting Scribbly Gum on the tourist map, especially for the island’s annual celebration.
But now, with Connie dead and outsider Sophie Honeywell about to move into her home, Rose begins to wonder if they made the right decision all those years ago. How much longer can they cover up the lie that has sustained their community for generations? And what other secrets are about to be revealed?

 (Paperback from book sale on holiday)

Publisher: Penguin (20 Jan. 2014)

In the heart-warming Lost and Found, discover tales from Battersea Dogs & Cats Home that celebrate the power of animals to transform people’s lives.

We hear from the young boy whose Battersea dog helped him to deal with a serious autoimmune disease, and from a woman whose Staffie was the friend who got her through cancer.

We meet the couple who were brought together by a Battersea dog; the man who took on a three-legged kitten which changed his life; and the former Battersea hound who became a search and rescue dog.

Read these and many other powerful stories from Battersea Dogs & Cats Home. Lost and Found has something for dog and cat lovers alike, and is perfect reading for fans of A Streetcat Named Bob and Paul O’Grady’s For The Love Of Dogs.

Battersea Dogs & Cats Home is the UK’s oldest and most famous home for dogs and cats. The Home aims never to turn away a dog or cat in need of help, reuniting lost dogs and cats with their owners or caring for them until new homes can be found. Battersea also works to educate the public about responsible pet ownership. Every year the Home cares for over 9,000 lost, abandoned and neglected dogs and cats, and in 2010 the home marked its 150th anniversary.

 (Paperback from charity shop)

Publisher: HarperCollins (12 Mar. 2015)

With family like this, who needs enemies…

There are some families that welcome newcomers with open arms, then there are the Butlers. An East End family no good girl wants to marry into…

Jo fell for Vinny Butler’s good looks, but she’s stood at one graveside too many and now she’s buried her heart as well.

Michael Butler was always the nice one, until he started running the family business. Nancy is desperate to leave, and though she would never turn her back on her children, every step they take in their father’s footsteps destroys her a little more.

As the old saying goes – you keep your friends close, and your enemies closer…

But you keep your family right where you can see them.

Book three in the Butler family saga. Read the whole series in order: 1. The Trap 2. Payback 3. The Wronged 4. Tainted Love

I didn’t realise it was book 3 when I bought it. I’ll have to find the first two now! 😉

 (Charity shop)

Publisher: MacLehose Press (1 Jan. 2010)

Lisbeth Salander is a wanted woman. Two Millennium journalists about to expose the truth about sex trafficking in Sweden are murdered, and Salander’s prints are on the weapon. Her history of unpredictable and vengeful behaviour makes her an official danger to society – but no-one can find her.

Mikael Blomkvist, editor-in-chief of Millennium, does not believe the police. Using all his magazine staff and resources to prove Salander’s innocence, Blomkvist also uncovers her terrible past, spent in criminally corrupt institutions. Yet Salander is more avenging angel than helpless victim. She may be an expert at staying out of sight – but she has ways of tracking down her most elusive enemies.

 (Charity shop)

Salander is plotting her revenge – against the man who tried to kill her, and against the government institutions that very nearly destroyed her life. But it is not going to be a straightforward campaign. After taking a bullet to the head, Salander is under close supervision in Intensive Care, and is set to face trial for three murders and one attempted murder on her eventual release.

With the help of journalist Mikael Blomkvist and his researchers at Millennium magazine, Salander must not only prove her innocence, but identify and denounce the corrupt politicians that have allowed the vulnerable to become victims of abuse and violence. Once a victim herself, Salander is now ready to fight back.

 (Charity shop)

Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. The earth has been invaded by a species that takes over the minds of their human hosts while leaving their bodies intact, and most of humanity has succumbed.

Wanderer, the invading ‘soul’ who has been given Melanie’s body, knew about the challenges of living inside a human: the overwhelming emotions, the too-vivid memories. But there was one difficulty Wanderer didn’t expect: the former tenant of her body refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.

Melanie fills Wanderer’s thoughts with visions of the man Melanie loves – Jared, a human who still lives in hiding. Unable to separate herself from her body’s desires, Wanderer yearns for a man she’s never met. As outside forces make Wanderer and Melanie unwilling allies, they set off to search for the man they both love.

 (Charity stall at Sandown Regatta, Isle Of Wight)

WINNER OF THE SHAMUS AWARD FOR BEST FIRST PI NOVEL

“I defy anyone to guess the identity of the killer or to put this book down.”

Five years ago, the serial killer known as the Night Hunter vanished without trace after murdering five women. Now another killer claiming to be the notorious Ed Fagan is back prowling the streets of Dublin in search of new victims – but Saxon, former FBI agent turned true crime author, knows that it can’t really be him. Joining forces with Detective Superintendent Grace Fitzgerald of the Dublin Metropolitan Police, Saxon soon finds herself in danger as the body count starts to rise and old secrets come to light. The Dead won the Shamus Award for Best First PI Novel and was long listed for the Sunday Independent/Hughes & Hughes Irish Novel of the Year award.

 (Charity shop)

Bee Bearhorn had a number-one hit single in 1985 – and was never heard of again. Fifteen years later she is found dead in her flat and nobody seems to care …

But Ana Wills always day-dreamed about the exotic half-sister she hasn’t seen in years. And when she comes to London to clear Bee’s flat, she uncovers a life more exotic than she imagined: a secret country cottage, mysterious weekends away, and even a missing cat.

With Bee’s closest friends – mad Lol and strong, silent Flint – Ana sets out to discover exactly what did happen to Bee Bearhorn, the one-hit wonder …

 (Charity shop)

The magical new novel from Sunday Times top ten bestseller, Milly Johnson

Life is full of second chances…if only you keep your heart open for them.

Spring Hill Square is a pretty sanctuary away from the bustle of everyday life. And at its centre is Leni Merryman’s Teashop on the Corner, specialising in cake, bookish stationery and compassion. And for three people, all in need of a little TLC, it is somewhere to find a friend to lean on.

Carla Pride has just discovered that her late husband Martin was not who she thought he was. And now she must learn to put her marriage behind her and move forward.

Molly Jones’s ex-husband Harvey has reappeared in her life after many years, wanting to put right the wrongs of the past before it is too late.

And Will Linton’s business has gone bust and his wife has left him to pick up the pieces. Now he needs to gather the strength to start again.

Can all three find the comfort they are looking for in The Teashop on the Corner? And as their hearts are slowly mended by Leni, can they return the favour when she needs it most…?

A story of love, friendship and second chances that will warm your heart and rekindle your hope.

 (Charity shop)

Love isn’t an exact science – but no one told Don Tillman. A thirty-nine-year-old geneticist, Don’s never had a second date. So he devises the Wife Project, a scientific test to find the perfect partner. Enter Rosie – ‘the world’s most incompatible woman’ – throwing Don’s safe, ordered life into chaos. But what is this unsettling, alien emotion he’s feeling?

 (Charity stall at Sandown Regatta, Isle Of Wight)

A second collection of incredible and heart-warming canine stories from around the world, from the bestselling author of The Dog That Saved My Life.

Animals have accompanied man into battle since war first waged. Since those times, many stories have been told of the bears, camels, cats, dolphins, monkeys, mules, rats and other creatures that have served with the Armed Forces during both world wars and beyond. The four stories in this book represent the devotion and unquestioning loyalty of the canine companion in the darkest days of war.

From the stub-tailed Bull Terrier that became a hero of the First World War, and the most decorated dog in history, after his bravery in the trenches of Flanders, to the remarkable loyalty of an Iraqi stray dog who attached himself to British troops in North Port and then patrolled their camp every night, protecting them from being attacked by the vicious packs of dogs living in the desert, each is an incredible tale of wartime bravery as well as an example of inspiring commitment and courage.

 (Charity shop)

THE SENSATIONAL SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER and winner of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year 2016

A tragic accident. It all happened so quickly. She couldn’t have prevented it. Could she?

In a split second, Jenna Gray’s world descends into a nightmare. Her only hope of moving on is to walk away from everything she knows to start afresh. Desperate to escape, Jenna moves to a remote cottage on the Welsh coast, but she is haunted by her fears, her grief and her memories of a cruel November night that changed her life forever.

Slowly, Jenna begins to glimpse the potential for happiness in her future. But her past is about to catch up with her, and the consequences will be devastating . . .

 (Charity stall at Sandown Regatta, Isle Of Wight)

John Green’s witty yet heart-breaking tour de force. The multi-million #1 bestseller, now a major motion picture starring Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort.

“I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, then all at once.”

Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel’s story is about to be completely rewritten.

Added to my wishlist…..