Hi all!

To say I am thrilled to be a part of Mel Sherratt’s Hush Hush blog tour would be a massive understatement! I am SO excited to join in with the fun 🙂

WOW! What a fantastic start to a new series. Gripping is an understatement. The fact that I have read it in less than 48 hours says a lot. Not much else has been achieved over the last couple of days, I can tell you, and I’m not even sorry! Mel Sherratt’s books never disappoint, they just get better and better.

Hush Hush is an excellent police procedural in which we get to meet DS Grace Allendale for the first time. I have loved getting to know Grace. I take my hat off to her as I’m not sure I’d be brave enough to move back to my hometown with her family history. She is a dedicated professional though, determined not to let her family connections stand in the way of her new position. It was never going to be easy, but she’s a feisty character. We see a very personal side to Grace also, when we learn about the relatively recent death of her husband. She’s had more than her fair share of heartache.

She barely has her feet under her new desk before being faced with their first murder, and others following soon afterwards. The link to her past won’t make the investigation any easier and she hopes her new colleagues won’t judge her when they find out the truth of her past. She needs them to work as a team to piece together the clues and bring this murderer to justice.

This is an extremely fast-paced crime thriller with an intricately woven plot. Such clever writing! The characters are very real and believable and for me the fact that it is set is Stoke-on-Trent is a massive bonus. Reading about places I recognise in a book is always so cool.

I love how Mel Sherratt has a way of portraying the killer as cold and calculating, but at the same time damaged and vulnerable. I couldn’t help but feel some empathy towards them despite their horrific crimes.

This is a story full of suspense, twists and turns, secrets, lies and revenge. Short chapters add to the tension and pace of the story making it a true page-turner. As with most of Mel Sherratt’s books I found myself holding my breath towards the end and my heart was beating so fast as I was finding out the truth. Just brilliant! I highly recommend to anyone!

I love that Allie Shenton is still around also. If you haven’t read the Allie Shenton series yet then you really should.

Many thanks to the author and publisher for my gorgeous paperback copy for review and for the honour of being a part of this amazing blog tour.

‘Fans of MARTINA COLE will love this’ Katerina Diamond

A gripping new series from million-copy bestseller Mel Sherratt.

‘I love all Mel Sherratt’s books’ IAN RANKIN

‘Twists and turns and delivers a satisfying shot of tension’ RACHEL ABBOTT

A killer is on the loose, attacking people in places they feel most safe: their workplaces, their homes. It’s up to DS Grace Allendale to stop the murders, and prove herself to her new team.

All clues lead to local crime family the Steeles, but that’s where things get complicated. Because the Steeles aren’t just any family, they’re Grace’s family. Two brothers and two sisters, connected by the violent father only Grace and her mother escaped.

To catch the killer, Grace will have to choose between her team and her blood. But who do you trust, when both sides are out to get you?

An unforgettable thriller that fans of MARTINA COLE and CARA HUNTER won’t be able to put down.

Authors love HUSH HUSH:

‘On a thriller cocktail list, Hush Hush would be a Bloody Mary with a perfect twist…’ FIONA BARTON

‘Mel Sherratt is the new queen of gritty police procedurals’ C.L. TAYLOR

‘Gripped me from the first page and didn’t let go until the heart-stopping conclusion!’ ROBERT BRYNDZA

Rated FIVE STARS by real readers:

‘This book had me hooked from the start.
DS Grace Allendale is a great character.’

‘I have read nearly all of Mel Sherratt’s books and thoroughly enjoyed them. However, this one is my favourite!’

‘A brilliant police procedural: deliciously intense and addictive with a suspenseful storyline that didn’t disappoint!’

‘Couldn’t read fast enough!’

‘A riveting read and hopefully the first of many in this new series, 10 out of 10 and highly recommended!’

‘I loved this book. Mel Sherratt is a new author for me and I’m so glad I found her…’

Happy reading 🙂

My novels take you to the heart of the crime. I write police procedurals, psychological suspense and crime dramas – fiction with a punch. Shortlisted for the prestigious CWA (Crime Writer’s Association) Dagger in Library Award, my inspiration comes from authors such as Martina Cole, Lynda la Plante, Mandasue Heller and Elizabeth Haynes.

Since 2012, I’ve sold over one million books. All eleven of my crime novels have been bestsellers, each one climbing into the Kindle UK top 10 and I’ve had several number ones. I’ve also had numerous Kindle All-star awards, for best read author and best titles.

My latest book, HUSH HUSH is the first in a new series featuring DS Grace Allendale. It’s a police procedural which finds Grace returning to her hometown of Stoke-on-Trent and coming face to face with her estranged family during her first murder investigation. It’s a story of ‘is blood thicker than water’ and being stuck between a rock and a hard place. And there’s a serial killer on the loose…

SHE DID IT is a standalone psychological thriller, and my first novel set in London. I wanted to write about a character who was nice to everyone using one persona but out for revenge with another side to her that she tries to keep hidden away. The reader knows exactly what she is up to – but not the reason why.

TAUNTING THE DEAD is my best selling book. It’s part police procedural/part psychological thriller. It was standalone for two years but I have now written two more books with Detective Sergeant Allie Shenton as the main character to create a trilogy. FOLLOW THE LEADER is book two and ONLY THE BRAVE is book three.

THE ESTATE SERIES is a mix of psychological suspense and family life with a sprinkling of grit and a dash of menace – where drama meets crime. There are four books, available individually or you can read the first three as a box set.

DETECTIVE EDEN BERRISFORD works in a community intelligence team and helps to gather information and intel for investigations. THE GIRLS NEXT DOOR is the first book, followed by DON’T LOOK BEHIND YOU.

WATCHING OVER YOU is another standalone psychological thriller. It’s dark in places, light in places, disturbing in places too – where obsession and friendship turn into murder.

I also write women’s fiction under the pen name of Marcie Steele. Stirred with Love, The Little Market Stall of Hope and Heartbreak and The Second Chance Shoe Shop are out now.

I live in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, with my husband and terrier, Dexter (named after the TV serial killer) and make liberal use of my hometown as a backdrop for some of my books. You can find out more at my website http://www.melsherratt.co.uk or I’m on Twitter at @writermels

***Not tried The Estate Series yet? For a limited time, you can grab a copy of the ‘behind the scenes look’ at the series, Secrets on The Estate. Just copy and paste this link into your browser for your free book: http://bit.ly/1fFPgmD ***

Hi all! I am absolutely OVER THE MOON and honoured to be one of the lucky bloggers kicking off Tilly Tennant’s The Christmas Wish blog tour! 🙂

Many thanks to the author and publisher for the opportunity to join in with this awesome tour!

My review…..

Awwww, Tilly Tennant’s books never fail to put a smile on my face! The Christmas Wish has been such an adorable read. I’ve LOVED it! It does have it’s fair share of drama and sadness and one particularly annoying character who I could happily slap! It’s a very character driven story and I did love almost all of them.
When we meet Esme she has moved back in with her Grandmother in Derbyshire after splitting with her boyfriend, Warren. WOW, he’s a piece of work and is the character I was referring to above. Esme is definitely better of without him, but he has a certain hold over her. However, her Grandmother makes her realise she is worth so much more until the worst happens and Esme finds herself alone with a pair of tickets for a trip of a lifetime to Lapland, which her Grandmother had planned for the both of them to enjoy together that Christmas.
Before long she succumbs to Warren’s ‘charms’ (and I use that term very loosely!) and agrees to move back to London with him. She really wants him to go on the trip with her, but of course everything has to be on Warren’s terms and he refuses point blank. I was SO happy when Esme decided to go anyway, alone. I’m not sure I would have been as brave though. Esme agrees to meet other lone travellers at the airport and this is when we meet Hortense (fab name!), Brian and Zach who couldn’t be any different from each other, but the four of them become friends and decide to enjoy their holiday together. What a fabulous mix of characters! Zach is just so lovely, but it seems he has a past which he is finding difficult to move on from.
This is the most heart-warming of story’s, set in such a stunning place at the most magical time of the year and I can’t imagine anyone not loving every single page. Tilly Tennant has a way of drawing you in and not letting you go until the end of the very last page. I was totally captivated! Beautifully written, as always. I highly recommend!
Many thanks to the author and publisher for my ARC via Netgalley and also a massive thank you to Tilly Tennant for my beautiful signed paperback copy 🙂

Description:

Christmas is coming but it doesn’t feel that way for Esme. Jilted by her cheating fiancée Warren and mourning the death of her beloved grandmother she’s determined not to let life beat her and books a trip to Lapland, on a holiday that her grandmother had always dreamed of taking.

Beneath the indigo skies of Lapland, love is the last thing on Esme’s mind but she can’t ignore a spark with Zach, a broodingly handsome actor, also nursing a broken heart. But when Esme is bombarded by messages from Warren promising he’s changed and she discovers that Zach is hiding something-will her head be turned? And when a trip to the northern lights reveals the full extent Zach’s own secret past is there any hope that Esme will get the happy ending that her grandmother wished for her?

 Author Bio:

Tilly Tennant was born in Dorset, the oldest of four children, but now lives in Staffordshire with a family of her own. After years of dismal and disastrous jobs, including paper plate stacking, shop girl, newspaper promotions and waitressing (she never could carry a bowl of soup without spilling a bit), she decided to indulge her passion for the written word by embarking on a degree in English and creative writing. She wrote a novel in 2007 during her first summer break at university and has not stopped writing since. She also works as a freelance fiction editor, and considers herself very lucky that this enables her to read many wonderful books before the rest of the world gets them.

Hopelessly Devoted to Holden Finn was her debut novel; published in 2014 it was an Amazon bestseller in both the UK and Australia. In 2016 she signed to the hugely successful Bookouture and is currently working on her next Tilly Tennant novel. She also writes as Sharon Sant, where she explores the darker side of life, and Poppy Galbraith, where things get a little crazier.

Author Social Media Links

 FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/TillyTennant/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/TillyTenWriter

WEBSITE: www.tillytennant.com

Interview with Brenda Bannister…..

with thanks to Rachel @ Rachel’s Random Resources

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

My name is Brenda Bannister and I’m a retired college librarian, living in Frome, Somerset, where I write, volunteer at the local theatre box office, potter in my garden, visit my elderly mum and look after the cat. I am the current organiser for the Frome Festival Short Story Competition and a founder member of Frome Writers’ Collective. My first novel, The Tissue Veil, is set in East London where I worked for eighteen years. It’s told over two time frames, beginning in 1901 and 2001, with the narratives alternating. There’s an element of the supernatural — the two main characters live in the same house 100 years apart and a mysterious link develops between them — but the real concern is with the lives of young women in both eras, and the problems they share in following their own paths.

Where did/do you get your ideas from?

The area of East London where I worked for 18 years was a big influence, as were the people there.

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

Mostly they are amalgams of aspects of lots of people, with a healthy dose of make-believe. However, one of the lecturers — Andy — in the modern narrative owes a debt to a past colleague.

How do you pick your characters names?

I take care to choose first names which fit the period or the age of the character. With the Edwardian story, it helped to think of famous people from that era — politicians, writers etc. The modern story features a Bangladeshi family: some of their names were familiar, others came from online lists of muslim names aimed at new parents. Characters are like babies — they soon grow into their names and couldn’t be called anything else!

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

It’s a bit shambolic. A few days of thinking, maybe scribbling an outline in a notebook, then type straight onto the screen.

Who are your top 5 favourite authors?

I’m not great at lists and don’t read ‘series’ very often, though I do enjoy Bernard Cornwell’s ‘Uhtred’ books. I’ll say Dickens would have to be there, Philip Pullman for young adult and fantasy, Jane Smiley, Hilary Mantel, David Mitchell — but if you ask me next week, I might have changed my mind!

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

I’d like to ask Hilary Mantel when the third book in the Wolf Hall trilogy will be published!

Were you a big reader as a child?

Definitely. I’d choose an Enid Blyton from the library, sit reading it on the front doorstep, then complain bitterly that I couldn’t exchange the book until the following day. In my teens I read anything from Dickens to Dumas and Hemingway to Emily Bronte.

When did you start to write?

I’d written short pieces on and off since my teens, but didn’t really write seriously until I retired to Frome, nearly eight years ago.

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

I suppose it’s only human to want happy endings — make Cordelia survive in King Lear, save Hardy’s Tess from hanging – and I really wanted Lyra and Will to be able to stay in the same world together in The Amber Spyglass, but no — I wouldn’t change them.

Is there a book you wish you had written?

Another difficult one! Much as I admire the grand sweep of nineteenth century novelists, I think I’d choose something small but perfectly formed like J.L. Carr’s A Month in the Country.

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

It’s unlikely, but as an arch procrastinator, I’ll tell you tomorrow.

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

If she hasn’t reformed too much, I reckon Jane Austen’s Emma would have plenty of gossip to share.

What are you working on right now?

A story set in Somerset in the first half of the twentieth century. Lily, the feisty heroine, is let down by her father and makes a disastrous marriage in the search for a substitute figure.

Do you have a new release due?

No, I have to finish it first!

What do you generally do to celebrate on publication day?

I haven’t published enough yet to set a pattern — probably a get-together with my writing buddies over a bottle of wine.

How can readers keep in touch with you?

There’s a contact form on my website (http://brenbannister.co.uk/) or go to my Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/brendabannisterwriter/). I’d be happy to hear from you!

Is there anything else you would like us to know?

Just that I’m really grateful for this opportunity to ‘chat about books’ with you and your followers. Thank you for having me!

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

The Tissue Veil

What if you discovered a hundred-year-old diary under your floorboards – and then found references in it to yourself? Or if you lived in 1901, yet kept seeing glimpses of a girl from modern times? And what if both of you had problems that only the other could really understand? Emily and Aysha live in the same Stepney house and an inexplicable link develops between them, fuelled by Aysha’s discovery of a journal and Emily’s sightings of a ‘future ghost’. Each takes courage from the other’s predicament – after all, what’s a hundred years between friends?

Purchase Links:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tissue-Veil-Brenda-Bannister/dp/1785451464

https://www.hive.co.uk/Product/Brenda-Bannister/The-Tissue-Veil/20721984

Author Bio –

Brenda studied English at university and later qualified as a librarian, working in various educational settings from schools to higher education. Moving from London to Frome in Somerset in 2010 proved a catalyst for her own writing as she joined local fiction and script writing groups. She has had a number of short stories published, plus short plays produced in local pub theatre, but all the while was incubating a story based in the area of Tower Hamlets where she had worked for eighteen years. This germ of a story became ‘The Tissue Veil’.

Brenda is a founder member of Frome Writers’ Collective, an organisation which has grown from a handful of members to over a hundred in the past four years, and helped set up its innovative Silver Crow Book Brand. She is also the current organiser of the annual Frome Festival Short Story Competition. A lifelong reader, Brenda rarely follows genres, but enjoys modern literary fiction, historical fiction, classics and the occasional detective novel. The latest Bernard Cornwell might be a guilty pleasure, but she’ll be even more eager to get her hands on Hilary Mantel’s final instalment of Thomas Cromwell’s story.

Social Media Links –

https://www.facebook.com/brendabannisterwriter/

http://brenbannister.co.uk/

http://silvercrowbooks.co.uk/

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

Happy reading 🙂

Happy Publication Day, Mel 🙂

#HushHush

A gripping new series from million-copy bestseller Mel Sherratt

‘On a thriller cocktail list, Hush Hush would be a Bloody Mary with a perfect twist…’ FIONA BARTON

‘An absolute masterpiece. Twisty, turny and full of surprises!’ ANGELA MARSONS

‘Twists and turns and delivers a satisfying shot of tension’ RACHEL ABBOTT

A killer is on the loose, attacking people in places they feel most safe: their workplaces, their homes. It’s up to DS Grace Allendale to stop the murders, and prove herself to her new team.

All clues lead to local crime family the Steeles, but that’s where things get complicated. Because the Steeles aren’t just any family, they’re Grace’s family. Two brothers and two sisters, connected by the violent father only Grace and her mother escaped.

To catch the killer, Grace will have to choose between her team and her blood. But who do you trust, when both sides are out to get you?

An unforgettable thriller that fans of MARTINA COLE and CARA HUNTER won’t be able to put down.

Out now!

Get clicking people!

Watch this space for my review as part of the blog tour 🙂

#TeamSherratt

Hi and welcome to my stop on Kate Donne’s Bobby ‘Chicken Legs’ Muldoon: Fame and Fortune in the Gorbals (The Bobby Muldoon Trilogy Book 3) blog tour with Love Books Group Tours!

Many thanks to Kate Donne and Kelly @ Love Books Group Tours

Interview with Kate Donne…..

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

My name is Kate Donne and I live in Dollar, Clackmannanshire with my Welsh husband Steve, my dog Brodie and eight chickens!

Where did/do you get your ideas from?

I have always used the creative side of my brain! I’m no academic. In fact, I failed my O grade Arithmetic in secondary school! From school plays to directing musicals to writing scripts, that has been my life. I spent three years at The Royal Conservatoire in Glasgow, studying drama and we did a lot of character building work there. Ideas for characters and scenarios seem to come easily but I must admit, where they come from I have no idea!

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

I have been running my personal development company for many years and, thinking back to the first book, I would say I based my characters on personality types rather than specific people.

Bobby is a young man with no confidence but he is very determined and has a sharp, witty sense of humour. Maw is an aggressive character and Granny Pat is simply aff er heid! Then there’s Faither who is extremely submissive. I felt that mix gave me plenty of scope for conflict! Then I added Jeannie, Bobby’s girlfriend, to bring a bit of normality to the mix as a very clear thinking, confident young woman.

How do you pick your characters’ names?

I use lots of combinations of first and last names until I find the right fit. I think the names have to reflect the characters personalities. I write comedy so I needed names with a touch of humour. For instance, I don’t think Bobby ‘Chicken Legs’ Ferguson would have worked!

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

I have been trained to think in pictures so I see the characters in the storyline before I write it! Does that make sense? If I can’t see it then I know it won’t work! Perhaps all along I have been writing a stage play and I’ve only just realised it! Many of my readers have said they love reading Bobby out loud. That’s great feedback.

Who are your top 5 favourite authors?

Number one would have to be Rhonda Byrne, author of The Secret. I have read the whole series, The Secret, The Power, Hero and How The Secret changed my life. Her books certainly changed my life!

Numbers two and three would be Scottish authors James Kelman (How Late It Was, How Late) and Anne Donovan (Buddha Da). Both have had real success using the Scottish dialect and their work is a joy to read.

Four would have to be Alexandra Sokoloff. I am working my way through her book Screenwriting Tricks for Authors at the moment. It’s a big read full of amazing advice.

Five is Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence. He claims EQ is much more important than IQ and his book is packed with self development advice! His chapter on turning our negative affirmation into positive affirmation is mind blowing!

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

I’d like to meet Chris Brookmyre! I was short listed last year in the Tarbert Book Festival short story competition and Chris did an amazing presentation as part of the weekend. The guy’s a genius!

Were you a big reader as a child

My honest answer would be ‘No’. I was part of a folk group when I was very young and I sang professionally all through my teens until my late twenties. There was very little time for reading.

When did you start to write?

It started at primary school when I was 12. I wrote a story about Rabbie Burns and all his girlfriends and it won the Robert Burns competition! I went on to write humorous weegie poems and short stories and was pleased to have some of them published. That’s when I decided to take my writing to the next level.

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

This has got to be the ending in Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women. I remember reading somewhere that her publisher went against her wishes and insisted on the unsatisfactory ending! I would rewrite it and do a happily ever after ending for Jo and Laurie and leave Amy to be bored out of her mind with the dull professor!

Is there a book you wish you had written?

Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights

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

Me, Myself and I. (I have many different characters in me!)

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

I would invite every single character from Shakespeare’s Complete Works! Then I would host a massive costume party in the grounds of Stirling Castle and stand back and wait for the fireworks!

What are you working on right now?

I am working on a stage adaptation of the trilogy. I plan to spend the next year working on this and create a three act stage play. Then I want to tour Scottish theatres with Bobby! I have many professional contacts who are already interested in working as a team so I am very excited at the moment! All I need is lots of funding and I’m aware that will be the biggest challenge!

Tell us about your last release?

Book three of the trilogy, Fame and Fortune in The Gorbals, was released earlier this year. It brings the story to a very positive end but still leaves it open for future books!

Do you have a new release due?

I am about to release the complete Trilogy. It’s called Life in The Gorbals and it will be out next week!

What do you generally do to celebrate on publication day?

Breathe a sigh of relief first, then start planning the next phase of Bobby’s journey!

How can readers keep in touch with you?

Readers can find me on

Website: weegiewords.com

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

Instagram: katedonne

Twitter: @Donnekate

Linkedin: Kate Donne (BA Dramatic Studies)

Is there anything else you would like us to know?

Not much more to say except ‘thank you’!

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

Blurb

Robert James Muldoon. That’s me. Sixteen years auld, four feet three wi bright red hair an legs like a chicken…’

It’s 1969 and Bobby, as he is usually known, has spent the last year dealing with one crisis after another. He’s a Gorbals’ boy though so with sheer determination and a witty sense of humour he’s moving on. Thanks to some carefully considered action plans and the support of Jeannie, the love of his life, Bobby has so far overcome every obstacle in his path. Now he and Jeannie have a plan to create a good life for themselves. Will Bobby finally become a confident, successful young man? Or will he go one step further and find…

Fame and Fortune in The Gorbals?

Buy Link

https://amzn.to/2Pfv7pD

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

Happy reading 🙂

Hi! Do you live in, or around, Stoke-on-Trent? If yes then why not come along to the 6×6 Reading Café…..

6X6 Reading Café

This is always a lovely evening and is becoming increasingly popular. Hope to see you there!

Tuesday 11 December, 7-8.30pm (doors open 6.30pm)

City Central Library, Hanley

Cost: free

Six writers…six readings…six minutes each. By popular request, this will be a seasonal evening, with readings that echo the time of year – be that Christmas, Yule, New Year or other Winter/December celebrations.

For details of how to submit your work, go to the Writing Guidelines page at https://6x6writingcafe.wordpress.com/  The submissions window opens 1st October and ends 25th November. If you’re not reading your work aloud, you are very welcome to come, listen and give your support.

This event is free, but tickets should be booked in advance.

Tel: 01782 238455 Email: central.library@stoke.gov.uk

Hi and welcome to my stop on Stephen J. Willis’s Spirits of the Dead blog tour with Love Books Group Tours!

Interview with Stephen J Willis…..

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

My interest in the arts started in the acting world, wherein I had a few TV spots, like a pilot in the TV series Mile High on Sky One, and was even in an award-winning short film called Casting Call. I have written books in different genres. I have two novellas, based on true stories, a thriller and a very short ghost story. This current teen series is: The Christopher Daring Adventures, book1: Spirits of the Dead, book2: The Forest of Riddles. Other books in the series shall follow next year.

My website is: http://www.stephenjwillis.com

Where did/do you get your ideas from?

They come from various aspects of life and have built up from over the years. I read a cross-section of books and am interested in all sorts of films and documentaries. I constantly make notes for things to use in the future.

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

Yes, a mixture normally. But I’d never say incase the people found out…

How do you pick your characters’ names?

Some names just seem to site nicely, whereas others I need to use deeper meanings for. I may use names with deeper meanings depending on the persons ethnic background too.

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

1) I work out an overall story

2) I list key moments/scenes/scenario/characters/plots/interests/worries/etc

3) I bullet-point each chapter, then add sub-subjects

4) I then begin to write each chapter. Although not necessarily in order

5) I then review if further layers or sub-plots are needed

Who are your top 5 favourite authors?

1) James Herbert

2) J.K. Rowling

3) Dan Brown

4) Christopher Fowler

5) M.C. Beaton

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

James Herbert (back in the day) and ask where he got all his intel. Some of the stuff he wrote about was so secret I wonder how he found out.

Were you a big reader as a child?

Not really. Just the odd Roald Dahl or Enid Blyton. But in my mid-late teens I became more interested in positive business mind-set, and so would read and listen to constructive books and tapes all the time. Only in my twenties did I start back in to literary books.

When did you start to write?

I wrote my first basic story when I was 14 years old. It was called Liberation, but it was never finished. I wrote various bits and bobs over the next twenty years, but never took what I was doing seriously.

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

Only one of my own shorter ones. I’d add a final twist, that I always wished I’d added.

Is there a book you wish you had written?

The Harry Potter series I suppose.

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

Lies aside, let me tell you the truth

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

Robert Langdon, (Dan Brown novels) and I’d take him to Brighton for a walk around the Lanes and sea front, before sitting down for a coffee at one of the wonderful coffee bars on the actual lower promenade.

What are you working on right now?

The current book I am working on is a psychological drama based on a true event. It is 90% done. I have been working on this. on an off, for about ten years actually, but I never felt happy with it. But I think I am practically there now. I’ll probably send it off to my editor for a first read sometime in November.

Tell us about your last release?

I released two books together: The Christopher Daring Adventures, book1: Spirits of the Dead, book2: The Forest of Riddles. Throughout the series, Christopher and his friends must overcome various despicable foes as they battle with riddles, codes, creatures of the night, deathly spectres and secret orders, as they go in search of Christopher’s missing brother and father. Other books in the series shall follow next year.

Do you have a new release due?

Nope, the new books are now out on Amazon or can be bought through any book seller.

What do you generally do to celebrate on publication day?

I have never celebrated actually. I just was so engrossed in getting the last release done that I was too tired to even think about a celebration.

How can readers keep in touch with you?

They can subscribe to my Newsletter on my website and get a free audio book in the process. As well as all the latest news, they will get the short ghost story: The Figure in the Mist sent to them. http://www.stephenjwillis.com

Is there anything else you would like us to know?

I drink too much tea and have a weakness for salted-caramel chocolate!

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

Blurb

Throughout the series, Christopher and his friends must overcome various despicable foes as they battle with riddles, codes, creatures of the night, deathly spectres and secret orders, as they go in search of Christopher’s missing brother and father.

Through the darkness of a starless night a tall shadowy figure rode silently along the long wet road. His black cloak flapped about him like the wings of a great vampire bat. Christopher Daring looked on from his bedroom window, both intrigue and suspicion forming the seed of a new adventure.

Once accompanied by his best friend Jason, they embark upon a ghostly trail into the unknown. They soon find themselves fighting for their lives as they become unexpectedly entwined with both the living and the dead.

Upon Jason becoming spiritually trapped and in danger of being lost to the clutches of death itself, Christopher takes up a quest to find a missing golden pocket watch, that should restore balance to the dark forces that surround them all. But, the twisted greed of the local ghostly priest and his demonic hound, Satan, have other ideas.

With an unusual mix of science, technology, cosmology, fantasy fiction and a dash of the spiritual self, the Christopher Daring Adventures is a thrilling ride into the impossible.

Buy Link

https://amzn.to/2y7Ov0u

Happy reading 🙂

It was most definitely about time I read The Black Hornet, which is the second book in the James Ryker series, as it has been a while since I read book one, The Red Cobra. I have thoroughly enjoyed catching up with Ryker again. I only wish I could have properly immersed myself in his world. It’s been a busy week or so and I’ve found myself feeling quite frustrated regarding the lack of time I’ve had to read, but it’s just how it goes sometimes. However, Rob Sinclair’s writing never fails to draw me in. His memorable characters and plots are just as compelling whether dipping in and out or reading large amounts at a time, although I do prefer the latter.

Ryker is one of my favourite character’s in a book series. He’s very charismatic, in his own way. Very intriguing! He hasn’t had the easiest of lives and bares many scars, both physically and mentally, and his nightmare continues in The Black Hornet. He finds himself back in Mexico, searching for the love of his life, Lisa, who he found to be missing on returning home. He gets somewhat side-tracked (to say the least!), but Lisa is never far from his mind. He needs answers and he needs them fast. The journey he takes to find the answers he’s looking for is a dangerous one and would absolutely terrify me as it would most people, I would imagine. Ryker is confident in his own abilities though, with plenty of experience dealing with the sort of people he’s having to deal with, and he is determined to discover the truth.

This is another fast-paced, cram packed full of action crime thriller which is brilliantly written, as always. I have to say, I love the fight scenes! I’ve probably said it before, but these books would make an awesome television series, in my opinion.

I will be reading book three as soon as possible!

Via AmazonUK…..

The Black Hornet: an action packed and utterly gripping thriller from the best-selling James Ryker series

What do you do when the love of your life vanishes without a trace? If you’re ex-intelligence agent James Ryker you search for the answers whatever the cost, however much blood and sacrifice it takes…

Six months ago Lisa was taken from Ryker, and he’ll stop at nothing to find out who is responsible and why. Following a trail to Mexico, the ex-Joint Intelligence Agency asset soon finds himself in the firing line of enemies he long thought he’d left behind. Set-up for the murder of a former informant, Ryker is thrown into a crumbling jail run by The Black Hornet, the notorious leader of a Mexican drug cartel. But what connects the cartel to the informant’s murder, and to Lisa’s disappearance? And just who is the mystery American claiming he can help Ryker in his hour of need?

The Black Hornet is the second book in the bestselling James Ryker series. Part Bourne, part Reacher, it’s an explosive and action-packed thriller to rival any other.

Also available in The James Ryker Series:

The Red Cobra

The Red Cobra #BlogTour @RSinclairAuthor @Bloodhoundbook #BookReview #bloghounds @sarahhardy681

About the author…..

Rob is the author of the critically acclaimed and bestselling Enemy series and James Ryker series of espionage thrillers. His books have sold nearly half a million copies to date with many reviewers and readers having likened Rob’s work to authors at the very top of the genre, including Lee Child and Vince Flynn.
​
Rob began writing in 2009 following a promise to his wife, an avid reader, that he could pen a ‘can’t put down’ thriller. He worked for nearly 13 years for a global accounting firm after graduating from The University of Nottingham in 2002, specialising in forensic fraud investigations at both national and international levels. Rob now writes full time.

Originally from the North East of England, Rob has lived and worked in a number of fast paced cities, including New York, and is now settled in the West Midlands with his wife and young sons.

Rob’s website is http://www.robsinclairauthor.com and he can be followed on twitter at @rsinclairauthor and facebook at https://www.facebook.com/robsinclairauthor/

Hi and welcome to my stop on Andrew Field’s Without Rules blog blitz!

My apologies for the late posting.

Many thanks to Andrew Field and Emma @ damppebblesblogtours

My review…..

Without Rules has been quite a disturbing read and definitely won’t be your cup of tea if you’re easily offended by sexually graphic language, particularly as it involves children. There are parts that make for very uncomfortable reading.

China is a feisty character and has a particularly foul mouth, but that’s somewhat unsurprising considering the abuse she has endured from the age of six. She is determined to make someone pay for what she has been subjected to and I was praying she would find the justice she deserves and those accountable would get their comeuppance.

I have to admit that this book was quite confusing to start with as we are introduced to a lot of characters in quick succession and there’s a lot going on which doesn’t seem to make much sense at the very beginning. Don’t let this put you off though as it all becomes clear along the way and I found myself totally gripped.

There are many characters throughout this story who literally made my stomach turn. Arrogant, sadistic, self-absorbed people who think they are above the law and untouchable, particularly if they have money and/or are in positions of power. What makes it all the more sickening is knowing that there are people like this getting away with crimes like these in the real world and some probably never get the punishment they deserve, until they meet their maker. It’s heart-breaking to think how many victims there are out there who never get the justice they deserve because they are too frightened to speak out or have been successfully convinced that no-one would believe them anyway.

Without Rules is an extremely fast-paced story with very short, sharp chapters told from the perspectives of various characters. It certainly kept me on the edge of my seat!

Many thanks for my review copy.

Book Blurb:

When a professional hitman turns up at Candy’s World to hide, China Mackie discovers her plan to flee from her abusive father has tragically backfired. A gruesome bloodbath has left four people dead on the streets of a northern city centre on a cold wet Sunday morning. China knows she’s next to die. Unless she is more ruthless than everyone else. She must improvise fast. Seduce her father’s assassin. Plead her case so he helps her escape in a fight to the death where rules don’t matter but the consequences do.

Purchase Links:

Andrew Field’s online bookstore: http://andrewfield.info/shop/

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Without-Rules-Does-justify-means-ebook/dp/B07DVL69PJ/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1537214050&sr=1-1&keywords=without+rules+andrew

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Without-Rules-Does-justify-means-ebook/dp/B07DVL69PJ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1537214080&sr=8-1&keywords=without+rules+andrew

About Andrew Field:

Andrew Field has spent most of his working life as a PR and marketing consultant helping raise the profiles of others. Now the roles are reversed as he steps into the spotlight as the author of Without Rules, a crime thriller about vulnerable people forced to do bad things to escape evil people. “Authors, by the nature of what they do, are relatively introverted. They work in isolation. Inhabit imaginary worlds of their own creation. They can spend ages staring at a computer screen bringing their characters to life. Then they have to become a different person to promote their work and market themselves. Writing is the easy part compared to the marketing, especially when crime fiction has become a very crowded marketplace.”

“From my point of view, professional PR people operate best from behind the scenes. They should never become the story otherwise you’re deflecting attention away from the messages you’re trying to communicate,” says Andrew. “The New Labour experiment, for example, was doomed the minute Tony Blair’s media guru Alistair Campbell generated his own headlines. Bragged about ‘spin’. Believed his own hype. Ditto Anthony “The Mooch” Scaramucci’s 10-day tenure as the shortest-serving White House communications director in history – and his “off the record” expletive-ridden rant about his colleagues in Donald Trump’s White House.”

As a PR, Andrew memorably handled Boddingtons Bitter during its “Cream of Manchester” heyday, developing innovative sports and cultural media partnerships with newspapers and TV stations for the beer brand – but also PR’d a fashion entrepreneur who was a convicted armed bank robber and a property developer who did eighteen months prison time for blackmail. “Having a diverse range of clients keeps it interesting. They are all different but the core requirement is to be seen as a believable and trusted information source ready to take advantage of PR opportunities as and when they arise. As a novelist, you look to do exactly the same with your work and yourself.”

“The catalyst for Without Rules was a friend testifying against her father in an abuse case. Although the prosecution was successful, she can never really escape the consequences of what happened to her. She has to find a way of coping for the rest of her life while he was sentenced to two and half years.”

Andrew says crime fiction has a duty to try and educate and as well as entertain. “The memorable books are the ones you’re still thinking about 48-hours after you finished reading.”

Andrew lives, works and plays in Manchester, England, Europe, with his partner, Catherine. He has been a trade journalist in Southampton in his youth. He owned a PR agency in the nineties and early noughties and is now an independent PR, marketing and publishing consultant looking forward to the challenge of becoming the story with the publication of Without Rules.

Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AFwithoutrules

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

Website: http://andrewfield.info/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afnoir_/

Publishing Information:

Published by Boomslang on Monday 15^th October 2018 in eBook and paperback formats.

Hi! Do you live in, or around, Stoke-on-Trent? If yes then why not go along to one (or both) of the following events…..

City Voices: Season of Mists

Wednesday 17 October, 6:30-8:30pm (doors open 6.15pm)

City Central Library, Hanley

Cost: free

The event will begin with an introduction to the evening at 6:30pm.  Following which, members of the City Voices Writers Group will share their work until 8pm.  Time permitting, there will then be an opportunity for audience members to share their own work (2-3 minutes per person). Please bring a story or poem with you if you would like to share your own work. Books produced by the group and its writers will be available to buy on the night.

This event is free, but tickets should be booked in advance.

Tel: 01782 238455 Email: central.library@stoke.gov.uk

6X6 Reading Café

This is always a lovely evening and is becoming increasingly popular. Hope to see you there!

Tuesday 11 December, 7-8.30pm (doors open 6.30pm)

City Central Library, Hanley

Cost: free

Six writers…six readings…six minutes each. By popular request, this will be a seasonal evening, with readings that echo the time of year – be that Christmas, Yule, New Year or other Winter/December celebrations.

For details of how to submit your work, go to the Writing Guidelines page at https://6x6writingcafe.wordpress.com/  The submissions window opens 1st October and ends 25th November. If you’re not reading your work aloud, you are very welcome to come, listen and give your support.

This event is free, but tickets should be booked in advance.

Tel: 01782 238455 Email: central.library@stoke.gov.uk