Category: Author Interviews

Interview with Karl Holton

Karl Holton

About Karl

Karl is a chartered accountant who previously worked in financial markets for over thirty years. He has collected books his whole life with a focus on London and crime fiction. He is married with two children and lives in Surrey.

Jessie:  Can you tell me about ‘The Weight of the Shadows’?

Karl: At one level ‘The Weight of the Shadows’ is an entertaining crime thriller mystery with plot twists and turns. At another level it is the first six days at the beginning of a series that introduces some interesting characters and a narrative that has subtle and, I hope, thought provoking subjects.

Jessie:  Crime thrillers are always popular.  It’s a great genre to establish a fanbase. What have the reviewers said about your new book?

Smiling, Karl started to recall some of the reviews. 

Karl: “an intriguing plot, thoughtful, profound themes, complex troubling characters, and language that make us shudder for its honesty, clarity, and confidence” – Piaras O Cionnaoith

“irresistible book, impossible to put down” – Bookgirl Sulagna

“a story that is intense and heart-pounding!” – Elaine Emmerick

Jessie:  I’m impressed that you have already commenced your second book. We are in an ideal place to read.  Can you read an extract from the book to tempt the reader?

Karl:  It’s a real privilege to read here in Agatha Christie’s library.

Benedict was motionless with one thought. Never give up.

She pushed the tip of the blade in and under the skin on his chest, near his heart.

Karl: This extract is only a few words, but the importance of these at the start of the narrative is significant.

Jessie: A great choice – you certainly hook the reader into the narrative.  I can tell that you enjoyed constructing the narrative and the characters.  How did you feel when you had finished writing your book, and did you miss any of the characters?

Karl: The euphoria of finishing was quickly met by the realisation that as an indie author the work had just started. Apart from the marketing, reviews, social media etc. I remembered that I needed to start working on the second book in the series.

Given the second book in the series starts the day after the end of this first book I’ve not really had the opportunity to miss the characters.

Jessie: Who would you like to read your book and why?  This could be another author, someone famous, a friend or a member of your family.  

Karl: If I were choosing an author it would be Agatha Christie. We could discuss the pace of the plot and sub-plots.

If it were someone famous (and alive) I’d ask Stephen Fry to review the book. Within the series I’m going to try to examine and compare some cognitive and emotive subjects through the plot, characters and narrative. I’d really like to discuss these with him.

Karl Holton

Jessie: Why should I keep your book in my handbag?

Karl: Well I hope it has a plot that keeps you guessing and is enjoyable as it begins to reveal itself. If you read some of the reviews you will notice that it’s not clear what the connections are at the start and then the plot arcs entwine; that’s very deliberate.

Jessie: What is the last sentence written in your writer’s notebook?

Karl: ‘Nice nails’ – you’ll have to read the book to see why I might have written that down.

Jessie: What is the biggest challenge for an author?

Karl: This is a really interesting question because it will very much depend upon what type of author you want to be. A full-time author who wants a publisher to do everything for them will have a very different set of challenges compared to an indie with a job who is happy selling a few books a month. I’m going to give you my answer based upon what I am, which is an indie who is trying to make this my full-time job.

My single biggest challenge is becoming known enough so that people take a chance and buy, read and review the book. As an indie author, you have no one to help this happen so you need to do it and this takes a significant amount of both time and commitment. In a world where we have over 200k books published in the UK per year and possibly 1 million in the US, just being seen is a challenge that any aspiring author should not understate.

I have discussed this issue with other authors, both published and indie. Personally, I think many really talented authors will either give up or just never be seen because they get lost in this ‘jungle’.

Jessie: What is the best advice that you have received as a writer?

Karl: Get an editor.

Contacts:

Blog = http://karlholton.com

Twitter = @KarlHolton

Facebook = @KarlHoltonAuthor

Email = info@thuja.co

 

 

A Girl in Trouble

Rhoda Baxter – author of romantic comedies about smart women

Rhoda Baxter

Rhoda is very serious about girls being allowed to do whatever they feel a passion for. Rhoda is also serious about cake. she’d choose tea and cake over alcohol any day.

Rhoda likes to see the humour in a situation, she says it’s her way of dealing with the dark side of life.

Jessie:  It is wonderful to be back in Yorkshire. What do you like most about Yorkshire?

Rhoda: The people! Everyone is so friendly here and there so much less tension in the day to day interactions. I lived down south for a while and whenever we go back to visit friends, we feel the difference immediately. My youngest, who can’t remember living anywhere but here, is always surprised at how when she says hello to people in London, they ignore her!

Also, I’m a big fan of cake. Beverley and York have some amazing cake shops.

Jessie: Your romantic novels look great.  Your characters look feisty and fun and Sue Moorcroft described them as ‘the real deal’. Tell me about your characters. Can you capture the essence of ‘Girl in Trouble’ in a few sentences?

Rhoda’s latest book – The Girl in Trouble

Rhoda: My characters often just turn up in my head and start talking. I don’t know their stories, but I know their voices. I’ve had several readers say that my characters feel real to them. That’s the highest praise, as far as I’m concerned. My characters are real to me. They live in my head for the duration while I’m writing their book and I miss them when I finish the story.

One of the reasons I started writing was because in the early 2000s, I got into reading romances and I felt that only a certain type of person was represented in popular romance. All the women were likable and unobjectionable, and all the men were super confident, well-muscled and over bearing. Where were the nice guys? Or the women who were smart and career minded? Or even ones who were slightly hard edged?

Girl in Trouble is about two people who are a little different to what society expects. Olivia is a ladette and there isn’t much that will faze her. Walter is a nice guy and is scared of spiders. One of their first interactions is when Olivia has to rescue him from a spider. Olivia is adamant she doesn’t need a man in her life, even when things go horribly wrong. How can Walter persuade the most independent woman he’s ever met to accept his help, let alone his heart?

Jessie:  I know you have been nominated for writing awards.  What have the reviewers said about ‘Girl in Trouble’?

Rhoda: Most people said it made them laugh and cry in equal measure. I love that!

” there was a real punch of emotional depth – one minute I’d be grinning at what the characters were saying or doing and the next I was fighting tears.” (Amazon review)

“This book with make you laugh out loud at times but will also frustrate you and make you cry. Everything you need for a great romance. ” (Amazon review)

“Baxter’s narrative sets up the sentimental situation only to send it spinning in entirely unexpected directions.” (Romance Novels for Feminists)

Jessie: ‘Girl in Trouble’ sounds like a romance with a strong character – perfect! Can you read a brief extract to tempt the reader?

Rhoda: He leaned back, flustered. Much as he found her attractive, the idea of being pounced on by her was a tiny bit scary. But, only a tiny bit. Which wasn’t all that scary, come to think of it.

Jessie:  Wow! Your book sounds like fun! I can sense you enjoyed interacting with your characters. How did you feel when you had finished writing your book, and did you miss any of the characters?

Rhoda: I missed the characters so much that I wrote a follow up novella! Olivia first appeared as a minor character in ‘Girl Having A Ball’ (which was nominated for a RoNA Romantic Novel of the Year award). She’s confident and independent and doesn’t take crap from anyone. I loved her so much that I had to write this book to see what happened to her. I wish I was more like Olivia really.  Walter, the hero, is a nice guy. I like beta heroes because they usually have wit and charm (as well being attractive) and I know I’d like to spend time with a man like that!

Jessie:  I love the way you present the characters you want to spend time with.  It must be great to create the characters you are fond of. Who would you like to read your book and why?  This could be another author, someone famous, a friend or a member of your family.  

Rhoda: I’ve love for Emma Watson to read my book. ‘Girl In Trouble’ has a major theme of fathers and daughters, but underneath there’s quite a lot about gender stereotyping and the double standards that we apply to men and women. Boys don’t cry. Girls don’t climb trees (or whatever). I think it would chime with a lot of things Emma Watson raised in her He For She speech.

Jessie: Why should I read your book?

Rhoda: Because it will make you laugh and cry and, by the end, you’ll have met some people who feel like they are real friends.

Rhoda’s latest novel in her favourite bag

Jessie: What is the last sentence written in your writer’s notebook?

Rhoda: ‘beachwear and cocktail umbrellas?’  It’s a note to myself to figure out some details about my characters who are stranded on a tropical island with only a few bags they took on holiday. I liked the idea of them having a box of something that is completely useless – like cocktail umbrellas. They’re red, these cocktail umbrellas. They must be useful for something, right?

Jessie: What is the biggest challenge for an author?

Rhoda: Keeping going. I write because I love it and I don’t know what else I’d do with these people who keep popping up in my head. Writing books is hard, but marketing is harder. Nowadays, authors are expected to do a lot of marketing themselves and really, most of us are very shy. I can’t think of anything worse that going up to a stranger and saying ‘hey, I’ve written a book, wanna buy a copy’… but that is exactly what I need to learn to do.

Jessie:  Where is your favourite writing place?

Rhoda’s writing shed

Rhoda:  My favourite writing place is really my bed – but you don’t want a picture of me in my scratty pyjamas. So here’s a picture of my shed instead. I often sit in there at the weekend and do my editing work. There’s a battered old sofa and a collection of blankets in there, so it’s lovely and cosy even when it’s not the sunniest of days.

Jessie: What is the best advice that you have received as a writer?

Rhoda: Write. Edit. Submit. Repeat. Improve each time you go round the cycle.

She is fond of cake, British comedy and Lego Stormtroopers.

You can contact Rhoda via Twitter (@rhodabaxter), Facebook or just drop her an email at rhodabaxter@gmail.com, or visit her website at rhodabaxter.com.

Her book, ‘Girl Having a Ball’ was shortlisted for RoNA award (Best Romantic Comedy) 2017.

 

 

Romantic Suspense at Christmas

Meet Evonne Wareham

Are you ready for a Christmas novel with a difference? Having heard about Evonne’s Christmas romantic suspense novel, I had to ask more questions about What Happens at Christmas.  We grabbed a corner of the café in Waterstone’s, and Evonne intrigued me with the promise of lots of twists and turns in the narrative.  It is time for a Christmas book with a kidnapping from Evonne.  Don’t worry, I think Santa is safe!

Jessie:  I love to listen about the stories you are developing.  You always get so involved with the characters and the research. Tell me about your Christmas book, What Happens at Christmas.

What Happens at Christmas is a festive themed romantic suspense

Evonne: What Happens at Christmas is a festive themed romantic suspense – so as well as the traditional things, like mince pies, carols and snow, it also has kidnapping and some nasty villains. Some of the festive things – a particular carol that is sung at a crucial moment, and the freak snow storm that I organised for the Brecon Beacons, are components of the plot – if you are looking for something a bit different in a Christmas read, it might be for you.

Jessie:  How did you feel when you had finished writing your book, and did you miss any of the characters?

Evonne: It’s always a bit of a wrench to finish a book, even when you know you have left your characters in a good place – all except the villains, of course. You have spent many months with them and you know all their secrets. I especially enjoyed keeping company with Lori and Drew, and I do have a sort of idea for another plot that would involve them. As they now have their HEA, it would need another couple for the developing love story though, so we shall just have to wait and see on that.

Jessie: Did any of your characters misbehave when you were writing the book?

Evonne: Always. They talk back, they refuse to do what you expect them to do, they do things that are totally incomprehensible and only make sense fifty pages later, they complain about the plot … Some of my more alpha heroes refuse to talk at all. I’ve got used to it now. At least no-one has yet refused to fall in love with the right person. Yet.

You will find yourself transported to this setting. It is the Brecon Beacons in Wales.

Jessie: Why should I keep your book in my handbag?

Evonne: you are looking for something a bit more edgy for a seasonal read, What Happens at Christmas has suspense and danger along with the love story. The hero, Drew, is a writer who has a dare-devil streak. It gets him into some serious trouble, which Lori, the heroine, helps him out of, with the assistance of her four year old niece. A large part of the book is set at Christmas, but the story travels over the space of a year, during which time the character’s lives change considerably. I like to think Drew learns that he shouldn’t throw himself into things quite so recklessly. There are actually two very different Christmas celebrations in the book. Two lots of Christmas magic, and Lori finds that in between, some of dearest dreams have come true.

Jessie:  Two lots of Christmas magic is perfect.  It’s sound as if you have the story all wrapped up and ready for the readers.  I am intrigued about your next project.  What is the last sentence written in your writer’s notebook?

Evonne: It’s not exactly a sentence in a note book, it’s a post-it note, and it’s a time line for the names and ages of a set of characters. I love time lines. I always have to work out the ages of everyone who features significantly in the book, and how they relate to each other. One of my writer’s quirks. This one was a bit of a mystery when I found it, but I have now worked out that it relates to the hero and his two older brothers, in a novella that I hope will be out for Christmas 2020.

Jessie:  I notice you’ve written four books and have lots of experience of writing. What is the biggest challenge for an author?  

Evonne: For me, it’s keeping up the quality of the work. I want to give the reader the best possible experience inside the covers of a book that I can manage. I want each of the stories to be different, but all of them exciting and enjoyable. If I can create a page-turning book, that the reader can’t put down, then my work is done. That’s the aim, anyway.

Peek inside the world of Evonne’s writing world.

Jessie: What is the best advice that you have received as a writer?

Evonne: ‘Keep going!’ A lot of other writers will say the same. You need stamina and persistence, when the rejections pile up. It was a long time, and many experiments in genres, before I found out what I really wanted to write, and finally got a publishing deal. During that time I learned a lot about the craft of writing, and I have to thank the Romantic Novelists’ Association for the help and encouragement I received. Once you have a deal, you also learn a lot from having a professional edit. It’s flattering and scary to have the attention of an expert focussed on your work.

Evonne writes romantic thrillers and romantic comedies. Her first published novel, Never Coming Home, won the Joan Hessayon award for the best debut novel of the year, presented by the Romantic Novelists’ Association.  She likes writing about romantic locations, food, art, architecture, pretty clothes, shoes, nasty villains, brooding heroes and independent heroines.  You can find out more about her books and her writing on her website.

Contact details and book links

You can find Evonne at Her blog  http://evonneonwednesday.blogspot.com  where she talks about writing and books and history and life and interesting places and research and anything else that comes into her head, every Wednesday.

On Twitter  @evonnewareham
On Facebook as evonnewarehamauthor
Or you can contact her through her website www.evonnewareham.com

 

Please see all my author interviews at My Guests and my website and blog at JessieCahalin.com.

New Beginnings in Beautiful Bramblewick

Ancient, rugged North York Moors

The train moved through the ancient, rugged North York Moors. A whistle nudged me from the stories in my imagination, and I noticed the sign for Goathland Station.  Sharon waited on the platform, wearing jeans and a sunshine yellow top.  Initially, she failed to notice me as she wrote furiously in her notebook.   A Mediterranean sky greeted us both as we headed towards the village.  Immersed in the pages of a picture of book as we walked to the village, I reflected that Sharon had chosen an ideal inspiration for the setting of her fictional village, Bramblewick, as it was like being immersed in the pages of a picture book. As we sauntered, we chatted about every detail of the charming setting – Sharon is fantastic company. We laughed at the sheep wandering through the village as if they were going out shopping for the day.

We laughed at the sheep wandering through the village

As a fan of ‘Heartbeat’, also set in Goathland, I wanted to visit the ‘Aidensfield Arms’, which Sharon told me was also the place she had in mind when she created Bramblewick’s pub, The Bay Horse.  As I recounted my favourite character of Greengrass in Heartbeat, we reached The Goathland Hotel, the Heartbeat pub itself. Without speaking we both walked towards the inviting old inn. We bought soft drinks and settled at a table in the beer garden.

Jessie:  Sharon, this is the perfect setting to inspire your romance novels.  Who wouldn’t want to escape to Goathland to make a fresh start?  What is Fresh Starts at Folly Farm about?

Sharon:  Goathland first came to my attention when I was holidaying nearby, in the very week that Heartbeat started on television. Of course, we had to visit the place, and I loved it immediately. We’ve been back on many occasions since then. I love the surrounding moorland, the beautiful stone buildings, and all these gorgeous sheep wandering the roads! It’s about an hour and a half drive from my home but so worth it. Bramblewick was first mentioned in one of my Kearton Bay novels, A Kiss from a Rose, and I had Goathland in mind even then. (I’ve created a whole fictional network of villages and towns which are cross referenced throughout my books, with Whitby as the place which anchors them in a real location.) When it came to writing a series about a North York Moors village, where else was I going to look? As you saw when you arrived by train, there is a beck and a stone bridge that leads to the village. I simply moved them so that the main street is at the side of the water.  Now that I’m up to the third book in the series, this place feels so comfortable and familiar to me. Fresh Starts at Folly Farm is a story of new beginnings, home and family. Even when life has let you down, love can heal the deepest wounds. In a run-down farm on the North York Moors, both animals and humans discover it’s never too late to start again.

Jessie:  Please can you read a tempting extract from your novel?

Their animals have such a glorious life and are given so much care and attention and oodles of love.

Sharon:  “What is it?” Sam peered into the box and let out a cry of wonder at the sight of a tiny ginger kitten, fast asleep on his blanket.

“Another rescue case?”

Xander gave Rachel a sheepish smile. “‘Fraid so.”

Jessie:  I love it! I can already feel the warmth of the characters – it sounds like the perfect escapist novel.  What do the reviewers say about your Fresh Starts at Folly Farm?

Sharon:  I’ve been lucky to have excellent reviews for my Bramblewick books. They’re quite gentle stories and seem to be very popular. I was aiming for a “Sunday night television series” sort of feel, and I hope I’ve succeeded. Readers certainly seem to be enjoying Fresh Starts at Folly Farm.

Sharon retrieved her phone from her Harry Potter satchel – which she was carrying in honour of the fact that Goathland train station featured as the Hogwarts Express stop at Hogsmeade in the Harry Potter films – then searched for the reviews.

“It takes much awareness and a great sense of balance to treat certain topics without sounding trivial or superficial, nor tragic. This story is pure emotion. Sharon Booth never ceases to amaze me.” ~ Isabella, Amazon reviewer

“This book had me hooked from the start. I have read all of Sharon’s previous stories and this ranks as one of my favourites.” ~ DJW, Amazon reviewer.

“I just love Bramblewick books and can’t wait for the next one!” ~ Writer up the Hill.

Jessie:  It must be a joy to escape to Bramblewick to follow the lives of your characters.  How did you feel when you had finished writing your book, and did you miss any of the characters?

Sharon: It’s always mixed feelings when I finish writing a book. I feel quite sad to say goodbye to the characters, but I’m also highly relieved that the job’s done, because I’m never convinced I’ll be able to write another novel, so it’s always great when I prove myself wrong! I haven’t really had time to miss the characters at Folly Farm yet, as I’ve been busy working on my next book, but I know I’ll be going back to Bramblewick again soon, so I can catch up with my fictional friends before too long.

Jessie: Who would you like to read your book and why?  This could be another author, someone famous, a friend or a member of your family.  

Guaranteed to put a smile on your face and a warm feeling in your heart.

Sharon: I’d like as many people as possible to visit Folly Farm! Specifically, I’d love my daughter and daughter-in-law to read it, as they inspired me so much with this story. Two of the animals in the book are based on two of their own animals, and they’ve got so many pets, including a couple of rescue cases. Their animals have such a glorious life and are given so much care and attention and oodles of love. I’m very proud of them and the way they have given second chances to two very special creatures. I could write a whole series just about them!

Jessie:  The books are a wonderful tribute to your family – how wonderful!  I must admit Fresh Start at Folly Farm sound delicious but why should I keep your book in my handbag?

Sharon: Because it’s a real feel-good story, guaranteed to put a smile on your face and a warm feeling in your heart. If you watch or read the news, it’s easy to believe that this is a cruel, heartless world. Fresh Starts at Folly Farm will remind you that there are good, kind people, and there’s always a chance for love and a new beginning – whether you’re an animal or a human.

Jessie:  Your stories sound like a great joy for your readers and they eagerly await the next book.  I am delighted to hear you are writing another novel. What is the last sentence written in your writer’s notebook?

Sharon: “What will be the outcome of that?” That’s a bit cryptic, isn’t it? It’s a jotting for my next book, which is the second in my Yorkshire Dales Skimmerdale series, a sequel to This Other Eden. I’ve been playing around with plot points and trying to work out the what ifs.   Writing a first draft is such hard work!

Jessie: What is the biggest challenge for an author?

Sharon: Getting noticed when there are thousands of new books released every week. Visibility is a huge challenge, and there are massive demands on writers to get their name and work “out there”, which means more time marketing and networking and less time writing, unfortunately.

Jessie: What is the best advice that you have received as a writer?

Sharon: Just keep writing and getting more books out there.

Jessie:  Sharon, it is always such a pleasure to communicate with you. You are so helpful and kind to others.  Tell me a little more about yourself.

Sharon:  I’m a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and blogging group The Write Romantics. I’ve published ten novels and written two pocket novels and a short story for The People’s Friend. I’m a huge fan of Yorkshire, Doctor Who and horses, and am shamefully prone to all-consuming crushes on fictional heroes.

Jessie: It’s confession time. Is there one fictional hero that stands out for you?

Sharon: Oh gosh! I have to name just one? Really? I could name dozens of other writers’ creations as well as plenty of my own.  To be fair to all my gorgeous heroes, I’ll simply say Xander, as he’s my latest hero from Fresh Starts at Folly Farm and, of course, he lives around here somewhere! He’s got a heart of gold. Any man who cares passionately about the welfare of helpless animals has got to be a keeper, right? And, of course, he’s a very handsome actor, with a humble nature and a great sense of humour. Most importantly of all, he’s exceptionally kind. Yes, I think it’s Xander’s turn to shine right now, and – oh my word, there he is! Look, he’s waving at me. Er, you don’t mind if I end this talk now, do you, Jessie? Only, I haven’t seen Xander for a while and, well, you know how it is. Thanks so much for our little chat. It’s been fun! Okay, Xander, wait for me! Oh wow, look at that smile. He really is exceptionally lovely, isn’t he? Bye, Jessie!

Sharon vanished without finishing her drink.  Later, she sent me a text message to say all would be revealed in another book.

Sharon Booth

More about Sharon

Sharon is a persistent daydreamer; happy in her own company, she lives inside her own head most of the time, much to the confusion and irritation of those around her. In her imagination, she’s the storybook mum and grandma, who greets her visiting family with tea in pretty china cups, homemade cakes, and effusive kisses. In reality, she tends to groan that they’ve interrupted her writing, while rummaging through the cupboards in the hope of finding leftover biscuits to offer them, and completely forgetting to put the kettle on until she’s been reminded – several times.

Contact details:
Twitter: @Sharon_Booth1
Facebook: www.facebook.com/sharonboothwriter
Website: www.sharonboothwriter.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/sharonboothwriter
Email: sharonb2306@gmail.com

 

Please see all my author interviews at My Guests and my website and blog at JessieCahalin.com.

 

A Summer’s Tale with Lynne Shelby

Meet the author, Lynne Shelby

The magic of Covent Garden cast its spell on me.Having seen the brilliant trailers for The One I Want, I felt as if I had walked into the pages of the novel. Lynne Shelby greeted me on a balmy summer’s evening, wearing a sleeveless linen dress and flat strappy sandals. Laughter of revellers, in the cafes and bars, rested on the warm air. Bottles of cool wine sat on tables and tempted us to join the merriment.

Lynne:I am so tempted to crack open a bottle of white wine, but I want to watch some street theatre.

We stopped to admire some mime artists performing an entertaining scene behind an invisible locked door. We sat outside a restaurant and ordered sparkling wine.

Jessie: The cover of your novel is delicious. What’s the novel about?

Lynne: Theatrical agent Lucy Ashford falls for film star Daniel Miller and is swept up into his celebrity lifestyle. But can Lucy tame the A-list bad boy, or she just one more girl in Daniel’s long line of conquests?

Lynne grabbed her book from her bag and instantly read an extract to me.

Presenting The One That I Want.

‘Lucy, tell me honestly. Is there something going on between you and Owen?’

‘There honestly isn’t,’ I said, taken aback. Where was this coming from?

‘I’m not attracted to him.’

‘Does he know that?’

Jessie: I love it.You get straight into the drama. How has the book been received by the reviewers?

Lynne: I’ve been so delighted by reviewers’ responses to the book. One reviewer described it as ‘a wonderful story and a really perfect summer read.’ Another said, ‘The story sweeps you away in a flurry of stardust that will leave you wanting an encore…’

Theatrical agent Lucy Ashford falls for film star Daniel Miller, and is swept up into celebrity lifestyle.

Jessie: Who would you like to read your book and why? Â This could be another author, someone famous, a friend or a member of your family. 

Lynne: I’m always delighted when a reader tells me that they’ve read and enjoyed my book. One of my dreams is to have one of my novels made into a film or TV series, so it’d be fabulous if a Hollywood director read The One That I Want and thought it would make a good script!

Jessie: Why should I keep your book in my handbag?

Lynne: Because it’s an entertaining story that gives an authentic picture of the glamourous world of showbusiness, but it also shows the importance of friends and family.

Jessie: What is the last sentence written in your  notebook?

Lynne: She goes to Greece. But why?

(I need to get the heroine of my WIP to Greece, but not for a holiday.)

Jessie: What is the biggest challenge for an author?

Lynne: With so many books published each year, I think a lot of authors would say that getting your book seen by readers is a greater challenge than writing it.

Jessie: What is the best advice that you have received as a writer?

Lynne: To keep on writing even if your first efforts aren’t all you want them to be, because you can edit a first draft, but you can’t edit a blank page.

Jessie: Tell me three facts about yourself.

My ideal night out is a visit to a West End Theatre to see a play or a musical.

My ideal night out is a visit to a West End Theatre to see a play or a musical. I love travelling, especially exploring a foreign city. Being an author is the best job ever.

Biography

Lynne Shelby’s debut novel,French Kissing, won the Accent Press and Woman magazine Writing Competition. She’s done a variety of jobs from stable girl to legal administrator, but now writes full time. She lives in London with her husband and has three adult children who live nearby.

Contact details:

 https://www.lynneshelby.com/

@LynneB1

 https://www.facebook.com/lynneshelbywriter

 https://www.instagram.com/lynneshelbywriter/

 

Please see all my author interviews at My Guests and my website and blog at JessieCahalin.com.

 

Cramming my bag full of Angela Petch’s books and her lovers of Italian

Angela Petch 

 

 

 

 

Books in my Handbag is delighted to welcome the inspirational Angela Petch to the Chat Room

‘I’m inquisitive about different cultures and people. Writers are usually nosy, I think.’

Angela Petch was born in Germany, brought up in Italy and England, worked in Amsterdam, Sicily and Tanzania, East Africa. It is no wonder that she is ‘inquisitive about people and culture’. We can also thank Angela’s late father for introducing her to Italy, and I feel certain that he would have been proud of her writing.  Her colourful life is reflected in her colourful writing pallet.  Angela is sensitive, funny and creative: the perfect qualities for a writer

Angela has published ‘Tuscan Roots’ and ‘Now and Then in Tuscany’.  Currently, she is working on the frolics and escapes of ‘Mavis and Dot’- need I say more?

Always full of joie de vivre, Angela insisted that we open a bottle of Prosecco before we commenced the chat.  The sun was shining and butterflies dancing in the Italian garden as we commenced the conversation.

Jessie: I adore ‘Now and Then in Tuscany’, but please capture your novel in forty words…

Angela: ‘Now and Then in Tuscany’ is a historical narrative which oozes love for Italy and its culture.

The saga of three generations of a Tuscan family which recalls recent hardships and traditions of country life, too easily forgotten in today’s affluent and comfortable Europe.

Jessie: Absolutely, these elements were beautifully presented in the novel. Now here’s another challenge, read me an extract that captures the essence of your book.

Angela: “The ancient wheel beside the convent door stood waiting … like the mouth of a hungry beast, ready for me to place the baby in its wooden drum and push it to the inside of the orphanage.”

Jessie: You paint the experiences and emotions with words and tell a heart-breaking yet beautiful story. What do the reviewers say about your 5* novel? 

Angela searched through the Amazon reviews while I ate crostini. 

Angela:

This is no disappointment! What-happened-next books are so often disappointing. After the enchanting ‘Tuscan Roots’ (Angela Petch’s first novel set in Tuscany) I was almost afraid to read on. I needn’t have worried. This new book, which continues the story of Anna and Francesco Starnucci, like its predecessor blends a modern-day story with family history in an intricate weaving of now and then. Once again, the author’s love of the landscape and people of this beautiful region shine through, but this is far from being a mere travelogue. Angela Petch is an inspired storyteller who knows how to blend in a touch of mystery to keep the reader guessing.

Reviewer: Perdisma on 13 May 2017

Fascinating people and places. It reminds me in many ways (though it’s much less relentlessly tragic!) of “The Tree of Wooden Clogs”, the prize-winning film by Ermanno Olmi – it has the same intensely imagined and exquisitely detailed recreation of a lost way of life. The photographs are part of this too – at first sight they’re just grainy little black and white images, but each one explains and is explained by the text, so that the more you read the more alive they seem, like Facebook pages from a hundred years ago.
Reviewer:  Rose on Amazon 11 May 2017

Beautifully written and researched. This is a beautifully written and researched family saga that spans three generations of an Italian family. Giuseppe comes from a poor village in Tuscany where the rhythm of life is set by the Catholic Church and the menfolk’s annual winter pilgrimage to warmer winter grazing land for the sheep… The book is full of a subtle yearning. The prose is evocative. The historical narrative is impressively authentic and riven with the author’s love of her subject.

By CA reviews on 7 May 2017

Jessie: I am not surprised that you have received such accolades that all are all genuinely inspired by your storytelling.  The book has been a labour of love so how did you feel when you had finished the book?

Angela: I felt a mixture of relief and sadness when I had finished writing the book. This book took me five years to research and write. At times, it was an agonising process. I struggled with the balance between history and narrative, fearing that my desire to include details about the era was pushing the plot out of shape. At first, I listened to the reactions of too many Beta readers and grew despondent and confused. But I wanted desperately to give birth to “Now and Then in Tuscany”, as I felt it was a period of history that needed to be recorded. I had help from a professional editor in the end.

Jessie: It is so reassuring to hear that such a great book is the result of a challenging journey.  Do you miss the characters?

Angela: I still miss my main character, Giuseppe. He is so firmly placed in the location where we live in Tuscany that I’m sure I catch glimpses of him every now and again as he strides along the mule track.

Two weeks ago, we ate in the old stone house that I had imagined was his. I’m sure he was sitting in a corner by the stove, listening to our conversation and smiling wryly at the way we enjoyed the meal so much: our friend had recreated a peasant’s meal of nettle soup and frittata prepared with the tips of Vitalba (Old Man’s Beard). We enjoyed it as if it were a delicacy. But he would have eaten these ingredients out of necessity.

Jessie: Would you like any of your characters to read the book, or maybe there is someone else that you have in mind?

Angela: My father, Kenneth Sutor, who died twenty six years ago. He introduced his three young children to Italian culture in the 1960’s, when he relocated to Rome to work for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. I still have his 1956 edition of Hachette’s World Guide to Italy that he carried in his pocket for our excursions. Every Sunday he would take us to Mass and afterwards treat the family to a slap-up meal in a simple trattoria. Then, out would come his little blue book and we would be guided round the Villa d’Este or the Via Appia Antica, Colosseum, Subiaco, Assisi…He refused to have us penned up in an apartment in the centre of Rome and found us a ramshackle villa on the outskirts of Rome. The garden was stuffed with Roman statues, orange trees and bordered by vineyards and peach groves. How could I, as an impressionable seven year old, fail to fall in love with Italy?  He was self-educated. Today he would have enjoyed a university education but his family were not wealthy enough to support him. I remember him often engrossed in a history book, reading glasses perched on the end of his nose.

Jessie: I know you can’t say, but I wonder if I can sense your father in Giuseppe…  I am sure that your father would have been so proud of your book.

Angela: I would have loved to see him read my books. Undoubtedly, he would have pointed out the warts but I think he might have been proud of me too. He loved Italy and, on my mother’s request, I scattered his ashes on Italian soil.

Jessie: I don’t need to be convinced but why should I keep your book in my handbag?

Angela: If you are the type of person who recognises that understanding the past helps towards an understanding of the future…

If you want to explore a beautiful and little-known corner of Eastern Tuscany…

If you want to read the story of a young boy with a big heart who overcomes adversity…

If you want to weep and smile at Tuscan love stories…

Then, find a space in your handbag for “Now and Then in Tuscany”.

Jessie: What is the last sentence written in your writer’s notebook?

Angela poured herself another glass of Prosecco and wiped the condensation from the glass. There was a distinct look of mischief in Angela’s eyes as she read the following line:

“…a fluttering of fans from menopausal worshippers, in a church smelling of candle wax and cold, cold stone…”

(For an idea for my WIP, “The Adventures of Mavis and Dot”).

Jessie: What is the biggest challenge for an independent author?

Angela: Getting noticed. To be read in a competitive world where thousands of self-published authors are jostling for space. Engaging with social media has been my biggest challenge but it is the springboard. For a child of the ‘50’s, it doesn’t come easy. I was advised to set up a Twitter account. “Look for like-minded people,” was the advice from a writer friend. So, I typed “Lovers of Italian” in the search bar. I shall leave it to your imagination about the photos of gigolos and semi-naked escorts that popped up. Learning curve is the phrase that is constantly on the tip of my independent author’s tongue.

Jessie: What is the best advice that you have received as a writer?

Angela: Just write. Get it down, capture your words before they fly away.

Afterwards you will have to check and chop, but just write first. In order to have something to work on, just write. I don’t believe in writer’s block.

Jessie: I agree with you!  Just let the writing flow and banish writer’s block.  Does the countryside inspire you to write more than the city environment?

Angela: I like cities in small doses – for the theatre, concerts, art galleries, museums and monuments – but my heart sings in the countryside. I have played tennis all my life but at the moment I need a shoulder operation, so I can’t. Instead, I go for wonderful walks in the mountains. Better than a sweaty gym, any day.

Following the interview, I meandered down an ancient track. I reflected that we are all influenced by the past and the present. And I pondered whether anyone would make a wonderful art house film of Now and Then in Tuscany – the setting is there waiting to be captured on film. 

 

Please see My Guests for all the authors that I have interviewed.

 

Nail-biting thriller in my handbag to read on the go

Jenn Bregman 

 

 

 

 

Author, lawyer and adventurer, Jenn Bregman, stopped off in Wales whilst visiting the UK.  She stayed in the Brecon Beacons Mountain Range, so I drove out there to meet up with her. The year before, Jenn had just completed a reverse summit of the Grand Canyon, after having trekked up the 14,265 foot Quandary Peak in Colorado; she was on a roll to tackle even more hiking. We agreed to walk the summit of Pen y Fan and to chat at the same time.  I packed a picnic so that we could stop on route to chat.

The clouds over head looked ominous but we did not let that deter us from ascending the mountain.  The refreshing temperature was ideal for the climb over the rocky footpath.   As a lawyer, Jenn wears lots of formal suits, so she loves to really mix it up her outfits outside work.  She was wearing a red and white handkerchief shirt with her work-horse khaki hiking pants. Her brilliant green jacket matched her multi -pocketed rucksack. There was a copy of her book peeping out of one of the pockets of her rucksack.

Jessie:  I haven’t read your book so can you tell me more about it?

Jenn Bregman

Jenn removed a, well worn, copy of her book, ‘The TimeKeepers’.  The dramatic cover of a clock set against a background of the City of Los Angeles in muted blues and stark black, couldn’t have screamed “thriller” better.

Jenn: When attorney Sarah Brockman witnesses a random horrific car crash, she is thrust into the darkest shadows of Big Law greed and murder where she must not only confront a cunning and deranged adversary, but her own secret fears, if she is going to win.

Jessie:  The book sounds thrilling and complex.  Where did you get the ideas for the narrative?  Did your research it or do you have experience in this area of life?

Jenn:  It is all pulled from my experiences as a lawyer.  I worked in Big Law and I wanted to do work that made a difference.  Fortunately, I have always worked in firms that had the highest standards of ethics and personal responsibility, but in my practice, I came in contact with others that I could imagine could do things like some of the cunning and deranged antagonists in the book.

Jessie:  This kind of suspense legal thriller is very popular.  What do the reviewers say?

Jenn removed her mobile phone to search for the reviews.

Jenn:

Publishers Weekly: “Bregman’s legal thriller featuring a plucky solo practitioner fighting for the little guy should appeal to John Grisham fans.”

Ridgely’s Radar: “OMG! Do you want a fast moving, edge of your seat, twisting and turning book that you can’t put down?  Well, I have a book for you and . . .this is a MUST READ!  I was so scared to turn the page and find out what happened, it was heart pounding suspenseful and I didn’t want it to end.  I really hope the author brings back a sequel . . . loved the characters and want to know what happens next!”

White Rhino Report: “The author dials in more than the average ratio of plot twists and surprises.  The pace of the action is break-neck, and the characters are colourful enough to be interesting and amusing.  I could not wait to find out what would happen next, and found myself rooting strongly for Sarah, and for Sam.”

Jessie:  I get the impression that the style of writing is controlled and the tone is edgy. Am I right?

Jenn: The story is character and dialogue driven and the action is break-neck.  You don’t catch your breath until the very end when all the pieces come together in a powerful conclusion that makes you wonder what the characters are going to do next.

Jessie:  Can you read me a brief extract from the book that captures the essence of the novel?

Jenn:  “But that was all it was — a small detail.  Neither she nor her lawyer would ever find the money.  It was too well hidden.  He made a note to transfer last month’s draw to his accounts at Obelisk Holdings.  Some details he did care about.”

Jessie: How did you feel when you finished writing your book? 

Jenn: Utterly exhausted.  I couldn’t even look at it for about two weeks!

Jessie: I think that it is normal to want a break from the book when it’s finished. Who would you like to read your book? 

Jenn:  I would like young women to read this book and know that they ARE good enough, that they can fight, and that they can WIN!

Jessie: Why should I keep your book in my bag? 

Jenn: Once you start, it’s like Lays potato chips – you can’t put it down!  I’ve had people tell me they were reading it at stoplights.  Not the best idea, to my mind.  But if you have it with you, you can read a couple quick pages while waiting in line at the bank, or at the car wash, or on the train!

Jessie:  What is the last sentence written in your writer’s notebook?

Jenn: “Move it, now!”

Jessie: What’s the biggest challenge as a writer?

Jenn: Finding, not only enough time, but enough emotional and mental space to write.

Jessie:  Do you dedicate your time to writing or do you have to juggle it with another career?

Jenn:  I have twin 5 year old boys . . . ’bout sums it up!

Jessie: What is the best advice that you have been given as a writer?

Jenn: Finish the darn book already!

More about Jenn…

I am an explorer and adventurer who does, at least, one scary thing a day. My scariest to date is probably worming my way up to meet John Grisham at Book Expo/Book Con after my book signing in June and giving him a signed copy of my book!

I love animals to a fault, if there is such a thing. I have nurtured lizards, newts, turtles, cats, rescue animals of every persuasion growing up, but then had two rescue pug dogs that I still consider my first set of twins.

I am a horrible cook. My favourite story is hosting a Thanksgiving dinner for 20 where I bought most of the side dishes from a local food store.  Somehow, I couldn’t get even the side dishes warmed up satisfactorily in time so people were eating mashed potatoes that were cold at one end of the fork and warm at the other!  People were so kind, no one said a word until I sat down, started eating and started laughing at myself.  It turned into one of our best Thanksgivings ever!  I guess the take-away is “be thankful for your gifts and be thankful for the gifts of others!”

Best of luck to Jenn with her debut novel – ‘The TimeKeepers.  It is a fast-paced thriller: so, tighten your seatbelt, check your brakes and try not to skip a red light.  Prepare to plunge headlong into the depraved underbelly of Big Law and big money where greed is king, murder incidental, and winning is the only thing that matter.

 

Please see all of my interviews at My Guests and my blog at jessiecahalin.com.

Helene’s fictional exploration into the human mind

Helene Leuschel

Helene Leuschel

 

 

 

 

 

 

Helene grew up in Belgium where she gained a Licentiate in Journalism & Communication, which led to a career in radio and television in Brussels, London and Edinburgh.  She has recently written a collection of novellas.

Helene: ‘Manipulated Lives’ is a collection of five novellas, each different in perspective yet with the same core theme: psychological manipulation. From the octogenarian, an ageing mother, young professional to a vulnerable teenager and a manipulator himself, the stories develop the pitfalls that any individual can fall into when charmed and deceived by clever manipulators.

Jessie:  Why did you decide to select the theme of manipulation and what is the genre of your collection of novellas?

Helene: I heard of someone whose husband lied, cheated, deceived and manipulated not only his wife and children but every single person who ever crossed his path in an extremely clever manner. Family members and friends had made numerous attempts to ‘free’ her from her husband’s abusive control, but it took immense courage and determination to eventually follow it through. I realized that during much research and talking to psychologists that manipulators can invade a person’s life at any stage. The five stories, told from five different perspectives, were the result of that creative idea. Maybe my collection of novellas will provide support for someone suffering from manipulation in the future.

Jessie:  Your collection sounds intriguing and thought-provoking.  I like the idea of taking a theme and then presenting it from different perspectives.  It sounds like a unique read. How has the book been received? 

‘The beauty of Leuschel’s collection of stories is how they highlight the way we, as humans, often blind ourselves to the truth which can make us both manipulators and victims. The stories are all character driven by realistic and flawed characters and this allows us to relate to the behaviour depicted no matter how extreme it may become.’ E.L. Lindley

‘This book is made up of a superb collection of 5 short novellas depicting manipulators and the manipulated, highlighting to what extent abusive manipulation can distort and threaten lives.’ Miriam Smith

‘All five of these stories are thought-provoking and emotional and it is clear that the author has well researched her subjects. There is a lot of in this book, but Leuschel gets the balance between information, education and entertainment spot on.’ Feminisia Libros Book Blog

Jessie: Read an extract to tempt a reader.

The moment I wake up, the dismay and desperation are back. I cannot understand why I am lying in this tiny room attached to an IV drip with only a glass of water as my companion.

Jessie: How did you feel when you had finished writing your book, and did you miss any of the characters?

When I finished writing my book, I felt excited as well as apprehensive all at once. It had been a long emotional journey. Thinking about the characters, I guess there is one who I missed the most. It is Molly, the teenager in my story ‘Runaway Girl’. She is still on my mind and the reason why I would like to write a follow up story.

Jessie: Who would you like to read your book and why?  This could be another author, someone famous, a friend or a member of your family.  

Helene: I would like my former neighbour, an experienced clinical psychiatrist to read my book one day (when there is a translation into French available) because throughout her long career working as a private therapist and in prisons, she has witnessed the baffling power of denial time and again.

Jessie: What is the last sentence written in your writer’s notebook?

Helene: ‘It had felt right but not for long enough.’

Jessie:  Tell me a little more about this sentence.  Is this an insight into your next book?

Helene: Yes, I have finished with the first draft of my first novel and what felt right for the main character at the start of the story, doesn’t for very long …

Jessie: What is the biggest challenge for an author?

Helene: For me it was pressing the ‘publish’ button. I was exhilarated, worried and nervous all at the same time, so much so that I couldn’t sleep a wink the following night.

Jessie: What is the best advice that you have received as a writer?

There is plenty of good advice around but the following work for me:

  1. Give yourself a daily target – 1000 words, 2000 or more, it doesn’t matter but make sure you sit down and reach the target. Be consistent, so turn off social media, switch off the phone, whatever it takes to remain undisturbed so you stay focused on filling the pages.
  2. When you are finished writing, start editing – be ruthless, don’t hold on to paragraphs that simply don’t sound right. Be brave, send your text to someone who you know is critical as well as fair. Lastly be truthful, write something you’d like to read not what you think could appeal to an audience. It won’t sound authentic.
  3. Don’t give up – feel the story come alive, the characters breathe as if they were real people and most of all enjoy the journey.

Helene lives with her husband and two children in Portugal and recently acquired a Master of Philosophy with the OU, deepening her passion for the study of the mind.  When she is not writing, Helene works as a freelance journalist and teaches Yoga.  Her collection of stories sound intriguing and completely unique.  Helene has received high praise and support from her readers. I admire the fact that she had used fiction to explore a challenging theme.

Helene’s philosophy:

As much as I attempt to see the good and authentic before the ugly and corrupt, what tends to always convey peace and quiet for me is noticing the beauty of nature.

For more information about the author and her upcoming books, please visit

Website www.heleneleuschel.com

Twitter https://twitter.com/HALeuschel

Facebook www.facebook.com/HALeuschel

Goodreads

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15337013.H_A_Leuschel

 

 

Please see all my articles on my blog at jessiecahalin.com

A celebrity author in my handbag

Carol Cooper

 

 

 

 

Carol Cooper is a doctor, journalist and author who turned to fiction after writing a string of popular health books. Her second novel, Hampstead Fever, was chosen for a prestigious promotion in WH Smith travel bookshops. She lives in Hampstead and Cambridge, and has three grownup sons.

As Dr Cooper is a frequent face on Five News, Sky News and other TV channels, as well as on radio, where she often comments on a range of topical health matters. I was excited about meeting this celebrity author with such a wealth of experience.

Carol had been invited to speak at Cardiff University, and we managed to grab some time in Cardiff Bay to chat about her second novel.

I waited for her in my favourite coffee shop in Cardiff Bay. We ordered coffee and some muffins.

Jessie:  Can you capture the essence of your new novel, Hampstead Fever, in a couple of sentences?

She retrieved a copy of her novel from her large blue handbag. 

Carol:  Hampstead Fever is about six Londoners grappling with life’s problems in the sweltering summer of 2013. Emotions are already at boiling point when a mysterious actress arrives on the scene, upsetting those around her and forcing decisions they may later regret.

Jessie:  It sound like another great read.  Read me an extract that will tempt the reader.

Carol flicked through the book and winked as she restrained a mischievous grin.

Carol: “What are you going to do about this?” complained Geoff.

“Do about what?” said Daisy, even though it must have been blindingly obvious.

He threw the sheet back dramatically, hoping to amuse her. “This.”

Carol’s fun manner is infectious.  It was clear that the women on the neighbouring table were straining to catch a glance of the new novel. Carol left the book peeking out of her blue bag, and it was impossible to miss the tempting front cover.  One of the ladies searched for the book on her phone.  

Jessie:  Your first novel, One Night at the Jacaranda received high praise.  What have the reviewers said about Hampstead Fever?

Mischief lit up Carol’s face again as she read out a review so that the ladies could hear.

Carol:  I’ve had some great reviews for Hampstead Fever, but these three are my favourites so far:

“Wow! With its racy storylines, dovetailing plots, fascinating characters and a well-known but equally interesting setting, Hampstead Fever is one of those books you just can’t put down.”

“Fast-paced and sharply observed. I whipped through this in one sitting!”

“Cooper just makes these characters come alive. Why can’t all love stories be like this?”

Jessie: How did you feel when you had finished writing your book, and did you miss any of the characters?

Carol: My characters have become very special to me, even the less likeable ones, so I did miss them when I stopped writing. There are six main characters in Hampstead Fever, and I’d like to spend more time with some of them, so I’ll be taking them into another book to have new adventures.

Jessie: Who would you like to read your book and why?  This could be another author, someone famous, a friend or a member of your family.  

Carol: As I’m sure most authors say, it would just be nice if lots of people read and enjoyed my novel. Having said that, I’d quite like my English teacher from school to see it as I think she’d be proud of me (and hopefully not too shocked by the racier passages).

Jessie: Why should readers choose your novel?

Carol: While Hampstead Fever has some important themes like parental anxiety, ageing relatives, and sick children, it’s also an easy and entertaining read with fairly short chapters. That makes it a good book to pick up while you’re waiting, or whenever you find you have a moment to read.

Jessie: What is the last sentence written in your writer’s notebook?

Carol: It’s for the novel I’m currently writing. The story is set in Egypt, where I grew up, and many scenes are from a child’s viewpoint.

‘Tante Zahra was famed throughout Alexandria for her burping, a habit she blamed on swallowing air with her meals. She wore a towelling turban to hide the fact that she was too old to have any hair left.’

Jessie: What is the biggest challenge for an author?

Carol: I think it’s making your work visible. You could write the most wonderful book ever, but nobody will buy it if they don’t know it exists. There are over two million new books published every year, nearly 200,000 of them in the UK. So, even with the backing of a big publisher, most authors have to work very hard (and need a bit of luck) to get their book noticed.

Jessie: What is the best advice that you have received as a writer?

The best advice I ever had is to keep my writing simple. When writers start out, they often use flowery words, and far more of them than they need. As Somerset Maugham put it, “The best style is the style you don’t notice.”

Carol’s links

Blog Pills & Pillow-Talk

Twitter @DrCarolCooper

Facebook author page Carol Cooper’s London Novels

Website drcarolcooper.com

Instagram drcarolcooper

Pinterest drcarolcooper

 

Please see all my interviews at My Guests and my blog at jessiecahalin.com

Yorkshire Lasses in Wales: When Jessie Met Judith Barrow

Judith Barrow, originally from Saddleworth, near Oldham, and on the wrong side of the Pennines but still in Yorkshire

Judith Barrow

Judith Barrow, originally from Saddleworth, near Oldham, and on the wrong side of the Pennines but still in Yorkshire, has lived in Pembrokeshire, Wales, for forty years.

She has an MA in Creative Writing with the University of Wales Trinity St David’s College, Carmarthen, a BA (Hons) in Literature with the Open University and a Diploma in Drama from Swansea University. She has had short stories, plays, reviews and articles, published throughout the British Isles and has won several poetry competitions. She has completed three children’s books.

She is also a Creative Writing tutor for Pembrokeshire County Council.

Jessie:  Judith, tell me what a Yorkshire lass is doing in Pembrokeshire.

Judith:  We went on holiday to Pembrokeshire, loved it and never returned to Saddleworth.  We bought a half-built house and renovated it.

Jessie:  Do you miss Yorkshire?

Judith Barrow – Secrets

Judith:  Pembrokeshire was a great place for our kids to grow up.  I miss Yorkshire stone, craggy landscape and the meandering moors. I love our house, in Pembrokeshire, but I always expected I’d live in a stone cottage in my old age.  As you can hear, even after forty years in Wales my accent hasn’t changed – I’m still a Yorkshire lass.  People say they can hear my voice in their heads when they read my books.  Lucky them!

Jessie:  Obviously, people love your voice as you have written eight books.  How did the writing start?

Judith:  Well, I hope they do. As for the writing, I’d written since I was a child but never done anything much about it. Then I went to night school with my daughter. I finished A Level English and went on to gain a degree through the Open University. Whilst studying for the degree, I had breast cancer, and this made me see life differently.  I decided to follow my dream to become a writer.

A place that inspired the setting of Judith’s novels

Jessie: I am so sorry to hear about your health issues. It is wonderful you decided to follow your dream. What kind of books do you write?

Judith:  I write people driven, gritty dramas and wasn’t prepared to adapt my writing.  Eventually, I got a contract with Honno Press – an independent publisher in Wales- and found their approach personal and supportive.  My first book ‘Pattern of Shadows’

Jessie:  What’s Pattern of Shadows about?

Judith:  It’s the story of a nursing sister, Mary Howarth, and her family, during World War Two and is set around a POW camp located in a disused cotton mill in a Lancashire town.  When I was a child my mother was a winder in a cotton mill and I would go there to wait for her to finish work; I remember the smell of the grease and cotton, the sound of the loud machinery and the colours of the threads and bales of material.  Pattern of Shadows was meant to be a standalone book, but the characters wanted me to carry on with their lives. Eventually, it developed into a family saga trilogy. My recent book, the prequel, is A Hundred Tiny Threads. The two main characters, Winifred and Bill, are the parents of the protagonist in the trilogy, Mary Howarth. They wanted me to explain their, how they had become what they are in the trilogy. I was happy to; I think, as we get older, we are made by our life experiences.

Hundred Tiny Threads. The two main characters, Winifred and Bill, are the parents of the protagonist in the trilogy, Mary Howarth

Jessie:  I’m reading One Hundred Tiny Threads. The opening is engrossing with Winifred waking up to another day in the shop. The characters are so real, and I love getting inside their heads.  I’m shouting at them all the time. The way you thread the characters’ attitudes towards women is brilliant.  I’m fascinated by the Suffragettes in Leeds.  For some reason, I always imagined the movement to be concentrated in London.

Judith:  Researching the Suffragettes opened up my eyes.  I wanted to tell their story through the voices of the characters and show how women, in the society at that time, were ready for the change. Stories draw people into to the political background of the era, and life was certainly a challenge then.  People say my books are dark.  Have you got to the gory bits?

Jessie:  Well, there has been a murder.

Judith:  No, I’m thinking of scene after that – you wait.  Bill’s a bastard but it’s his background.  I don’t know why Winifred married him.

Jessie:  Oh no, what was Winifred thinking of?  I’m furious with her, as I haven’t read the terrible news yet.  I’m intrigued as to why she didn’t marry the love of her life and scared for her.

Judith: Oh ‘eck, hope I haven’t I haven’t spoiled it for you, Jessie.  But, you must understand Bill had a terrible life as a child with his father.  And then he was a soldier in the horrendous First World Wars. He was also one of the Black and Tans when he returned from the Front. He’s a bastard but didn’t have it easy.  As I said, our lives shape us.

Jessie:  I agree and people interest me too.

Judith:  Yes, well your novel is also character driven and could become a family saga.  I can see it now.  I want to know more about Luke and Rosa and their parents.

Jessie:  I plan to do that, and you have inspired me to complete historical research.  I would have to look carefully into the eras the generations were born into.   Thanks for your advice.

Judith:  No problem, I teach creative writing in Pembrokeshire, so I just can’t help myself (some would say it’s interfering!!).  Writing is like looking at the world through the eyes of a child and I love it. I watch folk walk past my window, at home.  It’s hilarious how people walk. I can’t stop people watching and passing it on through my books.  I never stop watching and am always so busy.

Jessie:  What advice would you give to fledgling writers?

Judith:  Get a professional editor and be prepared for a slog.  The first draft of the book is the best bit. I always cry when I get my editor’s comments.

Contact Judith at:
Twitter: @judithbarrow77 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/judith.barrow.3

Amazon link to her books:

Secrets
A Hundred Tiny Threads

Secrets

Winifred is a determined young woman eager for new experiences, for a life beyond the grocer’s shop counter ruled over by her domineering mother. When her friend Honora – an Irish girl, with the freedom to do as she pleases – drags Winifred along to a suffragette rally, she realises that there is more to life than the shop and her parents’ humdrum lives of work and grumbling. Bill Howarth’s troubled childhood echoes through his early adult life and the scars linger, affecting his work, his relationships and his health. The only light in his life comes from a chance meeting with Winifred, the daughter of a Lancashire grocer. The girl he determines to make his wife. Meeting Honora’s intelligent and silver-tongued medical student brother turns Winifred’s heart upside down and she finds herself suddenly pregnant. Bill Howarth reappears on the scene offering her a way out.

 

 

Books HG Wells didn’t write

Mount Tryfan – My first encounter with the mountain where the Martian cylinder crashed in ‘The Day Of The Martians.’ A research trip to Snowdonia, North Wales, on December 27th 2015.

Glancing out of the window, I noticed a black sky with scorched stripes of amber light. Marbled clouds proceeded to march across the sky.  My computer screen went black. A single radio wave appeared on my screen, and the distant sound of a radio tuning into a station transformed into enigmatic music.  A silhouette appeared on the screen of my laptop. H.E Wilburson had arrived in cyberspace to tell me more about The Martian Diaries Trilogy.   

Jessie:  Hello H.E.  I’m glad you’ve arrived safely.  I hope the Martians are behaving.  This is all very mysterious.  Tell me more about The Martian Diaries.

H.E Wilburson: The Martian Diaries Trilogy is a continuation of H.G.Wells’ The War Of The Worlds, and hopefully an engaging sequel to the iconic scifi classic. Book 1, The Day Of The Martians, features the original characters battling a new Martian invasion in 1913 in a 2 hour audiobook with specially composed music.

Martian Diaries audiobook

Jessie: This is a clever concept for a book.  I now understand why you’ve decided to meet me in cyberspace.  What do others think about your audio book?  Have any Martians made contact?

A radio crackled then I heard paper being shuffled. 

H.E Wilburson: You’ll have to listen to my book to find out if the Martians have made contact.  I’ve had some great reviews from people who have dared to enter my world.

Readers Favorite 5 star – Justine Reyes I implore fans of H.G. Wells and fans of the science fiction genre to listen and savour the adventure which H.E.Wilburson has given us. This was more than an audio book. This was, in many ways, a wonderfully executed tribute to H.G. Wells.

Rony Campbell Breakaway Reviewers – If you are, like me, a fan of ‘The War of the Worlds’ then download this audiobook. Discovering it has left me with the feeling that sometimes in life, amongst all the boring stuff, something comes along to shake up your life and make you grateful for other people’s creations.

Gabriel Blake Goodreads – To follow up something as legendary as ‘War of the Worlds’ is not an easy accomplishment and H.E.Wilburson should be very proud. Very proud indeed. I highly recommend giving this a listen, it will surprise you. It follows on from the original albeit a few years later, with the same cast of characters. It is tense, dramatic, and powerful. The narration and music: superb. I cannot praise ‘The Day of the Martians’ enough.

Jessie: Can you give us an extract from your novel that will tempt a reader.

H.E Wilburson: “The terror of the coming of the Martians was all but a distant memory, a bad dream that had faded with time. Unfolding the Daily Chronicle, I read and realised to my horror the discovery of a Martian cylinder…”

The Martian cylinder was moved out of London to its new position close to Reculver, near Herne Bay, on the north Kent coast.

Jessie:  This Martian Cylinder intrigues me.  Can you tell us more? I can hear a transmission coming through my earphones.  The Martians have sent two audio chapters of my book.

Find it in cyberspace at:
https://youtu.be/iL7hxm5fJ7c

Jessie: How did you feel when you had finished writing your book, and did you miss any of the characters?

H.E Wilburson:  The Day Of The Martians was completed as an audiobook with my own musical compositions and sound effects. However, my sense of achievement was overshadowed by the daunting task of writing the second book in The Martian Diaries series. Lake On The Moon is more than twice the length of the first book, and is a much darker tale, containing my answers to questions that H.G.Wells left unanswered in the original plot of The War Of The Worlds. Once the trilogy is finished, I’m sure I will miss the primary characters that have shaped the trilogy, such as Ogilvy the astronomer, the Artillery Man and of course the writer/narrator, who I named George after Mr Wells. The Martian Diaries series is very much a work in progress until book 3, Gateway To Mars is actually completed – hopefully before the end of 2019.

My favourite place to write

Jessie: Who would you like to read your book and why?  This could be another author, someone famous, a friend or a member of your family. 

H.E Wilburson:  I would have liked H.G.Wells to have read my book and to hear that he enjoyed it.

Jessie: Why should I keep your book in my handbag?

H.E Wilburson:  Because it is the continuation of an iconic book to be listened to more than once. Most of us can identify with wanting a sequel to a story that we have enjoyed. Hopefully my book has been done well.

Jessie:  What is the last sentence written in your writer’s notebook?

H.E Wilburson:  When I have finished the third book in The Martian Diaries trilogy my final sentence will probably be… “I have my life back!”

Jessie: What is the biggest challenge for an author? 

H.E Wilburson:  For me, the biggest challenge is making the reader care about the characters.

Jessie: What is the best advice that you have received as a writer?

H.E Wilburson:  Keep going

H.E. Wilburson not singing in the rain

About H.E:

The author prefers to be known as H.E, has been composing music all his life but only within recent years has felt the urge to actually use his storytelling and music.

H.E would rather be composing music than writing. Has a particular affinity to Wales, having been born there, and has a compulsion to visit any time he is within 50 miles. H.E. is driven to create something special and as long as he has done his best, nothing else matters.  He loves grey days, the great outdoors, and especially being by the sea.

Cosy nights in with a good film are particularly appealing, especially if it can prevent him from falling asleep.

 

Please see all my author interviews at My Guests and my website and blog at JessieCahalin.com.

Rick Astley Visits Audrina Lane’s Novels

My favourite writing place is generally in a pub when my partner’s band is playing. The loud music helps with the creative juices.

The Hope and Anchor was packed with anticipation, as the audience waited for the Rick Astley tribute band.  The sound of laughter and people’s memories fill the room.  I sat with Audrina and we shared a bottle of red wine then tucked into a curry while we remembered the good old eighties and debated our favourite songs.  Audrina argued about the merits of Astley’s ‘Together Forever’ and convinced me.  Before the act started, we settled to chat about Audrina’s novel.

Jessie:  I love it here and I know you’ve chosen the venue to present your book.  Come on, tell me about your novel.

Audrina: Where Did Your Heart Go? is a novel about the highs and lows of first love. Set against the backdrop of 80’s music, movies and fashion you’ll love the characters you find within the pages.

Jessie:  Great idea to use the backdrop of the eighties.  Now I realise why you have organised a meeting here: perfect choice.  How has the novel been received by reviewers?

Audrina Lane’s Where Did Your Heart Go?

Audrina:  I have been pleased with the response. The book and backdrop really seem to resonate with people.  Here are some reviews:

‘This is a story of a love that spans generations, realistic friendships and a spiteful woman who will stop at nothing to get what she wants.’

‘It’s beautifully written and the characters are so real and lovable.’

‘The story is a heartfelt delve into the intricacies of heartbreak and the hope of happy every after.’

Jessie:  Have you got a brief extract from your novel: Where Did Your Heart Go? that will tempt a reader?

Audrina:  Yes, of course.  How about this? ‘I remembered how James had thrown my love away and I turned from my daughter, reminded of the fear and pain. He had taken my heart with him and left a hollow space inside me that still ached.’

Jessie:  Ouch! You have certainly conveyed the heartbreak. It sounds as if your characters needed a lot of emotional support and that is draining. How did you feel when you had finished writing your book, and did you miss any of the characters?

I think this quote really sums up both my personal life and equally the lives of the characters in The Heart Trilogy Series.

Audrina: I felt emotionally drained when I finished Where did your Heart go? And then based on readers’ feedback I knew there was more story to tell. So one book became a series of 3 so I didn’t say goodbye to any of the characters until the end of ‘Closer to the Heart’. I will admit that I cried writing the last scene in the final book of the trilogy and two of my close friends witnessed me writing the end. I still remember the worried looks on their faces, but it was worth it when they got the chance to read the book.

I still cry now when I look back and read the ending!! Saying goodbye to favourite characters is the hardest thing in the world.

Jessie:  I completely agree with you.  The fact you cared about the characters assures your reader they will connect with them.  We give our heart and souls to our writing. Who would you like to read your book and why?  This could be another author, someone famous, a friend or a member of your family.  

Audrina: I guess I’d have to choose two famous people. The first would be George Michael as so much of the main character’s lives and emotions are linked with his music, especially the Faith album or in the pop group Wham!. In fact if you know your Wham! Songs then the very title of the book is a B-side single by Wham! I’ve popped the link below as it does kind of give you an insight into the storyline if you listen to the lyrics.

The 2nd would be Rick Astley, who actually makes a cameo appearance in the storyline. I’d love to know what he thinks of performing in a small town like Ross-on-Wye where my story is set. I did send a complimentary copy to his fan club but I heard nothing back. Rick if you’re reading this let me know if you’ve read my book??

I guess you can see why music plays such a huge part in my life and my writing.

Music that inspired the story

Jessie:  Great, thoughtful responses.  ‘Where Did Your Heart Go?’ really helps me to understand the emotion in the story.  Thanks, it was great to listen to the legend again.  I am sure Rick Astely would love to read your book: including Rick Astley in the book is a great tribute. Why should I keep your book in my handbag?

Audrina: Because based on one of my readers who started it at 8pm in the evening and finished it at 3am the following morning because she couldn’t put it down, you’d need to carry it so you could read it at any chance you got!

Jessie:  Could you give us a brief extract from the section where Rick Astley appears in the book?

 “I would like to dedicate my first song to the newly reunited couple, James and Stephanie. I believe it played a part in their relationship back then and I hope that hearing it now will be a good omen for the future.”

Reviews celebrating Where Did your Heart Go

Rick glanced across at us standing in the wings, as the familiar sounds of ‘Together Forever’ hit the air.

James glanced down at me as I looked up at him.

“You asked him to play this for us didn’t you?” James asked. I nodded as we walked down the steps of the stage, Rick’s voice floating through the night sky.

I wasn’t ready to go back into the crowds and to our various family and friends, so I led James across the grass towards the river’s edge and the run of benches. As we neared our bench, it was my turn to squeeze James’ hand as the moonlight cast its silver glow over the area. James ran his free hand over the old wood.

“It’s still here,” he said.

We walked round to the seat and with the glow from the moon overhead, we could just make out our heart. It looked fresher than I remembered it. I looked a little closer and found a second smaller heart not too far away with the initials MC 4 CE, realising it could only be Charlie and Mitch who had drawn it there and possibly refreshed our heart at the same time.

Jessie: What is the last sentence written in your writer’s notebook?

Audrina: I don’t have a writer’s notebook, I’m a pantser and have a vague idea where the storyline is going but I let the characters lead me. So I’ll share the last line of my current WIP – Bloodstained Heart. Part 3 – Redemption.

Mitchell suddenly felt like a traitor even talking about dancing with someone other than Charlotte.

Jessie: What is the biggest challenge for an author?

Audrina: Getting the word out there about your novel so that people will pick it up and read it!

Jessie: What is the best advice that you have received as a writer?

Write what you know and love, be true and authentic.

About Audrina:

Audrina is a lover of all things 80’s (she grew up in that decade) and wishes she could go back!  Audrina loves her three black Labradors called: Rael, Lily and Milo – they really are her fur babies.  Audrina enjoys writing but when she’s not tapping away can be found at her favourite Barefoot Dancing session or listening to live music. Her love of music sings through in all she does, says and writes.  Take a look inside her world via ‘Where Did Your Heart Go?

About Audrina

Audrina Lane is an author from Herefordshire and when she is not tapping away on the pc she enjoys walking her 3 black Labradors, listening to eighties music and barefoot dancing. Her dog walks provide muse for her growing poetry collection.

Expect the unexpected with Audrina’s ‘Realistic Romances with an Erotic Twist’. You may not get the traditional Happy Ever After Ending you were expecting.

Contact details:

Email: audrina@audrinalane.co.uk

Website: http://audrinalane.co.uk/

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

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3ZISOU53eaoLHOCNJNggCA?view_as=subscriber

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AudrinaLane

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/audrina.lane

Audrina’s Place: https://www.facebook.com/AudrinasPlace/

24Hrs Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/RaceRomance/

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Audrina-Lane/e/B00E263F96/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Audrina-Lane/e/B00E263F96/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

Please see all my author interviews at My Guests and my website and blog at JessieCahalin.com.

‘I’m a Celebrity…’ producer for my designer handbag

Lisa Mary London

 

 

 

 

 

Meet Lisa Mary London, former producer of ‘I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!’ together with famous Maltipoo pooch Baby-Girl, the canine star of her hilariously witty debut novel Reality Rehab.

My exclusive interview with them is tongue-in-cheek, but Lisa’s answers are honest, fun, fascinating, and at times, gob-smacking. Enjoy!

Jessie:  Lisa, let’s talk about your book before we eat.  Capture the essence of Reality Rehab in a couple of sentences.

Lisa:  Reality Rehab is a topical laugh-out-loud satire on the cult of modern celebrity, written by myself, a former TV producer on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!

A cast of hilarious characters, cliffhangers galore, and an authentic voice that could only come from a TV insider, Reality Rehab is a must-read novel!

Jessie:  The book sounds great fun and is already getting national media attention. What have reviewers said about Reality Rehab?

Lisa: I’ve been overwhelmed with the response from readers, they are loving the book’s humour and enjoying a revealing peek behind-the-scenes of reality TV! Here are a few of the rave reviews:

“A sharp and skilfully observed satire that lampoons celebrity culture. The author has worked in TV and is clearly writing about what she knows, with authenticity dripping from each very turn-able page. Enjoy!” Ben Ando – BBC News Correspondent and Author

“Even if you have never seen reality TV, you will be tickled by Lisa Mary London’s hilarious novel. Get ready to read it and weep with laughter. A great pick-me-up… a Bloody Mary of cheerful reads!” Deborah Lawrenson – Bestselling Author

“A book that will lift your spirits, bring a tear to your eye and make you belly-laugh when you least expect it. But don’t be fooled by the frivolity, behind the humour there are some very meaningful themes, moving ideas and wonderful wisdom!” Howard Brenner – Amazon Reviewer

Jessie:  How did you feel when you had finished writing your book and did you miss any of the characters?

Lisa:  I couldn’t quite believe I had actually completed a novel, after endless months of writing, proofing, polishing and editing those 86,000 words. When the initial euphoria wore off, I suffered a crisis of confidence – as most writers do – scared that no one out there would want to read it! To my great relief that fear wasn’t realised, and the book is getting rave reviews!

Reality Rehab’s protagonist, feisty former soap siren Gloria Grayson, has a special place in my heart. I based her on the glamorous actresses I looked up to as a child – sassy stars like Diana Dors, Elizabeth Taylor and Pat Phoenix. Women not girls, who dust themselves down and get back in the race, no matter what knocks and shocks life throws at them. Reality Rehab is Gloria’s story, and as I held her hand throughout her many triumphs and disasters, I must admit I was sad to let go after typing The End!

Gloria’s pooch Baby-Girl is one character I didn’t have to say goodbye to, because thankfully she often keeps me company when I write! Baby-Girl would sell her soul for a sausage and when not eating everything in sight, can usually be found fast asleep beside me, gently rumbling from both ends.

Jessie:  Who would you like to read your book and why? This could be another friend, someone famous, a friend or member of your family.

Lisa: Without doubt Victoria Wood, who I was so lucky to call a friend for many years. I met her as a teenager through my love of comedy writing, and she was a friend, supporter and confidante for nearly three decades.

Vic read an early draft of Reality Rehab, and loved it.  She said the synopsis was ‘hilarious and exciting’, and enthused that if she read that blurb on the back of a book jacket in WH Smith’s, she would buy it. She described Reality Rehab as ‘…really clever and very ‘now’’, said it deserved to be a hit and could translate well as a TV comedy drama. She was of course a brilliant writer and I like to think, in some small way, her influence and guidance over the years rubbed off on my writing. She generously gave me invaluable pointers which improved the structure and flow of the Reality Rehab plot.

Her death last year at just 62 was a devastating blow. She was immensely wise as well as witty, and a wonderful friend.  I was so excited about giving her a copy of my finished book, and I’m desperately sad that she will never read it. Reality Rehab is dedicated to her.

Over the years Vic and I enjoyed many laughs over a cuppa or a glass of wine, and I know my debut novel would have made her chuckle. I’m hugely thankful for the time we shared. And I hope her comments about the book working on the small screen as a comedy drama could one day come to pass. Who knows? Truth is stranger than fiction.

Jessie:  How incredible to receive such an accolade from a British comedy icon. It is such a shame she never got to read your published book. Why should I keep Reality Rehab in my handbag?

Lisa:  Reality Rehab is that fabulous, funny friend you can always rely on to cheer you up when a red electricity bill’s popped through the door, you’ve broken a fingernail or the dog has weed on your new sofa. Carry a copy of Reality Rehab in your handbag, and you’re never stuck for wonderful company that will put a smile on your face, a spring in your step, and bring the feelgood factor to your world!

Jessie:  I am keen to know if you are writing at present?  What’s the last sentence written in your writer’s notebook?

Lisa:  I’m currently working on the sequel to Reality Rehab, and the last sentence in my notebook reads: Get tea bags and sausages! I was running low on both items and had to re-stock as priority – I can’t write a stroke without the company of endless mugs of PG Tips and a well-fed pooch!

Jessie:  What’s the biggest challenge for an author?

Lisa:  Staying off social media – the call of Twitter and Facebook is strong and if you’re too quick to answer it, a five minute browse can easily become several hours of lost writing time!

Jessie:  What’s the best advice you’ve received as a writer?

Lisa:  Be a ruthless editor! The best writers delete as much text as they keep, are their own toughest critic, and are never totally content with their work.  A bit of self-doubt is a healthy thing!

I’ve been privileged to come into contact with some exceptionally talented people in my life, and this rule of thumb applies to all of them. They are hard-working perfectionists to a man – and woman – with no concept of complacency. If a writer is smug and thinks they’re the bees knees, chances are their books will tell a different story!

Lisa:  She’s telling me she wants her posh deli sausages, Gloria always feeds her about now. In fact Gloria always feeds her – at all hours of the day!

It was fabulous to meet Lisa Mary London, she is such a unique character.  I know that her wonderful wit and skilled comedy writing will make Reality Rehab a winner.  I look forward to seeing Baby-Girl’s next appearance on a reality TV show. Who knows, maybe there will be a spin-off series – ‘I’m a Celebrity Dog… Get Me Out of Here!’

I will let Lisa have the final word about herself!

Lisa Mary London is… A total one-off
Lisa Mary London is… A fabulous friend!
Lisa Mary London is… A fearsome foe!

Lisa Mary London went from Chief Reporter on a sleepy Cotswold newspaper to become Celebrity Producer on some of Britain’s best-loved TV shows.  Her TV credits include An Audience with Ken Dodd, A BAFTA Tribute to Julie Walters, The British Comedy Awards and I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! She’s worked with stars from Sir Billy Connolly to Ant and Dec, and her debut novel Reality Rehab features around 200 famous names.

‘There’s never a dull moment when you’re working with the stars’, says Lisa. ‘One minute you’re sipping champagne with Pierce Brosnan, the next you’re standing in the Ladies’ minding Barbara Windsor’s handbag.’

Reality Rehab is based on her real life, behind-the-screen experiences as a Celebrity Producer. ‘I’ve met many old school stars like my book’s protagonist Gloria Grayson, who curse reality TV and think the cast of TOWIE should be stacking shelves at Tesco, not walking the red carpet.

‘She’s a cross between Diana Dors, Boadicea and Miss Piggy, a glorious, garrulous anti-heroine with bags of attitude – Gloria puts the real in reality TV!’

A journalist by profession, Lisa has written for the Daily Mail and was briefly a News of the World reporter, but made her excuses and left before anyone was imprisoned for phone hacking.

Gloria Grayson’s petulant pooch Baby-Girl is closely based on the book’s cover star, Lisa’s beloved Maltese Dolly-Dog (says Lisa – ‘You couldn’t make her up’).  Dolly-Dog won fame on ITV’s Loose Women when she married Sherrie Hewson’s Westie Charlie, in a ceremony officiated by John Barrowman (available on YouTube).  The couple split acrimoniously and are currently fighting for custody of a chew toy.

 

 

Please see all my interviews at My Guests and my blog at jessiecahalin.com.

 

A big Yeehaw from the would-be cowgirl author!

Lottie Phillips 

Lottie is….

…a rubbish baker but still harks after the cosy kitchen scenario where she expertly shows her child how to make the perfect cupcakes (with no mess and not one bead of sweat in sight)…

…obsessed with interior décor…

…in love with Country and Western music and wine (preferably together). One day she will go to Nashville, wear suitable cowgirl attire, swig beer with a sexy nonchalance and be an expert in line dancing (obvs).

Lottie has written The Little Cottage in the Country.

Jessie:  The book cover is very appealing.  Please tell me what the book is about.  

Lottie: Anna Compton thought that moving to the countryside, leaving London and her past firmly behind her was the perfect solution.

But very soon she’s chasing pork pies down hills, disguising her shop-bought cakes at the school bake sale – and trying to resist oh-so-handsome Horatio Spencerville, who just so happens to be the Lord of the Manor…

Jessie:  Well, the book sounds like the perfect escape for me.  What have other reviewers said about the book?

Lottie:

‘It’s funny, witty and well -paced book that I highly recommend you to select as your summer holiday read! Fabulous debut!’ (Sparkly Word)

‘Highly recommended as the perfect summer read and I guarantee it will have you chuckling in no time!!’ (Karen Mace, Amazon Reviewer)

‘Loved it. I laughed my way through it!’ (Donna Orrock, NetGalley reviewer)

Jessie:  The reviews sound brilliant.  I’ll open a bottle of wine so that we can toast your success. Come on, read me an extract from the book that will tempt a reader.  Lottie’s eyes sparkled with mischief as she started to read the extract.

Lottie: ‘The conversation with Diane did not go according to plan: somehow (and Anna blamed the one bar of signal and not the fact she had polished off most of the Merlot).

Jessie: How did you feel when you had finished writing your book, and did you miss any of the characters?

Lottie: I was bereft! I missed Anna, Linda and Diane more than words can say! They were incredible fun to write and had taken on a life of their own. In fact, between you and me, they’re still here * taps head * so watch this space.

Jessie: Who would you like to read your book and why?  This could be another author, someone famous, a friend or a member of your family. 

Lottie: Anyone who needs a giggle and a feel-good book! Though if someone is able to put a copy in front of Graham Norton or Miranda Hart then my dreams would come true…

Jessie: Why should readers buy your book? 

Lottie Phillips

Lottie: I’ve had people tell me this book should be available on the NHS. If you are ever feeling a bit down, in need of a pick-me-up, reading even a paragraph of this book should hopefully put the spring back in your step. Call it a handbag-sized natural remedy… And who doesn’t love to read about a hunky Poldark fellow like Horatio?

Jessie: What is the last sentence written in your writer’s notebook?

Lottie: It’s about the novel I’m currently writing and it reads: Tom, Hawaiian shirt, good-looking, makes dinner, OTT

Jessie: What is the biggest challenge for an author?

Lottie: Oh, tough one. I would say the biggest challenge is self-discipline… Twitter is fantastic as I can chat to my readers but, equally, it is amazing how much time I can waste posting GIFs…

Jessie: What is the best advice that you have received as a writer?

Lottie: I’ve had so much advice from so many wonderful people but the best piece is this: don’t ever stop writing (and reading), practice really does make perfect.

 

Diane presses one for hello and chats to Jessie

Diane Need 

 

It was a joy to welcome Diane to my new Chat Room.  It was a beautiful summer’s day but too hot to venture outside.  Ruby, the dog, was looking a little hot and bothered so we decided to seek sanctuary in the shade of the Chat Room.  We opened the patio doors and enjoyed the welcome breeze that made its way into the room.  Ruby stirred, a little when she heard the barking of the neighbour’s dog but settled to listen to the chat.

I prepared some Rum Swizzle cocktails and we settle down to chat about Diane’s debut novel, ‘Press Three for Goodbye’.  Diane had brought crusty bread, green and black olives and smoked salmon with cream cheese and horseradish.  She was wearing a flowing, bright summery dress and carried a pink leather handbag with a gold clasp.

It was great to be in Diane’s company she was so cheerful and relaxed during the interview.

Jessie: I enjoyed the book and referred to it as a ‘rapid read’ for my handbag as it was an easy comforting read. Although funny the book is heart-breaking as Beth has been with ‘one person for half a lifetime’ and has to re-build’.  Do you agree with this?

Diane:  Yes.  My novel is an easy yet poignant read written with compassion and humour.  A reminder we have the power to rebuild ourselves, even when we’ve hit rock bottom.

Jessie:  The book is positive and inspiring.  I know that the book would cheer people up if they were feeling a bit low.  The novel is a great escape and easy to read.  What made you start to write the book? 

Diane:  I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1999 and writing rescued me from depression because it gave me a focus, so I was actually thinking what I could do rather than what I couldn’t. I’ve always wanted to be a writer and dreamed of writing a book.  I’ve written poetry and short stories, but I knew that writing a book was a big task and a long journey and worried that I would be unable to tackle writing a novel, especially as I get fatigue and memory lapses as a result of the MS. The MS Society funded a short writing course for me, which I loved, and I found that my imagination hadn’t deserted me, after all! I tried to pace myself throughout the novel, although I confess at one point I never thought I’d actually type “The End!” I am donating a proportion of the sales from my book to the MS Society.

Jessie:  People have been very positive about your book. You must be so proud of your first novel and the way that the story just breezes along.  I enjoyed writing your review but what did other people say?

Diane smiled, took a sip of her cocktail and then searched for her phone.  Ruby was sitting beside Diane and sitting on the phone.  Diane took the phone and placed her book in front of the dog. Ruby settled down again as if she intended to read the book again.  Diane looked at her phone and read some of the Amazon reviews.

Diane:  I am really chuffed with the reviews and the support that I have had from everyone.

“This has everything: love and heartache, humour and friendship, courage and compassion”.

“The heroine, Beth, is that rare thing in contemporary fiction – empathetic, likeable and thoroughly believable”.

“The witty yet sympathetic narrative delivers frequent laugh-out-loud moments and numerous poignant ones.”

Jessie: Read an extract from my book to tempt a reader

Diane Need

Diane: “Beth stared at Paul, her mind racing.  She knew things hadn’t been all hearts and flowers between them, but surely most marriages were like that after twenty-three years, weren’t they?”

Jessie:  Beth is such a likeable, humorous and fun character.  I missed her when I had finished the book.  How did you feel when you’d finished writing the book, and did you miss any of the characters?

Diane: I felt a tummy churning moment as the reality of writing “The End” kicked in and I realised I would no longer be immersed in Beth’s world. I missed all of the characters, especially Beth, Jackie and Paul.  It was fun to write from Paul’s point of view.

Jessie:  Are you anything like the character of Beth?

Diane:  I am impulsive, a worrier and have a great sense of humour, so I guess I related particularly well with Beth’s character.  A lot of people who’ve read the book say they can think of people in their everyday lives with the characteristics of some of my book characters!

Jessie: What’s the last sentence written in my writer’s notebook?

“OMG! I’ve actually done it!”

Jessie: How do your family feel about your novel? Have they read it? 

Diane: They are all so encouraging and really proud that I finished it.; they know it’s something I’d put on the back-burner for years.  My two daughters have read it and so have my brothers and sisters-in-law, but I’ve yet to force oh, sorry, convince my son to read it!

Jessie:  Do you think that you will write another book? 

Diane:   Yes, I’d like to write something different before eventually writing a sequel to Press Three.

Jessie: What’s the biggest challenge of an indie author?

Diane: In my case, it’s promoting my book.  I find it very hard to “sell myself”, and I’m definitely not a natural sales person, so I find it difficult to keep up with book promotion.

Jessie: Why should you keep my book in your handbag?

It’s an easy read that you can dip into and a reminder that if life’s not good, that we have the power to rebuild our lives.  It’s ideal for when you have a chance to kick off your shoes and relax somewhere with a nice glass of wine, or a cuppa if you prefer!

Jessie:  Well, I think that you have sold the book perfectly.  You have a lovely succinct, engaging style of writing.  I hope that you will write another book.  Congratulations on your first novel.  I think that people should buy the novel for a great holiday read.  As I said in my review, it’s ‘a rapid read’.  It’s a great book for the airport as long as people are happy to laugh out loud.

Diane laughed at this comment and made reference to one of the early scenes involving the dog.  Ruby seemed to understand the conversation and jumped up to indicate that it was time to leave.

I suggest that you click to buy on Amazon and buy Press Three for Goodbye.

 

Please see all my interviews at My Guests and my blog at jessiecahalin.com

Celebrating Burns Night with Lizzie Lamb

Lizzie Lamb is a bestselling  author with six novels under her belt. She is a wonderful friend and author.

Lizzie Lamb is one of my writing fairy godmothers and it was a dream come true to meet her at the Romantic Novelists’ Association Tea in York. We chatted about her latest novel – Harper’s Highland Fling. I am thrilled to share this exclusive interview on Burns Night. Let’s raise our glasses to Scottish story telling.

How would your friends describe Lizzie Lamb, the author?

Friends would describe me as enthusiastic, loyal, funny, highly motivated (if slightly driven!) I hope they also see me as someone who likes to help others, especially rookie authors.

You have soared to the top of the charts with your novels for over ten years. How have you achieved this success?

As the song goes: I get by with a little help from my friends.’ Put yourself out there, make friends with readers and other writers; be generous, buy, read and review their novels. Embrace social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and start a blog. When I published Tall, Dark and Kilted (2008) indie publishing was a new phenomenon and it was easy to stand out from the crowd but it’s become much harder. Luckily, I’d built up a following on Facebook and Twitter before becoming a published author and my friends/followers are usually the first to buy my novels. It’s important to interact with your followers on a daily basis and not bombard them with ‘buy my books’ posts. If you get this right, they will become friends who interact with you and generously spread word of your novels.

My mantra is: RESPOND. RECIPROCATE. RESPECT.

Do you fall in love with your heroes and is your husband jealous of them?I know it sounds cheesy but my husband is all my heroes wrapped up in one. My love of dialogue/banter stems from our interchanges and, even after these years, we still have the ability to make each other laugh. When he read Harper’s Highland Fling he recognised some of the things Harper said to Rocco regarding his collection of ‘classic’ vehicles (code for: rusting old hulks) because I’ve had similar conversations with him over his ‘fleet’ of motors.

I have a couple of signs which sums up our relationship and, besides, he is too much of a grown up to feel jealous of my fictional heroes.

Lizzie knows the art of planning a gripping novel and is always willing to share writing tips.

Tell us about the essential ingredients of a great romance?

I believe it is vital that I fall in love with your hero from the get-go. That enables me to see him through the heroine’s  eyes and respond accordingly. In Harper’s Highland Fling I’ve used Male Point of View for the first time, perhaps this is why readers have declared the novel my ‘best one yet’. It is essential to establish the ‘spark’ between hero/heroine from the beginning, light the blue touch paper, stand back and wait for the fireworks happen. The  author has place obstacles in the way of the h/h which prevent the romance developing, then half way through the novel drop ‘something new’ into the mix which makes the protagonists see each other in a different light/revise their opinions of each other. Then they can start to fall in love. But keep something back so that in the last quarter of the novel you can turn everything on its head and make the reader wonder how it’s all going to work out. That is the Page Turning Quality an author needs to evoke in order to carry the reader through to the end of the novel when, hopefully, she will close the book with a satisfied sigh.

Don’t cheat your reader by not delivering that happy ever after/happy for now ending. They won’t forgive you for it because that’s what you’re genre promises them. Remember Sanditon – what a let-down.

How has your writing changed since your first novel?

I think I’m prepared to take chances because I have learned what readers like/dislike. Readers enjoy sparky dialogue and some description of time and place, but don’t overwhelm them with it. An author should edit her finished novel as though she was a reader, cutting out those scenes which don’t work or slow the action down. Oh, and, I’ve learned to keep my hero/heroine together on the page as much as possible because that’s what I like in a good romance.

What are the benefits of indie publishing and how is it changing the world?

The main benefit of being an indie author is that you can write to your own schedule. I aim to publish a novel am every 18 months. Indie publishing suits my lifestyle and I suspect that, if I wanted to become a contracted author, I’d have to stop writing Scottish-themed romance and write WWII, Cornish Cottage romances, sagas, dark psychological crime instead. So  not my bag. I’ll stay an indie for now, but who knows what the future holds?

Explain the classic mistakes of rookie indie publishers?

Looking back, here are the classic mistakes I made as a rookie author. Didn’t work out a plan for the novel before I started it. Spent far too long polishing the first three chapters without seeing the novel as a whole and plotting out where the high and lows. I also spent too much time listening to contradictory advice, not understanding the importance of developing my own ‘voice’ (that comes with experience. I believe). Believing that what works for other authors will also work for me; one size does not fit all.

Let Lizzie take you to Scotland with Harper’s Highland Fling. You are invited to celebrate Burns Night with Rocco and Harper. Cheers!

I love, love, love the dynamic dialogue in your books. Can you give us a peek into a moment in Harper’s Highland Fling?

My favourite bit of dialogue in HHF.

‘Wh-where did you learn to kiss like that?’ Rocco asked.

‘Well, not at Sunday School, that’s for certain,’ Harper quipped.

‘Behind the bike sheds?’

‘I couldn’t possibly comment. More evidence is needed before I can reach a proper conclusion.’

‘Of?’

‘You as a great kisser.’

‘Indeed?’

‘There is a precedence, I believe. The accepted rule that scientific fact should always be subjected to further experimentation, to eliminate the chance of a fluke occurrence.’

‘You think that kiss was a fluke?’ Rocco asked.

‘I’m simply saying it could be. Best of three?’

‘Very well,’ he sighed.

What some reviewers have said about Harper’s Highland Fling.

A thrilling, entrancing, full on romantic adventure. Hang onto your hat, it’s a 5 Star trip all the way! – Adrienne Vaughan

Written with Lizzie’s customary blend of warmth, wit and ‘will they, won’t they’ drama. Her best romance yet. I loved it! – Janet Brigden

Another smart, funny, romantic read from Lizzie Lamb. – June Kearns

An exciting armchair road trip to Bonnie Scotland, a gripping romance and a set of characters you’re not going to let go. Lizzie Lamb is back! – Isabella Tartaruga

So – get your motor running and fasten your seatbelt, you’re in for a bumpy ride

Feast your eyes on Lizzie’s beautiful novels.

I love Lizzie Lamb’s books and always know I’m in for a great read. Harper’s Highland Fling is not just any romance, it’s a scorching hot romance, full of surprises and glorious page turning tension. It is great getting to know the two characters and Lizzie Lamb’s lovely turn of phrase sparkles throughout the novel. She is currently writing her seventh novel: Dark Highland Skies.

Lizzie Lamb is a bestselling author with six novels under her belt. She runs the Leicester RNA Chapter, Belmont Belles, with June Kearns and is regularly invited to give presentations and workshops around the UK.

I dare you not to fall in love with Lizzie’s books.

About Lizzie:

After teaching her 1000th pupil and working as a deputy head teacher in a large primary school, Lizzie decided to pursue her first love: writing. She joined the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s New Writers’ Scheme, wrote Tall, Dark and Kilted (2012), quickly followed by Boot Camp Bride. She went on to publish Scotch on the Rocks, which achieved Best Seller status within two weeks of appearing on Amazon and her next novel, Girl in the Castle, reached #3 in the Amazon charts. Lizzie is a founder member of indie publishing group – New Romantics Press, and has hosted author events at Aspinall, St Pancras and Waterstones, Kensington, talking about the research which underpins her novels. Lizzie romance Take Me, I’m Yours, set in Wisconsin, also achieved BEST SELLER status >travel>USA. Her latest novel – Harper’s Highland Fling – has been declared her ‘best one yet’ by readers and reviewers. In it, two warring guardians are forced to join forces and set off in hot pursuit of a runaway niece and son. She has further Scottish-themed romances planned and spends most of the summer touring the Scottish Highlands researching men in kilts. As for the years she spent as a teacher, they haven’t quite gone to waste as she is building a reputation as a go-to speaker on indie publishing, and how to plan, write, and publish your debut novel.

Lizzie lives in Leicestershire (UK) with her husband, David.

She loves to hear from readers, so do get in touch . . .

 

Please  see all my author interviews in Author Chat Room and my website and blog at JessieCahalin.com.

Meet the author whose characters make her leap out of the bath

Adrienne Vaughan

 

 

 

Adrienne Vaughan has been a writer since the age of seven, from the moment she first sat at the kitchen table, thumping out stories about ponies, witches, and unicorns on her turquoise Petite typewriter. Today she writes award-winning, page-turning romantic suspense.

She visited my blog to chat about her novel – The Hollow Heart.

Jessie: The Hollow Heart and has a wonderfully tempting image on the cover. Summarise your book in two sentences.

Adrienne: Investigative journalist, Marianne Coltrane uncovers a devastating travesty of justice and with more than her career at risk, takes off to the west of Ireland to save her sanity. There, she meets Ryan Gorman, an actor seeking sanctuary from the media and a very dangerous fiancée. What can possibly go right?

Jessie: I haven’t read the book so could you read an extract to tempt me?

Adrienne: The whole episode confirmed one thing; he was the love of her life, but love of her life or not, she would never play second fiddle to Hollywood, his career or anyone else besides.

Jessie: Your books are very popular.  Let’s face it who wouldn’t like a romantic suspense with Irish roots and a touch of glamour. What do the reviewers say about your book?

Adrienne: The story is just wonderful, moving from the cut-throat world of investigative journalism, through glamour, glitz and mayhem, and on to the perfectly-drawn setting of Innishmahon, where it continues as a very moving love story with an uncertain outcome and a gripping tale of the lives of a cast of characters I really took to my heart.Welsh Annie, Top 500 Reviewer

Completely compelling from start to finish. Thoroughly enjoyed this novel, so many different depths and very unpredictable. Not your average romantic story, twists and turns throughout which leave you surprised until the very last page. Amazon Customer.

This book had me laughing, crying and hoping things would turn out right. If this is the author’s first book, things bode well for the next one. L.A. Topp

Jessie: How did you feel when you had finished writing your book, and did you miss any of the characters?

Adrienne: I missed them all, desperately! Luckily my husband had read the manuscript, so when I told him I was busy plotting my next book he looked at me askance and asked, ‘Why? The Hollow Heart ends at a beginning. Go back, so we can find out what happens next.’

So I did – genius! Except A Change of Heart  was so difficult to write I nearly threw myself off the nearest bridge. Luckily again, I have an earth angel, the historical novelist June Tate, my mentor, she managed to haul me back from the brink  so “ all’s well that ends well.

Jessie: Who would you like to read your book and why? Â This could be another author, someone famous, a friend or a member of your family.

Adrienne: Meryl Streep. She’d read it and decide she just has to play Miss MacReady in the movie. Great! Because Meryl has the wherewithal to make that happen, and by the time it does, she’ll have roped in Pierce Brosnan to play Father Gregory and Aidan Turner to play Ryan. I already have Bill Patterson signed up as Marianne’s gruff Scottish editor Jack. And as for Marianne, well, I’d leave that to Meryl. Though, of course, I haven’t really given it much thought, Jessie, as you can tell.

Jessie: Why should I read the novel?

Adrienne: It’s pure escapism and can be read as quickly or as slowly as you wish. First read, it’s a pager turner, a gripping, roller-coaster of a story that moves right along. The second read is more layered, with descriptions becoming more vivid and the reader’s emotional connection to the characters deepening “ well, that’s what I’ve been told, which is extremely flattering and a bit humbling too.

Jessie: What is the last sentence written in your writer’s notebook?

Adrienne: ‘In the first glimmerings of daybreak, with the deathly moon merging its last candlelight in the blueing east, they walked slowly back.’ Sadly, not my work, but an excerpt from Demelza by Winston Graham. I’m late to discover this wonderful author, who allegedly described himself as ‘the most successful author no one’s ever heard of’. He writes like a dream. I’m always jotting things down that I hope will inspire me to be a better writer.

Jessie: What is the biggest challenge for an author?

Adrienne: In what today is an extremely crowded, shouty, look at me, I’m the next best thing in the marketplace, I would say visibility. The Americans – brilliant marketeers – call it discoverability,  meaning how do author find their readers? It’s more difficult for an indie author  like me, but still hard work even for those with publishers behind them who, at least, give them a shove onto what they hope might be the right platform. We’re very grateful to people like you, and indeed all book bloggers/reviews/flag wavers, without your support most of us would sink without a trace.

Jessie: What is the best advice that you have received as a writer?

Adrienne:

‘Never, never, never give up!’Winston Churchill

‘Write Crap!’ Julie Cohen.

I know Julie slightly better than I know Winston, obviously.

Adrienne is a writer of romantic suspense with Irish roots and a touch of Hollywood glamour. She is always leaping out of the bath to write down what her characters have just said to her, they do pick their moments She is desperate to be able to write faster, but a book is like a painting, it’s not finished till it’s finished and only the author/artist knows when.

You can contact Adrienne Vaughan at:

Website: www.adriennevaughan.com

Twitter:@adrienneauthor

Facebook: Adrienne Vaughan

List of novels written:

The Hollow Heart

A Change of Heart

Secrets of the Heart

Fur Coat & No Knickers (Short story collection)

 

Please see all my interviews at My Guests and my blog at jessiecahalin.com.

History Tour and Chat with Anglo-Saxonist

John Broughton

 

 

 

John began writing stories for his two children, Emily and Adam, when they had exhausted all the children’s books in the local library. The result was that six of these were published, one of them being an anthology of shorter stories.  John now lives in Italy and has published two historical fiction novels for adults. 

I met John and his wife, Maria, in Lincoln to discuss ‘The Purple Thread’ and ‘Wyrd of the Wolf’. Both of John’s novels are inspired by his passion for Anglo Saxon history. 

John was on holiday, in Lincoln, with his wife, Maria, and was also taking the opportunity to complete some research. John offered to give me a brief tour of the cathedral before we discussed his books. I had climbed Steep Hill to reach the cathedral but was mightily impressed by the cathedral.  John explained that Maria would meet us later in the coffee shop.

Jessie:  It is an impressive cathedral.  Did you choose to meet here because the cathedral has Anglo Saxon connections?

John:  The present majestic cathedral has nothing to do with the Saxons. In the seventh century, about half a century before the setting of my third novel here in the Kingdom of Lindsey, St Paulinus, companion of Saint Augustine, founded the first Christian church. But not where the present cathedral stands, but in Bailgate, to the north-west. Archaeological evidence shows sunken-floored buildings surrounded the site.

I was in awe of John’s impressive knowledge and his incredible enthusiasm for the history.  I knew that my online research would be of little use, and it was best find out more from the expert.

Jessie: What is it that particularly interests you about the cathedral?

John:  As an Anglo-Saxonist, I’d love to know what lies beneath the cathedral but luckily, I’ll never get a chance to know. Since Lindsey was a sub-kingdom dominated by its powerful neighbours, it is a kind of mysterious period and anyway, much of Lincolnshire was marshland – the famous Fens.

Jessie:  I know that Lincoln is the capital of his country in…..with its beautiful cathedral.  Tell me little more about your books.

John:  Of course, but I suggest that we visit the coffee shop in the town.  My wife is in the café reading my latest book and I need to refer to it.

As we walked to the coffee shop, John engaged me in a detailed overview of the plot of his novels.  He then proceeded to summarise the books for this interview.

John: The Purple Thread is about how a detail can change our lives. In this case, a letter that steals a man from his family and sends him to confront pagans, heretics and deal with saints.

Wyrd of the Wolf is a story of love and betrayal in the context of the struggle between emerging kingships and in particular the pagan Caedwalla who becomes the patron saint of (reformed) serial killers!

Maria was sipping her espresso while absorbed in the book.  She smiled at John and handed over the paperback.  I noticed that she removed another copy of the book from her handbag. 

Jessie:  I realise that you had some success writing stories for children.  How have your recent books been received by the reviewers?

John frowned as he scrolled through emails on his phone.  Maria reached into her handbag and retrieved a notebook with the reviews she had collected. Maria couldn’t wait to read the reviews, it was lovely to see how happy she was to celebrate her husband’s work.

Maria:

John Broughton transports his reader into the fascinating world of our islands in the 8th century. His colourful imagery creates a realistic atmosphere of life as it would have been lived in those days. His intimate knowledge of the period brings this historical novel vividly into the imagination of his readers. No detail is omitted in his colourful account of every scene. (Pronter)

This book has all the classic elements of an adventure story, danger, heroism, cunning and treachery. The author knows his period well but manages to wear his history lightly. Anglo Saxon times are called the dark ages for a reason and we get a real glimpse into this world in the wild lands of western Europe as the author takes us on a vast journey through a dystopian landscape. (Tricky Henry)

The Purple Thread is not my usual genre and, to be honest, I only started the book because I knew the author many years ago. Wow! What a great book and surprise it turned out to be; I was totally absorbed with the quality of writing, the characters & story in a period I know so little about. So many years of research must have gone into The Purple Thread, resulting in an absolute page turner. I simply couldn’t put it down. It entertained me but also made me think. (Sooz B.)

Jessie: Wow!  The reviews are very positive, and I can’t wait to read the books.  Can you give me an extract from the books to tempt the reader?

Maria handed over the books, she pointed to some sections she had marked with yellow post-it notes.  John took the books, skimmed the text and read the passages.

John:

The Purple Thread

A careful reader will notice reference to the colour running as a thread throughout the book. In a way, it represents the Word of God and how the Church places the protagonist under psychological pressure to keep him away from his family. So I chose these lines:

‘Bemused, he shook his head, more pressing thoughts troubling his heart. The coast of his homeland dwindled to a thin purple line, every moment carrying him farther from the woman and child he loved.’

The Wyrd of the Wolf

A father betroths his daughter for political reasons. She falls in love with his most dangerous enemy and a tale of tormented love and revenge unfolds. This passage reveals the protagonist’s underlying motivation:

“Aelfhere struggled to sweep aside sinister thoughts. After all, this should be a joyous occasion.  His king, Arwald, had ordered him to Sussex with a score of armed men but on the outcome of their mission rode the safeguarding of the Isle.”

Jessie: How did you feel when you had finished writing your book, and did you miss any of the characters?

John: The strangest thing happened. I was moved by my protagonist’s predicament (of my own creation, it should be stressed) to the point that I had tears in my eyes. But it’s the end of the book and I don’t want to write a spoiler!

As for Wyrd, well, I regret in a way not writing a sequel because I find myself wondering what happens to Cynethryth (the female protagonist) after she returns to Wight. I suppose there’s still time but for the moment I’m busy on another novel.

Jessie: What is the last sentence written in your writer’s notebook?

John: It’s a quote copied from a fellow author’s blog. She quotes Anton Chekov “Don’t tell me the moon is shining, show me the glint of light on broken glass.’ It’s a good reminder by a great writer to show not tell.

Jessie: What is the biggest challenge for an author?

John: I don’t know, because as a relatively new writer, I’m learning all the time and it’s all a challenge. But among those I’ve faced up to now, the latest is the greatest: trying to create an anti-hero protagonist and yet make the reader empathise with him. I’m at the halfway stage of my novel and I’ll be honest, I don’t think I’m being wholly successful. But I’m relying on revising the story enough times to manage it to my satisfaction in the end.

Jessie: What is the best advice that you have received as a writer?

John: ‘The first 250000 words you write are for the bin’ (Joseph Conrad) In my case maybe more! Never give up. His first novel was rejected 19 times and he was brilliant.

Maria:  Oh, John just loves to write and write.  He is so happy when he is telling stories.  Did he tell you the story about the emblem of this city?

I wasn’t sure if the Lincoln Imp is located in the cathedral, or in a specific place so need your help here.

John: The Lincoln imp – the symbol of the city – has been explained as a medieval mason’s practical joke. It’s to be found in the Angel Choir below the level of the angels. The legend says it was lured into the building by the sweet singing of the angels and God turned him to stone. This doesn’t explain why the angels are stone, of course!

Jessie:  It has been lovely to meet you both.  It is such an impressive city and I the cathedral is the most impressive I have seen.  The setting of Lincoln, John’s storytelling and knowledge of history has inspired me to read the novels.  Have a good journey back to Italy.

John: Sir Kenneth Clark, when pressed to choose, selected Lincoln as the most beautiful of the English cathedrals and I agree with him!  The cathedral also houses one of the few original copies of the Magna Carta.

More about John…

John is sorry that he didn’t start writing for adults twenty years ago. Realistic enough to know that a writer either has time but no income or has income but no time. Incredibly impressed by the solidarity and sheer niceness of fellow indie writers.

For further details, you can visit John’s web site on www.saxonquill.com

Facebook page John Broughton – Historical Fiction Writer.

Twitter:  @broughton_john

 

Please see all my interviews at My Guests and my blog at jessiecahalin.com

 

Raising a Glass to Readers with Lynda Stacey

I received a warm welcome from Lynda at Merchant Taylors’ Hall, York

 At the Merchant Taylors’ Hall in York, Lynda greeted me with a warm smile.  When I mentioned Books in my Handbag, she beamed at me.  We stood next to the glowing warm fire to chat about Lynda’s new novel.  Lynda has a special place in my heart, as she is one of the very first authors to present a book in a handbag at the beginning of my journey.

Jessie:  What a pleasure to finally meet with you, Lynda.  Thanks so much for inviting me to the RNA Tea. 

Lynda: Jessie you’re so very welcome, and I hope you’ll feel at home.  We started this event three years ago to ensure there was an RNA event in the North.  I really wanted to create a friendly, informal event where everyone could get together, catch up and have some lovely food.   Before we begin, here’s a glass of wine.  I’d like to raise a toast to my lovely readers.

Lynda Stacey’s The Fake Date

Jessie:  A little tweet tells me you just released your new novel, Fake Date.  It’s a dramatic title.  What’s the novel about?

Lynda: Ella finds herself beaten and broken, yet somehow, she finds the strength to survive. Determined to put the past behind her, she vows to find the person responsible for hurting her, no matter how difficult that might be, but during the novel she meets Will Taylor, an editor for a rival newspaper. He’s moved into the house next door and Ella finds herself becoming more and more attached to her cheeky neighbour, while all the time searching for the person who attacked her.

Jessie:  It sounds like a gripping and powerful novel. Your books are grip lit and seem to be love with a gritty edge.  Why do you write in this genre?

Lynda : I love the gritty side of things. I really don’t think that everyone has a straight forward, lovely life and I’m positive that there’s always someone out there trying to ruin your day…. And okay, I don’t think most people live with serial killers, or people who are trying to murder them, but I do think it happens and I do think it gives the book the gritty edge that I love.

Linda raises a glass to all the lovely people who have bought her book. Cheers!

Jessie:  How have the reviewers responded to your latest book?

Lynda:  I have been absolutely blown away with the reviews.  Anne has just stopped me to tell me she liked the book, I could seriously bounce around the room with happiness.  Reviews like this mean so much to me – she is such a well-respected blogger and her opinion means such a lot.

‘I’ve read and enjoyed all the books Lynda Stacey has written, but this really is the one I’ve been waiting for – the one I always believed she could write.’
Welsh Annie

‘This is a great psychological thriller and one where I thought I knew what was going on and then the plot thickens, and I started doubting myself! I would thoroughly recommend this book as it certainly keeps you on your toes from start to finish!’ Boons Book Case

‘From the start to the end I was gripped, in fact I couldn’t put the book down and read it in a day.’ Mrs C Isle

Jessie:  What great reviews, Lynda.  Now, I’m intrigued.  Can you read me an extract?

Lynda: 
Nine hours and eleven minutes …

That’s how long it’s been since Ella Hope was beaten and left for dead. She lies, unable to move and praying for somebody to find her, as she counts down the minutes and wonders who could have hated her so much to have hurt her so badly.

 Jessie: How did you feel when you had finished writing your book, and did you miss any of the characters?

I always go through a roller-coaster of emotions. I’m relieved that I finally got to the end, and albeit they’ll always be with me, I get a little disappointed that my characters won’t be a part of my daily life anymore.

Jessie:  I know exactly what you mean.  I missed my characters, but they’ve started to hassle me with other tales. I’m ignoring them for now.  Who would you like to read your book and why?  This could be another author, someone famous, a friend or a member of your family.

Lynda: I’d love for my mum to read my books. We lost her quite several years ago, but I’m just certain that she’d have been my biggest fan.

Jessie: It’s such a shame your mum didn’t get to enjoy your books.  Did she know you intended to write them, and what do you think she’d say about your books?

Lynda: She’d always been aware that becoming an author was a dream for me. She was the one that had to sit and listen to the sound of my typewriter tapping away for hours and hours and now that I am published, she’d most probably drive everyone nuts by continually talking about the books.

Jessie: Why should I keep your book in my handbag?

Because it has a really pretty cover lol..! Besides, I’d like to think that you’d need to keep it close by, purely because you wanted to keep reading until it was finished.

Jessie:  That’s a great response and you know how to tempt me with a book. What is the last sentence written in your writer’s notebook?

I don’t tend to keep a notebook. But if I did, it would probably say, ‘Go back to the beginning of the story and double check all your research’

Jessie:  Have you started to write the next book?  If yes, are there any words you can share with us.  I won’t tell anyone.

Lynda: My next novel is based in my home town of Doncaster and has the backdrop of the famous Sand House. A house that had been carved out of sandstone in the late 1800’s. But it wasn’t the house that people were most interested in, it was the catacombs that were carved and led off from the house. The tunnels were vast and had the most intricate of carvings which are now ‘in reality’ lost forever. But being a Doncaster girl, I want to preserve their memory, bring them back… and allow the world to see The Elephant and his Mahout, the most famous of the carvings.

This is the office that I insisted on having. I needed one. I had to have one and I got one at considerable expense. And now… now I still sit outside in the sun, or on the corner of the settee with the laptop on my knee. Ooops x

Jessie: What is the biggest challenge for an author?

Lynda: My biggest challenge is to make the next book better than the last. I’m always striving to do better, to get more 5 star reviews and to ensure that the reader takes a great journey.

Jessie: What is the best advice that you have received as a writer?

Lynda: To never give up writing. To keep going, even when times are tough and to believe in yourself. There are a lot of days when you could easily stop. But then, something happens, something lovely like an unexpected email from a reader, or just a lovely comment from another author. It’s on those days that you sit back, you smile, you take the advice, and you get to work.

Jessie:  How do you feel about being an author?

I’ve always loved getting lost in a story, my childhood was spent in libraries. So, to find myself writing my own books and getting consumed by my own stories, is like a dream come true. I never, ever thought I’d be in a position to call myself an author and still look at, stroke and smell my books with a look of disbelief all over my face.

Here’s Millie, (the puppy that Ella’s parents bring for her as a gift) In real-life she’s the puppy that belongs to my friend, Kathy. It was her cottage became the back drop to Ella’s home.

I received a warm welcome from Lynda and her modesty charmed me to download her novel.  The invitation to the RNA York Tea made me fall in love with the Romantic Novelists Association.  Like Lynda, the people I met were kind, generous and fun.

More about the Author:

Lynda grew up in the mining village of Bentley, Doncaster, in South Yorkshire. Her own chaotic life story, along with varied career choices helps Lynda to create stories of romantic suspense, with challenging and unpredictable plots, along with (as in all romances) very happy endings.  She now lives in a small hamlet, near Doncaster with her hero at home husband, Haydn.

Lynda’s contact details:
Twitter: @Lyndastacey
Facebook: Lynda Stacey Author
Web: www.Lyndastacey.co.uk

 

Please see all my authors’ interviews at My Guests and my website and blog at JessieCahalin.com.

Stay Golden with Jena C. Henry

Even though life changes as we age- we must strive to stay as gold as we can.

Jena Henry is an amazing supporter of authors, and she dashes around social media leaving her trail of golden comments.  I cannot imagine how we would cope without Jena’s positive, fun online presence. I wanted to find out more about this lovely lady, so I read her novel –The Golden Age of Charli. Jena’s book gave me a great insight into her positive philosophy and prompted me to ask further questions. I wanted to get to the heart of her catchphrase – ‘staying golden’.

Jena: Hello Jessie and thank you for inviting me to ramble on and on with you. I’m sure you know that I am a big fan of both you and your Handbag Gallery, so I hope after we chat, we will have some time to browse the handbags and see the latest books that you have added.

Right, we’ll move on. I suppose you want to talk books and writing? And me?

Sharing our books and ideas has developed a wonderful friendship across the miles.

Jessie: Jena, it’s been great fun getting to know you over the past year. Sharing our books and ideas has developed a wonderful friendship across the miles, and I love my Ohio t shirt. I admire how much you have achieved in your life, and your infectious positivity. Introduce yourself with three achievements that make you proud.

Jena: I never think too much about myself that way- but I’ll try.

  1. I’m still here! Which encompasses having a happy marriage and a happy life, amazing kids.

And I achieved two goals that were important to me:

  1. I graduated from Law School.
  2. I finally wrote a book! (plus 2 more)

Sharing our books and ideas has developed a wonderful friendship across the miles.

Jessie:  What do you mean when you say ‘stay golden’ and when did you invent this phrase?

Robert Frost inspired me with his poem,
Nature’s first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf’s a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.

The last line, “Nothing gold can stay”, is used in the powerful conclusion of S. E. Hinton’s coming-of-age book “The Outsider’s” (also a movie). “Stay gold Ponyboy”, one friend tells the other, meaning “stay innocent.”

As I am now a golden ager, and my book series is “The Golden Age of Charli”, I borrowed the concept from Frost and Hinton and adopted “Stay Golden” as my affirmation. Even though life changes as we age- we must strive to stay as gold as we can. I wrote a post on staying golden and here it is: https://www.jenabooks.com/stay-golden/

Jessie: You’ve reached the glorious years of retirement, and your positive philosophy inspired me to connect with you. What are your five golden rules to make the most of retirement?

Jena: Retirement…the golden years…the sunset years…the years where we all ask, “What’s a weekend?” because it really doesn’t matter anymore- every day is a day to rejoice. The desire to thrive is really the key. Many people face challenges with health and other circumstances, so I don’t mean to make it sound like every senior adult is able to frolic, and I’m truly grateful every day for all my blessings.

After busy and active decades of building a career, a family, a life…retirement can be a jolt or even a let down. Where is our purpose now? Here are my five rules to get you thinking.

  1. Prepare for your retirement
  2. Focus on healthy living
  3. Discover something new and fun to do
  4. Do something good for someone else
  5. Give thanks each day.

Jessie, you are at the perfect age to start planning for your golden years! You have plenty of time to get your finances and retirement plans, your health, and your interests developed. You already have the golden, optimistic mind-set!

Jessie: Now you are enjoying retirement, what word words of advice would you give to Jena in her twenties. 

Jena: Don’t worry, I know you were eager to finish college and move out from home and now that you’ve done it, you’re feeling a bit shaky but… EVERYTHING WILL TURN OUT BETTER THAN YOU CAN IMAGINE!  All the life stuff- career, marriage, kids… piece of cake! (yes, I try to be over-encouraging with young people!)

Plus- so many cool things are coming! Technology, computers, the internet, big screen TVs, ereaders for books, smart phones, smart homes, streaming movies and tv shows, so much better than the three tv channels you get now!

And, you WILL write a book. You won’t vacation on the moon, in fact you’ll never move far away from your hometown. The Cleveland Indians will not win a World Series, and you won’t get back to Paris, but you will visit China. And even though you don’t not know what sushi is right now, but you will love it!

Jessie: Tell us why reading is important to you.

Jena: Reading is my superpower and helps me to stay golden.

I have always been an ardent reader. And now I am enjoying being a passionate reviewer. I post reviews on Amazon, Goodreads and my website. https://www.jenabooks.com/category/promotions/

https://www.jenabooks.com/category/blog/

Currently, I am considering if I can do more to connect with and serve and promote writers, authors, bloggers in even better ways. Any ideas for me?

Jessie:  Apart from books, what other hobbies do you have?

Jena: As you may know, I am an avid sports fan, and we stay current with most sports, from local to professional. And now thanks to you I’m learning more about British sports! I’m happy to chat about Baseball- I root, root, for the home team which is the Cleveland Indians! I also cheer on the “real football” team, the Cleveland Browns and I’m most passionate about our pro Basketball team, The Cleveland Cavaliers!( Until last year, we had the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) LeBron James. I believe you have never heard of him?) My husband and sons also follow motorsports.

Jessie: What was a key influence in your life? 

I am thankful I was born, grew up, and have always lived in Ohio. Ohio is a mid-western state with contrasts- cities and farms, conservatives and liberals, even Amish. Church and community are important. And one thing unites us all- The Ohio State University and its championship football program.

When someone starts the cheer of “O” “H”!…We all know to shout back “I” “O”.

And Ohioans are also quick to form OHIO with their arms and we share photographs of this all over social media.

Here is a photo my niece took, that shows OHIO on the side of a barn, near the city where we live. (Photo by mackmarie.com)

And Ohioans are also quick to form OHIO with their arms and we share photographs of this all over social media.

Jessie: You are also an author of a great collection of books about retirement. Pinpoint the exact time when you decided to write your trilogy.  What was the biggest writing challenge?

Jena: I always wanted to write a book. After 40 years of dreaming, my husband said to me “Well, if you ever want to write a book, you should get started. Time is running out.”

Perhaps a bit harsh- but it worked. The idea of Charli came to me and I got to know her and write about her.

No real challenges. I am so proud of my books and me. I wrote a three-book fiction series, The Golden Age of Charli. I love all my books because they are just what I wanted them to be- fun, positive and encouraging. My books are loosely based on my experiences and the experiences of about 50 million other women! For more info

Thanks again Jessie! Time for tea and cake?

Jessie: I thoroughly enjoyed Jena’s book and it made me reflect on my future retirement as a golden goal to be enjoyed.   I’ve learned it’s never too early to plan my golden years.  Here is my review of The Golden Age of Charli : GPS

The Golden Age of Charli is a novel, memoir and self-help book. It cleverly guides the reader through the familiar frustrations encountered by retirees who have lost their way.  However, the dominant ideology of this book can be applied to anyone who is searching for a ‘raison d’être’.

Charli McAntic has reached her ‘sunset years’ and yearns for a new adventure as she stares at a photo of Audrey Hepburn in the hairdressers.  Alas, Charli and Pud drink to ‘joie de vivre’ but they seem to be on automatic drive mode.  It is only Charli who muses ‘why wasn’t I content?’

Page (before the health program) Me, Henry at high school graduation, Charles

Aug, their son, observes, ‘We need to boost your wild side, Mom’: his cute observation made me smile.  Although she is on the verge of an exciting era, Charli is uncertain about stepping off treadmill of life that has sustained her.  I yearned for Charli to navigate through her sunset years and ‘do something meaningful.’  Charli explains, ‘I don’t want to change my life; I just want to search for more meaning to add tapestry to my life.’ I understood she needed to weave a little je ne sais quoi into her life to achieve fulfilment.

Alas, Pud is content to play golf, and I was impressed Charli introduces her frustrations rather than shouting at him.  I wanted to chastise Pud who didn’t respond to his wife but organised to exercise with Connie.  Connie’s character is well drawn and added to the tension.

As the novel progresses winter draws in and the weather parallels changes in the narrative.   Language used to convey the seasons is poetic and symbolic.  ‘The winds roared harder and the wheels of the seasons changed to late autumn.’ Read the book to discover whether Pud and Charli find their ‘Technicolour moment’.   Will the storms and winds of Ohio shake up their life or will calm be restored?

Explore life through Charli’s perspective as she evaluates her life with warmth, honesty and vulnerability.

 

Please all my author interviews at My Guests and my website and blog at JessieCahalin.com.

A copy of my novel can be found here.