JO LAMBERT

For one week only Tuesday Talk switches to Thursday and I’m chatting to blogger Rachel Gilbey who has news about a new service she is offering writers…

Good morning Rachel and welcome. Can I start, as always, by asking you a little about yourself?

Good morning Jo, its pleasure to be back on your blog today.
Well my name is Rachel, and I’m a book blogger over at Rachel’s Random Reads. I have always been a huge lover of books and for the past two and a half years I have been able to shout about my love of books to the world (or whoever is paying attention!).
I would love to tell you about my interests in my spare time but I’m laughing at the thought of having any spare time that isn’t taken up with either my new business or my blog. I can say though that if I get a chance to escape the computer I love musical theatre and also going on holidays! I’m also a huge fan of sports and already looking forward to next year where I will be working from home and able to watch as much live World Cup football, and Commonwealth Games action as I can!

As a reviewer you read a huge number of books. What is your favourite genre and who are your favourite authors?

Well my favourite genres that is easy, I love chick lit, romance and women’s fiction as my go to genres. I tend to delve into the darker side of thrillers, psychological thrillers, crime and mystery when I need a break from the lighter hearted books that I tend to favour.
Two years ago when I was last here, you asked me about my favourite authors and my answer is going to be similar again I’m afraid. I can’t name even a top twenty of authors as I am rapidly discovering I have more go to, must read authors than time to fit them all in. I love discovering new favourites, but equally if I spent 2018 only reading releases by authors I already know and love, I probably wouldn’t run out of new reading material!

Have you ever been tempted to become an author?

It is one of those thoughts that has flitted through my mind on occasion but most of the time I come up with the conclusion that I am not talented enough, or imaginative enough to come up with a book. I always struggled with creative writing at school and I prefer to leave it to those far more talented than me.
If I ever did become an author those thoughts have always centred on children’s books, because I assumed they would be easier to write, but my ability at rhyming couplets isn’t that impressive, and I still don’t have any original ideas that haven’t been done before. That and children are probably the toughest audience, to a lot harder to please!

You’re a girl who loves foreign travel and in the past we have been treated to some great holiday shots on social media. Is there anywhere in the world you haven’t been to that you would really love to visit?

Thanks I’m glad you like my holiday pics, and sorry that the next holiday will just be of a pool, as I’ll be relaxing in Fuerteventura over Christmas!
There are plenty of places I would absolutely love to visit – Australia is the big one that jumps to mind, dare I say that I would have to visit the real Ramsay street if I was ever in Melbourne, would love to see Kangaroos and Koalas up close, the Great Barrier reef must be gorgeous too.
Would love to see more of the Far East too, Africa if I ever get around to it I would love to do a safari, and I’ve never been to South America either, in fact I’d love to see more than just Miami in America too. Reading that back I have to wonder where I have been in that case as that is a lot of the world I haven’t visited… right everyone we need to make my new venture (next question) a big success so I can afford some of these great destinations!

Recently you set up a new venture – Rachel’s Random Resources – what sort of service does this offer to authors?

Rachel’s Random Resources is my brand new business offering assorted services to authors to make their lives easier when it comes to publicity of their books, old and new.
I organise blog tours, shorter blog blitzes, 1 day publication day pushes, or Book Birthday Blitzes , to get a real buzz going on your special day, as well as cover reveals, which my growing family of bloggers will be eager to help out with.
I’ve got my Retro Review Vault, which is where I will gain you potential reviewers without them having the pressure of a blog tour, specifically for your back catalogue books, the ones where sales may have dropped off, so getting some fresh interest could be beneficial. This is open for reviewers that just review on Goodreads and Amazon too, to increase the exposure of the book on all the major outlets.
I’m also doing assorted graphic design for social media. This include header graphics for Twitter and Facebook, blog tour banners if you have organised your own, special offer graphics, images with quotes from the book or from your favourite reviews, all to enhance your social media, with a some variety.
Essentially, I am aiming to connect authors with bloggers, do the asking on your behalf, do the organising or graphic design on your behalf, freeing your time up to write the next book!

And lastly, if you had to spend a whole year on a desert island, what would your four ‘must haves’ be and why?

Four must haves?
Well kindle with charger, and electricity I’m counting as one item, as let’s face it if all I was doing was waiting to be rescued from a desert island I may as well finally make a dent in my massive personal TBR, and my kindle has 3G and basic web abilities too, so would be able to vaguely see what is going on in the world!
Sun tan cream – sorry to be boring, but I would burn to a crisp assuming this isn’t an Arctic desert island!
Bottled water – well I wouldn’t want to dehydrate
Lastly well a new sexy man brought to the island each month for me amusement and pleasure – as after a month I would be bored of each one, and it would provide great entertainment for when I’m not reading or sunbathing!
Rachel Gilbey is a keen book enthusiast who has taken things to a new level with her blog tour organising business. She dreams books in her sleep and then looks forward to being able to read them in a spare moment. Her blog keeps her busy in her spare time.
Rachel lives just about still in London, is in her thirties and absolutely hates having to write a bio or about herself, preferring to connect with people on social media and let them see for themselves what she is about!

Links to Rachel’s Random Reads:

Website

Twitter

Links to Rachel’s Random Resources:

Website

Twitter

Facebook

ABOUT THE BOOK:

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Carol is a writer, feminist and flâneuse. Her home is in beautiful West Wales, a place whose legends and landscape inform her writing. She writes contemporary fiction threaded with elements of magic.
Her second book, SNOW SISTERS, was published on 21 September, 2017 by Honno, the Welsh Women’s Press. It has been chosen by the Welsh Books Council as their October Book of the Month (for independent shops.)
GHOSTBIRD, her first novel, was published in March 2016. The book was chosen as Waterstones Wales and Welsh Independent Bookshops ‘Book Of The Month’ for April 2016. It was longlisted for the Guardian ‘Not the Booker’ prize 2016 and nominated for the Guardian Readers’ Book of the Year 2016.Praise for SNOW SISTERS
“Lovekin’s words soar like the birds, who see everything”
Louise Beech – ‘How To Be Brave’

MY REVIEW:

When I read Carol Lovekin’s first novel Ghostbird, I was absolutely blown away, not only by the magic of the story but also the depth and beauty of the writing.

With Snow Sisters once again it didn’t take long for me to become drawn into yet another wonderfully crafted story. It’s a book to take your time with – there can be absolutely no rushing. Carol is brilliant at weaving the kind of backdrop that bring all five senses into play and makes you feel you are actually there. Gull House on the Welsh coast is a perfect location. Atmospheric and windswept you can almost taste the salt on your tongue and hear the cry of the seabirds.

Carol balances her descriptions well so they never intrude or interrupt the story – they complement it with the characters seamlessly woven in. And what characters!  Grandmother Mared, owner of Gull House is an anchor for twins Verity and Meredith – and a true matriarch. The girls’ mother Allegra, impulsive and self-absorbed –  a mother only when she’s in the mood to play the role. And when she does it’s clear she has a favourite child. I shouldn’t be too harsh though, as we eventually get an insight into her history allowing us to gain a little more understanding of her character.

The twins are different in their characters but close. Their lives – being home taught – brings an inter-dependency, although at times their differences do surface.

The ghost of Angharad who still dwells in Gull House is released when Meredith discovers her sewing basket.  This introduced another dimension to the story. Meredith, as the more receptive of the two, begins to hear voices and soon Verity also becomes involved in the tragic life of this young girl. Part of the power of Carol’s writing is that it’s so easy to suspend belief. And that is exactly what happened here. I became totally wrapped up in the events which took place.  A story so seamlessly woven into the main thread of the book that moving from past to present progressed in an uninterrupted flow.  Snow Sisters is a wonderfully crafted story of life, hope, disappointments, ghosts and snow.  It is magical offering from Carol Lovekin and a definite must read.

My thanks to Honno for inviting me on the Snow Sisters book tour and donating a pre-publication copy of this book.

AN EXTRACT FROM THE SNOW SISTERS:

In the morning, Meredith’s hair was decorated with dusty-winged moths. Delighted, she shook her hair and they fluttered up. ‘Thank you, my lovelies’ she said, ‘now off you go.’ She waved her arms, herded the moths to the window and watched as they disappeared. The voice from her dream hovered in the back of her mind. Pushing it away, Meredith thought perhaps she should try and forget about ghosts and focus on her made-up story. Maybe Verity’s right, and it is all in my head. The echo of half-formed whispers insisted otherwise. She put on the new frock her grandmother had made for her. The material was pale green scattered with daisies, with a full skirt and when she twirled it floated as light as a moth. Standing in the hall behind the half-open kitchen door, she heard Verity talking to Allegra. ‘I picked some more lilac; shall I arrange it for you?’ ‘Well you can try.’ Her mother’s voice had an edge to it. ‘Very nice, although I’m not sure how successful you’ll be. It’s not like you have a natural aptitude for flower arranging is it, darling?’ She laughed as she said the words. Meredith frowned. Why is she always so mean to Verity? She watched her sister fling the flowers onto the table, find a jug and filled it with water. ‘Do it yourself then.’ Verity banged the jug on the table. Water splashed over Allegra’s sketch pad and she snatched it away. ‘For God’s sake, Verity!’ Meredith knew this was the tail end of an earlier argument. Coming into the room she saw the empty gin bottle on the table. Her mother’s face was grey with fatigue. Hung-over, I bet. Allegra scrutinised three tarot cards, placed in a line on the table. ‘Pages,’ she said. ‘Goodness, two of them: pentacles and cups.’ Glancing at the cards Meredith said, ‘Get the fancy gear. And why’s he got a fish in his tankard?’ ‘It’s a cup, darling.’ ‘Looks more like that old tin coffee pot of yours.’ ‘Don’t be silly. The tarot’s—’ ‘Gobbledegook?’ ‘That’s not very nice, is it? The page of cups is sensitive and creative, like you – you’re a Pisces…’ ‘I know I am, so what?’ ‘If you’d let me explain, you’d understand.’ Allegra paused. ‘Two pages – you see? They represent children and news.’ She gave a nervous cough. ‘I hope you two won’t go talking about me behind my back.’ ‘Why would we do that?’ Meredith kept her voice non-committal. ‘I’m joking, you goose.’ Allegra swept up the cards and put them into the velvet bag. ‘But pages… I’m only saying.’ She patted the chair next to her. ‘You look gorgeous in your new frock. That shade of green really suits you.’ Meredith ignored her. ‘Pentacle boy looks a bit more normal. Is he creative too?’ ‘Not particularly. He represents earth.’ ‘Which means he must be very clever indeed because it’s Verity’s sign; she’s a Virgo.’ Meredith watched her sister out of the corner of her eye. Trust me… ‘Meri, it doesn’t matter…’ ‘What was the other one?’ Meredith’s eyes shone like stars in the rain. ‘The Six of Wands.’ ‘Meaning?’ ‘Success, my angel. Success after conflict!’ Seeing her sister wince, Meredith said, ‘Or you could wave the wands and make some kindness?’ Propping her elbow on the table, she caught her chin in her hand. ‘You could make a lot of kindness with six magic wands.’ She regarded her mother with her star eyes and the air in the room held its breath. ‘If you wanted to.’ The words tasted sharp on her tongue. Bitter as pepper and she let them swirl around her mouth. Reaching for the sprigs of lilac, she began placing them in the jug. ‘It’s pretty,’ she said. ‘It was kind of Verity to get it for you, wasn’t it?’ Meredith knew more than her mother guessed, and as if she sensed it, Allegra made for the back door. As she turned, her eyes narrowed and she let them rest on her youngest daughter’s face. ‘You’re such a puzzle sometimes, baby.’ She opened the door. ‘I’m off to the conservatory. See what the muse has in store for me.’ Meredith said nothing. She shifted closer to Verity and the tang of pepper was warm on her tongue.

The Captain’s Daughter
Victoria Cornwall

A gripping historical novel set in Cornwall.
Perfect for fans of Winston Graham’s Poldark, Susan Howatch & Philippa Gregory novels.

Book 2 – Cornish Tales

Beware the strength of a quiet woman.

After a family tragedy, Janey Carhart was forced from her comfortable middle-class life as a captain’s daughter into domestic servitude. Determined to make something of herself, Janey eventually finds work as a lady’s maid at the imposing Bosvenna Manor on the edge of Bodmin Moor, but is soon caught between the two worlds of upstairs and downstairs, and accepted by neither, as she cares for her blind mistress.
Desperately lonely, Janey catches the attention of two men – James Brockenshaw and Daniel Kellow. James is heir to the Bosvenna estate, a man whose eloquent letters to his mother warm Janey’s heart and whose attentions to her when he returns home set her pulse racing. Daniel Kellow is a neighbouring farmer with a dark past and a brooding nature, yet with a magnetism that disturbs Janey. Two men. Who should she choose? Or will fate decide.

PRICE: £2.99
CATEGORY: Historical/Women’s Fiction/Romance/Saga

BOOK LINKS

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Captains-Daughter-Choc-Cornish-Tales-ebook/dp/B075JNYRGG/r

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/gb/book/the-captains-daughter-choc-lit/id1271370193?mt=11&at=11lNBs

https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/the-captain-s-daughter-13

Choc Lit:
info@choc-lit.com
+44 (0) 1276 27492

MY REVIEW

For me the essence of a good book is one which you can completely immerse yourself in and forget about everything else.  And Victoria Cornwall’s second novel The Captain’s Daughter is just that.

Daughter of a sea captain, Janey Carhart has had a difficult upbringing.  Alone at thirteen after the death of her family she found herself with no alternative but to go into service. Now at twenty she is a newly employed maid to Lady Brockenshaw of Bosvenna Manor.  It is a role she has always wanted, but brings with it alienation and jealousy from some members of the staff there.  Although socially out of her reach, Janey is attracted to James, the Brockenshaw’s only son.  He’s handsome, educated and charming – the perfect gentleman.  Daniel Kellow, a local farmer, has taken an interest in Janey. Not only does he unsettle her with his familiarity, she is aware of the rumours that surround him. The locals believe he may have been involved in the accident years ago that killed his employer Zachariah Trebilock – one which gained him ownership of the farm.  And that’s it…no more spoilers other than to say it’s a plot, full of twists, turns and surprises.

I love historical romantic fiction and have to confess I was hooked from page one.  It was difficult to put down and I really resented having to stop when other ‘must do’ things intruded. Janey is a great heroine; competent, determined and sensible except, it appears, where affairs of the heart are concerned.  Daniel is a gorgeous hero – but then I’ve never been able to resist handsome dark eyed men – and blond charismatic James?…well you’ll just have to read the book to find out how  both these men influence Janey’s future.  A very worthy five star read….

I would like to thank Choc Lit for an ARC copy of this book in return for an honest review…

ABOUT VICTORIA CORNWALL

Victoria Cornwall can trace her Cornish roots as far back as the 18th century. This background and heritage has given her an understanding and knowledge of Cornish rural life, which is the inspiration for her writing.
Following a fulfilling twenty-five year career as a nurse, a change in profession finally allowed her time to write in her favourite genre – historical romance.

She is married with two grown up children. The Captain’s Daughter is the second novel in her Cornish Tales series.

Catch up with Victoria on Social Media:

https://twitter.com/VickieCornwall

http://http//victoriacornwall.com/

https://www.facebook.com/victoria.cornwall.75

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16069968.Victoria_Cornwall

Good morning Nicky and welcome. Can I start, as always, by asking you a little about yourself?

Good morning, Jo! It’s lovely to be here, thank you for inviting me. I’m honoured!! So, you want to know something about me? Hm. Where to start? I was blonde once; now I’m most probably a different colour, but underneath all that lovely red, you’d never know. I am German by birth, but I’ve lived in the UK most of my life (and apparently, I shall be allowed to continue to do so: wish me luck!). I am terminally afraid of wasps. I have a fabulous, wicked sense of humour although I may be slightly slow ‘getting’ it; sometimes. Ha! And I was privileged to have my favourite rock band play at my wedding. On that subject, I have a gorgeous, singing and guitar-playing husband and two growing-way-too-fast boys.

When did you first decide you wanted to write and how did you begin that journey?

Truthfully, I’ve always wanted to write; but this is such a cheesy answer that I don’t often give it. I started writing in earnest when I quit my business consultancy job a few months before the birth of my first baby; that would be around twelve years ago. All of a sudden, I had all this time on my hands, and I decided that I would write that book. ‘That book’ turned out to be Sophie’s Turn, even if it took about five years to get it out in book format. And my writing obsession turned out to be fairly unstoppable because I’ve written (almost) ten books altogether now and published eight of them.

Although your early novels had a rock music influence your last book Dead Hope was totally different – a suspenseful crime novel with romance woven through it. Have you now said goodbye to rock romances?

That’s a great question. The answer is: sort of yes, sort of no. You know how much I love my rock music and how much I adore certain rock stars. That obsession is alive and well and not about to desert me. Which means there are plenty more rock romances in me just waiting to be written. However, somehow—somehow, I got sidetracked. I wanted to try something new, something different, to stretch my literary wings and see if I could pull it off. It appears that I’ve unleashed a genie that now refuses to go back in the bottle as the ideas for thrillers are coming thick and fast. I’ve always been a great believer in following wherever my inspiration takes me, so for the time being, that’s my direction.

If money were no object where would your ultimate holiday destination be?

No object? No object whatsoever? Iceland. The arctic circle, snow and ice and Northern Lights and all.

Are you able to tell us a little about what you are working on at the moment?

At the moment, I’m deeply enthralled by my third thriller which tells the story of a woman in her early thirties who finds her life—husband, daughter, career and everything—cruelly and inexplicably taken out from under her. She doesn’t know why, but she intends to find out. Because otherwise… well otherwise, she has nothing.

6And lastly, you’ve been invited to take part in I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here. Choose four celebrities you would most like to share the jungle with you and why

Joey Tempest—because that’s been my dream since I was fourteen. And because he’s got the most amazing voice and he’s an all-round genius.

Paul Hollywood—because then I’d never run out of yummy jungle cakes.

Michael McIntyre—because we’d never run out of laughs.

And Cameron Diaz—because obviously I’d need a female sidekick. LOL!

Good morning Kathryn and welcome. Can I start, as always, by asking you a little about yourself?

Hi Jo, and thank you for having me on your blog. It seems quite some time since I walked through the doors of the wonderful world of interviews and blogs, and I feel quite at home!
So, recently married to the love of my life, having at last found happiness (and that last piece of jigsaw I was painstakingly trying to find) I am starting to settle down and continue this lifelong journey of mine – one which involves my passion for writing. I guess my life has been a series of books, many chapters that have usually ended on a cliff-hanger. And now? Well, I’m still a passionate writer, always soul searching, plotting and discovering, but now I’m a happy and passionate writer, content with my life, no longer searching for that ‘something’ that was always missing. I’m 47, and I really didn’t think I’d ever find my soul mate. Then one day, during a three-way conversation on Twitter with a farmer-friend and a friend of his, there I was, single and particularly lonely, wondering what lay ahead, when suddenly I realised a spark had been ignited and our chat on social media was to change my life forever. Inadvertently introducing us, my farmer-friend had no idea that his own friend and I had made contact privately, and history was inevitably in the making. Two years later in May of this year, Jon and I married in Lake Garda and look forward to spending the rest of our lives celebrating our union. Perhaps thanks to Twitter…definitely thanks to our farmer-friend (whom we now see regularly). But definitely thanks to my writing, because without it, Jon wouldn’t have asked me questions about my books, that led to us finding our soul-mate, in each other.
I have a beautiful daughter, Amy, who’s 17 and studies animal care at college, and I have a very handsome step-son studying International Business at university. I think it’s safe to say, the latter half of my 40s have been very different to the former, and I now walk around with pride and contentment after what seemed to be a rather tumultuous decade pre-mid 40s.

When did you first decide you wanted to write and how did you begin that journey?

When I was ten years old, I won a short story competition at Primary school. I was awarded a packet of felt-tip pens and a colouring book. I was on top of the world that day when a local author came into the school to make the presentations. I knew then where my vocation lay, and even though it was many years later in 2007 when I was to publish my first novel, I spent many hours writing stories and articles for magazines, studying creative writing, and going to bed with a Dictionary and Thesaurus, not to mention the Writers’ & Artists’ Year Book. I recommend it to anyone; it beats counting sheep any day, or night…!

Who are your favourite authors and have any of them inspired your writing in any way?

I have read so many wonderful books over the years and I could reel off list after list of authors whose work I’ve enjoyed – Pauline Barclay for one, CL Taylor another, Lynda Renham is another favourite of mine. I have recently been engrossed in crime writer, Simon Kernick’s work; he really knows how to write a damn good, gritty page turner, and I can honestly say that his books (he has many available) have most definitely inspired me to continue working on my current novel. I’d almost given up on it, if I’m honest, but I’ve always wanted to write a thriller, and I’m still not sure whether it will fall under the psychological thriller genre, or whether it will be something else – I need to have that discussion with my editor at some point – but I’m enjoying the plot and have got into the characters’ heads. So, I’m quite excited about finishing it and after taking a break for far too long, I feel I’m starting to get my motivation back. All I can say is, stand aside, Mr Kernick.
Beach or city girl? Where are your favourite holiday destinations and why?

Can I be awkward and say, pool? I don’t do sand, you see, and I don’t like the sea because I have a phobia of seaweed (even though I eat it from the Chinese…mmm, delicious stuff). I could lie on a sun-lounger all day in scorching sun, smothered in oil, preferably a few steps away from a refreshing swimming pool. My husband, Jon, doesn’t care much for sunbathing so we tend to compromise when we go on holiday. I don’t mind having a wander in a nice town, but I’m not a city girl. Never have been. We got married in a stunning lakeside resort called Gardone Riviera, which sits amongst the hilly countryside on the eastern shores of Lake Garda. Perhaps because it was our wedding and honeymoon destination I may sound a little biased, but it really is the most beautiful place in the world as far as I’m concerned.

Are you able to tell us a little about what you are working on at the moment?

I should start by telling you that my next book will be penned in my new name, Kathryn Hall, whereas my previous books are in the name of Kathryn Brown. The book I’m currently writing is about Lydia, a seemingly contented woman in her 30s, believing the world to be her oyster and her future a breath of fresh air. But things take a sinister turn for her and she realises she no longer has the comfort of the gentle world she lives in, but has to fend for herself. We start to see the stronger side of her character when her world falls apart, and we soon get to understand that this woman who once relied on those around her, can very easily push them away. And when she does, she finds herself in dire need of help. The book is written in first person, mainly from Lydia’s point of view, but I’m afraid, for now, that’s all I’m saying. The plot may change a little – I have a habit of changing my mind – so for fear of misleading any future readers, I shall leave it there. There’s nothing more intriguing than leaving the punter guessing!

And lastly, if you had to spend a whole year on a desert island, what would your ‘must haves’ be and why?

Blimey, that’s a difficult question! Some very large bottles of wine for starters! Obviously, my husband would be there, so in a nutshell I wouldn’t need anything else. I guess on a desert island there would be no phone signal, but if there was, then I’d have my phone. Then again, where would I charge it up? I have a stuffed bunny rabbit that goes everywhere with me, much to Jon’s chagrin, as she even accompanied us on our honeymoon. Carrot – that’s her name – has been my “comfort blanket” since I was five years old, so she is definitely a ‘must have’. Well, I suppose if I can take my mobile phone and charge it up, I can also use my Kindle. So, with my husband, my bunny rabbit, my mobile and my Kindle, not to mention those bottles of wine, actually, life on a desert island doesn’t sound so bad.

BOOKS BY KATHRYN

Discovery at Rosehill (1st in the series) – paperback and Kindle – paranormal romance

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Discovery-at-Rosehill-Kathryn-Brown-ebook/dp/B00K1A19K4/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1505303730&sr=8-4&keywords=kathryn+brown

Secrets at Rosehill (2nd in series) – paperback and Kindle (you can actually buy both books together) – paranormal romance

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00KO6Z1VI/ref=series_rw_dp_sw

Bedknobs and Bachelors – paperback and Kindle – romantic comedy

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bedknobs-Bachelors-Kathryn-Brown-ebook/dp/B00EWO40SS/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1505303854&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=bed+knobs+and+bachelors

Nightingale Woods – paperback and Kindle – romantic comedy

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nightingale-Woods-Kathryn-Brown-ebook/dp/B00B4FD8XQ/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1505303980&sr=1-3&keywords=nightingale+woods

Jane Risdon has been a great friend of mine for quite a while.  With her long career in the music business she became an invaluable source of information and support during the time I was writing The Other Side of Morning where rock star Christian Rosetti featured as one of the main characters.

And now I’m really pleased to be able to return the compliment with a pre-publication promotion for her forthcoming collaboration with Christina Jones…

Two women, one love story.

June 1968. Renza falls head over heels for heart throb guitarist Scott. But after a romantic summer together they are torn apart when Renza’s family moves away.

December 1968. On the night she believes to be her last, Stella meets Scott at a local dance. He’s the most beautiful boy she’s ever seen and if this one night is all they have, she’ll take it.

As the final colourful year of the sixties dawns, the question is: can there be only one woman for Scott?

PUBLICATION DATE: 23RD November 2017 – currently available on Amazon for pre-order

BUY LINK: http://amzn.eu/ievldMw

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Christina Jones has written all of her life (as well as having millions of Proper Jobs including factory worker, secretary, nightclub dancer, blood donor attendant, barmaid, waitress, civil servant and fruit picker) Christina first had a short story published when she was just 14 years old. She has written for teenage and women’s’ magazines fiction and non-fiction for a number of years, had her own humour column in The Oxford Times, and has contributed to national newspapers.
Having spent most of her life married to a rock musician, Jane Risdon had little time for writing. She and her husband worked with management of musicians, singer-songwriters, and record producers, rubbing shoulders with the great and glamorous all over the world. With time to herself at last, Jane’s experiences in the music industry have kickstarted her writing career. She and Christina Jones have been friends since the Swinging Sixties.

Good morning Sara and welcome. Can I start, as always, by asking you a little about yourself?

Morning, Jo – it’s a pleasure to be here. I live in west Wales, on the Carmarthenshire coast, with my husband, Simon. We have two grown-up children – our daughter lives down the road from us with her two dogs, and our son lives in Dublin, so we’re frequent visitors to Ireland. In the past, all my jobs have been child-related. I’ve worked as a primary school teacher, and also been a child-minder and an assistant in a children’s library. I now write full-time.

How did your writing journey begin?

I’d always loved writing bits and pieces and imagined myself writing a novel one day, but when the children were young I never seemed able to set aside enough time. When I turned forty, I decided it was ‘now or never’ and I joined a local writing class. The emphasis was on writing for children and I built up collections of short stories for four to eight-year-olds. The first of these was called ‘Welsh Cakes and Custard’ and it was published in 2013. It won a Welsh award and this really encouraged me to keep writing. I’ve written another two children’s books under my real name of Wendy White.

What inspired you to write Not Thomas?

My first teaching post was in a very disadvantaged area, and the poverty and neglect I witnessed there made a lasting impression on me. I drew on these teaching experiences to write Not Thomas, and I wrote it very slowly over fourteen years. I chose to write it under the pen name Sara Gethin to keep my novel distinct from my humorous writing for children.
Not Thomas is quite dark. It’s about child neglect and the story is told entirely from the point of view of five-year-old Tomos. He’s been removed from his lovely foster parents and sent to live with his mum who’s hiding a drug addiction. Tomos isn’t based on one child I taught – he’s a mixture of a number of children I knew and heard about, all rolled into one often very sad, but also really hopeful, central character.

As a writer what is the best piece of advice you have been given?

The lecturer on that very first writing course I attended gave us an essential piece of advice – read, read, read! He told us it’s the best way to learn what good writing is. Some students disagreed with his advice because they felt it would lead to them copying someone else’s style. It’s an argument I’ve heard many, many times since, but I still firmly believe that if you want to write well you have to read an awful lot too.

What destination is top of your bucket list?

I would love to visit Australia. I’m not very good at roughing it, or coping in extreme temperatures or with unusual foods, so it’s the perfect place for my dream holiday. And all that reading time on the plane there and back – bliss!

And lastly, you’re one of the contestants in I’m a Celebrity – Get Me Out of Here. Which four famous people would you like as companions in the ‘jungle’ and why?

Being a contestant on I’m a Celebrity – Get Me Out of Here is my idea of absolute hell! Roughing it, disgusting food – see my answer to the previous question. But thank you for letting me choose four companions to help soften the pain.
First of all I’d pick Graham Norton. I think he’s hilarious and he’s interviewed so many famous people he’d never run out of entertaining stories. We could rely on him to make witty remarks about the other contestants too. Next I’d choose Kate Bush. I love her voice, although I know it’s a little like Marmite. We could duet around the camp fire and annoy everyone else. She could teach me her dance moves too – they’re about the only dance moves I stand any chance of learning. Dara O’Briain is my next choice, mainly because he’s very funny, plus he has a talent for science, which I’m really bad at, and I might as well use my time in the jungle to learn something new.
And finally, I’d choose an author. This is the hardest choice of all because there are so many wonderful authors I admire to choose from. I’m going to plump for Patricia Cornwell. I could spend hours picking her brains about police and forensic procedures. Then I might try my hand at writing a detective novel when I’d escaped from the jungle (I secretly want to be Ian Rankin). Ms Cornwell could entertain us too, with imaginative ways to bump off the most annoying contestant – hypothetically, of course. Hopefully, the most annoying wouldn’t be any of my chosen companions – or worse, me!

NOT THOMAS by SARA GETHIN

The lady’s here.
The lady with the big bag. She’s knocking on the front door. She’s knocking and knocking. I’m not opening the door. I’m not letting her in. I’m behind the black chair.
I’m waiting for her to go away.

Tomos lives with his mother. He longs to return to another place, the place he thinks of as home, and the people who lived there, but he’s not allowed to see them again. He’s five years old and at school, which he loves. Miss teaches him about all sorts of things, and she listens to him. Sometimes he’s hungry and Miss gives him her extra sandwiches. She gives him a warm coat from Lost Property, too. There are things Tomos cannot talk about – except to Cwtchy – and then, just before Easter, the things come to a head. There are bad men outside who want to come in, and Mammy has said not to answer the door. From behind the big chair, Tomos waits, trying to make himself small and quiet. He doesn’t think it’s Santa Claus this time.

When the men get in, Tomos’s world is turned on its head and nothing will ever be the same again.

Not Thomas is available to buy in paperback direct from the publisher Honno Press:

http://www.honno.co.uk/dangos.php?ISBN=9781909983625

and in paperback and on Kindle from Amazon:

www.amazon.co.uk/Not-Thomas-Sara-Gethin/dp/1909983624

SARA’S SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

Sara Gethin Social Media Links:

Website & Blog: saragethin.com

Facebook: @SaraGethinWriter

Twitter: @SGethinWriter

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/saragethinwriter

COVER REVEAL

The Captain’s Daughter
Victoria Cornwall

A gripping historical novel set in Cornwall.
Perfect for fans of Winston Graham’s Poldark, Susan Howatch & Philippa Gregory novels.

Book 2 – Cornish Tales

Beware the strength of a quiet woman.

After a family tragedy, Janey Carhart was forced from her comfortable middle-class life as a captain’s daughter into domestic servitude. Determined to make something of herself, Janey eventually finds work as a lady’s maid at the imposing Bosvenna Manor on the edge of Bodmin Moor, but is soon caught between the two worlds of upstairs and downstairs, and accepted by neither, as she cares for her blind mistress.
Desperately lonely, Janey catches the attention of two men – James Brockenshaw and Daniel Kellow. James is heir to the Bosvenna estate, a man whose eloquent letters to his mother warm Janey’s heart and whose attentions to her when he returns home set her pulse racing. Daniel Kellow is a neighbouring farmer with a dark past and a brooding nature, yet with a magnetism that disturbs Janey. Two men. Who should she choose? Or will fate decide.

PRICE: £2.99
Pre-order price: £0.99
PUB DATE: 3 October 2017
ISBNs
Digital: 978-1-78189-381-4
CATEGORY: Historical/Women’s Fiction/Romance/Saga

BOOK LINKS

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Captains-Daughter-Choc-Cornish-Tales-ebook/dp/B075JNYRGG/r

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/gb/book/the-captains-daughter-choc-lit/id1271370193?mt=11&at=11lNBs

https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/the-captain-s-daughter-13

Choc Lit:
info@choc-lit.com
+44 (0) 1276 27492

Victoria Cornwall can trace her Cornish roots as far back as the 18th century. This background and heritage has given her an understanding and knowledge of Cornish rural life, which is the inspiration for her writing.
Following a fulfilling twenty-five year career as a nurse, a change in profession finally allowed her time to write in her favourite genre – historical romance.

She is married with two grown up children. The Captain’s Daughter is the second novel in her Cornish Tales series.

Catch up with Victoria on Social Media:

https://twitter.com/VickieCornwall

http://http//victoriacornwall.com/

https://www.facebook.com/victoria.cornwall.75

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16069968.Victoria_Cornwall

PRAISE FOR VICTORIA CORNWALL’S PREVIOUS NOVEL – THE THIEF’S DAUGHTER

A great historical romance in the Poldark tradition with a wonderful hero, spirited heroine and smugglers galore, all in a wonderful Cornish setting.
Award-winning author, Christina Courtenay.

If, like me, you are having Poldark withdrawals, then look no further. The Thief’s Daughter is a gorgeous tale of love and betrayal that will have you reading up until the wee hours of the morning as you follow Jenna and Jack on their journey to find their place in the world.
A beautifully written historical romance, that delves into the dangerous world of smuggling and questions how far you can and should go, even for those you love. I cannot wait to read more from Victoria Cornwall!
Sorcha O’Dowd, Waterstone’s Bookseller and Book Blogger.

What a wonderful debut novel from Victoria Cornwall! I’m not usually an historic romance fan but I was swept up in the story and the beautiful scenery descriptions.
Jenna and Jack’s relationship has highs, lows and strong arguments! I love a relationship that isn’t black and white and this one is very colourful! I also enjoyed Jenna’s attempt to escape her past and not be painted with the same brush as her family.
As my readers know, I am a great fan of Choc Lit and this is yet another book worthy of them. I look forward to Victoria’s next book.
Ann Cooper, Annie’s Book Corner.
The Thief’s Daughter is an amazing story about two people who have lost much, but are willing to do anything to keep others safe, even when these people don’t deserve this kind of protection. I loved to read about Jenna and Jack’s journey together, it made them stronger and able to open up to each other. They have great chemistry and it was heartwarming to see how they slowly grow closer together. Victoria Cornwall was born and raised in Cornwall and she perfectly describes this stunning place and the surroundings she writes about. I have been to Cornwall myself and while reading her book I thought about my time there with great fondness. I’ll be watching Victoria Cornwall and can’t wait to read more of her stories.
Anniek Snowroses, With Love for Books.
 

This was a step away from my comfort zone as this is the first ever historical romance I have read. Let me tell you I am glad I made the leap of faith with this one. What I found was a tale including romance, drama, intrigue and a little bit of betrayal. The research that the author has so clearly done into the historical elements shone through and is placed in the story in such a way that I feel I have learnt something but not been lectured.
Sal’s World of Books

Good morning Ali and welcome. Can I start, as always, by asking you a little about yourself?

Hello again, Jo and thanks so much for having me. As you know I live not for from you and have done since my marriage many (many!) years ago. However I was born and brought up in Scotland where I got my degree from St Andrews University. I love the West Country and my family (one of each) have grown up here, but of course you take the Scot out of Scotland but you can’t take … you know how it goes!

How did your writing journey begin?

Well, now you’re asking! I wrote a poem at school when I was six (didn’t we all) and joined the sixth form creative writing course (considered very new fangled back then) but I was in my fifties before I realised I hadn’t started the writing journey I had always meant to embark on. Even then there were a few false starts until I found a brilliant teacher in novelist Sarah Duncan who was running an evening class in Bath at that time. That was it – I was off!

Are you a panster or a plotter?

Very much a pantser. Although I do always have an idea of what it’s all about and where it’s heading, I have to work out the rest as I go along. Finding the story is part of the process for me and I really struggled in my current project. It’s historical fiction and I thought having a ‘ready-made’ plot would make it easy but the opposite was true. Because the main story was already known to me, I had to winkle out more stories hidden within it.

Name the top two destinations on your bucket list.

I’m lucky to have been to quite a few of my dream destinations, as far east as Dubai and as far north as Lapland, but I’m finding now that places are dropping off my bucket list. I don’t need to see the whole world before I die, but I would still like to make it to Orkney and the Western Isles. This summer we hosted children from Belarus – still affected by the Chernobyl disaster (more info at https://www.ccll.org.uk/bristol/index.php?ctlPage=home ). Not exactly a tourist destination, but it has made me very curious about life in that part of the world.

What was the inspiration behind A Kettle of Fish?

My first (unpublished) novel was set in Bristol and France. After a trip to Scotland, where we hadn’t been for quite some time, Kettle was a conscious decision to celebrate my roots. I loved writing about the villages of the East Neuk of Fife and the magnetic pull of Edinburgh. But Kettle is contemporary, not set in my childhood. The themes of family secrets and a brush with the art world just seemed to appear of their own accord. It was fun to write and took me to some unexpected places – including the subject of my forthcoming book, In the Blink of an Eye, due out next year with Linen Press Books http://linen-press.com/

What’s next? Can you tell us a little about your latest project?

 In the Blink of an Eye is a fictional account of the Scottish artist and photographer D. O. Hill. In 1843 Hill began a monumental painting of around 400 Scottish ministers which took him 23 years to complete. The book looks at what happened in between, including hill’s iconic partnership with photographer Robert Adamson. Together these two men created 3000 photographic images many of which are still regarded as masterpieces. In the end (see above!) I told Hill’s story in the voices of ten different people whose lives he touched. This seemed the only way to convey the breadth of his influence. In doing so, different facets of Victorian Edinburgh come to light.
Writing the book is part of a mission to being Hill and Adamson’s work to a wider audience and, once it’s published, I’m planning to give presentations about them to anyone who’ll have me!

And lastly, you’re planning a dinner where you can invite four celebrities (past or present). Who would they be and why?

Hah! I remember in the past choosing the geneticist Steve Jones, the politician Shirley William and tennis star John McEnroe. I must be getting shallow in my old age as I am replacing Jones with Daniel Craig (for obvious reasons!) Instead of Shirley, since I can’t have the entire cast of Dinner Ladies, I’ll have the incomparable Victoria Wood. Tennis must be represented by my all time hero Andy Murray and I’ll add the writer Kate Atkinson, whose conversation is sure to be as dazzling as her writing. Oh dear, I hope they get on!

Good morning Heidi and welcome. Can I start, as always, by asking you a little about yourself?

Hello Jo. Thank you so much for inviting me to come over and chat. It is lovely to be here. I am an author of commercial fiction, writing for Simon and Schuster and represented by lovely Amanda Preston from LBA. I live in beautiful Norfolk with my family and a very quirky rescue cat called Storm.

How did your writing journey begin?

My journey began when I was in my teens, but I didn’t pluck up the courage to take my ambitions seriously until I was in my thirties. By then I’d reached the ‘it’s now or never’ point and decided that life was far too short not to follow my heart.
I enrolled on a couple of local creative writing courses and wrote short stories for an online community before taking the plunge and writing my first novel. I then joined the RNA New Writers Scheme and submitted The Cherry Tree Café to Books and The City (the digital imprint of Simon and Schuster) during their #OneDay call for submissions and now here we are almost six books down the line!

What inspired you to write your debut novel The Cherry Tree Café?

To be honest it was the burning ambition to be a published author that inspired me to write The Cherry Tree Café. It was my second novel and I knew that as I’d already written one, I could write another, only this one would be better. Much better, and thankfully the Books and The City Team loved it as much as I did.
With regards to plot and setting inspiration, I’m a huge fan of Miss Read and HE Bates and the opportunity to create a community filled with great characters and gorgeous locations that I could visit more than once was too tempting to resist. I absolutely love Wynbridge, even if it is fictional.

How much research is involved in your books?

That depends very much on what I’m writing about. If it’s something I have limited experience of I’ll go all out to make sure I have the right information, have taken the appropriate trip or spoken to the people in the know to make sure I have just the right amount of detail to hand without weighing the book down. If in doubt, check it out, would be my (rather corny) go-to phrase where research is concerned.

What advice would you give newbie writers?

I get asked this question a lot now and my answer is always the same – just get on with it!
I know that probably sounds blunt but so many people tell me they want to be an author but then add that they haven’t got time to write. I didn’t have oodles of free time when I had another job so I got up an hour earlier, I wrote during my lunchbreak and again in the evenings. If it’s something you really want to do, you’ll find a way and those snatched moments all up the word count.
And don’t wait for the perfect writing spot or for other commitments to magically melt into the background. I’m still perched on a corner of the dining table and I still have a family to look after. If you wait for the perfect moment, you’ll never publish anything. And that doesn’t just apply to writing, but to life in general.

Beach or City? Which holiday destination appeals to you most?

Definitely a City holiday for me. I would far rather explore a museum, gallery or library (or all three), than sit on a beach. I’m a real misery guts when it comes to heat so the summer we’ve had so far has suited me just fine!

And lastly, you’re one of the contestants in I’m a Celebrity – Get Me Out of Here. Which four famous people would you like as companions in the ‘jungle’ and why?

This is a tricky one. OK, Bear Grylls for obvious reasons, – as long as there’s no drinking of bodily fluids involved! A Peter Kay and Milly Johnson combo to keep me laughing and Tom Hardy to enhance the view. How does that sound?

Heidi Swain Author Bio

Although passionate about writing from an early age, Heidi Swain gained a degree in Literature, flirted briefly with a newspaper career, married and had two children before she plucked up the courage to join a creative writing class and take her literary ambitions seriously.
A lover of Galaxy bars, vintage paraphernalia and the odd bottle of fizz, she now writes feel good fiction with heart for Simon and Schuster.
Her debut novel, The Cherry Tree Café was published in July 2015 (paperback June 2017) and Summer at Skylark Farm hit the shelves the following June. Mince Pies and Mistletoe at the Christmas Market was a hugely successful Christmas 2016 release and her fourth book, Coming Home to Cuckoo Cottage was published in July 2017. She is currently preparing for her October 2017 Christmas release, Sleigh Rides and Silver Bells at The Christmas Fair.
Heidi lives in Norfolk with her wonderful family and a mischievous cat called Storm.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

Website: http://www.heidiswain.co.uk/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Heidi_Swain
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WriterHeidiJoSwain?ref=hl
Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Heidi-Swain/e/B00YNN3LDI/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1483439180&sr=8-2-ent

Coming Home to Cuckoo Cottage

When Lottie Foster’s grandmother’s best friend Gwen dies, she leaves Lottie her lovely home, Cuckoo Cottage.

Lottie loves the cottage but Matt, a charming local builder, points out that beneath its charm it is falling apart. Luckily he is always on hand to help with the problems that somehow seem to keep cropping up. But is he just a bit too good to be true? Certainly Will, Lottie’s closest neighbour, seems to think so.

Lottie plans to set up her own business renovating vintage caravans. She hasn’t told anyone about the project she has cooked up with Jemma from The Cherry Tree Café to repurpose Gwen’s old caravan and turn it into a gorgeous tearoom.

But before she can finally enjoy living with her legacy she must uncover who she can trust, and who to avoid. And with two men vying for her attention, will she also find love?

BUY LINKS:

Cuckoo Cottage: https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_1_16?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=coming+home+to+cuckoo+cottage&sprefix=coming+home+to+c%2Caps%2C240&crid=M3CL71BR7MXM