JO LAMBERT

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

Hi Jo. Thanks for having me on your blog today. I love meeting fellow authors and bloggers.

A little about me… well I love writing and reading novels (although I guess that’s a given :-)). I live with my hubby on the borders between Suffolk and Essex in a lovely quiet village where our two children – Tommy (6) and Lottie (5) – go to school.

I’m one of those annoying people who loves running. I drink far too much coffee and wine, and eat lots of chocolate too. The best days for me combine running, coffee, writing, and chocolate.

I have a degree in Psychology and a background in Public Relations (although both feel like a long time ago now).

How did you begin your writing career?

Like so many authors I started writing stories when I was very young. I remember writing a lot about orphans and children who could fly. I was lucky to have a very encouraging teacher when I was 8 who patiently read my stories and gave me feedback (Mrs Noakes, Love Lane Primary).
I wrote my first novel when I was 23. It was terrible. Truly awful, and thankfully never saw the light of day. I wrote The Reluctant Celebrity when I was 24, but it got put in a drawer for quite a few years whilst I was busy being a mum to a baby and a toddler. About three years ago I had a very strange morning when both kids were at preschool and I had nothing to do. I went into the loft, dusted the manuscript off and rewrote it. I haven’t stopped writing since. I’m now 33 and despite it being ten years since I first went to PC world and bought myself a laptop to write with, I feel very much at the start of my journey as an author. I love how I seem to learn something new about the craft every day.

What made you choose Contemporary Romance?

I’m not sure if I chose it, or it chose me. The best way I can describe where my ideas come from is ‘a knock at the door.’ I open the door and there are my characters, bundling into my little writing room to tell me their story. With Jules and Guy(The Reluctant Celebrity) and Katy and Tom (How to Throw Your Life Away), their stories involved romance. The more recent knocks haven’t.

I do love the scope of Contemporary Romance. The best stories for me are ones that make me laugh, cry, and think. Contemporary Romance is a genre which is broad enough for all three to appear in the same novel.

Can you tell us something about your current WIP?

I’ve just this week finished my latest WIP. I’ve titled it The Stranger on the Boat (although this may change somewhere down the line.). It’s much darker than anything I’ve written before. Here’s a peak at part of the blurb:

‘My name is Abigail Rose Wick. My parents are Sarah and Michael Wick. And I’ve been missing for fourteen years.’
A missing girl returns unharmed. A family torn apart by tragedy begin to heal. But strange things begin to happen to the Wick family….

What’s your favourite holiday destination and why?

I love UK holidays, and I’ve had some wonderful holidays in Jersey and Ireland. If it’s a nice cottage, if there’s space for the kids to run around, if it has a pool nearby, and I don’t have to cook, then it’s a winner with me.

And lastly, if How to Throw Your Life Away was being made into a movie, who would you cast?

I love this question!!!
The first thing I do when I picture my characters is find a photo of someone who looks like them. I stick the photos in my WIP binder and look at them every day.
For me, Katy is played by Keira Knightly, and Tom is played by Damian Lewis. They actually starred together in a play once. This is the photo of the two of them that I looked at every day….

Thanks again for having me!!!!

 

Social media links:

Facebook: Laurie Ellingham Author
https://www.facebook.com/Laurie-Ellingham-Author-281498025371642/
Twitter: @LaurieEllingham
Webiste: http://www.Laurie-ellingham.com

PURCHASE LINK: How to Throw Your Life Away on Amazon: http://amzn.to/2h2gVjj

 

 

2016. Where has it gone?  It’s almost like standing at the side of the road watching Roadrunner accelerate past.  But if the time has gone quickly when I actually stop and think about it I realise I haven’t exactly been sitting around doing nothing.   On checking, I’ve read and reviewed 32 books, most of them for Brook Cottage Books.  I’ve also been involved in 27 promotions for authors.  In between that my weekly blog chat spot ‘Tuesday Talk’ has hosted 37 guests with future bookings running through to March ’17. And this is only one aspect of my life.

In between this, I’ve written and published another book and taken a few holidays and mid week breaks.  That  balance, for me, has been just right.  You can overdose on both the reviewing and the writing if you’re not careful.  Therefore not only taking time out but being away from home gives you the opportunity to escape for a while and recharge those very essential batteries.  Of course a writer never really leaves their work behind and new places can very often lead to fresh ideas and changes to your current WIP. Certainly Desenzano on Lake Garda proved a great place for inspiration. So it’s a win-win situation.On 20th December I host my last Tuesday Talk for 2016.  I’ll then be able to concentrate properly on the Festive Season.  To see friends for lunch, make sure all those names have been crossed of my ‘To Buy’ present list, sort out food for the holiday and – if there’s any time left – get everything ready to make a start on my WIP The Boys of Summer.

I did make a beginning of sorts of around 1,000 words some time back but soon realised unlike most of my writing this wasn’t going to be a ‘seat of the pants’ job.  Yes I do tend to stick with the same formula – get the framework of the story sorted, work out my character bios and get on the road.  This time, however, the story which is currently marinating in my head has taken longer to come together.  That’s probably because I’m  not writing something which goes from A to B.  Instead it will be set in two different time frames – 2013 and 2016.  Another challenge but that’s what I love about writing. Every journey is different.

And to get in the festive spirit, from 10th to 16th December I’m offering the e-book version of Watercolours in the Rain for just 99p on Amazon.co.uk and 99c on Amazon.com.

 

 

 

 

 

Good morning Susan and welcome. Can I start, as always, by asking you a little about yourself?
Hi Jo, I’m what I would call a part time book blogger and a full time medical administrator with the local health board in Cardiff. I’ve been a passionate reader since I was a child and books have been my cwtches since that point. Other than reading, I love going to the theatre and pottering in my garden.

How long has your blog been running and what made you decide to start one?
My blog has been running since April this year. I started it because I needed a challenge outside of work. Books have always been a way to relax and I wanted to share my love of reading with others, while waking up a few sleepy brain cells at the same time. I didn’t really know that book bloggers existed until I joined an on-line book club and having read some amazing blogs wanted to give it a try.

Who are your favourite authors?
That is a difficult one to narrow down! I would say that Ben Aaaronvitch is a current favourite, his PC Grant book series is a must read for me. Robert Galbraith would have to be another, Cormoran Strike is the perfect detective, brooding, flawed and yet he has a strong moral aspect to his character. Tracy Chevalier writes perfect historical novels where characterisation is more important than drama. Deborah Harkness writes novels than manage to combine fantasy, contemporary drama and historical adventures, what more could a reader want. I know Madeline Miller has only written one novel, A Song for Achilles, but I will love her forever for bringing that book into my life.

If you decided to become a writer, what genre would you choose and why?
If I decided to become a writer, I think I would have to write fantasy. I love the freedom it gives you to explore worlds that only exist in your imagination. If you can imagine it, you can write it and the possibilities are endless.

Where’s your favourite chill out place?
That would have to be my garden if the weather is good or my bedroom, because these are the places I love to read.

And lastly, you’re inviting four celebrity guests to dinner. Who would they be and why?
My first guest would have to be John Partridge, West End Actor and former East Enders star. I’ve been lucky enough to meet him a few times. He never fails to make those around him feel they’re the centre of his world in that moment. He has an amazing sense of humour and gives the best cwtches.
My second guest would be J K Rowling. I love her passion of equality and fairness. Her tweets are fearless and her intelligence shines out.
Marc Elliott is another actor who has graced the West End stage and our TV screens. His sense of humour is naughty and dark and having acted with John Partridge on East Enders, they could regal us all with tales of a theatrical nature.
I’m struggling between the lovely Sue Perkins because she makes me laugh and the superb Tom Hiddleston, who portrayed the perfect Loki on screen as my last guest. If I’m to keep the balance between female and male guests, it would have to be Sue Perkins, but I would probably just squeeze an extra place setting around the table!

Susan’s Social Media Links

Blog: https://booksaremycwtches.wordpress.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Walescrazy?s=0

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Susans-World-of-books-A-personal-blog-1746493225586956

 

 

 

 

‘A writer is not a hermit who writes alone in a cabin in the woods, emerging with an amazing story after a period of time.  No, a writer is a human being who needs others to help bring forth her story and share it with the world.‘ Morgan L Busse

I discovered the above text while  browsing on the internet recently.  At first read it seemed it was all about readers and reviewers.  A writer needs people to read her work; to spread the word.  A sort of domino effect which leads to new readers, reviews, interviews, questions about the next book and maybe if they’re curious enough, a check up on any back listed novels.  And then I realised that readers are only one part of the equation in a writer’s life.  Because in order to ‘bring forth’ that story to the public, a small team of other very important people need to be involved. Incredibly important people in fact – an editor, cover designer and formatter.

• My editor takes the draft I have written, pummeled into shape and beaten with a stick and works with me to make it even better.
• My cover designer helps make the vision I have for fronting this book a reality
• And lastly my formatter, who sets up the e-book and paperback – that final and most essential job leading up to publication day.

So I would just like to send a big thank you to Elaine, Jane, Cat and Rebecca for the all the support they’ve given me in the past. I couldn’t have done any of this without them and  I’m very much looking forward to 2017 when we will all be working together again on my next book.

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

Thanks for having me, Jo! I’m a long-time expat, an American who’s been living in the Netherlands since 2004, and the author of two novels, Down and Out in Kathmandu: Adventures in Backpacking and The Lover’s Portrait: An Art Mystery.
In America I worked as a journalist and multimedia developer until massive burnout lead me to quit my job, buy a backpack and head off to Nepal as a volunteer English teacher for three months. As cliché as it might sound, this trip ended up being a life-changing experience.
After several years on the road, I moved to the Netherlands. I ended up here by pure chance. After a 24 hour layover in Rome turned into a two-month tour of Europe, I arrived in Amsterdam on Queen’s Day and immediately feel in love with the city, country, culture and people. Several months of paperwork later, I returned to Amsterdam to study art history and never left!
After completing degrees in art history and museum studies, I worked for several museums before the economy crashed and the cultural sector imploded.
While apply for jobs, I wrote my first novel as a way of keeping my mind occupied. Writing about my adventures in Nepal and Thailand also helped curtail my wanderlust! I finished it between contracts, but never pursued publication.
After my son was born, I had the luxury of staying home to raise him. Writing became a way to connect with ‘grownup’ life, and gave me an excuse to visit several museums and archives I’d always wanted to check out. The Lover’s Portrait was so well-received by everyone who read it, I decided to publish both of my books and see what happened. I’ve been absolutely blown away by the overwhelmingly positive reception so far!

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

I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember, though in my younger years I focused on poetry and short stories. One of my favorite childhood memories is of my father and me thinking up storylines together. During college I majored in journalism and worked as a columnist, investigative journalist and newspaper editor before life took me in other directions.

Have you a favorite place to write?

There are a few small cafes in Amsterdam I love to go to when I get the chance. I’m not sure if it’s the friendly personnel, beautiful views of the canals or great background music, but I always find it easy to write when I’m there.

Can you tell us something about your current WIP?

I have two upcoming releases I’d like to share.
In January I’ll be releasing a travelogue about my real journey to Nepal and Thailand, Notes of a Naive Traveler: Adventures in Nepal and Thailand. Since Down and Out in Kathmandu’s publication, I’ve been surprised by the number of readers who want to know which of the events described in my debut novel really took place. Very few, I’m afraid! Now everyone will have a chance to read about my actual journey and experiences gained while volunteer in, and traveling around Nepal and Thailand. I’ve also included several photos of places I’d visited, many of which were destroyed in the massive earthquake that rocked Nepal in 2015.
Last week I finished the first draft of my third fiction novel, an art-related mystery set in Amsterdam and Papua New Guinea about bispoles (religious objects akin to totem poles), American anthropologists, and Dutch missionaries. I’m planning on releasing it in the summer of 2017.

You’ve done a lot of travelling. Is there any one place which has been really memorable for you?

It’s true; I’m addicted to traveling and love learning about other countries and cultures. I’ve spent a total of seven years living out of a backpack while traveling through more than thirty lands.
Nepal was the first country I visited, aside from day trips to border towns in Canada and Mexico. It couldn’t have been more different than Seattle. The amazing people, cultures, and religions made it so memorable; Nepal will always have a special place in my heart. Simply thinking back on all of the wonderful people I met – their resilience, kindness, love of life and ability to be truly happy when they possess so little – is humbling and constantly reminds me to enjoy what I have.

And lastly, if you were able to invite four guests to dinner, who would they be and why?

Amelia Earhart is someone I’ve always admired because she dared to follow her dreams and live the life she wanted, despite society’s expectations of women at the time. I imagine it would be fascinating to talk with her about her journeys.
A guilty pleasure is watching a clips show called Ridiculousness. I’m a huge fan; it’s my favorite way of turning off my brain and completely relaxing before going to bed. The host, Rob Dydrek, is the kind of guy who’s met and partied with pretty much everybody; I bet he would have some great stories to tell.
Herman Koch, a Dutch comic and author of The Dinner (Het Diner), always comes across as an interesting, funny and well-read man in interviews. I expect it would be a stimulating conversation.
Alex Garland, author of The Beach, would also be high on my list. His debut novel blew my mind, and those of many of my generation. Thanks to books like his, I dared to write Down and Out in Kathmandu. I bet we could have fun swapping travel stories.

CATCH UP WITH JENNIFER ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Website: http://www.jennifersalderson.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JSAauthor

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/JennifeSAlderson

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

JENNIFER’S BOOK LINKS

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Jennifer-S.-Alderson/e/B019H079RA/

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/nl/en/search?query=Jennifer%20S.%20Alderson&fcsearchfield=Author

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/nl/author/jennifer-s.-alderson/id1071483428?l=en&mt=11

BARNES & NOBLE: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/%22Jennifer%20S.%20Alderson%22?Ntk=P_key_Contributor_List&Ns=P_Sales_Rank&Ntx=mode+matchall

 

Book Blurb: The Beauty Shop by Suzy Henderson

England, 1942. After three years of WWII, Britain is showing the scars. But in this darkest of days, three lives intertwine, changing their destinies and those of many more.

Dr Archibald McIndoe, a New Zealand plastic surgeon with unorthodox methods, is on a mission to treat and rehabilitate badly burned airmen – their bodies and souls. With the camaraderie and support of the Guinea Pig Club, his boys battle to overcome disfigurement, pain, and prejudice to learn to live again.

John ‘Mac’ Mackenzie of the US Air Force is aware of the odds. He has one chance in five of surviving the war. Flying bombing missions through hell and back, he’s fighting more than the Luftwaffe. Fear and doubt stalk him on the ground and in the air, and he’s torn between his duty and his conscience.

Shy, decent and sensible Stella Charlton’s future seems certain until war breaks out. As a new recruit to the WAAF, she meets an American pilot on New Year’s Eve. After just one dance, she falls head over heels for the handsome airman. But when he survives a crash, she realises her own battle has only just begun.

Based on a true story, “The Beauty Shop” is a moving tale of love, compassion, and determination against a backdrop of wartime tragedy. – see below for an excerpt

The universal link is: http://myBook.to/TheBeautyShop

SUZIE HENDERSON’S SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

http://www.suzyhendersonauthor.com/

suzyhenderson.wordpress.com
http://lowfellwritersplace.blogspot.co.uk/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15954239.Suzy_Henderson

https://www.facebook.com/SuzyHendersonAuthor/
https://twitter.com/Suzy_Henderson
https://plus.google.com/u/0/109057622139171622985
https://uk.linkedin.com/in/suzy-henderson-714a4353

The Beauty Shop by Suzy Henderson – an Excerpt

Target: Saint-Nazaire. November, 1942

 

What do ten men sound like when they’re burning? Nothing, unless you listen in on the group radio. That’s when you hear it, etched into their yells and cries. Terror.

Lieutenant John ‘Mac’ Mackenzie glanced at the B-17 Flying Fortress on his port side. That had been Bill’s slot a couple of weeks back, waving Mac a thumbs up from the co-pilot’s window. Seconds later, flames had leapt from the engines, danced across the wings, licked the cockpit and engulfed the fuselage. A whole Fort powdered. Their luck ran out when that Focke-Wulf sneaked in from out of the sun’s glare, rolled over and came in head-on, gun ports blinking silver flashes. Then, in an instant, a bright glow and a bloody wound opened as chunks of flaming, twisted metal and tears of flame fell through the sky along with men blown to bits, caught in the slipstream.

Bill had lost his cross and chain that morning before take-off. He’d always worn it when flying missions. Mac’s gloved fingers reached for the St. Christopher around his neck. There. He sucked in a deep breath, exhaling slowly into his mask. The muffled thunderous roar of the four Cyclone engines cut in, the background thrum of four propellers spinning, constant and reassuring. He glanced again at the B-17 on his left. A rookie crew had that slot today. He didn’t know their names. He didn’t want to.

They had taken off from Bassingbourn at dawn, soaring into a veil of cumulus. Mist draped across the Channel, but above the cloud at twenty thousand feet, the blood-orange sun peeked over the horizon, bleeding hues of amber into a cornflower sky. Sure is beautiful, Mac thought. As they approached the French coast at Longues-sur-Mer, the blue void gave way to brown-black puffs of smoke which hung in the air like shrouds. He pulled the oxygen mask off his face for a few seconds and embraced the rush of the cockpit’s icy chill over his nose and mouth. He wondered if he’d ever adjust to the stench of rubber as he wiped beads of sweat from his brow. The mission, their tenth, bombing the U-boat pens at Saint-Nazaire, was hotting up fast.

‘Looks like they’re throwing everything they’ve got at us today.’ Mac glanced at his co-pilot, Dennis Wilson.

‘Can’t see a darn thing down there. It’s all closed in,’ Wilson said as he gazed out of the side window.

A flash of red caught Mac’s eye and their B-17, the Texas Rose, shook as a hail of flak peppered the fuselage. That was just the warm-up. They’d get the full greeting soon enough. He wrestled with the control wheel as he struggled to stay in formation, keeping his eyes focused on the bomber in front. He rapidly sucked in oxygen, and his pulse pounded as the Texas Rose bobbed around like a sailboat on a rough sea, but he held her tight, maintaining their place in the formation. ‘Pilot to crew. Keep sharp out there and remember to check your masks for ice. Spit freezes.’ Anoxia was a silent killer and up here at twenty-seven thousand feet, oxygen was the crew’s lifeline.

As they neared Saint-Nazaire, the brown-black puffs sprung up once more. ‘Pilot to navigator. How long to the IP?’ Mac pictured William Stewart, hunched over his desk down in the nose behind the bombardier, plotting their course.

‘Navigator to pilot. Bomb run in five minutes.’

‘Bogey, nine o’clock!’ Bud, the waist gunner, yelled into the interphone.

The staccato sound of machine-gun fire from Tex, the flight engineer in the top turret, drilled through the cockpit. The flash of a black swastika flicked past their port side, and Mac’s stomach lurched as the Messerschmitt scythed through the group.

‘Tail, you got him?’ Bud’s voice, high with excitement.

‘I got him.’ Birdie’s smooth, laid-back tone.

More machine-gun fire arced across the sky and with a flash of yellow and silver-grey, the Messerschmitt peeled away swift as a minnow, diving through the formation. As they approached the target, a blend of hazy yellow, brown and black smoke stretched out across the sky. Anti-aircraft shells exploded all around, some of it mighty close with a glow of orange. Red flak.

‘Here comes the coffin run.’ Wilson’s tense voice as they reached the bomb run. He eased back on the throttles, and the engines slowed in response. ‘Flak bursts ahead, heavy.’

‘Yeah, it’s flak city all right.’ Mac gripped onto the control wheel. The rookie pilot on his port side drifted a little too close for comfort and was bobbing all over the place, probably riding through prop wash. ‘Get on the ball, rookie. You’ve got to stay in there.’ He gestured to the co-pilot peering back at him and got the thumbs up. Within a minute, the rookies had hauled their Fortress into line and Mac puffed out a breath.

‘Bombardier to pilot – bomb bay doors open,’ Danny drawled.

 

Welcome Lynette. Can I start, as always, by asking you a little about yourself and your writing career to date?

Hi Jo, thanks for inviting me to your blog. I’ve been a writer from as far back as I can remember—I’d either be busy scribbling down a story or plotting one in my head. Then when I got to the age of fourteen, one of my English teachers at school started reading my stories out to the class. I suppose I must have shown some talent back then but took it all for granted.
At the age of forty, I decided to take my writing seriously and joined a creative writing group at a local library. I began to send off short stories and non-fiction articles to magazines and websites, achieving a little success. I remember one day receiving a copy of an Australian magazine [with a cheque] in the post for my first published article. It came out of the blue more than eighteen months after I’d submitted it to them. It was a great thrill to see my work in print and for payment too!
I carried on doing this alongside my job as a counsellor. Then I wrote my first novel and thought it might be a good idea to donate the royalties to the cancer charity I worked for at the time. I thought I’d do it quietly, maybe without fuss, but the charity had other ideas and I ended up having my first book launch at a local castle, coincidentally, the castle which was my old school. The launch itself was held in a room which was just yards away from where my English teacher had read out my stories to the class all those years ago! It was a phenomenal day. The mayor and press were in attendance along with family, friends and charity members. All books sold out, there wasn’t even one left for the mayor! We had to order more.
Nowadays, I write practically full-time apart from the occasions when I babysit my grandchildren. Although I’ve made some money from book sales over the years, it wasn’t until this month, November 2016, sales really took off for one of my books. I don’t know why or how it happened, but I’m thrilled nevertheless! That book, The Workhouse Waif, which is a Victorian Historical Romance, moved up the Amazon Kindle chart very quickly and became an Amazon bestseller. While I was writing that book, I thought maybe I should pack it all in as although I have dedicated fans of my books, they only sold in small quantities, maybe a few at most a day. I thought I’d make it my last book and concentrate on other things. But then following publication, sales rocketed and it’s been in and out of the top 3 for Victorian Historical Romance ever since! So it goes to show that maybe the time we’re about to give up something or other as we feel we’re not getting anywhere, is the very time we SHOULD carry on!

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

I don’t remember actually deciding to write but I do recall even as a child writing my own stories. I was an avid Enid Blyton fan and used to make my own little books. I have a memory of penning a story for a children’s writing competition. My grandfather typed it up using one finger on my brother’s toy typewriter and posted it off for me. It didn’t win anything but maybe it gave me the ‘writing for submission’ bug!

You are an author of both historical and contemporary fiction. Which do you enjoy writing the most?

I also write crime fiction under the name ‘Lyn Harman’. I enjoy whatever I’m writing at the time, it almost as if I have some sort of split personality when I write in different genres. I think though if I could only write in one genre, it would be historical fiction as I enjoy the research almost as much as actually writing the novel itself. I’m passionate about local and family history.

Are there any authors who inspire you?

Yes. Apart from mentioning Enid Blyton earlier, there are lots. At the moment, I’m inspired by Mary Wood and Dilly Court. Mary, because I know her online and she’s generous and helpful to other authors. She’s had an amazing writing journey herself and is a wonderful writer. Dilly Court, because she writes the sort of stories I’d love to write myself. Can you imagine the thrill I’ve had lately to have my book in the charts side-by-side with some of Dilly Courts! I had to pinch myself as I never thought in a million years that would happen. Jackie Collins has also been a huge inspiration to me. Though the first adult book I remember reading was, ‘Girl With Green Eyes’ by Edna O’Brien, and that story wowed me!

Can you tell us something about your latest WIP?

Yes, it’s a follow up to ‘Murder by Midnight’, a crime fiction novel set in my hometown of Merthyr Tydfil. It’s called, ‘What Lies Ahead’. A serial killer story with a twist. This time, it’s the work of two people, one, who is the leading force behind the murders, the other is an accomplice. There’s also a link with a secret organisation called, ‘The Inner Sanctum’ in this story which several characters are involved with, which complicates the police investigation. Ruth Carter, who was the female detective in the first book, features in this one too with her partner, Vince. Vince is middle-aged and very ‘old school’ when it comes to policing, he can be quite brusque with people but Ruth knows he has a softer side to him, particularly when it comes to her. A young nurse disappears and it’s a race against time for the duo to track down her whereabouts before she’s killed. The abductor begins to taunt the police with messages he places in the personal ads of a local newspaper.

And lastly, if you were able to invite four guests to dinner, who would they be and why?

If I’m allowed to invite people who are no longer with us, I’d choose Enid Blyton, Agatha Christie, Roald Dahl and Jackie Collins. The reason I’d invite them is because I’d love to ask how they wrote such great stories that entertained so many people. Jackie, in particular, has been an idol of mine for years. I also think she’d be great company as she’d feed me all the Hollywood gossip as we chatted over a few glasses of champagne and she’d shock the other three with her Glamour Wood Tales!

CATCH UP WITH LYNETTE ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/authorlynetterees
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LynEvans8

 

ABOUT THE WORKHOUSE WAIF

Eleven-year-old, Megan Hopkins, is an inmate at Merthyr Tydfil Union Workhouse.

Megan’s family has fallen on hard times. Her hardworking collier father was killed in a mining accident at Castle Pit Troedyrhiw, and her mother has six mouths to feed, besides her own, so they all find themselves interned at the local workhouse.

One day, Megan has been asked by the matron to fetch some shopping as there’s a Board of Guardians meeting that afternoon, she is skipping past the Temperance Hall holding a wicker basket in her hand, when she’s stopped in her tracks by the most melodious voice she has ever heard in her life. It’s the voice of an angel, called, Kathleen O’Hara.

Megan doesn’t realise it, but their paths are about to cross and maybe a little magic is about to occur…

BUY LINKS: The Workhouse Waif: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Workhouse-Waif-Winds-Fortune-Book-ebook/dp/B01M8JN9H4

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

Good morning and thank you for having me on your blog this week.
I was born in Brussels of German parents and grew up with two brothers and a twin sister. It was fun being exposed to many different languages and cultures from an early age because I now appreciate the fact that it is a great way to step outside the idea of a common national identity and its many restrictions. Brussels is a fascinating example for a multi-cultural society that at its base has three official languages and yet is such a small place compared to its neighbouring bigger nations.
After finishing University in Brussels, I worked and lived in London and later also in Edinburgh. I was lucky that my job as a reporter and producer allowed me to travel extensively worldwide … until I met the love of my life and thought it was time to settle down. We moved to Belgium for a few years, then decided to take our two children to live in Southern Portugal where life is so much simpler, healthier and laid back than in a big city. I learnt Portuguese and when both children started attending school, I found more time again to write, pick up the study of philosophy and eventually created my first work of fiction. I’ve loved the written word ever since I started reading as a child, devouring Enid Blyton’s books, writing poems, stories and filling many notebooks and diaries.

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

As I already mentioned briefly, I have always enjoyed writing as a child, carrying a notebook or a diary around with me so that I could jot ideas and thoughts down. As a teenager, I contributed to the school’s monthly journal and loved creative writing in my spare time. By the time I reached the end of school, I decided that I was either going to study journalism or philosophy because both would involve writing as well as reading a lot. I opted for the journalism degree which I very much enjoyed and led me into writing features for magazines, then radio reporting and further television production.
I was in my early forties, when my children were both in school and I had more time again to think about what to do with myself next. I always had a passion for philosophy and after some research found out about the MA in Philosophy course at the OU. Their distance learning programme was my best option and it was indeed a wonderful journey. It sparked my keen interest for psychology through research in the philosophy of mind and more specifically the human capacity for empathy.
Personal tragic circumstances (a close relative has been the victim of psychological abuse for almost two decades) and the completion of a couple of creative writing courses with the OU and Oxford University have eventually made me pick up a pen and transfer my ideas into the writing of my first anthology of novellas.
Manipulators are everywhere and to some extent we all do use manipulative tools to reach our goals. It is a survival skill but one that if present in a narcissistic and perverted individual who lacks the capacity for empathy is dangerous for all those who get in contact with them. I found that once I’d started writing, I couldn’t stop.

What inspired you to write your debut novel, Manipulated Lives?

When I found out what a deceptive and narcissistic manipulator had done to someone I love, behind closed doors, I was determined to somehow make her voice heard. There are many excellent self-help books on the market giving advice on how to deal with controlling and manipulative individuals but I felt most comfortable taking the idea into fictional territory. By opening up to people about this topic during the initial stages of plotting my ideas, I was stunned to hear that everyone had a story of their own. This was the reason why I decided to explore the impact of psychological manipulation on people of different ages and backgrounds. The five novellas can be read separately yet each aims to take the reader to question the fact that as an outsider, nothing is ever what it seems at first sight and that toxic manipulation happens in a wide variety of human interactions.

Can you tell us something about your current WIP?

I am currently writing my second book – a novel this time. One of the main underlying themes running through the story is what impact your childhood experiences can have on your behaviour and how lasting memories can shape your personality and outlook on life.

Describe your writing room. Do you prefer to write in silence or with background music? If the latter, have you any favourites?

I write anywhere and at any time …but a favourite is sitting at my laptop at home in our lounge because every time I look up, I have a splendid view of the Atlantic Ocean.
If I was to let in any background music, it would be songs by Norah Jones. She adds a soothing atmosphere to any situation and always helps me drift into another world.

And lastly, if you were preparing to spend a year on a desert island, what four ‘must haves’ would you take with you and why?

If the practicalities allowed it, I’d take my close family, Diane Meur’s ‘Les Vivants et les Ombres’, a thick notebook and a pen. The first is because my husband and two children make my heart tick and are the reason I get up in the morning, the second because it’s over 700 pages and is a book I could read again and again. Lastly a notebook and pen so that I can continue writing.

Helene’s Social Media Links:
http://www.twitter.com/HALeuschel
http://www.facebook/HALeuschel
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15337013.H_A_Leuschel

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Helene Andrea Leuschel was born and raised in Belgium to German parents.  She gained a Licentiate in Journalism, which led to a career in radio and television in Brussels, London and Edinburgh. Helene moved to the Algarve in 2009 with her husband and two children, working as a freelance TV producer and teaching yoga.  She recently acquired a Master of Philosophy with the OU, deepening her passion for the study of the mind. Manipulated Lives is Helene’s first work of fiction.

Manipulated Lives – Amazon Book Purchase Link

https://www.amazon.com/Manipulated-Lives-H-Leuschel/dp/1534708979/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478786755&sr=8-1&keywords=manipulated+lives

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

Hi Jo, and thank you for inviting me to your blog. I love to read and write (of course) swim, dance and patronize beachside restaurants. I also like to paint when I can find the time. I live in Canada for half the year and Mexico for the other half. In both places I live close to water.

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

Hmmm. If I ever made a conscious decision to write professionally it must have been when I wrote my first book at the age of 17. I need hardly add it was pretty awful. Almost 20 years later I got it right and was offered a publishing contract.

How do you undertake research for your novels?

The Internet is the writer’s best friend. I order books, either paper or electronic, for the facts and then I go to the Internet for other information such as locales, fashion, lesser characters, anything that might be relevant.

You currently write historical fiction. Is there any other genre that appeals to you as a writer?

A simple answer here – No.

Can you tell us something about your current WIP?

Presently I am writing about Isabella of France, the wife of Edward II of England. She is one of the queens who has been maligned throughout the centuries, probably because she did the unthinkable by being instrumental in the deposition of her husband and ruling herself. I hope to present a more sympathetic portrait of her while remaining true to the historical record and without whitewashing her.

Are you a beach or city girl? Name your favourite holiday destination.

As you might have guessed from my answer above, I am a beach girl. I love being on, in or beside water and I particularly like frolicking in the sea. My favourite destination is Mexico where we are about 2 blocks from the beach.

And lastly, if you were able to invite four celebrities to dinner who would they be and why?
Stephen Hawking for his mind. Aidan Turner for his drop-dead-gorgeous looks. Sharon Kay Penman for the book talk. Jamie Oliver to do the cooking.

CATCH UP WITH SUSAN ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Author page Amazon U.S  http://www.amazon.com/Susan-Appleyard/e/B00UTVMT5Y

Amazon U.K. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Susan-Appleyard/e/B01K292ATW
blog: www.susanappleyardwriter.wordpress.com
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/susan.appleyard.9
Twitter account: https://twitter.com/@susan_appleyard

 

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

I am in my forties, mother to an awesome young man. As of this year, I’ve had two sci-fi novellas published on Amazon Kindle, and another, shorter novelette. I also teach English to middle-schoolers, and I love my dog.

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

I started writing as a kid, making up stories when we went on road trips. I wrote poetry as a teen, keeping it to myself. Then, I entered a poetry contest and they published it in a book. We had to buy the book, though. I’ve really taken it up again since my son has grown out of his teens and my time is my own.

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

Stephen King, Phillip K. Dick, James Patterson, Laurie Notaro, Carl Hiaasen, Dean Koontz, and Joyce Carol Oates. I am sure they have inspired my writing, especially James Patterson. I love the way he can write through a woman’s or a man’s perspective. I love how Stephen King makes his main characters realistic, but can’t attribute any of my traits to his writing.

Have you a favourite place to write?

My room is quiet and private, but the living room couch is comfy if I’m using pen and paper.

What’s your ‘average’ day – if there is one!

My days rotate. On certain days I go to work, get home, make dinner, and get myself off to yoga class. Other days, I get home from work and attend church meetings or fellowship dinner. And there are the nights that a story is stirring in my mind and I have to get on the computer right after dinner.

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

I am in the editing process, getting help from a few others on a time travel novel. I plan to work on a sci-fi novel during NANOWRIMO, but I can’t give the details away yet.

And lastly, if you had to spend a year on a desert island, what four ‘must haves would you take with you?

A 1,000 page Stephen King book, a pen and fat notebook, and I don’t know what else. It’s hard to narrow it down in a serious matter. Maybe a soccer ball like Tom Hanks had in that one movie? Gotta talk to something, right? Well, if it could be living, it would be my dog. He’s quiet, but very good company. I think we’d look out for each other. Can you tell I love my dog?

 

PURCHASE LINKS FOR PAM’S BOOKS
Made for Me, sci-fi romance: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DZ5230G
Seeing Through Sampson’s Eyes, sci-fi coming of age: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GNNCHHQ
From Bedlam to Ben, sci-fi, young adult: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JVET5OW

CATCH UP WITH PAM ON  HER SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

Social media links:

http://www.facebook.com/pamelacanepablog/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNN28sU8skhoI2HatNB2uzw
http://pamelascanepa.wordpress.com
and Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15166012.Pamela_Schloesser_Canepa
Amazon author site: http://amzn.to/1t3BYGU