Fiction Is Stranger Than Fact

Expected by Sarah England

2012-01-30T09:40:00.004Z

I've been aware of Sarah England for a while now as an extremely talented short story writer. Her stories regularly appear in all the magazines and are always a fabulous read.

Sarah's also written a novel, and today I'm thrilled to have her as my guest to talk about that. This is what Sarah had to say about 'Expected'.

You know I’ve read an awful lot of chicklit - and what struck me more than anything, particularly with the hugely successful Shopaholic series, not to mention Bridget Jones - was that the female protagonists were upper middle class and rather well off. They had adoring families they could run home to. They had nice jobs in the city, friends with fab apartments, and they met dishy men who they wanted to marry and have children with. Well - funny and well written these chicklit books might be - but realistic??

So my heroine, Sam, is working class - from a sink estate she has no desire to return to. Sam dreams of having a career - yearns for a nice, safe place to live, and desperately doesn’t want to end up as a single mother on benefits like most of her school friends. So she makes a mistake and moves in with the outwardly desirable and very middle class doctor she met at a party. Instantly her mother spreads the news, begins to plan the wedding, and wastes no time in pushing (no pun intended) for grandchildren. So now Sam is trapped.

I’ve been trapped, have you? I’ve been trapped in a lousy marriage, when my job was precarious and someone at work was gunning for me because my face didn’t fit. I’ve been vulnerable and scared. And I’ve been badly let down by the one person I thought I could run home to. So what keeps us going? Well hope, youth, optimism, fantastic mates and a massive sense of humour. And that’s where Expected comes from. Only I couldn’t leave Sam without a bit of spice - I think we’ve all looked up and met the eyes of a drop-dead gorgeous sex on legs - take me now - kind of guy?! Oh - just me then. Anyway, she deserved a treat after all she’d been through. Bit of a catch at the end, but ….well, never let it be said I do cheesy!

The fun bit? Oh venting fury and frustration! And the creation of monster mouse, Bernie O’Reilly - the smiling assassin. Yes I did have a giggle. Actually I loved writing this book - I had a blast!! Hope you like it too!

Thanks Sarah, the book sounds fantastic.

You can buy the book at Amazon in the UK here. Or in the USA/Aus here.

And you can find Sarah's website and blog here.

Writing Courses

2012-01-25T17:02:00.003Z

I've got some new workshop dates set up for the beginning of 2012. Full details are on my website, but in brief ...

Insight Into Writing Short Stories For The Women’s Magazine Market will run in Northampton on Saturday 3 March.

Moving On In The Women’s Magazine Fiction Market will run in Northampton on Saturday 31 March.

New for 2012:

Day Retreat For Writers

Come and spend a day with fellow writers being inspired, exercising your writing skills and sharing your work in a supportive atmosphere.

The retreat will be on 21 April 2012 in Northamptonshire. Exact location to be confirmed.

Further details of the two workshops can be found under the ‘Workshops’ tab on my website. For a booking form, or if you have any questions, please get in touch via the contact page on my website.

And now for something completely different ...

If crime writing is more your thing, the fantastic Adrian Magson will be offering a course at Chez Castillon in April. Adrian really is a fantastic tutor, I've been taught by him so I speak from experience. And it's in France. What could be better?

More details can be found here

2011-12-26T12:21:00.003Z

Leigh Russell's new book, 'Death Bed', is now available for download on Kindle and I'm very pleased to have Leigh as my Boxing Day guest! Leigh has very kindly given us some thoughts on beating writer's block for all those writers out there who need to get back into it after the Christmas lull!

Beating Writer’s Block

Where does the writing bug come from, and will it vanish as quickly as it appeared? Somewhere I wrote that I fell into writing like Alice down the rabbit hole. It’s an apt comparison because my writing career began very suddenly and unexpectedly when the idea for 'Cut Short' struck me, completely out of the blue.

Eight weeks after I started the first draft of my debut crime novel, I was fortunate enough to attract the attention of a publisher who offered me a three book deal. Three years on, and with three bestsellers to my name, I’ve been signed up for another three books in the series. An avid reader for years, I was catapulted into the Wonderland of being an author. Since then I’ve been on a writing roll, discovering the best cure for writer’s block: a publisher’s deadline.

But how do you stay motivated, month after month, year after year, without that compelling external deadline?

As fiction writers, we aim to persuade readers that the worlds we create in our books are real. The power to create illusions is what makes us writers. So you have to set your own deadlines and convince yourself they must be met. Work out your own schedule. Set a date by which your MS has to be ready, allow yourself time to research agents and publishers, and decide on a date when you are going to start submitting the MS. Stick to it as though it has been imposed by a publisher who is paying you to deliver. Following a schedule like that allows no room for writer’s block.

Leigh Russell writes the popular bestselling UK crime series featuring Detective Inspector Geraldine Steel. Leigh’s new book Death Bed is on kindle and available in print 2012.

Details of all Leigh’s books can be found on her website here.

Latest News - The new Geraldine Steel novel has been selected as 1 of 35 crime mysteries included in Amazon Kindle’s 12 Days of Christmas offer @ 99p. Follow the links above to find it on Amazon UK.

It is also $1.54 on amazon.com here.

Tears and Laughter

2011-12-23T08:13:00.002Z

One of the highlights of this year for me has been my involvement in 'Tears and Laughter and Happy Ever After'. We've all been really excited about some of the great reviews we've had for the book.

You can read one here from the lovely and very talented Teresa Ashby. It means a lot to know that Teresa enjoyed reading it as she is such a fabulous short story writer herself.

Debs Carr has done a round up of some of our other reviews on her blog.

So, what can I say? If you're bored over Christmas and you fancy some short stories to read ... here it is.

Or you could browse our blog and read about how we were all inspired to write the stories.

But whatever you do, I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and a very Happy New Year.

Hop On, Hop Off Online Short Story Course

2011-12-14T16:41:00.002Z

I’m very pleased to be able to announce my new online short story writing course which will start in 2012.

The Hop On, Hop Off Writing Course is in five modules which will run in a weekly cycle from 9 January onwards.

The modules are:

Character – how to build convincing characters that your readers will really care about. (running for the first time w/b 9 January 2012)

Dialogue – how to write authentic sounding dialogue that will move your plot forward and bring your story to life. (running for the first time w/b 16 January 2012)

Plot and Structure – making sure your plot works and your structure supports it. (running for the first time w/b 23 January 2012)

Theme – use of theme to make your story stand out from the rest. (running for the first time w/b 30 January 2012)

Bringing it all together – this module (which needs to be taken last) will help you bring together all you have learnt so far and will include a story critique. (running for the first time w/b 6 February 2012 and thereafter every week that the course runs)

Full details are on my website here. Please feel free to contact me via my website if you have any queries.

Pre-Christmas Update

2011-12-04T19:40:00.002Z

There seems to be loads going on at the moment, but very little time to blog about it, and even less time to catch up with other people's blogs. Apologies to those I haven't visited for a while.

Short story wise, I have two out at the moment in Woman's Weekly Fiction Special and People's Friend Winter Special. I've also just sold two to My Weekly, but not sure when they'll be out.

Thanks for all those who made suggestions about my alternative mothers piece. I got some great case studies in the end and have filed the feature. I'll let you know when and where it will be in print.

Being a part of the 'Tears and Laughter and Happy Ever After' project continues to be exciting. We have a blog now! http://www.tearsandlaughter.co.uk/main/?page_id=335 We'll all be talking about the inspiration behind our stories.

You can also find my new website here. http://www.helenmhunt.co.uk/ And I'll be posting details of courses for next year, including an online course, soon.

And finally, there's a new review up on Bookersatz - http://bookersatz.blogspot.com

I hope everyone is on track for Christmas. I've done very little and need to catch up!

(Is anyone else finding that blogger refuses to do proper links or is it just me?)

Alternative 'Mums'

2011-11-18T15:17:00.001Z

I am looking for a female case study who was looked after/brought up or significantly supported, either in childhood or adulthood by someone other than their real mother and would now like to say a big thank you to their ‘alternative mother’.

It’s for a positive piece about women who have been significantly mothered and supported by someone other than their actual mother.

The Case Study would need to be adult now, as the piece will be from her point of view, and I will need a photo of her with her ‘alternative mother’ and to carry out a telephone interview with her.

I’m interested in a variety of ‘alternative mother’ set ups, eg someone who was brought up by or has had substantial mothering from grandmother, aunt, female family friend etc because

• Real mother is/was in armed forces and therefore away.
• Real mother has health/mental health issues or maybe a long stay in hospital.
• Or any other reason really …

I have already been offered some foster mother/foster daughter case studies, so not really looking for any more of those.

Needs to be UK based and able to do a brief telephone interview.

Anyone able to help, please email me on helen-hunt1(at)sky(dot)com

Thanks ever so much to anyone who is able to help.

Tears and Laughter and Happy Ever After

2011-11-15T20:04:00.004Z

I'm very pleased to announce that the Kindle version of 'Tears and Laughter and Happy Ever After' is now available.

You can find it on Amazon here.

You can see our Facebook page here.

You can see our website here.

And follow us on Twitter here.

"Tears and Laughter and Happy Ever After" is a vibrant and varied collection of tales from writers who between them have had hundreds of short stories published in women’s magazines in the UK and around the world! Contributors have also won or been placed in dozens of competitions, published novels and written non-fiction for many UK magazines.

As the title suggests, the twenty-six stories encompass the dizzying heights of happiness, the heartbreaking depths of sadness, and every emotion in between. Within the pages of this book you’ll meet a housewife with a surprising secret, a beekeeper with a problem and an undertaker with something unusual on his mind. You’ll also encounter angels, ghosts, aliens and many other intriguing characters. And, in the end, you may just find the path to happy ever after.

On another note, I'm currently writing a feature on alternative mums eg grans, aunts, female friends who have had a big part in bringing up someone else's children. I am looking for female case studies who want to say a big thank you to their alternative Mum. Full details are on the Case Study Link above.

National Short Story Week

2011-11-08T15:24:00.003Z

It's National Short Story Week this week, a chance for all of us who love the form to support and praise it.

You can find out more by visiting the Short Story Week website here. You'll find all sorts of interesting stuff on there including a piece by me on giving radio interviews.

There's also more information on 'Women Aloud' the fantastic audio book of short stories released to celebrate Short Story Week. You can find my review of 'Women Aloud' on Bookersatz.

In further exciting news you can now see the wonderful 'Tears and Laughter and Happy Ever After' website here.

And you can see my brand new website here.

Sadly, during short story week, Radio 4 is intending to cut down on the number of broadcast short stories. You can also read about this and how you might want to comment on it on the National Short Story Week website.

As ever, a mix of good news and bad news, but here's hoping that in the end the good news will outweigh the bad!

Tears and Laughter and Happy Ever After

2011-10-25T21:31:00.003+01:00

I'm very pleased to announce my involvement in this collection of short stories. I've been working on it for the last few weeks with some of the best short story writers I know.

‘Tears and Laughter and Happy Ever After’ is a vibrant and varied collection of stories from writers who between them have had hundreds of short stories published in women’s magazines in the UK and around the world! Contributors have also won or been placed in dozens of competitions, published novels and written non-fiction for many UK magazines.

As the title suggests, the twenty-six stories encompass the dizzying heights of happiness, the heartbreaking depths of sadness and every emotion in between. Within the pages of this book you’ll meet a housewife with a surprising secret, a beekeeper with a problem and an undertaker with something unusual on his mind. You’ll also encounter angels, ghosts, aliens and many other intriguing characters. And, in the end, you may just find the path to happy ever after.

The idea for this book came from the successful ‘A Story A Fortnight’ writing group which brought the writers involved together in a project that has inspired and supported them in their short story writing.

Who’s been up to ‘Monkey Business'?

What's happening in 'The House At Summer's End’?

Who is 'The Girl In The Yellow Dress'?

If you want to know, you have to read ‘Tears and Laughter and Happy Ever After’.

You can follow us on Twitter @tears_laughter
You can join our Facebook page

We are aiming to release the book in Kindle format next month and in paperback by the end of the year. We'll be launching a website soon, but meanwhile keep an eye on Twitter and Facebook for news.

While I'm on the subject of short story collections, you can find my review of the 'Women Aloud' audiobook on Bookersatz now.

Short Story Writing Workshop

2011-10-18T11:53:00.002+01:00

Just a quick reminder that there's less than a fortnight to go now until my next short story workshop. If you're interested in coming along please get in touch via the email address in my profile.

Moving On Short Story Workshop – 29 October 2011, 10.30am to 4pm

Northampton

This course will be practically based and will help participants work towards the first draft of a story for their chosen women’s magazine market. They will receive a critique of their story once they have had a chance to finish it after the course.

The course is partly aimed at people who have attended my ‘Insight’ workshop and want to build on what they have learned about writing for the women’s magazine market but it is also suitable for people who already have some experience of the market and want to polish their skills.

We will cover:

Coming up with a killer idea including mind-mapping and treasure-mapping techniques;
Thinking of a great title, but not being afraid to let go of it;
The difference between a twist and a surprise;
Creating great characters and writing convincing dialogue;
Using themes and motifs to lift your story out of the ordinary.

The cost will be £35 and will include lunch.

Bookersatz

In other news, I've reviewed Cally Taylor's new novel 'Home For Christmas' on Bookersatz this week. Many of you will have read and loved Cally's first novel 'Heaven Can Wait', so if you've been waiting for the follow up - the wait is over, you can pre order it now!

Women Aloud

2011-10-10T11:49:00.003+01:00

A charity anthology audiobook for National Short Story Week 2011 NOW AVAILABLE ON CD!

Women Aloud is an audio anthology of short stories written by eleven of the UK's best loved women's fiction writers.

There's something for everyone in this unique audiobook - love, laughter, thrills and chills. It will make a great gift for a friend, mum, sister, grandmother, aunt, girlfriend, wife, partner or...yourself!

Listen to stories by Trisha Ashley, Judy Astley, Elizabeth Chadwick, Rowan Coleman, Katie Fforde, Milly Johnson, Catherine King, Sophie King, Carole Matthews, Sue Moorcroft and Allie Spencer.

I'm thrilled to have one of the contributors to Women Aloud, Rowan Coleman, visiting today to tell us a bit more about the project.

How did you get involved in the Women Aloud Charity Anthology?

I first met Ian, the driving force behind the collection, when he came to be a guest speaker at the creative writing course I teach, and we’ve kept in touch since then. I was delighted when he asked me to contribute a story to the project, I couldn’t think of a more worthwhile cause that I’d like to support.

Tell us about the story you’ve contributed to the project.

My story is called 'In Real Life', it's about a young bride on the morning of her wedding, weighing up the realities of how life has turned out against the way she always imagined it would be. Will she accept what fate as in store for her, or will she run away and keep looking for her dreams?

You’re in some very illustrious company with fellow writers Katie Fforde and Sophie King among others, has that made it an interesting and fun project to work on?

Most of the other writers involved are friends of mine, I’ve known Katie for ten years, and Sophie and I lived very close together until recently. What was really nice was that I was able to bring quite a few writers in on the anthology, including Trisha Ashley, Milly Johnson, Allie Spencer and Carole Mathews, who were all really willing to help.

What do you think makes a perfect mix of stories for an anthology?

We weren’t given a brief when it came to contributing a story and so I think Women Aloud has the perfect mix, there is something here for everyone. Some pure romance, some comedy, plenty of drama and one or two tales of the unexpected. Every story is unique and different from the last.

What particularly appealed to you about supporting the Helena Kennedy Foundation?

The Helena Kennedy Foundation offers financial support to disadvantaged young people, who are desperate to learn and change their lives, but who don’t have the financial or family support to do that. At the launch of the anthology we heard from a young woman who was abandoned by her mother and taken into care as a child, discovered she was pregnant at 13 and then had to give that baby up for adoption. For many young people that would have been the end of hope, but this young woman wasn’t ready to give up on herself, and crucially The Helen Kennedy Foundation was there to make sure that she got a second chance. She is now in her second year at university, a confident and articulate young woman. And if writing a short story helps in some small way, to give the same second chance to other young people then who wouldn’t want to be involved?

The anthology is unusual as it’s an audiobook. How did you feel about hearing your work being read aloud?

It’s a little strange, I’ve had many of my other books turned into audio books, and the way an actress reads them is never quite how you imagine it in your head! But the actress who reads my story, Elizabeth Bower, really nailed it, she was perfect!

And what added dimension to the stories do you think people who buy the anthology will find through listening to them being read out?

Well the added advantage is that you can listen to great fiction while you’re on the train or bus, or in the garden or walking the dog. But also its lovely to hear the stories being truly brought to life, like mini radio plays.

You’ve also got a novel out at the moment, ‘Lessons in Laughing Out Loud’, tell us a bit about that.

'Lessons in Laughing Out Loud' is the story of Willow, one of a pair of identical twins whose life has taken a vastly different direction from that of her sister's. Single, divorced, married to her job and living alone, a terrible secret from Willow’s childhood continues to prevent her from finding happiness or love. But when someone from her past turns up on her doorstep, Willow knows that now is the time she must face her past, or risk living with her demons forever.

As a novelist, what’s the biggest challenge about writing a short story?

Not having 100,000 words to play with! Short story writing is an art and a great discipline for a novelist, it reminds you the importance of structure, planning pacing and craft.

What are you working on next?

I’m working on completing my next full length novel 'Dearest Rose', which should be out next summer.

Thanks so much to Rowan for those fabulous answers. You can find out more about Rowan and her books on her website.

I'll be reviewing the Women Aloud anthology on Bookersatz soon, so please keep your eyes open for that.

In the meantime you can read my review of 'Lessons In Laughing Out Loud' by Rowan Coleman here.

I'm also thrilled to have a guest review on Bookersatz from the lovely Shirley Wells at the moment. Shirley has reviewed 'The Hanging Shed' by Gordon Ferris.

You can find out more about Shirley on her blog here and her website here, and you can read my review of her book fabulous current book 'Dead Silent' here.

Moving On!

2011-10-01T11:01:00.002+01:00

My new workshop Moving On is launched this month. It was inspired by participants on my first workshop Insight Into The Women's Magazine Market who felt they wanted a course that would move them on with their writing.

However there's no need to have done the Insight course before doing this one, so please do feel free to get in touch if you think it might be for you. Here are the full details.

Moving On Short Story Workshop – 29 October 2011, 10.30am to 4pm

Northampton

This course will be practically based and will help participants work towards the first draft of a story for their chosen women’s magazine market. They will receive a critique of their story once they have had a chance to finish it after the course.

The course is partly aimed at people who have attended my ‘Insight’ workshop and want to build on what they have learned about writing for the women’s magazine market but it is also suitable for people who already have some experience of the market and want to polish their skills.

We will cover:

Coming up with a killer idea including mind-mapping and treasure-mapping techniques;
Thinking of a great title, but not being afraid to let go of it;
The difference between a twist and a surprise;
Creating great characters and writing convincing dialogue;
Using themes and motifs to lift your story out of the ordinary.

The cost will be £35 and will include lunch.

I'm also excited to announce that I will be talking about writing short stories for women's magazines at The Festival Of Romance on Friday 21 October. You can find more details about that here. http://festivalofromance.co.uk/

Finally, I've posted a new review on Bookersatz today. It's of Spider's Revenge by Jennifer Estep so please pop over and have a look. http://bookersatz.blogspot.com

(Apologies for lack of proper links, Blogger doesn't want to play ball this morning.)

An Interview with Gillian Philip

2011-09-24T12:05:00.003+01:00

I'm very excited to have the lovely and multi-talented YA author Gillian Philip here today. I asked her some questions about her varied writing career.

Tell us about your most recent books, ‘Bloodstone’ and ‘The Opposite Of Amber’.

BLOODSTONE is the sequel to FIREBRAND, which came out last year, and it’s the second in a series of four. The books are about the Scottish Sithe or faeries; I wanted to write about a hidden world that was close to ours, but perilously so – and in danger of vanishing. The heroes are forced to rebel against the faery queen, who wants to destroy the protecting Veil between the worlds for her own ends. I wondered who would be most threatened by that – the Sithe people, or us. The story was a long time in development. In fact Bloodstone was originally book 1, but I had to go back and write Firebrand before I really understood what was going on!

THE OPPOSITE OF AMBER is very different – it’s a contemporary story about two sisters who live in a bleak Scottish seaside town, and who begin to grow apart because of circumstances that spiral out of control. Jinn falls in love with the worst man possible, and Ruby, who has always depended on her older sister, has to learn to rely on herself even as she tries to save Jinn. And all the time, a serial killer is stalking the town, and coming closer to home.

What first attracted you to the idea of writing for the YA market?

Simply looking at the YA books that were available. My kids were born in 2001 and for the first time in a long time, I found myself in the children’s department of bookstores. And while I was looking for books in the younger sections, I couldn’t help being drawn by the YA shelves – they were so full of fantastic stories, fascinating characters and wonderful authors. I bought loads – on the pretext that I was building a library for my children when they were older. But as soon as I started to read them, I knew this was what I wanted to write myself.

Your writing is in more than one genre, was that down to a deliberate decision to explore different types of writing?

It was more of an accident! I’d always wanted to write a Scottish-based fantasy with a contemporary slant – and a very rough first draft did eventually turn into Bloodstone – but it took rather a lot of years to get it right. In the meantime I wrote a sequel to Bloodstone, but because those two were not in saleable condition, I had to branch out. I immediately turned to crime (fictional...) because I love reading it, and wrote Bad Faith and Crossing The Line, both of which were taken on by publishers.

I also took on work for Hothouse Fiction, writing teen horror, and for Evans Brothers, writing basically anything in any genre! So I just got used to switching genre, and I still enjoy a change from time to time. It’s one of the thing I love about writing YA – you’re not straitjacketed so much into a particular type of book.

You’ve also published books under the name Gabriella Poole. How did this come about, and are those books very different?

Very different from my own books, yes. The Gabriella Poole books were the ones I wrote for Hothouse Fiction – the Darke Academy series, which are about an elite boarding school that travels the world (essentially because students keep being killed in mysterious circumstances). They’ve been great fun to write – the editors at Hothouse came up with the concept and the characters, and I write the whole story from an outline, which is the only time I follow a plot plan. With my own stories I tend to fly by the seat of my pants – I don’t plot in advance – so it’s fun to write this way for a change, and it’s good exercise for the writing muscles. ‘Gabriella Poole’ belongs to Hothouse rather than to me, which gives both them and me some flexibility – another writer could ‘become’ Gabriella if necessary.

When you sit down to write a new book, do you find inspiration in particular ways or from particular sources?

Usually I’m not sitting down – I’m probably out for a walk. I find, like a lot of writers, that walking is a great way of shaking loose an idea in your head. So I walk for miles, listen to music (I like to have a soundtrack for each book), location-scout... and my other main source of inspiration is news or magazine articles. I don’t fictionalise real-life situations but I do imagine real and terrible things happening in different ways to my characters.

What are you working on now and what do you see yourself writing in the future?

I’m writing a short story for an anthology a friend is editing, and simultaneously I’m working on an e-novella, a prequel to Firebrand – it’s about Griogair and Lilith – which I hope to publish online at the same time as the Firebrand and Bloodstone ebooks come out.

After that, well... I have a draft that needs rewriting of a book called Sealskin, and I have another idea for a thriller simmering away in my head.

What’s the best advice you could give to someone who is writing a novel and hoping to get it published?

Just to persevere, and to take good advice. Keep writing and rewriting, but listen to readers (who aren’t related to you) – join a good writing group that provides honest critiques, or pay for editorial services if necessary. It’s never going to be right first time (or even the fifth time) but so long as you get something onto the page, you’ll have something to work with.

On your website you mention that you are ‘taking dictation from people who don’t exist’. It sounds as though your characters are very real to you despite not existing, how helpful is that when you’re writing?

It’s enormously helpful. When they turn real, they do all the work, which is nice. Of course, if they take a while to become real, it’s a lot more like hard work. And if they refuse altogether – well, I don’t have a book. I have to start again with someone more cooperative.

Thanks so much to Gillian for popping over today to share those thoughts with us.

You can read my review of 'The Opposite Of Amber' on Bookersatz now.

You can buy Gillian's books here.

Watching Willow Watts

2011-09-14T11:04:00.002+01:00

When I heard that Talli was launching her new novel 'Watching Willow Watts' by asking people to answer the question ‘If I Could Be Anyone, I’d Be…’ , I didn't have to think for long about my answer.

In a way I didn't choose this person, fate kind of chose her for me ...

Back in 1996 when I got married and changed my name to Helen Hunt I didn’t realise that I was taking on a very significant life partner – my new namesake, the Hollywood actress Helen Hunt. Yes, that's right, 'the other Helen Hunt'.

By 1998 the other Helen Hunt was riding high with an academy award for her role alongside Jack Nicholson in ‘As Good As It Gets’ and every time I introduced myself to someone on the phone I was asked if I was ‘that’ Helen Hunt.

From a live radio interview for work when the presenter decided it would be funny to interview me as if I was really the other Helen Hunt and ask me what it was like to snog Mel Gibson, to my most recent experience of receiving a letter asking for a signed photo (from someone I fear was about to be VERY disappointed) ‘the other Helen Hunt’ has been a constant presence in my life.

So would I actually want to be her? Well, I wouldn't mind some of her success! But on balance I'd rather be a writer than an actress, so I think I'll stick with what I've got for the moment!

About Watching Willow Watts

For Willow Watts, life has settled into a predictably dull routine: days behind the counter at her father's antique shop and nights watching TV, as the pension-aged residents of Britain's Ugliest Village bed down for yet another early night. But everything changes when a YouTube video of Willow's epically embarrassing Marilyn Monroe impersonation gets millions of hits after a viewer spots Marilyn's ghostly image in a frame.

Instantly, Willow's town is overrun with fans flocking to see the 'new Marilyn'. Egged on by the villagers -- whose shops and businesses are cashing in -- Willow embraces her new identity, dying her hair platinum and ramming herself full of cakes to achieve Marilyn's legendary curves.

But when a former flame returns seeking the old Willow, Willow must decide: can she risk her stardom and her village's newfound fortune on love, or is being Marilyn her ticket to happiness?

If you’d like to buy a copy of 'Watching Willow Watts' (Kindle Editions) , follow these links:

Amazon UK

Amazon.com

Also see more of Talli's books here and read her blog here.

For America

2011-09-11T11:27:00.002+01:00

I first posted this poem around the time Obama became President, but it seemed appropriate to post it again today. I'll repeat what I said then, which is that it is in no way meant to be anti-American. I love America and all the Americans I know.

The American Dream

A president trapped by bullet-proof glass
How did he get there again?
Don’t let it be like Kennedy
Taking a bullet to the brain.
God Bless America,
The right to bear arms,
And a building branded with the shape of a plane.

Death row crowded, long years pass,
For the boy who is mentally ten.
Not even sure what he’s meant to have done
How did he get there again?
God Bless America,
The right to liberty,
And a building branded with the shape of a plane.

A student lets rip with a cartoon strip gun
How did he get hold of that?
From hatred, fear and unbearable pain
He answers with rat-a-tat-tat
God Bless America,
The right to life,
And a building branded with the shape of a plane.

A president trapped in bullet-proof glass
Can’t let it happen again.
One nation under God indivisible
But the cracks are showing the strain
God Bless America,
The right to justice.
And a building branded with the shape of a plane.

This post is not meant to be in any way anti-American. I loved America on my one visit and all the American people I know personally are fantastic. But, like lots of people, I have worries and concerns for the future. This poem was inspired by the sight of President Elect Obama addressing the people from between two huge sheets of bullet-proof glass and the sobering realisation that he and his family may have to look at the world that way for many years to come. But there is hope in change, and that’s why I decided to post this today. For America. With hope.

And ten years on from 9/11 my thoughts are coloured as ever by memories of my beloved mother who was with me at the time and already terminally ill. An extra layer to the painful memories.

On a lighter note, you can read a guest post I've written for the Bah To Cancer blog here.

Writing Magazine, and some courses for you!

2011-09-01T11:54:00.004+01:00

I'm in Writing Magazine again this month talking about creating good characters for short stories. If you haven't already looked at their great website, you can do so here.

You can read my thoughts on the 'Sandwich Generation' at the newly-launched Savista Magazine here.

If you've ever thought about writing a Pocket Novel for My Weekly or People's Friend, you can now learn from the Queen of the Pocket Novels, Sally Quilford. Sally is offering a workshop on writing Pocket Novels and you can find more details here.

Finally, I still have a small number of places left on my short story workshop on 17th September. Full details are here. Please contact me if you'd like to come.

Interview With Shirley Wells

2011-08-27T11:31:00.002+01:00

I'm really thrilled to have Shirley Wells visiting my blog this weekend as part of her blog tour to launch 'Dead Silent'. This is what Shirley had to say ...

Thank you, Helen, for inviting me to your lovely blog. It’s great to be here!

What first inspired you to write?

I was taught to read at the age of 3 and have rarely been seen without a book in my hand since, but it wasn’t until I was 28 and living in Cyprus that I considered writing. Books and magazines were in short supply on the island and after reading one short story in a women’s magazine, I thought “Hey, I could do better than that.” I typed (remember that?) my story, sent it to the editor with a letter that said something along the lines of “I’m not a proper writer but I wondered if you’d like to read this…” and received a lovely reply saying it would be published in the March issue of their magazine and that a cheque would follow. I’d caught the writing bug and haven’t lost it since.

And what particularly appeals about crime writing?

I’ve always been a fan of mysteries, both books and TV programmes. I think it’s the puzzle. I love pitting my wits against police detectives or amateur sleuths and figuring out whodunnit before they do. Also, the darker side of the human psyche fascinates me. I love to play with ‘normal’, respectable characters and see what it takes to push them over the edge.

Tell us about your latest book ‘Dead Silent’.

Dead Silent is the second book to feature reluctant private investigator Dylan Scott. I’m so pleased that my publisher wanted more about Dylan because I love him. My editor said of his first appearance: Dylan is a chauvinist and a terrible husband, but I’ve never rooted harder for a character. He is a chauvinist, and his wife despairs of him, but his heart’s in the right place.

For anyone curious, this is from the back cover:
Ten months ago, Samantha Hunt set off for work… and was never seen again.
Despite the statistics of cold cases, Dylan Scott wants to believe the young woman’s alive – and not just because her father, his client, is desperate to find his missing daughter before he dies of cancer. By all accounts Sam was a lovely girl, devoted to her younger stepsisters, well-liked at her work, in love with her boyfriend.
But as usual not everything is as it seems in sleepy Dawson’s Clough. Sam’s boyfriend has a violent past. She may have been having an affair with her boss. And Dylan can’t shake the feeling that her stepfather is hiding something. Meanwhile, someone is trying to scare Dylan off the case.
Who wanted to silence Sam, and why? The truth turns out to be worse than anyone expected…

What opportunities do you see for authors in the increasing popularity of the e-book format?

As I see it, one of the biggest advantages is that, because production and distribution costs are lower, publishers will take chance on new authors. With traditional publishing suffering the backlash from library cutbacks, debut authors are struggling to find an outlet for their work and published authors need a proven sales record. Also, an e-book is simply a file so it’s always available. One of my books has been out of print for over a year and, although there are plans to republish it soon as an e-book, there are no plans for a reprint unless the publisher receives “significant orders”. I can’t imagine who would order an out-of-print book in significant numbers!

Added to this is the ease with which authors can publish their own work. I know of several well-known authors who are publishing their backlists - long out-of-print books - themselves.

I suppose the downside is that, as it’s so easy - and free - to publish a book, many people are bypassing a good editor and publishing work that is substandard and which gives digital publishing a bad name. I’m lucky in that my e-books are published by Carina Press, the digital-first arm of Harlequin and there’s little Harlequin doesn’t know about the publishing industry. All books at Carina go through three lots of edits - developmental edits, line edits and then a final proof edit - before a marketing strategy is planned. Small e-book presses, however, are opening up with a view to earning a quick buck and putting out books that are poorly presented and need editing. That could be a problem.

What sort of characters do you like to create most – goodies or baddies?

I think the baddies can be more challenging. When a terrible crime is committed we often hear friends and neighbours declaring the perpetrator to be one of the nicest people one could wish to meet. How can such a person be driven to take a life? Is there a dark side to us all? Could we, if pushed, be driven to kill?

What’s the biggest challenge of producing consistently good books over a number of years?

I write books in a series and, while it’s wonderful to meet my characters again and take them on another adventure, my biggest worry is repetition. In the first book, it’s easy to create strong, well-drawn characters and show their relationships with family and friends. I find it difficult in subsequent books to give the reader glimpses of past relationships without repeating myself.

What are you working on now?

I’m currently working on the fourth Dylan Scott mystery. The second, DEAD SILENT, has just released, and the third, SILENT WITNESS, is due for release in March.
What are your writing plans for the future?

I’ll keep writing crime and mystery so long as someone publishes me but, other than that, I don’t think past the next deadline.

What’s the best advice you could give to someone who is writing a novel and hoping to get it published?

Read it aloud, show it to people whose opinions you value, and pay to have it professionally edited if necessary. In short, make it as good as it can be. Never give up. Ever. Take no notice of prophets of doom who claim it’s impossible to get anything published unless you’re sleeping with the commissioning editor, are built along super-model lines or run your own PR company. I parted company with my agent a few years ago and went it alone. My first ‘Jill and Max’ crime novel was taken off the slush pile by Constable & Robinson and my first Dylan Scott mystery was taken from the slush pile by Carina Press. There will always be a market for good stories. (Wearing a rabbit’s foot and rubbing a four-leaf clover might not go amiss, either.)

Thank you for having me, Helen! It’s been fun.

Having had several hundred short stories, ten serials and ten novels published, Shirley Wells is finally getting the hang of this writing lark. She’s lived in Orkney, Cyprus and the Cotswolds, and now lives in Lancashire, UK, where the Pennines, with their abundance of great places to hide bodies, provide the inspiration for her popular mystery novels. She shares her home with her husband, two dogs, two cats and any other stray animals that fancy being pampered.

For more information, visit her website, follow her on Twitter or find her on Facebook.

Her latest Dylan Scott mystery, DEAD SILENT, is available from Carina Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and all good e-book retailers.

You can read a review of 'Dead Silent' on Bookersatz now.

Guest Review By Sophie Hannah

2011-08-21T10:51:00.002+01:00

I'm delighted to announce that, to tie in with the paperback release of her latest book 'Lasting Damage', Sophie Hannah is my special guest on Bookersatz this weekend. She's reviewing 'Facing Codependence' by Pia Mellody and the review is fantastic. Well worth reading for all sorts of reasons.

You can also read my review of 'Lasting Damage' here. It's a fabulous book and I highly recommend it.

If you're looking for more weekend reading, don't miss my two interviews below:

Lisa Jackson, US crime writer, talks about the ins and outs of writing in different genres.

Nicola Morgan talks aboout the launch of her indispensable guide to Twitter, 'Tweet Right'.

Happy weekend everyone.

An Interview With Lisa Jackson

2011-08-19T10:15:00.003+01:00

I'm very pleased to have Lisa Jackson here during publication week for 'Without Mercy'.

Tell us about your most recent book ‘Without Mercy’. It sounds like a fascinating premise.

The idea for WITHOUT MERCY came to me at a traffic light. I was waiting for the light to turn from red to green and was listening to my favourite radio station when an advertisement for a school for troubled teens was broadcast. In the ad, the mother was worried sick about a child with declining grades, escalating bad attitude and friends who were running with the wrong crowd. She told the announcer that she’d found the answer to her daughter’s problems in a school for troubled kids. She’d shipped her daughter off to a school with little contact with the outside world and when the daughter returned, she’d once again become her “normal” loving self. “Huh,” I thought. I’d raised boys who were far from angels, but what would it have taken me to send the kid off for someone else to raise and turn around? The idea kept growing and I was so caught in it, that the driver behind me had to lay on his horn to snap me out of it as the light had, indeed, turned green.

After nearly jumping out of my skin, I did a quick U turn and called my editor, then mapped out the story. I quit the book I was writing and WITHOUT MERCY was started as my editor loved the idea.

What first attracted you to the idea of writing crime/thrillers?

I’ve always loved puzzles and the human psyche. I grew up reading mysteries—from Nancy Drew to Agatha Christie and I loved moody books like Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier and Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. I started writing romance novels thirty years ago, but always had a bend toward mysteries and crime, so my writing kind of evolved, as did the popularity of the romantic suspense thriller. So here I am today. It all worked out.

Your writing is in more than one genre, was that down to a deliberate decision to explore different types of writing?

I write what I like. I don’t like following rules or prescribed plots. That was difficult for me as I started out in category romance and was told over and over again to tone down the suspense. But over the years, suspense became more popular and so I am lucky enough to write the kind of stories I love to read!

When you sit down to write a new book, do you find inspiration in particular ways or from particular sources?

Inspiration comes from all kinds of sources: an article I’ve read, or an overheard conversation, or a bit on the news, whatever. In the case of WITHOUT MERCY it was a radio ad. (That’s never happened before!) Though I can’t type very well and am a horrible speller, I’m lucky enough to be blessed with a pretty vivid imagination, so story ideas aren’t difficult. It’s the execution, the actual sitting and writing that’s a little more troublesome.

What are you working on now and what do you see yourself writing in the future?

I’m working on a book called YOU DON’T WANT TO KNOW and it’s kind of a moody, I like to think Hitchcockian type of book, told primarily from the heroine’s point of view. It’s very psychological and I’m having a lot of fun writing it!

What’s the best advice you could give to someone who is writing a novel and hoping to get it published?

I encourage a first-time novelist to write the whole book. It’s easy to start a book and often times a writer has a great ending in mind, but it’s the pages in between that are the “proof in the pudding.” An idea is not a book. Write it from page one until “the end.”

Many thanks to Lisa for those inspiring answers.

'Without Mercy' by Lisa Jackson is out in paperback now. You can buy it here.

Please also pop over to Bookersatz for my review of 'Lasting Damage' by Sophie Hannah which is one of the best books I've read recently.

Nicola Morgan Is Here!

2011-08-17T09:05:00.003+01:00

I am absolutely thrilled to have the multi-talented Nicola Morgan here today to talk about 'Tweet Right', her new book which is aimed at helping everyone get to grips with Twitter and use it properly.

I asked Nicola some questions ...

For those who don’t ‘get’ Twitter, how would you convince them of its worth in one sentence?

It combines all the benefits of a mahoosive party in which you can talk to many people at once and avoid anyone you dislike, an office without the office bore, an encyclopedia written by people you trust, an up-to-date news source for the things that interest you, a bank of people who can help with any task, a job agency, a fantastic marketing tool and a way of making friends from all around the world – free.

What moved you to write a whole book about Twitter?

I guess it’s a case of “once a teacher, always a teacher”. I kept hearing people say they didn’t understand Twitter – some being hostile and others really wanting to start but not feeling they knew how to, or else people who had tried but found it bewildering or difficult. So I wrote a series of blog posts to help people and those posts were very popular. (I even had a publisher asking to use them to train staff and authors.) But later there was more I wanted to say and it’s also not easy reading a whole series of blog posts hidden in the depths of my blog. So, I wrote Tweet Right, which is much more comprehensive and much clearer. It covers everything you need to get into Twitter, right from the very beginning. It assumes no knowledge other than the ability to switch on a computer and connect to the internet.

What was behind the decision to publish it yourself as Crabbit Publishing?

Because I can! I’ve got a load of ideas for non-fiction that I don’t need a publisher for. They are all books which will work as ebooks only and they are also shorter than suits a standard printed book. (They’ll be around 20-25 thousand words. The next one is probably going to be Dear Agent – the Worried Writer’s Guide to Submissions.) Later, I will be commissioning books from other writers and soon I will publish my early novels as ebooks – Mondays are Red is first up. You will be hearing a lot more about Crabbit Publishing when we launch properly in 2012 – at which point I will be able to tell you the interesting secret behind it!

You’ve already changed the face of twitter forever with your trending topic #lessinteresting books. How did that come about?

You exaggerate! But this is what happened: on Twitter one day, I saw that someone had tweeted that they were reading Lord of the Flies. I momentarily misread that as Lord of the Files, and thought how much less interesting that would have been as a book. So I tweeted “Lord of the Files #lessinterestingbooks” and followed with another one – I can’t remember but perhaps, “Love in the Time of the Common Cold #lessinterestingbooks”. It went viral and within a couple of hours was trending at No 1 worldwide. Totally mad! But fun and interesting. I think my favourite was Love in the Time of Man-Flu. My husband’s was Mein Campsite. (Mainly because he came up with that idea.) Mind you, I did laugh at the ones which missed the point: “textbooks”, “I can’t think of any”, “No books are less interesting – they are all wonderful and u should not diss them.”

So, Twitter … more or less important for a writer than stocks of wine and chocolate and good shoes?

Yes.

You’ve subtitled the book ‘The Sensible Person’s Guide To Twitter’. What’s the least sensible thing people can do on Twitter?

Probably to tweet while drunk or angry. There should be an offence of being drunk in charge of a Twitter account.

What’s the main thing you hope people will get out of reading Tweet Right?

The knowledge they need in order to attain the lightbulb moment: “AH! So that’s what everyone’s going on about.” Also, to make new friends and learn more than they ever thought they didn’t know.

Exactly how crabbit are you?

You only dare ask that because you live hundreds of miles away…

Thanks very much to Nicola for sharing those thoughts with us.

You can find out more about Nicola on her blog, and for those who haven't met her, I can confirm that she is not crabbit at all, but is one of the nicest people you could ever hope to meet.

You can buy 'Tweet Right' here.

(It is currently in Kindle format, but you don't need a Kindle to read it as you can download free Kindle software from Amazon to your computer.)

Books, Blogs and Bookersatz

2011-08-12T11:21:00.004+01:00

I just wanted to draw your attention to these two books which have been published recently. I would say that both are a must for aspiring writers.

You can find Nicola's wonderful blog 'Help! I Need A Publisher' here. Adrian's website is here, and you can enter a competition to win a copy of his book at Womagwriter's blog here.

This week I'm being interviewed on Morgen Bailey's blog here. I'm talking about writing short stories and other things dear to my heart. I've also written a piece for the National Short Story Week website about being interviewed on the radio for Short Story week last year. You can read that here.

I've reviewed 'Flesh And Grass' by Libby Cone over on Bookersatz this week, and this weekend I'll be reviewing 'Lessons In Laughing Out Loud' by Rowan Coleman. Fans of Sophie Hannah should keep a close eye on Bookersatz next week as I have a couple of real treats in store for you!

Have a lovely weekend every one.

Kate Lord Brown Is My Weekend Guest

2011-08-06T11:06:00.002+01:00

Please pop over to Bookersatz to find out what book my special weekend guest, Kate Lord Brown, would take to a desert island with her.

You can read my review of Kate's own book, 'The Beauty Chorus', which I found a fantastic read here.

If you're interested in my workshops or email critiques you can now find full details here. Please get in touch at helen-hunt1(at)sky(dot)com if you have any questions.

Hope everyone has a lovely weekend planned. I'll be writing today and tomorrow I'll be investgating why the buddleia bush in my back garden has collapsed. I suspect cat sabotage.

Insight Into The Women's Magazine Short Story Market

2011-08-02T12:52:00.003+01:00

On Saturday I held my first short story workshop. This is a new venture for me, so it was a bit of a 'feel the fear and do it anyway moment'.

I'm pleased to say that it went really well. Five lovely writers attended and all participated with enthusiasm and commitment.

The same workshop will be running again on 17 September if anyone is interested in coming along. I'll also be running a follow up workshop called 'Moving On' (probably in October - date to be announced) and will be offering email critiques in the near future for those who are unable to come along to a course.

If you're interested in any of these things, please feel free to contact me via my profile for more information.

Edited to say, details are now here.

Rosy Thornton - This Weekend's Guest On Bookersatz

2011-07-23T09:17:00.002+01:00

I'm very lucky to have another lovely weekend guest on Bookersatz. Novelist Rosy Thornton has written a very evocative review of 'A Month In The Country' by J L Carr. I now feel like I not only want to read the book, but also watch the film which stars the delicious Colin Firth. Sigh.

Regular readers of Bookersatz and this blog will know that I've really enjoyed reading Rosy's own books. You can find my reviews of 'The Tapestry Of Love' here and 'Crossed Wires' here.

My plans for the rest of the weekend involve reading, sleeping, watching television and gardening. I hope you all have a good one.

Update On My Short Story Workshops

2011-07-20T18:32:00.002+01:00

I've been really pleased with the response to my short story workshops so far.

I still have a couple of places left for the workshop on 30 July. If anyone wants to come to this one please let me know so that I can get full details and a booking form out to you as soon as possible.

Bookings are now open for the same workshop on 17 September as well, so if you'd like to come to this one please let me know.

I also have an 'interested' list of people who can't make the July or September dates, so it looks likely there'll be a third date. If you'd like to be added to this list, I'll let you know as soon as there are firm details of a third date.

Thanks everyone, and particular thanks to those who've helped to spread the word.

Isabel Ashdown ...

2011-07-16T10:04:00.002+01:00

... is my weekend guest on Bookersatz.

Isabel Ashdown lives in West Sussex with her carpenter husband and two children. Her first novel 'Glasshopper' (Observer 'Best Debut Novels of the Year', London Evening Standard 'Best Books of the Year') was published to critical acclaim in 2009 and an extract from the novel won the Mail on Sunday Novel Competition. Isabel Ashdown's second novel 'Hurry Up and Wait' was released in June 2011.

Official website: www.isabelashdown.com

You can follow Isabel Ashdown on Twitter @IsabelAshdown

I've loved reading Isabel's books and you can find my reviews of both of them on Bookersatz. Her review of 'Crow Lake' by Mary Lawson is on Bookersatz now, so please pop over and have a look.

Leigh Russell's Creative Writing Course

2011-07-14T11:36:00.003+01:00

The phenomenally successful crime writer Leigh Russell has asked me to tell you about a creative writing course she is holding in October. Not only is it bound to be full of brilliant advice from a best-selling author but it is also being held in France! What more could you want?

You can find out more here.

I am still taking bookings for my short story writing workshop on 30 July (a few places left) and I'm also now taking bookings for 17 September if anyone is interested but can't make the July date.

If you haven't already seen it, don't miss my interview with the wonderful novelist Tana French below this post.

In other news, I sold two stories to Take A Break Fiction Feast yesterday and I'm about to start on a new article about short story writing for Writing Magazine. Do have a look around their fab website if you haven't already.

Hope you're all having busy and productive weeks.

An Interview With Tana French

2011-07-11T11:26:00.004+01:00

Tana French, author of the amazing 'Faithful Place' is my guest today.

Tell us about your most recent book ‘Faithful Place’.

Frank Mackey showed up in 'The Likeness' as Cassie’s old undercover boss, a detective who’ll cheerfully do anything – to himself or anyone else – to get his man. In 'Faithful Place', he’s the narrator. Twenty-two years ago, he and his first love, Rosie Daly, were teenagers in Dublin’s inner city, making plans to run off to London and get good jobs, get married, escape from all the poverty and problems of their tight-knit community. On the night when they were meant to leave, though, Rosie never showed. Frank assumed she’d dumped him, probably because of his deeply dysfunctional family. He never went home again. But then Rosie’s suitcase is found in an abandoned house on Faithful Place, and Frank is going home whether he wants to or not…

I loved ‘Faithful Place’ and in particular found its setting in Dublin very vivid. Is this a geographical area that means a lot to you?

I’m very glad you liked it! I was an international brat, grew up in three continents, so there’s nowhere I can really call ‘home’; but Dublin’s the nearest I’ve got. I’ve lived here since 1990; it’s the only city where I know all the details and quirks – the connotations of every accent and area, the slang and the sense of humour, where to go for a good pint and where not to go after dark. And I can list all the ways in which it’s crap, while being ready to leap to its defence if anyone from anywhere else suggests it might not be perfect. In a lot of ways, 'Faithful Place' is a love song to Dublin – its bad sides as well as its good ones.

What first attracted you to the idea of writing crime/mystery?

I love mysteries – real ones, fictional ones, historical ones, mythical ones, you name it. I always have, ever since I was a kid. It’s not just the process of watching them get solved that I love – although that’s hugely satisfying – it’s the mysteries themselves, for their own sake. I think it was inevitable that, when I started writing, it was going to be mystery.

When you sit down to write a new book, do you find inspiration in particular ways or from particular sources?

I’m always looking for the potential mystery in things. 'In the Woods' came out of a wood near an archaeological dig where I was working – one day I was looking at it and thinking it would be a great place for kids to play, and then I thought, What if three kids ran in there one day, and only one came back – and he had no memory of what had happened to the other two? And what if he grew up to be a detective, and a murder case drew him back to that wood? My second book, 'The Likeness', came out of a pub conversation about what it would be like to meet your double; I started wondering what it would be like to meet her when it was too late, when she was dead, and the only way you could get to know her was to go into her life – to become her, in a way. And 'Faithful Place' came out of a blue suitcase in a skip, outside an old house that was being gutted; I started wondering what was in it, who had left it in that house and when, whether they had meant to come back for it…

What are you working on now and what do you see yourself writing in the future?

I’ve just handed in my fourth book, 'Broken Harbour', in which Scorcher Kennedy (Frank’s old friend/rival from 'Faithful Place') deals with the murders of a young family on one of the ghost estates that have been festering all over Ireland since the Celtic Tiger. I’m hoping to stick with the same general group of characters – the Dublin Murder Squad, give or take – for a while. I hop from narrator to narrator, with a supporting character from one book becoming the narrator of the next, and I’d like to keep doing that, more or less: it means each book helps to springboard me onto the next one, and it means I get to explore the ways in which the previous narrator’s viewpoint may not have been the whole objective truth.

What’s the best advice you could give to someone who is writing a novel and hoping to get it published?

Don’t get discouraged if you’re hammering away at a sentence or a paragraph or a chapter, and it keeps coming out wrong. You’re allowed to get it wrong, as many times as you need to; you only need to get it right once.
That was a big revelation for me when I was writing 'In the Woods'. I was used to acting in theatre, where you need to get it right every time, because you’re playing to a different audience every night, and tonight’s lot don’t care if you were amazing yesterday. It took me a while to realise that, with writing, it all counts as rehearsal until you actually hand the manuscript over to someone else. There’s nothing wrong with making a mess on your way to getting it right.

Thanks to Tana for those great answers. I particularly like the idea of 'Faithful Place' being 'a love song to Dublin'.

You can read my review of 'Faithful Place' here. You can find out more about Tana here, and buy 'Faithful Place' here.

Sue Guiney - My Guest on Bookersatz

2011-07-09T08:48:00.003+01:00

Just a quick post to let you know that I have another very special weekend guest on Bookersatz today.

Sue Guiney has reviewed 'Private Life' by Jane Smiley, so please pop over and have a look at what she has to say.

Sue's own book 'A Clash Of Innocents' is absolutely fantastic, so if you haven't read it yet, I highly recommend it.

Writing Magazine

2011-07-06T14:18:00.003+01:00

My article on 'writing short stories that stand out' is in this month's Writing Magazine. If you haven't already, you can find the magazine's very useful website here.

There are also articles from Simon Whaley, Adrian Magson and many more.

For those interested in writing for the women's magazine market, my first workshop is due to take place on 30 July, and full details can be found here. If you'd like to come along, please do get in touch.

I've posted a new review on Bookersatz today. LadyTechie has reviewed 'Grave Dance' by Kalayna Price.

I've been really pleased so far with the interest in my weekend guests on Bookersatz and I can tell you that in coming weeks we have Sue Guiney, Rosy Thornton, Tamsyn Murray, Isabel Ashdown, Kate Lord Brown and Leigh Russell contributing reviews.

As many of my blog readers will know, I've been a fan of Leigh Russell's work for a long time now. Her latest novel is called 'Dead End' and it has reached number 21 on the Amazon Kindle bestseller list. It's downloadable for 99p over the summer, so let's see if we can get it up into the top 20!

You can download 'Dead End' for Kindle here.

Sheep, Stories and So On ...

2011-07-02T10:57:00.002+01:00

My short story 'The Lost Sheep' is in this month's Take A Break Fiction Feast. This story was inspired by a random comment made by a friend on Twitter, which just goes to show that story ideas really can come from anywhere!

I have another guest on Bookersatz today. The very lovely DJ Kirkby has reviewed 'The Black House' by Peter May. You can also find links to a couple of fab Youtube videos over there.

Finally, thanks to all who've expressed an interest in my short story writing workshop so far (details below). Although I'm trying to keep numbers reasonably low as I think workshops work better that way, there are still some places left. So, if you're interested please contact me via the email address in my profile for more details.

My Short Story Workshops

2011-06-25T10:30:00.002+01:00

I am pleased to say that I have set a date for my first short story writing workshop. The workshop will look at writing for the increasingly tough and sadly shrinking women's magazine market. So if you've been writing for a while and want to find out more about this market, this workshop could be for you.

The workshop will take place on Saturday July 30 from 10.30am to 4pm. The venue is in Northamptonshire (full details, maps etc available on booking)and is in easy reach of public transport.

The cost will be £30 and this includes lunch/refreshments and the critique of one story (to be emailed to me prior to the course).

If you're interested in receiving full details and a booking form, please email me via my profile. If you can't manage this date but would be interested in future workshops, please also let me know.

In other news ...

The wonderful Kate Long is my guest on Bookersatz today.

Kate is the bestselling author of 'The Bad Mother's Handbook', 'Swallowing Grandma', 'Queen Mum', 'The Daughter Game' and 'Mothers And Daughters'. Her new novel 'All About My Mothers' is due to be released by Simon and Schuster in Spring 2012. You can find out more about Kate on her website and you can read my interview with Kate about her writing in this month's Writers' Forum magazine.

A Little Update

2011-06-22T14:59:00.002+01:00

My interview with the very lovely and immensely talented Kate Long is in this month's issue of Writers' Forum magazine. I'm also in Woman's Weekly (the issue with Tom Jones on the cover) with my story 'The Problem Page'.

Kate is also going to be my special guest on Bookersatz this weekend and will be sharing her thoughts on Jane Eyre with us. Please pop back for that on Saturday, but in the meantime my review of 'Hurry Up And Wait' by Isabel Ashdown is on Bookersatz now.

Story Sales and Special Guests

2011-06-18T10:06:00.002+01:00

This week has been quite an exciting one for writing news. Yesterday I sold another story to Take A Break Fiction Feast, and then I found out that my story 'The Problem Page' is in next week's Woman's Weekly. (The one with Tom Jones on the cover!)

I'm also thrilled to be contributing a feature on writing short stories to Writing Magazine and I hope to be able to announce details of my first writing workshop early next week.

And finally, I have my first special weekend guest on Bookersatz this morning. Sherlockian expert and writer Alistair Duncan has reviewed The Sign Of Four. I remember reading this books years and years ago, so it's fascinating to read Alistair's views on it.

My Weekend Guests

2011-06-15T15:08:00.002+01:00

As I mentioned in my last post, I'm going to have some very special guest posts coming up on Bookersatz in the next few weeks. I've invited some of my favourite writers to contribute a review of one of the books they love.

First up this weekend will be Sherlockian expert and writer Alistair Duncan. He will be talking about 'The Sign Of Four' by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, so please look out for that on Saturday.

Other confirmed guests are novelists Kate Long, Sue Guiney, DJ Kirkby, Leigh Russell, Isabel Ashdown and Kate Lord Brown.

General Bookersatz posts from me and other contributors will continue mid-week. This week's review is of 'The Ghost Of Lily Painter' by Caitlin Davies and is up now.

Thanks to people who have contacted me to say they are interested in my short story workshop. I will be setting a date soon and will post full details then. If you want to be added to the 'interested' list, please email me via my profile.

Bookersatz

2011-06-08T10:48:00.002+01:00

I've just posted a new review on Bookersatz. LadyTechie has reviewed 'Phoenix Rising' by Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris.

I'm also very pleased to announce that over the next few weeks I'm going to be featuring guest reviews on Bookersatz from some of my favourite writers. Some of them will be talking about old favourites and others about recent books that have caught their eye!

I'll be posting more details about the guest posts coming up on this blog as I get them - so watch this space!

Hope you're all having great weeks so far.

The Beauty Chorus Blog Tour

2011-05-31T08:55:00.003+01:00

I’m delighted to welcome Kate Lord Brown to my blog today as part of her tour for ‘The Beauty Chorus’.

‘The Beauty Chorus’ tells the story of three young women who sign up for the ATA during the Second World War. Regular readers of my blog will know that this is a historical period which I’m really interested in, so I wondered what had drawn Kate to this particular story.

Kate said:

'I think this particular story chose me - it wasn't so much the period as the idea that these young girls did this incredibly dangerous, brave work and no one knew about them. It's an era I know pretty well historically, because I specialised in Modern Art for my undergraduate degree, and I wrote my thesis on photography and fasion of the 30s and 40s. So in terms of popular culture - music, film, art, it's a historical period I feel comfortable with and love.

I like writing about relatively recent history because of the resources you have at your fingertips - the amazing sound archives and interviews of the Imperial War Museum, for example. One of the more poignant things about writing about WW2 is that each year there are less people who experienced it first hand - it was an amazing privilege to talk to veterans who had flown with the Air Transport Auxiliary, and their off-hand comments often told me more than whole piles of history books could.

I'm fascinated by the way ordinary men and women stepped up to the mark and showed extraordinary bravery and selflessness in the face of danger. Subsequent generations haven't had to confront global war - and I hope we never will again. But I think there are important lessons to learn from the past, and that's why I enjoy writing about this era - it's within living memory, but it is unimaginably far away in terms of experience. I love that contrast, and the chance to put yourself in other people's shoes and ask yourself 'what if'? What if you were a twenty year old girl with a private pilot's licence? Would you have the guts to 'do your bit', and fly unarmed across a war-torn country day after day when each one could have been your last? I think all stories start that way - just ask yourself 'what if'.'

Thanks very much to Kate for this fascinating insight to 'The Beauty Chorus'. You can find out more about Kate on her blog, and you can read my review of 'The Beauty Chorus' on Bookersatz now.

Out Now!

2011-05-26T10:18:00.003+01:00

Just a very quick post to let you know that I have two stories out this week. One is in Woman's Weekly (the issue with Barbara Windsor on the front!) and the other is in The People's Friend (issue dated 28 May). It's my first story in PF and I love the way they've illustrated and presented it.

There's also a new review on Bookersatz. It's of 'The Lovers Of Pound Hill' by Mavis Cheek which I really enjoyed.

The News Headlines

2011-05-22T15:22:00.002+01:00

… and a random cat picture

It’s all still really busy around here, so here’s just a quick news update for you.

On 31 May I will be taking part in Kate Lord Brown’s blog tour for her novel 'The Beauty Chorus', which I will also be reviewing for Bookersatz. You can see Kate’s blog and find out more here.

There’s a very interesting interview on Karen Clarke’s blog at the moment. It’s a guest post from author Alison Pick, whose novel 'Far To Go' looks fascinating.

As I mentioned in the guest post I did at The Literary Project, I am planning to run some workshops on writing short stories for women’s magazines later this year. As writing short stories as a whole is way too big a topic for one workshop, I’ll be focussing on writing for this specific market and aiming the workshops at people who have already been writing short stories for a while and either haven’t plucked up the courage to start submitting yet or have been submitting for a while and are keen to increase their chances of acceptance. The workshops will probably be in the Midlands/Central England depending on interest so if you would like to receive further information when it’s available, feel free to email me via the email address in my profile.

I have a story in the issue of Woman’s Weekly dated 31 May - the one with Barbara Windsor on the front. This is one of my favourite stories so it’s good to see it published. Also, another of my author interviews – with the very talented Kate Long – will be appearing in next month’s Writers’ Forum.

Finally, there’s a new review up on Bookersatz at the moment. It’s of 'Bite Club' by Rachel Caine. As always, new reviews of books you’ve enjoyed are very welcome so please get in touch if you’d like to contribute.

I hope everyone else is having a busy and productive time. Can you believe we’re heading for the halfway point of the year already?

The Literary Project

2011-05-06T10:10:00.002+01:00

I'm a guest over at The Literary Project today. I'm talking about the women's magazine short story market, so if you're interested please pop over.

I've also posted a very interesting review on Bookersatz recently. It's the Urban Fantasy 'Tangled Threads' by Jennifer Estep and the review comes from Lady Techie.

There are some great books coming up for review on Bookersatz in the next few weeks as well. I have 'Dead End' by Leigh Russell, 'The Lovers of Pound Hill' by Mavis Cheek and 'The Ghost Of Lily Painter' by Caitlin Davies - so keep an eye open for those as well.

As ever, I'm always on the lookout for guest reviews on Bookersatz, so if you're interested please get in touch.

Crime Spree!

2011-04-22T15:14:00.002+01:00

Well, in my recent reading anyway ...

I've just reviewed 'Wink Murder' by Ali Knight on Bookersatz. This is a great murder mystery with several elements that lift it out of the ordinary.

I also want to tell you about Leigh Russell's latest book, 'Dead End'. It's fabulous and I was up reading it late last night because I just had to finish it. That will be the next review up on Bookersatz.

You can read my reviews of Leigh's previous books 'Road Closed' and 'Cut Short' on Bookersatz.

Meanwhile 'Road Closed' is part of an amazon Kindle Easter promotion!

It can be downloaded for just £1.20 until 2nd May by following the link here.

Happy Easter and a lovely long weekend to all.

Woman's Weekly

2011-04-06T20:18:00.003+01:00

I've got a story in this week's Woman's Weekly! Very excited.

Also there's a new review on Bookersatz tonight, of Marrying Out Of Money by Nicky Schmidt. It's a great and very entertaining read.

A Flying Visit

2011-03-31T20:39:00.002+01:00

Sorry I haven't been around much. I have a temporary job contract at the moment and juggling that with writing isn't leaving much time for anything else.

My most recent good news is that I sold a story to The People's Friend - my first to them. I've also sold one to Woman's Weekly today and have another rewrite under consideration with them as well.

There's a new review on Bookersatz today. The lovely Debs has reviewed 'Cuckoo' by Julia Crouch.

I only have a couple more weeks of work to go, then I promise to catch up on everyone's blogs.

My Weekly

2011-03-08T21:23:00.002Z

I have a story in this week's My Weekly which was inspired by a visit to the wonderful Bletchley Park. If you've never been, I really recommend it. You can find out more here.

And there's a new review on Bookersatz tonight. The review is by Debs and is of The Blasphemer by Nigel Farndale.

Quick Update

2011-02-22T10:06:00.002Z

Things are still frantically busy here ... so just a quick update.

I had another story accepted by Woman's Weekly last week, which was very encouraging.

I also had a lovely few days staying with the wonderful Leigh and her family. It was an inspiring time taking about writing and working on something very exciting that I will be able to reveal to blog readers some time soon.

There is a new review up on Bookersatz today, so please pop over and have a look at that.

A Clash Of Innocents

2011-02-08T18:37:00.003Z

There's a new review up on Bookersatz at the moment. It's of 'A Clash Of Innocents' by Sue Guiney. This book is fabulous. I can't recommend it highly enough. It's an absolute 'must read'.

I had quite a good writing week last week, one fiction sale to Take A Break and two to Woman's Weekly. Also, my short story 'Trial By Fire And Water' is in this week's issue of The Weekly News.

I'm still horrendously busy, but that's good right?

My Australian Adventure!

2011-02-02T08:28:00.002Z

Today I am guest posting over at L'Aussies blog. My post is an attempt to share some of my experiences of writing short stories and (hopefully)getting them published. Please do feel free to pop over and leave a comment or ask a question.

Please also spare a thought for the people of Queensland who after recent catastrophic flooding are now bracing themselves for Cyclone Yasi. As well as Denise, I also have family over there, so I'm hoping they all stay safe.

In other news I sold a story to Take A Break yesterday which was very exciting. I also have a rewrite of a story under consideration at another magazine so my fingers are firmly crossed for that one as well!

Hope you're all having good weeks so far.

Guest Blog Post

2011-01-30T09:52:00.002Z

Just wanted to quickly let you know that on Wednesday (2 February) I will be doing a guest blog post over at L'Aussie Writing Blog.

This is part of a 'publication party' that Denise is holding over there. You can read posts here (Alex J Cavanaugh), here (Clarissa Draper), and here (Christine Bell) in which novelists talk about their road to publication. There's some really interesting and inspirational information there. I'll be talking about getting short stories published in magazines in my post.

I'm also still looking for posts for Bookersatz, so if anyone wants to contribute a book review please let me know.

What exciting things have you all got planned for next week? I'll mostly be writing!

The Weekly News

2011-01-22T11:54:00.002Z

Just a quick post to let you know that I've got a story in this week's issue of The Weekly News. I'm sharing the pages with fellow blogger Julie which is even better!

Bookersatz

2011-01-19T12:38:00.003Z

There's a review of a great book on Bookersatz at the moment. I very much enjoyed 'The Birth Machine' by Elizabeth Baines. It is intelligent, absorbing and beautifully written.

You can also find my review of 'Love In The Time Of Dragons' by Katie MacAlister here.

Coming up in the next couple of weeks will be a review of 'A Clash Of Innocents' by the lovely Sue Guiney, so please look out for that as well.

As always, I'm looking for other people to contribute to Bookersatz in order to get views of a wide range of books. The point of the site is to tell other people about books you loved. So if you've read something lately that you thought was great, please consider reviewing it for the site. You can get in contact with me either via Bookersatz or via this blog.

Blog Interview - Gary Murning

2011-01-06T16:28:00.005Z

Gary Murning, author of 'If I Never' and 'Children Of The Resolution' is my guest today, sharing some of his thoughts about writing.

What first inspired you to write?

Very early on, when I was still in primary school, I discovered the joy of exploring made up worlds. I'd always had a pretty vivid imagination, and once I learned the rudiments of writing, a little of my childhood play became connected to the act of putting words on paper. I started a few short stories – about headless horsemen, that kind of thing – but never really finished anything until, in my late teens, I decided to have a go at writing my first novel. I had quite a good deal of free time on my hands, having finished college due to illness, and I'd been reading a lot of really bad fiction in amongst the good. Can we say "radioactive killer crabs"? I think it was around that time that I uttered the immortal words, with which, I'm sure, many of us are familiar, "I can do better than this".

The jury is still out!

What would you say the main themes of your writing are?

I like characters who don't "fit" in the normal sense. I like to take someone who many of us might consider to be on the fringes in some way and turn it around so that they become the "normal" ones. I also like the play of power within relationships. The way it shifts and the way external influences impact on it. Also, secrets tend to feature quite heavily. The unknown and our constant need to push and push until we do know.

Tell us about your latest book ‘Children of the Resolution’.

Children of the Resolution is a very personal novel. It's by far my most autobiographical piece (I'm not, generally, an autobiographical novelist) and explores in fictional form my experiences of the integration of disabled children into mainstream education in the 1970s and 1980s. It was a pretty revolutionary period, and I was among the first to be on the receiving end of this new approach. A coming-of-age story, it explores childhood friendships under, I think, fairly unique circumstances.

Your previous novel ‘If I Never’ has been well received. What’s that about?

That's a tougher question to answer than the previous one! If I Never is a really difficult novel to pin down, even for me! As the reviews on Amazon.co.uk tend to support (flatteringly, thankfully!)

It has many elements to it, but at heart it's a love story about two characters who – in a very unique way – are meant for each other. It looks at how those around them (a very diverse, gritty and demanding a lot) threaten that. I tried to weave in certain genre elements – incorporating thriller motifs and Gothic influences – and… well, pretty much had a really good time with it. It has got serious themes, but I kept them just beneath the surface.

How long did it take you to research and write each book?

These days I tend to spend somewhere in the region of three months planning and researching – most of that taken up with outlining (I research as I outline, discovering what I need and then going off in search of it). Some books, If I Never, for example, I just write. I plunge in without much of an outline and see where I end up. Haven't done one like that for a while, though. Find it pretty scary.

The writing process is, for me, usually the easiest part. If I'm well-prepared, it feels pretty natural. Almost an organic process. I don't push myself too hard but like to get a minimum of 20,000 words down a month.

What response do you want the novel to invoke in your readers?

That's a really good question. I've encountered a few people (not very many, but some) who read If I Never and found certain sections somewhat uncomfortable to read – and when they tell me about this it's almost as if they think it's a bad thing. And, of course, depending on which particular section they're talking about, it can be! But it's always the sections that are intended to be uncomfortable to read. Still, most of them look a little surprised when I say "good".

The kind of novel I write is very much about creating (without seeming to) solid emotional and intellectual responses. I want people to laugh, cry, cringe, fall in love with one character, hate another – hell, maybe even get a little turned on, on occasion. As long as these responses occur at the right points in the novel, I'm happy.

What advice would you give to someone who is thinking of writing a novel but isn’t sure they have the necessary staying power?

Break it up. Don't think of it as writing a novel, think of it as writing small projects (chapters – but we won't call them that, right?) that may somewhere down the road come together as a big project (the finished novel). Set yourself reasonable targets and stick to them. Don't wait for inspiration to strike, just do it – even if it means writing nonsense (sometimes you have to write a couple of hundred bad/mediocre words just to get ten good ones!) The real biggie, for me, though, is try to enjoy it. Have fun with it and, you know, try not to let it become a chore. Oh, and accept that your first novel may not be all that good – whilst understanding that the process of writing that first one will allow you to make a much better attempt at the next one.

What’s the best advice you could give to someone who is writing a novel and hoping to get it published?

Don't write to be published. There's always this huge temptation to try to second-guess the market and it's just impossible. If you really want to write a novel that is publishable, forget about the publication aspect of it until you've written a novel you really want to write.

You are good at promoting your work online, how well is that paying off?

Bottom line? I think it's fairly safe to say it doesn't compare to a huge marketing budget – but given that the vast majority of us are probably never going to have a huge marketing budget (or any at all, for that matter!), it works much, much better than simply sitting around waiting for the books to sell themselves. My experience of it so far is that it tends to start off quite slowly. In the early days, you really are looking at pulling readers in one at a time. But as it gathers momentum and people start talking about what you're doing, you really do start to see the benefits. It does have to be an ongoing process, though. And, I expect, will have to be for a few years to come, yet.

What gives you most pleasure out of all the things you’ve achieved so far in your writing career?

Surprisingly – even with all the fantastic feedback I've had, all the enthusiasm and interest – the things that still gives me most pleasure is getting stuck into a new project. I just love writing novels. And I think it shows – by that I mean I actually think I'm a better person to be around when I have a project on the go.

What are you working on now?

I've just started writing a new novel (just over 3000 words in) called 'The Legacy of Lorna Lovelost'. It's a tragicomic piece about… well, let's just say sacrifices and the coming to an end of cycles and leave it at that, for now, shall we?

What are your writing plans for the future?

I haven't really looked much beyond Legacy, yet, but I have a few completed projects that I want to get out there – a couple that build on the tones and themes I played with in 'If I Never'. I think it's really important to, from a professional point of view, have a few decent pieces of work out there feeding off each other. So that's what I'd really like to achieve over the next year or two. Beyond that, just to keep writing, really. And to keep enjoying it.

You can buy 'Children Of The Resolution' here (UK) or here (US).

You can find out more about Gary here, or follow him on Twitter @garymurning

Thanks very much to Gary for his time.

A Little Flurry Of Hits ...

2011-01-04T18:20:00.002Z

... to greet the new year.

I heard this morning that my article on writers using technology - which many of my lovely blog readers helped out with - has been accepted by Writers' Forum.

Then this afternoon when I was in the newsagent, I picked up the latest issue of The Weekly News to see that my story 'A Second Christmas' has been published. I wasn't aware it had been accepted, so that was a lovely surprise.

I hope all my blog readers are having a good year so far.

New Year - New Writing Room

2011-01-01T19:11:00.004Z

As many of you know, for the last two years I've been running a volunteering project for a charity - using my front room as an office. As that work has now come to an end, I have decided to turn that room into a writing room.

For the last few years my writing room has technically been the conservatory. But, as I discovered, that can often be too cold in winter and too hot in summer, so it wasn't ideal. In reality this has meant I've written where ever I could find a comfortable spot with the laptop. This has not helped my organisational skills and my writing stuff (paperwork, books, etc) have ended up scattered around the house.

The plan is now to bring everything writing related together in one room. Before anyone asks, these are the BEFORE photos. I'll post some 'after' photos when I've finished. The star of the show is, of course, Jasper.

News And Stuff ...

2010-12-21T13:10:00.002Z

Gosh - it's been a while hasn't it? *blows dust off blog*

I've been running around for the last few weeks shutting down the project I've been running for a charity for the last two years and doing lots of writing and other writing-related things, so something had to give. Sadly, both this blog and Bookersatz have suffered because I just haven't had the time. However, I am finally ready to get back in the swing.

Firstly, some short story news. My Christmas story 'Two Fuzzy Felt Donkeys And A Plastic Sheep' is due to appear in The Weekly News. I think that will be out in the next couple of days. I also have a story in the January 1 issue of My Weekly, which I assume will be out towards the end of December.

I will be updating Bookersatz as soon as I can. As always, I'm happy to receive reviews from other people. If you've read a book recently that you loved and would like to share with others, please get in touch. I also have a pile of very interesting books that I'm due to review myself, so those reviews will be appearing over the next few weeks. Thanks for bearing with me.

I'd also like to pass on some news from great crime writer, Leigh Russell.

Leigh says: 'I'm running a writers workshop at Get Writing in February 2011. The workshop is called 'In for the Thrill' and I'll be discussing techniques to maintain suspense in writing. I'll focus specifically in crime fiction but the techniques are applicable to all fiction writing. I'll also be sharing a few tips on how I write my bestsellers! Here's the link for the conference:
http://www.verulamwriterscircle.org.uk/getwriting2011programme.php '

Leigh is a very successful writer of crime novels, and if you don't already follow her blog, you can find it here.

The Hating Game

2010-11-30T21:45:00.003Z

Take on Amazon Web Splash - Wednesday, December 1

Help Talli Roland's debut novel THE HATING GAME hit the Kindle bestseller list at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk by spreading the word today. Even a few sales in a short period of time on Amazon helps push the book up the rankings, making it more visible to other readers.

You can buy it here.

No Kindle? Download a free app at Amazon for Mac, iPhone, PC, Android and more.

Coming soon in paperback. Keep up with the latest at www.talliroland.com.

About THE HATING GAME:

When man-eater Mattie Johns agrees to star on a dating game show to save her ailing recruitment business, she's confident she'll sail through to the end without letting down the perma-guard she's perfected from years of her love 'em and leave 'em dating strategy. After all, what can go wrong with dating a few losers and hanging out long enough to pick up a juicy £2000,000 prize? Plenty, Mattie discovers, when it's revealed that the contestants are four of her very unhappy exes. Can Mattie confront her past to get the prize money she so desperately needs, or will her exes finally wreak their long-awaited revenge? And what about the ambitious TV producer whose career depends on stopping her from making it to the end?

Doesn't that sound fantastic? And Talli is lovely too, so I'm very pleased to be part of her Web Splash!

National Short Story Week

2010-11-25T20:11:00.002Z

It's National Short Story Week this week, and a chance for us all to celebrate the short story form. You can find out more about the week here.

I've had a whirlwind of a week. Up to London on Tuesday evening with the lovely Cally Taylor for the Momaya Press awards where we both said a few words.

Then on Wednesday morning I was interviewed about National Short Story Week on my local radio station. You can listen again for the next few days here.

It's been great, and I'm already looking forward to next year's National Short Story Week.

Bookersatz

2010-11-13T13:54:00.002Z

There is a new review on Bookersatz today, of The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton. The review is by L'Aussie who blogs here.

Futher reviews for Bookersatz are always welcome. Just let me know, and I'll send out guidelines.

Meanwhile, those pesky felines are still cluttering up the in-trays, so I'd better get on!

As you can see ...

2010-11-04T22:22:00.002Z

... I have rather a heavy workload at the moment. I'll try to catch up on all your blogs when I've cleared the in tray.

The Silver Locket

2010-11-02T09:03:00.003Z

Yesterday was publication day for 'The Silver Locket' by Margaret James. To find out more about the book, you can read a review on Bookersatz by Debs.

To be in with a chance of winning a signed copy, please leave a comment either on the Bookersatz post, or on Debs' blog. If you want to increase your chances of winning, why not leave a 'pick me' comment in both places. You have until Friday, 5th

A Good Week For Writing ...

2010-10-27T17:30:00.003+01:00

My article 'Postcards From A War Zone' appears in the latest issue of Picture Postcard Monthly. It's all about the postcards that my grandfather sent home from the Second World War.

In other news, I've sold four short stories this week! Three to My Weekly and one to The Weekly News.

Finally, you can read my review of 'War On The Margins' by Libby Cone on Bookersatz now.

A Bit Of A Theme ...

2010-10-18T14:15:00.002+01:00

There's a bit of a theme to the posts over on Bookersatz at the moment.

Today, I've posted a review of 'The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society' by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. For anyone who doesn't know, this book is about the German occupation of Guernsey during World War Two. The review is by Debs, and she's certainly made me want to read this story.

Next week, I will be reviewing 'War On The Margins' by Libby Cone, which is about the German occupation of Jersey.

So if this is a period you're interested in, hopefully these two books will give you a good insight into the particular situation of the Channel Islands during this awful time.

Out of interest, does anyone know of any other books which look at the Channel Islands in wartime?

Finally, it's not too late to leave a comment on the post below and email me to receive a free copy of Rosy Thornton's lovely recipe booklet.

The Tapestry Of Love - Recipes

2010-10-13T21:21:00.005+01:00

Some of you will remember that I reviewed 'The Tapestry of Love' by Rosy Thornton on Bookersatz back in August. You can read my review here.

The paperback is out today, and Rosy has had a brilliant idea to celebrate the release.

The cuisine of the Cévennes plays a large part in the atmosphere of ‘The Tapestry Of Love', so she’s produced an electronic recipe leaflet containing some of the dishes which the characters cook and eat in the novel.

To give you an idea of what the leaflet contains here is one of my favourite recipes; and favourite moments from the book.

Pain Grillé aux Cèpes (Mushrooms on Toast)
Serves 2

Patrick prepares this for Catherine the first time she crosses the valley to his house for dinner. It is a version of mushrooms on toast – though, as Catherine notes, the English phrase scarcely does justice to the dish.

The key thing is to use good bread, and good olive oil. Patrick will have used the pain de campagne from Monsieur Folcher’s boulangerie in St Julien, made with rough, undyed white flour. Ciabatta may be the closest equivalent available in an English supermarket – or you might try a coarse white soda bread from a good baker.

4-6 chunky slices of good bread
8 oz of fresh cèpe (porcini) mushrooms
a good, fat clove of garlic
extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cut the bread into slices and lay on a baking tray. Turn the oven to 200°C, and place the baking tray in the oven immediately, as the oven heats. This will dry the bread out. Once the oven is almost to heat, remove the baking tray. Peel the clove of garlic and cut it in half. Rub the garlic all over the slices of bread, which should be dry and semi-toasted. Wash and dry the cèpes, then slice them and lay them on the slices of bread. Season with salt and pepper, drizzle liberally with olive oil, return to the hot oven and cook for ten minutes.

Best eaten with the fingers!

If you would like a copy of the booklet, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post and email me at bookersatz(at)live.co.uk

I’ll then email your electronic recipe leaflet back to you. (I’ll try to respond to people as quickly as possible but will probably do it in batches, so please bear with me!)

If you’ve already read the novel then you’ll love the recipes, and if you haven’t read the novel I’m sure that the recipes will make you want to.

You can buy the paperback of The Tapestry Of Love here.

The X Factor

2010-10-04T20:28:00.002+01:00

Have you all been watching The X Factor so far?

As usual the auditions and boot camp have been a bit of a mixed bag of talent and delusion.

Going through to the live finals we have two bands manufactured by Simon, someone whose nephew is managed by Louis and two girls who totally mucked up their judge's houses audition.

But we also have:

Matt - whose voice makes me want to cry, in a good way;
Aiden - who reminds me a bit of last year's Joe;
and John - who might be a surprise hit.

So I'll be looking forward to the live shows with all the other #cowellgroupies. Will you?

Exciting Post on Bookersatz

2010-10-02T11:48:00.004+01:00

Bookersatz is pleased to be holding a competition to win a copy of 'Trade Winds' by Christina Courtenay. All you have to do is pop over to Bookersatz, read the brilliant review by Debs and then leave a 'pick me' comment over there. You have until Wednesday 6 October at 6pm when a name will be picked from a hat.

I had a wonderful day yesterday with some writing friends, talking about writing, the universe and everything. Have you all had good (writing) weeks?

Article In Writers' Forum

2010-09-23T18:30:00.003+01:00

I have an article in the November issue of Writers' Forum magazine. It's all about using literary and editorial consultancies to improve your writing so if that's something you've ever thought of doing, hopefully this will be helpful. It was a lot of fun to write and I had an enormous amount of help from the two featured agencies, BubbleCow and Pen2Publication.

There's a new review on Bookersatz tonight. The lovely Queenie has reviewed 'The Boy With The Topknot' by Sathnam Sanghera.

And finally, the lovely people at Transworld sent me a copy of 'Started Early, Took My Dog' by Kate Atkinson, thus allowing me to wallow in my Jackson Brodie obsession. Review to follow when I've got a grip on myself ...

That's Life! Fast Fiction

2010-09-14T09:46:00.002+01:00

Yesterday I got my contributor's copy of this magazine through the post. It's my first Australian sale so I was very excited about it. I'm also pleased to be sharing the pages with my lovely friend Karen Clarke. They've illustrated the story beautifully, so that makes it even more satisfying. I hope to sell more to that market in future.

Still on the Australian theme, does anyone remember the song 'Live It Up' by Australian band Mental As Anything? They played it on the radio this morning and it made me smile.

In other news, I'm off on a mini writing retreat later this week, so I hope to get loads of writing done and generally catch up with myself.

There's a new review on Bookersatz today of Faithful Place by Tana French, which I loved.

Too Many Magpies

2010-09-08T20:15:00.006+01:00

I've just reviewed this super book over on Bookersatz. 'Too Many Magpies' is available from Salt Publishing.

Anyone else read anything they've really enjoyed recently?

The Bone Mill by Nicholas Corder

2010-08-30T13:06:00.003+01:00

I've put a new review on Bookersatz today. It is of 'The Bone Mill' by Nicholas Corder, a book which I absolutely loved.

For those who don't know, Nick is also a great writing tutor and has written a number of non-fiction books. He also teaches the ukelele - don't ask! You can find out more about him on his website.

I am still looking for new reviewers for Bookersatz, so if you've read a book you loved recently and you want to tell the world about it, please get in touch.

The Tapestry Of Love

2010-08-23T22:02:00.003+01:00

There is a new review on Bookersatz. It is of 'The Tapestry Of Love' by Rosy Thornton. I loved this book!

Jasper And Minty

2010-08-20T17:51:00.002+01:00

I'm never sure if this is brotherly love, or some sort of hideous turf war? What do you think?

Don't forget to have a look at my interview, below, with the fabulous Adrian Magson if you haven't already.

Interview With Adrian Magson

2010-08-16T10:37:00.003+01:00

The prolific and very hard-working Adrian Magson has not one, but two, books coming out in the near future. So I'm really pleased he's found time to pop over to my blog for a chat about his writing. I asked him about his latest release.

Tell us about your new book ‘Red Station’.

‘Red Station’ is a contemporary spy thriller, and the first in a series featuring MI5 officer Harry Tate. It’s based on the ‘what if?’ principle. In this case, what if an MI5 officer (Tate) is caught up in a drugs intercept which goes badly wrong, resulting in the deaths of two civilians? Sent to a remote Intelligence outstation overseas to avoid close press scrutiny, especially in the wake of the Jean Charles de Menezes shooting in Stockwell, he discovers that not only is he right in the path of the Russian army, who are about to cross the border (with S. Ossetia) in support of a satellite state, but that he has been sent to a punishment posting for washed-out spooks, and set up for assassination by a government hit squad. Essentially, it’s about a man who, as a former soldier and a loyal government servant, decides that obeying orders has its limits, and betrayal means he has to fight back to survive.

It’s obviously a busy time for you as you have another book coming out later in the year as well. What’s that one about?

A little different, this one. It’s called ‘Death on the Marais’ and is the first of a separate series set in France in the 1960s, and featuring Inspector Lucas Rocco of the French police. As part of a nationwide policing initiative to spread investigators more evenly around the country, Rocco is taken from his normal anti-gang duties in Paris, and sent to Picardie in the rural north. There he finds that not only is the supposedly serene countryside alive with danger (such as locals who hit old WW1 and WW2 ammunition with hammers to recycle the brass and lead), but that there are strong echoes of the war, the Resistance and SOE (Special Operations Executive), which people in positions of power do not want looked into, even when a young woman is found murdered in a military cemetery. It’s a man’s fight against official obstruction, corruption, murder… and suddenly finding himself out of his normal comfort zone where city rules don’t apply.

Prior to this you wrote a series of books featuring recurring characters Riley Gavin and Frank Palmer, have you retired those characters or will they be making a reappearance?

Let’s say they’re in storage at the moment. I had written five books in the series, and basically got to a point where I wanted to write something very different – a spy thriller. This turned out to be ‘Red Station’. Then, while working on its sequel (‘Tracers’ – out Feb 2011), I had this idea for a French-based cop series and wrote ‘Death on the Marais’. I was partly educated (some would say only ever partly) in France, so know the area and people, and it goes back to writing about what you know. Hopefully anyone who knew me there will have moved on and won’t suddenly see themselves in the book. They won’t, I promise!

What sort of characters do you like to create most – goodies or baddies?

Baddies are definitely more fun to write about. I believe actors say they’re much more fun to play for the same reasons – you can enjoy their extremes. As a writer, you also get to knock them off if they get too nasty. But you can’t have a book with too heavy a balance on the dark side, so you have to counter the bad with the good (or maybe, the not-quite-so-bad if your central character is an anti-hero). The thing about the goodies is that if you’re writing a series, you have to give them enough colour to make them interesting, rather than cardboard cut-out ‘white hats’. The baddies come and go (sometimes more than once, as will happen in the Harry Tate books), but the goodies remain central, and have to retain the readers’ sympathies and interest, and have light and shade of their own.

Somehow you also find time to write short stories and articles about writing, do you find it inspiring to have a range of different writing tasks on the go at all times?

Yes. I’ve always enjoyed writing different things of different lengths, purely because it’s a relief to change pace occasionally. I don’t mean that short fiction or features are easier; telling a short story in 2,500 words or so can be enough to make your teeth bleed, whereas having 90,000 words to develop characters and scenes is a luxury. But with a short piece you can see the end – it has a deadline. With a book, the end is out of sight. It’s a bit like the difference between a short stroll and thirty-mile hike.

Writing shorts is also a great proving ground for writers. It teaches you pace, characterisation, economy of words and, especially, writing for a market. In other words, discipline, which is all necessary for writing a novel.

What’s the best advice you could give to someone who is writing a novel and hoping to get it published?

Finish the novel first. Then find an agent. Most publishers like to go via agents, although there are a few out there who don’t. Why finish it first? Because in spite of the very rare occasions that you hear of someone getting a publishing deal from a scribbled sentence on the back of a fag packet, what would you do if you showed the first three (and maybe only) chapters to an agent, who said – “Great! Where’s the rest?” By the time you’d finished it, they might have moved on and lost interest (and believe me, there’s always another submission waiting). You’d be gutted. The other points are, have a good opening line (it might be the first and only line they read), and don’t waffle. Get to the point of the story. You want to draw them in, not put them off. And make sure your layout is as professional as you can make it. Presentation still counts.

Oh, and start writing the next one. The only things sitting on laurels should be insects.

What gives you most pleasure out of all the things you’ve achieved so far in your writing career?

Always having something new published. I wanted to write for publication, right from an early age, but it was never a once-only ambition. I can remember the sense of achievement when I had my first story published, and I get that same feeling every time. Writing is writing, and a lot of effort goes into it, as you know. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a book or a short piece, it’s still a buzz to achieve publication. Okay… maybe seeing my books on the shelves is a bit more special… !

What are your writing plans for the future?

I’ve finished the second Harry Tate thriller and am currently working on the second Lucas Rocco book, both due out next year. Then, if the readers and publishers want more, I’ll be working on numbers 3 of each. In between I’ll continue to write short stories and articles. After that – who knows? One thing’s for sure, I’ll be writing something.

Huge thanks to Adrian for joining us today and sharing some interesting thoughts on writing.

You can buy 'Red Station' here, and pre-order 'Death On The Marais' here.

Without Alice Blog Tour

2010-08-11T22:48:00.004+01:00

I am very happy to be part of the blog tour for D J Kirkby’s new novel, ‘Without Alice’. If you’ve never visited DJ’s blog Chez Aspie, can I recommend that you do?

You’ll find my review of ‘Without Alice’ over on Bookersatz.

Although this is DJ’s first novel, she has also had a memoir, ‘From Zaftig To Aspie’, published and you can read a review of that on Bookersatz as well.

Without Alice is available exclusively from the Punked Books website until the general release date of October 4th 2010

Without Alice has its own Facebook page

There are competition and event details at the top of DJ’s blog, just follow the links.

The next leg of the blog tour will be at Talli Roland’s wonderful blog
on Monday 16th August. So don’t miss that.

I am hugely thrilled for DJ on the publication of her novel and wish her all the best of success with it.

Dance Your Way To Psychic Sex

2010-08-05T09:23:00.002+01:00

Please pop over to Bookersatz for news of a very exciting new book. ‘Dance Your Way To Psychic Sex’ by Alice Turing is being published in a daring and innovative way. You can read more about it here.

I was lucky enough to get the chance to read an advance copy, and it’s a fabulous read.

Also, coming up on this blog, I’ll be taking part in the blog tour for D J Kirkby’s new book ‘Without Alice’. That’s coming up on 12 August.

And finally, I've got a very exciting author interview coming up on this blog later in the month, so please look out for that.

More Good News

2010-08-01T18:24:00.002+01:00

I was pleased to hear from Leigh Russell that her debut thriller, CUT SHORT, has been shortlisted for the Crime Writers' Association 2010 John Creasey New Blood Dagger Award.

You can read more about the awards here.

The photo above was taken at the announcement ceremony at Harrogate Festival, and shows Leigh with Ian Rankin and Mark Billingham. How exciting is that?

If you haven't already, please pop over to Bookersatz for a quick read of my review of 'Henry VIII: Wolfman' by AE Moorat. And keep your eyes open for some really exciting and different reviews coming up on Bookersatz in the next couple of weeks.

Finally, I apologise for my failure to get around to as many other people's blogs as I would like recently. Things have been - and are - frantic, but I hope to catch up soon.

Reviews and News

2010-07-25T17:54:00.002+01:00

Pop over to Bookersatz for a review of 'Henry VIII: Wolfman' by AE Moorat. Fascinating, but not for the fainthearted.

More good news this week. I heard on Friday that I've sold another story, this time to The Weekly News.

I hope everyone is having a lovely weekend.

The New Writer

2010-07-19T13:24:00.002+01:00

My article 'You Must Remember This', is in the latest issue of The New Writer. The article is about writing for the nostalgia market, which is a subject close to my heart as those who have been following this blog for a while will know.

In addition, there is a new review up on Bookersatz today. It is of 'Hurting Distance' by Sophie Hannah and is by Captain Black.

Anyone else got any exciting news this week?

My Weekly

2010-07-13T18:10:00.003+01:00

I have a story in the latest issue of My Weekly, out now. And Kylie's on the cover! I'm sharing the pages with lovely writing friends Sally Quilford and Della Galton which makes it even more special!

Meanwhile, there is a new review on Bookersatz. It's of 'Sex & Bowls & Rock & Roll' by Alex Marsh, and is by Queenie.

I've received some very special books through the post recently to review on Bookersatz, so why not sign up to follow us now, if you haven't already, so that you don't miss anything?

Well, Look At That ...

2010-07-02T21:49:00.002+01:00

It's Writers' Forum magazine, with my interview with Tamsyn Murray in it! She makes a gorgeous cover girl, I'm sure you'll agree.

It's been a busy but exciting couple of days. Last night I met up with Cathy, and we went to the launch of Leigh Russell's new book, Road Closed.

Then today I met up for coffee and a lovely long chat with Liz Fenwick before going on to the Wannabe a Writer meet up. Where, of course, there was lots more chat about writing, the universe and everything.

I also woke up this morning to the news that I have sold a story to an Australian magazine (That's Life Fast Fiction). It's my first sale to Australia, so I'm very pleased.

Finally, I've put a new review on Bookersatz this evening. It's of 'My Name Is Memory' by Ann Brashares, which I found refreshingly different.

Join The Hive

2010-06-27T21:47:00.003+01:00

If you haven't already checked out the hive - you can find out more about it here.

And if you haven't read 'Like Bees To Honey' yet, why not? Read it now!

My review is here.

Books You REALLY Must Read

2010-06-19T09:42:00.003+01:00

These two books are very different. But they are both among my favourites so far this year. If you haven't read them yet, then you really should.

You can read my review of 'Road Closed'by Leigh Russell on Bookersatz now.

You can read my earlier review of 'Like Bees To Honey'by Caroline Smailes here.

But I'd also like you to read this fantastic review of 'Like Bees To Honey' by the very perceptive DJ Kirkby. I love the way DJ has written the review and it will definitely make you want to read the book!

Road Closed

2010-06-14T13:26:00.008+01:00

Regular readers of this blog will know that I've been following Leigh Russell's career with interest for some time now. So I'm really pleased that she's back here to talk about her new book 'Road Closed'and answer some questions from me.

How have you balanced writing ‘Road Closed’, and your new novel ‘Dead End’, with all the promotional activity you’ve been doing for ‘Cut Short’?

I finished writing ROAD CLOSED last Autumn, since when I’ve been focusing on writing DEAD END. You’re right, I have been doing a lot of promotion for CUT SHORT, but it’s mainly on Saturdays in bookshops with only occasional evening talks during the week. In the school holidays I’m happy to do more. It is time consuming, but I enjoy every aspect of being a writer so it doesn’t feel like work. Writing is supposed to be a solitary occupation but that really hasn’t been my experience, I’ve met so many lovely people through my writing.

‘Cut Short’ has had a brilliant response. Did that put a lot of pressure on you when you were writing the follow up?

No. I enjoyed writing ROAD CLOSED as much as I enjoyed writing CUT SHORT and am now enjoying writing DEAD END… I just love writing! One advantage of being manically busy is that I genuinely haven’t had time to stress about how ROAD CLOSED is going to be received. But I think as an author you have to be an optimist.

What sort of characters do you like to create most – goodies or baddies?

Baddies definitely. They are so much more interesting than the goodies, and much more fun to write.

Geraldine Steel seems to be a big hit. Did she spring into your mind fully formed, or are you finding out more about her as you go along?

Geraldine is developing slowly. When I first wrote CUT SHORT, she played quite a minor role. I was far more interested in my killer and wrote pages and pages about him. What is it that makes one person kill another person? We might all feel like it from time to time… but that’s a life away from doing it. My editor pointed out that it is my detective my readers will follow through the series, so I had to work on building Geraldine and I found that quite hard at first. She has become far more real in my head, as her story unfolds in ROAD CLOSED and develops further in DEAD END. Now I’m wondering where to take her in book 4, and am beginning to see all sorts of possibilities for her.

What’s next for you? Are you going to continue writing books about Geraldine, or do you yearn to create a new protagonist?

My publisher has already put in an offer for a 4th book featuring Geraldine Steel and the second book has only just been printed, so for the time being I’m going to concentrate on Geraldine’s cases and her back story. As for the future – who knows? If anyone had told me two years ago that I was going to be a successfully published author, with my first book reprinted three times in its first year, I wouldn’t have believed it. The future is exciting and mysterious. I can’t even begin to predict what will happen next in my life. But I can’t ever imagine stopping writing now that I’ve discovered my passion for it. I’m absolutely hooked.

You’ve done a lot to raise the profile of your books both online and in personal appearances. Which do you enjoy most?

I prefer meeting people face to face. Communicating via technology can’t compare with gazing into someone else’s eyes as you speak, hearing the inflection of their voice when they are talking, or watching a subtle gesture. I don’t suppose I would write psychological thrillers if I didn’t find people endlessly fascinating. The plot drives my narrative, hopefully keeping my readers on the edge of their seats, but it is the characters I find most interesting… Back to your question: online or personal appearances? I find online communication easier, as I’m naturally quite shy, but I think there’s no substitute for meeting real people.

Thanks very much to Leigh for dropping by for a chat.

I'll be reviewing 'Road Closed' on Bookersatz next week, but in the meantime you can read my review of 'Cut Short' here, and you can read a review of 'The Beacon' by Susan Hill on Bookersatz now.

Publication, and an acceptance

2010-06-06T09:30:00.002+01:00

This week, my short story 'Shopped' is published in The Weekly News. I started to write this story on one of Della Galton's wonderful courses, so I'm very pleased to see it published in the same issue as one of her stories.

You can find out more about Della's courses here.

I was also pleased to hear that my article 'Postcards From A War Zone', is going to be published by Picture Postcard Monthly in November.

There's a new review on Bookersatz today. 'Some New Ambush' by Carys Davies has been reviewed by Bucks Writer. It's a collection of short stories and sounds great, so please take a look at the review.

Like Bees to Honey

2010-05-30T14:47:00.002+01:00

Yesterday I was very privileged to attend the Formby launch of 'Like Bees To Honey' by the gorgeous and talented Caroline Smailes.

The photo shows Caroline explaining some of the background to the story before doing a reading.

I was thrilled to meet many fellow bloggers at the event and was so glad to be there to support Caroline.

You can read my review of 'Like Bees To Honey' on Bookersatz now.

You can buy 'Like Bees To Honey' here.

Finally, I have to thank Caroline very much for naming one of the characters in the novel just for me. I smiled very much when I found him.

Say Hi To Harriet ... and Smudge

2010-05-27T19:12:00.002+01:00

Today is the official publication day of 'Stunt Bunny - Showbiz Sensation' by the very lovely and talented Tamsyn Murray.

I have a very special reason for being excited about the launch of this book. Long term readers of my blog will remember my cat Smudge who sadly died 18 months ago and eagle eyed readers of Stunt Bunny will notice that one of Tamsyn's characters bears a remarkable resemblance ...

Today also marks the publication of 'Like Bees To Honey'by the wonderful Caroline Smailes.

There'll be much more about that on this blog in the next few days once I've a)been to Caroline's launch, and b) finished reading the exquisitely well-written 'Like Bees To Honey' and written a review of it.

You can buy 'Stunt Bunny' here. And 'Like Bees To Honey' here.

Summer At Last ...

2010-05-22T20:54:00.003+01:00

Hot, isn't it? It's been a long wait but at least we finally have some sun.

I hope you all saw the last episode of 'Ashes To Ashes' last night. I thought it was fabulous and now I want to go and buy boxed sets so I can watch the whole thing again from the beginning of the first series of 'Life On Mars'.

I've started reading the very brilliant 'Like Bees To Honey' by Caroline Smailes, and I'm very much looking forward to reviewing it on Bookersatz soon.

Meanwhile, I've posted a review of 'South of Broad' by Pat Conroy. The review is by L'Aussie, who blogs here.

Like Bees to Honey

2010-05-19T20:40:00.004+01:00

The very lovely Caroline Smailes has a new novel out. It’s called ‘Like Bees To Honey’ and I am so proud to be hosting chapter eleven today as part of the blog tour.

When I first started blogging, Caroline was one of the first people I ‘met’ online and I was thrilled to meet her properly at the launch of her last novel ‘Black Boxes’.

If you’d like a preview of ‘Like Bees To Honey’, you can see one right here!

Open publication - Free publishing

The opening of the novel is on Caroline’s own blog here. And the chapter that follows this one is on Kelly Railton’s blog here.

You can buy ‘Like Bees To Honey’ here.

I’ll be reviewing ‘Like Bees To Honey’ on Bookersatz soon, but in the meantime you can read my review of ‘Black Boxes’ here, and my review of Caroline’s novella ‘Disraeli Avenue’ here.

I can’t wait to read ‘Like Bees To Honey’. Like all Caroline’s books, I know it will be fabulous and I am particularly excited about the fact it is set in Malta – a place that I have very fond memories of.

Finally, I’d like to wish Caroline all the very best of luck and success both for this novel and for everything else she does in future.

Wasted Again!

2010-05-15T11:34:00.003+01:00

I'm over on Nicola Morgan's 'Wasted' blog today talking about my take on luck, chance and alternative realities. Please pop over and take a look.

Meanwhile Nicola is on Catherine Hughes' great blog 'Reading, Writing, Learning ...' talking about how to write stories that are more like strawberries than spinach, so please go and have a look there as well.

Finally, I've put a new review on Bookersatz today. The review is of 'Blood At The Bookies' by Simon Brett.

Fantasy Cabinet Anyone?

2010-05-10T18:18:00.003+01:00

It's been a funny few days hasn't it? In the absence of any firm government, we've been discussing on Twitter who we might want in our Fantasy Cabinet.

So far the suggestions for PM have been Billy Bragg and Rory Bremner. I'm backing Graham Norton for Home Secretary, and Dominic Littlewood for Chancellor. Who would you want in your fantasy cabinet? And would any of them actually be politicians?

Meanwhile, I'm writing an article about Literary and Editorial consultancies. The article looks at why people might use a consultancy to help with their writing or submission package in order to increase their chances of publication. Does anyone out there have a success story about how they used a consultancy to help with their writing and got a publishing deal or attracted an agent as a result. If you can help with this or know anyone who might be willing to talk to me and maybe be quoted in the article, I'd be really grateful if you could email me via my profile.

Finally, I've just posted a new review on Bookersatz. The lovely Debs has reviewed 'Regeneration' by Pat Barker.

Wasted

2010-05-01T10:50:00.003+01:00

I'm talking about 'Wasted' by the marvellous Nicola Morgan on Bookersatz today, so please do pop over there and have a look. Nicola blogs here, and there is a special Wasted blog here.

In other news, I sold a story to My Weekly yesterday which was great news to end the week with.

Take A Break

2010-04-29T19:47:00.002+01:00

I have a story in the June issue of Take A Break's Fiction Feast, which is out now. This is the first time I've had a story in this particular magazine so I'm quite excited.

Technology - Friend Or Foe

2010-04-26T16:56:00.003+01:00

Technology - is it your best friend or your worst enemy?

I'm doing some research for an article which will look at how different writers use technology to help them in their writing. (I won't be looking at use of the internet for research, or using technology to promote your work, as those areas have both been covered in great detail.)

What I'm looking for are things to do with how technology helps with the actual writing - things like - voice recognition software, novel planning software, project planning packages etc

I'm also looking for people who hate technology and wish they could go back to using a quill and parchment. And I know lots of people (including me now I come to think of it) have horror stories of backing up the wrong versions of documents, or of computers crashing and taking a whole day's work with them.

If you have any thoughts on this subject or anecdotes you would be willing to share, please either leave a comment here, or contact me by email via my profile page.

Thanks very much.

And yes, the biggest barrier to the use of technology in this house is the 'help' offered by the four furry people.

Where Did That Week Go?

2010-04-24T14:19:00.002+01:00

This week's gone by in a bit of a blur, so here are some highlights.

I sold another story.

I had another pitch accepted by Writers' Forum and I may well be calling on my lovely blog readers for some assistance in researching the article.

I have started to read Wasted by the wonderful Nicola Morgan. I will be reviewing it for Bookersatz soon.

I've posted a new review on Bookersatz today. The lovely DJ Kirkby has reviewed Abattoir Jack by Christopher Neilan.

I have set myself some very strict writing goals for this weekend, so I'd better get back to it.

Further Adventures of Cookie Crumble

2010-04-16T20:29:00.002+01:00

Cookie has been for a dental today. Luckily she's only had a couple of teeth taken out and seems to be fine. She's currently bouncing around my bedroom because she doesn't realise she's meant to be drowsy from the anaesthetic and can't understand why she isn't allowed to go and play with the others.

Good news this week - I sold another story to The Weekly News. I'm not sure yet when it's due to appear, but I'll let you know.

More Book Joy

2010-04-09T21:03:00.002+01:00

Finding this has made me very happy this week.

And I've posted a new review on Bookersatz today - 'Death Of A Ladies' Man' by Alan Bissett.

What's made you happy this week?

Book Bonanza

2010-04-04T12:08:00.003+01:00

I don't buy books very often. This is mainly because I get sent a lot of books to review for Bookersatz and this doesn't leave much time for anything else.

So, it was a bit of a guilty pleasure on Thursday to go book shopping and buy five books. And as if that wasn't enough, I've just ordered a couple more online.

Most of these books are research of different sorts for my own writing - see how I justify it? Some may end up as reviews on Bookersatz as well.

There is a new review on Bookersatz today, of 'Eye Contact' by Cammie McGovern, reviewed by the lovely Karen.

Other highlights coming up are:

Abbatoir Jack by Christopher Neilan from Punked Books,
Some New Ambush by Carys Davies from Salt Publishing,
Death Of A Ladies Man by Alan Bissett,

and many more. If you don't already follow Bookersatz, now might be a good time to start so you don't miss anything!

I'm still on the lookout for reviews for the site as well, so if you'd like to contribute please get in touch.

Edited to say - Apparently it was remiss of me not to tell you which books I bought! They were:

Blood At The Bookies - by Simon Brett
The Truth About Melody Browne - by Lisa Jewell
Can You Keep A Secret - by Sophie Kinsella
Love Letters - by Katie Fforde
Between The Assassinations - by Aravind Adiga

And I have ordered:
No Contacts, No Problem - by Catherine Quinn
and pre-ordered Stunt Bunny: Showbiz Sensation by the gorgeous Tamsyn Murray

My Weekly

2010-03-29T12:43:00.003+01:00

Even if you don't normally read My Weekly, there's a special treat in this week's issue in the shape of a new serial by the rather lovely and very talented Adrian Magson. It's called 'Crime Wave At South Beach' and is an intriguing mystery.

As well as writing serials and short stories, Adrian is also a prolific novelist and regular contributor to Writing Magazine. Look out for an interview with Adrian on my blog later this year, but meanwhile if you want to find out more, you can visit his website here.

I've put a review of 'Out of The Sun' by Robert Goddard on Bookersatz today. I'm actively looking for new people to write reviews for the site at the moment, so if you've read a book recently that you love and want to tell the world about, please get in touch either via this blog or via Bookersatz.

Della Galton Courses

2010-03-26T12:15:00.000Z

The fabulous Della Galton has some really interesting courses coming up. Highly recommended for anyone keen to improve their writing.

Characters and Settings - 17 April, 2010

How do you make your characters and settings come alive? This is a workshop based course where you will learn different ways of bringing characters and settings to life. Whether your setting is spooky or idyllic and your character hero or anti hero, this course should help with their creation. We will also look at word craft.

Rejections to Sales - 8 May, 2010

This course will look in detail at what editors want and why they reject short stories.

It requires students to bring along a previously rejected short story for criticism and advice. 1800 words max please. You will need to bring a short story to gain full benefit from this course. It is NOT for the faint hearted. But if you really want to know what went wrong, then this is the course for you.

The Sex Factor Three - 19 June, 2010

This course will focus on how to write sex scenes, both for short stories and longer fiction. We will explore the dangers of being too ethereal or being too graphic. We will look at language, logistics and the importance of plot.

Brave students may bring along a previously written sex scene to read out for constructive criticism – no more than 800 words, please. (This is not mandatory)

All courses are held at Kinson Community Centre, run from 10.00 am til 4.00 pm and cost £35.00

For further information, please see Della's lovely new website.

www.dellagalton.co.uk

How to Write and Sell Short Stories by Della Galton is published by Accent Press, price £9.99

Author Interview - Leigh Russell

2010-03-23T19:15:00.004Z

Leigh Russell has very kindly agreed to answer some questions about her writing, and about her current book 'Cut Short', and the upcoming 'Road Closed'.

What first inspired you to write?

The idea for CUT SHORT occurred to me when I was walking through my local park one rainy morning. There was no one else there until a stranger came into view beside a tangled copse of trees and shrubs. As I approached the shrubs I wondered what I would do if I saw a body in the bushes. I walked on, and of course there was no body, but the idea stuck in my mind. When I arrived home I started to write and the story poured out onto the page, complete with a 'creepy' killer. From the moment I began to write, I've been hooked. What surprises me now is that I didn't discover my passion for writing earlier.

What appeals particularly about writing crime fiction?

Crime fiction is tense, dramatic and full of suspense. It can also be quite cathartic, we live in such fearful times... You’re alone in the house at night, and you hear footsteps on the stairs…. That isn’t a scene I’ve used in a book, but it’s the kind of situation I explore in my writing. It’s a relief to step out of the story and return to reality.

How would you sum up your upcoming novel, ‘Road Closed’?

How do you sum up a book? Blurbs and synopses are so difficult to write. How about: Road Closed is a tense psychological crime thriller, with a few twists, in which Geraldine Steel makes a shocking discovery about herself.

What response to the novel do you hope for from your readers?

I would be very happy if ROAD CLOSED matches the success of CUT SHORT with two reprints in six months, 5 star reviews on amazon, buzz on blogs and websites, features, interviews and good reviews in local and national papers, interviews on BBC Radio, invitations to talk at Literary Festivals, book clubs, readers groups and writers circles, libraries, schools and colleges – enough to keep me busy.

Your first novel ‘Cut Short’ was very well-received. Did this put you under additional pressure when you were writing ‘Road Closed’?

I enjoyed writing ROAD CLOSED as much as I enjoyed writing CUT SHORT, and I’m now enjoying writing DEAD END. I just love writing! But I do feel a certain pressure now that my second book is about to be published because I’m aware that there are people waiting to read it. It’s already reached 10,000 on amazon sales ratings in preorders. As a Top Reviewer on amazon wrote of CUT SHORT: “A well deserved five stars. For a first book this is excellent. Of course the expectation will be much higher with book two.” No pressure there, then!

What do you see yourself writing in the future? Are there more Geraldine Steel novels to come?

I’m currently writing DEAD END, the third in the Geraldine Steel series which will be published in 2011. My publisher has already approached my agent for a fourth, so there are definitely more Geraldine Steel novels in the pipeline.

You work incredibly hard promoting your books online and in bookshops, how well is that paying off?

I assume my efforts have contributed to the successful sales of CUT SHORT, but I have no way of knowing. What is more important to me is that I’ve met so many friendly and supportive readers through book signings, blogs, twitter, literary festivals and author talks. Bloggers from all around the world are beginning to feel like old friends, like the staff in my local Waterstones.

What gives you most pleasure out of all the things you’ve achieved so far in your writing career?

Writing.

What’s the best advice you could give to someone who is writing a novel and hoping to get it published?

Work hard, be brave and be lucky. Being published is fun, but the real buzz is in the writing.

Thanks Leigh, for some really brilliant insights into writing.

You can read my review of 'Cut Short' here. And you can pre-order 'Road Closed' here.

Short Stories

2010-03-16T18:01:00.002Z

I was very excited last week to receive my contributor's copy of Woman's Weekly Fiction Special and find that I have not one, but two, stories in there.

I was also absolutely thrilled to sell my first story to Take A Break Fiction Feast. Must get writing more stories and sending them out now.