Giveaway - The Wish List by Jane Costello

This month, I'm hosting 3 giveaways and first up is The Wish List by Jane Costello.

 

There are six months left of Emma Reiss's twenties. . . and she has some unfinished business.

Emma and her friends are about to turn thirty, and for Emma it's a defining moment. Defined, that is, by her having achieved none of the things she'd imagined she would. Her career is all wrong, her love life is a desert and that penthouse apartment she pictured herself in simply never materialised. Moreover, she's never jumped out of a plane, hasn't met the man she's going to marry, has never slept under the stars, or snogged anyone famous - just some of the aspirations on a list she and her friends compiled fifteen years ago. As an endless round of birthday parties sees Emma hurtle towards her own thirtieth, she sets about addressing these issues. But, as she discovers with hilarious consequences, some of them are trickier to tick off than she'd thought…

To enter, simply fill in the form below and leave a comment telling me if you had one wish, what would it be? And no wishing for more wishes - that's cheating! You can add more entries by following the instructions in the form but these are all optional.

The competition will close at midnight on Wednesday 23rd May 2013. A winner will then be picked at random and announced on the blog on Friday 24th May 2013.

This is a UK only giveaway.

Good luck!

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Guest Post: Susi Osborne

I don’t know about other writers, but I always seem to have great difficulty trying to come up with the perfect title whenever I write a novel.
The fact is, that if you’re already a bestselling author, with thousands of adoring fans queuing up to buy your next blockbuster before it’s even reached the end of the first draft, then the title would obviously be of lesser importance. It would still be great to have a good title of course, but not quite so imperative. The author’s name, in itself, would attract readers to the book. Lucky author!

However, for somewhat lesser mortals like myself, things are different. My name is actually quite renowned, I have to say, although I admit that it is more in the context of Ozzy and Sharon and George than it is in that of Susi. But anyway, Ozzy and Sharon have the addition of a ‘u’ in their surname, so no wonder they’re on a higher pedestal than little me!

So yes, for lesser known writers, the title and cover mean everything. You can have the best story ever written (in your opinion!) and a clever blurb and first sentence that are so intriguing they capture the reader in an instant, but unless the title and the cover have attracted the reader to the book in the first place, then you have lost.

The cover is really down to the publisher. However, as I say this I know that if my publisher, or more particularly a certain young gentleman at the art department therein, will be gasping with shock at the words I just uttered. Okay, I admit it – I’m fussy! But it’s my book…my baby…I know what I want and… We sort of negotiate, and compromise - in a nice way of course!

The title, however, is a different story (no pun intended!). The title I agonise over, it has to be just right - there’s no going back. For two of my novels I really struggled, they were completed long before anything I was happy with came to mind. I write contemporary women’s fiction – ‘emotional rollercoasters’ is probably the best way to describe them, although the humour outweighs the sadness.

The first one I wrote was the story of Tom and Kate, who lived their perfect life in a bubble of happiness until one fateful day when tragedy struck. The devastation they suffered touched the lives of friends and family around them, leading to unexpected twists and turns and changes in relationships. Title? I had absolutely no idea. Until suddenly one day I heard someone on TV talking about how the ripples of life affect everything. I almost kissed the television! In my novel shockwaves from the tragedy ripple out to touch the lives of others – The Ripples of Life was born!

Amazingly enough, the title of my second novel came to me in a flash of inspiration before I’d even started to put pen to paper (yes, I write longhand!). I knew I wanted to write about two sisters who had led two very different lives as a result of a mysterious separation at a very young age. Grace lives at the centre of a chaotic but happy family and cares for her mother who has dementia. When a letter arrives from her long-lost sister, her whole world is turned upside down. In a shock revelation Grace discovers why her sister has always been referred to as ‘Disgrace’. Grace & Disgrace – an obvious title really, wasn’t it?!

My third novel came out very recently, 25 April this year, in fact. It actually links together my first two books to form a trilogy, although each book does stand quite happily alone and is a complete story within itself. In this third book, secrets are revealed and lies uncovered – Tom has betrayed Kate and destroyed their marriage by sleeping with her former best friend. But despite all of this, Kate still gets butterflies whenever she sees him. She knows that deep down she still loves him, but could she ever trust him again? The strong friendship Kate has with Grace shines through as they support each other…and as I hovered over the title! But there it was, staring me right in the face. Secrets, Lies & Butterflies – I should have known it all along!



Susi Osborne’s books:-
Secrets, Lies & Butterflies
Grace & Disgrace
The Ripples of Life
are available from all good bookshops and online retailers.

Susi also organises Northwich LitFest.

You can follow Susi and keep up with all of her latest news on Twitter @susiosborne or Facebook on her Author Page.

The Bow Wow Club by Nicola May

 



Ruby Stevens' husband died 15 months ago and while she still misses George and would do anything for him to be with her again, she is beginning to pull herself out of the swamp of grief. But her progress is halted when she's mugged while out shopping. The thieves take her purse, which contains her wedding ring. Ruby is distraught but a passing stranger takes her for a cup of tea to calm her down.

 

Michael can't help being drawn to Ruby as he comes to her rescue following the mugging. Michael has been hurt in the past and thinks Ruby can heal his heart while he heals hers. But Ruby isn't quite ready to say goodbye to George and finds it difficult to start a new relationship. To help her deal with this new stage in her life, she volunteers at the Bow Wow Club, a club for 'boyfriends of widows, wives of widowers' to share her feelings. The Bow Wow Club is run by Simon, a camp vicar with a fondness for drink. Here, Ruby meets lots of colourful characters, from scruffy tourettes sufferer, Jimmy to sex mad Cali and fireman Nick.

 

The Bow Wow Club is a follow up of Nicola May's previous novel, Working It Out, which I haven't read yet but it doesn't matter as The Bow Wow Club works as a standalone novel and all important back story is explained. I immediately sympathised with bereaved Ruby as she struggles with her life without George. She's only in her thirties and her married life with George was just getting started, with discussions about starting a family, when George died. I can't imagine the anguish she must have felt when her wedding ring, which George had thoughtfully had engraved, was stolen.

 

Michael was very sweet coming to Ruby's rescue and he obviously adores her. His feelings for Ruby inspire him to write the romance novel he's always wanted to write but, to be honest, Michael's writing disturbed me a little. It started off as a romance but quickly became erotica and a way to vent his anger at his past relationship. I think I would have warmed to Michael a little more without his nasty side coming out through his writing. I know he was still angry with his ex and this was his way of exacting revenge but I was left worried about whether he really did think his novel was romantic!

 

My favourite part of the book was the time Ruby spent at the Bow Wow Club as Simon, the vicar who runs the group, quickly became my favourite character. He's so camp and has a biting wit but he is caring too. The club contains some eccentric characters who are a lot of fun despite the problems they are experiencing.

 

The Bow Wow Club is the first Nicola May book I've read but I enjoyed following Ruby's story and meeting her array of quirky friends.

 

 

Thank you to Nicola May for providing me with a copy to review.

 

I will be chatting with Nicola May next week and you will have the chance to win a signed copy of The Bow Wow Club.

A Chat With Tom Winter

 

Lost & Found tells the story of two lonely people struggling through life who are brought together by an undelivered letter. You can see my review here and the author, Tom Winter has kindly agreed to answer a few of my questions.



When did you realise you wanted to become a writer?
Wanting to write is one of my earliest memories. I remember when I was about four, I took my mother’s diary and started filling it in with fictional details; all mono-syllabic stuff about going to the zoo and things like that. “This is my snot” was one of the highlights, with a big arrow pointing to a smear of nasal debris.

By the age of eight or nine my writing had obviously improved somewhat because everyone at school was convinced I would one day be a poet. I recall writing a poem that made my teacher cry, though in retrospect I can see she may have had a drinking problem.

Can you tell us a little about your journey to publication?
Ah, the journey! The odyssey, more like it! I think the biggest frustration for me was the years and years I spent trying to find my voice as a writer. It was a bit like building a fire: the hearth seemed to be full of the right stuff and I kept striking matches, but nothing would catch. Then, after more than a decade, I simply sat down one day and started writing. The words kept flowing week after week and eventually I had a book. That manuscript got me my first agent, who was based in New York. Although we had some good feedback from publishers in the US, none of them made an offer. It was a very difficult period for me because it was the expectation of this moment that had kept me going for so long. I finally had an agent and a manuscript in circulation, and yet nothing had changed. Cue many months of self-pity!

To cut a long story short, I started to write Lost & Found about a year later. My agent liked the manuscript, but she wanted to try selling it in the UK first, so she introduced me to an agent friend of hers in London, and he introduced me to one of his colleagues, which is how I came to meet the wonderful Juliet Mushens. From that day forward, I knew both the book and I had found our proper home. Juliet became my sole agent and quickly sold the UK and Commonwealth rights. Then the foreign-language rights started selling, which was a really amazing experience.

Funnily enough, I no longer have any interest in seeing my first manuscript get published. Writing it was a good experience, and it proved to be an important stepping stone to Lost & Found, but that’s all. I can see now that I needed to write it for my own growth, not to share it with the world at large.

What was your inspiration for Lost & Found?
In very broad terms, Lost & Found is a synthesis of my personal experiences and observations. I wanted to write about loss and regret, but keep it blackly comic. I also wanted to show how powerful it can be when people reach out and connect with one another. At its heart, I believe Lost & Found is a fundamentally hopeful book.

There are a lot of colourful characters in Lost & Found. Who was your favourite to write?
It was a pleasure to share my life with all the characters, but I’m especially fond of Albert. It’s been very rewarding to hear other people’s reactions to him. He really seems to win hearts!

In terms of pure writing pleasure, I loved writing all the scenes with Mickey Wong and Mandy. In fact, the barbecue chapter with Mandy and her husband still makes me laugh!

What advice would you give to aspiring authors?
Don’t give up! Family obligations, day jobs, noisy neighbours, self-doubt… the list of challenges and distractions goes on and on and on. Just remember it’s a well-trodden path, so keep going.

I think it’s also important to keep the submissions process in perspective. It’s true there are likely to be some rejections along the way, maybe even many, but if you believe it’s an impossible task, there’s no room for hope. The reality is that agents and publishers are signing new writers all the time. Just keep going!

What was the first book you bought yourself?
Wow, I can’t even remember! I was addicted to the Puffin Club when I was a child. Even now the logo makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. And my local library was like a second home throughout my childhood. I think it’s fair to say that books were my entire world.

And what was the last book you read?
I haven’t been reading much for the last six months because I’ve been so busy on my new book. When I’m reading for pleasure, my preference is generally non-fiction (Malcolm Gladwell and Jon Ronson are two of my favourite writers). One of my most recent fiction reads was A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan. An utterly brilliant book.

Finally, what are you working on at the moment?
I’m currently finishing a second book for my publisher, Constable & Robinson. It’s about a brother and sister who are each at a massive crossroads in life. Essentially it’s a story of how we choose to react to disappointments and frightening possibilities. Much like Lost & Found, it deals with some difficult subjects, but hopefully with a wry turn of phrase that makes the journey enjoyable

 

*       *       *       *       *

 



Thank you, Tom for taking the time to answer my questions.

Lost & Found is available now.

So I had just started writing a new book...

... (which would be Book 4) when I received the next in the line of rejections for Book 3. Except this one came with feedback. I'd been wanting one of these for a long time after receiving many generic rejections but, I have to tell you, it stung.

How could they not love my book? How could they find fault with it?

Ok, I'm not that much of an ego maniac but it was quite tough to read a criticism of my work but I knew, once I'd stopeed wanting to weep into my beloved manuscript, it would be useful to me. So I gave it a couple of hours and read it again.

How could they not love my book? How could they find fault with it?

Only kidding. I could see where they were coming from (though it had never occured to me to question this part of my story before) so I decided to leave it for a while and have a good think. Could I change this part of my story, which is pretty important being the whole driving force of my main character? Did I want to change it?

The answer ended up being yes to both. To begin with, I didn't want to touch my precious manuscript but I had to give it serious thought - an agent had read my work and flagged a major problem with it. I'd be a fool to simply ignore it (even if I decided not to change it in the end).

So I thought about it. A lot. Could I do away with that aspect of the story? Probably but it would change the motivation of the MC and an important chunk of who she was. It had to stay.

Could I tweak it? Yes, I could. I could change the aspect the agent didn't believe in while still having the same outcome. And, putting my bruised ego aside, I like the changes I'm going to make. It fits better and makes more sense.

So that's what I'm going to do. Book 4 is going on hold for a short while so I can go back to Book 3 for another draft and hopefully improve it.

Guest Post: Pauline Wiles

The inspiration behind Saving Saffron Sweeting

I was never in doubt that my debut novel would be light-hearted women’s fiction, often known as chick lit. It’s a genre I delight in reading myself, and I’m tickled pink by the possibility that after a tough day, a woman might curl up with my writing as a calorie-free form of entertainment and escape. Plus, I knew I didn’t have the writing skills to attempt something more highbrow: my goal was unpretentious, energetic story-telling.

As a Brit now living (happily) with my husband near San Francisco, I’ve wondered from time to time whether I would stay in California or return to England if my marriage came unstuck. Generally, when I’m gainfully employed, I tend to think I would remain in the USA, but, during the time my own business was struggling, it did occur to me that without hubby, I’d be homeless, jobless and pointless! So, this is the situation the main character, Grace, finds herself in at the start of Saving Saffron Sweeting: not only is her husband cheating, but he’s doing it with her best interior design client.

Added to that, I’ve always been fascinated by the difference in what people (both men and women) say they’ll do if their partner is unfaithful, and what actually happens. The overwhelming majority of my friends tell me that if their other half ever cheats, then it’s game over. But, looking at both public figures and private couples, when infidelity does occur, it’s rarely that clear-cut. So, this was a theme I thought was worth exploring. Grace, of course, declares her marriage to be toast and makes a beeline for England. But she soon finds that running away is not as simple as it seems.

Finally, Saving Saffron Sweeting was a way for me to pay tribute to the little things about England that I miss. I deliberately peppered the book with British slang, filled it with afternoon tea and cakes, and included traditions like Bonfire Night. Although the village of Saffron Sweeting is fictional, I researched several locations around Cambridge to make sure it felt authentic. And many of my favourite places in London and East Anglia get a mention, too. For any author who has re-located and is feeling a teeny bit homesick, I highly recommend setting your novel in your hometown. Not only do you stay connected, but it’s also a wonderful excuse for some ‘research’ trips!

 

 

Saving Saffron Sweeting is available on Amazon now and you can find out more about the book and the author at www.paulinewiles.com and on Goodreads

Cover Stars: Happy Families by Janey Fraser

This year I decided to start a Book Of The Month feature to give a special mention to the wonderful books I have read. So I thought why not celebrate wonderful book covers too?

They say don't judge a book by its cover but we all do, right?

Feel free to add your thoughts on the covers or even suggest your own 'cover stars'.

 

Happy Families by Janey Fraser

 

 

I read Janey Fraser's The Au Pair last year and loved the cover because of the little details giving the cartoon people character and I love the cover for Happy Families for the same reason. The teenager has his skateboard at his feet and is busy on his phone while there is havoc within the house. The two younger children are scrapping downstairs, knocking ietms over while the mother is telling off another child upstairs. While all of this is happening, the cat is cleaning itself in the window, being truly cat-like and not giving a shit.

 

I love all these little details and, in a way, it's telling a story itself. The title may say Happy Families but you already know that isn't going to be the case.

 

 

Click here to see all Cover Stars