Category Archives: Culture

SUNDAY SCENE: KENDRA SMITH ON HER FAVOURITE SCENE FROM EVERYTHING HAS CHANGED

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I enjoyed writing one of my latest protagonists, Victoria, in my fourth book, Everything Has Changed. She’s been in a car accident and ‘lost’ six years of her life due to amnesia. When she wakes up in hospital, she remembers her children as adorable 10-year-old twins. They’re not. They are 16 and sulky. And her marriage is dangling by a thread.

Last thing she remembers is that she was a fun-loving mum. As she says, ‘where had the chaotic, popcorn-in-her-bra mum gone?’ Some parts of the book poke fun at who she’s become, other sections are more reflective.  I posed the question: what would it be like to be catapulted into ‘your’ future with no warning. Especially if you didn’t like how the ‘future’ was looking – and moreover, what if you didn’t like your new self very much? And (let’s turn up the heat) what if your husband didn’t like you. This is a scene just before a family gathering. Victoria is remembering a holiday in Greece and how her husband James used to feel about her. Will he ever feel like this again?

Victoria clasped the brooch tightly in her fist. The pin at the edge pierced her skin and she flinched. She was setting the table in the kitchen. James had given her the brooch when they were on holiday in Greece. Since she’d found those photos and that list, more had come back to her. ‘It’s beautiful like you’. It was a white pebble polished till it gleamed and there were tiny pearls surrounding it. She remembered the beach, Izzy and Jake had run into the waves and then come out and rolled in the sand. They must have been about five. And then James, holding a squealing twin under each arm, armbands bulging out the sides as he plunged into the water. She’d watched, her sarong gently flapping across her legs. There were flashes of vivid memory.

Life had been uncomplicated, hadn’t it? They loved each other. James was trying for a promotion and they were trying for another baby – or were they? It was a bit fuzzy. And then what? Had all the wet towels on the floor, the unanswered text messages, the late hours at the office, the headache of bringing up twins with two sets of everything from homework to nits – had that all seeped into the fibre of their marriage like rain soaking through a faulty roof, until the rot had set in?

Not us, she’d thought. The twins will never tell a counsellor, ‘Mummy and Daddy have fallen out of love.’ Or will they?

Victoria moved round the table and mechanically placed knives and forks opposite one another. The napkins, the salt and pepper, it was all new to her. Household items were a surprise every time she opened the cupboard.

‘You’re wearing the brooch?’

She abruptly turned round as James walked towards her carrying a dish of salad.  ‘Yes.’

He glanced at it and she stared at his jaw, at his shirt collar and tried to remember how many times she might have lain against the crook of his neck, crying sometimes, laughing perhaps, sharing a secret? Where had his passion for her gone? The spark? She could feel it, she couldn’t miss it, fizzing up inside her. What about him? She studied his mouth. It was moving. ‘Where do you want these?’ He stared at her.

 

Find out more about Kendra and her other books on Facebook at Kendra Smith Author and on Twitter @KendraAuthor

 

 

 

Matt Bell’s March craft book, REFUSE TO BE DONE: an accessible, practical guide to writing and revising a novel—for writers of any genre and level

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“I can’t imagine anyone setting pen to paper, or fingertips to keyboard, who won’t want to keep this book permanently close at hand.”
—Benjamin Dreyer, New York Times bestselling author of Dreyer’s English
 We all need help to be the best writer we can be. This brilliant book from Matt Bell not only does that, but it also teaches you have to be efficient, something that is a must as writing becomes a career. I loved this book and I cannot recommend it enough. I will definitely keep it close to hand. — Frost editor, Catherine Balavage.
Acclaimed author Matt Bell draws from years of writing and teaching experience to deliver an accessible, direct, and concise guide to novel-writing full of concrete tips meant to guide writers of any genre, at any stage of their career, from first to final draft.
Matt Bell | Refuse to Be Done: How to Write and Rewrite a Novel in Three Drafts | Trade Paperback Original | $15.95 US/$21.95 CAN |
ISBN: 9781641293419 | ON SALE: March 8, 2022 | Soho Press
Refuse to Be Done is intensely practical, focusing always on specific tasks, techniques, and activities for writing a novel, from the first draft all the way through final revisions. Divided into three main sections—each containing numerous subheadings and detailed items—the book is easy to use at any and every stage of the writing process, whether one is starting from scratch or already has a full draft to revise. Concrete examples from published fiction and media, as well as Matt Bell’s personal experiences, bring further meaning to the tips included, showing how they were developed and how they come to fruition in existing works.

In the first section, Bell shares a bounty of tactics to get through perhaps the most daunting stage of novel-writing: actually writing the book. Intended to push writers through the initial conception and get words on the page, this section includes strategies for process (such as how to regiment one’s writing and track progress), the writing itself (e.g. how to develop characters and determine which scenes to write next), and overcoming writer’s block.

Next, with a complete draft in hand, the second section focuses on reworking the narrative through outlining, modeling, and rewriting. This includes such tasks as fleshing out characters, scrutinizing the plot, and reshaping a manuscript into a more polished form.

The final stage captures Bell’s philosophy to “refuse to be done,” encouraging writers to stay in their novel for as long as they’re able by working through a checklist of revisions. In this layered approach, writers fully work through the text multiple times, focusing on a specific, achievable task through each pass. Whether it’s revising the prose or scrutinizing the structure of each scene, every pass brings the manuscript closer to accomplishing the writer’s ambitions and becoming the greatest it can possibly be.

Written for novices and veteran writers alike, Matt Bell’s accessible, practical guide to novel-writing offers an abundance of strategies to motivate writers and invigorate the revision process, empowering novelists of all genres to approach their work with fresh eyes and sharp new tools to produce their best work yet.

It Ends at Midnight by Harriet Tyce

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I envy authors who write books that are so perfectly written that you find it hard to put the book down, those books that you start to read and then realise you are one hundred pages in, but it feels like five minutes has passed.

I loved It Ends at Midnight with it’s flawed and messy characters. You are never quite sure who to trust so the plot keeps you on your toes. It is a thrilling novel that hold you to the very last page. Honest, open and superb.

It’s New Year’s Eve and the stage is set for a lavish party in one of Edinburgh’s best postcodes. It’s a moment for old friends to set the past to rights – and move on.

The night sky is alive with fireworks and the champagne is flowing. But the celebration fails to materialise.

Because someone at this party is going to die tonight.

Midnight approaches and the countdown begins – but it seems one of the guests doesn’t want a resolution. They want revenge.

IT ENDS AT MIDNIGHT. Coming 14th April from the Sunday Times and Kindle #1, half a million copy, bestselling author Harriet Tyce.

The Truth Will Out by Rosemary Hennigan.

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I love books set in the acting world so I was super excited to read The Truth Will Out by Rosemary Hennigan. This debut novel did not disappoint at all. The story itself is fantastic and leaves a lot of room for intrigue, but the prose is just glorious. I truly got lost in Rosemary Hennigan’s beautiful writing.
The character of Dara is pulled between the light and the dark, no one knows what is true in this mysterious novel. The plot is clever and every page is as brilliant as the last. I raced through it. A must read. Out March 17th.
Rosemary Hennigan. the truth will out
‘Maybe I’ve told that version of the story so often,
that I can’t remember the truth of it anymore.’

Dara Gaffney is fresh out of drama school when she lands the leading role in the revival of Eabha de Lacey’s hugely successful yet controversial play.

Based on the true story of the death of Cillian Butler, many claim that Eabha had an ulterior motive when she penned it. Cillian’s death remains a mystery to this day, and Eabha and her brother, Austin, the only witnesses.

As the media storm builds and the opening night draws closer, the cast find it harder and harder to separate themselves from the characters.

And as the truth of Cillian’s fate becomes clear, Dara’s loyalty to her role will be irrevocably questioned as the terrible history starts to repeat itself…

Highly anticipated new DS Cross thriller – The Patient by Tim Sullivan

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Who doesn’t love a good crime book? The Patient has a fantastic protagonist in DS Cross. DS Cross is on the autism spectrum and it makes him even better at his job. I got so wrapped up in The Patient. There is so much to uncover in this fantastic novel, which is written in such an open and perfectly paced way. Tim Sullivan writes his character’s idiosyncrasies with skill and kindness. There is no wonder this is a self-publishing phenomenon. Fantastic story with a brilliant DS. Loved it.

tim sullivan the patient

OVER 200,000 EBOOKS DOWNLOADED

No fingerprints. No weapon. No witnesses.

Can DS Cross prove it was murder?

 

THE PATIENT

By Tim Sullivan 

Head of Zeus | Hardback | £18.99 | 3 March 2022

Tim Sullivan is a self-publishing phenomenon whose bestselling titles The Dentist and The Cyclist were downloaded over 200,000 times before moving to Head of Zeus. The latest release in the DS Cross series, The Patient is the highly anticipated next instalment featuring the eccentric and socially awkward, but brilliantly persistent DS George Cross. Set in Bristol, Cross’ methods can infuriate his colleagues and superiors, but his attention to detail and dogged persistence achieves a conviction rate no-one can argue with.

 

An outsider himself, having been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, DS Cross is especially drawn to cases concerning the voiceless and the dispossessed. In ThePatient his attention is drawn to a woman who has been sitting in the reception of the Major Crime Unit, patiently, for three days. Her daughter is dead. With no fingerprints, no weapon and no witnesses, the Bristol Crime Unit are ready to close the case. The victim has a long history of drug abuse and the coroner has given a verdict of suicide. But her mother is convinced it was murder.

 

DS Cross risks his career and the reputation of the force to uncover the truth. In defiance of his superiors, he re-opens the case and is soon mired in a labyrinth of potential suspects – an addict ex-boyfriend who is the father of Flick’s daughter, a predatory ex-employer, and the therapist she came to rely upon, but can he solve the case before his superiors shut it down for good?

 

Tim Sullivan, critically acclaimed TV and film screenwriter whose credits include Jack and Sarah, My Little Pony: A New Generation, Letters to Juliet and Cold Feet, masterfully writes his characters’ idiosyncrasies and keeps readers guessing with this addictive new crime thriller.

Perfect for fans of Ann Cleeves, Colin Dexter and Andrea Camilleri, The Patient is the third instalment in the DS Cross series.

 

Glorious Books To Add To Your TBR

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I have read a huge number of amazing books recently and I need to share them. Add these to your To Be Read list now.

The Island by Adrian McKinty

A dark and delicious read. High-concept, edge-of-your-seat stuff. This thriller is unputdownable. Out May 26th. From the author of The Chain.

A pulse-pounding, high-concept new thriller from the author of the “propulsive and original” instant Sunday Times bestseller The Chain (Stephen King).

You should not have come to the island

You should not have been speeding

You should not have tried to hide the body

You should not have told your children that you could keep them safe

No one can run forever…

The Siege by John Sutherland.

The is the fiction debut from ex-chief Superintendent John Sutherland, author of the Sunday Times Bestselling Blue. You can tell that he knows his stuff. This is masterful and gripping. John Sutherland is a hot new talent. One to watch. Our June 23rd.

Nine hostages. Ten hours. One chance to save them all.

Lee James Connor has found his purpose in life: to follow the teachings of far-right extremist leader, Nicholas Farmer. So when his idol is jailed, he comes up with the perfect plan: take a local immigrant support group hostage until Farmer is released.

Grace Wheatley is no stranger to loneliness having weathered the passing of her husband, whilst being left to raise her son alone. The local support group is her only source of comfort. Until the day Lee James Connor walks in and threatens the existence of everything she’s ever known.

Superintendent Alex Lewis may be one of the most experienced hostage negotiators on the force, but there’s no such thing as a perfect record. Still haunted by his last case, can he connect with Connor – and save his nine hostages – before it’s too late?

One Night With You by Laura Jane Williams. 

I loved this novel so much. Brilliant characters, a fun premise, and a whole lot of love. Set partly in the north, this book has such depth, along with characters who are so flawed and human. Gorgeous.  Out May 26th.

It’s his first night in London. And her last…

Ruby’s leaving London. She’s not running away from her ex per se, but an exciting opportunity in a new city has landed at the perfect time.

Nic is moving to London. After a bad break-up, he’s excited to see where big-city life could take him.

When a chance meeting throws the pair of them together for just one night, it’s clear that this could be the start of something special. But there’s one problem: she’s leaving, and he’s just arriving. So, after tonight, they’ll never see each other again . . . will they?

Hot Water by Christopher Fowler. 

Clever and witty, this is set in the French Rivera. A first-class thriller that you won’t want to put down. Our March 1st.

She sees everything, but can never tell anyone… a wickedly compulsive thriller from the bestselling author of the Bryant & May series.

At a beautiful villa near Nice in the south of France, Hannah Carreras works as a maid. Under strict instructions never to speak to the guests, she blends into the background – but she sees everything. Including the mistress Summer, lounging by the pool awaiting the arrival of her married lover, Steve.

When Steve finally shows at the villa – with his family unexpectedly in tow – Summer has vanished. Steve claims he never saw her. But Steve’s wife is no fool: she knows there’s something going on. Whose tiny bikini lies by the pool? Whose perfume is in the bathroom?

Before long, the local police start asking questions, and the villa’s occupants have something to hide. Only Hannah, always listening, watching, saw broken glass and blood on the patio the day Summer disappeared. Only Hannah thinks she knows what lies are being told…

One Last Letter From Greece by Emma Cowell

The gorgeous Greece setting, the beautiful journey the character takes. A beautiful tale of hope and love. I was gripped from the first page. Out June 9th.

The breathtaking, escapist debut novel from Emma Cowell, perfect for fans of Victoria Hislop, Carol Kirkwood and Karen Swan.

Devastated by her mother’s death, Sophie longs to get away from an empty house full of memories and a life that hasn’t quite turned out as she had imagined.

So when a chance discovery among her mother’s belongings hints at a past Sophie knows nothing of, she jumps at the opportunity for escape and a chance to heal. The magical, idyllic Greek town of Methoni awaits…

But Sophie – determined to uncover her mother’s secrets – is about to discover so much more. Among the tranquil waters and cosy tavernas, Methoni’s locals offer Sophie the answers she craves, along with unexpected romance and, if she’ll take it, a chance at her own happiness…

Will walking in her mother’s footsteps help Sophie discover who she was meant to be all along…?

The Dark by Sharon Bolton

The Dark takes after its name. A deeply dark thriller that will leave your heart pounding and your hand turning the page as quickly as possible. Out May 26th.

ONCE, SHE SAVED HIS LIFE…
NOW, HE’LL TAKE HERS.

When a baby is snatched from its pram and cast into the river Thames, off-duty police officer Lacey Flint is there to prevent disaster. But who would want to hurt a child?

DCI Mark Joesbury has been expecting this. Monitoring a complex network of dark web sites, Joesbury and his team have spotted a new terrorist threat from the extremist, women-hating, group known as ‘incels’ or ‘involuntary celibates.’ Joesbury’s team are trying to infiltrate the ring of power at its core, but the dark web is built for anonymity, and the incel army is vast.

Pressure builds when the team learn the snatched child was just the first in a series of violent attacks designed to terrorise women. Worse, the leaders of the movement seem to have singled out Lacey as the embodiment of everything they hate, placing her in terrible danger…

After Dark by Jayne Cowie. 

This book is so clever and timely. It is written so well and is so clever. Original and brilliant. Out May 12th.

WELCOME TO A WORLD WHERE WOMEN HOLD THE POWER.

They dominate workplaces, public spaces and government.

They are no longer afraid to cross a dark car park, catch the last train, or walk home alone.

With the Curfew law in place, all men are electronically tagged and must stay at home after 7pm.

It changed things for the better. Until now.

A woman is murdered late at night and evidence suggests she knew her attacker.

It couldn’t have been a man because a Curfew tag is a solid alibi… Isn’t it?

Glimpses by Pat Fowle. 

A clever idea well executed. Stories on a colourful life well lived.

Most of one’s life is not always memorable. I spent a fair amount of my past just chasing the wind, however, I can recall certain events, some of which I will share. I’ll stick to glimpses.

This is what could be described as a fragmented autobiography; a story told through noteworthy events that have occurred during a colourful life.

Some are mystical, some inexplicable. Short stories that involve humour, but most of all love, like threads of gold that run through a lifetime.

Five Days Missing by Caroline Corcoran

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It takes a brave author to tackle a difficult subject, and a mother leaving her newborn baby is certainly one of those. I was intrigued to find out how the author would make this book work. All I have to say is: wow. Five Days Missing flows perfectly with not a word out of place.Just when you think you know exactly what is happening another layer is peeled away.

The characters are all fascinating and believable. I loved most of them. I raced through this novel and enjoyed every page. It’s a masterclass of a psychological thriller. I am going to have to insist that you read it.
five days missing, caroline Corcoran

Having a baby is all about firsts. The first touch. The first kiss. The first cuddle. They mark a lifetime of firsts – including the first goodbye.

 

When Romilly says goodbye to her new baby daughter, abandoning her at the hospital hours after giving birth, no one can understand why she would leave – and where she has gone.

 

In those first few hours she had been the image of a doting mother and would have done anything to protect her baby.

Something has clearly gone wrong. Could it be that Romilly is suffering from postpartum psychosis, just as her mother did?

 

Or is something even worse at hand? A danger so grave that she would leave her longed-for daughter to escape it…

 

Caroline Corcoran’s first novel, Through The Wall, came out in October 2019. It was a Sunday Times top 20 bestseller and translated into numerous foreign languages. Her second book, The Baby Group, published in September 2020. As well as writing books, Caroline is a freelance lifestyle and popular culture journalist who has written and edited for most of the top magazines, newspapers and websites in the UK.

Out now.

SUNDAY SCENE: ROSIE PARKER ON HER FAVOURITE SCENE FROM ONLY HUMMINGBIRDS FLY BACKWARDS

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I began writing this novel not long after my own brother had a motorbike accident leaving him brain damaged. It took me quite a few years and several novels later to be able to fictionalise and give this story over to other characters to breathe life and their own tale.

Only Hummingbirds centres around twins Ronnie and Jake, now grown with their own families. After Jake’s horrific accident the two families decide to go on holiday to Brittany.

Much of the action takes place on the beaches and sand dunes of two seaside resorts: a fictional one in Brittany (based on Beg Meil where I holidayed with my own family), and the Somerset one of Brean (where my brother and I went many times, as children).

This novel has twin timelines (early 1970s and late 1980s), twinned places (West Country and Brittany), and focuses on twins Ronnie and Jake (before and after their marriages). When the two families decide to holiday in Brittany secrets begin to surface. Will Ronnie’s marriage survive, will she succumb to the charms of Xavier, and will she get her impossible wish?

Some of the story is shown in flashback and some in the form of letters. Below is part of a flashback from when the twins were young and on a day trip to Brean.

‘Howzat!’ cries Dad, not bothering to keep a note of triumph out of his voice.

            ‘Aw,’ says Jake, dropping his cricket bat.

            ‘Not fair. You should have bowled underarm,’ I shout at Dad. But the wind carries my voice up and away, just as it had sailed the ball plop into Dad’s hand.

            ‘What?’ he calls out.

            ‘Oh. Never mind.’

            I glance over to where the cars are parked at the edge of the dunes. Brean Sands is long and flat, the beach damp and hard from drizzle and high tides. When you swim in the sea, you get covered in brown stuff. We’re never too sure if its silt from the Bristol Channel Estuary, or sewage from neighbouring Weston Super Mare. I wonder if Mum is getting out the sandwiches yet. There’s no sign of her.

Our neighbour Beryl waves from her deckchair which is parked next to Slimy Bob’s Hillman Minx. Both her and stupid Marilyn sit with floppy sunhats. Marilyn is ill, and I once thought it’d be like in the book Heidi, with me tending the sickly Marilyn, but I soon discovered being Heidi is much overrated.

            ‘Come on Veronica!’ Dad beckons to me with large gestures. ‘Look lively. It’s Jake’s turn to bowl.’

I’m still fielding.

            Jake runs up to the crease Dad has made in the sand with his bat, and bowls – overarm – and wide.

            ‘Bad luck, lad. Try again,’ shouts Dad, as I fetch the ball then throw it to Jake, who rubs it on his groin – like real cricketers do. He pounds up to the crease, bowls, and this time Dad hits it. High high up into the sky only to disappear into the dunes.

            ‘Six!’ shouts Dad. Showing off as usual. I half run, half walk to fetch the ball – my brown Clarks sandals plodding on the sand. Dad is a member of Clifton Cricket Club: Jake and I are only ten. Which tells you all you need to know about Dad’s competitiveness.

            The wind off the sea is quite strong, but I can hear a soft laugh from behind the next dune.

 

I write romcoms under my own name of Rosemary Dun – this novel I’ve used a pen name – Rosie Parker.

https://www.facebook.com/RosemaryDunAuthor