Summer Reads

Posted on July 11, 2019 by Tracy Baines

A Maiden’s Voyage Rosie Goodwin

Thursday’s child has far to go . . .

1912, London.

The latest book in the Days of the Week series from Rosie Goodwin – A Maiden’s Voyage – is sure to be a hit with her many fans. I have to say I think this a great idea for a series and the way Rosie Goodwin has come up with the stories and characters to express the sentiment of each day has been truly imaginative.

Thursday’s child is the story of Flora Butler who lives in London, working as a lady’s maid to Constance Ogilvie. It suits Flora perfectly; she enjoys her work and is able to provide for her parents and four younger siblings. But when tragedy strikes Flora faces a difficult decision – move to new York with her mistress, or lose her job and stay with her family.

Before long, Flora and Connie are heading to Southampton to board the RMS Titanic…

With strong settings and likeable characters, this is a page turner of a book to sail away with.

Secrets of Santorini by Patricia Wilson

How far would you go to save those we hold deep in our hearts? What would you sacrifice to save the ones you love from harm? Secrets of Santorini is a love story, it’s ancient history with a modern twist. But most of all, it’s a love letter to the gorgeous island of Santorini.

Sent away to a convent school in Dublin at the age of five, Irini McGuire has always had a strained and distant relationship with her mother, Bridget, a celebrated archaeologist who lives on the paradise island of Santorini. So, when Irini receives news that Bridget has been injured at a dig and is in a coma, she knows it is finally time to return to the island of her birth.

Reading through her mother’s notes at her bedside, Irini starts to realise how little she knows about Bridget’s life. Now, driven by rumours that her mother’s injury was no accident, Irini must uncover the dark secrets behind her family’s separation.

Will she discover the truth about her parents and her past before it is too late?

The story flips between the past and the present day as Irini pieces together her mothers past. One for the suitcase – whether real or imaginary. You’ll feel you’re in Greece as soon as you start reading.

The Woman in the Photograph by Stephanie Butland

It’s 1968 and Veronica Moon is a junior photographer on a local paper in an Essex. She never gets good assignments, and no one takes her seriously. And then she visits the picket line at Dagenham Ford Factory and her life is changed forever.

At the front line of the fight for equal pay for women workers she meets Leonie – a privileged, angry activist, ahead of her time and prepared to fight for equality with everything she has. Veronica has never met anyone quite like her. She breaks off her engagement and moves to London with Leonie to begin a game-changing career and an intoxicating friendship.
Fifty years later and Leonie is gone. Veronica is a recluse with a crippling degenerative disease. For a while she was heralded as a pioneer, leading the charge for women everywhere. But her career was shockingly and abruptly ended by one of the most famous photographs of the twentieth century. It is a photograph that she took.
Now, as that controversial picture hangs as the centrepiece of a new feminist exhibition curated by Leonie’s niece, long-repressed memories of Veronica’s extraordinary life and tumultuous, passionate and – at times toxic – friendship begin to stir. It’s time to break her silence and step back into the light.

And she will no longer hide from the truth about that dark time.

Beautifully written, it draws you into the period from the first page. Such evocative writing and careful attention to detail really brought the 1970s to life.

Wilde Women by Louise Pentland

Robin Wilde is crazy busy with her exciting job and her lovely new man. She’s parenting with flair, and she’s feeling better after the heartbreak of last year. But with so little time to herself, and best friend Lacey’s increasing struggle with post-natal depression, the cracks are beginning to show. Cue a team trip to New York. It might just be the tonic Robin, Lacey, Auntie Kath, Edward and even Piper need.

Will the city that never sleeps make them or break them …

The latest adventures of Robin Wilde is sure to be a hit with Louise Pentland’s many fans. Witty, fun, and full of warmth that will leave you with the feel good factor.

The Women of Primrose Square by Claudia Carroll

Claudia Carroll takes us back to Primrose Square with a new set of characters.

When Frank Woods at number seventy-nine Primrose Square comes home to a surprise birthday party thrown by his wife and adoring children, it is his guests who get the real surprise.

Finding himself alone, he befriends the cantankerous Miss Hardcastle, who hasn’t left her home for decades, and Emily Dunne – fresh out of rehab and desperate to make amends.

As gossip spreads through Primrose Square, every relationship is tested, and nothing in this close-knit community will ever be the same again.

Full of warmth, humour and compassion. A perfectly lovely summer read.

Available from www.amazon.co.uk and www.waterstones.com

My Writing Process – Morton S. Gray

Posted on July 11, 2019 by Catherine Balavage

I am a published writer living in Worcestershire, UK with my husband, two sons and tiny white dog, Lily. I wrote my first novel when I was fourteen. It was a swashbuckling seafaring adventure, complete with galleons, cannons and a dashing hero. The story was heavily influenced by the Errol Flynn films I used to watch with my grandmother on Sunday afternoons. I got swallowed up after that by the education and work system and didn’t write much more than reports and meeting agendas for many years.

Starting to write more seriously when I was taking a break from work due to ill health, I took lots of writing courses and began to shortlist in writing competitions. Then in 2016, I got my publishing break, I won Choc Lit Publishing’s Search for a Star competition!

I have had three books published by Choc Lit so far – The Girl on the Beach, The Truth Lies Buried and Christmas at Borteen Bay, these are all romances with a mystery to solve and set in my fictional seaside town of Borteen. I am promoting the three Borteen Bay series while I finish my next books.

I write almost everywhere I go the old-fashioned way with notebook and pen – cafés, appointments, waiting for trains. I have piles of notebooks filled with stories. I generally prefer to write away from home, as I get too distracted by things that need doing in the house and, of course, by the dog. At least writing longhand in this way, the first time I put the words onto my computer it acts like a first edit of the manuscript.

My genre is romantic suspense, but I usually get so carried away with the mystery part of the book that I have to catch up with the romance when I’m editing. I don’t plan, I just write, that way the novel writing process is enjoyable for me as I don’t know what is coming next. My novels appear to naturally evolve. I read a book called Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert (the same person who wrote Eat, Pray, Love) and in it she talks about ideas and stories floating in the ether waiting to download to a receptive person and this is truly how it feels when I’m working.

I love writing, but with a teenager doing exams, a dependent mother, a husband who works abroad and a demanding dog, I often struggle to find time to myself (hence the haunting of coffee shops!). Nothing can compare to the feeling I get when the words are flowing and I get very twitchy if I haven’t had space to write.

For aspiring writers I think the most important thing is to write a story that sings to you, because that will allow you to write a story that sings to your readers too.

Biography for Morton S. Gray

Morton lives with her husband, two sons and Lily, the tiny white dog, in Worcestershire, U.K. She has been reading and writing fiction for as long as she can remember, penning her first attempt at a novel aged fourteen. She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and The Society of Authors.

Her debut novel The Girl on the Beach was published after she won the Choc Lit Publishing Search for a Star competition. This story follows a woman with a troubled past as she tries to unravel the mystery surrounding her son’s new headteacher, Harry Dixon. The book is available as a paperback and e-book.

Morton’s second book for Choc Lit The Truth Lies Buried is another romantic suspense novel, The book tells the story of Jenny Simpson and Carver Rodgers as they uncover secrets from their past. This book is available as an e-book, paperback and audiobook.

Christmas at Borteen Bay is Morton’s first Christmas novella. It is set in her fictional seaside town of Borteen and follows the story of Pippa Freeman, who runs the Rose Court Guesthouse with her mother, and local policeman Ethan Gibson, as they unravel a family secret as Christmas approaches.

You can catch up with Morton on her website www.mortonsgray.com, on

Twitter – @MortonSGray, her Facebook page – Morton S. Gray Author – https://www.facebook.com/mortonsgray/ and

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/morton_s_gray/

Purchasing links for The Girl on the Beach at http://www.choc-lit.com/dd-product/the-girl-on-the-beach/

Purchasing links for The Truth Lies Buried at http://www.choc-lit.com/dd-product/the-truth-lies-buried/

Purchasing links for Christmas in Borteen Bay at https://www.choc-lit.com/dd-product/christmas-at-borteen-bay/

100 Side Hustles: Unexpected Ideas for Making Extra Money Without Quitting Your Day Job by Chris Guillebeau

Posted on July 9, 2019 by Catherine Balavage

I am a fan of Chris Guillebeau and I find him inspirational. This book is as amazing as his other ones. It is distilled from his Side Hustle School podcast and features 100 people who have made their side hustle successful, or even turned it into a full time job. There is so much inspiration here but also a ton of advice and help, because inspiration only gets you so far. It has practical tips and strategies in perfectly illustrated pages. Brilliant.

Best-selling author Chris Guillebeau presents a full-color ideabook featuring 100 stories of regular people launching successful side businesses that almost anyone can do.

This unique guide features the startup stories of regular people launching side businesses that almost anyone can do: an urban tour guide, an artist inspired by maps, a travel site founder, an ice pop maker, a confetti photographer, a group of friends who sell hammocks to support local economies, and many more. In 100 Side Hustles, best-selling author of The $100 Startup Chris Guillebeau presents a colorful “idea book” filled with inspiration for your next big idea. Distilled from Guillebeau’s popular Side Hustle School podcast, these case studies feature teachers, artists, coders, and even entire families who’ve found ways to create new sources of income. With insights, takeaways, and photography that reveals the human element behind the hustles, this playbook covers every important step of launching a side hustle, from identifying underserved markets to crafting unique products and services that spring from your passions. Soon you’ll find yourself joining the ranks of these innovative entrepreneurs–making money on the side while living your best life.

Available here.

SISTER SCRIBES: JANE CABLE ON BOOK BIRTHDAYS

Posted on July 8, 2019 by Jane Cable

My latest book, Another You, was published at the end of last month. Actually, it was re-issued, but the experience was so different this time, it’s hardly felt as though it was ever out there before.

With its previous publisher, it slipped into the world unnoticed. I was given no prior warning then suddenly, there it was on Amazon. For a few days I told no-one, then somebody noticed and the cat was out of the bag. The week before Christmas. Not great timing for what is essentially a summer book.

Of course I had a certain trepidation signing with another publisher after that, but I could already see from the outside looking in that things would be different with Sapere. There was proper editing, for a start, and although the story is the same it is tighter, neater, with their input. And although last time the cover was good, this time it is knockout. When I saw the image of the soldier walking away, head bent, I cried. Because whoever had briefed the designer totally got the story.

Next there was a decent pre-order period with a boost of advertising and a mailer to kick it off. The result was it rocketed up the Amazon charts and although things have calmed down a little now I know the book is selling. And its presence on Netgalley has been skilfully used to generate reviews from trusted readers, which has not only raised Another You’s profile but has also given me a rich vein of content for social media.

With the pre-orders having gone so well I didn’t expect too much from publication day itself, but I was knocked out by the support I received on social media, especially from members of the Romantic Novelists’ Association. They are a generous hearted bunch and I seemed to spend much of the day saying thank you, which was only right. There was considerable support from my buddies at Chindi Authors too.

The day before some lovely flowers had arrived from my Sister Scribes and they were looking glorious in their vase in the sunshine. There was also a parcel, which contained a gorgeous embroidered notebook and pencil case, in colours that toned beautifully with my book cover. Next an email popped into my inbox with a voucher for a spa day at the marvellous Scarlet on my beloved north Cornwall coast. To say I was overwhelmed is a bit of an understatement.

The day became even stranger, when no doubt prompted by all this activity my husband downloaded the book. To put this into context, he has never before read anything I’ve written outside the world of cricket journalism. To be fair, he’d been talking about downloading Another You for a while, but there wasn’t any point if he had no intention of reading it. This time, he says he will, but I have to say I’ve seen no moves to do so yet.

Then, just when I thought all the fuss was over, the doorbell rang again and a bottle of champagne turned up – again, courtesy of my Sister Scribes. These amazing, amazing, women. I am truly humbled to have them as my friends.

The point is – they get it. They’re writers too, so they know how publication day should feel. They know it should be special enough to mark the fruition of what is months, and sometimes years, of work. Every book needs a proper birthday, and this is one I will never forget.

My Writing Process – Juliette Forrest

Posted on July 4, 2019 by Catherine Balavage

My writing journey began quite late. After I left school, I moved to London and worked as an art director in advertising. It was years later, during an evening class at Glasgow School of Art, that it finally dawned on me I was awful at life drawing. So, I gave it up to attended my first writing class on a Saturday morning at Glasgow University. I wrote a piece for the group and the teacher suggested I could have the beginnings of a children’s book. I thought he was bonkers – but decided to give it a go. When I won a New Writers Award from Scottish Book Trust in 2014, everything changed. They gave me a bursary, a mentor, time away at a retreat, social media training and voice coach sessions. It was their belief in me that spurred me on to finish my first book, Twister, which was published by Scholastic in February 2018. It was a Sunday Times Book of the Week, The Guardian’s ‘must-read’ kid’s book of the summer and won the Calderdale Book of the Year Award 2019. I’ve just finished as Writer in Residence at All Saints Primary in Greenock and my second novel The True Colours of Coral Glen launches on July 4^th.

What is your process?

I tend to work quite early in the morning because there are fewer distractions. I think one of the most positive influences on my writing process is my dog. He won’t let me sit at my laptop for too long and walking him gives me the space to work out plot or dialogue. Plus, I meet colourful characters in the park, who always make their way into my novels.

Do you plan or just write?

I use my synopsis as a guide and think carefully about what needs to happen to drive the story forward. I let it rattle around inside my head for a while, so I can tinker around with it and explore different options. It helps for me to imagine the story as a film playing out – so I tend to visualise each chapter before I begin writing.

What about word count?

Some days, I don’t seem to be able to write much at all, and others, I can whizz through entire chapters. I don’t adhere to a strict daily word count for this reason. If it’s not happening, I never berate myself, but turn my attention elsewhere for a while. There is always something to be getting on with like research or answering children’s letters.

What do you find hard about writing?

I’m often convinced I’ve got a great plot idea and I’ll spend ages working on it, only to discover at the very last minute that it’s flawed. I find this frustrating – like it is precious time wasted. However, I do believe it’s good to go down the wrong path because when you eventually hit the right one, you feel confident the story is the very best it can be.

What do you love about writing?

I absolutely love creating characters. There is one I’m working on for my next book who is going to be so much fun to spend time with. It’s brilliant when a character comes alive and tells you what is going to happen next. If you’re surprised, you can be sure the reader will be too. The next best thing about being a children’s author is chatting with the kids at events. It makes all the blood, sweat and tears worth it.

Advice for other writers?

I think it’s important you always celebrate when good things happen with your writing because any achievement in this industry is huge. And I firmly believe there is no genius except for the genius of hard work.

Published on 4th July.

My Writing Process | Holly Wainwright

Posted on July 4, 2019 by Catherine Balavage

I’m Holly Wainwright and I’m a writer and a journalist, editor and a podcaster – all the things.

Most recently and significantly, I have written two novels – The Mummy Bloggers and How To Be Perfect, about women who write on the Internet and whose online personas don’t much match the chaos and artifice of their real lives. The books are really all about the lengths people will go to for Likes.

Latest Book.

The Mummy Bloggers. It was my first book, it’s just come out in the UK via Legend Press and I’m very proud of it.

A bit about your process of writing.

I find I have to treat writing a book in the same way I treat a job – I sit down every day with a number of words in mind and I just do it, even if I don’t love the words. The idea is that I can fix that later. Some days the discipline works, others not so much!

I also mostly write sitting on my bed, in silence. Other than when my kids come and ask, ‘What you doing?” and proceed to make a mess of everything.

Do you plan or just write?

A bit of both. Our bedroom wall at home is covered in Post-It notes, which is how I plot out a book with the characters and then, Chapter by Chapter. Post-its are great because you can move them around, but I do find myself procrastinating by obsessing about colour and placement!

But once all the Post-Its are up, often the conclusion of plot-points come to me as I’m writing. That’s the best kind of day, when problems are just solving themselves on the page.

What about word count?

I would often give myself a daily word-count. I wouldn’t get to it every day, but I’d aim for most. I don’t think I’ll ever forget the feeling of hitting the word count on my first book, I was so bloody proud.

How do you do your structure?

See aforementioned Post-It note wall – very high-tech.

What do you find hard about writing?

The constant self-doubt. And the amount of tea I drink while I’m doing it…. lots of toilet breaks.

What do you love about writing?

Everything else. On a good day, when it’s working, there’s nothing that makes me happier, puts me in a better mood and feels more like the thing I should be doing with my time. Creating people and worlds is the best job in the world.

Advice for other writers.

Don’t assume it’s easy for everyone else and you must just be the untalented one. Writing is difficult for everyone who does it well.

That, and to lay off the cups of tea a bit.

Holly is the author of The Mummy Bloggers (Legend Press, out now) and How to be Perfect (out 1^st November)

Our social media is:

Legend Press @legend_press on Twitter, @legendpress on Instagram
Holly is @hollycwain on Twitter and @wainwrightholly on Instagram

The Mummy Bloggers Book Review

Posted on July 3, 2019 by Catherine Balavage

Mummy bloggers are huge now. While motherhood used to be a solitary business, the internet has allowed thousands of mothers to write about their experiences and, in some cases, make money while they do so. The term ‘mummy blogger’ can be used in a negatory way, but, hey, there is sexism everywhere.

The Mummy Bloggers by Holly Wainwright is an outstanding book. She writes her characters so vividly, you really feel like you know them. I raced through this book as quickly as my children and work commitments would let me. It has great pace and the twists and turns keep you guessing. The book is so relevant and smart. Definitely one of my favourite books of the year. It also has a positive review from You magazine editor Jo Elvin on the cover and she has impeccable taste. A must read.

You can read about Holly Wainwright’s writing process on Frost Magazine tomorrow.

Elle Campbell is a glossy, lycra-clad mum with washboard abs, a ten-year plan and a secret past.

Abi Black has quit sugar, moved to the country and is homeschooling her kids.

Leisel Adams slogs away at her office job each day before rushing home, steeped in guilt, to spend precious moments with her kids before bedtime.

All three share a label that they simultaneously relish and loathe: mummy blogger. And when they are nominated for an award with a hefty cash prize, the scene is set for a brutal and often hilarious battle for hearts, minds-and clicks. As the awards night gets closer, their lies get bigger, their stunts get crazier – and some mistakes from the past become harder and harder to hide.

The Mummy Bloggers is available here.

Frost Magazine

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