A Very British Blog Tour - 2013

Welcome to A VERY BRITISH BLOG TOUR 2013 – a collection of blogs, books and authors who are surprisingly very British.

The lovely author Jenny Twist invited me, and a hand-picked group of British authors, to take part in ‘A Very British Blog’ by visiting and supporting the websites of authors involved in the tour, and who are dedicated to turning out some of the finest books available in Britain today. Each author, named at the bottom of the page, has been asked the same questions, but their answers will obviously all be different. You merely click on the author’s link at the bottom of the page to see how they have answered the same questions.

But, before you begin reading, it's important to know that we Brits have certain conventions, traditions and procedures that are expected. There is a dress code in the reading of this British blog and you are expected to comply with it.

For example…

Gentlemen will wear suits, white shirts and dark ties. (Military ties are expected wherever possible). Ladies will wear dresses (one inch above the knee, no higher, no lower) and floral summer hats. A break for tea and cucumber sandwiches is expected at some stage, and is permissible. The list at the bottom the page is not a queue. We British hate queues, and will accept them no longer. It is an invitation, and you are expected to accept that invitation and support the home-grown product. Now then, let us proceed in an orderly fashion. As you know, we are all very boring and staid in Britain, aren’t we?  

Of course not!  So let's dispel the myths and get straight to the questions put by A VERY BRITISH WRITER, together with my answers:

Q. Where were you born and where do you live at the moment?

A. Born in historic, leafy Yorkshire, I now live in historic, leafy Surrey in a very old (and very cold) partially-listed cottage.

Q. Have you always lived and worked in Britain or are you based elsewhere at the moment?

A. I left England during the eighties for about six years to live and work in Greece.  Part of that time was spent in Sparta and the rest in Athens.  I'm now home for good...I think.

Q. Which is your favourite part of Britain?

A. Do you know, I have a sneaky suspicion that you actually have to leave Britain for a while to truly appreciate it.  I know I began to be much more aware of its beauty when I lived abroad and began to consider it more objectively.  Britain is brim-full of wonderful places and great national parks, like The Lake District, The Peak District, Dartmoor, Exmoor, Snowdonia and many more - each of which is stunningly beautiful. 

I have particular soft spots for Robin Hood's Bay in North Yorkshire, and Polperro in Cornwall where I spent happy childhood holidays fantasising about being a pirate long before Johnny Depp made the life quite so glamorous.  I'm fortunate that my parents loved their homeland and we spent every holiday and many weekends exploring all those places in between so there's very little of it that I haven't seen, known and loved.

Q. Have you ‘highlighted’ or ‘showcased’ any particular part of Britain in your books? For example, a town or city; a county, a monument or some well-known place or event? 

A.  Oh yes, every novel takes place in a specific area, even though I often change the names a little.  In Loving Hate, Wishful Thinking and Killing Jenna Crane are all set mainly in a London which is very recognisable (Regent's Park, Baker Street, Waterloo Bridge, The Thames, Knightsbridge, Hampstead Heath and many other places all appear).  Shopping for Love and Unworkers are set very much in the area I live now in Surrey, while The Apple Tree is mainly set in a hybrid of places that are Yorkshire through and through.  Only the short sci-fi story (Surveillance), co-written with my son, is based in a purely fictional place.

 

Q. There is an illusion – or myth if you wish - about British people that I would like you to discuss. Many see the ‘Brits’ as ‘stiff upper lip’. Is that correct?

A. If it ever did exist, then it was probably only as a Victorian ideal or piece of propaganda and I sincerely hope that it doesn't exist any more because it's depressive behaviour.  People in other countries seem to get on perfectly well without repressing their emotions and according to so many surveys, they do a lot better than us in the happiness-stakes too! 

Q. Do any of the characters in your books carry the ‘stiff upper lip’? Or are they all ‘British Bulldog’ and unique in their own way?

A. If I'm honest, I confess I did have one male character (Nicholas in The Apple Tree) who could perhaps have been described as such in that he believed his head could control his heart and his emotions could be kept in check - but he learned the hard way that the heart follows its own rules.

Q. Tell us about one of your recent books?

A. I'd love to!  Here is the blurb for Killing Jenna Crane

This is not a story about a murder, but a dark journey inside a writer's mind.  Commitment-shy Ellis Crawford, creator of the famous and highly successful Jenna Crane mystery series, finds his comfortable life swept away when he meets Emily, his perfect woman. 

Despite his deepening love for Emily, Ellis finds himself haunted by painful memories of a previous love whose heart he broke, and begins to regret his past behaviour.  On top of that, Emily wants him to kill off his beloved heroine Jenna Crane - against fierce public opinion.

But life is too short for regrets and when his own rapidly spirals out of control, taking his reputation as an author with it, where will Ellis turn for help?

I'm quite excited about this book because it marks a departure from my usual style of romance, dealing with darker psychological themes and containing quite a bit of suspense.  Those who have read it have been pleasantly surprised. 

It's written from the male perspective of the author Ellis Crawford, who is not the most endearing of heroes, but his flaws are explored and gradually explained - hopefully garnering a little bit of sympathy for him.  He's always treated women inconsiderately and is quite callous with Chloe, breaking her heart.  It isn't until Emily turns the tables on him that he begins to realise the extent of his own past actions.  However, Killing Jenna Crane is far from being a conventional romance and takes some surprising twists and turns.

Q. What are you currently working on?

Unworkers is my next release and I've been working on this (on and off) for many years.  Again, this is not a romance but a ghost story involving five women who come together through Chichester Court, the sinister house in which three of the women live with their young children.  The house is filled with mysterious whisperings urging unspeakable acts, strange and disturbing dreams and bizarre events which affect them all as the forces in the house escalate out of control. 

The novel is about poisons and potions; about relationships, past lives and the painful secrets between men and women which spread to permeate the private spaces of their lives and homes.

Q. How do you spend your leisure time?

When I'm not writing or catching up on writing-related activities, I'm usually reading and thinking about writing.  I enjoy experimental cooking, so escape to my kitchen when I feel the need for a change.  I'm forever trying to grow my own herbs and vegetables, though not with any great success, unfortunately.  I love the theatre and cinema and enjoy losing myself in a good film or drama.  I'm also learning to speak Cat - weird language!

Q. Do you write for a local audience or a global audience?

The more people I can reach with my stories, the better, although these do tend to have a local flavour or setting.  However, like many writers, I have to say that I write the sort of stories I enjoy reading - so you might say I write for myself - that's a very local audience.

Q. Can you provide links to your work?

Here is my UK Amazon author page  and my US Amazon Author Page where all my publications are listed.

And my website, with links, excerpts etc.

To see how other authors respond, just click on an author named below:

Rosemary Morris
Sherry Gloag
Jan Warburton
Jan Ruth

Wednesday's Writer - Su Halfwerk

It always gives me great pleasure to welcome a writer I know and respect and whom I also consider a good friend along to my blog and Su Halfwerk fits this criteria perfectly.  Apart from that she has a new release (Avenger) which I'm dying to talk to her about.  But first, for those who might not know her as well as I do, I have to put her through the mill with a few searching questions.

Su, what inspired you to write your first novel and did you always know what your genre would be?

Circumstances inspired my first novel. One of my hobbies is painting, especially with oil paint. That involved chemicals like the paint itself, turpentine, thinners, among other goodies. But when I had my son, I also became a super hygiene-freak. I wouldn't touch anything that might pollute his milk, or bottles, or juice. Keep in mind please that I'm the type of person who goes crazy if they aren't creating something. While reading an especially badly written horror book, I thought I could do better than that, couldn't I? And so I tried my hand at it and discovered a new passion that pushed painting to the backseat.

I knew horror as a writing genre would always be there since I read, breathe, and survive on horror movies and books. My surprise was when I discovered a softer side to my writing in penning romances, albeit containing entities from the darker side as well.

But paranormal romance is so popular at the moment - it's great that you could adapt and give readers what they want.  So would you say that horror and paranormal romance reflect what you like to read yourself?  Do you have specific views on what should and shouldn't be included in romance novels?

My reading pile spans over several genres; thriller and suspense, historical romance, contemporary romance, and of course, paranormal romance and horror. To tell you the truth, as long as the story is well written and is intriguing, I will read and enjoy the book.

The romance genre has many subgenres, and even those are reproducing. The only limitation I see is having to adhere to what's expected. For example, a detailed love-making scene will be unexpected—perhaps even unwelcome—in inspirational or sweet romance. We don't want to disappoint readers, they choose their books/genres with specific expectations in mind.

This is so true.  Genre-boundaries lend themselves to flexibility, but that can also cause problems for the author.  I always like to ask if any part of yourself has ever crept into the heroines of any of your stories?

I'm not sure. These ladies take over when I write them, so if any piece of me is in there then it's by accident, especially when I'm writing horror. I would be a sadist to subject myself to the things I put my characters through.

Lol - yes, I suppose that's true.  What about your heroes?  What is the most desirable characteristic you've bestowed on the hero of your latest novel?

Luke, from Avenger, can't tell a lie. He isn't beset by sickness, it's just his nature. It's also the reason for his downfall and his death. Of course, that means he plays around with the meaning of words to compensate.

How fascinating.  I love an honest man, but sometimes a little white lie is a must. 

Do you think you'll always write in the same genre and style or do you have desires to experiment and if so, in what way?

I learn new facts, myths, and techniques with each book I read or write, so staying in the same style is out of the question. My goal is to continue growing and learning, and if in the process I come across genres or styles more suitable, I will most probably adopt and adapt to them.

Well, you've really whetted my appetite now and I want to find out more about Luke and Avenger, so let's check out the blurb and then read an excerpt of Avenger, which is book 2 of the Unsettled Trilogy.

Blurb

Luke has two purposes, hunting spirits and avenging his own death.

Pru has one goal, to return to her body, especially now that Luke is interested in her. Her memories of his shady past haunt her and keep her on guard around him.

Ignoring his teen infatuation with Pru, Luke looks for ways to exorcise her, while she must face the fact that she might never be united with herself again.

Amidst rogue spirits, ferocious drug smugglers, and unbendable celestial rules, Pru and Luke’s love demands a sacrifice that can snuff out their rekindled romance before it has even begun. 

When Luke has to decide between his conflicting desires, which path will he choose?  And will the sacrifice be worth it?

Excerpt from Avenger

  “Hey, you,” some moron screamed at the top of his lungs. Would these people ever consider adding a name when they call each other? Sheesh! Pru straightened up and resumed walking while massaging her middle.

    “You, girl in violet shirt! Wait up,” the man shouted again. Yeah, adding an adjective might attract some girl’s attention. What a lousy pick up line.

    She stopped in half stride. Hold on a second, she thought, I’m wearing a violet shirt.

    “Yes, I’m talking to you. Turn around,” he said, more calmly now that he had her attention.

    The resonance of his voice kindled a flicker of recognition in her. His voice, full of authority, demanded immediate yielding. Pru half turned, hope surging through her like an electric shock. She pointed at herself and asked in a shaky voice, “You’re talking to me?”

    The man’s upper half was in shadows, but he seemed to still at hearing her voice. Anyone would if they could see through someone else.

    “Pru?” He uttered her name in a husky and deep whisper. It did nasty things to her pulse.

    He stepped out of the shadows. Long, muscular legs clad in black pants were revealed, the swagger slow and surefooted. The shadow receded and the man’s torso emerged. Black t-shirt stretched over a broad chest, outlining every bit of its firm muscularity. Raising her gaze, Pru encountered a firm mouth set in a smirk and deep cryptic, dark eyes that made her their sole focus. All that rugged handsomeness was topped by army style trimmed black hair.

    “Luke?” Pru blinked, not believing her eyes. Occasionally, memories of her teen crush pushed through her mind for no reason and she used to push them back. She couldn’t do that now, those memories were in the front seat because he was standing right in front of her.

    He just had to develop a voice that dripped awesomeness.

    Pru shook her head. What’s wrong with me?

    Luke gawked at her, his hands tucked casually into pants pockets. Pru had the impression he wasn’t as nonchalant as his appearance implied for meeting the girl who—according to him at the time—qualified to enter a mind-fuck contest.

    “What are you up to?” He barked at her.

    Definitely tense. She chose to ignore his rudeness. “You can see me?” She rushed toward him then halted as memories of previous attempts to touch others surfaced in her head. They were nasty experiences that left her reeling with emotions alien to her.

    “Are you looking for a place to stay?”

    She tucked a runaway strand of hair behind her ear and frowned. “What do you mean?”

    Slowly, he said, “Are you up for a stay?” His voice had an edge to it, one she didn’t trust.

    Eyes narrowed, she said, “I’m not homeless. Your hostility doesn’t make sense.”

    He lowered his head and shook it. Perhaps if she explained her situation, he might know what she should do. “I guess I should be grateful for meeting someone. It’s been very lonely. No one to speak to—”

    “And no one to possess.” A vein throbbed in his jaw.

    She took a step back. “Possess?”

    “Since I’m the only living person who can see you, I suggest you drop the innocent act.”

    People gawked at him and changed paths as they neared him. It didn’t seem to bother him that others thought he was talking to himself.

    Pru laughed, pointing a finger at herself. “You think I’m dead?”

    “I know you’re dead,” he said through gritted teeth and pulled his hand from his pocket. “Time to send you home.”

    Home was too far away, way beyond her lifeline’s limit. An ache pulsed in Pru’s chest and birthed a fury that paralyzed her with its intensity. Instead of facing her, Luke swiveled about, his gaze following a woman pushing a baby stroller. Pru ceased to exist for him and that infuriated her even more. She stomped a foot. “You don’t even know where I live.”

    He kept looking at the other woman.

    “I’m talking to you, Luke. Look at me.”

    He tilted his head as though tuned to something else. Finally, he said, “Yeah, I see that.” His eyes flicked back to Pru. “I’ll have to give this one a rain check then.” Smirking, Luke lifted his hand and saluted her. “Catch you later, sunshine.” With that, he followed the other woman.

    “Don’t call me that,” Pru shouted and dashed after him. After few strides, her breath caught and her steps faltered. Like a lasso, the invisible lifeline tightened around her mid-section, constricted her chest, and snatched her back.

    She had overstepped her boundaries.

Oooh!  Sounds great, doesn't it?

 Buy links:

 Devine Destinies

Amazon

Author bio:

Su Halfwerk

Su Halfwerk writes paranormal romance and horror stories. From a tender age, the written word left a strong impression on her and later on, terrifying, blood-chilling books became the object of her interest. Somehow, in her mind, the blossoming of romance in the midst of that mix was only natural.

Her style in horror combines shuddery terror with an element of surprise--some would even call it an enigmatic twist. However, in the world of paranormal romance, she transforms the desire to scare into a quest to seduce and tantalize.

Besides writing, Su designs book covers and trailers for herself and other authors (including me).  Isn't she amazing?

Click on any of the following links to find her:

Website: 

Facebook: 

Twitter:

Graphic Design website: 

Readers Writes - Where Readers Talk About Books

Sandra Richardson

I've been waiting excitedly for some time to introduce this week's guest reader to you.  Her name is Sandra Richardson and I think she's special because she's a book reviewer who runs the excellent blog Jeanz Book Read N Review.  As someone who reads and reviews books on request, I thought it would be very interesting to find out what she picked out to read purely for her own pleasure.  As you can imagine, I had quite a lot of questions to ask her, so let's get straight on with the interview.

Firstly Sandra, I'd love to know a little bit about how or why you became a reviewer (and which came first, the reviews or the blog?)  How do your reading commitments fit in with your lifestyle?

I have always been a reader, and have always loved and enjoyed a variety of books. I used to work in a large well known book retailer but due to health issues, was made redundant. As I am a full time carer now to my mum, my reading and reviewing fits perfectly around that.

I was already on Goodreads and had spoken to an Author or two on there when one lovely lady suggested I should/could have my own book review blog. She even put together a list of authors who would give away a copy of their book for me to read and a copy for a giveaway on my blog too. The lovely author I am referring to is Patti Roberts, she writes The Paradox series of books. I started my own blog in August 2009.

It's a wonderful blog too -very lively and interesting.  You must receive numerous requests for reviews - how do you choose which books/authors to take on?

I try to take on only books I know that I would definitely want to read. My blog has recently become busier so I do find myself having to say “sorry no thanks” to more Authors, which is hard because you want to help promote everyone’s books for them.

Difficult, I'm sure, and reviewing must require a lot of skill and tact.  For me a 5* review means a book is literally 'unputdownable'.  How do you 'measure' a good book?

I always say I am “tight” with my stars in that I don’t give 5 stars easily! Having said that, last year 2012 was a great year for 5 star books for me. To gain 5 Stars the book has to grab me within the first chapter or so, keep me hooked, maybe have a little twist in the tale, and make me want to read a book two straight away!

Can't argue with that!  How do you feel if you really like or thoroughly dislike a book you've agreed to review?

If I really like a book, then that’s great, though sometimes the more you like a book the harder the review is to do without giving away spoilers.

In a way if you dislike a book it’s easier. Sure it’s harder to slog to the end of it, but then the review can be easier to write as you have something to discuss, the reasons you disliked it, and what you would do to improve it.

As a writer, I welcome constructive criticism, so I'm sure your authors are very grateful.  Do you receive feedback from writers or other readers on your reviews?

Sometimes other readers or bloggers will comment on your post on your blog and let you know if your review has made them re-consider and want to read a book they wouldn’t normally have chosen.

Or maybe they disagree with your review which is also fine as it wouldn’t be normal for us all to like the same books would it?

When you put your reviews on Amazon.com  people/readers give feedback on if your review helped them decide whether to buy the book etc, which is great.

Do you know if your reviews influence the success (or otherwise) of a new title?

I suppose reviews must influence the success of a book as if a book is on Amazon.co.uk for example and you are unsure whether you would like them or not you can read other peoples thoughts on the books to help you make the final decision on purchasing or not.

Indeed.  Now some more general questions about reading - Did you have a favourite book or author as a child?

As a child I loved books by Enid Blyton, such as the Amelia Jane Books, The Magic Faraway Tree and The Secret Seven Books. I also remember reading Mrs Pepperpot Stories by Alf Próysen myself when I was old enough. From the titles I have mentioned you will see I have always loved a fantasy/magical element book.

Ah yes, I remember The Secret Seven books very well.  Have you kept or sought out a favourite book from childhood to pass to your own children?  If so, what is it?

I sought out The Magic Faraway Tree books by Enid Blyton for my daughter.

Hope she loved it too.  What is your happiest reading memory?

It’s more a book purchasing memory really, I remember an auntie taking me with my mum to Leeds to a large “old fashioned” book store, where I had been given vouchers to choose my own books. Previously I had always had the books chosen and bought for me. Wow you would have thought I had been given the Golden Ticket in Charlie & The Chocolate Factory! I loved handling the books and choosing which ones I could get in exchange for my vouchers.

A magical memory.  What was the first book you remember reading independently and really enjoying?

Hmm this is a difficult one as I actually can’t remember my first ever book. I just remember always having books and receiving them for Birthdays and Christmas too.

How significant was reading to you as a child?

As an only child, reading was really significant as it was something I could do that didn’t depend on having anyone else around. Reading was something I always enjoyed, it was never a chore.

How important is reading in your life now?

It’s really important as it is something that fits around my caring duties. I enjoy the escapism of great books. You can read about other people’s lives in Biographies or read the fiction that authors come with. I think if I didn’t have my reading I would go mad! Reading is something that I can do with my health issues too, that doesn’t cause me further pain. I read to relax and wind down in the evening. I enjoy lying in bed reading for a couple of hours before turning off the light and trying to sleep. Also if I am in a lot of pain or cannot sleep I can pick up my book and try reading as a distraction too.

A good book can be marvellous medicine!  Have you ever revisited books you read in childhood to try to recapture the magic?

Yes, I revisited many books by buying them for my daughter as she was growing up, starting with the Enid Blyton books, then books like When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr. Now she reads and recommends books to me!

Lol, isn't that always the way!  Have you ever wished you could change places with any character from a story?

Maybe if the characters had an easy, great life, but then you look at the good things in your own life which is real and have to get on with the hand you have been dealt.

Very wise.  Is there a fictional world you would love to visit or live in?

When I was younger I would have liked to have visited Mallory Towers by Enid Blyton.

I also remember reading about a girl called Clare who could time travel and I always kind of envied her!

Who wouldn't want to time travel?  Do you think the young of today read enough, and if not, how might you try to encourage them to read more?

I think the young of today have so many other distractions such as computers and electronic games etc that they just don’t bother finding the time to read.

I also believe that schools don’t encourage the children to read enough, or the right type of reading material. My daughter always loved reading, from being read to as a baby onwards to her being almost seventeen and having her own book read and review blog like I have. We decided we both read so much that we needed our own blogs and that sharing one blog would just not work! So luckily my daughter always had an advanced reading age, so much so that the tattered, battered, falling apart, books that the school had along with the nicer new books they had did not challenge my daughter enough. 
They then bought what they thought she should enjoy reading like girly books such as Jacqueline Wilson books. Don’t get me wrong Jacqueline Wilson is a great author and has many young girls who are fans but having that type of book pushed onto you doesn’t encourage reading. Anyhow at the time I was lucky to have a little staff discount at the Book Retailers I worked at and I bought her the books I knew she would like to read, which were books such as Eragon by Christopher Paolini and The Various by Steven Augarde.

I think the schools should encourage the children to sit and read both to themselves and to sit and read to either a teacher or parent. My daughter's school realised my daughter to be a competent reader and so she never got to read to the teacher after a while. Then they hit on the idea of having the less competent readers to read out to my daughter whilst another child got to read to the teacher. Which I suppose was a compliment to my daughter but I felt they were taking her own personal reading time enjoyment away.

I would love to help teach children to read more, or help find books suited to the individual child and their reading preferences. It was something I loved doing in the retail environment I worked in. I loved helping the youngsters find something that they truly wanted to read. To see them return to the store to buy the next book in the series to read, and then come to me to recommend another series I thought they would like as they had enjoyed that one so much.

I could really rattle on forever about my view on children and reading, there are so many ways we can encourage them to read. I mean there’s audio books to listen to when they go to bed or at a “quiet time” in school, or magazines, or factual books on subjects the child is interested in. I used to love the teacher reading to us at the end of the school day.

This is music to my ears!  We are clearly kindred spirits on this subject and like you, I could discuss this forever.

Do you have a favourite book or author as an adult?  If so, who/why and have you read it more than once?

This is seriously hard as there are so, so, many great Authors out there that I read and also many more I am sure I have yet to discover. I love so many genres of book that I never tend to stick with just one author. At one time Catherine Cookson was a favourite, then I also love Rachel Vincent, Richelle Mead, J.A. Belfield, Patti Roberts, Collette Scott, Samantha Towle, Suzy Turner...... I could go on and on.

Yes, reading is an ever-changing journey of discovery.  Do you prefer print or e-books?

On one hand I’d say e-books. I love reading on my kindle. I can adjust the print size so that I don’t need to wear any glasses! There’s no storage problems with e-books, you don’t need a book shelf.

On the other hand I still love the experience of holding a book, curling up in a chair and reading. I also love looking at my books on the book shelf! I like seeing a book cover, whereas with an electronic copy the cover is not seen as much.

I know, and yet it seems to be just as important to readers when choosing e-books.  What are you currently reading and in what format (hardback, paperback, e-book)?

At the moment I am in the process of reading two books. Which I don’t usually do. If I read more than one book I have to make sure they are totally different. Also if I start more than one book at a time i tend to have a favourite of the two and read that one first anyway.

The reason I have two books on the go together at the moment is one is an e-book, it’s a Beta-Read for a Bk#2 in a Series by an author who has become a good friend and it is the second Beta–Read I have done for her. I have Beta-Read about four books now and really enjoy it. You are privileged that the Author is really interested in what you maybe would change in the book.

The other book I am reading is an Advance Reader Copy of Fuse by Julianna Baggot, which is Bk#2 in the Pure Series and is officially released on 19th February. I slipped straight back into this book. Am about half way through and totally hooked back into the plot, characters, drama and action.

Personally I think beta-readers are the most important people an author knows! 

Do you think e-books will ever totally replace print?

No, I don’t. I mean CDs never completely replaced vinyl records did they?  There will always be book collectors.

True.  Do you think books transfer to films well?  What is your favourite or worst book-to-film transfer?

Sometimes they do transfer well, it depends how closely to the books the Films and TV shows are kept.

I mean most people will have heard of Twilight by Stephanie Meyer and I think the first book and film transfer was great. The film was kept totally true to the book. I do however think that as the films have gone on they are maybe not as true to the books as they perhaps could have been.

One Book to TV Series transfer I hated was The Vampire Diaries by L.J. Smith. In fact I hated them so much I stopped watching the TV show.

I also hated the True Blood by Charlaine Harris Book to TV Series transfer. I hated the fact characters were totally changed, removed, or appeared earlier in the TV show than they did the books. It totally put me off watching it and sadly for me spoiled the future books somewhat too.

Another Book to TV Show I watched and enjoyed was The Secret Circle by L.J. Smith but maybe that’s just because I have yet to read the books. I also think now I have seen the TV show will I ever get round to reading the books?

There are so many Book to Film Transfers or Book to TV Shows coming up, like Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl, Delirium by Lauren Oliver, The Selection by Kiera Cass, The Host by Stephanie Meyer and I’m sure there will be even more by the time this Interview is posted!

Have you discovered any new writers you'd recommend to other readers?  If so, what was great about their work?

I’m always discovering New Authors with doing my blog. So please give it a look. So I should recommend a few I suppose. If you like a realistic tear jerker then Collette Scott, Paige Dearth, Terri Morgan, and Stacy Eaton. Some great Dystopian Authors are  Sophie Littlefield, Mike Mullin, Lissa Bryan, Jack Blaine and Lauren DeStefano are just a few I’ve read recently. You do realise I could literally go on forever and ever!

I've heard of many of these and they're all excellent.  Is there a book you know you'll never read or found impossible to finish?

I tried reading The Secrets Of Nymph when I was younger and just couldn’t get into it. I also know I’d never read something like Lord Of The Rings, it just doesn’t appeal to me.

And now my favourite question.  If you could invite three favourite writers to dinner, who would you choose and what would you hope to talk about?

Only three! I always ask this question to Authors and I think it’s a great question but when I am asked it I’m sort of thinking only three! But ...but three! Can I cheat and have two dinner parties and have Indie Authors one evening and Mainstream Authors the other night?

Well Indie Night. . . would have to be Patti Roberts as I’d love to meet the lady that set me off blogging! Then Collette Scott, the first Author that trusted me to Beta-Read for her and finally Karen A Wyle who I also Beta-Read for. . . . . Can I sneak just one more? Terri Morgan who provides Guest Posts for my blog every 4-6 weeks.

And Mainstream Author Dinner guests would be, Sophie Littlefield, Mike Mullins, and Lissa Bryan all dystopian authors!

I really could have gone on and on, a Dream Meet would be Jana Oliver! I love the Demon Trappers Trilogy so much. I rarely reread books but I think I will re-read those. There’s a never ending list of Authors I would love to chat with and have chatted with via e-mail too.

I’ve “met” some great people, Authors that have turned into friends through my book read and review blogging, which I hope you include yourself among. Thanks for “turning the tables on me” and asking me to do an Interview for you. I have really enjoyed taking part.

And thank you, Sandra for providing such fascinating responses.  Don't forget to visit Sandra's wonderful blog - Jeanz Book Read N Review to read some of her reviews.

If you're an avid reader and would like to be interviewed about your reading habits, likes and dislikes on my blog, please contact me at ManicScribbler.gmail.com.

Wednesday's Writer - Mona Risk

Today's guest is award-winning and best-selling author Mona Risk talking about series in general and her own latest series in particular.  

Series by Mona Risk

Years ago I read a series of six Regency novels by Stephanie Laurens who at the time was my favorite author. Later I became disappointed with series where the books tend to have similar stories and similar characters. I promised myself that if I wrote a series, my stories would be completely different from each other and would suit the character of each heroine.

When I published CHRISTMAS BABIES as Book I of the Holiday Babies Series, it was received with a huge success. I couldn’t believe the number of emails requesting Book II. So I wrote VALENTINE BABIES. The story flew from my mind and practically wrote itself. Readers loved it and asked for the next story.

CHRISTMAS BABIES is Madelyn’s story, the hard-working Dr M. Ramsay who suffers from an unexpected health problem. 

VALENTINE BABIES is Roxanne’s story, the head-strong and independent, second Ramsay daughter, who roams the world as a TV reporter. 

MOTHER’S DAY BABIES is Barbara Ramsey’s story, the mamma who looks like her daughters’ oldest sister. Barbara is attracted to Roxanne’s boss, Lou Roland, the powerful TV director. But how can a mother of five grown up daughters and a widow loyal to her husband’s memory abandon her kitchen’s haven and jump into dating mode after so long? 

My stories are heart-warming but funny. You may wipe a tear but you’ll laugh and smile a lot. The heroines have only one common trait: They are strong and won’t let obstacles stand in their ways. The heroes are very different from each other. Dr Nick Prescott who’s been in love with Madelyn for several years is a charming playboy, dedicated to his patients. Dr Greg Hayes is a quiet, reserved young man who can’t help falling in love with the sassy Roxanne at first glance. Lou Rolland, the powerful TV Director, longs for the cozy family atmosphere the vivacious Barbara creates around her.

And there may be more stories to come with two daughters still not married.

CHRISTMAS BABIES: 

A heartwarming holiday story, set in South Florida, CHRISTMAS BABIES spent two months on the bestsellers' list with an Amazon rank between 200 and 500 and garnered 95 reviews. 

Dedicated to her patients, the serious Dr Madelyn Ramsay never had time for fun. An unexpected health problem jolts her into the realization that there's more to life than just work. She longs to surrender to the magic of Christmas. But can she handle the charming and secretive Dr Nick Preston who carries his own package of disillusions? Can she allow two newborn twins to worm their way into her heart?




VALENTINE BABIES is a heart-warming story that will take you from the heart of Kentucky to South Florida and Atlanta, and then to Iraq and Germany.  VALENTINE BABIES spent one month on the bestsellers' list with an Amazon rank between 300 and 500, and garnered 44 reviews.

Fearless reporter, Roxanne Ramsay, doesn’t think twice before traveling for important assignments, even in a war zone—until her last trip leads her to a life-altering mistake.

At his best friends’ wedding, Dr Greg Hayes, who has a serious phobia of planes, can’t take his eyes off the lovely maid of honor. But why is Roxanne blinking away tears? Getting involved with the strong-headed and too generous reporter involves more complications than the bright doctor has ever faced in the OR. Yet what wouldn’t he do to save the love of his life and her baby?

Excerpt from Chapter One of VALENTINE BABIES:

“Go now. And smile for heaven’s sake,” the wedding coordinator sputtered against Roxanne’s ear. “It’s your sister’s happiest day.”

The Mendelssohn Wedding March chimed through the Cathedral of Christ the King in Lexington, Kentucky.

Roxanne Ramsay plastered a wide smile on her face and clutched her poinsettia bouquet to stop the trembling of her hands. God only knew how happy she was for Madelyn and Nick.

But why did she have to receive that horrible email yesterday? Two days before Christmas. Last night, she’d claimed to suffer a twenty-four hour bug to avoid the church rehearsal and dinner. Honestly, she didn’t have to fake stomach cramps. Her guts had twisted the moment she read and re-read the missive announcing Nabil’s death. Alone in her room in the big empty house, she’d cried her heart out.

A new bout of tears invaded her eyes. She blinked furiously and shuffled forward. Had the aisle lengthened all of a sudden? Gliding on the white carpet, she thought she’d already covered a mile. Behind her, the four bridesmaids progressed at the same snail’s pace.

Finally Roxanne reached the altar and sidled to the left. The fresh pine scent of the Christmas trees decorating the church mingled with the sweet fragrance of white roses in two vases adorning the altar. A delightful smell. Her stomach heaved.

Oh God, no. She braced herself and swallowed. The nausea passed.

The ushers and bridesmaids smiled as Nick took Madelyn’s hand. Roxanne’s face hurt from the effort of stretching her lips. In the first row, Mom sniffled and wiped her eyes with a lacy handkerchief. Could the sister of the bride cry as freely without attracting attention?

Why should she smile? There was no groom and no happy ending in her future.

“Since when were you such a mushy one? You’re crying even more than Mom,” her sister Heather mumbled in her ear.

“Sorry. It’s a... a special moment.” She exhaled and almost hiccupped. Please, God, help me stop crying.

“Still people are wondering,” Heather muttered in the same hushed tone.

“What people? We’re facing the altar. Father O’Brien is too busy reading his holy words.”

“The man standing next to Nick’s dad’s wheelchair hasn’t stopped staring at you.”

Roxanne’s head spun to the right. That gorgeous groomsman in a black tux and neatly combed brown hair?

His hazel eyes captured her gaze. She hadn’t attended last night’s rehearsal and hadn’t met Nick’s friends. His frown relaxed and he smiled. She tried to avert her eyes, and then threw another glance in his direction. He winked.

Her nerves already a shambles, she burst out laughing and caught his silent chuckle.

About the Author

Mona Risk

When her Ph.D. and work in chemistry landed her international contracts to refurbish laboratories, Mona Risk traveled to more than sixty countries on business or vacation. To relax from her hectic schedule, she avidly read romance novels and mentally plotted her own books. Eventually she left a scientific career to share with her readers the many stories brewing in her head. M. Risk likes to set her novels in the fascinating places she visited, from exotic Belarus, and historical France, to the beaches of Greece, the monuments of Egypt and the mysterious Islands of Seychelles. 

Her books have garnered: Top Picks; Outstanding Read; Sweetheart of the Week; Best Book of the Week at various reviewers, received two mentions in Publisher’s Weekly, and have won several awards, from Best Contemporary Romance of the Year at READERS FAVORITE, to Best Romance Novel of the Year at Preditors & Editors Readers Poll.

Mona Risk continues to write and read while traveling and discovering unchartered territories and fresh inspiration for new stories and different settings. 

Find out more about Mona from her website and/or her blog.

Readers Writes - All About Reading from a Reader's POV

Emily Eva Hetherington

After a little break last week, I'm very pleased to bring back Readers Writes today, especially because my guest is Emily Eva Hetherington, who is not just a discerning reader but also an excellent editor.  That makes her opinions doubly worthwhile and interesting.  You can find out about Emily's editing services via her website.  In the meantime she's here with us today to talk about her reading habits and preferences.  Here are her answers to some of my standard readers' questions.

Did you have a favourite book or author as a child?

There were so many that I enjoyed as a child, but Tony Ross stands out above any others. I loved all of his books and read them countless times. When I was a little older I enjoyed Anne Fine’s books among others.

Yes, I'd happily recommend Anne Fine's books to any young readers.  Do you have a treasured book from your childhood?  If yes, what is it?

Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell, which was given to me when I was a baby.

It must be very special for you to have preserved it.  How important was reading to you as a child?

It was extremely important. Our parents read to us frequently and my sister and I both learned to read at a very young age and loved it.

Music to my ears!  I do believe all parents should read regularly to their children to instil a love of reading from a very early age.  How important is reading in your life now?

More important than ever! I now work as an editor, so I’m reading every day for that, but I also currently have two books on the go at once that I’m reading for pleasure.

Have you ever revisited books you read in childhood to try to recapture the magic?

Of course! All the time! Unfortunately I had to leave a lot of my childhood books in my old place and can’t get them back now, but if I could have brought them with me I would still be reading them now, without a doubt.

What a shame.  I've moved around a lot too and of all the things I've ever regretted having to leave behind, books are highest on the list. 

Have you ever wished you could change places with any character from a story?

Occasionally, when I read a good romance novel, of course. Usually, though, I picture myself as the main character, but I don’t often wish I could change places with them. It’s enough just to lose myself in their world for a while.

Ah yes, definitely the sign of a good story.  Is there a fictional world you would love to visit or live in?

Discworld. You just have to!

Snap!  That would be one of my choices too. 

Do you think the young of today read enough, and if not, how might you try to encourage them to read more?

I don’t think they do read enough anymore. I would first target the parents and urge them to read with their children more often. Reading should be fun, but when certain books are forced on older children for schoolwork, the fun is often removed. They need to be taught that reading isn’t just for boring school stuff and then hopefully they would want to read more often.

I couldn't agree more.  Do you have a favourite book or author as an adult?  If so, who/why and have you read it more than once?

Jenny Twist. Now, I may be a little biased as this is my grandma, but I do truly love all her work to date. Most people would say that her first novel, Domingo’s Angel, was the best one, but I think her latest novel, All in the Mind, just tops it. I’m reading it for the third time now!

I love Jenny Twist as well and All in the Mind is certainly a lovely story, but Domingo's Angel must be one of the best books I've ever read.  Do you have a preference between print and e-books?

I do prefer print books in theory, but for practicality and convenience (never mind cost) I find e-books are far easier and I rarely read print books these days.

A sign of the times, perhaps.  What are you currently reading and in what format (hardback, paperback, e-book)?

All in the Mind by Jenny Twist – paperback, and a friend’s unpublished book – e-book

Lol, best of both worlds.  Do you think e-books will ever totally replace printed books?

No. I think they might come close, but there is still a lot of love for print books. I would have them even if they only sat on the shelf and looked good! It encourages me to read more when I have books on display anyway.

I know what you mean and actually, when I've read an excellent book on my Kindle, I sometimes buy a hard copy just to sit on my bookshelf. 

What about films?  Do you think books transfer to films well?  What is your favourite/worst book-to-film transfer?

My thoughts on that often depend on how well I know the books. In general I think that the films work well, but there are almost always small deviations from the book or details have changed a little. Usually that doesn’t bother me because I have a terrible memory for the details. If there are obvious changes that I feel were unnecessary then it does annoy me.

Have you discovered any new writers you'd recommend to other readers?  If so, what was great about their work?

Apart from yourself (the lovely Lynette Sofras) and my grandma (Jenny Twist), I’d say Tori L. Ridgewood, Tara Fox Hall and Daphne Olivier. All of whom are very clean, succinct writers who make reading their work effortless. You just escape into their world. The characterisation is great, the descriptions are great, and the plots are great! (Same goes for Lynette and Jenny!)

It's a good job you can't see my face right now - thank you for the compliment.  Now let's change the subject.   Is there a book you know you'll never read or found impossible to finish?

At school, when we had to read Wuthering Heights, Little Women and Pride and Prejudice, I found it really hard to follow the plot. It was hard enough to get my head around the language – it’s surprising just how different the language was then! However, I would like to try reading all of those again to see whether I find it easier now. Who knows whether I’ll manage it or not!

Oh I think you should, especially the first and last.  Some of the dialect in Wuthering Heights is a bit tricky to read but once you've got the hang of it, you can hear it very vividly in your head.  Pride and Prejudice has such beautiful prose and gentle wit, I do hope you'll give them another go. 

What is the most memorable or exciting plot or story opening to any story you can recall?

The first to spring to mind is Daphne Olivier’s latest (which I don’t think has been published yet), in which a man stumbles in a greenhouse breaking the glass dome surrounding one of several strange plants proceeds to have some sort of reaction. He calls for help, but when people arrive they are wearing strange suits, they ignore him lying on the ground and they start a fire before leaving, closing the door on him as they go. That’s just in the prologue! I was hooked before the first word of the main story!

It sounds awesome.  Do let us know the title - that's definitely one to watch out for.  Do you think there is anything new and exciting in modern fiction, or has it "all been said before"?

As hard as it might be to believe, there are always new ideas. Granted, some plots or ideas have been done again and again, but there are new ones out there and I believe there always will be.

I certainly hope so.  Emily, it's been wonderful chatting with you and thank you so much for stopping by and sharing your thoughts with us.

Don't forget, for details of Emily's editing services, click: http://emilyevaediting.weebly.com/index.html

And if you're an avid reader and would like to air your views about books on this blog, please contact me at ManicScribbler@gmail.com